#shout out to teddy bears going through the horrors of war

[arikot27]

I keep acidentaly refering to mr Azul Ashengrotto as "Azulin" and I'm like - Ah yes, my favorite part of book 3 was when he brutaly murdered his brother cain and abel style and than procesed to start eating alive a horse

[redglassesgirl-maruma]

Hello Everyone! 

A day like today 20 years ago the first novel of our beloved series was published in November 2000. This is an incredible anniversary and that’s why we’ll celebrate the whole month with events! 

I hope you can join this special occasion and contribute a little bit by sharing your posts and art here in tumblr.  

This is not the first event run by this blog, if you want to see what we did in previous years you can visit my tags MA Event,  MA Event 2017 and MA Event 2018.

The dynamic of the events is to have some deliver themes and inspiration divided in different sections. This event will run weekly, except for the last week of the month when we’ll have daily content shared to inspire you even more. 

Please save the date around the last weekend of November for our Live Chat! I’ll post more information about the exact date and time along the next weekly posts.

Update: Live Chat Sunday 29 at 1am Buenos Aires timezone GTM-3 You can check online comparing with your time zone here. We’ll meet and chat, share opinions, and play some games or draw together!

20th Anniversary MA Event - First Week Activity Share your MAlove, share your MArt! From November 1 to November 8

This week we’ll draw fanarts, write fanfics or make any other kind of media to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the series. We have list of 365 prompts in case you need a little bit of extra inspiration, please check under the cut and try to mix anything you pick with a festive mood to make it really special ;D

Remember to tag your posts with #MAnniversary 2020 and #MA Event

Links to the weekly event’s posts:

First Week (in this post) Second Week  Third Week Fourth Week | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday

Prompts:

01. Introduction

02. Love

03. Light

04. Dark

05. Seeking Solace

06. Break Away

07. Heaven

08. Innocence

09. Drive

10. Breathe Again

11. Memory

12. Insanity

13. Misfortune

14. Smile

15. Silence

16. Questioning

17. Blood

18. Rainbow

19. Gray

20. Fortitude

21. Vacation

22. Mother Nature

23. Cat

24. No Time

25. Trouble Lurking

26. Tears

27. Foreign

28. Sorrow

29. Happiness

30. Under the Rain

31. Flowers

32. Night

33. Expectations

34. Stars

35. Hold my Hand

36. Precious Treasure

37. Eyes

38. Abandoned

39. Dreams

40. Rated

41. Teamwork

42. Standing Still

43. Dying

44. Two Roads

45. Illusion

46. Family

47. Creation

48. Childhood

49. Stripes

50. Breaking the Rules

51. Fanart

52. Deep in Thought

53. Keeping a Secret

54. Tower

55. Waiting

56. Danger Ahead

57. Sacrifice

58. Kick in the Head

59. No Way Out

60. Rejection

61. Fairy Tale

62. Magic

63. Do Not Disturb

64. Multitasking

65. Horror

66. Traps

67. Playing the Melody

68. Hero

69. Annoyance

70. 67%

71. Obsession

72. Mischief Managed

73. I Can’t

74. Are You Challenging Me?

75. Mirror

76. Broken Pieces

77. Test

78. Drink

79. Starvation

80. Words

81. Pen and Paper

82. Can You Hear Me?

83. Heal

84. Out Cold

85. Spiral

86. Seeing Red

87. Food

88. Pain

89. Through the Fire

90. Triangle

91. Drowning

92. All That I Have

93. Give Up

94. Last Hope

95. Advertisement

96. In the Storm

97. Safety First

98. Puzzle

99. Solitude

100. Relaxation

101. Hello World

102. Fear

103. Anger

104. Regret

105. Happiness

106. Love

107. Family

108. Friendship

109. Home

110. Childhood

111. Adulthood

112. Birth

113. Death

114. Me

115. You

116. Thoughts

117. Emotion

118. Sun

119. Rain

120. Thunder

121. Noon

122. Midnight

123. Twilight

124. Rooms

125. Window to the Soul

126. Games

127. Halo

128. Serenity

129. Firefly

130. Phone

131. Movie

132. Television

133. Plants

134. Freedom

135. Forgetfulness

136. Remembrance

137. Memorial

138. War

139. Fight

140. Loss

141. Winning

142. Losing

143. Nature

144. Hurricane

145. Storms are brewing

146. Lightning

147. Colors

148. Bravo

149. Punishment

150. Picture

151. Another Wolfs

153. The Life You Dream Of

154. Dreams

155. Tears

157. Smiling

158. Laughing

159. Crying

160. Looking in the Mirror

161. Steam

162. Candy

163. Cats

164. Dogs

165. Glasses

166. Orbit

167. Satellite

168. Stars

169. Jade

170. Emerald

171. Gems

172. Dreaming Out Loud

173. Insomnia

174. Rabbits

175. Snake

176. Borders

177. The Year

178. This Time

179. Last Time

180. Forever and a Day

181. Sometimes

182. Always

183. Power

184. Weakness

185. Green

186. Purple

187. Blue

188. Sight

189. Blindness

190. Hurtful

191. Stages of grief

192. Arguments

193. Country

194. Frog

195. Forest

196. River

197. Flying

198. Mountains

199. Snow

200. Goodbye

201. Heart of Glass

202. My Life

203. Me In a Nutshell

204. Forever Yours

205. True Colors

206. My best friend’s girl

207. Impossible Love

208. Forgiveness

209. Fibers of Our Lives

210. Challenging Dream

211. Living My Dream

212. Forgetting Myself

213. Saving Grace

214. Lonely

215. Unbalanced

216. See-saw

217. Math

218. Match Making

219. Beyond Good and Evil

220. Second Sight

221. Double Take

223. Upon Review

224. Losing You

225. Baseball

226. Shouting

227. Farmland

228. Heartland

229. Brick Wall

230. Glass Houses

231. Eyes

231. Ring

233. Circle

234. Square

235. Boxes

236. Moving

237. Well Being

238. Insanity

239. Repetition

240. Learning

241. Class

242. Flowers

243. Special

244. Snowflakes

245. The Man They Call Jayne

246. Malicious

247. Pretty on the Outside

248. The Outside

249. Thankful

250. Neglect

251. Remorse

252. Embracement

253. Reflecting on My Life

254. Space

255. Constellation

256. Collection

257. Magic

258. Thrill

259. Attack

260. 20 Seconds to Mars

261. Unable

262. Foolish

263. Science

264. Sign of Life

265. Motto

266. Me

267. Balloon

268. Self Esteem

269. Narcissism

270. Ideology

271. Pageantry

272. Keeping Up With the Jones’s

273. Crack in Your Armor

274. Spilling Your Guts

275. Lean on Me

276. Crippling Emotion

277. Biggest Fear

278. Prejudices

279. Fresh

280. Corn

281. Sugar

282. Ice Cream

283. Accents

284. Speech

285. Writing

286. Doom

287. Shape

288. The Real You

289. My Name Is ____

290. Who are You on the Inside

291. Hidden Hatred

292. Hanging

293. Jacket

294. Jail

295. Stepping Up to the Plate

296. Star Player

297. My Hero

298. Castle

299. Losing Yourself

300. Finding Hope

301. Pirates

302. Fallen Angel

303. Drowning Lessons

304. Ghosts in the snow

305. Rawr.

306. Pidgeons… Birdy

307. Broken Hearts Parade

308. Paranoid

309. Vampires

310. Betrayal

311. Emmi&Rumura

312. The three friends

313. Horror

314. Mirror

315. Candlelight

316. Spider moneky

317. Devil

318. Flowers

319. Teddy Bear

320. Mist

321. Kingdom Hearts

322. Ferret

323. Vanilla

324. Thunder

325. Pinto Pony

326. M&Ms

327. Killer

328. Grass

329. Peace

330. Chibi

331. Mr. Klaw, polite Lion

332. Eternal

333. Star girl

334. Hats

335. Calvin & Hobbes

336. Misery (A cup full of something… unknown )

337. Hot chocolate

338. My Chemical Romance

339. Light in the darkness

340. Laughter

341. Nightmares

342. Necklace

343. Fire

344. Clorotaint and Treegirl

345. Swirls

346. Pokemon

347. Friends

348. Double Trouble

349. Do not cross

350. Unknowing

351. Chocolate

352. Time

353. A phone

354. Little kids on a playground

355. Darkness

356. A purple lady

357. Writer’s block

358. The dark corner in my room that I go to cry at (and a unicorn)

359. Sunglasses

360. The sun relaxing by an air conditioner

361. A girl fleeing from her nightmares

362. A girl staring at a blank canvas

363. A visual representation of poetry

364. Trolls

365. A hat

[abduct-me-helen]

Class 108's Apocalypse Field Trip | Chapter 1.

The world ended on a Tuesday. Quite suddenly, halfway through class. After the sky split open and green light bathed the earth, things changed. Some lived.

Some didn’t.

Class 108 stayed together, for the most part. They took up a base in the school, and boarded up the windows and doors.

Sydney was the one who first learned they didn’t need to eat. Other revelations of that sort followed. Sleep was not needed, nor was water. Air seemed to be, though, as they learned after Cal passed out from holding their breath.

The first one to die was Cú.

They don’t talk about Cú.

-

Of course, some things are unavoidable in the end. Logically, Sydney knew it was only a matter of time before something managed to slip under the cracks and they’d all get killed; god knows they’d narrowly scraped by enough times to be considered cosmically lucky. Tabitha had been spreading rumors, as was her nature, about the school itself being sentient, trapping them inside with false promises of safety.

On the worse days, Sydney believed it.

Sydney stepped into the classroom slowly, craning her head to where Tabitha and Rosie were explaining their theories. She didn’t know which theories, but she’d heard most of them by now.

“G’morning.” She said.

It was night.

No, she thought, the sky is dark, but that doesn’t mean it’s night.

Rosie gestures towards a desk, and she avoids the chair toppled over at her feet as she sits down on top of it. She takes not of who else had decided to attend this “session” of theirs today. There are 12 students left out of the thirty who had originally made up the class. Ten of them had disappeared after running away from the school in shock after the eye in the sky had first opened. They hadn’t been in homeroom during the “blink,” which is what they’d taken to call the eye opening, and hadn’t seen any teachers since that day.

She remembered it vividly.

Ms. Bruis had tensed, eyes wide in shock, before telling them to calm down and stay indoors. She immediately went outside the room to check on everyone else.

That was the last time they’d seen Ms. Bruis, but not the last time they’d seen her face.

Besides the initial chaos, there wasn’t anything attacking the school. It was just shouting and screaming and running. Sydney had stayed in the classroom, clumsily trying to close the blinds on the window.

People just, left. And they didn’t come back.

The first venture was when they lost Cú. She doesn’t like to talk about him, never mind think about him. Nonetheless, her mind often drifts towards his death.

It was about four hours after the chaos. People had been nearly sucked out of the building, teachers included. The only ones that remained were the thirty students of 108.

Sydney didn’t know why they were the only ones to remain. She still doesn’t now.

The students decided to have a short party go out and scout. Sydney, Katie, Cú, Tabitha and Rosie. Four survived, one did not.

Rosie was always the thinker of the group, and as such she took the front. Katie was chosen for her seemingly nonchalant disposition to going, and Tabitha for her mind, which was always going too fast and often arriving at far-out conclusions. Despite this, she was a quick-witted person and had been selected for her dexterity and speed. Cú was selected for his physicality. He was a teddy bear, but a strong teddy bear.

It didn’t save him in the end.

And Sydney, well, she was cautious. She wonders if she could’ve saved Cú if she’d been just a little bit wearier.

They wandered a few blocks before hearing the sound of skin and bone splitting. Tabitha immediately ran toward the sound, as was her nature. The rest, Rosie at the lead, followed, hiding behind a corner.

Katie didn’t make a face, but even she was visibly pale.

When the sound came again, louder, and a creature made of wet flesh and twisted muscle stepped out of the alleyway, she became practically white.

Sydney retched. She’s not ashamed to admit it, you would’ve too. Anyone would’ve retched if they saw that sight.

It got worse.

“Hello?! Someone! Help me, please!”

It was Ms. Bruis-no, it looked like Ms. Bruis.

Cú ran. He dodged the creature, running to Ms. Bruis and starting to try to pick her up off the ground, before he noticed she was rooted to the cement. His eyes widened as blood ran down her face

She smirked.

Sydney will always remember the flash of teeth before she plunged her hand-no, her claw-into his stomach. He made a choked sound before the creature bounded back over and ripped his jaw clean off.

They ran. They ran. They ran.

And then they came back to the classroom, and they wept.

There were more expeditions after that. They lost seven more after that, but in those ventures, they collected knowledge. This knowledge went on Rosie’s list, though it also doubled as a rulebook.

-

THE LIST

1. Some creatures can make copies of people you know in order to trick you. They don’t bleed, so your best shot at not meeting eyeball daddy up close is to yeet the fuck outta there//bold of you to assume I don’t want to meet eyeball daddy uwu//

2. Don’t trust meat. Ever. Meat comes alive. WE ARE VEGANS IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2018(?)

3. Don’t answer the door, even if you’re armed. No, Eric, we do not count your big muscles™ as a weapon.

4. If you MUST answer the door, don’t. You have been stopped.

5. A short section on the happenings of the places(?) known to us as “nightmares.”

Nightmares trap humans in these crazy places. We’ve only seen two, but they are extremely dangerous, and both encounters ended in casualties. They trap your mind and make you experience terrible things, and like the rest of the world (to our knowledge at least) don’t follow normal time or space rules. Basically, if you want to avoid a ,’ , |,’_’, you should not screw with that shit.

6. Always check with someone else before eating or drinking. Sometimes, your mind will play tricks on you and you won’t notice that you’re eating something…not good. Honor cal for their sacrifice regarding this matter (sorry cal)

7. Always shut the blinds. Eyeball daddy is watching you//YOU DID NOT NEED TO SAY THAT TABITHA

8. Don’t leave the building without consulting all of class 108.

9. Don’t read books that others haven’t read first, especially if it says it’s from the library of Jurgen LeitnerSTUPID IDIOT MOTHERFUCKING JURGEN LEITENER GOD DAMN FOOL BOOK COLLECTING DUST EATING RAT OLD BASTARD SHITHEAD IDIO//yes, Riko, we get it, but good point. Be Jared, 19.

10. Don’t invite anyone in.

-

“What are we on today?” Sydney asked.

“Tabitha’s on about the categories again.” Cal said.

“I really think it could work!” she said loudly. “Look, there’s consistencies in every single encounter we’ve had. Think about it. Remember what happened at the theater?”

Katie grimaced silently. “How could we forget?”

Tabitha ignored her. “The webs. Spiders and the rest of those insects are different categories. The wriggly silver worms are more like, bugs and wriggly things and judging from the infestation we had they all work together.”

“Like a hive?” Cal asked.

Tabitha nodded. “Exactly like that. Spiders are different though; you saw how many were crawling about during the amphitheater incident. And that whole thing was about control. All those people who were laughing…they, they were there. They didn’t want to do it! They didn’t want to laugh, you saw their eyes. They were being controlled. And when,” she paused, gritting her teeth, “and when Marcy died she was being controlled too. Puppeted.”

That’s two. Then we come to the next one, guns and murder and war and shit like that. Simple enough. But I think it has to be humans killing humans, because the thing that killed, killed Cú wasn’t like that. It was, it was different. I don’t know. I’ll get back to that.

“Then we have the cover up, or the anonymous things. Things like those little creatures that hide in your plates that you can’t notice are there until someone tells you. That’s why I’m confused, because I think the weird fleshy creature we faced was aligned with that but also with those meat things that broke Rosie’s leg. I don’t know how to explain it, but, ah. Sorry. I think they’re the same category.”

“I’ll humor you; can a thing be two categories?” Katie questioned her dully.

“I think so. Maybe it’s like colors? Really angry colors. They’re all separate, but the same because they’re all made of the same stuff. And they all blur together sometimes?”

“Yeah,” Katie snorted, “we’re being killed by really angry colors.”

Tabitha flushed. “Hey! It was just an analogy.”

Rosie seemed to be considering what Tabitha had said, before she looked up. “I believe you.”

“Y-you do?” Tabitha blinked, taken back.

Rosie nodded. “It makes sense. Really angry colors.”

“Really angry colors.”

-

A few hours-well, time was weird, but Sydney supposed it was hours-later, the class was doing yoga. Well, not “yoga” per se. They were beating each other on the head with torn up yoga mats.

“Hey!” Riko shouted as Tabitha tripped over her mat while chasing Cal. “Watch it! This is where I sleep!”

Tabitha stuck her tongue out and Katie snorted, not looking up from her book. Sydney wondered how she did that; Katie always seemed to have an astounding amount of situational awareness at all times.

“Real mature.” Katie groused.

Tabitha grinned, and Rosie smiled softly.

“I’M GOING TO MAKE YOU MEET EYEBALL DADDY!” she shouted to Cal, who’s eyes widened in mock fear.

“Oh no! The horror! OwO!” They said dramatically.

“Did they just say “OwO”?” Sydney asked in a deadpan. Rosie nodded solemnly.

“You ever wonder…” Sydney trailed off, the muffled shouting of their peers drowned out into the background.

“Wonder what?” Rosie tilted her head in question.

“What happened to Mr. Sims.”

“He’s probably…not with us anymore.”

“Yeah. Still, could you imagine? He was a bloody cryptid. He’d probably take all this with no sweat.”

“Maybe he’d give us concerts too.”

“Good ole Jonny D’Ville.”

Rosie snickered.

“You know how he always drew eyes everywhere? During tests?”

“Oh god, don’t mention that to Tabitha, I don’t need her going on about another conspiracy.”

Sydney grinned to herself and Rosie groaned.

“Well, I was thinking, maybe it was an omen.”

“An omen?”

“Yeah. I’ve never been spiritual really, but the worlds gone to shit so who knows what’s real. Maybe the Mayans were just a few days off.”

“Ah, the apocalypse calendar.”

“Indeed.”

-

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

A noise rang out from the entrance to the school, loud and imposing. Sydney’s heart started to thump wildly in terror.

They all shot up, and Katie got her switchblade out from her pocket. She was lucky enough to have it on her at the blink, and it was their best weapon.

Cypress shot inside the classroom silently, eyes wide, red curls bouncing. He clicked the door shut quietly, pale. “The others sent me. They’re hiding in place. I think we should just stay put.”

Rosie nodded, gesturing him to come over. She placed a finger over her lips in order to get them to stay silent, then nodded to Katie. Katie had always been gifted with really good hearing, and it had saved their assess more than enough times for Rosie to know that letting her try to hear who was at the door was the best safe bet for situation and the time being.

Katie closed her eyes, but after a quarter of a minute shook her head.

That’s when they heard it.

“Hello!”

Sydney brought a hand to her mouth to clamp down a scream.

It was Cypress.

Eyes wide, she glanced over to Cypress, her Cypress, who’s expression was now glazed over. Was his skin always that waxy? Why was his hair so smooth? It looked like that of a dolls, curls made of softly bent plastic.

Katie saw the flicker of light before she saw the blade, and she lunged.

Her switchblade pierced his skin-no, his stuffing, with a sound akin to ripping a toy. It didn’t seem to stop this not-Cypress.

Oh god, Sydney thought, today is the day I die.

There was a sound like static now in the air, and the faint smell of burning. Sydney began to feel sick, almost lightheaded.

The door swung open, and Sydney whipped her head around to see Cypress, who was trailed by…Mr. Sims?

[writinginthedarkwood]

Alien Shoto! Capturing your heart <3

Alien Shoto Todoroki x Reader!

This is a continuation of Alien Izuku x Reader AU! You can read that here here -> https://writinginthedarkwood.tumblr.com/post/188136408454/kinktober-alien-izuku-x-fem

This was requested by a follower of mine! They gave me an idea they liked and I ran with it. I’ll write for you toooo just ask <3

Warning: contains kidnapping. Also some freaky alien sex ~

It was all over the news. It started with the disappearance of one girl. She was a freshman in college, a quieter girl. Her mother said she had anxiety and insomnia, and frequented walking in the middle of night when she couldn’t sleep. “She wouldn’t just take off, something happened to her!” She cried on camera when she was interviewed. The police chalked it up to a random incident until about a month later. Every day girls between the ages of 13 and 25 disappeared in rural America. It was slow at first, farm towns in the middle of nowhere that didn’t usually have much trouble were panicking. The police were stumped. Thirty days after the first kidnapping, that girls face with a crown on it was burnt into a soybean field near her college. At first, the police thought it was a tribute to her by other students. The farmer who owned the field was frantic. He said a bright light burnt the picture into his field, killing his crops. The police brushed him off, but people were shaken up all over the country. On the 31st day after that first girls disappearance an entire girls school in Japan was abducted, seemingly out of thin air. Girls 13 to 18, all 300 of them were gone in one night. Their beds were still made like they were in their, nothing was disturbed. One girls teddy bear was gone with her, but mostly all of their things were left untouched. The Russian government reported the disappearance of teen girls went up by 36% in all of their major cities. The strange thing was, it didn’t matter their race, how much money they had or even where they were during the time of abduction. The only thing that connected the girls? None of them were married. The world news exploded, conspiracy theorists claimed it was the end of the world. People rioted in the streets, some families were hiding their daughters in bunkers. Some randomly married their daughters off to try and prevent them from getting taken.

My mom pulled me out of college. I traveled back home, my family lives in New York City. Mom boarded up the windows to our apartment while I watched the T.V. I picked at my nails, people were gearing up for war against the Government. NYC hasn’t been affected by the disappearances. People went missing at a normal crime rate for the most part, which has people thinking the the abductions had to do with some type of project, and the New York elite prevented the government from effecting the city. “This is just a precaution darling, nothing will happen to us here. “ She said as she hammered the wood onto the frames of the window. The news was running a piece on the newest conspiracy.

“This man here say’s that he watched his daughter and her two best friends disappear out of thin air.” The man said with a shaky voice. He was at a dairy farm in Wisconsin. The farmer grabbed the mic out of the reporters hand, his face stained with tears. “They were with me, and then they were gone! A bright light flashed and they were gone.” He stuttered as the reporter tried to take the mic back. He positioned himself in the center of the camera and raised his voice. “It was aliens! I saw the light! The government is ignoring the only answer to this crisis!” He started screaming and the camera cut back to the main station.

A loud crash came from outside the window. Mom and I turned to each other puzzled. “Was that a car crash?” I asked her. She shook her head, her face pale. “It was probably nothing.” She said. People started screaming in the street below us. “Stay right there. Don’t move I’m waking up your brother.” She said, her voice barely above a whisper. She rushed to the back of the apartment and banged on my brothers door. I ran to my room and looked out my window, people were running in a mob away from something. They abandoned their cars, screaming for help.

A mother pushing a baby in a stroller was panicking, a wheel of her child's stroller fell off of the curb and jammed into a sewer grate. She was trying to pull her infant out of his stroller, but people were shoving her. She froze and started crying. I threw my desk drawer open and grabbed my craft scissors. She’s just under my fire escape, I can pull them up here and to the safety of our apartment!

I shoved my window open and almost fell trying to get down the slick metal stairs. The ladder that would lead me to the ground jammed, I stomped it with my foot until it fell to the sidewalk. People scurrying out of the way. I shoved myself against the flow of the mob and looked in the stroller. The baby was red face and sobbing, probably scared to death. I cut the infant free and the mom gathered him in her arms, trying to thank me over a new deafening sound. Was that, marching?

Before I could tell the mom to climb the ladder, she took off running. What’s happening, was there a bomb? Is the army here?

The swarm of people started shoving me away from my apartment building. The wave of frantic humans wouldn’t allow me to push against them. My shoulder was shoved, I’ll have bruises all over my body if I make it out of here.I started to slip to my feet, I can’t move! A strong hand reached out and grabbed me, pulling me out of the crowd and onto the hood of a parked car. He wrapped both hands around my waist, saving my life.

He was breath taking. His face unlike any young man you’ve ever seen. He had a black military cap on, his entire uniform was black except for silver metals pinned to his shoulders. A solider? What branch of the military has all black uniforms? He had long hair that swept over his forehead. One side was bright red, and the other, stark white. He had a deep tissue red scar on the left side of his face. His eyes two very different colors. He shouted over the crowd. “I saw you save that woman back there.” I nodded my head yes, feeling shocked. “Why did you do that?” He asked, it was hard to hear him over all of the commotion. I looked over his shoulder, smoke rose over the city line, something had crashed in the middle of times square, what is that? He asked again, closer to my ear. “Why did you do that?”

Why? I don’t know why. Something came over me and I had to help her. “She was in danger, her and her baby could have been trampled.” I said close to his face so he could hear me. His face was stoic and I swallowed, he was studying me. “We need to get you to safety.” Was all he said, he stood me up and looked around, surveying his options of where to go. He helped me keep my balance, the running mob knocking into the car was making my legs wobble. He held me by my elbows, close to him. This isn’t the time to be thinking about how strong and handsome my savior is, but I can’t help myself. The sound of marching grew louder, and I saw what everyone was running from.

An invading army, men of every shape, color and size plowed through the streets in formation. They were breaking into every building and pulling women out into the streets. I gasped in horror. “What’s happening?” I screamed and the young man pulled me tighter into his arms. “Don’t worry I’m going to get you out of this shit hole.” He had a high tech watch on, he was messing with it in a language I didn’t recognize. I squinted my eyes, the apartment complex across the street from mine was being raided by the men. They wore all white uniforms, similar to my rescuer. A man pulled a woman out of the building, he had huge muscles and purple tinted skin. Are those scales painted on him? The woman didn’t fight him, in fact she looked kind of happy to be with him. She gripped onto his shoulder and before I could even finish blinking.

They were gone.

Aliens, the crazy people on the news were right. The object down the street that had crashed was shining silver in the broad daylight, it was a ship. The man who pulled me out of the street turned my body to face him. He put a hand under my chin and made me look him in the eye. “Hold on tight.” I nodded my head yes, hypnotized by his icy gaze.

“Y/N!!!” I heard a scream. I snapped my head away from him and looked up at my window. My mom was waving frantically, my brother half way down the fire escape coming to get me.

Before I could say a word, tingles ran through my whole body for just a second. Like a light current of electricity rippled over my skin and then dissipated before I could blink.

We were in an all white room, a lot of people were. It was noisy, people were chattering. I looked around. Some men in white uniforms had animal body parts, some were different colors of the rainbow. Some had extra limbs, and some looked completely normal but with brightly colored hair. They all had normal looking women with them, some girls were softly crying, and some were happy and holding onto the man that was with them. They started disappearing through sliding white doors. I realized I was still holding onto the man that saved me. I let go and took a step away from him. “What the hell is happening!” He took a deep breath and adjusted his cap. “I feel so much better getting off of that nasty planet, how do you even breathe all of that smog?” He said, ignoring me. I took another step away, bumping into a girl who was asking the same thing. Her escorting man was holding her hands and kissing them. “So you really are an alien?” She had her jaw hanging open, her tone shrill with surprise. “Yes but we’re going to be so happy together! You’ll start to feel it soon.” He said with a wide toothed smile. Before she could protest, a smile crept across her face too. “You’re so... you’re so sweet.” She said to him and he laughed and picked her up in his arms. She was terrified a minute ago, but after he kissed her knuckles she blushed and was okay with this?

With every couple that left this big white room, another would appear. I shot daggers at the two toned haired boy. “What are you.” I hissed through gritted teeth. He looked at me with a bit of confusion, but then straightened out his face. “You’ve probably gathered that I’m an alien.” He looked around the room, seeming a bit stressed. “Can you just come with me? It’s loud in here.” He stuck out his hand and I rejected it. “Start talking, why did you bring me here!” I shouted, my entire body was shaking with fear. “I want to give you all the answers, please just come with me.” I wanted to trust him, he spoke earnestly. I reluctantly followed him, but refused to touch him. He took me through a busy hall of couples, lot’s of them giggling and kissing. I saw a much younger boy, without a uniform holding hands with a scared human girl, she had to be only 13. They were talking to an older alien man who was smiling. “Isn’t she sweet Kai? You two get to be friends forever. No hurry though, you two need to grow up some!” The older man said as he ruffled the alien boys hair.

He pressed a code into a screen on the wall, a door that blended in with the wall opened and he invited me to step inside. The door shut behind us, and I realized I was in a small apartment type place. Most of the interior seemed normal, a wooden table. A microwave, a bed in the corner with white sheets. The technology on the appliances was all types of touch screen, but other than that it all looked vaguely familiar to a bigger dorm maybe. He sat at the table and I stood by the door. “Won’t you come sit with me?” He asked politely. I shuffled towards the table, sitting across from him. I eyed him carefully, he studied my face with a slight smile. “My name is Shoto.” He had his hands clasped in front of him on the table. “And you’re Y/N, right?” He asked. I nodded my head yes. “Do you believe in fate, Y/N?” He asked while staring right into my eyes.

“I’m not sure.” I said barely getting my voice out of my throat. “Well, fate is the best way to describe how we met, but it’s actually a little more scientific than that.” He gave me a small smile. “My species is very similar to yours, but we have one fatal design flaw that no amount of science can fix.” He started explaining. “Eons ago, before your planet even held homo-sapiens. My species almost died out. We evolved to produce several offspring at one time of conception, but our a mutation in our genes prevents our female offspring from living to maturity.” He messed with his fingers like he was nervous. “Our population numbers dwindled, but our amazing specialists on the matter discovered a solution.” He upturned his palm and held it out on the table, silently asking me to take it. I ignored it. A pained look crossed his face, but he retracted anyway, “We have the ability to mate with species similar to ours, and this helps the spread of much healthier genes. We’re in a constant cycle of finding a new planet, returning home, and then sending the next generation out to find another planet. The system works only if the planet we find has a species that meshes with ours.” He paused for a moment to check and see if I was following. I nodded my head, urging him to go on. “It can be very dangerous if it doesn’t work. We spend our whole lives studying the species, and we send our leader to find his mate first to make sure it works.”

The girl! That girl who disappeared a month ago!

“This is where fate ties in.” He looked like he wanted to reach for my hand again but resisted the urge. “This is my first reproductive cycle, I didn’t have the greatest role models growing up, I learned everything I know from school. So bare with me as I explain this...” A small blush sprinkled over his cheeks for just a moment. “We feel strong ties to the universe, it links us to who our partner at the right time and the right place. None of this is random, it’s all very calculated. I was supposed to find you today. That’s why I lead my squadron through your city.” He fidgeted for a moment. “When we mate we mate for life, our bond will never be broken.”

“You want to...” My face blushed wildly. “You want to mate with me?” I choked out. He nodded his head. “Of course. You’re the perfect female for me, you’ll look beautiful carrying my offspring.”

I felt faint, my head spun and everything hit me at once. “What’s wrong you look-” He panicked and stood so fast his chair hit the floor. He grabbed a bag out of the cabinet and threw it on the table. “I’m fine I just feel like I might pass out.” I leaned my head onto my arm on the table and closed my eyes. This table is so cool, I could just take a nap here. I felt a sharp prick in my arm, but I felt too weak to sit up. “Don’t worry Y/N I read about this in class.” He said softly with a hint of something frantic in his voice. I felt a jolt of energy and sat straight up. “What did you just inject me with?!” I looked at my arm in horror, he’d placed a needle and was filling me with something. “Just some organism essentials. Do you feel better?” He asked, his face riddled with concern. “I feel a lot better actually.” A light spot of blood was left where he pricked me. He dropped the needle in horror and pulled me out of my chair and slammed me on the table. “Hey!” I called out in protest. “You’re bleeding!” He yelled, studying my arm. “Humans can die from lack of blood!” He dug through his medical bag, tossing things onto the floor. I giggled, I can’t help but laugh. “It’s just a speck. You can just wipe it away and it’ll clot on it’s own.” I rolled my eyes and he stopped searching through the bag. “Oh.” He said plainly. He grabbed my arm and licked over the spot of blood, I tried to recoil but he held my arm firmly in place. His spit was extra sticky, like warm honey. He dragged his tongue slowly up and down my arm. His spit sunk into my skin and I felt a rush of emotion. I reached out and grabbed him in my arms. He was stunned at first, but then wrapped his arms around me back. He hugged me for a moment before pressing my back against the table. He planted a firm kiss on my lips and swirled his tongue around inside my mouth, I felt an extreme heat boil in my lower belly. I put both hands firmly on his shoulders and shoved, gasping for air. "What are you doing?" I said losing my breath. He cocked an eyebrow at me. "Is my saliva not working? My hormones should be coursing through you, releasing large amounts of oxytocin in your brain.” He grabbed my chin and tilted my face back and forth, looking deep in my eyes. “Your vitals seem normal...” He trailed off, feeling my pulse on my wrists. “Your spit is supposed to do something to me?” His touch alone was driving me crazy. My heart pounded against my chest, my lungs are tight and I can barely breathe. “Yes it should be signalling to your body that I’m ready to mate. Your ovaries should be excreting hormones preparing your va-” My face blushed wildly and I interrupted him. “I know how sex works!” I blurted out. “Are you trying to  brain wash me with that stuff?” I felt my arm where he had licked. Though it felt like gel before, my skin was completely dry in that spot now. “Don’t be ridiculous, of course not.” He spoke so seriously. “My chemistry causes a reaction with your chemistry better than any other potential partner. My instincts guided me to you, your pheromones are very potent to me.” He nuzzled his face in my neck, pressing me close to him with his hand on my lower back. He planted a kiss on my collar bone, he gently used his tongue to glide over the sensitive part of my skin. I shivered, goosebumps covering my whole body. He trailed wet kisses up my neck to my ear. “I can take good care of you, forever...” He whispered, his voice was growing raspy with anticipation. “You don’t need to be stubborn.” He pulled away from me and put two fingers in his mouth. He sucked on them for a moment, covering them in saliva. The sticky substance trailed from his lips and followed him to the waist band of my leggings. He placed the tips of his fingers on my entrance and moved up and down. My body betrayed my mind, I gushed onto his digits. I bit my lip, holding back a moan. He smirked and plunged his fingers into me. “Shoto...” I whined.

You don’t know this man! He invaded your planet and kidnapped you!

My rational thoughts started to fade as he swirled his fingers around. I was expecting some type of pain, his hands look so strong and callused. “Tell me how you feel...” He purred. His eyes were glazed over with want, his cool exterior melting away the more he touched me. “I- I feel good.” I mewled back, my arms shook while trying to hold myself up on the table. “Say you want to be my mate.” He commanded while pressing hard on my g-spot with his fingers. He softened his tone a bit sounding sweet. “Please Y/N... I can’t bring myself to hurt you.” He looked pained. I could see his want press hard against his pants. I melted at his sweetness. “I want to be your mate-” I said breathlessly. He ripped off his uniform jacket and threw it to the ground, the medals on the pocket clinging together as it hit the floor. I pulled my shirt off at the same time. He stopped holding me for only a few seconds but we grasped back onto each other like we were both touch starved. His lips crashed against mine, I clawed at his shoulder blades and he pulled my leggings of with a rip of the fabric. “Spread your legs.” He growled and I obeyed. My legs wrapped around his hips as he pulled his pants down and quickly stuffed himself inside of me. I took a sharp breath in and my body felt just the slightest bit of relief, finally getting what it wanted. He pounded his hips into mine, grabbing onto my back and neck for support. I held onto him as tight as I could, feeling like I couldn’t get close enough. He thrust into me with hard slow strokes. I moaned his name over and over again, feeling my body tighten with pressure. “I- I’m going to cum-!” I couldn’t help but scream. Shoto grabbed my hair at the nape of my neck and groaned a short, almost growl like sound in my ear. “Dammit-” He said under his breath, his body gearing up for his climax. I burst onto him, my body gushing all over his staff. I screamed his name and he quickened his pace, hitting me harder and faster. I started to cry out for more when he stopped and pulled me into a soft kiss, his body pulsing. “Did you finish?” I asked just before his cock changed shape, still inside my canal. I squealed as his eyes rolled back into his head and he panted. I felt a small orb leave his body and pulse into mine. A shiver ran up my spine. “What the hell!” I tried to move away from him and he firmly grabbed my ass, sliding me back to the edge of the table and holding me there. “Don’t panic.” He said with a heaving chest. Another object pulsed into me, and then another. My body suddenly squirted again, an explosive orgasm rocking my entire being. I gripped the edge of the table, unable to even make any noise. He kissed my lips tenderly and pulled out. “Oh my god...” I covered my mouth in shock at his member. It was silver with deep purple veins. It leaked a few shiny gooey drops of liquid before the opening closed, looking vaguely similar to human genitalia, but with no slit.

He quickly covered himself by pulling his pants back up, looking lightly embarrassed. “As one of the King’s generals I should have more composure.” He looked down at me, happy with how much of a mess I look. “But you’re so lovely, I just couldn’t wait any longer.” He helped me off of the table and guided me to his bed. “Come here Y/N. Let’s rest awhile before we go again.” He said devilishly as he tackled you onto the soft comforter.

Part 3~ https://writinginthedarkwood.tumblr.com/post/188289769294/alien-bakugo-x-reader-the-warrior

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[elisaphoenix13]

Pains Of Mortality

"Push harder Spaceman!"

"If I push any harder I'm going to break you and the couch!"

"Not if you do it at an angle!"

"Oh my god! Can you two go one day without having a conversation that sounds suggestible?!" Cassie complains from up in her room.

She had her door open while she did her homework and Diana drew in the sketchbook that Steve had gifted her. Cassie usually ignored her parents when they talked like that when she had her door open, but Diana was with her and who knew how much she actually understood. She was tempted to close her bedroom door, but she liked how much more open her room felt when it wasn't.

"What does suggestible mean?" The little girl asks and Cassie sighs.

"Umm...ask Mom okay?" The teen deflects and thankfully Diana nods. She at least understood that were some things she could ask Cassie, and some things that she should ask her parents.

"OW! Fuck me in the liver--" Quill swears and it's followed by laughter.

"What does that even mean?!" Scott cackles.

"Shut up or I'll spank you."

Cassie groans and gathers her things. "Come on Dia. Let's go up to your room."

Diana nods again and gathers her art supplies before climbing down off of Cassie's bed and following her pseudo sister down the stairs to the elevator. As they disappear onto the elevator, Quill pushes Scott out of the way and shoves the couch into place and looks at the younger man with a huff.

"There. Happy now?"

Scott smiles and wraps his arms around the celestial's neck. "Yes. Thank you." He gives Quill a quick peck on the lips and then moves away toward the kitchen. "Want a beer?"

Quill grins and follows him to the kitchen. "Nah. Think I'll have some juice."

"There's only one more left."

"Dibs!" The celestial yells as he runs to the fridge to get to it first.

He shouts triumphantly when he snags the last Capri sun out of the fridge and holds it out of Scott's reach when the younger jumps onto Quill's back. His husband was clearly taking a page out of Cassie's book, but he was unaware that jumping onto his back did absolutely nothing. Quill gave him an A for effort though.

"Give it to me Spaceman!"

"The juice or my--"

"THE JUICE YOU HORNDOG!"

Quill cackles. "Only if you give me another kiss."

"You're insufferable." Scott mumbles half-heartedly before kissing the god again. He snags the juice pouch while doing so and hops off of Quill's back with a happy grin, but before he can even take the straw off, the alarms blare and Scott pouts. "Later." He promises to the inanimate object.

Quill snorts as they go up to their room to gear up for what could only be an Avengers level threat. Every once in a while Quill wondered who or what Scott loved more. Him or juice. He even teased the younger man about it sometimes, and the usual response was Scott taking a sip of his juice while trying to give Quill an innocent look. At least an attempt at one. It always came across as impish or teasing.

When they were both ready, he and Scott walked over to the balcony where Scott shrunk down after grabbing the lapels of Quill's jacket. It ensured that Scott would stay on his shoulder when he was ant sized, and then the celestial would vault the railing and free fall for half a second...much to Scott's very vocal displeasure. It always made him a little motion sick whenever Quill pulled that stunt. There was some dramatic groaning in Quill's ear as he turned on the jets on his boots and flew properly to the battle scene, and he snickers.

"One of these days I'm going to puke." Scott grumbles.

"Well it's a good thing you didn't get a chance to drink your juice."

There was some more unintelligible grumbling from Scott through the comm before he hopped off Quill's shoulder and onto a flying ant. Riding on the god's shoulder was faster but once they got to the vicinity of the battle, Scott went off. It left Quill to find a dense group of minions that was ganging up on Natasha and landed in the middle of them with his godly strength, the shockwave knocking them over.

"You're late." She says as she reloads her guns and Quill scoffs.

"You're welcome. Anyway, I like wearing sweatpants instead of my battle clothes all day, every day like someone I know."

"You weren't even wearing sweatpants today." Natasha points out.

"That wasn't...whatever. See if I help your ass next time."

Quill shoots another minion coming up behind the assassin and she looks at him with an arched eyebrow, which the celestial rolls his eyes at. Ever since joining this psychotic family, it became second nature to protect them so he tended to do things his mouth was otherwise saying. Both Scott and Cassie called him a teddy bear for it and Quill figured he probably earned that. Nevertheless, the two fought side by side while Stephen took on the actual supervillain in charge of the minions. The small army was obviously just a distraction in the hopes that whoever had a stick up their ass could pick off the Avengers one by one, but most of the team had experience with dealing with that situation.

Which meant the supervillain had not done their research. There was the Chitauri invasion, Ultron, the whole war with the stones...one would think any potential bad guy would think twice. There always had to be someone out there who thought they had a better plan though, as annoying as it was. They fought anyway. The kids got civilians out of the way while the team dealt with the minions and Stephen went head on with the main guy. The villain was favoring some sort of electromagnetic field for defense and the sorcerer was trying to get him to put his guard down so Tony could fly in and disable it at the very least.

Everything was going fine until an hour into the fight, when the villain's voice boomed across the battlefield. "One more move and he's fried!"

Quill and Natasha turn their attention to him when even the small army stops their assault, and his heart drops to his stomach when he sees Scott in the villain's grasp. The douchebag was standing at the top of a building with his hand clamped around Scott's neck and holding the younger man over the side. Quill could see that his spouse was desperately trying to get his suit to work so he could shrink out of the man's grip, but it was probably fried by the magnet head. The anger came quickly when Scott was in noticeable pain even from the distance Quill was at because there was a guarantee that Scott's scars were flaring up.

"Quill...don't." Natasha warns and takes the risk of grabbing his arm to anchor him. He wasn't in the state to throw her off and Natasha was trying to keep it that way.

He also didn't want to be the reason Scott was hurt anymore.

Stephen had stopped his assault and Quill could hear him trying to hopefully talk down the villain, but the celestial couldn't hear what was being said. The conversation only lasted seconds but it felt like hours...and the unthinkable happened. The supervillain looked like he was going to release Scott safely but then he looked directly at Quill and sent jolts of electricity into Scott. The thief convulsed in his hand and when he was finished, he tossed Scott off and away from the building. The anguish was enough to push back his growing berserk state and Quill bolted forward to run to where Scott had landed. There were shouts from their teammates from the horror they witnessed and they attacked the villain and his minions with a vengeance as Quill ran over to Scott.

He found him halfway down the street and lying motionless against the wall of a ruined building. His helmet was still down and it had Quill's heart in his throat. Scott was not only electrocuted, but he was thrown from the top of a building without his helmet up.

The odds weren't looking good.

"Scott!" Quill chokes out as he closes the distance between himself and the injured man. He kneels in front of him and looks him over with misting eyes. "Baby?"

He wills his light into his hands and places one at the back of Scott's neck while placing the other over his heart. Panic and even more anguish filled Quill when he felt nothing underneath his hand. No heartbeat.

"No, no, no. Don't do this to me baby." The celestial pours his healing energy into Scott but when nothing happens he sobs. "I can't lose you too. Please."

He sat there, continuously trying to heal what the small logical part of his mind knew couldn't be mended. Scott was unresponsive.

He was dead.

Quill would no longer be able to look into honey-gold eyes and feel like he was falling into paradise. There would be no one to hold at night, to dance or sing with...he lost his best friend. His lover, his better half...his soulmate. The god felt like his heart was ripped from his chest and repeatedly stomped on before it was incinerated in front of him and it hurt. It was one loss too many and Quill couldn't stand it, he let the god in him take over after that with no regards to the consequences. His reason for living was murdered and the asshole was going to pay for it.

He saw red after that. He was only vaguely aware of the ethereal roar he let out before wailing on everything in sight. He didn't know whether it was friend or foe but he no longer cared. His heart was shattered and he couldn't cope anymore. There was screaming, shouting, and eventually someone tried to hold him down but he managed to throw them off the first few times. Whoever it was either got stronger or there was more than one person because the last thing Quill remembered was cool blue eyes and a simple, quietly spoken command.

"Sleep."

Then everything went dark.

=================

Stephen sighs tiredly as the door to the cryo chamber is closed and Tony presses the button to seal the god sleeping inside. The spell Stephen used to incapacitate the raging god took a lot out of him, and when they tried waking Quill again to see if it helped calm him, he only went on another rampage. There was a unanimous decision to put Quill under until they either found a way to calm the god or if the world was going to end. The celestial was the only one who could fix the galaxy.

So the protection of Quill's new resting place fell onto Stephen if they couldn't find a way to calm him. If Stephen passed, the responsibility would fall to the sorcerers at Kamar-Taj.

"I think Quill was the goal all along." Tony says quietly.

"I think so too." Stephen agrees just as quietly. "He had no sense of friendlies and non...he was going after everyone. That person knew he was a god, and knew his weakness."

Tony rubs his eyes. "We've lost Scott. I...I'm still wrapping my head around it. He was part of this family...and I'm still waiting for him to walk through the door to come smack Quill for being overprotective."

"What are we going to do about Cassie?" Stephen whispers.

"Give Maggie a call. We can tell Cassie she's welcome to stay, but if she wants to go back to her mom, she can do that too."

"We'll take care of Scott?"

Tony looks over at Stephen and pulls him into a tight hug after kissing his temple.

"We'll take care of Scott."

That was the end of it. Once Quill was successfully cryogenically frozen and showed no signs of waking and trying to break free, they left the room. Tony went to make preparations for Scott's funeral and Stephen went to the medbay to check on the team members that were injured in the process of trying to hold Quill. Steve, Bucky, and even Thor were a little banged up, and Natasha managed to get away with a few bruises.

To everyone's surprise, Cassie stayed at the tower. She may have lost her father, and she may have only been able to look at Quill through frosted glass, but the Avengers were her family too. She did visit her mom more often though.

Quill?

He remains frozen to this day.

[canid-slashclaw]

The Outliers - A Guild Wars Love Story

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9,  Chapters 10 and 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16 , Chapter 17, Chapter 18, Chapter 19, Chapter 20,  Chapter 21, Chapter 22

Chapter 23

"Out late again, huh?" She said in a sassy tone.

"Up late again, huh! Shouldn't you be in bed already?"

"Were you out with that charr girlfriend again? Getting some of that, rawwrrrr?"

Kaleb lost it.

“SHUT UP RACHEL! I'm sick of your nonsense!"

She screamed back. "Well it's true! You have been seeing her, haven't you?"

"It's none of your damned business who I see!"

The commotion woke up their youngest sibling, Katie. Within a few moments, she ambled down the stairs carrying her stuffed teddy bear as she looked at her big brother with a sleepy set of eyes.

"Why are you yelling?"

Kaleb ran to her and picked her up. "Sorry sweetie. Your big sister and I were just having a little discussion. Rachel - put her to bed, please."

"Why me? You were the one who woke her up by yelling at the top of your lungs," Rachel retorted.

"DO AS I SAY!" Kaleb erupted.

Forgetting that he was holding his little sister close to his mouth, the force of his shout hurt Katie's ears to the point she started bawling. The noise had finally drawn the attention of Mother Shirley who had come to investigate what all the hoopla was about.

"What in Dwayna's name is going on here??" Mother Grimwald said tersely as she strode over to comfort a wailing Katie.

"Sorry, mom. It's just Rachel being a little mouthy brat, that's all," Kaleb commented while trying to console his bawling little sister.

"At least I'm not getting pussy...cat late at night with a charr!" Rachel shot back.

Kaleb was now flushed with rage. "Don't you know when to cut it??"

Shirley looked her son in the eyes as the nature of her facial expression began to change. "Rachel - take Katie to her room right this instant! Son - that look on your face... I've seen it before."

"What are you talking about, mom?"

"He's in love with that charr. The two of them have been doing it with each other. I have proof," Rachel said as she carried Katie up to her room.

"What are Kal and the charr doing with each other?" Katie asked innocently.

"Nevermind sis. When you get older, you'll understand," her older sister said as she opened the door to her younger sister's room.

"Kaleb! Is it... is it, true? Have you actually been...?" His mother was at a loss for words.

"Mom. Rachel is trying to embarrass me, that's all."

His mother's look suddenly changed from shock to an expression of sadness mixed with rage. "No. Nooo. By Lyssa's mercy, it can't be!!"

Shirley began to bawl openly as she pointed towards her son. Within moments, the elder Grimwald, Daniel, stepped in from the back kitchen door while hobbling along using a crutch. As soon as she saw her husband, she walked over towards him, nestled her head into his chest crying then pointed towards Kaleb.

"Our son has been having relations with that female charr! I know that look on his face anywhere. It's the look of a forlorn lover, that's what it is!" His mother's bawling became even more intense.

"What's this all about? Shirley, what in the Sixs' name is going on?" Daniel said as he tried comforting his distraught wife.

"He is in love with that charr whose life he saved, that's what. Ever wonder why he packed so much meat during his picnics?"

Moments later, Rachel came down the stairs carrying a large book with a tan parchment piece of paper inserted between the pages.

"He has been screwing that charr too. Here - I have proof!"

His sister ran to the dining room table then laid out the book. She opened it to the pages displaying the explicit illustrations of charr engaged in mating positions. She also placed the letter on the table that Amalthia had written to Kaleb as well.

Both of Kaleb's parents saw the illustrations as Rachel stood back with a wide, sinister grin on her face.

"Son. Is this true?" The elder Grimwald asked with a voice of shock.

"What are you talking about?" Kaleb responded.

"Did you have carnal relations with a charr?" His mother asked pointedly. "Rachel - go to your room NOW young lady. I will discuss the nature of your possession of such a filthy book at a later time. For now, just go!"

The middle child ran back to her room but not before giving Kaleb a razzing before departing.

"Answer you mother's question, son. Did you have unholy relations?" His father asked in an even tone.

Kaleb stood his ground. "Father, there is nothing about our relationship that is unholy. She and I have been together for awhile."

"Answer the damn question, son... did you have this kind of relationship with her?" His father said as he pointed towards the graphic illustrations.

"What business is it of yours if I did?" His son spat.

His mother summoned the courage to read the love letter. When she did her expression turned to sheer horror. Father Grimwald read it as well. When he did, his face darkened with anger.

"So it's true... you are in love with this charr."

Mother Grimwald became unhinged as she ran over, grabbed the objectionable book and began tearing the pages to shreds. As she shredded the material, she began reciting every scriptural verse she was able to recall.

"This evil is to never defile our blessed house again! Such immoral filth has corrupted your soul, son. May Grenth have mercy on your misguided deeds," she said as she frantically began gathering up the hewn remnants of the book.

"Well, Grenth can just stick it where the sun don't shine! Same goes for the other Five. And yes, I am in love with Amalthia. She has a name in case you didn't comprehend that. Oh, and hail Abaddon!" Kaleb snarked as he gave a mocking ceremonial bow to a god he did not believe in.

His father had reached his breaking point. "Son. You do not blaspheme the Six and you certainly do not praise the Fallen One. What's happened to you?"

"I fell in love, dad. With someone I truly care about and who truly cares about me. Is that so hard to understand?"

"Patricia cares about you, about us, about this family!" His father shot back.

"She only cares about this land, father. You more than anyone knows this to be true."

"Why, son. Whyyy??" Shirley started to bawl again.

"So you leave a perfectly beautiful girl with a prosperous loving family to be with, to be with an animal?"

Kaleb's rage had tipped the boiling point as well. "If you weren't my dad, I would deck you for calling Amalthia that. Grow a godsdamn backbone for a change, father! You only approve of Trish because Mom is so desperate for a Grimwald to pop out some grandkids. She doesn't have any clue how much Trish's father, Milton, has been coveting this land and for how long."

"That's it, son! You've talked back to me, insulted your mother, blasphemed the Six and committed unholy relations with a beast. You Kaleb Grimwald, are no longer welcome to stay under this abode!" His father shouted in a raging tone that Kaleb had never heard before.

"So you're kicking me out onto the streets? Who’s going to run your business?"

"My brother, Bill, and his son will offer a hand. Either way, I'll manage. I just want you out of this house within the hour. Otherwise I will call the authorities," Daniel said as he gave his son a harsh glare. Kaleb sunk to the floor as a torrent of tears fell from his dark brown eyes. Everything that he ever knew and loved was collapsing all around him at once.

It took a little over an hour for Kaleb to pack his belongings. When he was finished, he wandered with only a backpack over his shoulders and his trusty weapons by his side. As he was heading down, Katie opened the door from her room then ran down the stairs to hug him.

"You have a nappie pack on. Where are you going?"

Kaleb knelt down and hugged her. "It's okay, sweetheart. Big brother has to go away for a while. Remember, no matter what happens, your big brother will always love ya."

"How long will you be gone?" His little sister asked.

"I wish I knew, Katie," Kaleb said as he leaned past her and looked at his father's stern expression.

I wish I knew.

He departed the one place he had called home his entire life. Once a promising son who was slated to take over the wagon making business, was now unemployed, destitute and - for the first time in his life - without a place to call home.

Kaleb knew the only place that was like a home away from home for him was the Jotun's Corpse tavern. Perhaps Ulfgar would offer him a place to stay. He had the skills to become a freelance bounty hunter along with plenty of local connections, so finding a way of earning income wouldn't be a problem. At least he wanted to believe that, anyways.

When he arrived at the tavern, it was already past one in the morning. By this time, the establishment would normally be closed. However, on this night, he found that the gaslights were still illuminated. As he reached for the door handle, he noticed a hand-written note that was stuck to the front window.

Kaleb:

A special someone has been waiting here for you for quite some time. Feel free to come in.

~Ulf

The bar was empty save for the massive norn who was wiping down the mahogany top. Kaleb walked forward and Ulfgar waved for him to sit down.

"Took you long enough to get here. What's with the long face, boy?"

Kaleb looked down somberly. "Long story. I got your note on the door. Who's this 'special' someone?"

The old norn looked at him, smiled then waved his hand as if gesturing for an unseen someone to come on over. "Who could be, eh? A mighty fine lass, she is."

"Kaleb?" Came the voice from behind the young man.

He recognized it immediately.

"Amalthia??"

When he turned around to look, he saw her standing there, head bowed, her somber amber eyes looking straight at him. As she approached, her facial expression changed to a much more joyous one as she opened her arms wide.

"Kaleb! Get over here, you!" The two lovers embraced and Kaleb's heart was filled with a measure of happiness once more.

"I can't believe you waited all this time hoping that I'd be here. Not that I'm complaining, mind you," he said to her as they held hands.

Amalthia's ears twitched while squeezing his hand hard. "I would have slept in the pouring rain next to a mucking stall if it meant you would eventually be there. Kaleb, there's so much I have to tell you..."

"It's okay, Ama. I'm in the same boat too."

Ulfgar smiled at both of them then offered each a stein of mead. "Yer two outliers if I ever saw 'em. These are on the house. Now tell your good friend Ulf what happened, lad."

Amalthia looked at him and was curious as well. "At the risk of sounding like a drunken parrot, what did happen?"

Kaleb lowered his head as he stared into his mug. "My parents found out about our relationship - no thanks to my backstabbing little twit-of-a sister. Anyway, I got into a heated argument with my folks and wound up getting kicked outta the house."

"Oh no!" Amalthia said as she tried to console him.

"That's terrible news, lad." Ulfgar shook his head.

"So now, I have no place to go."

"Lad. You'll always have a place here when things get tough. So long as you can earn yer keep, there's a room upstairs waitin' for ya. Both of ya, in fact"

"Ulfgar, that is too kind of you. Thank you!" She said as she reached over to give the old norn a hug.

"It's never a problem helping friends. Your sire and I go way back and the least I could do is help his only cub. Besides, I would very much like to get to know you better as you won over one of the best humans I've ever had the honor of serving drinks to."

"Thank you, Ulf. It means a lot. Kaleb - I wanted to tell you that my sire, um... father holds no ill feelings towards you. What he did was just an act to convince mother we were no good to her anymore. From now on, she should no longer pose a threat to you or anyone. For all intents and purposes, she's out of our lives for good," Amalthia explained.

"Thank you, Ulfgar." Kaleb, then, looked at Amalthia and said. "None taken. I probably would have done the same thing had I been in his paw pads. You are lucky to have a father who protects you the way he does."

Kaleb gazed into her amber eyes then kissed her on the forehead. Amalthia's ears twitched in gratitude.

"I'm assuming you are no longer working for your family anymore. If that's the case then how do you plan on making an income?" She asked.

A sudden flash of inspiration came into Kaleb's mind. "Amalthia. How about you and I go into the business of freelance bounty hunting together? We worked really well as a team before and with your skills and mine paired together, we could make a killing! Quite literally, I might add too."

She thought about it for a moment before smiling and nodding to him in agreement. "Funny thing. I was thinking along similar lines as well. But what shall we call our little enterprise?"

Ulfgar chimed in. "Um. Outliers sounds like a fitting name if ya ask me."

Both Kaleb and Amalthia looked at each other and smiled widely.

"Outliers!"

"You are an inspiration, old friend!" Kaleb said as he clapped the norn on the shoulder.

Amalthia had a flash of insight of her own as well. "We need a theme to go with our brand. Hey! I could talk to Ariyana. She does all kinds of custom outfits. I think I could talk her into designing us some."

"Good call. But we are going to need a catchy logo of some sort. Oie! My brain is exhausted from all of the excitement," Kaleb said as he tried to think of some interesting concepts.

"There's been plenty of excitement for both of us, Kal. Ulf - I'm still employed by my sire so I've got plenty of coin if you need a down payment for rent," Amalthia said as she pulled a leather coin purse from her pocket.

"Thank you, lass. But you and Kaleb have to get your house in order first. I'll quote you a very fair price once the two of you get things squared. Now get some rest, both you pups. Tomorrow is a brighter day."

Ulfgar showed Kaleb and Amalthia the upstairs room that was available. Once they were settled into their new surroundings, the pair mutually decided that donning garments of any kind was far too burdensome. Thus, they stripped down until both were lying on the large bed, completely bereft of clothing.

Amalthia nestled her head against Kaleb's chest as she purred in contentment. "My lower horns aren't hurting you, are they?"

"Nah. You're fine, honey," he said as he began stroking her long, golden mane.

"I'm just glad to be here with you." Her voice became a soft purr as she pushed her muzzle into the crook of his neck.

Resting his hand between her larger upper horns and stroking her lovely mane, something dawned on him.

"You know what?"

"What?"

"This will be our first night in bed together. I sure hope you have some birth control," Kaleb said in a tongue-in-cheek tone.

"Oh shut your hole, you! We are birth control together. Besides, it's not like my plumbing works down there anyway," Amalthia said as Kaleb rolled on top of her.

"Crap! I forgot about that. I'm so sorry."

She just smiled then slid her raspy tongue down his mouth for a moment before withdrawing. "I'm not. Now stop talking and make love to me, you big not-so-hairy beast!"

That night two souls from two different worlds shared their love together, for the first time, under the same roof.

(All chapters have been posted to AO3. Chapter 23 is posted here.)

[objectsdeconstructed]

Tales Of War: “104.”

TRIGGER WARNING: Object War Violence, Object Body Horror, Object Death, Regeneration Horror.

Reading of this particular story is optional.

_____________________________________________

104.

Lawrence awoke with a start. He panicked as he felt his own face, body, and limbs, confusion setting in as he realized that they were, in fact, still there. The panic diminished when he finally remembered what exactly had happened to him. He realized that he was getting sick of this.

He was sitting on what seemed to be a slightly modified hospital bed, in a strangely quiet barrack building, wearing a loose undershirt, and a pair of boxers. Confused and agitated voices whispered all around him, from all the other objects in the room. Most of the inhabitants in the room were unconscious, smouldering, while being treated by field nurses and doctors. To his left, a worn-out looking pair of stethoscope was cauterizing a very large wound on an unconscious glass jar’s body - melting the glass and sealing it shut again. Lawrence watched on, slightly repulsed - yet intrigued, by the process. Rubbing his temples as he turned away, he heard a voice.

“Rough go, Larry?”

Lawrence turned his thin, wooden body to stare at the piece of coal to his right. They were part of the same squad, and they’d been through this way too many times to care anymore.

“Yeah, Joe. Just like last time, and the time before that.”

“God, I don’t think I’m ever getting used to this.” Joe chuckled, examining his limbs: Larry could see large patches of what appeared to be some kind of adhesive binding his arms and legs together. A familiar sight nowadays. “I mean, I know the tingling wears off, but still, it feels kinda…”

Joe closed his left hand. Bits of coal falls off his body. Then, eventually his fist, then his arm, then, his entire shoulder.

“Oh, dear.” Lawrence said.

“Numb, I guess.”, Joe finished, rather lamely. “Uh, doc? My left arm’s out again.”

The stethoscope fixing up the glass jar stopped, and turned back, slightly annoyed. “Mr. Coalman, you’ve been advised to not move around so much after the procedure. Respectfully, I cannot attend to you right now.”

“Yeah, thanks, ma'am.” Joe winked at the stethoscope, who simply groaned and went back to her job. “Wouldn’t wanna waste ya’ time.”

Lawrence looked down at his hands, noticing the same adhesive stains on Joe. Being slightly weirded out at the sight: His body looked like a teddy bear, with adhesive stains lining parts of him, newer, more distinct stains, below which older, faded stains could be seen.

He stared mesmerized at his own wooden flesh, and felt himself being lost in the stains, pondering the implications of his actions.

An official looking stopwatch came into the room, and clapped his hands: “Listen up! It’s time you useless God-forsaken shit-stains get to work, again!”

Several objects in the room groaned. Lawrence snapped out of his trance. The room had become a bit livelier now - most of the objects were up already. The glass jar fella next to him was the last to regain consciousness. At once, everyone stood up, walked to the entrance of the barrack, large clotheslines were lined the entrance hall. Lawrence and others put on their heavily stained uniforms, riddled helmets, and loaded up worn out guns. Nothing out of the ordinary for an army barrack.

What WAS exclusive to this particular barrack was the appearance of a group of heavily armed, heavily armored objects, standing lined up beside the entrance door. After Lawrence got dressed, one of these objects slipped a ring on him - a tiny machine that he was supposed to wear at all time on the field.

They had gotten used to the routine. Lawrence, his squad, and everyone else in base save the nurses, doctors, and the stopwatch marched out of the barrack and into the dark.

Lawrence’s base had been located deep inside a cave entrance. By now, he had gotten so used to the dark here that he had no trouble navigating the layout at all, save for a few occasional bumps from his peers. Seeing the lights at the end of the tunnel, he sped up, and charged out of the cave.

The sunlight blinded him momentarily. Joe emerged moments from him, panting heavily, arm fixed with some more of the adhesive. Lawrence’s eyes adjusted, and he launched himself, once again, into war. He had plotted everything out - he had an extremely efficient route to get to.

He and Joe rushed down a path, marked by bullets and spent rounds, gunfire, explosions, and screams all around them. Lawrence was half-way to his usual look-out area when a shot rang out.

Lawrence and Joe looked up to see a terrified young paddle-ball racquet standing above them on a sand dune, aiming right down at them.

“No! NO! HOW!? WHY ARE YOU-”

A shot rang out, Lawrence looked to his right, and saw Joe holding a smoking pistol, frantically reloading it after, it seems, he expended its last bullet. Lawrence looked back up, the paddle-ball racquet wasn’t up on the dune anymore, Lawrence saw his shattered corpse tumbling down the sand dune, landing at their feet. The paddle-ball racquet, now that he had a closer look, looked barely older than his own kid by a year or two.

Joe poked at the paddle-ball racquet’s ruined face, making it cave in even more. The paddle-ball had that fearful expression frozen on it’s face. Joe then raised his foot and stomped the paddle-ball racquet’s face in, crushing his face into smaller shards, his empty eyes gazing back at space from a mess of cracked plastic.

“How’s this, you piece of shit? That’ll teach you not to kill a man tw-”

Lawrence was staring at Joe. Joe must’ve seen Lawrence’s appalled and disgusted face, as he simply looked back down darkly, and whispered, quite redundantly: “Just makin’ sure if he’s dead.”

Lawrence continued on the path, Joe by his side. He was making jokes like nothing had happened. The situation seemed too familiar and Lawrence was zoning out again, and he was distracted.

Joe started calling out from behind him - It seems that Lawrence was walking too fast, and was attracting a bit too much attention from enemy units. But Lawrence wasn’t listening. He was thinking. Reminiscing.

A gust of wind shot past Lawrence, and then did he look back. When he did, he was nearly blinded by the pressure and light from an explosion, occurring exactly where Joe had been just seconds earlier. The pressure knocked Lawrence on his back, and as he got up, he saw bits and pieces of Joe, burning up in the wind. Eyes popped out of his crumbling sockets, arms and legs twitching, still. His mouth was 3 feet away from his torso, frozen in a silent scream.

Lawrence dived behind a nearby rock, and pointed his guns at the air. Sirens blaring in his mind. Shadows crept behind the dunes. Lawrence found a clear shot, and was about to take it, when he went blind in one eye.

He stumbled forward, collapsing, feeling the hole in his face. A round had taken most of the left side. The world begins to fade. The pain hasn’t yet, due to the shock he was experiencing. His other eye registered something moving behind him.

Lawrence wished he was unconscious for what would undoubtedly came next, yet his mind was still miraculously hanging on. Unnaturally, even. For he was not dead. Even though he’d like to be.

Into his view came a paddle-ball racquet, slightly older and bigger than the one that Joe had killed. His eyes never betrayed any emotions. The paddle-ball racquet retrieved a can of something from his back pack, and poured it all over Lawrence.

“Oh, great”, Lawrence thought. “He’s pouring piss on me. For something Joe did.”

But then the paddle-ball racquet retrieved a thin stick, and Lawrence started to panic.

It wasn’t piss at all. As Lawrence registered the smell of the fluid on him, he realized it was something much worse.

Lighter fluid.

Lawrence screamed as the racquet tossed the lit match onto him.

Lawrence screamed as he felt his body erupt into flames and burn.

Lawrence screamed as he felt his remaining eye liquefy into goo.

Lawrence only stopped screaming when his vocal cords were reduced to dust.

But Lawrence didn’t die. He was still holding on. He outlasted the flames.

Lawrence had wished the flames went on a little longer, long enough to burn up something vital.

He lied there: Blind. In pain. Yet he could still hear noises. He tried to crawl to them, but his strength gave out.

He heard the racquet coming near him, before suddenly stopping.

Shouting.

He heard more bullets. He heard something falling on to the sand. A soft thud.

Voices. Some familiar, some not.

He could make out what they were saying.

“I found Lawrence Plankpine. He’s a mess.”

“He dead, or what?”

“No, but he’s nearly there. Looks like he got burned. Should we-”

“-What?”

“Should we kill him, now?”

“Yes.” Lawrence thought. “Please. Do it. It hurts. So badly.”

“No. Keep him alive. It’s easier that way.”

Lawrence screamed out protests in his head.

Lawrence felt himself being lifted up by hard, cold metal hands, and placed on rough, itchy wool stretchers.

He felt himself carried over bumpy hills and sand. He felt the harsh sunlight disappear as his skin felt the familiar coolness of the cave.

He felt himself placed on a medical table.

“My God. Did you kill him yet?”

“No. But, he’s going to-”

“Good. The process is much easier if we kill him right on the operating table. Time messes with this kinda stuff. Too many variables.”

Lawrence felt pins digging into body. It was agonizing.

“Restrain him, we really don’t need to deal with his squirming.”

“He’s in terrible pain. Doctor, I truly recommend anesthetic.”

“No anesthetic. Those don’t grow on trees.”

“Of course. God dammit. Of course there’s no anesthetic. There’s never any anesthetic.” Lawrence thought.

“How about a quicker death?”

“Almost done. Just-”

Lawrence tried to scream as the pins pump him full of viscous, burning fluids.

“-a little longer-”

Lawrence tried to scream as he felt every single cell in his body breaking down.

“-Now.”

An electric jolt shocked through his body, obliterating most of his brain in the process, and Lawrence was no more.

_____________________________________________

105.

Lawrence awoke with a start.

[lothirielswanmarvel]

Little Lab of Horrors (Science Bros Edition)

It was a normal day at Avengers Compound. Sam Wilson's bird ringtone was chirping. The War Machine was soaring through the cloudless sky overhead. Scott Lang was somewhere having a picnic with ants. It was almost poetic.

But it only lasted five minutes.

"OH MY GOD! THE TURTLE'S IN THE MICROWAVE!"

I was in the process of reading The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy right next to Vision, who was trying to catch up with the times and was watching Disney's Tangled. Steve, being a pre-serum Disney nerd, had joined us, and stood straight up after hearing Bruce scream bloody murder.

All of us looked up towards the stairs, where Tony's new lab of weird smells and doom loomed. The gamma scientist rushed down the stairs, his curls bouncing as something squirmed in his hands. A billionaire playboy philanthropist and an Asgardian teddy bear followed.

"Stay with us, Bromine! Stay with us!" Bruce chanted, stroking the clammy thing in his hands. As he stormed by, I caught sight of the limp turtle in his arms. And I also caught a whiff of the horrid stench of burning turtle.

"THOR IF YOU KILLED OUR MASCOT/BABY I WILL BURN ALL THE POP-TARTS!" Tony shrieked as he barreled after Bruce, and the two made a beeline for the kitchen.

"Spatula!"

"Here!"

Steve and I exchanged a look. We didn't really want to know, but for the sake of surviving the next health inspection, it was worth a glance. We used Vision as a close enough-human/synthezoid shield as we neared the chaos.

"Tony? Do I want to know?" Steve asked, peeping over Vision's lean shoulders clad in a Star Wars sweater.

I gave up my safety post behind Vision, and went up to Thor whose head was hung low. I peered through his golden curtain of hair to meet his eyes. "Is everything okay?"

"Forgive me, Y/N." Thor sighed. "You know I would not go near the murder-room at all costs, but this was an emergency."

"...Scott ate all the food when he was huge, didn't he?"

"He is a fiend...and yes." Thor pouted. "I saw something already in the Wave of Micros, so I pressed cook...perhaps I should have checked what was in it, first."

"Bromine likes the Microwave! It still smells like Nutella when we mixed it with Mentos and blew the top off." Bruce replied, his fingers working quick along the shell of their adopted turtle.

I remembered this experiment in particular, and scowled. "Bruce, not to be mean, but you create monstrosities in there."

"Compared to Tony birthing numerous STD's, I think I'm clean." Bruce remarked, waving tendrils of steam away from the now non-animated turtle. "Come on, Bro-Bro...talk to us!"

I embraced Thor around his torso (it was the highest I could reach) and said, "Don't worry about it. It was an accident, Thorreo."

Thor nodded his head, and his massive arms came around me. "I know."

"Seriously, don't sweat it. We'll blame Scott."

"...You are a wonderful person, Y/N."

"Starting compressions!" Bruce turned over the still unmoving Science Bros mascot and pressed lightly on his chest. Tony started biting his nails.

"How do you perform compressions on a turtle?" Steve wondered.

"Even I do not know, Captain." Vis replied.

Bruce panted as he hovered over Bromine. "I think he's gone." He whispered.

Tony gaped at him. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Out of the corner of my eye, Clint entered the fray, and snuck around the kitchen counter/hospital bed for turtles as he went straight for the coffee pot.

"Barton!"

We were all staring at him. Tony had a weird glint in his eyes.

"Bromine likes caffeine."

Vision stared down at the house pet. "I do not believe it is sanitary to give animals that substance, Mr. Stark."

"Since when are they sanitary?" Steve remarked.

"It's the only thing we got." Tony started towards the coffee pot, but Clint took up a defensive position.

"No. I need this to live."

"It will save lives, Barton!"

"I save lives!"

"You killed, like, twelve aliens when New York was invaded!"

"Yeah. You're welcome."

"Clint." I flinched as I heard Bruce growl, and when I glanced over at him, his skin was close to the same shade as Bromine's. "Coffee. Now."

I could see the resistance in Clint's eyes, but knowing that Bruce could easily blow up his pillow in the night, he stepped aside. Tony lunged for the coffee and leaned over Bromine.

"It's hot, but that was his favorite," Tony uttered. Bruce nodded, and opened the poor turtle's tiny mouth.

Oh my god. They're actually going to do this.

"Wait!" I stepped in between them. "Isn't this going a little too far?"

"We're past far, Y/N/N!" Bruce declared. "We're in the end game, here! Tony, take the plunge!"

Thor wrapped a comforting arm around my shoulders as Tony positioned the coffee pot over Bromine. A few black drops poured out.

We waited.

Even Clint was touched by the solemn anticipation, and huddled around the kitchen island with us. I was really rooting for the tortured turtle. It was the only living organism that survived the vile habitat of Tony's lab. I was actually surprised he had lived so long.

Our eyes widened as his tiny feet started to wiggle.

"Bromine Scienceson lives!" Thor shouted defiantly. Relief washed over us in waves–if Bromine hadn't made it, that would've been one temper tantrum from the Science Bros. And we all liked Bromine–even if he somehow always found a way into every room and spied on us.

The crowd dispersed, but there was enough shouting to coax Natasha and Bucky Barnes from their rooms. Clint was making a brand new pot of coffee, and Thor's Pop-Tarts were safe. The normal day continued, as sedentary as it could be. 

[cchellacat]

Frustration (Part 3 of It’s Not A Cuddle)

Love All The Marvel Ships Challenge 

Day Ten ~ Making Out

A continuation of It’s Not a Hug and Vacation.

Three times Bucky and Darcy nearly Made Out and the One Time They Finally Did.

 After she arranged for Sam to be dropped in the vat of slime Bucky finally gave in to his need to admit that he liked Darcy Lewis.  Who was he kidding, he was already in love with her.  

He’d tried denying it for months, but the truth was that as soon as he saw her standing there in the kitchen the day after he arrived in the Tower with flour on her face and her hair piled up on her head with an apron tied under her bust he’d been gone on her like some hormone driven teenage boy noticing a girl for the first time.  When she’d smiled at him with her bee stung lips and great big china blue eyes and offered him a cup cake, he’d pretty much just lost the ability to speak, instead he’d stepped forward and picked her up and ran.  Steve had found them three hours later, Bucky curled up with his head in her lap, arms wrapped round her middle while she ran her fingers through his hair.  After that he’d followed her around from sun up to sun down whenever he could escape from Steve and his mother henning tendencies. The more time he spent with Darcy, the more he got to know her, the deeper he fell.

Darcy was kind and funny. She always knew everything that went on in the Tower at any time.  She was always the first to dive in and help in any situation.  She sassed anyone that tried to give her shit and the way she and Stark smack talked each other had even Steve cracking a smile.  The Soldier in the back of his brain made heart eyes every time they thought about her.  Bucky’s pretty sure the Soldier imprinted on her like a baby duckling, for the Soldier she’s a combination of handler and divine being, for Bucky she’s the embodiment of all the dreams he’s had before the war.

She was a force of nature and for near everyone that lived there she was the heart and soul of the team.

The first time he found himself holding the sweet dame in his arms was at 3am on a Friday morning. He woke to find himself standing in the gym, his whole body wrapped around Darcy like a vice.  He could tell from the tightness of his arms that they’d been standing there like that for a while.  When he let go of her, horror on his face, she had just smiled up at him, kissed his cheek and told him she didn’t mind playing teddy bear any time he needed before walking outta the gym and heading back to her room.  The memories he’s managed to prod the Soldier into sharing were of him wandering the corridors after a nightmare and bumping into Darcy outside the gym.  She’s taken his hand led him inside and asked what he needed.  The Soldier had taken over and gathered her into his arms and cried. Initially Bucky had felt embarrassed, but Darcy’s only response to this had been to coo and pet him and tell him he was safe, that everything was okay now and she’d take care of him.  

After that, anytime he felt like he was about to slip and he was near enough to Darcy he just hugged her close and told her it wasn’t a cuddle.  She just held him back and agreed without any fuss or making him feel stupid.  

Sam said Darcy grounded him, kept him in the real world because he saw her as something more real and alive than anything else.  She was the opposite of all the terrible things he had done and been put through. Then he preceded to tease the crap out of him for it.  That had been the wrong move on Sam’s part, cause Darcy heard about it and quickly planned her revenge.  She didn’t like people pickin’ in him for any reason.  It made him feel sorta warm and fuzzy on the inside that she would go to the trouble of making Sam suffer just for teasing him.

This was reason two that he loved Darcy Lewis, if she took someone under her protection, she would go to the ends of the earth for them.  Move mountains, create miracles, all to keep those she loved safe.  Fiercely protective and loyal as she was, he couldn’t fathom why Steve didn’t seem to like her very much.  Then the Soldier reminded him that Steve was lonely and sad and if the stuff the therapists rambled on about meant anything then they could figure the poor guy was experiencing attachment and abandonment issues.  This made Bucky feel a little guilty and he tried harder to give Steve some slack.  The guy had saved him after all, had come after him at great cost to himself to help Bucky, he owed him.  Even if he didn’t remember everything from before Hydra had him, he knew Steve had been a good friend, why else would he lay so much on the line to save his ass? Besides, Darcy didn’t seem to pay too much attention to Steve’s odd behaviour and was incredibly patient with him all things considered.  She even kept her revenge pranking to a minimum on Steve, only mildly inconveniencing him if he pissed her off.

This led to the third reason he loved her, she was one sneaky, conniving, smart ass with the most twisted sense of humour and justice he had ever encountered.  If she wanted to get even with someone, they’d never see it coming, but when it did it hit full force and was guaranteed to cause maximum embarrassment for the victim to the same level and greater than the transgression she felt they had made.  No one messed with her and survived the experience with their dignity intact.

The first time he tried to kiss her had been after she made him cherry pie and they had watched Sam’s decent onto the bowels of the building and straight into a tank of bright red slime. They’d been sitting cuddled up on the couch talking, Darcy still in his lap, her tiny hands tracing patterns over his jumper while they flirted lightly with each other.  

There had been a moment right there where he’d seen the perfect opening, her staring up into his eyes, the emotion had changed from playful to serious, the air around them electric.  He’d been about three inches from bringing his lips to hers when Steve had walked in and ruined the moment.  After Darcy had reluctantly swept off to feed Jane, Steve had tried in his own strangely mangled way to tell Bucky why he couldn’t get involved with Darcy.  Bucky had stomped off to his room to change then spent the next seven hours murdering punching bags in the gym, the Soldier muttering death threats at Steve in six languages before reaching through and sending their fist straight through the punching bad.

The second time he manged to get her alone they were on the balcony while Tony and Pepper hosted a party in the penthouse.  She’d been dolled up in a classy little number with a sweetheart neckline, her hair half up on one side and the rest curling over the opposite shoulder.  Her dress had been red, and her lipstick had matched. He’d spent the whole night staring at her mouth and thinking about what she’d taste like if he managed to kiss her. The Soldier had had slightly different thoughts, that Bucky thinks as a gentleman, he shouldn’t have agreed with.

He’d followed her out to the balcony just as the band struck up a slow number and he’d asked her to dance. Dancing with her was a different sort of holding than the way he held her for comfort.  It was a language of its own creation between two partners.  The dip of her waist, the sway of her body, curved and pressed into him, her hand held firmly in his, it seemed to say we’re good together.  They way they’d slowly moved closer, pressed hip to shoulder, the tiny noises Darcy had made as her body brushed against his in certain places told him just how good other things would feel.  The song drawing to a close as they stopped swaying, the tension from before returning between them and ratcheting up a notch, Jesus Christ,  he’d been a half a second from taking those sweet cherry lips with his when Steve bounced onto the balcony looking for him and insisting he come meet some painter Tony had invited.  He and Darcy had shared a knowing look, the grip between their fingers tightening in the solidarity of frustration.

Last week he’d pulled her into a supply closet with every intention kissing the living daylights outta her when the Tower alarms had went off causing momentary chaos.  Steve said he’d accidentally set it off when he was doing a security check.  Bucky didn’t believe a word of it.  The man was trying to ruin his love life before he even managed to kiss the dame.

Yesterday he’d found Darcy asleep in the kitchen, bags under her eyes, a pile of paper work at her side, completed.  Looking through it all he realised the majority of the forms she’d had to fill in all centred around requisitions Steve had made, missions Steve had been on and other Steve related material.  He’d about snapped at that.  Steve was driving her into the ground with paper work so Darcy would have less time to spend with him.  

He’d gathered her up in his arms and taken her to her room.  He’d tucked a very sleepy Darcy into bed after stripping her down to slip. She had thanked him prettily and told him she would kiss him properly eventually, then bestowed a soft press to his cheek.  

 If something wasn’t done about Steve soon he was going to murder him in his sleep.  The Winter Soldier in the back of his brain proposed a number of different ways to dispatch him that would be more entertaining than the merciful death Bucky had imagined.  

That morning he’d been on his way to the labs to visit Darcy when he’d overheard her and Steve.  Now, not only was the guy trying to sabotage his love life he was actively trying to warn his best girl away from him.  

He’d snagged Steve and pulled him into a closet and proceeded to have the biggest blow out with him he could ever remember.  They’d shouted and argued and hurled a lot of hurtful things at each other.  By the time they were done Bucky had felt wrung out and exhausted. All he wanted was to see Darcy and get a hug.  Almost on auto pilot he’d let the Soldier slip forward a bit and they’d found their Doll entering the common room, a mischievous smile playing across her lips.  Bucky had stepped forward and pulled her into a tight hug, the kind he hadn’t felt the need to get from her in a month.  When she hugged him back and promised him sunshine, a pool and her in a bikini his brain had nearly shorted out and he wondered how she’d pull it off.

Two day’s later they were on Stark’s private jet heading for Malibu, sans Steve, who had been called in by Fury for an urgent mission.

Bucky is almost afraid to make a move, convinced that even here, several thousand feet in the air Steve would still manage to interrupt them, somehow.

Darcy just smiles and holds his hand in the seat next to him and asks if he’d like to share a room.  He’s embarrassed to admit it took him a good ten seconds before it dawned on him what she was proposing.

“What sorta guy do you take me for, Doll?”  he’d teased her with a lazy grin.

“Am I stepping on your old timey sensibilities Soldier?”

“Nah, just think we should probably have kissed before sharing a bed.”

“Well, there’s nothing stopping you now.”

He decides she’s right, she usually is, he pushes up the arm rest between them and pulls her into his lap. They’re sitting right at the back, tucked away in a quiet corner, no one is paying any attention.

“You wanna make out with me Darcy?”

“You bet your ass I do. I’ve felt like teenager sneaking around trying not to get caught by her folks for the last month.  So yes, I do wanna make out with you.”

For the next three hours they’re left blissfully alone, and Bucky doesn’t let her out of his lap until he absolutely has to.  

They kiss and touch and explore, to the point that it is a miracle they don’t join the mile-high club, but Bucky’s conscious of the others at the front of the plane.  He won’t even slip his hands under her clothes, much to her chagrin, but there’s a nostalgia in taking the time to work each other up with some heavy petting and intoxicating kisses.  

He catalogues every sound and breathy moan she makes, the way the flush spreads over her collar bones and up her neck, the tiny little pants when he runs his hand over the shape of her breast, letting his thumb catch the nub of her nipple through her dress. He doesn’t remember if he’s done this before with someone, not exactly, but he knows what to do and what to say. It’s like riding a bike.  The dirty things he whispers to her while tracing his tongue round the shell of her ear make her whimper, but she’s swell gal and gives just as good as she gets.  She whispers back even filthier things that she wants to do to him once they’re alone, he’s so hard at this point that he considers pushing her panties to one side under the flowy skirt she’s wearing and lowering his zipper right there, because fucking hell she plays dirty.

By the time they get off the plane Bucky has a hard time standing up and has to drape his jacket over one arm to hide the evidence of three hours with Darcy Lewis in his lap. He’s not sure if it’s the frustration of the last month sneaking around or just the three hour make out session, but he’s never been so turned on in his life.  

Stepping off the plane and wrapping his arm around his girl is a heady feeling, he only feels a tiny twinge of guilt that Steve won’t get to enjoy a vacation with them.

When they finally reach the house, Darcy drags him off to their room and locks the door.  The saucy wink and the smile she gives him as she seductively disrobes has him scrambling to help.  Bucky’s pretty sure this is going to be the best vacation ever.

NEXT

@captain-rogers-beard

[sombrasdatabase]

All's Fair in Love and War (Chapter 1)

Content/TW: Overwatch, Gangster AU, Pharah, Sombra, McCree, Domestic Abuse, Violence, Character Death.

The car slowed to a crawl as it turned down the dead end street just as the rain started to pick up. Houses were boarded up and broken down on either side of the pot hole ridden road. The driver's side window rolled down as the car parked outside a rundown looking house that was really no different from the others aside from the shouting coming from inside its walls. The red glow of a cherry lit up the woman's face as she pulled another drag from her cigarette. It was a nasty habit. She reached into the glove box and pulled her gun out, checking to make sure it was still loaded before she opened the door and stepped out of her car. She flicked the cigarette into the middle of the road before slipping her gun into the waistband of her jeans and pulling her jacket over it.

She made her way over the cracked sidewalk and up the walkway to the door. The street was relatively quiet except for the sounds of cars passing by in the distance, the pitter-patter of the rain, and the yelling of a man she once considered a friend until he'd started to short her on money for the product she'd given him to deal. She was trying to get her foot in the door here in Mexico, and he seemed like the kind of person she could trust given their history. She leaned her head against the door listening hard to what was going on inside. Whatever was going on in there certainly didn't sound like anything good.

Fareeha took a couple steps back before kicking the door in. There was a pause in the banging as they sound of the front door slamming back against the wall seemed to catch their attention. She walked in and slowly looked around. There was a trail of green glass shards leading out of the kitchen towards the steps with drops of crimson staining the steps. She reached for her gun before carefully making her way up the stairs. Judging by the hat and the poncho sitting on the back of the couch and the dirt crusted boots laying on the floor Jesse had to be home.

Her eyes followed the trail until she reached a broken door that was barely hanging on its hinges after someone had kicked it in. She glanced up when she heard a gruff grunt.

"Howdy kiddo." Jesse grinned running his fingers through his blood caked hair before holding his hands out in surrender when he noticed her gun. "You caught me at a bad time."

"What's going on Jesse? The house looks like a wreck." Fareeha questioned as she lowered her weapon.

"Oh don't worry about all that." He said with a shrug as he started to walk towards her. "Why don't you tell me why you're here? Aren't you supposed to be in Egypt with your mother?"

"I'm here on business. You still haven't coughed up the money yet." She stated watching him closely. He seemed a little under the influence, or maybe it was just the gash on his hairline making him act this way.

"Oh right. Well sorry to say kiddo, but I don't have it. The feds got a hold of it while my boys were out selling it." Her eyes narrowed at him when he called her by that nickname again. Too many people still saw her as nothing more than Ana Amari's daughter even now that she was running the family business.

"I'm not a kid anymore Jesse. I'm your boss, and you need to hand over the money or the product. You and I both know you wouldn't be pulling this shit if my mother was standing here."

"Relax Reeha-" He started, but a soft whimper caught their attention and her gaze shifted to the bathroom door he'd clearly been banging on judging by the bloody prints on the white wood before she'd interrupted him.

"Who's there?" Fareeha called out. She didn't need any of Jesse's one night stands overhearing their business. 

“It’s no one. Let’s go.” Jesse said taking Fareeha by arm starting to pull her out of the room, but she stood her ground as the bathroom door creaked open slowly. Her almond gaze fell on a the form of a short woman who was holding onto the door for support. There was a pool of blood smeared at her feet as she stared back at her with eyes that were practically begging her for help.

The sight shocked Fareeha to say the least. She never imagined that Jesse was the kind of man to get violent with his women, but the angered look that crossed his face when he saw the young woman was all the convincing she needed. She shrugged him off before making her way over to the bathroom door. It looked like she was getting more than she bargained for by coming here tonight, but she was a sucker for women in need. When McCree stepped to follow she held up her gun in his direction once more.

"Don't move Jesse." She ordered before turning her gaze back to the girl. "Did he do this to you?"

She nodded quickly. She seemed scared, and Fareeha didn't like how frail she looked. Whatever was going on it had clearly been going on for a while.

"You lying little bitch! You attacked me!" McCree bit out from where he stood by the door. Fareeha turned to shoot him a glare that instantly shut him up.

"Do you want to leave him? I can take you with me." She told her. She wanted to help her. Even if she had taken over her mother's empire, she still had a sense of justice instilled in her. She never hurt women or children when it came down to taking care of business.

"Si. I would like to leave." The smaller woman said. Her voice was hoarse from crying, but Fareeha could see the fire burning in her violet eyes.

"Then you'll come with me tonight until we can figure something out for you." Fareeha assured her before holding out her hand for her to take. “You’re not taking her anywhere Fareeha. She belongs to me. I bought her off her pimp.” McCree argued, taking another step towards them. “Then she will be my compensation for the drugs that you haven’t paid me back for. Unless of course you’d rather I take your life Jesse.” “You wouldn’t kill me. We have history. I’m practically family.” “You know my mother wouldn’t stand for this incompetence. She might not be here to deal with you herself, but I am and if you don’t step aside and let me take the girl I will do what I came here to do in the first place.” Fareeha stated with a glare. She needed men to respect her like they did her mother, and if she gave McCree any slack she knew he would take it a mile. “Now move.” The smaller woman was practically clinging to her free arm as they made their way past McCree. Fareeha could feel the trembles through the hold she had on her. She would have picked her up given the state of her feet, but she needed to keep McCree at bay with the threat of her gun.  Just as they were about to turn the corner of the door she felt the pressure on her arm disappear as Jesse yanked the woman back into the room. He was on her like a rabid dog, his hands tight around her throat. It was a split second decision before the sound of gunfire filled the room, and the woman’s eyes were wide with horror as she was covered in his blood when his body went limp on top of her. Fareeha pushed his body off of her before kneeling down to pick her up. She was light as a feather in her arms as she carried her down the blood stained stairs and out to her car. She handed her a blanket from her trunk after getting her settled into the back seat. She would have to get the interior detailed to get the blood from her clothes off the seat. “Before we go is there anything you need from the house?” “ Arturito. He’s on the bed.” She said softly. She seemed to be in a state of shock after what she’d experienced and Fareeha couldn’t really blame her. “I’ll be right back. Don’t move.” She told her before walking back up to the house while pulling her phone out to have her men clean up the mess, and dispose of McCree’s body. Her mother would be furious with her if she knew how much of a messy job she’d done tonight, but there were more pressing concerns. She shook her head as she stepped over McCree’s body. It was a shame she’d had to resort to killing him, but what other option did she have. He was more of a violent drunk than she’d expected and it wouldn’t surprise her if he’d been the one shooting up the drugs she’d given him to sell.  She lifted the pillows before finding a teddy bear stuffed beneath them. It looked old and worn. There were small stitches along the seams where someone had clearly repaired it over the years. She pocketed her phone before taking the bear back out to the car. She was a bit surprised to see that the woman hadn’t ran off at the first chance she had, but she was relieved to say the least. That woman didn’t look like she could survive a night on the streets. She handed her the bear before walking around the car and getting into the driver’s seat just as her men pulled up behind them to clean up the mess she’d made.  “Let’s get you home. I’ll have the cooks whip up something to eat for you and the maids will run you a bath.” Fareeha told her before starting up the car and driving off.

[jamiemac26]

Movin’ On - Chapter Ten: Year Three

Movin’ On - By JamieMac

Description: A relationship is made up of moments. Moments that span days and years, spaces of time. Y/N had been with Harrison Osterfield for 10 years, but after a horrific argument they break up and she finds herself reminiscing, about all the good times they had together and all of the bad times that they went though. She starts to see the pieces that fell - what she once thought was the perfect puzzle, every piece in its place, turned out to be a facade, one big jumbled up mess with nothing but patches in place of the missing pieces.

She exited the airport, the hot, sweltering heat hitting her full force. She sucked in a breath, the air heavy. She looked around, scanning for a familiar mop of blonde curls. Standing on the curb, bag in hand, she turned her head to the left, to the right, scanning for anything or anyone that she knew. She waited, tapping her foot impatiently, the heat seeping through her clothes. She sighed, a slight smiling gracing her lips. Just like Harrison to be late. She zoned out, fanning her shirt to try to cool herself down. She sunshine beat down, sweat beading up on her forehead. She watched people move about her. Hugging loved ones that hadn’t been seen for extended periods. Kisses being exchanged between lovers. Kids being smothered by grandparents. She was lost in a happy reunion between a young couple and their parents, a tiny baby being held carefully, passing between each proud adult. A soft tap of a horn pulled her from the moment and she turned to see a black SUV pull up to the curb beside her. A huge smile broke out and she dropped her bag, arms held open as she was wrapped up in a warm, strong hug.

“I missed you Haz,” She covered his face in soft kisses.

He giggled, his arms giving her an extra squeeze, lifting her feet off the ground. “I missed you too babe, I’m so glad that you’re here.”

With feet planted back on solid ground, she moved her hands to his cheeks, her eyes locking onto his. A smile danced on her face and she leaned forward, her lips pressing against his. It had been weeks since they’d been able to have physical contact, and she craved his touch, his kiss, his body pressed flush to hers.

She pulled back, her tongue darting out to lick her lips, savoring the taste of him. Her eyelids fluttered open, his baby blues capturing every detail of her face.

“Hi,” She breathed, her hand sliding down his arm, her fingers slipping between his, locking them together.

He picked her bag up and moved them to the back of the car. Tossing the luggage in, he released her hand, opening the passenger door. The ride to Tom’s house was comfortably quiet.  His fingers were warm as they tickled her wrist, tangling their hands together. His lips were soft as he pressed them against her knuckles. Her eyes were glued to his face. She was so happy to be in his presence. To be able to wrap her arms around him in a comforting hug. To have him near her. To just be together. She leaned into the console, her shoulder brushing his. He kissed the top of her head, his eyes staying focused on the road. She watched as they pulled onto a long driveway, a house loomed before them.

“This is where you’re staying,” She ogled the massive structure.

“It isn’t that large,” Harrison chuckled, “But yes, Sony got this place for Tom while he’s shooting.”

“Just for Tom?”

He nodded, “Well, I’m here and someone from the cast is always crashing in one of the spare rooms.”

She rolled her eyes, “That sounds about right.”

Harrison parked the car, “Come on, I can’t wait for you to meet everyone.”

She opened up the door, music greeted her, wafting to her ears from a distance. “Sounds like the party has already started.”

Haz paused for a moment, “I’ll bet that they’re all in the pool.”

“Oh, good thing I brought a suit,” She laughed reaching for her bag.

Harrison threw it over his shoulder, “I got this and I’ve got you.” His arm fit perfectly around her waist and he ushered her through the front door.

Voices grew louder and she could see a group of kids splashing around a large pool. She grinned as she watched Tom flip into the clear blue water. God, she missed him...missed both of them.

“You’ll totally love Jacob, he’s like a big teddy bear and Laura and Zendaya will just fall all over you. They’re all so excited to meet you. I’ve been talking about you nonstop for days,” His grin grew as his cobalt eyes locked onto her.

“They better all be good things,” She tickled his side, laughing as he squirmed way from her.

The giant glass doors slid open and she was caught up in a pair of strong arms. Her feet were pulled from the ground as she was spun into a circle. Tom’s bright smiling face was a mere inches from her and she pressed her forehead into his, her arms held onto his neck. He stopped moving, her feet hitting the ground but his arms stayed tight around her waist. “I’m so glad that you’re here, it just isn’t the same without you. Come on, come on...I want you to meet everyone.”

He barely gave her time to regain her balance before he yanked her out onto the patio. Faces beamed up at her, a variety of eyes stared at her face. She grinned sheepishly and waved at her perspective new friends. Tom introduced her to each one and she tried desperately to make sure that she matched the face to the proper name. She was ticking them off one by one in her head, assigning little reminders when she felt a bony elbow dig into her ribs. She turned her head, gawking at the tall blonde pressed against her side.

“Go put your suit on,” He encouraged.

She blinked at him, her mind foggy from the time difference and a day spent in airplanes. She nodded, but did not move from her spot.

Harrison chortled, his hand pressed to hers, their palms melded together. She followed him back into the expansive home and up a set of stairs. She glanced around, doors seemed to be coming at her from everywhere, her sleepy mind confusing her even more. She pulled back, stopping their forward progress. He turned back to glance at her, worry furrowing his handsome brow.

“Are you okay,” He inquired.

She blinked her eyes, allowing them to flutter shut. “Yes, just really exhausted suddenly,” She mumbled. “I think I just need to lie down for a bit,” She leaned against his strong shoulder, his arm coming around her, steadying her swaying body.

He guided them gently but quickly to a closed door at the end of the hall. He pushed it open, a large queen bed coming into full view. “Umm,” He stammered, “Are you okay with staying with me?”

She nodded, a tired smile gracing her lips, “Of course.”

He ushered her past him, and she fell onto the soft mattress, the days travels wearing her thin. Harrison removed her shoes and helped slide her into bed. He bent down, his lips ghosting across her forehead. His lips were the last thing on her mind as she drifted off, his face a commanding presence in her dreams.

-

-

She woke the next morning, sunlight streaming through the light curtains. She stayed still, listening to the sounds around her. Nothing was familiar. Nothing until she rolled over, Harrison’s all-too-familiar face filling up her vision. She brushed her nose against his, giggling at the slight tickle. She scooted closer, ducking underneath his arm. His body was warm and inviting and he tightened his hold on her.

“Morning,” The huskiness in his voice caused her stomach to flip.

“I’m so sorry that I missed everything yesterday,” She started to apologize, “I wanted so badly to…”

He silenced her with his lips. Soft and supple and my, how she had missed them. He pulled away, his eyes dancing across her face, “It’s okay. You’ll just have to make it up to me.”

She squirmed as he tried to tickle her, the two rolling around in the large bed. She ended up on top of him, her legs straddling his hips.

“Somehow, I think you did this on purpose,” She leaned down, capturing his lips once more. The pressure intensified, but a resounding knock tore them apart.

“What,” Harrison gruffed.

“Breakfast,” Came the muffled voice of Tom.

“Seriously dude,” Harrison whined.

Laughter echoed in their ears as he turned towards her, “I guess we’re being beckoned.”

She laughed, rolling off of him and allowing her feet to the sink into the plush carpet, “We’ll have plenty of alone time together.” She disappeared into the bathroom, giving Harrison ample time to calm his raging body.

Her time in Atlanta flew by far too quickly, the end drawing nearer by the day. She sat with her feet dangling in the cool water of the pool, Zendaya next to her as they watched the boys splash around. “I can’t believe that it’s almost over.”

Zendaya turned a sideways glance her direction, “Yeah, but you still have the Civil War premiere, so your trip isn’t completely over.”

“One more weekend and then I have to fly back home...alone,” She sighed, her sight locked onto the blue-eyed blonde.

Zendaya followed her gaze, “Why don’t you stay?”

Y/N shook her head, “I can’t. I’m trying to get Uni finished as quickly as possible, so summer classes here I come.”

“Ugh, seriously,” The other girl feigned disgust, “That is no way to enjoy a summer vacation.”

They both laughed, her words holding far too much truth. Y/N shrugged, “I wish my reality was different, but not all of us can live such glamorous lifestyles.”

A spray of water engulfed both girls. Sputtering while wiping away the drops from their eyes, male giggles surrounded them.

“Oh, that’s it,” They both shouted, jumping into the pool.

The boys squealed, mock horror flashing across their faces. Harrison grabbed Y/N, his strong arms pinning her to his body. She squirmed, but stood no chance. Instead, he wrinkled his nose, ducking his head and dancing his lips against hers.

“That is not fair,” She objected. “You can’t cheat with kisses.”

“Who says,” Harrison’s grip increased, her body flush with his. “Kisses are the only way to win.”

The newly formed group of friends splashed around in the water, relishing in one another’s company. The evening fell all to quickly and they soon found themselves parting, the three remaining best friends alone.

“Tom,” Y/N yelled down the hall.

“What,” Was the short reply.

“Do I need a fancy dress for this thing?”

Silence greeted her and she stuck her head out the door, nearly colliding with a strong body.

“Oof, be careful love,” Tom steadied her. “No, you shouldn’t need a fancy dress, just a nice simple one will do.”

She felt a soft pulse, as if an electric shock sparked where he touched her. Her cheeks instantly flushed and he loosened his grip. She shook her head, turning towards her mess of a suitcase. “Like this,” She held up a simple black dress, one she had brought for a nice dinner out.

He nodded his head, “Yeah, just like that.”

She thanked him, her eyes straying to the spot where his hands had gripped her. Never before had she felt anything when he’d touched her, so why now? She pawned it off as too much sun and the looming conclusion of her time with them. She resumed her task of packing, or at least taming the unruly beast that was strewn across the bed.  

-

-

She pulled at her fingers, popping each knuckle unconsciously. She shuffled her feet awkwardly, adjusting her weight. The nerves had taken control and she couldn’t keep her heart rate at a normal pace. All of the people. All of the cameras. It was all so much.  She stood between Tom’s mother Nikki and Harrison. She felt his shoulder brush hers, and she turned, taking solace in his ocean blues. She closed her eyes, concentrating on her breathing. She let her head hang, opening her eyes she stared down at her feet. The blue carpet stretched out before them, a river surrounded by flashing bright lights. A hand on her back pushed her forward and she stumbled slightly, grasping for Harrison’s hand. She locked their fingers together, her eyes shifted, his strong hands coming into focus. Her head popped up, Tom’s smile greeting her.

“Tom. Tom,” Shouts enveloped them. “Tom, turn this way. Tom.”

She tried to release his hand. She tried to step away from him. She tried to duck out of the spotlight but his grip tightened as the shouting continued.

“Tom. Tom...Tom.. You and your girlfriend turn this way please. Tom.”

She froze at the words. Had she heard them correctly. No. She shook her head, there was no way that they had just suggested that she was here with Tom. She turned, looking for Harrison, finding him next to her. He wouldn’t glance over at her, though she nudged him several times. Her brow furrowed and she wondered if he had heard the shouts. She was pulled further down the carpet, more shouts filled her ears. Her heart beat widely in her chest, her mind zoomed in completely on the tall blonde beside her.

“Tom.. Tom and girlfriend, right here. Tom, Tom, turn this way.”

The shouting wouldn’t stop. Her hand was still locked in the vice of Tom’s hand. She turned, her sight blinded by the flashes that cascaded around her. She blinked, trying desperately to shake the black spots that clouded her vision. As the shapes came back, Harrison’s fist was the first thing she noticed. It was clenched by his side, knuckles white from the pressure.

“Tom...Tom can you and your girlfriend look this way.”

Harrison stood stock still. His pulse pounding in his ears. He could hear nothing, nothing but the shouts that were being directed at Tom and Y/N. Tom and Y/N who were being seen as together. Tom and Y/N who were being seen as one. Harrison closed his eyes, trying to block it out of his mind. A twinge surged through him, starting off weak but growing in an intensity that scared him. Jealousy coursed through his veins. He tried to push it down, managing to extinguish the flames. All but one, one small flame flickered, waiting to become a raging inferno.

Movin’ On Masterlist

Tag List: @5-seconds-of-sarcasmm @marvelmakeuplover @baileythepenguin

[unnatural-humanity]

Cuban Nights

Summary: After you got dumped by your boyfriend, Gabe invites you and Charlie to a bar in Cuba. Thanks to Gabriel’s shenanigans the night ends differently than expected.

Genre: Fluff

Characters: Reader, Charlie Bradbury, Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, Gabriel, Crowley

Pairing: Reader x Charlie

Word Count: 1.7k Words

Warnings: drug abuse (kinda, not really) implied smut (maybe in some time), sneaky Gabe, Crowley is a little chatterbox

A/N: Here it is! My love for Charlie expressed in words! 

Bang! Bang! Bang!

White fluff exploded in all directions as I shot the gigantic teddy bear three times in head and body.

“Again!”, Charlie screamed next to me, ears protected with a big pair of earmuffs. I pierced the bear with three other shots and took the gun down.

“Charlie, you are the best!”, I laughed and shot that damn bear right between the eyes.

“I know.” With a smirk she grabbed a framed picture of me and my ex-boyfriend, “Are you ready?” I nodded and she threw the thing into the cold air. Two shots later, both, picture and frame fell in shreds from the sky.

“What the fuck is going on?!” An angry Dean stomped out of the front door of the bunker in the exact moment, that I drove another bullet into the hatred bear. Right behind him stood the other Winchester, a similarly puzzled expression on his face.

“We are shooting teddy bears! Isn’t that obvious?” Charlie stated as if it were something perfectly normal.

“I see that! What I wanted to know was WHY?!”

“Matt ditched her for another stupid girl.” Without a warning, she threw the next item in the air, another photo of me and Matt, with two more shots I destroyed the reminder of a now hatred memory.

“Apparently, he can’t be with somebody who is never there for him”, I added angrily.

“What a douche. Didn’t you missed that vamp hunt last week for him?”, Dean remarked.

“And last month, didn’t you gave up a ghoul because his hamster died?”, questioningly Sam turned to me, brows furrowed.

“Yes, and yes. I missed more than two dozen cases in the four months we were together. Heck! If it wasn’t it for you guys, I would have probably moved in with him next month!” Secretly, I wouldn’t move out of the bunker for anything. Since Chuck had brought Charlie back, I hadn’t left her side, the reason for that was probably my immense crush on her.

The only one that knew that I had the hots for the petite redhead, was Gabe, and even that had happened by accident. Despite being a huntress for nearly two decades, whisky and I never became friends, resulting in a drunk confession to a sugar high archangel who also were one of my closest friends. He and Charlie were also the only ones who knew about me being bi. Not that I was hiding it from the boys, the topic just never really came up. A rustle of wings behind us interrupted my train of thoughts and made me turn around.

“I’m concerned to hear that some poor bastard has dumped his beautiful, now ex-girlfriend!” Pouting, the youngest Archangel embraced me in a loving hug.

“How comes you already know?”, I asked one of my best friends.

“Archangel can feel if their closest ones are in sorrow”, he stated, clearly biting down a grin.

“Oh, is that so?” I still held the gun in my hand, fast I put the safety back on and stashed the piece in the back of my pants.

“No, Castiel texted me.” His straight mask broke and seconds later we were holding onto each other laughing, trying not to land in the dirty mud. After we regained our balance, Gabe greeted Charlie; Sam and Dean just got a slight nod.

“So who’s up for some bar hopping? Drinks are on me!”, Gabe finally exclaimed excitedly, “I found this great one in Cuba!“

“Why not? But neither Charlie or I speak Spanish”, I reminded him.

He snapped his fingers and simply said: “Done, now you both speak perfectly Spanish.”

“Uh, thanks”, a little confused I turned to Charlie, “Shall we proceed?”

“With delight my darling!” Laughing I drew my gun, reloaded it and took everything down she threw in the air. After watching us for a while, the Winchesters and the Archangel disappeared.

“Lizzy! Are you coming?”, Charlie yelled down the hall, obviously impatient. I grabbed my leather jacket from my chair and stormed out of my room,.

“Ready!”, slithering I stopped in front of my two best friends, “Just let me put on my boots.” I yelped in surprise as my boots disappeared out of my hand and materialised back at my feet.

“Thanks, but a little warning would’ve been nice.” I glared at Gabe. Charlie hadn’t said a word since I had appeared, which was very unusual for her.

“Charls? You alright?” With furrowed brows, I looked her up and down. She was wearing a dark star wars dress, a tardis necklace and black heels with an ankle band. Her fiery red hair fell open over her pale shoulders. Despite the high heels she still was several inches smaller than me. And she looked ravishing. 

“What?”, confused she looked at me, “Oh, yes. Everything fine. Let’s go!” Either something was wrong with my eyes, or Charlie, my longtime crush and best friend, just blushed. Gabe grabbed our wrists and with a flutter of wings, we were standing on a sidewalk in Cuba. As I had guessed it was very warm, even at night.

Quickly we went inside and sat down at the bar. Gabe ordered some drinks whose name I didn’t recognise. He, Charlie and me quickly downed your drinks and Charlie dragged me on the packed dancefloor. The music was so loud I felt the bass vibrating in my bones. I didn’t know what were in that drink, but is was definitely strong. My vision got blurry and couldn’t remember what had happened two seconds ago. I only knew that I was dancing with Charlie in a Cuban bar, high on music. Our body’s shifted together, I felt her breasts against mine, instinctively I laid my hands on her hips, feeling every movement she made. Unconsciously my arms found their way around Charlie’s neck, pulling her closer and closer until our bodies were pressed against each other, moving together. Like in trance I leant forward softly touching her lips with mine, testing the grounds, seeing how far I could go. I was expecting her pulling away, saying I wasn’t her type or something, but instead, Charlie kissed me back, cupping my cheeks, pulling me down at her height. Our lips moved together as If there were made for each other. I nibbled on her upper lip, roaming her body, trying to touch everything at once.  After some time, way too early for my liking, she pulled away panting. 

“W-wow”, she stammered pupils dilated and lips were swollen from the kiss.

“Yeah, wow.” With my thumb, I wiped away some of my lipstick that had smudged on her face.

“Home?”, I gushed hastily.

“Yes”, she affirmed. We stumbled back to the bar where Gabe was sipping on a cocktail, obviously watching us.

“Gabe”, I giggled, clinging on Charlie for support, “Gabe, can you send us home?”

“Already?”

“Gabriel, please!”, Charlie begged.

“Oh, I understand”, he looked from me to Charlie and back, and with his typical eyebrow-wiggle and a snap later we landed on my bed in the bunker.

Minds still clouded with alcohol, we quickly undressed and jumped under the covers. I didn’t know how long we went on but at some point, I fell asleep, the naked Charlie cradled in my arms.

I was woken by my bladder, demanding to be emptied. Slowly I peeled Charlie’s arms off me, smiling at her disheveled hair, putting some comfortable clothes on and made my way to the toilets. Relieved, I decided to pay the kitchen a visit. If my inner clock were right it should be breakfast time.

“Morning sleepyhead”, Dean greeted me grinning.

“What time is it?”, I yawned.

“Around one pm. Man you slept longer than me.”

“Shut up, Winchester.” I grabbed the cereal box and the milk heading over to the table.  

“Oh someone is grumpy!”, he snickered. Growing I took my cereal bowl and a spoon and moved into the library. I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn’t notice Crowley, who was sitting at one of the tables.

“Long night, love?”, he asked, taking my yawn as a yes.

“Who of you knuckleheads took the last cereals!”, a voice echoed through the bunker. Before I could react my favourite redhead appeared. Hair still messy from our late-night-activities.

“Sorry!” I apologized.

“No problem, as log you share with me.” She hopped on my lap, snatching the spoon out of my hand and shoving a big load of cornflakes in her mouth. As she sat on my lap, happily munching I noticed she wasn’t wearing pants, only her pink panties, her ass only partly covered by my shirt.

“Hey! Don’t eat everything alone!” I exclaimed.

“Okay. Open your mouth!” Clumsily she turned around so that she was straddling me. I did as I’ve been told and was rewarded with a spoon full of soggy cereal.

“Thank you darling”

“Your welcome” she answered, giving me a peck on the lips.

“Okay. What did I miss?” Dean demanded to know, making us jump.

“Last night, Dean-o!”, another voice joined in, the angel patting the older brother on the shoulder.

“So I gather, my mother’s spell worked?” Frowning I turned to the King of hell.

“What spell?”, I tried to keep my voice calm, I knew something was off about that drink.

“Oh, our little angel asked me for the location of my mother, he said he were in need of a spell but didn’t explain what spell”, Crowley explained, “Was I a love or a libido spell?”

“Gabriel!”, I shouted, standing up with Charlie still in my lab. She quickly jumped down, knowing what would follow.

“You little, feathered bastard!” With pure horror on his face, he took off into the labyrinth of corridors.

[pen-masta]

The Boy in the Window

Just a one shot I did a while ago

Warnings: implied abuse

For years I had known James Petterson. Hoovermill’s pre-school was where we first had met. I remember that even at a young age I was unpopular, no one knew who I was there for no one wanted to play with me. I had transferred half way through the year so everyone already had their little group of friends determined leaving me on the outside.

Troll dolls were my favorite toy at the time. No one wanted to play with the Troll doll either so I figure a lonely kid and a lonely toy were perfect for each other. I remember the day I met James Petterson. I was sitting off by myself playing with my doll when a little boy sat down next to me with his truck. Surprised I looked at him and he smiled showing me he was missing his two front teeth.

“Can I play with you?” He asked and pushed his truck to me, “You can use my truck if you want to. We can pretend that she’s an adventurer.”

James Petterson curly brown hair, bright blue eyes, a freckled nose, and the goofiest smile in the world. With that one act of kindness he began a friendship with me that would last a life time—a friendship that started with a truck and a Troll doll.

 Every year to follow that day we were the best of friends. Elementary school flew by with my best friend also being my next door neighbor. It didn’t take long for us to find out the powers of a string and some cups. Those years were filled with him and me talking non-stop in the evening and even during the day. He’d sit next to me in class and pass me notes about how silly the teacher’s dress looked.

We’d snicker to each other and pass notes back and forth—this of course landed us in the principal’s office. Elementary years also brought new jokes, and mini food fights we’d have at lunch—ending with us in the principal’s office again. We also made high honor roll all five years which got us awards from the principal ironically enough.

Elementary summer’s meant adventures! James and I would come up with all these great games like hunting for buried treasure—which turned out to be jewelry he took form his older sister’s room. My favorite was finding the hidden secrets of the world which was reading his sister’s diary and her chasing us around the house screaming that we were dead meat when she caught us. We pretended to be great explorers who found the lost city of tree people—in the woods. We didn’t always pester his older sister sometimes we’d antagonize my older brother as well, imagining he was the dragon and we had to sneak into his cave and get the crown jewels which were the candy he always had secretly stashed under his bed.

All we needed was each other and we could be anyone, do anything, and go anywhere to escape reality. Astronauts, firemen, cops, anything we wanted logical or not we could do it if we were together.

Middle school was pretty much the same with two more classes, two more teachers, and a boat load of more homework; but being next door neighbors made the homework part easy. We still used the old cup connection we had discovered years before. At night we’d work on our homework together and then talk for hours about normal pre-teen subjects: dumb teachers, mean kids, stupid sports, music, art, books, movies, video games, books again, clothes, comics, super heroes, and books.  Of course we knew we were growing up and we had set our childish games aside to focus on the reality we lived in—but I still got notes from him in class from time to time.

Treasure hunts and exploration adventures turned into frog hunts in the swamp and skipping rocks. Sometimes we’d hike out deep into the woods and spend the day by the lake swimming, watching nature, cloud racing just because we could. All we needed was each other and we were happy.

And then puberty hit us. James’ voice deepened and he grew very hairy. I grew as well in other ways. Things became larger on our bodies and in our lives as we moved up to high school.

High school wasn’t that bad actually more classes, more teachers, more people, more homework, same old story. Yet with all the changes James was always right there next to me in class passing a note to me saying how bored he was.

Technology stepped up and we each got our first cell phones, but why use a digital text message to communicate when the cup phone was still in perfect use? Our conversations grew longer as we gossiped about the prissy girls and pretty boys we knew as “classmates”. Freshman year was packed with knowledge, laughter, and work.

James was working with his parents and sister at their car shop, while I worked with my parents and brother at our flower shop—‘Buds and Roses’ oy vey.

Sophomore year wasn’t that different from freshman year. We did get our permits which soon turned into driver’s licenses but that was about it. I hung out at his place attempting to make cookies which ended in a huge food fight with more dough and flour on us than in the bowl. He hung out at my house and challenged my brother and I to a video game show down. Life was great. Until junior year…when a drunk driver took my mom from me.

James said for that year I was dead to the world. I didn’t want to do anything and neither did my brother nor my dad. James and his family came over almost every day just to talk and get us to feel better. It was nice to know someone cared about us. Though the struggles were many our family made it through.

Senior year was closing in and I had decided to make the most of it. I remember sitting in my window talking into the cup as I told James I wanted to go out for softball.

“Pepper,” he said, “softball is just as dangerous as any sport. It might even be one of the most dangerous sports right up there next to football. Promise me you’ll be careful.”  

“I promise James,” I said.

Between my dad, my brother, James’ sister, and James helping me train I was by far ready for the try outs. By the end of the year I was captain of the softball team, coaching little league, president of the debate team, head of drama club, art club, environmental club, and vice-president of chess club.

James on the other hand was captain of the boys’ varsity soccer team, head of year book committee, head of student council, a member of the drama club, environmental club, and was president of chess club—he had more of a knack for chess than I did.

Prom rolled around and my brother and dad were forcing me to go. James wanted to go and said we could go together so neither of us had to be alone that night. Our dads gave us money; we got in James’ car and headed out to the mall for some shopping. I’ll never forget that day because it was the worst possible day we could pick to go shopping!

The mall was packed it seemed everyone and his brother had decided to go to the mall that day. I couldn’t find the right dress, we were tired of walking, and to top it all off it was Africa hot outside. I was miserable, tired, and frustrated. James suggested we take a break and get our usual hot pretzel and lemonade. Half dead I slumped in my seat and stared into the ice cubes as they melted in my lemonade.

“Hey Pepper Jack,” James said. I look up to see him holding his pretzel to his face looking through the holes like a pair of glasses. “Do these make me look twisted?” He asked with wide eyes.

It was stupid, it was silly, but he was being so goofy that I couldn’t help but laugh. He smiled and winked at me “Too salty right?”

We spent a good hour just sitting at that little table breaking apart our pretzels and forming them into something to make a silly face. Like big ears, a mustache, a beard, a maniacal anything to make the other laugh and be goofy. James had always been able to make me laugh, to make anyone laugh for that matter. No matter what the situation he would find something funny to make you smile.

The day before prom I was talking to James through the cups about the next night. He calmly sat in his window reading War and Peace for a third time. I sat in my window flipping through a mystery book I had read so many times it was falling apart.

“You excited about tomorrow night?” He asked not looking up from his book.

“Not really,” I sighed.

“Why not?”

“What’s so fun about dancing around with people you don’t even like?”

He looked up at me and said very seriously. “Well you like me don’t you?”

“Of course I like you J.P,” I said.

“Then just dance with me,” he said and smiled that same goofy smile.

I laughed and shrugged “Alright but just so you know I have two left feet.”

“Oh I know that I know everything about you Pepper Jack,” he grinned and looked back at his book.

“Oh yeah? Like what?” I laughed

“I know that you are eighteen and still sleep with a ratty old falling apart teddy bear you’ve had since you were four.” He said teasingly.

“Hey!” I laughed, picked up one of my throw pillows, threw it out my window and into his. The pillow hit the book out of his hands. His face contorted to display horror as his book shattered to the floor and closed itself—all I can do is laugh.

“You made me lose my place you pea brained foot licker!” he shouts at me which only makes me laugh harder.

“Imma need that pillow back,” I said whipping the tears from my eyes.

“No way it’s mine now,” he smiled and picked up his book again.

“Come on J.P give it back.”

“Finders keepers’ losers’ weepers,” he grins without looking at me.

“But you didn’t find it.”

“I found it in my room.”

“After I threw it.”

He looks at me, smiles, and says in Cling On, “No give backs foolish female.”

I laugh and say back “I hope that book has a sad ending, one hundred dollars says the girl dies.”

He looks sad, almost hurt, for just a moment before he burst into laughter, “I already know how it ends so there.”

Unable to think of a comeback I childishly stick my tongue out at him, which makes him laugh and return the gesture.

Finally graduation night! I look around the football field for my dad and brother who I spy sitting by the stage ready to take pictures. Andrew sees me taps dad and points to me, dad smiles and waves to me. I smile and sit up straight and proud. James nudges me with his knee.

“Hey Pepper Jack,” he whispers to me.

“What J.P?”

“Congratulations,” he smiles.

“You too,” I say and return the smile.

“Just don’t trip on your way up klutz,” he adds and I shove him slightly.

Because of our high honors all four years James and I received the same scholarship to the same University. The scholarship would pay for three of our four year tuition and we’d have to live on or near the campus. After arguing with my dad for hours I convinced him to let me stay in an apartment I found five minutes from the campus. I really didn’t want to have a roommate and I didn’t care about bills or rent I’d have to pay. Dad said he’d pay for the rent if I took care of clothes, books, and food.

The day came and both James’ family and mine were outside loading up our cars. Andrew helped me move my bags into the car and hounded me with questions. Did I check the gas? Did I change the oil? Did I have my GPS? Did I know where I was going? When I finished his game of twenty questions I got have a second round with dad. Moving my last few things into my car I overheard my dad talking. I crouch down behind my car and listen to my dad.

“I need to ask you a favor,” I hear him say.

“What do you need sir?” James asks

“To be honest I really don’t want my baby girl going off by herself. I want her to get an education of course but I’m not ready for her to be out on her own. In fact between you and me I’m down right scared. The world says she’s old enough to take care of herself and be alone and I’m not saying I don’t think she can do it…it’s just I know my Pepper. She needs at least someone there for her. I know you two probably won’t be together that often anymore with different classes but promise me you’ll watch out for her.”

I’m in shock, never had I ever thought my dad to be afraid about anything—especially not afraid for me.  

“I promise Sir,” James says and I can hear the smile in his voice. “Pepper has always been my friend and I will always be hers.”

“Thank you James I don’t trust anyone with my daughter, expect for you. Knowing you’ll be with her gives me a little peace of mind.”

James and I say our final good byes to our families and to each other. Although we were going to the same place James was going to live on campus and I was not. He followed me for most of the way up, we stopped and had lunch together and reminisced about our childhood. After a couple of red lights I ended up losing him. I was a little sad but I wanted to get to my new home and get settled. I’d call him later see how he was doing.

It was about six in the evening when I had moved everything from my car to my apartment. I was on the fifth floor with a perfect view of the city. Although I was happy to be all moved in and for the first time on my own I was starting to feel homesick. Not to where I’d wanna go back to that little town but just to see my family, James’ family, and my best friend—James.  

I sat at my desk and opened my lap top. I opened my email and wrote a letter to my brother and dad. I told them I was fine all moved in and excited for my classes in two days. I told them I planned to walk around the town before classes, I’d figure out where to shop at and all that good stuff. I sent the letter and leaned back in my chair staring at my screen.

“Now what am I supposed to do?” I ask myself and pace around my apartment. “I’m too tired to go shopping now. I have some food with me, but none that could make a meal for dinner. I’m not hungry, there’s nothing on television. I’m just—bored.” I sigh and I sit on the couch not sure what to do.

Just as I’m about to start pacing again I see something out of the corner of my eye. I look out my patio door to see someone waving in the building next door. Curiously I slide the door open and step outside. There is someone waving to me from the patio in the apartment building next door. It’s all one building but it’s split into two sections to have more rooms. The second building is not that far away from mine but I can’t quite make out who this person is.

“Pepper!” I hear the person shout.

I turn on the patio light and see a familiar face smiling that goofy smile. I laugh and wave back at James.

“What are you doing here?” I shout

“What?”

“I said what are you doing here?”

“I can’t hear—hold on!” he ducks down behind the banister and re-appears a moment later with the cup line in his hands. I laugh and catch the cup as he throws it to me.

“What was that?” he says

“What are you doing here? I thought you were living on campus?”

“Surprise,” he laughs. “You didn’t think you’d get rid of me that easily did you Pepper Jack?”

I laugh and roll my eyes, “You mean I’m still stuck with you?” I say with a sarcastic but playful whine.

“Forever and always,” he laughs. “I’m stuck to you like the glue on a stamp.”

I smile and we talk for hours; which leads to us going out together for dinner. The next two days fly by with James around shopping, laughing, taking pictures. We find an arcade with some rides on the inside. Needless to say we spent a good five hours there.

Freshmen year of college is like any other school year of my life. More teachers, more people, more work, and for most of the classes James is there. Not so many notes are passed anymore we talk through facial expressions now—which is easy to do since we are on the six row up from the professor.

I join the softball team and James continues with his soccer team. We spend most of the days that year having study days at each other’s house. But of course with James around it’s not always studying we have bad movie nights, video games, game nights. We don’t always order take out sometimes we try to cook but that ends up in a food fight like always.

Life was good again. Away from home, out of that town, and with my best friend; it was just like old times. But college means growing up and many things come when you grow up.

By the middle of sophomore year I am in a relationship with a football player named Tanner. He’s a big jock, not too bright at times, but is really sweet—most of the time. Soon I see more of Tanner than I do of James. He and I still talk using the cup phone, but we don’t hang out so much.

One night I decide to invite some friends over and have a little hang out, get together sort of thing. Of course I invite James, and Tanner, and some guys and girls from class. We order some pizza and watch a couple movies. At some point in the night Tanner becomes very inappropriate with where he puts his hands on me.

He makes a few crude jokes about me to make most of the guests laugh—but not James. I can see he does not like the garbage dribbling from Tanner’s mouth. Yet he holds his tongue and sips his soda as Tanner continues.

“I’ll go bring us some more drinks,” I smile and pick up the empty soda bottles.

As I walk passed Tanner I hear him scoff, “Yeah get to it little women.” He says and slaps my butt.

I’m in shock that he has done this and I’m not sure how I’m going to react. But I don’t need to James reacts for me.

“That’s enough Tanner,” James says and stand up. “You don’t need to speak to her that way and you don’t need to slap her she’s not an animal.”

“Oh yeah and who are you to tell me how I should and shouldn’t treat my girl?” Tanner says and steps closer to James.

“I am someone you don’t want to mess with,” James says and narrows his eyes at Tanner. “Don’t speak to Pepper that way and do not touch her like that ever again. You get me big boy?” James eyes flash with anger as he speaks with authority over someone who has at least eight inches on him.

“I think it’s time for you to leave,” Tanner snarls and grabs James’ arm.

I snap back to life and step between them. “Tanner that’s not necessary this is my party I decide—”

“Be quiet you,” Tanner snaps at me. “Go get the drinks and make yourself useful.”

For the first time in my life I am afraid. Afraid of Tanner, afraid of what he’ll do to me, but more importantly afraid for James. I catch a glimpse at James for just a moment. He’s staring at me his eyes soft as if telling me it’ll be alright.

James pulls his arm free, “Look you big gorilla you don’t need to man-handle me. I’ll see myself to the door.” James fixes his shirt and looks at me and smiles a little. But this smile disappears as he turns his attention back to Tanner. His jaw tightens and his fists clench. “You listen to me numbskull if I find out you ever hurt Pepper I will make your life a living nightmare. Compendia?”

Tanner growls and James shows himself out. After that James and I only see each other in class and talk after school. I spend more time with Tanner and the more time I spend with him the more inappropriate, mean, crude, bossy, demanding, and rude he becomes. James always asks me if I’m alright and if something’s wrong, but he never really asks about my relationship with Tanner.

The last night of sophomore year Tanner says one of his friends is having a party and that we were going. I didn’t want to go but I had no say. At this time I had already planned to dump him and be done but one more party couldn’t hurt right? Tanner gets a little drunk and rowdy I want to leave but he tells me no. After several jokes, butt slaps, and him being an overall drunk jerk I say I am leaving. He thinks I mean leaving the party but I correct him and say I am leaving him our relationship was done right there and that was it. Needless to say this didn’t go to well.

It’s two in the morning. I’ve been sitting out on the patio for hours waiting for James to get home. It’s not to cool out but I don’t want to go inside. I need to see James, I need my best friend. Finally a light comes on. I lean over the edge and see him walk in the door his arms filled with books he’s got from the library to write his philosophy paper.

I’ve left the patio light on so he can see me. It takes him a minuet of taking his jean jacket off and putting things away to see me sitting out on my patio. He opens his door.

“Pepper?” he asks and his eyes fill with horror as he sees the cuts and bruises I have.

I force a small smile “Hi J.P” my voice trembles as I fight back my tears.

“Pepper what happened?” he demands and his voice cracks. “Who did this to you? Tanner?”

I don’t answer I only drop my head. “Pepper please are you in pain? What happened? Talk to me.” He pleads.

How can I tell him? After being so blind to the monster I was with? How could I tell him what had happened? I begin to shake my head back and forth as the tears fill my eyes.

“Pepper listen to me,” he says firmly. “I know it was Tanner. He’ll come after you so what you need to do is pack your bags and go somewhere safe. Go to one of your friends’ houses, or your aunt’s house she lives up here doesn’t she? Please Pepper go to some place where you feel safe and you’re with someone you trust.”

I look up at him his eyes full of compassion and love. I do as he tells me and pack my bags. He calls 911 to report Tanner. Even though I haven’t said a word of what happen he knows who hurt me. He didn’t need to know why, or what had happened. Knowing it was Tanner was enough for James. I feel like he’s been waiting for an opportunity like this to have Tanner arrested.

I laugh to myself as the elevator drops in numbers. I know exactly where I am going to go. Within moments I’m at James’ door. Hesitatingly I knock and wait for him to answer. A minute later he is standing in the door way looking a little confused.

I smile and wave “Hi J.P,”

“What are you doing?” he asks and sees the bags at my feet.

“You said go somewhere where I feel safe and I’m with someone I trust,” I say timidly fearful of his reaction.

A moment of silence passes between us then he leans against the wall and slides down. He puts his head on his knees with his eyes shut.

This was a dumb idea, I think to myself and smile nervously. He’s not going to let me stay with him am I out of my mind?

Just as I’m about to pick up my bags and run away from this awfully stupid idea—James looks up at me, and he’s smiling that same goofy smile from when we were kids.

“Please come in Pepper Jack,” he says and smiles.

With a sigh of relief I relax and smile as well. I kneel down in front of him and smile.

“Hey J.P?” I say.

“Yes?” He asks.

Without even thinking I lean forward and kiss him. My eyes are shut tight but I can feel his face is in a state of surprise. After a moment I open my eyes and lean back.

“Thank you,” I say with a smile.

He stares at me in what seems to be a state of surprise, confusion, and pleasure. As the embarrassment of what I have just done begins to hit me like a ton of bricks, I also begin to see him smile more and more.

“You know what’s funny Pepper Jack?” He says, “Not three months ago, before you met Tanner, I had just got off the phone with your dad.”

“Why were you talking to my dad?” I ask confused.

His smile grows larger, “I wanted his permission to ask you to marry me.”

I can feel my cheeks turning pink and a smile growing on my face. “No foolin’ J.P?” I ask as tears of joy fill my eyes.

He nods “No foolin’ Pepper Jack. Of course that was before you met that thick headed Tanner. But the question is still on the table.” He smiles, “Patricia Janice Tillers…” he says and every muscle with in my body clenches. “Will you do me the honor of growing old with me and becoming my wife?”

The tears run down my hot cheeks and I fling my arms around James. “Yes!” I scream and hug him close. “Yes! Yes I will! Over and over and over again! Yes!”

He laughs and smiles that goofy smile “Well I only need you to do it once and that’ll be enough for me.”

I laugh and look up to see he is crying as well. “Why didn’t you ask me sooner?”

He smiles and says in Cling On. “I needed the right time to ask the right girl.”

I laugh and kiss him again and again. We spend hours in that hall way holding each other close and talking about getting married as soon as possible. My boy in the window was now my boy by my side till the end of time. The sun is just coming up when we stand up and decide to move things inside.

“I never thought you loved me,” I say as he picks up my bags.

“I never thought I did either, until I met you.” He smiles, “See falling in love is like falling asleep in class. You weren’t supposed to but you did.”

I smile and go to follow him inside to call my dad and tell him the news. But James stops and turns around to me again.

“What is it?” I ask

He smiles “Pepper Jack,” he says and kisses me. “Welcome home.”