#snow stomping around his office like a little bitch

[bellysoupset]

Here’s a fluffy one:

Maybe one night Leo’s stitches are really bothering him and he’s super grumpy, and Jon can’t help but be so amused by Leo’s pouty news and they just cuddle and watch tv and crap. I don’t even know, this is just some cut idea that popped into my brain.

Just a little drabble for the people who asked for some fluffy Leo&Jon!

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"Life sucks and everything hurts," Leo declared, causing Jonah to roll his eyes from where he was, sitting by the dining table they never used and surrounded by books, notebooks, various pens and highlighters.

"Oh yeah?" he said, not looking up from his essay. Graduation was so close he could almost smell it... And his stress levels were off the charts. He needed all the time of studying he could get.

"Yeah," Leo groaned, walking up behind him and pressing his chin to the top of Jonah's head, "stop studying, come cuddle with me."

"I can't, I really gotta finish this," Jonah circled up a word, not that it meant anything, just to show Leo that he wasn't doodling around the page but actually doing something.

"No, you don't need a job. I'm a lawyer, you can be my trophy husband," his boyfriend said and he could hear the pout in his voice, "I won't even make you do housework, just stand there and be pretty."

Jonah snorted, leaning back on the chair and tipping his head back, so he could get a look at him from upside down, "I really can't, Leo, I'm sorry..."

"You hate me," Leo grumbled, pulling back and stomping back to the couch, something he regretted doing since the heavy stepping pulled on his stitches. He reached down with a pained groan and grabbed JD from the ground, where she was happily playing with her wiggly fake mouse, snatching her up so he could cuddle her.

The kitten let out an indignant meow at being held to his chest like a baby and Jonah chuckled at the cry for help, turning his attention back to work.

They sat in silence for the longest time, Leo watching TV on a low volume and petting JD, while Jonah continued to work through his references and outlining his conclusion.

He was so sucked in the work, that he barely realized dinner time had come until Leo pressed a kiss to his temple, startling him.

"Yes?"

"I got us both soup," Leo kissed the side of his head again, "save your document."

"I really can't-"

"Save it."

Hurriedly, realizing Leo's hand was already on the top of his laptop, Jonah pressed ctrl+s, just in time for his boyfriend to shut the device and tug on his chair.

"Come have dinner with me."

JD was sniffing the two deep blue cardboard boxes, her little triangular nose all but touching the corner of one before she tried taking a little bite out of it, causing Jonah to let out a huff and pick her up.

"That's not for little kitties," he scoffed, kissing her between her ears and walking to the kitchen area to get them both metal spoons as well as serve her dinner.

Leo collapsed on the couch with a groan, unboxing the soup, "I still think this packaging is just wasteful," he complained, removing the plastic lid of the mini container that came inside each blue box. Each box came with a bowl of soup in hard plastic, that could later be removed from the cardboard and saved, as well as holes for all the extras, such as cheese and herbs.

"You ordered from my favorite place," Jonah opened a big smile, "is it my birthday and I forgot?"

"Nope," Leo rolled his eyes, passing him his own box, "I just wanted us to cuddle and have a nice night in. Besides, it's freezing and the temperatures are supposed to drop even more tonight, so I guess we can have soup for dinner.'

Jonah sat down next to him, glancing at the balcony, where sure enough he could already see a couple flakes of white snow twirling in the wind, "great," he sighed, moving so Leo could rest against him.

They chatted about anything and everything. Leo had a string of things to bitch about, much to Jon's amusement, complaining from the office work hours, to the fact that it shut down during holiday season, to the spices used in his soup, the weather, his stitches-

"Your stitches?" Jonah interrupted, fishing the noddles at the bottom of his soup, "what about your stitches, baby?"

"They're just itchy and uncomfortable and everything tugs at them and- Hey! What are you doing?! Leo yelped, as Jon reached in and tugged his shirt up to look at the stitches.

"They don't look inflamed, but they're a little pink," Jonah squinted at, finishing up the soup and planting the empty container on their coffee table, pushing Leo's arms out of his way so he could inspect the stitches done. They weren't warm, nor were Leo's cheeks when he cupped his face.

Jonah met his boyfriend's annoyed frown, "are you done?" Leo scoffed, pushing his hands away, "the stitches are fine, I'm fine, I just..."

"You just?" Jon urged him to continue and Leo shrugged.

"Nothing," he turned slightly around so he could press his back to Jonah's chest, now that the food container was out of the way. Leo slid down, enough his head was planted over the other man's stomach and he let out a content noise, "your tummy is all gurgly."

"Peristalsis," Jonah scoffed, leaning back and running his fingers through Leo's hair, "why are you so upset today?"

"I'm not," he answered, "not anymore."

"Uhm," Jon curled a hair strand around his fingers, blushing before saying "we could switch and I could rub your stomach."

Leo frowned, raising his head, "my tummy is not upset. Really, Jon, I'm not si-"

"I know, I meant just... Just as a cuddling thing... Besides you probably need some pomade on those stitches any way."

Leo's pale face changed from healthy, milky white to beet red. He raised his eyebrows, "oh... That's actually.... That's very sweet."

Jonah grinned, getting up to grab the pomade, "I'm full of surprises."

"Yeah, like a piñata," Leo grumbled under his breath, causing Jon to give him the finger as he walked away. Leo let out a sigh, rubbing a hand over his face.

He wasn't being totally honest with Jon, he wasn't just upset because of the uncomfortable stitches or the fucked hours of his office or the fact his boyfriend wasn't giving him enough attention thanks to the approaching graduation... His terrible mood was actually mostly due to the fact it was the later half of November and the holidays were approaching.

Leo was pulled out of his sullen thoughts as Jonah cupped his face upside down, giving him a kiss and then bossing, "move."

They squirmed around on the couch that was a little too small for two big men, until Jonah managed to get on his side next to Leo, resting his cheek in his left hand, his elbow pressed to the cushions to hold his head up, while with the other hand he shoved Leo's shirt up.

"Do you want me to remove it?" Leo asked, amused. This wasn't out of character for Jonah, he was exactly the type to dot on people, he just hated being that much of a softie.

"No, keep it in my way so it can get all sticky and stained," Jonah sassed at him and Leo rolled his eyes, removing the shirt and shivering as he felt Jon plant a dollop of pomade on his belly and then break the little semi transparent pile of goop in the middle with his fingers, scooping up half to dutifully apply it to the stitches on Leo's side.

"It's cold," Leo whined and Jonah ignored him, making sure he didn't miss a single spot.

"There you go," Jonah smiled, before planting his palm over the remaining pomade and rubbing it around, "it'll be less scratchy through the night..."

He trailed off, slumping slightly to press his cheek to Leo's shoulder and continuing to rub his stomach, letting out a small yawn. Leo raised an eyebrow at the gratuitous touching, before sliding down slightly to get more comfortable and starting to toy with Jon's tight curls, wrapping them around his pinky.

The belly rub so soon after eating caused him to burp, but Jon didn't seem to mind, in fact he didn't seem to be paying any attention.

"What are you thinking?" Leo asked quietly, shivering as he felt his boyfriends fingers circle around his belly button and trace the little line of golden hair that disappeared inside his sweatpants.

"I'm thinking about graduation," Jonah mumbled, sounding sleepy, "and work."

"Of course you're thinking of work," Leo huffed, feeling Jon smile against his chest, "so? Wanna talk about it?"

"Nope," Jonah snuggled even closer, giving up on the tummy rub and draping an arm around him. JD climbed on the couch, feeling excluded from the activity and butted her head against his arm, before snuggling up on top of Leo too, receiving lazy pets as Jon seemed to be falling asleep.

"We really should move to the bed," Leo whispered, only to receive an annoyed huff in response, "remember you said this in six hours when you fall off the couch."

"Shut up," Jonah sighed, locking their legs together, "shush now."

Leo rolled his eyes, turning his face so he could press his cheek to the top of Jon's head and smiling as he could feel his boyfriend slump fully against him and JD start to purr.

[countrymusiclover]

29 - In Memory of Prim and Maya

Victor's Daughter

@lemonluvgirl87 @virtualsweetsdreamer @emma-andrea1 @voiddylanobrosey

The hovercraft lands outside the capital where my father and I stepped down the ramp. Two guards followed closely with Celestia behind us. My father interviewed my right hand with his leading me inside the mansion. I am dressed in a brown leather jacket, black pants and dusty combat boots. My hair is loose with a small part braided like a crown on my head. I paused outside Snow's old office twisting the doorknob stepping inside. The last time I was in this room was before Snow knew who I really was. Closing the door behind me I shivered feeling the air getting thick standing in front of his desk. There's a file laying there so I opened it sitting in his large chair. "Double bomb project...restarting the games. Capital children." I mumbled to myself glancing to the computer screen with multiple files opened.

Scanning the screen I gasped seeing security footage of outside the capital gates. Everybody is reaching up into the sky for little baskets floating down. The seconds they touched them an explosion goes off. The camera footage gets jolted around and I covered my ears hearing screaming. Closing my eyes for a moment I snapped them open heating Katniss's cry. "Prim - Primrose!" Clutching my hands into fists I gasped about to pass out because I hadn't been told anything. The last time I saw my best friend was this morning saying goodbye. She had finally been labeled as a nurse so proud of herself. Covering my hands over my mouth I sobbed heavily watching her get blown up right before my eyes. My heart tightened when I leaned back in the chair living the nightmare. Foosteps came inside the room and Coin's voice breaks me from the horror. "What are you doing in here. You're not allowed to be in here." She was wearing a grey suit hands on her hips. Rising to my feet I reached back grabbing my knife still crying. "You killed her - you killed Primrose. You traitorous bitch. How could you plan something so horrible. On innocent people just trying to get help!"

"Oh my dear your boyfriend helped give the order. I wasn't gunning for her..but if you kill me then you'll be executed. I don't think you're father could bear that. Yet I believe you're the perfect person to decide the fate of the country." She spoke stepping closer to me grabbing my arm leading me inside a room with the other Victor's. Sitting down in a chair with my father Katniss was on the other side. Twirling the knife in my hands underneath the table I scoffed towards Coin not wanting any part of this meeting. "Why exactly am I here. You killed my best friend so I want to kill you right now. That's the only thing that I care about Coin." She puts her hands on the table staring at me blankly. "Ms. Abernathy you are here because I think the only way to avoid more blood is to bring back the games. And make the capital children have the fate-" Slamming my hands on the table the knife clattered through the room. "No way in hell. Prim might be dead but I won't force Celestia into the torture we faced!"

Shoving my chair back I stomped towards the door gripping the door handle until Katniss spoke up leaning up on the table. "I vote yes. For Prim." Glancing over my shoulder the last vote was my father. Clutching the knife in my other hand there was no going back when he replied softly. "I agree with the - uh mockingjay." He gets to his feet following me into the hallway wrapping his arms around my waist tightly. Flinging my arms around his neck I just started heavy sobbing into his shirt. He moves one hand through my hair just holding me for hours like this. Hours later I didn't even bother going to see Gale before he got transferred to district 2. I couldn't love him anymore after what he did even if it was an accident. Someone knocked on my door where Celestia walked inside immediately hugging me crying that her grandfather was to be executed in a few minutes. "Hey sssh. You don't have to watch it. Or if you do just clutch your medicine bottle tightly for strength." I whispered in her ear not breaking the hug until she was ready. The doctors in 13 had created her some pills she had to take everyday to avoid snapping back into her murderer state. But it wouldn't be a permit thing once we got away from here back to my home.

Another knock came on the door seeing my father dressed in a suit waiting for us. The three of us walked down the road that the tributes had during the first night of the games. Keeping my eyes locked onto Snow I intertwined my right hand with my father's and my left in Celestia's. "For mom. For dad. For myself..." I mumbled under my breath eyeing her grandfather until Coin walked out giving a speech. "For Primrose!" My voice laced with vemon more than ever. The drums stopped behind us so I turned my head watching Katniss draw her bow. She holds it steady then at the last minute fires the arrow into Coin's chest. Celestia shivered burying her face in my chest with people running forward killing her grandfather. My father leads us through the halls away from the madness outside. "He's - he's gone!" She sobbed heavily when I grabbed her shoulders wishing she didn't know this. "Cel, I'm sorry. You shouldn't have seen this. Just wait a few hours and I'll take you away from here..forever." Climbing inside the hovercraft that would take us back to 12 I didn't bother to know who would lead the new country now. I just wanted to go home and never leave again.

Rubbing my eyes I stretched after hours of flying to see my father helping her off the hovercraft. Katniss and I glanced to one another grabbing the others hand walking down the ramp. The wind blows through my hair as I stand in the doorway arms crossed over my chest. Foosteps approached me from behind sighing heavily as they sat down. I slide down the door watching my father holding two beers. "You deserve this sweetheart. I am truly sorry I couldn't protect you from the games. Y/n, I would have fought tooth and nail to keep you safe." Reaching over I grabbed his hand locking eyes with him then opening my beer having a long sip. Giving him a poker face he chuckled taking a drink himself. "You did everything you could. I am only sorry that I forced Celestia to come live with us. I just couldn't leave her. The possibility of getting executed was too real." He moves onto my side of the doorway so we could watch the little girl sleeping in my old bedroom that I shared with Prim. He had his own bedroom. Katniss and Peeta shared the other one in this large house. "You're mother would be proud. Taking that little girl in is the best decision you made...I love you Y/n." Laying my head against his chest he draped his arm over my shoulder watching the rain fall outside. "I love you too dad. Mom would be proud of you too. You are the best father I could have asked for." This new life would be hard but we would face whatever came our way together in the name of my mother and my best friend, Maya Flower and Primrose Everdeen.

Wow readers, so this is the end. I can't believe it. I honestly loved writing Haymitch as a dad and the readers own storyline.

Please check out my other books and like always comments are really appreciated ❤️

[combat-wombatus]

YEAHHH YOU KNOW IM HERE!!! BC I LOVE YOU COCO!!

okayy so for my request 👉🏽👈🏽

can i get bakugo x f!reader and prompts: 14. “You’re so cute when you’re mad.” + 24. “Would you mind if I kissed you?”

okay i love you!! 🥺🥺 thank you for doing this!

14: “You’re so cute when you’re mad.” 24: “Would you mind if I kissed you?” Character: Bakugou

ok so like...i may or may not have gone slightly overboard and turned this into a whole fic-

it’s like 2.2k words lakdjfhasjkdh enjoy-

thank u for requesting aves 🥺

“What? A party? I’m not fucking going.” Bakugou snarled. “Staying up past midnight is overrated. I need my sleep.”

“But Bakubro,” Kaminari whined. “We’re hosting! Mina planned it all, and she spent a lot of time doing it! You should at least go. You don’t have to stay up that late.”

“Tch. As if I care.” Bakugou shoved his hands in his pockets and slumped forward even more. “Pinky can waste all the time she fucking wants to. I’m not going.”

“It’s our last year at UA! Come on,” Kirishima joined in. “You can leave early if you want to! It’ll be mostly in the dorms anyways. Mina did plan a scavenger hunt though, in Gym Gamma. She says that she planted “mementos” of our school experience. Isn’t that fun?”

“Fun my ass. It’s stupid, is what it is.” He glared at Kirishima. “Should’ve visited my parents. Even the old hag isn’t as loud as all of you extras in the dorms.”

“You say that like you didn’t blast a hole in the wall just last week,” Kaminari pointed out.

Kirishima winced. “Denki-”

“WELL WHOSE FUCKING IDEA WAS IT TO PRETEND THAT THEY WERE FUCKING KIDNAPPED?!?” Bakugou waved a fist wildly in Kaminari’s face.

“Fair point, fair point. You should’ve seen the look on your face though! (Y/N) thought you’d murder her!” Kaminari cackled.

“I’D NEVER FUCKING MURDER HER! ARE YOU INSANE??” Bakugou’s palms started crackling.

“Hey, chill bro, we know that.” Kirishima tried to calm him down.

Kaminari was not so lucky. “Why? You joke about murdering us all the time. What’s so different about her?”

Bakugou turned, a quick retort on the tip of his tongue, before he realized that Kaminari was, actually, right for once.

“She’s…she’s…” He stuttered.

Kaminari let out a hoot of laughter. “I knew it!”

“Shut the fuck up!” Bakugou’s face turned beet red. “You don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Suit yourself. We know the truth.” Kaminari patted Bakugou’s shoulder.

“Oh yeah, Bakubro! (Y/L/N)-chan is going to be at the party too! Why don’t you confess to her there? That would be fun! And then Mina will forgive you for leaving early too!”

Bakugou’s left eye twitched. “There’s nothing to confess, Shitty Hair. And I don’t give a rat’s ass what Mina thinks.”

Kirishima and Kaminari looked at each other, then turned back to Bakugou.

“Sure,” Kirishima smirked. “Nothing at all.”

“Hey! (Y/N)!” Mina ran up to you. “You’re coming to the party, right?”

You turned to face her. “Sure am! Who isn’t? It’s in the dorms anyways so there’s not much of a point in not coming, right?”

Mina sighed. “Kiri and Kami are having a hard time convincing Bakugou to come. Something about his sleep schedule?”

You were a little disappointed, but it was to be expected. Bakugou didn’t participate much in team-building activities anyways. “Can’t relate. My sleep schedule has been fucked to high heaven.”

“Right? What a crappy excuse.” Mina rolled her eyes. “Anyways, Sero’s waiting for me in the gym to help set the scavenger hunt up. See ya later, yeah?”

“Sure! Do you want more help? I can help you guys set things up if you’d like,” you asked.

Mina leaned forward, smiling mischievously. “Nope! It’s all good! And besides, I want you to participate in the game, so you can’t help!”

You smiled. “Ah, okay. Well, I’ll see you later then!”

“See ya!” Mina winked and gave you a little wave.

“So, the rules of the game are simple: whichever team finds and touches our very own 3-A New Year’s Ball, together, wins!” Mina exclaimed from her place on the couch.

“What kind of shitty game is this?” Bakugou growled, leaning against the kitchen counter.

Mina pouted. “Hey! Sero and I spent a lot of time making this happen!”

“Yeah! They were amazing!” Ochaco jumped up too. “Stop being ungrateful!”

“Fine, whatever.” Bakugou crossed his arms. “Get on with it already. We don’t have all night.”

“Actually, we do! Not everyone here has the sleeping schedule of an old man,” Kaminari piped in.

“Shut up, Dunce Face. Nobody asked.” Bakugou scowled.

“Hey! Back to the regular program. You get to choose your own partners! Isn’t that exciting?” Mina waved her piece of paper around wildly. “Now get to it! You have three minutes!”

You looked around the room. You would’ve asked Mina, but she and Sero weren’t participating since they were the ones who hid it. They had also apparently hidden clues all over Gym Gamma as to where the location of the ball was.

“Ocha-” Oops. She’d already teamed up with Iida.

“Oi, Shitty Hair, come over here!” Bakugou yelled across the room. You sighed. Of course.

“Sorry Bakubro, I already have a partner…” Kirishima said rather sheepishly.

“…you WHAT?”

“Yeah…Momo here didn’t have a partner yet and…well…Mineta was hot on her trail,” Kirishima tried to explain as Momo breathed a sigh of relief.

“Shuckers!” Mineta faceplanted onto the couch. “I never get what I want”

“Hmph. Karma’s a bitch.” Jiro smirked from her position next to Kaminari.

“Dunce Face, you got a partner too?” Bakugou sighed, exasperated.

“Right next to me!” Kaminari pointed to Jiro with his thumb. You smiled in satisfaction. They were honestly adorable.

You turned to the rest of the room. Hagakure had already snagged Ojiro, Midoriya had, unsurprisingly, paired with Todoroki. Shoji and…Tsu? Koda had paired up with Sato, and…you snickered a little at the last pairing. Tokoyami had been bombarded with Aoyama’s relentless chatter. Which left…you and Bakugou.

Huh. That was weird. You swore that not everyone had a partner just a minute ago. And it was awfully strange that Tokoyami would choose to pair with Aoyama instead of you or even Bakugou, but…you supposed that he didn’t really have a choice in the matter.

“So. (Y/N).” Bakugou cleared his throat. “Partners?”

“Uh…yeah,” you replied, fidgeting slightly with your hands.

“Ok! Everyone is paired up and ready to go?” Mina was practically bouncing.

“Yeah!” Most everyone chimed in unison.

“Let’s do it then! Sero, come on! Lead the way!” She jumped down from her place on the kitchen counter.

“What the fuck? Pinky and Tape Arms hung that thing all the way up there?” Bakugou swore.

“You can use your quirk to get up there though, right?” You looked at him, brows furrowed.

“Duh. But what about you?” He looked you up and down. “Last time I checked, you couldn’t fly.”

“Easy! I’ll just ride on your back!” You chirped. “Unless you can’t carry me?”

“Tch. As if. Get on.” He squatted down, letting you scamper onto his back. “Ready?” You wrapped your arms around his neck and your legs around his waist.

You leaned into the crook of his neck, breath lightly fanning his face. “Ready,” you confirmed.

Cackling gleefully, Bakugou shot up into the sky, palms ablaze.

And as quickly as he flew, he was dropping to the ground even quicker.

“DAMMIT!” He glared daggers at the ice wall that had appeared over your heads. “Fucking Deku! And that IcyHot bastard!”

Spiraling, he tried his best to save the two of you from a hard impact on the ground, but he was only successful in twirling around in the air like a ballerina.

“Shit!” He tried to flip upside down in order to land on his feet, but the momentum was against him.

With an “oof”, the two of you landed in a pile on the (luckily) snow-covered ground.

“You alright there, idiot?” Bakugou said gruffly.

You groaned. You weren’t sure how, but you definitely sprained something with the way you landed. Ankle? Wrist? Perhaps both?

“Hey. Hey!” Bakugou climbed over the snowdrift to reach you. “Get up! The fuck is wrong with you?”

“Calm down, Bakugou!” You pushed his hand away. “It’s just a sprain,” you pointed to your ankle.

“Nothing else?” He seemed intent on picking you up, so you let him.

“Nope, everything’s fine,” you assured him.

“Sorry about that!” Midoriya called out from atop his perch on Todoroki’s newly-formed glacier. “We got a little carried away!”

Bakugou stilled. You winced. Midoriya was in for a rough time.

“Deku…” He ground out. “What the FUCK do you think you and IcyHot are doing?”

“I-I’m sorry! We didn’t mean to knock you down from the air!” Midoriya started gesturing nervously. “I-I swear it was an a-accident!”

Todoroki sighed. “It was an accident. Let it go, Bakugou. And (Y/N), we are very sorry for having injured you. Would you like for us to accompany you to Recovery Girl? The game is over now.”

“The fuck did you say, IcyHot? No fucking way. I’m taking her.” He stomped towards Recovery Girl’s office, you firmly nestled in his arms.

“Think we succeeded?” Todoroki turned to Midoriya. “They seem to be getting along fine.”

“I…I’m not sure. It’s not great that (Y/L/N)-chan had to get injured for this to work, but…Recovery Girl will fix her up fine and Kacchan might finally realize that he has feelings for her…”

“Hey guys! Great job!” Sero dangled Mina from a tree branch overhead. “Look at them go!”

“It’s all according to plan…” Mina clapped her hands together. “Now, we just have to wait for the clock to chime twelve…”

“Fucking assholes.” Bakugou hadn’t stopped muttering underneath his breath since you’d left.

You giggled. He was so angry over such a small thing. It wasn’t like the fall was intentional; you’d both just been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Bakugou stopped walking and stared at you. “What?” He frowned at you. “Why are you laughing? Did you knock your fucking head on the way down too?”

You started full-on laughing this time. “No, Bakugou. It’s just…you’re so cute when you’re mad,” you tried to explain. “Your eyebrows scrunch up and you purse your lips and…”

By this point, Bakugou was a blushing mess. No one had ever called him “cute” when he was angry before.

After a while, he broke the silence. “So…I don’t scare you?”

You laid your head on his chest. “Not at all.”

“Tch. You should be scared of me, dumbass.” He turned your body so that you were facing him, shielding his tomato-hued face from your gaze.

“And why should I be?”

“Because…because…I’m Bakugou Katsuki, dammit!” He clenched his fists, bunching up your parka.

Snickering, you decided to tease him. “Thank you, Captain Obvious. I thought you were Midoriya Izuku for a second.”

“You WHAT?!?”

The two of you bantered playfully all the way to Recovery Girl’s office. She took one look at you and frowned.

“Tsk. I thought there wasn’t training today?” She rifled around for an ice pack.

“There wasn’t. We played a game and I just sprained my ankle.” You explained sheepishly. “And possibly my wrist.”

Recovery Girl tapped her cane on your knee and sighed heavily. “You guys don’t know how to take care of yourselves! Playing a game and getting injured?” She rubbed her temples. “The hospitals are going to have a field day with the lot of you once you become pros.”

“Sorry. I promise I’ll be more careful next time.” You held in a wince as she prodded your ankle.

“Minor sprains. I’m going to wrap those and give you some gummies. Take this ice pack with you when you go. Ice for 10, leave for 20, and repeat for 3 hours. Got it?”

“Yes ma’am!” You held out your wrist for her to bind.

“And don’t you go do anything else dangerous now, you hear me?”

“Loud and clear!” You hopped nimbly off the table, landing on one leg, and was promptly scooped up again by Bakugou.

“Hey! Let me down! I can walk!” You protested against his arms.

Bakugou turned to Recovery Girl. “Look at her. You really want her to walk?”

“As a matter of fact, I do not. Stay still, young lady, and let him carry you,” she admonished.

You slumped in defeat, and Bakugou carried you out of the room.

“Ahh…young love,” Recovery Girl stared wistfully at your fading silhouettes. “I remember…”

“3!”

“2!”

“1!!”

“HAPPY NEW YEAR’S!!”

The class was situated in the common room, spread out over the numerous couches and munching on fresh cookies (courtesy of Momo and Sato).

And as the clock chimed 12, you looked to Bakugou, sitting right next to you.

“Can…can I…” You started nervously, fingers fidgeting with your ice pack.

“What? Spit it out,” Bakugou stared at you.

“Canikissyou?” You blurted out as fast as your tongue would let you.

He smirked. “What was that? I couldn’t understand you.”

You sighed. “Would…would you mind if I kissed you?”

Bakugou’s lips pulled into a wolfish grin. “All you had to do was ask, dumbass.”

Epilogue

“Do you think they caught on?” Mina whispered excitedly to Sero. “I wasn’t sure if they saw me leading Todoroki and Midoriya to the ball.”

“Nah, I think we’re fine. Besides, it’s not like he can complain. He got a girlfriend thanks to us, right?” Sero chuckled.

“Ok…if you say so…”

Suddenly, they heard a growl coming from the doorway to their left.

“Shit.”

“Run!!”

“I won’t let you bastards get away with this!!”

Coco’s New Year Celebration 20-21

Masterlist

[pynkhues]

I hope you post your c & c Christmas fic! I am having a horrible Christmas alone bc of covid 19 and could use a little cheering up.

I’m so sorry you had a horrible Christmas alone, anon! And I know this is a few days late and a few dollars short, but I hope the first scene (and it’s a doozy of a scene at 3k words haha) from it helps? 

I’m trying to finish the fic now, so fingers crossed I have it all up by tomorrow. It’s ended up being really long, haha, so hopefully people still want a monster Christmas fic four days after Christmas! 😊

“No.”

And damn, if Rio doesn’t pop an eyebrow at that.

“No?”

The question is enough to make Jane’s bottom lip wobble as she rocks in her galoshes, the sound of her wet socks squelching inside them making somethin’ in Rio’s head twitch, because shit – he’d tried to get her out of them at the back door. Tried to pick her up and cart her upstairs to the tub, ready to wash the snow Kenny had shoved down the back of her parka off, but she hadn’t wanted that neither. Had been content to dart beneath his arm the second he’d lugged Marcus up with his other; even more content to leave a trail of sludgy footprints behind her through the kitchen like she wanted him to follow, and he hadn’t exactly.

Or y’know, he had until she’d dashed past him again and he’d gotten a hand into the hood of her jacket.

“So you don’t want to get in there with him, huh?” Rio asks now, jerking his head back to where Marcus is already sprawled out in the tub, fuckin’ blissed out, his skinny arms slung over the rim and his body submerged in the steamy, sudsy water ‘til he looks like some eight-year-old mafia don. It’d make Rio grin – does – until he meets Jane’s look again, her bottom lip still wobbling as she furiously shakes her head, her rabbit beanie slipping down her icy wet hair.

Rio frowns.

“You ain’t cold?”

And shit, he knows she is.

Knows it because the second he’d pulled up to Glenvale Elementary School today to pick ‘em up, she’d been cold. A last-day-of-school snowball fight havin’ ballooned out until the faculty were left frantically trying to dry off forty shivering kids, and whatever, Rio had thought. It was good for them. Work hard, play hard gotta start somewhere, and he’d plucked Jane and Marcus’ tooth-chattering selves out of the fray and blast the car heaters the whole way home, but the second they’d tumbled out of the car, Kenny had thrown a snowball himself, and a fresh fight had begun.

And okay, maybe he should’ve stopped it sooner than he did, but he had Mick on call and the last drops to organise before the holidays, because apparently people buyin’ up supplies of prescription drugs as gifts for sick family members is a straight up thing (and call Rio Father Christmas, because damn if he ain’t deliverin’ on the fuckin’ miracle. Ain’t even price gouging, although that’s more because Elizabeth had turned a particular shade of purple at the prospect and he knew he’d never hear the end of it if he’d bloated prices, but - - damn, it would’ve put at least two of the kids through college.)

Point is, maybe he meant to pull ‘em in after half an hour, but by the time he finally got back outside it’d been close to two full hours and the kids were all red-nosed and tremblin’, their clothes soaked through, the evening just starting to yawn above them to swallow the last of the light whole.

“No,” Jane repeats now, sullen this time, and Rio feels his nostrils flare in irritation as he stares back down at her. At least the room is warm enough, he thinks, watching the steam curl the ends of her wet hair, the ebb of the heating warping the air as it pours from the floor vents. The kids’ bathroom is one of the rooms they’ve refit over the last year – a pet project of Elizabeth’s that Rio had found himself involved in, mostly because he almost got as much of a thrill out of inventing organisational systems as she did. The big, low white tub set back against the wall with polka dotted wallpaper above it, gold light fittings and a long, deep blue vanity that had as much storage as they could ever need. Still – it didn’t stop one of Emma’s bikini’d Barbie’s and a fuckin’ deluge of rubber sea animals from taking up space around the room.

“I’m a grown up,” Jane adds, sniffing wetly, pulling his attention back, and Rio’s second eyebrow raises to meet his first. “Grown ups don’t have baths with boys.”

“Om has baths with daddy,” Marcus says helpfully from the tub, and Rio gestures back at him, taking in the way Jane just huffs out a breath and stomps her little foot against the white honeycomb tiles and it figures, Rio thinks, that one of Elizabeth’s kids would end up with the fuckin’ stubborn powerball in that genetic lottery.

Figures it’d be Jane too.

“That’s different, they have to share everything because they’re a mommy and an od.”

At least the others ain’t this stubborn, he reminds himself, scrubbing a hand back over his head. At least he’d been able to pile ‘em up with towels and sweats and direct them to the downstairs bathroom while he handled Jane and Marcus, but then again - -

He trains his ears to hear ‘em – Emma and Danny’s giggles sounding through the floor beneath his feet, loud even over the downpour of the shower, and then:

The flush of a toilet.

Kenny screams.

Right.

Lotta other balls in that genetic lottery too though, huh?

He exhales sharply.

“A’ight,” he says, looking back down at Jane’s pink little face. “You don’t gotta share a bath since you’re all grown, but you can’t stay in your wet clothes.”

And it’s weird then – the look that Jane levels him with. Somethin’ too hard in the set to her mouth and too open in her wide green eyes, and Rio’s frown deepens, brow furrowing, because there’s somethin’ in that look that tells him this ain’t entirely just about stubbornness, when suddenly Marcus chimes in from the tub.

“Soup.”

And shit, no, they’re havin’ pizza for dinner – Rio’s already ordered it – but before he can say as much, Jane’s nose is wrinkling up and she’s rolling those too wide eyes and that hard set to her mouth is softening, and huh, Rio thinks. They ain’t talking about dinner either.

“Soup doesn’t have bubbles, Marcus.”

“This one does!” he tells her easily, and Rio turns to watch his son glide his hands through the bathwater, catching soapsuds, a too-innocent grin on his face. “It’s an alien soup. Like - - like from Neptune. I got abducted! I’m gonna get eaten! Help me, Officer Janey!!”

With that, he slides down into the water, flails his skinny legs up above the surface, fake yelling, and Rio huffs, exasperated as water spills over the top of the tub, but can’t quite hide the twitch at his lips when he sees Jane’s look tear – the urge to play too already warring on her face as she steps closer.

“No, Marcus! We can play later, not - - ”

“Help!! Hel - - blergh.”

Marcus splutters around a mouthful of soapsuds, and Rio does roll his eyes this time, grabbing a washcloth from the sink to wipe his son’s face.

“You gonna help him, Officer Janey?” he asks, glancing back from Marcus and they can all see Jane’s resolve weakening. She shifts her weight, puffs out her cheeks, and then, just like that, she caves.

“Okay, Sir Marcus, I’ll get you home for Christmas.”

And thank fuck for that, Rio thinks, keeping his expression carefully in check as Marcus grins in delight, squirming back up the side of the tub to make room for her. It only takes a minute for her to peel off her jacket, leaking freezing water everywhere in the process, and Rio edges forwards, starting to help her when his cell phone buzzes in the back pocket of his jeans. He pulls it out, checks the number, and hooks it under his ear as he crouches down beside Jane.

“’ey,” he says, and immediately he’s met with a wave of sound from the chaos of the mall – the tinny, tinkling melodies of Christmas songs and the thrum of shoppers, the distant sounds of static announcements and the too-close bray of Annie’s laugh, but it’s Elizabeth who replies, her voice clear and clean as a bell.

“Hi. Did we decide on the flatware set for your sister in the end? They’ve got one on sale here at this cute little kitchen place, and - - ”

Rio sighs, annoyance sparking at the fraying edges of his patience. He lifts up Jane’s leg as she dangles herself over the edge of the tub, pulling off one of her galoshes, and then the other, cringing when her soaked pink socks settle back on the floor, leaving a smear of dirty water on the tiles.

“We decided no, mami,” he tells Elizabeth over the line, pulling off Jane’s socks in one rough motion as Jane makes a grab for a rubber fish. “We already got her the - - ”

“Towels, I know, but she didn’t have enough forks for us when we were there last week, and if that’s going to be a regular thing now, I really think we should get her the extra flatware set.”

And shit, Rio thinks, moving to kneel so he can peel off Jane’s sopping wet sweater and shirt as she kicks off her jeans and undies, it figures.

It figures because Elizabeth’s been pressed about Carmen’s place since Carmen and Matt finally separated back in August, splittin’ up their assets and sellin’ the house. It had been a long time comin’, and Rio couldn’t say he wasn’t pleased about it – after all, him and Carmen hadn’t always seen eye-to-eye, but shit, she was his sister and she was a boss bitch, and Matt had always been the sort of belly crawlin’ fuck who’d soured at any woman who was more of one than him.

Anyway, it didn’t take all that much to figure out that Elizabeth was watchin’ Carmen’s marriage dissolve and her new life as a single mom with the sort of projecting fixation that - - shit - - just dredged up baggage.

Still, it was kind of fuckin’ funny too to watch Elizabeth try to help Carmen in the way she wouldn’t let anyone do for her back when she finally called it with her own dumbass ex.

“Yeah, those towels weren’t cheap,” Rio says into the phone, standing up and grabbing Jane underneath her icy arms to swing her into the hot water beside Marcus, letting her eyes slip shut briefly when Jane kicks a fresh wave of hot water onto the floor of the bathroom.

“Neither is cooking dinner for seven extra people.”

Grabbing his cell properly now that Jane’s in the tub, Rio drops his free arm down, grabbing Jane and Marcus’ wet clothes off the floor and striding out of the room, down the stairs and beelining for the laundry. He grins, pleased, when he sees Emma’s already put her own snow clothes in the washing machine, even if she’s managed to spill washing powder all over the floor in the process of it.

“One thing,” he sing-songs over the bustle of the mall behind Elizabeth’s voice. “Everyone’s gettin’ one thing. If you want to get Carmen the flatware set, that’s two things.”

And he can’t even see her, but he can feel Elizabeth bristle down the line.

“I might not be as quick with the books as you, but I do know basic math, thank you.”

Which - - shit, not what he meant. He grabs a rag out of the laundry cabinet, dropping down to wipe up the powder.

“Nah, you ain’t hearin’ me. I know you, Elizabeth. You get Carmen two things, you gettin’ everyone two things – Aida, my mom, your sister, your friend – we ain’t doin’ that this year. We decided that.”

Vaguely he can hear her sister laugh over the line again, and then Ruby say:

What about…

“No, I think she has one of those already,” Elizabeth replies, and Rio sighs, tossing the rag into the washing machine with the kids’ clothes. Vaguely, he can hear footsteps down the hall behind him, Jane and Marcus still playing in the tub, the shower a few rooms up, and he still has some business calls to make tonight, and damn, weren’t they going to figure out which presents were from Santa and which were from them later too? He checks his watch and frowns.  

“Elizabeth, what time you comin’ home?”

“Soon,” she tells him quickly, then, to one of the others: “No, that’s too much.”

Suddenly, a cold little hand grabs his wrist, and Rio glances down to see Emma clutching at it, already decked out in her pink fleecy sweats and rainbow fuzzy unicorn slippers, which’d be fine if her hair wasn’t hanging wet, soaking into the back of her dressing gown. He frowns, pushes his cell between his shoulder and head again to pull a hair elastic off his wrist and tie her hair back up off her neck.

“Od, can we watch Frozen tonight?”

And Rio briefly blanches at that, but grunts in affirmation, letting her go only for Emma to come back and cling to his hand again, splaying his fingers so she can fit her own between his. He blinks down at her curiously, picking up his cell again with his other hand, because damn, it ain’t like she’s never held his hand before – she’s always been a touchy kid – but he figured she’d be out of sight the second he told her she could put Frozen on. Like she’s seen the look on his face, she squeezes his hand and sidles closer until she’s practically on top of his leg, and so Rio crouches down instead, lugging her up and carrying her out of the laundry and over to the living room, letting her rest her head on his shoulder as she clings to his side.

“Annie, stop it,” Elizabeth says, annoyance growing in her tone, and Rio rolls his eyes, depositing Emma on the couch, and okay, maybe the kid’s just tired, he thinks, watching as she nestles back in the cushions, her big blue eyes only half-lidded.

He flicks on the TV while Elizabeth babbles to Annie and Ruby in his ear, like she’s half-forgotten to hang-up, and he’s about to do it himself instead when he hears the name Dean pop outta Annie’s mouth, which - -

Fuck that.

His jaw tightens, loosens, tightens again.

“Thought we weren’t doin’ all of that this year,” he hums, tryin’ to keep his voice light as he loads up Frozen on Disney+ and grabs one of the blankets to toss over Emma, because wasn’t that dumbass ex of hers off in Nevada this year with his new girl’s family?

“What?”

And sure, play dumb, baby, Rio thinks, striding out of the room as Emma wriggles down in the blanket. He heads back towards the corridor, hearing Jane squeal somewhere upstairs and Marcus laugh as he moves towards the downstairs bathroom.

“Thought we had the place and everyone in it to ourselves.”

“We do,” she tells him quickly, and he can hear her moving herself, walkin’ maybe – her sister’s voice getting further away.

“We ain’t changin’ plans.”

Because fuck – they’re a week out from Christmas, and they had shit on lock this year. Had decided on that together too after the whole mess of last year with Elizabeth having to do the six hour round trip to take the kids to South Haven after Dean’s car had broken down (fuckin’ allegedly, Rio thinks with a snort, because he could smell that bullshit a mile away).

“The plan isn’t changing,” she promises, raising her voice a little to be heard over the roaring opening chords of Last Christmas. “We’re still hosting everyone, and the kids are staying with us, it’s just - - something’s just come up which is - - I mean. It’s really not anything you need to worry about. I’ll tell you when I get home.”

Exhaling harshly, Rio scrubs a hand back over his head again, and shit – if this means Dean’s comin’ again - -

He pauses, distracted suddenly by the sight of Danny bouncing from foot-to-foot outside the bathroom, shaking with cold in his parka and beanie, melted snow dripping from his hair, waiting still for his turn in the bathroom. With a grunt of irritation, Rio strides up the hall, banging heavily on the door only to hear a strained in a minute from Kenny through the crack, and Jesus, Rio thinks.

Teenagers.

He covers the mouthpiece of the phone, glancing down at Danny who just shifts his weight again, snow-pale except for his bright red nose as he stares up at him.

“Use our bathroom,” he tells him, jerking his head upstairs towards his and Elizabeth’s en suite and Danny blinks owlishly back at him, shivering still, and Rio jerks his head in instruction again because it’d be just his luck to have to cart the kid to hospital for hypothermia again.

“Is everything okay there?” Elizabeth asks as someone says is this all today, ma’am?

“Fine,” Rio says shortly, and then, just to annoy her: “I’ll tell you when you get home, yeah?”

And it works, if her huff is anything to go by, and then when he hears cash or card? his lip curls.

“Elizabeth, don’t get the flatware set.”

The last thing he hears before she hangs up is the ring of the cash register.

[f33itan]

💛⚜️Pᴀʀᴛ 1: Tᴏʀᴛᴜʀᴇ ɪs Gᴏʟᴅᴇɴ⚜️💛 (From my Wattpad)

A/N: Ok, this was something a mutual of mine said here on Tumblr, and I decided to write a oneshot about it. Might be very VERY slight angst, nothing bad enough to actually be put under that umbrella though, anyways, enjoy this, and ty for the reads! :)

CW: MENTIONS OF RAPE, DEGRADATION, AND MORE FOUL WORDS THAN USUAL. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

B/N: Your Mother's boyfriend's name

M/N: Mother's name

꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂

"Oi, Y/N! Go get me another pack of beer from the store!"

"Yes father!" Damn that pig looking bitch. I'm just some fucking girl, trying to protect her mom from this demon of a person! Heck, he's not EVEN a person! He's the devil himself!! Man, I wish dad was here...

When you were in about 7th grade, your real father got killed in a massacre a couple cities over. He was not only a police officer, but a great father and husband as well. He treated you and your mother amazingly, and you thought life couldn't get anymore perfect, but soon that all went down hill. After his death, your mother's health depleted and she felt empty inside. She needed somebody else to make her complete. She decided to call an old friend from high school, and next thing you know he moved in. He seemed like a nice guy at first, but soon enough he was beating you guys mercilessly, enough to leave large bruises and scars whenever you didn't do exactly what he asked, in your eyes though, it was more of an order. You hated being ordered around, but you hated your mother getting beaten around even more. It seemed like a blessing that he hasn't tried to rape her, but god knows what he'll do, he's unpredictable

With all of this happening, you decided to tell him you were doing some "extra curricular" classes in college, but what you were actually doing was taking the Hunter's Exam and learning nen. Your biological father was kind-hearted and fun to be around, but he was also strict and sometimes a bit harsh, though he always meant well. Before his passing, all three of you would go out on the weekends to train, exercise, or do something that would enhance your body power and brain power. Because of this, all of you were exceptionally smart, and bodies all well toned. Sometimes your excursions would be going to a park and practicing a sport, driving to the snow and sledding, skiing, snowboarding, and every once in a while going to another state to zip line, try animal encounters, or take a family friendly class in that state's heritage and customs.

Since you were accustomed to hard core training and events, you thought the Hunter's Exam was quite fun, and was a test to your skills. After that, you were scouted out by a strong nen user by the name of Biscuit Krueger. You and her had lots of fun training, and with her pushing your limits to the utmost best, you turned out to be a specialist.

(Whenever I imagine myself in Hunter x Hunter, this is always my nen type and stuff LMAO)

Your power was called, Black shadow. You could have up to 10 weapons on hand, completely subjected to doing your bidding. These weapons were linked to you through blood, and they were surrounded with a substance that appeared to be black mist. The weapons you most preferred to practice with and use were your katana, blood string, and scythe. You could also make a weapon yours by cutting a fingertip and letting the blood drip onto the weapon, altering the appearance then gaining that black "mist", showing that it was now yours. The downside to this technique was that those "shadows and mist remnants" were your sleep. The darkness in your mind and the shadows all around you were taken and used for that power. In turn, you were always tired, yawning, and had bags under your eyes. Another plus side though was that you had a nen created chamber that had every weapon you owned. A girl can have some fun toys, can't she? You had tools for torture (whenever you took an opportunity to try it), many varieties of weapons, and of course, more snacks. But unlike B/N, you didn't have just fatty snacks. You had regeneration potions, healthy snacks, and special nen created "snacks" to help with different things, which all of these you had collected through pulling some strings. Your mother was worried, but you said it was all just college things. Yeah, just college things..

Ill make that pig bitch pay for what he has done to my mother!

Feitan POV -or whats going on with him- :

"What time, is it.."

"8 AM Fei!"

"Shut up, green eyes, too loud."

"Oh Fei don't be rude! It's mean!"

"That's, the point."

"Oh wait, Shalnark, what this?"

"What do you mean?"

"This... gold string?"

"OI SHALNARK, FEITAN, COME ERE' REAL QUICK!"

"Phinks, what, do you, want-" Phinks just ignored his question and pointed to the TV.

This is Channel 12, reporting live from York New City Town Square. People all over the city are claiming to be seeing a string tied to their left ring finger, leading them to some unknown destination! What is this string? Who put it there?-

"AY AY IM ON TV! THE STRING THINGY JUST LEAD ME TO THIS BEAUTIFUL GIRL AND NOW WERE DATING! SUPER AWESOME!"-

I apologize for the interference, but this string appears t be leading people to.. partners? Soulmates? Find out tomorrow morning, this is Amy Starwick from Channel 12, signing out.

"What. The. FUCK."

"OH MY GOD OH MY GOODNESS HOLY SHIT FEITAN YOU HAVE A SOULMATE!!"

"Nope-"

"YESS YOU DOOOOOOO"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP CHEERY BITCH-"

"No❤️" Since Feitan was on his last nerve with Shalnark, he decided to stomp over towards Chrollo in the main room, but Chrollo just chuckled.

"Wanna go find your soulmate? See if that things real?" Feitan just stared at the ground, lightly shifting his feet.

"Go ahead, I don't mind."

"Just, doing it, out of, curiosity."

"Mhm, curiosity, go find them." And with that, he was dismissed. Feitan wanted to say it was curiosity, but deep down he had this feeling there was something else, but what was it? It made his stomach tingle and he didn't like it one bit. He tried to ignore all of this, and just shrugged it off...

꧁꧂꧁꧂TimeSkip to Next Day꧁꧂꧁꧂

Your POV + some Feitan POV:

"Alright, today's the day, he'll be at his work, and on his break, i'll set the plan in motion.." Both me and mom don't like him, and I don't know about her, but I sure hate him, every ounce of him. The plan is simple: 1. Capture mom's boyfriend, 2. Take him to an abandoned building, 3. Torture him and get all of the answers I need, and 4. Kill him. His break is at 12, and he usually goes to get takeout every other Friday, what a pig. I'll give him a taste of his own medicine.

Time: 11:30 AM

Ok, I have everything ready. Fully energized to the utmost extent, Elixirs to bring him back in case he passes out too early, and- what? He's leaving for lunch early? PERFECT! You ran behind some buildings and hid in a two-way alleyway, waiting for him to pass by...

Here we go..

One..

Two..

THREE!

You covered his head with a sack, and took his phone out of his back pocket. Before heading over to your post, you laced the inside of the sack with some sleeping powder and pressed it against his nose and mouth. Within moments he passed out, and you typed in what you hoped to be his password, which was correct. Around 12:30, you were going to text one of his coworkers that he would be "going to a restaurant across town, and ditching work for a day, not wanting to see his stupid good for nothing girlfriend or his dumb daughter." You knew he called you both this because of going through his text messages when he wasn't looking or when he was sleeping. Little did you know that somebody was watching you from afar.

"Hmm... So, she, my, what do people, call it.. soulmate? Seems, interesting..."

Time: 12:00 PM

"Jesus, I new he was a fat ass but I didn't know he weighed this much!" You were tugging him from his legs through the back ways of York New. You wanted to find a secluded area, where once you were done with him you could just toss him somewhere for the birds and maggots to eat. After walking for what seemed like hours, you came across a set of abandoned buildings, specifically the one you laid out some extra things. A couple extra weapons, some towels, a change of clothes, a chair and some rope, a couple of flashlights, and of course, some snacks. Lucky for you, the douchebag you've been dragging around like a rag doll was still out cold, so you picked him up and tossed him on the chair, tying his wrists, ankles and neck to the chair.

"Maaannn, this is boring!! When the hell are you gonna wake up?!" As if on queue, you saw his eyes start to flutter open, and you immediately grabbed your box cutter. It wasn't a weapon used by your nen, but it was quite effective.

"What.. who.. wait- Y/N!? WHAT THE FUCK?! UNTIE ME NOW BEFORE I BEAT YOUR ASS!!" you didn't notice it, but Feitan was watching from the building over.

What, the fuck? Why she kidnap him? That pig? Why? Confusing, gotta keep, watching.

You shoved the box cutter into his left cheek, and you bathed in the glory of hearing his screams of pain.

"How does this feel, you bitch? Everything you've done to my dear mother, everything you've done to me, and heck, YOU WERE PROBABLY BEHIND MY DAD'S MURDER DURING THAT FUCKING MASSACRE!!" B/N noticed the tears in your eyes, and took this to his advantage.

"So what if I was? Both of your parents were pathetic anyways."

"NO THEY AREN'T! YOU'RE THE REASON WHY MY MOTHER'S LIKE THIS NOW! YOUR THE FUCKING REASON FOR EVERYTHING SHITTY THAT'S HAPPENED TO ME!!"

"Heh, hehe.. hahaHAHAHA! YOU KNOW GOD DAMNED WELL THAT ALL OF YOU ARE PATHETIC! WANNA KNOW WHY I GOT WITH YOUR MOM!? BECAUSE SHES HOT. AND SHE HAD GOOD MONEY FROM YOUR FUCKING DAD. YOU KNOW WHAT I WAS GONNA DO?! YOU KNOW WHY I TOOK OFF EARLY TODAY?! I WAS GONNA RAPE YOUR MOTHER AND MAKE YOU WATCH, THEN KILL BOTH OF YOU AND RUN OFF WITH ALL OF YOUR MONEY!! AND YOU KNOW WHAT'S IRONIC?! I DON'T HAVE ONE. SINGLE. FUCKING. REGRET. IF IT WASN'T FOR YOUR DAD, YOU SOULDN'T HAVE HAD THE NERVE TO DO THIS, YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABORTED!!"

You couldn't handle this anymore, tears were falling down your face rapidly as you grabbed the duct tape and closed his mouth shut.

"I don't give a fuck about what you say.. I'm going to kill you here. This is your grave. Someday, I'll join you in hell, and when I do, I'll torture you again, and the Devil will laugh. You just watch and ducking wait you, you.. PATHETIC WORTHLESS PIG ASS SLOPPY ASS NASTU FUCKING BITCH!" With that, you grabbed a couple super worms in each hand and shoved them into his ears. Even with the duct tape, you could hear his screams of agony as the worms dug deeper into his ears. You then got our your katana and slashed him across the stomach, and shoved even more worms into that open wound of his. Quickly, you poured a large bottle of the elixir you had brought over him to keep him from dying so quickly. Box cutter still in hand, you carved small lines all over his arms and legs, then ripped off the tape to hear his desperate cries. You imagined he wanted to be dead, but you didn't care. His pain and you pain mixed together and you just started laughing. You through your head back and let yourself laugh. all of the pain this man has caused you and your mom will be repayed today.

But the pressure and stress was too much to handle. Your laughing of victory soon turned into screams and more tears, as you let yourself fall to the ground, not even noticing you didn't hit it hard, something had caught you, or someone..

What the shit am I doing?

Am I really going to kill him?

What's wrong with me?

What will mother think?

What would dad do?

What am I doing with my life?

You soon snapped out of all of those negative thoughts though, as you noticed something caressing your face lightly.

"Rest, now. He, won't die, so quickly. I'm, Feitan." You were a sniffling and crying mess, so all you could do was rush into Feitan's chest and cry. Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around you and held you close. He had no idea what he was doing, for he had only seen this kind of skin on skin contact in movies. So, he did what those people in the movies did.

"Don't, worry... It's all, going to be.. okay."

Word Count (Including author notes, etc) : 2251

-Wrote February 3, 2021-

Unedited sorry about that lol-

Part 1...

[lost-in-sokovia]

toxic - chapter 12

can we acknowledge THE STRUT? and honestly idek what i’m supposed to necessarily warn you about in this chapter, because i’m sitting here just diving in with a few thoughts and i hope i find a basic plot line along the way😅 please enjoy whatever i decide to spew out in this moment :)

Claire waited next to your apartment door.

She had progressively slid down in boredom on the wall beside it, waiting for you to finish doing whatever the hell you were doing with Ransom.

Her eyes were rolling so far back into her head it looked painful. A few residents of the complex would pass by and she would acknowledge their presence with a half-ass smile (and they would walk away staring at her in both fear and confusion).

She waited, and waited, and waited. She wondered what the hell you were doing in there. Her head perked up and her brown eyes narrowed:

Oh she BETTER not be sleeping with him right now, she thought bitterly. She let out a long and exaggerated groan and hit her fist lightly on the wall. Yes you were her best friend, but sometimes she thought you were a dumb bitch.

Well, she wasn’t too far off.

~•~•~

“I hate you,” you muttered to Ransom as he slid on his coat and shoes. He chuckled and shrugged.

“You hate me enough to make out with me, mhm. Well if that’s what I’m gonna get out of having this type of relationship with you, then I hate you too.” He winked. You turned pink and glared. He stood up straight and looked at you.

“So, I’ll see you tomorrow?” He asked suggestively. You pushed him towards the door and rolled your eyes.

“Bye,” you retorted. He strolled out as you shut the door behind him and glanced at Claire down on the floor who was glaring daggers at him.

Ransom cleared his throat awkwardly and walked away as Claire stood up and stomped into your apartment.

“What the hell were you two doing?” Claire yelled. You did a double take a crossed your arms.

“Nothing!” You lied defensively. Claire laughed bitterly.

“(Y/N) you’re a terrible liar!” She argued. You scoffed and furrowed your eyebrows. Claire stared at you with an impatient expression as she waited for you to spill the truth. You sighed reluctantly and rocked back and forth on your heels.

“I... may or may not have kissed him...” You began awkwardly. She eyed you and you groaned angrily in defeat. “God, Claire! I made out with him, alright?” You spat and walked towards your couch. Claire followed quickly and sat behind you.

“Girl! You can’t just fall for him over and over again like that!” She scolded. You didn’t respond. “It’s like he glances at you once with his pretty blue eyes and you’re toast!” She mocked. You growled quietly.

“I know, I know! But I swear I’m not dating him right now. He has to prove to me he won’t act the way he did again,” you explained. You remembered what you told him earlier, you’re going to have to work hard. He seemed willing to and that was a start.

You stared outside your window and watched the traffic and lights of the city. You wondered where Ransom was headed at this exact moment. Claire sighed from behind and stood up.

“If he shows up to the office again, he’s gonna have another thing coming,” Claire threatened as she gathered her things. You laughed to yourself and shook your head.

“We’ll work on not acting like a psycho as we go,” you responded. Claire locked eyes with you and you bit your lip.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Claire said softly before letting herself out. You waved and looked back out the window. Somewhere, Ransom was out there and making his way to wherever he was staying. You wondered what was going through his head and what he could be planning.

Your phone buzzed on the coffee table. You glanced over and picked it up slowly.

Ransom Drysdale: Can I come over tomorrow?

You scoffed lightly, shaking your head in disbelief.

Maybe.

Seconds after sending you saw the little gray dots appear on the screen.

I’ll take that as a yes.

You smiled as you turned off a few lights before heading to your room. You were skeptical of the situation. You weren’t going to put yourself through something emotionally dangerous. But Ransom seemed to have made himself really vulnerable. He recognized how badly he had screwed up.

You sighed as you put on your pajamas and climbed in bed. You pulled the cold sheets up around you as they adjusted to your body temperature. You closed your eyes and frowned to yourself.

The emptiness of the bed was much more recognizable tonight.

~•~•~•~•~

The next morning you woke up on schedule and headed to work. It was a very uneventful day with no unexpected visits from Ransom.

He got the memo, he knew you were serious. He was also going to try his hardest not to screw things up again.

You knew you had to be careful when testing him like this. You didn’t want it to backfire on you, and yet you were somehow rooting for him. You wanted to see him change. You wanted to see him be better and not only for other people’s sake but for his too. You knew about his demons and you wanted to help him as well.

You made it to your office in no time and exhaled deeply. You were ready to start the day, hoping nothing would ruin it.

~•~•~

Not seeing you was killing Ransom.

Like, what was he supposed to do in this god forsaken city? Touristy crap was not his cup of tea and he wasn’t going to crush his reputation to act like one either.

He stared out his hotel room window at the morning city life and groaned in aggravation. How was he supposed to kill eight hours without some sort of company?

He flopped back onto his bed and pulled out his phone. Ransom could always make time to catch up with his family.

“Ransom what the hell?” Jacob sneered through the phone. Ransom grinned wickedly.

“Hey little buddy-“

“Don’t call me that.”

“-, how are ya?” Ransom asked with mock enthusiasm. Jacob only sighed into the phone in response. “Great, glad to hear it. You’ll never guess where I am right now.”

“You goddamn creep! You followed that girl to New York, didn’t you?” Jacob accused in disbelief. Ransom laughed.

“You’re a smart one, bet Walt’s proud. Want me to bring you back something? A MAGA hat, a swastica, some sort of symbol of communism?” Ransom retorted. He heard Jacob curse under his breath.

“Is there some sort of point to this call or are you just calling to be obnoxious?” Jacob asked shortly.

“Just catching up with my favorite cousin is all.”

The phone beeped as the call ended. Ransom laughed to himself and stared at the ceiling. He glanced back at his phone to check the time.

What do you mean that phone call was only one minute?!?!?

~•~•~•~•~

“See you later, bye!” You said to your coworkers as you walked out of your building. The brisk air hit your body and you shivered as your hair blew behind you.

“(Y/N).” You heard a voice say. You looked over and saw Ransom leaning against a small tree waiting for you. You smiled.

“Hey,” you greeted. Ransom walked up to you and smiled sheepishly.

“Sorry if this is weird, but there are only so many interesting channels on TV and I only have so many family members to call and annoy,” he joked lightly. You giggled as the two of you began to walk in the direction of your apartment.

“No no, it’s fine. It’s kinda nice to have someone walk back home with me like this,” you confessed. Ransom took that as a small victory. “You could’ve walked around and visited the shops and restaurants though when you were waiting?” You commented. Ransom scoffed.

“Please, you can call me many things (Y/N) but ‘tourist’ is not one.” You shook your head and smiled. He was defintely still Ransom, but you enjoyed his sarcastic and passive-aggressive comments.

The two of you continued to walk and admire everything around you. Christmas decorations seemed to multiply by the day and since Thanksgiving was officially over, the echo of Christmas music echoed from the shops and speakers. String lights gave off a warm yellow glow and contrasted the reds and greens appearing everywhere. You were ready for the snow to start falling and make everything magical.

You finally reached your apartment complex and sighed as the warm air melted away the chill. You took the elevator up with Ransom and entered your apartment building.

“So, how often does Claire come home with you?” Ransom asked jokingly as he slipped off his coat and shoes. You laughed as you turned on your string lights and a lamp or two.

“She does come over quite a bit. And whenever she’s not here we’re always FaceTiming or calling each other anyway,” you explained. Ransom followed you into your small kitchen and leaned against the counter where Claire stood and glared at him the previous night.

Ransom watched as you quietly moved about and proceeded with your evening routine. He thought about what his life could be like if he was with you, seeing you like this every night. He’d have someone to come home to without doubt, his intrusive thoughts could come to an end, and he could be a different person.

It made his heart swell and his blue eyes practically turn into hearts when he looked at you.

“(Y/N),” Ransom spoke up. When your eyes looked up and met his, his heart raced. “What is it going to take for things to be like this?” He asked.

“Be like what?” You asked and cocked an eyebrow. He moved closer.

“This. Me, right here, with you,” he said softly. You sighed.

“I need to know you’re different,” you replied. Ransom nodded. “I need to know also that you’re not just different for me, but for everyone around you.” You didn’t feel like that was too much to ask. Would it take work, yes. But you were only going to be with a decent human being who had a heart.

“Well, it may be hard to get back the same wimpy boarding school Ransom you knew and love, but we’ll try for a similar version,” Ransom said with a smile. You giggled and continued to look into his sparkling eyes.

Before you could go any further, your phone rang. You sighed and stepped over to the island and grabbed it.

“Hello?” You asked with a twinge of annoyance laced in your voice.

“Girl I know that boy isn’t over there again,” Claire’s voice snapped through the phone. You scoffed in amusement and glanced over at Ransom.

“I don’t know what you could possibly mean,” you retorted. Ransom stared in confusion, glancing around slightly.

“(Y/N) put me on speaker,” Claire ordered. You chuckled and moved the phone off your ear. Ransom moved closer as you pressed the button.

“You’re live, Claire,” you announced.

“Ransom, you keep your hands off that poor girl while you’re there, got it? I want you to distance yourself from her like we’re in some sort of plague. You should be thankful you’re even in her apartment right now. You screwed up and she’s so kind and generous enough to let you come back into her life. If she’d done it my way, yesterday would’ve been your last day here.” She lectured sternly. Ransom stared at the phone unenthusiastically as you nodded occasionally in agreeance.

“And you, (Y/N),” Claire continued. “Don’t you start listening to his excuses and sucky apologies. I don’t want to hear you tell me you caught some sort of STD from that boy,” she warned. Ransom’s jaw dropped as his expression angered slightly and you held back laughter. “And I don’t wanna hear about no baby either. You keep yourself away from him and no holding hands, cuddling, making out, and DEFINITELY no-“

“Alright thank you mother,” you cut her off. You took her off speaker and held the phone to your ear. “Is that all?” you asked.

“Yeah that’s it. I was just trying to scare him. I don’t like him but if he works hard enough and you think he’s good enough for you, you go sis,” she responded. You smiled.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” you said warmly before hanging up. You looked at Ransom who pouted against the counter.

“I swear (Y/N)...” he growled. You laughed.

“Oh you big baby.” You hugged him. He didn’t immediately hug back, but when he did he held you close. It was hard being vulnerable but he was willing to do it for you.

“I do want you to be friends with her though,” you added. Ransom rolled his eyes.

“We’ll see.”

that chapter didn’t totally suck, did it? i think that was kinda a nice redemtion chapter for ransom as we get to see him change. we also got to see some things through claire’s eyes at the beginning, which i really liked. did you catch the social distancing reference too? i thought i was clever😂 there’s about to be a huge time skip if you saw my last post. the next chapter will probably be kinda an explanation/catch up chapter that gives the details of ransom’s complete redemption and how he changes. thank you for your support, i love you all!🤍

tags:

@heyiamthatbitch @mcuclintasha @captainsmallassrogers @fangirlinacoffeeshopweshare @anisiamoisa @awesomelittledemarco03 @aletteredaffair @castellandiangelo @theangrylizard @frencchfries @takemetooneverlanddd @sp2900 @smilexcaptainx @monpetitcoin21 @marymoon18 @mccunted @iamapersonwholikesunicorns @chuuulip @sweetlittlegingy @lookalivefrosty @brookebradford @patzammit @stucky-is-life-thank-you @bval-1 @need-more-time @blowfishevans @polarcrystall @little-dark-empress @rosalynshields @asianbuttcheek @dailythotdotcom @topstory21 @canny1902 @alexxcorona113 @what-inspirational-name @summer-may @abbyalee @littlefiercequeen @stardancerluv @oncemorewithfeelingg @sophiealiice @snowxbarryxendgame @lilwickedred @jesseswartzwelder @princessdancingonthesunshine @irwxnhugsx @donutloverxo @cap-just-said-language @optimistic-dinosaur-nacho o @heyarely16

[herpronuonsarefemslash]

Along Tides of Light - Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - the rescue of Liara T'Soni as told by a very thirsty (and also dehydrated) asari maiden. https://www.patreon.com/posts/53939916 ===== The stasis field around her hums and buzzes. Unlike modern biotics or artificial barriers, it produces no smell of ozone. Too well tuned, perhaps. Too efficient. As perfect in the mechanism as it is in the spherical shape.

The krogan they sent with the geth stomps down the gangway, carrying something over his massive

shoulders. Purple droplets fall to the white deck before fading on the unstainable, self-healing alloy the Protheans use. It is still snow-white fifty thousand years after whatever caused this place to be abandoned.

He dumps his load with a dismissive grunt. The body of Emyni Jaega tumbles to the plating, the left side of her face a rotting, charred gap and her vivid teal skin almost black with discoloration and decay. Liara's friend. Her mentor in field work. "Files say this one had a krogan father," her tormentor huffs. "Guess that's why the bitch got a piece of me."

He taps a crater dug deep into the bone-plates of his forehead, one of the few parts of a krogan that never heals. Warpfire has ripped apart the bones atom by atom, down to the pale layers closest to the skin. A few centimeters more and the forelobes of his brain would have melted.

He kicks the body out of his way and it tumbles off the platform, landing with a thud somewhere below.

Don't cry, Liara reminds herself. Don't spit at him. Don't use your biotics. You can't spare the water.

"She did," Liara replies. "And her wife is ten times the krogan you are! After I pull your vast'kak from your spine, I will give them to her for a grave-trophy. She can chase down your pups by their sire's stink."

"Hah!"

He waggles a giant finger at her and pulls a hunk of charred varren meat out of a bag on his hip.

"I like you."

He keeps talking, but she's too exhausted to piece together the words.

=====

A bang that reverberates through the cavern jars Liara from the half-sleep she had been languishing in. Dragging her eyes open, she sees a pair of the pale gray geth slam into the barrier field clad in ice blue biotic fields. The machines twitch and chirp and struggle until two shots ring out, striking each through the optical housing on the head and stilling them instantly.

"Hello!" Liara calls out, not even sure she's making any sound dragging air over her aching tongue. "I'm trapped! I need help."

"Doctor T'Soni, I presume?"

With a hiss of recaptured air, the huntress removes her helmet.

"Goddess."

Rather than scaled crests and Serrice Guard tattoos or a House T'Soni diadem of rank, the helmet reveals a human woman with pink skin dusted with tawny speckles, eyes the dangerous green of tideglass shards in the moonlight and hair like a blast of wildfire: messy, red and curling.

"You're human."

The sob rushes up her chest and out her throat. She shakes her till her body aches.

"Commander," the quarian murmurs. "She's dehydrated. Badly. She's delirious like I would be after a suit failure."

"Place reeks of Garatog. Been stuck in the field a long time. Tough little pyjak," the krogan rumbles.

"Less chatter, more options. I need her out of that field and patched up."

=====

Hands pry her lips open--none too gently--and Liara thrashes, flinging what biotics she can. A stasis field clamps tight around her body, stilling her below the neck.

"Easy! I'm not going to hurt you. It's just water. Here."

Liara forces her eyes open despite the way the light stabs at them. Something thin and plastic pokes at her lips. A straw, she finally realizes, with the other end jammed into what looks like a huntress's ration tube except for the lack of the Asari Republic's sigil on the plastic. She takes it between her lips and lets her rescuer squeeze eezo-infused water into her aching mouth.

"Gotta go slow on the water, sorry. Don't want to shock your system."

Her focus ebbs and flows but when she can make herself see and think clearly, she finds herself staring into those dark green eyes and watching the damp curls of hair move along the sweat-slicked skin and wondering how long it would take to count every freckle and if freckles are permanent on humans, or if they can be sucked from the skin and Goddess, Liara, get a hold of yourself and wishing she could ignore how firm and steady the hand supporting her head is, like a pillar of stone even as it cradles her crests without a whisper of pressure on the inflamed tissue.

=====

Liara opens her eyes to the inside of an auto-medical pod. The clamshell is half open and the lights are dimmed--truly a mercy--and her vitals are displayed on one of the interior screens. On a chair next to her is a human woman with silver hair, a few tiny wrinkles around each eye, and a kind smile. She rests her gloved hand over Liara's and squeezes gently.

"You're a doctor?"

"Dr. Karen Chakwas, chief medical officer of the SSV Normandy."

"Thank you," Liara croaks. She doesn't have to be a medical doctor to know that her blood levels of eezo, sodium, and tungsten are more suited to a mummified corpse than an asari maiden.

The doctor's omnitool pings.

"And that's the commander asking for an update on you. I think I'll lie, give you a couple hours more rest. How's that sound?"

Liara can't manage to thank her before she falls asleep.

=====

The man reaches his hand out in a gesture Liara doesn't understand, shrugs, and pulls it back.

"Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, by the way. I'm the MCO here. Sorry. Marine Command Officer. Means I'm in charge of keeping all these fine men and women in the metal suits ready to go."

Liara hazards a sip of the liquid. It's bitter and slightly spiced and she can taste eezo in it. She smacks her lips, trying to place the flavor.

"Closest I could get to kaffe. Columbian from the commander's stash, cinnamon and some granulated honey."

She sets the cup down hurriedly.

"I...I couldn't possibly."

Kaidan chuckles.

"I'm pretty sure Skipper would kick my ass if I hadn't offered you the good stuff. Please, enjoy. For my safety if nothing else."

Kick his ass? Is that an idiom?

=====

An image flashes unwanted through Liara's brain. Sinew hard as silver-pink riverstone of the old quarries near Armali, carved into arms that lift her up with ease. Hips leaned forward, pinning her body against the cold steel of a bulkhead. Tongue dancing between the neck-folds, fingers pressing into the bundles behind the sil'atr and pinching at the tips, where the skin is firm and can take that abuse.

Making her body weep salt and eezo, running in rivers around her fingertips.

Would it be like an azure? Would Shepard want my fingers in it? My tongue? Goddess, would I even know how to pleasure her?

Heat crawls up her neck folds to her cheeks. She wishes the table wasn't so shiny because she can see her skin going violet with embarrassment.

[alexandralyman]

Could you write a one shot where Ethier killian or emma has to sing to one another because they have a nightmare? I have been trying to find a fic like this but I cant😞 Just a suggestion :)

Hey @liftinglovley - you sent me this a while ago and I finally sat down and wrote it out. I knew the song I wanted to use - a personal Disney fave that I think is underrated compared to the more famous ones but it perfect as a CS song - it just took some time to figure out the rest. What I came up with was this, 3,900 words, mostly of canon compliant, domestic CS.

Set at some point after 7x02 and before the finale, rated PG

Also posted on ff.net here as part of my Every Page series of one-shots

                                          candle on the water

Minnesota, 1991Children’s Group Home

“She’s faking it.”

Emma looked over Mrs. Cooper’s shoulder at Kayla, leaning against the doorway with her a sour look on her face. The thermometer jammed uncomfortably in Emma’s mouth kept her from sticking her tongue out at the other girl, Kayla had been nothing but a bitch since Emma had arrived at the group home and here she was again, sticking her nose in where it didn’t belong.

“Kayla, you’re going to miss the bus,” Mrs. Cooper said without turning around, one hand pressed to Emma’s forehead. She took the thermometer and squinted at it, while Kayla craned her neck and tried to get a look at the number on the little screen. Emma hunched forward, the scratchy, donated pajamas were making her back itch again and felt damp and gross after a night of tossing and turning and barely making it to the bathroom down the hall before she threw up that morning.

“You’ve got a bit of a fever honey, it’s probably best if you stay home from school today.”

“What?” Kayle screeched, dropping her faux-fur backpack on the floor with a thump. “No way! If she’s sick then so am I, she probably gave it to me and I should get to stay home from school too!”

“That’s enough!” Mrs. Cooper snapped, getting up off of Emma’s bed and turning around to shoo Kayle out of the room. “You already skipped twice last week and now I’ve got to set up another meeting with your principal and your social worker to discuss your attendance issues, you are not sick and you are going to school today, young lady!”

Emma felt too crappy to tell Mrs. Cooper that Kayla had actually skipped school three times last week, not two, and had gone to the mall with two older boys to shoplift cassettes from the music store and had hidden them under her mattress. Besides, Emma wasn’t a snitch, even if Kayla deserved to be hauled off to juvie, snitches got their ass beat and their stuff messed with. Still, she smiled as Kayla angrily snatched up her backpack and went stomping down the stairs, followed a minute later by the loud slam of the front door. Mrs. Cooper sighed at the sound, shaking her head. Emma almost felt sorry for her, but she knew by now that the woman would probably be gone in a few months anyway and a new housemother would come in and change all the rules again, no one ever stayed for long working at the group home and there was no point in feeling bad for any of them. Even the nice ones.

Especially the nice ones, cause it always hurt the most when they left.

Mrs. Cooper was one of the okay ones. She told Emma that she had a lot of work to do and would be in her office most of the day, but Emma could watch TV if she wanted instead of having to stay in bed, as long as she didn’t make too much noise. Emma dug out her baby blanket from her own hiding place and brought it down with her to the TV room, since she knew it would be safe with all of the other kids at school until three. The older kids usually hogged the remote and never let anyone else pick what show to watch, so Emma didn’t even care that the saltines Mrs. Cooper brought from the locked pantry to help settle her stomach were the lame store-brand kind that always broke when you tried to take them out of the package and tasted like cardboard. She clutched the remote tight on her lap all through The Price is Right and when it was over and some dumb soap opera started she started flicking through all the channels, careful to keep the volume down so that Mrs. Cooper wouldn’t get all mad and make her go back to bed. Boring news shows, and even more boring M*A*S*H rerun, that was playing on two different channels for some reason, an infomercial for a cooking thing that could make breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert, and she changed channels again because the grilled cheese sandwich the lady was making in it looked good and was making her hungry. She wished the VCR wasn’t broken again or that they got one of the cool channels like MTV, burrowing a bit more into her blanket.

“And now back to the KSTP afternoon movie, Pete’s Dragon.”

Emma watched as the TV screen was filled with a little, old-fashioned looking town next to the ocean. She sort of knew this movie, it was one of those old Disney ones that had real people and cartoons all mixed together, like Mary Poppins. The older kids would call it a baby movie, especially Kayla, who hid makeup she wasn’t supposed to be wearing in her backpack, but the older kids and Kayla were all at school and Emma could watch whatever she wanted to without anyone making fun of her.

She leaned her head against one of the cushions as the movie played on. Pete was a boy, an orphan about the same age as her, but he had a dragon named Elliott who helped him escape from the bad people who’d bought him and together they made their way to the small town by the ocean. They met a lady named Nora, whose boyfriend died in a shipwreck, and her dad the lighthouse-keeper, and all the other townspeople, living happily with them until the bad people showed up and tried to capture Elliott. He got away, and used his breath to relight the fire at the top of the lighthouse after it went out, saving the life of Nora’s boyfriend, who wasn’t dead, he just had amnesia and forgot her until he got better and had come back on another ship. They invited Pete to stay and join their family, and he said goodbye Elliott, who flew away to look for another kid like Pete to help.

There was also a *lot* of singing. Emma didn’t like to sing, not anymore.

It was kind of a baby movie. Orphans like Pete didn’t just find new families like that. They ended up in foster care and their chances of adoption went down the older they got. The social workers called it statistics, Emma knew it meant that there wasn’t a happy, ready-made family out there waiting for her, or Kayla, or any of the other older kids. In real life Nora and her boyfriend would just have their own baby. And dragons definitely weren’t real.

The songs were okay though, and her favourite was the one Nora sang while looking out over the ocean from the lighthouse balcony when she was missing her boyfriend, even though it was the slow one.

“I’ll be your candle on the water,My love for you will always burn.I know you’re lost, and drifting,But the clouds are lifting.

Don’t give up, you have somewhere to turn.”

                                                      …..

Some Years LaterStorybrooke, Maine.

“How’s the morning sickness today, sweetheart?”

Emma held the phone to her ear with her shoulder, reaching up for the box of saltines in the cupboard.

“More like Killian-tired-to-bring-fresh-mackerel-in-the-house-sickness today,” she said to her mother with a wince. “The smell was just….ugh.”

Snow laughed softly. “Oh, I remember that. I had to bolt from a ball once when I was pregnant with you and they were passing around caviar hor d'oeuvres, your poor father found me throwing up in a decorative urn out on the balcony.”

“Yeah, pregnancy and fish just don’t seem to mix. Which is a little awkward when you’re married to a man who views it as an essential food group.”

“Guess it runs in the family,” Snow said, and Emma could practically see her mother’s smile even over the phone. “You do kind of have my chin.”

She started to nibble on one of the saltines while Snow chatted on, hoping Killian would be back soon with the ginger ale he’d gone out to get after discovering they were all out while she was puking her guts up in the bathroom. He felt terrible about the whole mackerel incident, quickly apologizing to both her and the baby for upsetting them before slamming the lid back on the cooler and taking it out onto the porch. Emma loved that he was teaching her little brother how to fish, but maybe the rather pungent fruits of their labour could stay on the Jolly Roger and out of her kitchen for right now.

“Oh! Before I forget, I got a letter from Ruby, after the baby shower she and Dorothy are going to finally take that road trip out to Kansas that they keep talking about before they go back to Oz.”

It was a little odd that the guest list for Emma’s upcoming baby shower included both the actual Wicked Witch of the West and Dorothy, but such was life in the small town of Storybrooke Maine, where almost everyone was a fairytale character, including Emma’s own husband and the father of her unborn child, the fearsome Captain Hook himself.

A very sheepish Captain Hook, when he returned home from the grocery store toting a reusable shopping bag stuffed with ginger ale, another box of saltines, the good kind and not the lame store brand that always broke as soon you tried to take one out of the sleeve and tasted like cardboard, a bouquet of roses and a scented candle.

Two scented candles.

Three scented candles.

Candles kept appearing from the bag until over half a dozen jars were crowded together on the kitchen table, cinnamon stick, eucalyptus, bayberry, fresh linen. Emma rested a hand on the swell of her stomach and raised an eyebrow at Killian, noting how the tips of his ears had gone red.

“I thought a candle might help if there was any lingering odor from the mackerel, but I wasn’t sure if there were any other scents you and the bean were particularly sensitive to right now so I thought I should get a backup, just in case, but then what if you didn’t like that one either so I procured a backup for the backup, and then-”

“A backup for that one too?” Emma finished, trying not to laugh.

“Aye, well. It seemed like a good idea at the market.”

She’d used Febreeze and a bit of magic to get rid of the icky fish smell once she’d come out of the bathroom, but she appreciated the effort nonetheless and she shuffled forward to wrap her arms around his neck while he shifted his hips to make room for the baby between them. Pregnancy was hard, and exhausting, she wasn’t seventeen this time around and morning sickness had teamed up with midnight heartburn to seriously kick her ass, but she had Killian and her parents and half the town on speed dial, ready to drop everything and come to the Saviour’s aid.

It had taken her years to find the home Neal had once talked about, and almost as long to accept that Storybrooke was, in fact, that place, but now that she had it was like a cloud had lifted and while her life would never be simple, she wasn’t living it alone.

They had takeout from Granny’s for dinner instead of fresh-caught mackerel - grilled cheese, with a side of sauerkraut, because Emma had a craving for it and Killian knew better than to ask why the smell of fish made her throw up but fermented cabbage was OK - and finished the movie she’d fallen asleep halfway through the night before. After their wedding, once things had finally quieted down in Storybrooke (not that they were ever completely calm in a town where Moby Dick might surface in the harbour on a random Sunday and a pair of actual dragons lived in a house down the street and threw weekly barbecues that had a tendency to set neighbouring cars on fire) they’d finally had time for what Henry dubbed Operation Pop Culture, a.k.a getting Killian more familiar with The Land Without Magic. Specifically, the movies, TV shows, books and music that everyone with curse memories was already aware of and even though Henry was off on his own adventure now, they still made time at least once a week to keep the operation going in his honour.

Star Wars. Back to the Future. Indiana Jones. Harry Potter. They made their way through several TV shows on Netflix and watched the animated Disney classics. Which was…interesting, to actually sit down and rewatch them all now that she knew the real stories behind the catchy songs and all the happily ever afters. They’d taken a bit of a break after Peter Pan, for obvious reasons, and Emma was sure watching it had been a huge mistake, but Killian said he wanted to see her frame of reference for all the people that now made up their family and friends, to understand why she had such a hard time reconciling that Mary Margaret and David really were Snow White and Prince Charming at first, or that magic was actually real.

It had been more difficult for the both of them than she’d expected, but just like letting her son follow his own path, sometimes difficult was necessary.

Now they were in the midst of what Emma described to Henry during their enchanted mirror Skype sessions as, “Disney Movies Starring People We Don’t Know and Aren’t Related To (We Think)” that had started after a bout of magic gone wrong had resulted in Killian and David switching bodies, literally on a Friday too, so naturally they had to watch Freaky Friday once the spell was undone and everyone was thankfully back where they belonged, which wasn’t Killian-in-David’s-body sleeping on their couch and David-in-Killian’s accidentally scratching the shit out of everything in the farmhouse with the hook until Snow finally took it away in exasperation.

Mary Poppins. Honey I Shrunk the Kids. The Parent Trap and Herbie the Love Bug (like with Freaky Friday, the originals only, not the Lindsay Lohan remakes) Pete’s Dragon. Escape to Witch Mountain. Emma had seen some of them before, some were new to her, and the easy, family-friendly movies with simple plots and happy endings were just the thing to relax with in the evenings, especially with their own family expanding literally day by day.

By the time David Freeman made it back to 1978 and his parents and brother after travelling through time in Flight of the Navigator, Emma was stifling her yawns, her head pillowed on Killian’s chest and his fingers playing gently with her hair. She was already in her pajamas, or more accurately, his, since the waistband on the flannel pants was still stretchy enough for her stomach and his T-shirts fit much better than hers right now, plus they were all soft and comfy. The baby was already asleep and Emma wasn’t that far behind, Killian took care of locking up and turning off the lights while she made her way upstairs and drowsily brushed her teeth.

“Goodnight, my love,” he said once they were settled in bed, spooned up behind her with his strong thighs warm against the backs of hers, bracing her against any possible storm brewing on the horizon, even if it was just midnight heartburn again. His hand drifted down to her stomach, as it did every night. “Goodnight, little bean.”

Ever since the pregnancy tracking app on her phone had compared the size of their then eight week old embryo to a jelly bean, Killian had called the baby their own magic bean and even though he or she (they were keeping it a surprise) was now supposedly the size of a papaya according to that same app, the “little bean” nickname had stuck.

“Night, Killian. Love you too.”

She was up again around two, thankfully not because of heartburn, but she needed to pee and she was hungry. Emma went downstairs after she’d used the bathroom, leaving Killian to sleep while she rooted around for something to nosh on. The house was dark, shadowed, the half-finished nursery stacked with boxes and Henry’s old room still had comic books on the shelves and photos tacked around the mirror.

Her children, both were with her in some ways, and absent in others.

The overhead light was too bright to deal with in the middle of the night so she flicked her fingers absently at one of the candles and it flared to life in an echo of the magic flaring under her skin. It illuminated just enough so she didn’t trip over the rolled-up bottoms of Killian’s pj pants or stub her toe on any of the kitchen chairs. She wasn’t sure which one it was exactly, but the smell was nice.

Emma started humming under her breath while she debated between what was left of the sauerkraut or throwing some poptarts in the toaster when a noise from upstairs made her freeze. A faint thump, and then another, and then a loud cry that had magic bursting alongside the adrenaline that flooded her when she heard her husband scream. Without thinking about it she teleported herself upstairs and as the smoke cleared she saw he was sitting up in bed, pillows thrown to the floor and the hook clutched in his hand. He had a more modern brace to attach it to now instead of the old contraption of leather straps and buckles, but he didn’t sleep with it on and it was usually left on the nightstand next to the phone charger. His phone was providing the bit of light in the room, Emma could see the picture of herself that he had set as his lockscreen smiling at her and then it turned off and the room was plunged into darkness, but not before she caught a glimpse of Killian’s face, eyes wide and terrified.

“Swan?”

His voice wavered and cracked while she climbed onto the bed, a bit awkwardly thanks to the extra weight she was carrying, plucking the hook from his unresisting fingers and setting it aside. He curled into her helplessly and she felt that his skin was damp, clammy, as if he’d just had a fever, but of course that wasn’t what it was.

“Nightmare?”

A shaky nod that she felt rather than saw, and a wave of her hand and a wish for light brought up the candle from the kitchen, it appeared on her dresser still lit and filled the room with a soft glow. It wasn’t the first time that one of them had had a bad dream, leaving the past and all its scars was still a bit of an ongoing project that, like the nursery, they were working on together.

“What was it this time?” Emma asked, although she had a good idea when his hand instantly found her stomach. After a beat Killian confirmed her suspicion with a single word, “Pan.”

Sometimes it was the Underworld, sometimes it was being the Dark One, sometimes it was something older, like his brother, or his father, but ever since the pregnancy test had turned positive Killian’s nightmares tended to revolve around Peter Pan.

“He came for our little bean through the window…and I couldn’t…Emma, I couldn’t stop him.”

Emma saw that the window had been left open a crack and the curtains were fluttering in the breeze, a small, simple thing, unless you were Captain Hook and your wife was pregnant with your child.

Killian Jones sagged into her side, his arms around her waist and his head on her chest. Peter Pan was dead, the Lost Boys had all grown up and that story was over. Emma dreamed about him too, sometimes, just like she also dreamed about the Underworld and her time as the Dark One as Killian did, and like him she also had her own old traumas making a reappearance. Getting arrested for something and having to give birth in shackles again, or having to leave Killian behind as she and their little bean were forced to leave Storybrooke and forgetting him as soon as she crossed the town line.

Weekly sessions with Archie helped, but in the middle of the night when it was just the two of them they didn’t talk much about the dreams themselves, they just held each other and found other ways to take shelter from storms made of memories and regrets.

She held Killian and hummed to him under her breath, softly at first, the same tune she’d once hummed into a cassette recorder as a forgotten child living in a shitty group home in Minnesota. The song was still in her heart and she drew on it again, but it wasn’t for herself this time, it was for her sailor, lost at sea and seeking his way back home.

“I’ll be your candle on the waterMy love for you will always burnI know you’re lost and driftingBut the clouds are lifting

Don’t give up, you have somewhere to turn.”

The flame flickered and bounced, light spilling across the bed as Killian’s shoulders started to relax and the lingering tension from his nightmare drained away while Emma sang a song she hadn’t quite remembered and never really forgotten.

“A cold and friendless tide has found you,Don’t let the stormy darkness pull you down.I’ll paint a ray of hope around you,Circling in the air, lighted by a prayer.

“I’ll be your candle on the water,This flame inside of me will grow.Keep holding on, you’ll make it,Here’s my hand, so take it.

Look for me reaching out to show,As sure as rivers flow,

Killian joined in on the final verse, his forehead resting against hers as the magic that bound them let them share the song and their voices mixed together in a promise to each other and to their little bean, held between them and loved, so loved already.

I’ll never let you go,I’ll never let you go,ll never let you go.”

[lilacmoon83]

Finding You Always

Also on Fanfiction.net or A03

Chapter 208: Battle Cry, Pt 1

Winter stepped away from the common room, where many of them were glued to the screen, taking in the events that were happening in Boston.

"My darling Winter…" Charming called, as he took her in his arms.

"They're coming home...Bobby and Summer will be home soon," she said, though she still looked a bit sad.

"And right into danger," he said.

"There is that...but you know what it also means. Rumpelstiltskin's vision was clear. We are not there. We will have to be rejoined with Snow and David," she replied. He sighed.

"I know...but we must do this for our children," he said sadly. She nodded.

"I know...and we'll still be us, just the smaller voice again," she replied.

"Perhaps our lighter halves have learned not to push us away so much…" he suggested.

"Perhaps...and we are them, even if my lighter half is far too forgiving," Winter said, with slight annoyance.

"But I know you, my darling...you will give up revenge to have Summer and Bobby back. I shall too," he said. She nodded with a smile, as they shared a passionate kiss. Their lips parted though when they felt a whoosh of air. They opened their eyes and found themselves in the meadow beneath the tree they had created from their true love that once was merely a sapling.

"Why are we here?" Winter asked.

"You have accepted that you must rejoin your lighter halves; that the truest loves cannot be separated any longer," Bobby said.

"Bobby!" Winter cried, as she enveloped their son in her arms and kissed his cheek.

"I'm okay, Mom," he promised.

"How are you here?" Charming asked, as he hugged him too. He shrugged.

"I don't know...I just got done talking to Apollo and Artemis. They helped me awaken all the elements in me and I need to help you awaken yours so that it's done when you rejoin with your lighter halves," he said.

"But sweetie...we don't wield any elements," Snow replied. He smiled.

"Yes you do…" he replied, as they looked at him with questions in their eyes.

"True love...that's your element," he clarified.

"But...we've had true love's kiss before. It breaks curses, but won't do much to fight Seth," Charming said.

"But it will this time...once you're reunited with the lighter halves of mom and dad. Because this is the curse to end all curses. Trust me...you'll know when the time comes exactly what needs to be done. Mom and Dad are about to kiss me awake in Boston, but as long as there is separation between all of you, the curse isn't fully broken yet," Bobby replied, as he turned to leave.

"The curse to end all curses..." Charming muttered. Bobby nodded.

"Like I said, you'll know what it means and how to achieve that when the time comes," he said.

"We love you so much…" Winter gushed, as they hugged him again, with Charming cradling his head.

"I love you guys too and we're about to all be together again," he promised, as they faded from that place and returned to the physical plane. Their eyes locked and they shared another hug. The time for the epic battle between Seth was very near and once again, it would all come down to their family...and their love.

~*~

After a quick discussion, David thanked Patricia for the offer of a private jet to get them back to Maine, but they quickly determined that such wouldn't be feasible. There was no place to land a plane in the woods around the United Realms and a water landing would be difficult as well. Fortunately, the Jolly Roger would be just as fast as a plane and give them a Harbor entrance into the United Realms.

Unfortunately, it didn't allow them the anonymity that a private military airfield would have and they were stunned to see that reporters, news vans, and even civilians had gathered at the Harbor when they arrived.

"How the hell did they find out where we were going?" Patricia grumbled and then eyed Nora.

"I didn't tell you where we were going," she said in an accusatory tone.

"No...but I tweeted my direction and posted the video of that little freak making earthquakes. The Internet did the rest and this is the only Harbor in the direction I tweeted. They deduced the rest," Nora replied, as people tried to move in on them, like a mob, volleying intrusive questions and embarrassing claims. Fortunately, Patricia's officers kept them at a safe distance.

"My son is not a freak! How dare you?!" Snow cried, as she grabbed the other woman's phone and tossed it to the ground, before stomping on it. This, of course, gave the onlookers the spectacle they were looking for, but Snow didn't care.

"You really are a crazy bitch! No wonder you were in a mental hospital!" Nora growled, as she picked up her broken device.

"My wife is not crazy...our son was just taken from us. But I shouldn't be surprised...another heartless reporter!" David spat, as he held a nearly inconsolable Snow in his arms.

"Nora...what the hell?!" JJ exclaimed, as he pulled his cousin away. The people and reporters were looked on, snapping photos and recording the entire thing, ensuring that their situation was blowing up all over the world in a way they could have never imagined.

"Relax JJ...this thing is already out there. I'm just one person that's on the front lines to report it all," Nora replied.

"Too bad this is where we part ways then, Ms…" Patricia said, prompting her for her name.

"Bradley. Nora Bradley...what do you mean?" she questioned.

"Did you really think we're going to take you with us?" she asked, as they approached the gangplank of the Jolly Roger.

"Wait...you're letting my cousin go, but leaving me behind?" she asked, as she looked at him.

"JJ!" she exclaimed.

"You did this to yourself, Nora," he replied.

"So that's it? Wow...sweet cheeks really got under your skin fast! You're abandoning your own family for her!" she accused.

"This is bigger than us, Nora! You may want to report on it, but I just want to help," he claimed. She snorted derisively.

"Right...and this has nothing to do with her," she accused, as she glared at Summer.

"Do you even care at all right now that my brother is in mortal danger?" Summer asked.

"Of course I care...I'm trying to tell the story!" she responded and JJ rolled his eyes.

"Sorry...she's actually a nice person when she's not being a reporter, but all this has brought out the worst in her," JJ told her and she nodded in understanding, as they walked up the gangplank with her parents.

"You have a choice, Ms. Bradley," Patricia said.

"And what choice is that?" Nora asked.

"You report the facts and not your spin, like the garbage I'm reading that you already put out there," Patricia replied.

"And if I don't want to do it your way?" Nora asked. Patricia smirked.

"Federal prison," she replied. Nora frowned and then plastered a fake smile on her face.

"Then I guess I'll be doing things your way, but since that crazy bitch…" she started to say, but Patricia gave her a warning look.

"Since the Princess broke my phone, I have no way to do my work," she said, with very fake sweetness.

"I'll provide you with all you need, but piss me off and you'll end up in a very bad place," the Major promised. Nora was fuming and practically boiling in her skin. She'd play by the Major's rules for now, but the first chance she got...she'd make her regret her threats.

They boarded the Jolly Roger and Killian took to the wheel. Nora looked around with scrutiny.

"There's no motor...it will take forever to get anywhere on this boat," Nora complained.

"Ship...she's a ship and deserves your respect," Killian snapped, as he removed his fake hand.

"What the hell…" she uttered and watched in horror, as he replaced it with his hook.

"Welcome aboard the Jolly Roger," he said.

"He's...he's Captain Hook?" JJ asked in disbelief.

"He is...but he's not bad and he's my oldest sister's husband," Summer told him. Killian brought them out into the open water and saw a Coastguard ship closing in on them.

"Dammit...I tried calling them off, but there is some in fighting and they want custody of this ship pretty badly," the Major said.

"Not to worry...a little help, mate?" he called to David. He nodded and left Snow's side momentarily to climb the mast to let the sails out. Killian spun the wheel and they quickly pulled away from the coastguard.

"How are we outrunning a Coastguard class A vessel?" JJ asked. Summer winced and looked at him.

"Magic?" she offered and he shook his head.

"Of course," he replied. David climbed back down from the mast and took Snow in his arms again. She slipped her arms around his neck and sniffed, as she rested her head against his chest.

"We'll find him, Snow…" he promised in a whisper, before pressing a kiss to her hair.

"But he's going to hurt our baby before we do," she choked out.

"Hey...Bobby is strong, my love. He'll hold his own until we get there," he assured, as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"I want him to pay…" she admitted.

"He will," he assured.

"No mercy this time...not for him," she said.

"No...he's pure evil and we won't hesitate. He won't stand a chance against this family," he replied.

"What about our darker counterparts?" she asked.

"We'll convince them that the only way to save our children is to become whole again. They may not have believed that two years ago...but something tells me that they do now," he replied. She believed that too and let his love slowly ebb away what might have been a full blow panic attack. But she wasn't going to give into that this time. She was too focused on saving their children and their people. Nothing would stand in their way of seeing to Seth's demise this time.

~*~

Mephisto dropped Bobby unceremoniously at the feet of his Lord and Master and the boy looked up at the God.

"Welcome young one…" he said, in a pleased tone, as Mephisto's three charges flanked him and he looked around.

"Hmm...Mount Olympus used to be nice. It figures you'd turn it into a dark crap hole," Bobby commented.

"You will not speak to Lord Seth in such a manner, you snot nosed brat!" Mephisto hissed, as he moved in to physically reprimand the boy, but his hand stilled when Bobby looked at him. His eyes glowed with a myriad of rainbow colors and Seth looked intrigued by that.

"The elements are alive in you…" he realized, as he walked closer.

"A great battle is coming between us, young one. One that you and your family will not survive," he warned.

"Funny...because I'm pretty sure you don't stand a chance against us," Bobby retorted. Seth smirked.

"Oh, but it will not be just us fighting…" he said, as he motioned a transparent screen in front of them.

"The Land outside the United Realms. This Land Without Magic is quite intriguing. It boasts that its people are evolved and adhere to laws, yet they quarrel with each other over religion and politics. They let their murderers and rapists walk free. Yet they believe myths and magic are silly. They need order," he said.

"Yes, my Lord...they need you to make them conform to a just rule. They need a true God!" Mephisto agreed.

"And now it seems, due to your own carelessness with your magic and the idiot Dr. Jekyll's obsession with your fair mother...that they are about to know all about us," Seth stated.

"What is thy bidding, My Lord?" Mephisto questioned.

"There is much evil in this land...much more than there will ever be here in the United Realms. I need soldiers...I need the worst of humanity to join our ranks for the coming war," he said. Mephisto smirked deviously.

"And you shall have it," Mephisto said, as he and two of his charges disappeared.

"You have your orders, Dr. Jekyll," Seth said.

"And I shall deliver, My Lord...but I ask in the coming war that you spare Snow White for me," he requested.

"You're not getting your hands on my mother, you disgusting pig!" Bobby snapped hotly.

"Children should be seen and not heard," Jekyll chided, but then held his head in agony.

"You will obey my orders. Snow White is no longer your concern," Seth said. Jekyll clearly was not happy about that, but was silent and disappeared to carry out his tasks. Unfortunately, it was Bobby holding his head in agony for a moment, until the God ceased.

"Come child...it's time for you to see the place you shall die," Seth said, as they disappeared and then reappeared on a piece of land.

"Where...where are we?" Bobby asked, as he looked around at the desolate space that was surrounded by rocky outcroppings and a filmy red sky.

"Welcome to Nephilim, the realm of the fallen, where you will die and your bones will remain for eternity," Seth declared.

"Do not fear though...the entire world will be witnessing our battle and the rise of my coming army. They will see their future and worship me as I rise and sweep away my enemies," he continued.

"I won't be alone...my parents are coming," Bobby warned. Seth smirked.

"The Chalice is no longer at full power. I am now well aware of your parent's treachery and without the full power...they cannot enter this realm. No one can," Seth informed him. Bobby frowned and swallowed thickly, before putting on a brave front.

"Fine...you want a fight? Then you're gonna get one," he agreed, as his eyes glowed and the ground beneath him began to shake. He magicked a sword into his hand and his ripped up clothes changed into a leather jerkin and pants; an ensemble similar to one his father had often worn in the Enchanted Forest. And with no more delay, they charged each other…

~*~

A few moments ago, another bout of training had commenced, as they were aware that they were in the eleventh hour. But now, that was painfully clear, as the screen just appeared before them like magic, showing Bobby in Nephilim facing Seth. Alone.

"Oh my God...oh my God!" Regina cried, as they watched the fight begin.

"Bobby…" Eva cried.

"Where are Mom and Dad?" Leo uttered.

"They have to be on the way," Eva insisted.

"Or they're dead like my parents," Carina said sadly.

"They're not dead...and we don't know that your parents are either," Leo admonished.

"He's right...they're strong like our parents and they have a friend in Thor. If anyone can save them, it's him," Eva assured.

"Even so...I must lead Andresia's army in my father's place," Carina said bravely, as the twins stood beside her.

"None of that matters," the Evil Queen snapped.

"You heard him...we can't get to him! He's in Nephilim and he's broadcasting this whole thing to the muggles out there!" she ranted, just as a swirling orange portal appeared.

"No...he said that we can't get to him without the full power of the chalice," a voice said, as Snow and David emerged, hand in hand from the portal.

"Mom! Dad!" the twins cried, as they rushed to them and they swept the twins into hugs. Emma, Killian, Summer, and the rest of the people with them filed through the portal.

"Nana!" Summer called, as she rushed to Regina, who swept her into a crushing hug.

"Oh...I missed you so much," Regina cried, as tears slipped down her cheeks. She sniffed and then hugged Robin.

"Papa Robin…" she gushed and then she shocked the Evil Queen by hugging her too.

"I missed you too," she said.

"You...you did?" the Queen asked. She nodded and swiped a tear away.

"Of course I did...you're a part of my Nana and I know you won't be happy until you're whole again. Until you're able to be with your family again. Please Nana…" she pleaded. The Queen looked at Regina and she nodded. She then looked at Robin, who nodded too.

"I know you think I only love Regina and not the Queen, but you know it's not true. I fell in love with you when you were still struggling in the darkness. I love all of you...please come back to us," he pleaded, as Hyde stepped forward with the antidote. She nodded and he gave her the injection. Regina's eyes widened, as the Queen was absorbed back into Regina and she smiled brightly. Robin, Summer, Jade and Roland all hugged her tightly.

Snow and David approached Winter and Charming, while Hyde stood by.

"You know the only way to save Bobby is to become one again," David stated.

"We know...and for him, we'll do it," Charming agreed. Snow looked at her counterpart.

"I know you don't think so, but you have both taught us a lot. I won't ignore you anymore or push you away," Snow promised. She nodded.

"Let's save our baby," Winter agreed reluctantly. They knew it might have been harder to convince them if not for the mortal danger to their son, but just as Snow and David would do anything for one of their children, so would Charming and Winter. Hyde moved in at that point and gave each of them an injection. There was a very bright glow, as Winter and Charming were rejoined with Snow and David. The Chalice rejoined as well and floated between them, glowing in all its full glory. Snow and David opened their eyes and grinned brightly at each other, as they closed the distance with a passionate kiss.

"Okay you two...we have work to do," Regina admonished.

"Yeah...and who the hell are they and why is she here?" Leo asked, referring to the Major and the other people with her.

"Long story...we'll explain later. But for now...we need to get into Nephilim," Snow said.

"Which is easy for you two with the Chalice, but not so much for the rest of us," Rumple reminded them.

"I think I may have an idea," David said.

"Daddy…" Eva interrupted him and directed their attention to the screen.

"Holy hell…" Leo uttered, as they saw the return of Mephisto and his minions, along with a new army of freshly created demonic minions.

"He was busy," Rumple said.

"We're going to need our own armies," David said, as he turned to Tiny.

"Tiny...how is our bean supply?" he asked.

"We have dozens, fortunately," the giant replied.

"Good...we need to enchant them with the chalice," he said and Snow smiled.

"That's a really good idea," she said, as they joined hands and stood before the heads of the other Kingdoms.

"We need you all to gather your armies and then use one of these enchanted beans to portal into Nephilim," David instructed, as a bean was given to Lancelot, Phillip, Eric, Mulan, Jasmine, Midas, Elsa, and Glinda. Snow stepped toward Carina and hugged her.

"No word from them?" she asked and she shook her head, as she took the beans.

"No...but we will lead Andresia into battle in our father's place," she said, as the twins stood beside her.

"He would be proud," David said, as he gave a bean to Tinkerbell next.

"Can you gather the fairies?" he asked. She nodded with a smile.

"Consider it done," she agreed, before kissing Neal and leaving the confines of Bald Mountain. David handed out the rest of the beans to their immediate family, including a couple for Leo.

"One to get into the reserve and then one to get to Nephilim," he said. Leo nodded.

"Wait!" Hermes cried suddenly.

"What is it?" Aphrodite asked, as the other Goddess grinned and waved her hand. A hologram of Fandral and Rose appeared before them.

~*~

Rose and Fandral arrived at Thor's residence with Sif that evening and saw that Dr. Selvig was there with a strange looking device and another woman, dressed in a cat-like bodysuit.

"Is this the doctor you mentioned that could help? Dr. Banner?" Rose asked. The redhead smiled in amusement.

"No...my name is Natasha Romanoff. I'm a...colleague of Dr. Banner's I suppose you could say," she said.

"The Black Widow...Thor has mentioned you in his tales he had told us and our children," Fandral recalled. She nodded.

"Dr. Banner is staying sequestered for a while. He's undergone an interesting transformation recently that he's not quite ready to reveal to the world. However, the kind of technology you need wasn't exactly his area of expertise," she explained.

"Fortunately...I'm in contact with all the people that would have what you need," Natasha explained.

"This Mr. Stark you mentioned?" Rose asked.

"He could probably do it, but he's also not making himself available. However, Captain Steve Rogers made the trip to a place called Wakanda and got what we needed from his allies there. The hardware anyway," Eric said.

"Yes...to make the inter dimensional contact part work, we contacted someone with the ability to get access to the frequencies we needed to tune the machine to. Carol Danvers was happy to send me what you need," Natasha said.

"You did this all for us?" Fandral asked in surprise and Thor clapped him on the shoulder.

"You are one of my oldest friends and I am just glad I can help you get back home to your children. Maybe you can save your world in a way I could not," Thor said.

"Are you ready?" Natasha asked. They nodded. Dr. Selvig typed away on the keyboard and the machine whirred to life. The frequency was fuzzy at first and then focused in on a landscape.

"Is this it?" Eric asked and they gasped, as they saw several Kingdoms on fire.

"Yes...that was Snow and David's castle!" Rose exclaimed.

"It would seem that Seth is already destroying Kingdoms," Fandral said.

"Wait...can you focus on that cone shaped mountain in the distance?"! Rose asked, as she pointed to the desolate area around the odd shaped mountain.

"Yes...Bald Mountain seems to still be untouched, which means he hasn't gotten in yet," Fandral said, as the inside of the mountain appeared on the screen.

"Yes...that's it! Everyone is still safe," Rose said, as a smile came to her face.

"The children...they're okay," Fandral said, as they breathed a sigh of relief, as the screen focused on Carina and the twins.

"Hermes!" they called, hoping she would hear them.

"You're alive!" Snow cried in relief.

"We are...thanks to Thor," Fandral replied.

"Mom! Dad!" Carina and the twins cried tearfully.

"We're coming home soon, my loves," Rose promised.

"Fandral...do you think Thor can portal you and Rose directly into Nephilim with the bi-frost, despite Seth's restrictions?" David asked. Fandral looked at his friend and he nodded.

"It should be well within the power of the bi-frost," he said. David smiled.

"Good...standby for my signal," he said, as he and Snow turned to the others.

"Major...this thing is open to the world now. You want our cooperation after this...then you need to help us save your world too," David said, as he handed two beans to her.

"Don't make me regret this," he said.

"It will be a long, awkward road ahead in introducing our worlds to each other, but I am your ally in this," she promised.

"Clayton once told me that too and even helped us for a while. Then we ended up as prisoners. Try it...and we'll use the power of the chalice to its full extent to not only seal the United Realms away again, but make sure we take back everything you've gained from Clayton's stolen items," he promised. She smirked.

"Duly noted and you don't have to believe me, but you're the best detective I've ever worked with. I want you as an asset...not an enemy," she assured.

"We'll see," he replied, as he turned back to his family and noticed Summer with the young paramedic that had examined Bobby after his episode and heard his daughter talking to him.

"This is going to get pretty rough...I understand if you want to stay here," Summer told him. But he shook his head.

"No…I want to help or I wouldn't be here," he assured.

"JJ...this is insane. You need to watch from a distance with me," Nora insisted.

"Stay out of this Nora," he said.

"You want to help?" David asked and the young man looked at Summer's father, not able to find his voice for a moment.

"Uh...yes Sir," he answered.

"Any weapons experience?" he asked.

"I've...I've handled a gun a few times," JJ replied and he looked at his eldest. Emma smirked and waved her hand. He was astonished to see two large guns appear in his hands. They looked like regular guns, but he had a feeling they weren't.

"Bullets won't do you much good on this battlefield. These shoot fireballs instead," Emma said. Summer smiled at her older sister.

"Thanks," JJ replied.

"Is everyone ready?" he called and received affirmations in response, before the heads of state began to portal out to gather their armies and any people that could fight. David took Snow's hand and they shared a tender, passionate kiss.

"We're going to win and we'll save Bobby," he promised. She smiled and nodded.

"I know...I have faith in our love," she agreed, as they used one bean to portal out and gather who they could.

~*~

Dr. Jekyll burned his way into Hyde's lab. The school was mostly empty, which was good, since he wouldn't have hesitated to burn through anyone in his way. He had his orders from Mephisto, but that didn't suit him at all. Fortunately, two years ago, before the curse was enacted, he had been working on a way to keep his new, demonic powers and break the chains of servitude that tied to him to his Master. And he hid it in Hyde's lab where he knew it would neither be found nor disturbed. He ripped the cabinet doors away and searched for the small velvet pouch that he had hidden his concoction in and smirked, as he pulled out the vial of sickly green liquid. He downed the liquid and felt his power flare for a moment, as Mephisto's fiery chains appeared on his wrists and then melted away. He was free and still retained the powers bestowed upon him.

He was no fool though. He knew if he joined the battle that was raging, he would likely be destroyed. Instead, he had a different plan. He had done his research and knew of one place in the United Realms where crime was still rampant and it was easy for the wanted to hide. He would go there and set up his lab. He would bide his time; he was a very patient man, after all. He would plot the perfect revenge and build an empire in this new place. He would continue his research into ways for science to overcome magic and when the time was right...he would have his revenge and take what he wanted.

"Fear not, my lovely Snow...we will meet again one day," he promised. Pleasure Island awaited him.

~*~

Bobby dodged the Titan, as he charged him and blocked his blows. The force of their fists connecting blew them both back and the evil Seth launched a stream of fire at the boy. Bobby countered with a wall of water to wash out his attack and then followed that up with a lightning attack. Seth took a direct hit and seethed angrily, as he used his mind meld. Bobby held his head in agony for several moments, until he managed to summon all his power. His eyes filled with a multicolored glow and he negated Seth's mind attack, stunning him.

"You are formidable…" Seth hissed, as his eyes twitched with double eyelids like that of a serpent and his olive toned skin became scaly.

"Perhaps squeezing the life out of you is the only way to go…" he hissed, as his limbs extended and coiled around Bobby. He gasped, as the wind was knocked out of him and he choked for air.

"Poor child...I will relish your mother's scream when I drop your mangled corpse at her feet, just before I crush her skull and burn your father alive for his betrayal!" Seth hissed.

"Stop thinking…" a voice said.

"Mr. Gold…" he rasped.

"Yes...stop thinking and give into your power. It comes from light. Nothing bad can come from being consumed by it," Rumple instructed.

"Didn't know you were telepathic," Bobby rasped.

"Talking to yourself...the lack of oxygen has already sent you into madness," Seth goaded.

"Magic, my boy...it can do anything, but yours even more than mine. Yours is boundless," Rumple said, as Bobby opened his eyes and they almost blinded Seth. The ground beneath him began to shake violently and Seth's coils were lit ablaze. He retracted his coils and transformed them back into arms, which were now badly burnt and singed. Bobby dropped to the ground and gasped for air.

"That was a very lethal mistake, young one," Seth warned.

"Says the loser," Bobby retorted, as he watched fire sprout up from all the cracks in the ground. Seth smirked.

"My army has arrived…" he said. Bobby gulped, as he watched hundreds of demons appear, including Arthur, Gawain, and Mephisto. To his horror, Seth did not stop there, as the God summoned hundreds of hell furies, gorgons, banshee's from Tartarus itself. The other remaining beings that had resided in Nephilim also joined them. Among them was Fafnir the mighty dragon, several frost giants, the Horned King, and Shan Yu, along with his undead army of Huns.

"You are vastly outnumbered, young one. Not even with all your power can you defeat us alone," Seth hissed, as he used his magic to shove Bobby back and he went rolling to the ground. But the boy refused to give up and pulled himself to his feet.

"Who says he's alone?" a female voice said and his eyes widened, as he looked around.

"Emma?" he called and then heard a sparking behind him. He turned to find an orange portal swirling before him and his oldest sister walked through it in her familiar red leather jacket and armed with their father's old sword.

"If you really thought that whatever barrier you put around this place was going to keep our parents out...then you really haven't got a clue," Emma commented.

"I am not scared of your parents, Savior...nor you. My army and I will crush your family," Seth boasted. Emma smirked.

"We'll see…" she said, as Bobby saw another portal appear in the sky and was stunned to see his brother fly through it on Pegasus with his Phoenix following him. Another portal opened behind Emma, as Eva carried herself and Paul through the portal with her wind powers. She landed next to her little brother and with a burst of magic, she healed him of any wounds with a loving smile. Bobby smiled and got to his feet, as he watched in wonder, as more portals continued to open around them. Through the three in front of them, Killian walked through with Alice and Jade. They were followed by another one, as Regina, Summer, and her new friend JJ arrived. Robin came through another one beside them with Roland and the Merry men and then another opened, as Rumple, Belle, and Gideon arrived. Henry and Jacinda were next through a portal, having left Lucy with Frankie and Joe, who were also caring for Hope. And finally, beside them, James and Aphrodite arrived, along with Hermes.

In the near distance, more large portals opened, as the armies of the United Realms filed through. Lancelot and Guinevere led the warriors from Camelot. Phillip and Aurora led their army. Eric and Ariel appeared next with the Maritime Kingdom's soldiers. The portals that appeared next hailed the armies from Midas' Kingdom with Abigail and Frederick leading the way. Next, Mulan arrived with the army of China, and Aladdin and Jasmine led Agrabah's soldiers through another portal. Tiana and Naveen led Starcomb's army through another portal, while Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff appeared with soldiers from Arendelle.

And finally, Carina, Ben, and Ari led Andresia's army as well.

More portals in the dozens opened in the sky all around them, as all the fairies arrived, surrounding them with their light magic, ready to unleash it on the darkness. Then, probably most surprising of all, the Major came through and arrived with help from the Land Without Magic. She was lending the military might in the form of fighter jets, tanks, and soldiers that were entering a world they didn't even know existed thirty minutes ago.

Bobby looked around in wonder and was surprised to see a beam of light strike the ground beside them. The light faded, revealing Rose and Fandral's return, via the bi-frost.

"So...you're alive…" Seth growled.

"A God much more powerful than you saved us and I assure you that you will pay for what you've done," Fandral promised. Bobby turned and saw a final portal open behind him. Granny and Red, in her wolf form stepped through, followed by all seven dwarves, and finally his parents, hand in hand, dressed in their warrior clothing.

Seth looked around, trying to hide his nervousness, at what he was now facing.

"If your plan really hinged on the fact that you thought we wouldn't reunite with our darker halves to save our son from you...then you are more of a fool than we thought," Snow declared boldly.

"Just for that...I think I'll kill you first Snow White and make your husband watch!" Seth growled, as he tried his mind meld, but was shocked when it didn't work. The Chalice glowed between them, but he was confused. Even at full power, the Chalice shouldn't have protected them from his mind meld.

"How...how are you doing this?!" he demanded to know.

"True love," David replied in a simple manner. Snow smiled at him.

"Truest love," she agreed.

"Oh and a little bonding to our elements," Leo added, as his eyes glowed dark blue. Eva's glowed pink, Summer's glowed lavender, and Emma's glowed white.

"All the magic and power in all the realms failed to defeat you...but true love won't," Snow declared, as the chalice separated into their respective weapons, his sword and her arrow shooting gauntlets.

"Nothing can defeat me...and certainly not something like your pathetic true love," Seth seethed, as he signaled his demonic army. David raised his sword to signal their allies.

"This is the United Realms and it's our home!" he shouted.

"And we will purge you and your demons from it!" Snow added, as both sides charged into a battle that would decide the fate of the United Realms...and the world.

[seeyacowboy]

Blood of a todoroki part 7.

Dabi x reader - Dabi is touya theory. A.u. O.c. Aged up.

It took about a week to muster up the strength to get out of bed. Since the league wasn’t doing much of anything you and dabi decided to just watch lots of movie and eat as much Thai food for dinner as you could. One night while you two were watching Constantine and mostly talking through it you decided it would be a good idea to throw an idea out there.

“Hey babe, I think we should find an old studio we can train. Probably in a different city in a small town or an empty construction site.” Mumbling through your popcorn chewing and side watching of the movie. “That’s not a bad idea. Let me look into it and ask around.”

“Okay” you smiled.

“You know, you remind me a lot of Constantine.”

Dabi laughs and shakes his head. “What makes you say that?”

“Not only with your attitude, but I feel like you think you’re damned. Almost as if joining the league is making you a suicide and subconsciously are trying to caught a ticket to that train. Ya feel lame?”

“Hmm. That sounds absolutely ridiculous.” He smiles down at you and gives you a kiss on the forehead.

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m an atheist anyways” both of you burst out laughing after trying to maintain a serious face.

Two days later dabi was taking you to an old textile factory at the lower end of Japan.

“Dabi, this place is so creep how did you find it?” You said looking around at the ominous fog surrounding the building.

“Oh don’t you worry about it, love.”

Typical dabi response. You just shook your head and kept following behind. He opened the large double doors to reveal huge machines with long tight strings hung from them. It was quite damp and cold but it worked. Hanging your jackets on the machines you decided to go to a room that had sand bags hanging from it. Clearly dabi came in and set this place up.

“Okay, kid.” Dabi looked at you. “We’re gonna work on your water quirk and some combat. You ready?”

You hesitate for a moment thinking if you actually were ready. Dabi put his hand on your shoulder and lightly squeezed “hey look at me.” You brought your eyes up to his. “You got this, kid.”

“You’re right. I got this.”

“Cool. Now turn around and face the wall we’re gonna work on sensory combat. You should be able to sense what’s coming towards you even with your back turned and eyes closed.”

You do as he says. All you can hear is the sound of his combat boots hitting the floor. Deep breath in for 7 seconds, out for 5. Deep breath in for 7 seconds, out for 5 repeating this until you are completely calm. Something was thrown into the air and headed your way. Just as it was going past your ear you raised 2 fingers and caught it by the handle. Turning your body around on your heals and throwing it back his way only to hear a slight hiss of sand hitting the floor. Opening your eyes to see the hanging bag target stabbed with the small knife.

“I said close your eyes, my love. If you wait to see if you hit every target then you leave yourself open to become a target.” You nod and close your eyes again.

Leaving forward pressing your finger tips to the wooden door to gather some moister; you weren’t very good with your water quirk at all because you mostly relied on combat. Since wood soaks up a lot of water you know it’d be a helping hand. Feeling heat to your hip you use your other hand to stop a flying fire knife with a small bubble of water. Using the momentum you made the water turn into pellets causing it to go into every sand bag in the room releasing their sand. Unfortunately you didn’t have control of the knife and it went right into the ceiling. “Well that’s a start.” Dabi said amused.

Xxx

Some weeks later the training has kept up and you have been able to master more of your different quirks. Water, sound amplifing, shape-shifting, cloning; all we’re becoming very familiar to you.

This night was different though, dabi enters through the door of the bar and you follow close behind, everyone is waiting around, immediately their eyes fall on you guys. Shiguraki approaches you angry and your face twists into one of confusion. He’s finger gets in your face as he hisses “why didn’t you tell me your father was endeavor?” He’s almost screaming. Pausing for a moment before letting out a hysterical laugh. Tears start to fall out of your eyes as if its the funniest joke you’ve ever heard. This angrier him as he wraps four out of five of his fingers around your wrist. “Answer me!” He screams at the top of his lungs with a voice so deep you could have mistaken it for someone else. With your free hand you wipe your tears and calm your laughter. “First of all, Shig, you should have done your research before recruiting me. Secondly you would know that endeavor is in no way my father. My father was counterpart and my mother was tracer. Endeavor took in my twin sister and I after they died. To fall endeavor anything close to fatherly would be a shame. All you had to do was ask.” Your eyes are boring into his he throws your hand back at you. “If I had known you were so close to that scum hero I would have never let you in here. How do we know you’re not working for him?” He sat comfortable on a bar stool now.

“Oh fuck you, dude! If I wanted to be a fucking hero than I’d be out there in a crazy ass costume kicking ass right beside him, but I’m not. I’m here with your childish ass training so fucking hard to get one for all and stain out of jail.”

“She does have a point ,Shig.” Spinner said from the couch.

“Y/n has put herself through a lot and didn’t even work with overhaul when he confronted her. How do we know hawks isn’t double crossing us?” Dabi spoke from beside you still.

All shiguraki did was listen before getting up from his seat and walking out of the room. You made sure he left before mummering “fucking little bitch.”

From down the hall you heard a “I heard that!”

You stomped over to the threshold of the hallway and yelled “Good you were suppose to little whiny bitch!”

“Come on babe, lets get some fresh air.” Dabi reached his hand out for you and as you walked over to him it was like everything was in slow motion. You knew the room was divided now.

Somewhere down town on top of a building you both stared at the ocean. “Hey, kid” Dabi said out of nowhere.

“What’s up, babe?”

“What’s American like?” He looked at you through half lidded eyes.

“Well from what I can remember its very different from here. I lived in a small town in New England which is on the east coast. There wasn’t much to do but it was a cool place to be raised. I’ve never cared to much for the city but I don’t mind it so much at headquarters cause it’s now loud. I think the thing I miss most is the oak leaves and the fake season.”

“What the fuck is a fake season?” he lifted a brow.

“A fake season is when it’s winter but it’s really nice out like it’s spring time and then it’ll snow the next week. New England is a tease.”

Dabi smirked “oh so that’s were you get it from, I see.”

“I’m so offended right now” you began to laugh.

Dabi pulled you closer and wrapped his arms around your waist as you both look at the moon hanging slightly above the water, it was a crystal clear night where you could see every star and the moon was super close. Leaning your back into his chest and peppering little kisses to his neck.

“Dabi?”

“Yeah?” He Craned his neck to somewhat look at your face to read your expression.

“You know shouto,auryn, and endeavor are gonna get involved soon right? Once we get stain and all for one out of prison what happens next? What if it goes south?” Your mind always thought of these questions because something never felt right. Why have we been working with only half a plan?

Dabi could see the worry in your eyes. He nuzzled his cheek into yours and softly said “I know they are going to get involved soon. That’s why we have to take out endeavor. I don’t know what’s going to happen with stain and all for one but if anything happens then we split. That’s all we can do.”

“Dabi, auryn and shouto are getting married soon and she’s going to want endeavor to walk her down the aisle.. as sick as that sounds.”

“Endeavor as never been good to either of us so why should we give a -“ just as dabi was about to finish you both heard wings flapping in the air. Turning your heads to look back at the city seeing hawk flying your way and landing on the rooftop.

“Hello,love birds.” Hawks said as he approached the both of you with a smirk on his face like he caught your hands in a cookie jar. What a weird expression to make. Extending your dominant hand to shake his which he gladly takes. “I never got to properly introduce myself. I’m Exemplum.” You said nicely yet firm; you’re still very wary of him given he’s a hero playing both sides, making you a hypothetic. “Oh dear, (y/n), you don’t have to be so formal. It’s a pleasure to see you again.” He leans down to kiss your hand and you shiftly pull it back. “I don’t think she wants the bird flu ,hawks.” Dabi answered for you chuckling. “Hmm.” Was his only response. Looking him over for a second your boyfriend looked the hero over,” what do you want? We know you didn’t just come over her to say hello.” Dabi was becoming hostile. You put yourself between the two to create some distance between them. “I just came to warn that endeavor knows about the software (y/n) broke into. It was his office you were in. He has an idea that it was the league and that your not working alone.” He looked from Dabi to you. You couldn’t help but worry. “Does he know it was me?”

“I don’t know yet. He’s having shouto, your sister and I on the case. He doesn’t have cameras in his office so I think he’s just going on a hunch right now. Does endeavor know where you are, (y/n)?”

“I haven’t talked to or seen him since I moved out. I’m just he would keep tabs on me but no one I know has seen me since the party.”

“Hmm.” Hawks crossed his arms over his chest. “You know just because you’re trying to stay clear of someone doesn’t mean they are trying to stay clear of you. I would watch your back.” He warned. You fray your brows and give him a smug face. “I’d give you the same advice, hawks. I would hate for you to go from hawks to chicken nugget. If that’s all you have to say then I’d like to go back to my lovely evening with my boyfriend. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight then.” He said sweetly; his wings began to flap and he flew away.

Looking over at Dabi with a face he’s never seen before...completely horrified. “Hey, hey look at me” his large rough hands are placed on either side of your face. Pools of soft yet sharp blue eyes staring into your (e/c) ones. “Everything’s going to be fine you understand. It doesn’t matter what happens it’s always going to be you and me like it always has been,kid.” You walk into his chest and wrap your arms around him staying silent as you mind goes back to when you both were young. Even as little kids touya always made you feel important; he always told you, you were his best friend and that one day he was going to marry you. Maybe at the time is was because you were the only person he tolerated but deep down you know it was because he loved you. When your now two person family moved into the todoroki household endeavor had auryn move into the spare bedroom while you had to sleep in the unfinished basement. It was also damp, cold and stuffy down there; you couldn’t argue though it was his house and your parents raised you with respect. Touya would seek in the base after everyone was asleep and give you extra blankets and socks especially in the winter time. Sometimes he would crawl into bed with you just to snuggle and use his quirk to warm you up. Endeavor would only let you out of the room to go to school and the bathroom otherwise he would bring your food down. Since he didn’t know how your quirk worked besides from watching your father who he didn’t necessarily didn’t care for. Everyone could tell he had a thing for your mother and that’s why he treats auryn so well, she was just like her.

Sitting over the edge of the building four legs winging just watching the waves from the distance of the roof top you tapped Dabi’s shoe with yours and he looked at you. Leaning your head on his shoulder and began to reminisce “do you remember the first time you kissed me?”

He chuckled to himself and took a cigarette out of his pocket, putting it up to his scarred lips and lighting it with his finger tip. “Yeah. I do.”

“We were snuggled in my twin size matters and you had given me a coat and wool socks..it was December wasn’t it? Around Christmas time?”

“After christmas.” He said shortly.

“That’s right! You were the only person that got me a gift. An insta Polaroid camera. That’s why we kissed! It was the first picture I took!”

“I’m glad you captured my first kiss on camera.” He kissed the top of your head. Stealing the cigarette out of his hands and taking a drag. “I was your first kiss?”

“Yeah,why are you so surprised?”

“Well cause I knew you had all kinds of friends at school so I figured It would have been one of them.”

“No,Baka” he said jokingly.

“Fine then who has your v-card then?”

“Why so you can hunt them down and kill them?”

“I’m glad you think I’m so talented, but no. I missed out on so much of your life I want to fill the gaps.”

Dabi exhaled harshly you couldn’t tell if it was from smoking the cigarette or because this is not his favorite topic of conversation.

“Her name was yuna . I would see her at the homeless shelter a lot, she would help me steal food and shit. She was 17 and I think she had a drug problem. After it happened I never saw her again.”

“Hmm that’s shitty of her to use you like that.”

“Doesn’t matter your turn to answer the stupid question.”

You swing your legs over the ledge thinking of how to start.

“It was my second year of u.a, shinsou had come to visit me at the coffee shop I played music at every time I was there. I let him take me on a date and we just hung out a lot. It just kind of happened but I decided we were better off as friends and that was good enough for him so we’ve been best friends to this day.”

“Ah I see..heartbreaker”

“What!? No way! He totally understood! And ive heard your track record you could say the same about yourself.”

“Yes, but we are not talking about me right now. Being a guy I know that if it were me I would have been crushed.”

You took his free hand in yours. “Maybe I was waiting for somebody.”

He was slightly shocked for a moment. Dabi had the same expressions all the time: either a devilish grin or a stone face.

“You’ve been waiting for me for 10 years?”

“No one has ever made me feel the way you do,touya. I would have waited my whole life.” When you were serious you used his real name. It made him turn into jelly for a second. “I don’t know if there’s a right time to say this but I love you ,(y/n). Not puppy love. Not our little kid love and most certainly not friend love. I love you and I always have.”

Rubbing your thumb along whatever large knuckles of his you could reach with your tiny one. “I know, touya. I’ve always known. I love you too that’s why we have to jump.”

“What the actual fuck are you talking about?”

You didn’t respond you simply just took his hand as hard as you could and pulled both of you off the ledge of the building. Dabi is screaming at the top of his lungs closing his eyes trying not to envision himself as a pancake when he feels a hard tug on his arm and a reverse affect on gravity. He finally lifted his eye lids to see you floating in air, but you were different. You had huge blue wings coming from your back. You let out a small giggle “where to next, my love?”

[father-lost]

Ice Blown

It was one set back after another, but Esteban knew better than to sit and dwell on what could happen instead of pushing forward. He was pissed off, blood pounding full of rage as he let his mind play over his meeting with Curtis over and over again. If he wasn’t so worried about keeping any of his small family from ending up in jail, he would gladly kill the man.

But he was so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn’t realize just how far ahead he was getting until a little voice in the back of his head chimed, reminding him he wasn’t alone. When he turned around, he saw that the boy who had agreed to come with him had fallen behind, taking a moment to lean against the single cane that strapped around his forearm. He gave him an apologetic smile and turned around, making his way back through the deep snow. “Los siento,” he apologized, stomping the snow down as he made his way back.

“Don’t worry about it,” Finn panted, wincing as he put weight on his leg. It wasn’t completely healed, the brace around his leg keeping him from bending his knee which had taken a good part of the blow from the gun. It was a split down the thigh bone and a fracture from the top of his kneecap to the bottom. “Just...a little outta shape.” He tried to joke, but every time he tried to place a little more weight on his leg it burned.

“I shouldn’t have pushed you so hard.” The older man replied. He gave the field a quick look around, trying to find anything at all they could rest at to keep them out of the cold for a sit down.

He wasn’t well versed in the area, but he knew that there was a river nearby, and the posted signs marked in purple spray paint was a sign that the land belonged to someone with a gun, and all the way out here, it was more than likely old farm land or hunters. If he found the edge of the property where the signs were posted, all they would have to do was make their way in until they reached something and prayed to god that there was actually a building with something usable there. “Stay here, I’ll be back in just a little bit, ok?” He instructed, pulling his coat off and placing it on the ground. “Sit.”

“Uh, ok, no, plan first.” Finn’s hand snapped out, grabbing his wrist to stop him from leaving. He didn’t want to be left alone out here, not out here in the cold. Not while part of him wondered if this was really a thing; he had no idea if Sean was alive, but he mourned for him all the same. Sitting in the hospital, the only news he had was that Daniel was gone, thanks to Detective Florres.

Finn didn’t trust cops so easily, at least no detectives. As someone with a shady occupation as he did, he kept things hidden from them and learned that most detectives and police officers were more interested in completing the job instead of actually helping. Parole workers excluded. But since he destroyed everything; Sean and Daniel’s chance to save up enough money to get to Mexico, a place for them to live even if they couldn’t get their jobs back, Sean being alive or dead which he was still in the dark about. He hadn’t told Esteban about the heist, but the man said he had a lead.

“The Posted signs read that this is private property, the purple paint is an old paint code used to warn people that the owners of the land had guns and were willing to shoot any and all trespassers who came onto their land.” Esteban explained, speaking quickly as he grabbed Finn’s arms, helping him sit down onto the coat. “I’ll follow along the line of trees to figure out where the perimeter is, then make my way in until a find a farm house or cabin or whatever.”

“And get shot in the face.” Finn added. “This is beginning to sound like one of my plans. Break into buildings that aren’t ours.” He felt his heart race. He was cold, and in pain and scared now.

“I doubt they’ll just fire and blow my head off if I approach their house, if anyone’s even still living there.” Esteban tried to reassure him. “Just, trust me, ok?” He gently grabbed the boys chin, making him look up at him. Finn felt the irony in this, like a cruel joke from the universe. Just a couple months ago, he was the one telling this man’s sons to trust him. Look where they ended up. But still...he was a Diaz. This man either had Sean’s sense of awareness, or Daniel’s.

“Ok, but if you get shot, I can’t do shit to help you dude.” Finn tried to laugh it off, letting his hands drop as he stretched his leg out across the snow. “Hurry back.”

Esteban nodded, giving him a warm smile. He was confident he’d be ok, but he needed to get there and get back to Finn quick. So he turned, making his way for the trees, following the line from the outside and letting his eyes travel back as far as they could go. He traveled nearly five minutes before he found the second posted sign and continued to follow it, walking along the border of the woods.

It took nearly an hour total before he got any sort of sense on how far he needed to go before turning and making a quick trudge through the woods, heading straight for the middle of the forest. He needed to keep a map in his head so he wouldn’t get lost on the way back, and to speed it up, he began running, feet leaving deep enough impressions in the snow so that even if it began to snow outside, they wouldn’t be filled in so fast.

As he ran, he began praying that there was actually a cabin or something in the center of these woods still, and that it was intact enough to stay in until they were both warm and rested enough. For a long period of time, it seemed as if his worst fears were coming true, not a sign of human life or anything. Just wrongly marked woods when suddenly the ground cracked, his foot sinking in through ice, plunging him into the waist.

He couldn’t help the cry of alarm and pain as everything was dunked below the frigid water, the liquid rushing out like sludge to devour the snow. “You bitch!” he quivered, clawing his way up and onto the ice, dragging himself across until the snow revealed ground when moved. Pushing himself up, he shivered.

Already, his jeans were freezing solid, the heavy hooded jacket he had under his winter coat sucking up the water and displacing it halfway up his torso. But as luck would have it, across a large field was a farmhouse, hidden by a line of trees.

Taking a breath of relief, he turned and made his way back across the water, choosing a small footbridge built of stone and old planks of wood, he began to run back along the path he’d marked for himself, ignoring the burning pins and needles that ran up and down his legs and body as his clothing froze to his body.

The entire trip back took nearly an hour and a half running, and as he emerged into sight, Finn stood up, grabbing his coat, but he was alarmed now as he saw the darkened fabric and the way it clung and crackled as the father returned.

“What happened?” Finn asked, looking down at him. His instinct was to reach out and brush the snow off of him, but as he did, he could feel the ice; the fabric refusing to move as fabric should, instead sitting solid as stone. “We need to do something about that,” he looked up at him, worry in his eyes as the older man panted, bending over, shaking his head. “Before you get hypothermia, man. Do you wanna lose your dick?” he leaned down enough to look into his eyes, a gesture the elder avoided.

“I’m working on it.” Esteban replied, turning as he put his coat on. He gave him no more words before he crouched down, feeling his skin bunch and burn like they were on fire. “Get on.” He held his hands back, motioning him up on his back.

“You’re not carrying me.” Finn refused, stepping back, his hand clutching the cane handle tightly.

“Ok, we’re gonna walk?” He turned, looking at him. “It took me an hour and a half running to get back here.” He informed him, not needing to say much more than that to Finn’s dismay. Taking a deep breath, Finn closed his eyes and climbed up on his back, yelping a little as Esteban bounced him into position. “You ok?”

“I will be.” Finn replied, a grunt leaving his lips as he wrapped his arms around the man’s neck and shoulders. “Go, don’t stop for me, I’ll be ok. Just get us there so we can get you warm.” He nearly demanded, Esteban unable to keep from chuckling a little.

“Careful, you’re beginning to sound like my ex-wife.” He teased. This was the most he’s run in years and he was beginning to feel it more than in the frigid, half frozen skin of his legs. Taking a deep breath to calm his lungs, he began to run again, making his way for the third time along the path his feet had marked in the snow.

That was the only good thing about the winter; he didn’t have to worry about losing the trail until he reached the line of trees. He ducked and dodged branches, trying to keep his footsteps light enough not to hurt the other on his back, but he guessed it wasn’t good enough for when he broke the halfway mark, a pair of teeth found his skin, sinking down.

He wouldn’t lie, if he hadn’t been dying from the cold and he knew that his companion was in pain, it would probably be a bit of a turn on, but now wasn’t the time. Coming out of the other end of the woods, he tackles the small hill to the footbridge carefully and made a dash across the yard to the house.

He’d been hoping the entire time that it was abandoned, and lucky for them, it was.

Giving Finn a chance to put his feet on the porch and unhook his teeth from his neck, he put him down and gave the door knob a jiggle. Locked. “Can’t people ever abandon their homes without locking the fucking door?” Esteban panted, feeling his chest ache like he’d been punched with a cinderblock, vision flickering a bit to tunnel vision. “Guess I’ll find a window.” He grabbed at his chest, clenching his eyes tight. This definitely constituted as overworking himself.

“Hold on, let me take it from here.” Finn spoke up, rubbing his leg gingerly for a second. Limping forward, he pulled his knife from his pocket and crouched down enough to put his injured knee on the snow covered wood. From the other pocket, he pulled out a bobby pin and stripped the rubber tip off one of the balls with his teeth, spitting it out onto the floor.

Carefully he slipped the straight end of the bobby pin into the lock, using his knife to help jar the lock around. With a click, he pulled his knife out and turned the doorknob, pushing it open. “Su casa es...not either of our casa.” He gave a dry laugh, pulling away stiffly from the door to motion to it.

“Smoothe, cariño.” The father smiled, looking at the opening door before looking to Finn as the boy took a couple steps forward, hands out as if to help him into the home. He chuckled, hand raising just an inch as a polite refusal; he was fine, all he needed was to get in and get out of the ice weighed pants.

“Are you gonna tell me what that means eventually?” Finn questioned, following him. The inside of the building was definitely old and not very well taken care of. Water damage from it looked like in one corner of the den area, a little black mold on the sheetrock; it wasn’t ideal but they wouldn’t be here more than a night or two.

“And ruin the romance?” He gave him a kind smile as black rushed his view. He swallowed hard, fighting the constriction in his throat and the stabbing in his chest.

“It’s easily won back, daddy.” The other teased, looking around, shutting the door behind him. He leaned against the wall, voice distorted. He saw everything cast in shadow. “Hey, hey you ok?” The words were distorted, like diving under water as the dizziness rushed in, the pain spreading along his veins like poison.

“Yeah, ok...o...k.” He tried to comfort him but couldn’t. He wasn’t ok, he tried too hard, and just like that, he was gone.

[geniuscloud]

Only The Lonely Survive- ATEEZ (Yeosang)

I’m actually kind of proud of this one, so hopefully it’s good! I didn't edit it though, so be warned. Thanks for reading! I really enjoyed writing this.

Genre: Fluff and Angst

Yeosang X Reader (Fem!)

Private School AU

Warnings: Swearing and mentions of mature themes. Mild bullying.

Word Count: 4.8K

_______________________________

“Um excuse me, are you okay? Class ended 15 minutes ago.”

I was startled awake by the voice of a classmate, who lightly shook my shoulder to wake me from my sleep. The panic in my face began to settle as I quickly scanned around the room, all the desks were completely empty and the only people left were the girl and myself.  

“Holy shit, what time is it?”

“It’s 12:16, it’s lunch break right now. You were out cold, do you want me to walk you to the nurses office?” she replied. She was short, extremely long dark hair and big glasses framed her face. Wendy, the shy girl who hardly spoke to anyone, but definitely one of the most caring people in our grade.  

“No it’s okay, thanks Wendy. I just was working really late last night, I guess I dozed off because I didn’t get much sleep. Thanks for waking me up, I need to put up my flyers before class starts again.” I quickly collected my bag, giving her a small smile before rushing out of the classroom and into the hall. I had less than 45 minutes to hang my tutoring flyers, plus I had to get to my locker, eat and get to my next class on the other side of the building. I tried to work as fast as possible and was able to get it done within 20 minutes, giving me some time to spare to refuel my energy with food.

“Hey poverty, move. You’re in the way of my locker.”  

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes before spinning around to see who belonged to the voice, “Natalie, nice to see you haven’t changed a bit over the holidays...”

“Nice to see that you’re still poor. Cute sweater by the way, where did you get it? Walmart? Or is that still too expensive for you?”

“Can’t you learn to shut up for once in your life?”

“Can’t you learn that you’re not welcome here? It’s a private academy for the privileged, not for scholarship riding wannabes,” she smirked.

“Nat leave her alone,” a deeper voice spoke behind her. Natalie's eyes widened a little before spinning around on her heels, coming face to face with the guy behind her.

“Sangie, I'm just being honest.”

“Actually you’re being a bitch, do you mind?” he said, titling his head to the side trying to signal for her to leave.

“Here, why don’t you take a flyer on your way out. All that fake tanning must be melting your brain a little, I can help with that,” I smiled while passing her a flyer. Her eyebrows furrowed in response, quickly stomping off without the flyer. Suddenly the paper that laid in my hand lazily was pulled from my grasp as Yeosang studied it.

“You’re doing tutoring?”

“Yeah, I thought about making some extra money to help my parents out. Do you know anyone who might need it?”

“I’m not failing, but I could always use some help getting a little higher grades. Count me in, when can we start?” he smiled.

“We can start after school if you’re not busy? All tutoring sessions will be 90-120 minutes maximum after school because I have to work at 6:30pm most weekdays.”

“Cool, here’s my number. Text me when you find a meeting spot and I'll meet you there,” he shot a quick wink in response before he slung his backpack over his shoulder once again. There was a weird skip of a beat in my heart as my eyes followed his back down the hall. I put my hands to my cheeks, feeling them heat up slightly before I rested my forehead on my locker. Yeosang really was as attractive as everyone had gushed about. His eyes were definitely the first thing anyone noticed about him, and that jawline? My God, you could cut diamonds with that thing.

The rest of the day went by so slowly and the anticipation of getting to study with Yeosang for some reason made me excited but nervous. He was so popular and so attractive, and usually I would stay away from everyone in this school, because most people were snobby due to their social background. Though from what I could tell, he seemed very nice. I’ve never heard anything bad about him, and he definitely wasn’t the stereotypical popular jerk. The final bell rang, and I almost sprinted out of the class and to my locker, quickly grabbing my stuff before running to the washroom. I did a quick check of my makeup, and brushed my hair. I honestly don’t know why I felt some kind of pressure to look good; I was just helping him study!?

I found my way to the quiet section of the library. The walls were lined from the roof to the floor with books, and the old hand carved wood gave the most elegant and antique look. It looked like a scene from a fairy tale had come to life. I sat down at the one table in the far back and let Yeosang know where I was. I felt a knot in my stomach grow from the nerves, and sat patiently for him. What if he doesn’t show up? What if he was just trying to make a fool out of me and waste my time? My palms began to sweat a little, and I rubbed them on my black skinny jeans.  

“Y/N?” I looked up from the table, trying to hide the anxiety clearly written on my face.

“Yeosang, hey. I’m glad you showed up.”

“Sorry I took so long, I can to call my parents and let them know I was going to be home later, and then I went down the wrong hall and had to loop back,” he smiled while getting his backpack down beside him and he slid into the seat beside me.

“Okay, well let’s get started. What classes do you need help with?”

“Currently my lowest mark is History, I'm pretty bad at memorizing dates.”

“Okay, well let’s start on that, I'm assuming you’re around chapter 5-6 right now?”

_________________

Soon enough, the hour turned into three, and the light from the sky had completely drained into pitch black. Our time studying was mixed with work and casual chatting, hearing stories about his life and his unfortunate and short-lived relationship with Natalie. I felt extremely comfortable with him, sharing some stories about my childhood as well. We were very different, but it was enjoyable.  

“Hey Y/N, do you mind if I ask you a question? It’s okay if you don’t answer me.”

“Sure, go ahead.”  

He looked around a little before facing me again, “Why are you always alone? I see you often, but you never are with anyone or talking to anyone?”  

I deep a deep breath before leaning forward over the table, “I’m not going to lie. A lot of people look down on me because the only reason I can attend this school is because of a scholarship. My grades are so high I was offered a scholarship as long as I keep my grades up. Otherwise I wouldn’t be here, and everyone knows that. This academy is extremely expensive, and no regular folk can just attend this school unless you’re super rich. You see everyone here wearing Gucci clothes and driving nice cars, while I'm a ‘order this cute sweater online because it’s on sale and public transportation’ kind of girl.”

“That’s pretty shallow of others, I think you’re pretty fantastic regardless,” he smiled. I laughed a little before drawing my attention back to the book, continuing to write down some information from the textbook for him. “Wow it sure is getting dark, it’s also starting to snow,” he said gazing out of the window.

“Holy crap, what time is it?”

“It’s 5:44 pm, we’ve been studying for almost 3 hours now. That’s crazy?”

“Oh my God, I have to go. I have work at 6:30!” I shrieked while quickly packing my stuff, “We were supposed to be done an hour ago!”

“I’m sorry I distracted you, how about I walk you to work it’s dark out anyways. I’d rather you get there safe,” he suggested while packing his stuff as well.

“You really don’t have to, it’s okay.”

“No, please, let me walk you to work.” I nodded shyly while putting on my jacket and getting ready to leave with Yeosang beside me. His black padded jacket went down to his knees, and he wrapped a scarf around his neck before turning around to face me. My jacket was zipped up as high as it could go, no scarf, hat, or gloves. “Did you not bring anything but your jacket?”

“I did, but I left my scarf on the public bus, so it’s long gone.”

“Do you want to use mine?”

“Nah, I don’t want you to be cold.” He just lightly laughed before grabbing my hand and spinning me around to face him. His eyes stared into mine as he unwrapped the scarf and put it around me. My breathing slowed down slightly as he kept eye contact with me, neatly wrapping the scarf until my mouth was hidden from the bitter cold.

“I’m not letting you get cold, we can’t let your head freeze if you’re going to be tutoring people.”

“Um, thank you..” I was so glad the scarf was hiding my cheeks, because they were bright red by now. He tucked his hands into his pocket and we started walking down towards the convenience store where I worked evenings occasionally. The walk was silent for the most part, he occasionally asked me a few questions and we continued our conversation from earlier. Surprisingly I was really comfortable around him, he seemed so genuinely kind and interested in getting to know me. The walk was quick, and a little part of me wished we could have done this longer.  

“Yeosang, thanks for walking me to work and lending me your scarf. I had a good time studying with you. Here let me give you this back,” I said removing the scarf.

“Won’t you need it on your way home?”

“No, my mom is going to pick me up after work, so please take it back.”

“Okay, and I should probably pay you for the session now, right? The flyer said $15 an hour?” he mumbled grabbing his wallet out, “I only have a $50 so you can accept a $5 tip, right?”

“Nah, for you the first session is free. Plus I had a lot of fun hanging out with you, and you lent me your scarf. Anyways, I should get to work, I'll see you at our next session. Have a good night Yeosang...”  

“You too Y/N, text me when you get home so I know you’re safe,” he smiled while wrapping the beige scarf around his face. The color contrasted with his dark brown hair which was still perfect even though the light wind caused a few flyway's to appear every once in awhile. I nodded slightly as he turned away, walking across the street and disappearing through the park. There it was again, the skip in my heart beat returned as I watched him leave for the second time.

__________________

A few weeks had passed since our first study session. He started attending our tutoring sessions three times a week, forcing me to reduce the price because it felt like he was trying to pay me to hang out with him more than anything. I also started tutoring a few other students during lunch or after school on other days. Our tutoring relationship started turning into a real friendship, and I had to learn to control my heart around him. I started seeing him more often, hanging out with him and his friends during lunch sometimes as well. After attending this academy on my scholarship for 2 years, I finally felt like I made a real friend. There were so many shallow people in this school, but I quickly discovered that some of the other students here weren’t so bad after all, and not everyone was ready to cause me emotional distress just because of my money situation.  

“Y/N, you’re joining us for lunch tomorrow, right?” Mingi asked, one of Yeosang’s friends who happened to sit behind me in my chemistry class.  

“Yeah sure, are we meeting in the cafeteria like usual?”

“Yup. I’ll text the boys and let them know.” Mingi was a special guy, very tall and athletic looking, but very sweet and almost childlike. I used to avoid him because I thought he’d be very cold, but in reality he was a big sweet heart who was scared of bugs. Besides Yeosang, Mingi was definitely who I was closest with out of the group.

‘Hey, can we meet after school in the library? I know we don’t have a tutoring session today, but it’s important.’ The message lit up my phone screen, seeing Yeosangs ID show up.

‘Yeah, I'm not busy today. We can meet up for a bit,’ I replied back.  

Soon enough the bell rang, and I headed to the library, our designated meet up spot. I saw him sitting on the edge of the table, a little white bag beside him and his phone in his hand.

“Sang, what’s up?”

“Hey Y/N, sorry to bother you on your day off. I just had something I wanted to give you. It’s a thank you gift for tutoring me even though you keep refusing my money, and also a little thanks for being my friend.” I stopped in my tracks, pursing my lips together slightly before letting my head tilt sideways in confusion.

“You got me a gift?” I asked puzzled.

“Yeah, I remember you needed one, and with it getting cold I thought you might need it,” he smiled while passing the bag to me. I’ll admit, I was interested in knowing what he had boughten me and so I accepted it. My eyes were still squinted with curiosity and disbelief as I kept panning from the bag to his face. After removing the tissue paper, I saw the soft navy pattern fabric neatly folded in the bag.  

“You got me a scarf?”

“Yeah, there’s also a little matching hair bow. I remember you said you lost your other one on the bus a few weeks ago and I heard we’re supposed to get another snow storm soon. I wanted to make sure you were warm.” I pulled the scarf out and examined it, it looked like a washed-out charcoal navy color with geometric white and red lines. The fabric was so soft and warm, I couldn’t believe I could like a scarf this much. It looked like a darker version of the beige scarf he had lent me a few weeks ago. “Do you like it?”

“I love it, thank you Yeosang. You really didn’t have to get me anything! I could have gotten one for myself a little later on.”

“Nah, this was nothing. Wait until your birthday, that’s when I really pull out all the stops for my friends,” he said while flashing a bright smile. I couldn’t help but smile back while I rolled my eyes playfully. He then got to his feet and grabbed the scarf from my hands, gently wrapping it around me once again, just like he did the first time. His hands lingered a little as they dragged down the brown fabric of my long jacket, sliding his fingers down the opening where the buttons were sown. His grip never let go, and I felt a little tug causing me to shuffle closer to him a bit. His other hand slid the scarf that was over my mouth down, just barely revealing my lips. I felt the air from my lungs escape all in one go, as if someone had just stepped on my lungs. His eyes were no longer locked into my own, but instead had focused his attention on my lips. My knees felt weak as I tried to make sense of the situation. Maybe I had some food on my mouth that I hadn’t noticed for the last 3 hours while I was in class?  

“Y/N may I ki-”

“Excuse me you two, the library is actually closed for the evening,” a voice said interrupting us. Our eyes quickly snapped towards the librarian who stood to the side with he arms crossed. I took the opportunity to slip away from Yeosang’s grasp and apologize while leaving quickly. Did he just ask me if he could...? Did that really just happen? Yeosang tried to catch up with me, but I ducked through a couple hallways and disappeared out of sight.

_______________________

The next morning I felt emotionally and mentally exhausted. I ignored the handful of texts Yeosang sent asking if I was okay, if he had done something wrong, and if I made it home safe. I didn’t want the police busting down my door because he thought I had gone missing, so I had sent a little thumbs up just so he knew I was still alive. I felt odd, because a part of me really wanted to kiss him, but the other part of me just wouldn’t let him. I've been alone for so long, and I’m still a little too afraid to let people in my life; since only the lonely survive.  

I peeled myself out of bed and into the shower to try and wake myself up. The weather was dreadful, the type of damp-cold that stuck to your bones after going inside. I settled on a pair of black comfy jeans, and a large knit sweater to keep me warm. A little part of me wanted to still try to look cute, knowing I was going to have to face Yeosang and the rest of the boys today at some point. After applying makeup, I sat on my bed and stared at the little white bag in the corner.  

“He did buy it for me, and I might as well use it” I sighed. I quickly pinned up my hair and slid the hairbow in to secure it. I still had no idea why I was trying to look cute when I literally was an emotional mess on the inside. I will admit that the walk to school was much warmer than usual. I had a few people look at me as I walked through the halls towards my locker, and it felt a little strange having people actually look at me. What I thought would be a peaceful morning turned south as soon as I heard the nauseating voice of Natalie tell me to move out of the way from our lockers which were unfortunately side by side.  

“Wow poverty, what student did you steal that scarf from?” she mocked.

“Excuse me?”

“I’m not a fool, I know brand name when I see it. I know there is no way you bought a $900 Burberry scarf by yourself. What? Did you steal it?”

“I’m sorry, what? $900 scarf?” I asked, puzzled while searching the ends of my scarf. Low and behold, there was a small ‘Burberry’ tag sown on the ending of the scarf.  

“Cough it up, how’d you get that? Wait a matching bow too? What the hell, did you get yourself a sugar daddy or something?!” I could hardly believe my ears, and I felt pressure begin to bubble in my chest.

“Y-Yeosang bought this for me...” I mumbled out.

“What the hell? I knew your so-called tutoring sessions were bullshit. Oh my God, are you hoeing around so you can fit in?” she smirked, her face falling into pure amusement, “Holy shit you are. You’re Yeosang’s play toy aren’t you?”

“What are you talking about?! We literally meet in the library!” I yelled.

“You are not helping yourself. A quiet library like that, you could easily slip under the table unnoticed. Holy shit, I can’t wait to tell everyone what you’ve been doing. If you thought your reputation couldn’t get any worse, wait until this spreads around. You’re going to be so embarrassed that you’ll be begging to leave this school.”

“Natalie, can you stop harassing her!?” a somewhat deeper voice yelled. My eyes instantly fell on the small group of boys behind us. San was angry, his lips now pursed after yelling at her and had his hands balled up in fists, standing a little bit in front of Yeosang and Yunho.  

“Are you really hoeing around with all of them?” she said with her mouth agape in amusement, “this is rich.” Natalie pushed passed me and walked off down the hall.

“Hey are you okay?” Yeosang asked, grabbing my arm.

“No, t-this... I can’t do this. Why did you do it?” I asked, my voice beginning to crack as the tears started to spill down my cheeks.

“What did I do?”

“Why would you buy me a $900 scarf!? You know how I feel about money!?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think much of it. I just thought tha-”

“That’s right! You don’t think much about anything. You just throw your money around like it’s nothing!  Natalie is now telling everyone that I'm a prostitute, and that I'm your sick little play toy. I’m not a charity case that you can just invest a bunch of money into!” I yelled.

“That’s not what I meant, I just wanted to get you a gift! I wanted to get you something brand name because I knew you’d never do something like that for yourself!”

“What? Just because I don’t value brand name the same as you? Tell me honestly, are you embarrassed to be friends with me because my family doesn’t have money?”

“Are you crazy?! I don’t care that you’re not rich, I just wanted to get you a fucking gift! You’re blowing everything out of proportion. I didn’t say or even insinuate any of these things!” he started to argue back. San and Yunho took a step back, hearing San try to stop our fight.

“Then why the hell did you buy me gifts huh?!”

“Because I like you, okay?! I wanted to give you gifts because I wanted to prove that I could be a good potential boyfriend, and show my affection! That’s also why I tried to kiss you, are you happy now?”  

My heart sunk and I took a step back. He just admitted his feelings, but also expressed that he was trying to woo me with his money. To him I was just like the rest of these prissy girls in my school who expected to be treated like a queen and want expensive gifts.  

“I’m not for sale you asshole,” I spat. His furrowed expression fell as I shoved past him. For the first time in years, I skipped school and went home.  

___________________________

The weekend had given me time to recover, but the amount of texts and call I got from the boys kept reminding me of the memories I didn’t want. Maybe I was overreacting, since he did have good intentions. I just couldn’t help but feel dirty, and sick to my stomach. I was no better than Natalie, the obnoxious and self-absorbed drama queen. I don’t know what to expect when I go to school, but if Natalie has told everyone the rumors I'm going to be a walking punchline.  

I could hardly drag myself out of bed and into some clean clothes. I decided against a shower and makeup, settling on washing my face and leaving my hair down. I just didn’t have the power to put effort into my appearance, especially when I might be crying everything off anyways.  

The walk to school was torturous, but luckily the weather wasn’t bad. The snow for the most part has gone, but it was still a little chilly. I dragged my feet against the concrete, the lull of emotions evident on my face as I entered school for the first time in 4 days.  

“Hey,” someone muttered to me as I struggled with the lock on my locker. I was expecting the bitchy tone I hear every morning, but to my surprise she seemed rather calm. I almost didn’t believe it was her. “You look like shit...”

“Thanks,” I grumbled.

“Are you okay?”

“Why the hell do you care? Four days ago you were ready to ruin my life and now you’re expressing some kind of concern?”

“Listen here Pove- I mean Y/N... I just wanted to apologize for what happened on Friday. As much as I don’t like you, I took it too far. I know how it feels to be threatened like that because it’s happened to me as well. That’s actually kind of the reason I came to this school anyways, because I was running away from a rumor at my old school. I shouldn’t have done that to you, and just so you know I never told anyone,” she confessed. I was utterly stunned by the words coming out of her mouth. “Don’t get me wrong, I still hate you and want you to leave because you don’t belong, but I wanted to apologize for this. I’ll try to not being such a raging bitch to you all the time. Your face still makes me want to vomit, but I'll try to ignore you from now on as much as I can.”

“Um, thanks I guess. I’ll try to ignore you as well?”  

She shrugged a little before carrying on with her day as I finally got the lock open. Within a matter of seconds dozens of papers came flying out of my locker, spilling all over the floor and my feet.  

“Great, someone else has a problem with me...” I sighed, picking up the papers. They were notes, the same hand writing in black ink had my name written on the front of them. I knit my eyebrows together in confusion while struggling to open one.

‘You are the best person I’ve ever met.’

‘I miss you.’

‘I love the way you laugh.’

‘You are make me lovely.’

‘You are all the colors at once, in full brightness... -All The Bright Places, by Jennifer Niven. Yes I read your favorite book.’

The only thing that was consistent with every note was Yeosang’s signature on the bottom of each note. I choked up a little bit, as I began to fill the small pocket of my bag with the notes.  

‘Please meet me at the library during lunch’ I texted Yeosang.  

_______________________

I sat at the table in the library, anxiously playing the the hem of my shirt. I needed to apologize to yeosang for lashing out like that, but he might not be willing to accept my apology. He did confess his feelings for me, and I straight up just squashed him without any remorse or thought about how he feels.  

“Y/N, are you here?” his voice whispered from around the corner.

“Yeah I'm here.”

“Um, thanks for texting me. What made you change your mind and come see me?”

“Your letters actually, and the fact that Natalie apologized to me. If she can admit she did something wrong, I can as well. I really overreacted, you were just trying to be sweet and I completely blew up in your face. I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry for not being considerate of how you felt, I didn’t mean to offend you. It’s just what I'm used to. I grew up with the norm that you buy the people who you care about expensive gifts and you show that you cherish them.”

“I know, I should have tried to be more level headed and understanding about it. The truth is, when you told me you liked me, my heart stopped for a second. I’ve wanted to hear you say that from the first day that we hung out, and I completely ruined it. I really like you too Yeosang, and I hope I didn’t ruin our chances; because I really wanted to kiss you that night... Hell, I really WANT to kiss you,” I admitted.

“I really want to forgive you and be done with it, but I also kind of want to make you suffer for crushing my heart,” he laughed.

“Yeah... I deserve that.”

“You do, but I don’t think my heart can let me. As much as I want to tease you, a bigger part of me wants to kiss you as well.”

“Then what’s stopping you?” I smiled, stepping a little closer to him, craning my neck upwards to face him.

“I need your permission, because once I kiss you I don’t want to stop. I want to kiss you as much as possible every day. I want you to be mine as long as you’ll have me.”

“Then you’re allowed to kiss me.”

His hands found themselves in the small of my back, pulling me even closer before pressing his lips to mine. He was everything I found myself falling for, he was perfectly lovely in every way. Absolutely lovely.

[combat-wombatus]

Scavenger Hunt

Pairing: Bakugou Katsuki x fem!reader

Genre: fluff, a lil bit of crack :p

Warnings: uhh slight injury? nothing too serious

WC: 2.2k

Summary: Mina has planned a New Year’s party and a scavenger hunt to go with it. Thanks to her and the rest of your scheming friends, you get more than you bargained for…

(A/N): this was for my 20-21 new year’s event!! (again i��m revamping my blog lakdsjhfakfjh bear with me here)

14: “You’re so cute when you’re mad.” 24: “Would you mind if I kissed you?”

“What? A party? I’m not fucking going.” Bakugou snarled. “Staying up past midnight is overrated. I need my sleep.”

“But Bakubro,” Kaminari whined. “We’re hosting! Mina planned it all, and she spent a lot of time doing it! You should at least go. You don’t have to stay up that late.”

“Tch. As if I care.” Bakugou shoved his hands in his pockets and slumped forward even more. “Pinky can waste all the time she fucking wants to. I’m not going.”

“It’s our last year at UA! Come on,” Kirishima joined in. “You can leave early if you want to! It’ll be mostly in the dorms anyways. Mina did plan a scavenger hunt though, in Gym Gamma. She says that she planted “mementos” of our school experience. Isn’t that fun?”

“Fun my ass. It’s stupid, is what it is.” He glared at Kirishima. “Should’ve visited my parents. Even the old hag isn’t as loud as all of you extras in the dorms.”

“You say that like you didn’t blast a hole in the wall just last week,” Kaminari pointed out.

Kirishima winced. “Denki-”

“WELL WHOSE FUCKING IDEA WAS IT TO PRETEND THAT THEY WERE FUCKING KIDNAPPED?!?” Bakugou waved a fist wildly in Kaminari’s face.

“Fair point, fair point. You should’ve seen the look on your face though! (Y/N) thought you’d murder her!” Kaminari cackled.

“I’D NEVER FUCKING MURDER HER! ARE YOU INSANE??” Bakugou’s palms started crackling.

“Hey, chill bro, we know that.” Kirishima tried to calm him down.

Kaminari was not so lucky. “Why? You joke about murdering us all the time. What’s so different about her?”

Bakugou turned, a quick retort on the tip of his tongue, before he realized that Kaminari was, actually, right for once.

“She’s…she’s…” He stuttered.

Kaminari let out a hoot of laughter. “I knew it!”

“Shut the fuck up!” Bakugou’s face turned beet red. “You don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Suit yourself. We know the truth.” Kaminari patted Bakugou’s shoulder.

“Oh yeah, Bakubro! (Y/L/N)-chan is going to be at the party too! Why don’t you confess to her there? That would be fun! And then Mina will forgive you for leaving early too!”

Bakugou’s left eye twitched. “There’s nothing to confess, Shitty Hair. And I don’t give a rat’s ass what Mina thinks.”

Kirishima and Kaminari looked at each other, then turned back to Bakugou.

“Sure,” Kirishima smirked. “Nothing at all.”

“Hey! (Y/N)!” Mina ran up to you. “You’re coming to the party, right?”

You turned to face her. “Sure am! Who isn’t? It’s in the dorms anyways so there’s not much of a point in not coming, right?”

Mina sighed. “Kiri and Kami are having a hard time convincing Bakugou to come. Something about his sleep schedule?”

You were a little disappointed, but it was to be expected. Bakugou didn’t participate much in team-building activities anyways. “Can’t relate. My sleep schedule has been fucked to high heaven.”

“Right? What a crappy excuse.” Mina rolled her eyes. “Anyways, Sero’s waiting for me in the gym to help set the scavenger hunt up. See ya later, yeah?”

“Sure! Do you want more help? I can help you guys set things up if you’d like,” you asked.

Mina leaned forward, smiling mischievously. “Nope! It’s all good! And besides, I want you to participate in the game, so you can’t help!”

You smiled. “Ah, okay. Well, I’ll see you later then!”

“See ya!” Mina winked and gave you a little wave.

“So, the rules of the game are simple: whichever team finds and touches our very own 3-A New Year’s Ball, together, wins!” Mina exclaimed from her place on the couch.

“What kind of shitty game is this?” Bakugou growled, leaning against the kitchen counter.

Mina pouted. “Hey! Sero and I spent a lot of time making this happen!”

“Yeah! They were amazing!” Ochaco jumped up too. “Stop being ungrateful!”

“Fine, whatever.” Bakugou crossed his arms. “Get on with it already. We don’t have all night.”

“Actually, we do! Not everyone here has the sleeping schedule of an old man,” Kaminari piped in.

“Shut up, Dunce Face. Nobody asked.” Bakugou scowled.

“Hey! Back to the regular program. You get to choose your own partners! Isn’t that exciting?” Mina waved her piece of paper around wildly. “Now get to it! You have three minutes!”

You looked around the room. You would’ve asked Mina, but she and Sero weren’t participating since they were the ones who hid it. They had also apparently hidden clues all over Gym Gamma as to where the location of the ball was.

“Ocha-” Oops. She’d already teamed up with Iida.

“Oi, Shitty Hair, come over here!” Bakugou yelled across the room. You sighed. Of course.

“Sorry Bakubro, I already have a partner…” Kirishima said rather sheepishly.

“…you WHAT?”

“Yeah…Momo here didn’t have a partner yet and…well…Mineta was hot on her trail,” Kirishima tried to explain as Momo breathed a sigh of relief.

“Shuckers!” Mineta faceplanted onto the couch. “I never get what I want”

“Hmph. Karma’s a bitch.” Jiro smirked from her position next to Kaminari.

“Dunce Face, you got a partner too?” Bakugou sighed, exasperated.

“Right next to me!” Kaminari pointed to Jiro with his thumb. You smiled in satisfaction. They were honestly adorable.

You turned to the rest of the room. Hagakure had already snagged Ojiro, Midoriya had, unsurprisingly, paired with Todoroki. Shoji and…Tsu? Koda had paired up with Sato, and…you snickered a little at the last pairing. Tokoyami had been bombarded with Aoyama’s relentless chatter. Which left…you and Bakugou.

Huh. That was weird. You swore that not everyone had a partner just a minute ago. And it was awfully strange that Tokoyami would choose to pair with Aoyama instead of you or even Bakugou, but…you supposed that he didn’t really have a choice in the matter.

“So. (Y/N).” Bakugou cleared his throat. “Partners?”

“Uh…yeah,” you replied, fidgeting slightly with your hands.

“Ok! Everyone is paired up and ready to go?” Mina was practically bouncing.

“Yeah!” Most everyone chimed in unison.

“Let’s do it then! Sero, come on! Lead the way!” She jumped down from her place on the kitchen counter.

“What the fuck? Pinky and Tape Arms hung that thing all the way up there?” Bakugou swore.

“You can use your quirk to get up there though, right?” You looked at him, brows furrowed.

“Duh. But what about you?” He looked you up and down. “Last time I checked, you couldn’t fly.”

“Easy! I’ll just ride on your back!” You chirped. “Unless you can’t carry me?”

“Tch. As if. Get on.” He squatted down, letting you scamper onto his back. “Ready?” You wrapped your arms around his neck and your legs around his waist.

You leaned into the crook of his neck, breath lightly fanning his face. “Ready,” you confirmed.

Cackling gleefully, Bakugou shot up into the sky, palms ablaze.

And as quickly as he flew, he was dropping to the ground even quicker.

“DAMMIT!” He glared daggers at the ice wall that had appeared over your heads. “Fucking Deku! And that IcyHot bastard!”

Spiraling, he tried his best to save the two of you from a hard impact on the ground, but he was only successful in twirling around in the air like a ballerina.

“Shit!” He tried to flip upside down in order to land on his feet, but the momentum was against him.

With an “oof”, the two of you landed in a pile on the (luckily) snow-covered ground.

“You alright there, idiot?” Bakugou said gruffly.

You groaned. You weren’t sure how, but you definitely sprained something with the way you landed. Ankle? Wrist? Perhaps both?

“Hey. Hey!” Bakugou climbed over the snowdrift to reach you. “Get up! The fuck is wrong with you?”

“Calm down, Bakugou!” You pushed his hand away. “It’s just a sprain,” you pointed to your ankle.

“Nothing else?” He seemed intent on picking you up, so you let him.

“Nope, everything’s fine,” you assured him.

“Sorry about that!” Midoriya called out from atop his perch on Todoroki’s newly-formed glacier. “We got a little carried away!”

Bakugou stilled. You winced. Midoriya was in for a rough time.

“Deku…” He ground out. “What the FUCK do you think you and IcyHot are doing?”

“I-I’m sorry! We didn’t mean to knock you down from the air!” Midoriya started gesturing nervously. “I-I swear it was an a-accident!”

Todoroki sighed. “It was an accident. Let it go, Bakugou. And (Y/N), we are very sorry for having injured you. Would you like for us to accompany you to Recovery Girl? The game is over now.”

“The fuck did you say, IcyHot? No fucking way. I’m taking her.” He stomped towards Recovery Girl’s office, you firmly nestled in his arms.

“Think we succeeded?” Todoroki turned to Midoriya. “They seem to be getting along fine.”

“I…I’m not sure. It’s not great that (Y/L/N)-chan had to get injured for this to work, but…Recovery Girl will fix her up fine and Kacchan might finally realize that he has feelings for her…”

“Hey guys! Great job!” Sero dangled Mina from a tree branch overhead. “Look at them go!”

“It’s all according to plan…” Mina clapped her hands together. “Now, we just have to wait for the clock to chime twelve…”

“Fucking assholes.” Bakugou hadn’t stopped muttering underneath his breath since you’d left.

You giggled. He was so angry over such a small thing. It wasn’t like the fall was intentional; you’d both just been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Bakugou stopped walking and stared at you. “What?” He frowned at you. “Why are you laughing? Did you knock your fucking head on the way down too?”

You started full-on laughing this time. “No, Bakugou. It’s just…you’re so cute when you’re mad,” you tried to explain. “Your eyebrows scrunch up and you purse your lips and…”

By this point, Bakugou was a blushing mess. No one had ever called him “cute” when he was angry before.

After a while, he broke the silence. “So…I don’t scare you?”

You laid your head on his chest. “Not at all.”

“Tch. You should be scared of me, dumbass.” He turned your body so that you were facing him, shielding his tomato-hued face from your gaze.

“And why should I be?”

“Because…because…I’m Bakugou Katsuki, dammit!” He clenched his fists, bunching up your parka.

Snickering, you decided to tease him. “Thank you, Captain Obvious. I thought you were Midoriya Izuku for a second.”

“You WHAT?!?”

The two of you bantered playfully all the way to Recovery Girl’s office. She took one look at you and frowned.

“Tsk. I thought there wasn’t training today?” She rifled around for an ice pack.

“There wasn’t. We played a game and I just sprained my ankle.” You explained sheepishly. “And possibly my wrist.”

Recovery Girl tapped her cane on your knee and sighed heavily. “You guys don’t know how to take care of yourselves! Playing a game and getting injured?” She rubbed her temples. “The hospitals are going to have a field day with the lot of you once you become pros.”

“Sorry. I promise I’ll be more careful next time.” You held in a wince as she prodded your ankle.

“Minor sprains. I’m going to wrap those and give you some gummies. Take this ice pack with you when you go. Ice for 10, leave for 20, and repeat for 3 hours. Got it?”

“Yes ma’am!” You held out your wrist for her to bind.

“And don’t you go do anything else dangerous now, you hear me?”

“Loud and clear!” You hopped nimbly off the table, landing on one leg, and was promptly scooped up again by Bakugou.

“Hey! Let me down! I can walk!” You protested against his arms.

Bakugou turned to Recovery Girl. “Look at her. You really want her to walk?”

“As a matter of fact, I do not. Stay still, young lady, and let him carry you,” she admonished.

You slumped in defeat, and Bakugou carried you out of the room.

“Ahh…young love,” Recovery Girl stared wistfully at your fading silhouettes. “I remember…”

“3!”

“2!”

“1!!”

“HAPPY NEW YEAR’S!!”

The class was situated in the common room, spread out over the numerous couches and munching on fresh cookies (courtesy of Momo and Sato).

And as the clock chimed 12, you looked to Bakugou, sitting right next to you.

“Can…can I…” You started nervously, fingers fidgeting with your ice pack.

“What? Spit it out,” Bakugou stared at you.

“Canikissyou?” You blurted out as fast as your tongue would let you.

He smirked. “What was that? I couldn’t understand you.”

You sighed. “Would…would you mind if I kissed you?”

Bakugou’s lips pulled into a wolfish grin. “All you had to do was ask, dumbass.”

Epilogue

“Do you think they caught on?” Mina whispered excitedly to Sero. “I wasn’t sure if they saw me leading Todoroki and Midoriya to the ball.”

“Nah, I think we’re fine. Besides, it’s not like he can complain. He got a girlfriend thanks to us, right?” Sero chuckled.

“Ok…if you say so…”

Suddenly, they heard a growl coming from the doorway to their left.

“Shit.”

“Run!!”

“I won’t let you bastards get away with this!!”

Coco’s New Year Celebration 20-21

Masterlist

[raven-n-tha-moonlight]

(This is a rough draft. I will edit it later.

A bit of background: Eira just failed her test that is important for summoners. At least she thinks she did. The group outside the door is waiting to take their tests.

Also, warning: death.

Pronunciation guide: Eira= EAR - uh)

ICY FEAR

It was going to be a bad day for everyone in the courtyard.

The doors to the examination hall were thrown open. A girl stomped out, with her dark, braided hair blowing in the personal blizzard surrounding her. Despite the full sun, the girl’s little storm showed no signs of dissipating. Her path left a snail-track of melted snow on the concrete.

The pack of students holding books and binders stumbled as she blew past them, her flurries dusting their clothing. They looked at her in silent rebuke, but she didn’t spare them a glance.

“Eira!”

The girl glanced over her shoulder. It was Morlen. Her stomach did its silly flop. She shook her head, a move so small it was imperceptible. She didn’t need any of this right now. She just needed to get away-

“Eira,” he stepped toward her. Away from the flock of students.

She crossed her bare arms. “What?” She snapped, the sound of a tree trunk freezing and splitting.

His face closed. It had been something close to caring. Now it was blank, like the ground after a snowfall.

“That was rude to push past everyone. Apologize to us.”

The word “us” rang through her. She was her, and they were them. They were a group, and she was alone. She would never be a part of them.

Us. The word clanged around inside, echoing in the hollowness there.

She’s been wrong to think Morlen was any less of a jerk. He was like the rest of them. He wanted her to hurt.

Well, she would show them what it was like to really hurt. She could see what she would do. The terrible images came to her one after another, flickering by so fast they gave her only a taste of the honey-coated vengeance. The hollow in her chest expanded. Her breathing came fast. “You. Are. Not. Getting. Any. Apology. From. Me.” She stared Morlen down. “Ever.”

She turned away. Her fingers burned with cold. She saw the things she wanted to do. The rage, the gut-wrenching emotion, tore her up. She clenched her jaw, blinking the tears from her eyes.

She stilled herself. She wouldn’t do it. She wouldn’t-

“Eira, you’re just heartless.” A tall, muscular girl spoke. Nova. “Sometimes I think you might have something in beating in there. Now I realize it’s all just tar.”

Eira’s world went silent. Then it roared. Maybe the sound came from her.

She lunged for Nova, her nails elongating into claws, ice sharpening and hardening. Something blocked her way.

She bowled over someone bulky. They tumbled to the ground. She scrambled away, but hands found her wrists. She snarled and felt the emptiness in her expand, then-

Bang! The weight left her. She panted, rising. Then she sank to her knees. A sob choked out of her.

Morlen lay bleeding on the grass, snow coating his hair. Crimson trickled from his ears.

She crawled to him. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. The space within her yawned wider. She felt herself falling. Her palms hit the ground, her claws shattering.

She was numb as the other students rushed past her to huddle around Morlen. Tears streaked her face, which she viciously wiped away.

They don’t care about you, she reminded herself. Your tears are for nothing.

She watched as Morlen was lifted gently. His eyes were glazed with pain, but he was able to wrap his arms around the person who carried him away.

Someone struck Eira across the face. Eira’s claws were back in an instant, gleaming and curved.

“You bitch!” Nova spat down at her, her hand still raised.

Ice radiated from Eira, crackling across the ground toward Nova. Wisely, Nova backed away. The ice halted a few inches from Nova’s sandaled toes.

“Why don’t you look in the mirror?” Said Eira in a low voice. She rose, slowly.

“Stop it, Nova,” protested a blond boy, restraining Nova’s thin arm. “Don’t do this.”

Nova shook him off. “Let me go, Oliver.”

Eira looked again at the blood on the grass. It was brighter than she thought it would be. The metallic odor had a bite that made her want to gag.

They locked eyes, twin sapphires that glittered with anger, and light, cool eyes that were shattered under the surface.

“I don’t care,” Eira said, dully. “Not anymore. Just, stop.”

“You wouldn’t have stopped, if it weren’t for Morlen. You would have killed me.”

Yes. The thought sent a shiver through her. She wouldn’t have just killed Nova. She would have enjoyed shredding her, tearing her life from her body. Then maybe one of them would comprehend the pain, the agony.

“And you didn’t show mercy to Morlen, when he tried to stop you. Now, he might die.”

Eira gave a laugh. It scared her, how empty it sounded. She gave them a smile that wasn’t quite straight. “He’s not going to die.”

“No thanks to you,” muttered a ginger girl. She was small, and she shrank back as Eira’s attention fell on her, as if she hadn’t meant her words to be heard.

“He’s not going to die,” repeated Eira. She was certain of it. There was no way he could be hurt so badly, not by her hand.

A boy jogged up, his shirt stained with blood. “It doesn’t look good, guys,” he reported, his face pale. She remembered him. He had taken Morlen away.

“Liar!” She spit at him. She whirled and raced for the infirmary. Her snow turned to ice under her feet, speeding her steps. The others slipped and fell on the slick surface. She didn’t falter, didn’t wait.

She found him there, bleeding. His heart was slow and heavy. She could hear it the way she could hear the gurgle of the trees during the winter. It was tired, heavy, plodding. It was all wrong. Hearts were supposed to be brisk. They were supposed to be full of life. His was full of the slowness of death.

She sank down beside his bed as the doctor arrived. Morlen’s breathing became shallow. She almost screamed but managed to leash her tone into something more cordial. “What can we do?”

“Nothing, I’m afraid.” The doctor sighed and put away his things. “He is too far gone.”

Eira gaped at him. “You have how many years of medical training, and this is beyond your capabilities?”

“Yes,” he replied, sadly. “This is a fast affliction. If it not treated right away, it is fatal.”

“We did bring him right away,” she said in disbelief. “This just happened.”

“I’m sorry.” The doctor gave her a look of sympathy. “It’s too late.”

That was when Morlen’s friends showed up. Nova, Oliver, the ginger, the one with the bloody shirt. They stared. Nova burst into tears immediately. The boy with the bloodstained shirt tucked her into him. He looked at the ceiling, the ground, anywhere but at Morlen. The ginger talked to Morlen, as if he could still hear her, even though he was long past that stage. He was hovering near the brink, now.

Oliver interrogated the doctor, but came up with as little as she had. They all watched in silence as the chest of the boy on the bed became still, and his heart ceased to beat.

Nova wailed anew. The boy holding her had tears coursing down his cheeks. Oliver and the ginger stared at each other mutely. Eira was the only one who looked at Morlen, or what used to be him. He was so still. So pale. His blood was drying at his ears. His hair was wet from where her frost had melted.

The hollow in her seized, spasmed. She hadn’t meant to. Morlen, the only kindness these past few weeks. Gone. Dead. Because of her.

Her tears turned to crystals and splintered on the tile. Her sobs were silent, but they stole her breath. They reached deep inside of her, like knives scratching at her insides.

She almost felt she deserved it when the boy with the bloodied shirt said, “You will stand trial for this.” That was law. She knew it was.

But at the moment, she couldn’t bring herself to care. She glared up at him. “Say that again,” she hissed in a voice midnight soft.

He didn’t. “Morlen was innocent,” he began. “He didn’t deserve to die. You don’t care about any of that?”

“No,” She replied. “But-”

“But what?” Shrieked Nova. “What possible excuse does a monster like you have for murdering?”

Eira locked her with a gaze chillier than an arctic wind. She said nothing. She didn’t have an excuse because she hadn’t been trying to give one. “I was going to say,” she said, “He didn’t deserve to die, but I don’t deserve to be killed for it, either.”

“Whyever not?” Snorted the ginger. “An eye for an eye. A life for a life.”

“It was an accident!” Eira wasn’t going to plead. She would never plead.

“An accident?” Nova pointed to Morlen’s body. “That doesn’t look like an accident to me.”

The door to the infirmary kicked open and a squad of officers entered. Eira stood.

“We’re arresting all of you,” announced the one with the biggest badge.

Like hell they were. The defiant thought flashed through her mind.

She pulled her power close, condensing it. She shot a ribbon of ice under them, sending them sliding along the tiles. Splaying her fingers, she dropped the temperature. Their breath came out in puffs. She dropped the temperature further. One officer moaned and collapsed. Then another. And another. Finally, all of them were down.

She made her escape. Out the building. Skating down the grassy slope, ice carpeting the grass. She ran, planning as she went.

She could run to the stables and steal a winged steed. From there she could fly to another country, start a new life. An ache rose in her, welling from that same hollow spot in her. A few weeks ago, she had been thinking the same about this one. Too soon, she was already on the run again.

The stables were easy to infiltrate. They were lax here. Nothing compared to her old place. Soon, she was in the skies.

They soared for the afternoon and evening. When the sky began to streak, she brought them back to the ground. Her steed chomped hungrily on the plants. She felt a twinge of guilt for flying the steed so long without food. She brushed it off. The sacrifice was worth it. Once they were away, she would release him, and he could wander free.

And probably get eaten, she thought. But she didn’t have much choice. She couldn’t let herself get caught. Much worse would be in store for her if they found out who she actually was. If there was an inquiry, there was no concealing the truth. It would be over for her.

She patted her steed’s shoulder as it munched on grasses. She gave it a few more happy bites, then jerked its head up.

They went on, through the night, until her eyes drooped from exhaustion. She let them down for the night. She bound the steed to the tree with a makeshift vine rope.

She settled on a mossy patch of ground. Her eyes were heavy. What would she do if she was caught? She snorted in her sleep. Deny all charges. Except one.

She saw his face in her dreams, the blood. In her dream, she saw the judge, who asked, “For the murder of Morlen Haberstark, guilty or not guilty?”

In her dream, she heard herself utter, Guilty. The word was ugly. It unmasked her. She felt exposed. The stands jeered at her. She tossed and turned as the word echoed in a clangor. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty.

The judge morphed. Nova stood where the judge had been, her sneering face replacing the judge’s blank one. “Evil girl. Murderer. Monster. No one will stand up for you here.”

The ginger haired girl stepped up beside her. “It’s just you. You’re on your own.”

Faces, faces from Eira’s past, blurred together, speaking as one. “You are not one of us. You will never be one of us.” Voices melding with one another. Harmonies of loathing. “You were born unlovable. You cannot change your birth.”

Eira shrieked and cried in her dreams, but her steed only looked at her with disinterest as she writhed silently on the dirt.

In the morning, she was groggy-eyed, but she forced them onward. She was feeling even more paranoid than yesterday. She refused to stop for food or water. Her stomach clenched, but she ignored it. Safety first. Then comforts like food and water. She battled on.

Day went by, turning into night. She stopped. They rested. In the morning, she forced herself up again. That day, she could barely stay seated. In the afternoon, she felt herself grow dizzy. She let them down.

They were a few feet above the ground before she fell. She crashed into a bush and a sharp rock jabbed her side. Her steed whuffled her hair, curious.

Her head spun. Her eyes were blurry. Her mouth was dry. She wasn’t going to make it.

Perhaps it was better this way. She would die without any festivities thrown to celebrate the occasion. She would die, nameless, her body would decay, and she would become one with the ground again. She looked up at the steed. “Go,” she said weakly.

It nickered, as if in question. “Yes, I’m certain.” Her voice was raspy, cursedly weak. “Leave me. You’ll be fine.”

It gave a soft snort, pressing its muzzle against her forehead. Then it backed away, free. It whinnied its triumph and rose into the air. The gusts of wind from its wings faded. She closed her eyes, exhausted.

No sooner had she done this, she heard a crashing through the brush. A large animal. She scrambled to her feet, stars flashing in her eyes. She swayed, then dropped to a knee. She was so pitiful. So vulnerable. She would be an easy meal.

She shouldn’t have gone so long without food or water.

Much good these thoughts did her.

She gritted her teeth. Forced herself upright. She still looked tired, hungry, the perfect meal.

An enormous bear crashed into the clearing. Its sloping shoulders towered to her height. It snarled at her. Its teeth were arcing, ivory canines. She backed away, on instinct.

Suddenly, it changed. It shrank, becoming humanoid. It rushed toward her, and she lifted her hands to use her power for her last time. She thrust a hand toward it, and a few icicles sputtered out of her fingertips before nosediving into the earth. The humanoid watched it all carefully. Then it raised its hands, and she flinched.

It didn’t summon, though. She supposed it was meant to be a gesture of peace. She returned it, cautiously.

Then a wave of dizziness hit her and she dropped to the ground. The humanoid, the male, she realized, crouched over her, concern furrowing his brow. Then her world spun, and spun, until she was engulfed in black.

[hiraeth-doux]

Five Times Steve Lost His Watch...

Written for WonderTrev Love Week 2018

Day 5 - Five times

Summary:  ....and one time Diana found it

AO3

I.

In retrospect, Steve knew that taking his father’s watch was not a good idea, strictly speaking. There were not many rules in the Trevor household, but there were a few. Don’t be rude. If you make a mess, clean it up. Don’t be late for dinner. Oh, and – don’t touch the watch.

It was a military watch gifted to his father for his service, his most prized possession. Steve was fascinated with the movement of the hands behind the thick glass, the sturdy leather strap, the commemorative inscription on the back, praising his father’s job. He also couldn’t resist the urge to brag about it during a game of war he often played with the neighborhood boys, all of them giddy and armed with sticks and slingshots, sophisticated as they were.

He knew better than to sneak into his parents’ room and take it from the bedside table while his father was in the garage. Knew better than to strap it to his wrist and run out of the house before anyone saw him.

Alas, at the age of 10, he thought that all rules were meant to be bent and tested and pushed.

He didn’t think much about it until hours later when he came home for dinner – on time – and his wrist was lighter than it was meant to be and his father was furious.

It didn’t matter than he found the watch a few days letter in the bushes where he lay in hiding during his game. It wasn’t about the watch, his father had explained to him. It was about responsibility and breaking the trust. And finding it and bringing it back didn’t change the fact that he was stripped of his privileges and freedoms for a month.

II.

The war bore none of romance and adventures that Steve envisioned as a young boy when every battle was over before dinner. Victories were scarce and defeats were all around them, and from where he was standing, there was no end of it. No end and little hope, only weariness that had settled so deep in his bones that he could barely breathe sometimes. The weight of desperation was pressing down on them all, so much so that Steve couldn’t help but wonder how they managed to stand up straight.

He tried not to let it get to him, tried to look past the despair and hopelessness, but instead of The War To End All Wars, all he could see before his eyes was a war with no end.

“Steve!” A loud knock on the door gave him a start, Sameer’s voice awfully cheery at this godawful early hour.

Steve shoved the last of his measly possessions into a duffle bag and yelled, “Come on in.”

The door opened a crack and Sameer’s face peeked into a spartan room – an old house on the outskirts of London turned into a residence home for foreign soldiers offered no luxuries past the bare necessities as if to disillusion them from the get-go. As if saying – this is all there is to it, suck it up. He tried to look past it, but his own resolve started to slip after six months. He wondered how those people who had been doing this for years found it in them to keep going.

And then he remembered his father and his kind eyes and his tired voice, not exhausted but world-weary, and yet optimistic still. Never giving up. And it was worth taking another breath, making another step. One way or another, it was worth it.

“We’re going to be late,” Sameer urged him in a loud whisper, which was ridiculous, really. Even at this time of day, the whole place was bursting with clamor and commotion, loud voices spilling from other rooms and morphing into a buzz that swallowed the meaning of each spoken word.

“All done.” Steve heaved the bag onto his shoulder and gave the place that he chose not to call home one last parting look, eyes sliding past the crack on the ceiling and faded wallpaper the original colour of which was no longer recognizable.

Today, they were taking a ferry to France and from there a train to the German border.

The front.

He tried not to think about it, tried not to imagine what was waiting for them on the other side of that journey. More death, more blood, more things that no one should live through.

“Steve,” Sameer repeated.

“Yeah, coming.”

There was nothing here that was truly his, and maybe it was what made the departure so much easier even if their destination wasn’t something that he wanted to see.

And then there were the trenches and the cold and the fear the likes of which Steve could never have imagined. It was not the same as following the war from the safety of his home where it felt like something that was happening in another world altogether. Where it was easy to believe that the end was near and that maybe it was a big misunderstanding. It wasn’t even London where they said big words and made even bigger plans and there was hope attached to them all, somehow. No, here every thoughtless step meant death, every raid felt like the end of it all.

And that, Steve thought, was something that no one could ever get used to. No matter how hard they tried. No matter how long it lasted.

And now… now they were moving because they were under attack and the ground was shaking beneath them as the bombs exploded, so close to where they were that Steve’s ears would pop with every impact and tremor.

“Hurry up, Steven,” Charlie glanced at him over his shoulder, his red hair Steve’s only beacon in the sea of men clad in greys and dirty greens. It hid them alright, but it also turned them into a faceless mass, which terrified him because he knew that was how the enemy saw them – cannon fodder, not people.

He surged forward and then stopped short, realizing that something was wrong. Something was missing.

He yanked the sleeve of his heavy coat up and stared at his bare wrist. A shoulder rammed into him, and then another one, the bump accompanied by a quiet curse in a language he didn’t recognize. Steve didn’t care. His watch, his father’s watch that he treasured above anything else, above his own life even, was gone.

And then he was running back, tripping over the feet in heavy boots, moving unsteadily against the current of bodies who yelled and shoved and pushed at him. Who wanted nothing but make it through his day and he was an obstruction.

“Steve!” Sameer called from behind him, his voice drowning in the sound of heavy footsteps and laboured breathing and the whistling of bullets above their heads.

“Go!” Steve barked over his shoulder without pausing, his eyes trained on the ground, looking for a familiar object.

He couldn’t lose it, not here. Not like this. Not the one thing that reminded him of goodness and humanity because the person who gave it to him was an epitome of them both. Not when holding on to that watch was the only promise he had ever managed to keep.

“Steve,” Sameer tried again but was pushed forward, swallowed by the crowd.

Steve pressed on, frantic and panicky. There were a lot of things he would never forgive himself for but this? No, it couldn’t happen.

His heart was racing, his lungs burning, and in the impossibly cold air the sweat trickling down his back under bulky clothes was making him shake all over.

He saw it five minutes later, near the wall of the trench, caked in mud but mercifully not stomped on. Steve picked it up, carefully wiping the worst of dirt off of the glass, his chest heaving from exertion and light with relief all at once. This far behind, he was alone, the buzz of the voices growing dull far ahead of him and an odd calm settled over the empty, eerily abandoned place.

When the bomb hit the spot right above him, he didn’t even realize what happened, except suddenly everything went black and terrifyingly quiet.

Two days later, Steve woke up in the field hospital with a concussion the size of Missouri and a separated shoulder, his body one enormous bruise. His watch was strapped neatly to his wrist.

“You’re one lucky son of a bitch, Steven,” Charlie shook his head when he stopped by later.

Steve grinned. And then laughed, making more than a few heads turn toward them.

He really was.

III.

They wanted him to be a spy. Everyone here could use firearms and throw a mean punch, but few could fly. Steve was one of those few, and not only that, but he was good, too. And the assignment – more order than a request – was flattering and terrifying in equal parts. He wanted to be helpful. He didn’t want to die.

His first mission went without a hitch even though his heart had been hammering so hard the whole time he was sure that every German officer in a five mile radius could hear it loud and clear. Any moment, he expected them to grab him and drag him to the Keiser himself, or shoot him on the spot. He had seen them do that before. He only started breathing properly upon his return to London, once the gathered intel was safely passed on to his superiors.

It felt bloody phenomenal, finally making a difference. Yet, he had never been more terrified, too, and that was saying something, considering that they were stark in the middle of a war.

“We have to celebrate!” Sameer announced enthusiastically the moment Steve found him.

“That’s probably… not a very good idea,” Steve rubbed his forehead, thinking that a hot meal – or any meal, for that matter – and his own bed were a much more appealing idea.

“Come on, Steve!” Sameer pleaded. “Only for a couple of hours!”

Admittedly, Steve should have known better. Admittedly, he should have seen what happened later coming.

But he didn’t. Not until it was too late. Not until he and Sameer were running down narrow, snow-covered alleys, slipping on cobblestones, their breaths puffing out in white clouds, sharp and ragged. This was not how the night was supposed to end, Steve thought, taking another shortcut and trying to hear their pursuers. He didn’t dare look back for fear of tripping over something or other in the dark.

It started out pleasantly enough, with just enough of cheap whiskey to soothe the sharp edges of his life and dull the perpetual apprehension that had been coursing through his system for months of end. Enough for him to lose focus. So when a game of poker reached the point where Sameer had nothing left to bet and asked Steve for help, Steve, feeling lucky and reckless and smart, and having nothing else to offer, gave him his watch.

Except he wasn’t lucky. Except the whiskey was stronger than he expected - and on an empty stomach, no less. Except he had nothing left to pay up when they lost and the watch—

“I… can’t…” Sameer wheezed, slowing down to a jog and then stopping. He bent forward, his chest heaving so hard that Steve thought he was going to have a heart attack. “Let… them just…”

He squinted against the snowfall, trying to see something in the dark, but the street dotted with the pools of light from sparsely scattered streetlamps appeared to be empty. There was no one in sight, not a movement in the shadows. Maybe ten blocks was enough distance for half a dozen angry Englishmen to give up.

“You know, for a soldier, you are in an awful shape,” Steve noted, gulping chilly night air and shivering in a coat that wasn’t doing much to keep him warm in the temperature this low.

Slowly, Sameer straightened up, his breathing still laboured. “It’s all about this,” his said, tapping himself on a temple with his index finger.

“Oh yeah?” Steve pushed his snow-soaked hair back from his face. “Where was it when you--” he cut off and shook his head. “I can’t believe you lost my watch.”

The cold started to clear his head as well, and with it came a full realization of what had just happened. He couldn’t believe it. Couldn’t believe that he managed to lose something dear to him so foolishly, so stupidly. He swore under his breath, his hands curling and uncurling, flexing into fists, and wondered how much of a suicide would it be to go back and try to reason with those men, or attempt to buy it out. Not that he had any money, but it was worth a try, perhaps.

He remembered the day he tried it on for the first time, the watch heavy on his small boy’s wrist. Remembered the day his father taught to him how to read time, explaining the inner working of the ticking mechanism along the way.

It wasn’t just a watch. It was a time machine taking him back to when his life was simple and full of wonders and nothing bad could ever happen because his parents would never allow it. Because his parents were his gods.

“You mean this?” Sameer pulled something out of the pocket of his coat and handed it to Steve.

The watch.

Steve stared at it for a moment, unable to believe his eyes. His brows knitted together in confusion; it was like he expected it to disappear before his eyes.

“Why do you think they were running after us?” Sameer scoffed. Steve blinked. “What? You thought I was going to leave it behind?”

A smile broke across Steve’s face. He snatched the watch from his friend’s palm and fastened it around his wrist, chuckling, giddy with relief like a young boy who managed to avoid a punishment for his mischiefs.

“You know that you can’t go back there, do you?” He jerked his chin in the direction where they came from.

Sameer waved his hand dismissively, a cheeky grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “We’re at war, my friend. One bar is not really a loss.”

IV.

Somehow, the fight was over before it even started, and the whole time, Steve was expecting to wake up, regain his consciousness, snap out of it – anything that would actually make sense to the scene unfolding before his eyes. Whatever this place was, and whoever these women were, they had managed to practically destroy two dozen of German soldiers with bows and arrows and swords. He had never seen anything like it. Hell, he wasn’t sure he could even imagine it, try as he might.

And yet, albeit not without a few losses of their own, they out-powered what was known to be the strongest, the most advanced army in the world to date. Had his own survival been of a slightly less of a priority, he would be happy to merely stare at what could only be described as the art of fight.

He thought they were going to kill him, too, right there with the rest of the soldiers. For wearing the same clothes. For being an outsider, the one who brought death to them, however unintentionally. If they did, he wouldn’t have blamed then.

They took him to the castle instead and made him take off his jumpsuit, soaked and heavy with salt water, stripping him down to his pants and a light shirt. They took his map and his compass and the book retrieved from Dr. Maru’s lab, his handgun and his pocket knife, and even his dog tags.

“Those—those are not weapons,” Steve tried to protest, but his attempt to make a grab for his watch ended up with a tip of a sword under his chin.

He raised his hands slowly and swallowed, trying not to breathe, his heart hammering fast in his throat. Looking around, he found no sympathy in the faces staring back at him.

The fact that they spared his life gave him hope but pushing his luck would certainly be the stupidest way to die.

His watch was not on him. It must have fallen from his hand on the beach but when Steve tried to ask about going back, he was promptly ignored. Unsurprisingly.

This time, he was certain that it was gone for good.

They took him to the infirmary next where a no-nonsense looking woman ordered him to take of his shirt, frowning at the blood stain on the sleeve. One look at the guards, standing like Obelisks near the opening of the cave, and he complied without argument. They ignored his questions, refused to respond to his request to have his belongings back, but he weren’t interested in his death, and if nothing else, this was somewhat comforting.

“I’m fine, really,” he tried to brush off a few nicks and bruises, but his words were promptly dismissed.

The woman whose name was Epione, as per one of the guards, applied a strongly-smelling salve to his cuts, a slight frown creasing her forehead although Steve could see no reason for it.

“Is she alright?” Steve asked quietly after a few minutes, unable to bear the silence any longer. “The daughter of the Queen…. Diana, was it?”

Epione looked up, her head tilted slightly to her shoulder.

“Of what concern is she to you?”

Steve raised his eyes to her. “I saw blood…. She saved my life.”

For a long moment, she merely looked at him, her eyes moving over his features but her own face betraying no emotion. Steve wondered if he’d crossed the line, if maybe he had said something offensive. God knew, he had no idea what the rules were here. What anything was here, for that matter.

“She is alright,” Epione said after a moment, her fingers smoothing a bandage over a cut on Steve’s shoulder. He turned to her. “And so will be you.”

By the time Steve ended up in a domed cave with bathing pools, his pain had ebbed to a dull ache and his mind started to clear. He wasn’t scared of them, whoever they were. However, he was having a hard time wrapping his mind around what was happening here. A whole island not known to mankind? Surely he would have heard of it. Still, Steve was certain that if they wanted to kill them they would have done it already. And they wouldn’t have treated his wounds.

Now, the question was – what were they planning on doing with him?

He looked around the cave, taking note of the glow in the rippling of the water, the pools cascading into one another with a quiet whisper that echoed under the high ceiling and filled the whole space with a soothing hum.

He needed to get out of here. These women might not mean any harm to him, but he was running out of time. The world was running out of time. He needed to deliver the book—

Steve cursed quietly under his breath, his face twisting into a grimace. The book. They took it with the rest of his possessions.

His stomach twisted. The compass and the map he needed but could do without, the dog tags were of no importance to him whatsoever, but without the book, they were doomed. The information containing in it could be crucial, even vital in changing the course of the war forever, and now it was taken away from him. After everything he had gone through to take it away from the people who wanted to use it against them all.

Fear and guilt stirred in his chest. At last, they had the kind of leverage they couldn’t even dream of, and he had lost it.

The footsteps outside of the cave startled him, and he turned around, not knowing what to expect, his heart pounding fast in his chest.

Epione entered the room followed by one of the guards, both of them carrying trays in their hands. Wary, Steve watched them set the trays on one of the flat rocks. One had a plate of food and a jug of water. And the other—

Steve crossed the cavern as soon as the women straightened up, snatching his watch from the silver tray. His compass and Dr. Maru’s book was there as well, and so were his dog tags and a map. The pocket knife, unsurprisingly, must have found a new owner.

Not that he cared.

“We thought you might be hungry,” Epione spoke, gesturing toward the food.

“Thank you,” Steve nodded absently, only then realizing that he was, in fact, starving. His fingers curled over the watch so tight that his knuckles turned white. He cleared his throat, eyes darting toward the rest of his belongings. “And for this.” He paused, taking a steadying breath, and then opened his hand. “How did you—where did you get this?”

“Near the water,” she explained. “One of my sisters found it. You said your name was Trevor.”

The same as his father’s, engraved on the back.

“Thank you,” Steve repeated quietly.

She nodded.

He swallowed. “What’s going to happen to me?” He asked.

The woman studied him, her head tilted slightly. “You should take advantage of the pools,” she suggested, ignoring his question as they all did before. “The water will help you heal.”

V.

Steve’s jacket fell to the floor, and with a quick flick of his fingers, Diana’s cloak followed suit. It cascaded down, a shapeless black mass pooling at their feet. Even with the fire burning in the grate, the room was cold. She gasped against his mouth when the cool air touched her skin, goosebumps rising along her bare arms and sending a shiver of an entirely different kind down Steve’s spine.

“Are you sure?” He breathed, his voice hoarse.

Someone else, someone better than him would have walked out that door and gone to their own room. Someone else would have reminded her that they were departing first thing in the morning and bid her goodnight and ended it there.

Someone else, someone who wasn’t him, would have done the right thing.

But Steve was tired. He was tired and he had wanted this, her, for so long that he could barely remember what it was like not to. For years, endless years filled with blood and death and despair, he did what was best for everyone else, and he felt good about it, and he wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Now, it was not enough. Now, he needed something to be about what he wanted, what he couldn’t stand to live another moment without. He needed to kiss every inch of her skin and feel her hands on him. He needed to feel alive. Steve Trevor was not a bad man, but he was selfish enough to throw caution to the wind just this once. If only for one night.  

Diana nodded, her chest heaving against his, her fingers moving through his hair, over his chest with the urgency that reflected his own. “Yes,” she nodded once more and rubbed her nose against his before finding his mouth with hers again, the kiss deep and languid, a promise without words.

A low groan formed in the back of her throat when Steve’s hands skimmed over her shoulders just barely touching her, setting his blood on fire. Diana tugged at the hem of his sweater, inching it up, breaking away from him to take it off. He lifted his arms and allowed her to pull it off over his head and toss it aside, letting it fall on top of his coat. Her touch was tentative but not unsure, the fire in her eyes stealing his breath away.

She carded her fingers through his hair, smoothing it down, and Steve caught her hand and pressed it to his cheek, turning his face into her touch to kiss the palm of her hand.

“Your heart beats so fast,” she murmured, her other hand pressed flat against his chest.

“It does that sometimes,” Steve breathed, ducking his head closer to her, a small smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. “Not often enough.”

God help him, she was so beautiful he could barely stand it.

He dipped his head and nuzzled into the hollow of her throat, breathing her in. Her skin smelled of cold and snow and still, even now, of the ocean. His fingers curled around her hip, soft leather of her armour smooth against his touch, as his mouth moved slowly up the column of her throat.

Funny how the things worked out sometimes. Steve hated this war. Hated it with every fiber of his being, the pain that it caused and everything that it turned people into. Whatever the outcome, no one was going to walk away from it unscarred one way or another. Sometimes he could feel his very soul weep from the unfairness of it all, for lives lost and hearts broken.

But without the war, he would never have met Chief, and Sameer, and Charlie, and try as he might, Steve couldn’t imagine that. Couldn’t imagine something this big and important missing from his life. Without the war, he would never have crashed on the island and he would never have ended up here, in this place, in this moment. His life would have taken an entirely different path and maybe it would have led to something wonderful, something that he would be grateful for. Yet, there was nowhere else he’d rather be right now. Not for anything in the world.

Diana’s nails scraped gently through the hair at the nape of his neck.

“Steve.”

Her voice was all but a whisper.

He kissed the spot behind her ear and drew back, heat burning in a tight coil in the pit of his stomach. What the hell was she doing looking at him the way she did? He brushed her hair back from her face, his thumb stroking her cheek, pleased to see that much like his own, her breath was nowhere to be found.

“Do you want to stop?” He asked quietly, searching her face.

“No,” Diana shook her head, her eyes dropping to his mouth. “No, I want--”

Her fingers curled over the fistfuls of his shit and she pulled him closer, her mouth crashing against his with enough force to nearly make him stagger backwards. Her lips parted against his, tongue sliding into his mouth, her body melting into his touch. Steve caught his balance, hands framing her face as he kissed her back with hungry urgency, reminded with a painful pang that there was only so much time that they had.

Not enough.

Never enough.

Her hands slid down his chest and gripped his hips, digging possessively into his flesh. They were moving. He didn’t even know they were moving until her calves bumped against the mattress, the suddenness of it making him break the kiss as she lowered on the edge of the bed, pulling him down with her.

Steve sank onto his knees in front of her, a faithful worshipper of a goddess that she was, drowning in her eyes, in the goodness radiating off of her, in the beauty beyond anything he’d ever seen. She swept her hand through his hair, watching him as he watched her, her lips swollen and her gaze glazed over. He loved knowing that he had he effect on her, loved seeing her cheeks flushed and knowing that it was his doing.

“Diana…”

A small nod, and Steve reached for her boots.

“Let me--” she started, her fingers brushing over his and sending a wave of heat through his body.

He glanced up and offered her a small shake of his head. “Show me.”

Her lips curved, and in that moment, there was no war he wouldn’t have charged into for her. No hardship he wouldn’t have overcome just to have her look at him like this and never stop till the end of time.

Her hands guided him to the clasps and buckles, holding her boots in place. A little fumbling born out of confusion and impatience, and he pulled one off her leg, setting it aside on the bare hardwood floor. Leaned forward and kissed her knee, the inside of her thigh, earning a muttered response that he was fairly certain wasn’t even in English. He didn’t care.

The second boot surrendered easier and Steve pressed a kiss to her other knee, inching very slowly up her thigh until Diana’s hands caught his face, making him look up at her again.

She nudged him back and stood up, pulling him to his feet with her. A hand curled around the back of his neck, she pressed her mouth to his once more, her fingers working slowly on undoing the buttons of his shirt. He let her, his own hands gliding up her arms, over her shoulders, through her hair. He’d wanted to do this for so long. Wanted to taste every inch of her skin, kiss her until she forgot her name.

His shirt fell down and his undershirt followed suit.

She didn’t ask him about the scars painted across his skin, but her fingers traced them gently, drawing a map of life she knew nothing about. Life that he would give to her and for her in a heartbeat. Steve’s palms slid up her arms, fingers running along her clavicles, trying to memorize her with his touch. Unlike his, her skin was smooth and soft, not bearing pain written across it, and he was grateful it.  

And then Diana stepped away from him, and before he knew to protest, she was reaching back and around herself.

His eyes widened as he watched her remove her armour slowly, allowing it to slide off, gorgeous underneath it. He wanted to help, wanted to know what held it in place and where she had to pull to make her skirt fall down, but all he could do was stand frozen to the spot and stare, his eyes following the measured movement of her fingers on leather and fabric until she looked up at him again, her head tilted ever so slightly, waiting.

He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat, but didn’t move – didn’t so much as breathe – until she stepped toward him, reaching for him.

Steve closed the remaining distance between them.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, bowing his head until his forehead was pressed to hers.

“Is this what it’s like?” Diana asked, hands gliding up his shoulders and down his chest until her fingers closed around the buckle of his belt. “Between men and women?”

“Like what?”

“Like… fire.”

Steve heard her take an unsteady breath and gently pulled her hands away from his belt to unbuckle it himself. The damned thing kept getting stuck and now was not the right time for it.

He found her eyes. “Only when you do it right.”

Steve had been with women before. Women he cared about. Women that meant something. There were a couple he was certain her was in love with, those with whom he wanted to have a future. They were all but a shadow now, a memory faded at the edges. He had never, not once in his entire life felt the way he was feeling when Diana pulled him to her, their clothes crumpled on the floor and forgotten. When he kissed his way down her body, his name falling from her lips when his mouth closed around her, low moan morphing into a whimper. When she was everywhere around him, pressed beneath him among tangled sheets, moving with him. When he slipped his hand into hers, twining their fingers together, and she sighed against his shoulder, tucking her face into the curve of his neck.

He was not thinking about the past. It didn’t matter anymore. Nothing did, except for this moment and this woman and hot tension building up between and inside of them until it was almost too much to bear. There was only her, and her lips on his skin, and her heartbeat pounding straight into his chest. Like, thank god. Like, finally.  

“Angel,” Steve breathed when she arched into him with a shudder, her fingers spasming on his sweat-slicked flesh, words the meaning of which he didn’t and couldn’t know whispered into his ear. “You’re my angel.”

There was only Diana and this place and the night stretching before them, endless and impossibly short all at once.

Later, when the fire went out in the grate and the words had died down between them and the exhaustion grew hard to ignore, he slept, his whole body curled around her, his chest rising and falling slowly against her back. And for the first time in years, stranded in the middle of nowhere, in a small inn he didn’t even know the name of, he finally felt at peace.

---

The grey dawn greeted them several hours later, cold and gloomy even though Steve knew that the sun would come out later, offering the light but none of the warmth. Too soon. Always too soon.

Rousing to awareness slowly, he sighed and nuzzled into the back of her neck, kissing his way toward her shoulder. Sated and warm, his body pleasantly sore, he felt more content in the cocoon of their covers than he had when there world had not yet been torn apart by the bombs and hatred and fear. How small this moment was, but how immensely treasured.  

Diana stirred against him, rolling onto her back to face him, her lazy smile so majestic that he wished he would take a photograph of it and frame it.

“Hi,” he whispered, brushing her hair back from her face.

She weaved her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her. “Hi.”

Later, when the sun came up and the town started to wake up outside the small window and the smell of food began to rise from the kitchen downstairs, they dressed in companionable silence. Shirts and boots and buttons and buckles, all back where they belonged. It would be over today, Steve thought as he searching for his discarded belt. One way or another, it would be over.

“Have you seen my watch?” He asked, his brows pulling together into a frown when his gaze landed on an empty bedside table.

Diana, who was busy wrapping leather straps around her palms, looked up.

“Your watch?” She echoed, confused for a moment.

“Yeah,” he ran his hand through his hair. “I left it right--”

Steve cut off, a cold pit opening in his stomach. Did he leave it here last night? He couldn’t remember. Couldn’t remember much aside from more important things, and frankly, at the time, the watch wasn’t a priority.

He swept his hand over the surface of the bedside table as if there was a possibility that he simply wasn’t seeing it, and then his hands slid into one and then into another pocket of his pants, knowing that it was pointless but needing to make sure. As expected, they were empty.

“Steve…” Diana started.

“It has to be here somewhere,” he muttered under his breath. Turning on his heel, he crossed the room, nearly tripping over his own feet.

His coat was now hanging on a peg on the back of the door and he patted his hands over it, checking the pockets even though he knew it was of no use. Did he still have it after they crossed No Man’s Land and entered Veld? Did he have it on him as the town celebrated their newfound freedom? His memory kept coming up blank. Nothing about last night was about time. If anything, he wanted – needed – to forget that time even existed.

And now—

“Steve.”

He looked up at and saw Diana watching him.

He knew he couldn’t leave without it.

Except he had no idea if it was even here. The bloody watch was almost as old as he was and somehow was still working, and he could not – he absolutely could not – lose it. Not when they were so close to getting out of this mess, out of this nightmare.

When he gave Steve his watch, his father had asked him to take care of it. Steve knew that he meant to be a joke. It was a good watch, but it was still just a watch. He didn’t meant the same way as when he said, Take care of your mother. But there was nothing else left of him. Their home gone, their lives all but distant memories. And this one thing, this one small thing…

Steve went back to the bed and pulled the covers off, his hand sliding over the sheets. In the back of his mind, he was aware that to Diana, he must have looked insane. Like he had lost his mind. He knew that, but right now, he couldn’t think about it.

It was not there. It had to be, but it wasn’t—

His hand slid into the narrow gap between the mattress and the headboard, breathing a sigh of relief when his hand closed around the familiar shape, the worn edges fitting perfectly in the palm of his hand.

It must have slid off when he was too busy to pay attention.

Steve stood up and smoothed his thumb over the glass that got a few scratches here and there over the years of constant wear. Still here. Still ticking.

He only noticed that Diana walked over to him when she reached for his hand and took the watch from him before fastening it around his wrist, the touch of her fingers almost as soothing as the familiar sensation of worn leather against his skin.

“Sorry, it just—it means a lot to me,” Steve murmured.

Diana looked up, her gaze searching his face. “You could tell me later, yes? Tonight?”

His heart leaped into his throat, and he had to remind himself to breathe. Leaning closed to her, he rubbed his nose against her cheek, his hand sliding around her waist to rest on the small of her back, coaxing that brilliant smile out of her again.

“Tonight,” he breathed.

Tonight. There wasn’t a hit of doubt in her voce, only steady assuredness that settled the turmoil raging inside of him. Certainty of knowing that they had many more nights to come, an endless string of moments to treasure.

Diana tilted her head, her nose brushing against Steve’s before her mouth touched his. And he kissed her back, gathering her closer to him. Outside of this room, the real world was awaiting, uncertain as it tended to be. He could here Sameer’s voice and Chief’s gruff responses, close enough but not quite. Not yet. They still had time.

VI.

People always said that doing the right thing was hard.

They were wrong. There was nothing easier than doing the right thing. It was taking that first step toward it that required the strength and will that went beyond comprehension. It was knowing that one had to live with the consequences of their actions.

Or not live at all.

Steve was in love with her. He knew it last night. Knew it before then, before he even thought to consider it. She was love itself encapsulated, and he was drowning in her light. Had been for as long as he knew her. She was hope and peace and courage, she was compassion and kindness - everything his kind strived to be but never was.

And he was only a soldier. A soldier with a mission that had to come first.

It was the right decision and there was no hesitation in him even if making it was splintering his heart into more pieces than it was made of.

Ares was real. Diana was right all along and Steve tried not to think of how all of this could have gone differently if he had believed her from the start. There was no point in doing it right now, or he would drive himself mad.

They were running out of time and he was nothing against the God of War, but Diana was different.

She was their salvation.

Last night he wove a beautiful dream in his mind about what their lives could be after they won the last battle and restored peace. Places he would show her and things they would do, small moments stitched together into a beautiful canvas stretching before them for eternity. So naïve, so foolish…

He wanted to give her the world. The moon and the stars and everything in-between, but when it came down to it, his old watch the only thing he could spare. How ironic. He pressed it into her hands, knowing that she would understand why he had to do what he was about to do, the words that he wanted to say to her dying on his tongue until there was nothing left but, I love you ripped straight from his heart.

He wished they had more time….

---

Change was hard. No one had walked away from the war without scars buried so deep no amount of time could ever heal them. There were moments when Steve couldn’t help but wonder how it was possible that he had lived without war for 35 years and only two with it, yet on the other side of it, it was the one thing that he could remember clearly. There was something unnatural and twisted about it.

“Your losses don’t define you, Steve,” Diana had told him once, when he tried to put this odd feeling into words, but it all came out wrong somehow.

He nodded and didn’t argue, although the question remained – if his losses didn’t, then what did?

They stayed in London at first, for convenience more than anything else. Like the war, this place was more familiar to Steve now than the place on the other side of the ocean where he lived all his life. Go figure. How he was supposed to navigate this world, the one where he only barely missed his death, was another question, but he chose to file it off for later. After all those years of having to think ten steps ahead, he wanted to just be.

“This is what people do when there are no wars to fight,” Steve said one morning, a spatula in his hand and a grin that was a degree more self-indulgent than necessary spread across his face.

Diana eyed his attempt at an omelette with skepticism.

“Do they ever do it well?” She deadpanned, wrinkling her nose.

Steve’s jaw dropped. “Hey, I might not be a royal cook--” he started.

“Charlie wasn’t a royal cook either,” she interjected.

He huffed in indignation but failed to come up with a counter argument. For what it was worth, Charlie was goddamn excellent when it came to cooking while Steve, well, wasn’t.

Steve had no memories of the night he flew German plane full of deadly gas into the sky and pull the trigger to save innocent people. He didn’t know what happened between then and the moment when he woke up at the hospital outside of Brussels, bruised but alive. Something must have, he was thinking one day, staring at his reflection in the mirror over Diana’s vanity table – which was the most ridiculous name for that thing, seeing as how she had no vanity whatsoever.

He raised his hand and touched his cheek and the man in the reflection did the same. His eyes were sharper and his hair was longer, and a haircut wasn’t a bad idea, perhaps, but otherwise… Otherwise, it was the same face he saw in a mirror hanging over a basin in their room in Veld on the morning after they crossed No Man’s Land as he shaved, not yet knowing where the day would take them.

Some days, it was easy. Other days, he didn’t recognize himself at all.

Diana appeared in the bedroom, pausing in the doorway for a few moments, watching him, as if knowing what he was thinking. Steve wouldn’t have been surprised if she did. She had always been good at reading him.

She crossed the room then, arms sliding around him from behind.

“We are going to be late,” she whispered, pressing a kiss to his shoulder, her face next to him in the mirror as untouched by time as his own.

Steve’s hands closed over her forearms, the warmth of her presence calming him instantly.

“What happened to me?” He aske“You lived,” she said simply.

Steve had no response to that. Some things were never meant to be understood. He could torment himself over the unknown, or he could accept it and live in peace.

She let go of him and stepped around him to look him properly in the face, hand reaching to touch his cheek, lean fingers skimming over his skin. Ten years, and he still couldn’t get enough of her, could never get enough of looking at her, touching her, kissing her. Every morning when he woke up next to her, it still felt like a dream.

“I have something for you,” she said, a lilt in her vice giving away nervousness that Steve couldn’t place.

He was about to ask what was wrong but she was already placing something into his hand, a familiar weight making his heartbeat stutter as he stared at his watch.

His watch.

He hadn’t seen it since the night on the airfield in Belgium ten years ago when he pressed it into Diana’s palms before climbing into the place. It must have fallen from her grasp some time during the fight, he figured. Steve had long given up on seeing it ever again, the idea of going back to that place and combing every inch of the ground entirely unbearable to him.

And now here it was, back with him. No longer ticking, but he could fix that.

Steve turned it over slowly, wondering if maybe—

But no, there it was, an engraving addressed to his father, familiar font and words that he knew by heart for as long as he could remember himself.

He looked up, stunned. “Where did you find it?”

“An antique store. With Etta, this morning….” Diana trailed off.

Someone must have found it, sold it, and then again, and then again until it made its way all the way here, somehow.

Steve swallowed, emotion thick in his throat. For some reason, having it back felt like they both made a full circle and were not back right where they started. Back to the moment that defined them both.

“Steve…”

He found her eyes again, her expression uncertain. A smile broke across his face on its own volition. His fingers still curled over the watch, he slipped his other hand around her waist and tugged her closer until there was no space between them, and the small worry lines in the corners of Diana’s eye smoothed out into nothing.

“Thank you,” Steve whispered before she could say anything else, brushing his mouth to hers.

There really was magic in this world.

[musical-trash-heap]

Stay...

Part 5/? Damien Haas X O.C Fluff  Angst (T.W Abuse)  Smut Mentioned (Kinda) Shayne Topp

“That movie was trash!” Shayne yells as loud as he can when they leave the theater. “It wasn’t that bad,” Lindsey places her hands on both of her boy’s shoulders as they skip down the street. “The main antagonist was the original hero from the first movie! That makes no sense!” Damien chimes in. “Should I get an Uber?” Shayne gets out his phone. “It’s a beautiful night the apartment is only like a block away, let’s walk!” Lindsey steps forward from the boys and walks backward facing them. “ARGH physical activity?! GASP and OUTSIDE?!” Damien does a dumb voice and whines. Lindsey rolls her eyes and makes her way down the street, her boys not too far behind her. “Oh come on back in New York we would walk 3 blocks, in the snow, that was a good day.” “Snow?” “It’s the thing I miss most from home. I love the snow, especially around the holiday season. It’s not Christmas unless there’s snow on the ground.”   “Excuse me, ar- are you Shayne Topp and Damien Haas?” They all turn around to see three kids looking around middle school age to tap Shayne on the shoulder.  “Heck yeah, we are!” The kids faces all light up like Christmas trees. They all get out their phones ready to take pictures. Lindsey stands to the side and smiles, she knows how much Damien loves getting recognize in public, not because he gets the praise but just the look of the fans faces always brighten his day. The kids all get their pictures and some of them get things signed. One girl breaks from the group and makes her way towards Lindsey.  “Are you dating Damien?” She looks up to Lindsey. Damien peaks interest in this conversation. Lindsey has made many approaches on Damien’s different social medias, every time the comments explode with “Who is this?” And “You guys dating?” Lindsey thinks it’s cute. “Um, well, not really?” Lindsey squats down and looks at this little girl in the eyes. “Do you want to see pictures of Damien and Shayne being scared of scary movie?” “Of course!” Lindsey gets her phone out and the other kids gather around her to look too. They all laugh at the ridiculous faces the boys are making on the phone. Damien looks down at Lindsey and can’t help but feel his heart get filled. Shayne punches his arm.  “Look how dumb you look in this one!” Shayne basically is bent over laughing. Damien rolls his eyes. “Alright, guys we have to go off and film some videos thanks for being beautiful sacks of people!” Damien claps his hands together and smiles. The kids giggle with glee as they run off after getting the sign off from Damien. “They were so cute!” Lindsey brings her hands to her face and sighs.  “I love our fans.” Damien smiles. Lindsey grabs his hand.  “You guys are so nice to them,” “We owe everything to them.” Shayne shrugs. They have one last turn before they get to the apartment. “Babe?” A formula voice stops Damien and Lindsey in their tracks. Shayne turns around first. “You have three seconds to get the fu-“ “I just want to talk.” Lindsey cringes. “To her, please Lindsey, turn around.” Lindsey can tell he’s not in great shape before she even looks.   Damien turns around and starts to threaten “I will call the cops if you-“ “What do you want Brenden?” Lindsey cuts Damien off by turning around. Brenden looks like he hasn’t slept in days, he’s wearing dirty clothes and has an empty beer bottle in his hand. His sandy blonde hair has been shaved and his eyes are bloodshot. Lindsey stays glued to Damien side. “I’ve messed up, I miss you.” His voice is strained his eyes are full of pain and emotions. He starts taking steps closer to them and Shayne stands tall.  “It’s too late.” Lindsey is stern with her words. “Don’t say that!” He yells. Damien can feel Lindsey’s anxiety start to rise. “Brenden I can’t do this anymore, this isn’t healthy we both need to move on.” Tears begin to swell in her eyes. Lindsey continues to talk to Brenden like there's hope. Like there is a place somewhere in Brenden that hasn’t completely lost it. “I can’t live in fear of you. You need to leave me alone, go get help Brenden, I still believe that there is a good person in there.” “Lindsey, don’t, don’t, don’t do this!” He slams his beer bottle down and stomps the ground like a child, glass shatters everywhere. “Remember New York?” Lindsey can feel the cold air from that random December trip. “Do you fucking remember?” Lindsey nods. “I look you to your favorite restaurant, I bought you lilies, and we took on a horse-drawn carriage back to the hotel, and you kissed me and..” “Stop.” Lindsey tightens her fist. “You told me you loved me.” Lindsey’s air is knocked out of her lungs. “You brought me to your parents on our way home, to our home, and and we…” He slips his way closer and closer towards her.  “I said stop!” Lindsey’s voice breaks the air around them.  “Those feelings must still be there!” He yells again taking another big step towards the three on edge roommates.  “Something that big just can’t DISAPPEAR!” Lindsey flitches when he screams. This brings range into Damien. “Brenden, please I begging you to stop!” “Listen here, you bitch!” He starts to charge towards Lindsey, bringing his fist up. Damien pushes Lindsey away and places himself in front of her.  Shayne punches Brenden straight in the face, and he is knocked down.  Damien turns to Lindsey keeping an eye on the creep on the ground. Lindsey buries her face into his shirt and sobs. Shayne picks up his phone and calls 911.  “It’s over,” Damien whispers in Lindsey’s ear. “He’s going to go away now, he can’t hurt you anymore.” Lindsey breaks herself from Damien and shakes her head.  “Damien you don’t understand it will never be over.” Shayne walks over and places his jacket on Lindsey’s shoulders. “The police will be here soon.” Lindsey tries to compose herself and goes and sits over on some random steps behind Damien to collect her breathing. Damien and Shayne walk closer to where Brenden lays. “I thought she would be more relieved?” Shayne sticks his hands in his pockets.  “Well you heard them, she did love him at least at one point.” They both stare at the sad human in front of them. He starts to move.  Brenden mumbles some curses as he sits up and brings his hand to his face. Damien and Shayne block the view of Lindsey from his drunken eyes. “Wh- where, did she go?” He starts making some quick movements, sitting up. “Brenden the police are on their way you need to just give up.” Damien tries to remain calm, fighting every instinct to kick his teeth in.  “Hey, I recognize you,” Brenden stares down Damien’s face. “You never answered me,” he laughs.  “Excuse you?”  “How were my sloppy seconds?” Brenden lets out a guttural sickening laugh. “It’s not worth it,” Shayne is holding Damien back. “Hey, I mean, say what you want about that little bitch, she really is good in bed.” Shayne releases Damien, he picks him up by his collar and pushes him against the brick wall behind him. “You are sick! You made this girl’s life a living hell for three years but that is not enough for you is it?” Damien releases his anger by punching him in the stomach. “Do you know there are nights where she stays up sobbing because of the terrible things you’ve done to her! You beat her, you made her feel worthless, you are a fucking rapist! Lindsey deserved so much more and so much better than you!” He shakes him, pounding against the wall. “You have ruined her life and I know you will rot in hell for what you’ve done!” Damien throws him onto the ground. They can hear the police sirens coming. Damien turns around to see Shayne is sitting next to Lindsey who is staring onto the concrete sidewalk in front of her, shaking. Shayne leans in and starts to whispers in her ear. “Hey, you’re going to be okay. You’re going to be okay.” Lindsey doesn’t react. The police show up and put Brenden in their cruiser. “Will you three come down to the station tomorrow? We need to ask you some questions.” The policeman looks at a three of them standing pretty shaken up. “Yes officer,” Shayne nods his head towards the cop. “I’m so sorry ma’am.” The officer places his hand on Lindsey’s shoulder. His hand feels likes it’s burning her shoulder, a chill climbs up her spine. She gives him a kind smile and he leaves. Lindsey starts walking back to the apartment without any words. “Lindsey!” Damien runs up to catch up.  “I really need some time alone right now. Okay?” Damien goes to grab Lindsey’s hand but she turns around and continues to walk.