#so like every few decades they try to kill each other and then they make up and have a nice family holiday afterwards

[cooking-with-hailstones]

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A post shared by Bisan Owda (@wizard_bisan1)

In case you were wondering: are the campus protests even important? Do they matter? Are they making a difference?

Yes, yes. They are making a difference.

Video description: Bisan, a young Palestinian woman, is speaking directly to the camera. She is wearing a black shirt and a keffiyeh.

Video transcript (I did my best but missed a few words)

I’m 25 years old. I’ve lived my whole life in Gaza Strip. I’ve never felt hope like now. Never. I mean it’s magical feelings running in my veins right now. In my head, I’m in Gaza city, in the north of Gaza Strip rebuilding my city after this genocide has ended. Even started to dream that my friends from Yafa, Haifa (unsure), majdal, are returning to their cities after being displaced for 75 years. These young heroes in universities at America and around the world are stronger than the last occupation in history. And for the first time in our lives as Palestinians, we hear a voice louder than their voices and the sound of their bombs and even stronger than their control in all aspects of our lives. 

In the 70s, the occupation, Prime Minister said, after decades of killing Palestinians, stealing the lands, establishing the state of Israel over the lands that “the adults will die, and children will definitely forget.” 

Wait. Is that the greatest (unsure) in history? Because it’s children and youth who are leading the movement for a free Palestine. everything they have on the line to demand justice and end of the genocide, and a new era of the world, not based on oppression, exploitation or colonialism. 

Do you know what the best part is? demonstrations and calls for boycott in the academic institutions are not limited to a certain people from certain religion, culture, color, religion, race, or maybe economic level. We are all different so we can no longer be accused of anti-Semitism, serving some agendas from outside, we are just different people calling for the same thing. People to people and people to justice. 

200 days I’ve spent escaping death every single minute were not in vain. And those 40,000 innocent souls were killed during these days were not also in vain. And this is the first time to feel and tell you this. 

Keep going because you are our only hope and we promise we will hold our ground and tell you the truth always. And please, don’t let their violence scare you. In Arabic, we say (Arabic phrase). In English, that means “they don’t have other options, but trying to terrify and silence you” because you are demolishing decades of brainwashing. You are making the change. The real change. Their violence means that we’ve begun to affect them deeply. Believe me, we are in the bottom of this bottle and we’re very very close to the end of this genocide. Maybe even closer than anytime before. Thank you. Thank you for each one of you, because you made us, me and my people feel that we are free. We are heard. We’re going back to our homes, and land. 

(Through tears) I have spent the whole night thinking about every video I see, you shouting for Palestine, you protesting for Palestine, you are dancing, singing for Palestine I feel it here in my head that I am going back. And I am free, and one day, we will celebrate it in, in Gaza together. Keep going and we will too. Salaam. 

(if anyone can help with my transcript, it would be much appreciated!)

[wilwheaton]

The GOP wonders why young people (and others) don't want to vote for them. Some wise scribe assembled this list.

1.) Your Reagan-era “trickle-down economics” strategy of tax breaks for billionaires that you continue to employ to this day has widened the gap between rich and poor so much that most of them will never be able to own a home, much less earn a living wage.

2.) You refuse to increase the federal minimum wage, which is still $7.25 an hour (since 2009). Even if it had just kept up with inflation, it would be $27 now. You’re forcing people of all ages but especially young people to work multiple jobs just to afford basic necessities.

3.) You fundamentally oppose and want to kill democracy; have done everything in your power to restrict access to the ballot box, particularly in areas with demographics that tend to vote Democratic (like young people and POC). You staged a fucking coup the last time you lost.

4.) You have abused your disproportionate senate control over the last three decades to pack the courts with religious extremists and idealogues, including SCOTUS—which has rolled back rights for women in ways that do nothing but kill more women and children and expand poverty.

5.) You refuse to enact common sense gun control laws to curb mass shootings like universal background checks and banning assault weapons; subjecting their entire generation to school shootings and drills that are traumatizing in and of themselves. You are owned by the NRA.

6.) You are unequivocally against combatting climate change to the extent that it’s as if you’ve made it your personal mission to ensure they inherit a planet that is beyond the point of no return in terms of remaining habitable for the human race beyond the next few generations.

7.) You oppose all programs that provide assistance to those who need it most. Your governors refused to expand Medicaid even during A PANDEMIC. You are against free school lunches, despite it being the only meal that millions of children can count on to actually receive each day

8.) You are banning books, defunding libraries, barring subject matter, and whitewashing history even more in a fascistic attempt to keep them ignorant of the systemic racism that this nation was literally founded upon and continues to this day in every action your party takes.

9.) You oppose universal healthcare and are still trying to repeal the ACA and rip healthcare from tens of millions of Americans and replace it with nothing. You are against lowering the cost of insulin and prescription drugs that millions need simply to LIVE/FUNCTION in society.

10.) You embrace white nationalists, Neo-Nazis, and other groups that are defined by their intractable racism, xenophobia, bigotry, and intolerance. You conspired with these groups on January 6th to try to overthrow the U.S. government via domestic terrorism that KILLED PEOPLE.

11.) You oppose every bill aimed at making life better for our nation’s youth; from education to extracurricular and financial/nutritional assistance programs. You say you want to “protect the children” while you elect/nominate pedophiles and attack trans youth and drag queens.

12.) You pretend to be offended by “anti-semitism” while literally supporting, electing, and speaking at events organized by Nazis. You pretend to hate “cancel culture” despite the fact that you invented it and it’s basically all you do.

13.) Every word you utter is a lie. You are the party of treason, hypocrisy, crime, and authoritarianism. You want to entrench rule by your aging minority because you know that you have nothing to offer young voters and they will never support you for all these reasons and more.

14.) You’re so hostile to even the notion of helping us overcome the mountain of debt that millions of us are forced to take on just to pay for our post K-12 education that you are suing to try to prevent a small fraction of us from getting even $10,000 in loan forgiveness.

15.) You opened the floodgates of money into politics via Citizens United; allowing our entire system of government to become a cesspool of corruption, crime, and greed. You are supposed to represent the American people whose taxes pay your salary but instead cater to rich donors.

16.) You respond to elected representatives standing in solidarity with their constituents to protest the ONGOING SLAUGHTER of children in schools via shootings by EXPELLING THEM FROM OFFICE & respond to your lack of popularity among young people by trying to raise the voting age.

17.) You impeach Democratic presidents over lying about a BJ but refuse to impeach (then vote twice to acquit) a guy whose entire “administration” was an international crime syndicate being run out of the WH who incited an insurrection to have you killed.

18.) You steal Supreme Court seats from democrats to prevent the only black POTUS we’ve ever had from appointing one and invent fake precedents that you later ignore all to take fundamental rights from Americans; and even your “legitimate” appointments consist of people like THIS (sub-thread refuting CJ Roberts criticisms of people attacking SCOTUS' legitimacy).

19.) You support mass incarceration even for innocuous offenses or execution by cop for POC while doing nothing but protect rich white criminals who engage in such things as tax fraud, money laundering, sex trafficking, rape/sexual assault, falsifying business records, etc.

20.) You are the reason we can’t pass:—Universal background checks—An assault weapons ban—The ‘For the People/Freedom to vote’ Act or John Lewis Voting Rights Act—The ERA & Equality Act—The Climate Action Now Act—The (Stopping) Violence Against Women Act—SCOTUS expansion.

21.) You do not seek office to govern, represent, or serve the American people. You seek power solely for its own sake so you can impose your narrow-minded puritanical will on others at the expense of their most fundamental rights and freedoms like voting and bodily autonomy.

22.) Ok, last one. You are trying to eliminate social security and Medicare that tens of millions of our parents rely on and paid into their entire lives. And you did everything to maximize preventable deaths from COVID leaving millions of us in mourning.

Source: https://imgur.com/gallery/e8DBZLH

[hydraflow]

MDNI | demon!Ren has me in chokehold QvQ.

HEADCANONS LISTED BELOW:

- He was obsessed with Angel ever since they first met right after his initial creation/birth (i’ll leave the reason why up to your creativity), and made it his goal to make a pact in every single one of Angel’s lives

- Angel’s soul and demon!Ren’s existence are quite LITERALLY linked together by the red thread of fate because of how many times they’ve contracted (to Ren’s delight)

- Souls don’t reincarnate immediately and instead have a few decades (or upwards) between their last death and next life, so demon!Ren has A LOT of time to kill where he’s just moping about, waiting around for Angel to return. He ends up messing with cultists who try to summon demons as a pass time though.

- Sometimes Angel’s soul is solid enough after passing on from their most recent life, that it is able to sustain itself in ghost-like state and just chills with demon!Ren until they reincarnate again. During this state, Angel regains memory of all their past selves and is able to recount older memories with demon!Ren, so it’s just a good time overall

- Speaking of, demon!Ren has never made a pact with anyone OTHER than Angel

- Pact marks or contract seals between demons and humans never disappear once made, so he likes to admire and trace over each mark when sometimes missing Angel in between their reincarnation periods

- demon!Ren can see the shape of every individual human soul so as to see who is easier to corrupt and make contracts with etc., which is how they can tell when they have FINALLY reunited with Angel >:3

- Has seen MANY different versions of Angel, and has loved them all equally (be it platonically or romantically depending on Angel’s preferences during each life)

- Made a deal with Angel’s soul early on in his existence (though reluctantly since he wanted Angel to continue enjoying living in the human world as a regular being, but ultimately caved at the request of Angel), in which once he makes a pact with Angel over the course of a thousand lives, they can finally live together in the Underworld forever, both as demons and get their « Happily Ever After » QwQ

[howtofightwrite]

How physically active were actually "medieval" noble women? I know is a long period but I usually see people complaning about noble women in fantasy doing stuff such as hunting or riding horses. I have seen a couple of illustrations of fencing manuals with women in them too.

We, as a culture, especially in the US, have a very bad habit of using the British Regency/Victorian era as the gold standard for how women all over the world were treated throughout history. And the truth is, it ain’t that way. It never was, because women in this exact era used to duel each other in other parts of Europe and often did it topless.

Yes, this is real. We have records of it.

Was it all women, all the time? No. Was it often enough to mention? Yes.

There’s a really good article by Kameron Hurley, “Women Have Always Fought” that goes over the history of women warriors and the laziness of specular fiction in detail. This is a particularly great few paragraphs from the article that covers where our popular conception that women don’t fight comes from.

“Women have always fought,” he said. “Shaka Zulu had an all-female force of fighters. Women have been part of every resistance movement. Women dressed as men and went to war, went to sea, and participated actively in combat for as long as there have been people.”

I had no idea what to say to this. I had been nurtured in the U.S. school system on a steady diet of the Great Men theory of history. History was full of Great Men. I had to take separate Women’s History courses just to learn about what women were doing while all the men were killing each other. It turned out many of them were governing countries and figuring out rather effective methods of birth control that had sweeping ramifications on the makeup of particular states, especially Greece and Rome.

Half the world is full of women, but it’s rare to hear a narrative that doesn’t speak of women as the people who have things done to them instead of the people who do things. More often, women are talked about as a man’s daughter. A man’s wife.

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Check out some of these real women below.

Empress Maude, the daughter of the English King, Henry I, was named her father’s heir after her brother died. While her cousin Stephen stole the throne after her father’s death, she raised an army and took the country into a civil war to take it back. They fought it out for the decade it took for her son to reach adulthood, and laid the groundwork for Henry II to become king. There’s a great novel by Sharon Kay Penman, When Christ and His Saints Slept which chronicles the civil war. If you’re interested in medieval history, I recommend reading it. Her daughter-in-law, Eleanor of Aquitaine, also led an interesting life. (It should be said, real history got to the denied female heir fights for her throne before George R.R. Martin.)

There’s great videos from Xiran Jay Zhao discussing the Chinese warrior queen Fu Hao of the Shang Dynasty and Wu Zetian, who became China’s first female emperor. (Yes, you read that right. Emperor.)

There is Khutulun, the Wrestler Princess and the great-great granddaughter of Gengis Khan, who is one source of our “defeat her in battle to marry her” tropes. She issued this challenge, “defeat her in wrestling, she’ll marry.” She scammed would be suitors out of 10,000 horses. Western male authors are so threatened by Khutulun, they’ve kept trying to rewrite her history by making her fall victim to the power of love. (No, seriously.)

There’s also Hojo Masako, the Buddhist nun who deposed her own son when he proved incompetent and ruled Japan as Shogun. Here’s her wiki entry too.

The Amazons of Greek Myth were real in that they were actual Scythian women who went to war. (As Scythian women did, just like their men.) They terrified and terrorized the Greeks so much, they became immortalized in their mythology. Don’t believe me? Here’s an article from National Geographic and this one from Live Science.

There’s stories like this all throughout history from big events to small ones. (You can find more over at Rejected Princesses if you’re interested.) There are female warriors, female generals, noblewomen who took command of their husbands’ forces, widows who took to the sea to get revenge on those who wronged them, women who rode with their husbands to battle, female assassins, female leaders of rebellions, etc. The women of the Japanese samurai class were trained to fight, and fight they did. Women warriors, queens, and politicians are all over mythology too. You’ll often see these women come out of the upper echelons of society because money creates options, but they are there. Many of those stories are lost to history, in some cases purposefully, and there was a long trend among archeologists that assumed because a person was buried with male grave goods, the body had to be male. We’re now finding out that isn’t true. There’s a significant portion of warrior corpses that have turned out to be female. Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla chose to post a notice about it in response to these exact criticisms you’re questioning.

Those people you see complaining online? They’re clinging to a version of history that doesn’t exist. More, we know it doesn’t, because popular culture is hungry to the point of desperate for aggressive, confident, and competent female characters. If they were truly a lie, they wouldn’t ring true for so many people.

The history we’re taught today largely downplays women’s achievements, contributions, and successes while uplifting those of men. It’s a fact. Go look at famous female figures anywhere, you’ll find the same story at play over and over. Historically, fantasy as a genre largely portrays a world that is, in fact, fantasy, but that fantasy has nothing to do with women doing things they’re not “supposed” to. There’s no clubhouse. There’s nothing unrealistic in imagining your female character is a kickass queen who defeats overconfident men in wrestling competitions and robs them of all their horses. It’s not unrealistic to come up with an ending that doesn’t conclude in tragedy, violent deaths, them “learning their place,” or even locked within the bonds of an unhappy marriage. (Shocker!) Some did, but the truth isn’t universal. It’s not even unrealistic to imagine they might have supportive male family members, love interests, and followers who happily (gasp) assist them in these endeavors. Maude, for reference, had bastard half-brothers who helped her instead of trying to take the throne for themselves.

History got here before fantasy authors. There’s nothing unrealistic about reality. Popular conceptions and common knowledge fed to us by the majority male dominated culture isn’t always the truth. Reality is, it’s the stories we see normalized across the media spectrum that are wrong. The ones that insist women are objects, who commodify their pain, and reframe their stories to ensure the focus remains on men. While this is changing, women are still often treated as the NPCs of male driven stories.

The people you hear complaining? They want storytelling traditions to stay that way, for the Great Man values countless narratives have reinforced to remain unchallenged. Funny as it sounds, they’re threatened by the very existence of narratives that countermand that centralized focus on men being superior, that there is a stratified gender hierarchy, and men taking their place as the sole, worshipful focus of a woman’s existence, much less these female characters being important in their own narratives. If these people weren’t threatened by female characters being people, they wouldn’t say anything. They’d just move on in apathy.

Reality is people are complicated. There’s room for all stripes in all colors and contexts. It’s no secret that history has suppressed and erased countless stories that don’t support the ruling narrative of the dominant culture. These same people forget there’s plenty of storytelling traditions that include women taking their place as warriors in cultures outside America. For all the sexism and misogyny, women fighting is not an alien concept, it’s not even foreign to other Western European traditions.

Believe what your own research is showing you, not what a bunch of idiots who can’t tell their ass from their elbow are whining about. They can’t handle someone who isn’t straight, male, and (most often) white being the central focus. Really, they can’t handle these characters as even a side focus. That’s their loss, it doesn’t have to be yours.

-Michi

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[chunksworld]

A Moment in Time

LE SSERAFIM Sakura x Male Reader | (Tags: Smut)

A/N: Chunk goes monkey brain yet again. Thank you @kaedespicelatte as always for beta reading.

————————

Dating an idol is extremely difficult.

The unfortunate reality that dating in the industry is almost as good as killing off one’s career certainly doesn’t help, both of you are very aware about how groups had their debuts and comebacks halted because of dating scandals; and considering that the woman you’re dating is Miyawaki Sakura, a member of one of the most popular girl groups in Korea, it only means that every single step taken to ensure that such a relationship is kept strictly hidden is made that much more cautiously. Something as simple as a 20-minute parking lot date is planned meticulously to prevent any possibility of anyone finding out, great lengths are taken to make sure no one notices you two in each other’s presence. But it’s all worth it once you finally have her in your arms, even if it only occurs once or twice a month. Thank goodness for technology because you can at least remain in contact with her, something you cherish very much due to your current circumstances. And it’s not like she can ask her members for assistance because they don’t know about it either (you’ve been trying to convince her to just get it over with and tell them but she’s too stubborn to do so). 

As much as she anticipates their overwhelming love and support, she knows too well that all it will take is for them to slip up and everything she worked extremely hard for in over a decade will disappear just like that. The company policy strictly prohibits any of their talents from dating until five years after their debut and it’s not worth risking anything at this stage, not when she’s extremely successful and especially not when you two are doing everything in your powers to make it work. And yet you two somehow managed to indeed make it work despite all of the adversities. Three years strong and it doesn’t seem like you two are stopping anytime soon, if anything those trials have made your relationship that much better. But those three years of only meeting up occasionally have inevitably started to take a toll on both of you and as a result, you two have become more daring as of these past few months—testing just how far you two can take your relationship. That meant longer dates such as that one time you two actually went out to a restaurant for the first time in ages (although she insisted that you both arrive near closing time so that there are barely any patrons around) or when she finally introduced you to her parents when they finally had a day-off after their promotions. 

But even those longer dates were starting to become inadequate, with her needing your presence much more than ever due to her stressful schedules. You two are adults after all, and the lack of physical contact for weeks and months were starting to take their toll on you. As a result, she had to make a decision to tell her manager about the existence of your relationship (something she understandably greatly stressed over because of the potential consequences) and they were fortunately extremely supportive. As a result, you’ve been able to see her much more frequently even when she’s busy, although you still have to be very cautious. From bringing her food during her schedules to even driving her to their dorm, you two have been able to do things that a regular couple does for once. Gone were the days of only seeing her on your phone and hearing her voice through the speakers, you were now able to have her in your arms much more frequently. 

And today is one of those days because she kept talking about how much she wanted to see you again even though you’ve already met up with her the week prior; and as her boyfriend you are here to fulfill your duties. Thanks to her manager, you were able to successfully sneak backstage during one of their performances with a care package in hand filled with her favorite snacks and essentials. With a cap and face mask on, you managed to blend in with the other staff members seamlessly. It also helps that you even have your own fake staff ID that was intricately made with the help of her manager, a perfect disguise that has worked flawlessly for the past few months. After a few minutes of watching her performance (she looks stunning as usual and there’s something about her in that outfit that makes a certain part of your body react though that’s something you would never admit to her), you carefully made your way back to her personal dressing room as it was finally starting to wrap up.

You wait patiently, making sure not to make any noises so as to not cause any suspicion. Her group is known as being one of the loudest due to their personalities and how close they are to each other so it was easy to recognize that they were approaching. The staff were congratulating them on yet another win but little does your girlfriend know that she’s got another surprise coming her way. More laughter and chatter in the background while the staff tells them to get ready in 45 minutes. You can clearly hear her voice, laughing at something that Yunjin said before they went their own ways. Her footsteps are starting to get louder, and you step closer to the door to greet her. You can slowly see the door knob starting to turn and as soon as she opens the door you bring her close to you.

“Hmmph!” Your lips immediately clash with Sakura’s, trained hands making sure to close and lock the door behind you despite the commotion. The kiss is desperate, it’s hot, it’s messy, and it conveys what a thousand words can’t. She misses you. Forget the fame and the money, there’s nothing in this world that she prefers more than being by your side–and of course, you feel the same way. Two weeks of not being able to see each other built up to this, all of the times she told you how badly she wanted you, all of those times she called you in the middle of the night and told you what she wanted you to do to her. It was all building up to this and neither of you can wait. Her arms wrap around your neck and so does her legs around her waist while you bring her towards the counter and place her on top of it gently. You don’t stop kissing her, hands roaming her exposed stomach while your tongue fights for dominance with hers, earning yourself a muffled whimper from her at the scalding heat your fingers generate.

But the biological need to breathe oxygen reigns supreme and you have to regrettably pull away after a few minutes. Deep pants as she tries to recover—her chest heaving from the brief but intense session, her cheeks a light hue of red, her lips slightly swollen and much redder than before. Everything about her right now is so hot, so fucking hot, and that just makes her that much more irresistible in your eyes. She hasn’t said a word yet but those eyes of hers are already telling you one thing, “fuck me.” You haven’t seen that look before and it just makes you want to rip every single piece of clothing from both of your bodies and fuck her right at this very moment. Sakura must sense this as well because she pulls you for yet another liplock, this time working on the buttons of your shirt. The expensive piece of fabric is then thrown somewhere in her dressing room, her lips immediately traveling down the expanse of your chest and stomach. “God, I missed you so fucking much.”

“M-Me too, baby.” It’s becoming difficult to form coherent sentences as she leaves kisses all over your body, even more so after she grabs your clothed length that’s forming a tent inside your pants which causes you to groan. It all happens quickly—she jumps off the counter and kneels down in front of you, her skilled hands working on unbuckling your belt and removing the clothing obstructing her view of the treasured prize. Shivers immediately run down your spine as she pulls down your pants along with your boxers; your dick is already fully erect and dripping with so much precum, it stands proudly in front of your girlfriend and she bites her lips at the sight. Take off your shoes and throw them to the side along with your pants and boxers, leaving you completely naked in front of her.

“So fucking hard for me already….” Sakura’s delicate fingers slowly wrap themselves around your shaft and it takes every muscle in your body not to explode on her perfect face already. You can only bite your lip to prevent yourself from making any loud noises; maybe it was a bad idea to do this inside her dressing room. But all of those doubts are washed away the moment she starts to increase the pace, your precum helping her jerk you off faster as lewd noises of your cock fills the room. More precum continues to drip out and your sensitivity only increases, you continue to moan and groan helplessly under her touch. Her hands are now fondling your balls that are heavy and full just for her, giving them a soft squeeze. She smirks at this, proud that you followed through with your promise of not masturbating until you’ve met up with her again (a difficult task considering how often she would tease you by sending nudes). “Looks like you were really saving up for me, baby. How about I help you unload all of this cum?”

You could only tilt your head back and groan silently as she finally takes you in between her lips, her warm and tight mouth sends immense pleasure through your brain and you have to hold on to the edges of the counter or you’ll stumble forward. It’s only fortunate that the walls of this room are thick enough to give you two a sense of privacy because it’s becoming extremely difficult to restrain the sounds coming out of your mouth. “K-Kkura shit, just like that….” It gets even more intense once her tongue joins the fray, licking and swirling around your tip as she drinks up all of the precum that you have to offer. And since this isn’t your first rodeo with her, it doesn’t take too long before she’s able to take your whole shaft inside her mouth. Her trained gag reflex allows her to bob her head up and down your entire length with ease, effectively sucking the soul out of you. 

She would alternate between sucking you off with her mouth and giving you a handjob, a combination so deadly that it only takes a few more minutes before that familiar feeling in your stomach makes its presence known. It doesn’t help that she looks so fucking pretty with your dick in between her mouth, the way she would look at you with such an intense and lustful gaze that each and every tug on your length is bringing you closer and closer to unravelling. So you decide to take matters into your own hands by softly grabbing onto her head and thrusting gently into her mouth, essentially meeting her halfway with each bob of your head. Just the thought of filling her mouth with your cum, overflowing it so much that she won’t be able to contain it all is driving you crazy. But it seems like she has other plans because just as you were about to completely erupt she removes your dick from her mouth, a trail of saliva forming as a result. “K-Kkura, w-what the fuck?” She wipes her mouth with the back of her hand, her lipstick now almost non-existent as your dick twitches in the aftermath

“Not yet, baby. I don’t want your cum down my throat.” She stands up to meet you at face level and leans into your ears. “I want it inside my pussy instead.” That is all you needed to hear as you brought your lips to hers once again, reaching for the hem of her black top and pulling it over head before furiously throwing it somewhere in the same manner as your shirt—you could only hope that it wasn’t an expensive top. But it doesn’t really matter as her perky tits are revealed to you and you waste no time, latching your lips on her left nipple. You swirl your tongue around the stiff bud while your fingers fondle with her right breast. They’ve always been your favorite part of her body and you always make sure to appreciate them properly during sex. The pretty moans coming out of her mouth is just an added incentive. You give her other breast the same treatment, making sure it’s completely covered in saliva when you’re done. 

“I’m so fucking horny for you, you know that?” You could suck on her tits all day if you can but this isn’t necessarily the place and time for that. So you proceed with removing her pants and panties, remembering to eat her out properly next time at an appropriate setting. It’s not a surprise that she’s sopping wet already, her juices already drenching her inner thighs as her pink pussy is ready to accept your cock. And you do exactly that, lifting her by the waist and placing her on the counter yet again as you align your length with her pussy carefully before plunging in. She’s already lubricated enough so you immediately start thrusting, the suffocating warmth and tightness is unrivaled and it’s a feeling that you will never get tired of. Uncontrolled moans from the two of you fill the room and you really hope that the soundproofed walls are doing their job properly.

Stare into her eyes and despite still being filled with lust, you could also see the love and passion. And that’s what makes sex with Sakura even more special. It always serves as a consummation of your relationship and how much you two mean to each other. “Fuck baby, I love you so much.” She smiles, bringing you to a passionate kiss—one that is much slower and less urgent than the ones that came before it. And yet it’s hotter and more arousing as you continue to fuck her. Her arms reach around your shoulders and back, holding on to you tightly as she pressed her divinely body closer to yours as you continue to make love. As soon as her lips leave your mouth you target her neck, placing chaste kisses as you drink in her intoxicating and alluring scent. You're careful not to leave a mark however, unless you want her to scold you again.

One particular thrust causes her to yelp and lean her head back, confirming the location of her g-spot. It only urges you to increase the pace and the sound of wet skin slapping against each other is all that fills the room along with your moans. The intensity of your thrusts causes her breasts to bounce and you couldn’t help but lean and suck on one of her nipples yet again, still wet with saliva from your treatment earlier. Her moans grow in intensity and it’s only going to be a matter of time before Chaewon checks up on her so you divert your attention from her breasts yet again to seal her mouth with yours, you don’t mind kissing her all day either, anyways. With trained accuracy, you continue pounding at her g-spot which causes her to melt into putty. After a few more minutes, she suddenly wraps her arms tightly around your neck again and you know it’s a signal that her release is coming soon. 

“Cum for me, Kkura.” You increase your pace even more, making sure to target her g-spot every time as you want to witness her unraveling. Her breathing has become unstable, her eyes shaky as she wraps her legs around you as well. Wet squelches become even louder as her moans also do the same, leaving you with no choice but to kiss her yet again. It’s a shame that you have to do so because you want the whole world to know just how much Miyawaki Sakura loves your cock (she’d loudly proclaim it to the world if she could). But you unfortunately don’t have the luxury so after a few more thrusts, she tightens deliciously around you as she arches her back which allows her body to press against yours yet again. Her moans vibrate in your mouth as tears from pure pleasure flows down her pretty eyes. Her juices flood the marble countertop as you continue to fuck her through her orgasm. Her walls constrict around your dick so tightly but you held on, you wanted to hold on because you’re not done yet.

Even in the aftermath, her otherworldly visual never falters. In fact, she looks even more ethereal in the afterglow of sex. The way her skin glows because of the intense light behind her, the way her lips slightly part as she tries to catch her breath, the way her eyes slowly start to gain focus on her surroundings once again. She truly is one of the most beautiful women in the world. “I really missed your dick so much….” You resort to kissing her as you help her come down from her orgasm, hands fixing her disheveled hair while lazy hands roam her sweaty body. The make out session lasts for a few minutes and Sakura smiles as she pulls away, “Now it’s your turn. Take me how you want, baby.” 

You do just that, pulling yourself out of her pussy before turning her over the counter and bending her over. This allows you the opportunity to view her perfectly shaped ass and her freshly-fucked pussy that is still sopping wet despite one orgasm down the drain. But the ultimate reason is that you are able to watch her facial expressions while you fuck her thanks to the mirrors. No more foreplay needed, you insert yourself inside her cunt yet again. Her face immediately contorts in pleasure as you grab on to her hips and begin to thrust at a frantic pace. Grab on her tits and pull her upright so that her back leans on your chest, increasing your pace as you pepper her neck and shoulders with kisses. If she was beautiful earlier, she looks even more stunning now. Eyes closed and mouth hanging open as each thrust reverberates throughout her body, it’s a sight hotter than you even imagined and it’s only a matter of time before you finally explode considering that you’ve been on the verge of orgasm twice now. “K-Kkura I’m gonna fucking cum.”

“It’s okay baby.” She gives you a nod, placing a kiss on your lips as she gently squeezes your biceps. “It’s my safe day today, please cum inside me please.” Those desperate eyes of hers are your weakness and her next few words are what finally causes your undoing.  “I want to feel your cum flooding me please, breed me.” You have to kiss her to muffle your groans as you completely unload inside her, spurting thick shot after thick shot of semen inside her walls as your vision completely goes white. Two weeks worth of cum is unloaded inside her all at once, and it doesn’t seem like you’ll ever stop cumming. Each thrust is accompanied by a shot of your cum and you make sure that it’s embedded deep within her. You eventually slow down, your hips rutting as you lean over to rest your head on her shoulder after you've completely drained your balls inside her. Take a look at both of your reflections on the mirror; you both look tired, aching, sweaty, but so damn satisfied. That might be your best sex with her yet and she seems to agree with the way she looks at you in awe. She turns her head, smiling as she gives you one final kiss.

“I love you, Kkura-chan.”

“I love you too, ba–“

Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Kkura unnie, we’re leaving in 10 minutes!” That familiar voice can only belong to Kazuha, and you two are suddenly reminded of the fact that you are not in your apartment but are instead in her dressing room. You two quickly clean up the place and get dressed up, hoping that the room doesn’t reek of sex by the time you two leave. She sprays her perfume to mask the scent and you give her one quick kiss before putting on your cap and mask, making a quick exit from her dressing room. As you make your way back to the car, she sends you a text.

From: Kkura

“I’ll be at your place tonight, this time I want it in my ass ;).”

[katsukikitten]

A zombie apocalypse au for @medusashima collab! Find the collab master list HERE! Be sure to give the others a read too!

Warning: graphic, violent, and sexual content intended for adults 18 or older.

Synopsis: Shelter isn't hard to come by in the End but good, untouched, shelter is. When you find paradise in the middle of a dead field in the shape of a 900 square foot home you start to break a few of your important rules. Always keep moving and don't help anyone. Especially if that anyone is a hot headed blonde bounty hunter sent to settle score you'd rather forget.

Peachy Keen Master List

Chapter One - Never overstay your welcome, keep moving

Winter

It scares you at first, the mummified body facing the door in the cramped living room of the home you found tucked away in a field of corn long past it's harvest. 

Petrified you, like the farmers that sat facing one another. In wooden rocking chairs, gnarled fingers slack around the handles. Coming closer to inspect and seeing no signs of teeth marks or infection. Letting loose the held breath you kept as deft eyes looked over every liver spot and wrinkle in the leathery skin. No fluid on the hardwood floors beneath their rocking chair or in the blankets around their shoulders. 

And by some miracle, the cold, the house didn't smell like rot. 

You figure they must have died earlier this winter, it lasted damn near since October as the Earth naturally cooled in the fall of the human race. 

With critical climate change hitting irreversible levels and long lasting damaging effects in just a few short decades, Mother Nature took matters into her own hands. Doing what she does best. 

She evolves, she changes and grows, makes a deadly cocktail of pathogens and fungi that rids her realm of blight. 

Humans. 

You were just surprised a nuclear war didn't wipe humanity off the map first. 

You hadn't meant to live this long, six whole years in the apocalypse, honestly you were one of the many who'd rather take their own lives. Least then you had a say in how and when you went. 

But the body has a funny way of forcing you to survive. To dissociate in some feeble attempt to keep the body going for an organ that tortured itself daily with endless, grueling tasks and for what? 

So you could experience your first kill? Watch your friends and family die when the Feds bombed cities instead of trying to quarantine sections? Of you walking until your feet bled, fleeing the city just to live in the outskirts to hear the screaming and wails as the undead met the living? Tied to a tree limb with your worn belt to sleep or maybe it was so you could loot the dead man for his tent but not without putting a bullet between his eyes as a parting gift first. 

No longer does Grim accept the coins laid upon the eyes of the dead. Now payment for a safe travel down the river Styx is paid with the bullet lodged into the third eye of the deceased.

A tradition sure to be passed down to the generations to come.

Despite the rage you've aimed at yourself for still living, the home was a welcoming sight. The old farm house made of gray cinder block, stout in the field of the tall stalks that you yearned to see each sweltering summer when you were stuck in the city before the world went to shit.

Now the sight of the dried crop makes the nostalgia coat your tongue thickly, like the bitterant of a large pill.  

You think you choke when you swallow. 

Still even with the two harmless corpses it was an amazing find. The shingles of the roof are all in tack and the old wood stove holds the reminiscence of a charred log and ashes. 

Logs lining either side that would last through the winter and then more still kept under an open awning out back. Plenty of birch wood to burn white smoke making you sigh in relief. 

First things first and with the few hours of sun you had left you needed to get to work burying the couple. Half debating over taking their rings that were about to fall off before thinking better of it. 

Grabbing the shovel from the makeshift shed and going to the edge of the corn field out back. Only you were stubborn, stupid enough to fight the frozen ground as you shoved the sharp spade into the Earth. Moving it to your will as sweat collects on the inside of your thermal undershirt making it stick to your back and the nape of your neck uncomfortably. 

Your calloused hands protect you from the biting wood as you spend the better part of your day light going six feet down. Using the height of the shovel as a measuring stick.

I wonder if their kids and grandkids will visit. I'll have to make a good marker so they won't miss it. 

And then it hits you. The realization of what you're thinking. Fat droplets blurring your vision as you chide yourself over wasting quickly dwindling time. 

You hadn't even cried when you watched your friends being torn apart from the force of the bomb but here you were crying over two strangers and their imaginary family.

Except they weren't imaginary were they? They were hung neatly throughout the home. 

Ya know the multi generational home that you planned to squat in. The one with the warped photos in warm senpia of when the family first arrived and built the modest country home to the vibrant color photo of the grandparents smiling ear to ear as their kids and their kids' kids stood on the still sturdy porch with corn cobs in their small hands. 

Another sob racks through your body forcing you to take a break from carving out your last foot hold so you could climb out of the grave you'd just dug.  

Should you start digging your own now too? 

Since no one else was going to be around to do it. 

Once you're back in the house you try to think of the logistics of bringing the pair out. You start with the wife, taking her delicately preserved body with the blanket around her shoulders. 

"’Xcuse me." You murmur to her as you lift her up, surprisingly light compared to the other corpses you've carried or moved. Careful to avoid banging her up against the door jamb accidentally before you make it out the few yards to the edge of their little property. 

Easing her down into the hole using the long and strong quilt that she must have made until you could slip it from beneath her to bring the fabric back up. 

"Sorry." Another involuntary pleasantry as you scoop the husband and his quilt up. Repeating the same action until he rested beside her as much as he could be. Dropping the first and second quilt over them as if tucking them in. You just hoped they wanted their holy matrimony to be reflected in the after life as well. 

Rooting around in your pocket for the few spare ammo you've got left. 

"For the toll." You murmur dropping a bullet each before tackling the grueling task of shoveling dirt back into the hole you half killed yourself to dig. Returning to the house only to place their wooden rocking chairs at the foot of their grave before heading inside for the night. 

Telling yourself not to look for their names, refusing to and that the wooden rocking chairs would have been enough. 

But it gnaws at you as you move around their furniture to better suit you, as the old wood stove fills the home with a warmth, with a luxury, you've long since forgotten.

Knowing full well she would have been the type of woman to have a farmer's log. 

A handwritten one or a more accurate family log written in the old bible that sat on her night stand. 

You left it alone, thankful they hadn't died in their queen sized bed as you moved it into the living room frame and all. 

The moon shining bright over head, peering in through the kitchen window over the sink as if to check on you. To see if you were still awake. 

And of course you were, when was the last time you've ever had a restful sleep? 

Your mind back to the "holy book" specifically the one with the worn leather and cracked spine. Even to the end the wife was a woman of faith, a bible open on the coffee table that you quickly used for kindling. 

Because what has God ever done for you?

He sure as fuck wasn't as merciless as he claimed to be.

Although he'd given her and her husband an easy enough death hadn't he? 

You were sure the rest of her family didn't meet the same gentle fate. 

In the end there was only one true God and that was Death. 

Ever waiting and watching, coming to steal you away before you could even blink with nothing to show you ever existed at all save for your own headstone, least til that crumbled away.

You jolt out of bed, rushing towards the book as if it whispered your name all this time and now it was shouting. 

Screaming, demanding your undivided attention until you flip open the front cover. Old cursive greets you as the pages sigh, rolling over birth and death dates until you're forced to flip to the back, finding the first two names without death dates but plausible birth dates that would line up to their age and the End. Slamming the generations old book as you rise. 

Finding yourself outside, bare foot. Knife in your hand and your breaths coming out in ragged puffs. 

Scrapping along the tops of the wooden rocking chairs like a woman possessed, carefully carving the letters into the headrest of the rocking chairs.

Stepping back in a fever to admire your work, feet numb from the biting cold ground before you turn on your heel. 

They echo back to you as if you'd carved each curving letter into your psyche instead of the smooth stained grain. Unsure if the haunting was that of thanks or scorn and you were sure a poltergeist was the least of your concern.

Even as you drift the names burn your retinas as if to remind you whose home you spent the night in. 

ASTRID     EMROY 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next morning you find yourself trapped in the house by deep snow so you poke around the home. Rearranging some things here and there but not to disturb the personal belongings just yet. 

Even though you know you won't stay long, never breaking one of your many rules that lead you to survive this long. But why not disturbing their belongs matters to you, you aren't sure. 

Maybe it's the way that this home is untouched. Truly loved and lived in, while the other houses you've squatted in were long since looted. Ransacked and trashed, taken back by the unforgiving weather and those desperate enough to defile what was once someone's home.

For others, their Hell within four walls and maybe the big End meant nothing to them anyway. Besides, it wasn't like you weren't one of the many who rooted through homes and hissed when you found nothing of use, just fading photographs and old DVDs and CDs. Shit that didn't matter now.

Right now you were mostly looking for a good pen with a plan to roughly guess the year so you could add the rough date beside their names and put their bible up somewhere. As if compelled to end their chapter properly so that they may live on despite, their bloodline most likely having died long before them. 

The couple really didn't have much and you were sure if you tried you could dedicate one small wall and bookshelf to their personal belongings to honor them. The thought makes you suck your teeth, so easily you cling to sentimental bullshit, out of spite now their things would be lucky to be stored away in a box. 

On the dusty coffee table are two sets of coasters, tops well worn from sweating drinks, a black leather book and a copy of The Great Gatsby with a broken spine. 

The book peaks your interest, hadn't read it since highschool and even then that felt like a foreign memory. Of harsh fluorescent lights that buzzed loud enough you were sure you'd go deaf to them after having lived in silence for so long. Tossing the tattered paperback onto the old wood top before your fingers grab for the worn leather spine, flipping the pages to see dozens and dozens of entries.

You settle into the old couch, the fire in the wood stove keeping the place warm as the sun lazily bleeds in through the windows to provide you with just enough light to read as you flip it open you're met with a threat.

If ya settle here ya better watch over our goddamn farm. 

The cover page makes you snort, flipping the thick page to consume what you could, hoping there would be some hints on where they stashed their canned goods and supplies. Even if it didn't provide you with anything, at least it helped past the time.

Jan 31 20XX  Six years after the "Rapture" 

It's ain't all fucking peachy keen as I'm sure ya can see and I'm comin to realize that I ain't built to live forever.

And if I was, I couldn't imagine a worse hell than this. 

If ya settled here in our little house I've got some rules. 

No drinks on my damn coffee table without a coaster. I got plenty of 'em. The ones from my birthday (they got cats on em but the paint'll be rubbed off by now I'm sure) or the ones Emroy made outta small trees. Hell use a book if ya gotta. 

Two, you best sweep this home. I don't care where ya came from or who ya came from, what god you do or don't worship but there is one thing for certain, house as old as this has a spirit and ya best keep it happy. Open the front and back door (good cross breeze in the sweltering summer) and you sweep my damn house. 

Or I just might be the spirit that haunts ya. 

Reckon that's it. So I'll quit my belly achin and step down from my soapbox to learn ya a thing or two.  

Now if you're a country folk and from 'round these parts y'all'll know two things. When snows a coming, or rain, y'all can smell it real easy in the air. Can't tell ya the smell but if you know ya know. And the second being it always snows heavier in the next coming weeks before spring than it will in the dead of winter. 

Now if you're from the city or just can't smell like ya used to, Bets the cow will be able to tell ya. She won't come out, simple as that and by the next day snow'll be up to your knees and Bets will look at you like she told you so.  

Hopefully she'll live that long, seems this disease ain't affecting the animals like it is us folks. Reckon we didn't pray hard enough or some preachy shit Gran would've said. Now if the cow ain't there to tell ya, the farm log will. Use yer head, you'll see the pattern even with the blasted greed fueled heat spikes. It's best to prepare for the worst. We've enough canned rations to last us a lifetime in the cellar but Emory and I are old as dirt, it won't last forever but as long as these hands can can, they'll can what he grows. 

Emory, my husband, says hello. Wants me to tell the "stranger" that's you I reckon, that the Great Gatsby is worth the read and that if ya find yourself with nothing to do, which ya will eventually, you should read it. 

Go on now, get back to surviving and be sure to dust my damn picture frames too. 

Yours truly,

Astrid & Emory. 

Pushy. You think to yourself but relish in the fact that old folks like to ramble, even in written form. Quick to explore the home to find the cellar doors in the fading short lived light of winter before realizing the age of the home. 

Shit, it's probably buried under a whole foot and a half of snow, you could exhume it now but you and twilight always seemed to have bad luck. 

It's when you've been raided most and almost bitten more times than you can count and after finding this place you don't wish to push your luck. Even if the undead were few and far between in bumfuck nowhere. 

Flipping open the cabinets in the kitchen you find a few manufactured canned meats. Fingers smoothing out the old label for any sign of denting or damage that could lead to botulism. Finding none makes you pop open the can to sit atop the old black wood stove, glass casting the room in a soft orange that rivals the sunset. It makes you pull the blinds closed in caution, not wanting any light to attract unwanted guests and when the wind howls you wrap tighter in one of the many blankets lying around. 

Three days pass and there is only so many times you can study the farm logs and widdle wood into pitiful shapes with your dull knife before you drive yourself mad. Still avoiding the books for now in some sort of spite or rebellion to God knows who before you're outside and bundled up. Shovel in hand as you scrape the metal spade all along the foundation of the house until you hear a satisfying tink. 

Your luck would be to start in the wrong direction and have to walk all the way back around the house just for the damn thing to be on the left side of the back porch instead of the right. Shoveling away the icy snow before coming across the wooden cellar doors. You wonder if you'll have to replace them soon but your curiosity of the future dies when you spy a combination padlock. Sucking your teeth pull a bobby pin from your hair, straightening it out and wiggling it between the rusting dials, scraping it around before feeling the soft give of the locking mechanism. You jab roughly and the lock pops open making you smile as if you hadn't picked anything ten times as hard. 

Taking the steps into the deep cellar where the air was cool yes but warmer than outside. As if it were deep enough in the Earth to stay a balmy fifty degrees even in summer heat. Flash light paints the darkness in harsh white when you spy a candle and a box of matches into an enclave built right into the old cobblestone. 

Once the fire flickers to life you switch your flashlight off, pocketing it as the candle washes the old glass jars and few metal cans aglow. 

Jarred jerky catches your eye first as you snatch for that, then a small jar of syrupy looking strawberries, as bright red as when they were first picked, making your mouth salivate. The place neatly organized and labeled, the metal cans of all of those beef stews that were upstairs despite there only being enough of those left to last through this winter. Even if you stretched them out with water. Finger following the shelf lining to try to find more sweet fruit coming across the word peaches under a layer of dust. 

Delight you look up, just to find the shelf empty and the sight of it makes you snarl. 

But at least you had your strawberries. 

They taste like late spring, like your childhood when you'd pick the berries at the local farm. How the sun beating down on your back made them taste that much sweeter in the field. A little reward paid by the sweat on your brow and the money your mother would toll out for the fresh fruit. 

Well, well worth the price. 

Spring is coming like her book says and you sweep and dust her house.

[c-t-r-l14]

Dontis Is Written So Amazingly Well.

It wasn’t a surprise when I found out he killed people. It was implied in the first episode we’ve seen him in that he did some things that he wasn’t proud of; and in the second episode, he even told the hunter that it was a shame he couldn’t get drunk, because there was some things things that he’d rather forget; even if it was for a little while. Him killing people in order to survive didn’t make him a bad person—and when you live a life as a being like Dontis or Xanthus—you will eventually get into situations where killing to survive or dying at the hands of your enemies will bring you an ultimatum.

What surprised me was that Dontis wasn’t always this wise and gentle.

Before this audio, I thought that he’d only kill out of necessity—that he’d exhaust all his other options first before he’d think about taking another person’s life. I thought that he’d always tried to help people out, make sure to protect the innocent when needed, and try to understand all the sides before he passes judgement onto other people. But that was never the case.

Dontis was once cruel. He had betrayed innocent people. Dontis was once selfish. He put other people in harms way so he could be able to live another day. He trusted no one, and was wary of the world. He wasn’t filled with faith, nor optimism, nor empathy, nor understanding.

He was not filled with love.

He did these things because in a world full of humans and supernaturals—one of them will try their hardest to be on top of the food chain. In this world, the strong survive, and the weak perish. In this world, it is kill or be killed. And as far as Dontis knew, there was no room for kindness or trust.

One of the things I really loved about this audio was that we were indirectly shown Dontis’ thought process when it came to him forgiving hunter listener for everything they have done. Before, he’d preach about how “all someone needs is a helping hand,” and, “sometimes, a little kindness goes a long way,” and while I do I agree with sentiment, I still couldn’t wrap my head around how exactly Dontis could be so forgiving to the people who had wronged him so badly. And now, because of this audio, I finally get it.

Dontis was in their place once, too.

He knows what it’s like to be filled with hate and spite; to drown in it and have it consume you—and rule your life. He knows what it’s like to take a life; he’s done horrible things too. The reason why he’s so forgiving is simply because he’s probably experienced what they’ve went through, too. And he feels like he can’t judge people because that’d simply make him a hypocrite—because he has done bad things, too. He had made terrible choices. Choices he will have to live with. Choices he will regret for the rest of his life. And when Dontis gives advice or comforts others, I get the strong feeling that he is trying to be the companion he wished he had during those first few decades of his life.

Another thing I really loved about this audio was how it showed that Hunter listener and Dontis are parallels of each other. Dontis was young, and full of spite and wariness. When he had met that Turkish woman, he really thought that she was going to be just like all the rest of the humans he’d met before her. He thought that she wouldn’t hesitate to sell him out if it meant saving her life—or that she’d use and abuse him, but that was never the case. She simply needed love. She simply wanted company. This woman single handedly showed Dontis that not every single human he was going to meet would bad person. And as ironic as it sounds, her actions made Dontis gain some humanity of his own.

When hunter listener finally caught and trapped Dontis, they were just like him when he was younger. They hated supernatural beings and killed them before even getting a chance to know them—simply because they knew WHAT they were without getting to know WHO they were. But, in a strange turn of events, it was Dontis who made them realize the truth. It was Dontis who helped them forget their pain for a little while; Dontis, who gave them a second chance at living a good life—free from all the violence and acts of terror they have committed. And it was Dontis who have given them a different perspective on the beings they have once despised and condemned.

The lady is to Dontis as Dontis is to the hunter.

I feel like Dontis’ story—all of the struggles, pain, and suffering he has went through in order to become the beautiful, loving, caring person he is today, really reminds people that compassion and empathy aren’t things you are born with; nor is hatred and spite. Those behaviors are learned and taught. And I have totally forgotten that—because up until today, I’ve only gotten to see the type of person Dontis has become, and never thought about the type of person he once was.

Saku’s mind—his ability to write characters with so much depth and development—is absolutely insane. And honestly, this audio makes me love and appreciate Dontis even more than before.

Masterlist

[azucarmorena97]

Just a Friend (BTS Reactions || Makne Line)

"Oh baby, you got what I need."- Biz Markie.

Everyone loves a friends to lovers trope- let's see what happens when you guys finally acknowledge the elephant in the room <3

Hyung Line ||

1.) Jimin (kind of a long one, sorry not sorry <3)

"Shot, shot, shot, SHOT!" The group cheers as Jimin throws back not one, not two, but three shots of tequila in one go. His cheeks are redder than they've ever been- dude is gonna be so wasted. He's never been one to shy away from a good time and tonight seems like an exceptionally fun night. "Slow down," You whisper, gently elbowing him in his side, "You're not indestructible, you know." "'Slow down', she says!" He yells out to the crowd, feigning a bummed out expression, to which everyone boos. You roll your eyes, "Fine, drink yourself stupid. I ain't holding your hair back when you're puking your guts out later." "Right," Namjoon says sarcastically. Of course you're bluffing, but it's still annoying that they detect it. "Oh, I know what we should do," Says a girl that you vaguely remember being a close friend of Yoongi, "Let's play truth or drink!" Most everyone cheers, except for a few people here and there who complain about you all being way too old for those games.

Everyone makes a circle around the living room, some sitting on armrests, some on the floor, some on the couches. One by one, everyone takes their turn- left and right, people are spilling their guts to the group, while others take drink. Then, it's Jimin's turn. He's definitely buzzed, but surprisingly, he seems alright- though the redness is ever-present across his nose and cheeks; you'd kill to get your makeup to look that perfect. "Alright Jimin," Namjoon narrows his eyes at him, a mischievous expession spread across his face, "Is there someone to whom you have not confessed your romantic attraction to?" You look over at Jimin; his expression is unreadable, though he doesn't seem caught off guard at all. You've known Jimin for well over a decade, as you met when you were just kids, and you've always had a pretty honest friendship. You assume he tells you everything, but evidently not. "Yes," He answers simply, one brow raising ever so slightly. The group rumbles, teasing him with ooh's and questions of who it could be. "Alright, next person-" Yoongi chimes in, seemingly trying to take the attention off of Jimin, though it's to no avail as Namjoon already has his hand up, motioning for him to stop talking, "Is she in the room with us right now?" The crowd goes silent. Jimin swallows hard, you even see his adam's apple bob. "Yes," He says, eyes locked with Namjoon's. You look around at all the girls in the room, examining each one to see if maybe you can spot her somehow. "Next person!" Namjoon cheers, seemingly satisfied with having put Jimin in the hot seat. The game continues, everyone's energy never wavering, the occasional explosion of cheers and laughter with every person's turn- though you can't put out of your head the exchange between the two drunk men. It's as though...Namjoon already knew the answer before he'd even asked.

It's two AM and the party's been over for about an hour, the last person having left about fifteen minutes ago and the guys all having gone back to their rooms- leaving just you and Jimin to clean up the mess in the living room. Well, Jimin is definitely trying his best to clean, as the drinks seem to finally be hitting him harder than they were earlier. "Remind me again why we throw parties," He huffs, shoving an empty can into a trash bag. "We?" You echo. "Hey, as long as you're willing to go to the store to by the cups and chips, that makes you an accomplice." He plops down onto the couch, leaning back and closing his eyes. "Is that right?" You ask, sitting down next to him. He smiles, eyes still closed. You stare at him for a moment, studying his delicate features; he's always been quite beautiful to look at. "Jimin," You say, gently tapping his chest. "Mm?" He asks, opening one eye to look at you. "What was that about earlier? With Namjoon?" He opens both eyes slowly, clearly deep in thought. It's not Jimin to be s quiet. He sits up slowly, positioning himself so that he's at the edge of the couch, "What about it?" His expression goes from cautious to 'confused' (though you know he knows very well what you're asking). "Why did 'Joon ask that?" "Well, I suppose...he was trying to get me to own up to some stuff." "Own up to...stuff? What stuff?" You ask. He bites his lip and then lets out a chuckle, "Are you serious, Y/N?" "What?" You tilt your head, feeling a bit like a dumbfounded puppy. "Y/n, he was asking about my feelings for you." You don't even know what to say. You're shocked. And also not. He stares back at you, his smile never fading. You can see it in him- a weight off his shoulders. "I'm pretty sure I've been in love with you since we were like 12," He laughs, "And for years I've told everyone except...you." "This is a sick joke," You hiss, incredulous to the idea that he could be telling you the truth. You've been ignoring your own feelings for years, and you thought it would never happen- how is it that now he's all of a sudden giving you a half-drunk confession? "You're drunk." He shakes his head, "I've never felt more sober in my life," He says, his smile softening, "Say it back." You're afraid to let the words escape your mouth, though you want nothing more than to echo it. "Y/n," He gets closer, reaching out to lift your chin up, "Say it back." In that moment, the fear slips away from you and in its place, warm takes over your entire body. He's never touched you like this before and it feels almost electric. "I love you too."

2.) Taehyung

 He's been here at your house since five in the morning and neither one of you has taken a single break. You both move from room to room, desperately scrubbing and sweeping trying to get everything ready for when your family comes to visit. If they saw the absolute squalor that you live in on a regular basis, they'd institutionalize you for sure. School's been rough and your mental health has taken a real beating- but he's been with you through it all. No questions asked...well actually, a lot of questions asked and some answers coaxed out of you with the promise of coffee and/or food. But he's been there nonetheless. A much needed constant in your life. He didn't even hesitate to jump to your aid when you said they'd be coming. You love that about him. In fact, you love a lot of things about him. How sweet and affectionate he is- even with his male friends. He's so expressive and his eyes- they're- "They're here!" He exclaims, quickly jumping up to put the mop and bucket in the closet. You snap back into reality and scramble after him to pick up any stray cleaning items. "Did- did we get everything!?" You say, panicked and disoriented. You need some damn sleep. You can hear the foot steps coming up the stairs and finally, the door bell. "You got this," he says, bringing you in for a quick, full body hug. You don't want him to ever let go. When your family comes to visit, you become...small. Inferior. They pick you apart and strip you to your bare bones- you can hardly stand it. You only put up with it because they're paying your college tuition, but if it weren't for that, you'd have axed them out of your life long ago. Tae keeps you grounded though, which is why you asked him to stay with you for dinner. As per usual, as soon as they walk in, they're looking around to find things to judge. The couch is old, the walls are too bare. You dressed down too much, didn't order enough food- at this point, you've grown accustomed to the seasonal evaluation. Tae just sits next you and squeezes your knee under the table to bring you back. Back to earth. Back to him. You can survive just a few more hours. Around 3PM, it's finally over. Just as swiftly as they arrived, they were back in their car and on their way to the hotel they'd booked. Lord forbid they stay in "that hell hole you call an apartment", as your mother so lovingly puts it. You're leaned up against the fridge as Tae washes dishes next to you. "I will be so glad when I'm out of school," you groan, letting you face fall in your hands. "Just a little longer, Y/n," He says, glancing over at you, "You've come this far and you're most of the way done." "I know, I know- I'm just so sick of them always making me feel bad about myself. It's like no matter what I do, they will never be just satisfied with me. Not what I do, not what I accomplish- but just me..." You turn to stare out the window across the kitchen, though your vision is already getting blurred with fresh tears, "Why am I so unloveable?" You whisper, your voice catching in your throat.

 "Hey, hey, hey-" He hushes you, shaking out his hands to get as many droplets off as possible before closing the distance between you, wrapping you up in his arms once more, though this time, you stay that way for a long while. You're able to fully breathe him in this time. You sob into his chest, relishing the embrace of the only person in this world who can make you feel this safe. Your sobs slowly calm down, and he finally lets you go. "You're not unloveable, Y/n. You're amazing. You're perfect-" He says, wiping your tears with the back of his hand, "You're everything to me. You don't need to be anything to anyone else- you're everything to me." You look up at him, your eyes connecting in a way they never have before. It's now or never. "Taehyung, I love you." "I love you too." He says, no hesitation, no long pause. "No- I- I like...LOVE love you." He nods, "I know what you're saying, Y/n," He leans forward, somehow towering over you even more than usual as he brings one arm to rest against the fridge, boxing you in ever so closely, and when he speaks again, his voice is a low hum, "I love you too."

3.) Jungkook

Get a grip. There's no way. There's no way. THERE IS NO FUCKING WAY.

About a month ago, you were sat at the kitchen table minding your own business, enjoying your daily coffee and toast; Jungkook had gone out for a run as he did every. single. morning. That day, it had been raining off and on for hours and Jungkook had decided to take his chances- of course, chance was not on his side as he'd come back soaking wet. "It's pouring out there, dude," He said breathlessly, slamming the back door behind him, his shoes squeaking against the tiles in the kitchen. "Duh," You said, barely even looking up, "You saw the weather forecast, you were practically begging for it." "Shut up," He says, only vaguely annoyed by your uncaring demeanor. He's used to it though. "Hey, don't get mad at me because you decided to make an-" Suddenly, he reaches down to grab the hem of his very wet t-shirt and swiftly lifts it up and over his head, revealing his entire torse, "-unwise decision." It was like every single muscle group was glistening and even under the shitty overhead lighting, he looked absolutely mouthwatering. MOUTHWATERING?

You immediately averted your eyes, your face feeling very hot all of a sudden. "Could you not strip in the middle of the kitchen, you whore?" "Why, am I leading you into temptation?" He quipped, walking over to the fridge to get a water bottle. "Don't flatter yourself," You feigned coolness but you could feel yourself getting fidgety. You attributed it to the coffee but you knew exactly why you were so affected. Again, that was about a month ago and you've been at war with yourself ever since, trying desperately to shove those thoughts to the way back of your mind...but every now and then, flashes of that day would replay in your mind. What's worse, you even started noticing little things that you hadn't before- the way his hair falls in his face and frames it so delicately, or the way his lips pout when he's thinking...the way he rests his hand on your calf when you watch a movie together, and his thumb rubs up and down ever so slightly. You've always loved Jungkook- he's been your best friend since high school. Of course, you did have a crush on him a long time ago but you thought you were desensitized to all of it over the years, especially after having become roommates- how is it just now resurfacing!? "Y/n," Jungkook walks over and gently tugs on your hair, trying to get your attention and also annoy you a tiny bit, "Let's go to the pool." You swat his hand away, "Right now? It's-" You check your watch, "It's closed. Been closed for over an hour." "So?" He asks, raising a brow at you, "Ever heard of hopping a fence?" "What are we, 15?" "Hey, if you're too chicken, I understand," He sighs, throwing his hands up. How is this working? "Fine." You give in rather quickly, running upstairs to go throw on a bathing suit and some shorts, frantically packing a back with two water bottles and some snacks. "What about your towel?" He asks, leaning against your bedrom door frame. You jump, not expecting him to be there, "Ever heard of knocking?" You ask. "Hey, tu casa es mi casa," He says cooly, "Ready?" "Ready."

You make the short walk to the community pool, the street lights guiding you all the way to the metal gates. "Ready?" He asks, a mischievous grin on his face. You roll your eyes, "You're a child." "What does that make you? My sitter?" You roll your eyes, "Just go." He reaches up to grab hold of the bars and then climbs over, barely breaking any sweat all. "How'd I do?" He asks smugly. "Solid 6/10," You say dryly, "Just open the door." He tries the door but it won't budge. "It won't open-" He says, furrowing his brows, "You're gonna have to climb." "Ugh, I knew it was gonna be some bullshit," You huff, "How do you always rope me into your schemes." "Oh shut up, grandma." He motions for you to toss the bag over, which you do. "Alright, come on." You sigh and do just as he did, grabbing hold of the bars and pulling yourself up- though you're nowhere near as agile as him and almost lose your grip and this fence is a cool 8 feet tall. You end up just kind of sitting on the top of the fence, both legs dangling forward, "Jungkook!" You cry out, afraid you'll fall. "I've got you-" He reaches out, "Let yourself go." "Jungkook, are you sure?" "Yeah, just let go" He reassures, reaching up to squeeze your thigh softly, "I'm right here." You nod, carefully sliding forward a bit. It surprises you how easily he's able to grab hold of your hips by wrapping both arms around them to lower your down the rest of the way himself. When you're finally on your feet again, you expect him to let you go right away, but instead, his hands linger on your waist. "'Kook?" You say softly, looking up at him. "Yeah?" He asks, looking down at you, lids low. You wonder if he can hear you heart pounding. "What are you doing?" "Nothing," He leans forward, "or Something." Your eyes close slowly, the moment you've been waiting for is finally here. He pulls you closer, both arms wrapping all the way around you waist, one of his hands clutching desperately at you back, like he just can't get close enough to you no matter how hard he tries. His mouth finally meets yours, a gentle pressure like you've never felt before, his lips parting slightly to give you entrance while simultaneously asking your for permission. How is this the first time you're doing this?

[theladystyx]

ONE PIECE SPOILERS!! ⚠️‼️

One thing about me is that I will gaslight myself if I don't like a storyline or am too heartbroken by it. What are you telling me? That law lost everyone close to him? That Corazon couldn't have enough dad-son time? That Luffy sacrificed more than a decade of his life for the only brother who he thought was alive for the brother to die anyway? That the world's greatest pirate crew disbanded to be left with the image of a family that they couldn't talk to for years because they had to go so deep underground and don't even know if all of them are well and alive? That Rayleigh now has to live without his one best friend and the man who was perhaps the dearest person to him who gave him a grand life and a purpose? That Tama will never meet her brother again even though he promised her he would come back? That Yamato’s only friend whom they only met for one night died while he couldn't do anything about it? That brook died while remaining alive and the only person alive after living through the deaths of his captain and his crew and being alone for about half a century he will probably outlive the straw hats as well and be the last living one again when though he hates being alone? That chopper who only wanted to help the only person who cared for him but ended up having a hand in killing him by giving him poison? That Robin ran for two whole decades since the age of eight and was an unwanted child since she was a toddler and being left with the burden of being the sole survivor of an island that simply was innocent? That buggy still hates Shanks even though they promised to sail together and never leave each other yet he still has to see Shanks make a name for himself and sail the seas and make a name for himself when they were supposed to do it together and now his issues are even more. And that Shanks despite not knowing what his fault was lost his friend that was supposed to last and still somehow can't let go? That sabo couldn't get to know the ace who loved Luffy so much more and who became a more gentle puppy rather than the beast with fangs when that was how he wanted Ace to be since the beginning and when he did know him Ace was already dead trying to protect the brother they were both meant to save together and now he blames himself all for it even though he didn't have any fault in it? And so much more…

Because my brain still believes that Law didn't lose anyone and that despite Corazon being alive he is still free of Doffy and Cora still got to raise his son. That Ace is still alive and that Luffy’s sacrifice was worth it in the end. That the Roger crew is still a family that meets up every few months and that somehow it doesn't hurt. That Ace wasn't hurt and that he would feel loved. Ace did come back to Wano with Luffy and made even more straw hats for Tama and now straw hats remind him of two of the dearest people in the world. That Yamato never lost Ace, never felt hopeless and that they met again and will meet again. That somehow Brooks's captain and crew didn't die, that he didn't have to live in constant hallucinations and dreams and that he wouldn't have to hurt all over again. That somehow chopper is okay and so is his father who is still waiting for his son to return after his great journey. That Robin didn't have to suffer, that she was loved. That buggy didn't have to go through it all alone and neither did Shanks. That Sabo wasn't taken away, and he knew and saw the Ace he wished to see for Ace. And that he doesn’t have to let the guilt eat through him because Ace never died and they protected their brother together and they are still brothers, separated by the seas but connected by their promise and the cup of sake they drank.

I knwo it's a great story, it's the grandest story I will ever live through yet my heart shatters every time for them.

So every time I'm too heartbroken i will be like this Luffy.

[bluecloudsandwhitesky]

Picture this:

Guillermo got on the train. After a long journey around the world, they stand on what was once Nandor’s homeland. True to his word, Nador has made Guillermo a vampire. Unfortunately, it’s as Nandor always knew it would be. Brief and fleeting bliss. A few nights waking up together in side by side coffins, and going for midnight flights by the pale moonlight. But all too soon Guillermo has to feed and it unravels just as Nandor knew it would. Guillermo is shaking on the ground by the river where he was turned. At this hour, one can hardly make out the red that he’s drenched in- it just looks like pure darkness covering his Guillermo. Vile evil staining his sweater, splotched against his soft face, matting his hair. Guillermo clutches the grass below him with one hand, holds the broken remnants of his glasses in the other and just sobs.

He should’ve checked, he should’ve made sure his first victim had no family. He didn’t know the man was a father and worse- oh gawd- his son was just in the next room. How much did he see? what could he hear from the other room? Does he have a mother? Will he have to explain to her the impossible tragedy that just befell them? Or worse- is he all alone now? Did Guillermo take the only person in the world that mattered to this little boy?

Nandor isn’t new to making orphans but he is overcome with grief as he stares at the shaking mass at his feet. Surely, Guillermo must loathe him now. Surely now Guillermo understands vampirism is a curse, and Nandor cursed him. Over a decade of loyalty and friendship and he is repaid in death and darkness.

Nandor places a stake by Guillermo, who has paused his sobbing to look up in confusion. Nandor explains that Guillermo can reclaim his humanity and how. He says he won’t put up a fight, just be quick about it. Nandor kneels facing the river so he misses the sheer offence that washes over Guillermos face. Guillermo rises, and tosses the stake into the water. They’re yelling at each other now. Nandor knows Guillermo won’t be able to kill a human again. He tells him as much, and tells him it’s okay- to give into that Van Helsing blood one last time- it’s the only way forward.

Guillermo admits to not being able to feed again, and knowing he can’t go on without blood but he refuses to exchange Nandor’s life for his humanity. Nandor asks just what he plans to do then? Let the hunger gnaw at him until he loses control? Guillermo doesn’t answer and instead glances towards the sky. The sun is just starting to rise.

No. Nandor instantly knows what Guillermo has planned for himself and his entire being rejects it. His body moves faster than his mind and soon the two are tussling along the field. Both trying to push the other inside, to the shadows, to safety. Nandor doesn’t hold back, using his every experience as a warrior, fighting him as he would when he was a man. But Guillermo isn’t human anymore and he was already so freakishly strong. They, to both their dismay, are evenly matched. They are panting as the sun is crawling higher. Devastation washes over with the knowledge that they can’t stop the other.

Nandor moves to sit by the edge of the river. He dips his feet into the water and pats the ground beside him. Guillermo is there instantly. He doesn’t look at Nandor. His face is glued to the sky as he reaches to take Nandor’s hand in his. Nandor grieves the heartbeat missing from Guillermo’s palm, but the strength of his hold breathes life into him one last time.

Nandor takes in the smell of the river, he lets the memories of his days in the sun consume him. He squeezes the hand in his and rubs circles into it with his thumb. He looks at the pink painted sky colouring his homeland. Its a better ending than he knows he deserves. Mercifully, the sunlight reaches him first. For a second, it’s gentle and warm.

[thebiggerbear]

Tom Hanniger x Reader - Prompt Response - "I hate you." "You have a weird way of showing that."

Summary: You went to visit Tom in the mines for a little Valentine's Day fun. Who knew that one decision would lead to everything that's happened? Will you be able to help Tom or will he be lost to you forever?

Pairing: Tom Hanniger x Female!Reader; Tom Hanniger x Sarah Mercer; implied past Deputy Martin x Female!Reader

A/N: Prompt from @creativepromptsforwriting (#941). This was so much fun to write. I just love this character and there is so much to explore with him. I also really love the dynamic between him and the reader in this one. Hope it came out alright.

I decided to give Deputy Martin a name. He deserves one. Also, I loved Tom and Sarah at the beginning of the movie. I had actually been hoping Sarah would leave Axel and be with Tom again until it was revealed that he was the one doing the killings. That grocery store scene when they see each other again for the first time after a decade...it broke my heart in the best way. Jensen and Jaime did a great job (Kerr too though I hated his character the entire time lol). So I kind of feel a little guilty here but I had to throw in the Sarah factor; not trying to crap on their relationship, I promise.

I tried my best do my research and be respectful in regards to DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) but also keep this a few years post-movie (2009) while also staying within the context the movie provided but also explore a bit, if that makes sense. Please note I do not work in the psychiatry, psychology, or medical fields. If I got anything appallingly incorrect about this disorder, its symptoms, its treaments, anything, please let me know. Also, I think it goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyway), not every single person who has been diagnosed with DID is violent or a threat to others nor are their alters violent or a threat to others. Obviously, this is just a work of fanfiction based on a fictional story where the main character had an alter that was violent and a threat to everyone. No harm or disrespect is intended with this fanfiction at all.

There is a note at the end.

This takes place pre-movie, all throughout it, and post-movie.

Unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine.

Warnings: violence; description of injuries; blood; sex (smut-light); angst; mentions of murder; semi-hostage situation; threats of harm/murder; psychiatric hospital treatment (I'm not sure if that's an actual warning or if it should be but I'm putting it in case)

Sidenote: I'm sure we all know this but I'm putting here in case anyway: if you ever go into any mines or similar underground structure, please always wear your hardhat and do what your guides/experts tell you/follow the rules to stay safe.

Word Count: 11k+

Tom Taglist: @heartlessdelusions; @nancymcl

"I hate you." "You have a weird way of showing that."

Soldier Boy version | Beau version | Dean version | Jenny version | Jason version | CJ version | Rachel version | Anael version | SDV Leah version | Alec version

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You pulled up outside of Tunnel 5 in your car, your friends laughing and cheering as you parked. You weren’t as excited to be here but they managed to talk you into it. 

A Valentine’s Day party was happening in Tunnel 5 and most people your age were going to be there. Why they had decided on a tunnel in the Hanniger mines as the primo party spot you had no idea. If there was one thing you had learned in your life so far, people were weird and most college-aged kids would party wherever, whenever. Especially in a small town like this one.

You got out of the car, heading towards the trunk, ignoring the dibs your friend Destiny was calling on every hot single guy to your other two friends, Carina and Taylor. You handed six packs of beer out to each of them before grabbing the last one and shutting the trunk lid.

“You okay, Y/N?”

You glanced up to find Carina watching you while Destiny and Taylor were waiting impatiently to get to the party. You forced a smile. “Yeah, I’m okay, Rina. Promise.” She knew how hard this might be for you and you appreciated her checking in with you. She returned your smile and turned to follow your two other friends, with you close behind her. 

You passed a few cars until a familiar tall figure entered your vision, sans his usual ball cap. You watched as Tom Hanniger opened the back door of his truck, searching for something. You moved a little closer to Carina and discreetly handed her your six-pack. “I’ll catch up,” you whispered.

She glanced over to where you were staring and gave you a look. “Y/N…”

“I’ll be fine, Rina. You go ahead. I’ll catch up with you guys in a few.”

She seemed uncertain but nodded, doing as you asked. You watched her hurry to catch up to Destiny and Taylor, and then you turned your attention back on Tom. You waited for two people to pass by before you made your way over to him.

He had a six-pack in his hand but he was standing stock still, almost as if he was lost in thought. You then watched as he put the beer back down, holding a hand to the side of his car, and you could tell he was taking a deep breath. Your heart broke for him a little. This couldn’t be easy for him, being here, and being back here especially. You wondered what had prompted him to come here and then you realized, your heart breaking a little further: Sarah.

You pressed your lips together and decided to get this over with. “Hey, Tom,” you called softly.

He spun around, surprised to see you. “Y/N…hey.”

You took him in and you hoped your pain wasn’t showing through. He looked good for the most part, still handsome, still tall and statuesque, his figure being cut from playing football. The only difference you could make out was the nerves that were plain as day though he tried to hide them from you. “How are you?”

He shrugged. “I’m doing alright, I guess. How about you? I hear congratulations are in order. You got into med school. I always knew you would.”

“Thanks,” you whispered. You had worked hard in school, filled up your interim semesters with classes to help you get closer to graduation, studied like hell for the MCAT, and got into the med school of your choice — well, one of them — just like you’d been hoping for the longest time. “Are you here alone?”

“No, uh, I’m here with…” He gestured back towards the tunnel.

“Sarah,” you supplied.

“Yeah.” You could see some of his discomfort showing through. “Sarah.”

You attempted a smile. “That’s good.”

He nodded but didn’t say anything, just kept his eyes trained on the hat in his hand.

You wished things weren’t so awkward now between you. They never used to be.

“I’m sorry,” he breathed, his eyes lifting to yours. “For how things turned out. I never meant— I never meant for any of this to happen.” You could see the regret in them, an echo of some of your own regret.

“I know,” you whispered, your eyes burning at the corners. “I’m sorry, too.”

And you really were. Perhaps if you had been a better girlfriend a year ago — a better person even — you both wouldn’t be here now, feeling as if the blood on your hands would never wash away.

It was Valentine’s Day and you knew Tom was working in the mines all day. He still promised to take you out afterwards, once he’d gotten a chance to shower and clean up. You were looking forward to it.

You had no idea when the thought popped into your head but once it did, it took root and stayed there. Until you found yourself visiting him at the mines. Of course, you’d gotten a lot of dirty and suspicious looks as you dressed in a miner’s uniform and plopped a hard hat on your head (it was the rules). Some guy you forgot the name of the second you’d been introduced to took you down in a cart. While you weren’t crazy about going further underground, you told yourself that once you were with Tom, you would be safe. And it would all be worth it once he saw the present you had for him. 

You got to your stop, the guy called for Tom to come down and mentioned he had a visitor, and not too long after, Tom appeared. You grinned at him when you saw the look of surprise on your boyfriend’s face. 

“What the— What the hell are you doing here, sweetheart?”

“Surprise!” You hugged him as fiercely as you could with his equipment on him. 

He shook his head, smiling as he took in your outfit. “You came all the way down here just to surprise me?”

“Of course I did.”

“But sweetheart, it’s not safe.”

“Don’t tell me that, Tom. I worry about you enough being down here as it is. And don’t worry, I won’t be long.” You smirked up at him and he immediately got your meaning. 

He uncomfortably cleared his throat. “I can take it from here, Fred. I’ll call a cart down when she’s ready to go back up or you if you’re still around. Thanks.”

Fred shook his head, most likely knowing what you two were up to. “I’ll be over in 3 if you need me,” he gruffed out. You both watched as the cart disappeared down the shaft.

“Sweetheart, you really shouldn’t have come down. It’s not safe,” Tom told you but you could feel his hand resting on the seat of your uniform. 

“I have a surprise for you.”

“A surprise?” He smiled. “What kind of surprise?” 

“You’ll see,” you teased. “Is there somewhere we can go?”

He glanced around quickly before taking your hand. “Yeah, there’s a place. Come on.” He led you back up the shaft a little ways and into a pocket, hidden from view. He whisked off his hard hat and yours before eagerly pulling you to him, making you giggle into his mouth. 

“I’ve never had a girl visit me at the mines before,” he murmured, kissing your jaw. 

“And you better never have any girl other than me coming to see you.” You playfully poked his chest in warning.

“No other girl for me,” he whispered to your lips before kissing you again. “You’re it. Always.”

“Awww.” You began to unzip your uniform, wanting to give him his present already. Something sweet like that deserved a reward. 

He pulled back to help you and once the top half was off, his brows drew together in mock confusion. “My surprise is your jogging sweats? I really appreciate the thought, sweetheart, but you could’ve given that to me later tonight and not risked coming down here.”

You swatted at his shoulder, making him snicker, as you slowly unzipped your top half. His eyes followed the trail of the zipper and they widened when you opened the shirt and pushed it back to your shoulders. You smirked, seeing his reaction. He wasn’t laughing or making fun now.

Underneath your sweats, you wore new lingerie you had bought just for this moment. It was a red and white lacy bra that had hearts all over it, ending in a cut-out heart design over your breasts, with a little bow holding it altogether. “You like?”

“I like.” He trailed a finger along the edge of the cut-out heart. “I like it a lot.” He twirled the ribbon over his finger, smirking over at you. “Do I get to unwrap you?” He teased.

You shrugged. “It is your present. Don’t forget about the bottom half, too.” You pushed down your uniform and sweats to reveal similar looking underwear. “But the tie’s at the back.” You leaned forward slightly so he could see. He grinned as he ran a hand over the cut-out heart shape back there, tugging at the ribbon playfully. “So you like your surprise?”

“I love my surprise.” He kissed you as he untied the underwear and let them fall forward into his waiting hand. He stuck them into the pocket of his mining uniform and you felt him begin to touch you in the way he knew you liked. He groaned into your mouth when he felt you. “You’re all ready for me.”

“Of course,” you hummed. “I never half-ass a present.”

He brought his hand down on your bare ass cheek in a slap, making you squeal, and squeezed it. “No, you do not.” He stuck his tongue back into your mouth and you worked to get his uniform unzipped and off of him. He had untied your bra and he broke away from you to take one of your nipples into his mouth. You gasped and arched your head back, your fingers gripping the back of his hair to hold him to you. You let out a moan while he nibbled away at you. He had you on the edge already and he’d barely touched you.

You pulled him back up to you, kissing him deeply, as you started working on his belt. You had just worked his jeans down enough so you could pull him out to stroke him when his hand stopped you. “Sweetheart, wait, wait.”

You pouted. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t have a condom.”

You smirked. “Is that all?”

“Is that all? Uh, yeah, and that’s a problem. My wallet’s in my locker up top. I know we usually just…you know, if we don’t have them, but uh, I’m not going to lie, I really want to enjoy my present right now,” he ended with a nervous laugh. “Every inch of it.” He slapped your ass cheek again and leaned forward, nipping at your breast before kissing the sting away.

“Well, then it’s your lucky day that I’m the world's most amazing girlfriend, Tom Hanniger.” You reached into the pocket of your jacket and pulled out two condoms, holding them up in front of his face. 

He glanced up at you in awe. “You really are.” He snatched the condoms from you, putting one into his pocket and opening the other. You leaned in and kissed the spot underneath his ear while he got ready for you. “I told you,” you murmured. “I never half-ass a present. Happy Valentine’s Day, baby.”

He turned to look at you, holding you steady as he made sure your uniform was covering your back. He began to slip into you and you both groaned by the time he bottomed out, he was a few inches above your lips, smiling. “Happy Valentine’s Day, sweetheart.” He then kissed you and began to give you what you both wanted.

It was quick, hurried, frenzied even. As much as you loved each other, this wasn’t the time or place to take your time. You both could be caught at any moment, it was dangerous like Tom said… You could take your time with each other later. 

Tom had to cover your mouth when you came and you’d had to cover his when he crossed the finish line. You’d felt every grunt sound he made against your palm and it only turned you on more. You almost wished you had forgotten the condoms but you knew Tom wouldn’t be deep inside you right now if you had. Tom was adamant about protection, just like you were, but you loved him and trusted him. Plus, you had been on the pill for years but you knew Eli Hanniger had drilled it into his son’s head to always cover it up unless he wanted some girl to put him in a position someday where he’d be trapped into a marriage and forced to share half his money. You tried not to take it too personally when Eli had looked over at you after that little nugget of his own brand of wisdom on one of the many nights Tom had to pick his drunken dad up from the local bar. 

Eli couldn’t have been more wrong. You loved Tom but you also had your own goals in life that you didn’t want deterred by parenthood earlier than expected. Not to mention, Tom could be the poorest guy in town and you would still love him and want to be with him. You’d loved Tom since you were five, ever since he’d seen you crying because all of the markers were gone in kindergarten class and everyone was making a picture but you. He came over to give you the red one he’d been using with a cute smile that was meant to reassure you. You’d smiled back at him, sniffling, your face wet, as you both worked together to make a picture. You’d been close ever since. 

Once you were in high school, things changed between you. You’d had to watch as he dated girl after girl until finally junior year came. You changed up your look a little, didn’t have your nose stuck in a book every other minute, and the guys began to slowly take notice of you. Tom had been jealous when you told him you were going on a date with one of his teammates. You two had been arguing in his car when he leaned over and kissed you out of the blue. Needless to say, you had canceled that date and Tom stopped hooking up with one of the cheerleaders he’d been casually seeing at the time.

You both were happy. You both attended the same university and you spent the holidays together with your families. Well, you and Tom spent the holidays with your family; Eli wanted no part of it. It was almost as if because you weren’t a mining family or a well-off family, you weren’t good enough for him to bother gracing you with his presence at your dinner table. Just like you weren’t good enough to be dating his son, unlike Sarah Mercer whose parents owned the grocery store in town. That was who Eli kept pushing Tom towards but Tom told his dad he didn’t have eyes for anyone but you. He loved you and someday, he wanted to marry you. Your heart warmed when you overheard him say that. Which immediately hardened when you heard his dad then say “You’re a fool. That girl just wants your money! Sarah’s an actually decent hard-working girl. You’d be better off with her than that other one.” Tom didn’t say anything else and you had gone back to the book you were reading, pretending to be caught up in it, when he came out, hurrying to take your hand and get out of there. You never let on that you’d heard what he said…and what he didn’t say. 

And you may have taken the initiative to show him how much you loved him and wanted to keep you with him. Which is why you had risked coming down here to have semi-public sex in a dangerous mine, wearing a lingerie set you would usually never be caught dead in. You had already planned to go all out that evening once you made it to the hotel room you’d reserved in town, but you also wanted to give him something to remember, something he’d never ever forget. Now, you would always be in his mind, having made your mark, no matter what might happen with your relationship. You just hoped you made a mark on his heart, too, at some point while you’d been together, and that he didn’t let his dad’s obvious prejudice against you and your family sway him away from you.

Tom’s head dropped to your shoulder as he attempted to come down from his high, trying to catch his breath. You kissed the side of his head, not caring about the damp sweat or coal mine smell coming off of him. You leaned your head up next to his ear. “I love you, Tom. I’ll love you forever,” you whispered. You knew he heard you when he squeezed you, still panting harshly against your skin.

“Always,” he whispered back to you.

You hugged him tightly then.

A little while later, you were both redressed, hardhats back on your heads as you waited for Fred to arrive with the cart to take you back up top. Tom had called Tunnel 3 to ask him to come back for you. He had his arms around you from behind and he was smiling down at you. “Thank you for my present,” he murmured. Unable to really kiss you or nuzzle you thanks to the hardhats, he pressed a kiss to your shoulder and tightened his arms around you. 

“I’ve got another one for later.”

He turned to look at you quizzically which then turned into a glimmer of hope.

You couldn’t help but laugh. “I bought another set. Deep red and more ribbons.” You wiggled an eyebrow playfully at him.

“I fucking love you.” His smile was bright as he carefully leaned in to kiss your neck, making you giggle. 

“Hey, lovebirds!” You both looked up to see Fred turning the corner a little further down the shaft, having a clear view of the two of you. “Break it up! I haven’t had my lunch yet and I don’t want it spoiled!”

Tom rolled his eyes but let you go. “Ha ha, Fred. Very funny.” 

Fred came to a stop in front of you, scowling at both of you. “Time to go.”

You hugged Tom quickly and then climbed into the cart. He had his hands out around you, ready to assist you if need be. Once you were settled inside, Tom hurriedly took his hat off and leaned in to kiss you. 

“Hey, hey! Put your hat back on, Tom! Don’t be even more of an idiot! This whole thing could come down at any time, you know.”

Tom kept peppering your lips with kisses, making you laugh and him smile, before he finally heeded Fred’s warning. He straightened up and slipped his hardhat back on, grabbing your hand and kissing it. “Take care of my girl, Fred. Get her back safe.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Fred muttered and started up the cart. 

Tom walked beside you, still holding your hand. “I can’t wait for later.”

You smirked. “I know you can’t.”

His cheeks darkened a little and he gave you a sheepish smile, letting out a laugh. “That, too, but I was talking about our date. I think you’re really going to love the place I picked out for us.”

Your smirk melted into a genuine smile. “I know I will because I love anything that comes from you.” You heard Fred snort next to you but you couldn’t care less. So what if you were being cheesy? It was Valentine’s Day and you meant what you said.

Tom’s smile grew and you could see it reaching his eyes. “I love you.” You both noticed you were about to make a turn that he couldn’t follow you down. He kissed your hand one more time and let you go. “See you tonight.”

“See you then. I love you, too,” you called back to him. You watched as he got further and further away, the last thing you saw being him holding his hand up in a wave as he smiled. You waved back before the cart completed the turn and he completely disappeared from your view. 

The date didn’t end up happening due to the collapse that happened later. Word of it spread fast once it happened and even though you knew Tom should be home by then, you still worried. Thankfully, he returned your call ten minutes later and told you what happened. You rushed right over to be with him, all plans for the night forgotten, though Eli was less than pleased. Apparently, word of your visit had spread around the mines well before you had made it to the top. 

“That girl is a problem!” Eli yelled. “She’s reckless! And now she’s made you reckless!”

Tom let go of your hand and jumped to his feet. “Don’t talk about her like that!”

You got up and hugged Tom’s arm, rubbing his shoulder soothingly. “Shhh,” you murmured. “Don’t. It’s not worth it. Okay?”

Eli didn’t like seeing that. His face got red and he was louder than before. “It’s like I’ve been telling you! That girl is only after one thing and that’s your money! When are you going to wake up, start using the other brain God gave you, and see it for yourself?” He threw his glass of Scotch at the wall, making you wince at the shattering sound, and left in a huff.

Tom went to follow him, to yell back at him, but you kept him there. “Don’t worry about it. It’s fine. He’s upset. Here, sit with me.” Tom did as you urged and you rested your chin on his shoulder. “Do you want to talk about it?”

He glanced over at you, his eyes glassy. “I think I really fucked up, Y/N.”

“What do you mean?”

“After you left, I went back to work. I was in the cage, adjusting my gear, when the condom and your underwear fell out. I forgot I had them. I picked them up as fast as I could and stuffed them back in but Harry Warden saw.” He shook his head. “He gave me a hard time about doing my job and I told him I had it, I knew what I was doing. They now think he’s one of the miners trapped. He’s unaccounted for.” He compulsively swallowed and turned to look at you, a tear rolling down his cheek. “I forgot to bleed the lines,” he whispered.

Your eyes couldn’t get any wider if they tried. You reached out to wipe his tear away as you tried to rein in your reaction. 

“I was thinking about our date tonight, about you, and I got distracted. I forgot to do the one thing I’m supposed to do every day before I leave. This collapse happened because of me,” he choked out before breaking down. You pulled him into you, holding him and shushing him, whispering reassurances to him. All while the heavy truth settled down around you and began to constrict your chest. It wasn’t Tom’s fault; it was yours.

It didn’t surprise you one bit a few weeks later when Tom broke up with you. He explained it as there was a lot happening, he was being blamed for the murders of the other miners that Harry committed, and his dad told him he just needed to continue working and keep his head down. No distractions. Which meant no more you, though Tom never actually said it but you knew that’s what he was implying Eli had told him.

It broke your heart when he broke it off between you but you understood. Tom had basically become a pariah overnight. Once he admitted to the investigators that he forgot to bleed the lines, the town he’d lived in his whole life turned against him. Harry may have done the actual killing, but it was Tom who’d put Harry in that position in the first place, or so they’d said. Some folks even gave you dirty looks in town as well but it was nothing compared to how Tom was treated. While you loved him and wanted to stay together, you could understand if he needed some space. You let him go with a hug, telling him you were still around if he needed a friendly ear, trying your best not to let any tears fall so you wouldn’t make him feel worse. His jaw had clenched but he nodded, choked out a “Thanks”, and walked to his car. You watched as he left, remembering back to the image of him getting further and further away from the mine cart you were in. Once he disappeared down the street, you finally let out the tears you’d been holding onto. A sob tore its way out of your throat when you remembered he had held up his hand in a wave, smiling, while you smiled and waved back. Because all you could think about was what you thought in that moment: Let this be the last time we separate like this. 

And as luck and Eli Hanniger would have it, in the next month or so, rumors spread that Tom Hanniger was now dating Sarah Mercer. You didn’t want to believe them, to believe that he’d finally pushed you aside for one of the girls you’d both grown up with who always had a gooey-eyed expression for Tom, the girl his father had wanted him to date in the first place. You didn’t want to believe that he would be so quick to throw away what the two of you had just to make his father happy. But deep down, you knew it was true. Tom had always wanted to get his father’s approval and he always had a soft spot for Sarah so why wouldn’t it be true? You could even understand a little, considering what had happened and Tom was in the hot seat with every resident of Harmony, thanks to you. But it still hurt like hell. You still loved him enough, though, to hope that he was happy. 

You pushed those thoughts out of your head. No use in continuing to blame yourself now. It didn’t change anything. “Are you okay…being here?”

He seemed a little caught off guard at the change of subject but then he glanced back at the tunnel entrance. “Yeah.” He turned back to you. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

You nodded and dropped your gaze to the ground, not sure what else to say. 

“Did you bring your hardhat this time?”

Your head snapped up and he was giving you half a smile, his eyes having that familiar teasing gleam in them. You couldn’t help but smile back, appreciating the attempt at levity and familiarity. “Did you?”

He snickered and shook his head, biting at his lip.

You chuckled and took a step closer. “How are you really, Tom?”

His smile faded. “Better.” He then briefly dropped his eyes. “Sarah. She helps.”

Your smile dropped altogether and you could feel that stinging sensation in your eyes again. “Oh.” You bit the inside of your cheek to keep tears from welling up. You didn’t even know what to say to that. “I’m glad, I guess.”

His expression fell and he took a step closer. “I didn’t mean—”

You took a step backwards, your hand up. “It’s okay. Really. I’m happy that she’s able to do that for you.” You took a breath. “I should go. Rina and the girls are waiting on me, so… Good to see you, Tom. I’m glad you’re doing well.” You gave him a wan smile and turned to leave.

“Y/N, wait. Y/N.”

You continued walking, eager to put some distance between you two until you could rein in your emotions. While Tom and Sarah might go off in their own section of the mine, you also might have to see them together. And you needed to prepare for that, especially with your last memories of the time you were here and all that occurred after. 

You were halfway to the entrance when you heard a scream. You stopped short, wondering if it had just been someone fooling around and having fun though it sounded terrified. You heard it again and before you knew it, people were running out of the tunnel at a fast speed, hurrying to their cars. “Oh no,” you gasped when you realized something was wrong, thinking another collapse must have happened. “Rina.” 

You were just about to run towards the tunnel when a strong hand gripped your arm, whipping you around to face Tom. “I don’t know what this is,” he said. “But get out of here. Go back to your car and get the hell away. As fast as you can.”

“What? No! I can’t leave! Rina, Taylor, and Destiny are in there! We came together!”

He framed your face with his hands. “Y/N, listen to me. You need to go. It could be another collapse.” He released you and urged you to go.

“No! I told you, I—”

Just then there were more screams as more people ran out. Tom turned back to you. “I have to go get Sarah. Run back to your car, Y/N! Do the same as these people! I’ll catch up with you later!”

Your eyes widened. “What? No, Tom! If you’re telling me not to go in, you’re not going, either!”

He went to answer you when a guy running past you yelled, “There’s some crazy guy in there killing everybody! Run!”

You and Tom glanced at one another, both shocked. Neither of you knew who the guy was talking about or why this was happening. But that didn’t matter. Screw holding your tears back. “Tom,” you sobbed. “I can’t lose you, okay? I know you want to go save Sarah but she’s probably hiding somewhere with Rina and the girls and they’ll be safe, okay?” You knew that probably wasn’t the case and it was wrong of you not to let him run in to help but you were terrified of losing him. “Please, don’t go in! Please!”

“I’ve got to go! I’ve got to get her! I’m sorry!” He yanked his arm out of your grip and turned to leave.

“I’m going, too! I can help!” 

You didn’t make it two feet until you were picked up and placed back down in front of Tom who was ducking his head to look you in the eye. “I can’t lose you, either, okay? I need to know you’re safe. Please, sweetheart, go get in your car and drive out of here.” He picked up a flashlight someone had dropped while running. “I’m going to get Sarah and get out of here myself. If I see Rina and the others, I’ll grab them, too. I’ll meet you at the hospital. There’s probably going to be a lot of people who need help.”

“That’s why I should stay. I may be pre-med but I can—”

He huffed out a breath and leaned down to kiss you. As he had probably planned, it stunned you. He placed his forehead against yours. “Go, baby,” he murmured. “To the hospital. We’ll be right behind you.”

Before you could say anything else, he hightailed it down to the tunnel, running past people who were still spilling out of the entrance but in fewer and fewer numbers. The last thing you saw was him disappearing inside before you turned and ran back to your car. You didn’t feel right leaving, especially with your friends and Tom still in the tunnel, but you would do as he asked. You’d already selfishly distracted him once; you wouldn’t do so again.     

<-->

You rang the bell of the Hanniger household for the third time, feeling impatience and worry gnawing at you. 

You shouldn’t have been surprised when a swaying Eli finally opened the door or that it was only 1:00 in the afternoon yet he was this inebriated. If he were a better man — a better father even — you might feel sorry for him. His mines weren’t doing too well these days. 

“What do you want?” He slurred out.

You lifted your chin. “I’m here to see your son.”

He snorted. “You mean my fuckup of a son?” He held the door wider in invitation.

You stepped in before he could change his mind. “No, your son. Not his fuckup of a father,” you spat before storming off to find Tom. 

“Sure, come into my house and talk to me like that! You kids have no goddamn respect these days!” He yelled.

You spun around and yelled back, “Go and get another drink, Eli! That’s all you care about anyway!”

“You little bitch!”

You ignored him and ran upstairs to Tom’s room. You found the door closed and you gently knocked. “Tom?”

No answer. 

You knocked again. “Tom, it’s me.” You briefly closed your eyes, remembering things were different than they had been the last time you were here. “Y/N.”

A moment later, Tom opened the door and stood there. He did not look well. He had deep, dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn’t slept since what happened. His face was drawn, pale, and it was obvious he hadn’t shaved for a bit. His hair looked as if he had just recently run his fingers through it. He was in a hoodie, sweat pants, and socks. It was hard to tell in this light but it looked like he had lost a little weight.

“Hey.” His voice sounded rough, as if he either hadn’t been using it for a while or he had been yelling and near losing it. You hoped it was the former. If it was the latter, then that could mean possible night terrors and you didn’t want that for him. 

“Hey. Is it okay if I come in?”

He nodded and walked away, leaving the door open. After you closed it behind you, you noticed he was trying to cover the messy bed with the blanket. You noticed a stale smell, as if a window hadn’t been opened in some time, and you spied dirty plates spotting the landscape of his room. You also took note of a half-empty bottle of liquor on his desk. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting company.”

“That’s okay. Don’t worry about it” You laid a tentative hand on his back as he moved and was pleased to see him not immediately shirk it off. After what happened with Harry Warden in the tunnel, for a while he hadn’t wanted anyone touching him. “I just came to see how you’re doing.”

“Not great,” he muttered, turning to sit on his bed. You took a seat next to him, waiting for him to elaborate. “I don’t know what to do, Y/N,” he eventually confessed. “I see him everywhere. I see him when I sleep, I see him when I’m awake. I see him everywhere I go, no matter who’s around, night or day. I don’t know what to do.”

Harry had woken from his coma that night and gone on a killing spree. First at the hospital and then at the mines. Right to the Valentine’s Day party that was being thrown. He didn’t care who he came across, Harry killed them one by one. Sadly, Destiny and Taylor hadn’t made it. Rina had; she was injured but she’d survived. Sarah, Axel, and Irene made it, too, though they were traumatized. They were all traumatized, just like Tom. Tom, who had gone back for Sarah, urged her to run out of there with Axel, and had nearly gotten killed for it. When you thought about how close you came to losing him… You really didn’t want to think about it.

You carefully placed a hand on his bicep and when he didn’t tense, you rubbed your thumb back and forth soothingly. “Have you given any more thought to seeing someone…and talking about it?”

He pulled away from you and ran a hand down his face. “They’re just going to think I’m crazy and want to throw me on meds.”

“Maybe not,” you whispered. “You’ve been traumatized, Tom. They might give you medication to help you sleep but trauma isn’t something that has a magic cure all. I’m not a doctor but I would think that they’ll probably recommend therapy. I mean, is Harry…talking to you when you see him?”

“No, Y/N, I’m not hearing voices in my head if that’s what  you’re asking,” he snapped before getting up and walking away.

“Tom, that’s not what I— I’m sorry, I know you’re not hearing voices. I was only trying to make you feel better by ruling it out. That’s all.”

He shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. He glanced down at you, his jaw tight. “I’m glad you came here today. You should know, I’ve decided to leave town.”

You were immediately on your feet. “And go where?”

He shrugged. “Wherever that isn’t here.” He moved over to the bed and threw off one corner of the blanket to reveal a bag he had been packing. “I can’t stay here, Y/N. It’s too much. Maybe if I can get far enough away…”

“He won’t follow you,” you finished, still staring at the half-packed bag. You almost had to wonder if he would have told you if you hadn’t shown up today. He hid the bag from you for a reason; he knew you wouldn’t want him to leave.

You should’ve known it was coming to this or Tom would have a full on breakdown. First, he broke up with Sarah. Then he withdrew from the public altogether. Now, he was holed up in his room, never leaving it, and repeatedly being terrified and thus re-traumatized each time he saw Harry. Something had to give; he needed to get out of here. 

You felt a lump forming in your throat at the idea of him leaving but you swallowed it back down just as fast. This wasn’t about you. If this was what Tom needed, you would support him. You met his gaze. “Will you call me once you get to where you’re going? Just so I know you made it safely and that you’re okay?”

His eyes softened and he came towards you, cupping your face. “You’ve always understood me. Better than anyone else in this goddamn town.” You noticed he didn’t answer your question and you had a feeling that he planned to leave permanently, never looking back. This time, you couldn’t prevent the lump from forming in your throat or the tears building in your eyes.

“Are you going to be okay?” You nearly winced at the breaks in your voice.

“I will be,” he whispered before pulling you into him and pressing a kiss to the side of your head. Sighing into your ear, he hugged you tightly. “I will be.”

You burrowed into him further, whispering against his shirt, “I love you, Tom. I’ll love you forever.”

You knew he heard you when he murmured back to you, “I love you, too, sweetheart. Always will.” You could hear the breaks in his own voice but still, you smiled. As painful as this was going to be, as heartbreaking as it was, Tom still loved you, just as much as you loved him. Always…and forever.

<-->

You were just finishing up notes in a patient file when someone knocked on your open door and stuck their head into your office. You glanced up to find a familiar face and smiled.

“Well, if it isn’t Dr. Y/L/N,” he said, waltzing in.

You closed the file and took off your glasses. “Well, if it isn’t Deputy Martin,” you laughed. He handed you a cup of coffee. “Aww, thank you. You don’t know how much I needed this.” 

“No problem. You still take it that way, right?”

You took a sip. “I do,” you smiled. 

“So, how’s things in the world of psychiatry?” He took a seat on the edge of your desk.

“Interesting. As always. How about you? How’s things in the law enforcement world?”

“Interesting. As always.”

You chuckled and took another sip of your coffee. “So, what brings you to my side of the hospital? And bearing gifts, no less?”

He shrugged. “I was in the neighborhood and figured I’d check in.”

“Oh? That’s nice.” Chris pressed his lips together and you tilted your head at him, knowing what that little tic meant. “Uh oh. What’s going on?”

He smirked, shaking his head. “I hate it when you do that.”

You couldn’t help but laugh. “Then don’t be so obvious. I know you too well, Chris. Come on, tell me. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. I just… I was wondering if you knew that Tom was back in town.”

Your smile immediately dropped and you placed the coffee down. You put your glasses back on and opened the file back up, holding the pen in your hand as you glanced over your notes. “Yeah. I heard he was here.”  

How could you not? It was a small town after all. News and gossip spread faster than wildfire here. The word on the street was that Tom was back to sell the mines and no one was happy about that.

When you didn’t hear anything else, you glanced up to find Chris giving you a knowing look. “What?”

“Has he been by to see you?”

Well, that hurt. You knew Chris wasn’t asking you that to hurt you but it didn’t mean the question still didn’t cause you pain. You shook your head and went back to your file. “No. And I don’t expect he will be.” 

Ben had already complained down at the local bar, before Tom even showed up, that the damn kid was going to sell the mines and Eli would be turning over in his grave if he knew. He was only coming into town to sign the paperwork and then he’d be off again to God knew where. He’d even assured everyone he switched the paper signing until the Monday following Tom’s arrival, in hopes that he could get him to change his mind. 

When you heard Tom was coming back, you didn’t get your hopes up though your heart lightened at the news. You hadn’t seen or heard from Tom in ten years. He’d literally pulled a disappearing act. While you expected it, it still hurt that he never once called or wrote to you to let you know that he was still alive. Not once.

Besides, you already knew who he’d dropped in to see the minute he hit town. You supposed one needed groceries and toiletries, that sort of thing, if they were going to stay for a weekend they hadn’t initially planned on. And the fact that Sarah now ran the store and was there practically all day every day was just a coincidence.

You knew better of course and you couldn’t pretend like it didn’t break your heart just a little more. So, no, you didn’t expect to see him at all. And as much as it hurt to admit it to yourself, it was probably for the best. 

While a part of you still loved Tom and always would, you now had the benefits of maturity, age, and experience. When you looked back on your relationship, it had been one of intense young love and folly for you, first love even. And while you had more compassion and understanding along with a more detached view of things through a different lens now, you could admit there were some things that occurred that weren’t so great. For example, your decision to surprise him in the mines for a Valentine’s Day quickie, all because you loved him so much and was desperate to do whatever it took to keep him with you. You’d put both of you at risk and while Tom was an adult who was responsible for his own decisions, you still took responsibility for being the one to initiate the whole thing. It had been your idea after all. Then there had been his breaking it off with you and choosing to date Sarah not even a month later. While he was single and an adult, free to make his own decisions, the fact that he did it partially to please his father was not an okay reason in your book to hurt you and toss you aside as if you meant nothing. As the adage went, hindsight was truly 20/20. You were no longer that young, foolish girl anymore. If Tom wanted to see you, he would see you. If he didn’t, then he didn’t. It was that simple. You weren’t going to sway things one way or the other.

“Come on, Y/N. I know you just as well. You’re telling me, you don’t hope he stops by before he skips town again?”

You smiled up at Chris. “Not in the slightest.”

<-->

You threw on your lab coat, lifting your hair out of the neckline. You twisted your hair up into a bun and stuck a pen through it. You placed your stethoscope around your neck and then traded your heels for the nurse’s shoes you kept in a desk drawer for situations like these.

There had been an explosion at the mines and it was an all hands on deck situation in the ER. So far, two survivors had been found and were being brought in. They were still clearing the mines to make sure no one else had been hurt. You were getting ready to lock up your office and head down to see what you could do to help. 

You were grabbing pens to put in your pocket, tossing a red pen back into the drawer, when out of the corner of your eye, you noticed a figure in the doorway.

“Doc,” a man gasped.

“I’m sorry. I’m about to run down to the ER. There’s been an emergency in town and all doctors are needed. I can find you a nurse if you—”

You dropped the remaining pens in your hand when you glanced up to find a bleeding Tom Hanniger standing in your doorway, holding onto his side. “Tom,” you gasped, frozen. 

His pained glare suddenly transformed into one of the most terrifying smirks you had ever seen in your life. “Guess again.” He then shut the door behind him, locking it, before he started making his way over to you. 

<-->

You rushed off the elevator, hurrying over to where a bloodied Sarah was nervously pacing in the surgery waiting room. You noticed Chris was with her as was Deputy Ferris. Sarah’s little boy, Noah, was sitting on one of the seats behind her, playing quietly with his toy.

“Sarah,” you called.

She turned to see you approaching and immediately hurried over to you, throwing her arms around you, beginning to cry. You rubbed her back soothingly and shushed her. “You’re alright now.”

Sarah pulled back out of your embrace. “Tom, he’s… He’s gone.”

You pressed your lips together, your eyes tearing up. “I know,” you choked out. Based on what you had just seen and heard, you knew she was speaking the truth.

She hugged you again and you embraced her back tightly, tears rolling down your cheeks as you saw Chris watching you both. You squeezed your eyes shut and let out a quiet sob when you heard Sarah crying again. You both held each other as you both quietly mourned the Tom you both had loved.

<-->

You unlocked your office door and stepped inside before locking it again. You began to empty your pockets of the supplies you’d nabbed when a figure moved from behind a filing cabinet in the far corner and appeared in your vision, making you quietly gasp.

There stood Tom, still holding his wounded side. “What took so long?” He demanded.

Your jaw tightened as you remembered who you were dealing with now. “Sorry, Harry. I had to get supplies without causing any eyebrows to raise. That takes time. Now, come sit down.”  

He warily approached and sat down on the edge of the desk as you directed. You snapped gloves on and he moved his hand away from his side when you prompted him to. He hissed in pain as you began to prod at the bullet wound.

“Can you fix me up or not?” He growled.

“Well, Harry, as I told you, I’m not a surgeon. But I will do my best.” You began to gently wipe away the blood, from both the entry and exit sites. “The good news is it looks like the bullet went straight through.”

“I told you that,” he snapped.

“Yes and I’m confirming it,” you snapped back. It was very strange to have someone you hated so much inside of the body of the person you loved most. 

“Just do your goddamn job, Doc.”

You snapped up straight and looked him right in the eye. “Let’s get something straight, the only reason I’m helping you right now is because of Tom. I could care less what happens to you, you son of a bitch.”

He gave you that smirk again that made your blood run cold. “And let’s get something else straight. If you don’t fix me up, I’ll kill you. Got it?”

You didn’t answer him. Instead, you grabbed a pad of gauze, dumped some of your finest alcohol on it, and slapped it onto the injury site, making him yell out in pain. You smirked in satisfaction though inside you felt guilty. Sorry, Tom. You really wished you could expel Harry from him, like he was some sort of demon you could exorcise. 

“Sorry about that.” You were anything but. “I have to clean the site before I inspect it for further damage.”

His chest was heaving and he was glaring at you. “Just do your job, bitch. Or you’re dead,” he grunted.

You huffed out a snort and repeated the process with the exit site, making him grit his teeth, a pained yell straining against them. You proceeded to make sure there wasn’t any critical damage that you could see and then went about starting to suture the wound. You ignored the grunts and gritting of his teeth the entire time and just focused on falling back on your training. You’d barely flinched when he started drinking your booze. (it was his fault he wouldn’t let you use any needles to apply local anesthetics) When you were done, you snipped the loose tail of the sutures and then bandaged up the area. You quickly cleaned and bandaged the wounds on his face and treated any burns he might have. The entire time you did, you felt pain and remorse for Tom for each wound you found that would now scar his body. Though you supposed scars were a small price to pay considering the explosion he’d been in that could have killed him. Your jaw clenched at the thought and you hated Harry even more. 

You finished cleaning him up and threw out the last bit of bloody gauze. “It’s probably a waste of time to say this to you but you need to take it easy with that bullet wound, keep the area clean, and come back in two weeks to have the sutures removed. If any extreme bleeding occurs, you should get to the ER immediately. If the sutures pop out, you should do the same. If you start to develop a fever or other—”

“Yeah, Doc, I got it.” He slowly got to his feet and held a hand to his side. “Not bad.”

You took off your gloves and threw them to the side, crossing your arms. “Am I free to go now?”

His eyes snapped over to you and you could swear you could see a whole other person. In Tom’s eyes, the eyes you loved, you saw Harry, and they were darker and harder than Tom’s green could ever be. Tom clearly wasn’t the one in the driver’s seat, even if his behavior and personality right then weren’t already making that obvious. “For now. But if you screw me over, I’m coming back for you.” A hint of a smirk appeared on his face as if he enjoyed that idea, almost hoping you would give him the excuse. 

You knew he was waiting for you to tremble in fear at his threat but you didn’t. “Truly, Harry, I hope I never see you again.” With that, you walked out of your office and you refused to give him the satisfaction of looking back.

<-->

You knocked on the open room door and stuck your head in. “Hey,” you greeted with a small smile.

Axel and Sarah both glanced over and saw you.

“Hey.” Axel faintly smiled. 

Sarah got up and gave you another hug. You rubbed her shoulder as she returned to her seat next to her husband and you came to a stop at the foot of the bed. “So, how’s the patient?”

“He’s doing well.” Sarah smiled as she took Axel’s hand in hers. “He’ll be in here for a little while but then he can come home.” Axel turned his smile onto her. You glanced back and forth between them. Apparently, that marriage was no longer on the rocks. You were glad for Sarah’s sake, though you still thought she could do better. Despite how things went with Tom, you didn’t blame her or hold her responsible. She had always been kind to you, good to Tom, and you knew she was a decent person. You could almost understand why Tom had loved her so much.

You forced a smile onto your face. “Glad to hear it.”

Another knock on the door garnered your attention. You turned to see Chris walk in. He came to a stop next to you. “Hey, Sheriff. Sarah. Y/N.”

“Hey,” Axel greeted. You gave him a nod and Sarah gave him a smile.

He turned to look at you but you were already steps ahead of him. “Did you do as I asked?”

He nodded. “Picked him up about an hour ago. Had to ask for that town’s sheriff to help but we got him. And he doesn’t know it has anything to do with you. We purposely mentioned in front of him that a store owner from that town called it in after recognizing him from the news.”

“Thanks.” He gave you another nod.

“Wait, what are you two talking about?” Axel asked. Sarah looked just as curious while also fearful.

You pressed your lips together and Chris turned to face his boss. “We picked up Tom Hanniger in the next town over. We have him in custody and we’re starting processing.”

Both of their eyes went wide. “Tom’s alive?” Sarah gasped.

The deputy exchanged glances with you. “In a way but he goes by Harry now.”

“Shit,” Axel breathed. “You need to call in every reinforcement. We don’t have the manpower to hold him.”

Chris held up a placating hand. “It’s already done but trust me, we’ve got him locked down. As it is, the DA and the Judge are deciding what to do with him.” He looked over at you.

“Deciding what to do with him? What does that mean?” Axel’s eyes were on you, too.

“Harmony isn’t the place for Tom to be right now. It’s his trigger and that’s why Harry is currently in control. I’ve asked for a meeting with the DA and Judge Harrison as well as the Chief of my department to discuss Tom’s case.” You took a breath, knowing this next part wasn’t going to go over well. “We’re looking to get him moved to a maximum security psychiatric hospital up North.”

“Are you kidding me?” Axel started to sit up but grunted in pain. 

Sarah got up and gently pushed his shoulder down. “Axel, be careful. You just had major surgery yesterday.”

“Sheriff, easy. You’re still healing,” Chris chimed in. 

He ignored both of them. “After all of the people he’s killed? People are going to want justice and to see it done here in Harmony.”

You could feel an age-old anger welling up inside of you but you tried to tamp it back down. “He’s not mentally competent to stand trial, Axel.”

“Not mentally competent? Really? That’s the excuse we’re going with here? He was mentally competent when he killed those people! When he lied about it and tried to cover it up and blame me! When he attacked me and my wife, about to kill us! When killed Rosa and came for my son!” He gripped onto Sarah’s hand.

“I understand that. But the law states—”

“No offense, Y/N,” Axel interrupted. “But you’re not an expert on the law. Leave that to people like Judge Harrison who actually know the law.” Well, so much for you keeping that anger and resentment in check.

“None taken. And no offense, Axel, but you’re not an expert in psychological disorders, either. Leave that to people like myself who know what we’re talking about,” you snapped.

Chris laid a gentle hand on your shoulder and held up his other hand in Axel’s direction. “Hey, hey, now. We’re all on the same team here. We all want the same thing.”

You narrowed your eyes at him. “Do we?” He dropped his hand. You then glared over at Axel and Sarah. “Let’s not pretend like you two and Irene didn’t leave Tom there to die back when Harry was on a killing spree which severely traumatized him and that’s why all of this happened in the first place! That’s what started this whole thing!”

Sarah looked ashamed and stayed quiet. Your ire wasn’t really for her anyway. You knew she had been wanting to go back to help Tom before Harry threw that pickaxe. Axel, on the other hand, saw red. “Are you kidding me? We were about to be killed! I had to get her and Irene out of there! Tom would have done the same had it been him and it would’ve been the right thing to do! Regardless, it doesn’t excuse anything that Tom or Harry or whatever the fuck he calls himself now did! And us leaving him alone started this? No, let’s talk about really started this whole thing off! You decided to go down into the mines to give your boy toy a little nookie, he got distracted and forgot to clear the lines, then boom! The mines collapsed on top of Harry Warden and the others and that’s what really started this off! Because Harry wouldn’t have been in the mines a year later, killing people, and nothing would have happened to Tom or any of us! So you want to play the blame game? Look in the mirror, Y/N!” Sarah was softly telling him to stop but he ignored her. “Oh, and let’s not pretend that you’re not doing anything but trying to make excuses for the guy you’re still hung up on after all these years who didn’t give a fuck about you and dropped you like a bad habit the minute his daddy told him to! Who left you behind to rot!”

Your left eye was starting to twitch, something that only happened when you were either very stressed or very angry. Right then, it was definitely the latter. Sarah’s gaze was trained on her hand covering her husband’s and Chris was looking down at the footboard. You forced yourself to speak calmly but firmly. “That has nothing to do with this. It has to do with helping someone who needs help. I’m simply doing my job and the right thing at the same time. When was the last time you could say the same for yourself, Axel?” His jaw clenched but he stayed quiet and you gave him the worst glare you could summon up. “Get well soon.”

You turned and walked out of the room. You were right about one thing; Sarah could do better.

You were waiting for the elevator when you heard Chris come up behind you, laying a hand on your shoulder to stop you. “Hey, hey, hey.” You spun around to face him and he rubbed his thumb back and forth over the fabric of your coat. “Are you okay?”

You unclenched your jaw long enough to say, “I’m fine.”

He nodded and lowered his hand. “You know, it’s no excuse for the things he said but Axel’s in pain right now, he’s not thinking straight, and they just went through another traumatic experience of their own. And they have their son, who was there when Rosa was killed. He’s just dealing with a lot.”

“I get that, Chris. I do. But Tom didn’t do those things, Harry did.”

He sighed and put his hands on his hips. “Y/N, I’m not disagreeing with you but Tom did lie, he covered it up. Like the motel killings. Did Harry drive away from the scene, ignoring the trucker’s dead body in the lot, before we arrived or did Tom?” 

You shook your head, looking away from him.

“I know Tom means a lot to you and I respect that. I know you have history and you want to help him.” He cupped your chin and forced you to meet his eyes. “But I also care about you. I don’t want to see you get hurt. There’s a possibility that Tom himself may not be who you actually think he is. Who any of us thought he was growing up.”

You gently lowered his hand. “Chris, I appreciate your concern and I know we had…something between us for a while. And I’m grateful that you helped me earlier, I really am. But I know Tom. He’s not a killer. He’s not Harry. Harry only exists because of the trauma he suffered. He doesn’t even know who he’s killed or what’s happened. I need to get him out of this town so I can begin working to get him back.”

Chris sighed and studied you for a moment. “Then how did he know about Megan and the words written above her body?”

“He got it from the card she wrote. You told me that yourself, Chris, because Sarah told you about it.”

“No, I mean, if Tom saw the card and Harry killed Megan and wrote those words in her blood, then how did Tom know they were written above her body?”

You realized he was making a good point but that didn’t change your mission. “I don’t know, but I intend to find out.” You then got onto the elevator that had just arrived, you and Chris watching each other as the doors closed.

<-->

Tom didn’t remember how he got here. He didn’t even remember waking up. One moment, Harry was about to attack him and Sarah wouldn’t save him, again. The next moment, he was in a white t-shirt and white pajama pants, stuck in a cell that looked strangely familiar. Had he dreamt all of it? Going back to Harmony, seeing Sarah again, dealing with that asshole Axel, trying to figure out who the killer was — all of it —had it all been one big nightmare?

He soon realized that wasn’t the case. His lawyer came to see him and informed him of the things he’d been accused of (after the man had been contacted to come back and speak to his actual client). As of right now, he was found to be mentally unfit to stand trial thanks to an impassioned argument by his doctor as well as himself. But that could change at any time. Tom insisted he hadn’t done those horrific things, that Harry Warden did, but nobody seemed to believe him or was even listening.

For the first few days, Tom had been desperate. A doctor came in and met with him, asked him how he was feeling, and then fully explained the disorder he had been diagnosed with. It turned out that he had been misdiagnosed in the last institution he had been in and improperly medicated. That was why the medication never worked. They had been treating him for delusions when in reality he had Dissociative Identity Disorder. He was going to be starting a therapy regimen as soon as possible. Harry had already been involuntarily involved in the program since his arrival here. The doctor also informed him that they had to keep Harry heavily sedated but depending on how things went with Tom, they might not have to do the same with him.

Tom had been completely dumbfounded. It was bad enough that he still carried the trauma of what happened back in ‘98 and it had followed him around for a decade, literally, but now Harry had become a permanent part of him? He would now never be able to outrun Harry. Not to mention, he was now officially on the hook for multiple murders thanks to the surly son of a bitch, even after what happened in 1997 and then a year later when he woke from his coma. Tom’s body count was extensive and he himself hadn’t even done anything. Well, except forget to bleed the lines that one time which led to the collapse that then started all of this, he supposed. So maybe he truly was responsible for all of those people’s horrific deaths, whether he swung the pickaxe himself or not.

One morning before the therapy began, they came to get him and brought him to a room that looked strikingly similar to a police interrogation room, with the two-sided mirror and everything, though there was white padding on the walls. He protested when they strapped him into a straitjacket but they told him it was for his own safety as well as the doctor’s. As if that weren’t enough, two large orderlies picked corners of the room to stand in, watching his every move. 

Someone popped their head in to tell Tom his doctor would be meeting with him shortly, they were just finishing up with another patient. All Tom could do was nod. “Thanks,” he muttered.

A few minutes later, the doctor he’d been waiting for walked in. His eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw it was you. You gave him a small smile and took the seat opposite him. “Hello, Tom. I’m Dr. Y/N Y/L/N. How are we feeling today?”

“Um…okay.” He was still trying to recover from the shock of seeing you there. He hadn’t seen you since that night all of those years ago, right before he left town. He also thought you were working at Harmony Memorial last he heard, a pit stop he planned to make once he’d signed the papers to sell the mines. That is, before everything went to shit. “Y/N? What’s going on?”

“It’s Dr. Y/L/N,” you corrected. “And nothing’s going on. I’m here to evaluate you before we start your therapy regimen.” You opened a file and began glancing at the papers within. “The court requires it.”

Tom felt so lost. It had been hard enough waking up to what he did but now you were here? Clearly his doctor? And you were pretending not to know him? He didn’t know what to think or where to stick his head. “This can’t be real,” he said to himself and shook his head. “This can’t—”

“Shhh,” you soothed. “It’s okay, Tom. This is very real and we’re going to help you.” You clicked your pen and began making notes in his chart. 

“Yeah, but you— You’re— And you’re pretending like— This can’t be real.”

Your eyes snapped up to his and you stopped writing. He didn’t know what you saw but you got to your feet and circled the table. You snapped your fingers and both orderlies looked away. “Actually, Tom, there’s something I forgot to mention.” You came up behind him and his nerves began to spike. Was he about to be drugged? Attacked? Would he finally wake up from this nightmare? Maybe he’d wake up to you; he’d give anything to have that happen. 

He jumped a little when he felt your lips at his ear. “I’ll love you forever,” you whispered.

Automatically, the corner of Tom’s lips tipped up in a smile. Hearing that from you brought back so many good memories of your times together, of your relationship. He didn’t instantly relax but he felt a little lighter than he had a moment ago. 

“Welcome back, Tom. I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, too, sweetheart,” he whispered back to you.

His smile grew when he felt you brush a tender kiss to the side of his head before you straightened up and made your way back around the table. You snapped your fingers again and the orderlies were now facing forward, watching you both intently. 

You sat back down and picked up your pen, giving him a genuine smile. “Now, Tom, shall we get started?”

He wished he could reach across the table and take your hand in his. You still looked at him as you did all of those years ago, like he didn’t have a murderous personality that left pain and suffering and dead bodies in its wake. You still looked at him as if he was the same guy you’d given your heart and body to back in high school. The same guy you’d once told that after you finished med school (when you got in), that you’d want to settle down with him and eventually start a family with him. The same guy you said you’d move wherever whenever for him if he didn’t want to stay in Harmony, if he didn’t want to take over for his dad one day. The same guy you looked at with complete devotion, affection, and reverence that he knew he didn’t deserve. And with you looking at him just like that right now, he knew he still didn’t deserve it but God did he love you for it. You still loved him; it was clear as day in your eyes. He realized then that you had meant back then every single word of what you just said; you would love him forever. He had meant what he said to you back then, too. Though he never should’ve given you up when his old man demanded it. What the hell had he been thinking?

You arched your brows at him expectantly, almost as if you knew what he had been thinking. 

He leaned forward a little and gave you a soft smile, hoping you would understand what he was trying to tell you. “Always.”

You returned his smile, giving him a wink. You’d heard him. He began to relax and your smile then turned into a more professional one. “That’s what I like to hear. Alright, Tom. Let’s begin, shall we?”

A/N: For the record, I highly doubt Y/N could have been Tom's doctor, especially since a prosecutor could have argued that it was a conflict of interest and possibly gotten any records she'd made inadmissible. I think, anyway. But it was too fun an idea not to explore. Plus, I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that someone who has been diagnosed with DID is not incapable of being tried by the law for crimes committed, even if it was committed by one of their alters and they are completely innocent (I think). But I couldn't just have Tom go straight to jail in this one or even to trial. I wanted to focus on him coming back and Y/N helping him as well as their sort of reunion.

[ovaruling]

You made a post earlier about how you are feeding stray cats. Since it seems like you're very concerned about the environment I wonder why you are doing this. Aren't stray/outdoor cats horrible for the environment? Mostly because they kill animals that are actually important for nature like birds and rodents. Not trying to be rude just wondering why you think feeding them is a good idea, because it's basically helping a population that has no place in nature and does nothing but harm.

look, i’m not without my weaknesses—i can’t look at a starving stray cat and not feed it. maybe others can, but i can’t. i never claimed to be a paragon.

however, i must clarify something and also point out that i think im doing my part more than your average stray-feeder—i spend 1-2 hours each day trying to trap the cats. every day, from 4-5pm and sometimes later. i drop what im doing to spend time on it.

i have a folding chair to sit on and stake them out, a new implement of a bathroom mirror from a construction site that i set up next to the feeding station (to see the cats without startling them), and a large dog crate in which i put the food.

i recently caught 2 of the said stray cats last week and had them fixed and they will no longer be contributing to the environmental decline, nor will they ever produce litters. i’m working on a third.

i feed on my own property and i have caught and fixed and thus removed from the environment approximately 20 or more cats since i was like, i can’t remember—10, 11, 12. somewhere around there—i was in some degree of childhood when i started. i still use the same large dog crates i had back then to catch them. it takes weeks, sometimes months. sometimes a year or more in the case of my toughest one, an aggressive feral male who was causing issues in the neighborhood and who is now my housecat and best friend and wreaks no more havoc. i didn’t give up on him and it ended up being for the better bc no one else was going to give enough of a shit to spend the time it was going to take to catch him. (i’ve said this before but, i had to go on 3 rounds of antibiotics bc he kept biting me horribly every time i tried to catch him)

all this to say: my success in catching stray cats is owed largely to my patience and my willingness to spend hours gaining their trust by feeding them and having them associate my presence with food and fresh water.

so i know it’s not without criticism to feed them, but i do put in hours and hours each week feeding these strays specifically to try to catch them—and i often succeed. (edit: i don’t always. there are a few cats i don’t know if i’ll ever be able to catch, but i won’t stop trying.)

this is what ive been doing my whole life and i will continue to try to make an impact on my local environment in this unique way. i don’t expect others to understand my methods and the specific way that i do things (it’s different for each cat depending on how i assess their personality and needs and habits etc etc), but the fact that i’ve removed 20 or more strays from my neighborhood over the last decade or so is an impact that matters, i think.

especially since i pay out of my own pocket to take them to the vet, to fix them, vaccinate them, and treat them for any and all ailments, and i also have housed them myself or rehomed them. it’s a huge drain on my resources but it’s one i am happy to do for the rest of my life. not least bc no one else in my area is bothering to do anything about them.

so—take that for what you will. that’s my contribution and it’s not perfect but i think i do a good job at reducing the number of stray cats in my local ecosystem and i have to conclude that because of that i MUST have reduced a lot of the environmental destruction that they would’ve otherwise done. much better than anyone else who lives around here, that’s for sure.

tl;dr—i am basically doing the job my local animal care & control is supposed to be doing about stray cats, for free, by myself, at my own expense and on my own time—and i 100% cannot do that job without feeding them

edit: i didn’t mean for this to sound as defensive and doth protesting as it did—i realize i’ve never quite explained exactly What it is i do with regard to stray and feral cats, and of course i can’t expect others to read my mind or know my life and motivations just from scattered posts i make lol. i hope i answered your question somewhat, and im happy to answer any more that you have.

[neocrackcitysworld]

traitor ~ n.y.t

"leave them and come work with me."

"what's in it for me?"

"everything you've ever dreamed of babe."

mafia!yuta x bodyguard!fem reader

warnings: mention of blood, suggestive content and use of curses. LONG FF AHEAD!

genre: action, angst and a little bit of fluff 🌹

summary: you have been a bodyguard for the leader of Young Knives for as long as you can remember. your mafia gang has been topping the charts for crime for several decades now, but what is your leader's reaction when a new mafia gang overtakes them? does he choose to ambush them? or partner up with them? and most importantly, does it involve you?

i suggest playing boyfriend by dove cameron on repeat because oh boi-

"min. take down the minutes." your leader's voice, flint's voice boomed through the large hall.

the man whom he had addressed nodded at once and started to type on the laptop placed in front of him.

the large hall consisted of a ridiculously long table where almost 20 people were seated. all in silence, eager to listen to what flint had to say.

"as y'all may or may not have noticed," flint started off after heaving a big sigh

"there's a new mafia gang on the rise. and they...have been trampling on all of our efforts to get to where we are today." murmurs and whispers filled the room. the atmosphere was full of controversy and flint knew it.

"nct have been consistent in their robberies, killings and crime, i must admit. they are agile, sly and cunning."

the people present raised their eyebrows in confusion. never in their years of being with Young Knives have they heard him speak well of the rival. it was certainly new to them.

"however, we are better." the members almost sighed out of relief. they almost thought that flint was finally going cuckoo.

"we are quick, rough and hard on our victims. leaving no time for them to even fathom their fate. and that's why we have to prepare my members. we have to take them down. we can't let them walk on the throne that we built!"

roars of agreement filled the room once more. hoots and yelps of determination and hunger for victory growled into the once tautened atmosphere.

"and that's why we need to take them down." flint continued.

"we need to show them who's boss. and so i've set them a time and place for when we can ambush them." the crowd waited eagerly to let him continue.

"our club. at ten in the night. we call them over; obviously, they'll come with their whole gang and we'll attend with ours. we talk them into making a partnership with us then... BAM!" they all flinched except a few.

"we kill them all. how's that for a plan?" flint raised his voice at the end, drawing even more ruckus and noise from the other ends of the table.

"your plan sounds impressive but i can't lie to you sir, it's not tactful." everyones' heads turned to you.

you were seated on the direct right side of flint. second to the head of the table. you hadn't bothered to speak during the noisy meeting, silently judging each and every member with a bored expression. being the most experienced member of Young Knives than anyone, you knew that this meeting was no good.

"care to explain?" flint said through gritted teeth.

"well like you said, nct are sly, agile and cunning. meeting up with them and trying to form a false partnership is as foolish as to talk of colour to a blind man. it's their thing. they've probably already planned it."

some people snickered at your words. you had quite the sarcastic sense of humor.

"by doing that, you give them the upper hand. they can easily turn the tables around with you plan. your idea consists of their attributes, which we'll never be. instead of trying to be like nct, let's carry on with our own way of doing things. why the sudden change?"

flint furrowed his eyebrows and leaned forward, indicating you to go on.

"our definitions of Young Knives, like we discussed earlier are quick, rough and hard. so instead of planning an assasination in which they have the dominance, why don't we picture an idea where we can attack them in ways we specialize in?"

the members around the table glanced at each other and nodded impressively. your plan actually made sense.

"what if we find out their location with our hackers," you gestered to the team seated at the edge of the table.

"and we ambush them with no warning at all. we'll be quick, rough and hard on them. we'll leave them no time for them to plan any more shit!"

silence was ringing against your ears as loud as ever as you eyed flint. he was seemingly mulling over your idea. finally, after coming to a conclusion, he looked over to you and said.

"no."

the people around you laughed as you closed your eyes in frustration. your jaws moved against each other in utter disappointment. of course. what did you expect? flint was a stupid, misogynistic piece of shit. you pushed your dark blue hair out of your face and sighed.

the only thing that was keeping you from leaving Young Knives and joining a mafia gang called Joker and Thieves that you had your eyes on for quite a while, was flint's father.

he had saved your life when you were a little girl. your parents had decided to take their own lives after facing the inevitable fate of their lives with huge amounts of debt on their backs.

a flaming house on fire had caught flint's father's eye and despite him being a ruthless mafia boss, he ran into the house and came back out with a baby in his hands.

since you were significantly older than flint, you had wayy more experience than he would ever have. born in the year 1995, you had garnered respct for your wisdom and tactics. however flint had never shown you any respect. he actually despised the fact that you, a woman was his bodyguard.

but little did he know, that you had been trained to protect the son of the former mafia boss, by the literal best.

flint's father.

~

despite flint turning down your proposal of a new plan, that didn't stop you from telling the hacker team to find out more about nct and their tactics when it came to fighting.

and that's why you were leaning against the expensive car and scrolling on your phone which provided you with endless information of all 23 members of nct. the car belonged to flint and you were waiting for all your other members to come out after getting ready for the battle that awaited them at the club at ten.

you tilted your head and scrolled through the members' names, ages and strenghts. alongside their residence and habits.

"very strategic." you muttered to yourself. as you read on and on, you found out that nct had three leaders.

johnny suh, lee taeyong and nakamoto yuta. you furrowed your eyebrows. three of them? and all from different nationalities? they seemed to have really good chemistry.

all three of them were actually 95' liners. your age.

"fucking hell, man." you pushed your blue hair up into a high ponytail, suddenly feeling very salty about the fact that they were your age and were leaders of one of the biggest mafia groups in south korea and here you were, sucking up to a stupid dumbass chick named flint because of his father.

"okay, are we ready?" flint's voice resonated around the parking lot, all the members coming out one by one with briefcases and weapons.

"now. remember. they ask for battle, we give them war." shouts and screams of agreement erupted and you rolled your eyes. such noisy twits these people are.

and then again, nct never even asked for battle.

flint sat at the back of the car you were leaning on and you made your way to the driver's seat.

"which club are we heading to sir?" you said while absent-mindedly turned on the gps.

"dumbledore's army."

you raised an eyebrow at him.

"where else dumbass? Havens." he rolled his eyes at you and pulled out his phine, probably to make a few phone calls.

"okay miss cho chang." you muttered to yourself and sped off into the night.

~

your head ached and ached due to the loud pounding music of the club that flint ran. there were strippers everywhere and drunk old man throwing cash at them.

you felt sorry about all the people that were going to witness all of the mess that y'all were going to create here in this club. all the people who came here just for a drink, for money or for a getaway from work, were all about to experience something traumatic and would barely live to tell the tale.

the plan had been updated into roleplay. no not that way- but people had roles to play in the club.

min and a few others were workers and servers around, keeping a close eye on everyone with earpieces in their ears.

flint would be the normal mafia boss, awaiting their arrival. you were supposed to play the hot bartender.

with your blue hair tied up and the sleeves of your dress shirt folded up, revealing your tattooes. with earings adorning your ears and your defined facial features enhancing your appearance, you looked irresistable.

"guys. they're here. keep on the lookout." flint's voice echoed through the earpiece and almost at once, all of you got into character. you secretely rolled your eyes at this dumb child's play.

with where your bar was situated, you could see the entrance and the one of the sitting arrangements where flint was seated at.

he had to be in your sight since you were his bodyguard which flint very much despised if you haven't noticed already.

about two minute passed when the doors to the club opened and a whole ocean of insanely attractive human beings stepped into their club.

one of the leaders (you assumed it was taeyong) asked,

"is everyone here?" a chorus of 'yes' responded to him and that made you chuckle.

despite the interaction that you had just witnessed, nct looked intimidating as hell though. with twenty-three members in total and all of them armed with weapons that they didn't even bother to hide like the Young Knives, they looked so ready to kill anyone and everyone with their eyes.

three people moved forward towards flint, while the other members swarmed around the club doing the same thing that Young Knives were doing...observing the scene for any signs of attack.

now, it was just a matter of time. who would attack first?

your eyes darted towards those three men who were undoubtably johnny, taeyong and yuta.

yuta actually stood out to you the most. with faint, soft red hair and a slender figure with piercing eyes, he was definitely the most eye-catching person in the club.

without even noticing, there was a person in front of you. you looked over to them and bowed.

"good evening sir, what would you like to have?"

"whiskey on the rocks." the man said, eyeing you attentively.

you nodded with a smirk and turned around, preparing his order, while he went back to observing the place.

every now and then, your eyes would sneak glances at the four men, waiting for a signal to attack.

you eventually made the whiskey and served it to him. he glanced at your name tag and set down his glass of whiskey after taking a sip from it.

"so, y/n...you here often?"

"no."

the man raised his eyebrows in amusement.

"we both know what we are here for, jaehyun. i suggest we both stay ready and save the formalities for heaven...or hell."

jaehyun seemed quite surprised that you knew his name. however he quickly figures out that it was predictable.

he finished his whiskey and set it down with a sigh.

"i feel pity for these people. they don't know what's about to go down here."

"me too." you agreed, following his gaze to the bunch of people who were just having fun.

having fun.

damn. you barely even knew what it meant, you had never quite experienced it after flint's father died. he was a true father figure to you and made you feel and know the true meaning of life. even if you were very involved in the mafia world now.

you both got lost in your own thoughts even though you both were rivals. it seemed ridiculous to chat with your enemy over drinks, but it felt so...pleasant.

you both didn't mind that fact that y'all didn't have any problem with each other.

your earpiece suddenly turned on and you heard flint's ushered and whispering voice while jaehyun glanced at you.

"come here. i feel threatened."

"tsk." you almost laughed out loud by flint's message. jaehyun looked at you in an amusing manner.

"duty calls." you said while checking if your two pistols were loaded, shoving them in the pistol hoisters latched onto your pants, not even bothering about the fact that jaehyun was watching you and it seemed that he didn't care either.

jaehyun looked at where your gaze landed. he saw his leaders and your leader. johnny, taeyong and yuta seemed to be in a close discussion while flint sat up straight now knowing that his bodyguard was about to join him.

"wait, you're his bodyguard?"

"yep," you sighed. "and i hate it."

jaehyun chuckled and you saw dimples at the side of his cheeks and almost 'awww'ed at them.

"that means we should get ready too." he said, his hand raising up to his earpiece and exchanged words with nct members.

"it was nice meeting you, jaehyun."

"you too, y/n."

"oh and piece of advice." he turned to look at you, waiting for you to continue.

"stay out of flint's way. you'll get killed." you smiled at him and he returned it.

"guess i'll leave it up to them then." he jerks his head towards somewhere and you figured out that it was the three leaders of nct.

you both shook hands with each other, very firmly and you made your way to the four men.

"you're here." flint said without even looking at you and the leaders seemed to have caught this.

"hmm." you bowed towards the three and they bowed back before you took your seat next to flint.

they continued to discuss something that you didn't pay attention to because you were too busy taking in their appearances.

to an ordinary person it would've seemed like you were checking them out but in reality, you were analyzing their weapons and where they kept it.

as your eyes finished processing johnny and taeyong, you moved on to yuta and was pleasantly surprised to find out he already had his eyes on you.

keeping a stoic expression on, your eyes moved down his slender and attractive physique, searching for any signs of weapons and there were. on the waist of his pants was a gun, placed in a hoister on his belt. much similar to yours.

your eyes met his again and lingered on each other for a few seconds too long, before yuta broke eye contact when taeyong asked his opinion about something.

you decided to observe the place again and as your eyes scanned the club, you realised that each one and i mean every one of your members were surrounded by nct members.

you internally sighed in defeat. agile, sly and cunning.

they had planned this from the beginning.

yuta seemed to have caught your expression of realisation and smirked.

and over the past couple of seconds in which you weren't paying attention, flint had seemed to get himself into hot waters between the two leaders of nct and he certainly did NOT have a way out. so instead, he decided to pull his trump card and pulled out his gun, standing up.

you immediately pulled out your own, following his lead while the leaders dodged the bullets that flint fired at them.

immediately, chaos ensued.

people were screaming and running everywhere and you tried your best to not shoot anyone. even the rivals. as you fought any nct member you could find(while staying close to flint), you only used hand to hand combat, ignoring flint's words like you always did.

"kill them all."

no. you would never. the only job you had to do was to protect flint. not anything more. it was his father's last wish before he passed away.

seriously injuring your rivals with only you punched and kicks, you moved onto the next ones, immediately recognising each one of them and using their weaknesses against them.

all thanks to the hackers.

gunshots were fired, stabs were heard groans of pain and misery filled the air but you ignored all of it. your main focus was flint who was currently fighting johnny and yuta.

punching the guy named renjun out of the way, you ran towards them and took on yuta. since you knew johnny was way out of your league there, you kicked yuta from behind, making him stumble and fall on the floor.

when he turned around to look at you, he smirked. you hated yourself for how much you found that attractive.

"fuck, that hurt." he chuckled as he got to his feet, facing you. you both got into a defensive stance with your fists ready to punch.

you both scaned each other, waiting for the next offense when yuta suddenly swung at you, but you had seen it coming.

blocking his hand your own had made its way to his handsome face, punching his mouth.

blood seeped through his bottom lip but he didn't seem fazed by it. licking his lip, he kicked your knee and you gave way, tumbling onto the floor. and not a second later, you felt a blow to your cheek. you head flew to the other side and you chorttled.

pain and heat gushed throughout your face and yuta made another attempt to harm you, but this time, you dodged him and punched his stomach, so hard that he stumbled a few steps away from you. he coughed out in pain when you quickly got up to your feet and did the roundhouse kick to his stomach again. this time, he flew off his feet and landed onto the bar's table which was right behind him.

"ah... fuck." he cursed, his hand cradling his stomach. it was quite certain that you were the more experienced person in fights. you thought that it would be good to leave him there for a while until you heard a blood-curdling scream.

your eyes widen instinctively and turned around at the sight of johnny digging a knife into flint's chest.

"NO!" you yelled out, pulling out your gun and aiming it to johnny, completely forgetting your morals but you soon found it extremely hard to breath.

you tugged at your throat and horrifyingly realised that someone was choking you. you dropped the gun and clawed at the hands that were wrapped around your neck. when it didn't budge, you mustered all your strength and pulled the arms over your head and felt weight crashing onto your back and then onto the floor.

you coughed hysterically when you had been released from death's grip. after pulling yourself together and trying to recover from the piercing headache you got, you finally saw who it was that lay at your feet below you.

"nakamoto fucking yuta." you growled out, you hands soothing your red neck. his hands had left its mark.

"attractive neck." he managed to say before gasping for air, like yourself.

you rolled your eyes at him and looked over to where flint lay. you limped towards him, tears pooling in your eyes as you crumbled down beside his lifeless body. johnny just watched you, his knife stained with blood.

your cheeks were soon stained with tears. you were not grieving his death, no. you were mourning over the fact that you had failed your mission.

the life mission that you had opted for. the life mission that you had never let down. all gone. all of it.

"protect him for me..." the old man's voice whispered into your ear. his hands grasping yours as if it were grasping onto dear life.

"please...protect...my...son."

the line went flat as tears streamed down your face. you rushed out to call the doctor.

"dead. at eight twenty-six, august 27th, 2013."

you couldn't stop crying. it was your birthday that day. the day when you lost him.

tears blurred your vision when you realised that your only motive in life was now gone.

what would you live for now? everything was ruined.

everything that you had worked hard for was gone. your baby steps to sprints. you had seen the rise of Young Knives and now the fall of it.

you wiped your tears and looked around taking in your surroundings. every single member of your gang was down on the ground, dead. while each nct member was up and about, despite bruises on their faces and blood everywhere.

if only they had followed your plan. this wouldn't have been like this.

you got to your feet and noticed that subtly, each nct member had surrounded you in a circle, waiting for you to either surrender or attack.

feeling as tired as ever though, mentally and physically, you raised your hands up.

"just...leave me alone for a moment and then you can kill me alright?"

you made your way outside without giving a shit and they let you. breathing in the fresh, cold air of november, you melted as soon as it touched your bruises and injuries. the windy weather seemed to make you forget everything about that moment.

you didn't know how long you stood there like and idiot when you heard footsteps behind you.

you opened your eyes and sighed. "if you want to kill me, come in front of me and do it."

however the person stepped beside you and grabbed your shoulders, forcing you too look at him.

"what do you want?" you gazed into yuta's sultry and suave eyes.

"leave them and come and work with me." you immediately felt the need to accept his offer right away. for one, he and your former leader had so much difference.

yuta told you to work with him, while flint would have ordered you to work for him.

"pft. what's in it for me?"

"everything you've ever dreamed of babe."

you raised your eyebrows. "yeah right."

"you doubt me?" yuta questioned, smirking at you. he and his god damn smirks, you thought.

"you're good. and i mean really, really spectacular. you almost killed me back there."

you almost smiled at his words. he was the second person in your life who had ever complimented you after flint's father. and that wasn't even an exxageration.

they were either too terrified of you or they weren't even alive to praise you.

"please. come work with us. you can be my personal bodyguard." he gave you a snarky wink.

you chuckled and pondered for a moment. should you really take this oppurtunity?

you softly smiled at him, revealing your own set of dimples and nodded. "sure. only if y'all treat me better."

"babe you're now our family." he shot another wink at you and smiled too.

oh my godd...who knew such a ruthless mafia was this swoon-worthy.

"sh! i can't here them!"

"omg shut up chenle!"

"yah jisung watch your mouth-"

you both turned around to see some of the nct members looking at you, undoubtably eavesdropping on your conversation.

you already knew you were going to love them.

~

"okay everyone!" taeyong voiced out through the living room that same night.

"let me introduce our newest asset to our team, y/n." he made jazz hands and everyone cheered you on.

all of you were holding ice packs to your bruises and still y'all managed to have a good laugh. all 24 of you were seated in the living room's many couches and all of you were all smiles.

you glanced across you and saw that yuta was staring at you with a smile on his face, holding an ice pack to his stomach, while you held one to your neck.

"i've never seen him smile like that." you look beside and saw jaehyun, holding an ice pack to his cheek.

"really? he has such an amazing smile."

"hun, you are whipped." he said, making you chuckle.

"maybe i am."

~

about a month had passed and it's safe to say that you and yuta were a match made in heaven. you both really enjoyed each other's company and finally, he asked you to be his.

currently, nct had just wrapped up a meeting and you were exhausted. letting out a yawn, you went up to your's and yuta's room when suddenly, you were pinned to the wall and you felt lips moving roughly against your own.

indulging into yuta's body, your hands went up to thug on his red hair and his own were wrapped around your waist pulling you closer.

after what felt like an eternity, you both finally pulled away, gasping for air, connecting your foreheads together.

his eyes found your neck and he tilted his head.

"oh? the marks are finally gone."

"yeah." you said admiring him.

"should i put them on again?" he said while his hand sneaked up your shirt and you shivered, feeling his cold flesh against your own. this man made you feel something you never felt before.

"i know what else would look good on you."

you chuckled against his lips when he spoke again.

"what?"

"me." you felt the clasp of you bra click open as yuta pulled you inside his room, closing and locking it.

you were a traitor. leaving Young Knives for NCT. you were.

but you were a traitor for him.

[soniccrazygal]

A Matter of ‘Pride’

Mike paced back and forth in his ‘bedroom’, the sound of creaking metallic joints and soft thuds from his heavy steps filling the silent air. He wasn’t exactly sure how long he had been locked and isolated in his room as his internal clock had been deactivated and there wasn’t any other means to truly mark the passage of time. Mike’s best guess was that it had been several days, maybe even a week based on the times he’s had to recharge.

It felt far longer than that though as every second had felt like an eternity as he agonized over how his siblings were doing without him there to help protect them and without him to play peacekeeper when the stress got too much. Elizabeth and Gregory especially were usually at odds with each other…

Oh Superstar… I’m so sorry… Mike thought mournfully, his stride a bit unsteady as fresh guilt flooded him. He had naively believed that simply getting the younger out of the Pizzaplex would be enough to save him from the horrors that lurked beneath it, but now the poor child had to deal with being recently murdered, sharing a body not meant for him, and forced to comply under the rule of his killer.

Gregory was understandably chafing against the restrictions of this new ‘life’ and lashing out when he could. He barely had time to even mourn his death before William had started cracking down on his ‘behavior’. Elizabeth wasn’t helping matters by being more quick to fall and line and saying that Gregory should do the same.

And I left them alone… Mike though guiltily, pace picking up as anxious energy flowed through him. Granted he hadn’t been given much of a choice. Mike still couldn’t believe the audacity William had to ‘suggest’ they have ‘family bonding time’ every day and just assume they would all be okay with it.

Like they’ve been a family in decades.

Of course Mike had scoffed at the very idea and made it clear he refused to entertain William’s delusions that they could ever return to what they once were. The result had been Mike getting shocked for his words and locked in his room.

“Have you been stewing in the consequences of your own actions enough yet?” William asked casually from where he leaned in the doorway, making Mike jump and whip around in surprise. “Or you do still need a few more days to get over your stubborn pride?”

“My pride?” Mike snarled in disbelief and anger, giving his ‘father’ a hateful glare. “It isn’t pride that makes me refuse to spend time playing board games with a child killing psychopath! Why would I ever want to act like we’re still family you monstrous delusional fre-!”

Mike cut off with a wince of pain as the shocking system activated, hunching over slightly as the painful electricity flooded his body before dissipating. William gave Mike a disappointed look as he said, “Michael… haven’t I made it clear that you will always be my son? I will always love you and want you to be apart of my family, despite your previous attempts to destroy it by being the cause of your siblings deaths.”

Mike knew William was just preying on his old wounds to manipulate him, but the stab of guilt that went through him still felt far more painful than the electricity that had been hurting him just a moment earlier.

“That isn’t fair,” Mike said, trying his best to sound firm. “You can’t blame me for everything you’ve done…”

“Perhaps not, but there wouldn’t have been nearly as many deaths if you hadn’t kept impeding my progress,” William replied, standing up straight and stepping fully into the room. “And never forget that you’re a murderer too. You killed Evan and I’m the one that had to figure out how to put him back together.”

“It was an accident…” Mike weakly defended as he instinctively took a step back, all his old guilt and self loathing being dragged to the surface at William’s words. “I-I didn’t mean to… not like you!”

“I simply did what I had to to save this family,” William replied coldly as he stepped even closer, looming over Mike. “Nothing is more important to me than this family and I will do whatever it takes to make sure it remains intact and eternal. Something I would think you’d appreciate as I made sure you wouldn’t be able to harm your siblings ever again.”

“I’d never do anything to hurt them!” Mike shouted back, hating how easily William was able to make him feel like a simple rebellious teenager again.

“And yet you’re doing just that now,” William pressed on, not giving Mike time to organize his thoughts. “They’ve been asking about you you know? Asking how you’re doing and if they can see you… They miss you Michael and I hate denying them something so basic as being able to see you, but I can’t let your stubbornness go unchecked, not anymore. So ask yourself Michael… is your pride in refusing to spend a few hours with me and the whole family each day really worth not being able spend the rest of your time with them?”

Mike knew William wasn’t right, not really, but there was no point in trying to convince the madman of things like logic and morals. And in the end, Mike couldn’t deny that William had a point. Trying to deny William’s ‘request’ for time with the whole family was not worth being kept isolated from his siblings. He couldn’t leave them alone to face William without him there to be a buffer from the madman’s wrath and to provide what little comfort and protection he could.

Mike hated it, but he had no choice but to play along in this instance.

“Alright…” Mike sighed in defeat, his entire posture slumping a bit as he submitted to William’s demands. “I’ll participate in your stupid family bonding activities… just let me be able to be with my siblings again!”

“See… was that so hard?” William said with a pleased smile. “If you just obey me like you should, then I wouldn’t be forced to punish you like this so often. Come then, let’s go tell Evan and Elizabeth the good news.”

Mike had to force himself to remain silent as he had a lot of choice words he wanted to yell at William, but he couldn’t risk losing this chance to finally be back with his siblings again. William lead the way into the main room and the moment Evan and Elizabeth spotted Mike tailing behind him, the both lit up with relieved smiles.

“Mikey!” They both shouted in excitement as they ran forward to hug their brother, Mike automatically kneeling down to accept them into his arms.

“I missed you so much Mikey!” Elizabeth said as she squeezed Mike. “Don’t go away for that long again!”

“Gregory and I were trying to figure out how to sneak in to see you,” Evan whispered as he pressed up against Mike. “But we were worried we’d just get you in more trouble…”

“I’m here now though,” Mike assured as he held them close. “And I promise I’ll try not to leave you guys alone that long again…”

He knew that promise would mean complying more to William’s wishes, but Mike still made the promise anyway. His siblings were the most important thing to him and he had to be here for them in any way he could. He would always end up putting them first no matter what.

And from the smug smile Mike could see on William’s face… his father knew that too…

[oathkeeperoxas]

Codywan rec list – fics I had open in my browser for 4+ months in 2022

Surely I’m not the only one who opens fics and then leaves them open for ungodly amounts of time before I read/comment on them... anyway I have cleared my browser out as a first act of 2023, and I am here to share with you some of the gems that I found there which deserve more appreciation 😤 please find several excellent codywan fics below!

Dream you not of broken men [38.9k] by aceofsuns

Clones are disappearing from the Imperial Army. CC-2224, haunted by the memories of the man he loved and killed, decides to investigate. Its a question of what exactly is up with the clones' medical examinations, what has happened to the missing troopers, and how CC-5052 is mixed up in all this. (Featuring Imperial Clone Commander CC-2224, Cody and Obi-Wan trying to navigate what they are to each other during the Clone Wars, and the clones doing the best they can to support each other despite everything else)

Only read this if you want to cry 👍 no but for real it messed me up in the besttttt way like oh my god this fic is so excellent in everything it sets out to do – the POV of an Imperial chipped Cody is so tense, and the flashbacks to the clone wars and codywan’s developing relationship will tear your heart out. Tragic codywan my beloved!!!!!!!!

Travelling at the Speed of Light [32.2k] by @anaclastic-azurite

Cody’s General has feelings for him. It’s not a problem. *** In which Cody spends the years of the Clone Wars dealing with things that are a problem, and then a little longer afterwards dealing with the things that are not. OR: A festering pile of loosely connected one-shots following the years of the Clone Wars, featuring (mostly) one-sided pining!Obi-Wan and Cody, who very much does not have the time to deal with his General’s shit on top of his own.

Honestly contender for favourite fic of last year, this one just has everythingggg the humour is packed in alongside the angst and the developing relationships so so well. I love slow burn codywan, and this delivered – the trust and the friendship between Cody and Obi-Wan in this feels so earned and so real, and makes the cumulation of their feelings at the end even more sweeter for it!

when our truth is burned from history [23.6k] by writerforlife

"'You are so good at protecting others, my dear, that you often forget to look after yourself.' Kenobi hesitates, then briefly, briefly enough that Cody thinks he has imagined it, squeezes Cody’s shoulder. 'I am not keen to leave you in the ice.'" Or: When a mission to a snow-and-ice-covered planet goes wrong, Cody and Obi-Wan are forced to flee across treacherous terrain with only each other for warmth. Along the way, they confront all the things they have been avoiding -- including their feelings.

Every cold weather trope you could want, plus a few more on the side! This has great prose and some juicy scenes to sink into, the hurt/comfort is exquisite and the set up for codywan and Cody’s character particularly is awesome

Good Man of War [16.2k] by @ooboowoonkoonooboo

During a medic’s first mission with the 212th, everything goes wrong. In the midst of it all, Cody deals with his growing feelings towards General Kenobi.

Very very good!! The mission here was very tense and the punches kept coming. Mind the gore/violence tags though, the author is very much not kidding about that, but I adored every OC in this fic, and loved loved loved how Cody was written in it!

The Raephens’ Gifts [8k] by @lttrsfrmlnrrgby

After the end of the Empire, after seeing the remaining clones and Jedi and a rebuilding Republic to something stable and close to real peace, Obi-Wan and Cody take some time away from their duties and take a vacation on a backwater planet in Wild Space to rest and recover. They sleep a lot, catch up on the last decade's books, go for long walks, and work to enjoy just being them, instead of Generals on whose shoulders the galaxy rests. They also make friends with some smart local birds.

A soft epilogue for my boys!!! I adore post-canon fics, and domestic established relationship, and healing and dealing with what happened in canon, and this is a fix it on top of all that deliciousness. Excellent prose and a unique set up finishes off this lovely treat.

deep in your marrow [2.7k] by @redminibike1

Huffing out a chuckle, Obi-Wan stood, moving across the small space to Cody’s cot and resting one knee on the mattress. Pressing his palms to the indented cheeks of Cody’s helmet, he sought out the catches, releasing them with a quiet hiss. “Head up,” he murmured. Obliging, Cody propped himself up on one elbow, blinking sleepily as Obi-Wan tugged the helmet up and off. “Hi,” he rasped, eyes warm and melting in the low light. Or: After a long and difficult campaign, Obi-Wan seeks out his commander. For Codywan Kiss Bingo 2022: kiss on the stomach/fingers/[redacted]/lips

Obi-Wan taking care of Cody hits soooo good, and this is a very soft get together that has lots of layers going on underneath. The contrast between how Obi-Wan deals with what he’s feeling and how Cody deals with what he’s feeling is sooooo much like oh okay I’m going to have shrimp emotions about this ship just thinking about it!

[bi-bard]

Segue - Dick Grayson Imagine [HBO's Titans]

Title: Segue

Pairing: Dick Grayson X Reader

Based On: Segue

Word Count: 1,559 words

Warning(s): canon-typical violence

Summary: Dick never planned to fall for someone. However, when a new vigilante shows up in Gotham, he finds his attention torn from his work. And he can't find it in himself to feel upset about that.

Author's Note: The instrumental tracks are both the most fun stories to write and the most difficult.

Part Two of "May" [Release Date: 5/16/2023]

Part Three of "May" [Release Date: 5/18/2023]

YEARBOOK - SLEEPING AT LAST WRITING CHALLENGE MASTERLIST

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Being Robin was somewhat second nature for Dick.

He wasn't sure when running around in a suit and mask began to feel normal. All he knew was that it did. Running and fighting and training and saving people all became more normal that the life that he had outside of the suit.

But with normal came predictable.

It wasn't that he didn't still get that rush of adrenaline. It was just that every event felt like it was following the same script. It was a rehearsed dance more than anything else.

He couldn't picture an interruption to that predictability.

Until one night.

He was in a building across the street from a very sketchy bar. It was after hours, last call had been done. The only people left were two men sitting across from each other, a group of guards covering the entrances, and the bartender that seemed terrified about the whole ordeal.

Dick was watching the scene through a camera placed in the room. Bruce had gotten wind of a pretty bad deal and sent Dick to go figure out what was going on.

Dick was growing admittedly bored of the conversation. It was all subtle. Code words shared over two drinks. Nothing certain. No sure answers.

His boredom came to a sudden halt when he saw a guard suddenly collapse.

"What the hell-"

Another guard fell. And a third. And on and on it went.

With no other sign of anything, the guards had all fallen. Dick almost ran inside, but Bruce told him to wait. They didn't have enough information to know that moving in wouldn't get Dick killed.

One of the men suddenly pulled a gun out from his jacket, aiming at something. His arm fell as he suddenly fell unconscious. He leaned forward, head landing on the top of the table.

Dick watched as someone in a mask and a makeshift suit walked into frame. They grabbed the front of the remaining man's shirt. There was some yelling about a weapons deal. A detail that Dick and Bruce didn't even know about yet.

"Bruce-"

"Stay put."

Dick grumbled to himself but listened. He watched the man with his head on the table start twitching just a bit once his head was touched. As if trying to wake up and fight something.

The vigilante threatened to do the same to the only man still awake.

Dick furrowed his eyebrows. What was it? Poison?

"I will leave you trapped in a nightmare for the rest of your life," they explained.

"What?" Dick replied out loud.

"You won't wake up, and you won't die. You will spend decades in your own personal hell," they threatened further. "Unless you tell me what I need to know."

The man rambled out details so fast that Dick almost missed them.

"Thank you," the vigilante said before knocking out the man. Not in the same way they had knocked out the other men. No, this time they just punched him. "Only a few hours instead of the days these men will spend unconscious. I'd call that fair."

He knew that Bruce was also watching the feed from the Batcave.

"Bruce, did you-"

"See that? Yeah, I did," Bruce cut him off.

"Any idea who that was?"

"Not at all," he replied.

"I could follow them. They haven't left yet."

"No, it's too dangerous," Bruce muttered. "Come back to the manor. We'll look over that video feed, see if we can figure out what exactly they did."

"Got it, see you soon."

Dick was about to pack up and leave when he saw the other vigilante make it to the roof of the bar. Dick wasn't sure if they had seen him or not. If they did, they gave him no sign of such.

That was (Y/n)'s plan.

If the guy across the street knew that they had seen him, then there would be even more problems than they were already dealing with.

Robin and this new vigilante kept finding themselves in the same place.

Investigations to fights, when one was there, so was the other. It was more shocking that when the news ran the story of a new vigilante, they didn't accuse (Y/n) of working with Batman and his little sidekick.

(Y/n) stopped pretending that they didn't see Dick. There were too many occasions of them being near each other for that trick to work forever.

There would be moments where they'd stand on opposite roofs, staring at each other. (Y/n) would smirk at the other vigilante before taking off again.

It didn't seem like Dick would ever be fast enough to catch them.

Until one night.

There had been an investigation.

(Y/n) dropped on a roof that they were convinced was empty. However, as their feet landed, another set seemed to land in the same spot.

They looked over to see Dick standing behind them. His eyes were just as wide as theirs. He didn't realize that anyone was there.

(Y/n) went to run off but didn't get far before their wrist was grabbed.

"Wait," Dick called. "Please."

(Y/n) went shove him off, only to have their other wrist grabbed.

"I'm not going to hurt you, just wait!"

They stopped for a moment, glaring at him with their jaw clenched.

"I just want to talk, please," he said.

"Two minutes," they warned.

"What's your name?"

"Why would I tell you that?"

"I... I meant your... vigilante title, not your real name."

"I... I don't have one."

"What," he asked.

"I was a little more focused on the work," they explained. "Also, the news wouldn't care about what name I picked. They're gonna pick a name for me without my input."

"Have they picked one?"

"Still on 'mysterious new figure' duty," they muttered. "What about you?"

"Robin."

"Like the little bird?"

"I didn't pick it."

"Well, Little Bird, can you please let go of my wrists now?"

"I have an offer for you."

(Y/n) rolled their eyes. "What?"

"Work with me and Batman," he suggested. (Y/n) scoffed, so he tried to explain before they could run away from him. "Imagine how much you could do with more resources and extra help."

"Last time I checked, I'm usually ahead of you and Batman."

"Then just consider us extra hands and eyes. Please."

(Y/n) scanned their eyes along Dick's face. "One try. I will give it one try. Screw that up, I will happily kick both of your asses."

"Deal."

"Now let go of me."

Dick nodded and let go of their wrists, now holding up his hands.

He grinned as (Y/n) ran off again.

Suddenly, a duo became a trio and a solo act was part of a group.

Dick and (Y/n) continued working together. It would be a lie to say that it wasn't nice to have someone with them to sit through the long patrol hours. Talking to another person instead of yourself can be riveting.

It was a few weeks into this arrangement of theirs that Dick decided to ask more personal questions. Not that it was difficult to get more personal; the pair only knew each other through their vigilante personas.

"What's your name," he asked one night after a night of patrol. He knew that it wasn't worth asking when the excuse of work could easily be used. "Your real name, I mean."

"Why should I tell you first," they countered, tilting their head at him.

He felt a grin tug at his lips. "My name's Dick."

(Y/n) paused for a second. "I can see why you were okay with Robin."

He chuckled. "Your turn."

"(Y/n)."

Dick grinned to him. He couldn't explain it, but the name just... fit. Something about it sat right in his mind. Suddenly he was back outside that bar, watching with a shocked face as this one person took down an entire gang of people. He didn't realize just how much they had invaded his mind.

"No vigilante name yet," Dick asked.

"Nope," they shook their head. "I've upgraded to dark, mysterious new sidekick in the news."

"Congratulations."

"Truly a cause for celebration."

A little more laughter happened between them.

"I'll see you later, Little Bird-"

"Can I ask you another question?"

"Why not?"

"Why'd you start?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why did you become a vigilante," he asked. "Were you just sitting with all of that stuff you use and waiting for a signal?"

"No."

"Then... what happened?"

(Y/n) stared at him for a moment. Even after such a short amount of time, they knew that he wouldn't let this go.

They took a deep breath.

"I was visited by... something," (Y/n) explained.

"By what?"

"I can't tell you that."

"Why?"

(Y/n) took a deep breath. "If I do, what I have will be taken from me. I'm sorry, little bird, but you're not worth that risk."

Dick nodded. "I understood."

"Good," they replied before starting to walk away from him. "I'll see you around, little bird."

"Why can't you just call me Robin," Dick asked.

"Not as fun," they shrugged. "Bye, little bird."

"Bye... Sandie."

"Work on that one!"

"Planning on it!"

He heard a loud laugh follow (Y/n) as they ran off.

He smiled to himself.

This was a new normal that he could find himself enjoying far more than that old, rehearsed dance that he had known.

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