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#S&B Chapter 15
stromuprisahat · 2 years
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Alina rewritting history in S&B, chapter 15
Alina has a habit of rewriting her memories. Coping mechanism of sorts, she uses when reality doesn’t look pretty, or fit her narrative. Now she’s using it to look at her interactions with the Darkling with new eyes:
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Baghra didn’t beg anyone. She tried to order the Darkling, which he (understandably, given their relationship) didn’t take well:
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An amplifier was his idea to begin with. One Alina welcomed with enthusiasm:
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Now, Alina asked about the Stag, because she felt weak. The Darkling tries to soothe her:
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The Darkling admitted maybe he should get her different amplifier, since he doesn’t have the Stag yet:
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... and here comes the most awkward “distraction” ever:
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If it’s all been a lie, Alina’s free to dehumanize him as much as possible. She’s always suspected any and every single one of his emotions are fake, and now that his own mother basically called him a thing (”I am the only person who knows what he truly is...”)...
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Funny thing- wanting to be wanted is a weak spot of both the Darkling and Alina. How easy it had to be for Baghra to use it to manipulate Alina, when she had centuries of practice with her son?
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Alina talks about secrets as if she was some mistress, plotting alongside her lover, when all he did was ask her to keep her mouth shut about one (1) valuable target, that was protected by its “nonexistence”.
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Saints! You can’t even tell her one nice thing, if you don’t want it to end up twisted and used against you...
This paragraph would make sense if the Darkling did anything to make her emotionally reliant on him.
It’s also kinda sad Alina is associating “pretty clothes” with becoming a puppet. Sweetie, I know your self-confidence sucks, but you do deserve nice things. Including decent shoes, fitted pants and soft shirts.
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And now he’s some evil god. It’s such a shame this faulty view is a repeating theme that’s never challenged:
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Alina’s new favourite word, borrowed from the mother she never had:
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Even his horniness is evil now. He’s right. Wanting made him weak.
Poor guy can’t even get his dick wet...
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I can assure you, his mind was in the gutter. Nowhere near the Fold or Stag or whatever...
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This particular statement would be much more impactful if the heroine didn’t spend her life supressing that “one thing that was always hers”.
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I operate on the assumption all this gullible paranoia is a result of Alina’s life-long suppression of her powers. If it can make your body sick, I doubt it leaves out the mind. And Alina’s a walking talking psychiatric case.
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cock-holliday · 2 years
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Bait & Switch
Chapter 10/10
(Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Post-Dreamland AU
Fandom: TXF
Rating: T
WC: 1893
The valley of unsaid things sat between them. If a reversal of this curse was about to wash over them, the waves of deafening silence were already wearing them down. They drove down the road, feeling the magnetic pull of their destination. Something felt like it was going to happen, and it was suffocating.
Mulder was about to turn down the road to the base when Scully sat up in her seat.
“Stop the car,” she choked out.
“What?”
“Mulder, stop the car!”
Mulder stomped the break, bringing them to a skidding halt on the gravely shoulder of the road.
He turned to Scully, concern and confusion swirling in his gut. She remained sitting quietly. Then she unbuckled and exited the car.
“Whoa, Scully,” he called, racing after her.
Scully paced away from the car, her long strides difficult for Mulder to catch up with, “Scully, wait a minute–where are you going?”
“What’s going to happen, Mulder?” Scully asked, wheeling around, “Are we going to remember this?”
“I…” Mulder shook his head, “I don’t know…”
“I think you do.”
Mulder let out a low breath, keeping his gaze low before forcing himself to meet her pleading eyes, “I don’t think we’ll remember.”
Scully huffed a bitter laugh, “Everything that happened. Everything we said and did. It’ll all disappear?”
“I don’t think completely. Some things still bled through last time…fragments. It might happen like that again,” Mulder shrugged, “Or it could be completely different this time.”
“But you don’t think so.”
Mulder let his silence be his answer.
Scully ran a hand through her hair, “What have we been doing, Mulder?”
Mulder tipped his head to the side, unsure of her meaning.
“Doing what?”
Scully gestured between them, “This, all this time, what have we been doing? We’ve been…doing this dance. It’s like we take one step forward and two steps back.”
Mulder’s mouth went dry, “What do you mean?”
Scully’s laugh was bitter, cutting. There was the beginning of tears in her eyes, “That you even have to ask...”
Mulder swallowed thickly, looking away. It wasn’t right for her to pin it all on him. He tried to kiss her and they didn’t speak of it again. He told her how he felt and she brushed him off. What was talking about this now going to accomplish when it all was going to be gone again?
“What’s the point?” he asked.
Scully’s eyes widened as if he had slapped her, “What’s the point?”
“Sure, Scully, we just say everything we’re thinking, just lay it all bare, and then what?” Mulder pushed back, voice rising, “It’s all gone and we forget it ever happened.”
Scully lifted her chin defiantly, “Then what’s the risk? If it’s all going to disappear anyway?”
Because what if it doesn’t?
Scully held his gaze, a challenge.
Fine.
“You told your mom what I said to you in the hospital, why?” Mulder asked flatly.
It wasn’t really a question so much as an accusation.
Scully’s eyes widened, “What?”
“Your mom brought it up,” Mulder explained, his voice laced with bitterness, “She thought we should talk about it, funnily enough.”
Scully stepped back, averting her gaze, “What…um…what do you–”
“I told you that I loved you and I believe your exact words back were ‘oh, brother.’”
Mulder’s fists were clenched at his sides.
Scully winced but looked back to him.
“You remember…”
Mulder gave a frustrated shrug.
“What does it matter that I did?” he went on, “You clearly don’t feel that way.”
“So you meant it?”
Of course I did.
“It doesn’t matter,” Mulder sighed, suddenly feeling very tired.
“It does matter,” Scully insisted, taking a step toward him, “It matters to me.”
“Does it?”
Scully’s lip quivered.
What are we doing, Scully?
Scully looked down, and for a moment he was sure she was going to walk away, but she reached out, taking his hand.
“I didn’t think you meant it…” Scully shook her head, flicking her eyes to Mulder’s, “Not really.”
“And now that you know I do?”
Do? Did? Oh, what does the distinction matter now?
Scully bit her lip, sniffing once, then her eyes softened. The pair stayed, eyes locked. Scully started to lean down, and Mulder couldn’t help himself.
“I’d kiss you if you weren’t so damn ugly…” he whispered.
Scully pulled back, confusion plain on her features. Then, just as Mulder had desperately hoped, the beginning of recognition flashed in Scully’s eyes. Her brow furrowed and her lips parted and Mulder saw the gears turning. She remembered the phrase too, at least a little.
Mulder leaned up, pressing his lips to hers.
Scully kissed him back immediately, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close. They kissed tenderly, then they deepened the kiss, scrabbling at each other, desperate to be as close as possible, as if they could fuse into one.
When they parted, Mulder was out of breath.
And grinning like an idiot.
“Was that…” Mulder began, “In case we remember, or in case we don’t?”
Scully smiled softly, “Yes.”
Mulder took Scully’s hand and squeezed, “It’s time...”
-----
Mulder stepped off of the elevator, heading to the door to his apartment. His cell phone rang, and he answered immediately, “Mulder.”
“Mulder, it’s me,” Scully’s voice told him, “I just wanted to let you know that we slipped under Kersh’s radar. Our little field trip to Nevada went unnoticed.”
“Oh yeah?” Mulder pressed, a little flutter of excitement rising in him.
“Mulder,” Scully began again, her tone growing somber, “I’m sorry that your confidential source didn’t pan out.”
“Well, I guess you were right, Scully,” Mulder conceded, keying into his apartment, “Just another crackpot who watches too much Star Trek.”
Scully snorted a laugh, letting silence hang a moment before adding, “Good night.”
“Hey Scully,” Mulder pressed before she could hang up, “I, uh, I know it’s not your normal life but…thanks for coming out there with me.”
Something settled in the silence that followed, and Mulder could almost picture the expression on Scully’s face. Pensive, but appreciative.
“You’re welcome,” she told him, ending the call.
Mulder sat his overnight bag on the floor by the couch, getting a wild sense of deja vu. He shook his head and headed for the bedroom, pulling out clothes to sleep in. He changed into pajama pants and a t-shirt, but a chill in the apartment left him feeling exposed. Digging around in his closet, he grabbed his Oxford sweatshirt, pulling it on over his head.
For the briefest moment, the scent of Scully’s perfume hit him full force.
Mulder froze.
He pulled the fabric up to his nose, breathing in and chasing the smell.
But it was gone.
Wishful thinking...
He settled on the couch, flipping around channels on TV aimlessly. He felt restless. Like he had something he was forgetting to do, but couldn’t place it. It was probably jetlag. Unsure what else might capture his attention, he settled on some news, watching a reporter herald the recent confirmation of a Judge Graham to the bench.
Mulder’s stomach knotted, and he rose up in his seat.
He was familiar with the man, but something about the sight of him right now turned Mulder’s stomach.
He made a mental note to ask Scully about it tomorrow. It couldn’t be an X-File, or anything they worked on recently, but he could swear that he read something about the man that caused this reaction. An old case? Did they speak to him about a case?
Mulder ran a hand across his face, the tickle of stubble prickling against his palm.
He lounged around for a while, unable to stop feeling so restless. He was exhausted and yet he considered going for a run. Anything to burn out this sensation.
Surprisingly, his phone rang.
He answered on the first ring, “Mulder.”
“Mulder, sorry, it’s me again,” Scully called.
Mulder smiled. As if her calling would ever be some sort of inconvenience.
“Did I wake you?”
“No,” Mulder shook his head, “I’m just watching TV.”
Silence flooded Mulder’s ear, and for a moment he thought Scully had hung up.
“Hello?”
“I’m still here, sorry,” Scully went on before letting silence hang again.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” Scully replied, not sounding very convincing.
Mulder sat up straighter, straining to hear in case Scully spoke softly.
“I was just…washing up for bed,” Scully explained before trailing off again.
Mulder couldn’t for the life of him see where this was going.
“I got the weirdest feeling…”
Mulder stood, bristling with nervous energy, “You sure you’re alright?”
The silence was so heavy Mulder thought he could feel it pressing down on his chest. He could be at her apartment in twenty minutes. He walked over to where his shoes were sitting.
“Mulder, do you remember that awful motel in Boise?”
Mulder stopped in his tracks, so completely caught off guard by her words.
“I…what?”
“That motel. The Manheim case?”
“I…I remember,” Mulder replied, utterly perplexed by what prompted her to bring it up.
“It was so disgusting,” Scully laughed, “The beds…the unidentified leak coming from the ceiling. We’ve been in a lot of shitty motels, but that one takes the urinal cake...”
Mulder laughed a little, still unsure where this was going.
“We had to share a bed in the next motel,” Scully continued, “But we were so grateful to be out of there.”
‘But’ we were grateful?
Mulder’s smile faded a little.
Scully let out a shaky breath in the phone, “In the dark…you told me about the time you laughed so hard you shot chocolate milk out of your nose…”
I remember, Mulder thought with an unsure smile, Why are you bringing this up?
“We’ve seen some…crazy times, huh?”
“Yeah,” Mulder nodded.
“No matter what we’ve been through…you always…make it a bit easier,” Scully finished.
Mulder let out a nervous laugh, “It’s the least I could do,” he shrugged, “Um, you…uh…it’s easy to find something to feel grateful for when I’m around you...”
He heard Scully’s breath catch and Mulder’s heart began racing.
“Thank you…”
Mulder swallowed. He didn’t expect his words to have such an effect. Did this mean something? Or did he simply leave her feeling so unappreciated that these simple words left her flustered?
“I’m…” Mulder paused, self-deprecation bleeding through, “I’m sorry I don’t say it.”
He could see Scully's sad smile in his mind’s eye, “You did.”
Mulder smiled, his heart fluttering.
“Get some rest, Scully.”
“You too.”
“Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Mulder.”
Mulder ducked into his bathroom, splashing water on his face and attempting to clear his head of swirling thoughts. He met his reflection, staring into the piercing green of his eyes. He took in his appearance. His unkempt hair. His slight showing of stubble.
A dull ache under his eye prompted him to touch his cheek gingerly. A rush of warmth surged through his body for a moment, and then it was gone.
So was the ache.
Mulder laid down on his couch, staring at the ceiling and replaying Scully’s words.
What did it all really mean? Why was she bringing this up now?
Sometimes he felt like they took one step forward and two steps back. Tonight? It felt like a step forward. He hoped it was a good sign. It meant something. It had to.
Maybe he still had a chance. Only time would tell.
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safyresky · 8 months
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cackling bc the little ice age does in fact coincide with Jacqueline hopping into the mortal world, lmaoooooooo
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soaps-mohawk · 27 days
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Cherry Red, Crimson Blood
Chapter 15: Bonnie
Summary: Your heat is over and your pack has moved on with their lives, settling back into the familiar routine. Except, some things have begun to change, and you're not entirely sure if its for the better.
Pairing: Poly 141 x reader
Word Count: 7456 words
Warnings: NSFW, 18+, smut, oral, handjobs, overstimulation, P in V sex, unprotected sex, creampie, hair pulling, switch Johnny, Johnny's lingerie kink, Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamics, Alternate Universe, a/b/o typical classism and sexism, language, mention of nightmares, brief talk about killing and violence, insomnia, fluff, and of course a bit of angst
A/N: This chapter was an absolute bitch to write. I'm not kidding this was a nightmare. I'm happy with the changes I've made though, and how things are progressing. We've made a little bit of a time jump here, but not much. I think I'm getting sick so, posting the chapter before I inevitably pass out again. Oh, and Happy Easter everyone that celebrates.
Want early access to chapters, as well as other bonus content? Consider supporting me on Patreon.
MASTERLIST | <- Previous | Next ->
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Your eyes fly open as the alarm blares. They burn as you squint against the bright phone light. An arm reaches over you, the warm skin sliding against your back as he fumbles to turn off the offending noise. 
You let out a quiet groan as you catch the numbers dictating the time on the screen before the phone is placed back on the nightstand. “‘S too early.” You grumble, rubbing at your crusty eyes. 
“Go back to sleep.” John murmurs, pressing a soft kiss to your shoulder before he shifts, climbing over you to get out of the bed. He tucks the blankets back around you before slipping into the bathroom. 
You won't go back to sleep. The last time you'd glanced at the time on your phone had been two hours ago, at 2 A.M. You’ve been awake most of the night, as you have been the last couple nights. You haven't been sleeping well. It was like your heat opened a floodgate and now every time you close your eyes, you're transported back into the past, back when you were a child. Back when things weren't fine. 
You've started trying to avoid sleep, waking constantly during the night from nightmares or from your brain’s own fear of them starting back up. It’s only been a week since your heat ended, and yet you feel no more rested than you did coming out of it. Nothing you’ve tried has worked, not even staying awake until you inevitably pass out prevents your subconscious mind from pulling up the horrible memories of your past. 
Even sleeping next to your alpha hasn’t provided any comfort for your mind. His presence isn’t enough to quell the fear in your mind that the nightmares might come back, that the memories might surface. 
Even he can’t protect you from this. 
You close your eyes as the bathroom door opens again, pretending to sleep as John dresses for his morning workout. He’s quiet, near silent as he moves about the room. It’s almost terrifying how quiet they can be. Though, you suppose, if your survival depends on it, it’s a skill you’d spend plenty of time honing. 
John grabs his phone from the nightstand, running a gentle hand over your head before he leaves the room, closing the door quietly behind him. You lay there for a few minutes, trying not to let the guilt eat you alive. You should tell them you’re struggling to sleep, that your mind is plaguing you with memories from your past, but you’re afraid of what they might think of you. You’re not the perfect omega, you’re not as whole as you might seem. 
You’re held together with duct tape on the inside. They already have enough to worry about now, they don’t need the weight of your misery thrown on top of the loads they all carry. 
You let out a long breath, turning over in John’s bed. You press your face into the pillow, inhaling the imprint of his scent on the fabric. It’s still warm where he was laying, and you shuffle over into that spot, letting your body go lax as you imagine him still there with you, arms still wrapped around your body. You want to bury yourself in his arms, press against his chest until you sink into him and become one. 
Only then, perhaps you can feel safe enough to sleep. 
You press your face further into the pillow, every inhale filled with John’s scent. It lulls you into a daze, the hypnagogic stage between sleep and wakefulness. 
You jolt as a hand touches your arm, calluses smoothing over the bare skin. You blink your eyes open, letting out a quiet groan. It’s light outside now, the room bathed in white light instead of the yellow tinge of the nightlight John had bought for his room for you.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.” John says, gently squeezing your arm. He’s already dressed for the day, hair still damp from the shower. You hadn’t even noticed he’d returned. 
You roll over, rubbing your eyes. “‘S fine. Didn’t even know I was asleep. Breakfast time?” 
John hums, leaning over you. “Almost. You’ve got time to get ready.” 
You blink up at him blearily, your mind still trying to wake up completely after your short nap. You stare up into his eyes, getting lost in their blue depths. You feel like you could swim in them, his deep earthy scent drawing forward memories of camping and swimming in the lake. Memories you could pretend were happy, memories not tainted by fear and grief. 
“Christ,” He breathes, pressing his lips to yours. “So fucking beautiful.” 
Your cheeks warm at his words, your lips moving against his as you kiss. You trail a hand up his arm, sliding it to his back. His shirt is soft, thin enough that you can feel the muscles in his back as you smooth your hand across his shoulder blades. 
“Wish I could stay here all day.” He murmurs, his face pressing into your throat. You tilt your head for him, a quiet groan rumbling through his chest at your sign of submission. He sighs, pressing his nose against your scent gland for a moment before he straightens back up. “Got a job to do.” 
You let out a groan as you stretch, arching your back. “Fuck your job.” 
“I’d much rather be fucking you.” He says, leaning down to nip at your bottom lip before he stands up, grabbing the shirt you’d worn to slip into his room last night off the floor. It’s one of his, one you’d stolen from his laundry hamper while he was in the shower. “Don’t let anyone hear you say that.” 
You grin, pushing the sheets down before sitting up on the edge of the bed. You rub your eyes tiredly, stretching again before pulling on his shirt, slipping your slippers on. You pad back to your room, changing into more appropriate clothes for breakfast. You’ll be left to your own devices again afterward as the guys return to their normal training schedule. You won’t be napping this time, though, you fear. Instead you’ll be looking for ways to keep yourself awake. 
You and John walk hand in hand to the mess. It’s been a while since you’ve been inside of it, and you find you’ve grown to miss it a bit. You don’t miss the stares, the looks that pass over you and your entwined hands as John leads you to the line to get food. It’s like they know, like they all somehow witnessed what had transpired over the last couple weeks, like they had all been spectators to it. 
John makes your tray for you again, carrying it to the table where the others are already seated. You take your normal spot next to Kyle, both him and John sitting closer to you than before. Perhaps they were picking up on your nervous energy, but even Johnny and Ghost seemed to be sitting closer. You cast a glance between them before digging into your tray. Something had transpired, but you’re not quite sure what. 
You might never get to know. 
It’s quiet as you eat, the coffee bitter and watery, but you don’t care. You’ll suffer anything that might give you a boost of energy to make it to lunch without falling asleep. 
Johnny walks you back to the barracks after breakfast is over, his arm around your waist as you take your time crossing the courtyard. He’s oddly quiet compared to how energetic he usually is this early in the morning. Something must have happened to make him silent. 
“Johnny?” You ask after a group of soldiers jog past behind you. 
He hums, looking down at you. His eyes are still bright, but his brows are slightly furrowed. 
“Is everything alright?” You ask carefully, not wanting to risk pushing any buttons. 
“Aye.” He answers after letting out a sigh. “Jus’ an incident in the gym this mornin’. Nothing ye need tae worry about.” 
You raise your brows at him, silently conveying your desire for more information, if he can give you any. 
“Just some alphas talkin’ shite, like they do. Callin’ ye the 141’s whore. Askin’ if we all take turns or if ye let us all go at once.” He says, his tone practically seething as he leads you into the barracks. “Simon reminded them of their place.” 
You can only imagine how that went. 
Despite their obvious tension at the jabs made at you by the other alphas, you don't feel as angry as you probably should. Being called a whore was a bit demeaning, but part of what was said wasn't entirely wrong. Perhaps it's just some leftover hormones surging from your heat, or maybe being claimed has shifted your feelings towards your packmates, but the idea of being shared by them has warmth spreading through you. The mental images piecing together in your mind of taking them all at once would probably make the alphas that made that jab at you blush furiously. 
“Johnny?” You ask, turning to him when you reach your door. 
“Aye?” He stares down at you, his blue eyes soft as they gaze down into your own. 
“I, uh, I wouldn’t mind if at least part of what they said was true...” You sink your teeth into your lip. “You...uh...you’ve been waiting for a while...for your turn.” 
He gulps, shifting slightly on his feet. You can’t tell if he’s nervous or excited or something in between. 
“Well, I’ve been officially cleared to partake in more...strenuous activities..” 
“Christ.” He breathes, crowding you against the door. For a moment you’re worried he might just do it right here, right now, but instead he leans in, close enough you can smell the coffee he had with his breakfast. “I’d love that, kitten.” He bites his own lip as he stares down at yours. “Let me know, and I’ll be ready for you.” He leans down, closing the short distance between you as he kisses you. 
You lean into him, kissing him back. It feels like the first time you kissed him, except you can feel the hunger, the restraint behind this kiss. You can feel how much he’s been holding back, how long he’s waited to finally have this moment. To think of anyone desiring you in such a way makes your head spin. He wants you for you, not what you can do for him, not what you can give to him. Not even just for what’s between your legs, even if that’s what you’re going to do. 
He wants to be with you because you’re you. He doesn’t have to, he could choose not to, but he does. 
He pulls away, staring down at you. His eyes are darker now, speaking promises of what’s to come. “When you’re ready, I’ll be waiting.” 
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“You're tired.” 
You blink, your gaze snapping to his face. You had been drifting thoughtlessly, quite enamored with a single spot on the floor. You're not sure how long he let you stand there, empty-headed and practically dozing upright. 
You rub your eyes, trying to force your brain back to awareness. “It's early.” You give the excuse, toeing off your shoes. “Been a while since we've done this.”
“You're going to have to work extra hard to gain it all back.” Ghost says, pulling off his sweatshirt. 
Your eyes are immediately drawn to his arms, the strength in them, the tattoos on his skin. You bite back the desire to move closer, to get just a glimpse at one close up. You want to sit and trace them, hear the story of every single one. You want to push his sleeve up, watch the way his muscles bulge and flex, see how far his tattoo goes up his arm. 
You snap yourself out of your thoughts, moving onto the mat before you do something embarrassing like starting to drool. You watch him as he stands at the edge of the mat, brown eyes taking you in as you stand there. Something tickles in the back of your mind, a hint of fear, the sense of sudden danger prevalent. What would you do if he suddenly ran at you? Try to dodge and make it to the door? Where would you go? The med center again? 
“Easy.” He grumbles, sensing your obvious tension.
Your gaze snaps back to him, his posture relaxed as he stays still. “I'm putting a lot of trust in you.”
“I know.” He says, standing almost as still as a statue. You wonder how he can possibly be so still, but you suppose it's something he learned to do. “I should never have broken that trust in the first place.”
Your eyes widen, brows lifting as you stare at him. You didn't expect such a straightforward apology from him. You haven't really gotten one, until now. You hesitate as you stand there in silence, Ghost obviously waiting for your response. 
“I don't know if I can forgive you.” You finally say. 
“You shouldn't.” He shrugs, his gaze shifting to the wall behind you. “Even if you weren't really in danger, it was still a dick move.”
Your eyebrows raise even higher. “An apology and admitting you were a dick? Should I be worried?”
He huffs out a breath, shaking his head. “Consider it an offering of amicability, for Johnny. I know you two are getting close, so inevitably we're going to find ourselves around each other more often than we have previously.”
“Well, I suppose I could accept that.” You say, shifting on your feet. “I don't think you could convince Johnny otherwise.”
“Hardly. He wouldn't listen anyway.” He finally moves, shifting on his feet. “You gonna put your hackles down so I can approach?”
You take a deep breath, relaxing the tension in your body. You don't really have a reason to fear him, despite what he did. He hasn't given you a reason to fear him since then, and he's even gone so far as to apologize in his own way. John wouldn't have allowed this to start again if he didn't trust Ghost not to do something that might put you in danger. 
John trusts him, so you should be able to as well. 
Ghost slowly approaches, your eyes watching him carefully until he's directly in front of you. You stare up at him, holding his gaze. You wish you could see the rest of his face on the off chance it might give you a hint at what he's thinking and feeling. You wonder if that's partially why he wears the mask. 
Ghost holds out his hand and you place your own in his. It's so much bigger than yours, his long fingers engulfing your wrist as he wraps your hand. You could probably do it yourself by this point, but you like making him do it. You like the way his hands hold yours, the roughness of his skin against your own. 
He starts out reviewing things you already know. Punches, kicks, dodging. It doesn't take long for you to get back into the groove of things, moving like it hasn't been nearly a month since your last training session. You notice the fatigue faster than you had during your last session, but you expected that after almost a month, paired with your heat two weeks ago. 
“Now, punching and kicking will only get you so far in a fight.” He says, giving you a moment to breathe. “Almost all fights are going to end up on the ground. Even if your goal is disarming enough to escape, the chances of you and your opponent ending up on the ground is highly likely.” 
He swipes your feet out from under you before you can even blink, nearly knocking the wind from you as you land on the mat on your back. He’s on you quickly, dropping to his hands and knees over you. Your breath catches in your throat as you stare at him above you, his hulking form seeming even larger from this angle. Your mind begins to run wild, imagining all the things that could happen in this position. 
“Focus.” He grumbles, arms flexing as he presses his hands into the mat where they rest on either side of your head. “You don’t want to be in this position in a fight. You’re too vulnerable.” 
A shiver runs down your spine at his words. You are vulnerable like this. Even with him, someone who doesn’t want to hurt you, it would be so easy. Your head begins to turn, your gaze leaving his as instinct begins to take over. 
“No.” He snaps, gripping your chin to turn your head back so he’s looking in your eyes. “You do that in a fight, you’re not going to see the other side.” 
You gulp, trying to ignore the warmth of his fingers on your face, the firmness of his grip as he keeps you from showing submission to him. That’s not why you’re here. He’s right. If you do that in a fight, it’ll be over before you even have a chance to run. 
“Your legs are far stronger than your arms. Use them to your advantage.” He says, showing you how to get him into the right position to flip him. 
You know he’s helping you as you flip him onto his back. If he really was fighting you, you’re not sure you could have done it, even if you managed to land enough of a hit to disarm him. You wind up on top of him, sitting on his stomach. The position doesn’t help your racing thoughts, and you pray you can keep enough control over yourself so you don’t make it obvious. 
“Use your legs to pin my hands.” He directs you. You shift your knees slightly, trapping his hands against the mat. “Good.” He says, laying still under you. “You can’t hold a bigger opponent down here for long, but that’s not the point. This gives you a moment of opportunity to go for the face or the neck. Stun them and that gives you a headstart. If you have a weapon available, then you have one less person to worry about chasing you.” 
You gulp at his words. It hadn’t even crossed your mind during your training. He had said it so simply, so easily. You suppose it is to him, after years of doing it, after countless moments where it’s his life or theirs. Is that what he tells himself? Is that how he rationalizes it? Is there so much blood on his hands now that killing is as easy as breathing? 
You wonder how they all rationalize it. They all have blood on their hands, they all have killed, and will kill again. Every time they leave and come back, it’s with more blood, more nameless faces on the list of lives they've taken, all in the name of the greater good. 
Is violence and death really the path to the greater good? 
“What?” He asks, sensing your inner turmoil. 
You sit back on his stomach, your body rising and falling with his even breaths. “I don’t know if I could do it.” 
He tugs his hands from beneath your knees easily, resting them on the mat next to your legs. You can feel his fingers twitch as the blood rushes back into them. “You might not have much of a choice.” He says, holding your gaze. There’s a softness in his gaze you have never seen before. “Sometimes it’s the only choice. If they’re attacking you, they’re better off dead. Even if their goal is to take you alive, the things they’ll do to you.” He shakes his head. 
He’s speaking from experience. You know he’s seen things, witnessed the brutality omegas are subjected to at the hands of the worst kinds of alphas and betas. He’s watched omegas die in front of him while he’s sat helpless.
His hand lifts, cupping the back of your head to pull you down closer to his face. You catch yourself with your hands on either side of his head, fighting the urge to tense your shoulders. His hand doesn’t move from the back of your head, his fingers not even twitching as he holds you steady. 
“If they’re willing to do it to you, how many others have been on the receiving end? If you’re not willing to be the last, how many others will come after you?” He says, his gaze intense as he stares at you. “I hope you never have to, but you always have to prepare for the worst.” 
He holds you there for a breath, staring up into your eyes before he releases you, flipping you off of him and onto your back on the mat. He pushes himself up to stand, staring down at you as you lay there, catching your breath and thinking over the last few moments that transpired. 
“Come on. It’s almost time for breakfast.” 
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It’s quiet in the rec room. The TV is off for once, only the hum of electricity and the occasional turning of a page the only sound breaking the silence. You and Ghost are the only two in the rec room, both of you relaxing silently as you read. He’s in the chair as usual, and you’re stretched out on the couch. 
You’re only halfway paying attention to your book, still thinking over your conversation with Johnny earlier, and what transpired in the gym during your training session yesterday. You know how much Johnny wants to be with you, and you're more than willing to go that far with him. You like Johnny, more than just as a packmate. It's hard not to fall for him with his confidence and his playful demeanor. You know he's been desperate to take things to the next level too. 
All he's waiting on is you saying the word. 
He will never force you into it. He'll impatiently wait for you to go to him, to tell him that you want it. All jokes and teasing aside, you know he'd never make you feel like you were being forced into something. 
The thought makes you want to cry. 
“Pull his hair.” Ghost’s voice cuts through the silence, nearly making you jump. 
You lower your book so you can see him, eyebrows raising in surprise at his words. “What?” 
“When you finally fuck Johnny, grab him by the mohawk. He likes it.” Ghost says, not even looking up from his own book. 
You stare at him wide-eyed, wondering for a moment if he can read minds, or if you’re just not quite as subtle as you think you’re being. 
“I'll, uh, keep that in mind.” You say, lifting your book again to hide your blushing face. 
The room descends into silence once more, the two of you continuing to read as if nothing had happened, as if that conversation hadn’t transpired. You wish it felt that way in your mind, though. The mental images Ghost’s words have drawn up drowning out the words on the pages that you’re trying to read. You’re trying not to get worked up further, but you can’t help it. After your training session and the thoughts that had come to mind with Ghost, and now these new images of Johnny, you’re sure your scent has begun to sweeten with arousal. 
You need to rectify this, and fast. 
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You knock on the door, shifting nervously on your feet. Your hands have disappeared in your sleeves, the weight of your phone in your pocket the only thing keeping you from floating to the ceiling and dissipating into the air from the anxiety. 
Your stomach nearly drops from your body as the door swings open, Gaz standing there in his full glory. 
“Everything alright?” He asks, staring down at you with those big brown eyes. “You look nervous.”
You swallow the nerves, nodding in response. “Yeah, I just...wanted to talk to you for a minute.” 
He steps away from the door, brows still pinched in worry and confusion as he motions for you to enter. You brush past him as you step into his room, taking a look around. You haven't been in his room before. It's slightly smaller than yours and John's, and it doesn't have a private bathroom. There's artwork up on the walls, and a couple of plants on his desk, along with a few personal belongings. It's neat and tidy, not that you expected anything less. 
“What did you want to talk about?” He asks, turning to face you after closing the door. 
You take a deep breath, calming the nervous twist in your stomach. You shouldn’t be nervous. It’s a natural thing to bring up to packmates. You blame it on the fatigue from your lack of sleep putting you on edge.
“I wanted to ask you something.” You start, staring into his big brown eyes. They’re so beautiful, so expressive as they stare down at you. “Johnny and I...we’re going to...sleep together soon and...I just wanted to make sure that was okay? In case maybe you wanted to go first?” 
Kyle’s lips slowly lift up into a smile as you stare at him nervously, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “He’s been an absolute tosser since before your heat, and he’d only become utterly unbearable if he didn’t get to go first.” He steps up closer to you, grinning down at you. “For the sake of everyone’s sanity, I don’t mind being patient. Besides,” He leans down, his breath fanning your ear. “I at least know what you look like naked, so I can occupy myself while I wait.” 
Your face burns with warmth at his words, a shiver running down your spine. He’s not wrong. He’s seen you at your most vulnerable, lost to your heat, naked and stuffed with John’s knot. Your brain flashes back to the start of your heat, the feel of his fingers slipping beneath the waistband of your pajama pants. You swallow thickly, meeting his gaze as he pulls back. 
“Enjoy your time with Johnny, love.” He slips his hand into yours, lifting it to his lips. He presses a soft kiss to your knuckles, lips brushing your skin as he speaks. “I’ll be here waiting for you when you’re ready.” 
You feel a bit out of breath as you leave Kyle’s room, and you’re sure your scent has sweetened with arousal and excitement. You might have been tempted to just jump Kyle’s bones right now, had it not been for your desire for Johnny, and your commitment to letting him be first again. You know Kyle’s right. You’d never hear the end of it if Johnny didn’t get the chance to be next in line. 
Now you just have to find him and tell him the good news. 
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“Ye look nervous. Are ye nervous?” 
“I mean, this is a big step...” You say, wrapping your arms around Johnny’s neck as he shifts you into his lap. You try not to think about how strong he is, how easily he moves you. 
“Ye don’t have tae do this, if ye don’ want to.” He says, looking down into your eyes. 
“It’s not that...” You say, shifting in his lap. “It’s more...there’s no going back after this.” 
He wraps his arms tighter around you. “If I didnae want it, I wouldnae offer. Yer a fucking stunnin’ omega, kitten. Would be crazy not tae want ye.” 
Your cheeks warm at his words, your gaze dropping from the intensity of his own. His stubble tickles your fingers as you trace the line of his jaw, working your way towards his lips. His tongue darts out, wetting his bottom lip as your fingers trace the jagged scar on his chin. 
“Just...go easy on me? At least this first time?” You say, tracing his lips with your fingers. 
“‘Course, kitten.” He says, pressing a kiss to your fingertips. “Wouldnae want to scare ye away.” 
Your eyes widen slightly at the implications of his words, your stomach fluttering with excitement and a hint of fear at what he could possibly be alluding to. His hand lifts, gently grasping your chin, tilting your face slightly. He closes the distance between you, pressing his lips to yours. 
“Don’ worry.” He murmurs against your lips. “Take good care of ye.” 
You hum against his lips, tasting the chocolate he’d been snacking on when you sought him out as his tongue slips into your mouth. His hand leaves your chin, sliding down your throat to rest right at the base of your throat, fingers splayed across your clavicle. His thumb rests right on the edge of your mating mark, the pressure making you shiver. 
Johnny pulls you tighter against his chest, your arms wrapping around his neck. He moans against your lips as you shift against him, the bulge in his pants pressing against your ass. It’s not the first time you’ve felt it, but this time it’s different. This time you’re going to do something about it. 
“Fucking christ, take ye right here on this couch, if I’m not careful.” Johnny groans, nipping at your bottom lip. 
“Then best take me to bed, Sergeant.” You say, pulling back slightly to give him what you hope is a sultry look. 
The groan that’s pulled from his lips is downright salacious, something flashing in his eyes as you call him by his rank. He curses, tightening his hold around you before he stands, maneuvering you so you’re tossed over his shoulder. You let out a squeak of surprise that’s quickly replaced by giggles as he packs you down the hall to his room. 
He sets you on your feet once you're inside, closing the door. You look around his room, surprised to see it full of art supplies with drawings and paintings all over the walls. You stare open mouthed, taking it all in. It's messier than John and Kyle's rooms, though there's still a sense of order to it. A chaotic order, but you suppose that explains Johnny perfectly. 
“You draw?” You say, studying the art on the walls.
“Aye,” Johnny says, coming up behind you. “In my free time.”
“I didn't know that.” A small smile tugs at your lips. “They're beautiful.”  
“Thank ye, kitten.” He wraps his arms around you from behind, reminding you of why you came in here in the first place. “Not quite as beautiful as you.”
Your face warms at his compliment and you tilt your head back, staring up at him. “You're such a charmer.” 
“Try my best.” He grins, leaning down and kissing your forehead. “Promise I'll show ye my drawings later.”
You turn in his arms, wrapping your own around his neck. “I know. You're desperate.”
“Been waitin’ weeks for this, kitten.” He groans, grinding against you. 
He leans down, pressing his lips to yours. You tighten your grip around his neck, jumping into his arms. He manages to catch you, stumbling half a step back as his hands grip your thighs. You wrap your legs around his waist, lifting yourself so you’re face to face with him. 
“Christ.” He groans against your lips, walking forward until he reaches his bed.
He drops you on your back, your body bouncing on the mattress as he settles on his knees over you. His eyes have darkened as he stares down at you, your stomach twisting in excitement. Warmth has started to pool between your legs, your scent sweetening with arousal. 
Johnny’s hands are rough as they slip under your shirt, tugging it up over your head. He groans, eyes fluttering as he realizes you’re without a bra underneath. He curses quietly, something you can’t quite understand as his hands immediately close around your breasts. Your lips part as he squeezes the flesh in his hands, leaning down to take a nipple in his mouth. You gasp at the sensation as his lips close around the sensitive bud, suckling at it like he’s a man starved. 
Well, you suppose he is. 
He has been waiting for quite a while for this opportunity. Something about it makes your brain tingle, arousal pooling in your stomach at the thought of someone desiring you that much. 
It’s not just him, though. Three of the four members of your pack have expressed their desire for you in such a way. The thought makes your head spin. You’re just a simple omega, and yet, here they are going half crazy over you. 
Johnny releases your nipple with a pop, shifting so he can give the same attention to the other one. Arousal continues to pool between your legs, your arms wrapping around his shoulders. You drag your fingernails across the back of his neck, a shiver wracking through his body, his hips grinding down against your thigh. 
“Fuck,” He gasps, releasing your nipple to stare up at you.
You repeat the motion, dragging your fingers slower. His eyes roll back, hips grinding harder against your thigh. He’s so sensitive, you think, pushing your thigh up against him. He lets out what can only be described as almost a whine, rutting his hips against your leg. 
“Fuck,” He curses again, pushing himself back up onto his knees. “Tonight is about you, kitten.” He takes a deep breath before slipping his fingers under the waistband of your pants, tugging them down quickly and tossing them on the floor next to your shirt. 
He sinks his teeth into his lip as he stares down at your panties, one of the pairs he got you on your shopping trip before your date with John. You had changed into them specifically for Johnny, remembering how excited he’d looked when he bought you five pairs of the lacy garments. He groans quietly as he runs his fingers over your lace covered skin, slowly lowering his fingers between your thighs. He glances up at you, meeting his gaze and you give him a nod before his fingers dip lower, trailing the wet spot on the lacy fabric. 
You part your legs more for him as he rubs you through your panties, quiet moans leaving your lips at the feeling of the friction from the fabric. His eyes are still on you, glued to your face as the pleasure begins to build just from his touch. You buck your hips against his hand, searching out more. More pleasure, more of his touch, more of him. 
“Look at ye, needy little thing.” He groans, his thumb dragging up your slit until he finds your clit, slowly circling it through the fabric. “Barely touched ye an’ yer cunt’s already soakin’ yer skids. Fucking sweet little thing, so needy for me, aren’t ye?” 
You push yourself up onto your elbows, staring down at him. “Are you going to sit there and run your mouth all night, or are you going to fuck me?” 
He grins wickedly at you. “I’m just gettin’ started, kitten.” 
He leans down, pressing a kiss to the inside of your knee before trailing kisses up your inner thigh. His thumb continues to stroke you through your panties, applying more and more pressure as he gets closer and closer to your center. He whispers out a curse as he shoves your panties to the side, revealing your glistening folds to him. He leans forward, warm breath fanning your slit before he closes his mouth around you. 
You gasp at the sensation, dropping back onto your back on the bed as he drags his tongue through your folds, flicking it across your clit before he closes his lips around the sensitive bud, suckling at it like he did your nipples earlier. Pleasure shoots through you as he eats you like a man starved, slurping away at your pussy obscenely. 
“Fuck, Johnny!” You gasp, legs trying to close around his head, but he holds your inner thighs, keeping them spread. 
You’re not going to last very long, not with him alternating between sucking at your clit and swirling his tongue around it like that. He’s done this before, and you can’t help the momentary spike of jealousy at the thought of him between any other omega’s thighs now that he has you. 
“Gonna cum!” You whine, hips bucking against his face. 
“Yeah? Gonna make a mess all over my face?” He groans. 
You curse, your back arching as he continues to work you up, hands fisting his sheets. 
“That’s it.” He groans against your clit, dragging his teeth over the sensitive bud. “Be a good omega for me.” 
You cum with a cry, soaking his chin as he continues to tease you. He laps at your juices, not slowing any as he works you through your orgasm, even as you begin to shake with overstimulation. 
“I-I can’t.” You gasp, the burning feeling starting to pulse through you as he continues to suck at your clit. It’s quickly becoming too much, the feeling overwhelming you. 
Ghost’s words flash through your mind at that moment, his suggestion yesterday while you both spent time in the rec room reading. You reach down, sinking your fingers into Johnny’s mohawk, gripping the short strands. He lets out a groan as you tug, pulling his face from your pussy finally. His chin is glistening with your release, his tongue darting out to lick your juices from his lips. 
He follows as you tug upwards, drawing him away from your pussy. He crawls up your body until you’re almost face to face, your fingers still tangled in his hair. 
“I said that’s enough.” You say, slightly breathless from your orgasm, but you put as much authority in your tone as you can manage. 
“Yes ma’am.” He practically whines, the muscles in his arms flexing as he sinks his own fingers into the sheets around you. 
The sudden shift in control has something buzzing in your brain, the back of your neck tingling. You’re an omega. You’re not supposed to be in control, and yet, here Johnny is, practically folding in front of you. A thrill shoots through your veins at the thought of what you could make him do, what lengths he’d go to for you simply because you have him in this position. 
“Take your clothes off.” You say, releasing his mohawk. 
He sits back without complaint, tugging his shirt over his head. You take him in, the hard lines of his muscles, the dark hair on his chest, the line disappearing under the waistband of his pants. You lick your lips as he undoes the button on his pants, undoing the zipper before tugging them down with his boxers. 
His cock is hard and practically standing at attention as he kicks his pants off. He’s slightly smaller than John, but not by much. Your pussy clenches at the thought of him inside you, but you’re not ready for that quite yet. You guide Johnny back up to your face, pressing your lips against his. You can taste yourself on him, making him groan as you lick into his mouth. 
You guide him onto his back, trading places with him. He settles beneath you, his hands lifting to your hips, but you push them back as you pull away. You smirk down at him for a moment before you move, changing your position so you’re facing away from him. You trap his hands against the bed with your legs like Ghost showed you, sitting yourself on his taut stomach. He has a clear view of your ass still sporting your lacy panties, your wet folds pressed against his skin. 
“Simon show ye that one?” He asks, flexing his hands under you. He could easily overpower you and free himself, but he doesn’t.
“Uh huh.” You say, wrapping your hand around his cock. 
“Hells bells, what are you two gettin’ into during trainin’?” He groans, obviously starting to picture the lewd things you and Ghost might be doing. You wonder how he’d react to seeing you on top of Ghost like you were yesterday. 
“He’s just teaching me how to defend myself.” You say, slowly pumping his cock. “I’m finding there’s not much of a difference between fucking and fighting.” 
Johnny lets out another groan, but you’re not sure if it’s because of your words, or your hand on his cock. You continue to pump his length, feeling the softness of him in your hand, squeezing gently to feel the vein running along the bottom side. Johnny lets out a choked groan, hands twitching again under your legs. 
“Fuck, I cannae last much longer.” He gasps desperately, his length twitching in your hand. 
Pearly white beads of precum have begun to slip from his tip, and you can’t help but lean down and drag your tongue across his head, gathering some in your mouth. He lets out a whine that rivals ones of your own, his hips bucking as he gets closer and closer to his own orgasm. 
“Please, kitten, let me cum inside ye.” He begs, pulling his hands free from underneath you so he can grip your hips. 
You pull away from his cock, sitting up on his stomach. He’s panting, his fingers digging into the skin of your hips. You shift yourself again, turning back around to face him. His eyes are hooded as he stares at you, pupils blown with lust. His lips are parted as he pants, sweat beading on his forehead from the strain of holding himself back. You push yourself back until you’re hovering over his cock, pulling your panties to the side with one hand, grabbing his length with the other. 
You groan as you sink down onto him, bracing yourself with a hand on his stomach as he stretches you open. His hands settle on your waist, squeezing your hips as you work yourself down his length. 
“Fuck,” You breathe, pressing your hands against his abs as you sink down completely onto his cock, your hips flush with his. 
“So fucking tight and warm,” He groans, his grip near bruising around your hips. “Fucking feel fantastic, kitten.” 
You slowly begin rocking your hips, using your hands on his stomach for leverage. Your toes are curling already from this angle, the tip of his cock brushing that spot deep inside you with every rock of your hips. Small whines and whimpers leave your lips as you fuck yourself on his cock, squeezing your legs around his hips. They’re shaking already, and you know you won’t last long in this position. 
Johnny seems to notice that as well, his grip on your hips tightening as he starts to guide your movements. You’re starting to sweat from the effort, your thighs burning, but it feels too good to stop. You’re getting close again, the stretch of him inside you paired with the high of having such control over him just a few moments ago driving you closer and closer to the edge. 
Johnny pushes himself up as your movements begin to slow, wrapping his arms around you to shift you in his lap, laying you down on the bed facing the footboard as he slots himself over you. He takes over, thrusting into you, setting a frantic pace. Your head falls back as he pounds into you, your back arching as he folds his body over yours, pressing his face into your neck. 
“Gonna cum for me? Need tae feel ye squeezing ‘round my cock.” He grunts, nipping at the skin of your throat. 
You let out a whimper, nails digging into his shoulders. “Just like that.” You pant, squeezing your legs around his hips. “Don’t stop!” 
“Yes, ma’am.” He groans, continuing to rut into you like your pussy is the only thing that can save his life. 
You practically see stars as you cum, squeezing around his cock as pleasure jolts through your body like electricity. Your hips buck against his, grinding together like some sort of forbidden dance as he’s forced into his own orgasm by your walls squeezing around him. His hips stutter before he stills, warmth spurting into you as he cums. You hold him there, his body trembling with yours as he groans into your throat. 
“Fucking hell.” He moans, starting to shallowly thrust into you. He’s still hard, his cock dragging through your sensitive walls as he continues to fuck you despite having just orgasmed. “Never gonnae tire of this sweet cunt.” 
He probably won’t, you think as he continues to slowly thrust into you again. 
You’re in for a long night. 
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animusrox · 2 months
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TOP 10
Past Lives
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
How to Blow Up a Pipeline
Poor Things
Oppenheimer
Barbie
BlackBerry
The Holdovers
The Iron Claw
Killers of the Flower Moon
MY LETTERBOXD Grade A 11.    The Killer 12.    Beau Is Afraid 13.    Dream Scenario 14.    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 15.    Godzilla Minus One 16.    American Fiction 17.    They Cloned Tyrone 18.     Evil Dead Rise 19.    Eileen 20.    The Artifice Girl 21.   Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 22.    Talk to Me 23.    Reality 24.    Leave the World Behind 25.    A Thousand and One 26.    Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One 27.    Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. 28.    Theater Camp 29.   Carmen 30.    Merry Little Batman 31.    Priscilla 32.    Society of the Snow 33.    Infinity Pool 34.    Enys Men 35.    Sanctuary 36.    Rye Lane 37.    Skinamarink 38.    Monster 39.    Anatomy of a Fall 40.    Landscape with Invisible Hand 41.    Reptile 42.    Sisu 43.    Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game 44.    No One Will Save You 45.    Tetris 46.    May December 47.    The Zone of Interest 48.    V/H/S/85 49.    Dumb Money 50.    El Conde 51.    Arnold 52.    Maestro 53.    Napoleon 54.    20 Days in Mariupol 55.    Influencer 56.    The Creator 57.    Origin 58.    Thanksgiving 59.    Next Goal Wins 60.    The Boy and the Heron 61.    Bottoms 62.    Wonka
[Press Keep Reading For The Full Graded List]
Grade B
63.   God Is a Bullet 64.    No Hard Feelings 65.    Joy Ride 66.    Fair Play 67.     Cocaine Bear 68.    NYAD 69.    Asteroid City 70.    Nowhere 71.    The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster 72.    Divinity 73.    The Equalizer 3 74.    The Last Voyage of the Demeter 75.    Venus 76.    Butcher’s Crossing 77.    Somewhere in Queens 78.    The Persian Version 79.    Boston Strangler 80.    Polite Society 81.    Miguel Wants to Fight 82.    The Color Purple 83.    The Royal Hotel 84.    Saw X 85.    All of Us Strangers 86.    Fallen Leaves 87.    Ferrari 88.    Elemental 89.    Peter Pan & Wendy 90.    Renfield 91.    Cat Person 92.    Scream VI 93.    The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 94.    BS High 95.    Blue Beetle 96.    Huesera: The Bone Woman 97.    When Evil Lurks 98.    Dark Harvest 99.    A Good Person 100.    Final Cut 101.    Knock at the Cabin 102.    Quiz Lady 103.    Leo 104.    Air 105.    The Super Mario Bros. Movie 106.    Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham 107.    John Wick: Chapter 4 108.    Beaten to Death 109.    The Wrath of Becky 110.    Passages 111.    Transformers: Rise of the Beasts 112.    Gran Turismo 113.    65 114.    Sick 115.    Sister Death 116.    The Blackening 117.    Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain 118.    Flamin’ Hot 119.    Nimona 120.    Cobweb 121.    Totally Killer 122.    What’s Love Got to Do with It? 123.     Sharper 124.    Unseen 125.    Dunki 126.    Bird Box Barcelona 127.    The Marvels 128.    Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Grade C
129.   Wildflower 130.    Freelance 131.    M3GAN 132.    Strays 133.    Sympathy for the Devil 134.    Creed III 135.    Chevalier 136.    The Marsh King’s Daughter 137.    A Haunting in Venice 138.    The Little Mermaid 139.    Silent Night 140.    Master Gardener 141.    The Flash 142.    Fast X 143.    The Pope’s Exorcist 144.    Saltburn 145.    Kandahar 146.    Stand 147.    Plane 148.   Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny 149.    Fingernails 150.    Quicksand 151.    Fool’s Paradise 152.    Migration 153.    Rustin 154.    The Covenant 155.    Good Burger 2 156.    The Pod Generation 157.    Alice, Darling 158.    Insidious: The Red Door 159.    Missing 160.    Shotgun Wedding 161.    You Hurt My Feelings 162.    The Boogeyman 163.    Showing Up 164.    Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom 165.    Champions 166.    Consecration 167.    The Nun II 168.    Biosphere 169.    House Party 170.    The Exorcist: Believer 171.    Big George Foreman 172.    Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves 173.    Children of the Corn 174.    The Beanie Bubble 175.    Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Grade F
176.    Anyone But You 177.    Marlowe 178.    Paint 179.    Extraction 2 180.    It Lives Inside 181.    Deliver Us 182.    Trolls Band Together 183.    Finestkind 184.    Corner Office 185.    Wish 186.    Prisoner’s Daughter 187.    Pain Hustlers 188.    Foe 189.    The Mother 190.    Old Dads 191.    Ghosted 192.    Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken 193.    Haunted Mansion 194.    Mafia Mamma 195.    Five Nights at Freddy’s 196.    The Machine 197.    Justice League: Warworld 198.    We Have a Ghost 199.    What Comes Around 200.    Legion of Super-Heroes 201.    The Boys in the Boat 202.    Attachment 203.    Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre 204.    About My Father 205.    You People 206.    Meg 2: The Trench 207.    Pathaan 208.    Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire 209.    Assassin 210.    Dalíland 211.    Vacation Friends 2
Bottom 10
212.    Sound of Freedom 213.    Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 214.    When You Finish Saving The World 215.    Heart of Stone 216.    Family Switch 217.    Expend4bles 218.    Sweetwater 219.    Hypnotic 220.    80 for Brady 221.    Spinning Gold
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lani-heart · 7 months
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ENHYPEN OT7 || BRIGHT SUN MASTERLIST||
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genre(s) -> angst, fluff, non-idol, fantasy au, poly au, dark moon reference paring(s) -> enhypen o t7 x reader warning(s) -> angst, light cursing, violence, etc
abstract -> with the merging of several schools, the councils will learn to work with each other. what happens when the reader has seven soulmates in the Decelis Academy council, and she gets rejected by them?
-> uploading will start december 15, 2023 -> taglist open !!
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PROLOGUE chapter one || rejection
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ACT I chapter two || yang jungwon chapter three || kim sunoo
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ACT II chapter four || announcements chapter five || burnt chapter six || square one chapter seven || nishimura riki
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ACT III chapter eight || soulmate rejection chapter nine || park sunghoon
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ACT IV chapter ten || bento boxes chapter eleven || questions chapter twelve || jay park
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ACT V chapter thirteen || human chapter fourteen || monster chapter fifteen || sim jake
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FINAL ACT chapter sixteen || lonely chapter seventeen || riverfield chapter eighteen || lee heeseung
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EPILOGUE extra || maknae line headcannons extra || hyung line headcannons
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if you would like to be on the taglist please send an ask or comment under this post. If you message me there might be a chance I don't see if and if you ask on another post such as in one of the chapters it'll be hard to keep up with.
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taglist -> @sunus-sun @loumin908 @on-1ce @shinkenprincess-oh @b-a-nshee-blog @bnnyniky @sakuxxi @chiiiiiiiiis @cncreams @pre1ttyies @justanunstablefrog @graythecoffeebean @starzniiky @singlepringle4you @chirokookie @kthstrawberryshortcake-main @imtoanonymousforyou @lovgfrd @ilovecheese09 @sousydive @pink-but-rosie @kyleebob @jihyosgf @in-somnias-world @jilxxasu @bee-the-loser @mitchikeli @cyberpunksunwoo @lhspeachie @loafsunshinesworld @vixensss @zhenya109 @luumiinaa @rosas-in-the-garden @b3tt7boop @moony-mari @vixialuvs @ilovecheese09 @capri-cuntz @emma2black @skzhoes
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please don't be a silent reader !! reblog, comment, and like <3
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nevernonline · 7 months
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✧.* grow as we go; smau masterlist
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synopsis: over the past ten years you've fallen in love many times. one day someone happens to stumble across your journal sitting out on your nightstand and started posting your entries online. after all of your secrets are leaked it's clear things would ever be the same again.
𐦍 paring: svt members x afab! reader.
𐦍 feat: non-idol! svt, (g)-idle minnie&soyeon, oc's
𐦍 genre/s: reader is super angsty low-key, fluffy, sexual themes.
𐦍 content: swearing, bullying, crazy ex's, mentions of sexual relations, some drinking& mary jane 🍃
𐦍 start date: october 2nd 2023
𐦍 updates: mainly mondays or thursdays.
𐦍 tag list - open
𐦍 note/s: a lot of what will be written is mainly as journal entries from the readers perspective!! in the beginning every other chapter or so will have a written entry. I'm mainly using ulzzang pictures for our main character. I'll be posting the profiles and introduction sometime tomorrow probably. the girlies love indie musicians & harry styles,srry.. I hope u enjoy, hehe. ily!
𐦍 chapters under the cut.
𐦍 profiles:
001 | 002 | 003
𐦍 journal entries:
00. introduction.
#1. super sleuths.
#2. the case of the cyberbullies.
#3. two robots fell in love.
#4 the fall of the empire.
#4.5 plan b?
#5. chronic memory keeper.
#6. quit!
#7 snake in the grass.
#8 not the bath mat.
#9 seeing red
#10 nerd heard?
#11 devil in disguise.
#12 stolen heart.
#13 gut feelings and emotional dealings.
#14 dressing for revenge.
#15 leave it to the cullens. (part 1)
#15 leave it to the cullens. (part 2)
#16 the part we play.
#17 happy trails
#18 damage control.
#19 anywhere you go.
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bettyfrommars · 8 months
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I'm on Fire
biker!eddie x fem!reader x biker!Steve
Chapter 15: Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck
summary: tensions are high as the last few chapters come to a head. Now that Craig has you, and none of the gang knows where you are, panic ensues. Eddie has to deal with an unwanted interaction with an ex, while Steve finds out the truth about Charlene. Astrid gets a bad feeling and thinks Steve might be hurt, meanwhile you decide to take matters into your own hands and deal with Craig in order to escape. wc: 10.7k
masterlist playlist
WARNINGS: 18+ONLY, angst, a gun, typical series violence, gunshots, reader being held against her will, abusive ex, stabbing, hand to hand combat, some violence toward women (which I do not condone under any circumstances), manipulation, dark themes, reader fights back, revenge, hurt and comfort, sex with someone other than reader (not Eddie), premonitions, murder, being chased, aggression. protective!eddie, protective!steve, slightly gigolo!steve. Header photo is not meant to be reader.
author's note: In this chapter, I'm making up for the fact that 90's tow truck driver Eddie and the rest of the MC would've had beepers, but, alas, I failed to mention them before. I've been staring at this for so long now, I need to post it. Really hope you enjoy, and I look forward to hearing what you all think.
"It ought to be easy, ought to be simple enough Man meets a woman and they fall in love But this house is haunted and the ride gets rough you’ve got to learn to live with what you can’t rise above If you want to ride on down in through this tunnel of love."
Tunnel of Love, Bruce Springsteen
-------
(This chapter starts of exactly where part 14 ended)
Just as Robin was about to reach out and catch Steve’s elbow, the bride, Daphne, jumped in front of her. 
“You made it! I’m so happy I could cry!” Daphne hugged her tight and, over her shoulder, Robin watched Steve and Charlene disappear into the crowd, helplessly. The wedding was packed, but she was sure she could find him as soon as she was done with a polite chat.  
She figured there wasn’t anything too bad that could happen in five minutes.  
A minute or two into acting interested in the conversation Daphne and one of her bridesmaids was having, Robin turned around to gesture at you—to make the introductions—-but you were nowhere to be found.  Daphne talked for a bit longer and Robin pretended to listen, but she was distracted, and the bad feeling in her gut was making her fidgety.
Good Vibrations by Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch ended, quickly to be replaced by What I Am by Edie Brickell, and Robin excused herself to go and look for you, apologizing to the bride profusely.  Telling Steve that Charlene was an obsessive psycho didn’t feel as important in that moment—-she knew Steve could handle himself.  But you? You were being stalked by a notoriously abusive ex and now Robin had no idea where you were. She should not have run off like that without you, and now she was kicking herself.
As Robin turned on her heel trying to spot you in the crowded lobby, Steve and Charlene were about to bypass the people on the dancefloor and make their way up to the hotel room.  Steve didn’t know what was happening, at first, when she made the bold move of grabbing his hand in the crowd and pulling him closer.
“Hey, hey now,” he said in her ear over the twang of the music.  “Should we be doing that where people can see us?”
Charlene sent her hand down to massage his cock, and then she leaned in and licked his earlobe.  “I don’t care anymore,” she replied, leading him out of the low-lit reception hall and down the hallway. 
Steve didn’t really know what that meant, and he hoped she wasn’t getting the wrong idea.  If she wanted to flush her marriage down the toilet—-awesome—-but Steve didn’t want to be the reason.  He had no intention to continue to see her after that evening, unless she was paying him, and he had every intention of making that clear in the elevator, but then she was on her knees with his cock in her mouth and he forgot what he was going to say.
—----------
Eddie rumbled into the parking lot on his chopper, ignoring the valet as he tried to tell him which way to go.  He parked as close as he could to the building, sliding in next to a limousine, even though there was no parking space there, and gave a blank stare to the guys who were about to try and ask him to move it.
He yanked the main door open, eyes darting around the people in the lobby.  He had no idea where to start looking for you, and that filled him with a frustration that made a growl escape his chest. The crease in his forehead softened when he felt two arms go around him from behind, but then one glance down at the hands, and he knew it wasn’t you. 
“What the—” the relief he felt at the idea of turning around to kiss you was abruptly stifled.
“Hey baby,” Melanie cooed.  She reached up to brush his bangs off his forehead like she used to in the old days, but Eddie moved his head away and blocked her hand.
He looked around before leaning forward to whisper curtly, “you just can’t take a hint, can you?”
Melanie settled back, bracketing her hands on either side of her hips.  She had on an impossibly short, sequined lime green dress with dark red lipstick and it looked like she should’ve been on a stripper pole, not at a wedding.  “Why do you hate me so much, Eddie? I gave you the best years of my life, the least you could do is be civil with me.”
Eddie frowned, moving to walk by her.  
“Please, Eddie!” She screamed it, catching his arm.
Eddie hitched his shoulders up to his ears in frustration, cringing at the way so many people turned to stare at him.  He moved in a circle, checking the crowd for you as he went, and then came back to face Melanie with weary reluctance.
“What do you want from me, Mel?” He asked, hoping it would be a quick fix so he could continue on with his night.  
Melanie slid the tip of her tongue along her top lip.  “Listen, I know I hurt you, okay? I know it was bad.  But I’m a totally different person now, I’ve changed.”
Eddie cocked his head. “Good for you.  What does that have to do with me?”
“Let me prove it to you,” she reached for his arm again and he let her hold it this time, hoping to speed things along.  “Have a drink with me and let’s talk.  I really miss you, Eddie,” she could tell he was about to interrupt and she put her hand up to stop him.  “You told me once that I was the love of your life, that you’d never love anyone more than me, and I know a part of you meant it.”
Eddie cringed at the memory of the young, impressionable boy he was back then, so pussy drunk that he didn’t know which end was up.  Did he mean it when he said it back then? Yes, from the bottom of his horny soul.  Did a part of him still feel the same way? Not a single drop.  What he’d felt for Melanie all those years ago paled in comparison to the level of devotion he had for you.  He was a man now, determined not to make the same mistakes that plagued him in his boyhood.
Eddie took a deep breath, eyeballing the crowd again.  “Okay, listen to me,” he took hold of Melanie’s bare arm, holding her firmly, and tilted his chin down to look her directly in the eye.  “What we had has been long over for years now.  I don’t know what I’ve done to possibly lead you on to believe there could ever be anything between us ever again, but I need you to get it through your fucking head that I don’t love you anymore.  Things will never be like they were.  I wish you well, but I don’t want you in my life, even as a friend.  I need you to respect this. Nod if you understand.”
“Do you not want me in your life because your new girlfriend will get jealous?” Her mouth fixed in  a mischievous grin, as if she’d completely missed the point of everything he just said.
“Fucking, goddamn it Melanie,” Eddie hissed, and then he ran both of his hands through his hair and gripped his fingers in at the roots, snapping his eyes shut to try and calm his frustration.  “I can’t do this right now, I’ve got more important shit going on,” he shook his head and dropped his hands, turning to head in the opposite direction.  “We’re done, totally done.  Forever.  I don’t want to ever see you again, Mel.  Don’t call, don’t show up.  Just go back to wherever and stay there. Have a nice life.”
He was a few steps away when she shouted to get his attention again.  “I know where your girl is, if that’s who you’re looking for,” she had her arms crossed and a bored expression on her face when he turned to regard her again.  “She left with some dude, if that means anything to you.  They were holding each other pretty close and if you ask me—-”
But the last word got caught in her throat as Eddie barreled down on her, gripping her arms so tight, his rings pinched her flesh. He shook her a few times, making her eyes go wide.  “You’re hurting me!” She balked.
“Tell me where they went,” he spoke with so much force, he accidentally spit on her.  
—----
Robin caught sight of Eddie and started to make her way to the other side of the lobby, relieved, but then she saw who Eddie was talking to.
She made a face and stopped in her tracks for a beat.  “Melanie?” She asked it to herself, under her breath.  Robin knew she was the last person on earth Eddie would want to see, let alone be standing in such close proximity to.  Eddie started to walk away, but then he turned back around and grabbed Melanie with a force that made Robin gasp.  He could be a violent person, sure, but never with women, and it worried her to think of what she might’ve said to him.
Everyone was getting drunker and more oblivious to the people around them, so she worked hard to maneuver her way through the clueless party goers as What is Love by Haddaway jolted from the dance hall.
“Hey, Eddie!” She cupped her hand over one side of her mouth to shout it, but then she watched helplessly from a distance as Eddie and Melanie went down the hall and disappeared from view. What the hell was he doing with her—where the fuck were they going?
—-----
Craig had a room in the hotel, and that is where he took you.  
As much as you were afraid of Craig, you also knew how to handle him in situations like this.  To fight him, to argue with him, would only make things worse.  He wasn’t the type to feel much empathy for any of the pain others felt; his pain and emotional distress were the only things that mattered. If you fought him, or if you tried to run, he wouldn’t hesitate to terrorize your friends.  The thought made you shiver—you couldn’t let him get his hands on anyone else.  He could take whatever he wanted from you in exchange for their peace.
Craig was also extremely stupid, and as long as you placated and went along with him—you’d have more time to think about your next move instead of struggling and wasting your energy.  You didn’t put it past him to drug you and throw you in the back of his SUV, so you put on your Academy Award winning “this is fine” face while your mind raced for a plan.
Once he closed the door to his hotel room and put the deadbolt on, he took you in his arms, pulling you in for an embrace.  “Ahh, now–isn’t this nice?”
You nodded against his shoulder as your eyes darted around for something sharp.  “It really is.  I’m glad you came to find me.”
He pulled away to smile down at you; thin lips stretching to expose perfectly white teeth. “See, now, there’s my girl,” he tipped your chin with the crook of his finger and then planted a kiss on your forehead.
You were sure he brought you up there to have sex with you, and the thought made your stomach churn—-you were prepared to rip his balls off before that happened.  Craig was really strong though, and he could kill a man twice your size with his bare hands, so you had to find a way to battle with your wits.
“Have a seat,” he motioned to the bed in front of the TV, and then he grabbed the remote.  “You wanna check and see what is on pay per view? We can order room service.  Are you hungry?”
Such normal questions for such an abnormal and unfortunate situation.
You sat down cautiously, keeping your back stiff and straight.  You noticed a huge black duffel bag sitting on the floor, and it looked like the type of thing he usually carried all of his weapons in. 
“This is okay,” you gestured to the episode of Three’s Company that popped on.  
He handed you the remote as he bent down to kiss your temple. “I’m going to wash my hands.  Stay here, alright?”
You gave him a wink.  “Of course I’ll stay here, sugar plum.  There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
He sighed, offering a dreaming expression. “I’ve missed you so much, it hurts.”
“That’s sweet,” you offered, turning your attention back to the tv as he went around the corner to the bathroom.  You got up and walked slowly to the window to see what you could see, talking to him all the while to keep him satiated.  “I could definitely eat.  Maybe room service wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
You held the rod and slid the curtain open a few inches, realizing you were above the middle section of the parking lot.  Could you see your car from there? You didn’t have time to check; it was too dark and you heard the water shut off in the bathroom.
“Tsk, tsk,” he said, stepping back out into the hall so he could see you as he dried his hands off.  “Step back from the window, honey, I don’t want you to ruin our fun with one of your clever ideas.”
“Oh I was just curious,” you were casual about it, making a point to leave the curtain open a bit. “If any of my friends were looking for me.”
“Oh they might try,” he undid the buttons on the cuffs of his white dress shirt and rolled up each sleeve, exposing faded military tattoos on his forearms.  “But I booked this room under an alias.  Plus, no one saw us leave, so your friends will be scrambling around like chickens with their heads cut off.” He emphasized the word “friends” in a sarcastic way, as if they weren’t that at all.  
“I’m sure they’ll just think I went home,” you said, which was the furthest from the truth.  You thought about Robin going crazy trying to find you.  You wouldn’t be surprised if she worked her way up every floor, knocking on every door.
He sat down on the bed next to  you with a bounce and took your hand, lifting it up to kiss the back of it.  “Have I told you yet how beautiful you are tonight?”
“A few times,” you couldn’t help but lean away when he came in closer. “You told me downstairs and in the elevator.”
He wrapped his arm around the side of your hip and pulled you to him.  “C’mon now, give daddy some sugar,” he cooed, diving his lips in for another attempt.  
But you dodged him again.  You could feel yourself blowing it, and you knew you needed to comply in order to find a way out of this, but the thought of being intimate with him made you want to dig your own eyes out with a spoon.
“I don’t know if I’m ready…for that,” you managed.  “Too soon, I think.  Just give me a little time…to get used to you again.”
Craig grabbed your jaw, squeezing your mouth together so tight, your lips puckered, yanking your head to make you look at him.  His eyes were dark now, narrowing on you.  His tone was ice cold, “Oh but you’ll kiss him won’t you?  That filthy dirty biker?  You make me sick.” 
You swallowed hard, and in your mind, you considered the ballpoint pen next to the pad of paper on the desk.  If you could get a hold of it, you could stab him in the side of the throat.  
But, if you made the decision to wound Craig, you had to be willing to go all-in.  
You had to be willing to end him.
—-------
Steve waited to cum until he was back in the hotel suite.  Charlene got on the bed and sucked him off the rest of the way while she came using the vibrator she carried around in her handbag.  It turned Steve on to know that she always had it with her—he’d never been with a woman who was so incredibly sexually charged before.  
He came on her face, and then she licked it up and rubbed it down her breasts.  They got in the shower together after that, and the thought crossed his mind that he should go down and have a drink with you and Robin, but then his dick took over again and he forgot.  
The suite was huge, and while Steve lounged on the sofa in one of their complimentary robes looking over the room service menu, Charlene sat down on the bed to rub lotion on her legs.
She smiled over at him.  “The life of leisure looks good on you.”
Steve lifted his arms up and glanced down at himself.  “You think? Yeah, I could definitely do with some more of this.” The fridge was fully stocked with booze and sparkling water and other goodies, and Steve had raided it like a little kid at Charlene’s urging.  He was on his second fancy beer and third bag of pretzels.  
“You should come with me to Greece this winter,” she worked the lotion down around her manicured feet, feeling suddenly too shy to look at him.  “My friend has a house there, and we could charter a yacht, play on the beach, eat and fuck until we pass out. And then do it all over again the next day.”
Steve flipped the page on the menu, eyes glancing over the seafood section as he plucked at his bottom lip thoughtfully.  “Sounds good.  I’ll have my secretary clear my schedule.”
“I’m serious,” she laughed, rolling over onto her stomach to face him, kicking her feet up behind her.  “Wouldn’t you like to spend more time with me?”
Steve shut the menu and met her eyes.  “Well, sure, I mean, but I can’t just take off for a week to wherever, sweetheart.  This man of leisure is living paycheck to paycheck over here.”
“Oh, you wouldn’t have to worry about that,” she assured him, resting her chin in her palm. “I’ll pay your rent and whatever else you need. Give you some spending money. You won’t have to pay for anything, unless you want to buy me something pretty.”
“Yeah?” Steve smirked. “What’s the catch, angel? You gonna sell me to the highest bidder for some black-market organ donation once we get there?”
“No catch,” she shook her head.  “It’s just hard to find good companionship these days.”
He sucked his bottom lip through his teeth. It all sounded a little too good to be true, but he would be lying if he said the offer wasn’t tempting.  Fucking Greece? He’d only been out of the state a few times in his whole life, and it had all been for MC related stuff.  
“You could even bring Oliver,” she continued, looking down at the bedspread.  “I could pay for a nanny to travel with us, so we could have time alone.”
That made Steve frown, and he searched his mind for how she would know that he had a son, but then the moment passed.  He must’ve mentioned him at some point, accidentally.  
But Charlene seemed harmless enough.  Just a bored housewife with a smoking hot body.  
She got off the bed and slinked over to stand next to him.  He ran his hand up her leg under her robe until he was able to grab the apple of her ass, and then he spanked it.
“Did you decide what you want from the menu?” She asked, mussing up his hair. “Or we can still go out to dinner if you want.”
Steve tilted his head all the way back to look up at her, letting the menu slip to the ground. “Are you on the menu?” He asked, moving his hand around under the robe until his fingers found where they could sink in.
“For you? Always,” she said, and then she bent down to catch his mouth with hers.
—-------
Eddie had Melanie by the arm, and she tried to jerk out of his grasp, but he was way too strong---way too pissed off.  
“And then where did they go?” Eddie was scowling at the numbers on the three different elevators.  “Which floor?”
“I SAID I DON’T KNOW,” Melanie hissed, finally wiggling her arm away.  “Jesus. I never saw you worry about me like this before.”
“Fuck,” Eddie started to pace.  He was losing it, and he didn’t know where to start looking or how to find you.  He wanted to rip the whole building down with his bare hands.
Another man’s voice stepped into the equation.  “Hey, what the fuck are you doing to her? Leave her alone, you freak.”
Eddie spun around, eyes like daggers.  It was some douchebag he didn’t recognize in a tux, even taller than Eddie, with a lime green bow tie and cummerbund, clearly there for the wedding.  From the looks the guy was sharing with Melanie, it was probably her date.  
“Just stay the fuck out of it, whoever you are,” Eddie warned.
Melanie stepped back with a little smile on her face, enjoying the tension over her that was building.
“I asked you a question, man,” the guy in the tux with the short blonde hair said as he came up behind Eddie to jab his palm into the back of his shoulder.
Before anyone could comprehend what was happening, Eddie turned and swung on the guy.  
Robin came into view and screamed, covering her mouth with her hands.  
Eddie’s fist was like a brick, and the guy went down hard. The elevator opened and the four people inside yelped as he crashed in, with Eddie in hot pursuit.
Two people rushed out of the elevator, but another couple stood huddled in the back corner, afraid to move.  Eddie lurched forward to grab the guy by the front of his coat and yanked him to his feet to pull him out of the compartment just long enough to send a jab to his ribs that made him double over, and then he pushed him down.
The elevator closed again with the frightened passengers still inside.  The rest was a blur for Eddie as he got on top of the guy and started wailing on his face.
“Eddie, stop!” Robin tried to grab his arm on the back swing and the force almost knocked her over, but she did not relent.  “DINGUS STOP!”
Somehow, the nickname seemed to snap him out of it, and, with a few sharp intakes of breath, Eddie got to his feet, panting, standing over the guy.  The dude on the floor was somehow still conscious, but he probably wished he wasn’t one side of his face was mangled where Eddie’s rings broke the skin and there was blood dribbling from his mouth.  
There were people gathered at the mouth of the hallway now, watching with slack jaws, and Robin was worried someone had already called the police.  “Nothing to see here, people!” She called out, waving her hand, begging them to disperse.  
Eddie was about to drop down and punch the guy again—just because—but Robin used all of her strength to forcefully push him back.
Eddie snapped his attention to Melanie and pointed at the guy on the ground.  “Is this yours? Both of you get the fuck out of here before I—-”
Robin had only ever seen Steve like this—never Eddie.  Normally, he possessed the most patience and composure out of everyone in their friend group.  
She slapped him softly on his cheek to get his attention.  “Hey, listen to me.  I need you to fucking focus right now,” and then she snapped her fingers in the air in front of his face.
Eddie huffed a few heavy breaths out his nose and adjusted his Coffin Kings leather over his white tee.  There was a sheen of sweat on his face and a few pieces of his hair clung to his cheek and forehead.  Melanie was able to help her date to his feet, and Eddie watched them go with hard eyes and flared nostrils, silently begging the guy to throw him a dirty look or say something stupid.  Thankfully, for Robin’s sake, the guy wobbled away with his arm over Melanie’s shoulder without a single glance back.
“Focus,” Robin repeated, snatching his chin. “Your girl is here somewhere, and I can’t find her.”
“Yeah, I know,” Eddie jerked his head to evade her grasp.  “She’s with that fucking psycho and I have no idea where to start looking.” He shut his eyes tight and winced.  “I fucked up, Rob.  I should’ve killed that guy when I had the chance.  Now he has her.  If he hurts her, Rob….”
“Hold on,” Robin frowned as she took in the information, her body flushing with guilt.  “You know she’s with that Craig creep? How do you know?”
Eddie didn’t want to talk—he wanted to move.  
Outside, through the glass front of the building, he watched a police cruiser pull up through the crowd. It did have its lights on, and whoever was driving didn’t seem to be in a hurry, but all the same, he hit a button on the panel and took hold of Robin’s arm, ready to pull her in when the doors slid open. She followed his gaze to the two cops that were now heading into the building, and panic seized her.
It was taking too long for the elevator to come, so when the one across the way opened, they darted there instead.
A woman got out of the elevator as they stepped in and quickly hit the button for one of the higher floors.  A delivery driver carrying Chinese food was about to get in with them but decided against it at the last moment.  
Once they were alone, Eddie answered her question.  “Melanie saw them,” he breathed, falling back against the wall. “The description fits, and she said he had his arm around her,” Eddie cringed.  The thought of him touching you made him want to punch something.  
“Shit,” Robin said under her breath, feeling the thick weight of uncertainty hang in the confined space around them.  “You don’t think he’d actually do anything to her, do you?”
Eddie eyes glazed over and shook his head, concentrating, unable to form words.
“Nice dress, by the way,” he said, referring to the strapless blue number that she now regretted ever buying, let alone wearing.
“Shut up.” She returned.  
The doors opened at a floor that wasn’t theirs and Eddie told the two people waiting there to take the next one before he slammed the button again with the side of his fist. 
Robin started to gnaw at her thumbnail.  “Steve’s here somewhere too,” she let him know.  “He came with that Charlene woman, the one you used to bone.”
Eddie froze, giving her an incredulous look.  “And you let him?”
She held her arms out, raising her voice.  “I just realized who she was a little bit ago.  What am I, his fucking keeper?  Besides, she offered him so much money to take her to this stupid thing, I don’t think he would’ve cared.”
Oh, Steve would care if he knew the whole story, Eddie thought to himself.  And he’d really care if Charlene started targeting his family when he tried to end things with her or move on with someone else.  
When the elevator finally dinged and opened at the floor they chose, there stood Steve.
In a white bathrobe carrying a bucket of ice.
With his sunglasses on.
—--------
After being scolded by Craig, you disarmed the situation by pressing your lips to the side of his mouth. “Baby, why don’t you get comfortable so we can snuggle? Like we used to.”
He crawled on top so that you were both on the mattress.  You needed to build a decent level of trust with him in a small amount of time and letting him have some intimacy was the quickest way to do that. 
He got on his back, with his head on the pillow, and pulled you up alongside him so that your cheek was on his shoulder.  He lifted your chin to give you another kiss.  “Isn’t this nice?” He asked, rubbing his nose on yours.
“It really is,” you lied.
It took a lot not to try and scratch his face and knee him in the groin right then for what he’d done to you, for what he’d done to Jester.  For the pain that Eddie would go through when he couldn’t find you.  
But you found your center and took a cleansing breath.
You had formulated a part of a plan, but you had to be patient.
Soon.  
—---------
When Steve came back into the penthouse with the extra ice, he didn’t have the patience to wait for room service to bring, he was different, and Charlene noticed it right away.
She could see it in his face, the way he refused to make eye contact with her when she dropped her magazine to her lap to greet him and tell him their dinner was on the way.
Without a word, he grabbed his clothes and went into the bathroom.
“Stevie?” She called out to him, anxiety tightening in her chest. “What took you so long? Is everything alright?”
Steve shut the bathroom door first, and then he mumbled, “yeah, I’ll be right out. Just need a second.”
He let his robe fall to the floor and braced his hands on the edge of the sink, naked, letting the information Eddie had just shared with him in the hall absorb.  He tossed his sunglasses on the counter, so they skid across and landed against a hand towel folded in the shape of a swan.  
He ran the sink and splashed some water on his face, letting himself peek in the mirror at his reflection over the tips of his fingers.
As close as he was with Eddie, they weren’t in the habit of swapping partners, and if Steve had known that Charlene was that “rich, older woman he hung out with once in a while” a few months ago, he never would have gone that far with her in the first place.  
Water dripped cool down his tattooed chest as he looked down at his cock, lolling out at the triangle base of the muscular indents at his hips.  He patted a finger on the shaft so that it bounced.  “I hope you’re proud of yourself,” he whispered to his dick.  
Not only was Charlene someone that Eddie had fucked, but she’d also tried to make Eddie’s life a living hell when he tried to move on with you.  She’d paid a private investigator to stalk Eddie, tried to break the two of you up, and was the reason you got fired.  Eddie warned him not to trust her, and to not let her sink her claws in and try to keep him like a pet.  
He put his pants on and wet his fingers to run them through his hair, squaring his shoulders at his reflection, wondering how he’d get the rest of his money out of her.  She’d paid half up front, but now he needed the rest, and then he wanted to get the fuck out of there.  Eddie and Robin were headed to do some investigating, and he said he’d meet them in the stairwell in about 20 minutes.  
Charlene was hovering near the bathroom door when he opened it, and she searched his face for a trace of the person he was before he went to get ice—but it was no longer there. 
Her Stevie was gone.  
“Hey,” he said as he brushed by her to put his shirt on.  He left it unbuttoned as he turned, fixing the collar.  “It’s late, I need to get going.”
“But,” Charlene looked around, her mind racing with ways to keep him there. “The food will be here soon.”
He’d been trying not to meet her eyes, but when he did, his stare was frigid.  “I’m not hungry anymore.  I just need you to pay me the rest of my fee, and I’ll get out of your hair.”
He went to the couch to put his shoes on.
“Steve, please tell me what is going on? I thought we were having a good time, I thought—”
“You thought what?” He asked snidely. “That I’d do all this for free? Out of the goodness of my heart?”
He was about to be a real asshole, but then he remembered that he had enjoyed his time with her, and under different circumstances, he would’ve stayed to fuck her all night even if he wasn’t getting paid. But he had to end it—he needed to cut ties before things turned into a shitshow like they had for you and Eddie. He couldn’t afford that level of drama in his life, not with Robin and Oliver at risk.  
She rushed up to him and started kissing his chest.  “Can you just stay a few more hours? I don’t know what is bothering you, but I know I can take your mind off of it,” she sank lower, kissing his stomach, about to get on her knees.
“I said no,” he repeated, grabbing her arm to pull her back up to face him.  
“But, why—”
“Why didn’t you tell me you used to fuck Eddie?” He blurted, scowling at he ground.
A hard swallow clicked in her throat as she searched his eyes. “I-I didn’t think it would matter.  Eddie and I aren’t—”
“Is that why you bailed me out of jail? Was it all part of your maniacal plan to get back at him or some shit?”
“Absolutely not. Steve, I really care about y—” she reached out to touch his face, but he moved away, stepping further back.  He looked hurt and confused and disgusted all at once.  
“Don’t act like you give a shit about me,” he warned. “I don’t think you’re even capable of caring about other people.”
At that, she bristled, and her cheeks burned red. She froze so still that, if not for her blinking, one might have thought she’d turned to stone.
“You know what? Forget the rest of the fucking money,” he walked to the nightstand and put his wallet in his back pocket. “It’s not worth it to me anymore. I’ll chalk it up to a couple orgasms and a free meal.”
Charlene did not respond, she only wet her lips as her eyes stayed fixed on one spot on the carpet.  
He went over and paused his hand on his jacket that was hanging over the back of the couch. “Actually, I could probably sell this suit and makeup the difference so yeah—we’re even.”
When Charlene finally spoke up, her voice was different; it had an edge to it.  “You’re awfully ungrateful for someone who should be on their knees thanking me.”
Steve chuckled a low laugh. “Listen, baby, the sex was great, I’ll give you that, but it wasn’t that great.”
“I’m not talking about the sex,” she turned and tilted her chin up at him. “I’m talking about how you still have custody of your son and he’s not several states away with Tina right now.”
Now, it was Steve’s time to turn to stone.
When he finally blinked, he made a face like he was staring into the sun. “What the fuck did you just say? How do you know about my son? About Tina?”
Charlene would’ve said anything to make him stay, and she was oddly pleased that this did the trick.
She shrugged. “I know that it didn’t take much money at all to get Tina to come here and cause some trouble.  Shame she signed her parental rights away, but there are always ways around that, considering how much blood you have on your hands.”
Steve reeled back, almost knocked off his feet at the weight of the confession. He had to grab onto the back of the chair at the writing desk to steady himself as his head swam. Bile rose in his throat as if we were about to puke.
“You’re the reason I almost lost my son?” He whispered it, overwhelmed with the realization that Charlene was to blame for all of it:  Every disaster that had befallen them since the day Eddie met you.  All of the pain, all of the worry, all of the sleepless nights.  
Charlene folded her arms over her chest.  “If you think I can’t prove you have blood on your hands, try me.” Her eyebrows darted up a few times. “Eddie too.  He left a bloody fingerprint at the crime scene when he killed a man in my driveway.  All I ever do is try to keep the two of you safe, and this is the thanks I get?”
Steve’s mind barely had time to register that his body was moving—-he knocked the chair to the ground and lunged after Charlene.
His hands were around her throat so fast she could barely take a gasp of air at the end of her sentence.  He took her to the ground, slamming her into the floor.  She coughed and her eyes bulged.
“You tried to take my son away from me?” He was shaking; his eyes bloodshot with rage, but also wet with emotions. His lower lip trembled, and his face was beet red.  
She held onto his wrists where he was choking her, sputtering, trying to catch air.  She squirmed underneath him, but if her knees made contact with his stomach or groin, he couldn’t feel it.  
"Kill me," she gasped, and Steve released his grip a little but did not relent.
“I should kill you,” He hissed, searching her face.  He realized then that she had her hands locked on his wrists to keep him there, not to push him away.
“Please,” she wheezed.  “Please…kill me.”
With a string of curses, Steve pushed off of her and jumped back, planting his arm on the edge of the coffee table to steady himself as he tried to collect himself.
Charlene sucked in a few gulps of air and stayed on the floor where she was.  
Steve wobbled and stumbled a bit as he stood, trying to catch his footing. He looked down at his trembling hands, and then over at Charlene.  
“I'm sorry,” he breathed.  It took a few sold moment to find his composure. “Listen, stay away from me, stay away from my family. Stay away from my friends.  I won't tell you again.”
It had taken all of his strength to not crush her windpipe just then, and he hated that about himself.  He hated that, on top of everything else, Charlene was the reason he’d laid hands on a woman in anger for the first time in his life.  Wayne and Robin would be very disappointed in him, no matter the circumstances.
His son would be disappointed in him.
“Steve,” Charlene rolled over onto her side. “Please don't go."
He fixed his collar again and left the jacket.  He grabbed his smokes, and fumbled the lighter, trying to compose himself.  The thought occurred to him that he should go over and help her up and make sure she was okay, but then he remembered…then he remembered all of it.  
Without another word, he left.  Once he was out, and the door clicked shut behind him, she continued to shout his name and tell him she was sorry.  He could hear things being thrown around the room; the sound of glass breaking as it hit the wall.  Steve kept a quick pace, only faltering once to shoulder check his balance against the wall, dizzy, but was already in the stairwell as her declarations of remorse echoed down the hall.
—----
Craig ordered Chinese food from the restaurant up the street and had it delivered.  For a second you thought you might be able to get word to the delivery driver that you were being kept there against your will, but what would the delivery driver do? Get himself killed, probably, or pretend like he never saw you because who in their right mind would want to get mixed up in that?
It may have taken 20 minutes to eat your meal, but for you it might as well have been hours.  He liked to coach you on how big your bites should be and how long you should chew your food.  If you chewed too loudly or too fast, it would agitate him, and he’d stop you to make you start over.  
It was all you could do to muscle down each bite when you weren’t even hungry, and it took every ounce of your willpower not to scream.
The fortune cookies were interesting because the paper inside yours said “this too shall pass”, while Craig’s was blank.
“I’ve never seen a blank one before,” you said nonchalantly, closing the lid on your take-out container.  You could see the inconsistency was bothering him; he kept turning the paper over as if he’d missed it somehow.  With his obsessive personality, you expected him to call up the restaurant and ask for another cookie.  
But, he decided to let that one go and tossed the blank fortune into the pastick sack that the food came in.  
You knew he’d want to clean up the area right away and sanitize the table again, so you took your opportunity.
“Can I use the bathroom?” You stood up, picking a piece of sticky rice off of your dress.  
“May I,” he corrected, pushing his chair back exactly where it had been before he sat down. He lifted his eyebrow at you.  “May I use the bathroom is the proper way to ask that.”
Your throat was tight as you swallowed, biting back a rage that was surely bubbling in your eyes.  You forced a smile that cracked your cheeks.  “May I?” 
“Of course you may, silly goose,” he walked over to brush his finger along your cheek just before he leaned in, and your nostrils flared at the unwanted touch. “Don’t take too long.  I’ll miss you,” he cooed after he pecked you on the lips.  
Safely in the privacy of the bathroom, you locked the door quietly and gave a long, silent scream into your palms. Tears jerked at your eyes and mouth, but you sucked them back, squaring your shoulders. 
You stared at your reflection in the mirror, wondering if you had the guts to do what needed to be done.
If you didn’t already have the guts, you needed to find them—fast.  
You’d asked Craig earlier what the plan was, and he’d made it very clear that he was taking you back to your place the next day so that you could pack your things and then return with him to Michigan.  He casually mentioned that he knew where Oliver was spending the night—-just throwing out small details he thought you should know.  In case you fought or refused to leave with him.  
You realized now that he would never stop coming for you, not while he was alive.  
You turned the faucet on so that the noises you were making wouldn’t be so obvious as you went to work unwrapping the soaps and scattering things around the countertop.  You flipped all of the towels on the wrack around and unfolded them, making them as messy as possible.  You got the bottoms of your shoes wet and made a bunch of dirty footprints around the floor tile.  You relieved yourself quickly on the toilet, but then yanked some off the toilet paper down so that it pooled on the floor.
“Hey, pumpkin?” You called out to him over the sound of the toilet flushing.  “Do you have some toothpaste I can borrow?”
He came over to the door and tried the handle.  “There’s some in that black bag by the sink.  Why is this door locked? Please put the cap back on properly when you are finished.”
You waited a few beats before unzipping the small, black bag, quickly eyeing for anything else you could use but, toenails clippers and a toothbrush weren’t great weapons.  Unless you had time to widdle the end of the toothbrush into a shank like they do in prison.  You put the cap of the toothpaste back on, but you left everything on the counter.  
Before you opened the door, you moved the bathmat so it was crooked as it hung over the side of the tub, and you unhooked the shower curtain from two of the rings.
“Ahh,” you said as you exited, looking refreshed.  “Much better.”
He was just walking to put the trash outside in the hall when you took the initiative to hug him.  “I think I made a bit of a mess in there, baby.  Sorry about that.”
When he shut the hallway door again, he came to flick the light on in the bathroom and his shoulders fell, his face pinching tight.  “This is unexceptable,” he mumbled. 
You took note that he forgot to dead bolt the front door in his haste.
You could hear him cursing you under his breath, but also knew that he wouldn’t be unable to function until he tidied up that room and put everything back exactly the way it was.
“Sorry lover,” you yelled, sweetly, turning the sound on the tv up.  It was an episode of Golden Girls this time. “I was going to take a shower but decided not to.”
He had to shut the bathroom door in order to fix the shower curtain, and that was when you hurried to grab the red lipstick out of your purse.  With your heart racing so fast you thought it might explode, you eased back the curtain to the window over the parking lot and wrote on the glass with the lipstick, and then you gently pulled the cream colored curtain back in place so that it didn’t make any sound as it skidded along the rod.  
Craig opened the bathroom door again, but he would be cleaning and organizing for a while—so you forced a fake laugh over something that happened in the show, to make him believe you were just chilling, and then you grabbed the ball point pen you’d noticed earlier and put it in your back pocket.  It wasn’t much, but it would have to do.  You made a mental note to always carry at least a pocket knife or pepper spray with you at all times.  
Wait….
You suddenly remembered the travel-size can of aerosol deodorant you’d put in your clutch for Robin because it wouldn’t fit in hers.  
You took that out, and tucked it under the covers.  
At the last second, Craig stuck his head out to see where you were, and you just happened to be relaxing on the bed with your head cradled in your hand, face lit up with amusement at the screen.
—------
Alone at her place, on the way from the kitchen to the living room with a mug of tea in her hand, Astrid felt a pain shoot through her heart that was so sudden, she dropped the mug and it shattered to pieces on the laminate floor.  She clutched her chest and swallowed back the taste of bile, trying to steady herself, bracing her hand on the stove. 
After a few deep breaths, the flash of agony subsided, and a glance up at the clock told her that Steve was probably still at the wedding.  
Her head swam, and her ears went blind as if her head was submerged in water.  
A gun shot? 
The thought occurred to her, but then it passed. 
Was she experiencing another one of the symptoms of the strange connection she had with Steve ever since they were kids? Or was she having a panic attack of her own? She’d been thinking about the tarot reading she’d done for him; the warnings she’d been moved to share with him.
And then that charming, goofy grin he’d flashed her as he came in for a kiss, making light of her sudden and deep concern.
Driven by some type of inexplicable instinct, she stepped over the broken ceramic, toed into her shoes, and grabbed the keys to her old truck, hoping the engine didn’t fail her this time. 
She also hoped, for some unspecified reason, that she wasn’t too late.  
Too late for what, she wasn’t sure.  
—-------
“First things first,” Robin paced in the stairwell between the 3 and 4th floors while Eddie gnawed at his lip, his arms crossed stiffly over his chest.  “I’ll go down and see if I can find out from the front desk which room Craig is staying in.”
“They’re not just gonna hand that information over to you, Rob,” Eddie bit, trying not to take his frustration out on her.  His own mind was racing, not only because of you, but also at the thought that Charlene had crossed yet another line and was trying to fuck with his friend.  He couldn’t worry about Steve though—he had to trust that he would take the information he’d given him and do what needed to be done for that situation. 
It was then that Eddie’s beeper went off, echoing off the walls.  
He unclipped it from his belt to check it and found that it was from Wayne.
Alerts on his beeper from Wayne that were not during business hours always made his heart stop for a second.  
“Shit, I gotta find a phone,” he mumbled.
Robin started taking the stairs down, motioning for him to follow. “We can sneak around to the payphones in the lobby. This way.”
Turns out, the cops weren’t there for Eddie, they had just been strolling by to check on the event. Robin batted her eyes at the guy at the front desk and asked for a peppermint while Eddie checked out the scene.
Wayne wanted to let him know that Bones and the rest of the Coffin Kings were on their way.  
Eddie leaned against the payphone as Wayne advised him to wait for the rest of the MC before he made a move; it wasn’t safe to go up against a guy like Craig alone.
“Be careful, son,” Wayne told him.
“Take your meds and get some rest,” Eddie returned, which was just another way to say ‘I love you’.  
“You need me there?” Wayne asked.  “You need me to go and check on the boy?”
Eddie looked across the lobby at Robin who was on her way back with a handful of red and white peppermints wrapped in plastic and her tongue out in a goofy expression.
“That’s not a bad idea,” Eddie murmured.  “Check on Oliver just in case. He’s with his friend Paul at Raina’s.”
He also knew that Wayne was much like him, and in a situation like this—he needed something to occupy himself so that he didn’t go mad.
He hung the black phone back onto the receiver and let Robin feed a round candy into his mouth; he started chewing right away instead of sucking on it, crunching down so hard his jaw clicked.  He didn’t want to think what Craig was capable of now that he had you all alone, all to himself.
What if he put his hands on you? What if he….what if….
Eddie growled in frustration and punched the cement wall.  
He hissed in pain, knuckles zinging, and then flapped his hand in the air.  
“I need to go slash that fuckers tires so he can’t go anywhere,” Eddie told Robin, and she nodded; agreeing.
They told Steve to meet them down in the parking lot, and now they’d have more muscle as the rest of the kings rolled in.
But Eddie was losing patience, and—even worse—he worried he was losing you.
—------
Craig was in a bad mood when he was done cleaning the bathroom, and you knew he would be—but it was a price you were willing to pay. 
He turned the TV off and stood in front of him, glaring down his nose at you.
“What have you been up to while I’ve been busy cleaning up your mess?”
You sat up and batted your eyelashes a few times.  “I’ve just been missing you, that’s all.”
His open hand slap came hard and fast across your face and it stung like hell. 
Your eyes were watering as you slowly brought your head back to face him again. 
“Are you done being a little pig?”
You sucked in your bottom lip, nodding. “Yes.”
You winced, because you thought he was going to slap you again, but he grabbed your chin like he’d done before and squeezed, making your mouth pucker. “Say you promise.”
“I promise, baby.  I promise.”
“Good,” he released you.  “Now we can finally enjoy our evening.”
You sank from the bed and got to your knees in front of him, and his hooded eyes followed your every move.
“If I can’t be a pig, can I be a whore?” You purred, moving to unfasten his belt buckle.
“You are such a fucking whore,” he hissed. “And you know how much I hate whores.”
You undid the button and pulled down the zipper. He groaned a little as he watched you reach inside his boxers to pull his cock out. He tilted his head back, feeling your warm breath on the tip as you stroked him and he pushed his pants further.
“Fuck yeah,” he said to the ceiling. “Suck me dry like the whore that you are.”
You spit on the tip and jerked him a few more times, unwilling to touch him with your mouth, as you reached around for the pen in your back pocket and clicked the point out.
“Yes, baby,” you whispered.  “Let me take care of you.”
On the next breath, you jabbed the pen up into his balls as fast and as hard as you could.  
In that first second or two, while he was still in shock, wailing, you stabbed him with it a few more times. 
Jab jab jab
Blood gushed out and he fell to the ground whimpering screams that could not be fully formed inside the crushing pain.
He clutched his wound and rolled over, giving you enough time to scamper away.  He lurched for you as you darted across the bed, thinking you wanted to grab for the deodorant spray, but then you just said fuck it and let out a feral yell as you dropped down with your knee in his face, and then you brought the pen down again....
You were aiming for his eyeball--hopefully his brain---but it stabbed into his cheek instead.
His scream was so piercing, you thought it might break the window
Was he dead or going to die? Probably not, but this was your only chance to get away and you had to take it. You ran as fast as you could, fumbling at the handle of the door as you heard his shrill, gurgled moans behind you.
—------
Steve found his way down the stairwell and stopped to take a breather.  He’d been walking awhile, and his adrenaline was through the roof, so he paused to lean against the railing and light a cigarette.
“Son of a bitch,” he said on the exhale as smoke billowed out, and then he wet his lips. The worst part about finding out what Charlene did, was that Steve had honestly started to like her. He felt like he’d been tricked into dubious consent because he never would’ve let himself have any feelings if he’d known even half of the truth.  He put two fingers to his throat to check his pulse, certain that he was in the middle of a panic attack.  The nicotine did its job to calm him down, it also got him to slow down and breathe, if only to support his habit.
His attention perked up again when he heard a scream and a thump coming from the floor above, and then more screaming, as if some dude was being murdered.
—-----
On the highway, Astrid struggled to catch her breath, and the constriction in her chest made her swerve into the gravel and fishtail before she righted the truck again while the duet Jackson by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash played through static on the radio.  
She could see the lights of the hotel up ahead through the trees.
—-----
Eddie found Craig’s SUV in the parking lot and stabbed its tires with his utility knife, thinking he should have one of the guys bring the tow truck around and impound the fucker. Robin tried to open the doors and cupped her hands around her eyes to see what was inside.
Behind them, a car was pulling in off the highway; the headlights behind them cast their shadows over the pavement.
they heard the brakes squeal to a halt and a woman yelped.
Eddie’s attention went to the side of the building and he caught sight of something scrawled in red on one of the windows.  
—-----
You turned a corner at the end of the hall and ran like the devil was on your heels, passed several vending machines and a pool, until you broke through into a dark stairwell and made your way down on foot.  
You were afraid to look back.
The fear of hearing him enter the stairwell behind you had you in such a hurry that you tripped twice and caught yourself.  You were barefoot, and you were pretty sure you’d stepped on a thumbtack or some glass because the pad of your left foot stung like hell, but it did not slow you down.  
You wiped something wet out of your eye with your arm, assuming it was blood, and regretted that you didn't stay to make sure you killed him like you knew you should have.
In that moment, as you stumbled down the stairs afraid for your life, you felt like going to prison for such a thing would've been worth it.
You finally shot out into the night air and took a deep breath.
You came out around the backside of the hotel, where there wasn’t much illumination but for three lights up high on a ledge.  You only paused for a second, but kept going, passing dumpsters and an employee entrance before you caught sight of the highway and headlights making their way onto the property.  
—-------
Charlene darted from the hotel and out into the street, desperate to find Steve to explain, to let him know she regretted all of it, without looking where she was going. Before one of the valets could stop her, she almost got hit by an old truck cruising in at twice the speed it should have.
Only a hair away from the grille, she turned to throw the driver a dirty look.
Astrid was startled as well, but with her foot on the brake, and her eyes locked on Charene, she revved the engine.
—-------
When Craig stumbled into the elevator with a dark stain seeping through the crotch of his denim and a punctured face oozing blood, everyone in the compartment cleared out, muffling their screams as they went.
He heaved and grunted and thumbed the button for the lobby as he scowled down the hall at nothing while the doors slid shut.  
He had two loaded guns shoved in the waistband of his jeans and he intended to use them.  
—-----
Eddie stepped closer to read what it said on the window with a tilt of his head. It read: “Eddie I love u” and it was written backwards so that it could be legible from out where he was, not inside the room.
“Baby,” he whispered with a catch in his throat.
Forgetting about everything else he was doing, and the chaos that was going on, he took note of which floor that was and started to book it back inside, but then that was when you came into sight, limping around the shadowy corner.
You had blood spatter on your face, and your dress was ripped.  It also looked like you hurt your foot somehow and your face broke into a sob the moment you saw him.
—------
Astrid parked her truck right where it was, with the headlights still on as she got out to find out where the boys were. She grabbed a shovel out of the bed in case she needed to use it as a weapon.
She was about to say something to Charlene when they heard the gunshot and both women ducked down, shoulders pressed together behind the side of the truck.
—-----
Craig exited the building on a rampage—not caring who saw him or what it looked like as he shot a bullet into the air.
He stepped out between you and Eddie, and you called out to him.
“I’m right here, Craig,” you said, stepping further into the light from the shadows.  “Please just, leave them be.  I’ll go with you wherever.”
Craig turned to give you a sneer of a grin, his white teeth now pink from all of the blood in his mouth.
“Oh, honey, it’s too late for that.”
You locked eyes with Eddie across the way and he started towards you, ready to breech the gap, regardless of the consequences as Craig turned the gun on him.
Eddie kept his pace, getting closer.  “You better be ready to use that, man, before I get my hands on you.”
With Craigs finger hot on the trigger, there was a sudden yell from somewhere in the bushes as Steve flew out of nowhere and tackled Craig to the ground. Eddie took that split second to get over to you, to hold your face and make sure you were okay.
The gun went off again, but the two were a tangled mess on the ground.  Steve beat Craig’s skull into the pavement a few times, and jammed his thumb into the once good eye, but Craig clocked him with the butt of the gun and it stunned him for a second.
It all happened so fast.
Steve was able to crack Craig’s hand against the ground and he lost his grip on the gun, and it skidded away, out of reach.
There were motorcycles thundering near in the distance as Craig yanked the other gun from his waistband and shuffled back to take aim.
Eddie spread his arms out and moved in front of you to act as a shield..
And then there was a gunshot from somewhere else, but the bullet only skimmed Craig’s shoulder. He yowled, but he did not faulter.
Charlene tried to aim at his skull for a second one with trembling hands, but Craig turned the gun on her and Astrid before she could, and he got a shot it, just before Steve reared up to take him to the ground again. The struggle turned them over several times, but then in a blink, Steve was on his back again, but he was able to wrestle the other weapon from Craig.
Craig reared up to bring his fist down into Steve’s face just as Astrid was about to bring the business end of the shovel down on his head---
but then there was a shotgun blast from out of the dark.
Blast…click…Blast…click…Blast
You ran up behind Eddie and put your arms around him.
Craig’s body spasmed in the air where he knelt above Steve as the power of the shots knocked him back.
There were smoking holes blown through his head and his chest.
With one final, open-mouthed pause against the beam of the headlights, and a choked gurgle, Craig’s dead body slumped to the ground.  
Panting, Steve unsheathed his knife and got to his knees; ready for more just in case.
Everyone’s eyes followed the line of fire to the source.
And there was Wayne.
He stepped out of the shadows in his Coffin King's denim kutte with “Uncle” on the front pocket, lowering the double barrel.  He tipped his chin to both of the boys and squared his shoulders.   
A crowd had gathered from inside, including the bride, and the woman who had just caught the bouquet, and Melanie. Even Erika was there as someone’s date. They whispered to each other as Craig’s blood pooled into a little river on the uneven pavement and made its way to the gutter.  
From inside Astrid’s truck, the chorus to the song I’m on Fire by Bruce Springsteen was eventually drowned out by the fierce rumble of motorcycles as the entire MC entered the parking lot and flanked the scene.  
Part 16
----
whoa, who knew this would be such a family affair when this fic first started? This world has come to mean so much to me, and I'm so grateful to those of you still riding along.
As always, your comments mean the world, and, if you enjoyed it---reblog it---because it's the only way this fic will ever be seen by anyone but us 🧡
----
Taglist: @notsobubblybaby @eighty6babyyy @unfocused81 @aysheashea @etherealglimmer@manicmagicmayhem @dream-a-little-nightmare@chaoticgood-munson @ms1oftheboys @emxcast @rhirojo@bexreadstoomuch @micheledawn1975@falling-solar-system @secretdryrose@kurdtbean @whatwedontdointheshadows @miarosso @seventhlevelofhell @corrodedcoffincumslut @lofaewrites @goldyghoul @chloe-6123 @kelsiegrin @chelebelletx @stylesxmunson @dandelionnfluff @lilpotatobean2-deactivated20230 @clincallyonline17 @tlclick73 @eddiemunson95 @sidthedollface2 @hideoutside @truffleshuffle12 @tenthmoon @texasblues@emilyslutface@mmunson86@onegirlmanytales@layla-loves-ed @dashingdeb16 @eddiiiieeee @michellecrusher
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hordraomin · 10 months
Text
Krita tutorial the way I know it.
Basics: What is where.
Gimmicks.
Specific advice on specific tools.
Basics: What is where.
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Upon opening the program this is what you're met with. First of all, must comment: The layout is HEAVILY editable so you can just drag menus anywhere you want, even leave them floating amidst the sheet you're drawing on.
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You can create custom art templates, I have two o'mine here as both have my signature background color.
As well, you can edit the custom document settings, as in what size you want it, what resolution, even the initial content of the image. As well you can create from clipboard: Just copy some image from your browser and Krita will recognize it (useful for making meme edits lol).
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Now, once you have your file, I will show you what is where.
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Brushes:
Brushes are easy to edit and there are tons of free bundles to download online. I myself only got one bundle, Jackpack (bit hard to find now due to original source being lost, it is still available but bit tricky to come by).
There. Are. Tons.
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Some of these are my custom brushes for calligraphy in neography, you might even guess which ones. You can edit existing brushes, make new ones from the ones you've edited without changing the original, and all sorts of stuff (more below in the third chapter).
There are numerous packages of brushes once you enter Krita, but only one/two are available when you first open it. To unlock them all, click here:
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And make sure all bundles are dark gray in color (example of both dark and light below).
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Now Tools Options: those will pop up depending on what tool you're using.
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Symmetry: Fun stuff. You can drag the lines depending on how you need them and then center them back to the center of the screen if needed.
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Gradients and Textures also have their tools options, you can play with those to get the feeling what they can do (more in third chapter).
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The Filters tab is useful too. Blurring, motion blurring, color mapping, artistic filters and all that: Quite fun.
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Gimmicks.
Krita allows you to customize your workspace freely. Floating menus, tabs, anything you want. It has quite many drivers at that-
To access the workspace templates, go to Window and choose Workspace.
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Krita allows for copy-pasting any image onto the sheet. Though, for me it sometimes crashes if I accidentally copy-paste text into it without choosing the Text tool first.
The software allows for both raster and vector work. It is basically Photoshop sharpened to be used by artists primarily.
There are some interesting mechanics regarding the Eraser (default bind E).
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You can use it with any brush, allowing for textured erasure/quick work. Good for sketching.
You can use it on gradients (given there's a transparent point on the gradient preset).
There's a Multibrush tool:
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People say Krita is good for animation but my brain can't wrap around it yet honestly @~@.
The keybinds:
B - Brush tool.
E - Erase tool option.
M - Mirror (useful for checking accuracy from a new angle).
Ctrl - Color pick (when used with brush or other color-using tools).
Shift+L.Mouse+drag - Changes the size of the brush by dragging left and right.
Ctrl+E - Merge layer with the one below.
Ctrl+G - Group selected layers.
Ctrl+A - Select whole sheet.
Ctrl+Shift+A - Deselect everything.
F - Bucket tool.
G - Gradient tool.
Ctrl+S - Save document.
Ctrl+Shift+S - Save As document.
Ctrl+N - New document.
Ctrl+O - Open document (will be seen in a new tab on top of the sheet).
Ctrl+C - Copy selected layer or selection.
Ctrl+X - Cut selected layer or selection.
Ctrl+V - Paste copied/cut layer or selection.
Q - Multibrush tool.
R.Mouse - Interesting thing: Opens up a quick selector for brushes and colors you've already used in the piece.
1 - Zoom 100%.
2 - Zoom to fit the piece vertically.
3 - Zoom to fit the piece horizontally.
4, 5, 6 - Turn 15 degrees (4 and 6) or undo the turning whatsoever (5).
Ctrl+I - Negative filter applied to layer.
Ctrl+U - Color editing on the layer.
Ctrl+Y - Soft proofing mode (for color mistakes and stuff like that, mostly annoying for me tbh).
Ctrl+T - Transform selection/layer.
Ctrl+R - Square select tool.
Ctrl+J - Lasso select tool.
Honestly you can just hover your mouse over tools and see their shortcut binds, as well. Or edit them in Settings.
Specific advice on specific tools.
Brush:
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Brush editor is a great tool for making custom brushes, and it even has a sratchpad to test them out. Lots of settings, but no need to be afraid; Most of them you might never use on purpose.
Use Brush Smoothing for great and pretty lines in lining pieces or making calligraphy.
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Gradient:
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The four icons to the right top are:
Mirror gradient.
Arrange by lightness value.
Arrange by color value.
Space the stops evenly.
Click the gradient to add a new stop. The three things to the left are:
Make the stop use Primary Color.
Make the stop use Secondary Color.
Make the stop use a fixed color.
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aleksanderscult · 4 months
Text
Metas
Aleksander's jealousy moments:
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5 and the bonus content
Analyzing "Demon in the Wood" (book):
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
Analyzing "Demon in the Wood" (Graphic Novel):
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
The Alarkling Winter fete make out:
Part 1 - Part 2
The Alarkling tether kiss scene:
Part 1 - Part 2
Analyzing the only Alarkling scene in RoW
What the Darkling thought/felt about Elizaveta:
Here and here
What Aleksander was expecting about the Sun Summoner. His over-the-years thoughts about him/her and his initial thoughts about Alina
The Darkling is NOT a groomer
Alina rejecting Aleksander's advances
Aleksander's and "Alina's" funeral in R&R
Analyzing the Darkling's "I will strip away all that you know..." line
Why does the fandom handles differently Oomen's punishment by Kaz Brekker and Baghra's punishment by the Darkling
How Aleksander is dealing with grief and how he's dealing with people that are grieving
Was the Darkling that much of a liar as the fandom makes him to be?
My opinion about Genya's s*xual ab*se from the King. Was it the Darkling's fault?
The Darkling was terrible at manipulating (and it was the author's fault)
Analyzing Darklina's first kiss in S&B
Analyzing Aleksander's reaction to Alina's loss of her power
Character analysis: Genya from S&B
What kind of "Alina" did Aleksander want?
Other
Some fun facts about the Darkling
More Darkling facts
Ivan appreciation post
My favorite Darkling fanarts
My favorite Alina Starkov fanarts
My favorite Darklina fanarts
My favorite Darkling quotes (no ranking)
Why do I hate Mal (for anyone who is wondering)
A masterpost where Leigh Bardugo talks about the Darkling
Fanmade Grishaverse videos
Book trailer for the Grishaverse trilogy
Ruin & Rising, chapter 15 (The burning of the orphanage scene)
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stromuprisahat · 2 years
Photo
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Shadow and Bone- Chapter 15 (Leigh Bardugo)
The rest of the chapter is just Alina spiraling...
scare, not explain  🟥 💞
sprinkles of truth 🔴 ❤️
straight up lies and manipulations🟠 🧡
Alina trying to think for herself 🟢 💚
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cock-holliday · 2 years
Text
Bait & Switch
Chapter 9/10
(Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10)
Post-Dreamland AU
Fandom: TXF
Rating: T
WC: 1670
Scully and Mulder sat side by side, silently pleading with one another to speak. Kersh was growing impatient, and he rose from his chair.
“I asked you both a question, dammit,” Kersh snapped, “Explain yourselves.”
Scully clenched her fists, shooting Mulder a pleading look.
Please, Mulder, say something. Speak so I don’t have to.
They were trapped in an impossible riddle. If Mulder spoke, taking the blame, Scully would be taking the blame. If Scully spoke, Mulder would be taking the blame. Mulder was convinced Kersh would blame him regardless, so Scully trying to soften the blow as him might be useless, but could Mulder, as Scully, talk them out of this? When presented with a sword, both thought to fall on it for each other, but now they couldn’t, not without plunging the blade into the other.
“Sir,” Mulder began, the word cutting through the deafening silence, “We both…take responsibility for our actions…” Mulder swallowed, looking down at Kersh’s desk.
He looked like he was trying to make himself smaller, and Scully almost couldn’t bite back a snort at his performance.
“Agent Mulder…had suspicion about Judge Graham after what Pastor Graham said…” Mulder continued.
“About the honorable Judge Graham being the ‘real’ problem?” Kersh snapped.
“Yes, sir,” Mulder continued softly, keeping his eyes down, “We have reason to believe that Judge Graham had been covering up crimes of senators when he was a prosecutor, and he may be continuing to do so.”
“And you have evidence of this?”
“The beginnings of it, yes.”
“Certainly not enough to warrant an arrest,” Kersh barked.
Mulder licked his lips.
“No,” Scully cut in, deciding it was her turn, “But assaulting a federal agent is. As is trying to kill one.”
Kersh shot Scully a look.
In the corner of her eye, Scully could see Mulder trying not to smile.
“Agent Mulder saved my life,” Mulder continued demurely, “If he hadn’t been there…”
Scully bit her lip and refrained from rolling her eyes. Kersh’s gaze was on her, narrowing.
“Agent Scully is being modest,” Scully countered, “She handled herself admirably. We simply wanted to speak to the judge to obtain a better picture of the situation. And he fled. I pursued him, and he fought back. Agent Scully attempted to stay with the other man, whom we have identified now as an attorney with the DA’s office, Michael Roechamp.”
“ADA Roechamp was a protege of sorts for the judge during his time as a prosecutor,” Mulder explained, “We wonder now if a zest for law and order wasn’t their only shared extracurricular.”
“You think Roechamp is in on it too?” Kersh huffed.
“Possibly,” Scully added, “If not, you have to wonder what else was worth trying to kill a federal agent with a knife.”
“You know the only thing they’re being held on is assault and battery, right?” Kersh sighed, “Nothing you have told me is anything we can charge them with. Not with the pittance of evidence you have so far.”
Scully nodded, “We know, sir. We’d like to look into this matter further.”
Mulder’s lips curled into the start of a smile.
Scully kept her eyes on Kersh, trying not to give Mulder too much satisfaction.
Kersh heaved another sigh, sitting back down and lacing his fingers together on his desk, “Let me make something perfectly plain to the both of you…”
Scully adjusted in her seat.
“You don’t have a lot of allies here right now,” Kersh told them, “You really wanna keep making more enemies?”
Scully swallowed, feeling the heat of Kersh’s warning glare.
What did she want to say back? Scully had a million things she’d like to say to the man. What would Mulder say? Spooky Mulder, sitting in a hole of his own making, brandishing a shovel and threatening everyone with digging deeper. Should she try to help him climb back out?
“Sir,” Scully sighed, “With all due respect…”
Kersh cocked his head to the side.
“This isn’t a social club,” Scully continued, “Enemies made in the search for the truth are enemies at face value. The FBI motto is ‘fidelity, bravery, integrity.’ If we cave now, we are subscribing to none of those principles.”
Mulder ran a hand over his mouth, covering a toothy smile.
Scully’s heart fluttered, “I’m sorry, sir, but…”
She glanced at Mulder, but his eyes didn’t waver. He gave the subtlest of nods. Scully turned back to Kersh, “We can’t just roll over and kiss a judge’s ass when he’s insulting the very concept of justice and fairness. Whatever enemies we incur for this journey…including at the FBI…” Scully let the words hang there as she quirked her brow, “...So be it.”
Kersh snapped his head to Mulder, “Agent Scully, I’d advise you to talk some sense into your partner, before you start looking at suspensions.”
Scully wanted to reach across the chasm between their chairs and take Mulder’s hand.
I did what you wanted. Please. It’s okay. It’s your turn.
“I…” Mulder looked at Scully, and for a horrible moment, she thought he’d back down, but he received her message, “I agree with Agent Mulder.”
Kersh let out a huff.
“Despite his…colorful language,” Mulder continued, “His message rings loud and clear. Corruption should be weeded out. At any level of the government.”
Kersh shook his head, clearly disappointed, “You two are playing a very dangerous game.”
What else is new?
“We are done talking about this today,” Kersh began, “But we are not done talking about this indefinitely. Take the weekend to get your heads on straight.”
“And if our tune doesn’t change?” Scully challenged.
“We will talk Monday,” Kersh threatened.
In the hall, Scully and Mulder let out giddy exhales.
“God, Mulder,” Scully huffed, putting her face in her hands, “He’s gonna suspend us for sure.”
“You were great in there,” Mulder smiled, “It was like having an out-of-body experience.”
“It was like watching a car accident in slow motion,” Scully sighed, “And then crashing another car into that accident.”
Mulder laughed.
“I was worried you wouldn’t let me join you,” Scully continued, “I really thought you were going to let me hang you alone.”
“I wanted to,” Mulder nodded, “I didn’t want to see you tank your career.”
“But you didn’t wanna miss out on the fun?”
Mulder snorted, “Yeah, something like that.”
“Well, thank you,” Scully pressed.
“You’re thanking me for ruining your career?” Mulder asked, perplexed.
“Thank you for not shutting me out. Taking the fall alone. I am in this just as much as you. It wouldn’t be right.”
Mulder shrugged, “You’re welcome. I will try to be more selfish in the future.”
Scully rolled her eyes, “Please do.”
“Come on,” Mulder nudged her arm, “It’s our lucky long weekend. We’ve got a flight to catch.”
----
They each gathered their bags in their respective apartments. They spoke on the phone, making requests about what they’d like the other to pack.
Pick out something sexy for me to wear for my return, Mulder teased.
Pack something comfortable, I’m exhausted, Scully instructed back.
They decided to wear the outfits they wore when they switched--as if it would be any help in the process of their return, but it made it feel like it was going to happen. Scully slipped on Mulder’s grey shirt, touching the fabric gently with her fingers. What if it didn’t work? Scully’s stomach knotted.
What if it did?
The pair met at the airport, exchanging nervous glances and making forced small talk. They both were anxious. The flight was uneventful, and Scully almost wished something would happen so they had something to talk about. Something on their minds besides what awaited them.
Not long before they touched down, Mulder tipped his head up towards hers.
“Uh, your mom called,” Mulder informed her.
Scully turned her attention to Mulder, “Oh?”
“Yeah, last night–everything’s fine,” Mulder clarified, “She just wanted to talk.”
Scully had completely forgotten. In all the mess, she hadn’t called her mom. She couldn’t have, but the missed chance made her feel ill. What if they were stuck like this for longer? If they weren’t, the very first thing Scully was going to do was call her mother.
“How did that go?” Scully pressed.
“She’s good,” Mulder smiled, “I got all the hot gossip.”
Scully smiled back.
“You won’t believe what Janet did with her rose bushes,” Mulder deadpanned.
Scully snorted a laugh, quirking her brow, “Oh?”
“Well,” Mulder shrugged, “I don’t want to spoil it. You’ll have to call and find out.”
Scully chuckled, shaking her head and looking down at her lap.
It warmed her heart how much Mulder and her mom got along. She knew she liked Mulder a lot, and loved to tell Scully so. To see how Mulder was with her was another level of comfort. So, Mulder had entertained the call as if it was her, taking in all the details and humoring her mom. Scully blushed a little.
“Oh,” Mulder added, “Um…a Mrs. Franklin passed away?”
Scully’s face scrunched up.
“I’m sorry, Scully.”
“Who?”
Mulder sputtered a laugh, “Mrs. Franklin? She goes to your church. Went.”
Scully racked her brain for a face to go with the name but was drawing a blank, “I’ll…take your word for it, Mulder.”
“I take it you two were close?”
Scully rolled her eyes, nudging Mulder’s elbow with hers.
Mulder grew quiet and his face took on a hollow expression. Scully’s own smile slowly faded and she felt compelled to press, but she wasn’t sure he would share. It was nice to laugh and talk about normal life things. Mulder was probably thinking about their fate again. What was going to happen? What was going to happen to them?
Would they be stuck like this? Would they trade places and proceed as normal? Would they even have to worry about Monday–or would they go back to the start? Would they forget everything that had happened?
Scully felt the beginning of tears sting her eyes.
I don’t want to forget…
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astralscrivener · 10 months
Text
✨ fic directory ✨
i’ve created a post to keep all of my fics in one place. all fics can be found on ao3. (last updated february 7th, 2024)
major ongoing works
STEALING OUR OWN PLACE IN THE SUN
- voltron: legendary defender: a rewrite of vld seasons 4-8. - team focus, broganes, klance, adashi, romellura - rated M, graphic depictions of violence + other warnings in author notes - 22/45 chapters, 251k words (december 25th, 2022) - last posted: chapter 22: season 7, episode 3: elliptical orbit
AT SKYFALL
- voltron: legendary defender: canon-divergent au in which keith and shiro are captured by the galra at a coalition gala. things become more complicated when the team’s search for shiro turns up someone else: adam, shiro’s fiancé.  - broganes, klance, adashi - rated M, graphic depictions of violence + other warnings in author notes - 8/? chapters, 25k words (september 2nd, 2023) - last posted: chapter 8: division and discord
ABCS OF KLANCE
- voltron: legendary defender: oneshots, one prompt for each letter of the alphabet, focused on keith and lance’s relationship - variety of aus, some overlap with squad up (2017-19 modern au), mostly established relationship klance - 17 works, 83k words (february 4th, 2024) - a: artistry • b: brutality • c: comfort • d: defeat • e: elegance • f: faithfulness • g: grief • h: homelessness • i: information • j: jealousy • k: knell • l: loyalty • m: mercy • n: need • o: opportunity • p: pain • q: quest • r: rumor • s: sleep • t: trust • u: uncertainty • v: victory • w: worry • x: xenon • y: yearning • z: zero - last posted: never desert you, never let go (w: worry)
other ongoing works
THESE 20S ARE RAWRING AND THESE DUNGEONS ARE DRAGONING
- voltron: legendary defender: modern au + d&d series started in 2020 as a stress response to quarantine - team focus, klance, adashi, romellua, hunay
• main work: the rawring 20s XD - chatfic that only updates if i think it will be funny - rated M, no archive warnings apply + other warnings in author notes - 5/5 chapters, 17k words - last posted: chapter 5: there is no easter bunny, there is no tooth fairy, (september 8th, 2022)
- other works include klance-centric oneshots + snippets of the group’s ongoing d&d campaign - 5 works, 37k words - last posted: midnight into morning coffee (february 7th, 2024)
VLD FIC REQUESTS
- voltron: legendary defender: oneshots across a variety of aus written in response to prompts from friends and followers - variety of ships, but mainly klance and adashi - some overlap with squad up  - 15 works, 92k words (july 8th, 2023) - last posted: distraction
major completed works
DECEIT SO NATURAL
- voltron: legendary defender: canon-divergent trilogy in which lance and keith fool their way behind enemy lines and onto lotor’s ship to steal vital information on the galra empire—only for lotor to become far more dangerous than anyone anticipated. - mainly klance, extremely one-sided lancelot - written before gay shiro reveal + age discourse, contains side shallura - 3 works, 315k words - completed june 15th, 2018
• WHERE PEOPLE GO TO DIE - lotor mistakenly believes that lance is a galra soldier spying on the paladins, and invites him to return home. keith follows him undercover as a prisoner, and quickly draws lotor’s ire as things spiral rapidly out of control. - rated M, graphic depictions of violence - 14/14 chapters, 49k words - completed july 9th, 2017
• DYNASTY DECAPITATED - lotor becomes vindictive after having been played for a fool by team voltron, and the team struggles to hold the voltron alliance together while fending off his rapid advances. meanwhile, keith and lance explore a new stage of their relationship and learn exactly what the other means to them. - rated M, graphic depictions of violence - 18/18 chapters, 67k words - completed august 7th, 2017
• STARS GO DOWN - lotor has captured lance and sentenced keith to death halfway across the universe. lance struggles to hold onto himself as he plays the role of an amnesiac, while keith attempts to fight his way back to the team, alone. meanwhile, the team, down two lions and two paladins, scrambles to bring keith and lance home amidst betrayals and tumult in the voltron alliance. - rated M, graphic depictions of violence, temporary major character death + other warnings in author notes - 37/37 chapters, 198k words - completed june 15th, 2018
SQUAD UP
- voltron: legendary defender: modern au written from 2017-19 to cope with the horrors of being in high school and the transition into college - written before gay shiro reveal + age discourse, contains side shallura and shiro/allura/matt - 25 works, 561k words - completed may 10th, 2019
• main work: squad up - chatfic chronicling the gang’s last year of high school - rated M, no archive warnings apply + other warnings in author note - 140/140 chapters, 327k words - completed june 15th, 2018
• main work: a midsummer night’s meme - chatfic chronicling the gang’s last summer before college - rated M, no archive warnings apply + other warnings in author note - 27/27 chapters, 79k words - completed august 31st, 2018
• main work: because guys like us are cool in college - series of oneshots/snippets following keith and lance’s freshman year of college - rated M, no archive warnings apply + other warnings in author note - 84/84 chapters, 83k words - completed may 10th, 2019
LIGHT UP THE PATH (THROUGH A SKY FULL OF STARS)
- voltron: legendary defender: 28 oneshots completed for klance au month february 2019. - klance - variety of aus, including but not limited to modern au, canon-divergent/other paladinsverse, fantasy au, and more - rated M, creator chose not to use archive warnings + other warnings in author note - 28/28 chapters, 49k words - completed february 28th, 2019
additional oneshots not mentioned here can be found on archive of our own ✨ other writing (including drabbles, snippets, and prompts from tumblr ask games) can be found in my writing tag ✨
happy reading!
117 notes · View notes
nicoline1998enilocin · 9 months
Text
Yours, Forever | Chapter 15
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PAIRING | Bucky Barnes x Female!Reader
WORD COUNT | 1.4K
SUMMARY | You and Bucky have been going steady for the last year and a half, and you have returned to your position as head of the legal department full-time now. Bucky has been going on more missions recently, and the two of you don't get to see each other for long periods of time, making the fantasies about each other hotter by the minute. This chapter is written from both Y/N and Bucky's POV.
WARNING(S) | This is your official trigger warning. Do not proceed if any of these topics upset you. Smut [ Masturbation (F&M), use of a vibrator, oral (F&M receiving), fingering, squirting, praise/slight praise kink, authority kink (sergeant kink), 40's Bucky has a very filthy mouth ], swearing.
A/N | This chapter was supposed to come out yesterday, but I wasn't feeling too well. I'm sorry for the delay, but I have made it juicy for your enjoyment!
I want to thank @jamesbuckybarnes1917 for all of her help and advice when it comes to writing this one, you were truly a great help with this! 🖤
Likes, comments and reblogs will be very much appreciated 💜
Divider is made by @firefly-graphics
Main Masterlist | Bucky Barnes Masterlist | Series masterlist | Chapter 14 | Chapter 16
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Bucky is currently away for an extended mission, which will take him away for multiple weeks, possibly even months, depending on how it's going. To say that it had gotten lonely is honestly the understatement of the year, and you can't help but think of your super soldier boyfriend while you're having some alone time one night, almost a month after he'd left with barely any contact.
Work is stressing you out lately, and even though you don't want to admit it, you're in more need of an orgasm than usual, with Bucky fulfilling all your needs whenever and wherever possible. That, however, isn't an option right now, and you will have to do with your trusty vibrator.
You're lying in your bed tossing and turning, unable to find a comfortable position to sleep in, and decide to take matters into your own hands. Leaning over to your nightstand and grabbing the small light blue vibrator you and Bucky sometimes use to spice your sex life up slightly. All that is left is to think about the one person you miss more than anything. Bucky Barnes.
''Hmm, you're looking delicious today, doll,'' Bucky says, ogling you without shame.
''Yeah? I bet I would look even better without this lingerie on me,'' you tease, but before you know it, he practically ripped it off, leaving you utterly naked before his eyes, your nipples pebbled and the wetness between your thighs growing.
He picked you up and put you down on the bed with a soft thud, pulling your legs apart so he could enjoy his feast before diving in.
The second his tongue makes contact with your clit, your back arches off the bed with a loud moan, making him smile against you. ''Tastes so good, doll, tastes fucking amazing for me,'' he says, and you let out a small whimper at the praise.
One of your hands found its home in Bucky's hair, and the other is playing with your breasts and nipples to give yourself even more stimulation.
Bucky's tongue keeps lapping through your folds, past your clit, and into your entrance, making your back arch slightly with every movement until he decides to stop teasing for now, his mouth sucking on your clit and his metal fingers slipping into your entrance.
''Ah, Bucky, r-right there!'' you moan out when his fingers are curling into you, and with a fast pace, he's giving you intense pleasure by finding your particular spot.
It doesn't take long for you to come undone under his touch, ultimately, your orgasm quickly washing over you. ''B-Bucky! I'm-'' is all you get out before you're trembling, arching, and moaning under his professional touch. He knows exactly how to make you fall apart without a single problem.
Right at the moment you're reaching your climax in your fantasy, you also cum in real life, having turned the vibrator up a few notches, making you squirt all over your sheets.
''F-fuck...'' you breathe out as you come down from your high. Now you definitely can't wait for Bucky to return; you need him more than ever.
When you've come down from your high, you climb out of bed and shower to clean yourself up after throwing your sheets into the washing machine and putting clean ones on the bed.
You have finished your shower and decide on self-care by rubbing lotion all over your body and grabbing panties and one of Bucky's shirts to sleep in. This time it takes little time for you to find the sleep you've been so desperately looking for earlier.
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Bucky's POV
This mission is taking way longer than expected; Bucky had hoped to be home with you by now. Instead, he's laying in a bed that is way too big for him alone, wanting nothing more than the sweet release of an orgasm, preferably buried deep inside your warm cunt.
His metal arm has been bothering him for days now, and even though it's off, the pain doesn't seem to improve. Instead of grabbing some painkillers that aren't doing much anyway, he notices that he's growing quite hard now and decides to take his mind off the pain in another way.
''Hmm...'' Bucky grunts softly at the thought of jerking off. Before he can even think about what's happening, his flesh hand is sliding down the sweatpants he's wearing, underneath the elastic of his underwear, grabbing the already hardened member.
The hiss he lets out at the feeling of the slight tug he gives himself is almost embarrassing; it's not like he's never touched at home. Home. With you. Suddenly, that's all that goes through Bucky's mind as he keeps feeling himself.
He's transported back to the '40s and recently moved up the ranks to Sergeant. It sure does have a nice ring, Sergeant James Barnes, he thinks as he walks home after a night out with Steve.
'I can't wait to see Y/N again,' Bucky thinks, already looking forward to everything he might do to you if you let him. At the thought alone, his cock starts to stir a little, slightly straining against the pants of his military uniform.
It doesn't take long for him to arrive home, and the door swings open before he can even put the key in the lock. He's greeted by the most beautiful woman he has ever seen, smiling up at him. He's growing even harder at seeing you in the dark green dress you bought recently.
''Hi, doll. How was your evening?'' he asks, leaning forward to give you a soft kiss on your cheek which you happily accepts, putting a hand on his bicep and squeezing softly. Goosebumps immediately cover his upper arm, and a shiver runs down his spine.
''My evening was good, Sergeant,'' you tell him, and his eyes immediately snap up to meet yours. He didn't miss how the title rolled off your tongue with a honey-filled voice.
You move to open the buttons on Bucky's uniform, revealing the shirt and tie underneath as you slide it off his shoulders. The tie is next, and before you can go even further, he picks you up and walks to the bedroom with you in his arms.
''S-Sergeant!'' you squeal as he lifts you, wrapping your legs around his waist for support. At this point, he is straining against the zipper of his pants, which will soon come off.
Bucky bends down so you can land safely on the bed, and he removes the dress, leaving you in your underwear which looks delicious on your curves. 'God, I love this woman so much,' he thinks as he places his hand softly on your cheek.
''Sergeant, can I take the rest of your clothes off?'' you ask, and he nods, letting you remove every last bit of clothing. When you hook your fingers below the elastic of his underwear, it's like a tiny bolt of electricity goes through his veins, making him even harder.
Your eyes move up to his, and he nods slightly, letting you take it down so his cock springs free in front of your face.
''Doing so good for me, doll, why don't you wrap that perfectly juicy mouth around it? I've missed how you feel around me,'' and without hesitation, you take him halfway down your throat on the first go.
''Fuck, doll, you take your Sergeant so well, huh? Need me deep inside that throat of yours, don't you?'' Bucky grunts and a soft moan escapes around his cock in your mouth, making him twitch at the feeling of the vibrations.
Bucky's hands found their place on your head and hair, but he doesn't dare to take over control; he's enjoying everything you're doing, and by the looks of it, so are you.
Suddenly you change your pace and hollow your cheeks, a grunt leaving your throat at the feeling. ''Jesus, you're going to be the death of me, doll,'' he groans through his teeth, but you don't let up.
''Want you to cum in my throat, Sergeant,'' you say after letting go with a wet pop. He happily complies when you start sucking again, but this time your hands leave his thighs to play with his balls, rolling them and tugging softly.
''O-oh, I'm close! Doll, going to cum!'' he shouts as you take Bucky deep into your mouth and throat, gagging as the tears stream down your face. It doesn't take long for him to squirt all his ropes of cum deep down into your throat, letting you swallow every last drop.
''You taste amazing, Sergeant,'' you say, and you get back up, pulling him in for a kiss, and let him taste himself on your tongue.
It doesn't take long for him to quicken his pace, and with a whine of your name, he cums all over his hand, stomach, and chest. God, he most definitely can't wait to return home to you.
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mermaidfanficlibrary · 5 months
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More about You | Yandere Tokyo Revengers x Male reader
The description is down below. This is also on my Wattpad and Quotev! Enjoy!
Description: Mentally Unstable Occult More about you: More about you | {You are here} Prologue: A Life Before Chapter 1: The Reality I've Been Searching for | TBW Chapter 2: You remind me so much of him | TBW Chapter 3: Blood Soaked Insanity | TBW
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Name: y/n l/n
Birthday: y/b/d
Sexuality: Bisexual
Previou age: 17
Age: 15
Height: 5'7 
Appearance: H/L H/C hair, Shiny E/C eyes, S/T skin
Personality :Emotionally turned off, paranoid, anxious, mentally unstable, protective, violent, kind to those he deeply cares about, impulsive, apathetic, and funny
Other notes: Y/n can see ghosts from both his own world and the world he was reincarnated in. These ghosts keep Y/n safe and protects him from those who intend to hurt him, even if Y/n can fight those people physically. Y/n has a thing for fighting, and it brings a smile to his face when he feels the adrenaline kick in. Y/n has a younger brother names Lucas, and Lucas adores Y/n. Y/n has many exes due to trying to fill the empty hole in his heart, but none of them ever worked out and ended up leaving Y/n hurt even more. Y/n watches anime, kid shows, and listening to music as an escapism from his life and using those as a way to fantasize about the perfect life he will never have. Music keeps the ghosts that Y/n talks to from hurting others too much, but also lets them control those Y/n is fighting. Y/n fights to music as a way to ground himself, even though it may seem like it makes things worse. Y/n is a naturally violent fighter, so that is why there is blood shed every time, either from Y/n or the person he is fighting. 
Likes: Fighting, Music, Bluey, Studio Ghibli, Bojack Horseman the show, Anime, Tokyo Revengers, Crocs, Sweets, Isolating, knowing random ass facts, referencing stuff from his old world, and laying on the floor
Dislikes: Both his moms, his dad, his ex-boyfriend, sleeping, nighttime, silence, his brother, himself, feeling alone, the fact that he has to redo not only middle school, but high school too
Love interests:
Takemichi Hanagaki
Hinata Tachibana
Natoa Tachibana
Atsushi Sendo
Takuya Yamamoto
Sano Manjiro
Ken Ryuguji
Emma Sano
Nahoya Kawata (Smiley)
Souya Kawata (Angry)
Takashi Mitsuya
Shuji Hanma
Haruchiyo Sanzu
Rindou Haitani
Ran Haitani
Kazutora Hanemiya
Chifuyu Matsuno
Seishi Inui
Hajime Kokonoi
Izana Kurokawa
Kakucho Itto
Hakkai Shiba
Keisuke Baji
Wakasa Imaushi
Takeomi Akashi
Senju Akashi (Kawaragi)
Yuzuha Shiba
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A/n: I may or may not have projected way to much on Y/n.. The stuff under the likes is very crucial to how Y/n see's the world and his coping. 
Picrew used
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Do not repost or translate without my explicit permission! Reblogs are welcome!
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izzyspussy · 2 months
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For every vote, I will write one sentence on the corresponding project.
Posting to main because this is mostly fanfiction options lmao. But I'm gonna tag some writeblr folks, and if y'all don't know me here I'm @calicohyde! Tagging @ashen-crest @cwritesfiction @e-s-willswriting and @gailynovelry <3
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