#who stomps his foot and bitches when he doesn’t get his way bless

[winchester101]

I might tag all my stuff as zosan but that’s just for convenience, everyone know that zoro bottoms🫵

[peach-pops]

Hello! Do you remember "Dating a Hothead/easily angered girlfriend" blog from anonymous? Can I request for Akaashi, Kageyama, Ushijima, Sugawara, and Tsukishima of how will they react to their s/o? Thank you! I really really really love that blog! It really reminds me of me of being sassy 😂. Anyways, sorry for bothering you *bows*

Author’s note: UGH Im so sorry this took me so long to get out! I only did Kageyama and Akaashi cause I wanted a bit of a contrast hope that’s okay! Also, I wanna point out that there’s nothing wrong with defending yourself, even if things do get violent. I don’t condone violence I’m just saying to protect yourself in the best way possible! 

Here’s the first part!

Akaashi and Kageyama with a Hotheaded Girlfriend

-Akaashi-

Akaashi knows how angry you get so he always does his best to try and make sure everything goes smoothly to avoid any casualties

BUT Akaashi can’t control every little thing and he realizes this fairly early in your relationship

I’m a full believer that Bokuto loves raves and clubbing and because of this, he usually drags you and Akaashi along

One night you three and a couple of other Fukurodani members are out clubbing and immediately, Akaashi surveys the room: where are the exits? Where’s the bathroom? Which group looks like trouble? Where did his girlfriend and best friend go???

He spots a group of girls near the bar that are a part of a bachelorette party who are a bit rowdy but he kinda brushes them off cause there’s nothing threatening about six girls wearing cheap wedding veils

You guys get your own private table in the corner ( bless Konoha and his connections) and after an hour or two of drinking and dancing, you take the initiative to go buy the next round of drinks cause that’s just club etiquette and you’re lowkey ballin

Let’s get it miss independent !!!! 😤 😤 😤

Akaashi offers to go with you but you tell him to watch Bokuto cause he might bust his head from dancing on the table

Once you make it to the bar, you decide just to order a pretty expensive bottle for the table because you’re not confident in your ability to carry six shots back without spilling it everywhere

You pay for the bottle and start making your way back to the table when you see the bridal party from earlier hanging out at your table. You see two girls laughing side by side with Bokuto (ok my dude get some) BUT THEN you search for Akaashi and sure enough, you see him visibly uncomfortable as the ‘soon to be bride’ tries sitting in your mans lap.

Akaashi looks up and he’s conflicted cause he wants your help to get this drunk girl off of him but he also knows you’re crazy and you might kill her in the process

“ Your hair looks so sexy pushed back! Has anyone ever told you that before?”

“ Please go away, my girlfriend is coming and she won’t be happy-”

“ Aw girlfriend? No fair why are the cute ones always taken?”

“ Aren’t you getting married?”

You’re gripping the bottle so tight in your hands and Akaashi can see it in your eyes that you are soooo close to hitting this bitch over the head with the bottle

He already knows exactly what you’re thinking and he’s pleading with you not to just with his eyes

Would you kill a girl over sitting in your mans lap? Yeah probably I mean you were fucking crazy

BUT since you could see how serious Akaashi was, you loosened your grip on the bottle and placed it on the table. Before the bride could even look over, you had already lightly nudged pushed her off of Akaashi’s lap and sat down on your boyfriend as if to claim him

“ What is your problem, you didn’t have to push me!” The bride whined as she got off the floor but you kept your glare on her

Akaashi squeezed your thigh to try and calm you down but maybe it was because of the alcohol so you just clenched your fists even tighter

“ You’re lucky all I did was push you. I can’t believe you’re about to get married and you’re trying to straddle my fucking boyfriend!”

Akaashi can feel how tense you are so he sits you on the inside of the booth so he can be in the middle between the girl and you. At this point, you’re sitting next to Bokuto and he’s laughing nervously cause he’s never seen you act like this before but he’s a ride or die so hes automatically team Y/N

“ Are you threatening me?”

“ Yeah, I am. What are you going to do about it?”

“ Y/N stop-”

“ Yeah, listen to your boyfriend bitch.”

“ WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING A BITCH?!”

Before you can lunge over the table, Akaashi keeps his arm out and blocks you from doing so. He turns to the girl and bows his head, trying not to let his own anger consume him,” I think you should leave.”

“ And what if I don’t want to?” The soon to be bride pokes bitterly as she attempts to wrap her arm around Akaashi’s shoulders,” what is your girlfriend gonna do, hit me?”

She’s right, you can’t launch yourself across the table and your arm doesn’t have the reach but you had alternatives. You grabbed a half-drunken glass of some brown rum and you flung the alcohol into the girls face

Everyone at the table was SHOCKED, lowkey including you cause you didn’t even mean to throw the drink in her face it just happened YOU SWEAR it was just an instinct

Who could blame you I mean you were so mad plus you had been watching so many compilations of “ Best Housewives Fights from Bravo” that it was the first thing you could think of

Akaashi, bless him and his brilliant mind, immediately blocked your body with his because the soon to be bride tries climbing into the booth to beat you up and Bokuto also has a protective grip on your wrist to stop you from killing her

LUCKILY before you could spill any blood, security comes and forces the girl to leave your table

At first, you thought Akaashi was mad at you so you kind of pout and tell him how sorry you were but Akaashi doesn’t even care he just makes sure you’re okay

In his head, he knows maybe you were in the wrong for pushing the girl but he would never admit it outloud cause he values his life

My heart swoons for this man

Bokuto on the other hand is slapping your back and shaking your shoulders going,” Holy crap Y/N that was AWESOME!!!”

-Kageyama-

You and Kageyama had only recently started dating so he probably doesn’t have any idea how mad you could get. He’s seen a few times where you’ve gotten upset over school or your family problems but he still didn’t think too much about it

Who was he to be put off at having an easily angered s/o when he was balancing between his own emotions?

Anyway! You were one of Karasuno’s managers and you and Kiyoko got SO CLOSE! The job was super easy and it meant you could spend more time with your boyfriend so win-win!

The only part that was ever hard for you was other guys constantly hitting on you and Kiyoko like damn okay you both were hot as hell but at least treat girls with respect?

You didn’t mind guys telling you that you both were pretty caused duh you two already knew that but most of them were SOOO disgusting and you never let it slide

Before one of Karasuno’s games, you were on the sidelines with Kiyoko chatting about the next match when you could hear some of the guys from the other team trying to get your attention

“ Damn, Karasuno girls really are as fine as they say, they look soooo good.”

“ God, the things I would do if I was alone with them.”

“ I know you two can hear us, turn around so we can see what we’re working with.”

You just kept your eyes locked onto your clipboard because you didn’t want Kageyama to see how fucking crazy you could get but JESUS it was so hard when these two guys were harassing you

“ Kiyoko, I will fucking lose my mind if they come over here. I think I’m going to snap someone’s neck,” You said through gritted teeth as you watched your boyfriend warm up.

“Maybe you should go cool off in the bathroom before the game starts. I’ll let Kageyama-Kun know what’s going on and I’ll meet you in the hallway,” Kiyoko suggested as you gave her prayer hands cause she really do be a queen

You took your clipboard with you as if it was a weapon and stomped out to the bathroom cause you knew if you stayed in that gym any longer, you would cause a scene

You rinsed your face in the bathroom and you took a few deep breaths as you tried to calm yourself down

Your friends and family always told you that you needed to get your anger under control and now that you were dating, the last thing you needed was to scare Kageyama off

When you started to head out towards the gym, you felt in the air that something was off like spidey senses but instead, it’s like a creep radar was sounding off in your head

That’s when you saw Kiyoko and one of the guys from earlier cornering her against a wall

You can see that Kiyoko was visibly uncomfortable and you were just about to push your limit

“ I said to leave me alone. I’m waiting for a friend.”

“ Oh, you mean the other manager? I’m telling you, we would treat you like absolute queens at our school-”

“ Hey dude, back the hell off!” You shoved the guy to the side pretty hard to the point where he stumbled back a few good feet,” fucking creep.”

This dude, this mf has the audacity to POST UP TO YOU! You’re not even intimidated by him even though he’s easily half a foot taller than you

Like he’s in your face cause now he’s pissed that this girl actually managed to shove him pretty hard

“ Lay your hands on me again and see what happens.”

“ Are you threatening me? Cause if you are, go on and try to hit me I fucking dare you!”

Kiyoko is like nuh uh not on my watch and while im pretty sure kiyoko can throw fucking hands, she ran to go get Kageyama like “ go get ur girl”

This alerts pretty much the whole team even though they’re supposed to be warming up, they go with Kageyama cause if the boys hear your name and that you need help, they get hella protective

Kageyama slides over to the hallway and sees this dude yelling in your face and he sees red when the guy lays a hand on your shoulder

Before Kageyama can even make it over to you, you smash your clipboard over the guys head so hard, he hits the floor

BUT BRUH once he hits the floor you don’t! Stop! hitting ! him!

Like that clipboard is the perfect weapon oml

“ Don’t! Ever! Touch! Me!” You literally bash him after every word and this dude can’t even fight back like I personally dont feel bad but ummmmm you might commit murder

Kageyama rushes over to you and grabs you so you can stop and he’s trying to calm you down but once the word “bitch” slips out of the guys mouth, Kageyama grabs him by the jersey and is shaking him like a ragdoll

“ Watch your goddamn mouth before I put my fist through it!”

And you’re still heated so you want to basically jump this dude with your boyfriend cause romance ya know but Suga is holding you back ( he highkey struggling)

And now Noya and Tanaka are trying to hold Kageyama back because while they definitely would’ve reacted the same way, they don’t want Kageyama to go overboard

“ What did you just say? Go on and say it again-”

“ Kageyama please!”

“ You’re lucky I’m getting held back-”

“ Y/N! Enough!”

Just two lovebirds threatening a dudes life I love it

Things get resolved pretty quickly thanks to daddy daichi calming everyone down and now it’s time for the match to start

Suga lets go of you when Kageyama walks over and the first thing he does is hug you tightly. He practically squeezes the life out of you like this experience really showed how protective he was

He even admits that while he’s glad you can handle yourself, you shouldn't have to stand up to people alone and 100% doesn’t think you overreacted at all especially when Kiyoko thanks you for sticking up for her

He’s a bit intimidated by how you acted only because he had never saw you that mad before but he doesn’t blame you for how you handled it

[btsmakesmehappy]

Palate Cleanser | 1

Genre: Agent au, friends with benefit (sort of), Stranger to lover, Angst, Fluff, Eventual Smut

Pairing: Agent!Taehyung x Baker!reader

Word Count: 5,6k

Rating: 18+ (M)

Warning: broken heart, cursing.

Chapter: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 completed

Summary: Taehyung needs something to take his mind off his broken heart. His best friend, Jimin, suggests that he should meet another woman and the first woman he met was you. Would you help him even though you have your own problem, that you hate men?

a/n: Hello again! This mini series is a continuation from Broken Vase. You can read it as as a standalone, but it’s better if you read it first for better understanding! As always, english is not my first language, so I would really appreciate if you give me correction or any suggestion. Please tell me if you want to be added on the taglist!

Also this is gonna be a part of The Company series (Click it for agents’ description!). Please look forward for it!

Taehyung walks mindlessly in the city. It is already noon, but still, he doesn’t want to go back to the company. The sun shines brightly like it is mocking him. And how the roads are full of couples, it is like hell to him. He hates it. He wants to be with someone too. Someone whose hand he can hold in the middle of a busy street. Not just someone, but someone he truly loves. That particular one who chooses Namjoon over him. He knows that the girl loves Namjoon deeply. He always knows it. Yet he refuses to acknowledge it. He thought that if he stays with her by her side, she will reciprocate his feelings. But it is just a mere hope. Love is not that simple.

His phone vibrates inside his pocket. He looks at it only to find Jimin is calling him. “What do you want, chim?” He then moves to the sidewalk, to take the call. His back leans onto a brick wall.

“Hello to you too. Where the fuck are you? The meeting is in 5 minutes, you know!” Jimin yells from the telephone. Taehyung taps his foot impatiently, waiting for Jimin to stop his blabbering. “Just come here fast!”

Taehyung interrupts, “I am not coming.”

There is silence on the phone and when Taehyung wants to turn his phone off, Jimin yells again. “Are you crazy? The meeting is about our mission in Hawaii. All of the agents who worked in it must be present. Our boss and that girl are gonna ask me about you.”

Taehyung can feel his heart stop for a bit after hearing about that girl. The girl he loves. But still, he doesn’t want to meet her. He is not ready. She will be together with Namjoon in the meeting. A sight he never wants to see. “Just act like you don’t know anything! I am hanging up!” Taehyung hangs up before Jimin replies back. He then turns his phone off and puts it again inside his pocket.

Yes, he thinks that it is not professional for him to avoid Namjoon and the girl. He doesn’t hate them, Hell no. Namjoon is one of his best friends and so does she. But he still needs a moment to mourn, to finally moving on. He sighs and walks again. His stomach grumbles. He hasn’t eaten anything since yesterday. He doesn’t even believe it himself. He thinks that only women will have anorexic as a breakup phase. But it seems, losing appetite applied for every human being who is brokenhearted.

His feet stop in front of a small bakery. It has a blue color outside and yellow inside, a rare combination since some people think that blue is not an appetizing color. He decides to buy some bread and eat it in the park, he is not in the mood of any rice right now. He just needs something to fill his empty stomach. The bell in the door rings as he opens it.

He is welcomed by delicious smells of freshly-baked bread. He takes a tray and walks around. Somehow the smells make his stomach growls even louder. After many considerations, he chooses a bread with red bean paste and butter and also an egg sandwich. He also takes a coke from the chiller and walks to the cashier.

He puts the tray in the cashier and his eyes wandering around the small bakery. The bakery itself is cozy, with some corners full of cute photo spots. There is only some seating area in front of the cashier. Taehyung is nodding at the rhythm of the music when his eyes dart at a little placard with a hand-written scribble beside the cashier.

Girls get 50% off

Taehyung frowns his brows and asks. “Why do only girls get 50% off?”

You raise your head. “Because all men are trash.” You reply dryly.

Taehyung gawks with that sudden explanation. “I’m sorry, what?”

Just before you say anything to the random guy, someone hit your head. “What the fuck, Hani? Why did you hit me?” you touch your head and look at another girl, Hani, who holds a rolling pin in her hand.

Hani then grabs the placard and tears it into pieces. “How many times did I tell you not to use this stupid ‘girl only’? You want us to go bankrupt?” She then throws it into the trash can. Hani turns to the man in the suit in front of them. “I am really sorry sir.”

“Why? I said the truth!” you shrug. Hani then glares at you, which shuts you up. “Fine. You handle this then.” you then walk to the back, to the kitchen, while Hani handles the cashier.

Taehyung is flabbergasted. His eyes following your back. What a weird girl. “So, how much?”

Hani then smiles, “2700 won. Would you want to pay with cash or card?” Taehyung gives her an exact amount. “Oh, this is a free cookie for you. It’s a new recipe.”

Taehyung takes the paper bag and nods politely. “Thank you.”

“Thank you! Please come again!” She yells to the girl as Taehyung walks out of the door. He can hear how the weird girl is being yelled at. Somehow he finds it amusing and funny, not at all weird.

He walks to the nearby park and sits on the bench. He puts the paper bag beside him. He looks at the bag. Palate Cleanser. A weird name for a bakery. It should be used for an ice cream parlor or that kind of stuff, but instead, they use it in a goddamn bakery. Well, not only the people working there are weirdos, the bakery itself is weird too.

He chuckles. Taehyung loves unusual stuff. He was once scolded by the higher-ups when he showed up in the Company in a pajama set and the other time in a suit with some doodles on the back. It is just his fashion sense, and everybody in the Company just looked at him like he was crazy. Why can't he be the unique one? It’s not that he bothers anyone with his habit nor his fashion sense. He opens the sandwich first and bites it. Not bad. Maybe he will come to that weird bakery again.

“What the fuck, Y/n? You almost scared him away!” Hani yells at you. She puts her hand on her hips. It may be the fifth time she yelled at you about this, this week.

You shrug. “So what? That is my intention anyway.” You open the kitchen cabinet and pull out a sack of flour, chocolates, caramel, and a bottle of peanut butter.

She pinches the bridge of her nose. “He just wanted to buy some bread for god sakes. Not making a move at you!”

You look away and walk to the kitchen island to make another batch of cookies. “Men still are trash.” You said as you rolled your sleeves.

Hani just shakes her head. “Not all men are trash.”

“They are!” you yell. “You lucky you found a good one.”

“Enough with the stubbornness!” She sighs. “Fine then, just think like that. But don’t you ever put that placard again! People would think that this bakery is a lesbian crib, you fucker.” Hani stomps her foot to the front, leaving you alone in the kitchen.

You sigh. I hope I am a lesbian, maybe It’s just better that way. You begin to measure the cookie ingredients. Your mind wanders freely as your hands work. You have done this for almost 5 years now, and you can measure a basic cookie dough subconsciously.

It’s because of Youngjae.

It was maybe the lowest point in your life. You found Youngjae naked in the bed with your college friend who you thought was your best friend. But frankly, she was just a bitch. Youngjae was your boyfriend for 3 years, you dated him in the last year of high school. He was kind, handsome, and smart, basically a grade-A boyfriend. You thought you were blessed for having a nice boyfriend. You gave all of you to him. But apparently, he cheated you all the time in your relationship. For 3 fucking years.

You are glad that you have a nice family and friends to help you through it. You cried, starved yourself, and did not take a bath for weeks in your break up. Hani is one of your friends that supports you in that hard time. Instead of just depressed and sad, she helped you move on. She was the one who printed huge ass banners that said ‘Youngjae got herpes’ with his photo and stuck it on every surface in your college. It probably cost you some dates but you were happy and satisfied. You were relieved that you got out of that unhealthy relationship. But still, you despise all of the men in this world.

You studied hard after that, took patisserie classes, not bothered by guys and dating. You get on your feet and finally, you open a bakery in the middle of the city with your best friend. It is like a successful revenge. Even that jerk ruined your life, you still have your best friend and a great job that you have always dreamt of.

You always love baking since you are just a little kid. You love the moment when you wait in front of the oven. You love to see how all the raw ingredients turn into an edible one. And you love to give your food to people, you love seeing their reaction. There was even a time when you made bread with a miso paste fillings. It was a horrible combination that made Hani and your family throw up. But you love trying new things, or just watching them trying your disgusting food.

You put the cookies in the oven. This time you made a batch of sumbitches, cookies filled with peanut butter, chocolate, and caramel. It is your bakery’s special and most favorite one because your customers are mostly girls. Who says that the girls need love? Well, who needs love if you can eat chewy, sweet, salty, and crunchy fresh baked cookies while watching Netflix?

Taehyung decides to go back to the Company after his lunch. He is racking his brain to avoid the other guys. He looks at his watch. The meeting should be over in an hour. He better moves faster. He speed-walks to his cubicle, nodding at everyone in his way. It is not that he has a job to do. He hasn’t got a new mission yet, so he basically can slack around. He sits on his chair. It’s been a while since he moved back to this city. He always chose to be located in other countries as an asset. He loves to interact with new people and to be in a new environment, not stuck in this tiny cubicle in a suit. But after that Hawaii Mission, the boss orders him to return to the head office, and well, he can’t refuse. Even Yoongi, who was an asset in Hawaii, ordered his return too.

He moves his chair around. He is bored. Maybe he is going to ask Jungkook to play with him. Oh but Jungkook is at the meeting. He sighs as he props his hand under his chin.

“Tae! Where have you been?” It’s the voice he wants to avoid the most. She walks to his cubicle with her bag on her shoulder. He can see the scar on her cheek is not as red as before, since it was from two weeks ago. “You are lucky, the Boss didn’t ask for you!”

He smiles sheepishly. “Ah, right. I kinda forget. So how is the meeting?”

She looks at him suspiciously and puts her arms across her chest. “Yoongi found that Ji Seok had contacted some people before he came to Hawaii. So, we need to investigate them. They sound suspicious from what Yoongi told us before. We thought that they might be the newest members of the Black.”

He tilts his head. “I’m sorry. We?” He is fine with another job to save him from boredom, but to work with her again? It’s just uncomfortable.

She laughs, “Oh, I am sorry. I mean you, Yoongi, Jin, Jimin, and Hoseok. Everyone except me and Namjoon. Can you believe that?”

Taehyung raises one of his eyebrows. At some point, he feels relief that he won’t work with her. “What? Why?”

“Namjoon is getting his ‘punishment’ and sent away to teach the recruits and as for me, I have finally decided to go on therapy.” She smiles proudly.

His jaw drops, “Oh my God! I am so glad you decided to do that!” He stands and hugs her tightly. “What makes you change your mind?”

She returns the hug. “Well, Namjoon kinda talked me into it. I was afraid I would get fired, at first. But he told me that if I get fired, he will leave too.” She laughs. “And after that, I gathered all of my courage to tell our Boss. Fortunately, he doesn’t fire me and encourages me to go to therapy. They told me to think about myself first.”

He gulps and gives a faint smile. “I am so happy for you.”

She then releases his hug. “I want to talk to you more, but I must go to my first session. Talk to you soon, okay?” she then waves and walks to the tall man standing beside the door. The tall man smiles and then puts his arms behind her back and walks with her happily. She never smiles like that before and if Namjoon is the only one who can make her happy, he will gladly let her go. Even if his heart aches whenever he sees her with Namjoon, he will be happy for her. He tries to be happy for her.

He needs to move on. He must let her go.

He drowns in his thoughts, not realizing Jimin walks to him. “Hey, bro. How are you?” Jimin has always been his best friend. They both went to college together and finally decided to work in the same place, Taehyung works in the field area, whereas Jimin works as a handler. Her handler. And Jimin was the one who introduced her to Taehyung.

Taehyung sighs. “So-so.”

Jimin pats his shoulder. “I know. You are doing good, by the way. I am so proud of you.” Jimin always knows about Taehyung’s love for her. It’s not that he is not supporting it, but Jimin has always known that the girl loves Namjoon, since a long time ago. Basically, he is stuck in between helping Taehyung, his best friend, or helping the girl. But love is not that simple, and can’t be controlled with a mere human being like him. It just goes with the flow like a log in the river. And unlucky for Taehyung, the log flows to another stream. “Just tell me if you want to hit the strip club okay? Hoseok is waiting for it too.”

“Haha. Yeah right.” Taehyung shrugs. “Maybe next couple of years.”

“Dude. Why are you so pessimistic about it? You are going to move on soon.”

Taehyung glares at him. “I have loved her for 3 years, okay? It’s not that simple to unlove someone you love.”

Jimin sighs. “You know what? I think you need a palate cleanser.”

Taehyung knits his brows. “What? Why do I need that bakery?”

“What bakery?” He asks back. “No, what I mean is you need some sex to help you get over her! And then you can get ready for a new one.”

“So, you suggest that I should hook up with a prostitute?” He crosses his arms across his chest, finding Jimin’s suggestion to be amusing. Amusing as Jimin who is a hopeless romantic and has been in love with his childhood friend since he was a kid suddenly told him to get a one night stand.

“Eww. No! Just look for a girl, you stupid. Hang out more.”

Taehyung chuckles. “Shouldn’t it be easier to find a prostitute?”

Jimin’s nose scrunches in disgust. “If you say a prostitute again, I won’t ever talk to you.” He then drops a binder on Taehyung’s desk. “Anyway, this is the data for our mission. Jin said that we would have a meeting tomorrow, so you should study it. Oh, did I mention that I am joining the fieldwork too? Finally, I don’t need to stay in front of my computer. I am so thrilled!”

“Wow, congrats bro.” Taehyung pats his shoulder and takes the binder and opens it. “But you should practice your gun skill more then.”

“Right! I think I will practice after this. Alright then, if you need other data just tell me, okay? I’ll see you soon.” Jimin then walks away.

Taehyung drifts his attention to the binder. It looks like there are 3 suspects. They have been contacted by Ji Seok for at least ten times in the last 3 months before Ji Seok is caught. The First suspect is Byun Baekhyun, he went to the same college with Ji Seok, now working in a restaurant in the city. The contacts all happened in his restaurant, with no telephone trace. The second suspect is Park Chanyeol, he lived in the same neighborhood with Ji Seok. He now works as a journalist in a food magazine, last seen with Ji Seok at a work party. The last suspect is Jung Eunji, she has no connection with Ji Seok, but her credit card was used to buy a plane ticket to Hawaii.

His forehead furrows. There is still not enough data to capture them, which means they needed to go to the field to investigate. Another troublesome mission. But at least, he won’t be stuck in front of his computer.

It is the morning. You wake up lazily. You are not a morning person. Even though you have a job which requires you to go to work at 6 am for years, you still go to bed after midnight. You always have other activities that make you busy, either you watch movies or read books. Well, not books. You have been using Tumblr for almost 10 years now. That application has occupied your browser history for almost 10 years, and that is the only reason why people never get to see your phone, there are too many links to your favorite smut authors. There is no way people can see that. Basically it’s just like porn, but you always think that it is more than that. Smut is just full of artistic things too. You love how the author writes such a poetic description of humping with emotional touches which make you cry until 2 in the morning. Well, you did other stuff too besides crying. Let’s just say that not only your face is wet.

You take a quick shower before you go to work. You wrap your body in a towel and pick your clothes for today in the closet. You never go to work in classy clothes, usually, you just wear a t-shirt and jeans, you have to change into your kitchen clothes later after all. You wear your black t-shirt and your ripped jeans quickly, then after tying your hair into a messy bun, you grab your jacket and your purse on the couch. You should go now if you don’t want to be late, or getting scolded by Hani. You shudder in reflex.

It is still chilly in the morning. You keep thinking to yourself, why you hate morning so much when you love the morning weather and how empty the road is, like you own it. You yawn. Well, you hate the wake-up part in the morning. You hate to leave the comfort and the warmth of your blanket.

The walk from your apartment to your bakery is not that long. You are lucky to find such an affordable apartment in the middle of the city. It is small, but it is still livable and pretty. It is close to many things, like the market, train station, and even your bakery. It is a pity you don’t live with Hani. You were going to be Hani’s roommate when you first moved to the city, but now she lives with his boyfriend, Jackson. That’s why, when you first saw the ad of your apartment, you called it without any further thinking.

You arrive at the bakery as you sigh in relief for not seeing Hani’s head inside. Lucky to you, she won’t scold you for this morning. You unlock the door and go straight to your locker room to change your clothes. You then skillfully sweep, mop, and wash all the dishes. And after an hour, you begin to prepare your today’s bread. It’s just your usual menu in your bakery. While you are preparing the dough, your mind wanders, where the hell is Hani?

It’s almost 9 am, and you still can’t find Hani anywhere. You wanted to call her, but as clumsy as you are, you left your phone in your apartment. So you just hope that Hani is fine but her ass will not because you are gonna kick her ass for letting you prepare the bread alone. You sigh as you walk to the front door to turn the sign to ‘Open’.

It has always been a hectic morning for two people to make, display the bread, and handle the customers. And now you are the only one here. It is basically like a war. You still feel lucky, to have people loving your bread. But after 2 hours of working alone, you are admitting defeat. You change the sign on the door to ‘Still baking’ and run to the kitchen to bake some more. It is the only thing you could think of right now. All the bread this morning has already sold out, after all. You are never a multi-tasking girl. So it seems fair for you to work in this type of situation or you will go insane.

Your next batch of bread is already in the oven, and you finally can take a breather. You look at your clock on the wall, it’s almost noon, and Hani is still nowhere to be seen. You begin to worry, but it’s not like you can leave the bakery alone. Then the bell on the door rings. You almost run to the front to yell at Hani for coming so late, but instead Hani, it is a guy.

It’s a guy from yesterday.

He wears a different suit from yesterday, now he is wearing a navy one. His curly hair falls on his forehead smoothly, framing his frowning brows. “Are you close or something?” he asks after he observes your display area.

“My friend is a little late, so I work alone right now.” You give a half-smile, a business one. “If you do mind, you can come back for an hour for the bread. Can’t you see the sign on the door?”

He turns his sculpted face to the door, “Oh, right. Sorry.” He then walks to the seating area, “Can I wait here?”

You bite your lip. But before you say anything to him to forbid him, your alarm in the kitchen rings. You snarl and walk back to the kitchen. “Your call.” You begin to pick your bread and put it to the cooling rack. You then put the already cool one to the plastic back to put it on the display later. Your eyes leer to the guy sitting casually in the seating area in front of the cashier. The presence of a man close to you is kind of uncomfortable.

Taehyung looks at you from the kitchen window. It is a big glass window to show what’s going on inside the kitchen. And that noon, the window lives to its purpose, he can see what you are doing inside. He can see how uncomfortable you are. How you fidget every time you have nothing on your hand. How your eyes sometimes leer at him. It is his ability to know body language, he is an agent, after all. He knows that you are nervous.

Since you told him that all men are trash yesterday, he still thinks of you as a weird girl. Somehow he is drawn to you. At first, he thought it was just a joke or a prank, but seeing how awkward you are when you see him, he realizes that you do hate men. And he thinks it’s really adorable.

You then go out from the kitchen with a pan of freshly baked bread and walk to the display. You put them neatly, quietly, trying not to mind him, while mentally praying for Hani to come sooner.

“Wow, you really do hate men, don’t you?” He asks abruptly.

His deep voice startled you. Your empty pan falls to the ground as the impact, making a loud noise in the room. You then give him a dirty look. “Pardon?”

He walks to the display area, casually observing the bread. He then takes a piece of bread. “I thought it just a joke when you said all men are trash.” He walks back to his chair, opens the plastic, and bite the bread.

You raise one of your eyebrows. “So?” You ask without batting an eye.

“Nothing. Just find it amusing.”

You walk to the chair in front of him and pull it. You sit there facing him. “You have a problem with that?”

“No.” Taehyung throws his last bite to his mouth and chews it quickly. He inches forward to your face. “Let me guess. Hm.. You got dumped, didn’t you?”

You widen your eyes. “No, I didn’t! I was the one who dumped him!” You put your hand on your mouth. What the hell are you doing telling strangers that?

He hums and folds his arms across his chest. “Okay, let me try again.” He studies you for a bit. “Your boyfriend cheated on you with your friend?”

Your jaw drops and you can feel a flush crept on your face. “How do you know?” You ask in a shock.

He smirks and shrugs confidently. “I am just that good you know.” He chuckles. “Actually no, I just guessed it.”

Just when you wanted to reply to him, the door opened harshly. And there you find your best friend rushing towards you. “Oh my God, Y/N! I am sorry.”

You observe her from the top to her feet, well, she seems fine. That’s the important thing. You sigh. “Where have you been?”

“Jackson got sick so I took him to the hospital. I have been calling you for a hundred times, where is your phone?” Hani asks. You can see her face is bare, she didn’t even draw her eyebrows.

“I left it at home. Is Jackson okay?”

Hani takes off his jacket and rolls her sleeves. “Yeah, just a little infection, he will be fine.” She looks around the bakery. “I can’t believe you open this yourself, I feel terrible.”

You wave your hands. “It’s okay. But I think we should hire a part-timer. It has been a hell for me.”

She rubs her chin. “Yes, I think it is time for us to have a helper.” Hani then looks to the side to find a man there. “I am sorry. Am I interrupting something?” She smiles.

Taehyung smiles back and laughs. “Not really. We just discussed about her hatred of men. I got free bread for guessing the reason right!”

“It’s not free-“

You are interrupted by Hani’s laughter. “It is ridiculous, right? I talked to her all the time that not all men are like that.” Her voice then quieten. “I even told her to find a palate cleanser, you know. And, this is a lil bit TMI. But actually, it’s the reason why we use that name for our bakery.”

Palate cleanser. Taehyung then remembers what Jimin said to him yesterday. And an idea comes to his head.

You push Hani’s back to the locker room. “Alright, alright. Just go change already.” She follows your instruction as she waves to Taehyung.

Taehyung looks at his watch and then gathers his stuff and rises from his chair. He walks towards you and he holds out his hand to you. “I am Taehyung.”

You take his hand after many considerations. “Y/N.”

Taehyung smiles. He then takes his wallet out from his pocket and pulls out a card. A black name card. “This is my number. If you are interested in the palate cleanser thing,” he then forcefully puts the name card on your hand, “please give me a call.” He winks and Taehyung walks away to the door, leaving you speechless on the spot.

You are stunned, seeing the card on your hand. After a few seconds, you realize. You ran outside to catch him. “Hey, you haven’t paid!” but Taehyung has vanished in the crowded road.

“Finally!” Jimin yells. All of the 5 members gather in the meeting room, with Jin in the middle. It’s already 15 minutes past the meeting time. Taehyung walks faster and sits beside his friend.

Jin sighs, “I swear to God, if you are late one more time, I will kick your ass in the practice room.” He shifts his eye to Jungkook beside him. “Actually, I will ask Jungkook to do it.”

Taehyung being such a brat, like he always does, shrugs. “Fine. I am sorry. Please continue the meeting.”

Jin pouts and rolls his eyes. “What I am saying is, we need to gather as many pieces of information from the 3 suspects and they should know nothing. The Black is still an influential organization. We must be careful not to attract any attention.”

Hoseok raises his hand. “But actually, haven’t we attracted the attention already by capturing the leader in Hawaii?”

“That’s true. But most of the new members seem to be a rookie in this field, they haven’t been that loyal to him. For short, they are terrified. They will do whatever they take to throw all of the evidence that shows they’re in the organization right away. That’s why it’s our chance to dig a little deeper.” Jin continues.

“So what is the plan?” Jungkook asks.

Yoongi rises from his seat and connects his laptop. He then shows all of the suspect’s profiles. “Jin and I already talked to our boss. We think that we should divide ourselves into groups to tail them.”

“So, Jimin and Yoongi will investigate Jung Eunji. Taehyung and Hoseok will investigate Park Chanyeol, and the last, Jungkook and I will investigate Byun Baekhyun.” Jin folds his hands across his chest. “You will be needed to submit your report every single day at 00.00. Just tailing, no harsh approaches. If they suspect something, you will retreat and report to me. We don’t need another attraction. Are we clear?”

All of the members nod and rise from their seats as Jin dismisses them. Taehyung walks to Hoseok. “So do we get a stake-out van?”

It is almost midnight but you still can’t fall asleep. You move your body anxiously on the bed, trying to get comfortable. Finally, you surrender. You pick your phone, scrolling on Tumblr. It is a bad idea actually. You always think that reading some stories will make you go to sleep, but instead, you feel excited and end up reading fifteen chapters of 10k stories. But tonight, you can’t find other stories to read.

You sigh. Your mind begins to wander. And suddenly Taehyung pops out in your mind. A palate cleanser, huh? It is tempting actually. He looks nice. Well, nice doesn’t do justice to him. You have never found a guy as handsome as him. It really makes nonsense to you. His beauty is beyond words. And to have such a guy to offer you such service, you must be dreaming.

Or, is he a prostitute? That’s why he looks so ethereal!

You turn your headlamp on and walk to your purse, where you kept his name card. You look at it carefully on both sides. It is just a simple card, with simple ‘Kim Taehyung’ written in gold in the center, with his email and phone number under it and ‘The Company’ on the other side of the card. It seems too sophisticated for a prostitute’s agency, well, not that you ever got it though. Or is he like an exclusive prostitute?

Should I just text him? You sit on your couch. You input his number on your phone and hit the message button. What should I send? You tap your phone on your chin. You have never texted a guy since college. It is lame actually. Whenever you got a guy’s number, you always ignore it. But now, you just got the feeling that you can ignore Taehyung.

You walk to your pantry, pouring a glass of wine, and bring the bottle to the couch. You begin to type.

To Taehyung: Hey...

You knit your eyebrows, what are you? A high schooler? You can do better than this. You delete and begin typing again. You gulp the wine in one shot and pour another glass.

To Taehyung: Dear, Kim Taehyung. I was happy to receive your number and I hope to see you again.

Are you his business partner? Damn, woman. Just type casually. You drink your wine again. Typing and deleting, and drinking. For several hours. Until you fell asleep on the couch with the phone on your hand.

And just like the safety slogan on the road, ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’. You need a new one.

‘Don’t drink and type’

[lisinfleur]

FTM - A Better Man

Author’s Notes | One more series coming to an end. Sorry for the short work, but I hope you guys have enjoyed this one! Words | 1972 ⁑ Warnings: Erotic content, mentions to betrayal.

Some things change.

Hvitserk couldn't really say he missed the time with his lovers anymore. It was good to have so many women around him, so full of desire, so ready for him. But it was better to have you around, full of what he discovered was love.

That feeling that was filling him inside every time you were smiling, the fulfilling sensation of earning a laugh, one of your touches...

Your desire.

It took a bunch of months for him to finally think it was time to try and get laid with you one more time but you fully surprised him when he arrived home from one of his meetings at the hall and the house was smelling differently. You changed the aromatic wood, spread candles all around your home creating a different illumination pattern that Hvitserk didn't miss. And you were there to receive him, but not in your usual apron dresses. Instead, you received him in a beautiful nightgown, fresh from an herbal bath he could smell in your skin when you came closer, standing on your tiptoes to kiss his lips before even saying your usual sentence whenever he would enter his home.

"Welcome home, husband..."

You were trying to seduce him. And Hvitserk caught himself completely involved in the ambiance you'd created for the two of you, looking at you with surprise, but desire in his eyes as well.

As your hands slid his cloak away from his body, his eyes scanned that nightgown recognizing the embroidery and tissue: he had seen you working in those details not far from that day and so, he understood...

You were preparing that night for him, just like you had prepared your whole life to meet and marry him. And this time, he wouldn't leave your efforts unanswered.

His hands touched gently the delicate tissue of your nightgown, feeling the intricate embroidery you had done, gently pressing it against your skin to feel your contours under it. His breath became heavier when you sighed for his touches and Hvitserk noticed how starved he was for your touches.

Your fingers sliding through his chest accused you had untied his shirt without his acknowledge and Hvitserk smiled: he was so involved by your scent and the whole bunch of details you had prepared that he didn't even notice how forward you were going with him already.

The shirt slid to the ground and he pulled his shoes from his feet carelessly by stepping with the tip of one foot against the heel of the other, dragging the boots out of his skin, and stomping heavily against the wooden floor while walking eagerly towards your room, getting giggles from your mouth as he growled in the back of his throat against your lips.

By your flushed cheeks and the smile on your lips, you weren't expecting such eagerness from him, which just aroused him more. Your innocence was delightful as much as your skin he felt with his hands and tasted with his mouth when Hvitserk was finally able to find the ways into your nightgown.

Giggles and sighs were mixed to small moans and grunts into your chambers and soon the clothes were laid somewhere on the floor as your bare bodies embraced each other in bed.

Your warm hands running his skin, causing him the shivers he was missing so bad to feel. His mouth dragging moans growing louder from your mouth.

Hvitserk had forgotten how delicious it was to make you come for his fingers or into his mouth or even how soft it was to be embraced by your tight walls, with your warm legs around his hips as he was dedicated to thrust the air out of your lungs into that beautiful melody of your moans of pleasure.

He took the whole night to explore your body and kill the thirst and hunger of his body for you. And then, when Sun decided to invade his room, Hvitserk had his body laid lazily against yours, feeling your caresses slowly taking his consciousness away as his muscles were charging him the efforts of that heretic dance the two of you divided with each other.

Before he could fall asleep, your voice sounded into his ears whispering words he would discover were his favorite sentence in your sweetened voice.

"I love you, Hvitserk."

Moon after moon, Hvitserk saw himself surrounded by a dream he thought would never happen when he was young. What was once a curse, was now his most precious blessing and even his father had the chance to listen to him saying words of pride and happiness about you that Ragnar never really expected to hear his son speaking about his arranged marriage and wife.

After that night, many others came. And your basket wasn't sitting untouched like decoration near the fireplace anymore. Again, Hvitserk would arrive home to see your needles moving or sit for hours at the Hall with his family during a longer visit, to speak with his brothers about the upcoming birth of his nephew or niece Ubbe had produced with Torvi and seeing as you were slowly preparing clothes for the children he now was planning and trying to produce with you.

Even Ivar had to swallow his mocking words and admit you had carved your name into his brother's heart: with the advent of your second anniversary of marriage to Hvitserk, his older brother was so smiley and celebrating that Ivar couldn't deny Hvitserk really fell in love with you for good.

But as some things change, others are deep-seated...

You had the chance to know them. From Torvi to Snaefrid to Gunnhild and now that woman, Ingrid - The new blonde lover he was just discovered with - Björn had never changed his terrible behavior towards the women he would have by his side. One raid, one trip, one moon away and he would find another to put in his bed and replace the one who was taking his promises for granted, leaving behind nothing but shards of broken hearts and sometimes, broken alliances as well.

This time, all of them had to admit that it was a low strike: Gunnhild was pregnant with Björn's upcoming child and he decided to satiate his need with another.

Front to Gunnhild’s resigned acceptance and suggestion, Ragnar had forced his older son to take responsibility for the situation and now all of you were watching as Björn was angrily complaining about the problem of a second marriage to come for him.

"It wasn't necessary for me to take a second wife! It wasn’t what I was intending…" he grunted.

"Once you weren't satisfied with your first one..." Hvitserk threw back, a mocking smile on his face as you were crocheting by his side.

"What? Feeling full of moral to speak now, brother?" Björn spat, annoyed by your husband's interference. "As if you didn't know exactly how it is to search outside what you don't have inside!"

"I do," Hvitserk said, causing you to miss a stitch and look at him.

But his expression didn't change. That ironic smile on his face almost ridiculing Björn's tantrum.

"But it was my own mistake and I admit it," he completed, causing the air to enter his wife's lungs one more time. "If I had really searched inside, I would've found everything I was looking for. It doesn't seem you took your time with your wife, brother."

Björn scoffed, annoyed.

"Oh, and she's round like a bag full with my child because I didn't take my time, for sure."

"You seeded her, Björn. But this is not everything a woman needs," Hvitserk said, looking at him. "You see, Torvi is full with child as well and you don't see Ubbe looking around for another to get his dick wet. And soon my wife will be full with my child and you won't see me fleeing from my duty as well. It is their part to satisfy us and produce us children, but also it is our part to understand this is not an easy thing or it would be possible for us to do so. Gunnhild is with your son in her belly, Björn. You should've respected the woman who decided to make her body your temple instead of trying to make a whole bunch of temples everywhere."

"Don’t fuck with me, Hvitserk!" Björn cursed. "You must've children around you don't even know are yours! Stop speaking so highly as if you didn't fuck every hole around when you were younger!"

"When I was younger, you're right," Hvitserk completed. "Things change, boys grow into men. Didn't your mom teach you this, brother?"

The mention to his mother made Björn's frown a little deeper as his younger brothers hissed at the acidity of that mention.

"Well, it's not my problem either way: your child will have two mothers to teach him how to be a better man or woman and I have my life to take care of, right?" Hvitserk giggled, lifting his cup and touching your thigh with his free hand.

Ivar smiling behind his cup still pleased by that mention to Lagertha around as Sigurd was holding back the laugh Björn's frown prevented him from releasing.

"Good that you know where to put your nose in, brother," Björn grunted back at Hvitserk. "Especially because while you're here bitching about my decisions in life, I already made my legacy, Ubbe has his coming, Sigurd I've heard will marry that farm woman of his and even Ivar has that slave girl he freed on sight. Less babbling and more producing, idle Hvitserk. When will your children come, uh? You married before Ubbe and even before I left Torvi. Don't you have some accounts to pay?"

Another bunch of hisses. That would be a good strike if it wasn't for your voice finally sounding on that table, silencing everyone before your husband would annoyedly answer to his brother's accusations.

"The firstborn shall come by the end of the next Summer," you said, attracting all the glares towards you, including Hvitserk's eyes that were the largest than you've ever seen before.

"What?" he asked, taken aback by the calm smile on your face.

"I was saving it for tonight's dinner, but since the appropriate moment came before I was expecting, it's true, husband. The midwife told me I'm with child," you said, simply like that, smiling at him with the whole calm and gentleness of the world as if it wasn't a punch in his face.

"With... Child?" Hvitserk asked, dizzy, causing his brothers to giggle and Sigurd's laugh to burst from behind his cup as Björn was rolling his eyes.

"You'll be a father, husband," you smiled bigger. "By the end of the next..."

You couldn't complete the sentence. Hvitserk sealed his lips to yours, closing your mouth with a warm and happy kiss before giggling against your lips, full of happiness.

"A child... A child of ours! I'll be a father!" he yelled to his brothers who lifted their cups, saluting.

Björn's a little lower since he was annoyed by losing his argument.

Hvitserk, however, had completely forgotten that arguing. He forgot completely there was a bunch of happy men celebrating his happiness around him. His eyes landed on yours and he caressed your belly gently, full of hope and joy in his greens.

The gods had accepted his change and his seed rooting into your womb was the proof he had proven himself a better man for them. Worthy of you in their eyes.

"It is the first... From the many I'll grant you, my wife. From the many I'll make with you from our love!" he promised.

An oath you would like to see him fulfilling from dreams he now wanted from nobody else but you.

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[bittybattybunny]

OKAY so here’s the cursed into a dragon story and doodle!!

I wanted to draw the cute knight and the dragon (AKA Ru had an old suit of armor at his brother’s and had no idea the dragon he was asked about was his not GF)

Fic time!! and reminder this idea was suggested by @creepyfuzzymelon​!! It did get a lil long for a ficlet but eh it works! Enjoy!

She paused in front of the red door and brushed her hair behind her ear before she walked in. She sneezed as she walked in, the smell of incense making her nose burn. She frowned as her head began to spin.

“Welcome.” Came the shop keeper’s sing song voice. Her green blue eyes twinkled with mischief as she saw the woman.

“Hello.” Eclipse gave a smile but she wanted to leave. Not wishing to be rude she decided to walk around some before she ran from the over scented store. She looked at the cluttered shop shelves and her eyes landed on an ornate dragon mask. She frowned looking at it. She picked it up and turned it around curiously. There was writing in the back. She squinted trying to read it.

“It says to the wearer their heart will become fierce until the knight calms it.” 

Eclipse jolted, having not even noticed the woman sneaking up behind her. She felt a cold chill as she looked at the woman’s smile as she chuckled.

“Don’t be so skittish dear.” she cooed and took the mask in her hands. Eclipse watched as she spun it around in her hands, producing a ribbon from the air and tying it on. “I wonder what form you would take?”

Eclipse could only gasp as the mask was shoved on her face and she was thrown from the shop.

She blinked a few times. She reached to remove the mask but it wouldn’t come off. In fact the more she tried the firmer it seemed to stick. She struggled and pulled. She felt a burning sensation starting to grow in her chest. She clawed and shoved at the mask. Her body began to contort as she feverishly tried to get the mask off. She gasped as her face felt the cold chill. She grit her teeth as she felt her face ripping at its own seams. Fangs jutting. She roared as her bones grew and rearranged, horns shoving through her skull as she fell to all fours. She clawed the cobblestone sidewalks of the small village as her clothing fell in shreds.

Wisps began to light up as black scales began to grow and cover her body as her newly formed tail lashed around. Large wings caught between bird and moth spread as she panted and slowly the burning subsided. She collapsed on the stone. Her head was heavy. She sighed.

“Way to go Moony. You walked into that one.” she groaned as she lifted her head to look herself over. She lifted a hand and looked at the claws and whined.

“Great.” she moved to stand. At least a dragon was similar in limbs to a wolf so she had that going for her. The wings were a new feature. She lifted one to inspect it and looked around. She had entered the shop in the downtown of Subcon City but. 

Small buildings with no life surrounded the dragon-woman as she walked around. She raised her head to look at the rising moon and huffed. She turned to inspect for her bag among the remains of her clothes but couldn’t find it.

“Guess no phone calls.” she flicked her forked tongue as she jumped on top of one of the buildings. She narrowed her eyes as she saw a church and decided to get a better view.

A wind blew as she climbed up to the steeple and looked over the rolling fields.

She looked at the sky and sighed, “Fierce until the night calms it huh?” she shook her head side to side. “Hopefully this mask comes off soon then.”  she ran off, deciding to enjoy the empty fields in the meanwhile.

------

“A dragon?” Snatcher asked as Kaya gave a frown. She scratched her cheek as he stood in her office.

“Yeah. reports of one in the old ruins of Tir na Nocht.” she sighed, “I put SO MANY BARRIERS!” she puffed her cheek annoyed, “I tried to make sure NOTHING would get into Ti Na Nocht when i left!” she fumed, “And this dragon comes WALTZING IN LIKE SHE OWNS IT!” she stomped her foot, “The worst bit is NO ONE CAN GET NEAR!”

“So what does that have to do with me?” he raised a brow, “You know I’m busy watching the kid since Eclipse is working a job.”

“See that’s the thing!” she frowned, “I thought she was home! I was going to ask HER to do this! She’s fought dragons before! And I would ask Jacob since he’s a dragonborn, but he went off on another mission last week with Maki and Tiffny to deal with an issue in the elvish kingdom.” she rubbed her neck. 

“Why don’t you go?”

“Didn’t you hear me?” she scoffed, “NO ONE can get near!” She groaned and winced as she rolled her sleeves up, revealing bandages all over her arms. “I already TRIED and that bitch roasted me with wisps!” She whined, “And even my healing takes a bit when it’s soul fire.” she sighed, “it’s made to chew up magic in the first palace after all.”

His eyes widened as he looked. He hadn’t ever thought the Solaria Umbra could even be harmed, much less burned. He frowned, “So why me? I’m less resistant than you are.”

“You have a blessing of attraction. It should work on the dragon. If not throw this down.” she handed him a glass orb, “it’ll instantly send you back here.” she explained. “If you’re worried, I saw some Solgarian armor at your brother’s when I was visiting, you could wear that!” she teased, “a knight in shining armor!”

He thought about it and sighed, “Yeah, let’s do that then. Let me just text Cookie see if she can watch Hattie.”

“Oh, right the kid. I’d say i can watch but I need to drop you off, if it takes a bit I can get her from school even if my arms are bacon.” she snickered, “Since I am the one asking you to do this for me.” she moved around the desk and began to shift the shadows. Snatcher sighed and walked over as she used them to send them to the woods.

Marcus jumped as the two appeared on the porch. His potion flying from his hands. Kaya reached to catch it and screeched as it landed on her burned hands and then the floor. Marcus stared at the ruined mix and brushed his hair back annoyed.

“Yes?” he asked, hands on his hips as his tail wisped.

Kata frowned, “Can we take that Solgarian armor?” she asked, “I’m sending your brother to calm and agitated dragon down.”

“Ru? To a dragon?” Marcus deadpanned and rolled his eyes, “Sure I guess.”

“Sweet.” She moved the book shelf to head into the storage room. She grabbed the golden armor with a snicker, “Did you know my dad’s armor actually does have a similar look?” she asked.

“Does it?” Marcus floated over, “Interesting. But it makes sense. Father wanted his approval more than anything.”

Kaya snorted and chewed her lip.

“What?” Snatcher asked taking the suit.

“My dad LOATHES your dad,” she admitted as the two former princes stared.

She laughed loudly, “My dad thinks your dad is a fucking piece of shit who doesn’t deserve his bloodline!” she wheezed. She adjusted her bandages, “I mean he picked a fight with ME!” she snickered, “and my dad is a god of UNION not war.” she pointed out.

Snatcher snickered as he started to pull the armor on. “Yeah sounds right.”

“I pecking LOVE that fact!” Marcus cackled. He looked, “wow you still fit in that.”

“Huh?” Kaya blinked.

Snatcher adjusted the armor and looked around, “my sword should be here isn’t it?”

“Wait--” Kaya’s mouth dropped.

“Yeah I have it upstairs though on the wall display.” Marcus explained.

Kaya looked between them confused.

“Oh, cool. That’s easy.” Snatcher looked around, “is my scabbard around too?”

“Should be upstairs as well.”

“WAIT!” Kaya gasped getting their attention. She frowned, “are you saying that’s YOUR armor??? Not random?”

“Yes? It’s a little tighter but, this was when i used to train with the guards. I wasn’t about to get hurt. Estelle kept it here at the cabin after I was engaged as I didn’t fight anymore. Same with my sword.” Snatcher laughed at the teenager who shook her head and scoffed. He sneered, “What did you think I was a laze about?”

“N-No I just thought you were all books! The whole lawyer thing!” she admitted.

“I had no magic, of course I did something to protect myself!” He cackled.

Marcus snickered, “I can fight with a bow and arrow you know.”

She turned red and huffed, “well, I knew that one, i let you use my archery range.” she scowled, “L-Look let’s just get this dragon dealt with! I don’t want it to get more annoying!”

“Right.” Snatcher scowled.

“Kaya…” he stated as she looked at him.

“You said you thought Eclipse was home?” he asked, he’d thought on it for a bit but not too much, “I thought she was working. She had left and said she’d be out of cell service.”

“I called her phone and it said she was home.” she admitted with a frown, “I’ll look into it. Maybe she’s a frog again?” she suggested.

He frowned and nodded. “Please.” he scowled as he pulled his hair from his face, “let’s go get my sword and head off then.” His stomach flipped.

-----

Her claws traced the rocks as she snarled. It’d been a few days and she was starving. Nothing lived in the area that she could hunt. Her eyes narrowed as she felt someone getting near HER territory. She slunk across the grounds. Tail lashed around as she sniffed. She smelt that annoying twig that’d entered her territory a day before. But there was a new one. Sweet. Salty. She liked it. She licked her jaws as she growled.

“So a giant black dragon with weird wings?” he stated with a frown. He sighed as he looked at the barrier and stepped inside the area. Instantly he felt eyes on him. He frowned and reached for the hilt of his sword. He saw a flash of blue and held a hand up, the wisp nudging him. He chuckled. He frowned. His eyes grew wide.

Wisps.

He turned to where he felt the eyes and began to run towards it.

The dragon blinked in shock as the man came barreling at her. She reared up in her surprise and he looked up as she emerged from the grasses. He sighed.

“Guess I don’t need Kaya to look that up.” he reached his hands up.

The dragon whined and lowered her head. She nuzzled against him, chirping.

“What did you do you silly woman,” he asked as the dragon licked him. He snickered as he pet her muzzle. She purred as he rolled his eyes. He kissed the front of her nose and she huffed a small flame.

He frowned, “well. That didn’t work.” he scowled. A kiss didn’t work. He gasped when she pushed her head against him and he laughed as he reached at her horns. He frowned as he noticed an odd line of scales.

“Eclipse…” he frowned.

She blinked. Eclipse. Was that her? Her eyes flickered.

“Eclipse?” he asked a bit more forcefully. Her head hurt. She whined and pulled away from him.

He huffed and put his hands on his hips. She looked at the knight and growled. He made her head hurt.

“Eclipse show me your head again.” he ordered.

She shook her head and sat definitely. He glared and she lowered her head with a small huff of flames escaping her lips. He walked along and reached that odd line of scales. He frowned as his fingers traced it. It felt like an edge. He scowled and gripped it. The dragon lurched. He held tightly. He wrapped an arm around one of her horns as he gripped the edge. As he held it, it seemed to lift. He grit his teeth as she bucked and shook her head. She roared and growled as he continued to work on the edge, the scaling pulling up. He gasped as there was a spark of blue flame and the dragon collapsed to the ground. He winced as he hit the earth when she slammed into it in her collapse. 

He pulled and slowly, her body shrank. The scales vanished, the sound of snapping bones as her body reworked to human form. He shifted her to his lap as he pulled the mask fully off. She laid unconscious on his lap. He sighed and looked at the mask in his hands. He lit it up in blue flames, the mask crackling as it burned to ash.

Shaking the remains from his hand and focused back on Eclipse. He brushed her hair from her face as her ragged breathing grew more steady. He felt his cheeks grow red as he realized she was naked.

Her eyes fluttered open slowly. She looked up at him.

“Snatcher?” she asked softly. She groaned and moved to sit, falling against him. He gasped moving to steady her.

“Careful… you just were a huge ass dragon.” he snickered.

She whined and buried her face against his shoulder. He sighed and shifted to carry her. He felt her cling onto him and he was doing he best to not think about the fact he was carrying a naked woman with whom he had affections for. He felt his face heat up as he left the barrier.

Kaya stared in confusion. She stared with all four eyes and sighed heavily. She removed her over coat as she winced, handing it over to him.

“Thanks.” he used it to wrap Eclipse up.

“Of course she was the one to burn the shit out of my arms.” the demoness grumbled, “sooo any ideas?”

“A mask. A dragon mask. I burned it.” He scowled, “she didn’t seem to have any recognition.”

“What did it look like?” she asked with a huff. She looked at Eclipse with a scowl.

“Dark black, had a red ribbon on the back, had gold scales on it with ruby inlaid eyes.” he explained, “it was fused to her face.”

“To my love, may your heart grow fierce until your knight can calm it.” Kaya recited with a sigh and rubbed her neck with a groan, “An engagement mask from the dragon king. How odd. There shouldn’t be one in this realm…” She scowled as her fingers tapped her chin, “there’s no Dragon king in this reality so why would one of his engagement masks be here…” she sighed, “well I’m glad you got it off her. If she had it on too long, she’d have been a dragon forever.”

Snatcher scowled. He smiled softly as she moved some more in his arms. She looked up at him tiredly.

“How you feeling?” he asked.

“Hungry.” she admitted with a frown, “tired… sore… where am I?”

“Near the ruins of Tir-na-Nocht.” he explained, “you were a big dragon.”

“Was I?” she frowned as she shifted how she was in his arms. She squeaked and pulled Kaya’s coat close as she realized she was naked. She groaned and rested against Snatcher, “I don’t remember… I just remember I was in some weird shop and some lady shoved something on my face then it gets blurry. I smelt something really sweet and I just wanted to be near it.”

Snatcher felt his heart race, “O-Oh?”

“It was like… calming. I felt calm so I wanted it. Then I remember pain and I’m just so hungry.” she sighed as she closed her eyes.

“Sho--- OH GODS DAMNIT!” Kaya slapped her face and whined as she hit her own burns, “Red door? Smells HORRIBLE?”

“Yes?” Eclipse turned to look at the demoness who had pulled her phone out and was angrily texting.

“Clockwork Rose” she explained, “I bet you met Belle. She’s finicky like a cat. Says she likes to help people but I swear she makes more messes than not! Stupid interdimensional space witch!” she huffed, “I prefer Briar to her cuz at least Briar only messes with shit in her own territory but nooo Belle makes paperwork EVEYWHEREEE.” she hissed and hit send with a sigh, “Seems you must have been her plaything.

Snatcher froze, “Does she have red hair, like a bright red?” he paled.

“She does.” Kaya admitted, “and eyes that are either green or blue, like gemstones.”

“I-I’ve been in her shop,” he admitted. “She gave me a weird locket! It burnt Eclipse’s hand and made me hear her heartbeat.”

“It made you hear what?!” the woman gasped, red in the face. “I-I remember the locket a few months ago b-but!”

He nodded, “Yeah, it had a weird side effect. I don’t know why.” he sighed.

Kaya frowned as she thought about it and sighed, “let’s go home. I have enough work to do, more so knowing this crosses into spacial law. Damnit I wanted to watch a new episode of Calimari Stage.” she opened a portal and waited for them to enter. She looked back at the fields that were once her home and frowned.

She raised a hand and reached out.

“Kaya?” Snatcher called.

She pulled her hand and looked back. She gave a small smile. She ran towards the portal and shoved them through. Wincing at her burns.

A wisp danced beyond the barrier, giggling before vanishing.

[honestsycrets]

Like Me XVI: His Mark

❛ pairing | ivar x reader, past!reader x rorik, freydis x ivar

❛ type | multi

❛ summary | ivar is angry. but it isn’t for reasons you might think. you’re angry too, and really, rorik is just thrown in the middle of all this shit. then there’s freydis.

❛  warnings | verbal arguments, osteogenesis imperfecta issues, OI!reader, anger issues, intense jealousy, god!debates, fighting, character death, referenced infidelity, ivar being jealous, reader being annoyed, rorik being a rorik, don’t die rorik, talk of abortion, talk of stillbirth.

❛ sy’s notes | so i lied and this is not an ending. i have one more coming, i think. 

The clang of weapons became louder, rivaling Bjorn’s battle cry. When had he gotten in? You don’t know, but does it matter now to you? Whatever came of Kattegat, of this Great Hall, it was better than its prior state. Bjorn or Harald-- both would be a finer king.

Inside Ivar’s Great Hall, a pin might have dropped on the ground and you would be none the wiser to it, trained upon Freydis as you were. She stands there as guiltless as the bitch you thought her to be-- because at one time, you loved her. At one time, she was someone you thought could be your confidant. 

You never would have thought that she would try to bring about your death.

Your hands tremble around the grip of your weighted longbow, drawing the butt of your arrow back. Every moment that you stand there, lungs swelling with heavy exertion is another moment that you have to focus on standing because you aren’t graced like the others-- like Freydis who thinks nothing of keeping herself upright. And, if possible, that makes you hate her even more.

You came so far. Dragging yourself over the wet mud, as the rain pelted down upon you. Having your skirt flipped by strange men. And now, your mind was clear. It was as if you had been walking alongside a mountain path with puffy clouds obscuring your vision. Whether Odin, or Frigg, stripped the clouds-- all was clear now. You saw with a clarity that wasn’t there before. The bottom of this mountain wasn’t a wonderful patch of green grass. It was a ravine.

“What has gotten into you?” 

Ivar calls you by name. You shout at him to stand his ground. In no plan of yours was there an intention to kill Ivar whose mind was so poisoned. So wrong. It was not his fault that he was so easily impressed by her. You were too. Now, the only thing you wanted was retribution. One he could not give you.

“You were…” you exhale, quivering. “You were going to sacrifice me.” 

Ivar holds your eyes in his. He gives you the look-- that look. The one that could will you down, cause you to get lost in his eyes. Obey him no matter the cost. Like you had that day he arranged your marriage to Whitehair.  The worst part of it is that you want to give into his will. Just to make him smile one more time. He tilts his head to the side, only slightly so, allowing for you to go on. “For this-- this whore.” 

“It’s what you wanted.” His voice holds a soft quality. Torn between pained by his belief and a sort of accusatory tone, that sits there, waiting. “Isn’t it?” he widens his hand out, hobbling closer.

“Why would you think that? Because she told you?” you gesture, stopping him by letting loose the bowstring. The arrow collides with the footboard of the hall, stopping him from taking a step forward for just a moment. 

“Because you love him.” You mull his assertion over just a second, snatching another arrow, and preparing it swiftly. If you wavered, Ivar might have unholstered his axe. One swoop, and he’d embed it in your shoulder. Or face. “Look at you. You even have his bow.” 

“I don’t love him.” 

Soft, but sturdy and yet he still does not accept it. He brings his hand up, pausing where he is, scratching at his braids. He scoffs and descends into a crass laughter, marked by an air of foul turning hate.

“Do you hear that, Freydis?” he asks her. “She doesn’t love him. That is good. Good. That is why I heard you let him touch you, hm? Because you don’t love him. Maybe you were easy.” 

“What is it with you?” you shout, drawing the bow down. Freydis seems to visibly relax, as arrogant as she was before, you think she might have been thinking of course, of course you wouldn’t shoot her. “Freydis fell pregnant behind your back in a barn and here I am the one to blame?! She is the one who fucked your--” 

“I know that!” Ivar booms.

There it was, in the open. You chuck the bow onto the floorboards, regarding Ivar, then Freydis. Her eyes have shifted now, narrowing upon the brown floorboards, too afraid to look up. But this time, it’s not your wrath that she’s fearful of.

“What?” you say. 

“I know she fucked my slave.” He turns his head, just slightly toward her. For a moment, he says nothing, pinching his brow. His hand flicks up from the tension on his brow and Ivar relinquishes his great sigh. “It was something I could forgive,” he sighs through his statement. Raising another man’s son-- was that truly something he’d do on the back of disloyalty? You didn’t think so, and yet, it raised the question. 

“But you can’t forgive me?” 

“...you killed our baby.” You thought he was over that. That-- he understood why you couldn’t have his child. Because it would kill you to carry. Your womb was not blessed in this way, you couldn’t. “Did you do it for him?” 

“What?!” you snap your head around, finding Rorik peering into the great hall at just the wrong time. Ivar’s eyes train upon him. “Did you do it for him?!” 

“What is happening?” Rorik leans into you, wiping the blood off of his brow. 

“For you!” Ivar snatches the axe free from his belt. As if perceiving the motion, Rorik rips one of Ivar’s shields from the wall, taking cover underneath it when Ivar whirls his axe. It crashes into Rorik’s shield with a hard crack. He steps back under the weight of the blow. Ivar’s hand snaps to his belt again, clearly searching out another. To stop him, you do the one thing you know he’ll pay attention to-- your words. Your hand presses over Rorik’s chest, stopping Ivar from setting another loose. His face contorts under his realization.

“Then go be with him,” he flicks his hand. “If you want to protect your Odr so much. Go fuck off with the Rus.”  

“Do I look like Freyja to you, Ivar? We can’t be divine. I am not a goddess and you are not a god. We are cripples, Ivar. Cripples. Strip away the calibers and what is left?!” You stomp your foot, and cursing yourself when you stumble forward to catch your balance. Rorik raises his hand out to steady you. You shove him back, stubbornly holding your place. “Let go. If he wants to divorce me--”

And then she does it. That small, scoffing laughter that sets something off, deep within you. It should be her that was divorced. Throughout this whole, short marriage, you had been nothing but loving toward Ivar. 

Yes-- you knew what you had done to his child. Your child with him. It was not your fault that Ivar could not see things for what they were. A childbirth would drag you toward the gates of Hel, and your child too. The child could not survive a birth so treacherous. 

It was Freydis’s delusions that told Ivar they would be able to do so.

Even Ivar, who was so trained upon Rorik, pauses his pursuit of his weapon in that instant. Her sight refills your cup with the rage you thought you suppressed again. Freydis holds her arrogant stance, chin slightly tilting, exuding all the confidence she had in her body. Then, she dares to follow it up.

“She’s lying to you, Ivar.” 

He’s not listening-- but you are stomaching it for one last time. He calls your name, softening you over, biding you to look him in the eyes. He is silent, and you are silent, and the only fuss is from the men outside. Unlike that fuss outside, the silence is short lived. 

“Shut up!” You snatch the axe free from your husband’s shield, whirling around to throw it. It soars through the air, leaving you with only a blinding pain from Ivar’s weapon that careens into your hand. The bones shatter in your hand, and you shout, losing your balance and nearly crashing into the floor. Rorik is there, supporting your waist with one arm. 

“You s-see,” Freydis asks from her place over the ground. Ivar’s axe is remains stuck in her shoulder. “You see now, don’t… don’t you?” Ivar settles beside her. You’re all but forgotten for the moment, glancing over her face, down to the tears breaking free from her cheeks. “She-- she.” 

“Ssshhh,” Ivar flips a knife free, gripping the side of her face with one large palm. You make out the words, only a heated whisper, it was always you, now no more lies. He actually-- he actually said it, and knew it, and as his blade slit across her throat, it was worth it. She gurgles, and hanging off of Rorik’s arm, there’s some sick pleasure in it. 

“Hurry,” Rorik’s voice is hoarse, lifting you to stand upright. “Bjorn is coming.” The wet blood soaked on his chest bleeds on your back as he lifts you onto your calibers. Your knuckles cry out-- you can’t walk anywhere fast without your crutch. He zips by to find it, thankful that Ivar is in such a strange state, where nothing and everything matters and he’s in between the stages of life and death, and it’s quiet.

“And Oleg?” 

“At the pier waiting for us.”

But Ivar. He cleans his blade, cradling Freydis close to his chest, almost as if after everything-- she’s still his everything. And that, you grieve, is something that you can never be. “They’ll kill him.” 

Rorik groans long, and painful, and looks toward the man nestling a woman who just sputtered to death. “Do we have to?” 

You shoot him a hard look, yes, you have to.

He’s gonna die-- he’s all but certain that when he walks over there, Ivar is going to take one of those picks to his face, and that will be that. Rorik tugs the handle of the axe free from Freydis’s shoulder. “Come on.” 

Ivar fails to respond. It’s almost as if he’s unconscious as he sits there, thinking, but Rorik knows this man better. It’s not an issue of being unconscious or conscious or sane or not. Rorik kneels before him, reaching back to tug the fallen king’s hands over his shoulders. He supports Ivar under his knees and stands. 

Ivar’s hand comes up, around Rorik’s throat, just enough to keep him steady. Not to snuff out his breath, or anything, Rorik tells himself. You turn, starting toward where he kept his chariot, past the gathered group of people. Then, you’d go to the pier. Rorik keeps his eyes level, following your shifting hips, your crutch jabbing the ground. 

“Keep your eyes off of her,” Ivar turns his lips against his ear. His lips widen, part pleasure, part pain, He blinks, turning his head toward Ivar’s over his shoulder. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you.” 

He thought he escaped Ivar’s eye. Because-- a divorce was on the horizon, wasn’t it? And your anger with Rorik too, but maybe Ivar didn’t know that. He thinks it’s better not to tell a man what his wife doesn’t want him to know.

He stays quiet as they board the ship. 

@tephi101 @alicedopey @supernaturalvikingwhore @tootie-fruity @titty-teetee @queen-see-ya-in-valhalla @ethereallysimple @deathbyarabbit @deathbyarabbit @readsalot73 @natalie-rdr @lol-haha-joke @lisinfleur @hissouthernprincess @marvelousse @dangerous-like-a-loaded-pistol @vikingsmania @wish-i-was-a-mermaid @lif3snotouttogetyou @gruffle1 @cris101071 @gold-dragon-slayer @babypink224221 @wonderwoman292 @naaladareia @beyond-the-ashes @generic-fangirl @chinduda @laketaj24​, @peaceisadirtyword, @ly–canthrope @cris101071 @daughterofthenight117​ @unassumingviking @ladyofsoa, @inforapound @winchesterwife27 @feyrearcheron44@readsalot73 @squirrelacorngliterfarts @gold-dragon-slayer @medievalfangirl @sallydelys  @bluearchersstuff @affectionrabbitt @whatamood13 @notyouraveragegirl17 @igetcarriedawaywithyou @unacceptabletatertots @ivarandersen @stra-vage @tgrrose @cookies186 @learninglemni-blog @theleeshanotlouise @soiproclaim @msmorganforever @belovedcherry

[blackevermore]

x Wade In The Water

{ Chapter 3: He Who Came }

Summary: Estar Scott was once in love. She thought the days of her shortcomings were over and that the man she found was her one and only. But all that was taken away when the demons she had became too accustomed to finally took the one thing she had left. Louisiana was her home but the devil down below was calling her name. She only has herself to blame when it came to the hands dragging her under.

Notes: It’s Hazbin Hotel, be ready for everything. Also I apologize for all my mistakes in advance!

Word Count: 4,848

We might ask for forgiveness for those above but it's those that lie below that hears our words first. The dead are right at our feet, snickering at how foolish we are talking to the sky. God has a waiting room even for the beaten, the broken, and the damned. I would know for I was the one that told people to take a seat.

-Ester R. Scott

Mama used to take me to the parades downtown every year when it was time to see the new queens. I remember we would always wear these beautiful white dresses that had so many ruffles and lace ribbons tied into the fabric. Mama said these dresses were special and should only be worn on special days. Back then, I didn't care why we got to wear the dress; I just wanted to spin around in circles and see how the fabric danced in the wind. Mama also used to braid my hair back into cornrows and wrap my head in a white scarf decorated with hanging beads. Mama used to tell me to pick any colour beaded necklace I wanted and to make sure when I chose one, I blessed it. I always preferred the blue ones, it was my favourite colour, and they were the shiniest ones mama owned. When we got downtown to New Orleans, the whole city and blocks were lit up with colourful lights and decorations. People of all kinds were dressed up in their best or costumes. The music was loud and the food was good and mama would let me run off with the other black kids while she talked to her friends. By the time the parade started I would be back by mama's side holding her hand. On the other side of the street were all the white folk who looked just as happy to be here as we did. I didn't understand then why we couldn't stand on the same side of the street as I do now. The one time I asked mama she just kissed my forehead and told me it was the way of things. But no matter what the way things were, when the parade started, everyone had a grand time.

Mama kneeled beside me and pointed up towards the king and queen, "One day the queen will be black and we will be her people."

"Could I be queen one day?" I remember how optimistic I was, eager to wear any form of royal crown and have the people cheer for me. My mama would smile, close her eyes and clap her hands four times around my head.

"You are already a queen, your people are waiting for you to grow up so they can give you your crown."

I remembered how happy I was to hear that, that the whole ride back home I waved at people the same way the queen in the parade waved at us. I used to shout out random noble titles to people as we passed them and promised them I, their queen, would be on top of the float one day.

}~~{

"You'll come to the grand Mardi Gras ball won't you Miss Ester?" Chemintine pouted from across the table while I tried to pull the fabric I needed for the suit. I wanted to start on it as fast as possible, but that was hard to do when a little white girl was crawling at my arms for attention. "The Luxsher family invited the whole shop and it's only right you get to go. You did make the Madam's dress after all." Chemintine didn't have a mind to think of the few reasons I couldn't go. She was native and wanted to have a grand time with anyone she considered a friend. Maybe she got it from how backwards she was compared to the rest of her family. Maybe forms of ignorance was different for everyone in her family, that's why her name was Chemintine and not Clementine.

"I don't believe I'd be welcomed with all those people. Not my place to go." I tried my best to sound as uninterested as possible so that Chemintine would get the hint. But like most things, it went right over her beautiful pretty head. She shook her head and hurried from around the counter and grabbed my hand that didn't have much to carry. 

"The Madam knows you're black, so does her husband, if they didn't take kindly to you, they wouldn't have handwritten you an invitation to come tomorrow." Maybe not everything went over her head as it should. I wish this did, so I could come up with another excuse on why I couldn't go. Or why it was best I stayed at the shop in case of customers. I then found the perfect excuse tucked between my arms.

"I have a suit that requires my attention and I would prefer it if I focused on it rather than be distracted." I nervously smiled at Chemintine and pulled away to walk back towards my bench. I rolled out the yards of red fabric on the table and the pattern I needed to cut out. Chemintine wasted no time in following hot on my heels and stomping her foot like a child.

"We all know you could get that suit done before it's time for the ball. Why are you so scared?"

"Because even if two people stand with you, that doesn't mean everyone else has a change in heart. Do you know what happened in Bogalusa eleven years ago? They killed a black union worker trying to get to a meeting being escorted by two white men with guns. They killed the white men too for trying to protect that 'damn nergo.'" It felt nice barking at the girl, it didn't help my image, but it felt downright blissful. She really had no idea and though I didn't expect her to but I did expect her to understand and read the room. The girl didn't seem to mind it one bit. She took my snapping and dusted it off her dress as she stood as tall as she could against me.

"Times are changing Ester."

"Your daddy would slap you if he heard you say that. He would ring you up and tell you off. The world may be changing but it's not fast enough for people like me." I took Chemintine's hand and whispered my apology and she accepted it as she said her own. In the short time we've known each other we grew to understand our tempers tended to get the best of us. Just in time a huff came from in front of us as the sound of the curtain swooshed open. 

"Maybe times shouldn't change at all, I think you and your kind are doing just fine." Monique, one of the older girls, came walking in with bags in her hands for her commission. I said nothing and took a deep breath and squeezed Chemintine's hand before letting go and getting back to work. Chemintine gave me a quick smile and hurried back to her station to finish on a pair of earrings she was working on.

"I still can't believe they invite you. It's not like you really do anything around here." Why Monique continued to open her dirty mouth was beyond me.

"She made the Madam's dress," Chemintine answered for me and Monique shot up her hand to silence the girl.

"That was the worse dress I've ever seen, Mrs Birdy must be a blind old bat to think you were able to make a stunning dress. Surely she gave it to you to make a fool out of you, you ain't worth nothin but a good laugh. Damn nigger ruining everything it does."

Chemintine threw down her tools and spun on her feet and marched up to Monique like a bat out of hell. "Shut your whore mouth! The only reason you're working here and even have clients is because Mrs Birdy took pity on you when your mother threw you out after you slept with your stepfather. We all know that man didn't seduce you like you tell everyone. You climbed in bed while your mother was out and opened your legs wide like a loose dog in heat!" I didn't know what to say or what to do. Chemintine had never blown up like that towards anyone in the shop. A loud smack sounded across the room as Monique's hand met with Chemintine's cheek.

"You don't get to talk to me like that, you bitch!" Monique's face was bewildered with anger and embarrassment.  It was true, after all. Monique had come from the high north of Louisiana from a well off family. Her father had died years before and her mother remarried a dying man. Monique was mad at her mother and wanted her step father's money all to herself, so the best thing she could think of was to take the man when he couldn't tell left from right. The mother was a cruel woman for marrying a sick man that needed care and her daughter was even worse with fucking him when he couldn't even use his legs. Mrs Birdy caught word of what happened when she delivered a dress to one of the maids the day Monique was being thrown out. Monique sobbed a great story of being raped by her stepfather and Mrs Birdy believed it for only three seconds. Either way, the older woman needed people at the shop and offered Monique work and a place to stay and the whore took it.

"What is going on back here? I can hear you in the front while I dress the windows." Mrs Birdy came through the curtain hands on hip. Everyone was quiet for a while, "Well?"

"I got too excited over the ball tomorrow but Ester said she doesn't want to go." Chemintine, still covering her red cheek, skipped over to her station with a fake smile. I could tell Mrs Birdy wasn't buying it but she wasn't going to push it either. She knew Monique was rude and had no respect for me, just looking for a reason to get rid of the girl. But sadly she needed the hands in the shop so she had to turn a blind eye to the bullshit. Kindly, at the end of the night, Mrs Birdy would always give me something extra for my troubles. 

"Ester you don't want to go?" 

"No ma'am, I have work to do and so much to get done that I don't have time."

"Ester you have to go."

"Ma'am I can't I-"

"Ester you will go, company orders, I'm closing the shop tomorrow and I expect everyone to attend this very honourable event." Mrs Birdy's tone was stoic and unbreakable as she told me what I was going to do. I didn't wish to argue, nor did I wish to try my luck at not showing up.

"Yes ma'am, but there is a problem, I don't have a dress to wear nor anything to make me look presentable." I tried my chances anyway with playing this card. But Mrs Birdy shook her head and pointed towards a stack of boxes.

"All of those dresses I had you stand for hours over there got sent back because Henriette Jacobs died of a heart attack on the boat, and you don't have a dress. Miss Scott I want you to pick a dress and have Chemintine fit it to ya if need be. I have shoes you can borrow and I know you still have your mama's jewellery. I would like for all my girl's to be ready to go." Mrs Birdy said nothing more as she turned on her heels and walked back to the front right as the doorbell rang.

"Yes!" Chemintine clapped her hands and jumped up and down.

"What?!" Monique blurted out in anger, not caring if Mrs Birdy could see her true feelings on her face.

"Oh Ester this is going to be fun! Come on now, let's pick you something good." Chemintine wasted no time running over to me and pulling me back towards the front to fiddle with the boxes. The suit I had to finish laid out, bare and cold, I told myself as soon as this was over I would hurry to start it and get some of it done. 

I would hate to know what would happen if I didn't.

}~~{

I hadn't been to a formal event in years, never been to a Mardi Gras ball ever in my life, the nervousness I felt poking at my stomach made me want to puke. Mrs Birdy offered to have me walk in with her and her husband and I happily accepted. I didn't want to be alone, not tonight when I felt like a fish out of the bayou, I would stay as close as possible to the old woman if it is my dying wish.

"That dress looks good on you, though Chemintine's stitching could use some work, but none the less you bring it to life." Mr Birdy pulled at the shoulder fabric a bit to bring it up from falling. The dress I chose was an empire waist royal blue silk gown that had an open back and cape sleeves that fell to the floor. At the knee of the dress were extra fabric to give the dress more flare. The problem Chemintin ran into when it came to refitting the dress to my body was how different my figure was from the owner before. I wasn't chest heavy nor was my thigh as big, but I wasn't skinny like most. All my life I was told I was my mama's corn fed baby. Despite the fact I wasn't sporty like the other women I wasn't unpleasant nor was I ugly. I took great pride in my looks with full lips and chubby cheeks. I looked like my mother and my mother was a beautiful woman. 

"She tried her best; most of her clients are no bigger than a pole. I had to help her around the waist." I pulled on the white gloves and did my best to put in my earrings. Lucky for me this ball gave the opinion for the attending to wear a mask, I didn't feel like putting on heavy makeup, so I jumped at the chance to cover my face. 

"Come on child, the doors will close if you keep fussing with yourself." Mrs Birdy patted my arm and I nodded as I picked up the ends of my dress to follow her in. The young black man at the door looked surprised to see me with an invitation. When I handed him my invitation for him to check it, he didn't look at it and just bowed his head to gesture me in. It was a bit unnerving for me but I thanked him and went inside the venue. This year's ball was held at the brand new ballroom that was built to replace the grand french opera house that burnt down years ago. All around me felt like I stepped into a fairytale book with the high pilers and hanging plants. Decorations with french writing paint in greens, purples, and golds circled pillars, tables, and chairs. All the men wore black and white except for a few who seemed to be in a costume of sorts. Some wore crazy hats that matched their mask while others chose to go without either. The women were like the colour jungle I've seen in postcards in the store. So many colours and so many different types of gowns. Some women who weren't guests but rather performers wore Josephine Baker type outfits that showed more skin then it did performance. Ever since she took off in the lands beyond the water the shift in black folk became shift I wasn’t so sure would be a good thing.

It wasn't long into the venue when a group of people came rushing towards us. Chemintine and the Luxsher's were waiting for us at a giant table.

"Ester! Mrs Birdy! Over here!" Chemintine's voice barely peaked over the music as she waved us over. She wore pinks of all shades from her wild blonde hair down to his toes that peaked under her dress. She was more dressed up than the queen herself. It wasn't time for the crowning yet, so the Luxsher's wore more simple attire of purples.

"Afternoon Chemintine, Mr and Mrs Luxsher, thank you for inviting us." I grab the end of my dress and I bow as best I could. The fabric around my legs was tight so it wasn't much of a bow as it was leaning over a bit. 

"Ester you are always welcome," Mrs Luxsher pulled me in close and kissed the side of my face. "I wish only for the finest seamstress to be at my gathering." I smiled politely though wishing she hadn't done that. Her perfume reeked of layering and it made my eyes water. We take our seats at the table and I sit in silence as I watch everyone else engage in a conversation. I didn't know how to talk to people very well, never have, if me and someone was meant to be friends it just happened over time and of being in the same place for so long. God bless Chemintine who had seemed to notice and turned her attention towards me. 

"Ya still thinking about that suit?" She rested her face in his palm on the table and leaned as close as she could get so I could hear her.

"I'm thinking about how I wanna be home." I shook my head and looked around at how lovely everything was. It was all a bit too much.

"Oh hush now, you can't stay at home all the time."

"Easy for you to say, you sunk out of yours to be here."

"Sure did! And won't be home until daddy comes marching out of bed to get me." There were only two years between us, me being 21 and Chemintine being 19, yet compared to her I felt like I was so old. That's what happens when you come from two different skin tones. One gets to live free of worry while the other is scared all the time. Maturity handpicked it's lucky few. Eventually, a conversation of the expansion of radio sparked between us as Chemintine told me of what she heard from New York. She kept asking me when I plan on going to New York and I always shook my head and told her I had no idea. 

"I wanna go to the Cotton Club!" Chemintine yelled with excitement as she spoke of the nightlife my people could be having right now. It was ironic how eager she was willing to explore something that didn't belong to her.

"Maybe one day when I go up to visit my aunt, I'll take you with me."

"Really?" I shouldn't make promises I couldn't keep.

"Really."

"Oh Ester! Make it soon. I have no idea when daddy will finally have enough of me and send me back to Texas." Chemintine dramatically fanned herself and giggled.

"I'll try darling," I reached for my water in a wine glass and took a sip. Just then the big band started playing a jive that got everyone up on their feet. The first to leave the table was the Luxshers' then went the Birdys, leaving Chemintine and me all to ourselves swaying back and forth in our chairs.

"Excuse me, miss,  may I have this dance?" We both turned to our left and saw an awkward young man who looked no more than twenty, held out his hand for Chemintine. The girl looked at me and I nodded and she whispered a 'thank you' before running off.  For once, I now felt a bit better being all to myself. I could enjoy my drink, my peace, and be entertained by how sloppy everyone was becoming on the dance floor. However, I did feel left out by how many couples there seemed to be in the room. Everyone had a date or a friend to keep them company and yet I sat at the table alone, my friend being swooshed away by a knight and black armour for the night.

I had always dreamed of having a date, or a night of fun with someone who I could secretly call a date. Before my papa died when I was young he loved my mama more than he loved himself. Every night when they put me to bed he would dance with her in the living room to no music. They didn't need music, they could hear the songs in their heads, and I wanted to hear it too. I wanted to have someone that could hear it and ask me for a dance. But I never had the confidence to talk to anyone I thought was charming. If I tried I would get choked up and coward to myself. Mama tried to pair me off with neighbourhood boys, but it never worked out when all they wanted was a piece of my skirt. Every time I had a 'date', I'd come home angry and tears on my face ready to yell at anyone that crossed me wrong. Mama told me not every boy would be like that and that one day, the man of my dreams would come asking to hold my hand rather than the hem of my dress. I believed her and I wished for it, but I also knew I had other things to worry about, such as making a living for myself and staying alive.

I took the mask off as it started to become hot against my skin. When the big feather and plastic was away, I took a deep breath and sighed against my chair. I was ready to go home. The sooner I could get home the sooner I could get out of this dress and bathe. I could also try and start a few stitching on the suit before I headed to bed.

"N'ont-ils pas l'air merveilleux? Ivre et stupide, profitant du temps de leur vie sans égard pour personne d'autre." I jumped at the sound of someone's voice so close to my ear. I pushed away from the table and spun towards the sound—a very tall fair-skinned man dressed in black and shades of reds seated himself beside me. He was dressed like one of the theatre performers, but without the big hat, instead, he wore a black half-mask that covered his eyes and had large antlers coming from the sides. He didn't look at me while he spoke, keeping his gaze on the people and laughing every so often.

"You shouldn't call people stupid," I said back, turning to watch the crowd as well.

"So you do know French."

"As much as my mama could teach a stubborn child." He snickered.

"Your mama would have loved to speak with mine. Stubborn children are worse to teach." It was my turn to chuckle a bit and I agreed with him.

"Do I know you sir?" I didn't want to be rude sitting with a stranger in the corner of the room.

"You may, you may not. Do you?" He finally turned his face towards me and I knew as soon as I saw those eyes it was my customer. He smiled slyly and chuckled at my expression.

"Alastor?" I whispered and his smile blinded me.

"Had I known you would be coming to the ball tonight I would have ordered my suit at a later date." His accents sounded like they were mixing. As if he was forcing himself to be cultured while here but also somewhere else. I didn't say anything and kept it to myself. I became bashful at his comment, feeling embarrassed that I wasn't at the shop hard at work, making him the suit he needed.

"I'm sorry, sir, my boss told me I had to come." I hung my head slightly and away from him.

"And you should be here, it's a grand party, everyone is enjoying themselves. I'm sure the working kind enjoys a few luxuries. I know I sure do." His voice dropped from his chipper tone to a slightly annoyed.

"Sometimes but not like this. Parties weigh me down, too much is going on, I like the peace of being at home with the radio."

"Do you?" He seemed a lot more intoned with me when I said that. His eyes grew wide behind his mask with curiosity.

"When I can," I replied, I had no idea what this man was thinking about nor what he could say next. But I did know that now that he was sitting next to me something felt off about him. For a while, he kept his eyes on me looking me up and down then snapped his gaze away.

"How about a dance?" He finally broke the awkward silence that lingered between us. "They're about to play a song I'd requested and I seem to be lacking a partner."

"I wouldn't want to make you look like a fool."

"Can you dance?"

"Yes I can but nothing too hip."

"Good enough for me," I was off my chair and being whisked away to the middle of the floor. As he bowed in front of me and I did the same another fast moving song started to roar. Eyes were on me, I could feel them, I could sense them, they were on me with the bewildered curiosity of why a black girl was mingling with a white man. Or what they taught to be. Alastor threw me around like I was the lightest thing he ever touched and I followed his every move. Our dance had started steady and paced but as the band noticed us, the music got louder and crazy. I hitched up my dress as best as I could to free my legs and soon we were dancing on a table. With every lift and spin Alastor held me up like I was flying. I was laughing and screaming the whole time. I, for the first time since mama died, was having the time of my life doing the swing. By the end of the song Alastor dropped me into a dip, the audience around us roar with cheer and delight. When he pulled me back up I was in shock that only a few seemed to be bothered by our dancing. The others were too drunk and too high on life to care about anything else but the party.

"Ester! Ester! That was amazing! I didn't know you could dance like that, girl!" Chemintine pushed through the people and pulled me into a hug. She had stars in her eyes as she looked at me.

"I-I didn't either," I said, trying to catch my breath as my newfound high started to come down a bit.

"My god that was amazing, you had the whole party watching you, you were like a star. Who was that man with you?"

"He," I turned to my side where Alastor should have been but wasn't. I tried to find him in the crowd but he was gone, the sight of his red costume was nowhere to be found—the hornes from his mask were gone in the wave of people. "I don't know."

"Well that's a downer, you two looked like yall was the king and queen of the ball." Chemintine didn't know what she was saying; there was no such thing, me and Alastor danced, it was all just fun. 

Then by the door of the venue, I saw him. Alastor was removing his mask and tossing it to the ground. Next to him was the devil who was chatting away about something. At first, I didn't think it was anything wrong, the devil tried to talk to many people, but they all ignored him, but then when Alastor turned and replied, I gasped. I wiggled my hand away from Chemintine and started towards the door. I excused myself through people as best I could and nearly tripped as I stumbled towards the entrance. When I pushed through the door to outside, I shivered in the spring night chill and looked both ways. Alastor and the devil were both out of sight. How in the world could a man dressed in all white and another dressed in all red vanish into air?

"Miss?" I turned around in haste and the boy at the door jumped. "Were you looking for the two men that just left?"

"Y-yes." I said breathlessly. I walked closer to him and he took off his hat and held it against his chest. His eyes seemed nervous and weary to look at me. "Did you see where they went?"

He shook his head, "You shouldn't follow the devil when he has company."

[artificialqueens]

The Kids are Alright (Katya [Trish] & Cracker) - Dandee

Her name’s Trish and she just got out of her mom’s garage. She’s fourteen days clean and sober by the grace of god (still smokin’ a little bit of pot, but it’s whatevah). It’s all about her, God, and Thanksgivin’. Why? Cause everyday’s Thanksgivin’. And in the words of the great Jimmy Buffet, we all know that Santa stole Thanksgivin’, so now it’s Christmastime– or at least it was a couple months ago. She couldn’t feel her feet last year, but those days are over now– she’s a new woman today.

Trish meets an unlikely character. Friendship/Crackfic

**********************************************

“Thank ya, sir. God bless ya.”

Trish takes the five and tucks it into her tit, watching the guy that gave it to her rejoin his happy-lookin’ lady-friend.

Thank God for tourists.

Her strappy heels drag along the sidewalk as she fumbles with the soft-pack of Pall Malls. Good ole’ tourists, even in February. Guy can’t be that well off if he’s sightseeing in goddamn shitting February but hey, maybe he’s Catholic. Maybe he’s got guilt issues. Or maybe he just wants to get laid. Who cares, it’s Christmas. Or it was. Close enough, whatevah.

She pats her chinchila pockets and groans.

“Eh, crapsticks,” she mumbles, cigarette dangling from her lips. She pats her other tit, then spins around and pats her tush. There ain’t nothin’ there but it’s just crazy– that’s the third lighter today gone missin’. The good lord above’s got her in some kinda purgatory, got her suckin’ on cigarettes but won’t let her smoke ‘em.

Some sense of humor that lady’s got.

“Hey!” She calls, rushes over to a dude headed toward the crosswalk with a stogie. He immediately picks up his pace, and so does she.

“Hey! Hey.” She grabs his elbow and he whirls around, face pink and chapped from the cold. She grabs the cigarette from her lips and waves it to him, “Light me up?”

“Jesus, lady,” he stammers, shrugging her off. He scowls real mean-like at her before he pulls his coat tighter, muttering a “psycho bitch” and turning on his heel.

Trish’s brows furrow as she watches him go. “No–you!” she calls after him, but he just keeps walking. Yeah, keep walkin’. Mean-ass.

People, man.

That’s the thing about the city– for every kind-hearted tourist you get an asshole local who thinks they own the place. An asshole local who still needs a smartphone to get back to their high-rise condo or they get their asses lost. Trish doesn’t have a phone. Doesn’t want one, doesn’t need one. She knows these streets like the back of her hand, could get herself anywhere in this goddamn city quicker than you could say the serenity prayer in a five-thirty rush. She could take the train six times over and not pay a single penny outta her pocket. She could swipe a hotdog stand faster than a knifefight in a phone booth. These ain’t their streets. They’re hers.

A chilly breeze whips from around a building and slaps her in her face. She pops her smoke back in her mouth, shoves her hands deep in her pockets.

She braces herself against it, tense as she steps away from the street. It might be one of those nights tonight, one of those station stairs nights. It smells like piss but at least it’s warm. The dumpster’s always an option, but last time she fell asleep in the can shit got real sticky in the morning. Wakin’ up in a garbage truck isn’t so fun— all that. Ya know.

She watches her feet as she walks slow, putting one foot sexily in front of the other. She smiles at the shimmery silver heels, the way the ankle straps hug her wooly socks. Bobby’s such a sweetheart, thinkin’ of her around Christmastime and gettin’ these. She’s gonna call him again tomorrow. Just gotta find a pay phone that works. But she’ll call him.

A sniffly sound grabs her attention. Trish glances up.

A little girl, standing right outside the train stairs. Blonde hair pulled into a ball on top of her head, sweet little navy blue peacoat. Huggin’ her own waist and lookin’ around scared.

Trish looks behind her, then back again. What, somebody just left her here? People dumpin’ kids now? Christ.

She sticks her cigarette behind her ear and mozies on over to the girl, whistling a low Jimmy Buffet Christmas tune. She strolls past her casually and parks it against the railing of the stairs. She clears her throat.

The girl doesn’t look at her.

Trish coughs, sniffs loud. She catches a little side eye from the kid but that’s about it. The kid just hugs herself tighter, lookin’ straight ahead.

Giving an inaudible sigh, Trish looks around for a sec. She scuffs her heel against the pavement, flaps her coat. Then, after a moment, out of the corner of her mouth,

“You, uh– you got a light?”

The girl blinks once, twice. Then her face scrunches up and she looks at Trish, all brown eyed and buck toothed.

“Wh– what?”

Trish rolls her eyes. “A lighter. Matches? Fuego?”

A moment passes between them– the girl, brow creased and nose wrinkled, blinking— and Trish staring back at her, foot tapping against the pavement.

The girl never gives an answer, and Trish eventually shrugs her off. She grumbles and slumps back against the railing. Kids these days, no respect for their elders.

“That depends, you got a cigarette for me?”

Well that catches Trish off-guard, she’ll admit it. She’s no stranger to the game. But a bit young to be playin’ in the streets, this one.

She measures the wager— kid can’t be older than thirteen, maybe twelve and a half. But she’s old enough to know better, and who’s Trish to judge? She’s been smokin’ since she was ten, holed up in the back of a dressing room pinning her ma’s garter to her thigh-high and cutting cash after showtime.

She peers at the kid from the corner of her eye. Little shit’s still lookin’ straight ahead, but now she’s wearin’ a smirk like a kitty-cat who’s locked it’s people outside.

“Ahrite, ahrite,” Trish sighs, reaches into her pocket and digs into her pack. She pulls two smokes, and the girl reaches out her hand.

“Uh-uh, huh.” Trish waggles her finger, “Light first.”

The kid rolls her eyes. She bends to fish a box of matches out of her sock, and smacks it into Trish’s open palm.

“Aaaank-you.”

Lipping the cig, Trish swipes the matchstick on the red and heyfirst try (she’s still got it), the thhrraaackk of the success is like an angel singin’ out in the heavens. She covers the flame with her palm and gets a good cherry going. She tosses the box back to the kid and waves the stick out.

Kid catches the box and Trish flips her the other stogie. Kid catches that too, and she doesn’t say shit when she peels right past Trish and makes for the alley.

Smart kid.

Trish takes a long drag and boy God is good, it hits the spot. She stares out into the street for a second, watches a couple taxis swish by. An icy spray kicks up from under one of the wheels, and her knees buckle when it hits her straight in the caps.

“Agh, shit.” She steadies herself. Can’t afford another slip today.

She shoves her free hand back into her pocket, pulling her coat back to her and turns against the street. She shuffles around a little, that ole christmastime song creepin’ it’s way back into her brain.

“Merry Christmaass, Alabammaa— “ she bounces on her steps, wandering toward the alley. “Merry Chrissstmaaas… Tenness.. seee…”

She spots the kid, leaning up against the backdoor of Shangie’s Pack-n-Ship. She’s scratchin’ away at the matchbox, a couple goddamnit’s and fuck’s slippin’ out from around the cig between her buckteeth. She finally does get a light but she jumps, throws it out with a hiss and stomps her little heels.

“Hang on-“ Trish makes toward her, bringing her smoke back to her lips. Kid jumps, then serves a real suspicious scowl. She stays put though, and gets another match.

“Come on, here.” Trish nods, cupping her hands forward.

Kid huffs, but swipes again. She swipes a few more times, eventually turning into Trish’s little shield.

“Come on kid—do it like ya mean it, come on—”

Kid glares up from under her brows but keeps on, gettin’ kinda pissed. On a particularly desperate swipe, voila, she gets lucky.

“Easy, ahrite, there ya go-“ Trish keeps her hands hovered over the girl’s cig, and kid goes crossed-eyed while she watches the cherry light. Then she pinches the cig and pulls back, tosses the match stick and takes a drag.

Trish pulls back too, and makes her way to the other wall. Trish puffs and the girl sucks in through her teeth. Two streams of smoke blow from opposite sides of the alley.

“Thanks,” Kid says after a minute, leaning against the door and still lookin’ sus. She’s got her arms half-crossed with one knee up, oh-so-poised, like a fuckin’ ballerina on a lunchbreak.

Trish shrugs. “Yeah.”

And now the girl’s doin the thing they all do— just judgin’ Trish up and down. Reading her outfit, makin’ up stories about who she is and what she’s really smokin’. Trish is used to it by now, but she still pulls her coat in tighter. She clears her throat and shakes the loose hair outta her face.

“You should probably stick to daylight, kid. These streets are mean.”

Kid scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Who asked you?”

Trish shrugs again, “I’m just sayin’ honey. Ya got a lot of nerve, pullin’ stunts on a Friday night.”

Kid leans her head back on the brick. “Yeah well,” she takes quick drag, “I can take care of myself.”

Maybe it’s her god-given maternal instinct, but Trish’s heart goes all soft for a minute. Who’s lettin’ this little baby run the streets at night? Who’s dressin’ her up in fancy clothes like that, then not givin’ a shit about where she is? It’s 7pm, do you know where your child is? Ain’t anyone ever seen the commercial? What kinda mother-

“And actually, I’d really appreciate it if you’d fuck off.”

Trish feels her forehead wrinkle when her brows shoot up. “‘Scuse you?”

“Yeah.” The girl cocks her head, eyes narrowed, “This is my spot. Find your own.”

“Your spot? Sorry, but —what are you, nine?”

“Twelve, actually,” kid says. She blows smoke and looks at her nails like a goddamn debutante.

“Oh, right,” Trish chuckles, “Twelve. So sorry. ‘Scuse me Queenie Bee.”

The girl’s eyes snap up from her nails. “And what are you, seventy-five?”

Ouch, that’s ripe.

“Well that’s not very-“

“Shouldn’t you have been home by three? So you could catch the news at five and make it to bed by seven? Or does Wheel of Fortune push bedtime to eight?”

“Hey, I will have you know-“

“Or did you forget to drink your prune juice—“

“-that I have lived here longer—“

“-and you’re just taking a stroll to move things around—“

“-longer than you’ve been a twinkle in ya daddy’s eye-”

Kid stops, shuts up real fast. She looks down at her cigarette and takes her leg off the wall.

Trish can’t help her victorious grin.

“Oh no, did I hit a nerve? You don’t got nothin’ else to say?”

The girl shuffles some rocks around with her feet. “M-my dad,” she says, her voice giving a shake, “My dad’s not here anymore.”

Trish’s face falls, and Jesus Fucking Christ she’ll be damned if the kid doesn’t look up at her with tearful eyes and a quivering lip.

“Oh- oh honey,” Trish waves her hands, “nuh-nuh-no, please don’t cry.”

The girl wipes at her eyes, and then chokes out a little sob.

“Oh God honey, I- I’m so sorry,” Trish stammers. She rushes to her with her arms out, “Come here, stop that cryin’.”

The girl seems to give in and falls onto her, her shoulders goin’ and her little cries muffled by Trish’s chinchilla coat. This poor little thing, so tough on the outside. All she probably wants is some parents who care, but hell, don’t we all? Isn’t that really the root of all our problems? That’s what the psychic said back in June, anyway. And then she stole forty bucks, the bitch.

“Hey, shoosh those tears,” Trish says, gentle as she can. She rubs Kid’s back, real motherly-like.

“He- he’s in h-heaven now-“

“Oh, shh- of course he is, honey.” Trish looks up at the sky and makes a face. Eh? Is he though? That lady’s got a real issue up there.

But she rubs the kids back, all the same.

“Is that why ya out here all by yourself?”

The girl nods into her shoulder. Trish sighs. Of course.

This kid could probably use some real solid advice right now, some real words of wisdom. And the lady in the sky brought them together tonight, in this very moment, for Trish to teach her a little bit of what she’s learned about this cruel, nasty world. So it’s time to be a child of God and give it a go. She clears her throat and collect her thoughts as best she can.

“Listen honey,” she starts, “Now your daddy’s in heaven right now, smilin’ down ‘atcha. But ya know, you really gotta- hey- hang on, OW—“

And there she is, before she knows it, in a headlock.

Her eyes bulge and she groans, choking out any words she can.

“Gotcha, bitch,” Kid sing-songs, smiling down at her. Trish throws her shoulders around but the kid’s got her good, she ain’t goin’ nowhere.

“Like I said, I can take care of myself,” Kid says, tightening her hold, her stingin’ cigarette smoke makin’ Trish eyes water.

“And though I appreciate your sympathy, I’d really appreciate it if you’d just move it along. This is my spot. Not yours. You go find your own. You hear me?”

Trish can only manage a slew of post-verbal, pitiful nonsense.

“We good?”

Trish nods weaky.

With a chuckle, Kid lets her go. Trish rolls onto the pavement, hacking.

“Jesus…Christ, kid.“

Kid’s grinning smugly. “Here,” she says, reaching out a hand, “come on. Get up.”

Trish looks at her hand, horrified. “Get the hell away from me ya little-“

“Oh come on, Grandma.”

Kid grabs Trish’s hands against her will, and pulls her up to her feet. Trish stumbles for a sec, and she points her finger.

“You— you’re a fuckinnn’—“

“Black belt? Why yes I am, thank you.”

Trish just stares back at her, catching her breath. Unbelievable, kids these days. No respect, no respect at all-

“Hey!” Trish sees her stogie on the ground, clean in half. “You broke my cigarette!”

Kid rolls her eyes. She fishes into her peacoat and pulls out the matches. “Here.”

Trish eyes her hand again, not willing to risk it.

“Just take them,” she says, shoving the matches forward, “You can just have them.”

Trish looks from the matches, to the kid, then back to the matches. She reaches out her hand real slow, then jumps back when she snatches them. Kid laughs.

“Oh, actually,” Kid turns and pats her other pocket, “here, this too.”

She pulls out Trish’s Pall Malls and tosses them to her. Trish catches them, frowning.

“Oh, and this too.”

She pulls a bill out of the same pocket, the five that Trish had tucked into her tit.  Trish, beside herself, marches over to snatch the bill. “How did you—“

“It’s what I do.”

Trish just stares, and Kid just grins. She takes one last drag of her cigarette and stomps it out.

“You’re unbelievable, kid,” Trish says, truly astonished. She tucks the five back into her tit, and pulls out a fresh cigarette. She pops it in her mouth and mumbles, “You’re a little firecracker, ya know that?”

Kid laughs, lookin’ utterly pleased with herself, like she’d won a prize in her fuckin’ Frosted Flakes.

“Well thanks.”

As Trish lights a match, Kid holds her hand out again. Trish flinches, but Kid just steady smiles.

“Brie.”

Trish takes a drag and narrows her eyes. She carefully takes her hand, and squeezes.

“Trish.”

Brie nods. “Well, Trish,” she says, eyes lookin’ like something between lasers and deadbolts, “I hope I never see you again.”

Trish shrugs and pulls back. “Yeah. Likewise, Cracker.”

Brie tilts her head, like she’s weighing something. Like someone just told her she’d be winning the spelling bee, like someone’s just pulled a pageant. She smirks, gives a little ‘hymph’, and makes back toward the street.

“Oh, and thanks for the cigarette,” she calls over her shoulder, her little heels clickety-clackin’ against the pavement.

Trish grimaces, and can’t help but watch the little demon as she goes. Where is her mother? Is she really twelve? Is she even American? That little shit’s gonna learn one of these days, we all gotta learn. But she’ll be alright for a while, Trish can guess that. Crazy little fuck.

Brie stops for a sec, then turns back. Trish tenses and plants her feet, bracing herself. She holds her lit cigarette out in front of her, ready to burn this bitch.

“Hey,” Brie calls. She reaches into her peacoat and pulls out somethin’ shiny. She lowers her arm for an underhand toss and yells, “catch!”

“Uh,” Trish looks behind her, then holds up a hand. Brie chucks it and Trish catches it in her left.

A gold Rolly, with diamonds. Still warm.

Trish looks back up, and Kid’s smilin’.

“Don’t keep it long, I swiped it an hour ago. Go down the road and make a right. They’ll take it.”

Trish looks down at the Rolly, then back up to Kid.

“Uh.. okay?”

Brie shrugs and holds her hands above her head. “It’s Christmas!”

Trish blinks, then scowls. “It- it’s February, ya twit!”

Brie laughs. “Close enough!”

With that she rounds the corner, and poof, she’s gone.

Trish is absolutely walking in the opposite direction of that bitch, and she turns on her heel with a groan. She gazes down at the watch in her palm. It’s gorgeous, it’s luxurious- it’s the most precious thing she’s held in years. Well, besides Bobby.

Bobby. He’d love this one. She could give it to him for Christmas-In-July or somethin’, or a Happy-Birthday present. He could put it on and she could get all dolled up and they could go have a real nice dinner, real fancy-like at the Black Eyed Pea.

She comes to the end of the street and rounds the corner. A neon green Yvie’s Odds hangs over a doorway, calling Trish’s name.

Eh, Bobby’ll be fine. Cash is king, after all.

And the bell on the door dings as she skips back out onto the street, tucking a wad of cash in her tit. She’s gonna need a bigger bra, that’s for sure. And maybe a soda, a Big Blue. And maybe she’ll get a nice Danielle Steel from the book store, and have a quiet night in the halfway house. She’s just gotta make it to midnight and she’ll have fifteen days sober, by the grace of God. And maybe she’ll find a payphone, and she’ll call Bobby.

Before she calls Bobby though, she’s gotta call her sponsor. She’s gotta call her and tell her all about her day, about what she did wrong and what she did right. And of course, she’s gotta tell her about Kid. She’s gotta tell her all about the mean little shit, about the nicest stranger she’s met in a long, long time.

[buhfoonery]

Fictober19: Day 3; Now? Now you listen?

A Divine Visit

Trigger warning: Mention of Abuse

What an excruciating day at the Office. The Market kept on its course and the firm, to put it bluntly, was in a downward spiral. Keep in mind the business wasn't ever going great per se. Little income here and there with Stagnation being the status quo most of the time. Recently however it's like watching a plane take a nosedive toward certain doom in some reef off the coast. After the Nijimura family's matriarch passed on from a mysterious cause nothing seemed to go right.

Disgruntled the Patriarch of the family fiddled around with the bundle of keys he kept on himself. Carefully looking at each one to check if it had the shape of the Key that Unlocked his Middle class home in the quiet town of Morioh. The house itself looked extraordinarily impressive in Comparison to the humble abodes littered throughout this part of town. Time and time again he chuckled, it was a brilliant idea to buy land in this district then have a Victorian looking villa built upon it. The Nijimuras surely did look like the biggest in town. Safe to say he needed everything he could chuckle at right now.

Really he was sort of lucky the Yoshikages still had a monopoly up there in the hills, that old man might have just saved the Father's self-confidence.

He'd prefer not to think about returning to his two kids, Keicho and Okuyasu. He's not feeling too swell right about now, learning from past situations…he just hoped that neither would try to talk to him. He's gotten sick of relieving his Anger upon those two. They're good kids, he shouldn't…it's just so difficult to hold back if they constantly ask about how he is. Can't they see he isn't in the best of Positions right now having to work for his two kids who do nothing at home?

With a satisfying click the door Unlocked, swinging open by itself to reveal the entrance hall in darkness, a purplish haze crawling across the floor. Carefully the man closed the door behind him looking puzzled at the state of his pride and joy. Those Rascals couldn't have done such a thing could they? Upon further investigation he realized that the smoke rolled down from the staircase, this doesn't make sense at all to him.

"Keicho? Okuyasu? Are you playing around again?" Dropping the Keys into a Handcrafted bowl he decided to investigate. He's a man, the patriarch, if not him who would defend his property. Maddened he stomped up the wooden staircase, the creaks of the old material giving in beneath his heavy feet filling the entire entrance hall with that nasty noise.

Once he reached the upper floor everything stopped, the sound of his steps was drowned out under a heavy sense of Tension. The furrowed eyebrows raised along with his eyelids. The once angered man but a few seconds ago had crumbled down, no matter how much the Patriarch went over the facts in his mind this situation was inexplicable. He didn't own anything that created this sheer sense of dread at home, he would have known. What if Keicho or Okuyasu found it and got hurt? He as a father should be the last person to have anything like this.

Out of the Dark a heartful chuckle emerged, posh in Nature. Slowly the man's eyes slid over to the source, his office. A bright glow was leaking out from under the door, the smoke from earlier seemed to flow out of there like a calm sea. Not menacing in itself yet fear inducing at the thought of what lies within.

"O-oi! W-who do you think you are!" It's what he had to do. On a moment's notice he lowered his stance and broke into a sprint toward his office door. He'll use his shoulder to break the door open, hopefully knocking that smug prick behind it out. Mere inches before the door he closed his eyes, bracing for the impact.

The door was sturdier than he thought, on impact the recoil went throughout his entire body. His burly body dropped to the floor instantly, the shock of actually having done it and charging into furniture he paid oh so much for was torture. When he wakes up he better not have suffered a concussion. He has to work tomorrow there's no way around it.

"My, my. What sheer determination to weed out the intruder. Seems like you're just flowing over with pride, no?"

That taunting voice was not the thing he wanted to hear the moment he woke up, slowly but surely he placed his hands down to push himself up. Looking around to find himself in the Office…yet the Door was closed. There were no signs of a near 6 foot man comming through and throwing his entire weight against it. As opposed to the wall on his left. A clear indentation showing the supports keeping the Walls uptight. Paint having crumbled down onto a pile infront of him. With his nice suit stained he got onto his knees…but couldn't go further.

He's scared straight. There was a man sitting in his office chair with one leg crossed over the other giving off an Aura of calmness, all he was clothed in were yellow trousers with a provocative cut. A crotch window which luckily didn't expose anything lewd as he was decent enough to cover up in a sort of Dark skintight singlet. Shadows shrouding his facial features. The man chose not to let the person who's home he invaded answer, instead he took charge. Getting out of the chair, putting a hand on his hip while gaining the posture similar to a candle, standing tall and unwavering. As he moved to stare down at the Patriarch a slight grin forming on his curved lips revealing a pair of fangs within his mouth.

"I do believe we can come to a deal Mr. Nijimura."

Of course Nijimura wouldn't just take a man barging into his home demanding a deal kindly. He had to stand up for himself! Quickly he began to come to his feet, aiming toward the Man in the shadows.

"Just wait you god damn bas-!"

Before he could think about a way to pummel the intruder he found himself back on his knees, clapping comming from the opposite side of the room.

"You're welcome to try as much as you like. It really won't get your oh so precious family business back on the market."

Nijimura froze. How did he know about his business? It wasn't international yet and from the looks of this fellow he's Probably European. Foreigners almost definetley don't know a lot about Japan! Especially Morioh!

"My Business is doing just fine thank you."

Admitting defeat infront of this stranger is the last thing he's going to even consider as a possibility right about now. The man shook his head and reached into a pocket in the inside of his pants, a hand grasped his face as he pulled out an Envelope. An Envelope Nijimura remembers having thrown away once.

"I can tell this Message did arrive as you seem to be in awe about it. Go on, take it."

With that the Envelope lazily fell to the floor like a stone, the humps on the cover only confirm his theory that it's that weird letter sent to his own address from Egypt. Colorful crystals and gems were inside, undoubtedly going for a lot of money on the open market. Nijimura was too stubborn however to accept it. He viewed it as a joke by some enemy he made along the way.

As Nijimura slowly got up he still couldn't look the man in the face without looking up, his physical frame really just added to the immense presence of this person. Not to forget the psychological toll this is taking on him.

Just infront of the Man Nijimura stopped, balling up his hands. His mental fortitude is diminished, yet he's not easily taken down.

"Fuck. Off. A Nijimura doesn't take bribes." He absolutely had it. He stomped forward and thrusted a finger at him.

There it was again, this weird feeling and now the envelope was balanced on top of his finger.

"I believe that a Strong ruler repays his folk for their efforts. The folk on the lower end are glad. Not just because of the reward. But for the Blessing of being able to operate under a powerful leader."

Now, as a reasonable man Nijimura did what any sane person would do. He freaked out, screaming in frustration

"Get out! Get out of my House now! Take your stupid magic tricks away from me you door to door mediocre Trickster!"

He's completely had it. He's going to be absolutely livid, hopefully lay in bed all day so he won't do any harm to his angels. To everything above just let them not meet him right about now, today or tomorrow because he needs to get his frustration out.

"…Dad's screaming again…it'll be alright Oku." Keicho. Nijimura looked over to the closed door in shock. Now this looney knows he's got kids.

"Hm. You're looking sick to death over poor Okuyasu and Keicho, ironic don't you think?"

"How…how do you know their names. Answer me-!"

"Do you really believe you're in the position to order me around? Oh well... I'm kind enough to humor your request. Let's just say in pursuit of my goals I have to do some digging. I have to know people's strengths, their interests…their weaknesses."

"Weaknesses? Wh- what? You have nothing against me!"

"Need I demonstrate my point. I'm not really in the mood to clean blood from my garments."

"N-no please don't hurt them!"

"Now. Now will you listen?"

"Yes! Just don't get them involved alright?"

He's won. Just by mentioning his offspring he managed to turn a proud man into a little bitch quivering at his feet clasping at his Fashionable suspenders. A satisfied grin formed, laying a hand on the other's shoulder.

"All I need from you is Intel. Intel on any Stand user you encounter. In return I will repay you handsomely with gold, gems…maybe even friendship?"

Still puzzled about the whole thing Nijimura looks up, a stand? The man just talked about it as if it were a common occurrence. Was he talking about night stands.

"Oh right, how clumsy of me. You have no clue what a stand is." At that moment a Golden fist appeared over the man's neck and tore out a piece. A tendril comming out from the piece and straight into Nijimuras forehead and into his cranium. It's like a drill at full speed breaking through a piece of cardboard. It was too quick to perceive any pain on the was in but now that it stuck there the Searing pain took over. Immediately he clutched at his forehead and rolled over screaming in agony. Picking at the bud only to have it tighten it's grip, amplifying the pressure inside of his head.

"Call me Lord Dio. Remember the name. Don't you dare mention this event to anybody. I'll make sure your business booms if you keep up your end of the bargain. That's everything you need to know."

Dio stood there, towering over the utterly broken shell of a man. Seemingly relishing in Nijimuras screams of agony. He couldn't surpress a sincere giggle. How amusing that person was. Thinking he could've done anything against the presence that is DIO.

Sending some cronie to take some revenge on this poor sod for ignoring the message was a brilliant idea. The woman wasn't intended to die but really that detail is as important as the knowledge of a Rat shitting on the road in some Backward village in Australia.

Australia…there were tons of Criminals who'd just be heads over tails to join his cause before he went into the casket. Maybe he should go and explore that place next. Just to see what Britain has done in their time with that Filth.

For now though it's time to retreat to America. He's in the mood to visit a good friend of his.

[howdoyouspellepiphany]

The Prophecy

Pairing: Min Yoongi x Park jimin (DemonAU)

Words: 5238 words

Summary: Long ago, the Divines and Fallens received a prophecy that promises their demise in the hands of a mortal that says:

Beautiful as the creature may be, fire doesn’t burn, ice doesn’t freeze, water doesn’t drown and lightning doesn’t destroy.

Now, the demon prince (Min Yoongi) meets a pink-haired waiter (Park Jimin) who looks like heaven and smells like sin. As their relationship blossom, the Divines and Fallens are beginning to wonder about the prophecy.

Warnings: Crude language, mention of weed and alcohol and violence and of course, ignorant author

Note: I kind of know how Tumblr works now. Yay

Previous chapters: Chapter 1  Chapter 2  Chapter 3  Chapter 4  Chapter 6

Chapter 5

Yoongi glares at the ethereal vampire before him. He leans in forward to light a cigarette located in between his lips with the tip of his finger as his eyes never escape hers. There is a briefcase full of Korean Won that Styx had promised she’d convert his savings from Danakes to Won on the side of his foot while the two stares at each other. She has a flimsy outfit on and she clearly hadn’t been to Vivere Corp. today judging on the outfit she has on and the tiny droplets of fresh, ghoul blood on her blood red dress. The pale, much shorter vampire queen before him sits on her desk, cross-legged as she twirls her glass of human blood. Yoongi can tell the blood is expired by the smell but human blood is human blood. Expired or not, vampires still lunge at the opportunity of getting blessed by the exquisite taste.

“What do you say, Yoongi?” She asks, eyes shining red and Yoongi hates it when she thinks she can manipulate him. If Yoongi is agitated, he is doing a darn good job at masking it. He blows the grey smoke at her face and Suran makes a face. “Are you going?”

“You’re telling me that humans are selling mermaids in the underground and none of us knew about it?”

“That’s what my resource told me.” Yoongi makes a face. He doesnt know what Suran is planning but he isn’t playing along.

“Is your resource that dead ghoul’s blood on your dress, noona?” If Suran was nervous, it is evident when she quickly look down to her dress to find two patches of blood on it. 

“He’s not dead yet, Yoongi.” Suran rebuts as she stresses on the last word before his name. The ghoul is darn near that status and Yoongi is very much aware of it. “You don’t have to pretend to be so virtuous in this side of the world. What matters is that everything that belongs to you are being stolen away from you. One, by one.” Suran said, putting her glass down. “And imagine if I didn’t catch that ghoul who had committed treason to you.” Suran knows it’s futile trying to convince Yoongi but she has to at least try once. “One casuality is hardly any difference.”

“A life, is still a life, noona.” Yoongi exhales again before taking a much longer drag.

“Devour and live.” Suran spits it out like venom in her mouth. “That’s the Vescor motto. That’s the motto you build this organisation on. You can’t be sorry for every life taken.”

“What was his crime?” Yoongi mumbles. He really doesn’t want to deal with Suran. She doesn’t think much of other’s lives. To her, it’s all a game of chess. One pawn down, and she takes out her horse.

“He committed lese-majesty to you, Yoongi.”

“Proof?”

“He sided with the humans to capture those mermaids!” Suran tried to keep her tone as believable as possible. If Yoongi knows the real reason why she had caught the ghoul, she would be damned.

“Did he really? He’s a ghoul. Ghouls are hardly afraid of their own food. Can you really believe that a lion is petrified of a lamb?” Yoongi stands up in distaste and throws the cigarette stick on the floor before he stomps on it. Yoongi gives the black-haired woman a glance and makes his way to the door. He makes a mental note to drag Jeongguk to Stockholm (according to Suran) where a mermaid is rumoured to be auctioned off. Yoongi was willing to let the whole fiasco with the ghoul go because he got the information he needed out of it. Suran (as always) have gone out of her way and had done more than she should have. There are times when he appreciates it.

And then there are times like this… When he absolutely despises it. He hates it when she pushes his limits and forgets where she stands. Yoongi doesnt like putting her in her place. It’s usually Jeongguk or Namjoon’s job but at their absence, he has just got to get things done himself.

“You’ve become weak.” Suran said, pushing the glass off the table as it crashes on the ground loudly. Yoongi stares at the thick blood pooling on the brown cashmere carpet as it soaks in the material. “You disgust me. I might as well pledge my loyalty to the boy with green hair.” Yoongi’s eyes turn black at the mention of a certain boy with green hair. When Suran had noticed her little slip, she quickly turned to Yoongi with a naïve wish of it being left unheard.

But that isnt the case. 

Her punishment starts now.

Suran’s eyes are clouded and what she sees is no longer what she recognizes as her room in Vescor but her own personal hell. She recognizes the mansion anywhere as it crumbles down with a whip of the monster’s tail. All her senses are blocked and taken away from her. She is completely in Yoongi’s mercy and the only thing she seem to be able to hear, see and feel is the heat beneath her feet, the screams of her deceased mother, getting bitten to half; still alive by the monster Yoongi is taking the shape of.

The blackness in Yoongi’s eyes had seeped into his blood vessels around his eyes and face, turning them black too. Yoongi has never smiled before but in this form, but he’s smiling now. The smile serves as a goad to Suran, as he puts on a smile that looks eerily similar to a Glasgow smile - the one that is very much similar to how her severed little sister’s head had on. Yoongi’s tongue had turned to that of a snake as he hisses out in distaste. Yoongi’s pale, soft skin turns scaly and his horns had come out of his head. His hands had turned to claws and they are much bigger than his usual pair.

He had turned into her worst nightmare. The creature that resembles a dragon that once killed her mother in front of her when she was at a ripe and tender age of 14.

“Should I just kill you now before you commit lese-majesty to me, Shim Suran?” Even Yoongi’s voice doesn’t sound like him. It sounds cold, void of emotions – void of Yoongi.

“N-No. I would never. You know that.” Suran whispers as she chokes for air. She had royally fucked up and she knows it. “M-My loyalty is only for you.” Suran is running out of air and running out of time. Tears are welling in her eyes and her throat burns. The blood she was drinking are insanely loud thumping in her ears and if it gets any louder, she would really lose her ability to hear. When she blinks, tears stream down like waterfalls as her fingers numbly try to pry his grip from her throat but to no avail. She has never seen Yoongi so pissed before and now that she’s seen it, she’s very sure she doesn’t want to see it any time soon. She would have never thought Yoongi would use her weakness against her.

“What do you know about the green haired boy, Suran?”

“Nothing.” Yoongi tightens his grip. ‘Bullshit’, Yoongi thought. Suran rarely ever opens her mouth if she doesnt have a lead. “I’ve got a name.” She whispered before Yoongi lets his grip around her neck go. Suran drops to the floor, on the pile of blood and shards of glass. She can hardly feel the pain when the glass stuck in her skin as she cries in pain, in sadness and most of all, fear.

For the first time in her life, she fears Min Yoongi.

“Talk.” Yoongi said, in his normal voice as he crouches in front of Suran. He sees how she visibly shakes when he gets too close as she desperately tries to keep her hysteric cries in. Her vision is still clouded behind her tears as she tries to keep herself calm.

“H-He goes by many names.” Suran swallows, keeping her gaze down on the floor, fixated on the blood pooling beneath her. “What I know is that he calls himself Ji.”

Without anymore time to waste, Yoongi stands up as he straightens his jacket. “Clean yourself up and text me the location in Stockholm. I’m leaving with Jeongguk by tomorrow. And please keep in mind that I was being merciful on you. If you cross the line one more time, I won’t hesitate to kill you, Shim Suran.” Yoongi said as he left without a glance or a reply. Suran only lets out choked sobs. She knows she had fucked up and she’s scared. She’s so fucking scared.

One thing she knows is that sleeping is going to be a bitch now that she saw the creature biting her mother into half, all the while the woman was screaming to her for help.

By the time the mint-haired prince leaves Vescor, it was a little over twilight and notices how the moon has made its appearance. The stars were strewn across the vast darkening sky, forming constellations above his head. Yoongi knows what each star meant; he knew the story behind each star as he finds himself staring in disdain. Astraea, the goddess of the stars was once his history tutor. She had taught him the history of man-kind, the Divine and the Fallens. ‘The stars have seen so many things and have lived as long as I’, Yoongi remembers the silver haired goddess said as she continues unravelling the stories that Yoongi doubts are suitable for kids his age. But that’s just how Astraea has always been for the Goddess of the stars have never lied. She isnt one to sugar coat things which makes her the least favourite of all but she managed to become Yoongi’s favourite.

Other than being his tutor, Astraea had also become a story teller. Unbeknownst to those who lives under her stars or to those who lives around them, her stars tells stories differently every night. If he tried hard enough, he would have understood the story of the stars tonight but alas, the light pollution of Seoul had ruined it.

From where he is, he knew what each star is for and how they connect with each other to form shapes and figures like that stupid horse and human hybrid and the maiden, Virgo. Astraea also told him that humans, Divines and Fallens alike are all connected like the stars. They are all just stars in the vast universe, connected to form a constellation by an unseen line. It is similar to the popular Japanese belief – the red string of fate but rather than tangled threads, Yoongi prefers being another star in Astraea’s galaxy; another star to form a much more complicated constellation with a story behind it.

Despite that, the stars have never really stood out to him before for he doesn’t think they’re particularly any special. Rather than being amazed at the stars, it is Astraea whom they should be amazed at.

As Yoongi walks away from Vescor, he overheard a girl telling her lover that she has never understood the stars before until she meets her girlfriend, tracing the freckles on her lover’s cheeks. The other girl had giggled shyly, a warm pink surrounding the pair of lovers. “Your freckles have now formed the constellations of my love.” She said before giving her girlfriend a kiss on the lips. Yoongi doesn’t have anything against same sex lovers but if the lover claims that her girlfriend’s freckles form the constellations of her love, then her love resembles Cetus. He left the pair of lovers be and walks off.

He doesn’t understand the whole stars concept and why humans have the need to ‘fathom them’. They can barely see the stars with all this light pollution and neither can they make out constellations so how can the stars ever be fathomed? They are missing yet another extraordinary story Astraea is trying to tell them from above.  

They are but a ball of gas lightyears away from Earth. They could be scattered all the way around the 9 realms that surround them and he still thinks its shit.

Rather than the stars, the ruby earrings he’s going to buy for Jin as a gift of reconciling are much prettier.

And so, Yoongi had ended up buying the ruby earrings for Jin and a sapphire necklace for a particular boy whose smile makes his eye disappear into small crescent behind his cheeks.

But when the prince got home, he had changed his mind and gave the sapphire necklace to his little brother instead.

“You got me a gift?” Jeongguk asks, bewildered. It isnt like Yoongi had never spoiled him with gifts before. Instead, Yoongi had given Jeongguk mountains of jewellery – jewellery that came from the finest stones of Infernum some of which Yoongi doesn’t wear. It isnt a secret that his little brother likes being pretty. It isnt a secret that Yoongi likes watching his little brother being all pretty wearing the stones he gave him. But this time, it’s different for the mint-haired prince had bought Jeongguk a very expensive, very much not what Jeongguk would wear – a sapphire necklace. It freaked the younger out. Nevertheless, Yoongi knows that Jeongguk will keep it on anyways.

“You can do whatever the fuck you want to do with it. I don’t care.”

“For whom did you originally buy it for?” Yoongi keeps quiet as he hands the other box to Namjoon who is on his supercomputer with his glasses on.

“Give this to Jin-hyung wont you?” The prince said as he lays on the floor. Yoongi has been walking all around Seoul for the right type of stone and quality to buy for his best friend. He knows that if he were to buy Jin a pair of shitty quality ruby earrings, the latter would have thrown the gift away, thinking it was an insult on Yoongi’s side and that’s the last thing the prince wants.  

“Yoongi-hyung! Tell me!” Yoongi groans at the sparkly eyed Jeon jeongguk.

“Stop being a nosy brat and fuck off.” The oldest demon said without much venom to it. “Anyway, what are you doing tomorrow?”

“I’m obviously helping out at ‘Bunga’ tomorrow. Jesus knows how Hoseok-hyung has been putting up.” Jeongguk laughs mainly to himself as the younger disappears to the kitchen.

“Accompany me to Sweden tomorrow.”

“Why?” Jeongguk asks in the kitchen as he presses the button on the kettle and the sound of water boiling fills the house.

Namjoon stopped working for a while as he stares at the computer screen. “Guk-ah!”

“Yes, Namjoon-hyung?” The younger is rummaging the cabinet for some ramyeon. When the younger found it, he smiles in victory.

“Are you makng ramyeon?”

There is a small silence as the younger hesitated on answering. When he realises it’s futile to lie to his brothers, he answers with a dejected sigh. “Yes.”

“Make some for me.” Jeongguk stares at the 5 packet-ramyeon in his hands and frowns. He had planned to eat all 5 alone long before he had gone to the Mediterranean and long before the two came back from Infernum.

“No.”

“Come on, kid. Please.” Namjoon had resumed working as he got into the deep web, finding for information brokers that may help him and Jackson find a boy with green hair.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Just make him the god damn ramyeon.” Yoongi had been listening quietly to the conversation and he was getting frustrated. He wants some too.

“Do you want one too?” Jeongguk grumbles from the kitchen, mumbling something incoherently under his breath.

“Not if you put in weird ass things.” Jeongguk was about to put in the liver of a human who has never drank or taken any drugs he bought at a high price on his way back from the Mediterranean. He wraps it properly and hid it in the back of the freezer, hopefully his elder brothers don’t realise it.

The first time the two older demons had asked the younger to make ramyeon for them, the younger had put in human teeth, eye balls, and a few other unidentified organs into the ramyeon for ‘extra flavour’.

‘Kid’s got issues.’ Yoongi said once to Namjoon, pushing the bowl away. Yoongi has never been one to be fond of organs. Especially not human organs.

‘We need to make him stop hanging out with Suran-noona.’ Namjoon thought, pushing the eyeball around in the ramyeon as they watch the younger gulp down his portion of the ramyeon. Namjoon had stabbed the eye out as he licks his lower lip in delight. The kid at least gave him a blue coloured eye.

“I won’t. I’m over that phase. Although I might put in those blue eyes Namjoon-hyung likes.” Yoongi stopped talking. He knows how much Namjoon likes the sweet blue eyes and he couldn’t bring himself to say no to even that.

Ah, Jeon jeongguk had truly grown. Much selfless now than when he was still a little brat.

“Gukkie, surely you’ve heard of a mermaid.” Yoongi answers, his arm over his eyes.

“It’s just a rumour, hyung. Surely you don’t believe it. How can humans capture the mermaid so easily? They swim fast and are stronger than 3 men combined.” Jeongguk asks from the kitchen. “They’ll get out on their own. They’re strong enough to bend steel. Even Jin-hyung aren’t strong enough to do that.”

“It isnt a rescue mission, Guk.” Yoongi said as he makes a face. That’s not what they’re going for. “Suran told me that the said kidnapped mermaid is the only eye witness to the huge massacre of the People of Poseidon a week ago.” Yoongi hears a soft ‘ah’ from the kitchen. Surely jeongguk must have caught up. His main goal isnt rescuing a damsel in distress. His main goal to find out who the little fuck who had gone out of his way to lay a hand on the People of Poseidon. And if the mermaid cooperates, he will let her go but if she refuses, then Yoongi has no business with her and what happens afterwards is free game.

“Yeah, okay. I can get it done.” Jeongguk said and almost immediately, Yoongi hears his little brother calling someone on the phone. The blonde young demon didn’t have to wait long. His call is picked up by the first ring and a sharp ‘yes’ is heard.

“It’s me. We’re coming.” Jeongguk said in Swedish fluently and he had hung up the same time the kettle went off.

Yoongi finds himself awake still awake on the floor of the living room where he had originally laid on as soon as he got home. He is aware of the water dripping noisily onto the dirty dishes jeongguk had promised to do after they had done eating a few hours ago. The said demon is deep asleep, still wearing the sapphire necklace Yoongi had given him earlier. Namjoon is snoring at this point, the light from his computer is the only light source in the room apart from Seoul’s light seeping into the room.

He doesn’t know why it feels very nostalgic to hear water dripping as he lays on the cold floor. It feels like he has been in this position for so many times it feels like his body is accustomed to feeling like that. And all of a sudden, his heart beat increases. It feels like someone is coming, someone is watching him and someone is out to hurt him.

But who?

He is the most powerful one. He is the prince of Infernum. Who dares to come up against the prince of darkness himself? He is Hades’s son. His very name elicits fear and his presence smother people.

Yoongi pulls himself into a sitting position and the first thing he sees is the brown piano next to the balcony. It feels like the moon is goading him for the shine on the run-down piano seems to be more prominent than any other surface in the area. He suddenly feels a sense of loss and want and things he doesn’t understand anymore. He has never felt this way before so why is he feeling all this gush of emotions all at once at a time like this.

He runs his fingers through his mint hair in frustration. “Ah fuck.” The demon gathers himself off the floor and makes his way to the door without his jacket.  He isnt sure what he wanted but he knows he needs to get out from the house. It makes him feel smothered to be in that house. The piano, the floor, the water dripping. Everything. It feels too real to be an imagination and too vague for it to be a memory.

Yoongi found himself buying some alcohol and some weed he had bought from a pusher at an incredibly high price for such a shitty grade for an equally shitty excuse of it being a weekend. He had rolled it himself and lighted it up as he walks towards the Hangang Park with the bottle in hand and a smoke in between his lips. He had wanted to just release some air and hopefully to be alone but what he find are couples snuggling into each other. It’s at least 2 in the morning and humans are still up and about. If only they know the other creatures lurking in the night, waiting to devour them.

He did find it, at a place where there’s hardly any lights around and away from the Han River. He had finished his second smoke and was rolling a third joint when he came across a remote area from the noisy park filled with light and sight pollution.

What he didn’t expect is to find a pink-haired boy with in a blue wool sweater on the bench, sitting with his legs near his chest as he stares up in the sky. Yoongi wants to approach him but how does he do that without looking like a creep? There isnt a better way to do so and he thought he’d just find another place. Besides, it’s not smart to be in a place where there isnt anyone around them as witness. Yoongi would have lost control at Jimin’s scent considering he hasn’t been sleeping around after Ken had turned to Jimin that night.

To Yoongi’s surprise, just as he was about to turn around and leave, a figure whose existence he hasn’t noticed coughed a tad bit loudly, meeting Yoongi’s steel blue eyes in fear before scrambling away. And this time, those deep blue eyes are swimming in fear when he notices that yoongi had noticed him in the same sweater from earlier and the spots of dark red only deepens. The boy with dark blue eyes only gave one look at the pink-haired boy before leaving his spot behind the thick bushes that the park provides. Yoongi couldn’t help but notice that the boy is paler than this morning. What happened to him in a short period of time? Why isnt he in Aphrodite?

Yoongi wanted to leave along with the boy when Jimin turns around to find the mint-haired prince with a surprised look before fading into a soft smile. Although the face he has on is a friendly one, his eyes are searching – wondering. When the pink-haired boy’s brown eyes finally meet his, he gave Yoongi a more honest smile – a smile that’s different from all the times he had on when he was in the café. It feels sincere, raw and Jimin. It didn’t meet his eyes but at least it reflects the emotions he was feeling. When his usual white turns to a melancholic blue, Yoongi replies his smile and clears his throat. What was Yoongi supposed to do? Leave? The prince lights the joint in between his lips using a lighter he brought around for show as he exhales out a puff of smoke.

“Fancy seeing you here.” Jimin said and Yoongi scoffs, sitting next to the pink-haired boy on the bench. He takes a deep drag and exhales away from Jimin and before he can throw it on the ground and stomp on it, Jimin had taken it from his grasp and places it in between his lips. “It’s puff, puff pass.” The boy mumbles as he takes a puff and exhales as he watches how the grey smoke fade into the night sky. The effects must have slowly kicked in after he finished the joint by himself whilst the prince watches with the corner of his eye. “Why are you here at this hour?”

“Wish I could ask you the same question.”

“Too bad I asked you first, right?” Jimin said teasingly as he takes in the final drag and throws it on the ground and stomps it with the heel of his Converse. Yoongi smirks at the reply as he shrugs.

“I couldn’t sleep. It feels smothering to be in the house.” The prince had leaned into the bench and looked up in the sky to find stars shining over their heads. It’s much easier now to see the stars without the artificial lights blinding it.

Jimin nods in response. When he opens his mouth, Yoongi prays that the younger doesn’t give his insight. He doesn’t want a reply or a response on how they’ve been there and try to make it better. He just couldn’t sleep. It’s not that deep. And his prayers must have been heard by someone because Jimin had replied the answer to his question. “I am waiting for someone.”

‘Ah, that’s why he was looking for someone when he saw me.’ Yoongi stays quiet, not wanting to press on the matter. If he wants to talk, he will.

“I used to have a best friend,” Jimin starts, staring into the sky too. “we used to meet each other here every night at 2. It was the time when it was the calmest and this is the only place in Seoul where the stars can be seen.” Yoongi wonders if the best friend Jimin was waiting for was already there but for some reason flee away when his cover was blown.

“Does he ever show up?” Yoongi asks and Jimin shakes his head.

“At this point, I’m just hoping. I mean I’ve been waiting for years. He never once showed up. I guess he thinks I’m mad.” Jimin chuckles before his lips form a thin, grim line. “I am still mad but he’s my best friend.” Yoongi stays quiet as he wonders what the best friend had done to make such a sweet person like Jimin mad. “Sorry, I’m rambling.” He apologises with an awkward laugh and Yoongi looks at him. He’s not sorry. The both of them knows it as the human boy reaches out for his cheek and strokes it backwards till his fingers find his nape.

“It’s fine. If there’s something you want to vent, let it out. The stars will keep them safe and I’ll remember it.”

“Stars.” He said, running his fingers through his pink locks. When he breathes out and the wind gently blows, Yoongi’s nose caught on an extra substance that he has been ignoring. The smell of booze. Jimin has been drinking. But of course, his scent masks it out easily. Yoongi had to control his breathing and not breathe in too much. He might get intoxicated in Jimin’s scent and that won’t be the wisest thing to let happen. “I guess that’s what he is.”

By the end of the night, Yoongi had concluded that Jimin is the sun, his ex-boyfriend is the moon and the best friend is the stars.

It was a tale of love, friendship and heart break.

The two couple are the sun and the moon that lights up everyone’s sky, who loves each other so dearly, their love blinds all; including themselves. They love hard and fast but fate had been cruel to the pair of lovers.

It is never up for debate that Jimin is the one who had given the moon its light – the warmth, the euphoria and love. In turn, before, the moon had reciprocated his feelings as well.

And then sun had given another gift to moon; one that he regrets forever.

He had given moon his stars.

He had introduced the moon to the stars and all of a sudden, the moon was seen with the stars and they’re the duo that lights everyone’s dark days.

And there’s no longer light and love in the moon’s gaze. Only burnt out love and a forgotten passion for the stars that had become his new sun.

Yoongi had watched how Astraea’s stars had moved according to the story and he knows at the back of his mind the goddess had accounted the story told by the boy next to him. It was a secret shared by only the three of them and the rest are being swept by the wind so no one will ever know.

It was dawn when Yoongi walk Jimin back home.

The younger had let Yoongi walk him home with his head on Yoongi’s shoulder, making the prince lose his grip on his thin thread of control a couple of times before he held onto it twice harder. Yoongi isnt sure why he refuses to just take what he wanted. He has always been good at that. He could have just kidnapped the pink-haired boy and do whatever the fuck he wanted to do to him but for some reason, he doesn’t want that. He doesn’t want to hurt Jimin. It may be because he reminds him of his best friend, Yaksoku or he makes great coffee. He doesn’t know which but he’s not going to hold back the moment Jimin asks for it.

“We’re here.” Yoongi mumbles, nudging the younger boy a little.

“Can we walk around the complex again?” Jimin asked and Yoongi really couldn’t say no despite walking around the complex and taking a few detours for the third time now.

“You need to sleep.”

“But I feel safe and warm with you. Besides, the necklace always showed me pretty colours when it’s around you.” Jimin whines.

“I thought it freaked you out.”

“It’s pretty.” Jimin yawns. “Can we please walk around one last time?”

“Alright, one more time and I’m leaving.”

“Okay.” Jimin wasn’t lying. He really thinks the colours the necklace shows are pretty. By this time, he already has a few favourite ones. Jimin isnt an idiot. He is far from that. He had been the class president throughout the years he was in high school and had always managed to get nothing less than 90% on his tests. He knows that no matter how weird it is, the necklace somehow is connected to Yoongi. It doesn’t make any sense to him and Science couldn’t be used to explain it but he remembers vaguely that Yaksoku had told him that the necklace was given to understand her friend better but when did Yoongi ever gave her the necklace? She had it on even before he stayed with her.

When Yoongi nudges him again, Jimin pouts and looks up to the male. “Keep your promise.” Yoongi said and Jimin stays quiet as he scans Yoongi’s features. The man before him couldn’t be a day over 30 so why is the necklace reacting so much with him? Maybe he was wrong and the necklace isnt reacting to Yoongi. It was probably someone else. “Jimin?” Yoongi calls out, frowning.

Jimin wanted to try the hypothesis but maybe later when they’re more acquainted with one another. “Will you be coming to the Promise Café today?” Jimin asks and Yoongi flashes the human his infamous gummy smile as he ruffles Jimin’s hair.

“I’ll drop by.” Yoongi promises and Jimin feels a nostalgic warmth creeping up in his heart.

“I’ll take that as a promise to make you a banana chocolate milkshake and a cup of coffee.” Jimin smiles as the prince mumbles an ‘ok’ as he stays put and watches the pink-haired boy walk into his meagre apartment.

Yoongi was about to leave when Jeongguk had called his phone.

“Hyung, we have a problem. Styx-noona had reached out to me in a hurry. The New Rule of Infernum had walked into the castle and he has an army with him.”

Chapter 6

[sending-the-message]

Charity or Ransom? “Just $5.00 a day can save a hungry child in need.” by xSammy13x

“Just $5.00 a day can save a hungry child in need.”

The commercial informed those in the sub shop. No one paid it any attention, continuing with their meals. Malnourished children flashed across the screen, looking sad and desperate.

“P-Please…donate today.” One of the children said staring with dead eyes into the camera; voice cracked, and weak.

It’s the ice cream truck music playing from a hidden source that signals them. It was the secret warning of the day. Get inside. Now. Don’t stop for anything. Don’t stop for anyone. Run. Hide. Wait for the next signal.

I snatch my brother by the arm, just as he is reaching out for me. He’s three years my junior. Three long years he would have to deal with this fear without me; though, if I had my say, I would share it with him and my parents always.

We rush full speed back to the house. We don’t stop for those who were not in on the hidden message. The poor sods who continued to swing on their swings, or playing in the sprinklers on their lawns. It was sad at first, and there was still a twinge of guilt there as they went about their day, but as long as it wasn’t them, then I could be okay…

The black truck first went down Winslow Drive. It stopped, to shrills and pleas of no, as they snatched up young Selena Miller, and her cousin April.

My brother and I stumbled into the old, repurposed bomb shelter in our backyard. It was built close to our oak tree, and was often covered as innocently as possible in leaves, toys, and other rubbish. The top of the shelter looked like a sprinkler head in the ground. If you pulled that up, it lifted a piece of grass, where the trap door was that lead inside.

It had been built by my grandfather. He wasn’t exactly a prepper, per se, but he was certainly always prepared for the worst whether it be a storm, or…

The other vans and trucks started coming then. Twenty in total. They were flying down streets, causing people to grab their children and make a run for it. Those without kids, or just old enough themselves to no longer be victims could only watch. Those just old enough not to worry, still violently flinched as the men and women jumping out of the vans in their grey jumpsuits passed them, or found themselves instinctively running away.

Others, they just stood there with a numbness to it all. Why fear something you have no reason to fear? They never had a reason to be scared of these people, and if they never had children, they never would. And then, was the last group. The sickening grins plastered to their faces as they watched the events unfold. Their numbers were the smallest, but they were growing every day. To them, this was a sport. Sometimes, you could see them making bets on who would be taken today.

“J-Just read a book or something. Play one of your games. Should hear something soon.” I tell my brother, as make it down into the shelter.

God bless my grandfather. It wasn’t what you pictured when you first heard the words: bomb shelter. It was more of a proper underground one story house. If my father had anything to say about it, in the next few years, it would be two. He just had to be slow and subtle about it. Couldn’t draw any attention to what he was doing until we were old enough.

“I think I know the routine by now.” My brother sasses me, and I don’t mind. It feels normal, you know? No fear.

“Three more years of this shit.” I tell him, shaking my head, and throwing myself on to couch as he sets himself up in the chair, and turns on his spare Xbox 360. His newer Xbox One safely setup in his bedroom.

“Six months, for you.”

“No.” I shake my head, and turn to look him in the eyes. “Three more years.”

“No! No! Please! Not my only son! Please!” Mrs. Spencer was screaming, reaching out frantically for her son, arms wailing helplessly in the air. Her husband was holding her back, as a woman in a jumpsuit carried off her two-month-old she had just taken from the woman’s stroller. “I’ll pay! I’ll pay up! Please! Please!”

“Now, now, Mrs. Spencer. You know we can’t trust you not to default on your liens again.” The woman holding her infant informed her.

“Not my boy! Please! You already got my three girls, plea-”

“Mother.” Another woman appeared then, stepping down out of the back of the van, causing her to gasp, and for Mr. Spencer’s grasp on her to tighten in surprise. “Be. Quiet.”

“Katlynn!” Relief washed over her as she said this. She had only seen her in commercials, briefly, in the background, for the passed seven years. She barely recognized her. So much taller. Leaner. Blonde hair cropped short from the long, flowing curls she once kept it in.

“He is coming with us, mother.”

“Wha- no! Katie, no!” She pleaded, breaking free from her husband, and running to her eighteen-year-old daughter. “You c-can’t! You know how they-”

“Please. If you cared so much about any of us, you would’ve paid.”

“There were three of you taken! We couldn’t afford to get you all o-”

There was a loud crack in the air as Mrs. Spencer was smacked so hard by her daughter, she fell back to the ground at her husband’s feet clutching her bright red, and bleeding cheek.

Katlynn surveyed the front lawn. It had been so long since she had seen it. She almost expected it to be exactly the same. Almost. What she didn’t expect was the brand new car in the drive way, or the above ground pool she could make out sticking up slightly above the back fence.

“Do you remember when I was first taken, mother?”

“W-What?” Mrs. Spencer was holding her bleeding cheek. “Of course I do!”

“When I was first taken, it was only $3 a day. Remember? I do. I had been saving my allowance in secret for years before Amanda and Emma were taken. I had almost $60 dollars saved. I wanted to buy myself that ridiculous Barbie playset at first, and then it was some horse stable thing…it doesn’t matter, really…the point was, after they were taken, I knew I had at least a month’s worth of money saved to keep me safe, and do you remember what you said?”

Mrs. Spencer remained silent, and Mr. Spencer took a small step backwards away from her, causing her to look back at him with wide, terrified eyes over her shoulder.

“When they came for me, just like this…I stood up on those very front steps right there, and pulled the money out of my pocket- I never went anywhere without it, you see. Scared shitless. I’d seen the commercials. I knew if I had some money, they’d leave me alone…and you said- oh, I’ll never forget it, you said- ‘thank you, dear. I’ll put this away with the money we’re saving up for your sisters.’ I couldn’t believe it. I had twenty days worth of money saved up, and you just…you pushed me towards them. ‘Go on now, honey. Tell your sisters we said, hello. Tell them to be good. Tell them, we’ll be seeing you all soon. For Christmas.’ Tell me, mother…which Christmas was that, exactly.”

She walked briskly up to her, placing her dark black work boot on her chest, forcing her into the ground. If anyone put up a fight, they were allowed to use lethal force, if necessary. As far as she was concerned, she was being far nicer to her pathetic excuse for a mother than she ever deserved.

“I remember it was only a dollar a day, when Amanda and Emma were taken…I really believed you were bringing us home. I was shocked you were sending me away, but I mean…a dollar a day, mother! A measly $365 a year, mother! Do you know what that means, mother? Less than ten grand…you could’ve had your twins back, for less than ten grand.” She stomped her steel toed boot down in her ribs, and the woman below her let out a scream of pain as something audibly cracked.

“Now, I knew that the price had changed, and to get me back in your life, would be the same price for what it would’ve cost to get them back…and you know what? If you had gotten them out, or even one of us…I could have forgiven you. I could have said to myself that you were trying. You were trying to find the money, and pay for us to come back…but you never did…and I had to watch…” Katlynn took a deep breath threw her nose, closed her eyes, and tried to collect herself. She failed. Her left cheek was twitching with a pent up rage she had known for years, but in only the last two months had been allowed to explore. “I had to watch them die, when you stopped paying even daily fees. Not you!” She brought her foot down on her mother’s chest again, but switched to her face when her sharp cries got to be too grating. “Just…just so you could have another kid?” She was laughing harshly, manically. A loud thud and sickening squishing sound were accenting every other word. Blood was spraying every which way now. “You…you fucking bitch! WHY COULDN’T YOU LEARN? WHY DIDN’T YOU SAVE US?!” She kicked her in the face now, over, and over, and over, while her father and the others watched on…

“You don’t have to keep hiding with me once you’re too old to be hunted.”

I was almost nodding off as my brother spoke. I lifted my forearm up off my face, and cracked an eye open. “The fuck are you talking about? Of course I do.”

“Why?” He hadn’t even paused his game to look back at me. His eyes were fixed on the TV screen in front of him. “Once you hit eighteen, you’re too old. They don’t care anymore.”

“So?”

“So…what’s the point? Seems kinda stupid to spend a few hours a day hiding down here in a box.”

“Not a bad looking box, though. Like a first apartment. Even got fake windows, for Christ’s sake.”

It was true. Grandpa first had window panes with pictures of bright sunny skies in them, green grass, the whole nine yards…dad on the other hand took it a step further and replaced them with digital frames, and a new weather played out over the course of the day and tried to match up as best as it could with what was actually happening outside.

“I guess so…”

“You could take your first girlfriend down here. Maybe get laid.” I pause. “I should take a girl down here and get laid…or a guy. Honestly, just getting laid seems fun, at this point.” I laugh, and sit up on the couch, staring at the back of my brother’s head.

“You think I’ll ever get a girlfriend?” The question was genuine, which was upsetting to me. I had thought he may crack a joke about me being a lesbian, or just surprised I had admitted to him that I was a bit bi curious, but no. He was more interested in whether he would have the normalcy of something as a girlfriend.

“Of course. I’m sure there are plenty of girls, in plenty of bomb shelters for you to fool around with.”

He silently shook his head, but I could see the corners of his mouth pull into a small smile.

“Thanks.”

“Any time, nerd.”

“No, seriously…thank you…for…for saying you’ll keep coming down here with me.”

“…any time, Jay, any time…” I reach out and gently ruffle my brother’s ginger hair.

“Just $5.00 a day can save a hungry child in need…”

The commercial always played more when they were out getting kids. It was a reminder. Pay up, or this could be your child. It was someone’s child.

“P-Please…donate today.”

“THEY’RE IN THE PARKING LOT!” A man’s voice broke through the air, interrupting Mr. William’s 6th grade math class, causing a lot of screaming. It was summer, sure, but these kids were there practicing. Studying. If they got caught, they would need it. Some of them were going to need it now.

Several black vans opened up, and began making their way into the school, to the panic of the students inside. They were coming earlier and earlier every day, Mr. William’s sighed to himself, set down his dry erase marker, and sat dejectedly in his seat.

“J-Just…just remember your times tables. You’ll be alright. Ask…ask the older kids for help, if you need it. Some of you have siblings- cousins there…they can help.”

He had been taken himself as a child. He was only twenty three. He could have become a Snatcher. He couldn’t become a Snatcher. He decided to teach. To help.

“Please, I’m so hungry…” The child in the commercial informed the camera. “Mommy…Daddy…please…send money. Send help. Help me. Help me. I don’t want to be here anymore.”

“Mommy, please. Just two thousand more, and I can come home. Sell the house. Mommy.” Another child took over.

“Daddy, please. I know I’m okay, but the other kids…they need help. You gotta donate for them too, daddy.” A cleaner boy came onto the camera.

If he had been there long, it was hard to tell from just looking at him. Any signs he had been would have to be from the length of time he started showing up in commercials. The sickest and frailest were always the first to be shown, they were the reminders. The ones like him, they were there to show if you obeyed the rules, your child would be fine. He was fine…in terms of health, at least. Mentally, he wouldn’t be sure if anyone at the facility was fine.

It was dinner time. The children at the, Darwin’s School for a Better Tomorrow, were separating into their normal lines. They had their vouchers in hand, to trade for food. If their parents paid the full $5.00 a day fee, they had blue tickets. If their parents paid over, they got gold, and a number printed on it to show what they could spend. If they had red, their parents paid something, but not quiet the full amount. Children whose parents had paid nothing, or had no extra money remaining, got nothing. They were forced to sit and watch the others eat.

If someone wanted to share, it was a risk, but not absolutely forbidden. It was, however, questioned and scrutinized. Why feed the weak? What does sympathy get you? Your parents aren’t paying for them, they barely paid for you! Sometimes, it wasn’t worth listening to the berating. It could go on for hours. And so, children starved…

The only saving grace to those whose parents were too poor to pay for them daily, were those who accomplished high grades. If you were in the top ten in your classes, and needed to, you could trade grades for food. Classes were a harsh competition. So many little geniuses cramped into one place, all in the name of a better tomorrow…

“…can I get some of your chips? If…if you give me just one or two, and Billy gives me one or two grapes…”

“No.” The ten-year-old girl replied confidently. There was no way she was sharing. She had earned these chips. She had no family on the outside to sponsor her.

“Please.”

“No.”

“Give me some of your fucking chips.” The thirteen year old boy demanded, standing up in his seat now, to stare threatening down at his classmate. This was forbidden. Asking for food and sharing it was one thing, but violence and threats were another, and treated harshly.

“Mason! What have we told you about this?” The voice called through the room, causing the entire lunchroom to stop talking instantly. Everyone tensed up, and froze, only their eyes moving to see what was happening, if they dared watch at all.

“But- no! Please! I-I’m just so damn hungry! Please!”

Mason had been a portly boy when he was taken. He was slower than all his friends had been. He was now skin and bones, and was almost always a figure seen on the commercials begging for aid.

“We’ve warned you twice! Twice! You know the rules. No food. One week. Listen up!” Whether they were watching the scene unfold before, everyone in the room swiftly turned their heads in the direction of the Director. He was a hulking, burly balding man with glasses. “No one is to share food with Mason. If you do, you will share in his punishment, and be graded on a curve for the rest of the semester! Twenty points off! Understand me?”

Two points could cost you a meal. Hell, one could. Once, a girl missed dinner by half a point, for not properly showing her work in math. She died that week…

“No! No! This is bullshit! Bullshit!” Mason reached out, grabbing as much food as he could from the other plates, and throwing them into his mouth.

“Mason! Mason! You stop it this instant!” The Director shouted at him, and he signaled for some of the guards to go and get him. “Mason!”

“Fuck you, you balding fuck!” Mason replied, mouth full of anything he could get his hands on. “You can’t do this! You can’t do this! My family will hear about this!”

“If your family cared about you at all, they’d have paid for you. They want you to die in here, you disgusting, ignorant slob.” The Director hissed coldly as the guards dragged Mason out of the room. He was headed to detention. You didn’t want to head to detention. It was solitary confinement. A dark cell. No lights. No bed. There wasn’t even a toilet. You had to be taken there…if you were lucky. It was secretly called, damnation, amongst the students. “They wanted you to learn something in here! Become a useful member of society! What are you all staring at? EAT! Or no one eats!”

“You think…you think if we ever get taken, dad will have enough to get us out?”

“…yeah. Yeah, I would think so.” He spent enough on the shelter, which made me think he must have extra money squirrelled away. He always had told us he wouldn’t make us stay there.

“You think it’s as bad as the commercials make it look?”

“No…no, I mean…that’s…those kids gotta be dumb as shit. Or like…their parents gotta be super poor. You gotta figure, right now…a year is only $1825, right? You can bang that out easy, if you need to…take out a loan, or…or sell yourself. Something. Do that a few times, and the whole thing gets paid up. Hell, Mr. Hallworthy? He doesn’t even have kids, and he pays, too. So…so that money has to go somewhere. Has to help some of them in there.”

“I guess so…that makes sense.” My brother nods. “I think I’ll help them, too…when I’m old enough.”

“Me too, man…me, too.”

A dog barking through the intercom caught our attention. Our parents were home. That was the signal we could come out. Never anything that could be intercepted, telling us we could come out. They didn’t even want to draw attention to our hiding spot by having them come out to the yard and get us. We didn’t want to be caught.

“Finally. Save up. Let’s get the fuck out of here,” I tell my brother, standing up off the couch and stretching in place.

There was another exit that lead into the basement of the house, but it was under the washer. It could only remain hidden if someone closed it over us. And it only opened from this side if we approved it.

It was a hell of a system. Exhausting. But it worked. And sure, sometimes the Snatchers only took one or two kids at a time. Not like today. No, the rules were simple:

1. You were always better in groups, and with someone you could outrun.

2. Know your surroundings. You were better off near a hiding spot.

3. You were better off if your parents saved money to pay the upfront fees to keep you from being taken.

4. Don’t. Get. Caught.

The Snatchers sometimes wouldn’t come for a week or more, but they always came, and we always hid…we were never caught.

[vivaciouswordsmith]

look an update

Finally got around to finishing Chapter 11 of Four-Legged Fiend! Man, it has been a weird couple of months since graduation, plus my graduation gift was a PS4, and I’ve been working on a super ultra mega secret project for RTX, so...yeah, didn’t work on my fic all that much.

As always, you can read it here or beneath the cut. Enjoy!

Somehow, Los Santos managed to lose much of its ghetto look at sunset. 

It could have been the way the shadows concealed the cracks in the concrete and the half legible graffiti. Maybe it was the lack of gunshots and running feet echoing through the streets. Perhaps it was the way the natural slimy underbelly of the city lay down in its mire and let the people breathe for a few moments. Whatever it was, the change was start, and for many residents, most welcome.

Jeremy spent a good deal of the walk trying to slow Ryan down, but it was no use. The wolfdog was determined to go his own way, and Jeremy’s shoulder was throbbing by the time he stopped resisting. The apartment building faded into the darkening horizon, and Jeremy was led into unfamiliar streets.

Nearly an hour of walking later, Ryan finally stopped in his tracks. Jeremy rubbed his upper arm and looked around. He blinked several times. No, his eyes were definitely not lying. They were in a park. There were trees rustling in the wind and grass crunched beneath his feet. Ryan snuffled at the roots of a sapling before turning and lifting his leg. Jeremy politely deflected his gaze to a nearby sign with “Mirror Park” written on it in bold green letters.

“Did you really drag me all the way here to piss on a tree?” he asked. Ryan finished his business and walked back over to Jeremy. His eyes briefly flicked over Jeremy’s torso and arms before locking onto his face. He swallowed, disconcerted by the intensity in those two blue eyes. “Sometimes I swear to God you’re going to open your mouth and blow my fucking mind.”

The wolfdog yawned.

“Very funny.”

Ryan then tugged on the leash, and Jeremy followed him through the park. No-one else was there at this ungodly hour, but even so, Jeremy eyed the growing shadows dubiously. The grass crunched beneath his feet, Ryan panted just a little bit, and a light breeze rustled the leaves on the oak trees. He stumbled when they happened upon a small hill, but regained his balance and ascended without further problems. Once they reached the top, Ryan spun around in a few circles and laid down in the grass. He gave Jeremy a pointed look, and then looked down at a patch of grass near his hindquarters. Jeremy snorted, but complied and sat down.

It might not be as quiet as other cities, but Los Santos had one problem that was universal. When Jeremy looked up at the sky, it was nearly impossible to see the stars. The brightest did their best to pierce through the city’s skyline, but the others were drowned out completely. Still, they did their best, and Jeremy could appreciate that. Ryan put his paws into Jeremy’s lap, and Jeremy lifted a hand and scratched the back of the wolf’s head.

He didn’t know how long they sat there and watched the stars. It had to have been a while, because when a car drove by, he barely noticed it, but he did notice when someone stomped up to him and practically screamed, “Finally! There you are!” He nearly jumped out of his skin, while Ryan barked and leaped to his feet.

Geoff, at the very least, managed an embarrassed smile and a shrug. “Sorry. Thought you guys saw me comin’ towards you.”

“No,” Jeremy panted, “I didn’t. Jesus.”

Geoff laughed a bit and paced in place. A few moments passed. Ryan growled and tugged at the hem of Geoff’s jacket. His left forepaw edged worryingly towards Jeremy’s junk. Geoff coughed. Ryan yanked down on Geoff’s jacket, and the crime boss ended up flat on his ass with a curse.

“Uh…sorry, I probably shoulda…um. Sorry,” said Jeremy.

“It’s not a problem. He would’ve found a way to do it anyway.” Geoff settled in the grass and frowned at the slobber soaking his jacket. “Asshole.”

They were silent again for a good few minutes.

“So, uh, I, uh, we, I mean, we’re not exactly a smooth crew, you know?”

Jeremy blinked. “What?”

Geoff huffed. “We’re fucking criminals, all right? We’re abrasive and horrible and shit. None of us mean anything by it.”

“Oh, the short stuff? I kinda figured.” Jeremy shrugged. “I’ve heard it all before, so I’m used to it by now.”

Geoff blinked. “Huh?”

“Something up?”

“I, uh, I thought you, um, I thought you stormed out because you were mad.”

“No, I stormed out because I thought Ryan would tear my fucking arm off if I didn’t.”

“God, I know what you mean. When he wants something, you fucking give it to him.” Geoff patted Ryan’s flank, and laughed when the pup gave him a withering look. “You’re a spoiled bitch and you know it.”

They both laughed, and much of the tension between them faded into the darkness. Ryan huffed and rolled off their laps. In the distance, a siren wailed. Ryan’s ears twitched. Then he sat back on his haunches, lifted his muzzle to the sky, and howled. Jeremy winced, and then, to his amazement, realized he was trying to mirror the wail of the siren.

“Goddammit, you see, this is why I wanted a penthouse as far off the fucking ground as possible. Do you know how many fucking heists we had to do half-asleep because of this dickhead?” Geoff poked the wolf’s furry side. “I’ll tell you. Too many. Too fucking many.”

“Is…is it a wolf thing, or?”

“We looked it up, and apparently it is. He’s lucky he’s cute, otherwise I’d have tossed him out on his hairy ass a long time ago.” The siren finally faded into silence, and Ryan finished howling. His ears lifted off his neck, he stretched out on the ground, and promptly rolled on his back. He gave Jeremy a pointed look from in between his lanky salt-and-pepper limbs. “Now he’s begging for belly rubs like it’s no big deal. Fucker.” There was no heat in the insult. If anything, Geoff sounded fondly resigned. Jeremy wove his fingers into the coarse belly fur and scratched the pup’s underbelly. One sock-clad foot kicked at the air for his troubles.

“So, just so we’re clear, no hard feelings about the baby stuff, right?”

Jeremy shrugged. “I’ve heard worse.”

Geoff visibly relaxed. “Thank God.” He looked down at Ryan and rubbed his skinny chest with both hands. “How about you, bud? Any hard feelings from you?”

Ryan’s pink tongue lolled out of his mouth, and his leg kicked harder than before. Both criminals grinned down at him. He grinned just as widely back.

“Good. Now that we’re clear on that, let’s go home and get some rest. We’ve got work to do tomorrow.”

As it turned out, Geoff had not been kidding when he said there was work to do tomorrow. At the asscrack of dawn he roused everyone to prepare for what he termed “Operation: Don’t Fuck with the Fakes”. Jack went off to secure a cargobob for them, while Michael prepared for his assault on Zancudo. Despite their best efforts, they couldn’t convince him to take the safer route of calling Merryweather and securing the tank that way, so Geoff eventually broke down and gave Michael his blessing. He had been practically rubbing his hands together in glee ever since.

“And what am I doing?” Jeremy asked.

“You and I are going shopping,” said Geoff.

Jeremy blinked. “But…I thought you were gonna stay here with Gavin and pull the plans for the buildings.”

“Yeah, well, Gavvers and I talked about it, and we’re in agreement.” Geoff’s index finger jabbed at Jeremy’s worn t-shirt. “If you’re going to be a part of this crew, you need new clothes. Your old ones got ruined, and this…” He poked the t-shirt again. “This doesn’t fit the whole ‘eccentric villain’ thing we’ve got going on here.”

“And everything else?”

“After this. They gotta know who they’ve fucked with.”

“Will Ryan be coming with us?”

Upon hearing his name, Ryan looked up and trotted over to the pair. He sat at Jeremy’s feet and craned his neck to stare at Geoff. His stumpy ear twitched.

“He’ll probably have to sit outside, but yes, he’s coming with us. Gav can’t work when he’s around.”

“Does he bother him or something?”

Geoff snorted. “If only! Fucker can never stay focused on his goddamn work when Ryan’s around. I’ll find them wrestling, or he’ll be feeding him all my fucking mignons, and he’ll just squawk and go ‘Wot?’ whenever I ask him what the fuck he’s been doing!” He threw his hands up and scowled at the ceiling. “No matter how many times I shove pens up the little fucker’s ass, he doesn’t get the message.”

Jeremy chose to ignore that last comment, and said, “I guess it’s okay if it helps Gavin focus on his work.”

“He’d better,” said Geoff. “Otherwise we’ll be fucked.”

That was the end of that, as Geoff hustled him towards the door and urged him to get Ryan ready to leave. He got the wolfdog into his harness and leashed by the time Geoff had returned. A set of keys whirled on Geoff’s left index finger, and he seemed to be in a better mood now. Ryan’s eyes zeroed in on the keys. A big puppy grin stretched over his skull-marked muzzle.

“Yeah, yeah, we’re going for a ride, buddy.” Geoff ruffled the pup’s ears, his grin only slipping a little when Ryan’s tongue lapped over his tattooed hand. “Goddammit. You better not slobber on my new suit, asshole.”

“I mean, what’s a little dog spit to us? It can’t be worse than bleeding all over it.”

Geoff fiddled with his bowtie and glowered down at Ryan. Ryan stared right back. His tail thumped all too innocently behind him. “I may not look it, but I do have some standards, Jeremy.”

He led them out of the penthouse and into the elevator. He thumbed the key for the underground garage and leaned back against the railing. Ryan snuffled around the edges of the elevator before settling at Geoff and Jeremy’s feet. He stretched out as far as he could, back paws hitting the opposite end of the elevator, and put his head down. Tinny muzak played over the hidden speakers, backed by the occasional ding of the elevator passing the other floors of the apartment building. Jeremy shifted against the rapidly warming rail and buffed his nails on his t-shirt. Geoff pulled out his phone and tapped at the screen.

It was a great relief when the elevator finally stopped moving and the doors rolled open. Ryan jumped to his feet and tugged Jeremy out into the dim garage. He’d long since learned not to fight Ryan, not when he really got going, and instead resigned himself to follow the wolf wherever he went.

“Jesus, you must really like car rides, Ryan,” he said.

“Have you ever lived with any dog, ever? They all love fucking car rides, man.” Geoff moved in front of them, pulled out a key fob, and pressed a button. There was a pause, and a trio of beeps echoed through the garage. “Okay. This way.”

Jeremy didn’t know what kind of car he expected the Fakes’ boss to have, but it definitely wasn’t even close to the eyeblindingly bright pink Felon waiting for them near the end of the row.

“Nice, right?” Geoff patted the car’s hood and grinned. “Brand fucking new, too.”

Jeremy continued to stare. Ryan moved to the passenger’s side and scratched at the door. Geoff scowled and let out a “Hey!” and the wolfdog slowly dropped back down to the ground.

“Jesus fucking Christ, I’ve only seen these online. How much did it cost?”

Geoff shrugged and popped the door open. “Not much. Only around $90,000 or so.”

“Ninety thousand dollars?”

“No, ninety thousand cents. Of course ninety thousand dollars! These babies are imported.”

Jeremy pulled the door open and gently eased himself into the leather seat. While he fumbled with the seat belt, Geoff reached over and opened the back door. Ryan jumped into the backseat and snuffled at the edges of the seats. His tail beat against the window and cupholders, and Jeremy swore to sweet Jesus he was making the entire car shake.

“That…sounds like a lot of money,” he finally said.

Geoff was quiet for a few seconds. “I forget you little guys aren’t spoiled by the high life like we are,” he said, and started the car. The engine purred into life, and Geoff started off on their errands.

Jeremy ignored the ‘little guys’ comment, and decided to press on the cars thing. “Yeah? How so?”

“Ninety thousand isn’t the most we’ve spent on our vehicles. Have you ever seen Michael’s fucking Adder?”

“I think the astronauts on the ISS can see it,” said Jeremy.

“Yeah, no shit. Anyway, that car cost him a sweet million, and that was before he turned it into a fucking disco ball.” He grinned at the dumbfounded look on Jeremy’s face. “Hey, if you impress us, Li’l J…you can blow millions of dollars on cars you’ll wreck at least once a week, too.”

They exited the garage and peeled off into downtown Los Santos. A click sounded from behind them, followed by a mechanical whirr. Something whacked Jeremy’s shoulder repeatedly, so he finally turned around to look into the backseat.

Ryan had managed to roll the window down and stuck his head out into the open air. His ears flapped and twitched in the wind, and he paid no heed to the way Geoff swerved around cars, or to the cacophony of horns sounding off in their wake. His eyes squinted into slits, and his lips pulled back into a massive grin.

“I just wish he could roll the windows up,” Geoff lamented. “He can roll them down all fucking day, but he hasn’t figured out up yet.”

“You’re not worried about him losing his head or anything?”

“He’d fucking deserve it if he did.” Geoff took a corner far too sharply, which jerked Jeremy’s seat belt taught, and caused Ryan to shift a few inches backwards. Jeremy’s heart pounded fearfully, but aside from the soft grunt of surprise, Ryan didn’t react. “However, I’d lose my fucking head if anything happened to him. Jack and the others love the fucker way too much for me to let anything happen to him.”

“Fuck, I don’t want anything to happen to him, and I barely know him!” Jeremy swatted Ryan’s hindquarters and failed to dodge his wagging tail.

“He can take care of himself, you know. He’s got his own track record down at the LSPD.”

“Seriously?”

“Yep.” Geoff took one hand off the steering wheel and painted a broad arc in the air between himself and Jeremy. “Says something like ‘Warning: Dangerous Animal. Reports that Fake AH Crew has been seen with large black dog. Identifying as having white markings on the face, purportedly like a skull. Considered incredibly dangerous.’ I had Gavin pull it up a few weeks back. We’re all very fucking proud.” A little bit of the mirth slipped out of Geoff’s face at the last word. “Though, personally, I’m not too fond of the ending.”

“C’mon, it can’t be that bad.”

“Yeah, ‘Shoot to kill on sight’ is fucking amazing.”

Jeremy flinched. “Okay, yeah, that’s pretty bad.”

There was a slight scrabbling from behind them, and Ryan’s large furry head pushed its way in between the two of them. His nose flicked over the touch screen for a few seconds, which Geoff very much did not appreciate, and then his tongue lapped over Jeremy’s cheek.

“Agh, Ryan! No!”

“Fucking fuck, he’s started the fucking navigator!” Geoff tried to push the wolfdog out of the way and frantically jammed his fingers into the screen.

‘Head east, then make a right,’ said the robo-voice before Geoff could do anything.

“Fucking – shut up!”

Jeremy covered his mouth with both hands, desperately trying to muffle his laughter. His reflection steadily turned redder and redder. Ryan grinned up at him and winked. His snorts grew louder and more hysterical.

God, he wasn’t even in the main six yet, and he already didn’t want to leave.

“Fucking Christ, you look like Prince vomited on a traffic cone,” said Geoff.

Jeremy ignored him for the time being in favor of looking himself in the mirror. His new Stetson rested proudly on his head, and stood out in stark contrast to his crisp purple jacket. That, in turn, clashed beautifully with his neon orange slacks. Was it horrific to look at? Of course it was. Was it memorable? Of course it was!

“C’mon, Geoff, that’s the point! What was it you said? You’ve got a…fucking…eccentric villain thing going on, right? If this isn’t eccentric, I’ll eat this fucking hat.” He pushed his Stetson up with his thumb and beamed.

“We’re a bunch of weirdos, yeah, but…” Geoff jabbed Jeremy’s chest with his index finger. “That outfit can be seen from fucking space. Even we’re not dumb enough to wear stuff like that.”

“Guess that just makes me really fucking dumb.”

Geoff stared at him for a few moments before sighing. “You really will fit in with this crew, Dooley. None of those fuckers listen to me, either.”

Jeremy grinned and tugged on his lapels. “Speaking of, aren’t they supposed to be back now?”

“Yeah. Hopefully they got everything for tomorrow.”

He blinked. “Tomorrow?”

Geoff walked past Jeremy and patted him on the shoulder. “Didn’t I tell you? We’re heisting tomorrow.”

Jeremy’s stomach dropped down to his feet. His throat tightened until he thought he was going to puke. “Tomorrow? But…didn’t we just get everything together?”

Geoff shrugged without turning around. “No use sitting on it for too long. It’ll just let the rumor mill circulate too much, especially since Michael decided to break into Zancudo to get the tank. The last thing we want is for those fuckheads to bail on us, or worse, have a way to defend themselves. I want this to be revenge, not a goddamn suicide mission.”

For a few moments, Jeremy couldn’t speak. He knew they would be enacting their revenge soon, but he thought he still had some time to prepare. He thought he’d have a week, or at least a few days to collect himself before standing beside his idols and tearing their enemies a new asshole. This revelation was especially jarring. He felt like a kid who’d been surprised by a sudden midterm out of nowhere.

“I…I guess that makes sense,” he finally said.

Geoff turned and looked at him. His smile had slipped somewhat, and he moved to clap Jeremy on the shoulder again. “Hey, don’t worry about it. You’ll be fine.”

Jeremy mentally shook himself and smiled again. “Yeah, I know, it’s just, uh, you know, jitters or some shit.”

“Hey, look at it this way. By tomorrow, you’ll be blowing up shit all over Los Santos and striking fear into the hearts of the bastards who hurt you.”

“Thanks, Geoff. That’s really helpful.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He waved his hand and opened the door to Jeremy’s temporary room. “Dinner’ll be in an hour. Then we’ll go over the plan again, and break for the day. Sound good?”

“Sounds great, Geoff.”

With that, the Fakes’ boss left the room. Jeremy was fully prepared to lay on the bed and contemplate the next day for an hour, but after only five minutes, something scratched at the door. Jeremy laughed, got up and opened the door. Ryan sat in the threshold. His paw lowered back to the ground, and he stared up at Jeremy with wide blue eyes.

“Dinner’s not for an hour, buddy. Besides, I don’t exactly think I have full access to the penthouse yet.” Ryan didn’t relent. He moved forward and pawed at the hem of Jeremy’s jacket. “Okay, I don’t speak wolf. The fuck do you want?” He leaned down and rubbed behind Ryan’s ears. The pup whined and pawed him again.

Something in Jeremy’s brain clicked. “Is this about the heist? Are you worried about us?” Ryan’s tail wagged, and he put his paws on Jeremy’s thighs, forcing his face right up against Jeremy’s. “We’ll be fine. You’ll get the penthouse to yourself, too. Well, almost to yourself.” Ryan whined again. His eyes bored into Jeremy’s. “Oh. That’s it, isn’t it? You don’t want to be left behind.” Ryan let out a bark.

Geoff and Jack had reached this particular decision when he and Jeremy got back from their errands. Jack didn’t want him in the chopper in case it went down, and Geoff didn’t want him going deaf from listening to the tank firing. And neither of them wanted Ryan to suffer avoidable injuries. Thus, while the main crew went heisting, Ryan would be staying at home with some members of the B-Team. Now that he thought about it, Jeremy realized Ryan had been antsy ever since then.

“Is he bothering you, too?” Jeremy flinched and looked up. Michael stood in the hallway. His arms were folded over his chest, and he jerked his head down at Ryan. “He’s been going door to door for fucking hours now.”

“I think he’s upset about being left behind tomorrow,” said Jeremy.

“Of course it is. Asshole hates being left at home.” Michael reached down and patted Ryan’s rump. “He’s as much a part of the crew as anybody else.”

“You think he’ll be okay staying here?”

“He’ll be fine. It’s Matt and Trevor I’m worried about.” Before Jeremy could ask, Michael said, “He’s always been a dick to his babysitters.”

“That’s not surprising.”

“No kidding.”

Jeremy bit his lip and finally gathered enough moxy to speak. “So, uh, how do you feel about tomorrow?”

“What do you mean?”

“Uh…well…okay, here’s how it is, right? Tomorrow’s my first fucking heist with the crew, and if I don’t make a good impression…” He sighed. “I’ve been watching you guys for years now, and I never thought I’d get as far as…this.” He gestured around the room. “I guess…I’m scared of losing it.”

Michael considered him for a few moments. “That’s fucking dumb.”

Jeremy blinked. “Excuse me?”

“You’re going to be fine, Li’l J! You managed to fly a fucking plane while shot full of holes, and crashed it right into our fucking penthouse! If you can do that, there’s nothing you can’t do.”

A warm feeling ignited in Jeremy’s chest. “You, uh, you really think so?”

“Well, nothing might be the wrong word for it, but…well…” Michael shrugged. “Just don’t worry about it.”

“Sure. I’ll get right on that.”

Michael laughed and headed back down the hallway. As soon as he was gone, Jeremy went and flopped down on his bed. Moments later, another weight sank down upon it, and Ryan’s wet nose pressed into his cheek. His lips twitched for a second, and let his hand rest on Ryan’s stubby ear. He shut his eyes and did his best to relax into the bed.

Tomorrow was going to be a long ass day.

[dear-chaton]

We Fly By Street Signs ~ II. Champagne;

Archive of Our Own Chapters; 1 2 

I updated on time on ao3 I swear, but anyways please enjoy the second installment of We Fly By Street Signs

Or the one where Chloé is a bitch who ruins everything as always

                                              II. Champagne; 2065

It was the typical party scene that she despised. There was a reason Marinette hadn’t gone to a party since secondary school and it was that everyone acted like they were obsessed with sex. Which in some ways, they were.

Young adults, she swore under her breath, were fucking rabbits.

Still, Marinette elbowed her way inside, and after a few minutes finally found some breathing room in the kitchen. It was still littered with people and too many to count beer cans but this she could live with. It wasn't much different than a night in with Nino. She would be fine.

Until she heard the tale tail sound of heels clacking on the tile. Marinette only knew one who wore heels everywhere and she mentally prepared herself.

Chloé Bourgeois, the biggest bitch that Marinette had the unfortunate luck of knowing since primary school. The beach blonde walked in like she had the total reign of the party, which was false since Marinette knew that Kim had decided to throw the party this time. Still, seeing the same woman who bullied her throughout her childhood, made Marinette see red.

A hand grabbed her arm suddenly, pulling her back before she could do anything. 

The callouses alone should have been a dead giveaway, but Marinette didn't want to face a disappointed Nino on any occasion. She allowed herself to be led away from the scene, only looking back once to see the blonde smirking at her triumphantly. As if Chloé knew what almost went down. And that made Marinette even more furious than before.

❝It's not worth it Mari,❞ Nino muttered under his breath. He pulled her along until they were surely out of Chloé's sight. Alya was there, cheering on some guys playing beer pong, and handed Marinette a beer. She pouted, opening it with practiced ease and watched as Alya challenged the winners, dragging Nino along with her. As Marinette chuckled softly, her phone buzzed with an unknown number popping up on the screen.

❝Walking up the steps now, where are you?❞ She briefly wondered if it was originally Alya's text to her friend but then again, Nino had said how much he hated to make Alya wait for him.

❝Hey, Mari!❞ Nino was grinning wildly at her, while Alya creamed the other party goers, he waved her over and snatched the phone out of her hand.

❝Hey!❞

❝Yes, Adrien is here!❞ And with that, the DJ ran off, and a ball was shoved at her.

❝I hope you're good at this,❞ Alya sunk another ball on the other team's side. Marinette cracked her knuckles, grinning like a madwoman, oh she was the queen.

And when they eventually won, Alya swore that she was never playing with Nino again.

❝Look I like Nino, he's a great guy but he has jack shit hand-eye coordination.❞ Marinette agreed, knowing that this was somehow going to come back and bite her in the butt for not properly wing womaning for Nino.

❝By the way, where is Nino?❞ She asked, craning her head in an attempt to see him over the crowd. Marinette had always been a shortie since primary school so it was no surprise she couldn't see him.

❝He mentioned something about a friend coming around, but I thought he meant you.❞ Before either of them could answer, a loud laugh boomed through the room, Marinette could recognize that laugh from a mile away. Nino walked in with his arm around some guy's neck, gesturing wildly as he told a story.

The guy was cute enough, Marinette just hoped it wasn't one those blind dates where Nino would shove a guy at her while he ran off with Alya. It wouldn't be the first time it happened.

❝Oh, wait I totally have to introduce you!❞ She heard before the duo came their way.

❝Ladies, this is Adrien. He doesn't get out much.❞ This Adrien guy shoved Nino's arm off of his shoulder, laughing and eventually shaking Alya's hand. When it came to Marinette however, time seemed to freeze as a shriek was heard. Marinette barely had enough time to brace herself as Chloé, wherever the devil had spawned from, rushed between them and hugged Adrien.

❝Adrikins, I didn't know you would be here.❞ She purred, glaring at Marinette from the corner of her eye. Marinette caught the hint that she wasn't wanted and stomped off. A shuffle of feet meant that Nino had followed her, probably to prevent her from punch a wall or something like that.

❝That little bitch.❞ She heard Nino murmur but didn't stop until they made it outside. The air was crisp and clear, much better than the smell of sex and alcohol from inside. Marinette took in a deep breath, counting to five. She held her breath for about seven seconds and let out the breath slowly as she counted to nine.

When her mind cleared and she no longer felt the need to punch something, Marinette opened her eyes and turned to Nino. He was calmly staring up at the sky, twiddling his thumbs.

❝Do you want to head back?❞ He asked softly.

❝Not really, you can go on back.❞

❝Oh shit Alya,❞ Nino glanced back at the house while Marinette cooed at his actions.

❝Well, you never really had much of a legacy to stand on anyways,❞ It took Nino a moment to register her words but when he did, he shoved her playfully away from him.

❝I'm disowning you, Mari.❞ He groaned as she giggled.

❝C'mon you have to admit that was a good one.❞

❝You're almost as bad as Adrien,❞

❝Question,❞ Marinette slid down to the grass, laying back and watching the stars move around in the sky.

❝Answer,❞

❝Were you going to set me up with him?❞ Nino started laughing, almost hysterically. She really didn't know what was so funny, so waited as he caught his breath.

❝Well in a way, yeah but he saw a couple of your races and like I know he wanted to talk to you about some of them. He's just a giant fanboy.❞

❝A fanboy that knows Chloé.❞

❝Once again, not my fault Kim has the biggest crush on her and only invites her to impress her.❞ So in silence, they sat until Alya came outside, looking absolutely disgusted.

❝Bless you, two for dealing with that monstrosity for as long as you have.❞ Nino chuckled as she took a seat on his lap, intertwining their fingers as Marinette gagged.

❝Gross. PDA, I didn't sign up for this, I want out.❞ Nino blew her a kiss which she deflected as if she could. The couple starts talking about something that Marinette almost immediately tunes out for watching the sky. Taking a deep breath again, her mind wanders off.

The Adrien guy looked familiar, though Marinette had never seen him around the racetrack before. And quite frankly, she didn't want to inquire about him if he knew Chloé then he must be bad news. He was probably just like every person Chloé knew; rich, famous and so stuck up she could choke.

❝Mari, we're heading inside if you wanted to come.❞ Nino leaned over her and extended a hand which she gladly took.

The three of them walked back inside, thunder crashed and rain began to drop from the sky.

❝Shit, I forgot my umbrella in the car.❞ Alya cursed, and Nino covered her with his leather jacket. One look from her best friend and she knew she had to let him take the car to drive Alya home. But that didn't mean she had to like it.

❝I swear to god if you're not back in an hour I will kick you out of the apartment.❞ Nino gave her a sly salute, guiding Alya to the car as it began to downpour.

❝I'll be back!❞ He shouted, and Marinette watched on as the maroon car drove out of sight. She sighed, taking a seat on the porch and started a timer. Lord knows she would never let Nino live it down if he was late. She sat there for a total of twenty minutes before a voice startled her out of her thoughts.

❝Funny seeing you here.❞ Marinette didn't jump, she most certainly didn't yelp, all she would admit to doing was whip around and glare at the sound until she was face to face with Adrien.

❝Funny indeed.❞ Marinette wasn't sure if her glare was put across well enough until the blond hesitated in taking a seat next to her, favoring to stand next to the banister instead.

❝So um I never got your name back there.❞

❝I don't really converse with people who talk to Chloé❞ And she should have felt bad, she wasn't a horrible person normally but Chloé riled her up too much.

❝Ah right,❞ He shuffled from one foot to another, avoiding her stare. ❝I would assume she bullied you in school, correct me if I'm wrong.❞

❝You're not...❞

❝My apologies she can be a bit, ah what's the word,❞

❝Conceited, cold-hearted, a literal pain in the ass.❞

❝Yeah, that.❞ A strike of lightning comes down, startling the both of them in favor of watching the light flicker across the sky. Nino had been gone for thirty minutes.

❝Anyways, I just wanted to apologize for her.❞

❝Oh, so you think it's perfectly alright now?❞ Adrien stared at her, mouth opened wide and a slight flush on his cheeks if the porch lighting was anything to go by.

❝Look I know you're trying to make peace with me for whatever reason, but you also don't know me.❞ She didn't care if it was raining cats and dogs, she needed to get away from this place and just scream out into the abyss.

❝You can't go out in the storm like that,❞ He gestured to her shorts and a tank top, gaze lingering on her midsection far too long for her comfort.

❝Watch me,❞ Her phone buzzed in her back pocket, knowing full well it was Nino and hoped he was on his way soon.

❝You are fucking insane, at least take an umbrella so you don't catch a cold.❞ Adrien pulled one from behind him, opening it in front of her and waited for her to take it. Still, despite her attitude, he was gentle and kind.

It kind of made her sick, so she quickly grabbed the handle and took off from the porch.

❝You're welcome!❞ Adrien called, voice almost drowning out in the rain. She was about to call back when a car honked and she recognized the bad paint job on Nino's car. Marinette sprinted or tried to with massive puddles everywhere she ran, diving into Nino's car as he peeled away from the driveway. She tucked the umbrella into itself and tossed it in the back, not before noticing a double AA embroidered on the top. She pointedly ignored the stare Nino gave her as she pulled out her phone.

There was a text from Nino and one missed called from her mom, which she mentally promised to call her in the morning. But right now she had a mission to do.

She opened google on her phone while Nino rapped softly to the music playing in the background.

Adrien A, she typed in and watched as the results flooded in. One by one, they said the same thing and Marinette had half the mind to bang her head on the dashboard.

❝Nino?❞

❝Hmm?❞

❝Why didn't you tell me it was Adrien Agreste, son of my favorite fashion designer you were about to introduce me to?❞

Nino gulped, eyes locked on the road, and hands almost going white from how hard he was gripping the steering wheel.

❝He said he wanted to be introduced to like any other guy, he didn't want a label put on him before you had a chance to talk. Why?❞

❝Nothing, I was just wondering about something.❞ And if they drove in silence for the rest of the ride, that wasn't necessarily Marinette's fault at all.

[blackrosesfanfic]

Chapter 127

Trey

I walk out on the stage alone. Lane is used to watching me perform from the side. Coming on stage is something he won't do.

"I need y'all to be really quiet. Bring the lights down." I say.

"It work." Lane says in his mic.

I turn to him. "Come here, Lane."

Cammie points to me then push him forward. The first thing that he does is look out into the crowd. The stage lights were too bright to really see them. He runs to me then start playing with the mic. He says things like hey and oh, just to hear himself loud.

"You want to sing your song?"

"No." he smiles.

Chris and JJ comes on the stage. Somebody screams but Lane was busy telling JJ that the mic was working. JJ isn't scared to be on stage. He is also aware that people are watching him. He makes faces at the crowd.

"Do the dance." Chris says when the music starts.

"Don't do my dance, Chris." Lane snaps.

Chris starts doing the dance. Lane puts the mic down then starts doing the dance that Cammie taught him. He looks at Chris then starts dancing when the beat changes. Once again someone yells. This time they started a chain of yells. Lane stops dancing and stares into the crowd.

"Who said that?" he demands.

"All the people." JJ says with Lane's mic.

Lane goes stiff then he runs off stage to Cammie. JJ follows him. Lane starts whining to Cammie. I'm sure he is mad that all the people looking at him. They stop the music then turn the lights back to normal. I glance at Lane. He isn't there anymore.

"You scared him away." I tell them. Somebody screams something.

"What?" Chris says. "Cammie?"

They start screaming. It was the people up front that could see that she was there. I glance at her. Chris starts a chant. Cammie had a hell no look on her face. I walk off stage. She turns around but being that she is super round she can't run from me. I wrap my arms around her.

"No, Tremaine."

"My mic is on." I laugh.

She gives me an evil look. I kiss her cheek then pick her up. She isn't going to come on stage herself. I can hear what she saying in her head. 'I look like a penguin wobbling on the stage'. I didn't dress for this.' 'I'm going to kill you, Tremaine.' I stand her up on the stage. They project her on all the screens. She is going to kill me. I make her shirt tight on her stomach. The way it was she didn't look that big. But she is sticking way out there. The crowd was loving the fact that Cammie was on stage. She waves and smiles like she was a beauty pageant winner. Then abruptly she turns and walk off the stage. Chris makes a joke about her running away like Lane. I follow her.

"You okay?"

"Don't." she says pointing at my head.

I chuckle then walk back on stage.

 *****************************

 "Where Cammie?" I snap.

I haven't seen her seen I went on stage. It's like she isn't here. She isn't in Chris' room or mine. Only person that has consistently been in my room in Rollie and Lane. I'm not going back on stage anymore tonight. We have a week left of me being on tour. I take a deep breath then look back at Rollie who didn't answer me.

"Yo?"

"Hm?" he says looking up from the video game.

Lane punches Rollie. "Got em."

I sit down laughing too hard to stay serious about not finding Cammie. Rollie turns his head slowly at Lane. The bad ass kid is sitting there with a proud look on his face like he knows Rollie can't do shit about him punching him. Rollie knocks Lane back on the couch gently. Lane lies there laughing.

"Uncle Rollie." he says. "Uncle, I got you."

"I'm about to throw your black butt through that wall."

Lane gasps. "Oooo."

Rollie looks at him. "Who is this kid?"

"He changed. His jokes are funny and thoughtful."

"I Daaaa-Lan." Lane laughs.

"Daylan, where is your mother?" I ask him.

He stands up. "In the room. Bug take you."

I put on my dry shirt. "Where is Buggiz?"

"I take you Buggiz." He says going away from the door.

"Lane, the door is over there."

Lane stares in the direction he going. "Door?"

I follow him because he was sure of where he is going. He understands directions well. He goes behind a wall that hide another door. I never had a reason to go to that corner of the room. Lane struggles with opening the door. It opens slightly. Lane pushes through looking behind the door. He looks at me.

"There go, Daddy."

"Where Cammie?" I ask.

Buggiz points up some stairs. "She is watching the show."

I smile then go upstairs. I would have been happier during my show if I knew she was watching me. I go into the room. She is laughing really hard with some man. I get mad before caring who it is. The guy stands up looking over the rail. I notice then that it's Fabolous. I return back to being excited that she is watching me.

"Aye, they deep in that bitch."

"Bald headed glow club." Cammie laughs.

I come up behind her hugging her neck. She puts her hand on my wrist.

"Tremaine, look at the group of girls with glowing hair and outfits."

"I missed you."

"I saw you. Feel this baby. Ask Fab, every time you started singing the baby started moving. I'm sure he done flipped over again."

I feel her stomach. "I'm not singing."

"But you here." Fab says.

"Right."

I look over the balcony at the group of people. They damn sure glowing up the place. I don't see how I missed them while performing. I start screaming until one of them looks up. The girl gets another one to look up. They start waving excitedly glowing up the air with their gloves. I blow kisses at them then go back to Cammie. They deserve special attention for that, even though it's a Chris Brown thing.

"Why you calling it a boy?" I kiss her.

"We want a boy. Me and Fab."

The jealously is back. "You and him?"

She lifts her chest putting her hand on her stomach. "Lane told Drake that he eats babies and stomps their faces."

"He said that to Drake?" I ask surprised once again forgetting to be jealous.

"Yeah." she says then yawns. "Are you going back on? I'm ready to go."

"No." I say helping her to her feet.

She doesn't say bye to Fab at all. I go over to him to say a few words. Cammie starts fussing about the stairs cutting what I was saying short. I go to aid her with going down. She is complaining about not having rails in case she falls forward. She thinks about weird shit that doesn't need to be stressed.

  Cammie

"Every time I... Tremaine."

"How you being mean to me then calling my name like that? What?" He replies rudely.

I roll my eyes. "Don't lose yourself."

He kisses Lane's stomach trying to wake him up. Lane swings his arm over his body rolling over on his side. Trey leaves him alone.

"When I have this baby I want to go get a professional shave."

"What did you call me for?"

I say flipping through my picture book. "Shut your fucking mouth, Aldon."

"This why you read half of your books. They fucking picture books. What is this?"

"Places to travel. I'm planning a vacation."

Trey goes around Lane to lay on my legs. I immediately start complaining about him being heavy. I don't want him on me making me all hot. He kisses my pussy. I suck my teeth about that. He pushes his way between my legs then lies his head on my lap. What made me mad is that I couldn't actually see him or reach him to move him away. So I'm stuck with him being on me making me hot.

"Tremaine, the other day somebody knocked on the door asking if I wanted to sell the house. Oh, Tremaine?" I snap.

"Mh?" he grunts.

"Did you hear me?"

He makes a noise that sounded like words and snoring mixed together. Fun. I'm up and everyone else is sleep. I flip through my picture book then put it on the bed. Why would he lay on my bladder though? I blow. I can reach my fat ass over for a pillow or nothing without abs.

"Knock knock." April says walking in.

"Why are you such a blessing in my life?" I say smiling.

She cuts her eyes at me. "You fake, Pattie."

"Ma, I got to go to the bathroom."

"Tweety." She says slapping his ear.

He holds his head up. "Damn, what time is it?"

April pushes him off of me. Trey blows then rolls over on Lane's leg. Lane kicks him then starts whining.

"You starting all this for what?" Trey say crabby.

"Oh my gosh, shut up."

"Not no, Daddy. No, no." Lane says crawling away from Trey. "Stop."

"They both wake up with attitudes." April chuckles.

I walk in the bathroom before I comment. I come out with a different topic on my mind.

"Ma, the house is completely paid for. How about 2 days before I got the letter from the bank somebody came by asking if I wanted to sell."

"Sell? Probably that damn bank."

I sit on the bed. "They must not have looked at it and noticed how long I been there."

"Or someone is setting up to rob you."

"What?" Trey says.

Please don't put that in this man's head. I look at April. She picks Lane up from the bed whispering to him. He hugs her neck really tight. I'm glad she isn't repeating herself for Trey. He gets out of the bed like he is drunk.

"What time is it?"

"5." I say.

He feels around his pockets. "Where is my phone?"

"Wild night?"

"No." Trey says confused.

After April walks out of the room he finally spots the clock. He stares at it for a few seconds then comes back to the bed.

"That sleep is that good?"

"You don't understand how much I miss." he says laying me back on the bed.

I exhale. "I really feel like shit."

He wraps his arms around me. "I just want to hold me."

"Feels like the baby is squashing my vagina."

"Isn't that bad?"

"No he supposed to be down there. I feel like his foot is there not his head."

Trey sits up. "They showed us how to get rid of that in the class."

I smile. "Did they?"

"Yeah." he says touching my stomach.

"Let's see you do your magic, Daddy."

He grabs a pillow, lifts my hips, then puts it under me. I sigh. Okay, maybe he might know what he is doing. He does it again. It feels like my whole hip opens up.

"What about that?"

"Okay." I chuckle.

He falls on the bed. "I'm trying to stay up."

I touch his side. "Don't fight it."

"There's been this girl hanging around every location. It's driving me crazy. I hate people having open access to me."

"What's her name?"

He doesn't answer at first. "Why did you say it like I'm hiding something? This is why women don't find out the truth."

"I asked her name. You do know her right?"

"Kelly."

And this is why relationships break up prematurely. Don't keep the fact that you know the bitch alway from me because you feel guilty. Tell me everything without me asking. I end thr conversation there. I don't need to stress of worrying about an ex. Trey has too many fucking exes. Too many questionable women.

"Why are you and Rollie hanging together?" I ask. "Tremaine! What's the ddal with you and Rollie? Are you plotting against me?"

"Plotting? Huh?"

I look over at him. "Rollie and you."

He gets closer to me. "I'm not plotting anything against you with your brother. He around for some reason and I realized how much a lot the two of you are. He is like having you around."

"Sounds like I need to really watch you around my brother."

"Don't be funny." Trey kisses my neck. "You smell like home."

"I am home."

"You are my life." he mumbles. He yawns. "If I could have anything I put it everything that it would be you..."

I move my neck. "Get out my ear with that bad singing."

He chuckles like he it hurt. He starts humming in my ear. I rub my stomach as the baby moves. I am ready for this fucking baby to get the hell out of me. It won't stay still. Damn, it doesn't matter what time of day it is. As long as Trey is talking or touching me. I'm convinced that the baby is jealous. Trey falls asleep. The baby continues moving though. I gasp then there was relief of everything. Damn did I have the baby? I rub my stomach. I close my eyes as the relief bring relaxation and extreme sleepiness.

[d1tman-blog]

Here is my life...(I sent this to my medical provider, Piedmont Healthcare)

I am sending this here because I can't get it to my medical team any other way. I can't afford ink for my printer, so I can't print the excerpt to hand it them, and it is too long to send in MyChart. My Care Team consists of Dr Sanjay Sarin, Dr Ashish Bhimani, Dr Garry McCulloch, Barbara Conlon, NP, and Hannah Folds, NP. Because I for some reason usually don't feel as terrible during my visits to the medical team, it seems like the day to day feeling shitty all the time isn't taken into account. Dr Sarin asks if I have gone to work every time I visit him, but I do well to walk across my living room many days, much less hold down a job. To give you all an idea what being Tommy Johns is like, I am including excerpts from my diary. It is a bit long, but shows pretty well what it is like being me. I don't have a death wish, so please don't try to do the psychiatric exam on me. I don't need one, and I will just quit Piedmont and go to another healthcare facility. .......................       ..Diary Excerpts 3 Before you get started on the diary, put something that mildly buzzes next to your ear. Keep it there a few minutes. That is one of the things I have going on 24/7/365, and have had it for 3 years (tinnitus). Now get a belt and tighten it as tight as you can by hand around your head. that is what I feel 24/7/365:                                                             My life changed drastically and unalterably in early October, 2015. I had gotten that terrible flu that went round Atlanta and did not understand or recognize it's severity until I felt as if I would not draw another breath. I woke up one Sunday morning unable to breathe. I could only breathe sitting straight up. Monday morning I made a doctor appointment with my general practitioner. To make a long story short, I ended up in the hospital in late October  for the 1st of 14 times, sometimes only 5 days per stay, sometimes as long as 9 days (as of 5/23/2018).  I remained in the hospital a week. The flu had developed into pneumonia, and bacteria from the pneumonia damaged my heart even more than the childhood illness did), causing congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and an enlarged heart. Complications from these and from the medicines to combat it have also caused renal insufficiency and elevated liver enzymes. I am now on 9 medications to combat the diseases. I have also had two TIAs (mini strokes) and precancerous polyps were removed from my colon. To those who will be conducting and/or involved in my funeral:                                                     Don't spend any more money than necessary to bury me. If I am near death and someone finds me, don't use heroic measures to save me. Just keep me from as much pain as possible. It is in many respects difficult to contemplate death, but the facts and my present condition preclude a long life, so I will end this journey shortly.  I am comforted by the words attributed to Julius Caesar in Shakespeare's novel: " Cowards die many times before their deaths. The valiant taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, It seems to me most strange that men should fear death, Seeing that death, a necessary end, Will come when it will come." To be honest, I will be glad when this life of misery and pain is over. I wish it would have been different.  I wish that all I had dreamed and aspired to had become reality. The circumstances have dealt a different path though. I have taken a very different road in life than I ever would have imagined. There is so much to say: The loss of broken and unrealized dreams, expectations unfilled, life cut short. I hope my ramblings on Facebook, Twitter and tumblr, and my encounters on this journey called life have had a positive impact on someone, and that I have made a positive difference in someone's life. I will keep a diary starting on page two of this document. I hope to live a long life, but It doesn't seem like that is to be. I have made some tremendous mistakes in my life, but hope the good I have done outweighs the bad. There isn't a day that goes by when I am not saddened unbearably by losing the love of family.  To everyone, I love you. Diary: 10/18/2016. I felt pretty fair throughout most of the day, although I haven't slept a lot. I haven't really kept track but I believe I slept about 4 hours from 4:30am until 8:30am, then from about 2:30pm until 4:30pm. I feel like sh*t now. Weak, heart beating hard... I think nearly every day about not living through this any more...Congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and an enlarged heart - it is a bitch to live with - no energy, no stamina, hurting or in some type of discomfort constantly. 10/19/2016 Another day feeling like total sh*t. What else is there to say? 10/20/2016 I feel a little bit better today - still no energy to speak of. I hurt my back, so am dealing with that in addition to everything else.  I stay tired and sleepy nearly all the time... 10/21/2016 Can't sleep. Heart racing, lungs feel tight. 10/22/2016 went back on Proventil inhaler. I think last dose was about 10:45pm 10/21/2016. Have to wait another hour for another dose. can't breathe. Weak stomach tight/bloated. have dry cough. able to sleep 5 hours after 2nd dose of Proventil. Still no energy, no stamina. Throat and mouth dry. slept another 3 hours. Ear infection is back. Ear infection is bothering the hell out of me. Constant ringing. a little sick - don't know if it is from ear infection or other malady - had runny stool several times yesterday. Lost my appetite. Got prescriptions and started back taking them. I hope it gets me feeling better. Kevin's arraignment was Wednesday - charged with felony marijuana possession, misdemeanor marijuana possession, and drug paraphernalia. Finally getting a little hungry. Ate 1/2 Big Mac large meal earlier; Will finish it. Lasix is working me over. 10/23/2016 hard to breathe - can't sleep well. yet am almost overpoweringly sleepy. I finally got a little sleep - about 5 hours. Stomach is cramping, still no energy, no stamina. 10/24/2016 Woke up early - hard to breathe. don't have stamina or energy for sh*t. Get extremely tired when sitting in a chair and need to lie down and rest, but it takes a long time to sleep - if I am able to - because it is hard to breathe lying down.  made a doctor's appointment for Thursday at 3:30pm. 10/25/2016 same as yesterday. may be getting a little worse. 10/26/2016 my worst day yet. same as the days above, but can't get relief even for a moment. Constant pain and discomfort, tightening band around my head - helluva headache 11/8/2016 Still feel nauseous about 3/4 of the day each day. Doctors think it is the medicine that makes me sick: Indications for some of the meds say will make you sick. Kevin still has shitty attitude. He doesn't get it that he will need to impress the hell out of the jailers to get conditional release program. 11/11/2016 Sick as sh*t. I hope that is what is causing me to be so confrontational with people rather than me turning into an a**hole. I went off on Jecca. Got jealous because she contacted an old boyfriend of hers. Turns out he called her because he has some type of injury to  his hand and foot and wanted some sympathy. I told her if she continues contact with him I would start hanging with sluts and send her pictures. I told him I would stomp his ass if he kept contacting her. I got pretty nasty with her before we finally made up and resolved it. 11/12/2016 I have been off the diary except sporadically for a while. I thought I was getting better: No such luck. Started driving to class today and threw up all over myself and my car. I am extremely nauseous, and have a tremendous headache.  I get hungry as hell, but then get full after only two or three bites of food. Death would be a blessing. No energy, listless, no ambition, no drive. Headaches are the norm for me, and the ear infection is chronic with constant tinnitus. 11/13/2016 pretty much the same as yesterday. a general feeling of malaise, nauseated. 12/4/2016 I was invited to Christmas dinner. I hope I can have the energy to go. It is getting to the point I don’t even want to be around anyone. I just want to be in the comfort of my own home. Becoming even more of a recluse than normal. New medication regimen seems to be working a little better. Still feel weak and sleepy most of the time. I guess tinnitus will be permanent. 12/12/2016 Was invited to a show free of charge to sell my jewelry. I don’t have the stamina to set up my display, much less be there several hours. Headaches are normal, and tinnitus is constant. 4 days now with no sleep. Period. Zilch. Nada. Bupkis. 12/24/2016 I can’t make it to the Christmas dinner I was invited to. I don’t have the energy to go. Staying home and cooking chicken with vegetables. 11/14/2017 It has been a long time since the last entry, but what's the point? At least by reading it I discover again the pain and shitty feeling all the time are not new. I don't know what the merit is in that, but it makes me feel like maybe I am not getting worse: I just get the unparalleled joy of feeling like total ** all the time: Nausea - constant; headache - constant; tinnitus - constant. It is all 24/7/ 365 until I manage to sleep for a little while - 3 or if I'm lucky, 4 hours at a time.  YIPPEE!!! On a different note, Jecca and I are no longer together. When I incurred tremendous financial burdens because of the CHF, she no longer wanted to stick around. It has really done a number on me emotionally, but on the other hand, it wouldn't be fair to want her to stick around and watch me die, becoming a widow in the prime of her life.   I would like at my funeral, Crossing the Bar read during the service: Crossing the Bar   BY ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON Sunset and evening star,    And one clear call for me!   And may there be no moaning of the bar,    When I put out to sea,     But such a tide as moving seems asleep,    Too full for sound and foam,   When that which drew from out the boundless deep    Turns again home.   Twilight and evening bell,    And after that the dark!     And may there be no sadness of farewell,    When I embark;     For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place    The flood may bear me far,   I hope to see my Pilot face to face    When I have cross’d the bar.                                                                                                                                         9/12/2018                                                                                                                It has been quite a while since my last entry, but each day is  rehash of every other day.  To add to the fun of my life, My right shoulder has started hurting and I am in excruciating pain. It is from an old exercise injury from doing back arm pushups, when I tore my rotator cuff. I can't afford another doctor bill, and have to live with it. 10/22/2018                                                                                                                                                                                                                         My shoulder still hurts. I can barely lift it shoulder high, and it wakes me up hurting like hell. I only sleep 2 or 3 hours at a time because of it, and have to move it with my left hand until I am awake a little while and it limbers up again. The Tylenol the doctors told me I can take for pain aint sh*t...I might as well be taking Gummy Bears for pain... I started an online ministry - not much participation - only 24 members after a few months, but I post sermons and positive thoughts for the day, most of the time twice a day on the positive thoughts.. Well, I will stop blubbering. Nothing can change, unless I somehow have the good fortune of being hit by a Mack truck or a meteor falling from the sky to put me out of my misery, or something like that. Yippee ki yay. Anecdote: I may seem at times to not have much patience with people when they have their little foibles. I am not cold hearted, and have tremendous empathy when people are truly in pain or have grief. It is the little mundane bs that people grouse about that annoys me.

[jadedhalo]

As I bask in the warm sun, I am beyond deliriously happy ! So, I was feeling generous enough to share snippets of My splendid existence with you fawning fetish admirers. 😘

My summer travels have been incredibly awe-inspiring, and significant to date !  If you have not been devotedly paying and suffering for Me, then you probably weren’t privy to the fact that I’ve been away from the Hive. — I recently took a road trip to Maryland for a Jack Johnson concert, popped into NYC to see Swan Lake at the MET.  And did a three-day stint in D.C. with some old friends from school I haven’t seen in YEARS ! { I practically squealed when I saw them, as these girls and I did some major stomping of the city   [ and boys ! ] together when I lived in Maryland ! 👯 }  It was a nifty and nostalgic reunion !  Likewise, I dropped significant chunks of My Holy Honey { formerly known as your money } at various nightspots, restaurants, and shops around Georgetown.  Honestly, haphazardly having a blast on your dime is the BEST !

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In other news, there’s a good deal of drive-by worshippers lately – which is great, it supports My every high-maintenance whim ! — I collected $300.00 from a shy guy who wishes to remain anonymous. { No problem, shy guy, but you WILL continue to serve rigorously !  Moving forward, I want a minimum of $200.00 from you, every week. 🤑 } — 
sissychristie, dutifully made her first contribution.  It took some time for her to take the plunge, but $400.00 later, I am pleased. { It’s a decent start, so don’t be a stranger sissy ! 👛 } — azfootbitch was allowed to foot a few bills to the tune of approx. $225.00 { I’ll be putting you to use again SOON bitch ! 💸👣 } — weakwhitedog had the honor of fetching a few TOP WANTS, and approx. $275.00 in idle tributes.  Ironically, I have become an addiction for which he’s actively seeking therapy ! 😂 What a Comical WASTE of CASH ! The therapist seemingly listens [ compassionately ] and then bills the bitch for their “time together.”  Whereas, I tease and mock him [ with equal passion ] and simply TAKE what I want ! Now, doesn’t a playdate with ME sound way more fun ? 😈  At any rate, despite his feeble attempts, the bitch CAN’T resist My Perfect Visage, especially when in subspace ! { Perfection always WINS. Isn’t that right, mutt ? 🤣🖕🏾! } — I also procured $700.00 from a perverted grandpaslave ! { Pony Up MORE, grandpa ! I want to have a wickedly bratty shopping spree at your expense ! 🛍 }  — Though drive-bys are entertaining to drain; it’s been a while since I’ve acquired a money masochist who is truly ready to submit and commit to long-term financial servitude & intimate mental manipulation. 🤔 Don’t get Me wrong; fast cash is lovely ! But, genuine FLR’s and D/s relationships are another affair completely; Utterly unique and deeply enriching ! A living, breathing act of worship. 🙏🖤

– – –

Regardless of trite, patriarchal rhetoric, in this world, women run the show.  And since you’re still here, you should be well aware that in My jaded.world, I run the show … magnificently at that.  My supremacy exerts a force powerful enough to crumble even the strongest of men.  Because I was born a Goddess and being such, is effortless and magical ! ✨ Accordingly, you were born a lowly male creature.  Therefore, your job is to work, toil, sweat and pen/pencil/phone push so that I don’t have to. — Moreover, those who fall short of meeting My financial expectations should sincerely consider a second job.  Deliver pizza part time and practice saying “would you like fries with that ?” — Nothing is beneath you when you serve at My feet.

Per contra, being My mindful minion does have its rewards.  Starting in August, the jaded.team can look forward to weekly jaded.live broadcasts !  Oh ! Fuck Yessss !  Lovesick suitors may Worship the HOLY Trinity that is; Me, Myself and I — LIVE.  It’s going to be wildly electrifying for Me to warp your mind, to hook you, to deny you, to taunt you, to tease you, to ignore you, and strategically plant seeds that will invade your psyche, FOREVER. 👄 Fantastically exciting news isn’t it ?!  Spread the word, ye little altar boys !  Goddess is GOOD !  No, GODDESS IS GREAT !  Take this for example, when I’ve grown tired of a pair of pumps, worn the soles on My sandals, beaten down My boots, or somehow pierced My pantyhose.  I will often bestow My pets the privilege to worship such pristine apparel physically, in the flesh.  Picture, if you will, My long chocolate legs towering over you { and your inadequacies } a Grand vision of transcendental Beauty encased in the very nylons you humbly hold.  Close your eyes, and imagine the lingering hint of sweaty feet as you lift My well-used shoes to your snout and deeply inhale the essence of My Jaded Halo.  But, don’t be ridiculous, darling.  It’s an experience that the majority of you pitiful pud-pounding puddles of testosterone creeping My domain, will likely never have. — Because the most precious jaded gems are merited only by noble, purpose serving, gift buying, top tributing, hopelessly devoted disciples. 🙇 – – –

Lastly, I’ve created devastatingly enslaving New Worship material for the compulsive manifestation of your growing adoration !  If you have not been blessed with the newest ‘Cashmere Coquette ’ & ‘ Taste the Rainbow ‘ photosets –  Indeed, your life is lacking severely.

Here’s a bit of sustenance for you, the underprivileged:

  Assume the position. BEG for abuse. And PAY to – drink My Kool-aid.

Summertime. As I bask in the warm sun, I am beyond deliriously happy ! So, I was feeling generous enough to share snippets of My splendid existence with you fawning fetish admirers.