#never trust business men with mullets

[lobotomize-d]

I have the World is Revolving lyrics by the Man on the Internet stuck in my head 🗣️

I ALSO have an extremely inconsistent way of drawing the little devil

[takenyoomies]

Bonten Abbey: (mis)Aventures to the Arcade

Summary:

Sanzu Haruchiyo was known for many things...pill-popping, being late, and most importantly, wrecking the flow of the weekly Wednesday board meeting. What would this week hold? None of the other members of Bonten wanted to find out when he was once again late to the meeting which only spelled one thing for them. Disaster. Word Count: 8.7k Read on AO3

It was a Wednesday, and a Wednesday meant one thing for the Bonten gang. The weekly board meeting that nearly every single member in the top brass gang seemed to dread, loathe, and despise. It was often typical for each member to discuss their part for the designated five minutes. However,  going over time would cause extreme tension in the sardine-can-sized conference room that would rival being trapped in a room with a rabid badger. In addition, there were times when other off-topic conversations occurred that in Akashi Takeomi’s quoted words were “an absolute fucking mess.” All in all, the meetings tended to go through without a hitch. However, today was not one of those days as Sanzu Haruchiyo strolled into the conference room with a shit-eating grin that rivaled no one else,  fashionably late, of course.

“Hey, Sanzu!” An annoyed Mochi shouted at the man who entered, whipping his head around at the sound of the door closing, teeth barred and fists clenched in anger.

“Yo, Mochi.” Sanzu waved, trouncing over and sliding down into the uncomfortable and hard leather seat.

“We have a set meeting time, jackass.” Kokonoi hissed.

“Like he’d  ever  listen to that Koko….” Ran laughed, shaking his head.

“Important business called me.” The pink-haired man sighed blissfully, shrugging almost sarcastically to the platinum blond accountant’s dismay.

“I doubt that highly.” Rindou breathed.

“Oh, and what would that be?” Takeomi chimed in, a brow raised as he put out his cigarette.

“I’m  so  glad you asked!”

Reaching into his pocket with excited fingers, the pink-haired mullet sporting man pulled out a folded piece of paper. One would think this was some grandiose plan, some information regarding their competition, something important. But, no, Haruchiyo Sanzu unfolded the piece of colorful paper and slammed it onto the mahogany conference table, looking up at the group of men with a smirk.

“...Please tell me it’s actually important this time.” One of them said with a sigh. It didn’t matter which one.

“Oh, trust me, it’s of the utmost importance.” Sanzu assured, holding up his right hand, “Swear on Mucho’s grave.”

“The last time you used that, we ended up deserted at some movie theater that was showing a crappy porno...so that’s out the window, and you’re about to be too if this is something-” Mochi ranted, taking a glance at the piece of paper, “Are you fucking serious?” He asked in disbelief.

“What is it this time?” Kakucho finally spoke with an exasperated sigh, standing up from his seat and walking over to take a look at the piece of paper, “An arcade?” He asked with a raised brow as he looked over to the pink-haired man.

“Yeah, they’re running a deal where if eight people come as a group, you get 50% off.” He leaned back in the chair, putting his feet onto the table with a thud, “Therefore, I think we should take advantage of it and get off our depressed asses for a change.” Sanzu concluded with a nod.

There was a click in the background as Takeomi lit another cigarette. “I’m fine without having to babysit for the day.” Takeomi stated, then taking a heavy hit off of the cigarette, exhaling upward, “Interrupting a meeting for this is rather pointless, Haruchiyo Sanzu….”

“I think it sounds like a good time. Reminds me of when we were back in Tenjiku, right Rindou?” Ran turned to his brother, who sighed and shook his head.

“Yeah, I guess there’s some nostalgia there.” The younger Haitani agreed.

“2-1.” Sanzu stated, pointing to the others in the room, “Mochi, Kakucho, Koko….” He said to each as he pointed to each of them with his index finger, pausing as he hovered over the sleeping Mikey, not daring to wake him up.

“It’s a waste of our funds, and judging from the fact we recently recovered from the great  Bonten Has To Eat Instant Noodles For Two Months issue...It’s a no from me as well.” Kokonoi explained as he slid his hands together, “I’m sadly not in the mood for instant noodles again.”

Sanzu rolled his eyes, “Stop being a drama queen, and it wasn’t  that  bad.”

“It was fucking awful. What the fuck are you talking about?” Mochi argued, “Just for that, it’s a no from me too.”

“Bullshit, you’re voting based on emotions.” Sanzu cried out, swinging his feet off the table and slamming his fists onto it with a loud thud.

“What if I am?!” Mochi screamed, holding his fists up, dropping the flyer onto the floor for Kakucho to pick up.

“Oh god, here we go again…” The younger Haitani laughed, laying onto the surface in front of him as he watched the fight unfold.

“Zero days without incident at a Bonten Board Meeting….” Takeomi sighed, shaking his head in dismay.

“Did we ever have a positive count…” Kokonoi asked in confusion.

“Nope.” Ran snorted as he shook his head.

“I think it’d be interesting.” The normally quiet Kakucho spoke up, placing the flyer onto the table near the sleeping blond.

“See? I knew Kakucho was my favorite for a reason.” Sanzu pointed towards Kakucho, who blinked and pointed towards himself to ask ‘who, me?’.

“Didn’t you say Rindou was your favorite last week?” Ran questioned, an index finger on his cheek in sarcastic thought, “Oh right, it was for  ‘agreeing with you about how strawberry shortcake is better than strawberry cheesecake’  …” Pointing at Sanzu.

Rindou jabbed his brother in the stomach with an elbow, causing the taller of the two to emit a dull ‘ ow,’  “Don’t bring me into this.”

“That was an important conversation. Mochi was trying to say cheesecake was better than real cake,” Sanzu clarified, “I’m not going to rehash old beef, though.” He held up two hands as if to say he didn’t care. However, it only seemed to anger Mochi more as he drew back a fist. Kakucho began to get ready to hold the brawny man back for the umpteenth time.

However, a small yawn from the front of the table, causing every person to freeze. Mochi and Kakucho returned to their seats quickly as the blond who had once been asleep opened his dark, inky eyes.

“...All of you are unnaturally quiet,” He finally spoke, looking around at each of the men seated at the table. He then glanced down at the sheet of paper that was settled in front of him, “What’s this?”

Sanzu gulped. This was officially a make-or-break moment for his plan, “Ah, Mikey...it’s for an arcade that’s running a deal….” He trailed off nervously.

The blond’s obsidian eyes glanced over the information listed on the paper before pausing at the section relating to food and looking back up at the group of men, “We’re going.”

Sanzu smirked and looked directly at Takeomi, who looked as though he wanted to crawl into a ditch and die, “Sanzu - 1 Takeomi - 0.” He jousted.

“If we were keeping track history-wise, you’d be so far in the red you’d be begging for someone to come save you,” Takeomi shot back, shrugging his shoulders and standing from his seat. He walked towards the door of the conference room, turning his head to Sanzu, “but you do that enough already, huh?” Finishing with a dry laugh as he exited the conference room.

“What the fuck? I’m not Koko.”

“I’m right here…?” Kokonoi shook his head in disbelief, standing from his seat at the table with a huff and kicking the chair back into place, “If I have to eat instant noodles for two months again, I will  never  forgive any of you assholes….” Pointing a finger around the room, stopping before Mikey, turning on his designer heels, and walking out of the room. You could hear the faint echo of his heels trailing down the concrete hallway.

“And then there were….” Sanzu counted himself and the heads in the room, holding up one hand to count only to realize he didn’t have enough fingers, “Anyways, when are we going?”

“The flyer said the deal is only good until Sunday; therefore, we need to go before then.” Kakucho informed the group, “Since it’s Wednesday, and we each have jobs to do until early Saturday morning...I’d suggest Saturday afternoon.”

“Overall, that sounds like it would work with our current plans, Kakucho.” Mikey agreed, his obsidian gaze staring holes into the heterochromatic man’s soul.

Kakucho nodded his head, “I’ll be taking my leave now. I have some things I need to tie up.” Then, standing up from his chair, pushing the chair in, and silently walking out the door to the conference room.

“We’ll get going as well, then.” Ran suddenly spoke as he stood up lazily, a scuffling noise coming from the chair.

“You act as though we’re going to the same place….” The younger Haitani breathed, shaking his head and rolling his lavender eyes at his brother’s statement.

“I thought you said we’re going out for lunch?” Ran pouted, hands on his hips.

“I said I was going to get lunch, and you invited yourself again.”

“I don’t see what the problem is with that?”

“Everything, everything is the problem with that.” Rindou turned to his brother as he finally stood from his place at the table with a huff.

“Can I come wi-” Mochi started to ask, only to be interrupted.

“NO!” Both Ran and Rindou yelled simultaneously to Mochi.

“Tough crowd…” Sanzu snorted to Mochi.

“Listen-” Mochi started, cracking his knuckles, only to be shot a look by Mikey.

“I’d be careful Sanzu, Kakucho already left, and that makes the chances of your face getting smashed in about 8-2.” Ran pointed with some underlying amusement, almost hoping that there would be another fight.

“Wow! Is everyone Koko today?!” He asked incredulously, putting his head in his palm and looking at the older Haitani, “If I didn’t know better...you did our taxes, Ran!”

“...But, I do help with those?” He questioned in a confused tone, blinking.

“Leave him. He’s hopeless.” Rindou sighed, “Mochi, come with us to lunch before you get put on punishment duty by Mikey.”

“I wasn’t gonna do shit.” Mochi huffed, glaring at the pink-haired man, “What are you lookin’ at?”

“Nothing, nothing...it’s just-” Sanzu paused, leaning forward in his seat to get a closer look at Mochi.

“It’s just what?” Mochi spat.

“Your beard...you shaved it crooked this morning, and it’s the funniest fucking shit I’ve  ever  seen.”

Yes, it was at this moment that Mikey indeed questioned if he formed the deadliest gang in all of Tokyo...or if he formed the most immature band of toddlers in all the land of Japan.

---x---

“So, who's driving?” Sanzu asked lazily on that faithful Saturday afternoon.

“The last time Rindou drove, he floored it past an old lady because she was driving the speed limit and nearly crashed us into a gasoline tanker, so...I vote not Rind-OW what was that for?!” Kokonoi yelped, getting elbowed in the side by Rindou.

“She was going eight under the speed limit, number one, and number two. I drive fine compared to somebody!” The long-haired man glaring over to Mochi.

“Eat shit.” Mochi replied, flipping Rindou the bird, “Let Kakucho drive; he’s safe.”

Sanzu groaned loudly, “But Kakucho drives like a grandma.”

“And how is that a bad thing?” Kakucho sighed, shaking his head.

“We’re gonna get there at sundown if you drive.” Sanzu pointed out.

“Oh, true.” Ran chimed in with a thoughtful nod.

“I don’t drive  that  slow.”

“Yes, you do,” Sanzu breathed, “Next.” Kakucho held out his hand, only to put it down in defeat.

“Alright, since Sanzu is an absolute fuckwit about this, I’ll drive. One catch, though,” Takeomi spoke up as he threw his cigarette onto the pavement, crushing it under his shoe.

“Ooooh, Takeomi enters the chat.” Sanzu mooned.

“Shut up,” He shook his head, “I get full control of the radio.”

Everyone went silent, staring at one another in horror.

“Sanzu, let someone else drive,” Kokonoi spoke up finally.

“Yeah, please, let someone else drive.” Rindou shook.

“I don’t want to deal with this for 45 minutes.” Mochi looked over at Takeomi, lighting another cigarette, who had a sinister look in his eyes.

Mikey finally strolled down into the parking garage, noticing no one was in the bus, “Who’s driving.”

“Takeomi is,” Sanzu replied, a collective sigh from the group as Takeomi chuckled to himself.

As everyone began boarding the bus, Mikey clung behind with Kakucho, only to ask a singular question, “Does this mean he has control of the radio again?”

“We’re sadly going to be listening to Russian death metal for 45 minutes….”

Mikey stared ahead before reaching into his pocket and fishing out two pairs of earplugs and handing Kakucho a couple, “Tell no one.”

The dark-haired man blinked as the other walked onto the bus, Sanzu slamming on the horn while screaming at Kakucho to “get his ass on the bus,” much to Takeomi’s annoyance as he tried to shove the pink-haired idiot away. Inwardly, he wondered about the kindness as he embarked on the self-proclaimed Bonten prison bus, holding the earplugs in his fist.

The route navigation guidance will start…

“Yeah, yeah, shut the fuck up.” Mochi chided the navigation system.

“Don’t insult her. You’d get lost getting out of a paper bag.” Rindou snorted.

Takeomi turned his head around and glared, “I hear any more arguing, and all of you will wake up in a walk-in freezer.” He said with a sweet smile, putting the bus into gear and starting to drive out of their base.

“You’ll never take me alive!” Sanzu retorted after a moment, snickering to himself as Takeomi visibly winced in anger.

“Yeah, that’s the point, dumbass,” Kokonoi replied, slapping the back of Sanzu’s head with an open palm.

“Takeomiiii Koko hit meeee-”

Takeomi gripped the steering wheel with one hand, his knuckles on that hand turning white as his other hand skillfully reached for the pack of cigarettes and a lighter that laid on the center console. He plucked a stick out with his lips, throwing the pack back down and flicking the lighter to light the cigarette. He inhaled deeply, holding the smoke in for a long while as if to contemplate his current life choices, such as why in the world he ever agreed to play babysitter to a group of overgrown idiots and be their chauffeur for the day. Finally, his eyes looked into the rear-view mirror, meeting Sanzu’s mischievous cerulean ones, “Good, you deserved it.”

“Fuck off, Takeomi.” Sanzu puffed, Takeomi only turning up the music louder in a petty act of revenge.

“Look what you made him do!” The blond man shrieked in horror, everyone else on the bus, minus Kakucho and Mikey, glaring at the pink-haired offender.

“I didn’t do anything! He turned it up himself!” Sanzu defended.

“I’m rating Takeomi 1 star on Uber,” The older of the Haitani brothers joked, “Worst music choices, worst attitude, smokes in the car-”

“You can walk if you want,” Takeomi called out, “But remember, I had to carry you home after that mission because you twisted your ankle because you decided to wear those new Gucci shoes...I think you’d be too far up shit creek to stand on your own.”

Ran blushed furiously, “You said you wouldn’t tell anyone!”

Rindou snorting and holding his sides, “Bro, that’s why you were limping that week? You said you slipped on the ice...It was your shoes?!” He wheezed.

“Oh my god, you’re absolutely hopeless, Ran….” Kokonoi facepalmed, chuckling.

“I am not. I’m reporting you to HR!” The short-haired man pouted, crossing his arms.

Sanzu snorted, “Did you mean Kakucho?” Looking over to the dark-haired man who was staring out the window, “Oh shit, he’s brooding.”

Mochi sighed, “Someone get the tissues ready.”

“Earth to Kakucho, come in to Kakucho...Return to planet earth!!” Sanzu yelled, causing Takeomi to glare at him in the rear-view mirror.

“Sanzu, that walk-in freezer has your name on it...I know a place relatively close by.” Takeomi threatened.

Turn left at the next intersection, then turn right.

“Bullshit, that’s the long way.” Takeomi hissed, throwing his cigarette out the window angrily, “Who designed this.”

“Please do not take us on another scenic route again…” Sanzu whined painfully, “It’s on the GPS for a reason. We do not need to relive the Black Dragons glory days.”

Takeomi rolled his eyes, “For your information, my glory days have nothing to do with getting us there faster.”

“Mhm...keep telling yourself that.” Sanzu replied snarkily, “Are we there yet?”

“Mikey, do you still have the duct tape in the bus?” Kokonoi perked up suddenly, clapping his hands together, “I suddenly thought of a great project for us!”

“I don’t like the sound of this project.” Sanzu objected.

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll just  love  it.” The light-haired man reassured Sanzu, brushing his hand against his arm gently, the other retreating with disgust. Kokonoi snorted with laughter, “What, scared?”

“No, I don’t want to catch your reverse sister complex.”

Kokonoi stared at the other with his mouth wide open, Sanzu rolling his eyes in return, “I was at the Kanto Incident, don’t act like people don’t have ears when you and what’s his face were out there screaming about it….”

“Yeah, you were screaming about it, Koko.” Mochi agreed, Sanzu blinking that the man had agreed with him.

“Oh yeah, I remember that!” Ran exclaimed.

“Survey says Tenjiku remembers it Koko.” Sanzu shrugged.

“Go to hell, and stay there.” Kokonoi huffed, blowing his bangs off his face.

Sanzu crossed his arms, smirking smugly, “You’re just mad because I won.”

“Oh god, he’s crying.” Mochi whispered, nodding his head toward Kakucho, “Sanzu, you just fucking  had  to bring up Tenjiku, didn’t you?”

“Nice going Sanzu, that’s the 3rd time this month you did it, too.” Rindou pointed out, “I don’t think we have tissues in the fucking bus anymore.”

“Why the fuck not?!” Mochi hissed, “Oh wait….” His eyes trailing over to the elder Haitani, who was looking to the side inconspicuously.

Rindou’s eyes narrowed as he looked at his brother, “Yeah, hm, perhaps because someone decided to hop in with a fresh bullet wound….”

“Listen, it was a bad night...week...month….” He attempted in defense, each increment of time making Rindou raise his brow higher and higher, “ Year?” Finally, causing the younger brother to nod in agreement.

“Wow, Ran...it’s almost as though you’re more useless than Sanzu,” Takeomi muttered sarcastically, offended gasps resonating from both Sanzu and Ran.

“At least I know how to cook without setting the fire alarms off,” Ran spoke incredulously.

“You forgot the sprinklers too.” Rindou chimed in.

“Hey,” Sanzu spoke, turning his head to them.

“Please, let us all not forget about the time he came to a meeting to discuss the fine intricacies of how orange juice makes you taste weird after you brush your teeth,” Mochi added, shaking his head in disproval.

“I’m right here!” Sanzu yelled in a huff.

You have arrived at your destination.

“Thank fucking god,” Takeomi sighed, putting the bus in park, “Someone wake Mikey up.”

---x---

Surprisingly, the arcade was located in a relatively remote part of town compared to where Bonten typically walked their regular routes. However, this did not stop several people from staring as the rag-tag crew disembarked the converted prison bus.

“Hey, hey...who are those people…”

“They look kinda scary.….”

“Alright, so game plan time.” Sanzu began as they walked towards the doors of the arcade.

“I’ll go in, so you get the deal. However, I’ll be standing outside to smoke otherwise.” Takeomi concluded.

“What?!” Sanzu shrieked in disbelief, “No, you have to participate.”

“No, I don’t.” The scar-faced man replied coldly.

“Let it go Sanzu, Takeomi can keep watch.” Kakuchou offered, “And he needs a break too. He just drove for almost an hour.”

Takeomi nodded his head in agreement, “Couldn’t have said it better.”

Sanzu clicked his tongue in annoyance, looking over to the blond for help, “Mikey….” He pleaded in a petulant manner.

“Let him rest.” Mikey stated, “He’s been pulling overnights, too.”

Takeomi smirked towards Sanzu, who only seemed to get more aggravated as he aggressively pulled open the doors to the arcade with a loud, “Fine!”

The arcade was anything you would expect, loud, smelled a bit musty, and was vibrant beyond compare. However, there was a slight scent of cheese for some strange reason. Heading towards the counter, the eight members of Bonten cashed in for several game cards that were quickly handed to none of than Hajime Kokonoi himself.

“Wait, why me?” He asked incredulously.

“Weren’t you the one who said,  oh, I don’t wanna eat instant noodles for a month ?” Sanzu mocked, shaking his head.

“Yeah, but we’re all adults here and can manage fine….” The platinum blond trailed off, looking around in a confused manner.

“Yeah, Koko, don’t be a hypocrite.”The older Haitani agreed, hands on his hips.

“Are you seriously agreeing with him?!” Koko cried in astonishment.

“Well, I think that settles it,” Sanzu said with a smirk, “You can go play like, one game or something like that.”

“Sanzu, is the word ‘nice’ in your dictionary, or did that get removed when you started your drug usage?” Kakucho asked, blinking.

Sanzu turned and looked at the other man, “I could say something right now, but it would amount to the fourth time this month.”

“Alright, let’s just get on with this shit.” Mochi finally said, shaking his head.

“Yeah, Yeah...I’m going….” Sanzu waved his hand as he walked in the other direction, likely off to find something that piqued his interest.

Ran turned to Rindou, “I wonder if they have DDR here….” He wondered aloud, his lavender eyes glancing around the area only to light up in amusement, “I see it!”

“Oh, it’s on.” Rindou smirked, “Ready for a revenge match, bro?”

“Like I’d ever miss it for the world.” Ran laughed as they both made a bee-line for the machine.

“What are you gonna, do Kakucho?” Mochi asked, turning to the jet-black-haired man.

“I’m not sure; I haven’t been to an arcade since….” He trailed off and looked to the floor.

“Get out of your head for once.” Mochi punched the other lightly in the shoulder with a grin, “Can’t stay in there forever, huh?”

Kakucho looked towards the other man and nodded, “You’re right.”

The two began walking around, attempting to find something to do in the vast array of games and activities, stopping now and then for Mochi to try something and only failing at it miserably, only to have Kakucho show Mochi how to do it properly. Eventually, both came upon a motorcycle racing game, their eyes lighting up as they used to long ago.

“Mochi?” Kakucho asked quietly, though loud enough to hear over the several kids screaming in the background.

“Yeah?” He asked.

“We’re playing this.” He declared.

“I mean, I figured when you stopped right there and were staring at it like it was some sexy chick at the strip club.” Mochi snorted, Kakucho staring at him as though he had two heads.

“Your disrespect for women is unimaginable.” He huffed as he hopped onto the motorcycle.

Mochi let out a hearty chuckle as he climbed onto the adjacent motorcycle, “Preaching respect women while in a gang that deals with prostitution,” He slid the card into the reader twice, “That’s some funny shit.”

“Oh screw, you.” Kakucho pouted as he swerved the motorcycles to select the rider, pausing over a white-haired rider and selecting them.

Mochi stared a moment, blinking at the fact Kakucho had chosen a character that looked like Izana. He shook his head and chose a random character, not exactly caring.

3...2...1...START!

“Oh fuck me, this ain’t nothin’ like the real shit.” Mochi cursed as he attempted to steer, crashing out several times with a string of curses.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about; this is pretty easy?” Kakucho replied, already in 1st place.

“How the fuck!” Mochi swore in anger, attempting to climb back into a semi-reputable position, only to realize he was in 9th place, closing in on 10th.

Kakucho tilted his body through a turn and smiled; he was having fun with this. He truly missed being able to go to the arcade with friends, with Izana. He wondered if they could do this more often...if Bonten could. He was drawn from his thoughts as Mochi swore loudly again, making him laugh, “Mochi, do you need help?”

“How the fuck are you gonna help me from there?!” The bulky man swore, now in 12th place—dead last.

“I...don’t know,” Kakucho admitted, crossing the finish line and setting a course record for the game.

“This is some ungodly level bullshit right here,” Mochi complained, trying to back himself out of an in-game ditch.

Kakucho continued watching for several minutes until Mochi finally crossed the finish line, “Well done.” He congratulated.

“Oh fuck off, enter your damn name.” The bearded man hissed in envy.

Kakucho entered his initials into the game, listed under 2nd place. He wondered who had set the 1st place record for the machine, though it was likely impossible to figure out.

His head turned when he heard a cry of frustration nearby, one that he knew...Koko?

---x---

When the group had split up earlier, Haruchiyo Sanzu had given him one rule. That was he was only allowed to play one game. Several ideas ran through his head, virtual poker, which allowed him to recoup the money they were blowing here, the weird slot machine game that looked rather promising, and then, of course, the game where you had a coin and slid it down a slot to push more coins off a ledge… All of those were lovely ideas, Kokonoi thought, that was until he landed upon a red stool in front of a screen that read Deal or No Deal. He’d heard of this reality television series before, and he knew the premise.

The blond pursed his lips as he sat down, assessing the machine. There were 16 buttons on the front labeled 1 through 16 in the shape of what looked to be briefcases. Kokonoi assumed they were to represent the motifs from the show. He sighed, figuring that, if anything, this was going to be the game for him. He slid the game card through the reader, slumping onto the stool.

Get ready to play: Deal or No Deal.

“Fuck me…” Kokonoi sighed in annoyance, watching as the said sixteen cases appeared on the screen with various ticket amounts ranging from one to five hundred. Large letters appearing stating to ‘follow the cases,’ which essentially signified you were supposed to pick the largest amount.

“Oh lovely, some RNG?” He muttered sarcastically, “It’s not like we don’t get enough of that in those gacha games kids play these days….” The cases shuffled around the screen, stopping and showing designated numbers that corresponded to the buttoned below. He thought a moment before pressing the nine button.

Choose your case...this will be your personal case.

“Yeah, I already did that-” Kokonoi hissed in annoyance, spamming one of the buttons to no avail.

You chose case number nine.

“Oh.”

Now pick five cases.

“I feel like I’m playing some fucked up lottery.” He sighed, noticing the clock and swearing under his breath as he scrambled to choose a number, “Let’s continue with the ongoing theme of my name.” He pressed the 1 button.

One.

One of the virtual women on the screen opened the case to reveal a low ticket amount, Kokonoi nodding his head in approval. He pressed the 13 button, the game echoing his choice once again to show yet another low ticket amount.

“And I thought poker was a rush.” He mused to himself, pressing the 8 button. This time, a larger amount was revealed.

“And all good things come to an end.” The light-haired man sighed as he then pressed the 15, another low.

“Back in black,” He joked, leaning back as he assessed the board for the final number, “Alright, let’s try 6.” It was a high number.

There was a ring from a telephone, causing Kokonoi to look around in confusion, only to realize it was the game, “This is such a weird game….”

That’s the bank.

“Oh good, am I getting paid?”

Here is the offer...Deal or No Deal...

A ticket amount appeared on the screen, Kokonoi’s inky eyes narrowing, “That’s it?!” He cried in frustration, hitting the NO DEAL button quickly, “I think that one gang we took out last week had a better offer for us than that.” He huffed.

Now open four cases.

“Again?” He asked incredulously, shaking his head, “Fine.” He pressed the 2 button, revealing a large amount, “Goddammit.” He thought a moment as the clock ticked down.

Hurry up.

“Oh, this game did  not  just tell me to hurry up.” The fair-haired man stated saltily, pressing the 16 button, low. He smirked, “See, can’t rush perfection.” He pushed the 10 button, low again.

“One more until the bank comes crawling back to me….” Kokonoi thought aloud to himself, hovering over the 14 button and then pressing it gently. Another low amount. The phone began ringing again in the game, music to Kokonoi’s ears, in all honesty.

There’s the bank again.

“Who else would it be?” Kokonoi mocked as he waited for the offer to appear on the screen.

Here’s the offer...Deal or No Deal…

Kokonoi thought a moment as the in-game clock ticked down. While this was a remarkably better offer than the last, he knew that there was still a significant chance he would be able to win big, and after all, it was an arcade. And not to mention, the bragging rights over Sanzu would give him mental clarity for the next month. With that thought, he pressed the NO DEAL button.

Now pick three cases.

Kokonoi sucked in a breath, his heart pumping, and he rubbed his hands together, “This is starting to feel like poker.” He pressed the 3 key. High. Swearing under his breath as he then pushed the 12 key high again. He stared up at the ceiling, his grand plan starting to fall apart as he looked down and pressed the 7 key, hoping for some luck. Low. Kokonoi sighed to himself as the phone rang, knowing the offer would look like garbage compared to the last, and laughing hysterically when it was less than half of what it originally was, quickly pressing the NO DEAL button as if he had never seen it.

Now open two cases.

“I don’t know if it’s good or bad, that the highest amount is still there, or that the offer they just made was so bad I wanted to leave here and never return..” Kokonoi chuckled to himself, questioning his life choices up until this point, pressing the 5 key. High. He then pressed the 4 key, also high.

“Wait...doesn’t that mean…” He stared and blinked, “I have either the 1 ticket or 500…”

The phone ringing again to make another offer, Kokonoi spamming the NO DEAL button as he came to the realization.

Now, let’s open your case.

As the in-game woman opened the case, Kokonoi leaned forward, only for the case to reveal...One ticket. Hajime Kokonoi had won, one ticket. He screamed, slamming his hands onto the machine before holding his head in his hands, staring at the floor in anguish. By now, Kakucho and Mochi had made their way over to him.

“Koko, what happened?” Kakucho asked, leaning down to attempt to make eye contact.

“I took a calculated risk...and for what.” The blond sobbed, his hand nearly tearing his hair out in frustration.

“Uh...Koko, it’s just a game.” Mochi laughed, amused by the entire situation.

“Do you think we can put a hit on Howie?” Kokonoi asked after a moment, looking up at the two of them.

“Who the fuck is Howie?” Mochi asked.

“Isn’t that the Deal or No Deal guy?” Kakucho asked, and then noticing where they were standing, “The answer is no, we are not killing someone for your petty revenge.”

Kokonoi huffed and crossed his arms, “Fine.” He looked around, “Where’s Ran and Rindou?”

“Oh, they’re with their fan club.” Mochi snorted, “Go see for yourself.”

---x---

“They really do have it, bro!” Rindou said with a huge grin, pointing towards the bright and colorful Dance Dance Revolution machine in front of them.

“Why wouldn’t they? They had it when we were growing up in Roppongi?”

“Okay, but who the fuck knows about a weird arcade Sanzu chose.”

“You speak only the truth…” Ran laughed, stepping onto the pad and sliding the card through the reader, “Oh nice, we get three songs?”

“Remember before we’d have to keep a cup of quarters on the floor, and we’d always spill it?” Rindou asked, tying his hair into a bun and joining his brother on the game’s vibrant pad.

“Yeah, and you’d always blame me for it even though you were always the one who did it!” Ran pouted, flipping through the songs and pausing on one, the music filtering through speakers as he turned to Rindou with a sinister smirk, “What was that about a revenge match?”

Rindou grinned, crossing his arms triumphantly, “I’ll gladly bust your ass at Kimagure Mercy any day.”

“Do you still remember how we do it?” Ran questioned as he selected it, sliding off his suit jacket and slinging it over the back of the railing.

“How couldn’t I.” The bun-sporting man rolled his lavender eyes, “Aren’t you the older one, gRANdpa?”

Ran’s eyebrow twitched, “I’m not above sibling punishment Rindou.”

“Oh, I’m shaking.”

The was applause from the game, signifying the song was about to start. The two brothers faced forwards, the intro starting and patterns beginning to fall down the screen. The two started to move in unison, swaying back and forth to the beat. It wasn’t until the first verse hit that what Ran mentioned began.

The Haitani brothers had begun to dance while playing Dance Dance Revolution.

Rindou glanced over to his brother, “Oh my god can you stop being such a show-off for once?” He huffed through a laugh, clapping hands with his brother to the beat.

“Please, it’s on my wiki article!” Ran cried out, “Just like you’re a big brute.” He bopped his head.

“I am not!” The younger retorted, squinting at the screen.

“Don’t mess up, Rindou!” Ran teased and purposefully pushed the other a bit in one of their claps.

“Fuck off!”

A crowd began to grow, mainly teenage girls enamored by these two men playing the game in such a spectacular way. All of them were excitedly watching as the two played, starting to ask each other questions such as “Does anyone know their names?” “Who are they?” “Do they have an Instagram?”... Eventually, when Rindou’s name was mentioned, people began to cheer for him. Naturally, this caused a significant issue for Ran Haitani.

“Hi ladies, I’m Ran~” He sang, causing them to squeal, a smirk plastered on his face, and an annoyed groan from Rindou echoing in response.

“In another life, I wonder if you were destined to be a host.” He sighed, accidentally missing the tile on the floor, “Shit!” he swore loudly.

“You see what you get, Rindou; respect your elders.” Ran snorted, the other man glaring at him from the corner of his eyes.

“When this song is over, you better run…” He whispered, “It’s over in 23...22...21…”

“I’m so old, my hearing…” He joked, Rindou nearly grabbing his hand during one of the claps and breaking it.

The song wrapped up, Ran turning around and waving to the group of girls and Rindou slouching forwards, primarily due to rage, though also due to an insatiable desire to beat his brother to a pulp in Dance Dance Revolution.

“Again.”

“Oh, you want more?” Ran asked with a lazy smirk as he waved to the “fans”.

“We have 2 more songs.” Rindou huffed, rolling his eyes, “It’s a waste of money.”

“True,” Ran nodded his head, “Let’s pick an easier song then!” He reached for the buttons only to have his hand slapped away by the younger, a dull ‘ow’ leaving his lips.

“No, we’re playing this song until I beat you. It’s that simple.” Rindou explained, hands on his hips.

“Fine, fine.” The older relented, “Don’t blame me if you can’t beat me.”

By the time Kakucho, Mochi, and Kokonoi made it over to the Haitani brothers. The crowd was sizeable. The arcade staff attempted to get the crowd to disperse, as it was becoming a fire hazard to the facility.

“Hey Ran, Rindou, what happened here?” Mochi asked as he finally made it to the front.

The two stepped off the machine and walked over to the group, Rindou grinning as the elder brother shook his head, “I reminded him who the rightful heir to the DDR throne is.”

“Please, you only beat me once.” Ran sighed in exasperation and exhaustion.

“And that still means I beat you.” The long-haired man spoke smugly.

“Wait, so that crowd...was all for you two playing a rhythm game?” Kokonoi questioned, “That’s insane.”

“I hope they don’t follow us home, or Mikey is going to have our heads,” Kakucho pondering the probability, “Then again, they might see Takeomi and get a bit scared.”

“Is he still out smoking?” Kokonoi pondered, tilting his head to see if he could see him, “I can’t see him.”

“I thought I saw him come in with Sanzu earlier?” Ran spoke up, the entire group staring at him.

“That can’t be right. Takeomi would never go with Sanzu…” The blond-haired man stated, slightly bewildered by the information.

“Oh, there he is.” The younger Haitani pointed, Takeomi wearing a shit-eating grin as he walked back outside, the entire group then spotting a pissed-off Sanzu.

---x---

Sanzu was officially bored. He thought that coming to the arcade would be an excellent way to spend some time away from things, though it only seemed to create more issues. What was worse was everyone else seemed to be doing their own thing, so there was no one left to mess with or bother. After an hour of wandering around and playing several games that held his attention for a few minutes or less, he set his sights on a bigger and better prize: Akashi Takeomi.

Yes, in actuality Akashi Takeomi was dangerous. He likely could kidnap Sanzu as he slept, lock him in a freezer, and then feed him to the fish...Though where was the fun in not messing with someone like that? He smirked to himself as he walked outside to see the scar-faced man unsurprisingly smoking.

“Ew, how many have you smoked today?” Sanzu spoke, holding his nose in mock disgust.

Takeomi didn’t even look at him, “Half a pack, give or take.”

“Smoking’s bad for you, y’know.”

“Drugs are too, but you don’t see me trying to give you a 12-step lecture.” Takeomi retorted dryly, Sanzu cackling in response.

“I gotta hand it to ya. That one was funny.” The pink-haired man pointing to the other.

“What exactly do you want?”

Sanzu clasped his hands together, “Dearest Takeomi, you’ve been out here for over an hour...I think it’s about time you came inside and actually enjoyed what we came here for.”

“No.” He replied with a laugh, “Nice try though, really love the theatrics...maybe we can get you a job with the prostitutes.”

Sanzu groaned, “Can you stop being a stick in the mud for once and be fun?”

Takeomi felt something inside him snap. Honestly, he just wanted to sit outside and smoke. He wanted not to have to deal with a specific pink-haired buffoon who continued to ruin his Saturdays over and over each week. Instead, however, he turned to the other man with a sickly sweet smile, throwing his cigarette onto the ground and crushing it under his shoe, “Sure, Sanzu, I’ll play one game...let’s go.”

“Really!” Sanzu’s face lit up with excitement, “Okay, let’s go!”

As they entered the arcade, Sanzu and Takeomi walked around a moment, regret beginning to wash over the older as his head began to pound from the noise and light.

“So, what do you want to play.” The pink-haired man asked, tipping his head to meet the other’s gaze.

“I don’t know, and I haven’t been to an arcade in fuck all knows.” Takeomi hissed, rubbing his temples, “Can you make it quick?”

“Jeez, I didn’t know they made you when the dinosaurs still walked the planet.” Sanzu grumbled, “Let’s go for a shooter then.” The two of them walking towards a Western-style shooting game that had plastic guns.

“Why am I not surprised.” The dark-haired man breathed, shaking his head.

“What? Sorry, I’m good at what I’m good at?” Sanzu mocked, shrugging his shoulders, “Anyways, it’s pretty self-explanatory...aim, pull the trigger, boom.”

Takeomi smirked. What Sanzu didn’t know was, he knew how to play this game. He knew far too well how to play this game because, during his days as a Brahma captain, Senju and himself would often sit in arcades and play. Sanzu Haruchiyo had sentenced himself to an early grave with this one, no matter how good a shot he was.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” The pink-haired man nodding his head towards the machine.

“I’m broke; you pay for it.”

“How the fuck are you broke if you- Nevermind.” Sanzu started, shaking his head and sliding his game card through the reader, “Let’s settle this.”

The older stepped up to the gallery, picking up the model gun and testing the weight in his hands before settling on a position.

Ready...Start!

Enemies started popping onto the screen, Sanzu quickly shooting the targets that were his color. He thought to himself it would be easy to best the older man until he realized he was keeping pace, and his score was already twice his based on the accuracy bonus.

“Hey, hey, hey…” Sanzu started, beginning to get ruffled by the sudden turn of events.

“What is it Sanzu, maybe you should aim a bit better, or is that too difficult?” Takeomi replied cooly as he blasted the head off of a zombie, “Oh, that was a good one.”

“Are you  shitting  me?” He cried out in response, “You actually know how to play this?” Sanzu was aiming for one of the enemy bonuses. However, he missed miserably. He swore under his breath, much to Takeomi’s delight.

“It’s been a good oh, what did you call it...era.” He mused as they made it to the boss level, “But for someone as young as you, this must be easy, right?” His voice dripping with poison.

“There’s still the boss level. I can-” He looked at the scores, feeling the color drain out of his face.

“What was that, Sanzu? My old deaf ears can’t hear you over the sound of your absolute thrashing.” He chuckled, “But don’t worry, I’m sure they’ll recover in time to hear you cry.”

“Do we just need to get you a nicotine drip? I don’t think the patch is gonna cut it with you.” Sanzu groaned, “Or, do you want one of my pills? Those might take your edge off too.”

“Take the joke, Sanzu,” He sighed, the game finishing out and Takeomi writing his initials in the records list, “Have a good time trying to beat that, though.” The older smirking, patting the other on the back as he walked towards the entrance, shit-eating grin plastered across his face as he pulled out another cigarette from his ever-dwindling pack.

Sanzu stared at the score in disbelief. He couldn’t beat that score today. He would have to come back another day to beat it, but he would beat it, no matter what. He stomped his foot in frustration, only to notice the entire Bonten group was looking, sans Mikey. He blinked and did what any person with an IQ between 85 and 115 would do...make a break for the food court before he could be harassed.

---x---

Was this the main reason Mikey agreed to this excursion? He didn’t want to admit to it. However, when the flyer said they had six different types of taiyaki in the featured food court, Mikey was sold instantly on the idea, as embarrassing as it was. He quietly walked towards the counter, scanning the menu with his pitch-black eyes only to discover there were, in fact, now eight taiyaki options. He smiled softly to himself as the person operating the counter looked on in confusion at the strange man in front of them, “Can I help you?” The food court employee asked him, tilting their head to the side slightly.

“Taiyaki, all of them,” Mikey said, sliding a large bill onto the counter.

“Do you mean all of the kinds or...all of them, all of them.” The employee clarified, thinking to themselves.

His eyes lit up, “I can have all of them?” He asked.

“As long as you pay for them, I don’t see why not...It might take a bit, though, because we warm them in an oven, so they get kinda crispy.” The employee explained, noticing the glimmer in his eyes.

“All of them, then.” Mikey clarified, adding another bill on the counter.

“Do I know you from somewhere, though?” They asked as they handed him his change, causing Mikey to pause for a brief moment.

“I haven’t ever met you before.” He replied, walking to one of the tables and sitting in the uncomfortably hard seating. It was nearly impossible to take a nap here due to how loud and bright it was, as well as how unbearable some of the smells were...Who honestly authorized it to smell like nacho cheese? Though, he also realized he was in a food court. Slouching down into the chair, he wondered what the rest of his gang had decided to put their minds to that day. He assumed Sanzu had found something involving guns and roped Takeomi into it as well, smirking because he knew that Takeomi had played before. Kokonoi had likely found something involving money, and The Haitani brothers honestly were talking up a storm about Dance Dance Revolution before they even arrived. Mochi and Kakucho were the two members of the group he wasn’t quite too sure about. He made a mental note to ask Kakucho when they boarded the bus again later that day.

“Alright, here are the first few, careful though, because they’re extremely hot.” The employee warned, setting a tray in front of the light-haired man, “I’ll keep them coming.”

Mikey reached forward and grabbed one of them, mentally noting that his hand was burning, though not exactly caring as the gratification of the taiyaki was going to be worth it in half a second. He bit in and leaned back in bliss. He was elated as he continued to eat through the pile of confections, completely losing track of time. He inwardly began to feel that the Russian death metal car ride from hell was worth it, and so was having to deal with Sanzu complaining about everything. And so was-

“Mikey, are you okay?”

He wanted to snap his neck.

Sanzu stared at the fair-haired man, who looked as though he had passed out in his chair, only for him to lean back up with a menacing stare slowly, “I’m fine.” He said coldly, taking another angry bite of the taiyaki.

“O...Oh…” The pink-haired man replied, nodding his head nervously as he backed away, “That’s a lot of taiyaki there.” He pointed towards the ever-growing pile of confections.

“I know. They’re mine.” Mikey responded as he finished the first, licking his lips and picking up another, “Where is everyone else?” He questioned as he bit into the sweet and bitter flavor of matcha.

“I saw them a couple of minutes ago; they’ll probably be here in a minute...Takeomi is smoking.” He informed the other, omitting the absolute ass-kicking he had received.

As if on cue, the group walked into the food court; however, the mood quickly changed as Kokonoi held up his phone, “We need to go, one of Ran’s fangirls posted them on their Instagram; and we need to get out of here,  now .” His eyes narrowing.

“Why are we blaming my fangirl for this? They’re just as much of Rindou’s as mi-OW” Ran once again getting elbowed in the side by his brother.

“We wouldn’t be in this mess if you didn’t name drop both me and yourself, so now you’re  really  more useless than Sanzu!” Rindou scolded him, “And you’re supposed to be older than me!”

“I’m RIGHT here!” Sanzu replied, raising his hands in exasperation.

“Cry me a river Sanzu, oh wait-” Mochi snorted, laughing at his own joke.

Kakucho grinned, “Mochi, that was surprisingly good coming from you.”

“I know, right. I surprise even myself sometimes.” The brawny man beamed.

“I hate all of you.” Sanzu huffed, crossing his arms.

“We hate you too; now let’s get going before we have to shoot our way out of a fucking arcade?” The long-haired blond replied in a haughty tone, motioning for the exit.

“Mikey, get a to-go box,” Kakucho suggested to the blond sitting at the table, eyeing the remaining taiyaki sadly.

“I’ll leave them.”

“Shotgun!” Sanzu yelled as they exited the arcade, Takeomi making eye contact with him and shaking his head.

“There isn’t even a passenger seat. What are the drugs hitting you that hard?” Kokonoi questioned him with a laugh.

“I’m assuming the cops are coming then?” Takeomi asked as he fished the keys to the bus out of his pocket, starting to walk with the group.

“ Oh yeah, Ran and Rindou are Instagram famous; Koko show him.” Mochi snorted, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Why is it always...fine.” He attempted to argue as he pulled up the post on his phone, revealing a video with nearly 500 likes and 130 comments.

“Wait, I didn’t see it yet!” Ran yelled as he ran over to Kokonoi, smushing his head in to see, “Wow, I look good… Rindou does, too, of course.”

“Shut the fuck up, you cretaceous period cretin.” Rindou hissed, flipping him off from afar only to have Ran run after him.

“Stop running in the parking lot!” Kakucho yelled, shaking his head, “I swear to god…”

“You have to admit, though, it was a good time.” Mochi stated with a smile, “We should do this again.”

“Alright, everyone, get on the fucking bus, or I’m leaving without you,” Takeomi yelled, hopping into the driver’s seat.

“And who died and made you king?!” Sanzu yelled only to smack his head on the roof while boarding the bus, causing Mikey to snort from a laugh uncharacteristically.

“Wait, did Mikey just laugh?” Kokonoi asked, genuinely amazed.

“I made Mikey laugh!” Sanzu cheered, patting himself on the back.

“Wow, if only we could hurt you more...then maybe we could restore all of his emotions…” Takeomi whispered to himself.

“What was that?” Sanzu questioned, leaning forward.

“No, nope, nothing.” Takeomi lied badly.

“That’s what I thought,” Sanzu replied with a smile, sitting back in his seat, Takeomi groaning and reaching for his pack of cigarettes only to realize there weren’t any left. He sighed heavily, leaning back into the cushion of the driver’s seat and staring up at the tattered ceiling. It was going to be a long drive home, huh.

---x---

In Toyko, the conflict with a group named “Bonten” intensifies...However, they seem to have a soft side too…

It was once again a Wednesday, except this week Sanzu Haruchiyo was on time, and there were no off-topic discussions. Instead, all that was discussed was saving Bonten from the PR nightmare the Haitani brothers had created for the gang. And, of course, the now planned hit on Howie Mandel. However, the damage was done, and the gang’s reputation seemed to go from “dangerous and deadly” to “upcoming idol group.” However, Mikey didn’t seem too troubled by it, though it wasn’t exactly possible to tell what he thought until it was too late.

Takeomi sighed as he once again lit a cigarette, staring off into the distance, “Here’s to another fucking Wednesday.”

[idjitlili]

Your eyes can be so cruel.

Kili x reader

Summary:  Being apart of the company, and growing close to Kili. After stopping at an inn, some drunk men, decide to pick at Kili's appearance. Words from Bowie come into favour.

A/n: Requested by Thatfoolishhuman  I have seen this idea a lot for Kili, but I'lol make it my own :) Also I'm British, so don't be mad at my spelling. FIRST IMAGINE OF 2021

Word count:3375

Warnings: Listened to David Bowie while writing this, sorry Bowie you just too handsome. Swearing.

Songs in order: rebel rebel, as the world falls down.

There was perks from travelling with your parents; due to business. The most frequent place you'd go was Tortuga, it was a quite a large village. Every time that you'd go, you and your parents stayed in an inn, which had a pub connected to it.

You'd eat with your parents in there, before all the drunks arrived, it was also a Saturday that you'd go. Saturdays meant that a song writer, and singer in one , was always there. His name being Jareth, he was a very beautiful man, in honesty one of the best musicians, in history.

Jareth was a skinny man, had a huge blond mullet, beautiful eyes one pupil larger than the other, beautiful accent, beautiful everything. Who couldn't have a crush on Jareth, his songs were like none other. 

These trips started when you were 5, when your parents business finally picked up, all the way up until you came to age. Which is when you joined the company, due to Gandalf.

You didn't think you'd ever see Jareth again, but you do.  You had undoubtedly had a crush on the singer growing up, you had almost forgotten about him when you joined the company.

Personally you didn't know Gandalf very well, not like your parents did, but he recruited you for an adventure, how could you deny it. A chance to see elves, dwarves, dragons? No way you was going to pass up that chance, no way.

You were surprised when the company had picked up, after getting Bilbo, since you lived on the way. Scary yes, not knowing any of these people, a chance at getting friends, you could only hope.

Strange was to say the least, you had seen a couple of dwarves growing up , that was just in pubs mostly. The were always not so pleasant, but these dwarves, plump and strikingly handsome. That hobbit? Bilbo that didn't take long for you to become friends, being shy didn't help, but some how you managed.

Dwarves were were quite scary; to say the least they intimidated you. 

That was until a particularly rainy day, when the mud was like cake batter. Thorin had decided it was time to stop for the night, the rain hammering down, lightning even, every now and then. 

Everyone was getting off their pony's, as were you, you was about to step down, when a huge crack of thunder was sounded above you. Damn you Thor. You had jumped, slipping on the mud, but you never hit the floor, instead you into strong arms.

Looking up , drips of water from dark hair had dripped on you, as Kili looked down at you. Your feet upwards, like a trust fall, you had smiled in embarrassment back to Kili, who had pulled you up to your feet. "T-thank you." Now standing up on your own, pulling your tunic down, trying to avoid eye contact.

"You're welcome, wouldn't want you to ruin your clothes a day into our journey." Kili had smiled at you, as you looked back to him from your feet, smiling slightly back.

Dwarves weren't as bad as they were made out to be, you learned that very quickly. When it was time for baths, turns out they were protective over females, always when you bathed two dwarves stood guard, just in case.

On cold nights, you'd wake up with an extra blanket.

Even though Thorin didn't like you were on this quest, he was never horrible, maybe because you just stayed quiet. You did not want to anger that beast, Bilbo talked quite a lot and look at him..

On one night, you were told to hide, Bilbo had been kidnapped by trolls, you hadn't listened. You followed everyone else, staying the bushes, getting as close as you possibly could, before quietly climbing up a tree with your knife.

It wasn't long before they were all caught, you just staring down at them, specifically Kili, you had hoped at he look up, and see you drop the knife. You could not make nose that would have alerted the trolls immediately. Sat on a branch , trying to blend in as much as possible.

That was Kili had looked up wide eyed, as you dropping the knife , and quickly climbed further up the tree to get out of eye view. You had thought it had worked, oh you was wrong.

"That one has gotten out!" Kili had started running around the trolls , as if he was sonic. A few minutes that lasted before you had noticed a shadow. But it didn't matter because Bert had grabbed Kili tightly,like he was slime that wouldn't stay put. No way would not have bruises after that. Of course he got out of Berts grip as Gandalf had appeared, cracking the large Boulder, turning the trolls into stone.

Feeling terrible the next day still, when the company had stopped again for the night and everyone had went to sleep. You could not, Kili being on watch, you had gotten up quietly, making your way over to him, sitting on log next to him.

Thinking about what you would say, Kili had beaten you to it. "Can't sleep?" His voice sounded tired, but still as lively. "Yeah.. um I'm sorry." Very convincing, indeed.

" for what?" The fire glowing orange, causing Kili to be barely visible as he turned to his to look at you. "It's my fault, that you got hurt yesterday, I should've listened to Thorin."

"What on earth are you going on about? I wasn't hurt? I'm fine, no one is dead , you did great, you didn't throw the knife at my head, maybe then I'd be distrusting in you." You felt like sighing, thankfully, but that would be cringy.

"I haven't got good aim, so it could've happened."

"You need someone to teach you."  You had scoffed slightly at Kili, gaining his full attention.

"I do not think anyone would have the patience." The warm orange glow from the fire, lit up the outline of Kili's face, a small grin could be seen.

"Are you challenging me? I have to sit through multiple speeches from Thorin a day."

"That's because you and Fili mess with him, I saw you the other day tangle a bunch of branches into his hair ,while he was sleeping. Why are you always surprised that he gets mad?"

"That was funny though, did you not see that bird fly at him? It shat on his face." Kili's grin only widened, as did yours, you had seen, Thorins face was bright red with the whipped cream.

"I'm surprised Thorin doesn't just leave you somewhere." 

"My mum would kill him. Right that settles it, you will learn from the best , to throw knives."

"You will really get Fili to help me?" Kili had gasped at you , sarcastically. "Oh I see, you want that Lion, over me, I'm hurt y/n."

"No,no, thank you Kili."

Thus, a bond was formed every night the company stopped, Kili would take you from camp, taught you basic defensive techniques and knife throwing.

To say the least, it did not take you long to develop a crush. Fili and Bilbo had became suspicious and decided to sneak up on you two. Why you'd do , not sure, Bilbo supposed to be smart, for all they knew you could've been going at it.

Instead they found you both sparring, undoubtedly they were confused, as you knocked the sword from Kili's hand ,before tackling him. Straddling him, as you looked up to see Bilbo and Fili. Quickly letting go of Kili's wrists, Kili looking up confused too, as you stood up, pulling him up with you.

"Oh, hi, we were just sparring." Too embarrassed to speak, Kili did soon as he noticed his brother and hobbit.  "So, this is what you two have been doing for weeks? 'Sparring'?" Fili didn't believe it, if Thorin knew he would not have, an heir to the throne, left unsupervised with a woman? No way.

"Yes Fili, I've been teaching Y/n how to defend herself." Sweat dripping down both of your faces,  "Right okay, Thorin said it's time for you to have a bath in the quarry, before the dwarves filthy it. Come on y/n." Bilbo had pulled you away, turning your head back to Kili you had sent a smile back to him.

You were back on the road soon enough, Thorin had decided to let the company stop for a night at an inn, an inn with a pub on the side.

Tortuga, the inn you had grew up at.

What day was it? Saturday, you could only hope, you had a huge grin on your face. You had grabbed your stuff,  once everyone was off their pony's, heading in to the inn,

Getting to the desk, to check into the inn, which consequently next to the bar, you in front.  "Aye, it's y/n/n! It's been a while, luv. And you've brought friends, do you all need rooms?"  Sparrow, the owner of the inn had greeted you,with a grin. That man was also very handsome, but too old for you though.

"I know, mum and dad been here a lot though, I assume? Oh I'm, when they next come here, would you be able to give this. And yes please we need for 16." Handing Sparrow the letter from your pocket.

"Of course, okay right it's 2 coins each for the night." The dwarves soon pulled out there coins passing them forward, as did you.

As Sparrow got the keys after counting the coins, he had turned back to you. "Oh, and lucky for you, y/n/n Jareth is here tonight." Sparrow had grinned, as your face flushed.

"Oh,really?" Kili unknowingly to you had also developed a crush on you, the mention of Jareth, made him bubble with jealousy. The company wondered, why such a young woman would be on nickname terms with the pub owner, and who Jareth was. They hadn't seen you as that type of girl, they were right not you, you weren't an alcoholic.

You had all went to your rooms, you had bathed deeply ,  dressed and headed down to the pub for dinner. The company already there, sat at tables, with jugs of ale. There was a space next to Kili, who had waved you over to sit.

Squeezing next to Kili, Sparrow had catcalled you again. "Oi, y/n/n , usual?"  Nodded to his question, Loki the cook had brought out your favourite dinner, as Sparrow brought you an ale.

"You had it ready? Thank you." Sparrow had just winked leaving you to eat your dinner, the others were too busy drinking , but when they had noticed your food, they quickly ordered food.  

"So, you come here regularly?" Kili had questioned as you finished your food, "oh, I'm yes, I travelled with my parents growing up , we had to drop stuff off here in Tortuga often , so we would stay here for the night." You had spoken quickly , wanting to change the subject.

" Transporting goods then?" Kili was intrigued, watching you intensely as you sipped your ale. Really he wanted to know who Jareth was. "Yeah, pretty boring, got to see a lot of places though." After that, a lot of people began to pile in, and the dwarves got drunker.

You knew it was going to be soon, that Jareth would be here. Not long at all, customers getting drunk, it was lively indeed.

Though nothing ever happened between you and Jareth, he still held a place in your heart, as well as being your best friend.

That's when you heard it.

"Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo

Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo

Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo"  you head had shot up,in search of him, but you couldn't see him.

"You've got your mother in a whirl

She's not sure if you're a boy or a girl

Hey babe, your hair's alright

Hey babe, let's go out tonight

You like me, and I like it all

We like dancing and we look divine

You love bands when they're playing hard

You want more and you want it fast

They put you down, they say I'm wrong

You tacky thing, you put them on."  Then you saw him, on the stage , well sort of a stage. 

Catching sight of his mullet, down to his eyes, he had not noticed you, you wondered if Sparrow had told him you were here.  You hoped he would see you.

"Rebel rebel, you've torn your dress

Rebel rebel, your face is a mess

Rebel rebel, how could they know?

Hot tramp, I love you so!" Thats when Jareth finally caught your eyes, holding eye contact as he sang, Blush upon your face. You had gotten up and went to the bar, ordering something strong, before retiring to your seat.

As Jareth had already started another song, you smacked down your drink.

"There's such a sad love

Deep in your eyes a kind of pale jewel

Open and closed

Within your eyes

I'll place the sky

Within your eyes."  Jareth , catching your eye, gesturing you to come closer , with his hand.

"There's such a fooled heart

Beatin' so fast

In search of new dreams

A love that will last

Within your heart

I'll place the moon

Within your heart"

Standing up , Kili watched you as you walked towards the stranger man, as did the other dwarves. 

"As the pain sweeps through

Makes no sense for you

Every thrill is gone

Wasn't too much fun at all

But I'll be there for you-ou-ou

As the world falls down."

  Jareth had held knelt down, holding his gloved hand for you to take, which you did. Pulling you up onto the stage.  Still holding onto your hand, still singing, as he continued singing, you placed your hand on his shoulder as he placed his other hand on your waist.Kili's heart ached.

"Falling

As the world falls down

Falling

Falling in love."  As you two danced , in sync, you truly loved Jareth, Kili stood up , went to the bar to get another drink.

"I'll paint you mornings of gold

I'll spin you Valentine evenings though we're strangers 'til now

We're choosing the path

Between the stars

I'll leave my love

Between the stars."  Jareth had taught you how to dance, and every time you visited , he'd give you another song he had written for your book.  A book which held all his songs.

"As the pain sweeps through

Makes no sense for you

Every thrill is gone

Wasn't too much fun at all

But I'll be there for you-ou-ou

As the world falls down

Falling

As the world falls down

Falling

Falling

As the world falls down

Falling

Falling

Falling

Falling in love

As the world falls down

Falling

Falling

Falling

Falling in love

As the world falls down

Makes no sense at all

Makes no sense to fall

Falling

As the world falls down

Falling

Falling

Falling in love

As the world falls down

Falling

Falling

Falling in love

Falling in love

Falling in love

Falling in love

Falling in love."  As soon as the song was over, you both had gotten of stage and you had jumped into Jareths arms. 

"Missed you."

"Ditto,"

Jareth had looked over to your table, "so you are travelling with dwarves now?" You had smiled , looking back your table, Kili wasn't there.  "Yes, Jareth, I'm going on an adventure, we have already seen trolls."

Grinning down at you, realisation hit Jareth, and went rushed to his bag quickly before returning back to you with a sheet of paper.

'Magic dance.'

"Just in case you meet a Goblin king. So who is your beloved?" Taking the piece of paper,  looking at into Jareths blue eyes in confusion. "W-what?"

"The dwarf that stormed out, he does not like me."  Jareth had chuckled, as you folded the piece of paper up placing it away.  "We aren't together."

"Maybe you should go check on him, y/n/n, come see me later, I'm staying here tonight." You had briefly hugged Jareth before leaving the pub. 

That's when you heard it, "stupid fucking hairless, fuck."   Local drunks harassing Kili. "Oi, what are you doing?"  The men had turned briefly to look at you, before scoffing. "Fuck of tramp."

You had marched up to the greasy man, pulling by the shoulder, to face you , and kneeing him in the crotch, making the man double over. Kili had punched one of them.  The men soon ran, when you had tackled one of them, beating them into mash, when Kili had pulled you off,the ground, trying to get out of his grip. All the men ran.

"It's me, y/n, stop, if you continued you would have been arrested." Placing , you back onto the floor, Kili had soon walked off, heading to his room, you following. But he had closed the door before you could get in.

This, you climbed up the roof hanging over the roof, to look into Kili's room. Looking like Spiderman. Kili sat on his bed staring at the wall, not moving, jumping when you knocked the window.

He had rushed to the window when he had seen you , hanging of the roof, you definitely couldn't hold on longer. Though Kili wasn't tear stained , it was clear that he was upset.  He had opened the window, helping you in.

"What are you doing? On the roof, what if you fell." He as definitely annoyed, "I would not have, plus I wouldn't have to if you let me in before." You definitely would have fell.

He hadn't answered this time, just sat on the bed, away from you, you sat next to him on the bed. 

"Kili, talk to me, tell me what has made you not yourself. Please, Kili." You didn't dare touch him, but you did placing your hand on his foreman. "Why don't you go to your beloved? You won't be seeming him for a while , instead of bothering me." You had scoffed pulling your hand off of him, you already knew he ran off because of Jareth.

"You are very stupid dwarf, in all honesty, Jareth is my bestfriend, only friend I had growing up, and don't you think he is a bit old for me?" 

"I don't believe it, you like a man that has long soft hair, nothing like me, I can't even grow a beard."

"frankly beards are really gross, tell me that the dwarves don't smell? You know why? Because they drop food all their beards and don't know it."  You had laughed, imagine Bombur going through his beard and finding cheese.

"They do smell,"

"Exactly, and what's wrong with your hair, Kili?" You had turned on the bed, bringing your hand up  to his hair,touching it gently, moving it out for his face. "I think you've got lovely hair, those guys were just idiots, Jareth had to beat them with a soup spoon once, you are not stupid nor hairless. How could they call you hairless? They are bald?"

Cupping Kili's face, to bringing him to face you, looking into his chestnut eyes.  "Y/n, I must confess, that this would not have happened if I did not like you."   And with that you had pressed your lips to his.

"Your eyes can be so cruel

Just as I can be so cruel

Oh I do believe in you

Yes I do" Jareth singing faintly could be heard.

[loverspersonas]

liability | i

pairing: ot7? x reader

genre: spy au, grisha reader, angst, drama, fluff

length: 2k

summary: She’s known as the Wraith, a destructive member of a notorious intelligence organization. When a mission goes wrong, she runs into a rival group, BTS, and is offered a choice that could change her whole life.

↳series masterlist

The mission was simple.

It was a matter of getting into the casino and then getting out. What happened in between those two was the tricky part. But you had been doing this for a while now. Years and years of training and mastering your powers had brought you here. Had made you what you were now.

“Wraith.”

Your hand touched the comms unit in your right ear, activating your mic. “What?”

“Do you have eyes on your target?”

“Yes. At the bar, next to two blonde women.”

Of course, the missions did have their dry parts. A lot of the time, your job was to watch out for potential threats that could compromise them while the others, the more superior members, handled the rest. You did get some credit though. You’d gotten them into the place through security without the detectors and security catching their weapons. It was just a simple mental manipulation, and jamming the detector’s signals when no one was looking.

“Excuse me, darling.” You turned to see the man who’d approached you near the balcony railing. He was quite young and wore an overpriced, pristine suit like most of the men there, a glass of champagne in one hand. “Can I buy you a drink?”

Professionalism was crucial on a mission, so no matter how annoyed you could get, you managed to smile at him, a signature one you’d honed over the years that could charm strangers to do whatever you wanted. “No, thank you. I’m actually waiting for someone.”

He looked around briefly, smirking slightly. “I don’t see anyone.”

People like this really made you question if you had an anger problem. Refraining from rolling your eyes, you said, “Well, they’re here. Making sure their casino is running smoothly and there are no uninvited guests here tonight, because after all… this is an exclusive event. Wouldn’t you agree, Mr. Lee?”

The colour drained from his face slowly. “How did you—“

“You’re asking the wrong questions,” you said, taking his champagne. “What would happen to you if Minho found out you were here?”

He stuttered. “You wouldn’t—“

“Oh, I would.” You sipped the drink and sighed. “Unless of course… you tell me where they’re taking the new ashe shipments.”

“What?”

“The. Ashe. Ship. Ments,” you repeated, emphasizing each syllable. “Ashe, the most widely used, addictive drug in the country right now? Oh, and don’t play dumb. I really don’t have time for that.”

He clenched his jaw. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

You stared at him for a long moment, focusing your mind to find the neurones working in his head. You raised your hand, its motion reflecting the manipulation you were making. “Oh, but you do.” 

He blinked as something shifted in his mind. “On the fifth floor,” he said automatically. “The large room near the back that’s being guarded.”

“Good,” you said, satisfied. You passed the glass back to him. “You can go now. Have a few more drinks.”

Confusion passed over his face shortly before he turned and wandered off towards the bar. You turned on your heel, stumbling suddenly. Your hand shot out to grab the railing. “Fuck,” you muttered, dizziness washing over you. Trying to manipulate the human mind was difficult enough as it was and you’d already done it once that night when you had to go through security. And that had been more than one person. Hopefully, you hadn’t exerted too much of yourself.

“Wraith. Do you copy?”

You sighed and touched your in-ear comms. “I’m here.”

“Minho’s men are heading to the basement.”

“Lee says they’re keeping the ashe on the fifth floor. I’m heading there right now.”

“You can’t go by yourself.”

You rolled your eyes. The fact that you had these rare abilities made your team skeptical of trusting you. Even the ones that came close to trusting you had to draw the line somewhere. It never mattered how long you’d been with GOT7. You were like a time bomb to them; you could go off at any moment. That explained the silver collar around your neck that could’ve almost been jewellery. But you knew better. “I don’t need to be babysat.”

“This wasn’t part of the plan.”

“Wasn’t it? And is that what JB told you?” The silence that came after only confirmed that you were right. “We came for the ashe. I’m getting the shipments before someone else does.”

“Fine. I’ll send a team to you for backup. You know the time limit. Try not to get killed.”

You disabled your comms and entered the elevator, hitting the fifth floor button and then the close button. Unfortunately for you, just before the doors slid shut, someone managed to slide into the elevator.

He let out a breath, like he’d been running. “That was a close one.”

You made a noncommittal sound of agreement without paying him much attention. Great, you thought. Just what you needed. Another delay in getting your job done.

“You don’t seem so familiar.”

You raised a brow, watching the number start to climb from the ground floor. “And why would I?”

“I’ve been to this event many times before,” he said as a matter of fact. “I’ve met almost everyone, learned to recognize faces… but I haven’t seen you before. I think I would have remembered you.”

You managed to stay calm. It was a simple observation; he might’ve not been insinuating anything else. “I’m just someone’s plus one.”

“Right, of course. Would that someone be Lee, or Minho?” Your eyes snapped to him while he stood there, casually blowing your cover as though he was asking what the weather was like. “Or maybe someone from GOT7?”

He finally turned his head and your breath nearly caught in your throat, even more so since the revelation had almost left you winded. His hair was styled as a mullet, long and black and fell past his forehead, contrasting with the light gray hue of his irises. He could’ve been any of the guests in the main hall, dressing like them and talking like them, but you should’ve known by now that nothing was always what they appeared to be.

Before you could utter a word, there was a ding and the doors opened. You checked the screen. Third floor. A taller, older man with stern features stepped inside to stand in  between you and the gray eyed boy. You felt like the tension in the small area only got thicker, making your skin heat up. The doors closed and you dared to glance at the boy again, only to find that he was already looking your way.

It should’ve made you uncomfortable. It should’ve sent you into panic, because he knew you weren’t supposed to be there. He knew what you were up to. But he wasn’t watching you out of suspicion. Slowly, his gaze shifted to the man in front. Unable to contain your curiosity, you tried to see what had caught his attention. But all you saw was a flash of metal before the man lunged at you with a knife.

You cried out in surprise, stumbling back into the elevator wall. A second later, you realized the knife never touched you. When you opened your eyes, the gray eyed boy was right in front you, his hand grasping the man’s arm that held the knife inches away from your throat.

You only exhaled when the fight moved away from you and to your relief, the elevator reached the fifth floor. You didn’t waste a second to dash out of there, moving down the hall as fast as your heels would allow you to. Maybe you were compromised. But you could still get to the ashe in time.

“Wraith, come in.” The comms unit crackled. “We have a bit of an issue.”

“You don’t say,” you replied sarcastically. “Some guy just tried to knife me.”

“Do you know who he was?”

“No, he was too busy trying to kill me. I’ll make sure to ask next time though.”

“Shit. You know what this means, don’t you?”

You didn’t speak right away, dread filling the silence. “We’re not the only ones who came for the ashe.” There was another team in the game. Your mind flashed back to the boy from the elevator. Whose team was he on? And more importantly, why had he saved your life? 

An alarm tore through the hall, red lights blinking around you. It was just seconds later when you heard the chatter, people getting confused and surprised by the sirens. No doubt security would arrive and ask all the guests to leave the premises. The perfect opportunity for someone to slip through security and find the drugs.

“Wraith, are you there?”

“I’m here,” you said then made a split second decision. “Keep Minho’s men and the others away from the fifth floor. I can get the shipments.”

“And if you can’t?”

“Like JB said. Then I’ll make sure no one can.”

You didn’t wait for a response as you turned off your comms unit and sped down the hall, lifting the skirts of your long midnight blue gown so you wouldn’t trip. The costume was always a large part of the mission, so no matter how much you disliked dressing like a doll, sometimes it was necessary. 

There were two men up ahead in black suits, blocking one of the doors. It had to be where the shipments were being held. You didn’t bother trying to hide. As soon as they noticed you coming towards them and reached for their weapons, you raised your hands, and they went flying back to the hit the wall. One of them managed to find their gun but before he could fire at you, you used your power to twist his arm until his bones cracked and he screamed. With another motion of your fingers, the door flew open.

You weren’t surprised to see all the boxes and crates stacked around the room, all with the familiar logo for the company EXO. And inside the boxes, you wouldn’t have been surprised to see packs of the ashe. What did surprise you was the fact that you weren’t the only person in the room.

“Who are you?” one of the boys asked. He had white-blond hair while the other was a brunette but they were both surprisingly young, probably around your own age. Clad in black suits too, they were holding guns that were uncertainly trained on you. And you wondered once again, what team were they playing on?

There was no more time for them to ask you questions or further exchange puzzled looks, because that was when more people stormed into the room, yelling at all of you and holding up their guns. The two boys didn’t waste a second to defend themselves against the newcomers and once again, you were lost, not knowing who was on what team. Was your team still there?

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw someone charging in your direction and instinctively, you raised your hand to block them. The man dropped to his knees, blood dripping from his nose. At the same time, another swung at you with his fist. You managed to dodge him just in time, and used your powers to slow down his pulse until he collapsed.

The sound of your heartbeat was beginning to overwhelm you along with the noise from the gunshots and the fighting. Your breaths were heavy now, sweat starting to form at your hairline. The ashe was still here. Everyone else was too busy fighting each other. You could still make it out of there. 

Right when you took a step forward, your body froze for a fraction of a second before you began convulsing. It was like electric shocks were constantly being sent through your body, lighting each of your nerves on fire. Only dimly aware of the fighting that soon was eventually dying down, you released a breath as the pain came to a stop.

“Jimin, don’t,” you heard someone warn. “I know her.”

“She came for the drugs, Taehyung. She’s probably with them.”

There was a light touch on your shoulder and you tried to open your eyes from where you were lying on the floor. A pair of familiar gray eyes looked down at you and it was strange how soft them seemed, despite the ebbing pain and dizziness in your head that was trying to overtake your senses.

“Are you okay?” His face was blurred and his voice distorted like looking through an old camera lens.

You tried to say something in return but soon, everything faded to black.

chapter ii 

[jeonsduck]

Smoke and Mirrors Pt 2

You meet Choi San for the first time. He’s.... a character. 

Today is the 18th. It’s 11:30 AM. At 11:45, a car would be picking you up to take you to the restaurant where you and Mr.Choi will be meeting. He had insisted on sending a car to pick you up (totally not helping his ‘not a mobster’ image). You’d already talked to your supervisor and Agent Heejin and received a rather rousing pep talk from Jacob. 

Your objective for this meeting was just to inform Mr. Choi of the audit, which of his clients were being investigated, and what information you would need from him initially. And you were to, under no circumstances, disclose that this audit was part of an FBI investigation. Simple enough. 

But now you had 15 minutes left until the car was supposed to come and you had nothing to do. It was too early to go downstairs and wait for the car, but too late to go over your notes again. You checked and double checked your briefcase to make sure you had all your warrants and other documents, and all you could do was sit at your cubicle and watch time tick by and get nervous. Sick to your stomach type nervous. You could feel your acid reflux acting up and started rooting through your desk for some TUMS. Did this have to be a lunch meeting? 

You’d communicated with Mr. Choi only a few more times, mostly through email. He’d called you once at the beginning of the week to remind you of your appointment. As if you’d forget, with this case taking up all of your time and focus. The scant correspondences left you with no idea what kind of person Mr. Choi was. Agent Heejin had officers tailing him for the past six months and told you he wasn’t anything to be afraid of. Nothing to shake a stick at. He had a fear of guns, the ocean, and large dogs. He had questionable fashion sense. The file Heejin showed you looked more like a dating profile than a criminal record. If his six friends were the bad boys of their town, Mr. Choi was like the teacher’s pet that kept him out of trouble. Not a very imposing or threatening, dorky, and rather scatterbrained for an accountant of such important people, but his work was quite detailed. There wasn’t a single flaw in any of his work since his graduation from college. It was like he was some sort of math savant. Perfect person to run the accounts of the rich, famous, and politically powerful. 

You looked at the clock again, seeing that five minutes had passed. You supposed it was time to head downstairs. You gathered your briefcase and phone, accepted a final good luck fistbump from Jacob and headed for the elevators. You tried to calm yourself down by breathing deeply and evenly. You were not about to meet some hulking guy in a suit with a thousand-yard stare, the way he’d been described, you were going to meet a little kid in a man’s body. Hopefully, that would hold true.

The elevator dinged, the doors opening on the first floor. You walked out of the elevator and rounded the reception desk, when the car Mr. Choi had sent came into view. A solid black Maserati Ghibli, and two suited men with earpieces, one holding a printed placard with your name on it.

“Hi, I’m Agent Y/N… did Mr. Choi send you?” you ask, timid all over again. Who were these guys?

“Yes, we’ll be bringing you to your meeting.” one said, while the other opened the back seat for you. 

You climbed into the car, still a little blown away by the obvious show of wealth. You were a little nervous about stepping into such an expensive car with your shoes on. The man (bodyguard?) closed the door behind you, and walked around the car to get in the driver’s seat. The other bodyguard(???) got into the passenger side and started programming the GPS. For five whole minutes, the car is absolutely silent. No radio, no talking, no phone alerts, not even the sound of the car, just the silence of luxury. You decided to distract yourself with checking your social media, but after checking every platform you’re on, it’s only been another ten minutes. The GPS is putting your ETA at 15 more minutes. A little small talk couldn’t hurt, right?

“This is a little bit over the top for an IRS agent, don’t you think?” you joked, lightly. 

The driving bodyguard caught your eyes in the mirror while his partner shook his head.

“No, this is standard procedure for us. Mr. Choi has a lot of high profile clients, and it’s much safer for us to come get them than for them to come to us.” the passenger explains.

You quirk an eyebrow at him. “Safer how?”, you prompt.

“Our company cars have a few advanced safety features that don’t come standard. Bulletproof body, tires, and windows, et cetera. Luxury, discretion, and protection.” he continues.

“What is that, like a code of honor or something?” you’re joking, but it appears the bodyguards are not.

“The mission statement for MY Security.” the driver corrects. 

So these men work for Mingi and Yunho, not Mr. Choi? Well, it would be weirder for him to find his security contract with anyone other than his friends. Like buying your Girl Scout cookies from anyone other than Belinda from analysis.

“Ah, you’re from the security firm, so you don’t work for Mr. Choi, do you?” you ask.

The passenger bodyguard shakes his head. 

“We work exclusively for Mr. Choi, and our orders come from him. All of the security personnel for Mr. Choi were handpicked by Mr. Song and Mr. Jung.” the other corrects.

“Hmm.” was all you said in reply, looking out the window. 

It’s wasn’t a crime, not by far. It wasn’t evidence either. It wasn’t even that weird. It was completely normal for people to use their friend’s companies and services. It was also normal to give particularly good service to your friends. It was utterly normal for Mingi and Yunho to not only supply security for their friend, but also to offer him the deluxe package. 

But, handpicking your most talented and trusted staff to guard the man that dealt with your possibly shady finances, was just a little bit suspect you had to admit. 

Ugh, you weren’t even two weeks in and this stupid case was fraying your nerves already. The sooner this was over the better.

~~~

Choi San was, quite determinedly, not a triad member.

You had been friends with people in high school shadier than Choi San. 

When you had arrived at the restaurant, Mr. Choi had also just arrived. And eccentric was a mild way to describe his wardrobe. You had no idea where to start with his outfit. His brown oxford shoes were just about the only solid colored thing he was wearing. His socks had the pattern of public transportation upholstery. His pants were brown with purple(PURPLE?) pinstripes, held up with diamond printed Y suspenders. His shirt was checkered, two different patterns in red and green on his right and left side respectively. The contrast was lost under the most absolutely atrocious sweater vest (who wears sweater vests? Were they ever cool?) you’ve ever seen. The outfit was tied to get with a white (and blessedly plain) ribbon tie. He had a mullet for God’s sake, and those Napoleon Dynamite style glasses(without lenses?!). You were sure looking at his outfit would make you dizzy after too long. And yet. Choi San was one of the most attractive people you’d ever met. How he managed to pull that off looking like a cross between Ronald McDonald, Billy Ray Cyrus and a stock image of an accountant, you’d never know, but he still looked amazing. When he noticed you standing there on the curb, staring kind of slack jawed he immediately walked over and hugged you. Like actually full on hugged you. What even is this guy?

“Hello, Agent Y/N, it's my pleasure to meet you.” he said when he let you go.

He shook your hand as well, ever kissed the back of your palm, which what? You were a bit too shell-shocked to catch up. Wow, his smile was dazzling.

“Oh, yes. It’s a pleasure to meet you as well Mr. Choi.” you managed to reply without your voice breaking. 

Choi San pouts. A grown man, is pouting at you. In public.

“Oh, please, call me San.” 

“Oh, no I couldn’t-” but San cuts your protest off, bringing his hand up in front of your face. 

His hand is folded into a fist with his pinkie sticking out towards you.

“Come on. I promise not to tell on you. The only people who call me Mr. Choi are my employees. We’re more like…. Colleagues aren’t we?” he says.

You look at his hand and pack at his face. A pinkie promise? Really?

You sighed and wrapped your pinkie around his. 

“I suppose we ar, Mr.- I man, San.”

He smiled again, unhooking your hands and gesturing for you to enter the restaurant. One of the security guards that came with him opened the door for the both of you. The maitre’d recognized San automatically.

“Ah, Mr. Choi. Your usual room?” he asks, grabbing a pair of menus.

“Oh no, a regular table will be fine today. And menus for the security detail as well, this is their lunch hour.” he corrected with a smile.

The maitre’d nodded before grabbing a few more menus and leading you to your tables. The restaurant was rather fancy, and you found yourself quite taken with the decor.

“Do you take most of your lunch meetings here?” you ask, attempting to make small talk.

“Oh, no. Just you. My regular place wasn’t available, but honestly, this place is much better.” San replies. 

“Oh, so you come here often on…. social calls?” you say dates, but San understands your meaning.

“I’m a rather busy man. I’m afraid I don’t have much time for relationships. This restaurant belongs to my good friend.” he explained and your eyes widened.

“Jung Wooyoung? This is one of his establishments?” you question, looking around the restaurant with a new set of eyes.

“You know Wooyoung?” San asks, surprised.

“Ah, well Wooyoung is one of the clients I’m auditing. All of them are your childhood friends I believe.” you said.

San nodded his understanding.

“I’m not surprised.” he started, “They’re getting a pretty big, the six of them. It’s not uncommon to audit people like them, suddenly making a lot of money. We get audits like this all the time. But since they’re my friends, you get to spend the entire audit working with yours truly.” he says, flashing you another blinding smile. You’re pretty sure your cheeks are never going to stop being red. 

“Are you still close to them?” you ask.

San sighs, resting his chin on his hand.

“You’ll never be as close as you were when you were kids. You probably had a crew you ran around with in grade school too right? That was us. We managed to stick together through high school, college, even after that. We make time to see each other when we can. But it’ll never be like it was when we were kids again. But, I do see Wooyoung just about every week. In fact, he might be here today.” he said, waving down the waiter.

“Oh, are you ready to order? We can wait a few more minutes if you want.” he said.

“Uh, yeah a couple of minutes? No offense to you or Wooyoung, but this place is stupid expensive. We can just go to Olive Garden or something next time.” you joked, perusing the menu for something that wouldn’t break the bank to order.

“Oh, I forgot! Order whatever you want, I’ll pay.’ he said, waving it away.

“Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly let you do that!” you protested but San arched an eyebrow at you. 

“No, it’s on me. I invited you out, so I should pay. Besides, I can afford it. My services aren’t cheap. Now, let me buy you lunch.” You sigh and concede him. 

“Fine, but the next one’s on me.” you say.

San smiles again, “Of course, Y/N. You know what you want?” he asks.

“Uhm… no actually. Anything you can recommend?” you ask.

“The ravioli is great. And it pairs really well with a dry white wine.” he says.

You look down at the ravioli, and it does sound really good. Pasta and sauce made in house, Italian sausage and five cheeses? That sounds delightful.

“I love ravioli! It sounds delicious too, so I’ll get that. No wine though, I have to go back to work after this.” you remind him. 

San smacks his own forehead and laughs. 

“Of course, silly me. Speaking of work, why don’t we get the formalities out of the way before the food comes? Serve me, baby.” he says, shooting finger guns at you.

The ‘baby’ takes you off guard, but you just shake your head and pull out your briefcase. 

“Here are the warrants. Choi San, you have been officially served.” you said, handing over the documents.

San pulls a monocle out of his pocket (because having prescription lenses in his glasses apparently wasn’t the answer to his bad vision), and squinted at the documents, even holding them up to the light.

“Everything appears to be in order. I will comply with the warrant and provide any financial documents deemed necessary by the IRS.” he said, sounding much more business-like. 

So he did have a serious side.

“Here is a list of those documents, I would ask that you have them prepared for our next meeting.” you said, handing over a mile long list.

“These for all six clients?” he confirmed and you nodded.

“I’ll have them put together ASAP.” he said. 

Then his posture relaxed and he took a sip from his wine glass.

“Now that that’s out of the way, let’s enjoy ourselves, shall we?”

Lunch with San was nice. It was better than nice. It almost felt like a date. He seemed really attuned to you, guessing that you had a cat instead of a dog, Coke instead of Pepsi, coffee instead of tea. He told you a bit about growing up with his friends, talked about what troublemakers they could be. When you’d finished dessert and had your leftovers boxed up, you were regretting going back to work. You had to report back to your supervisor and the FBI agent. You kind of just wanted to keep talking with San all day. 

“Well, Y/N I will see you again soon, and if you see me around town, don’t be a stranger.” he says with a wink, before sliding back into his car. 

The two bodyguards that picked you up drive you back to your office, where you report successfully delivering your warrants.

“And how long until he has those documents for you?” she asks. 

“I’m expecting them by tomorrow.” you reply.

“Good work, Y/N. Follow up with the FBI and you can go home early today.” she said. 

You were feeling great when you called Agent Heejin. Too bad that wasn’t going to last long.

“Yeah, well, just send me over the recording of the meeting.” she said and you cocked you head to the side in confusion.

“The what?” you asked.

“The audio recording of the meeting.” she said again.

“What audio recording?” 

“You didn’t record the meeting?!” she screeched through the phone.

You held the hone away from your ear, ringing with the loudness of Agent Heejin’s voice.

“Why would I?”you asked.

Agent Heejin had not asked you for a recording of the meeting prior to now, so what was all this about?

“BECAUSE I SENT YOU AN EMAIL TELLING YOU TO RECORD THE MEETING!” she yelled.

“Agent Heejin, I never received that email.” you explained.

“Check again.” she hissed, and you opened your email. 

And while you hadn’t recieved an email in any of your primary folders, Agent Heejin’s email was sitting in your Spam folder. Claiming to be from the FBI was a common phishing scheme, so that explained why the email had ended up in junk mail.

Heejin sighed through their nose. 

“Fine, just come over here, we’ll cross examine you. Let me know when you make it.”, she hung up the phone rather abruptly. You sigh and stand up from your desk, gathering your things.

“You got this. Call me if you need me to come beat Heejin’s ass.” Jacob said. 

“Thanks. See you tomorrow.” you said, heading for the elevators again. 

~~~

You didn’t get home that night until nearly midnight. Heejin and another agent had questioned you for any and every detail about your lunch meeting with San. It had gone on for hours and without break to ensure you didn’t forget anything. They even asked you the same questions over and over again to ensure you weren’t making things up or forgetting details. It had been tedious to say the least. You were exhausted. And your cat, Noodles, was hungry. He meowed angrily when you opened the door to your apartment. 

“Sorry dude. Work kept me late, I hate it too.” 

You went to the pantry to feed your cat, and crashed on your bed, still in your work clothes while he ate. Afterwards, he jumped onto the bed, snuggling close to you.

“Thanks, Noodles. Love you too. Goodnight, buddy.”

You fell asleep a few moments later, dead to the world.

[everymovie2020]

The Getaway (1994)

Date watched: 8 October 2019

I thought I'd never seen this before, but then I was watching it, and parts of it seemed so familiar to me that I realised… I have seen it.  At some point in my life, I've seen this movie.  And I would've been young when I saw it, and there are some pretty steamy sex scenes so… my parents did a fantastic job of monitoring the movies I watched.

This movie stars Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger when they were still married.  She looks fucking unbelievable.  He looks like a younger Alec Baldwin.  I think the Alec Baldwin in Beetlejuice is the only Alec Baldwin I find remotely attractive.  I think it's the glasses.  Anyway, I did not find him hot in this.

Plot:

Alec and Kim are criminals who steal stuff and break people out of prison vans.  Michael Madsen and his glorious mullet is their accomplice and also a real bad dude.

Things go pear-shaped very quickly and Alec ends up in a Mexican prison for I don't know how long because I wasn't paying attention.

So Kim Basinger goes to James Woods (ugh) and is like, hey, you should get my husband out of jail because he can work for you and help you in your crime business.

And then somehow Alec gets released, and he goes to James Woods' mansion and James Woods is like, hey, I need you to rob this greyhound racetrack for me and you'll get money and Alec is like, cool. So he teams up with Michael Madsen again (even though Michael Madsen did kind of fuck him over) and also baby Phillip Seymour Hoffman to rob the greyhound track, which they do successfully.

But then Michael Madsen kills PSH because he shot a security guard (and also because Michael Madsen is straight up insane), and then Alec shoots Michael Madsen and thinks he's killed him but actually, he hasn't.

Then Kim is like, "Hey Alec, let's just split this money, we won't go back to James Woods, we'll just disappear," and he's like, "No, I'm an upstanding criminal, we should go back to James Woods."

But they do, and James Woods says to him, hey I've been fucking your wife for the last three months and we're going to kill you now.  And Alec is all surprised-Pikachu-face about it, and then Kim's looming in the background with a gun, but she shoots James Woods instead.

And Alec is like, "hey Kim, he was just messing around when he said you guys were fucking, right," and she's like, "Nope," and he's all bent out of shape about it when the woman did whatever she could to get him out of prison so fuck you, Alec.

So now their marriage is on the rocks, they're on the run with the money which they almost lose at the train station because Kim is a dumb-dumb who gets scammed (women, you can't trust 'em), and they're on the way to El Paso with James Woods' guys after them and also the police and also Michael Madsen, who made his way to a veterinarian, forced him to fix him up and then starts putting the hard word on his wife, played by Jennifer Tilly.  He then kidnaps the unlucky couple and a kitten (not going to lie, I was desperately worried about the kitten for most of this movie, but I think it survived) and forces them to come with him.  Jennifer Tilly is super into this because she's nuts.

In amongst all of this, Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger are on the run and still sniping at each other.  They wind up getting Identified and having to outrun the police, where they hide in a garbage bin, which is then collected by a garbage truck, and they get dumped out at the landfill.  It's truly bizarre.

They then reaffirm their commitment to each other and have hotel room sex.  Honestly, for two people who were married at the time, I felt that they had zero chemistry.

Michael Madsen and Jennifer Tilly are also engaged in a passionate love affair which causes the vet to kill himself.  Jennifer Tilly has gone all in on Michael Madsen which is just a bad, bad idea.

They all meet up at this rundown hotel in El Paso, and there's a shootout.  Alec Baldwin kills Michael Madsen (the kitten is okay though), they kill all the guys who are chasing them and break Jennifer Tilly's heart when she realises Michael Madsen is dead.  And then Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin run off into the sunset together with the money.

I don't even really know what to say about it. It's not a good movie but it's not the worst movie I've ever seen.  They don't have much chemistry at all.  I think it was meant to be sexy and action-packed but it feels like it goes nowhere.

I don't really buy Alec Baldwin as an action hero.  It doesn't quite fit.

You know how there are some really, really good looking actors who you think should be action heroes/leading men but they’re actually better suited to comedy?  That’s Alec Baldwin.  Sorry dude.

[everythingandeveryplace]

Finding Family

"Family is not an important thing.

It's everything."

"I've never seen anything like it before in my life. They have this wall and it's all concrete, and then the crops and live stock! everything is so meticulously organized, their armory is stocked in ways you couldn't even imagine." Rick rambled, ducking beneath a low hanging branch as the rest of the group followed behind. They'd been on the road for over 11 hours when Rick had finally instructed them all to pull over through the walkie.

It was nearing close to another hour since they had all started walking through the poorly shaded woods, the Atlanta sun burning their skin and stray walkers hiding in the brush. Daryl had never seen this part of Atlanta before and he couldn't help but be impressed with how well this supposed "miracle community" was hidden.

"If I hear bout' this damn Georgetown one more time, I'm throwin' him all the way there." Merle grumbled from beside him, cutting down the far too tall grass with the chiseled saw he called a hand.

"Just keep ya mouth shut and keep ya eyes on the path." Daryl hissed at his brother, moving to walk a few feet ahead. Their relationship was beyond strained and some days it was worse than others, there was a deep seeded resentment amongst the two brothers, most days Daryl couldn't even look Merle in the eyes.

Everyone knew the reason why.

"Are we almost there?" Glenn panted, leaning into the hand Maggie was massaging his achey neck with.

"Almost." Rick promised.

"They gonna see us comin'? Ain't gonna attack or nothin'?" Daryl fell into step with Rick.

"No. They seem to be good people, they know I'm bringing my people to talk. I've only spoken to their leader Charlie and a few of the residents, it was Charlie's idea to bring you all for a visit. He wants to see the type of People Alexandria produces." Rick explained.

"So best behavior folks!" Abraham chuckled and slapped Eugene on the shoulder sending the mulleted man stumbling into Carol and Michonnes backs.

Carol whipped around and raised a brow at Eugene, Michonne laughed as the socially awkward man scrambled back to Abraham's side with wide, frightened eyes.

Almost half an hour later the sounds of muffled voices broke through the silence of the woods, Rick hadn't been lying , the concrete wall that blocked the community from the outside wall was incredible and large and so tall there it seemed to tower over even the tallest oak tree lining the woods.

"Holy shit." Jesus stopped abruptly, his jaw practically on the floor as he stared up at the dark grey, smooth concrete slab.

"That's unbelievable." Carol whispered

"Carl's going to be so mad he missed this." Michonne added

"Rosita too." Sasha stepped forward and pressed her hand against the wall tugging Tyreese alongside it.

Merle elbowed Daryl in the ribs and grinned

"Looks like that old burned down factory we used to store our huntin stuff in' with the cracked concrete and tall ass walls."

"Yeah. S'also where you started sellin' the meth and damn near got me killed by a tweaker." Daryl mumbled, dodging another elbow from Merle.

Wasn't that always how it was? Every good thing daryl had ever had was tainted by Merle's reckless and stupid behavior. It was that way then and it hadn't changed, it never would.

The heavy welded doors opened slowly in front of all of them and out stepped an older man who was so tall even Tyreese had to look up to catch his eyes.

"Hello Alexandria, I'm so happy you all could make it. The ride here was smooth I assume? No trouble?"

Rick stepped forward, extending his hand to the stranger and grinning.

"No trouble at all. Thank you again for giving us the opportunity to say our piece, and Thank-you for giving my people a chance. I know how difficult it is to trust someone you hardly know, especially in this world."

Rick would have been one hell of a politician if the world hadn't gone to shit, it was amazing to see the easy way he talked to anyone and everyone never giving away even a piece of himself.

"Well of course, of course. Come on in then, you never know what's lurking in these woods." The man Daryl assumed was Charlie ushered them all inside the walls of the community, signaling to a group of men on top of the walls to close the doors.

It wasn't real.

There was absolutely no way something as prospering and lively and god damn beautiful could exist in the world they lived in now. Behind the walls of Georgetown was row after row of blooming and blossoming crops, farm animals grazed behind fenced fields, families tended to the fields and satellite panels stood tall on poles surrounding the beautifully kept homes. There were children playing and mothers knitting on porches, men were lugging lumber though the sidewalks and someone to Daryl's left was patching up the roof of a tiny yellow cottage.

"I told you." Rick whispered in his ear "I've never seen anything like it."

Neither had Daryl, not in this life or his last.

It felt welcoming and clean and homey..

It felt safe.

Maggie was the first to speak

"This place is beautiful, it's like a different world. I can't believe how much food y'all have! And the protection from the barriers and fences.. it's truly amazing."

Charlie smiled proudly

"Yes, we've worked very hard to achieve all that we have. But Rick tells me you've all worked hard as well. I'd heard of the saviors from passing travelers, fortunately we never encountered any at Georgetown. We're far too hidden to be found, of course we do have a plan of action in place should the time come we're threatened." His tone held a hint of a warning and Daryl felt Merle shift uncomfortably beside him, he got all fidgety when the saviors were mentioned. Daryl just got nauseous.

"You said we'd be able to meet more of your people? Not that I'm in any place to rush you but clearly we can see how well this place is run and I think we're all curious as to who's behind it." Rick smiled brightly and nudged Michonne until she was smiling just as wide.. albeit a bit more awkwardly.

"Well to be fair every single person who lives within the walls of our community is responsible for the progress and safety of our home. But if you mean my counsel, let me introduce you." The taller man pulled a walkie from his utility belt

"Hey team, meet in the corridor. Emergency meeting."

A chorus of jumbled

"Okay... got it.. be there in a sec."

sounded through the device.

"I haven't told them I was bringing you in, they would all be too anxious. They're going to be the deciding factors on whether I agree to the trade so I feel it's important they look at this with fresh eyes. It's better they don't have time to think on it." Charlie winked.

"I was in the shower. Someone better be dead."

A petite woman with short hair and tattooed arms came sprinting down the steps of the large white building that Daryl and his group were standing in front of. She was beautiful but the way her eyes landed on Michonne and lingered for just a moment too long made it fairly obvious she would not be interested in Rick, Daryl, Merle or anyone of that particular gender.

"You were in the shower? I was in dreamland. I was out all night scoping for walkers, you said I could sleep in." A mammoth sized man with a scarred face and dark blue eyes followed the smaller woman, trailing after her and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Charlie chuckled and shook his head

"These are a few of the people I wanted you to meet. They've come looking to trade with us, I wanted them to come by and meet you before we get into any details." He explained.

The tattooed woman reached a hand out to Michonne and the huge blue eyed man instantly reached for a high five from Rick

"I'm Tucker and that's Ruby. I run construction and head most of the supply runs, Ruby runs the armory she knows everything there is to know about guns so if you guys think you can ever get one over on her you're sorely mistaken." Tucker's laugh filled the air before he clapped a hand onto Glenn's shoulder nearly drilling him to the ground with the force of his grip. Merle snorted and Daryl had to fight to keep the smile off of his face.

"Aidan is tied up in the kitchen right now, he's got to get lunch out before we hit the road for our next run. He said he'd come by after."

Charlie nodded in understanding before turning towards The front doors of the white building again

"Where's Lil, I thought I heard her say..."

"I'm here! Sorry I got stuck with stitches on an eight year old not fun at a.."

Daryl's head snapped forward at that voice, he knew that voice, could pick it out of a million people. He never thought he would hear it again.. he never thought....

"LiliAnna?!?" Maggie practically squealed, dropping her weapons and running towards the blonde currently staring slack jawed at the group standing in front of her.

"Maggie?" She choked, falling back onto the steps of the stairs as the short haired brunette tackled her to the ground, squeezing her tight and rambling in her ear.

"I can't believe it's you! It's been almost two years! Look at you! You look amazing! I've missed you so much!" She babbled, tears leaking from her eyes as she held tight to her former best friend.

"I've missed you too." LiliAnna whispered, cupping Maggie's face and dropping her forehead to hers. When Maggie finally stepped away Rick was there to take her place, wrapping his arms around LiliAnna and smiling

"I had no idea you lived here? I've been back and forth for the past few weeks and I haven't seen you once." He pulled away and gave her a once over for injuries, Daryl had seen him do it countless times and it made his heart ache to see the familiarity playing out right before his eyes.

"I run Medical here, I'm The head nurse and we had a bit of an accident on our last run. I've been tending to the injured all month trying to get them back on their feet.. not to mention how busy I am typically." LiliAnna smiled softly before squeezing ricks hand and turning to greet the rest of the group, lingering a little longer on carol and wiping the older woman's tears with the sleeve of her jacket, they had always had a special bond.

"I feel like I'm missing something here." Ruby scratched her head.

"Ditto." Tucker shrugged, smiling at all of the happy faces "doesn't matter much though, look how happy they are. Can't bottle that up."

LiliAnna hugged Abraham one last time before finally turning towards Daryl.

"Daryl Dixon." She smiled softly, her eyes slightly misty with tears.

"Lili." He breathed, the name coming out no louder than a whisper. She looked beautiful, if possible even more so than he had ever seen her. Her long blonde hair was left loose at her shoulders, sky blue eyes big and bright on her sun kissed face. She was still too skinny, she always forgot to eat and it drove Daryl crazy, she was always too busy looking out for everyone else she often forgot about herself. But still she was beautiful, perfect. Except for..

There was a jagged light pink scar that stretched from the temple of her right eye all the way down to the corner of her top lip and when she walked towards him she walked with a limp, it wasn't all that noticeable but Daryl could see it, he'd memorized it as she walked away two years ago.

"Didn't think I'd ever see ya face again." He swallowed.

"Didn't think you would either." She answered honestly, her eyes were just as warm and beautiful as he remembered and her skin looked just as soft, he reached a hand out to touch her cheek when suddenly the shadow of a figure covered his back.

Almost as if she had been burned Lili flinched away, eyes casting over Daryl's shoulder and narrowing dangerously before she stumbled backwards and away from him. Daryl whipped around to see Merle standing directly behind him, eyes wide and apologetic when He noticed Daryl's hand still raised.

"Sorry little brother.. I didn't think."

"Ya never think." Daryl growled, harshly turning away from the man who had single handedly destroyed his happiness more times than he could count.

"LiliAnna! We gotta show you something."

Someone was coming towards them from a few feet away. Daryl couldn't make out the face yet but the voice sounded strangely familiar.

"That's D." Charlie explained "he's part of our combat group.. teaches our residents how to defend themselves."

D...

Dwight.

Sure enough the mangled man came rushing forward, a child in his arms with wild blonde curls and bright blue eyes, a huge smile on the child's face.. the kid couldn't be older than a year and he looked nothing like Dwight.. actually he looked more like..

"Mama!"

Mama? Did that mean..

"Hi sweet boy! How was your nap? Did Uncle D keep you up again?" LiliAnna reached for the baby in Dwight's arms and cradled him to her chest pressing sloppy kisses all over his cheek while he giggled and squirmed.

"You have a baby?" Michonne let the severe sharpness of her features lessen for just a moment as she stared at the mother and her child.

"I do. His names Greyson and he just tuned one." She smiled proudly.

"Oh my god Hershel Jr. just found himself a new best friend." Maggie tugged in Glenn's sleeve in excitement and even the lanky Korean couldn't keep the smile off of his face. LiliAnnas eyes softened immediately and she grinned

"It was a boy?" She asked Maggie.

"It sure was.. just like your little angel." Maggie moved forward to squeeze the chubby little ones cheeks. Rick was talking to Charlie and the rest of the group was either admiring Greyson or asking Ruby and Tucker questions.

"You see it don't you?" Merle asked from his space beside Daryl.

"See what?" Daryl refused to take his eyes off of the baby in LiliAnnas arms.

"Those are mamas eyes." Merle chuckled making Daryl snap his head towards his older brother.

"What?"

Merle shook his head at his brothers obliviousness

"That boys a Dixon through and through."

Dwight's body stiffened at the sound of Merle's voice, he whipped around and drew his gun the instant his eyes caught sight of Merle.

"Woah!" Ruby shouted

Everyone turned towards the commotion and Charlie rushed towards Dwight

"D, what are you doing.. these people are our guests.. you can't just pull your.."

"Guests?!" Dwight scoffed "why the hell is he in our camp?! Why would you let him in here!"

LiliAnna handed Greyson off to Maggie and moved to stand beside Dwight, placing her hand in his arm she spoke quickly

"It's okay.. I'm okay. It's fine Dwight, put the gun down"

"Are they here to do business? They want to trade? Fat chance!" Dwight kept his gun trained on Merle but spoke directly to Charlie "you cannot let these people in here, you cannot do business with them. They took in that.. that monster." His hands were shaking around the trigger of his rifle and Daryl couldn't move, his feet frozen to the spot. Merle seemed to be in the same position because he hadn't even drawn his gun yet.

"What did he do? What's going on LiliAnna?" Tucker came to stand behind Dwight as back up and Ruby soon followed, her hands tight on her pistol.

"He.. it was the past.." She whispered, her eyes darting to her son behind her.

Suddenly images flooded Daryl's brain.

Dwight carrying a nearly lifeless Lili through the smoke and ash, her face so bruised and bloody it was almost unrecognizable.

The screaming. Her cries of pain and desperation as Hershel attempted to stitch her up and set her bones.

Her wide, terrified eyes when she looked up at him from the cot as Hershel relocated her shoulder

"Merle." She had croaked "it was Merle."

"I'll tell you what happened." Dwight growled, the click of his trigger sounding through the almost silent air "that bastard beat Lil to death and made me watch. She survived because she's stronger than all of us but he was trying to kill her... slowly.. he wanted her to feel it."

Daryls eyes met Lilis from across the field.

She looked him dead in the eye for just a moment before she raced over to Maggie, scooped up Greyson and rushed back up the stairs to the big building.

Charlie cleared his throat and placed a hand on Dwight's raised Gun.

"It looks like we may have more to discuss."

[dammitadolfnomorecake]

Caramel Skin Under a Vanilla Sky prt 22 full draft

Cleared to leave the medbay, Lance hadn't stopped since. Every time Keith turned around, Lance was off doing something else again. He felt like a parent who's toddler had too much speed, and knew that tying their child up would only lead to questions and deep judging stares. Sometimes all it took was a tick for Lance to vanish. He'd turn around for a single tick, then look back to find Lance gone as if he'd been teleported away by Kosmo. Keith's heart wasn't sure it could take it. The half-Galra was also at a loss as to what Lance was doing with all his time. The Telula was down for repairs for at least two movements, and their was absolutely no way he was letting Lance use Daehra's pod to run missions. He rather be stuck in the house they were using listening to Zak improve his A.I's intelligence by singing to it. He'd never heard Zak sing, but listening to him read the same damn thing to his computer in the most monotonous of voices... It'd made him question all choices that had led him to the moment. Having lost Lance again, Keith closed his eyes and counted to ten, opening them slowly as he let out a sigh. Blinking to adjust his eyes to the bright light overhead, he jumped when he realised the object of his affection was standing right in front of him "What the quiznak, Lance? Where did you go?!" Smiling like he wasn't arsehole, Lance rocked back on his heels "I had to help with the party. Now that I've "recovered", the Queen is holding her first royal ball since the Galra were defeated. Remember?" Groaning Keith was tempted to close his eyes and open them to a different Lance. Daehra had mentioned Annla had stolen Lucteal to help with her party. He didn't realise Lance was involved, and now that he knew, it all made sense. Lance used to be a social butterfly, not so much now, but he'd be involved because he liked Annla "Keith! How could you forget? We're the guests of honour. You're the guest of honour" "That's exactly why I forgot" Mumbling the comment, Lance smacked upside the back of his head. The look on his face told Keith he'd heard every word "I don't see why I have to go. She barely knows me" "You have to go so I don't lose my temper or lose control. Think of it as a favour to Daehra" "Why are you going to lose your temper?" Taking Keith by the arm, Lance pulled him over to the wall closest to the passage the were in "Annla was sold by her father to the men who... She was supposed to go through what I did. I don't care if he's the king of this planet, every time I think about what he did, I want to slit his throat. So you're there to make sure I don't" Keith vaguely remembered Lance mentioning something like that. But it'd been a long few quintants, even longer now that they staying off the Telula and in the house he'd bathed Lance in. Daehra ensured them they were safe below grounds, yet Keith couldn't get used to it. The whole city had been carved into a cave system where ever street looked the same. That fact may have slightly contributed to how often he kept losing Lance... that and his sense of direction below ground... He'd never admit how often he'd found himself directionally misplaced "Look, we don't have to go" "We do have to go. It's only one night, then it's over. We can concentrate on getting the Telula off ground. There are people out there requesting help and aide, we've had messages come through, and there's only so much work I can redirect to the rest of them team. You know Zak and Tobias aren't people people... aliens. And now we're a hunter short because Lasandi decided to find his happily ever after with that girl he met on his last mission. I don't even know how he ended up there, but instead of hunting her he's marrying her. So tonight, we smile, we ignore the overwhelming urge to stab people and we accept their hospitality" Scolding him like a mother would a child, Keith found himself smiling despite his dislike of parties. As for Tobias, he'd seen even less of him than he had Zak, and Lasandi... he wasn't even sure if he'd met him. Honestly, Lance had been his soul focus. Only Daehra had taken the time to get to know him, leaving Lucteal to attempt to chase him off. That meant there were like... three? crew members he'd forgotten existed, plus that other bounty hunter that he couldn't remember the name of. Quiznak only knew if she was coming back... Fuck. He was even worse at this than he'd thought. In order to work as a team some level of trust was required. He'd totally decided he was staying by Lance's side without thinking about his team or the fact that so many of them seemed to be too busy to socialise or were simply moving on... if Daehra and Lucteal decided to stay on their home planet, Lance would fall apart because his whole team would fail to exist anymore. He didn't want to let Lance down, not that he was beginning to realise how much he'd slipped by by being obsessed with Lance. No wonder Lance thought everyone left him... "Alright. For you" Lance coughed, Keith enjoying throwing him off kilter so easily "Thank you. Plus, there's going to be drinks so if it's too terrible we can get drunk and forget the whole thing" That sounded like a terrible plan. He didn't want a repeat of Lance seizing in front of him, especially when he didn't know combining the drugs he was using with alcohol. Lance had promised he'd cut back, but when he was medicating himself, Keith had no idea if that was true or not. Whatever happened that night, he'd have to keep his wits about him. * Forced into the bathroom, Keith emerged scrubbed from head to toe as he dragged his feet. Being an official occasion clothing had been provided for both of them. Lance's clothes consisted of a red loose tunic styled shirt with a braided golden belt, accompanied by a pair of tight black pants. The garb didn't exactly match his boots, but those pants made Lance's arse look glorious. Not that Keith would mention so. His own clothes were exactly the same, except his shirt was black. The pair of them being ex-Paladins was still novel for the planet. Lance had tried his hardest to smile when Daehra had presented them with their clothes, yet Keith could see right through his expression. The red of the shirt much like the red of the blood all over that room in the outpost. He'd offered to swap, only for Lance to wave him off. Finally dressed, Keith marched over to where Lance was sitting, crouching down in front of him in order to remove the blades he was sliding down the sides of them "If I can't carry my blade, you can't carry yours" "Don't touch them!" Snapping hard, Keith pulled his hand back "Lance?" Placing both hands on Lance's knees, Lance drew a shaky breath "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap" "It's alright. I know you're nervous now that it's time to head to the party, but it's going to be ok" "I know nothing's going to happen, but I don't feel safe in big crowds. Anyone could be an enemy..." Keith knew that feeling all too well. Clear Day coming to mind embarrassingly. Lance deserved happiness and a night of distraction "Then let's make a deal. One blade. I'll carry the other. That way if something does go down, we're both prepared" "I..." Lance started to object, Keith releasing his right knee in order to fish the knife out of Lance's right boot "One blade. I'll be with you, so I'll be there to have your back" "You make me sound so pathetic" "You're not pathetic. Now, where has all that enthusiasm over partying gone? Free drinks? Alien princesses..." "I don't want an alien princess... An alien prince is bad enough" Opting to take the comment as "Lance wants to be with him" rather than "Keith is a giant pain in the quiznak", Keith quickly kissed Lance's forehead before he could object. Lance spluttering as Keith rose to stand, slipping the blade up his sleeve in order to offer his hand to Lance "Let's get this done" Leaving Kosmo behind, Keith paused to slip the confiscated knife into his own boot before leading Lance into the underground ballroom. Lit by a mix of generator powered lights and weird fluid filled lanterns, the basic colours of the various decorations and evening wear to take on a grey scale like the grey of the stone it'd been carved out of. Feeling Lance tense, Keith leaned in to whisper "Are you alright?" "Yeah... I don't like grey rooms... so many shadows... plus, everyone in the space can feel what we feel... I'm fine, Mullet" It'd been years. How much longer was he going to be teased for sporting a mullet... which it totally wasn't. If anything Keith should be the one teasing Lance over being a lanky goofball, because at least that was true "It'll be ok. If it gets too much, we can leave early" "I know. God. I need a drink" "Let's find Annla first. Is Lucteal going to be here?" Jerking his chin towards the dance area, Lance shifted closer to him as he whispered "He's here somewhere already. The king's sons have to meet and greet. I don't know why though, they all live together and know each other as it is..." "You know, you're sounding far too much like me" "Shoot me now" "Don't make me get those finger guns out" Nudging him with his elbow, Lance relaxed "Thanks. I can't believe how nervous I am" "Yeah, being nervous and moody at parties is my job. Do you think the food's any good?" "Maybe? It should mostly be from the aid supplies we delivered" "Then it should be edible. Food first, then we'll find you that drink" Snorting at him, Lance pulled away "You're making this sound like a mission. Does your brain ever turn off?" "Probably. And probably as often as yours" "Oh! Sick burn. I'm going to need some water for that" Crossing his arms, Keith pursed his lip. He wasn't falling into the trap of insulting Lance back. Not until he understood his triggers better "Whatever. I'm going to get something to eat. It's up to you if you follow me or not" Taking two steps away from Lance, Lance launched himself back to his side, taking Keith by the arm "Fine. You win. Just don't... vanish on me" "Trust me, I'm not going anywhere" Finding Daehra near the buffet, the woman was preparing food for both of them as they approached. Dressed in a flowing white dress with turquoise belt around her waist, she looked completely different from her usual "uniform" she wore upon the Telula. He'd never thought she was pretty in that way before, but she had her own charms as she smiled at the pair of them "I was wondering if I was going to need to send Lucteal down to find you two" "Come on, Dae. You know it takes time to make all this look good. And Keith is a total bathroom hog" Wrinkling her brow, Daehra looked confused "A hog?" "It's like this ugly pig from Earth" "Keith is rather attractive. You think so yourself. Why would you call him this "hog"?" Lance blushed deeply, taking a plate of food from Daehra as he tried to ignore both her and Keith. At least he now knew Lance had told other people they thought he was attractive "It's an Earth thing. And if anything, Lance is the bathroom hog. You should have seen him back on the castle. He was late for almost every morning meeting because he needed his "beauty sleep", or was in the middle of a face mask" Daehra pulled a face at "face mask" "Leandro once gave face mask. I do not understand them" "Dae, it makes your skin feel amazing. You said you didn't mind" Daehra shrugged, handing Keith the second plate of food in her hold "I can't believe this. You're both betraying me. Fine. See if I ever offer to do face masks with either of you again" Sounding pouty, Lance seemed actually hurt as he took a step backwards. Great going. He was trying to make Lance relax, not feed his anxieties more "It's alright, Lance. I'm sure Coran would be up for face masks" "Keith, he literally tried eating the cream for it the first time we did them! I learned then that he'd never appreciate face masks" Keith got that Lance was on edge, but he was sorely tempted to snap back at him. It wasn't his fault he wasn't into face masks, and at least he was making an effort to lighten the mood. Sighing at both of them, Daehra gestured to the buffet "Please eat and drink as you will. The king's speech will come later, first we dance. Our Queen is also most eager to meet you. Now, I must return to work. Please try not to fight, we all feel it when you do" Leaving them together, Keith scratched the back of his head with his right hand "I think we just got told off" "So do I. I shouldn't have snapped. The truth is, I haven't spoken to Coran for months. Even before Allura day, it was kind of strained... we were both grieving for Allura in different ways, and he'd just got Altea back. I didn't want to bring him down" Moving away from the table and towards the edge of the wall so they were out the way, Keith's mind was ticking over "Wait. You haven't talked to him about Allura's powers, have you?" "Only the initial tests you were all there for" Which concluded Lance was Lance, with traces of Allura's quintessence lingering in his cheeks. The levels slowly dropping away as the quintants passed "But wouldn't he know whatever was going on with your body? You said she didn't bring you back right, wouldn't Coran be the best to ask?" "You know how he'd get if he knew I died. Besides, what am I supposed to say? "Hey Coran, I know I'm little late to the party, but I don't know if I'm in my own body, and if I am, what the quiznak did Allura do to me?". Yeah. No. That's only going to upset him. I can... cope" "You're not coping. You're barely living. Look, if it's about seeing him, I'll go with you. We can both talk to him" "Keith. No. Ok. I don't want to talk about this here. I don't want to talk about it all" "Lance..." "Keith, please. I am begging you not to do this here. I know it ate Shiro up to find he'd been cloned. I don't want you suffering" "My suffering is fine. I already looked at the medical texts I could get hold of when Allura started feeling ill. I couldn't help her, and I can't change this stupid body" "Your body isn't stupid" "Fine. I can't fix the mess that my body is. Ok. There. Are you happy, something else you can add to the "Lance is fucked up pile". I need a drink" Shoving his plate of food at him, Lance forgot all about his anxieties as he stalked away from Keith. Watching him go, Keith resisted the urge to simply rush after Lance and apologise. Maybe the timing wasn't right, but he was sick of it never being right. Lance said he wanted to get better and to do better, but it felt like things were slipping away. Like the time they'd spent alone together was now resulting in fights because Lance insisted on working himself until he dropped. Unsure what to do with himself and his two plates of food, Keith wondered if it was rude to dump the contents on the weird rocky plants poking out of carved recesses where the wall met the floor. Deciding it was, he'd made his mind to place the plate on the buffet table, and hope someone took it, when Zak and Lucteal walked over to him. Tucked under Lucteal's arm, Zak's laptop reminded him much of Pidge he temporarily forgot she wasn't actually there "What did you do to Lance?" "Hello, Lucteal. Zak. I did nothing to Lance. He said he needed a drink and left" "He's in pain. I can feel it" "Lucteal, he's working on stuff. He needs space and time. I know you think I'm the enemy here, but I'm not. If I could have been there to save him from what he went through, I would have done in a tick. He never once even hinted at anything being wrong. So I know you hate my guts because you have a crush on Lance, but he says he isn't ready to date and you need to accept this. I don't want to hate you. The whole team means the absolute world to Lance. Now, are you going to have another go at me, or are you going to stand here and be civil" Pulling the laptop out from under his arm, Lucteal pushed it at him. Zak quick to leap to the rescue of the device as Lucteal growled "We were good before you came. He was good. You hurt him. I will go to him" Caught between the two of them, Zak looked like a scared field mouse. Keith wasn't Lance's keeper. He couldn't tell Lucteal to stay away from Lance. That was something Lance and the "Dick Head formerly known as Lucteal" had to sort out for themselves. With Zak now his only companion, Keith held his plate of food out towards the alien "Here. Eat this" Taking the plate, Zak looked as enthused over the food as Keith was. The pair left to stand there like socially awkward rejects as neither of them made to move or knew what to say. It was half a varga before Keith saw Lance again. Having passed his plate to Zak, the violet haired alien had placed both of them on the buffet before scuttling off with his laptop back to the Telula. Still standing in the same spot, he was in the perfect place to watch as Annla dragged Lance towards the dance area. The little princess clearly in control as the background music grew louder and people started to whisper about the pair. Reaching the centre of the space, Lance bowed down to Annla who let him take both her hands as she stepped up onto his feet. Curious as to what was coming next, all eyes were on the pair as Lance started to waltz, Annla giggling as he span and stepped effortlessly. The sight was adorable, like a father teaching his daughter to dance, leading to Keith being slightly jealous he wasn't the one over there dancing with Lance. Confused by the strange dance, no one joined them. The song coming to end without injury. Stepping off his feet, Lance bowed as Annla curtsied. Another thing that seemed to confuse her people. Annoyed with himself for not moving or clapping with the others, as Keith found his feet Lucteal found Lance. Lance way too ok with dancing with Lucteal. Lance didn't even like being touched, and yet he was right there with Lucteal's hand in his and the Dick Head's other hand on Lance's hip where it had no place being. Taking it slowly, Lance talked Lucteal through the steps as Daehra and a woman who could only have been her sister, started dancing with Annla. With the three sisters dancing, more of their kind moved to do the same. Keith's irritation only growing as he watched them all smiling and laughing. He wanted to be there next to Lance. He wanted to be dancing with Lance and making him smile just for him. * Lance didn't want to dance with Lucteal. Not when Keith thought he was still mad at him, and not when he could feel his own emotions simmering far too close to the surface. Having sought him out after he'd left Keith's side, Lance had cursed his stupid stubbornness when Lucteal had cornered him near the doorway to the room. He was tempted to leave the party, but Keith was going out of his comfort zone for Lance's sake. He'd taken his second blade and promised to stay by his side, only for Lance to be the one to walk away. Having downed two or three glasses of whatever was being served as alcohol, as fast as he could, he knew he really needed to suck it up, but the buzz of whatever was in the alcohol was serving to worsen his temper. Forced to listen to Lucteal almost slander Keith, Lance had been grateful when Annla came running over to him. Taking her hand in his, the tiny Princess scolded her older brother for upsetting Lance, ordering him back to his post. Being sent packing, Lance wished he had the words to make Lucteal understand that he wasn't looking for a relationship. He wasn't looking to be touched, or for more... it was just that things were different with Keith. Keith didn't pursue him like that. He was soft and gentle, reassuring without relying on badmouthing Lucteal or under handed tactics. It had to hurt for Lucteal to see them together, for Keith to be the one Lance finally let his guard down for. But he'd thought Lucteal had finally taken the message the last time they'd spoken about the matter. He couldn't love Lucteal like that. There was no special spark. No burning desire. He valued him as close friend and trusted team member, yet there was just nothing there for him. Staring up at him with her black eyes, Annla wore a strange look on her face "Adults are complicated" "That we are. I'm sorry you had to see and feel all that. I've talked to him before about his feelings, yet we keep having the same conversation" "He knows you cannot love him. He simply wishes to be with you nonetheless. He was most scared when you fell ill. He prayed to the gods for your recovery" Annla's words stung, her small shoulders slumping response to the unexpected pain. He hadn't been ill. He was simply his own worst enemy, especially when it came to admitting that he was anything but Leandro to his team. They didn't want Lance, but Leandro who could lead them in battle and through every situation. The leader who was proud of his team, and placed their accomplishments before his own advancement. He'd been awful leader, especially when forced to burden his team with relief missions because of the damage to the Telula. Seeing the princess so sad, he loathed everything he was forcing her to feel. Annla was too small, too full of life, to be tainted by his negativity "I know. He's an amazing friend to me. Now, would you like to dance with me, my lady?" Annla's face lit up, before falling "I do not know your dancing" "That doesn't matter. Do you think you can keep your balance if you stand on my feet?" "On your feet?" "Yep. It's an Earth custom. We danced like this at my home. When I was young, I'd stand on my mother's feet as we danced. Once we grew bigger, our cousins, nieces and nephews stand on ours until they learn the steps" Annla drew her brow, her lips turned down "That sounds like a silly custom. Why stand on someone's feet?" Snorting, Lance nodded. It probably seemed incredibly alien to the alien princess "It probably is, but what if I told you we could dance like the princesses we used to have back on Earth? A waltz is one of the finest dances one can partake in" "Like a princess?" That got her attention. Nodding again, Lance gestured to the dance area with a half bow "May I have this dance?" "I want to see this princess dance" "Alright, I'll have you know I'm not bad at dancing" "I don't know. I have not seen you yet" Dancing with Annla had been fun. Her eyes sparkled as he led her around the floor, throwing in a few spins for her benefit. He'd almost been sad when it came to end, but Daehra was already making her way over and then Lucteal came out of nowhere, apologising and asking to dance. Not wanting to ruin the mood, he danced with Lucteal, forcing himself not to stare back at the questioning eyes upon them. The feel of the man skin against his, his hand on his hip, the way he moved so they were far too close. He couldn't. They were so close to the end of the song, but he couldn't do it. Nausea pooled in the base of his stomach, more due to the phantom feelings Lucteal's presence was starting to stir. He could feel the heat of Klearo's breath against his ear as Lucteal exhaled. The two mixing and swirling without permission. Breaking the dance, his eyes prickled with tears as his chest tightened. The fake smile on his lips sliding as forced himself to bow, before fleeing from the royal ballroom. Clawing at the hem rubbing against his throat, Lance felt as if he couldn't breathe. The looming grey walls surrounding him seemed to grow ever closer as he lost his way in them. Panicked and scared, his hands moved from his throat into a self hug, his steps growing more and more unsteady until he was grabbed him behind. Screaming he lashed out, smacking his head against his would be attackers face as hard as he could, before twisting his way out of the hold and ducking low to grab the knife out his boot. Bringing the blade up, his eyes widened at Keith. Blood dribbling down as he pinched his bleeding nose "Shit, Lance!" Releasing he'd been about to gut his best friend, the knife fell from his hold as he staggered back "I... I'm sorry... Oh god, what have I done..." Backing away, Lance wanted to flee. He couldn't breathe, and now he'd hurt Keith. The one thing he'd been terrified of happening since Keith had come back into his life "Lance... it's ok. It was my fault for grabbing you so suddenly. I tried calling out to you, but you didn't seem to hear me" He hadn't heard Keith at all "I'm sorry..." Reaching out his free hand, Lance shrank away from it. His fear leaving him curling in on himself as he fell to his knees "Lance..." "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." "Hey... you're ok. I know you didn't mean it" Lance's poor addled brain wasn't able to focus. His chest felt tighter by the tick, tears starting to flow down his cheeks as he panicked further. "Lance, it's ok. You're ok" Whimpering as Keith knelt down in front of him, he raised his hands to protect himself from the blow that never came. Instead of hitting him, Keith's arms came to wrap around him, his friend pulling him into a tight hug. The millions of invisible tingles across his face and lips lessening as Keith's scent soothed his soul. The way he whispered the words so close to his ear felt so different from when anyone else did the same "I've got you. Shhhh, you're ok now. It's just me. It's Keith. Shhh... I've got you... you're ok" Letting out a hiccuped sob, Keith relaxed his hold. All Lance could smell was the coppery tang of blood in the air from where he'd hurt Keith "Lance, I know you can't control that fear, but I need you to breathe with me. You're going to pass out if you don't slow your breathing" Unable to follow Keith's instructions, Lance took nearly a varga for the haze in his brain to settle enough that he could breathe. His chest heaving like he'd run a marathon, his whole body exhausted as he came back from his panic attack. Blinking through the tears to see a world of grey beyond Keith, he threw himself into the half-Galra's hold, his face buried against Keith's neck as Keith started to rub his back in soft circles "Are you back with me?" Nodding, he was too drained to much "Alright. That's good. So good. I'm going to pick you up now. I've got no idea where we are, and I think we should probably get out of such a public area" He didn't want anyone to see him like this. Not even Keith. This is why he'd avoided touch. He hated it. He hated how males left him particularly on edge, even when he trusted them his body couldn't accept their touch. Not close like it'd been. Lucteal had spent so many nights talking with him, that he... he should have felt how uncomfortable Lance had been while they'd danced. Carried however far Keith had made it, the room he opened his eyes in was much more appealing yellow. The sky outside was what he'd call a Vanilla white, while the room they were in was a close shade yet not the same. Setting him down on a rather solid wooden bench Keith sat next to him, gathering him close and rubbing his right shoulder as Lance tried to calm further. As his breathing evened out, he was nearly falling asleep from exertion when Keith's voice came out of nowhere, causing him to jump "You still awake?" "Yeah... I'm sorry..." "It was my fault for grabbing you. I acted without thinking" "I hurt you..." And he'd nearly done so much worse "You didn't mean to, and you hit my cheek more than my nose, so it's fine" "It's not fine. I had my blade, I was ready... ready to kill you..." Sniffling sadly, he wanted to crawl into the nearest hole and die "Because you were scared. I understand" "You shouldn't have to understand" "Lance, you're not the only one suffering from PTSD. Trust me, I understand. I... did the same thing to my mother once. I was having a nightmare and when I woke up, I was so disorientated that I tried to go her. So, yeah. I get it" "That doesn't make me feel any better" "I'm just trying to tell you that you're not alone. Can you tell me what triggered it? Was Lucteal?" Nodding, fresh guilt curled in his gut "It was him. I mean it was, but he didn't do anything wrong. It was my stupid anxiety, then... when he touched me... things started coming back. It was like I could feel Klearo on my skin. His breath against my ear as he tortured me... I'm so fucking stupid. I couldn't even enjoy one fucking party without freaking out like a fucking nut job" "Hey, no. You're not stupid" "Don't you ever get sick of telling me that? All I do is fucking cry... I'm so tired of crying. I'm so tired of being tired and angry" "You're doing better" "How!? How am I doing better?! I keep fucking falling apart, Keith. I take too many drugs because I can't handle all of this. I'm just so tired. I want to be back out there... out there made some kind of weird sense..." "It made sense because you didn't have to feel all these things, but you need to let yourself feel them. If you keep bottling it up, you're going to explode" "You don't understand" "Then tell me. I'm staying around, no matter what you think" "But I'm fucked up" Lance couldn't think of any other way to say it "A little. You're hurt, angry and confused. But you need to feel everything or you'll never be able to move past it. I know you're strong. I know you love working with your team, and that you love the work you do. And just because the Telula is down, doesn't mean you won't be able to continue when everything is repaired" "Should I? I don't even know anymore. I was so fucking angry when you showed up. So disgusted and scared you'd find the truth out. That you'd leave... because I'm dirty" "I'm not going to lie, it hurt. I know I dropped the ball as far as friendship went, but I never wanted to not be friends. God. I've been in love with your dopey Cuban arse for so long that I don't know how not to care for you" Giving a sniffled laugh, Lance could only conclude Keith was crazy "I... I had so many feelings for you, before you left. That's why I was so mad that you kept missing everything to hang out with the Blades. I didn't know how to feel, because I liked Allura as well... and everyone thought I was always the stupid seventh wheel" "If any one was the seventh wheel, it was the mice. They were only ever handy when it came to fixing wires in the castle" "They were Allura's friends" "And that was about it" Letting silence fall between them, Lance soaked in Keith's warmth. He was completely screwed and over his head. Too tired to stop himself and too hurt to remain cautious "If I said... that I still... that I was falling for you... what would come next?" "Then I'd ask you to be my boyfriend" "I don't know if I can do that... there's stuff you don't know..." "Then I'd ask you to be my boyfriend and we'd take things slow like we have been" "Keith..." "I know you're confused, and still healing, but like I said, you need to let yourself feel" "Stop the drugs?" Keith kissed the top of Lance's head "Yeah. The red and blue pills. That yellow injection is a hugely addictive pain medication they only administer to ease people passing. It changes your DNA. It changes your quintessence. You're scared of your body, but those pills are only making whatever Allura did to it, even worse" Lance shook his head "No. They help. They stop it" "They stop it because they're destroying you. They're making these anxieties worse. We agreed to lessen them, but... they're going to kill you because you're body is being constantly poisoned" "You don't understand..." "Lance, I promise you. I'm not making this up. I had them scanned so I could understand" "My body... I can't even call it human anymore. I don't feel comfortable in my own skin" "Then we'll get help. Whatever it takes, we'll figure this out together" "How do I know you won't leave?" "Because you're my boyfriend, dummy" Lance gave a wet laugh "You didn't even ask" "I know you want to be with me, and when you're ready to label it, you'll let me know. I don't want to pressure or rush you" "You've put up with me like this for a fucking phoeb" "And I'll still be here even if it takes deca-phoebs. You're my best friend. I don't want to go back to how things were before. I fell in love with you when we were shitty brats, and now I want to fall in love with you all over again" "You're a total sap" "No. I'm still as awkward as hell, but being with you feels natural. Most of the time my words don't come properly, and I get frustrated, but I want to be better for you. You're not a mind reader. If I don't force myself to find those right words, then how am I supposed to make you understand?" "I don't know if I can understand... I think... something broke in my head... maybe a lot of things" Whispering the words sadly, his heart was over joyed that Keith wanted to be boyfriends, while every other emotion was being a dick and ruining the moment of it all "Then we'll figure it out. Mr-Bad-Arse-Bounty-Hunter-Leandro" Shaking his head, Lance wasn't sure if he wanted to be a bounty hunter after seeing his captures hacked to pieces. His mind still couldn't banish the sight of all that blood "Leandro can't be a bounty hunter... not like that" "Then we'll find a new government, one with a stable and correct prison system" "Keith, there's no such thing... everyone thinks themselves more and correct, even as they destroy the world around them. I want to take them down, but I don't know what to do if we do. I want to keep helping... that's all I want to do" "Then we'll establish our own way of doing things" "We can't do that. Besides, I'm technically on the run as it is. I'll probably end up cut to pieces too" "You're not going to end up like that. I'm pretty sure we can do something about Erathus having a warrant out for your arrest. I'm a prince according to you" According to almost everyone except for Keith. It was simply how the Galra hierarchy worked. Krolia and Kolivan stood at the top of the Galra kingdom "You're a royal pain in my arse, you idiot" "They do say it's contagious" "Are you calling me an idiot" "The biggest quiznakking idiot in the universe, but you're my quiznakking idiot" "You're a dick" "I know. You've told me" "Good. Make sure you don't forget" "I won't. Do you feel like getting out of here?" "I can't be bothered moving" Laughing softly, Keith made his heart jump at the sound "Neither can I, if I'm honest. Reckon they'd notice if we sleep here for the night?" "We're supposed to be at the party" "We went. That's good enough. Are you warm enough in here?" He was plenty warm with Keith's arms holding him tight "Mmm, you're like a personal heater" "Consider it a special Lance privilege" "Can we go back to the Telula? I don't want to fall asleep in here... not knowing where we are" "Of course we can. I can't guarantee I can find our way back, so it might take a while" "How far did I run?" "More like how fast. Here, I'll piggy back you" "I can walk" "You're practically already asleep. No complaints" "I can do it" "I known you can, but you're exhausted. I want to do this" "Carry my pathetic arse around?" "Carry you, and you're not so pathetic arse around for the rest of our lives" "Don't say that... I might have to hold it to you" "Then it's a promise"

[silverineontherun]

A Shance/Jeith Valentine’s Fic

No, aliens didn’t brainwash me. I’m still your good ol’ KL stan, but this time I’m bringing a humble (and late) offering to my two wives, kunfetti and @birdsandivory, who deal with me on a daily basis, support me and make my life better. Also, I admit I’m like a lousy husband who smashes together two festivities because this was going to be a Xmas present, but the whole premise was much better for Valentine’s so... here we are. I hope you like it! <3

There are three parts: An introduction, a Shance fic and a Jeith fic. You can pick which one to read first, or not read the other if it isn’t your cup of tea! // LINKS MAY NOT WORK ON MOBILE, please try reading on pc in that case!

T rated, around 2.5k each part, Canon divergence, set somewhere in S8 I guess (but who cares, right?), Atlas background. Lance and James make a deal to get their men on this special date. Enjoy!

                                       *****

It’s the most unlikely alliance to ever exist. It entails swallowing his pride and clenching his teeth for it. But all’s fair in love and war, and there’s really no better way to achieve the goal this time.

At least that is Lance’s conclusion, as he waits for the missing piece of the puzzle to appear, hoping his plan will work.

“Griffin,” he calls, intercepting James just outside the gym. The pilot raises an eyebrow and gets closer to the paladin, drinking from his water bottle and making a questioning grunt.

Lance sighs. They never exchanged more words than necessary before, given that silent bad blood they had since their Garrison days but... he thinks this is necessary, after all.

“Hey, dude. So, uh, been meaning to ask… What are you doing for Valentine’s Day?”

James chokes on his water, spitting part of it. Lance gets out of the way just in time, frowning.

“Gross!”

“Wh-why are you even asking, McClain?!” asks James, still coughing.

Lance realizes too late that his wording may have been slightly confusing and, scrunching his nose, he hurries to add:

“Wait, no, nonono, no one is asking you out! Jeez, dude. I just have something important to discuss with you about it.” He crosses his arms and cocks his hip, staring at James from head to toe, the pilot looking flustered in his gym attire. Surprisingly, not at bad sight. Would this really work? In all fairness, if it did, he’d be doing a favor for a bro in the way, so it’s not like he is twisting things for his own benefit only… right?

Right. But he needs to confirm his suspicions first, and since time presses, subtlety is a luxury he can’t afford. So…

“Say, Griffin... You have the hots for Keith, don’t you?” he asks, blunt and direct.

Another fit of coughing has James now tearing up, completely flushed. Lance growls, irritated.

“C’mon, dude, pull yourself together!”

“What the hell are you talking about?!” yells James, but when other members of the Atlas crew look at him scandalized, he lowers his tone, still beet red. “Why are you asking me these things?!”

“I said I need to discuss something important! Actually, more like ask for a favor, I guess, though I think it could work both ways,” confesses Lance, scratching his chin.

“What does it have to do with— What the—?”

“I’m taking that as a yes.”

“I HAVEN’T—”

“Ugh, man, c’mon! Okay, listen, I have no reason to trust you, and you have no reason to trust me, but know that if I’m doing this, it’s only because I’m desperate,” Lance declares. His eyebrows knit in the middle as he gets menacingly close to James. “So, I need your help and I’m gonna explain why. However, if you tell anybody about what you’re about to hear, you’ll find yourself mysteriously tossed into the trash shuttle to never be found again…”

“You come to me, attack me with random questions, threaten me and expect me to help you? Are you serious?” asks James, baffled.

“Yes! Exactly. And now I’m about to tell you a secret that you’ll protect with your life, Unibang,” mumbles Lance, looking side to side and behind him before getting even closer to James, who touches his bangs on reflex and is boiling with irritation. “So. I may be in need of some time alone with uhm… Captain Shirogane. To settle some matters. Personal matters, if you catch my meaning...”

James’ irritation gives way to a mocking scoff.

“Pff, that’s no secret. Anyone with two eyes knows that already,” he sneers.

“Excuse me?!” exclaims Lance, eyes wide-open.

“Not very subtle about that crush, McClain. You’re a paladin and all, but you’re still a loudmouth clown,” says James, one corner of his mouth crooking in a shit-eating grin. Lance blushes, clenching his fists in a comical pouty expression.

“Says who? Mullet-lover? Number one member of Keith’s fans club, sighing in the corners for him?” he retorts, going for his most annoying voice, the same he used multiple times with Keith himself.

“What?!” James’ smile disappears, and red tint smears his cheeks and ears again. Lance laughs.

“No use denying it! I can smell that sexual tension between you two from across the Atlas, it’s honestly distracting…”

“There’s no such thing!”

“Dude. The looks. Are you serious?” asks Lance.

“There’s no such thing,” repeats James, this time softer. He lowers his eyes. “He doesn’t look at me that way. You’re wrong.”

There’s a small pause, while a group of cadets leaves the gym waving at Lance, who waves back at them casually smiling before crossing his arms and tilting his body towards James.

“Oh my god, you’re pitiful,” he deadpans.

“Shut up!”

“No, for real dude, now I think I’m the one who’ll do you a favor,” says Lance, pity seeping into his voice, making James wince.

“I’m not helping you!” he growls.

“Helping me? Bro, you need more help than me. Listen, this is our chance to spend some time with these two oblivious numbskulls. Quality time, I mean?” mutters Lance, and James can’t help but feel his interest peaking.

“How?” he asks, resigned to prove Lance right. The twitch on the paladin’s lip shows he noticed that, but at least he has the delicacy to not tease him about it this time.

“Well, this is our first Valentine’s aboard the Atlas, and the non-humans are all crazy about it, they find it so cute.” Lance rolls his eyes, but smiles. “I guess it is. From what I heard, everyone is preparing for tomorrow but that means getting free time will be harder than usual... So people are trying to take shifts with their friends and preparing weird gifts… do you have any friends, by the way?” asks Lance, putting a condescending hand on the pilot’s shoulder.

“Of course I do, jerk,” answers James, slapping the hand away.

“Oh, too bad. Because you’ll have to ditch them,” Lance shrugs.

“And for what?” grumbles James, starting to lose his patience.

“Well. Here’s the thing. If I want to spend some time with Shiro tomorrow, I need an excuse for Keith to go somewhere else, because I’m pretty sure he doesn’t even know what Valentine’s is... so that means he’ll stay glued to Shiro like any ordinary day,” explains Lance.

These words seem to affect James. He makes an angry pout, crossing his arms.

“Haven’t you considered that maybe that’s what they want? Why would we get in their way?” he asks, in a tone way too resentful.

That pouty face shifts to anger when Lance snorts and then lets a sing-song laugh resound through the corridor.

“Oh, man. Ooooh man. If that’s what worries you, let me tell you: we’ll do them a favor too. When they are together they only have these long-ass conversations about life and duty that are NOT for people their age,” says Lance. Smirking, he adds: “It’s like going to prom with your sister, dude. For real, Griffin, get your head in the game... now I see why you’re doing zero progress.”

“Well, excuse me for knowing nothing about your personal affairs, paladins,” grunts James, offended. And, yeah, he won’t admit it, but clearly relieved too. Lance can't help grinning.

“I’m giving you privileged info here, you’re welcome! Anyways, that’s still a problem, because they are two crazy workaholics and you can bet your ass that Keith will go to Shiro if he gets bored with no one around. And since everyone else is busy… I need you to distract him. See where I’m going?” he asks, making finger guns at James, who looks at him unimpressed.

“In fact, no.”

“C’mon! I’m asking you to be Keith’s date tomorrow!” exclaims Lance, and James blushes again.

“What makes you think he’ll accept something like that?”

“He doesn’t have to! You can casually go meet him and distract him with, I don’t know, some work related stuff I guess. Knives and cosmic wolves are other topics he enjoys if that tickles your fancy,” says Lance, rolling his eyes. “You stay with him, I stay with Shiro, and we both win. Easy peasy.”

James opens his mouth to protest and refuse, but he discovers that, surprisingly, there’s no real reason to say no. Frowning, he sweeps his fingers through his face, thinking.

What’s the worst that could happen? If he goes to Keith and he is dismissed it’ll be alright. Of course, if he lets Keith go back to Shiro he’ll never hear the end of it from Lance, but asides from that… what’s there to lose?

This conclusion must appear on his face because Lance smirks at his expression, cunning and mischievous.

“So… I take it we have a deal?”

And James can’t even believe when he hears himself say:

“Yeah... Yeah, alright.”

                                       *****

They are outside the first floor common lounge. People are loud all around and in the halls, some working, some enjoying the sudden Valentine’s spirit forced into the Atlas corridors, though some interpretations are kind of questionable. They see a few people wearing weird costumes and eating strange things, and Lance and James look at each other confused, but too nervous to comment on it. The paladin taps his foot insistently, while the pilot watches how people start disappearing into other rooms and floors, signaling that it’s time for them to move. Their intel told them they have two objectives to cover: The Captain’s quarters, and the Lion’s Bay.

“You ready?” asks Lance.

“... Yeah,” answers James, not ready at all.

“I need more conviction than that, please,” demands Lance, twisting his hands, tense. James eyes his motions with curiosity.

“This was your idea, why are you so nervous?” he asks.

Lance stops moving and stares at James with an abnormally soft expression.

“I have my reasons, dude. Unlike you, I think I only have a fifty percent chance to succeed, at most. That’s, like... fifty percent chance to fail and die of embarrassment too.”

For once, Lance is devoid of all his usual flair and confidence, and James feels like he is finally catching a glimpse of the real McClain under these loud, colorful layers. And, honestly? This dude is not so bad.

“Who’s pitiful now?” he asks, but it’s not ill-intended. Lance gives him a look, but then scoffs and the smirk stays on his face.

“Yeah, enjoy gloating while I try to save our Valentine’s Day. Friendly reminder that you’d be weeping in a corner forever if not for my brilliant idea, though. I’m not letting you live it down,” he says, bumping their shoulders.

“Maybe I’ll be weeping in a corner tomorrow,” mumbles James.

It’s weird how easily he is allowing himself to show his fear, wondering if he isn’t making a mistake, putting himself in such a vulnerable spot. But the hand that comes to rest over his shoulder this time is not condescending, but encouraging.

“Relax, it’ll be alright,” assures Lance, shaking James’ shoulder. “Believe it or not… I consider Keith a friend. And I know him enough to say I’m not joking about the tension between you two. Things will work out, but! You gotta be tough as nails, Mullet-man can be a handful if he wants to.”

James laughs, already feeling better.

“I’ll take your word, then. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. But please don’t piss him off, if he storms in while I’m working my magic with Shiro, I’ll die and my ghost is gonna haunt you forever,” warns him Lance, pointing a finger at him. James scrunches his nose.

“Do I want to know…?”

“Nope,” cuts Lance. But then the accusing finger becomes an extended hand and James, after doubting a second, takes it in a brotherly clasp.

“Good luck, dude. Don’t mess it up,” says Lance.

“You too. Go for the good fifty percent,” answers James, making the other smile cheekily.

“Hah. You bet!”

After that, they let go and walk in opposite directions, both shivering slightly, scared and excited in equal parts. And also, even though they don’t know it, both making a mental note to let the other know at breakfast how everything goes. Maybe to cry in each other’s shoulder, should it all go really, really, really bad.

If it even goes, to begin with…

So, who would you like to follow?

FOLLOW LANCE                FOLLOW JAMES

(Links may not work on mobile, I’m trying to figure this out. Stupid app.)

[late2theshow]

Blue Does not know Gay Part 3

Yellow was not looking forward to the thought of going on a date with a guy. Blue didn’t take any of her hints that she wasn’t interested and instead went along with getting Jermaine’s number and finding out when he will be free next.  So now Yellow is sitting at a bar stool in a local bar waiting this man to come over.  She was hoping he wouldn’t show up.  But to her dismay he did. And he brought a flower.  Great.

Yellow knew she shouldn’t be rude, but she was annoyed.  She cancelled on White to see this guy and to make matters worse Blue is in some sort of mood because of this, and it was her idea in the first place!

“Uh, hi, you must be Yellow….Is that your nickname?”

She rolled her eyes. Here we go…..

“No—its my first name. I get that a lot”

“Sorry, I hope I didn’t offend?”

“You didn’t, trust me”

He seemed so casual. She felt at ease around him despite only knowing him for a few seconds.  

 Meanwhile on the other side of town Blue was sulking over not having anyone to hang out with.  Her roommate was now getting an earful on how Yellow ditched her.

 “She didn’t even call me today, like seriously? How rude is that?”

Her roommate shrugged. “Well, maybe she is excited to go on this date and forgot.  You said she hasn’t dated a boy the entire time she has been in college”

“I know, but the least I could have seen her before her date?”

Her roommate paused before answering.  It was almost as if Blue was jealous of her friend’s date.

“You know, I have a few cute boys who would go out with you.” Her roommate inquired.

Blue shook her head “I don’t want to date I just want—” Blue didn’t know what she wanted other than Yellow. But that made no sense.  Why did she only want a girl’s company and no one else.  

What does that make her?

“want what?”

“I don’t know.  I just don’t want to date any guys right now”

“But does that mean your friend shouldn’t date either?”

“No, your right.  I just miss hanging out with her”

“Blue…..it’s been only been a day since you’ve seen her”

 Back with Yellow; her and Jermaine were hitting it off.  They like the same music, sports, both hate their pre-law professor and they both go to the same bars; just not on the same nights.  Turns out Jermaine is gay and just dates girls that his friends suggest to not be judged.  

“Truthfully I was not looking forward to this date.  I was afraid I would have to go home with you” Yellow joked.  

“I would have just stuck you with the bill; I did that once and the girl told all her friends I was a scumbag and none of them bothered me again”

The two shared a laugh.

“So, what’s next?” Yellow asked

“Girl. let’s finish this martini”

“What about, what we tell everyone after tonight? I am assuming you’re not out of the closet?”

“No.  What about you?”

“I’m out but, not open. I a few women from the debate team tried to question it—But I told them I’m too focused on school”

“Same here.  Do we just tell people that we don’t connect?”

Yellow sipped her drink “It’s kind of a shame we actually do”

Jermaine chuckled “I know, right? If only you had a Y chromosome, then Yellow, you could be my soulmate”

Yellow laughed “And if only your name was Blue Sommabai; you would then be mine”

Jermaine raised an ear brow “Sommabai? You mean Diana’s roommate the Indian girl with the Irish accent? She was the one who hooked us up”

Yellow’s eyes went wide. How could she forget that Blue knew this guy?

“Yeah” Yellow looked away “I’ve been sort of…. pining for her for a few weeks now; I figured the thought was mutual but –its clearly not; since she stuck me with you.  No offense”

“Oh, none taken.  If it makes you feel better Diana tried to hook Blue up with everyone one of my roommates.  Blue didn’t take anyone up on the offer.  And I live with a ton of hot hots so—its clear she is gay”

Yellow shook her head “No—trust me she is not.  I mean she could be a little handsy, but she doesn’t even know what gay is.  She asked me to go to church with her one Sundays”

“She might be far in the closet”

“I think she might be buried in the closet”

Jermaine finished his drink “Maybe you need to dig her out.  She’s cute.  When her roommate told me about you—she made you sound like you were one hot ticket”

“What did she say?”

Jermaine laughed “You got it bad for her”

Yellow rolled her eyes “a bit, but seriously what did she say?”

 The next day

 Blue was still mad—she chose to take the day off and not go to class.   Yellow still didn’t call her.  She was getting mad over it.  Its now been 48-hours without seeing her.  Blue decided to leave and head to Yellow’s dorm.  She knew Yellow goes straight home on Tuesday’s after her business law class.  

Yellow was surprised to hear a loud knock on her door. “forget your key again?” she asked. Assuming it was her roommate. Once she opened the door she saw Blue; furious and ready to rush into the apartment to yell.  

“You could have called before you came over” Yellow stated.  Finding this slightly rude.

“Why is Jermaine here?” Blue snapped.  She was in the living room now.  Looking in to the kitchen to see if he was there.  “Did I interrupt your evening? Do you still need to make him breakfast and send him on his way?”

“Blue its 3pm and you know I get out of class at 1!  You know Jermaine still have classes.  What’s your problem?”

“You never called me! Not even before your date!”

“I was busy!”

“Too busy to call?”

“Yes!”

They never fought before but they were both on edge.  Blue was mad at her for being ignored and Yellow was mad because she and Jermaine didn’t come up with a good lie, except we’ll just be friends.

“So is he your boyfriend now?” Blue questioned.

“No, just friends”

“Just friends?”

“Yes”

Blue signed and sat down on the couch “I was so upset and worried.  What if you had a bad time? Or what if you had a really good time? I’m sorry”

“Sorry for snapping at me? or—”

“I’m sorry I don’t know how to feel”

Yellow was confused. But wanted to assume she knew what Blue was feeling.  Blue looked over to see and frowned “I thought that we were close because we were both single ladies; but the idea of you dating someone made me so mad—”

“You’re the one that made me go on this date, remember?”

“I know but—I didn’t think you would!”

“Why is that?”

“I don’t know” Blue then felt her face heat up.  I thought you would rather hang out with me”

“I would”

Blue smiled “Really?”

“Of course, I only went out with Jermaine because I knew your roommate was trying to play match maker and so were you”

“I was. I just regret it now….”

“don’t.  If it makes you feel better, I don’t want to date any other guys at all”

“You mean until after college?” Blue questioned

Yellow shook her head “No, not even after college”

“Well then when? When do you want to get married?”

Yellow shrugged “Well, I might get married; but I don’t want to marry a man”

Blue paused “Then…who would you marry?”

Yellow didn’t say anything and just looked at her; a slightly worried face.  Blue’s eyes widened “Then that means—”

She was finally going to get it.

Blue looked at her “You don’t like boys, so that means….”

Yellow nodded her head.

“Oh.”

That’s all she said was. Oh.

“You know what I’m saying right?”

“I think”

“Blue.  I’m gay.  I like women. I’d rather date a woman”

“Oh.”

“Oh? that’s it?”

“well.  I just didn’t know.  I was raised catholic, Yellow.  No one talks about these things to people.  You’re the only gay person I ever met”

Yellow grinned “Jermaine is gay.  My roommate is gay.  Heather from your accounting class is gay and your roommate Diane’s cousin is gay”

“Audrey?”

“Yes”

“How do you know?”

“I slept with Audrey”

Blue gasped.  “Oh my God! You’re the Blonde Mullet asshole who wouldn’t return her phone calls!?”

Yellow cringed. “Audrey is a bit much.  Too much for me”

Blue sat back on the couch and laughed “Wow, this whole time I thought you were shy.  Turns out you slept with every gay guy and gay girl in town”

“No, I only slept with four women and two of them happen to be our age”

“Ever slept with a man?”

“No, but I kissed one and it was terrible.  Middle school dance; Doug Parker.  We were both the highest-grade students; we had no choice”

“Did you ever think of men? In a romantic way?”

“When I was 10.  Then I grew to lose all interest in men”

Blue pondered for a moment and asked, “So you would rather date women?”

“Yes” Yellow was now worried that Blue might wish to stop being friends after this revelation.  

“Do you find all women attractive?”

“Some I do.  I really can’t say I have a type”

“Would I be one of your types? Do you find me attractive?”

Yellow felt uncomfortable; her face was getting warm.  If she says the wrong thing she could ruin the friendship.  

“Blue, I don’t want to mess up our friendship”

Blue sat closer “You wont if your honest to me?”

Yellow looked away nervously “Well, you are very attractive.  I always assumed you liked men, So I never made any action that could have been deemed inappropriate”

“Well.  I feel bad now, I’ve been clinging on to you and undressing in front of you, and I forced you into that underwear store last week. I’ve been making it inappropriate for you”

“Well, I didn’t know you knew what a lesbian was”

“I could have looked it up. I’m not stupid Yellow, I beat you in scrapple six times before”

“I let you win the first time”

“Bullshit”

“Okay, we are off topic. But seriously, I didn’t know how to bring it up, so I never did”

Blue frowned “Well, I wish you never felt you had to hide it”

“it’s okay”

Blue moved closer to Yellow. Making Yellow more uneasy about this situation.   She wanted to evade the topic now.  She couldn’t figure out what Blue was thinking.

“Well, Jermaine and I are now friends.  I might try to hook him up with my roommate.  He wants to go out next Thursday to a bar on the other side of town. I would invite you but it’s a gay bar”

“I’ll go with you”

“Really?”

“Yes really”

“I mean you might get hit on.”

“As long I get to flirt with you” Blue said that without really thinking.  But wasn’t embarrassed to admit that.  

Yellow was—she was red in the face after hearing that statement.  Blue giggled and stood up “Well I am sorry that I barged in to yell at you, but if its okay I’ll see you Thursday”

Yellow nodded “Sounds good”

Once Blue left Yellow covered her face with her hands and felt her face—completely hot; she must have been red as a beat.  Blue was okay with her being gay and wanted to go to a gay bar with her. She always hoped Blue like her like that; but how on earth would she handle babysitting Blue while keeping her own crush on her in check?

[writtingfiction]

Innocent Love - Gladiolus

She wasn't of her blood, but that never stopped the love she had for her. She was the light, a warm and nurturing light. Her touch was so gentle and caring, she never knew how lucky she was. The soft hum in her voice made her warm and soft. She knew there were boundaries and she respected them. Nothing compared to her though, the hero in a world of magic and daemons. She loved her, more than he ever could. That, she was sure of.

"Angelonia, sweetheart." A young woman called out for her daughter. It wasn't her daughter by blood, but the two loved each other just like a mother and daughter would. Angelonia, was an adorable little girl. Long brown hair in twin braids, freckles decorating her skin like a canvas and her eyes. Her eyes were like the clear ocean water, giving off a green hue instead of a clear blue. They were beautiful, little ocean eyes her mother would call her.

"I'm coming mommy!" Angelonia's voice was heard through the house. Her feet were heard against the wooden floor. Hurried footsteps with the clammering noise of her back pack on. Angelonia appeared in front of her mother clad in a long sleeve button up, a pair of denim jeans and mismatching socks. A wide smile appeared on the mother's lips, kneeling down.

"You look great, now, it's gonna be your first day of school. I have to know if you can tie your own show laces now." There were hints of humour in her voice. Teasing the tiny girl. Angelonia hurried over, sitting on the ground and placing her shoes on. Angelonia's little hands grabbed the laces of her shoes, crossing them over and pulling them through. Doing one loop before wrapping the other lace around and trying to fit it through a small hole. It took a few tries but she managed, making another loop. With now two loops, she tugged at them, successfully tying her laces. Angelonia grinned widely at her mother, who returned it tenfold.

"I did it!!"

"You did! Couldn't be more proud." Her mother said softly, hands reaching and quickly tying the other lace. "Now Champ, you ready to kick butt at your first day at school?" Angelonia nodded enthusiastically.

"I'm gonna make all the boys cry!" Angelonia cried out as she grasped her mothers fingers, who let out a laugh.

"They better watch out!! My daughter's gonna leave them in the dust." She cried out in return as they left the house together, not forgetting to lock the door behind them.

There was always something that she praised about Insomnia, the busy streets were somewhat safe at least and she could walk her daughter to and from school. And if the situation arose for some reason, Angelonia could walk home herself. She would hope it would never come though.

They arrived in front of the school quicker that she thought, Angelonia's grip tightened considerable the moment she could hear other kids screaming and laughing. They arrived on the lot, receiving plenty of looks. Probably because of the Kings glaive uniform her mother wore as she guided Angelonia through the crowd to see where her classroom was. Her mother seeming unaffected by it, continued on. Pulling her daughter forward towards her class, not once letting go of her little hand. However, upon reaching her daughter's classroom she leaned down in front of Angelonia.

"You ready, big girl?" She said wistfully. Angelonia's eyes stayed glued to the ground.

"Can't you stay with me today?" Angelonia said quietly. Her mother barely caught what she said. Her hands raised, cupping her daughter's face so they could see eye to eye.

"Look, ocean eyes, I'm sorry. Today, I can't stay. However, I assure you, you'll do just fine." She spoke, voice low and comforting.

"But, they're all staring at me." Angelonia muttered.

"Has that ever stopped you before?" A small head shake was her response, electing a small laugh from her mother. "Than you'll do amazing. Show 'em what you can do."

It seemed like fireworks went off inside Angelonia, she took a deep breath in before nodding. She hugged her mother once more before waving goodbye and entering the class. Her mother watched her little girl march off, an empty feeling filling her. She sighed and shook her head, the feelings of a parent. However, the teacher quickly caught her before she left.

"Miss? You're the mother of Angelonia?" The teacher was a short young woman, there couldn't be much of an age difference between the two.

"Yes. May I help you with something?" She inquired, holding a fear that there was some complication.

"I wanted to ask, if there are any problems about picking Angelonia up after school?" The teacher asked making her want to scoff, how insulting.

"Do you ask because of my uniform?" She countered, making the teacher blink in surprise and quickly apologizing.

"Oh! no, no, not at all!! I was only asking because I didn't see the father." She felt another pain in her chest, faltering in the smile she was keeping on her face.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much. Trust me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must get to work." She left, not wanting to hear anymore.

The walk home was less insulting, not many looking her way as she walked back home to get the car to go to work. Work as a kings glaive wasn't an easy one but she enjoyed it. She greeted her co-workers before she quickly went off to train or spar with someone else. Although, she paused in front of the room where the kings glaive would train. Inside was a tall man in a tank top, pants and black combat boots. A noticeable tattoo of feathers could be seen from his shoulders and arms. The sides of his head were shaved, but he basically had a mullet. It surprisingly worked for him. Him and another man, dressed in complete black sparred against each other with wooden swords. There was years of skill behind each hit, it was mesmerizing to watch. So mesmerizing she didn't hear the footsteps behind her as they approached her.

"Spying is a bit intrusive don't you think?" A deep voice behind her spoke, she yelped turning around quickly to see the Marshal standing behind her.

"Sir!!" She squeaked. "I.. I.. I wasn't trying too!!" The Marshal, looked in behind her, seeing Gladiolus and Noctis sparring and then back to her. She was nervous, standing in front of him and not only that, but to be caught looking at the two men on the inside, how embarrassing.

"Well, why don't we make our presence known." He said, walking inside the room, leaving only for her to follow as she gave out questioned 'sir?'. "Gladiolus, Noctis. It's good to see you." The two stopped, facing Cor and greeting him with great respect. Cor than introduced her, she greeted them nervously. The smile on her lips barely holding together. The two others greeted her happily, as Cor spoke highly of her, making her head spin. "However, as much as I would like to continue this, Noctis, your father wants to see you."

"Where is he?" Noctis asked, going to leave the room with Cor by his side leaving Gladiolus and her alone with him. Gladiolus quickly looked over her in the kings glaive uniform. She was fit, but he didn't know her skill. For Cor to speak highly of someone means you've impressed the man.

"So, Y/N, right?" Gladiolus spoke, startling her. She nodded. "How about we spar? Surely you don't have much going on?" She let out light laugh.

"I guess you could be right on something." A genuine smile appear on her lips. "I'll gladly accept your sparring session invitation."

Gladiolus could see the confidant persona take form, making a grand smirk appear on his face. She pulled out the kukri's and twirled in them in her hands. The two spared testing each of their own skills. It was new experience, he had never sparred against a glaive before. It was a new experience. To block attacks they put up a domed honey combed shield, her attacks were different from Noctis. When she would warp, it wasn't like Noctis. There was something to it. However, the shield won the session by disarming her.

The two panted heavily and were covered in sweat. There were large smiles on both of their faces. Gladiolus praised her on her skill, to which she smiled at. She thanked him breathlessly.

"If you're ever up for a future sparring session, let me know. It would be nice to do this once again." Gladiolus said standing to his feet. She looked at the door of the room before back to him.

"I would like that. I'll see you around Gladiolus." She waved him goodbye and disappeared around the corner.

She didn't see the man often. He was after all the shield of the prince. The King-to-be, not that it seemed to matter to Noctis. She kept the meeting between her and the shield close to her heart. Even though the time they spent together was mostly fighting, she felt special. Meeting him again would be surprisingly hard. He was busier than she thought, not that she wasn't always free. Angelonia needed to cared for. She had often thought if she could grow closer to the shield but it seemed impossible. Any free time she had was poured into taking care for Angelonia.

When Angelonia had gotten sick she was in a frenzy. She had called in sick so she could take care of her daughter, but there was always a hidden fear. Would another Glaive see her about and then tell on her? She sighed heavily as she pulled a thick coat on and closed the front door behind her. Angelonia was knocked out cold after taking the medicine, so she left to quickly grab some more medicine and much needed soup that they were low on.

She walked briskly down to the store, quickly searching through and finding the desired aisle. It was to her biggest surprise to see him there. Gladiolus was really hard to miss in the small aisle and the way he towered over the rows and rows of food. He looked to be debating between the beef and chicken cup noodles. It seemed to be a very difficult decision the way he looked at the noodles. A soft giggle escaped her lips, making Gladiolus shift his gaze from the noodles to her.

"Y/N? What are you doing here?" He was confused. She smiled as came closer to him.

"I need food too y'know." She said a sly smile appearing as she looked at the noodles. "Besides if you can't chose, just get both." She concluded as she took two cup noodles of the aisle.

"Wise decision." Gladiolus let out a chuckle as a grand smile appeared. The two walked together to the cashier paying for the food before going their separate ways, or at least she thought. "Let me walk you home."

"Thank you Gladiolus." She said in appreciation, a gentle smile resting upon her lips.

The two of them walked in silence for the most part, but he wanted to know more about her.

"Why did you want to become a Glaive?" He asked, quietly. She didn't think it was possible for him to be so quiet. However, the question made her feel nostalgic.

"I became a glaive because of my family. We may not be the happiest or the richest, but we're happy. I'd do anything to protect that." She was beaming whenever she talked about her family. She mostly meant Angelonia, but the entire family was important. "Especially Angelonia..." It was a battered whisper under breath, to be carried by the night and never to be heard.

"Who's Angelonia?" His deep baritone voice hit her ears. She looked up at him with surprise. Her eyes stared into his, his amber eyes seemed to glow in the dark night.

"My, my daughter." She let out in a whisper. She was proud of her daughter by all means but what if he didn't want to hang out with her because she had a child? What if–

"Could I meet her?" His eyes showed an honest excitement. There's a hesitance in her, she didn't know what it was this time. She didn't know why she had the hesitance but she agreed.

"Why not?"

She lead them to her home, inviting him inside. It didn't take long for the young sick girl to appear calling to her mother the second the door closed. She called out saying she was hungry. Her mother giggled, than turning to Gladiolus telling him to just settle in. She lead Angelonia to the kitchen, where Gladiolus would soon follow. Gladiolus could see how she cared for her daughter. How she gently held her on hip, having her help as they prepared the cup noodles. Placing the kettle carefully on the stove and than turning it on to let the water boil. She placed Angelonia on the opposite counter, away from it and tended to her hair. Sparking a conversation between the two. Angelonia was quite sharp for someone her age, her attention turned to him.

"Who are you?" Her small hand came up to rub her eye as she kept a watchful eye on him. He let out a small chuckle.

"Gladiolus Amicita." He said gracefully as he approached her slowly. Not wanting to be intimidating, which he knew he can be capable of.  Her little ocean eyes looked at him carefully, squinting.

"Mommy, is that your boyfriend?" Angelonia said still squinting hard at the man. Her mother, went red as a tomato.

"No! Not at all, just a friend." She said quickly, trying to cover her face from the embarrassment. Gladiolus could only blink in shock, at the younger ones question.

"Good, cause mommy's only allowed to love me!" Angelonia gripped at her mother's coat, pulling her closer. "Gladdy, you're ok." Gladiolus let out a loud laugh, getting her mother to laugh from embarrassment.

"Oh, is that so? Than I'll make sure no one falls for her." Gladiolus spoke, eyes sparkling with mischief. Angelonia's eyes lit up.

"Really? That means when I'm at school, you have to keep an eye on her!" Angelonia said. Gladiolus nodded.

"Oh! Would you look at that!" Her mother called out, turning away from the two to the kettle which was now whistling. The other two giggled before whispering to one another as she prepared the soup.

She tried not to focus too hard on their whispering voices as she counted down the minutes to eat. It'll be quieter then, and it was. The food was served and the conversations died down. Focusing on the delicious food before them. After that Gladiolus helped put Angelonia to bed, the two were fast friends. Which in turn, she was relieved with. So when he was her door, ready to leave she couldn't just let him go.

"Gladiolus." She whispered, barely catching his attention. "Thank you, for tonight." Gladiolus had a wide smile.

"It's no problem. Besides, I'll be keeping my promise. You'll be seeing me more often from now on." Gladiolus said a bit flirtatiously. A blush rose to her cheeks as a shy smile appeared.

"I'll see you later, Gladiolus." They waved each other goodbye. As the door locked behind him, she couldn't help but melt on the inside. She sat down on the floor as a giggle escaped her lips. Her heart was racing, she felt like a little school girl.

Little did she know that Gladiolus would break his promise to the little girl. He couldn't help but slowly fall in love as the years passed by. He only wondered if he would get a chance to say 'I Love You'.

[theemightypen]

Lothiriel and Elmer 20

Don’t know who that Elmer dude is, but Eomer plays a starring role here ;)

20) “I can’t stand my own reflection.”

“I can’t stand my own reflection.”

“You’re being overdramatic,” replies Eowyn.

“I don’t know,” Aragorn says, grinning from where he’s sprawled bonelessly across Eomer’s couch, “mullets did go the way of the dodo back when I was in elementary school–”

Eomer shoots a decidedly impolite gesture in his friend’s direction before giving his hair–his horribly, horribly, abused hair–a desperate tug, as if doing so can make it grow back to its normal length. “Remind me to punch Amrothos. Again.”

Apparently, Faramir’s cousin’s idea of a good time includes making the brother-of-the-bride look like an 80’s hair band member.

Eomer’s idea of a good time had been showing Amrothos how little he liked his new haircut with a fist to his face.

The younger man remains unashamedly amused. 

Eomer’s hair remains cut. 

A lose-lose situation.

“I’ll have to ask you to refrain from giving one of my groomsman two black eyes before the wedding,” Faramir says drolly, as if this isn’t entirely his fault. “One we can excuse on clumsiness, but two begins to look like assault.”

“Good,” Eomer says, “because it would be.”

Eowyn rolls her eyes, coming to stand in front of him with a hair tie in her outstretched palm. “Luckily for you, I know someone who can fix this.”

“Who? Harry Potter?”

His sister wrinkles her nose at him as his traitorous friends chuckle in the background. “No. Someone decidedly more real than Harry Potter. And substantially better looking, I might add.”

Eomer begins to suspect the solution may be worse than the problem at hand. “Again: who?”

The shop Eowyn drags him to is absurdly cheerful, in various shades of blue and vases of fresh flowers scattered everywhere. It only serves to increase the dull throbbing at his temples–she still hasn’t said who the mystery miracle worker is, but Aragorn’s smirk and Faramir’s parting wink were. Worrying. Very worrying.

Eowyn taps on the silver bell on the front test three times in quick succession.

There’s the muffled sound of cursing from the back of the store before the curtain–also blue, also dotted with flowers–is pushed aside, revealing–

Oh, Bema.

He’s going to murder his sister.

“Eowyn!” Lothiriel cries, her typical megawatt smile making her pretty face even more so. “What a pleasant surprise!”

“I rather agree,” Eowyn says, shooting a sly look in Eomer’s direction–oh, he really is going to murder her, the meddling harpy–before she steps forward to give the younger woman a hug. “Are you busy?”

Lothiriel snorts, gesturing at the empty shop. “Not hardly. Saturday mornings are strangely slow–”

Her voice trails off as she looks at him. Eomer can feel the sharp, sudden rise of a blush in his face as she gawks at his hair.

“Erm,” she says. “Nice…haircut, Eomer?”

“No,” he says, embarrassment making his voice pinched, “it isn’t.”

“Amrothos may have gone a bit far,” Eowyn explains.

Lothiriel groans. “He needs a shock collar. Or a good thrashing.”

“Eomer has provided one of those already,” chirps Eowyn.

“I assume the thrashing, shock collars are terribly difficult to acquire on short notice,” Lothiriel quips.

Despite it all, he can’t help but snort a laugh. Lothiriel grins up at him, clearly having gotten the reaction she wanted.

“Come on then, Van Halen,” she says, crooking a finger at him. “Let’s see what I can do with this mess.”

Eomer’s had plenty of haircuts in the past–not including the one that took place during the wee hours of the morning the night before, thank you very much, Amrothos–but they’ve never been so. So.

Uncomfortable.

Not uncomfortable in the sense that Lothiriel doesn’t know what she’s doing; it’s obvious that this is her profession, from the ease at which she settles his absurdly long frame in the chair, the gentle scratch of her fingernails over his scalp–

Well. No. That’s partially why it’s so uncomfortable.

Getting a haircut from an attractive woman is not a new experience for him, but getting a haircut from an attractive woman on whom he’s been harboring an apparently not-so-secret crush? Definitely new.

And definitely uncomfortable–she’s just so close, the sweet floral smell of her perfume heady and enthralling, the press of her fingers damn near intoxicating–

“–mer?” Lothiriel repeats, startling him out of his daze.

“Hm?” He grunts, not trusting himself to form words.  

“I’m sorry Amrothos did this,” she says. “It really is a shame. Your hair looked so good long.”

Eomer swallows. Reminds himself that she does hair for a living, that it’s likely a compliment on how healthy it is, and has nothing to do with whether or not she thinks he looks good or not.

“S’alright,” he mutters, keeping his eyes closed. “Shorter hair for me, a black eye for him. Seems like a fair trade.”

Lothiriel huffs a laugh. “Men.”

He has to open his eyes when she tells him to move to another chair–Eowyn is suspiciously absent, but Lothiriel merely smiles up at him again, leading him over to her station. His reflection in the mirror is a little better than it had been this morning–freshly washed, his hair’s mullet-fied state is not as apparent.

“Now,” she says, coming to stand behind him, “you’ve had long hair for as long as I’ve known you. So I’m betting you know next to nothing about any other sort of style.”

“You’d be correct,” he agrees.

He can see her eyes crinkle in the mirror. “Hm. Do you trust me?”

It’s a simple question, but it makes his heart give a lurch all the same. “Yes,” he says, his eyes meeting hers in the mirror.

Lothiriel keeps a steady stream of chatter while she works at his hair. It’s equal parts soothing and distracting–soothing, because she likely knows how close he is to panic with every long strand of hair he sees floating to the floor–and distracting, because it’s Lothiriel. 

Eomer can’t remember a time when she hasn’t been distracting.

“…and then Pippin did some sort of flip–honestly, how he hasn’t killed himself yet remains a mystery–and Merry caught him, all the while singing about the Green Dragon–”

He’s grinning full on, both at the mental picture she’s painting, and at the animated facial expressions she’s making, reflected in the mirror.

Lothiriel’s eyes meet his when he laughs and her face flushes crimson. “I forget the mirror is there, sometimes,” she admits, something like shame in her voice. “Sorry, I know I tend to get carried away in a story–”

Frowning, Eomer reaches back to catch her scissor-less hand in his. “Don’t apologize for being you, Lothiriel.”

She blinks, eyes wide and beautiful and surprised, in the bright lights of the shop–Bema, does he have it bad–

“Well,” she says, in a softer tone, a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth, “if you insist.”

“And, viola!” She declares, maybe twenty minutes later. “You are officially mullet-free.”

“Thank Bema for that,” he says, waiting for her to spin the chair back to face the mirror. She’d turned him away from it for the last few trims, insisting on him not seeing the finished work until it was truly ready.

Lothiriel smiles, giving the chair a substantial push, and–

Bema, Eomer thinks, that can’t be me.

His hair is short, shorter than it’s ever been since childhood, cropped close to his head on the sides, and styled artfully–he’s never going to be able to replicate this on his own–at the front. He looks–well. Not too terribly different from that Hemsworth bloke in the latest Thor movie.

“I always thought your long hair suited you,” Lothiriel murmurs, “but this is, um, good, too.” She’s blushing as she says it, and blushes deeper when he reaches up to rub a hand over it. “Do you like it? I–there’s not much I can do, lengthwise, but I can re-do this bit–”

His hand closing over hers stops her short. “Lothiriel. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she says, eyes meeting his in the mirror again. “And it’s on me, since Amrothos was responsible for the 80’s themed monstrosity to begin with.”

“No,” he says–Bema, he’s still holding her hand, but he can’t bring himself to let it go, not when she’s still standing so close behind him, flushed and beautiful– “that’s not necessary, Lothiriel, really–”

“It is,” she insists, her stubbornness apparent in the furrow between her brows, “I am not letting you pay a single dime for this, Eomer–”

“Let me buy you lunch, then,” he interrupts, the words coming out of his mouth before he can think better of them. Likely spurred on by the fact that she hasn’t moved her hand either, and that her free hand has drifted up to rest on his shoulder.

“Oh,” Lothiriel breathes, her cheeks darkening again. “That, um. That could work.”

Eomer grins, standing abruptly and tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow. “Is now alright with you?”

Her smile is. Bright. Beautiful. All Lothiriel. “I think I can pencil you in.”

(“I never would have cut his hair if I knew this is what would come of it!” Amrothos wails, some months later.

“Serves you right,” Eowyn says, smug as she leans back into Faramir’s open arm. “I, for one, can’t thank you enough.”

“I’m sure Eomer and Lothiriel feel the same,” Faramir drawls, grinning.

The couple in question remains oblivious to their audience, too busy kissing across the pool table to hear them.

Van Halen’s Why Can’t This Be Love comes wailing out of the jukebox, manned by a grinning Aragorn.

He receives a less-than-polite hand gesture from Eomer from behind Lothiriel’s back.)

[theintelligentlife]

Salon of the Month: Wax & Wane Waxing Salon

1. Tell us a little about your salon. What makes you special? What would you want the IN community to know about you?

We are Savannah, Georgia's first exclusive waxing salon. We provide head to toe waxing services for both men and women. We pride ourselves on not being the quickest wax, but taking our time and being thorough, educating our clients and building positive, professional relationships with each of our guests and our team members. Education and strong relationships are at the core of Wax & Wane. An educated client is a loyal client and the relationships and trust we build translate into a community experience. We strive to build a waxing culture that leaves a positive impression, rather than a painful one. It is our responsibility as waxing specialists and skincare specialists to promote our industry with knowledge and pride.

2. What inspired you to work in this business?

From a young age, I always dreamt of becoming a teacher. I never imagined that I would become an Esthetician. My mom began taking me to get my brows shaped at 12 years old. The 90's were not kind to eyebrows and my big, bushy Brooke Shield's brows were no match for the elementary school bullies. I remember feeling confident after my first brow wax and continued to explore skincare services. I found myself looking up to Estheticians as miracle workers. I remember thinking, "how do these skincare specialists manage to help me look great but FEEL so confident as well?" This curiosity translated into a desire to help people feel as beautiful and confident as they helped me feel.

3. What did you choose IN?

We chose Intelligent Nutrients for several reasons. I trained to become an Esthetician at Aveda Institute in Minneapolis. My experience at Aveda Institute enormously shaped my path as a skincare specialist. I always felt proud to share Horst Rechelbacher's vision of finding beauty in nature and sourcing responsibly. While I was in school, my instructor told me to check out Intelligent Nutrients. Upon my first visit to the Northeast Minneapolis store, I realized that this was not just a store, an apothecary, a product line - It was an experience based on knowledge and education. We only carry products that are developed by companies that we feel we can stand behind. Product pride is an important aspect of educating our clients. We are so honored and excited to share the experience of Intelligent nutrients with our clients and our team.

Employee Questions:

1) What is your favorite memory of working in a salon?

"My favorite memory of working in a salon was when i called work one day, told them i would be running a few minutes late because I found a stray puppy. Fast forward to a year later, on the anniversary of me finding the puppy (who is now mine) and the salon did a charity event, where we gave a percentage of our services to benefit the humane society of savannah. It was a great moment for me and my dog!" - Sarah W.

"Sometimes Clients come to us wearing stress like a fire blanket. When they return from their services you can feel the calm they have received from conscientious care. These moments, when we have grounded and nurtured our Clients, are my favorite part of working in a salon. Behind the scenes, I love the laughter and the joy that our Tribe shares together. We make a powerful & transformative team!" - Shauna H.

2) What is your most hilarious/ embarrassing service moment?

"Cutting mullets in hair school" - Katrina M.

"I was performing a Brazilian wax and my earring popped out and landed on the client's butt. Thankfully the client and I were able to laugh it off." - Sarah F.

"My snufalufagus eyebrows!  Booking appointments in a fast-paced salon often leaves me the hairiest client when it comes time for a fresh new wax.  In these instance I call myself the "Before" to my Client's beautiful "After"!" - Shauna H.

3) What is your favorite hairstyle to create and what IN products do you use in creating it?

We do not perform hair services. But we do LOVE applying the renewing oil serum to our clients post wax and watching their amazement as the redness disappears immediately!

4) What is your favorite IN product and why?

"I'm loving the One Body Refiner. I'm a sucker for jojoba beads and love that this gives a gentle exfoliation and is a power packed enzymatic exfoliant as well. Perfect product for anybody that gets waxed!" - Katrina M

"I am a very tricky fit when it comes to the products that work well with my skin.  I have had intense breakouts on my forehead from slight reoccurring dermatitis. These episodes can be very uncomfortable both cosmetically as well as topically. The dance between different holistic approaches has helped to calm the condition, but it was not until I used the Renewal Complex Skin Serum that I found the fast healing response that I require to Coordinate our Team and truly shine for our Clients!" - Shauna H.

Contact Information:

Salon Telephone: 912-233-7002

Address: 1917 Bull Street, Savannah, GA 31401

Website: www.waxandwanewaxing.com

[writingrage]

What Fate Had Wrought (3/4)

A Mulan/Red Riding Hood|Ruby Fanfic. Also known as Mulan Rouge/ Red Warrior/the best pairing that never was.

Summary: After finding Red’s One True Love, Mulan returns to the village of her childhood, heartbroken twice over. However, the threat of a new beast and an army with unknown intentions looms over the village and disrupts the peace that Mulan tries to cultivate. Red visiting really doesn’t help matters either.

Set a few months after the events of Once Upon a Time 5x18 “Ruby Slippers”

AO3 / Fanfiction.net

CHAPTER 3 - Greed

Five months after the occupation of Commander Song's soldiers, General Zhang returned to Guifei on armoured horseback. Mulan was at the gate of the village to meet him, her sword unsheathed but pointed downward in a gesture of polite alertness. The men at the outpost were on their best behaviour, though that did not stop them from hurling petty slights or withering glares Mulan's way.

Since the altercation in the square with Red, An Jie seemed to have made it his life purpose to make Mulan's job much harder. It was the same complaints of harassment and public intoxication, but now there were also the graver charges of battery and vandalism. Once, in the dead of night, a group of soldiers snuck into the village and attacked a merchant on his way out of the settlement. Such stories inevitably carried on to other travelling merchants and dissuaded them from passing through Guifei. The latter half of the winter was arduous without the travelling merchants to bring in rice, vegetables, mullet, or furs. From then on, Mulan had to stay in the village, hosted by Ho Jian's family.

Ho Jian had a massive family, with all three generations living in the same small house. Their hospitality was appreciated, but she could barely stand being among them. She was almost glad to be standing out here, among men who have, on numerous occasions, cursed her family name. The crisp morning breeze bore the promise of a warm spring and a muggy summer further down the road; patches of dirt and grass poked through the thin layer of melting snow.

This time of year was most comfortable, most refreshing. It made Mulan grateful to have lasted another solemn winter based solely on her own grit and perseverance. Spring was a sign that Mulan had once again survived and this drove her to carry on. This spring, however, Mulan can only feel barren, empty. The past couple of springs had left her wary and spent. She wanted to do nothing but lay herself to rest.

But she was still standing. Not as satisfied to be doing so, but here she was. Here to greet the start of her more recent hardships, or at least half of them.

General Zhang greeted her in kind with that same tight smile that did not, could not, reach his dead stare. They did not bow to each other.

Chief Yao, on the other hand, was on the other end of the spectrum and received Mulan and Zhang with great energy. Obviously, this was a performance, but the chief himself had been under increasing pressure. Much like Mulan, he was shouldered with the suffocating role of mediator, where on one end he dealth with dissatisfied soldiers and on the other end, angry villagers. So far, there was no major retaliation outside of villagers actively blocking soldiers from taverns or rallying around a soldier's latest victim. It was a front of solidarity, but to the soldiers it was the start of a rebellion.

General Zhang was made aware of all this by Chief Yao's letter and addressed it in the meeting with a sombre expression. "It is a shame that there is such tension between my men and the village. We are only here to help."

"And that we understand," Chief Yao said when he saw Mulan open her mouth to lambaste him. "However, the villagers have made it clear that the men stationed here have made it hard to live. They abuse the villagers and destroy property. They are constantly inebriated in public. We just want peace and order, General."

"Alcohol is a good booster of morale," Zhang pointed out. "And are they not paying customers? Surely, they deserve to unwind after weeks of keeping watch for bandits and thieves. That shouldn’t warrant the ire of the people."

"No, but harassing them does," Mulan sniped before the chief could cut her off again. "They grope women and keep them from working. They attack working men and merchants alike. They are out of control."

"From my understanding, the soldiers have been attacked first," said Zhang with a level voice that made Mulan want to strike him. To speak lies so casually, as if she had not seen the truth first hand, was an insult that Mulan could hardly stand for. Despite her judgemental stare, Zhang continued, "My most loyal men have told me that you, General Hua, are involved in a pact with errant villagers to drive them away from their outpost."

"And who told you this?" Mulan snapped.

"Mulan, please," Chief Yao sighed. Sweat beaded on his forehead, but he did not bother patting it away this time. "Keep your voice down."

"Reputable soldiers who have previously followed me into battle," Zhang replied. "I trust them to speak the truth."

Mulan did not hold back her scowl as she said, "Then you don't know your men very well."

"Or perhaps you are trying to cover for yourself," Zhang suggested. Mulan was too stunned to reply, so he continued. "You can't expect me to trust the word of a general who has built her career on lies over my own men. Even you must know this."

"Then can you at least take my word?" Chief Yao asked. "What Mulan says is true. The soldiers here have been making working life harder for the men and women in the village. They attacked a merchant from Agrabah who has since badmouthed our village to half the empire. We rarely get business now."

"My men are on edge," General Zhang said with a dismissive wave. "Between protecting people they feel are conspiring against them and the bandits roaming the forest, they are likely to attack any perceived threat.

"What I'm seeing is a lack of communication," General Zhang added. "One that is only exacerbated by hostility from the villagers. I suggest that you attempt to quell your people, otherwise we will withdraw our support."

Mulan made a sound of disbelief, but one look from the chief held her tongue.

"I understand," Chief Yao said with a slow nod. General Zhang inspected the chief, glanced at Mulan, then looked back at the chief. Then, he said, "It is for this reason that I must raise the price of your protection."

Before she could think better of it, Mulan shouted, "What?"

"Raise the price?" asked Chief Yao. He sounded calmer, but no less incredulous at Zhang's claim.

"Yes," said Zhang with feigned regret. "You see, that is the main reason I came here. I wished to afford you the courtesy of giving you this news personally, straight from Commander Song who now speaks for the empire."

At first, Mulan didn't understand, or perhaps she did not want to. As far as she was concerned, a Commander could only speak for himself, not for the emperor. To claim such was impious. That was, unless, the emperor could not speak for himself due to unusual circumstances.

Mulan bit her cheek as Zhang continued. "The empire now demands that any and all settlements are to receive a tax increase of forty percent. We have attempted to hold off as long as we could, but we are at a turning point in this conflict."

"What conflict is that?" Mulan asked.

"A conflict of chaos versus order," said Zhang. "The empire demands that you partake in this or we will take our business elsewhere. I warn you, however, that life without us will be especially difficult."

A threat. Mulan did not spare a reaction, but she did chance a sidelong glance at the chief who was now covered in a light sheen of sweat.

Just because Mulan had divorced herself from life in the military did not mean that she shut her eyes from what was going on beyond this village. She knew that the empire greatly profited from its twelve-year war with Agrabah; it managed to expand the empire and take control of the artery of the mainland's trade, one that extended from here all the way through Agrabah and into Misthaven. Goods such as silk, fur, porcelain, and jade were traded in for gold, ivory, lapis lazuli and all sorts of foreign treasures. Such trade made the empire prosperous, the nobles in the capital even more so. The empire had no need for raised taxes, lest this money was not for the empire but for something else entirely.

"That is quite the demand," Chief Yao argued. "We can barely feed ourselves after this long winter. To give your soldiers more of what we have would be suicide."

"It is suicide to allow your community to go without the protection of my men," said General Zhang. "In the past five months that my men have occupied this area, we have stopped a number of bandits from invading the village. We guard the roads leading here. If it were not for us, you would have perished a while ago. It is because of mercy that we have not asked for recompense sooner."

"Chief Yao," Mulan said, more harshly than she intended, "think hard about this decision. Please."

"Would you really endanger the lives of these villagers because of a petty disagreement with my soldiers?" General Zhang said as he turned to glare at her. No more were his tight-lipped smiles; now there was an honest frown creasing his face. Good.

"It goes beyond a petty disagreement," Mulan said. "Your soldiers are hated because they make life here more miserable than it should be. You may blind yourself to it, but I won't allow it."

General Zhang's frown deepened as his jaw tightened and his shoulders grew rigid. Then, noticeably, the anger melted away from him and he composed himself within two deep breaths. He closed his eyes for a moment, but when he opened them, Mulan saw hardened resolve. He turned to Chief Yao and spoke with what sounded like grief.

"I didn't want for our meeting to come to this, for I did not want to disgrace General Hua more than she has already disgraced herself, but I'm afraid that it can't be helped," General Zhang said. "The beast that she claimed to have slain, in fact, lives."

"What?" Chief Yao cried. Mulan's blood froze in her veins upon hearing these words. Then, white hot anger.

"What is the meaning of this?" Mulan snapped.

"My men saw the same foul beast running through the woods two months ago," continued General Zhang. "And don't you find it odd that she did not return with a pelt? No meat? I did not want to believe the news, at first, but now that I see that Mulan is not beyond lying, I fear that it is necessary to point out her ineptitude."

She could feel Chief Yao's gaze sear into the side of her head, but her eyes were too focused on General Zhang who wore the face of a disappointed father well. How smug he must be under that thin veil of empathy that he trained into authenticity. Perhaps there was even a part of him that really did feel bad for tearing down a general who was once known as one of the best in the western empire.

"Chief Yao, let me explain," Mulan said as she turned to the chief. "His men are mistaken. They are drunk more than half the time they are on watch. I wouldn't put it past them to have seen things in their stupor."

"Oh, Mulan, you shame yourself," General Zhang admonished. Like she was a child. A woman who had stepped out of place.

"That is General Hua to you," Mulan yelled. She knew what she looked like; like a woman in the throes of hysterics. A woman who was not taught the intricacies of womanhood and who was too much of a hag to be reigned back in. She knew and she could no longer care because she was not a woman, but a warrior. And what a warrior was taught, first and foremost, was to either fight like hell or die with some amount of grace.

She shot up and drew her sword up against Zhang's pale throat, causing Chief Yao to cry out in shock. General Zhang, on the other hand, barely reacted. As if he knew that Mulan would behave like this. He kept his eyes on her sword though, following its every move.

"Mulan," Chief Yao shouted, "lower your weapon! If you have any sense in you left, you will know that this will make this worse for everyone!"

And the words did make sense, but Mulan could barely hear anything beyond the screaming of between her ears, the harshness of her own breath as she pressed her blade harder into Zhang's neck. He squirmed and slowly angled away from the point of the blade. His eyes were on hers. A small twitch of his lip suggested the ghost of a smile.

It hit Mulan right away that she had lost long before he outed her lie to the chief. Whether she killed him or not, whether or not she was discredited in front of Chief Yao, none of that would matter with an army just outside the walls of this village. One that was ready to converge at the first sign of open rebellion.

Mulan's hands shook and as a result the point of the blade could not hold steady. Everyone could see this and it only made the shaking worse.

"As distance tests a horse's strength, so does time reveal a person's character," said Zhang.

She should kill him. She wanted nothing more than to plunge her sword into his throat and relish on the sounds of him gurgling on his own blood. She did not fear power-hungry commanders, she did not fear smug generals, she did not fear their soldiers, and she did not fear death. But it was more than her life at stake and all three here knew that very well.

Mulan sighed and sheathed her sword. Chief Yao audibly released bated breath and Zhang looked far too triumphant for Mulan's liking.

"General Hua," said Chief Yao, his voice firm, "I think it was time you left."

Or perhaps Zhang did not see a woman, after all; nor did he see a child. He most definitely did not see a warrior before him. He saw an object to be set aside. And that he did. General Hua Mulan, champion of the twelve-year war against Agrabah, was reduced to a common con and liar. This really was worse than death.

She turned and marched out of the chief's chamber.

-

The secret to whittling wood was to carve with the grain. For years, Mulan would try to cut against the grain, only to grow frustrated when her weak blades would break under the stress or if her hand slipped and she'd cut herself. It was when she was about to be whisked off into military life that her father caught her trying to whittle wood and taught her the important lesson of cutting with the grain.

"Don't resist if you don't have to," he'd said. Those were his last words to her. Then Mulan went to fight a war she could not even begin to understand and her father died three years later, peacefully, in his sleep.

Despite this, Mulan cut against the grain in all she did. She joined the army in her father's stead when everyone knew that, at the time, female warriors were not allowed. She disguised herself as a man and deceived the soldiers she went to war with, later the ones she sent to their deaths under her command. She cut herself off from all her military contacts as soon as the war was finished. She fought the battles of others in Misthaven when she should have honoured her father's wish and stayed in Guifei. She fought Zhang at every turn.

She had cut against the grain and she had wrought nothing but misery. A dead father. A loss of trust. Two loves lost; ones she was never meant to have in the first place. That was what happened when you resisted the grain.

Mulan whittled slowly. Small, even strokes. With the grain, now, don't stray. The fight was over. She could relax.

She wondered what her father would think of this, of seeing his daughter, a retired general, spending her time without husband or child, sitting out on her porch like an old man and playing with knife and wood. What would he tell her? What would he think? Such thoughts were almost unbearable.

The sun retired behind the trees. The dying rays cast light on Mulan in nothing but a loose wool shirt and slacks. Her uniform was thrown in the corner somewhere, with the empty censer, the stub candles, and the cooled scattered ashes of her old sculptures. All relics from a devastating winter. She would carve out a bird in flight. From there, she would rebuild, one stroke at a time.

-

It was a week into her exile when Mulan suddenly jerked up from her bed in the middle of the night and got dressed. It took a couple of minutes, but eventually Mulan's brain caught up with her actions and, at that point, she was already half-dressed.

Part of her remembered this feeling. The restlessness, the sweating, the pulling. She worried that she would be right about her prediction, but, just in case, she finished getting dressed into a light coat and boots before she stepped out into the chilly night air.

Her eyes combed through bare bushes, past knobby trees, before probing the distance where there was little but shadow and gashes of moonlight filtering through barren branches. Further still, two pinpricks of gold pierced Mulan from afar. They were unmoving, even as the massive body that they belonged to trod carefully through the melting bed of snow. It strayed away from the arcades of trees and into the open road where the moonlight was brightest to reveal its hulking, dark form. From its big teeth hung a red cloak.

Mulan did not spare a smile or even a nod as it haltingly continued its approach. When it was just a few feet away, it lowered its head and peered up at her with the look of one who was contrite. It was as if Red knew all about Mulan's recent disgrace and chalked it up to her doing.

Beast or not, it wouldn't have mattered. Right now, nothing really mattered. Mulan wanted to just return to her shed and fall back asleep, pretend that Red was not here begging for entry, begging for things to return to the way they were while knowing very well that it was not so simple.

But Mulan was, she was starting to realize, an animal herself. Cornered, wild, restless. She needed comfort and companionship and distraction. Red would have to do. She refused to admit that Red would always do.

"It's good to see you," Mulan said. As if on cue, Red dropped the cloak at Mulan's feet and nudged it with her nose. Mulan hesitated before she grabbed the cloak and laid it on Red's shoulders. Mulan, for once, could feel the intricacies of the shift; the way the bones broke and mended, the way the muscles shifted under her skin. Mulan shuddered and sighed before taking a couple of steps back to allow Red to rise to her feet. They made eye contact, then Mulan quickly looked away.

"It's good to see you," Mulan muttered again.

"Mulan," Red said, her voice grave, "I could leave if you don't want me here."

"I want you here," Mulan said, though she did not look at Red, "more than anything."

There was a pause that seemed to stretch on for eternity. Then, Red replied, "Okay."

Even though it was farthest from it. Mulan prided herself in being honest, sometimes brutally so. It came with giving brisk command back when she was in service and it came from her lack of patience for gossip and idle chatter. However, it was when she was in the presence of Aurora—of Red—that she lost her ability to speak frankly and wilted behind a silent stone mask.

It would be easier to come out with it. But to talk about it would be to facilitate something that should not happen.

They entered the shed and, after Mulan asked if she'd eaten anything (she had), Mulan retired for the night. Red hesitated, but eventually joined Mulan in her cot. This time, she made the effort to lay as far from Mulan as possible.

The next morning, Red rose and bathed before Mulan woke up. It was only when Red jostled her that Mulan finally awoke, bleary-eyed and more than a bit irritated.

"What is it, Red?" Mulan demanded. Red frowned at being yelled at and Mulan added, "Sorry, sorry. But why are you waking me?"

The frown never left Red's face, though it shifted from indignation to confusion. "You usually wake up before this time."

"Do I?" Mulan was still half-asleep. "What time is it?"

"Uh," Red said. "I'm guessing it's eleven. It's almost noon. I'm still trying to get used to telling the time without a watch."

Ever since Mulan had been discharged from her duty in Guifei, she felt there was no reason to rise with the sun like she used to. With every passing day, she lost reasons to stray away from her shed at all. Outside of hunting for small critters that were just emerging from the long winter and taking Coursing River to the lake to drink water, she barely had a reason to leave.

"I'm taking a break," Mulan said, though she did rise to sit and stretch out her limbs. She avoided Red's piercing stare.

"You?" she asked. "Take a break? You don't just take breaks."

"Now I do," Mulan mumbled. She hated how petulant she sounded. With a great sigh, Mulan heaved herself up to her feet and padded over to the desk on the other end of the room, now empty save for the half-done sculpture of a bird and another of a lone soldier. She grabbed the bird and the knife before she immersed herself in the numbing work of cutting wood. Red watched her.

"Mulan," she said, very serious now. "What happened?"

There was no real point in hiding this from Red. It was going to come out eventually and the impact would be the same now as it would be tomorrow, when Red inevitably left to rejoin Dorothy who was perhaps her wife by now.

Were they married? Suddenly, Mulan wanted terribly to know, so she looked at Red and said, "Did you do it?"

"Huh?" Red asked. She looked slightly startled. "Do what?"

"Marry her," Mulan elaborated. She felt her palms grow sweaty and her heart thump its way up her throat. She wondered, briefly, what Red saw when she looked down at Mulan, curled over her desk and dead-eyed. An echo of the sombre warrior who'd seen the woman within the wolf, who had travelled alongside her for a whole month.

Red frowned, but her face was a mask otherwise. "Don't change the subject."

"I'm not," Mulan insisted. She only just realized that it did, in fact, look like she had been trying to deflect Red's question. Then again, Red could very well be deflecting as well. It was hard to know who owned the power now that both were hurt in some way. Why was Red here? To torment her? To whisper promises that could not be, to have a taste of something that she could not have, purely because she could not attain it?

"Why did you come?" Mulan blurted out and she hated the way she sounded. Angry. Broken. She couldn't stand it. What was worse was the softening of Red's features, followed by an unfamiliar hardening. It was in this moment that Mulan saw just how estranged they were from each other. They were like strangers to one another.

"I'm visiting a friend," Red said. Mulan bit her lip so hard she could swear she tasted blood, just so she wouldn't say something she regretted. Something like "We're not friends, this isn't what friends do" or "Isn't Dorothy enough?" Such things were too petty even for Mulan, but the fact that they crossed her mind, even for a moment, made her feel ashamed.

Undeterred by Mulan's silence, Red continued. "I...know that last time I visited was confusing. And fucked up. I take full responsibility. The whole idea of getting married was something that Dorothy suggested and—and I got scared and...I came here to try and make up for it. To take it back."

"You can't just take that back," Mulan said. Then, she threw down the block of wood and the knife, never minding that they bounced and scattered. The bird careened off the edge of the desk and tumbled into the ashes near the censer. Dead silence after that. Mulan released a shuddering breath and then took in another.

"I know," Red said, quietly. Mulan felt weak. Weak enough to just crawl back into her cot and never rise again. Instead she rested her head in her hands and shut her eyes. Mulan couldn't think of what to say, so she didn't waste her breath. She could hear Red moving with deceptively quiet steps. She sidled up near Mulan and said, "And part of me doesn't want to take it back. I'm just...sorry for hurting you. That was the last thing I wanted."

Mulan's lip quirked up slightly, despite herself. She said, "I know."

There was a pause, then Red shifted again. Her hand fell upon her knee and squeezed, but it lacked conviction. It was as if she was asking permission to touch. Red probably didn't know how much that meant, in that moment, when Mulan felt like she was losing control of herself.

Mulan raised her head and lowered her hand on Red's. Their fingers tangled together. Or, rather, Mulan consciously slid her fingers between Red's and Red allowed herself to be limp, to be pliable, under Mulan's touch.

Mulan was unused to intimacy. The closest she had been to it was hugging Aurora. She was fourteen when she left for the army and she was shy, withdrawn, almost prudish, and so she had no one to experience closeness with. There was a boy, she thought, when she was eight. He had been eleven. He kissed her and she did not understand what had gone on for the majority of the time, so it hardly counted. He had been conscripted along with Mulan's father and was assigned to a general on the other end of the empire. She never heard of him again.

The army was twelve years of servicing the empire under disguise. She did not allow herself to grow close to fellow soldiers, definitely not close enough to fuck. In the army, it wasn't uncommon for men to sleep with fellow soldiers, especially in the absence of their girlfriends, their wives, their mistresses. Mulan never took the risk and that was why, for twelve years, she stayed frigid. She could only explore her sexuality through the sex lives of other soldiers, sometimes through harmless flirtations with the emperor's numerous concubines. They spoke freely of their sexual escapades with the emperor, for Mulan was familiar to them—perhaps some knew that she was not a soldier like the rest— and Mulan would revisit their stories on nights when she was loneliest or when she did not have time to expend her energy on fighting or training.

This was new. This thing that was blooming between her and Red. It scared her to death, but Mulan also found exhilaration and headiness in this fear, nothing like she had experienced previously.

They sat like this, basking in the comfortable silence. They probably stayed in that position for hours, days, months, centuries. Time was irrelevant here, but they also knew that this wouldn't last.

"I've always been meaning to ask," Red said. "How do you know when I'm coming over?"

It took a moment, but Mulan worked up the courage to raise her head and look Red in the eye. When she did, she saw pale green eyes that were open and curious. Deeper down, there was knowing. Knowing of what, Mulan couldn't be sure.

"It's a feeling," Mulan said. It was best to keep it simple.

"The first time I came over," Red said, "I felt like I was aimless. Like I didn't know where I was going. It was a miracle I ended up at the village. But the second time and even yesterday, I knew exactly where to go. I didn't have to think about it."

"Dogs are good at finding their way home," Mulan said and as soon as she said it, she regretted it. Not so much because she called Red a dog, but more because she hinted at this shack of a place being home for Red. Either way, Red hardly flinched at the statement.

"It's more than that," Red said. She swallowed and she managed a tight-lipped smile. She then bowed her head to break eye contact. "Anyway. You never told me what happened."

Mulan's lip twitched in irritation and she pulled her hand away. She didn't look to see Red's reaction, but Red withdrew her hand so that it rested on her own lap, limp.

She told Red as much as she wanted her to know, and nothing else. She told her about General Zhang's return, the hike in taxes, the thinly-veiled threats. She avoided talking about how his men had seen Red frolicking in the woods. There wasn't any point in saying it now.

"I'm so sorry," Red said, genuinely mournful. "Are you safe? Here, I mean."

"I can't think of anywhere else to go," Mulan sighed. "This is my home. I intend on retiring here."

"You could go to DunBroch," Red fired off. "Merida would love to have you. Or—"

"I don't want to impose," Mulan interrupted. "Besides, most likely I'm safe now that I'm out of the way."

General Zhang made sure Mulan wouldn't show her face in the village again, anyway. She was the furthest thing from a threat at this point.

There wasn't much to say after that. Mulan returned to her carving and Red watched, her chin propped up on her hand and her eyes following Mulan's every move. It was later that Red asked to try herself. Mulan taught her to cut with the grain, never against. Red seemed to have trouble with that; having such brute force, especially when augmented during wolfstime, made it hard for Red to tell that she was not carving the wood properly. She handled the knife well enough though.

It was fun. Talking with Red so casually and laughing with her when her sitting wolf came out looking like a shapeless blob. She sat behind Red, her legs on either side of hers and she took her hands and said, "Here, like this."

Red was warm, soft. She smelled of pines and fresh earth and soft rain. Mulan's hands itched, but this was what she wanted. Not the pining or the bitterness, not so much, but the feeling of Red close by.  This taste of domesticity where Mulan thought there would be room for none. Dorothy was lucky to have her.

-

The next day arrived far too soon. Between teaching Red how to whittle wood and Red teaching Mulan how to cook, the previous day went by in a flash. Mulan woke up the next morning feeling so much anxiety that she had to head out for a walk. Thankfully, this was before Red got up and so she didn't have to think up excuses for her behaviour.

By time she rose, Mulan was grooming Coursing River after having bathed and gotten dressed. For the past couple of months, Mulan had been neglecting to care for Coursing River, but this morning she was so full of nervous energy that she decided to funnel it into picking up on old chores.

"Hey, Mulan," Red said, her voice deep with sleep.

"Good morning," Mulan said as she passed her brush over an especially stubborn knot in Coursing River's hair. She worked to untangle it with semi-frozen fingers. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah," said Red. "Did you?"

Mulan paused briefly, before returning to the knot.

"Quite well," she replied. She was happy to say so for it was the truth.

Red merely nodded and headed towards the lake where she would bathe. Mulan was still stroking the fur of Coursing River by time Red returned.

"I noticed you're out of radishes and eggs," Red said upon return. "I could go get it for you from the village, if you want."

"It's nice of you to offer, but I wouldn't want you to go out of your way," Mulan replied as she yanked out the dead hairs from the brush. "I'll get it in due time."

'In due time' really meant never, or at least close to never. She wanted nothing to do with Guifei since General Zhang peeled her apart in front of the chief. She could hardly stand the idea of going back there now. She could live off the woods. She'd never done it, but she would learn.

"I really don't mind," Red insisted. "Besides, I'd like to prepare something with you. I wanted to take a look at what they might have in the village this time of year."

"Not much, probably," Mulan muttered. "Ever since the last travelling merchant, Guifei's trade has been stagnant. They'll be hesitant to sell much."

"Can I at least try?" Red asked. "As much as I like peace and quiet, I'm ready to climb the walls. I need to move around."

Right. Mulan sometimes forgot that Red was a people person, more so during wolfstime. It would be cruel, she supposed, to have her confined to the cottage in the middle of nowhere.

With a long-suffering sigh, Mulan turned to Red who stood by the door of the shed, her wet hair clinging to her rosy cheeks. She paused to admire her sharp cheekbones, her unwavering eyes. Sometimes Red's beauty was enough to wipe Mulan's brain clean. Imagine Mulan's shock, the year before, when she had broken a witch’s curse on a beast and ended up with a breathless woman straddling her hips.

"My name's Ruby. My friends call me Red." Those had been her first words to Mulan. Had it really been just nine months since that time in DunBroch? It felt like a lifetime ago.

"So?" Red prompted as she raised an eyebrow. Mulan blinked out of her train of thought and muttered an apology. Red only tilted her head and it reminded Mulan so much of an inquisitive puppy that her heart swelled at the sight.

"You may go," Mulan said. "Just...make sure not to attack anyone this time."

"I make no promises," Red said. Mulan scowled and Red cracked a half-smile. "I'm kidding. Don't worry, I'll try not to kill anyone this time. I swear."

"You swear on what?"

"Uh...Toto?"

"Red."

"Don't worry, you can take my word for it!" Red laughed. Mulan rolled her eyes.

"Fine," she spat. Red beamed and it was hard for Mulan to stay irritated with her afterward.

Mulan fetched the reins and saddle from the shed before setting it up on Coursing River for Red's use. Red wanted to walk, to stretch her legs, she said, but Mulan would not budge on this.

"I want you back here as soon as possible," Mulan said. She didn't care if she sounded overprotective or possessive, but having Red in Guifei could go wrong in many ways. Mercifully, Red didn't fight her on it.

She saw Red off with a heavy heart and, once she was gone, Mulan went through sword fighting drills near the back of the shed. It was a way of focusing on something and burning herself out before she could overthink Red's visit to Guifei and run there herself.

One hour became two which then became three. Mulan was ready to run the whole way to the village after all when Red came riding back with a tied up blanket seemingly overflowing with items. When her eyes met Mulan's, she brightened up and waved.

"Red," was the first thing to spring to Mulan's lips before she jogged over to her. "Are you alright? What took you so long? No one harassed you, did they?"

"No, no, I'm okay," Red laughed. Mulan grabbed the blanket full of food and unfolded it. Radishes, millet, rice. No eggs, but Mulan could care less. Red was back in one piece and that was all that mattered.

"You'll be happy to hear that I didn't kill anyone while I was out," Red said. She slid off Coursing River and guided him the rest of the way. Mulan followed close behind as she continued to look through the contents of the blanket. She hummed and paused when her eyes fell on something peculiar.

"What's this?" Mulan asked. Red belatedly noticed that Mulan had stopped and she clumsily came to a halt and steered Coursing River around as she turned to face Mulan.

"What's what?" she asked. She sounded almost innocent.

"This." Mulan laid the blanket down and pulled out the scrap of paper from the pile of food. When she held it up for Red to see, Red raised her eyebrows.

"It must be for you," she said. As if she didn't know. Mulan cast her a glare before lowering the paper and reading it.

Mulan,

I hope this letter finds you well. Your friend offered to carry this message to you. I would have sent Ho Jian, but the soldiers at the outpost do not allow any of the villagers to leave.

Since you have left, General Zhang's soldiers have worsened considerably. They take our crops and beat us when we try to hide our food. We are under the impression that they mean to starve us.

I cannot get involved in affairs involving resistance, although I heard that there will be a meeting tonight at Ho Li's place. It would probably be best to investigate.

You may have lied about the beast, but I know that you always keep the interests of Guifei to heart. If you kept this beast alive, surely you had your reasons.

-Chief Yao Peizhi

Mulan's eyes paused on the name signing off the letter. She reread it, just to be sure, as Red set off to tether Coursing River to the back of the shed. Then a third time.

"Red," Mulan said. Her voice came out flat, quiet, but Red apparently heard because she immediately perked up. Mulan raised the letter again and said, "Tell me the truth."

Red's coy smile was long gone at this point. Now she just looked tired. "Some little kid recognized me from two months ago and basically dragged me over to the chief so he could have me deliver that letter to you."

"That doesn't explain why you were gone three hours," Mulan said.

"The chief took his time writing down the letter," Red replied with a half shrug. "I also may have asked him to fill me in on some details. You...didn't tell me that it's my fault that you couldn't return to Guifei."

"Because it's not," Mulan said as she gathered everything back into the blanket and tied it up neatly. "Whether the soldiers saw you or not, I still would have been kicked out of Guifei. If this letter is telling the truth, it seems General Zhang wanted me out of the way to facilitate these changes. I'm shocked you even got food at all."

"It was food that the villagers hoarded," Red said, sadly. "They were saving it for you."

Mulan didn't trust herself to reply, so she pursed her lips instead.

"I know it's not my place," Red said, "but it's obvious that these villagers believe in you. You've been protecting them for years and they want you to help again."

"My hands are tied," Mulan snapped. "The chief should know. If I go back to Guifei, it will look like I'm colluding with the resistance. To do so would, in Zhang's eyes, be a crime against the empire. Or to whoever is sitting in the throne right now."

"What do you mean?" Red asked. Mulan froze. She didn't want Red to know about all these complications, not when she was about to leave the next day, but since her meeting with General Zhang, the idea haunted her waking hours.

"I am under the impression that there is a coup," Mulan said. "I can't be sure of the details. There are no travelling merchants to bring any news, not since that last one from Agrabah two months ago. But I'm almost certain that this Commander Song has rebelled against the emperor. It would not be the first time."

"Oh," Red said. Her shoulders sagged. "So, you think it's hopeless?"

"I don't know," Mulan said with complete honesty. "Not unless the people of Guifei obey, but, as you saw on your last visit, they do not take well to force. And Zhang's men only know violence. This arrangement won't last."

Red hummed and they sat in the dirt silently, deep in thought. After a couple of minutes, Red raised her head and said, "Villages are always the most vulnerable under a coup. I really don't see this ending well."

"Neither do I," Mulan sighed. "But I'm going, anyway."

"Where?" Red asked, taken aback by Mulan's declaration.

"To Ho Li's place," Mulan clarified. She looked Red in the eyes and said, "I made a promise to my father to protect Guifei. I can't abandon them if they need me."

"Mulan," Red said, with some urgency swimming in her eyes. "What about the soldiers at the outpost? If they see you, they'll know what you're in the village for."

"Let them think what they want," Mulan said. The letter in her hand folded under her fist as her resolve hardened. "I'm going to join the resistance."

Despite what Mulan declared, Red offered a tiny smile.

"Well," she said, "I guess I am, too."

"No, you're not," Mulan said. Red pouted at being denied and it took Mulan every ounce of her strength to keep the frown on her face. "This is not a game. This could get dangerous quickly."

"Hey, I know dangerous," Red replied with what could ironically be a wolfish smile. "And I get pretty dangerous when my friends are threatened."

Red placed a hand on Mulan's fist, the one holding the crumpled letter, and she squeezed. Mulan's hand eased its grip enough that it stopped shaking. More gently, Red added, "I'm here for you. I want you to know that."

"Don't you have to go back tomorrow?" Mulan asked. Red raised an eyebrow.

"I'll send Dorothy a letter telling her that I'll stay a while longer," Red said. "I can't leave with things the way they are."

"I know that you're here for me and I appreciate that," Mulan said. "But this isn't like us fighting King Arthur and Zelena. This isn't like us trying to find a pack of werewolves. In those cases, we were never against an entire empire. Our odds are bleak now."

"Then we'll just have to shift the odds in our favour," Red said with a smile. Since when was Red so cocky? Since when did this become such an endearing trait? "And, no matter what you say, I'm not going anywhere."

As selfish as it was, as foolish as it was, Mulan wanted nothing more than for Red to stay with her. Not out of fear of the unknown so much as she simply wanted her here, with her.

"Are you sure about that?" Mulan asked. She removed her gaze from their joined hands and looked at Red to catch her staring right back.

"I've never been more sure," said Red. Her eyes searched again and Mulan did not see a point in hiding anything now.

"Okay," Mulan said before she leaned forward and kissed her. For a moment, Red knelt before Mulan, frozen, and Mulan had to pull back to see if she'd made a mistake because she didn't know what she was doing. There was that boy from the village and there was her fervent hand and her wandering imagination, but never anything like this. There were so many things that could go wrong and what if Mulan had misread the situation? That she was too late to reciprocate? Suddenly, she felt like a fool.

An apology reached her lips, shortly before Red captured them.

The first time they kissed, it was aggressive and nothing like what Mulan wanted at the time. It was too much, too soon. Mulan had stuck herself in a purgatory that she could not even think of escaping. At least not until now.

In the moment Red kissed her, it was gentle and it was patient. She caressed the back of Mulan's neck, her fingers playing with the hair at her nape and Mulan didn't know what she was doing, but Red was patient.

Eventually, Mulan pulled away, though it pained her to do so. Red's grip on the back of Mulan's neck tightened so that their foreheads pressed together and when Mulan opened her eyes all she saw, all she could know, were green eyes flecked with shards of gold.

"Thank you," Mulan breathed into the little space between their lips. Hers felt sore, but they tingled pleasantly.

"I should be thanking you," Red chuckled. The hand on Mulan's neck moved to cup her face as she said, quietly, "Mind telling me what changed your mind?"

"I think," Mulan began, a small smile touching her lips, "I’ve already tired of cutting with the grain."

If Red didn't understand, she did not show it. Perhaps she did understand. Not that it mattered because, shortly after, Red pulled her in for another kiss, deeper this time. And with this action Mulan's mind was cleared of all thoughts about the past, about the present, about what the future might hold. She forgot about Aurora, she forgot about Dorothy, she forgot about General Zhang. In this moment, all she could think of was Red, here with her. Perhaps for a time. Perhaps for the last time. But right at this moment, she was here and Mulan could not have it any better than this.

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