#holds him gentl like my dragon hamburgers | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ladyseaheart1668 · 4 years

Text

Endless Summer Book 4 : Daughter of Vaanu (Chapter 44)

Description: A rush to rally after the series of attacks and abductions.

Tagging: @endlesshero1122 @mysteli @whatmcsaid @xo-endlessmayhem-xo @feartheendlesssummer @tigerbryn11

Chapter 44 : The Dark Hours

Caleb

“Dylan!” I shout down the hall, hoping my voice carries far enough. “Dylan, get over here!” I focus on pressing my hands to Tahira's wound, hoping the pressure will staunch the flow of blood. Tahira grits her teeth, groaning in pain, grasping my wrist with a bloodstained hand. I wince. Even bleeding out, she's got a grip like iron.

“Jesus! Careful, hero! You break my wrist, who's gonna make sure your blood stays on the inside?” I frown down at her. “How'd this happen anyway? Aren't you bulletproof?”

“It...was a knife,” she grunts. “And no. Not bulletproof. I'm not...equal to Superman. Just...”

“Caleb?” Dylan cuts her off as he hurries toward us. “What's going...on...?” He trails off, staring down at Tahira.

“Find something I can tie around the wound,” I order him. “Now!” He nods and runs off, and I look back down at Tahira. “What happened, Tahira? Who did this?”

“Avanti.”

“...Who's Avanti?”

She groans, shaking her head. “...Just...tell Grayson. He'll know.” She cranes her neck slightly, rolling her eyes upward, and for the first time I notice the bag she must have brought in with her. “...Suit's in there. Get it to Grayson. For...safe keeping...”

Dylan comes back, carrying a pillowcase. “...Best I could find,” he says apologetically, handing it to me.

“Shit, that's not gonna cut it for long. Goddamn, what a mess...” I resist the urge to rub a hand over my face, instead pressing the pillowcase against Tahira's abdomen. “Listen, Tahira. I'm gonna get you to the hospital. Just...gimme a minute to think here.”

“Please...take your time,” she mumbles, her eyes fluttering weakly.

“At least we know she can still be sarcastic.” I shake my head hard and turn to Dylan. “You and the kids need to get out of here.”

“And go where? And why?”

“Because I can't guarantee that I'm not gonna get caught trying to keep Miss Hero here from bleeding out! And in that event, I can't just leave you guys hanging here.” I reach into my pocket where I've tucked my phone and a credit card. “Here. Use that card to get as far from the city as you can get. Tahira's number is the first one under calls on this phone. You call it if you get in trouble, and I'll make sure there's someone safe to answer it. If I can, I'll call you when I'm clear.”

Dylan accepts the phone and the card, but he's frowning. “Won't the credit card be traceable?”

“I doubt anyone's gonna be looking for it.”

“Wait...this...Caleb! This says, 'Nyut Le'! Caleb, you stole from a priest?! The priest who's been taking care of my brother and cousins?! Where did you even get this?!”

“Got it from his room the night of the fire. Thought he might appreciate his wallet.”

“You stole his whole wallet?!”

“No, not the whole wallet! Left everything else on the altar at the church.”

“But you kept the credit card!”

“And that credit card bought your damn hamburger tonight, so you're welcome! Now shut up and do what I say! I gotta get Tahira to a hospital!”

Dylan is glaring daggers at me, but he stuffs the phone and the card into his pocket and runs back to join his brother and cousins. Clearly, the superhero bleeding on the floor takes priority over scolding me. Oh, fuck, she's not looking good.

“Tahira? Tahira! Come on, hero, stay with me!”

Opening her eyes seems to take colossal effort. “...I think...there was something on that knife...”

“Yeah, not sure I know what you mean by that, but that's not important. Hang on. I'm gonna sit you up and get this pillowcase secure. It's probably gonna hurt.”

“Yeah, that figu—ungh!” I ignore her groans of agony as I manuever her and myself around until I can get my belt off and around her waist to hold the pillowcase on her wound.

“Yeah, that's right. Just keep quipping at me.” With the only hand available to me, I grab her messenger bag and put it over my shoulder. Then I gather up the Hero of Northbridge in my arms and lift her off the floor. She whimpers like a helpless little girl. “...Don't go gentle, Tahira. That's not you. That's not the woman who punched the fire right outta me. So you hang on. Cause I'm gonna get you help.”

Jesus Christ, I can't believe I'm giving a pep talk to Dragonness. I can't believe I'm smuggling her out of here and tucking her into the back of my van, propping her up as comfortable as I can make her on all the crap I got piled up back here.

“Where's your phone?”

“B-bag...front pocket.”

I find what I'm looking for and get into the driver's seat, jamming my key into the ignition as I find Grayson Prescott in her contacts and put in the call. He answers within two rings.

“Hello, my darling.”

“Nice to know that's how you answer a call from your girlfriend, but I ain't her.”

“...Who is this?”

“It's Caleb. We've met.” I change the phone to speaker and drop it in the cupholder as I put the car in drive. “Tahira's hurt. I'm taking her to the hospital.”

“What? What happened?! How bad is it?! What hospital?!”

“Slow down, let me explain. I found her with a knife wound in her side. She's still here, but it's bad. She says it was someone named Avanti. Anyway, you gotta tell me where to meet you so I can drop off her suit and phone.”

“What hospital are you taking her to?”

“No, you aren't listening to me. You can't meet me at the hospital. You don't get to go to the hospital until her suit and phone are secure!”

“...Grayson...” Tahira's voice comes as a weak croak from the back seat. “Let me...”

In the rearview mirror, I see her shift and reach for her phone. Best as I can, I pass it back to her. Maybe she'll be able to talk sense into her boyfriend.

“...Grayson...”

“Tahira? Sweetheart, can you hear me?”

“I hear you. ...Grayson, I...need you to protect my suit. They'll take care of me...at the hospital. You...come see me when the other me is...protected. ...Understand...?”

“No, but I...” He trails off, letting out his breath in a trembling sigh. “...Yeah. Yeah, okay. I'll make sure your suit is safe. Tell Caleb to meet me outside Prescott Industries. I'm going straight there. ...You hold on, Tahira. I love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Varyyn

The moment my psychic connection to Alodia was severed, her mind locked to me behind a mental wall, I summoned a car service to take me to the dance studio. I called her phone on the way there, even though I knew she wouldn't answer. I called the studio, even though I knew she wouldn't be there. I arrived and searched around for the ambulance I had seen through her eyes just before our connection was broken. Of course, it was gone. By that time, her next class had begun, but of course, she was not there. That was when I called Jake. And then, on his advice, I call his sister. She answers, sounding sleepy and muddled. I suspect she was resting after a night shift, but I cannot be bothered to apologize for waking her. I make sure she knows who is calling, and then I pour out the story in a rush.

“...You need to file a missing persons report,” she tells me. “Be careful what you tell them about Alodia. Diego's disappearance is suspicious enough that it'll probably grab their attention, but you need to get as much information about Alodia from witnesses as you can, and search the local diners and shops to confirm that she isn't there.”

“I already know she isn't there!”

“So do I. But you can't tell the police you saw it in a telepathic vision. ...Tell them about Diego first. Then bring up Alodia as a concern because she isn't where you expected her to be. The two of them going missing at the same time will hopefully be enough to set off alarm bells.”

* * *

At the police station, the officer who speaks to me takes Diego's information, and a description of his appearance, and what I remember him wearing.

“And when did you last see him?”

“This morning. When he drove his friend Alodia to work. ...We all live together. Diego and I with Alodia and her husband and her husband's friend Mike.”

The officer raises an eyebrow. “You saw him just this morning? Why do you think he's missing?”

“I received a phone call from the college where he has been lecturing. He went in this morning for meetings with students. One of the other faculty called me to tell me that he had collapsed, and he was being taken to a local hospital. But when I arrived at the hospital, they said he was not there. They called the emergency dispatch to confirm where he had been taken to, but the emergency dispatcher apparently said that they had not sent an ambulance to the college at all.”

Throughout my speech, I can see the officer's frown deepening as he takes in the information. “...What time was this?”

I check my phone to give him an exact timestamp as to when I received the call from the school. When I show it to him, he squints at the screen.

“And then you called his friend? Alodia?”

“Yes. As I understood it, they were supposed to meet for lunch. But she did not answer her phone. Then I tried calling her work directly. When they said she had probably gone to lunch, I went there to see if I could reach her when she came back, but her next class was half an hour in, and she hadn't gotten back yet. I walked around to see if I could find her at any of the local shops, but she wasn't there.” I don't think I can hold back any longer. “Officer, I am worried about her, too. It isn't like her to miss a class, especially without telling anyone where she is going. And she is pregnant. Nearly full-term.”

“I see a couple of other calls on here. Jake and Rebecca?”

I nod. “Jake is Alodia's husband. He and his friend Mike are pilots. They are in the Caribbean at the moment, picking up some friends of ours who were there on vacation. I called him because I was worried for his wife as well as my husband, and I wanted him to know to come home. On his advice, I called his sister Rebecca, who is a police officer in Los Angeles. She told me that I should come file a missing persons report.”

He nods, his expression grim. “Based on what you told me, I think you should file two.”

Diego

I come to in the back of an ambulance, lying on the narrow coffee-colored naugahyde bench that juts out from the interior wall on the passenger side. The moment my consciousness returns, I know this isn't a legitimate trip to the hospital. Paramedics don't handcuff their patients' left hands to the handicap rails. The ambulance is definitely moving along at a good clip, lights dancing in amber, red, and white outside the rain-spattered window. I roll my head to the side and feel my heart sink. Allie is here. Unconscious and restrained on a stretcher. I crane my neck toward what has to be the driver's seat, but a tinted partition prevents me from seeing who's at the wheel. I turn my attention back to Allie.

“Allie?” I sit up carefully, reaching out with my free hand to cover hers. Her wrists are restrained, but I can easily reach her, at least.“Allie, can you hear me?”

Her eyelids twitch, but it's another moment before she starts to stir properly. Then her eyes fly open and she gasps like she just hit the air after being underwater. She struggles, but her restraints keep her from sitting up.

“Allie! Allie, calm down! I'm right here! It's okay!” I keep my grip on her hand, hoping the pressure is reassuring and not the opposite. She settles at the sound of my voice, her eyes flying to my face. Then, her gaze trails down my shoulder and arm to my shackled wrist.

“...It's not okay,” she whimpers. “Where are we?”

“Back of an ambulance. Beyond that, I don't know. Last thing I remember, a kid I thought was a student was holding a rag over my face. ...What about you?”

“Fiddler is alive. She did something to me. ...Diego, I can't reach Varyyn.”

The idea of Fiddler being alive made the blood rush out of my head, but what she says about Varyyn feels like a punch to the gut.

“Wh-what does that mean? Is he...okay?”

“He's alive. He's there. But...I can't...reach him. It's like...like I'm wrapped up huge coats and sweaters and a pair of mittens I can't take off, and he's an itch in the middle of my back that I'm trying to scratch through all the layers. Like he's a shadow on a wall in front of me, but I'm bound and gagged and my ears are plugged and I can't turn to see him.”

“...And he probably can't reach you, either.”

“I'm guessing not.” She rolls her gaze toward the ceiling, her blue eyes shimmering where the light of the ambulance's strobe catch them. “...They're after River.”

“...I wish I could say I was surprised,” I reply softly. “...You know who's behind this, don't you?”

“I can hazard a guess.”

I tighten my grip on her hand. “I won't let him hurt you, Allie. I won't let anyone hurt you.”

“I'm not scared for myself.”

“I won't let him hurt River, either.”

“I am scared for River. But she's not the only one I'm scared for.” She turns her gaze back toward me. “...Fiddler heavily implied she would hurt you if I didn't cooperate.”

I can't help swallowing nervously at that. “I...wish I could say that surprised me, too. But I guess it makes sense why they brought me along then.” I steel myself and shake my head. “You can't worry about that, Allie. You have to protect yourself and River above everything else.”

“If I can't reach Varyyn, that means we can't rely on our psychic link to tell him where I am. It's going to be up to police and detectives to figure out where we are. ...I'm only weeks out from my due date, Diego. What if...?”

It doesn't take a genius to guess what she's fretting about. “We'll think of something, Allie.” It's not a lie, but I'm totally aware that it's an empty reassurance. We'll do our best. But there's no way I can make promises. She knows it, too.

“I can't do this without Jake,” she whispers.

I hate that there is nothing I can say to that.

Varyyn

When the reports are filed, I am told to go home. To contact their family and friends in the area, and let them know that the reports have been filed. They say that they will contact me with more information when they have it, and that if I hear anything, I should call them. It is hardly a satisfying conclusion to my visit to the station. But with my link to Alodia still blocked, there is little I can actually do. I cannot track her. I cannot speak to her. I try to call Jake and Mike a few more times, but neither of them answer. I suppose they are busy flying home.

I do alert the other Catalysts as to the situation. I also summon my willpower and contact Alodia's aunt and uncle. But when I think of calling Diego's parents, my will leaves me. They don't even know who I am or why they should trust me. Instead, I quietly ask Alodia's aunt to alert them.

Within two hours, the doorbell chimes, and two uniformed officers greet me when I answer.

“Mr. Vaanti? You filed two missing persons reports a couple hours ago?”

“Yes, that's right.”

One of the officers looks at me with such sympathy that I feel my heart drop into my belly before she asks, “I don't suppose either of them have come home yet?” Those words bring a bit of relief threading through the dread. If either of them had been found dead, there would be no reason to ask if they had come home.

“No. Not yet.”

She sighs. “May we come in?”

I numbly step aside to let them in, and close the door after them. “Will you...sit down?”

“Yes, thank you.” They and I settle ourselves in the living room. “Mr. Vaanti, we have reason to think you were right to be suspicious. We've made inquiries. At the college in Costa Mesa, and at the studio where Ms. Chandler works. We've also gotten word from the Dominican Republic about an attack in Santo Domingo, and a yacht that lost contact in the Caribbean Sea. It seems Michael Darwin and Jacob McKenzie have also gone missing, along with Sean and Michelle Gayle. We are now treating all six of their disappearances as criminal investigations and suspected abductions.”

Rebecca

It's not just Diego. Not just Alodia. My brother's gone, too. And two of his friends from the island. The newlyweds, no less. Right in the middle of their honeymoon. I don't know how long I've been sitting and staring at my desk when a hand comes down to lightly rap the desktop with a knuckle. I start slightly, my eyes snapping up to find Dave Reyes standing over me, his expression concerned.

“I just heard. You okay?”

“My brother, my pregnant sister-in-law, and both of their best friends have been abducted. Should I be okay?”

“Ask a stupid question, I guess.”

“Captain Beckham already granted me personal leave. I'm just trying to get it together enough to gather my stuff and go home to argue with my parents about who's flying where.”

“Who do you think will win?”

“No one is going to win in this situation, Reyes. No one wins until this is over and they're home safe.”

Reyes is quiet for a moment. He puts his hands in his pockets and sits down on the edge of my desk.

“McKenzie...we both know you can't get involved in the investigation here. Hell, given the way things have unfolded over the past couple hours, I don't think anyone you know is gonna be involved...”

“You think the Feds are gonna take over?”

He shrugs. “With American citizens abducted in the Caribbean, it probably makes the most sense.”

“You're probably right,” I concede. “Interpol's probably gonna be a necessity, which might make LAPD the middleman slowing everyone down.”

“...You won't be involved in the investigation. ...But you know they're going to ask questions of you. It's your family on the line. You're a blood relative of one of the victims. They'll probably want DNA samples. Any information you can give on who might have done this.”

I slip him a sidelong glance. “Yeah, I know. I can provide samples. I'll give a statement when I'm asked. ...Why bring it up?”

“...Because...no one has missed the connection between the victims. Jacob McKenzie. Michael Darwin. Alodia Chandler. Diego Soto. Sean Gayle. Michelle Nguyen. Four of them were among the students who went missing in the Caribbean in 2018. Three came back six months later, one only reappeared about ten months ago. Jacob McKenzie was a fugitive from--”

“You don't need to tell me my brother's story,” I interrupt firmly.

“Right. Sorry. It's just...the way the six of them are connected, and their histories: two obvious candidates leap to mind. Two people who might want to hurt any one of those six. But they're both supposed to be dead.”

“...That's occurred to me, too. Are you saying you don't think they're dead?”

“I'm just letting you know what everyone's thinking. Preparing you for what kind of questions you might be asked. They're going to be looking into both Everett Rourke and Rex Lundgren to see if they can track down connections on the outside. They're going to want to know if your brother or sister-in-law confided anything in you. Any concerns, any hint that they might have felt threatened before today.”

I sigh. “I appreciate your intentions, Reyes, but I ain't a rookie anymore. I don't need you holding my hand for a little thing like questioning.”

“...Why did Diego Soto's husband call you?”

I look up sharply, narrowing my eyes. “What?”

“Varyyn Vaanti's phone records show that he called Alodia Chandler's phone twice after he realized Diego Soto was unaccounted for. Then he called her work. Then he called her husband. Then he called you. Before calling local police.”

“He called me because Jake told him to call me. Everyone involved was panicking, and I am a cop they know and trust. I was also on the list of folks to call if Alodia went into labor while Jake was away. In any case, I told Varyyn to make a missing persons report to the local police.” I narrow my eyes further. “Are you suggesting something, Reyes?”

“No. ...No, I'm not suggesting anything. I'm sorry. You know how it is. You get a case and jump on anything that looks a even a little out of place.”

I don't respond immediately. I'm actually a little hurt by his questioning. But I do get it. And I honestly can't deny that it looks a little strange. Even with a cop for a relative, most people would go to 911 first. And especially considering that to most eyes, my connection to Varyyn is a tenuous link at best—the sister-in-law of his husband's best friend—that call probably stands out as an anomaly. It still stings that he would be so quick to cast suspicion on me. But the truth is, there is a lot that I have to hide. To protect Varyyn. To protect Diego Soto. To protect my brother and people who matter to him. I stand, grabbing my wallet, keys, and phone from my desk and slipping them into the pockets of my jacket.

“Nice to know I'm trusted around here,” I mutter. “I gotta go. Need to pack a bag. I'm gonna head down to Orange County to comiserate with people who actually care about my brother and his people. Maybe offer some support to my brother's close friend whose husband has just gone missing.”

I step away from the desk, turning to go, but Reyes catches my arm. “Hey. McKenzie. Look, I'm sorry. I honestly didn't mean to imply anything. I trust you implicitly.”

“Do you?”

He grins reassuringly. “After the Tull case, I knew I could trust you to do your duty. To protect and serve. It was in the mess with Haley Rose afterwards that I knew I could trust you.”

I sigh, the anger bleeding out of me with the breath. That case had most of the Venice Beach police force divided, with most of us unsure of who we could trust, even among our own ranks. As it turned out, there were a few dirties we were right to be suspicious of. It's no small thing for Reyes to suggest that he trusted me during that dark time.

“Listen, Reyes. I don't know anything for sure. Everything I'll say here, I'll say to whoever officially questions me. ...What I know is that Alodia Chandler never believed Rourke was dead. Neither did my brother, and neither did Rourke's own kids, according to Jake. ...Never actually got my brother's response when I told him Rex Lundgren was dead, but I wouldn't be surprised to find he didn't believe it. It might just be that it's hard to believe your own personal Inspector Javert is dead. ...Maybe Rourke was more of a Captain Ahab to Alodia. Either way, it might have been paranoia. ...But now we've got six people missing, and the first two people everyone knows they have in common are Everett Rourke and Rex Lundgren.”

“...Which is more than enough to make anyone paying attention start to quesiton whether vengeful ghosts might be a thing.”

“I don't know about ghosts. But I'm not ruling it out, either.”

Kenji

I get to the hospital, and I'm not at all sure where to go. All common sense and rationality is drowning in the knowledge that Tahira is hurt. I end up running into the emergency room and babbling something to the receptionist about how I'm looking for my friend, but I can barely even get her name out. Then her mother calls out my name, and there's a moment of relief. But the look on her face makes my heart sink again.

“Rochelle, is she okay? Please tell me she's okay!”

Rochelle enfolds me in a tender embrace, then leads me away with a hand on my back. “Come on, sweetie,” she says softly. “Come wait with the rest of us.”

She leads me to where Grayson, Eva, Dax, and Poppy are all clustered together on their chintz-covered waiting room chairs. Dax and Poppy snuggle together, clutching each other for comfort, while Grayson sits with his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands.

“She's in surgery right now,” Rochelle explains. “They have to repair whatever the knife damaged.”

“She'll be okay,” Dax murmurs. “She's...she's Tahira. She's strong. Stronger than anyone...”

“Of course she will,” I agree. “I mean...she has to be. ...Right?”

No one answers me directly. Grayson flinches slightly, and looks down at his hip, where I realize I can see the light of a phone screen glowing through his pant pocket. He fishes out the phone, a frown creasing his forehead.

“...This is Tahira's phone,” he murmurs.

“Who's calling?”

“Aleister Rourke.”

“He won't have heard yet,” Rochelle says softly. “He should be told.”

“...Right. Um...” After a brief moment of internal deliberation, tapping the back of the phone lightly against his palm, Grayson stands and moves to a more private area to take the call. Or at least as private as a person can get in the waiting area of a hospital emergency room. With nothing better to do, I find a seat next to Eva. I pull out my phone and try to play a stupid Match-3 game, but I get frustrated way too easy, and I've given up on trying to distract myself by the time Grayson comes back.

“Hey...guys...there's something I need to discuss with you all. Discreetly.”

There's no mistaking his general meaning. The hero response Eva and I are conditioned to takes over, and we both stand up. Dax and Poppy hesitantly stand up a few seconds afterward. Rochelle looks questioningly at Grayson, her reluctance plain in her eyes. When he subtly shakes his head, she exhales with relief and nods. The rest of us follow Grayson to a quiet corner of the lobby.

“So, what's the trouble?”

“Kidnappings. Five out of twelve Catalysts, plus Mike Darwin have all gone missing. Alodia among them.”

“...So, Alodia's gone missing on the same day Tahira was attacked. That's not at all suspicious.”

“There's more. ...Caleb was the one who found her and brought her to the hospital. Apparently, she told him that it was a Vaanti who attacked her.”

“A Vaanti? In Northbridge?”

“Hey, Grayson, look alive,” Eva hisses. “Couple of uniforms. Look like they're coming our way.”

We collectively turn in the direction Eva is looking. Sure enough, two uniformed police officers are coming our way. Not that their presence is a huge surprise. I don't know who exactly might have called the police, but a young woman coming into the hospital with a stab wound probably isn't the sort of thing that slips under police radar. I know that Eva and I recognize both of them, Officer Dawes and Officer Stevenson, but they don't know us outside of our super costumes, so we don't greet them as if we're familiar.

“Grayson Prescott?” Officer Dawes starts, ignorning the rest of us.

“Yes, that's me. What can I do for you?”

“Well, hopefully help us answer a few questions.” She glances back at the rest of us. “...Friends of yours?”

“Yes. And of my girlfriend. Tahira.”

“Well, if they have any information that could be useful in discovering who attacked her, we'll be happy to interview them. But...for the moment, we're here to ask about your father. It appears he's managed to break his electronic tag. We don't know where he is.”

Jake

My senses come back to me in a jumbled rush. I feel like Mister Potato Head trying to put his features back together in Toy Story. I'm not sure what exactly hits me first; the loud humming, the faint sour odor lingering under something cloyingly sweet, the aching in my shoulders and neck, the hard surface vibrating underneath me, or the feeling that my mouth is stuffed with cotton. I know the headache doesn't come on until I open my eyes, but then it's like someone stuck my head in a vise, and I can't keep from groaning.

“Jake? Take it easy, buddy. Take it slow.” The voice is weak, and barely audible over the humming, which only seems to be getting louder. But it's familiar. I fight against the pounding pain in my head to open my eyes and find the source.

“Sean?”

“Yeah. It's me. Michelle's here, too. Don't rush yourself. We were all drugged. You're probably gonna feel like puking in a minute.”

My hands are cuffed behind my back, I realize after a moment. Shit, my head feels like its been weighted with wet cement. But the vibration of the surface underneath me is starting to make the deep canals of my ears itch maddeningly. I grit my teeth and carefully push myself upright, using any surface I can for support. As I finally get myself sitting up, I realize where the cloyingly sweet odor is coming from. I'm in an airplane lavatory, and I'm looking into the bowl of the toilet, smelling the chemical cleaners. That's when the nausea hits, and all I can do is pitch forward and hurl the contents of my stomach into the bowl. Sweat blooms over what feels like every inch of my body, and when I finally sit back, I've got muscle cramps where I didn't even know I had muscles. But I do manage to notice that Sean and Michelle are indeed both crammed into the room with me, also in shackles—and that this is no commercial plane. This lavatory is too big to be on a jet designed to hold as many passengers as it can cram inside. And while it isn't as lavish as the lavatories on Castor or Pollux—or any of the jets in the Rourke fleet that I've ever flown for that matter—it's got enough space to change clothes, with a vanity and mirror for freshening up, even a tiny shower space that could maybe fit two people if they squished together.

“...We're on a plane,” I mumble.

“Yeah,” Sean agrees.

“...Ain't no Rourke plane.”

“Don't believe it is, no.”

“...We were on a boat last I knew.” I smack my tongue against the roof of my mouth. They both feel papery. “Shit, feels like I'm trying to chew cottonballs. What the hell'd they drug us with?”

“Based on the symptoms now,” Michelle says weakly, “I'd guess some kind of ketamine cocktail, maybe mixed with Rohypnol or GBH, and probably slipped into the drinks on the yacht.”

“Without us noticing?” Sean wonders.

“Arachnid,” I respond by way of an explanation. “They were probably wearing stealth suits. And I bet the delays in Santo Domingo had something to do with them.”

“You sure it's Arachnid?”

“Got a good look at one before I passed out. There's no mistaking that emblem.” I slump back against the nearest vertical surface that can support me. “I was running to tell you guys. ...Varyyn called me just before I started to feel whatever they put in my beer. ...Fiddler's got Alodia. Diego's gone missing, too. Had just enough time to take a call from Mike before I actually passed out. ...Think Lundgren's got him.”

“Oh, god...”

I close my eyes, feeling my jaw tighten. “...I shouldn't have left her...”

“We'll get her back, Jake,” Sean promises. “We'll get them all back. We'll find a way.”

“We might wanna wait for the drug cocktails to wear off first,” Michelle suggests. “And maybe for this plane to land. ...Remember, we're not on the island anymore. The world is alive. There are police out there who will help track them and us down.”

“I ain't gonna just sit on my ass waiting to be rescued while my wife's in trouble.”

“Jake, you're currently handcuffed in a bathroom 30,000 feet up in the air, with some combination of roofies and special K working their way through your system. You can't help anyone until you are literally and figuratively on more solid ground. ...We're not going to wait around to be rescued. But we do have to wait for a little while before we can be of any use.”

She's right, obviously. But I don't have to like it. But before I can answer, the lock on the lavatory door clicks and slides open. An Arachnid soldier enters, in full armor with her face covered. I'm only guessing she's a woman based on the shape of her body, but even that's speculation under the bulky armor. But more important than her sex is the fact that she has a large bottle of water in her hand. She locks the door behind her and goes over to Michelle, unscrewing the cap on the water bottle.

“Open your mouth.” Michelle obeys, and is rewarded with a few deep swallows of water. The soldier moves on to Sean. I can't help but eye the water bottle as I struggle to summon saliva to my tongue to ease the pain of dehydration. The way the water gurgles and flows against the clear plastic as Sean gulps it down is amplifying the pain. When it looks like the soldier is about to recap the bottle, I can't help but make a noise that sounds way too much like a whimper for my taste. I can't see her face, but I can feel her smirk as she turns to me, holding the cap loosely over the bottle's mouth.

“Did you say something? I didn't catch that.”

“...Kinda hoping I could trouble you for a sip of that water.”

She tips the bottle back and forth lightly. The water ebbs and flows against the edges. Clear, clean, cool, graceful in its natural movements, the way it changes shape. Good god, my mouth feels like sandpaper.

“Feeling thirsty, Wolf? Not surprised. The stuff you chugged with your beer will make you wake up with a mouth full of cotton.”

“Oh, god. Are you someone I pissed off?”

“Don't be needlessly cruel,” Sean says lowly, glaring.

“And how cruel do you think I need to be?”

“You gave us water. Just let him have some, too.”

She hums thoughtfully, as if she's actually weighing her options, considering whether to give me a drink.

“Did I piss you off?” I ask again. “Or are you just trying to impress your boss? Is Lundgren here?”

“Wouldn't you like to know.”

“That'd be why I asked.” It takes all the will I can summon to get that out without coughing.

The soldier twists the cap off the bottle and holds it out to me. I edge forward, wary, but too thirsty not to take the bait. But she lets me get my mouth around the bottle. Of course, in the next moment, pain flares in my scalp and my neck as she yanks my head back and upends the bottle. I hear Sean and Michelle shouting. Water pools at the back of my throat, flooding up into my mouth. My cheeks expand painfully, but the flood doesn't stop. Precious drops are trickling out the corners of my lips. I have to swallow. I gulp, spasming as about half the massive mouthful goes down my windpipe. I just manage to catch Sean shouting, “Get off him!” before I'm forcefully released and I pitch forward, spitting out the mouthful and crumpling to the floor. I lie gasping and coughing, shaking with the effort of clearing the water rattling around my lungs and sinuses. There's a scuffle near my head. Sean grunts in pain and Michelle yelps. I see Sean slump against the wall, sinking to his knees, and the soldier's boots retreat. The door clicks shut behind her.

“S-Sean...” I croak around another cough. “Wha-what'd she do? You okay?”

“I'll be fine,” he answers, but his voice is strained. “Think I'm gonna have a hell of a shiner, but I'll be okay.”

Weak and shaky as I feel, I manage to get on my knees again, at which point I make out Sean on his knees with his head bowed, and Michelle straining with the effort of passing her shackled hands under her bottom and drawing her folded legs through the loop. She succeeds, wincing slightly at the way she has to twist her wrists to do it, but getting her hands in front of her without breaking anything. She crawls over to Sean, gently tipping his face upwards to examine the bruise already forming under his eye. I can't help but notice the wet patches on the thighs of his pants where I must have sprayed them when I spat out the mouthful of water. Michelle scoots toward me.

“Are you okay?”

“Kinda feel like my sinuses are melting, but yeah. I'm okay.”

“Did you manage to get any water down the right tube?”

“Enough I ain't gonna die of thirst.”

“Good.” She exhales slowly. “Okay, clearly we all need to tread lightly here. Doesn't seem like it takes much to set that one off, and I think we should behave as if they're all going to be like her.” She's mostly looking at Sean when she says this, and he seems to feel her stern gaze, too. He scowls, even though the way he winces suggests that it makes his eye hurt.

“You look as if you want me to apologize for not letting Jake be...waterboarded.”

“I would never want you to apologize for that. But we really gotta be careful here. The more we fight, the more they'll want to restrain us. And the harder it's going to be for us to help ourselves or the others.”

Varyyn

The decision is made that Rebecca will stay at the beach house with me. So will Alodia's aunt and uncle, Raj and Lila, and Jake's parents when they fly in from Louisiana. Rebecca encourages this arrangement, saying that her parents and Alodia's aunt and uncle can draw strength from one another. For my part, I cannot argue with her. I do not want to argue with her. My soulmate is missing, and my instinct is to surround myself with a village worth of people to support me, like I would have had back in Elyys'tel. I cannot bear to be alone in this massive house with only my fear to keep me company, not when there is little I can do myself. Needing to wear my disguise at all hours is hardly that great a sacrifice.

Raj and Lila arrive first, and Raj immediately sets to making sure there will be food to keep everyone's bellies full.

“Brain food,” he declares. “Food to keep our strength up with. And something to do to distract me until we get more news.”

Rebecca arrives soon afterward. “I took personal leave from work. I'm here as Jake's brother and Alodia's sister-in-law. There isn't anything I can do officially,” she explains apologetically. “With my own family involved, I'm considered too close to the case. There could be a conflict of interest, or I might not be objective, or my emotional involvement might make me sloppy.”

“So, you just have to wait like the rest of us?” Raj asks.

“Unfortunately, yes. Though I am guessing none of you are just waiting around...”

“At the moment, there isn't much for us in this room to do,” Raj admits. “But...no. I'm pretty sure all the Catalysts are doing whatever they can to track our friends down.”

Rebecca sighs. “I won't tell you to stop them,” she says. “But just like when you got Alodia back to her family, y'all better make sure you got your stories straight. And that you cooperate with the authorities. If suspicion turns to any one of you guys because the cops get a whiff of something off, it'll impede the investigation. ...You can't act like you're on the island anymore, with the world burnin' outside of it.”

As if to emphasize her point the doorbell chimes. “...I expect that will be Alodia's aunt and uncle,” I murmur.

I unlock the front door and pull it open. My gaze falls on Molly and Rob Fisher—and then my throat constricts when I realize they are not alone. Two people stand behind them. People I have never met, who I never expected to meet, but whom I have seen in pictures.

“...May we come in?” Molly asks softly. I swallow, numbly pushing open the storm door and standing aside to admit Alodia's guardians—and Diego's parents.

I think my expression must reveal my shock and distress, because Molly gently lays a hand on my shoulder.

“I'm sorry to spring this on you, Varyyn. But...Ramona and Eduardo are Diego's parents. We all supported each other the first time the kids went missing, and I couldn't leave them without support now.”

I grit my teeth, sending pain pulsing through the muscles in my jaw. “...Do they know?” I ask in a low whisper that I am sure Diego's parents can still hear.

“No. I leave that to you to tell them.”

“Tell us what?” Eduardo asks, frowning warily at me.

So, Molly will leave it to me to explain to Diego's parents who I am to them, but she brings them face to face with me without warning, leaving me without a great many options. I could simply ignore Eduardo. Tell him that it is not important. But it is likely he will know otherwise. It is likely that he will guess the truth, and I do not know whether it is better to confirm it or allow him to deny the truth to himself. I did not want it to be this way. If this meeting ever happened, I wanted it to be on Diego's terms and mine, not Molly Fisher's. But the moment is here now, and I find myself unwilling to lie.

“Ramona and Eduardo Soto, my name is Varyyn. And I am married to your son.”

8 notes · View notes

ars-daemonum · 3 years

Text

I DO read tags and I’m OVERJOYED at the amount of people talking about how handsome WoL is in the tags because I HOPED I could make him look half as good as he does

#ars rambles #listen I've been stuck in this pit for a bit after finally acknowledging it and it's NICE #dude's handsome that's all I know. sad backstory but VERY attractive #holds him gentl like my dragon hamburgers

2 notes · View notes

j-exclamationmark-l · 5 years

Text

Kiryu Youtube video synopses

From November 2018 - December 2018 These are synopses, not direct translations, despite the fact I began to forget that during the top one, which I wrote last.

【本人解説】己龍最新アルバム「転生輪廻」マル秘トーク！ Kiryu talks about their new album Tenshou Rinne!

Synopsis: The five members gather together and give their thoughts about their new album.

Tsurushi Mitsuki: This is an older song I wrote, back in 2017. I made Mahiro sing in a very low register. Mahiro: I like the distortion effect in doubling my voice. Junji: I was surprised by this song, it has a nice balance between quiet and movement. Muku Mitsuki: This is the song where I began using a seven-string guitar. Hiyorin: The balance is very difficult to achieve, but once you get it, it's incredible. Junji: Between quiet and movement... THIS SONG IS DEFINITELY MOVEMENT. Oborodzukiyo Hiyorin: This kind of sounds like the kind of song we would have written in our early days. Takemasa: I think this song is more popular with our male fans since it's kind of R-rated. Mitsuki: I wanted to make a song that was dark and disturbing. Mahiro: I like this song. Junji: Between sun and shadow, this song is shadow. Ibitsu Mitsuki: This is maybe the prettiest song on the album, and a bonus track. It's a song about pain. Hiyori: The bass solo is very significant. Takemasa: After having written some hundred songs together, we've yet to have made a song like this. I'm glad we put it out now. Junji: Between strength and gentleness, this song is gentle. Hansuu Mitsuki: This is a song Takemasa wrote for us. It has a nice balance and it's really fun to play. Hiyori: It's fast and busy. Takemasa: I wrote it mostly on my iPhone. Mahiro: The speed and rhythm of it really makes it a unique song. Junji: This isn't a normal rhythmic pattern for Takemasa. It's all... (sings the pattern). That's it. That's all it is for me. [Then Junji compares it to some manga thing I'm not familiar with]. Tenshou Rinne Mitsuki: This is the kind of song that people who like Kiryu will enjoy. It's a very Kiryu song. We don't use normal phrases for us, though. Hiyori: It's really nice to hear you singing for us, Mitsuki. Mahiro: That was my idea. I thought it would add a nice kind of unique sparkle to it. Junji: This is a fast song. Watashi ha Kairai, Sarugutsuwa no Ningyou Mitsuki: This is a rather slow song for us. Hiyori: I felt like this song was a sort of turning point for us, that this is the song that shows we're no longer kids. Like we grew beards for this song. Mitsuki: I don't understand what on earth you're talking about. Hiyorin: Don't you feel like you finally grew pubic hair? Mitsuki: What? Like in junior high school, weirdo. How old are you, do you still not have hair there? Mahiro: I really like the balance and sound of this song. Basara Mitsuki: This song is called "Basara," AKA Take-punk. Takemasa: WHAT? WHY?? Mitsuki: Every time you submitted a demo of this song, the feeling of it was very uncertain. But the underlying sound was always kind of punk. Hiyorin: Thank you for all the deep feelings held in this song! Mahiro: I like this. Junji: I hate the rhythm. It's the same thing over and over again. Nopperabou Mitsuki: This song was born out of my want to write a song that had this sort of bass rhythm. For you, Hiyorin, it's all bass slaps. Hiyorin: Oh yeah! This is the most difficult song to play on this album! The rhythm is hard, and when I was recording, you kept asking for more and more. Mitsuki: And the lyrics, I really felt like I was able to write something significant and deep... Hiyorin: It is a sufficiently Micchan song. Junji: When you sent it to me, I couldn't even begin to imagine what the chorus would be like. Takemasa: We had to do so much reamping and such, this was also the most expensive song to make. Mahiro: There were just so many levels to making it. But in the end, it was fun. Mitsuki: How about it, Hiyorin? Can you go more? Hiyorin: ..I'm going to have to say for now, I'd like to stay at this level. Gekkabijin Mitsuki: This is the most Japanese-sounding track on the album. It's like Kiryu-pop. Takemasa: I had absolutely no idea where to insert this song in the album. Mitsuki: Maybe we should have made it a bonus track? Mahiro: Sometimes I forget we have songs like this, too. Junji: It's Mitsu-punk. Basara is Take-punk and Gekkabijin is Mitsu-punk. Harushigure Hiyorin: This song really conveys the feeling of now. This is really Takemasa's song. Kairai is Mitsuki's song of growth, and Harushigure is -- Takemasa: HAIR? HAIR? HAIR? Hiyorin: Your beard. Mitsuki: This is the world's beard. Mahiro: From the start, I knew this would be a good song. Junji: Takemasa wrote the music and Mitsuki wrote the lyrics, so it kind of feels like a thing you both peed on together. (Everyone laughs). No, it's a good song. It's good. I just hate it. I only play TAN-TAN-TA OVER AND OVER. Except at the end, I play DO-DO-DO. Then tan-tan-ta. But it sounds nice and sparkly. Jou no Ka Mitsuki: This is THE single Junji: The song that charmed the world. Mitsuki: We used this song in an anime. The concept came from trying to tackle something we couldn't do before. I wanted to do that. Everyone: Thank you. Hiyorin: I didn't cry, but I felt as though I might. It's a moving song. Junji: But then, seeing your name appear on the opening credits as the writer was kind of a blow. This song... between light and dark, this song is light. Mahiro: I really like this song. Kuroyami ni Madou Esoragoto Mitsuki: This song is "Kuroyami ni Madou Esoragoto," AKA the Take-ballad. Junji: This sounds like something he wrote when he was in school. This is back when it was just us in a Take-band. Prince Take hasn't changed a bit. Mitsuki: This song is just so heavy. Takemasa: I thought about all the things I wanted to say, the messages I wanted to get across. But I wasn't the one singing it, so I knew if Mahiro couldn't feel it, this song wouldn't resonate. Mahiro: It was really difficult to sing. Every line felt like a wound. Hiyorin: Usually songs feel like a journey. You hit this place, then return. Then you hit this place and return. This song starts with an intro that I expect to come back to, but you never come back to it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4Rv-pyuEXE

5000万円以上⁉コンビニATMに入金できる額の限界を調査 Over ￥500,000,000!? Let's see how much money a convenience store ATM can take.

Synopsis: Takemasa gathers a TON of money and tries to break the ATM by putting too much in at once. Result: Eventually, the ATM does stop accepting the money after depositing ￥305,000,000. Notable: Holding THAT MUCH money at once is genuinely terrifying. Takemasa tries to make a joke about it, but you can tell he's truly nervous to be holding that much in public.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4SRtOUadMs

【黒崎眞弥を観察する会】サイン書き Watch Kurosaki Mahiro write his signature

Synopsis: Mahiro announces he will now sign posters. He then begins silently signing posters. Result: Posters have been signed. Notable: That one time he moved a poster. It was magical.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tmRaTSFRys

己龍九条武政より、今までありがとう。 Thank you for everything up until now. -Kujou Takemasa, Kiryu

Synopsis: Takemasa talks about his past in an overly dramatic way, how he decided that as long as he's in public, he will always wear his mask. As long as he has his mask, he is Kujou Takemasa. Result: In Macau, while bungee jumping, his mask flies off, and he pretends he died the moment the mask came off his face. Notable: OVER THE TOP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNb_NqnO9Fs

【初体験】まだ見ぬ仙台の味を求めて【雑談有り】 [First Experience] We found a new flavor of Sendai (chat included)

Synopsis: Mitsuki and Hiyorin go to Sendai and talk about the kinds of food it's famous for: gyuutan, zunda, sasakama... but NO! They will not try these foods today! Instead, they'll try the first hamburger shop that was opened in Japan. Result: The two agree the hamburgers are good. Notable: Mitsuki relays a story. "Sometimes, when I go buy food, an old lady will say, 'please enjoy this with ketchup.' Sometimes the kids will write their names on their food in ketchup, too. And young couples will write each other's names." "That's sweet," Hiyoin comments. "They even draw a heart around it... the little shitheads," Mitsuki laughs. "GROW UP, MITSUKI!" Hiyorin manages through his own laughter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CEiLBSyab8

メントスコーラリベンジ Mentos-Cola Revenge

Synopsis: Mitsuki analyzes what went wrong in the first mentos and cola video and decides to try again. Result: A huge mess explosion. Notable: Mitsuki isn't sure about trying by himself, and wonders if someone very special will hear him call out for help, no matter where they are... he calls out, "HIYOOOORIIIIIIINNN!" and surely enough, Hiyorin sweeps in to save the day. Notable 2: It's rather humanizing to see Mitsuki and Hiyorin cleaning up their own mess.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an_JFW6ck3o

【企画会議】みんなでネタ考えよう！ [Meeting Regarding Future Plans] Let's all think of ideas for videos!

Synopsis: Chamu (Codomo Dragon) and Mitsuki ask for help thinking of Youtube videos people would like to see. Mitsuki claims he's only good at thinking of food-related things. Later, Mitsuki recruits Zero Hertz's Gaga and Rio to help him try different toast toppings while Chamu films them. Result: Nori tsukudani (seaweed simmered in soy sauce) Mitsuki: Too salty, but otherwise good. Rio: It's like jelly. Gaga: Salty, but good. Ume gonomi (pickled plum) Mitsuki: Too sour. Rio: Too sour. Gaga: (feigns vomiting) Ika shiokara (salted and fermented squid) Mitsuki: SALTY!! Rio: (makes a face and groans while Mitsuki asks "is it that bad?") Gaga: Yum! Delicious! The best one we've tried so far. Salmon flakes Mitsuki: It tastes like margarine. Rio: (no comment) Gaga: It tastes like normal bread. Tarako flakes Mitsuki: Where did the tarako go? Rio: It's bread! Gaga: It's like eating sand. The ensuing laughter sounds like agreement from everyone. Minorusaki menma (fermented bamboo shoots) Mitsuki: It's good! Rio: Good! Gaga: Yum. Tastes like something sold at a ramen shop. Nametake (enoki mushroom) Mitsuki: I don't taste it. It's good, but it doesn't taste like nametake. Rio: (makes a face) Gaga: (nods) Natto (slimy fermented soybeans) Mitsuki: DELICIOUS! Rio: Yum! Gaga: It's good! Mitsuki's conclusion: Everything needs more mayonnaise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29Z1sMuQQxM

【武道館ドラマーが】ドンキーコングトロピカルフリーズをまったりプレイ Part.2 A Drummer Who Has Performed at Budoukan plays Donkey Kong Tropical Breeze part 2

Synopsis: Junji plays Donkey Kong. Result: Junji plays Donkey Kong. Notable: Nothing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNUb1GWaEg8

おまえは誰だ "Who are you?"

Synopsis: Hiyorin tests the urban legend about going insane from asking your reflection in the mirror "Who are you?" repeatedly. Result: Nothing happens. Notable: A weird tapping around the 64th time Hiyorin asks his reflection "Who are you?" Hiyorin says that this must be the spirits coming after him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWNJvrJO2V8

【悶絶】辛味の奥に眠る旨味は見つけ出せるのか！？ [Watch as we pass out in pain] Can we bring out a dormant, delicious new flavor from spicy foods?

Premise: Mitsuki and Hiyorin try mixing a number of spicy soups together, despite both hating spicy food, in their quest to find something new and delicious. Result: Mitsuki decides, after getting over the initial pain, that it really does taste kind of good. Hiyorin dies from agony and says he can't tell if it tastes good or not because it's too painful to eat. Notable: Mitsuki flailing in pain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E6vfta-eF8

#kiryu #kiryu youtube #english kiryu #sakai mitsuki #kurosaki mahiro #kujou takemasa #isshiki hiyori #tokai junji #chamu #codomo dragon #zero hertz #gaga #rio

27 notes · View notes

therumbellehappyendingaward-blog · 6 years

Text

Chapter 2 writer; @thecompletebookworm

PROMPT: TIME

AO3: HERE

A/N: I actually haven't watched the show since somewhere in Season 4. I've attempted to get up to date with the Gideon/ Season 6 things, but it is after all, only a week when I have a job that's driving me crazy. I apologize if I messed up something crucial, but I guess we're already in AU zone since Gideon was successfully saved and we have this potential angst with a side of fluff and babies, so what's a little more AU. Basically what I'm saying is when I'm wrong about something in canon, please don't hate me.

Trigger Warning: Description of Panic Attack (To avoid skip part after “Whatever it is we can fix it” to section break.)

The walk from the library to the pawnshop had never felt longer. Even in her worry, Belle couldn't help but smile at the Gold and Son sign. It may have come from the Black Fairy's curse, but there was still something touching about the names together on the sign, her boys working together.

She pushed the door open trying to force a smile on her face.

"Mother!" Her son was the first one forward, his head darting up from his work as soon as the bell on the front door chimed. "Mother! I thought we weren't going to see you until lunch. Is something wrong?"

Gideon rushed over, hands already ready to support her if necessary but waiting until she gave her permission. Gideon craved physical contact but was seldom willing to ask for it. It was a reflex that she and Rumple were still working on, but it would take a lot more than freely given hugs and kisses to get over twenty eight years of neglect and abuse.

"I'm fine." The words felt small and untrue, but she pulled her sons arms around her anyway, allowing herself to lean back into his tall frame. She felt him relax and it gave her courage. Gideon didn't hate her. Not yet at least. Things with this baby would be fine. They would just take time.

Time she wasn't sure she had if she was honest with herself. She saw the worry in Rumplestiltskin's eyes, even if he tried to hide it. Belle wasn't sure if knowing the truth would actually help his worry, or if the addition of a fourth family member would send him over the edge.

Still she knew she couldn't keep the news a secret for long. It had been four hours at most since she found out about the baby and already she wasn't acting like herself. She had practically fled the library, leaving it unmanned and unlocked. It had been practically a miracle she'd remembered to grab a coat, but she supposed that was in part because keeping herself healthy had never seemed more important.

"Is it so wrong for me to miss my family in the middle of the day?" She gave Gideon a kiss on the cheek.

While she knew the baby couldn’t be a secret for long, seeing their faces made her realize she couldn't do this right now. She just needed a few moments, a little more time to center herself, to let herself get used to the idea of a baby.

It wasn't that the child wasn't wanted. Gods no. She already loved this baby with every ounce of her being. It was just unexpected and with life in Storybrooke already so up in the air it felt like too much to handle, more than she felt she could handle.

She hadn't realized she had started to cry before she felt her husband's hand wiping away the tears.

"Sweetheart, Everything is going to be okay. Whatever it is we can fix this."

Somehow that only made her cry harder. She couldn't even look at either of them anymore. Her entire body felt like it was out of her control now. She was shaking and she couldn’t breathe. Was

"Gideon help me get her to the cot in back"

Belle could hear them moving her, could feel her son’s hands around her, but she didn't feel like she was present any more. It was like they were doing it to someone else someone who didn't have earthshattering news for their family.

A million questions ran through her head as she tried to focus on actually getting some air. Maybe her inability to breathe wasn't coming from anxiety and something was actually was wrong with her. Was this the unspoken cost of the magic necessary to speed things along? Was her body betraying the baby right now? Hurting them instead of providing of safe shelter?

The questions racing through her head at a million miles a minute were only silenced by everything slowly fading to back.

She felt the hand first. A steady rhythm going through her hair, somehow anchoring her. Next she felt her head lying in the lap of her husband.

"Sweetheart?" His voice was so unsure; his eyes brimming with unshed tears.

Belle forced herself into a sitting position and tried to look around. "Where's Gideon?"

Gentle hands pulled her back down onto his lap, before resuming their slow dance through her hair. "He's fine. I sent him to get Doctor Whale."

"No!" The word escaped her before she realized she said it.

Rumplestiltskin looked affronted. "Belle, we're worried. We're both terrified something is wrong. You haven't been yourself lately. You’re tired all the time and your stomach isn’t even tempted by Granny’s hamburgers. You need to let us help you."

When said like that, any hope of keeping the pregnancy to herself or just between Rumplestiltskin and her died.

"I'm scared." The words were barely audible in the quiet shop.

The hand paused in her hair. “Belle, even after all this time, you are the bravest, most remarkable person I know. It’s okay to be scared, but you have to face the problem. You taught me that.”

His eyes were so earnest and pleading. They had agreed on no more secrets and she couldn’t resist anymore.

“I’m pregnant.”

She studied his face as the emotions flooded across it. His worry changed to confusion and then to love and wonder.

Rumplestiltskin placed a hand against her still flat stomach, as if he could feel the babe growing in it already. Then he leaned forward to capture her lips in a kiss that was practically reverent.

“That’s wonderful. But how?” He bashfully avoided meeting her eyes. Obviously he knew how. He’d always been an enthusiastic participant. But she knew what he meant. They hadn’t exactly been in a bedroom state of mind recently. Between helping Gideon and rebuilding the trust in their relationship, it never felt like the right time. Plus the pain that had still lingered from an expedited birth could certainly put a damper on even the most romantic of intentions.

“That was my first thought too.” She whispered. Belle tried not to focus on the hand ghosting over her abdomen making this feel real. “I looked in the library-“

“Naturally,” Rumplestiltskin chuckled before pressing kisses into her hairline.

She hummed in pleasure at his actions. It was easy to forget she had ever been worried when he seemed so ready to shower her and the baby with affection. Of course, the bigger and more unpredictable challenge was still to come.

“And I think the Evil Queen didn’t use enough magic to speed up my pregnancy.”

She felt Rumplestiltskin tense beneath her at the memory of the terrible time, of how he missed his second sons birth, of how she wouldn’t even tell him Gideon’s name, of the blatant fear on her face.

Belle hurried on with her explanation trying to keep them in the present. “If you’re having fraternal twins, you need more magic. Of course I don’t know much about magic, but that seems to be about right, I mean larger cost and all.” She was babbling, but really couldn’t stop herself. It felt easier if she got it all out at once.

“And maybe I shouldn’t even be calling them fraternal twins, it could be super-, superf-” She should have brought her notes from the library, because even as she tried to explain it was like her mind was blank.

“Sweetheart,” He grabbed her hand, trying to keep herself from getting too worked up again. “You’re not doing this alone anymore. We can figure this out together.”

“So you’re not mad?” Even though Rumplestiltskin seemed excited, she couldn’t help but ask. She needed to.

She knew this pregnancy dragged up so many regrets and fears. If there had been no Black Fairy, no Evil Queen, they would have had two lovely children, with the language of twins all their own. They would have decorated a nursery and switched out the cribs for bunk beds eventually. There would have been laughter as their house was made the castle or pirate ship or dragon’s den for countless playtimes. But that was a time stolen from them, an illusion that she needed to give up on to give both her children an opportunity to be themselves and not her silly idolized version of them.

Rumplestiltskin’s arms tightened around her. “I could never be mad about this. Having a family with you was all I ever wanted.”

There was so much sadness laced in those words. So many memories of the times she’d doubted that, of times when his quest for power to protect that dream sabotaged it.

Belle began to fiddle with her wedding ring to give herself something to focus on.

“I just don’t know how to tell him. Without you I’d certainly mess up telling Gideon I was pregnant.”

There was a crash behind them and Belle lifted herself off Rumplestiltskin’s lap to see the source of the commotion.

Gideon was staring blankly at them, a tea tray smashed on the floor in front of him.

“Pregnant?” His voice was shaking.

Belle tried to pull her son into an embrace, to hold him as they sorted things out, but he pulled away from her.

“No! This can’t be happening now! You said you would help me! You said you’d help me free the children still stuck in the Dark Realm!”

Every word felt like a stab. She knew things wouldn’t go well, but she thought it would be her son’s insecurity in his place in this family that caused all the problems not his desire to be a hero that was so much like hers.

“Gideon! Wait!” Her shouts were only greeted by the slam of the shop’s front door.

She turned to look back at Rumplestiltskin, who staring at his cane intently seemed much calmer than he had any right to be.

Belle tried to pull him off the cot to help her chase down their son, but he merely waved a hand and repaired the tea set Gideon had dropped.

“What are you doing? We have to go after him!”

He gave her a weak smile. “No, sweetheart, that would only be chasing him away.”

Belle reluctantly sat down on the bed next to him, leaning into him as if she could absorb all his calm and parental knowledge.

“He needs time to come to terms with it.” Rumplestiltskin squeezed her hand. “I think we all do. We just have to remember. This isn’t like last time.”

Even as he said it, Belle heard the slight waver in his voice that meant Rumplestiltskin was trying to convince himself as well.

#group orange #finish this #rumbelle #thecompletebookworm

3 notes · View notes

voidchill · 7 years

Photo

In 9:18 Dragon, a 6 year old human is found in the Kocari Wilds. Her demonstration of magic grants her a one-way ticket to Kinloch Hold.

These events would hardly stand out if not for two facts: 1) She knows she's trapped in a video game. 2) She was 26 years old, the last she checked.

The upside: 12 years should be more than enough time to come up with a plan to survive the impending Blight. (She hopes)

[Note: This story is also on AO3]

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

Warnings for body shaming.

[9:18 Dragon] [Helena: 6 years old – Thedas | 26 years old – Earth]

Mom stands in front of the stove in a pair of short shorts and a hoodie, her platinum hair swept up into a bun on the very top of her head with a red scrunchie. She dishes up her signature Hamburger Helper with a side of mashed potatoes and peas.

Helena counts only four plates. Sometimes she wonders if Mom actually eats.

“She got more mashed potatoes than me,” Abby whines once Mom divvies up the plates.

“No, I didn’t,” Rebecca sneers back. “You already ate half of yours cuz you’re fat.”

Alex chortles at the end of the table, shaking with mirth from his slim arms up to his light brown bowl cut.

Helena watches from across the table as Abby’s eyes well with tears.

“Shut up,” Abby demands, glaring from under her own messier bowl cut.

“Fatty, fatty, boom-buh-latti,” Alex singsongs.

With a war cry, Abby brings a meaty fist down on Alex’s bony left shoulder.

Alex stops laughing.

“Don’t touch me,” he snarls, shoving Abby.

Abby’s eyes widen in panic, her hands grasping onto the end of the table to keep her chair upright.

“Knock it off,” Mom scolds as she steps between them, her long, bony fingers curling around each of their arms.

“She started it,” Alex hisses, jerking against her grip.

“I don’t care who started it, I’m finishing it.”

“Can I have more mashed potatoes?” Rebecca asks, her tone almost as bright as her long blonde hair.

Helena notes the smug curl to her lips as Mom releases their younger siblings to take her plate.

“But I asked first,” Abby points out.

“I know, hold on,” Mom says, scooping another dollop onto Rebecca’s plate.

Abby pouts.

Helena looks down at her own plate. Mom gave her one of the chipped ones, but at least she left out those soggy noodles. Plain hamburger gravy poured on a scoop of mashed potatoes—just the way she likes it. Well, almost. She grimaces at the small pile of peas encroaching on her mashed potatoes and nudges them away with her fork.

“You better be eating those peas.”

Helena glances up to find Mom frowning down at her from the other side of the table.

“I love peas,” Rebecca announces from Mom’s left, tilting her chin up as she sucks a scoop off of her spoon.

“Me too,” Abby adds from her right.

Alex fumes, glaring down at his plate as he rubs the arm Mom grabbed.

“I don’t,” Helena mutters down at her plate.

“They’re good for you,” Mom says.

“They’re gross,” Helena insists, poking one. She grimaces at the green ooze on the end of her fork.

Mom’s frown deepens, her wrinkles sinking further, almost as if someone carved them there.

“I don’t care if you like them or not. They’re good for you,” she repeats in that tone that makes Helena’s shoulders hunch, “and you’re not leaving this table until you eat them.”

Helena glares down at her plate. She can’t eat them, she’ll throw up. Why does she have to choke these stupid peas down? Why didn’t Mom make more of an effort? Why didn’t she find vegetables that Helena could eat? If Mom had exposed Helena to different vegetables then, she could—

Helena blinks, dropping her fork.

“I don’t have to eat this,” she realizes, staring at her hands, her fingers slim but long.

Too long for this script.

Another fork clangs onto one of the plates across from her.

“Excuse me?” Mom hisses. “You will eat every single pea on that plate or—”

Helena raises her head. The seats around the table are empty.

“No, I really fucking won’t.”

Mom gasps.

“What did you just say?”

“Fuck, fuckety, fuck fuck,” Helena replies in a jaunty tune, pushing back her chair.

“You—sit back down and finish your dinner,” Mom demands. “Now.”

“Screw you—you’re not my real mom.” Helena laughs, looking down at her, even if only by an inch or so. “Besides, even if you were, I still wouldn’t have to eat shit.”

The Thing pretending to be her mom jerks closer, its body thinning as it stretches taller, and Helena wants to laugh. Their height difference had always been near negligible—just that inch or so. The Thing could double its size, but it couldn’t shove Helena back down onto small hands and clumsy legs. Not now.

The Thing stops growing after half a foot and strides through the table between them, the illusion warping around its form as its face cracks.

The Thing hisses, “You little—”

“This isn’t real,” Helena points out, triumphant even as her heart thunders in her chest.

A bright flash of light fills the room and Helena shields her eyes, staggering back. When she drops her arm, she finds both the light and her old kitchen gone, along with whatever had worn the guise of her mother. A path bracketed by rocks extends before her, the world a wash of green and a vacuous darkness.

“’And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you,’” Helena murmurs, turning in place with wide eyes.

“Where did you find that?” a voice asks from behind her.

Helena jumps and whips around, catching a glimpse of gold and purple before the world tilts and she smacks into stone.

“Ow,” she hisses, blinking bleary eyes around her.

A faint, flickering light illuminates the stone walls of the infirmary. She leans against the cot behind her and reaches to untangle the blanket around her legs, pausing when she sees her childlike hands.

Not like, she corrects, shoulders falling.

…

Helena steps into Irving's office, hands clenched in the fabric of her robes to keep from tripping. Her gaze sweeps across the bookshelves, but she resists the urge to investigate further. Based on her playthroughs of Inquisition, she knows the likelihood of finding any texts written with the English alphabet is low.

And isn't that a Harrowing thought—a bibliophile unable to read.

"Do you have an interest in books?" Irving's voice snaps Helena's gaze to the opposite side of the room, watching the man stride forward and sift through some papers on his desk.

Once again, she strains under the desire for honesty. Who knows what age children learn to read in this world? Her answer might betray her in some way.

Irving turns around and Helena shrugs, her lips twisting.

“You will have plenty of time to familiarize yourself in the coming months,” Irving comments as he meanders passed her. He raises a hand to the bookcase and plucks out a slim book. “You might even discover an appreciation for them.”

Helena pictures her bookcases at home, the shelves warping under the weight of her collection.

Irving opens the book to a page with a few drawings and offers it to Helena. Her shoulders slump, but she keeps her hands gentle as she studies the strange symbols scribed across the yellowed paper.

“What does it say?” she asks, gaze caught on a sketch of a young woman surrounded by some kind of force field.

“I’ve found this book to be quite helpful as an introductory text. This page,” Irving taps on the sketch of the young woman, “describes just one of the many ways your gifts can be harnessed to protect you.”

A slew of responses rise to the forefront of her thoughts, but fracture before reaching her mouth.

“Oh,” Helena murmurs instead of contributing, gaze shifting to the swirling dark figures pressing against the woman’s barrier.

“The common term for this spell is ‘Mind Blast,’” Irving says, with a note of amused exasperation, “though it’s far more complex than such a name would suggest. The bash of a warrior’s shield cannot compare to this spell’s concussive force or ‘blast.’”

Helena glances up at Irving, noting the rehearsed quality of his words that spoke of past arguments.

“It’s a wave of pure will drawn from deep within the caster,” Irving explains. “To use it to stagger an opponent is to overpower their own force of will, even if only for a moment.”

“Will you teach me?” Helena wonders, voice small.

Irving smiles.

“You will learn that and more, child. Here at the Circle, we are dedicated to educating our apprentices in the arcane arts, so that they may hone their craft and prepare themselves for the difficulties ahead.”

Helena closes the book.

“You mean demons?”

Something in Irving’s smile or his eyes shifts, and Helena recalls that cutscene she watched on YouTube once upon a time, wherein he urged both Amell and Surana to trick Jowan.

“Yes, demons are but one difficulty you will face.”

Helena restrains herself from scoffing at that.

No kidding.

“Tell me, child, can you remember your first use of magic? What led you into the Wilds?”

Helena remembers blinking in something deeper than darkness, something absent and void, ears so clogged with that void that even her thoughts grew muffled under the panic, throat scraped raw from—screaming? Was she screaming?

She remembers her life on Earth. Her family, her friends. She can visualize her bedroom with all its clutter and knickknacks.

She tries to recall what led to that moment of silent cacophony and finds only absence.

The last thing she did, the last person she spoke to—all swallowed in that void.

And then the templars.

“No,” Helena admits. She shifts in place, tapping her thumb against the book. “Do you know how the templars found me?”

Irving sighs, though not unkindly.

“Do not trouble yourself. I am certain you will recover those memories in time.” Irving extends a hand and Helena returns the book, trying not to frown. “In the meantime, let us focus on getting you settled.”

Helena wants to insist Irving give her a real answer, but in the end she just nods, trailing after him. He leads her into the hallway and she works to keep her steps measured, grimacing at the thought of meeting anyone else.

#Don't Panic | Plan It #modern girl in thedas #modern character in thedas #misssnazzy writes

14 notes · View notes

roommateofmyimagination-blog · 7 years

Text

Chapter 7: You’re going to kill me to I’m going on a date.

✗ Adrian ✗

I was on my feet, then i was off of them. The view of trees in front of me slowly moved downwards as It panned upwards to seeing the dusky sky. Before i knew it I was on my back in the dirt. A hand pressed strongly onto my chest. It felt like gravity was weighing down on me and pushing me further into the ground. Coughing violently, i grabbed at the hand that was placed on my chest. Bringing my legs up a bit trying to kick at the ground.

“L-let me...go.” I choked out, opening my eyes barely to look at my opponent. Tsuyoi was kneeled above me, his hand pressed firmly into my chest. Holding me down still with only one of his hands.

“You need to bring out your magic first.” Tsuyoi demanded, not moving an inch from me. “Do that or black out.”

“I c-cant.” I started coughing harder, “b-breath.” I dont know how he was doing it, but the weight on my body was getting unbearably painful and i felt like i was going to pass out soon. I couldnt breath at all, nothing came into my lungs. “Let...go...damn it.”

“Show me your magic and i will, you’re the only one lacking here.” Tsuyoi growled. “If you cant use magic you cant fight with us! You’ll fucking die!”

“Tsuyoi let him go!” Pendragon shouted from somewhere. “We arent the ones to kill him!”

“Pen, you know he has to get stronger! Or we leave him behind! No need for weaklings.” He growled, turning to look at Pendragon.

Reaching up one of my hands i grabbed at his neck, “I said, let. Go.” Tsuyoi looked down at me when my hand wrapped around his neck. There was no strength behind my grip on him. But Tsuyoi tensed up a bit and looked concerned down at me. Black something was crawling up the length of his neck and up to his face. Tsuyoi didnt start freaking out a tad until the black stuff got up to his left eye.

“What are you doing?” He growled, pushing on my chest.

Coughing hard, “showing you my magic, Bitch.” the black, imma call it ink, got up to his left eye then spread quickly across his face, covering both of his eyes. Ink started to spread across his body faster now. It went up to his ears, down his neck and into his arms. It looked like the black ink entered his veins with how it looked on his arms, but his face looked like a black mask was around it.

Tsuyoi brought his arm off my chest. He fell down backwards onto his ass. “Get this shit off me!” he shouted, tugging at the mask on his face. It looked like he was able to pull it off but it was stuck to him like glue. “Get it off Drakul!! I cant see or hear!” he fell onto his back and started rolling side to side trying to get the black off him. “Pendragon get over here!”

Pendragon ran up to Tsuyoi and straddled his body between his legs. Pendragon was hunched over trying to pull the black wrap off of Tsuyoi’s face. “It wont come off man!” Pendragon sounded concerned, “and its spreading onto me!” he was panicking now. Pendragon had powers similar to a dragon. He brought out his scales to try and prevent the spreading, it seemed to work a bit.

Getting off my back, i sat on my knees in the dirt, holding my chest and coughing hard. Looking over at Pendragon and Tsuyoi, I chuckled lightly through my coughing. Picking my hand up that held Tsuyoi’s neck and moving my hand in a way that looked like i was snatching at the air between us. The black ink seeped off of Pendragon and Tsuyoi and wrapped around my arm, blending back into my leather suit. Coughing lighter this time, “So?”

“Fuck you.” Tsuyoi growled at me, “so you have dark shit that comes off of you, so what?”

“I think it was kinda scary…” pendragon moved from Tsuyoi and sat on the ground beside him.

Takeshi walked over to us and squated down in front of me, “So what is that magic?”

“Dunno.” I sat back down on my ass, “i just felt it weld up in me, i was starting to see black from not being able to fucking breath.” I glared over at Tsuyoi, “whats worse?”

“Feels like gravity or weight distribution…” he held his neck lightly, “I feel like i have stupid amounts of strength in me, and yet i can some how change the weight of something about me or around me.”

“Ah cool, scary too.” Pendragon commented.

“Yours Pendragon?” Takeshi looked over at him. Her cheek in her hand, she looked so uninterested in this conversation.

“I know i can bring scales out, for sure and i cant breath fire. I think theres something else i can do, just cant figure it out.” He rubbed the back of his head, “you Takeshi?”

She looked at her feet. “I have really powerful legs so i can jump stupid high. My martial arts skills are better, and if i move fast enough i can make something like….wind blades.”

“Wind blades?” the three of us talked together.

“Like something really sharp but its made of air or the wind i make with all my floppy sleeves and wears moving.” she grunted, embarrassed at having to explain this to us.

“So if we have magic why do we have weapons?” I asked, fiddling with my hair. “Just seems unnecessary to us.”

“Its so if you cant use magic, you have something to defend yourselves.” Ryaikum was standing above us all. He dropped Tsuyoi’s, Takeshi’s and my weapons in front of us. Tossing Pendragon his. “Me and Pendragon are leaving.” he grabbed Pendragon’s hand and walked a bit of a distance away from us before disappearing.

Lappin fetched takeshi soon after and left me and Tsuyoi.

“We know each other?” Tsuyoi spoke up, leaned back on his hands and staring at me.

“Dunno.” I glared back at him, “you in college?”

“Yeah.” he replied, “you go to the school near here?” “Yeah.” I answered. “Live in the dorms?”

“No off campus in a house with my significant other.” he dropped his head back a bit, “you?”

“On campus with a roommate. Your house mate, she cute?” I asked dropping my head onto my knees.

“He, and yes.” He answered flatly.

“He?” I picked my head up, “you gay?”

“Dunno if Gay or bisexual. My boyfriend now is the only one i’ve ever dated before.” Tsuyoi looked a little embarrassed, “he’s...special to me.”

“Aah, i can tell.” I chuckled a bit, putting my head back on my knees.

“You?” Tsuyoi looked over at me from the corner of his eyes.

“Gay as fuck.” I answered him.

“Ah.” is all he said as he stared at me. Eventually he grunted and stood up. “Sorry for before.”

“Eh?” I looked up at him.

“For being too rough with you.” he held his hand out to me, taking it he helped me onto my feet. “I dont want you to be a weak link,you have potential. All of us do, we have to work as a team some day i guess, you need to be ready to fight eventually.”

“I know, its just…” I looked down, “everything is still new and confusing.”

“I know how you feel.” He patted my back hard, “Kenny isnt as open to me either, but we try.”

“What about me?” Kenaz purred from behind me. Freaking out i spun around to see Kenaz with a smug cat smile on his face. “You all did well today, we’re all still….accommodating to everything. All of us, you kids and us Magicae Socius are still getting use to one another.” Kenaz always seemed a bit more gentle than the other three, he spoke gentler. “Its only been a few days, but the weekend is soon, so we all agreed to let you kids rest a bit unless something happens.” kenaz walked past me to Tsuyoi, and grabbed his hand. “We must go though.” He smiled, “bye bye Drakul.” he smiled and waved at me. Taking Tsuyoi the walked into the woods.

“Let us go home.” Demyan spoke from behind me, he had his hands on my shoulders.

“Can you take us home?” I looked back at him over my shoulder, “im too tired.”

“Of course my pup.” he spoke softly. Blackness wrapped around his both. When light shone through it once again, we were in an alleyway between buildings. “I do not wanna port us somewhere someone can see. So just outside the stairs is all i can do.”

I looked at my hands, my costume was off and i had my regular clothes back on. “Its alright, thanks Dem.” I patted his hand on my shoulder, “turn back into a bat, ill take us inside.” demyan’s hands came off my shoulder, the sound of a puff of smoke was behind me then his little wings flapping behind my head. Turning to face him a bit, i held out my hands for him to sit in.opening my top shirt a bit i held him under it until he grabbed onto my shirt i wore under it. Walking up the stairs, i pulled out my keys and put it in the door to my apartment. Before turning the key, i turned the knob. It was already unlocked. Pulling my key out i walked in and saw Val in the kitchen.

“Welcome back.” He looked surprised to see me. Aero was sitting on the dinning table staring at me too.

Opening my shirt, i let demyan fly off and he went to his spot on the window ledge. “Thanks.” I dropped my bags by the door and walked to the kitchen. I held my hand out to Aero, she sniffed me then licked my finger a bit then hopped off the table. “You cooking?” I asked.

“Yeah, just mac and cheese though.” he replied back, filling a measuring cup with water.

“Just?” I asked leaning on the counter beside him, watching the cup fill.

“Yeah.” he looked confused about my question. “Why?”

“Like fish sticks?” I asked looking at his legs. They were so slender and smooth looking, almost girly ish. Aero’s little feet pattered into the kitchen, she meowed happily at my feet and walked between my legs. “Seems like princess likes the idea of fish sticks.” I bent down to scratch her head. “Come to the store with me, we’ll get fish sticks, hamburger or chicken what ever you like to go with the mac n cheese.” I stood up and left aero going to grab my keys. Val was staring at me like i’ve gone mental. Staring back at him, “come the fuck on.” I opened the door and motioned my hand for him to go outside. “You haven’t started cooking yet.”

Val put the measuring cup down and went to grab his shoes and put them on. He came up to me and grabbed his wallet. Snatching his wallet i put it back where it was placed, “excuse me?” he looked at me and grabbed his wallet again.

“No.” I grabbed his wallet again and threw it onto the sofa. “Go.” I pointed out the door again. Val looked at me and slowly reached for his keys. Grabbing those i threw them on to the sofa too. “Oh look at that. Leggo.” I pushed val on his back and walked out the door, closing it behind me and locking the door.

Val was laughing the whole time, “why wouldnt you let me grab my keys and wallet?” he asked looking up at me.

“Because im driving, duh.” I jingled my keys, “and it was my idea, so im paying.” I held out my wallet too then slipped it back in my front pocket. I flipped my keys around to click the lock button to find my jeep. “That way.” I pointed and dragged val with me. We found my jeep and go in.Valentine, did not like my driving. I on the other hand found it hilarious. Val thought i drove a bit too fast and recklessly, when i think i drive just a tad too fast and pretty fine, i just have road rage.

When we got out of the car to go to walmart Val waited for me to make my way around the car, “Im driving next time.”

“Nah i drive fine.” I put my hand on his shoulder. “Cmon, it was kinda fun right?”

He looked at me with a slight Smile on his face, “a bit, but still reckless.” he chuckled.

“Alright, i’ll let you drive.” I sighed and we walked from the car to the scary vacant walmart. Yeah it was late, but empty walmarts always kinda disturbed me, because im so use to them being packed with so many fucking people. Val walked in front of me and grabbed a hand basket from the floor. We walked silently to the frozen section.

“Which do you want?” He stood in front of the frozen chicken breast section.

Looking down at him then the freezer, “pick which brand or whatever you like most squirt.” I stood behind him with my hands in my pockets.

“Alright.” He sighed lightly, looking through and grabbing a bag and putting it in the basket. “That it?”

“No.” I grabbed his arm and dragged him to the meat section. Looking at the different rows of hamburger available. Picking up a few to look at the freshness of it, i grabbed two and tossed them in the basket. “Never hurts to have both.”

Val looked at the basket then me, “that it?” he smiled.

“....No…?” I looked at him with a mild confused look, “Do we want...need any fruit or veggies. Dems could probably take a few more fruits, and i like fruit, so he has to share.” I walked over to the fruit section just a bit off from the meat. I was looking at a few apples and tossing good ones into the baggy.

Val placed the basket down and was examining oranges. “Do you know if Demmy has a preference?” he asked, putting a few oranges into a plastic baggy.

“I think he will eat anything.” I walked around Val and grabbed some good bananas, “if he doesn't eat it, I will.” I put the bags in the basket. “Heavy?” I pointed down at the basket.

“No?” Val eyed me, then lifted the basket, having it rested on his hip. “See easy.” He smiled proudly.

Eyeing him and chuckling, “aight strong man, leggo.” I walk ahead of him towards the registers. “Self check out or?” I look back at val whos slightly behind me. Waiting for him to walk up beside me i turned to walk with him.

“Self is fine.” Val held the basket out in front of him. He turned to walk to the self check out and set the basket down, scanning all the things and bagging them.

I stood behind Val who was still bagging everything, Pulling out my debit card i leaned over him and swiped my card, punched in the key, no cash back, yes this amount is right, yes yes thank you. Val stood stiff in front of me.

Leaning off of him i grabbed a few of the bags, “Cmon stale cupcake, lets go home.”

“Uh yeah okay.” He grabbed the remaining bags and jogged up behind me.

When we got to the car we put everything in the back seat. And i intentionally drove safely for the cupcake to not be clenched onto the oh-shit handle. We got back to the apartments and went up the stairs to the room. Val took some of the bags from me so i could get the door unlocked and opened. I held the door open for Val to walk in and set the bags down in the kitchen.His kitty princess soon hit the floor and made her way to Val and wrapped around his feet.

“Hello Aero.” he bent down and picked her up, loving on her.

“Hamburger or chicken?” i asked, surfing through the bags, “hamburger would be easiest, its not frozen.” I held up the pound of meat.

“Thats fine, what do you plan to make?” Val asked, setting aero down and then going to wash his hands.

“I can brown it and dump it into the mac n cheese, or make hamburger steak. Your opinion?” I asked pulling the wrapping off.

“Your pick, im happy either way.” Val smiled sweetly, wiping his hands dry on a towel.

“Hamburger steak it is.” I put the hamburger on the counter, walking over to the sink to wash my hands. Shaking them violently I went back to the little meat packages. “You...wouldnt mind if i gave demyan the little bit of...blood right?”

“Uh no not at all.” Val responded, “I bet he’d appreciate that sometimes over fruit.”

“Thanks.” I poured the little bit of blood left in the tray and put it in a little bowl like plate. “Demyan, come here, good boy treat.” I shouted enough for Demyan to hear me. A few squeaks came from my room then Demyan came flying out and landed on the counter. He sat there and stared at me, sniffing in my direction. “Here you go.” I set the little plate down and watched him climb onto top, sniff, then lap the little bit in the bowl.

“Oh i didnt know he would drink it that way.” Val spoke up and watched demyan.

“They dont actually suck blood. They bite and let it bleed then kinda lick it up.” I looked over to val while putting my hair up in a high ponytail. “And no, ive never let him bite me.”

“I wasnt going to ask that.” Val stiffened up and looked at me with a look of, oh shit you caught me.

Grabbing the raw meat and tearing it apart in chunks. “Id only let him bite me if he really needed too, and hed repay the favor.” I tapped his little head, “its how bats work.” I leaned back and saw the princess sitting on the floor, “Does she hunt?”

“No of course not, shes an outside cat but she knows ill feed her.” Val looked down at her, “I bet she could hunt if she wanted too though.”

“Ah.” I was forming balls in my hand. Once all the balls were formed i squished them with my hands. “You allergic to anything?” I asked half way through squishing.

“Nope.” Val grabbed some seasonings for me and set them down by me.When he was looking down i brought my slightly bloody hands up to his face on either side of his face. He looked up and leaned back away from me for a bit. “Uuuuuh?”

“Sorry i wanted to see if you were squirmish.”I dropped my hands back down and grabbed a paper towel, cleaning my hands and then grabbing seasonings and seasoning accordingly.

“I didnt know you could cook.” Val said softly, “its fun cooking with you.”

I stopped shaking the little bottles and looked over at him slowly. Val had a happy smile on his face and his cheeks were lightly pink.

“I...Uh, i dont know how to cook a lot of stuff, but i know what i know how to cook i cook it well, better then my mom sometimes.” I looked away from him and back to the meat. Demyan was sitting in front of me making little squeaky toy noises.

“Thats okay, i can show you what i know!” He beamed brightly, and stood on his toes.

“Yeah.” I smiled at him and then pulled out a pan to cook in. “Dunno how you eat meat, well done okay?” I asked throwing patties down.

“Yeah.” He smiled and went to work on the mac n cheese.

Val stood beside me while i browned all the meat and set them on paper plates. We talked about how classes were going. As we waited, i let Val look through my photos in my camera. He told me what looked good and what was kinda poorly shot or in a bad quality. We agreed to go on a photo trip some time soon. When everything was almost done, Val was going and grabbing plates, forks and knives.

“Water fine?” he asked after he set everything down.

“Yeah.” I grabbed the paper plate of patties and brought them over to our little table and val had the bowl of mac n cheese in his hands.

Val took a small bite of the hamburger and when he swallowed he smiled at me. “Its good!”

“Thanks.” I smiled lightly at him, I cut a bit off and put it in my mouth, to realize it was too big of a bite. I stared at val who was staring at me trying not too laugh. Holding my finger up i covered my mouth so he didnt see me chew so i could bite into it and make it swallow-able. Putting my hand down, “I made a very poorly calculated measurement.”

“Pfft.” Came from val as he pursed his lips.

“You can laugh, its okay. I fucking do it all the time at home.” I put my cheek in my hand with my elbow on the table.

“Pff, No, its okay, i wont laugh.” He giggled lightly. After a few bites he put his silverware down. “Thanks, for cooking and eating with me.” His head was down, but i could see a small smile on his lips and he looked up at me.

“Ah.” Is all i got out because i felt embarrassed? Pleased?...A heart attack? I looked down at my lap then back up at val, my face felt a little hot. “No fuckin problem.” I mumbled.

“Something wrong?” Val looked concerned or confused.

“Not a damn thing, just no one has thanked my for eating with them.” I moved my hair from my shoulder. “I never ate much with my family, so its weird to hear that.”

“You didnt eat with your family?” Val asked, tilting his head.

“I did….when i was home...not stoned, drunk, or dead to the world asleep.” I scratched my head. “It was all five of us, then progressively went to three of us then i would not be home or not eat.”

“Oh okay.” val looked at his plate, “I hope you eat with me more often.” he smiled sweetly.

“Aaaaaaaah, fuck yeah ill try.” I looked at my lap. Why does him smiling at me make me feel so fucking nervous? I looked over at demyan who looked like he was snickering at me. Picking my head up. “Ill try to tell you if i cant eat with you...if i have to go see my family or im performing.”

“Thats alright, i’d just appreciate you telling me.” he said sweetly and got up to rinse his plate.

I gobbled down the rest of my food then got up after him and helped clean up everything. We sat in the living room for awhile together and just chatted about things. Some school, but mostly about our families or what we did in high school.

“Tomorrows Saturday, got any plans?” I asked, rubbing my hair.

“Ah, not really, might have something to do that night.” he looked up like he was thinking, “why?”

“I promised you the other day with your friends, we’d hang out.” I mumbled, playing with my hair. “So i wanted to know if you’d hang out with me. I dont have plans really, so i thought id ask or id just fucking lounge here at the apartment.”

“Ah sure, we can do that!” Val smiled happily and leaned in closer to me.

“Too close cupcake.” I leaned back a little from him.

“My name is Valentine.” He pouted a little, “you can call me Val.”

“Yeah, no im calling you cupcake. You look like an upside down or reversed red velvet cupcake.” I commented looking at his hair compared to his pale skin.

“Red velvet is more of a darker red then my hair.” He replied back, crossing his arms and leaning into the sofa.

“I could think up a lot of names if you dont wanna be cupcake any more.” I tapped my chin, “could call you peppermint.” I smirked lightly, “but i like cupcake more.”

Val looked at me and held his mouth open, “Ill think of a nickname for you.” he puffed his cheeks a bit. “I just cant think of one right now.”

“Oh, I wanna hear that.” I leaned onto my knees and put my face in my hand. “I wanna know what you’d call me.”

Val blushed a bit and puffed his cheeks more, “Ill tell you when i can think of one.”

“Mmmmhmmm.” I smirked a bit, Putting my hands on my knees. “Im going to take a shower then chill in my room, I have some work i need to do.”

“Oh, okay.” Val looked up at me.

I got up and went to the bathroom to get a shower. I took my shirt off and looked at my chest. “Damn it.” i mumbled seeing a big hand print bruise on my chest. I turned and looked at my back in the mirror. Some minor bruising on my back. “Mother fucker.”I groaned and took the rest of my clothes on and hopped in the shower. Actually showering didnt take very long, what took long was the hot water felt good on my sore muscles. Turning the water off, i got out and wrapped myself in a towel and dropped one on my head. Going to my room i pulled out a pair of pj pants, drying off and putting underwear back i put the pants back on. I still saw the chain on my waist, and pulled my pants up to cover it, now i looked like a dork. “Fuck it.” I pulled my pants back down and tossed on a shirt. Tying my hair up in a bun on my head, i walked out.

Val looked like he was hunched over a sketchbook and working on something.

“Whatcha doin?” I leaned over and looked at his sketchbook.

“I have to design a logo for my fashion class.” He looked up at me.

“Hm, hows that going?” I asked, looking at the thumbnails.

“Its going, havent made the one i like just yet.” he looked back down at his sketchbook.

“You’ll get there, i have faith in you.” I rubbed his head and turned to go back to the bedroom, “Ganbatte.” I put my hand up and walked out.

“DID YOU JUST SAY GOOD LUCK IN JAPANESE?” Val shouted from behind me.

“I did! So fuckin what!?” I yelled back.

“Do you know Japanese!?” he shouted in response.

“No! I know anime!” I answered him back. I could hear Val laughing from his spot. I pulled out my laptop and set it on my bed, I went and grabbed my camera bag as well and tossed it onto my bed. I walked out of the bedroom and went to see val, “you good?”

He held up his hand with his thumb up, “Im good!”

“Alright, ill see you in the morning then.” I turned back to go to the room.

“Alright, night if you fall asleep.” He replied back.

“Night.” I went and got on the bed, opening my laptop and working on uploading my photos.When they were all uploaded i put my camera away. Sitting on the bed cross legged and my laptop in my lap, i laid back against the wall and shuffled through my photos. Moving the ones i didnt like or where not good photos into its own folder where i keep all the photos i dont like or use. Looking at the ones i liked, i shifted through to crop and edit now. Demyan crawled up onto my shoulder and sat with me and watched.

“Just because you have the weekend off, make sure you do not slack too much.” Demyan spoke for the first time in a few hours.

“I know.” I whispered back, “but ive been a jackass to him, wanna make it up.” i stared at my screen and clicked away at editing.

“You are a villain.” he chuckled lightly.

“Can it, or im not doing what you ask.” I hissed at him.

“Then you will not get stronger.” He sounded like he was smiling. “Why do you think Kenaz and Tsuyoi are stronger than you?”

“Mother fucker cheats, look at my chest.” I pulled my shirt up for demyan to look at, “its not fair hes stupid strong.”

“Hmm, does look like it hurt.” he commented, “but just his magic alone is not what makes him stronger than everyone. He’s close to Kenaz.”

“Like how close?” i asked, looking down at him.

“Close enough to kick your ass.” Demyan chuckled and scuttled down onto my laptop. “You have a powerful ability, you just have to trust me...and i can tell you do not.”

“You dont tell me everything.” I looked down at him as he watched my screen.

“Hm.” he hummed softly, “Maybe you and i will...Hang out one day?”

“How? You’re not natural looking.” I tapped his little head and ran my finger down his back.

“I have my ways pup, i can look human.” He turned to face me, “i just might need to wear your clothes.”

“Aaah, little dude, you’re like way fucking taller than me. Might not fit.” I left demyan alone and went back to work.

“We will make it work.” He crawled back up onto my shoulder.

“Yeah yeah.” I commented back to him and went back to mostly working on my photos. Demyan went off to do his own thing. I finished everything fairly quickly and when i finished all of it I put my laptop back on the floor and laid on my back to sleep.

---

“Adri, its time to wake up!” I heard Val shout from somewhere in a different room.

I groaned and sat up, feeling something small roll off my chest and into my lap. It was a groggy and pissy Demyan who started squeaking at me from my lap. “Heh, I wish you made squeaky toy noises when you hit something.” i scratched his little head and he started hissing at me. Picking him up with one hand, i swung my legs off my bed and stood up, putting demyan on the bed while i put on a tank top and some sweat pants. Grabbing Demyan again, i put him on my shoulder to let him rest and he crawled over to the swoop of my neck and sat there to continue sleeping.

“Good morning!” Val turned to look at me from the kitchen.

“Mornin cupcake.” I yawned and walked over to the kitchen. “Need help?”

“No im almost done.” He smiled “but can you get Aero some milk to drink, she just ate.”

I looked down at the little white fluff ball that sat at Val’s feet and she meowed at me. “Yeah, cmere kitty.” I clicked my tongue and patted my thigh to get her attention. Getting a small bowl out and the milk from the fridge i poured a small amount in for her and set it on the floor for her to eat. She sniffed at it then looked at me then back to the bowl and started drinking it. I leaned over just a bit to drag my fingers down her back to pet her. “You hungry?” I tapped on Demyan who just squeaked and closed his eyes again “Take that as a no.”

“Breakfast is ready!” Val was already putting food on the plates and picked up one and went to the table and set it down, getting back up to fix a drink.

Following after him i grabbed a plate and made a glass of water. “So,” I set my plate down and pulled the chair out with my foot and sat down, “what do you wanna do today?”

“Hmm, I wanted to go look at some clothes today.” val held the end of his fork to his mouth, “is that okay with you?”

“Yeah.” I took a bite of my toast, “I use to go shopping with my sis all the time.”

“Yaay!” He cheered then stopped and blushed abit. “And of course we can go to or do something you wanna do.”

Chuckling lightly, “Cupcake, you dont wanna do the things i do.”

“Oh? Why not?” He looked slightly offended and interested.

“I go do drugs, parties and run from the cops a few time.” I leaned forward putting my elbows on the table. “Does that sound fun to you?”

He sat there and pondered a bit. “No, not really….not at all.”

“Thats what i thought.” I laughed lightly, then took a sip of my water, “but next time i go on a photo trip, ill take you with me to help and hang out.”

“Now that sounds fun!” He smiled brightly again.

We sat and talked for awhile after we finished breakfast. Spent some additional time petting and brushing Aero before we both went to clean up and take showers. Demyan was still sleeping so when i went to take my shower, i put him in his favorite spot in my drawer and opened the window in case he wanted to go out. When both Val and i were ready to head out, we headed to his car because he still didn’t want me driving us around because im a bit of a speed demon.

#ADrian Howell #Magical boys #Oc #OC story

1 note · View note