#weird things happen on this stairwell alone all the time and i'm not even using poetic license by saying that.

[eepyb33]

Chapter 1

This is just a story that I'm gonna be posting gradually. None of this is based on real events, and anything that is similar or coincides with real events is a coincidence.

TW: implied sa, borderline stalking, loneliness (kinda?), non-consensual picture taking, mentions/implied abuse

This started when I was in high school, freshman year. I became friends with this girl who was a year older, and in my choir class. She called herself CG. We weren't really close until halfway through my freshman year, though.

She seemed nice enough at first. She had a nice smile, a funny way of phrasing things to make me laugh, she was sweet. She was way taller than me, but that never really bothered me unless she brought it up to poke fun at my height.

The first time I met her was a big shock to me though, despite how nice she seemed, it was strange. Within our first conversation, she told me her entire life story, from her concerning home situation, to her escape called school.

She and I were friends, in every way girls can be best friends.

I lost almost all my previous friends that year, including two people I had known for more than ten years. They pretended like everything was fine between us, but I knew it wasn't. Nothing was really fine, because why would it be?

How could it possibly be fine if they didn't talk to me for more than six months, ignore my quiet presence in the stairwell that they were the cause of?

They caused me to be alone. They caused it. I stayed in that stairwell reading to escape from that loneliness. That was my escape. CG, the one I had met in choir, seemed nice, so I turned to her. I mostly hung out with her.

It was a school friend situation where you only talked in school, not through text, and maybe calling for plans outside of school once in a blue moon.

I remember when the joke started. It was the rare time when I actually invited someone over. CG came over and we were killing time before going to the movies, she wanted to put on a show, so I let her. I remember being so tired I could hardly keep my eyes open, but I tried to watch for her.

That week I had been doing so much, and I needed a break. My mom had been the one to suggest CG coming over, and me having a sleepover with her. Mama said I was stressed, and that a girls night would make it go away. So I invited her over.

The first few minutes of the show went by fine, but then I fell asleep. I woke up maybe twenty minutes later to CG waking me up, telling me to pay attention to the show. It was obviously pretty important to her, even though I didn't really follow along with the storyline or the characters.

I fell asleep, again. By the time I woke up, it was time to go to the movies. CG was laughing over something in the car on the way there. It was pictures of me sleeping from various different angles. I thought it was funny at first. She said she'd delete it if I wanted, but I brushed it off. I thought it was a one time thing.

Then it happened again on a field trip. I fell asleep on the bus, and she took more photos. I still thought it was funny.

Then it happened, again and again and again and again.

At sleepovers with friends, all the way through sophomore year. She made a collage of these photos. I began to think it was incredibly weird at this point in time.

I was the second most pictured person in her photo's on her phone. Which was a lot of photos. She had many thousands of photo's. She had a whole album dedicated to me.

This was the point when she began to remind me of Ash- and ex-friend of mine. Ash was similar to CG in many ways, but Ash changed at a point in our friendship. And Ash took a dark turn. Ash and CG being so similar is actions should've raised a red flag in my head.

CG began holding my hand randomly, despite telling me she hated touch. CG began hugging me, and being more touchy. She began joking that we were the two gay girls that were best friends, but everyone thought was dating. I laughed it off.

Then something bad happened, and I found comfort in my new friends. My new friend group with CG. New school year, new me, new friends I guess.

I was comforted by my new friends though. They were nice, and made me feel seen. I cried and they hugged me. It was nice. About a week later, CG asked me to date. I said yes, and we only dated for a little bit before going back to just friends.

I was in a musical, and one of my friends, Tal, was running tech. It was getting closer to opening night, and I was spending more hours at the school. It was verging on fifteen hours a day (tech week led me to eighteen plus hours).

"What's up between CG and Lillith?" I asked Tal, both of us having a break in the long hours of theater. Lillith was in the friend group too, and both of them were having a falling out.

"Everyone is dropping CG, haven't you heard?" Tal asked me.

"No... not really. What's... uh... what's going on with her?" I said slowly, my phone vibrating from many messages, probably from CG. CG messaged me so much, that it could be considered concerning.

"CG has been a jerk to Lillith. Well, more specifically Lil's mom. CG has just been so rude to her." Tal went into more detail about what CG has been saying. "People have also been dropping her because she's been a bit obsessed with you."

"What?" and I swear my heart was beating in my brain. It was in my throat, pulsing through my veins instead of in my chest. "She doesn't really... what do you mean?"

"All she talks about is you in conversation with us, she only texts you, she has a concerning amount of pictures of you. There is so much more." Tal said.

"I'm just having..." I brought my panicked breathing down a bit, and stopped my hands from shaking. I wiped some tears from the corners of my eyes, all within a few seconds. Some commotion happened and I noticed another girl breaking down. She was in my choir class this year, and I developed a slight crush on her throughout sophomore year. "Looks like everyone is having a rough night," I commented humorously.

This was when I realized CG was obsessed with me. I realized not only that, but I had allowed this to happen, and that in order for it to stop, I had to remove myself from her.

That was the night I stopped viewing her as a friend.

[downwiththemutantnjnjaturtles]

We Met Within This Screen (final chapter, pt. 1)

note: ooh here it is, the beginning of the end. I'm not very sure about the quality of this lol-

Donnie couldn't be out long. There was only so much time until the others noticed he was missing and came looking, and in such a tense moment as this was, he didn't know how he'd handle the three of them showing up. All he needed was a few minutes. Just a few minutes.

As he ran the rooftops, he was extra vigilant of his surroundings. Since the last assault, he knew he had to stay on guard, but waiting was simply not an option. As he neared her apartment complex, he could see in the distance a familiar sight; her, on the balcony. He couldn't believe what was happening. That he was running toward her and not away. She looked around, checking everywhere she could think of, but she could not see him. Only his tall shadow on the wall as he slipped into the cover of an adjacent building, perched next to a water tower and watching. In that moment, part of him in the recesses of his mind decided that the soft light of night had a way of making a person look positively ethereal.

He crept closer to the edge, just into sight, and waited.

Now or never, he told himself, leaping ever closer. She was only about twenty feet away, now, him obscured by a door leading to the stairwell he stood behind. The sound of his previous lofty drop into the concrete seemed to have snatched her attention, as he'd noticed, peering around the corner. And so she grabbed the railing and called out distinctly, "Come out, Bo!"

It was silent for a disconcerting amount of time. There was only him and her, the physical gap between them, and then where he hid in the dark.

No more secrets, no more secrets, he repeated, trying to turn his nerves into some kind of hype. The affirmation had no effect on him as it did Mikey, who he'd seen use the "technique" frequently. He still tried it.

"Show yourself," he heard her say, though her tone was not much of a demand. She was just as uncertain as he was.

Not yet could he step out. He hesitated before responding, "Donatello," still from behind the door. She struggled to reply, and when she didn't say anything, he added, "Donatello...that's my name." And with one last burst of courage, he stepped out.

She found herself stuck where she was as he slowly approached, unable to see the details of his face. She squinted. The gear on his back and head glinted in the light. There was a slight hunch in his posture, possibly from the large shell on his back, possibly from the added weight of the gear, possibly because he was trying to look a little smaller. He was conscious of his gait, his posture—his posture, especially—his own body language. He made the effort to straighten out just a bit. Whether she paid attention to those things was beyond him, but it was an unconscious accommodation.

Unblinking, her eyes locked with his, held by each other's gaze. The last thing we wanted to get caught up on was his boyish affection for her (that was how he saw it), but she was simply everything he'd imagined, and more. Impossible to not stare at. He stopped some ways from her and anticipated the reaction he was going to receive.

Her hands loosened their grips on the railing. "You're…" she trailed off, as if trying to find the right words. He shifted in discomfort. "...a turtle," she said breathily, finally able to say it.

"Um...a red-eared slider, to be exact, if you want to be specific," he added quickly, and it made her remember the time he'd told her fun facts about the particular species.

Nerves firing, Donnie resisted the urge to squirm or pace as he did when he was uncomfortable. She knew him in his entirety, now. He did not feel the release he thought he would have upon revealing himself. No, he felt restless. The more time they went not speaking a word, the more he was forcefully grounded right then and there. His attention diverted to her appearance. She was beautiful—one of the most beautiful people he'd seen. And he'd seen plenty of people in his life, but he was held hostage by her and her alone in that moment. Everything around them seemed to fade out.

But the silence couldn't go on forever; one of them had to speak. Both had to confront each other.

He decided an apology was in order. Naturally, he possessed a twinge of guilt for leading her on in a way. "I'm sorry I made you think I was someone that I'm not, [y/n]."

Her hands left the railing and fell to her sides. "Donatello, I—"

"You can just call me Donnie. Please."

She nodded and looked down. Her brows knitted, though not in anger. "Donnie...this is so weird," she said, and his chest tightened. "How?" she asked. He was a little confused by her question, and she went on upon seeing the quizzical look on his face. "How do you exist? Where did you come from?"

He couldn't answer immediately; the story was awkwardly long to be standing out in the open. So he took a small easy step forward, asking for permission to enter the apartment, which felt wholly unnatural. He also didn't want to encroach on her or her space.

Instinctually, his hand drew up towards his neck, where he started rubbing yet again. "The story, it's kind of...complicated. And I can't stay out here too long," he said, motioning at their surroundings, "do you mind if we…?" He was hesitant to even finish that sentence.

"Go in?" she inferred. For a second, he thought she seemed to be seriously thinking about it. I wouldn't be so quick to invite a six-and-a-half foot tall talking terrapin into my home, either.

"Ah—just for now, I'm sorry, I know it's weird and you're probably uncomfortable—"

She shook her head, walking back to the door before sliding it open with some reluctance. "Uh, you can. I just...I'm trusting you right now, Donatello."

He mustered up a slight smile, but it didn't last as she leaned over the railing and held out her hand. For him to take. He wasn't totally sure what to do with himself otherwise as he took the hint and placed his large hand in her smaller one, stepping over the (for him) short gap onto the balcony. Her hand was unmistakably warm against his cool scales. The gesture made his heart flutter, even though he could have gotten across by himself with no issue. He didn't notice how firmly he held her hand until she let go.

She glanced over her shoulder at him, sliding the door open and stepping aside. He had to duck his head underneath the door frame.

Inside the apartment was warm. Warm everything, actually; the only light was the pale yellow glow of the lamps in the living room. He forgot momentarily the circumstances and his eyes wandered the room, finding traces of her personality wherever he could. He noticed the books on the shelf next to them and searched through his own mind library to see if he knew any of the titles. He also took note of whatever the show that was playing on the TV, the scattered knick-knacks, and other telling items. If it weren't for the homely atmosphere, he would have felt like an unwanted intruder, but he was only fairly uncomfortable once he was brought back by the sound of her clearing her throat.

"Oh," he muttered politely, sidestepping out of her way. "Sorry, I've just only ever seen this place from the outside." He continued looking around the room and absorbing information as was his habit.

"Huh?" She quickly turned toward him.

Donnie, sometimes I wish you wouldn't open your mouth, he grilled himself, and instantly went into minor panic-mode in explaining himself. "Well, I—you see, I was out, and…"

She crossed her arms, taking a subtle step back.

She's going to think I'm a stalker!

"It was by pure coincidence!" he exclaimed, holding out his hands nervously. "We took down some bad guys trying to rob a place nearby, and apparently you heard something?" He carefully watched her expression. "You texted me immediately afterwards saying you did, so I just...put it together."

She dropped her arms and seemed to have a revelation. "That's what I heard! And you...took them down?"

He straightened up, one of his hands idly adjusting one of the straps around his shoulder. If he was really doing this, telling her, he'd lay it all out tonight.

"Yeah, my brothers and I. That's what we do. We stop bad guys."

Shoulders losing their tension, she stared at him with a peculiar expression, long enough for him to question what she was thinking. She started, "You never said you had brothers. Or that you fight crime." He gave her a half-smile. "But you also never said where you came from."

"It might take a while to explain."

"We've got plenty of time."

He soon was whisked away into recounting, and forgot that he was missing from home.

Tag list: @spaceman-main @kokokatsworld @criminaly-supernatural @sheepdarkhours @dianounais

[tar-oh]

Daily Cards 7/29

New Moon in Capricorn, 10 of Swords, Six of Wands reversed, Degaz, Hagalaz, lyrics from Sharks by Love Fame Tragedy

Overall, the theme for today seems to be that some of you have just gone through or are still going through something tough. For some it's job related. Others it's relationships (friends, lovers, maybe even family). You've recently come the realization that something needs to change. That could be leaving a job or a situation. And while you're feeling quite awful about this, you know this is what's best. The song I pulled, Shark's by Love Fame Tragedy kind of alludes to this, with the line "I've had enough of this mess now. I live on an island. I live on an island. An island in my heart". Whatever has happened, you seem to have closed off your heart, maybe even narrowing your idea of what you think is possible for you to achieve. Though, recently, I think maybe you guys have come to realization that you are limiting yourself and that you can do better.

There could have been some sort of betrayal in a relationship. Or maybe in a job you were wronged. Maybe you got paid for less than what you worked or were just treated bad in general. There may have been a few of you that lost a job recently, too, or you just haven’t been to work in a while (perhaps you’re like me and still waiting for your job to reopen/everything else to reopen). Either way, you're not doing well. The song Asthenia by blink-182 came on while I was working on this. It seemed to ring a bell here, helping me piece this together a little easier. "This place is void of all passion," and "Should I go back should I go back should I. I feel alone and tired." To me, this song is about questioning going back to a relationship that didn't work out in the first place, and wondering if it's worth giving it another shot even though it made your passion dwindle. With those who are dealing with a relationship, maybe you're thinking about sticking it out, or if it's over, trying again. Though, you know it never made you happy, so why are you considering it again?

For those of you that this revolves around work, it's kind of the same thing. You were working in an environment that was stifling your creativity. Maybe it was a monotonous job, doing the same task over and over everyday. I'm not saying you don't need money, but I am saying you shouldn't be working yourself to the bone (Nobody Else Will Be There by The National came on, and there's this line "My faith is sick and my skin is thin as ever", which also goes with another song that played, Abandoned by Trippie Redd, which is about being lovesick, but going with the theme of you getting sick from this). You overstayed your welcome there, and for some you're feeling this in your health (whether it's physical or mental). Again, you know it's not good for you, so why stay (or go back?). 

I also think there’s a possibility that some of you have something new in mind (a new person, place, thing, whatever, it’s just new to you), but you’re a little worried about opening your heart up to a new adventure. In the past you were hurt, possibly to the point where it beat you down pretty good, maybe making you feel like you did have ten swords in your back. And so, because of your past, you’re afraid to try that new thing. Afraid that it will fail. But, first off, you never know if you don’t try. And secondly, you’re not really seeing the full picture here. You’re like the first group, limiting your possibilities. I think you’re aware of what you’re doing, but you’re just not sure how to change it. I can’t really give you any advice here, since I’m horrible at acting myself. But what I can say, is maybe take baby steps. Full Moon in Capricorn calls into question where you see yourself in a year. Then it asks how you’ll get there. So, going off of those baby steps, you can plan ahead. So, start scoping out that new job, or if this is about a person, maybe just start a small conversation. No need to jump in to anything heavy, a simple, “Hi, how are you doing?” would do. I know that sounds scary, but also, what do you have to lose?

Sharks - Love Fame Tragedy

There's a new start here. You have a chance to take this bad situation or seemingly scary situation and use it as a stepping stone to something better. One of the runes I pulled, Dagaz, can mean breakthrough as well as changing oneself. I see this as you being able to break free of this stifling environment or people, and finding a place that's better for you. Whether that be with new people or a new job, you'll be able to build off of this and make things better.

The Songs:

Asthenia - blink-182

Nobody Else Will Be There - The National (honestly though, this is one of my favorite songs by them, so I kind of have to include it if it comes on during this, but I feel like there’s a certain tone to this song that definitely goes with this whole idea. This song talks about that thread again, but this time it’s more about doubting it. “You said we’re not so tied together, what did you mean?” So, it kind of also goes with maybe realizing something/someone isn’t for you, and it gives that weird, melancholic feeling you get when that realization first hits. Also mentions meeting someone in a stairwell, so for those of you eyeing up a new person...there’s an idea lol kinda iffy but honestly! idk! i think i’d go for it!)

Baby Girl - Chloe x Halle (I see this one as more of an uplifting one if you need it, and I feel like it played for a reason)

Second Guessing - Arlo Parks

(this one just kept playing songs that I was like Oh. OH! Okay! So, honestly I don’t care too much that the list is long.)

Abandoned - Trippie Redd

[r3b3lgrrrrrrrl]

A LunaTic and her Gunn (Part 63)

"Making Up Isn't Hard To Do"

@creatureofthen1ght-v3

@lovemythsworld

@kellysimagines

@crystalbaby12

Colson's sitting at the kitchen table. Benny's still out with Casie, knowing to text before he heads back. Ashleigh is upstairs while Slim, Baze and Rook are gathered with him in the kitchen.

"So you think she fucked him?" Slim asks Colson. He likes Luna but she's always felt dangerous to him.

"No." Colson says shaking his head. He lights a joint. Inhaling deeply, he sighs out a giant cloud of smoke. "I think maybe she has feelings for him. She's been acting weird ever since she ran into him. And made it a point to tell me about him as soon as we were alone. Luna don't offer up shit." He sighs again as he exhales.

"Who is he?" Slim asks directly. Colson has talked to him about Luna and Justin. He heard her scream six years and did the math when Colson shouted about an undercover year.

"I don't know, Man." Colson tries to shake him off.

"Yeah, you do. Because I do. She cheated on her boyfriend with that dude, didn't she? That's why you're so pissed." Slim connecting the dots easily.

"I'M her fucking boyfriend." Colson snaps at him. Puffing on the joint.

"Chill, Mann." Slim says throwing his hands up.

"You know how to answer your question, Kells... " Rook speaks up. "Find out who stopped seeing who. If she broke it off you're in the clear. If it was him.... Maybe not. But, I don't think Luna's like that." Rook still defending her.

"She is like that. She fucked a dude for a year. Her other dude ever find out?" Slim turns to Colson, who's finishing up the joint.

"C'mon Slim... " Baze interjects. "Ain't one of us in here about to get Holy and act like we ain't never ran no long game with out getting caught." Baze states. "Besides, didn't he put her through some shit for a long time? So what if she fucked around with ONE dude. She rode with hers till his end." Baze has his own opinion of Luna. He likes that she doesn't take Kells shit but has never seemed to waver from him since the night of his birthday party.

Colson finally speaks, Baze's words sitting in his head.

"Watch it, Slim." He gives his friend A Look before continuing. "But nah, he never found out. She said Her Ashley don't even know. I'm the only one she's ever told." He looks back up glaring at them all. "So you better keep your fucking mouths shut." He warns.

They all agree with Yeahs and nods. How long they'll last, who knows?

"What's this LIFE shit she was talking?" Slim keeps pushing.

Colson shakes his head. "You know she's politically active, Dawg." is all he says as he gets up from the table and heads upstairs. Baze's words heavy on his head.

Everyone has a different opinion.

None of them knowing about Marissa, The Dark Web or who knows what else Luna has her hands in.

--------------------------------------------

Luna hails a cab. She's furious. She doesn't go to her grandmother's. She doesn't hit up Ashley or Mackenzie or Pete. She doesn't hit up Tommy. Although she truly wants to punch him in his face and then fuck him.

Thinking vindictivly, as always when feeling attacked. "You think I did some shit. Okay. Imma pull some bigger shit."

But Luna's not 21 anymore. She'll be 27 soon. So, she has the cab take her to The Vale. After checking in, she throws on boy shorts, a spots bra, hoodie, her running shoes and ear buds. Placing a call to Monica in the mean time. It rings to voicemail. Luna turning her own ringer off before she heads out.

Prancing down the stairwell, she jogs through the lobby. Breaking free once she hits the cement. Running her raging heart out through The City.

--------------------------------------------

Luna gets back from running, checking her phone, there's a Snap from Colson:

She strips down and Snaps him back before getting in the shower. Puffing on her pen all the while.

--------------------------------------------

Colson opens Luna's Snap immediately.

Asking Ashleigh to keep an eye on Casie, he heads directly over.

--------------------------------------------

Luna hears banging on the door from the bathroom as soon as she shuts the water off.

"Holy fucking shit..." She thinks to herself. Wrapping a robe around her to answer the door.

It's Colson, just as she suspected.

"Hi." She says flatly, allowing him to kiss her cheek.

"Can I come in?" He asks.

Stepping aside, he walks in. Bikini Kill filling the hotel room. Raw, Riot Grl Rage.

"Yeah, I'm fucked....." Colson thinks to himself.

She walks to the couch, curling up in the corner. There's a bottle of Jameson on the table.

"So, why you really mad at me?" Luna asks. Much looser and understanding after running, popping a bar and taking a shower. She lights a joint as he sits down with her.

"I don't know." He looks over at her before looking down at the ground. "I don't think I'm mad, I think I'm scared. I can feel how much you loved Justin and I guess, if you could do that to him.... What's stopping you from doing it to me..." He looks up at her, vulnerability raw.

Luna reaches for his hand as she passes him the joint. He hits it while she talks.

"Tommy and I only happened because Justin neglected me, himself and our life. On and off for a long time. I'll admit I'm an Asshole for it, but it wasn't out of malice. It was survival. And it's a guilt I carry heavily." She tells him, showing her own vulnerabilities. "You don't like that I can keep a secret, but what you don't understand, is that I'm not keeping any from you. I told you about Justin and Tommy because I wanted you to know. Not because I had to."

"So you would've lied about the picture?" He asks, feeling an irritation grow as he passes it back to her.

"No." She puffs on the joint. "But I could've side stepped it, told you he was an old friend who simply has a crush on me. All of which are true. But, I didn't. I gave you the details when it popped up in our life, BEFORE it went public, because I promised to NOT side step you and as I've told you before, I'm not going to vomit my life but as it flows, I'm going to give it to you." She pulls on the joint again before passing it back

Hearing her every word. He waits before asking "How did you and Tommy end?" He's hitting it now.

Luna grabs the bottle of whiskey. She has a tendency to look for a substance before exposing her truth.

"He told me he loved me and I knew that was unfair because I'd never leave Justin." She looks down with a sadness. Colson isn't sure if it's for Justin or Tommy.

"Did you love him?" Colson asks quietly as he hands her back the joint.

"Yes." She states. Looking him in the eye. She can't help but close hers as she inhales. Slowly exhaling, she opens them as she continues "But, I made a commitment to Justin and I would've traveled to the depths of hell with him. We've talked about this. How we're both loyal to a fault, and that it's a blessing and a curse. Tommy happened two years before Justin killed himself. With no one before or after him. I would've stayed with Justin forever. No matter what it cost me." Hitting it again, she passes it.

Colson's heart breaks for her. He'll never be able to understand how someone could be so careless with Luna.

"Do you love him more than me?" He asks before hitting the joint.

"Who?" Unsure of if they're talking about Tommy or Justin.

"Tommy." He says exhaling.

Luna closes her eyes again, thinking of her words. "There will always be a crazy connection between Tommy and I, but...." She climbs into Colson's lap. He's happy to have her back on top of him. "You have to think, I didn't go looking for him once Justin passed. At all. Thursday was the first time I seen him in almost 6yrs. I swear." Taking the joint, she pulls through the last few hits before putting it out.

"You scare me, Luna." Colson tells her honestly. This hurts her. She grabs the bottle for another swig before asking why.

"Because everybody wants you." He sighs.

"You can't act like you don't have admirers too...." She contests.

"Yeah, but I don't have personal relationships with them."

"Uhm... What is Bleta for 500, Alex?" She challenges him.

Her Jeopardy reference makes him laugh and wrap his arms around her. "Touché" He submits.

On his lap, in his arms, looking into those beautiful, blue eyes, she tells him. "Look, Bunny. Like I said before, I'm not perfect. I make mistakes, I'm an Asshole. I'm hella sorry for my betrayal of Justin hurting you. That's my Karma. But our relationship is different than his and I's. I just wish you could trust me. We've been dealing with this shit since the night at The Palms. I told you then. I'm always going to play a role. Same as you. Men are going to want me the way women want you. What we both need to always focus on and keep true to, is that we only go home to or with each other. And I did. I called you at the bar. And I Snapped you when I got back. I have nothing to hide."

He knows she's right. Exhausted from their fights, he pulls her in for a deep sweet kiss. She enjoys his warm tongue dancing in her mouth. Moving down to her neck, he slips her robe off her shoulders. Kissing her softly, he lays her back on the couch.

They move slow and delicate with each other. Soft, tiny kisses exchanged on their bodies. Deep understanding playing in their mouths.

Colson slides into Luna slowly. Working his way deep inside of her. He knows when he's hit her spot. Keeping her there, he feels her shake and cum off of his girth.

She pants "I love you" in his ear as he slowly rocks back and forth inside of her. Feeling his bare dick touch every inch of her insides.

Their love making is slow, deep and quick. Luna cumming again with him as he enjoys their tenderness. It's a delightful change of pace from their norma,l intense hunger - fucking.

Laying inside of her, cheek to cheek, he whispers "I'm sorry."

Stroking his back, she honestly tells him "Don't be." That she would've snapped too.

They're both intensely possessive. It's one of the things they love about each other.

They lay with him still inside of her. Where he belongs. Their love, understanding and acceptance of each other washing over them. She's happily wrapped around his body. Him laying contently on her chest. Almost drifting off, Luna's startled by Colson's body jumping.

"Fuck." Colson pops his head up. "What time is it?" He asks.

Luna checks her phone. It's 730P. Colson tells her they should get going. He gently shakes her, while slightly shouting "Yooou're LIVE ooon Saturday Night, Kitten!!!" Grinning.

She kisses him on the mouth, strong and solid. "I fucking love you, Colson." She tells him, staring into his eyes, she doesn't give a fuck about SNL, she only cares about where THEY land.

Colson pulls his t-shirt and jeans on while Luna throws on a wild concoction. She'll get dressed at the studio.

Luna stops Colson. Facing him with both her hands on his forearms. She looks clearly through his eyes into his soul.

"We're in this together. I'm not leaving. EVER. How you treat me and Us, will dictate whether we're beautiful or dark. Either way. I'm here." She pulls him down to her level. Kissing him solidly. A promise being solidified with it.

He scoops her up by her ass, pulling her into him firmly. Breathing her sweet sent in. It's a mixture of weed, coconut oil, cigarette smoke and Aveeno.

His dick rages for her. Knowing in his heart, he's the only one she wants.

--------------------------------------------

They leave the hotel and head to 30Rock, it's a little after 8P and Luna's facing one of the biggest performance of Ashley and her careers.

Luna turns to Colson in the cab. She touches his face lightly as she looks into his eyes. "I love - LOVE you." She tells him honestly with a kiss. His heart swells, knowing their truth as they step out onto 48th street.

Colson grips her ass cheek to her pussy's pleasure as they walk to 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

THEY'RE PERFORMING LIVE FROM NEW YORK ON SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE!!!!

--------------------------------------------------

To be continued....

[nowitsdarkfic]

chapter thirty-five (marcia and some spiders)

Lupe and I are hurrying back down the corridor to the stairwell. The noise has died down a great deal downstairs but I'm still trying to figure that whole thing out back there on Mrs. Snow's part. “Remember the last.” I'm afraid I don't remember because I don't even know what the hell she's talking about.

And she called me by my full name, too. I have never heard her refer to me as Joseph before.

Eh, I don't know. And I'm too preoccupied with leading Lupe back downstairs to the main floor of the bar in order to give it any more thought.

Lars, Barney, Billy, and Spence are awaiting me on the other side of the room, near a heavy black curtain. Lupe meanwhile ducks away from me and towards the bar.

Spence shows me a mischievous grin as I'm coming closer to them.

“Who's that little lady?” he asks me.

“That was—Lupe, wasn't it?” Lars fills in.

“Lupe!” the three of them gawk all together.

“She's a stripper,” I tell them, out of breath. “It's—It's nothing.”

“A stripper with a thing for you,” Lars cracks.

“Oh, hush—besides, you're the one who Lizzy's going all bat shit crazy for.” I return to the three of them and the eager expression on each of their faces. “Really, you fellas should'a seen the two of them last week when we were over at Black Orchid.”

He nibbles on his bottom lip while his face turns as red as a cherry tomato.

“A man named baby kangaroo!” I recognize Dominique's voice call out from behind the curtain.

“Baby kangaroo?” Billy chuckles at that.

“Yeah! Man named baby kangaroo! Come back here!”

“Oh, that's me!” I declare, and then gesture for them to follow me behind the black curtain.

We're met with a narrow area secluded from the rest of the place. I don't remember this part here, with the green lamps and the matching couch pressed up against the wall, and the big buffett table on the other side of the room with a bunch of food served out for us. Dominique, Nancy, Chris, and Matt are all seated on the couch, while Hiro is pouring himself a glass of water and Kim is cracking open a beer over by the table.

“This can't be the dressing room,” I mutter aloud.

“This is our dressing room,” Matt assures me. “The actual ones around the other side of the place are closed off.”

“Why's that?”

He shakes his head. “No idea. But anyways—help yourselves to our comida du jour.” He gestures towards Kim, Hiro, and the table on the other side of the room.

“Comida du jour?” Dominique echoes with a giggle. “One's Spanish, one's French, babe.”

“It's Spench,” Spence jokes, and we all burst out laughing. I make my way over to the table for a couple of those little fingerling crustini sandwiches. Hiro tosses his black hair back before taking a big drink of water.

“Badass show you guys put on,” I tell him.

“Thanks, man,” Kim replies, extending a hand for me to partake in a high five.

“Yeah, really,” Hiro follows up once he puts down the water bottle.

“We should hear you sing some time.”

I shrug at them.

“I dunno 'bout that,” I confess, picking up two crustinis with a bit of smooth white cheese and some sliced turkey and ham.

“Also, help yourself to those,” Kim insists as Spence strides up behind me for a couple for himself.

“Yeah, there's a whole lot more where those came from,” Hiro adds, taking another drink of water. Spence and I make a toast with each other with our little bite sized sandwiches before popping them into our mouths at the same time. The cheese is soft and melty, like maybe it's Brie. The turkey and the ham meanwhile taste fresh out of the deli.

We double back to the couch to meet up with the four of them as well as Lars. I offer him one and he waves it off.

“Are you sure?” I ask him.

“Yeah. I'll wait for the next batch.” He winks at me and I take it back for myself. Chris puts his arm around Nancy and she leans over into his chest. There's a part of me that wishes I had more time with Lupe but what was I to do when Mrs. Snow was right there looming before us? The memory of her looming before me reminds me of the first time I saw her and she looked as though she was about to mutilate the family jewels. There was no way I would go through with that again.

I sigh through my nose and finish the first crustini before eating the one I had offered to Lars.

“So I got a call from Angeline,” Dominique begins, “Angeline Belotti, the woman I shadowed over at the New York Times.”

“Yeah?” Matt follows along.

“She told me she'll be going out to Seattle in the next two weeks so we can do some dual reporting together on the uptick in cybernetic technology. I'm taking it to the next level, babe.”

“Oh, that's fantastic!” Matt puts his arm around her and kisses the side of her head.

“She also said she'll be stopping on the way through Syracuse, Oswego, and Rochester,” she adds, turning to me, Spence, Barney, and Billy, “because I guess there's a bit of resistance against it all right now with the town councils, like they don't want any of the advancements we have in Seattle there. They all keep voting against it.”

The four of us glance at one another, and I feel my heart sink. I know it's run by Maxwell Industries, and I can only assume what's happening with Brick and Maya right now has something to do with that company. They do have his name after all. Her, I have no idea about but I can't but help feel a link here.

“Hey!” Chris calls out from right next to me. We all turn to see Sonia's head poking out from the break in the curtains.

“Sonia!” Lars declares, his face flushing.

“Hey, you,” I follow up in a flat tone of voice, popping the crustini in my mouth. Marcia pokes her head from in between the curtains, right underneath her.

“And Marcia,” Lars follows up.

“And Miss Marcia,” I add to it with my mouth full.

“What are you ladies doing here?” Matt asks them.

“We need to talk to you guys,” Sonia states to us.

“The two of us?” I ask her, my mouth still full as I'm gesturing to Lars and me both.

“Yes. In private.”

I swallow and we glance at one another: Lars has his eyebrows raised and his eyes riddled with a look of seriousness.

“'Scuse us,” I tell all of them behind us, and the two of us lunge for the Bennett sisters behind the curtain. They duck back to let us out of the dressing room and onto the stretch of floor in between the bar and the stage. Marcia grins at me.

“Hey,” she greets me in a soft voice, reaching for my forearm.

“Hi,” I return the favor with a little smile. It's all I can do for her.

“What's going on?” Lars asks them, rubbing his hands together at a slow pensive pace.

“Maya showed up to the upholstery shop,” Sonia informs us, “totally out of the blue and speaking some weird language.”

“Weird language?” Lars echoes, keeping his hands pressed together before his chest.

“What'd it sound like?” is all I can think of.

“It sounded—backwards,” Marcia fills in, tugging down her blouse over her full hips.

“Backwards,” we say at the same time.

“At least that's what we think it was,” Sonia continues, brushing a ringlet of hair behind her ear. “She also said something about how Spence and Joey are both gonna royally fuck something up soon enough.”

“Me?” I'm stunned by that.

“Yeah. But we didn't believe her, though, especially since you're the one who found her.”

“But she said it out of anger, though,” Marcia points out, “like she sounded pissed when she said it.” She frowns at the two of us. “Where is Spence?”

“He's in there,” Lars gestures back to the curtains behind us.

“I need another word with you, too,” Sonia curtly says, waving a finger into his face and he recoils back at the sight of it before him. She weaves around him and he follows her back, which in turn leaves me alone with Marcia. She shows a little smile, her cheekbones filling out as a result.

“So how are you?” she begins in a soft voice.

“I'm doing alright. Kinda worried about my friend Brick, but I think he'll be okay, though.”

“That's good. It's good to remain positive to ensure he has a quick recovery.”

She touches the upper part of my arm even though I have my jacket on.

“You know, sometimes I'll catch myself thinking about you,” she admits to me, her gaze dropping off to her hand on me.

“Do you now?”

“I do. Like I think about—” She lifts her gaze to my face. “—those big puppy dog brown eyes, and those soft lips, and that beautiful hair.”

I swallow and I feel the butterflies well up inside my stomach.

“Marcia, I'm—” I almost choke on my own spit trying to speak to her. “I'm not gonna lie to you—I'm a little uncomfortable here.”

She purses her lips and shakes her head.

“Uncomfortable. Come on now. We're in a bar after a show. It's only natural for us to—you know.”

“No, I don't.”

She runs her tongue along her bottom lip. She keeps her hand on my shoulder as she moves in closer to me. Her chest is right up against mine while her belly is pressed against my own. I feel a little sick. And I feel a little bad for resisting her, but there's no denying how I feel. I'm uncomfortable.

But she's lifting her other hand onto the side of my neck and I swear she's about to kiss me, leaning in closer to me when I hear Lupe yell out on the other side of the room. We turn to look at some of the people at the bar lunging back from the bar itself. I take a closer look to find those spiders, those same gigantic black spiders the size of my hand I saw in Ellen's apartment down in New Orleans, scurrying along the top of the bar and down the front. They're going into people's drinks and the ashtrays, and over the bar stools.

“Oh my God,” Marcia gasps, her face turning as white as a sheet.

“God damn,” I blurt out in a hushed voice.

“Alright, everyone tuck your pants into your socks!” the bartender shouts. I watch Lupe throw her jacket over her before ducking out the front door and out to the rain. Lars, Spence, Billy, and Barney all file out from behind the curtain with looks of concern upon their faces.

“The fuck's going on?” Barney wonders aloud.

“Spiders,” I tell him, and Marcia jerks her hand back from me like she got burned; “huge ones, might I add.”

“Holy shit!” Lars declares.

“Well there's no way we're getting out that way now,” Spence points out as the spiders make their way upon the floor. They're crawling all over the tiles and upon the walls. Then a couple scurry our way.

“Back door, back door, back door!” I shout, and we run back to the dressing room. The six of them flash us startled looks as we return to the area.

“What's wrong?” Nancy demands.

“Spider infestation,” I tell her, scooping up some more crustinis, “massive ones, might I add.”

“Oh, Jesus!”

We all scramble to pick up the rest of the food before they get to it. I lead the way out of the area, across the stage and towards the emergency exit behind the platform which held up Matt's drum kit. I'm running blind through the rain with my hands full of crustini sandwiches, but I do remember where Lars had parked.

“OKAY EVERYONE FOLLOW JOEY!” I hear him bellow behind me.

I run down the alleyway to the sidewalk. I shove my mouth full of two sandwiches and then tuck the other two under my jacket to keep them from getting wet. My hair matts to my forehead with every step, but by the light of the neon sign, I recognize the hydrogen car parked at the curb. Indeed, once I reach the car, I hear a low hum emerging from the base board. I fling open the door and collapse into the passenger seat.

Once the door is closed and my mouth is absolutely stuffed full of seared sourdough bread, Brie cheese, turkey, and ham, I push my bangs out of my eyes. I peer out the window to find Barney and Billy running towards the car; the former reaches the back door behind me first and dives into the seat on the opposite side. Billy follows suit into the middle suit.

Not even before he can close the door, Spence takes his place right behind me.

Meanwhile, Lars rounds the front of the car: through the streaks of rain on the windshield, I can see his hair is already a matted mess. He opens the driver's side door, and throws himself into the seat, and yanks the door shut. Breathing hard, he shoves his hair back from his face: but in the pink light from the neon sign, I can still see a rather thick tendril stuck to the side of his face.

“Alright, is everybody in?” he asks us, peering over his shoulder. “Nancy, Dominique, and the guys all have their gear together and they were going to leave soon anyways. So, we cool here?”

“Yeff,” I still have my mouth full.

“Good man, not letting food go to waste,” Spence notes, patting my shoulder. “She's in Rochester, Sonia said?”

“Yeah—” I choke out upon swallowing. Lars shakes his head and sets his hand on the top of the steering wheel.

“Honestly, if Maya's back in Oswego, I'm gonna freak,” he confesses, and then I remember wormholes don't close all the way. That's probably how the spiders got here. That's my guess, anyway.

“You're gonna freak?” Barney demands, stunned. “It's our neck of the woods, dude! If it was San Francisco or Copenhagen, I'd definitely be worried because we could lose her, but this is Nowhere, USA we're talking about.”

“What should we do, Joe?” Billy asks me, gripping onto the side of my seat; I turn my head for a better look at him and also Lars, who has his hand on the wheel. “You're our captain. What do you think we should do?”

I really have no idea what to do or where to go from here. But after what happened with Marcia back there in the dressing rooms, I think it's best we begin from the top. If Maya is back in Oswego, and since Brick is home, we should probably check on him and make sure nothing too extravagant is going on.

“I say we get our asses back to Oswego,” I tell them. “If she's there—and I have faith that she is, and I have a ton of hope for Brick, but—it's hard. You know? So—we've got the car started already. Let's bounce.”