#okay I cannot tag more because I will cheat and explain and that isn’t allowed so!

[sexynetra]

share one line from your wip that you think highlights the vibe of this fic (but no cheating, don’t explain the actual vibe. it’s gotta be explained through your one line !!!)

This was shockingly challenging to do when I only have the intro written but please enjoy <3

~~~

“I don’t think you’re a good judge of what’s smart and what isn’t, considering the ass-backwards ideas you keep proposing. Now if you’ll shut up and let me explain—“ Luxx paused to make sure Anetra wasn’t going to interrupt before continuing on. “I messaged Marcia.”

[reighlee-greaves]

Snapped : Tom Hiddleston x Reader

So this is a collaboration between me and @just-the-hiddles who is responsible for half of the dialogue and the header image. I would like to thank @just-the-hiddles for giving me the idea for this x reader.

-Summary- Tom and the reader get into a heated argument about a photo that the paparazzi snapped of her and her ex Sebastian Stan. To apologise Tom enlists the help of Benedict.

Tag list

@just-the-hiddles

@confetti-its-an-imagine-blog

Masterlist

———————————————————————

Tom hadn't glanced at his phone that morning until well after his run. When he picked it up, he found himself bombarded with voice messages and texts. They all were about one thing. He clicked on one of the links to find a headline from the Daily Mail blaring out him: Hiddles Out, Seb In. Romance Rekindled.

Tom's face paled as he scrolled to find a grainy photo of you looking rather cozy with your ex, Sebastian Stan. Without another thought, Tom grabbed his keys and headed towards your place.

“Tom, what are you doing here our date isn’t until tomorrow?” you asked Tom.

Tom barged through the door, his face red. "Care to explain this?!" he yelled as he shoved his phone in your face.

“Tom I—“ you began only to be cut off by Tom’s frantic pacing.

“—I, I, I," he mocked. "You can't even come up with a plausible lie for why you were photographed with your ex."

“Ok, Tom if you calm down I can explain why I was with Seb in the first place.”

"Calm down!!? I will not fucking calm down! My phone is filled with messages and texts of condolences, of questions. You've humiliated me publicly and you tell me to calm down?!" Tom seethed. His hands flexed at his side, a death grip on his phone.

You took a step back, away from him.

“Tom I didn’t mean to humiliate you. I bumped into Sebastian, and he congratulated me on our relationship. Besides, what about that photo of you and your ex that I got tagged in on Twitter the other week?”

"That's completely different! We dated for six months. And that story was about her new project, not about me having an affair. You and Sebastian were together for three years! Three years! And in case you missed it, I am apparently out and he is in!"

“So you can be friends with your exes but I can’t be friends with mine?” Your voice trembled. You had never seen Tom so mad.

"That's not the point! The point is you didn't see the problem with being photographed with him and how it would affect me. Affects us. And if you don't see the problem with that, I'm not sure this relationship can work." Tom's shoulders slumped.

“I cannot believe that you just said that Thomas Hiddleston!” you yelled in frustration.

"I can't believe you would cheat on me. But here we are. Goodbye." Tom turned and left as quickly as he came.

Once the door slammed behind him, he only then allowed the tears to fall. As he walked down the sidewalk, with shaking hands, he punched in a familiar number.

"Ben? Can I come by? Yeah. It's about that. Thanks."

-

Ben steepled his fingers in front of his mouth as Tom stood huffing in front of him.

"If you are done with your tantrum, can I say something?"

“What?!” Tom snapped.

Ben leaned back at Tom's tone."Okay, first of all, there is no need to snap my head off. You called me. I am here to help you."

“I’m sorry Ben, I didn’t mean to snap at you.” Tom replied before sighing. “I’m just frustrated.”

"In more ways than one, I'm sure." Ben chuckled to himself.

"What I was trying to say before you turned into a small child was... exes are exes for a reason. She is a good person. I am sure there is a innocent explanation."

“Like what Ben, they just happened to bump into each other?” Tom questioned as he slumped further into Ben’s sofa.

"Perhaps. That does happen. You know how you sometimes just bump to your exes." Ben raised a knowing eyebrow. "The point is coincidences happen. And the paparazzi are ruthless. But you can't let them get inside your head."

“But it’s Sebastian Stan we’re talking about!” Tom crowed.“They were together for three years Ben, THREE YEARS! He was her first everything.”

"And you can be her last everything. But not if you don't pull your head out of arse and talk to the poor girl. Honestly, you are about to ruin the best thing in your life over a single photo."

“What do I say to her, Ben, I’ve already lost her.”

Benedict moved to sit next to Tom. He clapped his hand on Tom's knees. “Use all those big words you learned at Cambridge. Tell her you love her. Tell her you were a prized idiot for ever letting her get away. Tell her you will spend the rest of your days proving to her you are worthy of her love. Tell her she is your one.”

Tom sighed as he let Ben’s words sink in. “ Do you think you and Sophie could help me with that?”

Ben smiled. "I believe that can be arranged."

The Next Day

You awoke to a constant pounding against your front door. As you stumbled to the door, bathrobe wrapped around, you opened the door to find Sophie standing there, two coffees in hand.

"Get dressed, we're going shopping."

“Alright, alright, I’m coming hold on.” you groaned as she invited Sophie inside.

Sophie settled herself onto a kitchen chair, and slid one of the coffee cups in your direction. "Here, I got it how you like it."

“Thanks Soph, give me about twenty minutes and I’ll be ready.”

Sophie yelled after as you trot off to get ready. "I'll be waiting with bells on!"

Once you were out of sight, Sophie whipped out her phone and typed a message off to Ben.

Got her to agree to shopping. You should have several hours to get things ready. Don't fuck this up.

After an agonisingly slow twenty minutes you were ready. “Let’s go, Soph.”

"Took you long enough. I was about ready to make myself some lunch."

You shot daggers at Sophie.

"Now..." Sophie linked arms with you as both of you exited the house. "...what's new with you?"

“Oh nothing much, I bumped into Sebastian the other day and the paparazzi caught us. I think Tom’s mad at me even though we weren’t doing anything.” you explained.

"I didn't realize you and Seb were still close. How many years were you together again?" Sophie asked, acting stupid.

“We were together for three years, Soph. We still chat every so often but it means nothing. We’re friends now. But nothing more.” you replied.

Sebastian and you broke because of many things. Partially because of the long distance, and also the fact that you wanted to settle down and have a few children. Sebastian wanted to pursue his acting career longer before settling down with a wife and kids. He still wanted the life of a bachelor.

”Have you told Tom that? Or the reasons you and Sebastian broke up?"

“I tried to Sophie, but he stormed out of my house before I could. He didn’t even say goodbye.” you sighed.

"Try harder. He looks like he is made of marble, but his heart is as fragile as glass. He must care about you to have such a vehement reaction."

“I know, I know, but I have no idea how to tell him. It’s hard for me to express myself, you know?”

“For two such sensitive and dramatic people, the both of you are horrid at saying what you feel." Sophie taunted. "How about calling him up and saying 'I love you' and I want to be with you and only you?"

“That is the sort of thing you say in person.” you responded.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Sophie grabbed your arm and pulled you down the street off towards Tom's.

-

“Ben, has Sophie text you yet to see when she’s bringing you here?” Tom asked as he paced up and down his kitchen.

Benedict fished his phone out of his pocket. As he scrolled through his messages, his eyes widened. "They are on their way over right now."

“Shit!” mumbled a panicked Tom.

“How do I look? Do I look ok? Do I smell?” Tom asked a smirking Benedict.

Benedict picked at Tom's sweater, smoothing it out. "Like sex on a stick, mate." He gave Tom a wink.

“Ok, ok I can do this...” Tom whispered to himself as the doorbell rang. Tom whipped back around to Ben for a moment. "No, I can't! You answer the door." Tom shoved Benedict towards the foyer.

"Are you serious!?" Ben protested. "This is your house and if I answer the door, it will be even more awkward than it already is. So man up and answer the damn door!" Benedict pushed Tom hard causing him to stumble, falling against the front door.

"Is everyone alright in there?" Sophie's voice called out from the other side of the door.

“Just a moment!” Tom yelled back.

“Ok what do I say to her, do I say hi or hello or—“ Tom rambled only to get cut off by Ben.

"I swear to God man, if you don't open that door right now and let my wife and your girlfriend in right this second, I am telling this story at your wedding. Pull yourself together!" Ben hissed before disappearing to the kitchen.

“Ok I got this.” Tom said as he opened the door.

"About bloody time." Benedict muttered just out of sight.

"Tom!" Sophie greeted him with a warm hug. “Guess who I brought with me." She tugged you into view.

“Hello ladies.” Tom greeted the pair with a smile. "Please come on in.”

You shuffled in behind Sophie and gave Tom an awkward smile.

"So... Thomas," Sophie interjected. "Where is my impossible husband?"

“Ah, he’s in the kitchen.”

"Then I shall see myself that way." Sophie exited before giving time for either of you to protest.

“So Tom how are you?” you asked awkwardly as you stepped into the living room.

"I've been better." Tom commented as he followed you into the room. He offered you her favourite spot on the sofa which you took and he sat down in the chair across from her. "And you?"

“I’ve had better days. We need to talk about yesterday.”

"I'm sorry I overreacted.” Tom started in. “It's just that you were dating Sebastian for so long and this relationship is new. I worried about losing you." Tom reached out to grab your hand, giving it a slight squeeze. "And I care about you too much to have that happen."

“No I’m the one who should apologise, I didn’t tell you I bumped into Sebastian before you saw those photos.” You squeezed his hand back before continuing. “I care about you too, and I should have been upfront about everything at the start of our relationship. I guess I was scared of losing you too.”

Tom chuckled. "Sounds like both of us are just a bunch of sorry fools. Forgive me?" He looked at you with hopeful eyes.

“Of course I forgive you, will you forgive me too?”

Tom leaned over, his hand ran along the curve of your cheek. "Always, my love." He pressed his lips against hers for a moment.

Only to be interrupted by cheers from the kitchen.

Tom chuckled. "I believe we have an audience. Come out, you two!" He called out to Ben and Sophie.

“So now that that’s out of the way, what is that delicious smell?” you asked as you sniffed the air.

Benedict poked his head around the corner. "Steak frites. Your favourite."

Sophie snuck around the corner. "Now if you don't mind us, we need to get back to the babysitter. We'll show ourselves out."

Once Sophie and Ben left, you turned to Tom with your arm stretched out. “Come eat with me please?”

"With pleasure."

[wolfpawn]

Life is a Game of Risks, Chapter 22

Chapter Summary - Luke discussing some pictures with Tom, but Tom wants to know what is going on for himself.

TRIGGERS - Past domestic abuse, Past emotional abuse, Past sexual abuse.

Previous Chapter

Tags: @damalseer @hiddlesbitch1@winterisakiller @theoneanna

Request if you wish to be tagged

Tom stared at the pictures Luke had presented to him. ‘Yes.’ He had, and he was unsure what it meant. ‘I am not sure what I am supposed to take from this, Luke?’

‘She had another man to the house, minutes after you left.’

‘And?’

‘And? Tom are you ignoring the obvious concern.’

‘No, I’m not.’ Tom growled. ‘You are not looking at them.’

‘Unfortunately, yes I am. They are here in front of us. Why do you say that?’

‘The third one.’ Tom indicated to the picture in front of him.

‘What about it?’ Luke walked over to him to look at it.

‘Does that look like a woman overly happy to see him?’ He pointed to the expression on Alexianna’s face. ‘Does it?’

‘No, she doesn’t seem too pleased, but she let him in.’

‘How do we know that?’

‘We see the picture of him leaving?’ Luke pointed to a later picture.

‘We don’t know anything.’ Tom reiterated.

‘You are being made a fool of.’ Luke stated firmly.

‘I don’t think I am.’ He took out his phone. ‘I am going to see what happened.’

‘Yes, because she is going to be honest about cheating on you.’ Luke stated sarcastically.

‘She did not cheat, she’s not the type.’ he pressed the dial button. Luke gave him a raised brow that was the epitome of “yeah right” and sat still, waiting to see what the phone call would bring. After three rings, the calling ceased, but no sound came over the phone. ‘Lexi?’

‘Hi.’ her voice was cracked and small. ‘Hi, Tom.’

‘Are you okay?’

‘I saw what they are saying.’

‘Who?’

‘People online.’

‘About?’

‘Tom, please stop acting dumb, I know the world is looking at the pictures.’

‘Who is he?’ Luke stared at Tom, admiring the fact he did not even pretend to waltz around it.

‘Edward Rice, Jonathan’s legal representation.’ her voice was cold. ‘The photos, I notice, did not show where I tried to stop him coming into my home. Tom…’

‘Yes?���

‘He knows Lily’s name, he found out where I live.’ her voice made it clear, she was trying to stop herself from crying. ‘What am I going to do?’

‘It’s okay.’ Tom soothed. ‘What did he want?’

‘Me to sign an agreement, in return for my divorce.’

‘That’s a good thing, right?’

‘It should be.’

‘What does he want you to sign?’

‘It doesn’t matter.’ Alexianna dismissed. ‘I am sorry, Tom.’

‘“Sorry”?’

‘It’s not fair to drag you into my mess.’

‘Are you…?’

‘I think it’s best. I don’t want…’ she took a shaky breath, ‘You don’t deserve this.’

‘What? No. Lexi!’ Tom stared at the phone before Luke caught his eye, the publicist clearly thinking it was a good idea. ‘Please.’

‘He wants to drag you into this, Tom.’ She admitted. ‘I am not going to allow that to happen, you don’t deserve that personally, and as someone who wants to work in a field related to your work, I know this can very easily damage you. I think it’s best to just leave it before it goes any further.’

Luke nodded approvingly at her decision, causing Tom to become more angered than anything. ‘What do you mean drag me into it?’ There was silence, ‘Lexi?’

‘It doesn’t matter, I...I’ll deal with it.’

‘Like hell, tell me. What did he threaten?’

‘It doesn’t matter.’

‘If it doesn’t matter, then you can tell me. If it involves me, I have a right to know.’ Tom argued.

‘If I sign, it goes away.’

‘What is he making you sign?’ Tom repeated again. ‘Lexi?’

‘That Lily isn’t his.’ she stated, tired of trying to keep it to herself. ‘That I broke-up the marriage with infidelity and Lily is the result.’ Tom said nothing for a moment, even Luke frowned at her revelation. ‘It means I cannot go after him for anything for Lily, or myself.’

‘And if you don’t?’

‘He tells people that I was married, I cheated with you and you got me pregnant and effectively, how we ruined his life.’ Alexianna broke down crying.

Luke’s eyes almost bulged at the thought of dealing with such a claim and he stared at Tom, who to his shock, seemed almost on the verge of tears. ‘Lexi…?’ Tom’s voice was tight as he spoke. ‘What are you going to do?’

‘I have no choice, I…’ she stated simply in a broken voice.

Tom looked to Luke, who mouthed ‘why is that a problem?’ to him. ‘Lexi, do you want me to come around?’ Luke gave him a disgusted look, to which Tom stared him out of it back. ‘Do you?’

‘No.’ her voice was stern. ‘No, Tom. I think we need to…’

‘Are you pushing me away because you actually want us to break up or because of what he is forcing on you? Because you didn’t mean it the other day when you said you loved me? Or because of what is being threatened?’ Tom’s voice was tight as he finished the sentence. Luke looking at him in shock that such sentiments had been said between the pair. ‘If it is the former, then I have to respect that, if it is the latter, I cannot.’

‘Tom, it’s not enough, I am not going to allow him to ruin you.’

‘So you are allowing him to control your actions now. You move on, you get someone, you are raising your daughter, you study to better yourself, and he clearly is less than pleased you have the audacity to get on with your life so he threatens you so you turn back into the submissive person he trained you to be and you just accept it.’

‘I have no choice, this is about Lily, if he gets a DNA done on her…’

‘He’ll have to pay for her, how terrible, a father actually coughing up for his kid that he abandoned, perish the thought.’ Tom snarled.

‘He is going to apply to have access to her, Edward said that they will apply for everything. I can’t...I have to protect her.’ Alexianna explained. ‘I’m sorry Tom, I really am.’ her voice broke again. ‘I...Thank you so much for everything, you are incredible.’ she inhaled deeply, ‘Bye.’

‘What, Lexi no, you…’ Tom pulled the phone back. ‘She hung up on me.’

‘Tom,’ Luke rose to his feet. ‘I know you really like her, and to be honest, she seems like a hardworking and very determined individual, given better circumstances, I would think her a good match for you, but considering what are the circumstances, I think she is doing the right thing.’ Tom looked at him sadly. ‘She is a disaster PR wise.’

‘No, this isn’t Lexi, this is him, her ex.’

‘Only you could find a woman like this, Tom.’ Luke sighed.

Tom began to feel his anger rising at Luke’s dismissive manner at Alexianna. ‘What, a woman that has an abusive ex but who is intelligent, has integrity and a good worth ethic? That is something you fear your clients going for in a partner, really? So what do you prefer, tell me, Luke, is it call girls and story sellers that you rather, or perhaps a repeat of last summer?’

‘It is my job to protect your image, that is what I am paid to do. Even she seems to have grasped how much it matters in this business.’ Luke stated factually. ‘As I stated already, without the husband issues, she would very much be a good match for you, even with the child.’

‘What has Lily got to do with anything?’ Tom asked. ‘Why would she come into the equation?’

‘Well, she’s not yours, is she? She has added issues.’

Tom felt so angered by the situation he stormed out of the room without another word. Luke called him back but he ignored him, instead, he left the building and went straight to the nearest taxi rank. ‘Archway please.’

[giasonesdream]

I Can’t Even

Pairing: Jeongguk x Taehyung, Taehyung x Jimin

Summary: A story where Jimin is the side-piece and he knows it, Taehyung is a shit boyfriend and he knows it, and Jeongguk thinks Taehyung is the best boyfriend ever...(Explicit)

Crossposted on AO3 and based off this still amazing FMV

tagged: Smut, taekook, vmin, cheating, videotaping, Angst, hella sad, read at your own risk

Word Count: 6679 (14 fucking pages what glue was I even on when I wrote this wtf)

You: hey I thought you were coming over??

Jeongguk sends the message without any hesitance. He is tired from the long day of classes and his part-time job at the university’s bookstore, and all he wants to do is cuddle up with his stupid boyfriend and preferably watch an even stupider movie (“I don’t think ‘stupider’ is a word, though,” Taehyung would say in retaliation).

But said boyfriend is not sprawled out over his couch when he gets back to his apartment, and he usually always beats Jeongguk home.

Not a minute later, his phone dings! in reply:

taetae<3: haha yeah..sorry? something came up. I’m pretty busy rn

Jeongguk isn’t given time to respond when Taehyung shoots back with:

taetae<3: ill come over tomorrow and bring your favorite cookies :))

Heaving a sigh, Jeongguk sinks into the cushion of his sofa. He can already feel the crumbs of the flaky almond cookies tumble from his chin, making him a proper mess that Taehyung will try to tease him for. “Now we match,” he would say back, feigning annoyance before placing a sloppy kiss on the other’s cheek, the evidence of his lips being the crumbs that stick to Taehyung’s golden skin.

You: oh okay, I love u bby

taetae<3: ill ttyl

taetae<3: <3

He tosses his phone onto the coffee table in front of him, only giving himself a moment of silence before he pushes himself off the couch, ready to wander around and enjoy his weekend freedom.

Meanwhile, Taehyung’s heart drops in his chest as the message shows that Jeongguk has seen it. He isn’t lying - he truly does love his boyfriend. But that is where the truth ends, Taehyung knows. He stares at the chat right as he gets a notification from a number saved conspicuously as Pizza Hut. When Taehyung clicks on the chat, the first new thing to pop up is a photo attachment that loads to show something very unrelated to pizza (though, maybe just as mouthwatering):

Jimin is lying on his bed, a black hoodie that looks suspiciously like one that Taehyung had left at his place on his chest and the hood covering his eyes, only to leave the view of parted, plump and full lips. Then the messages read:

Pizza Hut: Im waiting..

Pizza Hut: babe i need u

Taehyung still feels a bit guilty, honestly...but Jimin is so goddamn enticing, tempting. It’s hard for him not to shoot up from his table in the tutoring center, waving goodbye to Namjoon as he shrugs on his jacket and makes his way out of the building and off campus in the opposite direction of his boyfriend.

You: omw

Jimin busies himself with scrolling angrily through photos of a happy couple he has known for, what, two years now? If he recalls correctly (and there’s no interpreting this wrong, he fucking remembers) he was the one to help Taehyung and Jeongguk become friends. Taehyung had been the spritely young man in his general education calc class that had a voice deep enough to rattle in his bones (and he has no shame in admitting he’d wanted to drop to his knees instantly for him), and Jeongguk was the reserved, polite, adorable kid in his first level hip hop dance class that seemed to contain the upper body strength of someone twice his size. He hadn’t seen any harm in having the two meet each other especially since Taehyung had spoken to him first, shown interest in him fucking first.

But here he is, glaring at a picture of Jeongguk’s selfie, one that just so happens to show the hickies scattered on the side of his neck as if Taehyung has never done that to him either.

When he gets another text from Taehyung informing him he’s just five minutes away, Jimin slides from his bed to grab the equipment, heart beat picking up a little at the excitement of his plan. His dresser stands on the wall in front of his bed, and there he has a makeshift tripod constructed to hold the video camera he’d been gifted with before he started university.

When the red light signifies the camera is recording, he paces, unsure of what to do exactly. There’s some sort of adrenaline that pumps his veins even though he knows there’s more to come. He finally opts for sitting on the foot of his bed, flopping back. Words flow from his mouth before he even knows it.

“Jeonggukie,” he sighs. He hopes he’s speaking loud enough for the camera to hear. “I’ve been hooking up with this guy...he’s the best I ever had.” There’s a smile on his lips that he knows the camera cannot see. His mind wanders to the times he’s spent with Taehyung, getting fucked with his tongue, his fingers, his cock; the smallest moan escapes his lips, the blood traveling south. “So good…”and this moan isn’t as clipped.

He cuts his imagination short, sitting up and running his fingers through the black strands as he looks at the camera. He smiles, pinkie slipping between his lips. “I can’t wait for you to meet him.”

And by the grace of whatever deity looks down on Jimin fondly, he hears a faint knock on his apartment door. He gives one last wink to the camera before scurrying off to answer the door.

Jimin still isn’t used to the fiery red of Taehyung’s hair as it simply sits on his head, no need to be styled, unlike with Jimin’s hair. There needs to be some effort with Jimin. Taehyung is flawless, and Jimin is the luckiest to be able to witness that perfection.

“Hey.” Taehyung greets simply, though his voice is low and his eyes are dark. He takes a step forward, not waiting to be allowed into the living room.

“Hi.” Jimin smiles sweetly because he is always so excited whenever he gets to see this man in front of him. Oh, how he’s changed in the last two years that they have known each other. The thin sweater Taehyung wears now hangs nicely from his broad shoulders, clinging to his chest just a bit tighter than how they used to. His neck is thicker, so much room to mark him.

But he knows he can’t…

Jimin pushes those thoughts aside as he wraps one hand around that neck to drag Taehyung into a kiss. It starts out innocent enough -a happy greeting-, but when Jimin pulls back to breathe, the other is already chasing after him, slipping his tongue into the parted, full lips he spent the whole walk thinking about. He had a thing for biting, and the lips were never left unscathed...especially when they looked absolutely sinful when blistery and red, swollen from abuse.

Taehyung pulls back then, his eyes fluttering open to no more than half-lidded as he tugs on the fabric that practically swallows the other whole. “You have my hoodie,” he states simply.

They’re both panting, and Jimin is slowly starting to lose his train of thought, so he nods with a smile. “Looks good on me, right?”

“Shit, is that even a question?” Taehyung yanks Jimin forward so their bodies are molded together, every inch meeting from head to toe. “Gonna let me fuck you against the wall? Let my sweater keep you nice and warm while I work you open?”

God, that mouth. It’s the very thing that drew Jimin in and it wouldn’t be just perfect if it didn’t eat him alive with every word uttered. He shivers at the idea; it’s tempting, that’s for sure.

“M-maybe later.” His breath hitches. “But I need to show you something in my room first.” There’s a frown to Taehyung’s features that makes Jimin take his hand and lead him down a very familiar path to Jimin’s bedroom.

Taehyung doesn’t notice it first, his eyes staying on the back of Jimin’s head as they enter. It isn’t until he’s guided to sit on the foot of his bed that Taehyung realizes the camera looking him in the eyes. With an eyebrow arched, Jimin explains.

“I wanted to try something different.” Jimin sits on his knees next to him, facing his profile as he leans in to whisper in the other’s ear. “I want something to watch when you’re gone off playing ‘Boyfriend’ with Jeongguk.”

Taehyung turns his head at the name mentioned, face colliding with Jimin’s as he breathes the other in. Some part of him aches at the reminder of what he’s doing, but the lust burns more potently, and the idea of punishing this small boy comes to mind. “Told you not to talk about him.”

Their lips are hairsbreadth apart, and Jimin is too focused on how they are touching his. “I’m sorry.” The apology sounds sweetly insincere. “Should I turn the camera off?”

Taehyung’s head shake is subtle but enough since Jimin was on him again, pressing their lips together as the kiss turned open, desperate. He climbs to straddle Taehyung, a lick of fire trailing up his spine at how those hands encompass his waist so perfectly, so securely, like he wouldn’t be able to go anywhere even if he wanted to. And Taehyung swallows his moan when his hands move from Jimin’s hips and around to his ass, nails scratching into the denim fabric when he pulls the other closer.

Some part of Jimin wants to lose himself in the kiss, the way Taehyung’s tongue licks at the inside of his mouth and claims him; he wants to keep grinding down on both their growing lengths, but there’s too many obstacles. Too many layers of clothes. Taehyung must have the same thought as his hands push underneath the hoodie to find bare skin, dragging his fingers up the smooth skin of his back before pulling away.

“Off,” is the only word Taehyung gives, but Jimin understands, slides off the man’s lap to tug off the hoodie and go for the buttons of his jeans. He can feel those dark, deep eyes on him, watching his rather graceless stripshow and Jimin cannot stop the heat that rises up his chest. He plans on complaining once he’s naked, but after his underwear pool at his ankles, hands find their way back to Jimin’s waist, tugging him back into Taehyung’s lap and bringing their mouths together again.

“What about...you?” Jimin asks between kisses.

Taehyung rests his forehead against Jimin’s, panting and trying hard to find some semblance of control. “What do you want me to do?”

A surprised groan falls from Jimin’s lips. So it’s that kind of night, one where Taehyung will make it seem like the other has all the power. “Tell me what you want,” he’ll say; “How and where do you want me?” This kind of power is hardly ever in Jimin’s court, and it’s almost dizzying how fucking hot it gets him.

After a heavy sigh, Jimin says, “T-take your clothes off and sit back down. Wanna make you feel good.”

An obedient Taehyung is rare, Jimin knows this. But that’s what makes the times when the taller pulls out the choker, holds his wrist together, all the more worth it. Not to say that Jimin doesn’t absolutely love the Taehyung that likes to tease, laugh when he begs for more, pulls back just to edge the pleasure until it’s unbearable- no. Jimin has jerked off so many times to a memory of Taehyung pinning his body down and taking what he wants with reckless abandon.

Taehyung pulls at his clothes unceremoniously, subtle glances to the camera that the other catches every second. Jimin can see the cogs turning in that perfect head, and he’s about to ask what he’s thinking.

“Is this for you only?”

The question seems innocent, but a pang of worry creeps into Jimin’s mind. Had he put two and two together?

“It’s just that...you’d look so pretty and if the camera missed anything-”

Jimin promptly shuts the other up with his tongue in his mouth, both with happiness at how willing Taehyung is to try this out, but also at the twitch of his own cock at the idea of having the camera focused solely on him and what he can do to the other man. There’s no doubt about it that Jimin likes to watch himself given he plans on making a career out of observing and making note of the way his body moves and how it can be better, so it doesn’t surprise anyone that he may or may not have a few videos of himself masturbating, fingering himself or using some of his favourite toys (there was a prostate massager he bought and tried out with Taehyung. It was then categorized as a toy for special times because that thing was powerful).

When they finally part, Taehyung stands and reaches for the camera, plopping back down on the bed and ignoring the squeak as he turns to focus the camera on Jimin. “As you were,” he says with a chuckle.

There’s a sultry glint to Jimin’s eyes, a smile none too pure as he sinks to his knees, first holding Taehyung’s gaze before giving a wink to the camera as he starts of trail of soft pecks on the inside of Taehyung’s thighs.

It doesn’t even feel real when Taehyung watches everything from the viewfinder, can’t comprehend that the face he sees in the camera is the same one that is between his legs at this very instant. That is, until Jimin’s lips come to kiss Taehyung’s stiff cock. It’s a featherlight touch, one he hardly feels but it only makes him ache for more. Lucky for Taehyung, Jimin doesn’t tease all that much, and soon enough the other licks up the underside until he can wrap his lips around the head.

Taehyung nearly loses his grip on the device in his hand, stuck between wanting to watch the man as he actually takes his time to thoroughly coat his dick or watch it all unfold through the viewfinder. His brain chooses for him, opting to weave his fingers through the raven strands as he watches Jimin’s head bob up and down his length.

The elder revels in the low, husky sounds that come from the man above him, how his voice reverberates through his body, allows him to feel just as much as he can hear how much he affects Kim Taehyung. The hand in his hair tightens a fraction when Jimin feels he can take more of the other’s cock, fighting back his gag reflex and never stopping the swirl of his tongue as he goes further down. Curses fly out frantically and it encases the smaller man on his knees, the sounds going to his own hard member, and he needs some type of friction to alleviate the pressure. The hand not holding Taehyung’s dick sits in a fist on his own thigh, itching to just move and palm at his own boner- no. No, Taehyung will make him feel good. He always does.

Taehyung bucks his hips up just as Jimin finally manages him down his throat, swallowing thickly at the intrusion and trying hard not force him out. It feels too good, Jimin’s mouth. So wet, hot, addictive, Taehyung just wants to continue. But when he looks through the camera just as Jimin looks up, he knows they can’t keep this up for long. He wants to fuck Jimin every way he knows how; fucking needs to.

With the grip he has on Jimin’s scalp, he tugs the man off his cock, a string of saliva connecting his bottom, swollen lip to the red and angry head. He doesn’t give his lover a minute to breathe before he drags Jimin into a searing kiss, probably not getting a good angle with the camera, but at this very moment, fuck the camera.

Jimin desperately needs air but also desperately needs to keep kissing Taehyung, and a whimper bubbles in his chest as his body fights for its basic necessity. Taehyung tears them apart, pupils wide and focused on the dishevelled man in front of him. His voice is a growl when he speaks.

“Put the camera back and lay on the bed.”

When Jimin feels level-headed enough, he pouts, knowing good and well how great he must look right now. “But I thought I was in charge tonight.”

The red head laughs even though there’s nothing amusing about Jimin’s statement. He only gives a nod before standing up, the few inches he has on the other boy playing well into the dominant act as he leans down, their faces leveled with each other.

“Be a good boy and put the fucking camera back and lay on the fucking bed.”

Without a word, Jimin does as he is told, taking the camera to put back on his dresser and walking past Taehyung, ready to sit down when the other tells him to lay “on his stomach”.

He rolls over, lying horizontally across the bed so that the camera can easily capture their profiles. Jimin feels the bed dip underneath him and waits in anticipation.

He starts at the nape of Jimin's neck, a soft peck to contrast the hard member that slots between Jimin's cheeks. Taehyung loves when Jimin melts under his touch, becomes relaxed and sated with the softest touches. He keeps going, creating a searing path down the elder's spine, eyes focused on the way his muscles seem to simultaneously relax and tense with his actions.

When he gets to Jimin's ass, he stops, attentive to the boy of the other's head. "Why so tense?" he taunts, grabbing the globes of Jimin's ass and spreading them apart, kneading them just to hear how Jimin's breath stutter.

Park Jimin, the unabashed fiend he is, has the nerve to act shy, pleading with a small voice and reluctant to look back and meet the eyes of the man that makes him feel insane with pleasure.

And Kim Taehyung, the smart man he is, falls for it every goddamn time.

The first long lick to his hole leaves Jimin with tight muscles, as if he's never been eaten out before. On the contrary, Taehyung was the master at using his tongue in the most sinful, dirty ways imaginable. Every time would always feel like the first.

With his hands resting at Jimin's hips, Taehyung gives another tentative lick, making sure to start at his perineum, the tip of his tongue getting caught on his rim.

"Shit," Jimin hisses, clenching around air while his dick twitches where it's trapped between him and the bed. "Just...fuck...please."

He shivers at the responding chuckle, Taehyung's hot breath fanning across his hole. "Want me to fuck you with my tongue? Get you nice and wet for me cock?"

The heat that shoots up his spine leaves Jimin panting, the images in his head getting him even more eager for the other's tongue. He nods frantically , pressing his cheek into the cotton of his duvet. When he catches the red light of the camera, he grins, another bout of lust to fuel him when he thinks about how incredible they must look and-

"Oh, fuck!" keens the elder, jerking away from the pleasure as Taehyung dives in, sucking at his rim and dipping the wet muscle inside only to pull it out. Always the tease even when he's getting down to business.

His eyes are closed to the world, focusing on the pleasure the other gives him. He doesn't even try to hold back the noises, the moans, whimpers, groans, breathy cries. When Taehyung finally licks inside him, pushing his tongue in to stretch his walls, Jimin falls silent, mouth open and fingers curling into the sheets.

Taehyung groans low when he feels Jimin clench around him, hardly able to fuck him properly. "Relax, baby," he soothes before he's going back in to thrust his muscle in and out.

It's too much, the heat searing Jimin's skin and there is no relief in sight. His heart hammers in his chest, blood ringing in his ears and dick curled tightly to his stomach. He needs to relieve some of the pressure, rub against his bed, get a hand around himself- something. But when he tries to wriggle away, Taehyung only clamps down on his hips more, trapping him to just take whatever the other will give him, and Jimin is never sure if he's ready for the onslaught.

And then he feels a finger press inside beside his tongue, and a tremor racks through his body, burying his face in his elbow while white spots dance behind his closed eyelids.

Jimin's words are muffled, but Taehyung think the other is saying "please" over and over. He could stay back here for all of eternity, making the other fall apart on his tongue and fingers. But the way his walls flutter around him, he cannot exactly forget how incredible Jimin feels around his cock.

He needs to fuck him into the mattress. Fucking yesterday.

Taehyung pulls away, admiring the way the other whines but ultimately stays in place. He quickly grabs the bottle of lube he knows is stashed under Jimin's pillow (easy access is how Jimin explains it) and crawls back to hover over the boy panting with a slight sheen of sweat coating his fair skin.

"Want something, gorgeous?" taunts the red head, watching as the other arches his back in search of him while he slicks up his fingers. "You are in charge, after all," he whispers into Jimin's ear, faintly feeling the goosebumps that rise under his light touch.

There's a moment of silence where Jimin thinks of what to say: "get your tongue back in me", "tear me apart", "fuck me so I can feel it for days". But his brain doesn't work so well when he's already high like this, not being able to make his mouth work properly when his brain is damn near fried. "Fuck me," he commands simply, eyes fluttering to meet Taehyung's.

The answer must be good enough for him, a lazy smirk on his lips as he leans down to nibble at Jimin's neck, all the while running his lube coated fingers over his already spit-slick entrance. He can tell the elder is holding his breath, waiting to be breached. It would be amusing to Taehyung if he wasn't also holding some crazy amount of self-control himself.

The first finger goes in easily, a sigh of relief escaping Jimin's bloodshot lips. He looks sedated, calm. That changes, however, when Taehyung decides that Jimin can take another, the fit more snug as he curls two long fingers deep inside the silk walls of his ass. Black strands matting to his forehead, Jimin seems to be in some state of euphoria with Taehyung’s fingers massaging at his inner walls. Satisfyingly beautiful.

The furrow in Jimin’s brow deepens when Taehyung expertly grazes the other’s prostate, still thrusting slowly, making sure to stroke at that bundle of nerves every time. He allows the boy under him to twist about, trying to get his fingers deeper, make him go harder. With a frustrated sigh, Jimin snarls.

“Harder, please.”

And there’s that laugh, the one that both makes Jimin feel safe and riles him up all in one. “Since you asked so nicely…”

A slight burn comes when Taehyung adds the third finger, making Jimin clamp around him, inhaling deeply.

Fuck, he would feel so amazing around Taehyung’s cock.

The redhead leaves wet kisses on Jimin’s shoulder, helping him to loosen up so Taehyung can prepare him until all he feels is pleasure. Not a minute later and Jimin is back to moaning, his voice angelic and filthy all at once, making Taehyung’s neglected cock twitch in excitement. He doesn’t think he can wait any longer, burying his fingers inside to press at Jimin’s prostate until he’s drawn tight, only a squeak to get past his lips.

Jimin threads his fingers through the fiery tresses, yanking Taehyung down so he can whisper into the other’s mouth, “Get your dick inside me now.”

Taehyung obeys, quickly removing his fingers and grabbing the bottle to pour some lube onto his member, hissing slightly at the cool liquid that meets hot flesh. He coats his dick evenly, mixing in the lube with the precum that’s pooled at the head before he falls back over Jimin, grabbing his cheeks to spread him, watch the way his hole flutters.

“Shit, baby,” Taehyung hisses, taking one hand away to guide himself in. “Gonna fuck you open so you feel me for days.” He doesn’t give Jimin much time to respond with anything other than a whine as he thrusts forward, not stopping until he’s completely sheathed in Jimin’s tight, wet heat. A stream of curses leave him before he even realizes, his head falling to rest at the nape of Jimin’s neck.

The other isn’t faring so well, either, breathing uneven as his body tries to adjust to Taehyung’s size, the feeling of him bottoming out something he can never get used to. He stays deathly still for what feels like hours before he starts to push back even though Taehyung hasn’t left him much room.

“Move, Tae,” Jimin pleads, head dropped between his shoulders.

And, of course, Taehyung does as he’s told because he doesn’t need to be told twice. He starts slow, making sure Jimin feels every inch as it slides out and back inside. But with the way Jimin contracts around him, Taehyung isn’t sure how long he can keep this up. The elder seems to hold the same sentiment.

Taehyung feels a smaller hand scramble to grab to his ass, using his strength to drag Taehyung impossibly deeper. “Harder, fuck.” And again...who is Taehyung to deny his baby what he wants?

Jimin gets the breath knocked out of him when Taehyung snaps his hips harshly, but he loves it. Loves the sting when the other’s hip slam against his ass. Their bodies fit so perfectly together, uneven breaths synced to a rhythm that just flows. Jimin would be lying if he didn’t admit that he just loves them together. Thinks it’s perfection, just like the man pounding into his ass.

His vision goes white when Taehyung shifts and nails his prostate. His head falls to the bed, muffled screams and professions of “there, there, there,” leave his mouth  with his eyes screwed shut. But Taehyung must hear him since he pulls back until he’s on his knees, grabbing the other’s hips to pick up his pace.

Jimin’s nails dig into Taehyung’s skin, and they both forget the younger’s rule of no marking, because how can he explain to Jeongguk why there are scratches on his ass like that? Jimin needs both hands to clamour at the sheets, though, white-knuckling the duvet while Taehyung shows no signs of slowing down.

He’s burning up from the inside out, fire prickling his every nerve, and he can’t take it. “Tae,” he mumbles weakly, his brain short-circuiting while he gets pounded into the mattress. There’s no way he won’t feel this in every muscle of his being. Fuck.

Eyes fluttering open, Jimin meets the camera that stares them down once again, and a wicked idea enters his hardly functioning brain. With trembling hands, Jimin palms at Taehyung’s hip, pushing him away.

Taehyung stops immediately, worry painting his features as he pulls away and examines the boy beneath him. “You okay? Something wrong?”

If Jimin wasn’t such an diabolical shit, he would probably find this adorable. But he has a plan set and he will see it through. “Let me ride you.” His voice is fucked, a mere croak from the abuse it’s gotten tonight.

The words seem to lag in Taehyung’s head, but once it all catches up with him, he groans, falling forward to capture Jimin’s lips in a frantic kiss that only uses tongue. He pulls away after a minute, flopping next to Jimin and grabbing at his waist. “Yeah, ride me, baby.”

Jimin musters whatever strength he has left to crawl into the other’s lap, not wasting a minute before he’s sliding down on the other’s cock. He sits there, barely moving his hips as he revels in how deep Taehyung is inside of him. He’s going to feel this, for sure.

Taehyung’s hands on Jimin’s waist urge him to move, and Jimin allows it, covering the other’s hands with his own as he uses the muscles in his thighs to bounce up and down on Taehyung.

Taehyung’s orgasm creeps on him, allowing him to enjoy the feel of satin walls massaging his hard member, sucking him in and gripping him tight. But when he feels it, it practically hits him like a freight train, and suddenly he’s thrusting up into Jimin’s heat just as the other sinks down, slamming into his prostate head on.

“Fuck, Tae!” cries out Jimin as he falls forward, thighs trembling while Taehyung continues to pistol into his hole. He thighs clamp around the other’s waist, forcing him higher and higher until Taehyung yanks him down by his hips, keeping him still. “Shit, shitshitshit- right there Tae, fu-”

Taehyung groans, enjoying the view of Jimin falling apart above him. “That’s it, baby. Fucking take it like a good boy.” The keen Jimin responds with is music to his ringing ears. He needs to cum, but he won’t until Jimin finishes first. “Gonna cum for me, baby?”

That seems to sober Jimin up just a bit, enough for him to open his eyes, pupils blown and staring Taehyung down.

“Say his name.”

Taehyung’s brain racks for understanding, still too caught up in ecstasy to understand the command. “What?” he pants. His head falls back into the covers when Jimin clenches around him so deliciously tight. He can feel it, his climax just standing there at the edge. “Who?”

Jimin rolls his hips languidly, reveling in how Taehyung’s pace stutters. “Say his name for me, baby.”

With a growl, Taehyung heaves himself up, wrapping an arm around the other’s waist to keep him seated, keep himself buried balls deep. Jimin’s jaw drops in a silent cry, walls tightening around the other like a vice grip.

“Fuck, Jimin,” Taehyung moans, voice reaching some deeper octave that vibrates through the other’s bones, makes him feel it in every inch of his being. “Cum for me, baby. I know you can.”

Jimin can feel it all over, the way Taehyung’s cock sits so perfectly inside him that his body screams for release; his toes curl just as his fingers grip at the other’s shoulders, some last effort to hold on for dear life as the euphoria drips from his pores, surges through his veins and leaves him locked tight. Cum spurts from his untouched cock, not like he can see it with where his face is buried in the other’s neck to muffle the litany of high pitched sobs and tears that threaten to leak from his eyes.

Taehyung can’t swallow back the hearty groan that rips from his chest, his dick suffocated in the burning walls that contract so exquisitely around him. He tries to focus on holding onto Jimin as he shakes violently, keeping him close while he comes down from his high.

“We’re not done,” he reminds the other, feeling the way he licks at the salt on his neck. Jimin pulls back to see his face, cheeks and neck flushed in a deep red, hair matted to his head and eyes wet. Cute, Taehyung thinks, holding onto Jimin’s waist as he rolls them over, keeping himself buried inside the other.

Jimin is weak, but he still grips Taehyung’s biceps as the other fucks him almost furiously, chasing his own orgasm and rubbing at his sensitive nub. The tears from before trail down, mixing in with the sweat on his face as he arches, unsure of whether he wants to get away or pull Taehyung closer.

“Shit,” he hears the other curse, bending down to encompass Jimin completely as his thrusts get sporadic. “Chim…baby -fuck- you feel so good.” He licks messily at the sweat on his neck before he bites down, eliciting a weak moan from the other.

Jimin turns his head, giving the other room to mark him like he knows Taehyung loves to do. For the time before, Jimin is okay with the one-sidedness. One day, he’s sure it won’t matter who marks who. Again, his eyes meet the camera, and he’s sure his grin does not seem all too innocent, all too playful.

“Taehyung,” he sighs, still looking at the camera. “Cum for me, baby.”

And, of course, Jimin is in charge tonight, right? It’s almost instant how Taehyung pushes forward, burying himself to the hilt as he feels his orgasm flow through him, muscles strained and shaking with every blow. And Jimin milks him beautifully.

Neither are sure how long they stay like that, both more than happy to stay connected like this. But there is a very present feeling of cool cum drying on their chests, and Taehyung pulls away, pulling out and flopping onto his back next to Jimin.

They lay there quietly, only a second or two passing before Jimin giggles lightly. “I won.”

Still letting his blood flow at a normal speed, Taehyung slowly turns to face Jimin. “Didn’t realize we were playing a game.”

Jimin giggles again. Taehyung doesn’t understand. It’s almost precious. “Can you turn the camera off for me? I don’t think I can move.”

Though Taehyung clicks his tongue, he still sits up. Jimin must still be in charge.

“And carry me to the shower!” he adds, plastering on a sickly sweet smile.

“Tch, why are we showering?” asks a very confused Taehyung. When Jimin mirrors back the same expression, Taehyung smiles sneakily. “Baby,” he drawls, tone deep and primal. “Did you think we were done? Put that hoodie back on and follow me.”

Now Jimin is the one to obey, sitting up and watching as Taehyung turns off the camera, staring through the lens as the red light goes off.

Jeongguk wakes with a start on Saturday morning, feeling well-rested after passing out at 11pm; quite the feat for a college student. Plus, the sun is shining through his window and really, who can ignore an obnoxious shining sun?

Speaking of shining suns…

Jeongguk feels at his nightstand, grabbing at his phone and rolling over to his side. He’s sure his boyfriend isn’t awake yet, always taking the opportunities to sleep in late. He still decides to leave a morning message, asking him when he’s coming over so he can figure out how much time he has until he’s bombarded with his crazy love.

The day is lazy, much to Jeongguk’s fortune. He parks himself on the couch after fixing a bowl of cereal, feeling his bones mold comfortably with the fabric and he knows he won’t have the energy to get up and put his bowl in the sink (that is what boyfriends are for).

And soon his laptop is pulled onto his legs, the white noise of the television filling in the empty air as he mindlessly goes through social media. He almost misses the Instant Message that pops up on his screen, saying it's from a number he didn’t even remember he still had: Park Jimin

Jeongguk contemplates leaving it unread, but it doesn’t seem to be one he can get away with reading whatever comes up in the notification because it’s a video.

Their friendship hadn’t lasted all that long, Jeongguk befriending the elder male in his first level hip hop class when he was just a freshman. He’d seemed nice enough, tolerant, eager to help him whenever he needed help. The thing was that Jimin was already pretty much classically trained, having gone to performing arts schools and studying modern dance for most of his life. He’d just signed up for the class to get a taste of the “other side” as Jimin had put it.

But not a month later, Jimin had set up a time to hang out with both Jeongguk and Jimin’s stunning friend from his calc class. Kim Taehyung was something out of a high fashion magazine, effortlessly beautiful and unique. Jeongguk had hoped he hadn’t seemed so smitten after just one meeting, but Taehyung will admit that he could tell the moment they had parted ways.

And Jeongguk remembers when he told Jimin that he and Taehyung were going on a date another month after that, the way Jimin tripped over his own feet and sputtered like a fish out of water. Jeongguk would have been lying if he didn’t mention that he noticed the way Jimin spoke of Taehyung, how Jeongguk noticed the way he’d bodily throw himself into the taller man’s arms when he laughed or how he’d always find a reason to whisper in his ear. Jeongguk may have been young, but he was not so oblivious. Jimin had a thing for Taehyung, and if the night went right (which, obviously, it did), Jeongguk would be the one holding Taehyung’s hand and hiding his hickies (or not trying at all) from the public eye.

That is where the friendship of Jeon Jeongguk and Park Jimin ended.

So, he’s quite surprised when he sees the bubble appear with Jimin’s admittedly handsome face.

Ignoring his better judgement, Jeongguk clicks open the chat, noting how it says they haven’t spoken in over one and a half years. The thumbnail of the video is pretty hard to decipher, but he thinks it’s Jimin, laying on his bed. He presses play.

The video starts out simply, Jimin walking back and forth in front of the camera before sitting heavily at the foot of his bed, then fall back with his arms splayed out.

“Jeonggukie, I’ve been hooking up with this guy...he’s the best I ever had.” His voice sounds airy, happy, and Jeongguk is left only slightly confused. Yes, that would explain the times Jimin has came to class with bruises all over his neck (and sometimes on his thighs, if he hiked his shorts up high enough). But why would Jeongguk care?

Jeongguk hears him moan, “So good…” and really, Jeongguk is about to pause it and just message Jimin when he sees the subject sit up, a tight grin on his face. “I can’t wait for you to meet him.”

Jeongguk almost expects Hoseok, one of their TA’s, because they had both speculated the older man’s sexuality, and maybe Jimin was trying to find a way to make up with the younger...funny way of doing it, but who is Jeongguk to judge?

Intrigued, Jeongguk continues watching as there’s the faintest knock at Jimin’s door. He’s gone for about half a minute or so, the time stamp reads out. And when he comes back in, Jeongguk’s heart drops to his stomach, probably trying to drag himself to hell. It’s not Jung Hoseok.

But his boyfriend.

Kim Fucking Taehyung.

No. No this can’t be real. Jeongguk wants to stop watching, doesn’t want to see it all unfold, but it’s like a trainwreck that he can’t take his eyes off of.

It’s when Taehyung has Jimin pinned to the bed that Jeongguk’s vision goes blurry, and he’s almost thankful for the tears the obstruct his vision because his boyfriend, his love, his Taehyung...has been lying to him.

His eyes are glued to the scene, so he doesn’t notice when Taehyung sends him a message that he’s heading up to his apartment. He doesn’t notice until the front door opens, and he finally tears his eyes away from the monstrosity in front of him to see the perpetrator, standing there with the same black hoodie Jimin had started the video wearing, holding a plastic bag of almond cookies.

The room is silent, safe for the video that plays.

“I won.”

A/N: Whew boy. I would say I’m sorry but a very tiny part of me feels bad. Actually some pretty good discussions happened in the comments of the AO3 posting. Any feedback is always welcomed ^-^

[rosesisupposes]

Destined, part 22

aka The Missing Prints

Character Tags: Virgil/Anixety ; Patton/Creativity ; Patton/Morality ; Logan/Logic ; Remy/Sleep ; Dante/Deceit

Chapter Pairings: Prinxiety, Logicality, mention of Anxceit

Chapter Warnings: Graphic description of violence, Visions of Major Character Death, Swearing

Specific content warning note: Graphic descriptions of violence and depicted MCD from "The world twists upon itself..." to "Hands grabbed him and shook him..."

Reader Tags: @residentanchor @royally-anxious @bewarethegrammarpolice   @nightmarebeforevirgil​ @jemthebookworm @arandompasserby  @sparkly-rainbow-salt

Summary: After centuries of acting as an oracle to heroes, quest-seekers, and villains alike, Virgil just wants to live as a normal, modern human. For someone who can see infinite probabilities, you’d think he’d know better.

<<Chapter 21 | Masterlist | Chapter 23>>

read on ao3

Virgil was used to being nervous. Kind of par for the course, when you’ve spent thousands of years watching single decisions transform the course of lives and centuries. That nervousness was the kind that paralyzed him, sent him into weeks- or years-long stupors of contemplating the butterfly effects of human life. He was also getting happily used to this new type of nervousness that spawned in Roman’s presence, this fluttery feeling that made him want to babble out all his feelings, float away in champagne bubbles, or just run into the sunset with Roman’s hand in his.

Roman hadn’t responded to any of his texts since last night, including the “Let me know when you’re home safe” text. He wasn’t sure which type of nervous he should be feeling, but he was probably going to err on the side of overwhelming terror.

He went to How You Brewin’ as normal, but couldn’t suppress his jitters.

“Remy, is it a bad sign that Roman isn’t texting me back?”

“Girl, chill. You just started dating, don’t even worry about it.”

Fat chance of that, Virgil thought to himself. But Remy hadn’t been caught up in the drama of the past few days. He wasn’t on edge, and had no reason to be.

Virgil tried not to ruminate too much through the morning rush. Any moment now, Roman would blow in, all red and white and glamorous smile, and he’d ask for something ridiculous, like a jumbo latte with 13 pumps of vanilla syrup.

Any moment now.

Any moment.

The morning crowds left, as did Remy. Logan came in as normal, and lingered in the bakery, waiting for Patton to emerge from the back. When the baker did so, Virgil could have sworn the sun had risen again right there across the bakery counter, a solar flare of smiles reunited. Logan’s lost glasses were replaced by seldom-used contacts which only served to make it easier to see just how delighted he was to see Patton again.

Virgil, meanwhile, was checking his phone obsessively.

Okay, let’s assess the situation. I’ve sent a lot of texts. And he hasn’t responded once. So what should I do now??

I should send just one more text anndddd sent.

Nostradamus, what am I DOING?

Okay, he clearly could not handle this on his own. It was time to bring in backup. He checked quickly for customers then scuttled over to the bakery. Logan and Patton looked up at him from where they’d been holding hands as Logan leaned on the counter. Something in his face clearly told them both that this was important enough to warrant the interruption. Logan steered Virgil to an easy chair while Patton brought him an apple turnover, still warm. They both sat as close together as possible on a small couch next to Virgil’s chair and waited expectantly for him to explain.

“It’s Roman,” he blurted out. “He’s not responding. Normally I would think that you know, we just spent a whole day together and he needs a break from me but I can’t shake the feeling that something is very, very wrong. And… it might be my fault.”

Patton leaned across Logan to pat Virgil’s knee. “Kiddo, I’m sure it’s not your fault - what could you have possibly done to cause him pain?”

“It’s not what I could have done, but what someone else could have done because of how I got him involved…” Virgil put his head in his hands. This was no good. He was going to have to explain everything for this to make any sense. “I asked you both for advice before, and you helped me make the right choice. At least, I think it was the right choice. And I don’t know who else to trust. Plus… you’ve both already lived through the effects.” His eyes flicked sadly to the bruise on Logan’s temple. Someone had clearly helped cover it with makeup - Virgil suspected it had been Talyn, but even their skill wasn’t quite enough to hide the swelling.

He swallowed nervously.  “I’m about to tell you both something that is going to sound incredibly weird and possibly delusional, but I swear it is all true.” Logan looked cautiously skeptical already, but Patton wasn’t showing any emotion except calm acceptance.

Virgil took a deep breath and said, “I am not human. I am an immortal being called a Sage. I can touch people’s hands and see the possible paths their life will take. As part of that power, I am obligated not to share specific details, but give only hints towards that person’s pivotal choice through riddles- the way I’ve been taught since I came into being at the Oracle of Delphi approximately 3400 years ago.”

Virgil stopped and looked up at his friends. Both were staring with wide eyes, Patton’s mouth hanging open. Neither seemed able to form a verbal response just yet, so Virgil plowed forward.

“Just over 500 years ago, I read the destiny of a sorcerer who wanted to rule the world and was willing to destroy anything or anyone who got in his way. Luckily, back then, he was defeated. Six days ago, however, I ran into him here, not too far from my apartment, and saw that he was back to try again. This man, Dante, was your kidnapper. He wanted your research to find people like me, magical beings who are still left in the world. That’s what those genetic anomalies were, Lo. They were me, and him, and all the other remaining magic folk left in the world. I thought at the lab that Roman had killed Dante in his shape-shifted snake form… but now, I’m not so sure. He’s cheated death so many times, and he will blame us - well, blame me - for being the common thread in his defeats. And I… I am so nervous that he’s gone after Roman for revenge. Or maybe just as bait. But even if it is a trap, it will work, because I cannot let anything happen to Roman, not if there is anything I can do to stop it. But I don’t know what to do.”

He stopped talking and forced himself to breathe. His heart was pounding and he felt slightly delirious.

After several minutes of stunned silence in which Virgil imagined he could practically hear the bullshit alarms going off in his listeners’ minds, Logan recovered first. “Well. That is quite a lot of… new... information. Thank you for clarifying that my attacker - Dante, you said his name was? - actually did turn into a snake. I thought I’d seen a snake in the lab but was worried it was just the concussion speaking.”

“I also saw that, I thought I’d taken a blow to the copperhead ,” Patton added. The pun didn’t have quite the baker’s normal level of delight, but Virgil appreciated his attempt at lightening the mood. From the twitch at the side of his mouth, Virgil could tell that Logan did too.

Logan steered back to the matter at hand. “So, let me get this straight-”

“Good luck with that,” Virgil muttered.

“You can see possible futures. And the string of events that lead to them. When you asked us for advice before, that’s what it was about? Whether or not to share what you knew.”

“I already had seen Dante’s futures, and Roman was included in them,” Virgil said, nodding.  “I was trying to decide if I should offer to look through all of Roman’s futures too, try to give him as much preparation as possible, but was worried about how once you know, you’re locked in. It makes choices a little less free because of the very fact of knowing the nature of the future you could be working towards. The question of free choice versus determinism becomes a lot less hypothetical when you see the future the way I do. I don’t know that I thanked you enough. You both helped a lot - I was so worried about Roman’s ability to make free choices in the future that I lost sight of the freedom of choice I was preventing him from having in that moment.”

Logan chewed on this information. “Your… ability, this, uh, magic .” He shook his head as if to clear it. “I can’t believe I’ve spent my whole life researching the natural world and am just suddenly finding out ‘oh hey, magic exists and also your wingman is an immortal magic being.’ But, well, we can discuss this more later. Can you see where Roman is now? Or Dante, who is a sorcerer , you said?”

Virgil shook his head, shame-faced. “I wish I could see him. It only works if I have direct contact, both hands on their skin. And yes, he’s a sorcerer or wizard. One of those, I’m not positive which. A human with the ability to do magic without a wand.”

“Well, if you can’t see Roman or Evil Snakey Man,” Patton offered, “why don’t you try looking for yourself? If there’s a possibility that Roman is in danger and you rescue him, you’d be able to see that in your own future, right?”

Virgil was stunned. The idea had never even occurred to him. “I… that’s… I don’t even know if that’s possible . It’s definitely not allowed by the Sage’s Law, which are the rules that we have sworn to follow.”

“Patton’s right,” Logan said, an approving hand on the baker’s knee. “It seems the only logical option - seek the information that is available to you before you make a decision. What would be the consequences if such an act of seeking indeed breaks this ‘Law’ but you are able to do so?”

Virgil could feel his breath coming faster, his heart rate increasing. Outright breaking the Law? The one constant that he’d kept as a guide for over three millennia? “My brethren would punish me, somehow. I don’t know what they’d do. But,” he admitted, “it would likely take them a while to get to it. Their sense of time is a little off.”

“If Roman is really in danger, are you willing to risk it?” Patton asked softly.

Virgil looked straight into Patton’s blue-grey eyes and saw nothing but understanding and affection. His jitters were nowhere near gone, but the uncertainty vanished. “I… yes. Yes, I am. If it means keeping him safe, I’ll do anything.”

Logan placed hand on the violet-haired man’s shoulder. “Then I think it is indeed worth a try. Can we help or support you in any way?”

“I just… I need to think,” Virgil whispered, closing his eyes.

Virgil was terrified. Not for himself, but for Roman. His friend and newly-minted boyfriend. Was this a punishment for pulling an innocent man into a destiny he hadn’t sought out? Did he bring this upon them all from his foolish attempt to be a human rather than a Sage?

His brethren might be merciless. They might cut him off from the ether, turning him mortal. They might forcibly bring him back into the ether, ending his human life and ensuring that he remain a spirit for the rest of eternity. They could even do both, if they were feeling particularly displeased: kill his current form and cut him off from his connection. He’d be truly dead then, with absolutely no chance of returning. There was no way of knowing what action they’d take, or if what Virgil was about to attempt was a heinous enough offense to warrant any punishment at all.

All he knew was that he was willing to risk both eternal life and this finite one if it meant Roman would be safe. He took a deep breath, summoning his power, and linked his own arms, forearm to forearm.

He sees a world like the current one. Humans thrive. Magic is invisible to the point of nonexistence. He sees Roman, alive, happy, safe . His heart is soothed until he realizes - he can’t see himself in this future.

The world twists upon itself. He sees natural disasters and apocalypses, the world spinning too fast, the sun collapsing and exploding in a brilliant supernova that stretches to infinity and leaves behind vast nothingness.

He sees himself as Supreme Ruler over humankind and magic folk alike, dragons returning and fairies dancing.

He sees himself at Dante’s side, the man’s former beauty fully restored. He is clinging to his lovers’ arm, doted upon by the sorcerer-king and tended to by the humans that labor in servitude to their magical overlords.

He sees Dante die, himself die, Roman die. And Patton die. And Logan, and Remy, and Virgil’s landlady, and Remy’s boyfriend Antony, and Joan and Talyn and the bakafé’s regulars, Heather and her daughter and Emile and and and...

He sees Roman’s death over and over in hundreds of futures. Now, Dante transforms into a massive adder and tears a chunk out of his shoulder. Now, Roman’s theatre burns in dragonfire, the princely man trapped inside by a falling set as he desperately pushes the last of his cast to safety. Now Virgil himself sends Roman to a labor camp, Dante grinning smugly at his elbow. Roman leaps in front of a witch’s curse in the last fight of the Human Rebellion, keeping Logan and Patton alive for just a few more minutes. Dante chokes Roman to death, holding him up by a vice-like grip on his neck, legs flailing desperately in midair until they go still. Roman, gaunt and hollow-cheeked, dies of starvation in an unknown ruin. Dante breaks Roman’s ribs in his serpentine coils. Roman dies of old age, alone in a dark retirement home. Roman’s blood drips sluggishly down his chest as he is forced to watch Dante kiss Virgil’s neck, and the sorcerer’s casual gesture sends another iron spike through his body- enough to continue killing him, never enough to let him die outright. Roman is in a hospital as a heart monitor slowly blips to flatline. Roman kisses Virgil desperately as an unavoidable blast of magical energy hurtles towards them both. Patton and Roman both watch in horror as Patton thrusts a sword directly through the Roman’s heart, compelled to act against his will by a vindictive fairy’s spell. Roman dies falling from a tower. Roman dies at a furious sprite’s hands, crushed under falling stone. Roman dies. Roman dies. Roman dies.

Tears pour down Virgil’s cheeks. He can’t find the crux. Where is the one choice? What is the future decision that will put the world on the correct path? Who can save the only person he’s ever loved?

Hands grabbed him and shook him to wakefulness. Logan held both his shoulders, pale and visibly shaken, but forcing himself to remain calm. Patton was turned away, glasses on the table beside him, weeping silently. Virgil stared at them both through red-rimmed eyes. He’d broken the Law, risked his powers, and what did he have to show for it? He hadn’t seen anyone whose choice would shape these futures.

But… perhaps that didn’t mean it had been useless. All these years, he’d been sought out by those who didn’t know better, hoping to make the best out of uncertainty. What had he given them? Guidance? That guidance had been a road map to an untimely death as often as not. Following the Law of Sages hadn’t changed that. He’d followed every rule with Kat and she’d died as surely as Colan had. Yes, she’d had a fuller lifetime, but the end result was the same. She’d died, as surely as Baxter had, and Vorel, and Pasithee. What value did his gift add, compared to the pain it had caused, and the tradeoffs he’d made?

His long, long life had been temples, grottos, and mountain caves. Isolation or captivity. His Seekers has been young and old, brave and cowardly, good and evil. And in all his thousands of years on this earth, he’d felt more alive in these last few weeks than ever before. He’d been watching humanity skitter to and fro for eons and only just now understood how wonderful and wonderfully imperfect they could be. And never, in all these years, had his own choices been a part of any future.

All these lives he’d lived. All those false choices he’d presented- were they ever really different? They all lead to death. The ersatz hopes had stacked on each other into a tottering tower that was his present, and there was only one thing keeping it all from collapsing with an impact that would reverberate through his entire past and future. 

These men. These friends . He’d never felt such easy and sudden connection before, had never felt able to trust anyone so completely- Patton, Roman, even Remy. Even Logan, despite it feeling less direct with the scientist. Each of them echoed with familiarity, a thin and whispered melody as old as his power and just as intimate. Why did he feel as if he’d known them before? Why could he picture each of them alive and surrounding him in each one of his past lives?

It couldn’t be magic. He would have been able to sense if any of them were a magical creature. But then why did he feel like these friends of his had weathered and waited through the ages just as surely as he had? As surely as Dante had?

He believed necessarily in the power of choice and free will, but he was not such a fool to stop believing in meaningful coincidence. These men, all of them, meant something to him. And he’d be fucked (sorry, Patton) if he wouldn’t do all he could to protect them. And when he’d looked for a decision-maker in all those possible futures, he hadn’t seen anyone… except himself. 

“Dear Cassandra, forgive me. I can’t just stand by any longer,” he whispered. He grabbed his backpack from beyond the bar and started throwing in anything and everything that his own futures had shown to be useful. “Patton, Logan,” he called over his shoulder. “I’m sorry I can’t explain more right now, but I know where Roman is, and I’m going to save him. If you want to risk it and help, I’ll be at the corner of Canterbury and Laurel. Bring flashlights, and be on your guard. Tell Remy I’m sorry for ditching my shift.” The bell over the door clanged urgently, and he was gone.

Patton watched him go, still in shock. He’d never seen so much pain on one person’s face. Not even in the foster homes he’d lived in before his forever family found him. He wasn’t sure if Virgil knew he’d been continuing to cry as he’d whirled out of the cafe. It hurt his heart to see his young - well, not so young, apparently - friend grieve and suffer right in front of him, his eyes glowing a painfully bright white as tears flowed without stopping. Patton hadn’t been able to bear it, and had had to look away as he begged Logan to “Wake him up, please, God, wake him up!”

Logan turned to him now, and without a word embraced him tightly. Patton hugged back, tears seeping into the other man’s black polo.

“Patton… I’m sorry you had to see that. You’re so gentle and good and…” Logan shuddered, and took a deep breath. “And that was painful to watch.” The blonde head laying on his shoulder nodded. “I don’t want to pretend we’re not both scared, but… I want to help Roman. I want to help Virgil, no matter who he is. Or what he is. After you all saved me… I owe them both that much. But if you can’t or don’t want to, I won’t think any less of you. It’s a scary, uncertain situation, and we’re walking in blind. The sensible option is to avoid it.”

Patton lifted his head, eyes puffy. “Who ever said I’m sensible? They’re our friends, and they’re in trouble.” He took a deep, shuddering breath, and picked up his glasses from where they’d fallen on his lap. “We have other options, but there’s only one right choice. I have flashlights under the bakery counter,  next to the first aid kit. You go grab them, and I’ll lock up the store. Remy will understand.”

author’s note: welp, that happened, did it not

(Now is a GREAT time to tell you this: Dante’s prophecy was inspired by, I kid you not, the movie ‘Pokemon 2000’. “Though the water's Great Guardian shall arise to quell the fighting, alone its song will fail. Thus the Earth shall turn to ash.” As in, Ash Ketchum. ‘The world will turn to flame,’ as in Flame the fire sprite. Did you think this was some deep shit? Nah, man, I am a dork)

[ohmypreciousgirl]

the keys and queliot

okay, so yesterday i kinda wrote about the keys and how its developing the story this season, so i’m gonna expand a bit about how i’m perceiving the way the plot is being developed.

first of all, the whole quest thing started when the cock creature he told eliot he should go to this quest with quentin to bring back magic. so, fundamentally, the quest was specifically meant to be for quentin and eliot (”brother of the heart” and “parts of one whole”), it was designed for the two of them go and solve together. basically, the writers created a full season to develop quentin and eliot’s relationship and actually spelled it out on canon (”how long does it a quest like this one takes?” “a good season”). 

the first quest, was to find the book and then the first key. quentin solved the first part that allowed eliot to retrieve it. the first key has the power to create an illusion and then sent them to neitherlands - although it’s not canonically established yet, but by observation alone it seems to lead you through portals connected (in a way) to the power the keys hold by the person holding the key. then we have the whole hallucination thing with eliot’s father and, when they’re running away, the key leads eliot straight to quentin - just like the cock creature implied it would.

the second quest was to find the key that shows you the thing hidden and that’s what makes it so interesting. aside uncomfortable feelings to the person its holding it and showing penny, nothing else happens. it doesn’t directly affect anyone but penny. however, that’s the key that leads to eliot and quentin’s next quest that led them to build a life together. i mean, that’s a fucking huge metaphor right there: the hidden truth key sends quentin and eliot through a path that gives them the opportunity to live a life, together. shit, arielle just stayed with them for what? six and seven years at most? it means that quentin and elliot were together, just the two of them raising a child and being a family, for decades. and just after living good lives together, when quentin was finally done because eliot died of old age, that’s when they managed to solve the mosaic to get to the next quest. i mean, fuck me sideways, but all i got of this is that the hidden truth the key unlocked was that quentin and eliot are supposed to be together - just like the fucking cock creature said in the first place. and holy shit, the whole time travel thing could allow them to erase their memories (and make me very very angry and feel betrayed as fuck), but the writers don’t go down that road. they make them remember and have those memories affect them in the very next episode. like??? look they had 39 lifetimes, but they never repaired any of them (makes me question how many times quentin and eliot ended up getting together - which also would explain this whole merthur vibe of ‘parts of the one whole’ thing as if they’re the pair that has to be singled out as an unit, but that’s another discussion), however this is the only time the writers decided to stick with something that happened and was erased to restart again. as a writer, it makes no fucking sense to not work with this kind of material going forward because they crafted this shit since the very beginning of s03 to be about quentin/eliot.

which lead us to quest three that quentin goes by himself. it shows that the memories of the previous life is doing good to quentin’s mental health. like he’s more upbeat and content than an episode before. and it shows when he lets himself enjoy the boat trip. man, he was so fucking excited about going on quest with eliot that i felt sad for him when eliot said he couldn’t go. the thing that gets me about the new key, the one that shows you the dark parts of yourself, is that it doesn’t mention eliot at any point. julia is mentioned and alice is mentioned, but eliot isn’t - and that’s fucking interesting to me because quentin held for a long time bad feelings for sleeping with eliot and margo when he was with alice. shit, he actually told eliot that he ruined his life with alice and in no point of it, that was mentioned. quentin doesn’t feel bad anymore for cheating on alice with eliot, doesn’t even blame him for destroying his relationship with her. eliot is not on quentin’s pile of terrible shit that he keeps torturing himself inside his head anymore. if this key had happened before the hidden truth key, i bet it’d be there, but after a lifetime together? shit, of course he doesn’t see it as bad thing sleeping with eliot, even knowing what really got alice was the fact it was eliot (“our garbage fire of a relationship that ended with eliot’s dick in your mouth?”).

it’s like each of those quests are showing different aspects of quentin and eliot’s relationship, even when it’s not on your face like the mosaic quest. there’s a constant flux of quentin/eliot undertones everywhere you look in those quests, which never happened before. like this feels different, you know? in s02, they hadn’t a lot going on aside the coronation scene, but it’s not like most of s01 when it felt your normal queerbating-y ship that happens in every fantasy show either. i mean,surprisingly, the queerbaiting got blown to bits cause they actually slept together. you cannot accuse someone of queerbaiting if they do deliver something - even if it’s not a relationship. there’s no ‘ahaha they friends no homo here just two heterosexuals guys being bros’ - that one didn’t happen and you’ve to recognize that.

tl;dr there’s something going on there, not sure what, but there’s solid evidence that the writers are building something real between quentin/eliot on screen. and no, i don’t fucking care about what they say in interviews. after 13 years of fandom and dealing with writers i learned that what matters is what they put on the fucking show only, because that’s what is valid in the end. and bitch, we can’t deny they’re gonna do something. that’s the shit they chose to build after all. 

tagging @noe-gg @not-a-princess-but-a-queen @xkyralovex @corbinkaur @thirstforsalt @sadlittlenerdking @theladyandthewolves cause they enjoy me descending into queliot hell :))))))

[ladylynse]

"My BOIS just won!" -quoted from a random guy at the gym I just overheard about the Patriots vs Jags game. ~Nym

You said Secret Quartet or American Dragon, Nym, and I went with Secret Quartet with an extra helping of (read: more characters from) AD:JL. Enjoy!

Victory: [FF | AO3] It’s more than just a game, in the end, but the only way to come out ahead is to rely on people who are practically strangers.

“My BOIS just won!” Trixie exclaimed, punching the air. Sheturned to Jazz, grinning and holding out a hand. “Pay up, Smarty Pants.”

Jazz huffed, crossing her arms. She hadn’t needed to squintinto the sunlight to see what Jake and Randy had pulled. “They were cheating.You cannot tell me that wasn’t cheating.”

“My homeboy can’t be cheating if there ain’t no rulesagainst it,” Trixie countered. “Back me up here, Haley.”

Jake’s little sister bit her lip. “Technically—”

“Technically?” Jazz interrupted. “Technically, she’s right? Is thatwhat you’re going to say? Really?” She rolled her eyes. “I shouldn’t haveagreed to let you be the referee.”

“She’s got better eyes than the rest of us,” Spud pointedout. “Wasn’t that what you said earlier?”

“And anyway, that totally wasn’t planned, so it wasn’tcheating.” Howard crumpled up the empty bag of chips and shoved it into hispocket. “Planning ain’t Randy’s style. So just go ahead and admit that we won.Randy and Jake totally wonked Team Halloween’s cheese.”

Jazz sighed, knowing she was outnumbered here. She was Danny’sonly representative in their little audience, and Adrien had come alone unlessyou counted Plagg. “They aren’t Team Halloween,” she muttered.

“Um, hello? Ghost? Black cat?” Trixie was smirking. “Theysure are. You shoulda known they couldn’t stand up against a dragon and aninja.”

Jazz was about to try to retaliate again when thecontestants of their little contest showed up. Adrien’s hair was singed and theleft shoulder of Danny’s suit had been burned away, and Randy was missing hisscarf, but no one looked too worse for the wear. “Everyone okay?” she asked,just to be sure.

“That was cheating,” Danny complained as he shot a pointedlook at Randy. Which meant everyone wasfine or someone would have said something immediately.

Jazz relaxed, and she noticed the others do so as well. Thepurpose of this little test had never been to beat anyone up, just to test outtheir abilities on a makeshift magical obstacle course as they raced around theisland. They’d paired into twos to force them to be mindful of a partner—no onewon until both teammates had crossed the finished line—and to give them backupwhen they came across something more atypical for them. It had been a way ofkeeping everyone on their toes. They might not always get a chance to fighttogether, and being able to fight well in different units was important.

It had devolved into a full-out two-on-two.

Taking bets had been Fu’s idea, even though the magicalguardian hadn’t been around to witness the match.

Jazz should have known better than to agree. Really, sheshould have. But Danny had been all over it, confident in his abilities, and she’dwatched Adrien fight as Chat Noir earlier and knew that he could hold his own,no matter what the course threw at them.

But it wasn’t the course that had gotten them in the end.

Randy pulled off his mask, his ninja suit disappearing asquickly as Jake had dragoned down. “Not our fault you forgot we both had firepowers.”

Adrien snorted and pulled some camembert out of his bag tofeed Plagg. “I didn’t know you could do that and control the earth at the same time.”

Randy grinned. “I’ve gotten better at that. The Sandjas havesaved my butt more than once.”

“No lie there.”

“Hey!” Randyreached out to punch Howard in the arm. “I have saved you countless times.”

“And I have saved youand your sorry little secret just as many.”

“Not really.”

“You believe what you need to believe, Cunningham.”

“Regardless,” interjected Jazz, “the terms of the agreementwere just to finish the course first, notattack the opposing team.”

“But not attacking the other team wasn’t explicitly stated,”Trixie cut in, “so Jake and Randy are in the clear. Haley said so, and she’sref. Besides, with some of these guys, you need to play a bit dirty to getahead.”

“Gee, thanks,” Danny muttered. “You remember that when I icethese guys next time around.”

“They do have a point,” agreed Adrien mildly. “I don’t mindconceding this round.” The others looked surprised, and then he grinned andadded, “Just means we’ll spook them next time because they don’t know whatother tricks this cat still has in the bag.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Jake asked. “I mean, you have amagic cat thing, and that’s, like, it, yo. That ain’t gonna beat all the differentkinds of magic I can do.”

“I find that insulting.” Plagg swallowed his cheese andzipped up to Jake’s eye level. “For one, I’m a kwami, which you should know ifyou claim to be a guardian of the magical world. For another, you haven’t evenseen him use Cataclysm yet, and dragon eyes or not, we could take you in thedark.”

“Yeah, but seeing in the dark—”

“Plagg’s older than anyone else here.” Adrien seemed to knowwhat the kwami was getting at, even if no one else did. “Fu might have beenaround a while, but Plagg’s still got millennia on him. Do you really want todiscount him that easily?”

“We’re fighting you,not Plagg,” countered Randy. “And, anyway, the Nomicon’s got a whole lot ofinformation—”

“And I could always just go ask someone in the Ghost Zone ifI need to know anything, especially since Cujo doesn’t mind taking messages forme.”

“Well, Gramps—”

Jazz rolled her eyes and left the boys to their fighting.Trixie and Spud seemed too interested in it to move, but Haley joined her onthe sandy beach a few metres away from them. “You still don’t think this is agood idea?” she asked quietly.

Jazz bit her lip. “I think this still smells like a setup,”she confessed. “I mean, everyone getting a mysterious message at the same time?When it still explains nothing? I expect that from Clockwork, and maybe Randythinks it’s par for the course from the Nomicon, but shouldn’t Jake questionthe Dragon Council about something like this, when he hasn’t had anyinteraction with anyone before? Or Adrien, no matter what ‘secret mission’ heapparently received from his Guardian? He’s got a partner back in Paris, forcrying out loud.”

“He also said this isn’t the first time one of them has beenpulled for a secret mission,” Haley reminded her. “And the Dragon Council will rarelyshow all their cards if they can help it. That’s one of the reasons CouncillorChang could do as much as she did.” Seeing Jazz’s questioning look, Haleyadded, “Long story. Let’s just say I learned not to envy Jake too much forbeing the American Dragon.”

Jazz drew her knees up to her chest and hugged them. “Sothis doesn’t feel off to you? At all? We’re just a bunch of kids. If theyreally expect us to fight, shouldn’t they at least tell us what we’re going upagainst?”

“Maybe they think it’s safer if we don’t know all thedetails.”

Jazz snorted. “Ignorance in battle is hardly a good thing.More likely, they don’t know the details themselves. Whoever’s really behind this,I mean. Because I highly doubt Clockwork, the Nomicon, the Dragon Council, andthe Guardian all suddenly realized how very real this threat apparently is anddecided to throw us all into this together.” She sighed. “We should be inschool. Instead, my parents think Danny and I are off getting a greateducational experience courtesy of Vlad Masters, and there’s no telling howlong that lie will hold.”

“Mom’s covering for us,” Haley said. “Dad won’t suspectanything. And Adrien said that his father might not even notice if we deal withthis quickly enough.”

Jazz raised her eyebrows and looked at Haley. “He thinks hisfather won’t notice that he left the country? Left the continent?”

Haley shrugged. “Something about a busy schedule and themrarely seeing each other, and he fixed something with the people he usuallydoes see on a regular basis. And his family’s rich.”

“Still.”

“He framed it as some fashion thing. Has to do a shoot whenwe get back to the NYC.” Haley blew out a breath. “You guys should feelhonoured, really. Randy being the Ninja, I could see him maybe wrangling an invitationto Draco Island, but the rest of you? You’ll be lucky if they don’t try toerase your memories after this.”

Jazz didn’t want to think about that possibility, especiallywhen Haley talked about it so blithely. “You don’t think this is dangerous, allof us leaving? Adrien left Ladybug in Paris, we’re covered in Amity Park, andapparently there is no shortage of dragons in New York City, but who does Randyhave in Norrisville?”

“A robot.” At Jazz’s incredulous look, Haley added, “Whichis why Sun—my dragon master—will be running out there from time to time tocheck on things until we get back.”

“Until they get back, you mean.” Jazz had no illusions abouthow long she’d be allowed to tag along. “Once this starts, whatever it is….They’ll be on their own.”

“They won’t be on their own. They’ll have each other. They’llwin.”

“Teamwork doesn’t exactly ensure victory. We don’t even know….”Jazz hated to bring this up to someone so young, but it had been preying on hermind since yesterday, when all this had started. It felt like it had beenmonths ago now. “We don’t even know if they’ll all get through this.”

“That’s why we’re here, isn’t it? So they can train andlearn each other’s skills? They won’t ever win if they don’t know themselves.”

“They won’t win if they don’t know who they’re really fighting!”

“They will.”

“How can you be so confident?”

Haley lay down so that she was staring up at the cloudlesssky above them. “Because that’s how this works. Someone sent that message tothe others or something happened that made them realize what was coming, evenif they don’t know the details yet. That’s why everyone’s here. Our informationmight come slowly, but even if we’re piecing it together from differentsources, it’ll come. And Jake’s getting better about waiting before diving intoa fight. They won’t be going into this blind. They’ll know their enemy as wellas they know themselves by the time this is through.”

“‘If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory willnot stand in doubt,’” quoted Jazz. “‘If you know Heaven and know Earth, you maymake your victory complete.’”

She looked over to see Haley smiling. “That’s right. Ifigure your brother has Heaven covered, with the ghost thing, and what he doesn’t,Jake’ll be able to figure out to make sure they have clear skies. And Randy andAdrien will know the lay of the land or be able to shape it to fit their needs.They’re going to be unstoppable.” Haley sat up, glanced behind her, and added, “Assumingthey ever stop arguing.”

Jazz laughed, finally feeling hopeful again, and climbed toher feet with Haley to go rejoin the others.

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