#one of them would be One-Eyed Jax

[solvicrafts]

I can't wait to start making all the girls and creating cute pajamas for them, too.

Vierna, Yvonnel, Minolin Fey, and Dab'nay are gonna have the BEST sleepover parties ever.

[gloryofroses19]

So It Goes...

Pairing: Eris Vanserra x mate!reader (Reader is apart of the Dawn and Night Court), former lover x reader

T/W: Sexual themes and allusions to sex

Walking out onto the balcony, [y/n] was met with an expectant sight. Tall, handsome but not dark. 

“I didn’t need your protection from that mongrel brute.”

Mother save her from the ego of males, she silently prayed as her eyes rolled.  “Why don’t you admit that you like me?” 

Her traitorous heart skipped a beat as she realized she fell into his trap. His proud challenging gaze and devilish smirk were evidence enough. “You first, Firefly.” 

She supposed she could but was this the time? Leaning on the balcony’s balustrade, she took in the night before her. The balcony held an autumn warmth despite the chill that had set across Day’s desert terrain. 

However, her words of gratitude died on her lips as a touch grazed her upper arm. His heat spread across the lines of her bandages, the only evidence left of the failed assassination attempt. “Why was this not properly healed? Was Thesan too cock drunk to help his childhood friend turned Court emissary?” 

“Do not talk about Thesan that way!” Ripping her arm from his hold, she glared at him. But the outburst was more out of anger for herself than Eris. Anger towards herself for failing to be there for her childhood friend when he had only ever been there for her. Even when she was a traitor to her Court while she helped her family in the Night Court. “The blade was covered in Aspidistra.” She sighed, “He did all he could, but sometimes things need to heal naturally.” 

“And the bodyguard?” The edge to Eris’ voice was not lost on her. She felt the same way when Thesan suggested it. Despite her protests, she knew her friend would only let her attend this meeting if she brought Jax. Beautiful, blonde broad Jax whose smile rivaled the sun. Who only ever wished to shine that light onto her. 

“As a general myself, I didn’t know suffocating you counted as his job.” Eris snidely commented. He knew that this was dangerous, that she was dangerous to both himself and his plans. And yet, he couldn’t stop. Damn the Mother and this female. 

“Am I interrupting something?”  An unapologetic voice spoke, breaking the tension.“Please tell me no because I surely want to join. I would love nothing more than to be between your twin flames.” 

“Lord Helion.” Returning Helion’s smile, [y/n] exhaled the breath she was holding.

“I had to fight your soldier to get in here [y/n].” Joining the pair on the balcony, Helion curiously eyed the fireling heir. “How did you get in here Eris?” 

Eris took a moment to consider. Or rather pretend to consider, his cryptic smile offering no truth. “As lord of this court, you should know of the many doors in this hall.” 

“Yes,” Helion began matching Eris’ smile before glancing at [y/n].  “Especially the ones left purposefully open.” 

As if tired of Eris games, Helion turned his attention fully to [y/n]. Bridging the gap between them, Helion took her hand in his.  “A little flower told me you’ve left your soldier quite unsatisfied in recent months.” 

“My Lilli telling you sordid stories amidst the throes of passion?”  She asked, her tone amused. How it related to her best friend’s fun with Helion she didn’t dare or care to guess. But she didn’t mind that her best friend spoke of her and Jax. She and Jax were a thing of the past and Lord Helion the diary of fae pleasures. 

“Well if you joined us, you could have done it yourself.” As he kissed the back of her hand, [y/n] realized she was wrong. Helion hadn’t been tired of Eris’ smoke and mirrors but rather was toying with Eris. Toying with the intention to figure them out. She wondered if Eris knew. 

With a clearing of his throat, Eris decided he was tired of this farce. He knew it would show weakness but the choice was between a throat clear or ripping Helion’s throat out. 

At the sound of the interruption, Helion’s eyes swept across Eris’ figure. A knowing smile spread across Helion’s face as if the Lord of this Court wouldn’t know what was brewing between them.  

Dropping [y/n]’s hand and stepping back, Helion put his hand over his heart in mock deference. “Forgive me, I’ll leave this healing salve on the table for you [y/n].”  But turning once more back to them, Helion offered a final smile, “Though selfishly,  I did very much enjoy the scent of your arousals.” 

Once Helion was gone, Eris allowed himself the moment to roll his eyes. With his gaze on [y/n], on the soft planes of her face and beautiful eyes, he knew Helion was right. If this was a taste of the smell, he would never survive this. He knew he would never survive them. 

“What?” She demanded, rueing his gaze. “What, Eris?” 

“Nothing,” Moving in closer, Eris traps her between his body and the balustrade, a pregnant space between them. “I just find it curious that he has been left unsatisfied since after the Mountain.”  With a step forward, their bodies almost touch. “Is it because of me?” 

Eris was shameless for her truths. Shameless in knowing that the bond, an ancient and primal thing, demanded nothing but clear devotion from them both. No matter how hard they fought it. 

Looking into his amber eyes, the gold flecks within them seemed to shimmer. The breath she took, didn’t steady her heart as she hoped. Instead, it made her realize how she was a hostage to her feelings in his gold cage. “A lot of things happened after the Mountain.” 

Watching her, Eris realized denial never looked so good on anyone as it did on her. 

“Mmhm,” The sound was a deep pleasant hum, and his lips tilted up teasingly. “And yet your gaze tells me differently.” 

“And what of yours?” She threw it back at him, “You are not above it all Eris. I saw your envy in Jax’s hand on my back, in Cassian’s hug, in Rhysland’s hand kiss, in Helion’s -“ 

His gaze hardened with each mention of a name until the words burst out of his mouth. “I do not need you to remind me of the casual touches you so willingly allow those males.” 

“Why? Say it.” The conflict in his eyes did not dissuade her from pressing further. “The choice is yours, Eris.” All the hardness in her voice softened, “I am yours to keep or I am yours to lose.”

“Vulnerability from the indomitable [full name]?” Eris’ deep voice fell into a conspiring whisper as he softly gazed at [y/n].  

Holding his gaze, [y/n] kept her voice steady. “Sensitivity from the unconscionable Eris Vanserra?” As his name left her mouth, his warm hand cupped her cheek. With each gentle caress, she found herself momentarily obnoxiously frozen beneath his touch.  

Neither of them knew who leaned in first. All they knew was that there was a space between them and then it was dwindling. Knew that they were gazing at each other and then suddenly their eyes were closed as their noses brushed against each other. Knew that they had had their own breaths and then suddenly they were sharing one as their lips brushed against each other’s. 

“We can’t do this.” [y/n] murmured breathlessly, as her fingers brushed the visible skin by his collar. The smooth warm expanse of skin was the only temptation she would give herself as all her strength went to not crushing her lips against his. 

“I know.” Eris wantonly replied, tilting her head to the side allowing him the reprieve of getting closer to her. Of allowing him to nuzzle his nose against hers as he tested his self control of her lips being a fraction of a space away. 

“We must be careful. If anyone were to find out, it would be disastrous.” He forced himself to not think of how sweet she felt in his hands. 

“Yes.” She forced herself to not think of how fast his heart was beating against her hand. 

Neither of them moved from their shared proximity despite those evident truths. With their foreheads leaning against each other, she supposed it would paint quite a pretty picture. She could see it now, Freye would call it ‘The Mating Bond: A Choice’. 

As if the Mother knew neither of them had the strength to separate, the door to her suite opened and closed. While the intrusion was not welcome, it was necessary. 

“Lord Eris.” Like a sunbeam breaking through a cloud, Jax watched out onto the balcony.  “I wasn’t aware sneaking into places was your thing.” 

[y/n] never quite understood when people spoke of a ‘sexy smoldering look’, how can burning slowly be sexy? But a flash, a flash spoke of uninhibited and unconscious things, of involuntary sparks that fan a fire. 

Like the flash of frustration across Eris’ face and the clench of his jaw from this interruption further sparking the flame of arousal burning inside of  her. 

She knew she could rationalize it all away. Maybe it was their placement in the Day Court. A court known for its prioritization of love and pleasure that had kept her in a constant state of arousal since her arrival. Having nothing to do with her brush with death a day ago nor arriving and seeing Eris. Eris who swaggered in looking like a man with nothing but free time to tease her. Or maybe, it was her close proximity to her former lover who once brought her immense pleasure and would do it again, if she only asked.

Or maybe, it was more primitive than that. Maybe having two handsome generals fighting over her and their constant snips for possession of her were going to drive her to insanity. Death by lust, she wondered how many beings died this way. 

“I think it speaks more about your skills than  mine when you left such a wide window of space.” Eris’ derisive tone was a stark contrast to his polite smile. 

Laughing mirthless, Jax clapped his hands behind his back. “Or maybe I let you ‘sneak in’.” 

“Did you?” 

Sensing this would only end badly, [y/n] stepped in between them. “I think it’s time to retire.”

Agreeing with the sentiment, Jax extended his right arm toward the door. “You heard the lady, goodnight lordling.” 

Stepping closer to [y/n] once more, Eris held Jax’s gaze as he leaned in to whisper in [y/n]’s ear.  “You should know by now that I always play to keep. Never to lose, Firefly.” 

And like a flame extinguished, Eris Vanserra winnowed away. Leaving [y/n] cold and short of breath by the implication. When the bond snapped, he called it a game but his words now spoke of intention. An intention to not run or reject the bond. She understood why many spoke of the mating bond as a blessing and a curse. 

“You need to be careful. I trust you, and your decisions but I don’t trust Eris. Why was Eris here? The assassination attempt very well could have been from Autumn, Beron is unpredictable. Or even Rhysland, we don’t truly know the motives of the Night Court.”

More like you don’t know the Night Court motives, she thought as she turned toward the balcony’s view. “Jax, I know Thesan sent you to watch me but I take very good care of myself. The assassin was literally dead before anyone even noticed he was there. You can relax and think of this as a vacation.”

“This is no vacation. You don't even believe that.” He joined her against the balustrade. 

“You’re right,” She sighed, wrapping an arm around herself. “We don’t know a lot, which is why we are here.” It was another pretty lie. 

Placing his hand over hers, Jax spoke with utter devotion. “I am here because I want you to be safe.” 

“Thank you.” It would be so easy to cup his face and enjoy the brush of his scruff against her hand. Easy to accept the offer of marriage sitting on the tip of his tongue. But it would all be a lie. It was after the Mountain. Now his sunshine burned and suffocated her. Now, she craved the warmth from a roaring fire and not a strong sunbeam. “I’m going to bed. If the couch is too rough, you can always take the suite next door.”

“This is Day, [y/n].” He called after her, watching her retreating figure. “These couches are made for comfort.”

A/N: Feedback is always appreciated! This is partly inspired by the song So It Goes by Taylor Swift and the show My Lady Jane

[d6volution]

you, a little mime, just trying to keep quiet and stay out the way in this new and strange world, but the ringmaster doesn't seem to be too fond of your silence.

tags: afab reader x caine, dubious consent, fingering, creepy caine.

Caine hummed, straighting his tie in the mirror as he prepared himself to look his utmost best before introducing today's new adventure!

"Now, you see Bubble, as ringmaster I have to look absolutely prepared for any situation. That includes—" He turned to face bubble, squeezing his tie as it squirted water from it directly into the bubbles face. "Perfectly prepared to put a potential fire!~" He laughed at his own wacky joke, slapping knee in the process. "I don't see how that would really—"

"Quiet bubble!" Caine hushed his friend simply by scooping him into his hat. "Don't you hear that?"

Absolute silence.

"Exactly, I'm 2 minutes late for the introduction today!" He appeared in front of the digital circus crew in the blink of an eye.

What he didn't notice was the lonely mime hiding away in the corner.

So without a moments delay the ringmaster began yapping away until pomni awkward raised her hand.

"Uh.. Caine?"

"Yes, my colorful friend how can I help you!?" He pointed his Caine at the jester.

"Uh.. well— weee... sorta have a new member." Pomni pointed at the corner where you were hiding out.

"OH! Oh, dear! How rude of me! Why don't you come out, my dear, we don't bite!" Just then bubble suddenly popped from his hat without warning to quietly add, "Heh.. I do.." Caine rolled his eyes, "Come now, don't be shy!"

"Maybe you're just being too loud Caine, they seem a bit.. overwhelmed." Ragatha added with a reassuring chuckle, attempting to ease the uneasiness you were feeling.

"ME? LOUD? NEVER!"

With all eyes on you, it seemed like you had no choice but to stand up, gloomy as ever, and finally walked towards the crowd.. your colors seemed washed out compared to everyone else's, which in turn made you stand out a lot.

"Well then, what's your name? Or perhaps you need a new one!" Caine's voice seemed to drown out , you weren't listening to a word he was saying nor did were you planning on replying.

"Ah.. a quiet one then? No matter! I'm sure you'll open up in no time!" With his usual gleeful act he spun into the air.

"Now then! Where was I!?"

Caine did his usual spiel about the adventure, keeping his eye on you most of the time. You could feel his eyes on you, and it only causes you to curl in on yourself even more, attempting to make yourself less noticeable.

"Alright then! Off with you lot!~"

Just then, Jax popped up next to you comically , draping an arm around your shoulder as if you were old pals. "Get all that new kid?" You blinked a few times. "Yeah, yeah.." He seemed to fill in the spots where you'd normally be expected to reply. "Caine's a riot .....but, hey.. I'm sure you'll do juuusst fine.. heh." He was getting a kick from your expressions. They succeeded in doing all the talking for you.

You looked up, expecting the charismatic leader to still be floating in the air but he vanished.. you felt relief flood your body, the way he was eying you early made you feel.. uneasy.

The day was.. eventful to say the least.

You're relieved that no one really forced you to speak, opting for nodding yes and no instead.

See, you can speak.. you can you just haven't felt inclined to ever since you arrived here. It was strange, staying silent.. selectively mute almost. Right? Perhaps it had something to do with your new body. You looked like a sad little mime, after all.

"Hey , mime person— thing watch out!" Pomni rushed past you, and you failed to notice until now that all of the props in the circus came to life and chased everyone around. It was utter chaos, and you did beneath a table until someone finally found the solution to getting them back to normal.

Thanks, Ragatha.

All in all, it was an exceptionally draining day.

You followed behind the crowd at a distance, and gangle tried to close the gap a bit to make you feel more welcome in her own .. introverted way. Silently, you appreciated it..

....?

To your left, there was a stray floating eyeball watching closely as you walked by. Not the crowd ahead of you.. just you.

A shiver went up your spine.. surely it was just ! ... one of the props from earlier you all forgot to tame , yeah.. had to be.

You all had the infamous digital dinner, and headed back to your quarters.

So this is what life would be like now?

No— no, you can't give into that idea so easily it has to be a dream— "Oof! Eyes up here dear! Wouldn't want to get hurt now do we?"

Two large gloved hands rested on your shoulders and steadied you. Blinking away the dizziness you looked up, .. Caine!

Immediately you stumbled back and out of his grip before falling onto your ass, you winced quietly but not quietly enough that Caine didn't notice.

"Ahh, so you can make noise! Here I thought your vocal cords were— well who knows! Glad to see their working my dear! Now, I think it's best we get to know each other a little better."

He yanked you back up unceremoniously and you sucked in a breath at the suddenness of it all. But.. still you didn't respond.

"Oh, don't be modest my dear you can speak to your hearts content little one!" It was starting to sound more like a command if anything but you shook your head and attempted to walk past him to get to the safety to your room instead.

You don't know why you expected this to work, he appeared right in front of you causing you to plant into his chest face first.

"Ah, of course ! You must be excited to show off your new room hmm?" He opened up the door and moved aside causing you to stumble in, losing your footing you planted face first on the carpet. Caine's eyes lingered on your rear end for a moment too long before you finally gathered your bearings.

He cleared his throat. "Hm."

How awkward. Your eyes tried to look everywhere but him, the wall the floor the little knick knacks that adorned your dresser.

Without warning the ring master gripped your waist with both hands, sending a shiver up your spine and another pathetic sound left your lips.

"My, my I think I MAY have cracked the code~!" He grinned and allowed his hands to pull you in closer, hands snaking up your waist just along the swell of your clothed breast. You made another sound.

The prick was toying with you just to get some noise out of you.

"Humans are sensitive here arent they? What silly little creatures you are!" Another beat and his gloved hands cupped your breasts squeezing them without holding back.

"S.. Stop..." You finally spoke up, bit it was hardly a whisper.

"Hmm? I couldn't quite hear you dear!" His pupils were blown wide, and for a moment you felt relief as his hands trailed away from your breast and down to the hem of your shirt instead.

You thought it was over, until a cool breeze hit your now bare breast. The bastard yanked your top upwards and immediately started tweaking and pinching your nipples, causing them to harden. You whimpered and shook your head, scrambling in his grip which only seemed to tighten.

You could feel hot his breath hitting your neck.

" ...please.."

"What a darling voice you have dear, what a shame you want to keep it from everyone! ... why don't you let me hear a bit more, hmm?" He asked, voice laced with desperation now. He'd lost the original reasoning of why he was doing this, right now he just wanted to hear more of your pretty voice.

Yes, the voice that made his slacks tighten and his breathing to become heavy.

He needed more, and you'd have no choice but to give the ring master what he wanted.

"How about here?" He inquired , removing one hand from your chest and cupped your sex instead. Fingers rubbing along your clothed folds.

"Nh...!" Your eyebrows furrowed, it was so hard not to give in. Not to make noise, you didn't know how long you'd be able to last.

Your knees were getting weak , buckling in on themselves. He held your body close to his as you both slid to the floor unceremoniously. Caine used this to his advantage and hunched overtop of you, your face pressed to the floor and ass in the air now.

Your head felt dizzy and your legs trembled.

His gloved hand ran along your ass before it giving it a slap, and you yelped. Causing him to shudder in delight. "Oh dear me! My hand seems to have a mind of its own." He looked at his hand accusingly, before it rested on your behind just for a moment.

He lingered in silence , debating his next move. His thoughts so were jumbled right now, but he couldn't help himself. After this.. he'd stop, yes just this last thing.

He yanked your bottoms down and you immediately scrambled and tried to sit up , but he pushed a gloved hand on your back to keep you still. "Now, now none of that. You've been very stubborn up until now my dear. It's only fair you receive a little more punishment, yes?" He sounded amused, desperate and absolutely delighted all at once.

"N.. No.. no.." You whined, but your body was hot and secretly wanting more. Release.. something.

"SEE! Look how far you've come, speaking more words now then you have all day!" He chuckled before plunging a finger into your wet sex. You gasped, back arching and your gummy walls tightening around his finger. "Hmn.. there we are

..." He hummed and thrusted his finger in and out, your soft pants were enough to keep him satiated at the moment.

After a few moments, he slipped in another finger, and you reached back, grabbing his wrist, trying to push him away, shaking your head.

But he wouldn't let up, his fingers were slamming into your sex , the room filling with the wet sounds your sloppy cunt was producing.

This was wrong.. right? But it felt so good, too good. Your body was on fire. You couldn't think about anything besides the fingers pummeling in and out of you, secretly wishing it was something bigger.

"Please— g-gonna.. hhaa.." Your body locked up, tightening around his fingers and spasming like crazy. He seemed amused at how fast the coil inside of you seemed to snap. Still his fingers moved , his other hand gently caressing your back as you yelped and pleaded because of the overstimulation.

He watched you tremble and whine for a few seconds more before finally removing his fingers, licking them clean with his oversized tongue.

Your breathing was returning to normal, but your body still felt tingly buzzing with the aftershock of pleasure.

"See? I knew you could do it! perhaps more exercises like this would be helpful, don't you think?" It was a rhetorical question, not like you'd answer anyways. Caine pulled your pants back up, leaving you in your sticky clothes, but at least not naked for all the world to see.

"OH DEAR! Would you look at the time!? You'd better get some rest dear , wouldn't want to be late to tomorrow's adventure, would you?" He winked, and just like that, he was gone.

[mystra-midnight]

Too Drunk to Fuck

summary: he'd never been the type of man to wait. if he had an itch, it needed to be scratched. jax doubted anyone would even notice if he pounded your cunt until you were screaming and creaming on his cock.

warnings: 18+ only. thigh riding. pet names; (princess, baby). brief name calling; (slut). public setting. female orgasm. it's not a samcro party without alcohol and getting high. also if there isn't someone getting fucked on a pool table.

words: 1k

notes: welcome to week one of kinktober! i'm not the best at sticking the day-to-day tasks so i'm following along with lazy ghoul's weekly promptsif you want to see more thigh riding with jax, or something else entirely, send me an ask!

"C'mere."

This was the only warning you had before Jax's strong fingers curled around your wrist and tugged you away from the crow eater you were in the middle of a conversation with. You gave him no resistance, as you've always enjoyed the way he manhandled you and how bossy he got when he was in a mood. You allowed him to tow you along behind him, giggling and stumbling in your high heels, before he turned to face you, his mouth immediately crashing against yours.

Jax kissed exactly how he fucked: roughly, with teeth and tongue, and hot breaths.

You moaned into his mouth as he perched atop a stool at the unoccupied end of the bar, his hands on your hips pulling you forward until you were straddling him. He had half a mind to fuck you right then and there—to shove his jeans down to his knees, hike up your pretty dress, and sink deep into your cunt with one sure stroke.

He'd never been the type of man to wait. If he had an itch, it needed to be scratched. Jax doubted anyone would even notice if he pounded your cunt until you were screaming and creaming on his cock. If they did, he doubted anyone would actually care. Most of them were plastered or higher than a kite, or both; Bobby Elvis was on the pool table going down with some pretty blue-eyed thing, while Tig was leaning back in one of the armchairs, a hand in the hair of some blonde-haired woman, who was sucking his cock like she simultaneously loved and hated it.

Not a single one of them would care, but even though the two of you had only been mutually exclusive for a few months, Jax knew you; he knew that you weren't into public sex. The club life was still new; it was as exciting as it was frightening, and you weren't ready to be vulnerable in front of all these people.

"Jax," your voice was impossibly soft as he tugged on your hair, pulling your head back to expose your throat to his wondering mouth. If the rough drag of his lips against your skin hadn't distracted you from your utter desperation, you would have flushed with embarrassment. He followed a droplet of sweat down the column of your throat before finding the pulse point beating wildly at the junction of your shoulder.

His fingers tightened around your hips, the tips of them kneading the doughy flesh until it felt like you were bruised. Your own hips moved in response, grinding against him with anticipation and impatience. Jax had a room out the back; you knew that. You'd spent the night once or twice. With your arms wrapped tightly around his broad shoulders, you bucked against him, your clothed cunt catching on the crotch of his jeans, the zipper sending a zing of pleasure through your core.

You chased that feeling desperately, despite the soft groans coming from the leather-bound man. His hand curling around your throat brought you back into the moment, your eyes snapping over to stare into his own pretty blue ones. You noticed they were dark with desire, his pupils blowing wide while you continued to move against him, chasing friction of any kind, whining softly at him. "Jesus," he muttered before kissing you again, his tongue in your mouth, swallowing your moans. "Gimme a second to get my shit together."

Both of you were drunk and not yet sober enough for a romp between the sheets, but you still needed each other. His hands slid to your waist, shifting you so that you were straddling one leg instead of his waist. "Like this," he said softly, his hands returning to your hips to pull you back and forth across his thigh. "Just until I can take care of you, babe."

Your breath hitched as the rough fabric of his jeans rubbed against your clothed cunt. Your panties were already soaked, but he didn't mind. Jax liked that he could excite you with a few quick kisses and dirty words; he liked the wet spots you'd leave on his jeans. You buried your face against his neck to muffle the sounds of the whimpers and moans he was pulling from you. Your hands burrowed into the thicket of tresses at the back of his neck, drawing him in deeper, and you were lost in him—the smell of his sweat-slicked skin, the taste of tobacco on his tongue, the feel of his finger bruising into your skin—utterly and hopelessly lost.

He gave you a few minutes to enjoy yourself. The feeling of him manhandling your body was exquisite; it never ceased to amaze you that something so simple, such as thigh riding, could send you sky-rocketing so suddenly. Jax pressed a kiss against the side of your head as you continued to roll your hips back and forth along his thigh. "Open your eyes, princess. I want to watch when you're cumming for me."

You whined in response. You wanted to carve your way beneath his skin and never leave the shelter of his body, but one of his hands snaked beneath your dress. He toyed with the band of your panties, his blunt nails plucking at the stitching before he pulled on them roughly, making the opposite side dig into your doughy flesh. With a chuckle, he let it snap back into place, causing your body jolt in his arms.

"There she is," he cooed mockingly when you finally raised your head. Your eyes were blurred and glossy as you rutted against him, your pace sloppy and frantic. His hands were everywhere and nowhere, all at once. "Y'look so pretty like this baby, like a desperate slut." His words were accentuated when he lifted his knee, changing the angle at which you rubbed against him.

Your teeth gnashed wildly at your lower lip to stifle the sound that ripped up from your chest. Jax slid his hand into your panties and grabbed a fistful of your ass, the tips of his fingers going a little bit south to find the wetness between your thighs, so that he could make your ride at a gruelling pace. A searing heat was starting to simmer in the pit of your stomach, making your blood boil until you were sweating and burning from the inside out.

Your mouth found his when you couldn't keep quiet. He felt the vibrations and your moans, and he swallowed each of the pretty noises you made. "Jax, s'close. Please, please, baby." You babbled against his lips, your fingers tightening around his hair and pulling roughly, making him growl. He bounced his knee once, the rough fabric catching against your clit through the barrier of clothing. Your cunt clenched around nothing, and you suddenly felt so horribly empty.

Jax kissed you hard; his tongue bullied its way past your lips while the tension in your stomach became too much and snapped. It was immediate and intense, leaving you shaking in his arms. A fire-storm trail-blazed through your body, igniting the blood in your veins. Static settled behind your ears, blocking out the world as you rode each shock-wave of euphoria as though it were your last. Your orgasm was intense and loud, leaving you moaning against his mouth, his name a symphony falling repeatedly from your lips as he kept your hips moving, drawing out the moment for as long as possible.

At long last, the tension escaped from your body, and you sagged against him, your vision finally clearing as he kissed you softly and lazily, waiting for you to come down from the clouds. When you realise what just happened, where it just happened, you hide your face against his neck again, although this time your tongue swiped wetly against his skin. Jax hummed when you nibbled at a particularly sensitive spot just below his ear. He pressed his mouth against your hair to hide the smirk that found his lips. The smell of your shampoo invaded his lungs as you shifted against him, the cold air hitting the wet patch your orgasm had left on his jeans.

"Ready for me to take care of you properly, princess?"

[poeghoul]

hard times iii.

in which they're far too drawn to each other.

word count: 7,852 warnings: mentions of drug usage and abuse, unwanted advances, angst, possessiveness authors note: not proofread. only a few parts left to this series </3 im far too attached to them.

masterlist

part one part two

Y/n made her way out of the diner, the new waiter, Ross, following close behind her. “It’s not too bad, I promise. You’ll get the hang of it soon,” she turned to face him, smiling to try and relieve his anxiety. The poor boy had spilled orange juice all over his black sweater, the thick fabric sticking to his chest, and still slightly damp. “Plus you’ll be taking the night shift and barely anyone comes in.”

He exhaled through his mouth, raising his eyebrows at her, “so that means shit tips, huh?” he joked at her. She pulled her lips into her mouth, hesitant to answer, and when she went to challenge his assumption, he cut her off. “Fuck, really? Shit, I’m fucked,” running a hand through his hair, he shook his head. She pursed her lips at him.

“It’s not awful, I swear. And you’re new, so,” she trailed off, not entirely knowing what to say to the blue eyed boy. “They always start the newbies off at night,” the end of her sentence sounded more like a question, and he just smirked at her and tilted his head to the side. 

“You’re shit at making people feel better, you know that?” he grinned at her, pulling his bottom lip in between his teeth, shaking his head at her. She grinned at him, exhaling a laugh through her nose. “Ya need a ride or anything?”

“Mm, no I have a ride already, thank you though,” she gestured to the man standing next to the black SUV behind her. A ‘shit’ coming from the boy in front of her. “Yeah,” she pursed her lips. Ever since the first night Jax had picked her up, everyone who worked at the diner bombarded her with a million questions anytime the ‘mystery’ man stood in front of the building; how’d you score that, who is he, how do you know him, etc. 

“No offense, but how the fuck are you able to drive that? Or have someone drive you in that,” he stared at her, a befuddled look graced his face. 

She tucked her bottom lip in between her teeth for a second, his gaze switching from her eyes to her lips and back once the flesh was released, “um, a friend of mine kinda owes me a favor and this is how he’s paying me back,” she shrugged, her right arm coming up to rub her left, an anxious habit.

A humorless laugh escaped him, “I will never ask for a favor if this is what you’re expecting in return,” he gestured to the car. “I’ll see you in the morning, y/n,” he patted her shoulder before running his hand down her arm, barely even touching the jacket covered skin, and grazed her hand for a moment longer than he should’ve. She blushed from the action, taking in a sharp breath before nodding and bidding him goodbye. 

They parted ways; Ross walking to a beat up ‘99 Honda Civic hatchback, and y/n to her (Harry’s) personal chauffeur’s car. She sent a smile to Jax before wrapping her arms around his torso, squishing her face into his chest (he was significantly taller than her, but not as tall as Harry). 

“Hey, sweetpea,” he greeted her, she felt the vibrations rumble through his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, a hand coming up to caress the back of her head and a gentle kiss was placed on the crown of her head. “Wanna tell me who that was?” he pulled back to wink at her, she just rolled her eyes unwrapping her arms and crossing them over her chest and he opened the door for her, 

“That was Ross, he’s the new waiter I told you about. Not very good though,” she stepped up into the backseat and sat her bag down on the seat next to her. A few weeks ago, she’d be getting in the backseat hoping Harry would greet her with an apology or an explanation. Now, she’d be surprised to even smell Harry’s lingering cologne. He’s been avoiding her since the last time he came to her apartment. No calls, no texts, no interactions whatsoever. 

Jax laughed, closing the door before running around the back of the car and hopping in the front seat. His eyes met hers in the rearview mirror, “that bad, huh?” Her eyes widened and she nodded, her mouth agape. 

“I’ve never met anyone that uncoordinated, I swear. He’s great with the customers, he really is, he just can’t balance a tray to save his life,” she sighed, “Dan put a lot of faith in me, too, which makes it worse. Like, I can’t just magically make someone a great waiter, especially if this is their first waiting job.”

“That’s rough, sweetpea, I’m sorry.” 

“Is it bad I don’t think he’ll last long?” sympathy laced her tone. 

“Not at all, and from the sounds of it, that seems likely,” he shrugged one shoulder and started the car. Pushing the parking brake down, he shifted into reverse before pulling out of the parking lot and on to the main street leading to her studio. 

“Yeah,” she pulled her lips into her mouth, looking out the window. She had switched to the morning shift, paranoia suffocating her every night making her shifts much harder to get through without choking on her anxiety. And because no one else was willing to take the night shift, they had to hire another waiter. And apparently, for god knows why, they just had to hire one with no experience. And just had to make y/n train him. A form of punishment, she’s sure. “How was your day?” she looked back to him, eyes trained on his side profile. 

“Mm, fine. Uneventful as normal. Just waited around for,” he met her eyes in the rearview, “Mr. Styles,” she looked down at her hands, picking at her over bitten cuticles, dried blood staining her nail beds. “He had another meeting with Mr. Horan,” she nodded slowly. Niall hadn’t even come into the diner. They both had disappeared. 

The drive was short, it always was. Soon enough, she was thanking him, like usual, and running up the stairs to her apartment. Unlocking the door, she could hear the bells she had attached to the door handle on the inside sing loudly. It was annoying, but with where her mind had been the past month, she deemed it necessary. Kicking her shoes off, she plopped on her chair, rolling her neck from side to side trying to alleviate the tension. 

After her third morning shift, she had started to regret asking to be taken off nights, she had no clue what to do in the middle of the afternoon. When she’d get off around ten, she would come home and get ready for bed and watch a show or scroll through tiktok until she’d be half asleep with the phone slipping from her grasp. It was a routine she’d been used to for about eight months, but developing new routines and sticking to them was not her strong suit. 

Getting off this early highlighted how alone she felt. It got dark around 4:30 and winter was creeping in. Her seasonal depression started to settle in, making a home in the cavity of her chest. 

+++

Harry sat across from Niall in his home office, sitting back in his expensive Italian leather chair with his leg crossed over his knee. He rarely ever hosted meetings in his home, never trusting anyone enough to invite them in, but Niall was entirely different. He managed to snake his way into Harry’s life; calling and texting him at all hours of the day, inviting him to attend church with his wife and two daughters or out to play a game of golf. Harry was suspicious about the amount of communication and invitations, but learned that Niall was one of the friendliest men he’d ever come across, and eventually accepted an invitation to a game of golf. That was entirely a bad idea, however, since Niall was practically glued to Harry’s side ever since. 

He had even told him about what happened with y/n, to which Niall prompted him to just come clean to her about how he felt. But of course, it wasn’t that simple. If it was, Harry would’ve done that the moment he saw his sweet girl shed a tear. They never spoke about it after Harry yelled at Niall to stop meddling. 

“Who do you think did it?” Harry asked the blue eyed brunette, referring to a shootout that happened at a Motel 6 twentyseven miles from where they were meeting. Motel 6’s were notorious for drug dealings, though Harry never dared to step foot near one. 

Niall shrugged, “could’ve been anyone, really. But I’m sure it had something to do with Justus. He’s always down there, creepin’ around,” a scowl graced his gentle face. 

Harry brought his fingers to rest on his mouth, tapping a finger on the skin above his lip and raising an eyebrow at the man's theory, “Hm, Justus, aye?” Niall nodded. “ ‘S a possibility, he loves his motels. Who else could’ve been down there, though? Couldn’t have just been a deal gone wrong, he had to have stepped on someone’s toes.”

“Well, it-” Niall cut himself off, perking up as he put the pieces together in his head, “Payne. It was fucking Payne, god that prickhead.”

“Niall, that name holds no significance with me, who is that?” 

“Liam Payne,” Niall answered, leaning forward, “terrible prices, terrible stock, always lacing whatever he’s able to get his hands on to sell for less,” Harry scoffed, shaking his head. “Laced a batch of coke with fent and killed twelve people but of course, being who he is, no one ever ratted him out. Hells gonna swallow him whole rightfully so.”

“Hm,” Harry hummed out, “let’s hope he makes his way up here,” a grin took over his features. Niall stared at him in confusion. 

“Why’s that? Don’t want him anywhere near me, if ‘m bein honest.”

“Well, you won’t have to deal with him. I’ll happily take care of him.” 

Niall gulped, “I don’t know Harry, he’s shitty but,” he paused, trying to think of the right phrasing, “powerful. Very powerful.”

Harry’s grin widened, the skin around his eyes wrinkling, “and I’m not?” he retorted. Niall shook his head, chuckling, knowing where Harry was headed. “Like I said, I’ll happily take care of him.”

“Devious bastard.”

Niall and Harry said their goodbyes, one of Harry’s men walking him out. Harry sat in his office, alone again. He sat back in his chair, messing with the H and S rings on his left hand, his mind wandering to his little lamb, whom he hadn’t seen in far too long. He wondered if she thought of him, wondered if her thumb ever hovered over the call button under his name in her contacts like he had done with her. She consumed his thoughts daily. He’d ask Jax about how her day went and why she switched to the morning shift, to which Jax couldn’t answer truthfully as he didn’t even know. 

Papers scattered the desk in front of him, numbers, dollar signs and crossed out names on nearly every page. The amount of clutter on the desk made him restless, unable to think straight, but he couldn’t bring himself to organize it in any way. He’d begin to put things away but would quickly get overwhelmed with the amount of shit he had to file away. So, he just stared at the piles, his mind occupied by the girl he didn’t get a chance to know, by his own fault. 

He reached into his jacket pocket, reading the time, 4:37 pm, and his notifications, looking for one in particular. 

Jax D.

She’s home safe, area secured.

A small smile graced his lips, happy she was home safe and unharmed. He wished she would’ve told him instead, however. Wishing to hear the words fall from her pretty pink lips. He tapped at the screen to respond. 

Harry:

Good. Thank you. 

He set his phone down, his heart aching in his chest, missing his sweet little lamb. 

+++

“What are you doing tonight?” Ross asked y/n as she unlocked the front doors for the pair, she looked at him over her shoulder as she pulled the door open.

“Mm, probably nothing, I work tomorrow morning so I don’t really wanna do much,” she let him walk in before her, following him inside before locking the door behind them. “Why, what’s up?” she quirked an eyebrow at him.

“Just curious, damn,” he held his hands up in surrender, she rolled her eyes and laughed at him. 

“Well, why are you curious?” The two made their way into the back room, setting their stuff in their designated lockers. She sat down on the bench, retying the shoelace that had come undone. He sat in front of her, legs on either side of the bench. 

“Well, I was gonna see if you wanted to do something cause I’m off tomorrow and I assumed you were too so,” he shrugged, staring at her as she sat across from him.

She looked up at him, mouth slightly agape. “Oh,” she nodded slowly. “What were you thinking?”

“What?”

She rolled her eyes at him, “what did you wanna do?”

“Oh, I’m dumb, I thought you meant, like, what are you thinking,” he said in a scolding tone, she laughed. “But whatever you wanna do, we can see a movie or something.”

She nodded her head slowly, contemplating the idea. It wouldn’t be bad, she could get a blue and red icee, but she didn’t want to give up her daily alone time (with working in the service industry, she looked forward to that very much needed time). But with how melancholy she’d been feeling lately, the alone time became very depressing after an hour. 

“I’m down,” she smiled at him, a dimple cutting into her cheek. “What do you wanna see? The new Priscilla movie is out, I really wanna see that but we don’t have to watch that if you don’t want to,” she rambled. 

“That’s Elvis’ wife right?” She nodded, “I love Elvis,” she cringed. She had a deep hatred for him and his stupid voice and stupid hair. She vowed to never step foot in Vegas because of him. “Let’s do it. Check the times, do you wanna go after work so you’re not staying out too late?” 

“Oh yeah that’s actually perfect.”

He grinned back at her, “perfect. It’s a date.”

He got up before she had the chance to correct him; it was absolutely not a date. 

+++

Harry sat on the edge of his bed, buttoning up a crisp white shirt. He had returned home from his morning jog and worked out for a little over two hours before getting in the shower and readying himself for the day. No meetings planned, which he was thankful for. He just had to foresee a shipment coming in from Arizona, some of the finest coke he had ever seen was set to come in today and he didn’t trust anyone enough to not tamper with the sweet white powder. Jax, Daniel and Lee met him in the hallway, ready to take him to the warehouse, while the rest of his men were already on their way. 

“Morning, Mr. Styles,” one of the burly men greeted him, Harry didn’t bother to respond to the greeting, instead looking to Jax to inquire about his angel. 

“She was dropped off at 5:45 this morning, I watched her go inside with the new waiter. She texted me she doesn’t need a ride home but I’ll still check the area out when she’s set to be off,” Harry’s neck almost snapped with the way he turned so quickly.

“What? Did she say why she doesn’t need a ride home?”

Jax shook his head, “She didn’t, sir.”

“Show me the texts,” he stopped in his tracks, his hand reaching out, waiting for the phone to be placed in his palm. Jax hesitated. Harry narrowed his eyes at him becoming impatient. “Show me the texts, now.” Jax reached into his jacket pocket to pull out his phone and tapped on the screen before handing it over to Harry. 

Y/n 🐇☁️

Ross said he can give me a ride today:) love u see u in the morning

Harry reread the message four times over, his heart caught in his throat. He turned the screen off and gave the phone back to Jax, turning on his heel to walk out to the car. He settled in the backseat, Lee next to him, while Jax and Daniel sat in the front. 

He sat staring out the window, the car not even moving yet. His breathing rapid, his heartbeat similar to one of a rabbit getting caught in the grip of a hawk. 

He broke the uncomfortable silence, “Is Ross the new waiter?” Jax nodded, nonverbal. “He seems interested in her?” Again, the man nodded, not daring to say anything more thinking it would just piss him off further. But Harry wasn’t angry, he was more hurt than anything. He knew he had no right to be upset in any way, afterall he walked out on her, but it still didn’t sit well with him. “What time is she set to be off today?” He turned, looking at the man in the passenger seat. 

“Scheduled off at 2:30, but depends on if she’s finished with her tables. She's still training the new waiter so it could be longer than that. She said he’s not very good,” Jax threw the last bit in there to appease Harry. It worked. 

“You’ll switch cars for the day, you can take the beemer, I want to see her make it home safe.”

“Yes, Mr. Styles.”

+++

Y/n and Ross made their way out of the diner, headed to his beat up little car (he swore it was the coolest “ride” and that the ladies “loved” it). He would take y/n home so she could change and lend him one of her oversized shirts, offering him that after they made the plan to go right after work thinking he’d be uncomfortable in a food stained sweater. He declined the offer at first but after he spilled a copious amount of coffee and syrup on him, he asked if it was still on the table.

Harry and Jax sat in the heavily tinted Beemer watching the pair as they walked out of the double doors and into the piece of shit, as Harry put it. He was fuming, his foot tapping against the carpeted mats of the car as he clenched his jaw, Jax thought he was closing to breaking a few teeth or the mandible all together. The two men followed them as they made their way to y/n’s. 

Harry hadn’t been in this area in a week's time; he had been following Jax in that very car, watching to make sure she was actually making it safe to her little home.

He watched as he parked his car on the street, and watched as they walked up the stairs and stood at the door for him to unlock it. That made him even more angry, how was she so comfortable with a man she barely knew to allow him in her apartment? 

The chiming of bells rang through her apartment as she pushed open the door. 

“Bells?”

She nodded, “I’m a girl living alone, kinda a necessity,” she shrugged, setting her keys down. “Thirsty?” He shook his head. 

“Ya know something’s really gotta be done about that.” She looked at him, a confounded look on her face. 

“What?”

“Like women are scared to live alone, that’s, like, really shitty. And pads and tampons should be free.” She stared at him, her head cocked to the side before shaking her head and approaching her dresser. 

“I have a few sweaters you can borrow too if you’re cold,” she reached into her pajama drawer and pulled out an old Jimi Hendrix shirt she had purchased at a record store from her hometown years ago. The neckline was fraying and the graphic design was barely dark enough to where it was easy to make out.  

“Yeah, I’ll take one if that's alright,” he smiled at her, holding the t-shirt up in front of him. “Do you actually like Hendrix or is this just like a hand-me-down?” 

She rolled her eyes, going through the bin of sweaters she had, trying to find one that would actually fit his lanky, but tall, frame. “Yes, I actually like him, asshat. I have Are You Experienced on vinyl,” she nodded her head to the turntable that sat in the corner, near her bathroom door. A collection of vinyl growing dust sat on the bottom shelf of the stand it sat on. 

“Damn my bad, cupcake.” She hated that. She hated how he called her ‘cupcake’ or ‘sweetie’. She hated how it sounded, hated how it made her feel, hated how degrading it was. She handed him a plain gray sweater, saying nothing, not making eye contact. “Thanks,” he took it from her, his hand grazing hers in an unnecessary manner. Without warning, he pulled his shirt over his head and fumbled with the t-shirt she had handed him. He was just standing in her room basically half naked. 

“Oh,” she said, turning around and facing the opposite of him. He laughed from behind her. She wished she had chosen her alone time. Or at least asked to see the movie later in the day as she was going on nine hours of being with the boy. 

“I’m decent now.” She turned to face her dresser again, filing through her shirt drawer looking for a long sleeve to wear under her sweater. Even with the chilly fall weather, movie theaters cranked their ac all the way up. “I’m gonna change in the bathroom,” she shut the door after getting the last word of her sentence out, thankful to have a moment to herself. 

While she was undressing her upper half, she heard a pounding on the door, the bells clanking against the wood. “Hey are you okay?” she shouted.

“Yeah,” he yelled back to her, “there’s some guy at your door, should I open it?”

Some guy? She couldn’t think of anyone who would drop by randomly on a Tuesday afternoon, other than Jax but he knew she didn’t need a ride so it couldn’t have been him, right? 

“Gimme a sec,” she tugged her long sleeve over her head and opened the bathroom door, pulling her hair out of the neckline. 

She covered the eyehole for a moment before briefly looking into it, but someone was covering the other side of it. She glanced back at Ross, shrugging her shoulders, silently asking what she should do. 

“Here, I got it,” he approached her and she stepped back to give him some space. He cracked the door open slightly, just enough space for his head to be visible from the other side. “Hey can I help you?” 

The door was pushed open, Ross groaning at the force from the man on the other side. Harry stomped his way in the apartment, looking around the space before his eyes landed on her. His gaze softened. He didn’t say anything. Neither did she. 

“Dude, you can just fucking come into someones house man,” Ross said from behind him. Harry rolled his eyes, turning to face the significantly smaller boy. 

“Don’t fucking call me dude, who the fuck are you?” Harry yelled as he approached him, towering over him and backing him into the wall.

Ross swallowed, his back hitting the brick wall. “I-uh, who are you?” he retorted, Harry chuckled. 

“What are you doing here?” y/n spoke up, taking a step closer to him. Harry turned, locking eyes with her again. 

He didn’t have an explanation that didn’t make him sound insanely jealous and possessive of someone who wasn’t even his. “I, y/n, I just wanted to make sure you were safe. I’m sorry.”

“Can we go outside for a second?” Harry nodded, his hand on the doorknob waiting for her to come with him. He closed the door behind him. She didn’t say anything, a sad look on her face.

Harry’s hand twitched beside him, wanting so desperately to pull her into him to hold her or even to touch her cheek again. She poked at the chipped nail polish on her nails. 

“I still haven’t made any banana bread,” she broke the silence. A smile made a home on Harry's lips. 

“Hmm, that’s exactly why I came, how’d you know?” she smiled up at him, a gleam in her eyes. Harry’s smile wavered. His hands twitched again, his subconscious begging him to run, begging him to stay far away from the sweet angel that stood in front of him. 

“ ‘S just a guess,” her head dipped down again, her arms coming to wrap around her torso as the autumn air nipped away at her. 

They stood in silence for a moment, none of the two knowing what to say after weeks of no contact. Harry felt he couldn’t ask her about the morning shift or about the things Jax has told him about her life recently; he wasn’t invited into that part. Rather, he uninvited himself to that part of her life when he sent he Jaxs information then proceeded to go back and forth with blocking and unblocking her number. 

“We’re going to see Priscilla, it starts pretty soon.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” 

“Didn’t know you were an Elvis fan.”

“I’m not,” she was quick to disprove the claim, “it’s not about him, it’s about his child bride.” Harry chuckled. 

“Hm, I’m not too fond of the ‘Viva Las Vegas’ bastard either,” she smiled, wryly. “I’ll head out then, I hope you enjoy your night,” he turned on his heel, she followed behind him, meeting him at the stairs.

“Harry,” he turned, surprised with how close she was. “If you’d like, um, you can come over after I get home.”

“I’d love to,” he grinned at her. 

“Harry?” They were so close to each other. 

“Yes?”

“You promise you’ll come back?” His heart broke, practically shattered at that. He shook his head fervently. 

“Yes. Yes, y/n, I’ll come back once you tell me to.”

“I’ll see you soon, Harry.”

“I’ll see you soon, y/n.”

Harry descended down the stairs, she stayed in her spot, peering over the railing to watch him walk away. She hoped he’d keep his promise. The front door to her apartment creaked, Ross peeking his head out, warily. 

“He gone?” she nodded, heading back into her space. “Who was that? He’s scary as shit, cupcake. How do you know him?” he asked, bewildered by the mysterious man who practically burst into her home. 

“Ya know that friend who owes me a favor?” He nodded. “That’s him. He’s kinda temperamental, I’m sorry,” a pursed smile was sent to him as an apologetic gesture. 

“Kinda is an understatement, sweetheart.” There it was again. A nickname coated in degradation. One she hated coming from him, but if Harry or Jax had said it, it would absolutely be and feel different. 

“Are you ready to go, I’m sure we’re gonna miss all the trailers and you know what’ll happen if I don’t get my blue and red Icee.” she joked. 

“First, I truly doubt something bad is going to happen to the county of Placerville and second its blue raspberry and cherry. Not blue, not red.” She dismissed him with a wave of her hand. 

“Yeah whatever, let’s go dipshit.” His laugh boomed through the room as she picked her keys off the counter. 

+++

Y/n was sobbing. Her heart caught in her throat as Elvis was forcing Priscilla to pack a bag to take to her parents after she confronted him about finding a love note in his jacket pocket. He was terrifying and the movie just reinforced how poorly she thought of the beloved singer. 

A hand grazed her knee, finding a place on her thigh. She was stunned, not daring to move her leg in any way. The thumb moving from side to side, a reassuring gesture, sure, but coming from someone she didn’t think of in any way other than a coworker; it was unwanted, unjustified. She swallowed back the acid building in her throat and reached for her watered down Icee, sipping on the cool liquid. She still hadn’t moved the hand and she wouldn’t for the remainder of the film, far too scared of potential consequences.  

A flood of relief washed over her when the movie ended and the lights returned. A halo of light above their heads woke the sleeping boy next to her.

He stretched out, “ ‘s over?” she nodded. 

“I take it you weren’t a fan?”

He shook his head, “I don’t think I was the target audience,” he shrugged, “you liked it?”

She nodded, “I loved it.”

They stood from their seats and headed for the exit, she tossed her melted Icee remnants and popcorn before they exited the building entirely. It was completely dark out and pouring. They ran to his car, trying to outrun the downpour embracing them. 

Silence covered them as they sat in the car, the heater spat out cold air before finally heating the space to a more comfortable temperature. He put the car into reverse and sped out of the parking lot. Soft indie music played through the speakers, no artists y/n had particularly liked but she wouldn’t complain as she wasn’t the one driving. 

His hand found a home on her thigh again, higher than the previous unwanted gesture was. She glared down at it for a moment before grabbing his hand in between her thumb and pointer finger, moving it so it sat on the gear shift instead. He chuckled. 

“Sorry, thought it was fine since,” he turned to glance at her before looking back out the windshield, “you didn’t move it earlier.” 

She stared at her hands in her lap, swallowing the saliva building up in her mouth. “I, um,” she pulled her lips into her mouth for a moment, “I’m not really interested in you like that. I’m sorry.”

“Oh.” he took a sharp breath, before laughing. “I’m really bad at reading people. I’m sorry, I got the wrong idea.” Relief washed over her. 

“No don’t worry, I’m also extremely passive and I can’t really express myself like I should, I don't know.” 

“Well, it's both our faults then,” he smiled at her and she sent one right back. 

Harry watched as he put his car into park, having made it back to her apartment complex before them as his car went much faster than his beat up civic. He watched as y/n reached over the middle console to hug the boy and watched as she got out to ascend the stairs. Now he would simply wait to get a text to invite him up. 

Y/n opened the door, greeted by her bells, and flicked on the lights. She ran around her studio, trying to tidy up quickly, and lit a pumpkin spice candle before running into the bathroom to take a quick shower, desperate to wash the rain scent off her (and Ross’ lingering touch).

Harry sat in his car, his fingers dancing along the dashboard impatiently as he wondered what was taking her so long. Naturally, his mind went to the worst case scenario; someone broke in and is holding her hostage or she fell and twisted her ankle and is screaming on the floor from the debilitating pain or-.

His phone chimed, her message casting a glow onto his face.

Y/n:

i’m home now you can head over whenever:)

His anxiety was alleviated from her text message, a confirmation of her safety and wellbeing. He immediately got out of his car, the warmth from the heated seats almost disappeared instantly with how cold and wet it was. And like her, he ascended the stairs to knock on the door.

On the inside, y/n was confused by the knocking, not realizing it was Harry with how quickly the knocking happened after she sent the text. She peered through the peephole and immediately opened the door, not wanting him to stay in the cold much longer. The bells on the handle sang.

“Bells?” She nodded. “Hm.”

“It’s a safety thing, I guess.”

“You don’t feel safe?” He stepped closed to her as she shut the door behind him.

“Well, it’s not that I don’t feel safe, I just wanted extra precaution,” she shrugged.

“If you don’t feel safe I’ll have Jax stay in the area and have hourly check ins or we can relocate you or-”

“Relocate? Harry, no it’s not that big of a deal I just wanted to be able to hear the door from the shower.” Harry glared at her. 

“Not that big of a deal? Y/n, your safety is a huge deal.” 

“Can we drop it? Please, I don’t want to talk about it,” she approached her bed and sat down, picking up a decorative pillow to mess with the trim. 

Harry sighed and sat next to her on the bed, moving her hair from her face. She looked at him, the glimmer in her eyes returning. The little voice in Harry’s head returned, even louder, shouting at him to leave her alone; to get out of there and never look back.

“We can drop it, but you need to tell me if you ever feel unsafe, little lamb, understood?” She nodded. “Y/n,” he said in a warning tone, “tell me you understand, please. 

She rolled her eyes, smiling. “Yes, Harry, I understand.”

“Thank you.”

“How’d you get here so fast?” Harry froze, trying to come up with an excuse but blanking, just staring at her for a minute while his mind went a million miles an hour. “Harry?”

“I, I kinda just stayed in the parking lot while you were gone.”

She laughed. “No way, you waited more than two hours? Just sitting in your car?” he hesitantly nodded, a blatant lie.

He absolutely did not wait in his car outside of her apartment. He followed them to the theater, bought himself a ticket to the same movie, and sat at the very top with his head low, and watched them the entire time. He watched as her shoulders shook from crying, watched as she ate her candy and drank her Icee, watched when the boy she was with, whose name he never bothered learning, placed his hand on her lap. He watched them leave the theater with anger coursing through him. 

“You didn’t have to do that, Harry.” He shrugged, not caring to continue this conversation. 

“Why are you on mornings now?” 

She sighed, “I got scared,” her tongue was thick in her mouth, scared to cry again if it resulted in him leaving once more and ending contact for another month. His hand met her back, lightly rubbing the tender flesh beneath his rough hand. Her hands fumbled with the zipper on the pillow. “The night we met really freaked me out.  Like when you left, I swore someone was still here watching me. It was freaky. And the next morning I was so drained, I think that's why I forgot Jax was coming to get me. And then the time changed and I got even more scared cause I would just basically be working in the dark the entire shift and I don’t know I just psych myself out sometimes,” she ended her tangent, partially forgetting to breathe throughout it. 

Harry’s hand moved to tangle in her hair, slightly gripping the strands between his fingers, before removing his touch from her all together. 

“And you forgot your phone,” he joked, a soft smile on his lips. 

She pulled her lips in her mouth, exhaling a laugh through her nose, “and I forgot my phone.”

Silence dawned on them once more. A comfortable one, neither needing to speak as they basked in each other's presence. 

She scooted closer to Harry, her head making contact with his shoulder. Harry gulped at the contact, unsure of what to do with himself. His hand raised, touching her cheek gently. They sat there, in silence, for what felt like an eternity. A comfortable, blissful eternity. 

She had fallen asleep on his shoulder, her breathing became evenly paced and softer. Harry laid her down under her sheets, and saw himself out after kissing her forehead and blowing out her candle. 

+++

Y/n was having an okay day, nothing bad had happened at work, so far. No rude customers, no shitty tips and best of all, no training needed to be done. So, yes her day was going well. Until she received a message from Harry saying they needed to have a talk and that he’ll be picking her up. He was consistent with punctuation, but the period at the end of his sentence horrified her. She was a sweaty, anxious mess her entire shift. 

She reread the message every ten minutes. Time was moving so slow. Her anxiety was eating away at her, like it had been starving for months and had finally found a body to ravage to satiate the hunger. She had four cigarettes during her shift. 

Harry leaned against the passenger door of his car, waiting for y/n’s shift to end. She could feel his eyes on her every time she passed by the window at the front to attend to her last table, she knew he was watching her; he was so attentive. It made her sick. 

When her shift finally ended, after what felt like an eternity and a half, y/n pushed the doors open and made her way to Harry. He looked down at her with a smirk. She hoped he couldn’t see her throat bobbing while she swallowed down the excess saliva building in her mouth. 

“Ya kept me waiting, little lamb.” he opened the car door for her and she could feel her coworkers staring out the window at the pair. 

“‘M sorry.” She sat on the heated seat, placing her bag on the floor between her feet. Harry leaned over her to connect her seatbelt. “Thank you,” she muttered before Harry closed the door. 

“How was your shift?” he asked as he buckled himself in. 

“S’fine.” she mumbled. 

“Angel,” her heart pounded against her sternum, you could practically hear her heartbeat in the silence. “What have I told you about mumbling?”

She bit her lip, gnawing on it before answering. “You don’t understand it.” she practically whispered.

“That’s right, little lamb. Now, why do you keep doing it?”

She could cry, sob and dry heave even. Fall to her knees and beg for forgiveness as if she had angered a god. “I don’t know, I’m sorry.” she fiddled with her fingers. Harry’s hand grabbed her own and pinched the inside of her palm, a squeal escaping her lips. He laughed. 

“Don’t apologize, ‘m just messing with you,” he smiled at her as he parked his car, already at her complex. He was quick to undo his seatbelt and get out, running to her side to open the door for her. “After you.” he gestured to the stairs, allowing her to go in front of him. 

She opened the door, her bells greeting the two. She stood by the door as Harry took a seat in her chair (it finally was free of clean clothing).

“Can you tell me what you want to talk to me about? Please?”

“Eager?” she nodded. 

“More scared than anything.” her breathing was heavy. 

“Oh, my sweet lamb.” remorse covered his face, so sorry and upset he had made a literal angel wait in apprehension. He stood from his spot on the chair and moved to stand before her. Without hesitation, he held her face in the palm of his hand, her nuzzling into the warmth of his touch. “I’m sorry I scared you, didn’t mean to, angel.” 

“S’okay, Harry, I know.” 

“Sit with me,” he removed his hand from her face, instead reaching for her hand to sit with him on the chair. He sat and patted his lap, an invitation for her. 

“There’s not enough space for the both of us.”

He tugged on her arm, “s’fine, just sit.”

“Harry, that chair is 100 years old, I’m not breaking my favorite antique piece.” 

“Y/n,” his tone laced with warning. 

“Harry,” she whined back. “Just sit on the bed with me please.” she pouted. 

And, of course, Harry would give in, standing up with her hand still in his and sitting on the bed to please her. Their thighs were touching with the proximity of their bodies, y/n hoped he couldn’t hear her heartbeat or feel the sweat coating her palm. 

“Can you tell me now, please.” she rested her head on his shoulder, Harry could hear her pouting as she spoke. 

He sighed, squeezing her hand in his. “I feel very,” he paused, trying to gather his thoughts so as to not scare her with how he truly felt. “I feel very protective of you, y/n.” 

“Wow that’s a shocker,” she interrupted, sarcastically. 

“Y/n” he warned, again. 

“Sorry. Go ‘head.” 

“No interruptions, please.” she nodded, “Good girl.” she grinned, “I feel very protective of you and I thought leaving you alone would make it not as intense but it definitely only made it worse, angel. I just, I need to know you’re safe and okay and I have no idea why but I just need to know. Your safety means so much to me, your wellbeing.” he swallowed, taking in a shaky breath. “I need to tell you, or warn you, about what I do.” 

She lifted her head, making eye contact with him, a puzzled look replacing her previously smitten expression. 

“I kinda sell drugs.” Still, she maintained eye contact. He looked at her, waiting for a response. 

“Is that it?” 

“What?” Harry asked, confused. 

“You sell drugs?” he nodded. “Oh okay.”

Still, Harry stared at her, bewildered by her nonchalant response. “You’re okay with that?” 

“Harry, there’s like ten people in this town with nothing to do, literally everyone deals or buys. Not a big deal.” she shrugged a shoulder, her fingers messing with his rings. 

Still, he stared at her, his expression growing concerned. “It’s not just weed, y/n.” She laughed, his eyes were bulging, his jaw slack and a furrow in his brow. 

“I can assume it’s not just weed, you won’t be making much with just weed here.”

“Your casualness with what I’m telling you is concerning.”

Her smile faded, “I'm sorry, what do you want me to say?”

He ran his hand through his hair, dropping his gaze to their hands entwined. “I don’t know. I just didn’t expect you to be so calm.” 

“I used to do coke,” she shrugged. Harry’s eyes snap to hers, squeezing her hand a little more. “I had really bad issues maybe, like, last September. It was really bad, the withdrawals were insane but one of my friends' brothers had, um,” she swallowed down the acid building in her throat. "He got some laced with fent and he passed. My friend only got worse because of it and the guy who sold him it didn’t even care, he was just like ‘well that happens sometimes’, such a fucking asshole like he had just killed someone and that didnt even spark anything in him! I stopped after that cause I was so scared,” she admitted. “My friend never got better, he had to move in with his parents and they forced him to go to rehab but that didn’t even help.” 

“I’m sorry.” was all Harry could offer. 

She looked up at him through her lashes, “I trust you, Harry. I do. But if you’re selling anything laced,” she shook her head, her breathing picking up. 

“I’m not, angel I promise I’m not, I’d never.” he let go of her hand, placing both hands on the sides of her face, forcing her to look at him.

“If you ever work with Liam Payne I’ll kill you.” He laughed at her threat, the name going over his head at the idea of a girl her size trying to cause harm to a man of his stature. “Don’t laugh at me! I’m being serious, Harry. If you ever work with him I’ll never wanna see you again. Liam is a terrible person. I don’t want you to get involved in that too.” 

He deadpanned, “Liam Payne?” she nodded. “How do you know him?” 

“Who do you think sold the laced batch?” Harry was furious. He removed his hands from her face, standing up and letting out a frustrated groan. “What’s wrong? Do you know him?” 

“No,” he responded immediately. “Never met him, Niall was telling me about him. There was a shootout the other day and we think it was him, probably was that stupid fuck. He could be the reason we fucking get caught! Fuck!” he shouted, the girl flinched, her gaze returning to her hands. 

“I'm sorry I brought it up, I didn't mean to make you mad at me.” 

He stared at her, his breathing heavy. She couldn’t look at him, wouldn’t dare to make eye contact with him out of fear of him taking it out on her. She knew deep down, however, he would never lay a finger on her; never cause any harm to her whatsoever. But the thought was still prevalent. 

“ M'not mad at you, never at you, little one. Look at me,” she looked up at him, her eyes meeting the green ones she adored. He sat back on the bed, taking her face in his hands one more. “not at you at all. Promise.” she nodded, grabbed his hands from her face and nuzzled her face into his neck, her hands gripping his jacket. “I’m sorry for scaring you, won't do it again.” he apologized as he rubbed her back. 

“Thank you.” she kissed the side of his neck, momentarily feeling his pulse with her lips. Harry’s heart fluttered in his chest. 

Harry wished he could stay like that forever, with her warmth against his, her face nestled in his neck. Peace was finally in his grasp, holding onto it so delicately like a fine piece of china, far too scared to drop it and destroy the delicate art, but it was never in his nature to be deft. He’d take what he could get, and if this was all he would be offered, he would accept it with open arms and a half empty heart. He longed to be full again.

and know that one day, you and I could be okay.

tags: @tiaamberxx @jerseygirlinca @n0vaj3an @tpwk-mia @indierockgirrl @buckybarnessimpp @hannah9921 @love-letters-to-uranus @ribbonknives @annesauriol @moneybaby07

if your @ is in red the tag doesn’t work. thanks for reading and supporting ₊˚⊹♡

[fruitcoops]

Clean Slate

Ah, the passage of time. If anyone has been here since the first phone call, you may be entitled to financial compensation (or an AARP membership). Character credit goes to @lumosinlove <3

“Reg?”

On the first ring, as always. “Hey.”

“…hi?”

“I was thinking about going back to Gryff for Christmas.”

“Oh.” Surprise, but pleasant surprise. Regulus shook his pan of sausage. “Yeah, sounds good. You always have a room here. Or were you staying with the cubs?”

“With you.” He stretched his neck from side-to-side. Tension bled out of his forehead and shoulders at the familiar roll of French on his tongue. “If that’s okay.”

“Always,” Sirius answered immediately, almost hasty. Regulus wasn’t sure they’d ever get past that. Ah, well. The damage was done.

The line remained quiet for a moment. Sausage sizzled, and he turned to the pile of green beans on the cutting board. Leo had taught him how to snap the ends off with his fingernails, and though he was better now about not chewing them to the quick, he still didn’t like the feeling of stuff stuck beneath them. Regulus had really only called to clarify plans.

“How—how are your friends?”

“Good.” Sirius liked to talk, even if he wasn’t very good at it. “Jax and Kris set up the living room last night.”

“Do they still have that stupid poster?”

Regulus snorted under his breath and carefully sliced the tip off another bean. “They tried to hang it in the window.”

Sirius groaned.

Regulus grinned. He supposed he could have a little mercy. “Don’t worry, it’s under my bed.”

“Somehow, that’s worse.”

“I can’t get rid of it. It’s their favorite possession. They have a thing for your long hair and the murder face. Jax is still waiting for the day you spontaneously get divorced and need a hot young college student to rebound.”

He wasn’t sure whether the gagging sound Sirius made was real or exaggerated. As long as he was in mild torment, Regulus was happy. A simple, ever-amusing perk of long-distance communication.

“I hope your classmates are less in tune with pop culture.”

“Hockey, yes. Pop culture, no.” Regulus eyed the pan, then added another knob of butter to be safe. There was nothing worse than a burnt vegetable. “And my classes are going well, thank you for asking.”

“You’re welcome.”

He rolled his eyes. It didn’t matter that Sirius couldn’t see it; the message would certainly get through.

“Don’t make that face at me.”

“I’m not making a face.”

“You always make faces.”

Regulus stuck his tongue out at the microwave above the stove.

“I can feel you doing it again.”

“That was a different one. I’m taking physics 3 this year and it’s making me want to eat a doorknob already.”

“You’re anemic enough that it would probably help.”

“I take my supplements!” Regulus argued, shaking his pan. “Not my fault we were force-fed protein in fucking sun-less Canada.”

“We had sun, you just never went outside,” Sirius countered, like it was some sort of argument. “I don’t have to take supplements.”

“Well, you’re perfect and bulletproof, as everyone knows.”

“Exactly.”

Regulus angled his face at the dark phone screen when he pulled a face this time. It was a good one. Pity that Sirius couldn’t see it. He should’ve gone for FaceTime.

“Are you starting a fire?”

“I’m making dinner.”

“So…yes?”

“Not all of us have a home cook.”

“I can cook now.”

“Oh, you’ve been housebroken.” Regulus blew out a mouthful of steam as he tested a piece of sausage. “How thrilling for Lupin.”

“You’re such an asshole.”

“Takes one to know one. I learned that last week.”

He could feel Sirius shaking his head. “Knutty is formally banned from teaching you new slang.”

“You’ve never said ‘no’ to him in his entire career.” Regulus let the line hang silent for another half-minute as he turned the burner off and began scraping his dinner into a bowl. It still bore a faint orange tinge from last year’s finals-week spaghetti run. He fished a piece of pasta out of the water and popped it in his mouth, grimacing at the heat on his tongue. It was cooked well enough—at least, he was hungry enough to forgive a more al dente texture.

“By the way,” he started, as if his stomach wasn’t stuttering. “I think I’ll be back in time for family skate.”

The shuffling sounds on Sirius’ end came to an abrupt halt. “That’s nice,” came the faux-casual answer.

Anxiety made a valiant effort to claw up and silence his tongue. “I was thinking about going.”

“Well,” Sirius began, then paused. Regulus swallowed a few times to clear the block in his throat while Sirius pondered. “I—yeah, sounds good.”

“I want to.”

“Good.” Sirius’ relief was audible. “Okay, good. You can change your mind.”

“Don’t be weird about it,” Regulus ordered as he toed his slippers on and made his way to the apartment’s tiny coffee table. They’d get chairs at some point, but for now three pillows sat on the floor beside it.

“I’m never weird.”

“Boo, liar.”

“Freak.”

“I’m telling Lupin.”

“Do it. He likes me better. I can cook.”

“I’m—” Regulus caught himself at the last second and felt Sirius’ breath hitch on the other end of the line in anticipation. “—not joking, I actually want to go and play stupid ice fetch with your irritating friends, and nobody is making me feel pressured.”

“Okay.”

“Don’t sound so…” He wrinkled his nose and stuffed a mouthful of pasta into his mouth. “Smiley.”

“It’ll be good to have you home.”

“If you’re weird, I’m staying with Leo,” Regulus threatened. “For real, this time.”

“Right, because you love being around people who are engaged and anywhere near a holiday, or mistletoe, or the magic of Christmas—”

His loud groan silenced Sirius’ words, but not his laughter. “Get your laughs in now, before I whoop your ass on the ice.”

“Would love to see you try.”

“Don’t sound so thrilled.”

“Everyone else is going to underestimate you. I won’t be nice like that.”

“You’re never nice,” Regulus lied.

Sirius let him eat in peace until he was scraping the last bits of cheese from the bottom of the bowl. He heard the faint beeping of the dishwasher buttons in the background and glanced at his own sink, nearly overflowing with haphazard dishes from the first chaotic weeks of their senior year. The apartment was a pleasant change from living on campus, such as it was. Jax and Kris had offered to pay rent—tried to strongarm him, really—but a few withering looks had finally made them relent. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was his. Theirs.

The string lights lining the ceiling weren’t strictly allowed, but Regulus liked their gentle blue cast. The blanket Remus and Sirius had sent as a housewarming gift sat cozily on the back of their couch. Curtains from Jax’s mother let in just the right amount of light in the mornings.

“Call me if you need anything, okay?”

The sound of Sirius’ voice in his earbuds startled him. “Yeah,” Regulus said. “Yeah, sure.”

“Even for laundry.” Sirius tried for wry, and it made Regulus crack a small smile, but it was gentler than either of them intended. “Don’t shrink your clothes. Check the tags.”

Always do, he thought, but kept it down. “Good advice. No centipedes here, yet.”

Sirius’ laugh was a little weak. “You’re just not looking hard enough.”

“Eugh, don’t say that.” Regulus blinked fast, tipping his head toward the ceiling. “Hey, this washer even has a ‘normal’ setting, if you can believe it.”

“Oh, wow. Lucky you.”

Picking up the phone on the first ring, always. For four years straight. “I’ll see you at Christmas.”

“We can come up in October, if you want.”

Of course Sirius had the academic calendar on-hand. “I’ll be gone that weekend with the guys. We didn’t want to be around all the new parents. They’re very damp.”

“And you melt when water touches you, of course.”

“Of course.”

Sirius let out a quiet breath. “See you at Christmas, Reg. Call me when you have flights.”

“Mhm.”

“Stay safe.”

“Always do.”

“No, you don’t.”

“I do here,” he corrected.

“Fine.”

“Miss you.” The streetlights down the road were just starting to come on. “Say hi to Lupin for me.”

“He’s in the other room,” Sirius offered. “You can say it yourself.”

“I’ll talk to you both enough at Christmas.”

“Call any time. And let us know when you hear back about graduation tickets.”

What a terrifying thought to leave for the end of the call. “I’ll forward it to you.”

“I’ll keep an eye out.”

“Okay. Bye.” And before he could second-guess himself—“I’ll be home soon.”

“Don’t talk to strangers,” Sirius answered. Regulus heard the truth under it. “And do your laundry.”

[azsazz]

Cuddle Me In

Azriel x Reader (Jax Centric)

Summary: Anon Request: I LOVE YOUR DADDY!AZRIEL FICS!!!! CAN YOU MAKE ONE ABOUT JAXS CUDDLES WHEN HIS MOMMY IS SAD

Warnings: N/A

Word Count: 1,881

Notes: I think Jax might just be an empath...

_________________________________________

It was just one of those days.

One where nothing seemed to be working in your favor.

You had hardly gotten any sleep due to Malos’ incessant crying, though why she was so upset you had no idea.

The loud wails of your youngest daughter, in turn, had her twin brother wide awake as well. Though Knox was normally a very calm babe, the continued distress of his sister was disturbing him from his spot in his cradle next to hers.

Not even your mate could calm her, with his gentle fingers brushing through her hair, cooing softly at her while you held Knox. The both of you had been so worried that he’d even taken her to see a healer, uncaring that it was the middle of the night. He took off with Malos bundled close to his chest, you and Knox watching them grow smaller and smaller.

The healer hadn’t been able to find anything wrong with the tiny babe, and Azriel had returned with a teary eyed Malos, whom he had hoped would fall asleep on the flight back.

No such luck.

For hours the two of you tried, exhausted and near hysterical as you watched your daughter wailing her little head off, the both of their shadows swirling around the twins, agitated. 

It had been that she was too far away from her brother, you both found out when you had noticed the way that their shared shadows had reached out to each other. The babes immediately settled when they were together in their bassinet, tucked up close to one another as if protecting the other.

You and Azriel only shared a sigh of relief as you quickly slid back into the cold bed, hoping for a restful few hours of sleep before the rest of your brood awoke.

______

Baz, in his true nature, was the one to wake you up.

Azriel had awoken with a start, his shadows hissing to him of the second oldest standing at your side of the bed, ready to rouse you from sleep. 

But he was too late to stop him, as Baz shook your arm gently with a sad mewl, “Mommy?”

“Hm?” you hummed, blinking your eyes open as your heart picked up in your chest at the sound of one of your terrified children. “Baz?”

“I had a bad dream,” his voice quivers and you’re quick to tug him up into bed with you and Azriel, the shadowsinger cocooning the three of you in his warm wings, a shield that would help calm Baz, sandwiching the little lad between the two of you.

You brushed the boy’s hair back from his forehead, “Do you want to tell us what it was about, love?”

He stared at the ceiling for a moment as his lip wobbled at the thought, “Well Wrennie told me about a scary monster that lives out in the woods,” you share a look with your mate, “and I was all alone out there mommy! Not my brothers and sisters, not you or daddy, just me and the ugly beast!”

You rub his back as Azriel talks Baz down, trying his best to calm the terrified little boy. The soothing pattern you’re stroking into his back combined with the warmth of your mate’s wing and the low baritone sound of Azriel’s voice lulls you back to sleep.

_____

Azriel had been summoned away for the morning, so you were in charge of breakfast for your six children.

Which was normally fine except that you had hardly gotten any sleep, had zero reinforcements, and your children were feeling particularly naughty today.

You truly did not think that you had the energy for this today, though being a mother never took a day off.

All you’d like to do is crawl back between your sheets and sleep for a while, get the energy back that had evaded you from your night of unrest. Each shout, clang of a utensil, hand smacking against the table has you tensing further and further, unnaturally irritated with your unruly children.

Jax, the most empathetic of the six, tugs on the leg of your pants, reaching his hands up when you glance down at him, signaling to you that he would like to be picked up.

“Hi Jax,” you can’t help but give him a soft smile, “What are you doing?”

He shakes his hands again, grabbing the air with tiny fists. You know exactly what he wants, but he was one of the quieter children you had, and you and Azriel were more than a bit concerned when you realized that Jax wasn’t quite as outgoing as his siblings, tending to stick to you or him in favor of being around any of the other family that had known him since birth.

This was your way of prompting the young boy to use his words to ask for what he wanted instead.

Jax blinks up at you once, before his face contorts into a pout. Your body tenses, ready for the little boy to start wailing, something he excelled at. 

Thankfully, he doesn’t. He doesn’t look happy as you move your attention from him to the pancakes you’re flipping before you, nearly ready to be served to the hungry bunch chittering away at the table behind you, the other five lined up in their chairs eagerly.

“Up.”

You raise an eyebrow, plating the breakfasts, “Up what?”

His soft huff is entertaining, “Up please.”

“There’s my good boy,” you beam, smiling down at your son as you pick him up and tuck him against your hip. You plant a loud kiss to his cheek that causes the pout to disappear and giggles to bubble up out of him, and you feel a bit lighter because of it.

Until Wren and Baz start arguing.

You hardly know what it’s about, don’t even care because you’re so drained from last night.

The two boys don’t listen to your commands for them to cut it out and calm down. Not even your threat of telling their father stops them from yelling at each other this time, and that trick always worked. Their faces are so red you’re worried they aren’t even breathing through their screams.

Next to Baz, Zuzu is covering her ears with her hands, an annoyed look on her face while she stares you down, waiting for you to end the fight.

It seems as if Malos wants in on it too, babbling loudly in their direction. She hadn’t seemed to have enough screaming and crying for the night and deems now the perfect chance to join in.

You clutch Jax tighter, shutting your eyes for a moment and trying to block out the sounds of your children, if only for a moment, as Jax yells from your arms at them to stop. Their arguing grates against your skull, and your eyes burn with lack of sleep. You so badly wish to handle this like a rational parent but you’re about to snap–

“Wren, Baz,” a familiar voice calls, and your shoulders slacken with relief immediately, “What are you two arguing about?”

Azriel had chosen to return at the perfect time, sensing your utter frustration down the bond. He shoots you a worried glance but you smile stiffly, turning back to the plates loaded up with pancakes for your children.

The two boys fall silent, cheeks rosy under the stern stare of their father.

Neither of them dares speak. 

Azriel is quick to solve the matter and meet you in the kitchen where you’re leaning against the counter with Jax cuddled close in your arms, breathing in his fresh scent of sandalwood and citrus, uncaring about the cooling pancakes on the plates for the awaiting children.

“Come here buddy,” Azriel says softly, opening his arms up for Jax, “Let’s let mommy relax for a bit, yeah?”

“No,” Jax protests, and his arms clasped around your neck tighten, “Mommy!”

“It’s okay, Az,” you respond softly, enjoying the feeling of the cuddles you’re receiving. You rest your head atop Jax’s and Azriel’s eyes soften at the both of you.

He nods, pressing a tender kiss to your cheek and then Jax’s. His hand is a warm caress at the base of your spine and you’re hit again with just how tired you really are.

“Why don’t you and Jax go eat breakfast in bed,” he offers, sliding the pancakes from your plate onto Jax’s and handing it over to you, “I’ll feed the rest and get them ready for the day. Cassian said he and Nesta would watch them for a bit.”

You bite back your grin. Cassian was always one to offer up his help, though every time you arrived to pick your children back up he looked like he’d been to hell and back, swearing he’d never watch them again.

You loved him for it.

“Thank you,” you murmur, letting Jax take a pancake to munch on while you give Azriel a peck on the lips, “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” he murmurs, giving you a soft, admiring smile.

“I love you, too,” Jax exclaims around his mouthful of breakfast.

You share a laugh, readjusting him on your hip as you retreat from the chaos that is the morning meal.

You and Jax cuddle up in your large bed and you instantly relax, quietly eating the pancakes while enjoying each other's company. 

He is so much like Azriel, quiet in nature but rational and empathetic. The way he’d clung to you moments before his brothers started arguing as if he knew that you would need a calming presence if you weren’t going to snap at them.

You definitely were but it was the thought that counted.

Azriel appears some time later, when the other children have all eaten and are ready for the day, his shadows keeping watch as Wren helps his siblings get their shoes and coats on right while he goes to retrieve Jax.

He finds you and your fourth in a comforting embrace, Jax curled up into your side as you read him his favorite book.

He can’t help but to admire the sight, heart swelling with the utmost love as he watches the two of you together.

Feeling that warmth fill your body down to your bones draws your attention to the door.

“I’ve just come for the little one,” Azriel says softly, like if he’s too loud he’ll break the cloak of peace the both of you have created.

“I want to stay with mommy,” Jax frowns, clutching your shirt tighter.

Azriel looks to you for confirmation but how can you say no when your baby is making a face like that? Pulling on your heartstrings because he’s already such a caring boy.

“I think we’re both enjoying our time together too much to move,” you smile at your mate, resting your temple in Jax’s soft hair.

Azriel’s smile sets your heart fluttering, “Alright then. I’m taking the other’s to Cassians. I’ll come check on the two of you a little later, maybe bring you some lunch?”

“Spoiling us?” you grin up at your mate.

“Always, my love,” he responds, leaning down to tuck you both in and give you a sweet kiss on the lips, “Always.”

[thescarletnargacuga]

THE ANNIVERSARY BALL

A CANON TIME CAPSULE AU FANFICTION

AU credit @mangotangerinepastry @the-amazing-digital-time-capsule

WARNING: alcohol, swearing, verbal harassment (the guests of the time capsule are terrible people), some suggestive dialogue

~~~

Caine adjusted the metals on his dress uniform and made sure his tie was straight. The floor length mirror reflected an image of foux military prestige. He was ready to host the grandest party the Time Capsule threw, The Anniversary Ball. At least, he looked ready, but in truth, he never was. The annual event was attended by the wealthiest of the wealthy clients the Capsule served. They constantly bragged to him how they could afford the tickets to the impossibly expensive party.

Caine sighed and smoothed his jacket. “Alright soldier, chin high. Back straight. Presentation is what matters. Don't let them intimate you. Don't let them get under your skin. Don't back down. Be all that you can be.” He stared hard at himself, putting himself into the mindset to face his worst enemy: socialits.

The longer he looked, the less he recognized the reflection staring back. The teeth around his mix matched eyes became pale skin. Light, well-kept hair sat atop his head. The visage of a handsome young man with tired eyes blinked with him. Caine lifted his hand to his face, half expecting to feel real flesh, when a holographic screen popped up next to him.

“Our guests will be arriving shortly.” BUBLE informed.

Glancing away from himself was all it took to break the haunting vision from the mirror. Caine checked his pocket watch, less than an hour. “Are all preparations complete?”

“Yes. The botanical gardens are prepared to welcome our guests. Are you? I do not wish to have a repeat of last year.”

“If I recall, I wasn't the problem in that situation. You had to eject the guest.” Caine held his hands behind his back, standing tall.

For the briefest of seconds, BUBLE’s screen glitched. “You recall incorrectly. It is your job to keep our guests happy. Any guest ejected is a failure on your part. A failure that will be corrected. Follow your directive, Ringmaster Caine, or there will be-”

“Consequences.” Caine struggled already not to roll his eyes. “Uh-huh, for a robot, you are awfully dramatic.”

~

The botanical gardens was a large outdoor venue laiden with a multitude of exotic plants from around the world. No matter what natural environment they were from, they grew believably in the false world within the capsule. The AI generated smell of the mixed flora was pleasant at the very least.

In the center of the gardens, a stone courtyard contained a small stage for performances. For this special occasion, white clothed round tables were added for the Anniversary dinner. An open bar was added to the side for Kinger to mix drinks. Lights were strung across the courtyard for ambiance and the capsule's day cycle was halted at twilight to preserve the rich post sunset lighting.

Caine met with Kinger and Zooble at the gardens first, as they were working with faceless NPCs to set up. He checked his watch again. Guests would be arriving in less than twenty minutes so his performers should be arriving any second. He took a deep breath of heavy floral air.

“You can do this, soldier. You're one of our best.” Kinger assured from his place behind the bar and served a shot of whiskey.

Caine took it without a word and downed it easily. He exhaled the bitter burn of the alcohol and tapped the bar with the glass. “One more. I'm going to need it.”

Kinger poured. “Don't get ahead of yourself. It's going to be a long night.”

“Don't I know it.” Caine catches a glimpse of the performers entering the gardens mid shot and chokes. Pomni was dressed to the nines in a way he'd never seen before.

Kinger shakes his head, wipes down his whiskey sprayed bar and tops of Caine's glass. His six hands make easy work. Kinger watched Caine stare wide eyed at Pomni walking in with Ragatha, Jax, and Gangle. He huffed a small laugh.

Caine hardly had the wherewithal to wipe the dribbled drink off his chin. Pomni was wearing a midnight blue dress with golden accents that made her outshine the beauty of the night sky itself. He had to hold on to the bar before her aura knocked him down. None were worthy to stand in her presence.

Pomni adjusted her evening gloves, they were holding much too tight to her upper arms and were going to annoy her all night. At least she got to wear low heel boots instead of heels, so her feet wouldn't be killing her by the end of the event. Small mercies. “So we have to socialize with all the guests?”

“Unfortunately.” Gangle answered flatly. “Eat, perform, mingle. BUBLE has never given us a set end time. The guests come and go as they please, but don't think any event has gone longer than…six hours?”

Pomni wanted to throw herself down the nearest sewer drain, but anything she had to say left her mind when she saw Caine. The vague military officer's uniform fit him very nicely. She went right to him.

Caine's breath caught in his throat. Oh lord, she was walking towards him. He slid the shot away from him and stood pretty. “Evening, Pomni.” He greeted her formally.

Caine's stiffer than usual demeanor surprised her. “Uh, evening, Caine. You look nice.” She nervously complimented him, noticing Kinger sliding away to give their conversation privacy.

Caine's neck felt hot, but he remained at attention. He was afraid if he let himself relax, he would fall apart right in front of her. “And you look…” Every synonym for beautiful he knew, even in other languages, flew through his head. “Presentable.” Was what came out of his mouth.

Pomni blinked. “Thanks..?”

Before Caine could correct himself, BUBLE’s screen appeared amongst them. “Attention cast members, our guests will arrive in one minute. Places.”

Pomni walked away, leaving Caine mentally kicking himself. He snatched the abandoned shot and downed it before taking his place at the entrance to the gardens to greet the guests.

Caine stood in the middle of the entrance, Pomni and Gangle stood to his right along the edge. Jax and Ragatha to his left. At the end of BUBLE’s countdown, a glowing red vertical line appeared mid air. It split and opened a wide digital doorway. Guests poured in by the dozens.

Caine steeled himself. Showtime. “Welcome to the Time Capsule Anniversary Ball!” He boldly announced.

~

The gardens filled with elegance that reeked with wealth. The white tie event brought out the most elaborate gowns and tailor made suits. The guests mingled lightly before dinner. Some went straight to the bar and Kinger was put to work, showing off his best tricks as he poured drinks.

Pomni could feel her stomach twisting more and more as the venue filled with some of the most pompous, old money rich types she's ever seen in her life. Even the porcelain masks they wore couldn't hide the entitlement.

The guests were seated for dinner and Caine took to the central circular stage. He held up a champagne glass and tapped in with a small fork to quiet the crowd. “Welcome, esteemed guests, to the most wonderful night of the year! Tonight, we celebrate the day the Capsule was sent back through time to start this wonderful show! You all have the exclusive privilege to dine, drink and dance with the cast of this world famous Time Capsule! Enjoy, my friends, and cheers to another year of time travel entertainment!” Caine raised his glass and the crowd toasted with him.

Pomni sat at the cast table with the others, painfully aware of wandering eyes from the guests. This felt way more invasive than just mingling. Snobby guests were going to be in her space all night. She's never wanted to be on stage and out of arm's reach more.

Cast meals were short compared to the guests' five course dinners, they needed to be on stage. Caine didn't eat at all. He wandered the courtyard to speak with guests that would flag him down. One guest asked him when the sexy bitch with the violin would be performing and Caine couldn't suppress an eye twitch. “She's the first act, actually. Enjoy.” Caine forced a smile and kept walking. Before mingling with the next guest, he took a shot of vodka.

Pomni played her heart out on stage, moving with the music as lights danced around her. It was truly a spectacle that had the guests actually cheering. Pomni played so hard, her violin bow smoked by the end. As much as she hated playing, it was a good way to get rid of nervous energy.

Caine was enthralled. He has to force himself to look away from the stage so as to not stare. That's not what was expected of him. Everyone else got to ogle Pomni all they wanted. He hoped if he kept moving he'd miss the comments made about her. He still caught a few. Everything was being judged, from her dress to her body and he wanted to shoot every last one of them. But the only shot he took was another vodka.

Pomni dabbed her brow with a napkin as Gangle took to the stage for her performance. Caine power walked to her with a glass of water but another guest still got to her before him. He internally cursed but kept his cool as he slowed his gait. It was the guest that asked about Pomni before. He needed to stay close.

The sleazy guest sidled up to Pomni. “Hey, beautiful. That was quite the performance. When the dance floor opens, you and I should be the first ones out there.”

Pomni saw Caine approaching and thought fast. “I'm afraid you're out of luck for the first dance.” She skirted around the guest and stood next to Caine. She took his arm. “I'm supposed to dance with the Ringmaster when the floor opens.”

“What?” Caine slipped out quietly.

“What?? That hasn't been a thing before!” The guest bristled.

“This is my first year.” Pomni rationalized. “And events change. Surely you understand.”

“The only thing I understand is that you're making excuses, slut.” The guest balled his fists.

The glass in Caine's hand shattered loudly. Bits of glass cut his hand, but he didn't flinch as blood dripped from his fingertips. “She's right, I'm afraid.” Caine slid his arm out of Pomni's hold and pulled her close to him by her waist. “Sorry, Ringmaster privilege. You'll have your chance after.” He walked away with Pomni to the bar, ignoring the warning pulls from BUBLE.

Pomni jumped when Caine grabbed her. She'd blush if she wasn't so confused and a bit disgusted by Caine's behavior. Stale alcohol wafted off of his breath. “What are you doing?” She hissed under her breath.

“Getting a napkin for my hand. When Jax and Ragatha are done, the band will take to the stage and the dance floor will be available. Wouldn't want to disappoint the guests by making me hunt you down.” He smirked.

Pomni's eyes narrowed with anger. “What is with you? I just wanted that a-hole to leave me alone. You seriously want to go through with the dance?”

“It's him or me, doll.” Caine nodded to a guest at the bar next to him as he wiped his hand clean. He stole a shot of tequila from another guest that wasn't looking. “And I think we both know the answer.” He gave her a cocky grin, but his eyes watched the guests watching him.

Pomni's heart hurt. He was just like them. Arrogant. Entitled to her space and time. She had no alternative. It was bad either way. She sadly leaned against the bar. “Fine.”

Jax and Ragatha did a wonderfully unique performance of break dancing and roller skate tricks. It got relatively good reception from the guests. Now, it was time for everyone's favorite part of the night. The NPC band took to the stage and the open area around it was lit to invite people to dance.

Caine straightened his jacket and held his hand out to Pomni. “Let's give them the show they've been waiting for.”

Pomni swallowed what she could of her pride and took Caine's hand. She let him lead her out onto the empty dance floor and did her best to look sophisticated. She stiffened as Caine out his hands on her. She thought she would looked forward to this, but instead she wanted him to get away from her.

Caine swayed a bit heavily for the waltz but kept in time with the music from muscle memory. A minute into the song, more couples joined and he could lose himself in her a little. He could drop his mask behind the curtain of dancing guests. With his nerves numbed by the multitude of drinks, he could finally say what he meant earlier. “You are the most gorgeous woman in any timeline.”

Pomni’s heart swooned but she kept a straight face. “You don't have to tell me that. The guests can't hear you.” Her voice dripped with venom.

“I know. That's why I said it.” He cleared his throat, lowering his voice. “Let me try again. These jagoffs are the worst humanity has to offer and I hate dealing with them, but the only way to is be…like them. Blend in. Especially as Ringmaster. I'm sorry I didn't properly warn you, but there really isn't anything that will prepare you for this.”

Pomni’s expression softened. That sounded much more like the Caine she knew. “Heh, jagoffs. That's a funny word.”

“I'm a funny man.” Caine winked. “Now, allow me to correct myself from earlier. You are far more than presentable. You are the star of the show. The bee's knees. The ragtime gal no one can hold down.” His dancing became more energetic as the band played music throughout history, blending from classical to early 1900’s jazz and swing.

Pomni snorted, trying to hold in her laughter. Her body moved on it's own, the AI installed dance moves being completely foreign to her, but she kept up with Caine going ham on the dancefloor.

The guests were just as into the music but Caine and Pomni had the most amount of space, drawing attention to themselves with their performance. They swung each other around and moved in sync like the choreography was planned.

Caine’s officer sword was annoyingly in the way as the dances became more lively and complex. He slid off his belt in one motion and tossed it to Zooble. “Hold that for me, would ya?”

Zooble had been doing their best to be unnoticed all night. Their appearance made dealing with guests even more of a hassle. They caught Caine's ceremonial sword with one hand. “Like I have a choice?”

Caine lifted Pomni in the air and twirled her around, the trail of her dress flowing in the wind. By now, they had the whole room's attention, but Pomni allowed herself to be taken by the music and Caine. The world around them was blurred. It was just the two of them, as the music progressed through the decades. They were allowed to dance closer, hold each other in ways that they normally couldn't in front of the guests. They're heavy breaths were hot on each other’s necks.

Kinger wiped a glass as he watched the performance. “I knew you had it in you.” He said to himself. He almost missed the woman looking at him, but slid over to her and put on his best customer service voice. “What can I get ya?”

“You.” She slurred heavily.

Kinger furrowed with confusion. “Pardon?”

“You. You tall, handsome silly.” She laughed way too loud. “When are YOU gonna dance?”

“Sorry miss, I'm not a performer, but I'd be happy to serve you a drink. Water, perhaps?”

“Aw, come on. I need to get some wood tonight and you look like you have plenty to spare.” She almost face planted on the bar trying to give him her best unfocused bedroom eyes.

Kinger blinked. He didn't get the innuendo but he could tell she was coming on to him. He poured her a glass of water. “My sincerest apologies, but I'm needed here. Please, take this. On the house.”

“Ugh, you're no fun.” She took her water and staggered away.

Kinger sighed. The night wouldn't last forever, but it sure felt like it.

Ragatha smiled dreamily watching Pomni and Caine tearing up the dancefloor. Jax leaned against the bar next to her, lazily glancing at her. “You wish that was you, huh?”

Ragatha snapped out of her daydream and fiddled with her hands. “Maybe.”

Jax pushes up his shades. His tease didn't work the way he hoped. “Well, then…we’ll have to steal the next show then won't we?”

Ragatha gasped and grabbed his jacket. “Oh, Jax! Really!?”

Jax tried to be annoyed but her excitement was actually adorable. “Sure, why not?”

“Yay!!” Ragatha cheered, jumping up and down.

The music through the decades came to an end with Caine holding Pomni to his chest, her arms over his shoulders, her forehead to his top teeth. Both panting from the intense dancing. The crowd erupted with cheers and whistles. Pomni and Caine smiled more than they had all night, gazing into each other's eyes. They stayed close for as long as they dared before having to separate to take a bow.

As Caine and Pomni went for water, Ragatha and Jax rushed the dance floor. “You were great out there!” Ragatha congratulated as she went by Pomni.

Caine hated having to wear his Ringmaster mask again. While Kinger was busy with other guests, Caine helped himself to a bottle from behind the bar and poured his tallest drink of the night. At least it was clear so he could convince himself it was just spicy water.

Pomni got some actual water, but Caine still drank faster than her. “How in the-”

Caine groaned after finishing his chug of lighter fluid liquor. “Too much practice, I'm afraid. I'm having fun Pomni, I want to stop caring about appearances.”

“But, BUBLE-”

“BUBLE can get stuffed.” Caine couldn't feel the tugs on his fingers anymore. “Let's say you and I take a walk.” The guests around them were all either watching Jax and Ragatha or too intoxicated to focus on anything.

Pomni gripped Caine’s forearm. “Take me away.” Her voice low and inviting.

Caine’s stomach danced with butterflies. Though, that could have been the alcohol hitting him hard. He offered her his arm and walked with her as dignified as he could manage in his woozy state, and they snuck away down one of the dimly lit paths going into the exotic garden.

The path was surrounded by tall plants that muffle the sounds of the celebration in the courtyard, it was calming. They could both breathe a bit easier. They went around corners carefully, finding more than a few guests that had beaten them to the quiet area with a friend or two. Deeper into the garden, they finally find solitude.

“That was a wonderful dance, Caine. How did we even do all that?”

“It's part of the performer programming. The avatars know what to do. You just go along for the ride. Which has made this the best night I've ever had in the capsule.” Caine stopped walking and held Pomni's hands. “I got to dance with the most stunning woman at the ball. I got to touch her…hold her.”

Pomni's heart raced. “Maybe you should do that more often.” She moved his hands to her waist so he could hold her like they were dancing again. Her hands slid up his chest as she closed the gap between them.

Chills went up Caine's spine. His long fingers gripped lightly as he held her close. “I'd like to, but she's trouble.”

Pomni raised a brow. “Oh?”

Caine starts to laugh, a dark blush creeping up his neck. “Mhm, she's- she's the reason- I have to-” His drunken giggle fit keeps him from finishing his sentence.

“I- what?” Pomni laughed with him.

“Nevermind, I’ve forgotten what I was going to say. Probably something stupid. Let me try a different line.”

“Hit me with your best shot.” She played with the medals on his chest.

Caine had to loosen his tie, he was feeling way too hot for the uniform. “Then you better brace yourself, because I'm quite the rifleman.” His eyes smoldered. “I ne'er on your form for a moment have gazed, but a thousand temptations beset me.” His hands squeezed the supple flesh of her hips.

Pomni's cheeks flushed, her breath caught. “Oh my…”

“Your coral lips were made to kiss.” Caine's eyes drifted to her gasping lips. Long had he wondered what they would feel like against him. “Would you like to practice on mine?”

Pomni couldn't help herself and muffled a giggle. “I would say yes, but…”

Oh. Right. She was laughing, so he switched gears to goofy. “All right, you wanna play hardball? Try this one! I'm a ragtime millionaire, soul owner and agent of Up-To-Date Canoodling. Hand Holding is a specialty.” He takes one of her hands and spins around with her like he was trying to dance again but he was much less coordinated without music.

He tripped over the trail of her dress and fell into the bush next to the path, taking Pomni with him. Pomni fell back first into the mulch between the plants. Caine went into the bush itself and rolled over on top of her. He braced himself up by his hands and took a moment to focus, the whole world was starting to spin in the wrong direction for him.

Pomni froze, bracing her hands on Caine's shoulders to keep him from collapsing on top of her. He blinked the haze away and made eye contact with her. Pomni wetted her lips nervously as neither of them moved. “Are we-...are you…going to get up?” She asked with no real urgency.

“Do you really want me to?” Caine's voice dropped an octave, his eyes half lidded with unmasked desire.

Pomni hooked her fingers in his tie and gently pulled him down. “No.”

Caine lowered himself onto his elbows and closed his eyes to press his teeth to her. He was close enough to feel the very warmth of her inviting lips.

“CAINE! HEY!! CAINE!? YOU OUT HERE!?”

Caine shot up so fast, his hat went flying. He quickly got out of the bushes and helped Pomni back up. Gangle came around the corner as they were wiping off mulch and picking leaves out of hair.

“Gangle! What are you doing back here?” Caine asked harshly as he fixed his uniform.

Gangle raised a brow. “I could ask you two the same thing. Did you forget about doing your closing speech or something? We're waiting for you to thank the guests so they'll leave.”

“Right. Right. Please excuse me.” Caine left quickly.

Pomni picked up the uniform hat Caine left behind. She brushed it off and tried to walk past Gangle but a ribbon stopped her. She gulped.

“What were you doing in the bushes?” Gangle gave Pomni a suggestive look.

Pomni refused to look Gangle in the eye. “Nothing.”

“You really expect me to believe that?”

“Yes. Because that's the only answer you're getting.” Pomni pushed onward back to the party.

“He was buttering your biscuit, wasn't he?” Gangle grinned, enjoying Pomni's embarrassment a bit too much.

Pomni scoffed. “Maybe he would've if we hadn't been interrupted.”

“Sorry, but everyone is getting restless and he has to do the speeches. A Ringmaster’s job is never finished. You can bag him after the guests leave. I'm hanging out with Zooble tonight, so the room is all yours.”

Pomni dragged her hand down her face. “Sure. Thanks.”

~

It took another hour, but all the guests finally left. The courtyard was a wreck. For such a formal event, the guests were still sloppy as pigs. NPCs wandered about with brooms and rags. Zooble thankfully didn't have to touch any of it. Everyone tiredly went back to their dressing rooms.

Pomni and Caine stood in front of her door. “You're…welcome to come inside.”

Caine's heart skipped a beat. He really wanted to, but he considered himself a gentleman and he pushed his moral code far enough tonight. Plus, the alcohol was leaving his system and he was starting to not feeling well. “My dear, tonight has been wonderful, but I'm afraid I must leave you here.” He took her hand and kissed the back of it. “I'm sorry.”

Disappointed, Pomni took her hand back slowly, their hands staying connected to the last possible moment. “I understand, but…just one thing.” She stood on her tip toes and kissed the side of his lower jaw. Quickly, she turned into her room and shut the door.

Caine felt where she kissed him. It may not have been exactly where he wanted it, but it was as wonderful as he imagined. Her lips were so soft against the hard false enamel of his strange teeth. It was so fast yet so sweet. He stood staring at her door for a long while, at war with himself over going inside. Gangle said she wouldn't be back this evening.

Against his greater desire, he walked away. Caine went off in a daze to the piano in the back of the main stage. He took off his dress jacket and flopped face first into the piano bench. Sleep was calling to him, but so was BUBLE.

“Caine. Your evaluation has been submitted.”

Caine didn't respond.

“Guest approval for the night was overall above satisfactory. One event in particular boosted morale significantly. Your unexpected dual performance with our violinist. This must be repeated.”

Caine started snoring.

“I know you're still awake.”

Caine lifted his head. “Dance with Pomni more. Got it. Buzz off.” He plopped his head back down.

~

The next day was business as usual. Pomni found Caine before the first performances. “Hey.” She smiled softly.

Caine smiled back. “Good morning, Pomni.”

“So, about last night-”

“I had quite a bit to drink and I hardly remember any of it. It's really the only way I can get through the anniversary ball. If I said something or touched you in a way that was inappropriate, I sincerely apologize.”

“Oh, you don't need to worry about that. You touched me just fine.”

Caine gaped. “I what?”

“I mean- it wasn't anything- we didn't- you know what, nevermind. Have a good day, Caine.” Pomni rushed off, bright red.

Caine sighed as he watched her walk away. Truth is, he didn't have anywhere near enough to get him blackout drunk. He remembered every look, touch, and dance. He remembered every word, every feeling. But this was for the best.

Things would only get harder to hide from BUBLE, they would run out of excuses and warnings. The AI would do something to Pomni and he couldn't let that happen. No matter how much his heart longs for her, it was best for him to keep his distance. The liquor made him reckless last night. If they had been caught by a guest, who knows what kind of punishment BUBLE would have made him do.

He's required to dance with her at events now, that's enough for him…most days. The very thought of her gets him through the rest.

[narrans]

Stellar Allies | Part One

GT July | Stellar Allies | Part One

Words: Studying, Plush, Behemoth, Shipwreck, Alien

Sirens blared all around him. Lights flashed, creating blinding sparks left and right. There was no choice now. The vessel needed to land – and now. The controls and steering mechanisms groaned and tugged against his grip.

This landing wasn’t going to be pretty.

“Just another mission. In and out. Routine. Yeah, routine my juthez! Make contact with the team. It’ll be easy. Communication breakdown is common. Juthez! This is bad!” These thoughts wouldn’t do any of them any good now.

With all his might, he threw himself backwards and attempted to level off the ship, but the damage along the edges of the wings was irreparable. Whatever had hit them knew exactly how to incapacitate their ship to force a landing.

“It’s no use!” the captain pathed. “Get to the escape pods! Coordinates have been sent. Go!”

“Captain!” The second-in-command was shot a single look, which silenced her. The captain leaned over and tapped a few lights on the console, giving the ensign a determined look.

“You heard the order. Get to the pods. I’ll be close behind. Go!”

Relinquishing the controls was the most difficult thing he’d ever done, but it was the captain’s orders and the longer he waited the less of a chance the captain would have to get out safely.

“See you soon, captain,” the ensign pathed as he slid out from the chair and ran to the escape pods. It took only two seconds to slide on the emergency suit, even though it felt like an eternity, and the ensign slid into the pod, slamming it shut behind him. The other places were vacant, showing the other members of the crew had already ejected.

He was the last one other than the captain.

Leaning back and scanning in, the pod rumbled around him before ejecting. The space craft was igniting rapidly from what little the ensign could see as he sped off through the atmosphere and to the ground far below. The wings broke off. The shields were obviously failing. The ensign watched with wide-eyed horror as the ship continued to burn up as it entered the atmosphere.

Something broke free from the ship. Was it the other escape pod? Was it just more debris? There wasn’t time to think about it as the ensign’s escape pod clipped something else, making it spin and spiral.

The ground far below was spinning out of control. Everything was blurring. Nausea swelled inside him. As the pod entered the atmosphere, the ensign blacked out, hoping beyond hope that his pod would arrive at the same emergency destination as the others after hitting some unknown thing in orbit and not somewhere completely off course.

How quickly those hopes would be dashed….

~~~^*^*^~~~

Space. An unlimited source of curiosity. The ever expanding abyss that exists all around us. It is the Dark Forest. It is the potential for greatness. It is the terror of the unknown.

It was here that Clifford Neilson found his true fascination. He had been studying it for years. Well, he and his best friend Jaxon Warner. Both boys were obsessed with the idea of going into space. They stared up at the Nevada sky for hours upon hours once it was supposed to be lights out for bedtime just to gaze at the night sky. They’d memorized the constellations and made their own telescopes before their parents bought them each one for their thirteenth birthdays.

Their love of science and the enjoyment of many of the same media forms made them best friends from early on in their lives. They were inseparable from day one of elementary school and they were still so in the summer before their first year of high school.

So, as they gazed up at the summer sky admiring the view, they naturally were in contact with one another. It was the time for the Perseids Meteor Showers, and naturally both boys were glued to their windows. As a massive streak lit up the sky, Clifford reached over toward his desk and fumbled for his walkie-talkie.

“Cliff to Jax. Cliff to Jax. Do you copy?” hissed Cliff into his walkie. The mechanical button clicked under the pressure of his fingers and a light static filled the air by his ear. There was a click and the sound of jostling on the other end of the line before his best friend’s voice filled the air.

“Jax to Cliff. I read you buddy. Did you see the tail on that last one?” asked Jax. “And don’t forget to say ‘over’ when you’re done talking. Over.” Cliff rolled his eyes, which almost made him miss the next shooting star, as he clicked the button onto his walkie again.

“Copy, and I definitely did see it. I can’t believe how many we’re getting tonight. And don’t you lecture me about radio etiquette. I’m the one who taught you about using ‘over.’ Over.” Cliff’s elbows ached as he continued to lean against them as he absorbed the sky above him. The billions of twinkling lights above him was absolutely mesmerizing. He already knew he’d be asking for an astrophotography set that was compatible with his telescope for his next birthday.

“Hahaha sure buddy. Big ole’ 10-4 on that. Anyway, you logging all of these? I’m trying to guestimate the length of the tails and approximate where they’d land if they collided with earth. Over,” Jax replied. His mocking laugh on the other side of the line would have gotten under Cliff’s skin if not for the next series of massive meteors falling from the sky making beautiful arcs as they burned up in the atmosphere.

“I haven’t actually. That’s a good idea though. We’ve got some record breakers tonight,” muttered Cliff, mouth agape as he stared up. A twinge in his neck as he craned it backward to keep a full view of the sky made him groan. He pulled his eyes from the sky to try and massage the area.

“You okay dude? Over?” asked Jax. Cliff glanced down at his radio and noticed he hadn’t fully released the “talk” button. Jax probably just heard a garbled moan from his side of the radio. Leave it to a friend to call me out on this stuff Cliff thought.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Sorry. Just a tweak in my neck. Didn’t mean to cut out on you. Over,” replied Cliff. He heard his friend scoff over the line and, before he even said anything, Cliff already knew what Jax was going to say.

“From looking up? Shouldn’t you be used to that since you’re always looking up? Over,” stated Jax. Cliff felt himself shaking his head and laughing silently as he understood his friend’s meaning; and it wasn’t just a looking up at space joke. Cliff had achondroplasia, so he was usually looking up at the people around him. It was said in jest and meant as a joke between them, along with the frequent joke of, “You’ll always look up to me,” stupidness, but it still made Cliff smile.

Jax was one of his only friends who didn’t treat him any differently than anyone else, and the jokes that he made were ones Cliff genuinely thought were amusing. He rolled his eyes and clicked his button again.

“Yeah, ya’ big oaf. I can only imagine how your neck must feel. Do giants have neck problems? Over,” grinned Jax.

“Naw, man. It’s in the knees. Always in that deep squat to talk to everyone. Gotta get that replaced. Know any good doctors? Over,” asked Jax. Cliff opened his mouth to retort when a massive streak ignited the sky. All words abandoned him as he gazed up at the dazzling lights. “Woah! Man! Are you seeing this? Over!”

“Yeah,” he mumbled, mind barely registering that he had squeezed the “talk” button as he watched the tail ignite the sky. Cliff’s eyes fixated on the meteor, but then something caught his eye. There was something about how it was breaking apart that didn’t seem like a normal meteor.

Thinking fast, Cliff redirected his telescope to the sky and the place where he could see the tail. He had just gotten it in his sights when he saw seven different pieces break off one by one. What was interesting was the fact each one of the pieces broke off separately with little bursts, each propelling it away from the main body. It was a behemoth of a meteor, at least for average size measures, and was sure to make the news the next day.

Cliff nearly continued tracking along the main body of the meteor but paused when one of those fragments broke off and, to his sheer excitement, saw it hurdling toward him. He pried himself away from his telescope and looked back out the window eagerly, heart pounding a hole right through him.

Sure enough. The piece he saw before looked like it had broken off and was arcing right for the ground and, if he was right, it was probably going to land close. Cliff watched with baited breath as the larger mass continued toward the ground far to the north while the smaller fragment he spotted spiraled and crashed. The teen boy was practically throwing himself against the window as he realized where the meteorite had impacted.

“My dude! Did you see that? Did you see it! It landed! We’ve got a meteorite in the fields! It’s in the park! It’s gotta be!” Cliff was sprinting around his room pulling on a jacket and his science bag while shoving his radio clip through the side pocket. He was pulling on his headphones when he heard Jax’s reply.

“I know! I know! And you didn’t say over! Over!” Jax said. From the rustling sounds Cliff heard in the background, he guessed his friend was also pulling on his clothes.

“I’m on my way down the block. Meet me there on your bike. We’re going after it! Over!” hissed Cliff eagerly. Despite his excitement, the teenager was able to slip out of his childhood home past his parents’ room without issue and, within a minute, was on his Joni peddling his heart out.

He beat Jax by only a few seconds as the two boys turned their attention to the fields that led to the national park right across the way. Both boys gazed in the direction they saw the crash and grinned at one another eagerly.

“You think we can actually make it?” asked Jax. “Before anyone else I mean. I can’t imagine we’re the only ones who saw that.”

“Only one way to find out. It’s probably a few miles in. Fastest peddling will get us there in fifteen to twenty minutes if we’re really going at it,” estimated Cliff. Jax grinned and pushed his unruly hair out of his eyes and under the rim of his helmet.

“Then we’d better get moving,” he said firmly.

Determination and excitement fueled the two boys as they turned their bikes to the swath of desert that lay in front of them. The terrain was tricky and navigating in the dark was also a bit of a beast. These boys, however, were undeterred. With their monochromatic lights geared for seeing in the dark and their knowledge of the terrain, their adventure felt short lived despite nearly thirty minutes passing since they’d left the safety of their home to charge out into the midnight lit desert.

Jax and Cliff both huffed and puffed as they pushed their bikes up the final part of the hill. The entire way, the smell of burning stone filled their nostrils. They knew they were close, and they had the right gear for the job. They’d done their research and had several of the essentials including gloves, tongs, aluminum foil, and even multiple containers to put it in. They’d figure out how to divide it up later.

As they crested over the hill, they saw it – a small crater. It wasn’t very big, but neither of them expected something massive. It was just a meteorite fragment after all. The bigger piece was far to the north, and it was way too far away for them to go after tonight. This piece, however, was going to be perfect for the aspiring astronauts.

“Almost… there,” puffed Jax. He hopped back on his bike and rode the hill all the way back down. Cliff did the same. The bumpy terrain shook Cliff up one side and down the other, but he didn’t care. This was going to be his first adventure harvesting a meteorite. The first of many if he had anything to say about it.

Cliff was trembling with excitement as he and his friend abandoned their bicycles a few hundred feet away from the flickering, fiery mess burning in the ground.

“Safety first,” Cliff instructed as he pulled off his backpack and put on a filtered face mask that he’d used for chemistry class. Jax did the same before handing Cliff a pair of heat resistant gloves.

“Nice and careful. You get the aluminum foil and I’ll get the tongs,” directed Jax.

“Hey!”

“I’m only saying that because my arms are longer. I don’t want to get too close to the fire. You should be happy you get to hold it first,” Jax pointed out. Cliff rolled his eyes, wanting to be the one to use the tongs, but relented with the alternative of being the first between them to hold a meteorite.

“Got it. Ready?”

“Ready.”

They crouched and cautiously stepped forward. The ground crunched under their shoes as they crouched and inched their way closer and closer to the burning place on the ground. Thankfully, nothing nearby was burning to create a dangerous fire.

Their hearts were hammering faster and faster, both glancing nervously at one another as they approached their target. Cliff wondered what the texture was going to be like. Was it going to be rough or smooth? Would it have ridges or be like an ocean smoothed stone? There were so many different reports of what it could be like.

But, as they approached, the boys began to notice some irregularities. For one, there wasn’t a distinct crater. There were skid marks that were parallel that looked more like that of a docking boat in sand and stone. Jax glanced back at Cliff, who noticed his friend looked just as confused as he felt.

Neither spoke and continued to approach. Cliff felt his hands starting to get cold and clammy within the protective gloves he had on. The hair on the back of his neck began to stand on end, and there was something unsettling in the air. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but there was something off about this area.

Now nearly thirty feet away, they could better see their target, and it made them stop in their tracks. What they expected was a hunk of rock from space, but what they saw was far from that ideal image.

The parallel skid marks didn’t lead to a rock, but a cylindrical tube that was the color of liquid mercury. Something was hissing and whatever it was looked a bit banged up, dents creating odd imperfections in the surface making it look like scuffed silverware. Jax turned around to look at Cliff, mouthing “what on earth” before looking back at the tube.

For a moment, Cliff contemplated turning back or getting Jax’s attention to plan a new strategy, but he knew his curiosity would always get the better of him and already he and his best friend were stepping cautiously forward toward the metallic cylinder. The hissing was starting to subside and, now that they were closer, they could see that it was hissing because there was a small section that was open along the side.

Jax crouched down and, like a military sergeant, he held up his hand with a closed fist, signaling that they should stop. He turned and, in a hushed voice, asked, “Do you see this? It looks like a shipwreck.”

“Yeah. It does,” muttered Cliff as he inched forward toward his friend. “Should we get closer?”

“I mean, I think so. I’m just worried about the hissing and stuff. Like, what is it putting in the air?” asked Jax. Cliff glanced around at the smoldering brush nearby and the tiny flames that hadn’t extinguished yet.

“Well, it’s probably not toxic. Look,” he said as he pointed to the fire. “The flames are still orange. If there were other chemicals in the air, the fire would probably change color.” Jax gave his friend a disbelieving look, actually swinging his head over to stare at his friend before fixing his eyes back on the flames.

“That’s only a little reassuring. There’s a million other explanations for that,” Jax pointed out.

“I know, but it’s what we’ve got. We’re either turning back or investigating. So? Which is it?” The ultimatum made the decision an obvious one. Swallowing dryly, the boys inched forward once again, this time with the intention of moving forward.

Both of them were quaking in their shoes as they were now close enough to glimpse inside the small section of the metal cylinder. Just inside, they could barely make out what looked like some kind of odd plush made of a reflective leather. Tongs in hand, Jax’s trembling hands reached forward and nudged the slit in the metal cylinder open.

The hatch clicked and hissed again as it slid open, parts of it grinding as it clicked open and revealed what was inside. The boys’ jaws went slack as the realization hit them. Neither could tear their eyes away from the sight.

It was an alien. A real alien.

~~~~~^*^*^*^*^~~~~~

Continue

~~~~~^*^*^*^*^~~~~~

@gianttol #gtjuly #gtjuly2024

[mixed-up-media]

Okay here is a question I have for you. How crazy do you think it would be if the amazing digital circus and Coraline crossed over

hold.

my.

INSECT COLLECTION!

There's something about Pomni's face that makes me smile.

Also I love Gangle with a tongue and this is how I will draw her forever!

So while looking for an exit Pomni finds a little door. It leads to an exact copy of the circus, only everything/one is perfect or has buttons for eyes. Jax isn't a jerk, Gangle isn't sad, Zooble isn't sassy, Kinger isn't halfway to losing his mind, and Ragatha doesn't treat Pomni like a child. The best part is all of them want a way out too! They only have one tiny condition, Pomni has to sew buttons in her eyes. Button-eyed Caine shows up and Pomni is officially done with this place. Everything is just too perfect. Eventually she escapes after everyone trying to fight her and get her to stay. Once back on the normal side, she asks Caine what that was. Apparently is was an old adventure the gang went on a few weeks ago. Caine probably just forgot to turn the A.I. off.

Or did he forget?

[the-s1lly-corner]

I very much loved what you wrote for my ask makes me happy in my tummy.

Here's another ask hope it's not a lot for you how about a reader who's looks like those circus carousel horses, Being all pretty and sparkly with the TADC crew or just caine if you want light work!

♡Sleep well♡

U(•ㅅ•)U

TADC cast x reader who is a carousel horse!

that post sillyness (meltdown) slump is really hitting, but i feel bad for not answering requests yesterday... think i might answer one or two today, and perhaps write some stuff for myself in between doing the stuff i need to get done today apolocheese if this is a little shorter than usual </3 admin is still a lil WAAAAAAA and theyre on a time crunch (writing on computer today, but it needs to restart soon for an update)

CAINE:

oh i just know hes going to be going crazy over this, its not often that you get circus themed members around in the digital circus, so hes so hyped to have someone who can at least somewhat fit into that (admin must admit, they know next to nothing about carousels). probably makes themed IHA based around you and your whole thing; whatever that might mean... if youre shiny and/or reflective i just know hes going to pretend to check himself out in your reflections, does it usually to get a laugh out of you if youre having a bad day. gives you loads of new accessories and such

POMNI:

very shiny very pretty. i think pomni would like shiny things, but that might be self projection. kind of looks at you with that huge eyed look she got when she saw her door and/or her reflection in the pilot. looks but doesnt touch because she doesnt want to breach any boundaries. you can easily carry her, probably. shes tiny... though you will have to ask her and warn her before you just decide to pick her up since i dont think she would be cool with you just treating her like some house cat (snorts). subconsciously messes with your hair/mane when you two are hugging/snuggling each other

RAGATHA:

makes her own accessories to give to you. she thinks youre really pretty! very well crafted stuff, me thinks. offers to do your hair and tail (if you have one) every now and then! perhaps even offers to polish you up in hard to reach spots such as your back! generally very nice and lets you know that she thinks youre pretty... bonus if you have some sort of music ambience that plays around you most of the time that tends to reflect your mood, she ends up using that as a little indicator of how youre feeling.... perhaps you two slow dance together to one of your songs.... ponders

JAX:

originally i was going to say he jokes about wanting to ride you but then i realized how that sounded and i am not about that life (i say as i still put it in the post because it aint that serious) but you know, because youre a horse? but also while i was writing caines part, i mention that he checks his reflection if youre... well reflective... i feel like jax would do the same thing, but be more obnoxious about it... like im talking hes fully leaning into it, cleaning the gaps in between his teeth, slicking his ears back. the works, you know? probably snags your ribbons and such every now and then so youre forced to talk to him, he thinks its funny even if its kind of a dick move, but its.. jax, are we really surprised?

KINGER:

similar to pomni i can kind of see kinger also liking shiny stuff but i think this time its just the admin self projecting. probably collects little trinkets he finds that remind him of you and gifts them to you. pretty combs, ribbons, rocks, ect. i think its sweet, basically saying "hey, i thought about you!" you know? sometimes you let him stroke your hair when hes stressed out, works like a charm. revisiting the musical ambience idea, you tend to play the general music that plays during carousel rides, but every now and then it turns into a softer and calmer tune, and that does wonders for kinger after a long and hard day... shrugs

ZOOBLE:

as mean as it sounds you are kind of the opposite of the things like find interest in, since admin hcs that zooble is into the macabre and spooky, you know? but thats not to say that they dont like you! quite the contrary, actually! they have an understanding that you didnt choose this body.. thinks... ooo imagine how funny it would be if youre this really pretty horse with pretty music but you share the same interests as them... i dont now i always liked that trope. cute/innocent character being into scary stuff, intimidating/unconventionally cute character being into sweet and cute stuff.. thinks... sometimes helps you style yourself if youre interested in a new look

GANGLE:

also thinks youre very pretty! probably has made drawings of you and gifted them to you! sometimes redoes the ribbons you wear in your hair and as accessories. very good at making bows and such! might even sometimes help you with your makeup, if you wear any + if its able to be taken off... since, you know... digital bodies and stuff... hmm.. not many thoughts for gangle, at least not any unique ones that havent been said already in general/in this post... apologies gangle nation admin just struggles to write her

[ilikemicrowaves]

I got bored and started writing Ragatha venting to Pomni. Uhhh, you can see it as ragapom if you want, and it doesn't have a title, so uhmm.. here we go

———————————

Pathetic. Crying like a little baby in the corner again. She was always miserable in her room alone, especially after a long day, like now.

"I don't know how much longer I can take this..." She cried into her hands with a shaky, stuttering voice.

She continued to sob into her palms, getting her cloth hands and dress wet, as she leaned against the cold wall tensed up with her knees to her chest.

She was uncomfortable, with her elbow developing a bruise from being pushed against the wall.

Tears fell down her soft red cheeks and down her chin. She didn't bother wiping them away, more would just run down.

"Ragatha..?" A high pitched but soft voice called. She looked up and saw the jester. She hadn't realized she had came into her room, or how long she had been standing there.

"I'm sorry, is this a bad time?" She said. "I can..you know...Leave if you'd like."

"Oh, Pomni, you're fine, I just wasn't expecting company." She managed, voice brittle and breathy. "I only came to check on you, with what happened with today..." Pomni Whispered.

"Do you want me to leave..?" She asked.

She wanted to be left alone, but part of her wanted Pomni to stay. And that part of her gripped at her chest and scrapped at her insides.

"No." She blurted on accident before clearing her throat, "No," She said softer but shrill. "Company would be nice.." She gestured to her side, patting the wood floor for Pomni to sit with her.

Pomni joined her on the floor and sat by her side with a concerned expression and arched brows. "Are you, okay?" She asked.

Ragatha took a deep breath and tried to exhale slowly before rushing it out from crying.

"No.." She managed before starting to sob again. "Honestly, I just hate to admit it..." She squeaked and began to cry into her hands again.

"I always try to stay positive and reassuring, but I know, and they know, so what's the point anymore?" She cried. "And with Kaufmo gone–its like my only support vanished!" She hiccuped and wiped a few tears from her face with her arm.

Pomni crossed her legs and tilted her head to peer at Ragatha. "At- atleast you're trying." She said after a moment before pausing. "When I got here... you were the only one who tried helping me." She said. "The others were kind of, negative."

Ragatha sighed, "I just don't know how much longer I can take it here...I was on edge even with Kaufmo by my side, but before he abstracted he started to hang out with Jax more often and it kind of was just me somedays when they went to start some trouble.." She said. "Now that he's gone...Apart of me is gone too, and–" she stopped to see Pomni looking into her eyes with dilated pupils, large and round like a piece of hard candy.

"I'm sorry I started rambling again.." She tried apologizing.

"Wa- why are you apologizing?" Pomni asked.

"I don't want to be a burden..." She mumbled and turned her head to the corner.

There was a pause, Ragatha didn't know how Pomni was responding but she didn't dare turn her head to face her.

"A burden..?" She suddenly said. "I took time out of my day to talk to you and make sure you were okay, your not a burden." Pomni Reassured.

Ragatha met her eyes, and started to form a smile before she started to get teary eyed again. She couldn't really help herself, but she grabbed Pomni and hugged her. "Thank you.." She whimpered.

"I– um.. Your welcome.." She felt Pomni slowly raise her hand to pat her back. She could tell Pomni wasn't comfortable.

She let go, "I'm sorry, was that to forward?" She asked embarrassed.

"No your fine, I'm just not really a, touchy, person." She explained.

"My apologies, sweetheart." She said retreating back to the corner. "I'm just a little ditzy at the moment."

"That's okay,"

———————————

Yippie, you made it to the end^^ Not much to say, but thanks for reading it. It only took like an hour to write, so it's not much.

[rosemaryreaper]

Where was Nick when Hancock evacuated the Diamond City ghouls to Goodneighbor?

Back in September, I started working on a fic that covered exactly that…then I tossed it aside because I thought it was bad. But now I actually want to finish it. It’s a short Nick POV fic that follows the three days before McDonough passes the Anti-Ghoul decree. Also featured are Ellie, Security Captain Lennie Sullivan, and a still human Hancock. Here’s a snippet from Chapter 2, which is the night before everything goes to hell.

* * * *

In the end, there was nothing to be done but wait. Ellie returned with more than enough documents to fit the bill, and after another round through the line, the guard let him through with minimal hostility. When he tried to subtly linger to keep an eye on things, Security threatened to shoot him for loitering, so there was no choice but to return to the office. Lennie never returned. Neither did many of the ghouls.

Convincing his old circuit board of a brain to focus on work after that morning was difficult, but it didn’t change the fact that he still had a half dozen interconnected missing persons cases on his desk. Sitting around doing nothing wasn’t going to help anyone, ghoul or missing girl, so the least they could do was be productive with the spare time. He got Ellie to bring out what she had dubbed “the conspiracy board”—a big map of the Commonwealth they had pinned to a corkboard—and the two of them spent the afternoon moving around colored pins and strings, trying to work out which route the traffickers were using to smuggle these girls around the state.

“Think Bunker Hill could be a stopover?” Ellie asked, tapping her fingernail on a red circle to the northeast.

“They’d have to go through Goodneighbor first,” Nick said.

“I don’t doubt it. Sounds like the sort of business Vic’s gang would get mixed up in. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s responsible for this whole horrible trade.”

“Still could be a third party. Or a bit of both. We won’t know till we learn more.” He paused. “But I wouldn’t be surprised either.” He added another pin to the board. “If they’re using Bunker Hill, then they aren’t the only party stashing that particular kind of cargo there overnight. I have a contact I can talk to, see if his guys have noticed any odd goings on.”

“Sounds promising,” Ellie said.

“Let’s hope so. This is one trail I absolutely do not want to leave to get cold.”

Arturo was the neighborhood tourist. Nick would have to catch him alone sometime soon; ask him to get a message through to Deacon and his crew. If anyone was an expert on smuggling people through the Commonwealth undetected, it was the Railroad.

The door screeched open, and a choked sob tumbled through its frame. Violet shuffled in, fully weeping within Riley’s embrace. To her, Riley said, “Here, sweetheart, let’s just sit down for a spell, okay?” To the rest of the room, she said, “I’m going to fucking kill someone.”

“Oh, Violet.” Ellie rushed to grab a blanket from the bedroom. “Here, have a seat, honey.” While Riley lowered Violet into the cushioned chair, Ellie wrapped the blanket around the poor ghoul.

Jax stumbled out of the bedroom, bleary-eyed and in their undershirt, which had rolled up to expose their bandages. “Vi? What happened?”

Riley’s brows shot up. “What the hell happened to you?”

“New exercise regime,” Jax said.

“Jesus Christ,” Riley said. “Somebody jumped you.”

“What?” Violet gasped through tears.

“It’s nothing, Vi,” Jax said. “What’s wrong?”

Violet let out another sob. “I’ve never been s-so humiliated.”

“Oh no,” Ellie said. “They didn’t accept any of your papers?”

“None! The boys and I tried everything. Yefim even tried to draw up something last minute, but they wouldn’t take any of it! Now I’m going to lose everything—my home, my job. I won’t survive outside the Wall, not for a night.” She bowed her head and cried.

Ellie yanked open the drawers of her desk, pulling out a whole stack of handkerchiefs and a mug, the latter of which she filled from the coffee thermos. She murmured to Violet, out of even Nick’s broad earshot, until she could convince her to hold the mug in her hands. Nick sent a silent thanks to fate that he had hired her. He had been about to say something a hell of a lot more blunt.

“Nonhumans,” Riley snarled. “Nonhumans! We’re not another species. We’re not animals. I have half a mind to march up to the Stands right now—kick down doors until I find every councilman responsible. They want to see feral? I’ll show them feral.”

Nick said, “You’ll get yourself shot.”

“I’ll get myself shot outside too. This way will be quicker.”

Jax said, “None of our lot are getting shot outside if I can help it. Not if they stick with me.”

“Oh, look, it’s the ghoul savior,” Riley deadpanned. “Right now, if I had to bet on who would win in a fight, you or a mole rat, I’d back the mole rat.”

“It’s not all hopeless, is it?” Ellie asked, rubbing Violet’s back. “Some ghouls still managed to vote. Riley, you did.”

Riley scowled. “I did, barely, because I’m fortunate. They gave us no warning, no time to get our papers in order—and a lot of ghouls didn’t. Screw all the drifters, I guess.”

Nick could sense Jax giving him a look out of the corner of his eye. One of the “I told you so” variety. Ellie was giving him a different kind of look. One that placed far too must trust in his nonexistent ability to overcome the odds. You can do something, Nicky. Right?

Nick could do something. He could turn his investigation towards the city, root out who was pulling the strings—who had organized the guards, who had influenced the Council, who had to benefit from all the chaos. It would take time, but he was nothing if not persistent. His joints hadn’t rusted to a halt yet.

But the ghouls didn’t have time. They had tonight. The proverbial nuke had already been launched. Catching the crook here wouldn’t save anyone until after there was no one left to be saved. So, Nick would do something all right: he would shield them from the blast best he could and help those who survived out of the debris. No more. No better.

“Jax is working on an escape route,” Nick said. “I’ve been scrounging up supplies. You need something—help organizing a caravan, a spare gun, anything—you say the word.”

The room calmed, but not in a comfortable way. The room calmed in the same way a snake calms when it is too cold to move. Violet had quieted. Jax looked determined; Riley grim. Ellie turned her face away.

Jax crossed over to Violet, offering her a hand up. “Come on, Vi. Why don’t we get you back to the Dugout? You look like you could use something stronger than coffee.”

Violet accepted, sniffling, and they slipped an arm around her shoulders. With a quiet murmur of thanks to Nick, she and Jax made their exit. Riley didn’t follow. She gazed down at the empty chair, then up at Nick with that grim expression. She stalked forward, and he froze, startled, as she threw her arms around him.

Most folks weren’t lining up to give the metal man hugs. It wasn’t the kind of relationship he had with Ellie, who was technically his employee, and it wasn’t something he would ever initiate with a client, no matter how distraught. He was hyper aware of his own strength as he lifted his arms, and they hung suspended for too long as he tried to recall the last time he had calibrated them. He briefly considered blacking out to run a quick diagnostic.

But the moment had already gone on too long, and something of the old Nick kicked in. He rested his hands on her back.

“Hey now, Doc, this isn’t like you,” he said with something like humor.

Riley chuckled, with something a little less like humor. “Just saying thank you, gumshoe—for everything. In case I don’t get the chance to.” She pulled away. “I could use a drink too. Might as well celebrate my last night, while it lasts. Feel free to join.” Then she made her exit.

Ellie was on the verge of a question again, but she still didn’t want to ask it, because she still wasn’t looking at him. He looked at the board with all its strings and pins. He looked at the empty chair, the abandoned blanket, the untouched coffee. He released a long breath, forever weaker than it should be. Then he donned his coat and his hat, and he offered his secretary his arm.

It got her attention. With a faint smile, she linked her elbow with his, resting her other hand on his forearm. And they made their exit too.

[the-cat-sorcerer]

Decided to add my tadc ocs to @sm-baby s carnival au just for the sake of it

Tepp was one of the first ais to abstract, she was only a kid after all, players remember her stage as them having to play with her and keeping her entertained for a set time, you could see the other characters in the background and it would change each playthrough, kinger and queenie were most often in the background leafing people to believe they were her primary caretakers, tepp was a super energetic kid before becoming sentient but after she was shy and reclusive up until abstraction, she didn't kill anyone (crazy right? Why wouldn't a 6 year old kill someone?)

Bluebell had an escape room type level that needed two people to play and if another person wasn't available then Bluebell would play instead, there was an interesting mechanic where the players were only allowed to communicate through sign language, hand gestures or notes as Bluebell couldn't talk herself, keen eyed players will notice her 'new neck piece' as an old collectable that was described as a gift from ragatha, in their non sentient forms they were borderline family but after becoming sentient as ragatha became more crazy Bluebell lost that relationship and became more anxious and shy, she hasn't killed anyone either (a 14 year old not killing people? Who's heard of such a thing!)

Treshas level consisted of players needing to find certain objects around the room and bring them back to her and these were randomised each time and could range from needing to get 4-7 items, before and after sentience she was a bold and courageous person tho a bit more bossy now, she is/was friends with gangle and zooble and she was often seen helping players in gangles level, she has killed before (gasp I'm actually acknowledging that all these characters should have a body count?)

Their heights aren't accurate here, tepp is was just shorter than pomni, bluebell is a bit taller than ragatha and tresha is about jax's hight

Og reference

[writingplotbunnies]

Best Served Cold (Part 4/?)

Pairing: Jax Teller x OFC

Summary: Jax surprises Sophie at the station, and they have an intense lunch where they learn a bit more about each other.

Word Count: ~3000

Warnings: angst, illegal activity, possessive behavior, sexual content, canon typical violence

A/N: This is my first SOA fic, so let me know what you think. This is a multipart fic, so let me know if you want added to the taglist.

The week had been quiet. So of course, Friday became a whirlwind of activity. Much to her delight, Sophie watched Agent Stahl stomp around the office with a permanent frown on her face. David seemed just as harried but figured most of it was because of all the ATF agents still taking up space in his station. She’d gathered that AFT wanted to find evidence to get SAMCRO on a RICO charge, something about gunrunning and the IRA.   

“Look,” Stahl snapped as she paused in the hallway, “I don’t have time for this right now. I have to drive out to Stockton and release a guilty man because someone leaked information about the witness we had. And now that witness is probably dead.”

“You don’t have to be the one out there to release Bobby,” David told her. “No one would blame you if you didn’t want to go back there right away.” 

Stahl scoffed. “I’m not afraid of the Sons of Anarchy, unlike everyone around here seems to be, and I’m going to see each and every one of the bastards pay.” 

Sophie didn’t even bother to pretend she wasn’t watching them. Maybe she’d start keeping popcorn in her desk drawer for moments just like this. She hadn’t noticed it during their first interaction, but as the days had progressed, she’d seen the signs of healing on Stahl’s face, and knew whatever had happened must have hurt like a bitch. Getting her face messed up like that might be enough to make the case personal for Stahl. Sophie kinda figured a promotion hinged on the results of this case. Or a commendation.

As though just now realizing she’d become the main event, Stahl huffed out a breath, placed her hands on her hips, and shook her head a bit. Then, as though nothing had happened, she rolled her shoulders back, shook her hair back into place and continued down the hallway - of course, she managed to pause by Sophie’s desk long enough to offer a glare. Sophie grinned and offered a little wave in return. If one was going to be a petty bitch, own being a petty bitch. 

At the door, Stahl nearly ran into Jax who happened to be coming in. They eyed each other with an intensity that had Sophie reaching slowly for the sidearm she wasn’t supposed to have on her. After a few seconds of posturing, Jax turned away and strode towards where Sophie sat at her desk. He leaned his hip against the desk and smiled at her with his whole face. 

Sophie glanced over his shoulder and saw Stahl lingering in the doorway, her eyes narrowed on them. Sophie returned Jax’s smile. 

“Looks like you’ve got a fan,” Sophie said, nodding her head in Stahl’s direction. 

Quickly, Jax glanced over his shoulder before shrugging. “I’m all about customer service.” 

Sophie raised an eyebrow. “Oh, I’m well aware.” 

They both laughed, and Sophie fought down the blush she knew would make an appearance anytime now. 

“She seemed in a hurry,” Jax said.

Sophie nodded. “Yeah, she’s headed out to Stockton. Apparently, she’s gotta release someone named Bobby, and she’s not happy about it.” 

Jax smiled. “He’s a Son. They had him on bullshit charges. He shoulda been out weeks ago. That’s actually why I stopped by.”

“You came by to tell me about bullshit charges against a man I’ve never met?” Sophie asked, with a raised eyebrow.

Jax laughed. “Nah, I came to see if you wanted to come by the clubhouse tonight. We’re having a party for Bobby - celebrate his return.”

“Yeah? I haven’t been to a party in a while, sounds like a good time.” 

“Good.” 

Sophie laughed a bit. “You really drive all the way out here just to ask me out, Jax?” 

He tucked some hair behind his ear and leaned in closer to her. “If I did?” 

“Those blue eyes of yours get you just about any damn thing you want, don’t they?” 

Jax shrugged. “They do what they can.” 

Allowing herself to get lost in Jax’s eyes, Sophie weighed the benefits of her next move. Even before showing up at the station in the middle of the day to invite her to a party, she knew Jax was interested in her. An interest she shared. But mid-operation connections would only complicate things. She wanted him. Wanted to see what it would be like to belong to someone - to experience what Olivia had enjoyed with Drifter. She didn’t know if Jax wanted that with her, with anyone. Maybe he had someone. Too little information.

“What are you after here, Jax?” 

He leaned back, and she nearly regretted asking the question. It wasn’t exactly fair because she didn’t know that she’d be able to answer the question if he’d asked it. But it hung there in the space between them. 

Jax slid from the desk and held his hand out to her. “Come on. Let’s go for a ride.” 

Sophie glanced around the office. She held up a finger to Jax, hoping he’d wait before scurrying down the hallway. Poking her head into Unser’s office, she knocked on the doorjam. 

“What can I do for you, hun?” 

Seemed everyone in Charming used pet names instead of real names. She’d work on being annoyed by it later. 

“I’m gonna take my lunch away from my desk today.” 

“Make sure you know what you’re doing there.” 

Sophie nodded. She didn’t have a damn clue what she was doing there. Didn’t think Jax knew what he was doing either. 

“Yeah.” 

It sounded as unconvincing to her as it probably did to him, but other than a vaguely disappointed look, he didn’t say anything further. 

Plastering a smile on her face, Sophie sauntered down the hallway, and if she put a bit more sway in her hips, well, the pleased look on Jax’s face told her he enjoyed the show. His gaze was hot as he tracked her progress. She licked her lips. Something about whatever this pull towards Jax was felt easy - and that’s what made her hesitate. That easyness made her question everything because nothing in her experience had led her to believe that easy was possible. Easy was often a lie. Slipping her phone into her pocket, Sophie came to stand in front of Jax. She enjoyed the idea that all she needed to do was lean forward to press a kiss to his chin. Being tall had a lot of benefits, but she still enjoyed being around a man who made her feel safe, who engulfed her. With Jax, it wasn’t just the size - he only had a couple of inches on her, but he had that extra something that just drew her in - made it feel easy. 

“Ready?” 

Unable to trust her voice, Sophie nodded. Jax gave her one of those dazzling smiles of his before gently pressing his palm to her shoulder and escorting her from the station. As they approached his bike, his hand slid down around the side of her body and before she could think to move out of his grip, he’d felt the edge of her sidearm. Moving quickly, she tried to take a step back, but her hand locked around her, pulling her into his chest. 

“You gonna explain that?”

Sophie avoided his eyes. “A girl can never be too safe.” 

“Inside a police station?” 

She glared at him. “Thought you were gonna take me for a ride?” 

“This ain’t finished.” 

Sophie nodded. Jax held her gaze for a beat longer before passing her the helmet. Swinging her leg around and settling behind him, she silently cursed herself. She knew he’d have questions, and it wasn’t exactly as though she had secrets. But she didn’t want him getting involved. Didn’t need him to be a man about things and decide he needed to start fixing her problems. Zobelle had hurt her family, and that made him her target, not SAMCRO’s. 

She settled in, arms wrapped around him and let her thoughts scatter to the wind. They drove for about ten minutes before Jax pulled off the main road. Just ahead of them was a small lake, and no buildings as far as she could see. When Jax had the kickstand set, she slid from behind and offered him the helmet. Without waiting for him, she walked towards the water’s edge and stood staring across it. She’d always loved water, found it peaceful. Even rainstorms made her happy. The heat of Jax’s body alerted her to his presence. He didn’t say anything, just stood at her back.  

“The gun’s not a big deal,” Sophie began, hating the words even as she spoke them. “I didn’t want to talk about it outside the station because I’m not legally allowed to carry inside the station, but my legal CCW is on file with Charming PD, so they know I own at least one weapon.” 

Jax turned her around to face him. Slowly, he reached to the hem of her shirt and pulled it up enough to reveal her unregistered .9mm Smith and Weston. He whistled through his teeth. 

“That’s a lot of gun for a not a big deal.” 

“It’s hardly a Desert Eagle, Jax.” 

Instead of allowing the joke to ease the tension, Jax tilted his head forward, eyes soft as he tucked Sophie’s hair behind her ear. His hand lingered against her neck, thumb moving soothingly along the sensitive skin. 

“Whatever it is, Sophie, you can trust me.” 

If she thought the nicknames made her stomach flutter, it was nothing compared to hearing him say her name. It was like a benediction on his lips. And she did trust him. Blame the pull she felt to him, blame her need to trust someone because the person she had once trusted with everything had been killed - stolen from her. Going through that again, that loss would kill her. Sophie knew that, but as she met Jax’s gaze she realized it was too late. 

“I wasn’t lying. To me the gun isn’t a big deal. Like I told Hale - ”

Jax jerked back as though she’d slapped him. “Hale knows?”

She smirked at the jealousy in Jax’s tone, brought her hand up to cup his cheek. “He had to process the CCW. The gun it’s like slipping on a pair of shoes before I leave the house. I’ve been carrying one for so long I only notice when I don’t have one on me. Like that KA-BAR you keep strapped to your belt.” 

Jax blinked. She doubted he’d expected her to notice. 

Sophie dropped her hand. She pulled the gun from her holster, held flat in the palms of her hands. “This? It’s not the one they issued me, but it gets the job done.” 

She watched Jax’s face, saw the confusion cloud his features. 

“Staff Sargent Sophie Cooper, USMC, retired.” 

Jax chuckled, shook his head a bit in what she thought might be surprised disbelief. “Seriously?” 

“Yeah. Did my dime then figured it was time for a new adventure.” 

“Why’d you leave?” 

Sophie stepped back, crossed her arms against her chest and looked out over the water. “I missed a lot being gone. I spent most of my time deployed to all the garden spots. Lost a lot of time  - ”

Choking on the words, Sophie covered her face with her hands. Thinking about all the time she could have spent with Olivia made her nearly blindingly angry. They both thought they’d have more time. Not that her sister had ever expected her to settle down, not back then. Jax’s hands cupped her shoulders, his lips ghosted a kiss across the crown of her head. 

“I wanted to see the world, and I did. Never had been interested in settling down; that was always Livvy’s dream. And for a while, she had it. Met a guy, fell in love, got married. I’m sure they would have made me an auntie before too long, but they never got the chance.”

She took a shuddering breath, and tried to move away from Jax. He didn’t let her. Instead, he turned her to face him. Sophie didn’t know when the tears had begun, but Jax gently wiped them from her eyes.  

“She was killed. Murdered, and it was awful, Jax. Still gives me nightmares, and even when I wake up I see her.” 

He wrapped his arms around her, tucked her head into his neck and held her tight while she cried. Her hands gripped his kutte, while her tears stained his chest. Gentle fingers slid through her hair as he whispered soothing nonsense to her. It was easy to fall into his arms, to let him support her, support the weight of everything she kept to herself. Drifter and the guys had tried, but they’d been dealing with their own grief, with their own problems. She was sure Jax had his own demons riding him, but she let him hold her, let him be the support she hadn’t realized she needed. 

“I was overseas when I got the call. Managed to get stateside within twenty-four hours, but it wasn’t fucking fast enough. The only thing I could do was her hand when she died. You see it in the movies all the time, watch people close the eyes. Never understood it. Not like I hadn’t seen a corpse before, but it was my sister. It was Livvy laying there with her eyes open, staring at me and I couldn’t take it. I’d never felt so guilty. So helpless.” Sophie forced a deep breath thorugh a sob that lodged in her throat. 

“I’ve seen people beat to hell, but my sister’s face? It was a mess of deep cuts and bruises, all covered in more gauze than skin. Connected to tubes and wires and monitors. The beeping. Incessant beeping. Nearly got arrested for destruction of property when I shoved the cart monitoring her vitals into the wall so hard it left a dent.” 

Jax huffed a gentle chuckle against her skin as he tilted her head up to face him. “I can picture that. Probably scared the nurse.” 

She laughed. “I hope so.” 

When Jax pressed his lips to hers in the gentlest kiss she’d ever felt, she should have seen it coming. Maybe she should have stopped it. Maybe she should have felt Jax was taking advantage of her emotionally compromised state. Instead, she returned his kiss, wrapped her arms around him and poured the sorrow and the anger she always felt into his mouth. It would always be there, living just under her skin. But, as Jax deepened the kiss, tangled his fingers in her hair, she allowed herself to feel nothing but pleasure. The way her toes tingled from the way he held her, the taste of him - tobacco and mint - on her tongue. 

Sucking in a breath, Sophie tilted her head back. Jax gave her no quarter as his lips attached to her neck, nibbling then biting along her tendon. His hands swept down the center of her back before gripping her ass and squeezing, forcing her core to rub against the growing hardness in his pants. 

“Jesus,” she panted.

“Jax, darlin’.” 

With a laugh, she swatted his ass teasingly. Liking the way it felt beneath her hand, she did her own groping, enjoyed the low moan he released against her neck. It was too fast. She didn’t go from flirting, to crying her eyes out about her dead sister, to making out in the middle of nowhere with a guy she’d known for less than a week. There was too little foundation for the intensity of what she felt. 

“What is it, Soph?” 

She blinked up at Jax, who while flushed, looked at her with concern. Huffing a frustrated sigh, she broke from his arms, and this time, he let her. She moved around in a small circle. 

“It’s all in the wrong order.” 

“What?” 

“This - ” she gestured between the two of them. “I don’t do this. Not like this, and I don’t want to make too many assumptions, but your not the first biker I’ve been around. I know how easy it is for you to get pussy, and we’ve made no promises because that would be fucking stupid at this point - but, what I’m feeling for you is more than I thought. More than I expected. God, I sound like a fucking Hallmark movie. I’m not a romantic by nature. I don’t believe in love at first sight because that’s stupid and totally impractical. But, Jax, I want to lose myself in you. And that scares me. It scares me so much.” 

Jax didn’t respond right away. He lit a cigarette, offered her one. Hand trembling a bit, she took it from him, allowed him to light hers. She wanted to shove the words back into her mouth. It didn’t have to mean anything. Her and Jax. It could have just been a good time for both of them. Now? Now she’d put emotions to it. Allowed the moment to get away from her. 

Shaking her head, she started to walk away. 

“Hey.” 

Jax’s voice whispered against her skin as he halted her progress with a hand on her arm. She trembled, unable to identity exactly what she felt. 

“I don’t know what this is. The girl I thought was the goddamned love of my life left after I cleaned up her fucking mess. My junkie ex-wife OD’d in the hospital after my son nearly died during birth. My life’s a mess. I don’t believe in fate, don’t know what I believe in right now, but you? It’s something real. First real thing I’ve felt in a long time. You ain’t the only one scared, darlin’.” 

“We make quite a pair, don’t we, Teller?” 

He pulled her into his arms, pressed a kiss to the side of her head. Her hands came to rest on his chest. Easy. 

“Yeah, we do.” 

They remained quiet as they rode back into Charming. Jax dropped her back at the station after they swung by Lumpy’s for some burgers to go. Like a gentleman, he walked her back to her desk. Like an outlaw biker, he gave her a kiss she’d be thinking about for the rest of the day before sauntering to the door.

“I’ll see you tonight,” Sophie managed to call out, her breathing not quite back to normal. 

“Later, darlin’.”

Part 5

Master List

[jumpywhumpywriter]

Assassin Rescues Prisoner from Target's house part 3

TW: blood, intense torture, recovery, pain, death, assassination, severe whump, etc.

The next morning came, and Jax found that Atlas had woken up before him, but stayed laying down on the couch, limp aside from the shallow rise and fall of his chest. He jumped slightly when he came over, though Jax kept a respectful distance.

"How do you feel about me changing your bandages now, eh?" Jax tried. He'd have to change them soon to prevent the wounds from festering and becoming infected, going sour.

Atlas eyed him warily, fear dancing across his face. "Do... Do I even have a choice?" He croaked, then coughed weakly.

Smart kid, Jax thought with a flicker of genuine surprise. He'd seen right through his words. Jax shook his head grimly. "No... you don't. I have to swap out the gauze. But you can make it easier or harder for yourself... that is a choice you can have."

Atlas blew out a long breath, watching Jax's every move like a hawk as he brought the medical kit to the side of the couch.

Jax put on some sterile gloves and slowly reached out for one of Atlas's wounds, raising an eyebrow at him to see what he'd do. And to his mild surprise, Atlas didn't fight him, save for a cringe at the initial contact. But then again, it could be because he simply lacked the strength to resist. Jax carefully peeled away the layers of gauze on each wound, checking the stitches and spreading more herbal healing salve over the skin before re-wrapping it with fresh gauze.

Atlas twitched and winced at every light touch, biting his tongue hard to keep from crying out. Maybe he was scared that Jax would be angry if he made a sound.

But eventually he couldn't contain the pain anymore and a few quiet groans slipped out, broken up by small hisses and sharp inhales. Each time he glanced fearfully at Jax, as though afraid he might strike him for daring to make noise.

He hated how close the assassin was, hated every moment his hands touched his raw, inflamed flesh to apply more stinging salve. It was almost unbearable, and Atlas could only lie there helpless and exposed as he was tended to, weak and vulnerable. He shuddered as Jax's skilled hands grazed the largest gash in his side, another wave of pain radiating through his body.

"I'm almost finished..." Jax muttered reassuringly.

Atlas couldn't help a shiver as he finally finished bandaging him up a few minutes later.

"T-Thank you... S-Sir..." Atlas mumbled as he pulled away, cleaning up the old, blood-stained gauze. He was always expected to show gratitude to his captor for any small kindness, any form of reprieve from torture, no matter how fleeting. And this man was his new master, it seemed.

"You... don't have call me Sir. Jax is fine," Jax blurted.

"Yes, s-- I mean Jax," Atlas stammered, correcting himself. It felt strange on his tongue. He was always required to refer to his owner using only words of authority and power. Why was this man helping him? What did he have to gain from it? He stared at Jax as though trying to read the answers from his very soul, before abandoning the effort.

Jax noted the sweat glistening on his forehead, and placed a light hand on his neck, feeling a high fever. Made sense, he realized, if what Atlas said was true about him being fed nothing but spoiled food for at least a week. No wonder it made him so sick, and combined with all the injuries... his body was strained to its absolute limit. Atlas fought the urge to instinctively recoil, holding his breath as fingers rested against his pulse. But he couldn't help an uneasy shiver.

Wordlessly, Jax rose from his seat, returning with a bucket of cold damp rags that he laid across his forehead, neck, and arms to help bring down the temperature.

Atlas cringed every time, his breath catching, but eventually a small sigh of relief slipped out at the blessed coolness against his burning skin. He didn't want to let his guard down around Jax, still suspecting an elaborate trap, but with the cold rags taking the edge off his pain, he was just... so... tired. He fought to stay awake, but the rare relief proved too much to combat, and he quickly slipped into unconsciousness, body relaxing for the first time in weeks.

Jax stared down at his sleeping form for several minutes, some old part of him void and aching. A memory he'd worked hard to bury and forget being dredged up...

His apprentice from over a decade ago, a brash, bold young individual with all the skill... but none of the caution. It was one of the few times he'd ever enjoyed having someone to talk to, someone to train how to fight.

And Atlas... Atlas reminded him of that friendship from long ago. Young, and injured, just like his apprentice had been, only different. His apprentice's injuries had been... deeper. More invisible. He'd hunted with an insatiable vengeance, bitter toward the cruel world.

His apprentice had been too reckless... too cocky... part of his quirky personality. But one day it had caught up with him in the worst way possible, when Jax and his apprentice had been on a mission together. It had gone so, so wrong. So terribly wrong. The loss still hurt terribly, even all these years later. Some days Jax would stare at the dark alleys of the city and wish he could see his apprentice's familiar black cloak one last time, the one Jax himself had given him.

Jax leaned back in his chair next to the couch, listening to Atlas's quiet, wheezing breaths, losing himself in a vivid memory.

⏪️ Back Next ⏩️

Masterlist