#the last time i had an edible it was relaxed and calm and i slept nicely

[mukeovernetflix]

...

[manicplank]

have reactions do cannabis been done yet? What would happen if someone accidentally ate an edible

ONE LAST ONE I SWEAR THIS TIME

Weed reactions (obvious drug tw)

Peppino: He would freak out the first time, ESPECIALLY if it was on accident. He'd have a panic attack, hyperventilate, and maybe even throw up. The second time around, because his crazy ass wanted to try it again, he'd be a bit more mellow. He would think he didn't feel anything, but something sets him off and throws him into a laughing fit... for like, an hour. Absolutely gets the munchies. He wouldn't do it regularly, but it was an interesting experience.

Gustavo: If accidentally consumed, he'd be a little freaked out. He'd be wide-eyed and sweaty. His grip on reality is kind of loose, and he doesn't like it. However, he was curious as to try it again on purpose and had a much better experience. He'd be enlightened. Suddenly, the world is more colorful and beautiful. He has a goofy smile on his face the entire time. The smallest things make him giggle. He ends up taking the best nap of his life. Fun experience, but he wouldn't do it regularly.

BONUS Brick: Gustavo once accidentally left a weed brownie in the wrong place... Well, Brick found it and ate it despite it smelling a little weird. Gustavo came home to find Brick belly up with his mouth open. He initially panicked, thinking that Brick had passed away... Then he saw the chewed up wrapper for the edible. Oh, goodness. Poor Brick was high as a kite! He slept for HOURS. Gustavo kept checking his pulse to make sure he was still alive.

Mr. Stick: Never accidentally consumed it, but definitely greened out the first time he used it. It was scary, and he ended up vomiting. He was mostly afraid because he felt that he did a REALLY bad thing. He tried it again after realizing it wasn't so bad. He loved it. It eased his back pain and heightened his appetite. He liked it. He smokes every now and then for his pain or if he's SUPER stressed. He can't roll a joint to save his life, so don't let him roll.

Pepperman: His first time trying pot, he didn't really get high. He wasn't enthused. He thought it would be great for his creative outlet, but nothing happened. However, when he tried it again, he was FRIED. He started talking about stupid hypotheticals that would never happened "but what if they DID??" He tries to create art, but he ends up getting tired halfway through. He takes a nap and gets all the sleep he was missing.

The Vigilante: His first experience was similar to Stick's. He had a panic attack as he thought he was doing a bad thing. Be was in the mindset that marijuana is illegal and deadly. He didn't know what possessed him to try it. After trying it again, he wasn't so timid. However, it wasn't his cup of tea. He did laugh his ass off at the smallest things, though.

The Noise: Veteran user. Has been smoking on and off since he was a teenager. He also enjoys edibles. Used to smoke daily, but cut back a LOT when he met Noisette. He gets the BEST weed in the tower. When he's high, he's calm but still super goofy. He'll laugh his ass off for hours over the dumbest things. He then gets the munchies and eats everything he can get his hands on. Once his stomach is full, he gets sleepy and zonks out for 10-12 hours. He still smokes at parties or every once in a while when he's super stressed. He kept it a secret from Noisette, until one day, she found his stash. She FLIPPED. However...

Noisette: After she found out that The Noise was doing drugs, she was furious! Anytime he tried to explain, she'd go on that "drugs are bad" rant. Then she saw how relaxed and focused The Noise got when he was high, and she got curious. She tried it for herself but got WAY too high and greened out. She ended up having a panic attack and throwing up. She tried again. This time, The Noise made sure she only took a little hit. She got a tiny high, and the two were joking around and giggling for HOURS. She got to experience the munchies and the classic weed nap. She wouldn't do it herself, but now she understands why people enjoy it.

Fake Peppino: He once ate one of Pizzahead's weed brownies. Pizzahead FREAKED and set the tower on lockdown, thinking that Fakey would go apeshit. Quite the contrary, he was incredibly calm and well-behaved. He was sleepy and snuggly. He was hungry for actual food instead of people. It was amazing. He slept perfectly sound for an ENTIRE DAY. While it benefited him well, Pizzahead thought it would be a little immoral to regularly drug Fakey just so he'd behave.

Pizzahead: Another veteran user. He's been smoking for... Gosh, it's been so long, he doesn't even remember! You never know what he has in that pipe of his. Most times, it's tobacco, but sometimes, it's cannabis. He also is a fan of edibles as they give a totally different high. He can handle his buzz pretty well. Except for the one time he tried to out-smoke The Noise. Yeah, that ended badly. Turns out bongs hit harder than his pipe (FUCKING DUMBASS). He got too high and lost his grip on reality. He handled it well, though, as he wrapped himself up in a blanket and watched his favorite movie.

Pillar John: Hey, guess what? The stone used to be a stoner. Shitty joke, I know. Anyways, John used to get high a lot as a young adult. His usual goofy self was amplified by it. He loved the munchies that came with it. Food tasted sooo much better. He'd try to watch a movie, but he always ended up falling asleep halfway through it. He cut back on smoking a lot and only does it on certain occasions. He was slightly addicted, but he's very proud of himself for quitting (and so is Gerome).

Gerome: He tried weed a few times with John. He saw how much fun John had and got curious. He got high and got giggly. The two goofed around, telling each other stupid jokes. He only smoked a few times, though. It wasn't his favorite thing in the world. He was concerned for John as it began to consume him, but John realized he was losing it and cleaned up his act. Gerome was, and still is, very proud.

-

Ok so for the minors reading this DON'T FUCKING DO DRUGS UNTIL YOU'RE AN ADULT OK??

I write these from experience lmao

(Greening out isn't super common but everybody does it once, even veteran stoners.)

[aphrodite-would-be-proud]

🕯Anon said: hi sweetheart 🕊 can you write about armin having a quiet night with the reader? something like wearing comfy pajamas, fairy lights, cute little candles, incense, soft songs and maybe some reading? and they just cuddling? 🥺 i think about that whenever i go to sleep and do all of the above, but i'm just by myself lmao anyways, thank you so much 🌸 (btw i'm the anon who asked you about the armin x painter!reader 🥺 hello 🥺 i just love how you write can we be friends please) 🕯

Quiet night with Armin

{ Armin x Reader | tw:none | sleep help, comfort, fluff | modern }

{ "Twilight, Valley of the Genesee" 1865 by Samuel Colman 1832 - 1920 }

Shimmering golden hues weaved across pastel blue walls in the form of strings, crossing the bookshelf before making a turn at the plants corner, illuminating the room with a soft warm glow.

Your head rested against the satin pillow, just right above Armin's shoulder, close enough that you can see the rise and fall of his chest with every breath. The ends of his hair ghosting over your cheek whenever he leaned to tell a particular clever line of the book he's been reading to you.

You can't exactly remember the name of it, but you can clearly recall his excited smile this morning when showing it to you.

"It's one of my favourites" he said, "the last time i got to reread it was in high-school, has it really been that long?" And that's all you can remember from the conversation before it got sidetracked by him asking if you had lunch yet.

There's definitely something to be said about rereading a book over and over again, a sense of familiarity, an attachment to the characters, plot and world setting. It's almost magic how quickly your comfort book, show or movie can turn a horrible day into a nice one, making it the silver lining.

Looking at the way Armin would pause for a second after some lines, or chuckle at random scenes, like it's an inside joke between him and his mind, you can tell he's definitely recalling some good memories.

Just like how he's adding to his list of comfort memories by sharing this experience with you, he wants you to be a part of this silly book he once picked up as a child and continued to revisit every few years.

You glance at the remaining pages, just as he flips another one to start anew. You've already finished a third of the book, only a quarter remaining.

It's not that you're getting impatient, but it's more that the soft blanket draped over you, the warmth of Armin's body pressed next to yours and the sound of his voice, are all luring you into a hazy cloudy state where your eyelids feel too heavy and turning your head to check the clock seems too exhausting.

How long has it been? since you curled up against him right after you went to put your empty hot chocolate mugs in the sink.

You don't have the heart to tell him that your brain stopped registering the words he's saying and instead listens to the tone of his soft-spoken voice and reacts accordingly. Stealing another glance at the remaining pages, you notice a few missing, okay good, just a few more. You can hold on right?

Right?

Forcing your eyes open, you suppress a yawn threatening to rise before curling even closer to his shoulder, face against his neck, hand over his chest.

Instead of focusing on his calming heartbeat, you try to focus your attention on different things, like the smell of snowdrops flowers filling the room from the scented incense sitting on the nightstand. 

Snowdrops, the milky bell-like flowers who befriended the cold harsh snow herself.

An ancient German tale that Armin told you, on one early spring morning. When the universe was just in bloom, as the earth shaped its form and the plants dressed themselves, when the god in the heavens above just created snow, she was told to go seek her colours from the flowers below.

She came with her request, but the flowers turned their heads, refusing to acknowledge her for she is the reason for the harsh weather, deeming their life spans short, overzealous and jealous, protecting their colours from the merciless lady snow. 

She was left all alone, friendliness, colourless with no love or sympathy from a soul.

Except for one, came knocking on her door, head bowed down and humbly offered to share. Snowdrops were the flowers that warmed the snow's heart, and so white was the colour in which snow was known.

Snow made a vow, to always protect her one and only friend, even from her own self. Under her watchful gaze, snowdrops were gifted with warmth that let them be the first flowers to bloom when winter bid her goodbyes as spring was arriving soon.

You've never seen snowdrops the same since, their delicate and shy nature standing out between all the proud flowers, you even suggested planting some to Armin.

"...but sweetheart" you remember him saying with a frown, " snowdrops are poisonous."

…

Yeah, and so getting their scented incense was the second best option available.

You hear the sound of another page being turned, fewer left to go, just hold on a bit longer.

Wondering the room with your eyes, your gaze fell on the straw sunhat hanging from the on the back of a chair. It's Armin's favourite, he'd always wear it when the sun was particularly bright that day.

you remember him saying it was a gift from his grandpa when he was a child.

His grandpa...didn't you visit his farm a few months ago?

...yeah you did, you can recall clearly, how you were:

Squinting your eyes to avoid the bright sun, you wiped the sweat collecting on your forehead before leaning your head back against the wooden wall. The occasional passing cool breeze distracting you from the dryness in your throat, even after moving to sit in the shade your skin still felt too hot.

The grassy fields in front stretched wide before ending in white pained fences, where the crops patches for vegetables started.

The sudden gentle waves of cool air against your skin made you glance to the side, where Armin was fanning you with his hat, while holding a tray with two ice filled lemonades in his other hand.

"Are you sure you don't want to go inside?" He said, sitting next to you before handing you the cold drink, "you've already done a lot, I'll do take care of the rest."

You've been helping Armin with the farm work since sunrise, feeding the animals together and watering the crops, saying you're exhausted from the scorching hot sun was an underestimation.

And yet, somehow Armin seems unaffected. Not a sign of being bothered as he sat there next to you with his rolled up sleeves and cuffed pants, the slight flushing to his face was the only thing he got from the sun.

"Yeah, I need to lay down a bit." You remember saying, after emptying your drink in one go.

"If that's the case then-" setting the tray aside, Armin patted his lap while looking at you, "Come here."

Too tired to protest, you layed your head on his thigh, feeling your back stretching and the cool air from his fanning was already making you feel better.

"You know, there's a story my grandpa used to tell me about the sun."

An Australian folklore, about a time when the earth was merged in absolute Darkness, when even the stars refused to light up the sky.

Eternal darkness was the fate of humanity, as people were spent their lives carrying torches to light up their way.

Gnowee was an alone mother in a forsaken world, left to fend for her little son. Each day while he slept safely, she'd venture into the the fields in search for plants or seeds. Knowing very well that's it's a matter of life and death if she couldn't come back with something edible.

Each day she'd come with whatever she could find, feeding it to her son even if it meant sleeping on an empty stomach.

But with food scarce and the abyss looming at every corner, things were harder each day.

One day after rocking her child to sleep, she quietly left with her torch to dig for yams she saw on her way last time. Retracting her footsteps, it was a long journey but she knew it'd be worth it.

And so she walked and walked till she reached the place, began digging the ground but dirt and mud was all that she could find. But she couldn't just go back to her son empty handed, and so she wandered far.

She wandered so far in fact that she reached the end, not the end of her journey but the end of the earth itself.

Somehow, in someway she managed to pass from under it, her will for her son to live another day far greater that anything, and so she emerged from the other side.

The void.

Where nothingness lived.

Looking at the vast empty space, she didn't know where she was, the line between the ground and walls was so blurred that she thought she's floating.

Panic and dread filled her mind as she raised her torch higher and higher, attempting to clear a path for her to see. For she had to go back to her son, all alone sleeping by himself.

Climbing the sky was her only solution, as she wondered the world, unknowingly lighting up a path with her as she went.

"And so the Sun Goddess wonders the sky above, in search for her son." Armin told you that day, before offering you his own lemonade to drink because he was still worried about you.

...

You can't recall how that day ended, you think you might have fell asleep on his lap right after.

The fairylights on the wall reminded you of the clear stars sky you've seen while on the farm, his grandfather was a really sweet guy too.

With your mind still coulded in drowsiness, your hearing was also delayed apparently, since you just noticed the book in Armin's hold was closed with him staring at you with a smile instead.

Moving so he could set the book on the nightstand, Armin turned towards you before pulling you closer to him, making sure the covers don't slip off of you. He cupped your face, stroking your cheek with love in his eyes.

"I'm sorry baby, did I take too long?" He said, glancing at the clock behind you answered his question. 

You shook your head, murmuring a slurred "it's alright." 

Posture visibly relaxing, he gave your cheek a small kiss before resting too on the pillow next to you, a yawn escaping him.

With half closed eyes, you saw him cuddling close to your chest, features softening as he bid you goodnight. Your hand moved to stroke his hair just like he always liked, lacing your fingers through the soft strands you closed your eyes too. 

Warmth took over you, the feeling of his soft breath near your neck, the comfortable weight of his arms around you, the slow ticking of the clock, it all rocked you to sleep as you happily gave in.

[peachesandsweetflowers]

♧Romanice Spice♧

{Venti x Fem Reader}

{It's not sfw the way I like to write it personally}{All characters writen about are 18+}

{Modern witchy Au, same basic story with archons and all that jazz but in a modern setting!}

The moon was full the night was warm and next to you lay your soulmate, the Anemo archon himself.

You wore a soft silk white dress that barely covered your breasts when you moved in certain ways. Normally you'd never wear a dress like this out but tonight was a special date night with Venti.

The full moon was special for magic and you both loved escapeing to a nice space in the middle of the deep woods. Where spirits and seelie play!

On the walk in you were greeted by many seelie who loved to play with you on your usual hikes in the woods.

"How are you feeling?"

Ventis voice came softly in your ear, pulling you from your thoughts. You both had taken a small amount of edibles before laying down together. Opting to watch the stars as they kicked in. Both of you were usually broke but you'd saved up money from tarot readings and Venti's last gig at a cute Cafe to go to the local dispenser for some edibles.

Of course you both always got carded but once they saw your id's being both 25 everything was fine.

You take a deep breath and look up at the stars, you can feel yourself slowly relaxing from all the stress you'd been feeling recently.

"A little while longer I just wanna cuddle." You say as you nuzzle into your lovers chest.

"Works for me cutie, and remember if you end up changing your mind we don't have to" He pets your head. You smile at how understanding he always was.

You both continue to look up at the full moon, enjoying the warm night and gentle breeze. You gaze up and the jewel studded sky with its dazzling moon as it's crowning glory.

The world could wait when you were here, in the deep woods with your own personal freedom. The truama you've collected over your life from the deaths of your parents one after another, to a Cinderella-esque tragedy of having a step mother who abused you.

All of that vanished into the beautiful moonlit night, carried away by the wind.

You blush gently as you start to feel the mood coming on. You gently kiss your lovers cheek before tenderly placing more along his jaw. He smiles and you feel his arm wrap around you gently.

"Just tell me if you want to stop, I'll be nice and slow baby" He comes gently before taking your chin gently and kissing your lips. His warm soft lips pressing lovingly into yours, taking his time, enjoying how much he loves kissing you.

Like a fine wine. That's what you were. When he kissed you he had to savor it, every last moment. The joy and pleasure of just your lips, just one kiss, made his heart race. And yours too, he noticed.

He gently moved the two of you into a sitting position she he could gingerly hold your shoulders as he kissed you. Your hands always found their way to his chest, clutching onto his shirt shyly as he took his time with you.

"Y/N..." He murmured languidly between kisses. He wanted your permission to go a little further.

With a blush and a nod he wraps his arms around you and this time when he kisses you, it's got a little more heat to it.

You welcome his tongue into your mouth, you love the way he firmly holds you with you make out under the moonlight. It always made you feel so safe, so secure.

"V-Venti..." You mewl shyly in delight as one of those mischievous hands has found its way to your rear and is happily giving it a squeeze.

"Ehehe~" He just gives you a grin that's a mix of playful, lusty and shameless all at the same time.

"Sorry love, I just HAD to admire the work of art in front of me thoroughly!" He muses totally unashamed. He just loved you so much!

You huff but giggle at him and push him back a moment. He looks confused before you start to slowly strip off that already thin silk dress.

Hes absolutely aroused and ready as you sit before him on your side.

"Y...you could appreciate it more... if you wanted." You wanted to sound sassy but the shyness got to you.

He holds himself back from ravaging you. Don't scare her, don't scare her. He repeated in his mind. Keep calm Venti, keep your cool, go slow. But oh my God it was hard when you looked more delicious then even the finest wine.

He slowly crawled over to spoon you, his front to your back. He wrapped his arm around your waist and pulled you in with a firm hold.

"Little minx" He kisses your neck a few times before beginning to lick and suck on it tenderly. You didn't care much for pain, so he could only leave gentle marks on your neck. He didn't mind one bit. Those mischievous hands of his began to slowly roam your body, one hand on your beautiful breasts, the other traveling very gingerly between your legs.

You loved the way he pet you like this. The gentleness and consideration for your limits. You knew Venti was a horn dog and he was being VERY good right now keeping his enthusiasm in check. Not that he would ever hurt you or force himself on you, just that he was very energetic.

He gently stroked your heat, making you moan from the stimulation. Once he found your "button" as he called it. That's when things got a little more spicy.

You moan out as his hand teases that sensitive button. He was way too good at playing with you like this. He smirked as he used the wind to create a vibration like effect as he teased you, your nectar always flowed the best like this.

Watching you wiggle and move your hips into his hand made him smirk playfully. Using his free hand he gently pushed your face to the side so he could make out with you again while he teased you.

"Oh my precious love" He whispered between breathes "you are more beautiful then any star" He cooed "I love you so much my little princess"

"Oh Venti" you blush looking shy "I live you too! I love you!" You moan out the words before reaching a climax. Venti holds you as you come down from it.

"My sweet love, my most precious one, when you make so many cute noises like that, well it's just not fair! How could I resist such a radiant creature before me?" He teases looking remarkably aroused as he finally removes his own clothes.

You gently lay on the soft blanket, thankful your brought cushens to put under you as Venti crawled on top of you.

You wrap your arms around his neck as you both start to kiss again. God Venti did so love to move his tongue in your mouth, such a sweet taste. He loved this taste more then even wine!

When yoy came up for air he looked at you again and waited for your permission. Once he got it he very gently began to press himself inside of you.

You sucked in a small breath as he slowly stretched you out. He wasn't small by any means but he wasn't a giant either. His member just seemed to be the right size not to hurt you.

"We fit perfectly together" He smiled at you with only love and warmth in his eyes. "We fit together perfectly like a puzzle. You complete me. You are my moon" He couldn't help throwing some beautiful poetic romance at you. These moments were special to you both and he wanted to make your heart flutter like a butterfly!

Which it was! You civet your face shyly and he giggles.

"If you will be my moon, I will be your sun, I will live yo make you shine, and one day I'll help you fix those broken wings of yours" He swears before kissing you again, this time with a passion that only came from a man so truly unconditionally in love.

You pulled him closer, if that were even possible as began to thrust inside of you. His member hitting your core in just the right way to make you sing for him.

"Venti!" You moan out "Venti please-" you cling to him as he continues his pace. "Please what my love?" He groans in your ear. "What do you want your Venti to do?" He coaxed making you whimper in protest.

"A-ah.. a little f-faster" you manage to say as you blush wildy.

Venti covers those cute blushing cheeks in kisses before absolutely follow your orders. He begins to thrust into you faster and a little harder.

You cling to him now, nails clawing gently down his back as he naturally progresses from laying down to you bouncing on his lap.

"I want more" you mewl a little lewdly as the arousal takes over a little. "Take it all it's all for you darling" Venti was such a whipped man for you. He couldn't help but be more aroused when you got on top and let yourself get lost in the pleasure. A pleasure he would never deny you.

"Milk me dry baby~" He licks your earlobe making you twitch as you feel your big climax incoming.

"V-venti VENTI PLEASE!" Ypu begin to bounce roughly on his member and he takes your hips and firmly thrusts up into you, meeting you at every bounce to make the pleasure more intense.

You cling to him desperately as you cry out, riding him into the white hot pleasure of oblivion.

♧♧♧♧♧♧

When you wake from what you thought was just a blissful dream, you find that you and Venti have slept until the sun was high in the sky.

You shoot up in panic, your sex bed head in full swing as you try to wake your boyfriend.

"Venti wake up!! We fell asleep!!" You whine as the musician finally sits up still half asleep. It takes him a second to understand before panicking a little himself.

"Oh crap I hope no one saw you!"

You blush "me what about you!"

"Well if anyone saw you'd I'd have to charge them to see such a magnificent sig-" you throw a pillow at his face.

"Just help me pack I wanna go take a shower I can't believe we fell asleep in the middle of the woods!" You fret and he stifles a laugh as he adds

"Again!"

"AGAIN!!"

[pokeexehasstoppedworking]

Love Doesn’t Do Encores Ch10 Battle Gym Leader Nessa

(Will have a reference to Pokemon Twilight Wings Series.)

You slept well that night. The hotel wasn't too far from the Hulbury stadium so it wasn't a very long walk from where you four left the light house and stationed yourselves for the night. Not before dishing out the rations between the four of you. You were a lot lower on food than you thought and surprised you hadn't noticed earlier. A month's walk drained almost all of the food you had aside from a few packets of dried fruits. Thank goodness for restocking. The next morning wasn't anything too different. Gloria and Hop of course wanted to stop by the stadium and get one of them that spot to battle Nessa before another trainer took it. Huh. You wonder how the battle between her and Bede went the other day? Victor mentioned wanting to go back towards the Hulbury Aquarium and offered for you to come with them but you had other plans for the day.

"Hey, Y/n. Since Glory and Hop's going to be busy all day considering would you like to come with me to the aquarium?, Victor offered after the two of you had dug through your rations for breakfast. Your Sobble tiredly yawning on your shoulder rubbing at his eyes.

You shook your head. "No thanks. I actually wanted to check out that market down by the docks. I heard they sell all kinds of trinkets and stuff and it's been a while since I was able to go somewhere by myself and have some me time."

He nodded in understanding before smiling. "Alright then. You guys know where I'll be if you change your minds."

The two of you parted ways outside the hotel before you headed back up the road towards the docks. Already in the morning the place was all a buzz with ship horns blaring off in the distance and a few people walking around. It was a nice day with the salty smell of the ocean, the gently breeze, not being too hot but nice and warm, etc. It was a very nice day that filled your tired body with a happy feeling as you inhaled deeply. The small market place was past the restaurant and just across the docks past the convenience store you had visited the other day for supplies. It wasn't really big. There was only about five stalls set up alongside a concrete wall with one or two picnic tables a little bit a ways from them. A few people were already there looking at the stalls or sitting at the tables to eat or just to sit. Walking over you strolled up to the first stall that sold a few random things like flowers, dishes, and a couple clothes hanging up. The man handling it was talking up some of the flower pots but you weren't too interested in those so shortly after moved on. The other four were a fruit stand, someone selling records, another one selling random objects, but the last one had you notice something. Sweet smells of perfumes and spices wafted from it the closer you gotten to it. And it didn't take too long for you to find out why. A young lady was there surrounded by a bunch of incense. She smiled as you stopped to admire all the sweet smells and gave a greeting.

"Get a whiff of that fragrance! Doesn't it smell sweet?," she asked holding out some sweet smelling sticks that smelt of lilacs, "How about some incense for you, Girl? Good for meditation, yoga, relaxing, or just making a room smell nice. And it all natural so it's safe for pokemon too and helps them destress....As long as they don't eat it. Non edible."

"Destress huh?,'' you pondered looking at your sobble who seemed more interested in staring at the food stand with hungry eyes despite just eating breakfast a while ago. Considering how spooked this lil guy could be, it might be a good idea. "....What scents to you have exactly?"

You ended up using the twenty dollar bill you had saved forever now to buy some of the sea and rose scented incense and then later one or two apples at the fruit stand since your sobble kept jumping on your shoulder and chirping in it's directed until you finally did so. All of it costing almost half your money leaving you from twenty dollars to twelve dollars and some change. You found yourself wondering over until you sat down at one of the picnic tables so your sobble could sit and eat and give your poor shoulders a break from carrying it all the time. Granted Sobble wasn't really that heavy, about half the weight of a small cat, but it was nice to be able to stretch your shoulders and neck out without worrying about accidentally knocking him off. Lazily you watched it make happy noises as it greedily ate as if you didn't already give it a big breakfast about an hour ago. It was still pretty early in the morning so it you really hadn't anything to do other than just sit here and watch your sobble. But it was refreshing. With a sigh you closed your eyes and slowly put your head down on the table. The only problem with having a bunch of free time is that your brain slowly fills itself with thoughts you might not want. Like now. You had been gone for what must've been a little over a month now. How worried was your mom? She must've been worrying herself sick if you were gone for this long without any notice or clues or anything. And(tho you were HIGHLY doubtful now-) if this all IS some kind of dream universe it was certainly the longest one you ever experienced. Not only that, but you were SURELY not going to be able to start college just like you wanted. You'd have to wait another year just to start it and that's only if considering you'd be able to go home after this whole journey has finished. It was the only way you could think of that you could go back, once this is over. If it'll ever be-

"I can NOT believe this!," an angry woman's voice piped up. Startled you jumped up and blinked light rushing back into your vision.

"Calm down, Ness. Don't make a big scene in public." ....That voice sounded familiar.

"I AM calm. I'm just restocking my incense before I head back!" Now that you think about it, that angry voice sounded familiar too.

Blinking you turned around to look behind you, and your eyes widened at what you saw. Two ladies were at the incense stand with their backs towards you, one with bright orange hair and a coat you recognized and the other wore a black cap and shirt.

"First he said I should stop modeling and now he's breathing down my neck because I just happened to lose to his endorsed challenger!,'' Cap Lady growled out as she waved her hand. "I mean yeah, usually I'm busy so I cut back to one challenger a day! That doesn't mean I lost my touch as a gym leader!" She paused as the lady manning the stall held out a small paper bag of incense to her similar to the one you had. "Oh..Thank you. It just drives me up a wall just thinking about it!"

"Then don't think about it," Orange hair replied patting her friend on the back, "It'll only stress you out before your other gym match today."

Cap Lady sighed. "You're right, Sonia...As usual. It just ticks me off knowing he's in town just to see you too no less and buddy up with the crowd!! It makes me angry!"

"Sonia?"

The orange haired woman turned to you immediately as you stared back, her friend turning too and that's when you recognized the other woman too. She smiled. "Hey, Y/n! Fancy meeting you here! Haven't seen you in a while." She fully turned to you now and walked over her friend following.

You casually waved where you sat and gave a tired smile. "Yeah. Honestly wasn't expecting to see you here either. What are you doing here?"

She gestured to none other than Nessa next to her. "I was chatting with an old friend before she needed to go. Since you're here I assume Gloria can only be here as well."

You nodded. "Yeah. I'm pretty sure she's at the stadium right now." Your gaze slowly shifted over to nessa as you spoke and you waved again. "Hello again. Nice weather you guys have here."

Nessa smiled. "Yeah. It's usually warm and sunny here all year round being the coast and all. You should visit the beach if you ever get the chance."

You shrugged. "I might. I mean I guess my sobble could use the chance to swim."

"Well, that all depends. Is your sobble a freshwater or saltwater sobble?"

"There's a difference?"

"Hey wait a minute!" Both of you turned to Sonia who was looking between the two of you with a confused look on her face. "You two know each other?"

"Sort of. She helped me out with some stuff yesterday, I didn't even know she was the gym leader until someone told me," you explained with a shrug, "I just appreciate anyone who helps carry groceries."

"Oh. I see. What are you doing here if Gloria is I assume at the stadium?," she asked.

You gestured to your sobble as it spat out an apple seed. "Someone wanted more food. I'm telling you he's worse than a kid hyped up on sugar once he sees the stuff." Both of you jumped at a ....snort? Blinking you looked at Nessa and noticed her holding her mouth and chuckling.

"I-I'm so sorry," she giggled out, "That's just the funniest thing that I've heard all day while stressing out. U-U-Usually people don't say that about s-s-sobble care."

You blinked. "Oh yeah?"

Sonia nodded as Nessa's giggles slowly fizzled out. "Usually sobbles are....how do you say it?...Massive cry babies that'll cry at the tiniest things like a baby would. It happened ALL the time with my Granny gave a trainer their first pokemon." She groaned closing her eyes as if the memory gave her instant annoyance and headaches. "They don't get an extra snack? BOOM! Crying! They trip the littlest, I mean tiniest bit. Crying! You're too busy to pet them? Crying! Forget playtime? CRYING! And don't get me started on the amount of times I had to buy Sobble Eye Drops for all the stinging and headaches. It's like walking on eggshells until they evolve into a drizzile! It's why a bunch of trainers rather chose scorbunny or grookey than a sobble." She pointed towards yours who had finished eating and began crawling it's way over to you. "In fact, the sobble Granny gave Leon for the trainers he endorsed was the pokemon who stayed in our care the longest. She must've had it for at least since it hatched and was given to her. It was such a little wimp clinging to her all the time...I never really had mush patience for them."

You jolted when something tugged on your arm, calming yourself once you noticed it was just your pokemon. "...Really?"

With a frown Nessa sighed. "She's right. Sobbles are much better suited for older more patient people. They aren't exactly really popular pokemon among starting trainers who are eager to start their journey. Most end up for adoption to pokemon centers or abandoned to the wild because the person decides it's not worth it to have their eyes burning after every battle or basically raise what could essentially be a child in their eyes." Her eyes suddenly narrowed. "I remember once Raihan came all the way to Hulbury just to give me a sobble someone carelessly discarded at his gym after they lost. The poor thing was so confused and scared. It was a miracle I found someone who loved it. Much more than the thoughtless trainer who never gave it a second thought. Pokemon aren't just toys you can give away or leave lying around after you decided you outgrew them."

"THAT'S AWFUL!!,'' you shouted feeling an anger grow in you as one hand instinctly came up to grab your sobble who chirped in confusion at your actions, both women giving you looks of surprise at your shout. How could anyone DO such a horrible thing!? That's like the equivilant of someone getting a brand new puppy and then not wanting to deal with the work and attention that goes into it and then straight up abandoning it to the streets in your world!! "How could anyone do such a thing?! That's like...So not ok!"

"Well....That is very true. Its not ok. But it seems to be you and your sobble have a very special connection," Nessa said gesturing towards your sobble making Sonia take a double take at you as well.

"Huh. Now that you mention it he does looked rather relaxed. He usually never looked so comfortable before Granny gave him to Leon."

"Really?,'' you asked, "He seemed pretty ok so far. Cried like...only one time but that might be cuz he was pushed over by these rockstar wannabes."

To that the ladies seemed lightly surprised. "Really now? Well then you must have lots of patience then. Sobbles usually tend to work better with people who have lots of patience or a motherly personality."

"And considering you mentioned never having a pokemon before I'm kinda impressed too. You must be a natural babysitter!," Sonia joked. You huffed and rolled your eyes at her joke. Yeah. You sure felt like one sometimes during your journey so far.

"Oh, Scales!" You blinked backed towards Nessa as she now held up her phone to her face with a frown before looking back towards you and Sonia. "Hey. Sorry but I have to bounce. I have to stop by home then head to the gym really quick if I'm going to make it to that match on time." Turning with a smile she waved. "I'll see you later Sonia. It was nice seeing you again too, Miss. good luck with that sobble of yours."

As she walked away, the both of you waved as you watched her go before Sonia turned back to you. "Hey. If you're not really busy, would you like to come to the docks with me?" She held up a small clear plastic bag with, what looked like to you at least, dog kibble with a smile. "There's always a small school of chinchou everyone likes to feed there. I always like to visit whenever I come to Hulbury."

You paused considering her words for a moment. It would be nice to have more time with another person around your age before you had to go back for a bit and they wouldn't be expecting you for a while. So it should be fine. With a shrug you stood up. "Sure! I don't think I've ever seen a chinchou anyways."

Smiling she gestured for you to follow. "C'mon. We're pretty close anyways. I think you'd really like them."

She was right. The small market area was right across from the docks anyways, so it took less than five minutes to reach the docks. You followed her onto the pathways on the water and looked over the edge. The crystal blue water acting like a mirror letting you see your reflection and your sobble's as it blinked big innocent eyes at the water. You nearly bumped into her when she stopped and already had the bag open with her hand inside rummaging around until she pulled out a small handful of the kibble. With a toss they all went into the clear water sending small ripples as they floated and bobbed on the mirror water. That was until almost instantly bubbles appeared from under them and in a flurry of lightbulb antennas and blue skin tons of tiny little creatures swam to the surface and the floating kibble was devoured by the pokemon. You blinked as you watched them swim around. There must've been around ten of them all swimming about here. You blinked as the bag was suddenly held out to you with a smile from Sonia.

"Do you wanna feed them a little? This pokemon food is specifically made for water type pokemons' tastes," she offered.

"Yeah! Thanks!" You happily took some from her and a small blue hand tried to reach out for it too as you pulled away and gave your sobble a look. It stared at you for a moment before chirping and grabbing your nose. "*sigh* Fine." With a sigh and roll of your eyes, you silently held one piece of the kibble up to him and watched as he grabbed it from you and popped it into his mouth. Before tossing more kibble at the peeping lanturn fish like pokemon still swimming around. As before they began devouring it. "They sure are hungry huh?"

"Always are," Sonia replied tossing some more kibble to them. "It's a really popular thing to do around here if you aren't visiting the stadium or Aquarium or eating at the famous cafe up the road. Since there's a battle later today with Nessa I suspect that's why it's so vacant."

You smiled. "Yeah. I just hope everything goes well for them later today. Hop and her seemed pretty excited to go battling Nessa."

Sonia nodded. "I can't blame them. When Leon and I were they're age we were excited over battling the gym leaders too." She smiled at some distant long memory. "In fact, it seemed like it was just yesterday I was right here feeding some Chinchou and then Leon came out of no where and fell in the water! S-Said he d-d-didn't even know how he got there looking for the stadium." She giggled and you couldn't help but smile back.

"Oh. Is that anything like the time I heard he somehow ended up on top of a barn?" Sonia snorted. "Or the time he went out to catch a train and somehow ended up back in front of his house?"

"That happened?"

You nodded. "Oh yeah. He ended up waiting for me to thank me for the two's Slumbering Weild field trip after it happened. I have no idea how."

She chuckled. "Neither do I. Lee's always had a bad sense of direction just like his Da-" She froze. The once smile and cheery attitude replaced by a look of mild panic before she coughed and tossed some more kibble towards the chinchou. "Hey. Look at how cute they are today. They look like such healthy wild chinchou. Don't you think?"

It was her attempting to deflect away from what she already said. You knew that and personally you wouldn't really bother looking into it as 1. It was really none of your business and you hated budding into someone else's business and 2. you didn't feel up to making Sonia more uncomfortable than she already looked...But you couldn't help yourself since this was the second time this has happened. ...That's right. She did a similar thing at the Opening Ceremony when she asked you not to mention what she said to anyone. By now you had completely forgotten about that moment with everything that's been going on and at the time just brushed it off having more important things to worry about. But now....You looked at her and by the look in her eyes she knew what you were about to ask.

"That's right. I spent a few days between their houses and I saw their families. And I met their mothers. And Hop's grandparents." You fully turned to her with a raised brow. "And Hop's older brother. And Gloria's brother. But not have I ever once seen any of their dads nor had they even mentioned them. So that's begging the question of where's the missing link then isn't it?"

There was a pregnant silence between the two of you as you stared at her expectantly and Sonia stared back down at the water, seemingly trying to process the situation she found herself in. The only sounds was the boat horns from the docks, and the splashing around and noises of the chinchou as they still begged for more of the kibble Sonia held. And after more silence your expression softened and a guilty feeling bubbled up. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to ask. Even if you were traveling with them it was none of your business really. So you went to apologize.

With a sigh, Sonia finally seemed to find her words and turned to you with a sad but serious look. "I...understand if you're concerned or curious. I'd be too all things considering. But I really CANT tell you anything since it's not my place to say....By now you obviously noticed they just..aren't there and let's leave it as that."

You nodded. "Hey. I'm..I-I'm sorry. I know it's none of my business. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

She shook her head. "No. To be honest you wouldn't be the first one to ask that question to Leon or anyone else and you probably won't be the last. But if you could do us both a solid and not tell anyone about this it'd be great."

"Believe me, I was about to ask you the same thing." You smiled. "Trust me. I won't tell us a soul."

"Thank you, Y/n. I'm glad you understand."

"Hey. Of course!"

So.....No fathers in the picture huh? A strange feeling settled into your guts that was something akin to feeling extremely guilty. And a....strange feeling of familiarity of it all for your own reasons...Then the reality hit you. In a memory of what happened back at the inn back in Motostoke. In the very slip up Sonia had made before that you had passed off until now-

"And thanks for taggin' along with the kids this far. I know we're practically strangers but there's just....I don't know....really good aura about you. I'm sure Lee appreciates it too. He's always so worried about Hop. He practically raised him after all-" All of a sudden it was like a switch flipped off in her mind and her happy smile went to a sudden shocked face. "Oh no. I didn't mean to mention that. Please forget I even said that."

You had pretty much pieced it together right after remembering that. For some reason, in one way or another, Hop and the twins had no fathers and Leon as Sonia said must've practically filled the role in which a father figure would fill. This would sum up a lot of the things you've bared witness too. Hop and Gloria's infatuation with Leon(especially on Hop's end), they're desire to climb their way up the ranks and make him proud-..Heck. Leon's behavior know that you think about it could've been summed up as brotherly...or fatherly. Sponsoring two (although it was VERY clear he was full on ready to just endorse Victor as well no questions asked if he hadn't made the choice of not competing in the Gym Challenge) kids for the challenge which as you came to know wasn't typical of a Galar Champion, buying you and them all those supplies and stuff, and with what Sonia said just set that fact in concrete. And....While that did make you feel guilty and sad for them...At the end of the day it really was none of your business. Any moment or day now you could wake up back home and none of this would have mattered, and you shouldn't really butt in between their business. Especially since you weren't planning on staying in the long run. Plus...you were trying NOT to uproot the game's progress as much as possible or no more than you might've already had done if at all with your actions. You might've not remembered how the game went entirely but you knew you were on the right track. For now at least. You continued to make small talk with Sonia about how her research was going and your trip over before deciding it was best to part ways there and bid her farewell before heading back towards the stadium. Nessa mentioned leaving to make sure she arrived on time. You wondered if Gloria was battling her right now?...Well you soon found out the answer to that question.

when you were just making your way up to the resturaunt your stomach grumbled. Making you wince a bit. Huh. Guess you were out for longer than you thought if you got hungry. Glancing up to the cafe you wondered how much a simple meal would cost? It was supposed to be famous for their food after all. With a shrug you decided on entering and seeing if they had anything your measly twelve dollars could buy. Fancy was the first word that came to mind when you entered through the double doors and a bell rung off. A woman at a front desk was the first thing to greet you along with some kind of pokemon you didn't recognize. It seemed the theme of the whole place was blue and white, giant tables lined the area with table setting and napkins fancily folded into boat like shapes, a MASSIVE window looking over the stadium, and a bar like area near the far right walls with another pair of double doors you assumed lead to the kitchen. The only other people there besides you and the lady was a man behind the bar counter who was talking on the phone with someone.

The woman smiled at you. "Greetings and welcome to the Hulbury Seafood Restaurant!" She greeted with a bow. "Do you happen to have a reservation or would like to make one?"

"Uh-..." You shook your head. Oh man. Was this one of those places where you HAD to make a reservation in order to eat? "Not exactly. I just heard your food was pretty good."

The woman still smiled. "Oh. Well then I'd be more than happy to seat you by the-"

"AHH!" Both of you jumped when a thud rang out which turned out to be the man in the chef hat slamming down the phone he was previously talking to.

"Chef, what on earth is the matter?," the woman asked.

The chef pointed to the phone scowl on his face. "My delivery boy just called. Apparently he's caught a cold and can't make it today! Out of all the days I need him most." The old man grabbed at his grey hair. "I have all these orders and no one to take them. The Chairman could show up any minute for his reservation but instead he's going to be present with angry customers calling for their orders and our reputation as Hulbury's greatest restaurant will be tarnished!!"

"Well...I could run out and deliver a few," the woman suggested.

"And leave your post!? OH no no no! That'd look even more bad if no one was here to greet them in while I cook!" He slumped forward. "This is an utter disaster! What am I to do?"

You looked between the two of them before slowly holding up your hand. "Um...If you'd like, I'd like to help."

Immediately the chef snapped his head up and blinked at you. Before a suspicious look came over his face as he looked you over. "You, Young Lady? You would please help us deliver some food?"

You nodded. "I mean..Yeah. It looks like you guys are pretty.." You gave a glance at the empty place. "-busy at the moment and I'd like to help."

After looking you up and down a few more moments the chef sighed before shrugging. "Why not? I have nothing else to lose in this moment anyhow." He reached under a counter and beckoned you to come over to which you complied before placing a small take out box onto the counter. "Thank you. I truly appreciate it. Tell you what. If you manage to deliver all the take out orders then I'll prepare you my famous 'Lucky Egg' dish as thanks. How does that sound?"

You mouth watered just thinking about free food. This just might be your lucky day after all. You nodded with a smile and took the box from him. "Sure! Sounds fair enough. Where do I deliver this one?"

He paused for a moment...before he rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh uh. Well as for where to deliver the food.....Sorry. We've been so stressed out for the Chairman's visit I forgot to ask for an address." You stared at him. .....WHAT!? "B-But I heard a clickity clack sound from the phone when I took the first order. Maybe that's a clue as to where to go?"

..........You sighed. "Yeah..Don't worry about it. I'll figure it out somehow."

"That's the spirit! Come back as soon as you're done delivering that one! And hurry please. Oh! And here. Take this notepad with you. They'll have to sign off on it so I can send the bill."

You had no idea what you had gotten yourself into this time. With a groan you exited the restaurant and spotted a peculiar sight to behold. There was Gloria standing just outside the restaurant as you approuched with her back to you and you soon saw what she was staring at. A little ways from her standing in the middle of the road was HIM. Mareep Head-..Er. I mean Bede who looked bored and in front of him was....It was her. The same woman from your dream and the Opening Ceremony as well. And in front of her was...No. It COULDN'T be!! In front of them was a group of about six to eight people, but with that group was none other than the CHAIRMAN himself!!...Tho he looked a little different than the other times you've seen him. You didn't expect to see Nessa outside of her gym leader suit, but you hadn't been caught too much off guard. The chairman however was a different story. Instead of that professional slim fitting suit he wore a baseball cap, slip on white shoes, sunglasses, .....a sweater that showed how chubby he was actually under his suit, and blue shorts with white polka dots to top it all off. You could only star at the man...Was this-....This COULDN'T have been the same professional high standing man that ran the whole Galar Region! He looked like someone's Dad on a lazy day. ...You chuckled which startled Gloria into giving a yelp and whipping around to see you and the box you held.

"Holy Magikarp, Y/n! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Sorry....Hey. What are you doing all the way over here? I thought you were having a battle today."

She sighed. "We got hungry just waiting for Nessa so Hop suggested I go grab us something while he holds our place. What are you doing?" She noticed the box you held and pointed at it. "And what's that?"

"Long story short is that I agreed to be the fill in delivery boy for a bit." You nodded past her towards the group. "Hey uh...Gloria, is that who I think it is?"

She turned around and with a huff she crossed her arms and frowned. "Yeah. The Cottonee so full of himself he needs a garden hose to wash the ego from his brain!"

".....Uh..Actually I was talking about the chairman over there, but I guess Bede's here too yes."

"Oh...Well yeah. It's weird just walking around the corner and seeing him right that. Like..what the bloody heck are those shorts?"

"Y'know I was thinking the same thing." You two continued to watch in bewilderment as the chairman smiled and spoke with the small group of people, before the woman suddenly stepped in front of him as he was about to shake another person's hand.

She held up a hand. "Our sincerest apologies," she spoke with a calm and professional tone, "The chairman is quite busy at the moment. Everyone please disperse. Please leave now."

The crowd murmered but eventually slowly parted ways, one woman saying. "Ok. See you later, Chairman."

"Oh h-hey! No need to rush off! I can still do autographs!," the chairman called after them raising a hand, "I'll even give you my pokemon league card!" To your surprise no one really paid attention and kept walking besides you and Gloria...And you rose a brow. With a sigh he turned back to the woman. "we need the support of our fans to keep doing what we're doing. Chasing them off like that. Aren't you being a little too harsh, Oleana?"

"Fans are very important of course," the woman, who must've been Oleana explained, "That's why you need to keep doing your work for their sake."

"I promise to do everything in my power to assist you too, Chairman!," Bede butted in proud of himself. Huh. Maybe Gloria had a point.

The chairman gave him a look for a moment before raising a brow. "Oh. And you were?"

Maybe it was just your imagination most likely, but you could've sworn you saw Bede frown for a moment before he answered, "Bede, Sir."

"AH! That's right! Bede! I daresay I'm impressed how fair you've come since I gave you that pokemon all those years ago. Will you be the one to win the Gym Challenge? Or perhaps it will be one of the Trainers endorsed by the Champion."

"I will prove your faith in me was well placed, Chairman," Bede assured, "I won't lose to anyone. Anyway speaking of which, I'll be on my way now." He turned and began walking away, but completely froze upon seeing you and Gloria..Well more Gloria than you as the two of them made eye contact...And he suddenly pointed. "YOU!?"

"Hey Mareep Head. How's your Hatenna?"

"WHY YOU-....YOU- ..LITTLE-"

"AH! You!" Bede practically jumped out of his skin as the chairman was quick to push past him and walk up to Gloria with a smile, Oleana right behind him. Gloria practically just stood and stared as he approuched and you rose an eye brow. "Your name was...." He thought for a moment before pointing to her. "Gloria right? We were just talking about you!" Your brow rose more. That was a complete and utter lie. They were standing right there entire time in front of you but you shrugged it off as an awkward ice breaker.

.....Gloria exchanged a look with you before pointing at herself. "....Me?"

he nodded. "Yes! I admit I'm curious about Leon's reasons for endorsing you. Ah! I just had a good idea, as I tend to do!" Brag much? "You're going to face Gym Leader Nessa soon, yes?"

"Um...Y-Yeah. I was on my way back to the stadium actually-"

"Well if you get a gym badge from her I'll hold a celebration! I'd like to get to know you a little better after all." He smiled and you felt ....odd about it all.

"Um..Y-Yeah..I guess so??"

"Chairman, we should really be going if you want to keep that dinner reservation," Oleana stated.

The chairman nodded to her before turning back to Gloria. "Alright. Please do your best, for the sake of Galar's future."

"I Uh...Y-YES SIR!!" Gloria gave her best smile under the situation.

With a smile and nod he turned and walked past her and you not sparing you a glance and you followed him with your gaze brow raised...You weren't sure, but you had a funny feeling about him and it wasn't a good funny. When you turned back around you nearly jumped the box in surprise. The woman-!! Oleana was standing right in front of Gloria so close her shadow was literally blocking the sunlight from her. The poor girl frozen under the woman's studying gaze.

"The Chairman will be heading to this town's seafood restaurant." She stated monotonely, "Win the gym badge and join him there at once. Do not keep him waiting. Am I clear, Young Lady?" Gloria didn't say anything..and you looked at her. Eyes shooting to the size of plates. She was more frozen than a glacier. ...All that came out of her was a small squeak noise making the woman's eyes narrow. "Perhaps I wasn't clear. Do not keep the chairman waiting. Head to the seafood restaurant. The Captain's Table. Do you need me to repeat myself once more, Child? Or do you understand-"

"Too skinny."

Gloria jumped having probably completely forgotten you were there for a moment as she snapped to you and Oleana followed her piercing gaze to meet your glare. ....She slowly blinked. "I beg your pardon, Miss?"

"I said you're too skinny for that," you explained as they both stared at her.

Her brow flicked up as she studied you. "And I happen to be too thin for what purpose, Ma'am?"

"Well you're certainly not fat enough to be throwing your weight around not to notice you're being a jerk," you explained raising a brow back, "Obviously she heard you with how close you are. Maybe she'd answer if you weren't so close making her feel uncomfortable like that."

They both stared at you stunned. Gloria jaw dropped and Oleana had the same face but her eyes much more widened as she stared at you. It was so quiet you could've heard a pin drop as you joined this little three way stare down. HECK. It felt like an entire hour just staring at her before her face slowly contorted back to her original bored/professional looking one and she took a step back, spooking Gloria in process as the poor girl blinked.

"Do you happen to know who I am, Miss?," she asked like you should already know this.

"Somebody who's heels makes them so tall their head's in the clouds obviously."

This time her brows furrowed, her mouth frowned, and you noticed the way her hands gripped each other. As if she was physically holding back her anger. But before she could reply a chuckle seemed to interrupt you. Blinking you turned around only to find that the Chairman guy was looking right at you. Raising a brow and humming. You rose a brow and frowned right back.

....He waved a hand off. "Oleana, you're right. We'll be late for that reservation. Give the young trainer my League card and let's be on our way."

It's amazing how fast her aura and face changed at a moment's dime. "Of course. So you will not forget the Chairman's face, I will give you one of his League Cards." She suddenly held something out to Gloria who blinked but after a moment took it. "Chairman Rose is the kind of man who gets downhearted if he doesn't take care of things he needs to right away. Go to the seafood restaurant as soon as possible so as to not keep the chairman waiting." She glanced back to you and your eyes narrowed more. "...Good luck in your battle." With that she stepped around Gloria who followed her as she went and so did you with your frown. And after the Chairman gave another look to you, also turned and walked away.

....You sighed and turned back to Gloria, only to blink when she was staring right back at you. "....Uh...H-Hey. Are you ok there? You looked spooked." Shaking. Your eyes widened noticing her hands shaking. "WHOA! Hey! Are you ok!? She didn't scare you too bad did she?"

"Y-Y-Y/n..," She stuttered. Her hands slowly clenched into fists. "T-T-That..was..." Her face snapped up to you in a smile. "AWESOME!! SERIOUSLY!! Like! Yeah she gave off major scare vibes I swear she's worse than a gengar in the darkest room! My heart was pounding so fast! Then you were all well slayin' 'ere like a beast!!...Omg." She looked down for a moment realization settling in. "....My traveling partner talked BACK to the Chairman's right hand!! What's he going to think when I show up!? I mean it was amazing to watch don't get me wrong. But STILL!!''

"Hey, hey, hey!!" You caught her attention by grabbing her shoulder making her blink at your face. "Hey. Look at me." Once you knew you had her full attention you smiled. "That woman was making you feel scared, and that's not ok. So I did what I had to do. If anything I'll get in trouble. Besides, Im a girl standing on the sidewalk holding a delivery box. They'd probably think I was just a stranger going to delivery a pizza or something. Right now you should just worry about your gym battle."

It was like a record scratch went off in her mind as she suddenly paused, face going blank for a moment before her hands suddenly snatched the top of her head. "AH!! MY GYM BATTLE!! I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT THAT!! BUT THE CHAIRMAN SAID IF I WIN TO SEE HIM!! IF!! IF!! WHAT IF I DON'T WIN!? OMG!! CAN I STILL MEET WITH HIM IF I DON'T-"

You shook her with the hand still on her shoulder. "Gloria! Get a grip on yourself! Of course you're going to win!'' You smiled. "If you could beat Milo you can beat Nessa too! And if you lose it's fine. I'm sure he'll understand, you can't let all of that overthinking stop you ok? Be more confident in yourself, and if you lose..." You shrugged. "Then it's ok. You can always try again tomorrow or any other day. You are going to be ok....Ok?"

She stared at you for a long moment before taking a deep breath and sighing. A determined look now plastered on her face. "You're right! I'm just overthinking this! I just need to remain calm and everything's going to be fine!"

You smiled. "That's the spirit...Hey. Isn't it gonna start like..right now?"

"GAH! Y-You're right! I gotta go!" With a wave she quickly turned on her heel and ran off towards the stadium. "Thanks, Y/n! You're the best!"

You sighed before shaking your head watching her go. Well...glad that went well at least, she was a brave girl so she should be ok..But then why did you still feel eyes on you? As you turned your f/c eyes met purple ones and Bede jumped having noticed you spotted him. With a jerk of his head the other way, he quickly sped walked away from you in the opposite direction leaving you lightly confused. But you shrugged it off. Right now you had bigger fish to fry like getting this fish you were currently holding to the person who ordered it. Who ever it was. That was the thing you had to figure out as you stood there in the middle of the sidewalk staring at the box in your hands like someone staring off into space. Good gosh the guy couldn't think to ask for an address? What were you supposed to do with a click clack sound? That could mean anything....Well what kind of click clack sounds were loud enough to be heard over a phone. ....Your head turned towards the train station back towards the stadium. Didn't trains usually make a noise like that? A train would certainly be loud enough to hear over a phone. With a shrug you started off down towards the train station and right up to the first house right by it since there was two. Knocked and waited patiently as footsteps approuched.

The first one was answered by a middle aged looking man and you smiled. "Hey! Uh...Did you order seafood?"

"No. I don't like fish."

"Oh..Sorry about tha-" You flinched as the door was slammed back shut in front of your face..before you frowned. "Well he was pretty rude wasn't he?" Your sobble chirped in agreement. "Couldn't have said it better myself," you mumbled as you turned away from the door and away from the first house to go to the second. The Stadium not too far away roaring alive now with cheers. Must be Hop or Gloria having a battle with Nessa. Shame you couldn't attend but you were a bit busy right now. Walking up to the second home, you knocked on the door and waited. After a moment footsteps approuched and a sweet elderly woman answered. You smiled. "Hey! Good afternoon! Did someone here order some seafood?"

To your delight, she smiled. "Oh, are you the one delivering my food?" She happily reached out and took the box from you. "Thank you for your trouble! This restaurant's dishes are full of seafood and it's so delicious if I say so myself. They are pretty well known after all."

"Your welcome! ..Oh wait!" You reached into your pocket to quickly pull out your notebook. "I need you to-''

"Oh of course! Your tip. "

"Actually I-" You blinked when a small bag of what looked like small jaw breakers was placed into your hand tied off by a cute little red ribbon.

"I've already paid the restaurant over the phone, so I'll give you candy as a tip. There's nothing like sweets to go along with a beautiful day. You have a nice day now."

You blinked looking at the small bag. "Hey wait! I need you-" The door closed leaving you staring at it. "..to sign this. *sigh*" You held up the overly cute bag and your sobble gave it a curious look over. "Well, it's not money but it's better than nothing I guess. Wouldn't you say?"

Your trip back to the restaurant wasn't anything unusual, still faintly hearing the cheers from the gym on your way there. The only thing that was a little strange was a small group of three or four people standing outside the place trying to peep into the windows. Your brow rose but you shrugged it off and just stepped inside seeing the same woman as before.

"Sorry. We're closed at the mome-..OH! It's you young lady,'' she greeted.

"Back again?!" You looked over towards the chef and he smiled seeing you. "Excellent! I wanted to ask you to deliver some food again. Is that ok? I suspect that the package was delivered?"

....You held up the bag of candy. "Yeah. Sorry I couldn't get her to sign it. But she tipped me in candy."

"Oh. That must've been Mrs. Wesley. Don't worry about her, she has a habit of doing that." Again he reached under the counter and brought up another box. "But right now I need you to deliver this next one as soon as possible!'' You walked over and he held it out to you before slightly nodding over towards the right. You glanced over and your eyes widened seeing the chairman and Oleana looking out of the window over the stadium, not seeming to notice you thankfully. "Since the Chairman's here we're doing our best to try and not upset the atmosphere. Since you're taking care of this for us it's really taking one less thing off our shoulders to worry about."

You sighed with a smile before taking the second box from him. The fresh smell of fish and chips wafting from it making your mouth water. "Hey. It's no problem. Where do I take this one?"

He paused. "Well....I uh...Haha. D-Didn't quite get the address for this one either?" You stared. "...B-but I don't know if this helps, but I think I heard a pokemon cry over the phone this time. Like....Swiirl...Or something like that."

"....I'll...figure it out I'm sure."

Figure it out indeed! How in the HECK were you just supposed to deliver a dang food order based off a pokemon's cry?? Whelp! There was only one way to solve this! ...Visit all the houses here until you came across the right one. So that's exactly what you did. You already delivered to the lady up by the train station and the guy next to her rudely stated he didn't so that was two houses you could cross off your list. So there you went starting from one end of the long, LONG street of houses one after another smiling and asking if they ordered a take out. Every. Single. One. Said. No. Or just didn't answer at all, and to be honest you were feeling justifiably annoyed at this point. What was the POINT of having someone deliver food if you didn't know where to send them!? It must've taken you at least fifthteen minutes of walking and asking until you FINALLY caught a break coming to the very last house on the block before the road split off between the train station and stadium. You knocked and waited patiently as footsteps approuched, and you smiled when a blonde man who looked to be in his early thirties opened the door.

"Hey. Sorry to bother you, but did you order some seafood takeout?"

"Oh, I can smell the ocean. You're from the restaurant aren't you?" You nodded and held the box up to him as he took it with a hum. "Ah! I'm starving! I've been drooling while waiting for the food! Than you for delivering the food!"

"Oh hey. Before you go." You held up the notepad. "Could you please sign for this?"

"Oh sure thing. Wait right here." He turned and walked back inside leaving you standing there able to see the inside of the home as the man handed off the food to two little girls who looked so much alike that they must've been twins. A pink pokemon looking like cotton candy swirling around them. "Stacy, Lacy. Food's here. And this time don't let Pinkie eat my share of it." You stood there awkwardly until he finally came back grabbing the note pad. "Sorry about that. You know how kids can be."

"Heh. Yeah. Sorry if it took so long. Had to go the long way around to get here."

"Well you get energy from food. If you need energy you should eat balanced meals." He handed you back the notepad with a smile. "Thanks again!''

With a sigh you turned on your heel and began trudging off back towards the restaurant. Your stomach rumbled again and by this point you were seriously wondering if this was even worth any free food for? If you had half a mind you would've just quite, returned the notepad, and then just go back to the hotel to just eat some of your rations or order the cheapest thing on the room service menu. But then again, you already promised to help and free food does sound better than spending your remanding money. Plus their food was supposed to be really good. So..You made the choice to go back to the very cafe you came from and waltzed back through the doors and up to the counter this time. The chef seemed very pleased to have you back as he had already placed the last box on the counter he explained. Only one more? Oh THANK goodness. You weren't sure how much of this mumbo jumbo you could handle. You took the last box from him not sparing a glance over your shoulder in the chairman's way.

"As for the address-"

"Let me guess. You forgot?"

"Actually. No. I remembered to ask." Your eyes widened. Was this finally gonna be easy? "Unfortunately I have no idea where it is.".....WHAT?! "The customer told me to look for a green roof, but I wonder if there is such a house in Hulbury. I've certainly never seen a house like this before but Im sure you're smart enough to figure it out like the other two!"

".......Right."

Of course it wasn't going to be that easy. It never was going to be easy for you was it? It seemed simple enough tho. Just look for a house with a green roof and that should be it right? Except..none of the houses you had asked previously had ordered anything and the ones that did couldn't have possibly ordered a second time in such short notice right after getting the first. Oh well. Green roof. That's all you had to go on......and the amount of time you had spent walking up and down these streets looking for any building with a green roof was exhausting. NONE of the homes here had green roofs and when you checked the few buildings around here that weren't homes (like the light house and pokemon center-) discovered surprise, surprise. No green roof either. Oh you hoped whoever ordered this didn't live outside Hulbury. Not having any luck where you currently were, you decided to go ahead and go back down to the docks where you first went that morning. You didn't remember seeing any buildings there but it wouldn't hurt to cover all bases before giving up. Your body ended up wondering back to the market place you were once in...And you were about ready to give up. There wasn't anything around here with a green-

"HEY! Young Lady with the sobble on your shoulder!," a male voice shouted. Blinking, you turned around to one of the stalls. the one with the green and white top. A man with brown hair waved at you. "You're delivering food?" You nodded. "Well hey! I'm the one who ordered it!" He was!?...You glanced towards the striped roof of his stall.....Oh. A green roof. Whelp! Might as well get this over with. he smiled wider as you approuched. "You got here earlier than I expected! It was easy to spot the green roof wasn't it?"

No. Not really. In fact it would've been a LOT easier if he just said he was in a stall in this marketplace but instead you forced a smile and handed him the box and notepad. "Please sign here."

He gladly signed it. "The tail curry of this restaurant has a unique flavor. I love it! Say hi to the manager for me!"

You quickly grabbed the notebook. "Have a nice day!" And then you quickly retreated. A groan leaving your tired body as you dragged yourself back the way you came for a second time that day. By the time you had gotten back close to the restaurant you were sore, tired, but most of all you were hungry! OH! The food had better be worth it or else you were going straight back to the hotel to-

"Y/N!!" Hey. You knew that voice! Sure enough Gloria was waving her arm at you with a smile as you proceeded to walk towards her. Despite wanting time to yourself today you were absolutely glad to see her. "What are you doing by the docks?"

"Finishing my role as a replacement delivery boy," you answered when you got close enough and pointed at her white uniform. "Why are you still wearing your gym challenge uniform?"

"Oh uh.." She sheepishly smiled with a chuckle. "It's a long story. On the bright side I managed to defeat Nessa! LOOK!" A flash of bronze went in your face and you blinked before leaning back. A badge with some kind of blue water pattern shown before you. No doubt the water gum badge. "Feast yer eyes! I thought I was a gonna when I lost the second round, but I managed to pull a turn around and win enough rounds to pass! Ain't it great?!"

You smiled. "Hey! That is great! I'm so happy for you! But where's Hop? I thought he was with you."

"He stayed behind to set up his own battle with Nessa tomorrow. Don't worry. He already knows where I am. Said he'll meet back up with us when we're done having dinner with the Chairman."

"...We?"

"Oh.." She slowly lowered her had back down to her side. "I just...thought you'd be coming too since you were there with me when he invited me.I-...I just thought since y'know...B-But that's fine! I won't force ya to come with me. Yer probably tired from running around all day anyways."

You paused. Yes, you were tired but you were heading back inside the restaurant anyways. And if Oleana was there...You smiled. "Hey! I'd love to come!"

Her eyes lit up. "REALLY!?"

"Yeah. I gotta go in to let 'em know I'm done delivering all these confusing orders anyways." You turned and nodded towards the doors. "C'mon. Let's go eat and see what he wants. Ok?"

With a smile of relief she nodded and the two of you went up towards the doors and went inside. The woman from before was there and upon seeing the both of you greeted you both with a smile. "Welcome to the Hulbury Seafood Resturaunt. Unfortunately we're not accepting any reservations or walk ins today but if you'd like to schedule one for a later or order take out you're more than welcome-....Oh! It's you again, Young Lady."

"Uh. Yeah." You held out the notepad. "Actually I was promised free food if I delivered everything and we were both invited to eat with the Chairman over there."

"Oh." She glanced to Gloria who looked nervous, seeming to realize she was a trainer. "Yes. I recall he said something about an extra guest trainer with his party today. Chairman Rose comes here incognito, but the word always gets out when he's here." She grabbed the notepad from you. "You both may go ahead to the Captain's Table in the back. I'll notify the chef you completed your tasks."

With a thanks you both took off towards the back where you saw the Chairman, Oleana, and..HEY! It was Sonia. Relief flooding in seeing another familiar face. This might be more tolerable then...Maybe you should take this time to apologize? You glanced to Gloria who still looked nervous. If this was someone very high up and important it wouldn't hurt to swallow your pride and just apologize, if nothing else but to keep the peace and show you're willing to be the bigger person. After all you don't want to cause trouble. The first to notice you two was the chairman himself as he turned his head from Sonia to you two and smiled.

"Ah! If it isn't the young trainer I met earlier today," he greeted with a smile and raised brow, "If you're here then I suppose it's safe to say you won against Nessa?"

You didn't miss her gulp before forcing a smile. "Uh..Y-Yeah. Piece of cake!"

He nodded. "I'm so glad! Gloria, come. Let's celebrate your recent victory! On me!" ...You felt eyes on you and you turned from the Chairman's face to Oleana's who was staring right at you. ...You frowned back at her- "And I believe I've seen you before as well, Young Lady." You blinked back to the Chairman's face as he was looking at you too now with a raised brow. ...AH CRAP!! "You were the lady back there who gave my assistant quite a 'roasting' as the young kinds call it nowadays."

...You blinked. Forcing up a smile. Here we go. "Uh. hehe. Yeah. Actually I wanted to apologize to you.." You gave Oleana a glance. "-and her for that. I just thought things were getting a bit scary back there."

To your surprise he chuckled it off with a wave. "Not at all. In all honestly Oleana can be quite intimidating to others. It's one of the reasons she's so good at her job. But there's no hard feelings. Right Oleana?"

The woman next to him inhaled before breathing it back out. "Of course, Sir. Apologies accepted and all's forgiven."

"Excellent! I don't suppose you know Sonia here? She's a wonderful person to have on the research team."

"Yeah. We do actually. Hi, Sonia."

"Oh. Were you invited too?," she asked surprised.

Before you could reply the chairman interrupted you. "You two know each other? That's great! Come now." He gestured to the table directly behind him. "Please be seated." And the three of you followed him and did so after you and Gloria exchanged a glance. She still looked nervous. The order of which you sat was Gloria sat across from the Chairman, Sonia next to Gloria, and you next to the Chairman. Naturally you would've preferred to sit next to either one of the other girls but you weren't about to let Gloria sit right next to a guy you had a funny feeling over. Strangely enough Oleana didn't seem like she was eating with you four and instead opted to stand silently next to the Chairman. How odd. You watched as he oh so casually picked the napkin off his own plate. Hmm...Guess he's been here more than once. "Now that we're all together. Gloria was it? Tell us how did your battle go?"

She shrugged. "Oh. Um. I-It was pretty good. Very thrilling. It was really nice to get ta meet Nessa. She's very nice." Sonia smiled at her.

"That's all very good. If you're as talented as Leon mentioned you then you should have no problem defeating the other gym leaders."

"Well I wouldn't say that. I-It was really hard to beat her. She's a tough gym leader."

"Hey. What were you talking about with Sonia?," you asked successfully steering the topic off Gloria for the moment as the Chairman smiled.

"Oh nothing really worth talking about. How her trip was so far studying around with the legends and the Geoglph in Turffield. The theory is that the two are somehow connected but I digress. AH! Our food has arrived." You looked over to what he was gesturing at and perked up at the lady from before who greeted you carrying two plates. One obviously being some kind of fish as it was placed before the chairman who happily accepted. "Ah! My usual. You always remember." And you were surprised when the other plate was sat in front of you. It was curry, smelt sweet, and had an egg smack dab in the middle of it. "Oh. It looks like you're a regular here too I presume."

"The chef asked me to give you his 'Lucky Egg' dish as a token of his appreciation, Miss," she explained, "I hope you're ok with sweet boiled egg curry. Are the rest of you ready to order?"

"Go ahead ladies. It's on me today."

"Mm. Just a salad. I'm not very hungry today."

"...I mean. The tropical curry sounds good," Gloria guessed.

You were too busy studying the dish in front of you to notice the lady leave. Instead staring at the massive egg just sitting in the middle of the darn plate. ...You weren't up to eating something that might've been a pokemon egg no matter how much your stomach rumbled at the sight and your mouth watered at the smell. Luckily it seemed like you had a back up plan because your sobble was crawling down your arm already on his way towards your food. You extended your hand to allow the small pokemon to sit on the table next to you and without really thinking grabbed the egg off your plate and held it out to it. He smiled and happily accepted your gift with a loud chirp before grabbing it and you watched as it bit it nearly in half with one bite. Goodness. Guess you weren't the only one hungry.

"Hulbury is a seafood town. Naturally if one is going to eat here the obvious choice is the local cuisine," the chairman said already digging in, "Everything on the menu is delicious. Oh, Sonia. By the way how is Professor Magnolia getting on? I'm quite indebted to her you know. She was the one who figured out how to unleash the power of Wishing Stars and use that power to dynamax pokemon. We would never have been able to create dynamax bands without her."

Sonia sighed. "*sigh* She was saying that there's still so much we don't know about dynamaxing. It's causing her some worry. She even made me take a power spot detector with me when I started traveling."

"A power spot detector?," he asked interested, "That's the device that allowed me to discover power spots. Locations that emit galar particles and allow pokemon to dynamax. I don't like hearing that Professor Magnolia is worried though. If only there was something I could do." You glanced at him again out the corner of your eye and rose a brow. Why were you getting a weird feeling in your gut from this guy?

Sonia shrugged. "Unless you can suddenly provide more intel on the phenominon then I'm afraid there isn't much, Sir."

He hummed.".....Sonia. It may be good for you to visit the vault in Hammerlocke. I believe the key to unlocking the secrets of the dynamax phenomenon lies in the history preserved there."

Sonia blinked. "Oh. You really think so?"

"We usually study history based on what was left on it from the past. Although mostly legends at this point you know they always say that every legend has truth to it. Who knows? It might even help tie in with the lengend you've been studying currently. Oleana can arrange a meeting I'm sure. Can't you?"

"Understood, Sir," Oleana replied monotonly, "I will arrange a meeting with Ms. Sonia."

"Very good. See? Nothing to worry yourself over about. Now shall we dig in?"

The rest of that dinner get together was a blur. Honestly you were too busy stuffing your face to talk but you didn't mind. You only watched and listened to the small talk. Gloria and Sonia's food arrived a short while after and by this point they were mostly done eating as well. His other questions didn't seem too out of the ordinary. Asking how their day was? How they were enjoying the challenge so far? Talking about some of his recent appointments involving some kind of arrangement with a Prince from the Pasio Region?? You weren't sure. But the sun was starting to set soon.

"So then I figured the best way to solve the matter was to set up individual warnings for the two of them and move one to a different department under Oleana. *sigh* Both are hard workers so it'd be a shame to just fire one or both. Don't you agree Oleana?"

"Yes, Sir. However I believe it is about time we get going, Chairman."

"Hm?" He looked at her. "But I've hardly had a chance to speak with Gloria." You rose a brow. You had literally been sitting her an entire hour.

"With all do respect, Sir. It's getting rather late. I'm sure the young lady is quite tired from her day."

...He sighed. "It's regrettable but I guess it can't be helped. If something needs to get done there's no time like the present after all!" He slowly stood from his seat as the three of you watched and smiled. "Truly though I'm glad to have had a chance to speak with you ladies today. So sorry if we couldn't have spent more time together. In any case I bid you farewell."

"OH! Uh..G-Good bye, M-Mr. Chairman. Sir."

You remained silent as the two left. Narrowed eyes watching as they went...Something about those two just felt...Off. Like it didn't sit right in your gut, but you had no idea why? Was there some kind of plot in the game with those two you couldn't remember?...Hm. In any case you were glad they were gone now so you and Gloria could rela- Your head perked up with at a sigh as Sonia rubbed her face.

"Hey. You good there?"

"Does he think he's doing me a favor? He's right that the vault would be a good place to look for the legends but..." She paused suddenly looking up and noticing the two of you staring at her confused. "UH!...Nevermind! You got the water badge right? Defeating Nessa is no easy feat!"

"Uh..Yeah. What are-"

"Nessa's a good friend! Perhaps I should drop in on her!," her chair screeched as she stood up all of a sudden giving a nervous smile, "Ahaha! Yes! She'll be so happy to see me! Until next time, Gym Challenger! Nice seeing you again, Y/n!"

Both of you stared as Sonia quickly sped walked away from you two and then out of the restaurant as if she was escaping something...

Gloria blinked. "What the world just happened?"

"Believe me I have learnt in this point of my life to just go with things. C'mon. It's free food. Let's finish eating and meet the others back at the hotel."

[uglypaw]

i'm 6 weeks post op as of yesterday! heres my full diary for the first week post op that i wrote during recovery if anyone wants to know what my experience was. CW: blood, surgery, drugs, unsanitary, self harm. if you have any other questions im happy to answer them!

sorry for how long this is lol--

june 21 friday (surgery day)

i'm writing this a few days later but here's how i remember it--

i checked in to the empty office and the copay was $10. the receptionist had me sign a form so that they could call my dad once my surgery was over and he gave me a plastic medical bracelet with my info on it. we hung out in the waiting room for about 10 minutes before i was called in by a nurse. she asked me if i had to pee (i did) and asked if there was a chance i could be pregnant (there wasn't). this nurse was very apathetic and had a very flat voice. i didn't like her.

she had me go to a bed with a gown and a bag for my stuff on it and instructed me to change with the curtain drawn. i did and hung out for about 10 minutes for her to come back, and then she had me lie down and covered me with a blanket and went over my medical record and what meds i was taking and stuff like that. while she was doing this, a male nurse came by and gave me a bunch of painkillers to take with a cup of water(i almost choked on them), and put in my IV on my hand, which was the most painful part. he said i have thick skin on my hand and he really had to push. at this point i got kinda lightheaded hearing him say that but i calmed myself down after a bit.

they called my dad back in and another nurse told me it would be about an hour before the surgeon came to see me. we hung out and played with the monitors on my blood pressure and heart rate and O2 and stuff and made jokes about writing messages on my torso for the surgeon to see when i was under. during the entire time waiting for surgery i was super hungry and wanted to hurry up so i could eat afterwords.

after about an hour the surgeon came by and marked me up, which was kind of uncomfortable because the markers he used were sharp. he held conversation the whole time and was very friendly and charismatic. he went over the marks a bunch of times, and had tentative places marked for my nipple grafts.

he told me the right side was larger than the left so the incision would have to be a bit longer, but since i'd lost weight the incisions were going to be very minimal either way.

after he marked me up he left me again and i asked another nurse to use the bathroom and i got a heated blanket. the anesthesiologist came by and he was funny and casual and alleviated any anxiety by explaining what meds he would be using on me (don't worry about the pain, i prescribe A LOT!!!) and he left once more and another nurse (OR helper) double checked what procedure i'd be doing on the computer, and she told me they would ask me the same questions again once we were in the OR to double confirm. (this ended up not happening because i passed out pretty quick.)

they came by again and confirmed the OR was ready for me, and the anesthesiologist gave me two shots into my IV of some warm liquid and told me i'd be feeling it pretty quick because they were strong (he was right, within a few minutes i was feeling loopy and warm. i was worried i'd have a panic attack about the meds taking effect so fast but it was nice). my dad filmed this part.

they came by about 5 minutes later and said they were ready so they had my dad go back to the waiting room and wheeled me to the OR which was a tiny room with a lot of machines and bright lights and white walls. i remember thinking it looked nothing like it did on TV. they had my name on a whiteboard on the wall. they introduced me to some of the new people i hadn't seen before but i was pretty out of it by then so i wasn't paying too much attention.

they had me scoot over from my hospital bed to the surgery table, and had my arms out to the sides crucifix style. i thought this was really funny and made a note to remember it after surgery.

i recall a few more moments of them rechecking my charts but then the next thing i remember is coming out of anesthesia and seeing my dad and the lights overheard being really bright. someone took off my oxygen mask but i think i was having trouble waking up so they had to put it back on so i would breathe.

they tried to sit me up too fast and i almost passed out so i was given water and gatorade (that i brought from home) and they very slowly raised my bed. my throat was really sore during this time and i remember the gatorade burning as i drank but it was better than the water.

coming out of anesthesia was long and i remember being irritated at it taking so much time and making everyone wait for me. i was also the second to last person in the recovery room (there was a lady next to me coughing a lot, the nurses were saying she was a handful).

my dad told me the doctor told him it was a super easy surgery and it made a difference that i was "lean". he said i might not have fluid in my drains by monday (surgery was on friday) but they wanted to be absolutely sure that i wasn't draining anymore before taking them out.

we talked with the nurse for a while as i caught my breath and could sit up again, and my dad ran to the pharmacy downstairs to pick up my muscle relaxer meds before we left. the nurse talked to me about my transition and stuff like that. i didn't mind because i was still pretty out of it.

when my dad came back they got me a wheelchair but made sure i could stand and could walk to the wall without falling. i was pretty weak but made it steadily. i was surprised how mobile i was. my dad helped me get dressed but i didn't need much assistance.

my dad pulled the car around the front while the nurse wheeled me down to him, and we chatted as we went. the whole hospital was empty and it looked closed. he pulled my chair right up to the car and helped me in, and we thanked him a few times before leaving. he kept repeating if there was any issue with drains coming out to come back to this hospital.

the drive home was fine, and when we got back my dad insisted on taking the dogs out so i could get out of the car. he helped me out and eased me inside to my room. my mom gave me soup though i wasn't too hungry. i chilled in bed for a few hours before falling asleep and my dad showed everyone how to empty the drains. my mom was grossed out but not too much.

i ended up eating about half an edible to help me fall asleep and manage some of the discomfort, but i could have done without it. i had to pee a LOT during the night because of how many IV bags they'd given me. right when i came out of surgery they told me it was good i was dehydrated because it meant i had followed the instructions on not drinking nor eating since midnight the night before.

i was a little worried about wiping myself but my arms were very mobile and i could do it no problem.

i took a bit of tylenol but none of my prescriptions because the pain was very manageable.

sleeping on my back was the hardest part as i was supposed to be sitting up, and my neck was killing me even with my travel pillow. my butt was also really sore so the next morning i made an effort to walk around a bit. having a big squishy pillow under my butt while i slept also helped with the soreness and by day two it was fine. i stretched my legs a lot and tried to lay down as little as i could.

june 22, saturday

morning after surgery

night 1 wasn't great! i woke up a lot to go pee and it was uncomfortable laying sitting up. my neck ended up hurting a lot from the travel pillow. this morning brutus wanted to be with me so bad and i felt bad sleeping without him. i had to maneuver him around so he was on my lap and not my chest because he wanted to be close.

my incisions hurt a bit but it's not unbearable. it feels like the night after i made a big self harm cut, stings and i don't want to jostle them.

the rice krispy definitely helped last night with pain and relaxation and falling asleep, and i'm surprised it didn't give me anxiety or a bad dream.

i don't like sleeping on my back. i woke up around 3 to pee and didn't get back to sleep until almost 5. i was thinking about food to eat the whole time.

i really want ihop pancakes and syrup.

i'm getting little sharp shoots of pain on parts of my chest but they're not too bad and hopefully they mean i'm healing. i'm hopeful they're where my nipples are.

i really should have brought cough drops to the hospital, my throat was very sore after intubation.

i feel electrodes still stuck to my upper chest and i want them off, they're irritating. (i ended up peeling them off a few hours later)

it's still tough to pee but i've been taking short walks around the house to stretch my legs. i. get tired easily so they don't last more than a few minutes. still haven't taken any of my prescribed pain meds, but the pain is getting worse i think. people are telling me the pain will get worse tomorrow.

i've been vaping thc and taking tylenol to manage the pain and they make me sleepy so i've been taking 2-2.5 hour naps and then getting up to pee and snack. 

i took a norco pill in the afternoon but i dont think i needed it. i didn't feel much of an effect from it at all, but it did make me sleepy. that evening i went for a bit of a walk around the front yard.

june 23, sunday

i didn't sleep very well again last night but it was better than the day before. i think having a soft pillow under my butt helped with the soreness and i didn't need the travel pillow as much as i did yesterday with my naps. i still woke up disoriented a lot from my 2 hour naps

i stayed up till like midnight and then just passed out from exhaustion so i didn't wake up very much during the night to pee. this morning i woke up very refreshed but feeling gross physically. i cleaned out my own drains, had papa clean my shoulders and put on my testosterone, and megan dry shampoo my hair. i still haven't pooped but i'm not making too much of an effort. j think i'll take laxatives today.

thus far the pain isn't too bad. last night i had little twinges of sharp pain along my sides near my armpits but haven't had any since. taking deep breaths is getting harder because the incisions are getting more sore and my back is hurting from the binder.

this morning when we drained my drains one of them had barely anything in it which is good

update: i did poop a bit. i've been peeing a lot today.

i haven't napped at all but my arms are getting painful from being squeezed from the binder.

having that shower in a bottle has helped keep me feeling fresh and clean. i may take a sponge bath sometime this week. hygiene is keeping me feeling good, i brushed my teeth and washed my face with actual soap earlier which helped me feel good.

june 24, monday

i'm very sleepy today. i washed myself again with the shower in a bottle and i woke up itchy. i took a long nap in the middle of the day and i'm still pretty out of it and tired. i woke up last night only twice to have diarrhea from the ex lax chocolate papa got me yesterday.

i didn't have a lot of fluid in my drains this morning but it was more than yesterday.

my right drain keeps coming undone. i took another nap today and once i woke up i saw it was completely inflated. i fixed it pretty easily but it's strange it keeps happening.

ive been having binding pains a lot today from being compressed so tight. it hurts mostly when i stand up.

i gave myself a sponge bath today and washed my hair in the sink! i think that activity drained me because afterwards i took a 2 hr nap. i keep feeling like i'm sleeping a lot but all my naps are quite short.

june 25, tuesday

today i had a bit more pain where the drain sites are. it stings and burns a bit but it's not unbearable, just very uncomfortable. it happens regardless of the arm positioning.

i'm getting a lot more tingling/pins and needles over my chest but my actual incisions don't hurt. my ribs and back are killing me from the binder soreness, and i've been tired but not enough to sleep. every time i get up it kind of resets the pain so i'm trying not to adjust a lot.

i feel like i've been eating a lot of crap the past few days so im trying to be more mindful about eating more protein and less refined sugar

also, my chest was very itchy so i put my hand down the front of my vest to scratch it and i couldn't feel anything. it felt like when a limb falls asleep too hard to even be pins and needles and just turns numb. it made me uncomfortable so i only did it a few more times.

i have less energy to walk today than i did yesterday, but not tired enough to sleep. i'll definitely take more of the sleepy antihistamines to sleep tonight.

june 26, wednesday

not much new stuff to update on today. i took two norco pills because one didn't do anything and i almost passed out, i got super lightheaded and nauseous and had to lie down for a while to let my brain catch up.

we took the dogs on a walk to the gate and my chest felt weird walking but not in a totally bad way, i just had to go a little slower so i didn't jostle anything.

i'm so excited for friday! i can't wait to get my drains out.

pain has been pretty minimal today though i did take a few naps. i haven't smoked today at all because i wanna keep my brain clear and save my weed and there hasn't been a huge difference in pain.

my muscles feel very good today and it doesn't hurt to stretch my shoulders and reach for things as much.

drain sites are still very itchy and kinda sore. not a lot of fluid but i noticed the right side hasn't been inflating as much! i think it just needed to be milked and cleaned better.

june 27, thursday

the pain has been the worst today by far. i was draining a lot and found out that exercise or excessive movement will cause more drainage, and i did go on a longish walk yesterday with my mom and the dogs. i ended up taking tylenol, flexeril, hit my pen, and had the rest of the rice krispy treat just to dull the pain. it's starting to go away now but i'm still getting like stinging throbs and aches where my drains are. i'm definitely taking painkillers before we go tomorrow!!

i'm worried the excess drainage means that they'll want me to keep the drains in longer. i rally hope not, they're the one thing causing me pain.

i looked at my chest this morning and last evening and there's a little blood bubble inside the plastic they taped me up with on my left side. i can see my chest too, with all the surgeon marks and the edges of the incisions. it does look like he curved under the pec muscle. i was expecting straight line incisions, though i'm sure i'll warm up to it.

i've been very weak and light headed today, and when i stand up i need to take a minute to let the stars go away out of my vision.

june 28, friday

today's the day! we're leaving soon to go to kaiser for my one week post op. i really hope they take the drains out despite the spike in fluid i had the other day from going on that walk.

i'm very tired today and feeling very lazy. usually i want to bathe in the mornings but today i feel so gross i don't want to do anything. i managed to get myself out of bed today to do my laundry but that's as much work as i could manage.

later; they ended up not taking the drains out because of the spike in fluids from going on a walk the other day. they want to be 100% sure that there's less than 20mg over two or three days so i'm making an appointment for monday.

Monday update: got the drains out. Completely painless and not uncomfortable -- didn’t have much sensation in the area and the nurse distracted me so I didn’t notice her removing them. The worst part was her cleaning the area with alcohol beforehand. 

[darkredehmption]

New Day Dawning

Mal:

I slept like the dead. No pun intended, what with being half vampire n’ all. But after so much time running on adrenaline and angst, finally settling into a bed beside Zsadist saw me crash. Hard.

By the time I woke, a slow blink as I registered the male against me, his arm around me, I felt infinitely better. My wing no longer throbbed or ached, and as I extended it out at my back, off the bed, there was only the faint hint of a strained muscle. Smiling, relieved, I curled it over, draping the feathery limb over the male and admiring him as he rested. 

The face so hardened by years of battle and a past so dark looked almost peaceful in sleep; relaxed and vulnerable in a way that made something inside me ache. I wanted to wrap him in my wings, a shield against the world. But no problem had ever been solved by hiding from the world. Only facing it.

Breathing deep the male’s scent, I moved my wing over him, stroking. At some point I’d have to get up; no doubt the household was waking, the doggen already prepared for every eventuality. The Brothers… would they know this was the bedroom I’d spent the night? Would they care? I had no idea, and oddly, /I/ didn’t care. If this male let me, I’d spend every day in this bed. 

I felt an exhilarating burst. I’d never felt like that about anybody - never thought about anything other than one night. One time. Now this? I smothered a smile. I’d have to speak to my mahmen. Was… was this the vampire side of me? The side they said bonded to people? 

Zsadist:

[I did it. I slept the entire night without nightmares. And not only that but I got in a solid eight hours..or maybe even longer than that. Hell I used to dread going to sleep but last night was heavenly. Stretching in the bed as I feel a brushing of feathers against me. The angel.

My golden eyes pop open wide as I take in the male that was wrapped around me. Suddenly I remembered what happened last night and I could feel myself growing hard. Shit. Shuffling back out of his hold before I turn my head towards his wings. Suddenly I felt so cold without them wrapped around me.]

How’s your wing? Did you sleep well? I’m sorry if I smothered you. [Letting out a snort as I sit up.] I’m not used to sleeping with someone so I...I’m not sure how that was for you. [Hell it was amazing for me. Could he just stay beside me every night? Shaking the thought from my head as I clear my throat.]

I suppose we oughta tell the Brotherhood that you are staying...I mean your staying here with us...with…[Clearing my throat as I trail off. Scrubbing a hand over my skull trim.] Wrath isn’t so welcoming to new residents joining the manse but after what you’ve done I can’t see him saying no. Not with the Queen and Phury still singing your praises. [And cause your MINE. Gritting my teeth as I think of that. Fuck I needed to calm down my inner beast.]

Mal:

Just like that, the male was awake. He scooted backward quickly, and I missed the feel of his arm around me even as I retracted my wings and sat up, the sheets falling around my waist. I let them drape across the bed, but after a moment it proved too uncomfortable and I shifted, throwing my legs over the side and standing. It was effortless to tuck both wings to my back.

“The wing is better. I wouldn’t fly on it today, but by tomorrow, it’ll be fine,” I reassure, turning and smiling. “I slept real well. N’ you didn’t smother me,” I add with a wry grin. “Honestly I don’t think I’ve slept that well in a long time. Most of the time it’s cheap ass motels or the backseat of my car,” I admit ruefully. 

As I move across the room, to the shutter free window, I stare out into the night. Suddenly, the thought of going downstairs to present myself to the King all over again, after declaring I’d stay to Zsadist, made me nervous as hell. He was their King, not mine. I’d grown up without anything like the vampires had here. This entire place… it was foreign to me in every way. The only thing that was familiar was Zsadist.

“I guess I should be dressed before I go down. Do… do we go down together? Or…”

I wasn’t sure of the protocol here, or how the warrior wanted to introduce… this… to his fellow Brothers. Frankly, I was on his dime and his time right now, and I’d take his lead. Whatever it was. If he wanted to keep it on the downlow… that was fine with me. I wanted him to be comfortable. Ready.

Zsadist:

[I felt that tightening in my chest when the angel left my bed. It’s like I almost knew he wouldn’t be back in it again. Shaking the thought as I get up as well. Padding naked to the bathroom, as I use the facilities I try to think of what the fuck I was going to do. Hell the Brothers knew he was here and most likely knew where he spent the night. Though I almost wanted to hide the fact so they wouldn’t give me shit for it.

Letting out a sigh as I wash my hands, golden eyes flickering up to the mirror. What the fuck did this guy see in me? I mean I was not the kind of person people wanted to be around. And yet he just spent the entire night with me. Fuck I wish we could just crawl back into that bed and never leave it. Once out of the bathroom I nod towards the closet] 

I’m gonna get dressed. I’ll lend you something to wear. Then we can give your clothes to Fritz for a wash. [Scrubbing a hand over my skull trim.] We will just leave and go head to first meal. Then there will be a meeting before everyone heads out on rotation. [My eyes met his.] I’m off tonight so maybe I can give you a tour…

[Moving into the closet as I try to figure out what clothes to give to the male. The thought of him wearing one of my turtlenecks had me growling. I cut it off quickly before he could hear as I tugged on a pair of leathers. Fuck did we really just do all that last night. Lifting my head as I watch the male follow me in. His wings still out on full display and I instantly wanted to run my fingers through every feather.]

Um...do you want jeans or what? 

Mal:

If I had to give Zsadist a single descriptor right now (other than ‘edible’) I was gonna have to go with ‘nervous’. The male moved with all the uncertainty of someone not used to attention, or affection. I didn’t push, but I didn’t pull away either, instead waiting and watching, two things I was rather good at. 

Following him into the closet, I gave a nod to the jeans idea. Honestly, I couldn’t tell you a time I’d ever worn leather as pants. Jacket? Sure. Pants? Not so much. 

“Jeans. And uh… maybe a button up shirt you don’t mind me ruining.” I jerked a thumb at the wings over my back. “Otherwise I go bare chested. Not a lot of shirts that fit over wings, y’know? But I can cut a button up to drape over them down the back,” I explain, shrugging as I accepted a pair of jeans and wasted no time in pulling them on. 

As far as the tour went? Sure. Any excuse to spend more time with the male. I’d only seen the med suite and most of the underground facilities, never anything of the manse above unless you counted the dining room (thanks to the Queen) and the bathroom. But I suspected Wrath, Son of Wrath, not to mention ol’ diamond eyes and his sidekick, were gonna want a word first. Call me suspicious, but they struck me as the type to want to put me on notice that they’d ‘have their eye on me’. 

Kinda fair, really. Whatever I’d done, be it protecting Chosen or saving Zsadist, I was still an unknown. Still a halfbreed of a whole different category. I’d endure it. For now.

Zsadist:

[Tosses the male over a pair of dark jeans. When he asked for a button down I blinked. Shit did I have one of those? Turning to look through the racks of clothing. When I find one I let out a sigh of relief. Fritz must of put this in here cause I don’t remember ever wearing this. Snorting as I tug the shirt off the hanger]

Here. I only have one. We can have Fritz stock you up on some clothes…[My head turns slowly as I extend my arm to hand over the shirt.] Which reminds me...You gonna continue to sleep in here with me?

[My chest ached at the thought of him sleeping elsewhere though I didn’t want to assume he would just stay with me. Hell just cause he said he was going to stay doesn’t mean he was going to stay in my room. Turning to grab a turtleneck and tugs it on. Not bothering with any weapons since I was off duty tonight.

My head lifts to watch as the male put his shirt on. I couldn’t help but narrow my golden eyes at the thought of the other Brothers eying you those wings in a moment. My bonding scent forms and fills the closet. It was all I could smell. Shaking my head as I try to clear it.] 

Listen, stay by me when we head to that meeting with Wrath, true? 

Mal:

Jeans on and shirt in hand, I selected a blade and moved to leave the closet, pausing to glance back at the question. I arched a brow then flashed a winning smile, enjoying the way it made the male shift ever so slightly. 

“If you’ll have me, I’ll stay in here. If not, I can find my own room,” I said smoothly. The male had been on his own so long that to just thrust myself into his private space all the time could prove… conflicting. “Besides, if I did have my own room it’d just give me a reason to learn this places’ layout so I could sneak back in at night,” I point out with a wink. 

With a few quick, clean slices that turned the back of the shirt into strips, I donned the material and reached back to adjust it so the strip fell between my wings, shielding that sensitive skin from other eyes and anyone that thought they could touch. I rarely /had/ to keep my wings out like this, so there were only a few of my shirts back home that I’d… ‘redesigned’ to be wing suitable. Instead of the strip, they had buttons that re-sealed the wing slits beneath. If using my wings for shields was going to become a thing here, I’d have to talk to the doggen about making some.

The male’s scent wrapped around me mid thought, distracting me as I glanced up. At his statement I felt the faint flash of tension through my shoulders, my wings lifting higher and folding even more tightly to my back. 

“...alright. Might I ask why?”

Zsadist:

[Cause you’re mine. Closing my eyes as I try to come up with another reason. Shaking my head as I let out a sigh and meet the male’s gaze.] 

‘Cause it will just be easier, okay? But by all means, if you wanna sit between Butch and Vishous and have them eyeing you up during the meeting be my guest. 

[Lets out a snort, my jaw clenching at the thought of them looking at him at all. They fucking better not. Especially Vishous. My stomach growling pulls me out of my thoughts.] Come on. Let’s get some food in us before we even worry about the meeting with the Brotherhood.

[Once outside of my bedroom, the angel and I head towards the grand staircase. And of course we run into Phury and Cormia. My Brother’s mate smiles wide and moves forward to give Malys a hug. “So good to see you still around. Thank you again for saving me. If you ever need anything just let me and Phury know.” She smiles and heads down the stairs. My eyes fall on Phury’s as I watch him stare at me.]

What? [My twin smiles wide and flickers his eyes between us. “Nothing. Come on. Let’s get some food.” He winks before following after his Shellan. Scrubbing a hand over my face as I move with the angel to the dining hall. Most were already seated. Rhage watching with big teal eyes as the Doggens start to bring in the food. Mary trying so hard not to laugh at him while Butch and Vishous start to crack jokes. Lassiter, who was sitting next to Tohr and Autumn, looks up with a big grin on his face. My eyes narrow slightly as he eyes the wings. Yeah, yeah. He has a pair and so do you. Fuck off. 

Moving towards my spot next to Phury. I pull out my chair then nods to the empty one beside me for the angel to sit in. Rhage looks up as he shoves a piece of bacon in his mouth. “Nice wings…” Reaching for an apple from the fruit bowl, biting into it fangs first. My eyes stay trained ahead of me as I continue to listen to Hollywood. “I heard you saved Z’s ass. Pretty epic of you. First the Chosens than a Brother. Going for gold, eh?” Phury sips his coffee and chimes in. “Seems like he enjoys helping the race and will make a good addition.”

Suddenly a booming voice fills the room as Wrath and Beth enter. “Well...look who’s back.” I listen to the jingle of George’s collar as the King walks by with his mate close behind. Finally I speak.] Yeah...he wants to stay. Help fight. 

Mal:

I blinked at the subtle rebuke, though a part of me wondered if it was really for ‘me’. I had no problem sitting amongst any of the Brothers, if only to prove I wasn’t intimidated by any of them. Yet Zsadist seemed about as thrilled to have me around them as I’d been that first night I was detained. 

Taking a breath and smothering my curiosity, I simply nodded as he suggested we head down. With a quick final stretch of my wings, I folded them tightly to my back and moved to follow him. Running into Phury and Cormia, I couldn’t help but smile at the female, at the way she glowed and embraced me like I was already family. 

Flicking a glance at the brothers, I wanted to smile at how different and alike they were, all at the same time. Whatever moment they shared was clearly meant for siblings only, because then the Brother with the colourful mane was going downstairs, and Z was following with me in his wake. 

The dining room was alive with the manse residents, and I found my gaze drawn not to the Brothers but to the only other angel in the room. Lassiter grinned at me, and I found myself smirking back. At some point, I knew, we’d be having a chat. I almost looked forward to it; my first chat with a real angel.

Sitting on the edge of the seat, trying to adjust my wings for the back and finally finding something comfortable, I shot Rhage a grin and shrugged. 

“Right place at the right time man, that’s all.” I didn’t even flinch as the King came in, instead giving Beth a sunny smile and a wink, since her mate couldn’t see it. She shot me a rueful, shushing look in return. I liked her. A Queen, but a halfbreed, just like me. 

Shooting Zsadist a sideways glance, I reached out to collect an apple of my own and directed my voice toward the King.

“You made such a compelling argument, your Kinglyness, that I found myself driven to return.” Was that too much good natured sass for a King? Ah well. Fuck it. I think by now he knew what I was like. “Guess I’ll have to start on that training regime with your boys here. Who’s first?”

Zsadist:

[I eyed the angel when he picked up an apple as well. Surprised he didn’t reach for the bacon first or hell even a pastry. As I take a sip of my coffee I hear Vishous speak up. “I can show you the ropes. Then we can spar a little.” Gritting my teeth as I bite back a growl. Only to calm down once I feel Phury pat my leg under the table. “I think Z said he was going to show him first. I mean he did save our Brother’s life and all.” 

Turning my gaze towards my twin who gave a wink. Vishous adjusts his cap then shrugs. “Fine by me. Though he will have to come to me for tech sooner or later.” Of course. I knew that the others would get to the angel eventually. Just my greedy ass right now wanted him all to myself. Setting down the remnants of the apple as I turn my attention towards the king.] 

I figured he could sit in on the meeting tonight then afterwards I can give him the full tour. Since I’m off and all. [Wrath shifts in his seat then mutters “Oh so he’s staying with us here?” His brows pop out from behind his shades. Beth immediately reaches out to grab his hand. Shit. What was I going to say? Yeah we fucked and he is mine now so he’s staying. Luckily Beth chimes in. “Where do you want him to stay? I mean...he saved a Brother’s life and he’s new to the city. We have plenty of guest rooms.” Wrath let out a grumble then continued to eat his eggs. He didn’t talk much more on the subject. 

I couldn’t help but let my knee bump into the angel’s under the table. Hell I wanted him in my bed again though maybe we oughta lay low and get him a guest room. Then he could sneak in my room when everyone had gone to bed. Smirking at the thought as I reach for some bacon. 

First meal continues on with its normal routine. Rhage eats too much, the Brothers all joke around, and the Shellans chat with each other. Once everyone is done, we start to get up, leaving the women behind to still talk. I tried not to stare as each Brother kissed their mate. My eyes flickered over to the angel. I missed his lips. Shaking the thought from my head as I follow behind my twin back up the grand staircase.]

Mal:

I didn’t even get a chance to agree to a challenge with the diamond eyed Brother, Phury piping up and soothing the tense set of Zsadist’s shoulders. When the Brother’s knee brushed mine under the table, I hid a smile. 

“I’d be very grateful for a room, Beth,” I reply honestly. “I’m sure I can work with Zsadist and the doggen after this meeting to find something suitable.”

Re: find something a door down from the Brother to make my sneaking back to his room more convenient. 

As the table broke up, the Brothers all leaving and making their way upstairs, I followed at the back. Partly because this wasn’t my world yet, and I wasn’t part of their posse, but also because I didn’t want anyone at my back while my wings were out. I knew from past experiences that the urge to touch was strong - feathers and wings and things like me were intriguing to most. I got it. But that didn’t mean I had to like it. And just the thought of one of these Brothers other than Zsadist touching the most sensitive parts that got me hot and bothered… well, it made me all kinds of ‘nah, thanks’ I hadn’t been in a while.

By the time we reached the study, I was the last through the doors, the room already fairly… occupied… thanks to the size of every male in there. At a gesture from the King, I pulled the doors shut behind me, turning to put my wings to it as I glanced around. Each of the males glanced at me, and I fought every impulse not to shift or twitch, instead folding my arms like I gave almost zero fucks. 

“This is cozy. Love the desk, Wrath. What’s the furniture made of, steel?” 

I eyed one of the splindy chairs that magically seemed to support the weight of Rhage, the Brother grinning around a tootsie pop at my assessment.

Zsadist:

[Wrath lets out a chuff before pushing his hand under his shades to rub at his eyes. “Aren’t you a clever male. Him and Lassiter are going to be the death of me.” The King shifts to lean back in his chair that let out a creak when he did so. “Alright. Back to business.” When Wrath started to go off on his normal Brotherhood ramblings I couldn’t help but gaze at the angel. Shifting in my spot next to the fireplace as I kept an eye on him. Nobody better touch those wings of his. 

Hell I was about to be alone with the guy and I had no idea how I was going to carry on a conversation. I mean we just spent the night together so this was going to be awkward. Maybe he will want to work out with me and I can run a few miles on the treadmill. Or hey I could just dump him off at a guest room. Then again did I really want to leave him alone in the mansion? No. My thoughts are pulled away from me as I hear my name. “You got that Z?” Snapping my head up to the direction of Wrath.]

Hm? [The King raises a brow then lets out a sigh. “Show him the weapon room and make sure he is well equipped for battle. Have a few training sessions before we just dump him out into the field. Then again he seems to be able to handle a lesser just fine.” Nodding as my eyes meet the angel’s once again.]

Yeah I got it. No worries. I’ll have it all taken care of. [V chimes in, smoke curling at his lips as he spoke. “I’ll get him set up with a phone and some credit cards, true?” Wrath nods then they go back to business. Soon the meeting is over and everyone is exiting the room. I make my way over to Malys and nods towards the door we entered from.]

Come on.

Mal:

Dropping my gaze as the King launched into his recital, I stared at the carpeted floor and soaked it all in. The rotation schedule was definitely going to be an interesting one - what with some nights going to protecting the King and others protecting the race. I also had to make time to get a little sun - maybe I should be looking at getting the doggen to set me up something poolside instead of in the manse. 

Glancing at up Z’s call back to earth, I hid a smile as the male’s golden gaze snapped back to attention. I was curious what could distract him, and I seriously hoped it was me. The Brother was distracting enough himself, and with the knowledge I was about to get the grand tour of this place from him, I all but tingled with the need to get moving. 

At the mention of weapons and credit cards, I actually blinked, looking around as if I’d catch the punchline of the joke and seeing nothing but serious faces. 

Just like that? Munitions and funds and a phone? It took me /weeks/ to get those kinds of things together, to grift and buy and falsify applications to have banks send even one shiny new card to a postal address. 

Not for the first time, I felt the twist of my gut, the reminder that I was not a warrior of the race… I was a halfbreed nobody that’d lived his life as monster hunting grifter. I was no… male of worth. Not here. Not with them.

I swallowed that anxiety as I stepped aside to let the other Brothers out as the meeting ended, following Zsadist out when he indicated as much. As we walked the hall, I cleared my throat.

“Uh… where too first?”

Zsadist:

[My room so we can fool around again. Clearing my throat as well as I nod.] Downstairs I suppose. Though I feel like you’ve seen enough of those rooms. [Snorts as I start to head that way. Once down in the tunnels I couldn’t help but look around. Making sure no one was lurking in the shadows. Then my gaze met his.]

You look overwhelmed. Just relax. I know it’s this big new place filled with warriors who aren’t always so pleasant, but we are a family. [I pause in front of a door.] And you just became a member of it. So don’t stress. 

[I wanted to kiss him. Hell his lips looked like they were begging for one, but I didn’t want to impose. Besides...he might not be wanting any of that right now. It’s just hard ‘cause this is all new to me and I want it all the damn time. Fuck. Opening the door I gesture for him to walk in first. We are welcomed with walls and walls of all types of weapons. Nodding towards the door on our right.] 

If you wanna try any guns out we have a shooting range. Or hell throw a star at the target for all I care. [Snorts as I lean against the wall.] I guess after this we can pay my Brother Vishous a visit. [I wasn’t too thrilled about that. Yes I got along with him of course, but I didn’t want V to get too friendly with the angel if you catch my drift. 

My eyes slowly roamed over his wings. Fuck what I wouldn’t do right now to run my fingers through those feathers. Focus Z. Now is not the time for this. Moving over I grab a gun and checks to see if it’s loaded before handing it off to the male. When my fingers graze his I feel that spark and I can’t help myself. I reach for him, tugging him against my body as my lips crash to his in a heated kiss.]

Mal:

Following the male down through the tunnel, I appreciated that he waited until we were alone. That said, I wasn’t even sure how I wanted to respond. The onslaught of all this was just so… /much/. I’d gone from avoiding vampires my whole life to living with the race’s King and Co. almost overnight. Hell, I didn’t even go by my vampire name, but it was all they knew me by, and I didn’t know how to change that. How to react. 

“I appreciate the sentiment, Z, but you don’t become a part of a family just by being given credit cards and a gun,” I mutter, frowning for a beat before stepping into a wide room.

Weapons shone with their lethal gleam on every surface, and even as my apprehension about being a vampire now instead of a hunter lingered, I couldn’t deny my ‘kid in a candy store’ reaction to all of it. Every piece in here was new, or at least so well cared for it might as well have been new. I could smell leather and oil and gunpowder, and I breathed it in like it was a cologne. It settled and soothed me, because /this/ I knew well. This, I could do.

Turning to accept the weapon from Zsadist, I get the shock of our hands meeting, the now familiar rush and longing. And whaddaya know, he must’ve gotten it too, cause the next thing I knew we were lip locked, my free hand wrapping around him as the other pointed away with the gun. The kiss, like the leather and oil, soothed the ragged edges of my nerves. Lifting my wings, I half curled them around us like a shield. 

When we broke apart, I took a deep breath, my heart racing.

“…well… I could get used to this part. Weapons and make out sessions.”

Zsadist:

[Even when the kiss broke I couldn’t help but let my hands roam all over his body. My teeth teasing his lower lip.]

Is that so? Well...I just couldn’t help myself. [Truly I couldn’t. This male drove me absolutely crazy. All I did was think about him even if I tried not to. I had no clue how I was going to focus at all with him in the mansion. Reluctantly I pulled away from him and nodded towards the gun. My tongue dragging over my lips to get a taste of him that still lingered there.]

Go ahead. Show me what you got. [Peeling my eyes off of him as I move to enter the shooting range. I had to cool off. Hell maybe I should show him the indoor pool next so I could just drown myself in it. Scrubbing a hand over my scarred face as I let out a grunt. Come on Z. Relax. You got this. Somehow I had to pull my shit together and act somewhat normal around him. I mean how the hell was I going to go on rotation with him if I kept acting like this. MINE. The word rang in my head and I tried to ignore it. But every step he took only had it screaming louder and louder.

As he fired off some shots, I couldn’t help but let my eyes roam over his form again. Those wings were something else and he let me touch them. I mean hell I remember Lassiter saying once that they were like a sacred thing. As I continued to study the male I found myself frowning. What was I doing? I didn’t deserve someone like this. Hell I didn’t deserve anyone. This heavenly creature deserves someone way better than the likes of me. When the gunshots stopped, I find myself nodding slowly.]

That’s good. Very good. [Turning to exit the room, those demons of mine were all back at once and I felt like I couldn’t breathe.] Gimme a sec, true? 

[Quickly I stormed out of the room and darted into the gym. Once in the locker room I head for the bathroom. My heart pounding in my chest as I race over to the sinks. Turning on the faucet to splash cold water on my face as I try to calm down. Remembering what Mary said to me once. Deep breaths. Yeah. Drawing one in as my long fingers curled around the edge of the sink. Holding on for dear life as I try not to lose my shit. Not here. Not now.]

Mal:

My head still buzzing, I tried not to maintain some giddy school girl smile at the male’s revelation he couldn’t help himself. It was both humbling and shocking, the thought that /I/ was so distracting to someone who was normally so in control and strong. Entering the range, I took a breath and made a conscious effort to push down the adrenaline rush, the ache of my body to touch his again. Instead I focused on the targets, and muscle memory was a wonderful fucking thing.

The gun lifted without a thought, and then the scent of gunpowder circled me as I squeezed off round after round, each one finding its home in the centre of any target I could find. It felt grounding, bringing me back to the moment and reminding me who I was. A hunter. A weapon with wings. 

Glancing over my shoulder, I grinned at the praise, but the grin faltered as the male all but bolted from the room, leaving me alone with, arguably, the greatest home weapon collection in the world. Trying not to frown, I took a breath and looked back down the range. Rather than repeat with the same piece, I moved to collect another, loading the clip and staring down the sight as I thought about trying to give the target two eyes and a smiley face while I waited for Z.

“Where’s your tour guide?”

I didn’t flinch, or even move, other than my eyes. They flicked to the door, taking in the diamond eyed Brother as he leant against the frame, watching. But that’d been his intent, no doubt. To see if he could startle me. Instead I shrugged and gave the target some eyes. 

“He needed a minute. I think he went toward the gym, if that’s who you’re looking for.”

Before he could reply, I fired off another six shots. The target now stared at me with a morbid sort of bullet made smile. The vampire came closer to inspect, a small smirk on his lips as he shook his head. 

“Fairly sure you don’t need time on the range like the trainees, true?”

I set down the gun then turned to face him. He wasn’t wrong, but there was always something about firing off a few rounds that just made you feel a little more at peace with the world. 

“If you’re not looking for Z, I guess you’re looking for me.”

Vishous nodded, taking out a hand rolled and putting it to his lips, though he didn’t light it. One hand was covered in a glove, like he was a Michael Jackson fan but couldn’t bring himself to support rhinestones. I made a mental note to ask Z later.

“You can’t demat?” I paused then shook my head. “So I’ll do a couple more pieces of ID for you, since you can’t up n’ fuck off like the rest of us. What name do you want on them?”

I blinked, then answered automatically. “Malachi. Malachi Angelus.”

Vishous snorted. “Cute. Malachi angel. Kinda flaunting it aren’t you?”

I shrugged, folding my arms and unable to help a smirk. “Humans are blind to it because they want to be. And you all only know ‘cause I got my wings out,” I pointed out. 

As if mentioning them was the key, those diamond eyes flicked to the wings at my back. For a beat he just examined them, then he took a step back. 

“Mind showing them? I heard one was injured. That’s why they’re out, yeah? Well I double as help for the med staff around here. Knowing how they work would help in future if I have to fix em.”

There was a beat where I hesitated, glancing toward the door Zsadist had vanished through and wondering where he was. Then I sighed and gave a sharp nod.

“Look. Don’t touch, yeah?” The vampire gave a curt nod. “And I really don’t plan on injuring them again any time soon,” I added, though I couldn’t fault his logic. I’d been worried I’d need a veterinarian over a medic, so having someone who knew the functions and strengths of my wings that was medically trained seemed… prudent. 

Taking a breath, I extended each wing outward. Thanks to being on the range I had the space, the vast room letting me get them out to full extension, over nine feet off either side of my body. The injured one complained, but not enough to force me to fold it back in. I met Vishous’ gaze for a beat, then he was too distracted, his eyes raking over every feather as he examined from a distance, never once moving. I appreciated that. 

Zsadist:

[After what seemed like forever I found myself heading back to the shooting range. I felt like shit for leaving the angel behind, but I didn’t want him to watch me lose my shit. Hell if I let that happen he would want to get the fuck away from me. Then again maybe that was for the best. My thoughts are put on pause when I see the scene before me as I enter the room. 

My Brother Vishous was standing in front of Malys who had his wings on full display. Eyes narrowing as I watch said Brother take in every feather on the male. MINE. The voice screamed in my head. My chest rumbled as a growl started to form. V quickly snaps his head in my direction. His diamond eyes went wide then he looks sorta puzzled. I needed to calm down before he started to ask questions.]

What’s going on in here? [Vishous turns towards me, his brows still raised as he takes me in. “I wanted to look at his wings incase I ever had to patch them up. That alright with you Brother?” Scrubbing a hand over my skull trim.]

Yeah. Just thought you were messing with him. He’s been through a lot and I don’t think he deserves any more shit. [Smooth Z. Make it seem like you don’t have the hots for him.] He saved my ass and Phury’s mate. You know?

[I didn’t know if V was going to buy it or not but from the looks of it he sorta did. “I’m not gonna fuck with him. Well unless he asks nicely.” The Brother laughed and I tried so hard not to let out another growl.]

We were just about to come to you actually. You got him set up yet? [Vishous lights up, his eyes still roaming over Maly’s wings. I didn’t like it. “Almost. Should be all done by tonight. He can swing by and grab em.” My golden eyes narrow slightly but I just shrug it off.] 

Well I still have a shit ton to show him. So maybe pass it off to Fritz. He is setting up a room for him. [The Brother keeps his eyes on me as smoke curls at his lips. “Right...Well I’ll leave you to it than Z.” He turns his attention towards the angel. “Malachi…” He smirks then exits the room. Blinking as I turn to look at the male.]

Malachi? [Fuck I wanted to kiss him. No, I wanted to take him against that wall and mark him as mine. Shaking the thoughts from my head as I draw my attention back towards the male.] 

Mal:

Vishous certainly gave off the aura that he wouldn’t mind seeing more than just my wings, but judging from the look on Z’s face, that was going down about as well as a lead balloon. I fought not to snap my wings shut and slide between them like I was a mediator; this wasn’t a fight, because there was no fight. 

As the diamond eyed male said my name, I inclined my head, folding my wings tightly down my back once more.

“Vishous.”

Then the male was leaving, and it was Zsadist saying my name. I blinked at the relief it brought, hearing my angelic name from his lips. I found myself smiling.

“Yeah. That’s the name I’ve gone by my whole life. Vishous asked what name I wanted on any ID. I said Malachi.”

Crossing the distance to face the Brother, I cocked my head to one side, arching a brow.

“You good now? Everything… okay?” I let the uninjured wing brush against the male, the primaries less sensitive than the feathers closer to my back and less likely to get me excited. Still… touching Zsadist made my whole body tingle in anticipation. “You seemed… upset.” 

With me or with Vishous, I wasn’t quite sure, but I knew (and don’t ask me how) that the male had been unhappy to find his diamond eyed Brother in here with me. 

Zsadist:

[The moment his wing made contact with my body I instantly relaxed. Almost leaning against him as my eyes lifted to his own.] I’m fine. Just...um. [What? You gonna explain to him your little breakdown? That would be a great one.] I just had to ah check on something. Shall we continue on? [Quickly I turned to move out of this room. I knew if we stayed a moment longer I would have him pressed up against the wall. Once out in the hallway, my head turns slightly to watch as he fell instep with me.] 

So. Malachi. Is that what you want to be called or Malys? I mean...Malys is your vampire name yes? [Both rolled off the tongue nicely and would look good on my back. Gritting my teeth as that thought slips into my mind. Not now and not ever Z. Come on. Get real.]

I mean either is fine. Just...wondering what you prefer and all. [Pausing by the double doors that lead to the Gym.] You’ve already been in here. [Nodding in the other direction.] Down there is the pit. That is where Vishous and Butch take up residence. So if you need to find either of them...that’s pretty much where they spend all of their time. [I start to move down the hallway, my arm brushed against one of his wings.] 

Though there is another room down there but V would kill me if we went in there. See he makes all of our daggers. Well...special ones. So he has a place to do that. Though it’s nothing much to see and hot as fuck in there. [Snorts as I make my way through the door under the staircase and back into the foyer of the mansion.] Kitchen is that way. The Doggens will make you anything you like or help yourself. [Shrugs before my eyes rest on my favorite room of the house.] Um...there is the library. If you like to read that is. [Clears my throat as I continue on.] 

You know the dining room of course. [Pausing at the entrance to the pool room. Rolling my golden eyes as I see Lassiter comfy on the couch watching Oprah or some shit.] And this is where a lot of the Brothers or resident angel hangs out. 

Don’t feel like you have to talk to him. Most ignore his annoying ass. [Smirks over at Lass before I gaze at Mal.]

Mal:

Following the male out into the hall, I looked down, feeling guilty as I thought how much I did prefer my angel/human name over my vampire one. My mahmen had given me a vampire name for the day she thought I’d inevitably end up back here (well played, mom) but my wings were still more prominent than my tiny fangs, and hearing Malachi… just felt better. 

“Malachi,” I said finally, then glanced sideways at Zsadist as we moved down the hall. “I’ve been Malachi my whole life. I… It’s all I know. I’ve been a human or an angel more than I’ve ever been a vampire. But a lot of the hunters just call me Mal as well, so there’s that,” I offer, giving the male an alternative if he didn’t like my angel name over my vamp one.

Looking down the tunnel, I make a note of Brother’s place in the Pit, then follow Z back upstairs. His arm brushed against my wings, but it felt as natural as having them pressed to my body, so I thought nothing more of it. The tour passed in a blur up until Lassiter, who seemed oblivious to Z’s comment until I looked in. Those white eyes turned to me, and I felt it like a punch; his divinity. The small thread that connected us, simply because of what we were. 

I’d never met another angel. Those hunters that had… well, they had their own problems, and supposedly, those angels had never, ever been human. But Lassiter had. I don’t know how I knew that, but I did. Though, he hadn’t been human for a /long/ time…

“Can we find me a room?” I managed, still staring into those white eyes until I wrenched my gaze away, blinking rapidly. My heart raced as I tried to stay calm. “Maybe just down from you?”

Zsadist:

[Raising a dark brow as I watched the male look suddenly eager to get the fuck out of here. Hell maybe he found Lassiter annoying as well. I snorted at the thought before giving the male a nod.]

Yeah come on. [Nudging his side then starts to head up the stairs. He wanted his room close to mine and lucky for him there was an open spot right next door. Passing the hall of statues before I bring us to a door. Opening it up, I take in the guest room. It had cream colored walls and linen to match. The furniture was Victorian style like most of the stuff around the mansion.] 

After you. [Following after the angel, my eyes scanning the room wishing there was a connecting door to mine. What? A man can dream can’t he? Scrubbing a hand over my skull as I clear my throat.]

So ah you can order anything you like or even tell Fritz you want to paint it different or change the decor. [Nodding as I take a seat on the edge of the large bed that sat in the center of the room.] I’m right next door then beside me is Phury. But just so you know he rarely sleeps here anymore. He has a house with the Chosens that’s on the other side of our property. Sometimes though him and his mate enjoy a few nights over here. 

[My fingers tapped against my leather covered knees.] Um that’s really about it for this side. I mean there are others on this floor just further away. So if you need anything you can knock on my door. Or call Fritz. The numbers are listed on the phone. [Slowly I stand, taking in the male.] If you’d like I can leave you alone to settle for a bit. I’ll notify Fritz where you’ll be staying. [My eyes locked onto his own. Fuck I wanted to have another one of those makeout sessions. This time on his bed. Shaking the thoughts from my head as I move to the door.]

Mal:

Leaving the angel and his knowing stare behind, I gladly followed the male up the stairs and back toward his room, glad when we stopped at one right down the hall. Stepping through the door, I let my eyes roam the interior that was, supposedly, becoming mine. The idea of having a whole room that wasn’t a motel rental or spattered in questionable things under a black light was borderline overwhelming.

Half listening as he let me know my neighbors, which included himself (mercy) and Phury (dear Lord don’t let him come at me with more mahmen questions), I paused to try and get my bearings. Overnight I’d gone from a wandering nomad hunter to a mansion dwelling vampire angel halfbreed in love with a warrior. Mills and Boon couldn’t make this shit up.

I cleared my throat, finally finding my voice as I realised the male was looking at me.

“Please, don’t take this the wrong way, because I absolutely want to molest you in almost every room we’ve been in, with the exception of wherever the hell Vishous lives,” I rambled, looking around at the furnishings, the sheets on the bed. I felt like I was going to fall over. “But… yeah. I think I would like a moment, or two, to just… get my bearings,” I murmured, finally bringing my gaze back to the male’s golden one. 

Crossing the distance between us, I lifted a hand to cup his cheek then closed my eyes to press my lips to his. A beat later, I leant back, blinking slowly. Kissing the male was like drugging myself. I felt better. Though I still needed a minute.

“It’s a lot to take in, Zsadist. And… I have a lot of things to do. Like call my mahmen and let her know I’m alive,” I admit ruefully. Then there was organising to get some of my stuff. Like my car, clothes and weapons (yeah, I know I’d get new ones here, but I wanted /mine/). “Can… can we meet soon, go over rotation schedules, training and shit like that?” I ask tentatively, worried I’d upset the Brother. This was painfully new to me and I felt like a right idiot. 

Zsadist:

[Blinks as I listen to him speak. But before I could even answer his lips were on my own and I was just speechless. It took everything in me to not just tackle him to the bed and rip off all his clothes. Focus Z. Leaning into the male’s touch as I just nod. Clearing my throat before I find my voice.]

Yes. Sounds good. [Letting out a grunt then leans in for another kiss. Just a small one. Fuck I couldn’t help it. All I wanted to do was kiss this male. Reluctantly though I pull back. My eyes staying locked onto his for a moment before I turn to exit the room. Once I shut the door behind me I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. That ache in my chest returned again and so did my demons. Grumbling as I scrub both hands over my skull trim before walking next door to my room.

Once inside I flop down on my bed like a sack of potatoes. My hand lifts slightly to run over the other side of my bed. The side where the angel just was last night. Those wings wrapped around me in a cocoon. It was perfect. My brows draw in as I take a deep breath, rolling onto my back as I mutter.] 

Fuck Z. You got it bad. [Groaning as I rub my hands over my face. Then suddenly I felt something rub against a hand. Dropping them to reveal the black cat who was staring at me. Reaching out to give him a pet as I stare at the ceiling. The fuck was I going to do? I mean how was I even going to focus with him out on rotation. And my Brothers...How was I going to keep my cool around them? Hell I almost tackled Vishous to the ground today. Shit. What was this angel doing to me?]

[carrietrekkie]

Crossroads - Part III

Fate, Time and Destiny.

The last part of this story. It´s kind of a sum up but I had to bring it forwards and it didn´t fit the next part so. Here are the “ending” of the night together, the morning after and a look through the following week. I changed the series story a bit, you´ll see.

Warning: Comfort, a touch of romance and sadly some hard decisions and death.

Please leave some fb! ;) Enjoy!

@bold-brave-courageous @allthetrek @reeselivesforeverinmyheart

Part I - I never wanted to do that.

Part II - Save in my arms.

I jerked slightly, but calmed down immediately, realizing that it had only been a dream. Well, this time anyway. I was still dead tired, but opened my eyes briefly and took a moment, until I had processed the picture in front of my eyes. Lying beside me, peacefully asleep and as relaxed as I'd ever seen him, was Captain Chris Pike. How did that happen?

I let my eyes wander through the dark room. The pale light was enough to make me realize that I was not in my quarters and consequently was not lying in my bed. The insight wiped the drowsiness a little aside, but unfortunately also left the reason why I was here. I sat up and took a deep breath. Right, I had lost my nerve and that was right down the line. He had insisted that I slept here and now I understood why. If I had been alone now, my thoughts would have started to turn around this horrible event of a few hours ago, now I pulled myself together, if only because I didn´t want to wake him.

I sat there for a while watching him sleep. His chest was rising and falling evenly, in between he made something that sounded like a growl. I had to clench my lips, otherwise I would have giggled. Then something else came to my mind. It felt so good to be here with him. I remembered the feeling that flowed through me as I lay in his arms, the warmth, his heartbeat, his scent. His voice and words keeping me sane. It was a long time since I felt that way and yes, it felt damn good. I sat back on the mattress, rolled over and looked out of the window for a moment. How big was the likelihood of finding someone like him in the middle of this huge galaxy, even through space and time? And yet he was right next to me and with every moment we spend together, the feeling that I should exactly be here, on his side, grows more and more, wiping away all the doubts and uncertainties I had, leaving just affection, warmth, love and everything that goes with it.

Right now he was moving. I glanced over my shoulder, sleepily blinking at me. "Everything alright?" He stroked his nose, totally drowsy. "Yeah, all right." I smiled, than I raised my hand and softly brushed back his hair. "Go back to sleep." "Mmh."

He slipped close to me until he was right behind me, he pushed his arm past my head, then put his other arm around me and cuddled up to me. I closed my eyes, it felt so unbelievably good and when I felt his breath brush against my neck, I had to pit myself together, not throwing all the rules of propriety overboard, kissing him and seeing where that leads. I felt his breath calm down again, so I took it as a sign that he had fallen asleep again. I closed my fingers around his hand, cuddling as close to him as I could, then I let myself be carried off again.

****

Later on the next day.

Tilly was impressive, I could not say otherwise, but it was certainly twenty light years ahead of me, at least, because for a good five minutes I didn´t understand a word she said.

"You look like you just had a little stroke." Her head moved into my field of vision. "Not that, I'm just trying not to look like I lost the lineup." I grinned at her. "Sorry," Tilly replied. "I forgot you're still in the beginning." "At the very beginning. That's when I lost the thread. "I pointed towards warp drive. "And I just get the feeling that this is not really my thing." "It doesn´t have to, but it's part of the basic knowledge." Silvia shrugged. "Then surely there are textbooks or something?" I pushed away from the console I was leaning against. "Yeah, that's a good idea!" I chuckled as her eyes widened. "I'll send you a list, let's say last high school year?" "I was never in high school. That means differently in Germany, but I think I should be able to cope with that. " "If not, you can ask." She started dubbing something on a data pad.

"Tell Tilly, is the memory of the ship's computer unlimited?" "No, not at all. Much of it relates to the network of the Federation, in which we are in contact and regularly updates itself. The memories of the Constituting class are huge, but that also depends on the way of they missions. So far out there, the contact with one of the homeworlds of the Federation is very difficult to impossible. " "Okay, you see." I pointed to her. "I understood that." "Small cattle are also crap." She returned it, then handed me the pad. "You should be busy for a while." "Most certainly." "I have to go to the bridge, will you come with me?" "I think I'll skip that." I raised my eyebrows. "At least for today." "Will we have dinner later?"

Together we left the engine room. "Yes, at the end of your shift?" "Yep, I'll ask Micheal." "I just wanted to suggest." Tilly entered the turbolift, I stopped for a moment. "See you!" "See you!" The doors closed and I moved on to my quarters. I had something else to do now. Since yesterday I pushed that before me. Since leaving Pike's quarters the morning after my collapse, I had somehow avoided him, that was mean and unfair, because on the whole I remembered from that night was, how I had slept in his arms and that he had looked after me wonderfully. I went to my bedroom and grabbed the little box on my bedside table. Somehow it seemed to me that a simple thank you was not enough.

"Computer, where can I find Captain Pike?" "Captain Pike is in his ready room." "Thanks." I grimaced, it still felt funny to talk to a computer. I made my way to the destination it had called me, avoiding the bridge and directly taking the turbolift to his office. I pressed the door opener, waited until he bade me in and then went through the door.

"Hello." He was kneeling straight in front of one of the cabinets on the side, but looked up as I stepped beside him. "Hi, am I disturbing you somehow?" I grinned at him. "No, not really. I try to work out something, and was disturbed by the crooked bottle. "Pike chuckled as I started to smile. "Okay, that sounded a bit crazy." "I strongly suspect that the problem you're breeding over either takes you pretty much or is a mystery." "Let's say a mix of both." He finally got off the floor. "But I think there is just some light coming into the darkness." I smiled at him. "You wonder why I'm avoiding you?" "A little." He reached out and offered me a seat on the couch where he sat down. “You were gone when I woke up.” "I´m so sorry about that, it was not really intentional." I sat down, stroked my pants and then took a deep breath. "To be honest, I was a little embarrassed to see you again." "Why?" He smiled so broadly that it showed his dimples. "Seriously?" I sighed slightly. "I honestly wondered how I can look you in the eye again. I didn´t even thank you before I left. "Now I peek carefully in his direction.

He was still smiling, but far more gentle. "Would that have been so difficult?" "I don´t know yet." I returned it, then hesitated a moment before placing my hand on his. "Thank you, Christopher." "I liked to do that." He closed his fingers around mine. "How are you?" "It's still a weird feeling." I pulled my shoulders up a bit. "But I'm not crying every now and then, if I have to remember that. " "Can you sleep?" "Shall I be honest?" I pinched my lips for a moment. No, I couldn´t say that and yet I wanted it.

"Not as good as the night with you." I inhaled a bit hectic. "It's getting better." I didn´t give him a chance to say anything about it, but if I hadn´t turned away at the moment, I could have seen him getting a little blushed. "I have something for you."

I pulled the little box out of my pocket, turned around and could only wonder for a moment about his confused face before he wiped it aside with a smile. "Here." I pushed the not even palm-sized box into his hand. "What's that?" He smiled at me, then looked at the gift box. "Open up."

Smiling, he opened the package and one of the small disks that they used to listen to music rumbled on his hand. He took it between two fingers and held it up with a questioning face. "Under normal circumstances, I would have baked a box of cookies, but on a spaceship you cannot bake cookies. I learned today. "I grinned at him. "What a pity, because I bake dazzling cookies."

"I believe you immediately." He lifted the disk smiling. "It may look like that, but unfortunately not edible." "I rummaged through my music collection and put on it, which I thought you liked." I tapped the piece of technology. "There are cheesy, snappy and horribly old-fashioned songs, but maybe you like it." He was really touched that I could see the way he closed his fingers around it. "Thank you." He got up, went to his desk and put it on one of the interfaces.  "Your welcome, it should be my thanks."

Chris sat down easily on his desk and started calling up the data. "I hope it worked." I also got up and walked over to him. "Was my first try." He grinned, looked at me briefly, then went on searching. "I assume there is a story to each of these songs?" "Not necessarily." I stood next to him and looked over his shoulder. "Some are just good. May I?" "Of course." I tapped a file. "This one is great for driving." From the loudspeaker came the first notes of U2, The Unforgetable Fire, then I scrolled on. "I'll just believe you now." "Right." I shrugged my eyebrows. "Didn´t think about it." I tapped another file, anyway, I wanted it when he came before me and choses the song directly beyond it. I smiled. "I started with that."

"That haunted me as a catchy tune for a few days." "I'm sorry." I nudged him. "With this that doesn´t happen anymore." Chris laughed a little, then pushed away from his desk. "Or it gets worse." "Could happen." I walked around the table and was about to head for the door when I felt him reach for my hand. "Do you have a moment?" He looked into my eyes. "It certainly doesn´t hurt either." "Okay." I let myself be withdrawn from him. "I don´t have a whole spaceship waiting for me." "Are even two." I didn´t want to hear that, but I didn´t show it. "I just want to try something." Carefully, he pulled me close, put one hand behind my back, and with the other he reached for mine and held it up, I guessed what he was getting at and put my hand on his shoulder.

"Computer from beginning." The song started from the beginning and he looked at me now. "What will that be?" I grinned at him. "You know how to dance waltz?” "I could do it in the 21st century." "I believe that has not changed." He took a step and I followed him, as I had learned it from an eternity ago. Pike raised an eyebrow. "No, everything like always." "From your or my point of view?" I let him push me in a spin. "That's a good question." He just wanted to pull me back when the doorbell rang. I stumbled and slammed straight into him. "Oops." He caught me and held me tight. "I had planned that differently." "I believe you even." With his hand on my hip, he pulled me closer, started stroking his thumb up and down, a look in his eyes I could give up everything right now. I loved how he looked at me in this moment and I wished he would never stop it again.

"Somebody wants something from you." Why couldn´t I shut up, just for one time?

“Should wait.” Carefully he put his forehead against mine, closed his eyes and I couldn´t help but smile at the sight. Kiss him!

The thought took everything in my head and why not? I leaned against him and nudged his nose lightly. He didn´t back off, but started stroking my nose with the tip of his. But again, destiny wasn´t on our side. It rang again and with a sigh that sounded more like a little curse, he let me go, stopped the recording and then invited the visitor in. Ash Tyler entered the ready room and nodded at us. "Captain, can I talk to you briefly?" "Of course Mr. Tyler." He looked at me. "Thanks, that helped me a lot." "I have to thank you, sir." I nodded my farewell to the two men, then left the room through the access I had just entered through, not without first cursing Ash for his appearance.

****

Right after that moment I was ready to bet everything on it, that this following day could be ours, that we ended up together in some way. In this night I found myself again in his bed, but not the way I wished for.

I had barely left the ready room when the red alarm made me flinch. I turned on my heel and ran back to the bridge. I was not part of the bridge crew, but as part of these still mysterious events, I wanted to know what was going on. Another signal had arrived and it was supposed to lead us into the klingon territory, to a planet no one had ever heard of, and from the first moment we did, I felt it would have been better that it stayed that way. In the next few hours the events unfolded and I found myself with Christopher in the biggest dispute we ever had and will have. I couldn´t believe that he wanted to beam alone on a planet, of which little more was known, as there was a klingon monastery  and something was preserved, which was known as timecrystals. My suggestion to accompany him, he declined with a very clear command, even my objections that it would be sure permitted for me as a civilian, he didn´t accepted.

So I just could watch helplessly as the transporter carried him away. It felt like an eternity till he came back and the look with which he looked at me, before he wordlessly left the transporter room, went deep down into my soul. Something had to happen down there. It took me hours before I found Chris, and the time after that was blurred into a cloud of fear and tears. Just when we thought we had fated fate, time had made it clear to us that we couldn´t escape it. I needed all my strength, warmth, and yes, in any way, love to sustain him, to prevent him from get lost in the gloomy thoughts that surrounded him in that night. I could only hold on to him and keep saying that everything would be fine, while the nightmares kept him from sleeping, finding peace for what was ahead of us.

Chris later told me that he believed that he could only pass this test, that he was only able to control his senses because he knew what this crystal would show him, and yet, it had changed him and it took a long time, until he had recovered to some extent. He also had not much time in the next few days for some calm moments. Tilly and Burnham came up with an unbelievable idea of ​​how we could protect the data from Control and even I could come up with a proposal that would save the whole Discovery and its crew. An idea from an old sci-fi series, who would have thought that would be really useful? Nevertheless, the price was high. Chris had sacrificed his fate for it, we suffered heavy losses and Stamets was still recovering from his life-threatening injuries. The damage to the Discovery was considerable and the spore drive was destroyed. And we lost Captain Leland. There was no way to separate him and Control and so Georgiou and Pike had found no other way out than to kill him. When the shuttle, into which we had been able to load the Sphere's data store, disappeared into the wormhole created by Michael, Captain Georgiou, Chris and I stood in the engine room, watching Leland die. Despite everything that had happened, they had been friends and I could see Chris heart breaking as he could do nothing to save him. It was hard to join the party that followed Michael's return, and Starfleet's instruction never again to talk about the incidents that accompanied the signals didn´t make it any easier.

 I hoped that time, as much as I cursed it, would gradually heal those wounds, and when I left my quarters the next morning, I even believed it for a while, but then a crossroads opened in front of me and I had to decide which way I wanted to take.

******

On the next day

Another branch appeared in front of me, I hesitated for a moment, then turned right and found the next checkpoint. I reached out and slapped my hand, waiting to see where it was going to send me. The path went towards the engine room. I turned around and ran again. That was a strange competition, but alright, it was supposed to test orientation under time pressure and load, and I found myself pretty good at it. Now it all just mattered what my time was. I accelerated even more, ignoring the scream of my muscles and shooting into the hallway that would take me to the engine room. The seconds passed and when I was almost sure that I had lost my way, I saw my goal. I grinned, made a final turn, and stepped through the light barrier that marked the finish line. "Huh." I stopped and leaned on my legs. A few legs were in my field of vision. One of them I recognized right away. "Hey Tilly." I briefly raised my hand. "Hey." She sounded too hurry, but was so fit that she could hold a water bottle in my face. "Just arrived." "Ah." I straightened up and took a long sip. In the background I got to see how my colleagues stormed into the room one by one. "Ms. Zimmer. "Saru's voice made me straighten up. "Commander." I smiled at him, well I tried. "Congratulations." He nodded to me. "You were second after Ensign Tilly." "No, seriously?" I stared at him, then at his pad, which he turned so I could see it. Tilly had arrived before me just ten seconds. "Wow, look at that." "Two weeks ago you get lost constantly." Tilly punched me. "You cannot do everything." I jabbed back.

"Well done, both of you." Saru nodded to us, then looked at me. "I release you, if you would like to attend the morning's shadow exercise." "Would I be qualified at all?" The rest of the content of the bottle disappeared inside me. "Well, maybe not one hundred percent, but there's no question you'd learn a lot." "Okay, I'm in." I grinned at him. "What should go wrong?" Saru's smile finally made me guess a little, that Tilly was chuckling next to me didn´t make it any better. "Didn´t I catch something?" "No, I'll tell you right away." Tilly grabbed another bottle, then handed me it. "Let´s eat something?" "Sure, I am dying of hunger." Saru dismissed us, than tell the others their results. "Would it be unreasonable to pull in a huge sundae now?" I unscrewed the cap of the bottle. "I think we burned enough calories." Tilly did the same. I was grateful for the distraction by the CTP the last few days. Since the mystery of the apparitions was solved and averted the impending disaster, I felt increasingly useless. I didn´t know yet what to do with myself here. Although I did a kind of internship with Dr. Culber, but without training at the academy, that wouldn´t get me any further, even though he never tired of assuring me how great I would be. The next few days I will have to decide and that was just incredibly difficult and actually I just didn´t want to deal with it. The hoped-for distraction came halfway towards the team café. Pike came swiftly towards us, but slowed when he saw us. "Let me guess." He spread his arms. "I am too late?" "So much." I raised my hand and held my thumb and index finger just above each other. "But yes Sir." Tilly grinned. "You´re late." "Commander Saru is still in the engine room." "We'll be meeting later anyway." Pike waved his hand. He was on amazingly good mood. Well, even in the worst situations he was hard to beat his positive mood, even after the last events, but just now he was almost too euphoric. Tilly and I exchanged a look.

"Um, Sir, are you alright?" "Yes, excellent Tilly, thanks for asking." He returned her smile. "Are you telling us what makes you so overjoyed or should we guess?" I raised my eyebrows. Now he laughed right. "I've just talked to Number One, the Enterprise systems are restored, the ship is ready to go." I hoped I wouldn´t let the smile fall from my face but I couldn´t prevent it from freezing. "We are expected in a few days on earth."

"You can go home." Tilly joined him smiling. "Well, as far as you can say that." "That's the way to say that." Pike's gaze moved in my direction. "And you are remarkably quiet Cathrin." "I'm almost run an hour around, I'm hungry. "I pulled myself together. "But yes, that's great! It lasted long enough, right? " "Just long enough." He looked at us, then past us as Saru turned the corner. "Excuse me, please." "Of course Sir." Tilly stepped aside and I watched him go past us. "That's unbelievable news, finally there are a few good ones."

Silvia went on, but I just saw myself unable to even move. Instead, I stared at Pike as he exchanged a few words with Saru, then the conversation ended and he turned to me. His eyes met mine directly and I struggled to pull away. I could see him tremble briefly, so I did the first thing that came to my mind, smiled at him, turned around and started to catch up with Silvia. The following hour seemed like an eternity and I was more than relieved when the doors of my quarters finally closed behind me. I knew that day would come, I knew it because I had seen it and I knew it because he had told me, but a part of me had hoped that something would change and he would be around for a while, stay longer on the Discovery. At least until I knew what it was or could be between us.

And now? A look out the window told me we were already on Warp, the destination was not hard to guess. Christopher Pike would be leaving my life in a few hours, and given the size of the galaxy and the enormous amount of spaceships, I would probably never see him again. Even if I completed the Academy successfully, no one could guarantee that I would end up on the Enterprise or back here. Maybe I had this, whatever that was between us, the last weeks just imagined and he would go without me hugging him, hold on or finally kiss.

I just felt lost, like never before since my arrival here, not even when I had to fear that Cornwell delivered me to Section 31, I still had hope and I was painfully aware of why I had had this hope. Chris had always been at my side, I never had to face these catastrophes and incisive events alone. I just sat down on the floor where I had just stood. I couldn´t believe that day should be tomorrow  and I couldn´t do anything about it. I couldn´t ask a Starfleet captain to didn´t go back to his ship, especially if that ship was the USS Enterprise and the Captain, Christopher Pike.

The only thing I could comfort myself with was that I had probably prevented him from having to submit to this terrible fate, which had come up in my world as a particularly mean author. I lay down and stared at the ceiling. I could go to him now, it was only a few meters to his quarters. I could knock and finally put an end to this back and forth, and I surprised myself with it, as I put my legs back on, got up, and left my quarters. Then I stood in front of his door and then my courage left me a little. I didn´t know if he was there, actually, I didn´t know what I wanted to say, but I raised my hand and let it wander over the bell, then I pulled it away and took a step back.

I couldn´t, I just couldn´t do it, so I turned and walked back. This time, I went straight to my bedroom, changed my clothes, and fell completely to my bed. Thanks to the orienteering, I fell asleep immediately, but it was not going to be a particularly good night.

Masterlist

[youknowwhatelseyouare]

Lemon Boy 13/?

20 pizza rolls, 4 movies, and one botched attempt to make cookies later, TJ and Cyrus were huddled in their sleeping bags, fighting sleep.

“Do you think we’re the only ones out there in the universe?” Cyrus mumbled.

TJ watched as Cyrus’s eyelashes fluttered. Even when fighting sleep, the boy still looked like an angel.

“Truthfully? No. There has to be life beyond earth.”

“Yes, but what kind of life?”

“I don’t know. Dinosaur people, maybe.”

“Hmm.”

“Cyrus?”

TJ glanced over again, and saw the steady rise and fall of Cyrus’s chest. He had fallen asleep. Of course.

TJ rolled over and tried to keep his mind occupied. Things had gone well. Very well, even. He had never felt closer to Cyrus. Everything they did felt so natural, like a worn in basketball shoe. Maybe that wasn’t the best metaphor, TJ conceded, but still.

Yet, there was no way Cyrus would choose TJ over him. He felt a pang in his heart as he thought of the two on a date, holding hands, being together. TJ squeezed his eyes shut and tried to drown out truth. No matter what he did, he could never be good enough for Cyrus Goodman.

.~.

TJ woke up the next morning feeling more relaxed than he thought he would after a restless night of sleep. He yawned, and stretched out his arms.

It took him a moment, but TJ realized that something was...different. And that something was...a still sleeping Cyrus curled up against his side. Their sleeping bags were touching, and Cyrus’s head was close to his side.

Slowly, TJ laid back down, and stared at Cyrus’s face. If he moved a few inches closer, he could press his lips to the other boy’s forehead. TJ felt lightheaded. The more he looked at Cyrus, the more he noticed about him. Little details he had somehow missed before. The curve of his mouth, the slope of his nose, the shape of his ears. Every part of him was endearing, and it made it even harder for him to stop liking the boy.

Before he could think about his actions, TJ moved his head forward and gently pressed his lips to Cyrus’s forehead. He pulled away, scanning the other boy’s face for a reaction. But there was none.

Until Cyrus shifted, and TJ rolled his sleeping bag across the floor and against the couch.

He squeezed his eyes shut as he heard the other boy stir. TJ tried to calm his breathing. Technically he hadn’t done anything wrong. Friends could kiss their friends on the forehead, right? At least, that’s what he’d tell Cyrus if confronted.

TJ nearly jumped out of his skin at a light tap on his shoulder.

“TJ? You awake?”

TJ rolled over and faked a yawn.

“I am now,” he fake pouted.

Cyrus’s face dropped.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Hey, you’re good.”

TJ could feel Cyrus’s eyes on him, so he pretended to examine the living room.

“We could make some chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, if you want.”

This seemed to perk Cyrus up.

“Yes please!”

They made their way to the kitchen, their footsteps soft and calculated. TJ’s moms usually slept in late, and he didn’t want to wake them.

TJ pulled out a bowl and a box of pancake mix, then turned to Cyrus, who was still lingering in the door way.

“You ok?” He asked, wondering if he had done something wrong.

“Yeah, it’s just- I’ve never been a very good cook,” Cyrus admitted, staring at the floor.

A flood of affection for him washed over TJ, and he came over and grabbed Cyrus by the hand.

“Don’t worry, I’ll walk you through it.”

Cyrus looked up at him, and TJ’s breath caught in his throat. His eyes were so big and brown, a person could drown in them.

TJ cleared his throat.

“Er, first we measure the amount of mix we need.”

“A lot.”

“You’re still not stuffed after last night?”

“What can I say, a Cyrus marches on his stomach.”

TJ snorted.

“Also, can we have chocolate chips in these pancakes?”

“Did I not make that clear that we would?”

Cyrus’s face split into a grin, and TJ felt as gooey as the pancake better they were mixing.

.~.

Cyrus hadn’t been lying; when it came to cooking, he had a burnt thumb. The first several pancakes came out seriously deformed. Thanks to TJ, the next batch was more edible. And at the end, the kitchen looked like a warzone.

“Here, let me try,” Cyrus said.

He proceeded to throw chocolate chips at TJ’s mouth with varying levels of success. TJ almost choked from laughing (and from chocolate chips). They were having so much fun that they had lost track of time.

“Cyrus? Your mom called, she says you have your doctor’s appointment soon,” Kit said as she padded into the kitchen.

TJ scrupulously avoided his mother’s gaze as she examined the disheveled state of the kitchen.

“I forgot about that.”

TJ saw Cyrus deflate, and in truth he felt something similar happen inside. They had been having so much fun that TJ had forgotten that Jonah existed at all.

“You should get going. We’ll hang out later,” TJ said.

“But what about the kitchen? I can’t leave without helping you clean up.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it. You go. I can clean it up.”

Cyrus hesitated, then nodded. He exited the kitchen, and TJ watched him go.

He turned with a sigh and glared at Kit.

“Go on, let me have it. I know you just cleaned the kitchen yesterday and now it’s a mess. I’m-“

“How long have you liked Cyrus?”

TJ blinked.

“How long have I-? What are you talking about?” He blustered.

“You think I can’t tell when my son has a crush? You put up a good front, TJ, but you can’t fool me.”

TJ felt himself slump. Kit placed a hand on his shoulders.

“It’s ok, TJ. Having feelings is a part of growing up.”

“Yeah, but I never expected to like another guy like this.”

Kit laughed.

“I was the same when I was your age. I was so convinced that some Prince Charming was going to waltz in and change my life. And then I met Sherry and she certainly changed my life, though not in the way I planned.”

Kit moved towards the door, then turned to look back at TJ.

“If you like this boy that much, you should tell him. Life is too short to live with regrets.”

“I- thanks, mom.”

“Anytime. Oh, and TJ?”

“Yeah?”

“If you don’t clean up this kitchen today, you’re grounded.”

[themarchblessing]

PASAR LA NOCHE CON ME

SABRINA

“Ravyn!” I yelled over my shoulder. “I need your help!”

“Bitch..why are you yelling? I’m right outside.” She said coming into view. “Ow! Te ves increíble en ese vestido de mami! You look like a three course meal and don’t get me started on the shoes. Where in the hell did you get those?” She rambled with excitement. Her compliment made my heart thud in my chest and my palms sweaty. Tonight is Brian’s birthday so he invited Ray and I to come along to his party at this club in Manhattan. It’s now going on 10:30 and I’m still not ready. I had Ravyn come over to the house two hours ago so we could get ready together. She’s all dressed and ready but me? I’m having trouble piecing together a full look for this damn party.

I bought a new dress, some new jewelry and brought out the shoes Corey gifted me a few weeks back. The sandals are a perfect fit and they’re super comfortable for four and a half inch heels. I know for a fact Corey will be there since Brian is his best friend and all. I just want to look my best since we’re going out.

“Are you sure this isn’t too much? Ravyn I need your honest opinion.” Turning around I flipped my hair over my shoulder and smoothed out the fabric of the dress.

She walked around me and adjusted some areas, stopping in front of me. “You look beautiful honey. Stop being so hard on yourself and really look in the mirror.” She smiled turning me around by my shoulders. I followed her advice and did a once over of myself, spinning in a slow circle.

I do feel good about my appearance. I think seeing Corey tonight is what’s making me nervous. That night I went to dinner with J has fucked with my mental ever since then. Nobody knows I even went out with him and nobody knows we slept together. I was pretty tipsy so that’s where majority of the influence was derived from. But it’s the reason I enjoyed the night so much that’s eating me up. I’ve never fantasized about another man during sex before. I feel like a such a terrible and stupid person.

“Now..get your pretty ass out of this room so we can go have some fun. I’m ready to shake this ass that I have worked very hard for so let’s go, right now mujer!” She clapped loudly. Ravyn left the room leaving me to check myself out one more time. I brushed through my hair once more again seeing my curls soften out more, I applied lotion to key spots, spritzed on more perfume, and went around the room. Grabbing my littlest purse I killed the lights in the bedroom and followed Ravyn outside to her car.

Tonight is going to be fun and I’m going to get drunk. I can see it happening now. The ride to TAO is a half an hour ride from my house which gives me time to relax and have a little fun of my own with my girl.

“Reach in my bag and pull out the yellow makeup bag. I have some party favors in there I have been dying to use. You told them we were coming yeah?” She asked.

“Just sent Corey a text.” I uttered unzipping the small pouch. “What am I looking for?” I quizzed tucking my hair behind my ear.

“Edibles. They’re sour and they’re potent so I’m warming you now. You only need one because of the dosage but I’m taking two. I’ve been hella stressed these last few days and I need to chill out. They should be in single packs. I’ve got tons of flavors so pick whatever you like mami.” I found what she was talking about and opened two packs for her dumping them into her open palm. “Mmm, sour apple is the best!” She excitedly cheered.

Chuckling at her dumb ass I took two for myself hoping to relax just as much as her. The remainder of the ride to the club is going so smooth. I feel so calm, my body feels warm, and now my hormones are acting up. That one night with Julian made me miss having sex on somewhat of a regular basis. I don’t know what I’m going to get into tonight but I know it’ll be interesting. Ravyn’s playlist set the perfect ambiance to get us into a carefree, relaxed, party mood. The line to get in was filled with people but thankfully we don’t have to wait in line. Brian ended up calling in a favor so instead of Ray having to park on the street, we used the valet that Brian had set up for all of his guests. The loud boom of music that bounced off the walls meshed with the sounds of partygoers made it sound like a live concert in here.

“This place is packed! How are we gonna find the guys?” Ray spoke in my ear as I looked around the room. I don’t even know how we’re going to do that. There’s people everywhere you look! At the bar, the lounge tables, the dance floor, near the bathroom, just everywhere! I spotted two men standing in front of a set of stairs meaning the group must be up on the next level.

“This way!” I shouted over the music. I held onto her hand so we didn’t separate as we made our way over to the stairs.

“You here for Brian Lux’s party?” The guy asked as we stepped in front of them.

“Yes we are. Do you need our na-“

“Finally! What the hell took y’all so long!?” I looked up to see Brian jogging down the steps with a bottle of Jack in his hand. He looks faded already which is a given since this night is all about him.

“Fashion problems..” I shrugged.

“Let ‘em up bruh, they’re definitely with me. Come on let me introduce y’all to some of my friends.” Brian took us around so we could meet everyone in our circle for the night. Men left and right were gawking at us, and some even hit on me but thankfully Brian and Ravyn shut that all the way down. This lounge area that Brian reserved just for tonight is perfect for the amount of people he invited. His friends and co-workers are all very kind and have a good sense of humor. With everyone in such a good mood the night should be a breeze.

So far the night has surpassed all of my expectations. My nerves vanished after my first two shots, thanks to the dudes who hit on me and my high is settling well with me. Being a full time señora doesn’t allow me much free time to really let my hair down and be a woman. With the respect and love I have for my role as a parent I still need to create that time for myself to take a night off every once in a while. And all thanks to my girl Ray and her mother, I can do just that and not feel guilty about anything. Rochelle is keeping my baby boy tonight so I’m not too worried about him but I still miss him very much.  

Ray and I got comfortable within a group of people who were all smoking and drinking. All kinds of party favors were going around up here. “Here B, take this.” Ravyn said, tapping my leg. Putting my phone back inside my little purse I pushed back on the seat taking the shot and drink from her.

“Ravyn what is this? Don’t try to kill me now..I still have a baby to care for once I’m sober again.” Bringing the shot glass to my nose I shrugged and threw it back tasting the burn and cinnamon. This is definitely Fireball.

“I am not trying to kill you. You wanna dance? It’s a lot of yummy looking men out there..” Ray sang out, swaying beside me while sucking down her drink.

“What else did we come here to do?” I slurred with sass. Sipping from my drink as well I followed Ravyn down to the main dance floor. A few other girls and some guys they were conversing with followed us and soon we had a whole party down here. We all took turns dancing with one another, laughing, just feeding off of each other’s vibes. The sound of cumbia music blared through the speakers shocking me to the core. No club I’ve ever been to has openly played any sort of Latin music so to hear music from my grandmother’s home country is blowing my mind.

The music mixed with the liquor and the edibles did a number on me. I’ve been dancing my ass off for most of the time that we’ve been here, feeling like I’m 20 years old again.

“You sure know how to keep a man’s attention.” A voice said from out of nowhere. My face straightened out in confusion thinking I was about to be hit on by another drunk idiot until I laid eyes on him.

“You’re creepy as fuck you know that?” I shook my head at this fool waiting so long to make an appearance. Ever since we arrived I’ve been dying to know where he is. Sipping on the last of my drink I successfully pushed my empty glass into some random girl’s hand.

“Oh yeah? Ok, I’ll remember that.” Corey’s lazy smile and extremely red eyes told me exactly what level he’s on. He’s not much of a drinker or avid smoker but I can smell the weed practically radiating off of his body.

Rolling my eyes at the joke he fed into I picked up my mass of hair and held it on top of my head for a minute. “I’m just kidding. Who did you come here with aside from the birthday boy?” Licking my lips I dropped my hands to my hips and scanned around us quickly.

“Just him. I ain’t come here with nobody special. What about you?” He rebutted, stepping closer to me as some people moved around behind him. Somebody bumped him causing us to be pushed really close together.

“Um..” I mumbled, feeling my heart race in my chest. Why do I feel so nervous right now? “Ravyn. Just Ravyn. How was your trip to Miami?” I asked, slowly putting some space between us.

Corey shrugged lazily and waved to someone behind me. “It was hot. I wish you could’ve came down with me. You always said how badly you wanted to visit the 305. You would’ve loved it B.” He nodded surely. A woman holding a tray of shots appeared and Corey took two. “For you.” He handed me the shot and without hesitating I swallowed every drop of liquor which I came to realize is Hennessy.

“You and Ravyn are equally trying to knock me on my ass tonight. Ooh..” Handing Corey my empty glass I fanned myself and pulled at my dress feeling my body temperature skyrocket.

“Not even close. I see you’re wearing them..” His vision darted down to my feet and so did mine, us both looking at the heels he got for me. I still can’t believe this man bought nearly thirteen hundred dollar Gucci sandals. But he wasn’t lying to Zay when he said I’m secretly in awe with Gucci’s style.

Lifting my head I pushed my curls back and sucked on the inside of bottom lip. “I really do love them. But you did not have to do this for me, you know that right?” Fixing the collar on his shirt I got lost in myself, getting handsy with him. He didn’t seem to mind so I didn’t think anything of it.

“You can keep saying that all you want but it won’t change anything. You uh, care to show me how it’s done with this music? You’re the only expert in here I know.” The growing smile on his face made my heart skip a beat. This liquor has me so fucking gone. I’m reading into moments I never do, I practically molested him with my hands just a few moments ago and then came the memory. Two memories to be exact. The night we kissed two months ago and the night I had sex with Julian. I remember painting a mental picture of Corey’s face while J was eating me out. And once we started having sex, the visuals just continued rolling like a never ending screen of credits. And I’m so proud of myself for being conscious enough to make Julian wear a condom.

Without a word I let my state of mind and my hormones do all the talking for me. The selection of music is supreme tonight. Every genre that you can move your hips to and sing along to took over the entire club. Everyone around us is having a grand old time enjoying a night of no stress and work. Tonight is about all play and I’m okay with that.

After another hour of dancing I felt reality slip away from me each time the song changed over to a new one. Not one guy came to bother me because of the fact that Corey never left my side. He’s an angel for playing along knowing very well that I hate strange men flirting with me. This little charade we played didn’t feel wrong though. We’ve never been like this around each other let alone in public. We’re once again crossing over into new territory. The drugs and the liquor are the motivators for the behavior we’re displaying tonight.

“You know something..I can’t feel anything.” I spoke in his ear, using him as support so I didn’t fall.

“That’s the liquor talking. What else have you had?” He asked, running his hand over the side of my head gingerly. His fingertips brushed along the outer edge of my ear, giving me goosebumps.

“Well..” I dragged out standing up straight feeling his hands on my lower back. “Aside from the shots and the drinks, a few edibles.” I shrugged innocently. Laying my head on his chest I threw an arm over his shoulder taking in his scent it’s the same cologne he wore to Izaiah’s party. It smells ten times better now than it did when I first got to sample it. “Mm..hueles tan bien..” I moaned. The way he smells right now is arousing me for some odd reason.

“What did you say?” He chuckled deeply, holding me close. Our bodies fit together like puzzle pieces, he fit into me as well as I fit into him. Un ajuste perfecto.

“You smell really good. Hueles tan bien.” I repeated, lifting my head to meet his hazy and half open eyes. Once again but this time on my count, history repeated itself. My soul set off like a round of fireworks as we kissed like no one was watching us. The moment began just like the last and turned into something much more than I anticipated. We started in the middle of the room and ended up against a wall that kind of hid us from other eyes.

His lips traveled from mine to my jawline and then down to my neck. Tilting my head to the side I felt my hair tickle my arm as I eagerly welcomed the trade off of his mouth and tongue against my hot skin. “Te quiero tanto,” I moaned feeling his hands tease the hem of my short ass dress. He moved to my ass making himself comfortable there while my arms stayed around his neck.

“You sure about that?” He grumbled, teasing me in the worst ways a woman could imagine.

Cupping the sides of his face in my hands I looked at him with such blurry vision. My eyesight may be tweaked but I know who this is. No amount of liquor could make me forget. “Yeah I’m sure..” Running my thumbs over his cheek I met him halfway and reconnected our mouths. Every part of me has been craving this man and I want him now while I have the chance.

This kiss is a battle purely for control. It’s a battle to see who wants who more. But I think the energy on his side matches mine, no argument needed.

“Come on,” he hastily parted from me leering at me with faded eyes. I followed Corey somewhere and once we were lone in this room that appears to be an office, I pressed play again. I practically threw myself onto him and he welcomed my eagerness. He embraced my desire for intimacy and accepted the moment for that it is rather reading into it too far.

Us not being in view of anyone else granted us the chance to really take things up a notch. Corey gripped my hips firmly and picked me up off the floor. I instantly wrapped my legs around his waist watching my hair cover him partly since I’m now towering over him a little. He carried me over to an empty desk and just continued on from there.

“Corey I need you,” I blurted out. He backed up from me, his chest noticeably moving up and down.

“Here?” He breathed heavily searching my eyes for clarification. The beat of the music crept into the room creating just enough of the mood I was hoping for.

Nodding instantly I pulled my dress up over my hips and ass giving him silent permission to continue what we’ve started. The hunger in his stare solidified that he’s still on the same page as me. He didn’t speak. He just fed into the moment, feeding both of our egos and current desires. I saw him reach for his back pocket and I couldn’t fight the laugh. Hassan would be so proud to know that his son still stays strapped with protection to this day. Corey is the only man I know who actually cares about his sexual health and staying safe.

“You don’t need it.” I breathed, kissing different areas of his face.

“Sabrina are you sure?” He asked caringly.

“I trust you.” I don’t know what I mean by that. But I just don’t want to him to use the rubber.  This is that time. That time we never had a serious conversation about. The line that we unspokenly agreed to never cross is about to be annihilated but that didn’t stop Corey from needing more reassurance. “Corey, please believe me when I tell you that I trust you more than you can imagine. I need this and I need you. All of you.” I spoke. Nibbling on my bottom lip I studied his face swallowing the lump in my throat.

The air made it in between my legs creeping all the way up my back. My final okay sealed the deal. I heard that zipper come undone and even though I’m a little nervous to actually do this, I’m ready in a sense. All of my thoughts of him when I was fucking J and that kiss don’t mean nothing. I think Corey noticed that I got a little nervous so as a way of helping to relax he kissed me gently washing away my thoughts of uncertainty. And my thoughts of Julian altogether.

The shock of him taking his time to get this going did not fade. No, it stayed with me. And when I felt full I no longer could look him in the eye. If I were to possess some weird, freaky habit right now it would be the ability to come out of my own body and watch the scene that’s playing out. I can’t believe we’re actually doing this. The back of my eyelids are a beautiful sight being that my brain needs time registering our actions.

As I looked up at the ceiling my mouth formed a full circle the further he inched himself inside of me. Then my lip made its way underneath my teeth as I shivered from the pleasure.

“You okay?” He uttered for the first time in what seemed like forever.

“Yes..” I moaned without any doubts. “I’m perfect.” I assured him. My state of arousal caught up with me to feed into what he’s giving me. I got one hand on his hip and the other on the small of his back. I didn’t feel the need to think about anything else. This is different than sex with J. That was good but this..this is fulfilling to my soul and my inhibitions. I’m very drunk and I even though don’t know how long this moment will last I hope it doesn’t end soon.

COREY

Leaning back on the table I watched her fix her dress and hair before we go back into the club. I just fucked my best friend. Damn. I still haven’t told her that I’m Zay’s dad which is making me feel a million different mixed emotions. Being here for my boy’s birthday is not the ideal place to have that talk so yet again I’ll have to put it it on hold. My mind is flooded with bits and pieces of what we just did. And she let me hit it raw. That’s a pleasurable memory I’ll take to the grave. I doubt if this means anything or if it’ll ever happen again but at least I got to say we crossed that line. And it was so good too. It’s a shame I can’t relive one of my all time favorite moments. Now I have my own personal experience of what sex is like with Sabrina Guerrero.

“What are you smiling about?” She spoke taking me out of my thoughts. I didn’t realize I was.

“I just-I don’t know.” Running a hand over my mouth I pushed off the table and walked over to her. She toyed with her hands as we stared at one another not speaking.

“I don’t really know what to say right now. I don’t want this to be awkward for either of one us but I’m speechless. Except for what I’m saying right now. But even with that said I’m not sure what to really say.” She babbled on with a certain look in her eye. Her pretty brown eyes had a red tint exposing how fucked up she is.

“Good speechless or bad speechless?” I asked, pulling some hair out from under the shoulder of her dress.

“Good speechless.” She assured. “So what now..”

“Well I’m more than positive Brian is acting a fucking fool so we go back out there. Or I can take you home, it’s up to you Lori..” her hands found themselves on my chest but they didn’t stay there. Nah she was feeling herself emotionally and feeling on me physically.

“I don’t want to go home tonight.” She groaned softly. That’s all I needed to hear. Sabrina and I went back to the party like nothing happened. Well almost. No one questioned where we went but when Brian spotted me he looked back and forth between Bri and I with a stupid ass grin on his face.

We went right back to partying and drinking as if we hadn’t had enough to drink already. I’m good with my mine. I can hold all my liquor and I know Sabrina can so the rest of our time together is going to be one hell of a night. We stayed at the club for another couple of hours leaving with some people Brian and I came with. Placing my jacket over Bri’s shoulders as we stepped outside I looked for the guy who I gave my car to earlier. I spotted him up ahead stepping out of the driver’s seat.

Sabrina was lost in the cars going up and down the street and the people coming in and out of the club. Placing my hand on her lower back earning her attention. “Come on..” I walked behind Sabrina over to my car helping her inside first.

“Here are you Sir.” He said as I closed the door once she was fully in the passenger seat. I turned around and exchanged my keys for his tip, getting in the front seat, taking off down the street. This drive back to Brooklyn is going to be fast one. I smoked just shy of three blunts and finished the remaining bottle of Jack that was passed amongst our group. I’m so damn faded.

With what happened in that room I can only imagine what’s it gonna be like once we’re actually alone.

“You alright? You haven’t said much.” I spoke up as we made it to FDR drive. Glancing over I saw her on her phone.

She looked up at me and nodded. “I’m okay. I just wanted to see if he was awake but he’s not. He’s sound asleep.” She mumbled, slipping her phone back into her purse. She pulled my jacket around her some more and began fiddling with the tips with her hair.

“Izaiah?” I asked, moving in and out of traffic.

“Mhm. He’s with Ravyn’s mom tonight. I miss him.” She sighed and sank into the seat. From the corner of my eye I saw a flash of light come from the floor. The lights on the side of the highway must have caught her shoes at a good angle.

Just thinking of little man made me aware once again that I still haven’t told her the truth. She has no idea that we are indeed a family. She has no idea that Julian isn’t Izaiah’s father, but I am. The way life works is so funny to me. Here I am with the mother of my child and best friend who I had drunk sex with for the first time in my life hours ago. And she’s clueless that I’m the reason she even had a baby.

The rest of the drive we listened to music without talking too much. One thing I love about Sabrina is that she’s okay with silence every now and then. She’s okay with living in the moment and not trying to find something to talk about at every turn. I’m the type to get lost in my thoughts and forget that I’m with someone in real life and not speak for maybe hours at a time. So many people have judged me and called me out on my shit but Bri doesn’t. Why? Because she does the same thing. We got to my building, I gave my car over to Joey who’s the regular valet person who works overnight.

“What’s up man?” He spoke shaking my hand.

“Shit man. Had a long night.” My speech slurring made him laugh.

“You don’t have to tell me. It’s all over your face man. Have a good night bro.” He dipped away inside the car, closing the door and pulling off towards the garage.

“Why am I so cold right now?” I looked down at Bri to find her hugging herself for dear life.

“Let me get you upstairs before you freeze to death.” Laughing at her attempt to warm herself up as if that would completely fix the problem I walked beside her to the elevator.

“Good evening Mr. Howard, or good morning I should say.” Lucy spoke up.

“Hi Lucy. You okay down here?” I asked wanting to make sure she feels safe.

She waved her hand at me and smiled. “I’m fine love. You get this beautiful lady out of this cold before she gets sick. Go on now.” She pointed out picking up her paper again.

“She stays down here alone all night?” Bri asked as got inside the elevator.

“Mhm. Trust me she’s not afraid of this job. She’s a lot more lethal than she looks.” I stated truthfully. Our ride up was quick. When we got into the hallway Sabrina began taking my jacket off and held onto it. Unlocking the door I allowed her to step inside first.

“It’s been so long since I’ve been here it feels like deja vu.” She said laying my jacket on the countertop along with her purse. She then began to take her heels off.

“Leave those on.” I demanded. She did as I asked and walked into my room without another word. Following behind Bri I spotted her standing in front of the window, drawing the curtains back.

“I’ve never seen the view from in here at night.” She stepped back and did that thing with her hair again. She was holding all of it at the top of her head as she admires the view. “Es tan hermoso. I can see so far out.” Sighing deeply I decided to bask in the same view as her. The sweet smell of her perfume, the scent of her hair, and just having her here is making my dick hard. Sabrina has spent the night plenty of times over the years but nothing like this. I can’t call it a one night stand or anything degrading because of how much value she holds to me.

Grabbing her hands I freed them of her mane and interlaced her fingers with mine. I remember when we were like twelve or somewhere around that age and Bri had come over to my house one day. My parents weren’t home that weekend and she was going through some shit at her house so I offered to let her stay with me. Anyway, she was telling about what was going on at home and then she started crying. After I got her to calm down she had fell asleep and so I carried her to my sisters room. At that time and still today my sister wasn’t around much so her room was the perfect place to let Bri sleep in peace. I’ll never forget this night. Fast forward and I was knee deep in sleep and all of a sudden I woke up feeling somebody touch me. Something told me that Bri wasn’t happy about being in that room by herself so I let her lay with me in my bed. We didn’t talk for the rest of the night but right before she fell asleep she accidentally or purposely, I never figured out which, felt me up. I couldn’t fight how excited she made me. I couldn’t control it.

It just happened. When I tell you I experienced my first hard dick at the age of twelve because of her, I’m not bullshitting. Lori was the only female friend I had growing up and I always thought she was a pretty girl. So to be touched by her sexually for the first time in my life was life changing.

“Corey, what are you thinking about, love?” Sabrina wrapped my arms around her waist turning her head upward to look at me.

“This first time I ever felt my dick get hard thanks to you.” I admitted.

“What? How did I have anything to do with that?” Oh yeah she clearly does not remember.

“Don’t worry about it. It was a long time ago. Look I’m glad you’re here.” I haven’t seen much of her and Izaiah lately since our work schedules keep clashing. I’ve been busy so much like it’s not even crazy. Bri lets me talk to him on the phone as much as I want and he’ll call me whenever he wants but I like being in his presence physically. And obviously hers too.

“Thank you for letting me stay. I didn’t wanna be alone tonight. And I’m sorry for being so distant it wasn’t on purpose.” She turned around to face me, holding onto me for support.

Silently I started unzip her dress. Once it went as far as it could go I pushed the soft material down all the way to her hips. “You can stay the night whenever you want to. I might be drunk be I mean it. You and m-Izaiah can be here as often as you like.” I almost slipped up and called him my son but I caught myself.

“Cuando queramos? Estás segura?” She questioned holding her hair out of the way.

“If that means whenever you want to then yeah. Take this off.” I ordered. If there’s one thing I’ve come to realize it’s that dark liquor mixed with weed makes me demanding. Complying to my demand with no problem she and I worked together to get her out of this dress. I know she’s been dying to get out of this and now this is the time. As I helped her step out of her clothes I noticed tattoos I’ve never seen before. One wrapped around her ankle, another one on both sides of her hips, and the last one was encasing her left thigh. “Where did these come from?” I asked in shock the Sabrina actually faced the needle. I tried to convince her to get one in college but she said no. Her exact words were ‘hell no and fuck that’ but I guess she had a change in heart.

“Change in heart. They hurt like hell too.” She chuckled, tucking her hair behind her ear. Being curious to see what they all are I took a minute to get a good look at every one of them. The writing on her thigh is in Spanish so of course I’m naturally fascinated to find out the meaning. “This one if you can’t read it that well says ‘eres tu propia mina de oro’ meaning you are your own gold mine. Or I am my own gold mine.” She explained as I ran my my fingers over the small words.

Picking up her leg I got a closer look seeing a feather on top of her foot connected to what looks like small beads.

“I got this one for Leo. You remember him? He called you Chino every time I talked to him about you. I miss him.” Hearing her say in less words that her mother’s father passed away struck a nerve. I lost my grandfather on my mom’s side two days after my birthday, three years ago.

Deciding not to go further into this topic I placed her foot back on the floor and stood up to full height. Walking around her to check out the ink that made me curious most of all I felt my jaw drop. Covering her entire lower back is a half skull half woman who’s eyes weren’t filled in. She’s a representation of an old school pin up girl with a teardrop under her left eye. The surrounding ink were roses and smoke and a ton of shading. One would claim this piece is depressing but to someone like myself, I know otherwise.

This time she didn’t have to explain the meaning of this one. I know it’s a cover up. She never and I mean never told me how she got third degree burn marks and scars along her lower back. I know who did this to her. The ink is a symbol of Ace breaking her. In simple words, Bri was like broken glass after she left that nigga. He broke her down in so many ways it’s depressing to even think about let alone talk about.

She turned to the side causing her hair to shift and swing over her shoulder. I looked up in time to see yet another tattoo I have never noticed. The stars on the back of her neck traveled almost to the point of touching the buckle of her bra. They’re all blacked out.

“I hate him so much for all the fucked up shit he did to me.” She said touching the ink on her lower back. “You know once upon a time he told me he’d kill me if I ever spoke to you again. He hated you so much. But not as much I hate him for treating me like I meant nothing. My mom cried herself to sleep every night until I told her I left him. Her worst fear was getting a phone call from you or Ravyn or somebody saying that he actually did kill me.” Quickly she took her heels off pushing them aside with her feet. She moans in satisfaction to have her feet bare and free to move about.

I knew Ace threatened her but I didn’t know to what extent his words went. “Lori, you know you’re better than that right?” Kissing her shoulder I repeated my actions, internally regretting not going through the plan Brian and I came up with. Sabrina knew what I had did to Ace. But she never knew I had other plans for him.

“I know baby I know. I was young and very dumb when it came to him. I never told anyone not even my mom knew that he was the reason I almost couldn’t have kids.” I tensed up feeling like my heart had stopped. Just thinking about her never bringing up the idea to have a baby killed me. Because not only is that her baby but he’s mine too. Selfishly I envisioned not meeting up her that night in the city when she first got back. If Ace was successful in whatever he was doing to her I wouldn’t be a father today. Sabrina wouldn’t be a mom and we certainly wouldn’t have gotten to where we are in this very moment.

Sabrina started crying which broke me down to see her so distraught over somebody like Ace. Sweeping her off her feet I carried over to my bed laying her down with ease. Nothing I can say will take away the all pain she experienced in the past. But what I can do is try to make her forget. Even just for the night.

[imagines-of-the-unknown]

Oh, It's You Again || pt 3

Kylo Ren X Earth!Reader

Pt1 Pt2

Words: 1k

Warnings: Diabetes

A/N: I'm just making more parts like asked, but I have no idea what I'm doing.

Tags: @kylorendaddy

Weeks seemed to of passed before he saw you again. Those weeks felt cold, dark and lonely. He's only spoken to you for few minutes at a time. But it's something he looks forward to each and every day only to get disappointed as each day turned into a new one. Kylo sat down with his dinner in front of him, now cold as he's spent the past 30 minutes just poking at it. There hasn't been anything exciting since he last saw you, absolutely nothing.

A wonderful scent of warm freshly cooked food eased its way into his nose making him drool. He looked up from his sad tray to see you whizzing around your kitchen cutting vegetables while checking on pork that's sizzling away in the pan. You appeared to be saying something- no singing. But he couldn't hear anything so you must just be mouthing the words. You knelt down and grabbed a plate putting it on the island bench and started plating up your food.

You then started walking toward the table where Kylo was sitting. You paused you steps when you saw you weren't alone like you thought.

"Hey..." You said quietly, placing your plate before him and taking his tray. "Looks like we're trading meals. Better enjoy it because I worked hard on it." You looked down at his food in disgust but still picked something that looked relatively edible. You lifted it up to your face inspecting it further before looking at the knight puzzled. "You eat this?"

"It's better than it looks." He lied. Your meal looked better than anything he's had in the past few years. You shrugged and put the piece of apparently edible food in your mouth. You chewed, swallowed and regretted.

"You lied." You pouted and went for another piece of food hoping for the better. "Dessert for dinner it is." Kylo had yet to pick at his food. "Go ahead and have your dinner, it wasn't made to go cold." Kylo picked up the utensils and grabbed a vegetable. It was delicious. He ate away at the rest of the meal while you prepared two bowls of ice cream. "So how was your day?"

"Boring." He responded with a mouth full of food.

"It's like you haven't eaten in ages." You laughed grabbing the plate and replacing it with the bowl. Kylo looked up at you with a raised eyebrow, it was like you didn't just taste his food. "Alright, I'll let you have it." You started happily eating your ice cream while Kylo just looked at the bowl grabbing the teaspoon. His first scoop was small which turned into bigger scoops each bite. It was delicious. He started to wonder the possibilities of meals you had and if it was as nice.

"Thank you..." Kylo frowned upon noticing you were gone. He could still see you sitting opposite to him, but at the same time you weren't there. You were on the other side of the galaxy away from where he needed to be.

Kylo made sure to clean the bowl and place it in a spot that was in clear view so he could give it to you. Every time he passed it he would think back to hat night he had dinner with you. It was casual and peaceful, something he yearned more of.

Perhaps a shower will help him relax and relieve him of his thoughts for a brief moment. He disrobed himself opening the curtain, it wasn't until then when he opened a curtain did he realize that this wasn't actually his shower. To white and colourful, he looked down to see you face down in the bath blowing bubbles. You then looked up and scream. Kylo instantly closed the curtain grabbing his clothes and putting them back on. He tripped as he tried his best to put his pants on. His face was a whole new shade of red and his heart beating faster than it ever has.

A few minutes later of calming himself down you finally came out of the bathroom with a loose t-shirt and pants equally as embarrassed. You looked up at Kylo hesitantly waving at him. You walked around taking a seat on the bed.

"I'm sorry I didn't-"

"Let's not talk about it." You were stiff and avoiding any form of contact.

"I..." He wanted to say something, but he didn't know what to say.

"You're weirdly beefy, you know that right?"

"Beefy?" You shook your head not wanting to explain yourself

"Never mind. Sorry I screamed..."

"It's alright, it's my fault..."

"It's the force. Should know what good timing is." Kylo chuckled deeply.

"The force is roughly ten thousand years old at least." He shrugged with a smile looking at his lightsaber from across the room. "Would you like to know about the force? The jedi?" He looked at you hopefully.

"Well it is connecting us so I may as well learn about this." Kylo smiled so he reached his hand out and his saber landed perfectly in his hand. "Oh sweet!" Your eyes sparkled as you stared at his hand, you wanted to reach out and hold his hand. For the rest of the time that the two of you connected Kylo talk about the history and how to use the force. You asked questions, you were tempted to write notes down but you wanted to continue listening.

He didn't realize how long he was talking for because you sat there next to him with your head on his shoulder fast asleep. Kylo reached behind you folding the blankets over so he could lie you down onto the bed and wrap the blanket around you. He smiled as he stood there while you peacefully slept. He should probably shower, he knew he didn't smell the best at this time of day. As he showered he couldn't help but continue smiling as the picture of you sleeping with a smile was imprinted in his mind. Kylo started biting his bottom lip at the thought of lying down beside you, wrapping his arms around you. He knew he shouldn't be having these light thoughts, but they felt so nice.

It was a shame you were so far away. IF only he could order and do as he wishes. He could see your home planet. He wouldn't have to wonder when the next time he would see you was, he would just round the corner and there you were. Kylo sighed. It would cost him the nearing destruction of the resistance to see you.

[carolunea-matea]

Put Me In Coach

Chapter Nine

A/N: Slight  Smut

True to his word, Negan did not leave Lunea’s side. He walked the halls of The Sanctuary with one arm around her the other hand clutching Lucille. He wasn’t ever going to let someone hurt her again.

Slowly, she started taking back over her duties at the warehouse. Negan would have his meetings down there with her, or if she was balancing the books, she would sit at his desk while he conducted business in his office.

He had done nothing but hold her in the past month. Not a kiss or a fleeting touch. He was giving her all the space she needed while making sure she felt safe. He still hadn’t mentioned that he had split from the wives. Negan had told her that as a reward for finding Dwight and Sherrie, he had let Gloria go back to her husband. Lunea just knew that he would hold her every night. Calm her from the constant nightmares.

Until, one night, she slept through the night. Negan woke up in the morning before her and realized she was still tucked under his arm sleeping peacefully. He watched her face. Relaxed and beautiful.

“I’ve never seen something so god damn fucking beautiful,” he mumbled.

“Hmmm? What was that, Coach?” Lunea stretched with a slight smile on her lips. She had been having a good dream. Something about a track meet and Coach being proud of her. There was cheesecake involved as well.

Wait! A good dream? Her eyes flew open and she looked at Negan.

“I slept through the night?”

“You slept through the night, Princess.”

The name “Princess” made her flush. She felt warmth spread in her stomach. Before she even knew what she was doing, she put a hand on one of Negan’s cheeks and kissed him. Just a small flutter of a kiss.

She opened her eyes again and smiled shyly.

“Good Morning, Coach.”

“Fantastic fucking morning, Ribbons! What do you feel like doing today?”

“I think I want to go to yoga. Not run the class yet. Just take part. Will you come with me? You don’t have to. I know it would be boring for you.”

“Ribbons, it would be the fucking cherry on my day to bring you to yoga! Go get dressed!”

She scrambled out of bed to get ready for class. She pulled on the new yoga pants and a sports bra that were part of an offering from Alexandria. They had found an entire Target stock room untouched. Negan had claimed 90% of it and gave Lunea first dibs. She begged him to let Amber and Frankie join her. It would almost be like shopping! He gave in to her. It was one of the few times she had smiled in the last month.

She stood in front of Negan as a way of asking how she looked. Her long hair was pulled into a ponytail and the clothes fit her perfectly.

“You look fucking edible, Doll!” He smiled and grabbed her hand to lead her down to yoga.

When they got there, everyone crowded around Lunea. They hugged her gently and welcomed her back. Negan leaned against a wall in the back, his arms crossed in front of him. His eyes fixed on Lunea’s form as she comfortably moved between each stretch. She again looked peaceful and almost as if she were healing. The thought brought a smile to Negan’s lips.

Lips. He rubbed his remember the light kiss from this morning. It had taken every fucking last bit of will power he had to not deepen it. Run his hands all over her body. Remind her that a real man’s touch felt fucking amazing and safe. But he knew she wasn’t ready yet, so he held back.

“Great job, everyone! Lunea, we are so happy to have you back! Just let me know when you are ready to get back up front! How is Amber by the way? We miss her.”

“Thanks, Blake! She’s getting better. I may try to talk her into coming down for easy stretches tonight. Get her moving again!”

“That would be great! I will see you tonight! Bye Negan!”

“Later, Peaches! I like that girl! She’s not quite afraid of me…”

“But respects your power,” Lunea added.

“Exactly. So where to now, Ribbons? You looked great out there,” his voice thickening with lust.

“Breakfast then a shower?” She blushed at Negan’s tone.

“Lead the way, Darlin,” he wanted to watch her ass move in those yoga pants.

She threw a towel around her neck and led the way for a bit. Negan caught up and threw his arm around her shoulder.

After a quick breakfast they headed back up to Negan’s room so Lunea could shower. She was feeling good. Feeling human again.

“After I’m done in the shower do you think I could go visit Amber and Frankie?”

“Of course, we can…wait… you want to go alone? I’m not sure there, Ribbons.”

“You can walk me! But just us girls hanging out. Please, Negan?” She pouted looking up at him.

“Ok put away the fucking lip! Fine I will walk you there but I am not going far! And you will bring you fucking walkie!”

Lunea jumped up and down, “Oh thank you, Daddy!” She gave him a quick kiss and was in the bathroom before it registered what she had just called him.

What the fuck was that?! She hadn’t called him that since their first (and last) time together. Hadn’t even thought about it since…

Maybe he hadn’t noticed. She stripped her clothes off throwing them in the hamper before jumping in the shower and completely pampering herself. Shaved, lathered, soaped, exfoliated, everything.

Did she just call him Daddy? He groaned feeling himself grow hard at the idea. He had to get control of himself. She would let him know when she was ready.

Lunea was drying herself off and reached for her lotion. She stopped mid-way and changed her mind. She quickly brushed her teeth, washed her face, and brushed out her hair. Finally, she grabbed her lotion. Was she ready for this? Yes, as long as they went slow.

She opened the bathroom door, still wrapped in her towel playing with her lotion bottle. Slowly she walked over to Negan who hadn’t looked up from his book yet. When she reached the foot of the bed he finally looked up.

“Take a fucking look at you! Fucking breathtaking, Ribbons! Not that I don’t seriously fucking appreciate the sight of you in a tiny ass towel, but what aren’t you dressed yet?”

“I needed some help,” she bit the bottom of her lip while he put his book down.

“What can I help you with, Gorgeous?”

“Can you help me put my lotion on, Daddy?”

It was like an electric current was attached to the word.

“Are you sure, Princess?”

“Just the lotion. Baby steps, right?”

“Absolutely, Princess. Why don’t you hand Daddy the lotion and lay down on your belly? Let me get the back of you first.”

Lunea did as she was told and Negan pulled in a long breath. He warmed some lotion in between his hands and slowly massaged it into her shoulder, moving further and further down so slowly. Making sure all the lotion was rubbed in and she was relaxed.

He moved down to her ass, paying it extra attention before running his hands down her thighs and calves. Massaging her feet for a bit.

“Mmm, Daddy, your hands feel so good.”

“Oh Princess, I think I may be enjoying this more than you. Now flip over for Daddy, Baby Girl.”

Lunea turned over her breathing becoming heavier.

“Fuck me, Princess! You’re fucking amazing.”

“Touch me. Please, Daddy?”

“Yes ma’am!”

This time Negan started with her feet. Slowly working his way up. Past her knees, to her thighs. He rubbed the lotion over her hips and belly. Up toward her breasts. She let out a small moan in anticipation. Before massaging the lotion into her breasts, he bent down and kissed them. Lightly flicking his tongue over one nipple and then the other. Taking one and then the other into his mouth. Pulling small moans out of her.

“Oh, Daddy. It feels so good. Please, don’t stop.”

“Do you want me to make you come, Little Girl? Just from playing with your nipples? Would you like that?” His words were almost slurred with the thickness from his lust.

“Please, Daddy?”

“For you, Princess, fucking anything!”

He sucked and licked while gently tugging and pinching. Soft playful bites. Until she felt it about to hit her.

“Daddy. Daddy I’m going to…”

“Come for me, Baby Girl. Come on. Let go.”

Lunea shuddered as she felt the orgasm shoot down her body.

Negan finished rubbing her with lotion and then pulled her to him.

“Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for knowing I wouldn’t push you. You are fucking amazing,” Negan nuzzled the back of her neck while she giggled.

“Thank you for taking care of me. For being gentle.”

They stayed like that for a few minutes when the walkie went off.

“Negan? Are you still bringing Lunea by?”

“Shit! Go get dressed!” He grabbed the radio, “Yeah yeah, we are on our way. Just got a little distracted.”

Negan chuckled. Lunea scrambled off the bed giggling and ran to get dressed. She quickly pulled on a matching bra and panty set in light blue, some jeans, and a tank top. When she came back out of the bathroom Negan was stroking himself.

“Can I help?” She barely whispered walking back towards the bed.

“If you are ready for it, that would be fucking magnificent, Doll”

Lunea climbed on to the bed and straddled Negan’s thighs. She pulled Negan’s hand off of his cock and with her own before moving his had to cover hers, pumping his cock with him. Negan never took his eyes off of hers.

“That’s my good girl. Let Daddy show you” He bit back a moan as he picked up the pace. Lunea looked down at his cock in awe.

“Nuh uh. Look at me. I’m almost there and I want to be looking at those fucking beautiful hazel eyes while I come.”

Lunea looked up breathing shallowly at the intimacy of stroking Negan’s cock with him. He picked up the pace. Faster and faster until.

“Oh God, Baby Girl!” He came dripping down both of their hands. Lunea brought their hands up to her mouth and licked them clean.

“Jesus Christ, Princess! You keep that up and Amber and Frankie are going to send a fucking search party after us! Come on let’s get those hands washed up and get moving.”

Twenty minutes later they were walking into the door of the suite. The two women had been busy redecorating while they were healing. Gone were the dark sensual colors of the suite. They were replaced with bright yellows, blues and greens. The common area now closer resembled a home rather than a brothel.

“Wow! You guys have done an amazing job in here! What brought this on?” Lunea exclaimed.

“Lunea!! You’re here! Wait til you see our rooms! And the bathroom! It’s so awesome!” Frankie came running out of her room to hug her friend.

“We just felt it was time for a change. Negan agreed to let us do what we wanted with the space. It’s so good to see you smiling.” Amber hugged her gently.

“You’re walking so much better! I can’t believe I haven’t seen you guys in a week!”

“Ok, ok! I’m out of here! Take care of her, ladies! I’m just a call away,” Negan turned to leave.

“Wait!” Lunea called suddenly.

“Change your mind? Want me to stay, Ribbons? Wouldn’t that throw a wrench in the “Girl’s Day’?”

“No, but you forgot something,” Lunea walked over to Negan and stood on her tip toes, took his face in her hands and kissed him. He brought an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. She teased his bottom lip with her tongue and he took the chance to explore her mouth with his tongue. Lunea slowly lowered herself and sighed happily.

“Well you are just full of fucking surprises today, Ribbons! I will see you later!”

Lunea turned slowly to see her friends staring at her.

“Ok, spill it! What the hell was that?!”

Chapter 8   Chapter 10

Master List

@neganandblake

@likearaindropfilledwithgoldust

@negans-network

@ask-kakashihatake

@idk-wtf-is-happening

@collette04

[aknazer]

Plagg’s Day Out 3: Urban Turtle

Also on Ao3

Day 2<<  Day 3 (Cat Nap)  >> Day 4

He might be getting too old for this, Plagg reflected later. Or maybe he needed to do this more, and build up his tolerance?

Probably the latter, he decided. He and Tikki hadn’t needed to swap Miraculous in quite a while, and he had forgotten how draining it was. The only reason he’d been able to hold it through the entire patrol was because of all of the cheese he’d gorged on earlier. And even then, only his pride had stopped him from dropping Marinette halfway through her window and made him wait until she’d called him out of the earrings.

Well, that and the knowledge of how much Tikki would lord it over him if he did. He could already hear her patented “I told you so” speech, and he’d rather not have to actually listen to it if he could avoid it.

Unfortunately, though Marinette had a few cheeses in her kitchen, camembert wasn’t among them. And she couldn’t take all of the cheese without suspicion, but she had given him a decent chunk of what was available and had supplemented with cheese-covered mushrooms and bread. Still, Plagg had been exhausted, and had crawled into Tikki’s cozy scarf-laden shoebox almost as soon as he’d finished eating. His last thought was how surprised he was that he missed listening to Adrien’s deep, even breaths and the smell of his shampoo.

He’d woken the next morning to find Marinette sprinting around the room like her hair was on fire (he’d actually checked - it wasn’t), trying to simultaneously put on pants and shove her homework into her bag. Her shoes were tucked under her arm and her hair was half up as she chanted about being late. Half-eaten toast sat forgotten next to her computer.

“...Is this normal?” Plagg asked Tikki, bewildered by such a small girl creating such a flurry of activity. Adrien’s morning routine was normally far more sedate, and even when he was rushed, he wasn’t like this.

“Oh yes.” Tikki said cheerfully. “Marinette is a very heavy sleeper, so she usually sleeps through a few alarms before she manages to get out of bed.

“Huh.” Was all Plagg could say, still staring at the contained chaos that Marinette had become. If he’d been more alert, it probably would have been entertaining. If he’d been more alert, he might have even helped her out by knocking a few things over and handing her mismatched socks. But Plagg was still bleary-eyed and a little disoriented, so all he could do was watch as Tikki’s chosen careened around the room like a rouge pinball, combing her hair, putting on shoes and gathering supplies in an order that defied any type of logic.

Abruptly, Marinette was somehow ready to go. She spun and unceremoniously scooped Tikki and Plagg up. Plagg found himself deposited into the small purse Tikki normally rode in, still wondering what exactly had happened. But the purse was warm and cozy, and he was with his partner, so Plagg was content to curl up with Tikki and listen to her quiet breathing as he drifted back off to sleep.

He awoke sometime later to see Tikki staring at Marinette’s phone, apparently playing a game.

“What time is it?” He asked, unable to stifle a yawn.

“A little past ten in the morning.” Tikki said absently, humming as she swiped across the screen and watched blocks fall with apparent satisfaction. “Did you have a nice nap?”

“Yeah.” Plagg nodded, feeling much better rested now. “Got anything to eat?”

“Marinette has a bag of cheese stowed away in her pack.” Tikki replied, eyes narrowed as she studied the screen. “I think it’s cheddar though. Or parmesan.”

“The good kind? Or the crap kind?” Plagg squinted at Tikki consideringly. Marinette’s cheese last night hadn’t been bad, per say. Just...average.

Tikki only shrugged in response. “I don’t know cheeses like you do, Plagg. So...the cheesy kind?”

“Maybe I’ll go investigate.” Plagg mused. “Or maybe Adrien has some in his bag.”

“Yes, speaking of Adrien,” Tikki took her eyes off the screen to pin him with a look. “Shouldn’t you be getting back to him? I peeked at him earlier, he doesn’t look well.”

“Like, he’s sick?” Plagg frowned. “Or he’s hurt?”

“Or he’s worried.” Tikki said pointedly.

“Eh, he knows I’m fine.” Plagg said off-handedly. “We saw him last night.”

“You what?”

Sometimes, discretion really was the better part of valor. Plagg phased through the bottom of the bag as Tikki whirled around. Dropping straight into Marinette’s pack without further ado, he breathed a sigh of relief when Tikki didn’t follow him to chew him out.

Small mercies, really. He knew he’d get an earful later, and it would probably be worse for the delay. Sulking, Plagg ate the cheese Marinette had packed for him, and wondered if there might be more around.

First, he took a trip to Adrien’s bag. It was pretty easy, since he simply had to wait for an opening and dart forward. Adrien did indeed have cheese, and camembert at that! Plagg happily devoured most of it, before reluctantly setting the rest aside to save for later, even as his stomach rumbled imploringly. Sighing, Plagg sat down in his usual spot to consider his options.

He could eat the rest of the camembert, but if there was an akuma later and he needed a recharge, he’d be in trouble. However, if he wasn’t fully charged to begin with, he was also in trouble. Wayzz knew he’d been body-hopping last night, and might have convinced Nino to pack some cheese as well, but that was rather a long shot.

Grumbling, Plagg phased out of Adrien’s bag, ducking into the shadows closest to the base of the stairs. Taking a deep breath, he shifted, blending seamlessly into the shadows as he roamed the room, sniffing experimentally.

Hide was one of his gifts that he employed more frequently, but wasn’t one shared with Adrien yet. Even if Papillion hadn’t declared open warfare, the boy’s personality simply wasn’t as cut out for it as some past Chat’s had been. Adrien was the type to leap in head first and try to beat the problem down; sneaking in the shadows wasn’t something that came naturally to him. And while Plagg didn’t doubt that he could master it, he hadn’t needed to yet.

So Plagg drifted around the room, sticking to the shadows as he scented out foods he could eat. It wasn’t something he liked to do, but he had no qualms about helping himself to portions of other people’s lunches if it meant he had the energy he needed.

He hadn’t been entirely honest with Adrien. Oh, the boy knew he could eat cheeses other than camembert, but he hadn’t really considered that Plagg himself was far older than cheese. If he had, Plagg would probably have fessed up sooner. But cheese was his favorite, and camembert, in addition to being tasty, also proved to give him the most energy ounce for ounce, than any other type.

Plagg didn’t need cheese, specifically. As the avatar of destruction, he needed items associated with decay. Anything that needed to decay, age or ferment in order to be edible (or items associated with those things) was perfectly consumable, though the energy gained varied.

So he hopped from backpack to backpack, and lunchbox to lunchbox, sniffing out edibles to sustain him until he could get home and eat a proper meal. Cheeses disappeared off of sandwiches, yogurts vanished, and mushrooms were removed from salads. Plagg managed to choke down a single pickle before deciding that some things just weren’t worth it, and hit a goldmine in one boy’s lunchbox. His family was fairly traditionally Korean, and he had a large container of kimchi. Since Plagg had hear this particular boy lamenting his family’s cuisine before, so he had no problem devouring most of the kimchi - in fact, he considered it his good deed for the day.

After having rounded out his meal with a surprise treat of (homemade!) kombucha, Plagg was almost too full to slink through the shadows to where Wayzz was hiding. Yawning, he eyed Adrien’s pack regretfully as he passed it, but it was almost lunch time, and he’d made a certain turtle a promise.  Even if Nino was only an apprentice Guardian, and a fairly relaxed one at that, he was still not somebody you wanted to have mad at you.

“Plagg.” Wayzz said by way of greeting when he materialized next to him. “Nice of you to stop by.”

“You knew I was coming.” Plagg pointed out as he settled down. Unlike Tikki, Wayzz was not messing with his chosen’s phone. Instead, he was carefully folding small squares of paper.

“Not when.” Wayzz countered, making another careful crease. Leaning back a bt, he examined his work and nodded.

Plagg watched him for a bit. Despite his words to Marinette the night before, Wayzz wasn’t a bad kwami. And while ‘boring’ certainly was one way to describe him (and he had no problems saying it to the little turtle’s face), being in his presence was calming. Soothing in a way that only Tikki could mimic, but even she didn’t have the sense of peace that Wayzz seemed to exude.

Nino’s bag was calm, and quiet, with only the soft sounds of Wayzz folding small papers into tiny animals and objects. Lunch was a comfortable weight in Plagg’s stomach, so with a sigh and a yawn, he lowered his head.

“How is my kitten doing?” He mumbled, sleep already tugging at him.

“You didn’t look?” There was no rebuke in the kwami’s tone, only serene acceptance.

“He’d get all gushy and emotional if he saw me.” Plagg replied.

“He’s worried.” Wayzz slid him a glance, though he didn’t turn to face him directly. “You should go to him.”

“I will.” Plagg assured him. “After I talk to the tiny Guardian.”

And with that, Plagg closed his eyes and slept.

“Hey little dude.” Nino reached down, tapping the tiny cat gently. He’d learned the hard way that Plagg could be snappy when woken.

Plagg yawned, fangs glinting as he blinked open gleaming green eyes to regard the other boy steadily.

Seeing that his fingers weren’t in immediate danger, Nino reached into his book back and scooped the kwami up, depositing him onto his bedspread and moving his book bag to the floor.

“Guardian.” Plagg greeted him.

“Apprentice Guardian.” Nino corrected him. Plagg sat up, drifting upwards as he stretched.

“Same difference.” Plagg muttered.

“Important distinction.” Nino corrected, leaning back and picking up a plate from off of his nightstand. Picking up half of a sandwich, he held the plate up to Plagg with a cocked eyebrow.

Plagg eyed the wedge of camembert with a grin before pouncing on it. “Thanks, don’t mind if I do.”

“Glutton.” Wayzz commented, nibbling on a lettuce leaf contentedly. “As if you hadn’t helped yourself to half the class’ lunches before now.”

“Hey!” Plagg frowned. “I will smite your scaly ass, shell-brain.”

“Adrien is worried about you.” Nino injected, before the fight could devolve further.

“Yeah.” Plagg nodded. “I’m heading back to him after this.”

“Hm.” Nino nodded. “Want to tell me what happened?”

“Do I have to?” Plagg complained, eyeing his wedge of cheese.

“Let me rephrase that.” Nino said around a bite of sandwich. “Want to tell me why you decided to take another wielder for a joy ride yesterday? And why you’re blaming it on - of all things - a bird?”

“It was kind of a spur of the moment.” Plagg nibbled his cheese. “And I wasn’t lying - it really was the bird’s fault.”

“A bird dropped you into Ladybug’s earrings.” Nino said dryly. “Is that what you want me to tell Fu?”

“So you know that was Ladybug, huh?” Plagg mused. “Well, there goes that plan.”

Nino’s eyebrow quirked. “Wartime apprentice.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Plagg sighed. “More focus on tactics and less on lore. I remember. Mostly.”

“Cool.” Nino nodded. “So what was the plan?”

“To tell Adrien who I actually took for a joyride.” Plagg chortled. “He’d flip his gourd!”

“You probably still could.” Nino pointed out. “I mean, who is he going to freak out to? Me? Kinda can’t, being a civilian and all. But you still haven’t told me what happened.”

“Right.” Plagg sighed. “So, I was sitting on the balcony eating cheese, ‘cause I got tossed out of the room when ole’ Gabby wanted a chat with his star employee, and a pigeon decided it wanted my cheese…”

Nino and Wayzz listened silently, munching on their respective lunches as Plagg told them about fighting a bird, then finding the fromagerie, and having to escape it before the exterminators were called and he got gassed.

Plagg paused. “Do...you know who Ladybug is?”

Nino shook his head. “I only figured out Chat Noir because I found you in his backpack. I mean, that magic is no joke - I should have known it was him, like, last year.”

“Alright…” Plagg considered. “Well, the place where Ladybug works was one of the delivery trucks stops, and she found me.”

Nino nodded. “Sure, okay, I’ll buy that. Read you the riot act, huh?”

“She wasn’t overly pleased.” Plagg admitted. “So I offered to let her ride Chat’s baton to distract her.”

Nino choked on his sandwich. Plagg watched him cough with a puzzled expression.

“And, uh, did she-” Nino coughed some more, blushing furiously as he tried to clear his airway. “-ride Chat’s, um-”

“Baton? Yeah, she couldn’t resist.” Plagg nodded. “Chat would have been proud - she can handle his baton almost as well as he can.”

More coughing. Wayzz gave him a dirty look. Plagg blinked at him innocently.

“Well, um, I guess they are...partners…” Nino set his sandwich down. “Makes sense, I guess.”

“Ladybug’s usually are pretty quick to catch on.” Plagg affirmed. “Of course, a lot of it is subconscious - they spend a lot of time watching my Chat’s work it, so when they get their hands on it, it comes pretty quickly.”

Nino, Plagg noted, wouldn’t look him in the eye any more. His face was bright red, and it was hilarious. Wayzz looked ready to murder him.

“Of course,” Plagg mused aloud, “this Ladybug was one of the quickest. You should have seen Adrien’s face when she vaulted past!”

“When she what?” Embarrassment forgotten, Nino’s head snapped up. “You didn’t!”

“Didn’t what?” Plagg grinned. “It was fun, and it let him know I was safe. Of course, he nearly threw himself off of his balcony trying to follow us - lucky that railing is so high! Imagine what might’ve happened if his Lady had been forced to stop and catch him.”

Nino stared at him, dumbfounded, then dropped his head into his hands and groaned as Plagg cackled.

[theotherodinson]

Beneath a Darkened Sky

Bruce Banner was glad he was an only child.

Throughout his life, Bruce was occasionally envious of the closeness some people had with their siblings. Sometimes he wondered what it would be life to have that kind of unbreakable bond with another person. But other times, like now, he was grateful for his lone child status because it meant Bruce would never know what it was like for your sibling to stab you.

Unlike Thor.

"Will you stop doing that!" Thor yelled, pulling a small knife out of his side.

Loki had another knife in hand faster than anyone could blink. Bruce wondered where he was getting them all when he couldn't find anything sharper than a butter knife anywhere on the ship.

"You deserve it!" Loki yelled back. "First you stole me from my master, then you imprison me in this vile, filthy vessel, and now you dare try to feed me this disgusting slop unfit for a beast."

Bruce conceded the point on the rations. Edible sure, but just barely.

Thor clasped a hand over his bleeding wound. "I did not steal you. How many times must we go over this? Loki, I am your brother. It was the Grandmaster who imprisoned you, not I. I have freed you."

Not without a lot of help from a certain work friend, Bruce didn't add. Frankly, he was kinda relieved they didn't seem to notice he was even on the ship anymore once the big guy finally - finally - receded into the background. That was fine with him. Thor and Loki drama was drama best kept clear of. There tended to be a lot of violence and screaming and Bruce had had his fill of both for awhile. Or forever.

Bruce suspected the real reason the Hulk took a backseat was because he'd had his fill of it, too.

Loki gaped at Thor like he was the dirtiest liar who ever lied. "How dare you! My master adored me! I ate the best food, wore the finest clothing, slept in a bed so soft it was like I was sleeping on air."

Nice. From what Bruce remembered through the other guy of the Grandmaster's hospitality all they got was a hard pallet on a dirt floor for a bed. And whatever picked over food the guards remembered to bring them. They always ate best on fighting days.

"And I bathed regularly!"

Also nice. Their stolen ship was a little short on shower facilities.

"You have not freed me, you stupid savage" Loki continued. "You have stolen me from my rightful place at my master's side. Take me back to him at once!"

Thor's face darkened. Bruce took that as a positive sign he wasn't losing too much blood. "You are never going back there! Not after how I found you."

Bruce hadn't been around for that bit. The big guy had been determinedly causing the biggest distraction possible while Thor ran off in search of his supposedly-dead-but-apparently-not brother. But being an unwilling witness to most of the ensuing arguments over the past few days while they put as much distance as possible between them and Sakaar, Bruce gathered that when Thor finally tracked Loki down, Loki hadn't been alone and didn't come along easily.

And then there was Loki's slave outfit.

By the time the brothers caught up with the big guy at the shipyard, Thor had Loki wrapped up in a filmy sheet. They'd made the mad dash to capture a ship and fly out of there. It would have gone smoother if Loki hadn't been fighting Thor every step of the way. And, well, the sheet had slipped a couple of times. Exposing a lot of leg and some elaborate arm bands. Bruce didn't want the mental image that had since taken up residence in his head. But it was well and truly stuck. Probably another reason why the big guy had opted to vacate the premises. When he got back to Earth, Bruce was going to find a way to vacuum out of of his head the horrible, terrible, very bad Photoshopped picture of Loki in Leia's metal slave bikini that his evil brain had conjured. And, because Bruce valued his sanity, he was never, ever going to mention it to Tony Stark.

At least their stolen ship came with spare clothing. Even if they were all now dressed like extras from a bad sci-fi prison break film from the 1980s.

"You attacked my masseuse, you violent brute!"

Said the guy who stabbed his brother two minutes ago.

"His hands had no business being where they were," Thor shot back.

"He was relaxing me. My master does not like it when I am tense, nor do I. Not that it's any business of yours!"

Bruce wondered if he could slip past the quarrelling brothers without either of them noticing. After being stabbed, Thor'd kinda staggered a bit and was now blocking the entrance to the tiny galley. Bruce had a feeling this was going to one of those days where it was best for him to spend it in his storage closet/quarters. Alone. With a pillow over his head. Not that that every drowned the brothers out much once they got going, but Bruce dared to have hope.

Strangely enough, Loki wasn't disturbed by the presence of the big guy when they first all came aboard. He'd barely spared the big guy a withering glare, preferring to rain down all his abuse on Thor. For Bruce, that had been the clincher as far as deciding him that Loki really didn't remember them. The big guy was many things, forgettable was not one of them. Especially after the last time Loki crossed paths with the Hulk. Loki hadn't commented when the Hulk and Bruce swapped places and had since only given Bruce the occasional haughty look, tossing off a snotty remark every once in awhile.

Amnesiac or not, Loki's focus was still wholly on Thor. It was kinda insulting at times. Except for the times when Loki was in a stabbing mood.

"Enough of this," Thor said, hand still pressed against his latest stab wound. "Put down that knife and eat your food, so I may return you to your quarters to rest. We will be home soon enough. Then we will find a way to restore your memories to you."

"The only thing I need restored to me is my place at my master's side," Loki yelled, pointing the knife in Thor's direction. "Followed by your head on a pike outside the gates of his palace as payment for your treacherous thievery."

The anger drained from Thor's face as he stared at Loki with sad eyes. "I speak the truth, Loki," he said quietly. "I swear it. Yet you will not stop fighting me. So I tell you this now - I would have to be dead before I allowed you to be returned to a life as a bed slave to that creature."

Bruce grimaced and looked down to study his hands folded on the galley's postage stamp sized table. This was a topic that had been studiously avoided from the outset. Bruce had never heard Thor mention it, and he wasn't about to be the one to bring it up.

The Grandmaster reigned supreme over Sakaar. Within his heavily guarded citadel he kept two distinct groupings of slaves. There were the gladiators who fought in the games and spent the rest of their time within the holding pens beneath the arena. Then there were the Grandmaster's pleasure slaves, or his pets as he referred to them. Always in attendance to him wherever he went. They were all beautiful. Exotic even. They followed the Grandmaster like colourfully dressed ducklings, catering to his every whim. Bruce learned that much via the other guy's observation of them. He learned much, much more about their purpose from the other fighters. The other imprisoned gladiators spoke of the Grandmaster's pets in crude terms, even wagering which ones they'd most like to bed if they had the chance.

Bruce had wondered if the pets, like the gladiators, were simply people unfortunate enough to get caught in Sakaar's nets. But with Loki's memory loss becoming apparent after fleeing the planet, Bruce also wondered if all the Grandmaster's pleasure slaves were blank slates. Minds wiped clear to be made to serve him. Bruce was sorry he hadn't done more to try and help them when he had the chance.

A loud crash dragged his attention back to the brothers. Thor was just straightening up, looking wary and annoyed. Bruce looked around. Oh. There was a smear on the wall directly behind Thor's head and one of the cans of ration goo was spattered on the ground.

Loki was seething. The air around him crackled with a strange energy that Bruce could taste in the back of his throat. There was a moment of total silence before Loki went off.

"You...you dare!" Loki shrieked. "I choose to serve my master. I earned my place! I am not a slave. I am not!"

Bruce eyeballed the exit again. Still blocked a bleeding thunder god. Damn. He concentrated on taking deep, steady breaths. It's okay, big guy. No danger. Thor's here. Loki's just a little...well. Um. It's okay.

"Loki," Thor tried and almost got the second knife in his face for his trouble. He could move fast when he had to. Good thing. Bruce eyeballed the knife. Buried up to the hilt in the wall. Loki even nailed it dead centre of the food smear.

"You think I would allow any to enslave me? To break me to his will? I am no one's slave! No one's!" Loki ranted, his hands curling into fists at his sides. The weird energy around him intensified. He looked like he was going to launch himself at Thor next.

"It's not your fault," Thor tried again, his voice low and soothing. Bruce admired his guts in trying to calm Loki down even as he himself was trying to will himself invisible.

"No. No!" Loki backed up a step. His eyes went glassy and he held up at hand as if to ward Thor off. Thor didn't move. "No," Loki repeated, quieter. "I will not be used. Not again. Not by anyone. I won't let you. No. I...I...Thor?"

The hopeful look on Thor's face was heartbreaking to witness. "Loki? Brother? Do you remember?"

"Aye," Loki said, eyes cast down. "I do."

Bruce sighed in relief before it occurred to him Loki remembering wasn't necessarily reassuring when they were still so far from home. Would remembering make him more or less likely to kill them all in their sleep? Or, in Bruce's case, try before the other guy took offence. He wasn't sure. Crap.

Thor took a step closer. "Loki." He waited for Loki's eyes to come up to meet his. "It wasn't your fault," he said firmly.

Loki made a breathless sound that took Bruce a minute to recognize as laughter. "Ah, Thor," Loki said in an unsteady voice. "I think we both know that is not entirely so."

Thor ventured closer. "Your schemes set things in motion, yes. But delivering us to Sakaar? We both know who is to blame, and it is not you, Loki. It is not you."

Loki stared at Thor with wide, disbelieving eyes. "How are you not angry? You should be angry."

Thor smiled tightly. "Aye, I am. Very much so. At everyone and everything that led to what happened, including you. I promise I will have many words for you when this is done, more than you likely think me capable of. But make no mistake, my anger for you is for your actions alone - not Hela's, and not the Grandmaster's."

Loki just stared. "That's all you have to say? How can you...?" Loki trailed off, looking lost.

Thor stretched out a hand, belatedly realizing it was the hand he'd been using to cover his wound. The wound that was no longer bleeding. Huh. Bruce turned into an unstoppable, unkillable rage machine whenever he was injured and was still kinda jealous of Thor's healing ability. Thor gripped the side of his brother's neck with his other, non-blood covered, hand.    

"Because you are still my brother. No matter what happens. No matter how many times you stab me." Thor paused. "Though I would like it very much if you would stop doing that."

Loki smiled, a whisper of a smile that barely moved his lips, but somehow made him look younger all the same. His anger dissipating like a cool mist being burned away by the hot sun. "I will consider it."

Thor just laughed. Seeing the doorway was unblocked and no one in the room was bleeding, Bruce stood and quietly made his way to the exit.

Still focused on one another, neither brother noticed him leave.

[sarahw-world]

My first fanfic: “A Dark Heart“

Chapter 19: A Big Bowl Of Strawberries

Summary: Bulma and Vegeta depart from Planet Z365 in search of a new adventure...

Notes:

I'm back!

I'm really sorry this update took me so long, but my chapters seem to be naturally getting longer for some reason and I worked a bit harder than usual on this one.

I hope you guys like it...

   Bulma unfastened the safety belt of the pilot’s seat with trembling hands.

It’d all happened so fast ever since Vegeta had agreed to take her with him on his little solo mission that it was still hard for her to assimilate her new circumstances.

They’d both gotten dressed and left Planet Z365 in the middle of the night. Vegeta had allowed the heiress a quick visit to her friends’ room to communicate their new plan and say her goodbyes. Bulma had asked the Prince to let Krillin and Yamcha leave the planet and go back to Earth with the other space ship, but the Saiyan warrior had vehemently forbidden both men to do so and had given strict orders to his men that, even though the earthlings were to be treated with respect and hospitality at all times, they would not abandon the planet unless their Master gave them a different order.

The woman had been worried at first, after all, she was fully aware of the fact that most of the men in Vegeta’s army were much stronger than her friends, but when she’d raised her concerns to her mate he’d almost gotten offended at the mere insinuation that his subordinates would dare to disobey a direct command coming from him.

So Bulma had finally decided to trust the Prince’s word and intuition once again, and after exchanging a few comforting words and some very effusive hugs with Krillin and Yamcha, she finally got inside the ship with Vegeta, ready to embark on her next journey with the Prince. Despite her natural love for adventure and exciting new experiences, she was mostly just happy to get to spend some private time alone with her mate, secretly hoping he’d relax and loosen up a bit around her when it was finally just the two of them.

The ship’s take off had gone well, but it’d also been a bit rough and that, combined with her fatigue and the fact that she hadn’t eaten much in the past few days, made her feel momentarily dizzy. The scientist remained sited on the chair for a few minutes, breathing deeply and slowly in an attempt to calm down and make the sudden wave of nausea go away. The last thing she needed was to make a fool of herself by getting sick in front of Vegeta…

“Are you alright, woman?” A soft masculine voice asked.

Bulma opened her eyes and realized the Saiyan was now standing right in front of her, looking at her with barely hidden concern.

“Yeah… I’m fine…” She whispered in a trembling voice.

Vegeta knelt down and inspected her with dark, penetrating eyes. He held one of her hands and frowned when he realized it was cold and covered by a thin sheen of sweat. His woman was also looking paler and thinner than usual.

“When was the last time you ate?” He finally asked.

“Um… I don’t know…” Bulma replied shyly.

 When was the last time she’d had something to eat?

Certainly, not that day; after waking up early in the morning and discovering the Prince wounded on the floor of the Gravity Room, she’d been focused on healing him. Then they’d slept together for quite a few hours, only to wake up and end up going back to Frieza’s old palace and have that intense argument as the night fell.

“A bit more than a day, I think…”

Vegeta’s eyes widened a little.

“Tch! You had no breakfast this morning?” He enquired again, trying to hide his worry behind a false mask of anger.

“N-No…” The heiress continued. “But it’s okay. I’m fine, really…”

“This will not do, woman.”  

Before Bulma had time to react, she felt her mate’s strong arms lift her effortlessly from the pilot’s seat, holding her and carrying her bridal-style to the kitchenette.

“Silly woman…” He mumbled irritably. “You will eat some food right now. I will not have you falling ill during this trip. It’s bad enough that I have agreed to bring you with me on this mission, but I don’t wish to have to waste my time taking care of you simply because you’ve been fool enough to neglect your self-care, are we clear on that?”

The blue haired woman nodded slowly, overwhelmed by her body’s weakness and the sensation of Vegeta’s solid embrace surrounding her.

Vegeta sat her delicately on one of the tall kitchen chairs and looked around as if looking for something.

“Where’s the food, woman?”

“There are a couple of capsule pouches inside that first drawer.”

The Prince opened the place the heiress was pointing at and offered her the small container.

“Which one is it?” He asked again.

“Here.” Bulma replied as she handed him a tiny blue capsule. “The blue ones contain refrigerated and frozen meals and the red ones packaged food that doesn’t need to be kept cold”.

Vegeta clicked on the capsule’s button and threw it at a safe distance, revealing a massive refrigerator, just like the woman had promised. He opened and inspected it, unable to stop his stomach from growling at the sight of all the delicious food standing right in front of him, waiting to be devoured.

“I think there are some frozen lasagnas in the freezer, I’ll have one myself…” The heiress whispered, making a move to get up and grab the frozen meal herself, only to be stopped by her mate’s hand.

“Stay where you are, I’ll take care of it,” he said in a voice that told her his decision was non-negotiable.

He knelt on the floor, inspecting the contents of the large freezer, and finally grabbed a handful of boxes, walking towards the small kitchen counter where the microwave and the oven were.

“Vegeta… I’m fine, really… I can do it myself, just let me…”

“What’s the matter, woman? You think me so stupid that you believe I won’t be able to use your primitive kitchen appliances?” He said looking at her with a malicious smirk on his handsome face.

Bulma didn’t answer, finally deciding to simply sit on the chair and let the warrior do all the work. She knew her mom had taught the Saiyan how to heat up the meals she constantly left for him in the refrigerator back at home. His training schedule had always been chaotic and brutal, so it wasn’t uncommon for the warrior to finish his workouts long after everyone else had gone to bed. She was aware of the fact that his knowledge of their written language was limited, but it was good enough for him to read simple things such as food labels.

Still, the heiress couldn’t help but smile a little at the sight of her favorite man making the effort to prepare a meal for her, even if it was just by sticking it in the oven for a few minutes. As they both shared a comfortable silence while they waited for their food to be ready, Bulma examined his body language and realized that, even though he was still trying to keep his tough warrior façade, he also seemed to be concerned for her well-being, and he definitely looked more relaxed than when he was around his men.

That had to be a good sign…

The sound of a plate being placed in front of her brought her back to reality and, before she had time to get up, Vegeta also handed her a clean fork he’d found on the second drawer, a napkin and a bottle of cold mineral water.  

“Th-Thanks…” She mumbled in awe at the sudden acts of kindness coming from her Prince.

He simply grunted, turning around and going back to heating up his own packaged meals, and the blue haired woman could swear she’d seen the hint of a blush on his tanned cheeks.

“Eat, woman,” he ordered after noticing his mate hadn’t touched her lasagna yet.

“I was just waiting for you…” She replied timidly.

“Bulma, that won’t be necessary. Just start without me…”

The sound of her name on his lips, combined with his softer than usual tone of voice made her nod and dig into her meal without any further complaints. It was almost as if he knew exactly when and how to say her name to make her melt entirely…

Not long after, Vegeta placed his own trays of food on the table and joined her, silently enjoying his generous meal with her.

The food truly was delicious, and Bulma couldn’t help but feel a tinge of sadness, realizing once again how much she missed her mom and her home cooked meals. She kept telling herself that in the end all the grief and loneliness would be worth it, and she felt especially hopeful seeing the Saiyan’s worry about her health.

On his part, Vegeta was in Heaven. For all the silly Earth customs he didn’t care about or simply didn’t even understand, he had to admit they had the most enjoyable food he’d encountered in all the worlds he’d ever visited, and they’d been quite a few. Bulma, surprisingly, wasn’t a bad cook herself, but her mother’s cooking skills were outstanding, and the only thing that had made him mildly tolerate her goofy and embarrassing antics.      

During his first few weeks in space, he’d lived on the food supplies his little mate always prepared for him whenever he traveled on one of his long training missions. But he’d eventually run out of them, and had to find other ways to satisfy his insatiable Saiyan appetite.

In the last stage of his space travels, Vegeta had gotten used to hunting wild animals, which he always cooked with a simple ki blast. His diet also included whatever fresh fruits and vegetables he could find and encapsulate, after making sure they were not poisonous, of course. His extremely sensitive sense of smell was of great assistance on those occasions, helping him discern the edible from the inedible most of the time.

As he finished his third lasagna and dug into a huge serving of beef stew with vegetables and cooked rice, the Prince couldn’t help but feel grateful that he hadn’t had to resort to eating dead aliens, something he’d sadly had to do on rare occasions during his purging missions with Raditz and Nappa. The mere thought disgusted him now but, at the time, it had been the only way to subsist when there were no other choices available. In those days, survival was the only thing that truly mattered.

 How different things had been back then…

Bulma had certainly been the one to change his life irreparably.

The woman had invited him into her home and opened his eyes to a new way of life in the process, offering him a world of pleasure, of warm succulent foods he could savor without the fear of getting poisoned, and soft comfortable beds where he could sleep soundly with both eyes closed.

And, of course, she’d given him the most valuable thing of all: herself.

What at the beginning had started as a purely physical attraction had turned into the only real intimate connection he’d ever shared with another living creature. The warmth of her body, her clever little mouth that could both spew the sharpest insults and the kindest words of support at once, her generosity, intelligence, bravery and tenacity had been something he’d never really expected to encounter in the past.

He glanced surreptitiously at the frail female still focused on her half-eaten meal and he wondered if he’d ever be able to go back to her, to live and share his life with Bulma and their child.

A life of harmony and comfort, a family life…

Family.

He’d never had a family, had he? At least, not one he could actually remember with clarity…

He was a loner, a vagabond with no home and no roots to speak of, and above all, he was a warrior. A killing machine that had been born to fight, destroy and conquer, or die trying. Could he just go back to Earth and live the peaceful life of a family man? And most importantly, did he even deserve such a chance?

The Saiyan was no fool. Even though he’d lived a life of mayhem and destruction he’d always known right from wrong on some level and he knew someone like him was inescapably destined to an eternity burning in Hell.

Sure, his accidental resurrection and new life on Bulma’s planet had given him the brief glimpse of hope that maybe, just maybe, he could redeem himself by ascending to Super Saiyan status and destroying those fucking androids that had made his son’s and mate’s lives a living hell in a different timeline. Throughout those three years spent on Earth, he’d created a pretty grandiose image of himself inside his head, the illusion that he’d have the chance, for once in his life, to go from villain to hero, from killer to savior.

Oh yes, it would have been a glorious moment indeed…

Instead, his nemesis had sacrificed himself in battle like a goddamned martyr, and an eleven-year old kid had killed the monster no one else had been able to defeat.

On his rare good days, he kept reminding himself that he’d contributed to Cell’s defeat, by helping Goku’s child when he was running out of energy.

On his bad days, however…

Well, on his bad days he literally felt like nothing, like the pathetic shell of a warrior that deserved to crawl into some obscure long-forgotten corner of the Universe and die alone.

If he was completely honest with himself, at times he wished he hadn’t even been resurrected to begin with, and he felt like the Gods had brought him back to life only to toy with his pride and laugh at him once again, the same way they had mocked him during his death at the hands of the repulsive purple lizard that had ruined his childhood and stolen his innocence in so many ways…

“Boy… I’m stuffed!” Bulma giggled, gently pushing her unfinished meal away and patting her small belly.

The sound of her laughter was enough to push his old demons away, and the warrior examined her plate, frowning in disapproval.

“You haven’t even finished your meal, woman… Eat!” He ordered.

“What? Yes, I have! I’m full!” The heiress whined, almost as if she were a little girl being scolded by her parents.

Vegeta studied her again, noticing that a little color had already returned to Bulma’s smooth cheeks and she seemed to be in better spirits. He avoided her gaze again as soon as she offered him one of those sweet smiles full of gratitude that unnerved him so much.

“It was really good…” She said in a low voice, kindly caressing one of his hands. “Thank you, Vegeta…”

The Prince shook her off immediately, shrugging and feeling his face get distressingly hot.

“Tch! You don’t have to thank me, woman… All I did was stick that thing in the oven…” He replied, still not looking at her, focusing on his meal as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.

The blue haired beauty smiled knowingly, feeling really tempted to let him know how fucking cute he looked when he was all embarrassed by someone else’s thankfulness towards him, but finally choosing to let it go so she wouldn’t ruin the moment.

“Still… It was very sweet of you…” She took a large sip of her cold water before she continued. “You were right… I’m feeling much better already…”

Vegeta simply grunted and shrugged again, trying to let the subject go; fewer things made him feel more uncomfortable than Bulma thanking him for something, for anything really, especially taking into account how many things his mate had already done for him and his blatant incompetence at showing her his appreciation for most of them.

As if she could read his mind, the earthling got up and started to clear the table, putting the large amount of already empty dishes inside the dishwasher and pretending not to notice the man’s flushed face. He was on his seventh meal and still going strong and she secretly wondered if he was still hungry…

“Do you want me to heat up more meals for you? Or some dessert, perhaps?” She offered.

The Prince swallowed hastily before he replied.

“Dessert,” he said, his eyes never leaving his fourth beef and rice dish.

“Alright…” Bulma murmured, walking to the refrigerator and opening the door, taking a peek inside.

“Wow! My mom sure baked a lot of sweets for you! Mmmm… Let’s see… Would you like some apple pie or chocolate cake?”

Vegeta took a large sip of orange juice, directly from a large bottle, drinking half of it in one gulp.

“Both,” he finally replied.

Bulma giggled again, lighting up the room with her cheerfulness.

“Very well, Your Highness…” She said mockingly, placing both desserts on the table, right in front of him. “There you go… Let me get you a knife… Are you done with this?” She asked pointing at the last empty plate he’d just finished. The warrior assented and Bulma grabbed it and placed it in the dishwasher with the others, she then opened the second drawer of the kitchen counter and gave her mate a dessert knife.

The Saiyan’s mouth salivated at the sight of the delicious desserts; he held the knife and proceeded to cut each one of the pastries into smaller pieces.

“Do you want a slice, woman?”

“Uh? Um, not thanks…” Bulma mumbled, already walking back to the fridge and opening it again. “I’d swear I just saw some… Oh! There they are!”

The heiress stood next to him, showing him a large bowl of something…

“Strawberries!” She said triumphantly. “You want some?”

Vegeta immediately recognized the tiny red fruits; he recalled having eaten them before and finding them quite tasty, so he grunted in agreement.

“Great! I’ll have a few and you can eat the rest! Let me wash them first…”

She placed them in the kitchen sink and thoroughly washed the juicy berries as she hummed a little song. Normally, Vegeta would have found her cheerful behavior annoying after such a long and taxing day, but today he was secretly pleased by her happy mood.

It made him feel strangely good…

Bulma set the large bowl on the table and looked through the kitchen cabinet for a smaller one, putting a few strawberries for her in it and offering Vegeta the rest.

“Wait! I know what will make them taste even better…”

A couple of minutes later, Bulma sat next to him, placing another small bowl near the juicy fruits. The warm and sweet scent let the Prince immediately know it was melted chocolate, a delicacy his woman had also introduced him to in the past...

“Here… I knew we had some chocolate somewhere, I just melted it in the microwave and now we can… Wait, are you...?”

Bulma stopped her chatter all of a sudden, gawking at Vegeta, who hadn’t been able to resist the temptation and had simply grabbed a handful of strawberries from the large bowl and shoved them into his mouth. Her shock wasn’t lost on the warrior, who finished chewing his food and swallowed quickly.

“What?” He asked, honestly not knowing what the hell he’d done wrong this time.

The heiress smiled a bit, trying not to make him feel self-conscious.

“Um… Nothing… It’s just that, well… You’re not supposed to eat the green part, that’s all…”

Vegeta frowned.

How the fuck was he supposed to know that?

Before he had time to come up with some snarky reply in order to try to hide his embarrassment, Bulma simply kept talking.

“Here, let me show you…”

Bulma grabbed one of the tiny fruits in her small hand and held it by the little patch of green leaves.

“You hold it like this, and then you dip it…” She then submerged the tip of the juicy berry and brought it to her lips, quickly licking a tiny drop of chocolate that was about to drip with the tip of her pink tongue and taking a small bite, moaning in delight and smiling brightly at him in satisfaction.

“See? Slowly… You have to savor it…” She smiled again in encouragement. “Now you try…”

His mortification was soon forgotten at the sight of his woman beaming, and he carefully imitated her actions, trying to enjoy the delectable fruits one by one. They ate in silence for a few minutes, and the Saiyan’s mind was gradually overflooded by memories of the time Bulma had first offered him a taste of the heavenly treat.  

Of course, it hadn’t been precisely in the kitchen…

It had taken place during one of her nocturnal visits to his almost empty bedroom back at the Capsule Corp. compound. The woman had just recently declared her interest in him in her usual courageous manner: by simply grabbing him and crushing her lips against his in the middle of the Gravity Room during one of their daily heated arguments. His dark eyes had widened in shock at her bold behavior, but he’d quickly allowed himself to play her little game by responding to her actions and deepening their kiss.

A shiver run down his spine as he recalled the look on her face when she’d finally let go of him, desperately gasping for air, her pouty lips swollen by their passionate kiss and a tinge of insecurity in her eyes. For a brief moment, they just stared into each other’s eyes not really knowing what to say, before the Prince finally decided to throw caution to the wind and repeat their actions once again, aggressively joining his lips to hers and clutching her soft petite body tightly against his muscular one.

It was fucking incredible…

The second time she’d let go of him, her attitude had changed, and there was a newfound cockiness in her eyes, the confidence of a woman who’d just discovered that the desire she felt towards a man was mutual. She offered him a mischievous smile, so promising that, as the warrior watched her turn around and walk away sensuously swaying her hips on her way out, he knew it wouldn’t be long before she’d approach him again.

He’d been right…

That night he was awaken by the faint sounds of her small feet on his room’s blue carpet, and once again, she took the initiative by brazenly lifting the bed sheets and getting into bed with him.

He’d been sleeping with his face towards the outside window and felt his body immediately freeze when Bulma, probably believing he was asleep, had simply slid one of her arms underneath his waist, effectively wrapping her arms around him and holding him tight as she buried her cute nose on the back of his neck and pressed her warm form against his.

They stayed that way for a few minutes that seemed like an eternity to Vegeta, and never had the Saiyan Prince felt the internal turmoil he experienced during that time.

Eventually, just as the heiress’ breathing had started to slow down, a sign that she was drifting off, he turned around in one smooth motion, startling the woman, who quickly took her arms away from his body. Before he had time to regret his actions, he grabbed her thin wrists and pinned them above her head, making use of his much-prized control in a colossal effort not to hurt her.

Bulma instinctively wrapped her long legs around his hips, and he felt his cock harden just by the mere proximity of her warmth. For the first time in a very long time, the warrior truly didn’t know what to do, so he simply stared into her eyes again, just as he’d done hours earlier inside his training chamber, until he finally managed to ask the question that would change their lives forever…

“Woman, are you sure this is what you really want?” He whispered against her trembling lips, feeling her warm breath increasingly speed up at his words.

Vegeta had to know, he needed to know, that the woman knew what she was getting herself into by agreeing to share the bed of a killer, and as usual, her reply was just as daring and shameless as the heiress herself…

The little woman simply raised her head and trapped his lower lip between her teeth hard enough to make him feel the taste of copper in his mouth. The unexpected action would have normally infuriated him but, instead, it awakened a primal, animalistic side of him, and no more questions were asked as they both finally gave in to each other’s desires freely.

It had been a memorable night indeed, and when Vegeta finally left his room early in the morning for his daily grueling training session, he took a last lingering look at the sleeping figure of the exhausted woman still laying on his bed, secretly wondering if the heiress would regret her actions after she woke up.

She didn’t.

Not only that, but from that moment on, Bulma visited his room almost nightly, and much to his shame, the Prince found himself looking forward to their private moments together.

It was during one of those night incursions that the blue haired beauty had brought what she’d called “a little surprise” for him, cheekily forcing the Saiyan to close his eyes and let her have her way with him. After feigning annoyance for a few minutes, he’d finally decided to follow her instructions, secretly curious about her real intentions, only to find his bronzed skin covered by something warm, sticky and sweet-smelling. Before he had time to complain, his mate’s clever little tongue started to work her magic, silencing him for good at first, only to end up making him scream her blasted name as he spilled himself inside her hot wet mouth.  

That intoxicating little minx and her silly games of pleasure…

He’d missed her.

Now, sitting in a dark tiny kitchen in the middle of space, he could acknowledge, once and for all and only to himself, how much he’d missed his little mate.

Both lovers had finished their strawberries by now, and Bulma was innocently toying with the remains of the melted chocolate, sliding one of her dainty index fingers across the small bowl and licking it absentmindedly. This gesture would have normally had a sexual connotation, but the Prince quickly noticed that her pretty face was filled with something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

Melancholy?

“That was going to be my first wish, you know?” She finally said, offering him a sad smile.

Oh, yeah…

It was melancholy…

Vegeta didn’t break his silence, not quite knowing what the beautiful woman was talking about, and he simply raised an eyebrow questioningly, crossing his arms across his chest and laying back on the chair, waiting patiently for the explanation he knew was coming.

“The Dragon Balls…” She further explained. “You know… When I first met Goku…”

The Saiyan’s body instinctively tensed at the sound of his old enemy’s name, but he remained quiet, since he was aware of the fact that the third-class warrior had also been his woman’s best friend. The couple hadn’t really talked about Kakarot ever since he’d sacrificed in vain to save the Earth, but Vegeta could clearly hear the pain in the scientist’s voice as she recalled her adventures with the man she’d often described as her ‘little brother’…  

“Goku…” She whispered, almost to herself. “He was always different, even back then… I should have known…” She chuckled sadly.

“What?” He enquired nonchalantly, but secretly still feeling a hint of curiosity about his deceased rival.

“That he was different,” Bulma replied, mildly surprised by Vegeta’s sudden interest in her stories.

“I actually shot him when we first met, can you believe that?”

“Shot?”

“Yeah, with a gun! And nothing! It didn’t hurt him in the least. I should have known back then that he was an alien…”

“How old were you?” He asked again.

“Uh? Um… Sixteen, I think… Yeah, sixteen… And Goku was eleven, even though at first he told me he was fourteen… He was so small in those days…”

The Prince smiled inwardly, trying to picture his woman as a teenage girl holding a weapon and attempting to shoot a Saiyan child. No wonder she hadn’t been able to hurt him, since their skin was much more resilient than that of humans. Still, the woman had always had guts, he gave her that.

“Yeah… He always behaved like an alien, I guess…” She giggled at her own memories. “Did you know he couldn’t even tell if people were male or female?”

Vegeta couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at that.

“You can’t be serious…”

Bulma chuckled again.

“I am! You know what he used to do? He used to pat people on the crotch and ask them if they were a boy or a girl…”

She shook her head.

“He even stole my underwear while I was asleep once because he wanted to see if I had balls like his grandfather… You don’t wanna know how I found out he’d taken them…”

The man remained silent, not knowing whether he should be amused at the young boy’s antics or jealous that the clown had seen his woman’s intimate parts even before he had, but Bulma gave him little time to ponder as she kept talking.

“There was no malice in him though… So I couldn’t even get mad at him for too long. He was pretty much the same as he was as an adult…” She said in a voice filled with nostalgia.

“So, he was always an idiot, then…” Vegeta replied maliciously.

“Mmm… I’d say he was naïve… Very naïve… But he was clever when it came to fighting, I guess… It must be that Saiyan blood, uh?”

Vegeta nodded in agreement.

It looked like, in spite of the childhood accident that had drastically changed the personality of the third-class warrior, his Saiyan instincts and thirst for battle had always been present in the child’s life.

“That’s what I thought…” Bulma said after her mate’s gesture confirmed her suspicions regarding Goku’s behavior.

“Anyway… As I was saying, the first thing I wanted to wish with the Dragon Balls was strawberries…”

“Strawberries?” He asked incredulously.

“Yup! All the strawberries I could eat!”

“Woman, you are utterly insane…” He continued, shaking his head in disbelief and making Bulma blush.

“Oh, shush!” She yelled in embarrassment. “I was a kid!”

“Tch! That’s no excuse for having such ridiculous thoughts, woman. Even at that age I would have never wasted a wish on something so ridiculous, especially considering what you were asking for was something you could purchase at any food store.”

“I know… I know…” She said, waving her hand in agreement.

Bulma had to bite her tongue when she felt the strong desire to ask him about what his wish would have been back then, but she also acknowledged she knew nothing about what sixteen-year-old Vegeta was like, and she didn’t feel like opening that can of worms, especially when they were finally having some kind of normal conversation.

The Saiyan and the heiress had certainly conversed in the past, but it was usually about the warrior’s training or during their passionate nights together. Never had they simply just sat in the kitchen sharing old memories, and she didn’t want to ruin such a pleasant moment.

“Like I said, that had been my first choice, but eventually I decided to change it anyway…”

“What did you ask for then, woman?” He asked with interest.

“Well…” Bulma replied, putting her elbow on the table and leaning on it, placing her soft cheek in her hand as she continued her recollection of past events. “I actually never got the chance to ask for anything, because a lot of stuff happened… We met some people that wanted them as well, and… Long story short, Goku ended up transforming into that giant ape form… What’s it called?”

“Oozaru” Vegeta simply answered.

“Yeah… Oozaru… Man! He almost killed us all! Thankfully Yamcha was also there, because we met during that trip, you know? And he managed to cut off Goku’s tail…” Bulma stopped for a few seconds, lost in her own memories…

“So, eventually Oolong was the one that ended up making the wish…”

“Who?” The warrior asked, honestly not knowing who that was.

“One of our friends… The one that looks like a pig, remember?”

Vegeta grunted, quickly recognizing who the heiress was talking about.

“Yeah, so in the end he… You know…” She closed her eyes, and the Prince noticed the hint of a blush adorn her cheeks again.

“What?”

“He asked for some panties,” she finally said in a low voice.

The warrior remained silent, not quite believing his ears.

“Panties.”

“Yeah…”

“Panties?”

“Yup…”

“Seriously?”

“Yes, Vegeta! Panties!” She replied in exasperation and shame. “As in, woman’s underwear, you know…”

Vegeta closed his eyes and shook his head.

 Typical…

Leave it to a bunch of earthlings to embark on some adventurous hunt in search of the mythical dragon balls only to ultimately make a stupid disgraceful wish with them. As if reading his mind, Bulma giggled and shook her head too.

“I know it was stupid… But looking back, I guess in the end it was a positive experience, because that’s how we all met each other, you know? So, I like to believe that everything happened for a reason…”

The Saiyan just kept staring at her with crossed arms and unfathomable eyes, feeling like he’d just discovered a little piece of his mate’s life he’d never really known before.

For some unexplainable reason, he wanted more…

“And then what happened?” He finally asked.

Bulma raised her head and those beautiful blue eyes of hers widened a little in shock. Vegeta had never really showed any kind of interest in her past adventures, and even less in what he called her ‘stupid friends’, so she decided to indulge him, without questioning the reasons behind this newfound interest in her.

She offered him a warm smile before she continued her recollection…

“Well, then…”

She talked.

She talked, and talked, and talked as her mate sat on the kitchen chair in front of her, quietly listening to her little stories. She told him about Goku and Krillin, how they met, their training with Roshi… Even though she hadn’t been present throughout many of her old friend’s adventures, Goku had visited her often after she’d gone back to Capsule Corp. to resume her normal life, or at least, what had been normal to a young girl in her position, and he’d always updated her on his latest exploits.

Bulma also shared her own youth struggles with Vegeta. How, when she’d finally decided she wanted to work with his father in the family business, Dr. Briefs had agreed on the condition that she’d first get a formal education, which she’d attempted to achieve with disastrous consequences.

Being perceived as the spoiled, wealthy heiress of an empire had been a burden to the young girl, who had been bullied and rejected by most people her age, and had eventually turned to home schooling, successfully reaching the academic status her father had required from her in less than two years, thus earning the right to finally join the company and get to work in her father’s lab.

Every now and then, Dr. Briefs would grant his adventurous daughter permission to travel with Goku in his crazy escapades, but as the Saiyan child grew stronger, so did his enemies, and Bulma admitted to not feeling safe anymore sometimes during their trips together, leaving the young boy alone throughout most of his battles in the end.

Every now and then, Vegeta would ask her a short question, or would make an insightful comment, and as the hours went by, the warrior was able to finally get a bigger picture on who his woman truly was and how she’d managed to become the extraordinary person she was today.

“So, in the end, you didn’t make your wish…” The Prince finally said, finishing his third cup of tea and placing his now empty mug on the table.

“I guess I didn’t… Although it doesn’t matter anymore, because it came true eventually…” She replied, a mysterious expression gracing her delicate features.

An intrigued Vegeta leaned his elbows on the table, getting closer to his woman, and he couldn’t help but ask his final question.

“What was your wish, woman?”

“I wanted to find the perfect man,” she whispered, almost as if she was sharing the most important and deepest secret in the entire universe. Her words momentarily silenced the Saiyan Prince, until he finally snorted, shaking his head once again.

“Don’t be ridiculous, woman! I may not know much about such matters, but I highly doubt that fool was the perfect man…”

Bulma frowned in confusion, never breaking eye contact with her mate.

“What fool?”

“The weakling! Who else? Seriously, woman, if he was the perfect man why did you end up kicking him out of your life?” He asked arrogantly.

The heiress simply looked at him and smiled softly, quickly correcting his mistake.

“Who said I was talking about Yamcha?”

Her words removed the smugness away from his face faster than the speed of light, and both lovers simply stared at each other: Bulma impatiently awaiting some kind of reaction from her mate and Vegeta completely astonished by the scientist’s revelations.

The perfect man?

Him?

She had to be joking!

Ever since they’d met he’d treated her like shit, at least, by the standards he knew Earth women had regarding their male partners…

He’d been proud and distant, always showing her courtesy, but simply because the woman had served a purpose. She’d given him food and shelter, and provided him with the best training equipment the Prince could have asked for. Still, he could admit to having never offered her any form of romantic affection, even after their private affair, or whatever it was that was going on between them, had started.

He’d given her pleasure, just as much as she’d given him, and yes, the little woman had slowly managed to get under his skin in some ways, but as far as he knew, he’d always kept a cautious distance, constantly working on maintaining those impenetrable walls he’d cleverly crafted around himself through the years.

He’d abandoned her.

Twice.

The first time, when he’d realized the woman was carrying his child, and the second time after the Cell Games. And now here she was, calling him the ‘perfect man’, her face reflecting a confidence that told him she truly believed the words that had just come out of her pretty mouth.

After what felt like an eternity, Vegeta leaned back on the chair, tiredly running his hand through his face and hair several times.

“Bulma…” He finally muttered.

He wanted to tell her she was wrong, that she was absolutely fucking crazy if she thought a bastard like him really was the perfect anything, let alone the perfect man, and yet, as he looked at those spectacular blue eyes, filled with hope and anticipation, he knew if he said any of those things he’d instantly break his woman’s heart…

“It’s been a long day, perhaps we should get some rest,” he said instead.

If he didn’t want to hurt her, he’d just failed miserably, since he immediately saw Bulma’s beautiful face fall into a sad frown.

“Oh… Right…” Bulma mumbled nervously, shyly staring at the floor while she awkwardly stood from the chair and grabbed the empty coffee mugs, placing them in the kitchen sink.

“I’m sorry… You must be tired and I’ve been just babbling all this time…” She said uncomfortably, now walking towards the living area. Before she could get too far, Vegeta held her wrist, kindly but firmly.

“There’s no need to apologize, woman, I’ve quite enjoyed our conversation,” he said in an effort to make the heiress feel better. He had the impression that she was feeling rejected by his reaction to her declaration.

And he was right.

Bulma was feeling absolutely mortified…

What had she been thinking, saying something like that? They’d just been reunited a few days ago and she’d already told him that she loved him and called him her perfect man.

She truly was pathetic, wasn’t she?

“Where are the beds, woman?” Vegeta asked, realizing Bulma’s new space ship was quite different from the one he’d used in the past.

“Um… They’re in there,” she said, pointing towards a small corridor to their right. “But I encapsulated a large bed, let me get it…”

The heiress walked to the small couch in front of the television, searching through her capsule belt and grabbing one of the tiny capsules.

“Here,” she continued, offering him the small object, which the Prince quickly took in his hand, pressing the button and throwing it in front of them. A massive king sized bed, very similar to the one Bulma had in her own bedroom back on Earth materialized, and Vegeta simply stood there, not quite knowing what to say or what their sleeping arrangement was supposed to be.

As if reading his thoughts, his mate quickly tried to appease his doubts.

“You can use it if you like, the other beds are really small and with your injury you’ll be more comfortable here…” She said timidly, wrapping her arms around herself nervously.

“You sleep here, woman, I’ll be fine in one of the single beds.”

“Are you sure about that? I don’t mind sleeping in a small bed, really…” She continued in a voice laced with honest concern for him.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.

“Bulma…” He started, but his woman immediately cut him off.

“Alright, suit yourself…” She finally murmured, giving him her back and walking towards the bed, removing her jumper and throwing it on the floor on her way there. Underneath, she was wearing a thin shirt with spaghetti straps, and she didn’t even remove her leggings either, taking off her shoes, crawling on the bed and lifting the covers tiredly, getting inside and turning on her side, giving him her back.

She’d done enough begging for one day.

Bulma’s exhausted body formed a tiny ball and she closed her eyes, which were now burning with unshed tears. She felt utterly humiliated, as if she’d just spent the past few hours opening her heart like never before, only to have the Saiyan stomp all over it in return, and she wondered once again if perhaps she was simply fooling herself. Maybe her mate had only agreed to take her with him to create the illusion that he’d given their relationship a chance, but in all honesty, it seemed like he’d just said yes to humor her and make her shut up for a while. She decided, right then and there, that she wouldn’t expose her emotions the way she had tonight ever again. Bulma was, after all, a proud woman, and she wasn’t used to putting herself in such emotionally vulnerable situations.

Vegeta, on his part, was battling his own internal conflict one more time.

What was that damn tightness in his throat all of a sudden?

The sight of the petite woman, laying dejectedly on the bed, was making him feel like he was the biggest asshole in existence, and he stood there uncertainly with his arms crossed.

A part of him, a really big part of him, felt tempted to simply walk out of there and lock himself inside one of the small rooms until they arrived at their destination, but he knew that was the easy way out, and if he’d learnt something over the past few days, ever since his mate had walked back into his life, was that neither of them was really willing to take the easy route anymore.

He knew how proud the heiress was, and how hard it must have been for her to show him the patience and kindness that she had. The fact that she’d chosen to just sit down with him and talk about her memories and past experiences instead of interrogating him about all the shit he’d been involved in ever since his departure from Earth told him Bulma was definitely becoming a new woman. A more mature, patient and understanding woman.

Could that mean there was still hope for him too?

The hope that he might become a better man?

It was highly doubtful, but as he finally removed his armor, boots and flying suit and walked towards the bed, sinking one of his strong knees into the large mattress, the Prince told himself that the only thing that could get hurt by trying to imitate the woman’s new behavior was his pride, but, hadn’t she humbled herself enough for him already?

He sighed wearily and laid on the bed, and instead of adopting his usual sleeping posture, which consisted on sleeping on his back with his arms crossed behind his neck, her rolled on his side, facing his little mate’s body and stretching one of his arms, placing it on top of the large pillow.

Bulma remained silent for a few minutes, her heart in her throat at the feeling of Vegeta’s heavy body laying on the bed behind her. His actions went against everything she’d grown to expect from him. She was so used to seeing him walk away and disappear every single time he’d been faced with the possibility of having to express any kind of emotion or intimacy other than sex that, for an instant, she truly didn’t know how to react.

‘Have courage, Bulma…’

Finally, after taking a deep breath she slowly turned around, bravely facing the warrior and discovering his surprisingly new sleeping posture, knowing full well that this wasn’t the way her mate usually rested at night. What was even more shocking was the way he was staring at her with those dark, penetrating, unblinking eyes…

After a few moments, she boldly stretched her fragile hand and placed it over his, letting go of the breath she didn’t know she was holding when Vegeta, her Vegeta, immediately squeezed her hand back.

The heiress kept looking at him, his handsome, chiseled features only illuminated by the dim light coming from the kitchenette, and despite the foreign nature of the moment both lovers were sharing, she finally managed to smile sweetly at him, deeply grateful by the immense effort she knew he was making.

He didn’t smile back, but the fact that he kept firmly holding her hand encouraged her to make her next move, carefully placing that strong, warm hand on her creamy hip, and getting closer to him, until her tiny form was firmly pressed against his muscular one.

Bulma felt the Prince’s throat bob nervously against her brow, bringing her a fleeting sense of insecurity.

‘Had she overstepped his boundaries, after all?’

Her fears dissipated when Vegeta finally wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her body even closer and sharing his warmth with her. His mate’s soft breath against his skin and the way her delicate body finally relaxed in his embrace made him experience a strange kind of pride; he then closed his eyes and buried his nose in her silky, feathery hair, feeling the calmness that the woman’s presence had brought back into his life wash all over him.

Bulma finally closed her eyes as well, giving in to her tiredness.

“Goodnight, Vegeta…” She whispered.

He didn’t immediately reply, basking in these newfound emotions for a while, completely fascinated by them.

The past twenty-four hours had certainly been an emotional roller coaster for the couple, but somehow, they’d made it.

Together.

Vegeta noticed his ribs barely hurt anymore, and he was laying on a warm, comfortable bed with a stomach full of delicious food and the most special woman he’d ever met sound asleep, snuggling cozily in his arms.

He still had no idea what it was that his mate wanted from him and whether or not he’d be able to give it to her in the future, but he chose to put his doubts and insecurities aside, smiling against her hair and murmuring…

“Goodnight, woman…”

                     Mmm...

It looks like Vegeta is finally getting closer to Bulma...

In the next chapter, the couple will continue their trip and Bulma will discover a couple of things she didn't know about Vegeta...