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things-we-cant-say · 3 years

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pretty little liar

Pairing: Ten x Female!Reader

Summary: In order to get your annoying ex off your back, you tell a little white lie that takes an unexpected turn.

Genre: College!AU

Warnings: Smutty smut, dirty dancing

Word Count: 4,867

A/N: Unable to withstand Ten’s power any longer, I had to start writing about him…or a version of him anyway. Hope someone out there enjoys my first dip into the ~imagines~ pond. ☺️

The party was in full swing by the time you and your best friend Amy arrived, the music so loud it could be heard down the street. It was a wonder the cops hadn’t broken it up yet but hey, the night was still young. Ducking through the arched doorway with Amy hot on your heels, you let her guide you into the foyer where you both stopped to take in the scene. The place was packed with people dancing, drinking and laughing—everyone apparently having a great time. Which was perfect for you because all you wanted to do was blow off a little steam and pretend you hadn’t spent the day fantasizing about committing the perfect murder.

You enjoyed school for the most part and you enjoyed your classes, but really you couldn’t wait for it all to just be over. Two extra years and your master’s degree in linguistics was almost within your grasp. You still weren’t one hundred percent what you planned to do with it (teaching was definitely out) but either way you were ready to dive into the real world. To no longer be stressed out about exams and papers and boring ass professors that constantly seemed to have a stain on their tie.

And to get far, far away from your stupid ex, Adam.

“Uh oh you have murder face,” Amy said as she peeped around to look at you. “What’s wrong?”

You shrugged. “Just in my head I guess.”

Amy hummed. “I get it. That’s why we are here though! To get fucked up and do something we regret in the morning.”

You laughed. “Guess we’re Uber-ing home.”

She grinned and grabbed your wrist, pulling you over to a table loaded with different types of alcohol. The guy ‘tending bar’ as it were winked as you two approached. “What can I get you for?”

“Something with alcohol but where we can’t taste the alcohol!” Amy exclaimed happily. “Oh! And if you’ve got any little umbrellas I’d like one of those too.”

He did finger guns and proceeded to cook something up in two red cups, sticking in two pink umbrellas when he was done. You and Amy took your drinks and after a cursory sniff, took a sip. The tequila wasn’t as strong as with a single shot but you could still detect it just not enough to make you stop drinking. Unlike Amy you didn’t plan to get completely fucked up but you weren’t going to say no to a nice buzz.

Cups in hand you migrated onto the dance floor and fell in with everyone else, bopping to the beat and scream chatting over the loud music.

“I really needed this!” Amy yelled. “Statistics is kicking my cute little ass!”

“I know what you mean!” You shouted. “But hey! Soon we’ll be done and actual jobs will be kicking our cute little asses!”

Laughing, Amy bounced up and down, sending her blonde hair flying. “Is that why you’ve been so grumpy lately? Or is it…he who shall not be named?”

With a sigh you took a big sip of your strawberry margarita. “Yeah. He keeps fucking calling me and leaving me these stupid ass messages, apologizing and shit. I’ve blocked him but he just uses someone else’s phone.”

Amy’s eyes stretched wide. “That’s like stalker behavior! Or maybe he really is sorry for what he did.”

You snorted. “Sorry for having sex with his ex in the backseat of my car? As far as I am concerned he can take his ‘sorrys’ and shove them so far up his ass they come out his mouth as safaris!”

Amy choked a little on her drink, hitting you hard on the arm in admonishment after she stopped coughing. “I hate you! I could have died!”

Her words made you smirk. “But did you? No but for real, fuck Adam. Fuck Adam and anyone who even looks like Adam!”

“Woo!” Amy threw both hands up into the air, yelping as liquid sloshed down onto her head. “Oh shit! Drink emergency I’ll be right back!”

Before you could say anything, she turned and hurried back towards the drink table. Alone in the middle of a dancing crowd, you didn’t know whether you should slink over to a corner or just keep dancing. That last thing you wanted was some random dude trying to groove with you. Of course if you decided to hold up the wall nothing would stop some random dude from trying to hit on you either. At a bit of a loss you drained the rest of your drink and did a I don’t really know anyone two step, hoping Amy would return soon.

The tequila settled nice and warm in your stomach, making you feel more at ease. Most of the people at the party were from your school but not ones you associated with on like, a daily basis. Sure you recognized a few faces from the library or cafeteria but there was no one you’d had more than a surface conversation with.

And then your eyes landed on him. Ten.

Ten was a…different sort of person altogether. He was the kinda guy CW shows thought actually existed in college, except he was very real. And very much fucking gorgeous in that unattainable way CW shows also loved. However, that sort of did him a disservice because as far as you knew, he was just a decent guy who happened to be able to do some pretty awesome things.

For example, he was an amazing dancer. The kinda dancer that just freaking mesmerized you when he moved. Had you wondering how in the hell had he taught his body to do that shit? One minute he was in total sync with everyone else and the next he was performing his solo and blowing your mind. He’d done some show a few months ago with a friend and you’d nearly flipped out of your chair watching him work. The body rolls, the attitude, the way he’d just commanded the stage…whew. Was it possible to be a fan of someone who wasn’t famous?

Then there was his art; things he designed himself or drew from memory. Art class was essentially where you’d sorta came to be acquaintances with him. You weren’t exactly good at drawing but you liked it enough that you wanted to improve, plus it helped you de-stress after particularly hard days. Ten on the other hand excelled and just like with dancing, it was interesting to watch his process. He’d described himself as a sensory artist so he wasn’t always as concerned with the end product as the professor sometimes wanted him to be. From your eye though he’d yet to create anything that wasn’t remarkable. In fact, more than once you’d wanted to ask him to design a tattoo for you, but felt it would be kinda weird. He had no idea what you were into after all. So far your conversations with him had consisted of colors and that one time he’d asked to borrow one of your brushes.

You were pretty sure he’d sold something to an art gallery.

Anyway so Ten could dance and he could draw and he could sing and he was fluent in several languages; as far as you knew the only thing he was kind of shit at was cooking. But who hadn’t set a class kitchen on fire once or twice? Or three times…

If he were an asshole—well people would probably still crush on him—you’d count that as a major flaw and want to keep your distance. But the kicker was that he could do cool things and he was nice. Dorky even especially when it came to cute animals. Was always posting pictures of himself at the animal shelter playing with the kittens and the puppies, or just acting like an idiot with friends. Yet it was that confidence that made him seem untouchable, and also made him sexy as fuck. More than once you’d fantasized about biting his Adam’s apple.

Heh.

Shaking your head, you fanned lightly at your face with both hands. Maybe stepping outside for some fresh air would be a good idea.

“Y/N!” Amy nearly tripped over her pretty sandals in her hurry to get back to you. “Weewoo weewoo weewoo!”

“Um…”

She grabbed your shoulder. “It’s a police siren! We have a code red situation here, I repeat a code red! Adam just walked in!”

“What?” You blinked and immediately looked towards the doorway, brows narrowing when you saw she was right.

Standing there in a white t-shirt in his formerly handsome glory was your ex-boyfriend, Adam. Once upon a time you’d thought the world of him; thought he was the kinda guy you could probably marry someday. The kinda guy you’d introduced your family to. Turns out he was the kind of guy that hooked up with his ex in your car repeatedly until finally being caught in the act. Sure it had been gratifying to make him and her walk home half naked but it had done nothing to quell the pain left behind. Thankfully though your pain quickly turned to anger and now you usually focused on not murdering him when he popped up. There was a lot you could forgive but cheating was firmly in the do not cross zone. Everything you’d felt for him evaporated the moment you saw him with her.

And he’d promised he was over her. Lying piece of shit, you thought to yourself.

“What the hell is he doing here?! Does he even know anyone here?” you asked with a frown.

“I dunno!” your friend said slowly. “It’s possible, big campus and all. Do you want me to help you climb out of the bathroom window?”

“Yeah my boobs aren’t fitting through one of those skinny ass windows,” you replied wryly. “Though to be honest I’m almost willing to risk it. C’mon let’s—”

It was too late. Adam spotted you like an arrow searching for its target, eyes registering shock and then elation. He reached you in three quick strides, opening his arms for a hug that he was damned crazy to expect. “Y/N. Wow you—you look amazing. I’m so glad we ran into each other.”

You huffed. “I’m not. I told you we’re over Adam. Or does me blocking your calls not get the message across?”

He exhaled deeply. “Look I know I messed up but I’m sorry. Classes were just really tough and—and Lucy and I would reminisce about old times…”

“Do I look like I give a shit? You cheated on me and we’re over.” The lie came so easily. “Besides, I’ve moved on.”

“Yeah!” Amy poked him in the chest. “She’s moved on so suck it!”

Adam arched a brow. “You’ve moved on?” He sounded skeptical and that made your blood boil. “Since when? And with who?”

You’d once heard that Hippocrates came up with the saying drastic times call for drastic measures though it wasn’t something you’d be willing to bet money on. However, standing there with your ex eying you like he just knew you were lying brought a whole new meaning to the idiom. You would one hundred percent be damned before giving him the satisfaction of gloating.

Tequila’s kicking in…

Without missing a beat, you put a hand on your hip and motioned to Ten. “Him. I’m seeing him.”

Amy made a sound like a cat having its tail stepped on while Adam gaped at you. “What? I—no. No way. You’re totally lying. I’ve seen the people he’s dated and you’re not his type at all.”

This bitch.

Twirling on your black heels, you strolled across the room to where Ten sat in an arm chair, chatting with a few of his friends. Before you could talk yourself out of it, you straddled his lap and leaned forward to whisper in his ear. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I know this is awkward as fuck—I’m so sorry—but if you just play along I will owe you big time. I’ll give you anything. You need a kidney? You can have a kidney.”

Ten’s friends had gone mute and as you sat back to gauge his reaction—or to possibly be thrown off of him—you bit your full bottom lip. His dark eyes were watching you calculatingly, his own lips pursed together like you were a riddle he needed to solve. Up close he was utterly breathtaking, all smooth skin and silky black hair that fell artfully across his forehead. He smelled incredible.

And then he spoke.

“There you are baby,” he said wrapping an arm around your waist. “I’ve been looking for you.”

That was when you figured you owed him your first born but it was fine. “Well, you found me. Sorry to keep you waiting.”

He chuckled. “You’re worth waiting for.”

His friends still looked confused though they didn’t have time to voice their opinions. Adam stalked over seconds later like a man on a mission. “So it’s true? You and Y/N are together?”

Ten tilted his head to the side and you saw the moment the lightbulb went off for him. “Yeah we’re together.”

Adam huffed. “Since when? For how long? Where did you two meet?”

Ten smirked. “Are you taking a survey or something?” He brushed his lips across your jaw, making you shiver. “The only thing that matters is that she’s mine. Let’s dance, Y/N.”

“I would love to,” you replied with a smile. You were also grateful he’d remembered your name.

You climbed off of his lap and took his hand, sending Adam a you thought look before pulling Ten out into the thick of the crowd. Your heart was beating a mile a minute but you felt too giddy to pay much attention to it. Plus, you knew Adam was watching you like a hawk and you didn’t want to let on how nervous you actually were. If he found out you were lying he’d never leave you alone and consider you pathetic to boot. Besides the nice buzz that was finally creeping down your spine told you everything would be fine. How could it not be?

Ten’s hands settled low on your hips and he gave you a little tug, pulling your back to his chest. You fit rather perfectly with him, his chin brushing the top of your head. Picking a rhythm in the song that thumped with bass, you began to move together. You rolled your ass against him and leaned your head back to rest on his shoulder, focusing on his breath as it ghosted across your neck. A silver of light wouldn’t have been able to get between you.

Normally you wouldn’t have dared to do something like this with a near stranger but your desire to make your ex suffer was bigger than your nerves. Besides Ten appeared to be all in on the ruse; his body twisting and curving in sync with yours, fingers on his right hand sliding up between your breasts to wrap lightly on your throat. His teeth nipped at your earlobe and you gasped. Reached around to his side to clasp his shirt for an anchor. You heard him chuckle and suddenly you were spun away from him only to be reeled back in, this time face to face.

The room felt like it was two hundred degrees. You weren’t exactly wearing much—a slinky black dress with tiny ties at the hem—but even that seemed too much. Without missing a beat though you and Ten continued to grind with one another, his thigh just barely pushed between your own. Every time you swayed forward to meet him the denim of his jeans rubbed deliciously against you, sending sparks sprinting through your veins. Both of his hands were on your ass as if helping to guide you, and as you met his gaze you couldn’t help but bite your lip at what you saw there. Desire, lust, hunger—no one had ever looked at you like that before. Like they could just devour you and still not have enough of you.

It made you feel powerful.

You grinned and wrapped an arm around his neck, fingers giving his hair a little tug. He hissed and lowered his head so that he could mouth at your bare shoulder, hands squeezing your ass so hard it nearly hurt. You weren’t sure when you started to get wet—maybe it was the moment you sat on his lap or he decided to play along with your dumb stunt—but you could tell it now. Your panties were sticking to you, your skin was on fire and it was becoming difficult to think straight. Honestly however you didn’t want to think at all, especially not if it meant not being in Ten’s orbit.

“Ten,” you whispered into the skin under his jaw.

He hummed, the sound vibrating through your body. You plastered your hand to his chest and pulled it down, nails catching on the thin material of his shirt until they were brushing along the zipper on his jeans. You gave him a quick squeeze—he was hard and straining—and he cursed loudly. Between one second and the next he was dragging you down a dimly light hallway, past kissing couples and one guy passed out drunk in the doorway of someone’s room. He swung you both into the first vacant room he came to; a lavish bathroom at the very back of the house. The door was closed with a swift thump and the lock clicked shut.

You licked your lips as he crowded you back into the counter, looking down at you with a tiny smirk. That part of your brain that yammered on about bad decisions was surprisingly quiet, so you figured it was beyond okay to pull him down for a kiss. As with most of the stuff he did, Ten was a damn good kisser. His mouth was soft and warm, his tongue playful and coaxing. He kissed you like he’d been waiting to kiss you for a long time. Until it grew deep and sensual. Until you were both panting with the need for air but neither wanting to let go of the moment.

With a gasp you tilted backwards a bit, your knees suddenly weak. “Fuck me,” you said absently.

“Can I?” Ten asked, chest heaving. “Can I fuck you?”

“God yes,” you replied, already pulling your dress up until it hitched around your waist.

Ten hooked his thumbs onto the band of your pink panties and slid them down your legs, laying them next to the sink. He looked you over with that same eye he used for his art but you could tell he liked what he saw. You grabbed his hand and brought it between your legs, spreading them wider for him. Two of his fingers slipped inside of you without any resistance to find you damp and aching, already so hot for him. He started a lazy rhythm—in and out, in and out—like he was in no hurry at all. Like he wasn’t driving you crazy all the way down to the tips of your toes.

He kept his eyes locked onto yours as he touched you, lips slightly parted like he couldn’t believe this was happening. That rang true for both of you. Never in your wildest dreams did you think you’d ever really be friends with Ten, let alone about to hook up with him. It was like you’d stumbled into some alternate universe.

Bringing his free hand up to your cheek, he smoothed his thumb across your lips, pressing lightly until you let him in. You sucked his thumb into your mouth and gave it a little nip, smiling when he smirked. When he deemed it wet enough, he pressed it to your clit and you moaned, your hips stuttering upward with a will of their own. He began a firm massage, working your clit this way and that, fingers still thrusting in their maddening motion. Of course he’d be great with his hands. Of course he’d be able to play your body like a finely tuned instrument.

Pressure started to build low in your stomach. “I—I’m…”

“Turn around.” Ten took a step back and made a show of sucking his fingers into his mouth, tongue darting out to lick between them like he wanted to savor every drop.

You whimpered but did as he requested, your eyes finding his in the wide silver mirror. You watched as he unzipped his pants and pushed them along with his dark colored briefs down to the floor. You hadn’t seen him pull out a condom but he had one; ripping open the packaging with his perfectly straight teeth before rolling it onto his hard cock. It was a delicious looking thing you had to admit, long and thick with a slight curve. If you’d had the time you would have gladly went to your knees for him.

A low breath shuddered out of Ten’s lungs as he pushed inside of you, his hands gripping your waist so strongly you were bound to have a few bruises later. “Fuck, you’re tight.”

It had been a while since Adam and nobody after him until now.

When he assumed you’d adjusted to the size of him, he pulled nearly out before driving back inside of you. You moaned and pushed back to meet his thrusts, feeling the pleasure shattering through you. Your breasts bounced as he moved and he reached a hand forward, tugging down the top of your dress so that he could cup one. He rolled your nipple between his fingers and pinched, bending over you so that he could bite down onto the tender skin of your shoulder. The motion sent him even deeper and you both groaned at the feeling.

“Te—Ten,” you stammered, losing your train of thought when he rolled his hips liked he did on the dance floor. “Oh fuck! Fuck!”

The picture you made in the mirror was a very erotic one; you could see every single expression on Ten’s handsome face. The utter enjoyment he was obviously finding in fucking you was written all over it; there was nowhere for it to hide. His head was tipped back, eyes fluttering closed only to pop back open so that he could watch himself shove into you over and over again. He had you up on your tip toes, nose just an inch from the mirror itself. He was always sexy but tonight that word took on a whole new meaning.

All you could do was try to give as good as you got.

You slapped a hand onto the sink to steady yourself and clenched around him, reveling in the low whine that escaped his throat. It kinda sounded like your name.

And then he was pulling all the way out, dick bouncing as he stumbled backwards. You blinked in confusion. “Wh--what’s wrong?”

Ten ran his fingers through his hair. “C’mon. I want you to ride me.”

He sat down on the closed toilet seat lid and you straddled him without a second thought, sinking down onto his dick with a full body shudder. With your dress around your waist and your breasts jiggling in his face as you bounced up and down on his cock, he traced his tongue around your nipple before lightly biting down. You tangled your fingers in his hair and panted out his name, letting out a squeak when his palm connected with your ass for a hard slap. Planting his feet on the floor, he leaned you backwards a bit as he drove into you repeatedly, eyes watching how well your pussy took him.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured against your collarbone. “Gorgeous—you feel so good.” He bit you again, this time on the side of your neck. “So good.”

With one hand on his shoulder to brace yourself, you rose up and let yourself come down hard over and over again, feeling him pound so deep it was almost criminal. Had the music not been so loud you knew exactly what you would have heard; the sound of skin hitting skin as Ten fucked you like he owned you. Just for tonight, maybe he did.

You weren’t sure how long it went on but when you came it still managed to take you by surprise. Your body lit up like a Christmas tree from the inside out and you cried out Ten’s name, clenching around him, your nails digging into his shoulder blades. He muttered a drawn out fuuuuck and pinched your clit with this thumb and forefinger, making you jerk so hard you nearly tumbled off his lap.

“Ah! Ten!” You shouted as he kept it up. “I—no—oh god—”

Your pussy tightened around him again and he shivered, thrusts growing erratic as he came with a grunt. You trembled through a second orgasm almost in disbelief—usually the only thing that could get you off twice in a row was hidden under your bed in a shoe box.

Seconds later you flopped against him, attempting to catch your breath. He was still rolling his hips just a tiny bit, making all the too sensitive areas ping.

“Whoa,” he said breathlessly, wrapping both arms around your waist. “That was…”

You chuckled softly. “Yeah…” Chancing a look at him, you admired the way strands of his dark hair stuck to his sweaty forehead. He was glistening, shirt sticking to his chest. He smelled like hints of your perfume and you smelled like hints of his cologne. It was all so intimate.

Reluctantly you sat back and gazed at him, wondering if things were about to get awkward. But Ten just smiled and ducked his head a little, a barely there blush creeping up into his already flushed cheeks. It was so adorable you couldn’t have resisted kissing him if you tried. From the way he melted into you, he’d had the same idea.

After a few minutes of just enjoying the feel of his lips against yours, you forced yourself up off of him. Your legs shook; you had to grab the counter to keep from tripping in your heels. You could already tell you’d still feel him tomorrow and the thought made you kinda dizzy, but in a good way. Blinking at your reflection—your hair was a dark mess—you knew there was no way you’d be able to hide the love bites that adorned your skin. They stood out stark red and purple like a bruise.

Ten remained slouched on the toilet for a couple of moments before removing the condom and tossing it into the trash. He dabbed at his dick with a handful of toilet paper, and then pulled up his underwear and jeans. “So…can I ask you something?”

You fixed your dress. “Sure.”

“Who was that guy?” he inquired with a grin. “The one you obviously wanted to get away from.”

Oh shit you’d forgotten all about Adam! “Oh he—he’s my dumb ex. He jumped stupid at me and I—I wanted to show him that he’s an idiot. That I’m totally over him. I—I’m sorry for getting you involved.”

He laughed as he patted down his hair. “No complaints from my end. I think he got the message though.” Reaching behind you he handed you your panties. “Don’t wanna forget these.”

It was ridiculous to be embarrassed considering what you’d both just done, but you couldn’t help it. You took them from him and pulled them on, keeping your eyes on the ground. “Thanks… Look Ten—”

“I’m hungry,” he said interrupting you. “Have you ever had grilled dried pollack?”

“Um yeah once I think,” you replied uncertainly. “It was pretty tasty.”

Ten motioned behind him. “I know a place that makes it if you wanted to go. And…maybe afterwards we could just hang out. Talk.”

That sounded amazing. “I’d love to. But…”

He picked up on your meaning. “Y/N I sit next to you in all of our art classes. I make conversation with you for no reason. Do you really think I of all people forget my brushes? Honestly I’ve wanted to ask you out for a while but you’ve always seemed…disinterested.”

You were dumbstruck by his admission. “Me?! That’s just my face! You’re the unattainable ingénue or whatever!”

Ten chuckled, folding his arms across his chest. “Oh please the only thing standing between me and being a serious cat dad is having an apartment that allows animals. However, this conversation is pointless. You owe me and I’m collecting…if that’s okay?”

You huffed but couldn’t stop grinning. “It’s perfect.”

The walk from the bathroom to the living room had everyone staring with a few people letting out loud whistles. Adam had disappeared but Amy was there to give you a big thumbs up. You promised to call her later and then let Ten pull you outside into the warm night air, your fingers happily entwined with his.

#wayv ten #ten imagines #wayv smut #ten scenarios #ten x reader #ten smut #nct scenarios #ten oneshot #wayv imagines #woc reader #wayv ten imagines #ten lee #wayv au #nct au

219 notes · View notes

sunflowersteves · 4 years

Text

meetings || s.r.

summary || steve had a meeting and you had a mission to ruin it.

prompt || “Come here and sit on my lap.”

author’s note || I just realized I’m posting this on Sunday lmao oops? Congrats again to @aesthetical-bucky on 1K! That’s a huge milestone and I know you haven’t been as active but i hope you’re all good! Anyway, I hope you all enjoy it!

warnings || smut with no plot (pls wear protection), daddy!kink, cockwarming, vaginal sex, public sex, daddy!steve, a bit of overstimulation, squirting, creampie, this is very filthy i ain’t going to lie to you guys

Masterlist

Steve pushed up the glasses that were falling off of the bridge of his nose. Warm, fresh coffee and vanilla flavored creamer lifted up into his nose. It smelled like pure bliss and he smiled just a bit as he knew who was making the batch. You were always the last one to wake up in the morning, most of the Avengers were morning people.

The smile spread wider across his face at the thought of you lurking around the kitchen with bedhead hair and one of his oversized t-shirts. He turned back to his stack of reports on the table and tried to concentrate on getting them done. In about twenty minutes, there was going to be an important meeting with everyone in his office and he wanted nothing to do afterward but spend the rest of the day with his girl.

His heart couldn’t help but palpitate as he could hear the soft pads of your feet hit the hardwood floors, trotting quietly over to his office. He tried to concentrate on the work in front of him but his mind couldn’t help his mind going into thoughts only about his infatuation with you.

You peaked over into his office and saw him intently working on some paperwork. You stood there for just a bit, contemplating going into the room further to bother him but before you could speak yourself, his gruff voice stood prominent in the spacious room. “Come here and sit on my lap.” You tipped a smile and slowly walked over to him, placing yourself into his lap.

His beard tickled your neck which made you slightly giggle. His strong arms wrapped around your torso and your back hit his chest. He tried to go back to his work, he could feel your eyes on his hands which made him silently chuckle. You had always loved his large calloused hands. You loved watching them flip the pages of books or grip an iced coffee or grip your neck.

The deep, warming smell of your arousal made his heart thump and stomach flip over. He could hear your fast, steady breaths, and rapid heartbeat that made his mind feel fuzzy. Before he could do anything your voice flooded through his ears. “Can you put your cock in me, daddy?”

He practically groaned at the soft innocence caressing the squeak of your voice. He knew the little game, and you were very much not innocent. But he wanted this as much as you did.

“Of course, babygirl.” He lifted you up for a second to take his cock out and then he sat you back down, opening your folds with the tip of his cock. The oversized t-shirt spilling all around his thighs, the two of you were groaning quietly.

He had filled you up so perfectly, his length and thickness had touched you in all the right places. The two of you just sat like that keeping each other warm and fuzzy. He continued doing his work, occasionally writing on the pieces of paper and putting them on another stack of papers.

You had whined into his neck a couple of times when he would shift his body a little bit. He chuckled and told you to wait which of course you obeyed. You had gotten punished last night, and the teasing was relentless so you were determined to behave. The feeling of his hard cock resting between your aching pussy made your heart swoon. Your daddy knew exactly how to take care of you and what you wanted. It was almost soothing, the teasing of his tip sometimes going into just the right place and your walls keeping him heated.

His eyes widened a bit as he looked at the clock on his desk and sighed. “What’s wrong, daddy?” He took the pair of glasses off of his face and placed it on the desk. “I have a meeting in two minutes-”

“Oh, I’ll just-” You were about to stand up and get off of his lap but he grabbed your hips and pulled you back down. “Don’t, babydoll. There is no way in hell I’m letting those idiots take away our time.” You smiled and nodded, pressing a kiss to his knuckles.

He shifted your body so that you were now facing him, your breasts pressing firmly against his broad chest. You placed your face into his neck, occasionally pressing some kisses. His body froze a bit as the first person arrived which was Sam, Bucky, and Wanda.

“Why is y/n here? Is she okay?” Steve’s heavily laced innocence made your eyes widen a bit. “No, she says she’s not feeling well. She thinks it may have been the food she ate yesterday. She wanted a bit of comfort.” His salty voice was tied with concern and sadness. Damn, he was good. You could practically picture his creased eyebrows and pouty lips.

The rest of the Avengers and some Agents had all arrived and the meeting began. He and the others started talking about some plan with destroying Hydra but you were barely listening. Your ears were ringing at Steve’s even harder cock pressing up against that savoring spot. You bit onto his neck, trying to restrain yourself from moaning for everyone to hear.

Your juices started running up and down his cock, making him slick and wet. He could hear your small, tiny whimpers that escaped your throat occasionally. He had to close his eyes for a second in fear that he would stop everything and take you right here. You wanted him so badly and he wasn’t even moving. You wanted him to the point of it sounding like you were in pain from the loss of friction.

You bit your lip as you just couldn’t take it anymore, your pussy was pulsating at this point for anything to happen. “We’ll have to infiltrate-” You started to move your hips slightly, making dure to get the grinding you needed but not enough to get caught. Your movements had made Steve completely stop his sentence and he had to cover it up with a cough.

“Oh, shit. Are you getting sick too, old man?” He shook his head as he took a deep breath and glared at Bucky’s knowing look. He could hear and smell the two of you, making him roll his eyes as he walked into the room.

“I’m okay, Sam. Thanks.” He continued to try as hard as he could to not make any movements to give away that you were slowly riding him. Your mouth pressed small kisses up and down his neck, it was agonizingly slow so the spit of your tongue wasn’t too loud. His hand moved slowly, moving your skirt up so he could fit his hand inside.

You had to bite your lip even harder at his hand circling your clit and folds. He groaned very loudly at your wetness covering his whole finger. He wanted to be proud, his babygirl was getting all riled up at just his cock being inside of you but then he froze at the realization. Everybody was staring at him, wide eyes at his groan almost sounding animalistic. Luckily though, Bucky was there to explain.

“I think even Steve may be getting sick. Maybe we should have a meeting another time.” Everybody packed up their things and left the office without another word. Bucky quickly mouthed ‘you owe me’ while smirking and walking out the door, shutting the door behind him.

Steve halted your movements, making you gasp. He harshly grabbed your cheeks, pulling your face towards him. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you? You wanted Daddy to take you in front of everyone, want them to know that you’re mine.” You yelped in surprise when his hand came in contact with your ass, slapping it harshly. Steve took you immediately off of his lap to your dismay and cries but he surprisingly then pinned you onto the desk. The ruffling and crinkling of the papers were sounded as they hit your back.

“You want daddy’s cock, don’t you, babydoll?” You nodded vigorously as he leaned a bit closer, his prominent now clothed cock pressing up against your wet pussy. “Then daddy’s going to give you what you want.” Your eyes widened at the sound of his buckle hitting the floor. Normally, you would be punished for this kind of thing but Steve seemed to give you what you wanted this time. He was lightning fast, his lips connected with yours. The kiss was rough and passionate with teeth clashing and his tongue fighting against yours.

“Since you love disobeying me, This time, I’m going to give you exactly what you want.” He didn’t even pull your skirt down before ramming his cock between your folds. It made you cry out so loud, you thought the whole compound heard you. He moved your legs so that they were wrapped around his hips.

He inserted his cock again, going at a very fast and hard pace, not taking any mercy as his moans filled the air. “You wanted daddy’s cock so badly that you disobeyed me. I’ve told you before that you don’t move unless I tell you to.” Your back moved back and forth on the large desk and your whimpered cries were loud. You barely nodded at him and his eyes were only trained on you.

He slapped your ass harshly, pain, and pleasure all blending into one. “d-daddy!” He could feel your walls clenching already and he smiled a bit. “P-please, daddy!” He grunted and continued at the fast pace with his cock touching your sweet spot. You tried to hold it in a bit, not wanting Steve to be mad if you came too soon. You never wanted to disappoint Steve but his facial expression seemed to swell with satisfaction. “Daddy, can I come? Please?” He grunted as the click sounds of his cock going into your pussy was luscious and mouth-watering.

“Yes, baby. Don’t hold it in. Come on my cock.” You screamed out his name as loud as you could, your body convulsing at the pleasure Steve was sending you to. That little bundle of nerves your belly had locked in had fully made its release and you were seeing stars.

However, Steve never halted his movements, he was still pounding into you, hard and fast. You had just come so the sensations of his cock started to get a little too much.“Daddy, I-I can’t-” He shushed you gently, but the two of you knew that you could. You could never get tired of his cock pleasuring your holes. “You can, baby. My sweet girl can come all over my cock again, can’t she?” You nodded and gasped, gripping the sides of the desk harshly.

“D-daddy I-” His forehead connected to yours as he whispered sweet nothings and praises into your ears. Your orgasm never wasted time again, that sweet knot came undone. But this time you squirted all over his cock, rushing water released all over him. His eyes snapped towards yours and his mouth was agape. You were almost embarrassed, you hadn’t meant to come so hard that water gushed out of you. “Look at you, babydoll. Daddy’s so proud.”

However, unbeknownst to you, Steve had thought it was the hottest thing he had ever seen. He thought about your sweet wetness that was all over his cock and even a little got onto his shirt. A large grunt left his mouth as he came into your pussy. His come was deep inside you and dripping out from your beautiful pussy. His cock was sheen looking from your juices spread all around it. He looked like he was glowing with pride which made you swoon.

However, that all halted when his eyes became dark and solid, a prominent smirk caressing his features. “You’re going to be punished, you moved without asking. But don’t worry, we have all night, babydoll.”

Permanent Taglist: @captainchrisstan @angstysebfan

#aesthetical-bucky1kchallenge #Steve Rogers #steve rogers x reader #steve rogers fanfiction #daddy!steve #daddy!steve rogers #daddy!kink #dom!steve rogers #sub!reader #captain america #captain america fanfiction #captain america x reader #steve rogers smut #smut #overstimulation #dom!steve rogers x sub!reader #marvel fanfiction #marvel

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imaginesbymk · 3 years

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“My Girl Who’s Not Really My Girl, But Is My Girl Anyway.”

The Pacific One Shot

Summary: Snafu opens up to the guys and tells them about you, how you two are hook up buddies, and he ended up falling in love with you before enlisting in the war. After he returns home, you two make it official.

Pairing: Merriell “Snafu” Shelton x Fem!Reader

Non Requested

Tags: swearing, ethnic slurs, smoking, my shitty attempt at writing implied smut (not too detailed), mentions of war violence

Word Count: 1,753

Author’s Note: snafuuuuu!! i don’t write smut as its stated in my rules, but i thought i’d give this one a try lmfao and verdict: i’m not continuing on doing so because to me writing smut doesn’t suit me. likes/reblogs/feedback needed & appreciated <333

THE boys ganged up on Peck - but for a good reason. Peck was a man who mesmerizingly gazes at a photo of a chorus girl he met and fell in love with while his wife waits for him to come home every day, and is also the man who had gotten their mortar rounds with his own ripped poncho, resulting in getting a fellow marine killed after running to retrieve new ones.

Snafu was the first one to call him out for it. When it came to mentioning girls and whether or not each of them had one, Snafu was definitely going to be next to at least mention a name, or coat himself with a comment, and so he did.

“I don’t care what you think!” Peck exclaimed, annoyed by everyone, especially Snafu. “It’s not like you wouldn’t do the same.”

“Oh?” Snafu said, grinning. “I got a girl waitin’ for me to come home back in Louisiana.”

“Really?” Eugene raised his brow, showing a hint of curiosity that his friend never opened up about it until now. “You’ve never mentioned her before.”

He shrugged. “Nah. Well, she’s my girl who’s not really my girl, but is my girl anyway,” Snafu paid no mind to the twisted confused looks on everyone’s faces, he just continued lighting his cigarette with his filthy hands completely worn from the battle.

“What does that even mean? Is she your girl or not?” Jay D’Leau asked.

“We just fuck around, but we’re not together,” Snafu spoke with the cigarette lit in his mouth.

“Not surprised,” Leyden says.

“Fuck’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means it’s not like you could hold down a girl for more than a week,” Peck says.

“You don’t got a say in shit, Peck. You carry a photograph of a Chorus broad while your wife dreads the day you die in the hands of a fuckin’ Jap,” he snaps. “I’m the luckiest son’a’bitch there ever was.”

“What’s her name?” Hamm asks.

THE tiny storage closet could fit up to only two people at a time, one if they were to bend over to get a hold of supplies from the shelves and bottom drawers. In that particular night was that storage closet used as a place of privacy for the extroverted Snafu, named Merriell back in Louisiana, and his girl who’s not really his girl, but is his girl anyway: you. Y/n.

People would have definitely heard you, whether they were walking past or were simply far away inside any seminar. The door to the closet was literally being pounded on by your back hitting against it with such force, after all. As for Merriell, he couldn’t give two shits. He’d let all of Louisiana hear you to let them know you belonged to him at that moment.

“You’re way too good at that,” you caught your breath moments after, straightening your dress despite its now developed wrinkles. Your hair was no longer neat and styled, but you did your best to fix it without a mirror.

“You’re experienced and lustful when you know what you’re doing,” he said so confidently.

“So when are you leaving?”

“Next week. Time flies when you’re having fun,” Merriell put his shirt on, exposing a bit of his chest from the buttons down, and realized you weren’t paying attention to his answer. “Ya hair’s fine, girl.”

You rolled your eyes. “I don’t wanna walk out there and catch people staring at me, wondering what the hell happened to mess up my hair.”

“Oh they’ll definitely know what happened,” Merriell smirks. “They’re gonna know you walked inside a closet and got drilled by Snafu Shelton until the cows came home.”

You chuckled. “Snafu? Are you sure you want people to go along with that nickname?”

He grins. “As long as I go along with it first.” He tightened his belt, shuffling a bit around the enclosed space of the storage closet.

You ran your hands down his chest. “I’ll write to you.”

Snafu chuckles. “Don’t get serious on me now. I’ll be fine. And don’t write to me,” he then went ahead to button his shirt.

You frown. “Why?”

“It’s a waste of paper.”

“Don’t you wanna keep in touch? Or don’t tell me, you’re planning your proposal to some girl up north?”

“No girl. But there’s nothing we have for each other but a good fuck, that’s all.” And he opens the door, letting you walk out first. He followed you behind, wishing he could hold your hand.

OK. Perhaps that was a lie. He saw you more than a good fuck. He saw something in you that gave him a bigger motivation to make it to the end of the war, to do his part and come back home. He was gonna miss catching a whiff of your strong perfume that would make him cough and crinkle his nose from his sinuses deteriorating. He was gonna miss how your hair was in his hand as he played with it while cuddling at a movie theatre.

He was gonna miss you.

NIGHT fell when Snafu hopped off the train. Louisiana was still the way it was when he had left it. The same old calls from food stands, chatter from one group to another. It was nothing new, but it was home.

He stopped to take a moment first. He didn’t want to wake up Eugene, who had been fast asleep in his seat. Knowing he had something to say before bidding a farewell to his friend, he bit his tongue and kept walking towards the exit.

Snafu, of course, didn’t expect to have anyone wait for him at the station. No family, no friends, no girl. So... what now? He thought. Just find yourself an old man as your chauffeur home, grab a beer and a bowl of peanuts.

“Damn, you look like a lost puppy, Snafu.” Snafu froze in his tracks. He shifted his weight from his duffel bag slung over his shoulder to turn himself around, to find you standing out from the walking crowd.

A sight for sore eyes.

“Shit, you’re here. As loyal as they come!” A smirk appeared on his face due to the surprise unexpected surprise, even referring to him as “Snafu”.

“You really think I wouldn’t be here waiting for your ugly ass to come home?” you teased.

“That’s four years of waiting,” Snafu points out. “Maybe five. Shit, you are loyal as they come.” You smile, your eyes twinkling like Christmas was happening way too early near the end of August.

“I have my parents’ car. They told me to bring it back by nine o’clock. I just want them to give me a later curfew, y’know? At least now that you’re home, I have a better reason to borrow it more often.”

“Well all I wanna do is pop a cold one once I stretch my fucking legs. I felt sick from the train ride home.”

“Motion sickness? It’s just one way.”

“A mixture of smoke and onions stunk up the whole boxcar.”

You made a face at that comment, and walked Snafu to your car. He stayed in the passenger seat even though you had pulled up to the house and shut off the engine. You both sat in silence for a moment.

“Should I even ask how service was?”

Snafu answered your question by changing the subject. “I really missed you, y/n.”

Cocking a brow, you gave him a look. “You insisted for us to not write to each other.”

“I missed you, whether we wrote to each other or not.” Snafu looks ahead of the night through the opened car window. “It was hell out there. I felt like all of Louisiana could hear it. But I knew I would come home to see that pretty lil’ ass of yours again.”

You chuckle. “Snafu-”

“Merriell.”

You frown. “I thought that’s your name now.”

“It is... but when you call me by my Christian name, you chase the loud noises away.” It didn’t matter if that was a metaphor or if he was starting to hear things that could cause a trigger in his senses.

Either way, you just had to ask, “Merriell, is everything right?”

Snafu- Merriell- looked at you. “Yeah. I mean, I think so. Y/n, I think I’m in love with you. Is that all right?”

“Anything that’s been goin’ on between us is just fine, Merriell Shelton.”

“I’ve been in love with you ever since we started foolin’ around. I didn’t think much of it. I always thought a new broad would occupy my thoughts a week after, but each week passes and all I did was look forward to seeing you and you only.”

Sighing, you take his hand that was rested on his leg. Merriell came to realization that this was the first time you two ever held hands without it leading to sex right after. Physical intimacy, indeed. “Merriell, I had a feeling our hookups would turn out into something more.”

“Really?” he asks.

“We were there for each other no matter what. It’s like I found my ride or die - y’know before you rode out of America for the war trying not to die.”

Merriell stroked your hand with his thumb, his eyes locked onto yours. “You were always my girl. Someone special.”

“I wasn’t really your girl to begin with,” you laughed. “But I also wasn’t anyone else’s, either.” Merriell leaned in, kissing you deeply. None of you pulled away until you had to catch a breath. “We waited a long time to do this again.”

Merriell leaned in again, closer this time that he could go on top of you. He whispered against your lips. “And thank Jesus H. I’m back.”

You both kissed for a couple of minutes. It stopped abruptly when you remembered where you two were at the moment. “Shit, sorry. My dad could have opened the blinds. You should come inside for dinner. My mother would be thrilled to see you in a uniform.”

“Shit, I’m already meeting your folks?” he curls his lips to a nervous grin. “I know damn well ya Dad’s gonna stare me down across the dinner table.”

“As long as you don’t tell him that I call you daddy, too, then you’ll be fine.” You earned a laugh from Merriell Shelton, and you two got out of your car and both walked up to the front steps, holding your boyfriend’s hand.

THE END

#snafu shelton one shot #snafu shelton imagine #snafu shelton x reader #snafu shelton #the pacific one shot #the pacific imagine #the pacific x reader #the pacific #the pacific fic #snafu shelton fic #reader insert #one shot #imagine #mk's faves

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knifefather · 3 years

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In the words of Open Mike Eagle, “This is what I need to do. I know I need to do something to feel better. This is it.” So I did! I wanted to write some headcanons about weed and also something cute, so this happened! I give to you: Smoking weed with each member of the Bucci Gang for the first time. This is all platonic. Under the cut for length!

Content warning: Use of marijuana. That’s it. That’s the post. Enjoy!

Bruno

🍃 The Capo is probably the best one to smoke with for the first time. He’s very careful about making sure that you have a good experience! Bruno would more than likely invite you somewhere private for you guys to smoke together, like his home. He’s the type of person that would explain to you about what marijuana does to your body while you’re smoking. It’s really interesting and makes for a good conversation point.

🍃 Bruno would pack you guys a bowl in a pipe! That way you can’t take too large of a hit. Getting too high the first time is definitely a mood killer. He definitely doesn’t want the experience to be ruined for you because you smoked too much.

🍃 After you take a few puffs and your eyes start to get a little red, he checks in with you. “How are you feeling?” he asks. You look back at him and his eyes are also red. You had never seen Bruno like that before, and that combined with the substance makes you giggle uncontrollably. He ends up chuckling a bit too, a lot more than he normally does. You like the sound of his laugh. “I’m taking that means you’re doing well?” You just nod and reach for the bowl again.

🍃 After you’re feeling chill enough, the two of you can hang out alone or Bruno would invite the rest of the gang over. You might just hang out in his living room, or he would suggest taking a walk to the park close by. If that’s the case, he is the one that leads you out and around so you can be stoned and not worry about anything.

🍃 He also brings water because he knows you’ll get cottonmouth! What an angel, really.

Mista

🍃 Smoking weed for the first time with Mista is an adventure, that’s for sure. Mista is a stoner, so when you told him you’ve never smoked before he is all over it! “Dude, we have to smoke together! Some see me after the meeting at Libeccio,” he tells you, clamping you on the shoulder before walking off.

🍃 After the meeting is over and the group begins to disband, he approaches you and gives you a funny look. Definitely not suspicious or anything lmao. “You wanna step out back?” he asks, still giving you that strange look. You aren’t sure what to say, so you just nod and go with him. When the gang sees you two leaving together, it really looks like you guys are gonna fuck. They start giggling and gossiping until Bruno breaks it up, but even he is curious about what you two are up to.

🍃 Mista takes you to the side alley next to the restaurant and gets on one knee. “I knew that that meeting was gonna be boring as hell so I brought something to make it worth it,” he says, grinning before pulling something out of his sock. He straightens himself out and you get a closer look at it. It’s what you think is a cigarette. He sees your confusion before giving you a toothy grin. “This is a joint,” he proclaims. “We’re gonna smoke it.”

🍃 And smoke it you do. You and Mista face the entire joint behind the restaurant and you get mega stoned. The gunslinger has to usher you out of the alley and walk you home because you’re high as fuck. “I don’t want to be alone.. Can you stay?” you ask him after plopping on the couch, almost too stoned to move. He agrees quickly and flops down next to you.

🍃 After a few minutes, yall begin to get the munchies... So you eat whatever you have at your place before deciding to order a pizza. The two of you just watch a movie and hang out for the rest of the evening!

Giorno

🍃 Doesn’t smoke weed, but he isn’t a jerk about it. He doesn’t have a problem with people who do but it’s really not his thing. He doesn’t like the way it makes him feel, or the way it smells and tastes.

🍃 Just doesn’t like any kind of drug. He seldom even has more than a few glasses of wine. Being intoxicated is not really for Giorno.

🍃 However, if you wanted to smoke weed around him, he would be supportive and watch over you. He’d make sure you weren’t going to get yourself hurt and that you’re feeling okay while you’re high.

🍃 Even though he sucks at driving, he would offer to drive you anywhere you need because he doesn’t want you to get hurt. He would even go get you food if you started getting the munchies really bad! Giorno thinks that you’re hilarious when you stoned and has a blast hanging out with you every time.

Abbacchio

🍃 Abbacchio doesn’t really tell anyone that he smokes pot. The only way you found out was because you had to swing by his apartment to get some paperwork from him. You knock on the door and received no answer. You’re growing worried, so you try again, only to hear nothing. Curious, you round the corner of the apartment building and see that his window is open and smoke is drifting out.

🍃 After a minute of making you wait, Abbacchio comes to the door. He hands you the paperwork, and you get a good look at his face. His eyes are red as hell and they look smaller than usual. Not to mention that he smells of it. But he totally tries to play it off like he wasn’t just smoking.

🍃 “Um... Is that weed that you were smoking?” you ask. He’s immediately defensive, brushing you off. But you call him out and nail him. “I know it was bud. Do you maybe... wanna share? I-I’ve never had it before--” you start to say before he cuts you off.

🍃 “I’ll let you hit the blunt if you promise to go home after that.” You accept his conditions and go inside.

🍃 He hands you a marijuana cigarette, this time wrapped in brown paper. “It’s a blunt. It’s made out of cigarillo paper. The paper has tobacco in it, so be careful when taking a hit...” he advises, handing you the lighter. You did you best to hit it, and, like Abbacchio expected, you cough your fucking lungs out because of the paper. He claps you on the back a few times before continuing. After you have finished the blunt, you’re dummy stoned.

🍃 “I know I said I’d go home, but do you think--” Abbacchio interrupts you again. “Yes, you can stay. Just don’t eat everything in my fridge.” You do anyway.

Narancia

🍃 Oh boy. Oh fucking boy. Narancia literally does everything you SHOULDN’T do with someone who is smoking weed for the first time.

🍃 You guys are hanging out and he brings out his bong and starts packing a bowl, no big deal. You’re sweating because you have no idea what that big glass thing is. Narancia is under the impression that you’re a stoner like him even though he’s never smoked with you? You don’t understand it either.

🍃 He takes a huge hit and then hands you the bong, and you awkwardly take it in your hands. You’ve watched how Narancia hit it, but you’re not sure if you can do it like him. Narancia can see your uncertainty. “You can hit it. That’s why I passed it to you,” he said, smiling.

🍃 “I don’t... I’ve never...” you stammer, looking helplessly at him. Narancia put the pieces together, his eyes going wide. “Oh shit! You don’t smoke?” You shake your head in response. “Well damn. Here, lemme show you how.” Narancia’s “demonstration” may or may not have served a double purpose for him to take another hit, but whatever.

🍃 He instructs you on how to use the bong. Fill the bowl, light it, inhale from the top tube, take the bowl out when the chamber fills with too much smoke. You think that it’s simple enough, so you go to try... and cough. You cough, sputtering on the bong, all of the smoke entering your lungs leaving you a whoosh. Your face turns red and Narancia paps you on the back, letting you a have a few sips of his Diet Coke. That was the first and last hit that you took, and it made you high as a motherfucker.

🍃 You crash at Narancia’s and play video games with him all night, the two of you laughing at the game and making a ton of new inside jokes together. You still quote the inside jokes to this day, and none of the guys understand what the fuck you’re talking about.

🍃 He does end up turning on a really loud, violent movie that scares the shit out of you, though. He turns it off and does his best to help you calm down, apologizing profusely. After a few minutes, you feel better, but it crashed your high. You’re okay with that, and just curl up next to him while he continues to play games. You’ve had enough for the night.

Fugo

🍃 Also doesn’t smoke at all. Though, he’s lame, and he’ll probably try to discourage you from it. He’ll hit you with a ton of false facts about what weed does to your body and how it is actually the worst thing in the world for you.

🍃 Narancia and Mista would usually step in and telling him he’s being a fucking tool. If they start arguing, Bruno breaks it up. He doesn’t take a side, but he admittedly is biased because he smokes weed too.

🍃 Not much to say on Mr. Party Pooper over here.

Trish

🍃 Lmao. This girl is a stoner as hell. She doesn’t smoke flower very often, but she always has her weed vape pen on her.

🍃 This bitch will just hit her pen in the middle of a store. On the train. On the sidewalk. In a church. Wherever the hell. Bruno gets on to her about it sometimes, but she always brushes him off and just does her thing.

🍃 You smoke with her for the first time while you guys are out shopping. The two of you have a few bags in tow and are on your way to the next store in the mall. Trish whips her pen out from her purse and, you guessed it, hits it right in the middle of the mall. You’re absolutely baffled and not sure why anyone hasn’t noticed or called her out.

🍃 Oblivious, she turns to you and points the pen at you. “You want to hit it? I can see you staring at me,” she says plainly. You’re kinda shocked at how forward she is about it, but you take the pen from her. You try to get her to move away to a less populated part in the mall, but she has to go to the candle store. So you hit it and watch a bubble form in the golden liquid.

🍃 It’s one of those good ass carts, and you get stoned from just one rip. It’s actually really fun walking around with her while you’re high! You guys enjoy the rest of your shopping trip no problem, and Bruno comes to pick you guys up after you guys are finished! He knows you two are stoned, but he doesn’t say anything. Thanks Bru.

#even if you dont like weed its still cute #hehe #knife hc #team bucciarati #jjba #vento aureo #cw marijuana

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drarry-with-a-side-of-harry · 4 years

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THAT WAS ONE OF THE GAYEST EPISODES IN A HOT MINUTE LMAOOOO WTF

so i’ve just watched series 4 episode 10 ‘A Herald of the New Age’ uhhhhhh

wait wait wait so gwen’s gone for two (2) seconds and Arthur and Merlin are flirting like they’re in a school playground all over again lmaoooo i’m so done

so first of all they get back to Camelot and Merlin’s falls back into his concerned boyfriend routine 🥺🥺🥺🥺 SIDE NOTE THE KNIGHTS ARE JUST FULLY AWARE OF THESE TWO AT THIS POINT THEY ALWAYS FLIRT AND ARE REALLY TENDER IN FRONT OF THEM I CANNOT BE ARSED anyway Merlin asks Arthur if he’s alright and Arthur’s all sad and brooding 🥺🥺🥺 so Merlin says he was being quiet and Arthur just answers him with a snide remark but with none of the laughter and ARTHUR, KING, SWEETIE WHY WON’T YOU JUST LET THIS BOY HELP YOU???? 🥺🥺🥺🥺

SO THEN WE SKIP AHEAD A BIT AND OMFG LET ME TELL YOU I WAS CACKLING WITH LAUGHTER AND KEPT HAVING TO PAUSE IT. THIS SHIT IS GOLDEN

so Merlin walks in on Arthur asleep at his desk. if you’ve watched the show you will remember this scene because it’s too iconic but am i gonna run through it anyway?? you’re damn right i am because i am obsessed lmaoooooo

SO MERLIN JUST STRAIGHT UP BANGS ON THE DESK REALLY FUCKING LOUDLY TO GET HIM TO WAKE UP HAHAHAHAHHAA AND ARTHUR HAS FOOD ALL OVER HIS FACE I-

who fucking wrote this shit it’s too good man

Arthur jumps out of his mind and Merlin the little shit has the audacity to say “oh i’m sorry i didn’t mean to scare you” HAHAHAHAHAHA YOU ABSOLUTE DICKHEAD MERLIN 😭😭😭😭😭😭 and he barely even cracks a smile how this man holds it together i will never know. honestly how Colin Morgan managed to deliver that just once without cracking up is beyond me.

OH BUT WE’RE FAR FROM FINISHED

so Arthur responds “you didn’t scare me, i was asleep” LMAOOOOO YEAH BITCH WE KNOW HAHAHAHAHAHA IM STILL SCREAMING ABOUT THIS

so now Merlin starts to laugh a bit but he’s holding it together. you know when you’re in school and something funny happens with your mates and you shouldn’t laugh because you’re meant to be working but you can’t not laugh and you’re all just snorting to stop yourselves from laughing??? yeah same energy

Arthur: “why’ve you got that stupid smile on your face?” baby i don’t know what to tell you anymore

Merlin: “it’s nothing. why were you sleeping with your head on the table?” and his face just drops to confusion HOW DOES HE NOT KEEP LAUGHING

Arthur: “i fell asleep while i was reading” uh huh okay sure thing

Merlin: “what were you reading?” this is turning into the most mundane conversation you’ve ever heard but it’s priceless because Arthur’s still half asleep and Merlin’s just fucking with him i’m so done

Arthur looks around trying think of something and realises be can’t lie anymore so this bitch just has to say “i am the King of Camelot i do not have to answer to the likes of you” LMAOOOOOOOO KING JUST ADMIT YOURE AN IDIOT AND LEAVE and Arthur’s almost cracking a smile at this point too we get it you love him

Merlin: “oh you’re in a good mood, you obviously got out of the wrong side of the table” AND THIS MAN JUST STARTS PISSING HIMSELF AT HIS OWN JOKE I-

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

AND ARTHUR’S DEADPAN STARE IS PRICELESS

and Merlin explains the joke while he’s still laughing and Arthur replies “that’s extremely clever and funny Merlin there really are no limits to your wit now will you please just get me some breakfast” HAHAHAHAHHAA MATE WHEN I SAY IM HOWLING WRITING THIS POST

‘there really are no limits to your wit’ sent me

so Merlin goes to get breakfast and Arthur (who has loads of food on his face remember) uses the plate as a mirror OH BOY

THIS SCENE COULD NOT BE ANY FUNNIER I SWEAR

he lowers the plate with another deadpan stare aimed at the door. boy is FUMING LMAOOOOOOOO

he shouts Merlin and i will suck my own big toe if there is anyone in the castle Camelot that didn’t hear him MY GOD THAT WAS PRICELESS

me current state: deceased

OH AND IT DOESN’T STOP THERE OH NO NO NO

so the very next scene we’re at training Arthur tells the lads to pair up and Gwaine asks what’s in his hair. Arthur’s face is just a picture. Merlin helpfully answers that it’s stew. Leon asks him why he’s got stew in his hair. Merlin quickly responds “because he was reading” in that tone when Merlin’s being a right snarky little shit oh you know

the lads just turn to look at Arthur like “wtf man??”

Arthur takes a minute and says “change of plan. i think we’ll try something different” lmaoooo you just know what’s coming next

so Merlin’s used for sword practise

Arthur has first go and the lads are smirking at them and each other like “oh these two had another domestic” “about the stew this time ahhh right” lmaooooo

JUST GOLD

there was a whole two (2) minutes of just solid flirting, taking the piss and just generally annoying the shit out of each other i-

OH AND THERE’S MORE

it’s nighttime now and this cheeky bastard asks “would you like me to make up the bed Sire, or will you be sleeping on the table again?” with a little smile on his face HAHAHAHAHAHAHA it just keeps getting better this episode really is a gift

Arthur doesn’t respond because he’s all moody again and Merlin all but roles his eyes all he wants to do is cheer up his boyfriend 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 so he sighs “is this about Gwen” and Merlin looks kinda irritated and sad and Arthur won’t even look at him and Merlin says “we all miss her. you more than anyone” and Arthur cuts him off with “you can go now” maaaaate the feels

Merlin: “Arthur”

Arthur: “get out” oh so now you look at him

omfg you were happy earlier can you please just let him help you ffs you’re just making each other really fucking sad and it’s not helping anything

and Merlin leaves and Arthur kind of looks over his shoulder and almost shakes his head like he doesn’t actually want him to go 🥺🥺 and every damn time something like this happens i expect him to say “no, wait” 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

and now Arthur looks even more sad. well baby i don’t know what to tell you but you did just do that to yourself a little bit. just leT MERLIN HELP YOU ffs

SO Merlin storms in and dad Gaius is at the table reading and Merlin’s just ranting that he’s done being nice to Arthur and he doesn’t get any thanks and he’s saved his life so many times and all he ever does is shout at him. yeah boy we know aND SO DOES GAIUS because this man does not look up at him!!!!!! tell me that’s not Merlin ranting to his dad about his crush i swear-

Gaius tells him there’s more important things to worry about like the plot of this episode perhaps??? lmaoooo this is getting out of hand now. dad’s so done with Merlin’s lovesick bullshit lmaoo

so we move on a bit and Arthur tells his uncle that Merlin thinks Elyan’s possessed oh so now dad’s dead you value Merlin’s counsel huh king?? we love to see it

we love that Merlin can speak up a bit more now ehehehe

so uncle says that Merlin’s just tryna protect his friend and Arthur just looks at Merlin like “i believe you don’t worry but we need evidence man”

oh my christ we’re only half way through true episode i’ll try and speed things up a bit i think the main Merthur action’s done anyway

Merlin breaks Elyan out. arrives back at Camelot and walks into the throne room. Arthur’s drinking and reading something and just looks up when Merlin enters with the most glorious look on his face like “oh this bitch is back finally” and carefully considers what he’s gonna say to him 😂😂😭😭😭

Arthur: “Merlin! good of you to join me. perhaps i should fill you in on all that’s been happening while you’ve been... that’s a good question. what the hell have you been doing??” LMAOOOOO these two i can’t

Merlin: “i was...”

Arthur (cutting him off): “choose your next words carefully. they may be you last” pahahahahahaha alright king pipe down

Merlin: “i was searching.. in the woods.... for some herbs for Gaius” boy’s just rambling about herbs and says he got lost

Arthur: “you mean to tell me that you’ve been wandering around in the woods all night???”

and the look on this man’s face. WONDERFUL

Merlin says yes and Arthur asks what happened to his head because it’s bruised and i just knew it was coming ffs “i tripped over a root and hit my head on a tree and knocked myself out” this fucking moron. this fool i despair

Arthur just toys with him and offers him some food with him at the table is it a joke though Arthur if you actually just want to have a lunch date with him and Merlin realises he’s joking and we get another golden deadpan stare from Arthur and it’s the funniest shit damn this episode is blessed and Arthur just stares him down as he fucks off out of the room lmaooooooo 😭😭😭😭😭😭 and then to finish it off dramatically picks up his paper again so we all know he’s back to ‘important reading’ uh huh Arthur sure you’re not just thinking about that interaction?? like the rest of us clowns

fast forward and Arthur let’s Elyan go and somehow Merlin’s there again???

anyway Arthur talks to his uncle and when he’s gone Arthur confides in Merlin and Gaius i’m sorry but we have to stan some A+ development (also i really hope Arthur’s starting to lose trust in his uncle because i was sort of getting that vibe from this scene idk we can only hope)

Merlin’s in Arthur’s chambers that night clearing up and Arthur says “that’ll be all Merlin” anD MERLIN REPLIES “are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” UMMMMMMM FOR WHAT????? I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT ARTHUR WAS GOING TO SLEEP UHHHHHHHHHHHHH IDK MAN SEEMS KINDA SUS TO ME WHAT’RE YOU GONNA DO MERLIN JUST SLEEP IN HIS BED WITH HIM??? HMMMMMMMMM THE PLOT MAJORLY THICKENS BECAUSE ARTHUR DOESN’T EVEN FIND THIS AN ODD SUGGESTION BECAUSE HIS RESPONSE IS JUST “think i’m gonna get an early night” OKAY SO FIRST OF ALL THAT IMPLIES THAT HIM AND MERLIN WOULD BE- *BIG COUGH COUGH*

AND SECONDLY THAT IMPLIES THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THEY’VE DONE BEFORE I REALLY DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THIS INFORMATION THE EVIDENCE SEEMS PRETTY CONCLUSIVE TO ME YOUR HONOUR

then they have a nice little joke about Merlin not getting an early night lmaooo we do love to see the bants

so later on Merlin follows Arthur into the woods lmao of course he does would you really expect anything less at this point?? and they have this whole why are you here?! no why are you here?! moment lmao

Arthur tells him he’s free to go back to Camelot at any time sweetie you really think that’s gonna happen?? you fool Arthur Pendrgaaon because obviously Merlin’s not going anywhere AND THEN ARTHUR’S BACK TO BEING A SELF SACRIFICIAL LITTLE SHIT AGAIN BABY YOU’RE KING NOW YOU CAN’T BE SO WILLING TO DIE AT EVERY FUCKING PROBLEM WTF we find out that this whole thing’s Arthur’s fault but this whole scene is honestly so nice and lovely and warm and he knows what he did was wrong and that he was a stupid young man 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 and the druid boy forgives him 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 and he’s CRYING omg recently Merlin’s constantly on the verge of tears but when Arthur cries you know some bad shit’s going down and the music omgggg 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 “from this day forth the druid people will be treated with the respect they deserve, i give you my word” 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 i love him your honour

so then we’re back in Arthur’s chambers and Merlin says “you know that was incredibly moving what you said at the shrine” Arthur says “it served it’s purpose” because Elyan’s alright ARTHUR STOP PRETENDING YOU DON’T CARE TO LOOK COOL FOR YOU BOYFRIEND MERLIN KNOWS YOU’RE 10X THE MAN YOUR FATHER EVER WAS

Merlin says “you meant it” and then Arthur gets a bit snappy because he’s embarrassed 🥺🥺🥺 and Merlin says “i don’t ever think i’ve seen you cry before. well not like that. you had tears running down your cheeks it’s nice to see this new sensitive emotional side to you, it suits you” doesn’t it just baby???? 🥺🥺🥺🥺 then we get a classic shut up Merlin and this is the first time Arthur dares to look at him throughout this conversation 😭😭😭 and then Merlin mocks him *gasp* “i really thought you’d changed” lmaoooo “then you’re as stupid as you are ugly” lmaooooooo Arthur just tell him he’s pretty and leave

and just to finish things off

Arthur’s walking to the door

Merlin: “so there’s no chance that we could have a hug?” and he’s half 🥺 and half smiling/laughing ready to play it off

Arthur turns back to him and starts play running towards him and Merlin runs away and Arthur tackles him off screen aND YOU CANNOT TELL ME ARTHUR DID NOT GIVE THAT MAN THE BIGGEST HUG WHEN THEY WERE BOTH DOWN ON THE GROUND AHHHHHHHHAHAHAHA THEH ARE SO PURE I LOVE IT 🥺🥺🥺🥺😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 can you not just imagine these two giggling and chasing each other round the room i-

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anditendshowyoudexpect · 3 years

Note

Au When eugene was son of korean immigrants who first of taste of rock when he was nine he listen rock and roll songs, years later he become rockstar in America

wellllll this was unexpected. i’m not really sure if this is a prompt (i’ve never done prompts and i don’t think i’m good at them) or just a share, but it seems it only takes a little spark...

so there you go, Eugene Choi Superstar

🎸🎸🎸

anyone can play guitar

She's not looking at him, is she? Surely not. Is she? If she is, she must be new. They all know by now how absolutely atrocious he is as an interviewee, mumbling, blushing, making awkward little grimaces, which his fans for some unfathomable reason find cute and adorable and god knows what else because he usually scrolls past those comments after the first dozen...

"Go Ae Shin from Go on Key magazine, I have a question for Choi Yoo Jin-ssi."

Damn it.

Yang Hwa, the band's trusty PR manager, flashes the reporter her trademark sly grin.

"Are you by any chance related to a certain Uhn Gi Go?"

The young woman frowns.

"Go Uhn Gi," she drawls calmly, deliberately reversing the order of the media mogul's last and first names, "is my grandmother but it doesn't have anything to do with my question to Choi Yoo Jin-ssi."

Yang Hwa folds her arms neatly in front of her on the table, still smiling, but Eugene knows her well enough to see in the slightly changed twist of her mouth and the cold glint in her eyes that there'll be no love lost between her and this new addition to the host of musical journalists writing about her boys.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Go," he says hastily. "I'll be happy to answer your question. Unless it concerns my private life."

"Well, Choi Yoo Jin-ssi," she seems rather persistent with the Korean honorifics, "that depends on whether you see your ethnic identity as part of your private life. I'll elaborate," she adds when he blinks uncomprehendingly. "Half of your band members have Korean origins, you yourself were born in Seoul and came to the United States at the age of eight. And yet, if one didn't know your name, your face or anything about you, it would be impossible to guess your roots--not from your songs and not from your interviews. It's all the more surprising, given your huge Korean fanbase and how much attention Korean popular music has been getting--take BTS. Tell me, how does it feel to be--or to allow to be--constantly overshadowed by your white Anglo-Saxon frontman? Is it a conscious choice? Are you ashamed of being Korean?"

The conference hall is suddenly very, very quiet, not a cough, not a rustle of paper breaking the shocked silence. Eugene sees Kyle quickly leaning over to cover the mike standing in front of Dong Mae, who looks ready to jump to his bandmate's defense.

"As his white Anglo-Saxon frontman," Kyle says, too loudly and very playfully, "I must remind you that I do bring some diversity to the table. My utter gayness is my second redeeming quality, after my rugged handsomeness."

Go Ae Shin looks unperturbed and completely unaffected by his charm.

"With all due respect, Mr. Moore, the question wasn't for you. Choi Yoo Jin-ssi, don't you think you should be an example to young Korean Americans, who tend to if not reject then ignore their heritage? I'm a descendant of Korean immigrants, just like you, and I believe I'm doing my best to never forget it. Oh well. I guess the American dream looked too... enticing to you."

"Just like me? My family left Korea to survive. Yours--to get even richer."

That's what he would say to this young, young woman, if he were Dong Mae. It would also make even more sense for Dong Mae to say it, given his more tragic family history. And Dong Mae would make a more striking picture while saying it: a sardonic snarl, torso slightly leaning forward, long hair falling on his face, broad tattooed shoulders deceptively relaxed, drumsticks clutched in his fist almost menacingly. What does she know, Dong Mae would say, what kind of world has she even seen from the windows of her grandmother's limo? (Dong Mae is convinced that all very rich people ride exclusively in limos. That's why he rides exclusively in limos himself.)

But he is not Dong Mae, so he says instead, "Miss Go, as much as I respect the undoubtedly commendable intentions behind your slightly insulting fiery rhetoric, songs come as they come. If my ethnic identity doesn't feel like being put to music, I'm sure as hell not going to force it, even for the sake of young Korean Americans.”

He can’t hold back a smirk but the words come out without an ounce of stale, bitter bile in his voice--unlike Dong Mae, he's long used to keeping his emotions in check. Emotions are no use, emotions don't put food on your table, and while he personally doesn't care about Go Ae Shin's opinion of him and his values, he doesn't want to get confrontational with someone with her family's connections in the business either. Who knows what the high and mighty of this world can get up to if they get up on the wrong side of the bed... Of course, he hasn't exactly been penniless for years, but somehow this fact keeps surprising him and he still keeps avoiding any kind of conflict because of possible implications for his band's future. It doesn’t mean, of course, that he will let anyone walk all over him.

“And answering your questions: one, being overshadowed by my white Anglo-Saxon frontman feels great, because I don't care for spotlight. I also enjoy looking at him from behind. It’s a nice view. It was not a conscious choice, but an instinctive one--mine, not his--since we were teenagers and nothing has really changed. In fact, you might remember that he was the one who pretended to have laryngitis one night to make me sing the entire concert, because he always believed in me, even though I didn't believe in myself. Two, I am no more ashamed of being Korean than I am of being a human being. But I don't think of Korea as my home country and I don't feel indebted to it. I feel indebted to my parents who sacrificed so much to bring me here to give me a better future--a debt I can never repay, so I write about them and my love for them. And three, no, I don't think I should be an example to anyone. Trust me, you don't want me as your role model."

It's more than he's said in all of the band interviews in the past five years combined and now he seems unable to stop himself.

"May I ask you a question now?" He asks before she gets the chance to retort. He looks her straight in the eye. Somehow, she looks oddly familiar. And pale. And furious. But she nods anyway. And shrugs. And folds her arms across her chest defiantly. She is beautiful, the spoiled brat.

this is all i’ve got so far, and unfortunately, i think this is all i’ll ever write because i’m too lazy to write everything i will have to write if i keep thinking about this version of Eugene (brevity is not my forte), so the rest will just have to live as it is - as my headcanon facts.

#mr. sunshine #eugene choi #eushin #lee byung hun #rock star au #asked and answered #i mean not really #but it comes as it comes or it doesn't at all

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bellamyblake · 4 years

Note

I hope that you’re keeping healthy! I was wondering if you could write something where during 4x07 someone overhears Bellamy say over the radio that he can’t save anyone and then they make a list of all the times that he’s saved them? It could be Clarke that writes the list or one of the delinquents or a mix or really whatever you want. Idk if this makes any sense at all but I hope you get what I mean

Thank you! Hope you’re healthy too! This isn’t perfect but I hope you’ll still like it.

“My mom passed out, she was there, she was in my hands-.” Clarke hears crack over the radio and furrows her eyebrows.

She knew Bellamy went out in the black rain despite Kane’s desperate attempts to stop him and she swore that once she made it back to camp, which wouldn’t be for another few hours, she’d kick his ass herself.

“I can’t save anyone.” he adds and her heart breaks at the sound of it.

Kane keeps talking, he is good at that, Clarke thinks, but he can’t fix this. Bellamy Blake insisted on carrying the blame all on his own and nothing could change his mind.

Unless…

“Hey, Miller can you drive the rest of the way home I need to write something down.” Clarke shouts at the back where Miller was napping head lolled to his chest, Jackson spread on the metal bench next to him. He perches up right away and gives her a quiet nod in agreement.

“I was going to ask to take over anyway.”

“Thanks.” she gives him a brief hug when she stops the rover and jumps off the driver’s seat.

A minute later, she’s in the back, going through her stuff.

Jackson’s still snoring on the bench, making her smile at his relieved expression while she struggles to get the notebook she used to draw in out of her bag.

Finally, she picks it up and while thinking carefully on the task at hand, she curls up in the corner and picks up her already pretty small from all the sharpening she has done on it pencil, biting at the end of it before starting on her list.

She loses track of time and when they make it back in camp, it’s already night.

The rain has stopped but there’s no one outside but the two guards at the wall that open up the gates for them.

It smells like acid, blood and dead all around.

Usually at that time of night, people will be heading to mess hall for dinner, but when she enters the Ark wreckage, she doesn’t meet anyone going in that direction.

All she finds is guards and medics walking frantically around, carrying bandages and any sorts of meager medical supplies they had left.

She takes a slow turn to the left, towards medbay and meets Kane on the way there.

He looks like he aged ten years just that day.

“Is Bellamy back?” she asks trying to hide the fear from her voice though unsuccessfully judging by the man’s curious expression.

“Just did barely twenty minutes ago. I forced him to medbay, he had burns all over his arms and chest.”

She purses her lips at that and takes in a deep breath, squeezing hard the piece of paper she had ripped off from her notebook, holding onto it like a lifeline that could keep Bellamy Blake from further injuring himself.

“That bad?”

“He went out in a duck taped suit-” Kane sighs running his hand through his hair “I swear that boy-”

“I’ll deal with it, okay?” she promises reaching to touch his arm briefly “Thanks for trying to help him, I heard you on the radio”

“I did nothing. I couldn’t stop him.” Kane shook his head angrily “He still went out there and risked his life.”

“I’ll knock some sense into him, I promise.” she assures and he gives her a light smile.

“Well if anyone can do it, it’s you.” she’s not sure what he means by that but before she can ask, he had excused himself and kept walking down the hallway in the opposite direction.

When she makes it to medbay, the place is literally busting at the seams.

All the cots are filled with people, some are even on the ground, lying on a bunch of blankets or even their own jackets, some were perched up on the metal walls, some were standing, horrible blisters covering their faces or hands while nurses and doctors or even medics in training, ran around, yelling at each other for more bandages, blood bags or antiseptic.

It was a mess.

It took her a few minutes to find Bellamy’s face, but it was easy, since the newly arrived were always put close to the entrance before their injuries were quickly assessed by a nurse and then send over to a doctor.

He’s one of those sitting on the ground, leaning on the metal wall, his head lolling, his chin touching his chest.

Even from this angle, Clarke can see the blisters covering his arms all the way from his sleeve, down to his palms, his knuckles, his wrists-big red and angry, skin colored a shade of pink that had started coming up where some of the blisters had busted and his beautiful bronze covered-in-freckles skin had started peeling.

His shirt had so many holes in it, Clarke had no idea how it was still hanging over him.

There were even a few bigger burns on his legs-above and below the knees but he sat there, as if he was out there on the front porch of a house he didn’t have, taking his afternoon nap, letting the hot summer sun graze his slumped cold body, trying to warm his soaking with pain bones.

She rushes to him and almost drops her piece of paper at the sight of his face looking up when she calls his name.

“Bellamy-”

It seems to be taking him a moment to focus on her and recognize her face but when she kneels before him and reaches to touch his hand, his eyes shimmer with recognition.

“Clarke? What are you doing here? I thought you won’t be back by tomorrow.” he winces at the touch of her fingers on his blistered hands and pulls them away.

“Well I had to come home when I heard you trying to sacrifice yourself over that damn radio.” she looks around and tries to get the attention to one of the nurses but nothing happens.

“How long have you’ve been here? You need to get help, those are serious.” her hand hovers over the worst of the burns but he just smiles and shakes his head.

“It’s nothing.”

Of course he’d say that.

Of fucking course.

She wants to kick his ass and if he wasn’t hurt, she totally would.

“No it’s not nothing!” she cuts him off with a fever in her voice that apparently amuses him because he smiles briefly before a cough interrupts him and he leans his head back on the metal wall.

She knew that technically, even if he was out too long, his mom could still spare one of her acute radiation pills if she thought he could make it, his blisters would take a while to heal but they could be patched, hell, she was willing to get up and go find the bandages herself, but still…she worried.

What if he didn’t make it out of here in one piece?

Or if he didn’t make it at all?

Would she let him die thinking he couldn’t save anyone? Couldn’t help anyone?

“What are you really doing here, Clarke?” he asks when she slides next to him, wraps her arm around his back and pushes him to lean into her a bit. “You should be with the council debriefing them on the night blood solution.”

“I’m right where I want to be.”

“I told you I’ll be fine, don’t waste your time here-”

“I’m not!” she cuts him off “Also, you can go out there in the damn rain trying to save lives but I can’t come back home and make sure you’re fine?” he smiles and shakes his head briefly before his head falls a little lower and comfortably settles on her shoulder.

She breathes in his scent except it’s not his…he smells of acid and radiation, not of firewood and freshly cut grass.

She squeezes her eyes shut.

“I heard what you told Kane over the radio.” she whispers and feels his hot feverish body slump further into her.

She looked around for nurses, doctors, anyone who’d finally pay them any attention but it was such a mess everywhere that she wondered how Kane could force him to come in but not make sure he got the help he needed.

“That you couldn’t save anyone.”

“It’s true.”

“It’s not.” she picks out the paper in her hand “In fact…I made you a list, so you can see I’m right.” he opens his eyes and looks up first at her face, then down at her trembling hands holding the paper.

“Princess-”

“I wrote down every person you saved since you came down here and I’m going to read it to you.”

“Clarke-” he moves up, tries to raise himself back on his own hands, to pull away from her but she squeezes his elbow, the one patch of skin that hasn’t been broken apart and bleeding and looks him in the eyes.

“I need you to hear this, Bellamy.” she says sternly “I need you to hear it not just because of you, but also because of me……I need you to know that what you do matters, that you have saved lives and not just taken them, that because of your big heart, because of who you are as a person, you can’t just so recklessly, lightly, go out there in the damn black rain and throw your life away like it means nothing.”

“Clarke-” he tries to plead with her again but it’s pointless.

“Because it means everything to me!” she insists with fever and still, despite it all he shakes his head.

“That’s not true.” he whispers, voice hoarse and tired “It can’t be true.”

“But it is!” she moves her hand from his elbow to his cheek and cups it lightly “Please, let me read this to you, okay? Let me convince you.”

“Don’t waste your breath on something that’s not worth it, Clarke.”

“You are worth it! You are worth it everything to me!”

The words might finally stick with him because he sighs and gives her a light nod before he lets her tug his head to her shoulder again and open up her piece of paper.

“I’ll start from the bottom, okay?” he hmms in agreement and closes his eyes.

That allows her to run her hand through his curls and hope that no one will interrupt them while she does this.

Even if the medbay is buzzing with pain, screams and worry, to her it feels like they’re the only people in the big hall, as if they existed in a bubble of their own, a bubble where things were right and good and warm.

She starts reading then, all the names that she could think of of all the people that she was certain that he’d saved, some of which she’d witnessed herself-delinquents who had come asking him for food or blankets, for shelter and advice, kids he’d dragged home after hunting trips bleeding out, screaming for help only so they could make it because he never gave up on them, all the people he’d protected from danger with nothing but a rifle in his big calloused hands.

Then she gets all the way up to the list.

“Mel, Riley, Fox, 48 of our own people in Mount Weather .” she sucks in a breath before she skims over the top two “Octavia Blake.” he stirs at that.

“I didn’t save my sister.” he mumbles in defiance “I never could.”

“Bellamy, you came down here for your sister.” she insists “You raised her and you protected her your entire life. You shot the councilor for her and jumped a ship to an irradiated planet. Yes, Bellamy…you saved her.”

He opens his mouth to protest but he must be too weak to do so because he slumps even further in her arms.

That scares her…his lack of response and fight, so she picks his head up, shakes him a little, tries to bring him to her but his eyes are heavy with tiredness and drowsiness and his fever is hot to the touch, too hot.

She starts yelling at the nurses and one of them finally pays attention to him, asking for some help at the guards who picks him up and place him on a cot that nearly got vacated in a way Clarke doesn’t even want to think about.

She cups his cheeks while the nurse goes to fetch bandages and antiseptic and forces him to keep his eyes opened.

“Hey…you haven’t heard my number one yet.” he moves his hand up and squeezes her wrist in response because he can’t seem to be able to force himself to talk.

“It’s me, Bellamy.” she says, tears streaming down her face “You saved me.”

He opens his mouth to say something but he chokes on the words because of a cough that shatters his entire body.

Clarke can hear the nurse scold her for pushing him, hands trying to remove her, but she fights them off and keeps kneeling next to him, face in her hands as she moves her head over, hair falling on both his sides, hiding them from the rest of the world.

Her lips ghost over his hot forehead.

“You saved my life, Bellamy Blake.” she whispers “And you keep saving it every day.” he opens his eyes and looks at her and he doesn’t have to talk for her to know exactly what that look says-he’s surprised, no…not just that, he’s confused.

He never thought that he had done anything for her other than try to shoulder their burdens and help ease the hard decision she had to make, but he was and is so much more than just a shoulder for her to lean on-he is her hope.

And when her lips finally touch on his burning forehead and she moves away, still cupping his face, she smiles and brushes the freshly fallen tears from his cheeks and she makes herself a promise then, to help him see himself for the man that he truly was not just in her eyes but also in the faces of the people he had saved.

And that man was a hero.

#annoyingforever21shirt #bellarke fanfiction #bellarkeedit #bellamy blake #clarke griffin #bellarke fanfic #prompts #angst #407 #my writing #sorry this was a mess

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eldri-sv · 3 years

Text

10 - Shinsou

Kaori Shinsou has always been fascinated by people's minds. She is one of the best students in her Criminal Psychology course at U.A. and - being the lucky girl she is - her professor is not only one handsome dude, but is also working on the case of the serial killer Stain - a case that has been going on for years. As she is about to become Professor Aizawa's TA during the next term, a lot of other interesting cases start popping up all over the country... AU, OC x Aizawa

Trigger warnings: insomnia, drugs, ignoring medical advice, parents being absent, insomnia

(possibly incomplete, if you’d like something added, please let me know)

I fear that I am ordinary just like everyone

(The Smashing Pumpkins - Muzzle)

It had taken Kaori Shinsou a long time and a lot of guilt tripping her parents to let her go home from the hospital. She just really didn't want to spend the whole night there, when she could get the same rest at home. At least in theory. She knew she wouldn't be able to get much sleep at either place, but at least she could chat to Hitoshi at home. Or she could work on her papers for uni.

But she'd be damned if she didn't show up to her lectures at university. She wasn't going to try and catch up on days of work on her own, hell no. In her mind, it didn't make much of a difference whether she was at home writing assignments and going over less than perfect lecture notes - since she really only trusted her own - or whether she was sitting in university, high on painkillers.

The thing that struck Kaori as interesting was how the painkillers in addition to the concussion made her really sleepy. Usually she could barely ever sleep, but now it seemed like her body was just so exhausted from everything that it was shutting down. She had barely made it through her first lecture in the morning. After that she had an hour-long nap in the library.

Right now she had her Criminal Psychology classes. She was wondering whether she should even bother turning up for them. Kaori was sure they hadn't found a replacement for Mr. Aizawa yet and there was no way that he was back. But then again, there was no text or email about the class being cancelled, so she figured it would be better to make her way over there. If no one turned up for the class, she could still have a nap in the classroom. Maybe she should have stayed home after all...

While she was walking towards the classroom she checked her phone. There were a few messages there, one from Hitoshi, one from her mum and another one from Uehara. She opened the messages with a yawn. Hitoshi had sent her a link to an online ad. When Kaori clicked on it, it led her to someone giving away kittens. Kaori looked through the pictures with a growing smile on her face.

She clicked out of her browser to return to the message. God, her brain felt like molasses. Was this what it felt like to take that cough syrup with codeine? Hitoshi had to take it once and he said he has had the best sleep in his entire life while on it.

>>Are you going to get one of those? They look extremely cute. 10/10, would approve.<< Kaori answered the message. She checked the second message Hitoshi had sent her.

>>How are you feeling? If you collapse and I have to explain to mum and dad why you were at school and not at home, I won't be your friend anymore.<<

>>I'm fine, Toshi. I'm tired af. I just had a nap for like an hour in the library, it was great. Sleeping is amazing, Toshi, why don't we do it more often?<< she replied. When she read over it again, she noticed it sounded a little weird, but she couldn't really be bothered. She had probably taken way too many painkillers at this point, but at least her head wasn't hurting anymore.

She checked the next message that she had gotten from her mother: >>Hey, sweetie, how are you doing? I hope you get a lot of rest and can catch up easily on your school work. Don't do too much! Love you.<<

>>I'm fine, mum! Got a good bit of rest just earlier. Don't worry about any assignments for my courses, I'm sure I'll be able to catch up quickly. Love you, too.<< Kaori replied. She grinned a little, as she sent the text. Her parents were blissfully unaware of her being at university. They'd never find out anyway, unless something went terribly wrong. Or if Hitoshi spilled the beans, but he wouldn't do that. Kaori knew him well enough to be sure of that.

Her parents were never home, anyway. Why did they even care how she was doing? They were both doctors at the hospital, which meant they worked long hours and did shifts all the time. It was a rare occasion for Kaori and Hitoshi to have a meal with both their parents. And when one of them was home, they were usually busy doing some other stuff. They had gotten used to it. And after all, they still had each other. Kaori often thought she wouldn't be as close to Hitoshi, if her parents weren't at work all the time. She effectively raised the boy, since she was 8 years old.

While she was trying to get to Uehara's message, she suddenly bumped into something. Or rather someone. Kaori stumbled backwards and looked up from her phone confusedly. Who the hell would be bumping into her? There was no way they could have not seen her, especially since she had a fat bandage on her head.

"Shinsou? What the hell are you doing here?" the man that had ran into her said. His face was completely covered in bandages and he had both arms in a cast. He had long black hair and... oh shit. That was Mr. Aizawa.

"Uh... I'm going to class...?" Kaori answered. She slapped herself internally for how dumb she must be sounding right now. It's the painkillers, she kept reminding herself. If I say anything too dumb I can always blame the painkillers. She looked up into her professor's eyes. He did not look happy.

"You should be at home and getting some rest." he told her. Kaori couldn't help but burst out laughing. She should be home and getting some rest? Did he look at himself, all bandaged up and whatnot?

"I'm sorry, Sir, but I think you should be getting more rest than me." she replied. How did they even let him leave the hospital that early? Kaori was sure, she heard Hitoshi say that he had to have surgery and all. How the hell was he even walking after all that? How was he doing anything?

"I'm fine. There are more important things than my wellbeing." Aizawa said. Kaori would have guessed that he had a very stoic look on his face, but she couldn't really see it, due to the bandages. And it kinda annoyed her, because Aizawa had a really damn nice face and it was a shame she couldn't see it right now...

"Damn, Mr. Aizawa, I wish I was as motivated about my assignments as you are about my education." she replied with a smug grin on her face.

"I wish you were that motivated about your assignments, too. You seem out of it, Shinsou, are you sure you're okay?" he asked. It almost looked like there was a trace of concern in his eyes.

"I'm fine. I just... I took a lot of painkillers. I don't have a headache, though, so that's good." Kaori answered. Aizawa nodded.

"Well, if you start feeling bad during class, don't worry about it. You can leave at any point, I'll know why. Now, we're already late..." he said. Kaori nodded enthusiastically and followed Aizawa to the class room.

He wasn't really walking, he was sort of limping, while trying to keep his balance with his two arms. Kaori wondered how he even managed to get dressed like that. Probably a girlfriend. Or a wife. Was Mr. Aizawa married? Kaori glanced down at his hands, but even if there had been a ring, she wouldn't have seen it with the casts. Damnit. She knew this would be in her head until she found out.

While she was following Aizawa towards the classroom, she decided to check on her texts again. There was that text from Uehara she didn't get a chance to have a look at and Shinsou had probably replied already. Her mum wouldn't have time to reply to any texts anyway.

>>Girl, I heard you've been seen on campus today. Shouldn't you be in hospital with Aizawa? Lowkey jealous of you about that, by the way. I wish I was in the same hospital as my hot professor.<<

Kaori blushed as she read that message. She looked up at Aizawa in front of her. God, Uehara had no idea how hard she was crushing on him right now. She always thought he was really handsome and all, but since the whole thing at the Rescue Training Facility, she was just seriously into him.

Uehara could never know, however. She wouldn't keep quiet about it and Kaori really didn't want things to be weird. Especially when she was supposed to be his TA next term. She had no idea how she would pull that off now. Uehara would definitely find out at some stage. The whole thing wouldn't be pretty.

She looked at her other messages. It was only Hitoshi who had answered her. He had replied to her message about the cats first: >>I still have to get mum and dad's okay, but I'm working on it. This household needs more cats urgently.<<

>>We don't sleep because we're fucking insomniacs, and sorry to break it to you, but you can't stay on painkillers forever.<<

>>Yeah, whatever. See you at lunch?<<

"Ahem..." Kaori heard Aizawa say. She quickly looked up and put her phone away. He was standing in front of the classroom door.

"Uh... Sir?" she asked, not sure what he was trying to say. He glared at the door and let out an exasperated sigh.

"It's really difficult to open doors with these casts... could you maybe...?" he answered and nodded towards the door.

"Oh! Of course, Sir." Kaori quickly replied and got the door for him. She really was being a dense idiot today.

#inside your mind #aizawa #aizawa x oc #aizawa fanfiction #shouta aizawa #shota aizawa #shinso #hitoshi shinso #quirklessau #drugs #injuries #fanfiction

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the-blueish-trashcan · 4 years

Text

He’s in Charge; Chapter Eight

Pairing: Henry/Bertrum

Warnings: Slight body horror, mentions of homophobia

A/N: Hoo boy, took me an awful long time to get this out, didn’t it? Ah well, technical difficulties happen. In this chapter, we get a little insight into just what goes on inside the head of voice actresses- and what’s been happening behind closed doors at Joey Drew Studios.

Chapter word count: 2,331

{First part} {Previous part} {Next part}

Chapter Eight; Inner Demon

Once the studio was back to running normally again, it was already Thursday. Joey had evidently returned to work against doctor's orders, but he, like everyone else, was anxious to get back to work. Joey summoned Henry to his upstairs office almost immediately that morning.

As he stepped into the cramped room, Henry's heart was solidly lodged in his throat. He forced a neutral look onto his face, though. Joey sat behind his desk with a pen in his hand, scribbling notes on… something, Henry couldn't tell what. With his other hand, one wrapped completely in thick bandages, he gestured to the chair across from him.

Sitting down only gave the animator a better perspective on the extent of his injuries; Half of his face was an odd purple-yellow, the bruises trying their best to heal. From his eye down to his jaw on the right side, his skin had been dyed that almost sickly color. A gash across his cheek on the opposite side was still healing, but he obviously hadn't bothered dressing it. What really shocked- and to some degree, worried- him was the wheelchair Joey had been placed in. That, for the most part, was probably what was making him look so angry.

“G'morning, Joey.” Henry tried hesitantly.

“I hope you've enjoyed your time off, we're all going to have to make up for it around here.” Joey practically ignored his greeting, speaking through a scowl. Henry was able to see where he was missing a bottom tooth as he did. “You've got to start on the storyboard for the next short, the writers already have the script downstairs. That's all, just get going. Please.” The please he added as an afterthought.

Henry nodded, already standing from his seat. “Right away, I'll get that going.” He made his way to the door.

“And Henry?” Joey stopped him just as he was about to close the door. Henry poked his head back in. “For the love of God… Stop seeing Bertie. He's dangerous. He'll end up hurting you, look at what he did to me.”

“If you say so, Mister Drew.” Henry accepted what he said, then shut the door. As he made his way to the writing department, he shook his head. Bertrum would never hurt him, that he was sure of.

*****

Saturday night, Henry stayed at Bertrum's house again. Bertrum had offered to visit with Henry instead, but the animator knew his run-down apartment would be nothing compared to where Bertrum lived. He made his way back home Sunday afternoon to take care of some housekeeping, and to make sure he had enough clean clothing for the upcoming week.

When he got to his desk that Monday, almost exactly on time, Joey was already waiting for him. He'd parked his wheelchair right in front of Henry's chair, preventing him from getting to it. Henry stopped at the end of the hall, on edge.

“Good morning, Joey.” He greeted.

Joey slowly rolled the chair up to him, pushing him back against the wall and glaring. His bruises had already started to clear, but the gash on his cheek wasn't healing as well. “You. You need to stay away from Bertrum. Do you know what I'll do if you don't?”

“Dock my pay? Fire me? Out me? Honestly, Joey… your threats are… getting a little old.” Henry voiced. Of course he was still terrified of Joey, he didn’t want to show it.

“You're distracting each other. Work isn't going as fast, and that's costing us some serious cash. Do you really want this whole place to go under because of you and your little game? Because you wanted to have a little ‘harmless’ fun?”

Henry took a moment to calculate his response. “Do you really expect me to believe that? If things are really so bad, you wouldn't be-”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Henry could see the shade of his boss's face change. His jaw clenched and the inside of his eyes caught fire. Before Henry even realized what was happening, Joey was up on his feet, wincing as he slammed his hands into the wall, one on either side of the animator's head. The man towered over him. “You have a job to do, Stein! And I'll be damned, if you won't do it, I'll make every aspect of your existence a living hell!” Joey roared, spit flying into Henry's face as he flinched. He hadn't even noticed the whites of Joey’s eyes beginning to darken. “I'm in charge here! What I say goes, no questions! No what if's! No maybe’s! This is my studio! My company! My animations! Behind the scenes, I own you! Do you understand me?! You and your work belong to-”

Joey was suddenly interrupted by his own ragged, shuddering cough. He backed away, falling into his wheelchair as his body continued to seize. He pushed a hand over his mouth to muffle himself and the longer it went on, Henry realized he'd begun spitting up a thick black sludge. It seeped between his fingers and started to drip from his nose, also pooling in the corners of his eyes.

All Henry could do was stare, horrified. “Joey-”

“Leave!” Joey's strained voice commanded, prompting Henry to do so. He practically ran from the hall, past the exit and down the stairs to the music department. Only then, at the foot of them, did he stop for a moment.

The first person to catch his eye was a violinist- he recalled her name being Ellie- standing by the door to the music hall, who waved. She made her way over to him with her instrument in her hand, frowning. “You look like you've seen a ghost, mister. You alright?”

Henry hadn't realized he'd gotten so pale. He swallowed and nodded. “I'll be fine, thank you, Ellie.”

The curly chestnut hair resting on her shoulders moved as she shrugged. “If you say so. What brings you down here? Mister Lawrence and Mister Fain are in their office if you need ‘em.”

Henry figured that would be as good an excuse as any to be away from his desk for a few more minutes. “Are they? Thanks.”

“No problem!” She waved again as he moved off down the hall.

As he did, through the huge glass window in Sammy and Jack's office, Henry could see the music director pacing back and forth, clearly ranting about something. When he got up to it, he knocked on the glass. Sammy froze, glancing at him. Henry shifted to push the door open, taking a step inside. “Hey, how are things down here?”

“Could be better.” Sammy and Jack spoke in unison, throwing each other a look. Both groaned, Jack lifting his hat enough to push his hand through his frizzy hair.

“These demands are getting ridiculous! How are we supposed to have a full score in two months?! He’s fired half my orchestra! Without even consulting me, I might add.” Sammy explained.

Jack turned to him, dark marks evident under his eyes. “I just don't understand the logic here. Does he know how writing music works?”

Henry crossed his arms and shook his head. “I'm not sure he knows how any of this works.”

“Amen to that.” Sammy scoffed.

“Is there anything I can do to help you guys?” The animator offered.

At first, Sammy shook his head. “You have your own assignments to worry about, I'm sure.”

“Actually…” Jack perked up. “You used to play piano, right? Think you could do one of these songs?”

“Well, I still sort of remember how to play… Can I see the keys?” Henry asked, looking to Sammy.

Sammy, knowing which one Jack referred to, picked a few papers out of the stacks on his desk. He held them out. “Here, it's fairly simple. We're still trying to teach one of the two bassoonists left to play piano, I'd appreciate your help.”

Henry took the papers, looking over them. “Hm… I'll take some time to practice on my lunch hour, if that's okay with you two, but it does look pretty easy.”

“Perfect.” Jack and Sammy spoke in unison again, glaring at each other with mock annoyance.

“I'll see you then, Henry. Thank you for this.” Sammy clapped him on the shoulder, only briefly.

“Yeah, of course! See you guys later.”

“Bye, Henry!” Jack raised a hand as a send off, his back already to Henry as he continued his work.

Henry pulled the door closed behind him, figuring it had been long enough for Joey to compose himself. He was almost back to the stairs when a man walking out of the department “lounge” caught his attention. He recognized the man as a trombone player, but also one of their voice actors. “Oh, hi. Harry, right?” Henry asked.

“Nah, Harrison, actually. Mistah Drew insists on Harry.” Harrison spoke with the twinge of an accent Henry couldn't quite place.

“Right, sorry. Is something wrong?”

“Nah, Miss Susie was lookin’ for yah. C'mon.” Harrison gestured for Henry to follow him and disappeared back into the lounge.

The room itself wasn't so much of a lounge, more like a small room with a beat up pool table and some crates stacked up in it. Leaning over said pool table lining up her shot was Susie, aiming a green ball towards a corner pocket. Two other musicians stood to the side, watching and talking quietly. Henry couldn’t for the life of him remember their names, though.

“Uhm… Susie?” Henry tried to get her attention.

She took her shot, which she’d evidently calculated perfectly. Then she stood up, turning to him. She offered a small smile. “Hi, Henry.” She moved to the other side of the room, away from the pool table, and Henry followed. “Look…” She made her voice soft, though the others weren't paying attention to them anyway. “I'm… sorry about the other day. The way I reacted to you… wasn't the best. I wasn't expecting it, especially from you.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Henry raised a brow.

“Well, look at you!” She indicated him as a whole with one hand. “You're adorable, I would think you'd have girls all over you, I never would've thought that's not the team you play for. But regardless of that, I'm sorry for how I acted. After what Joey did to you for it… I feel awful for letting it slip to him.”

Henry bit his lip. “Oh. You're the reason he knows…?”

“I am, and I'm so, so sorry. I had no idea he'd threaten you like he did, I…” Susie trailed off, unsure of what else to say.

“I guess it's… fine. All Joey wants is to blackmail me with it, I don't think he's really going to out me. Or, at least, I hope.”

“I hope, too. So… are we okay? You don't… hate me?”

Henry shook his head. “I don't think I'm able to hate anyone, really.”

“Oh, good.” Susie opened her arms for a hug and Henry accepted, though neither made it a very strong one. “I'll see you around, Henry.”

“Yeah, see you later, Miss Campbell.” He gave her a small smile and wave, exiting the room and going back to the stairs. Thankfully, that time, he was able to do so uninterrupted.

The hall to his desk was another story, though. He had nearly made it back to his workspace when he spotted a sandwich board, the letters “floor is wet” crudely painted on it. The sign wasn’t exactly blocking the space, it was plenty small to move past easily, but it brought a small smile to his face. As he came around the corner, he spoke. “Hi, Wally.”

The janitor paused to wave and grin, mop still held in his other hand. “Mornin’! Say, did ya spill?” He indicated the spots he’d mopped already with a tilt of his head. “Was pretty hard gettin’ the stuff up, is it a new brand?”

“Of ink?” Henry questioned, and Wally nodded. “No, it…” He glanced around, making sure no one else was within earshot. His voice dropped low. “It was Joey. I… I don’t really know what happened, he was talking to me and he started to get upset… and then he started to cough, and… This black gunk started coming out of his mouth.”

“Ya tellin’ me tha’ crazy bastard was coughin’ up tar? It looked like tar, there was a lot of it.” Wally matched his volume.

“I’m not sure what it really is, it started happening and he told me to leave, so I did. I wasn’t even sure he’d be gone by the time I got back here.”

“Huh. Y’know, he stays hea’ pretty late at night, I got the feelin’ he was up ta somethin’.”

“You don’t think he’s just sick?”

“Not a chance. Listen, Henry,” The janitor reached over to put a hand on his shoulder. “Stuff’s goin’ on hea’ tha’ you’ve got no idea about. Really, I shouldn’t even know, but I do! I got keys ta everywhea’, so Drew can’t keep secrets from me!”

Henry’s expression became concerned at the statement. “You know what Joey’s done lately, you really should be careful snooping around like that.”

Wally waved a dismissive hand. “Pff, I’m not snoopin’, I’m cleanin’! Drew wants this place spotless, I gotta get everywhea’!”

“Well… if you say so…” Henry still didn’t sound convinced.

“I do! Hey, I’m gonna get outta hea’ and let ya do ya work, looks like Drew left somethin’ on ya desk.” As he spoke, Wally stuck his mop back into a water bucket on wheels, starting to move off. “Lata, Henry!”

Henry gave a small wave to his back, then shifted his attention to his desk, where a thick packet awaited him. He could see already that they were his sketches- some he’d never given to Joey, he noted- and they were covered in red chicken scratch. He sighed, taking his seat.

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carmenlire · 5 years

Text

Higher than the Big Trees Ch. 45

read chapter one

read on ao3

Sitting at the desk in front of the room, Magnus studies his students. The room is silent save for a cough here or there, the scuffle of shoes, the jittery click of a pen in the top corner.

His mouth turns up as he hears the first flipping of the page. Taking an idle glance at the clock, he raises a brow. The final for this class was a Blue Book exam and it’s only been five minutes-- either someone really knew their shit or they were bullshitting so hard that he’d need a second red pen when it came time to grade.

Leaning back in his chair, Magnus’s focus turns back to his phone. Alec had been infuriatingly tight-lipped the past couple of weeks about work. Magnus knows that his boyfriend is getting closer and closer to finishing the album but no matter how much he pries-- or what he offers in exchange for a sneak peak-- Alec refuses to let Magnus listen to it.

He’s got to admit that he’s curious. After hearing the single back in September, he’d never said anything to Alec. It seems silly, especially after Florence, but he didn’t want to jinx anything. He didn’t want to be presumptuous only to have Alec give him that blank eyed stare that infuriates him, always accompanied by a slow blink that lets the recipient know exactly how foolish Alec thinks they are.

So, he’d kept his mouth shut but he can’t help but hope. It’s a little heady, the possibility that Alec’s written a song-- several songs, even-- about him. About them.

They’re chatting about plans for tonight and Magnus worries his bottom lip as he reads over Alec’s latest text.

I was thinking we could go out for dinner? I have reservations at Momofuku Ko tonight

Magnus stares down at his phone, mildly appalled.

Darling, that place is expensive hell. It’s a Tuesday night, no need to be so extravagant.

Didn’t you say you wanted to try it? What, I can’t do something nice for my boyfriend?

Fingers flying over his screen, Magnus replies, That was idle conversation, Alexander! Plus, don’t you need reservations at least a month in advance?

He doesn’t even have to wait a minute for Alec’s response.

I might have made them the day after you mentioned wanting to try it.

Rolling his eyes, Magnus’s exasperation is sorely tempered with fondness.

You’re too good to me, Alec

……. So you’re okay with going there for dinner?

Huffing out a laugh that has half his students glancing up at him before turning back to their exams, Magnus grins as he types, As long as you’re okay going dutch.

He actually laughs out loud as he reads Alec’s short reply a few seconds later.

Not a chance in hell, babe.

Shaking his head, Magnus pockets his phone as he looks up at the few dozen students furiously writing in their Blue Books.

Life has settled into a routine that’s mostly what it was before. It’s just that now he has Alec to come home to more often than not.

He still wakes up early and sometimes he lets Alec persuade him to join him at Fuel for an early morning workout. Magnus comes to work and loves what he does and sometimes Alec joins him for lunch.

His day ends and he goes back to the loft where he’ll spend a couple of hours grading or planning or writing-- though not his book, Thank Christ, that’s off to the printer now-- before he meets Alec for a date.

Most nights they spend together and while they alternate between places, it’s usually Alec who comes over to the loft lately.

Magnus doesn’t quite understand it-- Alec’s penthouse is what dreams are made of-- but it’s nice to see Alec so comfortable in his space, among his things.

As his thoughts turn unforgivably sappy, Magnus figures he’s entitled.

It’s his birthday, after all.

Not that he’s told Alec that, of course. Magnus doesn’t know why he hasn’t told his boyfriend that his birthday was coming up, but it had just never seemed the right time.

In any case, he’s not too fond of the day anyway. For the past decade, it’s been little more than a reminder of a childhood he’d tried his damnedest to forget. Until his father was sent to jail, his birthday had always been a big, blowout affair. He’d always had birthday parties and cake and almost too many presents to handle.

His father always took the day off and he let Magnus skip school and they’d spend the day together doing whatever Magnus wanted. When he was very little, there had been mini-golfing and arcades and the zoo. As he’d gotten older, Asmodeus had taken him to the movies, to get his first piercing, and on his sixteenth birthday-- just a few months before his life imploded-- he’d been surprised with a trip to the dealer. Asmodeus had gifted him a brand new Mercedes SUV.

Damn but he’d loved that car, until it had been repossessed at any rate.

No, Magnus reflects. After everything had happened and his father had been sentenced, Magnus had spent a few years flat out not acknowledging his birthday. His foster families hadn’t cared, that was for damned sure, and Magnus hadn’t been close enough with anyone to celebrate.

For a few years, there hadn’t been anything to celebrate, not to him.

But then he’d gone to Yale and had been surprised as hell when Ragnor and Cat had casually left him presents one morning. He still doesn’t know how they figured it out but it had touched him far more than a paperback and an eight dollar bottle of wine should have. They had never made a thing out of it and for that, Magnus was exceedingly grateful.

Still, that doesn’t help matters much now. Magnus feels a little guilty for keeping something so innocuous from Alec, especially after he’d gone to such lengths for his birthday in September, but with a little shrug, Magnus idly thinks about taking Alec out for ice cream after dinner tonight and telling him.

Breaking out of his thoughts, Magnus smiles at the student standing in front of the desk. He’s expecting a question but doesn't say anything when the student merely tosses their exam on the desk between them and turns to leave without a word.

Amused, Magnus looks at the clock and sees that it’s only been half an hour. This exam block was three hours and this class in particular was an upperclass elective on the History of Modern India. Magnus had created the exam and by his estimate, it should take at least an hour and a half.

There are three sections: term identification where there are twenty definitions and students must choose ten to discuss-- people, places, events that were significant to the semester’s content. Then there are the mini-essays where students pick three out of five significant eras and explain why they were so impactful. Finally, they have to pick one out of two essay topics and write an analytical essay that should be comprehensive of the entire semester’s lectures.

The fact that it took this student half an hour makes Magnus wary to say the least.

Shrugging a little, Magnus takes out a few papers from his senior seminar class and starts grading. He’s here for the next two and a half hours so he might as well get some work done. Winter graduation was Saturday and he needs to have grades in for all seniors by Thursday at noon. He has a dozen thirty to forty page theses to grade, in addition to any exams from his other classes. The next few days are going to be round the clock grading and Magnus wryly thinks that finals week isn’t just for the students.

The time goes by quickly and Magnus manages to grade three of the term papers as students slowly turn in their Blue Books and leave, eager to study for their next exam or just collapse in their dorms and relish the end of another semester.

Looking up, Magnus sees that there’s just one student left and she’s on her second Blue Book. Knowing that she has a propensity to take her time and write for ages on each question, Magnus focuses back on grading, marking something in the margin to look up later.

The student takes almost the entire three hours to finish her exam and Magnus sympathizes as he puts his papers in his briefcase to return to later. Shaking out her hand, she places the exam on top of the pile.

“How’d it go,” Magnus asks, capping his pen.

Shrugging a little, Jasmine smiles. “I hope it went well but I guess I’ll just have to wait and see when you enter the grade in Blackboard.”

“Was this your last exam or are you finally free?”

Laughing, Jasmine tosses her hair back as she adjusts her backpack. “You were my last final. I’ve officially done everything I need to for graduation. Now all that’s left is to walk across that stage this weekend.”

Smiling warmly, Magnus reaches for the stack of exams. “I hope Saturday is everything you’ve been hoping for-- graduation is a big deal and you’ve worked hard to get here. What are your plans?”

“I’ve actually been accepted to Cambridge’s graduate program for literature.”

Raising a brow, Magnus offers, “I’m sure Ragnor was thrilled to hear that.”

“Yeah,” Jasmine laughs. “He wrote one of my letters of recommendation. I’m not sure what he said but when I had my interview, they mentioned how effusive Dr. Fell had been.”

“Well, rest assured that Ragnor would only write what he believed. If you’re as good a student in his classes as you are in mine, then that praise was definitely deserved. Congratulations dear and best wishes for the future.”

Grinning, Jasmine gives a silly little salute. “Thanks, Dr. Bane. You’re one of my favorite professors here and I’m glad that I got to take this last class with you before I graduated.”

“Thank you, Jasmine. If you ever need another reference or letter please don’t hesitate to reach out,” he offers and sits back as she turns and exits the room, leaving Magnus alone with his thoughts.

She’d been a great student and a joy to have in class over the past few years. It’s always bittersweet when a student that’s earned Magnus’s respect and fondness leaves for greener pastures but there’s always another one waiting to take their place. Magnus has known and liked dozens of students over the years and some still occasionally email him, updating him on their life and career.

Filing the exams away, Magnus stands. Reaching for his coat, he shrugs it on before swinging his bag on his shoulder. The next exam block is in half an hour and as he exits the room, he sees half a dozen students loitering in the silent hallway, eagerly reviewing notes in a last ditch effort.

It’s cold outside, snow just beginning to lightly fall. He feels his phone vibrate in his pocket and sidesteps away from the main path as he reaches for it. He reads Alec's confirmation of the time for dinner and sees that he has a few hours before they’re to meet at his place.

Walking across campus, the sky is a murky steel gray. Winter has come and with it perennial twilight even though it’s only four in the afternoon.

He finds Ragnor in his office and as he takes off his coat and hangs it up, Magnus sees the cupcake sitting on the desk in front of his usual chair. Arching a brow, Magnus slowly nears the desk.

Ragnor doesn’t look up as he waves a hand between the cupcake and where he’s standing. “It was buy one get one free and you know I like a good deal.”

“I know you’re appallingly thrifty if that’s what you mean,” Magnus retorts as he sits.

Picking the cupcake up, Magnus starts peeling the wax paper away. “Thank you, dear.”

Ruffling the magazine he’s seemingly engrossed in, Ragnor just mutters, “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Magnus laughs a little, shaking his head as he takes the first bite of the dessert, smiling as he realizes it’s his favorite-- orange cranberry.

Neither one mentions the plastic umbrella in the middle of it, declaring Happy 30th Birthday in colorful, cheerful script. Magnus can just picture it now, his best friend’s long suffering sigh that had accompanied the purchase.

The two of them chat for a little while, talking about syllabi for next semester and plans for the holidays. It’s hard to believe that it’s already December, yet another term under their belts.

Eventually, afternoon gives way to early evening and they leave campus, each going their separate ways. Burying his nose a little deeper into his scarf, Magnus rounds the corner and grins as he looks up and sees a figure walking towards him that he’d recognize anywhere.

Alec places a quick kiss on his forehead and Magnus hears him mutter under his breath, “It’s the only place not covered.”

Unlooping his scarf in the elevator, Magnus pulls him close. He places a kiss under his jaw before moving to his mouth. “Hello, darling,” he murmurs as they pull apart.

“Hey, you,” Alec replies easily and follows him into the loft.

Magnus changes while Alec falls onto the couch, immediately taking out his phone.

“Important business,” he calls out as he walks toward the bedroom.

“Not really,” is Alec’s answer and Magnus enters his closet, running a hand over a dozen blazers, trying to decide on what to wear tonight. He glances over at the end of the closet where a few of Alec’s things are hung. It makes him smile every time he sees the few outfits hanging next to his own clothes and he grins as he looks back at his section, refocusing.

“Is there a dress code,” he yells and hopes Alec can hear him from the living room. He hears a muffled no but he still decides to dress up a little, opting for a crimson button up that he leaves mostly undone, tucking them into black slim cut pants.

Heading towards his vanity, Magnus grabs a makeup wipe, taking off the bit of eyeliner he’d put on that morning. He works on his eyeshadow-- a shimmery gold-- and relines his eyes, opting for something a little more dramatic than he’d worn to work. Dusting highlighter over his cheeks, his hands hover over his jewelry, considering a dozen choices before reaching for the necklace Alec had bought him a few months ago. The pendant rests against his chest, perfectly framed.

Biting his lip, thinking, Magnus reaches for another piece that he hasn’t worn for awhile, slipping it in as he looks at the open door.

Ready, he gives himself a final once over before stepping into a pair of chelsea boots.

When he walks into the living room, Alec’s frowning, rolling his eyes.

“Everything okay?”

Eyes darting up to meet his, Alec hastily shoves his phone into his back pocket, lifting his hips to do so. “Yeah,” he answers. “Just my label being a pain in my ass.”

“So nothing new,” Magnus laughs quietly.

“Nope,” Alec replies, standing up. His eyes darken as he sees Magnus’s outfit.

Magnus stays where he is as Alec comes closer, as he wraps arms around his middle before ducking close and nosing along his throat. “I like this outfit,” Alec whispers.

“Thank you, darling.”

Smile widening, Magnus steadies them both as Alec pulls back to look at his face. “Ready for dinner?”

Nodding, they throw their coats back on and this time it’s Alec who’s leading them downstairs to where a car’s waiting.

Settling in the backseat, Magnus looks out his window as they pull away from the curb, letting his hand rest on Alec’s thigh.

“Have you been to Momofuku Ko before?”

“No,” Alec answers, letting his leg lean against Magnus’s a little more. “I didn’t even know about it until you mentioned seeing a review in the New Yorker.”

Turning his head to look at his boyfriend, Magnus smiles. “Well, then, thank you for making reservations. I hope you like it.”

“It’s, like, fifteen courses, babe. I’m sure I’ll love it. If not we’ll just swing by McDonald’s on the way home.”

Magnus is already looking away when Alec finishes his sentence. Watching the street outside, he does his best not to react. Alec had just just called the loft home. The word wraps around Magnus, warm and happy, and he bites back a grin. It’s silent in the car and Magnus resolutely doesn’t acknowledge Alec’s slip and Alec doesn’t say anything either.

There’s a tension to the silence, like Alec’s waiting for a reprimand, a sharp rebuttal, but Magnus is damned if he’ll give him one.

He does sweep his hand over Alec’s thigh, though, and breathes a little easier when Alec flips his hand over to that he can interlace their fingers.

They stay like that until they get to the restaurant. It’s a small place, only enough seating for a dozen people, and they’re shown to their sets right away.

The next few hours are easy and Magnus enjoys himself immensely. Each course is fantastic with fresh, inventive ingredients and the drinks just keep on coming. He’s pleasantly buzzed by the end of the meal.

The light is low in the restaurant and as he looks over at Alec, his heart squeezes a little painfully in his chest. He’s thirty years old and sharing a wonderful meal-- a lovely night-- with someone he loves.

It’s more than he had last year and more than he figured he’d have this year.

He’s so focused on Alec-- on the way his boyfriend grins over at him before he takes a long drink of wine, the way his hair is a little messy so that his fingers itch to bury themselves in the dark locks, at how thoughtful Alec was to treat him to a dinner he’d wanted to try for ages-- that he doesn’t immediately notice the waiter standing at his side.

When he does, Magnus looks up only to do a double take.

Confusion gives way almost immediately to understanding as a small cake with a lone candle is placed in front of him.

The waiter acknowledges Magnus’s thanks and leaves without another word, leaving Alec and Magnus alone.

Magnus’s gaze is torn between the cake and Alec who’s smiling softly over at him.

“How did you know,” he asks, clearing his throat.

Shrugging, Alec merely offers, “When you found out about my birthday but didn’t tell me yours, I asked Cat. I didn’t want to accidentally miss it. I figured that since you didn’t tell me, you might not want a big deal made so I thought dinner would be a good compromise between too much and at least doing something.”

Reaching over the table, Magnus cups Alec’s cheek, bringing him close for a lingering kiss. “Thank you, Alexander.”

“Happy birthday, Magnus,” is the equally quiet reply and Magnus leans back in his seat as he looks at the cute little cake.

He closes his eyes and for the first time in over ten years, he makes a wish.

When he opens them a few seconds later, it’s to see Alec hastily lowering his phone.

Laughing, Magnus chastises him. “Really,” he asks wryly.

Unrepentant, Alec just says, “It’s your birthday. I’m entitled.”

“You’re entitled--” Magnus starts, mockingly indignant and he feels Alec’s foot nudge his own.

“Eat your cake, babe.”

The first bite is delicious and Magnus hums a little. It’s dark chocolate with a raspberry coulis and he eats almost half before he gives in to Alec’s pleading looks.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he says brightly. “Did you want a taste, darling?”

He feels heat slink up his spine at the look Alec gives him. “Yeah,” he hears him say and then Alec’s reaching over the table and pulling him close. He kisses him, licking into his mouth, sucking the chocolate off his goddamn tongue.

Magnus might make a noise, he’s not entirely sure, and he brings his free hand up to rest against Alec’s chest, stroking upward until he can curl his fingers into the hair at his nape, pulling him imperceptibly closer.

Alec takes his time, not in any rush to pull away and when he does Magnus whines faintly in protest.

He’s sufficiently distracted and he doesn’t react right away when Alec grabs the spoon from his limp hand and takes a frankly appallingly large bite from his cake.

“This is so good,” Alec mutters and Magnus just stares at him.

“Alexander.”

Alec hums a little as he reaches over and Magnus gives up, pushing the plate towards his boyfriend.

“Don’t you think it’s time we asked for the check.”

With a grin that’s a little too cheeky, Alec looks up from his dessert. “Why,” he asks idly. “Have you got something to do?”

Magnus just sends him an arch look and Alec laughs before getting the waiter’s attention.

Once the bill’s paid, they walk out, holding hands. Alec pulls him close to his side, arm over his shoulders, and Magnus turns his head so that he can kiss the sliver of his wrist that’s exposed to the chilly air.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get you a present,” Alec says, apropos of nothing. “Everything’s been so hectic that--”

Magnus stops him, raising a finger until it hovers over his mouth. “Please, don’t worry about getting me a present. This dinner was more than enough. You’re more than enough on a daily basis, darling.”

“Still,” Alec says, apologetic. “Nothing seemed quite right and I’ve just been so busy--”

Stopping by the car, Magnus pulls him close, cutting him off with a kiss that lingers far too long in the street. When he pulls back, Magnus is pleased to see that Alec doesn’t look capable of arguing with him any longer.

The drive home goes by quickly. Magnus is a little preoccupied as Alec leans into him, spending the ride paying special attention to his neck until Magnus can’t see straight, leaning against his side, head tilted up so that moonlight spills over his face.

The two of them make it to the loft eventually and Alec leads them to the bedroom. Magnus relaxes into red sheets as Alec takes his time undressing him. The whisper of clothing being removed the only sound in the room.

Alec kisses down his chest as he unbuttons the rest of his shirt and when he stops suddenly, it takes Magnus a moment to figure out what must’ve grabbed his attention.

“Like it,” he asks with a lazy grin, widening the space between his legs to make more room for his boyfriend.

“Fuck,” Alec breathes and then Magnus feels Alec continue his path, kissing down his stomach, nibbling across a jutting hipbone before he closes gentle teeth over the piercing at his navel, giving it a slight tug.

Magnus groans, fisting a hand in Alec’s hair, urging him closer, as he lets his hips roll up to where Alec’s stupidly close but still too far away.

Unbuckling his belt, Alec helps Magnus tug off his pants along with his underwear and then Magnus is naked with Alec still fully clothed over him.

He feels the scratch of stubble over the sensitive skin of his inner thigh and he shivers a little as Alec bites down on the muscle there.

He pulls away for a moment and Magnus hears a drawer sliding open before Alec tosses lube and a condom on the bed.

Alec leans close and Magnus wraps a leg over his as they kiss. It’s strange to be so exposed while Alec hasn’t taken anything off but it feels so damned good. When Alec pulls back and urges him to his stomach, Magnus can’t stop the little grin comes over his face.

Wiggling his hips a little, finally getting some friction, Magnus’s breath catches as he hears Alec finally taking his clothes off.

And then there’s a long line of heat over him, pressing Magnus into the mattress. Closing his mouth on the juncture between his neck and shoulder, Alec lets his hands wander down to his ass. Magnus has no idea when Alec managed to coat his fingers with the lube but a slick finger eases inside and Magnus’s hips arch up to Alec as his boyfriend starts opening him with slow, incredibly thorough fingers.

A broken moan spills out of Magnus as Alec pulls his three fingers out, what seems like ages later. Everything’s gone a little hazy at the edges and Magnus rolls his hips up, trying to encourage Alec to keep going as he feels his building orgasm creep out of reach.

“C’mon, darling. You know it’s not fun to tease,” he mutters into his pillow, sagging into the bed when Alec, the sadist, does nothing but laugh.

Magnus tenses up a moment later, though, when he feels Alec’s breath ghost over the small of his back. “But it’s so much fun to tease you,” he replies with a quick nip on his ass.

Alec spreads him, exposing him to cool air and Magnus groans, something low and utterly desperate. “Oh God, Alec.”

He feels the rough pad of a thumb over his hole before Alec’s asking, “This okay?”

“More than,” Magnus gasps, answering almost before Alec’s finished talking. “Please.”

Without wasting any more time, Alec licks across the tight ring of muscle and Magnus swears he goes half blind at the first stroke of his tongue. Alec doesn’t seem in any particular hurry as he eats Magnus out and if Magnus had it in him to care, he’d probably try to tamp down on the noises that wrench out of him as Alec works his tongue into his ass, as he hears the little hungry sounds that escape his boyfriend as he closes his mouth over Magnus’s hole and sucks, as Magnus hears what must be the sounds of Alec working his own cock over, hips rolling into his fist.

Almost without warning, Magnus tips over the edge, hot and sudden. Alec licks him through it, easing up until Magnus collapses into the bed, feeling remarkably like jelly.

Alec kisses a trail up his back, nudging his legs wider apart, and Magnus feels the blunt head of his cock over his sensitive hole. A full body shudder wracks Magnus and his hips jerk up. He moans at the pressure and Alec’s teeth close over his shoulder as he guides himself in, working into Magnus inch by inch.

Sparks shoot up his spine and Magnus gasps a little as he squeezes around Alec’s cock, enjoying the feeling of being so fucking full.

Urging him onto his knees, Alec grips his hips as he pulls back slowly, almost until he’s out, before thrusting back in, in one smooth stroke.

Bracing his hands on the mattress, Magnus meets Alec’s thrusts and before he quite knows it, his second orgasm is hovering at the edges.

Alec drapes himself over his back and Magnus hears his sharp breaths in his ear as Alec hoarsely mutters, “So good, you’re so good. Shit, babe, it’s like you were made for me. Made to take my cock, made to love me.”

“Yes,” Magnus breathes. “Fuck yes, Alexander. I love you so much darling.”

Alec reaches around, wrapping a hand around his cock, moving over him in perfect counterpoint to his thrusts. Magnus comes for a second time as his rhythm falters and then he feels Alec tense against him before he’s groaning long and low in his ear as he comes too.

It takes them awhile to get their breath and distantly Magnus wonders if he’ll ever be able to stand again.

Eventually, though, they do get out of bed. Taking a quick shower before climbing into pajamas and settling on the couch, Magnus turns the tv on to an old movie as they relax in the living room.

Alec’s a comforting weight on top of him and Magnus runs absent fingers through his hair as they watch tv. All around, this is one of the best birthdays he can remember and he knows he owes it all to Alec.

Alec takes out his phone before Magnus hears him scoff.

Stilling his fingers, he asks, “Something wrong?”

“Isabelle just texted me that she’s staying over at Maia’s tonight. Honestly,” Alec continues, “Jace has moved in with Clary and now Isabelle all but told me she’d be moving in with Maia soon.”

“What,” Magnus asks. “Maia and Isabelle are moving in together?”

Lifting up from him a little, Alec leans over him so that he can look at him properly. “Yeah? She told me last week that they’ve been looking up apartments together.”

Magnus’s mind goes into overtime as he considers what Alec’s just told him. He can’t quiet the thought that persists, though, knocking on his head a little too insistently.

“So,” he starts. “It’s just you now? That penthouse must feel pretty empty these days,” he teases.

Alec laughs a little, relaxing until he can brush his nose against Magnus’s throat. “Yeah, you could say that. We’ve lived together so long that it’s definitely going to be an adjustment not to have them there any longer. But they’re both happy and I’m happy for them. It’s definitely for the best.”

It’s quiet for a little while after that. Alec’s presumably focused on the tv, drawing little patters on Magnus’s side with a wandering hand, but Magnus can’t help but think about possibilities.

“Hey, Alec,” he says, breaking the silence.

“Yeah, babe?”

“I think I know what I want for my birthday.”

Straightening, Alec doesn’t stop moving until they’re sitting, facing each other.

“Yeah? Anything,” he promises, grinning.

Clearing his throat, Magnus reaches for Alec’s hand, sweeping a thumb over his knuckles in a little anxious gesture that he doesn’t even realize he’s doing.

“Well, it occurs to me that it might be lonely at your place now that your siblings are moving out. It also occurs to me that we spend almost every night together. If you put those two things together plus the fact that I’m hopelessly in love with you and I hope the conclusion--”

“Is perfect,” Alec says, eyes crinkling at the corners since he’s smiling so big.

“Yeah,” Magnus asks, gaze searching Alec’s. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to or like I’m expecting anything. It’s an offer, nothing more.”

“Magnus, are you kidding me? I love you and you’re right-- for the past few months, I’ve been here more than I’ve been to my own apartment.”

Magnus lets hope catch in his chest as he smiles a little, just a gentle curve of his mouth. “I don’t want you to feel like you’d be giving up anything. I know you love your penthouse and it’s so much nicer than my place. If you wanted to--”

This time Alec pulls him closer for searing kiss that makes his toes curl against the carpet. Magnus’s breathing is a little unsteady when they break apart a few moments later.

Resting his forehead against Magnus’s, Alec speaks in the space between their lips. “I’d love to move in with you, babe. While I like my apartment, it’s just a place. Especially now that Jace and Iz won’t be there, it doesn’t really hold anything important. Here, though? This is a home.”

“Our home,” Magnus whispers, looking up to meet Alec’s eyes. “If you want.”

“I love you, Magnus. I can’t think of anything I’d love more than moving in together. As long as you’re sure.”

“I’m sure,” Magnus says, no hesitation. He laughs a little, nosing along Alec’s wrist. “Half your shit’s already here anyway.”

Alec laughs too before he leans forward. Magnus lets himself fall back on the couch. They spend the rest of the evening talking about plans and Magnus can’t remember ever feeling so sure of a decision.

Magnus reaches out, frowning when his hand hits something. Blinking open bleary eyes, he lifts up to an elbow looking at where Alec should be.

Instead, he finds a note taped to something. Sighing a little, Magnus sits up and reaches for whatever it is.

Pulling the note from where it’s taped to what Magnus now sees is a CD in a plain, clear case, he reads the note.

Magnus,

Happy birthday. Did you really think I didn’t get you anything?

P.S. You’re the only person outside of the production team that’s heard this. Management tried their damnedest to talk me out of this but I want you to have first access. You deserve to know the truth and know that I mean every word.

P.P.S. I love you, so much. I hope these songs remind you of that every time you listen to them.

--Alec

Suddenly wide awake, Magnus picks up the innocuous cd. He turns it over but the only thing that’s scrawled on the cover is Album 7-- Feel Something.

He throws the covers off and spends ten minutes running around his apartment looking for a goddamned cd player before he remembers that it’s 2018 and he hasn’t had one of those in a damn decade.

Remembering his laptop, Magnus hurries to his study, wearing just his boxers, as he slides the cd in.

Almost immediately the first song starts playing-- he's a little surprised to see that there are nineteen tracks in all-- and Magnus lets the notes drift over him, turning the volume up to its maximum.

He sits in his chair, closing his eyes as Alec’s voice comes through the speakers. It’s presumably the title track, the single he’d heard back in September. It’s familiar and it makes him smile, emotion clinging to him now that he has irrevocable knowledge that this song was about them.

It wraps around his heart. It fills him with love and he wonders how the hell he got so lucky.

There are songs that make him a little hot under his collar like Black Magic and Crazy in Love and I’ve Never Loved This Hard This Fast Before. There are a few songs that make Magnus wonder at the Alec whose on tour like Better Man and Life of the Party and The Way I Am. He makes them both a silent promise that he won’t let tour come between them whenever the time comes.

There’s a song or two that makes tears threaten to well up like Worship or I Like Me Better or Wanna Be Missed.

He listens to the album once through and then another. He lets the music sink into him and he knows he’s smiling too much, a stupid grin on his face, but he can’t help it.

Most of him that can’t believe that Alec trusted him enough to give him unfettered access to his album. He can’t believe Alec bared his heart to him. Magnus knows Alec’s music is so incredibly personal to him and he doesn’t take this privilege for granted.

God, he loves this man.

After listening through it twice, Magnus puts it on shuffle as he leaves his study. He goes back to the bedroom and picks up his phone from where it’d been charging overnight.

Unlocking it, he swipes over Alec’s contact information and brings it up to his ear. It only rings twice before he hears Alec’s voice, warm in his ear.

“So? What’s the verdict?”

Laughing, Magnus wanders over to his window, idly watching the people down below.

“You have to know I loved it, Alexander. Thank you,” he says quietly. “I never expected you to let me have early access to the album.”

“It’s only fair since the whole damned thing is about you,” Alec replies wryly. There’s a beat of silence before he tentatively asks, “It’s okay? It’s not too much?”

Shaking his head even though Alec can’t see him, Magnus’s answer is honest as he says, “It’s perfect.”

Alec laughs a little. “Even track 8?”

Narrowing his eyes a little, Magnus goes back to his office, moving his mouse hurriedly to wake the screen up as he scans the track list. When he realizes what song Alec’s talking about, he barks out a laugh.

“Don’t get me wrong, it is explicit,” Magnus eventually says. His voice is low as he adds, “But by all means, darling, if that’s how I make you feel.”

Alec clears his throat. “Every word,” he murmurs.

Running a hand through his hair, Magnus tugs on the strands a little, trying to clear his head.

Conversation drifts to other things after a few more minutes, though Magnus knows that they’ll be talking about this tonight. He has a hundred and one questions he wants to ask-- when did Alec start writing about him? How is it possible that he can make Alec Lightwood feel so much?-- but he wants to do it in person.

Hanging up after their routine I Love Yous, Magnus heads to the shower.

Work stops for no man, no matter how much he might just want to sit and listen to his boyfriend’s album that’s all about him. Magnus spends most of the day on cloud nine as he works through papers and exams and entering grades online, all the while thinking about how to show Alec just how appreciative he is of his artistic talents.

For some reason, he thinks with a smile, grading isn’t quite as tedious as it usually is, not when he has Alec in his ears and in his head.

#this took me all day im so happy it's finished #httbt #my writing #malec wip #malec fic #also we've officially broken 200k words with this update omg!!!!!!

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ruvikkin-art · 5 years

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Arthur could feel the burning in his lungs, the sure sign of the flowers tightening around his chest and heart. Beyond hope now, he was struggling to breathe and tried gasping out for anyone. Alone, he was alone, always alone and dying alone. Somewhere? He wasn’t really sure where he was, everything seemed hazy and fuzzy like it was just out of his reach. Arthur tried to remember how he got where he was, the last thing he remembered was falling asleep, and a note from Mary. Had he ridden out to see her? No he couldn’t have, he’d remember, why couldn’t he remember?

Arthur gasped and choked as he hacked up full flowers, feeling them scratching at his throat and making it raw with the scrapes and scratches. He fell down onto his hands and knees, hacking up a mixture of purple petals and blood. Feeling his lungs filling with vines and blood he tried to scream out, try to cry out for help but his voice seemed lost and choked back with the amount of flowers. Arthur pressed his hands over his chest and rolled onto his back, gasping as he could feel the flowers in his chest moving and writhing. That wasn’t right, he shouldn’t be able to feel them so violently like that.

Arthur took another sharp breath before he felt his chest ripping, he looked down and saw the flowers growing out of him. He tried screaming again. The flowers burst forwards and he saw a spray of blood, the vines out of his body. Arthur felt he was going to die, he was going to pass out, he couldn’t breathe-

Arthur gasped and sat up quickly, coughing loudly he quickly covered his mouth as he felt a few dainty petals fall into his hands. He was back in camp, back in his cot where he remembered falling asleep. The camp around him seemed to get quiet for a moment but everything picked back up with relative ease. Arthur felt his chest, everything was fine and normal. A nightmare, of course he’d have a god damn nightmare like that, violent and so realistic.

He sat up and let his legs over the edge of his cot, sitting while he took a deep breath and tried to settle from the violent dream. Arthur grabbed his journal and decided to write everything down as best he could before he forgot anything. In the midst of writing he could hear Charles let out a grunt and then heard a thunk. Glancing up Arthur saw Charles not far off, chopping wood so early in the morning. At least he hoped it was morning and that he hadn’t slept through anything important.

Arthur tried to concentrate on his writing, but every time he heard the axe hit against wood he couldn’t help but look up and watch Charles. Flipping to a new page in his journal Arthur decided he’d quickly sketch out the scene that would just be burned into his memory anyway. He tried to not stare, tried to keep his eyes down and his journal up like he wasn’t about to hack petals thanks to the view. He glanced up once and caught Charles eyes, the man just watching him. Arthur didn’t even noticed he had stopped chopping wood he’d been so invested in his journal. When their eyes locked Charles quickly turned his head as if he hadn’t been staring, and just finished up chopping wood before picking up what he’d done and carrying it off to the wood pile.

Arthur hid his face as he felt himself get hot, and he hacked up another few flower petals. He wondered how long Charles had been watching him sketching, all of a sudden he felt it was almost too obvious that Arthur had been drawing him. With the way Arthur was facing where Charles had just been and how into the drawing he’d been to even notice Charles stopped- even when he’d glanced up multiple times. He quickly put the journal away and stuffed it inside his bag, getting up from his cot now. Arthur heard Charles click his tongue followed by the sound of horse hooves, meaning he was out of camp again. He let out a sigh, damn him for being in an out so often.

Arthur could still smell some of Pearsons cooking and made his way over, looking down into the pot to see if it was ready, or maybe had been ready hours ago, or if it was still in a process. Unable to tell Arthur decided he’d try a taste, before he just figured it’d be safer to go hunt himself a deer and cook some venison elsewhere, bring back some meat maybe if Pearson wanted any.

Then of course, he remembered what he’d told Hosea the night before about talking to Charles. He mulled over asking Charles to go hunting with him and then thought the amount of food Charles had brought back the night before. Maybe he could ask him for help with the bow? The practice would be good, and it’d get him and Charles alone out of camp.

With a heavy sign Arthur grabbed himself a cup of coffee, sipping at it as he made his way over to the horses. He was a little surprised to see Kieran working with the horses, grooming them and feeding them, but he guessed that was the only job Dutch could think to give him. When Kieran saw Arthur coming he jumped, stepping back from Arthurs horse like he’d been caught doing something bad. Arthur couldn’t help but chuckle and down the rest of his coffee, attatching his mug back onto his hip.

“Easy there O’Driscoll.” Arthur walked to his horse, giving her a pat on the neck. “Dutch give you the horses to look after?”

“Y- Yessir.” Kieran nodded and grabbed a brush and began working on one of the other horses. “Doesn’t want me outta camp, but I- I’d feel bad just sittin around.”

“Well…” Arthur looked over his horse and smiled a bit. “Good work. Bout time someone was set to watchin’ them.” Kierans brows shot up, like he had been expecting Arthur to yell at him or rile him up about a fleck of dirt on the horse. Arthur climbed onto his horse, petting her again he turned around to leave when he heard Johns voice calling after him.

“Hey Arthur! Wanna talk to you.” John was holding something in his hand, a paper, and Arthur felt a slight bit of dread as to what it could be. “Where you off to in such a rush?” Arthur opened his mouth and then shut it, he’d wanted to talk to Charles but didn’t need John to know that at the moment, so he tried to think of something else to tell him.

“Just got business, what do you want anyway?” John scoffed and got on his own horse. “John-”

“I’ll just ride with you for a bit, besides Abigail is mad at me bout’ somethin and I don’t want to hang around here. Whatever business you got I’ll be outta your hair before you get to it.” Arthur sighed and shrugged, leaving the camp along with John, not like he really had any reason to tell John to fuck off anyway.

John was telling him about a train, something they could hit easily and make Dutch proud for hitting up to help them get back on their feet., and John had come up with a nice plan. Get a wagon with oil, lead it onto the tracks, and pray the train did stop or else it’d turn into a hell of a thing. Arthur was impressed with the way John had planned it out already.

“We’re gonna need guns, ammunition, and some dynamite to open the train up.”

“I can head into town and get everything, gotta head down for Abigail anyway. Don’t ask.” Arthur snorted and reached into his pocket, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it quickly.

“Thought she was mad at you John.”

“Doesn’t mean she doesn’t have things she needs.” John eyed up the cigarette in Arthurs hand so Arthur pulled the pack back out and handed it to him. “Thanks. Why’re you smokin’ anyway, ain’t you got flowers in your lungs?”

“Hosea told me it kills it, I don’t know, don’t really care either way.” Arthur took a long drag of his cigarette, blowing the smoke out towards John. “I’ll go get that oil wagon, I know just the place.” “If you could take it up north, a little abandoned shack near Dewberry creek and leave it hidden up near there that’d work fine. I’ll leave ya then, let me know when you get that Oil wagon taken care of.” John turned his horse around and rode off in the direction of town.

Arthur clicked his tongue and had his horse trot along the dirt path while he puffed on a cigarette. He could track down Charles and talk to him, but something told him that’d probably just make the man more put off than anything else. With a sigh Arthur stubbed out the cigarette on his boot before flicking it away and, against his better judgement, decided to go see what it was Mary wanted now.

````````

Arthur hadn’t seen Mary since her dad had decided that Arthur wasn’t ‘good enough’ for her. So seeing her open up the door, still looking young and well, it made his heart lurch. Not in the same way it had years ago and not the same way it did not when he saw Charles, but still there was somethin. It was awkward to say the least, he’d given her a ring and tried to prove himself to her father but she had turned away Arthur as the man he was and gotten married to someone else.

“I heard you and your friends was around… I…” She seemed just as awkward talking to him as Arthur felt.

“Okay. Where's uh.. Whats his face?” Arthur never bothered to learn Marys husbands name, only knew her last name had changed from the letter she’d written him.

“Died. Happened a while ago. Pneumonia.” Arthur took in a deep inhale at her words and got a bad feeling in his gut.

“Bad business… So you been made a widow and you come lookin for me is that it?” Arthur felt like he should just walk away, just leave her now on her porch without another word- but he stayed put for some reason.

“No, it ain’t like that Arthur.” She seemed taken back and offended at his words. “I, its my family. I need your help. Its my little brother, Jamie.”

“Your family needs my help? Family that always looked down on me? I liked Jamie but Mary.” Arthur shook his head and turned away, leaning on the fence of the front porch. “What’d’ya need anyway?”

“Little Jamies joined the Chelonians, that strange religious order. They’re rough Arthur, they’ll kill him. I need your help. You’re the only person he’d listen to.” Arthur ran his hand down his face, he knew it was stupid of him to come here, with so much happening and so much he could be doing rather than stand here and listen to Mary plead him.

“So, I’m too rough to marry into your family, but its’ okay to ask me to help in saving your family? That it?”

“I’m sorry. I understand if you don’t want to help me but.. I think of you often.” Arthur was about ready to roll his eyes and walk off- he tried to marry her years ago and here she came crawling back into his life when he had someone else. Or, he hoped he’d have someone else if Charles would accept him. He could feel his throat tighten and coughed into his fist, Marys expression growing soft. “Arthur-” He held his hand up and took a step away from her, spitting out some petals over the railing. “Oh Arthur…”

“Mary, long time ago I woulda helped ya. It ain’t worth it, ‘m sorry. Let Jamie go and live his life, or go get him yourself, ask someone else. I can’t.” Arthur walked off the porch of the house and climbed back onto his horse, he looked back to Mary who was standing sadly on her porch watching him. Without saying anything else Arthur quickly rode off, not wanting to feel any guilt in watching her much longer. He could feel his chest hurting in the same way it did when she’d told him goodbye all that time ago, and felt like it’d be the last time.

Arthur had a promise to keep to Hosea though. He had to talk to Charles.

``````

Arthur had stopped in Valentine on the way back to camp, getting himself a very much needed haircut and a shave before he had made his way back to camp. It had to be around noon now which left him with plenty of time to get to Charles and talk to him before he needed to get the oil wagon for John. When he rode back into camp he’d scanned the area, catching Hoseas eyes before Hosea nodded over to Charles tent with a smile. He took in a deep breath and head to the tent, seeing Charles sharpening a knife Arthur figured that’d be a good conversation starter.

“What you preparing for?” Charles head snapped up like he hadn’t heard Arthur coming and he grinned.

“The greatest of gifts.” Charles leaned back on his crate and looked the sharp knife over.

“An unguarded stagecoach?” Arthur put his hands on his belt buckle and he could see Charles huff at him.

“No you simple minded fool. Bison.” Charles stood and grabbed his gun. “Theres some over in the plains I believe. I saw a couple a long way off earlier.” Charles began walking off and Arthur let out a quick sigh.

“Well good luck.” Arthur scratched at his chin, figuring Charles would want to hunt alone since thats how he seemed to prefer it.

“You want to come with me? I can show you how to hunt one.” Arthur blinked in surprise, he wasn’t expecting Charles to invite him along on a hunting trip with something he was inexperienced with.

“Sure, why not?” He tried to sound melo about it, not sound like his stomach was doing flips at the thought of being alone on a hunting trip with Charles- and like he wasn’t trying to not hack up petals then and there.

The two of them head to their horses and Arthur got on a little too quickly. He looked up to see Hosea and Dutch watching them. Hosea gave Arthur a nod and a tip of his hat while Dutch just grinned at them. Arthur waved to them before he set off riding with Charles out of the camp. Arthur was expecting a silent ride most of the way, or at least until they got closer to the plains but Charles began talking when they were out of the camp and away from everyone.

He began talking about bison, how his mother told him about them and what the bison were used for. Arthur listened to every word with interest, he seemed enthusiastic about it at least and if Arthur had known earlier that he could get Charles to go out hunting with him and talk to him this easily, he’d have done it days ago. Listening to Charles talking to him was like music, Arthur hadn't noticed before but Charles had a nice voice to listen to, then again everything about Charles was nice. It wasn't until Charles slowed down and gave him a funny look that Arthur realized he'd been staring and zoning out. Arthur cleared his throat and looked away from him out of embarrassment.

"I said, You must be tired. Saw you come back to camp late last night and you were up early this morning. Dutch has you running thin doesn't he?" Oh, Charles had asked him a question and Arthur was too caught up in his own thoughts to hear him. Arthur nodded and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well you know how it is. Everyone has to pull their weight. If it weren't for you I'd probably be doing all the huntin as well. Youve been pullin in good hauls for us, Pearson must be over the moon."

“He is.” Charles slowed down again, pointing off to the distance where a herd of bison stood. “Look, over there. Incredible aren’t they? We should only kill one of them, I’ll ring them in and you can bring one down. Clean as you can okay?” Arthur nodded and pulled his gun out, showing Charles that he was ready before Charles spurred his horse forwards and rushed to the bison.

Arthur was quick to follow, keeping an eye on Charles enough to see one of the bison moving away from the herd which seemed as good a sign as any to go after it. He held his shotgun up, aimed, and fired into its head three times which downed the bison easily. Charles seemed impressed and pulled his horse up near Arthur while the remaining bison rushed off.

“Well done. Alright, skin and butcher it. The horns too, it can all be used.” Arthur jumped off his horse and tried to stifle a cough as Charles told him he’d done a good job. He was quick to pull out his knife and get to work on the bison, hoping the smell of the dead animal would remind his brain now is not a good time to be hacking up petals. Didn’t work though as Charles ‘well done’ rang in his ears in the silence and he ended up having to turn away from the bison to cough. Charles raised a brow at him but didn’t say anything, instead choosing to look away as if Arthur was having a private moment. It made his heart clench a little seeing Charles turn away instead of ask if he was alright but when he saw the shift in Charles expression from he figured something was off.

Arthur finished skinning the bison in a quick amount of time, loading it up onto the back of his horse and wrapping up some of the meat to put into his satchel. “Good job. Mount up, theres something I want to check out. Charles still looked serious and Arthur didn’t waste any time climbing up onto his horse, giving her a pat on the back of her neck for good measure since he was sure his weight plus the bison skin wasn’t her favorite thing.

“Okay, where are we goin’?” “Thought I saw some scavenger birds over here, wanted to see what attracted them.” Arthur could see the birds off in the distance and he followed Charles over. Not even that far away he could already smell something rotting in the heat and it made him wrinkle his nose. He was going to comment on the stench when they both stopped- two bison lying on the ground dead. “Bison, shot and left for dead it looks like.” Charles tone changed as he was obviously angry at this.

“Why would someone do that?” Arthur meant it as a serious question, even though he knew Charles wouldn’t be able to answer him.

“I don’t know, I see some tracks heading in that direction. I say we follow them.”

“Alright, lead the way.” Charles scowled and head off in the direction of the tracks, Arthur riding next to him. He saw how Charles looked- angry and concerned at the same time- tried to think of something to make him feel better at the situation. “Could it have been an animal?”

“No they’d been shot. I just don’t know why anyone would just leave them here to rot like that.” Arthur kept his mouth shut, he figured there was nothing he could say to better the situation at the moment and Charles was focused on the tracking anyway, conversation wasn’t his top priority.

They rode finding another dead bison not far up where the others were, Charles commented how this one looked fresher and Arthur agreed. Arthur noticed a camp and jumped off his horse, walking over to it to look it over and check if anything was there. The only thing he noticed was the logs still warm which means they couldn’t have gone far. The two of them rushed off, Charles still leading the way by following the trail- Arthur could barely see it but he hadn’t been doing as much tracking as Charles ever was.

Riding their horses up to the top of the hill, Charles pointed out some smoke which meant another camp and they both were ready to head down and see who had killed the bison. It meant something to Charles, the bison were important to him, and if Arthur could make him a little happier by helping him figure out why they were getting shot then he’d do so.

“Bastards, just killing for fun.”

“You think we can talk?” Arthur scoffed which earned him a glare from Charles.

“I don’t kill for fun. I kill when I need to.” Charles voice had a bite to it and Arthur pursed his lips together to keep from saying anything to make him angrier. Charles began riding faster, calling out to Arthur that he saw more dead bison. They made a beeline to the camp, with Arthur arriving after Charles.

It was rare when Charles got angry. Usually he was more reserved, kept to himself but didn’t lash out at anyone if they didn’t deserve it. Seeing Charles get off his horse with his hand on his gun sent a chill up Arthurs spine. Arthur got off his own horse and stayed behind Charles, not too close since he figured it best to keep some distance between them.

Two men were sitting at the camp and before either of them could get a word out Charles spoke. “Did you fools shoot those bison?”

“Whats your problem?” One of the men scoffed, so full of himself it made Arthur scowl.

“I said did you fools shoot those bison?” Charles stood up straight, glaring down at them in anger. The men stood up and Arthur put his hand on his gun belt just in case.

“Calm down you black or red bastard, whatever the fuck you are.” That was it, that was Charles tipping point and he shouted at them this time. Arthur wanted to reach out and put his hand on Charles back, try to make him feel any better but he held himself back- he didn’t need any of Charles anger to be directed at him. “Did you shoot them!?”

“Yes we did, and we’ll shoot you too if you don’t get. What business is it of yours what we-” The man didn’t even get to finish his sentence before Charles pulled his gun out and shot him. Arthur flinched when Charles shot him, and of course he felt his chest tighten again, like he was proud of Charles for shooting the man. He had to step back and cough into his jacket, but that didn’t seem to bother Charles and the other man was too busy trying to not piss himself to care.

“Its that business of mine!” Arthur turned and spat out some petals, finally calming his lungs down enough he could step in a little.

“Good god you’re crazy!” The man was scared and began to beg for his life. “Look, I got a family, don’t shoot me.” Charles looked like he was ready to shoot him and Arthur stepped in, grabbing the man by the front of his shirt to punch him in the face before Charles could tell him no. “What the hell are you doing?!”

“Why are you shootin those bison and leaving them to rot?” Arthur punched him again and the man spat at him, trying to play an innocent card like he hadn’t done it. Arthur was having none of it and hit him again. He couldn’t see Charles, but since he wasn’t saying anything Arthur figured he wasn’t about to step in and stop him. “Tell us or you’re dead.” Arthur hit him again and the guy finally broke down.

“To make it look like it was indians. We were paid to, just following orders.”

“Just kill him Arthur.” The mans eyes widened in fear and Arthur wrapped his hands around the mans neck, pushing him down and choking him to death as Charles had told him to. He wiped his hands off and turned back to Charles, who relaxed a little bit when he saw the man was dead. “Thank you… I’ve seen enough of this, I’m heading back. You coming?”

“Yeah, I got stuff to get to Pearson that I don’t want in my bag much longer.”

Arthur went back to his horse and mounted it, Charles was quick to ride off out of the area and Arthur followed behind him. Neither of them said a word on the way back to camp and Arthur figured it was for the best to keep his mouth shut as well. They rode back into camp, Arthur hitching his horse near Charles before he removed the bison pelt. Charles was about to walk away and Arthur stopped him quickly.

“Hey, uh. Listen that was uh. Real nice huntin’ with you. If you don’t mind me comin’ along it’d be nice to hunt with you more often. I need practice with my bow an’ my trackin anytime you wanna help..” Arthur tried to not sound too awkward and he hoped Charles wasn’t mad enough to just shove him away. Instead Charles just gave him a soft smile and a nod before turning and walking away. Arthur took a deep breath and felt his heart race with the smile, he just hoped he wasn’t grinning too much when he head over to Pearson and dropped off the pelt and meat.

Arthur made his way over to his own tent and Dutch was quick to walk over and join him. “You have a good time Arthur?”

“Sure Dutch. Killed some poachers that were down there killin bison. I’d uh, not talk to Charles for awhile if you value your life. He’s not real happy right now.” Dutch nodded, taking a puff of his cigar before speaking again.

“Good, when you’re rested up from hunting I need you to do me a favor. I need you to go get Micah. I know you broke him out of the jail, but we need him back at camp.” Arthur let out a sigh and rubbed his eyes. “Arthur, I know hes not your favorite but hes still good. Unless he cut and run from us then we need him back. All hands on deck right now, regardless of your opinions on him.”

“Alright Dutch. I’ll go ‘n get him. But I got other stuff I need to do as well, but I’ll get him back for you.” Dutch gave him a smile and walked away back to his own tent.

Arthur rubbed his face and shook his head, looking up to the sun he figured he should ride out and get the oil wagon for John before anything else happened that would stop him from going tonight. Micah could wait.

#Red Dead Redemption #charthur #Charles Smith #arthur morgan #my fic #fanfiction #red dead redemption 2

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phantomphangphucker · 5 years

Text

I’m Friends With The Monster Outside Of Me - Phic Phight

Prompt Creator: @lunagalemaster Prompt: Phriendship or Pitch Pearl- After very long and heartfelt discussions, Fenton and Phantom decided that they would live their lives as their own people. Years later, Fenton has grown up, but Phantom is still 14. Summary: Just because he’s you, doesn’t make him a good friend

Warning: extreme violence, violence, torture, gore, mass murder, gang violence, drug trade, abusive friendships, character death, murder, ocular trauma, trauma, stabbing, mature

Fenton pours blue wax on the envelope, letting it sit and spread for a second before pressing his stamp into it. Wiggling the stamp out of the dried wax he puts it to the side and taps the envelope on the cherry oak desk. Standing up he smooths out his suit and walks out the large doors. Heading over to his secretaries desk he puts the letter down in front of her and lightly traces a finger across the back of her neck and left shoulder. He doesn’t look at her but he does catch her slight blush out of the corner of his eye. Smirking to himself over toying with the girl, his fake hints of affection always help her to turn a blind eye. As he walks out his lobby he sees the tv playing some clip of Phantom, saving some kids. “Well isn’t that nice of him”, Fenton chuckles at how he used to waste his time with such things. Muttering to himself, “I don’t know why parents even bother with them, they’re not even worth the tax breaks”.

Phantom flies lazily, a bit exhausted after the fight and catching that bus. It always bothers him when the more dangerous ghosts show up. Phasing into the apartment Valerie lets him stay at. “What’s up Phantom, you were on tv again”, Valerie calls from the kitchen. “It happens, I’m just glad no one was hurt. Heck, a few kids even seemed to be having a good time!”, Phantom laughs as he floats his way to the kitchen. He plops down in a chair and lazily rests on the table while Valerie sips her tea. “That’s Amity for you, no ones got flight responses anymore”, she pushes a tea to him knowing he likely hasn’t had anything. “You know ghosts don’t need this right?”, Valerie just shrugs and smiles over the rim of her cup.

A few days later, Valerie is tinkering with a gun as Phantom is floating in circles with an ankle over his knee. “I wouldn’t mind actually looking like an adult. Still getting called a child is pretty damn annoying”, he mutters to the ceiling and Valerie grunts at him. She knows the little ghost gets annoyed by his stature, “honestly, it probably makes people trust you more. Looking filled with childish innocents”. Phantom points at her on one of his passes, “and it makes bad guys think I’m some weak pushover”. At that Valerie just shrugs before she remembers the mail.

“Oh yeah, almost forgot you got mail. Pretty sure it’s from Fenton”, she gets up and grabs the letter sitting to the side and walks to Phantom. “I know you guys split up or whatever, but it’s nice you staying friends”, Phantom laughs and rolls his eyes at her as he eagerly takes the letter. While he’s opening it, “you make it sound like we were dating”. Valerie giggles as she watches him open up the letter, “well, were you? I really have no clue if you two were just secret friends or secret lovers. Still kind of amazing a Fenton being so close with a ghost either way though”. Danny coughs in surprise a fair bit, he had elected not to tell her the full story in case it hurt her but he told whatever he could, “friends, Val. Jesus. Strongly connected friends and nonromantic partners in ghost fighting, nothing more and we still are. Even if he’s moved away”. Phantom can’t help but frown at the letter, for the past while he hasn’t really liked the way Fenton writes. Something about it is just not right, cold or even like thinly veiled insults. It makes him want to drag him back here and go to the movies, or try to get him and Valerie on another date.

Fenton sits at the head of the table and listens to his lackeys plead their cases about what policies should be modified or added. He can’t help but smile faintly as he watches them rip into each other’s ideas, doing everything they can to beat each other down and win. It’s really the only reason he even bothers himself with listening to their ideas, they all sucked after all, but it was incredibly pleasing seeing them fight to appease him. Plus his attention made them feel needed and like he had some kind of loyalty or care for them. People who feel unneeded or unimportant are less controllable, they won’t keep their mouths shut. Some guy who’s name starts with L, Fenton can’t be bothered with names, is the only one with a slightly useful idea. Checking his gold watch, “well, let’s go with the children’s police updates, that one will avoid more losses in the current climate”. They all go silent and nod, instantly falling in line and accepting his choice; as it should be. He lets them see themselves out, chuckling to himself, “I’ll have to give it to Phantom, all his child saving is sure making it easy to scam parents into useless policies. What a useful friend indeed”. Smirking to himself, he fixes his collar as he heads out for coffee and fine cakes.

Fenton finds himself being approached by a larger man in a black suit, while he’s sitting checking over obituaries and reports for ways out of paying out any or all of their insurance coverages. “Fenton?”, the man asks with authority as he sits down. Fenton smirks, folds his papers over once and crosses his legs. He doesn’t dignify the man with a response. The man pulls out some papers, puts his elbow on the table and holds them out to Fenton. “I think we could be of use to each other”, Fenton grabs the papers with two fingers only, making a show of not really caring. Folding out the papers single-handed, he smiles; faint and cruel, “consider me curious”.

“I think Vlad might be up to his shit again”, Phantom groans at the little camera screen. Valerie laughs, “told you the bugs were a good idea”. Phantom rubs his neck, “yeah well it makes me feel like a creep. Anyways it looks like he’s trying to build nanotech, again”. Valerie rolls her eyes and checks over one of her guns before flying out the window, turning to Phantom, “well I’ve got business in California and we both know you can deal with that loon, have fun”, with a little salute she’s off. Phantom shakes his head as the phone rings.

“Dude, it’s been a while”

“Busy life busier future, it would seem”

“Oh please don’t tell me ghosts are popping up in New York now too?”

“No, but it would seem that Vlad is sticking his nose where he shouldn’t”

“Ugh, what the hell does that frootloop want with New York?”

“Testing grounds I think, he really should learn to sow his pets mouths shut”

“Um ew, even I think that’s pretty dark for a joke. But I’ll come down and check it out. Vlad’s supposed to be my problem, not yours”

“Indeed, you’re the hero. I’m the simple businessman”

“Uh...yeah”

With that Fenton had hung up.

Fenton snickers at the phone as he fiddles with the point of a bloody needle, “who said I was joking”. Behind him, a large man in a now bloodied black suit sits crying with bloody thread stitching his lips shut.

Fenton folds out the papers again after wiping his hands off with a silk handkerchief. “So Vlad’s getting himself into the drug industry? Well, I’ll be glad to show him the ropes”, Fenton chuckles as he burns the paper; knowing full well he’ll remember it all just fine. “Can’t have Phantom sticking his nose in what’s mine after all”, he slams the large metal door shut leaving the man to die.

It takes Phantom only two days to arrive. Fenton smirks as he sees Phantoms little icon appear on his scanner, “looks like things can get moving now”. Phantom phases into the centre of the room, Fenton chuckles as he turns his chair to face him, “well haven’t you changed”. Phantom rolls his eyes and crosses his arms, “that joke is so old, you want me to start calling you old Man”. Fenton smirks and puts his chin on his hand, elbow on the desk, “38 is hardly old, at least I’m not the one with white hair”. Phantom flushes green, “isn’t there a problem with Vladdie you should be telling me about?”.

Phantom watches Fenton grin, its a warm looking one but seems almost fake. “Of course, I’m not in the business of wasting time. Simply put, he's sent some of his pets here to scout the area for some kind of test”, Fenton says as he straightens up. Phantom's forgotten just how tall he’s grown, “do you have any clue what he’s testing or testing on?”. Fenton shakes his head and sighs leaning back in his chair, “if I did I would have started with that, seems like that would be more important”. Phantom flies over to the side of Fenton who doesn’t even turn his head to acknowledge him but does look at him. Phantom flips out a tablet and powers it up, showing Fenton the inside of Vlad’s lab. “Well, that certainly seems odd. I’m surprised at you, spying doesn’t become you”, Fenton snickers at Phantoms clearly guilty face. “It’s all Valerie”

“And you’re all complacent, imagine what Vlad would say”, Fenton knows pushing his guilt will keep him up at night enough to not spy on him as well. Phantom glares at him, “I’m nothing like him and we both know that”. Fenton smirks and gives Phantom a (fake) friendly pat on the back, “sure we do”. Looking back to the screen, “well I guess our old friend is playing with some of those samples he got from us back in the day, again”. Phantom blinks and squints at the screen, eventually seeing what his human half already did, “how did I even miss that?”. Fenton shrugs rather amused to see that he still has the unkeen eyes of a child, “I’m certain you were quite busy. You’ll probably want a sample of whatever that is. The fellow I overheard mentioned Dresker buildings”. Fenton clicks open his left side drawer and pulls out some papers as Phantom looks down at them, “I’m not about to let this be a one-sided friendship just because you’ve got the powers. So I went to the liberty of looking them up, new property of DALV it seems”. Fenton taps the company name for emphasis incase his little friend missed the obvious. Phantom nods and grins goofily, “it never will be and I guess I’ll do my hero duties and get this fixed right up”. With that Phantom phases through the roof with a wave, completely missing Fenton snicker and mutter “man, he is still such a child”.

It takes Phantom all of an hour to get there and he is disturbed by what he sees. There are people strung up by blue rope all over the ceiling. In varying stages of complete mutilation, and Phantom feels that if he still had a human stomach he would likely vomit. “Sweet Phantom, what the hell happened here? Did Vlad do this?”, Phantom shudders, seriously hoping that Vlad hasn’t become so twisted that he’d commit mass murder like this. Phantom floats about invisibly and cautiously, looking for anything that might be nefarious; other than the corpses. He does find some papers with test results on them, all positive, “so he’s having the nanobots react to something or maybe the other way around? Well whatever it is, it works and that’s not good”. Shaking his head he decides he’s not going to find anything else here, leaving an anonymous call to the cops with one of the desk phones before leaving.

Fenton is spinning some vials in his fingers as he sees Phantom show up on his sensors. Quickly slipping away his new toys, he begins rifling through papers. And that’s how Phantom finds him when he comes through the ceiling. “Back so soon? Should I be saying good job or be worried?” Fenton looks up to Phantom when he doesn’t respond immediately and sees his rather disturbed and disgusted facial expression. Raising an eyebrow, “worried it is, he didn’t create some dissolving clone of us again did he?”. Phantom shakes his head and shivers, “there was a lot of dead people, it’ll be on the news. I just, I really hope Vlad hasn’t gone this far for power or whatever”. Fenton makes a show of looking displeased, grimacing deeply, before shaking his head and pinching his nose. “Well, hopefully, the officials will figure that mess out”, looking back to Phantom, “I’m guessing you’ll be seeing Vlad about this mess of his?”. Phantom nods but floats down to him and hands him the test results he found, “Maybe you’ll see something I don’t and this is your city so I hope you’ll want to be involved in helping it out”.

Phantom laces his statement with worry, he’s genuinely unsure of Fenton’s feelings about his own city and that worries him. “I’m not a ghost Phantom, you know humans aren’t so protective over their cities. However, you’re right about me wanting to see this through. That and I’m always available to help out if you really need it”, Fenton gives him a nod before looking through the papers. Phantom can tell he meant what he said, sometimes he does forget that humans aren’t as protective as him but he’s glad Fenton cares.

Fenton, however, does not care. Not in the way Phantom thinks he does, anyways. He wants what Vlad has and this is an easy way to get it, besides he’s the one with the means to distribute the sneaky little obedience drug, not Vlad. Fenton sighs to himself and shakes his head, he’ll let the child think what he wants. “Well, he’s definitely dealing with nanobots based off us or more so halfas. I’d say he used some combination of himself and what he had left from us”, Fenton taps the paper and leans back. Turning to Phantom he continues, “this other stuff though? Can’t tell you there. But the reaction it’s having seems like mind control or complacency of some kind”. Fenton intentionally accents his half-lie with a heavy frown. One which Phantom falsely reads as one of worry and disgust, “I don’t like the sounds of that myself. I’m definitely going to have to pay Vladdie as visit”. Both of them frown then, though the gears are turning in Fenton’s head and Phantom never catches the small smile, as Phantom talks, “we both know I can’t get in there with his ghost shield. So, think you’re up to being the hero again for a bit?”. Fenton makes it a point to sigh exasperatedly, “I can’t promise to be light on my feet but very well. Though really, I already told you I would”. They both grin widely, and Phantom is looking forwards to making some jokes at his others expense. While Fenton’s looking forward to making himself that much more dangerous and in control. Drug-induced complacency is something he can work with quite nicely indeed.

Phantom lays on the cherry oak desk as Fenton dusts off the ectoweapons he kept with him. Phantom mutters to himself while rapidly clicking a pen, “I really wish I knew what happened to all those people, though I’m glad I didn’t see it”. Overhearing Phantoms mutterings Fenton smirks, remembering his little phone call and what came of it.

—Flashback to yesterday—

Fenton flips through the papers his secretary had delivered to him and of course he had made sure to eye her short skirt when she was looking, he had seen her blush and giddly walk as she’d left his office. Sufficiently kept under his thumb.

“Dresker huh? Well I can work with that”, still flicking the papers, he gets the phone from under a secret compartment and makes a call.

“Consider yourself busy today”

“Of course”

“Dresker is ready for pick up and needs their paperwork filled”

“Pick up car or pick up truck?”

“Pick up trucks and no idle chitchat”

“You don’t have to worry about anyone mouthing off sir”

“Indeed I don’t”

Fenton hangs up with a smirk on his face, Vlad might be powerful but Fenton dealt in death.

He spends about ten minutes finding clients for his secretary to call and give them the bad news, bad for them at least. Then flips on his secure live feed to the cams his lackeys have; courtesy of an unaware Tucker. “The government really should fear that man”, Fenton’s smile deepens as he watches one of his lackeys shove a pair of pliers through some poor pets eye and some other pet gets strangled with her own necklace. “Well, isn’t this quite a lovely mess”.

Eventually, it seems they’ve found what he’s looking for. He pushes a blue button on his screen to indicate to them his intentions. He can see one lackey pick up the vials while another looks at them and smirks, “now I wonder just what these will do”. Fenton watches as the lackeys string up every person in the building, after killing them of course, can’t have anyone talking after all. Turning off the screen, feeling quite content with himself; he waits for White to come make the delivery drop off.

—Return to present—

“Ready?”, Fenton asks as he tucks his ectogun into a hidden belt, next to his own specialty one. Phantom springs up off the table, putting away the pen as Fenton humorously shakes his head. “I don’t think you’re ever going to grow up”, Phantom rolls his eyes at that and flies them both through the ceiling. It takes them a bit to get to Vlad’s mansion and Phantom never feels the plasma cutter strapped to Fenton’s back.

Landing on the ground, Phantom hands Fenton a Spector deflector; which Fenton eyes with amusement, “yes of course, don’t want things to get handsy”. Phantom grimaces at what he thinks is yet another off-putting joke, “How is it that your humour is darker than the half of us that literally fights the dead”. Fenton snickers, “Oh I don’t know, I’d say my days are murder”. Phantom rolls his eyes and taps on the anti-ghost shield, “poor taste jokes aside, if you can just find the deactivation switch then I can deal with Vlad. Ghostfight and all that jazz”. Fenton smirks, “yeah, sure thing. While you’re up to that I can snoop for anything questionable”. Phantom holds his fist up for a fist bump and Fenton chuckles but decides to humour his friend. Fenton’s sure Phantom wouldn’t be so keen if Phantom knew just how much blood was on his hands.

Fenton walks casually smirking all the while through the force field, Spector deflector on and both guns charged. Though he has no intention of using the regular anti-ghost gun, because today really is going to get handsy. While he slips inside the door he mutters, “who said I was joking” as he cracks his knuckles. He can’t help but smile, it’s not too often he gets his hands messy so directly.

Heading down to the lab first, as it doesn’t take much more than some cutting to get through the floor into it, “man, Vlad isn’t even trying”. It doesn’t take long to find all the research, samples and machines to make more of both the drug and nanobots. Promptly climbing out of the hole in the ceiling, Fenton cuts a hole in the wall as well to get through the back of the building. Leaving everything but the plasma cutter in a box, which he had stationed years back, outside and hidden from view. White will pick it up come the morning. Waltzing back through the hole, he makes his way to the main objective.

Phantom sits fiddling with his thumbs and shooting leaves with ectorays, “we so have to go for some good New York pizza after this”. Even though he seems relaxed he can’t help but worry about Fenton, “Vlad’s known for violence and even with ghost powers he’s hard to beat or hold off”.

Fenton doesn’t even bother with looking for the deactivation switch, knowing full well it would be in the old man's desk. Muttering as he approaches the man’s office with his hands in his pockets, “it would be pretty foolish to put it anywhere not within his easy reach”. As he’s pushing in the doors Vlad lifts his head up and raises an eyebrow, “Why Daniel, what a nice surprise. I haven’t even seen you in human form for a while. I was starting to wonder”. Fenton chuckles, “don’t waste the effort old man”. Fenton goes and sits straight down on Vlad’s desk earning a puzzled and slightly concerned look from Vlad, as Fenton speaks, “you know I live in New York now and since you can’t seem to keep your little pets mouth shut, I had to sow it shut for you”. Fenton smirks at the clear shock and heavy concern lining Vlad’s face, “Daniel whatever do you mean, I can clearly see you all over Amity news? And while I approve of your suit, I’ve never known you to wear them”. Fenton laughs and it’s a rather cold one, he’s going to enjoy this, “Oh don’t you know? There’s two of us now. One plays hero down in Amity and the other runs the largest life insurance company in New York”. Danny waves off Vlad shocked expression, “as for the suit, well tricking people out of their money is quite lucrative. Though running the entire illegal drug trade helps too”. Fenton slides off the desk, walks around to Vlad’s side and bends forward so their faces are next to each other, “your pet seemed quite eager to please you, thought that I could help with the whole distribution of your little drug. Which is quite true and I do fully intend to do just that. Didn’t really turn out so well for him though, judging by the date on the calendar he’s probably dead by now”. At this point, Vlad gets up and puts some distance between the two of them, while Fenton puts his hands in his pockets and smiles. “If it makes you feel any better the Dresker pets didn’t fair any better. Phantom got to see that for himself”, Fenton laughs as he steps closer to Vlad, “funny thing?! He thinks you’re the one who did that! He’s genuinely concerned you went too far”. Vlad finally speaks up as Fenton shakes his head, grinning, “you’re not Daniel”. Earning a single laugh from Fenton as he tilts his head back, “Oh but I am, I’m full Fenton and he’s full Phantom. The only reason I’m here is because he can’t get through the shield, being full ghost and all. It’s so nice to be needed, not so nice for you though”. Fenton slowly takes off his suit jacket, folds it and smooths it out as he lays it over the back of a chair. Speaking while taking a few long strides towards Vlad, letting his height and muscles show,

“But I’d think you’d be proud, one half of your little badger manipulating the other half. I turned out pretty damn good at chess”. Fenton has Vlad backed up against a wall, nearly touching him and towering over the skinny older man. “He hardly even knows about the drug, just the nanobots. Doesn’t know that you need both. That the nanobots give a person control over anyone with the drug in them. I sure do though and made sure he didn’t”.

Vlad phases through the wall and appears behind Fenton, “so that must mean you’re all human then, meaning you’re sorely outmatched here. I’m guessing you want to strike a deal then. Though boy, you should know by now that threats are wasted on me, I know you too well for that”. Fenton turns around casually and grins at Vlad, “you’re right about the human thing. Perfectly normal human living a perfectly normal human life. Your pet was pretty interested in setting up a deal for you, so what makes you think I’m looking to strike a deal with the old man himself?”. Fenton nonchalantly picks at his fingernails not even looking at Plasmius while Plasmius furrows his brows, “a normal human can hardly do anything to me and again you’re all hot air, like always. Why else would you be here?”.

“All those dead little pets of yours, strung up like puppets, would have to disagree. I don’t do people’s dirty work Vlad, people do it for me. And you will too, you’ll fall in line like a good little dog. Though all I really need from you is for you to be dead”, Fenton smirks as Vlad lunges to grab him. “Your jokes have gotten weak, Daniel”, just before Vlad manages to touch him Fenton laughs. “Oh no, I wouldn’t do that if I were you”, Vlad grabs him anyway and gets promptly shocked. Fenton kicks the downed halfa part way across the floor with a smirk, “Now that wasn’t very smart of you, was it?”. Vlad gets up and glares with a smirk, “I don’t have to touch you to hurt you, you know this so what will you do now; chess player”. Fenton grins and speaks laced with venom, “ooo I’ve earned my own nickname, how special”. Fenton goes and sits in Vlad’s chair before continuing, “well I could just let Phantom in, that was his plan after all. But that would make it kind of hard to get what I want, now wouldn’t it? Well, not really I guess. I already had your little drug so the only other thing I really needed was the nanobots, well that and the tech plus the resources to make more. On that note, you really shouldn’t underestimate humans so much”. His statement is accented by a sudden explosion down in the lab.

As Vlad spins around facing the direction of the explosion Fenton springs, instantly landing a punch clean to the back of Vlad’s head. That combined with the belt electrocuting him sends him to the floor. Fenton waste no time in slamming his steel-toed dress shoe into his chin, sending Vlad’s head slamming into the wall. “You know I’m impressed that your little nanobots will not only strengthen a halfa but also give a regular human ghost powers, I think I’ll find that quite useful”, Danny says as his footsteps glide towards Vlad. Who quickly manages to phase through the floor, reappearing by his desk looking a little worse for wear. At the sight of Fenton turning his head to him with a playful smile, “unfortunately for you, it won’t be very useful to a deadman”. Vlad, officially deeply concerned for his own safety, slams his hand on the shield deactivation button.

Phantom leans on the shield as he waits, “jeez, Vlad must be getting better at hiding things. Or at least that’s what I hope is taking him”. When he suddenly falls backwards as the shield is deactivated, “spoke too soon I guess”. Phantom launches himself off the ground straight through the front doors and starts his search of the house. Not clueing in that he should have gone to the office first.

Fenton laughs, “not really sure that’s going to help you, old man. We’re both Danny’s after all, and you’re the arch enemy. Pretty easy to see who he’ll believe, if he makes it here quick enough anyways”. Vlad shoots a couple of ectoblasts at Fenton, but Fenton never did fall out of practice. Easily dogging the blasts, he throws a chair at Vlad’s face and immediately jumps at him. By the time the chair is no longer blocking Vlad’s sight, Fenton’s fist collides with his face. “I’m definitely fine with things getting handsy!”, Fenton chuckles as he pulls out the plasma cutter; which just so happens to also be made to cut through ectoplasm. “Phantom might get a kick out of this! A plasma cutter for Plasmius!”, Vlad flies across the room and glares at the crude tool before firing at both it and Fenton. Fenton rolls out of the way quite easily though and kicks a globe at him, Vlad simply flies backwards a bit to avoid it, “you’re wasting your time! You can’t get me long distance and you know it!”. Fenton laughs and reveals the ectogun but instead of grabbing it he pushes a button on the belt and the wall behind Vlad explodes. Sending Vlad flying across the room and landing right next to Fenton, who promptly hacks off his legs with the plasma cutter.

Phantom snaps his head to the left as he hears an explosion and screaming, “Oh Phantom no, is Vlad trying to blow him up?!”. Turning he bolts towards the office, by the time he gets there and phases in. He’s met by the sight of an unconscious Vlad missing his legs and what looks like a weird skinny blow torch in his eye socket. With Fenton holding his shirt with one hand, punching him on the plasma-cutter-free side of his face with the other hand. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING!”, Phantom yells, as he is too startled to do anything other than float a few inches in.

At hearing Phantoms voice, Fenton drops Vlad in a heap on the floor. He turns to face Phantom and steps sideways away from Vlad and towards Phantom, blood and ectoplasm splattered all over him. “I could say I used whatever I could find to fend off a psychopathic halfa, but that would be a pretty pointless lie”, Fenton chuckles as he wipes his hands off on his pants. Finding that, since they’re already covered in gore, they aren’t sufficiently cleaning his heads off; he bends down and picks up one of Vlad’s books. Tearing out a few pages to clean his fingers and palms. While Phantom gapes at him, “did you? Did you attack him?!”. Fenton laughs cruelly, “Oh come on Phantom what did you expect, child? You were always the good one, I well”, Fenton chuckles as he pulls out an unusual gun with a faint glow, “I was always the liar”.

Fenton lazily points the gun and shoots Vlad’s slumped body, in the head; never even taking his eyes off Phantom. “WHAT THE HELL!”, Phantom cries as he shoots himself towards Vlad. Fenton shoots him again purely because Phantom had the audacity to question his actions. “You can leave now if you want, he won’t be doing anything anymore. Though I must say, we really are the best friends we’ve ever had”, is all Fenton has to say to Phantom, as Vlad’s heart stops.

End.

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ontherockswithsalt · 5 years

Text

A Made Man

/1/ /2/ /3/ /4/ /5/ /6/ /7/ /8/ /9/ /10/ /11/ /12/ /13/ /14/ /15/ /16/ /17/ /18/ /19/ /20/ /21/ /22/ /23/ /24/ /25/ /26/ /27/ /28/

A/N: I’m getting excited about lots of things in this universe. Eeeeee! Here’s Jamie on patrol on Christmas and this is all starting to get very real in New York City.

Chapter 29.

“I feel like we gotta go Chinese on Christmas, yeah?” Vinny proposes.

I consider the lunch option as the two of us make our way up the sidewalk at Seventh Avenue. Vinny and I had agreed to take a Christmas Day shift and neither of us really mind. So far it’s an easy morning – pleasant, cold but clear – the holiday settling the city.

Working on Christmas when I don’t really have other commitments at home is actually kind of fun. The energy in the city changes once the chaotic lead-up to the holiday subsides, crowds disperse, and what’s left is a classic Manhattan that’s festive and at ease. For a morning, at least. It won’t be long before people start drinking and estranged family members are reminded that they hate each other and we start getting calls.

“Dim sum?” I ask. “That place in Hell’s Kitchen?”

“Yeah, brother,” Vinny agrees with an eager clap of his hands before he rubs them together. “So what’s your family’s game plan on Christmas?”

Stepping off the curb, I round the front of our patrol car and head for the driver’s side. “I saw everybody last night. And I might go over to my dad’s later on,” I tell him as I settle into the car and adjust my radio. “I think he’s down at the Bowery Mission with the mayor today.”

“Look at that.” He pulls on his seat belt beside me. “The PC putting the rest of you Reagans to shame.”

“Yeah, I know.” I smirk, pulling away to start up the block. “Hey, I’m being a good Samaritan today.”

“You did help that delivery guy change the chain on his bike.”

“See?” I chuckle. “So what about you? How are the Cruz festivities up in Washington Heights?”

“Bro–” He manages a weary groan. “We all went to my aunt’s last night after Mass and I’m feeling it today. My sisters gave me a hard time for going home after one drink but I had to get some sleep.”

“One year I’ll have to party with you guys. It sounds way more fun than what goes down at my house.”

“Oh we get rowdy, man. And if you win the dance-off against my nieces and nephews, you can open the first present.”

Amused by the visual, I shake my head, always appreciating the stories Vinny has of his big family, growing up the only boy among four sisters.

“But I’ll probably head over to my mom’s later and see about any leftover tamales and call it a day.”

“Sounds good to me,” I muse, scanning the block for a place to park as we roll along Forty-Ninth.

Stuffed eggplant and spring rolls make for fine holiday meal. And after grabbing two green teas to go, Vinny and I make our way out of the sleepy restaurant.

I feel my phone buzz and I take a moment to retrieve it before I sink down into the car. Clicking open the message, I see it’s from Noble.

Noble: I know you’re working but can I call real quick? 2 minutes.

“Hang on,” I mutter aloud while I text him back the go-ahead. “Let me take this call.”

Settling back, Vinny flips open his memo book. “Sure thing, man.”

After a second, my phone rings and I clear my throat to answer it, glancing out my driver’s side window. “Hey. What’s going on?”

“My man!” He greets and the effortless, happy sound of it rouses a warmth in my chest. “You got a minute?”

“Sure. Just finished up lunch.”

“What was Christmas Day lunch on the streets today?”

“We hit up Buddha Kitchen,” I tell him. “And it was a good decision.”

He lets out a needy, wistful groan. “Dude, I’m jealous. AirDrop me some crystal dumplings.”

“Will do.”

“Well listen,” he starts. “What if I had the chance to get in a trip to New York after I get back from the beach? Would I be able to see you?”

“Really?” I wonder with this hopeful note that I notice piques Vinny’s attention. “Uh yeah I think so. So what, like New Year’s?”

“The 29th and 30th.”

Pondering that Saturday, I scratch my jaw and silently remind myself not to let my mind start spinning over how badly I want to see him. “We could do that,” I reason. “That’s good. I gotta work New Year’s Eve anyway.”

“Ugh yikes,” he grumbles his quick sympathy. “Also. What if Bianca came with me?”

I consider it, dragging my teeth along my lower lip. I merely hum a pensive, “Huh.”

“We’d stay at the Greenwich. I’m not asking to crash with you or anything–”

“No, it’s not that. I’m just… surprised she’d be ready for that.”

“She says she is,” he offers. “Think about it. In terms of, y’know the risk. I’m not pulling the trigger on tickets just yet. But tonight, maybe we could figure it out.”

“Yeah, okay.”

“So Saturday works though?” He verifies. “We could have like… our own early New Year’s.”

An unguarded smile hints the corner of my mouth and I turn my head with a casual glance out the window. “Alright.”

“Is Vinny right there?” He wonders.

“Yeah we’re in the RMP–”

“MERRY CHRISTMAS, VINNY!” Noble shouts through the phone, so loud I have to angle it away.

I blink hard and tell my partner, “Nick says hi.”

“Yo what up, Nick!” Vinny glances up from the report he was writing to lean closer.

“Alright, I’ll let you go,” Noble says. “We’ll talk more tonight–”

“Sounds good.”

“If you know–”

“No–” I warn.

“–What I mean.”

I sigh, managing to clear my throat before any heat creeps into my face.

He goes on, “What are you wearing?”

“Alright–”

Noble laughs, pleased with himself. “Fine. I’ll go. I know what you’re wearing but I’ll ask you again later. And I’m sending you a work-safe picture, by the way.”

“Don’t you need to go lay in a hammock or something?”

“I do. I’m late for hammock time.”

With a chuckle, I scratch my nose and glance down at my lap. “Talk to you later.”

“Bye.”

Ending the call, I put my phone away and tilt the warm paper cup of tea to my lips.

“How’s your boy?” Vinny asks.

“He’s good. Christmas in the Bahamas. Guess he can’t complain.”

“So this witness protection life. He’s got no parents, no cousins, nothing? Just him and his sister.”

I scan the block out the windshield and shift back against the seat. “Yep. His mother died when he was a kid. Dad’s in federal prison in West Virginia doing a life sentence.”

“Damn,” Vinny muses. “Murder?”

“Murder for hire. Conspiracy, fraud, extortion,” I list. “Quite the renaissance man.”

“The works, huh?”

Nodding in agreement, I take a quiet moment to think about Noble and mentally will him to feel it. It’s this strange practice I do every now and then because I swear, at random moments in the day, there’s a heavy squeeze and I feel it someplace deeper than my core. And without analyzing it too hard, I simply tell myself it’s him thinking about me.

“You meet the guy?”

I swallow another gulp of tea. “I never met his father. I met his uncle though, and I’m pretty sure he got a similar sentence.”

“Was his dad a mob boss for real?” He questions.

Here and there, Vinny’s managed to draw out pieces of information from me with regard to that case, purely out of his own curiosity. I’ve talked about Noble enough to him that the shock value of his whole back story has worn off. I mean hell, the two of them shout hellos to each other through the phone. So by now, it’s only natural that Vinny knows how deep my boyfriend’s criminal ties run.

“His dad was up there. He was a captain,” I explain. “So technically not a boss if you’re talking hierarchy. But–”

“Like, that’s some real gangster mafioso shit, Reagan.”

I scoff in amusement. “Yeah.”

“La Cosa Nostra.”

I laugh again. “I mean, I don’t think it was that heavy. Not like old school Italian mob–”

“But they tried to kill you.”

“Well, yeah. And him.”

“And Nick’s just clean,” he supposes. “Nothing? No record. He’s on the up and up?”

“It’s fair to say he probably… participated in plenty of shady business. Whether he really knew it or not,” I acknowledge. “He said growing up, he didn’t have the attention span and the vindictiveness in him to be of much use to the family like that.”

Vinny hums a good-natured chuckle.

“So he’d distract himself or let other people get their hands dirty and hope it kept him on the fringe of it all.”

He blinks with a nod as he seems to process it.

I sniff a soft laugh. “Does his whole situation make you uneasy?”

He shrugs. “No I mean, you wouldn’t be with him if he wasn’t solid. I do wanna meet the guy though.”

“He’ll be here this weekend.”

Vinny reaches out to smack my shoulder with the back of his hand. “So we should hang out.”

I turn and look at my partner to consider it. Drawing in a deep inhale, I have to laugh a little, my nerves not exactly settling at the idea.

He grins. “Come on, let’s all go out. Can he go out?”

Just then my phone buzzes once more and I remember Noble promised to send me a picture. Normally, I wouldn’t take a look until my tour was over. But he assured me it’d be innocent, plus it’s a quiet day on the radio and I miss him, so I check it out.

“He can,” I answer while I swipe the screen. “We’ve just gotta be sort of strategic about where we go.”

“Alright,” Vinny agrees.

The picture he sends makes a half smile curve on my face and I shake my head. “They’re such dorks,” I mutter.

“Let me see.”

I tilt my phone screen toward Vinny to show him the picture. Noble – with sunglasses on and the end of a candy cane between his teeth like a cigar – and Bianca wearing a Santa hat with an exaggerated wink leaning into one another by the pool.

Vinny coughs an appreciative laugh. “Tell them to hook us up with the invite next time.”

“Yeah really. Well if you’re free on Saturday, we can all go out for drinks or something–”

“Now wait a minute.” He stops me from pulling my phone away and angles closer. “You told me about the sister but you didn’t tell me about the sister.”

I hiss a soft laugh. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He just tilts his head and looks up at me, his forehead creased as if I should know exactly what it means.

I cut a skeptical glance his way. “N-No-no-no–”

With a hopeful twitch of his eyebrow, he wonders, “Is she coming too?”

“Vin– don’t even–”

“Hey look–” He fakes a contemplative gaze at his own phone. “I’m free this Saturday.”

#jamie x noble #fun fact this story still exists and i can't stop #please enjoy jamie and vinny the christmas edition #things are happening

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doublenuzlocke · 5 years

Text

Entry #4: Napoleonic Cindrella

Disclaimer: all materials belong to their respective owners. This is a parody for fun. Please support the official release.

Director by: xxxDreamingflowerxxx

Written by: Republic Empire

Requested by: xxxDreamingflowerxxx

Story by: Republic Empire and xxxDreamingflowerxxx

It has minor occurances with cuss words, but have a nice reading time…

Republic Empire Theater of Parodies presents:

“Once upon a time in Europe in the age of Napoleon’s reign whom he rules the French Empire. After the war of First Coalition, Napoleon demanded peace [1]. Now, all of Europe is at peace. Meanwhile at France, a certain girl named Crystal, who lives with her father as he has given her everything she needs. But he worried that she needed a mother-figure. He married to a… *cough*… a woman of her status, Lady Clair with her two snobby daughters, Whitney and Sabrina. They lived… ‘Happy’ for a while, but in the year of 1810 [2], Crystal’s father died. After the dead of Crystal’s beloved father, Lady Clair revealed her true self; she was vain and jealous of Crystal’s gentle and intellectual nature. Lady Clair reduced Crystal into a housemaid with no pay [3].

Later on since Napoleon had no son [4] as heir to take the throne after his retirement or death. He was, upon by advice by Josephine; Napoleon’s wife, to adopt one of their nephews to take his place until, he found the right heir. He adopted Gold; one of his nephews, his now stepson who has an unusual case of having Golden eyes.

“This is our story begins” The Narrator says with exclaims with a sigh. “I’m not getting paid enough for this job…”

Cinderella

France, 1815

Peace has known for the French people for over 10 years since the battle of Austerlitz [5]. No war has distracted them, everyone has live their business and the economy has never been better. Somewhere, in a certain mansion, where a certain girl lives in the upper rooms, near the roof lays Crystal sleeping so peacefully until the sound of a bell ringing woke her up.

“Argh” Crystal woke up with hint of drowsiness.

“Another day is another day to work. Clean, work, helping the Professor, and more work. I wish I was free to do as I please. What’s the chance that would happen to a girl like me?” Crystal sigh as she got dressed in a maid’s dress.

At the floor of Crystal’s, we go to a mouse-hole, where we meet our mice couple; Sapphire and Ruby, also a… ‘Happy living… family’ [6]

“RUBY, WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!?” Sapphire screamed in anger.

“What? It’s like 7 in the morning? What are you screaming about?” Ruby replied while rubbing his eyes sleepily.

“I have worked my ass out to make this!” Sapphire points the breakfast in the table.

“You can cook?” Ruby asked surprised.

Sapphire face palms in disbelief and attempts to beat her husband up.

“NO wait! Argh!” Ruby screams in pain begging his 'oww’ so loving’ wife to spare him the pain and mental injuries that she always inflicts on him. Let’s leave the lovebirds alone for a while.

“I am your narrator, a generic voice with no……"Narrator [7] tells the audience until….

"Excuse me, who are you?” Crystal asked with confused look [8].

Anyway, meet Crystal; our main Protagonist of this Cinderella version for this theater and…"Narrator further tells the audience.

“Then what you are doing?” Crystal asked again.

“Look, just ignore me, but you do need to do what I tell you. It’s part of the story.” Narrator tells to Crystal [9]. Crystal just nods confused and continues her acting. “I have a bad feeling about this.” She mumbled softly.

“Anyway, our dear Crystal was to work for her evil stepmother, Clair and her spoiled bitchy, good for nothing stepchildren: Whitney and Sabrina. She works day and night to serve them, but together with her sisters, she goes to the best High School in all of Europe. A high school, really? Can’t the director come up with a better idea? Oh, it’s part of the story? Um, ok. Meanwhile blah… While the narrator explains the story, we turn our attention to someone who is entering Napoleon’s palace on his horse.

We meet the crown prince of Imperial France, Gold. When his father died, his mother had to raise him on her own. He is Napoleon’s nephew by blood and a few years before the battle in Austerlitz, Napoleon adopted Gold. Also from his birth parents side Gold is a French nobleman with Corsican roots.

"This is Gold, the Crown Prince. He is the designated to become heir to the Throne. Napoleon adopted him, because Josephine was unable to bear children. But he has unbecoming as a prince. What brings the attentions of the Emperor?” As the Narrator is telling the story, Gold enters the room with Napoleon waiting for him along with Josephine.

“Explain.” Napoleon asked to Gold with disappointment.

“Explain what, Uncle?” Gold replied with hint of curiosity and amusement,

Napoleon points out the newspaper on the table. Gold looks at it which the newspaper says, “Crown Prince gone wild.” showing Gold’s antics like gambling and drunken brawls [10]. “I can explain that.” Gold stated.

“How can you explain, when all the monarchies of Europe are LAUGHING AT ME?!” Napoleon shouted in anger. “This is the last time, I catch you doing this!” Napoleon said to Gold. Josephine calms down her husband.

“If you send another tutor, forget it.” Gold replied with huff. “I got a better idea. You should know I have built the first High School in all Europe. And you will be sent there to learn, there’s a professor willing to tutor you! If you don’t agree, then I’ll send the army with you.” Napoleon told Gold. There’s going to be a tough day ahead of him.

“And so Napoleon sent Gold to High School so he could be re-educated. What was waiting for him? Damn, why is it that everything has to be so cliché [11]? A prince who is acting like a delinquent and a girl abused by her stepmother and step sisters. Ladies and Gentlemen, this story is going to suck. Back to the crappy story, Gold enters the room where Professor Oak waits.” Narrator explains.

“Welcome, your highness. I’m professor Oak. I study mechanics of nature and….” Professor oak was about to explain until…

“Boring.” Gold said loudly. Professor Oak blinked in surprised upon hearing the prince’s statement.

“This is going to be a long session.” The professor mumbled.

“I wonder how it’s going to be old man; I hope it won’t be all…” Gold was about to say more until the door open.

“Sorry for being late Professor.” Crystal apologized when she came in. Gold was stunned upon seeing the girl; she looked like an angel send from heaven. He stared blankly at her. “Professor, who is he?” Crystal asked.

“Oh, this is the nephew of your highness Napoleon, himself.” Professor told the girl. “Crown prince, he doesn’t look like one.” Crystal huffed.

“Hey! I am the prince! When I take the throne, I can do whatever I want!” Gold responded proudly with a smug on his face.

“Yeah, like a kid.” Crystal replied back to him.

Gold frowned “Don’t tell you are like those super serious gals?” He asked her.

“What’s wrong being serious?” Crystal angrily replied.

“Now now, do calm down. Crystal, can you do those reports while I teach the Crown prince.” The Professor asked as he gives her the papers. Crystal leaves them alone as she begins to work.

“Oi Professor, who is she?” Gold asked. “Oh, that’s my assistant, Crystal.” Professor Oak answered. “Crystal? It sounds pretty hot for a workaholic.” Gold said as he and Crystal are making funny faces to mock each other.

“Gold and Professor Oak resume their lesson, while Crystal does her work. This routine continues for 20 days. That’s until…You know what I am not going to saying anything more, since we have to switch back from our chat-based writing style due of the guidelines. You know screw this. Let’s continue this.” Narrator told to the Audience.

Gold sat down in his seat, the Professor hadn’t arrived yet and the golden eyes boy wondered why. “Why am I still going to this stupid tutoring?” Gold asked himself. After a while Professor Oak finally arrives. “Where have you been?” Gold asked, clearly showing his annoyance.

“I won’t able to tutor you, because there’s an important research I have to go to. But rest assured, my assistant will tutor for about 5 days. Crystal, you know what to do.” Professor Oak said as he left the room [12].

“Yes, Professor.” Crystal replied, refusing to show any sign of annoyance on her face and voice.

Gold got a bad feeling about this. The minute Oak left, she turned around to face Gold himself with a stern look on her face. “I got news for you buster. I’m not here to have chit-chat with you. We are strict-time, any questions?” Crystal asked Gold.

“Yeah, can I leave early?” Gold asked.

Crystal scratched her head. “Um, let me see…no. Professor Oak trusted me to tutor you. I will tutor you, one way or another. Let’s start with this.” Crystal responded in a serious tone.

“Crystal gave the Crown prince a hard time. Sometimes she even had to physical abuse the prince to get him to listen to her.” The Narrator said.

“Ow, why you hit me?” Gold asked with his hand on his already bandaged head.

“No sleeping in class! You should stop staying up so late in night!” Crystal told him in a hint of anger.

“Why you so serious all the time” Gold asked.

“And why are you so lazy and stupid?! Some Future Emperor of France you are.” Crystal responded back to him.

“Hey! I’m not like you. Miss Perfect!” Gold angrily yelled back to Crystal. That actually hurt Crystal.

“Oh, you think I live a perfect life? What about you? Living in a castle? With servants you can get what you want? And….me, a maid to my stepmother and being treated like dirt by my step sisters.” Crystal shouted at Gold angrily. The poor guy flinched by surprise.

“Sorry, I didn't…” Gold was about to say until….

“Get out of here! I don’t want to see you again! I will tell the Professor, you failed!” Crystal yelled. After a short while Gold left the room with a painful feeling in his chest.

“Thus things have become hard and complicated, but our Crown Prince felt guilty and decided to come back the next day.” Narrator told to the audience [13].

Crystal comes in as she puts on the lab coat until….

“I’m ready.” Gold said which surprised Crystal, who was unaware that he was in the room.

“Why are you here?! What you want?!” Crystal asked angrily.

“I’m here to apologize and I wanted to be tutored. I didn’t mean it the other day. Can we have this show on the road?” Gold asked to Crystal which she smiled a bit.

“Sure and apology accepted.” Crystal sighed. Gold sat down and the girl starts with her lessons.

“Thus Crystal tutors the Crown Prince, Gold in Science, philosophy, mathematics, and nature itself and during that time, the Prince slowly begins to fall for her. When Professor Oak came back to resume their session, Oak was amazed what great job the Crown Prince has done. But one night, the Crown Prince was writing an anonymous letter to Crystal. He drops off the letter before Oak or Crystal arrive; he sends her letters as her secret admirer. Until one day when Crystal absent from the classroom…"Narrator said.

"Hey, Old Man. Where’s super serious gal?” Gold asked. “Oh, she has errands to do. Why you asked?” Professor Oak asked the young prince.

“Oh, nothing.” Gold answers as he sneaks around to drop off the letter, but sadly for Gold the Professor had his suspicions since a few days.

“So, you’re the secret admirer, eh?” Professor Oak said as he notices the letter the prince was trying to hide.

“Please, don’t tell her. It’s just since a few weeks ago… I like her, okay?” Gold told the Professor.

“Don’t worry your secret is safe with me. She’s having a hard time, being a maid in her own home.” Professor Oak told Gold that.

“Why is that?” Gold asked.

“It all happened when her father died; her stepmother became head of the house and forced her to become a maid.” The professor explained.

“After hearing the story from the professor, the young prince saw his tutor in a whole new light and respected the girl even more. A few days later, back at the Mansion…"Narrator said.

We see Crystal working hard to cook and clean the house. "Crystal! Where’s the food?” Whitney asked arrogantly. “Coming” Crystal responded annoyed [14].

Unbeknownst to Crystal was that the mice couple was watching the girl every second.

“Poor Crystal.” Sapphire sighed.

“I wish there was something we could do for her?” Ruby mused. He was worried for the girl.

The family dog names Diamond or Dia for short came in and spotted the mouse couple. Dia was the gentlest dog you’d ever see. His hobbies were eating, keeping an eye on Crystal and listening to the quarrels of the mice.

“What’s going on?” Dia asked the mice couple.

“Its poor Crystal, she has to do everything that her evil step sisters and stepmother tell her to do. On top of that she’s also assistant of Professor Oak. All that work will kill her someday” Ruby explain to the dog.

“I feel sorry for her.” Dia responded.

The stared at the girl for a while, until the family’s cat arrived; Platinum [15]. Thought she may look mean, Platinum is good friends with Diamond and the mice couple, Ruby and Sapphire and like the three she’s very worried about Crystal. “What’s wrong with Crystal? I haven’t seen her like this for a long time.” Platinum said.

“She’s been working too much. I feel so sorry for her” Sapphire told the cat.

“But hasn’t she accepted this since the death of her father?” Platinum wondered.

“At least it can’t become any worse than it is, right?” Dia asked.

The animals keep talking with a while, until their conversation gets interrupted by a knock on the door. Crystal and the animals looked up surprised.

“Coming!” Crystal answered.

She opened the door and gets greeted by the mailman. “Good day miss, I have letters from the Emperor, himself. Have a nice day.” The Mailman hands over the letters to Crystal and leaves. Crystal closes the door and looks at the letters. She decided to go upstairs to tell her stepmother about the news.

“Crystal, what it is this time?” Clair asked the girl.

“Letters from the Emperor.” Crystal answered. She hands the letters to Lady Clair. Her step sisters, who stopped with their singing lesson hurried over to their mother, curious about the letters.

“It’s an invitation to a ball for the Prince’s engagement to the Princess of Portugal. And all the monarchies are invited as well” Clair said.

“Engagement ball?!” both Sabrina and Whitney shouted in surprise.

While the two stepsister start talking about what dresses they should wear, Crystal had her eyes glued on the invitation. “Can I come?” Crystal asked, curious about Gold’s engagement.

“Of course you can, only if you finish your work.” Clair told to Crystal.

Crystal nodded in joy that she could finally have something to be eager about after she finishes, sadly she had too much work to do and she wasn’t able to finish. The step sisters and the stepmother left for the ball leaving a disappointed Crystal alone.

“Why did this happen?” Crystal wondered sadly as she looked at all the work she still had to do. “I thought I could finish it all, go to the ball and ask Gold for an explanation. Why didn’t he told me anything about the engagement?”

One day ago….

“Sorry for coming later Professor.” Crystal apologies as she comes into the room. She looks around to see if she could spot a certain person, but it was only her and Professor Oak. “Where’s Gold?” Crystal asked. “Oh, he left before you came in.” Professor Oak answered.

Disappointed Crystal grabs the pile of papers and starts to work.

“I must say that boy has taken an interest in you, I wonder he’s your secret admirer…!” Professor Oak muses softly.

Crystal snorted. “Professor, that’s absurd. He’s a prince and I’m just a…” She trailed off.

“Just a maid?” Professor Oak asked his assistant.

“Yes, sir, a low-class maid.” Crystal responded with hint of sadness [16].

“Crystal, he’s worrying about you. Most of the time when he’s here, he asks about you instead of actually learning something. He even begged me once to have you tutor him. Did something happened while I was gone?” Professor Oak asked Crystal.

Crystal shook the feeling she was starting to feel and cleared her throat. “Sir, there’s nothing going on with two of us.”

“Well, I’m heading to the ball tomorrow and you’ll take a day off.” Professor Oak told Crystal.

“I want to go. I wonder why the Professor thinks that Gold is my secret admirer. If only I could go to the ball and ask him myself, but how? I don’t have any clothes, walking takes too long and in top of that they took my invitation.” Crystal muttered.

The bluenette decided to go outside for some fresh air, but her peace got interrupted by an explosion of sparkling glitter and stuff appeared out of nowhere. The mice, dog, cat, and one of the family’s horses names Pearl went to the garden to see what was happening.

“What was that?” Pearl asked.

“I don’t know.” Dia replied.

“What happened?” Both Sapphire and Ruby asked.

Out of the glitter and smoke a figure appeared. It looked like a young woman with long brown hair and blue eyes. The figure coughed. “Damn I should have chosen a better method!”

“Who are you?” Crystal asked the young brunette.

“I also need to work on the landing.” She woman muttered. She turned around and spotted Crystal. “Oh hello there, I’m your fairy godmother. My name is Blue”.

“A godmother, that exists? And what do you do?” Crystal asked Blue.

“Oh, I’m here to fulfill your dreams. You wanted to go to the ball so you can snatch your prince back, right?” Blue answered in a sweet tone.

Blue clapped in her hands and in a second an invitation letter appeared in Crystal’s hand. Crystal was surprise to see the letter.

“Don’t you have wands?” Crystal asked.

“That’s old fashion and only for fairy tales. Seriously people these day, they just get dumber and dumber. Before you know it it’s totally normal to see teenage girls getting entranced by their boyfriends. Now let me see. To go to the castle we need more help.” Blue mused while she was reading a book. “Oh screw this!” She said as she threw the book away. “Green, honey I need you here.” Blue called.

In seconds a man appeared with spiky-brown hair and green eyes. He was sitting on a chair, while reading a newspaper. “HEY! What you want?” Green asked clearly showing his annoyance [17].

“I need your help here sweetie.” Blue cooed innocently.

“Help with what?” Green asked indifferently.

Blue pointed at Crystal. “This sweet innocent girl needs to go to a ball to proclaim her love to a prince.”

“I’M NOT IN LOVE!” Crystal shouted.

“Sure you are. Now we need a carriage and some people who can bring Crystal to the ball.” Blue said.

“Can’t you do it yourself?” Green asked.

“No, a fairy’s job isn’t bringing people to balls to proclaim their love. We have to help the people who are in need and need to proclaim their love to their loved ones.” Blue answered.

“This makes no sense.” Crystal muttered softly to no one in particular.

Green sigh. “Why didn’t I finished Fairy academy?! Why did I married you instead?”

“Because you love me.” Blue laughed in a teasing tone.

“Pesky girl. Fine, I do it. But only this time, now let’s see. Pumpkin for the transport, mice for the horses, the horse as the driver, and the cat and the dog as escort servants… it doesn’t make much sense, but I don’t care.” Green mumbled. He turned to the animals and snapped in his fingers and well you know what happened.

Pearl, Diamond and Platinum look at themselves in amazement. “I can’t believe I’m so beautiful.” Platinum exclaimed in happiness.

“Please tell me we’re going to look like this forever.” Pearl muses.

“I am hungry.” Diamond pointed out.

“There done.” Green said.

“Why is the horse an escort and are we the horses?!” Ruby complained.

“Oh, such ya trap sissy!” Sapphire yelled.

“Thank you very much honey.” Blue said in delight. “Now let’s get to my favorite part; a dress for the lady.”

Ruby nudged Blue. 'I hope she can understand animal’ He thought. “Uhm excuse me but, can I make the dress? I am very good at knitting and sewing.

Sapphire scowled angrily and head-butted Ruby as hard as she could.

"I got a better idea.” Blue says as she claps her hands together in delight. She drags Crystal further in the garden. After snapping with her fingers, Crystal’s clothes turned into a beautiful dress [18].

Crystal went to the pond to see her dress. She is amazed by it.

“I like it sexy you know, that way you can seduce your prince easily.” Blue commented. “Well, have fun at the ball.” Blue told to Crystal as she steps in the carriage.

“Don’t forget. The magic will expire by midnight.” Green warned Crystal.

“Drop death.” Pearl grumbled in disappointment.

Crystal nodded and off they go. Blue and Green saw her off to the ball. “We did a good job, didn’t we?” Blue asked as she snuggled closer to Green.

“Swear this is going to be the last time.” Green commanded annoyed as he tried to get Blue off of him.

At the ball all monarchies of Europe invited by Napoleon himself arrived at the palace. The guests are dressed very fine and elegant.

“Hey Prez, what will be on today’s news?” A reporter named Black asked his boss; White, president of the newspaper Paris Times.

“The biggest scope of the daily news is the Ball. They’ll announce the engagement of the prince and a lot of royalties will be present. On top of that the prince is known for being a party-guy and troublemaker; just think what for big scoop we can catch!” White explains exciting. She grabs him by his hand and drags him with her. “The party has started!” White almost yelled elated.

They went inside, once they reached the ballroom, they saw the room filled with guests from all over the world. There was a long line of food that would make Diamond end up in the hospital from drying up by his constant drooling. Somewhere in the corner of the room sat the Crown Prince of Imperial France.

“This is boring.” Gold said to himself. He wondered what Crystal is doing and how she’d react about the engagement. He never met the girl and this engagement was only made to keep peace in the land. “I wish she was here.”

“Hey, Gold!” Gold looked up to see a young man with spiky black hair and red eyes approaching.

“Hey Red, how’s it going?” Gold asked as they shook hands.

Red was the son of King George IV and heir to the throne of England [19].

“What do you think? I heard you about to wed Princess of Portugal?” Red answered.

“Yeah, but it’s was Tallyard’s idea. It’s only to keep the peace in Europe.” Gold answered with little enthusiasm.

“It seems so.” Red agrees. “By the way, is something wrong? You don’t seem like your usual self.”

“Don’t worry about it, it’s nothing really.” Gold reassured the young man.

“He’s in love with some else.” A boy with red hair, silver eyes and a cold expression answered. The boy’s name was Silver and he happens to be Gold’s best friend since 1805. Behind him were Princess of Austria, Yellow and her younger brother Emerald of Russia [20].

“With who?” Emerald asked

“Emerald!” Yellow yelled sternly.

“Ok, it all began with the tutor session I was forced to follow…” Gold started to explain.

Outside, Crystal’s carriage arrived and the Imperial Guard let her in. She steps out of the carriage with a nervous look. She gives Pearl, who looks worried at her a reassured nod and walks into the palace.

“… So what should we do to kill time?” Diamond asked.

Pearl looked puzzled at Platinum.

“How about a card game?” Platinum suggested.

“What about Ruby and Sapphire?” Pearl asked.

“They can join, as long as no one sees us.” Platinum answered.

“I get the snacks!” Diamond announced cheerfully.“

"She may be super serious, proper and a sadist, but she’s interesting.” Gold told his guests.

“That’s something you don’t see every day.” Silver said in a sarcastic tone.

“A commoner and a sadist too?” Yellow asked worried.

“How did you fall for her?” Red asked Gold with curiosity.

“It’s got to do with…” Gold was about to answer when he sees a mysterious and beautiful looking girl [21]. Strangely the girl reminded him of Crystal. He ignored his guests and walked over to the girl. While Napoleon watches him.

“Tallyard, who is she? She looks familiar, have I seen her before?” Napoleon asked his diplomat.

“I don’t know, sire, but it seems that your nephew has taken interest in her.” Tallyard answers.

“What if his interest in her is more important to him that his engagement to the princess of Portugal?” Napoleon asked worried.

“That could cause a political fault, sire. Unless, we could do something about it” Tallyard answered.

“No, let him be for once.” Napoleon commands as he watches his Nephew move his towards the blue haired girl.

Meanwhile, Crystal wanders around in the crowd until she is tapped on the shoulder. She turned around to see the Crown Prince, Gold standing in front of her expectantly.

'Act natural, Crystal. He’s just a no good…handsome prince I never had feelings for…no, this is not the time for this.’ Crystal thought when Gold comes close to her.

“I’ve never seen you around here. What’s your name?” Gold asked.

“Umm, it's… Chris, for Christine.” Crystal responded quickly, hoping that Gold wouldn’t find out.

“Chris? I like that. Care to join me?” Gold offered his hand.

“Sure” Crystal answered as she takes his hand.

They join the dance floor while Beethoven performs the waltz. While…

“This is the scope of the century!” White mumbled exciting as she writes her notepad full.

“What is?” Black asked confused.

“That!” White points her finger to Gold and Chris (Crystal) who are dancing.

“Crown Prince has feelings for a girl that’s not his fiancée. Oh, this is so going to be on daily paper.” White exclaims happily, while dreaming of the success their news will bring. “This is the best say of my life!”

Black sweat-drops and tries to calm his overactive boss down, while everyone else became amazed by the Crown Prince and Crystal’s dancing.

“So, Chris. What brings you here?” Gold asked her.

Crystal hesitated to answer, hoping that her answer won’t blow her cover. “I wanted to come to the ball.”

“For what?” Gold asked suspiciously.

“I needed to get out once in a while.” Crystal answered no trace of nervousness in her voice.

Gold chuckled. “You know, you kinda remind me of someone.”

“And of whom do I remind you off?” Crystal asked wondering about what the professor told her the day before.

“Her name is Crystal. She’s the most beautiful and serious gal I ever met.” Gold said with sweet tone.

“What’s so important about her?”

“She’s somehow interesting, proud, bossy and a sadist, but yet I feel so attracted to her. She reminds me of myself; behind her mask of seriousness is a face that’s trapped and yearns for freedom, like me. "Gold answered.

"What do you mean?” Crystal asked surprised.

“Thus we; the audience, I and the director know that Crystal is the mystery girl, but Gold seem too stupid and dense enough not to notice, what is he, Red?! Anyway, her plan was to find out about Gold’s feelings which, succeeds, but what she didn’t expect was that she also realized that she also fell in love with him. Wow, that sounded like too Cliché [22], don’t you think?” Narrator told to the Audience. “Now let’s continue with this too cliché story!”

“Who is she?” Lyra, the Princess of Portugal wondered while she was watching Gold and Crystal.

“A friend I guess.” Silver answers as he approached the girl.

“So, when do we have our dance?” Lyra asks while putting up a puppy-face to Silver.

“… Later!” Silver answered while turning away quickly to hide his blush.

“It seems that Gold like her?” Yellow stated.

“Maybe she’s his soul mate?” Red wondered. He knew of the prince’s reputation of being a lecher and flirt. So the idea of the golden eyes boy to fall in love for the first time was quite interesting.

They continued to watch the dancing couple. Beethoven has come with a new kind of waltz which is rougher, with rhythm that is too modern like Tango or ballet [23]. Gold and Crystal matched the song perfectly and flawless, until they separate by 5 feet apart. Everyone waited until the surprise climax as they run towards each other. They continue to do their dance with perfection, until the song stops. The two stare at each other’s face. To their surprise everyone applauds. After bowing they leave the dance floor for some privacy.

“Come on, let’s follow them!” White yells as she runs after the duo. The poor Black tries his best to catch up to her.

“Wait for me!” Black shouts out.

“Our two love birds are walking down the garden, until they reach a fountain. Both of them stay quiet and enjoy the garden’s scenery. Gold splashed water at Crystal and the crystal-eyes girl responded by soaking him too. They enjoyed the moment as they never had before. Crystal finally saw another side of Gold that she never saw before, which makes her fall even more in love with the prince. She plans to tell him everything, who she really is and her feelings, but when they reached the top of the stairs. Crystal noticed the clock; it was almost midnight. She shrugs the nervous feeling away and pretends like nothing this evening is too good to be true and it’s too early to let it end.”

“Do you love her?” Crystal asked.

“Who?” Gold responded confused.

“The Princess of Portugal.” She answered.

“No, it’s only a political marriage. Why do you ask?”

“Just curious.” Crystal answered quickly.

“Say, have we met before? You look familiar.” Gold said, he noticed that she was getting nervous.

Before Crystal could answer the clock hit twelve and the sound echoed through the palace. “I, have to go!” Crystal said and she quickly ran downstairs, but Gold grabbed her wrist.

“Wait! I need to know. You look like her, you sound like her too and you even act like her, are you her? Are you Crystal?” He asked while he stared into her eyes.

Crystal felt as if he was looking through her soul. The sound of the clock was heard again through the castle. Crystal snapped back to reality, she yanked her arm free and continued to run downstairs.

“Wait!” Gold yelled after her. He ran as fast as he could, which gave him stares, strange looks and various scolding from the crowd, but he didn’t care. He had to catch up with her and confirm everything himself; sadly she was way ahead of him.

She ran into the carriage, the animals and the escorts all had returned when they heard the first ring of the clock but, Crystal arrived too late and everything was changes back. Crystal quickly grabbed the pumpkin, the cat, the dog and the mice and jumped on the horse. The Old Guard stare confused as the girl leaves the gate. Gold arrives shortly after Crystals departed.

“Have any of you seen a hot blue haired girl in a sexy dress?” He asked.

“No, but we did see a 'hot’ girl on a horse in an ugly dress.” One of the guards answered.

“Both work fine for me, which way did she go?”

“She left east, but I don’t think you can catch up to her.”

“Dammit!” Gold cursed out loud. Disappointed he walked back to the castle, but he stopped when he saw something shimmering. He looked closer and noticed at was a heel made of glass. “I wonder if her feet hurt.” Gold mused. “Those heels look painful especially if it’s made of glass.”

The Next day, Crystal lost in her thoughts, daydreaming about last night; she didn’t notice Professor Oak entering.

“Crystal, why are you so early?” The professor asked.

“I felt elated after taking a day off.” Crystal answered.

“I see, well I got news to tell you.” Professor Oak announces proudly as he showed her a copy of Paris Times. It was written with a giant letters; “Crown Prince and his mystery girl shocked the Monarchies of Europe.” Crystal was quite surprised, satisfied and puzzled about her feelings when she saw it.

“The mystery girl really is something. She reminds me of you.” Professor Oak said, while taking a sip from his coffee. Crystal looked attentively at the professor. She sigh and put her work down.

“Sir, I got something to say.” Crystal said.

Professor Oak frowned curiously. “What is it?”

“I’m the mystery girl. I went to the ball secretly and danced with Gold.”

Professor Oak sigh. “I was wondering if I was just seeing things, but what I don’t understand is, how were you able to go to the ball?”

“It’s a long story that involved a lot of strange things including the strangest fairy couple I’ve met, But that’s not important, what’s important is that I know now what kind of person Gold really is. He’s so…nice and caring. I’ve never seen him like that. When we danced, it’s like we are in our own world and no one can get us out of that world. He’s like… the kind of person I always dreamed to be with” Crystal explained.

“I get it; you fell in love with him. It was pretty obvious you know that?” Professor Oak said.

Crystal shook her head, “Professor, I can’t. I shouldn’t be together with him. I shouldn’t interfere in political affairs. If I didn’t knew he was to be wed with the princess of Portugal, then maybe I could tell him that it was me.”

“It was you, this whole time?” Both Crystal and Oak turned surprised to see Gold standing by the door. “Why you didn’t you told me?” Gold asked [24].

“I was thinking about telling you, but you are engaged to the Princess of Portugal.” Crystal explained.

“You think I care about that shit?” Gold asked as he slowly approached Crystal. “Super serious gal, I prefer my feelings over political matter, screw them! If we ever end up in a war because of my decision, I’ll handle it when that time comes.”

“Don’t do that!” Crystal protested.

“Why?” Gold asked. He leans into Crystal and kissed her, but to Gold’s surprise Crystal leans away.

“Don’t. Do what your country expects you to do.” Crystal answers while putting her hand between them.

“Crystal, you don’t mean that. You really don’t have to worry about that. I’ll speak with my uncle. I’m sure he’ll understand and cancel the engagement.” Gold exclaimed as he left the room.

At the Palace, Gold runs into his uncle’s room.

“Uncle, I need to speak with you, it’s urgent.” Gold said.

“Is this about the marriage arrangement?” Napoleon asked.

Gold was taken aback by how well his uncle knew him. “Yes.” He answered,

“I have talked with Tallyard and he agrees with me that we should cancel your engagement. I’m sorry for taking you away from your happiness. Go to the woman you love and live your life. You’ll still be heir to the throne and you have to remain faithful to your duties, but you are free to love the one you wish [25].”

Gold hugged his uncle and thanked him over and over. After he finished drying his tears he ran outside on his way back to Crystal, thought on his way, he remembered that he still didn’t know where she lived and that he had a shoe to return. So he decided to go to the lap and ask professor Oak for her address.

“So, Gold was on his way to Crystal’s mansion. Back at the mansion, the stepmother has her suspicions’ about Crystal being the mystery girl that danced with Gold at the ball. So she locked the poor girl up in her room, just before the prince arrived.”

“Let me out! I swear you’ll pay for this!” Crystal threatened.

“Don’t worry dear; I’ll let you out once the prince returns to the castle!” Clair repeated in an evil tone.

“… if you do that I can always to go Gold myself, makes me wonder why I returned to this mansion in the first place.”

“… Shut up and follow the plot!”

“Meanwhile the prince was getting ready to make his entrance to impress Crystal…”

“Hi there sweetie, I came to pick you up… no that sounds lame. *Cough* Good day milady I understood that someone ordered a prince and a lost shoe? Dude what am I a nerd trying to pick up a girl?! Yo super serious gal, you look pretty hot today, let’s go for a ride… dammit not good enough!”

“So, while out prince was still busy with coming up with the perfect pick up line for Crystal, the girl herself tried to escape from her room. The kicked and tackled the door as hard as she could, but the door refused to break open.”

“Dammit! What is this door made of titanium?” The blue haired girl wondered, while she looked for any other option to escape the room.

“Ruby, Sapphire, Platinum and Diamond looked pitiful at the girl. They decided to try their best to reunite her with her prince.”

“Hey guys, what if we break open the window? That was she can escape and surprise the prince.” Sapphire suggested. The other animals looked awkwardly at her. “What? It happens a lot in those TV-shows and movies.”

“That may be true, but it’s rude and unladylike to do. He’s the Prince of France for heaven’s sake.” Platinum answered.

“Yeah, but he’s also a rude delinquent lecher who loves to party. I noticed he was trying to peek under her dress once.” Sapphire countered.

“But, but, It’s barbaric!” Ruby yelled.

Sapphire felt another headache coming up and beat the poor Ruby into pulp.

“Let’s just find the key.” Diamond suggested.

“They all agree. Ruby and Sapphire went out of the room to find the key, luckily for them Crystal was the only bright one of the household, so they found the key on a table next to Crystal’s room. Sapphire grabbed the key and went back to Crystal’s room. Once back Ruby and Sapphire immediately dropped the key in shock, when they saw Crystal with a chair in her hands and facing the window [26].”

“To hell with this! This isn’t my house to begin with, so I won’t feel guilty breaking anything!” She yelled.

Ruby fainted and Sapphire started to laugh maniacal. “HAHAHAHA! I told ya that breaking that window would have been better!”

“Platinum and Diamond sweat-dropped, while Crystal kicked the chair against the window. How ladylike.” The narrator commented sarcastically.

Crash!

“Now a few minutes ago the prince finally decided to enter the house and pick up his bride.”

“Yo super serious gal! You dropped something at the ball so I thought you might want it back. Also I talked to my uncle and he’s totally okay with us hooking up together! Crys?” Gold looked confused around. “Crys where are you?”

Clair approached the prince, while her two daughters were watching in the back curiously. “Good day your highness, what brings you to our home?”

“Well uncle Oak told me his super-hot assistance Crystal lives here and I came here to pick her up and to return something she dropped.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but we don’t have a girl names Crystal living in this house. Isn’t that right girls?” Clair asked her daughters.

“Yes mother, we don’t know anyone that goes with the name Crystal.”

“Then do you know someone called Christine?” The prince asked.

Clair and her daughters looked confused at the prince. “What?”

“Crys sometimes goes with the alias Christine, Chris or super serious girl.”

“I am sorry your highness, but we aren’t familiar with those names either.” Clair responded.

“Shit, maybe I heard him wrong.” Gold mumbled.

“But wait, it would be a shame if your journey was for nothing, why won’t you stay and have tea with us? My daughters are very good company.”

“Nah, I’m not into old, ugly and fat. I prefer sexy, busty and with a nice ass.” Gold answered uninterested. He was about the leave when they suddenly heard a crash upstairs.

“What in heaven’s name…” Clair wondered.

They all went outside and they saw Crystal getting ready to jump.

“What the?!” The step sisters yelled in surprise.

“Super serious gal!” Gold called in delight.

Crystal fumed. “Don’t call me that! Who is sexy, busty and with a nice ass you pervert! Crystal yelled, while she jumped out of the window and landed perfectly on her step sisters while giving Gold the kick he deserved.

Clair gasped and ran to her daughters. "Are you alright my angels?”

Sabrina and Whitney groaned as they got up from the mud. Crystal walked over to Gold and helped him get back on his feet.

“I can’t believe that I actually missed your physical abuse.” Gold mumbled.

“And I can’t believe that I missed you rude and perverted comment.” Crystal mused, while Gold held up her glass shoe/ heel/ slipper, whatever you want to call it. Crystal looked confused.

“You dropped it.” Gold explained. “Man I can’t believe you were able to walk on that, it’s super painful.”

Crystal looked puzzled at him and raised an eyebrow.

“I was curious.” Gold answered. “You girls make it look like it’s easy walking on those, but it hurt so much, I thought someone was pricking me with needles and for you information I fell a lot too. They should forbid heels I’ll tell you.”

Crystal giggled. “Sure they should.”

“So, do I get that kiss that I deserve?” Gold asked.

“Crystal frowned, but complied. They kissed for just 5 seconds, but for them it was enough. The animals were cheering, Gold’s slaves, I mean lackey’s too and on top of that Lady Claire almost got a heart attack.”

“Let’s go super serious gal.” Gold said, while leading Crystal to the carriage.

“With pleasure.” Crystal answered. “Oh by the way miss Clair, I think your house is on fire.” Crystal said casually.

Lady Clair looked shocked at her house that indeed was burning down.

“NOOO MY HOUSE!” She yelled desperately. She tried her best to save her house, but little could she do.

Pearl, Dia, Platinum and the mice couple were watching them silently from the buses. Sapphire was whistling, while cleaning her hands with a leaf. “Well I’m sure she won’t miss the house, since we will live in a castle from now on and I don’t think anyone will notice if the whore trio become homeless.”

“But, what about us?” Rube asked.

“We’ll be living with Crystal of Course.” Pearl answered. “After everything we’ve done for each other.”

“Does that mean we can play a card game and eat when we want?” Dia asked exciting.

“Of course we can.” Platinum smiled. All the animals all cheer in happiness.

Thus, the French Empire celebrated the wedding of Prince Gold and his newly wed wife Crystal, soon to be queen of France. Ruby, Sapphire, Diamond, Pearl and Platinum moved in with Gold and Crystal, on Crystal’s request of course. Lady Claire and her stepsister died a tragic death, but since no one cared they’re bodies were left at the burned house waiting to eating by rats and other wild animals. So the kingdom was at peace and everyone lived happily ever. You know what; this was a short story I had to tell. Ha ha ha ha, doing the full story with all the details? Hell no! {26] Why giving the director too much stress? She can’t do that, or else this story would be screwed. Okay, enough of this, I am out of here.“ The narrator announced as he left the room.

#au fanfic contest #submission #republicempire

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dehvastation · 6 years

Text

In Training (With @MismatchedFreak)

Qhuinn: [I checked my phone for the hundredth time and damn near shouted for joy when the email came through from Rhage. I would owe him two cases of tootsie pops and a night of patrol but right now, I didn’t care. I shot a quick text to Fritz asking if he could prepare a meal for two that I would pick up after my class and then hoped like hell that Dehv would be on board with my plan. It had been five months of calls and texts, of stolen moments and Skyping each other. Our schedules had just been one big ass clusterfuck of missing each other and overlapping timeframes and I had had enough. So yeah, maybe I bribed the hell out of Rhage. Not like he was going to mind an extra few hours ‘recovering’ with his shellan or getting an extra night in with her while I took his patrol. I already told the brothers at the hospital what I was doing too, and their females backed me up so I knew I had their support. I flipped to my messages to send Dehv a text and laughed when the message from him came rolling through. My fingers flew over the screen to type my reply ~Funny you should ask…as soon as class is over, don’t get caught up in chatting with the others, I’m stealing you away for a bit.~ I hit send and then finished dressing in my leathers and a form fitting black tee. I tugged on my socks and boots, then tucked my phone into my pocket along with my wallet and keys, then stepped out of the cabin and dematerialized to the manse. I had to fight to keep the smile off my face though, I didn’t want the rest of the trainees to see me in a good mood, I mean, I couldn’t let them think they’d have an easy day, where would the fun be in that]

Dehv: ~ I had just finished lacing up my boots when my phone made a noise. I jumped on it and then grinned at the message. I was going to be totally useless in that first lesson with knowing what was to come. There was a few whispers about me and Qhuinn around the trainees. But so far the only ones who knew for sure that the two of us were together were Davidson and Nhick. I trusted them, and they then understood why I was late to nights out or whatever when I got five extra minutes to see Qhuinn before he went off on patrol. I didn’t tell them much, and they really didn’t ask, they just checked in with me now and again, and sympathised when I complained about my schedule. Not that I was complaining seriously, well sometimes I was, but mostly I was just letting off steam. They understood and it made things easier. I continued to get my ass kicked my Bernie and Tie, both were fucking awesome trainees, but sucked at the theory side. Which meant that they took out their feelings of lacking on everyone around them. I didn’t dislike them, but I was wary of them. When Qhuinn had started teaching us about various weapons, and especially ones that could be used on demons, while never telling us they were for demons, they got even more confused. Despite their endless questions, ribbings and downright inappropriate comments I continued to ignore them. I was older than a lot of the trainees, and I figured they’d grow into themselves in time. I had to hope anyway. I snorted and then checked the time. I wasn’t going to have time to text back and get there in time. Punctuality was far more important right now, and Qhuinn was teaching the first class. I grinned at the thought and zipped up my jacket. I tugged my bag over my shoulder and ran down the stairs to the front door. I waited until it locked once I stepped outside before I made my way to my garage and my car. It didn’t take two minutes to get inside and start the short journey to the Brotherhood Mansion

When I pulled up and parked, I wasn’t paying attention as I made quick work of the concrete between the car and the door. I nearly crashed into Nhick as he stepped off the bus, I laughed and clapped him on the back before we waited on Davidson joining us, “Evening. Did you see the email about getting some free time today. It’s probably my first free minute in the last 6 months.” They both looked me, raised a brow and then started laughing. I just snorted at them and then tugged them both towards the locker room. I spied Qhuinn coming in the other direction, I winked and tapped my watch to tell him that time couldn’t go fast enough before I was tugged through the doors so I could stash my stuff in my locker. ~

Qhuinn: [I had made it about ten steps from the training center when I was stopped by Tohr, “Wrath wants a meet tomorrow night to discuss how things are going, I’ll tell him you’ll be there, right” I nodded and confirmed. I wasn’t stressed about meeting with Wrath, I had kept my nose clean and done a damn good job. I hadn’t even killed any of the trainees, no matter how annoying serome of the little shits could be. A few of them were working my last nerve and I wasn’t sure how much longer they were going to last in the program. Yeah, we needed boots on the ground, but I’m fairly certain Wrath wanted more than knuckle draggers to represent the damn race. I couldn’t even trust a few of them to partner off with half the class because they were fucking morons who refused to listen. My favorite was the two idiots I overhead discussing their thoughts on letting gays into the training program…that came up when Blay and Sax came down one night to go over some paperwork. It had taken every ounce of restraint I had in me not to break their necks that night, but it was close. And their time was coming. I was reminded of that night in the locker room with Lash and how my anger got away from me. Wrath should be fucking impressed with how much I’ve grown. Instead of killing them, I’d simply humiliate the shit out of them, then get them bounced out of the program. My lips quirked in the corners and then grew when I heard the trainees start filing in. I lifted my head in time to see Dehv rounding the corner and gave him a slight nod in return before tweedle dee and tweedle dum tugged him through the doors. I coughed to cover the snort and cracked my neck as I walked into the gym. I grabbed the folder from the door with the tests in there and grinned as I sorted through them. This was going to make the lesson all kinds of fun. I dropped a various weapons into the center of the mats and then leaned against the back wall while I waited for the trainees to exit the locker room. I didn’t even have to watch to see when Dehv came out, I could sense him as easily as anything lately, and once more followed by his shadows who elbowed him when they saw the pile of weapons and me standing there. The room filled in and I was just about to get started when the last two trainees, Tie and Bernie came strolling in like they were hot shit, not even caring they were late. They hadn’t even changed yet and that was just going to make it that much easier.] You two might as well not even bother changing, I doubt you’ll pass the first round of testing and if you don’t, you’ll find yourselves on your ass after tonight. Ten minute pop quiz, your results will determine how I start your pairings tonight. We’re doing a round robin of fights with weapons. You draw blood, you’re out. I want to see control. You take your opponent down and stop just short of actual drawing blood. Show me where the best strikes would be with the weapon you choose from the pile. Remember they all have their uses. Once you’re down, you’re out. If you’re out, you sit on the side and take notes. Some of you will be repeating this course based on how you do. The last trainee standing will earn one of these…after you take me down.

[I pulled a dagger out of the sheath I wore on my hip and held it up to the light.] It’s a hand-crafted gargatoan bladed bone dagger. One taste of your enemies blood and the blade will not miss its target for 24 hours. So if it scratches them as they dematerialize or run….you can track them, you can hunt them down, and then you can end them. Now. Who’s ready?

Dehv: ~ I laughed as I landed against Nhick, whose arm came up to steady me, Davidson instantly apologised to us both. “It’d be good if you learned your own strength at some point before you hit 400.” I grinned and stepped away from the two, making my way to the locker so I can throw my bag and phone in there. I only kept out my writing stuff and a drink. The two things I should technically need in the theory lessons we’d had so far. As soon as I was ready I joined up with my friends and could see them stop talking abruptly. I snorted, “What?” they both turned to look at me and then slowly smiled, Davidson was the one who answered, “We were debating asking you for food now we’re a lesson down. But Nhick here figures you probably have some kind of………….business to take care of?” They both kept a straight face for all of two minutes before cracking up. I rolled my eyes and shoved at both their shoulders, getting a punch in the arm in return from Davidson. “Watch it, or I’ll tell Qhuinn who’s bruising me and see what he says.” I glared at Davidson as seriously as I could, seeing Nhick slap his hands over his face to hide his laugh when Davidson paled and started shaking his head, smoothing hands over my shirt. I managed to hold my laughter for one more beat before I smacked his hand away, “I’m messing with you. You bruise me all the time when we spar. Idiot.” I grinned at him and he turned to look between me and Nhick, “You’re both assholes.” I laughed right along with Nhick before nodding at the door and then starting to walk, “I can’t help myself, but to answer your question, yes I am going to see Qhuinn in the free period. He’s also off, and we might get more than 5 minutes to talk to each other that’s not over text or facetime.” They both started whispering and ribbing me, poking where they could. I laughed happily and shoved at them both, knowing that we probably looked in sane as we walked through the doors of the room. We quietened slowly as I realised that there was paper and pens on the desks, and weapons laid out on a table. Well damn. Today wasn’t going to be a normal day. I was glad I’d come in my sweats rather than wearing my jeans like I would normally. We stood around awkwardly, I glanced at my watch once before I heard the late comers arriving. We all turned to face them, I could feel the tension in the room, coming from everyone including Qhuinn. I watched him and then looked to the males as they entered. I rolled my shoulders to try and dispel some of the frustration. Nhick and Davidson were standing either side of me, and I could feel they weren’t impressed either. Though our attention was quickly pulled back to Qhuinn as he started speaking. I felt my eyes go wide when he spoke to the latecomers. I’d seen him pissed, and he could easily have gone nuclear on them for being so rude. When he mentioned the test before the physical I smiled to myself. I could see both Davidson and Nhick had their heads bowed too. They knew that the two would likely struggle with the theory side of things. And then we have to spar each other until we got it spar with Qhuinn. Well shit, that was going to be interesting. I could feel both nudges that came from the males either side of me. I bit the corner of my lip to stop myself from grinning. My gaze traveled around the room, trying hard to keep things under control before we were given the go ahead to start. I lifted my hand along with most of the other trainees in answer to the question that Qhuinn asked, then turned to walk to my desk. I folded myself into the seat that felt smaller and smaller by the day and then read over the front of it. Basic test format, questions, answers. I guessed that we’d then work through the answer to ensure that everyone got the right ones. I didn’t much care, I knew I’d fallen behind with some of the theory because of patrol and my business, but I still figured I’d be alright. If I wasn’t, I’d just have to take notes for the session, still valuable. I smiled over at Qhuinn, it turning into a full blown grin as I realised I’d get to see him fight. Whether it was against me or one of the others. It would still be fun. Watching from the sidelines would likely mean I was itching to get out of the session by the end. If we fought each other, I had to remember to avoid his nose. No way was I going to live that down if I broke it yet again. I snorted at the thought and then shook my head when that attracted attention, “Nothing, sorry. Can we start?” ~

Qhuinn: [As soon as most of the trainees started taking their seats, I grabbed my phone and started setting the timer. Dehv’s snort had me lifting a brow as I turned my head, that grin on his face had my thoughts going a whole different direction, but I managed to quickly school my features. I gave a quick nod and pressed the start button] Go ahead and start. You have ten minutes

[Most of the trainees started right off. It was a fairly standard test going over the shit we’ve covered endlessly. I knew theory sucked, everyone wanted hands on and I couldn’t blame them. But the Brotherhood was sticklers for this shit. They didn’t want dumbasses out on the streets representing them and I couldn’t blame them either. I tried to keep the balance and hoped I did a decent enough job with it. I started walking around the class, checking out the answers as I did. Some of the trainees, Dherric, Jhasper, and even Nhick especially, were flying through the test. And from what I could tell, doing a killer job. Others were going over the questions a little more studiously. It was no surprise though that Tie and Bernie hadn’t even started. As I got closer, I heard them muttering under their breath their thoughts on the whole situation. I checked the time and popped my neck. I shifted my steps and gave the room another sweep to give the other trainees the appropriate time before the distraction I knew was coming happened. I checked my time. Sixty seconds left. I glanced up in the corner of the room where the camera was situated and gave the slightest of nods, then changed my trajectory once more. I was coming between the two desks when they jumped me. “Why should we go through the bullshit when we can just take you and the weapons now?” “Yeah, you said we were getting tossed anyway…” An elbow connected with ribs and I grinned before narrowing my eyes at the class] No one, I mean no one fucking move, you hear me?

[They were out of sync, they were trying brute strength and no thought in their attack. I threw an elbow back and hit Tie in the throat, then spun and connected a left hook into Bernie’s jaw. Tie choked and stumbled back, towards the pile of weapons. I wasn’t worried about him though. Instead I stared at Bernie and ran towards him, dropping a shoulder and tackling him to the ground. He dropped like a sack of potatoes and his head bounced off the ground with a sickening thud. I could say it knocked him stupid, but that would be no different than any other day. He growled and tried to wrap around me as he swung his arms like windmills at me. His ham-hock hands connecting but only glancing blows. I lifted my head to the rest of the class] This…this is why you need to know your opponent and always be on your guard.

[I shifted to the right just as a dagger grazed my ear. It landed and barely missed hitting Bernie in the forehead. His eyes went wide and I turned my head to see Tie launching at me. I rolled off Bernie and Tie landed on him instead. Bernie was pissed about the dagger and let Tie know by jacking him in the face twice before the doors opened and Tohr came walking in with a smirk on his face. “Good job, you fucking idiot. I’m impressed you didn’t kill either of them, they sure as hell deserved it.” Behind him was a pissed off looking Zsadist and an even more pissed off Wrath. I dusted myself off and got up to speak to the three Brothers while they picked up Tie and Bernie off the ground. They’d caused some shit in other classes but not enough to get bounced…until now. Wrath slapped my back and then confirmed the meeting tomorrow, before they all left, leaving me with the trainees who were all, surprisingly quiet. I closed the door behind Wrath and took a slow, steadying breath. I already knew Dehv was going to be pissed at me, I’d caught his glare at least once but had to force myself not to look for him during the fight. I had to hope he’d not jump in and that he’d let me handle this. Thankfully he restrained himself. That would go a long way to proving to Wrath and the others we had this shit under control too. I took one more breath before I turned and wiped the blood off my bottom lip as I gave the class a slow grin.] So…who’s ready to see how they did?

Dehv: ~ I licked over my lips and then turned over the paper when Qhuinn told us we were able to. I exhaled slowly and then started reading down the questions. I never worried about not knowing the answers, as long as I got a decent score, I knew I would be safe in the programme. I gave a quick look around the place, smiling when I saw Nhick knuckling down, Davidson sat in front of him looking a little less confident. I smiled at my friends and then flicked my eyes up to watch Qhuinn wander around the room. He looked great, and I felt that little sliver of anticipation run through me as I flicked my eyes to the clock again. Shit! I was running out of time. I focused on the words in front of me and tried my best to answer them as I could. I really wanted to pass this exam and get my butt into the sparring. I had just finished writing on the final answer, my eyes shifting to the top of the page again to check over my answers when I heard the scrape of the chairs on the floor. I lifted my gaze and instantly felt my muscles tense. I was moving before I even realised I’d done it, a growl rumbling in my chest when both trainees tried to attack Qhuinn. I heard his words, and I locked up, feeling arms wrapping around me as my eyes flashed. I registered that both Davidson and Nhick were pinning me, having dumped my ass back in the chair again. Nhick was practically in my lap as they kept me still. Their words were quiet in my ear, telling me that Qhuinn knew what he was doing, and I had to leave him to get on with it. He was the tutor and they weren’t going to have me kicked out as well because I got involved where I’d been told to sit out of. I knew my eyes were glowing, and my fangs elongated as soon as I saw that dagger come towards his head, I surged forward again, this time Nhick did sit on me, hooking his legs around the chair legs to hold me in place. I growled at him again and felt Davidson smack me around the head. I turned towards him and his voice was kept low, “We’re trying to stop you getting your ass kicked. He’s not in danger, fucking stop it.” I exhaled hard and closed my eyes. I knew he was fine, I knew he wasn’t hurt and was probably enjoying himself far more with this than he had been while we were doing the test. I also figured out once my brain connected back on line again that Qhuinn had probably anticipated it. He told us it was important to know your opponent. He’d seen it coming, and had probably put himself in the line of fire. What a fucking douchebag. I growled again, this time because I wanted to beat some sense into the idiot. I slowly relaxed myself and settled back in my chair, Nhick didn’t move, neither did Davidson, though their arms relaxed slightly. I watched as Qhuinn got things under control, and then the doors opened and Zsadist, Tohr and Wrath walked in. I heard the collective intake of breath when the King entered, though I’d seen him more than I cared to remember over my training sessions and check in meetings. Davidson whispered in my ear from behind him, his breath against my ear making me swat at him, “That’s the fucking King. Think he’s as hardass as the rumours say he is?” I snorted at him, “Yes he is, don’t get on the wrong side of him, and shut up or he’ll hear you having a moment.” I grinned as Davidson laughed quietly. I realised he had a chair and was sitting in it while wrapped around me, Nhick on my lap doing the same probably looked insane. My friends were complete idiots. But they had stopped me making a fool of myself and ignoring a direct order from my tutor. I sat for a minute as Qhuinn wiped blood off himself, and I felt that rumble start again in my chest. Both friends tightened their hold on me until I wheezed, “Fuck off, I’m fine. Get your asses back to your seats so we can find out if you’re sticking around to fight.” They both grinned widely and then slowly extracted themselves from around me. With a patronising pat to the head they took their seats again and I looked up to where Qhuinn was standing by the board. I nodded curtly when he asked the room who wanted to know how they’d done. I’d get past being pissed slowly, but for now I had to participate in the class, and put everything else to the back of my mind. ~

Qhuinn: [When I turned, it took everything I had to school my features because it became readily apparent now why Dehv hadn’t jumped into the fight. Not only to me but to several others in the class based on the confused looks on their faces. Not that Dehv was noticing anyone else’s reactions, not with the glare I was getting. I was definitely going to hear about that later. The sad thing was, I was actually looking forward to it. I wasn’t used to having someone call me on my shit and he wasn’t afraid to do it. At least he didn’t do it in class, which was nice. I knew Nhick and Davidson would give him shit for it too, which amused me. Once they extracted themselves from the tangle of him anyway. Fucking clowns. Though if I wasn’t so thankful they kept him from getting his ass handed to him, I’d have a little chat about personal space…who knows, maybe I still might. It was fun making Davidson nearly piss himself. I bit my cheek not to laugh at that thought. I hoped the others would see that we could do this, that there was no preferential treatment, that we controlled ourselves enough so that soon we no longer had to hide. But maybe now he had an idea of how difficult it was for me watching him go through his own sparring shit day in and day out without being able to intervene. It fucking sucked at times, but we had to play by the rules. And I had had everything under control. Still, I fucking loved knowing he would have had my back. I gave a nod and quickly turned my back to the class, just to give myself a moment and started writing answers on the board as I spoke] Alright, honor system grading. Zero to One wrong will line up to the left, two to three wrong, to the right, four wrong in the center, five or more, against the wall, you’ll be taking notes.

[I turned back around to see them start marking down the right and wrong, some scratching out answers to put the correct one in its place, though I wasn’t worried about them cheating. Most of the trainees were good kids, even if they weren’t all the best at the theory side, every damn one of them at least tried. And it showed. During the first rounds of the fight, I’d sit and work with those who needed the extra help. They’d have another chance. The trainees started to get up and move to their respective lines, some a little more dejected than others. Nhick and Dherric went left, Dehv and Jhasper right, Davidson to the center along with Carter, and on and on it went. Three trainees ended up against the wall with me. Group one only had the two fighters, group two had five, and group three had three. It was a little uneven so I had to take the highest scoring one from the third group and partner him with the lowest scoring one from the second group, but in the end, it worked out. I grabbed one of the trainees who wasn’t going to be participating, Cannon, and grinned wide at the deer in the headlights look he suddenly had on his face as I marched him to a clearing in the center of the room] Alright, now, you all know that fights won’t always be fair. And it won’t always be your brute strength or your speed that gets the job done. It’s easy to let your emotions and your adrenaline take control in the heat of the moment, but you gotta always be in control of yourself and your weapons. You need to think about what you’re doing and what your opponent is doing, what they could be doing. Try to think ahead of the game. On the streets, your fights won’t be perfectly choreographed, your opponents won’t attack you one at a time like they do in the movies. But, if you can remain focused, you got a better shot of keeping your head. Now, I want to see you disarm your opponent and take them down, without drawing blood, show me ‘fatal’ strikes without harming them. Once you’re down, sit out and join the others in back. It should look something like this

[I handed a dagger to Cannon and then stood opposite of him with my own out. He stood there for a moment looking between me and the blade, then back to the other trainees and I raised a brow before taunting him. He ran at me like I was one of the dummy bags we had hanging and I sidestepped him easily enough before I grabbed his wrist and kicked out a leg, sending him flipping onto his back with a thud. After he groaned, I helped him back up and told him to try again, but this time to mean it, to act like I was any other trainee. I think the fall knocked the uneasiness loose because now his head was in the game. He circled me a few times and actually managed a few decent attempts at disarming me before I had managed to pin his arms behind his head and drop his dagger to the ground. I pretended to stab his heart and grinned over his shoulder] Ok, not too shabby, now, the rest of you, show me what you got.

Dehv: ~ I kept my gaze up at the board where the answers were being written down. I switched coloured pens and then started marking my sheet, adding in anything I got wrong as a separate note to that question. It allowed me to go back to it at a future date to ensure I understood where I went wrong and what was the right answer. Once I was done I added up my answers and put that clearly at the top of the paper. Not terrible, I didn’t get 100%, but I wasn’t shameful either. I glanced over at the other two, not surprised to see that Nhick had almost his 95% and Davidson was only 10% behind him. I stood and squeezed their shoulders before looking around to work out where I’d need to be, I stepped to the right and checked Davidson and Nhick were settled too. I knew they were fine, but we worked really well together and I checked on them without thought. I grinned when I found myself standing beside Jhasper, we were in a group of five, and I was pleased when Qhuinn came around and moved us into more even groupings. I was also glad that for the most part the majority of the group got a decent score. It made me proud of how far we’d come from when we’d first started the programme. I looked up at Jhasper and smiled at him, clearing my throat before I spoke, “This should be interesting. After that display, I’m not sure anything we do can beat it.” He grinned and shook his head, “At least those two fuckwits are out the programme now. Should mean we get a little more done in these sessions. They’ve injured me by accident every time we’ve paired up.” I felt my eyes go wide, I’d been able to mostly keep the two at bay, but I knew Jhasper was younger than the rest of us, so he was still finding his way and growing into his transitioned body. I hadn’t any clue that they went at others that hard, “Shit, that’s good they’re out the programme then. We have to trust each other, and maiming and injuring each other isn’t the way to boost morale.” He laughed and I grinned at him before turning my attention back to Qhuinn to see what he had in mind for the next round.

I nodded along with the explanation and grinned. I’d used strength against others in the past, and I’d done damage by controlling my anger and my strength when it was needed. This I could do and I hoped I could do well. Though whether I wanted to fight Qhuinn at the end was another matter. Would he be happy to go no holds barred, or would be pull his punches? I watched some of the others listen, the odd one sneer and shake their head as they tried to ignore the logic to his words. It amused me to see that some of the trainees were really inexperienced, and I hoped that a knock on their ass and their confidence this early would mean they’d start to listen, grow and change rather than find it hard to build themselves back up again. I watched Cannon get picked to go toe to toe with Qhuinn, and it had me chuckling. I knew that’d not do any damage, but I also knew that they thought Qhuinn was scary as fuck, even Davidson, who knew I’d not get involved with someone who was dangerous to anyone who didn’t deserve it.

I felt my eyes widen at the first attempt, a collective gasp echoing when Qhuinn sidestepped and the trainee started getting frustrated. Though, with prompting he started to understand what Qhuinn was getting at, and that had the others reacting in the same way. Noticing the things he was doing that were going to be ineffective, I felt a nudge and leaned closer to Jhasper, “You ok?” He nodded and then whispered, “Didn’t think this was a thing, but it’s worked fast. He’d down and he barely got a shot in.” I nodded at that and then ran my fingers through my hair, “Yeah, doesn’t help we’re trainees and he’s a professional though, hey?” I snickered and then moved forward to select a weapon. I chose a couple of knives that felt like they fitted in my palms perfectly and then moved to a clear area so I could face Jhasper. I was surprised to see that he’d picked up a similar weapon to me, though whereas mine were serrated and sharp, his seemed duller and more rounded. I bet that hurt when you got caught wrong.

I rolled my shoulders and dropped down, grinning at the younger Trainee before shrugging a shoulder in disinterest. I could see his anger flare at that gesture and I chuckled to myself. He ran at me and I mimicked Qhuinn’s move from earlier, side stepping and taking Jhaspers feet out from under him. He hit the mat with a loud bang, though he bounced right back up to face me. I winked this time and continued to watch him. I saw the anger bleed slowly out his eyes and he rushed me. I went to sidestep again, but this time he countered and shouldered past me, boot hitting my knee to bring me down to the mat with a shout of pain, the elbow to the mouth didn’t improve my mood, “I’m not those assholes, you’re meant to show the blow, not take it.” I rolled my eyes and spun the knife in my palm as I stood again. I flexed my knee to check it was just a bruise before licking at my lip, the blood welling just slightly in the split. Nothing serious and it’d be healed before morning.

I growled as I watched Jhasper circle and this time when he ran at me I didn’t move, instead sweeping my leg under his and gripping his hips to take him down to the mat, quickly using the heel of one boot and my knee to pin his arms to his side, my daggers positioned at his throat and over his heart, “Like this.” I growled, his breathing was coming in short huffs of air from where I’d slammed him down on the mat. I left my weight on his right wrist just long enough to see the wince flash over his features before I stood and stepped back again, gesturing for him to come at me again. ~

Qhuinn: [Once the first group started their sparring, I walked around with the three who were not fighting and checked on each pairing. I was pointing things out as I went while still explain the purpose of the exercise. I knew they didn’t understand. They were used to hard and fast. Hit or be hit. I shook my head as I brought them to a clearing and told them I would give them five minutes to work together on a plan to take me down, when I came back they would see the difference. Then I went back to checking the trainees. I heard Dehv’s growl and felt my own building at the sight of his blood and was just about to call Jhasper over for disqualification when Dehv took him down. I bit back my smirk and nodded.] Jhasper, you’re out. Dehv, move over and join Barron. Davidson, good takedown. Join Kelvin. Nhick, good work with that cue stick, I like seeing some thinking outside the box with the weapons. You might not always have what you’re familiar with and you’ll have to improvise. Trick, out. I said no blood. Get on the mat. Alright, everyone, get ready for round two.

[I grinned and walked over to those who were out and the one’s who were waiting for me. The three who’d been planning lifted their heads and gave a slight nod when I asked if they were ready and I gave them the okay to start. Then…I turned my back on them while I attended the first round losers. As expected, the trainees were loud when they attacked and they were choreographed. I dropped two on their asses with no damage and the third managed a fake rib shot with a dagger before they two landed on their asses with a ‘fatal’ wound.] Every time my ass ended up in the hospital, was usually because I acted before I thought about what I was doing. I rushed headfirst into the fight and my enemies knew it. I made stupid mistakes and missed the obvious shit. Control is also good because sometimes, you need to keep the assholes alive

[The groans I got to that had me laughing and nodding in agreement…but it was true] I know. It sucks, but sometimes, you do what you have to because you need information. If you control the situation. And you can control yourself, you hurt them just enough, you subdue them, then you get what you need and you make a lot of people, very fucking happy.

[This time, I took another volunteer and went through the motions again, and again, and again, until each trainee had a go at me while the others were sparring. And as each trainee lost. They joined us on the match and new pairings were formed. And I continued to train…it was only fair that I wear myself down as much as who ever I would be facing in the end]

Dehv: ~ I stopped dead in my tracks when Qhuinn told Jhasper he was out. I wondered if it was because I took him down, or because he’d drawn blood. Either one could have been it, but I was happy that we’d been moved around. I rolled my shoulders and turned to Barron and grinned, “Having fun yet?” I winked and then growled when he made some comment about me being teachers pet. I rolled my eyes right along with that growl and then waited on his attack. We moved through various rotations until I was face to face with Nhick, I grinned at him and waggled my brows, “You always enjoy kicking my ass, want to see who has the most control?” He laughed and then grabbed up what looked liked tongs for a BBQ. I snorted and shook my head, grabbing the accompanying spatula and then faced him. We both raised out weapons and tapped them together, making the noise of light sabers while we did. I saw him risk a glance at Qhuinn, and I turned to check to see if he’d seen. I wasn’t sure, and I looked to Nhick who shrugged. We were both laughing, which was fine with me. We’d go the work, but we liked to enjoy it along the way. I then stepped back and both of us did a little flourish with our weapons, I knew if Davidson was here he’d have grabbed the little fork thingy that went with our two weapon choices and would be doing the same. It was another minute or two before we calmed down enough to get involved in the session, both going at each other, unable to take the other down, or get a fatal blow in. We knew each other so well and we were pretty matched in terms of fighting. Davidson blew us both out the water when it came to the physical, mentally Nhick took it, I sat somewhere in the middle with both. If I studied hard or I got lucky with the fighting I could beat either one of them, but if I was just having a normal day, they both blew me out the water. I was just about to start laughing again at how frustrated Nhick looked when I saw an opening. When he came at me, I ducked under his arm, gripping it tightly to turn with him. I took his legs out from under him and went down to the mat with him, the arm with his weapon pinned to his back as I placed the spatula at his throat, even as his face was squished into the mat, “Now, young Skywalker, you will die.” Nhick snorted and then started laughing as I rolled off him to let him up. We both bounced to our feet and he huffed, “I guess you win. Idiot.” I laughed and went to put the spatula back, Nhick threw his down with mine and went to sit down. I turned to the room and realised that there was only Davidson left to fight. Whoever won this fight would be thrown in the ring with Qhuinn. I was glad when I got a minutes break before fighting. Both myself and Davidson were sweating and breathing hard, but mostly I couldn’t keep the grin off my face. Nhick’s fight had made the whole thing even better and I was still chuckling at the look on his face when he’d hit the mat. Davidson wandered over to him to check he was alright and I took that opportunity to walk over to see Qhuinn. I stopped on the way to grab my bottle and then stepped in front of our wonderful tutor, making sure I was a little closer than I needed to be. I kept my back to the room so that he was facing the rest of the trainees, but I made sure I spoke quietly enough that only he could hear me, “You’re on the last two, who would you prefer to pin to the mat come the final round??” I waggled my brows and then winked, bring my bottle to my lips so I could take a long drink. The cool liquid very welcome after hours of controlled fighting. I kept my gaze on Qhuinn’s and grinned as soon as I’d finished my bottle, not even subtle in the way I let my gaze rake over his body, enjoying the fact he’d also been working out for the last however many hours. “Davidson is on a roll though, so you’ll probably have to keep that thought for later.” I chuckled playfully and then cocked my head back against the group, “Well, better get back into the mindset to see how I go with this fight.” ~ Qhuinn: [As the pairings continued on, I started pairing off the trainees who were out and giving them pointers. Most seemed to be grasping the concept and taking notes, which is what the exercise was for. This was the loosest I’d been with any of them and they’d taken the opportunity to ask me about some of my past. The rumors of my own time as a trainee were things I’d heard and I knew that some were just dying to ask me. It was finally Jhasper who broached the subject right as Dehv and Nhick decided to be idiots with their bbq utensils. I snorted out a laugh before I answered Jhasper and pointed to the two on the floor, reminded the trainees that anything could be a weapon and that despite the seriousness of what we did, sometimes you needed to be able to have fun with it or risk losing your mind. I then turned to Jhasper and gave a slight nod before I took Barron down when he tried to attack me from behind. Once I slammed him on his ass with a ‘good try’ I grinned] It’s true. I wasn’t in control of myself. Some one attacked a friend of mine and I reacted without thinking. It didn’t matter that it was my cousin who was being a dick. I beat him to death in the locker room before they could stop me. I was disowned and the only thing that saved my ass from a certain death in retaliation was whose honor I was defending. Basically, I got lucky as all hell with that. You’re all going to make mistakes, it’s bound to happen, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But, I think you’ve all got skills we need. Don’t turn out like the two who were hauled outta here earlier. Ok, everyone, pair off and give it another shot. No weapons this time, just clean takedowns.

[I dusted off and walked over to congratulate Davidson and then turned in time to see Dehv take down Nhick for the final blow with his spatula. I checked the time and knew if I wanted my time with him, my plans were going to have to change, but I didn’t think anyone was going to mind too much. Davidson walked over to check on Nhick and I lifted my head to see Dehv walking my way with his water. That grin on his face told me he was enjoying himself today, which was what I wanted, but his question had me snorted before I could stop myself. I just shook my head and made sure my voice was nice and low in reply] Oh, I already have plans to pin you down in about 15 minutes, Dehv. It’ll just be a matter of if we have an audience or not when it happens.

[I flashed a wicked grin as I cracked my neck and gave a pointed look at the time.] Alright kiddies, looks like we only have time for this last round. Whoever wins, that’s it.

[The trainees around me groaned and then started laughing, “You were never gonna fight any of us were you?” I shook my head and grinned] Nope, I wanted to motivate you all and it worked, didn’t it?

[They grumbled a little more but most laughed and then asked about the weapons. I explained the dagger again and then motioned for Davidson and Dehv to get started because the reward was legit, even if the end fight wasn’t]

Dehv: ~ I groaned softly and moved to sit after Qhuinn threw hit little image in my head. I was more than happy to go right along with that, I just had to get through the next half hour with Davidson. I cleared my throat and muttered a ‘jackass’ to Qhuinn on my way past, making a beeline for the bench with my bottle of water. I found myself surrounded by Davidson and Nhick pretty quickly. Both of them squished in either side of me and grinned. I ignored them while Qhuinn spoke to us all, I knew that the plan had been to fight him, but we were going to over run, normally that would be fine, but not today. I kept my eyes forward until I felt the nudging start. I growled and looked between them, “What?” They both grinned at me and leaned in to speak quietly, “You sitting here for any particular reason? A certain male trainer who just pressed your buttons? Because no one else noticed that change, but we did. Your besties. We know you best and have your back or front. We can walk with you so no one else can see if you need. You know, protect your modesty.” They’d managed to get the entire offer out in one sentence between them. I growled low and hissed, “You two should just get it on and then mate, since you’re already finishing each other’s thoughts.” They both started choking, I sat with a huge grin on my face, the entire exchange had settled me and allowed me to focus on what I had to do next. Davidson was on form today, and I was fairly sure I couldn’t beat him, but if I could hold my own for at least a round or two, I would feel like I’d done by best. I went ahead and took a poker this time as my weapon, grinning when Davidson picked up a fairly sizable knife. “I really hope you have enough control not to actually kill me with that thing.” I grinned at my friend and then moved over to the mat. I rolled my shoulders and then tried to focus on the fight ahead. Davidson was experienced to a degree, and he didn’t rush me like the others had. We ended up circling a little before one of the other trainees got frustrated and yelled at us to get on with it. I flicked my gaze to Qhuinn, knowing that the faster this was done the faster the lesson was over. I swallowed my training and then pushed off against the floor to send my body across the mat. It took more effort than I was willing to admit not to wince at the stupid move, but I met the swing of the knife with a block. The vibration from the strength from the two of us shot up my arm and made me growl. Davidson mimicked my groan and then stepped back to regroup, he hopped as I swept a leg out, and then swept the knife again. I was still slightly off balance from trying to get him down to the mat, and could only lean backwards slightly. The knife sliced through the air, narrowly missing my chest. I was sure if I looked down I’d see a rip in my shirt, though I knew for sure no blood had been spilled, the sting of broken flesh didn’t accompany the move. I dropped to my back and then rolled over and away, pulling myself to my feet quickly while still gripping my poker. Davidson was laughing silently at me, and I found myself grinning right back. He hadn’t rushed to try and take me down while I was on the floor, the window had been quite small, so I was glad. I shifted my weight again and this time Davidson was the one who rushed me, and I was sure I saw a wink from him as he launched himself full assault, his feet even left the mat, as he reached for me. I blinked stupidly at the sudden change and then oomphed as he landed. He grabbed my shoulders with his hands and I curled the fingers of my free hand into the fabric of his shirt at his hips, the weight of him throwing me off balance and onto my ass on the mat. Had I not been so surprised I’d have twisted with him and taken him down with me on top, securing the win. As it was he landed on top of me, his knees either side of my hip with that stupid knife pressed up against my throat. He was making sure I knew he’d won as I had to strain to lift my chin high enough to ensure there was no blood drawn. Though I had managed to land with my poker in an upright position, the bottom rested on the floor and the tip was pressed against the side of his ribs. Had be landed in an actual fight, the poker would have gone straight into his chest and pierced his heart. I watched as Davidson looked between the knife and my poker, the knife still sitting hard against my throat. He then eased his grip when I patted his hip to let him know I wanted up, the knife pulled away so that I could breathe again properly. I then humphed when he sat down on me and used me as a cushion, “Guess that means we’re even, right?” He looked at me and then up towards Qhuinn. I just exhaled and then dropped my arms to the mat so I looked like a starfish, my friend still sitting across my hips. I was glad it wasn’t on my chest, I needed to breathe out the adrenaline that always stayed a few minutes after I’d finished sparring. I did turn my head though, eyes seeking out Qhuinn as I waited to find out if we were calling it a draw and finishing up the lesson. ~

Qhuinn: [I was damn proud of myself at turning the tables on Dehv when he threw the jackass comment my way. He’d been doing his damndest to wind me up every chance he could over the past few months so I took my little victories when I could. For this match, I chose to sit off to the side to observe while the rest of the trainees sat in a circle to watch. Much like the fight with Nhick, the fight with Davidson would be well matched. Mainly because the three were practically joined at the hip and knew each others styles so well. It didn’t stop me from smiling as I watched Dehv’s form though. He was fluid, even after this many rounds of going at it with the others. They both were. The Brotherhood should be damn proud of this class of trainees. Yeah, not all would be foot soldiers out on patrol, some were going to be used as security for safe place and shit like that but they’d do a damn good job there too. All that faded away once Dehv and Davidson actually started getting into the fight though. No more circling each other or horsing around. They were actually showing the skills they’d learned over the months and did a damn good job of it. Davidson showed a level of patience I wasn’t sure he possessed underneath his quick to class clown demeanor. Especially when he was squared off with either Dehv or Nhick. I sat up a little straighter as I watched the two put on an actual showing. The other trainees also took notice as well, each watching the level of control over the weapons Dehv and Davidson were showing. When Dehv landed on his back and the knife was at his throat, I almost called it but then noticed the poker pointed up at Davidson and my grin widened. I started a slow golf clap as the two flopped around and Davidson landed back on Dehv like he was his own person couch. The other trainees took a moment longer to cotton on what just happened and I could hear the groans and mutters] Good job. As you can see, there won’t always be a clear winner in a fight. These two know each others strengths and weaknesses pretty well and still couldn’t outmatch the other. Which means, you all get another chance at the top prize for your finals. I want you all to keep practicing though. Get together with some of your classmates and see what you can fight with whats around you. Your backyards, your houses, alleys. No damaging peoples properties or starting shit in public though. Just be aware of your surroundings and see what you can come up with. Our enemies don’t give a shit where they attack us. Or how armed we are. And since I know you are all still not in the habit of carrying, Cannon I’m looking at you, it’s good to start trying to think on your feet. Now…go hit the showers and get the hell out of here. Dehv, Davidson, good job. I’m almost impressed

[I gave them both a grin as I walked over to them both still laying on the mat and crouched down, looking Davidson in the eyes as seriously as I could. I kept my voice quiet so only the two of them could hear me] If there’s one bruise on him, I will take it out on you in the next class, are we clear?

[I watched his eyes go comically wide as his face went three shades of green and I couldn’t stop my laugh from slipping out.] I’m fucking with you, kid. But seriously, get up and go shower, you stink. Dehv, meet me in the office when you’re done.

[I pushed back to my feet and then went to the office where the trainers had their own shower set up so I could take care of getting myself cleaned up. It was finally time for me to get my hands on my male after far too many months of waiting.] #InTraining

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