#on is shaing her head in disappointment

[crazydaymycrazyway]

Cale: Do you have a type?

Alberu: Long red hair, red eyes, shorter than me, smart, dumb, has a lot of friends, oldest in their family but doesn't want to be the heir, can control elements, a good actor, understands me the most, wear boots and likes likes simple clothing

Cale: Wow, that's quite specific. Is it someone I know?

Alberu: Did I mention dumb?

Cale: Yeah?

Alberu: Just checking

Later that night

Cale: Oh my God, His Highness has a crush on Miss Rosalyn!

Raon: ????

[itneverendshere]

THE OTHER SIDE OF PARADISE - rafe cameron (+18) - five

request: "a rafe enemies to lovers 🫣 the reader is jjs sister the whole drama before but then she gets left behind on the ship and rafe ends up comforting her and then yea that’s all I got you can do whatever else the rest 😛"

warnings: angst <3333333 for everyone <33

word count: 7.7k

The ride back to home was a blur. The plane ride, the ferry.

Everything. 

Every mile away from Rafe felt like reopening an old wound, over and over. The cops kept trying to make small talk, but you barely said a word. One-syllable responses if anything. Eventually, they just gave up and let you stare out the window in awkward silence.

By the time you pulled up, even the streets of The Cut didn’t make you feel any better. Home didn’t feel like home anymore. It was weird, almost like you didn’t recognize it. Walking in with the officers behind you just made everything feel more real, like a slap in the face of the life you were stepping back into.

“Your brother and your friends were rescued from a remote island a while ago. He was informed of your whereabouts an hour ago, he’ll be here soon.”

You barely processed what they were saying. It didn't really sink in. You just nodded, like you were on autopilot, but your brain was still stuck in everything that went down two days ago. What kind of sister doesn’t freak out when she hears her little brother’s alive and okay?

You should’ve been losing it with relief, right? But all you felt was this weird emptiness. You were supposed to protect him. You didn't.

Their words barely registered.

You nodded numbly; your mind still stuck between the events that had unfolded just two days ago.

What kind of sister had you turned into? Barely phased over the fact your little brother was thankfully alive and well? You were supposed to protect him. 

They could tell you were checked out, they exchanged this look, like they didn’t know what to do with you, then quietly stepped out onto the porch, leaving you to rot with your thoughts.

You wandered around the house, but every step felt so heavy. Every room was just a reminder of what used to be. The couch where you'd would argue over stupid TV shows while Luke was off doing who-knows-what, the kitchen table where it was just the two of you, eating and sharing stories like nothing was wrong... It all felt so distant, like snapshots from another life you couldn’t touch anymore.

You knew, deep down, things would never go back to how they were.

You ended up in my room, collapsing onto your bed, the sheets still smelling like home. But even that didn’t help the ache in your chest.

It didn’t feel right. Nothing ever did unless your brother was there.

But now, not even the thought of him being back could bring you peace. All you could think about was Rafe. His smile, his touch, his voice—every part of him was still so clear in your head, and it hurt so bad to remember.

That must be your punishment. 

A soft knock on the door jolted you from your thoughts. You sat up, heart racing. Your body was still on high alert, even the tiniest noise made you jump, like you were waiting for something bad to happen.

The sound of gunshots still echoed in your mind. It hadn’t even been three days.

The old wooden door creaked open, and there was JJ, his bright blue eyes wide and full of worry. He rushed to you so fast, you almost lost your breath when he pulled you into this bear hug.

"Holy shit,” he whispered, his voice shaky, "Holy shit."

Tears just started pouring out of you, and you couldn’t stop. You were full-on sobbing while he held you like you used to hold him when he was little, and it killed you. It was all so wrong. It devastated you. It felt so disappointing. He was never supposed to be the one carrying the family burden, you were.

After what felt like forever, you pulled back and wiped your face, your throat tight. JJ sat next to you, searching your face with those big, worried eyes.

“You’re not hurt?”

You took a deep, shaky breath, trying to get a grip. All you could manage was a small “No. You?”

“No,” JJ nodded, lips pursed into a tight line as if he was figuring out what to say next, “They told me about the shooting.”

Your heart sank further at his words. You had hoped to avoid talking about it, at least for a little while. You didn’t want to talk about that. Not yet. But the way he looked at you, like he used to when you'd protect him from everything, you couldn’t just shrug it off.

“I’m fine, I swear.” You reached out and squeezed his hand. "What about you? How did you get off that island?"

JJ let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head.

“It was a mess. We were stuck there for weeks, trying to find a way out. Pope and Kie kept us sane, but it was rough. We finally managed to signal a passing boat, and they rescued us. But the whole time, I couldn't stop thinking about you."

You squeezed his hand even tighter, his words hitting you like a truck, and the guilt just kept building. You squeezed his hand tighter, trying to keep it together. 

"I'm sorry I wasn't there. I'm so sorry, JJ."

He shook his head vehemently. "No, don't apologize. None of this is your fault. I—I should’ve saved you on that ship, okay? It’s on me, not you.”

You felt another wave of tears coming but swallowed them down.

“You did everything you could. We both did. None of this is your fault."

“The one time we changed places, and I couldn’t do it.”

"Jay—"

"I should have been there for you," he cut in, his voice cracking. "I hated not being there. "I hated it."

God, if only he knew. 

If he found out what really happened with Rafe, he’d hate you. It wasn’t his fault—it was yours. You pulled him into another hug, trying to say everything you couldn’t with just your touch. The weight of everything—your guilt, your pain—was too much, but at least you had each other. You could feel his body shaking, and you didn’t even know if it was from exhaustion or emotion.

When you finally let go, you took a deep breath, hoping to find some semblance of strength.

"We’re gonna be okay.”

JJ nodded, though you could see the doubt in his eyes. "I know. It's just... hard."

"I get it. But we're both here, we're alive.”

He gave you this sad little smile, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

You sat there in silence for a bit, and it felt fragile, but at least it was peaceful. Outside, you could hear the waves crashing, like life was still going on, even though yours felt like it was stuck.

"Do you think things will ever go back to normal?" JJ's voice was quiet, almost hesitant, like he didn't want an answer.

Normal? The nightmares of him finding out about Rafe haunted you every night, mocking at your mind. But You couldn’t tell him that. It made you want to scratch your skin raw. 

“Yeah.”

"Yeah," I lied.

You could see how tired he was, like he was just as drained as you felt. You both needed sleep, but honestly, the idea of closing your eyes terrified you. The nightmares were always there, waiting.

"Let's try to get some sleep," You suggested softly, though you weren't sure you could follow your own advice. "We both need it, ‘kay?”

“Let’s try to get some rest,” I said, though I wasn’t sure if I could actually follow through. "We both need it."

JJ nodded, even though you could tell he wasn’t convinced. He lay down next to you on the tiny bed, and you barely fit, but it was comforting. Just having him close made you feel a little less broken.

The minutes passed in silence, the only sound being the waves outside. You focused on them, using them to ground myself. Slowly, you felt the tension start to slip away, just a little.

"Do you remember the first time we went out on the boat alone?"JJ’s voice was barely a whisper in the dark, like he was holding onto a memory that felt safe.

A small smile crept onto my lips. "Yeah. You swore you knew how to steer, and we almost crashed into that sandbank."

He chuckled softly. "We were so scared. But you figured it out. You always do."

The memory was bittersweet, a reminder of when things were simpler, back when your biggest problem was not sinking a boat and you weren't a complete fuck up.

Now, you felt like you were drowning every day.

Your eyes started to get heavy, and JJ’s breathing next to you slowed, evening out. You wanted to tell him everything, but you couldn’t. If you did, you'd lose him for good.

Sleep came slowly, but when it did, it was deep and dreamless. Empty, like how you'd been feeling for way too long.

Morning came too fast, sunlight slipping through the curtains and filling the room with a warm glow. You blinked awake, feeling disoriented for a second before everything from the past few days came rushing back. JJ was still asleep next to you, his face finally relaxed, looking so much younger and peaceful.

You carefully slid out of bed, not wanting to wake him. The officer who comforted you after the shooting promised he’d call as soon as there was an update on Rafe. So far? Nothing.

You couldn’t help but wonder if the hospital had already contacted Sarah. She was basically the only family Rafe had left, other than Wheezie, who was just a kid, and Ward… well, a literal wanted criminal now. It made sense for them to reach out to her first.

If you called the hospital yourself, they wouldn’t tell you anything—You weren't family. And asking Sarah? She’d immediately know something was off. There was no way you could risk that.

The kitchen was weirdly quiet, the early light stretching shadows across the walls. You made a cup of coffee, letting the warmth calm the cold ache inside you, but even that didn’t really help. Sitting at the table, you tried to think of some kind of plan. You needed to know if he was okay, but every option felt like a trap.

Suddenly, your new phone buzzed on the table, shaking you out of your thoughts. You grabbed it, heart pounding, seeing an unknown number flash on the screen. Your stomach twisted, but you answered.

“Hello?”

“This is Officer Thompson. I promised I’d keep you updated on Rafe Cameron’s condition.”

You closed your eyes, thanking God for finally giving you some piece of mind, “Yes, thank you.”

“He’s stable,” Officer Thompson continued. “The surgery went well, and he’s in recovery. It’ll be a while before he’s fully back on his feet, but he’s out of immediate danger.”

The knot in your stomach loosened just a little. “Thank you for letting me know.”

There was a pause on the other end.

“I know this is difficult, but you should focus on your own recovery too. There’s a chance the feds will contact you, they’re building their case on Ward. What happened to you is, unfortunately, considered a minor crime compared to everything he’s done, so maybe you’ll get some peace. If not, you might have to testify against him.”

Testify. The thought of standing in a courtroom, reliving everything in front of strangers, made your skin crawl.

“And Rafe? What are his charges?”

"He’s facing several charges, but the severity of his sentence could depend on his cooperation. If he agrees to testify against his father, the authorities might offer him a deal."

A deal. The idea of him getting out that easily should’ve made you angry, but instead, you felt this weird sense of relief. You hated myself for it. You wanted him to pay for everything, for all of it. But now? You were clinging to any slim chance of freedom, even if it wasn’t fair.

You thanked Officer Thompson again and ended the call, setting your phone down with a shaky hand. The coffee had grown cold, but you didn't have the energy to make another cup. You sat there for a long moment, staring into nothing.

The sound of footsteps snapped you out of your thoughts, and you turned to see JJ in the doorway, his hair sticking up in all directions, still half-asleep.

“Who was that?” he asked, his voice groggy.

“Uh—Officer Thompson. He was at the scene the other day and told me he’d keep me updated.”

JJ tilted his head, his messy bed hair making him look like a confused puppy. “Updated on what?”

“Rafe’s condition,” You replied, the words feeling heavy on your tongue. It was a half-lie, but at least you were giving him something. 

He stopped mid-step, “And you care because…?”

“For closure, I guess," You mumbled, trying to brush it off like it was no big deal.

His gaze softened a little, but not by much. He pulled out a chair and sat across from you. “You’re too good, y’know that? Personally, I don’t give a fuck if he dies.”

You winced inwardly. "JJ, you can't just say stuff like that."

He leaned back, crossing his arms. "Why not? After everything he’s done, he deserves whatever he gets."

You couldn’t really argue with that, but something inside you felt the need to defend Rafe, even if you hated that feeling. He had saved your life, and that wasn’t something you could just forget.

“He’s still a human being, okay?”

JJ scoffed, shaking his head like you’d said the dumbest thing ever. "Barely."

You didn’t know why you suddenly felt so angry, so defensive. But it made its way up your body until your lips were moving again, practically spitting the words out.

“He saved my life.”

Your brother stared at you like you were speaking another language, “Saved your life? Are you serious? It’s his fault you were there in the first place!”

“He chose to help me. And I can't just forget that."

JJ ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. “This is insane. One good deed doesn’t make up for all the shit he’s done.”

“I know that,” I said, reaching out for him, but he pulled back before I could touch him, your fingers only brushing against his shirt.

“Do you?” His voice was cold, and the way he looked at you—like he didn’t recognize you—cut deep. It was the look you dreaded seeing in your nightmares, and now, it was real, it ten times worse. 

"I’m not saying he’s a good person. I’m just saying… it’s complicated."

He started pacing around the kitchen. "Complicated? Complicated is being stuck on an island, wondering if your sister is even alive. Complicated is dealing with the fact that the guy who screwed us over gets to play hero for one day, and now you’re defending him."

"I'm not defending him," You said, voice rising. "I just… I saw a different side of him. Maybe he can change. Or at least help put Ward away."

You never raised your voice at him.

JJ stopped and spun around to face you, his eyes blazing. "And what if he doesn't? What if this is all part of some twisted game for him? People like Rafe don't just change, okay? They manipulate, they hurt, they destroy."

“JJ—"

“You sound just like her.”

You didn’t have to ask to know what he meant. Suddenly your entire soul felt like it was being drained out and slashed into pieces. A carbon copy of your mother, your punishment. All you life, you’d been told you were like her—just as blind, just as soft.

“Don’t say that.”

“That’s exactly the type of bullshit she would spit out about dad, wasn’t it? And look where it got her.”

"That’s the kind of crap Mom used to say about Dad, remember? And look where it got her."

Memories of mom came rushing back—the excuses she made, the false hope she clung to, and the endless disappointment. You weren't like her, were you? You weren't defending a man who was never going to change. You couldn’t be. You’d spent your entire life trying not to be like her.

It wasn’t fair. You were just trying to find a shred of humanity in someone who had shown you mercy. How could he think you were blind to Rafe’s faults? You knew them all too well. You felt exposed, vulnerable, and fiercely defensive.

“I’m not her,” You finally managed to say, your voice cracking, “I’m not defending him like she did.”

“Is that what you tell yourself to make you feel better?”

Your eyes narrow into slits, “I’m not doing this with you, not right now.” 

You turned away, your fists clenched at your sides as you fought to keep it together.

He followed you hot on your heels, "Don't walk away from me.”

"I'm not defending him," You insisted, your back still to him, “I’m just trying to understand, okay?”

“Understand what? Jesus, Rafe is who he is.”

"And maybe he can change," You fired back, the words spilling out despite the tightening knot in your chest. "Maybe he saved my life because he wants to change."

"He's manipulating you," JJ retorted, his jaw clenched. "Just like he always does. You went through some traumatic shit together, but that doesn't mean you owe him anything."

You stopped dead in your tracks, turning to face him again. Your head was tingling, the headache already forming itself, and you felt hot all-over. The word "traumatic" set you off.

“Some traumatic shit?” You repeated, “Are you fucking serious?”

JJ raised both his hands, tangling them in his hair in frustration, “You almost died, and now you’re standing here, defending the guy who put you in that position in the first place!"

The accusation hurt. You hated fighting with your brother and he wasn’t wrong. You hated that Rafe was coming between you both, but you couldn’t shake what you felt.

He shook his head, disappointment oozing from him, "Good luck with that. Just don't expect me to sit here and act like everything's okay."

You blinked away the dryness in your eyes, "I'm not asking you to. Can't you see that maybe things aren't as black and white as they seem?"

“All I know is what he's done to us, to you."

“And what about what he did for me?” The words tasted bitter as they left your mouth.

“And what did he do exactly?" Your lips parted to speak, but words continued to spill from his mouth, “What did you do?”

You gave no reply, unblinking, short breaths escaping you. You couldn’t let it out. Not yet. Not to him.

Not to JJ, not yet.

"I don't expect you to understand," Your voice was strained,"But I’m not turning my back on him.”

JJ's eyes narrowed; frustration etched on his face. "Why?”

“Because I want to!” The scream ripped from your throat before you could stop it, tears spilling over. "I’m still my own person, and I can make my own decisions."

He opened his mouth to fight back, but the words seemed to evaporate from his tongue. The kitchen was filled with nothing but the sound of your heavy breathing and your instant regret.

“Fine,” he muttered, turning away. “Do what you want.”

You watched him walk out of the kitchen, his back stiff with anger and disappointment. It was the first time you'd ever yelled at him, and you hated every second of it.

Alone again in the kitchen, you sank back into your chair, your energy completely drained. Part of you wanted to run after him, to explain yourself, to make him understand.

But he wouldn’t. How could he?

None of them would.

Because unlike you, they weren’t stupid enough to sympathize with Rafe Cameron.

Sitting there, you couldn't shake the feeling that you'd crossed a line. You stared at your hands, still trembling from the argument, and let out a long, shaky breath. What was it about Rafe that had such a grip on you?

You heard the front door creak open and shut—JJ leaving. Maybe that was for the best. You both needed time to cool off. You got up, poured the coffee down the sink, watching it swirl away. Weirdly, the sound was kind of comforting, like you were washing away the mess clinging to you.

You spent the entire day locked away in your room, ignoring the sun, ignoring everyone. Your phone buzzed again, and for a second, you thought about letting it go, but you couldn’t. You picked it up, expecting another call from Officer Thompson, but the name on the screen made your heart skip a beat.

Sarah.

With a deep breath, you answered. “Hey sweets.”

“Hi,” Sarah’s voice was almost unsure. “JJ and the police called earlier, told us what happened. Are you okay? I’m on the mainland with John B, we’re taking the next ferry back home.” 

You closed your eyes, somewhat relieved that you wouldn’t have to face them yet.

“Yeah, I’m…Managing. I'm okay.”

“Good, that’s good,” There was a pause, and then she asked, “Have you heard anything about...Rafe?”

Had the hospital not called her? How much should you tell her.

“He’s stable. The surgery went well.”

Sarah sighed, “Good. That’s good to hear I guess.”

You bit your lip, unsure if you should ask, but you did anyway. “Sarah, did the hospital call you?”

There was a long silence on the other end before she replied, “Yeah. But I…I don’t know. I just couldn’t bring myself to answer. I knew it was coming after the police called. But—Yeah, it’s just, it’s really hard.”

You didn’t know what to say, “I’m so sorry.”

“You’re the only one not giving me shit about still… caring, I guess. He’s my brother, you know? And I want to hate him. I should hate him. But I can’t.”

"I get it, Sarah. He’s your brother. It’s okay to feel conflicted."

"Yeah," She exhaled heavily, "But I don't know how to deal with it. He's done so much harm, and yet. I keep hoping there's still some good left in him. I know there's no hope for my dad, but Rafe..."

She trailed off, and you knew exactly where she was coming from. She’d seen Rafe before Ward broke him down. And you knew she still carried that guilt—the guilt of being the favorite, never standing up for him, even when she saw Ward lose control.

“I get it,” You whispered. You were both tangled up in love and hate when it came to him, the messiness of family making it impossible to separate the two.

 “He was good to me.”

There was a long pause. You expected her to hang up on you, to freak out and call you a list of degrading names, all of which you felt you deserved. She had enough at the hands of her brother— the same brother you had come to care for, despite knowing the full extent of what he’d done. 

But you underestimated her. You'd momentarily forgotten just how compassionate and noble she was. She possessed a goodness smiliar to your own—loyal, forgiving, and endlessly understanding.

Both lovers and fighters.

 "I know, the feds told me about the shooting," Sarah finally said, "And I think that's what makes it so hard. Picturing him as the same monster from before was a lot easier.”

You nodded even though she couldn't see you, feeling a deep ache in your chest. "Yeah."

"I don't know what to do," She confessed, her vulnerability cutting through the distance between you. "Part of me wants to see him, to talk to him. And part of me wants to never look at him again."

"I think... whatever you decide, it's okay," You offered tentatively, not entirely sure if your words were comforting or just empty platitudes.

“John B disagrees.”

“Yeah, so does JJ.”

"I appreciate you telling me about Rafe," Sarah continued, her voice softer now, more vulnerable. "I... I don't think I could have handled hearing it from anyone else."

Guilt prickled at you. “I’m sorry you had to hear it like this. I wish things were different.”

"We all do," she replied softly. "Thank you.”

“Of course," You said, "Take care of yourself.”

"You too. We'll see you soon, okay?"

"Yeah. See you soon."

You hung up and stared at your phone, the screen going dark. It matched how you felt—empty, lifeless.

You spent the next few days in a haze, avoiding JJ and the rest of your friends as much as possible. You’d only seen Sarah. Somehow her presence didn’t make you feel as nervous as you thought. It weirdly calmed you down. You’d always been close, ever since she joined the group, but now you felt like she was the only one who understood your point of view. 

You knew Pope and Kie wouldn’t, and you couldn’t blame them.

Sarah never pushed you to talk, never demanded explanations. Instead, she just sat with you, shared a laugh or two, and let the silence speak for itself.

Your small house felt like a prison. It wasn’t until a week later, as you sat on the beach watching the waves crash against the shore, that your phone buzzed with a message. It was the officer: "Rafe’s awake."

Your heart jumped straight into your throat. You still hadn’t told anyone the full story about what happened between you and Rafe, and honestly, you didn’t even know if you ever could. They knew the basics—he was in the hospital, you both got caught in a shooting, and somehow, he’d saved your life. That’s all anyone knew.

But now, with him awake... you were completely lost.

With shaky hands, you fumbled for the phone, dialing the number the officer had given you. It rang a few times, "Hello, this is St. Michael Hospital. How can I help you?"

"Hi, I'm calling to check on a patient, Rafe Cameron. I was told he’s awake."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, just the faint sound of keys clicking away. "Yes, Mr. Cameron is awake. Are you a family member?" the nurse asked.

You hesitated, unsure how to answer. "No. Uh, a friend, I guess—" You almost started rambling, but instead, you settled for, “Can you tell him Maybank’s calling?”

"Okay, just a minute, please."

You stared at the sand, biting your lip, trying to figure out what you’d even say to him. When the nurse finally came back on, her voice was softer, almost pitiful, and you immediately knew you weren't going to like her answer.

"I’m sorry. Mr. Cameron has requested not to speak with you," she said. "Is there anything else I can assist you with?"

Your whole body went numb. You wanted to throw the phone, scream into the void, drown yourself in the ocean and not come up until you didn’t feel anything anymore.

 What the hell? 

You’d spent weeks thinking about him, on edge, worrying if he was gonna make it, praying for him even though you weren’t even sure you believed in any of that. And now...he didn’t want to speak to you? Unbelievabl, like all of it—every single moment you spent worrying, crying, hoping—it was for nothing. You didn't have it in you to put up a fight.

"No, that's all. Thanks," you mumbled before hanging up.

You stared at your phone, trying to process it. Rafe didn’t want to talk to you. It was like someone ripped the ground from under you. Everything you thought you had shared, everything he did for you, saving your life... Had any of it mattered to him?

Had you just imagined it?

You tried to think back—Rafe had kissed you, touched you like you were precious, like he didn’t want to break you. And that moment when he’d saved you—had that meant nothing to him? Maybe you were just fooling yourself. Maybe, to him, you were just a temporary distraction, someone who didn’t mean anything outside of that life-or-death situation. Just a pogue.

You were just sitting there, staring out at the water, trying not to fall apart. The sun felt too bright, the world too loud, everything too much. The anger, the hurt, the confusion—Before you even realized what you were doing, a scream tore out of you, raw and guttural.

It ripped through the air, echoing across the beach as if it could somehow take away everything inside. Tears came next, hot and salty, and you couldn’t stop them even if you wanted to.

Without warning, a scream ripped from your throat, raw and unfiltered. It echoed across the empty beach, a primal release of everything you had been bottling up. You hadn’t cried properly in weeks. 

You screamed until your throat was raw, until you had nothing left to give. The sun cast long shadows on the sand, the beach deserted except for you. Collapsing back onto the sand, you let the tears flow freely. 

There was no one to judge you, no one to see you fall apart. You’d spent a lifetime pulling yourself together, it was only fair you finally got to breathe properly. When the tears subsided, you wiped your face with the back of your hand and took a shuddering breath. The tightness in your chest began to ease, replaced by a hollow ache.

You were many things, but none of them were weak and yet...It was almost unbearable, the way your mind replayed every interaction, every look, every word, searching for signs you might have missed, clues that would have warned you not to get attached.

Footsteps crunched in the sand, and you tensed, knowing who it was even before you turned to look. JJ. Of course, it was him.  You still weren’t ready to face him after the argument. But he sat down next to you without saying a word, just looking out at the water like you were.

When he finally spoke, his voice was softer than you expected.

“I’ve been thinking about what you said.”

You nodded, unsure of what to say.

“I’m sorry for what I said about Mom,” he continued, sounding just as broken as you felt, “I shouldn’t have compared you to her. That wasn’t fair.”

You swallowed hard, your throat still aching from the scream. “It’s okay,” you whispered. “I get it.”

“I did, and I didn’t,” he admitted. “I just... I don’t want to see you get hurt. I don’t trust him, and I hate that you’ve been caught up in all this.”

“He doesn’t want to talk to me.”

JJ turned to you, frowning, “What do you mean?”

“I called the hospital. They said he’s awake, but he doesn’t want to speak with me.”

You could barely get the words out without choking up.

Your brother frowned, his protective instincts flaring up. “That fucking piece of shit. After everything—”

You shook your head, cutting him off gently. ““Maybe he’s right. Maybe it’s for the best.”

JJ sighed, softening as he looked at you. “Hey, don’t do that. Don’t blame yourself. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

A lump formed in your throat, but you nodded, trying to believe his words. “I just... I thought there was more to it. That maybe he could change.”

“People like Rafe... it’s hard to change.”

“Yeah,” you whispered, tears threatening to spill again.

“But that doesn’t mean you’re wrong for wanting to see the good in him.”

He spoke with such gentleness and wisdom. You forgot he wasn’t a kid anymore. That he’d also done his fair share of growing up way too fast. 

You leaned into his touch, “I know.”

“We’ll get through this,” JJ said firmly. “Together. You and me, like always.”

You nodded, wiping your face with the back of your hand. “Love you.”

“Love you too.”

As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the beach, you and JJ sat there in silence. The waves continued to crash against the shore, a reminder that life moved forward, even when it felt like everything was falling apart.

Maybe things would never go back to the way they were, but you had your brother, your friends, and a resilience you didn't know it was capable of existing until then.

Six months had gone by since that day, but it felt like a lifetime ago.

Life had somewhat gone back to normal, or at least a version of it. The days were getting hotter, like the summer was showing off, making everything sticky and slow. You’d spent the afternoon alone, sprawled out on the couch with a book you weren’t really reading, barely feeling the breeze from the old fan struggling against the heat.

You were in the middle of rereading the same sentence for the third time when loud banging on the door made you jump. The knock was so aggressive it had to be someone with a serious problem, and the sound jolted you upright.

You groaned, rolling off the couch and heading for the door. "What the—"

Before you could even finish, you yanked the door open, annoyance already building up. And then, just like that, it drained out of you.

“Rafe?”

It was him. Standing there. Looking... well, looking alive, which was more than you expected after months of silence.

You froze, staring at him, and instinct kicked in. You tried to slam the door in his face, but he was quick. His hand caught the edge, holding it open. “Seriously?” you hissed, shoving harder. “Get the hell off my porch.”

"Maybank—"

"If you don't get off my property, I swear to fucking God—"

“Wait—Maybank—just listen.”

“Nope. Get lost. Now.”

“Please.” His voice cracked, and his hand shook where it held the door. “Just give me a minute.”

You glared at him, every instinct telling you to push harder, to shut him out. But something in his eyes—fear, desperation, a flicker of the Rafe you once knew—gave you pause.

The last time you saw him, he was bleeding out and terrifyingly pale. It wasn’t the cocky Rafe you remembered. The last time you saw him, he was bleeding out, barely conscious. And now he was just... here. What the hell was he doing here?

The last update you had on him was from Sarah, months ago. He had left the hospital and kept sporadic contact, reaching out to her only every few weeks. You never asked her about his well-being or what he was doing; despite guessing that he was cooperating with the police.

At least you hoped he was. 

You were determined not to care anymore.

He leaned against the doorframe, looking worn out in a way that made you pause for a second too long. “You look good."

You rolled your eyes so hard it hurt. Was he for real?

You were going to slap the lack of common sense out of him. You weren’t about to let him waltz back in like nothing had happened.

You scoffed, not letting your guard down. “What are you doing here?”

He looked down, trying to find the words as he scratched the back of his head, “I... I needed to see you. To talk.”

“Yeah, no. Get back to whatever hole you crawled out of.”

You tried to slam the door again, but he held firm. “Please, just let me explain.”

“You had six months to explain.”

“I know, and I’m sorry. I was— It’s messed up, okay?" his words coming out rushed and uneven. ”I’m still working with the feds. I was losing it. Still am, probably. But I need to explain. Please, Maybank, just a minute.”

Maybe it was the part of you that used to care, or maybe you just needed answers after everything that had happened. You stepped back, letting the door open just enough for him to walk in.

“Fine. Talk.”

Rafe stepped inside, looking around your small living room as if seeing it for the first time, which you now realized he'd never been in your house. And now that he was standing here, you regretted letting him in.

He turned to face you, his expression earnest. “I didn’t know what to say. I felt—“, He took a deep breath, cheeks puffing, “Ashamed. I don’t know.”

You crossed your arms over your chest, keeping a safe distance between you.

“Ashamed? You’ve done a lot of things to be ashamed of. You can’t just show up after six months and expect everything to be fine.”

“I know,” He admitted, taking a deliberate small step closer to you, “I wasn’t expecting that. I just... I wanted to tell you that I’m trying. I’m in therapy and rehab, trying to get clean. I’ve been going to meetings. It’s been hell, but I’m trying.”

You looked at him, searching for any sign of deceit. His eyes were clear, more focused than you had ever seen them. He wasn't high.

You eyed him skeptically. “Why should I believe you?”

“Because you’re the only person who ever saw anything good in me. And I can’t forget that. I don’t deserve it, but I need you to know that your faith in me wasn’t for nothing.”

The vulnerability in his voice took you by surprise. You had expected anger, arrogance, manipulation—but this was different. Genuine. It felt like you were back in that motel room, in his arms.

You scoffed, turning away from him. “Is that all? That’s why you showed up here out of nowhere?”

“No, it’s not,” he said, sounding more desperate. “I just—Shit. I need to make things right. With you. I don’t know how, but I need to try.”

You took a deep breath.

You didn’t want to talk to me.”

He winced at that, his guilt obvious. “I was scared, okay? I didn’t know how to handle it. I still don’t. But I’m here now, trying to fix what I broke.”

Part of you wanted to believe him, to give him another chance, but the other part of you—the part that had been hurt and abandoned—was screaming not to fall for it again.

“So you shut me out?” You snapped, “You made me feel like I meant nothing.”

“That’s not true,” He snapped back, head whipping up, then immediately softened his tone, taking another step closer. “That’s not true. You mean more to me than you’ll ever know. I was getting better for you."

“Don’t lie to me.”

Rafe looked offended, eyes zeroing in on your lips before his gaze met yours. That's when you felt it again, “I never lied to you, pretty.”

You recoiled at the nickname, taking a step back, needing space. 

“Cameron.”

Another step closer. His eyes pleading with you to understand. 

You were staring up at him now, the look on your face completely unreadable. You were waiting for an answer, but he had a feeling that no matter what answer he gave, it wouldn't make a difference.

"I never lied to you," He repeated, his voice shaking slightly. "I was scared and confused, but I never lied.”

“Scared and confused? That’s your excuse?”

Rafe flinched at your words, but he didn't back down. “I know how it sounds. I handled it all wrong. I’m trying to fix it.”

“You think saying sorry and showing up out of the blue makes it better?"

His hands reached out, his palms open as if he was dealing with a wounded animal. “I’m not asking for forgiveness right away. I just want a chance to make things right.”

“You don’t get it, do you?” You spat, your voice trembling with emotion, “How it felt, watching you almost die. I spent days wondering if you were going to be—” 

You stopped yourself, knowing that if you continued your voice would crack and the tears would start pouring down your cheeks.

You already cried enough for him. 

Rafe’s expression softened, and he reached out tentatively, his hand stopping inches from your arm. “I’m sorry, baby.”

You took a step back, putting more distance between you, needing the space to think clearly. “I needed you to be sorry six months ago.”

It’s only then, when your brain cleared slightly that you noticed he looked different. His hair had been buzzed, his skin looked tanner than the last time you’d seen him, he looked healthier. 

Rafe noticed your eyes wandering to his head and ran a hand through his short hair, a hint of a self-conscious smile flickering across his lips.

“Yeah, I uh, made some changes. Trying to start over, I guess.”

“I’m happy for you, but I can’t do this.”

“Pretty—"

You sighed, rubbing your temples as you cut him off, “I feel guilty enough as it is around everyone else.”

“I told Sarah.”

His words hit you like a punch to your gut. 

“What?”

“About us.”

You felt your stomach drop and your vision narrow, the world tilting sideways. “You what?”

“I told her.” 

“You absolute fucking—” You hissed, your voice rising without warning, “Are you serious?!”

“I thought it was the right thing to do,” His tone faltered to one that could’ve fallen on deaf ears if not attentive enough. “I needed someone to talk to, and she’s…my sister.”

You were fuming, pacing the room. “Do you realize what that could do? My life here—everything—could be ruined because you couldn’t keep your mouth shut.”

Rafe flinched, taking a step back. “I didn’t think it would be this bad.”

“Of course you didn’t,” You nearly growled, pacing the small living room. “You never think about anyone but yourself, do you?”

“Listen— “ He opened his mouth undoubtedly to fire back with another half-assed apology - but you barreled forward, letting the months of bottled resentment continue to burst open.

“You’re so selfish.”

“She promised she wouldn’t tell anyone,” His throat bobbed in an audible gulp, “It’s okay.”

“You really believe that?” You stopped pacing and turned to face him, your hands clenched into fists at your sides. “This is too much for her to keep to herself. It’ll eat away at her until she tells someone. And when that happens, my life here is over.”

Rafe looked stricken, “I just—I needed someone to understand what I’m going through.”

For the first time, he took the time to explain what was going on in his head instead of letting his frustrations take over and kissing you.

“And what about what I’m going through?” You demanded. “Did you ever stop to think about that? I’ve been trying to move on, to rebuild my life, and you just waltz back in and blow everything up.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. “I’m so sorry.”

You spotted his sun-kissed freckles. They wouldn’t be noticeable if you hadn’t looked at him so closely before.

“Sorry doesn’t fix this,” Bitterness began to overpower the pit of your heaving chest, “Sorry doesn’t make it go away. You can’t just undo what you’ve done.”

“I know,” One shaky hand scrubbed over his face, refusing to meet your wide-eyed stare., “But I’ll do whatever it takes to make it right. I swear.”

“Make it right? You can’t make this right, Rafe.”

“I don’t know what else to do,” he said, his voice breaking. “I’m trying, pretty. I really am.”

You felt a smidge of sympathy despite your anger.

You could see the pain and desperation in his eyes, the same pain and desperation you had felt for the past six months. But that didn’t change the fact that he left you hanging for so long.

“I need you to leave."

You expected him to put up a fight, to lash out, hide his emotions with empty threats and petty names. But he didn’t. Instead, he nodded, his shoulders slumping slightly as he turned to leave. You watched him go in silence.

Part of you wanted to run after him, to give him another chance, to believe that he could change. But another part—the part that had been hurt and left to heal on its own—knew that it wasn’t that simple.

You had to protect yourself, even if it meant shutting him out for good.

Rafe paused in the doorway, his back to you. His voice was barely above a whisper, but it carried clearly through the thick air. "I don’t regret it," he repeated, his shoulders tensing as he spoke.

You blinked, taken aback. "What?"

He turned slightly, just enough for you to see the raw honesty in his eyes. "I don’t regret what happened. Between us. I regret how I handled it, how I hurt you, but I don’t regret feeling something real for once."

The words hung in the air, and for a moment, the suffocating heat seemed to dissipate, replaced by a cold clarity. You crossed your arms tighter around yourself, trying to hold onto your anger, your resolve. But his words had hit a nerve, bringing back memories you’d tried so hard to bury.

You looked away, unable to look at him, "It doesn’t change anything."

"I know.”

And with that, he walked out, leaving you standing there, your heart in pieces all over again. You pushed away from the door, needing something to distract yourself. 

You picked up your book, but the words blurred on the page. You tossed it aside, your thoughts too chaotic to focus. Instead, you paced the small living room, replaying the conversation in your mind.

You eventually collapsed onto the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling. You did the right thing, so why did it hurt so bad? 

You felt like a wound had been reopened, and you hated him for it.

But you hated yourself more for letting him get to you.

The hours dragged on, the sun dipping below the horizon and casting long shadows through the windows. You tried to lose yourself in anything—TV, reading, cleaning—nothing worked.

You only saw Rafe's face, his desperate eyes, his trembling hands.

You remembered the feel of his skin, the sound of his voice when he was vulnerable. The memories were too real, too persistent. You couldn't bring yourself to explain it to yourself. Your eyes begin to itch, warning you to think of something else.

Anything else but Rafe.

Was this heartbreak? No—it couldn't be. Why did it still hurt?

You weren't in love with Rafe Cameron.

At least, you didn't think you were.

You had never allowed yourself to consider it, to dwell on what you felt for him. But now, in the stillness of your small living room…it was different. You never had a good parental figure to teach you these things. All you knew was destruction, violence, and heartbreak. And although you’d done pretty well for yourself, all things considered, this was new to you.

You had tried so hard to suppress your feelings, to deny your connection with him. But this…wasn’t something that could be easily forgotten or ignored. You had been so afraid to admit it, fearing that acknowledging would destroy you. 

You were in love with Rafe Cameron. 

[angerybabydino]

Dumping: Stars of Chaos (Sha Po Lang)

Mildly inspired by my beloved @detta-pica asking me about Stars of Chaos/Sha Po Lang and what I thought of it plus (shockingly but also not) missing literature discussions from my college courses, thinking about starting a collection of...book reports? journals? brain dumps? whatever I settle on calling it on things I read with whatever sparks from them--literary devices, characters, structure, etc. etc.--just for shits and giggles :3

So obviously, I'm starting with Stars of Chaos bc I finished the main story like, half an hour ago and actively need to scream about it with someone since none of my friends have read it yet (olga don't look under the break, mwah)

Starting with: I am honestly kind of shocked Sha Po Lang isn't wildly more popular. Before reading this, I'd heard many good things about priest's writing and I wasn't disappointed the second I started and continued reading through this. The summary on volume one alone was enough to hook me. I'm a fantasy/sci-fi enjoyer typically, so slapping steampunk ON TOP of an ancient Chinese setting was a very easy lure for me. Granted, the reason why this probably isn't as talked about as it could be is because the main pairing (Chang Geng and Gu Yun) are "problematic" in the sense their initial relationship is godson and godfather respectively. Which I admit I was wary of when I started reading, but I found myself very pleasantly surprised with how priest addresses the topic within the novel and found myself growing more and more fond (and feral) over their romantic relationship.

I'd just finished reading Scum Villain (the last of MXTX's novels I had to read) and while I enjoy MXTX's style of writing that involves a lot of introspection/backstory, priest's writing blew me away. I have yet to read any of her other stories yet, but I thoroughly enjoyed the way this was told. I'm usually not the biggest fan of third-person omniscient. To me, it's very jarring when I'm suddenly bouncing from one character's thoughts to another to another within a chapter; I'm more used to a PoV per chapter if anything and I prefer to read and write in an extremely close third-limited. While some of the chapters do switch PoV chapter by chapter, usually between Chang Geng in the imperial palace and Gu Yun on the front lines of the war, I actually didn't mind the within chapter bouncing all that much. Honestly, priest's third-omni is some of the best I've read. I have a vivid imagination to the point when I'm reading fanfic and novels the words disappear and I pretty much start watching everything happening on the page. Instead of sitting inside, for example, Chang Geng's head and watching everything happen, it was like watching a tv show, seeing every characters' reactions, thoughts, and interactions, including critical plot moments that he wouldn't be privy of until the moment they happened, like all of the war discussion Jakobson and the Pope have aboard their ship. It also work really well when it comes to hiding things like Gu Yun's state after his sea dragon takes fire, which increases tension and keeps people reading, on top of fueling dramatic irony, like the readers knowing that Gu Yun is keeping all news of Jiangnan's front lines appearing fine while we watch things take drastic turns from his perspective. Again, not my favorite PoV to tell a story, but with all the political scheming that went on throughout this, I think it worked really well.

On top of that, priest's worldbuilding for Sha Po Lang is absolutely insane and I loved every second of it. The actual world is so immersive with lots of sensory details, especially in Gu Yun's perspective since for parts he's deaf and blind so priest relies on his touch, taste, and smell. Though I particularly fell in love with the steampunk elements (and I wish more were illustrated!!). While by comparison most are modern day technologies we consider normal (i.e. sea dragons being the equivalent of motor boats or giant kites being the equivalent of army cargo planes), they are of course stylistically different to what we know but there's enough of a contextual understanding that we can still picture those differences. The way the armor classifications and weaponry are describe are just so cool: violet-gold powered bows that take extreme mastery to wield and do considerable damage, windslashers that appear as normal spears until they're spun around and reveal hidden blades, hawk armor that allow the wearers to fly. I would want to live there just to actually be able to witness all these and see someone utilize them.

The other thing I enjoyed immensely was watching both Chang Geng and Gu Yun's characters develop of the course of the story, primarily when it comes to their relationship. Even I can admit that the godson/godfather route was a little nerve-wracking at the beginning and I found myself attempting to rationalize how it would even be possible and coming up with ways of how to justify it (my main theory going into volume one was that Gu Yun was lying about his age; spoiler alert, he wasn't). I was mostly nervous because whenever I've read age-gap fics or heard about them in my irl life, there didn't seem to be any concern about said age gap and the potential harm it can have on budding adults. Thankfully, my concerns were quickly addressed. At the start of the story, Chang Geng is fifteen and Gu Yun is twenty-three; eight years give or take between them. During this time, Chang Geng is actually the one who comes to the realization he's in love with his godfather and proceeds to tell himself that he shouldn't be feeling that way about Gu Yun at all because of their godfather/godson status to the rest of the world on top of him being younger. Nothing romantic actually happens between them until Chang Geng is an adult, I believe twenty-three but I'm too lazy to pull out my other books to check atm. After a few scares that pushes Chang Geng to act on his feelings, Gu Yun also goes through his own series of debates around developing feelings for Chang Geng. While there wasn't a big "are you sure you're okay with this" conversation between them as far as I remember, it still felt rational and naturally progressing and... well healthy isn't the right word with all the repression Chang Geng does, not as off-setting as I was worried it would be. Safe to say I was squealing over the final illustrated kiss.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading through Sha Po Long, but I also feel like I still have so many questions left unanswered (that I also probably could've very well skimmed over because I had a bit of a difficult time following along with the arcs which means I probably should've been annotating while I was reading, but I digress). What really happened with Chang Geng when he was younger during the wolf attack? Does Gu Yun ever fully get his vision and hearing truly restored? Why is Gu Yun's original intended not brought up again? What happens to them after the war aside from the brief summary we get at the end (even though I have all the extras to still read)? Do Shen Yi and Chen Qingxu actually get together?

I think the only thing I've got qualms with is not seeing Chang Geng completely losing control during a wu'ergu attack (not like that one scene where he's biting Gu Yun's arm, like, full blood lust murder spree mode) and Gu Yun calming him back down and bringing him back. Again, there technically is already a scene with them doing just that, but I wanted something bigger, more dramatic, y'know? Wu'ergu was one of the driving forces of the novel so not seeing actually come to fruition was a tad disappointing, but not necessarily a crippling decision. Having Change Geng be able to withstand its effects for so long, especially when the barbarian third prince, who is also a wu'ergu, gets close to him, shows a lot about his character and is probably why there wasn't a scene like what I was hoping.

~~~

Rating: 8.5/10

Favorite Character: Honestly a tie between Chang Geng, Gu Yun, and Shen Yi

Favorite Art: well, it would be the one of Chang Geng diving off a tower in hawk armor if it existed, but since there isn't, the bonus full-color illustration in volume five (I need it on my wall now)

Favorite Arc: Battle Hymn

~~~

And with that, I am going to shut up and go to bed XD Kudos if you read all this, though I sincerely doubt it. This is more just for me and barfing all the thoughts in my head somewhere. Maybe I'll do it again with MXTX's novels bc I know I have lots of thoughts about them too!

EDIT 06/24/2025: Just finished all the extras and I am SCREAMING. It'll peeve me a little that some of these critical moments were saved to address after the main story instead of working them into it, but regardless I'm still happy all my questions have been answered :3

[mrsfrecklesmarauders]

"I am sorry!!" James yelled after her.

His voice was desperate as his feelings. But he couldn't believe it. He couldn't bare the face of disappointment Lily had after finding James fighting with Snivellus.

Alright, Snape...Severus...

James had tried. He really had tried to be a better person. He had realized that his jokes and his pranks weren't always innocent, that his problems weren't the center of the universe because there were worse things, and that he just couldn't had everything he wanted in life.

Maturing and growing up had slapped James's face in many occassions. He had learned to be better because of her. Because of Lily.

James was in love with Lily. And once, he had believed he didn't deserve her after everything he had done, how he had treated her and how he had wanted her without considering what she wanted. Now, James had accepted that if Lily had given him a chance it was because he had been given the opportunity to be better. And he was not going to waste that opportunity.

James was Headboy, a leader in many people's eyes, more responsible (which pissed Sirius off sometimes), he was more careful with people and the jokes he made, he helped everyone who asked, especially those more vulnerable.

James liked being the hero. Because Lily's smile and Lily's kisses, and Lily's "I love you"s were his best reward.

But there was something about Severus Snape that got the worst out of him. The second James was in front of him, he paid him attention, James became immediately the villain.

"Lily, wait!" James continued to follow her around the halls "You didn't hear the nasty horrible things he was saying about my friends, about me and about you..."

James knew Snape didn't hate Lily like he hated the rest of them. He had insulted her because he was hurt. But James had exploded the second Lily's name had been pronounced from that filthy mouth.

He had punched him. Snape had attacked back. And James punched him again...

Lily kept walking. James followed her.

"You understand how he is, right? Always bothering my friends, especially Remus. He has something against him. You know how he is like..."

Lily suddenly stopped. She turned and James realized she had tears in her eyes. He hated himself for making his girl cry.

"I know perfectly well how he is" Lily said calmly as she crossed her arms "At least I know now" she said refering to the way she had defended Snape blindly "But I thought YOU were over that, James. I thought you were better than this"

James looked down, feeling ashamed.

"Why do you always have to be the winner?" she asked "You have to have everything, don't you? You have the nice family. You have the money and the talent and the success.... You have the golden loyal friends who would do anything for you... And you have your dream of playing rugby and if that doesn't work, you can just work at your father's company..." Lily made a pause "Severus has nothing!" Lily sniffed taking some air "He used to have me, and only me, now you have me as well"

James frowned. He hadn't liked what Lily had said. It wasn't that he had asked for any of the privilages he had. He felt guilty for them.

"You're not an object, Lily" James shook his head "You chose to be with me willingly. I didn't make you... I didn't..." his eyes filled with tears "You are with me because you love me, right?"

Lily cried and for a second James got scared she was going to say no. That she had made a terrible mistake.

"Of course I love you" she exclaimed, and James was relieved "I just feel guilty, okay? I feel very responsible!!"

The second Lily began crying harder and covering her face, James ran to wrap his arms around her.

"Oh gorgeous"

Lily hugged him tighter as she cried in his chest.

"I know what he says about your friends" she said as sha pulled away and wiped her tears "I know he probably hates you all, including me for being with you..."

Wanker...

"And I feel responsible for every nasty thing he says and all the hatred he has inside..."

"Lily..." James wanted to protest.

But Lily carried on "Because I was his only friend and the only person who cared about him!" she yelled "And he hates that you guys are my friends now and that you are my boyfriend, so he hates you more because of it, you know?" she sniffed "This is my fault"

"Lily!" James grabbed her chin and made her face him "None of this is your fault, okay?" Lily looked at him "You cared for him...and you gave him more chances than anyone could. And he didn't take them" he shook his head.

More chances than James would have liked. But he knew Snape was or used to be important for Lily and he wasn't going to question that.

"He just needed to fight and try to be better to deserve you...Because anyone who wants to win your heart and wants to deserve you, has to try and be the perfect man and not even then he would reach to your feet..." then he looked down putting his hands inside his pockets "And maybe not even I deserve your love"

Lily, to James's surprise chuckled, which made James look up.

She was smiling at him. And after all that crying, her smile was like a warm sun after a storm.

"Why do you always know just the right thing to say?" she asked "Of course you deserve me" she added "You are the only one that owns my heart, James Potter. I couldn't love anyone else" then she composed herself "Even if you make me angry sometimes"

James couldn't avoid but smiling like a child. She loved him. She really loved him.

"I love you so much" he said and sealed it with a sweet kiss on her lips. "I'm sorry again" another kiss "So sorry"

Lily grabbed his hand afterwards.

"Don't let him get to you again" Lily begged softly "That's what he wants"

James caressed her cheek.

"I promise, gorgeous" he said and he meant it "Help me be a better person for you. Help me be the man you deserve"

Lily touched his face with adoration. The way her eyes shone was something that left James breathless.

"Let's get that wound clean before it gets infected"

James hadn't realized he had a wound until Lily touched it by the corner of his lip, left side.

"Want to kiss it better, ma'am?"

Lily smiled and kissed James's wound carefully. James's heart started beating fast.

"No chance kisses also fix your thick brain?" she asked patting his locks.

James smirked "We can certainly try" he said "You can heal all my body now that you're at it, my sweet nurse"

Lily laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Come on, loverboy" she said as she grabbed his hand and dragged him.

James would follow her anywhere. To the end of the world. He was going to be the man she deserved.

Little did he know there were a pair of two eyes watching everything from the dark and building up resentment inside his chest even more.

[chellesdump]

Sana Potter - MiSa (2NA)

"All Sana wanted was to watch her favorite series of movies alongside her members but when everyone tells her they are busy she gets so upset. That is until big sister Mina comes to the rescue making Sana feel so magical and happy "

word count ─ 1.2k

tags ─ little! sana, big sis! mina, autumn, harry potter, cuddles

notes ─ This is for the Magic prompt, so of course it had to be Sana Potter. So enjoy :3

Sana woke up refreshed after the relaxing night she had, which meant that all her energy was recharged, she tried to decide what she was going to spend the day doing, but no matter how much she tried to come up with any idea she just couldn't think of anything, that was until a voice call for her from somewhere within the house.

“Sana! You just got mail” said the voice which seemed to be Jihyo from the living room.

Sana ran towards where she heard Jihyo, grab whatever thing the mailman just brought for her, thanking the leader with a “Thank you Hyo, love yah!”, she ran back to her room to open the package. Inside was her new blanket hoodie, it was Harry Potter-themed, with all the characters displayed in a pattern, so this gave her an idea of how to spend the day away.

She was watching… HARRY POTTER.

Now she only needed to find someone to watch the movies with, since watching them alone isn’t the most fun thing to do, so her adventure to find a movie pal started, she went to find Momo in her room, but when she was about to open the door remembered that Momo was in Japan for a schedule.

After Momo’s room she went to look for Hyo, she was sure she would want to watch a movie with her, “Hyo! Wanna watch Harry Potter wif’ me? I gots a new blanket to watch it” excitedly asked Sana with a glimmer in her eyes, but disappointment came when Jihyo told her she couldn’t right now since she was called into a meeting but maybe later.

Then she went to find Jeongyeon, maybe she was willing to watch at least one of the movies with her, but as such had been her luck Jeong wasn’t able to do it either, “Sorry Sha but I’m taking Peanut to the vet for a checkup, but you know I’d be more than happy to spend time with you if I could” sadly told her the older girl giving a pitiful pat on the younger’s head before going out the door.

Finally, she went to Nayeon’s room to ask her to watch the movies with her, but upon arrival, she found Nay was getting changed, “Where you going?” asked Sana clutching her stuffed Hedwig plush against her chest, “Oh Sana! Didn’t hear you enter, but to answer your question I’m taking the maknaes to their doctor's appointment” answered Nayeon fake whispering the last part before chuckling, but she found that Sana’s gaze was on the floor and she was so quiet. 

“Is something the matter baby?” questioned Nayeon stuffing her purse with the necessities for the day, “Wanted to watch Harry wif’ you Mama, but you busy” sadly answered the Japanese girl burying her face on the plushes back, this broke Nay’s heart but she needed to take the girls to the doctor, so with a heavy heart told Sana that if she was still up to it when she came back from the doctor they could watch the movie together.

—

Sana was sulking in the living room, stray tears came out of her eyes and quiet sobs dominated her body, this made her even more upset as she wasn’t supposed to be mad at the girls for being busy because they told her that if they could they would do it but for someone as little as she was at the moment it was beyond upsetting.

Mina came into the living on her way to the kitchen to grab a beverage, but stopped in her tracks upon seeing the upsetting scene of Sana quietly sobbing on the sofa, she went towards the sofa and sat beside the crying girl asking her what was wrong.

“Mitang!” yelled Sana launching herself to hug the penguin girl, “I w-wanna watch Ha-harry but everyone b-busy, no one watch mo-movies with Satang” sobbed the Shiba Inu retelling how everyone had things to do and so she was alone, Mina gave her a hug before getting up and going to the kitchen before heading to her room.

Sana got even sadder and more upset seeing how Mina just went back to hiding in her room ignoring the older one, she was getting mad at hearing all the ruckus that Mina was making from her room. Every once in a while she would see Mina coming into the kitchen, grabbing something, and retreating back to her room, this same pattern lasted around 20 minutes with the only difference of sometimes going to the linen closet instead of the kitchen.

It was about the 15th time Mina came out of her room and ignored Sana, and she was fed up with it, except this time Mina came straight to Sana and extended her hand out for her to take, with some apprehension Sha took the offered hand and followed Mina to… Mina’s room, why would she finally decide to invite Sana inside when she had been ignoring her for the last 20 or so minutes, since she was upset she made her thoughts known.

Mina began laughing, which made Sana mad about how she could be cruel to Sana for voicing her feelings, the penguin quickly recovered from her laughing fit and reassured Sha about how she wasn’t ignoring her and that they were there to give her a big surprise. Opening her door Mina let Sana inside and showed her what she had been preparing the last 20 minutes, there was a blanket fort surrounding the TV, and there was a wide range of bowls with snacks that Sana loved, some were even Wizarding World-themed, it was so magical looking with the fairy light hanging from the makeshift ceiling of the fort.

Sana’s heart warmed up and once again the tears made themselves present in her eyes, Mina got worried, “Did you not like it Satang? I’m so sorry” mused the penguin, but Sana was quick to say the contrary, “Like it? I wuv it Mitang!! Fank you for this you da best sister I could have!” finished the Shiba hugging the sentimental ballerina.

Once both girls were calm enough they started watching the first movie of the series, drinking the butter beer (non-alcoholic, of course, they are Alcohol Free) Mina had made with so much love and eating all the snacks. After the first movie had ended and the second one was around the middle Sana was so relaxed that falling asleep was imminent, before letting her heavy eyelids win the fight against sleep she let Mina know how grateful she was for her doing all this just to make Sha happy.

“Of course Satang, that’s what big sisters are for. We are here to make our tiny sisters happy, I love you so much” whispered Mina leaving a tiny but filled with so much love kiss on top of Sana’s head cuddling her harder and also succumbing to sleep’s arms. That’s how the rest of the members found them with happy smiles plastered on both their faces, Nayeon and Jeongyeon picked them up into the bed, tucking them under the covers and leaving them to rest… not before taking a photo to save the warm moment between the Japanese girls.

[sketching-shark]

This may or may not have asked more than once but I wanted to ask— what is your favorite alternate universe or stories of jttw in Tumblr? I've seen the glorious works of Kaijufluffs and kiri with her monkey business (may be some lmk here and there), but so far that's the only things in my list. There was also that one jttw artist and their au but like, it was from the 2015 movie (I think) and somehow integrated w the west pantheon too (their name might've been sun or something)

If you do and can, can you list down ur fav AUS and what you think of them? I've been following ur blog for a while and wanted to ask (but I've just been too shy)

Thanks for the question anon! And yes! There are definitely some fun JTTW aus out there; people on this site are incredibly creative.

So to begin, are you talking about the aus made by @sunny-days-and-warm-mournings? Because I know that they've come up with a number of AUs, and that from what I've seen they're all bangers with all sorts of interesting takes and flavors, from making everyone's favorite monkey more a god of food to a terrifying death deity! As you can imagine this has led to many a stellar design from the whimsical to the horrific for all of these monkey kings, each of which is fully worth checking out. tbh I feel like you should just scroll through their gallery to find them all & will promise that you won't be disappointed.

If you're looking for something a little more lego show flavored, then you should check out @digitaldoeslmk's "by the book au!" Its Monkey King is extremely fun sized, and it's really neat for the way it explores heartfelt sides to MK and friend's stories in a Monkie Kid scenario where JTTW happened according to Wu Cheng'en's story and where reality isn't constantly in danger so we see fun stuff like lion dancing and putting on plays and the warm interactions that come with it (& also where everyone isn't routinely yelling about how awful & incompetent SWK is fsgreafw).

I also have to give a shout-out to @violetvirus for their JTTW cyberpunk au! It's got a very fun and bouncy cartoon vibe to it, and I love how SWK, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing look as robots <3. There's hints of some interesting ways the JTTW scenario works with a cyberpunk setting, as well as some moments of silliness like this banger:

Last but certainly not least, and while its been awhile since he posted, I would definitely recommend checking out @antidotefortheawkward and @antidotefortheawkward-art's blogs for his JTTW AUs! Seriously, his blogs are cornucopias of wonderful JTTW aus, from an actors AU to a triad AU to a Lotus Lantern AU to a post-JTTW JTTW au! Each of these really shows a lot of attention and care for the characters and the details of the world they inhabit from clothing to religion to history, which as you can imagine opens up multiple opportunities for some really lovely, heartfelt, and overall great interactions. A few personal favorites include this comic of an conversation between Sun Wukong and Liu Chenxiang of Lotus Lantern fame:

A comic about Sun Wukong's reactions after first learning that Xiyouji included details about his time as Puti Zushi's tudi:

And to end on something a little darker, a comic for his JTTW-ish/Macbeth au.

So those are the JTTW aus I can think of at the top of my head, but I sincerely hope you find them as fun and interesting as I do anon! And needless to say if anyone has a JTTW au that they think worth sharing, please do so.

[countrymusiclover]

62 - To Getting Rebekah Back

Part 63

Gemini Runaway

Tag list ask to be added @icefrye19 @secretdreamlandmentality

Dragging Aurora's limp body into a room of the Mikealson's compound I threw her against the wall while we waited for her to come back. Flipping my hair out of my face I scoffed leaning against the wall. "I don't see why we can't just do a mind dive on her like Klaus did with me when I was still a witch."

Freya began burning some sage in a circle in the middle of the room. "I'm shocked you're thinking about the safer option. A few minutes ago you wanted to kill her."

"Oh please. She's annoying me enough where I still want to kill her." Snapping my gaze downward to her slumping my shoulders. "But she's the only one who knows where Bex is."

She nodded her head seeing that she was waking up. "Took you long enough."

"Oh, are we to play a fun game?" Aurora asked, lifting her head up.

Freya burned some more sage around her. "Actually, yes, and now that my spell has made it so that no one can hear what happens…"

"Cause in case you missed it we're gonna have a lot of fun." Bending my knees I grabbed her chin in my nails flashing my fangs.

Aurora smiled up at me. "Raelyn, how I wish I could adore your flair. I can't forget the fact that you gave him what I couldn't."

"Ohh well I can rub it in your face after you tell us where Bex is." I wined releasing her chin from my hand.

Aurora made a nose looking at Freya now. "Oh, ok, so then what, pray tell, are we doing here?"

"I think I'll leave my sister in law to tell you what's next." She sat the sage down when I rose to my feet.

Crossing my arms over my chest I smirked wickedly at the vampire girl. "You're gonna tell us where to find Rebekah, or we're going to kill you."

Aurora made a disappointing face. "Oh. Hmm."

Raising my hand up I snapped my fingers drawing her up to me holding her by her throat. "Where's my sister in law?"

"Not telling." She snapped.

"Ah sha lana!" I responded where she grabbed her head falling on the ground.

"Still…not…telling." She groaned.

Turning on my heels I launched one hand forward, breaking her legs together at once. "Tenebris lapsus!"

Aurora fell on the ground but she began laughing where Freya stepped up, beginning spells of her own on her. She launched her around the room like a rag doll for hours. Until she landed against the dresser panting. "Uh!...Is that the best you've got?"

"Until I can kill you yes!" Baring my teeth together in frustration I clutched my hands into fists causing some fire in one hand. "Incendia! I'm gonna ask you again... where is Rebekah?"

She smirked, rising to her feet before Freya snapped her fingers causing her entire body to feel pain. "You're quite strong for an infant."

Vamping up to her I punched her across the face. Aurora ran towards me where we went back and forth hitting one another until I slammed her against the wall. “Ah! Uh... Uh... Uh! Ah! Uh! Uh! Ah! Agh! Oh! Rrgh! Ha! Ah! Uh! Huh!”

Freya clutched her hand forward causing the red head to hold her head yelling in pain for a few minutes. “Whoo! Ha ha ha! That actually hurt. Ha ha! Oh, I haven't felt pain since the 1700s... kind of tickles... and for that, I'm gonna make you suffer.”

“No you’re not actually.” I grabbed her by her shoulders siphoning from her.

She winced sharply. “Huh! Agh!”

"How about a werewolf bite, you psychotic, little bitch? Cause I know someone who doesn't have a relationship with you. Motus !" Growling in her ear I released her into the wall.

Aurora smirked where I wanted to snap her neck right then. “By all means if only I can laugh in your face when Nik heals me.”

Freya glanced at my direction growling through her labored breath. “Maybe Klaus would heal you, but I doubt he would heal your brother. Why don't you have your werewolf Hayley bite him instead?”

I smiled at the red head. “Hmm, that’s not a bad thought.”

Aurora threatened, crossing her arms over her chest proudly. “No one should dare harm my brother... Seeing as you're all going to need him if you want your precious Rebekah back.”

Our group was back in the dining room with Lucien clicking his tongue. “Longitude and latitude. Lovely.”

Tristan clinked his galls with his sister. “Well, despite our differences, I believe great strides were made today.”

Aurora smiled. “Hmm.”

Elijah made a threat sitting back down at the table. “Tristan, I can't murder you this very moment, but I could just as easily tear those eyeballs from your skull and feed them to your sister.”

Klaus warns him with me leaning against the armrest of his king chair. “Elijah, these are our guests.”

Aurora said back. “ Nik, it's so sweet of you to defend us.”

“Don’t get too comfortable with the idea!” I warned her by crossing my arms over my chest.

“You know, I doubted my brother's wisdom in bringing us all together today, but he was right. We must confront the harsh realities we all face and make difficult choices... To ensure our collective survival... And I have every confidence that my choice... Will be the right one.” Klaus got to his feet moving behind Tristian suddenly snapping his neck.

Aurora gasps at what he had done when he threatened her sternly. "Were you anyone else, the servants would already be mopping your blood from the floor. If you do not bring my sister home, Tristan will die slowly and in tremendous pain."

Aurora croaked through tears. “You betray me after all your promises of love.”

Nik raised his voice at her getting in her face threatening her to bring her home. “I meant to keep those promises! It was you who shattered them when you took Rebekah! Now I have your brother, a sibling for a sibling. I want Rebekah back.”

Aurora got in his face vamping away. “You will regret this. Huh!”

Freya asked him with me standing by her hip. “After everything today, you just let her go?”

Elijah reassured her. “Aurora should be easy enough to control. We have Tristan now.”

Klaus shifted closer to his vampire flashing his golden wolf eyes into his. “Lucien... You will take me to Camille, and you will surrender the medallion, or you will meet an end so cruel, the devil will weep.”

Stomping around the knocked out vampire I didn't bother wasting time vamping to his place. The elevator door opened quickly where I noticed that Cami was waiting outside holding a daylight ring. “Cami, we have to go now.”

“I took that vampire guy's daylight ring. He can’t get out until dark.” She told me to hold it up.

Taking her hand in I rushed us back to the elevator tapping my foot nervously until the door opened again and I gasped under my breath. "Aurora, shit!"

"Hello again, Raelyn." She smiled wickedly. "You must be Cami."

Cami's heartbeat began to race in our vampire ears. "Raelyn, what do we do?"

"Don't worry. I can take her!" I revealed my fangs and the veins under my fangs to her.

Aurora backed us into a corner when she revealed something from behind her back. In her hands was a stake and a vial of some liquid that I could only assume must be werewolves venom or something. "Oh on the contrary dear girl. You see she won't be getting the upper hand against me this time."

"What the hell are you going to do to me?" I growled shielding Cami with my body. "Leave Cami out of this."

The red head shook her head. "Sorry not an option. You see, I need her for my plan."

"Raelyn - uh!" Cami grunted when Aurora shoved a needle in her body to the floor.

I attempted to vamp at her but she pressed the tip of the stake over my heart. "Ah ah not so fast, darling. You might be a witch but I can still stake you and kill you with this."

"You really are a bitch. Why are you doing this?" I bared my teeth.

She leans forward. "Cause I won't let you keep my lover from me. Now either you come with me willingly or I kill Cami right now."

"Why you little -" I cut myself off when she moved the stake over her human heart in a taunting way. "Huh…fine."

Aurora grinned, dragging the blonde human towards the doorway. "Excellent."

"Dic mihi, hva du vet…" I mumbled praying that she didn't hear me do my mind spell before I followed her through the elevator. "Nik, please find us before Aurora kills me or Cami. We need you."

Comments really appreciated ❤️

[axl-ul]

The Flight of the Western Crane: Chapter Twelve

(A reupload/repost of my fic/dark retellingof Journey tot he West because the whole AO3 site, where I originally posted this, got taken down for now)

(General info about this fic/wip/retelling is here)

****

The heat flew inside the vast chamber whose thin walls were inlaid with webs of such warm gold that even the sun would be embarrassed once its mute eye would peek there. The swelter pushing through the low hanging windows covered by shutters became unbearable yet none of the people, who were sitting on the three moderate-sized bamboo beds, made a move to open them. Their silhouettes petrified in anticipation of what was about to happen next.

Sanzang was the only one furiously pacing up and down the whole length of the room. Skin on his bald head was shiny from sweat and it reddened so much he slowly began to resemble a lobster in boiling water. His eyes, usually as calm as fish in a fresh pool on a sunny spring day, were ferociously gnawing at the eldest disciple, “What did I say? What did we agree on, Wukong? Wuneng, this applies to you, as well. No fighting. No collisions. No troubles. But look at what happened!“

“Shifu, please, calm down. Sit with us, have this delicious cup of tea and relax,“ Bajie hugged the monk around the shoulders and guided the young man between him and Mei. “Sit with us on this terribly hot day. I can assure you that neither Brother Wukong nor I planned on creating such a ruckus.“

“Shifu,“ the Friar Sand took off from his seat on the opposite bed and knelt,“my seniors didn’t think much ahead. Out of all people you ought to know this best. Please, forgive them and stop shouting so much. Your voice might get damaged and somebody is going to hear you. Shifu, please, listen to my plea and forgive my brothers because they only meant the best and by the unfortunate circumstances they dug too deep.“ Ol’ Sha’s lips had been trembling like leaves on a tree in autumn until he finished with a humble bow.

The demon was such a sore sight Sanzang couldn’t bear to look at him any longer. “Wujing, I’m not angry. I am simply,“ trying to find the right word which described the twitching inside his guts the best, the monk settled down on his usual choice,“disappointed. You dive in head first despite me telling you otherwise. Do you even listen to me? Or are my lectures and hopes of you three becoming honest people and model monks just a tick on your list of things you need to present in case Bodhisattva Guanyin comes to inspect?!“

Sanzang looked daggers at the disciples, mainly on Wukong who as the only one didn’t drop his eyes. The demon didn’t move a muscle, his breaths were so shallow they were almost non-existent. He was like a silent vulcano waiting for the next explosion of seething anger. However, Wukong was more patient than he’d ever been before as the simian was truly trying his best to calm himself down and not to pay attention to his Master’s enraged screech.

“Venerable monk, if I may I’d like to point out that your disciples are valiant men. They saved me and my advisor. I doubt the snakes would leave us unharmed. Brother Bajie was protecting us with his own body and he even got me out of the room as quickly as possible.“ Bajie blushed from hearing such a praise, nobody seemed to notice him, though. “He was the one to bring me to the safety of this room and made sure I had enough food and peace to recover from the awful incident.“

“Brother Wukong fought magnificently and didn’t let the intruders get closer to Her Highness and Brother Bajie,“ Márgerdra joined as well. “His extraordinary skills did not only come in handy, he also showed his devotion to your cause and purpose.“

Such a remark took Sanzang aback,“What sort of dedication are you talking about, Lady Wolf Witch?“

Knowing well where this was leading to, Wukong’s eyes popped out. Behind Sanzang’s back, he was frantically gesturing to the witch to hold her tongue. The woman, although she immediately understood the message behind the agitated hinting, decided on her own and kept on ignoring the Great Sage while she explained,“You see, venerable Master, the place we were at is a bathhouse. Naturally, Her Highness and I had to strip off a…majority of our clothes in order to clean ourselves. Yet, not the Eight Rules nor the Great Sage,“ she offered both demons a meaningful look,“took advantage of it. They behaved like true gentlemen.“

Bajie sensed the woman lied on purpose on his behalf and so, in his own embarrassment and with the temperature of his forehead rising, he joined in praising the immortal monkey,“Shifu, see? Here Big Brother wanted to commit a good deed by heart. He’s got a rather delicate soul-“

“I don’t have a soul, Daizi-“ Bajie’s ear slapped Wukong across the mouth and as if by magic shut him up for good. The red print on his cheek and the annoying pinching on his skin bristled Wukong’s fur as he launched at the pig’s flapping ear, however he restrained himself from the bite at the last second.

“Venerable Master, do you finally see the reason? It was more than a self-defence. As well as Lady Wolf Witch nearly getting knocked off in that horrible fight my own poor heart wouldn’t be able to survive another scarring-“

“Enough!“ Sanzang’s resolute voice was irked. A strange unknown feeling washed over him and his heart. The monk didn’t recognise it but he was capable of describing it - his ears were swollen from Mei’s urging, his skin was breaking out in rash from the constant Sha Seng’s squeezing and his throat squeezed whenever both directed their puppy eyes on him. How strange as he had never before minded them, quite the opposite, they were one those whose presence he enjoyed the most. “The Queen is outraged! Her captain is ready to corner us even more! What’s worse, the city is surely under a lockdown…“

“Shifu, you're exaggerating. It was only a small group which got in. The Queen surely won’t think much of it,“ Bajie beamed as his tusks bored into a tart apple.

Knock. Knock.

Even the tiniest movement of the group stopped upon the light tapping reached their ears.

“Y-Yes, please?“ Tang Sanzang coyly stepped closer to the sliding door.

“It is me, the Captain of Her Majesty’s guards. May I enter, sir? Or is it more suitable for me and my men to go and see you a little bit later?“ The muffled nasal voice hammered against Wukong’s eardrums and nerves. As if to feed his irritation, the request of the soldier was granted an approval. “No such thing as further delaying is needed. Please enter, Captain. Our sincere apologies, but we’ve already eaten a fair amount of food. If you do not mind, may we at least offer you some nuts?“

 “No. Thank you but I must decline your hospitality this time," Captain Jun looked around the room. His suspicious gaze settled upon the larger table in the left corner of the room. There were big plates and bowls, by a quick counting possibly seven or so dishes, dirty from the leftovers. Jun narrowed his eyes,“You didn’t touch the meat? How strange, I was of the opinion our cook was the best of the best with his culinary skills.“

The Tripitaka fidgeted on the spot when the pair of guards standing by the door looked over to them.

“I deeply apologise for the rudeness of interrupting you,“ Mei jumped in for the quick rescue,“but wouldn’t it be a bit unwise to eat such heavy food in this weather, Captain? We simply ate what was easier to digest. We, of course, are going to taste your local delicacies, only a bit later when our bodies won’t ache so much. Besides, I don’t think our food is the goal of your visit, sir.“

The response satisfied the crane demon. “Very well,“ he looked at the group one more time. For a moment he observed Wukong, soon, though, he blinked over to the place where Márgerdra was sitting quiet as a mouse. Jun’s graceful features relaxed. “You are, indeed, right, Miss Ah Xiuying. Because Her Majesty is now in a great hurry to secure the safety of her people she requested me to visit you on her behalf. Yet, the content of her message is something I identify with. Therefore we both deeply regret that Miss Yaling and Miss Ah Xiuying were the eyewitnesses and victims of the bandits breaking in. Furthermore, our units are already on their tracks and with my most accomplished men both in the field and in interrogation, I doubt the responsible will have enjoyed the freedom for more than a week. With a fair share of experience, I’m giving him two weeks at best.“

“Sure thing,“ Wukong murmured with folded arms,“till now you’ve been just rolling your ass in a fine seat.“

The captain turned around and snivelled until his nostrils largened beyond belief,“What is it, Huang? Anything important?“

“Me?“ Wukong shot his feet down from the table and pretended his obliviousness as best as he could,“No, nothing worth mentioning. I was only thanking you that you managed to run down the stairs, Captain, and saved my lovely wife and sister-in-law from these fiendish foes. Always on time when it’s needed. What a hero…“ The unmistakable glint in dark eyes accentuated the Sage’s sneer.

Jun chewed on his inner cheek. The temperature around him appeared to drop significantly. “I am glad whenever I can be of service, especially to such a young and already accomplished fighter and scholar, from what I’ve heard. Aside from your wife, some praise, naturally, goes to you, too, Huang.“

“I can’t lie. I married well.“ Wukong knew the easiness of his words got his rival worked up, it didn’t matter how well Jun tried to mask it behind his gentlemanly behaviour.

The tall demon delivered his apology once more to the women as well as the young monk whose room became a nest of hostility. He then turned around to march out with his subordinates but caught himself at the last second. Jun gently stroked his forehead under the helmet as if he nearly forgot to do something.“By any chance, did the servants inform you about the state of gates and the travel routes going through the city?“

Mei took a sharp breath,“You’re connected to other cities?“

Her question honestly startled the young official,“Naturally, Miss Ah Xiuying. Even though we are a demonic settlement we need to be supplied. Our disguised merchants can freely trade with the outsiders and humans under crucial conditions. Yet we do not deny their right as well as the fact that only a small fee and a certain percentage goes into the royal coffer. That is the reason why business is quite popular with our citizens.“

“Apologies for interrupting, sister, but nobody told us a thing about those routes. What happened to them? Have they been destroyed?“ Márgerdra asked, never taking her eyes off of Jun.

“No, you needn’t to worry about such a scenario, Miss Yaling,“ he chuckled,“that would be an utterly foolish thing to do. However, all the gates are now closed on the order of Her Majesty to ensure the safety of our people. Nobody goes in or out.“ Jun’s onyx eyes danced on the group, a small attempt to find something written on their stone faces. Soon, with a silent ‘goodbye’ he walked out and left them drowning in their inner grim thoughts.

****

“Is everyone prepared?“ Mei’s curious question striked the rest who were still in the process of dressing up. Márgerdra carefully hid her whip behind the light blue silk belt and covered it with her long cloak while Wukong and Wujing made sure their own weapons didn’t stick out from their ears. With his floppy ears, Bajie didn’t need to concern himself with such worry. “We should depart soon if we want to check out the city.“

“Your Highness, don’t forget we’re about to control the routes and gates to form an escape plan. This isn’t about sightseeing,“ Márgerdra reprimanded her.

“I’m aware of that. But“ Mei was all smiles,“we aren’t going to be blindfolded. We can still enjoy the day! I’ve heard the local marketplace holds plenty of interesting specialities. There should even be a performance going on! Let’s go there, Márgerdra!“ The princess yanked her advisor’s hand like a small child.

“Yeah, Márgerdra, let’s go there and see what these nice locals have to offer,“ Wukong smirked at the frowning witch. He didn’t intend to hide his teasing.

“Your Highness, please, understand we’re not here to have a-“

“You’re right, Your Highness,“ Sanzang and Wujing said with sparkling excitement upon hearing the idea.

Such an unexpected enthusiasm couldn’t be shared with the Immortal who was suddenly lost for words and whose fur bristled up,“Shifu, you can’t be serious. We’re in the middle of a nest swarming with demons! You’d be much safer inside this room with me on the watch.“ Wukong’s cries went unrewarded. The last thing he heard before the door loudly shutting behind was Bajie’s cheerful laughter as the four hand in hand joyfully set out for their walk throughout the colourful city.

Márgerdra stood next to him, worry wrinkling her pretty face,“This is going to be a long day, isn’t it?“

“Remind me to buy a couple of acupuncture needles,“ the monkey sighed and massaged his temples.

“Don’t worry, I suppose I’ll need some too. But do we even have money for that? All’s been either lost or confiscated.“

“Not quite. Shufen sent some to Shifu. Sometimes, I’m glad he’s the good-looking one in the group…“ Wukong murmured as they entered the opulent hallway with more motifs of a bamboo grove with creatures of gold, silver and bronze with gemstones instead of eyes. Thankfully, the four were waiting for them, loud and lively as ever. Out of nowhere, Wujing yelped out, then he and the rest became laughing hysterically as he realised Mei pulled a prank on him with her cold fingers around his neck.

“Splitting up the job, Wukong?“

“Seems like it. Taking care of Daizi and Shifu.“

“I’m reserving Mei and Ol’ Sha. Good luck.“

They wearily sighed and set out to meet their fellow travellers.

****

Ao Lie’s hooves sank into the wet ground. Leaves tickled his stomach but he didn’t mind anymore. His whole body was stung by mosquitos and flies, his nose was full of mucus from the humidity.

“Bai Long Ma, get up!“ Wukong encouraged the exhausted horse but no matter how hard he tried, even his own limbs trembled, unable to help the dragon prince to stand up. The clone warned Bai Long Ma the spell would soon wear out but Lie still hoped the companion would remain with him longer than this. Soon, only a single strand of hair would be left of the clone.

They walked not more than five steps when both collapsed. Birds were chirping and bees were buzzing around the two. “Damn this marsh. So far the worst landscape we’ve been to,“ Lie cursed under his breath and tossed his greenish mane to the side. It still didn’t scare away the fly whirring around his ear.

For a while, they were huffing, wishing for a downpour. Lie tried for a small talk to avoid the silence since he’d started missing the group. He’d talk the whole day but he cut himself off. Wukong stretched out his spine, pointy ears listened closely as the simian held his breath.

“What’s going on, brother?“ Lie wanted to ask but the clone hinted to do nothing. Although Lie waited patiently a concerning feeling of his guts twisting enveloped him. Then Wukong jumped up and ran towards the shadows of the tall trees with a petrifying yell. His knees were visibly wobbly but it didn’t discourage the double in his pursuit. But what was he attacking?

Ao Lie, fearing for the monkey’s safety once he saw his buckling slim legs, cried out,“Wukong! What’s-?!“

“Run!“ The clone yelled behind himself before diving into the darkness. Not long after, the dragon horse heard a clash of steel, monkey shrieking, curses and spells being shouted. Suddenly, everything went dead silent. The eeriness of the moment built up within the stallion. As if to worsen the situation intentionally, clouds overlapped the sky, their monstrous mouths full of foam swallowing the sun.

Lie snorted. He gnawed on his cheek and forced himself back on his feet. He did not dare to come closer to the place where his companion vanished, though. An acidic smell came from there.

Because he found himself unable to move, he started counting. On five he must, he has to, begin running no matter where, how far or how fast. He has to go immediately.

Upon reaching the final count, his powerful legs lifted. Yet, they never touched the ground behind.

A voice from the shadows stopped him from going further. Quite deep, it carried a distinctive rough pitch. “Brother! We’ve been looking for you! You made us worried. Where have you been?“

When Lie turned to meet the person he couldn’t believe his eyes. It’s him. Just him, his good old friend.

He wanted to come closer but something deep down warned him no to. Something wasn’t right with the person. There were several details, hidden in plain sight. But Bai Long Ma registered one which made his blood freeze. His friend’s hand was bloody and holding a single dark brown strand of hair.

A heart beat, two, then three. The moment of the two demons staring each other down felt like eternity.

Bai Long Ma turned around and ran, he ran like never before in his life. Something was off, wrong with the person. He looked like, no, he was Wukong. But something there, written in that face was twisted, grotesque and wicked. He remembered the dream he had the previous night. “Don’t trust the eyes, for they may easily deceive,“ ever so gentle Guanyin said. But which eyes? His own dragon eyes? Or those…!

The blood. That hair. His eyes. Wukong’s eyes had never carried such intensity, as if something evil, contorted lay beneath. Then it struck him. Underneath the cloak, right where Wukong’s two ears were, there…

He didn’t finish the thought. The stranger landed on his back, the impact nearly broke Bai Long Ma’s spine in half. The dragon-horse didn’t call out as something hard struck his skull. The white body with webbed mane went limp.

****

The marketplace was located in the centre of the city. It consisted of stalls of various goods and flavours. The place, no matter how many dilapidated buildings surrounded it, was brimming with the bubbly spirit of the locals who’d already begun with decorations of their homes and narrow streets.

Mei merrily shoved her bowl of soup into the monk’s face and nearly knocked out his teeth. “This is so good! Try it! Please!“

The young monk’s forehead was flooded in heavy sweat and he heard only a minimum of what the princess told him in the noon uproar of the merchants and their customers mixed with the murmur of the river that was flowing nearby. Everyone was looking at them when they first entered the spacious marketplace. Fortunately, the word about the newcomers and the actions of the ugly imp spreaded in the crowd like a wildfire and many had a good laugh on the idea of the dashing Guard Captain being challenged by a sole monkey. Since then, not one stall had a problem with offering fresh foods and delicacies, child’s toys and books with poems, fine fabrics and dress and jewellery. “Well, if you insist so much,“ the Tripitaka replied and took the bowl. A single sip sent pleasant sweetness, though slightly bitter, down his throat. It was a welcomed refreshment, indeed.

“Shif-“

“Shui!“ the group screamed before Wujing managed to speak out fully. After a reassuring pat on the head from the young princess he mustered the courage to offer a few dumplings. “Have some, please.“

“Thank you but I have to decline. You yourself haven’t eaten much, so-“

Mei didn’t hesitate. Perhaps for the first time in her life, she munched on her food and with full mouth she yelled out,“These. Are. So. Good! How are the local cooks so amazing?! You ought to have at least a single bite, Shui. Will you do it for me?“ The flicker of her lashes made Sanzang give up and take upon the princess’ offer. Mei let out a delighted squeal. She curiously scanned the other seats of the food stall and stopped when she noticed the tensed figure of the Immortal. “Hey! You over there! Stop glowering and come closer! Pretty please!“ she gestured to slouching Wukong who was sitting by the edge of the bench.

Zhu Bajie bumped into the senior disciple which caused a good portion of his drink to spill out. “C’mon, Big Bro. Give us just a few minutes to refresh ourselves. Then we can go on with the…tour around the city.“

Wukong folded his arms, leaned back and after a quick scold from Sanzang for putting his feet on the table, he forced himself to wait for the group to finish their meal. Although, he soon found himself in a dreamy state once someone passed him the bowl of coconut pudding topped with sesame seeds. The whole portion vanished in his mouth and when he was asking for the second one, a soft chuckle caught his attention. “I’ve never had you for a sweet tooth.“

“I’m not,“ Wukong answered Márgerdra while he gladly accepted his second bowl from Sanzang,“but a change once in a while can’t hurt.“ He eyed her for a moment. The witch was also enjoying the soft flavour of a sweet potato soup, though her choice was hardly unexpected. He put the pudding down and wiped his mouth with the wide black sleeve. “Would you like to try this out?“

“Excuse me?“

“Whether you want to have the pudding. It’s pretty tasty and I see you’ve been liking the sweets the most. I’d be honestly glad if you accepted.“

Márgerdra, despite being baffled by his late behaviour, nodded,“Since you’re quite the adamant gentleman, why not? Thank you very much.“

As she was about to accept the meal from Wukong, Bajie loudly announced,“Despite our lunch being the best of the best I’ve had, we better get movin’. It might be around noon now but there’s a great chunk of the undiscovered city ahead of us. A walk will help us to easily digest these delicacies, too.“

Despite their bodies pushing hard through the crowd, the Pilgrims didn’t escape the near suffocation. Regardless of the time advancing steadily, more and more inhabitants were flooding streets. The marketplace lay in the centre of the whirlpool of bodies which spiralled around like a flock of vultures. Nevertheless, it didn’t hold the travellers back. They bravely made their way through to discreetly inspect the main gate and also the smaller one facing the north.

“You did that on purpose,“ Wukong told Bajie once caught up to him in the crowd. Since it was impossible to go around together, the group separated to look for the third large gate, the one with a trade route leading to the Country of the Brocade Lantern, orientated towards the west - Márgerdra went with Sanzang, Wujing accompanied Mei and Wukong chose to keep an eye on overly eager Bajie.

Pigsy’s ears flapped as he snivelled what slowly worked Wukong up. “Don’t pretend like you have zero idea what I’m talking about.“

“Brother,“ the pig demon rubbed his hands,“I know it’s hard to believe but I really don’t know what you’re on about. In fact, I wanted to see the city as much as I could! Look around! All the wonders of the world. Not everyday you wake up and experience a functioning demonic city.“

Wukong paused for a while. He pouted, his tail twitched. He scratched behind his ear,“Is that all?“

“Of course. You’re not suspecting me of anything, are you??“

The monkey didn’t deliver an answer. He let Bajie take the lead through the crowd meanwhile the simian submerged deep into his thoughts. He didn’t realise Bajie stopped following him the moment they stepped into an alleyway. “The gate should be around here somewhere. Wouldn’t be that bad if we were a little bit more cautious from now on. Bajie?“

“Listen, I think you can go on your own for a minute. There’s too many side paths. It would be for the best if we split up.“

“Why precisely?“ Feeling that more was going on under the surface, the Great Sage walked up to the fidgeting Zhu Bajie. When the middle disciple refused to look him in the eye, Wukong decided to observe the area by himself. All it took was a single look to the left when Wukong’s eyes met a large house with a sign. The characters were written the most elegant and precise way, a perfect contrast to the hectic atmosphere of the fair. The Sage, whose guts were twitching with each second passed, read them outloud,“Midnight Flowers of Delight.“ He faced Bajie in disgust,“Seriously? You can’t keep it in your pants for a damned day?“

“C’mon! You have no idea what it feels like to sleep alone at night.“ Bajie cried unaware of Wukong convulsively forming fists. “You’re beside that cute witch while I have to sleep next to snoring Ol’ Sha. Doesn’t matter he’s got a separate bed. Last night, he even sneezed on me! Have you ever been sneezed on by a river demon? It’s absolutely nauseating!“

“Shut up!“ The monkey lost control and punched the pig so hard he flew a good ten bus back. He waited for the boar to pull himself together and then firmly stepped in the direction of a tiny stall. Seeing it was only filled with brushes of numerous sizes, the Immortal pretended his interest just to distract himself and to calm down. He was arching over an inkstone when Pigsy whispered to him, still rubbing his aching rear.“You didn’t have to go that far, brother.“

“You made me do it. It was all your sole decision. I only delivered the result, brother,“ Wukong scowled.

“Fine, maybe you’re right. I ought to stop thinking about pretty ladies with long legs.“

“Glad to hear that.“

“With a thin waist and milky skin, too.“

Wukong rolled his eyes once he heard Pigsy’s dreamy voice. A magnificent magnolia-shaped Duan inkstone and a fine ink brush with an orange handle caught his attention, something which sparked an idea.“How much for these?“

“Also with blonde hair, preferably.“ Pigsy’s additional playful wink didn’t help to cease the heat of the situation.

Once the old vendor turned to check the price, the monkey turned on his heel and grabbed the pig marshal by the ear. His voice lowered, the menacing tone made Bajie shiver from head to toes. “I’m giving you the last chance, Daizi. You speak like this ever again, I’m  punching your greasy fat guts out. I don’t care how many rounds of Headband Tightening Spell I’m risking. I will do it.“

“Big Bro, I was just messing around,“ Zhu Bajie cried out,“I wanted to tease you a bit as a prank. Let me go, please!“

The monkey’s jaw dropped. All the feelings mixed inside him like the most wretched ingredients in the boiling cauldron. He was appalled, confused, and outraged. The pressure of his slim fingers eased. Under them, red droplets poured from the purple dots and elongated scratch wounds. The Great Sage’s innards quivered. It was only a silly joke and nothing more. Yet, the squeeze was greater than ever before.

“Brother, I’m sorry. Let me take care of that.“

“What? Is my hearing deceiving me?“ Bajie held onto his bleeding ear. “You feel guilty about bullying me? I better thank Guanyin for hearing out my cries for help.“

“Shut up. I’m serious this time.“

Seeing the honesty in his senior’s eyes, Bajie’s tense face relaxed, his snout wrinkled when he offered his fellow a warm smile,“Thanks, Big Bro.“

“Young man,“ a fragile finger tapped on the monkey demon’s shoulder. The old man handed Wukong, who immediately threw a fit, his bill,“How much?!“

“Young master, I have to make a living, too.“

Wukong turned to Bajie with a grumble after unsuccessfully digging through the pouch of taels. “Brother, could you lend me some for today? I’ll give it back right after we get back to the palace.“

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle it for you, just show me the sum- How much?!?! Six silver taels for a piece of rock and a brush?!“ Bajie grabbed his head,“Alright, here. Just so me and my conscience can rest well tonight.“

“Thanks. As I said I’ll return everything. I just forgot that I handled the food back then.“

“No, you’re fine. Anyway, what do you need that for?“ Bajie whispered so as not to bring attention of the vendor on Wukong who cautiously shoved an empty scroll of paper behind his shirt.

“That is none of your business.“ Regardless of the briefness of his response, the words didn’t carry a single sign of loathe. It was simply a pragmatic way to end the discussion to continue in pushing through the mass. Not long after, the hairy neck stretched out to bring the dark eyes crowning Wukong’s head to the highest level where he clearly saw a pair of familiar people approaching them. The monkey demon waved for the two to come closer. As the Wolf Witch and the Tang monk slowly made their way towards Bajie and Wukong, the monkey man reduced the package and hid it next to Ruyi Jingu Bang in his ear. Bajie wasn’t sure whether he saw well but even in the scorching heat of the early afternoon’s sun it appeared his senior smiled.

“Found something, blondie?“

“A little bit. Guards at the gate have the best equipment and they don’t look like playing around. Captain wasn’t joking when he said nobody goes in or out. You?“

“Not quite. Wait, where’s the rest? Didn’t we agree to meet…?“ Wukong didn’t finish. Two people crashed into Bajie’s side. It was the Tiger Princess and the Friar Sand. Both were carrying various trinkets and trifles, shiny and colourful, carved or making noises. “Sorry, we lost our way around,“ Ol’ Sha started first,“then we found an interesting stall with these! So Her High- Ah Xiuying thought about bringing some.“

“Yep! Here, I must say that Sha Seng is such a sweetheart for helping me with these.“ Both the girl and the demon beamed, seemingly not ever registering the baffled expressions on their fellows’ faces. “Anyway, who wants a souvenir?“

****

The gold of the sun was slowly vanishing behind the proud mountain range. The palace towered above the city dancing in the light of red lanterns, azure paper cranes, golden phoenixes and green dragons. “Whoa! Look! This is wonderful! Not even back home we had these sorts of celebrations. What do you think, Márgerdra?“

The witch put aside the silver comb and peeked above Mei’s shoulder. In front of her, a marvellous view spreaded and captured her the same way as it did with the young princess. “Indeed, dear. I wonder what else the locals can come up with if this is only the mere start.“

“Too bad we didn’t make it to the street performance,“ Mei hanged her head low upon hearing the gasps and whoops of the onlookers and the loud catchy melodies from the land below.

“Don’t worry, Mei. I promise that we’ll go tomorrow. Now head up, please, or your pretty hair’s never going to get combed.“ Neatly and carefully, she went through thick strands. From time to time, her ears caught onto shallow exhales. “What are you doing there? You seem rather uneasy.“

“Just scribbling again. Nothing serious, you silly,“ Mei laughed it off.

“Truly? Well, I think,“ Márgerdra cautiously sank the comb into the last bits of Mei’s long hair,“that you’re back to your poems.“

Mei puckered her lips, then released a heartfelt chuckle. “Fine, you won. I’m writing again. The latest events sparkled some inspiration. Besides it’s been some time since I either practised on erhu or speaking in verse.“ Out of the blue, the young woman turned around. Excitement twinkling in her eyes, she exclaimed,“Wanna hear it?“

The witch’s heart missed a beat from the sudden noise. It didn’t stop her from a tender cheer,“Naturally, dear. Come on, show me.“

“It’s only a few verses but here we go.“ The princess gently cleared her throat.

“White horses run through the blue of the sky,

the flowers in the maiden’s garden are in full bloom

for she awaits good news sent by the silver moon

that her father bought her mother a golden comb

and for the the maiden a jaded butterfly

which will bring a new spring to her home.“

Right after the princess said the last word, the witch clapped her hands. Mei beamed but she cut herself off when she saw her best friend frozen with astonishment. Quickly, Mei crawled closer.

“It’s one of the finest poems I’ve heard in a long time, Mei. You should go on with this one.“

The princess threw herself at the witch and hugged her closest friend tightly. She whispered,“You should stop worrying me, silly. Thought something happened when you didn’t say a word at first. That’s my job.“

“I know, little plum,“ Márgerdra giggled, “I can’t help it, though.“ She glanced to the side. A tall candle, whose flickering flame cast astounding shadows on the wall with a tree blooming in the middle of a winter, turned in the meantime into a pool of wax. “Oh, my! You should be in your bed and rest. Today was quite a hard day. Good thing that the Queen rescheduled the dinner for tomorrow.“

“You’re going with us, right?“

“I’m not so sure. Bajie and Wukong might need a hand in the investigation. But Ol’ Sha is certainly going with you and the Venerable Master. He’ll take care of it, don’t worry,“ the advisor helped the princess to get comfortable. Suddenly, her eyes went wide. “I almost forgot. I saw this at the market and thought it may come in handy once. Just in case you won’t be able to throw such a spectacular punch like the last time.“ The Wolf Witch handed the young princes a fine dagger with a handle carved in the shape of a jumping tiger with ruby eyes and claws. Before astonished Mei could say a single word of gratitude, the witch leaned closer and gently pinched one of her rosy cheeks. “Goodnight.“

“Márgerdra, I’ve something to tell you. After all this, I feel that I rather see you as my best friend…no, my big sister, not my… mother. I’m sorry but she is…was someone…“

“Special. As she should be, Mei,“ Márgerdra’s lips quivered like leaves caressed by the morning breeze,“ not a single person in the world could ever replace who she truly was. It was an honour to serve her and now you.“ The Lady Wolf Witch paused. When she spoke again, Mei could hear a faint smile in her soothing low voice,“Sweet dreams, little plum.“

****

“Goodnight and don’t forget - next time no souvenirs.“ Wukong slid the door shut, its crackle spread throughout the long corridor. Once he turned around, his heart stopped for an unpleasantly long moment.

“Greetings, master.“ Yawen’s face was uncomfortably close, so much their noses almost touched. “Is everything alright? You look upset.“

“Miss Yawen,“ Wukong forced his scowl behind a large grin. “We meet again. Hopefully your health’s been intact since the bathhouse incident.“

“How thoughtful of you to ask me for my well-being. Although, I’ve had terrible nightmares since,“ the snake demoness sighed deeply and dramatically raised her hand to her pale forehead,“I would be lying if I said I’m not getting any better.“

“If you say so, Miss Yawen. Goodnight then.“ Wukong was prepared to march away but Yawen hooked around his arm. “Why? Are you going to sleep? The night’s still young. Besides, we’ve just met! What would you say about a quick walk through the gardens? I know a marvellous spot with a fine pool and a tree you’ve certainly never seen in your adventurous life.“ Instead of addressing the woman the monkey grimaced. The way she moved around him, the pressure of her body, how she squeezed his biceps, her fawning words, that she dared to come so close, all of it was making him sick.

Because Yawen noticed the  hidden disgust, she stood on her tiptoes and whispered to his ear,“As I mentioned to your wife, I have something to tell you.“

Wukong raised his eyebrow. “My wife, Miss Yawen?“

“Indeed, dear Master Huang, an important proposition. It’s related to Her Majesty…“

Approaching footsteps interrupted the demoness. Wukong didn’t need to turn. The light sweet scent with fruity undertones and mane of gold in his peripheral vision was all he wanted to appear. The simian threw his hands so abruptly that the back of his palm accidentally slapped Yawen across her face. “Dearest! I was thinking where you wandered to. I hope my sister-in-law is fine. Are you ready to go off to bed?“

“Yes, I am. Though one of our hosts may not be.“ Márgerdra glared at Wukong’s unexpected company. Sensing the two demonesses were at each other’s throat, he promised Miss Yawen to talk about the offer with the witch. At last, they both wished a goodnight and vanished behind the opposite doorway.

****

Through gritted teeth, Márgerdra explained Miss Yawen’s proposal. Not only her voice, a blazing whirlwind of hostility, was gradually rising, her teeth were elongating, too. The woman’s bestial eyes shone in the dark corner of the room. She soon left the gloomy place and began pacing up and down in the golden candlelight which glittered on her skin and hair.

“Do you understand now?“

In the meanwhile, Wukong made himself at most comfortable in the wide armchair - legs over the armrests with his right hand supporting his head like a pillar he became the epitome of carefreeness. In the past, the witch’s reaction would have made his blood boil but now, strangely enough, her outrage made him chuckle. “Hey, blondie, calm down. Your muzzle’s going to show up.“

Márgerdra froze. At first, she only cast a baffled look, then when she saw her claws and felt the fair fur covering her cheekbones and forehead, she hid her face. A puff escaped her once again delicate lips. “I’m sorry you had to see me like this. A monstrous hag…“

Wukong observed her standing there in the dim light, so unnaturally sheepish and afraid. How the light jacket wasn’t enough to cover her shivering chest, her smooth hands he wished to touch for they’d been so gentle with him. “More like a pretty lady in a different coat if you ask me. A little bit too annoying for my taste but a lady nonetheless,“ He stood up and walked closer to the uncovered window where Márgerdra stood. He was beyond thankful for the breeze to waft her scent towards him. “I get that you’ve become pretty adjusted to this form.“

“You bet. The wolf appearance stopped feeling right some time ago.“ Her stern visage unsettled Wukong. To his liking, she’d been worrying too much lately.

“Here, drink this. It’ll make you relax.“ He raised the hand with the cup and waited until his companion accepted. “Thanks.“

“I should be thanking you.“

“How so?“

“Should I let you guess, blondie?“

“Mutual respect…“

Wukong faintly smiled. The porcelain of their cups clinked. “Cheers!“

The cool breeze caressed their forms. “It’s going to rain soon.“ Márgerdra sipped from the cup and let the liquid warm her inside out, a pleasant feeling for sure. Her mind wasn’t as clouded with anger as before however concern settled in her heart again. “Yawen is up to something. I know it. I can feel it in my bones. She doesn’t believe a single bit of our masquerade.“

“I think so too. Back in the bathhouse, I found a message the vipers wanted to deliver. I didn’t manage to retrieve it and I didn’t manage to finish reading it just in time only that Shifu should be kidnapped during the full moon. But I’m certain Golden Wind was the one who wrote it to his sibling here in the palace.“

“A sibling?“

“Yes. A twin sister. Her name wasn’t in the letter but…“

“Yawen.“

“Spot on.“

“You said they want to kidnap the venerable Master. The full moon - it would be the same date as Shufen’s celebration and the tournament.“ The wolf demoness hugged her chest - as she had rightly hinted, fine rain started to drum on the roof. “Which means we need to form a plan immediately.“

“Already done,“ Wukong pushed a low table away from the decorative screen.

Sensing the upcoming troubles in the air, the Lady Wolf Witch grabbed the bridge of her nose,“I wonder which of your wonderful ideas struck you this time. Wukong, careful with the furniture, it looks quite ancient.“

The Great Sage, still arching over, looked behind with a broad mischievous smile,“I’ll pay a visit to Miss Yawen if she desires it so much.“

Tens of shattered pieces splayed on the ground as Márgerdra’s cup slipped from her hand,“Did you lose your mind?! No. Never, Wukong. I won’t allow it.“

“Why not?“ The simian grimaced. Seeing the broken porcelain by his foot, he quickly snapped his fingers. The broken cup was no longer present, the spell put it back at its original place on the other side of the large room, completely intact. “As the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, I can handle myself.“

The demoness’ will was obdurate like the ice held by her eyes. “I’m not denying your skills. But Yawen’s calculated enough for the invitation to be a trap. Let’s not forget she’s most likely that fiend’s sister. The risk isn’t worth it.“

“C’mon, blondie. I can still use my clones.“

“Absolutely not. If somebody registers you're at two places at once we’re done for good.“

Wukong straightened up only to huff while he leaned against a wall. The careless motions of his right hand running through his hair was a clear sign for Márgerdra that the demon was losing his patience. “What’s the real reason, though? Do you want us to focus more on protecting Shifu and Her Highness or you’re just afraid I’m going to get hurt?“ He forced a smirk and waited for her to reply.

It didn’t take long. What was more, her answer truly caught him off-guard. “Both.“ After a while, she stepped closer. She stopped only when she was close enough to breathe in his salty scent. Her tender hands rested on his tensed shoulders. Only then, the witch locked her strange eyes with him. “Please, promise me you won’t go there.“

“That sleazy demoness appears to favour me for some reason. I may get something out of her. It can save us time and who knows,“ Wukong returned the favour and also placed his hands on her arms,“even us.“

Márgerdra submerged into her thoughts. Truly, it was all or nothing. An unpleasantly long moment passed before his words finally persuaded her. “Very well, I trust you with your judgement. But take somebody with you. No double, in case she’d play her own game.“

“To take someone? Like you?“

Hearing the teasing pitch, Márgerdra winked at Wukong,“That part - you said it yourself.“ A big yawn interrupted them. “Goodnight, monkey. I’ll see you tomorrow.“ She took out the peony hairpin and running through her released hair she approached the bed.

“Already off to sleep? I thought that Lady Wolf Witch would like a small gift.“

The witch was about to wrinkle her nose but turning around she found a package in the monkey man’s hands which drew her attention back. Márgerdra carefully took it, weighed it in her hands, as she hoped to guess the exact content of it, and slowly unpacked it on the prepared table. An exquisite inkstone and an ink brush appeared in front of her amazed eyes. “These are marvellous. But,“ she turned towards Wukong who brought up a scroll of rice paper and an ink,“what does it have to do with me?“

“Sit down. Then I’m going to tell you.“ Wukong winked and showed her a place on the floor by the adorned furniture piece.

Too tired to dive into a harsh exchange of opinions, she obeyed, though the woman still pursed her lips. “Would you at least, please, bring me my-“

“-comb? Of course, I would.“ A hairy limb with a comb decorated with pearls appeared by her side. “However, it’ll stay with me for a while.“

“You’re not going to brush my hair, right?“ Márgerdra bulged her eyes.

“Don’t worry,“ he sat right behind her and unfolded the scroll in front of them,“I know your hair’s important to you. I would never lay a finger on it. Not without your permission.“ His soft breath tickled her ear. Numbness was slowly leaving her body as he lightly pressed his form against hers.

“In that case, what’s on your mind?“

A moderate candle lit by her left. “I’ll show you the basics of writing and reading. So the next time I leave you a note, you’ll know what it’s all about.“

“Wukong,“ Márgerdra complained,“you know well I’m too dumb and old for this. It’s not going to lead anywhere. You should have saved your money for something…someone more useful.“

“You’re useful. Just trust yourself a bit. At least the same way you trust me. Didn’t we, after all, agree on respecting each other? If you value me, then value yourself.“ He struggled to peek above her shoulder but shoving a jacket under his rear he was finally able to face her properly. The black paint on his face accentuated his eyes which glistened in the candlelight. Like a living fire, they were once dark brown, then amber of colour, yet they always carried the same tenderness he’d always been hiding behind his frown and brutish ways. “Can we make a deal that you’re going to let me guide you a bit until the candle burns away? Not a stroke more, I swear.“

She averted her pale face. Her hand rose from her lap and softly landed by the brush on the rosewood. Deliberately, her lips moved,“Fine. Teach me, then.“

Wukong’s finger under her chin lightly directed her head forward to face the Xuan paper. He let her take the ink brush, however his hand had to overlap hers to help to solidify the grasp on it. “Don’t forget - courage and confidence.“ The demon king whispered and soon the witch felt his chin laying on her shoulder. His breath again tickled her on the neck. She didn’t protest, quite the opposite, she leaned against his firm chest which radiated with unmistakable protectiveness. Soon, in the rhythm of the silent raindrops and sleepy marketplace, they were writing character after character, the next stroke easier than the one before. Wukong’s clear and helpful instructions were getting more and more sporadic until they both submerged into a pleasant silence. Márgerdra realised she was focused like never before.

“We still have a bit of the candle left. Let me help you write a sentence. Unlike before, I won’t tell you the meaning because that’s going to be your job once we finish it.“

“What if there’s going to be a character I don’t know?“

“Don’t worry, I’ll use just the ones we’ve been practising. Although, you’d figure the unknown one anyway.“

“You think so?“

“I’m sure of it. You’re much smarter than what you like to think,“ he replied.

She glanced over her right shoulder. Wukong’s face was emerging from the cool dark to bathe in the flickering light. For the first time, she saw him this close. Something inside made her examine those distinct features. Being so close to him, seeing him as he truly was, had always been, made her notice that so many details about him could have been perceived as nice if they weren’t so much exaggerated. Truly, his cheekbones, high and sharp, gave him a noble look just like the small nose where few tiny freckles dotted his smooth skin, as smooth as the skin on his hands which finally healed from the bruises and calluses. His thin lips, so rough and chapped in the past, looked soft, though not as soft as the gaze he was holding under his eyelids, so heavy from the tiredness, crowned with long and silky lashes which were even darker than his naughty hair.

“Blondie, focus, we’re almost at the finish line.“

“I’m sorry for degrading you in the past for your looks.“ Her sudden change of the topic baffled him. He wanted to say something but her next sentence and the honesty with which she spoke left the demon speechless. “I’ve just realised that you’re quite handsome in your own impish way.“

Instinctively, Wukong pulled his left hand, which resided on Márgerdra’s waist, closer. The movement, although slight, made the demoness jump up,“Hey, careful there. I’m quite sensitive around my belly.“

Wukong shook his head to come back from his astonishment. “Excuse me? You mean that you’re ticklish or what exactly?“

“Not exactly ticklish,“ Márgerdra bit on her lower lip as she was trying hard to find the right words. “It’s a wolf thing. A moment too long and my reflexes would get…interesting.“

Wukong chuckled,“Like the belly scratches?“

“Yes. Listen, if you ever say a word about this to anyone-“

“You’re going to shove me into the nearest pool. I get it.“ Márgerdra’s frown quickly vanished upon hearing the monkey’s lighthearted laughter.

Midway through the sentence, Wukong changed his mind and the two began to write a new phrase. Wukong found himself leaning against Márgerdra’s shoulder again. For whatever reason he couldn’t help himself but enjoy her silky wavy hair caressing his cheek.

As they were proceeding to another character, a curiosity popped on the tip of the Sage’s tongue,“I don’t want to mingle with your personal life. But how is it possible that such a young and intelligent court lady doesn’t know a single bit about writing and reading?“

It took Márgerdra several heartbeats to respond, something that Wukong stopped to hope for,“It’s never been a priority. Our Master, he was a great man. Courageous, honest, honourable. But Ulfrika’s training was more important. You see, my poor sister was born with a condition, her case needed more attention. When she began to train to become our Master’s successor, Master Kogar hoped that the majority of what he had taught her, that she would teach us one day. But that day never came.“

“How so?“

“A street scum like the two of us…who would ever want to take care of that? Survival. That was our priority. As I said, my sister’s well familiar with these…“

“But your turn never came. Until now…“ Wukong went quiet. Deep inside, he began to pity his companion. He sensed her shame in her tensed muscles, head trying to hide in between in her fragile shoulders. To relieve her, the monkey asked jokingly,“How old are you though?“

“You don’t ask a lady her age, Wukong,“ she giggled. “I’m not certain about my exact birth date. So I can’t tell.“

“Come one! Guesstimate. Please?“

“Alright. Since the wolf demons age differently, plus I’ve got an advantage as a natural-born witch, there’s been the Tsarigrad…“ Márgerdra was thinking aloud as she counted from head. She tilted back a bit. Her left eye had to squint a bit since she raised her index finger on her left cheek. The more he was looking at her in this pose, deep within her precise recollection of thoughts and eerily quick calculations, Wukong realised he found her oddly adorable. He did not utter a bit about it, though. Whether from shame or that he simply didn’t want to disturb her, he wasn’t quite sure himself. “Seems like…around seven hundred? Maybe?“

“Seven centuries old?“ Wukong widened his eyes as he took a closer look at the woman who, in fact, appeared to be no more than twenty-seven. “You look pretty good, honestly.“

“Thank you,“ she smiled at him. “And you? How really old is the Great Sage’s hide?“

“Roughly three to four hundred years older than you.“

“Over a thousand?! Funny. You might be of the same age as Ulfrika. Still, seems like both of you will forever not look a year older than, what, twenty-eight?“

“I see you’re rather generous with compliments tonight,“ he squeezed her waistline to get a chuckle out of her, forgetting about her hinted reflexes. The Wolf Witch jumped up in her seat as her left leg shook, her foot stamped several times as the demoness fought off the urge to scratch herself or to expose her belly even more. Wukong let go of her instantly. He expected her to growl at him but once his amused snort escaped from him she rewarded him with a ringing giggle of her own. 

After a while of more writing, he announced,“The candle’s out and we’re finally done. Well, blondie, with a bit more practice I can see you having a pretty handwriting. Neat, elegant, delicate.“ He carefully stood up, as not to accidentally hit the witch, and approached the open window. The city was exhausted, submerged within the deep slumber, its street nowhere near resembling their daytime twins. Only a cricket from here and there disturbed the tranquillity of the night like a rock thrown into the pool but just like the mirror-like surface of the said pool, the blissful calm returned soon.

“Don’t you want to know how I’d read it?“

“Why not? After all, that was our deal. By the way, here’s the comb,“ Wukong threw her the pearl treasure, then he leaned against the wooden frame and poked his head out.

“A person’s will should be that of a tree trunk, powerful and unyielding, and a person’s heart like that of a flowing stream, gentle and joyous.“

“Correct.“

They fell silent, both too invested in their own interests - Wukong in admiring the cloudless sky and Márgerdra with combing her never-ending strands. It did not last long. “What did it cost you? It must have been a good fortune,“ her smooth voice lowered just like her lashes. “What do I owe you, dearest friend?“

Wukong threw his hand in the most careless way possible,“Don’t worry about it. Consider it a gift, as I said previously. I’m just glad I could be helpful.“

“You mean it?“

“Sure thing, blondie.“

“For some reason, I feel like a boulder fell off of my chest tonight. I think I told you things not even Mei knows about.“ She gave him a low chuckle,“Sometimes, you pretend to be an absolute brute and a soulless asshole. Deep down, though, you’re pretty sweet.“

“Whatever. Just don’t say that in public. Might as well ruin my reputation.“

The Wolf Witch blew out the remaining candlelight and let the sleep-inducing darkness swallow the room. She sneaked behind the monkey demon. She was thinking about her idea over and over until she finally whispered to him,“I know you’re not the biggest fan. But can I touch your face?“

The simian’s answer pleasantly took her by surprise. “Fine. For this time, I’m giving you an exception. However,“ he stuck out his index as he spoke,“just this once.“ Still too invested in the view in front of him, he didn’t turn to face the advisor. Thankfully, it was enough for her.

Soon, he felt how her lips brushed against his cheek. “Thank you, Wukong. Goodnight.“

It took him some time to process what had just happened. His shivering fingers fleetingly touched the place where she pecked him. His ears burnt, his eyes stared widely into nothingness as he became a motionless statue standing in the moonlight. When he turned around he didn’t find a soul there. The witch was already on the bed with her back facing the windows. Her shallow breaths indicated the advisor was already fast asleep.

Corners of his lips twirled up faintly and he whispered back even though she couldn’t possibly hear him,“Goodnight, Márgerdra.“

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Taglist (let me know if you'd like to be added): @vanessaroades-author @rubywrite @aohendo @rbbess110 @jgmartin @outpost51

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List of chapters:

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-one

Chapter Twenty-two

Chapter Twenty-three

Chapter Twenty-four

Chapter Twenty-five

Chapter Twenty-six

Chapter Twenty-seven

Epilogue

[moonlightsdream]

I’m actually the opposite 😆 I wasn’t actively avoiding them, but I found the modern dramas less interesting than the costume/historical ones, at least modern cdramas lol. I watch more modern kdramas. See Her Again was actually a modern cdrama that I do like. I don’t know if you’ve watched the modern kdrama Tunnel with Choi Jin Hyuk, but See Her Again with William Chan has the same premise, detective from the past accidentally time travels to the current-ish while chasing a serial killer and unknowingly teams up with his daughter. I think I actually like SHA better than Tunnel. Knight Flower is a historical kdrama with Honey Lee as Robin Hood-esque character. The Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty 2 is a historical investigative cdrama. It didn’t disappoint as a sequel and I’d totally recommend both it and STOTD 1. 

Lol yeah Lee Jae Wook is hot in his suits in the impossible heir but unfortunately, not even he can make it worth it to finish the drama. 

Oo good picks! Both love game in eastern fantasy and the trauma code are good picks and so funny, even though they’re totally different. I would also recommend the guardians of the dafeng historical cdrama with similar premise as LGIEF of a modern person going into a historical setting, if it’s not on your list yet. I also recommend heroes (2020) for historical cdrama. Not as happy-go-lucky as the others, though Zoey Meng, the FL of blossom is also a main character in it.

As for dramas I’m looking forward to, I am excited to hear that taxi driver 3 cast is confirmed and that we’ll likely get it by the end of this year. One of the positive differences of kdrama when compare with cdrama is that since kdramas don’t have to pass reviews the way that cdramas do, the turnaround time is much faster.  I’m also looking forward to the legend of a female general and chasing jade, both historical costume cdramas, and I want to check out kill my sins (cdrama) that just premiered recently. 

Do you have any actress or actor that you try to watch anything they are in?

i can totally now understand the allure of custom/period Chinese drama! they're interesting PLUS they're visually very beautiful✨✨. i can only imagine how bad the impossible heir was, i don't think i even came across one positive review about it, such a waste of jaewook, boy needs to pick better projects in the future!!!!!!!!!!

I started the trauma code, 2eps in and so far it's good, only hoping it'll get better as it goes on.. you know about the guardians of the defeng one thing that putting me off is that Dylan Wang always have that kinda angry look all the time and it's all because of his strong thick eyebrows 🤣😅😭💀 I'm not a hater or anything it just happen he gives me that feeling😅😅😅. and i know i need to watch him in one project to get that image off my head. legend of a female general is also one of the drama I'm looking forward to! and i saw that first frost will start airing on the 18th, hopefully it'll turnout good! the promos so far looks promising!

hmm, maybe few years ago there were seo inguk, gong myung, park boyoung and many more but not anymore , now i just try to check what looks interesting and good, but i do have trust on some actors that they know how to pick their dramas even if don't end up watching their every single project like namgoong min, kim taeri girl is power and her range is amazing! sato takeru, inoue mao i feel i also would trust chen feiyu giving i liked both source novels that he chose to act in? do you have any you trust?

how is kill my sins? is it good, compelling and fun?

[musicarenagh]

Breaking the Cycle: Laura Sea on Mental Health and Music The artist Laura Sea who has gathered strong industry attention through her debut album “Transformations” which she released in 2024. The debut album "Transformations" led Laura Sea to produce her new release "Six Feet Under". The song represents an anthemic pop-punk ballad which continues the strength of her previous releases. The piano intro of “Six Feet Under” introduces guitar elements that establish a path for the song. The song combines piano melodies with standard pop-punk guitar rhythms and powerful drum beats. The musical composition creates an ear-catching atmosphere with somber and melancholic and mood-inducing elements. The song describes the experience of getting trapped within repetitive routines alongside experiencing psychological decline. The feeling of being trapped in a routine with no idea about future directions marks this state. This song uses its lyrics to describe the depressive feelings that come with being in a mental illness while explaining the experience of hitting rock bottom. The song guides listeners about methods to overcome these emotional states and progress forward with their lives. Despite its poignant nature this song delivers a bittersweet musical experience that creates a mood of sadness but ends with a positive uplifting feeling. The Canadian pianist Laura Sea hails from Milton Ontario where she performs pop-punk music. Laura Sea creates memorable music through the combination of meaningful lyrics and catchy riffs with her melodic piano additions. Her clear honest voice activates every line of her powerful songs. Through her songs Laura explores themes related to mental health and toughness and personal development. The artist Laura expresses strong enthusiasm for her upcoming album. During the last three years I dedicated my time to writing while exploring my musical direction. The album release brings me excitement because I want everyone to experience it"! The first album by Laura represents a solid foundation for building her position within the pop-punk music world. Listeners will not be disappointed.   Listen to Six Feet Under below Laura Sea · Six Feet Under   Follow Laura Sea on Facebook Youtube Instagram Tiktok     What inspired the creation of “Six Feet Under”? Is there a personal story behind it? This song comes from my own experiences with depression. It’s about feeling stuck in a poor mental state and going through the monotony of everyday life. It’s about feeling in a rut and not knowing where you’re headed and what lays ahead. This song talks a lot about mental health and is about what it feels like when you’re at a low point.   The title suggests something deep and intense—how would you describe the emotions or themes of the song? The themes in the song are mental health and depression. It displays feelings of detachment, melancholy, and boredom.   Does the song delve into darker or more vulnerable aspects of life? What message do you hope it conveys? Although the song starts with describing what depression feels like, the bridge offers a hopeful message in that nothing lasts forever. I hope it offers guidance to how to overcome these feelings and how to move forward. What was your goal with “Six Feet Under”—to tell a story, evoke emotions, or share a specific message? My goal was to evoke strong emotions from people who can relate to ever feeling like you’re down and out. I also wanted to share a message of hope to give them a way to pull themselves up. [caption id="attachment_58653" align="alignnone" width="1333"] My goal was to evoke strong emotions from people who can relate to ever feeling like you’re down and out.[/caption] Did the concept of “Six Feet Under” evolve as you worked on it, or did you have a clear vision from the start? The concept started out vaguely related to mental health, but began to relate more to depression as I started writing. As the process progressed, the theme took shape more clearly.

  Are there any lyrics or moments in the song that feel particularly meaningful or personal to you? I feel like the bridge is the most meaningful part to me personally. “I’ll hold on for one more day, ‘til this feeling goes away” is a sort of mantra for me to get through tough times.   Did you experiment with any unique sounds, instruments, or techniques in the production process? I really enjoyed writing a more prominent piano part for this song. My producer helped me write complimenting guitars for the song.   Is there a specific part of the song—like the chorus or a particular instrumental section—that stands out as your favorite? I like how the intro turned out, with the piano leading into the guitar. The guitar solo was also a great addition by my producer. He translated it nicely from piano to guitar.   Do you think this song allows fans to see a different side of you as an artist? It’s no secret that I write about mental health in some songs, but I think this is the first time that I’ve been really transparent with my own feelings.   If someone listens to this song for the first time, what do you hope they feel or think? I hope listeners feel understood because they find the lyrics relatable. I think everyone has, at one point or another, felt stuck in a cycle of doing the same things everyday. I believe we all know this feeling whether or not we have struggled with depression. https://youtu.be/LsypQnBtPyo?si=PHsIZwhouPm4cFVQ What does “Six Feet Under” represent to you personally? Does it mark a new chapter in your artistry? This song is highly representative of my own experiences with mental health. It dives deeper into my own personal feelings, and I get right into the heart of the matter. It’s not too different from my previous releases, like “Certified Anti-depressant”, but it marks a new musical chapter because of the darker undertones, more present piano, and it’s anthemic ballad theme.   What’s next for Laura Sea after “Six Feet Under”? Are there more projects or surprises on the horizon? I am currently working on a couple of tracks, one of which will be released as a single. This is all leading up to the release of my second album later this year! I hope to complete it by late 2025.   If you could dedicate “Six Feet Under” to one person, moment, or feeling, what would it be and why? This is a hard one, but I think I would dedicate this to everyone who is in the daily grind, just trying to get to the next day. I know how hard it can be to find something other than your daily obligations to look forward to. Everyone deserves to have a bright spot that makes their lives worth living.   What do you hope your listeners remember most about “Six Feet Under” long after they hear it? I hope listeners remember it as a bittersweet ballad that offers a sorrowful mood but ends by leaving you feeling hopeful and uplifted.

[ryqoshay]

Putting on Hairs: Post Production - Comeback

Primary Pairing: YohaRiko Words: 649 Rating: T? AU: Monsters, Angels and Demons Time Frame: sometime after the main story Prompt: Comeback

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Author's Note: It's Promptober again! ♡ ＼(≧▽≦)／ ♡

This is my Primary Entry for the 1st

Summary: Yoshiko wakes up next to a probably-still-drunk Riko

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Warm. And soft.

Yoshiko opened her eyes.

Ah. Riko was holding her against her chest. Again.

While it was not uncommon for Riko to snuggle in this way, she had a habit of holding a bit too tightly after getting drunk.

Yoshiko smiled as she recalled Riko’s antics. On their walk home, she had requested Yoshiko summon her wings, despite being in public. Upon arriving, Riko suggested they use Nozomi’s body swapping wand, which Yoshiko refused as she wasn’t sure how it would be affected by Riko’s drunkenness. Failing to get her way, Riko demanded Yoshiko sing a duet with her. Then Envy had joined in. And despite claiming they would sing until daybreak, Riko had passed out about an hour later, leaving Yoshiko to carry her to bed.

And now it was morning. Probably. Yoshiko couldn’t see her clock and her room-darkening drapes disallowed her from determining the angle of the sun outside.

Well, whatever time it was, Yoshiko was feeling a bit peckish for breakfast. And Riko probably needed water.

Gently, Yoshiko began to push herself away from her girlfriend.

“Yo... sha~n…” Riko pulled Yoshiko back.

Fine.

Yoshiko teleported.

From the middle of her room, she turned to admire her girlfriend continuing to snuggle with the decoy she left behind. It was a cute scene, but a shame it would only last a few seconds. Riko let out an incoherent, but obviously disappointed murmur as the decoy dissipated.

Yoshiko rolled her eyes and blinked over to the kitchen. She grabbed a bottle of water from the counter and teleported back to the bedroom.

“Yo~ccha~~n~~~…” Riko’s voice was like a lilting lullaby as she wrapped her arms around Yoshiko from behind. Apparently, she had gotten up. “Come ba~ck to be~d, Yo~chan~~.” But hadn’t wanted to.

“Good morning, Riri.” Yoshiko greeted.

“Hee… G’mornin’ Yocchan…”

“Did you sleep alright?”

“Mmm…”

“How’s the hangover?”

Riko’s hum soured.

Yoshiko spun the cap off her water. “Here.”

“Than’s”

“Want another?” Yoshiko asked after a moment.

“Uh uh.” Riko tossed the empty bottle aside. “I wan’ Yocchan t’ come back to bed wi’h me.”

“We can’t sleep all day, you know.”

“Mmph…”

Yoshiko felt Riko’s pout against her cheek and chuckled.

“Mmm… come back t’ bed!” Riko started pulling with surprising strength for a half-awake, hungover music demon. “Yocchan!” Her volume started to increase.

“Maybe we can take a nap later.” Yoshiko offered. “But first I want to make us a nice…”

“Nooo…” Riko interrupted. “Be~d…”

“Riri…”

“<COMEBACKTOBEDYOCCHAN!>” A discordant deluge of demonic tongues filled the room.

Yoshiko turned to stare at her girlfriend.

Golden eyes burned like brimstone. Curved horns sprouted from her head. Ancient music runes scrawled across her skin. Batlike wings pulsed with a hellish aura. And her tail whipped wildly.

“peRHaps ʇ∀ǝ woOd be Best iF EwW ǝɹƎʍ 2 acQuiesCe sakurauCHi-samA’s reqUest?” A strangely unsure voice tapped at the edge of Yoshiko’s mind.

Yoshiko laughed. “Seriously, Envy, how can you be afraid of Riri when she’s this adorable?”

Something like the sound of a shredder struggling with wet paper slipped from under the bed.

“Oh come on, Mr. Gnashtooth, you’re supposed to feed on fears, not be the one afraid.” She shook her head, then glanced toward the closet where Mrs. Pointyhorn was probably cowering. “What am I gonna do with all of you? How about you, Phobetor?”

“I am fine, Master.” Her familiar’s voice emanated out of the æther.

“That’s one I guess.” Yoshiko stepped over to Riko. “Now, about Riri…” She placed a hand on her shoulder.

Immediately, every demonic feature disappeared from Riko, and she collapsed against Yoshiko. The fallen angel guided her girlfriend back to their bed and lay down next to her. Riko wrapped her arms around Yoshiko and pulled her tight against her chest.

Yoshiko sighed. Perhaps another hour or so was alright.

She closed her eyes.

At least it was warm. And soft.

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Author's Note Continued: I really don't like going this long without writing. Or rather, without completing something. I have been puttering around with some WIPs for the past few months and my µ's muse seems to be quite flighty in her attention span.

Anyway, here's hoping Promptober gets the creative juices flowing again. Prior Prompts Used: Body swap Daybreak Time Duet Second

[devilsanddarlings]

@ofblackskies

The look the tribrid shot Josette in response to her question was disbelieving, almost bordering on disappointed as she slowly shook her head at the younger girl. “Mais sha…” Hope murmured with a cluck of her tongue. “The Grand Tour would take weeks to complete. What kind of boring disappointment d’you take my city for, hn?”

“Oh insanity.” Josie’s lips twitched a little bit in amusement. “Okay. So I’m getting the grand tour today, then? Or just a short one to show off some of the best pastries?” Either way, she was up for it so long as it had periodic coffees throughout the day.

[witchersmistress]

Heads You Lose

Hello my darlings!! here is part two to Tails you win. https://www.tumblr.com/witchersmistress/716840196299276288/tails-you-win?source=share

Ive linked part 1 for those who have missed it or havent read it.

Warning: Blood, violence, death and gun shot wounds.

Word count: 9.8k

my usual warning, you do not have my permission to copy or use my work in anyway, if you do ill haunt you for the rest of your days!!

Propbably gramatical errors and typos but i type to fast for my own good lol

Name pronounciatuion for the FMC : her given name is Saorise, Sheer-sha, in Irish-Gaelic means freedom

Her nickname, gifted to her at a young age by Syverson: Louhi, Lo-hee, Finnish origin, she is the goddess of Death and Disease.

“People like you and me don’t get to love…” 

Those are the words that play on repeat inside my head as I stagger to my feet, blood seeping from the bullet wound just below my right shoulder and mixing with the drying blood already covering my body. I don’t feel the pain from it. On the contrary, I’m numb to everything bar Saoirse’s words. People like you and me…

Don’t get to love… 

Don’t. Get. To. Love…

 She’s right in a way, but not entirely. It’s true that the likes of us don’t get to love without fear. When you mix with the people we do, you gain enemies. Even the friends you think you have can turn against you on a penny if the price is right. Look at the King - he was ‘friends’ with Carter, but he took the opportunity to take him out the moment it was offered.

I took out my boss without a second thought.

 Granted it was to protect the woman I love from her very own dad, but she doesn’t know that, and I can’t tell her. 

Not yet, anyway. But one thing I do know with absolute certainty is that I do get to love. And I never thought that was possible for me. Yeah, it’s dangerous to love when it can be held against you, but it doesn’t make it any less true. If I know anything about myself, it’s this: I won’t give up on our love. I refuse to, because what the fuck kind of man would I be to turn my back on something so fundamental to my very existence? A fucking pussy, that’s what, and if there’s one thing I’m not, it’s a pussy.

 I won’t give up on our love. Not now, not ever.

Lifting my head, I meet Saoirse’s hard stare with that promise burning in my veins. But right now, no matter what I say, I know it won’t make a difference. Saoirse might love me, but Louhi has to make a stand. We both know that. Shooting me was her only choice given the circumstances. Closing herself off, shutting down, was her only option. I don’t fight it, I can’t fight it, but most importantly, I won’t. “Get. Out!” she snarls, the slightest flicker of regret in her eyes the only sign that beneath the pain, betrayal and disappointment, she still cares for me. 

That Saoirse is still there inside of Louhi, who stands before me now. “I said, get the fuck out!” I ignore Rodriguez’s laugh. I ignore the King’s smirk. I ignore Dom asking Saoirse to reconsider. Instead, I lower my head in acquiesce. I raise my hand and place it over my heart, over the tattoo of her handprint embedded in my skin and vow to myself that I will find a way to protect her from afar, no matter what. With one last look at Saoirse that I hope conveys all the love and affection I feel for her, I twist on my feet and stagger towards the exit, my gaze falling to Dom as I reach the door.

“Take care of her,” I bite out through gritted teeth, fighting the darkness that’s threatening to drag me under. He nods. “You can count on me, Sy.” 

*Hours later*

“Fuck me sideways!” Connall exclaims as I blink back the heavy fog of sleep and try to get my bearings. “Where am I?” I ask, groaning as I try to sit up. Bright white light pricks my eyes like a bullet straight to my brain, and I lift my hand to my head, feeling my scalp where Derby whacked me, hissing when I feel the tender skin and the stitches there.

 “Joey’s place. He’s fixed you up. Got you on a drip as soon as we arrived and gave you a couple pints of blood. There was a moment I thought we’d lose you.” “I’m hard to lose,” I reply, giving him a weak smile. “But man, do I feel like shit.” “You look like shit too,” Joey says, stepping into his makeshift operating theater and giving me a toothy grin, antiseptic and the scent of car oil following him into the room. The amount of times I’ve been in the back of his garage getting fixed up is crazy, though to be fair, he keeps this room spotless. I mean, I haven’t died of my injuries or a nasty infection yet. That’s got to count for something, right? Thank god for old ranger buddies. “Thanks, old man,” I reply, easing myself upright on the gurney. It creaks under my weight, and I feel every single bit of pain now that the adrenaline has worn off.

 Damn, I could up chuck. Swallowing back the queasiness, I wait for the room to stop spinning. “What’s the damage?” Connall asks, frowning as he stares at me. I have a vague recollection of calling him for help, but other than that I remember nothing after stepping outside of the club. He’s a good man, one I can count on.

The fucking best. “Couple broken ribs, lots of bruising,” Joey says, drawing some clear liquid from a vial into a needle. He pulls it free, presses the plunger to get rid of any air bubbles, then stabs me in the bicep with it, dispensing the liquid. “I fucking hope that’s painkillers,” I say, trying to laugh but failing. He nods, pulling the needle free before throwing it in the medical waste bin. “I got you, pal.” “What else?” Connall urges impatiently.

 “The gash to his head was pretty fucking deep. I’ve sewn it up but you’ll need to keep an eye on him over the next few days. He was concussed pretty badly, and there’s always a danger of bleeding into the skull or swelling on the brain, but I think we’re good where that’s concerned.”

 Connall swipes a hand through his hair. “You think?” “Well, short of getting Sy into the hospital for a CT scan, I can’t say any better than that.”

 “No hospitals,” I say firmly. “Don’t need the law on my ass for offing Carter-fucking-Davidson.” 

“You what?!” Connall exclaims, looking from me to Joey. “Did you know about this?” “First I’ve heard,” Joey says, casting a look my way. He knows I had my suspicions about Carter and his relationship with the King, so I imagine he’s putting two and two together and coming up with a pretty good assumption about what went down. “Jesus fuck, Syverson! What the hell happened last night?” “Last night?” I have a question. “How long have I been out?” “Ten hours, but stop avoiding the fucking question. Spill. I need to know so that I can give the family a head’s up. If a war is coming, they’ll want to back you.” “There’ll be no war. We’re leaving.”

“You and Louhi?” Joey asks, even though I’m pretty fucking sure it’s a trick question given she ain’t here and he’s not fucking stupid. “No.” I shake my head, ignoring the pain in my chest that isn’t coming from my bullet wound, but is most definitely coming from my heart. I look at Connall. “When I said we, I was kind of hoping you’d come with me.” “Me? Go where, exactly? And what about Louhi?” “Saoirse was the one who shot me,” I explained, leaning my head back against the gurney. Joey whistles and Connall’s mouth drops open in shock. “Wait, back the fuck up a minute,” he says scraping a hand over his face. “You killed Carter Davidson and Louhi shot you for it?”

 “Pretty much,” I replied.

 “But she’s in love with you,” he counters.

 “He’s her dad, Connall.”

 “And clearly a prick given you killed him. You don’t need to tell me what he’s done for me to know you’d only ever off your boss because he’s done something unforgivable. So, I’ll ask again. Why would Louhi shoot you when we all know that girl is head over heels in love with you?”

 I heave out a sigh. “I wish I could say that was still true.” “Are you still in love with her?” Joey asks me pointedly.

“Yes.”

 “Jesus, Mary and Joseph! She shot you, Logan. Are you gone in the head?” Connall yells, shaking his head in frustration. “You know what, don’t fucking answer that.” “So you’re running?” Joey asks, moving the conversation along. “It’s complicated.” “So UN-complicate it for us because as much as I like Louhi, I don’t like the fact she nearly killed you and you’re leaving like a beat-down dog.” “Number fucking one, I’m not a beat-down dog!

 Number fucking two, if she wanted me dead, I’d be dead. We were five feet apart, there is no way she would’ve missed from that distance. No fucking way,” I say, pointing to my bandaged shoulder. “He’s right. Even if she wasn’t a trained markswoman, which I understand that she is, there’d be no missing. So do you want to tell us why you killed Carter?” Joey asks. “Because the cunt was going to use her to pay off his debts to the King.” “The fuck you say?!” Connall yells. “You heard me. Carter got into a lot of trouble fucking his way around the escorts at The Crib Club, not to mention racking up a substantial gambling debt. I found out about his plans and made the King a better offer.” 

Drawing in a deep breath to fend off the queasiness, I continue, “I would kill Carter if he backed the fuck off from Saoirse. He agreed, providing I stay quiet about his involvement, and he could remain a silent partner in the club.”

 “The conniving bastard. Why didn’t you just kill the cunt as well?” Connall asks. “Because, as you well know, he’s powerful. Much more powerful than me on my jack jones and far more powerful than one woman with a dead dad. She needs him… For now.” “And you’re okay with that?” Joey asks this time. “Of course I’m not, but equally she’s backed into a corner. The King has a forty-eight percent share in the club, he has a big army behind him and lots of fucking connections. 

She can’t go up against him. This way she keeps his protection and a share in the club whilst she establishes herself, and we find a way out of this mess.” “And you believe he won’t go back on his word the minute you're gone, and take her for himself?” “I know he won’t. Saoirse shooting me proved she’s tough enough to run the club. Besides, the King doesn’t want a woman who’ll fucking shoot him when he tries to raise a hand to her. Saoirse is too much of a handful, and one he ain’t willing to mess with, thank fuck.”

“So let me get this straight,” Connall tries to rationalize, pacing up and down as he gets all the information straight in his head. “Carter was in debt so he goes to the King for a loan, the payment of which is his own fucking daughter and a share in the club.” “Yes,” I say, the pain in my head, shoulder and ribs easing a little now the medication is doing its job. Doesn’t stop the ache in my heart though, or the constant feeling of nausea when I’m reminded of how Saoirse had looked at me as though I’d broken her heart as surely as her banishing me had broken mine. She had to do it, I don’t fucking blame her for it, but it still fucking hurts.

 “You find out and cut another deal with the King,” Connall continues, “You kill Carter and the King backs off from Louhi, acting as what, a silent partner in the club?” “Precisely, he’s also got connections with some of the best clubs in the world. He can bring in the fighters. She’s smart, she’ll grow the business, and won’t throw it down the drain alongside whisky and stripper cum like her dad did.” Connall raises his brow at that. We both know Carter wasn’t the type of man who cared about a woman’s pleasure over his own. “Turn of phrase,” I mumble.

“So the King gets to sit back and reap the benefits whilst you take the blame for killing Carter, am I close?” “I don’t know about that part. That all depends on what happens now, but I’m not sticking around to find out whether Saoirse grasses on me. Though I wouldn’t fucking blame her if she did.” “She won’t,” Joey says, sounding far more certain than I feel. “And you know how?” Connall asks. “As you well know, there are rules we all live by, unspoken ones, but ones we all obey. No fucking police. However Louhi chooses to deal with this is up to her, but that girl has grown up in this life and she won’t be pulling the police in unless they’re bent and she’s using them to cover her back.” 

 “Fair point,” Connall concedes, leaning back against the counter as he regards me. “And your big plan is to slope off with your tail between your legs, heart fucking broken, whilst there are a fuck load of snakes and sharks out there who are more than willing to take a bite out of your woman?” 

“I’m not sloping off,” I growl, “And I’m not willing to let anyone do any such thing. I trust Dom to keep an eye on her, and I believe the King will have her back whilst it suits him. Right now keeping her safe, and more importantly the business safe, is in his best interests.”

“So what’s the plan, and why do you want me tagging along for the ride?” Connall asks. “For your charm and wit, of course,” I reply, deadly fucking serious. He laughs. I don’t. “Okay spill.” “I’m gonna find her an army of the best men and women money, charm and connections can buy, and you’re going to help me.” “Well, when you put it like that, how can a man say no?” Connalls replies, grinning. “And what do you need me to do?” Joey asks. “Keep your ear to the ground and let me know the second you hear anything about the King that should concern me. Better still, ingratiate yourself with Louhi. Get in on the business. She’ll need someone to fix up her men after they’ve been in the cage. Make sure that man is you.” Joey nods.

 “You got it.” “So where to go first?” Connall asks me as my eyes begin to drift shut. “Italy. Romeo Ricci, remember that crazy bastard, he has some contacts out there I’d like to explore…” “Italy it is,” Connall replies, with a shake of his head as exhaustion and a heavy dose of painkiller pull me under.

*2 years later*

Sy’s POV

It’s been almost two years since I left. Two long motherfucking years where I’ve watched over Saoirse from afar. My Princess. My woman. My heart. She turns twenty in a week. And I’m back to tell her the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me fucking God.

I owe her an explanation, my apologies and my love. But more than that, I owe her my life. Saoirse isn’t a crap shot, and no one misses major organs when they’re firing a bullet from a few feet away without purposefully intending to miss. She shot me that night in the cage, banishing me from her life and sending out a message to the criminal underworld. No one fucks with Louhi. Not even the ones she loves. It was her saving grace, because when she pulled the trigger she proved herself a Davidson more than worthy of standing in Carter’s shoes, and she’s been proving herself ever since, building a business and an army that she can be proud of. Unofficially she’s been running the club from the moment Carter was murdered by yours truly, officially just a few short weeks since his will was read and her name replaced his as the owner of the club. Either way, she’s gained respect and a reputation. 

According to Dom, who’s been my inside man this whole time, despite the King still having involvement in the club, he’s backed off and allowed her to make a name for herself whilst he reaped the benefits. It won’t be long before she buys him out, or better yet kills the cunt, but all in good time. For now, she’s running the most lucrative fight club in all of Europe. Two months after the refurbishment, the old club mysteriously burnt to the ground and she moved premises to a larger, more discrete site where the club has also become more commonly known as Louhi’s Fight Club. As it should be. She’s a badass, and I’m so fucking proud of her. Two weeks ago, Dom called me to let me know that Carter’s will had finally been read, after his funeral took place a couple weeks before that.

 A funeral that, by all accounts, was attended by every fucking lowlife criminal you could think of. None of them were there for Carter, and even less to pay their respects to Saoirse. Like vultures around a rotting carcass, they wanted to see what they could get out of the situation because up until three months ago, Carter was deemed a missing person. And a missing person is still a threat, but a dead man? Not so much. What they hadn’t counted on was the woman they met at the funeral. A woman who, according to Dom, single-handedly laid out three men and shot a fourth in the kneecap for even trying to disrespect her. They also hadn’t counted on the soldiers she’s acquired or the loyalty of mercenaries with a big enough reputation to scare even the most hardened criminal off. Like I said, she’s been building an army. It’s also common knowledge that the remains of Carter’s skull was found in a shallow grave in Hampstead Heath, and that he was identified by his teeth.

It’s not common knowledge that the police were tipped-off with where to find Carter’s remains, or the fact that the rest of his body was fed to pigs who have long since been butchered too. Both calculated decisions that were made by Saoirse herself. Of course, speculation had been rife in the criminal underworld, and according to Dom, Saoirse endured weeks of police interrogations, interviews and accusations. But she never wavered from her story, and she never once ratted me out. Carter’s cause of death was deemed suspicious, but given there was very little left of Carter’s body and no other evidence to be found given the old club is now nothing but a pile of ash, the case ran cold.

 Though I’m more than fucking positive that there was a handout to the police chief and a few people higher up the chain of command to nip any further investigations in the bud. Like I said, Saoirse has come into her own. Or should I say Louhi has come into her own, because there isn’t one person now who’ll call her Saoirse. She won’t allow it. The last person who tried was beaten by her men so badly that he can’t even remember his own name, let alone hers, or so I’m told. Saoirse has well and truly shredded her skin and stepped into the role of Louhi completely. It’s a heavy burden to know that I’m part of the reason for that.

That my actions, my half-truths and my lies to keep her safe, forced her into a persona she couldn’t escape from. Honestly, I’m not certain she would even want to now. But I’m not back to change her in any way, I’m back because I can’t stay away a moment longer. There’s so much I need to fix and I’m not self-centred enough to believe I’ll be successful, but I’ve got to fucking try. I blow out a steady breath, swiping at the mist covering the mirror from the shower I’ve just taken, and stare at my reflection. I look much the same as I did when I left.

 I’m still a bulky fucker, probably bigger than I was given I’ve spent a lot of my time training in gyms around the world, but it didn’t matter where I was, there was no sunshine without her. My happiness wasn’t a focus, her safety was, still is. I haven’t been complacent in my time away. I’ve made alliances, acquaintances and friends with powerful men and women. And I’ve done it all for Saoirse, for Louhi. I’ve been standing by her side this whole fucking time we’ve been apart. I never stopped working to build her army. Never stopped loving her. Never stopped dreaming about her every fucking night, and thinking about her every minute of every day. I’m surprised my dick hasn’t dropped off from the amount of times I’ve abused it whilst thinking of her. 

That night in her bedroom where she’d spread herself for me and finger-fucked herself so perfectly has been on repeat in my head for the last two years. Even now, after all this time, thoughts of her make me hard. That won’t ever change. Scraping a hand over my face, I mentally psych myself up, because if I was nervous about telling Saoirse about my feelings back in my tattoo shop two years ago, that’s nothing to how I’m feeling now. I ain’t shitting a brick. I’m shitting a goddamn mountain. Dom has made it perfectly clear that she’s not the same person I left behind, but then again neither am I. Truth be known, being away has changed me. I was never a spiritual man, and I won’t pretend that I am now, but a few months back I accompanied Connall on a trip to Ireland to visit his family and met a lad who has this uncanny ability to uncover a man’s secrets and capitalize on them. The little fucker got me talking about personal shit that I would never share with anyone. I can’t even blame my loose mouth on the pints of Guinness I knocked back, given I only had two. Pretty sure he pulled some voodoo shit on me. All I know is if anyone has the heart of a criminal, the soul of a thief and the mind of a genius, it’s Arden Dálaigh, and I have no doubts we’ll meet again when he’s grown a few more chest hairs. But that’s a concern for another day. 

With a shake of my head, my gaze falls to Saoirse’s handprint tattooed on my chest, the outline of which is now completely filled with black ink. From there my eyes track across to the puckered scar that sits just beneath my right collar bone where Saoirse shot me. Both are a prominent reminder of the woman I love, and I will wear them with pride until the day I fucking die. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Connall asks, the second I slide into the passenger seat beside him. I gave him a look. “Not in the fucking slightest, but it’s time.” “She might actually kill you this time.” “She might, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take,” I reply, drumming my fingers against my knee in agitation. 

The fucker of course notices. He’s been a good friend to me and I owe him so much more than I could ever repay. Connall has been my right-hand man through all of my travels around the world. “Listen, mate, I love you, you know that right?” I laugh. “If you’re about to tell me to run away with you—”

“We’ve been there, done that already,” he cuts in with a smirk, breaking sharply and swearing at a kid that suddenly dashes out into the road in front of us. She slams her fist against the bonnet, before giving us the middle finger. Beneath her hood I can see bright blue hair and a scowl that would rival the many Saoirse has given me in the past. “Watch where you’re going, asswipe!” she yells, then pelts it across the street chucking a spray can at the car for good measure.

 “The little fucker!” Connall exclaims as we both watch her leg it down the street and disappear down an alleyway a little further up. “That one’s gonna cause someone a heap of shit in a few years.” “Looks like she’s already causing a heap of shit,” I remark, as Connall puts the car in drive and moves on. We both laugh, the tension easing a little. Ten minutes later Connall pulls up outside a gated industrial estate, manned by a security guard who looks very familiar.

 Mark.

 The last time I saw him, he was in the crowd at the club whilst I was getting the shit kicked out of me by Derby. Connall gives me a look. “Is he gonna give us trouble?” “I guess you’d better roll your window down so we can find out.”

Mark steps out of the little hut he’s sitting in and strolls over to the car, ducking down to look through the now open window. It takes him less than a second to lock eyes with me. “Well, fuck! Dom said you were back, but I didn’t believe it. Syverson, as I live and breathe. How are you, mate?” Not quite the reception I was expecting, but okay. I grin. “I’m good, you?” “Head of security here these days,” he says with a wink, tapping on the walkie-talkie attached to his chest. “That uniform looks good on you,” Connall says, jerking his chin towards Mark’s outfit. He looks like a cross between a copper and a bouncer in his deep blue shirt and trousers. 

The fact he’s got a handgun strapped to his hip and a knife slotted next to it just adds to the whole don’t fuck with me vibe he’s got going on. “Louhi likes her soldiers dressing smart. Things have changed around here since…” His voice trails off and neither of us fill in the silence. Mark was at the club the night I fought Derby, but he wasn’t there when I killed Carter. I found out later he was dragging a fuming Hudson Freed home. 

Though he couldn’t keep him away according to Dom, who’s been my inside man this whole time. Hudson came back an hour after I left and is as deep in this pile of shit as the rest of us in attendance that night. Honestly, I expected to hear that Saoirse and him had got together after I’d gone, but to my surprise they’re still just friends and have remained close. I guess I owe him a thank you for looking out for my girl too, even if it pisses me off that he got to spend time with her and I didn’t. I should be grateful, I am grateful, but it doesn’t stop me from wanting to beat the shit out of him for having her time and attention though.

 Never thought I’d be a jealous man, but here we are. “Sy is here to see Louhi. Is that gonna be a problem?” Connall asks, before I’m able to even clear my head enough to do the same. For a beat Mark looks between us, his expression serious. We were friends once, and the thought of having to knock the fucker out so I can get inside the gates doesn’t sit well with me, but I’ll do it if I have to. “A few weeks back I would’ve seen you on your way,” he admits with a wry grin. “And today?” I ask, my stomach churning at the thought that just on the other side of this gate is the woman I love. “Today you’re allowed in.” Connall grins. “Excellent, want to get the gate open then?”

Mark’s smile drops. “Sorry, Connall. Sy goes in alone. Orders of the Boss.” Connall looks affronted, glancing at me. “Why is she pissed at me? I ain’t done nothing wrong. Surely, she has missed my Irish charm?” I laugh, and Mark grins. “Couldn’t tell you. All I’ve been told is if Logan  turns up he comes in alone.” “Not a problem,” I say, unclipping my seat belt. “Follow me then,” Mark replies, bumping fists with a put-out Connall, before striding back to the gate. “Seriously, Sy, are you sure you wanna do this? We both know that Louhi has quite the reputation these days.” “I’m sure. Go home. I’ll call you later.” Connall nods, blowing out a breath.

 “Well, don’t let me tell you I told you so when you end up in the coroner's office with a bullet in your brain.” “Pretty sure I’ll be incapable of listening or responding at that point,” I say with a laugh, before jumping out of the car and striding through the open gate.

Two minutes later I’m pushing open the door into the warehouse Mark pointed me towards, and stepping into a cornered off wire cage with wrap around curtains and a locked door opposite. In the corner of the space is a table and a sign that says:

 Remove all weapons or entry will be denied.

I grin. Saoirse is way smarter than her father. Security is clearly a priority, as it should be. Glancing around the space, my attention is caught by a tiny red light flashing in the top right hand corner of the cage. I stare up at the camera and wait, a smile pulling up my lips. “Weapons on the table,” a familiar female voice barks through the intercom. It’s been a long time since I heard her voice and for a moment I’m taken aback. Struck fucking dumb, actually, though my dick doesn’t seem to have the same problem. It jerks at her voice, standing to fucking attention. “Jesus fuck,” I mutter. “Weapons on the table, Syverson. You’ll get them back when you leave.” 

Syverson. Call me a fool, call me whatever the fuck you like, but the sheer fact she’s addressing me by my real name is a good fucking sign. I hear the sass buried deep beneath the coolness, and it fires my fucking blood like nothing else. Maybe there’s hope. “I have no weapons. I come in peace,” I reply, grinning, unable to help myself.

For long moments there’s just silence, then the intercom makes a clicking noise and her voice follows shortly after. “Prove it. Strip.” “Sure thing, Princess,” I reply without hesitation, more than happy to oblige. I hear the sound of the intercom clicking once more and wait, but there’s nothing but static. Maybe it’s too early to be calling her Princess again so I follow my reply up with a statement that I hope she takes as truthfully as it’s meant. “Ain’t nothing I wouldn’t do for you.” Her scoff comes through the intercom clear as fuck then. “Just get on with it.” I stare up at the camera and nod. If she wants me naked, then I’ll get naked.

 She can see how my cock is growing for her too. I don’t fucking care. She can take her fill. Removing my jacket and boots first, I throw the former onto the table and kick the latter across the concrete floor. There isn’t one moment when my gaze isn’t focussed on the camera, and I’m hoping she can feel the intensity of my stare, because I sure as fuck can feel hers. Next, my t-shirt, jeans and socks come off and I stand in my boxers with a raging hard on that would rival any of those other fuckers that she might’ve invited into her bed. I sure hope I get the chance to erase any bastard cock that has had the pleasure of her attention these past couple years. It fucking kills

I know that someone else has taken what was always supposed to be mine, but I can’t blame her for it. I won’t do that. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t fucking gut me though, or that I won’t off the fucker who took it from me. Just saying. “Do you need me to remove my boxers too, because you know I will, Princess,” I say unabashedly. This wasn’t exactly how I pictured our reunion, but I get the psychology behind it. She wants to show me who’s boss, what she doesn’t realize is that I never wanted to be hers.

 Every action I took came from a place of love, and the need to protect her. “Is that a gun in your pants or are you just glad to see me?” a familiar male voice says, followed by a burst of laughter that has my cock deflating quicker than you can say gonorrhea. Across the other side of the space the curtain surrounding the cage is pulled back and Dom is smiling at me. “Fucking hell, Syverson, I can see that cock of yours is still a lethal weapon.” I bark out a laugh, shaking my head. “You prick!” 

“Nope, you’re definitely the prick.”

“Good to see you, Dom,” I reply, my smile fading as I give him a look that I hope he interprets as gratefulness. Without him keeping an eye on Saoirse, and letting me know how she’s been doing, I would’ve been even more of a fucking mess. “Get dressed. Louie's waiting for you in her office,” he gives me a knowing look, then punches a number into a keypad on his side of the cage and pulls the door open. He waits for me to put my clothes back on, and with one last glance at the camera, I follow Dom into the lioness’s den.

Saoirse’s POV

I stare at the screen, at the man who stole my heart and made me an orphan. He looks the same as I remember and different in a way that’s difficult to pinpoint. There are lines around his eyes, and a tightness around his mouth that I have the sudden urge to soothe. He’s more muscular, if that’s even possible. His hair is a little longer on top and he’s clean shaven. If I weren’t already sitting down, I’d need to.

There’s no doubt that he’s grown even more handsome, and despite my head telling me not to get drawn in, my foolish heart is beating wildly. Don’t even ask me about my pussy because she’s already forgiven him and is about ready to throw herself at his cock and beg for oblivion. “Fuck!” I swear, my gaze roving over every inch of his face as he stares up at the camera.

 This was a bad fucking idea. I can’t be weak for this man, I can’t. Flicking my gaze to my phone, I consider calling Mark to come get his arse and chuck him out, but  I hesitate. My stomach churns with anxiety, and I grab my packet of cigarettes from the table, lighting one and dragging in a deep lungful. The tip sizzles, and when I blow out a stream of blue-grey smoke, some of the anxiety lifts. Narrowing my eyes at him I make a decision, then lean back in my chair and press the intercom button. “Weapons on the table,” I say, keeping my voice steady, cold. He stiffens, his muscles locking tight as he blinks back up at the camera. He wasn’t expecting to hear my voice. Good, let him feel as fucked in the head as I do. I take another drag of my cigarette, enjoying the power shift as he chews on his lip. There’s no doubt that he’s nervous. Well that makes two of us.

“Weapons on the table, Syverson. You’ll get them back when you leave.” I can’t help but grin at the surprise in his eyes when I call him by his real name. Before, when I used to call him Syverson, it was to wind him up, to get a rise out of him. Now, I just want to remind him that I can call him whatever the fuck I want and he can’t do a damn thing about it. It takes him a beat to reply, but when he does he gives me a grin that almost makes me forget what he did. Almost. “I have no weapons. I come in peace,” he says. I take another pull of my cigarette. 

There’s nothing about his body language that tells me he’s being anything other than truthful, and despite everything, I believe he isn’t carrying. Not that it would matter if he was, because my soldiers would have him disarmed and on his knees with a gun cocked at his head before he could even blink. Syverson might be the best fighter in the cage, but he’s no match for the combined force of the mercenaries I’ve gathered over the two years since he’s been gone. Every single one of them walked into the club as a fighter and stayed as my soldier, and I took full advantage of the universe bringing them to me.

 We eyeball each other through the screen, and deciding that he needs to be knocked down a peg, or five thousand, I test his willingness to follow my orders because there is no way I’ll even entertain talking to him if he thinks he can just waltz back in here and pick up where we left off. I don’t care how fucking sexy he is, or how much he still makes my legs go weak and my pussy wet. “Prove it. Strip,” I demand, smirking as I lean back in my chair and wait. I don’t have to wait for long. “Sure thing, Princess,” he replies then begins to remove his clothes. I press down on the intercom about ready to tell him to fuck off for calling me Princess, but then he says something else that stills my heart and immediately puts me back in the headspace of the girl who was utterly in love with him. “Ain’t nothing I wouldn’t do for you.” I blink at the screen, at his sincerity. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! Swallowing hard and pushing those feelings deep down, I scoff, then say; “Just get on with it.” 

Then I click off the intercom so that I don’t do something fucking stupid like ask him to do everything I’ve dreamed of in the privacy of my bedroom these past couple years since he’s been gone. Dragging in another hit of my cigarette, I watch him undress, my mouth dropping open as I stare at the screen, transfixed. He strips right down to his boxers and there’s no denying that his almost naked form is as stunningly attractive as it ever was, but it isn’t his defined muscles or his broad shoulders

and strong thighs that leave me breathless. It isn’t even the intimidating size of his erection. It’s my handprint that’s completely filled in and resting over his heart in a permanent tattoo that sucks all the oxygen from the room and has my own heart pounding so loud that I barely hear my phone ringing. “Shit! Fuck!” I exclaim, picking it up. “What?” I snap into the mouthpiece. “He’s about to take his fucking pants off. Are you still convinced he’s packing?” Dom asks me, undeniable laughter in his voice. He’s certainly packing, I think, my gaze trailing to his boxers and the bulge there.

 “Bring him to me,” I ordered. “Sure thing… And boss?” “Yes?” “He’s a good guy.” I snort. “Tell that to Carter.” By the time Dom knocks on my door five minutes later, I’ve shrugged off the girl who was in love with Syverson and firmly stepped into the role of Louhi. I promised myself I would listen to him, and I will, but that doesn’t mean I’m just going to take him back no matter what he has to say. “Come in,” I called out, arms folded across my chest in defense mode that I quickly uncrossed because letting him know I’m feeling out of sorts by his sudden appearance today isn’t what Louhi would do. She is strong, unfazed by anyone, and it’s her grit I funnel as  Dom opens the door and Syverson steps past him into my office.

 I glance at Syverson quickly, willing my heart to stop racing and ignoring the very real need to just go to him, then give a tight smile to Dom. “Need me to stay?” he asks. “No. Get home to Nancy. I’ll see you back here tomorrow night for Ziggy’s fight.” “Sure thing.” He nods once, flicks his gaze to the back of Syverson’s head and smirks, shutting the door behind him. “I should shoot you dead now,” I state, my fingers running over the Glock resting on my desk, internally wincing at the opposing emotions fucking with my head. I just want to go to him, wrap my arms around him, but I can’t. I fucking can’t. “I wouldn’t stop you,” he replies evenly. “Do you have a death wish?” I ask, genuinely interested, and trying hard to focus on being Louhi and not the girl who’s still in love with him. He holds his hands out, palms up. “The only wish I have is for the chance to talk. That’s it. That’s all.” We stare at each other for long moments, and I’d be a liar if I didn’t want to throw caution to the wind and forgive him instantly for everything. But I can’t do that.

I won’t do that. “Drink?” I ask instead, if only because I need something to do with my hands. Without waiting for him to reply, I push back from the table and stride over to the drinks cabinet in the corner of the room, pouring us both a three-fingered shot of bourbon. I take my time, letting him get his fill of my fitted shirt, tight leather skirt, bare legs, and stiletto ankle boots. I know for a fact my knee-length skirt hugs my arse, and the slit at the back gives glimpses of my thighs. He’s not the only one who’s kept themselves fit these past couple years. I spar three times a week with Dom and Mark and train with Cleveland, one of the mercenaries, twice a week too. I keep up with pole dancing as much as I can with Nancy and Matty as well. Exercise has helped to keep my mind focused, sharp. What no one knows is that on my nights off I indulge in copious amounts of junk food to ease the pain in my chest whilst sitting in my threadbare pyjamas, feeling lonely as fuck. There has to be balance, right? With his eyes on me, I grab the drinks and return to my seat, sliding one across the table to him. “Sit.” Syverson nods, watching me carefully as he pulls out the chair and takes a seat opposite me. I will my cheeks not to flush at the intense way he stares at me,but rather than looking away I stare right back, not willing to let him see how affected I am by him. Taking a sip of the bourbon, I wait. 

“Saoirse…” Syverson begins, his Texan accent causing a sharp pang in my chest,  “Louhi,” I retort firmly. “Louhi,” he corrects, leaning forward and clasping his hands together on the table, completely ignoring the glass of bourbon. My gaze trails over his thick fingers and the veins protruding on the back of his hands before I slowly lift my eyes to meet his. I’m pretty sure he was just checking out my tits too. Can’t say I blame him, they’ve filled out some since he left. I guess I’m what you call a late bloomer. “You’ve got five minutes. Speak,” I demand, so fucking grateful my voice remains steady. “You look good,” he remarks, the sound of lust in his voice like a wet dream come true. There’s no denying the need in his eyes and for a second I allow myself to bask in it. To let his words wash over me like a sweet caress. Then I pull my shit together.

“If you’re just here to compliment me on my looks then you can get your arse up out of that chair and fuck right off. I don’t need your compliments, Syverson. I get enough of them as it is.” His eyes flash with possession, and a whole dose of jealousy, but he shuts both down and nods, clearing his throat. “I’m sure you do.” We fall silent again, and I pick up another cigarette, lighting it. He looks surprised but instead of questioning why I’ve taken up smoking, he nods towards the cigarette packet. “May I?” “You may,” I say, inwardly smiling at the way he seems to shift uncomfortably in his seat. I wonder if he still has a boner. The sheer fact he got hard because he knew I was watching him strip makes me feel all kinds of ways. 

Mostly horny, but also wanted, desired. Yeah, I’ve had plenty men want to fuck me, but the way Syverson is looking at me now, it’s different. It’s more. As he leans forward and reaches across the table, his loose fitting, v-neck shirt gapes a little, revealing the top of the handprint tattoo. Now it’s me who’s staring as I remember the day he took me to his tattoo shop and stole my breath with his actions and his promises.

“I like what you’ve done with the club,” he interrupts my reminiscing. I rip my gaze upwards and watch him place a cigarette between his lips before lighting it.

 “You’ve been busy building quite an empire since I’ve been gone.”

 “You sound surprised.” 

“No. I never doubted you.”

 Blue-grey smoke curls up out of his mouth as he speaks and I can’t help but notice the note of pride in his voice. I don’t need a man’s validation, but surprisingly getting this recognition from Syverson means more to me than it probably should. “Yeah, you’re right. I have been building an empire since I banished you,” I reply, forcing all those warm feelings I have no business entertaining deep into the pit of my stomach. Anger is by far a safer emotion right now, and I’m clinging onto it with everything I have. “I’ll rephrase that. You’ve been building quite an empire since you banished me.” There’s a hint of a smile in his eyes that warms a part of me that turned cold a long time ago, and it’s that feeling and not his flirty smile that has me reacting the way I do.

 I. Can’t. Let. Him. In.

 I Can’t.

“Get out!” I snap. Stubbing out my cigarette, I push up from my desk and stride towards the door. “Now!” He twists in his seat, frowning as he watches me yank open the door . “What?” “I said, get the fuck out!” My voice is low, dripping with fury. “Woah, Louhi,” he retorts, stubbing his own cigarette into the ashtray before getting to his feet.

 “Calm down darlin.”

 “Calm down? Calm-fucking-down! No. You don’t get to patronize me.”

 “I wasn’t! Shit! Fuck, that’s not what I was doing!”

 I bark out a laugh, feeling a lot less Louhi and way more Saoirse than I have in a very long time. Saoirse is the one who flies off the handle at the drop of a hat, who’s emotional. Louhi is nothing like that and a large part of me resents that he still has the ability to pull her out of me.

 “Did you honestly think you could waltz in here, flash me a smile, give me flirty fuck-me eyes and think I would fall at your feet like some lovesick teenager?”

 “Well, I—” he smiles again in that infuriating way that makes my heart squeeze. “Don’t you dare!”

 I hiss, slamming the door shut in anger instead of slamming my fist into his cocky face. “Don’t make this into a fucking joke.”

“I’m sorry, let me start again,” he begins, scraping a hand over his face. 

“Fuck, I knew I’d balls this up.”

 “I’m not that girl anymore. I’m not someone you can flirt with and charm, who begs for your attention. I won’t just roll over and forgive you for everything just because you’re back.”

 “I don’t expect you to do any of that,” he replies earnestly as he steps towards me. “I misjudged the situation. I guess I thought—I hoped—that because you hadn’t already shot me dead that we were on better terms than we actually are. I was wrong. I apologize.”

 “The only terms we’re on is me giving you a chance to shoot your shot before I decide whether to shoot you dead for good this time!” I bite back.

 “That’s fair,” he replies, holding his hands aloft as he approaches me guardedly. “I’m just asking you to listen to what I have to say. Will you?”

 “So now you want my obedience?” I shake my head. “Nothing’s changed there then.” 

“You were never obedient,” he retorts, moving closer still. “As I recall, you did nothing but cause me shit. I’ve missed that.” 

This time his smile isn’t flirty, it’s pitted with regret and the barely stitched together wounds in my chest rip open at that. He missed me. God, I missed him too. So fucking much. But I don’t admit it.

“And you were nothing but a tease and a heartbreaker!” I retort, hating the fact that I’m losing my cool so spectacularly, that somehow I’ve moved towards him instead of putting more space between us. “I’m sorry it felt that way.”

 “Are you?”

 “Saoirse,” he says, then slams his mouth shut when I give him a glare that ordinarily would end in someone getting kneecapped. 

“Louhi,” he repeats, still stepping towards me.

 “I never meant to hurt you.”

 “But you did. And that girl you made an orphan? She’s gone now.”

 “I understand,” he acknowledges, stopping a few inches from me.

 “You don’t understand though,” I reply. “You don’t understand anything.”

 “Then explain it to me. What’s going on in your head, Princess?”

 I look up at him unable, or perhaps unwilling, to drag my gaze away. I don’t even pull him up for calling me Princess again because, fuck, I’ve missed him so much. I ache to step into his arms. It’s physically painful to keep this distance between us, but I have a reputation to uphold and letting him back in would ruin mine. No one knows for certain that he killed Carter, but speculation has been rife since his body, or what was left of it, was found. The fact Syverson disappeared the same night my dad did but has turned up alive and well two years later is a big fucking red flag.

Not to mention that he did actually kill my dad. It’s just as well I’ve got the police chief in my pocket, otherwise Sy would’ve been pulled in for questioning the second he stepped back in town. He knows that just as much as I do. “You lost the right to ask those kinds of questions two years ago, Syverson.”

 “You’re right, I did, and it guts me to know that.” He sighs, tracing my features with his gaze. “There’s so much I need to say to you, but all I can think about right now is taking you in my arms and loving you until you understand that I’m sorry.”

 “Syverson,” I warn, but he ignores me and brushes his knuckles against my cheek, and just for a moment I’m caught in his pull, in the chemistry and the attraction we’ve always shared. It’s as strong as it ever was. It’s intoxicating. 

“Fuck, Louhi. Fuck,” he murmurs, his thumb brushing over my lips.

 “Syverson,” I say, trying and failing not to lean into his hold as his palm presses against my cheek and his fingers massage the shaven hair behind my ear. I can feel myself giving in, feel my heart calling out to his whilst my brain screams at me to stop, to think, to step the fuck away from him. “We belong together, you and me,” he murmurs as I struggle internally, wanting to let him in, knowing that I shouldn’t.

He lowers his head slowly towards mine, and in the short time it takes for him to lean closer, Louhi comes back fighting. I shove at his chest, taking a step back and putting space between us. “I don’t belong to anyone, Syverson. I don’t need to be loved by you. I do just fine without that bullshit in my life!” I lie, my chest heaving as we stare at one another. “We both know that isn’t true, because this thing we have, this connection, it ain’t going away. We’re inevitable, you and me…” And he’s right. We are. A part of me, a desperately needy, lonely part that has missed him, has yearned for him, wants him to take charge and pull me into his arms and kiss me stupid. The other part sighs in relief when he backs up. 

“But right now we can’t explore ourselves until you know the truth, and I’m here to give it to you.” “And what truth is that?” I ask, feeling the hair on the back of my neck stand. The look in his eyes is enough to make me withdraw emotionally, locking my feelings down, hardening up. Whatever he’s about to say isn’t going to be good. “That I killed Carter not because he wanted me dead for loving you, although that’s reason enough in my book, but because he drew up a contract with the King selling you to that asshole in exchange for paying off his debts.”

 Stunned doesn’t even begin to cover what I’m feeling. I’m fucking stupified, a sudden ringing in my ear drowning out every other sound. It takes me a few moments to gather my thoughts and I have to blink back my shock. “What?” I eventually choke out, the floor tipping beneath my feet as I try to make sense of what he’s just said. “That’s a fucking lie!”

  “I wish it was.” Sy  blows out a sharp breath, my reaction to the truth hurting him as much as the truth hurts me. “I made a new deal with the King as soon as I found out what your dad had planned. I would kill Carter and the King would back off from you, remaining a silent partner in the club. I did it so that I could give you time to build an army so that one day, when the time was right, you could take out the motherfucker yourself.”

 “He was going to sell me to the King?” I ask, disbelief quickly dissolving into rage that fires my blood and makes me wish Carter was still alive so that I could drive the motherfucking knife into his back, just like Sy did that night. “Yeah, he was,” Sy confirms, giving me a look of such deep sorrow that I almost, almost stepped into his arms. Instead, I tip up my chin, straighten my spine and funnel some Louhi energy. Maybe my dad had a hand in bringing her to life, but it was always Logan who fuelled her strength. “Tell me why I should believe you?” I ask, not because I don’t believe him—the truth is, I do—but because I need a moment to gather my thoughts. To figure out what the fuck I should do now.

 “You don’t have to believe me, but if you want to corroborate my story you just need to check the accounts at The Crib Club,” Sy says. “And how do you propose I do that?” “You managed to shut down the case investigating Carter’s murder. I’m sure you’ll find a way,” he says, knowingly. “Yeah,” I retort, already knowing exactly who to go to for help in that department. “Carter was a bastard, and he deserved to die,” he continues, “And what’s more, I’d do it all again to keep you safe.”

 I swallow hard, trying to form the words that just won’t come, because even though I believe him, I have to know for sure he’s telling the truth. When I don’t respond, he swipes a hand through his hair then says: “The only mistake I made was not telling you everything at the time. You weren’t wrong when you said that you didn’t need a man to make decisions for you. I can see just how capable you are, have always been. I’m proud of you. I’m proud of what you’ve built and I’m truly sorry for not giving you the respect you deserved and coming to you with what I found out.” My chest swells with conflicting emotions and it takes a great deal of strength not to fucking buckle, but I stand my ground and remain calm on the surface, even though beneath it all I’m struggling to make sense of everything. I stare at him for a long long time, my throat dry, my pulse racing, my stomach churning and my heart trying its very best to punch a hole through my chest. But I have to keep my head. First I need to check out his story, and then I need to decide what I do with that information. Eventually, I swallow hard and nod. 

“I appreciate you coming here and telling me.” “It’s the least you deserve.” “I have a lot to think about,” I admit. “Yeah, I imagine you do,” he acknowledges. “What are you going to do about the King?” “I don’t know yet.” “Well, when you figure that out, I’ve got your back, no strings attached,” he says, giving me a tight smile before heading towards the door and pulling it open. “Syverson!” I call out before I can stop myself, swallowing back the fucking neediness in my voice. He stills, glancing over his shoulder at me, his eyes flickering with hope.

 “Yeah?” “Are you still fighting?” “Not since I fought against Derby, why?”  “Next weekend I’m holding a contest at the club to celebrate my birthday. Anyone can fight.” “Is that an invitation?” “The winner gets to become one of my soldiers. Are you still a beast, Syverson?” I ask, picking up the glass of bourbon I poured for him and knocking it back in one gulp, relishing the burn. We both know that this is a test, but it’s also an olive branch. The question is, will he take it? “I’ll be here,” he replies, then steps out into the hallway and leaves.

[itsamendesmadness]

“Second Thoughts”

Pairing: Shawn Mendes x reader

Summary: You’ve been secretly in love with Shawn since forever. You get a letter from him and you’re scared to see what it's about. When you peek inside the envelope, you realize it's a wedding invitation. Deep down you wanted to go and break this wedding.

warning: light cursing, fluff, angst & probably grammatical errors.

a/n: I had this idea from a current situation in my life and thought it was a good imagine ‘cause you know “DRAMAAA”. As always , let your imagination fly. 🪶

wc: 1089

It was a cold autumn morning. The perfect ambiance for curling up with a good book and drinking cinnamon hot chocolate. I have been sitting all day at my favorite place at my mom’s house since I was a kid…the window seat. I could see the cars come and go. There was something satisfying about hearing the cars hit the puddles.

Any time soon my mom has to be heading home from work. I kept reading my book waiting for her arrival. A Black Honda Civic pulls in the driveway, it’s my mom. I fix my clothes and pass my fingers lightly through my hair to make it look like I haven’t been sitting here all day. She struts down the driveway in direction to the mailbox, grabs the mail and walks towards the house.

“Hey, honey” she says while placing her keys in the key holders. The front door shuts behind her. “Have you been sitting there all day?” she says judgingly. “No mom, I just sat down” I say, hiding my face with the hardcover book. She could always tell when I was lying. I guess it is that motherly instinct in her head, just like spidey senses.

“There's some mail for you.” she says, placing the stack of mail on the dining table in front of me. “If it’s another bank statement just throw it away. I don't know why they send so many letters when we can see all our account activity through the app.” I say annoyed.

“It’s not all from the bank. You have a letter from Shawn.” she says, looking at me waiting for a reaction. She knows how I feel about him, all these years and I still have a huge crush on him.

“Sha- Shawn? He sent me a letter?” I say, stuttering nervously. I kept thinking to myself if I should open it or just break it apart. What if it’s something bad.

The envelope stared at me, making me feel stupid. This whole situation is stupid, he is not even thinking about me the same way I am of him. I need to stop pacing around the house and just open that fucking envelope. I couldn’t get more disappointed than I already am.

I grab the envelope from the table and start ripping the side of it carefully. Inside this envelope there was another one, an emerald green envelope. I started to think this was just one of his goofy pranks.

I pulled out the emerald green envelope and started to unstick the gold wax seal. The perfect calligraphy lettering is peaking through the top. It reads “Natalie Colton + Shawn Mendes”. I yanked it out of the envelope in disbelief. “This can’t be real!” I screamed out.

My mom looks at me with her eyes wide open “what is it?!”. “He- he is inviting me to a wedding… his wedding.” I say, throwing the invitation at the table. I rest my elbows on the table with my hands on my forehead. The warm tears fall down my hands and into my knitted sleeves. My mom sits in the empty chair next to me to try to comfort me. “Honey, I know it’s not what you wanted, but maybe you should go to the wedding. It will help you move on.” she says. “Okay” I say, trying not to start an argument.

The day of the weeding

I dreaded this day all week. How can I sit in that ceremony and see the love of my life marry someone else. Honestly, this is what’s sad about it. He is the love of my life, but I’m not his. A million scenarios played in my head and only one could play out.

I sat in my bed not even wanting to get ready for this dreadful ceremony. I didn’t even think about bringing a date. I moped out of bed, sat on my vanity and started getting ready.

At the Venue

The wedding was being held at a farmhouse. It may sound odd for a wedding, but it's very common in our hometown. Especially in the autumn season. The guests were being directed to the back of the farmhouse where the ceremony was gonna be taking place. I walked down the trail filled with fallen leaves and followed the wooden signs. I could see a big tree with fairy lights dropping down from the branches at the end of the trail. The white wooden chairs were placed in a uniformed line with the name cards placed on them. I started looking for my name on the groom's side.

I discreetly started to look around to see if I could spot Shawn and talk to him before the ceremony. Hoping a confession doesn't slip out of my lips. The realization of Shawn getting married was hitting me hard. I was sweating and shaking so I decided to walk around for a bit before the ceremony started. “Excuse me” I say, trying to pass through and not step on anyone's toes.

I walked and walked till I found an area not filled with guests. The gazebo had beautiful flowers wrapped around the fences. It had white sheer curtains and lots of lights drooping down. I sat on the steps and practiced some breathing exercises my mom taught me. She said it helps her two year old students when they have big feelings. As of now I felt like I had some big feelings to process too. It was probably a bad decision to come down here. How can I move on after years of being in love with this guy? It’s more my fault because I never expressed it thinking it would ruin our friendship. Life was easier with having half of him imagine now having none of him.

This ceremony is taking longer than expected. They haven't even announced that it's starting soon. A tall guy in a tailored black suit walks towards the gazebo. “Have you seen the groom around?” he asks me nervously. “No, why? Is something wrong?” you say intrigued. “No, nothing to worry about. The ceremony will commence soon.” he says, rubbing his fingers together anxiously and walks off quickly.

Could this mean that Shawn is having second thoughts? This could be my only chance to confess my feelings. I should go find him before it's too late.

[chaozsilhouette]

Potential Season 4 Special

When Monkey King’s piece of the scroll broke, he was unharmed but the shock left a sense of disassociation. Since its normal methods weren’t working the Curse decided to take advantage of the Immortal’s confusion and give him the most twisted form of torture it could conjure. It would no longer bother with visions of the past or lost relationships.

It would give him everything he ever wanted.

Waking up, Wukong found himself on Mount Huaguo surrounded by his subjects, both normal monkeys and monkey demons. Huts were being repaired and food was being gathered in preparation for an oncoming celebration. It was more life than the King had witnessed on his mountain in centuries.

Then Liu’er showed up.

Not Macaque, Liu’er Mihou. The one lost treasure that constantly mocked him by being so close yet a universe away.

This monkey’s fur was as freshly fallen snow, a shade he never dared to take since his resurrection. Six colorful lotus petals nestled on the sides of his head as strands of fur were caught in between, just begging him to brush them away. To wrap his fingers in those strands of silky moonlight. The brother he fought, trained, and bled with. Liu’er playfully teased him for his tendency to nap anywhere, instead of scornful mocking.

Eventually, the entire Brotherhood showed up, but they were different from how he remembered.

DBK was gone, or rather Niú Mówáng approached with an easy smile. The countless scars and hair loss from his long imprisonment that had just started to heal had vanished; it was as though they were never there. The entire Demon Bull family was there, yet none of them glared at the monkey as though he was the source of all their suffering.

Azure wore a fond expression, erasing the disappointment and betrayal that once stained his features. He greeted his jailer with a warm embrace and a gentle purr as a sign of trust.

Peng was still an arrogant ass, who enjoyed tearing down the self-esteem of others who weren’t Azure or Yellowtusk. The feathered fool was careful to always dance along the line of inappropriate. Sharp words were occasionally dulled to begrudgingly give half-hearted compliments.

The other pilgrims were swift to arrive but they to were vastly different from how they should be.

Tang Sanzeng no longer criticized him when he used force to protect him. Zhu Bajie focused more on creating delicious meals than chasing after women. Sha Wujing’s tea-making skills now surpassed the gods and he was often accompanied by a blue and orange kitten. Ao Lie proudly announced he had a darling granddaughter, who could not be still even in her sleep.

Then he found a tiny blessing. A monkey cub born from stone with stars in their eyes. A little bundle of joy that looked at him with nothing but love.

In the beginning, he would try to escape. To find a flaw in the curse or a weak spot in the scroll’s design. In retaliation, the scroll would remind him of what awaited him.

Macaque, fur blackened by the soot of a burned paradise carrying the chill of the underworld. Blood poured from the mess that was once his left eye.

The Demon Bull family united in their wrath of the one that dared to separate them. Tears threatened to fall from each pair of eyes. From a father who was robbed of the chance to watch their precious son grow without him and the knowledge, his goddess was forced to remain strong beyond all reason. A former celestial who abandoned everything she knew for a love that was stolen from her. A son learning his family had been robbed of everything by one dispirited monkey.

Those he once fought beside stained by an ancient curse, until the world around them became nothing but an empty black void. All that remained was a sense of bitter commitment and rage.

The tiny cub would glitch into his successor, gripped in the throes of utter agony as his body was overwhelmed by a power he was not ready to control. Cries left his mouth, but all Wukong could see was the plea ‘why?!’ straining from his gaze.

OKAY…He was not ready to deal with all that so soon. He’d wait just a little while longer. Regain his strength then bust outta here with a smile. Save the day and return to his cub student with not a hair out of place.

He just needed a little more time.

That’s all he needed.

Just a little more…

[erineverly]

“Well, can a pretty lady get an autograph or something? Daddy got a bunch of pictures with Elvis, what is mommy getting?” The curly-haired brunette inquires playfully, discreetly snapping a few more candid photographs of the pair, convinced there’s no such thing as too many pictures. “I can gibb you a millions — this many autopraphs,” the small redhead promises, spreading his arms as far as they’ll go to show just how many autographs he’ll give his mother after the show. “He really is as strong as Hulk, isn’t he, daddy? He has all this strength because he ate dinner like a big boy! Didn’t leave a crumb on his plate,” Erin praises, giggling at the silly name that only serves to boost Sebastian’s confidence. Sebastian Elvis Hulk Rose. She has a feeling she’ll have to use this name for next few days, but she doesn’t really mind. All that counts is how happy her son is, and Gosh, is he happy. Melting into a puddle as she marvels at the adorable scene unfolding right before her eyes, Erin doesn’t remember the last time this condo was filled with so much laughter and positive energy, and knows she has Axl to thank for this. Whenever they’re together, all three of them as a family, a whole different side of Sebastian comes to life and she can’t get enough of it. There’s dimples in his cheeks, his face slightly flushed from all the giggling, emerald eyes twinkling like stars. “How’d dis get ‘ere?” The boy inquires, touching his earlobe just to make sure there’s no earring in it. He wonders why his dad and mom have these funny things in their ears when his are bare. “‘tay…” he mumbles, pursing his lips together as his shoulders slump a bit. He’s disappointed to hear that daddy doesn’t want to call Ant-nee mean names. Ant-nee says all kinds of mean things when mommy’s not around about him and daddy. But he doesn’t want to be like Ant, he’d rather be nice to everyone like daddy, so he sighs and nods and lets it go, but not without muttering, “dummy dumbo, dummy dumbo,” while he’s being placed back on the soft carpet. “No! No baff! No baff for Sebashtien Eh-vis Hulk Rose!” He cheers up again, sticking his tongue out at his parents and plucking the strings of his guitar. It roars to life and even if they wanted to lecture him about the importance of showers, he wouldn’t be able to hear them.

He puts on quite the show. He opens it with ‘picious Minds, switches to Now or Neva in the middle of the chorus, only to reach the grand finale with Can’t Help Falling in Love on his lips. He can’t settle on just one song, too giddy to show his audience just how many he has memorized, so he combines them all together. He goes breathless two seconds into the performance, singing his little lungs out, closing his eyes and trying to mimic Elvis’ facial expressions, but that doesn’t discourage him. He’s panting and running from one side of the room to the other, jumping and spinning, coaxing another fit of giggles from his mom. Erin reaches out and tugs the hem of Axl’s shirt, urging him to sit down on the bed with her to watch the wild performance but also so that Hurricane Sebastian won’t accidentally bump into him. “I should have grabbed my video camera,” she giggles, cheering the small redhead on. She loses it when he begins to do a little dance, swaying his hips, and ends up doing his dad’s iconic move rather than Elvis’. For some reason, it’s the most natural thing in the world to him. He claps his hands and then lifts his arms above his head, wiggling around the bedroom. He ends the show by tossing his guitar to the floor and dropping to his knees unexpectedly. “Sha na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, knees, knees! Tank you, Los Angeles! Tank you! You was gweat t’nite!” 

“Oh yeah, of course.” Axl nods, watching him in amusement as he smiles and softly laughs at how Sebastian comes up with all of this stuff and at how far his imagination goes. Imagination is the best thing a child could have, so it makes him really happy seeing Sebastian’s runs wild and deep. “Yeah, dada.” Raspy voice happily confirms, eyes gleaming at him before nuzzling his cheek with his. “I love you, Sebastian Elvis Hulk Rose.” Heart melting hearing the smaller redhead tell him that, squeezing him tighter and laughing at the kisses he keeps dampening his face with. “Wow, what a love bug. All this love I’m getting!” Cheeks dimpling in overwhelming happiness, turning his head and kissing Sebastian’s cheek in return. Smooch smooch smooch. Then eyes drop on where his hand is going, watching him move his hair so he can touch the tiny cross earring hanging off his earlobe. “Well, Antnee isn’t bein’ very nice and I’ll talk to him about it. Or mom will. But let’s not call others dummy dumbos, okay? We gotta be better than them, rise above them.” Axl gently lectures, gently sitting him down when he starts kicking his legs. “Okay okay, go at it then. But after, we gotta get a bath. I’ll even help wash your hair.”