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11343060	The Principle of Silver	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "F/M", "Characters": "Cullen Rutherford, Female Trevelyan, Female Warrior Trevelyan, Josephine Montilyet, Leliana (Dragon Age), Varric Tethras, Dorian Pavus, Sera (Dragon Age), Vivienne (Dragon Age), Iron Bull, Blackwall (Dragon Age), Cole (Dragon Age), Solas (Dragon Age), Cassandra Pentaghast, Alistair (Dragon Age), Original Characters", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "Explicit", "author": "by fabula_prima", "chapters": "15/15", "completed": "2018-01-08", "published": "2017-06-29T00:00:00", "words": "58,165", "Additional Tags": "Slow Burn, Physical Disability, Fluff, Multi-perspective, Fluff and Smut, Canon-Typical Violence, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tags May Change, Resolved Sexual Tension, Oral Sex, Vaginal Sex, Masturbation, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy, Childbirth", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Female Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford, Cullen Rutherford/Female Trevelyan, Female Warrior Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	She wasn’t waking. Why wasn’t she waking? Perhaps they didn’t have the grand healers of Orlais on hand, but if the healer here was able to keep her alive, why could he not wake her? Maker, what was it? Twenty-six healing draughts? Twenty-seven? She must have been composed of more healing draught than she was of her own flesh and blood. Twenty-seven healing draughts…would she even be the same? Of course not. None of them would.It was his fault, he was sure of it. Granted, he hadn’t summoned the dragon or the dark elder god whatever abomination that haunted them, but he let her stay behind. He should have stayed behind, fuck what the others insisted, what she insisted. He might not have the mark on his hand, but he had a sword and armor and he could have spared her. What had come over him to muddle his reasoning? He hadn’t hesitated for a moment when she had proposed herself as bait. Oh, but she had this particular way of stupefying, terrifying him when she was especially determined. He was no stranger to the leadership of strong-headed women, and it always seemed to have this effect on him. But now he was torn apart. When they found her sunken into the snow and he lifted her in his arms, she had gone limp. Her body felt so void of any strength that he couldn’t really be sure he was carrying a living being. Maker, how it terrified him.“Commander,” Cassandra snapped at him. “Will you stop pacing?” He look around to see he’d dug his boots all the way to the mud layer beneath the fresh snow. “There’s nothing to be done for her right now, but we could use your help with a plan.”A heavy sigh and he walked over to the council and its companions. “A plan for what, exactly? Leliana pulled the hood of her robe up against the snow and began. “We have no way of knowing when Corypheus will return, but it could quite literally be at any moment. We need to gather information, send out scouts. I can’t get my spies on it until this storm let’s up, the ravens won’t make it anywhere.”“Maker take your ravens, we need an attack plan,” Cassandra retorted. “With Brigid out of commission for who knows how long, we need to organize our forces and think strategically about—“Josephine cut the Seeker off without looking up from her tablet. In the safety of Haven’s chambers, she looked as natural as the walls themselves, but out in the snow squall without a coat or even so much as a shawl, she looked absolutely out of place. “We should have done as I said and thought of a contingency plan long ago. Maker, putting all of our…everything, on the shoulders of one woman.” She was angry, but her eyes betrayed a fear, too. She believed in the Herald as much as anyone could, but she was worried about her friend. “If we’re to have any chance of surviving, we need more forces. We have, what…a handful of leaderless Templars, soldiers, and untrained refugee volunteers? We should set out for Orlais at once. We’re near enough to the border and we need funding, we need—“ “No…no Orlais.” Cullen was pinching the bridge of his nose. “For the love of Andraste, if you drag me to Orlais, I’ll leave the Inquisition altogether.” It was an empty threat, but he needed to put an end to the idea before it could gain momentum. “That being said, you’re all right. We need coin, we need training, we need information. But look around you—we’re little more than a collection of tents and a few fires being quietly smothered by increasing snowfall. Josephine will freeze overnight. We need a base.”The three women looked at one another in silence until a wisp of a voice joined their conversation. “I may be able to help with that.”Cullen turned to see the elf mage looking pristinely calm and comfortable with the chill weather. “There is a holding among the Frostbacks that might serve our purpose. It’s long been neglected and I’m sure is in various states of dilapidation. But it has all of the facilities we’ll need and plenty of room to grow. And to be quite honest with all of you, if Brigid doesn’t survive this, we have no direction. I’m sorry to put it so bluntly, but no one seems to be openly acknowledging this. She goes, our Inquisition falls apart.” Everyone present seemed flush with guilt…or fear. Toes dug aimlessly into the snow, eyes wandered, and sighs fell gently. But Cullen kept eye contact. He had already considered this outcome and returned from its hell.“And if we want her to survive,” Solas continued, “we need to get her to Skyhold and out of this weather. If you lot can’t agree on this, Varric and I will carry her there ourselves.” Varric had approached at some point in Solas’ monologue and nodded once, firmly, his arms folded across his barrel chest.Cullen was taken aback. He’d never heard Solas speak with such impatience and determination. Everything with him was always a gentle inquiry. The answers to questions were simply new questions. Cullen usually struggled to relate to him for this reason, but now he admired the mage’s decisiveness. No one else seemed eager to respond, so he took the lead. “Of course, Solas. You’re offering us a miracle, it seems.” His eyes drifted to the tent that housed their dying great hope. No, not dying. There’s breath. There’s a pulse. “Do you know how to find this…Skyhold?”The elf pointed the tip of his staff to the north. It glowed a gentle yellow in the midst of the muffled cotton snow. “I’ve visited it in the Fade more times than I can recall. If we pack up, we can start immediately before this storm gets any worse.” Brigid flicked her eyes open in an instant. Why was she so hot? It felt like summers in Ostwick as a very small, almost impossibly small child, when she’d spend too much time in the sun and the back of her neck would burn. It made everything else unbearably hot. She must have a fever. Touching the back of her hand to her forehead, she was surprised to find it cool. Or perhaps her hand was much too warm. She looked down to see a thick, downy, dull grey quilt. Ah, she was in a bed. And next to the bed, a lit stove glowed orange. No wonder she was so warm, she was fully clothed, blanketed, and being carefully cooked. In the next moment, she realized she was drenched with sweat. Perhaps they’d been trying to break a fever, which might explain her cool forehead and hot…everything else.Sitting up and looking around the room, she tried to remain calm at not recognizing it. It was small and appointed with a modest hearth. The only visible window was broken and boarded up so that the occasional snowflake drifted in only to melt the next second. Why not keep a fire in the hearth? It would illuminate that menacing far corner much better. The room was triangular, she realized. How odd. Was that architecturally sound? Her head was spinning, she noticed. Perhaps it had been spinning since she sat up. Why was she so tired? It felt like she’d slept for ages.Mid-thought, the corner’s dark shadows began to stir. She reached out for her sword but found only a candlestick. Very well, a blunt object will do. But before she could call out a warning, the figure stepped into the light of the stove.“Commander?” She was not shocked as much as she was impressed. He had hid well in the corner given his height and hulking armor.He took two heavy, hurried steps toward the bed and rubbed what looked to be sleep from his eyes. “Thank the bloody Maker, are you really awake?”She stared at him a moment longer as if to remember what he looked like. And to make sure she was, in fact, awake. She looked down at herself and everything looked to be there. “Seems like it.”His expression of relief turned to gentle bewilderment with a furrow of his brow. “Is that a…candlestick? Were you going to maul me with a candlestick?”The question made no sense. Oh, of course, her sword. Her not-sword. She sat the weapon down on the bed beside her, still not quite relaxed from her triggered fight-or-flight reaction. Always fight, with this one. “Sorry, impulse to grab something when a strange figure emerges from the shadows of an unfamiliar room you’ve just randomly woken up in.” As she spoke, she became increasingly incensed. Of course she would maul him with a candlestick if he weren’t…well…him.“Commander, where are we? What happened? Maker, is everyone alright? Is Haven destroyed?”He thought he might need to sit down on the end of the bed, but he pictured this action in his mind’s eye and imagined her panic increasing. He remained standing. “Haven is decimated, as you probably assumed. You seem to have…well it appears that you fell…through it? You were found just outside of a cavern. We’re still not sure how it happened. Or how you survived.” At this he paused. He had been hoping that he’d be able to say those words to her at some point: you survived. But he let himself be distracted for only a moment. “We lost quite a few lives. Threnn is gone. The council made it out in once piece, as did all of your companions, so far as we can tell. That Cole fellow was hard to pin down, but now that we’ve brought you here, we see him lingering every so often. It’s owed to him that we were confident you’d pull through. More than once, he whispered something about you being tired but determined to come back to us.” He paused at the phrase come back to us. Only now, when he was sure that she was alright, was he able to imagine what it would have been like for them without her. “I revise my judgment of him, as it were,” he finished. What a kind thing for him to say, Brigid thought. A bit of a mechanical soldier—and a stubborn one at that—but a decent man, she was learning.“As for location, Solas led us here. Skyhold, he calls it. It’s a wreck, as you can see,” he said, nodding toward the boarded window. “But we needed a base. And it’s expansive. It will be perfect for training, there’s plenty of space in the armories—yes, multiple armories—and the battlements are just—“ He broke off, noticing her queer face.“Sorry, bit excited there…We’re in the Frostback mountains. Quite well walled off against invaders of any sort, backed right up to the range. So for the moment, most of the Inquisition feels secure. Even thinks we’ll start attracting more people to our cause.”She nodded, feeling ever so slightly like she was back in a War Room debriefing. “Do you feel secure?”He pursed his lips and considered. “…Maker, no. There’s a raving megalomaniac on the loose and Thedas is quite literally falling apart. But I’m used to it now. Truthfully, I feel better than I have in weeks just seeing that you’re awake.” Only once he’d said it did he realize its truth.For a moment, she thought she might blush. More kind things coming from him…ah, but then near death experiences will do that to a man. She saw it in her father more than once. “Wait, weeks? How long have I been asleep? He sighed as he mentally counted out the days…the weeks… “Two weeks and two days, if my math is correct.”They both sat in silence for a moment, neither particularly bothered by the lack of conversation. Brigid needed to process, Cullen needed to plan. And the rest of the Inquisition needed to be updated. Cullen turned to leave. “I ought to fetch the council and a healer to come check on you. Can I get you anything, Herald?”“No, but thank you. And don’t bother bringing them here, I feel quite well. Give me a moment. I’d like to get out of this bed and see my…see everyone. Check up on things.”The Commander waited as she tossed off the blanket. She pressed her palms deep into the mattress behind her and frowned. What in the Maker…“Odd.”“What’s odd?” His inquiry was mumbled, as if it distracted him.She gave another valiant push to stand, but failed again. “Cullen, I don’t think I can get up.” Had she ever called him by his name before? Her thighs felt leaded down. Her knees seemed locked. Her feet were numb. Not the pins-and-needles kind of numb that came from sitting in the wrong position. Absolutely, utterly numb to any sensation.“Here, let me…” He trailed off, approaching her. “You’ve probably weakened a good deal, stuck here in bed for weeks.” He stood beside the bed and lifted her arm onto his shoulder. A kind gesture, but his layers made a decent grip all but impossible. Nonetheless, she clung to him as best she could, confusion turning to concern. “Hold on, and let’s swing your legs around…there. Feet firmly on the ground,” he said, trying to smile in an awkward bit of comfort. The change in position made her intolerably dizzy. “On three, we’ll give it a stand. He counted out the numbers, lifted up, and felt nothing but dead weight. Her knees buckled and she fell back to the very edge of the bed, pulling him sideways.“Void be damned, are you alright?” He had twinged his neck in his rush to catch her, but it was of little concern to him at the moment. She’d not been able to support herself whatsoever—light as she may have been to him, he felt every ounce of her. And then…Maker be cursed…she looked up at him. And he knew that he’d likely see this particular face of hers in his nightmares. The one’s where his friends were in danger and he was incapable of saving them. He could almost taste the panic coming from her, sharp and acrid.“Cullen, something’s not…I can’t...they’ve gone bad, broken.” Her breath came in a staccato gasps, jumbled with quiet chokes and squeaks of panic. “How did…who found me, what had happened? Maker, I feel like I’m going to pass…” She ducked her chin down and did not, in fact, pass out. Every ounce of energy in Cullen’s mind struggled to recalibrate with the turn of events. She was awake. She was supposed to be fine. But when she lifted her face again, her red cheeks were lined with tears. All fallen silently with eyes wide open that seemed to not even recognize his existence.“Brigid, what’s happened? Are you hurting?” He sat on the bed just beside her and placed his hand delicately, ever so delicately, like a ghost of a hand, on her back. The gesture was clumsy, he was not a nurturer. He was a shield. He prevented the bad things from happening. But after they happened, he was useless.Her stare was void, looking down at her legs, but her face had turned contorted. As if it had been tightly twisted a moment ago but had lost all tension and fell back to rest in the wrong order. She shook her head, and in a calm, hollow voice that cut straight through him, whispered. “I’m ruined.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Being part of the Templar Order, Cullen had seen his fair share of Qunari, rare as they may be in the Frostbacks. Most of them, like Bull, were hulking, muscled warriors, broader than Cullen twice over. Even the women routinely towered over him. But the figure that approached the council was hardly any bigger than the Commander himself. With his slight hunch, he may have even been shorter.“Commander, Sister Leliana—may I introduce you to Tamurak,” Josephine said, gesturing to the robed figure. “He is the healer I spoke of, from Val Royeaux. The specialist.”The physician attempted a smile, but looked visibly uncomfortable with the expression, so he cleared his throat instead, trying not to make eye contact. “Thank you, Lady Montilyet, for your invitation,” he replied quietly.Leliana extended her hand. “Thank you, Tamurak, for coming. We are not so well-equipped here yet to handle this…situation ourselves.”He let out a soft laugh and suddenly grew confident. “Not to sound rude, but even if you were fully equipped, you probably wouldn't have a way to handle this situation.” It seemed to dawn on the healer that he had said something impolite. “It’s just that I…well…can you introduce me to the Herald?”The councilors searched for some way to make the conversation more pleasant, but Cullen had already decided that it was hopeless and undoubtedly a waste of time. He took the lead and guided the healer to the small room that housed the Herald. “We are truly grateful for your talents. She doesn’t seem to be in any pain, but we’ve been concerned—““I appreciate the small talk, Commander,” the healer interrupted, “but I try to make it a habit to only gather diagnostic information first hand, from the patient. That way there’s no chance that I’ll absorb subjective or exaggerated details.” His voice harbored no ill-will. Perhaps he was just exceedingly awkward. Cullen was not used to being the more conversationally skilled person in an exchange, but it did not bring him any relief.“Of course,” he responded blankly as they reached the room. The Commander knocked gently and heard the Herald bid him enter. “The healer from Val Royeaux is here.” Nodding toward the room, he clapped the physician on the back. “Just call if you need anything.”An hour or so later, three-quarters of the council sat in the rubble of what might one day be the Inquisition’s Great Hall. Most of the windows were busted out and the ones that remained in tact were grimy. Plaster was crumbling, rafters had rotted, and the tapestries on the wall were either moth-eaten or mildewed beyond recognition. But the décor wasn't distracting enough, so Cullen sipped at a pint of mead. He’d heard the Chargers lauding its capacity to calm and relax them. He was more accustomed to wine and ale, but with neither available, he thought the sweet brew would perhaps help him take Haven and its tragedies off of his mind. It seemed that the years of lyrium use—and now his withdrawal from it—had dulled his sensitivity. But holding the mug was at least a tactile distraction and the steady sips gave him something to focus on.He turned to Josephine. “So this healer…odd specimen. What’s his story?”The ambassador tucked away a stray hair and scratched at her temple. It was clear that she hadn’t been taking quite the same level of care of herself since their arrival at Skyhold. The Commander recognized in her the same exhausting fidelity to hard-work and duty that he suffered from. “You saw him,” she said shortly. “A Qunari, but unnaturally small for his race. I suppose it made him an outcast among his people. He was neglected at first, and then actively shunned from his home. He moved to Orlais to study medicine…met a woman, had a child. The usual. Then his daughter fell from a tower, nearly to her death. He nursed her back to life, but she would never walk again. So he devoted his life to accommodating her needs and making her mobile again. He’s developed treatments and equipment and all sorts of things. The daughter is now a success—a tutor to a wealthy family in Val Royeaux.”The back-story gave Cullen a great deal of hope. “Mobile? How so?”“He made the girl a device of sorts—a seat that can be enchanted and will hover off the ground, I believe. With some training, the Herald may be able to make use of one in much the same manner.” Josephine typically sounded like she was fully informed regarding everything she talked about. But Cullen sensed some hesitation in her voice, as if even she were mystified.“I’ve never heard of such a thing,” he admitted, goading her for more information.“I do not think they are common. People who can’t…well, people in the Herald’s condition are often…”“They are abandoned,” Leliana said matter-of-factly. “In most circumstances, they are a burden on their family or community. Or they themselves are so grief-stricken that they lose the will to continue on.” Silence. “It is sad…but it is a fact. And never mind the costs of care.”Josephine attempted to lighten the mood. “This will not be the case for our Herald. She is far too important to us to abandon in such an uncivilized manner.”Leliana traced spirals onto the worn oak of the table at which they sat. “In theory…we don’t need her to walk. We need her mark. And we need her leadership.”“Maker, Leliana, why do you continue like this. She’s not a tool for us to use,” Cullen burst out.“Perhaps not,” Leliana snapped, “but she is a defender of Thedas. There is a reason why she’s practically leading the Inquisition. She is a symbol of hope. The prayers of the common people are in her capable hands. Her hands are…now less capable, so to speak.”Before Cullen could retort, Tamurak approached them, shaking his head. “She’s a remarkable woman,” he said, shuffling through a stack of papers he’d been carrying since he walked in. “The key right now is emotional support. Physically, she’s fine. Well,” he added, noting the council’s unanimously arched eyebrows, “she can’t walk…or even stand. My professional assessment is that she was too damaged before you found her to fully benefit from healing draughts. But by the looks of it, she’s healthy, otherwise. Quite strong, in fact. Steady pulse, clear breathing, lucid. I gave her a copy of this, I’ll give you one too,” he said, proffering a scroll to Cullen. “I assume you have an artificer and an enchanter on hand?”Cullen nodded and unrolled the paper to see a diagram. The seat Josephine had described. It was little more than that, actually. A seat without legs or arm-rests. Three flat planes: one vertical, against which her back could rest, one horizontal for her to sit on, and one angled downward, presumably to support her legs. The supplies seemed common enough.“I’ve explained to her how it works. And I gave her a list of exercises to help her maintain what strength she does have. There’s not much more I can really do for her, but I’ll return next month to check her progress.” He tucked the rest of his papers and instruments into a slight leather satchel and nodded to each of the counselors in turn. “Now, thank you for your hospitality. I must be going.” The Qunari turned on his heel and stepped with more purpose than Cullen had ever seen toward the large front doors.“Ser Healer!” he called out. The Qunari spun around, startled, and looked about like he had anticipated dropping something. Rather, Cullen had a question. “You said she was a remarkable woman. What convinced you?” “She laughs a great deal. That would be remarkable in the midst of this apocalyptic chaos if she weren’t suddenly crippled. In her state? She is positivity…hope, incarnate.” Warm. Again so warm. Nicer this time. Warm and heavy and she was wrapped in it. She felt a soft thumping behind her shoulder. Steady breathing against her ear, a calloused palm at the base of her ribcage, its rough texture catching the tightly woven silken threads of whatever she was wearing. Her legs shuffled smooth beneath the cool sheets and she was happy. She woke with a start, sat bolt upright in her bed, and pressed her hand to her chest, as if it would stop her heart from bursting out of her. An undeniable pain. And then she realized her own fingertips were digging bruises into her skin. Releasing her grip from her chest, she tested her legs. She was awake enough to know that the thumping and breathing and heavy warmth of the stranger in her dream clearly weren’t real, but she could have sworn that the sensation in her legs had returned. Like the pressure of unused energy might tear her skin open along some invisible seam down each of her thighs. She willed movement with all of her might. Nothing happened. It would still take some getting used to, but she was ready to be used to it already. The ghost of a stinging sensation faded from her legs and the early morning glowed gently into her quarters reminding her once more that her troubles were hers alone—the world must go on, and so would she. A body is just a body, she had begun telling herself in the mornings. It houses me, it is not me.It was too early in the day to ruin it with melancholy, so she focused on looking around. Her newer room was much homier than her last. Only one of its windows had been broken and someone had fixed it right away. There were plenty of bookshelves, full of strange titles, and a lovely balconies along two sides of the outer wall—perks of a corner room, Josephine had told her. There were loads of stairs leading up to the room, making it very romantic in an old-fashioned sort of way. But it struck her as ludicrous, given her new mobility woes, that they’d give her such an inaccessible room. She was sure to emphasize that lack of pragmatism to whoever would listen, meaning only to make a joke, and instead garnering saccharine sympathies from the numerous new inhabitants of Skyhold. Oh you poor dear. I bet you’ll miss hopping up those stairs. It was insufferable, tested all of her patience. People’s pity would be her undoing before anything else would. But Varric turned out to be a fine artificer and crafted the handy seat that the Qunari healer had told her of. Dagna was so kind as to enchant it. It took some training and focus and lots of time spent thrown to the floor, but within three weeks, Brigid was floating—Maker’s mercy, floating—amid Skyhold. She felt a bit like a mage, in all honesty, what with having to manipulate the device mentally. “Through energy,” Solas had corrected her more times than she could count. It was marvelous, though Brigid maintained some reservations. It was great on flat surfaces and did well enough on rolling hills. Stairs were rather jerky, as it seemed to register each step as a brand new surface. Mountains were impossible, but truth be told, mountains wouldn’t have been possible much longer any way, what with her rough treatment of her knees all her life. But she tried to treat the whole endeavor like horseback riding—something she could learn to be graceful at, if it did not come naturally—and she assured herself that her concerns would dwindle in time. Besides, there were much more important matters to which she must attend.After a quick breakfast and a slightly less quick moderation of an argument between Cole and Sera over a prank, Brigid arrived for the morning war room meeting. The meetings had become a great solace to her, even when they were devoted strictly to stressful and life-threatening matters. Her three counselors were the most comfortable with her new mode of transportation, so the meetings were a time when she didn’t have to perform the pitiful cripple role.Josephine tapped absent-mindedly at her tablet, halfway through a list of discussion topics. “The Arl of Redcliffe requests the Commander’s presence in the near future. Now that the mages and Venatori who took over the castle are dealt with, it seems he’s interested in striking up an alliance and has heard tell of Cullen’s trustworthiness. Commander?”“Of course. I mean, of course I’ll be happy to meet with him. And I suppose I’m trustworthy, I just didn’t mean “of course” about it…it’s not like…” he shut his eyes tight and shook his head. “Very well, we’ll meet. Is there a preferred day?”The Ambassador flipped about in her stack of papers, presumably finding a calendar. “We need you here tomorrow for the arrival of the barbarian recruits…” “Avvar,” Brigid corrected. “I understand there’s a history of conflict regarding them, but this clan seems reasonable enough that we ought to not insult them so immediately.”“Dorian won’t be happy,” Leliana added. “Dorian will make snide remarks and then Dorian will get over it. We each give up some bit of happiness for this Inquisition. Everything worth having requires its sacrifice.” The Herald’s voice had this peculiar capacity to go grand and penetrating when she made these sorts of prophetic statements. Perhaps she was divinely chosen after all. “Very well,” Josephine said, capping her inkpot and setting her tablet onto the table. “Cullen can start out for Redcliffe two days from tomorrow.” All four of them nodded and began heading through the series of doors to the Great Hall…the windowed waiting chamber…Josephine’s open and airy study…Brigid cracked her knuckles—a terrible habit, she knew, but all of her stress seemed to gather in her hands. After a long meeting, loosening her fingers felt like the only way to make herself functional again. But Josephine had not ended the meeting. “We have one last order of business for today,” she said, gesturing toward the final door. “Herald, you first.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The door opened and Brigid found Varric smiling to the right of the frame, Cassandra to the left. The main hall was filled. She spotted Vivienne, tall and regal. Dorian, smirking, arms folded across his chest. Solas, arms behind his back, making eye contact and nodding. Sera, wringing her hands and giggling. Blackwall, all honor and valor. Cole, hiding in a corner, shifting his weight back and forth between shuffling feet. Bull, unceremonious, massive hands on his hips, mischief on his face. Everywhere she looked, a familiar face. The blacksmith, the Orlesian trader, Master Dennet, Krem, Harding—darling Harding, always the Herald’s own herald, always a kind face. The apothecary, the quartermaster, the barkeep from the Herald’s Rest. All of Skyhold, gathered in what finally looked like it could be a Great Hall.Cassandra stepped forward, her face softer than Brigid knew possible. “Herald. Now that we have settled into our new home, we realize just how close we all came to destruction. But we survived.” Grief and relief mingled in her glance for the briefest moment. “And we have you to thank for it.”Brigid’s heart pounded painfully hard. Taking on bandits and demons and the occasional bear filled her with adrenaline, terrified her to her core. But she was always able to release the fear with a slash of her sword and a bash of her shield. Where should the energy channel itself when so many eyes look to you with reverence? She had never considered it.But Cassandra continued, leading her through the crowd, up to the decrepit throne, all tattered velvet and tarnished bronze. “We realized that we need a leader…someone who represents our cause and our ideals. But then we realized that we already have a leader.” Here she stopped, and offered Brigid a sword. Could such a grand gesture really be directed at her? She took a tentative hold on the weapon. Heavy, impossibly balanced, and crafted with the most delicate of grips so that even her small hand could wield it with mastered control. “If you would accept it,” the Seeker continued, “we grant you the title of Inquisitor.”Of course. Of course I will lead you, serve you all delightfully trusting people. But how could you possibly choose me? Look at my broken self. I only re-learned how to put my breeches on by myself two weeks ago. Who would ever take me seriously as a representative? Perhaps I could kill Corypheus by merely showing myself, sat in a magical floating device—Maker, he’d laugh himself to death, no doubt. “You all agreed on this?” came out instead. Half full of fear, she looked around, waiting to see a set of pursed lips on someone, anyone, who had not agreed to the arrangement.“No one is more capable,” Leliana assured her, suddenly at her side.Cassandra turned and gestured toward the crowd. “It is dangerous to give any one person this power. But we are all bedfellows of danger now. And you are our best hope.”How many hundreds of lungs held themselves paralyzed, awaiting her answer? How many hundreds of eyes refused themselves so much as a blink while she sat, slack-jawed and trembling?“Inquisition!” The Commander roared. He fulfilled his title. “Merchants! Traders! Refugees! Soldiers! Do you vow, here and now, to follow your Inquisitor, wherever she may take you?” Yes. Yes! He glanced back to Brigid with the ghost of a smile before turning to the crowd and roaring again. “Do you trust her?” Ay! “Does she have your sword? Your shield? Your bows and staffs?”The cheers came more incoherently now, peppered with expletives, stomps, and whistles. The Commander unsheathed his own sword and raised it over the crowd. “Then fight for your Defender, with all of the heart in you, and history will remember you!”Maker, she never knew he had this talent. She’d heard men give rousing war speeches before, but they were always bloodied with talk of severing heads and slicing flesh. The Commander’s oratory was gallant, earthy, decent. He spoke to the common people and nobility alike, smoothing the crowd out into a coherent force of focused, impassioned energy. And he was well aware of it, that smirk he’d offered her after his first roar. For all of his self-deprecation, he was pure confidence when it came to commanding armies. The adrenaline flowed through her, a surge of blood to her head, inciting her chest to swell, her resolve to turn hard and fierce. Look at the team she had drawn together. Her cunning spymaster, her charming ambassador, her valiant commander. For a brief, glorious moment, she felt worthy of every good thing that had happened to her in life, and she raised the sword forcefully, straight and tall above her head, above the crowd. “I will be your Inquisitor!” she cried out. The cheer was deafening, it boomed in her ribcage, nearly frightened her. “I will defend you!”The energy in the room was palpable—thunderous applause, concentrated body heat, hearts upon hearts pounding to some primitive rhythm. It made perfect sense now, how tyrants were formed. Should she lose herself in this feeling, it would be the easiest thing she’d ever done to become drunk with power. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and lowered the sword. A silence melted heavy among the crowd and she edged forward.“When I was made Herald,” she began, more tentatively than she herself had even expected. “I questioned the title. How should I know the Maker’s plans for me?” The crowd stood in rapt attention. “I did not feel like a prophet of something divine. I felt like a common woman…who wanted to help save the world. That is all we are, here, and as far as I’m concerned…that is more important, more telling than titles or fates. Flesh and blood people, coming together, to take matters into their own hands. To save the things that make their lives worth living—their husbands and wives, their children, the friends that they care for, the homes they have built, the lands that they nurture.” The words came so terrifying naturally to her that she could hardly believe them as they spilt from her mouth. “As Herald, I felt unworthy of my position. I longed for some way to prove to all of you—and to myself—that I was the right choice. And then Haven…” she trailed off here, looking to Cassandra, of all people, for a sense of support. When the Seeker flared her nostrils and nodded, Brigid’s resolve redoubled. “You know what it took from us. And, well…” she let out a chuckle and gestured to her own seated figure, “you can see what it took from me.” The silence deafened her, the wide eyes staring up at her stole the breath from her lungs. But still she spoke. “I will not stop. This is my opportunity to prove to all of you that I will. not. stop. The evil in this world can take my shelter. It can take my supplies. It can take my legs.” The lump in her throat, Maker, what was she saying? “Corypheus be damned, it can take my hands, too. It can take my arms. It can take the eyes from my face!” she screamed, “but I will not stop defending you.”Silence. Hearts thumping. Then roaring. Her blood pulsed through her body so forcefully that she felt her heart beating in her fingertips, her navel, each hair follicle on her scalp. The Hall was filled with sound, and she scanned her frantic eyes to find her companions. They rushed up to meet her from the fringes of her hazy field of vision. Blackwall, solid and good, knelt before her to formally offer his large great sword. It pulled her back to reality. “Friend,” Brigid cooed with a smile, “please, there’s no need.”The Warden looked up from his hunched position. “I will do it anyway.”Dorian bowed only his head, “I won’t be getting on my knees, Inquisitor,” he informed her, lifting his head and smoothing his mustache. “But I am forever yours, nonetheless.”“And you’ve got the Chargers, boss.” Bull pushed his way through and ruffled her hair. “Krem nearly wet himself in excitement, you make a rousing speech.”“I meant it,” she said, the sincerity in her voice steady enough to carry the weight of the whole Inquisition. “And I will never be able to repay you all for your services.”“Oh, shove off, ya sap.” Sera elbowed Brigid ever so gently. “We know what we signed up for. But I’ll be cashing in me favors, I promise ya that, if it makes ya feel better.”Behind her fortress of friends loomed the entirety of Skyhold, shambling impatiently to line up and approach her. As each companion congratulated her and shuffled off, Brigid remained, engaging openly with each of the Skyholders that wished to speak with her. It became a rather long day of acknowledging everyone’s thanks and promising them hope in return. It was gratifying, to be sure. But it was also exhausting. She could sense the orange warmth of dusk coming from the large window behind her when she heard her new title shouted.“Inquisitor!” A gruff, impatient voice called to her from one of the side doors. The Commander, strode up to her, sober-faced, his armor clanking. “You’re needed in the armory, there was a miscommunication about…sheaths.Sheaths. Bloody Andraste, was this her life now? “And it needs my attention, Commander?” Her emphasis on his title was not lost on Cullen. By all accounts, the issue was squarely within his realm of responsibility. Or the new quartermaster’s, at least.“It’ll make more sense when you…we get there,” he said, opening his eyes widely at her and gesturing to the line of remaining Skyholders that they disperse themselves.A muttered “very well,” and she followed him. He took the wrong door. “Commander, what’s going on? This isn’t the way to the armory.”“Not the fastest way,” he corrected.“Granted…” she said in a huff. “But sheaths? Are there sheaths? Because that’s really all I care about. As long as our men aren’t traipsing into battle with naked swords swinging about, I really don’t care what—“ She stopped, awe-stricken.He had led her to the northernmost battlement where a large table had been crafted out of mismatched desks. All around the space sat lamps. Maker, was it already evening? She’d missed her lunch. And around the table sat her companions. All twelve of them. A mottled crew.“We thought we should celebrate, just the handful of us, properly.” Vivienne was elegance incarnate, spreading her arms out as if to display the veritable feast before them.Brigid settled into the only open seat, between Varric and Cassandra. The dwarf leaned over to her. “It was Ruffles’ idea.”“Perhaps,” Josephine said coyly, “but everyone had a hand it making it happen. You deserve it, Inquisitor…Brigid…after all that you’ve done for us.”Braised ram shanks, salted herrings, rich herbed potato cakes, asparagus roasted with garlic and sweet cream butter, a soup that was simultaneously cheesy and tart, an assortment of ripe berries, and impossibly light lemon sponge cakes. The food was indulgent, but simple. Or perhaps Brigid had just needed a decent meal more than she even realized. She set her fork aside long after she was full and took a generous gulp of an almost honeysweet wine. “Who is responsible for this remarkable spread?” she asked, suspecting Vivienne but struggling to reconcile all of the dignified grace with kitchen work.Nonetheless, the enchantress gestured. “Varric and I put the menu together, but the kitchen staff did the wondrous job.”“With the exception of the sponge cakes,” Solas interrupted. “They are a personal treasure of mine, their recipe taught to me by a kind hostess years ago. I refuse to let anyone else make them.”Brigid realized then that, for all of her comfort with her companions, she still only knew the most basic information about them. The notion of Solas baking would never have occurred to her, and yet the delicate cakes were an edible miracle.The feast lasted into the small hours of the night, and she should have been exhausted when she retired to her room. But her mind was too alert. The day had been so magnificent that it seemed a shame to end it with the mundanity of merely falling asleep. Entering her chambers, she caught a glimpse of herself in a smudged mirror that Josephine had sent up.As a child, she had been rail thin, wrapped in springy muscle built from endless days climbing trees and sparring with her brothers and swimming until her fingers were wrinkly prunes. Her midsection filled out as she grew up, but her arms and legs always remained spindly and tough. Now, she could already tell that her legs were softening from disuse, her calves no longer carved but rounded. Just a body, she thought. She stared herself in the face for the sake of familiarity. Her mossy eyes looked a bit more hollowed than she remembered, but in their defense, they had seen much in the last few months. Her cheeks remained rosy, which comforted her greatly—even if it were just the result of the delightful wine that Dorian had tracked down. Still slender necked—something her mother told her was her greatest bit of grace. Brigid always thought it looked like a weakness, too fragile. But that was the warrior heart in her; the same warrior heart that praised the Maker for small breasts. She never needed to bind them beneath a breastplate like the other women she sometimes fought with. Boys had teased her, of course, and called her a little boy, but she decided they were all pricks anyway, more than once telling them they would be so lucky to have access to anyone’s tits. And when her mother lamented her unwomanly figure, Brigid decided it was a blessing that would keep away odious, lusty suitors. This is all to say that Brigid had determined her comfort with her body at a very young age—she was a fighter and had a fighter’s body. She never anticipated having to come to terms with an entirely different body at twenty-eight. Too tired to negotiate self-esteem, she shuffled out of her Inquisitor’s garb and into a loose tunic before slipping into bed. It seemed like ages since she’d woken in it at the first light of day that morning. The dream that she’d startled from came back to her as a series of fuzzy sensations…the heavy palm on her stomach, the gentle breathing beneath her ear. How long had it been since she had allowed herself the release of self-care? Too long, she suspected, as the very thought bloomed heat in the roots of her belly. She drug her fingertips in languorous spirals around her navel, minutely aware of the downy fine hair that surrounded it, imperceptible to all but her own experienced touch. She needed an image, something vague ought to do. A bare, muscled back stretching after a long day sparring. Something deep in her flexed gently. A pair of heavy, solid arms holding his weight above her, rounded biceps stretching and forearms twisting, twitching. “Maker…” She reached her fingers lower, nails sifting through coarse curls. Not nearly as damp as she expected. She pushed away the troublesome idea that her injury had deadened more than just her legs, but a shot of panic tore through her stomach nonetheless. Alright, something more specific then. Who could she picture? This was the bit that made her feel guilty. Pleasing herself was a kindness—there could be nothing wrong in it, she was sure. But conjuring up someone else’s image usually felt indecent. She didn’t have their permission, it was an invasion of their privacy. Besides, she was so sensitively tuned that general images usually did the trick. But not tonight. Tonight, she would need a face. A voice. Right then, who would be most flattered? It was more consensual that way, she had reasoned with herself. Dorian, no doubt, even if she wasn’t his type. His image had slipped in once before and the mustache did wonders that time. And he liked attention so much that he fit perfectly with her preferred fantasized role of being on top. That upbringing of hers—all subservient obedience and passivity—had done a number on her. In her fantasies, she was the opposite—the initiator, the talker, the domineering. She closed her eyes and imagined the Tevinter’s copper-skinned muscles spread out beneath her as she straddled… No. Not anymore. Oh Maker, the accident. Her position would have to change, quite literally. She would have to be underneath. Dorian wouldn’t work any more, she needed someone more commanding. Bull? The thought of a sexual encounter with Bull frankly terrified her. The man was massive and lumbering and…no, the horns were distracting, even if the arms were incredible. Blackwall? A snigger escaped through her nose. Darling Blackwall was a handsome man, no doubt about it. And fit, she was certain, what with swinging around his greatsword. But he was too…serious. Too noble. Bother it all, alright…try generalizations again.A soldier. There were lots of soldiers training around Skyhold. She started back at her navel again with one hand, and rubbed the thumb of her other under the subtle curve of her right breast. A soldier, her love, coming to her bed after a perilous battle, armor already removed, undershirt scored and spotted with blood. Yes, billowy undershirt hung from his broad shoulders as he kneels on the bed before her. “Thank the Maker, you returned,” she whispered to herself. Always a talker. Fingers moved from her navel to her slickening folds. It was working. Her other hand squeezed gently at her breast. Tree trunk thighs flexing as he worked his way up the bed. Thick, muscled arms encircling her with love and warmth, a calloused thumb and forefinger taking her by the chin and pressing her mouth against his. Maker, had her lower lips ever swollen like this before? Soft and tight in contrast to his hard shaft now pressing against her thigh. The image of its outline in tight leather breeches made her squirm. Now both hands tended to her sex, one dragging the length of her slit, the other applying pressure to her mound. The pressure was key, the illusion of weight. Once, it had been the illusion of her weight pressing down into her fantasy partner, but this was new. His weight bearing down on her very core as he filled her and pressed their chests, their faces together for a hungry, messy kiss. Oh…just a bit more pressure…ohhh, thick knuckled fingers tangled roughly in her hair as he groans…a quick flick of the bundled nerves made hard with arousal and…and..AND…sigh… The release was always quiet; inhaling back in, a choking gasp.She flung her arms over her head, feeling both leaden and featherlight as she lay flat on the down mattress. She kept her eyes closed and continued on to the next bit of fantasy. She didn’t always do this part, but when she felt particularly, indulgently satisfied, she would imagine her lover lying next to her, cradling her in his arms from behind. This is how she would fall asleep. Sometimes, she would turn in his hold to face him, bury her nose in his chest. But always, real Brigid and imagined Brigid kept their eyes closed. She curled her body in on itself as best as she could. Sleep was creeping upon her, melting away the alert edges of her senses. Her eyes remained closed, here in Skyhold, here in reality. Her imagined eyes opened. They looked up to the face of her lover. The Commander looked back into them, drowsy-eyed, the half-dreamt spirit of a knowing smile the last thing registered before sleep took her. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Blasted trunk. The latch had gone bad and kept snapping open, no matter Cullen’s efforts to secure it. He understood why he ought to visit the Arl of Redcliffe. His birthplace was technically part of the arling, he knew Ferelden’s king, and he’d had passive encounters with Arl Teagan in the past. It would be in the Inquisition’s best interests. But Maker, he hated packing. Frustrated by the faulty hardware, he slammed the pommel of his sword against it, jamming it shut. “There,” he snarled at it, immediately regretting his action. He’d never be able to open the damn thing when they arrived in Redcliffe.“Commander, you’re needed in the War Room,” came a squeaking voice. One of the newest recruits to Cullen’s forces. The boy, thirteen or fourteen at best was hardly more than a twig, but he had touched Cullen with his determination to join the Inquisition. Thinking better of allowing his beatings as part of the armed force, he made the boy—Samwell—his “head squire.” A position that didn’t exist, in any official manner, but which suited the young man and the Commander alike.“Very well, thank you Sam.” It seemed to please the boy when Cullen called him ‘Sam,’ evidenced by his puffed out chest when he walked away. The Commander reflected on being called “Cul” by his superiors in the Order those many years ago, and understood immediately the appeal of an authority figure thinking you familiar enough to call by a nickname.One last huff at his trunk and he departed his office, locking the door behind him. The autumn air stung his face, but braced him otherwise. He made his way across the battlement and into Solas’ quarters, nodding at the elf mage who sat at his desk. He had offered to take the roundabout way to the War Room so as not to disturb him, but Solas said it was no trouble, so long as it wasn’t the early morning. A living body passing by every once in a while kept him grounded, he claimed. He already had to intrude into Josephine’s space on the way there, so Cullen figured he might as well make it a social outing, usually opting for the Solas route.When he finally arrived at the War Room and opened the doors, he found only the Inquisitor present. At the sound of the hinges, she nearly jumped out of her seat.“Commander!” she startled, clearing her throat and tugging at the left cuff of her vestment. “Sorry, I assumed I was early enough for a few minutes to myself.”Cullen frowned ever so imperceptibly. Not out of sadness, but of surprise. “No, my apologies. Would you like me to wait out—““Oh! Maker, no…I didn’t mean that I was expecting the few minutes to myself. Only that I…I just didn’t anticipate anyone else arriving so soon. Please,” she said, gathering her thoughts and calming, as if on cue, “do come in.”He did as she bade and shut the door softly behind him. Approaching the table, he placed both hands palm down, resting all his weight on them, as he studied the map. He looked up to ask her a question and upon seeing her, felt very suddenly, very acutely aware of the fact that he was standing while she was sitting. Trying to hide the realization from his face, he made to scratch at his forehead, and sat, rather awkwardly, in the chair behind him.“Commander.” Her response was immediate, her voice reprimanding. “Please…don’t sit on my account.”Andraste save me, I’m a real nuisance. He stammered. “No, I wasn’t…I just thought it might be nice to get off my feet.” He was afraid to look up at her, but braved it nonetheless.“Please, Commander, spare me.” Her tone was a bit stern, but her body language betrayed to him that she might just be teasing—chin tipped up, a thin, sad smile playing on her lips. “In all the time I’ve known you, you’ve never once sat during a War Room meeting. You stand, hands rested on the table, with such severity that you look like you’re trying to break it in two.”“Well I…” he was bumbling, tripped up by her keen observation of his behavior. “That’s not fair, I…I…don’t have such a pointed read on you.” He guessed that humor might be the best way to wriggle out of his fumbling. He guessed right.“Fair point.” The Inquisitor chuckled to herself. “In all seriousness Commander…” He noted that the transition sounded quite like a question and nodded to encourage her. “I’ve come to cherish these War Room meetings. Since the injury I—well, most people treat me quite strangely. Lots of pity and sudden movements out of my way.” He wondered if he ought to say something clever, but thought better of it and sat in quiet appreciation of her candor. “But you, Josephine, Leliana…you don’t behave that way. Perhaps its because we’re forced to be so close, spend so much time together. Maybe the shock has worn off for you. Whatever the reason, you all treating me the way you do…it’s invaluable to me. I’d be gutted to think you pity me, Commander.”He thought for a moment. He certainly didn’t pity her, she was so far above his rank in terms of…well, just in terms of her existence, in his eyes, that pity had no room to register. But simply saying he didn’t pity her felt trite. “It seems the Inquisitor title has made you more frank.”Another chuckle drawn from her. “Perhaps…” And then gravity. “But really, don’t sit on my account. Go about your creature comforts.”His next action felt monumental. Each had its advantages, each its perils. Ultimately, he remained seated. “I thought I was quite clear, Inquisitor. I want to sit…if you’ll allow me the small freedom.”He awaited her reaction. Laughter? That would be alright, laughter he could gauge. A scoff? Sarcasm, perhaps? A roll of the eyes, that! That would be well worth it. Oh Maker, what if she cried? His sisters sometimes cried for no reason at all, it always broke his heart. She chewed at her lower lip. Oh blast it all, she’s going to cry. “Alright, Commander…” Her eyes connected to his, void of tears, but full of surprise. “…as you wish.”Brigid wondered if it were possible to die of suspense. Demons, dragons, all sorts of terrible monsters seeking out her destruction, and she would die in the War Room of a heart attack, waiting for her Spymaster and her Ambassador to break the tension between herself and the Commander. He was utterly clueless, of course. Making gentle jokes and impressing her terribly with his decision to sit after all that nonsense she started up…Maker, such a fool I am, goading the poor man to stand? She, on the other hand, was acutely aware of her use of him—or rather, his image—last night.Josephine and Leliana arrived together, apparently having already breached some topic or other meant for the meeting.“If we want Caralina out of the picture, it would be no trouble to remove her. Her marriage is tenuous,” Josephine suggested.Leliana nodded. “And if we want Monette gone, I can have my people convince her to join the Chantry. She is much better suited to that life, honestly.”“Care to include us, ladies?” Cullen asked. The fact that he remained seated, even at their entry, did not go unnoticed by Brigid.“A successor in Lydes must be chosen. It has gone without direct leadership since the previous Duke’s death during the Orlesian civil war—“Leliana interrupted. “There are three options, all of which would serve our purposes differently. We may have enough sway to—well, not directly choose the successor…but to gently guide it.”Brigid had little interest in meddling in the affairs of a duchy she knew practically nothing about. Small missions to save villages or collect resources—that’s where their attention ought to be focused, where she felt most comfortable. But she understood the importance of political influence, so she sat back as a spectator while the advisors debated amongst themselves. Did the Commander always squint when he was listening intently? She shook the intrusive thought away, irritated by its distraction. She wasn’t sure if she had dreamt of him last night, in addition to…well, to employing his unwilling services, Maker, she was a cur.“Inquisitor?”Brigid looked up to see all three advisors staring at her expectantly. She’d not been listening and felt like a child again, when her tutor would catch her daydreaming and reprimand her inattention. “My apologies. Thin sleep last night has me a bit distracted.”“No trouble,” Josephine said, unceremoniously, which stung. Not even a gentle tsk. “What do you think of Lydes?”Again, she felt like a child without an answer to her tutor’s question. “Honestly…I don’t know much about it. I support whichever successor would offer its people the most benefit. And I leave it to more informed minds,” she finished, gesturing to her advisors, “to make that judgment.”Cullen leaned forward. “Not whichever one would benefit our cause the most?”Worried that she had answered incorrectly, Brigid took a moment to consider the consequences. “Not necessarily. If the people of Lydes will benefit most from our triumph, then a successor that assists with that would be best. Perhaps that is the case. But our benefit is of second priority to the benefit of its citizens.” Seemed a reasonable enough answer, she thought.The others thought so as well, glancing at one another with suppressed smiles. “Very well,” Leliana said, moving her iron totem to the spot on the map representing Lydes. “We will try to dissuade Lady Monette first.” Nods around the table made the decision silently official.“That brings us to the most difficult bit of business,” Josephine said, placing her quill gently across the top of her tablet and taking a deep breath. “New rifts are opening nearly every day. If we have any hope of healing the breach fully, we have to start taking care of these.”Brigid’s stomach dropped. She had been dreading this conversation since she first awoke after Haven. Her mark made her a necessity to the Inquisition, but her injury made her a liability. The idea of going into battle against demons without the capacity to really fend them off terrified her, but she had no illusions—she would track down every rift and make sure that she sealed it.“We should start close to home,” she offered. The advisors looked at her uneasily and she knew they were wondering if she’d lost her mind.“Look,” she burst out, “it won’t be as easy as it was before. Not that it was easy before.” A sigh. “I’m a trained warrior. I go in with the vanguard, brandishing a sword, and I try to beat the hell out of whatever evil is in front of me. That tactic won’t work anymore, I’m not delusional.”Tensions eased, but the advisors remained silent.“I’ll have to be more strategic in picking my companions from now on. It’s no longer about whose company I prefer or who wants to visit whatever part of Thedas we’re traveling to. I’ll have to choose people that I can trust to consistently stave off the enemy while I close the rift.”“It leaves you vulnerable,” the Commander noted, as if Brigid weren’t sharply aware of it.“Of course. But I’m always vulnerable. We have to try it. There aren’t any alternates with searing green marks on their hands that we can send in as a replacement. I have to go, I have to take the risk. I’ve known that all along.”The Commander chimed in again. “Train with my men for a few more days. Perhaps you can relearn some skills and—““Commander,” she began, her tone lower. “You can’t wield a sword effectively when you’re sitting down. No amount of training will change those physics. I used to train with daggers when I was younger. I’ll switch to them, they’re easier to use from my new position. Thedas can’t wait another week while I train. In another week, five more rifts will have opened, more people will have died. We’ve—I’ve wasted enough time already. You leave for Redcliffe today. I’ll head to the Hinterlands tomorrow to try closing a lingering rift or two. The next time we all meet together, we’ll have gained a new ally and closed a few rifts.”She wasn’t paying much mind to Leliana and Josephine, but she knew that they supported her idea. They cared for her safety, of course, but they were more eager to prove the Inquisition’s value than she was. It was Cullen that needed swaying. And sway he did.“Very well,” he answered with a sigh. “Try not to get yourself killed. And promise me you’ll take Cassandra with you. I know Bull and Blackwall are hulking, but I have more faith in Cassandra than I do myself. It would put my mind at ease.”“Lucky for you,” Brigid said with a gentle smile. “The Seeker was already on my list.”Brigid thought it a bit odd that Cullen and his traveling party had decided to take off at sunset, rather than sunrise. In fact, it made absolutely no sense and she was going to get to the bottom of the choice. Or, at least, that was her rationale for making her way up to his office. In truth, she thought it very possible that she would die before she ever saw him again and she felt her recent behavior absolutely ludicrous. So she’d thought of him a bit scandalously one night, what of it? Was she such a child that she would let it get in the way of her professional relationship with her military advisor? Of course not. She was the fucking Inquisitor and it was time to be an adult. She would march—well, float, at least—into his office as he finished preparing for his travels and make sure he had the exact, correct perception of her. Only once she had arrived at his door did she realize that she hadn’t quite figured out what that perception ought to be. She could think about it for ages, until he himself opened the door to leave, so she decided to just see where the conversation took them. With two succinct knocks on the door, she took a deep breath.“Not right now. Whatever the missive, there’s not time to take care of it before I leave.” His voice was calm, his logic sound.She hesitated. Should she turn around and leave? Should she acknowledge that she’d heard him and apologize? “Sorry?” she squeaked out. Trial and error would be the method of the night, apparently. “Never mind.”She heard one..two..three heavy steps and had to look up when the door swung open. This was perhaps the most consistently irritating thing about sitting all the time—unless the other person was a child, she was always looking up. Even Varric’s eye line rested above her. “Commander.”“Lady Inquisitor! My apologies, I thought you were a messenger. Is everything alright? Can I help you?"He seemed determined to use every possible phrase that one might use upon opening the door to someone unexpected. This awkwardness eased her mind, as did his attire. Brigid had never seen her Commander out of his armor. Simple breeches, a simple undershirt, and a thin brown overcoat that he either hadn’t buttoned yet or had decided to unbutton. Practical. Normalcy. She was comforted.“I didn’t mean to disturb you, I just wanted to apologize, before you left for Redcliffe. Before I forgot.” Brigid was sharply aware of his height as he blocked out most of the door-frame.He stepped toward her, closing the door behind him, and gesturing that they ought to remain on the battlement. “What could you possibly need to apologize for?” A laugh veiled his question.“Before the meeting earlier…I didn’t mean to put you on the spot. Or make you feel uncomfortable. I’m still—““It’s quite alright,” he interrupted. They approached the crenelated wall with a foot’s distance between them. “I…I can’t begin to imagine what you’re going through.”A soft word that wasn’t pity. Brigid’s chest closed in on itself like a fist.“Besides, I wasn’t uncomfortable.” He was staring out into the cool afternoon air as if he could will himself to see further than the horizon. “Well, for a moment, before I sat, I was keenly aware of the difference in height and that was uncomfortable. I suppose that’s why I sat.”“Height?”“You are my superior. We were preparing for a meeting. It seemed appropriate that we at least be at the same eye level.”“You’re making fun of me.” It had taken her a moment to realize it, but when she did, it warmed her.He loosed a closed smile and the scar splitting his top lip went white. “If you’d let me, I’d like to put you at ease about this whole…thing,” he said, gesturing at her seat. “But you’re fighting me tooth and nail.”“You don’t find it tragic?” she joked. The conversation was coming more easily.“Not at all. I mean, I have sympathy for your frustrations. It’s damn awful luck, at the risk of sounding trite. But in the Order, I saw plenty of men injured in battle. Or crippled by a bad lot of lyrium. I saw men who gave up and wallowed in what they had labeled their misery. And I saw others adjust their course and soldier on. You’re clearly the latter. Nothing tragic about that.”“Maker, are you always so reasonable?”He laughed. A genuine laugh from deep in his belly. “Yes, unfortunately. Varric and Bull spend a lot of time in the tavern encouraging me to be less so.”“They mean well, I’m sure. But I don’t know if it’s wise to take advice from two men who expose so much of their…chest hair.”Another rumbling laugh. “Maker…you know, your sense of humor might just be as valuable to our cause as that mark on your hand.”“And your kindness as valuable as your work ethic, Commander,” she parried.He winced at the compliment. “Cullen, please…just call me Cullen.” She met his eyes. The night that she imagined him lying beside her, she left the eyes empty. The mouth was precise—it struck her as his defining feature. But not until that afternoon did she really catch his eyes. They looked like puddles of whiskey in the saturated afternoon sun and were set deep, under a heavy brow. But the little wheat colored flecks in them brought intelligence to his gaze. “Alright…Cullen. Might take some getting used to.”He nodded at her attempt, not quite smiling, but instead lifting his chin like he was satisfied. “You used it pretty comfortably once before. When you awoke in Skyhold and…you were frightened, I think. It slipped out casually.” She noticed he had terribly long eyelashes. Her cousin always said boys got the prettier eyelashes and Cullen’s supported that claim. Golden and dense, so dense she thought that the top and bottom sets must tangle together every time he blinks.“I’m glad you were there that night.” Though she didn’t remember much about that evening, she did recall a sense of safety and credited him. “But why were you there? Why not a healer? Or Mother Giselle?”“Blackwall, Cole, and I took turns. You happened to wake on one of my nights.” He didn’t meet her gaze directly and instead became lost in contemplation. His face grew solemn and his shoulders squared—he had been leaning against the crenellation, but stood up straight and shook his head. “I shouldn’t have let you stay behind.”“Like you would have stopped me?” she joked.He was not joking this time. “Yes. I could have, I ought to have. I regret very little since coming to the Inquisition. I regret many of the things I did in my life beforehand, but only one thing since joining—““Cullen, I was determined. I did what had to be done, there was no other option. It’s not your burden to carry. You’ve brought only goodness to our cause.” Brigid could feel the ludicrous grandiosity of what she was about to say, but took the risk anyway. “You’re the heart of this Inquisition.”The weight of her claim made even the air seem denser. The Commander leaned back ever so slightly, his lips slowly parting. “That’s—““Commander!”Spindly Samwell came jogging up to his superior, all determination. “The mounts are ready, Ser.”Brigid rubbed the back of her neck and smiled at the young man. “I ought not keep you any longer.”It seemed to take Cullen a moment to register what his squire had said and what Brigid was now saying. She waited for his response, but in the face of silence, ventured her hand to his chest, just below his shoulder. “The heart, Commander.”He nodded, transfixed by her sincerity.“Now...” she patted the spot where her hand had rested before letting it drop to her side. “…safe travels to Redcliffe. Send Arl Teagan my regards.”Another nod and he snapped out of his reverie. “And you...be careful,” he managed. “If all else fails, put your trust in Cassandra.”The road to Redcliffe was uneventful. A few bandits along the way. Straggler Templars antagonizing mages—or perhaps the other way around, it was impossible to tell nowadays. The occasional flicker of a queasy green spark in the distance would signal to him another rift. He resented no longer being in the field where he could help the Inquisitor get rid of these pests.To distract himself, he reflected on the conversation they had just before his departure. The heart of the Inquisition…it was a ridiculous notion to him. He was nothing more than a broken man trying to atone, he was aware enough of his imperfections to at least admit that. Besides, she was the heart of the Inquisition. She made that quite evident with her speech to Skyhold. He had heard some rousing military speeches in his day, but hers had left him shaking at the knees, ready to smite all of her enemies with his bare hand, if need be. And the gentleness with which she had placed her impossibly small hand on his chest and smiled into his eyes just hours ago…Maker, that was all heart and warmth and goodness. They were lucky to have her. Even if she hadn’t become the Inquisitor. If she were just a barmaid at the Herald’s Rest, warming his aching bones with a heady drink and a soft joke, she would still be treasured. He worried about her, too. She seemed to be taking her injury incredibly well, testing out her limits and going to whatever necessary lengths to accommodate her surroundings to her new abilities. But there was a tightness developing around her mouth and he wondered if it had something to do with the pity she spoke of earlier in the day. No doubt, people looked at her differently now, but he had trouble imagining how someone could pity such a strong, dauntless, beautiful woman. No, uh…not beautiful, that’s not what he’d—she was beautiful, but that’s not what—beautiful in the divine sense, he meant, but it had sounded… He scowled at himself, smelling the stench of his own idiocy.When he arrived at Redcliffe Castle, it was not the Arl that greeted him, but the King himself, Alistair Theirin.“Commander Cullen Rutherford, as I live and breathe!”The King glided down the steps with ease as Cullen dismounted, handing the reins of his horse to a stable boy who had spontaneously appeared. “Your highness. I hadn’t expected to see you.”“Come, brother, drop the titles,” Alistair said, embracing Cullen in a spirited hug. “We are cut from the same cloth, you and I. Act like it.”Cullen couldn’t help by smile. He had missed the camaraderie of the Order fiercely. It was perhaps the only thing about that life that he missed. The Inquisition was becoming comfortable day by day, but Alistair was a pleasant reminder of the friendly ease of brotherhood. “Where is Arl Teagan?”The two men strode toward the gate of the castle at a leisurely pace, allowing Cullen to observe the rubble of its recent attack. Alistair seemed unfazed by all of it. “He was called to Denerim on business. It seemed urgent, so I insisted he go. He requested that I stay here until he returned, knowing you’d be arriving soon. He ought to be back by tomorrow at the latest.”Cullen nodded as they crossed the threshold into the castle. “Maker…it looks worse than Skyhold.”“What? Oh, yes, it’s in an awful state. But many of the private chambers are in fine shape. It’s a shame, what happened here. Though I’m sure you’re not surprised. I heard the Venatori pestered your Inquisition as well?”“Pestered is a bit tame,” Cullen responded, laughing through his nose in an attempt to stave off his melancholy at remembering that night in Haven. “We lost dozens of innocent people at their hands. Merchants, maids, children…nearly our Inquisitor.”Alistair’s face lit up at her mention and he gestured for them to sit across from one another at a small table in what was once the main hall of the castle. The chairs were a bit uneven and a large gash marred the surface of the table, but just being in Redcliffe made Cullen feel at home.“Tell me of her. Is she as fierce as the rumors report?” The King prompted gossip as he retrieved a flagon and a pair of small wooden cups.“More so,” Cullen said, unaware that he was practically beaming. “And it was apparent the moment she strode into Haven.”“You insinuated that she almost died there?”“Yes,” he said softly. “The night the Venatori attacked, Corypheus followed just after them. We had a chance to evacuate the remaining civilians of Haven, but only if he were distracted. She insisted, of course.”“Maker…” Alistair was rapt, nearly spilling the drinks as he poured. “She does that sort of thing often?”“More often than I’d care for her to. It’s difficult to be the Lady’s sword and shield when she demands to put herself in danger.”“A martyr?”“No,” Cullen said, taking a sip of what he realized to be a brash red wine that tasted a bit like apple blossoms. “She has no intention of dying.”“Sounds like perhaps she does if she’s come so close to it already.”“That was…that was my fault. I shouldn’t have let her offer herself up as bait. And now she’s—““I thought you said she survived?” Alistair said, interrupting.“She’s alive, but…she was badly injured that night. The healer seems to think…” Cullen paused here, suddenly feeling like his armor was too tight. Like he was divulging private information, even though it was quite apparent to the public. He cleared his throat and pushed through the tightness in it. “She’ll never walk again.”Alistair slouched in his seat, tossing back what remained of his wine. “Tragic,” he whispered, staring down at the tabletop.“Not at all,” Cullen bellowed, louder than he had meant to. His own conversation with the Inquisitor sprang back to life before his eyes. “What I mean is…she’s just as fierce as ever. Perhaps more so. Maker, she’s figuring it all out.”Alistair was incredulous. “How? How in the Void will she fight all of this without walking?”“I don’t know. But she’s doing it. It’s a marvel. She’s pulling all of these resources, all of these people…she draws solutions to herself like a magnet. I’ve never seen something so…”“Fated,” Alistair finished.Cullen let the word tumble around in his mind for a moment. At one point in his life, he’d been a deeply religious man, and remnants of that faith remained steadfast. Fated was an alright word for it, but it felt even more fundamental than the Maker. “I was going to say ‘natural,’ actually.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- As irritating as steps had become for Brigid, she had to admit that the spiraling staircase leading up to the library was fun to traverse in her enchanted seat. She had improved her dexterity with the contraption and learned how to wield her body weight with minute control so that her manipulation of the seat was much smoother.She reached the top of the staircase and glanced around, letting the comforting vanilla scent of old leather and secreted vellum wrap around her. Just as she had anticipated, Dorian sat tucked in an oversized armchair, alternately licking his middle finger and flicking the pages of a dusty, well-worn tome. Without bothering to look up, he addressed her. “All these 'gifts' to the Inquisition and the best they can do is the Malefica Imperio? Trite propaganda. But if you want twenty volumes on whether Divine Galatea took a shit on Sunday, this is evidently the place to find it.”“I didn’t know you were a history man,” she said teasing.“What did you assume, then? Steamy bodice rippers?”An easy laugh escaped her nostrils. “No, I didn’t take you for the type to care much whether or not bodices came off…breeches, on the other hand—“His eyes snapped up at her and one side of his mustache lifted as he smirked. “You’re a keen observer. I, apparently less so, because I can’t quite tell what you’re doing up here on such a fine evening.”The sun had just finished setting, the Commander’s traveling party had set off shortly before, and all that remained for Brigid to think about was closing rifts. “I came up to see if we had any information on rifts…demons…really anything that might help me tomorrow. I’d like to be over-prepared.”“Well, lucky for you, I’m quite well versed in necromancy, I’ll be of great use. Assuming, of course, that you’re bringing me along. Which I’ve no doubt you are…”“You’re under consideration,” Brigid answered with a smirk of her own. This particular mage was much more pleasant conversation than either of the other two in her inner circle. Part of her had sought out the library in hopes of bantering with him for a bit, just to take her mind off of things.“Well, if that’s the best you can do, I suppose I’m at your mercy.” He slapped the volume shut and placed it on a half-empty shelf just beside him. “Now, are there any other libraries in this place? Surely there’s something I can really sink my teeth into.”“You’re always welcome to sift through the shelves in my quarters. Though much of what’s there is Tethras work.”“Ah yes, the dwarven serialist. Perhaps now that I have a better connection, I can persuade him to write something a little more…to my liking. He’d have a sizeable audience.”“Now there’s an idea.”“What about you, Inquisitor?”“What about me?”“Do you have a preference in…novel?”Catching the mischievous tone of his voice, she sniggered. “I’ve a deep and abiding attraction toward men, Master Pavus. The more masculine, the better…unfortunately.”“Mmm, my preference too. But why so unfortunate?”“Do you not find they often end up being more insensitive?”“Perhaps some…but not all of them. Blackwall’s a man’s man if there ever was one and he seems rather gentle.”Brigid nodded in response and thought back to the recent evening when she tried conjuring Blackwall’s image. She stood by her previous opinion—gentle, sure, but a bit too stoic.“Not your type, eh?”“I prefer a little more approachability, I suppose.” “Do you like them strapping?"She couldn’t suppress a grin. “And broad across the shoulders.”“What’s more important: taut abs or taut ass?”Brigid suddenly wished they were in the tavern with drinks in their hands. Despite having only known Dorian for half a dozen weeks or so, she felt stupendously at ease with him, no matter the topic of conversation. So she answered without hesitation. “Ass, no contest. A strong core is important, of course, but defined abdomens make me uncomfortable. Too…I feel like I’m seeing through their skin.” She shivered a bit.“Chest hair?” he parried.“Perhaps I wasn’t clear about my love of masculinity.”He leaned back, as if to allow space for her passion on the matter. “My apologies, Inquisitor. I see now you’re a woman who’s serious about what turns her on. That’s good. You should always get yours.”She sighed reverently. “Yes…but it’s been far too long. Which is alright, I suppose, I’ve got more important matters to attend to than a love life right now.” The sickly sound of a crackling rift rang in her imagination.“That will not do,” he said, concern spreading across his face. Brigid almost thought it was genuine. “Surely someone has struck your fancy.”“Oh, I look around and see plenty of lovely looking men. And they’re all kind to me. But the title and all…it stifles…everything, if I’m being honest.”“What about our resident knight in shining armor?”“Given the number of armored men around, that’s not very specific.”“You know the one…golden hair…fur cloak…mysterious scar bisecting a delightfully pillowy top lip…”There was no hiding the hitch in her breath from Dorian, but she kept her voice steady nonetheless. “I know the one…”“Ah, looks like you’ve thought of the one, too. Pined after him?”She sighed. There was little use in playing coy with the Tevinter. “No pining. Some fantasizing…one night…when your image just wasn’t doing the trick.”The look of genuine shock across his face would be tucked in her memory forever. “Maker’s tits, I didn’t know you had it in you. I’m immensely proud…and I’ll pretend that I didn’t satisfy you because you were too aware that you weren’t my type. But more importantly, what will we do about this?”“Precisely nothing,” she said matter-of-factly. “It would be highly inappropriate.”“More inappropriate than fingering yourself to the midnight conjuration of your Commander?”“Yes. That was one private moment that is of no consequence to the Inquisition. Besides, he’s a chaste as a chantry bell. It would be wholly one-sided.”“Haven’t you seen the man walk? The sway of his hips is not that of a celibate man. And his hands—““You’ve not seen his hands. He wears gloves.” She wanted to take the statement back. Or at least the confidence with which she had blurted it out. It revealed that she had paid close attention to the Commander’s hands in the first place.“I’ve not seen them in the flesh, perhaps. But the way he moves them? And the size of them?”“What matter is their size?”“Length from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the index finger.” He gestured, spreading his hand wide. “Pay attention at your next War Room meeting.”Dorian had finally forced her to blush—not out of embarrassment at his suggestion, but out of her immediate acceptance of the assignment. She laughed and gave his knee a shove. “Alright you rascal. I have to go prepare for tomorrow. And you ought to, too.”“Why? Will I be going somewhere?”“I’m not leaving Skyhold without you.”As the pair headed for the nearby staircase, they passed spindly Sam, sitting at a table, slack-jaw stunned. He would never breathe a word of the conversation to the Commander. The next morning arrived heavy-footed against the backs of Brigid’s eyelids. She dressed in a daze, forced herself to eat breakfast in a daze, gathered her companions in a daze, and didn’t engage with the world until she, Dorian, Cassandra, and Varric had marched out of Skyhold and into the Hinterlands.It wasn’t long into their journey when Brigid saw a rift shudder in the distance. “How are you feeling about all of this?” Cassandra asked, seemingly genuinely interested.Scared shitless. “Just fine. It’s not like we haven’t closed one of these before. This time, I just have to actually defend myself. Can’t rely on my sword.” Cassandra had pestered Brigid more than once about her sloppy shield work, and thought her self-deprecation might lighten the Seeker’s spirits.“Just let us do the aggressing. We’ll cover you. No unnecessary risks.”Brigid could hear the sickening crackle of the rift only a few hundred feet away, tucked into a gentle valley ahead, and felt her left hand pull toward its sound. She resented this connection to the Fade—not because it left her responsible for fixing its tears, but because it had physical control of her. Just the smallest little bit, she reasoned, but still too much. With her right hand, she grabbed her other wrist to remind herself that she owned it.Varric watched her with gentle attention. “Does it ever hurt?”“It’s not painful, really. It feels like—“ A wrenching sound tore through her and her companions and her stomach contracted. Demons and wraiths cried in harmony with one another, drawn to her scent or her energy, she couldn’t tell but didn’t care.Cassandra drew her sword with a flourish and planted her feet. “We’re going forward. Inquisitor, stay. back.”Brigid nodded as she watched her companions march toward the din of wretched evil. She would keep back, but she must move at least a bit closer to reach the rift. Sidling up to the rock face, she edged herself and her seat toward the green gash until she was within range of its imploding energies. Cassandra, for all of her skill and determination, looked like a sitting duck. Brigid was used to glancing over at her ranged fighters lobbing arrows and spells alike at the enemy. But she was not used to such distance between herself and the Seeker. It was one of her greatest pleasures as part of the Inquisition—fighting side-by-side with the hard-edged woman. A pair of nimble warriors, equal parts grace and force.She shoved the nostalgia aside. Confident that she was well-covered and that none of the creatures would interrupt her focus, she stretched her hand forward to disrupt the rift. As she had hoped, the tear sizzled its energy at the demons, stunning them so that her companions might wear them down without riposte. The whole mission suddenly seemed doable, even as the second round of foes burst forth from the rift. And then…“Ahh, fuck the Maker!”Cassandra shouted back through thrusts of her sword, “Varric! What—ugh—what’s wrong?”“Bianca, she’s jammed,” he screamed, voice cracking and higher pitched than Brigid had ever heard from him. “My short fucking legs aren’t made for this,” he yelled, running as fast as he possibly could, away from the terror demon that stalked him down. He shook his crossbow, hit the contraption with the palm of his hand, tried everything in his might to put the weapon in working order, to no avail. Brigid could do little more than watch and curse Andraste for not making her a mage rather than a warrior so that she might be able to do something more with her otherwise useless hands. The demon had caught up to Varric and gurgled a bit of laughter as it towered over him, feeding off of his fear, backing the dwarf up against the rock face that Brigid had just touched. She could hear Varric’s labored breathing, thought she could feel the panic mounting in his chest. Her own breast tightened. She had done this. She had brought her friends into the jaws of destruction and here, she would have to watch as one of them would die for her mistake. And Varric, worst of all—her storyteller, her comforter, her favorite sort of crass humor tempered with genuine affection. She would not look away. She would not grant herself the relief. In one desperate attempt to alter the tragedy before her, she cried out to distract the demon and raised her arms. She wasn’t sure what she thought might happen—perhaps the demon would sense her mark and become distracted. Perhaps the power of the rift could be channeled through her hand where its twin dug into her skin and she could incapacitate it.In the end, she could hardly describe what actually transpired.The ground quivered beneath her, a soft ripple, as if its lover had traced a finger down its pulse line, and Brigid closed her eyes. When she opened them, arms still lifted, she saw the rocky crag against which Varric was pressed begin to crumble, come to life, just above his head. A clod of rocks rent from the hillside and hovered above the demon. A soft, sharp thought tore through her mind and she mumbled to herself. “Get off of my fucking friend.” The loose boulders drove down on the creature’s head, leaving behind a crackling shriek.With the rest of the demons vanquished, Brigid snapped back to attention and raised her left palm up to the rift, invoking the queasy connection that brought her equal parts dread and relief. Slowly, she squeezed her fist shut until the rift sewed itself together, pouring out electric mist in its final death throes.She rushed over to the dwarf who slid slowly down the remainder of the wall until he was slumped into the grass. He stared wide at the pile of rubble and flickering spirit before him, one hand dug into the hair on his head just to hold onto something. “Sweet Andraste’s tits, Heartstrings, you saved my life.”Brigid was still panting to abate the adrenaline that coursed through her system, but a small smile was forming in her eyes as she spied Cassandra and Dorian running up. “Heartstrings?”“Yeah…you really tug at ‘em. How did you—“Dorian reached tentatively toward the stones, piled haphazardly. “Yes, Inquisitor, how did you do that?” His curiosity was typically gentle so that he wouldn’t betray impassioned interest, but this time, he took an incredulous tone.All Brigid could manage was a shrug, but her excitement was building. For the first time in months, she felt powerful. She’d forgotten the seat, forgot her rag doll legs. All of the fire in her belly that she used to release with a sword and shield had finally been depressurized. “I was terrified, angered, by the sight of Varric pinned there by that scraggly abomination of a thing. And by my inability to do anything. I felt energy in my very bones—normally I’d use it to shove my shield up a demon’s ass, but today—"Cassandra cleaned her sword off on the grass and shook her head in disbelief. “Today, Inquisitor…today, you willed the mountains to move. What will you do tomorrow?”“So you see, it’s really quite simple. So simple, in fact, that it’s primitive.”Brigid, Leliana, Josephine, Cullen, Cassandra, Varric, and Dorian stared at Solas in what could only be described as utter confusion. He might as well have been telling them that bears could speak Orlesian and houses could walk of their own accord.“So this is what you learn to do when I go out of town?” Cullen tried to lighten the mood, but most of the meeting attendees needed more time to process and his joke fell flat.“Actually, she didn’t learn it. It’s a skill that you can hone, but you can’t just learn it. You have to be predisposed towards it and be of just the right temperament to ultimately call upon it.” The elf mage was unabashedly indulging in having something cryptic to explain to everyone.Varric, scratching a quill across a scroll as quickly and maniacally as he could, looked up with a grin. “Okay okay, let me see if I get this. Heartstrings over here loses her ability to walk and battle and all that, which she was previously really good at. So it leaves all this unused energy bubbling up in her, so nature just goes, ‘fine, now you can…float boulders or whatever, put the oomph to good use’.”Solas grimaced. “It’s a little more nuanced than that, but yes, I do believe that losing more conventional physical abilities somehow unlocked this talent. If it weren’t for her injury, I don’t think this would have ever manifested.”All-in-all, Cullen was relieved. His back had been rife with knots for the entirety of his Redcliffe trip, even on the evening when Alistair insisted on drinking until they were both barely coherent. The King had encouraged the Commander to indulge in a bit of flesh as well, insisting that one of the bar maidens was notoriously willing to accommodate and that the release would ease his troubled mind. Cullen was both comforted and mortified to think that Ferelden’s king was such a common man, but drinking had been enough for the evening, even if it wasn’t enough to untie his knots. As Solas had said that horrible evening outside of Haven, the Inquisition was nothing without Brigid. So the thought of her traipsing into battle without a way to defend herself…well, it concerned him, to say the least. He really did trust Cassandra as much as he had assured Brigid, but he wasn’t sure one warrior would be enough. This new skill, however, changed the entire operative. Immediately strategizing, Cullen realized that their Inquisitor was more valuable than ever. The opponent may have magic at their disposal, but no one in living memory was capable of Brigid’s new trick.Dorian broke the Commander out of his reverie. “Explain the source of magic again, I just don’t—““That’s just it!” No one present had ever heard Solas so enthused. “It’s not magic. Brigid isn’t capable of magic, I would have recognized it immediately. Even if it were an impossibly old, defunct brand of magic. Magic is supernatural, it’s outside of the natural order. Magic is the manipulation of reality, but it is not reality itself, we’ve all been taught that. Brigid’s ability is deeply embedded in nature. It’s hypernatural.”Dorian huffed. “Alright, that isn’t helpful, because it sounds like they’re the same thing.”“Look at it like this: the flames you conjure as a mage aren’t actual flames. They’re magic, in the guise of flames, with all of the effects and trappings of flames. But they don’t exist as matter in this world. Nor does the ice that I manifest. We know this because the crystals and blazes vanish as soon as we’re done with them.”“It just sounds like Force magic to me,” Leliana interrupted. Cullen couldn’t stifle a wince. He recalled that Force magic was particularly popular in Kirkwall and tried to momentarily entertain the notion of Brigid as a mage. Though he had grown more comfortable with mages, the idea unsettled him.“It may be the ancestor of it, before it was actually magic…there are similarities. I actually first mistook it for Nature magic, which makes no sense, since Brigid isn’t Dalish.” He glanced at the Inquisitor. “Are you Dalish by any chance?"She shook her head fervently. “Not to my knowledge.”Solas picked up as quickly as he had stopped. “Besides, even if you do have some miniscule bit of Dalish blood in you, I don’t feel any pull of magic. Your only connection to the Fade is the mark on your hand and its feels…well, not like magic. And what you did with the rock face…that’s not in the repertoire of a Keeper.” The elf took a deep breath. “I’ve found knowledge in the Fade about a kind of bond that some human lines had with the natural world around them many, many hundreds of ago. Perhaps thousands of years ago. It’s a kind of communicative understanding, so to speak. It was a latent connection, so diluted that it often faded out after a few generations. It seems no one bothered to preserve it, despite how terribly useful it is. But it isn’t magic…not really. It isn’t dependent upon interaction with the Fade. Just this connection with the natural world and a powerful emotion to serve as a catalyst.”Cullen saw Brigid slump back in her Seat and he struggled to read her face. She was born of nobility, after all, and they were disgustingly good at masking their emotions. He smiled inwardly at this thought—taught all of her life to disguise emotions, and now, her miraculous talent would depend upon unleashing them.“My theory,” Solas continued, “is that, when the demon threatened Varric’s life, Brigid became so utterly enraged that the connection came to life. Rock, being inanimate but still the epitome of nature, responded with the least resistance. Hence—““It bent to her will,” Cassandra finished. “But I’m sure she’s been angry before. Why would it only surface now?”“It requires an immense amount of focus and energy. Again, this is just a theory, but I imagine her instinct toward a warrior skillset ate up so much of that focus that this new ability never had enough energy to manifest.”“Does it have a name?” Brigid asked, silencing the group around her. Cullen thought the question was rather unimportant; she ought to have asked about its implications, or why no one else can do it. Nonetheless, he leant toward Solas, anticipating the answer.But the elf mage shrugged. “There is nothing written in this world about it. It is a shadow of a memory belonging to a lost era of civilization.” He was verging on grandiosity. “I’ve only encountered it in the Fade. It was given no label there.”Without so much as a second’s pause, Brigid spoke. “Primi Vinculum.” Cassandra and Dorian smirked knowingly, but Cullen remained mystified.Josephine cleared her throat and hummed in approval. “Primitive bond. Appropriate, I think. And appropriate that you should name it.”The group sat in contemplative quiet. Questions hung heavy in the musty War Room, but everyone seemed aware that there were no answers—at least none that could be gleaned from further conversation that night. Cullen had no idea how long they sat in such reverie, but eventually, Varric stood. “Alright, gang. I need to get a drink and write some of this down and…fuck, process, I guess. Dorian and Cassandra followed the dwarf out, suspecting that the main council may have other matters to discuss. But Leliana and Josephine walked out in hushed whispers just behind the companions, leaving Cullen and the Inquisitor sitting across from one another in silence. He tried desperately to not make eye contact before realizing that she was so far gone in thought, he could stare holes in her head and she’d be none the wiser.Glaring directly into the fire that licked the room with stifling heat, she inquired. “How was Redcliffe, Commander?”“Redcliffe?” What was Redcliffe? What was Thedas now that rocks could be lifted into the air without magic? “Ah, yes, Redcliffe was…Redcliffe was fine,” his voice rose at the end of his phrase. “Or rather, it’s in a sorry state after the Venatori attack. But King Alistair is overseeing its recovery and Arl Teagan keeps busy with diplomatic matters. We have their undivided support.”Still, she gazed into the fire, seemingly bound to out-heat it with her eyes. “Good. I’m glad to hear it.”Shifting in his seat, Cullen cleared his throat. “Forgive me, Inquisitor, but—““Brigid.” Her voice was clear like a bell.He faltered. “Brigid?”“Please, just call me Brigid.” Her eyes never wavered from the flames. “I think I’m losing myself in all of this. Gentle reminders of who I am would be greatly appreciated.”“Very well,” he ventured, “Brigid. Forgive me, but…are you alright? Is there anything I can do to—to help you manage all of this? I know it must be dreadfully—”She flicked her eyes over to meet his and it nearly set him aflame. The smile that followed cooled him to his core. Something in the woman had awoken and he sat in awe of its stirring. “None of this feels quite possible, does it?”He could only manage a shake of his head. But then he found his voice. “I don’t think you were sent by Andraste.” He wasn’t sure where the statement had come from, he never planned to say it.“No…I don’t think so either.”His confidence built. “I don’t think anyone sent you.”Her smile softened, became warmer.“But you’re here all the same. And I’m very glad for it.”The intensity in her eyes faded ever so slightly and he felt safer, he recognized that despite their shared ethereal moment, she was still human.“Do you think I can do this? That we can do this?”Her question was laden with implication, not the least of which dealt with her injury. He had left for Redcliffe completely unsure of the Inquisition’s future. He believed in the tenacity of its Inquisitor, but the physics of battle remained steadfast and Maker, she couldn’t even stand. Now, nothing seemed steady, save for the glow in her eyes. Perhaps the physics of battle could be bent.He did not answer her question and instead, offered her a vow. “I will spend my last unworthy breath making sure that you can.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- “Try getting incredibly sad about something,” Dorian suggested, watching a large stone that had fallen off of the nearby battlement with tentative intensity.The Inquisitor shot a sharp scowl at him. “I can’t just make myself incredibly sad. Besides, I don’t think sorrow is very effective here, it’s too…meh.”“Imagine you’ve got a long lost love and you’ve just found out he died and your name was the last thing on his lips and now you’re all broken up over it.” He was nearly giddy at his own short yet tragic tale.She broke her concentration on the boulder. “Maker, Dorian, that’s awful.”“I know! Let it fuel you.” He clenched his hands into fists as if to encourage her.“But I don’t have a long lost love—this isn’t working.” “Then get sad thinking about not having a long lost love—have you really never? That’s depressing….”It had taken a fair amount of debate and confusion to determine who would help Brigid train her new abilities. None of her companions had any definitive understanding of what was happening in the first place, and despite casting a wide net, Leliana’s spies failed to uncover any hidden experts in the field. Solas had the most information, but had already passed all of it on and thought his stoic nature would contradict Brigid’s need for strong emotion. Thus, the duty had fallen to the Inquisition’s Tevinter mage—all vim and vigor.“Let’s try fear, then. What are you most afraid of?”She wasn’t terribly comfortable contemplating her deepest fears, many of which were so nebulous that she struggled to verbalize them. “I don’t like frogs.”She could read contempt in his face. Gentle contempt, but contempt nonetheless. “Well I don’t like cheap ale, but I’m not afraid of it. Come woman, what terrifies you to your core?”Dying alone. Living without a purpose. Being lied to. Disappointing her the people she loved, especially her new found companions. Failing. She closed her eyes, held her breath, and shoved all of the fear toward the stone. She heard it creak, opened her eyes, watched it shift on the ground, and then stop.“Alright! Okay! That was something. That was movement,” Dorian encouraged.“Not enough.”“Well no, not yet. But you just picked up this talent not even a fortnight ago. We’ll get there, darling.”His reassurance was like a warm hug, even if Brigid could not match his level of positivity. She took a deep breath to remind herself that Dorian was quite right—she just needed patience and determination. “Perhaps we can take a break? I have to speak with Josephine about something and would like to clear my head.” The mage nodded, turning to make his own way to the tavern, likely to visit with Bull. Brigid’s heart warmed at the thought. Between Bull's booming personality and Dorian's flashiness, they were an obnoxious pair, no doubt. But a delightful one all the sameShe turned to leave in a cheery reverie, nearly colliding with the Commander.“Inquisitor! My apologies, I was rushing,” he said, righting himself by placing a hand on her shoulder.She shook her head and mumbled something that she didn’t even recognize. He smelled of sweat and leather and the sharp, acrid tang of steel. His armor and furs usually smothered any smell, but he was without them, wearing only his breeches and a breezy undershirt. He must have been sparring with more experienced recruits—he liked to keep the regalia on with newer ones for the purpose of hazing intimidation. A bit of fun, he assured her, and she dismissed it as endearing male silliness. But he did not look silly in this particular instance.“No trouble, Commander. Cullen.”The moment moved much faster for him than it did for her. As quickly as he had rushed in, he hurried past her to the armory. She had always assumed that his apparent height and breadth were an effect of his armor, but she saw now that the armor must actually be quite thin and light and the bulk of his size was all his own—heavy shoulders, solid legs, thick muscle across his back. Maker, he was so tall.Dorian started as the boulder near him lifted gently and steadily, up toward its original placement on the wall above, seemingly of its own volition. He shot an incredulous look at Brigid who sat with her head cocked to the side, pouring her gaze into the unknowing back of the Commander. The movement startled her and she looked around for the boulder. When she looked at Dorian, half of her face was covered by her hand.“You scoundrel!” he shouted, grinning from ear to ear. “What in Thedas are you going to do?”Cullen had turned as well when he felt the stone lift from the ground. “Well done, Brigid! Coming along nicely.” He had paid no heed to Dorian’s shouting. His smile was so bright and authentic, nestled in his flushed face, that Brigid groaned, trying her best to turn her wince into a smiling reply. She managed a nod and a wave in his direction before he disappeared into the armory.Dorian walked up to stand right next to her, hardly an inch between them. “So…Inquisitor. I repeat: what are you going to do about this?”Time seems to move far too quickly when your actions tell you something that your mind does not yet understand. She didn’t have a straight answer for Dorian. Her deepest dread, focused into a single pinprick could hardly shake the stone, but a brief stare at the Commander had lifted it with ease and without her attention.Dorian answered his own question when Brigid failed. “Well I say you use it. If looking at the Commander’s backside fuels you enough to do that,” he pointed to the stone placed back on the wall, “then we need to get you more material to think about.”She grumbled. “This is so inappropriate. I’m awful.”“No,” he said sharply. “You’re human. And he’s delicious. And kind. And genuine. And broody. He doesn’t have to know why you’ve become so good at your new talent.”Brigid took a moment to consider the worst possible outcome. Cullen would find out, be utterly disgusted, lose all of his faith in her and the Inquisition, and vanish. She laughed at how ridiculous it sounded. She’d never let him know and she trusted Dorian to not say anything. Or rather, she trusted his reputation as a flirt to keep people from suspecting anything other than his own lechery if he did say something. Still, she’d like to find some other way to ignite her skill. She determined that she’d try anger when she returned from speaking with Josephine, even if Dorian didn’t approve. Or perhaps aching embarrassment.She took the long path to the main tower, at leisure and suddenly craving light conversation with whoever might be walking around. On cue, Sera sidled up to her.“Oi, fancy-pants, where you going in a huff?”‘Fancy-pants’ generally meant that Sera was sweet on you that particular day, unable to come up with a more vulgar nickname. It made Brigid smile. “A chat with Josephine.” “Oooh, very important. 'Bout what?”It was a good question, Brigid thought. “No idea. Her invitation.”“Ah. Well, clue me in if you need any mischief. And while you’re at it, maybe have a talk with big moody on my behalf.”“Bull?”She scoffed. “No, I can talk to that lump of meat anytime I like. Talkin’ about shiny armor. Ain’t got the ‘tolerance’ for me, he says. But you got his ear, yeah?”Brigid bristled at the invocation of the Commander. She had just swatted him out of her mind. “What do you need me to talk to him about?”“Verchiel. Some fighting between fancy britches is getting little people beat up.”“What can the Inquisition do about it?”“Just strut through. Might settle ‘em down, knowing you’re watching.”“We’re watching. You’re part of this, Sera.”Her face was full of mock disgust. “Yeah, yeah…just talk to mister moody for me?”“He’s not moody.” Brigid would deal with the source of her sudden impassioned defense of their decidedly moody Commander later.The elf gave her a frown and a shrug. “Fine then, not moody. Soft today, huh?”Why was she so sensitive? “I just have to be going. But I’ll bring it up to the council, you have my word,” she promised, departing.Sera tipped an arrow in her direction and waved it to say farewell. “Good on ya!”Brigid made her way through the rest of Skyhold, waving to and nodding at the villagers as she passed. Such an odd assortment of people, depending upon her, but willing to pull their weight. It was no wonder civilizations told stories of their beginnings with such affection—this start of a community around the Inquisition breathed life into her bones, even if its start had been ignited by horrendous events.“Inquisitor, superb timing,” Josephine called out, just as she entered the Great Hall. “Please, in my office,” she directed.Leliana was already waiting, reading through small missives that her ravens had undoubtedly brought her earlier in the morning. Once Josephine settled behind her desk, she began. “I called this meeting in my office instead of the War Room because there’s not much deliberation to be had. Empress Celene’s ball is approaching and we have to make an immediate decision.”“A decision regarding what?” Cullen plodded into the room. His fur-collared coat was still conspicuously absent, but he had replaced his armor, hastily it seemed, since he was adjusting one of the pauldrons. “Sorry for my delay, I lost track of time with the recruits.” Brigid made a pointed effort to not glance in his direction.“No trouble, Commander, we just began.” Josephine shuffled through the papers on her ledger. “As I was saying, the Empress will be holding a grand mask at Halamshiral in approximately two months. We have no choice but to attend.” Cullen groaned, but the Ambassador ignored him. “Adamant is becoming more of a problem, however. We have to decide—today, preferably—whether the Inquisition will handle the conflict there before or after the ball. And if we decide to do it before, then preparations for travel must be made immediately.”Cullen stepped forward and rested both gloved hands on the pommel of his sword. “More of a problem? How so?”“I received word from Hawke and Stroud,” Leliana replied. “They have found Erimond and it seems that he’s trying to outdo his work in the Western Approach. More binding spells. And his influence over Warden-Commander Clarel is particularly alarming.”The Commander nodded in understanding and looked to Brigid. “Well, Inquisitor…what will it be?”Without a map of Thedas to pretend to study, Brigid was acutely aware of her pause. But the answer came to her quickly, all the same. “Adamant first. I’d like to leave as soon as possible.”Josephine did not seem pleased. “As you wish, Inquisitor. But are your new skills up to snuff yet?" “If what I saw earlier is any indication, I think we’ll be just fine.” Cullen’s enthusiasm rivaled that of Dorian previously in the day and a fresh pang of embarrassment tore through Brigid. “Besides, I’ll be joining you. Our recruits are ready. If Erimond is corrupting the Wardens as quickly as Hawke claims, we’re going to have a full battle on our hands.”“Very well,” Josephine assented. “But if you die out there, just know that I will track you down in my Fade dreams and torment you for leaving me to deal with an Orlesian masked ball without an Inquisitor.”“Leliana, contact Hawke and Stroud, let them know we’re coming…and we’re bringing an army. Josephine, touch base with Verchiel so they’re not surprised when we march through—speaking of which, Commander,” she turned around to point at Cullen, “remind me that I need to talk to you about something once we get on the road.” Turning her attention back to the Ambassador, she continued. “See if they don’t mind us making camp for a day or two once we get there. It’s going to be a long journey, we’ll need at least one major stop to rest and resupply if we’re bringing an army.”This. This was where Brigid felt like she could truly shine. She liked attending to the small details, the individuals involved in the Inquisition. But she came alive when she got a chance to address the larger goal. An attack on Adamant was just what she needed to regain her confidence and feel like she was making headway. She would speak with Cassandra about a contingency plan, get a good night’s rest, and embark on the suicide mission tomorrow. Her heart soared.Josephine nodded, taking fervent notes. “Who will you be bringing with you?”“Cullen, apparently,” she couldn’t suppress a grin at him. “Varric. We know he works well with Hawke. Blackwall. I think it’s best to have a Warden on our side. And Dorian. He’s trained with me the longest.”“What about Cassandra? She often travels with you.”“I want Cassandra here at Skyhold. If the worst happens…” Brigid trailed off and saw Leliana and Josephine looking at her strangely, faces full of soft dread. “She’ll take over. Closing the Breach was a short game. Stopping Corypheus is a long one, and we must be prepared to stick it out.”To her surprise, Cullen nodded fervently. “I’ve already talked to Bull about hiring a couple of his Chargers if…well, like the Inquisitor said, if things go bad. They’ll step in to train recruits and lead things until a more permanent solution is found.”Frustration bubbled in Josephine. “I don’t like this talk. Suddenly both of you have lost faith in your capabilities?”“Not at all!” Brigid urged. “Maker preserve me, I don’t plan on dying at Adamant Fortress. But I want to be smart about this. I can’t speak for the Commander,” he nodded, permitting her to anyway, “but part of my job is to make sure Corypheus is ended, no matter who ends him. It would be hubris to assume that the Inquisition begins and ends with just me.”“I think they’re right, Josie.” Leliana touched a hand to her friend’s shoulder. “We have been fearless in our attacks thus far, but perhaps foolish at times. We have the benefit of time to plan. We might as well use it.”“If everything goes smoothly…well, relatively smoothly,” Brigid corrected, “then we should be back at Skyhold with just enough time to recover and attend Celene’s celebration.”“And if we die out West,” Cullen added, “then at least we miss the ball.”The sun rose red the morning that the Inquisition party embarked on the journey to Adamant. Cullen recalled warnings recited at him as a child by his adventurous uncle about the foreboding message of such a sun. Something about death and blood and battle cries. But on that particular morning, nothing could dampen his spirits. Being out on the field after months of bureaucratic office work revived him. The whispering reminder of the Inquisitor’s need to talk to him, however, did prick at the back of his mind. Surely there was nothing to reprimand him about. It was likely just news regarding that clan of Avvar volunteers that had never shown up. But her tone in Josephine’s office seemed much less “serious business” and more “personal matters.” Had Cassandra told her about the lyrium? She did seem rather eager to leave the Seeker behind, perhaps she thought she’d be saving her from his wrath. But he wouldn’t be wrathful—on the contrary, he’d be penitent. He had always told Cassandra that, if his stopping the lyrium affected his ability to perform his duties, she should find a replacement. Maybe Brigid was so enthusiastic about his joining because she’d leave him at Adamant, Maker, this was—“Commander!”He looked ahead to see the Inquisitor dropping back, steering her horse from the comfort of a bench in a rather elegant chariot Master Dennet had acquired for her.“Your Worship,” he nodded. “Oh, bugger, please…no worship.” He nodded again. It seemed nodding was the only thing he could will his body to do, he had worked himself into such a panic. “I wanted to speak with you about something—" “Please, Inquisitor, let me. I presume Cassandra has told you about the lyrium. Well, that I’ve stopped taking the lyrium. I told her to watch my behavior, keep an eye on my health—I’ve always been terrible at gauging my own wellbeing, I’ve been told I push myself too far.”Brigid squinted at him but let him continue.“If the two of you have agreed that I’m no longer competent, I understand.” His eyes dropped to the ground. “I wanted so terribly to see this through to the end, but I will not be so prideful as to let my desires hinder the cause. If you should like help finding a replacement, I will do my very best.”Brigid’s squint turned into a frown as she cocked her head to the side. “Commander…what in Andraste’s name are you talking about?”“Well I…wai—what?” He nearly stopped his horse by mistake. “The lyrium. You know…Templars take lyrium as part of their joining the Order. Makes us better at our job? But when I left, I wanted to leave all of it, so I stopped taking the lyrium. It’s a horrible detoxification process. Headaches, paranoia, nausea?”She nodded slowly. “Yes, I’ve heard that it’s dreadful. Are you alright?”“Am I…I don’t—wait, so you’re not here to talk about the lyrium?”“No,” she said, slowing her horse further so that they had both dropped back and to the side. “But now I’m concerned for you.”He could see that she genuinely was worried. It was both a darling and a bit heartbreaking. “Oh…well thank you. I mean—I’m sorry, I thought Cassandra had talked to you about it. I asked her to watch me. I’ve been feeling quite well, actually, but I thought maybe she had noticed something off.”“She hasn’t said anything to me. Cullen, you ought to have told me sooner. I would have been sympathetic, you know…”“Yes, well, I didn’t want to make a fuss. I’m glad you know now, if for no other reason than having an extra set of eyes on me.”“Are you in pain?”“Some days are bad. The headaches are the worst part, they put me in an awful, short-tempered mood. But my duties here keep my attention off of it all. Most of the time, anyway. I still expect I’ve not felt the worst of it.” “I admire your decision. I can’t imagine the struggle, but I can empathize with wanting a clean start. I’d like to think I would have done the same, if I were in your boots.”“I feel sure that you would.” It may have been the first time they smiled purposefully at one another. For all of their struggles, it was a pleasant indulgence. “Now, what did you want to talk to me about?”“Right! Well Sera—““Oh dear…”“No,” she laughed. Boisterous and musical and maker, it was like sunshine. “Nothing like that. She said the nobles in Verchiel are causing trouble for the ‘little people’…I guess some disagreement of theirs is interfering with daily life. She asked if we’d spook them a bit. Get them to behave.” She cocked an eyebrow his way and he swallowed hard. “She specifically asked that I recruit you.”“Really? She likes to look out for the little people, doesn’t she?”“It’s one of my very favorite things about her.” Fondness washed across the Inquisitor’s face and Cullen saw once and for all that this Inquisition was about the people for her. “She can be friends with a ‘fancy pants’ like me, but still put the everyman first.”“I suppose it is admirable, really. Honnleath could have used such a benefactor when I was there. I guess every little village could.”A wave of nostalgia seemed to wash over Brigid as she stared off into the distance. “I wanted to be that for my little village.”“Ostwick’s a bit bigger than a village, I’d say.”“Yes, I suppose so. But I knew all of the people. It felt small. Cozy.”“Do you miss it?”“Of course. That’s why I’m doing all of this. Corypheus won’t stop with the Inquisition. He’ll corrupt it all." “What does your family think of all this?”“They likely think I’m dead. I’ve decided it’s better that way. I don’t want them putting their lives in danger to bring me back." “You get on well with them?”“With my father, I do. And most of my siblings. My mother, however…” she snorted and fidgeted with a ring on her right hand that Cullen had never noticed before.“Is that hers?”“Oh this? No…it was her mother’s. It went straight to me.”“Were you close with your grandmother?” He wasn’t sure he ought to be asking so many probing personal questions, many of which could easily upset her, but she never hesitated to answer.“I don’t recall. She died when I was very young. But my father was dear to her. The family always jokes that my father didn’t marry to have a wife, he married to have her mother. I suppose he wasn’t close with his own and my grandmother treated him like a son. She gave him this ring to pass to me when I was old enough. She never got on well with my mother either. A difficult woman to get along with…”“Please…go on…”Her smile was sheepish, but she continued. “She didn’t understand that her children were real, distinctive people. She had planned so many things for us—out of love, perhaps, or out of her own ambitions. I was to marry whichever nobleman brought the family the most esteem. Needless to say, when she found me fighting my brothers with a sharpened stick, in naught but my knickers…she was none too pleased.”“What did your father think?”“He was stunned. He loved it! Papa was never a very fit man. A bit scraggly and clumsy. But good-hearted to his very core. He hoped that one of his sons would grow up to be strapping, to protect the family. But my oldest brother was the spitting image of him. All lanky arms and legs and a cough. The boy was always clearing his throat. He would take my father’s title, no doubt. Some things cannot be changed. But it was decided some years ago that I would be the enforcer. Cillian would hold the title and continue the line. I would travel on his behalf and play diplomat.”“And you were alright with that arrangement?”“Absolutely. I didn’t care about the recognition, I just wanted a good life for the people of Ostwick. For the baker who snuck me sweet rolls when I was a child. And the old grey-headed innkeeper, Mariah, who taught me maths with her supplies ledger. I wanted to be a woman of the people. The city had everything it needed, except for a strong heir. So I trained to be a warrior. I would be the ghost heir.”The puzzle finally fell into place. “That’s why you were at the Conclave.”She nodded. “I was representing my father. The whole family had an agreement. If things went well at the Conclave and I secured the alliance I was meant to secure, my mother would stop pestering me about getting married…little did she know, I was doing her a favor.”“How so?”“If I had married, I would have disgraced the family name. I don’t know if you’ve learned this about me, but there’s not a subservient bone in my body.”He rubbed at the back of his neck. It felt like entrapment—like he’d accidentally insult her. “You are your own woman, that much is true.”“Exactly. Do you think I would have had dinner ready on the table when my noble husband walked in the house from a long day doing absolutely nothing important? By the Maker, not on my life.”He ventured to tease her. “You wouldn’t want to prepare your husband a lovely meal?”“Well if I loved him, of course! But I wouldn’t want to be expected to do it. Very different situation. If I loved him and thought he might like his favorite meal, I would go to every length to fix it for him. But if he told me he expected it, I’d refuse. Then he’d beat me, no doubt…So I’d have to kill him.”Cullen’s eyes grew wide.“It would be a whole big thing.”Silence. Tension mounting.She leaned toward his face and released a slow, wide grin that rose all the way to her eyes. “I’m kidding, Commander.”“I don’t think you are,” he said, failing to stifle a smirk.Again, they exchanged genuine smiles. He felt lighter than he had in ages. Nearly forgot he was wearing armor.“What about you, Cullen. I imagine you’ve got a family?”He sucked in a breath and tried to relax. He still felt guilty for not writing them more often. “Two sisters and a brother. Our parents passed some time ago. I’ve not seen any of them in nearly fifteen years.”“I’m sorry to hear about your parents,” she whispered.He brushed it off gently. “It was long ago. I only regret not being there for my siblings. They were still so young when it happened.”“Are you the eldest?”“Second eldest. My sister Mia is a bit older. And remarkable at chess.”Brigid groaned. “My father always tried to improve my chess game. It never did take.”“You play?” He was surprised, though he no reason to be. “We ought to play sometime.”“I should like that.” Her smile was easy and he envied it. He wondered if anyone in Thedas could smile more easily than her. “Do you keep in touch with this ‘Mia’?”“Not as well as I ought to. I’m not even sure if she knows we made it to Skyhold.”“Commander! Unacceptable. Write to your sisters. I order it.” He knew her harshness was only teasing, but her tone compelled him to listen. “Tell them of all the friends you’ve made. And that you have the admiration of the Inquisitor herself. Give them some solace and an extra reason to be proud of you. You’ve done a very good job here, you know.”He thought his heart might very well lodge in his throat. He never had figured out how to accept a compliment, least of all from the Herald of Andraste. “You are much too kind, Inquisitor.”“Hardly.” She whipped her reigns gently and her horse sped forward, back toward the head of the party. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The first day of travel had been relatively easy. Cullen found that wolves and bandits alike were much rarer sights when traveling with such a large party. Brigid had spied a rift just past noon and insisted on closing it. He wasn’t a fan of the idea at the time since none of the demons were presenting an immediate threat, but she framed it in terms of “practicing her new ability,” so he permitted it. Of course he permitted it, she was the savior of all Thedas. More accurately, she permitted him to feel like he had a say in the matter.They made camp the first night in the smallest open space that could fit them all. Cullen preferred something a little more insulated—a clearing in the woods, a snug valley with only one way in and one way out. But their large numbers necessitated something more spacious. Samwell had set up the Commander’s tent—seeming more like a squire than a messenger—so Cullen ducked into it to read reports that Leliana had sent him with. Not five minutes into his work and he heard the flap to his tent smack open.“Curly, can I bother you for a second?” Varric stood with quill and journal in hand.Secretly relieved to have an excuse for abandoning his work, Cullen stood up. He wasn’t quite ready to turn in for the night. “Why not…by the fire, then?"Varric mumbled. “Romantic…”“What’s that?”“Ah…nothing,” he said, leading the two of them to the nearest campfire. “I just wanted to get your input on something.” Cullen nodded, his palms rested firmly on the pommel of his sword. “I’m working on a new book. I think it’ll be a series, actually, but its hero is this real noble guy.”“Is this one of your romances?” Cullen assumed that the skepticism and mild disgust on his face were tangible.“No, an epic, actually. Like I said, it’ll probably end up pretty long.” He took a seat on a nearby oak stump and gestured for Cullen to do the same. The Commander obliged. “He’s a genuinely noble guy, but he was born a bastard, you see. A literal bastard, out of wedlock and everything.”“I follow.”“There’s a little family drama, but he gets on real well with his dad, who also happens to be a really honorable guy.”“Except for the whole conceiving a bastard thing,” Cullen interjected.“Hey, even honorable men make mistakes…like I was saying, hero gets along with his dad and with all of his half siblings, especially his half-brother who’s about his same age. This half-brother will be the one to inherit the family title. Now, the hero doesn’t have a problem with this. He really likes the guy, thinks he’ll be good at it. But he still wants to make something of himself that he can proud of, you know?”Cullen was surprised by his own engagement. “A really decent fellow, by the sounds of it.”“Yeah! So he doesn’t want to disrupt the whole legitimate family thing, doesn’t want to stir up a mess. Instead, he decides to join this really respectable order—the Watchers. They’re in charge of protecting everybody from the monsters and shit going on in the north. Only catch to joining is that he has to give up a whole bunch of stuff—can’t hold any lands, can’t keep any riches, can’t father any children or take a wife.”The Commander frowned.“But it’s not so bad, he figures. He’s never been with a woman, doesn’t know what he’s missing. Lots of the other guys keep bedding women, though. They go to the nearest village and get their fill. But our hero never does. He stays noble about the whole business.”Cullen nodded firmly. “Takes his vows seriously, it’s admirable.”Varric only barely hid his smile. “Yeah…so he’s all set, feeling good about his decision, right? He goes on a patrol up north and runs into a band of barbarians, bam, first time in the field. He meets a whole bunch of them, and one of them is this woman. It’s the woman he’s going to break his vows for…”“What? Just like that?”“Well he’s really in love with her. He doesn’t just want to fuck her, he wants to spend his life with her. And he’s got a really good reason!”“And what might that be?”“That’s what I need you to tell me. Follow me for a minute…I’m not the noblest guy around, we all know it. I mean, I’m not a bad guy, but if I were in this situation, just about any woman would be great enough for me to break a vow. But you’re a real stand up gentleman.”Cullen sat back, pulled his chest in. “Wha—alright…”“Put yourself in his shoes. What would that woman have to be like for you—an unbearably honorable guy—to give up your vows?”Cullen considered, remained silent. It was hard to tell. He figured that if he ever ended up wildly in love with someone, he’d just know it. He didn’t have a checklist of qualities prepared.“Would she be beautiful?” Varric asked, trying to spark the conversation.It hadn’t been Cullen’s first thought. “I suppose. Most women can be beautiful, though. And I would think that, for a man like him, whatever she looked like, he’d find her beautiful.”“Alright, looks not important…but like, if you could pick features…let’s say eyes. What eye color do you like best?”Cullen tapped a gloved thumb against his thigh as if he’d forgotten what colors eyes could be.“Blue?” Varric ventured.“No, warmer than that.”“Brown?”He remembered another color. “Green. I’d say green.”“Green,” Varric repeated, scrawling a note in his book. “Bright green, like the Breach?”“No…deep green. Like trees.”“Tree-like eyes, got it.”“No, not like…haven’t you ever been on top of a hill, or high on a mountainside, and looked down at the forest below? Green like that…like the tops of a verdant wood.”Varric was almost impressed. “Verdant…damn, Curly. Alright, how about hair? Favorite hair color?”“Oh, any color. Women’s hair in general is …you know the smell? Maker…even if they’ve been working outside all day, women’s hair smells incredible. Warm. A bit like a meadow.”“Brown hair goes well with green,” Varric suggested.Cullen found himself in a daydream. Rich brown hair slipping through his fingers, smelling of sunbaked earth and tall grass and wildflowers. “With a bit of red in it. Like rosewood.” It had been ages since he last ran his hands through a woman’s hair. In that moment, he missed it more than the sensation of kissing. He felt a melancholy coming on and tried to wipe the image from his mind. “More than her appearance, though, I think the only thing that could persuade him to break his vow would be some kind of incredible personality.”“What would that personality be like, then?”“She’d be strong.”“She’d have to be a warrior?”“Not necessarily. Not all people with strength wield a sword. Maybe she’s chosen to stay at home and take care of the children in the village. Or maybe she’s a healer. Whatever she does,” he said, hardly meaning to put his hand on his chest, “she does it with her whole heart. That is the only woman worth committing to. The only woman I’d—he’d leave his order for.”“Intelligence?” Varric posed.“Oh yes. She doesn’t have to be a scholar, but wit…and a bit of humor—that’s what gets you through the hard times.”“This is all very interesting. Very helpful.”“Is that all you needed?” Cullen asked, shifting, as if preparing to get up and return to his tent.Varric closed his notebook and cleared his throat. “Yeah, pretty much, thanks Curly.” He stood up and patted Cullen on the back. “Also…uh, you realize you just described the Inquisitor, right?” Before the Commander could respond, the dwarf had run off.How long Cullen remained sitting in front of the fire by himself was impossible to tell. What had Varric meant by running off? So he had described Brigid. The Inquisitor was a fine woman, certainly the type that Varric’s hero might fall in love with. Where was the shock in that? He imagined lots of men could fall in love with Brigid. Varric’s questions returned to him one by one and he realized that he had, in fact, described the Inquisitor. Trait for trait. In all honesty, he wasn’t terribly surprised with himself, though he felt a slight but unmistakable pang of guilt. He was only bothered by the fact the he had never noticed her eyes. How in Thedas had he missed that she had green eyes?The next morning dawned rosy and brisk. Heading west had provided some relief from the cold and snowy late autumn of the Frostbacks, but even here, winter was beginning to dig its heels in a bit more stubbornly with each passing day. Cullen could feel the chill in his joints, each ache a memory of a healed broken bone. His head felt hazy as well, a sure sign that a lyrium migraine would haunt him for the day. Nonetheless, he grabbed a straight razor and a lump of soap out of his trunk and sought out the shallow water-basin Sam had filled for him the night before. He cracked a knuckle against the sheen of ice atop the water and foamed the soap. The lather was cold against his hands, and colder against his jaw, lifting chill bumps across his neck. He’d have to be careful to not nick any of the raised skin.He finished up his morning routine, dutifully packing used items away as he went. Finally, he dressed himself in most of his armor, and headed outside with his cuirass. Typically, he had no trouble securing its many straps, but his body ached, and he knew that if Sam was in the vicinity and saw him step out of the tent, he’d immediately assist. With the flap closed behind him, he sighed a wispy puff of breath out into the crisp air.“Can I help you with that?”Cullen looked about, expecting to find Sam. Brigid approached him instead.“Inquisitor,” he greeted with a nod. “Ah…no. I’ve got it, but thank you.” He pressed the plate of armor against his chest with one hand and reached around his back with the other for a strap that connected to its twin plate. Having already donned his gauntlets, he clanged about, struggling.“Please, you stubborn man, let me.” Brigid approached him with only the slightest hesitation. It struck him that maneuvering her seat around other people was far different from maneuvering just her body. She made it easy to forget that she was still adapting to an entirely new way of living. Eventually, she pulled up alongside him and turned to assist. “Raise your arm.”He did as she bid, careful to not hit her in her head. “I can usually manage this myself.”She chuckled, threading a leather strap through a clasp and tugging hard. “It’s as frigid as Andraste’s tits this morning, Commander. And we’re getting old, not as spry as we used to be. If you’re anything like me, these icy mornings make movement near to impossible.” He laughed as she switched sides. “Other arm.”“You’re making quick work of this. Do you dress knights often?”She remained silent for a moment and he groaned. “Maker, of course not, you were raised nobility. You didn’t even dress yourself!” He groaned again, this time lifting his free hand to the back of his neck. “Maker preserve me, no, that’s not—I’m sure you were—““Relax, Commander,” she said with another firm pull of a strap. “You’re right, I didn’t dress knights. I did dress myself, however. And I assure you, ladies’ vestments have far more ties and lacings than any suit of armor…that’s why I can make quick work of this.”His whispered “of course” was soft, and thus drowned out by another growing sound. Some of Bull’s Chargers that had asked to come along began singing. I’ve a love I left back in Antiva, When I joined with the Templar brigade. Eyes like two sapphires, a smile all aglow, And tresses tied back in a braid. The melody was familiar, but the words were not. Barracks songs tended to be like that—soldiers could remember the tunes but not the lyrics. A tune for the Templars stationed in Kirkwall would be an entirely different song than the exact same tune amongst the Ben-Hassrath on Seheron. A good night we had ‘fore I left town, On an afternoon rainy and sad. Now all day and night I try to recall If my love was a lass or a lad. Oh! I’ve loved lovely lasses and lads. Cullen caught the sound of singing beneath his armpit and realized that Brigid had been humming along.“A good tune!” she said in response, when he looked down at her, curiosity on his face. “I don’t recall all the words to this version. I prefer the one about the bear and the maiden.” With one final pull, his armor was secured, and she clapped her hands together as if dusting them off.All he meant to do was look her in the face to give her a genuine thank you—a courtesy his father had taught him, ingrained many years ago. But Maker, her green eyes shone up at him and he froze. Verdant, Varric’s echo of his own word flew back to him. He had been right, though he didn’t even know it, green was his favorite. Her sparse, arched brows were speckled with copper and the green changed color right before his eyes, became so much deeper, how had he never seen this…this miraculous composition of color and shape on a human face? He’d write a poem about it, make Varric write a poem about, he would never do it justice. It was imperative that the whole of Thedas knew about this phenomenon, it was a gift from the Maker, a blessing. What have you just uncovered, Cullen, what is it?“Cullen! What is it?”He blinked furiously, shook his head, cleared his throat. Anything to settle himself back into that cold morning. “I’m sorry, Inquisitor…what?”Her eyebrows quirked up in disbelief. “Have I got something on my face? You’re staring, you looked horrified.”One more grunt through his throat and he was back at attention. “No, your face is perfect. Just fine. I apologize, I have a bit of a headache. Thank you for your help, I’m sorry to have troubled you.”“No trouble,” she assured, apparently satisfied with his answer. “I’m going to start gathering the troops, shout if you need anything.” She departed in haste, humming the tune from earlier and he felt his ears go scarlet. He marched off as well, in the opposite direction, towards his Templars, absolutely distraught to learn that his enamored face was also his horrified face. His nascent migraine came back to him in a stab.Thedosian history had taught Brigid that Adamant Fortress was built sometime around the Second Blight just alongside the Abyssal Rift. In its glory days, the keep housed Wardens and griffons, determined to fight back the darkspawn that emerged from the rift. But as the Western Approach decayed into a wasteland, they had abandoned it for Montsimmard. Solas, perhaps, had mentioned that a tranquil named Pharamond had planted himself in the fortress to conduct research, since the Veil was practically paper thin there. Or maybe she had read it in a book once, Solas’ voice ringing in her head. Regardless, Pharamond’s experiments allowed demons to overrun Adamant a year or two ago. Now, only the main keep remained, the rest having been razed by fire.She could tell that the Fortress had been small, even in its prime. But it had tall walls and the pitch-black material that composed it gave it an eternally menacing air. Perhaps it was once grand and gallant, fit for the Wardens and their griffons that patrolled its surrounding lands. But when they arrived that evening, the thick scarlet clouds that served as its backdrop suggested pure evil.Brigid turned and looked back at the sprawling party following her. Most startling was the large battering ram toward the vanguard. “The Right Fist of the Inquisition,” Varric had christened it. “Way cooler than either of the Divine’s hands,” (which she was not to repeat to Cassandra). A massive oaken trunk substituted an arm, with a balled fist of iron at the end of it. And then spikes, bigger than a man’s head, jutted out from it like weaponized knuckles. She couldn’t count how many men it took to haul the thing toward the Fortress. Further still were the ladders flanking the Fist. Though she had trained in Ostwick as a warrior, siege tactics were never high on her list of prioritized teachings. The road to Adamant had given her plenty of time to pick Cullen’s brain, and that of his second in command, so that she wasn’t entering the siege utterly ignorant. Rylen was enthusiastic to teach her a thing or two—she suspected that most inquiries typically went to the Commander, leaving Rylen rather in his shadow. So while she wasn’t terribly interested in the strategy of siege warfare past its basics, she entertained his lengthy sermons on military theory. At the very least, she might absorb some bit of useful information. In the meantime, she hoped she could boost Rylen’s confidence.Now, the Fortress was nearing. Of course, she was approaching it, but in the impending tension of major battle, it felt much more like the Inquisition was standing still and the hellish structure was sliding up to meet them. What should she be thinking? What would the Commander be thinking? Something terribly practical, no doubt—which troops to send where, where to place the ladders, what part of the battle she’d be most suited to. Adamant was closer still. She should be stirring up her emotions in preparation. Lust had obviously been very effective at moving large stones, but she had been trying to remove it from her training repertoire out of respect for her unwitting Commander. The thought still brought a blush to her cheeks. Anger worked quite well, provided it was the right type of anger—the sort of thing that inspires vengeance was particularly successful. Tonight, however, called for fear. She suspected that fear was the most dangerous emotion with which to ignite her ability. If she had been trying to light a fire, using fear was very much like launching an oil-soaked fireball into the hearth. It was difficult to control; it ran away from itself in unpredictable ways. But she would need a substantial supply of emotions for this fight, and fear hummed skittishly in the air. Only later would she realize it was not fear at all, but anticipation.They were close enough now that she could make out the tense expressions of the archers atop the Fortress battlements. “Hang back, Inquisitor.” She whipped her head to her right to see the Commander approaching on horseback. He was a paragon of knightly force, like something out of a fairy-tale she might have read as a child. It unsettled her to see him as such an abstract concept, but he hardly seemed real, all gleaming armor and armored mount, hundreds of eyes upon him waiting for orders.She halted and let the men with the ram emerge from the mass of foot soldiers. “Break through, men! Until we’ve made it in, your brothers and sisters at arms are targets for the archers.” Brigid saw that his lips were somewhat curled back, as if in a snarl, and felt the thunderous boom of the Fist hitting the braced doors of the Fortress. Her head swam a bit and she couldn’t comprehend how anyone might behave usefully in a battle if such haziness was its effect. Had the battle started? Was there no pageantry like in storybooks? She supposed sieges worked differently, but couldn’t remember a thing that Rylen had taught her. She looked up at the battlements to see ladders latching themselves along the wall. She heard the bolt of a crossbow release, followed by the gurgling squeal of a man. Was it an Inquisition man? She scanned the walls but couldn’t tell. Another bolt released and shot into the dusty earth beside her.The adrenaline kicked in.Her head was still swimming, but her eyesight had never been clearer, even in the misleading shadows of dusk. The Fortress wasn’t black at all, she saw now—it was a silvery grey, much more suited to the wardens than she had initially thought. It was sturdily constructed, dwarven work, by the looks of its embellishments. But she could continue admiring its architecture some other time. The door was starting to buckle—the iron spikes of the ram were getting stuck now, and it was more work for the men to pull it back each time. One last thrust, and the doors swung open. She had expected a flood of opposition to come pouring out of the gate, and when she saw none, she approached.Cullen had dropped off his horse and was standing beside her. “There’s too much resistance on the battlements, we can’t get a proper foothold. If you can clear out a couple of siege points—“The adrenaline was working. She knew precisely what to do. Cut through the main bailey, make her way up to the battlements, and distract the archers. Thinking through her plan, she only nodded fervently at her Commander.“Inquisitor,” he said, his eyes searching hers. He must have mistaken her silence for insecurity. “You can do this.” He put a hand on her shoulder as if to emphasize his assurance, but removed it just as quickly.“I know. Preserve as many lives as possible, Commander.”She could tell that he hadn’t expected that particular directive. “They know what they signed on for, Inquisitor. They’ll do their duty.”She sat up straighter and removed a pair of daggers from their sheaths on either side of her calves. “Nothing unnecessary. They’re here to get me to Erimond and Clarel. Second priority is defending themselves.”Her companions gathered themselves around her, Varric already smeared with a bit of blood clotted in his chest hair and Dorian with a comely slice along his cheek. Stroud and Blackwall were conversing with one another, the latter looking scandalized. She had been worried to bring the Warden along. What might he do—or be unable to do—if one his opponents were a corrupted old friend? In her heart, she knew he would do his duty. But at what cost?Pushing aside her concerns for the time being, she pulled the straps of her light pauldrons a bit tighter. “Alright men, first we make our way through the main bailey.” She peeked into the area to see Inquisition forces already fighting against spellbound wardens. “Some of the wardens have resisted Erimond, try not to kill them if they’re with us. Then we get up to the battlements. Take out the archers, they’ve got too many. Without rifts to close, my attention will be on boulders, trees, hell, I’ll even try sand—anything I can get a hold of with some energy to fling at whoever is in the way.” All five men nodded in resolute agreement with her. She quite liked the feel of it and her confidence grew. “Whatever happens, we do not let Erimond get away. We talk sense into Clarel if possible.” She shot a questioning glance at Blackwall with her final statement.“She has a reputation as a reasonable woman,” he conceded.Plans in order, the Inquistor’s party ran in to the main bailey where a litany of hypnotized wardens and shades wreaked havoc. Stroud and Blackwall wasted no time, charging headfirst into the fray, while Dorian, Hawke, and Varric held back to launch their attacks. It was a frenzy. Brigid was no stranger to a chaotic fight, but Adamant was quickly establishing itself as her personal record. A spellbinder took aim at her, and she reflexively flicked a dagger toward him. It lodged in his windpipe, releasing a raspy, arid sound just before he choked to death. A success, but now she was down a dagger. Per Dagna’s recommendation, the knife handles had been carved out of the branch of an old elm tree from Sykhold’s courtyard. She said the place was teeming with ancient magics of all kind, and that perhaps such a primitive vestige of nature could bond the daggers to her. Could disgust be a strong enough emotion to control the primi vinculum? Recalling the sound of the mage’s final gurglings, she closed her eyes and pictured the dagger in her hand. Obeying her command, the knife flew at her—she caught it by the blade. Were it not for her leather gloves, she’d have been cursing the Maker.After that, she moved automatically, launching daggers and stones alike. She had been prepared to have to remind herself of her useful ability, but perhaps Solas was right—it had been part of her all along. Of course the branches of the decrepit hornbeam in the middle of the yard would flail about if she twisted her hand at them. Of course she could blow a gust of sand into the eyes of a pride demon with a sweep of her fingers.The Inquisition’s forces made quick work of clearing the siege points, and quicker work of seeking out Clarel. With Blackwall’s help, they were able to convince the Warden-Commander of Erimond’s treachery. Brigid could see that she was a decent—if horrendously misled—woman. Likely the kind of woman that would never feel satisfied in her penance, not for the rest of her life. When she saw Clarel scowl at Erimond, the Inquisitor let herself think that perhaps things could be solved through diplomacy for once in her career. Then she heard the screeching sound from that dark night in Haven. The dragon. Erimond had called upon it, using it as a distraction. Shades, demons, and spellbound wardens encircled the party so that they couldn’t interfere with the duel between he and Clarel. Brigid could think of little else but helping the Warden-Commander. She wanted the woman to have a chance to repent. But the dragon landed in front of Clarel and snatched her in its jaws, faster than Trevelyan could comprehend. Brigid forced herself to watch. She must always watch so that she may never deny these atrocities. In watching, she saw the final spell that Clarel casted, sacrificing herself and destroying the great beast in one shot. The power of it crumbled the walkway beneath the party, and suddenly, she was falling. They were all falling, it seemed. Falling for ages, through the heavens, among the stars, through the dusty air, through all of Thedas. Would it ever end? Would they ever hit the ground? Dear Dorian’s beautiful face would hit the ground and she would haunt the Western Approach for eons, atoning for the tragedy of it. She put her hands out in front of her as an impulse, as though she would catch herself. Soon it would all go black, and soon it certainly did. But before it went black, it went green. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- “What do you mean you don’t know?”Sam stood frozen behind the taller scout that addressed the Commander. “I’m sorry, Commander, I know it’s not a good explanation. They don’t know what happened to them.” Cullen sat up from the sickbed he’d been forced into and rubbed at his temples with his left hand. The gesture was clumsy, he nearly poked himself in the eye. “They were there one minute, vanished the next. Into one them—“ the scout wiggled his fingers and made a queasy face.“A rift, sir,” Sam finished.Cullen dropped his hand as if he might be able to stop his sinking heart. He had more questions, but neither Sam nor the nameless, clueless scout had answers. “Thank you, you’re dismissed.” The scout turned to leave immediately, but Sam paused, eyeing Cullen with concern. It took a second nod of his head to assure Sam that he was alright.After the Inquisitor’s party cleared the battlements, Cullen’s immediate forces had little trouble infiltrating the bulk of Adamant. By the time he made it to the main bailey, Brigid and company were elsewhere, likely searching for Clarel. He wasn’t in the mood to do much else besides fight—he didn’t relish killing, at least not these days, but the adrenaline felt like the only pure way to purge the lyrium from his body, and he was glad for anything that sped up the process. So he remained by the splintered front gate, battling against those men and women who were so far gone, they knew only how to fight to their death. He’d give them that gift, at least. It was an aggressive fight, but not a terribly damaging one. He would have made it out of Adamant practically unscathed, if it weren’t for the damned tree root that caught the toe of his boot. He came crashing down onto a large boulder, dislocating his right shoulder. He cursed himself and the lyrium—had he trained harder, better, the muscles that wrapped around his shoulder would have been tougher, stronger. It never would have dislodged itself. As it were, he could hardly grip his sword, so he tore off a long strip of his tunic and fashioned it into something resembling a sling, fully prepared to seek out and assist his Inquisitor. But he felt terribly faint—from pain, dehydration, the lyrium, perhaps some combination of the three. Rather against his will, he was toted back to the healer’s tent by Rylen, who insisted the bulk of the fight was over and the Inquisitor was merely finishing up some diplomacy. When he arrived, the healer scolded him for his shabby sling and forced a curative draught to his lips. “Just some herbs, Commander,” she assured him when he grimaced. “Even we here know not to touch you with magic.” The draught was more sleeping potion than anything else, and though it staved off his lyrium nightmares, he knew he had dreamt about losing himself. When he woke, still in the sick bed, he called for an immediate update. This was as much as he remembered.The reprimanding healer entered the tent. “Finally up, I see.”He wanted to get off the cot, find his armor, reapply some wax to the unruly mess of hair he was sure he sported. But at his first attempt to stand, she marched over to him, wiping her leathern hands against her smudged apron. “Oh no you don’t, Commander. Not on my watch. You keep resting.” She tugged at the neck of his loose tunic to inspect the injured shoulder. He saw a large bloom of purple, brown around the edges.“Lady healer, I’m not here to make your job difficult, but you must let me check in with my captains. I’m more than sufficiently rested.”“I’ll call Ser Rylen in, if it’ll keep you seated. But you’re not leaving the tent. Inquisitor’s orders, direct from the lady herself.”How could Brigid possibly order such a thing if she were missing. “What do you mean direct from the lady herself?”“Healers received a missive from Adan just after Verchiel. ‘Commander Rutherford, by instruction of the Inquisitor, should be closely attended regarding his health and safety. Should he sustain injury, he should not be permitted back on the field until her Worship allows. No unnecessary strains, body or mind.’ Or something like that, anyway.” She sifted through a small satchel caked in dust. “Never thought I’d be the one to tend to you, but Maker take me if I compromise my duty, Commander.” He could see she was a homely woman, but more than capable. He wondered how many snapped bones she’d splinted, how many babes her thin forearms had pulled into this world. Out of the bag, she produced a small square of parchment and handed it to him. The Inquisitor’s seal and signature, just as she’d claimed. The nerve.The flaps of the tent pulled open and Rylen ducked in. “Commander,” he nodded, looking at the healer as if to encourage her to step out. She need not be asked, though she was clearly irked by the interruption of her work.“Thank you for your good work, my lady. And for the improved sling,” Cullen did not begrudge the woman, no matter his frustrations. She clicked her tongue as if to tease him, but nodded her head graciously all the same.“Commander, the Inquisitor is missing. Along with Masters Pavus and Tethras, Blackwall, the Champion, and his Warden. All of them. Vanished.”The soft haze of sleep had lifted and was replaced by a cold, sharp ache up his neck and across his shoulders. Cullen stood despite it. “Battle outcome first. Impossible physics later.”“It was as you anticipated, ser. Once we breached her walls, the enemy was too stunned to do much. Most of our losses were incurred before the ram broke through. More dead, than injured. Don’t know if that’s a blessing or not, but the men feel like they’re able to wash their hands of the whole thing and move on.”Cullen nodded solemnly. If Rylen hadn’t named names, then he was suggesting that they hadn’t lost anyone that was irreplaceable—heartless as it seemed to say so. “The Inquisitor’s party, then. The scout told me they fell into a rift?”“I saw the bridge collapse—Clarel, Erimond, the dragon, the whole lot of the party, some of the wardens. Then a gaping green hole tore open. Out of thin air.”“Is it spewing out demons and monsters?” He was exasperated.“No, but we’ve got men on all sides of it.”“For the best.”Rylen shuffled a bit, uncharacteristically unsure of himself. “What about you, ser? How’s the shoulder?”“Oh, it’s perfectly fine.” He ventured to roll it as an illustration, but it was far more tender than he expected. He tried to hide the wince from his second. “But I’ve been confined to this tent by demand of the Inquisitor, apparently. So despite feeling quite well and there being bodies to retrieve and tend to, I can’t leave this Maker forsaken cot.”Rylen was clearly uncomfortable. Cullen rarely, if ever, complained, and his second in command had no precedent for comforting him. “Well I’ll keep you updated, ser. Perhaps there’s correspondence to attend to.”The notion tightened the muscles in Cullen’s neck, made his hands cramp. All the relief that a bit of good, honest hand-to-hand combat had provided him was gone and forgotten with the mere mention of letter writing. “When did you get so damnably reasonable, Ser Rylen?”The captain huffed out a rusty laugh and squared his shoulders. “Must be the influence of my Commander.”If she could move stones and dirt with her mind, why could she never stop herself from hitting those stones and that dirt so painfully hard whenever she fell? It was a useless question to ask herself when she woke up with the worst headache she’d ever known, but it was the first thing to come to mind. And then she realized it was a blessing. Even if only for a moment, her conscience had tried to spare her from the memories of the Fade. It didn’t come back to her in a rush, but instead, like waves lap against the shore when the tide rises—just a bit at first, then it wanes…then a bit more, until her brain was swimming in a slosh of images. Of truths. The truth of sacrificing Stroud to that Nightmare. The truth of desiring that recovered ability to walk. The truth of those headstones. Perhaps, if she didn’t open her eyes here in the real, true world, she wouldn’t have to admit to anyone what happened. But she had to sit up. Suddenly she had to sit up to remind herself that she was alive and that the Fade was just the Fade.Her head felt heavy as a druffalo, but she lifted it all the same. Across from her cot sat its twin, bowing under the weight of the Commander, slouched over in concentration. At the sound of her rustling, he looked up and grimaced.“Inquisitor. You’re awake.” It was not a declaration of surprise, or of questioning. It was a statement—the same as noting that it had snowed the night before, or acknowledging the hour a chantry bell struck.“How long have I been out?”“A couple of hours. You were mostly lucid when you came back to us, but we didn’t want to take any chances. Thought you needed rest.”“Thank you, for that. But there is much to attend to,” she said, seeking out her seat in preparation to rise.“Yes, you and I think the same way. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the same authority when I was brought here,” his gaze never left the page the he was trying to scrawl at, but his voice sharpened.“Were you hurt?” The question was both innocent curiosity and genuine concern.“Dislocated shoulder. Rather routine. Not like tearing open a rift and falling into it.”“I don't mean to always make things so dramatic,” she said, hoping he might turn up the corners of his mouth. Or even just one corner.“And yet they always are.” He was not amused. “Tell me, Inquisitor, what prompted you to shackle me to a sick tent in the wake of battle?”She was unused to his disappointment. Whether it made for good diplomacy or otherwise, the Inquisitor and the Commander typically saw eye-to-eye. They both valued a hands-on approach, neither was opposed to military intervention, and they preferred simple terms to finely-crafted speech. Thank the Maker for Josephine, she would have to give the woman a pay increase and perhaps a day or two off. As it were, they rarely felt conflict with another, even when they disagreed. She used to say that her and her mother spoke different languages when they tried to have a conversation, so it was no wonder they never settled anything. She and Cullen spoke the same language. Perhaps even the same dialect. This is how she knew that he was not merely annoyed—he was livid.“You are invaluable, Commander. I only asked that the healers pay you a bit of extra attention if you were harmed.”He finally looked up and the heat in his stare discomforted her. “Quote: ‘Should he sustain injury, he should not be permitted back on the field until her Worship allows.’ That’s more than a bit of extra attention.”“When one of your soldiers is injured, do you send him back out into the fray?”“If he loses a leg, no. But if he nicks his cheek, he damn well better keep on fighting.”“I should think that a dislocated shoulder is quite a bit more serious than a shallow flesh wound, Commander, don’t be so reductive.”“Reductive? Oh, that’s rich. You castrate your military Commander because you assume his withdrawal has weakened him. You reduce me to my struggles.”She couldn’t suppress the laugh that shot through her nose. “Castration…now who’s being dramatic? ““It was a mild injury, Inquisitor. I could have rejoined the men to help make sense of the rubble and destruction.” And to go to you, he omitted.“So the battle was over when you hurt yourself? If you’re angry that you weren’t able to fight more, it sounds like it was the fault of your soldiers for making such quick work of the enemy.” “Do not fault them, even in jest.”She saw that he was determined to be unreasonable. His anger weighed heavy in her ears and spread through her aching head until she could taste the acid of his remarks on her tongue. “You’re right-handed, aren’t you?”The gold flicker of his eyes was barely visible beneath his brooding brow. “What of it?”“It’s no wonder you’re cranky, you’re trying to write letters with your left hand.”“I’m not cranky, Inquisitor, I’m angry. I know my limits better than you do. You had no right to confine me to a sick tent. I told you about the lyrium under the assumption that you would not use it against me. Or pity me. I thought of all people, you would be understanding of that, at least.”Silence fell, drowsy as it sought to sink itself in ever corner of the tent.“I do not pity you, Commander. I cannot think of a more capable person on the field of battle. And you’re right, you know your limits. But you never mind them, don’t pretend otherwise.” He opened his mouth to protest, but there was no force behind it, so he sat back. “I hold your trust tenderly, I did not mean to take advantage of it. I—I worry about you. Whether I need to or not. But I was wrong. I should not have ordered that you be taken care of so…strictly.”Perhaps he had not been expecting an apology. Perhaps he had prepared for a much longer argument. He looked rather like a knight who had shown up fully armored to fend off a fennec. No matter how resolutely she looked at him, she could not coax his gaze away from the parchment on his lap. “Yes…well…now we understand each other. I apologize if I misread your…concern.” The silence threatened again, until he cursed under his breath and tossed his quill on the table beside his cot. The parchment followed after.She ought to leave her bed, leave the tent, and seek out Dorian or Varric, anyone that had been in the Fade with her. They ought to talk through what happened—document it, so as to make it merely business. But it was late and she was hesitant to revisit the experience. Not afraid, she hoped. Merely tired. A menial task like writing would do well to lull her to sleep. “Would you like some help with that?”He scratched his head and then shook it. “No, I’ve got no mind for it tonight, anyway.” He stood up and plodded to the washbasin. The water looked cool and clean, but the vessel was stained by Maker knows what—as most tools of healers are, just following a battle the size of Adamant’s siege. His posture was unbalanced, no doubt from the injured shoulder, but his back seemed as sturdy as ever. She watched as he tried to balance a polished mirror on the table. He was attempting to shave, she realized. He usually wore a faint dusting of stubble along his chin and jaw, but she saw now that it was grown out, perhaps to half an inch. The length at which it starts to itch, she knew. It took some maneuvering, but he got the mirror steady and lathered his face. He picked the straight razor up with his only good hand and held it up to his face. He tipped his head to the left and then to the right, grumbling all the while. One stroke attempted before he cursed softly. An amusing sight, with his white and foamy beard.“Commander.”“What?” he barked.“Would you like assistance?”“I can shave myself, Inquisitor.” His voice was tight and distorted as he craned his chin up at the mirror, full attention given to the blade in his hand.“Clearly…you cannot.” She waved her seat over and adjusted herself into it. It had begun to feel like home, even if the disuse of her legs remained foreign. She approached his cot and cleared her throat. “Come, Commander. Bring the washbasin.”“I will not allow my superior to groom me.” He had already picked up the bowl.“Let a friend help you, Cullen. You’ve already taken off a crooked stripe of hair, you can’t leave yourself like that.”He muttered under his breath, but sat down on the bed in front of her, all the same. She took the razor from his hand, and paid no mind to the brush of his calloused finger across her knuckles as he passed the blade. She inspected it far longer than she had any need to, but she was terrified to look at his face. She had offered the assistance without thinking of what it would entail. A solid excuse to study his face, touch his face. But would her own face betray her increasing heart rate? What in Thedas possessed her to propose such a ludicrously intimate process?“Have you done this before?” His voice was steady. She envied it.“Shaved? Yes, many times. My father’s face once, when the tremors got bad. Before he decided to grow out the beard.” He was too tall, even sitting down, for her to get the proper angle, so she willed her seat to elevate six inches or so.“Have you always been able to do that?” He asked, pulling his head back.Something in the question boosted her confidence. “No, it took a fair bit of practice. But I’m no longer surprised when I will something to move. It’s too tiring to feign shock.”He laughed very quietly and lifted his chin. Such a vulnerable position, she realized. He was always draped in armor, in furs, in layers of protection. But here he sat with his neck exposed, and she, with a blade in her hand. She could count the shallow wrinkles that creased across his Adam’s apple. She could see gooseflesh standing, or perhaps simply hair follicles, she was so near to him that she could count individual hairs. She was close enough to see the feather thin lines that curved along either side of his mouth, even when he made no expression. Joy. Worry. Pain. She could see the shiny, tight edges of the scar on his lip. The terrifying prospect of his mortality stirred her and she made a quiet vow. By my will, Cullen Rutherford, you will never know harm. She lifted her left hand up to his cheekbone and pulled the skin up, taught with her thumb. Better to not nick the flesh, her father had taught her. Blade between her other thumb and forefinger, she scraped it against the grain of the errant hairs on his cheek until she had erased a strip of lather.“A clean shave?” she asked, to clear some of the tension. “Or would you like to work on a mustache to match Master Pavus?”He grunted in amusement, trying not to move a muscle of his face. He could not stop his nostrils from flaring. When Brigid pulled the razor away to rinse it in the basin, he opened his lips just enough to speak. “Please, no.” It was a gentle, sincere request and it set her at ease. “Tell me, Inquisitor. What happened in the Fade?”She still wanted to avoid the subject, but she knew it would be good for her. Like bleeding poison from a wound or pulling out a painful splinter. “I wasn’t trying to open a rift. I was anticipating hitting the ground, actually.” The shaving went smoothly as long as her eyes didn’t linger on any one spot for too long. “When we got there, it didn’t look like dreaming, we were physically there. Justinia—or her spirit, rather—found us. Guided us through the wasteland.” She raised his chin to work at his neck and made a mental map of his jaw. More than worth coming back for. “We were made to encounter our own worst fears. Fight off demons. I was shown memories of what happened at the Conclave.” She saw his eyebrows lift in response. “And then—“ It was hard to recall. When she tended to the space just below his nose, her fingers moved in increments smaller than she knew them capable of. More than once, her thumb brushed his top lip. It was painful, dividing her attention between the task at hand and the task of not allowing her hand to tremble. Occasionally, she could hear him swallow—otherwise, he was silent as the grave. “There was a nightmare. Relentless. We had found the rift opening, we were mere feet away from returning. But it guarded it. It was too much, we couldn’t destroy it. Hurt it, perhaps. Anger it. Nothing brought it down or even stopped it for more than a breath. Hawke and Stroud pulled away to speak for a moment. They decided that one of them would stay back, distract the beast while everyone else went through. They fought it out, who would get to sacrifice himself. And then they left it up to me.” Her hand shook as she imagined it and a dab of the lather flicked to his lower lip. They both froze. She swept her little finger across the foam, across the soft flesh of his lip, and stopped breathing altogether. The tips of his ears had gone red, which she resolutely ignored. Her head felt watery, but she knew it was from her shallow breathing, lest the slightest rise or fall of her chest compromise her precision. “I told Stroud to stay.” The admission hung heavy between them. When she finished her task, she sent a quick prayer of thanks to the Maker and said goodbye to the miraculous moment. It had been a series of moments, but it was one singular blessing, this proximity to her Commander’s face. He is not yours to admire, Brigid. She had to willfully remind herself these days. She sought out the cleanest cloth she could find and pressed it against his face, wiping away the remnants of soap lather and bits of hair.“There.” She only trusted herself with one word, so as not to hear her own voice shake.He blinked widely a couple of times as if to wake himself up, and rubbed his good hand along his jaw and chin. “Better than I normally do.”Brigid turned away immediately, couldn’t look him in the eyes. “Glad to help Commander. Please excuse me, I should check in with the others.”“Inquisitor? Wait, I—” He stood up, and away from the bed, but she refused her eyes.“You can expect a full report tomorrow.” She felt certain he had said her name. Not her title, but her name. He had said it before, but she was sure it would be different now if she watched him form the syllables. It wasn’t until she was fifty yards away from the tent that she took a deep breath and felt her spine shiver. The moon was full and yellow, serene and sure of itself, accusatorily cheery, as if to say, I saw you, young lady, what ever will you do now? It spoke in Dorian’s voice, the bastard. She would have to invent an excuse for her hurried exit at some point, but that would be later. Later, she would atone. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Migraines were a bit like caged animals. The big ones—bears, tigers, lions. Oftentimes—if you were lucky, most of the time—the lion would laze about in the sunshine, nap, lick itself clean in drowsy contentment. Most people’s lions did this every day. Cullen’s lion was not so complacent. His paced back and forth along the bars, most days and nights. If he were careful, he could go about his business and not disturb the animal’s nervous marching. Steady breathing. Calm routine. Maker forbid some shocking event or news trigger the lion—Cullen best filter it with composure, present it to the creature meekly, and control his blood pressure. Inevitably, he would slip, and the beast would lash out at the bars, bare its teeth, and roar until Cullen’s ears rang. It took hours, sometimes days to calm the lion when this happened. He could work through its tantrum, if need be—and he always needed to, there was too much to get done, even if it meant getting it done poorly or slowly and being miserable all the while. But on occasion, Cullen could stagger up to his office, up into his loft, onto his bed, and hold perfectly still. Blessedly still. Eyes closed, arms above his head to muffle against his ears, breathing shallow and steady. It was the only way to lull the lion back to its uneasy tranquility. It was a slow, exhausting process, to lie there without falling asleep. Unless the sleep was brought on by pure physical exhaustion, it brought new and fresh horrors to mind, so he had to be careful to not doze off. When he thought about what a waste of time the whole business was, he had to scold himself. That sort of guilt-addled thinking gave the lion new strength.Three days after they had returned to Skyhold from Adamant, Cullen lie in his bed, just like this. It was the heart of winter and the nights came so quickly that he couldn’t tell whether he’d be at rest for half an hour or five of them straight. He heard a knock on his door, but let it be. Messengers knew that if the door was unlocked and he didn’t answer, missives could be left on his desk. The important messengers knew this, anyway. After a third knock, the door creaked open and he heard Sam announce himself.“Your copy of the Inquisitor’s report on Adamant, Commander. I’ll leave it on your desk.”The boy left, pulling the door shut gently. Cullen had never told him of his ailments, of course, but he sensed he understood them all the same. Coming off of heavy drinking had comparable effects, perhaps Sam knew someone who struggled similarly. More likely, the Commander’s appearance was finally starting to betray the pains he suffered. He had been eating less, that much was true, but he worked himself just as hard in the training yard. It was no wonder his face was looking a bit hollow. And the circles under his eyes got darker by the day. His tunics fit the same across his chest, but they were hanging looser on his arms. Yes, Sam was a clever boy, surely he saw past Cullen’s attempts to keep up his energy.The lion of a migraine seemed to have dozed off, but he maintained his breathing and kept his eyes closed, just in case. It was known to feign sleep. He felt pricks of something cold on his face and melted into the mattress. It was snowing in Skyhold. As cold as it got up in the Frostbacks, it didn’t snow nearly as often as he had expected. He’d asked Gatsi to leave the gaping hole open in his ceiling in hopes of this very event. The child in him livened to think of it snowing in his bedroom. He never had a room of his own in the Order, and he shared quarters in Haven for the sake of saving space. But this little loft was his, and his alone, and he indulged his childish fantasy of living amongst the wilds of nature. He ventured to open his eyes and saw a dull, dark purple sky. Nearly black. But snow clouds at night gave off a soft violet glow that blotted out all the stars. He felt covered by a cool blanket, from which he never wanted to be parted. But the report was down below and his stomach growled rather rudely.He slid down the ladder and retrieved the small folder Sam had left, before opening up a drawer to seek a charcoal stick. He’d want to draw out the battle plans on the back, perhaps, for posterity’s sake—the ladders hadn’t worked as he had planned and he needed that fact documented somewhere. He opened the wrong drawer and stared down at the lyrium kit. His body hummed as if it were trying to call the philter to itself. It looked like alchemy in a box. Something unholy and forbidden. He knew it was nothing so grand—just a crutch, a tool, that he had once relied too heavily upon. A small pouch that he didn’t recognize sat tucked beside the box. My mother used to say they were good for headaches. I’m sure you ought to eat anyway. The note tied around it bore Cassandra’s signature. He opened it to find a dozen or two perfect almonds. In the privacy of his office, Cullen grinned unabashedly and said a quiet prayer of thanks to the Maker for such a friend as dear Cass. He hadn’t expected her to nurse him through his detox—just watch him, really. But for all her layers of tough exterior, she was nurturer at heart. With all the caution of an uneasy stomach, he tried a nut, and then another. They were just bland enough to not stir his nausea, and substantial enough to quiet its grumbling.He picked up the report and flipped through until he found the subheading he was looking for: “Into the Fade.” It was just as Brigid had described back in the healer’s tent—though far more detailed. She had left out the bit about walking, he noticed. “Though the seat came with me through the rift, I did not seem to need it. Clearly, it was not a dream—the injuries we suffered there remained with us when we returned. I do not know how to account for such a miracle. I suppose I carried the seat with me as we traveled through the wasteland, for it came back with me. But I don’t recall clearly. I suspect our time in the Fade was a dire mistake. We should never have been there.” Cullen made a mental note to bring this excerpt to the attention of Solas, if he’d not already seen it. He skimmed a bit further until the word “Conclave” caught his eye. “I was shown the explosion at the Conclave, including the parts I didn’t remember. Divine Justinia was kidnapped by enthralled Grey Wardens, it seemed. She was to be used by Corypheus in some kind of ceremony that would sacrifice her to gain some sort of power. I walked in on the ritual by mistake. She was being held in the air, tortured. He had a sphere in his hand. Justinia saw her chance when I distracted them. She knocked the orb from him and I picked it up. That’s how I opened the Breach, and I assume that’s how I got the mark on my hand. Justinia and I fell into the Fade, then. She helped me escape by staying behind, herself. It was not Andraste behind me when I fell back into this world. It seems I am the unwitting cause of so much of this. I see now why it has fallen to me to fix it.” It wasn’t protocol to include the bit of prosody at the end. From anyone else, it might have irritated him, having to read through frivolity to get to the facts. As it were, the last two statements broke his heart. He read them over and over again until he heard a knock on his door. “Come in.”Cassandra opened the door hesitantly and stepped in. “I’m glad to see you up and about. Sam said you weren’t feeling well.”Cullen’s eyes lingered an extra few seconds on the page until he sat it down amongst the others. “I wasn’t. I’m alright now. When did you sneak in here with the almonds?”“Weeks ago, actually,” she said, shutting the door.“You sound surprised that I found them.”“No, it’s just…that means it’s been weeks since you last looked in that drawer.” Her lilting accent was oddly soothing in the chill of his office.“At least weeks. Maybe a month, if I think about it.” He tried to arrange the pages of the report back into their proper order, but he would settle for just getting them into a neat stack. “It doesn’t sing to me as loudly, anymore. The aches and nightmares are just as bad as ever, but I no longer hear its call.”She rested her hip against one of the bookcases. “That is a good sign, Commander. I think you will prove me right.”“Right in what?”“In your survival. You have no idea what kind of precedent you’re setting for Templars all over Thedas.” He huffed in laughter. “I know that wasn’t your goal, but I know your tendencies to think yourself selfish. You’re helping others too. Remember it if you ever need more encouragement.”“I appreciate that. Really, I do. Thank you. For all of it.”She hesitated. “No ‘but’ in that statement?”“No. You have my undivided, genuine gratitude.” They both knew the depth of their camaraderie, but neither was eager to voice it. A pair of hardened soldiers, they were. The lack of sarcasm was as good as a hug between them. “I suspect that’s not why you’re here, though?”Her face lightened in recollection. “No, I come with a message from the Inquisitor. We leave for Halamshiral in two days. While you were in Adamant, Josie, Vivienne, and myself were left to plan for Celene’s ball.” Cullen groaned, sure his migraine would spring back to life at any moment. “The Inquisitor wants my presence, as well as that of Dorian and Varric…and her advisors, of course. She was going to tell you herself, but I thought you were indisposed.”The migraine slept, but the tension in his shoulders made his recent injury ache. “What use could I possibly be to this mission?”“Security detail, I assume. Not to worry, the Inquisitor is taking the brunt of the social responsibilities for us. Well, her and Josephine. The Ambassador has been pulling her hair out trying to invent a way for someone to dance sitting down. The Inquisitor feels like she’s making things more difficult than need be, despite our assurances that her guilt is nonsense. It ought to be quite a disaster, you should be more excited to witness it.”“Maker, that poor woman.”“What do you mean?”“Have you read her report on Adamant yet?”“No, not yet.”He reached out an arm to give her the folder and slunk back into his chair. “She was incredible. Absolutely brilliant, the way she diffused the forces on the battlements, the way she reasoned with Clarel. And then—“Cassandra had been reading when she interrupted Cullen. “Into the Fade? She went into the Fade again?”“Keep reading, it gets worse.”He could see the Seeker’s eyes scan across the page as she mouthed most of the words silently. “She could walk…”“…Justinia…”“…the Conclave…”“…Stroud…”He recalled Brigid’s phrase, “the unwitting cause…”Cassandra finished and closed the folder in reverie. “She knows that none of this is her fault, right?”“I don’t know, Cass, I—““That all of this is the result of the machinations of that evil…thing. And of poor policy that’s been festering between mages and Templars for ages, perhaps. But not because of her.”“Put yourself in her position. Would you not blame yourself?”She thought on it for a moment. “I know that you would. Maker, you two can be so alike sometimes. So…righteous.”“At least she’s righteous in an attempt to live up to her reputation. Mine is to atone for all the damage I’ve done.”“Will you ever give it up? You’re doing decent work here, Cullen. Let some of that guilt go.” She glanced back through the report and added, under her breath, “and for the love of the Maker, please kiss the woman.”He did his best to furrow his brow, wrinkle his nose, and gape his mouth wide open in shock. “Kiss? Wha—who, the Inquisitor?”She mocked his incredulous expression. “What? The Inquisitor? Yes, you dolt. When I told her I would give you the news about Halamshiral because you weren’t feeling well, she looked ready to cry out of worry for you. And you can’t pass up an opportunity to talk about how wonderful she is. To anyone besides her, of course.”He brushed off her claim. “She shows that kind of concern for everyone, you know that. And I’m proud to have a competent leader. But I’m not going to lavish her in compliments until it looks like I’m trying to get special favor.”“Cullen.”“Cassandra.”“I am your dearest friend. What would Mia say? That you’re being stubborn?”“Mia’s the stubborn one.” He heard the petulance in his voice and knew he was being childish. “I don’t know what she’d say. I don’t know what to say. The Inquisitor is…she’s remarkable. Better than I deserve, I suspect. But this is no time, no place to woo anyone, let alone the Maker-forsaken savior of the whole damn world.”“You know what she’s going through. She has all the support in the world. But she could use love, too.”“Everyone loves her." “You know what I mean.” Her stare was cold and sharp, but full of truth. He nodded and scratched the back of his neck, but couldn’t summon a response. “I won’t bother you more on the subject. You know what I think you should do. Varric thinks so too. I’ll see you tomorrow in the training yard.” “This is what we’re to wear at the Winter Palace?” Brigid held the jacket of the ensemble before her. She hadn’t expected so many…colors.Josephine tried not to sound too defensive. “Yes, Inquisitor. We want to present a unified front to Orlais. After conferring with a well-respected seamstress in Val Royeaux, I determined this was the most universally flattering design, given our retinue.”She wanted so terribly to like it. But it was so red…and blue…and she was still such a Free Marcher. “Thank you for your efforts, Ambassador. We will all look splendid.”They had gathered in Brigid’s quarters for the meeting—all of the companions that would be joining her, plus Josephine and Leliana. The Commander claimed some urgent business with the Warden recruits that would take all day, and thus got out of the gathering. After uniforms had been distributed, the party filed out of her room, with the exception of the Ambassador.“You are displeased, Inquisitor?”“Oh! No, not at all. Please, call me Brigid. Especially when it’s just the two of us talking about clothes.”“Well then, Brigid…you know I am trained and practiced in reading body language? I can tell you are less than thrilled with the uniform. It’s alright, I am not offended.”“It’s not…” she wanted to measure her words carefully. “I understand perfectly why they look as they do. What you said about a unified front. It is politically sound, and I’m grateful to have someone by my side with such forethought.”“But…?”“But…oh, it’s silly. I just…I heard ‘ball’ and I thought perhaps I’d get to wear a fancy gown and fix my hair nice. It’s so silly, this is much better.”“Forgive me, Inqu—Brigid. I did not realize you enjoyed such femininities. I am foolish to say so, but I always see you in battle regalia and uniforms. I thought you preferred it.”“It’s funny. Normally I do. I was raised with all the femininities, you know. And I resented it. But now…I spend so many days covered in mud and dust and blood. With heavy boots and rough tunics. Alas, Halamshiral is neither the place, nor time to indulge my girlish fantasies. Whispers of an assassination plot against the Empress and I’m pining over silk and lace…ridiculous of me.”“Perhaps I can arrange for another celebration? Here in Skyhold, to coincide with Wintersend. Everything at your discretion, of course. Oh, Brigid, it could be such fun!”“Is it not too indulgent? Surely it would cost too much?”“It’s rather perfect, actually. There are a handful of nobles that have been pestering me for a visit. Some of them want to see Skyhold. Some of them want to see you, but won’t be at Halamshiral. I always assumed something like this would need to happen eventually. Wintersend is as good a time as any. Growth, new beginnings…the arrangement of marriages.”“The arrangement of what?”Josephine acted as if she’d heard nothing. “I must be going, Inquisitor. I’ll leave this with you,” she said, extending a sizeable box identical to the ones she’d sent the others off with. “Can I trust you’ll get this to the Commander?”“Yes…of course.” Josephine bowed her head, ever so diplomatically, and exited.Brigid had other business to attend to before seeking out the Commander. But she couldn’t remember any of it to save her life, so she made her way down to the training camps outside the gates. She had sought out Cullen there on a handful of occasions when they’d first arrived as Skyhold, but lately, he was more likely to be found in his office. The development of the grounds since her last visit startled her. The Commander’s tent was set up closest to Skyhold, and branching out from it like a web were the many divisions of men and women who had pledged themselves to the Inquisition: seasoned Templars that had escaped from Lord Seeker Lucius with Ser Barris, the Wardens that had returned with her after Adamant, a troop of Fereldans that King Alistair had loaned to their cause, a selection of well-born Orlesian knights. All of these trained orders surrounded the largest group of soldiers—an assortment of trainees, likely from farms and merchant shops. It ought to have been utter chaos, and to the untrained eye, looked very much like it. But it wasn’t chaos—it was the well-orchestrated activity of a hive, producing, moving, producing. Not items, not merchandise, but skill. Capability.“Lady Inquisitor!” Rylen approached from the vicinity of the Fereldan soldiers. “What brings you down amongst the dogs?”She was still absorbing the sight, a bit stunned. “This is remarkable.”“We’re certainly not lacking in number any longer.” He was like a proud father.“No, I should say not…but I meant the arrangement. The Commander closest to our gates, more experienced troops surrounding those that are still being trained.”“In case of attack.” He finished her train of thought. “We learned from Haven.”“Forethought via hindsight. Perhaps the only silver lining in tragedy.”“Yes, the Commander was determined that their sacrifice not go to waste.”“Did he design this?”“Of course. He’s the only thing keeping the whole mess running. Through sheer force of willpower alone, I should add. But I’m sure you know that.”She smiled, sadly. Cullen always did work himself to death. “Do you know where I can find him? I’ve something for him from the Ambassador.”“Right this way,” he gestured for her to follow toward the large red-trimmed tent ahead of them. “He’s meeting with some Wardens. Still trying to find a Commander of their own.”Stroud would have been the man, Brigid thought to herself. But surely someone amongst their ranks could manage the task. She didn’t have to wait long for the Wardens to finish their business, as three of them strode out with the Commander following.“We’ll continue discussing this, next time with the Ambassador present.”All three Wardens seemed less than enthused at the notion, but only the younger man spoke up. “That ought to go brilliantly.”“We’ll find a solution, this I swear. But let’s not rely on Weisshaupt making a decision any time soon. Get a feel for the thoughts of the Wardens in camp before we talk next.”The oldest of the three—a bald-headed man with a mess of coarse grey hair hanging from his chin—was the only to make a formal gesture of respect toward the Commander. Brigid wondered why he wasn’t a good enough option, at least for the time being.“Inquisitor! What brings you here?” He was alight. The last time he looked this comfortable was at the start of Adamant’s siege. Now, he looked just as contented, but without the worry of impending battle. He was smiling, in fact, though only barely. It was enough to be contagious.“Oh, we’ll save that for later. Commander, this whole,” she gestured all around her, “…everything. It’s incredible. I hear you’re the orchestrator?”Cullen wasn’t normally one to beam, but he did his best version of it, filled with a sort of paternal pride. “They’re good soldiers. I speak to as many of them as I can, train as many as I can, even if it’s only a moment of advice. I feel like I owe them that, at least, if they’re willing to give their lives for us.”“Your investment in them builds their loyalty. I hear the way they talk about you, the way they believe in you.” She chanced a look at him and saw that his cheeks and the bridge of his nose had gone rosy. “You’re doing good work, Commander.”“I almost suspect you’re trying to make me blush. But thank you.” When he met her stare, she felt short of breath. It was an unfamiliar look, though not altogether unwelcome.“And now, I feel rather guilty for bringing the mood down…”His hackles lifted, his eyes sharpened, and his left fist clenched. All minute changes, but dramatic nonetheless. “What is it, what’s wrong?”“Oh! No, nothing frightening like that. The Ambassador just got these in, she wanted me to deliver yours.” Brigid offered the box, which he eyed suspiciously. “I hope you’re more pleased than I was.”He lifted the lid with a gloved hand and whispered a curse. “Rather…militaristic, don’t you think?”Brigid nodded, looking at the uniform once again. “I already had a chat with Josie about it. We’re meant to present a united front, I suppose.”“All of us? The women too?”“Can a woman not wear a military uniform, Commander?”He presented a stoic habit like it was his religion, but he was easier to fluster than anyone she’d ever met. “Of course, Maker…I only meant—““I’m kidding, Cullen. I was as surprised as you. I thought surely an Orlesian ball would call for an extravagant gown. I was quite looking forward to seeing Cassandra in one. And myself in one, if you can keep a secret.”He smirked in response to her own mischievous grin. “I would have liked that too. Cassandra, I mean, in a dress…doesn’t quite match.” His hand shot to the back of his neck and he looked like he was trying to rub the skin off. Cassandra, of course… “Anyway…thank you for dropping it off. I’d like to stay and chat, but that Avvar clan looks to finally be arriving, and I’ve agreed to meet with them before Josephine scares them off.”“Our sweet Ambassador scaring off warlording Avvars?”Cullen met her inquiring look with a stern face. “Lady Montilyet is quite imposing. If our military forces ever fail, I vote we set her loose on Corypheus.” He maintained his serious expression for only one moment longer than Brigid before they both broke into sniggers. The idea of Josephine facing off against the Elder One wasn’t funny—she would triumph without a doubt, or a sword, for that matter. But Maker, it was good to laugh with him.“Well, I’ll let you be, then. Tell the Avvar I said hello.”He nodded and smiled, rather widely, unabashedly, right into her heart. “I will. And you should come visit more often. Boosts everyone’s spirits.”As she made her way back toward the keep, she saw very few eyes on her. No one seemed melancholy, but spirits didn’t look overly boosted either. It was no matter…hers were. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Cullen was willing to admit that the food was occasionally alright. A little decadent, and often in smaller portions than he would prefer, but they made use of some fine flavors and he was a fiend for sweets. He could get on board with their music as well. He wasn’t one for dancing in any formal sense, but he had an ear for tunes and rhythms and the Orlesian sense for melody was admirable. Even the architecture was worth appreciating, though he thought it all impractical and excessive. It at least made sense. There was a logic behind its artistry, even if it wasn’t to his personal taste.The headpieces, however, were—“Ludicrous,” a voice whispered from somewhere to his right. The Inquisitor, dressed in full regalia like the rest of their retinue, held her head aloft and her shoulders squared as their party entered the palace gates. But the sound had undoubtedly come from her.“Pardon?” Cullen didn’t glance her way for fear of compromising the privacy of her hushed tone.“The wigs,” she breathed. “The feathers. The masks. The…Maker, does that woman have butterflies sewn onto her gown?” The dress was icy blue and embellished all around with large tufts of taffeta arranged to look like black roses. And on the center of each nestled a pair of pearlescent wings, fluttering, sputtering, as if too tired to care.He grimaced. “Appears so.” She groaned a bit of disgust, but kept leading the party through the front garden entry. Everything and everyone was bathed in moonlight—white fountains, dark ivy, white clematis climbing columns and trellises. The guests seemed a garish stain upon the illusion of natural wonder. But there was nothing natural about the scene. The garden was crafted, arranged just so, and Cullen was acutely aware of its falseness.“Decadent to the point of decay, don’t you agree?” Dorian sidled up to the Commander and joined in the hushed critique of the Winter Palace. “Tevinter likes dramatics and extravagance, but we also have a sense for what is tasteful. This is completely unchecked. I saw a woman with live insects stitched to her skirts as if they were little jewels.”Just then, one of the many masked men stepped forward and offered his hand to the Inquisitor. He could feel the anxiety roll off her in waves. She had proven to everyone in Skyhold that her physical condition need not interfere with her competence on the battlefield. But Halamshiral was a different sort of battle, a different sort of field—though he grinned at the notion of her raining boulders down on their elaborate heads. The men of the Game, of course, were allowed to be gluttonous, gouty hams if they desired and had enough money, but the women—like all women of noble birth—were expected to be perfectly crafted products of generations of breeding. Bodies a series of golden ratios, vivacious, lithe, and waifish but with childbearing hips. Cullen need not be affirmed, he could see gowns that exaggerated small waists and heaving bosoms and his head started to spin at the deceit of it all. He looked back at Brigid and felt the weight of dozens of eyes upon her. He wanted to shield her from it, punch each one in their rouged faces…but she was better equipped for this place than he was, so he took one last look at the man regaling her and turned to Dorian.“Gaspard de Chalons, I assume?” His head was shaved and his face was masked in tarnished gold, and Cullen decided he didn’t like the Duke. He ought to—he was proven in battle and rightful heir to the throne that Celene had cleverly taken. And yet, he was able to despise the man. In fact, it was no trouble.“Oh, I don’t know these nobles any better than you. But it must be, she’s trying to be pleasant to him, bless the darling.”“You’re able to tell when she’s actually being pleasant and when she’s forcing it?”Dorian crossed his arms and clicked his tongue against his teeth in disappointment. “Of course, Commander. Our Inquisitor has a cheerfully round face when she smiles earnestly.” He imitated her full-faced smile until the corners of his own eyes crinkled.Cullen looked closer and saw that her lips were only barely upturned. There was no mirth in her eyes. The mage was right, she wasn’t really smiling, but the Duke seemed none the wiser. No, she didn’t need his protection from these creatures. She would be as infuriatingly good at this Game as she was at everything else.“Commander, a moment.” Leliana approached and held him by the shoulder.No doubt, it was time for their planned security check. “Keep an eye on her. Both, if you can, until I get back.” With a farewell nod to Dorian, Cullen strode away. When they were away from the prying ears of the crowd, Leliana began her report. “My agents are stationed in each hall, on every floor, and in the exterior vicinity of each exit. Excluding restricted areas, of course, but that’s where Brigid is going to come in. As they gather useful information, I will collect.”“How will I be able to tell who they are?”“You won’t, Commander. That’s the point. If things turn sour, I’m sure you’ll be able to identify them. When all the peacocks of court are squealing, my agents will be wielding blades.”“Fair enough. And they know not to make the first move? No matter what happens?”“If their suspicions are raised, their primary order is to suppress, silence, and remove. They won’t strike until and unless physically provoked.”Cullen nodded in approval. He liked working with Leliana. Their weapons were different, but their methods were similarly straightforward. She would not hesitate to kill, even in situations where he would spend too long deciding whether or not to spare. But that brought him comfort tonight. “I’ll make my rounds to the guards, make sure we’re on the same page.”She nodded and vanished and Cullen spotted a pair of guards at either side of the front gate, closed now that all of the guests had arrived. He cleared his throat, clasped his hands behind his back, and approached the ornately dressed sentinels. This was well within his comfort zone.“Good evening, gentlemen. I’m Commander Cullen Rutherford, with the Inquisition.” They each lifted an eyebrow at him, then looked at one another. Cullen squared his shoulders and tried again. “I’ve been asked to make the rounds and confer with her majesty’s security. Notify you of our presence.” Still nothing. He tried lowering his voice to affect more authority. “In the event of danger this evening—““Commander…Ruzzerford, you say?” The guard on the left finally addressed him in his lolling Orlesian accent. “We appreciate your…concern. But we are more zan capable of our duties.”Cullen crossed his arms, opened his mouth to speak, then thought better of it before nodding as a courtesy and walking away. He recognized a contest of superiority when he saw one and felt confident that, while he undoubtedly had the better hand, he wasn’t familiar enough with their game to ever convince them of that. He would protect the Inquisitor—that was all the duty he needed to know.As he walked further toward the doors of the palace, he saw Brigid, still next to Gaspard. The Duke was regaling some stuffed peacock and the Inquisitor looked bored to tears. Just as he decided that his protective duties could perhaps include saving her from odious aristocrats, he heard a shuffle of feet on the terrace above him. For a moment, his entire body stiffened with alert. But then he noticed the giggle and cursed aloud.“Sera…wherever you are, get down immediately.”Before the last syllable has left his lungs, she had hopped down, planted her feet directly in front of his, and grinned—almost endearingly. “’Ello Noodlehead.”“What are you doing here?” He regarded her usual motley breeches and casual vest and shoeless feet and instantly sensed trouble. And a general lack of permission…“Quizzy asked me to come along. Take care of high-up things, what with her floatin’ about. Can’t climb like I can, yunno?”“Why aren’t you in uniform like the rest of us?”Her cheeks swelled with laughter and she threw her head back. “And look like that?” She pointed the tip of an arrow up and down his form. “No thanks. ‘Sides, I’m meant to be stealthy. And you’re all…” she put her forearm against her eyes as if the very sight of Cullen blinded her.“Josephine allowed this?”“Course not! Miss Priss’d have a fit. But Lady Daggers knows. Thought it was a ‘clever’ idea.”“Well if it’s ‘clever’ you’re going for, perhaps you can be a bit quieter?”“Such a silly Noodle. I wanted you to hear me. If I didn’t, you’d be dead now.” She opened her eyes wide before cackling at herself again. “Anyway, don’t worry ‘bout me ruinin’ things. These shite guards are the real problem. I got all the way to the roof easy as pie.”He recalled the men at the front gate. “Yes, they certainly leave something to be desired. But I’m here, so don’t worry about the Inquisitor.”“OooOoh.” She wiggled her hips and fingers out of rhythm with one another until he elbowed her to stop. “Can’t help me self. I know she gives you all them feelings in your man bits. S’alright, she gives me feelin’s too, what with them eyes of hers.” He frowned, tried to think of something innocuous to distract her. “Don’t worry, little Noodle. I ain’t her type. I hear she likes ‘em burly and grumpy and golden…” she began sauntering off to Maker only knows where, but turned her head back over her shoulder “…if you catch my meanin’.” He was loath to feed into her mischief, but even as he squinted his eyes in irritation, he couldn’t suppress a reluctant smile as he nodded his head for her to get on with her business. Burly? Debatable…been burlier, but still nothing to turn your nose up at. Grumpy? That wasn’t the right word for it…just…thoughtful. Golden? Oh, when she was around, always golden. The confrontation with Florianne had been…well, Brigid was lucky that she could just call it a confrontation. By all accounts, there should have been some sort of battle. Granted, her party had silenced more mercenaries than she could count in their attempts to get to the bottom of the death threats. Perhaps there wasn’t battle, but there was plenty of bloodshed.But now she sat out on one of the balconies just off the grand ballroom, trying to gauge this Morrigan character. Leliana seemed familiar enough with her, which was plenty convincing enough. But the mage made a good case for herself.“I know things,” she said simply. Not enough people knew things, Brigid was learning. They had plenty of swords and staffs…they could use knowledge.“Seems I’ve not been given much of a choice in this matter, but even I were, I’d be grateful for your assistance. In this case, I speak on behalf of the Inquisition.”Morrigan nodded, and not for the first time, Brigid was drawn to her yellow eyes. She no longer had the luxury of comfortable trust in every ally. But she’d rather have this mage with them, than against them.“Very well, Lady Inquisitor. I will see you upon your return to Skyhold.” She stood from the bench and Brigid’s attention was drawn to the doors of the balcony, spread wide, as Cullen stood loitering to one side. Once Morrigan had finally exited, the Commander approached, taking the seat the mage had just vacated.“What do you think of her, Commander?” He was all military in the night’s uniform, and perhaps the only one out of the lot that really looked at ease in it. It was nice to see him out of his armor.He looked back toward the ballroom, despite the fact that Morrigan was nowhere to be seen. “I’ve heard stories…but it’s only fair to make my judgment after I’ve talked with her. Ask me in a week or two?”Brigid laughed quietly. He was perhaps the first friendly voice she’d heard all night and it released something in her. She sighed heavily, letting go of the manners, facades, and false laughter that the evening had hoisted on her shoulders.“This was exhausting.”It was his turn to laugh, and he did so, with more effervescence than she knew he was capable of. “Maker, it was awful. Do you know how many people touched me? Not on the shoulder, mind you. Oh, and marriage proposals! I can’t recall saying ‘no’ so many consecutive times in my life.”She had to stifle her laughter lest he think she was enjoying his misery. Yes, everything was lighter now that they could commiserate. Never mind the fact that she hadn’t spoken to him properly since she shaved his face and ran away. She clenched her jaw, thinking of the absurdity of it all. She thought briefly about bringing it up and apologizing, but if he were able to act so easily around her, she wouldn’t worry herself. Instead, she let the delicious silence wash over her as she watched the couples inside, spinning round one another. Those who remained on the floor this late into the festivities were there because the enjoyed dancing—there was an ease in their movements that Brigid tried not to envy. Envy could lead to tears. Months since the accident and she hadn’t let herself shed a tear over what she missed. Now would not be the time.Suddenly, she remembered that Cullen sat near her in silence. She looked over, expecting to see him gazing likewise at the partygoers. But he wasn’t. He had been watching her with an expression she couldn’t place. She met his eyes and stared until the moment felt like a culmination of all the other moments between them—the healing tent, the road to Adamant, the battlements, the War Room. She ought to look away—social code said that it had been long enough and she should look away, but she had to study his face until she could see all of the other expressions she had seen in it. She tried to will her fingers to remember the feel of the coarse stubble on his jaw. She had stared at him before, dumbfounded by the breadth of his shoulders and the sway of his hips, these images that stirred something in her strong enough to do mystical things. But now he was looking back, not looking away, a hard, fast pulse beating along his neck.“Can I tell you a secret, Lady Inquisitor?” Every syllable came out cool and controlled.“Of course…”He busied his hands plucking off small pills of wool from his jacket sleeve. “After Haven…when you were recovering. You asked me why I’d been waiting in your room rather than a healer.”“I recall.”“I told you that I’d been—that Blackwall, Cole and I had been taking turns…”“And I happened to wake on your patrol.”“Yes…yes, well—that wasn’t strictly true.”Brigid tipped her head to the side, as if to tell him that he could continue.His fingers stopped moving. He pressed his hands together between his knees and stared down at them, but she could still spot the smallest of smiles when he spoke. “I slept in that chair, in that corner…every night. Grew attached to the chair, actually. Put it behind the desk in my office.”Was it an earth-shattering admission? It felt a bit like one, though she couldn't immediately reason why that might be. “Why?”“I don’t know, it’s rather comfortable.” She pursed her lips at him in mock irritation and a delicious laugh rumbled through him. He returned his gaze to hers. “It was simple. I was worried about you. I wanted to be near you, I suppose, so I could feel like I had some control in keeping you safe.”“Why tell me now? That was long ago.”He seemed to consider an answer, but decided against it. Perhaps he didn't have an answer. “Nope, one secret is all you get. Unless you tell me one in return.”“Are we playing a game, Commander?”“Maybe you can tell me why you were staring so longingly into the ballroom.”“Was it longingly?” She sighed, knowing that she couldn’t get out of the question and didn’t want to tell him a lie. “Truthfully? I miss it.”“Dancing?”“Not specifically. Just being that close to someone else. It's not like I ever danced regularly in my old life. It's just the lack of..." she groaned, struggling to put the desire into words. "Physical contact. I don’t know if people fear that I’ll break. Or that they’ll catch my weakness. Maker, who knows why people act so strangely? I just know that I don’t feel very human these days.”“Hm…well that won’t do.”“What won’t do?”“Do you trust me, my lady?” He stood, brushing invisible wrinkles from his pants.“I suppose I do.”All at once, he was walking up to her, scooping her in his arms, and saying something. Her heart had leapt so hard against her ribcage that his words didn’t register until she heard a huff.“You know, you shouldn’t make grunting sounds when you lift a lady.”“You’re not heavy, but you are a grown woman. I don’t hoist many grown women these days.” He placed her gingerly on the bench and sat directly beside her while she steadied herself.Once she had gathered her wits and tamed her heart rate, she snapped her head toward him. “What in Thedas possessed you—““I’ll not have you longing for something you could easily have with just a bit of my assistance.” Their thighs were pressed firmly together but she only knew because she saw them. Her expression must have fallen. “Maker, you look mortified…should I not have—““No! Cullen, no, that was very…gallant. It’s only—I can’t seem to—I can’t feel you.” The last phrase tripped out of her mouth as if to drag tears with it, but she forced a deep breath instead. It was not the time to investigate why she didn’t even have the sensation of pressure against her thigh. There were more important things in the moment. He had tried to do something terribly kind for her. She could smell something earthy on him—a balm, perhaps. The wax he used in his hair? He was incredibly warm and she could feel the left side of her face heating from the proximity. He let out a quiet but deep sigh through his nose and she felt the fine hairs on the back of her hand move ever so slightly. It had been a sigh to prepare himself, she realized. He held his hand out above her lap, palm upward, and whispered “please.” Slowly, so as not to shake, she placed four fingers into his palm and wrapped her thumb around where she could feel the knuckle of his smallest finger. He squeezed gently and lowered their clasped hands onto her lap.“You feel this, yes?"She looked up at him through what she knew were dazed eyes and forgot his question immediately. “Maker, you have such long eyelashes.”It was the last thing she expected to hear herself say, but he seemed amused. Could laughter be gilded?He lifted his free hand to her cheek and had a realization of his own. “And you have quite a lot of freckles.” Perhaps he meant for her to laugh like he had, but instead, she turned her face and kissed his palm. A chaste kiss—small, soft lips against a calloused, well used hand, skin thick enough that he may not have even felt the gesture. But his chest swelled, his whole self seemed to lift toward that spot of connection. He moved his hand from her cheek to her jaw, rested his thumb and forefinger on either side of her ear. She leaned toward him but stopped with enough distance to let him make the decision. Their gaze stayed locked, but he hesitated long enough that she began to lose hope. Then he rushed forward, brushing his nose against hers. She could taste his breath, softer and warmer than she had expected. He pulled their clasped hands from her lap to his own chest.“May I?”A ludicrous question that she refused to answer. She lifted her chin to fit his top lip between her own and felt his fingers lace through her hair. Light, light, brushes of mouths, it had to be as golden and bright as the luster he gave off. He lifted his chin as well, sweeping his lips across her nose and then suddenly, blindingly, she was deliriously happy. Dizzy before a kiss had even been taken or given. She pressed her mouth full and hard against his until she felt his teeth beneath the soft. He opened his mouth first and sucked tenderly at the sharp divot in the center of her top lip. “I’ve always thought this was so lovely,” he breathed, kissing the spot again. The very notion of him admiring something specific and unremarkable about her turned her so soft and liquid that she pressed her free hand to his chest for support, for something firm and grounding as she slid her tongue against his. Something in him rumbled against her palm, a quiet whimper of delight perhaps, that never made it to the surface, and she felt faint, pulled away to make sure she could still breathe.“Too much?” He asked, gathering his own breath.Brigid ran her hand through his hair, soft and dense and warm, and she let out a sound she couldn't name. A chuckle, a sublime little cry. “No, not for tonight. Just enough for tonight,” she said, pulling his face closer to hers once more. He closed his eyes in anticipation and she pressed her lips to the lashes splayed across his cheek like gilt threads. He whispered her name, she whispered his, lips met lips, soft moans were swallowed as hungrily as they rose, tongues slid across teeth, hands mapped the topography of faces, necks, shoulders, and the dancers spunspunspunspun. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Long after Varric had appeared and signaled the end of the remarkable evening with some cheeky comment or other, Cullen stood in the gardens of the Winter Palace, leaning back against a sturdy elm tree, fingering the coin in his pocket. He was certain, now, that the Maker had never created a lovelier creature than the woman he’d kissed that night. He stared at the moon and wondered, like a schoolboy, what she was doing at that very moment. Might she be thinking of the kiss as well? He knew he was grinning and even though no one else was nearby, he tried to stop himself. Alas, it seemed impossible. So he sank against the tree and succumbed to the airy, foreign feeling in his chest.He hadn’t kissed many women in his life, but he knew that Brigid was something rare—if such a feeling were common, there would be no wars to fight, no business to attend to. The world would spend its every hour drowning in the sensation. “Maker,” he swore to himself, “her lips.” He touched the spot just beneath his eye where she’d placed a feather light kiss to his lashes. He’d never once thought of lips pressed there, never even thought of the space of skin itself, but now her kiss seemed forever imprinted on his flesh. Over and over again, he recalled the moment that he realized just how willing she was to pour herself into all of his cracks and fissures. He felt full—of delight, of her, of light—for what seemed like the first time in his adult life.But once they returned to Skyhold, Cullen was unable to manage a private word with Brigid and it drove him absolutely mad. War Room meetings were a peculiar sort of torture wherein she seemed completely unfazed and he could hardly think past the ringing in his ears when he looked at her mouth and imagined it, warm and pliant against his jaw. He prided himself on self-control, but it had never been tested as stringently as when he recalled the taste of her sweet sighs or the glide of her tongue. Some days frustrated him so desperately that he’d fall into bed at night, stroke himself and whisper her name until he shook with release. Something had taught him that he ought to feel embarrassed or ashamed, but he did not call upon her image impulsively or vacantly. It was a sort of prayer, he had decided, filled with gratitude and hope and a vow of recompense for bringing him home. On those nights, he would settle his head against his pillow, a warm heaviness in his belly, and face his nightmares with renewed courage.But the warmth fled from him three days before Wintersend when she led him out to the battlements one night and told him of Josie’s plan.“He’s a merchant prince from Antiva,” she’d said coolly, as if he weren’t standing before her, choking on despair.“You can’t be serious.” His head hung low as he shook it. “What about the Winter Palace? I felt you against me, Brigid, you cannot pretend it wasn’t—.”She put her hand on his gauntlet and he nearly flinched. “No, it was…Maker, it was incredible. I would never disgrace it by suggesting anything less.”“Then what? You can’t kiss a man like that, give yourself over like that, and expect him to believe there would be nothing else to it. I'm a bit dense, I'll admit it, but was I so naive as to think...”“Cullen, it was everything, you must believe me—”“But you’re going to allow the Inquisition to marry you off? For a political alliance?” She kept her eyes toward Haven that night. “That’s Josephine’s motivation."“And yours?”“Cullen, this is all…I should have died at Haven.” She had spat the words out sharply. “I should have died at Adamant. I’m living on borrowed time as it is and I…I won’t make it out of this war alive. We’re afraid to say it, but we know it.”And oh, his heart shattered. He thought the poets had always been dramatic, suggesting that something as soft and malleable as a heart could break. But how else could he describe the shards that stabbed him from within?“Don’t you dare suggest something so ludicrous,” he stammered. “You’ve lived through all of this, against impossible odds, because—““Chance. It’s been nothing but chance, Cullen. It will switch sides eventually.”“And if it doesn’t? And you’ve latched yourself to some stranger for the rest of your days?”“Even if it doesn’t kill me in the end? Maker, Cullen, look at me. You deserve someone that’s whole. Someone you don’t have to fret over for the rest of your life. Someone you don’t have to pick up any time you want to sit side-by-side. Let the Antivan bastard deal with me.” She finally turned to look at him and offered a sad, self-deprecating smile. He had no interest in her joke, but strode over to her and grabbed both of her hands.“Don’t ever let me hear you suggest that you are lacking.” He knew he had growled it out, too aggressively even, so he released her wrists. “Do you not realize the effect you’ve had on me? Do you not know that I’ve spent every minute since the moment you kissed me thinking of you? If there is something greater or more whole than the joy you’ve given me, it could only be a demon, Brigid—“ he tipped her chin up so that she could see the sincerity in his eyes, but he felt like she was looking through them, past them. “—Brigid, you are the pinnacle.”He laid his heart out before her, vulnerable, suddenly fragile, and she seemed to go cold. “I’ve not yet agreed to the betrothal. But I did agree to meet with him. He’ll be at the Wintersend ball.”A messenger had called to her then and she vanished into the dark. The whole conversation was little more than a shadow in his memory now, sometimes something he wasn't entirely sure had happened. But it kept him shivering at night. For the next two days he trained in the yard to the point of exhaustion. Nightmares still kept him from steady sleep, but the nausea from his withdrawal had all but disappeared. So he fed himself well and sparred with Cassandra until his whole body ached. He somehow reasoned with himself that the higher he forced his heart rate, the more quickly it would repair itself.“You’re using all this activity as a distraction, you know?” Cassandra said to him one day, with the tip of a practice sword held to his neck.“What of it? If she wants to sell herself off to this merchant prince, who am I to stop her?”“A fool, Cullen Rutherford. You’re a fool,” she said, holding out her hand to pull him off the ground. “She won’t marry him. She’s trying to fall on her own sword for you. Tell her she’s being ridiculous.”He smacked the dust from the back of his pants and sought out the water bucket. “I did! She went cold! You should have seen the emptiness in her eyes.""It was a charade. Maker, I’d think you were familiar enough with idiotic self-sacrifice to recognize it in another person.”He cupped his hands into the cool water and pressed it to his flushed face. Water dripped from his nose as he stared into the pail. “She has to know that she’s destroying me. If she doesn’t care about me enough to spare me from such pain, then perhaps she should marry the Antivan.”Cassandra, snatched the bucket away, lifted it, and dumped it over his head. “Fix it.”He stood sputtering, knowing the nearby recruits were chuckling at his expense. He wiped one large hand over his eyes and flung the water at his friend. “Wasting resources, Seeker.”“I have important business to attend to,” she said, gathering her weapon and shield, taking a couple of steps toward the tavern. “I can best you again tomorrow if you like.” She watched him try to shake the water out of his hair and he thought he caught an expression of pride cross her face. “You’re putting weight back on. Thank the Maker.” Brigid rather regretted having agreed to this Wintersend event. When Josephine proposed it, what felt like ages ago, the idea of dressing up in an effort to impress her Commander was a delicious fantasy. Now it felt like a child’s attempt at playing pretend.When Cullen kissed her at Halamshiral, a flood of hopes swallowed her without warning. A wedding. Children. Family holidays. Things she had never longed for. Things she had once detested on principle alone. Things she knew she wouldn’t live long enough to see. Things she suddenly wanted more than even the Inquisition’s success. She was terrified. And then Josie suggested a political marriage and it seemed like a tidy solution to her own fears. Those hoped-for things weren’t right for her, but Cullen deserved them, and if she were out of the way and unavailable to him, perhaps he’d move on. Spend all of that tenderness on someone without an expiration date. The mark on her hand felt like it was spreading as time passed. There was no pain, no heaviness. But it felt like it was sterilizing the life out of her. She felt colder, lately, and a bit hollow. The difference was miniscule, but it was a sign of things to come. She was sure of it. And so she would set free all of that warm, golden light and go to her grave on an eternal endeavor to remember the taste of him.She had never mentally, emotionally disassociated in her life, but she recalled her father talking about the technique he sometimes employed when governing—only to be used when you can’t bear to hear yourself doing the right thing. If Cullen weren’t deterred by an arranged marriage, surely the frostiness with which she delivered her news had discouraged him.Brigid would meet with the Antivan prince that very night. Vivienne had taken her measurements ages ago and, finally having use for them, sent them off to her seamstress in Val Royeaux with a demand for the most regal of gowns. In truth, it was a masterpiece. On some, it would have appeared a pale peach color, but against her skin, it seemed nude. She considered herself in the mirror: her bare shoulders, the netted sleeves that dripped clear jewels and lacework down her arms, the encrusted bodice that distracted from her flat chest and turned it into a magnificent canvas.A dark laugh escaped through her nose when she realized she felt a bit like one of those corpses that are never better dressed than they are for their own funeral. She knew it was a bit dramatic to think of herself in mourning, but there was no joy in this extravagance.Reluctantly, Brigid made her way to the Great Hall and approached the throne. She found that her own seat fit rather snugly into the cradle of the throne, so she settled herself and watched as Leliana and Josephine arrived. The bulk of the guests would come much later in the evening, so the hall was still sparse.The Spymaster addressed her first. “You looks marvelous, Inquisitor. Madame de Fer did a splendid job procuring that gown.”Josephine agreed. “Absolutely. You look far too good for this prince.”“Is he a kind man, Lady Montilyet?”The Ambassador hesitated. “Like all members of the Antivan ruling class, he is perfectly charming.” She cleared her throat, then continued. “But as he is approaching now, I will let you decide for yourself.”The man’s complexion was barely a shade darker than Josephine’s, but his hair was black as night and slicked back, shiny. He carried himself proudly, confidently, and had clearly known social importance from birth, but it suited him. His smile was easy and warm, and his face smooth as porcelain. His age was a bit of a mystery, as he wore a faint ring of kohl around his eyes. He was not a handsome man—he was a beautiful man. Far too beautiful for Ferelden…and Orlais, for that matter.His herald approached ahead of him. “Lady Inquisitor, may I introduce Prince Vincenzo Farnese, of Seleny.”The prince held his hand out and bowed gracefully. “It is a pleasure to be meeting with you, your Worship. I was delighted when I heard of the efforts Lady Montilyet had gone to in order to arrange such a match.”Complimenting her beloved Josephine was certainly a strong first move. “Yes, the Lady Ambassador has no equal when it comes to these matters. Tell me, ser, how are the Frostbacks treating you?”He laughed rather forcibly. “They are not as warm as I am used to…but with winter at an end, I imagine they will temper.” He maintained a moment of silence before clearing his throat and stepping forward. “I’m sorry, Lady…?”“Trevelyan. Of Ostwick.”“Of course. Lady Trevelyan.” He fidgeted with his hands, apparently unsatisfied to keep them clasped. “I must ask…does this match not please you?”I am indifferent towards this match…“What gives you that idea?”“You remain seated, is all. Perhaps there is a different custom in the Marches when meeting with a suitor.”It seemed news of her condition had not yet reached north to Antiva. “Please, take no offense. I sit because, well…standing is no longer in my repertoire.” Brigid and her seat moved forward six inches and the Prince took a step back.He immediately prickled. “Ah…I see. But you are the Inquisitor?”“I am.”“And you…inquire…while sitting.”“I have no other option, so…yes.”A rude, but quiet laugh burst from between his plump, spoiled lips. “My apologies, Lady Trevelyan. I was not warned that…I did not know I was being bartered in exchange for an invalid.”Brigid could hear the gasps from her advisors on either side of her. Her blood pressure spiked as her stomach dropped and her ears rang deafeningly. She spoke just to break the sharp silence. “Excuse me?”“Surely, you must—““Surely, I must nothing…Lady Montilyet, I am so sorry that this man has disgraced your country with his behavior and closed mind.” Brigid turned back to the prince with a saccharine smile. “I do believe this arrangement is through.”Prince Vincenzo Farnese and his retinue of sniveling servants stormed out of the Great Hall as quickly as they had arrived, all billowing silks and temper, and Brigid rubbed her temples.“Josephine.”The Ambassador knelt at Brigid’s side, prepared to grovel. “Lady Inquisitor, I cannot apologize enough. His behavior was unacceptable, I am ashamed.”She was not made at Josephine, but she was shaken. “Dear friend, please don't kneel before me...that was mortifying.”“I had no idea he would be so blatantly rude. I knew him as a child, he was a sweet boy.”“Yes, well, sweet boys can grow up to be atrocious men, it seems. I will be in my chambers for the evening. Please, no disturbances until the morning. And Josephine—““Yes?”“I don’t blame you. But no more marriage arrangements, Antivan or otherwise.”“Of course.” Brigid headed directly for the door to her quarters as Leliana drug Josephine toward her office by the elbow. “Josie, you did not tell him of her condition?” The Spymaster was appalled. Lady Montilyet chuckled as quietly as she could. “You will think me cruel, but…I planned for all this.” “You purposefully shamed the Inquisitor?” “Our Inquisitor and our Commander are madly in love,” she stated, settling into her office and offering Leliana a chocolate from a small, ornate candy box. “But they are slow and inexperienced in matters of the heart. I made sure it was not an arrangement that would ever pan out. But Rutherford needed to feel what it was like to lose her. Now, he will hold her more tightly.” “And what if he doesn’t? What if he’s wiped his hands clean of the matter?” “If he would give up after one trial, then he does not love her. Not truly.” “And you allowed her to be publicly humiliated?” Josephine waved her hand dismissively. “Please, I kept an eye on those present. All useless Orlesians, I can guarantee it.” “And the Prince? Will he not go back to Antiva and curse us.” “If he does, my country will love us more than ever. Do you know why a handsome, wealthy man such as Prince Vincenzo is not yet married?” “My agents don’t know him well enough.” “He’s unmarried because he’s a pestilence. An awful man. No one likes him.” “A risky gamble, Josie. You caused two of our colleagues—two of our friends—terrible heartache." “And they will have love in the end. I’ll take the risk of them hating me temporarily if it has expedited their happiness.” Brigid wasn’t sure why there were no tears. A man had just rejected her solely on the basis of her physical inabilities. And he did so in public, in front of whichever Orlesian nobles had decided to loiter in the Great Hall that evening. Gossip and pity would spread and bring humiliation in their wake. She wandered up the staircases to her room, lit the small lantern she used for reading light, and faced the side of her bed. Perhaps she had disassociated too hard—detached herself too thoroughly from her emotions. But then she looked down at her lap, at the glittering dress draped across her legs. It was a skirt made for twirling, for trailing behind a set of nimble feet. It was made for someone to admire. She ought to take it off, change into her sleeping tunic. But then it would go to waste. And she had let so very much go to waste.She pressed her hands hard into the seat beneath her, locked her elbows, and lifted herself to sit on the edge of the bed as she pushed her seat far out of the way. It would take too much dexterity and effort to lift her legs up as well in the mass of her skirts, so she flung her back flat against the quilt, lying crosswise on the mattress, shimmering in the lantern light. Finally, warm tears rolled from her eyes and she blessed the Maker for the return of an emotion, even if it were sorrow. It was a cleansing cry—no heaving sobs, no shaking. Just tears dripping from the corners of her lashes, sluicing toward her ears, catching cool in her hairline. Blood rushed to her forehead and her nose, but she welcomed the warmth and the familiar pressure.She heard a knock on the door and mumbled to herself, sniffling. “Andraste preserve me, I said no disturbances.” And then she called out, hoping to disguise the nasality in her voice. “Who is it?”“It’s…it’s Cullen.”From so far away, it was little more than a muffled whisper. Her heart tripped over itself and she wanted to send him off, have a good cry in peace. But she remembered the dress she was wearing and thought perhaps someone who might appreciate it should see it before the evening was over. “Come in.” She groaned as she sat back up, anticipating the sinus headache that always accompanied a cry. She wiped her face half-heartedly. It would not be such a dreadful thing for Cullen to know she had cried. He was a gentle man, he would forgive her weakness. Might even spin it into a strength. She watched as a golden head appeared in her stairwell, followed by a pair of green woolen shoulders and the rest of her Commander. He paused a moment at the top step to look at her.“Maker,” he whispered with a sad smile. “Finally in a gown.”Tears sprung forth unbidden and she held her head in her hands. In a flash, he pulled over a chair and sat across from her.“Come now, what is it?”She’d never heard his voice so soothing. Her heart wrung the tears out a bit harder and she could do little besides shake her head. She had no sense of how long they sat like that, listening to her silent cries. Then, with a deep breath, she collected herself. “He called me an invalid. He spat the word like a curse.”“Who?” Already his tone was protective. “The Antivan?”His question glanced off of her train of thought. “Of course, I am an invalid. But Maker, he turned it into a character judgment and…well, Josephine’s certainly not getting her alliance now.”Cullen sat up sternly and wrung his hands. She saw his scarred lip twitch and it took every ounce of control to not fall upon him and beg his forgiveness. “Not with Antiva, perhaps. But it seems she had a back up plan.”Another quiet sniffle. “How so?”“A second marriage proposal.”“What?” She looked at him properly now and saw that he, too, had dressed for the evening’s celebration. Not red and sashed like in Orlais, but clad in browns and greens and tarnished brass buttons and buckles, a heroic Fereldan.“A young lady from Nevarra. I just met with her.”“Oh.” Had she spoken aloud? Any lingering warmth leaked from her body so rapidly she thought she might be sick. “Is she kind?”He breathed deeply and plastered on a sympathetic smile. “She is.”“Is she beautiful?” She didn’t want to know the answer.He compromised. “She is…very pretty.”“And do you like her?”“I have no doubt I could grow to like her very much.”Her breathing was shallow by now, her eyelids heavy. Her heart wasn’t shattering…no, it slower than that, more like a scarf unraveling. Or two halves of a peach being pried apart deliberately, but violently all the same. There was hardly a breath left in her chest. “Well…there you are.”“All that remains is your permission.”“Pardon?”“As Inquisitor…you have a say in marriages that would affect Inquisition alliances.”It was an even tidier arrangement than the previous one. She could free Cullen into the arms of the Nevarran beauty, do her duty as savior of the Maker damned world, and pray that he found peace. “Would you be happy with her?”He looked up at her and his eyes were ringed in dark shadows, no longer golden. The whole of Thedas seemed to flicker and dim with the loss of their glow. “I…I don’t know.”“Then I forbid it.” Her voice was small, but stern, and she held her breath. His own shock was evident in the way he sat up straighter, more apprehensively, but still laden with melancholy. “And what reason should I give for refusing her?” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The question was simple, but it hung heavy between them all the same, pregnant with the weight of a thousand possible futures for the two of them, whether spent separate or together.Cullen watched her intently as she stared at her hands, folded in her lap. He watched her brows knit together and her chin quiver. She sucked in a large breath as she looked up toward him and he hoped that if she’d look up just an inch, his eyes could at least tell her that he was alright with the truth, whatever it may be.“Tell her,” she began, not daring to look him in the eyes at first. But then she locked their gaze and spoke clearly, strongly. “Tell her that another woman has claimed you, and that she will love you better—“There was more to the sentence, but he didn’t care. At the word “love,” he left his chair, thanked the Maker, and crashed upon her, knees pressed into the edge of the mattress. He held her face firmly in his hands until his fingertips met at the back of her head, tangled into her soft curls, and he drank from her. He was vaguely aware that his enthusiasm was slowly tipping her back, but it would be alright. She would be alright. He would hold her tightly, safe in his hands.Once the sudden shock of his weight against her faded, Brigid pushed back into the kiss. She couldn’t find purchase on his shoulders or around his neck because his own arms were busy holding her, so she latched her hands into the crooks of his elbows and drank from him in return. It was a desperate, hungry kiss, its lovers deprived of its pleasures for too long.His mouth was hot and firm, tasted something like coffee, perhaps tobacco or tealeaves, earthy and bitter and fragrant.Her lips were cooler than his, less needy, but no less urgent. She tasted like citrus and something floral, maybe honey.They broke apart for air, a spongy release of suction resounding joyfully in their ears. He kept his mouth against her top lip and she could feel his breath in her nose when he sighed. “I am committed to this, Brigid. Maker, there is nothing else.”It was her turn to rush into him, this time with her fingers dug into the nape of his flushed neck. “I will no longer deny myself…” she sucked hard at his plush lower lip “the pleasure…” he groaned and splayed his wide hands against her back when she tongued the corner of his mouth, “…of your affections.” He nipped the edge of his teeth against her tongue, perhaps mistakenly, but it awoke something. The deliberate pace of their kiss had built slow warmth and pressure in her stomach, but at the introduction of teeth, she felt a chill run through her and she couldn’t suppress a soft moan. His name, no longer a function of language, just a sound that signified her transcendence.At this, he pulled away gently, and stood up. He had collapsed into her in an awkward, unsustainable position, and while he didn’t regret what it had given him, he had other ideas. She looked disappointed by his withdrawal and a proud heat unfurled in his chest. So he smirked, reached for hand to console her as he knelt down, his thighs and his abdomen pressed flush against the edge of the mattress between her knees, against her embellished skirts.“Cullen, I’m so sorry—““Shh,” he hushed her, grazing his knuckles against her round, rosy cheek. “None of that, now.”She closed her eyes at the sensation and the softness of his voice. “I was frightened. Demons and monsters to face, but I was never more afraid than when I realized how you cared for me. Afraid that I would hurt you, ruin you.”“How I care for you. Present tense.” They shared a gentle laugh and he moved his thumb to graze the meeting of her lips. “You’re no longer afraid?”When she opened her mouth to speak, his thumb remained so that she spoke against the calloused flesh. “Not afraid. But trembling all the same.”He saw that her eyes had dilated noticeably and the tops of her ears were pink. He watched her bare shoulders rise and fall gently, but rapidly enough. He’d thought her beautiful for longer than he was even consciously aware, but something about her bare shoulders—an expanse of her skin that he’d never seen—enflamed and intimidated him. “You look lovely tonight.”“And you…very handsome. I especially like the collar.” He was surprised by her composure as she fingered the stiff felt lapel that ended near his jaw. Her finger brushed against his neck and the touch ignited his skin. He leaned forward once more. There must have been hundreds of ways that he planned to kiss this woman and he could hardly choose which method to try next. He wanted to hear her purr against him, so he ventured slowly, softly, as languidly as he could manage. He cradled the base of her skull, brushed his fingers along her graceful neck, down to her shoulders, then slipped his tongue between her lips as he pulled her close. She mewled and arched toward him, ever so slightly, and he knew how he would kiss her next.He broke away, leaned back to look at her, and lifted an absurdly small foot free of an absurdly dainty slipper.She leaned forward to inspect his absence, ready to scold him for having removed his mouth from hers. Then she saw his lips pressed to her ankle. “What in Thedas are you doing?”“Kissing you.”“You know I can’t feel anything you’re doing down there?”“Hmm…then I should tell you what I feel.”She was skeptical, but the sight of him on his knees, mouth pressed firmly to the side of her calf, even without its matching sensation, endeared him to her.“Soft flesh,” he described. “A smooth scar here, near your knee.”“A childhood fall,” she explained. As his mouth climbed, he gathered her skirts in his free hand and pushed them out of his way. She leaned back on her elbows as she reflected on the gangly clumsiness of her youth, amused by the thought. “Cullen, I’d much rather have that mouth of yours somewhere it can be felt.”He was leaned forward now, over the edge of the mattress, having worked up to her thigh, and his head was practically in her lap. “Tell me when you can feel me.”The notion drew fresh tears to her eyes that she calmly blinked back. If there were miracles, perhaps his kisses would be enough to awaken her lost sensations, the lost faculties of her once graceful legs. Like something from a storybook. “Ridiculous man,” she teased, slipping her fingers through his hair, trying to comprehend the rush of feelings the night had pulled her through. “That’s not how it—“She finished her sentence with a gasp. She felt him. His mouth opened wide and warm against her sex, small clothes dampening with his hot, humid breath and her own arousal. “Oh Cullen. I feel you.” His stubble caught in the lacework of the material and she reeled.He looked up and she met his doting eyes, just visible above her bunched skirts. “May I?” The same question he had asked before kissing her. She wondered if his affections would always be preceded by such courtesies. She would put it on her list of things to love about him, but in the moment, she moved to lower her smalls and whispered “yes.”The first thing she felt was his nose pressed into her coarse curls. Then immediately, his tongue, pressed flat and wide along her slit. Her head lolled back with ease, but she was lucidly aware of the sensation. She would lose herself in his ministrations quickly enough—but here at the start, she longed to savor and preserve the feeling of his devastating mouth wrapped around the very core of her. His tongue slipped between her folds and she was surprised to find it cooler than her own heat. The satisfaction that rumbled in his throat suggested he was similarly surprised, and spurred on by it, seeking out the swollen bundle of nerves at her apex. He whispered a curse and then spoke up in a tantalizing rasp. “Oh darling, you’re so wet.” The pleasure hit her so sharply and clearly that she squealed without meaning to and bucked against him.With some effort, she responded. “Can you taste what you do to me?” Do you understand that my whole body, damaged as it is, weeps love for you? Her words elicited a groan from deep inside him, and the vibration of it against her sex forced a whimper from her throat. He pressed his middle finger against her entrance and as his mouth rocked into her, and her hips rocked along with it, she could feel the hesitant pressure of his fingertip.“Maker, please Cullen, do it.”He pushed his finger into her with as much care and composure as his overwhelming desire would allow. She was wet and warm, but that was the least of it. He could feel the supple muscle of her, he had the privilege of knowing her very center. He had the power to make her clench with the press of his knuckle, a flick of his tongue in the proper place. And suddenly his confidence swelled. He could feel her squirming in her gown, murmuring soft curses and affirmations. He would unravel her as tenderly as a lover could.“Your praises I…sing…” she cried out the last word and, though he was bewildered, he slipped a second finger into her and she moaned out the next. “Glaaadly do I accept the…the gift invaluable of your glory.”He lifted his face to look at her and her expression nearly broke him. Her brows lifted, her eyelids squeezed shut, her cheeks aflame. The realization hit him. “Was that the Chant of Light?” he asked, his fingers gliding in and out ever so subtly.“Exaltations,” she sighed, throwing her head to the side. He could feel the friction between her wall and a callous on the side of his index finger, and when he moved slowly, she clearly felt it too, shuddering faintly. Soft, light touches and movements seemed to drive her to her end more effectively than anything else and he was delighted to have learned it. To have learned this intimate detail. To know how to bring her to utter incoherence.“That,” he said, lowering his head back between her legs, “is blasphemy.” He hooked his fingers toward her navel and she arched violently before grabbing the hand that had been gripping her thigh. She flattened his fingers out and placed the heel of his palm to the top of her mound.“Press.” It was hardly a whisper, but it raised the hair on his arms. He pressed, firmly, as he continued tonguing the slick flesh of her sex and she cried out, guttural and low.“Maker, bless this man…” he hooked his fingers again the second time he pressed, “bless his hands…” she whimpered as he sucked at her clit, “bless his fucking tongue.” He could feel the start of erratic spasms from within her and he pulled his face away to seek out her mouth. He wanted to see the first time that she quivered with his name on her lips.Before he could even realize what he was saying, he found himself muttering words of encouragement by her ear. “Yes, darling…” a nip at her earlobe…“oh Brigid…” a wet kiss against her neck… “come for me…” one last hook of his fingers and he studied her expression… “let me see you come for me…”She tensed, whined his name, and he felt the tighttightight clench of her around his fingers, the flex of her abdomen beneath his palm. He wondered how long she could hold herself like that: head tipped back, mouth held open wide, breath seemingly frozen in her throat. And then he heard the sweet song of her orgasm, half moan, half blessing, as her mouth loosened and her eyes fluttered. She rolled her hips forward repeatedly as if seeking him, so he tried pressing his palm against her mound once more to prolong the ecstasy he saw in her face, heard in her stuttering curses and blessings. She whimpered when he did so. Finally, she began to slow, to descend, and her breathing steadied. It was as if she puddled around him, sighing her gratitude, her joy, her satisfaction. Eventually, she sat up, pushed him up as well, and slung her arms around his shoulders. She kissed him briefly before burying her face in the crook of his neck, peppering whatever skin she could find with kisses, hoping her hot breath would signal to him that she still thrummed with desire.She giggled like a giddy adolescent—a welcome departure from the tears of earlier. “Andraste preserve me Cullen Rutherford, where did you learn such a skill?”By now, his own arousal clouded his thinking and he was conscious of little else, save for the aching erection pressing against the laces of his trousers and the alluring wet sounds of her mouth echoing near his ear. He ran his fingers under her skirt and up to her ass. He wasn’t sure if it was an area she could still feel, but it was a delightful heaviness in his hands, and it made him just brazen enough to answer her.“I learned it against your skin.”She pulled her face away so that she could look him directly in the eyes. The light had returned to them, brighter than before, and Thedas glowed once again. “Commander, I think there may be a poet in you.” He matched her smirk as she tugged at the pale golden sash draped over his chest and pulled his face to hers.And then words he had longed to hear. “I want you.” Did more beautiful words exist? Had a more perfect mouth ever spoken them? There was desire in her voice, but not the blind, unintelligible kind that possessed lovers in a frenzy. There would be time for that later. In this moment, her longing was a confession, a benediction upon him, and he unclasped his sword belt to let it clang onto the floor.“I almost hate to see such a uniform removed,” she teased. He stopped unfastening the buttons of the jacket and she laughed, sunny and boisterous. “I said almost.” And so he continued, trying his damnedest to not tangle himself in the sashes and ropes.While she would have been happy to assist him, she watched uncomplainingly, captivated by the practiced coordination of his hands. He was eager, he hurried, but he maintained enough control to keep from looking clumsy. Once the jacket was removed, she recalled the last time she’d seen him in a thin undershirt.“I must share a secret with you.” She felt her cheeks go ruddy at the way his right eyebrow lifted. “Months ago, I was practicing my new skill, out by the armory,” she began somewhat shyly. His fingers worked patiently at the laces of his tunic as he listened. “You had been sparring with some recruits. They gave you a workout, I suspect…you came jogging up to the armory all rosy cheeked and sweating.” She reached behind her back and began unfastening what buttons she could reach. “You brushed by me in a hurry and…oh, I ogled you.” A bright laugh bubbled from within her at the admission. He smiled in return, and in one swift, fluid motion, he pulled the shirt over his head. Brigid heard the quiet moan in her own sigh. He had freckles on his shoulders from the sun and a bloom of blush across his collarbones. The dusting of curls on his chest and below his navel was only a shade darker than his hair, but it glinted in the lamplight. His hair was only slightly disarrayed as he stood on one leg, and then the other to remove his boots. When she spoke again, her voice was low, her breath a bit harsher as she watched his arms swing heavy and strapping when he walked forward. “You passed me and I watched you walk off…you looked…strong. Steady.” He had approached and was kissing her now, grinning against her mouth at her revelations. He reached his hands around her back and undid the remaining buttons of her dress. “Maker, Cullen…you’re so strong, so steady.” He peeled the back of her dress away from her flesh and a chill ran through her. “Let me be clear,” she whispered between his eager kisses, “my affection is not dependent on you being those things.” She needed him to know that he could be at ease with her, he need not carry the world on his shoulders, no matter how capable they may be. “But when I saw you like that…looked at you like that…the bloody rocks lifted with ease.” He growled softly and grabbed her around the waist, situating them both on the bed more comfortably. “And I knew I wanted you.”When he pulled away, she drank in the sight of his bare torso. The lantern light licked shadows into the hollows of his shoulders where muscle and tendon and bone wove together. His was a body worth studying. She placed her hand on his chest and was startled by how solid it was. She knew he was all muscle, but when he breathed deep and his chest flexed, he felt hard as stone underneath the warm skin. She felt her cunt pulse and swell at the sensation and it nearly took her breath.His voice rumbled in his chest when he next spoke. “I knew at Haven, when I let you go.” She slid her hand from his chest, up to his neck. “Well, I didn’t know what to call it…but that’s when I felt it. The dread of losing you.” She crashed upon him sweetly, aching to provide him comfort, praying she’d never cause him that dread again. She could feel his hard length prodding at her soft stomach and it sent a thrill through her. She would have him that night.“In this very bed, I would think of you…I’ve touched myself with your name in my throat.”His hips rocked into her and she reached for the laces of his pants.“Shh, not yet.” He swayed gently into her, as he pulled the dress from her shoulders one inch at a time. Once the bodice was down to her waist, he sat back in admiration. “No breast band?”She shook her head and moved to place her arms across her hardened nipples. “Small enough to not need one.”He suspected some sort of insecurity, by the way she averted her eyes and covered herself. But he could not, for the life of him, determine why. “Oh, you are lovely.” And he fell upon her, kissing whatever soft, pale skin he found. Her forearms and her neck were tan from the sun, but the rest of her was creamy beneath a smattering of pink scars. One hand cupped a delicate breast and she sighed his name. What a miracle that she sighed his name. He looked up at her and she glowed back down at him.“Marry me.”The words left his mouth of their own volition. A muse of exhilaration had descended and took matters into its own hands. He was vaguely aware that a marriage proposal was inappropriate in the lead up to lovemaking, but once he had said it, he meant it wholeheartedly. She laced her fingers through the hair on the side of his head, presumably reaching for a grip on reality, and he felt dizzy with anticipation.Her eyes were wide and he could see her pulse fluttering madly in her neck. “Marry you?”“Maker, I—that was—no, I shouldn’t have. I mean, I want—“ finally, he stopped his fumbling attempts to explain himself and took a couple of deep breaths. “It’s as you said,” he found himself tracing lazy lines along her stomach, up her flank and realized he was seeking comfort. “We may not survive this. If I’m to leave this life, let me do so as your husband.”Her smile crept up slowly, slow enough to make his heart hammer in his chest. But then she took his face in both of her gentle hands and nodded her head violently. “Yes, Cullen. Oh yes, of course.”He had been set free. Fears, insecurities, doubts—they would all have their day again, such was life. But ‘yes’ had untethered him.Brigid tugged what remained of her dress off of her hips and he helped remove it entirely. He rushed to unlace his trousers. By now, his cock was sore and hardened beyond all decency, and Maker, she had every right to be alarmed by it. But she took him tenderly in her hand and parted her lips in such a lovely way that he felt himself leak into her palm.“What would you have done if I said no?” He pressed her knees apart and his cock twitched in her hand at the sight of how delectably swollen and slick she had become. They had aroused themselves long ago, he realized, and deferred their own ends with so much affectionate talk that neither of them would last very long.“Loved you all the same.” No further teasing for now. He adored this woman. He would show her. He pressed into her tightness with a long, low, unabashed groan. Her entrance stretched to accommodate him and it felt like the kindest generosity. She wriggled beneath him to fit them together better, and spoke again, a question little more than a collection of gasps and whimpers. “And what will you—ahh—what will you do…there…fu-uck, if-we-make-it?”The grip of her walls loosened slightly and he hilted into her, full and heavy. Their moans mingled tentatively as they settled within and around one another.“I will marry you,” he rumbled. She hummed.He slid most of the way out before pressing in and up once more, one hand pressed deep into the mattress, the other clutching the underside of her ass. “I will make babies with you.” This time she swore and gripped the tensed biceps that held him above her. She had never seen his arms so exposed. She knew that they must be strong—they swung swords, carried bodies, lifted supplies. But they were substantial. Hard and striated.He steadied into a slow, torturous pace, reveling in the way that she heaved and squirmed against him. Her walls squeezed around the length of his shaft and his vision blurred, so he closed his eyes. “I will…build a home for you….fuckyoufeelgood.”She called his name louder than before and he felt like a fucking hero—her sweet love the only thing worth fighting for. He kept his weight on his knees and sank on top of her as he reached for her arms, warm and silky. He stretched them over her head and held her wrists gently in the grip of one hand. He cupped her face with the other hand, brushed away the hair that hung in her eyes, clung to her damp brow, and pressed her hard into the mattress. When she sensed his face was close, her eyes flickered open.“And I will love you well, woman, for the rest of my days.”She came apart beneath him, from his thrusts, from his words, he couldn’t tell. Her sweet cunt smooth and contracting around him, he wanted her to feel as vigorously as he did. He stroked his thumb along the slick seam where they connected and she arched nearly off the bed. He had lost the rhythm, he chased the building pressure blindly, and then she grabbed an ass cheek and whispered to him. “Fill me, love.” He obeyed, poured himself into her with a snarl, and heaved out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. She hummed her approval some thousands of miles away from where he was and he tried desperately to hoist his weight off of her. He drifted back down to earth and realized that, at some point in the process, he had latched one of her knees over his arm, his hips were pressed flush against hers, and he had no desire to separate. But his arms were beginning to shake now that he was spent, so he gently unwrapped himself from her and rolled onto his side to keep from suffocating her. He couldn’t bear to break contact altogether, so he slipped one leg between hers while he steadied his breathing and tried to focus his vision.She rested her head against the pillow only briefly before rising up onto her elbow to look at him. Her hair was matted in spots and stray strands stuck out wildly. Her eyes looked heavy, dewy, as if ready to well with tears. Instead, she smiled and tipped her head back, and he worried he might try to have her again.“Maker, Cullen, I forgot where I was for a moment.”His whole body was still thrumming blissfully. “I know the feeling.”She leaned toward him and drug her fingernails lightly across the sparse hairs on his chest, damp with sweat. She could tell that he’d put on a bit of weight since Adamant, and apparently in all the right places—his shoulders seemed rounder, his thighs were thick and corded with muscle, the rigorous strength of his core was hidden by a layer of soft flesh so that only a few lines were left carved and shadowy. “Those things you said.”He looked up suddenly from his reverie against his pillow. “I meant every word. Perhaps it wasn’t the most suitable time for such confessions...” he caressed her face with such care that an aftershock shivered through her. “‘I love you’ sounds too small, but I do. Love you.”“It sounds perfect,” she cooed, rolling toward him so that her rose-tipped breasts pressed flush against him. He dipped his head down to sweep her mouth up in a kiss and wrapped his arms around her. Despite the unreserved sex they’d just indulged in, it was this proximity that made her blush, that made her breath quiver when she tried to catch it between kisses. The sharp scent of sweat cut through his heady musk and if she breathed in deeply enough, she could smell something sweet and earthy—cedar wood, from where he likely stored his clothes, and leather—still clinging to his skin.They wouldn’t lie like this forever, couldn’t lie like this forever, even though it seemed ludicrous to ever leave the bed. A tower full of guests were likely seeking their whereabouts as she pressed her mouth to his warm chest and tried to ignore the reviving heat coiling in her belly in response to his breathy, raspy laugh when her lips tickled him. Maker, that was a laugh she’d get to nestle into for the rest of her life.“Brigid?”“Hm?” She could fall asleep in a moment if she lost her wits.“I really did mean all of it.”“Likewise.” She lifted her head so that she could nudge her nose just beneath his ear and whisper. “Cullen Rutherford, I’m going to marry you.”The evening was young. When Cullen had arrived in her quarters, dusk had only just begun settling and now, the moon hung low in a dusty violet sky. Eventually, they would collect themselves and dress once more. Eventually, they would replace their mantles as Inquisitor and Commander and seek out the many guests who craved attention. But he needed to make her quiver one more time—eventually could wait. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The only reason Brigid and Cullen left her bed was the impending sleepiness that knocked at the backs of their eyelids. He wanted nothing more than to wrap himself around her and drift off to sleep with the rise-and-fall of her breathing. But responsibility nagged at them like a sharp smelling salt and the pair grumbled as they sat up and stretched. Still, he couldn’t deny himself the small indulgence of pressing a kiss to her bare shoulder.She buried her nose in his hair and wiggled her fingers at the puddle of tulle and crystals that hung off the edge of the bed until he passed it to her.“Do I look as drunk as you do?” she asked, pulling the dress under her legs and up toward its proper position.“You look…satisfied,” he said, pressing a smirk to her forehead before standing up. “And I believe you’ve got that on backwards.”She looked down and fingered the buttons mistakenly splayed across her chest. With a huff, she retraced her maneuvering and put the gown to rights. “I feel completely out of sorts.” She shook her head violently a few times and pried her eyes open as wide as possible as if it might sober her.“Sorry about that.” He slipped his right leg through his pants first, followed by his left, and secured his belt around them. He could have sworn his chest was broader, his step a bit lighter.“No, you’re beaming about that,” she teased. “Besides…” still sitting on the bed, she crooked her finger at him and beckoned. “I’m not sorry.” She pulled him to her for a rich, slovenly kiss as she began fastening the buttons behind her and he was tempted to pin her back against the mattress once more. But he could restrain himself. Probably.A rapid series of three knocks bounced off of Brigid’s door, followed by a small voice. “Lady Inquisitor?”It was Sam, no mistaking it, so she called back that she was indisposed.“Of course, your Worship. Josephine is looking for the Commander. Someone thought they had seen him near your quarters. Have you seen him?”The lovers exchanged coy, almost bashful looks before Cullen opened his mouth. But Brigid waved him silent, pressed a finger to her lips in instruction. “Yes, we’ve just been having a chat. I’ll send him down,” she answered coolly.Cullen shook his head as he buttoned his jacket. “I think Leliana has been influencing you. ‘Having a chat’…”“Well I wasn’t going to tell him what you were really doing in here. Help me with these last buttons?” she requested, situating the delicate sleeves of her gown. He sauntered over, fully redressed himself, trying to smooth his hair.“I don’t think you would be telling him anything he does not already know. You were…vocal…in your endorsement.” He fastened the last of her buttons and turned to leave the room before she managed a witty reply. “Give me ten minutes out there on my own before you exit.”Sam had remained just outside the door and nearly jumped out of skin when Cullen opened it.“Commander!”“Sam. Josephine requested my presence?”“Yes, ser.” Cullen passed the young man with a curt nod.“Commander?”“Yes?”Sam pointed at his jacket and cleared his throat. “I think…it looks like you missed a button, ser.”Cullen looked down to find that he had, indeed, skipped a button, so that the entire sequence was off kilter. Perhaps he did look as drunk as Brigid. He quickly righted the situation and glared at the scout who appeared terrified. After a long moment of silence and scrutiny, Cullen placed his hand on Sam’s shoulder. “Thank you.”“Of course, ser. And…congratulations.”Any other day of his life, Cullen would have gone nose-to-nose with the scout and threatened him with latrine duty for the rest of his life for such insolence. This evening, however, he squeezed Sam’s shoulder once more, nodded, and walked away.The young Nevarran woman broke down in tears when Cullen called an end to their arrangement, and he felt like an absolute cur; that is, until she lavished his hand with kisses and gratitude. As coincidence would have it, her heart belonged to another as well. She nearly choked as she expressed her joy at the prospect of returning home to her lover’s arms.In one night, four people had nearly found themselves in dreadfully unhappy marriages, and in the same night, all four had escaped such fate. Perhaps it was this clarity, paired with the Nevarran woman’s vulnerability that inspired Cullen to announce to everyone present at the Wintersend Ball that he and Brigid were engaged to be married. Of course, the two of them had already decided that they would only tell their inner circle, for the time being. But that was sometime during the haze of post-coital bliss, and now that he was thinking clearly, he wanted the whole Maker damned world to know. He was proud—immensely proud—of what had transpired that evening, but he still felt suspended in disbelief. How could such a woman agree to have him as a husband? He was atrocious at taking care of himself, he was nowhere near socially apt enough to make a decent dinner party host, he snored, he forgot to eat, he avoided confronting his problems by overworking himself, he was terrible at remembering name days, he was a lousy gift giver, he was a recovering lyrium addict…he was feeling worse about himself as the list rolled on. Then she appeared at his elbow and placed her hand on his arm.“How did she take it?” Cullen was touched by the gentleness she offered the woman who had almost taken her place.“Relieved.” He didn’t notice he was sweeping a lock of hair behind her shoulder until he had rested his hand against her bare skin. The ease of intimacy was quick to take. “She’s in love with someone back in Nevarra. She was eager to return.”Her hand reached up to where his perched on her shoulder and she gripped his fingers. She gave them a gentle squeeze and gave him a gentler smile.“Let’s tell everyone.” He had meant to say it calmly, confidently, but it blurted out of him with the impatience of a child on the morning of Satinalia.Her gentle smile spread into a wide grin. “Should we start with Cassandra or Dorian?”“No, I mean everyone. Let’s announce it.”“I thought we had decided to only tell a few people. To spare ourselves the gossip and fuss.”“We did…but I’ve had a change of heart. Of course, we can keep it close, if you like. But with the way you’re looking at me, the whole lot of Skyhold will know by morning.”She swatted at his chest and gasped. “Are you accusing me of making bedroom eyes, Commander?”He rubbed exaggerated soothing circles where her hand had made contact with his jacket. “You wound me, my dear. It’s not a lusty look…it’s a dopey grin…like a giddy Mabari. I’m only familiar with it because Varric accused me of the same expression on the way to Adamant.”Without so much as a blink, Brigid willed her seat to rise up and meet his eye level. It still took him by surprise each time, but these little tricks made her all the more fascinating to him. “You were giving me enamored looks while we were headed to battle?”“You were the fearless leader of the Inquisition, confident and inspiring. And I was in love with you.” He rubbed the back of his neck out of that silly habit he had when he felt self-conscious. “I probably looked at you with more reverie than anyone’s ever given the Maker.”She stopped smiling then, gazed into his eyes, and pressed her palm flat to the woolen plane of his chest. He thought his heart might very well burst. He was so unfamiliar with this kind of unrestrained joy that his mind went blank. There was no muscle memory to remind him how to move. There had been no soldier’s training in how to love. There was only the mantra to focus all of your energy, move swiftly, and follow through. If he applied that lesson to the sheer force of his affection, he would have seized her face, crushed her in his embrace, and frightened the life out of her. Instead, he taught himself something new and moved in small, steady increments to lace his fingers in the willowy hairs at the nape of her neck. Slowly, slowly, he cradled her head and pressed his mouth to hers. There was no rush to taste or tug at one another. The only thing he needed in that moment was to feel the gentle give of her soft-firm lips pressed to his. He felt the whisper of breath from her nose on his upper lip and opened his mouth just enough to seal it around her darling bottom lip. He froze like that, memorizing the shape of her flesh against his mouth, testing his own restraint and challenging hers. The hallway they had met one another in was so silent that he heard her fingernails dig crescents into the felt of his jacket. He was a moment away from scooping her up and carrying her off—to Josephine’s office, to the war room, to his own tower—when she ducked her chin and hummed. Her ears were crimson and her eyes were misty when she spoke. “Let’s tell everyone.”The news went over rather well. Since most of the visiting nobles were Fereldan, the congratulations were modest: firm claps on the back, quick toasts, unsolicited marriage advice. One of the Orlesian nobles—a dashing fellow, taller than Cullen by a head and with a voice like rumbling velvet—invited them to join him and his wife in Val Royeaux for their honeymoon. Cullen made a valiant attempt to hide his grimace while Brigid played nicely. But when it became clear that the invitation involved some rather non-monogamous activities, they both sputtered out a litany of excuses to leave the conversation.Josephine was delighted by the news, while Leliana looked more akin to relieved. The rest of the inner circle reacted as was anticipated: Dorian, Cassandra, and Varric congratulated them with heartfelt hugs and kind words, Blackwall shook Cullen’s hand, Bull asked if the Orlesian noble was still looking for fresh meat, Cole remarked on the warmth of everyone, Solas offered them blessings, and Sera asked if “the frisky business was as good as it had sounded.” Cullen blushed at that last bit, but Brigid assured her that it had been. Vivienne saved her well wishes for a moment when the crowd had died back, and her sincerity startled them both.“I’m just glad that Josephine’s plan worked out properly after all,” she said, placing a gentle hand on each of their shoulders.“Wait, her plan? What plan?”“Oh, you know, with the faux suitors and whatnot.” The mage’s smile was genuine until she realized her mistake. “Oh dear…you don’t know.”“We know Josephine arranged marriages for each of us,” Cullen said, suspicion growing behind his eyes as he cross his arms.“I’m sorry, I don’t think it was my place to say anything. But I suppose I ought to explain. Josephine, out of what I’m sure was the best of intentions, set up those betrothals to push you two along. I know we were all eager to see you happy with one another—”“But she took matters into her own hands,” Brigid finished. She could nearly feel Cullen’s body temperature rise beside her and chanced a look at him. His mouth had gone stern and his brow, a bit tortured.“Excuse me, ladies. Thank you for your well wishes, Madame de Fer.” And with that, he strode off across the Hall. In that moment, Brigid felt the true presence of their relationship. No doubt he was seeking out the Ambassador, and no doubt he would have words with her. Perhaps he would speak on behalf of both of them. It was a queer feeling—he had long spoken on behalf of the Inquisitor during negotiations and confrontations. But in front of Josephine would be Cullen, speaking on behalf of Brigid, his betrothed. It was a heavy sort of feeling, but she welcomed it.“You know,” Vivienne began, startling her out of her reverie. “I’m still sure I could find you a passable suitor with a little more social cache, if this ever falls apart. You are a noblewoman with world experience and more than your share of political connections.”It was a shockingly inappropriate, tone-deaf offer to make, but in Vivienne’s language—foreign though it was to Brigid—it was meant as a kindness. Still, she would defend her Lion. “I’m sure you mean well, Vivienne, but social cache be damned. That man,” she said, finding his flaxen head and nodding toward him, “is the most remarkable person I know. And if it’s all the same to you, I’m going to spend the rest of my days with him, however few they may be.”“Good.” Madame de Fer’s smile was often wry and filled with attitude. She knew more and usually better than whomever she was speaking to, and it always manifested in her smile. But the one that spread across her face at Brigid’s words was warm and proud. “If nothing else, you can thank me for that uniform. The man is determined to wear all that crimson, but I think a deep, dark green suits him far better.” Brigid sighed heavily. “It’s not that we’re angry with you, Josephine. Only that we’re disappointed.”Then a mutter from the corner where Cullen stood in the War Room, trying to relax his face out of a scowl. “I’m a little angry.”Brigid felt absolutely ridiculous. She didn't want to scold a grown woman, but she didn’t want to let the whole matter fade without some sort of discussion to ensure that such a ridiculous plan wouldn’t be laid again.“You are entitled to your anger. I acted too hastily, I should have conferred with Leliana first, perhaps she would have talked me out of it.”“You should never have had the idea in the first place!” Perhaps Cullen was a little more than a little angry.“Josie, we’re colleagues. But we’re also friends. I admire you professionally because of your diplomatic acumen. I like you as a friend because of your sympathy and kindness. What you do as my Ambassador and what you do as my friend need never cross paths like that.”“What possessed you to think this would be a good idea?” His voice was beginning to calm, but his forehead was still scored by lines of frustration.“None of us know how much time is left these days. I was worried that the two of you would miss your opportunity to be happy together. You’re both fighters. I thought, perhaps, that if you had to fight for one another, you would find your happiness sooner.”A long silence. They had found their happiness after all—or at least one source of it, in each other. Brigid only wished that the meddling had never happened. That she had never been coerced to break his heart. That he had never doubted himself.“Just…no more meddling in our affairs. Please,” Brigid finished, mustering as much softness into her voice as she could.The Ambassador nodded, smoothed her skirts, and looked between the Inquisitor and the Commander. “Of course. If you will excuse me, I will rescind all of the documents related to this atrocious idea of mine. I only hope you can forgive me in time.” A rustle of silk, and she was gone, leaving Brigid and Cullen to themselves. Then something miraculous happened. She looked at him, the remnant of a scowl still shadowing his mouth and found herself smiling. As if it were a mirror, his face lightened and he smiled as well. Josephine's plot meant absolutely nothing.“You think I went too easy on her?” Brigid asked as he approached the table she had her elbows propped upon.“She manipulated us. I think there should be some repercussion. What if I had said yes to the Nevarran woman before talking to you? Or what if the Antivan prince had been just kind enough to snag you.”“But it’s Josephine. What would you have had me do?” There was no anger in either of their voices by now. The questions were all little more than idle curiosity—a bit of connective tissue to get them from the drama of the evening’s festivities and reprimands to the moment when they could fall into one another once more.He sat down beside her and shrugged. She knew that, were it solely up to him, he wouldn’t have done anything more to punish Josephine either. He was pouting, she realized, though in the most dignified way she’d ever seen anyone pout, and it amused her. This sort of idle moment had been her great fear when she thought of a romance with the dashing Commander—or with anyone, for that matter. In these sorts of moment, lovers swooned into one another’s arms. One walked up to the other with an enticing little sway of the hips. Hands wrapped around waists, chests pressed against one another, thighs hit thighs. These things happened when both parties were standing, when they met each other on the same level—these were small things that she would never do.But he adapted so naturally that it made her heart ache. He came and sat beside her, put himself in a position that allowed her to be graceful and loving to him. She wasn’t even confident that he did it consciously.“Can I ask you something silly?”He looked at her in amusement. “Please do.”“What made you think to come sit down by me?”“What, just now? Is this some sort of a trick question?”“No…” she nudged her shoulder into his and then rested her head on it. She felt individual hairs catching in the rough wool of his jacket. “I just wondered. Did you think to yourself ‘I ought to go sit over there,’ or did you wander over on impulse?”“I suppose…I just wanted to be near you.” He took her hand and ran his thumb over her knuckles until each inch of her skin became jealous for his touch.Perhaps this would all work. He would have to initiate their casual kisses and caresses, but it could work.“If I…I may not always be able to approach you whenever I crave a kiss or an embrace…I can’t just walk over and take you by surprise, I—““All you have to do is ask.” His tone was so soft and quiet that she felt compelled to lean in more closely.“Yes, but there will be no spontaneity.”“Perhaps. But then it will always be purposeful.”“But will it ever make your heart race? Your breath catch?”Her head rose with his shoulder as he took a deep breath. “To hear you ask a kiss from me? Maker, I can think of nothing more exhilarating.”When she lifted her head to look at him, a few strands of her hair clung to his jacket as if to tether them to one another. “May I have a kiss?”Oh, she would never tire of that smile. There was mischief and wonder and intent, as if he had a plan, an idea, a gift and couldn’t wait to share it with her. The taste of his mouth brought their lovemaking to mind and blood rushed all through her, too excited to know which direction to head. She could ask anything of him in that moment, ask him to come back to her bed for the night, to wake up beside her in the morning, and he would respond with that same smile. She didn’t have to ask. They would leave the War Room separately, she would return to her room to divest of the evening’s gown for good, and he would finish up some paperwork in his office. Well after midnight, he would cross the battlements with purpose in his step and his coin in his pocket—the one he would tuck into her hand with a vow when he arrived in her room. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Cullen wasn’t sure why he had assumed that becoming engaged would put his mind at ease. He realized now what a ludicrous assumption that had been. As far as he was concerned, Brigid and he were married. A chantry upbringing had instilled the importance of a wedding ceremony deep in his soul, and he was certainly prepared to pledge his life to her in the presence of the Maker. But Brigid had access to something closer to his core than religion or ritual—he knew this, even if it frightened him, even though he had no language for it. They had whispered their vows to one another in the dark of her bedchamber between love-laden sighs—the rest was formality. And so every time she left the safety of Skyhold, he felt a small trauma. No doubt she could take care of herself—the reports of her travels detailed her lifting rocks and shaking the ground beneath her enemies’ feet. The image had begun to amuse him. He had seen her, felt her, delicate and lithe beneath him, so it seemed impossible that such elemental power could come from her. But then he recalled the cadence of her voice and true, it sometimes sounded like a breeze on the boundary of a wood. She tasted of honey and when he lost himself in the flavor, he thought he could distinguish the flower from which such nectar came. She was of nature, rich and rustic and lush. It was no wonder that it trembled before its creation.Maker, he had had her—by some grace, she had offered him her heart, and it still baffled him. He wanted a hundred years to spend making himself worthy of such a gift, a hundred years to spend making her happy; such a simple goal in life, now, but epiphanies were often simple. And yet, he was forced to send her off into every variety of danger. In the nearly two months since their betrothal and the Wintersend ball, the weather had turned more temperate and much rainier. With a melancholy to match it, his sleeping habits had become even more erratic and his days were edged with worry. Every flap of wings could be a raven with news; every shout, a heralding of her return. His temper was short. His head was filled with the pressure of worst-case scenarios. His hands never stopped moving. He’d managed to drive through an impressive amount of paperwork and he’d given his men more trying workouts than he himself could complete. And yet nothing slaked his anxiety. It demanded every moment of his attention. When he heard a muffled knock against his office door late at night, he nearly tore through his own skin.“You got a minute, Curly?”Curly. It was Varric, then. Acceptable company. Welcomed company, he admitted, once he realized he’d had little human contact on that particular day. So he opened the door to his friend who balanced a plate of food on one palm and clutched a pair of mugs in the other hand.“How did you knock—““Boot. You take me for an amateur? You do remember I lived in tavern back in Kirkwall, right?”The memory forced a soft laugh from Cullen, little more than a sharp breath through his nose, as he moved away from the door to let Varric in. “It’s good to have someone from those days around. Keeps me in check, should I ever feel too confident about myself.”“Well I aim to serve. Speaking of,” Varric continued, shifting the papers on Cullen’s desk with the base of the mugs he carried, “you need some food and I need to clear something up with you.”Cullen noted an unsettling tone in Varric’s voice—not wholly accusatory, but something with a lot of force behind it. As a sign of trust, like some old salt and bread ritual, Cullen took a small wedge of cheese to his lips and nodded.“How much does Heartstrings know about…how can I put this delicately?” he muttered to himself.“Just out with, Varric, there is no need for spared feelings between us.”This seemed to settle the dwarf who, until then, stood with his arms tense at his sides. “Does she know about Kirkwall?”The question rankled him despite his reasoning that it was more than fair. The reflexive irritation must have shown on his face.“All I’m asking is, does she know the back story? I just…I know you want to leave that life behind. And if I were in your position, part of leaving it behind would be not talking about it. So I’m giving advice that I wouldn’t be able to take myself—tell me she knows everything.”He was equal parts offended and touched. It was disappointing that Varric would think him so unwise as to propose marriage to a woman while hiding so much of himself. But it warmed him to see that his friend—his usually wise-cracking and light-hearted friend—cared enough about his relationship with Brigid that he was willing to speak of such dark days.He snatched a heel of bread and leaned against his desk. “Of course I told her. First, about the lyrium withdrawals, and then about my reasons for leaving the Order.”“How’d the conversation go?” The tenor of the question was more concerned than gossipy, so Cullen was willing to divulge.“She was…regal, about it. Andraste preserve me, like she always is. She clutched my hand and said comforting things and said she understood my guilt, my need to atone, and said she would not hold it in judgment against my character. This was all long before we even kissed. Maker, I don’t deserve her.”Varric nodded into his mug which Cullen now discovered was full of a rather piss poor ale. Varric could tolerate anything, bless the man. “Yeah, you probably don’t. And Thedas definitely doesn’t. But y’know, I don’t care much for the word ‘deserve.’” He paused a moment before staring up at the ceiling. “You earn things. You gotta work for it. And it’s better than deserving, anyway. You can earn anything with enough effort. Spend your life earning her, if that’s what it takes. But it shouldn’t take much. Andraste’s tits, she looks at you like you hung the sun in the sky.”Cullen felt as if his lungs would take in so much air they might burst. He’d seen her loving looks, but to hear from someone else that she radiated like that, for him…it made no bloody sense, but he could live off the warmth of that feeling for the rest of his life.“I’m gonna level with you Curly—yours was a story that broke my heart. There’s a lot of tragedy in a man who realizes the right thing too late. After everything with Meredith…the kind of villain every writer hopes to craft but prays to never meet...it just killed me to see. But the guts it takes to admit your guilt and start rebuilding from the ground up? A lot of other people would say it was too late—they’d been raised in so much hatred that they were ruined for good, no use in making reparations. But not you. I’ve watched you claw your way back to decency. More than decency.”“Varric, I—““I know, I know. It’s a lifelong process. Believe me, I’m a writer, I can say with certainty that endings don’t really exist. You just keep working at it. But the work can get easier. I see it getting easier for you. And now you’ve got this amazing woman…” A grin spread across his face as he trailed off.He did. And she was amazing. And she was gone, hunting down danger. “I’m terrified.”“You should be! She’s a spitfire—““No, I mean…what if I lose her, Varric? Maker, I can’t—“ It was the first time he spoke the fear aloud. When Brigid broached the subject, he had quieted her, diverted her away from talk of an outcome he couldn’t bear to imagine. “So much evil in the world right now, and us trying to rid ourselves of it. What if it demands the sacrifice of just as much good? Maker guide me…there will come a day when I have to send her to face Corypheus. And then—““And then she comes back to you. She saves your world. You give her the rest of your life and you make her happy. Cullen, if you think for one second that we won’t give our lives to keep that woman alive, then you’re underestimating the ragtag support system you got around here.”Cullen thought he might weep. Or perhaps lurch into Varric for a rather awkward hug. “I don’t remember the last time you called me Cullen.”“When was the last time I was this serious about something?”“It’s more difficult now, watching her leave Skyhold. Waiting for her return.”“It’s gonna be even worse if you pass out because you’re not taking care of yourself. C’mon Curly, eat, get some sleep, and for Maker’s sake, shave that face of yours. You can’t call it rugged anymore.”It did rather itch, he realized. “I’ll see what I can manage. Thank you, friend, for the advice."“Somebody’s gotta look after you while Heartstrings is away.”Per Varric’s recommendation, Cullen had convinced his mind to give him at least five solid hours of sleep; nowhere near as much as he managed when Brigid was home, but still more than he’d had in nearly a week. He probably could’ve continued for another hour or so if it hadn’t been for the frantic knock on his door. Groaning as he lifted his heavy, aching body from the mattress, he stood and rubbed at his eyes. The ladder wasn’t much trouble when he was wide awake, but with the Fade still clinging to him, it seemed like the most ridiculous obstacle ever contrived in all of Skyhold. He stubbed his toe hard against one of the rungs when he misjudged his footing and cursed as he finished his descent. Bare feet smoothed against the creaking floorboards as he lumbered to the door and opened it with one eye still shut.“What?”A wan faced scout frowned up at him. “The Inquisitor has returned, ser. She’s been injured.”Did his heart plummet then, or squeeze like a fist? Blood rushed out of his head, at any rate, and he went a bit blind, either from dread or the early morning light that glared in his widened eyes. An old pair of boots sat just near the door so he shoved his feet into them, grabbed his sword—something, anything to fight against whatever had dared touch her—and slipped past the scout.His steps were purposeful, hard against the stone of the battlements as he tried to calm his mind. The chill in the air bit through his thin shirt to dry the night sweat on his back and chest. The men on guard duty could hardly raise their hand in salute before he had breezed past them and they surely looked at him with raised eyebrows—rarely did the Commander traipse through Skyhold without his armor and mantle. Without pause, he rushed through Solas’ room.“She’s in her bedchambers,” the elf informed in an unsettlingly even tone.It’s where Cullen was headed anyway, but it relieved him all the same. If she were fighting for her life, she would still be in one of the healers’ tents. In her own quarters, she was likely just recovering. Just recovering. Maker, how many times would he have to see her fend off death? He stopped just shy of her door to consider this and felt weakened by the question. And then a thought occurred to him, which sounded rather like Varric’s voice: better to watch her fend off death than succumb to it. So he took a deep breath. And then a second one, for good measure. And then he opened the door.It felt like the longest trek he’d ever taken up her many stairs. He was nervous, Maker, why was he nervous? His imagination devised all sorts of horrendous injuries—a mauling, stab wounds, a hit to the head, burns, Andraste preserve him, red lyrium exposure. But when he reached the top of the stairs, he saw her leaning back on a mass of pillows with serenity pooled across her sleeping face. His knees came so close to buckling in relief that he palmed the bannister just to be safe. He was glad, then, to not be wearing his armor. Without all the clanking, he was able to approach and not startle her. Still, he took tentative steps and set his sword against the wall with all of the delicacy he could muster. It was his whispered prayer of thanks to the Maker that finally stirred her.“Cullen,” she hummed fondly. “You look like something out of a dream.”It seemed a ridiculous thing for her to say—he was an absolute mess, still half asleep and hungover from adrenaline. When he laughed, all of his remaining worry gusted from his lungs in a soft thunder. “Poor thing, still delusional from trauma.” That managed to tease a laugh from her in return and he found his own strength recovering.Brigid pushed herself upright and winced, but regained her composure quickly and patted the bed next to her. “I’m lucid as could be, Commander. And I know a billowy-shirted romantic hero when I see one. Now,” she continued as he let his weight sink into the mattress, “let me kiss my fine hero.”She was the hero, he the beloved that stayed home and fretted over her return. But it was no time to argue, she had asked him for a kiss. And he obliged. Maker, did he ever oblige. She tasted of something astringent and medicinal at first—something wholly unlike her—but then she tangled her delicate fingers into the loose fabric of his shirt and tugged and suddenly tasted like herself again. She had been gone for nine days this time and he had ached for her all the while. He was unraveling quickly, yet there were other things to attend to, so he pulled away.“Brigid, what happened? The scout said you were hurt.”Her shoulders slumped when she huffed and he pushed back the loose curls that swung in her face. “Bloody demon got its claws in me. Across half of my chest.” She pulled the collar of her tunic down to display a relatively fresh bandage wrapped tight against her chest and right shoulder. Already, little blossoms of crimson were bleeding through in two parallel stripes.“Maker, why wasn’t this healed with magic? You’re still bleeding.”“It was healed with magic. It was…well it was very bad. This is an improvement, believe me,” she added, shifting over in the bed so that he could sit more comfortably. The strain it put on her shoulder made her groan despite her will.“Stop!” he said, reaching out for her. “Stop moving, woman, you’ll make it worse. Here, lay back and rest.”She grumbled again. It was unlike her to be so restless, perhaps the injury had really unsettled her. “But it’s been over a week since I left. I’ve missed you, I want—““I’ll stay here with you,” he assured her. “But you need to rest.” He slipped his legs under the blankets and pulled her carefully into his arms, doing his best to avoid disturbing her injury. He felt her body relax into him, mercifully. “Comfortable?”She nodded and sighed against his neck. He had rarely found the opportunity to simply hold her in his arms. He knew himself to be a strong man, a broad man—it was a security, a necessity in his line of work, and now a blessing because it meant he could wrap himself around her entirety. She was tough as tree bark, and she didn’t need his strength or protection. But he would hold her all the same. She had rested her head on his shoulder and he relished the springy feel of her hair against his shirt. Her tunic had rucked up a bit in all her moving and something about the sight of her midriff called out to him. He pressed his palm to the soft swell of her stomach, ran his hand across it, and felt her tremble beneath him. He wanted her to rest, he wanted her to recuperate, and then, before she was taken from him once more, he wanted to adore her—“Cullen…”He pulled his hand back hastily, afraid he had hurt her.“Cullen, there’s something else…”His whole body froze at her murmuring against his chest. “Another injury?”“When the healer was attending me, she had some other routine questions and inspections.”He thought she would continue, but when she stayed silent, he rubbed at her uninjured shoulder. “Was everything alright?”She tucked her nose just beneath his ear and he heard a soft groan just before her whisper. “I’m with child.”Cullen placed his hand back on her belly as if doing so might confirm it. “Truly?”“About seven weeks along, if her magic read things correctly. It’s why she didn’t want to use anything more aggressive to heal the gashes.”Should anyone ask Cullen how he felt in that moment, he could only offer them a litany of emotions: surprise, trepidation, terror, adoration, guilt, overwhelming joy. He wanted to indulge in the last on the list but it was too much—it was all too much for him to have as his own.“Please say something. Anything.”He looked down to see her eyes turned up toward him, full of anticipation. “I—Maker, I—how could I deserve such happiness? There is so much blood on my hands. Resentment and anger and this world is a disaster…oh Brigid, babies are so soft. What if I—Andraste preserve me, what if I hurt it? What if it’s ashamed of me?”She forced herself upright and off of his chest, and the absence of her weight made him feel like he might crumble to dust.“Cullen, my love, my dear, dear man. What in Thedas has you so fearful?”“I’ve done so many awful things. Made so many terrible decisions. And coming off the lyrium—Maker knows it’s going better than I anticipated, but that’s right now. What if it gets bad again? What if my temper gets worse? What if I send you off to Corypheus and—“Brigid grabbed either side of his face with her hands and smoothed her thumbs along his cheekbones. “Cullen, listen to me.”With such cowardly thoughts rampaging through his mind, he couldn’t bear to meet her eyes until she demanded it of him.“Look at me, my love. You have known struggles beyond comprehension, and so you have good reason to think of these things. But you are a good and decent man now, whatever happened before. Tell me: will you love this child?”Of course. Of course. Looking so closely into her eyes, he could see the layers of green and grey fiber that knitted together and it captivated him. Her cool hands pressed against his heated cheeks and all he could think of was loving her and loving their child. “With everything in me.”“And will you try to do right by it?” The pad of her left thumb stroked back and forth just beneath his eye and he couldn’t stop himself from reaching up to clutch his hand around hers.“Of course.”She leaned down and kissed him then, a chaste press of the lips meant to calm and comfort. “Then we will face the rest together.” When he opened his eyes, he saw then that her face had turned gentle, but that the corners of her mouth were downturned.“But something troubles you?” he asked.It was her turn to fall back against the pillows. “It’s silly…your worries make sense…and Maker knows I’m terrified in my own way too. I had just…” she averted her eyes before she could continue. “I’d hoped you’d be happy to hear the news.”“Maker curse me for the fool that I am…here you’ve just said the most amazing thing in all of Thedas and all I’ve done is panic.” He took her chin in his thumb and forefinger and guided her face back to his. “I can’t think of a happier moment in all my life. There was a time when I couldn’t imagine you even casting me a second glance…now you’re giving us a child. And what a lucky child it will be.”Her nose crinkled in confusion. “Lucky? What do you mean?”“To have a mother as strong and as sharp and as beautiful as you? I’d call that good fortune.”He was relieved to have earned a chuckle from her, though he didn’t mean it to be funny; he’d meant it quite earnestly. “And will you still find me so beautiful with a swollen belly and a grumpy humor?”The image stirred a primitive, protective something in him and yes, yes he would find her irresistible. He leaned down to press a kiss into her neck, as dangerous as it may have been. “I can think of nothing more alluring than the woman I love carrying my child within her.” The words whispered against the soft hair that gathered in the crook of her neck elicited something of whimper from deep in her chest.“Cullen, I know I’m recovering from an injury, and everything’s in a whirlwind right now, but I need you to fuck me.”He pulled back, simultaneously scandalized and aroused by the breathy haste in her voice. “Now? Is that safe for the baby?”“Does the Chantry teach you nothing?”“Not about babies, no.”“It will be fine. Love, my body is practically humming. I knew something was going on even before the healer confirmed it. My tits ache, I feel as if I’m always wet—“Her candor made him blush a bit more than an expectant father ought to, but the thought of her already wet had him hard in an instant—“I thought at first that I just missed you terribly. And I did. I thought of you every night while I was away, called your image to mind as I tried everything for a bit of relief. But now that I have you here before me, warm and heavy, with your beautiful broad shoulders and whispering such delicious things…”He couldn’t suppress a soft laugh at her expense. She was starting to writhe gently, her hand seemed to be reaching for her smalls of its own volition—it was unlike her, but it was an exquisite sight. He vaguely remembered from his mother’s pregnancies that there would be less exquisite parts of this: morning sickness, bouts of crying, an aching back. He would get her through those things when the time came. But right now, she was practically keening with desire, begging for relief, and he would get her through this too.It took two hours and five orgasms before she finally fell asleep. Despite the work that needed to be done and the perils ahead of them, he followed into the Fade soon after, one hand on her soft stomach, and tried not to let himself hope too hard for a little girl. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Dearest brother, Let me begin by assuring you that I am safe. Bruised, battered, and unfathomably exhausted, but otherwise safe. I’m sure you would have preferred to hear that news months ago. Years ago? Maker, has it been that long since I left Ostwick? I suspect you’ve heard all sorts of rumors. I won’t even try to imagine them all, so I’ll tell you the truth of things. Soon after the explosion at the Conclave, I was christened a sort of divinely chosen herald—pure nonsense, but I met the challenge to lead an army against utter evil all the same. I aligned with Templars, Grey Wardens, a rather remarkable group of mercenaries known as the Chargers. Both the right and left hands of the Divine! The Master Tethras of literary fame. The son of a Tevinter Magister. All sorts, brother, you would have been fascinated by the personalities. We welcomed mages, soldiers, and refugees from all walks and, despite the chaos of it all, we faced down Corypheus and defeated him. Have you heard of Corypheus in Ostwick? Seen rifts in the veil? Surely so…Maker, I can’t even gauge how much the civilian population knows anymore. It’s all so second nature to me. There was an accident some time ago. Well, less of an accident and more of a blatant attack on our forces that I took the brunt of. It’s a bit strange to write it out like this, but I’ve not been able to walk since then. Sheared or snapped something in my back, apparently. I had to re-adapt every bit of my life. I use this enchanted seat contraption to get around, which works well enough. I’m likely to lose my left hand at this rate as well, but that’s a long story that’s harder to explain on paper. I’m sure mother will be thrilled to hear that her already headstrong daughter is now an invalid. Such a blessing to the family! On a happier note, I found love. Shocking as it may sound, it seems I won’t die an old maid like I always swore. His name is Cullen and we’ve already married. Those sorts of things seem more time sensitive when death knocks at your door each day, so we decided to take care of it right away and keep things simple. He’s the Commander of our military forces—of humble Fereldan origin. He’s tall and bull-headed at times, but gentle and rather shy. He’s got the most striking eyes, Cillian, like little pools of sunlight. I think you’d get on well with him; don’t let the upper body strength fool you, he’s really very cerebral. Might even give you a run for your money on the chessboard. And he has no ambitions toward nobility, so I’m sorry to say you’re still stuck with inheriting the family title. Would you care for one more shocking bit of information? You’re to become an uncle any day now! Apparently your sister is supernaturally fertile—I managed to get pregnant before the marriage even happened and despite all careful precautions. I suppose the Maker insisted on more Trevelyans running around. To be honest, I’m terrified. I’ve been terrified from the very start, knowing that I led a dangerous life. What with being the Maker’s chosen or some such nonsense, only I could face down Corypheus. I knew this from the start, but I never thought I’d be doing so with a six-month-old babe kicking around in my womb. But we survived it. We all survived it, thank the Maker. I only hope that the little one is healthy and that it wasn’t harmed in all of the peril. I know Cullen hopes for a girl but is too afraid to put words to it, lest he jinx things. Boy or girl makes no matter to me. I only pray that I’ve made this world safe enough for the little dear. I’ve seen so very much that’s awful in this life, I wonder sometimes if it’s wise to bring more innocent lives into its trauma and tragedy. But I will not let theirs be tragic. Nor will Cullen, I know this in my heart. I was afraid to write until now. I was afraid to make any plans or expect any sort of future. But now all before me is future and I’m trembling with anticipation. I will see you soon brother, miraculous little family in tow. With love, Brigid She sat her quill gently on her desk next to the inkwell, placed her hand on her miniscule bump, and sighed heavily. Everything she attempted to do these last few weeks of the pregnancy was heavy and slow and premeditated. Paired with her constant anxiety, she felt nearly suffocated. Her stomach seemed too small to be so far along. The baby hadn’t been kicking as much as she thought it should as of late. Everything felt wrong. Of course, she had no prior experience with pregnancy—perhaps everything was perfectly fine. But as she watched the mark on her hand flicker with each of her rapid heartbeats, she had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself from crying.She’d been an awful pregnant person. She didn’t rest like she ought to. She let stress overwhelm her. Her diet was inconsistent and she’d been unable to avoid injuries. And she felt certain that sitting all the time was squishing all of her organs into a mass of critical pressure. But Skyhold’s healers assured her that the babe was well. So in the remaining days of her pregnancy, she finally began to nest. She was reluctant to commandeer an entire room just for the babe, even though Skyhold’s population had begun to dwindle since Corypheus’ defeat. So she graciously accepted the small bassinet that Blackwall crafted as a gift and tucked it into a warm corner of her quarters, knowing full and well that she would eventually pull it up to her bedside. Truth be told, they were Cullen’s quarters as well at this point, and she smiled to herself at the oft-imagined picture of her husband and her infant napping together on the large bed that had once felt so painfully empty to her.Circumstance and the precise opposite of luck had ripped nearly everything from her. But it had given her things as well, and she would not take them for granted. She would finish her duties with the Inquisition, pass the torch on to Cassandra, and steal her husband away to a life of calm and quiet where they could teach their little one to swing a sword and ride horses. And she would do everything in her maternal power to make sure they never needed that training.Deep in her fears, her stomach cramped almost imperceptibly, bringing her back to the present and reminding her that she’d skipped breakfast. Just the notion of a warm bowl of porridge filled with nuts and honey and all sorts of overripe stone fruits made her hum aloud, so she wrapped herself in a shawl to head for the kitchen.She muttered a curse when another hunger pang nearly stole her breath, drawing the attention of a maidservant who was busy stoking a fireplace in the Great Hall.“My Lady, are you feeling well?”“Yes, just starved,” Brigid quipped groaning as the hunger pang lingered. It was not uncommon for her stomach to cramp when her appetite was particularly ravenous.“Shall I fetch you something from the kitchens? No reason you should bother yourself going all the way down there.”“I would appreciate that, if it’s not too much trouble.”The maid wiped her hands on her apron and shook her head. “None at all, m’lady.”Normally, she would have politely declined the offer. She rather liked the spirit and ease of the kitchen and got on well with a few of the crew. But a nervous energy rose into her chest and she thought it better to stay put until she had food in her system. So she settled herself at the end of a long table and focused on deep breaths. The cramp dissipated and left a general wooziness in its wake, but something about the dizziness relaxed her if she closed her eyes. She didn’t notice the sweat beading at her hairline until was cooling.It didn’t take the maid long to return, but when she sat the tray in front of Brigid, the worry written across her face worried Brigid, in turn.“M’lady, are you sure you’re feeling alright?”“Nonsense, why do you ask?”“You’re clenching your fists.”Indeed, she was. She was holding her breath, as well. When she exhaled, a fresh cramp doubled her over, and fear gripped her heart, but she managed to hide her panic from the young woman.“Could you run and get the Commander, dear?”“Certainly!”Only once the maid had left did Brigid let out a screeching groan. She nearly retched at the sight of the porridge in front of her and admitted to herself that the pains were not hunger-related. The babe was on its way, whether she felt prepared or not.Cullen arrived before she had time to calm herself, approaching at a near sprint.“Is it happening? Is this it?”Between groans and sharp intakes of air, Brigid confirmed it. “Maker, I think she’s ready to go.”He stood stunned, his eyebrows approaching his hairline. “She? You’re sure it’s a girl?”“Just a feeling.” The next groan morphed into a cry as she leaned her head back. “Andraste’s fucking tits, I thought the pain was meant to build up, not hit all at once.”Without warning, Cullen hoisted her up into his arms and started heading towards the door to her chambers.“What are you doing? My chair could get me there.”“I don’t know. Instinct. Soft bed. I need to help.” Along the way, he called to a guard to fetch Polly, the midwife that had been looking after Brigid.If she were in her right mind, she’d have kissed him—poor confused man that he was. As it were, she shook her head and held on for dear life. She went through a mental checklist. The midwife would be on her way, and certainly a healer or two. At some point in the pregnancy, she’d decided she would want a mage that she was close to, someone she trusted, just in case things went particularly bad. They had helped her through battle, they could help her through this. Solas was a skilled healer, but no—he was off on some personal quest in the Fade. Dorian had taken a trip to Tevinter—he’d promised to be back in time for his godchild’s arrival, but must have miscalculated. Viv, however, remained.“Cullen, you’ll have to go get Vivienne.”“Vivienne? You’ve gone delusional with pain,” he said, resting her gingerly atop their bed. “You’ll have Polly and her healers. You’ll have the best care in all of Thedas with our resources.”“Viv is one of them,” she managed before another contraction tore through her. “Please, Cul, it’ll put me at ease.”She waited for him to make a snarky remark about Vivienne not being known for putting people at ease. But he only nodded and petted Brigid’s forehead.“Very well. I’ll ask her myself. But only after the midwife gets here, I’m not leaving you alone.”Vivienne de Fer terrified him. She was a powerful woman, of course, but powerful women in general didn’t scare him. She was a mage, and while all magic tended to raise his hairs just a bit, he trusted and admired her control of it. She was incredibly well dressed, and that made him feel like a fumbling child in rags. And though she spared no unnecessary sweetness, he rather liked about her. It was something about the way she spoke. To lesser degrees, in softer people, the coolness of her tone may have manifested as calm charm. But with all of her might and icy attitude, it chilled him fiercely. Nonetheless, he made his way up to her usual lounging area with a speech in mind.“Commander Rutherford? I’m not sure I’ve ever received you up here.”The speech flitted from his mind and he spoke with a complete absence of pretext. “Brigid’s gone into labor, and she’s asking for you.”“For me?” She set her pen aside. Only then did he realize he’d interrupted her letter writing. “Dear, I don’t deliver babies.”“No, she has a midwife for that. She said she wants someone she trusts, someone with healing capabilities, in case…” He couldn’t bring himself to even invoke the idea of a worst-case scenario. “Solas and Dorian are gone. You’ve been with her in battle, yes?”“Numerous times.”“She trusts you.”Her face remained unreadable until the slightest bit of concern pulled her brows together. “How are you handling this?”“Hmm? Me? Oh! Fine. Great, I’m quite right. There’s a baby happening and my wife is screaming in what I can only imagine is excruciating pain as she’s being pried apart from the inside, but…yes, it’s good.”Cullen never would have taken her for a sentimentalist, but his babbling seemed to soften her just enough. “Take me to her.”When they arrived back in Brigid’s chambers, the midwife was calling out orders to the assistant healer she’d brought. “And dearie, your certain the pain only started an hour or so ago?”Brigid nodded fervently, now much redder in the face, with sweat beginning to darken the neck of the oversized tunic she’d changed into.“Right then, the little one must be impatient. First pregnancies like this, usually takes half a day to get this far. But it’s no trouble, that just means we’ll speed things up a bit. Now, there’s no way to get you up on your knees?”“No,” she groaned out. “Not possible.”Cullen had worried over this for months. He had no doubt his wife would soldier through whatever obstacles presented themselves, but labor was such a physical process that it concerned him.“Well then, we’ll make do,” Polly assured her. “But you’ll have to push even harder, alright. And the father, er, Commander—you’ll have to help.”His eyes went wide as if to accommodate all of the strange visions that flashed before him.“S’alright, you just have to hold her knee, like so. Helps her get leverage.”He approached and followed the midwife’s lead. The assistant healer took charge of the other knee and Cullen glanced at her with a nod of his head, as he might toward a comrade in arms.“Is there anything I can do to help, or am I here for morale?” Cullen had nearly forgotten about Vivienne in all the chaos.“Oh Viv, bless you for coming.”The mage approached her warrior Inquisitor with a sort of affection on her face that Cullen didn’t know possible of her. She clasped Brigid’s hand in her own and squeezed it firmly.“Let me at least cool you down. Childbirth is no excuse to let them see you sweat, dear.”Brigid managed a genuine, muffled laugh and then shivered as Vivienne’s magic cooled her overwrought body. “I know this isn’t your usual forte,” she began before she was cut off.“No…but we’ve got an Inquisition baby on the way.”“That we do,” Polly confirmed, one hand pressed into Brigid to check the status of things. “And it’s breech. So you’re gonna have to push with all your might, m’lady.”Cullen had heard of breech babies before, and it never sounded positive. “Breech? Is that alright? Will everything be alright?”“I’ve delivered my fair share of them, Commander. It’s more difficult, but there’s no need to panic. Just focus on your task.”The next few minutes may have been hours. Polly was an extraordinary midwife, he decided, and not just because of her birthing skills. She had an impeccable read on every person in the room and knew precisely how to best motivate them. He, on the other hand, felt utterly incompetent. Useless. He encouraged Brigid when she seemed spent, but he assumed the words were flitting right past her. Occasionally he would turn his attention to Polly. There was more concern in her expression than she was willing to verbalize and it put Cullen on edge.“Alright, m’lady, you have to push harder.”“I don’t know if I can. What if I can’t? What if I can’t do it?” Brigid turned her bright red, tear stained face to her husband, and he thought his heart would break. He looked down at his free hand, tempted to run it across her brow to smooth away her sweaty tendrils. But it was shaking and he didn’t want her to feel. So he grasped her left hand with all his might and squeezed to still his tremors.“You have to push for the babe, Brigid,” the midwife repeated. “All that’s left is the head. It’s the hardest part, m’lady, and then it’ll be over. But you have to do it now, alright?”Brigid didn’t turn to Polly, or to Vivienne, but looked to Cullen’s gaze for assurance.The last time he’d seen such fear on her face, she’d woken up from the accident at Haven. But this would not be so tragic. He nodded and raised her hand to his lips. “One more good push and it’ll all be over. And we’ll have our babe.”Brigid’s grimace softened, though only a little, and she pursed her lips like he’d so often seen her do to prepare herself for a task ahead. When the midwife instructed, Cullen and the assistant were to bring Brigid’s knees as near to her chest as possible while she pushed. Cullen knew his wife to be strong of will and fierce in battle, but when he heard the unholy scream that she released to birth their child, he was awestruck. The cry tore through the room and he was sure it echoed with the collective cries of all other mothers.And then silence.From Brigid.From the babe.He looked down to his child who hung from the midwife’s hands, limp and seemingly lifeless. “No crying?” he asked, still gripping to Brigid’s leg.The midwife rushed to a small basin her assistant had prepared, and she began patting the newborn. “Breech is very difficult, sir, give her a moment.”Her.Her.He could hardly see what was happening as Polly and the healer crowded around the baby. And then Vivienne called out.“Brigid? Brigid darling, you’ve done it.”He looked down to see his wife strewn about like a ragdoll with her eyes closed and her lips parted. Time sped up, and life whirled about him—a newborn daughter with no signs of life and a wife looking much the same. He slid his hand beneath Brigid’s head and inclined it, relieved to feel a shockingly slow, but steady pulse. Still, she remained unresponsive. He fought back tears that he couldn’t name the exact origin of.“Vivienne, this is why she wanted you here.”The mage was already ahead of him, twisting her hand in an elegant fashion to manifest what looked like a crystal blue flame. When it was steady and soft, she pressed her hand flat against Brigid’s chest.She woke with a start.Shaky infant cries croaked behind him.And Cullen tipped his head back in such relief that he thought he might fall flat on his ass. But even that would have been welcomed. Not a single trouble in all of Thedas could mar the delicious mix of serenity and joy he felt.Polly cooed at the baby, encouraging her cries. “Commander? Would you care to hold her?”“But Brigid…” Something told him that the mother ought to hold the newborn first. After her struggle. After all the time she spent sheltering her.His wife looked up at him with bloodshot eyes and a sleepy smile, and shook her head. “Give me a moment to gather my strength?”So Polly placed the swaddled babe in his arms. “Now don’t be alarmed to see bruises, ‘specially on the hips and bum.”He nodded, but couldn’t have repeated what she’d said. Every bit of his attention was focused on the delightful creature in his arms. He pressed his lips to her forehead and couldn’t bear to pull away. She smelled soft and pink and he could feel the tiny breaths from her nose against his chin. He worried that the scruff would irritate her, but she lifted a tiny arm and pressed her fist to his face, and he realized that’s how she would recognize her papa. “We’re going to get on well, little one.”“Maker, isn’t that a sight?” Vivienne quipped at the bedside, elbowing the new mother gently. Brigid sat up now, watching him with an intensity that suggested this babe would not be their last. She patted the bed beside her, motioning for him to sit down, and he did so, switching the infant in his arms so that she could be wedged between them. Then he leaned into his wife for a long overdue kiss. He felt their daughter wriggle between them and it must have affected Brigid just as much as it did himself, because she melted into him. When she needed air, she fell, rather than pulled away from the kiss, resting her heavy head on his shoulder.“I need to sleep.”“Go on then. I’ll be right here.”“I need to sleep, but I’m too excited.”“She’s not going anywhere, darling. Just rest your eyes and we’ll stay by your side.”“She needs a name…”“We can choose later.”“Allegra.”The assertion took him off guard, but it sounded just comforting enough that he was drawn to it.“Why does that sound so familiar?”Now half asleep, Brigid chuckled. “Cassandra’s first middle name.”“She’d kill us. She’d kill me, more specifically, because she likes you too much.”“She’ll kill none of us,” she mumbled, transfixed by the feel of their daughter’s superfine hair. “We look so happy. A, B, and C.”He watched the green gleam of the mark on her hand reflect against the babe. He had once worried that the color green was ruined for him; that it would always roil fear in his stomach. But it was so pale now that it offered, instead, a fair sort of glow. Like watching sunlight filter through the trees. Warm. Again so warm. Nicer this time. Warm and heavy and she was wrapped in it. She felt a soft thumping against her shoulder. Steady breathing against her ear, a calloused palm at the base of her spine, its rough texture catching the tightly woven silken threads of whatever she was wearing. Her daughter wiggled between them. She need not wake with a start—indeed, she was already awake. It wasn’t a dream this time. She gazed across from her to see Cullen, disheveled hair, bottom lip tucked crookedly under its match as if he’d fallen asleep chewing on his thoughts. And when she looked down, pale eyelashes splayed against a perfectly round, plump pink face. A tiny fist clamped tight around the fabric of Brigid’s tunic, and she reached a finger out carefully to feel the unmarred plush of this perfect babe’s cheeks. When her eyes flickered open, to stare back, Brigid nearly shook Cullen awake—golden toward the center and ringed in bright green.
11360043	The Super Twins Season	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": null, "Characters": "Original Female Character(s), Lena Luthor, Kara Danvers, Cat Grant, Alex Danvers, Maggie Sawyer, Lucy Lane (DCU), Astra (Supergirl TV 2015), Hank Henshaw \| J'onn J'onzz, Agent Vasquez (Supergirl TV 2015), Samantha \"Sam\" Arias", "Fandom": "Supergirl (TV 2015)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by Rebelheart94", "chapters": "13/?", "completed": "", "published": "2017-06-30T00:00:00", "words": "143,727", "Additional Tags": "puppy danvers, Sassy Lucy, Lucy and OFC ship SuperCat so hardcore, Alex is a Momma Bear, Non is a Bastard, SpaceDad J'onn J'onzz (Henshaw), Cat is just so done with the bad disguises, Astra and J'onn are sooooo SpaceParents, Agender Vasquez, Future SpaceBaby has a crazy Misfit Family, Lena is an awkward and adorable science nerd, Riley can't understand half the things in life, Riley is going to take over spot as Momma for spacebaby, I have declared it so it shall be!, Kryptonian SpaceBaby, Chapter 8 is when things begin to get serious, Alex doesn't kill Astra, Already Lesbian!Alex Danvers, Lesbian!Riley Danvers(OC), Maggie is that friend that everyone adores but sometimes want to strangle, Martha is like the Overprotective All Knowing Badass who keeps the Kryptonians in line with ease, Eliza has the patience of a saint, James is OC's best friend, Winn is Kara's best friend (no awkward kiss), Maggie will be Alex's best friend, Things get very serious in the future!, Mental Health Issues, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Mental Breakdown, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Trauma, Childhood Trauma, Asexual Character, LGBTQ Themes, This is gonna be a roller coaster of emotions, enjoy the ride, Lesbian!Kara Danvers, Bisexual!Winn Schott, Demisexual!James Olsen, Lena and James realizing they share Bestie status with Riley(OC), Sus of each other till they realize they get along as well, Riley(OC) & James & Lena becoming a Chaotic Trio of besties", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Alex Danvers/Original Female Character, Background Kara Danvers/Cat Grant, Background Kate Kane/Maggie Sawyer, Background Lena Luthor/Samantha \"Sam\" Arias", "Series": "The Super Twins", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": "F/F, M/M, F/M", "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	OC Character Build Pairings: OC/Alex, Kara/CatName: (Krypton) - Rile Zor-El (Earth) - Riley Jane DanversAge: 24 (Adam doesn't exist in this fic, and Cat is a very successful 30 year old)Height: 5ft 8in (barefoot) (same height as Kara)Build: Lean/Athletic/TonedEye Color: Stormy Gray/Blue (Kara's are a bright Sky Blue)Hair Length/Color: Short and naturally Wild/Spiky, Blonde Hair (Her different attitude, slightly sharper features, hair length, and Eye color are the only physical differences between her and Kara. Their outward emotions and movements are different (Kara is more "Bouncing off the walls Excited Puppy" while RJ is more "Laid-back but can still be a very excited Puppy" Unless they want to prank people, then they can "swap" attitudes which worked well until Riley kept her hair cut short)Piercings (that stay thanks to a tiny amount of Kryptonite in them): Left ear (two upper, one lobe) (top two are red, lower is blue), tongue piercing (closer to the front - yellow), Belly-button stud (sapphire gem on a gold piercing)Family: (Living Birth): Identical (for the most part, her features are a bit sharper than Kara's) Twin Sister: Kara (Zor-El) Danvers, Cousin: (Kal-El) Clark Kent, Aunt: Astra In-Ze Living Family (Non-Birth): Adoptive Mom "Ma": Eliza Danvers, Passed Away Family (Non-Birth) Adoptive Dad "Dad": Jeremiah Danvers (Yes, he's 100% dead)Type of Clothing Normally Worn: Her worn dark brown leather jacket (Alex gave it to her on her 16th birthday), Plaid Long Sleeve Button-Up, Plain short sleeve button-ups, plain color sleeveless shirts, jeans (carpenter, for casual wear) or military type cargo pants (work), sneakers (casual) or her non-leather military combat boots (brown or black) (work), and black "Fox" motocross brand shades.Costume: All of it made from Durable material like Kara's, but red pants (Military Cargo style design) instead of a skirt, a blue slightly "ragged design look" loose sleeveless shirt with the House of El symbol on the front. Her blue no heel combat-like boots and the gold-ish colored canvas style belt. Also has a red cape like Kara's (at first).Occupation: Owns her own Multi-Car Auto Repair/Welding Garage since she had found a sense of peace by fixing things (amusingly enough, it's where Cat gets her personal vehicles fixed/checked up, but it's usually someone else that drops them off and picks them up at the shop).Bio: Riley was the slightly younger twin to Kara and both twins had a happy/soothing aura around them, but while Kara's was "bounce off the walls" happy, she had more of a calm version that seemed more soothing than excited. When they were placed in a pod together that left right after their baby cousin, they both ended up in the "Phantom Zone" in a deep sleep. Once they landed on Earth, they were freed from their sleep/pod by their now adult cousin who now went by Clark Kent, or "Superman", who took them to be raised by the Danvers family who had helped him learn his own powers. While Kara was eventually comfortable enough to be openly curious about everything around them, Riley found a love for Human music and almost instantly had a habit of breaking into certain songs depending on a situation. Much to her embarrassment it can also happen when she's nervous.Skip forward around 10 or so years later, Kara was working for Cat Grant at the CatCo building as her assistant, and Riley owned her own Auto Repair/Welding Garage named "Danvers Auto and Welding". While always wanting to be 'normal' growing up, both had the feeling that they were only "surviving" in their lives, and not "Living" but knowing Eliza and Alex, both twins said nothing.Kara was carrying Cat's drink and her food into CatCo and Riley had just parked into her spot when they both suddenly felt that things were about to change drastically. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter One: When Super's Come out of the Wood-works (Quick AN for those who didn't read the Character "Build", Ry's full name is Riley Jane Danvers. Her Krypton name is Rile Zor-El) "I should be off work around six, if that changes I'll call you. Also Ry, make sure to remind Kara that if she's going to float around the apartment you two share, to please remember to close the blinds or curtains, we do not need another near incident like last month." Alex sighed. Riley knew she was exasperated but still amused at the memory of Kara almost getting caught floating mid air by nosy neighbors."Alright Alex, I'll be sure to let her know." Riley said with amusement."Thank you Riley, and enjoy your slow day at work. Love you." Alex said with a soft laugh, she knew that Riley could be just as bad as Kara with using their powers, even if she denied it with her last breath."Love you too old lady. Hey wait, real quick, if Kara doesn't veto the spaghetti and garlic bread idea, I'll start making that at around seven." The short haired blonde said, knowing from experience that Alex was about to tell her more."Please don't forget to make enough to feed an army again, you know that while I don't have the stomach for that much food, the two of you do. Oh, and if you have time to stop by the store on your way home you're almost out of that scotch I like." Alex added quickly.'Knew it!' Riley thought, smirking a bit at how predictable Alex was with her last minute requests. She was, however, silently refusing to acknowledge the fact that she and Kara were the exact same way."Of course Alex, I'll let you go and enjoy your work. While you do that, I'm going to go ahead and call Kara first before her Catwoman shows up at the office, let her know what's going to be made tonight and all that." Riley said as she stood up from leaning against the wall next to the door to her workshop, finally unlocking the main door and heading inside. Phone Side Switch* "Alright, talk to you later." Alex said, hitting 'end' when she heard Riley's own goodbye.She let out a deep sigh as she dropped her phone on the table in front of her, work had been hectic over the last week. Most of it due to the worrying silence from Fort Rozz aliens. No attacks in so long normally meant something big was going to happen.The easiest thing about that week was that she and Henshaw had finally agreed on a time for him to meet and talk with both Riley and Kara later that week in the D.E.O."Agent Danvers," Vasquez called out to Alex over the radio, "Director Henshaw has requested you to meet him in the armory." there was a slight pause while Alex walked out of the room and locked the door behind her, "He says it's urgent.""Thanks Vasquez." Alex said as she made her way to the Armory, wondering just what would cause an urgent talk with her boss. Back to Riley and now Kara Placing her worn brown leather jacket on the back of her chair, Riley smirked as she heard Kara shoot Winn down with amazing precision over the phone without even realizing it."Kara, I don't know why you just don't announce to Winn that you're as gay as I am with a shirt that says 'I have the hots for Catwoman, don't even bother'. To be honest Alex probably should too, if only to avoid guys hitting on her at work." She said, muttering the last part in amusement.Pulling out the racer roller chair at her decently large desk, she dropped her backpack next to the seat on the floor as there was a slight pause in conversation as Kara sputtered in frustration."Well, when are you and Alex finally going to date instead of focusing on work so much? Rao knows that I shouldn't be the only one out there! Besides, I know what happened when we were all younger was rough, but hey, you both still need to try to move on like you swore to the other." Kara finally sighed as she logged into her computer, as her younger twin was just as dateless as Alex.Riley felt her face heat up as a flush began to show, her own failure at trying to verbalize excuses came out in sputters just as Kara's had.Clearing her throat, she pouted a bit and ignored Kara's last statement, "Fine, fine, we're both pathetic at even attempting to date anyone." she paused, looking over at her desk picture of her and Kara's college graduation day with Alex standing between them. There was also Lois and Clark photo bombing from the sides, slightly in front of them, "What time do you think you're going to be home at? I was thinking about making all of us some spaghetti with meatballs and garlic bread."Kara hummed in thought as she let the unsubtle attempt at changing the conversation happen, "Well, I should be done around six so I should be there around seven, but I'll call or text if Cat has me staying longer than that. Oh hey, mind picking up more ink for the printer on your way back for me? I might need to do some work at home later and I know it's almost out.""Not at all, I'll grab the usual ink and start supper around seven. I'm also grabbing a few groceries while I'm out since Alex said something about being low on her drinks, so getting the ink as well is no issue." Riley replied almost absent minded as she bent some metal on the piece she was working on, happy that the gift for Kara and Alex was almost finished.She brought her attention back to the call when Kara spoke up after pointedly clearing her throat, "So Riley, when are you finally going to come over to CatCo to meet Winn? I told him about how you moved to National City finally, but he's starting to think I just made it up when I told him I have a twin sister. At least Alex knows you exist, but we met her when we were thirteen."She let out a small amused sigh, "Alright Kara, tomorrow I'll drop by your work to meet Winn officially, and hopefully psych out your Catwoman." Riley finished with a wicked smirk, remembering how Kara told her how much Cat Grant hated cat jokes.Hearing a familiar voice come from the elevator nearby with her 'super hearing' Kara stood swiftly to prepare for Cat Grant's dramatic entrance, "Alright, sounds good. Miss Grant is on her way up so I'll talk to you later.""Okay, later Kara. Let me know how work went when you make it to the house after dropping your stuff off at your apartment." Riley replied, both of the blondes hanging up to start their own work days. At CatCo Kara placed her cellphone on her desk and picked up her boss's specially made latte, holding it and smiling happily at the personal elevator. She made sure to fire off a warning to Winn right before the elevator dinged and the doors pulled open."Good Morning Miss Grant." She chirped out still very much bubbly with her sunny disposition, mostly to do with the idea of Cat Grant meeting her twin and the extremely sassy being that was Alex Danvers. That hilarious image had her fighting giggles but Cat's possible reaction caused her a decent amount of worry for her job."The only reason I bought this building was because it had a private elevator." Cat Grant stated, strutting out of said elevator and towards her mostly glass walled office, "That way, I don't have to get soaked in cheap cologne every morning getting to my office. Find out who used it, have them reprimanded, or bathed, I don't care which."Kara nearly tripped as she dove forward a little to catch the jacket Cat nearly threw at her, the C.E.O. not pausing as she continued towards the simple yet elegant desk near the far wall."Here's your latte. Hot." Kara finally interrupted bravely, hoping to distract Cat from whoever poor soul didn't understand how much of a no-no it was to go into Cat Grant's personal elevator."That'll be new and different" Cat sighed as she took the latte from Kara, not seeing the sunny girl's face visibly show her frustration."I have a meeting with the board today at lunch, so cancel sushi with my mother. Oh, and cancel my therapist. I won't be needing it if I'm not having lunch with my mother." Cat continued as she stopped by the side of her desk to take a sip of the latte Kara handed her, cringing from the non existent heat she then dropped it into the trash the moment she pulled the cup away from her face."Got it!" Kara responded, diligently writing on her notepad as quick as she could humanly get away with."Also," Cat paused, placing her shades on the desk, dropped her purse next to the desk on the floor and sat in her 'throne', "I've emailed a list. Prepare termination letters for the Tribune employees as noted. But it would be so nice if you hand wrote them. Use the lesser card stock."Kara quit writing in shock, "You're downsizing the Tribune? But that was your first acquisition."Cat didn't even bat an eye as she gave another order as she began editing some of the pages in front of her, "Go see if the new art director has the layout ready."At Kara's visible upset, she spoke again while not looking up from her editing, "It's not that I don't see your frown, it's just that I don't care enough to ask why it's there."Kara sighed with frustration, "All those people, they're going to lose their jobs. What's going to happen to them? To their families?" grasping at straws, she went out on a limb, "They don't have to downsize at the Daily Planet."Right after those words left her mouth Kara felt instant regret and more than just a little bit of terror when Cat looked up sharply."Metropolis has a person who wears a cape, and flies around performing heroic acts." While ranting Cat began to take off her heels, "The Planet puts this superlative man on their cover fifty-four percent of the time." She dropped her heels with a bit of dramatic flair, "You wanna save the Trib? Go find me a hero, Keira." She finished with a delicate wave of her arms.Kara turned around and began leaving the room after Cat's obvious dismissal, "Kara." She said softly, feeling down but not sure what to do about the situation. She made her way to visit the new art director as she wondered what she could do to try to help. "Put the drink you picked up for Alex in the freezer for me please. How was work Kar?" Riley asked at a normal volume after she heard the front door close.A slight gust of wind blew by slightly faster than the fans in the room were circulating the air. Turning away from the stove, she smiled softly when Kara's arms wrapped around her in greeting."That bad at work, huh?," Riley hummed in question, returning the hug just as tightly, "Alex will be here in little bit less than an hour and a half. Plenty of time for you to shower and relax before Alex double-oh-seven Danvers, arrives."Kara pulled back a bit, "Or," she drawled, playing with Riley's silly 'Welcome to Hell's Kitchen, my Throne Room' apron Alex got her specifically made, "I can do that and while we wait on Alex to arrive we can put on a rerun on with the T.V on low volume and I can tell you about this idea I had that requires a discussion. We can plan our side of the argument in case Alex disagrees."Riley looked questioningly at her older twin before she just shrugged and pushed Kara out of the kitchen and towards the bathroom."Sounds like a good idea to me," Riley muttered, making sure Kara was well on her way to wash up, "I'll turn the T.V. on once I have things in the oven to keep warm and fresh." "Wonder-dorks, I'm here!" Alex called out in her usual sassy manner, subconsciously checking for cracks in the door and frame out of habit due to the twin's super strength."We know, thanks for the nickname Double-oh-Spaz." Riley playfully scowled back over the music drifting around the apartment from the kitchen.Alex pulled off her shoes and just dropped them hazardously on the shoe rack next to the front door, not even stopping as she dropped her messenger bag on the floor next to the couch.She paused at the doorway, leaning against it quietly when she caught sight of Kara trying to sneak a bit of garlic bread off the pan only to get a swift slap to her hand from Riley."I don't know why you always try that Kara, Riley always seems to have eyes on the back of her head." Alex snickered as she pull both super powered women into a group hug. Amused by the pout Kara had and the smug look Riley was wearing.Riley laughed when Alex poked Kara's sides, actually getting a giggle and snort from the other blonde until Kara danced away from the 'vicious fingers' with Alex right on her heels.Shaking her head at the two, Riley moved to pull the rest of the food out of the oven where it was left to keep warm. She took the pot of spaghetti and pan of garlic bread to the table where the shredded cheeses were already waiting on the table."Alright you two goofs, time to eat!" She called out, not a second later Kara was in her usual seat and filling up her plate and Alex sat in her chair at the middle of the table between the two blondes."When I get back from Geneva, I was thinking about having another game night if Riley is going to get used to Winn and Vasquez." Alex spoke up, figuring now was a good time to put the plan out there since Kara was refilling her plate.The sunny blonde nodded eagerly, "Sounds good! I think that'd be pretty fun!"Riley just rolled her eyes when Alex and Kara looked over at her, nodding as she continued to finish up her first plate. "Sure, why not?"When the three women were finally full from dinner with no left-overs in sight, they cleared away the dishes and moved into the living room, Alex carrying a glass of her favorite scotch."So, what were you wanting to talk about?" Alex asked as they all sat down on the same small couch, herself in the middle between the two blondes.Riley sighed when Kara gave her the 'Puppy Pout', giving in to bringing it up with Alex even though it was Kara's idea, "We were wondering if we could not only meet your boss, Alex, but also talk to him about us working with the D.E.O. as superheroes."Alex choked on her drink, taking a minute to clear her burning airways, "Well, good news is that he wants to meet with the both of you after we get back from Geneva. Bad news is that I'm not sure if he would accept you working with the D.E.O. or not."Kara let out a sad whine while curling into Alex's side, Riley doing the same once she helped Alex by putting the scotch on the table so it didn't spill everywhere, minus the whine."Don't worry though," Alex said once they were all situated with amusement at how the twins, Riley more so, were like Great Pyrenees' that thought they were small lapdogs, "I think that if he says no at first, we will be able to slowly whittle away any doubt he has until he does accept."Riley and Kara nodded as they felt themselves begin to doze now that they had full bellies and Alex was running her hands through their hair. "Stay till we fall asleep? It shouldn't take us too long and it will still leave you plenty of time to head to the airport." Kara asked since Alex had to leave soon."Sure brat, now go to sleep. Kara, your alarm should still be ready for your date later tonight. Riley, the materials you ordered from that shop arrived today as well and they'll close a little before Kara's date so don't forget. Please leave your phones on at all times just in case." Alex said to the lightly humming blondes, knowing they heard every word she said as they drifted off to sleep.Once both Riley and Kara's breathing evened out, Alex gently slid out from between the two and off the couch but at the sight of them moving closer to each other to hug the other in their sleep, Alex couldn't resist a quick picture of her adorable Wonder-Dorks and forwarding it to their Mom. It wasn't until her watch beeped slightly that she grabbed her jacket and headed out the door, locking it behind her. Riley hummed happily at being able to use her strength to bring the supplies she ordered to finish her metal sculpture for Kara and Alex, she still made sure to pretend that it was really heavy but she was able to take one trip. She turned on the T.V. to the local news as background noise before getting to work.The tall blonde looked over at the large metal creation in front of her that was a little bit taller than herself at a nice six foot two. She made sure that the House of El symbol at the bottom that she finished at her work was sitting correctly to use a burst of heat vision to stick it on completely.Glancing over at the box with the supplies, Riley began adding them on or bending them into a specific shape with her strength and she let her freeze breath cool the metal so she could apply the few straps of Krypton cloth from Kara's and her own old clothing they wore in the pod, that she had brought out of her room earlier. She was thankful that it was only parts of their old pants, and that their shirts were still intact."Time for the final touch." She muttered as she began strategically placing the strips in certain places, taking a step back to look at it all to see if it was finished.The metal statue had a decently large House of El symbol at the bottom on top of the base. There were three figures standing side by side; Alex was standing in the middle with her gun drawn but aimed at the floor as she stared off at something with a fierce protective look, Kara was on Alex's right side with her hands on her hips and a sunny smile on her face but eyes that looked slightly haunted, and Riley herself was on Alex's left side with that same slight haunted look but had the sly mischievous look that usually made the other two glare at her for any possible pranks that would soon happen, with her arms crossed in front of her. There were also metal bits around the three statue figures that looked like poles and cement of a building which held the cloth pieces so they swayed around when there was a flow of air.Riley narrowed her eyes, "Still missing something." She soon used her heat vision to engrave 'Danvers' on the front side of the base and their first name initials under each one of them, "Ha! Much better!"When she stepped back, Riley had to jerk her left leg up as she felt the plastic from their T.V. controller start giving under her weight. Apparently the step had been on the channel buttons and the it changed."If you're just joining us, shortly after take-off, National City Airlines, Flight 237 bound for Geneva, is experiencing some loss of altitude." The man said. Riley could feel herself almost shaking with worry as he continued, "The pilot seems to be circling the city after apparent engine failure.""Alex!" Riley couldn't help but yelp in terror as her heart felt it was plummeting. She turned on her heel and sprinted towards an open window, leapt over the couch and threw herself out of the window with super speed. Once out of the building, it took a second before her flying actually kicked in and she rocketed towards the plane in the sky.She flew below the plane and caught sight of Kara doing the same, but when one of the engines fell off she broke away to catch it and blow freeze breath at it while Kara began to access what could be done the best to help. Riley quickly placed the large object on a building nearby and shot off back towards Kara."Riley!" Kara called out, causing her twin to pull up next to her, "I'm going for the right wing, you grab the left! We can land this thing safely at the airport and I'll put out the fire on this side as well!""You got it!" Riley said. They had little to no time to discuss other plans, so that was probably the best they could do.The two super powered twins began to guide the plane towards the landing strip while keeping it up in the air the best they could. Kara could see Alex watching her and with a nod of her head towards the other side of the plane, she basically told Alex where Riley was.It took what felt like hours with the high amount of stress they felt to finally get the plane close to the air strip. Thankfully the pilots noticed where they were and the landing gear was activated. Kara and Riley still held on, however, since they had to help slow the plane to a safe stop.As the tires screeched against the pavement both could feel the tension start to ease out of them, but once the plane stopped completely the two floated off to the side a little to use their x-ray vision to check on the people inside. When that was done they gave each other a high five, not realized that people were already snapping photos and taking videos of them even if Kara was only slightly solid looking and Riley looked like a blur."Let's head home, emergency vehicles are nearby, as are helicopters. We don't need to be seen clearly and Alex will probably be by later." Riley muttered to Kara, lightly elbowing her in the side.At Kara's nod they both took off again, only to stop by their favorite pizza place to pick up their usual before finally heading home. "The passengers of flight 237 appear to have guardian angels. When, what many report to be two flying forms rescued them from certain death. Leyna Nguyen is live at the scene." The man on the T.V. reported, Riley quickly dodging a flaying hand that would have knocked her in the face when Kara squealed."Thank you, Rick. Guardian Angels seem like an apt description. Reports also show that not only did one of them put out the plane fire but the other caught an engine as it fell off of the plane, put out the fire in that engine and set it down safely on a nearby structure." A woman said, causing Riley to squeal happily and kick her feet out from where she was sitting on the arm of the couch behind Kara, getting a slap to her leg when she accidentally kicked her twin.The T.V. paused, causing the two to realize that Alex was behind them. "Are you two okay?" Alex asked while holding her arms open for a group hug to check on them.They scrambled to put their pizza on the coffee table next to them and launched themselves into Alex's arms. "Alex we didn't get caught. I swear we didn't!" Kara rambled out as they all clung to each other."No! No I'm not worried about that, I trust your decisions. What I am worried about is that one of you might have been hurt." Alex said firmly as she checked for any signs of injury from the two she can't help but feel protective over.Riley and Kara shared a smile at how Alex was acting and Riley decided to speak up, "Alex, we're okay. Sure we were both freaking out that your plane was crashing and that freak-out felt like it took years off our lives, but we're okay."Alex looked at both of them with narrowed eyes, "Fine, but I'm staying over tonight just in case. Kara, since Riley has been cleared by Cat Grant to shadow you tomorrow, the both of you keep an ear out at CatCo just to make sure no one does connect the dots. Riley, why are you bouncing around?"Kara looked over at her twin suspiciously, "Alex is right, you seem to be double happy now."Riley gave them a quick 'wait here' as she darted into her room, coming out a second later gently carrying a large statue."So," she started, making sure it was still mostly hidden behind her, "I finally finished a gift that I've been working on for both of you and I would have given it once Alex made it back, but that trip obviously didn't happen." Riley trailed off, then shook her head and continued, "Anyway! I give you, 'The Danvers Trio'!"When Riley moved from her spot in front of it, Alex and Kara's jaws dropped. They knew Riley enjoyed working with metal much like how Kara loved painting and Alex was obsessed with her guns, but this was the first thing Riley made with the intention of giving it to Kara and Alex."Oh Rao." Kara mumbled as she and Alex walked up to it, "It's us!""It's really, really well done." Alex said as she ran her hand over some of the side parts that looks like pieces of a building.Riley blushed brightly as she felt pride at their reactions, also happy that she finally contributed to the art in the apartment that already held Kara's paintings, some of Alex's favorite guns hidden strategically around all the rooms and now also held her own handmade sculpture."Alright you two," Riley started saying, pausing only to super speed to grab Alex some sleep clothes and continued when she was back in the room, "let's go change into our pajamas, put on that Ghostbuster's remake and crash on the couch pull out bed before my face stays permanently red."Seeing that Riley's face really was lit up, Alex and Kara cooed at Riley before Alex went to the bathroom to change and Kara went to her own room to do the same. As they stepped out of the elevator, Riley could feel just how tense they both were as she suddenly remembered just how unsubtle they both naturally were."Okay, we just need to... act natural!" Kara said with forced cheer when they turned away from a T.V. report going on about how no one has identified the 'mysterious saviors' were.Riley gave out a huff as she failed to relax her posture, "Easy to say, hard to do."Kara led the way towards her desk as a brisk pace, "Pretty cool huh?" she asked a guy that Riley assumed was Kara's friend Winn."Two plane saving ladies?" He scoffed, turning in his roller chair towards Kara, "How is the world supposed to take them seriously when..." he trailed off when he noticed the other blonde standing next to Kara."Oh! Winn, this is my younger twin Riley Danvers! Ry, this is my friend Winn!" Kara said as she whirled around when it hit her that Winn and her sister have never met before now."Oh my god, you're real!" Winn exclaimed as he stumbled out of his chair, he stopped in his tracks at the pout Kara shot at him "Uh, I mean, hi! It's nice to finally meet the other one of the Danvers twins!"Riley's shoulders shook with the laughter she kept trying so hard to keep silent and shook Winn's outstretched hand, "Hi Winn, it's nice to meet you as well, I'm Riley! What were you about to say about the two that saved that plane last night?" She asked with her head tilting slightly to the left, not realizing that Kara did the exact same head tilt of confusion but towards the right."Well, how can the world take those two seriously when they can't even come up with a suit?" He asked as he sat back down in his own chair and continued, "What, Metropolis gets him and what does National City get? Two rookie superheroes? I mean don't get me wrong they did an amazing job saving that plane last night, but no suits is probably a sign that they must be new to it all."Kara gave a small sad look to Riley who put her left arm over Kara's shoulders and hugged her, "Hey, it's okay Pup! We might not have suits yet but we will!" She quietly muttered so only Kara could hear her.At the 'Sunny Danvers' smile appearing, Riley knew she succeeded in cheering Kara up."You're right! However, let's take a break on that conversation because Miss Grant is heading up her elevator. You can take the seat closer to the glass wall so it will make it easier to get up when Miss Grant yells for me. Oh! Also, I'll introduce you to James Olsen later!" Kara said, gently pushing Riley into the chair she spoke of. Once Riley was situated Kara turned and waved at Winn while holding out a latte for her boss who would be a new storm with she and Riley saving that plane. Playing Minecraft with Winn was a surprising part of Riley's day. When Kara had left the desk to help her Catwoman Winn shyly asked Riley if she preferred Star Wars or Star Trek, and at her very firm 'Star Wars' the two began fangirling about it. That moment soon turned into talking about what their favorite video games are, what their favorite tabletop games are, and eventually lead the two to playing Minecraft Adventure modes that people made.Kara saw this when she finished talking with James after Cat's meeting with the department heads and smiled happily at how Riley now had someone to geek out with when a sudden thought hit her. She wanted her best friend, and probably now one of Riley's friends as well, to know about who they really are."Hey Riley, come with me," She started, pulling Riley up out of the roller chair and towards the stairwell, "Winn, we need to talk to you on the roof."Riley could hear his nervous stutter as he stood up from his own chair, "The... roof?""Kara, what's going on?" Riley asked as she dutifully followed Kara up the stairs towards the roof."Riley, Winn is my best friend and I know he'll keep this a secret to the grave but it didn't occur to me to ask what you thought about this idea so I'm going to ask now. Is it okay if I tell Winn about us?" Kara spoke rapidly, paling slightly about halfway through.Riley pulled them both to a stop right in front of the door that would lead out to the roof, "Wait about us being lesbians, aliens not from earth, the two 'Guardians' from last night, or that we know someone who is basically a secret agent?""Technically the middle two since he already knows that we're gay. Not the last one though because Alex would kill us." Kara muttered the last part and they both shuddered slightly at the thought of a pissed off Alex."Alright, I trust your decision with this Kara, but if it does come back to bite us I get the right to smack you upside the head with no retaliation." Riley huffed with a small smirk appearing.Nodding happily, Kara continued dragging Riley out onto the roof. Thankfully they only had to wait for about five minutes before Winn showed up."Kara? Hey uh, just whatever you have to say, can you make it quick? I'm not really into being this high up." He said with a nervous smile, waving to Riley who was standing a little off to the side and getting a wave back.Kara walked up to him and away from the edge, "Okay, um, Winn, I'm going to tell you something about Riley and I that only five people in our lives know. Can we trust you?"Winn crossed his arms in front of him as he seemed to realize this might be pretty serious, "Yeah, yeah of course!""Good!" Kara replied with relief, "Um, I just... I really want someone to be excited for us. And we, um... Right, how do I... Uh, there's something about me, and Riley, that for the most of our lives, we've hidden it." Kara stuttered until she finally gathered enough nerve."But last night, we finally went out and did what we've been hiding for so long, and we don't wanna stop." Kara explained, only to be cut off by Winn."Oh my god, you both had public sex with your girlfriends? That's probably not legal, but... more power to the both of you?" Winn said with wide eyes and a stunned look on his face.By now Riley was almost falling over as she howled with laughter at the two, unable to stand up straight anymore.Kara was stunned with a slightly horrified look before she shouted, "We are not exhibitionists!""We're," Kara paused, trying to continue after that little tidbit, "We're them!"Winn looked so lost that Riley couldn't help but walk over next to Kara and throw her arm over her twins shoulders, "We're the women who saved that plane. The plane that Alex was on.""Okay... Yeah, okay. Right." Winn chuckled, going to leave since he was obviously thinking that it was all just a joke.Kara felt herself become determined and pulled Riley with her towards the edge of the building."Kara, what are you doing?" Winn asked as he turned back to them, "Kara, Riley! Hey, get away from the ledge, you're gonna get hurt!" He continued a little frantically.Riley actually felt a little bad for him if she was being honest. She figured out Kara's plan about three steps from the edge.As Kara turned around to fall backwards, Riley just shrugged and followed her twins lead as she took a step off the edge to plummet with her."Kara! Riley! Hey!" They could hear Winn scream in horror before they shot back up to the roof, Kara flipping as she landed while Riley just let herself softly drift down next to her"You're," Winn stuttered, "You're them! The two who saved the plane!""Yup!" Kara laughed with a shrug as if falling off the side of CatCo then flying back up was nothing.Sighing, Riley shook her head at both of them, "Dorks, the both of you." she muttered."Hey," she called out to Kara, "am I going to be able to meet your Catwoman yet or...?"Kara glared at Riley, "You know, if you call her that to her face...""She's going to make my life a living hell and make sure you go down with me, which is exactly why I won't." Riley interrupted since she knew how overprotective Kara was of Cat.Winn spoke up, "If that nickname ever does slip out in front of her, I suggest you run for you life and live far away from any part of civilization." "I still can't believe I wasn't able to meet your boss. I mean, I understand work is busy because of the whole 'plane saving' thing that happened last night, but come on." Riley pouted as she and Kara changed into the outfits Winn made for them.Kara grunted a little as she tried not to rip the annoying fabric, "Well, there is always next time!""True." Riley sighed, both of them heading out of the room and back towards the kitchen."So, how is it? Huh? How does it fit?" They heard Winn call out to them.Kara nearly stormed around the corner with Riley on her heels, "I'm not flying around saving people in this thing. I... I wouldn't even wear it to the beach. Where's my cape?"Riley was simply glaring at Winn, daring him to make a comment on how they looked like rebel teens from the nineteen-fifties."Capes are lame. Tell your cousin I said so." Winn waved them off before thinking better of it, "Actually, never, never do that."Thankfully Winn had other ideas for possible 'suits' and even whole heartedly welcomed ideas. Kara wanted more covered while Riley wanted pants with a military cargo look to them.The group of three ended up calling it a night and early the next day, since it was a weekend, they continued on. Kara ended up liking the more recent design and Riley was surprised to see a sleeveless shirt that seemed a bit ragged around the edges, and what looked like a pair of form fitting military cargo pants."Alright, we're coming out!" Kara called as they walked back into the living room where Winn was waiting."Oh, wait!" Riley called out because an idea hit her. Walking over to Kara, she gently pulled off the glasses and in turn, Kara pulled Riley's off as well since neither of them were needed.They turned back to Winn who looked at them with awe, "Winn." Kara gently called out, causing him to jerk back into movement."So! To be a superhero you need a crime." He said to both of the blondes, "I hacked into the NCPD," he paused to click at something on his laptop, "There's a car chase on the one-twelve freeway.""I can do a car chase!" Kara shrugged and asked Riley, "What about you?"Riley mimicked Kara's shrug, "Sounds like a plan to me!" Car chase scene, both superheroes slam into a hill due to failing a turn "A cape aids with aerodynamics, I should have thought of that!" Winn said as he took back his 'no cape' stand."West National City Bank, reporting a four thirty-two, on sixth and spring. Suspects are armed and dangerous." They heard over the NCPD radio."You uh, you're sure that the both of you are bulletproof?" Winn asked, leery to send them out to that situation.Kara was a little wide eyed, "Hope so!"At that, Riley turned to her twin with look that basically screamed, 'Are you out of your damn mind?!'It took them only a few moments to make it to the bank, Riley silently praying to Rao that they truly were bulletproof as they marched towards the gunmen.Kara lead the march and Riley flinched when the gunfire started, only to share a breath of relief with Kara as they were very clearly bulletproof, seeing the bullets simply fall down around them instead of through them. Once they were close enough, the twins disarmed the gun toting bank robbers and knocked them unconscious for the police, taking off after crushing their guns into balls of metal. "Alright, the new capes are made from a structured polymer composite which is much sturdier than the older capes and I polished off the rest of the suits. They should look much better now." Winn called out as he threw away the two capes they were using since they were riddled with bullet holes.Kara and Riley walked around the corner into the dining room, feeling a lot more comfortable in their new suits.Kara was wearing pair of red boots, a red skirt that was closed off a bit to keep anything from being seen, a blue long sleeved top with their family crest on it, and a long red cape hanging from her shoulders.Riley was wearing what was basically really strong red military cargo pants that were a bit tight to avoid the cloth catching on things too much, a blue sleeveless shirt with their family crest that had a bit of a ragged look to it without compromising how sturdy it was, a pair Winn made version of military boots but in blue, and a red cape hanging from her shoulders as well."And uh," Winn laughed lightly as he gestured to their suits, "These suits have the 'S' for super, just like your cousin.""It's not an 'S'." Kara started as she moved to a nearby floor length mirror.Riley moved to join her and continued, "It's our families coat of arms. The House of El.""El mayara." Kara whispered, getting a side hug from Riley."Four-alarm fire at Gates and Igle." A man reported over the NCPD radio."I'm assuming you can't catch on fire." Winn said as he figured that since they were bulletproof, they were more than likely fireproof as well.They both nodded in agreement with him, Riley super speeding to help Winn pack his stuff up so he could head home since this was probably going to be their last response that night.After making sure Winn was safely on his way home the twins took to the air and flew towards the burning building location."Alright Kara, you take the lower floors and work your way up, check for anyone still in the building. I'll start from the top and work my way down. Use freeze breath to put the fire out quick!" Riley called out the plan as they swooped down at the building.Kara nodded in acceptance and went in through a lower open window, using super speed and x-ray vision to check all the floors.Seeing Kara already working on her part, Riley carefully flew past the nearby helicopter and began to put out the fire on the roof with her freeze breath, going through a hole in the top once it was completely out.The two heroes quickly but carefully worked their way through each level, soon meeting in the middle once the building fire was safely put out and any people still inside, escorted out."Wow, we did good." Riley said as she looked around, "It not might always happen that smoothly, but we did it."Kara was about to agree when her phone rang and the song 'Bad Influence' by 'P!nk' broke the silence."Alex." Both of them said in amusement.Riley walked off to double check with her x-ray vision while Kara talked to the older woman. From what she over heard, apparently Director Henshaw would like to meet them, and Alex would be near the building they were in currently to drive them there. Of course, they had to promise not to look at where they were going to Alex, so she wouldn't have to knock them out like Henshaw told her to.Kara gestured to the busted window nearby and with a slight push off, both of the twins were out of the building and flying low, dodging people till they were able to land next to Alex's S.U.V and hop in. "Welcome to the D.E.O." Henshaw said as they finished faking 'waking up', "the Department of Extranormal Operations. The D.E.O monitors and protects Earth from extraterrestrial presence and or invasion."From what Alex had told them, this speech was something Henshaw had to usually say. Thankfully there was already a bit of comradery between them because of Alex so while the situation was serious, it was a lot more laid back then it could be.After he showed them their ship and told them about Fort Rozz which again thanks to Alex, they already knew about that, he spoke up about their possibility of working with the D.E.O."Usually I would say no, and leave it at that. But," he stopped to raise his hand to the three Danvers' who were about to start arguing with him, "But, this is an unusual situation. I believe that both of you and the D.E.O. would work well together if your ability to think situations through continues. As of now, if you accept, a trial run of sorts will begin. If, within a month, there are no issues that come up that can't be dealt with, you will both officially be working along side the D.E.O.""Yes!" Kara and Riley agreed quickly, resisting the urge to pout at Alex's sniggering from behind them.Henshaw nodded sternly once, "Alright Danvers' Twins, fly home. Agent Danvers' will brief both of you on the situation.""Yes sir." Riley saluted before the twins turned on their heels, lifting Alex up by her arms and taking her with them. (Time Skip) "Of course, leave it to media magnate, Cat Grant, to put a name to a face. Miss Grant has dubbed National City's new heroes, 'Superboy' and 'Supergirl'. And if Twitter is any indicator, the names of these 'Super Twins' appear to be catching on." Riley heard from the T.V. playing for background noise as she was working on her own truck.That work was put on hold because the moment Riley heard the new 'names' Cat Grant gave herself and Kara, she bent the tire jack she had in her hands in surprise."Superboy? Super Twins?" She muttered to herself while still staring stunned at the T.V., lightly pressing her hands against her mostly flat chest feeling slightly insulted.She was roughly jerked out of her confusion when she heard the familiar ringtone 'Fireflies' by 'Owl City' rang out from her cellphone.Having to dig around her paper covered desk, Riley almost missed the call until she found it at the last second."Hey Kara, have you seen the news?" She asked still feeling surprise at the fact that Cat Grant, Kara's Catwoman, had actually given them their superhero names."Yes and thanks to James I was able to keep my job. I uh, kind of stormed into Miss Grant's office basically asking her 'what the hell were you thinking' and if James didn't walk in and give Miss Grant a clean picture of us from when we were outside the bank, I would be jobless at the moment." Kara rambled on over the phone."Jeez Kara, slow down. What did she say about the names?" Riley asked, insistent on that part.Kara sighed, "Well, I brought up the fact that Supergirl could have been called SuperWoman. She wasn't too happy with that and brought up a lot of things to counter-act that. The whole Superboy thing I couldn't get her to change her mind about either since she saw it as an easier way for that hero to hide among the normal, I'm so sorry Ry." Kara finished with an apology."Don't worry about it Kar, it's not like you picked the names." Riley laughed.When Kara went to ask Riley how her work day was other than finding out she was called 'Superboy', a harsh tone caused the both of them to drop their phones."I am communicating at fifty-thousand hertz. If you can hear this, you were not born on this Earth. Painful, isn't it? The humans of National City will suffer ten times this pain if the both of you don't face me. Meet me at the National City Power Plant. How many innocent people are going to die until you prove that neither of you are cowards... Daughters of Alura?" A male voice painfully echoed about in their skulls."Kara," Riley panted as she raised her phone back up to her ear, "I'm going to call Alex and tell her what's going on. Meet me at the outskirts of town and we'll go there together once the D.E.O. shows up. You know we can't face him alone."Kara was silent as she ran for the roof, once she was on top however, she spoke up, "Alright, call her quick and I'll be waiting for you.""You got it." And without any goodbyes they both hung up, Riley hitting the speed dial for Alex because she knew what she said was right, they weren't ready for someone like Vartox. "Okay so let me make sure I got this right. The plan is for us to go in there and he's going to kick the tar out of us. Let him barely escape once the D.E.O. swoops in to help but with a tracker stuck to him if we can?" Kara asked doubtfully.Henshaw nodded even though Alex looked just as worried about this not so well thought out plan."Hey if it helps Kar, I'll let him focus more on me." Riley said with a cheeky grin, earning her a swift punch on her right arm from Kara and a slap on the back of her head from Alex.Riley pouted at Kara and Alex like a wounded puppy, trying to make them relax a little so no one is too stressed to either give away the plan, what little there was, or the fact that they were probably going to get the crap kicked out of them."Alright, I can't just stand around here anymore, let's go!" She called out before she leapt into the air, waving to Alex as she flew towards Vartox with Kara on her heels."This is not going to go well!" Kara yelled out as they shot forwards, "But thankfully we'll be there together with the D.E.O. right behind us!""Agreed with you there." Was the last thing Riley said before they landed at the power plant.The twins started gazing around with there super vision, but when they couldn't see through much of anything Kara lightly pushed Riley so they were a few yards apart incase he tried to take them both out at the same time."Clever. Picking a spot lined with lead. But we can still hear your heartbeat." Kara called out to Vartox since they knew he was hiding among the lead lined buildings.They didn't hear him getting closer until it was too late and he landed solidly behind Kara, swinging at her and knocking her away."Kara!" Riley shouted as she moved to fight off the male but he simply dodged her left hook and gave her a swift kick to the abdomen that sent her slamming into Kara, who had just been able to stand up again."Ow." Riley wheezed out to Kara when her older twin pulled her to her feet."On my planet, females bow before males." Vartox told them with a bit of a smug attitude."This is not your planet." Kara hissed at him, Riley thought she seemed very pissed that he had the guts to assume his planets' rules worked on Earth."You both look so much like Alura. I didn't easily forget the name of the woman who condemned me to prison. For the people at Fort Rozz she was our judge and jailer. Can't Kill her." He paused with a wicked grin, "So killing the both of you will have to do."At that Kara seemed to finally lose her cool with him and close the distance quickly with flying, using herself as a battering ram to knock him easily through a concrete wall.When Kara hopped over the wall and started sharing punches that had Riley realizing just how majorly untrained they were, Riley flew up in the air and prepared to dive bomb into him from above the moment she could without hitting Kara.Sadly, that moment to shine never happened since Vartox knocked Riley out of the air by throwing Kara at her, which in turn knocked both blondes into a nearby building."Ow." Riley wheezed yet again, this time from Kara's elbow having dug into her gut hard when they landed."Oops, sorry." Kara muttered as she pulled Riley to her feet yet again, feeling like this situation seems like it's becoming a thing with them.Unfortunately for them, that feeling seemed extremely true because next thing they knew Kara received a hard kick to her lower back, sending both of them slamming into floor a few yards away once more."Ow." Riley actually squeaked sharply that time since Kara's knee hit her pelvic bone harshly, "Okay," she tried talking again, so far unable to loose the slight higher pitch, "we really need to stop being the bad guy's weapons against each other, because OW, OKAY?!""Agreed!" Kara wheezed as Riley's own knee seems to have hit her in the gut that time."Just because the two of you wear that symbol on your chest doesn't mean you're him." Vartox insulted them as he walked up to them yet again, "Fighting him would be an honor. Fighting you two is just a joke of an exercise.""Oh hell no, you did not just use our cousin to insult us!" Riley snapped out as she leapt to her feet, dodging two swings from Vartox only for him to grab Kara by the arm and fling her across the room.He looked between the both of them, "You actually think that you can stop me?" He asked while dodging Riley's uppercut attempt and threw her towards Kara. Thankfully Kara was able to dodge her thrown sister that time."That you'd be able to stop any of us?" He continued as he stalked forward to grab both Kryptonians by their shoulders to fling them through a wall and out of the building."Why do I feel like he copied his speech from that first ever episode of that witch show Charmed? I think it was Prue's demonic reporter boyfriend?" Riley asked while they tried to get up fast to avoid the continuous situation of being cannonballs to each other.Vartox, being the jerk he apparently very much is, came from almost out of nowhere and kicked Riley through a nearby pile of large pipes. Then turned to Kara as he quickly pinned her beneath his boot and brought his axe up to finish her off.What he didn't take into consideration was that Riley would be back on her feet almost as quick as she was thrown, speeding up and hitting him with a perfectly timed uppercut."Ha! Nailed him that time!" She cheered while Kara leapt to her own feet for a fist bump.Their crappy luck prevailed and the moment they were going to fist bump Vartox threw his axe at them, slicing Kara's right arm a bit and causing a deep gash on Riley's left shoulder.Riley yelped, then felt slightly embarrassed that her pain tolerance appeared to be way less than Kara's since Kara only hissed in surprise.Vartox made sure to give them no time to recover that time, picking up Kara by her throat and choking her once he slammed her down onto a metal pipe that gave a little. Riley tried to help get her out but he saw her coming and dodged before he used his other arm to toss her down and put his boot on her throat."Where, the hell, is Alex?" Riley choked out as the boot's pressure made it almost impossible to breathe."Now you know what it's like to bleed. Soon, your whole city will bleed." Vartox promised to them, moving to completely close off their airways.Apparently their luck decided to change when a small missile slammed into the ground nearby, spooking Vartox away from them. The male alien grabbed his axe off the concrete nearby as the D.E.O. helicopters swooped, one going at him and the other stopped above the two Kryptonians.A human female quickly rappelled down as the first helicopter gave chase to a fleeing Vartox, that human was soon revealed to be none other than Alex."Hey, hey," Alex said as she quickly pulled both of the blondes to her, "I got you, I got you."Riley whined when her shoulder knocked into Kara's arm, though both blondes were not feeling too hot after such an embarrassing thrashing."It'll be okay," Alex shushed them while gently pulling them up, "come on you two, let's go back to the D.E.O. and get you patched up Riley."It wasn't till Alex said that, that Riley realized her shoulder was still cut up but Kara's arm was already slowly healing up."Aw, come on. No fair." Riley pouted since she felt a little thrown around in more than just the physical sense. "Ow!" Riley yelped when Alex pulled the shard of metal out of her shoulder, "I feel like that is going to be my new saying." She huffed as she felt her wound seal up on it's own."You're going to be okay." Alex muttered since she apparently wasn't in the mood for jokes."I don't think we've ever felt pain like that before." Kara told Alex, watching as the redhead placed the shard into a small plastic bag."More like we've never felt pain. Talk about one hell of a wake-up call." Riley joined in once her need to joke the pain away disappeared with said pain."Neither of you are totally indestructible, Wonder-Dorks," Alex huffed while moving towards some nearby computers, "and I know that the tracker was destroyed but did you have to taunt the guy into throwing his axe at you to get a piece of it? I know it will make it a hell of a lot easier to track him and maybe even help us finally defeat him, but that was still dangerous."Henshaw took this moment to speak up after Alex moved away, "Nice move Super Twins, while Alex is right that what you did was extremely dangerous and should never be attempted again," he stopped to give them a stern look that had them nodding in agreement to appease him, "you did good."Alex gave him such a dark look from that last comment that Riley and Kara were waiting on Henshaw to catch fire.Thankfully for him the computer pinged about something, "Look at that!" Henshaw chuckled before heading out the door, "It is definitely going to help against Vartox.""I think I'm just going to head home." Riley whispered when she suddenly feeling weighted down by how useless she felt after she and Kara were completely annihilated by a single alien.Kara stopped Alex when she moved to stop Riley, shaking her head slightly before their eyes moved to follow Riley defeatedly moving towards the D.E.O. exit."Come by after your done at the D.E.O. Alex, we need you, okay?" Kara said once she dropped Alex's hand and moved to leave as well with a few tears of her own threatening to fall. "Kara, Riley. Open the door please." Alex called out through the door to the twin's apartment.The twins knew she was there and almost couldn't open the door for Alex fast enough to hug her.Alex pulled them both towards the couch, dropping down while tugging them into her sides like usual."I know what you're thinking." She started after they were all cuddled together, "You feel like complete and total failures because of how bad Vartox was beating the both of you. But you're not, okay? Listen, neither of you are trained to fight in any way. His life is fighting and if you feel like you want to learn how to fight back, I'll teach you. Because no one messes with my aliens without pissing me off, but I know I can't always be there to help."By now the twins were basically blanketing Alex as their need to cuddle was overwhelming after the last few days."I know the both of you can do so much good. You are both superheroes, you just need a little help." Alex finally finished with a few cracks in her voice as she struggled not to cry at how badly the fight from earlier scared her."Come on, I got something to show you." Alex gently pushed at them, coaxing them up off the couch, "Come on, up up! Because it's not only me that believes in you, it's other family too.""We know Eliza believes in us, Alex" Kara muttered despondently."Oh, I don't mean just her." Alex paused to pull out a familiar looking piece of technology and set it on the ground in front of them."That's written in Kryptonese." Kara said when her eyes caught sight of the text carved on it.Alex nodded at Kara's realization, "Yeah, Hank and his old team recovered it from the pod that brought the both of you to Earth."Riley stepped forward and pressed a specific spot on top of the object, moving back to stand near Kara with Alex between them. Both of them clung to her hands as tight as they could without hurting her when the tech finished activating in the dark apartment."Mom." Both blondes croaked, already feeling tears fill their eyes."Kara, Rile, my brave children. By now you have become the people I knew you could grow up to be. And though you were sent to Earth to protect young Kal-El, your destines are not tied to his. There is no correct path in life. You will lose your way many times. What's important is that you find your way back to the brave beings you always were. Be wise, be strong, and always be true to yourselves." Their Mother's hologram finished speaking. Kara and Riley moved towards it, hoping even though they knew it wouldn't happen, that they could reach out and feel their mother once more.Before their hands could make it the hologram disappeared, and with it any ability to stop their tears from falling freely.Riley took a deep breath as she and Kara both turned back to the one person they considered their rock in life, "So, what do we do now?" She asked.Alex gave them a tight hug, "First things first," she paused as she pulled back to smile softly yet playfully at them, lifting their spirits, "you both need to change."Kara took a deep breath of her own and her eyes narrowed in determination, "Let's do this." With one of the twins on each side of her as they headed to the 'command room', Alex felt more calm then she had in a long while. It wasn't even because of the powers they had but the knowledge that she had her aliens ready to kick ass with her.Moving over to Director Henshaw they heard him say, "It's Agent Danvers and the twin sisters from another planet.""They're here to help us fight Vartox." Alex replied, ready to defend them if needed."About damn time." He said with a small smirk that grew when the three women's jaws dropped.Glancing back at the twin blondes behind her, she then turned back to her boss and told him, "There's no one I trust more than them. Like their cousin they were sent here to help us so, thanks for letting them helping us."Thankfully they were interrupted by an agent at one of the computers since Henshaw apparently wanted to make another comment about how slow they all were, and the agent said that she found Vartox.To say that Riley was a little nervous about another fight with a lack of planning was putting it mildly. However, she trusted Kara and Alex, and even Henshaw. So when he told them that his small plan was for them to go kick the crap out of Vartox, that was one hell of a plan Riley could agree with.After giving Alex a quick hug, both Kara and Riley took off into the air once they finished super speeding out of the D.E.O. It took them a few minutes, but they were able to catch sight of the truck that Henshaw and Alex were telling them about that was barreling towards National City. Kara landed on the road in front of the semi truck the guy was driving and Riley came to a stop a second later to go with Alex's plan since Alex had the highest initiative roll back at the D.E.O.Making sure she was back a few yards, Riley was waiting for the man to go flying from the truck that Kara would stop forcefully with her own body if Alex's plan went perfectly. She watched as the plan did indeed work beautifully and the moment he seemed to almost get launched past her, the younger blonde grabbed the guys arm and tossed him solidly into the pavement back towards the truck.Both Kara and Riley ignored the exploding truck since there were no civilians to worry about nearby, focusing completely on Vartox instead."You never should have come back for more." He taunted them openly.Moving closer to the guy, Kara charged in first but the moment she was knocked away Riley had slammed into him, refusing to give the guy even a second of peace after what he was planning to do to National City.Letting him throw her out of his way when she caught movement in the corner of her eye, Riley grinned when Kara kicked him clean through the semi truck he drove in on. She swooped in and like how she used to train with their Aunt Astra, Riley worked in tandem with Kara and vice versa, both keeping a constant forward attack that kept Vartox on the defensive.Their luck didn't hold out though and soon Riley was launched hard into a nearby hill while Vartox started getting really good hits on Kara."Riley! Get ready!" Alex warned over the radio that Riley and Kara both had a Bluetooth for, hidden as earrings.When Vartox went for the killing blow Kara caught his axe near the power source and held on tight. Riley like to think that he sure as Rao didn't expect that, and less so when Riley rocketed forward to make sure Vartox would take the blast head on. Making sure of it by wrapping her arms around him to also grab the handle of the axe and basically locked him into place."Kara, Riley, do it now!" Alex called out to them, causing both of them to fire their heat vision at the head of the axe. Kara from below and Riley from over Vartox's shoulder."It's not working! We can't do it!" Kara cried out as their heat vision seemed to be having a really bad problem of not blowing up the axe."It's why you were both sent here. I believe in that more than anything, you both have to believe it too!" Alex told them reassuringly, and it turned out to be just the thing they needed to hear.Their heat vision seemed to crank up to a whole new level as the axe quickly started turning a bright red and as the power source started humming Riley knew she had to get out from behind Vartox. At the last second she used her super speed to launch herself away from him right before the axe's power source violently exploded in his face.Riley hopped up and joined her twin when she saw Kara stand up easily, feeling a bit light headed from the rush of such a successful fight."It's over." Kara hoarsely called out to Vartox who was laying on the concrete looking really badly beat up from that explosion."You think I'm the threat? You have no idea what's coming." He panted out, mocking their apparently lack of information.What happened next shocked the hell out of Kara and Riley both. Vartox yanked a shard of his own axe out of the road and shoved it into his own chest, killing himself. (At the D.E.O.) "They did it, Vartox is gone." Alex praised about her aliens to Henshaw, knowing that they couldn't hear what was going on since the radio wasn't being currently used."Yeah, this time. They need training Agent Danvers, and you're the best one to do that." Henshaw said as he began walking past Alex and to exit the main room.Alex couldn't help but asking one question she didn't want plaguing her mind, "Director Henshaw, I wasn't only recruited because of them, was I?"He nodded, "Yeah, they're why you got in. You, are why you get to stay." He said with finality before continuing on his way.Feeling a blossoming of self-pride, Alex grinned and made her way to her own lab room to finish up for the night. After all, she knew Kara and Riley, there was going to be a celebration at the apartment and Alex was not going to let them touch her favorite scotch. Riley tossed the rag she was using away from herself, rolling out from underneath one of Cat Grants' sports cars that was in for a total check-up when her phone rang."Hey Kara, what's up?" She asked while tightening the now clean bolt with her own hands."Hey Riley, are you still joining Winn, James, Alex and I for lunch?" Kara asked over the phone, unknown to Riley that she was going to surprise her sister by showing her their cousins baby blanket later.Riley nodded until she realized Kara couldn't exactly see her, "Yeah of course! I'll meet the four of you at Noonan's in the next hour, sound good?""Sounds perfect! See you then!" Kara replied cheerily."See you then. Oh, and don't forget we should patrol after work!" Riley added on quickly before she forgot again."Of course you geek, talk to you later!" Riley heard Kara snicker at her, because they will both deny the fact that they always do last minute reminders to their graves."Later nerd, tell your Catwoman I said hi!" Riley laughed as she hung up before Kara could fire back another response.'Life is good.' Riley thought to herself as she hummed along with the 80's music coming from her boombox in the corner. (Later, Supergirl and Superboy were flying through the air to patrol National City) We were sent here to protect our cousin. Turns out, he didn't need our protection. But there is a whole planet full of people who do. Earth doesn't have just one hero anymore. Now it has us as well. Now it has... The Super Twins. (Fort Rozz, a little while later) -(In a ship's command center)- Man #1: General, Vartox is dead. He chose death over capture. Woman: Typical of his race. Man #2: He did accomplish one thing. The identity of both girls. It seems they are Alura's daughters. Woman: My Little One, Kara and My Musical Soldier, Rile. Of course they escaped with their cousin. Man #2: And much less of a threat than he is to our endeavors. Woman: You're wrong. If they're anything like their mother, they will be just as formidable. You also forget that I was the one who did most of Rile's training before I was sent to Fort Rozz. She might be rusty but with a little time she'll be beyond what she was capable of before, and Kara will be right there with her. Besides, it was my right to lead Krypton so I will lead Earth. We all will. Find them and bring them to me. Man #1: Are you certain, General? After all, Kara and Rile Zor-El may be of your blood, but they can still ruin our plans. Woman: No one can be allowed to harm them. Not even Non... ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter Two: Practice, Practice, Practice... Kara: "When people see the red cape, they expect to see a certain someone, someone they know. But this isn't his story, it's ours." Her train of thought derails as Riley playfully collides in the air with her but rolled away a second later. Kara shook her head with a laugh as her thoughts continued, "It's been two weeks since we've revealed ourselves to National City. So far things are going very well... we think we might actually have a handle on this..." Soaring through the air over the desert had Kara and Riley both wearing large grins at the feeling of flying so freely. They shared a look and both knew they felt happy up in the air.A mere millisecond later their attention snapped forward before they spun in midair to dodge a rocket that almost slammed into them."Is that the fastest you two can go?" They heard the Henshaw ask, sounding amused at their lack of attention."Is this mandatory for everyone," Kara started before Riley picked it up, "or just because we're..."Henshaw interrupted them, "It's not because you are both women, Danvers Twins. The D.E.O. requires rigorous physical and psychological evaluation for all suspected field operatives.""We were gonna say aliens." The twins laughed out together with both Kara's sunny giggle and Riley's slightly deeper chuckle heard over the radio."Not even Superheroes can be liabilities in the field. I need to know that your both in full control of your powers. Stamina, strength, speed." He said in a stern voice.Riley smirked at Kara with a challenge in her eyes then pushed her speed to massive heights, triggering Kara's sunny grin and her older twin darted after her with two loud 'booms' echoing through the area one right after the other."Those two just broke the sound barrier." Alex laughed out lightly with surprise after a nearby clear panel with their 'scores' written on their speeds cracked and shattered."Fire again." Henshaw's voice rang out, leading both twins to prepare for more rockets.Seeing one on each of their tails they broke away from each other but only to soar back a moment later and spin around the other twin, past the rocket behind the other which caused the rockets to collide violently behind them.They landed quickly once the last rockets were gone and they both looked excitedly at Henshaw and fired off questions almost to fast to understand."So did we pass?" Kara asked once he was finally able to get them both to shut up and ask one question at a time, instead of the chaotic cluster that was their first attempt.Kara and Riley made sure to keep up with him when he started moving through the D.E.O.'s testing set up in the desert as they listened with almost no patience, "I see you both share your cousins appetite for wanting destruction, Danvers Twins."Stopping near Alex, Riley grinned as she quickly hugged Alex tightly in greeting and stood close to her while Kara protested the nickname he gave them, "You know, we are getting use to answering to Supergirl and Superboy, even though Riley is still a little sore about that one." she paused at his silent look of 'Really?' and the sound of Riley trying to muffle her laughter."It's...it's cool, we'll find our thing." Kara said with a stutter as she looked anywhere but directly at Henshaw before he turned and walked off. Kara then dropped back to walk with Riley and Alex."Is all this really necessary? We're ready Alex, for all of it. We can do this!" Riley finally asked with her own small pout as she stood in front of the other two while she was talking."Well believe it or not but he's just looking out for both of you. You know we both are. I had a full year of training before he even let me in the field." Alex paused to grin happily, "But I am really glad that your both here now. I hated keeping this part of my life separate from the two of you. Even though you both knew about the D.E.O. and Henshaw knew about the two of you, it just wasn't the same.""You know, growing up I always thought you were such a bad liar. Riley would argue with me and just say that it was none of our business, but that didn't help." Kara laughed with a smirk at Riley when a fierce blush started forming as blonde thought back to her need for calm moments in their lives when they were kids and teenagers."Ah, that's what a good liar makes you think." Alex said with a smirk. She was amused at the twins playful banter and happiness that stemmed from using their powers far more often."So Ry, we haven't heard you break into song in a while now. Have you been working on controlling that adorkable habit?" Alex asked with a bit of a pout since the younger twin breaking out into song was always something that she enjoyed laughing about. More so when Kara joined in on it.Riley sighed as that question also got Kara's full attention, "Well, I've mostly just started singing along to playlists when you're both at work, just not at the apartment, or when I'm at work at the garage.""Hmm," Alex hummed as she stared Riley down, "I think we need to be near her when she starts humming Kara, she might crack at some point. Hopefully soon.""No..." Riley whined while Kara was jumping up and down excitedly with a large grin on her face."Supergirl and Superboy, come in Super Twins." Both of the twins heard Winn's voice call out from Kara's Bluetooth.Riley listened in to Kara's since Kara accidentally broke hers during their training earlier when they were fighting each other at Henshaw's orders. To say that Kara had gotten a really good hit to Riley's left ear was putting it mildly, considering she tilted her head to the left and smacked the right side of her head to knock the crushed device out."Saved by the bell!" Alex said as she playfully poked at Riley's side when she saw Kara's hand go up to the Bluetooth."What is it Winn, we're kinda busy right now." Kara sighed at her friends timing."Kara there is a huge fire raging at National City Port and it... it is bad." He stuttered out with worry."Alright, we're on our way." She said while hugging Alex, sending a look towards Riley before she started walking off."Fire at the Port, we gotta go." Riley rushed out to Alex with a hug, then turned to follow Kara."Woah wait, you... you both have been dodging missiles and pushing your endurance for the last two hours. Even you two have your limits." Alex said, voice filled with worry that they were pushing themselves too hard."For the last twelve years, we've hid who we were. We don't have to anymore, and we don't want to waste a minute of it." Kara fired back with a sunny smile that didn't really reassure Alex."Besides," Riley started in as well, "this sounds like a job for Supergirl and Superboy." Grinning at Alex, she playfully winked at the red head before she took off after Kara in flight towards National City.Walking into the office later while on the phone with Riley was a very un-sunny Danvers. While it did suck majorly that the boat fire went badly, Kara was currently unhappy that she was at the side of the boat that when things went from bad to worse, she ended up covered in oil while Riley got lucky and was on the other side of the boat. It didn't help that if Riley was covered in it, she could have simply explained it away as some oil spilling on her at the garage."Oh god, is that smell you?" Winn asked with his nose scrunched up and eyes squinting a little when he walked up to her.Kara could feel herself getting defensive and spoke up, "Three showers and I still reek of burning oil." Kara hissed out at him, then gestured to the phone in her hand that had Riley on the other end of the call but now on speaker so all three of them could talk together, "We went from Superheroes to Eco Terrorists in a single bound."Kara marched towards her desk with Winn walking next to her trying to be reassuring but apparently not having much luck. "Hey, hey, you're both like, a week into the Superhero thing, everyone makes mistakes. Like when you first started working here, and Cat told you to get Lunch and you went to Chipotle. Oh! Or about two days ago you told me about when Riley was fourteen and how she literally walked through the wall at your adoptive parents place when she caught sight of Lucy Lawless as Xena on T.V. and was in awe of how attractive Xena was. Or that other time when she saw Alex dressed up as Xena the next year for Halloween and Riley ended up tripping over her own two feet to fall through the second floor, down to the first floor." He laughed out."You told him about that?!" Riley howled in horror from the other side of the phone, "Is nothing embarrassing about our teen years kept secret in our silently acknowledged sacred childhood anymore?!"Kara froze, failing to come up with something besides to be unsubtle and with changing the subject... which she did, "Hey, look at the time! Miss Grant should be here soon so I'll talk to you after work, bye!""Kara Danvers don't you da..." Riley was cut off as Kara hung up on her to avoid the conversation until a later time.Winn just seemed amused with the whole thing but turned his attention to the T.V. reports to let it slide, for now."Forget about Supergirl and Superboy's lack of experience, I'm talking about the trouble they'll bring to National City. Look at Metropolis. Since Superman's arrival, a veritable super bad guy war has been waged on that city. Their maintenance budgets have quadrupled. National City does not need Metropolis' problems." They heard Maxwell Lord rant a little over excitedly over the live news.Kara's phone vibrated with a text from Riley that said, 'I'll let it slide this time Superdork, but we do need to figure out how to come back from this.'Oh Kara knew exactly what her twin was talking about but turned her attention away from her phone to a familiar voice."Drunk at nine a.m. That's the last time I have breakfast with Ruth Bader Ginsburg" She heard Cat's voice drone out from the personal elevator."She's here." Kara warned Winn as she turned towards her desk to hide the fact that she was using heat vision to make Cat Grant's latte hot again.Winn moved back towards his desk and muttered, "At least now I know how you do that.""So wait," Riley started once she and Kara both got comfortable on the couch after eating dinner and clearing up the dishes, "You're telling me that Cat Grant wants an exclusive with us as the Super Twins, and will fire James Olsen if he doesn't somehow set it up?""Yep." Kara nodded with a bit of a frustrated look on her face."And then when you talked with him after that meeting, James hit on you." Riley drawled out with a bit of understanding as to why Kara seemed so annoyed."Yep." Was the only response but with the word having a little more emphasis put on it.Riley cringed before continuing, "And after you shot him down while explaining to him that you're a lesbian, you now think that work might be a fresh hell of awkward between the two of you because he seemed embarrassed about hitting on you?"Kara turned more towards Riley to cuddle into her twin like they did when they were kids and still do, not that they would ever admit to it out loud, "Yes. At least until I can get him to understand that I'm not offended. Besides, he didn't even know that I bat for the home team.""I still have a hard time understand how human's tend to be so... weird about everything." Riley muttered, watching Kara turn on the T.V. and was surprised when Kara put on the Turbo Power Rangers movie that Riley adored so much.About ten minutes into the movie Alex walked into the apartment and joined them on the couch looking just as exhausted. At her landing in the small place between them, the twins cuddled up to Alex and they all kept watching one of Riley's favorite movies with no words spoken. Situations like this normally lead to Alex sleeping over at their apartment and all three of them cuddled on the couches pull out bed, so even with super powers Riley was happy that all the blankets and pillows they would need are only a few feet from the couch."You were called in too?" Kara asked when Riley walked up to her at a crime scene the next day, in her darker shaded 'Superboy' suit.Riley nodded, "Yeah, thankfully work at the garage has been slow lately or I'd be falling behind. Now, what do you think so far? Any ideas I should know about?" She asked, gesturing to the dead man in front of them.Kara pointed at a shard of something in the man's chest, "That is the only thing I've seen so far that could even give us a hint of what attacked this place.""What are they doing here? Don't they have day jobs to do too?" Kara and Riley heard Henshaw ask, honestly wondering how they were able to take off from work.Alex shrugged, "I called both of them sir. Riley's garage was having another slow day and Kara's work at CatCo was surprisingly slow as well. Besides, we hunt aliens and they might have information we don't know about yet. It's kind of like having yet another new resource."As the two walked up to the blondes, the twins stood up from their crouches and turned around, "What can we do to help?" Kara asked."Take a look around," Alex started, pointing a bit at Henshaw to seemingly get on to him for any possible sass she interrupted, "but don't touch anything.""Righto, boss lady." Riley grinned before walking away, carefully looking around while Kara went back to check the body again.As Riley walked through the building carefully looking for any signs of what it was that attacked, she noticed some slight gouges in one of the walls leading towards the security guard."Well now, that's suspicious." She muttered, glancing around to see if she can notice anything else. That last glance had her catching sight of signs on some of the large barrel like containers around her."Sodium Hypochlorite," She read off of one of the barrels, and looking around for more she noticed another chemical as well, "and ammonium nitrate."Feeling thoroughly suspicious now but not seeing much else, she moved back down the hall to Kara."Riley, over here!" Kara called out when an agent pulled the spike out for a better look.Riley moved over to see for herself and both supers were pulled into a memory from Krypton. (Flashback to Krypton) "Shouldn't you both be sleeping?" Alura asked teasingly as she walked into Kara's room.Both Kara and Rile Zor-El blushed at getting caught reading at bed time. They knew that it was okay, but it still felt like they got caught breaking a rule."I wanted to see you. Rile did as well, but you know as well as I that she is stubborn when it comes to admitting such things." Kara said with a smirk towards her twin, poking her lightly in the side.Rile just scowled a swatted at Kara's hand before both of them turned back to Alura when she cleared her throat lightly."I'm sorry I could not be home sooner." Their mother told them with a light laugh at their antics."Father made dinner!" Rile tattled with a grin, waiting for the sass Alura would sometimes give.By now Alura was sharing a sly and sunny grin as well, "Then I am truly sorry," she said as she walked towards them, "Zor-El has many fine qualities. Sadly, cooking is not among them."Once Alura had sat on the edge of Kara's bed near them, Kara asked the question both girls were thinking, "Why were you working so late?""Oh, another criminal was brought to the Citadel." Alura sighed as a sign that her job was not getting any easier."What kind?" Rile asked with curiosity clearly showing on her face, "Is it one that you or Aunt Astra has told us about before? Maybe one that we have yet to learn of?"Rile and Kara both caught the slight wince Alura gave at the mention of Astra, but let it go as their mother replied, "He is not from Krypton. His people are called Hellgrammites." She explained.Kara looked a little worried for their mother, "And you stopped him?""Oh, the military guild arrested him. It is my job as adjudicator to get justice for his victims, and make sure he never hurts anyone ever again." Alura replied with a passion of her job seeping into her voice.Kara beamed at that and with slight awe said, "I want to be just like you someday."Rile nodded in agreement but said her own version, "And I want to help Kara in that goal, maybe join the military guild to help bring justice to the people by bringing in those who break the laws."Alura once again gave a slight wince but neither twin noticed this one as they were hugging happily at the idea of working together."You both will, Kara and Rile." Alura said with what sounded like a sureness that could never be shaken loose."How do you know?" Both Kara and Rile asked her at the same time, not admiting that they themselves weren't too sure about it being able to happen.Their mother was slightly misty-eyed, leaning close to bop them both lightly on the nose as she said, "Because the two of you have the hearts of heroes."At that, Rile gave off a beaming grin as well and lunged forward to tightly hug Alura. When Kara joined in as well, the older woman laughed while returning their hugs.They separated a minute or so later and Alura spoke up, "Now, get some sleep Kara. Rile if Kara allows it you may sleep in here this night, so long as you both do indeed go to sleep.""Okay." Both girls muttered with smiles, and the moment their mother left the room them both moved back to lying on their stomachs to read from the crystal again."Hellgrammite." Kara spoke into it, drawing up information about the alien to satisfy their curiosity about the newly learned species while the light of Rao continued to slowly lower from their view. (End of Flashbacks) "You're looking for a Hellgrammite." Kara said with the same sureness their mother had.Riley excused herself from the conversation she was having with Agent Vasquez about how chess was better than checkers and moved over towards Kara, Alex and Henshaw, "That stinger you pulled out, we've seen it before on Krypton."Kara pointed towards Riley in agreement, "Exactly, our mother sent one of their kind to Fort Rozz.""According to the data we salvaged from the wreckage of Fort Rozz," Alex spoke up in agreement while looking towards Henshaw, "there was a Hellgrammite prisoner."He nodded slightly and asked with his hands moving to rest on his hips, "What do we know about his species?""Not much." Alex sighed as what little information they had appeared on the screens in front of them.At Kara's wave forward, Riley easily took the lead in sharing their information, "It's basically a large insect, but he can camouflage into any shape he wants.""Humanoid included." Kara said when Riley trailed off, figuring that it was a good idea to add that in as well.Henshaw walked around the desk in front of him, "A giant insect trying to steal bomb-grade chemical compounds. This job never ceases to surprise.""Actually," Riley shyly spoke up, having a feeling that even Kara didn't remember this tidbit of information, "the Hellgrammite is after it's natural food source."Nearly everyone around her froze and looked towards her, leaving Riley feeling a bit of stage fright."It's okay Riley, go on." Henshaw said reassuringly, gesturing other agents to get back to work.Riley was a little surprised at that but cleared her throat and gave a little shrug, "The two chemicals that we found were being held at that facility earlier are not only bomb-grade compounds but also part of the Hellgrammites natural diet. I remember that from the crystal that taught us about them after reactivating it to read more since I couldn't sleep that night."Kara gave Riley a subtle thumbs up with a small grin of approval while Alex bemoaned to her boss, "We had two walking, talking, alien encyclopedias this entire time and are only just now using their help.""You guys track him down, and we'll bring him in. Hopefully he won't kill himself like Vartox did." Kara said strongly, only to murmur the second part."Sure thing, Danvers." Henshaw said with unstoppable sass that had Alex just sighing in resignation, "If you can prove to us that both of you can handle yourselves without getting killed."Riley knew that he had a point, they just got lucky with Vartox. If they wanted to continuing being heroes, they needed training.At Alex's clap to get their attention, she motioned to a hallway nearby and began walking. It took both supers a moment before they quickly moved to catch up with the slightly annoyed older Danvers, leaving Henshaw in the main room.After a few minutes of walking with Kara and Riley waving hello to agents they would pass in the hallways, the three Danvers' arrived at some sort of reinforced door that Alex simply put in a code and walked right in.The twins shared a look of slight trepidation until they heard Alex call them into the room, "What are we doing in here?" Kara asked as they followed Alex around what looked like an oddly shaped fighting ring."When I joined the D.E.O. I spent twelve hours a day for five straight months in this room. We need to know that you're both prepared for everything you might face out there." Alex explained casually, the three coming to a stop when Kara turned to look at the other two."Alex, we can bend steel with our bare hands, and last week, we kicked Vartox's butt. We're ready enough." Kara said with a bit of sass, looking at Riley to back her up.Riley held both hands up and stepped back as she replied, "Ah, no. I want no part of this possible argument because I distinctly remember him kicking the tar out of us the first time. Also, the second time just seemed like luck when we beat him."Kara appeared very put out that she received no backup but refused to back down either way."You really think so?" Alex asked Kara, not seeing Riley almost desperately trying to use hand signals to warn Kara of the trap she apparently didn't see."Yeah, I do." Kara nodded, ignoring the nonverbal warnings and causing Riley to cover her face with her left hand, knowing Kara might find herself up crap creek without a paddle.Alex swung at Kara with a right hook that sent the older blonde twin soaring back a few feet onto the upraised ring.When the walls lit up green, Riley figured she was about to be dragged into the grave Kara dug when Alex reached towards her."I don't think so Alex." She muttered, using some of the stuff Astra taught her to grab one of Alex's arms and flung the older woman over her shoulder as she turned towards the wall, sending Alex flipping onto the ring as well, "I'll go next since that ring seems pretty small"Kara panted while lifting herself up, "How did you do that?" Kara asked, apparently stunned from the fact that Alex just clocked her quite successfully."Kryptonite emitters," Alex groaned while pulling herself up as well since she didn't expect Riley to know how to fight, even a little, "You're only at eighteen percent."Riley leaned against the wall around the small 'ring' once she removed her cloak, knowing it would just weigh her down and slow her movements later. The younger twin thought about how Kara was more smart when it came to Kryptonian laws and sciences, but she was more partial to the history of Krypton and the military training. Alura did always say that Kara seemed to lean more towards the Science or Adjudicator, while Rile leaned more towards the Military guild but enjoyed learning all types of their history, not just about the wars for strategy. Between the scuffle with Vartox and the small practice fights with Kara, her memory had already begun to jog her muscles into slowly getting back to natural reactions.Alex continued once she knew she had both of the twins were listening, but kept her focus on Kara since she was first in the ring, "Not enough to permanently harm you, but enough to weaken you. Make this a fair fight.""We just found out last week that Kryptonite exists," Kara huffed out in exasperation as the two slowly walked around the ring, "Only the D.E.O. knows it can hurt us."At Alex's slight eye narrowing, Riley felt herself tense to watch Alex's fighting style closely when the redhead lunged again but was slightly disappointed when Alex started talking again instead, "You both may have powers, Kara, but so do most of the Fort Rozz aliens. Not only do they have the element of surprise, but they've also had time to master their abilities. We may not always know who our enemies are, so we need to be prepared to face anyone.""Now," Alex said firmly as she moved into a fighting stance that reminded Riley of some of the M.M.A. fighters on T.V., "come at me."The thorough beat down Alex proceeded to give Kara even had Riley wincing as it progressed. But when Kara charged Alex and both of them went stumbling out of the ring, Riley had to move quick so she wouldn't be squashed between Alex and the wall, which quickly turned into Kara being squashed against the wall."Alright, alright, enough. You made your point." Kara ground out and Riley could tell that she was extremely frustrated at getting her tail kicked by Alex so easily.Alex let up and Kara started walking out with the red head following her after turning off the Kryptonite emitters, but Riley stayed where she was to wait on her time to tussle with Alex."Well, maybe I'm not D.E.O. material after all. I think I know why my cousin prefers to work alone." Kara snapped out as she left the room and past Henshaw who was just entering.Riley flinched as she felt the sting of that harsh comment, even though she knew Kara didn't actually mean it."Miss Danvers." Henshaw called out, but Kara just ignored him and kept walking.Alex sighed deeply while visibly upset, "I hate that you're making me do this. I still have to fight Riley as well.""You should be thanking me." Henshaw started, "You may have just saved their lives."He moved towards a different corner of the odd room and nodded in the direction of the ring as he hit the pad that turned the emitters back on, "Your turn."The remaining blonde quickly hopped up into the ring and watched Alex climb in as well."Alright, come at me." Alex muttered, moving back into her fighting stance.Oh, but Riley knew better after watching Alex kick the tar out of Kara. She had seen the damage Alex could do when on the defensive and decided to stick to the fighting that Astra had drilled into her head and muscles like a second nature when she was a kid, feeling her senses lock on to the room, Alex and even Henshaw. The only bad thing about her fighting style was that it took a bit to get her out of that second thought process.When Riley made no move to go at her Alex feinted a lung forward, only to see Riley standing in the same position she was already in. At that Alex just shrugged a bit and went in hard and fast, trying to get Riley down without dragging it out.Unfortunately for Alex, Riley was expecting that to happen. The moment Alex shot in with a left hook, Riley let kept her upper arms close to her head but her own left fist flew out and connected hard against Alex's right cheek.Riley had to hand it to Alex though, the older woman didn't seem very phased by it and was back to pushing hard against her defense fairly quickly.Henshaw was off to the side still, watching closely and couldn't quite recognize the stances Riley was using but figured they must be Kryptonian, maybe even some more... unorthodox military styles.Seeing Alex move for an upper cut after faking a left hook, Riley took a step back and could feel the swoosh of air as Alex's fist barely missed. Riley lunged forward in a full on attack the moment Alex's elbow lined up with her shoulder, a low right swing had Alex's left arm dropping down to protect her ribs but what she didn't see was Alex's right fist swinging out and nailing her hard over her left ear to disorient her for a moment.The two traded blows back and forth like that for a while, Henshaw watching and noticing that while their stances and training were extremely different, the two both shared a preference for fast and hard movements with both defensive and offensive attacks.Eventually Alex was able to knock Riley down, and sadly for Riley, the blonde didn't really know how to fight when downed so Alex was able to use her legs and arms to pin Riley in a full body lock. Both were breathing heavily when Henshaw hit the pad next to him and turned off the Kryptonite, startling both fighters into leaping up and whirling towards him."Not bad kid." Henshaw said as he clapped slowly before crossing his arms in front of him, "You definitely need work on fighting when you're down, and you need to rely less on your left hand, but other than that, not bad at all."Riley gave a lopsided grin as the bruises and slight cuts on her face seemed to stick out and she could still feel her muscles aching in a familiar way that reminded her of when Astra trained her the fighting styles, it had her wanting to continue."Think you can help teach that to Kara?" Alex asked while moving to lean against Riley, a bit winded, bruised and bleeding, but a little less so than Riley."I can definitely try." Riley started with shrug but then her eyes lit up and her grin grew, "Hey, is there an exercise room that has emitters like this room?"Alex could feel her own grin and at Henshaw's eye-roll she grabbed Riley's hand to tug her out of the room, leading her towards a different room that held the equipment they would need.To say that Riley was excited was an understatement of the century. Kara and Alex enjoyed surfing together, Kara and herself enjoyed flying together, and now she and Alex had their own thing of working out and martial arts that they would share together too.Kara could feel an embarrassed flush burning at her ears when she couldn't walk normally after not only fighting Alex, but also from the exercises she pushed through after she had gone back to apologize for her short temper."Those two working out together are a menace to the saying 'lazing about'." Kara muttered to herself just outside of Cat Grant's office, about to carry a tray that held her bosses lunch and personal coffee.She knew it would be impossible for Cat to not notice but Kara hoped she would anyway as she placed the tray on the glass coffee table and tried to waddle away after grabbing one of the layouts without alerting her boss.Sadly it didn't work as Cat spoke up, "Why are you walking like that?" She asked while not taking her eyes off of one of the layouts in her hands.The badly hidden superhero sighed a little in defeat while continuing to try to leave the office, "I took you advice to get my head out of the clouds, so I took a kickboxing class." Kara paused as a quick thought of 'If Alex and Riley were to train the D.E.O. agents together, I'm sure the cave would be suddenly empty on training days.' "I'm a little sore." Kara finished up with.When Kara looked at the heading Cat Grant picked out, she was stunned, and not in a good way, "SuperTwins failure to launch?" She asked with a bit of hurt seeping into her voice."I don't need you to read it to me. I wrote it." Cat said simply in return as Kara turned back around towards her. "Get it to copy for the noon posting.""I don't get it." Kara said with confusion that was still laced with hurt, "Why do you keep criticizing Supergirl and Superboy for trying to save the city? When Superman started..."Her boss cut her off quite firmly, "He, he, he. Him, him, him. I am so sick of hearing about the Man of Steel." Cat removed her glasses and placed both that and a layout she had on the coffee table before standing up.Cat picked up her tray and continued while moving towards her desk, "Every woman worth her salt knows that we have to work twice as hard as a man to be thought of as half as good."Kara gave a light shrug while feeling like she was grasping at straws to defend herself and her slightly twin, "Well, they did rescue that plane.""Yes, I'll give them that." Cat admitted as she placed her tray down, "They barely damaged the plane themselves, landed it safely at the airport, and Superboy did indeed catch the engine that fell from it. But that's basically the only majorly successful thing they've done so far.""They saved that tanker from exploding!" Kara tried to add in, blurting it out and trying to hide her slight wince at the memory of it."Causing an oil slick, which they're still trying to clean up. I'll admit that the invention donated by some scientist from god knows where is helping speed that process up to where it's almost clean again already, but still." Cat said while she gathered up her own personal chopsticks, then moved back to her desk, "Now, don't get me wrong, I don't like fishes with their slimy skin and tendency to flop around wildly, but it does reassure me that they're still swimming around down there." She finished with an awkward hand gesture towards the floor that had Kara realizing how her boss was apparently just as weird as she is.Feeling a new low, Kara decided to go out on a limb and ask Cat, "Well, if Supergirl and Superboy were here, what would you suggest they do?"Cat continued to seemingly focus more on picking out her chopsticks, "First I would honestly... apologize," she ground out as if pained by saying it, "to Superboy for calling her that if it bothers her. They I would tell them both to calm the hell down. They're taking on way too much, way too fast."Kara was honestly impressed that Cat Grant would even consider apologizing to Riley but had to bite her tongue to avoid telling the Queen of all Media that Riley admitted to the fact that the moniker actually grew on her and now she doesn't want it changed. Instead she went back to the main part of the conversation, "They're just trying to save the day.""By screwing almost everything up?" Cat snapped out before calming a little bit, "No, these inexperienced Millennials have barely had a run in their costumes, and yet there they are at the epicenter of danger. What's next? 'I think I'll catch the meteor that's headed straight for the White House! Oh, whoopsy. At least we caught pieces of it?'. No, no, no. There is a learning curve. You don't just walk through the door and suddenly own the company."By now Kara knew that she had sent Cat into a full on rant, but listened carefully because it seemed like she was about to give one hell of a tip to Super-Heroing, not just because she found the woman's passionate ranting completely enrapturing.She listened as Cat's rant picked up, "I started out as Perry White's assistant. I worked my ass off until one day I finally had the chance to write an article for the gossip column. Every step of the way, I had to fight, to work hard, to get better, to come out ahead. No catching planes and boats on fire, hmm..." Cat's rant froze for a moment as she delicately sat down, "How about we start with something small and work our way up? The Super Twins should take a page out of your book, Kara."Kara let out a small laugh at that last comment, choosing not to say anything about Cat finally saying her name correctly lest she get snapped at.The younger blonde turned to leave and was almost out of the office before stopping when Cat asked her a question with a nervous pitch, "Uh, this fish isn't local, is it?""No," Kara reassured her, trying not to giggle out loud, "of course not."Pulling out her phone, Kara sent a quick text for Riley to meet her and two others in a very specific alley in five minutes. Riley immediately agreed to head there asap so Kara walked up to Winn, "Meet me in the alley in five minutes."Kara ran at super speed a bit of ways away from CatCo before taking to the skies in her suit, nearly bumping into Riley when she shot into the air."Woah, hey there Kar! Do they both know we're meeting both of them?" An amused tone was in Riley's voice as they finished flying towards the alley, but a second later she heard a voice that clearly told her that no, they did not know the other guy knew their secrets."My friends like to make an entrance." Riley heard James tell Winn, the two obviously not realizing they both know the twin's secrets.The twins landed carefully on the alley road as to not crack any of it, both nearly laughing when James said and Winn asked, "He knows." "He knows? You told him?!""James already knew, and Winn's our friend." Kara explained as they walked up to the two men in front of them.Riley spoke up first since Kara caught her up on the Catwoman's suggestions via phone call, "If we're going to be heroes, and to prove to everyone that we know what we're doing, we're gonna need to practice.""Start small, get better. And to do that, we're gonna need your help." Kara said with determination shining bright in her eyes and that famous Sunny Danvers smile appearing."I'm in." Both James and Winn said, making Riley playfully wonder if they were more like twins than she and Kara.Kara and Riley were soaring through the air quickly, yet careful not to go too fast to avoid birds and not break windows."Okay boys, what have you got for us?" Kara asked with a wide grin, playfully bumping into Riley and vice versa as they listened carefully to their recently reinforced Bluetooth earrings.Winn's voice came over the radio first, "Armed robbery at a pizza place on fifth and Siegal.""Remember, bulletproof means that bullets bounce off of you. So if you don't want anyone to get hurt, don't let the bad guys even get a shot off." James chimed in right after Winn with a bit of information the twins didn't consider before.Before either of them could reply, Winn's voice came over the radio again, "Oh, and uh, try not to damage the suits."They both ignored the rest of the conversation about Winn's 'mad sewing skills' and used their super speed instead of flying to get into the pizza place. When the gun toting robber turned back towards Kara as the rustle of wind, Kara placed her hand over the exit of the barrel so when the man fired, it simply messed up his gun and sent him flying backwards off his feet and right into Riley's waiting arms. She tossed the gun to Kara and used a bit of speed to tie the unconscious man up for the NCPD before they darted off again."Next?" Riley asked once they were back in the air and on the prowl.James' voice came up first this time, "Ambulance caught in traffic on Donner Avenue carrying a heart attack victim. They're not going to make it to National City General in time.""Oh, and a fully loaded Ambulance is about nine-thousand, two hundred pounds which would mean that you'd need to use a maximum of forty-four thousand, four hundred and ninety-eight newtons of force..." Winn rambled, only for James to cut him off, much to Riley's relief."Kara, Riley, what he means is, gently this time." James said calmly to them.At Kara's waving gesture, Riley swooped down and carefully picked up the ambulance, making sure to keep it balanced and a bump free ride with Kara flying around her to keep the air between them and the hospital clear while also protecting the Ambulance as well.When they arrived at the hospital soon after, Kara made sure to grab the front of the vehicle while Riley held the back, both working together to gently set it down so it would stay level and not jostle the people inside. (News Broadcasts) "Supergirl and Superboy rescued an ambulance stuck in traffic, saving the life of a man inside." "Another super save for the Super Twins." "Looks like National City's heroes are starting to live up to their names." (End Broadcasts) "Oh! This one's the fire department. Ha! Kara, Riley, you're gonna love this one, it's a classic. Kitten up a tree!" Winn laughed to them before rattling off the location.The moment Kara caught sight of the very large snake up the tree and not a kitten, it was suddenly Riley's turn instead. Riley simply shook her head at Kara and gently pulled the large snake out of the tree and floated back down to the little girl below."Fluffy!" The girl cheered, unknowingly making Kara cringe but had Riley beaming happily.Kara shuddered and muttered to Winn over the radio, "I thought you said it was a cat?""Dude are you kidding? That was awesome! I want one." Riley let out her own cheer when they took to the air again, waving happily back at the young snake owner."No." Was the very firm and disappointing reply.Winn asked with amused horror, "Who names their snake Fluffy?!" (That Night) "A dazzling display of heroics by the Siblings of Steel now has a grateful National City asking, 'What oil spill?'. Watch out Metropolis, looks like we're about to give you a run for your Superhero money!" The reporter on the T.V. said, bringing happily giggles and laughter to the people in Kara and Riley's apartment."I can't believe it, it's working!" Kara cheered as she moved to join Riley closer towards the dining room, "People are really starting to believe in them!""In you two." James spoke up when Riley didn't correct her.Riley gestured to Winn and James, "We couldn't have done it without you. Thank you guys."A knock sounded out through the apartment and both blondes used their x-ray vision to see Alex standing on the opposite side of the door."God, what, did you order more pizza and bone out wings? You're beasts." Winn joked lightly to avoid the possible pouts.When the twins walked to the door in their full outfits, James and Winn both started freaking out since they didn't know it was Alex, "Kara, Riley, the cape!"They ignored the guys and Kara swung the door open, "Can we talk?" Alex immediately asked with a worried look on her face.Riley moved out of the way a bit and the tension climbed higher as Alex caught sight of James and Winn. Oh, the Danvers' crinkle appeared... Alex didn't seem happy."Again, I trust the both of you but is it a good idea for them to know who you really are?" Alex asked as she walked towards the table Kara was at, Riley joining a second later while still toweling off her really short hair."Yes," Kara said firmly, "because they're my friends. Besides, Riley and Winn are bonding over their games, while James is bonding with her too over their adoration for dark haired women with 'an air of power around them'." She finished with more than a little confusion about how James and Riley are bonding over that.Riley snapped her towel at Kara, "You don't know us. You don't know our lives. You don't know what we've been through."Alex slowly shook her head in fake horror, much to Kara's amusement, "I should have never let you watch that movie.""Hey, remember how scared we were of the popcorn maker?" Kara asked with a small grin when the laughter calmed down.Riley laughed lightly, "Ha, oh yeah. We hid under the table the first time it was used.""Yeah, Alex over here," Kara gently poked the older woman, "crawled under the table next to us. Showed us the melted butter and sprinkled the tiny white crystals..."Alex had her own little grin at the memory, "Don't forget Riley's reaction to tasting popcorn under that table either!"Both Kara and Alex laughed at the memory of Riley's eyes going wide, followed by chasing Alex around the house without using her powers, to snag the bowl as her own. They both pointedly ignored the pout Riley was currently wearing.When Alex's phone went off and interrupted the sharing of memories they silently swore to keep hidden from others, Kara and Riley figured it was probably the D.E.O."Danvers." Alex answered with, unknowingly confirming their unspoken thoughts.Kara sighed and passed her mug to Riley who was getting up to wash the dishes, after quietly asking Kara and Alex if they were done with their drinks."Alright you two," Alex said, pausing to hug Kara then move over to the kitchen sink to hug Riley, "I'm headed to the D.E.O. so I'll see you both later."Riley dried off her hands and walked next to Kara, both following Alex to the door, "See you later, Alex." They both muttered, pulling Alex into a group hug before letting her leave."Alright so we're meeting your Catwoman later tonight for the interview because if we don't, she's going to fire James." Riley muttered to sum up Kara's twenty minute rant yet fawning over Cat Grant.She pulled her phone away from where she had it held to her shoulder with her head and put it on speaker before placing it on the floor next to where she was working on Cat Grant's Ferrari."Yep, we're superheroes now and I figure that talking with Cat will help us in the long run, help people understand why we do what we do. I'm also happy that you're doing this with me!" Kara rambled on with barely a pause."Yes, I figure if I need to ask you something specific to hide anything you want to keep hidden, I can just ask you in Kryptonese." Was Riley's response in their natural language.Kara could barely start a response when both of their phones lit up for a three-way call with Henshaw. Both of the blondes ended their shared call and joined the new one."Hello?" "Sup Director?", Kara and Riley greeted him when the calls connected."It's Henshaw. There's been an incident. Alex has been abducted." He opened up with, causing Kara to immediately leave CatCo and Riley to scramble out from under Cat Grant's car without breaking it, both super speeding to change into their suits and launching into the night sky towards the D.E.O. cave in the desert."Do you think they tried going after the Hellgrammite without us?" Riley asked sharply as they met up and were already preparing to land and super speed to Henshaw."Oh, without a doubt. If one hair on Alex's head is out of place, it's war." Was snapped out from Kara when they landed harshly onto the sand, not a single care given when they both left small craters in their wake.One quick super speed run through the base later and they were turning the corner to see the Director himself standing in the hallway."We should have been there. If we were there..." Kara snapped at him as they stormed up to him, trailing off in her anger."Yeah, if you trusted us enough to tell us instead of silently putting us on the sidelines we could have stopped this!" Riley growled out, feeling almost buried in her rage at someone messing with her... 'No Riley, don't go there.' she shook her head a bit to clear her thoughts.Henshaw turned to face them, "Or you'd be captured and dead too." He said sternly.Kara had to move forward to catch Riley as the slightly younger blonde lunged towards him at the word 'dead'.Holding on tight Kara continued with her voice overflowing in emotions, "I know to you, she's just another agent, but to us, she's our Alex. Does that mean anything to you?! Do you have a family, a loved one?""I did." Henshaw said with what they could see as sadness. At that Riley could feel the wind drop out of her sails that fueled her rage, and instead slumped a bit in Kara's hold that soon fell away."Look," he continued after seeing not pity in their eyes, but understanding, "we have every satellite and tactical drone up in the air, searching this whole city for her."Riley and Kara shared a look, nodding firmly to each other and turned back to Henshaw, "And now you have us too." Kara told him calmly, yet determined."Aye and we'll be damned if we don't bring Alex home safe tonight." Riley promised before both twins spun on their heels and after a few steps, used their super speed to get back outside quickly, then rocketing into the air leaving two more small craters behind them.They split up, each flying over one half of the city and honed their hearing in for Alex's voice, the heartbeat they could pick out in a large crowd at an instant."Come on Alex." Riley muttered as their senses continued to stretch out for her."Supergirl and Superboy will find me." They caught Alex's voice saying from inside of a warehouse, going full tunnel vision without meaning to while Riley changed her flight to meet up with Kara as they flew towards the location."Director Henshaw, we got her. A warehouse at the corner of Seventy-Eighth and Washington. We're going to get her back." Kara told him over their radio, ignoring his shout to wait.Landing carefully, Riley muttered to Kara, "This might be a trap so we need to keep our guards up and our heads on a swivel."The slightly older blonde simply nodded and lead the way into the warehouse, both of them were walking as light as they could while not floating, senses stretched out just in case."Alex." Kara muttered with her senses snapping to lock onto Alex to check for any injuries.Riley however, noticed the slight panic Alex was showing and used some of the skills Alex taught her to sink into some nearby shadows to the side of the way they entered, thankful that her suit was darker than Kara's.Sure enough, Alex began calling out to Kara, "No, get out of here, It's a trap!"A figure blurred into the building and knocked Kara across the room, it took Alex's slight hand signal behind her back to get Riley to stay hidden for the moment instead of darting towards the other Kryptonian."It's been a long time, little one." Astra called out to Kara, and Riley could feel her jaw drop in surprise."Look how you've grown." The older Kryptonian called out, "So beautiful."Kara stuttered out what both she and Riley were thinking while she made her way to her feet, "But... but you died. When Krypton exploded... everyone died. You died! Aunt Astra..."By now Riley didn't know if she should leap out of the shadows and cheer, or if she should stay leery with the way Astra was acting. So instead she just trusted Alex and stayed where she was for now.Astra shook her head at Kara and slowly walked forward with her voice getting sharper at each question, knowing that Non's people were listening in, "Except I wasn't on Krypton when it perished. I was a prisoner aboard Fort Rozz. Did your mother not tell either of you? How she sent me away? Banished her own blood? Imprisoned me for speaking the truth while she told only lies?"Kara could feel her heart breaking when she noticed out the corner of her eye how Riley was just as conflicted as she was, "But why did she send you to Fort Rozz?""For being a hero. For trying to save our world." Astra said, stopping her slow movement when she was only a few feet from Kara."I remember so many nights, sitting on your lap, listening as you taught me all the names of the stars. And watching from a bench at the side of the training arena where you taught Rile the different military forms, playfully tossing both of us into the air one at a time when you were done for the day." Kara muttered weakly.Astra reached out to cup Kara's cheek, "Then let me educate the both of you once again, dear niece. I know not where your sister is, but you can share this with her, that will be enough for now." She dropped her hand and spoke seriously to the blonde, "Your alliance with the humans is misplaced. Do not stand against me. I let one planet die, but I will not do so again."Riley watched as Kara's eyes hardened and against her own warring emotions, tensed as she prepared to charge."Funny, I was going to say the same thing." Kara told Astra, only a split second later to go flying backwards and through a few walls of the warehouse with Astra on her heels.When Riley saw the two locked with heat vision and walking towards each other, she shot forwards past Alex and slammed into Astra as Kara knocked her away with both of them now in the air."Rile?" Astra asked with her eyes a bit wide in surprise, not expecting the other one to be at the warehouse as well.Riley changed her trajectory and bulldozed Astra into the ground, leaving broken concrete all around them but having no time to waste since Astra was back up on her feet and swinging. She could feel her training kick in and she started fight back, just as determined to win the battle quickly.Watching for a moment, Kara then turned to check on Alex and noticed the Hellgrammite dead nearby. "Alex, are you alright?" She asked desperately.The redhead nodded, "Yeah, I'm alright. Where's Riley?" She asked after not catching sight of the other blonde anywhere."She's," Kara started, interrupted before she could say more as Riley was launched through the hole Astra made by knocking Kara through earlier, sliding across the ground and making a large broken line in the concrete floor, "right there."Riley leapt to her feet and gestured to Astra who charged in right behind her, "Is that all you got? Come on!"The two clashed together that sent a loud crack echoing through the air as they began whaling on each other again like two titans of war since Riley and Astra were both holding none of their strength back.Their moves where almost too fast to keep up with, blurs speeding along with both of them trying to get the upper hand in the fight.Astra finally got a good grip on Riley's cape and launched her out of one of the windows, just for the blonde to come shooting back in almost immediately after as fast as she could without breaking the sound barrier to grab Astra and slamming her into a steel pillar that bent harshly under the pressure near where Kara and Alex watched carefully, ready to jump in when they could.When Astra began to get the upper hand, Kara remember what Alex told them. Once Astra gave Riley a harsh kick to the solar plexus, she darted in front of Astra and the moment her Aunt swung at her, she grabbed the speeding arm and flung her hard into a pile of pipes on the other side of the room, hopefully knocking her out."Ow." Riley croaked out as she was pulling herself to her feet before moving over to Alex and Kara, carefully hugging herself because Astra hit like a truck and she was going to have bruises with bruises.Alex limp ran over to Kara much like Riley was, "Hey!" She called out, falling into a group hug with the two blondes."Are you okay?" Kara asked Alex, ignoring how Riley quickly pulled away but did notice when a sharp blowing noise pierced the air.Thankfully Riley heard the pipes move a bit and was able to fling her cape up to block the icy breath from hitting the very human Alex, but was still knocked off her feet by it."I saw on the news neither of you have mastered that one completely, yet." Astra taunted them openly.Henshaw's voice echoed through the building, "Stop! Stay where you are."Seeing Kara hold Alex close and gesture towards Astra and Henshaw, Riley nodded and the moment Astra finished taunting him while choking him, she was able to leaping into the air without flying and slam her clasped fists against the back of Astra's head, knocking the woman unconscious."You alright?" She asked him with a smile when he just leapt to his feet with a smile of his own.He shrugged and looked between the three Danvers', "Any more family I should know about?" He asked to only getting a deep sigh for his sass from Alex."I wish I had your healing powers." Alex sighed when both of the Kryptonians walked into the glass lined room.Kara shrugged with a laugh, "You took down that Hellgrammite with no help from us."Alex gestured towards Riley's still healing bruises, "Yeah well, you were both a little busy at the time." She paused to shake her head, "I can't even imagine what you two must be feeling right now. I mean, after all this time, find out you still have family.""Yeah and you're part of our apparently dysfunctional family Alex, no matter if you want to be or not, never forget that." Was what Riley playfully stated as they all moved in for a gentle group hug, making sure Alex stayed on the medical bed."Listen, we don't know who Aunt Astra was working with... so show me how to fight, train me to be as good as the both of you, please." Kara said when they all pulled away, looking between both Alex and Riley.Alex and Riley shared a look, "We'll make you just as good, if not even better, though Riley will need more training as well." Alex said for them, turning back to Kara.Kara moved to sit next to Alex while Riley leaned against a nearby table, "I remember Aunt Astra and our mother always arguing.""Like family does." Alex cut her off with a pat on the knee."When I asked our mother why they could never get along, she said that it was because Astra didn't have faith in people." Kara finished as if telling a secret. That kind of confused Riley since she had never heard that conversation.Alex nodded and gripped both of the twins hands, "I do," she easily admitted, "I always have had faith in you. Both of you." She sighed again before continuing, "When you first came to live with us, my parents told me that both of you would be sad and fragile, having just lost your world, your parents, your friends."Alex pulled Riley towards them completely and they all slightly cuddled together, "But you never let that loss diminish your lights, no matter how different they shined. Both of you have always had the heart of a hero, way before you put on that 'S'."The three women shared a light laugh, only for Kara and Riley to tense slightly when Alex used their hands that she was holding to pull herself off the medical bed, "Come on, there's something I need to show you. Something I've been working on."At their nod of agreement, Alex lead them both towards a specific room, ignoring the glances from other agents."Your cousin has a base," Alex started again as they walked down a hallway and dropped hands, "it's a fortress I guess, in the arctic. Now, we don't know much about it but we do know that it's a place that he's been able to commune with his Kryptonian ancestors."Stopping next to a door with a hand print scanner, Riley asked in confusion, "How? They're all gone.""There no longer alive, yes." Alex paused to gesture towards the panel with a smile, "The door will only open for the two of you."Riley stayed back and Kara moved forward to place her hand on the marker. After a few seconds, the door next to it hissed and slid open.Both supers calm to a halt at the edge of a platform that in the center, held the form of Alura, their mother."Mom." Kara whispered out to the holographic form."Hello Kara, Rile." The form replied, surprising both Kara and Riley that it seemed to register that Riley was there as well, since she was standing back and had yet to speak.Alex jumped in to explain, "The message we found in your pod, it was part of an interactive artificial intelligence program that's culled from living memory." She waved her hand towards the A.I., "It's not really her, but...""Kara, Rile, I have been programmed to offer you assistance here on Earth." The A.I. spoke out to them softly."I'll let you talk." Alex started backing away after Kara's soft 'thanks'. A few moments later after walking down some halls, she approached Henshaw and thanked him for helping her set up the room, not noticing Riley being just around the corner behind her. As she finished talking with Henshaw she felt a presence behind her and turned to see the younger blonde scuffing her feet shyly on the floor."Thank you for that, Alex." Riley started after finally being able to look up from the floor to bring Alex close for a hug. She pulled back to ask, "But, I was wondering if I could see where Astra is being held?"Alex studied her carefully, but at the soft yet pleading look she reluctantly agreed, "Alright, but she can't know your there for now. Maybe later but not tonight."Riley wiggled about a bit and happily followed Alex to the cells in the D.E.O., excited to see Astra again just to reassure herself that the woman who basically raised her for the first thirteen pre-earth years was indeed alive. (Fort Rozz, Same Day) Man #1: The humans are more canny than we predicted. Until we learn to neutralize the two Kryptonians they have under their thumb, we might have to rethink out timetable for taking National City. Man #2: And what of General Astra? Man #1: She has been captured by an enemy we cannot yet win against. Leave her until the time is right, and if luck is on our side... her loyalty will hold true and she will continue to think that her daughter had died in childbirth. If she does find out the truth, we will have lost her to Kara Zor-El and her daughter, Rile Ast-Ze. (Outside of CatCo, that same night) "Mr. Olsen," The twins heard Cat Grant sigh into the phone, "I know that I gave you twenty-four hours to get me that interview with Supergirl and Superboy, but if you haven't procured it by now, I would like to set up some interviews with new art directors for tomorrow. Eyes on the road up there." She called out the last part to her driver when the car shook a little."Actually Miss Grant, you interview with them has already started. Look out your window." They could hear James' smug tone from Cat's phone.Riley actually giggled at Cat's call out of 'what the hell?' as she flew near Kara who was carrying the town car, "This amuses me way more than it should."Once they made it to a bit of land where it would be easy to get back into town via car, Riley helped Kara slowly and gently lower the car back down to the ground, fighting her giggles trying to burst into outright laughter when she noticed Cat Grant had her eyes shut tightly."Miss Grant." Kara called out after they were hovering in the air in front and above the car and the woman stepped out, "James Olsen said you wanted to talk."Riley added on while having her face in a neutral yet still slightly amused rest, "So let's talk and we'll answer anything within reason."Riley couldn't help but feel slightly nervous since this was her first time actually meeting Cat Grant and the look she had of a cat who caught the canary, no matter how amusing that actually sounded, had her a little worried she would spill every last secret she has ever had."It's you two." The media mogul started, paused to move around her opened door, "Oh no, I'm sorry. I meant to say, who are you?"Kara couldn't help but feel a little defensive, "According to you I'm Supergirl, and my sister here is Superboy.""I honestly don't mind now, the moniker grew on me." Riley interrupted with a slight raise of her left hand when Cat winced.Cat shrugged a bit in acceptance, now seeming so smug, "Trademark pending.""You have questions, we're ready to answer some of them." Kara called out to get the interview back on track so they could head home before one of them cracks."Huh, do you mind if I record this?" The older woman asked them, the two not realizing she caught view of their nervous twitches already.Kara shared a look with Riley, then answered for both of them, "We suppose so."Cat pressed a few things on her phone and began, "Okay Supergirl, Superboy, let's start with the generals. Where are you both from?""We traveled to Earth from our home planet of..." Kara was suddenly cut off by the woman."Krypton?" Cat asked for clarification and to speed it up a little."Yes," Kara continued after a moment, "When it was destroyed. Our parents sent us here because they thought we'd be safe.Cat sighed, "Oh, I feel like I've heard this story before.""This is our story," Riley cut in and Kara happily let her, "Our cousin knows nothing of the loss felt as Krypton exploded. He doesn't know what it was like to lose our family, our culture, our friends, our ways of life and forever remember that loss." They didn't notice how Cat seemed to be carefully paying attention now, "He never knew what it was like to land on Earth to see birds flying above and think back to lessons taught where such creatures were merely a legend. He never knew what it was like to have our planet's water naturally poisonous, only to find out that here on Earth there isn't a trace of that poison. Superman may be from Krypton but he can only guess at what it was like to lose our home and live on another that ended up being so different."Thankfully Cat let the topic drop and moved on to the next one, "So, I can assume that all of your powers are the same as the Man of Steel's? The flying, the super strength, the freezy breath thing?" She asked quickly.Kara blushed a little and Riley looked away in embarrassment, "We're still working on that last one, for the most part." Kara admitted for them, her ears still a little red."Oh, so neither of you are up to his level yet?" Cat asked teasingly, frustrating Kara and making Riley puff up a little since the youngest blonde of the three knew she was the stronger than Kara who was stronger than Clark, while Kara was faster than Riley, who was faster than Clark. They did have to hand it to their cousin though, he was better with his Freeze Breath and Heat Vision."I wouldn't say that." Kara said after shooting heat vision down to a specific point."So, why are we just hearing from you now?" Cat asked curiously, not phased by the show of powers.Kara flew a bit to the side and landed, facing away from the woman, "I'm not sure I understand the question."Riley didn't mind that the mogul's focus was on Kara, she honestly didn't know how Kara could work for the lady and keep such a calm demeanor all the time.Kara's sharp, "Nobody ever asked our cousin these questions." Had Riley's attention jerking back to the conversation and landed next to Kara to try to go back to helping against the Grant Inquisition."Superman is your cousin?" Cat asked with an amused smile beginning to appear at Kara's slip up."I let my attention to the conversation slip for one moment and you babble that he's our cousin to your Cat-Woman after you specifically told me not to." Riley muttered in Kryptonese, not realizing the beautiful flowing language was caught on Cat's recording app.Kara gave her a guilty look then turned back to say, "This interview is over."Riley gave Cat a happy wave at how the woman unknowingly made Kara trip up so much before launching up into the air after her escaping sister.'Well, at least between Astra, Cat, Eliza, Martha, Clark and Alex, family reunions will never be boring.' Riley snickered at her thoughts while they soared back to the apartment, ready to crash after the time they've had since they became superheroes. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter Three: Reactrons, Fixing a Dog-Awful Situation and Reconnecting. Kara finished off her sticky bun as she was scrolling through her phone while Riley was sitting at the side of the table to her left, munching happily away at one of her many breakfast burritos she brought with from a nearby to-go friendly restaurant. Riley was humming under her breath when the owner herself, a bit of a friend of theirs, brought Kara another sticky bun, "How can you eat sticky buns and so many of those stuffed burritos for breakfast every day and still stay so thin?" She asked them playfully. "We’re aliens." Kara said through her bite of sticky bun, making the woman laugh at what she thought was a joke while going back to work. Of course, Riley started choking on her food when she heard Kara's 'joke'. It also didn’t help that she noticed Alex's heartbeat that they kept close attention to subconsciously, was closer than they realized since Alex was almost right behind the woman. All that together made it so Kara had to give her a solid thump on the back. "Hi!" Kara greeted her cheerfully and Riley roughly croaking out her usual, "Sup Alex!" "Hey." Alex fired back, sitting across from Kara and to Riley's left to continue, "Are you okay?" She asked Kara, "I called you both a bunch of times last night but only Riley responded." "Probably because out of the three of us I'm the only one who at least attempts keeps a semi-normal sleep schedule, no matter how late it is before I go to bed." Riley sassed them, packing any trash into the plastic sack she brought in to be recycled when she leaves. Kara started cutting up her next sticky bun after pointing her butter knife jokingly at Riley for the sass that appeared once in a blue moon, "I think I fell asleep last night," she continued even after Riley's snort that basically meant 'No, really?', "Yesterday was a pretty long day." Riley stood up from her seat and grabbed her trash when her phone went off showing Cat Grant's number, "Well, the Catwoman is hailing me so that's my cue to run for the hills to make sure her car is ready to go after their work day. Talk to you two lovelies later." "Be good, brat." Alex muttered, standing up to hug her goodbye. Kara was right behind her and simply pulled them both into a bear hug that cracked Alex's back. "Love you!" A cheery Kara called out though they weren't even a foot away from each other. They broke apart when Alex started to wiggle around uncomfortably, "Alright, alright, I better go now before I find out the hard way if Cat Grant has claws because for the first time ever, she herself is coming over to pick up her Ferrari instead of some lackey of hers like Kara." She dodged Kara's swipe aimed at her for being called a 'lackey' and fast walked out of the building, dropping her trash in the correct bins on the way out. It wasn't until she heard the news talking about Supergirl and Superboy being cousins to Superman that she turned that fast walk into a fast run that might have raised some eyebrows if anyone had been paying attention to her. She knew they were more than likely in trouble for that one. (At CatCo ) "An interesting choice, mentioning that in an interview. Isn't that a little dangerous" Winn asked worriedly when Kara walked by towards her desk with her phone on speaker like it usually was now since Kara, Riley and Winn would talk before Cat Grant arrived."What?" Riley yelped with a slightly horrified look that they couldn't see, "Do you mean that it was actually kept in the interview? I thought that was just a joke! Did you tell her, Kara?"Winn thought that Riley was kidding until Kara looked just as frantic as Riley sounded, "Uh, Riley." He started carefully while keeping his voice low, "Kara wasn't the first one to mention that Superman was your cousin.""Wait, wait. What are you talking about Winn?" Riley asked him in confusion, wondering who else could have told Cat Grant, what she missed while silently fangirling over Cat's attention being mostly on Supergirl when they got back to the apartment. Her plans for a SuperCat armada to protect her sister's love life were going along smoothly so far, Winn even made her a Jack Sparrow hat with a feather attached to it and was sworn to secrecy."When you were talking about Krypton, you started off with 'Our cousin knows nothing'." Winn said slowly, wondering how Riley could have forgotten about that.Kara started giggling at Riley's keen of distress at that, "I told you she would probably keep the entire interview, Riley!"Riley had a whine to her tone at her next comment, "Alex is going to finally snap, she's going to kill me! I'm too young to be mauled by our resident redhead!" The younger blonde howled dramatically."There's a good age for that?" Kara asked playfully, still giggling at Riley's over dramatized distress."That's not all," Their action figure collecting friend continued, "the interview apparently caught you speaking in a language not originating from Earth, Riley."All they could hear over the speaker was keening whines and almost incoherent babbles about fleeing the country to escape Alex."Oh Rao, Alex is definitely going to blow a gasket Riley, and she might maul me too by association!" Kara whimpered since she was suddenly worried for her life as well just because she was there when Riley spoke Kryptonese."Hello?" They heard Riley call out in question when the sound of a door slamming open echoed over the speaker phone, causing both Winn and Kara to stare at the phone with growing fear. Winn wondering if it was a new 'Big Bad' and Kara wondering if Alex finally got time to get away from work and hunt them down. (Other Side of the Phone) Riley used her cellphone's case clip to attach it to the neckline of her shirt, carefully stepping out of the office type room and into the main area. What she saw at the main door had her eyes widening and caused her to let out a shriek like squeal before the super tried find another way out without creating a new one. At the sight of a grate in the ceiling that would lead to the roof, she launched into the air and frantically began to escape without breaking anything. "What's going on?!" Riley heard Winn ask frantically while Kara just howled with laughter in the background. "Alex is what's going on! I decided that instead of making a new exit to the building, I'd just fly up and escape through the vent shaft that leads to the roof." She whimpered, quickly making her way out only to let out another keening whine when she saw that Alex had already made it up there with a stern look on her face and the 'Danvers Crinkle'. Damn that impressive D.E.O. training! Kara's voice came over the phone with completely fake seriousness, "You should never use any powers to escape the clutches of Alex Danvers. Not because it might be seen as cheating, but because it only makes it worse when Alex finally catches you." "Damn right it does!" Alex herself called out, "Since I know you can hear me too, Kara, know this! You're both going to join me in the emitter gym and I'm going to make Marine Corps Drill Sergeants look like cuddly bunnies with what I'm going to put you two through." Riley could feel the proverbial wince through the phone that she could also feel on her own face, "Oh Rao, Alex I swear I didn't plan on getting caught speaking it!" Alex raised a single eyebrow at that, "Caught huh? So you admit to planning on using Kryptonese to talk to each other either way then?" Kara and Winn were nearly silent as they waited for Riley's answer and wondering just how Alex was going to react to it, "I feel like that question is a trap, so I'm just going to admit that I didn't think the situation through very well and will happily take the current punishment. Kara will do so as well!" Riley replied after a few moments of thought that made her realize there was no easy way to talk her and Kara out of trouble. "Hey! Wait a." Kara started over the phone, only for Riley to simply reach up and end the call. At Alex's look of confusion Riley shrugged, "She hung up on me the other day, this is payback." "Right. Anyway, are you actually working today or is it another boring day of nothing to do?" Alex asked simply, moving to sit on the nearby vent shaft. The blonde just shrugged and sat down next to her, "Ever since the big names started popping up more I only have maybe three loyal customers remaining. One of which is Cat Grant, and the other two are you and Kara. I've already told Grant about having to close down soon and now you know too. Apparently that wasn't good for Cat Grant because now she's offering to pay me to keep her cars fixed up since she seems to have trouble with the big name mechanics." She trailed off due to feeling a little down about losing her garage but amused at how Kara's Catwoman was kind of awesome. "Come on," Alex patted her knee and hopped off of the vent, "close up and let's go to the D.E.O. You can watch movies while I get some paperwork out of the way. I know how you relax the best and you need to enjoy your movies that you can sing along to, to do that." Riley let out a deep sigh, getting up to her feet to hug the older woman, "Thanks Alex. Just give me a second and I'll meet you out in the S.U.V. yeah?" Alex just nodded and went to the nearby ladder so she could slide down. She hoped that the movies really did end up helping because a silent and depressed Kryptonian was heartbreaking to see. (At the D.E.O.) "Sup Vasquez! How's one of my most favorite humans?" Riley greeted happily but still a little shyly. Vasquez looked at the blonde over their right shoulder and they smirked, "Working, as usual. Plan on breaking into song anytime soon? If so, let me know because Agent Danvers wants it to be recorded." "Alex!" Was the only response as Riley pouted at Alex, "You and Kara with the breaking of our silently acknowledged sacred teenage secrets! I'm going to steal Vasquez from you and they're going to be my best friend now. Then I'm going to tell them all the embarrassing moments of your and Kara's teen years! In fact..."Alex just raised her eyebrow in a silent dare for Riley to even try that, feeling a little dread when all she got was a playful grin in return. "Vasquez!" Riley called out while still turned towards Alex with a wide grin, "Did Alex ever tell you about that time when she was sixteen and had to dress up as," the blonde paused to dodge as Alex lunged towards her with wide eyes at the thought of that particular secret being shared but Riley continued anyways, "dress up as Mrs. Nesbit Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story for Halloween because she and Kara lost a dare with Eliza? Then Kara had to dress up as Woody the Cowboy and run around saying 'There's a Snake in my boot!'?" "Riley! That was a secret that was supposed to go down with us to the grave!" Alex howled as she gave up all propriety and chased after Riley. Unknown to them Vasquez had started streaming the event to Kara when Riley called out to them, so only a minute or two later the other Super appeared to help Alex chase the youngest one of them down.Riley was cackling until Kara tackled her bodily to the floor, both soon joined by Alex and all three ended up rolling around the control room floor. It was good for Alex's 'Badass' reputation that the control room was empty minus the three of them and Vasquez. On the floor, Riley was trying to escape, Kara was trying to get a good grip on Riley without crushing Alex, and Alex was tickling the now frantically wiggling Riley while carefully dodging any flailing limbs. A throat clear had all three women on the floor freezing in place and Vasquez turning back to their work, "If everyone is done playing around, there's work to do." Henshaw drawled out, trying to hide his amusement.Kara floated to her feet still clinging to Riley with Alex stuck between them, when she let go they all straightened up their uniforms and stood at attention. At Henshaw's nod they turned and scurried off to their own usual spots in the control room."Sir," Vasquez called out, Henshaw jogging over to join them, "we have a Code Gray. It's coming from the NCH. It looks like a multiple car collision."Alex moved over to join as well, no one seeing Kara and Riley share a look before turning around to dart out of the D.E.O.Vasquez continued after listening to something over their Bluetooth and other Agents began filling the room, "Highway patrol officers and medical personnel are en route. No sign of Alien activity. We're clear.""Run a thermal scan to be sure." Henshaw ordered calmly, watching the screen carefully."And Danvers' twins, next time you decide to have chat with the press, try to keep." He trailed off when he turned around and the two supers were apparently long gone."They're excited," Alex said, making sure to keep her face as serious as she could but couldn't contain the small smile, "it's their first pile up." (At the Highway just outside National City) "Supergirl, Superboy!" One of the bystanders called out as he ran up to them, "The bus driver is still inside, she can't get out!"Riley moved to deal with a sparking cable that was close to the bus while Kara hovered up and into the bus that was laying on its side."Ma'am don't worry, we're here to help." Kara called out, moving through the inside of the bus and stopping next to the driver.The woman looked at the hero, "I'm stuck!" She called incase Supergirl didn't know.Kara gently reached for the seatbelt and calmly talked to the woman, "It's okay, I've got you. I'm going to break the seatbelt and get you out of here safely."Once the belt was snapped Kara carefully picked up the woman after x-raying her to make sure nothing was broken before picking her up and floating them both out of the bus.Riley had been x-raying the other cars just to make sure no one else was hurt inside the vehicles when Kara was passing the driver off to the EMT's. At the sound of something charging, she looked up and saw a man in a suit about to fire something at Kara."Supergirl, look out!" Riley shouted while launching herself up to use her body to block the beam of energy from hitting Kara and the civilians.When the bright orange beam collided with Riley, everyone but Kara had to look away from the brightness of it, even the man who shot it at Superboy.Kara watched and within a blink of an eye a seemingly empty suit fell to the ground with Riley nowhere in sight.The civilians were nearly frantic with worry, the police were pulling out their guns to aim at the man and the firefighters had the hose aimed at him, the groups were ready to protect their heroes.However, Kara's heat vision hit the man's apparent power source and drove him to leave before it could completely cut out."Uh, Supergirl?" One of the fire fighters called out while picking something up from the pile that was the Superboy suit, "You might wanna come take a look at this!"At the man's almost frantic tone, Kara ran over to see him holding what was a young but large white and black Siberian Husky dog that shared the same eye color as Riley."Superboy?" Kara asked in disbelief at the thought of that energy beam turning the youngest Danvers into a dog.Riley herself was knocked out of her stunned state at hearing Kara talk to her, "Hey Kara, I'm okay!" Sadly, all that actually came out was barks that only Kara could understand.Kara pulled the dog out of the fire fighters arms as even the civilians were stunned at this turn of events, "I uh, I think I need to take you back to base." She muttered, thanking another fire fighter when they handed her Riley's now folded Superboy suit."Oh man, Alex is going to kill me!" Riley barked and whined out with her new paws going over her eyes while Kara was still feeling a little weirded out. It probably wasn't normal that she could hear Riley talking mixed in with the new dog noises when no one else seemed to be able to so far.Promising to be back soon to help with the cleanup, Kara shot into the air towards the D.E.O. She figured Riley could hide until she was done helping out with the pile up, then they could approach Alex about what happened together. (Back at the D.E.O.) They found out that Riley could still use her powers after Kara accidentally dropped her squirming dog-sister and Riley ended up flying, and were able to slip past people to a room that was near the control room but wasn't used all that much. "Alright," Kara whispered after she closed the door behind them, "stay here for now and when I get back we can talk to Alex. Hopefully the D.E.O. will have a quick fix for this."Riley let out a low and pitiful whine while Kara quickly went back to help out with the pileup, just knowing she was going to get teased and that there would be a large amount of dog puns soon coming into her life.Even though she knew Kara would be back in the next thirty minutes or so, Riley could feel herself becoming extremely bored in the side room. So to stave off that boredom, she started exploring the shelves of the room to see what was actually kept inside. She could feel a growing horror when she realized that the room was none other than Director Henshaw's office. How they didn't figure that out before, she will never know.When the sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway and moved towards the door of the office, that growing horror turned into an outright 'Oh crap!' moment and Riley leapt into the air to hide on top of a tall shelf nearby.She had just finished laying down, making herself as small as she could when the door swung open and none other than the Director himself walked in. Unfortunately she couldn't dart out of an open door because he closed it right behind him.Riley watched carefully as he moved about his office, organizing a file he had into the filing cabinet, looking out the two way mirror towards the control room, then making his way to his desk to sit down and read a file that was already on it.Once he seemed to have his entire attention on the file, Riley let out a low sigh of relief, only to freeze when her snout knocked off a picture frame that held some sort of diploma. She watched as he looked up and directly at her after it clattered hard to the ground.Henshaw's eyebrows went up when he caught sight of a large but young Siberian Husky hiding at the top of his book shelf, "What in the..." He muttered, standing up and moving towards the frozen dog."Director Henshaw, Riley is," Alex's voice trailed off when she noticed he was staring up at a dog that was hiding at the top of the bookshelf, "is missing. Sir, why is there a dog in your office?"Kara suddenly burst into the room, "Riley isn't missing, I swear to Rao, Alex!" Then she gestured to the dog they were all staring at in surprise, "She's uh, she's right there." Kara finished with her voice growing in pitch at the end.Alex clearly didn't know if she should laugh or freak out at this point while glancing between Kara, Henshaw, and Riley. Who was now a dog. Superboy, the dog. That was still hard for her head to wrap around if she was being honest."Agent Danvers, get a hold of the R&D unit to try to reverse this as soon as possible. Help them out as much as you can because you know Kryptonian physiology the best." Henshaw ordered out as calmly as he could."Right away Sir." Alex muttered before turning on her heel and fast walking out of the room.Henshaw pointed to the floor, "Down, Superdog." He ordered, ignoring how Riley the dog somehow gave him a very impressive insulted look.At his finger snap Riley hastily followed the order and floated down to the floor, "Well, at least you still have your powers." Henshaw sighed and muttered as he rubbed his hand over his eyes in exasperation."Come on," He started leaving the office, holding the door open and gesturing the two super's to join him, "both of you need to be debriefed on the man who attacked you and that will happen in the control room."Kara and Riley both followed after him dutifully, both trying to ignore the 'cooing' that they could barely hear from some of the nearby Agents at both of them. Kara for being almost painfully shy and Riley looking adorable, even though she was simply sitting down next to the other blonde. Alex joined them again with a deep blue collar for Riley that would let people understand the barking, having apparently left notes for the other scientists to look over so she could help take down the new enemy. Once she was settled, Henshaw began the briefing, "Reactron. At least, that's what the Daily Planet colorfully dubbed him when he showed up in Metropolis a few years back." "Reactron?" Kara scoffed about the Daily Planet out of habit from working at CatCo, "That's kind of a stupid name. Who named him that?" "Yeah! Should have called him 'Iron Man' or something." Riley barked out, happy that people could now understand her. Henshaw answered Kara's question and ignored Riley's input, "Jimmy Olsen." Riley started huffing with laughter and her new body shook a bit from it, loving Kara's simple yet awkward, "Oh." Kara ignored her Dog-Sister and continued while moving closer to the screens, "So who is this guy, really?" "Unknown. He remains at large after a string of very public fights with your cousin. Neither of them ever came out on top and no one knows why he's so obsessed with killing Superman." He told her, both of them not noticing that Riley had walked over to Alex and was now demanding pettings that Alex was amused enough to provide. "So what's the plan? How do we stop him?" Riley asked from her new seat next to Alex when the older woman wouldn't scratch behind her ears anymore. Henshaw sat down in a chair and looked around the room a little awkwardly, "We don't."Riley's head tilted to the side in confusion and Kara asked, "So what are you saying? We just, sit back and do nothing?""Reactron, whoever he is, is human. Which means this case falls outside the D.E.O.'s jurisdiction." He said, leaning back in his chair with a sigh."But he flies around and hits people with nuclear beams that apparently can turn Kryptonians into dogs. How is that not extra-normal? He turned me into a freaking DOG!" The currently Superdog barked out in question, getting up and moving closer to Kara and Henshaw.Alex stepped up to avoid any possible arguments breaking out, "He's using biomedical tech. Man-made tech." She explained to clarify."Exactly, and we can't risk exposing this organization every time a human criminal shows up in National City." Henshaw said to finish any debate on the topic, getting up to pass a file to a close Agent.Kara scowled in disbelief, "But Riley and I can't let this man run wild!" Then she turned to Riley, "No offense."Riley shrugged as best as she could, then both of them turned back to Henshaw when he spoke up again, "I'm sorry but we can't help. Call your cousin. Superman fights for truth, justice, and the American way. Last time I checked, National City was in America." After that he walked off, leaving Kara to growl a little and clench at the air in frustration."You should head back to work Kar, and I'll stay here. Hopefully Alex and the other scientists can fix this situation fast before that party your supposed to be planning for. Go on!" The superdog barked out, nudging Kara towards the exit with the top of her head.Alex jogged up to give Kara a hug goodbye, gesturing for Riley to follow her when Kara finally darted out of the D.E.O. and took to the skies towards CatCo. (At CatCo) Now back in her usual work wear, minus her cardigan, Kara walked into Cat's office only to see the woman staring at the ceiling above her, "Miss Grant?" She called out worriedly. When the woman's attention dropped down to her, she continued with a small laugh, "I'm just, I'm putting the finishing touches on that party," Kara walked up to her bosses desk, "and I need your okay on." "Shh, shh, shh." Cat hushed her quickly, "Did you hear that?" The older blonde asked. Kara listened carefully but at no distinctive sounds she shrugged, "Uh, no." Cat went back to staring at the ceiling for a bit before glaring at her laptop and rambling, "You don’t hear that loud, high pitched, incessant humming coming from the vents that is making it impossible for me to think straight, let alone string together one coherent sentence?" 'Oh Rao, she's finally losing it.' Kara thought halfway through Cat's rant, then shook her head a little to get back to the conversation, "I have pretty good ears, and I don't hear anything." "Well, get maintenance to look into it because it's driving me crazy." Cat muttered her demand, not looking directly at Kara. 'Even feeling half insane from that humming noise I still notice how well she wears that button-up shirt.' She thought to herself. "Sure thing, I'll get them right on it. I just need you to approve the appetizers for tomorrow." Kara insisted gently, trying to move on to the next part of her list. Cat cut her off and was harshly cleaning a second pair of glasses, "Kerah. I am very proud of the fact that in my many years of being a CEO I have never thrown a phone at an assistant. I would very much like to keep that record intact." Kara nodded and quickly left the room, "I'll take care of it." She said. 'What is my life, right now? Is everyone finally losing it?' She paused at the front of her desk for a moment with her eyes narrowed in thought, 'Wait, am I finally losing it?' "She's getting pretty intense writing that article, huh?" James asked as he walked up to Kara, breaking her out of her worried thoughts. "Yeah, you could say that." She replied, still wondering if this insanity was now her life. James seemed a little shocked at the tense change in CatCo and asked, "She always get like this when she's writing?" A sigh and nod was the best non-verbal answer, but Kara gave a little explanation anyway, "People have been known to schedule their vacations around it." "Psst." They both heard hissed towards them, and looked at Winn as if he was losing it like everyone else seemed to be. Kara was finally just so done with everything, "Why are you doing that? We're standing right here."Winn could barely hide his excitement, "Follow me, and act natural." Then turned to fast walk out of the area towards the elevator at a very unnatural pace. After a shared shrug, Kara and James followed him. To say that Kara was confused that they were heading up in the elevator was putting it mildly, "Where are you taking us?" Was asked as she look around the really nice halls."To your new office." Winn grinned excitedly and wiggled the keys in his hand."I think Miss Grant prefers me to be within yelling distance." Kara tried to explain to him, but was interrupted by Winn."Oh no. Not for that job. For our other job." They turned the corner to an office room and he continued, "This used to be Ed Flaherty's office from Actuaries but after he died of a heart attack behind his desk, nobody wants it. Which makes it perfect for our needs." He unlocked the door and gestured for them to join him.Winn gestured at the tech around the room and sat down in a nearby desk chair, "So I loaded this office up with some, uh state-of-the-art, top-of-the-line tech." Kara could say that she was honestly impressed and in a bit of awe at her best friend, "Winn, I can't believe you did all of this for us!"He blushed happily at the praise, "Well, believe it!" Then turned towards the computer screens, "So, for our first mission, Supergirl and Superboy vs. Reactron.""Actually, at the moment it's more like Supergirl and Superdog vs Reactron." She stuttered out, having forgot to tell her and now Riley's friends about what happened. The guy's jaws both with slack as they stared at Kara, "Wait, what? What happened to Riley?" James asked, sharing a look of confusion with Winn. "Well you see, Reactron was going to hit me with a beam of nuclear energy but Riley flew in front of it. Somehow it literally turned her into a dog." Kara shrugged since she was still unable to wrap her head around the fact that she watched Riley turn into an actual dog. Winn looked curious and asked, "Does she still have her powers? Or did those disappear until she gets reverted back?" The blonde sighed, "Oh, she still has her powers alright. Alex texted me earlier about how they were already close to finding the cure but Riley's tendency to watch what people are doing just because she's curious has her in the way more than not." "Right. Anyway!" Winn finally just shrugged and turned back to the screens, "Okay so, his true identity remains a mystery, right? We know Superman has fought him multiple times over the years." James and Kara interrupted, "I know, I was there." And "Right." were said. Winn just sighed in a little frustration, "Anyway, he shoots these highly concentrated," "Bursts of nuclear energy." James grinned cheekily at another interruption. "From his gauntlets. Uh, his chest plate provides an increase in strength and flight. Now, I've written an algorithm that will sweep the city for any variable changes in radiation. And maybe, we can us this to find him." The techy finished and looked between Kara and James over each of his shoulders. However, James looked worried, "And then what?" He asked carefully. Winn looked at him like the answer was childishly simple, "And then Kara and Riley go all Supergirl and uh, Superdog? Superboy? On him." Their taller friend turned away and pulled at Kara's sleeve to get her attention, "Kara, you might consider calling your cousin on this one. I've seen what Reactron can do." She did not look happy, "James, if I call for help now, Riley and I are done." Kara paused to gesture to James and Winn, "We're done. Every villain out there will think of National City as an easy target." James tried again, "He nearly killed Clark once." He said softly. "Clark?" Winn asked before it hit him hard, "Clark Kent is Superman?" Ignoring that he let Clark's identity slip for now, James cleared his throat to get back on topic, "I'm just trying to keep both of you safe." Kara was not getting any happier, "Yes, I appreciate that and I'm sure Riley does too. But of all the things the 'S' stands for, 'safety' is not one of them. We're still trying to figure out what being Supergirl and Superboy means. Who we are, and now we know. We're not Superman's cousins. We're Supergirl and Superboy. And if we're going to be defined, it's going to be by our victories and our losses, both working together and separate on our own. Not his." She finished, feeling a bit empowered after that speech. "I guess stubbornness runs in the family." James shrugged in acceptance with a small grin. Kara snorted and the thought of Riley and Alex both trying to one-up each other in pranks is what created her next answer, "You have no idea." (At the D.E.O.) "Riley!" Alex bellowed out in frustration after a large Siberian Husky that was running through the halls and was almost to the exit of the D.E.O. The Husky finally stopped and barked out with her translator that apparently only worked because of her Kryptonian blood, "You know I hate needles. If you said the cure will work since the change was literally just a random thing that couldn't happen again any time soon, then it will work! It just takes a few minutes to kick in, right?"Alex ran a hand over her own face, "It should. You know what, fine. Let's go visit Kara at CatCo. Winn called me earlier and told me about how Kara is freaking out over Maxwell Lord being kidnapped by Reactron so I'm going to go help."Riley walked up to the red head, "Really? You're going to go against Henshaw's rules to help us?" She asked as softly as she could in woof and humming noises."Yeah, so let's go before I change my mind." At that, the Husky followed the Agent to a nearby underground garage, they both loaded into an S.U.V with Alex carrying a dufflebag that held some civilian clothes and Riley's suit. Once they were both settled Alex drove them into National City.Before she could 'sing' along to the music playing, Alex's right hand shot out and clamped her snout shut, "Nuh-uh. I don’t think so Dog-Wonder."Riley pouted and crawled into the backseat to lay down, sad that she couldn't sing along to 'Who let the dogs out.'. Although now that she thought about it, Alex had a point. That song was catchy yet annoying at the same time.It took about twenty minutes to reach CatCo since traffic was light. Alex parked where Kara's spot would technically be before climbing out, holding the door open for Riley to leap into the front seat and then out of the S.U.V.Thankfully Cat Grant wasn't actually allergic to dogs or getting Riley inside with Alex as FBI and Riley as her trusty companion would have been either fruitless or time consuming. A quick elevator ride had them walking towards Kara's desk and Alex spoke out as she patted Riley's head after Kara finished talking about how she wasn't sure what to do, "With our help. Do you have some place private we can talk?""Do we ever." Winn grinned happily between Kara and Alex while he leaned down to hug Riley, unable to resist the cuteness that she radiated as a Husky.Riley allowed it mostly because Winn scratched behind her ears and had her back right leg thumping happily, the ear scratches was something that Alex no longer would do since it somehow got Husky fur everywhere, "Come on you two!" Kara called, neither of them had noticed that Kara had started leading the way to the new 'Super Office' Winn acquired. (The Super Office) "I used the D.E.O. satellite to scan the highway where Riley was put into a... ruff situation." Alex couldn't help but pun, getting a deadpan stare from the dog in question.The older Danvers cleared her throat and continued after the giggles from the others died down, "And I was able to isolate the nuclear signature of his weapons system. It's powered by Thorium two-three-two, which can only be found in one place." With a click to the keyboard, Alex pulled up a 3-D schematic of a building."Baseline Nuclear Power Station." Kara muttered in thought, unable to figure out what the man had to do with that location.Winn snapped his fingers in realization, "I remember this. Terrorists tried to start a full-on meltdown like five years ago, but then Superman stopped them."Alex nodded at Winn's comment, "Yeah, he prevented the core from going into overload. Saved millions of people. But two reactor engineers were killed when the facility was flooded with radiation. Ben and Alyssa Krull.""Ben Krull is Reactron!" Riley barked in surprise at this plot twist, only to yelp and pull the couch away from the wall with her teeth to then dive behind it.The rest of the group was baffled by her reaction, "Uh, Riley? Are you okay?" James asked her as they all moved towards Riley's hiding place, stopping a few feet from it. A head with short blonde hair popped up over the back of the couch, "Alex, could I, could I have that change of clothes now?" She stuttered, the guys looking away awkwardly and Kara just snickered at Riley. Lucky for her, Alex was able to quickly toss the bag to the back-to-normal Kryptonian, "Thanks." Riley muttered while changing."Yeah no problem, anyway! He somehow survived the radiation exposure." Clarified a blushing Alex with a wave towards the screen. Kara was hit with a realization of her own, "Which is why he hates our cousin. He blames him for the death of his wife."James cut in with a bit of bite, "Superman still managed to prevent an American Chernobyl.""Chernobyl." Winn drawled, then moved towards the computers, "That gives me an idea on how we might find Krull.""Good idea!" Riley cheered while heading out the door, "I have something to do in the next hour so I'll be back later. Thanks for the fix, Alex!"When the door clicked shut, the remaining four started laughing somewhat hysterically at the crazed moments that is their lives now. (Time Skip) 'Alright, let's try this again. I don't know why I do the proofing since I'm just the assistant but oh ever burning Rao, Cat is harsh on us.' Kara thought as she walked into Cat Grant's office, "I finished proofing the Super Twins article."Cat preened in front of her like her shortened namesake, resting on the couch, "Please begin my compliments."Before Kara could stutter her way through attempted compliments, her Bluetooth went off. She subtly answered it and was surprised when Alex's voice came over the line as Riley was muttering something about refusing to let her favorite ship sink, "Tell her that it was a little hard on the heroes, but very well done in a way that will inspire them to prove some of the comments wrong.""Well, it was a little hard on them, but," she had to hold up her hand to stop Cat from interrupting quite unhappily, "it was very well done in a way that can inspire them to prove some of the ideals about them wrong if they feel it is."The sounds of a small scuffle came through the phone as Cat seemed to start soaking up the praise, "Alright," Kara heard Riley's voice this time, "Tell her that the Super's do seem to be searching for their purpose and the words to say just how they want to help. That indeed, Millennials could bond with that because so many just don't know what to do with their lives yet, and that's okay as long as that big question gets solved."Kara rattled off another 'mirror my words' that she had to admit were true, to Cat while fighting an amused sunny grin at her bosses preening. It wasn't until there was yet another scuffle and a yelp from Riley that she made sure to listen closely to whoever was next, "Hey, James is about to walk in to try to get you out of there because Winn found Reactron. Go with whatever excuse he has. Riley and I will be there in a minute." Alex said over the phone, the sound of wind soon whipping around since Riley apparently picked her up and took off towards CatCo before Alex hung up.One of Cat's glass doors swung open, "Sorry to interrupt." James paused at the sight of the sudden movement from the two as if they were doing something wrong, "Kara, it's the florist for the party.""Right! I should probably handle that." She aimed at Cat, trying to hide the reddening of her ears at James catching her basically swooning at how adorable Cat was being.James elaborated on how Winn found him, pausing in a mostly empty area and whispered, "There was a black mold that grew in the town of Chernobyl right after the meltdown. Now, Winn found the same mold here in National City. At a junk yard," He pulled a paper out of the folder he was holding, "sixty miles south."Kara moved towards her usual small balcony exit, "Tell Ms. Grant I'm putting the finishing touches on the party. Also, don't worry because Riley and Alex are going to be there to. Don't deny it," She raised her hand to stop his interruption in its tracks, "I know you're worried because Superman couldn't defeat him. I'm going to try to talk to him and if that doesn't work, Riley and I are going to attempt to knock some sense into him with backup."Riley's best friend sighed and ran a hand down his face, "Alright, I'm a worrier, I'll admit. But as long as neither of you attempt to go after him solo, I'll try to keep that worry on a back burner.""And we won't. Alex will be nearby yet out of sight just in case, while Riley and I will be teamworking." Kara reassured him before continuing on, "I'll make sure Riley comes by after to fangirl over both of your types."James couldn't help but laugh at that, rolling his eyes and got back to CatCo work with a grin. (Flying above National City) "Kara!" Alex called out from her place on Riley's back, who was wearing some sort of harness now embedded in it that Alex had been clipped to.Riley's suit seemed to have an addition to it that looked like subtly added foot rests on the sides of her pants yet above her knees, and hand grips on the sides of her upper back for added stability. The lack of any cloak was a little worrying but it seemed that Riley had been pushing herself to be able to fly without one at the risk of losing some speed.Kara pointed at the two of them, "Okay, that is so cool and I request additions like that on my suit as well!"Alex shook her head in exasperation when Riley just laughed and agreed with a nod of her head, "Let's focus back on the nuclear-powered suit toting human, okay? Now, Riley's going to drop me off near the edge of the junk yard. Based on how things might go inside, the actual talking and fighting plans are on your shoulders so please be careful!" Alex yelled to them over the wind out of habit. Riley grinned and patted one of Alex's hands, "You got it Lexie! Kara, I'm going to go set down the worry wort and then meet up with you near his location in the middle, alright?"When Kara nodded and shot forward, Riley went ahead and landed softly. Since she and Alex had been practicing ever since she got back to the D.E.O. after finishing the sale of the garage, Alex was able to unclip and hop off quickly to move towards a nearby empty van.Waving bye, the super shot into the air to fly over to Kara, joining her in scanning around for Reactron and Maxwell Lord.At the sight of Lord being tied down to a chair in a small shack with their x-ray vision, Riley and Kara split up. Kara took the door entrance and Riley hovered quietly near a window. When 'Superboy' saw Lord staring at something off to the side, she tensed and readied herself to move Lord to safety as fast as she could without harming the scientist. Kara swung the metal door to the shack open, walking towards Lord but upon seeing Riley gesture to her left Kara lunged past the captive man and swung hard in that general direction, catching Reactron by surprise and created a new door less entryway with the man's body. Riley flew in through the window while Kara stepped back out through the new hole, "Mr. Lord, I'm going to take you to safety. I need you to keep your eyes closed hands tucked close to your chest for me." She politely ordered him, picking him up in a bridal carry. Once he was situated and a glance outside showed Kara holding her own, she flew as fast as she could without risking Maxwell Lord's health in any way. It took a minute or two but she came to a stop outside of his building, setting him down and holding a hand to his shoulder to make sure he was able to stand on his own and not noticing the camera's appearing around them."You're safe now Mr. Lord." She said once he regained his balance, moving a bit away from him to fly back to the junk yard as fast as she could get away with.Arriving back at the fight, Riley saw that Kara was still holding her own quite impressively. When Kara noticed her charging in she called out, "Remind me to thank both you and Alex for the training.""You got it!" Was the cheering response, Riley slammed into Reactron's suit hard enough that it sent the man soaring into a nearby pile of junk cars.They turned to give each other a high-five, the sound almost mirroring two boulders clashing together when Alex's voice echoed out through the yard as she ran up, "Where did he go?" She asked them."He's right." Kara trailed off, gesturing towards the pile of cars only to see that Reactron was very clearly missing, "Crap, and he's gone." Riley drawled out in annoyance at the lack of the metal suit wearing man.Kara sighed in frustration, "I really don't have time to track him down right now." She turned to Riley, "Could you help me with the finishing touches to the party Cat is throwing after you drop Alex back off at the D.E.O.?"Riley nodded and crouched for Alex, "Of course! Come on spider monkey, let's get you back to your own work as well."Alex hooked herself to the harness and lightly slapped Riley upside the head, "Alright sled dog, hike!" She sassed out, shaking the connection cables once like she was a Musher."I'm going to ignore that in favor of attempting to wipe being a dog from my memory, forever." Kara heard Riley say with a small scowl and a bit of amusement, taking to the skies towards the D.E.O. with Alex laughing away on her back."Those two, I swear." Kara muttered, shaking her head at their antics. She turned away from where they disappeared to and took to the air towards CatCo. (Later at the Museum) Riley was laughing at one of James' many jokes, both of them carrying and helping set up key items since Kara had to go back and change into a dress that Alex let her borrow from the D.E.O.'s closet."Hey," Winn called out to them, jogging over to join the conversations, "guests should be arriving soon and Kara is on her way back.""Good, because it looks like the guests are here." James gestured towards the main entryway, the three moving closer to a corner to be out of the way while everyone got situated in seats or mingled."Crap!" Riley muttered frantically at the sight of Cat Grant, moving to lean against a nearby pillar out of sight yet making sure she didn't mess up the tux Winn happily made her, "She doesn't know who I am yet because some lackeys had to keep picking up and dropping off her cars at the Garage for her. Kara wants to be the one to introduce us because apparently Cat never believe that there were more than just one kid that the Danvers took in."James reached out and gripped her shoulder while Winn checked on his 'art work' tuxedo wasn't torn or dirtied already, "Hey, it's alright! See? Kara's making her way inside now so you can start heading that way. Besides, Winn owes me a dance since you two didn't catch Reactron yet." He teased out, pushing her towards Kara."You're right James." Riley sighed, then continued with a soft smile, "I'll go join Kara and let you two enjoy that dance!"When Riley had walked away James offered his hand to a blushing Winn, giving a cheeky smile as he pulled the shorter man out to a corner on the dance floor during a waltz song."Is this alright?" He asked Winn, dancing closely to each other to the slow song.Winn's blush was fading as their dance continued and he placed his head on James' chest, "Yeah, this is good." He muttered with a smile.Across the room Kara and Riley were both cooing and awing over how adorable their best friends were. Neither knew that their friends were interested in each other but were happy for them regardless.Their cooing was interrupted by Cat Grant appearing next to them, "Kerah, who is this?" The older blonde asked them with her eyes roaming Riley, leaving the younger Kryptonian feeling like she was being sized up by the most dangerous person in the room. Kara reached up to fiddle with her glasses, "This is my twin that I told you about! Ms. Grant, this my slightly younger sister Riley Danvers. Riley this is my boss and Queen of all Media, Cat Grant." Kara introduced them, fighting giggles at Riley's nervous ticks she noticed.Riley decided to be suave and gently hold Cat Grant's hand up, bowing to her much like they greeted others on Krypton, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Ms. Grant. Kara tells me much about you."Cat seemed appeased by the polite greeting as they separated, "I almost didn't believe Kerah when she spoke of having a younger twin. It's reassuring at least one of you knows how to use manners.""Oh, but that is part of Kara's charm Ms. Grant. She is a light in the darkness that brightens our days, and I hope beyond all reason that her light never dims. For the loss of that light would be great in the worst of ways." At Riley's declaration Kara didn't know if she should be impressed at Riley's charm with words or nearly crying over the fact that her sister adores her so much. When Cat seemed to be glancing at the dance floor, Riley decided it was time for herself to leave and gently pushed Kara towards the woman. "Pardon me, Ms. Grant, I must excuse myself. I hope that you could forgive my early leave from such a relaxing and impressive party. I am sure Kara would be delighted to lead you around the dance floor, however. She is very graceful when it comes to such things and I am sure you would enjoy yourself." Riley implied smoothly, fighting the urge to grin excitedly when Cat nodded in agreement. "It was wonderful to finally meet one of Kara's sisters. Maybe I shall meet the other elusive one as well." Cat Grant nodded her head once towards the tux wearing blonde, then turned to pull Kara to the dance floor near the middle. James and Winn had just finished their dance and politely greeted Cat and Kara on their way towards Riley."Did you actually get Cat Grant to dance with Kara Danvers?" Winn asked playfully, still holding hands with James as they joined her off the dance floor.Riley finally let loose the trademark 'Sunny Danvers' grin, "I sure did! It took some really smooth talking that I learned on Krypton, but it worked! The SuperCat ship is leaving the docks!"James threw his head back and laughed heartily with Winn snickering at his side. His new friend who was honestly slowly turning into best friend, was just too much sometimes.He nodded his head towards Kara and Cat, "Are things going good or do we need to intervene?"Taking a slow breath, Riley extended her hearing out to the dancing pair while avoiding cranking up the 'volume' of the entire room. What hit her ears was the two talking about their everyday lives and Kara's dancing ability, to her surprise."No, things are going well on that front." Riley told the other two, all three relaxing with that information."Come on," Winn gestured for Riley to follow him while just pulling James with, "there's a room nearby with a game cube hooked up that has Mario Kart Double Dash and it's calling our names."Riley and James shared a secret grin at Winn's need for gaming during parties like this. He was just so adorable. (At the D.E.O.) Knowing that she could possibly get caught, Alex was trying to be quiet as she kept an eye on the satellite readings in case Reactron appeared again.She knew she was indeed caught when she felt eyes staring at her from outside of her personal Forensics lab room. Alex turned around in her seat, she saw her boss standing outside of the glass walled room with an eyebrow raised. When he opened the door to walk in she stood up with a sigh, "Director Henshaw." She greeted.He stood in front of her with his hands on his hips and asked pointedly, "Agent Danvers, what are you doing?"Alex unknowingly mirrored his stance but realized what she was doing and dropped her hands to clasp in front of her after stating, "I'm helping Kara and Riley to stop Reactron."Henshaw looked a little put out at that, "It's been increasingly difficult for you to follow order since those two joined the D.E.O. as assets.""When you asked me to join the D.E.O., I didn't hesitate. Because you told me that together, we were going to save the world." Alex paused to emphasize her next comment, "Except saving the world means everybody. Aliens, humans, I can't separate them anymore. Especially when my Kryptonians' lives are at stake." She had continued even as Henshaw turned to lean against a metal table."Who else knows about this?" He asked her, looking around at the control room outside."No one." She was a little hesitant to reply, not knowing how he'd react.He turned back to her, "Good," then moved over to sit in the desk chair and looking at the satellite readings, "wouldn't want them getting any ideas. So," he crossed his arms and looked up to her, "how do we defeat this... Reactron?"Alex took a deep breath in relief and looked back at the screens, finding the best words to describe the plan. (Back at the Museum Party) From what her hearing was telling her, Kara and Cat were still dancing the night away and only stopping for drink breaks in between songs. She could feel a warmth at the thought of her sister finally making headway to get the girl. Riley turned her attention back to the screen in front of her to see her blue turtle shell nail both Winn and James on the last lap of Baby Park, leaving her to drift past them and into first place. "Aw, come on! That was evil!" Winn called out, looking over to the smug Riley with a pout at such a close loss. The sound of glass shattering in the main room stopped any reply and had Riley looking towards the other two at the sound of Reactron's voice, "Where is Supergirl and Superboy?!" "He's here." She told them, moving into a nearby closet space to speed into her suit, then gently pressing the now folded tux Winn made into his arms and moved out a nearby window to fly up the the same entrance Reactron made. Kara herself had easily slipped away in the chaos, into a side room as well and changed before meeting Riley outside. It wasn't until Reactron powered up his suit to hit Maxwell Lord point blank that had the super's throwing any idea of a plan out the proverbial window and soared into the room, Kara kicking up into an enlarged magazine cover stand. Riley continued getting people to evacuate while Kara kept the man busy.Maxwell Lord had other plans it seemed and actually started talking to them instead, "Twice in two days. I should put you on the payroll as bodyguards." He joked lightly."Get somewhere safe." Kara told him, fighting the urge to roll her eyes and actually laugh at the badly timed joke. She gave Riley with a grateful expression when 'Superboy' gently lead him out of the main doors.They looked back at Reactron who was finally getting back to his feet, "We are sorry for what happened to you. But you are going to jail." Kara called out to him.Reactron's slightly muffled voice echoed out through the mostly empty room as he finished standing up, "I'm sure one day I will. But you won't live to see it."He charged up his suit and fired at Superboy towards the dead center of her chest, forcing her to dodge and stumble out of the way, then turned and charged up again to send a stream of the same energy at Supergirl.Kara used her cloak to block the energy from hitting her, but when it started bouncing off her cloak she began to worry for James and Winn who apparently snuck in during the chaos.One of the reflected bolts slammed into a pillar, sending it tumbling down at the two men. Thankfully Riley had noticed this possibility happening and used super speed to slide underneath it to stop it's fall.Reactron didn’t seem too happy about that and aimed one gauntlet at each of the supers with his suit charging up for more blasts."Hey Krull!" James yelled out at the man as he moved towards the main doors, "You know who I am? Jimmy Olsen. I'm the closest thing Superman has to a best friend." Reactron lowered his gauntlets as his attention turned to James, "You wanna see him hurt? Killing me would do that. Come on." James taunted him and ran out of the doors, Krull or Reactron launched back out the way he came in after their friend. Kara turned to heat up the metal poles in the pillar to almost melting point and nodding at Riley to heave it back into place, locking the metal back together."That, that..." Riley couldn't even form words at James' recklessness.Winn sighed a little dreamily, "While terrifying to think about it was also extremely heroic.""Kara, Riley, we may have a way for you to stop Krull." They heard Alex say over their earring Bluetooth after they answered the group call. Luck was on Winn's side that the call interrupted Riley's urge to smack Kara's best friend upside the head. Henshaw's voice came over next, "Krull's chest unit is powered by a Demon Core, a subcritical mass of plutonium." "If you can remove it from his suit, it should shut down his weaponry." Alex explained to them before Henshaw continued, "But the core will melt down the very moment it's freed from its containment matrix." Riley growled in frustration, "There has to be some way to stop him without nuking the city!" Alex nodded even though they couldn't see it, "You need to encase the core in lead before you rip it free." "Lead." Kara muttered, both twins starting to look around for anything lead to use. When Kara moved towards a nearby statue Winn stood in front of her and held out his hands, "Woah there, you're in a museum! There are plenty of every day lead things nearby that are not priceless artifacts!" Kara and Riley both blushed at their almost blunder, "Thanks Winn!" They called out simultaneously and took to the skies, Kara stopped to cover her hands with lead from a newly melted mailbox while Riley slammed into Reactron to stop him from frying James. The Super and Reactron slammed into a concreted empty area nearby, Riley making sure he couldn't get a hit on her and keeping his attention on her. At the charging of the suit after a quick tussle that went in Riley's favor, she raised her hands to literally catch the beam of energy that Reactron kept pulsing out. The strength of it had her slowly sliding backwards as he quickly closed the distance between them. What Reactron wasn't expecting however, was for Superboy to suddenly move out of the way and spin him around by grabbing his forearm. He could barely blink before Supergirl's lead incased hands yanked the power core out of his suit, the loss of it causing him to drop into unconsciousness. Riley was the first to hear James run up to them, she reached out and smacked him on the arm as hard as she could get away with, finally giving in to the worry she held for her best friend, "You could have been killed, James! Do you understand that? I am so going to, ugh!""Nah, I knew both of you would save the day." James' cheeky grin reappeared, even as he panted from all the running. (Back at the D.E.O.) "Thank you for your help. Both of you." Kara thanked Henshaw and Alex near the 'planning table' with Riley grinning next to her. Henshaw shrugged from his seat, "Something tells me this isn't the last non-alien you'll be taking on." He stood up with a small smirk and moved to leave, "And since the threat of federal prison doesn't stop Alex from disobeying my orders, I guess in the future we'll just have to help Supergirl and Superboy again." Kara and Alex were now barely hiding their own grins until Kara couldn't help but speak up, "Told you he'd come around on us." That triggered both Kara's and Alex's wide grins, Riley actually giggling as she threw her arms around the older woman's shoulders. "So, what do the Twins of Steel do to celebrate after saving the day?" Alex asked them, sliding so she was in the middle of a group side-hug between the two Kryptonians.Kara hummed in fake thought, "How about the Danvers' take in a movie tonight?""Oh, I like that idea. I'll order the pot stickers, pizza, and mild bone-out wings." Riley offered to go along with Kara's idea.The two turned to Alex with the best pouts they could use, getting a hand in each of their face from a laughing Alex, "Alright, alright! There's no need for all of that! Just give me ten minutes and I'll be ready to go."Both blondes cheered freely and let their Alex go do her own thing, Kara turning moving to go see if there were any cupcakes in the break-room and Riley moving to go talk with Vasquez since they were teaching her sign language. (The Next Day) Since Riley was currently unemployed and Cat had taken a shine to her, she was at CatCo with Kara, both jogging at human speeds to the art department. Riley to go ask how the mini date James had with Winn after the party went, and Kara to talk with Winn about it in case he wanted to gush to his best friend. They rushed into the room and jerked to a stop at the sight of the two men talking with an unknown woman. Riley could actually feel herself stumbled at the sight of the short but powerful aura brunette woman, not realizing her shy and a bit dopey grin appeared on her face. "Hi." The short haired blonde mumbled shyly, going to stare at her feet and gently scuff at the floor.Winn and James both looked like they were trying so hard not to start laughing at Riley, till James finally took pity on the confused Kara and shy Riley, "Kara, Riley, this is Lucy Lane. She's an old friend from Metropolis and a lawyer in the Army." He introduced them.'Code Red, Kerah! Abort mission! It's a Lane!' Kara could hear her thoughts basically screaming at her in Cat's voice."Hey, it's nice to meet you both!" Lucy greeted them with ease, the two blondes not knowing that James had called Lucy about his good luck that Winn had liked him back. He had ended up talking about his tech, his tech's best friend Kara, and his own new best friend Riley.Kara was the first to finally speak up, trying to ignore the urge to go tell Cat that a Lane was in her building, "It's nice to meet you too! Lane huh? Any relation to?"Lucy seemed to know where Kara was going with her question, "Yes, Lois is my big sister."Riley was horrified with herself when the next words slipped right out, "Oh, well may I just say that you seem to have received all the better traits in both beauty and brilliance." Winn and Kara were shaking in silent laughter, both wheezing a little trying so hard to hide it at Riley's word vomit to Lucy Lane. "Pardon me, we have to gay, uh, go somewhere." Riley stuttered as she felt her ears and face light up a bit in embarrassment, turning and walking right out the door while dragging a giggling Kara out behind her back to Kara's desk. Kara dropped into her chair still trying to fight off her giggling fit, even as Riley pulled Winn's chair over to her desk and Riley buried her face into her own hands. "Kill me now, please." The shorter haired blonde whined out pitifully. A beep from Kara's laptop had dragged both of their attentions to in instead, "Hey, it's Clark!" Riley cheered quietly, rolling around the desk to sit closely next to Kara. 'Hi.' His message said, both unsure yet happy as to why he was contacting them. At Riley's elbow digging into her side, Kara started typing back, 'Hi. So, I guess you heard what happened?' 'Yes. You're both doing great Kara, Riley.' The blondes grinned at each other, pride welling in their chests, 'You stopped Reactron. Something I could never do. Guess it was a job for Supergirl and Superboy.' Riley could feel herself tearing up a little at that and took a deep breath, side-hugging Kara while the other blonde typed for them again. 'Thanks Clark. That means a lot to us.' Kara replied, both lighting up even more at his last message. 'You're both family, and I am so very proud of you.' (Later that Night) Kara and Alex were sitting on the chair and couch, respectively, as Riley was just finishing the popcorn and pouring the drinks. The youngest Danvers' carried the tray carrying it all into the living room to the coffee table next to the leftovers from ordering out again."Pass me that last pot sticker." Kara requested once Riley had dropped down next to Alex on the couch.Alex scoffed a little, "Uh, no." At Kara's pout she continued determinedly, "That one is mine."When Kara's pout didn't lessen, Alex started reaching at straws, "You had four!"Riley was quietly snickering at the familiar scene, even as her nose scrunched since she couldn't understand either of the two's love for the things.Kara pointed her chopsticks at Alex, "If that pot sticker is not in my mouth in two seconds, I will melt your face."Alex tried to keep the amusement from her face as she finally caved and passed the container to Kara, deciding to get one last snipe in at Kara's happy wiggle once the blonde had it."I hope you get fat." Alex sassed to Kara, only to grin happily when Riley passed her two of Riley's own mild buffalo bone-out wings."Not on this planet." Chuckled Kara, stuffing the pot sticker into her mouth with a smug look."So, guess what I picked up on the way." Alex announced once she swallowed a bite of the chicken, wiped her hands off and lifted up a copy of the CatCo magazine that went to the shelves earlier today.Kara leaned back with a sigh, "It's rough to us, but it is one way to kick us into gear. Even if it did seem a little horrible." She admitted reluctantly.Alex smiled knowingly, "Very well crafted, horrible things." The older Danvers' turned slightly so she could look at both Riley and Kara easily, "Deep beneath that seething disdain,"Riley interrupted for a moment and pointed her fork at Alex, "Oh I like that, I'm gonna use that in the future.""She respects you both." Alex continued after rolling her eyes at Riley's antics.Kara seemed reluctant to believe her, "Really?""Mhm. Supergirl and Superboy, I mean. Her assistant and assistant's twin, no, she couldn't give a rip about." There was that sass Alex couldn't resist giving, Kara and Riley just knew it was coming. What Alex didn't see coming though was the pillow Kara tossed at her, smacking the redhead right in the face."Oh, Rao!" Alex grunted as Kara and Riley burst into laughter at the surprise on Alex's face when she took a pillow to it.Riley was holding her ribs with one arm and gave a high-five to Kara, barely able to say around her laughter, "Right in the face!" Alex pulled the pillow into her lap and leaned on it, "Well, look, you should be proud of yourselves." The sudden seriousness had their laughter calming down yet the air stayed light, "I mean, you two did something that Superman couldn't even do. Even on your own I believe that each of you could have taken down Reactron."Kara got up and had Alex scoot to sit between both blondes, "Well, we may not need Superman to be heroes, but we will always need you."Riley and Kara both leaned forward to squish Alex between them in a group hug like they have done since a few months after they landed on Earth. Sirens echoed through the apartment over the low volume music, "Isn't that your que?" Alex asked, wiggling slightly to escape the solid hug from both sides. The super's finally let go and got up, "Do not watch Homeland until we get back." Riley playfully ordered Alex while they moved to get changed and fly out of one of the large windows. "No promises." Alex had to sass them one last time before they left, both hearing her easily even as they took off into the night sky to help the people of National City. When people looked up to the sky they could see that Supergirl was soaring through the air in her suit that consisted of her long sleeve top, skirt, running shorts under them, red boots and cape. Superboy was flying next to her in a blue no-sleeve top, red military cargo looking pants and blue looking military boots but recently no cape in sight. The sight of the two heroes soaring through National City brought people a peace of mind that they didn't know they needed. Hopefully it would stay that way... ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter Four: Thanksgiving, Our Misfit Family, and A Sparking New Personality. (At the D.E.O.) Riley flicked a rock off of the table she placed in front of herself, having it bounce off the far concrete wall of the break room and go soaring back into her hand. After two more flicks like that Kara made her own version of the game to fight off boredom. It involved her trying to snatch the rock out of the air before Riley could catch it after launching it. She did end up catching it more often than not but just passed it back to keep the game going between them. When Riley went to flick the rock again after Kara's last catch, the sound of agents firing darts and other agents being tossed around interrupted their mini-game. Leaping to their feet, Kara and Riley darted out of the break room, not noticing Riley had ended up flicking the small rock again and it bounced off the concrete and went straight through the now broken coffee maker to embed into the wooden board behind it. Kara was the first to arrive in the Control Room, hitting the alien prisoner with a solid right hook to the face that sent the being stumbling back a few feet. The alien dropped the agents they were holding and started swinging at Kara, leaving Riley to answer her end of the group call to hear Alex's frantic voice, "Where are you two?" Instead of answering, Riley lowered a bit to charge the prisoner with her shoulder, knocking them off their feet and rolling over Riley's back to the floor harshly. Kara took that time to join the group call as well, "Busy at the moment." Kara had to duck when Riley was thrown towards her, the short haired blonde barely able to right herself in midair to stop from slamming into some of the screens above the main computers. "Both of you promised me that you were going to be here and I am currently alone trying to get this all set up. Riley is the cook in the family, not me!.' Alex's voice was cracking a bit, worrying the two blondes. Riley used her flying to dart at their current adversary and give them a punishing left upper cut, Kara tried reassuring Alex since Riley seemed to have it under control for now, "We will be! We're just dealing with an alien prisoner that got loose." Looking back over at Riley, Kara's eyes went wide at the sight of her sister slowly lifting both herself and the other alien up into the air before turning them to use a mix of flying and strength to slam them both hard into the ground, alien prisoner first. A slight pop pierced the air when Riley stood up to crack her back after a grip like that, letting Kara dart in when the prisoner tried to get up. 'Supergirl' slammed her fist down and finally knocked the alien unconscious. Henshaw came from a deeper part of the D.E.O. and walked up to them, Riley was panting a bit from that unexpected rough housing, "He was tough." Kara supplied for her. "She." Henshaw clarified simply, his hands resting on his hips. Riley wheezed a little from being crushed in the prisoner's grip, thumping a fist against her collar bone to the other alien, "Respect." They walked with Henshaw back towards the main computers, "Any chance we can have the rest of the day off?" Kara asked since Riley was still wincing off and on. "I don't see why not, enjoy the US's Thanksgiving and make sure Alex doesn't have an aneurysm when your adoptive mom calls to check up on you three." He requested, gently patting Riley on the back as if he was silently asking if she was okay. At her muttered 'thanks' he bid goodbye to them both but before he could walk off Riley called out to him. "Hey Henshaw!" He turned to look back at them, "Not sure if you have anywhere to be for Thanksgiving, but if not? Come by Kara and I's place around seven that day! We're going to have a friendly get together and we would love to have you there!" The D.E.O. Director was quiet in thought for a moment, "Alright." He said with a small smile, "I guess I'll be there at seven. Anything I need to bring?" Kara and Riley grinned happily that Henshaw wasn't going to be alone on a 'U.S. Family Day' like Thanksgiving, "Not unless you want to bring Alex her favorite whiskey. Otherwise just bring your sass. You'll be among like-minded individuals." Riley cheerfully stated, barely dodging Kara's swing at her. Riley turned to Kara after Henshaw left and hissed playfully, "If you tell Alex that I got the tar kicked out of me because I ignored her suggestions to keep 'Sunning it up' every few days, I will take you down with me hard." Kara just grinned at her, "No promises." And rocketed out of the D.E.O. to their apartment with Riley soon hot on her heels. The two lightly tussled around in the air, both racing to see who would get back to the apartment first. When they were only a few dozen yards away, Kara used a bit of super strength to fling Riley back a few yards so she could slide into the apartment first and win with race. "Sup Alex!" Riley called out once she was inside and smacked Kara on the arm. "Oh finally!" They could hear the pure relief in Alex's voice, "Riley, I took out the two pies like you asked and the last two are still cooking in the oven." Riley nodded, then used her super speed to run out of the room to change out of her suit and into some comfortable black sweat pants she snagged from Alex a year ago and a sleeveless white crew neck shirt. She walked into the kitchen at a human pace and hugged Alex. "Kara's in the shower." Alex explained when Riley didn't see Kara trying to sneak any parts of the chilling pies, "Also, James, Winn, Vasquez, and James' friend Lucy will be here around seven for the Thanksgiving dinner slash party." "Right on. Oh, and Henshaw will also be joining us for Thanksgiving. He'll arrive around seven as well." Riley added, moving towards the stove to double check the spices in the cabinet next to it. Kara floated into the dining room area, "Yeah Riley invited him when it became apparent that he was going to be alone on Thanksgiving night. Besides, he's a pretty nice guy!" "Well that was sweet of you Riley. I honestly didn’t know that he lacked even distant relatives." Alex muttered softly, feeling bad for her boss. "Well, let's make sure he has so much fun Thanksgiving night that he'll wish he didn't know us!" Riley's crooned reply echoed out through the apartment. "Yeah! We're gonna party like it's nineteen ninety-nine!" Kara cheered loudly, dancing around in a way that mostly involved wiggling like an excited puppy, pulling Riley to dance along just as silly after she got Riley to put close the cabinet and quit checking so much on the spices. Alex couldn't help her own grin when the two whirlwinds pulled her to join their silly dancing, Kara turning up the boombox that was currently playing 'Walking on Sunshine' by Katrina and the Waves. (Next Day) "This is Leslie Willis, coming to you alive and wired from CatCo Plaza. It's the week of Thanksgiving which means... It is time for my annual list of Things I am not grateful for, and this year's list is only one item, Supergirl." The radio hosts voice echoed through the apartment, triggering a scowl from all three Danvers' who were putting some final touches to decorations at the dining room table after breakfast. Riley looked up from her paper chain in the shape of a leaf, scowled and narrowed her eyes, "Who the hell is this chick?" Kara stopped Riley from getting up and turning changing the radio channel, "The blue-and-red abscessed tooth in the otherwise gleaming smile that is National City! How much do I despise, I mean loathe, her whole 'Look at me, I'm a-dork-able' thing. And that hideous, like, rejected-from-the-Olympics figure skating outfit she wears? I mean, a skirt and tights? Puh-lease." "Oh-ho, Winn's gonna be upset at that insult aimed at the suit." Alex drawled with her eyebrows raised and a small yet wicked grin at the thought of the man sputtering from the insult aimed at his own design. "Seems like overkill, especially since no one is trying to get in there." At that Riley gave a sly smirk, elbowing Alex, "Cat Grant." A hand flew through the air and popped Riley upside the head, "Shh!" Kara hissed at her. "You know, who's hombre enough to puncture the Chastity Belt of Steel?" Riley couldn’t help but giggle at that, even with Kara lightly smacking her at the laughing, "I can't help it!" She wheezed quietly between giggles. "Or is what's required a more softer touch? She does kind of give off a Sapphic vibe, big ol' butch 'S' chest plate. How would that even work with an alien? I mean, is everything the same down there, or are we talking tentacles? Maybe it's time for a break. Or a makeover." Leslie Willis drawled out cruelly. Even Alex's jaw was dropped now because this chick was in a full-blown rant about Supergirl's sex-life as well. "Superboy however," Leslie started again, making Riley scowl as if daring the radio host to have a go at her too, "can save me from the possibility of celibacy any day of the week." Kara and Alex turned their heads to see Riley's ears going bright red and jaw dropping in shock. "I mean have you seen those abs, those sculpted arms and her mysterious stormy eyes? Oh, call me a damsel because I am in distress." Was purred out of the speakers, sending both Alex and Kara falling to the floor in rib aching laughter as Riley could feel her face heating from embarrassment instead of just her ears. "Alright! That's enough of that! Let's go out for the day and go hiking or something, I'll start the truck!" Riley squeaked out, leaped up to turn off the radio and walked right out the door with Kara and Alex's laughter echoing behind her. (Next Day at CatCo) Kara and Winn were walking back through the bullpen to their desks after grabbing some coffee, "So, did you hear what CatCo's very own Leslie Willis said about Supergirl and Superboy?" Winn asked her with a scowl that morphed into mischievous grin at 'Superboy'. "Oh, all three of us did." Kara drawled with a grin of her own, "Riley is currently hiding in James' office until she no longer feels like her face is redder than her suit pants and her embarrassment disappears due to the verbal bomb that got dropped. What?" She trailed off when Winn sighed happily with a smile. He set his coffee mug down and dropped into his seat, "It's just, it's nice when we talk about a metaphoric bomb for a change." Kara leaned against Winn's desk and played with her coffee mug, "So are you, James and Lucy still coming over for Thanksgiving dinner? I promise that Alex and I aren't making it. Instead Riley will be the one that runs the kitchen." "Yep, we'll be there around seven! Lucy is bringing some sort of cooking wine for Riley as thanks since James and I are already going to bring you a box of sticky buns from Noonan's since Riley told James about Alex's boss bringing whiskey for Alex. Hey, is that Leslie Willis?" Winn told her with a nod, but his attention trailed off to the radio host in Cat Grant's office. "It is," Kara muttered after she turned around and also saw the woman, "I wonder what she's doing in Ms. Grant's office." Winn leaned his chair back and gave her a pointed look, even though she couldn't see it, "You do have super hearing, you know." "I caught your broadcast yesterday. I warned you about going after Supergirl and Superboy." Kara could hear Cat say stiffly, her boss putting on her glasses. To keep from being obvious Kara walked around to her desk and pretended to start working on something on her computer. Leslie's voice was heard next in a tone that reminded Kara of Alex's rebellious years, "You're always warning me about something. That's our dynamic. You tell me I'm crossing a line and a week later, there's a new line to cross. Besides, technically I didn't 'go after' Superboy in a bad way." Cat's voice had a sharper edge to it now, "I discovered you in that shoebox of a radio station. I mentored you to the best of my abilities and for the most part, I am proud of that." Cat paused to look over at Leslie and saw the woman pouring herself a glass of water, "But going after a kind-hearted woman, insulting her body, how she dresses, her sexuality." "Lack of sexuality." Leslie cut in and put emphasis on the word 'lack', "and the last time I checked, as long as I delivered you certain ratings you didn't care what sacred cows I went after. So why are they any different?" The radio host sat down on one of Cat's couches. "I named them, Leslie. I am doing everything I can to cultivate a relationship between Supergirl, Superboy, and CatCo. If I could ask Supergirl out to dinner and legally adopt Superboy in some way, I would do so in a heartbeat." Kara couldn't completely fight off a smile but tried to hide it under her hand. What she didn’t know was that Riley was also listening into the conversation after Winn texted her about it. Leslie did not sound happy, "I read your article Cat. You're just as hard on Supergirl as I am, and you’re the same way with Superboy as you are with Supergirl." Cat walked back to her desk and turned to face the irate radio host after she sat down, "My Supers are off the table. Effective immediately." "What, you're dictating my content now?" Kara and Riley both tensed up at the upset tone to Leslie's voice, albeit for different reasons. "Yes." Cat said easily as if the answer was obvious, and it kind of was, "Supergirl and Superboy are changing the conversation of National City. People don't want your brand of negativity anymore, Leslie. They want optimism, hope, and positivity.""You're a hypocrite, Cat." Leslie snapped out, then turned on her heel to leave the office. However, Cat's next words had her stopping to turn back, "And you're finished, Leslie." The younger blonde in the office sounded a little worried under her smug words, "I have two years left on my contract. You are too proud and too cheap to buy me out." Giving Leslie a slight head tilt, Cat had to give her that, "That's true. However, I'm not firing you, I'm transferring you to traffic chopper. You'll be National City's highest paid traffic reporter." "Oh snap! Cat does have claws!" Riley muttered with a snicker, waving off James glance of confusion. Leslie didn't seem to like the new job Cat gave her, "If you do this, you will regret it." "Rush hour starts at four thirty. If you're not in the CatCopter when it goes up you'll be hearing from my lawyer." Even Kara's jaw dropped at the sass, "Oh, and you better take some Dramamine, it looks like it's going to be a bumpy ride." It wasn't until the power flickered a bit and the sky lit up that the two Danvers realized that there was a storm outside."Hey James," Riley turned back to her best friend with the 'Danvers' Crinkle' on her face, "this storm might be pretty bad. Do you mind calling or texting me when you get back to your place so I know you made it home safe? I'm sure Kara is asking the same from Winn."James looked out the window and saw that the storm was picking up pretty quick. He turned back to Riley and smiled softly, "I don't mind at all Riley. Are you going to stay until Kara clocks out?"She nodded, "Yeah, I'm going to give her a ride home in the truck." Riley thought on something for a minute. "James," At having his attention again she finished her thought with a happy smile, "call me Rile, you know, when it's just us and people from the group."He knew that 'Rile' was her name on Krypton and the fact that she requested he call her by it made him realize that they were indeed becoming best friends, more so than him and Clark ever where. That thought morphed his smile into a grin, "You got it, Rile." (That Night) "Hi, take out for Danvers." Kara told a worker she recognized behind Noonan's bar, Riley was waiting outside in the truck around the corner for their last take-out order. They had just come from the pizza place they like so much for Kara's pizza and Riley's mild buffalo wings since Riley wanted to spend more time able to just watch the storm than cooking and cleaning up afterwards. While the man behind the counter went to go get her order, Kara turned around and started people watching. She caught sight of a few regulars, a couple that she recognized was the owner and her husband, and the last person had her eyebrows raising in surprise at the tear tracks on their face, "Vasquez?" She softy called out so she didn't startle them, walking up to the nearby table.The agent still startled a bit, "Ma'am, uh, I mean, Kara! Hi!" They leapt to their feet and stumbled a little, "What are you doing out in this weather?" Vasquez asked, wiping at their cheeks and roughly clearing their throat.Kara could hear Riley enter Noonan's behind her and make her way towards the table, "Vasquez, Riley's coming over here okay? You two talk and I'll be right back." She reassured them with a gently pat to their shoulder and walked to get her order from the counter.Vasquez sat back down and watched Riley sit down in the chair next to theirs, "Hey Vasquez, I'm not sure what's going on and if you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. But I was wondering if you would like to join Kara and I for dinner at our apartment tonight and just relax? Maybe watch a movie or t.v. show?" Riley asked casually, even though she could feel her anger build at the thought of someone hurting her friend. "Um, sure." They shrugged and took in a ragged breath, "I uh, I'll have to call a taxi though."Riley scoffed lightly with a small smile, "We arrived here in my truck, you can ride with me on the way to pick up Alex. Kara is going to do a patrol around the city while we head to the apartment anyway. Besides, if you don't want to watch anything we could just hangout instead.""Alright," Vasquez had a grin even with their slightly reddened eyes, "let's do it! But if we do the karaoke thing, I get to have it recorded for any future blackmail.""Deal." Was all Riley had the chance to say before Kara walked back over. She had made sure to keep her hearing tuned to the two of them while getting the food just in case Vasquez needed her over there a.s.a.p. as well."Are you two ready to go?" Kara asked lightly as she seemed unable to stand still and had with her glasses slightly bouncing on her nose.Both Vasquez and Riley stood up from the table and made their way out of Noonan's with Kara. Upon making it to the truck Kara placed the take-out with the rest of it all and wave bye to the two now in the truck, having used the position of the truck to quickly change out of her 'assistant' clothes before flying off. After making sure the food wouldn't slide around in the back and Vasquez was also buckled in, Riley started the truck and began to pull out of the parking spot while turning her head to tell Vasquez a joke. Vasquez's right hand suddenly shot up to the handle above their head and their left arm stretched through the middle as if to stop Riley from hitting the steering wheel, "Look out!" They shouted in panic. Riley slammed on the breaks and a short squeal from the tires pierced the air. The blonde looked ahead to see Lucy Lane of all people, drenched in rain with wide eyes at the fact that she was almost hit. "Crap, be right back." Riley muttered to Vasquez before jumping out of the truck, "Lucy! I'm sorry, are you okay?!" She made sure to yell over the rain and thunder as she approached the brunette. Lucy nodded slowly, her heart still beating fast, "Uh, yeah! Yeah, I'm fine. Wait, Riley Danvers?!" Lucy called out in surprise at recognizing her Would-Be hitter."Yeah, that's me." But Riley stopped at the sight of another new friend's slightly red eyes and tear stained face. She took merely a second to think her choices through and decided to risk it, "Hey, I know we've recently been introduced by James and all, but would you like to join Kara, myself, Alex, and one of our friends for dinner at the apartment? It's dry, warm, lots of food and there's plenty of spots to crash at if it gets too late."Biting her lip, Lucy actually considered it. James told her all about his new friend and her twin Kara. About how Riley and Kara had hearts of gold and the redhead named Alex might be a little rough around the edges but she was just a momma bear at heart. Besides, she already had a bad day due to her father and could use a distraction. "Alright, sure." She decided, calling back to the blonde over the rain. "Cool! Uh, if you don't want to take a taxi or anything, there's room in the truck?!" At Lucy's nod of agreement, Riley ran over to the passenger side to open the door while Vasquez slid to the middle seat after raising the arm rest to let Lucy sit by the door.Riley put the truck back into 'drive' once everyone was buckled in and continued heading to the coffee shop Alex was waiting in to be picked up, "If you want, there's CD's in the glovebox you two can pick from." She offered up to fill the silence, hoping either would pick something. Vasquez grinned slyly and lightly elbowed Lucy, "Did you know Riley over here has a tendency to sing when nervous or over excited?" "Oh really? How come I'm just hearing about this? Do James and Winn know?" Lucy snickered and her eyebrows went up. "No clue, Alex told me about it and I would like to see what kind of songs she might break out into if her personal truck stash carries them." They continued, grinning wickedly when they noticed Riley's ears turning red and Lucy leaned forward to grin at the blonde with them.Lucy then reached into the glovebox and pulled out a decently sized CD case, "Alright, first up is..." She trailed off and pulled out the very first CD that looked a little worn, "'Music I've know of thanks to Alex', aw that's adorable!" Lucy cooed a little and passed the CD to Vasquez so they could slide the CD into the player."What song is this?" Lucy asked with her head tilting slightly to the side in confusion while Vasquez face lit up, they paused the song before it could pick up."You have to sing this Riley, please!" They asked pleadingly with their hands clasped together for a slight begging pout.Riley finally grinned and nodded, "On one condition!" At Lucy and Vasquez's nods she continued, "Let me text Alex to let her know we're right outside and she has to sing it with me."The two in the middle and passenger seats grinned, feeling a bit like carefree pre-teens, "Deal!" They both intoned together.Once the text was sent, it only took about two minutes for Alex to come running out of the coffee shop and into the thankfully clear side in backseat of the truck, then freeze in surprise at the two additional people in the front row, "Uh, hi there!""Alex, Vasquez and Lucy will be joining us tonight and on the way back to the apartment, we have to sing this song that is about to be played from one of my CD's." Riley told her with little pause, knowing Alex did better in situations where any awkwardness is simply steamrolled."Okay," Alex drawled out, relaxing at the unsubtle steamrolling she was used to with the two aliens, "should I ask what song we're singing? I should also warn you two that I have the voice of a dying horse, but hey, I'm down for it if Vasquez and Lucy join in on the next song that I get to pick."Vasquez and Lucy both share a questioning look, and after a minute Lucy speaks up for them with a grin, "Deal! But we get to veto any songs we don't know."Alex nodded in acceptance, "Alright, sounds like a plan then. Start it up Vasquez!"The other agent nodded and made sure the song was restarted and hit 'Play', starting up 'Shake it Off' by 'Taylor Swift', "I'm surprised you told Riley of this one, Alex" Vasquez drawled out with a grin over their shoulder towards the person in question.Riley just laughed and started up the first line, "I stay out too late, got nothin in my brain. That's what people say, mhm, that's what people say, mhm!""I go on too many dates, and I can't make them stay. At least that's what people say, mhm, that's what people say!" Alex sang, shaking her finger at Vasquez to the beat."So I keep cruisin', can't stop, won't stop, moving. It's like I got this music in my mind singin it's gonna be alright!" Lucy jumped in with a wide smile after finally recognizing the song.Vasquez shrugged and sang the sang the chorus with the three women in the car, all four of them dancing in their seats in different silly ways, "Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play, and the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate. Baby I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake it off, shake it off!"They repeated that part a second time. While doing so, Kara had sent Riley a text that she was at the apartment and apparently, something bad happened. Riley just sighed lightly and slid her phone back away quickly."I never miss a beat, I'm lightning on my feet, and that's what they don’t see, mhm, that's what they don’t see, mhm!" Vasquez sang that time with a wide grin.All four of them started singing the rest of the song together between giggles and silly dance moves with Alex taking over the 'talking' part before the end with the others clapping when it called for it. They arrived at the covered apartment parking spot right as the song ended, the humans were little breathless from the laughter and singing."Alright everyone," Riley couldn’t help but keep laughing some, "Kara's inside waiting for us and the next song we're all together for, we can have her sing along to as well."The other three nodded in agreement and stumbled out of the truck with everyone soon loaded down with take-out food. Riley felt like she could sigh in relief at indeed having enough space for everyone to crash somewhere if it did get too late.Kara held the door open for everyone and looked at Riley with raised eyebrows and a grin of amusement at the sight of Lucy joining them as well, "Oh hush, come to the other room with me after I set this down while Alex sorts through everything so all the humans get enough to eat." Riley muttered to her Kryptonian twin, then moved into the dining room area to set the stuff in her arms down. She shook her head at Alex when the older woman looked at them in confusion with the Danvers' crinkle before moving with Kara to a separate room."I was struck by lightning next to the CatCopter after saving the free-falling pilot. It happened when I was flying back up and caught the helicopter but Leslie Willis was also hit as the lightning went through me. The pilot is okay but Leslie is in the hospital in a coma." Kara muttered so their conversation couldn't be picked up by the others in the dining room. She was also biting her lip and the Danvers' crinkle was out in full strength.Riley let out a sharp exhale of shock at what happened and ran her hands through the sides of her short hair, "I'm sorry I wasn't there with you to help, is she going to be okay?" She asked, trying to keep her voice low but it was filled with worry because even though the woman insulted her sister she would never have wanted anything bad to happen to her.Kara shrugged and pulled her glasses off to rub at the bridge of her nose, "They said it's too early to tell at the moment, but beyond the coma she appears to be hardly injured at all. I'm heading over to the hospital tomorrow with Cat so I'll be able to update you after we get back to CatCo."The door was slowly pushed open with Alex sliding in, then carefully closing it behind her, "Hey, I'll go ahead and admit I was a little nosy and overheard what happened." She walked over and hugged Kara, "You did everything you could, alright? Her injury isn't your fault.""I know that but it doesn't change the way I feel like I failed to protect her, that her injury is because I wasn't a good enough hero. It's like I let her down." Kara mumbled, burying her face into the crook of Alex's neck and letting the familiar smell of 'Alex' calm her nerves."Alex has a point Kara, and to get our minds away from this since there is nothing we can do at the moment, let's go back out to the living room and enjoy the rest of the night with our guests. I'm not sure what happened earlier today with both of them, but they were both extremely sad before they got here so they still might be. Let's go make sure they either cheer up, or rant about whatever it is to us, then cheer up anyway." Riley herded them out of the room and towards the living room."Alright, one movie before the karaoke! I vote we watch 'The Mummy' with Brendan Fraser or the Disney movie 'Emperor's New Groove'." She cheerfully voted, dropping onto Kara who just sat in the chair across from the couch that now held Lucy, Vasquez and Alex.In the end, the group watched 'The Princess Diaries', that was suggested by Lucy, and then 'The Mummy' since it was a tie with votes between the two. There were also promises of karaoke next time they all got together as well.After the second movie was over, Riley turned off the T.V. and felt an uncontrollable yawn, "Alright, there are two beds, a couch, and a chair to sleep in. There are also sleeping bags and tons of blankets and pillows to choose from. Anyone know where they want to crash?""If there are sleeping bags, a lot of blankets, and pillows, why not make a blanket fort?" Lucy suggested with a weak shrug since she was already starting to doze off around the last ten minutes of the second movie.Kara and Riley both looked at Alex pleadingly, "Hey Lucy, let me show you which room is the bathroom to change into those spare pajamas. We should have the fort by the time you come back out." Alex offered since everyone else had already changed and it would buy the two supers some time to build a pretty decent fort, quickly.Lucy shrugged with another wide yawn, then gestured forward, "Sure, why not. Lead the way Danvers."Once Lucy was in the bathroom, Alex gave a thumbs up and the living room was filled with a flurry of action. Alex and Vasquez were watching as two blurs quickly built a semi-elaborate fort that had sleeping bags used in odd ways, pillows, and extra blankets inside. The finished fort seemed gigantic as it stretched over most of the living room and included the coffee table, the pull-out bed from the couch, and Kara's comfy chair. The sleeping bags were actually used to create 'doors' to the fort and at one point either Kara or Riley had shot past them to grab a mattress to put on the floor as an extra 'fort bed'.Vasquez let out a low whistle as they rested their hands on their hips, "You two were just waiting to show off your fort-making skills, huh?""Oh, like you wouldn’t believe!" Kara chimed in with a sunny grin, and then Riley appeared next to her with the same grin before they could even blink.About ten minutes later Lucy came out of the bathroom and her jaw dropped at the sight of the fort, "Jeez, this thing is actually pretty cool." She muttered with a smile at the child-like glee she felt. When she didn’t catch sight of anyone in the hall or nearby rooms, she made her way inside of the fort, 'Or should I say, Stronghold' Lucy thought with her smile growing into a grin while she entered via a sleeping bag 'door' and then playfully called out, "Anyone home?" "Come on in!" Kara whispered out to their newest friend, "The idea for the sleeping arrangements are; I get to sleep in my comfy chair, Alex and Riley claimed the mattress, then you and Vasquez share the pull-out, is that okay?" She asked since the other three were already out like lights, Kara herself was barely able to stay awake as it is."Yeah, that works fine for me." Lucy shrugged, making her way over to drop down onto the pull-out bed and pass out.Five minutes after Kara and Lucy got comfortable, all five of the people in the apartment were asleep with the slowly fading sounds of the storm echoing around them. (Next Day at the Hospital) "I truly hate hospitals." Cat snapped out with a scowl, "There is nothing I can do to help, and I need to do," she gestured wildly with her hands, "something! Besides, I'm somewhat of a germaphobe so it's a little uncomfortable here."To get Cat's mind away from all that, Kara nodded towards the flowers and balloons, "Does she have any family we could try to contact?"Cat shook her head slowly, "Not that she's mentioned, and those are all from her 'fans'. Apparently there's a whole shrine in front of CatCo.""I bet Supergirl and Superboy feel awful." Kara muttered to her boss with the Danvers' Crinkle out in full."Why?" Cat asked, walking around the room a little, "Sure, Superboy wasn't around, but Supergirl saved the pilot, she prevented the CatCopter from crashing into the ground, and Leslie is still alive. Besides, I put her in that helicopter. If anybody should feel guilty, it's me." The older blonde sighed and shrugged, "Okay, we've officially done nothing for the past thirty minutes since we can't do anything to help her beyond covering the room. Let's head back to CatCo, after you." Cat gestured Kara to walk ahead of her out the door.When her assistant left the room, Cat paused to speak to the sleeping Leslie before leaving, "Get up off your ass, Willis. You and I both know that you're tougher than a bolt of lightning. Your radio host job will be waiting for you at CatCo, so long as you don't slander my supers again. Just... please recover, Leslie."No one noticed the power flickering in the room and Leslie's eyes snapping open, light sparking in the depths. (Flashback) "Wait, Kara I don’t think this is a good idea! Besides, where is Rile?" Alex called out to the younger girl, climbing out the window after her. Kara looked over at her but kept walking towards the edge of the roof, "It'll be fine, Alex. And Rile is just running a little late." Alex looked worried anyway, "You're not supposed to use your powers, neither of you are." Rile, now Riley, floated around Alex from the window behind her to join Kara who was now floating in the air,"Come on Alex! It'll be so much fun!" At Alex's smile, both Kryptonians grinned with glee, taking off in the air after Alex was clinging to Riley's back. They flew over the trees and through clouds. Then Kara lead them towards the ocean. "This is amazing!" Alex cheered from Riley's back as both Kara and Riley were speeding over the water. Kara giggled at Alex's joy and Riley's silly grin with the moon reflecting off the water below them, "I know, right?" When Alex poked at Riley, the short haired blonde made sure to listen, "Let's see how close we can get!" "You got it!" Riley called back as she took a dive towards the water, barely skimming it with Kara right next to her. All three of them were soon drenched but still laughing happily. (End Flashback, Same Day after the Hospital Visit) "Alright so Lucy, James and Winn should be here in the next forty-five minutes or so. Vasquez is going to be riding with Hank, wow it's odd to call my boss by his first name. Anyway, those two should be arriving in the next ten minutes." Alex's called out through the apartment over the music.Kara bit her lip and then almost stuttered her own statement, "Cat is also joining since her son is out of town and we have room for one more." Riley looked at Kara with horror yet it almost made Kara giggle because the younger Kryptonian was wearing her apron and wielding a wooden spoon, "She's not allergic to anything I made, right?" "No, no, don't worry Riley, she isn't." Kara was quick to reassure her while Alex just looked at the ceiling and shrugged thinking 'Why do I even bother?' "When is Cat Grant going to be arriving then?" No one could answer Alex's question before a brisk knock echoed through the room, "I guess that's her." Alex said, Kara zipping past her fast enough that it felt like a sudden breeze blew through the room, "Slow down there, Speedy McGee."The door was swung open to reveal Cat Grant in all her glory, "Kara." She greeted with a raised eyebrow at the younger blonde's dropped jaw, "Yes, I do wear jeans from time to time."Cat strut past Kara, using a finger to push her jaw closed on the way into the apartment, "So, who is the Chef of the house? I brought something for dinner tonight." She held up three bottles of a red wine that would go pretty good with the meal."Uh, Riley, you met her at the Super Twins party in the Museum, she is in the kitchen. She's finishing up some of the food while the rest is either staying warm in the oven or chilling in the fridge." Kara stumbled a bit over her words but then perked up, "Hey, you should meet the older Danvers' kid, Alex! Hey Alex, come meet Cat!"Riley gently swatted Alex's hand when the older woman tried to snag a dinner roll, "No you don't! Go meet Kara's future Mrs., I think you'll get along like a house on fire in dry season."Alex scowled jokingly on her backwards walk out of the kitchen, Riley keeping her wooden spoon pointed at her with narrowed eyes and a wicked grin in a silent threat to any food grabby hands.The red haired Danvers walked up to Kara and Cat in the living room, "Cat, this is Alex. Alex, this is my boss Cat Grant." Kara introduced them to each other, watching their silent standoff worriedly."Cat Grant, C.E.O. of CatCo and Queen of All Media." Cat introduced herself and held her hand out for a handshake.Alex shook hands firmly as smirks appeared on both of their faces, "Alex Danvers, F.B.I. Agent and oldest of the younger Danvers. I was the one who kept the youngest two in line for the most part." "Hey! We were not that bad!" Riley called out, walking into the living room after she finished that last bit of food that was cooking on the stove. She left on her apron simply because of how much she loved the thing, and moved to greet Cat."It's a pleasure to see you again Ms. Grant." She started with the slight bow of her head to the woman in front of her, "May I say that you pull off casual wear just as brilliantly as you do formal."Alex stared at Riley in surprise at her smooth words, "What?" She asked Alex nervously as Kara gave Cat a quick tour of the apartment, "Alright, for some reason my mind registers her as higher standing in society and that's how one would greet such a person on Krypton. I can't help it, okay?"A firm knock on the door saved Riley from the sass a now pouting Alex was going to unleash, "I'll get it!" Riley called out, using more guests as an excuse to flee from the possible teasing and Alex's adorable pout."Every single time, I swear!" She heard Alex mutter dejectedly, triggering a small keening whine from her at Alex's words. 'I'll let her sass and tease after I let in Henshaw and Vasquez', Riley mentally decided resolutely.Riley swung open the door and threw her arms open wide as she greeted the two D.E.O. members with a grin, "Henshaw! Vasquez! Welcome to the Danvers' Friends and Family Thanksgiving Dinner! We have three more people showing up in the next thirty minutes, but make yourselves at home!"Vasquez gave a grin of their own and hugged the exuberant blonde, then moved towards Alex who was holding four empty glasses and looking at Henshaw hopefully.The man actually laughed, "Thanks. Oh, and Riley?" Henshaw paused next to the blonde, "pass the word to Kara and Alex about calling me Hank, at least for tonight."Hank then winked before moving on to greet Alex, Cat, and Kara who were both back in the living room again. Riley shook her head at the already crazy night, then closed the door until the others arrived.The next thirty minutes was filled with Alex, Hank, and Cat sipping whiskey while Kara, Vasquez and Riley argued about which older Power Rangers were better. Kara preferred 'Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie', Riley loved 'Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie', and Vasquez simply preferred the t.v. series of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.Kara thumped her fist down on the wooden table, unknowingly gathering the three in the living room's attention, "You only like the Turbo movie because you have the hots for 'Corrupted Ex-Pink Ranger' and 'Divatox', don't you dare even deny it because I know you and you even admitted to it once!"Riley's jaw dropped and her face started heating up in a blush while Vasquez started laughing at the two's passionate argument over the movies, "Well, you only like the original movie because of the same Ex-Pink Ranger and the new animal Zords! You just preferred that version of her!"Their argument screeched to a halt when two different beats were knocked into the apartment door, the two shared a narrowed eyed look and ran for the door, "James! Lucy! Winn! Tell this heathen that the Turbo Ranger movie was better!" Riley called out to the three once the door swung open.Kara scoffed at Riley with a small scowl and shoved her away a bit, "Lies, M.M.P.R. The Movie was so much better!""Alright, let them in before you start bombarding them with your kid movie banters." Alex cut in and pulled the two out of the door way so the other three could enter, "Besides, everyone knows that Angelina Jolie in 'Tomb Raider' was a much better movie to witness."The blondes froze in thought after they let Alex move them, "Damn, she's right!" Riley hissed out reluctantly, Kara sighing in defeat with a nod of agreement.Alex was the perfect picture of smug. In fact, Kara was sure that if she looked up the definition of 'Smug', a picture of Alex's current facial expression would be there.James, Winn, and Lucy walked into the apartment with their own 'gifts'. On the way to the couch Winn placed a black, handmade red and black Fedora hat onto Riley's head that had Husky looking fake ears sticking out the top and said 'SuperDog'. On Kara's head, he placed a blue and gray Fedora hat that also had fake ears. It made it look like Kara had golden retriever dog ears and said 'Puppy Danvers' on the front much to Kara's delight as well as a box of Noonan's sticky buns were placed in her hands. His gift to Alex was simply a new handgun holster that was fire-proof, knife-proof, and made to last a long while. Those gifts were from James and Winn, while Lucy handed two bottles of wine used only as a cooking ingredient to Riley."I feel spoiled rotten. Thanks Winn, James, I love this thing!" Alex cooed over her new holster that Winn told Kara to tell her that he was working on.Kara was acting like an energetic puppy that the hat warned people of and bounced around until Cat got her to finally sit down with everyone else.Riley didn’t know if she should pout, laugh, or be excited over her hat and cooking wine. Lucy rolled her eyes before pulling Vasquez and Riley into the kitchen, "Come on you two, Riley needs some help setting things up so Vas, you and I are gonna help her so we can all eat because I am starving."Thankfully it only took about five or so minutes for them to get everything situated on the counters and the plates near the beginning so the food wouldn’t crowd the table, "Alright everyone, time to eat!" Riley called out after she finished slicing up most of the turkey, chicken and ham.Hank was the first done with fixing his plate so he set it down on the table and moved to open a bottle of wine with the opener Kara had left near the bottles, "Here." Alex said to him, placing wine glasses around the table in case anyone wanted some.He nodded his thanks to her, pouring both of them a glass then offered some to Cat Grant who was next to sit down, "Yes, thank you Hank." She thanked him politely. James was next but he declined, "No, but thank you though. I'm going to the be the designated driver for those two tonight." He gestured towards the kitchen that still held the two that arrived with him. They turned their heads to see Kara, Riley, Lucy, Vasquez and Winn all joking around and jostling each other for food or specific cuts of turkey, ham, or chicken. When Kara almost knocked the gravy carrying china bowl off the counter, Cat finally had enough and let off a sharp whistle, "Hey!" She immediately held all their attention, "Calmly finish getting your plates filled, and for the love of fine china, be careful. Kara, you nearly knocked the gravy bowl off the counter. And you, Lucy, almost dropped your plate five separate times that I've seen so far. Even you Riley, I caught sight of you almost dropping the large china plate holding the chicken at least twice."She turned her attention to Vasquez, "Except for you, you were being careful and that's probably what stopped me from going all out on the other three. Thank you, Vasquez."The group at the counter, minus a smirking Vasquez, were thoroughly chastened and made sure to carefully gather the rest of their food before making their way to the table."So!" Winn clapped his hands together with a grin shared around the table, "I figure that since we all know about Riley and Kara being Superboy and Supergirl, they should totally be able to do their prayers to Rao that Alex told me about, and if anyone wants, that persons own as well!"Kara, Riley, Alex, Hank, Vasquez, and James all looked horrified at him, "Wait, they didn't know?!" Winn squeaked after it suddenly hit him that they might not have known, as he gestured to Cat and Lucy."No, but they do now!" Kara's voice took on a slightly hysterical tone that involved a bit of hand waving in the air.Cat raised one eyebrow and swished her wine a bit in her glass, "Oh, I already knew about Kara. I had my suspicions about Riley as well but I figured that I'd let them tell me on their own time."Lucy on the other hand just shrugged and took a sip of her own wine with a smirk, "I agree with Cat, but I figured it out about Riley too. After all, the glasses really don't hide anything, and the fact that Riley hasn't been wearing them recently just solidified that idea.""We are so horrible at secret identities." Riley groaned, dropping her head back and accidentally cracking the top of the wooden chair, triggering a whine as her head shot back up, "Crap! Not again!""Exactly that, right there." Lucy pointed out Riley, "Stuff like that gives you away so easily. Thankfully I will happily sign any N.D.A. to prove that I won't say a thing about your identities.""I shall do the same, I suppose. Even though I wouldn’t print anything about it regardless." Cat droned out, playing it off as if she was bored.Hank nodded in thanks to them before addressing the three, "Alright then. Riley, Kara, Alex, are there any prayers to Rao you would like to do?"Since Hank and Alex were sitting at the ends of the table, the seating arrangements made it easy for the three to be next to each other for the prayer. To Alex's right was Kara, Cat, then Lucy. To her left was Riley, James, Winn and Vasquez. There was an empty seat between Lucy and Hank that would have been Eliza's if she had been able to make it.Alex reached her hands out to Kara and Riley, who then offered their other hands to the person next to them in case they wanted to join in, and soon the entire table was connected. When Alex moved, everyone followed her movements and looked up with their eyes closed, "Rao," Alex started in Kryptonese with Winn translating it into English for the others since Kara taught him, "the children of Krypton, Earth, and many places forever seek your never-ending rays to bring themselves peace after the loss of Krypton and so many of their people. Today we share thanks with the ones around us for every day that begins a-new and those we share those days with. We share our hopes in that Astra In-Ze will soon be with us on days such as this, and in good health. We thank thee, Rao, for bringing Kara and Rile Zor-El to Earth, for their lights have changed my own life in ways I never knew I was in need of. Thank you." Kara and Riley had joined in for the beginning, but went teary eyed at the end when Alex continued after 'We thank thee, Rao'."Anyone else?" Riley asked, her voice a little horse from fighting off tears.When everyone else shook their heads, James spoke up with a cheeky smile, "Alright, let's eat then because I might not have super hearing but I'm pretty sure Riley and Kara's stomachs are about to eat themselves."A few from the table jokingly booed and hissed at his bad joke, Lucy had even thrown a dinner roll at him, "Thanks!" He laughed, then took a bite from it happily.While people were digging into their plates, conversations were kicking up all around the table, Riley looked around and couldn’t help but feel a glow of happiness within her. Kara was sharing blushing glances with Cat, Winn and James were lightly leaning against each other, Alex was debating across the table to Hank, while Lucy and Vasquez were muttering and laughing about something.Riley sighed softly, 'This planet feels more and more like home now. I hope Kara and I never lose this new ragtag family.' She hid a grin at her next thought behind her wine glass, 'Now if only we could find someone for Lucy, Vasquez, and Hank!'' She refused to let herself think about how heartbroken she would be if Alex did indeed find someone.Someone's cellphone tone broke through the air, it ended up being Cat's, "This better be good because I am in the middle of dinner." She snapped out over the phone in irritation. Her face morphed into a scowl and she sighed, "I will be at CatCo in thirty minutes and it better be as bad as you swear it is."Riley finished the food on her own plate quickly after she got hit with an idea that would allow her to scope out if Cat really did like Kara, without Kara being nearby, "Cat, if you don't need your assistant for whatever happened I'll gladly drive you to CatCo in my truck." She offered innocently.Cat and Kara both shared a look and at Kara's shrug, Cat nodded in acceptance before standing up to take her plate to the kitchen sink, "That sounds like a plan then. We must head out immediately seeing as the problem is apparently something only I can fix.""Kara, Alex, there are deserts in the freezer and fridge. Any leftovers can be split between everyone if they want, and that includes desert." Riley rattled off to Kara and Alex while Cat grabbed her purse. Everyone stood up to hug or shake her and Cat's hands bye, with Kara and Alex promising to split the leftovers for her. A minute later, Riley and Cat were out the door and in the elevator for the ground floor. (About an hour later at CatCo) "I think we might need to call Winn and Kara." Riley sighed in frustration when the laptop wouldn’t turn on. Oddly enough, the T.V,'s weren't working either. Cat reached for her cellphone right before a loud crack of thunder filled the air and lightning lit up the sky, "Oh great, now all the power is out." The younger blonde hissed. "What fresh incompetence is this?" Sassed Cat, scowling at the lack of power from even the backup generators after that last bolt of lightning. An eerie voice sounded throughout the room, "Gobble, gobble. Miss me?""Leslie?" Riley could hear the pure confusion in Cat's tone, then the TV's suddenly kicked on to show a single person being 'formed' by all of them. Riley edged away from it with wide eyes towards Cat, she always hated horror movies like this moment, "No. Leslie Willis is dead. D-e-a-d, dead. She died in that CatCopter of yours. This is Leslie 2.0. Livewire. And you and I, we're gonna have words." Leslie, no, Livewire crooned out with a weird electronic tone to her voice."My god, Leslie." Cat drawled, probably still surprised that the woman was somehow controlling the T.V.'s. Riley was about to hiss at Cat to not taunt the upset woman when bolts of light shot out from the screens to build a solid Livewire behind Cat's desk."Okay! Time to go!" She would never admit it, but her voice pitched higher when Livewire starting shooting lighting around the room before she started dragging Cat away from the vengeance seeking radio host with a weird grudge.They started jogging through the bullpen and barely missed getting hit by a strong bolt of lightning that destroyed a giant pink panther statue, "Get down, get down!" Riley chanted under her breath as they hid behind a small wall from the woman."I thought she was in a coma?" She asked Cat, shaking a little at the feeling that they were in a horror movie.Cat looked at her with a 'No, really' look, "Yeah, clearly she's recovered." The older woman hissed back at her with sarcasm. Riley suddenly remember the 'distress beacon' Alex gave her and Kara that would alert Alex to the fact that they were in danger and activated it, "Cat, I turned on a beacon that will tell the others we're in trouble. I need to sneak off so I can change, but then I'll be back. Just, be careful? Please?" She couldn’t stress enough how careful she needed Cat to be, because the woman would hopefully be her future sister-in-law, and if not, then for the woman's son."Alright, go! I'll cover you." Cat seemed to completely ignore the part where Riley asked her to be careful, "Go!"The super growled at the woman's stubborn attitude, then gave in and ran for the mini balcony door next to the stairwell that Kara usually used before changing.Kara met her outside in the air, "What's going on? Is Cat okay?" Riley shrugged off her frantic questions and rocketed towards a window behind Cat, "She's fine, but you'll see what's going on in a moment.'Superboy' burst through the window and took Livewire's lightning to the chest, 'Oh Rao that actually stings a hell of a lot!' Riley thought with a wince.Supergirl was right on her tail and landed on the other side of Superboy to make sure Cat was out of the line of fire by using their own bodies, "You don't have to do this! Let us help you!" Kara called out, hoping to calm the enraged woman.That very clearly did not work when Livewire built up her power, "I'm good as is." The white haired metahuman shot another chain of lighting at them, but this time Kara had the nice idea to meet it half way with her heat vision to push it back. Livewire gave a gasp of surprise and reformed from bolts of light. Kara felt worry when all it did was give her a 'battery boost'."Ms. Grant, we need you to get to safety, run!" Superboy called out to the C.E.O., trying to hide the fact that the two Supers were honestly wondering how they were going to defeat this woman. Cat understood what happened and the worry in Riley's voice did not reassure her, "Oh crap." She muttered right before she turned on her heels and ran like she was told to towards her private elevator instead of the staircase.Livewire used her powers to travel almost instantly to a spot between Cat and the elevator, Superboy rocketed forward and tackled the woman with her full strength, not wanting to risk what holding back would let happen and Livewire's body dented a pillar in the office.Lightning lit like a fire through Riley's veins and to stop it she headbutted the woman then threw her across the room. Ex-Leslie did her lightning travel thing and went right into the control panel next to the elevator door."Oh Supers, poor Cat's stock is plummeting." There was a bit of an evil cackle after that from the T.V.'s in Cat's room. Riley didn’t hesitate to yank the elevator doors open by pulling one side, allowing Kara to rocket past and down the elevator shaft to catch it.When the elevator stopped, Kara used her super strength to hold it steady and pull the top open, "You're safe now, Cat."Cat shakily stood up on her own and stuck her arms up to be pulled free from the elevator, "I do not wish to be in this contraption at the moment." Her voice appeared to be just as shaky as her legs.Riley floated down and took over for Kara in holding the elevator still so Kara could pull Cat out. Once the all clear was given, she slowly lowered it back down to ground level with the other two floating down behind her. (Small Skip, D.E.O. arrives at CatCo) While Kara talked with Hank about Livewire and the attack, Riley was able to make Cat a 'passable' latte and deliver it to her. It actually seemed to be calming Cat down until she caught sight of Kara and Hank. The older woman stood up and marched over to them with Riley on her heels as if Riley was her assistant. "Excuse me," Cat called out to them, but she looked around at the other agents that changed the way she was going to have the conversation if they weren't there, "Agent Mulder, is it?" Hank and the other two caught on fairly quick, "Munroe, Ms. Grant." He corrected her. The conversation seemed to have an undertone that Kara and Riley didn't really understand, "Well, your agents are destroying my building more than Leslie did." Hank looked around him, but the glance at Kara had Riley wondering what was really being said, "I'm assuming the F.B.I. is going to reimburse me for all the damage they're doing?" Cat continued with a raised eyebrow. "We wouldn’t be doing any damage if you'd allow us to relocate you to a secure location." Hank shrugged lightly, and just might have rolled his eyes. Cat straightened up and stood tall in her heels, "I didn’t get where I am by running and hiding from a fight. Tomorrow is Black Friday, and CatCo will be open for business. Kara nodded in agreement when Cat looked over at her. At that, Cat turned and strut back towards her office, "Alright, I don't know how you do it Kara." Riley started with a sigh, "I'll 'escort' the F.B.I. out and you can go back to Cat because Rao, that woman is impossible." Kara's giggling just made Riley fight the urge to pout at the fact that she was being laughed at, "Sounds like a plan! I'll see you later, okay?" She asked Riley with her head tilting slightly. A simply sigh and an eye roll was what she got before Riley caved and muttered, "You got it, boss." Hank put his hands on his hips and called out to his agents, "Let's go, guys!" It took around fifteen minutes for the agents to get all of their stuff out of the building, Hank watched to make sure they didn’t miss anything, then walked with Riley towards the elevators, "I have something at the D.E.O. that may help. One of our prisoners is a Zarolatt." He offered without stating any 'for sure' information. "I can honestly say that I have no clue what that species is." Was Riley's straight forward, no nonsense statement. Hank stopped next to the elevator and gave more information, "Zarolatt is an inter-dimensional race of aliens consisting of pure, sentient energy. Maybe I could modify the trap we used on it for Livewire." He seemed curious at the idea. Riley knew that while she wasn't so great with Earth sciences and lower math, something Alien might be a lot easier to help with. So she went out on a limb and asked, "Can I help? Kara's got CatCo on lock-down and if Livewire shows back up, Supergirl is not going to be happy with the woman.""Okay, let's head out then. Will you be riding with us or getting there on your own?" Hank asked without saying anything specific out loud just in case. "I'll ride with you." She replied after a moment of humming in thought from considering her options, then following him into the elevator when it arrived. Hank's phone rang through the silent elevator as they reached ground floor, "Ms. Riley and I are on our way back to the precinct, Agent Danvers. We'll be there in the next thirty minutes with an idea." (Later at the D.E.O.) "Lightning in a bottle." Bragged Hank while showing Kara and Riley the device that was changed to work against Livewire.Alex shrugged but couldn’t suppress the urge to correct him, "Or, technically, lightning in a portable industrial capacitor."Hank acted like Alex hadn't said a word because her sass was second nature to her, "Get it underneath her, spring it open and close it. The electricity running through will be drawn inside. She'll be temporarily broken down on the atomic level, at least until we can get her into permanent containment.""Cool, it's like Ghostbusters!" Kara cheered with a smile as she completely understood what they were telling them.Riley smirked at the three of them, "Science nerds, the lot of you."When Alex and Hank raised their eyebrows at the two blondes, they straightened up and cleared their throats, "Sounds like a plan." Kara nodded with a forced stern look on her face."You gonna tell us where you're going?" He tried to ask again like he did earlier, but got just as much of an answer as he did the first time."This is between me, Riley, Cat, and Livewire. We've got this." She tried to reassure him but was as successful at that as Hank was pulling a location from Kara. Not at all. Alex seemed worried about the situation, "Based on the amount of power she's consumed, there is a very real chance that she's gonna be strong enough." Riley cut her off calmly, "She can hurt us, we know. I was twitching for a little while before the power up.""Riley, Kara, not just hurt you, she can kill you." That comment from Alex had Riley feeling a little nervous about the upcoming fight and knew Kara was feeling the same way. But they both put on brave faces and excused themselves once Kara grabbed the trap off the table. (At CatCo) Hovering high over the building, Riley kept a close eye on any sparks of electricity while Kara was inside with Cat, "Citizens of National City this is Cat Grant broadcasting live from CatCo Plaza, which despite a vicious attack yesterday, is still open for business. This message is for the person behind that attack. Leslie, if you're hearing this, your grudge is with me, not National City, so let's not see if we can't come to an agreement. Let's meet, where it all began, as they say. I'm not one to look back, but it just feels right this time." She could hear Cat basically taunt Livewire on purpose with her super hearing. Her attention locked onto a spark traveling through telephone wires down below, "Supergirl, this is Superboy. We got a bite." She told Kara and the D.E.O. over their Bluetooth radio earrings, "She's headed to the target location." "Okay, stay in the air and keep an eye on Livewire. I'll be near Cat at Leslie's old building. Drop down when the fighting starts. See you there Superboy. Supergirl, out." Kara called back to her over their radio. Riley sighed, then took off after the spark of light but staying high in the air, "Let the games begin." She muttered quietly. (Outside of a Rundown Building) Kara was out of sight between some buildings down the street and Riley was hovering high in the air, both listening to Cat sass Livewire with absolutely zero sense of self-preservation. Their queue was when Livewire fired electricity towards Cat, who was able to dive out of the way, thankfully. They both swooped in, one on each end of the street, "Leslie!" Kara called out to the ex-radio host."Your fifteen minutes are up, you boring, weak," Leslie started ranting, only for Kara to cut her off."Oh, shut up, you mean girl." Riley didn’t even try to resist facepalming at that terrible comeback since she knew Kara couldn't really insult someone.Riley heard the sound of electricity after a 'woosh' from Kara taking off towards Livewire, looking up just in time to see Kara get tossed into a car. Thankfully all that was broken was the car window because if Kara was thrown hard enough, there wouldn’t be a car.Tired of Livewire already, Riley shot forward as well as gave a solid kick to the other woman's back, sending her sparking into a telephone pole."Crap, of course the telephone pole I kick her towards just so happens to have a freaking transformer!" Superboy could have kicked herself for that idiocy, but instead helped Kara back up to her feet, "I did an oops." Was all she said, confusing Kara.She pointed at Leslie who had come back out enraged and now wielding two lightning 'whips', "See? Oops." Kara gave Riley a stern look that just screamed 'We are going to have words after this'.They tried to dodge but Kara got knocked back into the old radio building and Riley was put through another wall. The two whips soon swished through the air again to wrap around both of their necks, and Leslie yanked them back out into the street. Kara tried to activate the device, but Leslie flung her into a building again to use the same whip to bat the device away. She then applied the second whip around Riley."Nice try, Supergirl!" Leslie taunted her before throwing Superboy down to the ground in front of her, "Hmm, I wonder if I have enough power to stop Superboy's heart." And proceeded to shock Riley with an outrageous amount of energy that would have already fried a tank."Leslie!" Cat called out, trying to buy Supergirl some time to get back up but she was still honestly worried for the Supers, "Leslie, don't do this!"If anything, that only made the white-haired woman more determined and the voltage increased dramatically. Riley could barely move as the pain jolted through her body with her body trying to seize and lock on her. Kara was finally back on her feet and an idea hit as she caught the sound of running water under the road.Cat tried again desperately, "You're better than this. You are Leslie Willis."Livewire shrugged and actually stopped the chain of energy, "If it makes you feel better I'll give you credit for giving me my start.""And now we're finishing you off." Kara growled in actual anger from the nearby building before she darted forward to reach into the road and lift up the water pipe towards Livewire. Riley's body was still twitching and her jaw was thankfully no longer locked closed from the volts as the water successfully ended up knocking their foe unconscious."Supergirl," she rasped out, struggling to her feet, "heat up the pipe and have it welded back into place so we don’t cause a flooding here."Kara did as Riley suggested, then moved over to help her sister stand up straight. Both she and Cat could still see small bolts of lightning dance across Riley's suit, "Water and electricity, never a good match." Kara tried to joke to lighten the air.Riley gave a grin and joined in with the slight rasp still there, "You could say that it was a shocking situation.""The two of you are going to give me gray hairs early and the bad jokes aren't helping." Both Supers grinned at Cat's sass, releasing a relieved laugh or two."Well, I guess we need to get her back to the D.E.O." Kara sighed, feeling a bit tired after that but still easily picked up the unconscious meta-human. Cat seemed to consider something and spoke up before they could leave, "Wait," and after a glance around to see that there were no devices that could pick up her voice she continued, "Riley, I have need for a second assistant due to things around CatCo picking up. If you want to, and Kara trains you well, I suggest applying for the spot. The internship will be open starting tomorrow." Riley beamed excitedly, and at a nod from Kara she turned back to Cat, "You can count on it, Cat.""Good, I suppose I will see you for an interview early tomorrow then." And at that, Cat Grant turned and walked down the road towards a car that just pulled up. "Okay, now that was perfectly timed. Color me impressed." Riley admitted with a grin to Kara, getting a smack upside the head and an eye-roll for her troubles. (CatCo, the Next Day) After the interview was over, Riley nearly sighed with relief as she felt so thankful for her super abilities and Kara willing to train her for any rough spots she might have because Cat Grant and CatCo made up for one hell of a job. She now had a new-found respect for Kara's job, let alone how Kara did it solo before now, even with powers.Riley was already starting her 'one-week temp' and knew that if she could get past it well, she would be hired. While she loved Alex, adored Hank, and enjoyed hanging out with Vasquez, she just didn't know if she could live as a hero twenty-four seven yet and wanted to try something else first."Kara, James, Winn, Lucy!" She called out excitedly and ran over to them at a human pace, "Guess who's the new second assistant for Cat Grant?""Hmm, Lois Lane?" James asked with a cheeky grin, getting a laugh out of the others.The pout was out now, "No, you big jerk. I did!" Riley couldn't keep the excitement out of her voice and her pout disappeared into a grin since she finally got a job somewhere since a lot of other places took one look at her resume then basically declined her on the spot.There was a shared 'Congrats', but Kara soon pulled her away and the group split up to do their own work, "Let's go! Today's your first day so," Kara paused to grin playfully, "try to keep up."Kara grabbed a tablet and walked into Cat's office with their boss already speaking to them, "The photo department's been calling. About the paparazzi shots from over the weekend of the young stars and starlets, compromised in assorted humiliating ways.""Monday morning tradition." Kara intoned as she took the layouts offered by Cat.Cat hummed in agreement but was looking at the tablet, "Which one would you pick? The twenty-year-old singer who face-planted in front of Club Apocalypse because she had too much to drink? Or, the closeted teen heartthrob who was caught slipping out of National City's randiest gay bar?""Wait, who's?" Kara's heavy confusion was cut off by Cat continuing her own line of thought, Riley was just standing back a bit to avoid being asked to suggest anything."Let's run, hmm, neither." Cat dropped the tablet and stood up, "The world is full of so much noise and snark, much of it we generate. Today, why don't we elevate this city's level of discourse instead with a photo essay of all the people who spent their holidays volunteering at soup kitchens and shelters." By now Riley was in awe of seeing Cat Grant in the zone, "Let's not see if we can't bring some attention to those organizations."Kara was beaming, "I think that's a great idea!" She rambled out happily. Cat was all sass since she was in a good mood apparently, "Well of course you do, I pitched it." Their boss, Riley will never get used to thinking that, glanced at the bullpen then continued with a shrug and wave of her hand, "Thanksgiving sells. Liberals love to feel guilty, so let's just squeeze as much juice out of those turkeys as we can."Riley turned to follow Kara when she started to leave the room, "And Kara," Cat stopped Kara but Riley continued to her new desk, "What you told me about your parents dying," she looked a little nervous, "There's a lot I don’t know about you. And I would like that to change."Joy filled Kara's eyes but she tried to keep a straight face, "Of course, Ms. Grant.""And tell Denvers that I need my three 'L's'. My Latte hot, my lettuce-wrap crisp and my Lexapro, stat. And not necessarily in that order. Chop, chop." She politely ordered while also giving Riley her new 'CatCo Employee Rename'. (Later at the D.E.O.) "The D.E.O. has its first non-alien prisoner. Good job out there Supers. Now that the holidays are over and the fun has been had, perhaps we can get back to the actual job. Catching aliens." Hank sassed them after the compliment, as if to make sure their egos didn’t inflate. Too late."Ha, you just wish you were as awesome as we were. I was eating enough electricity to kill a hell of a lot of elephants and I walked away fine!" Was Riley's first fired off comment, only for it to backfire as Alex and Kara started smacking her, "Hey, hey, friendly fire, friendly fire!" She called out and darted behind Hank to hide from them.He sighed, "Well, I can honestly say that I am not the least bit surprised." Hank nodded politely to them with a small grin as a goodbye before he strolled off, "Danvers'.""So, I hear you have received the official 'Cat Grant Renaming'?" Alex asked with a teasing lit to her voice once Hank was out of ear-shot.Riley pouted fiercely at that and Kara's giggling, "Yeah, she calls me Denvers and Donner. So I'm either a state or one of Santa's reindeer."Kara tried to placate the other blonde, "Oh don't worry, it just makes it that much more special when she finally says your name correctly!""No, that's just you because we all know how you and Cat Grant are basically using it as a form of foreplay." Alex cut in with a wicked grin and laugh."No!" Riley keened while Kara blushed, "I don't need to know about my twin's possible sex-life!" With her voice being so loud, Kara's face grew into a fierce look before she starting chasing after a now fleeing and laughing Riley.Unknown to them, Astra In-Ze could just barely hear the conversation. She decided then that she would request a visit from the leader of this place and see if she could exchange information about Non's plan for visitation with her nieces. She remembered how she taught Kara of the stars and travels, but also of how Rile would always seek her approval by training hard with her to be a better candidate for the Military Guild, or when Rile admitted to her secret want to join the Art Guild. Those memories brought back how she was tricked by a trap Non placed that had helped him have more time for his retched plans for over throwing the Council on Krypton, about how no matter how much she pleaded with the Judicial members, the evidence was stacked against her and her defense was non-existent. It's why she did not blame Alura, because nothing could be done to free her from her charges."Soon, my dear ones." She muttered longingly as Riley could be heard laughing with Kara calling out weak insults and the human Alex was nearly rolling on the floor with laughter, "Soon." ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter Five: A Change in Family, Carter-Sitting, and A Not-So-Safe Speed Rail. (Above National City) Kara was currently at CatCo since Riley was patrolling solo through National City. It was mostly because Riley had been trying to get more sun lately since she spends most of her free time at the D.E.O. which is located in an underground cave. Riley was enjoying the feeling of flying through the air on a calm day. The sun was shining, there had been no criminal activity besides someone thinking it was okay to try to steal an older lady's purse. 'Superboy' simply landed nearby and it was nice that the man actually apologized to the woman after handing the purse back, instead of making Riley chase him down. He then willingly turned himself over to the cops. She enjoyed days like this simply because of how relaxing they were, but when she noticed three small circles make a triangle shape on her arm, she knew her relaxing had come to an end. Riley felt a growl build at the back of her throat, the kind of growl that was apparently a side effect from being shifted into a dog, and shot off after the flying object. What happened next, Riley would swear was a 'Highspeed Flying Chase'. But she just knew that Alex, Kara and their friends would happily call it 'SuperDog Fetching' instead. "Stupid freakin." She trailed off in annoyance, then risked an extra burst of speed to jam her hands and feet into the rotors to keep the object mostly intact, "Ha! Gotcha, you stupid flying metal gnat." The mentioned flying object was now very clearly flightless certainly did look man-made, but the lack of any specific markings was a little worrying, "I better take this to Alex and Hank, maybe they'll know who decided to try playing tag with me." Riley muttered to herself, taking off again but towards the D.E.O but at a slower pace to avoid wind tunnels that would throw her off course due to lack of a cape. She also sent off a text to Kara about what happened since she didn't have a day off work like Riley did. (At the D.E.O.) "Henshaw!" Riley called out with a small scowl. However, she paused in her charge to grin and wave at Vasquez and Alex before changing her face back to its stern counterpart and she continued towards Hank, "Today while I was enjoying my patrol, someone decided they wanted to play a game of Tag with me using this creepy drone-thing. I figured you might want to try to find out who it was just in case. And yes, I destroyed the trackers in it." She tossed the quite large remote-controlled drone onto the table in front of him and she wasn't kidding, the drone took up the entire semi-large table. Alex approached the table and was already grabbing at the large drone with a child-like look of glee, "This is man-made, but it's incredibly advanced. Just how fast was this thing?" She asked Riley with a head tilt and her voice took on a more curious tone. "It was like trying to catch a specific strand of hair during a bad storm with three F-4 tornadoes." Riley vividly described by waving her arms around and floating in the air. That got her a 'what the hell' stare from Hank and an eye-roll from Alex who sassed out, "I should have never let you watch Twister. Your obsession with the more violent side of Mother Nature is an addiction that doesn’t seem very healthy." Riley stuck her tongue out at Alex and scoffed, "You're just jealous that I can pull off a 'Wicked Witch of the West' look by covering myself in green paint, wearing black clothes, a witch's hat and pretending to ride a broomstick while flying. Oh Rao, now that's a Halloween costume idea." The blonde trailed off with a far-off look in her eyes and a grin. "If someone's targeting one, if not both of my Supers. I wanna know who it is." Hank picked up the large drone and gave a slight grunt, "We'll look into this." "Hey let me carry that for you, just tell me where to put it so your science team and Alex can fawn over it." Riley muttered, gently pulling it out of his hands with a soft but happy smile at the subtle hint at she and Kara being considered part of Hank's 'family'. At the thought of family, Riley thought of Astra, who had been exchanging information with Hank lately about something big going to happen. When she asked him about it he told her of the deal Astra struck with him and how Astra wanted to speak with her and Kara, to explain things. It was going so well that Astra was moved out of a cell and into her own small room. 'Maybe I could talk with her after dropping this off. Kara did tell me that it was okay if we talked with her together or separate.' Riley then nodded resolutely, she was going to talk with Astra today. (At CatCo) Kara answered the screeching phone after she returned with Cat's early lunch, giving Winn freedom to no longer cover the phone for her, "Cat Grant's office, this is Kara." "Please do not make me cover phones for you ever again." He groaned out with a mentally exhausted sigh. "She did? That’s amazing! Yes! Yes, I will get right back to you." Winn started walking back to his own desk when Kara's excited voice stopped him, "Ms. Grant won the Siegel Prize for Women in Media!" Winn walked back Kara's desk to smirk at his puppy friend, "Oh yeah, she already knows. I didn't know she could smile if it wasn’t based on cruelty to others or seeing you after hours, but she looked positively gleeful." Her eyes narrowed at him but it just made his smirk turn into a grin, "The ceremony is in Metropolis tomorrow night. I better book a plane right away." Kara muttered to herself while dropping into her desk chair, starting to write on the notepad. "I didn’t tell you about it because I knew you'd have this reaction." Kara's hearing narrowed to Cat's voice, "I know you think it’s a stupid award, Mother, but I won it. I don’t ask for very much. Oh, I'm sorry, I didn’t realize it was such a burden being a grandmother." Cat hung up on her Mother and Kara got ready to leap to her feet. Cat didn’t let her down and called for her, "Keira!" Kara winced a little since she still had her super hearing tuned in to Cat. "Ouch." She muttered and quickly darted into Cat's office to help stop any possible Cat-aclysmic event from happening 'If Riley knew that I made Cat puns in my head, I'd never live it down' she thought before smiling at her boss, "Yes, Ms. Grant?" "Bring me a salad for lunch. I don't care what kind as long as it has a cheeseburger on top." 'Crap,' Kara thought after hearing her tone, 'I should probably say something to try to cheer her up. But what? The award?' She was finally able to nearly stutter out with her hopefully cheery grin, "And may I say Ms. Grant, congratulations! The Siegel Prize that's, that's huge!" "I hope not, considering they're going to have to mail it to me. I won't be attending the ceremony." Cat seemed more than a little down about it, so Kara started grasping at straws. 'I have to do something, I just know that she wants to go!' Kara thought with the Danvers' Crinkle appearing, "But this is the first year you beat Lois Lane!" Cat still seemed a little down about it but had a determined look in her eyes anyway and moved from behind her desk and towards her couch, "And as much as I would love to run it in her annoyingly freckled button nose, I don’t have anyone to watch Carter." Kara sighed with her right hand going to pinch at the bridge of her nose, "Did you fire another nanny?" "No." The C.E.O. said with a defensive bite to her tone, but with a glance at Kara she let the frustration out with a 'whoosh' of air, then went to elaborate, "Ella broke her leg storing my summer sandals." "And your Mom?" Now Kara started feeling bad since there really did seem like there was no one Cat trusted to watch her son Carter. Cat gave a small snide scoff, "She is living down to my expectations by prioritizing her career over my own. Does your mother give a damn about you career?" "Uh, she's uh, not really around." Kara started, doing her damnedest to hide the flinch from that comment. "I didn't think about that before I said it." Cat looked towards her with a silent apology, and when Kara gave her an easy smile, she cleared her throat, "Salad. Burger, rare. Chop chop, Kiera." Kara was hit with an idea when she was leaving the office and Cat was moving back to her desk, "If you wanted, Riley and I could watch Cater overnight." Cat stared her down with a teasing glint to her eyes, "What do you want?" "You know how sometimes people just want to help other people?" To say that Kara felt like she was flailing in air, was putting it mildly. "Oh, I see. So, you think that if you do me this favor, that I will owe you something." Kara tried to reassure Cat that she indeed was just offering up her and Riley's help innocently, but Cat just steamrolled over her anyway, "Well, this is the first time I've ever seen this quality in you Kiera. I love it. I didn't know you had it in you." "Well, this award is important to you. So, it's important to me." Kara just gave up and went with the flow of the tsunami that is Cat Grant. "Maybe you will get that promotion someday. My son, Carter. He um, well, he's not a normal boy, thank god. He's clever and curious, and like most gifted children he can be, shy and reserved. He need special attention." Cat's voice, expression, and eyes went soft as she happily described her son. Kara smiled sunnily at Cat, "Oh, do not worry Ms. Grant. He wouldn't be safer with Supergirl and Superboy." "Mhm," One of Cat's eyebrows went up at that, "I'll bet. Now get back to work Kara because you have to pick up Carter from school, later. Chop chop." Cat waved her off with a small smirk that stayed, even once Kara had left for her usual late lunch break. (Two hours earlier at the D.E.O., ten minutes after Riley dropped off the Drone) "Okay, you can do this. You are Rile Zor-El, dubbed 'Superboy' by none other than Cat Grant, and you're the sister to 'Supergirl'. You've been trained to prosper in the Military Guild on Krypton, you've been able to look Alex in the eye and say 'no' to something she said. This is going to be so much easier. It's just a simple chat with Astra, you can do this!" Riley muttered to herself, trying to gather up her courage to speak with Astra, not realizing the woman could hear every word. Astra was now thoroughly amused at Rile's pep talk, but let the young one continue since she was reigning in the urge to laugh. A knock on the door echoed through Astra's somewhat small room, "Come in." She called out softly. The door quietly swung open, "Hey, uh, how are you?" Riley asked in a weak attempt to get conversation started. But oh, Astra was having none of that, "I was framed." She started firmly, gesturing Rile to take a seat, 'No, it's Riley now' she thought to herself Riley's curiosity was completely peaked at the tone, so she quickly dropped into a chair, "How so? And what for?" "One of the soldiers in my, 'undercover squad', I guess it's called here on Earth, had seemingly activated a distress beacon. I moved to the location alone under the cover of night to find that Non had killed him. The soldier was undercover as one of the local guards to a factory on Krypton in an attempt to scout out those who were trying to perform a coup on the council. Before I could make a move, another group of soldiers had swooped in and thought that I was in whatever dimwitted plan Non conceived." Astra got most of the story out at one time, but paused at the sight of Riley opening her mouth to say something. "And because both you and your squad were undercover, only very few people actually knew the truth. But whatever higher ranking member that initiated the group you lead, obviously didn't want to give away the fact that there actually was a group like that." Astra was proud at Riley's deduction, the blonde just shrugged at the glowing look from the older woman with a shy grin, "What? I learned from the best." Astra's smile dropped a little before she sighed and continued, "Exactly, and because of that, Alura could give no concrete evidence to counter the simple fact that I was there when I technically should not have been. I do not blame her in the slightest, because while it was miserable that I was sent to Fort Rozz, it allowed me to gather information on Non's group of terrorists. They're currently planning something they simply refer to as 'The Myrad', It was the same name they used for their plans on Krypton. However, they are closer than I ever thought possible for a successful coup on Earth, starting with National City." Before Riley could say anything, another knocked echoed through the room, "Come on!" They both called, then glanced at each other with matching grins. "Hey, Ry!" Alex greeted the blonde with a nod in her direction, pushing in a metal cart carrying the items used to draw blood, "Astra, I'm here to draw a small amount of blood just to make sure there is nothing wrong. Riley, I already did Kara the other day so I'm going to go ahead and get yours too. Good thing you're here." Riley raised an eyebrow at Alex's back while the sassy scientist was already sticking Astra after finding a vein, "Says you." She muttered petulantly, getting a raised eyebrow from both of the women in front of her. Apparently, Alex was already done with one of her two patients. Alex hid her smirk at Riley's discomfort, making sure to subtly show her the needle and the blonde's eyes went wide with no small amount of horror, "That is a going to actually stick me?" Riley squeaked out, her voice a higher pitch and she could feel the blood draining from her face. "Oh, don't worry you big baby." Alex sassed out, turning slightly to nod at Riley to Astra as if to silently tell the woman to distract Riley. Astra cleared her throat pointedly, "So Rile," she couldn’t help but continue using Riley's birthname, "what was your favorite part of Earth, after you and Kara arrived? I ended up with an addiction to boneless hot wings." "Oh Rao," Riley groaned happily, "boneless hot wings, Earth's music, and fish sticks. I also found out that I enjoy cooking. Alex here gave me an apron, something that protects my clothing while I cook, that called the kitchen my throne because only I cook in the apartment Kara and I share." "Would you be willing to teach me Earth cooking?" Astra asked curiously, her head tilting in a way that reminded Alex so much of Riley. "Of course! I would love to!" Riley cheered happily, already thinking of different recipes they could make together that Astra would love. Alex suddenly leaned away from Riley, startling the blonde a bit, "Okay, all done!" Riley looked so confused, then rubbed at the arm Alex was only just leaning over to find no marks at all, "What?" She asked breathlessly, "You, you already stuck me?" Smug wasn’t nearly enough to describe Alex's look, "Yep! Your lack of attention towards anything you're not focusing on is amazing. But you should make sure it's not like that out in the field." An eyeroll was all she received for her sass from Riley, but Astra seemed amused by it all, "Well, I'll let the two of you get back to it. Oh, and Ry!" Alex stopped in the doorway on her way out with the tray of Kryptonian blood, "Don't forget to meet Kar at Noonan's for her late lunch. "Crap!" Riley groaned once Alex left, looking at the watch that Alex got her when they were still teenagers, "I'm going to be late!" She leapt to her feet but stopped to lean over to hug Astra, "I'll be back afterwards Astra, but till then, if you're bored I suggest you talk to an agent who might be in the Command Room named Vasquez, they're a riot. Oh, and if you do, use neutral pronouns for them, please." Astra returned the hug just as tightly and nodded at the whirlwinds suggestions but soon gently pushed the blonde towards the door, "Go, Riley. Kara might be waiting for you and we both know that she might not have much time before she must return to her place of work." "I'll be back!" The younger woman promised as she walked out of the room and into the hall, "And I'll bring Kara with me too!" Riley turned on her heel and after seeing there was no one but Alex in the halls between herself and the exit, she used her super speed to rocket out of the D.E.O. at a speed that wouldn’t upset the cart or vials on it, but still send Alex's hair fluttering about.Alex sighed, stopping to get her hair lying flat again, "Damn Kryptonians." she muttered with an amused smile. (At Noonan's Twenty Minutes Later) Riley had her feet kicked up on the corner of the table, left leg over her right leg, that she claimed for her and Kara's lunch. She was currently texting a bored Lucy, James, and Vasquez in a group chat. Vasquez was sharing hilarious short videos of Astra accidentally tripping over thin air and one of her easily busting through a wall after trying not to trip over an Agent who had stopped to tie their shoe. There were also captioned photos taken that had comments on them like 'The party don't start till I walk in' with a still of Astra literally right after she broke through the wall. Or another one where it showed a screenshot of a private message from Lucy next to a picture of Astra in the emitter gym running on a treadmill that had Riley's jaw dropping 'Oh god, that Astra woman is fine! When can I meet her?'. She quickly typed out in group that was now filled with James, Winn and Vasquez's 'lols', 'I can't believe you are actually hitting on Astra, Lucy! If you both do end up dating in some odd way, treat her right or you will fear nothing but me and the same will be said to her about you'. She ended up changing her original 'Don't mess with Astra' to a more encouraging message when she realized just how well Astra and Lucy might get along, and maybe it took a deep breath or two to get rid of the over protective feelings of both Astra and Lucy."Hey Ry!" Kara greeted her cheerfully while sliding her sister's feet off the table, "Thanks for ordering for us, I'm starving." Riley closed her phone and put it in her pants pocket, "Then by all means, dig in!" She gestured to the food between them. The amount of food they ended up putting away only shocked the people who either didn't work at Noonan's for a while now, or were not regular customers when the blondes were usually there. It took them both around ten minutes to eat their fill of the food, leaving nothing left besides plates and crumbs, "Oh Rao, that hit the spot." Kara crooned happily, leaning back to pat at her flat stomach. "Oh, I agree completely" Was the returned croon from Riley, but they leapt to their feet when they were knocked out of their food-bliss by what felt like an earthquake went off, along with a loud 'boom'. They pulled down their glasses and looked in the direction of the noise, eyes widening in shock when they both saw a building with a large whole in an upper corner of it. "A bomb. Let's go, Ry." Kara muttered so quietly that only someone with super hearing could pick it up. Within seconds both of them were out in the alley next to Noonan's, speeding into their suits and launching into the air. "Kara, you deal with the fires! I'll reinforce the two pillars below! Make sure to check for anyone still in the building!" Riley called their plan out this time, getting a nod before both of them flew into action. The civilians watched closely as Supergirl flew into the building through the large whole and Superboy landed next to a current weak point in the building. Soon the fires began tapering off with what looked like clouds of icy billowing out, leaving only charred parts of the building in their wake and no fire in sight. Thankfully everyone had got out safely and there were no deaths. Superboy's job on the other hand, got a whole lot harder when the pillars had begun to give out from the fact that a bomb went off, so she had to hold up the building. "Crap, not good." Riley muttered under her breath, building up her heat vision to carefully weld the cracks in the two pillars whole again. She used her super vision to see if they were completely solid once more, and seeing how her patch job worked really well, she backed away from the building and grinned when it held easily. Kara flew down from above and fist bumped Riley, their teamwork made it all so easy. Out the corner of her eye, Kara noticed a drone that when pointed out to Riley, had the shorter haired Kryptonian rocketing after it. Supergirl waved goodbye to the civilians below with an easy grin, then shot after her sister. (Back at the D.E.O.) "I can't believe it actually got away!" Riley's voice, filled with frustration, could be heard soon in the Command Room. Vasquez looked up and over at the two Supers entering, "What got away?" They asked curiously to their two blonde friends.Kara was actually scowling somewhat, "Some drone thing that Riley said she brought to you before? She said it was exactly the same, but this one had more maneuvering skills because we soon lost track of it."Hank's voice interrupted any response to that when he looked towards the two after walking up to the main computers, "You were supporting the weight of one hundred and twenty pounds per square foot, multiplied by five floors. And you Supergirl, you were able to put out a quickly growing fire in less than eight seconds on just as many floors. Not bad you two. Not bad at all." He aimed at Riley and Kara, giving them both a pat on their shoulders when he walked past them after grabbing the folder he was after."But why would someone plant a bomb in that building? What was in there?" Kara asked as their scowls had dropped off for more neutral looks that held curiosity."A lab developing a new, non-lithium battery. Cutting edge. Could be industrial espionage. This might be one to let the F.B.I. handle but to be honest, the drone you saw after the event has me leery about just leaving it like this." Hank had explained to them.Alex walked into the room holding a small bag with Astra on her heels, "Not to worry sir, I think it is definitely within our jurisdiction." She offered the bag to hank and elaborated, "These are fragments from the bomb. I found the exact same technology inside the drone Riley brought in yesterday."Riley put two and two together, "So whoever has been spying on us was also behind the bombing?""Yes, and I think I may have a lead." Alex lead them to the table nearby, but near the main computers, Vasquez was hiding a smile at the sight of Astra, Kara, and Riley dutifully following Alex around like a group of puppies, including them lightly bumping into each other. They even took a quick GIF styled picture of it and shared it to the secured group message between themself, Lucy, James, Winn, Cat and Alex. 'Awe, so cute! Alex has three Kryptonian puppies now! She just needs one more to complete the set!'."Maxwell Lord?" Kara's voice held surprise that also shown on Riley's face, at the picture of the man on the tablet Alex dropped on the table in front of all of them.Alex nodded and crossed her arms, "Yeah. Both the bomb and the drone used an advanced fiber optics relay system. It's not even on the market yet, and it was developed by Lord Technologies."Hank did not look happy at all, "Let's pay Maxwell Lord a visit." He said roughly, then walked off.Kara looked around before asking, "How? I don’t think you could just walk in as D.E.O. agents."Alex grinned and held up her badge for the three Kryptonians to see, "We won't." She placed her left index finger on the left side at the middle and it blurred right before their eyes, changing into an F.B.I. badge."Okay that is so cool, and now I would like one too please." Riley wiggled around a bit with a large grin, the other two aliens doing the exact same. Astra less so, but Alex's trained eye could still pick it up."Oh, I need to get back to work!" Kara hit her hand on her forehead in realization."And by work, do you mean some organizing, some planning, some verbal foreplay with Cat Grant?" Kara's human speed swat was easily dodged by Alex at the drawl of teasing words.Riley perked up after Kara hugged Astra in greeting, the group walking towards the exit together and spoke up to the elder with a wicked grin, "Hey, Lucy Lane called you 'fine'. Which means attractive here on Earth.""Wait Lucy is a Lane? So that means she's actually Lois Lane's sister, isn't she?" Alex queried with a wicked grin of her own."Yep! She's gorgeous, she's smart, she smells nice. Hell, I'm sure we both would date her in a heartbeat." Kara joined in with a shrug and side bump against Riley, a grin pulling at her own face at Astra's curious look.At Kara's slight head tilt towards Astra, Riley continued bragging about their friend, "Oh yeah, and she's a lawyer in the military, so you know she's got to be badass."Alex seemed amused at that, but Kara could see her smile didn't fully reach her eyes and asked, "Well, can she fly?""I wouldn’t be surprised if she knew how to pilot a plane." With Riley's new answer, Astra finally joined in the conversation."Could I meet this, Lucy Lane? She sounds like an interesting woman." The Supers and Alex shared a sly smirk at Astra's question and Kara responded, "Oh yeah! I don’t see why not! There is a game night at the apartment in the next few days, you should join us!"Astra gave a brisk nod then stopped and turned to Alex, "Then I shall. Brave One your blood machine is beeping, I think it has completed your tests.""Yay! I'll talk to you ladies later, I have a date with science!" They watched Alex turn on her heel and sprint down the hallway with an excited grin."Nerd!" Kara and Riley playfully called out at her, giggling when Alex raised her middle finger at them over her shoulder.Kara's Bluetooth gave a few beeps, "Hello? Oh! Hi Ms. Grant!" Riley waved off Astra's silent question."I'll tell you later." She told the older woman, only for her hearing to lock back onto Kara."Oh Rao, Carter! I'm supposed to pick him up with you! Get your truck at meet me outside of the private school Carter goes to, a.s.a.p.!" Kara whispered to Riley before she took off at high speeds after giving a quick hug to Astra, Riley doing the same even though she was at a loss as to what was going on."You need to park in the green zone and walk to the lineup, or you need to idle in the yellow zone and put the placard in the." Kara heard Cat's voice trail off, barely noticing Riley landing in an alleyway near her truck to change, hopping in and taking off soon after, "What's that noise?" Cat asked suspiciously.Kara just knew there was no way out of this except for one, "I've got the windows open, Riley was slow to get ready." And that way was to take Riley down with her.Cat seemed more than a little frantic, "Wait, are you telling me that you're not there yet?" "We're pulling up there right now!" She was so relieved to see Riley's truck pulling onto the correct road behind her, just down the road from the school."I do not hear the sound of children at play." And now Cat was suspicious of her fib, 'Crap another fib Kara, quick!' she thought to herself.Kara noticed a well-hidden bush she could land behind to change, "It's just, super windy. Gotta go!"After changing in a split second, Kara ran up to the lady she was supposed to meet to get Carter, "Hi! Ms. Grant put my and my sister's names on the list. It's Kara and Riley Danvers.""Yeah, I just need a signature." The woman requested, holding the clipboard she had out for Kara to sign on. She walked off afterwards with a gentle pat to Carter's shoulder, "Thanks, he's all yours. Have fun, Carter!""Hey, I'm Kara!" She introduced herself to him, "You remember me from your mom's office? One of my sisters was visiting that day too!" Carter just seemed so nervous, so she tried again, "You've grown since we last saw you."She could hear Riley's truck stopping nearby, hopping out after turning off the motor."So, how do you like school? This is a really good school. I'm surprised they haven't taught you guys to speak out loud yet." When Carter actually laughed with a small smile at her bad jokes, and Riley joined in with ease, Carter tensed but relaxed when he noticed how alike the two seemed."I actually really liked school." Riley joined in on the slightly awkward chat, "Learning all about this new planet." Her voice trailed off at the realization of her oops at Kara's elbow digging into her ribs and Carter's now wide eyes locked on to her instead of the ground, "That, that we're also from. Kara and I were considered Nerds at our school since we always seemed to have our noses buried in books."Carter actually kept glancing at them with a new light in his eyes and finally spoke, "My mom says it's okay to be a nerd. She says if you can face your fears and come out of your shell, nerds can win in the end."The kid then turned around and started walking off, Riley darting ahead to lead them towards her subtly reinforced truck and Kara trailing behind them."Rao, I hope so." Kara muttered under her breath, her thoughts going to Cat as she watched Carter gleefully climb into Riley's truck with very little help. (Back at CatCo) Riley snickered at something she read off her cellphone after the message tone had gone off, "Alex just texted me, it seems that Hank left her to keep an eye on You-Know-Who-But-With-A-Nose. She actually sent me a photo of her with that 'Don't Mess With Me' face and the crinkle out in full. I think it's intimidating the scientists there because no one is actually staring or bothering her, from what she's told me."Kara saw a cellphone in Carter's hands, "You know, I didn’t have a cellphone until I was sixteen and Riley didn't get one until she was almost eighteen because she had a bad habit of losing her shades and Gameboy Color. True story."Carter continued staring at his phone awkwardly, "Are you sure there's nothing we can get you?" Kara tried again and asked him gently, "A snack? A juice box? Anything that might make you happy?""Supergirl, and Superboy!" Carter broke into a large grin at the news report on t.v. about them, not that he knew that."Oh, so you like the Supers?" Riley jumped into the conversation with a sly smile aimed at Kara.The amount of fanboying Carter was now doing was just so cute to them, "They're so cool. Last week, they stopped Reactron. Superman never did that, and they did it so easily. Then earlier Superboy caught an entire building and Supergirl was able to put out giant fire in seconds. And they can shoot lasers out of their eyes!"Kara couldn’t stop her grin and elbowed Riley when her she joined her, "Wow, they do sound pretty cool.""I didn’t say they were pretty." And now Carter was defensive, 'Crap, U-turn the convo Kara!' Riley thought."I didn’t say you said they were pretty! Why?" Riley facepalmed to hide her giggles when Kara kept going, "Do you think they're pretty?"Carter shrugged a bit, still staring up at the screen, "Well, I guess. I don't know."Riley couldn’t keep the joy of how adorable he was out of her voice, "Carter, do you maybe have a little crush on Supergirl and Superboy?""You got good taste kid, they're cool people. Here's a secret too, Superboy is actually my best friend. Winn here is also best friends with Supergirl!" Riley beamed at James' words, Winn was standing next to him with a friendly smile to the kid.Kara moved up more to introduce the guys to Carter, hoping he would forget about that comment, "These are our friends, James and Winn."The hype died down since everyone besides Riley had work to do, so to keep Carter from getting bored she introduced him to the Minecraft she had Winn install onto her computer on the down-low to keep him preoccupied.About thirty minutes later, Carter paused his game and looked over at Kara who had just gotten up to hand James some paper reports that he requested since he was stepping in for Cat that day. When he walked off, Carter struck with a question they should have expected, "Do you think he and Winn could introduce me to Supergirl and Superboy?""You are definitely your mother's son." She giggled at his questioning, yet still completely serious about how much Carter was like his mom.Their phones went off with a group call request from Alex, "Yeah, what's up?" Kara answered with, while Riley decided to join the call with her Bluetooth earring quietly since her phone was on silent."I am at Lord Tech with a bomb that is gonna go off in a minute." Alex got right to the point, terrifying both blondes."Hey Carter, while Kara is on the phone I need to head out, I'm late to pick up something for work." The two Supers shared a look, at Kara's nod and Carter's wave she turned on her heel and made a break for the quick exit Kara had shown her a while back.Riley nearly ripped out of her clothes before taking off in the air as fast as she could get away with, in her mind it still wasted the few precious seconds it took to come to a stop in the lab that held Alex and Maxwell Lord.Alex looked to her with relief and but seemed to have an adrenaline rush still going, "Superboy, thank Rao you're here.""Not a problem, I was in the neighborhood." Riley shrugged as she hid the worry in her voice, following after Alex and Maxwell towards the device.Maxwell lifted up the bomb to hand it to her, "This bomb is like a high-tech daisy cutter. If it blows it'll produce an over-pressure of two-thousand pounds per square inch."At Riley's small look of confusion Alex clarified, "That'll level thirty blocks. You need to get it clear of the city."It suddenly hit Riley just how dangerous this tiny thing was, so she gave them a nod and took off again but towards the ocean this time."She's nearing the ocean, approaching Mach Two." Vasquez's voice came out over her radio connected to the earring in her right ear.Hank sighed deeply, "She's not far enough from the city. Superboy! Change bearing, go up!" He ordered her and Riley went from flying over the ocean to shooting straight up, now pushing her speed to heights neither she nor Kara have tried to go yet due to the very high possibility of crashing into a building.Riley was reassured by Vasquez's next comment, "Sir, she's now approaching Mach Five and is out of range of the City.""Throw the bomb, the skies are clear of everything but you." She pulled her arm back at that order and let the bomb fly while she stopped almost instantly, sending it rocketing towards the edge of the atmosphere.Unfortunately, she didn’t realize just how few seconds were left of the timer and it basically exploded twenty feet from her. The last thought Riley had before she blacked out was, 'The group's gonna kill me for this.' (At the D.E.O.) There was a bright revitalizing light bearing down on her, causing Riley to jerk awake to a sitting position, only barely stopping to push the lights away, 'Oh man that was a weird dream, I really need to layoff the, wait a minute.' The blonde looked around to see that she was on some kind of bed at the D.E.O. with Astra, Kara, Hank and Alex moving into the room, 'Crap, I really did get the tar kicked out of me by an inanimate object. And just when I thought I could sink no lower.'Alex had a conflicted look in her eyes as she leaned against a table across from the metal bed, but shook her head when Riley was about to ask what was wrong, 'Hmm, something is wrong then. But what?'"My own, I am joyous to see that you are recovering well." Astra greeted Riley, pulling her into a hug. When Astra's hand began running through Riley's short hair, the blonde purred happily and rested her head on Astra's right shoulder since the woman hopped up to sit next to her.Kara's eyes were a little red from tears so Riley reached over to pull the soon lower lip wobbling Supergirl into the hug as well between Astra and Riley.Hank spoke up after silence took over, "That was one hell of a fall there, Riley. Astra and Kara helped the D.E.O. pull you out of the ocean." He glanced between the three mentioned women with a pointed look.Riley grinned weakly, still feeling out of sorts, "Thanks boss man, but let's not write it down in history that I got the tar kicked out of me by an inanimate object, yeah? My pride took a hit worse than I did physically today and it was on hell of a wake-up call.""No problem. Besides, if I let you drown I would have never heard the end of it from these three." He gestured with slight sarcasm and a smirk."Only you would want to joke about a bomb that could have leveled a decent chunk of National City after taking one to the face." Alex shook her head in exasperation with a shaky and teary-eyed smile when nothing else was said."Awe, come 'ere Alex." Kara opened her arms to pull Alex into the growing group hug, knowing the red head needed it. Kara starting gently rocking side to side, shushing lightly at Alex to try to stop her tears and Riley spoke up, "See? I'm okay now! Would it help if I told you about an idea I have that would help us more those Kryptonite emitters?"Alex pulled back a little but stayed in the hug to narrow her eyes at Riley, "What is your idea? It won't hurt you, Kara and Astra, will it?"Riley shook her head 'no' rapidly, "Oh no, the idea is basically recreating the radiation of a Rao's Light in sun lamps like these," she paused to reach over and tap the nearby yellow sun lamps, "but, you know, red.""Hmm, that could be do-able. I'll get the R&D division on that and we'll see what we can do." Hank seemed a little surprised and impressed at that idea, so Riley took the chance to feign emotional hurt."Why must you hurt me this way?" She asked with the pout and fake tears out in full, breaking into uncontrollable laughter when Hank actually looked a little emotionally uncomfortable and weak before he turned away and shook his head.Astra gently tabbed Alex on the shoulder, "Brave one, you told me that you wish to speak with myself and Rile. Would now be such a time?""Uh, yeah. Yeah let's go to the lab, it should be empty." Alex started walking and Hank was amused to see Kara and Riley floating. They were keeping their hold on Alex and just let themselves be tugged along with Astra walking behind them.The look on Kara's face that silently shown how serious the upcoming conversation would be had Riley a little worried, but Kara just hugged the slightly younger blonde and muttered, "Hey, it's not that bad and Alex already told me. I honestly think this won't change much, and it might make some things better." Once they were in the glass walled lab after Kara would wave in greeting to agents and Riley would simply nod her head, the two blondes let Alex go and stopped floating.Alex was silent for almost ten minutes before she spoke up as she paced the room, "Okay so, I was doing the whole Kryptonian D.N.A. testing and making sure everything was good when I stumbled across something, something that might be life changing."Riley was going to ask what she meant but Astra placed a hand on her shoulder, so the blonde relaxed into a nearby chair with Kara moving to stand behind her."It is alright Brave One, just tell us what it is and all will be well." Astra sought to reassure the red head.Alex nodded, took a deep breath and just blurted it out, "Alura and Zor'El are not your genetic parents, Riley."Kara's hands reached out to grip Riley's shoulders, grounding the youngest Danvers. "Wait, what?" Riley's face went pale and her voice squeaked out but Astra froze in place, barely moving."The thing is, you're still related to Kara. But, well." Alex trailed off and gestured between Riley and Astra, "Riley say hello to your Mother, Astra."Astra's breathing grew heavy and tears filled her eyes. She thought back to how her and her previous mate had used the Matrix to create a child between them. Her mate had been the middle sibling of the House of El, a woman named Sai-El. She looked over at Rile and for the first time, noticed that Rile looked so much like Sai-El that it was almost uncanny, just like Kara had traits of Zor-El that showed a slight difference between the two."Non." Astra growled out in pure anger at it finally hitting her that the Kryptonian who told her that her and her dead mates child didn't make it safely out of the Matrix was one of Non's people, 'That bastard faked the death of my child and gave her to Alura to be raised. I should have investigated the 'death' claims further!' During this mental debate, Kara moved over to Alex and was watching them with a spark of hope in her eyes. So far, only Alex knew that Kara was happy for Astra and Riley. That Kara knew she wouldn't be forgotten or tossed aside because she was loved by her remaining family.Astra's attention turned to Riley when her child, she couldn't stop the slight awe that filled her at that thought, her child let loose a sigh, "Alura and Zor'El raised Kara and I well for the first thirteen years of our life, but I never felt even a small percent of a connection for them that I did with you. That doesn't mean that I didn't love them, but I always felt like I wasn't a good enough child for wanting to be around you instead of them." Riley whispered to Astra, trying to convey how she felt without insinuating that she didn’t care for Alura and Zor'El."I do not doubt that you love them, Rile. Not for a single moment. I love Kara yet I too felt guilt when instead of another niece, you felt more like my own child. Yet as we just found out, you are." Astra stood up and pulled Riley into a hug, both clinging to each other from the surprise of it all.Riley pulled back, glancing towards Alex and Kara, feeling thankful that her 'rocks' on this planet was still there, "Maybe you and I could have a few 'Mother Daughter' days? While you and Kara then you and Alex could have some family days as well? Heck, if you and Alex don't end up having family days too, maybe all four of us could hang out?"Astra hummed in thought and looked wonderingly over at Alex. She then shared a look with Kara and it only took her a few seconds before she was looking back to Riley, "Let's do all of that. I will get to know my Little One, My Own, and now my Brave One as you all now are."Kara pulled Alex over to the two hugging Kryptonians and they all ended up sharing a comfortable group hug. A good five or ten minutes passed before a knock on the closed door to Alex's lab had all four women's attention turning to it to see Vasquez."Hey Vasquez, what's going on?" Alex asked after they all separated and she opened the door to their friend and her fellow agent."Director Henshaw needs all of you in the Command Room right away. There was a possible match on the bomber." They said with a nod in greeting to Astra, Kara and Riley.Kara walked up and hugged Vasquez in greeting, followed soon by Riley as well. Astra simply shook their hand carefully. Alex gestured back the way they all came from earlier and then moved to follow Vasquez out to the Command Room, Alex only stopping to make sure her lab was locked up behind them."We got a shot of the bomber from the security cameras at Max's lab." Hank started immediately when they walked into the main area, "Facial Recognition came up with a match. His name is Ethan Knox." He turned and gestured to the main group of screens, the group joining him but with Vasquez breaking off to go to their usual computer, "Worked at the first lab that was attacked. He was fired six months ago when his work became erratic. His family reported him missing two weeks ago."Riley crossed her arms in front of her and took a solid stance, "So how do we find him then? We're going to have to be quick about it if we all want nothing else to happen."Alex stepped in front of Riley with both of her eyebrows slightly raised and a look in her eyes that just screamed 'I don’t think so!', "No. I think it's safe to say that between Kara, Astra and myself, we all agree on the fact that the fall you took would have rattled Superman. I know that you and Kara seem more durable, but it was still a serious thing so you are staying home."Kara narrowed her eyes with a slight shake of her head when Riley looked over at her for backup, "Nope, don't look to me for help with this because I agree with Alex."The longer haired blonde's eyes suddenly lit up with an idea, "Hey, come back to CatCo with me. You'll be in charge of watching Carter in case I need to go out for something.""Alright, just let me grab my civvies and I'll be ready to go." Riley didn't put up a fight because they did have a point, she did feel a little strained. Not that she would ever admit to it. (Outside of CatCo) Riley pulled to a stop outside of CatCo to drop off Kara, "Okay, once you get the order for lunch head straight back and up to Miss Grant's office. Winn is currently playing video games with Carter by using the large number of screens so you still have another forty minutes till they start calling for food and you need to be back." Kara rattled off instructions to her and Riley paid close attention, then Riley nodded in understanding."You got it Kar, now get up there to make sure nothing happened while you were gone. You know how Winn gets with his video games." The joke Riley fired off had Kara giggling at the memory of Winn's gaming 'incidents'.Kara leaned over to hug her sister who might officially be her cousin, but was still seen as her twin in her heart, "Fine, I'm going. Drive safe and get back soon!" With that, Kara was out of the truck and heading into the building, leaving Riley to pull away from the curb and back on to the main road.She reached forward, turned her music up a bit to let 'Cheerleader – Radio Remix' by 'OMI and Felix Jaehn' play through her trucks speakers and relaxed. It was a comfortable volume and the stock levels she left on the radio helped her hearing not go haywire at any loud bass.By the time she reached Noonan's it had only been a short ten minutes since traffic wasn't all that bad. Riley leapt out of her truck after finding a decent parking spot away from any alleys and headed inside, pausing to hold the door open for small group of women, two of which had children with them.She entered Noonan's with a spring and skip in her step with a happy smile that seemingly brightened the air around her, while she was lowly humming 'Can't Stop the Feeling' by 'Justin Timberlake'.At the sight of none other than Lucy Lane near the counter waiting on something, Riley called out "Order for Danvers." To the worker behind the counter and tugged Lucy into a playful dance, pulling a laugh from the Army lawyer."Well hello to you too, Riley." Lucy laughed at her, James, and Vasquez's best friend as they both twirled around the open area of Noonan's, "What's got you in such a sunshiny mood at this hour?"Riley sighed happily, coming to a stop near the counter again when Lucy's name was called out, "Some of the oddest things have happened to Kara, Alex, Astra and myself today. Yet I can't help but feel like most of those things weren't too bad at all, thus, the chipper mood."The shorter woman grabbed her to-go bag and drink, then turned back to the tall blonde next to her, "Sounds like one hell of a day there, R.J. Wanna have a meet up at your and Kara's apartment with Vasquez and James? We can all hang out and unwind while Kara does whatever it is they do when she, Winn, Cat and Alex leave the apartment to hang out together.""That sounds like a good plan to me Luce. You get a hold of James, and I'll get a hold of Vasquez?" Riley asked with a slight head tilt in question, already pulling out her phone to get ready to text Vasquez."Yep! And since your order is ready as well, you should drop me off at your apartment so I can hang out there. Mostly because your place feels more comfortable than the spartan one I currently reside in." Lucy grabbed Riley's arm and lead the Super out to the large truck after Riley grabbed the large amount of food. Riley and Kara had already told all of them a few days ago that she, Vasquez, James and the others were always welcome over whenever. Since she also had a rough day, she decided that it was time to finally take the blondes up on the offer.Riley just grinned and let her tiny friend guide her towards her truck. She made sure to place the food in a somewhat snug setting in the backseat floorboard so it didn’t get knocked around in case she had to break hard at any point, then leapt up into the driver's seat. The truck roared to life a few seconds later and Lucy had quickly commandeered the radio, changing it to a different C.D. that the lawyer liked from Riley's personal stash of music.They both bobbed their heads to the music and sang along every now and then until Riley pulled to a stop outside the apartment about ten minutes later, "Alright, here's the spare key to get in and you already know the password to the Wi-Fi and Netflix. Have fun Luce!" Riley rattled off to Lucy, who was already leaping down from the passenger side."Yeah, yeah. Oh, and Rile?" The blonde looked at Lucy's now serious yet soft expression, "Thanks."Riley gave a light shrug and a soft smile right back, "No problem Luce. I'll be back in a few hours okay? Hopefully Vasquez and James will be joining us as well."Lucy nodded before closing the door, moving back and waving the Super off as she headed inside the main building. (Back at CatCo) "Special delivery!" Riley called out as she knocked on Cat's office door, getting the attention of Kara, Winn and Carter.Winn obviously took this as his chance to make a break for it and grabbed his and James' lunch from the pile, running off to his boyfriend's office a second later.Riley chanced a glance at Carter, only to grin right back at the beaming smile she was met with, "Hey there Carter! How were the video games with Winn?" She asked while walking over to the couch that held both Carter and Kara.The cheeky smirk that appeared on Carter's face reminded Kara of Cat, "It was pretty fun. I had to let him win a couple of times so he wouldn't get too frustrated about losing to me so much."Kara giggled somewhat wildly at that because oh, did she know exactly what he meant, "Hey Ry, thanks for picking up lunch." Kara stood up and said, then pulled Riley away from Carter a bit to whisper so he couldn't hear her next question, "Okay so, with Cat's permission I was able to get three tickets to Maxwell Lords speed train. While I patrol later tonight could you take him there with someone and both of you keep an eye on him?""Sure! Carter is a sweetheart and Lucy is currently at the apartment, I'll ask if she wants to go with. My only worry is that it will be harder to get away if Superboy is needed to help Supergirl, even with Lucy's help." Riley muttered, she then glanced to make sure Carter didn’t over hear them but at seeing the boy chowing down on his food and writing something, she turned back to Kara."Well, I'm heading out for patrol around seven tonight. Remember that the train is set to leave at eight so make sure you're there by seven thirty with Carter and whoever you do end up taking with. Until then however, you are coming with me to the other couch and you are going to go over Cat's schedule, fixing any and all possible issues, some I put in there on purpose, while I go over the layouts James wanted for tomorrow." Kara was already pulling her to the second couch and tugged at Riley's hand to get her to drop down onto said couch so they could eat lunch first.Riley pulled out her phone and shot off a text to Lucy to ask her if she wanted to join for the speed rail. Lucy's reply was almost immediate, she agreed to go and even offered to cover Riley in case a double trouble moment came up. The blonde tapped out a 'Thanks, Luce!', put her phone back in her pocket and joined Kara and Carter in chowing down. 'Rao, I didn't even realize I was this hungry. Kara did always know when to make me eat more, or Alex knew when we both needed more sunlight. Can't believe I'm saying this, but sometimes I love how they can be over-protective.' At that thought Riley shook her head lightly with a small yet happy grin.The next two hours involved a large NERF gun battle between Kara, Riley, Carter, Winn and James. It was safe to say that Kara, Riley and Carter won hands down. Then an hour of 'Settlers of Catan' that Kara and Carter kicked the tar out of Riley at. (Leaving CatCo that Night) "Alright little man, let's go pick up our third and head to that cool secret Kara has been hinting to you all day." Riley helped Carter up into her truck with a grin at his sassy sigh that already reminded her so much of Cat Grant."It's about time, she was driving me insane with the need to know." The twelve-year-old muttered, buckling into the middle of the backseat that had the same Racer type seat belts as in the front seat for extra safety.Riley closed the door and moved to hop into the driver's seat once he was indeed buckled in, "So, is there any type of music you do or don’t like? If so, let me know yeah?"Carter nodded his head and spoke up willingly at Riley's prompting, "I mostly avoid rap, dubstep, and excessively filled with profanity type songs. Though I do enjoy AWOLNATION, Imagine Dragons, Matchbox Twenty, OneRepublic, and bands like those.""Sounds good to me. Here, take this iPod and play whatever you want from it. After we pick up Luce, you two can share the choices." She passed her older two hundred gigabyte iPod back to him, leaving the auxiliary cable plugged into it.There were a few click noises over the speakers right before the song 'Jump on my shoulders' by 'AWOLNATION' started playing, "I love this song, good choice little man." Riley beamed at Carter through the rear view mirror, then turned her attention back to the road while she started singing along. Carter took a minute or so to join in, but when he did Riley noted that he had a pretty good voice.Five songs later, Riley pulled the truck to a stop outside her and Kara's apartment and sent Lucy a text to know that they were waiting outside. Thankfully it only took her brunette friend three minutes or so to come rocketing out of the main door and into the front passenger seat."Sup Rile." Lucy greeted her with a grin and nod before looking to the backseat to greet Carter with an offered hand shake that he took, "Hey kid, I'm Lucy Lane!"Carter seemed to be swept up by Lucy's exuberance, even though she was a Lane, "Hello Lucy, I'm Carter. Do you know where we're heading to?"Riley cut off Lucy's answer swiftly less Kara find out the surprise was ruined and thus end up pranking her later in some way, "Oh no little man, nice try. You know Kara wanted this to be a surprise.""Darn it. I was so close too!" The boy fake whined and was unable to stop a grin from breaking free right after at Lucy trying to get Riley to let her tell him with pouts and scowls. Neither seemed to be working though. Carter looked at the two and thought back to Kara, James and Winn as well, 'I like them. I hope they get to look after me more often, they're fun!' (At the Speed Rail) Lucy made sure to keep the two excited puppies with her in the large crowd, because that's how Carter and Riley were acting, like two over excited puppies. She figures Carter might have picked it up from being around Kara and Riley too much today. 'Yet, I can't deny that they, Kara, Alex, James, Winn and Vasquez can all be adorable pouters.' She admitted to herself with a shrug."Okay you two, were going to be boarding now so here are my rules. Rule one, hold my hand at all times until we are inside and seated. Rule two, do not try to ditch me because I will track you down and you will be in more than just a bit of trouble. That's mostly aimed at you, Rile." Lucy looked Riley in the eye at that bit with raised eyebrows like she watched Alex do, and it seemed to work almost as good if Riley's widening eyes and fast nod was anything to go by."Riley, I want you to carry Carter until we are about to be seated so no one runs him over. I'll walk in front of you and you'll hold onto my belt loop so you don't lose me in the crowd." Riley immediately picked up Carter and the boy clung to her at that order, both of them excited about the train but not wanting to frustrate Lucy more than the pushy crowd was already doing.When Lucy turned towards the opening train doors, Riley's right hand shot out and she used two fingers to hold onto the shorter woman's belt loop while the crowd around them was ushered onto the train. It took maybe five minutes for them to finally be seated so Riley reached into a side cargo pocket for her Bluetooth headset, but found the pocket to be empty.'Crap! Who could have taken it?' Riley thought hard back to the people who would have been close enough to snag it right out of her pocket when it hit her. 'Kara!'"What is it?" Lucy asked her in a whisper, confused at Riley's suddenly frustrated look.The blonde sighed and ran a hand down her own face, leaning in to quietly mutter, "Kara. She snuck my Bluetooth away. Probably a plan by her and Alex to get me to actually relax today after that bomb earlier." Riley's cellphone went off a few minutes later as the train pulled out and quickly picked up speed, "Kara, I could smack you for taking my." She was cut off by Kara's frantic voice , "Rile, listen! There is a bomber on that train! I'm about to land inside your car so I need you to sneak away, okay?""You got it, Kar." Riley hung up and looked at Lucy, "Hey Luce, I need to go to the bathroom," she paused to raise her eyebrows pointedly, "and since the front ones are probably busy, I'm going to go further back to see if there are any open ones."Lucy's eye widened some at the worry she could see in Riley's eyes, so she nodded her head towards the back of the train, "Don't worry, I'll stay with Carter. Take your time."Carter was still looking around them in awe of the train when Riley leapt to her feet and strode purposefully further down the train to a bathroom. She found one two cars back and disappeared inside. It took her maybe a second to speed change after checking for any cameras before she was slipping out of the window and into the air.Kara noticed Riley flying next to her, "The plan will be easy. We'll enter through the car you were in and start having people move further back into the train. I'll go find the bomber while you make sure everyone gets a few cars back as to be far from the front as safely possible." Kara called out the plan and at 'Superboy's' nod, they both descended to a top window that Riley slid open so they could land. Kara closed it securely once Riley was inside next to her.Maxwell Lord himself was the first to greet them, "I'm starting to think you have a thing for me." He joked with them, grinning at the two Supers. Lucy face-palmed and Riley could just imagine their other friends and the D.E.O. face-palming as well like in that movie 'The Naked Gun'. She had to use super speed to kick herself so she could avoid laughing at that image."Ethan Knox is on board." Kara had no time for the scientist's jokes, and that statement had Lord's smile disappearing."No, that's impossible." Maxwell actually had a bit of fear in his eyes that Kara thought seemed oddly faked, and shook his head in denial.Riley moved towards Carter and Lucy nearby while Kara tried to talk some sense into the man, "You two look brave and capable, will you help us?"Carter and Lucy were both looking determined as they gave their acceptance, "Good," Riley continued as she turned and gestured to Maxwell, "I need you two and Mr. Lord to get all these passengers to the very back of the train. I'm going to go further up with Miss," she trailed off on purpose to pretend she didn’t actually know Lucy. "Lucy." Her friend supplied easily.Riley continued, already leading Lucy towards the front after Kara, "Miss Lucy, and we're going to move the people in the cars ahead further back as well. Supergirl is going to the very front to fix the issue, are you ready to be a hero?"Maxwell and Carter seemed empowered by that and both began keeping people calm as they worked to get people up and heading to the back of the train."Alright Luce, let's get the other passengers to safety. Kara's got the bomber." At that the two women set off to get the other passengers safely walking further down the train one car at a time. Riley had her hearing and vision tuned into her surroundings to make sure everyone was accounted for. After around three minutes they had successfully started everyone was moving further back when a small explosion shook the train.Figuring Kara had it handled, Riley had used her super speed to keep a pregnant woman from falling harshly into a nearby armrest, "Is everyone alright?" She called out in question to the rest of the passengers once the woman was gently righted. The train was slowing down quickly and calls of how only minor bumps and bruises were gained.Kara appeared a few minutes later looking defeated, "I put out the fire on the track. We just need to pull this thing back the other way to get everyone back into town in the easiest way."The lack of Ethan Knox said it all for Riley so she just patted Kara's shoulder and flew out of the train to tug it back, leaving Kara the job of making sure everyone got into seats to hopefully remind her that even if you can't save them all, you can still save as many as you can. (At the apartment) "Ugh, I am just so done with today. Wake me up a month from now." Kara groaned into the couch cushion once she, Carter, Riley, Lucy, Alex, Astra and Vasquez all walked into the apartment and collapsed into different places. Thankfully Carter had fallen asleep on the way over so it was easy for Riley to carefully place him onto a spare twin mattress Astra dragged into the living room for him."Thanks, mom." Riley whispered without thinking about it, tucking Carter in with a spare quilt and making sure he seemed comfortable with the pillow he had.Astra gazed at her in surprise but the look smoothed over into adoration, "Of course, Rile. What of the other sleeping arrangements?" She inquired with a head tilt.Riley lead Astra over to the others while Kara darted into another room to pull her and then Riley's mattresses into the living room as well, "Well, Kara is sleeping in her favorite chair. Lucy and Vasquez are claiming Kara's mattress this time. While Alex and I are sleeping on my mattress. Since mine is a queen you're more than welcome to join us." The blonde could barely fight off her yawns through the sentences.Everyone was already falling into their usual 'sleepover locations' with pillows and blankets by now. They were moved into action again when Alex flung a pillow at the two still standing Kryptonians. Riley caught it and just pulled Astra down to the mattress and curled up between the two older women."Good night Kara, Lucy, Vasquez, Alex, Carter, and mom." A near jaw cracking yawn made her words almost impossible to understand, but a chorus of Good night's were soon echoing back in mutters, wordless grunts, or the snores of those already asleep in the apartment that had a small glow of light from the streetlamps outside. (At CatCo the Next Day)Carter running to the private elevator as the doors opened caught Kara and Riley's attention, "Mom!" He joyfully called out to none other than Cat Grant."Honey! Oh my gosh, I was so worried! Are you okay? Were you scared, did you get hurt?" Cat was teetering on the edge between frantic and hysterical in her worry for Carter."I met Supergirl and Superboy on the train! They were amazing, and Supergirl is so much prettier in person!" Carter fanboy over the Supers a little, leaving both Kara and Riley fighting their grins as they continued to finish up their last bit of coffee from Noonan's.Cat seemed surprised at the change in conversation as she guided Carter to a nearby chair, "Oh, did you notice any other of her attributes? What do you think makes her, them, heroes?""Oh, I'd say Supergirl's legs and Superboy's eyes, definitely." He paused to see his mom's reaction, then continued with a laugh and hugged her, "Their hearts, mom."Kara flung a pencil that Riley had to dodge, the thing literally disappearing into a wall on the other side of the bullpen and stuck into the inner base walls when Riley gave Kara a sly grin and eyebrow wiggle at Cat's question, from their places next to the hall leading to the elevators. The slightly younger blonde slapped her hands over her mouth to stop her cackling laughter, even as Kara's eyes widened in mute horror before rapidly glancing around to see if anyone else noticed.Cat's excited but frantic calls of how Carter was going to end up being late for school had the two Danvers' jogging around the corner to say goodbye the the young Grant."Bye buddy, it was fun hanging out with you!" Kara waved at him with her sunny smile and Riley tossed her arm over Kara's shoulder, "Agreed, it was pretty cool hanging out little man. Have fun at school, yeah?"Carter beamed right back at them and went for a group hug with the two, "Bye Kara, Riley." He turned to his mom to brag about something, "Mom! Kara, Riley and I had an epic NERF battle with Winn and James! And Kara knows how to play 'Settlers of Catan' almost as well as you do! Although," he looked to Riley with a sly grin, " Riley could use a lot of practice to get anywhere near as good. Can they watch me again?" "Maybe, it depends. Now, I love you. Have a good day at school." Cat hugged Carter tightly, then gently pushed him to her elevator.The three blonde women waved bye to the excited boy until the elevator doors slid closed, "Well, I guess I know who to call in case Carter needs another babysitter." That had Kara and Riley grinning so brightly it was as if they could power the building together. Cat walked into her office, waving her hands around in a swirl motion, "Chop, chop Kiera and Denvers. Work won't do itself you know."Riley pushed Kara playfully and shot off to her desk, trying to get her work finished first. Kara was at her own desk a second later and both blondes were typing up a storm. Cat was watching the entire thing with a smirk, rolling her eyes at the two Super puppies that insist on working as assistants, 'If that's what makes them happy, who am I to deny them the right to work here simply because they're also Superheros?' She thought to herself, biting her bottom lip when her eyes locked onto Kara's form, 'But oh, I am turning into such a walking cliché.' ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter Six: Relationship Goals, Red Robots and a Change in Jobs. (At CatCo) Riley was finally allowed on patrols around town again while on one of her 'intern half-days', leaving an overly stressed Kara to be at Cat Grant's mercy. "Kiera!" Cat called out with her voice echoing, sending the Super leaping to her feet. 'Oh Rao, I really hope I didn't mess up her schedule, I've been so busy and Riley's only just got back on doing patrols with me! Ugh, I can't deal with everything right now!' Kara thought a little frantically. The middle Danvers didn’t even bother called back, just jogged into the large office like usual before she asked, "Yes, Ms. Grant?" Cat looked over her glasses at one of her two Supers, "Where is the other one?" She took off said glasses to use them to gesture towards Riley's desk. "Oh! Riley and I were just on the phone with each other. You see, we were having a conversation about how Supergirl and Superboy seem to take turns patrolling the city." Kara paused at seeing the impatient look on Cat's face and then hurried along, "But she should be back soon." "Good. Get Olsen to set up a meeting between Supergirl and myself. I have something important I wish to speak with her about." Cat's pointed roaming look had Kara beaming while trying to stop from swooning or calling Riley, Alex and their friends to share the news. "Of course, Ms. Grant! I'll see to it right away." When she turned on her heel to leave the room, Cat cleared her throat, "Sorry Ms. Grant, is there anything else you need?" Apparently, Cat was going to let her stew in worry that she messed up, and after three minutes of Kara counting every second with growing terror, her boss smirked, "It's a date then, and no, I think that will be all. Chop, chop, Kara." (Above National City, near the Outskirts) "Greetings from airline Superboy, how may I assist you today?" Riley crooned out playfully in greeting after she answered her Bluetooth. "Riley, I have a date with Ms. Grant tonight!" Kara squealed loudly, making Riley wince from the volume. Riley's jaw dropped and she lost her momentum in the air for a second in surprise, "Wait, Cat has finally asked you out to dinner today? One of you has finally decided to stop dancing around each other and go for the plunge?" Her voice got higher and higher pitch during her questions with an elated grin appearing. "Yes, and I am so excited! But I need to go back to work to finish a schedule change before anything else comes up. Let me know how patrol went later, okay?" Riley could hear Kara's voice go from fangirl level down to partially tamed cheer. "You got it, Kar. I'll talk to you later." At that Riley hung up and immediately started making a group call with Lucy, Alex, Vasquez, James and Winn, hoping Astra was near Alex still. "Hey Riley!", "Sup Rile!", "Hey Rile, what's up with Kara?" "Greetings My Own, Brave One is finishing something that she is working on at the moment." All the greetings barely stopped from coming at once, thankfully. Vasquez, then Lucy, then James and Winn, and then Astra answered her calls. Riley cleared her throat some to stop any more questions from coming up before she could explain, "Hey everyone. I called to update on the SuperCat frontlines. Mom, that's code for Kara and Cat Grant, we all ship it and Alex will explain all of it to you later. Anyway, it seems that Cat has officially asked Kara out on a date." Goods news is that she was already feeling a little deaf from Kara's squealing so all her friends and family cheering wasn't all that bad. Bad news? She picked up on two speeding, road rage filled drivers going quite fast towards a school cross walk filled with children, "Uh, guys? I'm going to have to call you back." She hung up on her end of the call and dived down to land in front of the cross walk and stop the two cars with her hands. The man in the car to her left exited his vehicle, "You broke my nose and you totaled my freaking car!" He nearly yelled at her. "Sir, please calm yourself. I do apologize you were hurt, but I can not apologize for stopping you. If I hadn't, these children and crossing guard would have been harmed." Riley tried to calm the man while keeping herself calm and gestured to the children and the school crossing guard. She then turned slightly to speak with said worker, "Could you please call an ambulance in case either of these men are injured worse than I can tell? Also, the other man seems to have been knocked unconscious, let them know that as well." At their nod, she turned back to the now pale looking man, "Excuse me Sir, I need you to please sit down because I am not sure if you might have a concussion or not." "Okay, could you move my car over to the curb? I don't want It blocking the road for the ambulance, just in case." He asked her sincerely, now thinking with a clear head and had a voice filled with regret. Superboy walked forward and easily lifted the car, moving to gently place it back down but closer to the curb. She then went back over to the man and helped him over to a chair that the crossing guard offered as the sound of sirens soon filled the air. The paramedics were able to quickly load both men up into their vehicles, one had a broken nose with a small concussion. While the other man might have been knocked unconscious from the stop, he got away concussion free, but had a small cut on his face instead, "Thanks Superboy, these drivers and the would-have-been-injured sure do owe you one." A paramedic told her with a nod of respect. "Nah, just helping where I can, it's how Supergirl and I tend to be. Thanks for doing what you do though, you and the doctors. I could never do something like that very well." Riley had a respect for the medical groups of humans, after all, some of them were amazing people she looked up to. With a wave to the people around the scene and the paramedics about to head out, Riley launched into the air and soared back towards the D.E.O. to update Hank and the others, "First time I've ever been so happy that patrol is ending quick." She muttered to herself with a shake of her head. (At the D.E.O.) "Good job calming down that situation, Danvers." Hank offered her while turning away from the screens, "You were able to keep the sass that you and the other two are so infamous for, in check." Riley grinned slyly at him in a way that reminded Hank way too much of Alex's smirks. After a few seconds she walked over to join him, "Why do you think we've gotten so good at it? After all, we were taught by Alex who had honed that skill from you. Should we call you Sass-Master Henshaw from now on?" She drawled out with a bit of her own sass. "I'm going to ignore that." Hank shook his head, but then a sudden thought hit him when he noticed yet another agent walking around with a small scowl, "One more thing, you wouldn't happen to know who destroyed the coffee machine with a pebble of all things, would you?" She went to shake her head but paused with a horrified look slinking onto her face, "Oh Rao, this is not good. Hey, did Alex have this tense pull to her face? As if she had eaten something gross but doesn’t want to give away the fact that she dislikes it?" Hank nodded with his eyebrows furrowed at that spot on discription, but then realization hit him and he gained a wicked smile, "No, tell me it wasn't you?" He drawled out teasingly, "Does Alex know that you." Riley cut him off by placing her hand over his mouth, "Does Alex know that Riley did, what?" Alex's voice cut through the air like a recently sharpened samurai sword. "Nothing! Riley didn't mean to do anything to the coffee machine! Riley swears upon Rao!" The blonde paused with a look of pure confusion on her face that seemed adorable to Alex and Hank as she dropped her hand away from his mouth, "Why am I talking in third person? Since when did I become Gollum from Lord of the Rings? Why am I asking myself questions?" "Superboy here, was the one who broke the coffee machine." Hank watched their reactions closely and wasn't disappointed. Riley looked at him with a mix of terror, horror, and seemed to silently be calling him a traitor while Alex glared at Riley with a mix of determination and a thirst for revenge at the lack of coffee. Alex started stalking after Riley like a predator after its prey, "Oh it's on now, Wonder-Dork." Riley turned on her heel with wide eyes and didn't even try to explain, just ran at a human speed to avoid a total Drill Sergeant Alex if she used her powers to try to escape again. Vasquez turned around in their chair and grinned, "Flee Riley! Run while you still can!" They yelled out to their friend with laughter coating their words. "You cannot harm me, for I am the Grey Warden who slayed the Archdemon during the fifth blight!" Riley couldn't help it, she had say something like that while dodging Alex's lunges since she was still resisting the urges to sing. Her geek side was breaking free. Alex actually stopped to look at Riley with narrowed eyes, "You finally played Dragon Age? What did you think of it?" "Dude, I loved it! Almost accidentally romanced Alistair at least half a dozen times but I finally got it right after I googled it. I romanced a not hardened Leliana, Morrigan was like my sister, Alistair, after I had figured out the correct conversation choices, was my best friend and Wynne was the group mom. Also, Zevran was a friend, Ogren joined my party, as did Shale, Sten and the dog I named Puppup. I did the ritual at the end of the game so Alistair and my character didn't die. Then I was able to get Alistair and Anora to marry each other." Riley summed up her Dragon Age playthrough without going into too much geek babble. "I guess you are out of trouble this time. But if you ever break another coffee maker again, it's war." Alex's need to 'geek-out' was overpowering her need for coffee like it usually did, "Now, let's discuss the time table that involves you playing Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, and the Mass Effect trilogy after you get off work. Speaking of work, go! You have a job again, remember?" Hank shook his head at two of the Danvers' with a sigh, 'Just when you think things are going to end up quiet around here, you finally realize that the usual Danvers' play fights and arguments are simply not noticeable when the D.E.O. is busy. Only when it's not busy does it stick out like a sore thumb.' He thought, smiling in amusement that it hadn't hit him before then. (Back at CatCo) "All these televisions, how could you possibly get any work done with so much visual noise assaulting you?" Cat's mom Katherine Grant asked, unknowingly getting both Kara and Riley to scowl at the woman's impetuous attitude from the 'Super Office'. "That visual noise is my work, Mother." Cat's exasperation seemed like a second nature to the older blonde, making Riley wonder if Cat's mom was always this bad. Kara had a determined look set on her face and pulled Riley towards the elevator, "Come on, you're going to start singing in the middle of the bullpen to give Cat an excuse to dismiss her mother." Katherine's subtle insult to Cat made Riley pause her response, "That's right, my daughter, what do they call you? The Proletariat Princess." Riley scowled hard and making sure they were away from camera's, pulled Kara in a super speed run down the stairwell, "Oh, you want a distraction? I'll give you a distraction." The slightly younger Kryptonian disappeared in the blink of a human eye, only to reappear a second later with a regular guitar, "Let's do this." She mumbled as she stormed over to leap onto an empty desk near Winn for a mini concert, starting with the song 'Bad Seed Rising' by 'Bad Seed Rising'. Thankfully her voice could pull off that type of music fairly easily. Cat locked eyes with Kara, tilting her head slightly in curiosity, 'Just what is going on?' She thought, but tried to hide a smirk when Riley started strumming, 'I see, that's my cue to shoo away the Wicked Witch of the West.' Cat thought with the smirk starting to break free. "Mother, please escort yourself out. I have something to deal with." Cat sounded slightly smug as she leads her mother out of her office and gestured to the public elevators, "Now, if you would." Katherine could only watch with her jaw dropped after Cat left her next to the elevator before moving back towards the impromptu music concert held in her own office. Kara had trouble hiding her grin from Cat once the older woman was standing next to her, both of them watching Riley capture the attention of the other workers, literally turning the minor distraction for Cat into a floor wide distraction as others moved from the outer offices to listen.Riley gestured for Kara to join her, but it wasn't until Cat pushed a bit at Kara's lower back, did the other Kryptonian finally join her on the desks.When Kara started the second song, Bohemian Rhapsody, it had the entire office joining in for the chorus. Hell, even Cat cracked a smile at such a classic being known by heart by the entire floor."Alright everyone, back to work." Cat called out calmly once the song was finished, sending the crowd scattering, then headed back into her office to continue working."Oh Rao, that was awesome! I missed doing stuff like that." Riley admitted with a cute lopsided grin. "Now I understand why you did it so much, that was fun!" Kara's own beaming sunny grin had appeared and showed no signs of leaving.Alex's voice startled them both, "Oh, I had a blast recording the whole thing. Feel free to do something like that again.""Alex!" Kara and Riley stuttered out, then Kara took charge as Riley went to hide her guitar, "what are you doing here?"The red head stood up from Kara's desk seat and gestured to Winn, "I'm here to talk to Winn about Astra's ID. I figure it would be easier for him to do so, then it would be for the D.E.O. Less chance of it being traced back, you know?"Winn moved over to join them with a pen and pad in hand, "I'll get started on it after work, just let me know any specific details you want."The Danvers' phones went off a few minutes later, after Alex had rattled off the information to Winn, "It's Hank?" Alex whispered in question, glancing at the two blondes. They all gave their different 'bye' from each of them to Winn and headed out of the building, all wondering what could have come up this time. (Out in the Desert) "So, why are we heading out here again?" Alex asked Hank not far from the other agents. They were watching Kara and Riley play-fight with each other in the air and on the ground."General Lane of the United States Army has, requested, a meet up between his people and the D.E.O." He huffed out 'requested' in sarcasm, smirking when Riley was finally able to tackle the faster Kryptonian and put Kara into a solid headlock since she was stronger.The sound of trucks getting closer had the two supers breaking apart and instantly standing next to Hank and Alex, "Let's hope this is over with fast because Kara has a date with Cat tonight." Riley said with a sly grin, stumbling slightly when Kara shoved at her with a blush.Alex pulled Riley and Kara where one was on each side of her to try to reign in their joking around, "Okay you two, time for serious faces. We don't know what they want, so be prepared for anything."Agents started moving about to make sure everything was indeed set up to keep the meeting hush-hush, while the four further away watched a trio of armored military jeeps pulled up and parked nearby."Director Henshaw." General Lane greeted verbally after he got out of the middle jeep and made his way over to them."General Lane. What can I do for Army Intelligence?" Hank asked, stepping up to speak with the other man."I need to you approve an immediate transfer. Two members of your field unit into my command." The General seemed to want to get right to the point, they could at least respect that about him.Lane gestured mildly to both of the supers, "The two in red and blue."An unhappy Alex jumped in the conversation at that, "Technically, Supergirl and Superboy do not work for this organization.""If I had my way, no one would." Oh, he just lost all brownie points with the three Danvers' in less than thirty seconds, "Your covert operations could be handled effectively with my special forces, and without foreign assistance." General Lane looked pointed at the two Kryptonians at his last 'point'.Riley was fighting a snarl by now, and Kara's eyes seemed permanently narrowed now, "Why do you need us?" Riley was barely successful stopping herself from snapping at the father of one of her two best friends.He seemed to puff up a bit at that question but kept his words aimed at Hank, "We've been developing something. An anti-insurgent combat device. Project code named, R.T. I need their help testing it for me."Another man walked up with a scowl aimed at the supers, "They also have no choice since we received an executive order for them to comply.""This is my legal attaché, Major Smythe. It's been signed by the President. You can take it up with her, if you like." General Lane sounded all sorts of cocky at the order brought up to the group.Major Smythe looked smug at each of the blondes, "Unless neither of you think you're up for it."Kara and Riley shared a look before Kara spoke up with determination flashing through her eyes at that not so subtle insult, "We'll do it.""Supergirl, Superboy, you don't have to." Alex said as she turned to them, trying to silently tell them to cool off.Hank also looked over at them with that same look, "I agree with Agent Danvers."Riley took a step forward and look the men in the eyes with Kara moving with her, and asked, "What do you need us to do?""Fight my robot." He replied simply, then another person spoke up to cut in from near the back of a jeep next to a large metal crate."It's not a robot. It's an anthropomorphic pseudo entity with combat capabilities." The man explained with a bit of a New York accent, if Kara thought she heard him right.General Lane nodded slightly at the man as the growing group walked over, "I stand corrected, Doctor."A few beeps rang out from a few presses the 'Doctor' did on a small hand-held controller, and the crate's longer front side opened up to reveal what looked like a red metal man."I call it, Red Tornado." The Doctor continued, pressing another button to start the object up.The Red Tornado robot's head lifted a bit and the eyelids snapped open to show a pair of bright orange eyes that looked so real. 'Oh Rao, what have we gotten into this time?' All three Danvers thought with their unofficial trademark crinkle out in full. (At the Apartment) "So, today I met that hardass of a dad you told me about." Riley chimed out when she entered the apartment and closed the door behind her, knowing that Lucy was all but officially moved in.Lucy winced at that, then responded after she swallowed her spoonful of cereal, "Ouch. How'd it go? Did you have even more bad luck and meet that Smythe jerk too?"Riley sighed at her friend and dropped down onto the couch cushion next to the brunette, "Oh, not only that, Luce, but Kara and I have been given a Presidential order to fight your dad's robot.""Wait, what?" By now Lucy had placed her mostly empty bowl on the coffee table and was rocking a glare that would unnerve even Alex. Probably not Cat though, Riley mused to herself."Yeah, tomorrow Kara and I are fighting some sort of robot they called 'Red Tornado'. It was kind of creepy looking and unnerves me a little, to be honest." Riley admitted openly, leaning to rest her head on Lucy's shoulder and to her joy, got a hand running though her hair which calmed her."Hmm, I'll approach some contacts since I'm still on a stacked-up leave in the Army. Hopefully I'll be able to find a way to get him to back off of the D.E.O. Also, if you don't mind, talk with Alex and Henshaw about 'inviting' me to the event tomorrow, I should have clearance to be there by then if I nudge the right people." Lucy thought out loud to Riley, still letting her fingers mindlessly run through the short blonde hair."You got it." Riley paused after giving her verbal agreement to the plan, looking at a mess up with the paint on the ceiling after she turned lay her head down in Lucy's lap, thinking about something before she starting again, "Hey, Luce? I've been thinking about leaving the temp-job at CatCo. I was considering getting a job as a full time D.E.O agent slash superhero."Lucy looked down at her questioningly, tugging a bit on a lock of blonde hair, then continuing with running her fingers, "What brought this on? No one is pressuring you to consider this, right?"Riley shook her head and lightly shrugged, moving her gaze to where she was picking at a stray strand on the bottom of her shirt, "Nah, it's something that I thought of myself. I figured I could do that, and find it more comfortable than being one of Cat Grant's two assistants. Turns out that being an assistant in a media company just isn't my thing. I don't know how Kara does it and keeps her sanity on top of our Superhero work.""Well, if you thought it though, bring it up with Henshaw that you would like to join the D.E.O full-time, and let both Cat and Kara know that you're quitting the temp position." Was Lucy's simple response, finalizing Riley's resolve to just go for it."Alright, hopefully I'll be able to pass any tests the D.E.O has and join their ranks in the next week or so, if Hank says yes." The look in Riley's stormy eyes reminded Lucy of an extremely active yet light daytime storm that hit Metropolis a while back and made her tweak the blonde's nose because that look was also Riley's mischievous 'twinkle' that James told her to be on high alert from if it came about.A sudden idea hit Lucy and her raised eyebrow at Riley's look turned into a mischievous smile, "Hey Rile, what do you think about going to the D.E.O and getting Vasquez to give you some piercings instead of those fake ones you use, and see if one of the cleared agents could get you a tattoo in the red sunlamp room you told me about?"Riley hummed in thought, the leapt to her feet and pulled Lucy with her, grabbing her keys out of the bowl that held them on the breakfast bar and heading for the front door, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go now. If the work at the D.E.O is as slow as I think it's been, Vasquez shouldn't be busy at the moment and Alex will probably be hiding away in her lab like a hermit. My mom should be there as well which is good because I think she was wanting a piercing too after seeing someone with one." (At the D.E.O.) Vasquez, Lucy, and even Astra were failing to hide their different volumes of laughter at Riley's squeaks from the pain of the final tattooing process, "Oh Rao, after this I'm not sure if I'm ever going to get another one." Riley admitted after another squeak, not even worried about hiding her noises since she felt like she already lost any dignity after the first one slipped out. "Hey, that's your own fault. First you got three piercings in your left ear, then a belly button piercing, and then a tongue piercing. After you laid under the yellow sun lamps, you decided to go ahead and get the two tattoos of a tribal pack of wolves with a ghost like fade to them chasing each other, to make a smallish band around your upper arms. Now you're getting a large 'Ze' symbol put on your back in tribal with red color fill in and a solid black outline. I'm surprised you decided to get this much done already." Vasquez admitted to her after they went over all the things the super had done in two total sittings, but maybe an hour after the last thing. Astra smirked at her daughter, eyes still having a slight glow of pride at Riley wanting the Ze symbol so badly, "Indeed My Own, they warned you about getting that much done so quickly. Yet I cannot deny that the skin markings and gems do look well, upon you."Riley grinned, fighting past a wince as she felt the agent who used to be a tattoo artist before they joined, filling up the last bit of red for her main house symbol, "Yeah, I love it all. And the ear piercings you got look great Mom! Was a little surprised when you also got a tongue piercing but hey, still cool."Lucy sent a flirty wink at Astra when Riley turned her head to see a mirror the artist was holding up for her to see the finished product, making the older woman blush and bite her lower lip as they started wordlessly flirting again."All done!" The man chimed out with a grin as he stood up and started putting away his tattoo gun. The other three walked over and looked at the Ze tattoo that was far more detailed than Riley first told them it would be. Not only was it a black outlined symbol filled with red, it also had a small tribal House of El in yellow as the 'shadow' of the Ze symbol, to show that she was of both houses, but heir to the Ze line. "These tribal designs make it look more like the ancient versions of the house symbols." Astra admitted in respect for the look that Riley went for. "I remember seeing the designs on some of the old history crystals, I much preferred the older versions over the more block styles we had since before even you were born on Krypton." Riley said with a roll of her shoulders, already heading out of the room for a yellow sunlamp. Vasquez was walking just ahead so they could warn the others if Alex, Hank or Kara was approaching. Lucy noticed Alex from the corner of her vision, the red head turning around a corner into the hallway they were just passing and locking eyes. When one of Alex's eyebrows creeped up in silent question at the group moving awkwardly, Lucy's eyes widened a bit, "Crap!" She hissed, lunging a bit to try to get Riley to hurry since she knew their cover was blown clear out of the water, "Run Rile, Alex just noticed us! Go, go, go!" She chanted as Alex started jogging over to them with eyes narrowed in suspicion at their panicking.What happened next was something that Hank would save to a flash drive for future sharing, much like a parent keeping embarrassing home videos or pictures of their children. Alex was sprinting after the group that was running through the halls frantically, trusting Vasquez to lead them to safety. At one point the group split into two, Lucy and Astra taking a right hallway that lead back to the main command room while Vasquez and Riley took off down the left hallway that Vasquez gestured to, which would lead them to the sun table room Riley needed to recharge in.Riley noticed that when Vasquez yanked them both into a side room after turning down the hallway, Alex had turned a sharp right to chase after Lucy and Astra, "Woah, talk about a close call. That was fun!" Riley actually giggled a bit with a wide grin as Vasquez panted next to her."Never thought I would ever actually be able to add 'successfully avoid Agent Alex Danvers if she chases me' to the list of possibly impressive things I have done." Vasquez panted out with a grin of their own, holding onto their knees to catch their breath."No kidding, I think that's the first time I've ever gotten away so easily! Thanks, Vas!" Riley openly admitted, carefully patting Vasquez on the back once they had stood up fully again.Vasquez thought about having a shortened nickname and found they didn't mind at all. They grabbed Riley's forearm and pulled the blonde out into the hallway and a few doors down to reach the room they were running for earlier, "Well, come on. Let's get you under those yellow sun lamps before Alex figures out that we didn't run the same direction as Lucy and Astra." (At CatCo in the 'Super Office') "So, apparently Riley and I are fighting a robot tomorrow." Kara started as Winn typed away on his computer."Robot? Wait, what kind of robot are we talking, like a C3PO? Terminator? Megazord? Roomba?" Her best friend asked, pushing away from the desk to look at her.James walked into the room with three coffees, passing one to each of them before settling down on the couch with Winn joining him a second later and asking, "Is the D.E.O. testing out a new toy?""Army Intelligence, actually." Kara huffed at the thought of the General and Major she met earlier, "General Lane and a Major Smythe ordered us for our help.""So that is what her father is really doing here. He tried to tell her it was just to see her but." James trailed off, scowling about the man who Lucy tried to make proud, but never seemed able to.Winn chimed in with his eyebrows furrowed in thought, "Are you two able to say no to this without repercussions?"Kara shook her head negatively, "Nope, it came with a Presidential order. Ry texted me a few minutes ago and told me that Lucy is going to be there tomorrow and try to find a way out of this for us if it gets bad, mostly just to legally protect us though. Besides, Ry and I want to show them that we are not only team players, but we can be trusted." "Wait! Does the robot fight mean that game night is canceled tomorrow?" Winn asked sharply with worry on his face over game night. "No! No, game night is the last shred of normalcy that remains in our crime stopping, alien hunting, D.E.O. hacking lives. Game night survives. It has to." She was completely set in this, refusing to lose one of the last few normal things in her life.James grinned at the explosive reaction to lack of game night, "Okay, Winn and I will see all of you there." He then stood up and placed a kiss on Winn's cheek before walking out of the room to go finish his catch-up work."So, who's all going?" Winn asked, only with a light blush due to not being worried about his friend's reactions anymore.Kara beamed at him, happy for Winn's solid relationship with James, "Well, it's going to be Me, Riley, you, James, Lucy, Astra, Vasquez, and Alex, at minimum. It'll be fun!" After specifying for him, she left the room to go back to work as well, using a bit of super speed to go down the stairwell.'Maybe I should ask Cat if I should wear casual, super suit, or formal clothes for tonight.' Kara thought to herself, wondering just where they would be going for their date later. The sound of Alex's ringtone brought her back to reality, "Hey Alex! What's up?" She greeted with a smile still holding strong. "For the first time since I've met the two of you, Riley has successfully evaded me without using her powers." Alex huffed out with shock lacing her tone.Kara's jaw dropped in surprise and she dropped into her desk chair, "Wait, really? How did she do it?"A tired laugh was given from Alex, "She had accomplices named Lucy, Astra, and Vasquez. There were a few splits in the hallways where Vasquez and Riley could have broken away, but my backtracking has come up empty so far. Any ideas where they could have headed?""Hmm, maybe try the solar recharge room? That's the only place besides the gym, command center, and break room that we ever go to." Kara shared her ideas on where Riley could have run to, still impressed about the escape even though her sister, technically cousin, had the help of others."Ah ha! Found you, Wonder dork." Alex's voice could be heard calling out, followed by a yelp that sounded like Riley, "I'll call you back later Kara, I have to deal with Super Spaz and Agent Traitor.""Later Alex, and good luck you two!" Kara called out over the phone to the others in the room with Alex, knowing they were about to get grilled for something. (That night at Cat Grant's penthouse) Nervously standing on Cat's second floor balcony at the woman's house. Kara watched her stand up from her desk and walk up to the glass doors to unlock and open them for Kara, "You look beautiful." Cat commented softly on Kara's soft dark blue shirt, black pants, lack of glasses and kept-down hair."Thank you, Cat. You are breath taking like always." Kara gave a breathy sigh that was just so much like a swoon at Cat's 'casual' clothes of light blue jeans and a feminine cut white t-shirt. "Well, come inside. Dinner is almost ready and Carter is impatiently waiting to see you since some friend he keeps talking about hasn't picked him up yet. And yes, he did figure it out on his own even though I did not confirm it. I left that up to you." Cat blushed a bit, her eyes peering searchingly in some sort of unspoken test. Kara didn't even need to think about it, Carter was Cat's son and she trusted them to not spread her and Riley's secret around, "Then we shouldn't keep him waiting. I'll let him know when I see him." Cat's warm smile showed her that she passed whatever unknown test Cat had set for her, then followed the other woman out of the small personal office and down the stairwell towards the dining room. Carter leapt up from his seat at the table, eyes wide and jaw dropped at the sight of Kara, "Supergirl." He breathed out in greeting to one of his idols, but then shook his head and his eyes hardened a bit after a glance at his mom, "Is this a serious date?"At Kara's nod he continued briskly, "Then I will tell you now that if you hurt my mom, I will kick your butt." "If I ever do, I'll gladly take any response to it from you." Kara told him with a serious look on her face as well, both her and Carter not noticing Cat's smile at her two favorite people. He stared Kara down for a minute or two, then opened his arms for a hug but kept his eyes narrowed, "Hey Kara, is mom still nagging at work?" "I never said that about you." The younger blonde told Cat to clarify just in case. Then moved to hug Carter, "You're going to get me in trouble with questions like that, Carter." Carter beamed at Kara's lack of denial over him figuring out that she was Supergirl, "Well, you didn’t answer the question so that's all on you."While they were talking, Cat had entered the kitchen to grab a pitcher of water for them since Carter took it upon himself to set the table and place the large pan and serving plates containing some of Cat's homemade Italian dishes there as well.A single honk and engine rev that sounded familiar to Kara rang out. It had Carter hugging Cat before jogging to the front door and grabbing his overnight bag, "My friends are here, so I'll see you tomorrow mom! Have fun!" They watched him run up to a large truck that Kara recognized from the window next to the door, making her sigh in realization, "Oh, I know exactly who they are." She told Cat with a soft laugh, "Riley, Alex and our friends that Carter hung out with when he stayed the night over at the apartment. I just knew they had to be in on this."Cat gazed at her in a way that made it feel like her insides were warming, and she followed the older woman when Cat hooked a finger on the neckline of her shirt and pulled her to the dining room.'Oh Rao, the things this woman does to me.' Kara thought to herself, nearly panting after the older blonde. Cat's own thoughts would have made Kara blush if the Super could actually read minds, 'If only Kara knew just was I have in store for tonight, thank you Carter.' (Next day at CatCo ) Riley had just turned in her resignation from the temp position to Cat, "I have a job lined up to work alongside Alex. Turns out I'm not very good at the whole assistant thing."Cat raised an eyebrow at her with a sly smirk, looking at Riley over the top of her glasses, "Well, I'm happy you said that yourself before I had the chance to.""Thanks Cat, I appreciate the honesty." Riley laughed heartily at the woman's sass, feeling joy at the slight glow both Cat and Kara were still sporting."Go gather your personal items and let Kara know what's going on. Chop, chop, Denvers." When Riley heard her office nickname, the Kryptonian just grinned and walked out of the office to follow one last in-job order from Cat Grant.She cleared her throat to get Kara's attention, "Hey Kar, I just resigned from the temp position and before you ask, yes, I do have another job already lined up. This job is one that I have been considering and I just have to take a few red lamp room tests to prove that I am able and fit to join Alex's team."Kara got up from her chair and went around her desk to hug Riley, "Don't worry about it Ry, I figured you'd join Alex over there eventually. No offense, but being an assistant really just isn't your thing." Riley mock scowled at Kara once they separated, "Oh I see how it is, I'm encroaching on your territory huh?""I'm not going to answer that, now shoo! I have work to do and you have places to be!" Kara started pushing Riley to the elevator, laughing when Riley started acting like she couldn't walk anymore until they finally reached the elevators."Okay, I'm going! Now, when you're off work call me so I know when to expect you and the other CatCo lackeys in the group for game night tonight." Riley told her, giving one last hug before she stepped into an elevator that was thankfully already on their floor."You got it Ry, have fun doing those tests with Alex!" The sunnier blonde called out to her, actually worrying Riley."Uh, Kara? What do you mean 'with Alex'? Wait, Kara! Am I going to be training against Alex? Kara!" Kara laughed at Riley's squeaking voice over the tests seemingly getting a lot harder just at the mention of Alex, the doors to the elevator slid closed dramatically a second after Riley's last call out to her. (At the Apartment, Game-Time) "The amount of muscles that ache in places I didn't know I had is unreal." Riley whined from her spot on the couch, she was stretched out across it with her legs over Astra's lap and Alex being stretched out from the other side the same way, and their legs twined together."Ugh, I can't believe how after your tests Hank had us literally fight until someone lost or we both couldn’t move." Alex groaned her reply, "I think that our bruises have bruises after that. Not to mention how you wouldn’t just stay down, so we each ended up even more injured."Hank looked over at them with a smirk from his place in Kara's favorite chair since Alex had invited him to game night, "Well, at least you'll both sleep pretty deeply tonight. Hell, you might even go to bed early for once in your lives."Cat strutted into the room and sat on the second couch that already held Carter and Kara, "Why the two of you didn't just both lay down and admit a draw, I will never know. Oh wait, I do know." She looked at the two whining women pointedly, "You two can be more stubborn than an immovable object.""Wait," James cut in, dropping down to a mix of pillow and blanket pile that Winn was already sitting in, "you're saying that those two whiners," he paused to point at Alex and Riley, "literally beat each other up until neither could keep going?"Astra gave off a large grin laced with amusement, "Oh Rao yes, it was hilarious to watch. Most of the fight after twenty minutes or so, turned into both of them trying to talk the other into giving up while still swinging at each other.""Okay children!" Lucy called out with her hands raised from where she was standing near the T.V, getting everyone's attention, "Now, the groups are split so I'll call out the team name and who's on each team." At the nods of understanding she started reading the list off her notepad, "Team SuperCat, the name was chosen by Alex, holds Kara, Cat and Carter."Everyone could see Kara and Cat's light flushes while Carter just highfived Alex. Lucy continued with a smirk, "Team AgentNerds, the name chosen by Carter, holds Vasquez, Hank and Winn. Team SuperSassy, the name chosen by Kara, holds Astra, myself and Alex. Last but not least, Team Suave-Until-They're-Not, or SUTN as named and shortened by Cat, is James and Riley."After she finished reading off the list, everyone got up and started moving around until each person was sitting with their 'group' and separate from the others, "Let's get this party started with Pictionary." Riley cheered, darting out of the room to only come back with a large stack of games that would normally take at least three people to carry and set them down on the floor next to the coffee table. She then turned to run again to set up three dry erase boards on easels for the first game in what seemed like three seconds flat. Once everything was set up, she dropped down to the beanbags that James claimed for them.The teams SuperCat and SuperSassy seemed to be talking strategies with each other, both filled with competitive people. Teams AgentNerds on the other hand just seemed to share looks and relax. Riley and James shared looks of pure determination and simply nodded at each other, filled with competitiveness themselves and neither willing to go down without a fight. (Next Day in the Desert) "I don't say this often, but I am craving a good fight right now." Kara admitted with her arms crossed, slightly glaring at General Lane and his lackey, Major Smythe.Lucy and Riley walked up to Alex and Kara, "No kidding." Riley chimed in, wearing a small scowl, "Sorry to say this Luce, but your dad is an ego filled jerk. I feel like I could stick a needle in the air twenty feet around him and we'd hear a hiss as his ego deflates.""Nah, I agree with you there. Besides, he's been like that ever since I was a kid after Lois fell in love with Superman." Lucy agreed with Riley about the general dislike of her Father. "Anyway, do any of you know where my bestie Vasquez is? I want to see if there is a bet on how fast you two can annihilate my Father's new robot toy."Alex pointed over at a large military tent-like building, "In there at the main table, they and a few others are going to be keeping track of the fight. Mostly to make sure nothing more sinister is going on here."Lucy patted both Supers on the back and nodded her thanks to Alex, heading inside and to the table that held Vasquez and Hank."Just keep your cool, both of you. I know you can do this." Alex promised with her hands on her hips, their attentions turning back to the robot a little way away. The red head then pat their arms and turned, walking to join Lucy and the others inside. (Inside the Tent) Major Smythe started the bets by throwing a twenty on a small side table, "I got twenty bucks on the android." He offered with a smirk. "Forty on the Aliens." Alex, Lucy and Vasquez all chimed in at the same time, Alex with a smirk of her own and the other two with wicked grins, rising the betting pool. Hank's voice snapped out after the money hit the table and continued to grow as more military bet on the android and his other agents joining in by betting on the Supers winning, "If at any point I don't like what I'm seeing, I'm ending this." Hank told Lucy's father sternly. General Lane looked over at him like Hank was dirt on his shoe, "Which I would completely understand, if you had any authority over me. Dr. Morrow, you can begin." "Thank you General." The scientist pressed a button on the tablet type object he was holding, starting up 'Red Tornado' outside. (Outside) Kara and Riley dropped into fighting stances when the robot started turning on, lifting it's head to look at them. Both of them had looks of confusion when it's hands starting whirling, making two small vortexes. When it lifted its hands, Kara's eyes went wide and she rocketed sideways to dodge the incoming vortex, but it didn’t click for Riley and 'Superboy' was sent backwards into the air, harshly. Red Tornado fired a rocket at each of them, surprising the two yet again as it actually made them stumble from the direct hits. Riley could honestly say that she was already just so done with this robot, and started thinking strategies as Kara held its attention, the slightly older Kryptonian playing dodgeball with the Red Tornadoes rockets. An idea hit her when she thought about the 'Tremors' movies that Alex had an addiction to, making Riley grin as she shot down into the Earth and 'tunneling' her way to the robot. Kara noticed the slight uplifted trail Riley had and made sure Red Tornado's back was in Riley's direction while she made taunting gestures to the person controlling it. She heard a voice from inside the tent call out to Alex mockingly, "Where is Superboy? Don't tell me she is a chicken and a weakling. I would believe it with her letting Supergirl take over for most of the 'fight', and I use that term loosely." The dirt trail paused for a second and Kara knew that Riley had finally reached wits end with the Major, "You can take it from here, work out a bit of that frustration." Kara called out to Riley, grinning smugly at the robot so the others could see.Unfortunately for the Red Tornado robot, Riley was very unhappy at the moment and shot out of the ground much like the Tremors, sending it slamming down hard, "Thanks Supergirl." She hissed out, leaping forward with destructive intent. (Inside the Tent) "Oh Rao, Riley seems pissed. She's doing that much damage and I know for a fact that she's still holding back like they were earlier. If they used their full strength, it would probably resemble paste more than android." Alex muttered to the group of D.E.O agents and Lucy, watching the fight on a nearby T.V. To say that Riley was beating the hell out of the metal creation was putting it mildly."It's experiencing system damage." Dr. Morrow called out, then spoke to the General, "The test is over. Pull the plug, now."Alex pressed her Bluetooth to reach Riley over the radio with a smugness to her voice, "Superboy, stand down. You won."They watched as Riley just kept hitting the robot in front of her, the dark tint to her eyes actually worried Alex and the small smile dropped off her face. Hank was also worried enough when Riley used her freeze breath to freeze the arm of Red Tornado that tried to lash out at her, that he yelled out over his own Bluetooth, "Superboy, stand down! That's enough!" (Outside) Hank's yells broke through to her and Riley stopped, her breathing only a little harder than normal due to her rage. Kara looked like she was ready to intervene at her place now next to Riley, but had noticed Riley calm down.Red Tornado straightened and took off into the sky, creating a vortex around its legs to let it fly."Supergirl, Superboy, are either of you hurt?" Alex called out to them, the people inside running out and over to them."No, we're okay." Kara answered for both of them since Riley still looked unnerved at losing some control over her anger for the first time in her life. Alex noticed this and stepped forward with Kara to stand near enough so Riley could calm down with their presences, Lucy and the others quickly joining them.Thankfully none of the military noticed this and Dr. Morrow spoke up, "Superboy must have triggered his emergency self-preservation functions."Kara looked around in the sky with her super vision, "I can't see it." She called out after scanning as far as she could."He's in stealth mode, making him one-hundred percent undetectable." That got some eyebrow raises and Hank's eyes narrowing in suspicion."This is your fault." General Lane yelled at Riley, only to stumble back a step when Lucy was right in his face with an enraged look."You had a Presidential order that let you force them to fight it. You honestly think that this is, in any way, anyone's fault but yours?" Lucy yelled right back, standing her ground against her father for the first time in a long while.He stood back up straight and turned his attention to the Supers, "Your recklessness has unleashed an uncontrollable killing machine on National City."Hank stepped up and softly pulled Lucy away from the General and stood between his Supers and the man, "Enough. We will all head back to the D.E.O and track this thing down. There will be no more fighting," He stopped to look at the General pointedly, "no matter how wrong someone may be about this situation." (At the D.E.O.) "A billion-dollar investment, eleven years of R and D, and what do we have? A paper weight." General Lane called out as he and a small attachment strolled into the room and up to the main table. Riley clenched her teeth tightly and kept her eyes locked onto the metal arm lying on the table to avoid snapping at the idiot to her right. Kara used a small, almost hidden hand wave, to bring Riley's attention up to her and gave the younger Kryptonian a small reassuring smile, calming Riley down for the most part.General Lane's grating voice continued, "I want this thing found and destroyed before it turns National City into a warzone. Besides, the last thing the Army needs is a bunch of wounded civilians on the nine o'clock news.""Destroy it? You can't do that. I have invested too much time and effort into this." Dr. Morrow didn't seem even the slightest bit happy about the General's plan, but was cut off by said man."Into what, Morrow?" The General walked around the large table to stand near the scientist, "The Red Tornado failed. And so did you. You're fired."Morrow grit his teeth and stormed out, letting an Agent lead him to the main exit. General Lane started talking with his Major about some sort of plan while Kara hugged Alex, Riley and Lucy, muttering how she needed to get back to work since Cat Grant was having a busy day.Alex grabbed Lucy and Riley's wrists while Lucy grabbed Vasquez's and tugged them over to Hank, "I don't trust this. I'm pretty sure the others know something seems up, too." She whispered to him, keeping her voice low.Hank looked over at them, barely moving to not gather the attention of the General and his minion. Then he quietly spoke as loud as he could get away with, "I agree. Keep an eye on them Vasquez. Lucy, let us know if your Father or the Major slip up about something you might overhear. Alex, go with Riley and start her weapons training. I had yellow lamps also installed in the room you all apparently enjoy using so she'll be able to recharge in the same room you all work out and practice in."They all nodded in acceptance of his orders and made their way to different places. Vasquez to their chair near the main screens, Alex and Riley headed to the practice room that now held a makeshift gun range, and Lucy headed over to one of her contacts in her Father's 'attachment' in one of the side rooms nearby.An hour later, Riley's phone vibrated in a hidden pocket just on the inside of her boot that was resting nearby since she had changed into her workout clothes in the Practice room.'Hey, don't wait up tonight. Impromptu date with Cat starting now.' Kara's message read, sending Riley's right eyebrow up in amusement."Hey Alex, guess what! Kara already has another date with the Queen." Riley called out since the room was soundproof so they could hear things outside, but anyone outside couldn't hear them. She handed her cellphone to the older woman when Alex walked up and held out her hand to read it as well.Alex's smirk had Riley giggling in their now shared amusement and slight awe, "Well now, I never thought that Kara would be the one out of the three of us to be the first to send out texts like this." She handed Riley's phone back and pulled the blonde up off the bench, "Alright, let's get started. Last time I taught you about gun safety, the stances for different types, and how to clean said guns. Now I'm going to teach you how to use an array of guns and we're going to find around two that you feel natural using."Riley followed Alex up to the makeshift gun range, putting on the sound reducing headsets and picking up the pistol Alex pointed out for her, then Alex continued, "I'll have you start on the small weapons and work your way up. After every different weapon type here has been tested, we'll move on to the ones you might work better with and narrow it down until there are only two or three. Aim down range and begin."Soon, the sound of gunfire filled the room as Riley tried out the guns one at a time. About an hour later Alex was able to narrow it down for her to a tactical twelve-gauge shotgun and the Beretta M9."It seems we have a winner. Looks like you'll be on the squad's frontline charge with me with weapon preferences like those." Alex said, placing her hand on Riley's shoulder with a smirk."Seems I was right to have you lead her training." Hank called out from near the door, startling the women, "Now all Riley has to do is complete the final test, which begins now." At that a part of the floor swung open from underneath Riley and sent the blonde tumbling down a level or two below.Riley's eyes were wide in shock and she was barely able to shake out of it before she had to roll to avoid landing hard on her feet since she was still powerless due to the red sun emitters."Jeez Hank, thanks for the warning." She called out up to the opening she fell through, right before it snapped shut while Alex was waving down at her. Leaping to her feet to look around the new room she was in, Riley checked around her for weapons. There was also a muttered thanks to Rao because the shotgun and pistol fell with her, but lacked ammo.The room reminded her of the upper floors of the D.E.O, but a lot shadier in terms of the lights flickering, dirt and blood smudges on the walls, and random holes placed in some of the doors and walls like some sort of survival horror game gone wrong."I swear to Rao that when I get out of this, I'm kicking Alex's ass." Riley hissed since she had a feeling that Alex had to have been helping Hank set this up. Besides, the red head knew how much the idea of creepy places like this scared the hell out of her. Some sort of deep thumping steps echoed from down the hallway she moved into. Silently cursing her luck, Riley used the strap on the shotgun to rest it over her back and put the pistol into a holster Alex had her attach to her belt. Once she was all set and the footsteps were getting much closer, she jumped up to push a ceiling tile out of her way and scrambled up, replacing the tile once she was in completely.The thundering steps continued to slowly get closer until they came to a stop just slightly down the hallway. Riley made sure to keep quiet and creeped along the ceiling further and further away from whatever the fresh hell that was. It took a good five minutes for her to reach what would be, if the mirror layout proved true, Hank's office. She pulled a tile up slightly and peaked around to see that her guess was correct. Not seeing anything that could trigger an alarm or anything too creepy inside, she dropped down and walked over to the mimic desk, looking for any sort of information on what she had to do. It was a file that was laying open with what looked like a bloody handprint next to it that contained what she needed to know, 'Some sort of Alien prisoner break out, apparently. It says here that a new type of ammo was created in Alex's lab to knock out the prisoners for safe transport back to their cells. Well, if that's my goal to this test, may Rao give me strength because this is all sorts of messed up.' Riley rambled to herself in her thoughts, moving over to grab what looked like a mostly empty thin backpack that only held a map of the layout, a small canteen of water and a few protein bars. She placed the file inside for safe keeping, pulled it over her back and placed her shotgun over it, then climbed back up into the ceiling."Okay," she whispered to herself, quietly crawling around the more solid parts of the ceiling, "just need to get to Alex's lab, grab the ammo, and get each of the five prisoners back to their cells one at a time as efficiently as I can. Easy to plan, more than likely not so easy to actually do." (Two Hours Later) "She's making decent time. Only going to take maybe fifteen minutes longer than you did." Hank admitted while he and Alex watched the proceedings from the screen in a room behind a wall in the same room that held the cells.Within two hours, Riley had found the information on what needed to be done, gathered the 'knock-out ammo' from Alex's mimic lab, imprisoned four of the five 'escaped prisoners' who were actually D.E.O agents, and was well on her way to finish imprisoning the fifth and final 'escapee' back in the last cell.Alex glowed with pride at her Kryptonian slash trainee's quick work. There was a worrying moment where Riley had charged the strongest agent but ended up using a mix of martial arts and parkour Alex had drilled into her muscle memory to quickly take him out, "Not too bad at all." Sure enough, ten more minutes passed and Riley had wheeled the final agent into the last cell with a makeshift gurney. After she was out and the door 'locked' shut behind her, the lights went steady and Hank opened the wall to reveal the hidden room. Riley stared at the two as they came to a stop in front of her, blinking at the harsh change of lighting before she noticed Alex's pride filled stare, but turned her attention to Hank at him clearing his throat, "You did good," he paused to smirk at her widening eyes, "Agent Danvers-Ze." The blonde had to stop herself from doing a celebration dance and instead stood 'at attention', "Thank you, sir." She bowed her head a bit to him, waiting until he turned on his heel and left towards an elevator in the other room to dart forward and punch Alex on the arm, "You know how I feel about places that look like this!" She hissed, ignoring the wince to pull the older woman into a tight hug right after, "Thank you, Alex." "No problem, Wonder Dork." Alex murmured before she pulled back and punched Riley in the arm just as hard, getting a wince. "Okay, I deserved that one." Riley groaned, then she and Alex made their way over to Hank and stepped inside the elevator with the other five agents also joining them, congratulating her. Hank escorted the two women to the 'recharge room', as Kara dubbed it, and placed the weapons in a locked drawer while Alex had made her lie down on the now relaxing, soft table to recharge the last bit she needed. It took maybe only thirty minutes and by then she was back to normal. Hank handed her a large black tactical backpack once she hopped up off the medical bed, "Inside you will find D.E.O approved clothing for wearing at the agency when not in your supersuit. It also holds your badge which you must keep on you at all times, a new untraceable cellphone for work calls only, a very real yet currently unloaded Beretta M9 with a holster, and finally," He placed all the items back into the bag she was still holding since he had pulled them at as he told about each item, "unless something Super comes up, you are to report here at oh-six-hundred. Alex will pick you up to make sure you arrive here on time." "Yes sir," Riley nodded slowly, still in awe that she actually made it to agent status, "I might not be bright eyed and bushy tailed, but I'll be here."Alex wasn't able to help the small snort of laughter, watching Hank open the door to the room and start shooing them out, "Alright get going, and remember to tell the middle one how it went so my own personal line isn't blown up by either of your lack of texting her updates. Also inform Agent Vasquez on the way out. Oh, and Ms. Lane told me not too long ago that she was going out to dinner tonight with her Father to try to needle him for information, so don't be surprised if she isn't back yet." Two of the Danvers' three musketeers stared at him with deadpan looks on their faces, "Wait, is that all now or is there more you need to tell us?" Alex asked him with a drawl to her words, Riley struggling to keep the straight face going next to Alex but the corners of her lips kept twitching. Hank sighed at them in amused exasperation, swinging his hand in a downward horizontal arch to the hallway, "That's all. Now, dismissed, Agents." (At the Apartment) Riley had just thrown her new agent backpack onto her bed at home after dropping Alex off, when she picked up the familiar sound of metallic whirling at the edge of her subconsciously stretched out hearing, about fifteen blocks away. "Crap. Just can't relax yet, can I?" She asked herself, turning on her heel to soar back out of the widow she came in. The sounds of people screaming had her kicking her speed up a notch. Right as she slowed to a stop above the scene, Kara hand landed between General Lane and Red Tornado, catching the androids fist easily, "I'm not gonna let you hurt them!" And oh, did Kara sound unhappy. Noticing a low groan from near a small pile of knocked over tables and chairs, Riley's heart stuttered in worry at the sight of Lucy unconscious in the middle of it all, "Supergirl, hold him off. I'm going to get Lucy and the General to safety!" Riley called out, swooping down to pick up her friend and the General. Kara just started fighting the Red Tornado, so Riley took off as fast as she could to take Lucy to the D.E.O medic room and dropped the General off at the same location. After a medic rushed up to start checking on her friend, she ran back out, launched up and flew fast back to the fight. However, her flying stuttered a bit at the sight of a tornado forming in the middle of the block that Kara and the Red Tornado were located at. Realizing that it was actually causing some damage, she thought back and remembered learning about how if the rotation is disrupted enough, the tornado will cease to exist. Thinking that, she basically threw herself into it and began flying in the opposite direction of the rotation. It was working but nowhere near fast enough on her own without risking more damage to nearby object and people, so when Kara let the android escape to help with the tornado Riley could have hugged her right then and there. The two working together cut the tornado out before it could reach any of the civilians. Taking note of how no one seemed injured, they gave their usual fist bump at the success and took off towards the D.E.O. (At the D.E.O... Again) "Well, nothing is broken and there is no sign of a concussion. She's lucky." The medic said, turning off the small hand-held light that he used to check for the concussion. Lucy leaned over to lean a bit on Riley's and sighed, "Thanks for saving my life." General Lane cut off any response with a gruff tone, "You let that thing get away. I thought you were on our side." When he spun on his heel and strutted out of the room, the three once again unhappy women were up and on his heels, "We tried. It fought harder this time, faster. Like it learned a thing or two from the last go." Kara argued, trying to get him to understand exactly what happened. "It's like it knew you would both choose to save people." Surprise filled Lucy's tone at her own realization, "The tornado was just a diversion to get away. He used your humanity against you." "And now more innocent humans could be in danger. If anything else happens, you and the D.E.O will all be held accountable." General Lane was honestly about to send both Supers into a fit of rage filled frustration. It was good for his health that Hank came in abruptly. All though maybe not because Hank looked down right livid, "That's enough, General." He came to a stop next to the frustrating Army man, "My team analyzed Red Tornado's dermal covering. It's made of a biosynthetic polymer which contains traces of lead. To suppress x-ray vision, right?" 'We all knew something had to be going on! Got you now, you rat faced bastard.' Alex thought vindictively as she stormed up to the table to stand near her close group, which had recently been including Lucy. Any possible smug looks from the others around the table sunk away for scowls and almost snarls of rage aimed at the General at Hank's next words, "The android wasn't meant to fight insurgents. It was designed to kill Kryptonians."General Lane tried to pull himself out of the growing proverbial pitfall he found himself in, "You've got Fort Rozz aliens locked up downstairs. Monsters. Abominations. Some of them have wings. Some have horns. And others spit acid. Do you know the difference between those prisoners and these two?" He asked, gesturing to Kara and Riley who were across the table from the two men, "They're blonde.""They saved you and your daughter, tonight. You don’t owe them fear and contempt. You owe them a thank you." Hank finally just snapped at the General to defend Kara and Riley, the D.E.O.'s 'assets' to the Army. But to him they were part of his family, they were two of his non-blood children and the General attacking them like that, comparing them to murderous criminals, was the last straw for him.The General seemed speechless. He simply grabbed his hat off the table, tucked it under his arm and walked towards the exit with his 'attachment' following him.Lucy grabbed Hank and Alex's shoulders, pointing them towards hallway that lead to the car garage of all places and pushed them a little to start walking. She then grabbing the front of Riley and Kara's supersuits to tug them along, "Come on, we all need to go and probably beat up some punching bags to get rid of any excess anger. It'll help." (Inside the D.E.O. personal Garage) They were all lined up to see two broken down S.U.V.'s hanging from chains near three punching bags. Lucy passed two pairs of boxing gloves to Hank and Alex, then slid on her own pair and gestured to the 'punching bags', "Alright, so here's the plan. Say what you're mad about, then punch the bag or in Rile and Kara's case, the cars, then let your fists fly." Each of them walked up to their own designated places and then waited for someone to be the first to admit something. Alex surprised them and was the first to do so, "I really can't stand your dad, Lucy." A few thumps followed her words. Kara went next, "I hate how I can't control my emotions all the time. How I can never actually be considered normal." She practically growled with fists flying out to dent the hood of her vehicle. "I can't stand how my Father compares me to Lois, as if she's some sort of saint that I should strive to be like, instead of being my own person." Lucy admitted with a snarl, hitting the bag pretty hard for someone who seemed a little small. "I hate how no matter how hard we work to make things safe, some people go out of their way to harm my people." Hank muttered, his fists pounding into the bag solidly for a few moments before he backed away. Riley was the last of the group, and she had stewed in her thoughts for a little too long so when she spoke, she had snapped out, "I hate how my rage can feel like it's going to consume me when someone hurts my ragtag family," her fists started lashing out but she kept going, the flood gates finally opening, "I hate how I still have night terrors of Krypton's destruction," by now the hood was starting to give as Riley's hits slowly gained more and more strength and her eyes were tearing up, "I hate how I feel when someone brings up our cousin in a way that says we're not good enough without actually saying it."Everyone else stopped to look over at Riley, her hits still slowly growing in power. They could all tell that look in her eyes silently told them she had one more thing to admit, "and I hate, hate, how I feel like I will never be strong enough, or fast enough to protect the people I love!" She shouted her last few words, left fist rocketing out hard enough to knock the bottom of the engine block clean out of its brace with ease and freezing in place with her arm almost entirely inside the hood, shoulders heaving as tears streamed down her face.Kara left her place to lead Riley away from the car, gently guiding her arm out and pulling her into a tight hug, her own tears joining the fray. Riley and Kara dropped to their knees, both began sobbing since they shared the same inner fears that Riley finally put out in the open. They could smell Alex's shampoo as the older Danvers walked over and pulled them both into her arms, a few tear drops landing on their heads after Alex kneeled down and hugged them close. Lucy was the next to join in but on the other side of the supers, hugging the group as tightly as she could.Hank might have been the last to join, but he was just as important to them as the others. He leaned over to guide them all to their feet, holding on to keep them steady. None of them questioned how he was able to do it with two of them being quite naturally heavy Kryptonians because they were either too lost in grief or too focused on comforting the others."It'll be okay." He told them with a shaky, his own tears filling his eyes at not only all the stress lately but also because a few of the younger people he began to consider his children were breaking down, "I swear that it will be okay."He rocked the group side to side, hushing them calmly like any natural parent would when their children were sad and crying. About ten minutes later, everyone was calming down. A few hiccups appeared here and there, but overall everyone was now breathing steadily and relaxing.Alex, being the smart ass they all adored, spoke up with a slight hiccup to her words, "So, it seems that we all needed a good cry more than we needed to hit something."Kara snorted and huffed out a laugh, "No kidding, I think this is honestly the best I've felt in a while."The laugh and hiccups had Riley giggling. When Riley started giggling, Lucy couldn't help but join in and soon the entire group was laughing yet still clinging to each other like they were lifelines."Okay you saps, let's just leave all this here and go finish dealing with the Red Tornado with clearer minds." Riley hummed after she finally calmed down almost completely.Lucy nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I'm all for cleaning this up later. Let's go do something that will make us feel even better after it's over."Hank pulled out his phone when his, Alex's, and Riley's work phones all went off from a text message, "Huh, it seems Maxwell Lord has done a little digging on Red Tornado without us asking for help. He found out that Red Tornado is still being remotely controlled.""So, wait, that's why the robot keeps going after General Lane. Because Morrow is telling it to." Kara said, having an epiphany on what was really going on.Riley joined in with a clear mind and a new spark in her eyes, "Right, and Morrow wants revenge on him for nuking his project. So, if we take out Dr. Morrow." She trailed off and Lucy picked it up."If we take out Dr. Morrow, we take out the Red Tornado. But, how do we find Morrow?" Lucy asked, all of them trailing after Hank as he lead them purposefully to the command room.Alex puffed up a bit, figuring it was her time to shine, "Easy, we draw out the android." The group came to a stop next to the large top-lit table in the Command room and Alex continued her excited explanation, "Then we trace the relay signal Dr. Morrow's using to control it, back to him. Kara, Rile, keep Red Tornado occupied until I can shut it down once the plan is put into motion."An agent nearby waved to Alex and pointed at the computer that seemed to be there to set up for her idea, so she broke away and headed over with Lucy joining to help by studying strategies that the two Supers could use against it."Think you can keep a cool head while fighting it?" Hank asked Kara and Riley lightly, watching their faces and was happy to see the determination and new understanding filling their eyes."We're not afraid of our anger anymore," Riley told him after the two Kryptonians shared a look and a side hug, "instead we can use it."Kara picked up where Riley left off like they used to, "We can channel it to work for us, not against us."Hank smiled with pride at the two, then turned and walked towards the General who had returned at some point, "General Lane." He greeted with his stride barely slowing down and his smile changing into a stern but less severe look, "I think we may have a solution that will rectify your screw up. But I'll need your help." (Early the Next Day near the Outskirts of National City) "Signal's in. I have a position on Morrow, we're moving in now." Alex's voice came from over their Bluetooth radios, signaling that she and Lucy were heading after Dr. Morrow.Kara and Riley watched the Red Tornado like a pair of hawks, ready to swoop in and strategically pick apart their enemy to protect their home.Riley couldn't help but smirk when the Red Tornado's fist went through the hologram of General Lane, Kara joining in with a silent laugh when the robot swung a second time. They both had to admit that the salute was just salt on Dr. Morrow's wound and had to give the man points for that."How did you manage to project a thermally accurate 3D hologram of me over seventy miles away?" They could hear the impressed tone the General held for such technology.Both of them had to stifle their laughter when Hank informed him, "Technology from those Kryptonians you're so scared of." And the lack of response from General Lane had them nearly giving their position away.They were able to pull themselves together to hover out of the back of the military jeep they were in to quickly set up the large gun that would fire small rockets that Alex supplied them, albeit a bit warily. Kara fired it at the robot twice, then threw the remote off to the side when the Red Tornado turned to face them, "I think we got its attention." Riley called out over her Bluetooth radio, both her and Kara were moving into their new fighting stances.Red Tornado's hands began spinning rapidly, signifying that it was about to attack so Riley hit a button on her cellphone in the inner pocket of her boot, giving a beaming grin when her playlist's first song was 'Ballroom Blitz' by 'Sweet' that started over some well-placed speakers. She laughing heartily when Kara's eyes rolled in amusement at her antics."Let's do this!" Riley cheered, her and Kara both launching at the robot at the same time, working more in tandem now than they had been over the last month or so. Even when they were constantly working together in the beginning, they were never on this level of team work. If they were each being honest, they trusted each other now more than they ever thought possible. Each other, and their family who were either helping them or waiting for them to come back safe. (A Basement not too far from the Supers versus Tornado brawl) "That won't do anything." Dr. Morrow called out to Alex and Lucy, making both women spin around and aim their guns at him. He pointed to some odd sort of configuration on his head, "Telepathic relay interface, to control his cerebral matrix. If you want to stop him, you'll have to cease any neural function from his creator. You'll have to kill me." He said, pacing a few feet back and forth.Alex tried to reach out to him as a first option, "You don't have to throw your life away."Morrow wasn't having any of it though, "The Red Tornado is my life." Then he swung a metal pipe nearby and swung it at them, sending Lucy diving out of the way and Alex into a physical brawl with the man.Lucy leapt to her feet and darted into the fight to take over for Alex so the agent could see if they could somehow stop the connection without killing Morrow. (Back to the Outside Brawl) Kara and Riley were kicking the tar of the robot and the red being couldn't land a solid hit on either of them because then the other would swoop in and knock into it.It was able to eventually get the upper hand though and backhand Riley away, then turning to put Kara into a firm headlock, cutting off her air supply.Riley felt her anger flow through her veins when she got up and saw what was going on, but instead of being consumed by it, she could feel her need to protect empowering her, guiding her to shoot forward and easily break Kara free, "You will never," She paused to hit the robot with a small part of her actual strength, knocking it hard into the back of the jeep, "ever," then she knocked it to the ground with another solid punch, "hurt my family again with this robot, Morrow." (The Basement Brawl) Lucy had been put into a headlock by Morrow, and the man was refusing to let go, even being held at gun point by Alex. When the man tried to tighten his hold to snap her neck, Alex fired her gun, killing the man if the transmitters shutting off was anything to go by."Oh Rao, thanks for that." Lucy panted for air, then huffed as best as she could, "Oh jeez, being around them is going to give me a whole new vocabulary."Alex shrugged and holstered her gun, "Eh, you'll get used to it pretty quickly. Hank did.""Somehow, that's not very reassuring." The shorter woman admitted with a small smirk. (Back Outside) The Red Tornado boosted to its feet, only to whirl to a stop and slump over."You did it!" Kara panted over their radios to Alex and Lucy, her throat not feeling to great at that moment.Riley winced when it kicked back on and stood up tall, "It's still going. It's still going!""Agent Danvers?" Hank asked over the radio, but it seemed that Alex noticed something off about the readings."There are no commands being transmitted to the android. Kara, Riley, it's become sentient." She explained to them with growing worry.Red Tornado launched his vortex wind at them, sending them sprawling for a second but were soon back on their feet.They both started firing heat vision at it as a last resort, using their memories to make it stronger than before. Memories of unwillingly leaving Alura and Zor'El on a dying Krypton, memories of holding a breaking Alex at the news of her Father's death from a tropical storm and his funeral, memories of seeing their birth home exploding in a ball of fire all filled their minds and hearts, powering their heat vision to a new height that they and the others would never have deemed probable. Channeling that rage and loss, not letting it take them over but to use it to protect, to stop this being so their family, their other 'soul twin', would never be hurt by it, or any other enemy ever again.The power was too much for the Red Tornado, and the android finally exploded from such high-powered heat visions.Kara and Riley dropped to the floor in exhaustion, not from using so much power, but from pulling such emotional memories that they kept locked away."Supergirl, Superboy, are you two okay?" They heard Hank ask them softly over the radio."Yeah, we're." Riley stopped to pant tiredly, Kara taking over the reassurances while they both leaned against each other, "We're okay. It's over. It's over." (Later that Day at CatCo) "There she is!" Kara was immediately bombarded by Cat's mother the moment she made it to Cat's office, "My car was supposed to be here half an hour ago."She was honestly confused by that, "Oh, I didn't realize I was getting you one."Katherine looked up at her like she was an idiot, "How else am I supposed to get to the airport?" The woman then turned to speak to Cat, "Honestly, Kitty, is this creature of yours some sort of unpaid intern? How do you justify paying a salary to such an unreliable person?"Kara didn't even have time to start feeling anything but a little indignation when Cat slowly spun her desk chair around to look at her Mother, took off her shades and got to her feet smoothly, "First of all, I don't pay her very much. And second, you don't get to talk to her that way.""Excuse me?" Katherine looked a little shocked at her daughter's attitude.Cat started walking around her desk to her Mother, "Oh, I understand, Mother, that you have always been threatened by my success and you try to elevate yourself by denigrating me. Which is fine. But you are not allowed to do the same thing to my assistant who, by the way, is excellent at her job.""I'll," Katherine stuttered a bit at the clap back that Cat finally delivered, "I think I'll use the ladies room before I go." The older woman grabbed her purse and strolled out of Cat's office faster than she usually did.When Cat sat down on the couch with a sigh, Kara stepped forward with a sunny smile, "Thank you for saying that I'm excellent at my job. It made me feel normal." She admitted casually, waiting for Cat's normal sass to show she was feeling emotionally better and wasn't disappointed."Yes well, don't get used to it. Get me Advil." Cat huffed softly, rolling her eyes a bit for some over dramatic fake annoyance.Kara stepped forward and gave Cat the small plastic cup containing Cat's usual 'after Mother visits' Advil, playfully shrugging away Cat's 'Thank you'."Would you like for me to call your mother a cab?" She offered, pouring a glass of water and handing it over so Cat could take the Advil immediately.Cat scoffed at the idea, "No, she can take her broom." Stopping to knock back her Advil and take a few drinks of water to wash it down.The light coming in from the window made it seem like Cat had an unearthly glow about her that distracted Kara, so the younger blonde shook her head a little and glanced out into the main room. Seeing that no one was paying them any attention, Kara turned back and muttered as loud as she dared to, "Cat, I was wondering if you would like to officially meet Alex, Riley and the rest of our family as my, uh, girlfriend? Significant other?" She floundered a bit at the end of her question, not knowing the exact word she should use."Better half?" Cat asked with a smirk appearing when Kara's jaw dropped in fake shock at the sass."Would it help if I told you what Riley actually nicknamed you? Might make things a lot more interesting in my opinion." Kara suggested, biting on her lower lip when Cat's curiosity got the better of her."Alright, I'll bite. What nickname has Riley given me? Please don't say it's something like 'Kitty'." The older woman's eyes were locked on to Kara's lips, but both stayed on opposite ends of the couch since they were at work.Kara felt a slow and sly grin appear on her own face, "Well, she did call you Catwoman and the Pink Panther for the longest time." Cat's eyes seemed to flash and her partner gained wicked smirk, "Then I suppose I shall meet them all again. If only to level the playing field." (Outside of town at the D.E.O.) Riley could feel a sudden sense of playful dread, but a glance around revealed nothing that would usually trigger such a feeling."Did you feel that?" She asked and at Alex's look of confusion she elaborated, "That sudden sense of dread that we used to feel as teens before we got pranked by each other?"Alex shook her head and went back to filling out reports, put out that Riley got the easier job to taking stock of the team's weapons."Oh well, I hope Kara's not planning anything." Another sense of dread washed over her, "Oh Rao, I have this horrifying feeling that Cat's going to prank me like I've never been pranked before, and I don't know why.""Well, let me know when it happens if it does, I want to record it." Alex muttered as she finished the last page, grinning at Riley's paling face.'Well, at least life will never be boring in the family!' Alex snickered to herself, turning into gut wrenching laughter when Riley tried to walk into the nearby practice room, only to come across Lucy and Astra making out on one of the benches."Mom! At my place of work and it's not even lunch time yet and you're already playing tonsil hockey with my friend! Come on!" Riley whined playfully, color returning as she got to tease her mom and Lucy a bit. She turned back to Alex, "Okay, I feel better now, let's go prank Hank or something!"Astra and Lucy both rolled their eyes at Riley and Alex sprinting down the hallway almost silently to go find Hank, "And they wonder why people prank them so much." Lucy sighed before she and Astra continued making out softly, going slow to simply enjoy their time together.After all, no one ever knows exactly when things start to rollercoaster out of control. Might as well enjoy the peace while it lasts... ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter Seven: Pre-Destruction Krypton, Earthquakes, and Chosen Family. (Krypton: Four years until Destruction) Rile Zor-El was officially bored. She adores her twin, she truly does, but the debates that Kara and their Father would have about science were just so dull sometimes. Their Mother could be just as bad since she would either step in if they got too rowdy with their debates, or join in with them and be boring too! Her eyes caught on to a figure walking into the main entrance that they had been waiting on and she grinned as she recognized the person, "Aunt Astra!" She cheered, jumping up from her place on the couch and sprinting over to her mother's twin before she leaped into Astra's arms for their usual clinging hug. "Greetings, My Musical Soldier. Have you kept up with your lessons like you promised me?" Astra asked her, pulling back a little to bring her right hand up and bop Rile on the tip of her nose after she transferred Rile so the young one was sitting on her hip. Rile wiggled a little and got comfortable once she was moved to be carried by Astra, "Yes, Aunt Astra. I have made sure to work hard on my weak points. Kara has also been helping me with the Sciences and Maths, while I help her with the Ancient History studies since she lacks the attention span for it, like myself with Sciences and Maths." Alura, Zor-El, and Kara all moved to greet the amused Astra, "Sister, it has been far too long since your last visit." Alura smiled happily at her twin, hugging both her and Rile since the younger blonde twin was clinging to Astra and vice versa. Kara moved up after their mother walked over to Kalex to see if the A.I. wouldn't mind setting up the spare room for her twin, "Aunt Astra, how were your travels? Do you have any more stories?" She asked, unable to mask her excitement in her voice. Astra beamed at Kara, putting a hand on her back to lead the older one of the twins towards the table and exchanged nods of greeting with Zor-El, "Well, Little One, I shall tell all the stories you and Rile desire after the late meal." Zor-El nodded in agreement, leading the small group over to a clear wall, "I agree. Let us continue the ways of old and reach out to Rao, as our families have done before us." The adults and children turned towards their red star and each muttered thanks to their deity for different things, and another day of life over the span on an hour, slowly lowering their heads much like the fading light of Rao. "The meal has been set out." Kalex called out once the family members had finished, making Zor-El move to hold out a chair for his wife, then moving over to his own once Alura was seated. They all began eating and sharing stories of their days at their work places or the academy that Kara and Rile went to, a few moments later. (Krypton: Three years until Destruction) "Have you fared well in your training?" Kara asked Rile during their mid-day meal between classes. Rile nodded and gestured to a new medal pinned on her uniform, "Indeed. I have been made the group lead by both my Academy scores and my group's votes. How are you faring in the Sciences and Maths? I heard that your group is currently comparing how Kryptonian and other races technological ideas will work on both Krypton and other planets, both near and far." Kara hummed, finishing her spoonful of soup before she responded with a thoughtful frown, "That is correct. We are currently going over water and air purification ideas. We hope that we might find some successful tech, but we keep in our minds that it has been searched for before, to no success." "Have you thought about speaking with the others that are training for the Laborer Guild? They may have a perspective that your group has yet to consider." Rile offered, placing her utensils in her empty bowl and made sure her side of the small table was clean. "You speak the truth." Kara stood up, grabbing her empty bowl and gesturing for Rile to join her to return the items, "Will you be on the early travel back to our home, or do you have the history class on this day?" The slightly younger El beamed in excitement at the mention of one of her two favorite classes at the Academy, "I have the History class, will you tell Mother and Father that I will arrive merely half a tenth of Rao's visible travel, after you?" "Of course I shall. Do not forget that Aunt Astra will be visiting, not this day, but the next." Kara mentioned just in case Rile forgot the exact day Astra would arrive, yet again. "You worry too much. You have reminded me exactly twenty times in the last five days, I shall not forget between now and the time she arrives." Rile gave Kara a smirk that reminded the older twin so much of Astra. A soft chiming noise alerted the two pre-teens to the fact that classes were starting again soon. Kara sighed and gave Rile a quick hug before pulling away to look at Rile sternly, "Then I suppose we should leave for our classes. Please refrain from verbally arguing with anyone. Mother and Father do not need another 'Ancient Guild' debate turning into a brawl." Rile's smirk grew and a gleam appeared in her eyes as she walked backwards towards her next class, Maths, "I know not what you speak of, dear sister. It was merely a debate we decided to settle like our ancestors before us did. I was correct in both information given, and physical arguing."Kara pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed again. She looked up to see Rile strolling out of the large room, whistling some sort of tune and rolled her eyes, 'My twin will test my sanity the more we age, I just know it.' (Rile's Kryptonian History Class) Reading through the first information crystal, Rile carried on with her reviewing and carefully took mental note of the differences between the Ancient and the current Guilds. The Laborer Guild started out as mostly people who dealt with pure physical labor such as ancient work factories which were now mostly gone or had animatronic workers, or those who would keep the cities clean and the flora from overgrowing. Now, the Laborer Guild works more on the upkeep and creation of the Military Guild's armor and weapons, or controlling the androids to build and repair buildings or controlling the ones in the few remaining factories. She placed that crystal off to the side and activated the next one, bringing up information on the Judicial Guild and could feel a small amount of wonder at how her and Kara's Mother could even have the patience for such matters. The Judicial Guild began with a multitude of different branches. There was the branch that dealt with law making, a branch that reminded Rile of her Mother with how they were the ones that would judge those who broke Kryptonian law. To her surprise, there was once a separate branch that covered alien's breaking Kryptonian law on Krypton instead of the unspecific one that existed to judge both Kryptonians and Non-Kryptonians now. There was a second, House inherited, branch involved in creating or changing the laws but Rile did not even want to start on thinking just how corrupt that had the chance of being. Shaking her head, Rile set that crystal aside and picked up the next one, grinning when information appeared about the Military Guild. Said Guild that Astra was a part of, and the one that Rile hoped to join soon. The Military Guild was much like it was in the Ancient times, only more technologically advanced and having more War Strategies than before to adjust with the times. The ranking system was somewhat flawed, in her opinion, because it allowed more reputable houses to rank up higher and faster than lesser known houses, or those who were houseless. She believed in fair earnings, and things such as the Military Guild's ranking system frustrated her. Rile huffed in annoyance and ignored the sharp look she received from a nearby classmate, reaching for the next crystal and groaning lowly in exasperation when information on the Science Guild appeared, 'Even now I cannot escape Father and Kara's obsession.' The Science Guild was different in the ways that instead of working towards finding new discoveries that could better the Kryptonian species' space flight, or making it easier to expand over Krypton, they were now working their hardest to repair the destruction their ancestors caused from over mining, hunting, and deforestation. It was a miserable thing to witness since her and Kara's Father Zor-El and their Uncle Jor-El told them to not speak of it, but Krypton was slowly dying. They have never uttered a word of it to anyone because the council forbade the two adults from ever spreading the information around. She tried to hide her scowl, setting it with the others and picked up the last crystal, glancing around to make sure no one was paying her any attention since she had been saving her favorite Guild for last. The Arts Guild was Rile's hidden life passion. When Kara was studying Science with their Father while their Mother would be either talking or out with Astra, Rile would hide away in her room and be in awe of the things that would be created by people in the Arts Guild. There were people who could create realistic paintings and sculptures. Ones who could fine tune cords on handmade instruments to compose the most slow and soothing or fast and exciting music both with and without voices singing of many different things. Rile had always wanted to see one of the Arts Guild's open compositions that involved the string and wind instruments. She remembered when Kara came across her studying one night. After a tenth of Rao's visible travel, Kara had sworn to not speak of Rile's study of the Arts Guild, but in turn had Rile swear to not speak of Kara's interest in the Judicial Guild to their family, lest she disappoint their Father. A soft chiming noise echoed through the air once more, and Rile tried not to be obvious as she rushed to place the Arts Guild crystal with the others into her small Academy single strap carrying case that went across her chest and rested on her back. She leapt to her feet and headed out of the room to walk to the transit station located just out of the main building, her brisk pace having her in the correct small travel pod, soon flying her back to her home. (Krypton: Two Years until Destruction) Kara was losing her patience with a few of her Sciences Guild group-mates. The class was debating the goods and bads of both the Birthing Matrix, and natural births. The few she was beginning to dislike had kept listing their ideas of the bads of both, even going so far as to exaggerate most of their comments. When the Class's Guild Elder mentioned that it was her turn to speak on the topic, she stood up straight and kept her eyes forward like they were taught, "I believe that natural births carry more of a risk for both the children and the carrier, both during birth and before. There are many possible risks such as physical injury from something as simple as falling a distance more or less than waist height. The good I see in natural births is that it allows more of a connection to be built between the child, the carrier, and the sire. The bad side of the Birthing Matrix is the possibility of the genetics not connecting correctly, thus a child is unable to be born from the union. The good side of the Birthing Matrix is that more often than not, the genetics will indeed take hold and a child will be created without risk to a carrier and the child. It also allows for specific genetics to be chosen and House 'marks', if you will, to be applied to the strands to mark that child as one of the House's members that would be different that the other House's own marks." She sat back down after speaking a shortened version of her ideas since her Father told her that going to the point with a few details was better for verbal communication in the Academy. Most Elder's did not require hearing the full drawn out points like Father, herself, and even Mother would give during their debates at home. 'I could imagine Rile sneaking away to her room to read up on any new Arts Guild creations, or listening to the new and old compositions that have been made available for at home listening.' Kara felt a smile pulling at her face as she packed up to leave since the chiming noise was played throughout every room and hall. A short but firm quake began, yet ended almost as fast as it started, stopping the other trainee's in their tracks within the halls of the Academy, "Oh Rao, they're beginning to grow in strength." Kara muttered to herself, moving firmly past others to arrive at the transit location and hopped in the one Rile was already within, that would take herself and Rile back to their home, "They are getting worse, are they not?" Rile questioned her as the protective cover slid closed, the House of El transit taking off through Argo City. Kara nodded wearily, pinching the bridge of her nose much like their Father would when he was exasperated by someone else's actions, "Correct, and from what Father and Uncle say, the destruction of Krypton has been accelerated partly due to lack of the Council placing a halt on mining operations." Rile looked around at the reflecting walls of Argo City, a feeling of sorrow enveloped her heart, "Most of the people within Argo City have not a single idea of what is happening. If only the Council had listened to our Father and Uncle Jor-El, then maybe there would be a chance for our people to thrive in a new home." At Kara lightly grasping her hand, Rile turned back to Kara and saw the sorrow she felt was also being carried by her older twin, "Do not lose hope just yet, Rile. The Council may change their minds and listen to the Science Guild for once in their lives." They both tightened their grips as the transit continued to hurdle through the air, neither willing to admit that the time for a mass exodus of Krypton has long since passed. (Krypton: Hours until Destruction) The news of Kal Jor-El's birth was something that brought both worry and joy to Zor-El's family. That, the ever-quickening destruction of Krypton, along with the news that Astra was still missing since before she was supposed to arrive three turns around Rao ago, had the twins on edge like never before. Their Father Zor-El spent more time in his labs with their Uncle Jor-El than usual, and the fact that their Mother simply told them not to worry, had them worrying. Quakes had been strong enough for the Council of Argo City to cancel further study at the Academy to avoid any injury to the children since the building was considered old with weak foundations. "Without the Academy classes to mentally lose ourselves in, it is harder than ever to keep a positive outlook for Krypton." Rile admitted to Kara, having just changed Kal Jor-El's coverings and was wearing a small frown that seemed to take up permanent residence on their faces. Kara pulled Rile to her feet after the younger twin picked up their baby cousin and rested him on her hip, humming softly to him so he would stay at ease. She led them to the door that was the entrance to their Father's personal lab, "I am going through there to figure out just what Father and Uncle are truly working on. You are more than welcome to join me, but if you do not, you might wish to wait near Kal's play area." Rile shook her head and adjusted her baby cousin so he would be more comfortable, "No, we are going with you. From what I have over heard, they are making something that has to do with the three of us, so I believe that we have a right to know. No matter how young Kal may be to understand what is going on." Entering the passcode, Kara walked into the previously blocked off hallway with Rile and Kal on her heels. The older two quietly moved past the oddly empty rooms until they came to another door at the far end of the decently long hallway, "Has this door always been here?" Rile questioned, vaguely remembering the secondary transit that was for official House of El business only. "No, this is recent." Kara shook her head lightly, confusion also etched onto her face, "It was once a simple archway. Oh Rao, I hope the previous code works for this door as well." She typed in the code and was relieved when the door quietly slid open. At the sound of Zor-El and Jor-El's voices, Kara and Rile darted for cover behind a stack of nearby containers, with Rile carefully holding Kal close to her. "Brother, the two transports are nearly complete. All they lack is our children and our personal A.I's." Jor-El's voice could be easily heard through the cave-like chamber. The twins looked around the containers and caught sight of the two items that their Uncle spoke of. Another harsh quake rocked the flooring beneath them, and fear gripped their hearts when it did not stop, but continued. Alura and Lara Lor-Van ran into the chamber frantically, "We cannot find the children!" Alura shouted over the noise to her husband. Kal waved his hands towards his mother's voice, bringing Kara and Rile out of their surprise and prompting them to move to the group of adults, "We are here Mother, what is going on?" Kara asked worriedly, both twins having to be caught so they did not tumble to the floor. The House of El brothers shared a look, then Jor-El took Kal and led his wife to a transport a bit further up. "I am sorry my daughters, but now is not the time I can go into much detail. Quickly now, into the pod." Zor-El said as he lifted each of his children inside and buckled them in safely. Alura reached in and slid a small crystal into some sort of small container in front of them, then passed Rile her school bag that felt heavier than normal. "Krypton has reached it's end, dear ones." She murmured, lightly kissing both of them on their foreheads, "You must head to safety with your cousin. The pods had been programmed to take you to a planet called 'Earth'. Look out for Kal Jor-El, but do not forget to live." She begged them, stepping away so Zor-El could also give their children his goodbyes. The twins were horrified that it seemed to be happening so fast, "Mother, Father, why are you not joining us? Why are both of you, Uncle and Aunt staying behind?" Rile asked as the twin's eyes began welling up with tears, their young hearts breaking at the mere thought, let alone the reality of the situation. "You need not worry about that, Rile." Zor-El said, running a hand through both of his daughter's hair one last time. When he saw Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van step back from Kal Jor-El's pod and the transport taking off, Zor-El pulled himself and Alura back, "Now go, and be safe for us. Please." He begged them because, for the first time in his life, he was terrified for his children in a way that a parent should never have to be. Kara nodded, leaned forward slightly, and hit the three buttons their Father had gestured to. After a breath length of a moment, the pod shot forward after Kal's. They both looked back and watched with pure emotional agony and tears streaming down their faces as Krypton exploded behind them, feeling something snapping inside of them that seemed like it would never be healed at the loss. Rile realized too late that the force from the exploding planet would rock their pod, and could do nothing as the harsh jostling knocked them both unconscious. The thought-to-be twins would not awaken for a long time, their simple unconscious state turning into a deep sleep as they were pushed further into the Phantom Zone. (Current Time: At the D.E.O.) "So, why did we just use our powers until we blew them?" Kara asked Alex with a whine in her voice, unhappy about this turn of events. Alex gave her Kryptonians an amused smile. They were just so cute when they looked like unhappy puppies, "Well, you need your shots again, so I figured that now was a good time since no Fort Rozz escapees have attacked recently." Riley groaned from the recharge bed she was resting on, located near the new bed that held an unhappy Astra, "Oh Rao, Alex. We get that you're our doctor and all, but you know how much we hate shots. Mom apparently has a severe dislike of them too." She couldn't help but snicker at the memory of her powerless mom trying to out run Alex while the older Danvers' was in 'Doctor' mode. To say it didn’t work was a hilarious way to state the obvious after watching it in action. A hand shot through the air and smacked Riley on her arm, drawing a hiss from her even though it didn't hurt, "Hush, My Own. Brave One told me many stories of how you and Little One would flee at the mere sight of Alex with a needle, even with your powers." Astra drawled out with a wicked grin of amusement. 'Huh, so that's where Riley gets that grin.' Alex realized, lips twitching as she was trying to stop her laughter at the two blonde's looks aimed at her. "Traitor." Kara hissed out at her. She then gave the other two Kryptonians a 'Spock' hand sign and pulled herself off her yellow sun bed before she walked towards the direction that would take her to the D.E.O.'s exit. Astra and Riley were going to join her, but a sharp look from Alex had them laying back again, but now folding their hands onto their abdomens to show that they were listening to the silent threat, "You two are staying right there. Kara is only allowed to leave because she has work at CatCo. Since both of you work here or in Astra's case, live here, you two will stay right in those beds for at least a few more hours. Feel free to sleep those hours away." Waiting until about twenty minutes after Alex left the room, Riley hopped up and ran over to the cabinet and pulled out a boombox. She placed it on the counter, made sure the iPod was hooked up and the cables were all plugged in snugly, then ran back over to her yellow sun bed and climbed in. Riley could admit that she was thankful for Hank, Alex and Vasquez since they made sure the three yellow sun beds were a lot like the long twin sized regular beds but with a few modifications. "Just wait, I have so much music to introduce you to." Riley told her mom when she was receiving a very confused look. It took only seconds for 'Hooked on a Feeling' by 'Blue Swede' to play from the side speakers, filling the room with music. Astra's started nodding and tapping her right foot along to the beat, a soft smile was slowly stretching across her face. 'I suppose humans have created music fairly well.' She thought as the next song began. "What is this one?" She asked Riley, head tilting at the odd tones that she has never really heard within music before. Vasquez slid into the room singing along to the first verse, prompting Riley to jump up and join them, "This is our group of friend's theme song. Shake it Off by Taylor Swift." They told the older woman with a snicker since Riley was taking over the second verse. Both of the agents, Riley still wasn't used to being called an agent, even in her mind, were happy when Astra joined them in the duo's dance. Lucy shimmied and shook her way into the room, already taking over the third verse. Unknown to the four, Hank had Alex record to goofy dancers for possible future embarrassment if his 'adopted all but legally' children and his almost-like-a-sister either dated or had children that he could show all of these moments to. (At CatCo around the same time) Kara's body seized with another sneeze, getting hard looks from the surrounding employees within one of the two public elevators. 'I don't understand how they can live like this. The smallest cold and I'm already miserable!' She thought as she made her way to her desk, Winn joining her along the way. "Hey Kara, what's with the, uh, sniffles?" He asked, stuttering a little at the sight of Kara sniffling into a tissue. She winced at that, just knowing that Cat was going to freak out if it wasn't cleared up soon and explained, "Oh, there was a ten-year-old on the bus with a runny nose." They turned the corner and walked into the main area of the floor, moving over to their desks, "Okay so let me get this right. You're late, you rode the bus, and you have a cold?" Winn tried to get clarified, his voice was filled with disbelief. "Alex had Riley, Astra and I blow out our powers to get our yearly shots, or first shots in Astra's case. I'm not surprised I'm sick because Riley and I missed last year's shot." Kara set everything she was carrying down on her desk, and slid her messenger bag off to rest it on the floor near her chair. She sat down and continued with a sigh, "Give it a day or two and all three of us should be back to our normal levels as long as we get plenty of yellow sun time.""Oh hey, I finished that thing for Alex that she wanted me to do for Momma slash Auntie Astra." Winn reached over and grabbed a folder off his desk, handing it to Kara, "Everything is in there, please don't lose it. I cannot stress enough how important it is to keep that hidden until it gets back to Alex unless you want us all to go to prison."Kara placed it in her messenger bag. She stood up to thank him when she couldn't hold it back any longer and let out a fierce sneeze into her tissue. "Did someone just sneeze?" Cat asked as she walked out of her personal elevator slowly, glaring around like she was threatening to use heat vision on the culprit. 'Oh Rao, quick Kara, do something!' Kara hissed at herself in thought, face scrunching in frustration at herself when all she did was turn away from Cat and tried to play it off like it wasn't her. She kept aiming her back at Cat as if she was checking her work space while the older woman was walking closer to the large office room but stopped closer to the middle of the bullpen, "Who did that? Who among you sprayed my office with a million microscopic killers? I can already feel my throat closing up." 'Oh no, please Rao, no!' Kara tried to force down the urge to sneeze again, desperately trying with all her current might. Not even a second later she could no longer hold it back and felt not only her body convulsing some from an incoming sneeze, but could also feel that her job was on the line faster than it took her to use her powers to fly from National City to Midvale, which was already very fast. Cat spun sharply and placed a hand over her heart is honest surprise, confused how her Super was even sick at all and wondering how it was possible, "You, Kerah? You never get sick. That's the best part about you." She couldn't help but tease, feeling amused that the entire floor was watching them like it was a dramatic moment in their favorite T.V. shows. "That’s the best part about me?" The younger woman just looked so much like a kicked puppy that a few people on the far side of the room cooed at the adorable sight, but a sharp look from Cat had them scurrying back to their desks. "If I get sick, I will under-perform. If I under-perform, our stock prices will fall, thousands of people will lose their jobs, the S and P will take a hit, and you will personally have triggered the next recession. Do you want to be the next Lehman Brothers?" Kara had to purse her lips to avoid laughing at Cat's drama queen attitude and could feel her face reddening a little from the strain of it. She grabbed her messenger bag and Cat's drink, "I guess I will go home." She was barely able to get out, walking up to her boss and tried to hand her the latte, only to get a look that screamed, 'Don’t even think about it, Kara' from Cat. Cat narrowed her eyes, yet couldn't help but try to see if Kara would finally break and start laughing, "Don't exhale on the way out." Kara bit her lower lip hard to stop herself, and her body shook some. She walked around Cat and almost ran to the elevators. She finally caved in the empty elevator and lost her cool, laughter echoing throughout the small space till only two floors remained between her and the ground floor. Wiping away a few tears from her laughter, she pulled out her phone and texted Cat, "Thanks for that laugh, I needed it. Should be back to my normal in the next two or three days, but hoping for only a day till I'm back." The three dots showing up almost right after she sent it had her keeping her phone out while she was stepping up to the curb outside to hail a cab that would take her back to the apartment, "Then make sure to keep taking over the counter medicine to get rid of that cold. I really do need you back at work as soon as possible." She climbed into a cab and told the driver her address, going back to her phone when it vibrated again, "Besides, Carter wishes to have you join us for dinner tomorrow and I do not want to be the one to tell him that you actually sick. He would 'freak out', as your generation says, demanding to check on you at all hours of the day, and wanting to skip school." "That will be ten even, ma'am." The driver called back to her, getting her attention set back onto her physical surroundings after she fired back 'Of course' back to Cat. "Oh, here you go!" Kara responded as cheerfully as she could and passed forward a ten-dollar bill and hopped out of the cab with her bag on her shoulder. She pulled out her keys and fired off a text to Alex and Riley, letting them know that she was going to be working from the apartment. At Alex's lack of response and Riley's call, she felt a bit of worry. Riley's laughter had Kara on edge, and it didn't help that Astra, Lucy, and Vasquez were laughing like a pack of hyenas in the background, "Alex knows you have to be sick if you're working from home Kar. She's already heading over there to bring you into the D.E.O. So make sure you have anything you need because you'll be here overnight." At hearing that she hung up and ran as fast as she could without tripping over her own two feet to the apartment elevator. It took what Kara thought was the longest three minutes of her life to finally make it to the apartment, then another ten minutes to hunt down her and Riley's favorite pajamas, along with the things she would need to work from the D.E.O. She just finished throwing it all into a duffel bag when a knocking echoed through the apartment, letting her know Alex was already there to pick her up. "I'm on my way out, just had to grab some stuff!" Kara yelled out right before she opened the front door with her keys in hand to lock it behind her, "Hey Alex!" She grinned at the older Danvers, hoping not to get into too much trouble. But when a fierce sneeze forced its way out, it had her getting a pointed look from Alex and she knew she so was busted. (At the D.E.O.) Lucy felt like she was about to burst into giggles at any minute. One reason was that she and Vasquez got to see their super friends get chewed out by the momma bear that is Alex, Kara because the older blonde got sick and didn't head back to the D.E.O instantly, and Riley because the younger blonde thought it would be cool to be a wing-man for Astra to score a date with Lucy. Reason number two was the best one and it involved Astra, the older Kryptonian. The total dork, just like her daughter, had fumbled her way through asking Lucy out while Riley stood around the corner saying some stupid things like ‘tell her she completes you!’ as if the youngest Lane wouldn't notice. Oh she noticed, and so did Alex if the redhead dragging the blonde away by the ear was any indication. Lucy did say yes because she was genuinely interested in the older woman, more than just making out, and Astra seemed just as interested in her.When Alex finally lost steam for her rant, she hugged both of her chastened younger aliens, "Okay, you should be able to head back to work in the morning, Kara. You can leave now." And with that, Kara was jogging to head back home after she hugged Alex, Riley, and the others."Riley." The remaining blonde smiled sheepishly at the older Danvers that addressed her, "Since you're not sick, I need you to go to the stores you like and update your wardrobe to something other than the clothes Eliza and Kara picked out for you a long time ago. The only thing you seem to actively like in your closet is the leather jacket I gave you after Eliza told you not to spend money on 'something like that'." She pulled Riley close and hugged her, using a hand to wave behind her youngest Kryptonian to shoo away the others.Riley pulled back but didn't break the hug, "Well, I have always wanted to go to Hot Topic, Tilly's, and maybe a few of those more upscale places. Think I could steal you away for an hour or so?"Alex gave Riley one last tight hug, then stepped back, "I don't see why not, I've finished all the reports. Let's go ask Hank and if he says yes, we'll have an Alex and Riley day since I'm pretty sure Kara is going to end up over at Cat Grant's place again."A soft snort rang out, "Kara is starting to stay over there more than at the apartment, so I wouldn't be surprised." Riley then pulled so her left arm and Alex's right were entwined as they left the room. She was following the way Alex would point or announce that lead them to Hank's last known location.Ten minutes later, they found Hank in his office, "What can I do for you, Agent Danvers Duo?" He asked with a raised eyebrow at Alex's amused expression and Riley's hopefully excited one that was playing clear on her face."For the first time since arriving on Earth, Riley is going to pick out her own clothes from places she wants to go to, so if things are fine here I would like to go with her." Alex spoke up since Riley seemed to be lost in thought. Before he could respond, Riley finally seemed to find her way back, "Hey Hank, if you're not gonna by busy for a while, would you come with too? I've never really had new spiffy clothes before and two or more opinions to help decide are better than one." The slight pout and hopeful gleam in Riley's eyes had completely obliterated any chance of Hank declining. He sighed and stood up, guiding the two of his non-blood children out of the room, locking it after all three of them were in the hallway, "Well, we better get going then. Vasquez coming along, too?" He asked them as they all walked to the garage that held the personal vehicles. "Nah," Alex shook her head with a small smirk, "already asked via text message and they passed. Something about only shopping when they absolutely needed to." Riley lead the other two over to her truck once they finally made it into the garage, "Alex told me that you feel more comfortable if you drive when you're in a car." She paused and tossed him the keys to her two thousand and four, Ford F150 that was lifted, has a deep red paint job, tinted windows, black interior, cloth seats, racing seat belts, metal baby. "If you hurt her, I will get creative with my revenge." Her promise had Hank staring at the keys in his hand and wondering if it was worth it. But another look at the beautiful metal beast Riley created and he decided that yes, it would very much be worth the risk. He pulled himself into the driver's seat with a small grin of excitement, "Is this thing able to be driven as a company car? Bulletproof, able to seal up to avoid outside gasses, etcetera?" He couldn't help but ask, loving the maneuverability and comfort of Riley's truck. Alex looked over with an expression of curiosity, having a feeling that if Riley agreed to it, her truck would be the 'Field Frontline' squads transport vehicle. If not, then Hank would probably ask Riley to take a look and see what she could do with the regular D.E.O cars to better them."Nah, Krypto here is my metal baby. I could work on the D.E.O vehicles and see what I can do to improve those, if you want?" She asked after hugging the two front seats from the backseat. Hank nodded in acceptance while slowing down to the new speed limit since they were entering the actual city, "Alright, sounds good to me. Now, where are we heading to first?" (Three Hours Later) The three agents stumbled into the apartment, Alex and Riley dragged themselves to lead Hank to Riley's room with their arms struggling to hold on to the bags of clothes, shoes, and even bathroom items. "Okay, that was fun until closer to the end of the trip." Riley admitted with a tired grin, already pulling out most of her old clothes and putting away the new ones. Alex just let herself fall back onto Riley's bed while Hank helped the blonde by placing the old clothes that were in good condition, into large trash bags to be mass donated. Once about five minutes passed, Alex felt she was no longer too tired to talk, "No kidding. I'm surprised that it was that much fun. Best part was when we went in that bookstore for a few books and coffee, and that cute barista slipped Hank her number." The redhead laughed at Hank's growing blush. Riley held out a hand to pull Alex to her feet, and offered to both the red head and Hank, "Since the two of you helped me so much today, allow me to make a home cooked meal for both of you? You can have it here, or even take it to-go if you want." Hank placed the last hoodie into Riley's closet, then turned to look between the two women, "Sure, I could take something to-go. I need to head back to base soon to make sure nothing got loose while I was away." "Agreed, I'll take mine to-go too. If you want, I could see if Astra isn't busy and send her over here?" Alex offered, only to frown a little when Riley shook her head negatively in response. "Nah, she has a date with Lucy tonight. I think after making supper for the three of us, to-go for you two, I'm going to enjoy doing some sketching tonight. It's been a while since I've been able to relax enough to work on some art and maybe since I'm off tomorrow, I'll go bug Kara at CatCo again while I hang out with James." That admittance calmed Alex's worry and had it give way to amusement, so when Riley strolled towards the kitchen Hank and Alex joined her, happy to be fed for their help. (Next Day on the way to CatCo) Kara was carrying Cat's latte, walking to work that morning when Riley and James came over and joined her on the way back, "Hey Kara!" Riley called out, right before she wrapped her arms around Kara's waist to lift her off the ground for a hug, then put her down and drawled out her next question with a smirk, "How was last night?" James had a cheeky grin and a happy skip to his step, "I'm sure it was nice for them, Rile. Was probably a nice surprise that Kara didn't have super strength to worry about as well." "Okay, you two!" Kara's ears and neck were turning a little red at their teasing but thankful that their voices were kept low in case they were overheard, "Yes, it was nice. No, I will not blow out my powers for a repeat experience, no matter how amazing it was. And finally, please don't bump me too hard because if I drop Cat's still hot latte this close to the building, I will cry." "Solar flare." James hummed knowingly, getting the Danvers' crinkle from both of the blondes.Riley sighed and shook her head as realization hit her after James stared at them pointedly, "Kara, our cousin is such a nerd. But hey!" She leapt forward and walked backwards while looking at Kara and James, "I actually have a sculpture presentation at Carter's school in the next hour, so I will talk to you two later. Stay safe kids!"The small group exchanged hugs before Riley took off at a sprint down a road to their left to whistle for a taxi cab. They watched her go as they kept walking, then turned their attention forward again when the taxi took off down the road."Rile sure is something else." James admitted to Kara with an easy smile, getting a laugh in reply.Kara walked over to sit on a bench to rest for a minute, "No kidding. Since Astra can be just as awkward, I think it might be genetic."He sat down next to her and tossed his empty cup into the trashcan next to them, "I heard about that. Sounded like one hell of a shock. Everything okay between you three?" He asked her softly, actually looking a bit worried."Yeah, everything is going really well. Nothing has changed much other than Riley gained a Mom, but she refuses to call me anything other than her sister, so that was reassuring on a level I didn't even know it would be." Kara said with a sunny grin that turned wicked at her next comment, "Here lately, Astra has been locked at the lips with none other than our very own Lucy Lane.""No way?" James asked, and at Kara's slow nod he gave a low whistle, "Lucy has got game, there's no doubt about that."A cellphone went off and it turned out to be Kara's, "Well, that's my queue. Wanna join me on the last few blocks back to CatCo?" She asked him, pushing to her feet and pulling out her cellphone to answer the call.James gestured for her to lead the way, so they both started down the road as Kara finally answered, "I am almost back Cat, and your latte is still hot, I promise.""Fantastic. Have you heard from your sister? Carter saw her at the school a mere minute ago, but he isn't exactly sure why she is there." Cat's voice came from over the line, softer than it would be if they were both at work.Kara nodded even though Cat couldn't see it, without even realizing it, "Yeah, she's one of the people showing and going over some of the forms of art at Carter's school. I believe she's doing metal sculpting and pencil sketching."Cat hummed thoughtfully at that tidbit of information. Then Kara could hear her sending a quick message to Carter about it before the older woman seemed to turn her attention back to the phone after the messenger app pinged on the computer, "Carter is excited, it appears that Riley has been assigned to his class since she is sitting at a side table in his class room now. Also, when you arrive at the office to drop off my latte, see to scheduling some sort of floor-wide team building exercise. HR has been on my case about the 'lack of office morale' lately. That will also require at least two non-CatCo people to chaperone it, so see if you can drag the other two Danvers down with us.""I'll make sure it's done then. Be there in the next ten minutes or so." Kara said, then hung up right before the earth shook violently below everyone's feet, sending a lot of people to the ground hard and even causing some damage to the nearby overpass. Kara and James were able to stumble to their feet and the blonde noticed a large crack forming down the road and sidewalk, but didn’t see the car that was about to run into them due to dodging falling debris from the overpass.Thankfully, James did and was able to push himself and Kara out of the way, sending them back down to the ground out of the way right before the quakes finally stopped. (Around the same time, at the D.E.O.) "This prisoner always makes me nervous." Vasquez told Alex as they double checked the 'cleaning' programs on Jemm's cell to make sure he wouldn't escape during the cell's weakest time. Alex patted their shoulder as she joined them next to the main computers, "Oh I agree, it's why Hank gave Riley the day off. She's the only new agent we've had in a while that hasn't already done this at least twice before. He doesn't want to risk it, especially since she doesn't have her powers at the moment."Hank walked up to join them with his arms crossed and a narrowed eye stare at the screens, "Let's go ahead and get this over with.""Initiating prisoner airlock." Alex called out, pressing a few specific keys to begin the process, only for an earthquake to rock the D.E.O and send nearly everyone tumbling to the floor, things falling or breaking loose around them, "Oh Rao," she grunted, tugging herself up and back to the keyboard she was using, "we lost power! Switching to emergency backups!""I need eyes on the prisoner!" Hank called out frantically, knowing that the others around him didn't exactly know just how dangerous Jemm truly is.Vasquez had pulled themself back to their own computer and read the reports out loud, "System is rebooting now."The quakes slowed to a stop, and the screens kicked back on to reveal something horrifying to everyone, only at different degrees. Jemm was missing from his cell."Hostile is loose, seal the base!" At his order, Alex lunged for the correct button on the other side of the long table and slapped it, triggering the emergency sealing as fast as she could. (Slightly Earlier a t Carter's School) Riley caught sight of Carter's wave and happily waved back, making her way over since the class wasn't technically started yet, "Hey kiddo, anything new happen since the last time we hung out?" She asked as she ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it to 'wild' status.Carter scowled playfully and fixed his hair before he answered her seriously, "Yeah, I think mom and Kara are getting really serious. The 'new' phase of their relationship might be over, but they still seem to really enjoy just being near each other. I overheard Mom do that thing she does where she asks something important to her but plays it off like its nothing, and ask Kara if she wanted just go ahead and share closet space since Kara was over so much. It was like my mom's own weird way of asking if Kara would move in."Any reply was cut off since the bell rang, having Riley move back over to the table at the side of the room with her thoughts racing. 'Kara might move in with Cat? As in, out of the apartment? This is fantastic for their relationship, but,' her thoughts turned to the sadder part of that double-sided coin of the situation, 'it will be the first time we haven't lived together since we were born. Might take some time getting used to, but if Kara wants to move in with Cat I won't say anything that might change her mind.' She thought resolutely, trying to ignore the lingering sadness and slump to her shoulders since even on Krypton families lived together, or if too large in number they would live near each other. Shaking her head to refocus, Riley turned her attention to the teacher at the front that was about to introduce her when the earth started shaking below their feet, sending the teacher tumbling to the floor and making the children duck under their desks in fear.Even without super hearing Riley could hear the foundation cracking below her feet, but seeing a literal crack in the floor start spreading out, sending most of the kids scrambling, had her leaping into action. As she was running over, Carter had run to shove his teacher to safety, clearing that area of all but himself and now Riley. It was then that the floor finally gave out from under them and they were both dropped into the darkness below the school. During the fall, Riley knew she only had seconds to act, so she desperately pulled Carter close and tried to curl her body around his smaller one to protect him from any debris.The last thing she saw and felt before she was knocked unconscious was her back slam into a floor painfully and Carter being mostly unharmed because of her previous protective hold. (Not too far from CatCo) Kara could now finally say that she did not like feeling human. Her broken arm was throbbing painfully and would be worse if it wasn't for the makeshift sling James made her with his over shirt.At one of the bigger intersections next to CatCo she looked up and over at some of the skyscrapers, shock filling her at the sight of the damages caused after only seconds of an earthquake, "Oh Rao, this isn't good. Come on, let's get inside and see what we can do to help." She called out to James, leading the way through the main entrance and up the stairwell to their floor.Walking into the bullpen area, Kara bit back a yelp of pain when one of the other employees bumped into her broken arm, "I need to call Alex and Riley, make sure they're both okay." She walked over to her desk and pulled out her cellphone as James joined Winn over at his desk, "Alex, are you okay?" Kara asked once Alex picked up on the second ring."Yeah, I'm fine. Just some weird stuff going on at the D.E.O." Alex muttered through the line, sounding mentally exhausted."Liar. But, my arm is broken. Which, by the way, a warning would've been nice about how much that actually hurts. So, tell me what's wrong over there." Kara asked, not letting Alex's words lessen just how tired Alex sounded from work.Alex sighed deeply and just decided to get it over with, "Well, we're on lock down." She finally admitted, knowing that Kara was going to keep asking until she finally said something about what was going on. (Other side of the Phone) "Wait, you're sealed in there with a bunch of angry prisoners while Riley and I are currently powerless?" Kara's voice took on a slight hysterical tone closer to the end of her question."It's standard procedure while we run safety protocols. Lucy and Astra left a while earlier to have an early dinner together so hopefully they're safe as well so, don't worry. Just keep yourself safe until your powers come back and if they do, call me." Alex paused for a second, Danvers' crinkle coming out in full when Hank shook his head in a negative motion after he seemed to have failed to get a hold of Riley, "Hey, is Riley there with you?"There was a pause as Kara stopped moving papers around, "No, she had some sort of art presentation at Carter's school. Cat told me about how she ended up getting assigned to Carter's class. Why do you ask?"Alex took a deep, calming breath as she could feel herself start to panic but still tried to reassure Kara, "Alright, here's the thing. I need you to try to find out if anything happened at Carter's school. Riley isn't answering her phone, but it's still on and we both know that she always answers that phone. Do not panic and try to keep Cat from panicking." "Okay, okay I can do this. I'll go alert Cat to the situation and try to keep her calm while you deal with whatever is going on over there. I'll also have Winn get a hold of Lucy while I have James keep calling Riley's number, hopefully she picks up soon." Kara decided to take charge as best as she could, considering the situation, much to Alex's relief since the older Danvers' was panicking at not being able to help her aliens. "Then that's a plan. I'll go deal with this here and you deal with stuff there. I like this plan." Alex muttered to herself, barely sharing 'byes' with Kara before she was lost in what she had to do at the D.E.O. (At Carter's School, Forty Feet below the class room) To say she felt like she was in pain was putting it mildly. Something woke her from the darkness, and when she forced herself just that much more into being awake, she could hear a familiar kid's voice calling out to her.'Wait, is that Carter?' Riley mentally asked herself, letting out a groan as she forced her eyes to open and saw that sure enough, it was Carter Grant."Riley! You're awake!" Carter called out happily with a grin, watching the older woman weakly move her head to look at the debris around them, then glanced up at the mostly blocked off forty foot fall between them and the classroom.He helped her sit up after making sure she didn't have any major head wound or concussions like the classes he and his mom took, taught him to, "You took the brunt of the fall, so I only got a few minor scrapes. I did what I could to fix your injuries but there isn't much I can do with only scraps of cloth from your over shirt." Carter explained to her after she let out a surprise grunt from the pain that shot up her left leg and arm. It was her gazing at him with worry over his health, looking for injuries herself that had him rushing to explain."Something's," She stopped to cough at her somewhat dry throat, feeling put out that her voice was more of a rasp at the current moment, "Something is sticking me." Riley reached down and under her to pull her cellphone out of her back pocket, revealing that it was still on and working, but the screen was completely beyond useless now. She clicked the side to turn off the display to save the battery, knowing that the D.E.O or Winn could track her location with it if need be as long as the tracking chip inside wasn’t broken.Riley pulled herself to her feet with Carter's help, trying to ignore the agonizing pain that almost caused her to heave her stomach contents back out, "Okay kiddo, do you have any idea where we are exactly?" She asked him as she gazed around what looked like a tunnel.Carter smiled and helpfully put Riley's right arm over his shoulder, leading her slowly in a specific direction with his phone's flashlight, "This is an old mining complex from over a hundred years ago during the Gold Rush. Mom said it was ridiculous that they built the school over it, but we never really put much thought into its location beyond that." He stopped to help Riley go over a large piece of concrete, then pulled himself over to join her on the other side, "I memorized the old map of it out of curiosity with how they set it up. We're not that far from an exit, actually. Maybe only a thirty-minute walk from here.""Sounds fantastic to me, kiddo. Let's get out of here, you lead and I'll follow." She coughed after her response, letting him pull her arm back over his shoulder and take some of her weight due to it making him happy to help, and relieving some of the pain. (At the D.E.O.) "Approaching Sector Twelve." Hank's voice came over the radio to the large group of agents currently barricaded in the Kryptonian A.I. room Alex had made for Kara and Riley.Alex was in charge of keeping the group safe while Hank and two agents made their way around, looking for Jemm as fast and carefully as they could.Hank called out to her over the radio, "Danvers, you see anything?""Nothing." She responded, keeping a hawk eye on the screens set up in the room, "Cameras are clear and heat sensors, negative."One of the agents next to Alex spoke up before she could when the screens started flickering, "Yeah, we're getting some kind of interference on our end. Earthquake may have damaged the circuitry.""On me." They heard Hank order the two agents with him, Alex was fighting the urge to pace out of worry for him.The power sparked near the outside group of three, forcing them to turn on their head lamps. But when they came on, Hank was nowhere in sight."Henshaw, are you here?" The agent named 'Tsung' asked as quietly as he could."We only see two of you." Alex called out to them over the radio, her eyes desperately searching for Hank.Then Tsung asked the other agent named Reynolds, "Where's Director Henshaw?"They could hear that Reynolds' voice was starting to strain with his fear, "I don't see him! He's gone!"Alex tensed up in her place near Vasquez when the screens started fizzing out till they could no longer see what the agents were seeing, "Be advised, we have lost visual.""Hostile is in our sector! It's like he's all around us!" Tsung shouted over the radio, gunfire ringing out making the four agents at the two computers nearly frantic with trying to get the video working.Reynolds terror filled voice came across the radio next, "What's he doing out there?!" Before both of their heart-rates on the screen flat lined and the gun fire cut off.Donovan sighed from his place next to Alex, behind one of the other tech agents that was next to Vasquez, "Two agents down. What happened to Director Henshaw?" He asked as he turned towards Alex, who could only lightly shrug. (At CatCo in Cat's Office) Cat was pacing in her office with Kara sitting on one of the couches with an icepack on her arm. Winn was currently using his personal laptop to try to trace Riley's cellphone since James still had no luck over the last hour trying to call. They received news from the school earlier that Riley and Carter had fallen through a sinkhole caused by the earthquake and landed down in the old mining complex under the school."Ah-ha!" Winn cheered, sending the two women and James running over to him, "I finally got a lock on her signal, it looks like they're moving through the complex and heading towards an exit." He turned to look at Cat, not noticing the relief on all of their faces, "I take it Carter studied the map at one point?""Yes, he was curious about how they were able to mine so deep without bringing the land down on top of them. He must be leading them out of there." Cat let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, and went to sit on the couch with Kara joining her. Kara's shaking was finally calming down from being uncontrollably terrified that Carter and Riley were trapped and possible injured, and she could do nothing about it, "James and I are going to go speak with Maxwell Lord soon about maybe reassuring people instead of striking fear into their hearts. I'll be back soon, please at least try to tolerate Winn?" Cat rolled her eyes, but then sighed and nodded at Kara's request when the younger blonde gave her the emotionally lethal puppy dog eyes, "Okay, but don't expect this to become a common thing in our lives. Now, go turn that lethal pout at Maxwell Lord." She waved her hand around dramatically, dropping the tension a bit more. In return she got a sunny grin and since no one outside the glass office was looking, a chaste kiss from Kara. "Let's go James! We got a jerk to exchange words with." Kara called out to James as she stood talk and strutted out of the room purposefully, leaving James stumbling to place a chaste kiss on Winn's cheek before he ran out of the room after the blonde. Winn stared at his laptop screen, avoiding looking into the amused gaze of his boss and best friend's other half, "As long as you don't say anything, I won't say anything." He heard her tell him, so he glanced up and they both shared a solemn nod, knowing their other halves were a little weird. (In the Mining Complex) Riley was resting on a large rock, catching her breath from walking with so much pain arching through her body, "Are we making decent time?" She asked Carter after she took a drink from a water bottle she had earlier attached to her front belt loop, then passed it to him to drink from. Carter took a few sips of water and passed it back, then considered his mental map, "I'd say we have maybe twenty minutes of straight walking from here. But that would be with clear paths, and we've had to go over a lot of debris so I know the distance but I have no idea how long it's going to actually take at this point." "Alright, let's go ahead and keep going since we've rested up already." She said as she leaned forward and pulled away from her previous lean against the wall of the tunnel and gestured for Carter to join her. He did and moved so he was walking next to her right side, "So, wanna trade embarrassing stories of your mom and Kara?" "Of course!" Carter laughed out, wiggling a little in excitement in a way that Cat and so many others would say he picked up from Kara. She pulled Carter into a side hug and he tucked his head close to her abdomen, leaning into her a little, "Here, I'll start. Did you know that when we first arrived on Earth, Kara had a problem keeping her feet on the ground? She almost always ended up floating around and it got to the point where Jeremiah, our adoptive dad and Alex's biological dad, would make a lead ankle cuff with a titanium cable that Alex would attach to Kara's ankle. It was hilarious because Alex would use it to pull Kara around the house like a kid would a balloon." Riley felt like she could ignore the pain in her body at the joy of hearing Carter laugh so freely in their situation, her own huffing laughter joining in as the hilarious memory played in her mind like it had happened only a few hours ago. They continued sharing stories while slowly making their way to the exit, Carter giving ones of his mom or himself and Riley giving ones of Kara or herself, neither even considering the possibility of another quake in their fun. (At the D.E.O.) Alex just finished loading her assault rifle when agent Donovan spoke up, "We can't leave. Director Henshaw ordered us to stay here." "We don't even know if he is still alive, Donovan. These people are relying on us. We're going, alright." It pained her to say it, but she still had to consider the possibility. She turned to the group of agents nearby and addressed them, "Do not open this door until you get an all clear from me. And only me." She stressed the last part and felt reassured when Vasquez gave a firm nod at the order. They pressed a few keys and opened the door for Alex and Donovan, then gave a thumb up to show that they were ready to close it the moment the two agents walked out of the room. That plan changed when none other than Henshaw himself was on the other side of the door, "Mind lowering your weapon?" He teased out at Alex, but the stress and deaths of the other two agents seemed to be getting to him if the weariness in his eyes was anything to go by. "What happened?" Alex asked as Hank walked past her and further into the room while Vasquez shut the door again, "We lost visuals." "That was interference from Jemm's psychic powers. He ambushed us." He explained while grabbing more spare ammo mags and reloading his weapons, "Tsung and Reynolds, they're gone." Alex stood tall and moved her weapons slightly in his view to emphasize her statement, "I'm loaded and ready to go." Hank shook his head in a negative motion, "You can't. Jemm has already shown how dangerous he is and I refuse to lose anyone else. Tsung and Reynolds were two losses too many." "Donovan, get back to your post." She called out to the agent who was going to head out with her a mere minute or two ago, understanding that Hank was on edge because of the escaped prisoner and the loss of two agents. Alex finally noticed her phone was off and whatever was on it had her breath shortening. "Alex, what's wrong?" Hank muttered his question softly, pulling the panicking redhead to the side of the room and waving Vasquez over to join them. She didn't answer until Vasquez was with them, by then her breathing was fast and uneven as she gave them the update that she only just read the text on her phone. It had been sent to her about twenty minutes ago, "It's Riley. She went to Carter's school for some sort of art presentation and was assigned to his class. Turns out, during the quake a small sinkhole formed under both Riley and Carter. Apparently a forty-foot drop happened and now the two are slowly making their way through the old mining complex below the school. Winn isn't sure if they're injured, if debris is slowing them down, or if it is a mixture of both." Hank placed a firm hand on Alex's shoulder and it allowed her to emotionally ground herself, "I want you, Alex, to see if there are any more updates on that situation. Vasquez, I need you to open the door for me, I have to go back out there." He stopped to give Alex a pointed look, "Alone, because Reynolds had psychic burns, so that means Jemm knows everything that he did. Since Reynolds was the head of security, it means that I have to hurry before he opens any of the cells to release the other prisoners and break down the shield doors." Vasquez nodded in acceptance and they moved back to their seat in front of the computer and got ready to open the door. Alex didn't bother telling Hank that she was not going to wait around and let him try to do this alone, instead she let him think she was standing down. If only he knew that she was merely waiting for him to go back out there before she would charge out of the room after him. (At CatCo , Cat Grant's Office) "I don't know if I should applaud you or slap you at this point Kara Zor-El Danvers. What you did was both completely idiotic, yet brave at the same time." Cat hissed out at Kara when the younger blonde and James came back into her office once Winn finished shutting off her broadcast about everyday human heroes. She had heard from Winn who had heard from James that Kara made an appearance as Supergirl to stop a robbery, but while she was still powerless. Kara stood tall and proud though as she leads Cat into the woman's own personal bathroom, then pulled her close after she closed the door, "Cat, I know that you will not like that I might be risking my life to save strangers, but this is part of who I am. It's just like how CatCo is a part of you. Please understand that I can't give up being Supergirl, even during moments like this where my powers are gone." She paused to gently place a hand on the side of Cat's face, "I will promise to be as careful and safe as I can be, though." The two stared at each other for a minute or so, "Then I suppose I should have Alex teach me 'Kryptonian Care 101' just in case." Cat gave in with a soft sigh and a roll of her eyes at Kara's stubbornness. "Thank you, Cat." Kara whispered, leaning so their foreheads were lightly pressing together and they shared a loose hug just to be close to one another. A knock on the door interrupted there relaxing, "Hey you two, Winn has an update on Rile and Carter's location." James called through the door. It took a second for him to hear the doorknob turn, then had to dodge two blondes nearly flying out of the bathroom. "Okay so, based on Riley's chip, she and Carter are almost to the nearest exit. They're still moving slow and taking breaks every now and then but they're almost out of there." Winn told Cat and Kara, pointing to the GPS tracker on the laptop in front of him. It showed that indeed, the dot was still moving through the mining complex. Kara thought for a moment before she gestured to the laptop, "Is there a way for you to pull up some sort of video feed of the area when they are near the exit?" Winn shook his head, "No, there are no satellites aimed in that area at the moment, and we can't physically get up there fast because no ground vehicle can get over there. Our best bet is to wait until their out, then try to reach Carter since he should have signal then." (At the D.E.O.) Sneaking through Sector Twelve in the D.E.O facility had Alex on high alert. Not only because of Jemm, oh no, but also because of how she knew Hank would be pissed that she took an agent and basically snuck out to help him with the dangerous escaped prisoner. "Clear." She called out to Donovan after panning her view down the hall to the downed agents and saw nothing that stood out as 'dangerous alien' to her. 'Oh Rao, talk about a rough way to go.' Alex thought to herself, kneeling down to see the slight burn marks on the side of the two agent's heads. She picked up Tsang's neural inhibitor and pressed the correct button to turn it on and figured what might have happened while putting it on, 'Jemm must have zapped them with that crystal on his forehead, making the inhibitors useless since they were attacked physically.' Donovan stopping near her had her pulling out of her thoughts, "Put on that other inhibitor, now." She ordered as she stood up since she had finished putting on hers. The red lights started flickering and made Alex tense up with her finger on the trigger of her gun, "We’ve got to move, now!" The man dropped the inhibitor and seemed to be shaking, getting Alex's full attention, "Donovan, you still with me?" She asked, her voice filled with worry for the other agent. "He's in my head." And with that, Alex was already just so done with today. In fact, today raised the bar as one of her crappiest days at work to a whole new level. She watched Donovan stand up and pull out his gun, 'Today just so isn't my day. Doesn’t seem to be his either, poor guy.'. Watching him closely, Alex raised her own gun as well as Donovan started talking to her again, "I'm not sure how long, I can fight him." He was panting with the effort it must have been taking him to physically restrain himself from following Jemm's orders. "Go. Go!" He shouted at her, making Alex turn and start running through the halls of the D.E.O. After about five minutes of rapidly searching for Jemm while running from Donovan, Alex slowed when she came across the hallway near the practice room. Poking her gun around a small corner that would have led to two doorways and rooms, Alex yelped when a hand slammed over her mouth and she was dragged backwards into the power unit room of that area. At the sight of a very upset Hank once she got her bearings, Alex knew she was busted and in so much trouble, "What are you doing here?" He hissed at her, keeping his voice low. "Donovan and I were looking for you. I was worried since you didn't have any backup." Alex admitted between small pants from her heart racing at being yanked into the room like that. Hank shook his head and stared her down, "Where is he now?" He asked sharply. Alex couldn't lift her gaze from the floor, she felt like she was only two feet tall under his disappointed gaze. His almost shout had her jump a little, "You lost him. Damn it! That's why I told you to stay with the others! I didn't want you doing something stupid like this!" If it wasn't for the fear and worry that was heavily laced in his voice, Alex would have probably been stubborn about it all and just stared him down. But since that was very much not the situation, she could only feel shame. Donovan's voice over the radio broke her out of her wallowing in shame, "Agent Danvers, come in." She raised a hand to her earpiece and responded with a sigh of relief, "Copy Donovan, what's your status?" "I'm okay, but I'm out here all alone. After all, you're not getting rid of me that easily. Where the hell are you?" Donovan asked over the radio, sounding a lot more solid in tone than he was earlier. "Alright, rendezvous with me." Hank cut her off with his hand held out and a firm, "Don't. Don't, it's not Donovan anymore." He pressed a button on the side of his earpiece and it tuned him into the same radio frequency as Alex and Donovan, "Jemm, I know it's you." Sure enough, Donovan's body falling over and Jemm's creepy voice echoed over the channel, "You've only delayed the inevitable. I will free the prisoners and break through to the surface. There's no escape for you." "We have to move to a secure location before Jemm gets down here." Hank ordered before he moved towards the door.Alex had a crazy idea, one that would get her in trouble, but would be worth it to her. She pulled her gun up and aimed it at Hank, "Back away from the door. Drop your weapon."He turned and looked at her with confusion lighting his eyes, "Alex.""Now!" She ordered. When Hank actually did do so, she hid her surprise and moved forward to kick it further into the room."Alex, what are you doing? I am not the enemy." He called out to her, making her realize just how the situation might look and had her rushing to explain some of it.She tossed him a pair of cuffs and gestured for him to cuff himself to one of the metal casings nearby, which he did, "I'm sorry, but I will not let you risk your life out there when that prisoner is gunning for you, specifically. I have a plan and it will work. But to do it I need to know that you're safely out of Jemm's line of fire."Once he was cuffed completely, she reached up and reactivated her earpiece, "Jemm, this is Agent Danvers. I know you want those blast doors open. You don't need to release the prisoners to do that because all you need is me. I have the access code. I'll be waiting for you in the control room." She locked eyes with Hank and steeled herself at the sight of the pure fear for her in his eyes, "Because one way or another, this ends now." After that promise she opened the door to the room and left it, making sure it closed completely behind her while ignoring Hank's frantic calls for her. (At CatCo in the Bullpen just outside of Cat's office) James ran back on to the floor with news on how some of the rest of the city was faring, "Okay so, rescue efforts are slowed to a crawl and fires are still burning. People are helping where they can and staying out of the way for firefighters and E.M.S where they can't." He reported to Cat, panting from running so far. "Excellent work, Olsen. Take a break to get water and rest, you've earned it." Cat told him with a wave of her hand, her eyes seemingly glued to her own laptop screen where she was typing up the previous quake and now thanks to James, the current happenings around the city. A second quake began rocking the building, but only lasted maybe twenty seconds. It was the explosion about ten seconds after that had the group around Kara's desk all on edge, "An aftershock must have triggered something because that last one was an explosion." Kara stated with a wince at their bad luck. "That had to have been the gas line." Winn muttered, lunging for Kara's desk that held Cat to call the floor above with the phone, "Please let no one be up there." "I'll go check the stairs." James said, then turned on his heel and ran towards said stairs. Even Cat face-palmed a bit at the whole 'if it's not one thing, it's another' situation they kept finding themselves in when someone actually answered Winn, "Of course someone is up there." She hissed in annoyance at the situation as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Hi! Hi, yes. We're just a few floors below you. Help is on the way." Winn pulled the phone away and looked at Kara and Cat, whispering his next words just in case, "Um, I just lied to an entire floor of trapped people in a burning building, what's our next move?"James came running back over through the area that had no one else but their group and added to the stress, "The stairs are blocked going up." Cat took charge as she stood up from Kara's desk with her laptop and briskly started walking to a pair of offices near the stairs, "I will get the three workers still remaining on this floor and the others on the floor below to move down to the ground level. I know you three will attempt to start helping the ones above so I will take care of the others." Kara actually felt herself swoon at the sight, but was brought back to the situation instead of Cat's swaying hips and strong attitude by Winn clearing his throat, "Right! Let's get started. If the stairs are blocked, the best bet are the elevator shafts. There is a ladder built against the wall inside of it." (At the D.E.O.) "Show yourself." Jemm growled out inside the Command room, not seeing Alex waiting in the shadows on the upper outer level catwalk with her assault rifle aimed at him, "Let us see if you die with more honor than your fallen friends." 'Eat this, you son of a.' Alex let her thoughts trail off to focus on her plan, holding down the trigger to start shooting at Jemm to distract him. When he stumbled back a few feet from the force of the shots, she moved so her back was to a wall and clicked the detonator for the flash grenade set up she made to blind the alien, then ran from her location along the catwalk, dropping down so she ended up slightly around a corner from Jemm's position closer to Kara and Riley's pod. Grabbing the shotgun she placed there earlier, Alex stormed forward and kept firing at him. Three shots later had her successfully knocking the gem off of his forehead, making him lose his laser shooting ability, "It will take more than that to kill me, human." He taunted her with a scowl. Alex pulled out her pistols and started firing at him, realizing that maybe her plan wasn't as well thought out as she originally figured it was. Jemm darted to her and knocked the pistols out of her hands, then swung his arm at her and knocked her through the air and onto the floor, 'Oh Rao, that smarts.' Alex hissed to herself at the hit. She scrambled backwards on her hands and feet to try to get some distance from him. The lights flickered on and off, the flashing red backup lights kicked on and Alex froze against a wall as she watched Jemm get his alien rear kicked by someone or something. The being pressed a button on the main computer's keyboard that shut off the silent alarm and turned the power back on completely to reveal Hank. 'Woah, wait. Hank is an alien too?' Alex was having a hard time processing that, remembering vividly that she saw green skin and Hank was a lot taller at that time. He walked up and held a hand out to her and she decided then and there that it didn't matter if Hank was an alien or even secretly Santa Claus, he was her boss and friend. So she took his hand and got pulled up with a cheeky grin, "Told you my plan would work." She sassed him, getting a hearty laugh from him. (Inside the Mining Complex) Riley groaned from her place on the ground, shuddering from the pain racing up and down her body, "You alright, kiddo?" She asked as she shakily stood up, having curled over Carter when an aftershock started dropping more debris on and around them. He leaped to his feet with his brows furrowed in a way that reminded her of Kara, "Riley, you're already getting to the point where you are severely injured. You need to stop covering me like that or you'll end up even worse off!" He chastened her but his jaw dropped when the woman stood up tall, even injured, and gave him a firm look that reminded him just who he was talking to. "I don’t think so, Carter. I am going to protect you from all of this no matter how much I end up hurt, am I clear?" At his nod she kept her solid stance, even through the added pain, but ignored it fully with Carter staring at her in awe, "Let's keep going kiddo, I can see the exit from here and I don't know about you, but I'm excited for some sunlight and fresh air." "Oh, I agree with you there, let's get out of here. Keep telling me stories please?" He muttered in question with a cough from the dirt in the air, checking his phone to make sure the battery wasn't too low and turned off the flashlight. Riley nodded and weakly pulled him close again in case she needed to protect him once more, "Alright, let me tell you some stories about Krypton." (At CatCo) The three worked together to pry the elevator door open with Winn on the phone with a worker from the floor above them, "Uh, problem. They can't get their door open." Winn told Kara and James after they got their floor's door open. "Alright, I'm going to have to climb up and open it from the other side." James decided, looking up at the distance between their floor and the other. Winn did not look happy at that and crossed his arms, "Wait, James, we're on the twenty-third floor." But at James' look, he groaned in defeat and pinched the bridge of his nose at his boyfriend's lack of self-preservation, "If I get a heart attack from this, I will blame you forever." James grinned cheekily and gave him a chaste peck on the lips, "Well, this will be one for the book of stupid things I do in life. I'll be back, I promise. Now get back on that phone of yours and let them know I'm coming, please." He turned and climbed the ladder, then started moving up as he heard Winn tell the others over the phone that he was indeed heading up. Going up a decent distance between the floors, James grunted from the effort at pulling the door open and moving so he was just barely on solid ground again, "Okay, grab the ladder." He ordered one of the three workers that were trapped on the level, "Watch your step." One by one he was able to get all three on the ladder and climbing down to Kara and Winn's awaiting arms that would pull them to safety. They had just pulled the third onto their floor when an aftershock shook the building and flung James into the elevator shaft. He was barely able to grab onto the main cables to stop from plummeting to his death. Winn yelled at the three workers to go get help when Kara noticed the cable James was clinging too started to fray, "James, reach for the ladder! Reach!" She yelled at him, her heart beating frantically in her chest from fear at him falling. Both herself and Winn saw the cable continue to fray more and more, their breathing getting uneven as they watched. Kara felt her muscles tense and when her arm felt no pain, she realized her powers were back. It was at that time that the cable finally gave out and dropped James, but for Kara it was all happening in slow motion as she felt herself super speed out of her over clothing and into her super suit, then dive down after James. He fell maybe only four floors by the time Kara had already caught him and was flying him back up to Winn. The two men hugged each other tightly with shaky and slightly hysterical laughter, "You almost gave us a heart attack." Kara panted at the power rushing through her veins again, and the near heart attack her friend gave her. "Go on Kara, we got it from here. The city needs Supergirl." Winn huffed out to her between his panting from his heart racing, both guys turning to go down the stairs while Kara rocketed up the elevator shaft to get to the roof exit. (At the Mining Complex) "Oh Rao, we made it." Riley gave a sigh of relief, she and Carter stumbling out of the tunnel and into the daylight. Carter took a deep breath and giggled, "This is nice, didn't know how fast I would miss fresh air." They hugged a wall near the exit though due to it being on a cliff face that had one heck of a steep fall, "We need to hug this wall and try to shimmy along it to get away from this cliff." Carter explained, tugging on Riley's wrist to get her to follow him. Leaning against the rocks, Riley's eyes widened in horror when a second after shock began and made her and Carter stumble. Her heart felt like it was about to burst out when it started racing hard in her chest. Just when she thought they would be okay, Carter stumbled and went off the edge, "Carter!" She screamed in terror, but when her pain disappeared and time seemed to slow down, she knew she had her powers back. Using super speed to rip off the clothes over her suit, she threw herself off the edge and raced after him. Twenty feet below where they were, she caught him and pulled him close, "Riley! Your powers are back!" He cheered as he clung to her tightly. His shaking gave away just how scared he had been though. "Hey kiddo, what did I tell you? We're family, and I refuse to let you get hurt if there is anything I can do about it." She hugged him, careful of her strength again and made sure he was tucked close to her before taking off through the air.Flying over National City after dropping Carter off with his mom a few blocks from CatCo, Riley saw Kara leaving CatCo via flying from the roof, "Kara!" She called out happily, joining her sister in the air.Kara darted through the air to slam into a hug, "Rile! Oh Rao am I glad to see that you're okay! How is Carter?""Don't worry, Carter only has a few scrapes and he's with Cat. Shall we help clear up National City?" Riley asked with a grin when they separated from the hug only to join Kara in cheering when Astra joined them in her old military outfit."Little One, My Own, my abilities have returned and I am here to join you with the repair of the city. Lucy is now with your mate as well, Kara." Astra greeted them with hugs. They all shared grins and shot through the air to help out around National City.Kara started by pushing a bus full of children back onto solid ground since it was almost tipping over the edge of the broken highway. Once they were safe, she started taking care of the fires, using her freeze breath to put them out and clinching any sparking cables to avoid possible electrical shocks just in case.Astra began by helping rescue teams move debris around to get to trapped civilians or carrying injured to the nearby hospital or on-site doctors. Last but not least, Riley flew around and made sure buildings were stabilized with her x-ray vision and heat vision, also using her super strength to straighten any crooked buildings. (At the D.E.O.) Thirty minutes later, Alex was leaving the each a message starting with their name, based on who it was, "Kara, Riley, Astra, it's me. I know that you're all busy, and that's good. I just wanted to let you all know that we're okay here at the D.E.O. We'll talk soon."She hung up and followed Hank out of the Command room and into Jemm's old cell room, "You're probably wondering how I got out of a pair of locked handcuffs." He gazed up at her from his seat, "There's only one other person who knows the truth. You sure you wanna hear this? Please allow me to tell Kara, Riley and the others later, myself."Alex moved to sit down next to him, "I trust you, you know that. We all do. Whatever secret you have, know that it's safe with us."He took a deep sigh before he started, "I am not Hank Henshaw. He died many years ago. The D.E.O had been pursuing an alien for months. Not one of the Fort Rozz prisoners, but an innocent one stranded on this planet. The D.E.O tracked the alien down to a remote location in Peru. Henshaw led the squadron sent to terminate him. One of the agents on the squad realized the alien they were hunting wasn't a threat. That he was a refugee, like Kara, Riley, and their cousin. A sole survivor of a lost world. The agent tried to stop the mission, but Henshaw, he was obsessed. He'd finally trapped the alien he'd been hunting for so long. So, the agent made the ultimate sacrifice. That agent, he gave his life to save that alien. He died a hero." He fought away his tears at the memories of it all, and turned his attention to Alex.She was looking at him with sorrow, "That alien, was that you?" At his solemn nod, she continued and gestured to his form, "But, how are you him?""I am a shape shifter. When Hank Henshaw died, I assumed his identity to reform the D.E.O. But I also made that agent a promise. That I would take someone under my wing who would stand out among the rest, some who would stand with the foundations of a new D.E.O with honor and integrity. I recruited you and knew that you would be that person. I soon grew to consider you as one of my own children, something I never planned on happening, and I knew I would never stop protecting you. That grew even more after those two Kryptonians wormed their way in as well. Then next I know, I have many non-blood children and even a few friends." He explained it all, standing up to pace about half way though."If your name is not Hank Henshaw, then who are you?" Alex asked him, standing to join him.He turned to face away from her, "As far as I know, I am the sole survivor of my planet. The last son of Mars." Letting the change over-take him, he turned back to a stunned Alex in his true form, "My name, is J'onn J'onzz." (That night at the Apartment) The small party was in full swing at the apartment with the curtains closed for privacy. Lucy was sitting with Vasquez and Carter on the couch arguing about video games.James, Winn and Kara were sitting on a mixed pile of beanbag chairs and blankets ranting about anything and everything to do with Clark's lack of power-naming skills.Alex, Cat and J'onn in his natural form were sitting on the other side of the room near Alex's alcohol cabinet talking about the current state of government and some of the last few Kryptonians leaving Non's army to either join with the D.E.O or go through a trial time to get integrated into human society.Lastly, inside the kitchen Astra was getting some cooking tips on how to feed humans and aliens while Riley finished up dinner for everyone.Astra helped Riley place all the food on the large table, including stacks of plates, bowls and silverware so everyone could get their food and eat in the living room so they could all be together, "Alright everyone, time to dig in!" Riley called out, grinning at only certain people moving to the table due to the unspoken rule that the human's and non-bottomless pits get food first, since the Kryptonians would eat everything else fairly easily. (A block or two away) Outside of the apartment, three figures were floating not too far away, "When the humans and Martian leave, release that thing upon Kara Zor-El and Rile Ast-Ze. It will only choose one, but it will leave the second and the others in turmoil at the lack of knowledge on how to help the afflicted." The middle figure flew away after speaking, leaving the other two to lay in wait.The figure flew back to the base hidden within Fort Rozz, growling out their promise, "Non will rule this 'Earth'. One way or another." ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter Eight: Just another day in National City, Until it's Not. Riley floated out of the apartment after everyone had gone home for the night and Kara had left with Cat and Carter. It seemed that Kara was officially moving some of her stuff out and into the Grant home since Riley could easily take over the rent starting next month. Most of the items taken were some clothes, toothbrush, toothpaste, shower soap and things like that. Surprisingly, the lack of Kara's items didn't make it seem as bare as Riley thought it would. Instead, the younger blonde decided that once Kara was completely moved out she'd offer the second room to Vasquez since they told Riley, Alex and Kara about how they were basically kicked out by their roommate after the person found out that they were 'different'. Lucy had officially moved into the third room earlier that day that used to be an art room Kara and Riley shared, so it would be an amusing thing to see if the three friends could live together peacefully. Both Vasquez, Lucy, Kara and Riley had to teamwork to stop Alex from going over there to 'exchange words' with the ex-roommate after the three Danvers' were told about it. Thankfully J'onn had told Vasquez that they could stay at the D.E.O till they found a place.When Kara brought up the plan to move out, Riley brought up her plan to Lucy, Alex and Kara with the idea of offering the soon to be empty room to Vasquez. She was happy when they all approved of such actions and Alex stated that the worst that can happen is Vasquez saying no to the idea.So earlier before the end of the party, after having that conversation with them about her idea, Riley made sure that she encouraged Kara to go for moving in with the Grant's. Once Kara made sure Riley was truly okay with it, the older Kryptonian told Cat that the move was now a 'for sure' decision.She gave a tired sigh as she soared high through the air to do that night's patrol around the city, 'Well, that started happening a lot faster than I thought it would. It will be good for them though. Also, if Vasquez does decide to take the offer and moves in, they will have a solid place to stay.' Riley thought with a small yet growing smile as she cruised around in the sky, keeping an eye and ear out for any trouble.It seemed like a calm night for the first time in a long while to the Super. Which was understandable since National City did just have a pretty bad earthquake earlier that day.Pressing the button on her Bluetooth when her cellphone started going off in her boot, Riley answered and spoke out to whoever it was, "Hello, this is Riley Danvers speaking. I answered using my earpiece so I don't know who this is exactly, but based on the ringtone, you're family. What can I do for you?""Riley Jane Danvers, what have I told you about answering that phone of yours while you're flying? And don't lie to me, I can hear the wind in the background." The voice of none other than Martha Kent scolded her, sending her to a sudden halt near the end of the patrol route. She turned back around and began heading by to the apartment as some memories of her human aunt came up.Riley had almost instantly adored Martha Kent since the older woman would actually invite Kara and herself to go spend time at the Kent farm in Kansas. Kara normally preferred to stay with Alex during the summer after visiting the farm for two weeks at most, but Riley would go to visit for the entire summer around the age of fifteen, and would do so quite happily after the nervous first visit she and Kara had. She loved how the animals didn't seem skittish around her and even enjoyed helping Martha with the farm chores. It also helped that the woman she grew to consider family allowed both her and Kara to practice their powers as long as they stayed out of sight from neighbors and possible satellites."Hey there, it's been a while! What are you doing up so late?" Riley asked with a happy grin, pleasantly surprised with the call. She put a mark on her mental calendar to go and visit her favorite Kent. Sure, she still adored Clark, even with his reclusive non-Kryptonian ways. But Martha was family that wormed her way into the Danvers' hearts with a warm smile and a hand ready to reach out to steady them if they stumbled.A sigh that reminded Riley of where Clark got his from came over the line, "Alex called to tell me that Kara was moving out to move in with her other half, but you were going to stay there. So just in case, I express mailed you the old shirt that you brought with you from Krypton and ended up leaving here on one of the visits to the farm. It should be at your apartment in the next day or two."Riley's jaw dropped in surprise, then she squealed a little in joy, "Oh Rao, thank you Aunt Martha!" She said with glee as she did a quick, spinning through the air and finally recognized the familiar Glenn Miller record playing in the background from Martha's side of the phone, "Relaxing day? You normally only listen to Glenn Miller when you are able to kick up your feet and enjoy a small glass of that whiskey you like." (Phone Side Swap) Martha cut off the water faucet in the kitchen and dried off her hands, "You know me too well." She paused long enough to swap her house phone over to her other shoulder and walked into the living room with her said glass of whiskey in her right hand and a plate of late supper in her left, "How is working with Alex? Last time we talked, you just passed the tests to join.""Hold that thought." Riley said over the phone, followed by sounds of a short fight and some sirens. A minute or two later, Martha could hear Riley flying through the air again, "Sorry about that, a small group attempted to rob a store and I was lucky that a cop was nearby to take them to the precinct. Anyway, working with Alex isn't half bad, to be honest. There hasn't really been anything big that has caused us to get sent out into the field yet, but our boss says that he wouldn't be surprised if my first mission happens soon. So, there is that."The oldest Kent chewed and swallowed a bite of her green beans before she spoke with a firm yet soothing tone, "Just remember to get enough sleep, eat enough calories, and for the love of Rao, spend more time in the sun. You know that it's what charges your 'batteries'. I know that you prefer nighttime, but you know that the rest of us worry when you miss out on too much recharging. No matter how much you try to argue that the moon is reflecting enough sunlight to recharge you, because it doesn't."Riley could be heard sputtering and scoffing as the Kryptonian tried to come up with a reasonable excuse. Martha felt a small yet smug smile pull across her face as she went in for the proverbial kill, "Oh, and have you been keeping up with that college girlfriend of yours?" (Back with Riley) "Okay first of all, she wasn't my girlfriend. Secondly, she's been busy on the other side of the country so no, we haven't been able to keep in touch. Third, she likes me as a friend as well. After all, you know why I could never actually date." Riley huffed with forced amusement at first while raising a finger for each part of the verbal list, but was letting out a disappointed sigh at the end and dropped her hand back to her side.Martha was quite for a minute or two, then Riley heard a glass being set down before the older woman responded, "Have you at least told Kara and Alex who your friend from college actually is?"Riley could feel the flush burning its way across her face, "Uh, not quite yet. I keep forgetting to." When her aunt scoffed, she continued, "Okay, I will tell them soon as long as things keep calm to avoid any unnecessary freak outs. Besides, if I don't tell them, their oblivious selves will never pick up on it. I'm surprised one of them is an agent and the other is looking at journalism. After all, Lena Thorul? I picked it up almost instantly."At the sight of something flitting around at the side of her vision, she had to excuse herself from the call, "Aunt Martha, I'll have to call you back later. Something is going on that might need Superboy to check it out.""Alright, I'll talk to you later then. Oh, and please tell Clark, Kara and Alex to call me more often. It'll be nice to know that my son and my other two nieces exist beyond the random call once every five months." Martha said with amusement, the sound of her heading into the kitchen and starting to wash dinner dishes echoed through the background."You got it, talk to you later." She then hung up and flew over to the scene she saw earlier, tensing when it was none other than Non and two of his minions. Riley had to fight a smirk off at realizing that his usual two generals had left his army, along with a sizable chunk of the other generals and grunts.They all turned towards her as if having previously practiced it, "Rile Ast-Ze," Non started, reaching for some sort of knife in an lead sheath, "I did hope I would not have to do this, seeing as we Kryptonians are already so few in number. But your protection of the Humans is not something we can allow to continue." He gestured to her and the two men ran at her.Unknown to them, she and Kara had been training hard with both Alex, Astra and the others, so the three in front of her were in for a rude awakening.The one on her left lunged first with his arm pulled back, only to get a hard uppercut to the chin that sent him sprawling. His partner in the fight attempted to jump in but was met with the move Kara refuses to call anything but a 'Kangaroo Kick', to his solar plexus that had him breathing hard for air on the ground. A simple angry command had them pulling themselves up, albeit, quite slowly.Non glared with displeasure at the two men stumbling to their feet, muttering about how their lack of training needed to be changed. He darted forward with the knife drawn and Riley was shocked when her body finally registered the Kryptonite. She tried to stumble away from it after he had given her a cut nearly six inches long between her elbow and her wrist on her left arm, but her upper arm was gripped by Non."You, Kara Zor'El, Kal-El, and Ast-Ze are all traitors. We have no tolerance for traitors who convert our people from the cause." He hissed as he put the knife close to Riley's throat. A glance at the blue glowing crystals on his and the other two's chests had her realizing they must have had some sort of protection from it, using the slight 'detecting' skills James tried to teach her and Kara. When Non placed the knife back in the holster to do some more 'My-Evil-Plan' ranting like her mom warned their group that he never shut up about, she went with her random idea that popped into her head and ripped the protective crystal off of his chest armor. While doing that, she used a sleigh of hand trick that Lucy taught her to slip the knife and it's holster off his belt loop.Riley stumbled to the nearby ledge as she felt some of her strength return to her, yet still felt majorly woozy, "I've met some pricks in my life but you, Non, are the cactus." And with that she dived off the side with a smug smirk at the idiot, using her flying to take off close to the ground as fast as she could. Holding both the lead knife sheath and protective crystal in her hands she booked it for the D.E.O. Riley sighed in relief at the good luck since she just knew that Alex and the others would want to see the items. (At the D.E.O.) Alex, J'onn and Riley were walking through the halls of the D.E.O to the Command room where Astra, and Kara who had flown in from Cat's, were waiting, "Non's back and he's up to something. Oh, and he had a Kryptonite knife." Riley explained as they turned into the room, nodding in greeting to the other two since now wasn’t the time for hugs since they were discussing some serious stuff. "You didn't happen to get a hold of it, did you?" J'onn asked her with his eyebrows slightly raised, interested in looking at the weapon. She pulled the knife holster and gem pouch off her belt and passed the two items to him, watching his face light up with open curiosity at the items, "This is the knife and some kind of weird gem thing they were using to be immune to the Kryptonite.""Wait, so you're saying that the gem is what makes them immune?" Alex asked to clarify, the Danvers crinkle out in full and she seemed deep in thought.Astra walked up and joined J'onn in looking over the items while Kara moved to join Alex and Riley when they stopped next to the main table, "Well that certainly changes a lot of plans. Why do you think Non finally showed up personally after so long?" Kara asked loud enough for them and the other two to hear, leaning against the large table.Riley joined her in leaning against the table, then sighed after she got comfortable and Kara had thrown an arm over her shoulder, "No clue. He said something about offing you, mom and I. So, he lost my attention during the start of his speech since I wanted out of there as fast as possible. It was when he was going to start that long-winded speech after I kicked the tar out of his minions that I simply just stole the knife and gem. Came to the D.E.O right after that because I'm not gonna lie, the Kryptonite knife gave me pause." "He wants you three off the board." J'onn cut in, walking around to stand near them with Astra following. Astra moved close and seemed to check for any injuries near Riley's neck, giving her a side hug when no such wounds were found, "This could be the beginning of what we've feared since Fort Rozz first crashed on Earth, a city-wide attack." "Alright, I'll go ahead and get out there again." Riley said as she tiredly pushed away from the table and broke away from the others to start making her way to the exit. She stopped at the sound of Alex's voice, Astra moving to walk after her, and Kara's hand on her shoulder though, "No, wait a minute. You need at least a few hours of rest to recover, you look exhausted." Riley shrugged off Kara's hand and turned around to them, "Alex look, I understand, okay? But now is not the time to try to corral me. There is something going on out there that we have very little information about, and we have to be ready to stop it." "You and Kara both need some sun before there is any attempt to find out about Non's plans after the Earthquake earlier. So go rest, relax and yes Astra and Vasquez will be joining you at the apartment, Riley. And don't even think about possibly trying anything Kara, because I've already had Vasquez alert both Grants while Olsen and Schott will be there as well. Alex, Lucy and myself will remain here to comb over Astra's information again to see if we missed something from the last time we checked." J'onn stated firmly and completely looked like their 'Space-Dad', as a tipsy Winn had dubbed him earlier that night, even in his Hank Henshaw form. "Okay," The younger blonde sighed in amused exasperation but still smiled softly at the currently nearby members of her stubborn ragtag family, "then I guess that's the plan. Are we going to be heading out soon?" Riley asked her mom since Vasquez seemed to be finishing up the last bit of work on their computer. Getting a nod, she hugged the others and after about five minutes of speaking with them about random things, she moved with Astra over to Vasquez who was finished logging out of their computer. Riley grabbed the two duffel bags that Vasquez had packed and walked with the two that were following her to the garage, ready to go home and go straight to sleep so she wouldn't have to think about the Anti-Alien rally in the morning. Lucky for Kara, the older Kryptonian didn't have to go protect it like she had to as a D.E.O agent. (Next Day at CatCo ) Kara answered her personal cellphone since she was on her break time, "Hey Alex, what's up?" "Have you heard from Riley today? Astra and Vasquez arrived at the D.E.O earlier and said that she had a fever. It might just be from that Kryptonite blade that I've been having the computer in my lab analyze, but I don't want to wait to make sure she's okay and risk her getting worse. Yet at the same time I don't want to wake her up if she is just napping it off, so I'm probably just going to message her and keep an eye out for a response." Alex babbled out and sounded a little worried over the phone like she usually did when one of the Kryptonians ended up blowing out their powers and getting sick. The younger Danvers saw Cat waving at her from the large glass walled office and holding up a file, "No, but if she calls or messages me I'll let you know." She paused to throw her food trash away and wiped off her hands and face, then continued, "My break is over though and I need to get back to work. Call me back with updates if she contacts you?"She could hear Alex's nod over the phone due to the rustle of hair and a door that sounded like Alex's lab hissed a bit at sealing shut, "Sounds good to me, Kara."Before either of them could hang up, Kara could hear Alex tense and her heart start pacing, "Alex? Alex, what's wrong?" She asked over the phone and turned to head to the side balcony she used to fly out of CatCo when Cat had seen the reaction and pointed in that direction so Kara knew she was clear to leave if needed."Kara, that dagger Non cut Riley with last night. It, it wasn't regular green Kryptonite." Alex stuttered out as Kara could hear her stumbling over to the computer, rapidly going over something and typing away on a keyboard.Kara burst out of the side balcony door and took to the sky, flying as fast as she could to the D.E.O and swapped her call over to Bluetooth, "What do you mean, not regular Kryptonite? What else is in it? Come on Alex, you're scaring me, what's going on?"Alex's voice nearly croaked as pure shock seemed to have an icy grip on her vocal cords, crackling her voice, "Whatever was mixed in with the green isn't good. I had a suspicion due to the weird coloring of it, so I decided to run it through some tests where I mixed Kryptonian blood on it and it turns out my gut feeling was right. Kara, if this is right? Riley might be powerless now. Permanently."(Later a t the Apartment) For the first time in her life, Riley could say that she felt miserably sick. Even when her powers were blown out and she got sick when she was about eighteen, she could say that she felt a lot better then, than she did now. She was currently laying on the cold tiled floor in the kitchen, enjoying the chill from the tiles that seemed to help with what felt like a fever. Next to her was her battery dead cellphone, a small bowl of chicken-less chicken noodle soup, and the shirt that Martha sent her was nearby in case she needed to cuddle something. On top of that shirt was none other than the build-a-bear soccer gear wearing Husky dog that Jeremiah got her not long before his death. It has Alex's old soccer number on the back of its shirt and the house of El symbol on its paw as a nod to her adoration for both Kara and Alex. It also had a telescope on the left back paw, and a science beaker on the right back paw as a nod to Jeremiah and Eliza, when she wanted something added that reminded her of the two adults.When she woke up that morning with a bad migraine and a high fever, she was even more surprised to find out that none of her powers were working and the cherry on top of her bad morning was that she forgot to put her phone on the charger. Riley felt like she could be compared to the living dead when she shuffled around to make her soup, let alone when most of the noises of attempted words were half-hearted groans at the best.At one point Riley had slipped and landed on her knees in the kitchen from lack of traction with her socks, but was able to keep her bowl of soup from spilling. Since she couldn't pull herself back up she just decided to make the best of the situation and use the cold tiles to try to chill her fever.A hard yawn interrupted Riley's humming to the Beauty and the Beast remake Disney songs that she had playing from a small speaker in the living room, then a knock on the door echoed through the apartment, "Riley, are you there?" Eliza's voice called out from the other side, sending the blonde rocketing up into a sitting position. "Ma, the door is unlocked!" She was barely able to call out through her yawns and cracking voice, still not a hundred percent sure if Eliza was really there and she wasn't just hallucinating or something. Sure enough, Eliza came bustling into the apartment with a large suitcase and a dufflebag, "Riley, where are you?" The older blonde asked in confusion as she set the bag on the couch and the suitcase next to the coffee table. Riley groaned and started to have another go at trying to haul herself up, causing her Earth mom's eyes to widen in surprise while rushing to help at the sight of her youngest struggling to stand, "What's wrong? Are your powers blown? I've never seen you this sick before! Where are Kara and Alex?" Eliza asked sternly, leading the Kryptonian over to the clear side of the couch once Riley was on her own two feet and noted that Riley just groaned, seemingly unable to talk clearly. When the younger blonde was situated, Eliza brought the items on the kitchen floor into the living room and put them on the coffee table, "You stay right there. I will be back with blankets, pillows, medicine, and a thermometer." At Riley's nod she moved to do all of that, and fired off a text to Alex for her eldest daughter to come by around lunch time with Kara to get Riley to the D.E.O for testing. Normally she wouldn't be very worried, but Riley seemed mostly out of it and Eliza could feel a deep seeded worry over just how sick the Kryptonian actually seemed to be. That mostly came from the fact that Riley put up no fight over having to take medicine. Eliza stopped in the bathroom after she gathered up all the items but the medicine and thermometer, taking a few deep breaths to put her 'game face' back on. She dug through the cabinet under the sink and was able to find both of the things she needed, then placed them on her collected pile and walked back into the living room. The sight of Riley curled up on the couch looking miserable had her glancing up at the clock and sighing with relief when she noticed it would only be about twenty minutes until Alex and Kara would probably arrive. Eliza moved over to the couch and started getting Riley comfortable by having her take the medicine, then putting the pillow at the end of the couch and having Riley lay her head on it. She also tossed her bag to the floor so Riley could stretch out, and covered her sick Kryptonian child with the blanket. Going to hand the stuffed animal to Riley, Eliza stopped cold and realized just which one Riley had with her and covered her mouth with a hand in surprise, tears filling her eyes at the memory of her husband. 'Please hurry you two.' She couldn't help but think, knowing that if this was the animal pulled out, then Riley had to be horribly sick since she was so protective of it and normally had it hidden away. Lifting Riley's left arm, she was careful to place the husky there with the Krypton shirt and gently set her daughter's arm back down, smiling softly when Riley cuddled it and curled up protectively around the items. Eliza sat on the coffee table after she had moved the bowl of soup to the kitchen and started humming a tune to the song that Jeremiah would sing to all three of the kids after any of them had nightmares. All three because when one had nightmares, the other two would be there with them in no time, cuddling together to fight away the memories of it. Both she and Jeremiah would then sing them back to sleep a few minutes later, while running their hands through the children's hair. Which is what she was doing just now, running her hand through Riley's hair softly and lowly singing a nursery rhyme that she and her husband learned when they found out that their voices would calm Alex till she fell asleep. They were lucky when it also sent the two Kryptonians to sleep, and would even make the night-terrors disappear for a little while. The apartment door swung open as quietly as possible to show a pale faced Alex and a worried Kara, "Mom, we got your message, we need to get her to the D.E.O fast. There was something weird about the Kryptonite blade she was cut with and Clark thinks the green was mixed with something he called 'Gold Kryptonite'." Alex paused to check and see that Riley was really asleep, then continued, "I think it might have taken away her powers completely." Kara walked up to gently pick Riley up and her body shook from trying not to cry when the younger blonde curled up and placed her head on Kara's shoulder, "Come on," her voice was shaky and she had to take a moment to clear her throat, "we need to get her to Alex's lab a.s.a.p." Then turned and walked right back out of the apartment with a sleeping Riley still clinging to the Husky and shirt. Alex and Eliza hurried after her, making sure to close and lock up the apartment behind them. They were all rushing to the D.E.O so they never noticed one of Non's still loyal followers floating in a nearby alley with a wicked smirk and a dark look in their eyes, 'Step One, complete. Time to inform Non and begin Step Two.' (At the D.E.O - Alex's Lab) Eliza and Alex were going over test after test, double and even triple checking the results, only to be worried when they all came back the same. Riley no longer had any of her powers, and her body's reaction to that had her feverish and in pain. The only good thing is that she was already starting to recover from it after Alex had dosed her with a medicine that she and Eliza worked together to make as fast as possible. Alex ran a hand over her face and looked over at the now powerless, sleeping Kryptonian, "How are we going to tell her, Mom? Clark swore he got rid of all but a few loose Green Kryptonite shards. He was just as surprised as we were about the Gold Kryptonite that was laced in the dagger. Hell, he's already swung by to pick it up and is probably destroying it as we speak." Any response was cut off when Astra appeared in the room, making her way over to the two Danvers next to the computers but leaving her eyes locked on Riley's sleeping form, "I heard everything. I think the best option would be to have J'onn, Eliza, and yourself tell her. She has built a bond with the three of you that is much like a child and their family. I would like to be in the room as well, because she may need all of us." Astra said in a quiet tone, gesturing to herself, Kara, Alex and Eliza at the end statement. The man in question cleared his throat from the doorway, signaling his entrance. He barely walked five steps in when Riley suddenly started sitting up and yawned as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, "Tell me what?" She asked in the middle of another yawn, moving to let her legs hang from the side of the bed so she could look directly at the growing group in Alex's lab. Riley opened her eyes and was feeling a bit surprised at how many people were actually in the room. She took note of how J'onn, her Mom and her Ma looked at her with sorrow. How Alex and Kara moved to sit next to either side of her on the medical bed, nearly glued to her sides, "Jeez, it's just a cold. What's with all the long faces?" She said, trying to play off her growing worry with a weak smile and teasing words. When no one spoke up, her smile fell and she looked around at each person pointedly, "Right? That is all that it is? Nothing is really wrong?" J'onn cleared his throat roughly and stepped close, "Riley, that dagger from last night. It, hmm," he paused to run a hand over his mouth, then crossed his arms and looked at her directly instead of at the floor, deciding to just get it all out, "it had Gold Kryptonite laced in with the Green. After extensive testing on both it, and your blood and skin cells, we found that it has completely taken away your powers." Riley's eyes widened a bit and her jaw dropped. She was only able to make a few noises before she tried again with a weak, fake laugh, "I think I heard you wrong. You said it has completely removed my powers? You're kidding right? There has to be some mistake, right?" Her voice slowly raised in pitch through each frantic question. Kara and Alex wrapped their hands around her own and she could feel her heart racing as she started breathing heavy, feeling herself start panicking. Eliza darted forward and took Riley's hands, setting one next to the pulse on her neck and one over her heart, "Riley, breath. You're having a panic attack. Look at me." She said when the blonde's eye started hazing, snapping her fingers to help her child focus. Once Riley locked eyes with her and the breathing did even out, the Kryptonian curled up where she was and let out a broken sob.The other three Danvers hugged Riley tightly merely a second later, with Astra and J'onn moving to join in when Eliza waved them over. Riley's body was shaking as tears streamed down her face. It hit her hard when she felt Kara's stone like grip earlier, and her strong emotional walls cracked and crumbled down around her. She clung to her family as best as she could. Riley was already running thoughts through her head, wondering if she would still be an agent of the D.E.O, how she was going to help people who needed it, and it was all wearing down on her already tired mental state.She built those cracked walls up as best as she could and took a deep, shaky breath, "Okay. Could I speak with J'onn for a few minutes? Alone with no overhearing, please?" Riley asked as she pulled away from the hugs, continuing her deep breaths while a small realization hit her that brought a small smile to her face.Kara and Alex gave her weak smiles and lead Eliza and Astra out to the nearby break room, Alex let the lab seal behind her so even super hearing wouldn't pick up what would be said.J'onn watched Riley hop off the bed onto unsteady legs, but didn't offer help since he knew that she needed to do this on her own. He turned around when she was about to ask him to, so she could change from her pajamas into her Agent clothes. When she gave him the okay, he turned back around and saw her leaning against the bed instead of hopping back on it."Am I still an agent of the D.E.O?" Riley started off with, cutting right to the point.His posture straightened up at that and he crossed his arms in front of himself again, "Yes. You will need to wait until you pass the usual medical check-up to do field work, but you did the usual test without any powers and have shown that even without them, you are still a very capable agent. I am not saying this just because of the situation. Alex might have been the reason you even got a chance to get in as an Agent. But your skill and determination are why you get to stay, Agent Ze-Danvers."Riley felt her small smile grow a bit and stood up tall, "Sounds good to me, sir. I may need a few more days, but I will hopefully be back in time to start strong on Monday. I'll admit that it's going to feel a little weird not leaping into action to help, but maybe this is something I didn't know I needed." J'onn gave her a nod of approval with a proud look in his eyes after he looked at her closely to see that she really did decide to have a bright outlook on the situation, and he respected her for that. He then gestured for her to follow him out of the lab. Making sure she wasn't in pain, he locked up behind them and lead her to the locker slash gear up room, "I want you to put on the gear like you would in the red room situational training Alex had you do. Once you're finished with that, come get me from the armory next door." He then turned on his heels and marched back out. She walked over to the wall, and after a few deep breaths she hit the button used to set a timer that would encourage fast changing and booked it to her locker. Clothes were nearly thrown to the floor as Riley changed as fast as her tired body would let her. She yanked on the sleeveless shirt after pulling on her unrestricting binder, followed by her combat cargo pants and canvas belt. While she stepped into her boots, she was also strapping on her bulletproof vest. It didn’t look like much, but Alex had reassured her that it was stronger than usual, even though it seemed so thin. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Riley finished strapping her thigh holsters on that would hold her dual pistols. Then she put her each foot, one at a time, up on the bench in front of her to quickly tie her shoes, sliding her empty tactical knife sheath in it's place on her left boot. All of that was done by pure muscle memory that Alex had drilled her through. It took many hours but eventually she could get ready for a mission in no time flat, without her powers.That being done, she ran over and tapped the button again, feeling the same small but happy smile at the fact that she had more than enough time left over. Riley refused to think about her lack of powers, not willing to spare a single thought at wallowing over it. Instead, she could feel a bit out of breath from changing that fast while being so exhausted, and that was what brought a smile to her face. It was then that she realized just how much she had missed the strain of exercise, running hard and fast to get someone quick, feeling strain from her muscles as she lifted something heavy. All of that reminded her of life on Krypton and she never knew how much she needed it back.She marched out of the room towards the armory, her back straight as she stood tall and shook off the last clinging feelings of exhaustion. It was then that she realized that the loss of her powers didn't really bother her as much as she thought it would. Hell, fifteen minutes after being told and she was already excited about not having them. So yes, Riley felt more like herself then she has felt in a long time. Since before the destruction of Krypton, if she was being honest with herself. Knocking on the open armory door, Riley walked in when J'onn waved at her to join him where he was at a metal table with a few guns and knives strewn over it. "Okay, so here we have your two 9mm. Heckler & Kosh USP Match pistols with stainless slides and JetFunnels with the custom made ambi-slide release on the left-handed gun." He gestured to the two pistols and slid them over to her so she could put them in the correct holsters. After she did, he continued, "Your shotgun, a Franchi SPAS-12 with the foldable stock and no hook, along with an under barrel red dot sight and the attached strap you requested."Riley took the shotgun and slung it over her back, looking at the closed large weapon case and squirming a bit in excitement, "What's in there?"J'onn gave her a smirk and picked up the case, "I was hoping you would ask. Let's go to the indoor range and I'll show you your new long ranged weapon."She trotted after him with an excited smile since she knew now that being normal again wasn't as bad as Kara figured it would be.(At CatCo – The Super Office) Winn was sitting at his desk while James was sitting on the couch, both were watching Kara pace around the room. "So let me make sure I heard you right." Winn started, sharing a pointed look with James, "Riley was cut by a Green and Gold Kryptonite dagger, Superman stopped by to make sure it is destroyed but left right after it was. And now you are worried that she might get majorly hurt because she has never been completely powerless since Krypton?" He stopped and they saw Kara nod firmly. James then asked with a raised eyebrow, "You do know that even without her powers, Riley is still badass enough that she was put in as part of Alex's squad immediately, right?"Kara gave a sigh and slumped into a nearby chair, "Yes, I do know that. But," she trailed off and picked at the lower part of some strands of hair, "that still doesn't make me feel any less worried. I got used to both of use being nearly invincible. It will probably just take me some time to get used to holding back my strength around her, and it sucks because she and I would always play around without fear of having to crushing each other." The blonde seemed truly sad that one of the few people in her life that were as durable as her, were no long so.Winn stood up from his desk and walked over to pat Kara on the shoulder, "We get that, Kara. And I agree, it's going to suck for a little while, but maybe this will be good for her? You did say that she never really wanted to be so out in the open like Superman is, maybe this is her chance to do behind the scenes work like she always wanted to do." He looked over at the clock when his phone went off and gasped, running to grab his backpack before turning to the door as James calmly stood up from his place on the couch, "We need to go now since James and I are both needed by Cat to fix some kind of issue, but please remember to let Riley tell you if she needs help?" "Alright, I'll try." She tried to slip out via loophole, but at their narrowed eyes she rolled her own and muttered as she pushed them out of the room and into the elevator with her, "Fine, I'll let her tell me instead of hovering. Now let's all go down to our usual floor before Cat fires you two or something." (At the D.E.O - Outside Shooting Range) A hole appears in an almost dead center chest shot on a paper target and up on a tall sand dune nearly a mile away was none other than Riley and J'onn. Riley was laying prone on the ground with a OM 50Nemesis Mk III sniper rifle in her hands while J'onn was looking at the target with a pair of binoculars, "Good shot," he praised, patting her shoulder, "you're picking up on this quite fast." Riley beamed up at him when she pulled away from the scope, "Because you said that if I could get a perfect chest shot within one mag, you would let me keep it. Well guess what, J'onn. Six shots left and I'm getting close to calling this baby, mine." He chuckled and pointed down the long range to the tiny target that was far beyond the one she just shot, "Well then, what are you waiting for? Quit sassing me and hit the target, Ze-Danvers." His one of now three non-blood children laughed as she took aim. He could hear her calm her breathing and pulse, waiting for the perfect shot. One last first exhale happened, and he pulled the binocular's away from his face with a smirk, "Well I'll be damned. You hit it.""What? Really?" She asked and leapt to her feet, he passed her the binoculars and gestured for her to look. Riley could feel her grin nearing sunny at the sight of her truly perfect shot, "Woohoo!" She cheered, passing the binoculars back and started doing a silly victory dance, "I am going to name her Sheila the Tank, because she is awesome, yet I still respect that she is a dangerous weapon.""Sheila the Tank, does that name come from that show you may or may not watch during work hours that has to do with armored soldiers fighting each other in a basically empty canyon?" J'onn asked her with a sly smile, snorting when Riley froze and was probably trying to come up with excuses or a defense. He decided to cut her some slack, just this once, and asked, "Well, if you're naming the rifle, what about your other weapons? Are they not good enough for names?"Riley narrowed her eyes and him and put her hands on her hips, "I'll have you know that I have already named them all, I just haven't carved those names on yet. My rifle is Sheila the Tank like in Red versus Blue, my shotgun is named Waverly like from that show Wynonna Earp, and my two pistols are named Lara, like in Tomb Raider, and Natasha, like the Black Widow." J'onn raised his hands in a 'surrender' gesture and laughed softly, "Well, I guess that's it then. Ready to head back? You need to put the names on those guns and I need to do more paperwork. Oh, and you need to make sure to get all of those guns, besides your pistols, back into your locker in the armory.""Sounds good to me!" Riley picked up the rifle and dismantled it to place it back into the case, making a mental note to clean it when they got back to the D.E.O. "I get dibs on driving back!" She turned and took off at a dead run to the two door Jeep wrangler that J'onn drove to get them to the dunes with the rifle case now on her back, laughing when she heard him sprinting and cursing down the dune after her. (Nearby Mountain Top , National City) Astra was looking out from her place on the mountain top and kept a slight ear out for her daughter in case of trouble. The older woman sighed and rested her chin on her hands, gazing at the city that was slowing down with the slow decent of the yellow sun. Lucy had helped her make a few CD's of music for Riley, and she had made sure to choose three CD's of thirty songs each that she thought her daughter would enjoy that she didn't already have. 'It took a while to find out what all she did have, but it will hopefully be a good gift.' She thought to herself with a soft smile. It had country music on them from the 1990's and early 2000's that Riley said she loved, but didn't actually have yet. Some of the older songs were by singers like Brad Paisley, Eric Church, Garth Brooks, and Lonestar.She had listened to some of the songs out of curiosity and found that she preferred it over some of the faster and more rough tunes of recent music. Listening to the music reminded her of her deceased mate, Sia of House El. Her mate had been part of the Art guild, and had been one of their most talented. Sia could sing, dance, sculpt. She could do it all and it was honestly quite impressive. With Riley, Astra saw that her daughter would have been good in the Military guild. Yet over time, she had to admit that Riley would have flourished quite impressively in the Art guild just like Sia. Her daughter had the same skill, yet the differences between Sia and Riley were noticeable. Sia was better at painting, sculpting and instruments, while Riley leaned more towards singing, drawing and even dancing. Their daughter might have been able to make quite the impressive sculpture, if the Danvers' Trio one was anything to go by, but Sia was able to make it all seem real, as if the sculpture would begin to move and talk on it's own at any moment.Another deep sigh left her, her eyes tracking her daughter racing J'onn to a vehicle, even though Riley would just let him drive anyway. A smile grew on her face, and decided that was enough thinking, Astra-Ze took off into the air. She was heading back to the D.E.O to speak with Alex and Eliza about possible plans to make sure Riley's health won't drop now that her daughter was technically human. What she did not notice, however, was a small black object soaring through the air after her in leaps. She wouldn't know that she was about to be placed into what was somewhat like a coma, that she was being hunted by... the 'Black Mercy'. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter Nine: The Toyman and a New Friend? Riley was excited since it had been nearly a week after she had lost her powers, and during that time she had passed all of the medical tests. Thus, she was now able to go out on the field if needed. While that was quite awesome to her, what was even better is that it was the day that J'onn was going to be flying around and training Kara on better flight techniques today. She saw Kara's grin of excitement and Alex's amused smirk when the Riley would gaze at the others in the car, having been staring outside at the comfortably extremely cloudy day that allowed such a plan. "Alright," Alex called out a few minutes later, unbuckling when J'onn put the S.U.V in park on an old dirt road away from the base and far from National City, "we're here Wonder-Dorks, fall out!" Both of the blondes, though Riley's hair had been darkening recently to their old brown and medium blonde mix, scrambled out of the car with glee. They ran to the front and were bouncing around with giggles and even shared a few silly faces as the other two joined them. J'onn morphed to his true form and gestured to the sky above, looking over at Kara, "Well, let's begin." He launched into the air with ease that showed decades of practice, and it excited the two Kryptonian's that they could one day do something like that. Alex moved further from the car and beyond Kara and Riley, with her eyes tracking the Green Martian as much as she could since it was the first time she has seen him fly. She was in awe of another alien in flight that wasn't out to destroy them all or conquer the Earth. Kara threw back her head with a happy laugh, launching up after him as fast as she could without harming anyone or anything on the ground near where she was. What no one else noticed was that when Kara went to take off, Riley hopped a bit as if to take off with her. But when her feet simply went back to the ground, her own sunny grin disappeared without a trace. Riley could feel the all-encompassing disappointment instantly, her shoulder slumped and it hit her hard that she would not be able to fly with her sister anymore. Before, having no powers any longer didn't really bother her due to experiencing life without it once again since before Krypton's destruction. But now, now she realized how it hurt her emotionally just by how much she was losing along with it, regrets were flying through her head at the lack of attention that got her cut by the blade in the first place. Regrets that she did not call for backup before confronting Non and two of his lackeys. Sure, Riley knew her powers were gone and she's even embraced that fact when it came with new experiences on Earth that she didn't even have on Krypton. Yet, when it actually came down to the core of it all, it still felt like getting hit a hard punch to the gut, a punch that people called reality. Shaking her head to knock away those stray thoughts, she focused on the sound of J'onn and Kara tearing through the air to get her mind back on track. Riley looked up and gazed at the two flying around, her heart filling with a sorrow she didn't know would ever appear like it just did. When Alex turned back to her with a grin at Kara's antics in the sky with J'onn, Riley forced a grin on her face to hide her previous reaction. She was hoping that Alex didn't look too hard at her, lest she notice that Riley's eyes were telling a completely different story. A whoosh above them caught the redhead's attention, so Riley let out a low breath of relief at avoiding the questioning look that Alex began to show. (Up in the Air) What Riley didn't see was that while Kara and J'onn were flying around in the air, Kara had looked over her shoulder with a sunny grin of her own to talk with Riley about how cool flying around with J'onn was. The lack of a third flyer that has been by her side most of the time since they both landed on Earth, had her remembering that her Kryptonian soul-sister was stuck on the ground. Kara's grin dropped as that reminder hit her just as hard as it did Riley, and she felt herself slump a little as she lost any excitement she had. Apparently that had caught J'onn's attention, she had to force a grin when he glanced over at her with a silent questioning gaze at her slowing speed. Kara made sure to keep her mind on the training after that, focusing on the maneuvers J'onn had her mimicking. She made sure to make a mental note to talk with Alex later about the fact that Riley's cells still registered as Kryptonian. Hopefully there was a way to reverse it with Krypton or some sort of new Earth science if Riley wanted, since currently known Earth sciences was lacking for that situation. (Back on the Ground) Feeling her phone go off in her side leg pocket, Riley slipped away and looked at the message once she was leaning against the back of the car. Her eyebrows went up in surprise when it was none other than her behind the scenes gamer friend that she had yet to meet. Whoever it was had helped her stop her new found allergic reaction to tomatoes via console game chat, of all things. They had been keeping in contact over second Facebook accounts through messenger after that and were both equally surprised to learn that the other lived in National City as well. 'Hey, are you sure about the whole meeting at Noonan's thing? It would be pretty cool, but it can also be insanely awkward. Just say the word and we can probably play some Halo: Reach instead.' The message read over the jean blue backdrop that she had changed the colors to. She glanced over her shoulder to see Alex still watching Kara and J'onn soar through the air, then looked back down at her phone to respond at the silent 'all-clear', 'True, but I will admit that it would be nice to have a face-to-face friend that wasn't made through my sisters and their friends. If you're still okay with it, that is. One in the afternoon today still good, if so?' The typing bubbles came up maybe fifteen seconds after her message came up as 'read', 'Well then, I suppose DetectiveDetecting and Ze-Denvers will be meeting for the first time irl. See you then, Denvers!' Riley shot off her own goodbye and to the other person, a 'see you then, Detective!', just in time to look up and see Kara and J'onn on their way back to the S.U.V. Their boss smoothly morphed back and started helping Alex gather up some items that were strewn about on the dirt that Alex had evidently placed to keep track of his and Kara's progress. What everyone didn't know at the time, was that it also picked up on her attempted hop to fly. Walking up to her, Riley couldn't help but notice the slight slump to Kara's form that so perfectly matched her own. She raised her arm and moved over to Kara to place it over her shoulder, giving her a soft smile even as her eyes watered a little bit. Kara sighed as she held Riley close with an arm around Riley's waist, having to remind herself in her head to not squeeze like she used to. She wouldn't say it out loud but part of her, no matter how much she hated it, was reassured by how upset Riley seemed to be about not being able to fly together, like she was. There was a quickly growing realization going through them both just how much they could no longer do together. They wouldn't be able to fly, play fight like they used to, team-work with their powers to take down a powerful enemy, or even giggle together after they would use their powers to prank Alex before they hid until she ultimately found them. Which in their mind, was half the hilarity because then Alex would chase the down and they would not use their powers while they ran from her. It was all part of the game they started when they were all young teenagers, and now every time they ran from Alex, it was a habit not to use their powers to do so. A flash of determination crossed Kara's features at those memories, getting her a look of confusion from Riley. Glancing at the J'onn and Alex, Kara then stood up straight and pulled Riley with her, "Since Riley is off work till tomorrow still, unless something comes up, I am taking her with me for a flight back to the apartment. Her truck is still in the parking garage spot near there so there is no real reason she would have to go back to the D.E.O. The three of us will be hanging out later too, even if I have to kidnap you from the D.E.O, Alex." Riley grinned impishly as she caught on to the possible extended plan that wasn't said and she dropped her arm to wrap both of them around Kara's waist. Alex was going to say something but Kara smirked and had launched them into the air, using her powers for the first time to flee the older woman. Both of them had their sunny grins back while Kara flew through the clouds with their laughter trailing behind them due to the speed. J'onn reached over and placed his hand on Alex's shoulder when the eldest Danvers' reached for her phone to probably call the two back, "Don't worry, Alex. Riley needs this." He dropped his and hand moved to the S.U.V, leaving Alex to join him when she was ready. Alex looked up at the clouds as she bit at her lip lightly. She sighed when she finally realized the actual looks on the two Kryptonian's faces from earlier that she kept letting slide as if part of her own imagination. 'I guess they really do need that.' An idea hit her after she was back inside the car and buckled in, having caught the blue light from the radio clock in the dashboard, 'Wait. Oh Rao, if that blue crystal Riley stole from Non can negate the Kryptonite effects, could it reverse the damage the Gold and Green Kryptonite did to Riley's cells? If we can reverse engineer the change that the Gold and Green did, wouldn't that bring back her powers?' Alex looked over and saw J'onn looking at her in surprise at her thoughts. He too was worried after he noticed the rapidly rising depression that Kara and Riley started showing over the last two days, even though the two young women also showed that they seemed to be growing as people instead of just as Superheroes. They shared a nod before J'onn looked forward, starting the engine and taking off down the road to get Alex to her lab as quick as he could without raising suspicion. Alex was sending a text off to Astra, but then also sent one to Vasquez when she saw that her previous message from that morning was still unread by the older woman. She hoped that Astra had just forgotten to charge her phone again last night and not accidently destroyed yet another one. After all, replacing high-tech phones wasn't cheap, even for a secret agent salary she and now Riley, had. (At CatCo, a few hours later) Kara was walking around the office with James and they were going over layouts on their way back to their desks after grabbing coffee when they noticed that Lucy, a Lane, was in Cat's office. "Yeah, I was just as surprised. No idea what they're talking about but it seems to be going fairly civilly." Winn spoke up from his desk, giving James a pointed look when he noticed that the taller man seemed nervous. James shrugged lightly with a weak smile, "I haven't told Kara yet, but I figure since it was agreed upon by both of us, and we're still friends..." He trailed off with a light shrug. "Wait, what's going on? What did I miss?" Kara asked them with confusion, glancing between the two when no answer seemed forthcoming, "Did you two break-up and decide to be only friends instead?" Winn's eyebrows raised high since Kara was usually oblivious, "Okay, that was surprisingly spot on. Since when were you so good at picking up stuff like that?" At Kara's small scowl he continued, "Not that it's a bad thing, I was just a little surprised is all!" She sighed and sat down on her desk to look at Winn, who was in his desk chair, and at James who was leaning against Winn's desk, "I first noticed it when I noticed how you two now only hug and not kiss, when greeting each other. Figured it would be better to let the two of you say something about it on your own time though, since it's your relationship and not any of ours. I think that Vasquez saw this coming too, to be honest. They mentioned how the two of you seemed more like friends than significant others now." James nodded at that, "Yeah, we tried out the relationship scene with each other. It was nice, but it felt like we were trying too hard to actually be in a relationship and more than just friends. When we both were at the diner this morning for breakfast, I think it was an equal relief to find out that we were both struggling to be more. For us it was easy to decide to simply go back to being friends instead of together, together. I think the others might have already figured it out already as well, so it won't really be a surprise when we mention it." Lucy leaving Cat's office brought their attention to said brunette that strolled towards them, "Well, guess who just got hired by Cat Grant herself." Lucy raised her arms and pointed to herself, smirking while the three congratulated her. "Welcome to the club Lucy! Kind of amusing that CatCo has a Lane of its own now, though." Kara admitted with an easy smile, laughing when she got a hug from Lucy. "Yep! Also, if my mental map is correct your office will be on this floor too, so we can drop in with coffee during our usual runs." Winn offered with a small smile, taking his turn to give a hug. James was next and tightly hugged her, laughing at her smacking him on the shoulder when he lifted her into the air for a second, "No kidding, we can also send in Kara if Lucy is having a bad day. That sunshine Danvers could turn her frown upside down with a simple sunny grin, I swear." He laughed when Kara lightly smacked him on the arm for that comment. Lucy turned back to Kara, but with her eyebrows furrowed as a thought came to her, "Speaking of Danvers', how's Riley been? She, Vasquez and I usually end up talking after each of us get off work about what's going on during our days, but she seems to be getting more and more restless recently, even with the chats that normally help." Kara gave a sigh, looking down at the floor and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Her loss of powers is starting to get to her, I think." A thought hit her as her frown morphed to a look of amused exasperation, "I suppose she didn't tell any of you about how she heard a siren this morning and went to fly out of the window half asleep? Luckily I was already doing my early patrol so I was able to catch the sight of my sister flinging herself out of a window." At their dropped jaws and widening eyes she quickly explained her lack of action, waving her hands in front of her with wide eyes of her own, "Oh no, oh Rao, no, she didn't need my help, thankfully. The moment gravity kicked in, her reflexes did as well and she grabbed onto the windowsill to pull herself back in." The others sighed with relief as a group, Winn having placed his hands on his hips and gazing towards the floor, James putting his hands over his face, pulling them slowly down to rest near his mouth, and Lucy staring at Kara with her eyebrows furrowed while she was slowly shaking her head in exasperation at the late reassurance to that heart stopping situation. Someone brushed past their group and unmuted one of the TV's news reports, muttering something about a prison break-out. "The eccentric criminal known as 'Toyman' to his fellow inmates, escaped from the Van Kull Maximum Security Prison this morning. The Toyman got his name from the dangerous and." The reporters voice was cut off when Winn lunged for the remote and muted the TV again. He dropped the remote onto a nearby table and walked briskly to the crappy coffee maker in the nearby breakroom. "What's going on with him?" Kara asked, nose scrunched up in confusion at Winn's bad reaction to the news. She and Lucy both looked over at James, only to get a shrug and raised hands from the man, "Don't look at me, I don't have a clue." A group of smartly dressed people in suits walked into the main cubical area from the elevators, the leading woman holding up a badge, "Special Agent Cameron Chase, with the F.B.I. I'm here for Winslow Schlott Jr." Winn spoke up from his spot that he paused at when the large group walked in, having been on his way back to his desk and friends, "That's me." His voice cracked a bit, knowing exactly why they were looking for him. As the group of agents escorted him out, a glance back at his friends showed the worry for him on their faces, clear as day. (At Noonan's, a little while earlier) Riley was nervous, looking around the café for the tell-tale jacket and hat that her friend said she would be wearing. Rao, she couldn't even find her by voice since the both of them usually used some of the voice-mods available to the public. A glance to a table further to the back had her taking an attempt at a calming deep breath. She made her way through the small crowd, walking over to the small table that held a black-haired woman wearing the distinctive black leather jacket resting over the back of her chair that she was looking for. "Detective?" She asked, summing up all the courage she learned from the people in her life. Mainly from people like Martha, Eliza and J'onn. The woman gestured to the seat across the small table from her and looked towards Riley as the taller woman sat down. While doing so, Riley pulled off her own worn leather jacket to rest it on the back of the seat but left on her heavily worn Boston Red Sox team black and red baseball hat on. She had the hat since that first visit to the Kent farm when it was given to her by one of Clark's friends, Chloe Sullivan, and wearing it made her feel like she could rely on it to help steady her nerves since it's already been with her through so much. "Denvers," she paused her greeting to look over at Riley from the menu on the table, only for her to freeze in shock. The woman blinked hard and shook her head a little, shock giving way to a slight dimpled smile and an amused knowing glint in her eyes. Holding her hand out for a handshake in greeting, she introduced herself, "Detective Maggie Sawyer, recently of the NCPD. Originally from Gotham." Riley accepted the handshake and couldn't help but grin at her, "Well, now that I know who you are, your gamer tag makes so much sense. To clear up mine, my name is Riley Danvers but when I was doing a temp job at CatCo, Cat Grant went around calling me Denvers or Donner. I preferred Denvers out of the two nicknames." A waitress stopped by their table and after Riley took a minute of looking through the menu, both women ordered their lunches and drinks. Maggie was a bit surprised by the amount Riley ordered, but didn't say anything, figuring the younger woman was simply hungry with a fast metabolism if her guess of who Riley actually was, was incorrect. She was pretty sure that she was right though. They only had to wait about ten minutes before it was brought over to their table during their conversation about the current computer game named Star Wars: The Old Republic, they were both playing as Sith characters. Maggie grinned at the sight of her favorite out-to-eat meal in front of her and told Riley, "Alright, let's dig in!" With that said the conversation still continued, but between bites of food or sips of drinks. The two talked more about video games, but also their pride parade experiences and Dinah Shore. That bit was mostly Maggie, and when Riley told her that she, Kara and Alex had never been able to go to either one yet, the detective nodded firmly and announced that she would gladly remind Riley and drag the other Danvers' to the parade and weekend party. Another surprise was when both found out that they both loved the tv show 'Wynonna Earp' and 'The 100', which both were currently in their second seasons on TV. Maggie grinned widely, ignoring the empty plates around them and nearly knocking over her glass in excitement when she leaned forward, "Please tell me you ship WayHaught and Clexa, Riley. Because they are so awesome and are two of my o.t.p's."Riley quietly squealed in elation, letting their conversation pause as a waitress took their dishes and thanked her before continuing once the woman had walked off, "Dude, yes! WayHaught and Clexa are my o.t.p and I will go down with those ships."A phone's notification went off, and at Maggie's wave of 'go ahead', she pulled out her phone. The text from Martha had her blushing from getting a small chasten, 'Oh, so no one thought to inform me of what's been going on since the last time we talked? And while I'm speaking of talking, have you told Kara and Alex about how you are friends with Lena Luthor yet?' She fired off a fast response, pausing half way though at Maggie's snicker that was aimed at her growing blush, 'I'll catch you up tonight. Currently at a lunch meet-up with a new friend of mine, and no, I haven't had the time yet. Yes, I know that it's worse the longer I wait because of who Lena's brother is, but the moment things calm down, I'll tell them.' When Martha replied with an agreement to talk later, Riley put away her phone and went back to talking with Maggie.The two then got lost in their chats about video games, other tv shows, movies, music, and even debated some of the weird laws that were strictly only held in National City. One of those weird laws, is that during a city parade an elephant and a giraffe could not be near the lions, during the parade. Why such laws existed, they did not know, but had a good laugh at the mere thought of who could have caused such a law since animals like that were usually either in the wild or in a zoo. Normally avoiding the Lions, too. They never noticed the time passing by till their 'short lunch meet-up' turned into meet-up that went on for nearly an hour and a half. Riley stood up since they both seemed to need to go to other places due to previous plans and pulled her jacket back on, walking up to the register with Maggie. "I should probably be heading back to the precinct already. We should hang out again sometime, it's kind of nice to have a friend that isn't working in the same place as me." Maggie offered after paying for her half of the meal when they made it to the register, but letting the stubborn Riley pay for the other half at the taller woman's insistence. "Sounds good to me, and hey, I'll catch you later on S.W.t.O.R? I hear they finally updated the storyline quests!" Riley paused and grinned at Maggie as an idea hit her after they finally made it outside of the building, "Oh, in fact, I'll do you one better than that! How about this weekend you come to Game Night? You'll be the first friend I've invited over, without knowing you from Kara and Alex!" "Message me the time and day, I'll see if I can make it, and if I can or can't, I'll let you know soon." They shook hands goodbye and Riley felt lighter than she did earlier that day, kind of in awe that Maggie is her second self-made friend, and might even be another best friend if the tiny Detective did indeed turn out not to be evil. That was apparently a thing they had to watch out for, from what Clark tends to pout about. Quite often, really. (At CatCo, Side Room, around the same time Riley arrived at Noonan's) "I'm sure you're aware that your Father escaped from prison this morning. Has he called you?" The F.B.I. agent asked Winn, firmly yet soothingly in an attempt to see if Winn was hiding anything. Winn wasn't having it, though, "Nope." She continued, lightly tapping her pen on her notebook, "Has he come to your house?" "No." Winn sighed, knowing that this was all simply protocol, but was annoyed about it either way. A few more questions were asked before unknown to the agent, Kara started listening in. (Kara's PoV ) "Mr. Schott, your father is unhinged and extremely dangerous. Did he have any friends he might want to contact?" The woman asked, taking notes on even the short answers Winn was giving her. Kara saw her best friend's head shoot up and he locked gazes with the Agent, "If it weren't already apparent by the trail of bodies that he leaves in his wake, he hates people. So no, he didn't have any friends." Winn cut off the Agent when she attempted to speak after his rant, "The day my father set off a toy bomb and kill half a dozen people was the day I stopped being his son." And with that, Winn picked up his messenger bag and walked out of the side room towards the nearby small balcony that the employees could access. She trailed after him, wondering if he needed someone to talk to after that. Winn sighed when he saw her join him, and turned to look back out at the city with his hands resting on the railing in front of him, "Guessing you were listening to that whole thing, huh?" "You told me your dad was in prison, but not that he." Kara's voice faded when Winn turned his head to look at her. "Because I didn’t want you looking at me the way that you're looking at me right now." She took a deep breath at his words and couldn’t help but drop her gaze to the floor, before looking back up as he continued, "You wanna know the worst part? He wasn't always crazy." Winn shrugged stood up straighter, "In fact, he was a good dad, he was normal." His eyes seemed to lose focus like he was remembering something, "We'd go to his workshop and tinker, build a toy together." Turning towards him, Kara couldn’t help but weakly ask, "So you never saw any signs?" His voice cracked at his next words, and his eyes seemed to water a bit as if he was trying to avoid crying, "No. He was, he was quiet. Scared to death of losing his job." Winn's voice started growing strong again and he furrowed his brows in memory of what happened, "He was angry. I guess no one knew how angry until it was too late." Seeing that Kara was paying rapt attention, he continued, "His boss stole his toy designs, and got rich off them. He didn't fight it because honestly, he was a coward. He never said anything, never stood up for himself." Winn took a moment to take a breath to try to calm down, his angry starting to rise. After a minute, he started up again, "What he did was put a bomb in a teddy bear, and then sent that one to his boss, Chester Dunholtz. Except his assistant opened the package. It killed her and five other people." Kara sniffled from her own tears at her friend's story, "I know there's nothing anyone can say to make you feel better right now." "Well, hey, you and Riley have a homicidal maniac you both knew, hunting the two of you and Astra down right now, so you know where I'm coming from." He cut in, his voice cracking again, but the air seemed a bit lighter than before. Although that could have just been from him finally realizing how high up the balcony actually was. "At least your father knows enough to keep his distance." She snorted at his response, feeling some amusement and annoying at the mention of Non. However, her eyes narrowed at her friend when he opened the flap to his messenger bag and pulled out a cloth toy with a string on the back. He slid his finger into the loop at the end and said before he pulled on it, "Except that I found this on my desk this morning." "Son, come see me at our favorite place. I'll be waiting for you." The adorable but now also creepy doll's voice box echoed out. "I don't know what to do. I know that I lied, but I've spent my entire life just trying to forget what he did. Trying not to be consumed by this anger, that I have for him. And trying, even in my best moments, to forgive. But I still just, hate him." Winn's voice grew louder in his anger, and it took Kara's solid hug to ground him. Just as they were separating, the Agent who interrogated him walked out, "I'm leaving an agent here, in case your father shows up." That being said, she turned to leave, but was stopped by Winn calling out to her. "Agent Chase," he sighed again, feeling like the sighing was probably going to be common in his life now, "there's something I have to tell you." (At the D.E.O., Alex's Lab around the same time) Alex was over at her desk, mixing a few things on her own since her mom had left to go back to work. She could feel herself nearly shaking in excitement at her current attempt of curing Riley's loss of powers since the last test pointed to the current test that she adjusted, being a possible cure. J'onn had left earlier to deal with some issue that came up with some sort of wonky flying alien nearby, but he informed her that she should keep focusing on her work unless something came up with that. If it did, he would alert her to it. Her excitement nearly had the single drop of blue liquid from the crystal she was trying to add, turning into a small stream of the stuff. Thankfully, she had been able to successfully only add that one drop, or she would have ruined the current attempt. There had been twenty different tries, already being close to curing it. She didn't want to waste any more of the crystal since they would eventually run out, so this one or the next one would be the last attempts until the D.E.O got their hands on more of the crystals. Which might be impossible. Taking a deep breath behind her mask, Alex had the chemicals mixed via what Kara like the call the 'Science Blender' and let it slowly mix until she would check on it in about an hour. She stood back and watched it carefully, writing on a tablet what she had done so far, worded preciously in case it didn't work and she needed to change something else. The sound of a small group stumbling through the door caught her attention, "Alex, something attached its self to Astra, we need to figure out just what it is!" J'onn called out to her frantically, shooing the other agents that helped lug the Kryptonian on to the medical bed to make room for the Danvers' to move about freely. "Oh Rao." Alex's eyes went wide at the sight of the large, dark colored leech looking object that disturbingly reminded her of a face-hugger from 'Alien', but on Astra's chest instead of her face, or in her chest. She completely forgot about the slow-moving mixing machine behind her, and focused on figuring out what had Astra in some sort of leech-coma. (At the National City Docks) "Approaching the target now." Winn lifted the collar of his shirt to speak into the mic, taking a breath in through his nose and wincing at the smell, "Oh God, it still smells like fish." "You don't need to speak into the wire for it to work." Agent Chase told him over her own mic, looking down at him from a nearby bridge with a pair of binoculars. "Echo Team, move into position." (On the Bridge) "You can't let anything happen to Winn." Kara said pleadingly as she walked with the agent over to the back of the nearby van, the one that held a group of Agents that were gearing up.Agent Chase turned around and sighed, "His father killed an agent the last time we apprehended him. We're not leaving anything to chance. Besides Miss. Danvers, the only reason you're here is because your friend wouldn't do this without you." She paused to load her gun, "So be quiet and stay out of the way."Kara watched as the woman climbed through the back of the van, then turned and looked back in the direction of the arcade that Winn went inside of. 'Rao, please let this go smoothly.' (At the D.E.O.) Riley had jogged into the Lab after a passing Agent updated her at J'onn's orders when she arrived at the D.E.O. base, that her Mother had been attacked and was in Alex's lab. Seeing a metal claw that reminded her of a toy crane machine had her bursting through the door, "No, stop!" Riley called out desperately, recognizing the 'leech' almost instantly from what was basically a horror story that her Mother once told her. Alex had the claw release its grip and pulled it away from the weird alien thing, both her and J'onn waiting for Riley's explanation as to why they needed to stop. "Do not attempt to physically remove it, if you try to, it will get defensive of its prey and kill her." Riley began pacing, running her left hand through her hair and cursing in Kryptonese under her breath, her gaze going back to the object every so often. "What exactly is this damn thing?" J'onn asked her sternly, wondering what sort of crap they were dealing with now. Because if it wasn't one thing happening, it was another. Coming to a stop from her pacing, Riley turned back to them both, looking paler than before, "That thing is what's called a 'Black Mercy'. It's a leech, for all intents and purposes, since it feeds off of the host. My M... Astra," Riley paused in her information to correct how she called her mother since she wasn't 'Superboy' at the moment, "is currently trapped inside of a fantasy world inside of her head. A fantasy world where everything she wishes is true, seems real." Alex cut in here, frustrated that the thing seemed almost impossible to kill without killing Astra, "Well, how do we remove it or kill it then, without harming Astra?" "The only way to remove it, and thus, killing it in the process, is for Astra to reject the fantasy world the Black Mercy is supplying her." Riley bent forward a little to brace her hands on the side of the bed, glaring at the leech attached to her Mother. J'onn excused himself to send a message off to Kara, at that, and left two of the four Danvers' in the lab. (Astra's Dream World) Having the door lock behind her as it slid closed, Astra stormed over to a nearby window and hissed, "I cannot believe Non had the guts to send that leech after me. When I get out of here, I am going to skin that Rao forsaken family-less bastard alive!"A light ringing echoed through the room, signaling that someone of her 'fantasy world' family was at the door. In her rage, she stomped over to the door and let it slide open, only to freeze in shock at just who all was on the other side of the door."Ieiu 'Mother', are you not yet ready for Alex Dan-Vers' and my own ceremony?" Rile Ast-Ze asked Astra in a stuttered mix of Kryptonese and English that her own mind seemed to 'translate' the Kryptonese words to a mentally whispered English meaning, donned in the ceremonial robes used during a bonding between two souls, in such occasions.Honestly, Astra was sort of stunned at realizing what this dream version of her daughter was speaking of, and how she seemed to be talking in both languages on Krypton. She did have to give it to the Leech, it had found a way for the Brave One to still be considered family on their birth planet.Deciding to just go with it since her fantasy world was not ending, even though she knew it wasn't real, Astra reached forward and held her daughter's hands, speaking the same way, "Aonah 'Daughter', I simply need to change into my own robes, then I shall be ready. How was the Brave One, the last time you spoke with her?"Rile had a bright grin and teasing that seemed to light up the room, "Kara had snuck away from the zrhythrevium 'Family Members' to speak with her for me. It was lucky for us both that Alura was caught up watching over Kal-El, since she does not know the true meaning of stealth."Speaking of Kara, her niece stumbled through the door with a bashful smile aimed at the two Ze's, "Alex Dan-Vers and her kin are ready, Rile." She then turned to look at Astra specifically, "Once you are robed, my Ieiu wishes to speak with you, Aunt Astra."Her response took a moment as the dream seemed to shake for a moment, before it righted itself, "Very well, it will only take me but a moment, kir chahv 'little one'." The door slid open once again, and a single person entered the room, "Zrhemin 'Wife', our aonah is zrhueiao 'lovely', it must be your genetics shining because from what I remember of our bonding ceremony, I never did wear the robes very well." Astra could feel her heartbeat stutter at seeing her mate that died before Rile was even born. Astra's voice actually cracked with emotion at name of her heart spoken with the ache in her soul that she had always tried to hide, "Sai-El." (At the Old Docks Arcade) Winn had forgotten how creepy the old Arcade became since he was a kid. Until he walked inside of it for the first time in a very long time, that is. "I love you. Do you love me?" A robotic voice asked, making Winn jump and tense at the scare. Looking over, he saw a puppet-like doll sitting on a nearby stand with a giant tooth filled grin. 'Oh man, if I wasn't so angry at him, I'd be thoroughly creeped out by now. Actually, I take that back. I am creeped out.' Winn thought while walking up to the doll, and picking it up with a small scowl. The creepy robot voice puppet repeated, "I love you. Do you love me?" Instead of saying anything, Winn started walking deeper into the Arcade, not noticing the red eyes of the plush dog on the rack behind him following him as he walked on."Dad?" He called out shakily, coming to a stop in front of the back wall skee-ball machines. His eyes widened a bit at actually seeing his dad, further along the machines. His Dad had a bit of a wistful tone, one that seemed to say that his dad missed him, "God, look at you." The older man muttered. Winn started walking closer to his dad, his voice stuttering in fear, but also longing because he missed the dad he had before all the toy idea stealing and bomb making happened, "You, you need to turn yourself in." His voice cracked from all of his current emotions. Winslow let out a small laugh at seeing his son, "I broke out of prison for you, for us." He took a breath and continued, "I'm sorry I was gone so long." "You need a doctor, okay? You need some help." Winn tried to reach out to him in an emotional sense, knowing what his dad did was wrong, but also feeling his heart break all over again. "My son. My good boy. My greatest work." Winslow continued muttering, pretending not to hear Winn's pleas and ignoring Winn's hurt look at the last remark. With some of the arcade machine lights flashing around them, but most of the building still dark, Winn could feel the emotional wall he built as a kid begin to crack rapidly like a weak wall of ice under heavy pressure. This place that was once filled with happy childhood memories, before they were corrupted by the bomb his dad had killed so many innocent people with. Suddenly, Winn felt his anger break loose and he threw the puppet down to the floor between himself and his dad, snapping out, "I thought this was your greatest work." Taking a second to gather himself up after witnessing that, Winslow tried to reach out to Winn one last way, "We're the same, you and I. We're linked. Together, we can do anything. That genius that lesser people call madness, that's inside of you too" "We are not the same, Dad. There are things you have done that I will never do." Winn denied strongly without having to think twice about it, feeling like he could never hurt people like Winslow Schott did. (Outside on the bridge) Agent Chase closed her laptop and placed it deeper in the van, "We got eyes on Schott. Tactical teams, mobilize. Come on, let's go." Everyone of began climbing out, but when Chase saw Kara hop out and go to follow them, she stopped to blonde, "No. We can't do our job and worry about you too." Chase walked off with two geared up agents following behind her, "We're Oscar Mike." Kara wasn't going to let her friend be in possible danger without backup, if she could help it, and snuck away to a nearby alley. Rapidly changing into her super suit, she readied herself in case she was needed. 'I really hope this goes well and they are able to talk him into going back to prison.' The sound of hissing gas and coughing after a volley of gunfire had Kara leaping into the air. She didn't want to risk Winn's health, so she was soon diving into the arcade building without a second thought. Attempting to suck in the gas, Kara could feel her lungs quickly aching from not doing that before, and her body kept trying to stop and use her freeze breath. Thankfully she was able to get all of it and launched herself into the air as fast as she could get away with, trying not to cough it all back out. Making sure she was far enough away from anything, she then let out the deep breath. 'Oh Rao, that is not something I want to do a second time.' Kara though with her face scrunched up in disgust and fighting the urge to cough. It was around ten minutes later that she was able to slip back into the crowd of agents dressed in civilian wear. Approaching Winn, she covered her mouth as a cough slipped out, her body still uncomfortable after that event. "Woah hey, are you okay there?" Winn asked, not having heard Kara cough since that time she lost her powers and got sick. Kara nodded with a small yet amused smile, "Yeah, I don't normally inhale." Winn cut straight to the chase out of worry and slight terror, "They're going to kill him." He paused to gesture at one of the nearby weapons an armored agent was carrying, "They're going to go find him, and then go kill him""Not if we find him first." Kara cut him off, trying to reassure him. Sadly, it didn't work in the slightest. "Kara, no. No, okay? I'm not going to make you commit a federal offense by going around these guys." Winn sighed as he started calming down again and continued, "No. This is, this is my burden." Kara was not to be deterred though and pressed on, "Which means it's mine too." Winn growling in frustration as he tried to walk past her had her stop to gently grab his arm and turn him towards her to make sure he was listening, "Winn, thing about everything you've done for me. For Riley. The last few months, becoming Supergirl and Superboy, all the crazy things you helped us deal with. We wouldn't have been able to do it without you." "You'd be fine." Winn said with a look of disbelief, "I mean, yeah, the Supergirl and Superboy suits sucked. But you, Kara? Hell, you and Riley? With everything that you both have? Everything that you, that you are? No, you don't really need me." It was obvious that Winn truly believed that they may only be humoring him, when Kara knows that she and Riley probably wouldn't have continued saving people if Winn wasn't there to 'boost them up' and guide them through the process. "You're wrong. Winn, Riley and I know what it's like to feel isolated and alone. Riley never talks about it, but the reason she can't stand small spaces is because she woke up somehow in the Phantom Zone, and she still can't stay in a compact area for longer than a few minutes. We both relive our own darkest moments. But when we're with friends, with family, family that we consider you to be a part of, we never feel that way. I never feel that way." Kara saw that she was reaching him finally and kept going, "When your dad says he misses you, I believe him. Because if you weren't in my life, I'd be lost too. Even with Riley, Alex, and the others. You're my best friend, Winn." Winn gave Kara a small shaky smile, "I have a creepy little doll I could give you for when you're lonely." They both laughed at that, the tension in the air around them dissipating, but still filled with worry. Kara gave Winn a quick hug and pulled back to look at him, her hands gripping his upper arms lightly, "Please just let me be there for you, the way you've always been there for me?" Her own cell phone interrupted their 'moment'. Seeing that it was Cat texting from the work cellphone number, she gave Winn an apologetic look, "Just, not till tomorrow? Cat just texted me." He waved her off with a knowing smile, "Go ahead, I'll let you know if uh," he paused to look around and see that the agents were pretty far away from them now, "if anything changes." A pointed look and slight eyebrows raised silently told Kara that he was going to look for his Father, but wait for her to do something about it. (At the D.E.O, the Red Sun Room) Lucy was being a drill sergeant for Riley after the hero had approached her about needing help. The shorter woman agreed because not only was the hardcore P.T helping Riley not freak out over Astra, while Alex and J'onn were going over ideas with Eliza over the phone. It was also keeping her own mind busy since she had to pay close attention to push Riley to the max, but not too much too fast. When Riley had originally led her to the Red Sun training room once she agreed, Lucy was a bit confused since Riley was powerless and didn't technically need to use that room anymore. But at how Riley was moving without putting too much thought into it, she figured that it was done subconsciously. Something good out of it for them both was that not only had Riley been taught new exercises, Lucy had also learned a few new fighting techniques from Riley's old training that Astra started back on Krypton. Astra, the thought of the woman brought back the memory of two days ago when they both decided that they were better off partners in 'crime' and wing-women for each other, than serious relationship partners. It had been fun while it lasted though, Lucy had to admit. Hell, they still had an 'open friendship' if they both ever needed to relax. Of course, that would end if either ended up in a relationship, or if one of them, possibly both, wanted to simply be friends and nothing more. A hurling sound brought Lucy back to the present. She cringed as she had a front row view of Riley getting sick from pushing so much, then stumbling over to her and collapsing at her feet in pure exhaustion. 'Hmm, from what Alex told me, Riley's already doing a lot better physically than she was last year. That's good, and I can push her a bit further over time. Hopefully Kara will join in one day soon, maybe even get Alex too.' Lucy thought to herself while passing Riley a canteen of water, telling the blonde to stand up and sip at it, not gulp. Riley did as she was told, clenching onto the canteen as if it was going to disappear if her grip loosened. Around five or six sips later, she passed the canteen back and moved over to the 'cooldown' station to go through the stretches so her muscles wouldn't be too sore later. Lucy joined for the stretches after capping the canteen of water, "I'm going to the apartment to go with Vasquez and pick up those groceries we need, later. Are you heading back to Alex's lab after this?" Nodding, Riley took a deep breath as she felt the stretches start relaxing her muscles, "Yeah, I am. Also, when you get to the apartment don't forget the list I wrote out and stuck to the fridge door. It has everything needed written down, otherwise, grab whatever else comes to mind."The two women gathered up their items once their stretches were done, and Riley shut off the Red Sun lamp lights on the way out of the giant room. Stopping in the hallway to let out a strong yawn, Riley muttered a 'catch ya later' to Lucy and dragged her feet towards the lab while Lucy was headed to the garage after giving a goodbye of her own. 'Rao, please let Alex, J'onn and Ma find a way to help Mom. I'm not sure what would happen to us all if she dies from this.'A text with the Reaper Noise from Mass Effect that she set for Alex, sent to her phone had her sprinting the rest of the way when it simply read, 'We found a way to help Astra. Get here, fast.' (Astra's Dream World) Her mind seemed hazy as she stood next to Sai-El, watching her closely related family and those of the Dan'Vers arrive at the ceremony site to celebrate the bonding of Alex Dan'Vers and Rile Ast'Ze. Together they would be known as Alex-Vers and Rile-Ze after the event, since they were both currently the last main blood of their own line. They would probably have at least two children from the Matrix, the first taking on the Ze name, while the second born will be taking the Vers name. The sound of someone cursing quietly after a light thump, like someone ran into a wall, had Astra excusing herself for a moment and going to check it out. She turned the corner into a hallway outside of the main entrance, freezing at the sight of Rile dressed in Earth clothing. Astra lunged forward to drag her daughter into a nearby supply room, "Rile Ast'Ze, how are you inside of this mind trap with me?" She hissed lowly as her eyes narrowed in confusion. "Mom, we need to get you out of here by having you completely deny this whole thing. That is the only way you will be able to defeat the Black Mercy." Riley whispered back, trying to stay quiet to avoid getting caught at the sound of voices in the hallway near them. "But that's the problem! I have..." Astra's voice trailed off at remember how the dream world shook like it was about to collapse, until she caught sight of Sai-El, "Okay, so I might be clinging to your ieiu 'mother', but I truly do understand that this is all fake. By the Great Rao, this version of you is about to be bonded with the Kryptonian version of Alex Danvers, so trust me, I know." Riley's eyes went wide with shock at that, and she was barely able to control the volume of her voice, "Bonded? Truly?" She actually seemed stunned in an awe and heartbroken way. Riley raised her hand to stop Astra from saying anything when her mom opened her mouth to speak about Riley's own reaction. "No, mom, don't. Just," Riley trailed off as she looked out into the hallway, and heard the bonding ceremony music begin, "come on." She grabbed her mom's hand and pulled her over to one of the open doors, peering inside. Sure enough, Astra's dream version of her and Alex were in the center of a large circle that held both of their families. Dream Alex was holding onto a green and gray bracelet with what she assumed to be the Vers family crest, nearly merging with the Ze family crest. Dream Rile was holding a black and red bracelet with the house of Ze crest on it, again, nearly merging with the other house crest. Riley felt an odd ache in her chest, causing her to pull away from the door and turn to Astra. She rebuilt the wall that began crumbling, the one she put into place when she was merely fifteen years old, before she spoke up. "Okay, you know what, we need to get out of here. If ieiu is the only thing keeping you here, you need to deny the dream version of her. Although Kara, myself, and even Alex love you and want you to be happy, this world is not what's going to actually do that. I know it might be hard, but mom, you are going to soon be dying out side of all of this so you need to..." Everything went pitch black for them and the sound cut out sharply. A creature screeching in pain was the last thing they heard before they woke up. (Sun Room in the D.E.O.) Kara was pacing the length of the small room, glancing between her Aunt and Krypton sister. It had been nearly three hours since Riley had been 'sent' inside of Astra's dream world. Most of that time, from what J'onn had said, was spent working through the Black Mercy's defenses until Riley could reach Astra. Riley shot up into a sitting up position was what stopped her pacing and her movement caught everyone's attention until it was pulled away at the Black Mercy falling off of Astra and shriveling up as it died. The youngest Danvers was suddenly up and out of the room before anyone could say anything, however. J'onn and Kara both gave Alex a nod and shooed her after Riley when Alex stopped by the door to alert them that she was running after Riley. Alex gave a thankful look to them both and took off in a jog after Riley while a slightly pale Astra just calmly sat up on the other lab sun bed. No one was really worried about her physical health since Alex had done scans earlier and she was woken up within the allotted time. Besides feeling weak, nothing physically bad happened to Astra. J'onn was still worried about the possible mental repercussions the Black Mercy might have caused to the woman though. (Alex's Lab – D.E.O.) Riley froze with her back to the lab door when it opened, not expecting anyone to have taken off after her. Alex noticed this immediately and gently closed the door behind her, as if worried to startle the now brunette Kryptonian. "Hey, what was that all about? Did you see something in Astra's dream that spooked you?" Alex asked carefully, not wanting to seem pushy, even though she did want to know what happened. Turning around to face Alex, Riley sat on a metal table and placed her face in her hands after resting her elbows on her knees. Her words, muffled by her hands, sounded like a jumble of some obscure language than anything Alex knew or knew of. That's saying a lot since she knew of all the languages of Earth and even some alien languages. Alex moved over and leaned against her desk, directly across the room from Riley's form, "Want to try that again? I couldn't quite understand that." She asked with a bit of sass to 'break the ice' and try to relax the Kryptonian. Pulling her head up, Riley ran her hands down her face before making a 'steeple' shape and resting the tip of the two fingers on her chin, "Yeah, it was something in Astra's dream. I uh, I got to see something that I know wouldn't be possible in reality. I just needed a few minutes to shut that door again, which amusingly enough, I was able to do during that slight jog. I realize how silly it was of me to take off like that as well." Riley hopped off the tall table and started heading for the door near Alex, only for the red head to pull her to a stop and gaze pointedly at her, "Are you going to be okay? Don't shut me out, Riley, please." "Alex, I just need to forget it, okay? I know it isn't possible so let's go back and you can check on my mom to make sure she's alright." Riley pleaded with 'puppy dog' eyes, and was helped by some sort of small alarm echoing though the room from one of the machines. 'Saved by the bell.' Riley thought to herself, and made sure to stay out of Alex's workspace so she didn’t make things worse with whatever equipment was currently freaking out. She simply watched and waiting to jump in to help if Alex called out for her. Alex however, was cursing up a storm over the machine she set earlier that was going off with a silent alarm off and on for the past two and a half hours. It was simply crazy luck that she remembered about it, since Riley had leaned against said machine and had somehow turned off the 'silent' part of it. Pulling out enough of the mixture to place a drop on the earlier prepared slides that held a bit of hair, skin, and even bits of nail on three different slides, she applied the drops to all three and moved the nail slide under the nearby microscope. She froze at what she saw before moving on to the hair slide. Getting the same result, Alex could feel her heart rate speed up as she removed that slide and placed in the final slide that held the bit of skin. While all of that was going on, Kara, Astra and J'onn all had made their way to Alex's lab and joined Riley near Alex's desk, "What's going on?" Kara asked lowly to the small group, not knowing what was going on. Everyone shrugged until Alex turning sharply to look directly at J'onn, "It works." She simply stated with wide eyes and a rapidly growing grin. Riley, Astra and Kara watching in confusion as J'onn quickly moved closer to Alex, "Truly? You got it working that fast?" He asked, pride and a little bit of awe filling him at the skill and brilliance the woman he considered a human daughter, showed in her work. Alex had a nearly beaming grin as she nodded, looking over to Riley and waving a hand to get Riley to move over to her. It took a slight push, however, to get the brunette moving, "Wait, what's happening, exactly?" She asked the question that Astra, Kara and herself were all previously silently thinking. Reaching behind her to fill up a vial of what she now knew was a cure, Alex held it up for the others to see and the dark blue but still mostly clear mixture caught the group's full attention, "This, is going to cure the gold kryptonite affects. If you want it, that is." She said to Riley, quick to reassure that Riley didn't have to take it unless she wanted to. J'onn joined in on the conversation and placed a hand on Riley's left shoulder in support, "If you need to think about it, take all the time you need. After all, I doubt that vial is going anywhere." Gazing at J'onn and seeing that he was simply there for support had her turning her head to look over at Kara. Noticing this, Kara walked forward and hugged Riley, "It's up to you and you can decide now or later." Kara whispered to Riley, but could feel her sunny grin appearing at what she knew was Riley's look of exasperation. They had talked about the possibility of a cure for the last few days and Riley had long since decided that if it was indeed created, then she would gladly take it on the spot. Astra stepped forward as well and gently ran a hand reassuringly through Riley's hair, not saying anything because she felt guilty and desperately wanting Riley to take it now, if only to make it so her daughter was less in danger. Riley being powerless terrified her since it was so much easier to lose her that way, in her mind. Riley pulled away from the others and grinned happily at her new spot next to Alex, "Well Doc, what are you waiting for? Can't believe I'm saying this for the first time in my life, but, stick me!" The other laughed at her badly hidden excitement since Riley nearly tore her own sleeve trying to raise it so Alex could stick her with a needle to put in a syringe of the stuff. Alex rolled her eyes and dragged Riley over to her lab equipment by the collar of her shirt, then let go to start measuring out a dose since sticking her with the entire vial at one time was completely insane. Splitting the semi-large vial between two bags that would be attached to a 'drip', Alex then set up the IV on the metal stand and latched on to Riley's shirt collar with her left hand while pushing the IV stand with her right hand, leading the way out of the lab back towards the sun room, "You'll need sunlight while this goes through your system to recharge your cells as they fix themselves, so it will kick in faster." Alex explained while the group began making their way down the hall and back into the sunbed room. Figuring that the others didn’t hear the conversation the two were having before the machine interrupted them, Kara kept quiet for now about what Riley had seen, even if only for a moment, but was determined to bug her about it later. From the looks of it, J'onn had also caught on to something having happened based off of Riley taking off out of the room earlier and the slight worry in Alex's gaze that sure wasn't from the cure. (That Night at CatCo) Winn, James, Kara and Cat were all sitting on the two couches in Cat's office with drinks on coasters in front of them on the coffee table or being held, "So wait, you're telling me that Alex is such a brilliant scientist, that she was able to cure a previously thought to be incurable change in a Kryptonian? That woman is frighteningly intelligent, far more so than I first anticipated." Cat admitted as she swirled the scotch around in her glass. Since the level was empty of everyone except the four in Cat's office, Kara had her feet pulled under her and was cleaning with her head resting on Cat's shoulder. She nodded lightly and stretched out a shoeless foot to poke mindlessly at the back of Winn's toy doll thing that he got from his dad. Her friend was currently taking the front apart to get to the inner chip that made the voice thing on it work. Not actually focusing on the conversation, she replied without thinking, "Yeah, she was the one who donated the water cleaner she and I built together when Riley and I messed up stopping that boat fire." Cat looked at her sharply and the movement made Kara move her head, lest she injure Cat, "What do you mean, 'she and I built together'?" Cat asked her firmly with narrowed eyes. "Well," Kara started, but was interrupt by Winn's ah-ha cheer, 'Oh Rao, I dodged that bullet.' She thought to herself, but a glance back at Cat had her solidly turning her view back to Winn when she saw Cat's curious and stubborn stare that she got when she wanted to know something that she couldn't have answered right then and there, 'Then again, maybe not.' Winn waved at them all to lean a bit closer to the table and pointed at a symbol carved onto the chip he had in a small plier grip, "Okay, all of you see this etching?" He asked, pointing at the 'Y' shaped mark. At each of their confirmations he explained, "It's a Slingshot. Slingschott Toys was the company my dad created. It went bankrupt, but the old factory is still standing." James looked thoughtful and asked the main question that came to his mind, "Well, do you think that's where he is? Or is it possible that he might be hiding out somewhere else?" "I know it is." Winn seemed very sure of this fact, so Kara took that chance by the horns and used her super speed to dash into Cat's office bathroom, change into her suit, before speeding out the balcony doors. The others simply saw a slight blur mixed with a 'whoosh' of air and the balcony door suddenly open. Cat stood up and went to close the door, followed by placing her glass on the small side table, shooing out the two men after grabbing her jacket, purse and shoes, "Out, it's closing hours and this can be done at whoever's apartment. I am going home since Carter is arriving back tomorrow, you two can go do whatever it is either of you do in your spare time or wait to see if Kara needs help, I don't care. However, I will make sure Kara texts you later with updates. Now go!" (At the Toy Factory) Having used her heat vision to make a line of space in the shut door, Kara pushed it open and walked slowly into the factory, freezing mid-step at the large grinder machine turning on. "Mr. Schott? I'm a friend of your son's." Looking around, she saw many different old toys that someone would probably expect to see in a circus or a giant kid's toy store. There were large letter blocks, a giant spinning wheel with lights, wooden chairs for kids, wooden crates built to hold toys, a ton of different dolls, plushies, clown toys, and even a few marionette puppets hanging on a rack. Kara moved few more steps forward when odd cymbal clap and rolling noise turned her confused and slightly nervous stare down to the floor a dozen or so feet ahead of her. She watched and couldn’t help but feel some amusement at what was basically a toy version of herself clapping cymbals together and 'riding' on a unicycle. When it stopped about four feet away, she knew darn well that Winn's dad was 'toying' with her. 'Oh Rao, Riley would be having a blast with all of the puns.' Kara rolled her eyes at her own thought, then focused back on what was currently going on. "I know how much you love your son. Think about what's best for him!" "That's all I think about." At his voice, Kara leapt through the air to stop him as painlessly as possible for Winn, only for the man to jump right as she started blurring towards him. In the end, she missed him, and the box he was standing on lost the top to drop her into some weird mud-dirt. 'Crap, I knew holding back on my speed would one day bite me!' Kara scowled in thought, then tried to speak to Winn's dad. "Mr. Schott, you have a chance to make it up to your son." Unfortunately for her, the man seemed to be a bit more unhinged than he did at the Arcade, and that was saying something, "I am making it up to him. That's why I'm here." A child's voice could be heard from a storage box above and behind her. Kara turned her upper body as best as she could to see a lead lined box that held what she assumed was a child, "Help! Is anyone out there?" "Oh, it's so easy to lure a child if you offer them a toy." He seemed unaffected by the event and Kara wondered if there was actually a child in the box, or if it was just another one of his tricks. She wasn't willing to risk it though, and started trying to yank herself free. Winslow apparently found that a bit humorous if his tone of voice was anything to go by, "Oh, you're drowning in quicksand, by the way. The more you struggle, the deeper you sink." "I'm scared!" The supposed child's voice called out again, distracting Kara for a few seconds, making her pause her movements. "I understand that even you and that sibling of yours need oxygen. Where is Superboy, anyway?" Winslow seemed to now be rubbing salt on a 'wound', sparking Kara's annoyed frustration into being. "Anyway, I digress. Back to the moment. Soon, you won't be able to breathe." He messed around with a yo-yo and started moving down sizes of the letter blocks as the child was still crying out, but stopped when Kara's eyes lit up, "Oh, I wouldn't do that! Slingschott quicksand is laced with thermite. Add heat," he paused to make an explosion noise, "this whole place will blow." Kara reached forward to grip on to the side of the box, trying to pull herself out but didn't use her full strength just in case it wouldn't help the situation and only get her more stuck. She heard the metal hook creak and ignored Winslow to call out to the child, "I'm going to save you!" Noticing that it was getting closer to dropping into the grinder, Kara blew concentrated air out to push it away so the box wouldn’t land inside of it. With that out of the way, she started growing frantic that she was still stuck in the stupid sand, 'What in Rao's name am I going to... ah-ha!' Kara interrupted her own train of thought at an idea and used her freeze breath to freeze the sand. Her heart seemed to race and time slowed around her as the box was dropped from the hook. Using a mix of strength and flight, she launched herself out of the now frozen sand and gently gripped the box in her hands, lowering down to the floor to pull it open. Looking inside, Kara gritted her teeth in frustration when it was only a creepy Supergirl doll with a voice chip. 'Still would have done the same every time, just in case someone was in trouble. But Rao do I find Winn's dad annoying!' (At the D.E.O.) Riley had just finished the second bag on the I.V. drip, and it wasn’t even taken out for ten minutes before she started fidgeting. Three minutes after that, she was up off the sunbed and strolling down the hallway to the command room. Alex was at a console with J'onn, who had seemed to recently return from somewhere, while there were two empty seats nearby. Ignoring Alex's frustrated stare, Riley dropped down onto one of the empty seats after turning it around. She crossed her arms over the top of the back to rest her chin on said arms and stared back at Alex in defiance. J'onn simply reached over a bit and smacked Riley over the head with a folder he had, turning Alex's frustrated look into one of amusement and Riley's defiance into stunned surprise. He gestured to the four screens in front of them to get both of their attentions back on to the task he started. Before either of the two could comment, Astra joined them by dropping a pair of heels onto the desk and gracelessly dropping onto the final seat, "That was far more painful of an experience than any time I have ever been trounced in a fight." "Oh, it couldn't have been that bad." J'onn drawled with a smirk, only for Astra to level him with a glare that could slay legions of enemies all on its own. Alex and Riley simply watched the two, wondering when they started their weirdly adorable friendship, "Not that bad?" Astra scowled at him, "If it's not that bad, then next time you can be the one to wear the dress and heels to dinner with an enemy, to buy time for someone to sneak information. Did you at least retrieve any useful information, in return of that horrific event you call dinner?" Riley busted into laughter at that, unable to contain it due to not expecting that comment. What made it even better was when Vasquez, as they went to walk past, stopped to add their two cents, "Honestly, I think he could pull it off." J'onn glared at Vasquez but they were already walking away and whistling a tune to where ever they were heading. "Anyway, I got a couple of shots." He gestured again to the four screens at the small console-desk and Riley went silent at seeing the serious situation. "What's in the I.V?" Alex asked, making Riley and Astra notice the weird colored liquid inside of it. "I'm guessing some combination of sodium sulfite and sodium iodate." He explained as both he and Alex got mixed into the science of the situation, leaving Astra and Riley confused at where that train of ideas was going. Alex noticed their confusion and explained it a little better, "The by-product of which would be hydrochloric acid."Astra's eyebrows shot up in surprise and Riley stared in disbelief before the older Kryptonian asked, "But wait, wouldn't she be melting from that?""Her vitals were stable but her brain showed minimal activity." J'onn's statement only added more onto the pile of currently unexplainable science and confusion. "Lord's keeping her alive somehow, but for what? We don't know yet."Riley stuck up a hand as if to pause the conversation and then rolled her hands around as if 'rewinding', "Woah, okay wait, back up a minute. Lord? As in Maxwell Lord?"A simple nod from Astra had Riley looking back at the screens trying to piece together what in the fresh hell Maxwell Lord was doing in his apparently evil basement of science that looked like creepy hospital rooms.Alex leaned a bit and muttered to J'onn, nearly sounding like an explosion of sound to Riley's ears since her super hearing decided to kick in just then. She caught on to what Alex was asking, but still clamped her hands over her ears and went a bit cross-eyed at the instant change of having that ability again. Riley then put a fingertip in each of her ears and shook her hands to remove that feeling like she needed to 'pop' her ears. It seemed that while she was doing this, the conversation had finished but all four, now including Vasquez as well, stared at her in a mix of confusion, amusement, and worry. They were all just watching her spaz out for a moment or two. At Riley calming back down, having focused on Alex's, Martha's, Kara's and Eliza's heartbeat like she and Kara had a tendency to do with people close to them, even though Eliza and Martha's heartbeats were faint due to the distance, the others simply start moving to do whatever else it was they needed to be doing. When Riley stood up though, the brunette accidentally put her hand she was going to lean on to stand up, cleanly through the desk instead of bracing on it. Other Agents near them quickly turned heel and trotted away as they stifled their laughter at the Superhero version of a horrifyingly amusing proverbial train wreck. J'onn did the same with Astra and Vasquez, while Alex sighed and pointed to the hallway that would lead to her the sunbed room. "Okay klutz, move it. At this rate, we're going to have a lot of broken objects unless we get you resting on a sunbed and maybe even used to your powers again." Riley pouted pitifully at that and went to drag her feet, but her feet causing literal gouges in the floor had her stepping lightly, "Oh Rao, never thought I'd have to get used to this all over again." She bemoaned, discontent with her current wrecking ball situation.Unbeknownst to her, Vasquez had sent off a text to James for her best friend to come visit. They knew the two would appreciate their effort to keep both of the dorks from being bored. Then again, Vasquez was quite sure Pam from H.R. was going to probably end up blowing a gasket at yet another person just waltzing into the D.E.O to speak with an agent slash asset superhero. 'Ah well, semantics. That and Pam is probably used to it by now.' (At Cat, Carter and recently also Kara's Home – With Cat, Kara and Winn )"You know, I never should have let you go in there. If he would have hurt you." Winn started furiously before Cat Grant herself cut him off.Cat laughed before she looked over at Winn with a 'really?' Expression, "Let her? I hate to break it to you, actually, I don’t mind at all, but let is an extremely loose word when Kara has her mind set on helping people. You either approve or disapprove, and she makes choices on that or the severity of the situation. There is no let."Kara got up from the couch with Cat to move over near Winn while shooting Cat a look and muttered, "Woman, you are not helping the situation!" Winn had pulled out his cellphone and was typing in something when Kara stood near him, "Who are you calling?" She asked, having a bad feeling at his next words. "Agent Chase." He nearly hissed, about to hit the call button. 'Yep, knew it, time to stop him.' Kara thought, then made sure to gently yank the phone away so she didn’t break it, "No. You know they'll kill him." A water glass was firmly set down was what caught their attention, "Okay, here is what is going to happen." Cat started as she stood up, glaring at the both of them, "First off, Winn, you are going to go get whatever it is you need to track your Father, I know you have such tech at your place since that 'other office' of the Super-Stuff that is located at CatCo so no use in denying it. Secondly, Kara, you are going to go check on your sister at the D.E.O, and you're going to take me with you. Winn, once you are done gathering your items you are to call Kara and she will bring you to the rest of us, and we will create a more solid plan there." She stopped to stare at each of them with their stunned looks, "Am I clear enough for the both of you or must I repeat myself?" Both Winn and Kara were nodding rapidly, Winn out of understanding and slight fear of Cat Grant, yet Kara out of understanding and a very solid amount of attraction, "You got it, Cat." Kara said with a slightly dopey grin.Of course, Winn looked over at her like she had suddenly gone insane, but it was Cat's look of amused adoration that had her feel so fluttery inside. She like that feeling. (At the D.E.O.) James was currently sprinting down some vague hallway that looked somewhat familiar with Astra having taken off down a different hallway split off maybe a minute earlier. The growing group at the D.E.O was somehow talked into a surprisingly exciting game of Hide-and-Go-Seek-Tag by Riley, Vasquez and Lucy. Riley had been the one to mention it, while Vasquez and Lucy gathered everyone else up for the game. Hell, even Kara and Cat both joined in for the second round after they arrived.The people he last knew were hiding was himself, Astra, Kara, Cat, Vasquez, Lucy, Riley, and J'onn, while Winn would join them whenever he finally gathered up his computer stuff. It was currently Alex's turn, and they had all sprinted off with more than a little bit of amusement and terror, human speeds for Kara and the currently ever stumbling Riley, when Alex had wickedly stated it was her turn to 'Go hunting for prey.'. Yes, even J'onn took off running at that, though he tried to play it off like he was just acting like the others, they all knew better. Thankfully, there was a system where the people found would send out a message to silenced phones that would be carefully watched, if they were found and tagged or made it to the 'Base'. Seeing a supply closet, James basically dove into it, ignoring the surprised stares of a few agents that were walking down that hallway. He stopped to shoo them away before closing the door and hiding in a corner in the back of the small room behind a shelf. It was maybe five minutes into his hiding when Lucy sent out the first message with a proud standing Supergirl picture attached that said she had made it to the 'Safety Base', and a few minutes after that Kara sent out a message that she and Cat were found but were able to escape to safety. Why they were found at the same time James didn’t want to know, but luckily all Cat said about it is that the Supergirl picture actually made her laugh as the reason they got found and almost caught. 'Yeah, like anyone is actually going to believe that!' He snorted in laughter, but then clamped his hand over his mouth at a suspicious noise from the hallway. Subconsciously holding his breath, James counted to ten in his head and could hear the thudding of his heart rate climbing. He started shaking a little, unable to help feeling excitement at the childhood game and stare at the door to see if Alex actually found him already or not. He knew he probably couldn't out run or dodge Alex, but damn it all if he wasn't going to at least try! Hearing someone singing quite loudly in the distance and closing in fast, James couldn't contain his curiosity and poked his head out to see who it was. Sure enough, Riley was sprinting down the hallway at a fast for humans speed since that power hadn't returned yet, and belting out the song 'Run Around' by Jason Radford. Letting out a hearty laugh at the sight of Riley booking it with Alex on her heels, he came out and watched the hilarity in action. Well, he was until Riley went to run past and grabbed him by his shirt collar, pulling him along her dead sprint. "Are you mad, dude? Run! Alex would have tagged you on her way past!" Riley laughed with a beaming grin of pure elation, but no signs of getting tired since her powers were quickly returning. She pulled out her phone and started a playlist, giggling as they both ran on with Alex on their heels. It took a minute, but soon the 'Valerie' cover done by the tv show Glee started blaring through the phone's speakers and Riley gained a skip to her step that James stopped by pulling her to run faster since Alex was now closing in on them due to that slow down.Panting in effort to keep running, James glanced back once they turned down the hallway that would lead to the 'Safe Base' room, when he saw that Alex was almost in lunging reach. He squeaked in a way he would deny till the end, and nearly dove into the empty car garage room with Riley, both booking it to the back wall that held the bench that would be their safety. Cat, Lucy, J'onn, Astra, and Vasquez, minus Kara since she went to go check on Winn, were cheering them on from their places on the bench being as loud as fans at a competitive sports game. "Run! Come on, move those legs!" Lucy screamed in exuberance with Astra jumping to float in the air before dropping back down at Cat's seemingly subconscious tug at the older woman's boot. Hell, even J'onn was almost roaring his calls since everyone seemed caught up in the excitement of the game. Riley was really into it and sharing a look with James, grabbed him by the back of his shirt and tossed him as gently as she could to Astra, who caught him carefully since that wasn't thought of to have a rule against. Oh, but Alex wasn't going down without a fight. If Riley was going to improvise, so was she, and with that Alex let out a faked pain filled yelp. When the blonde stopped abruptly, she realized that it wasn't very thought out of a plan since she wasn't able to stop in time and slammed into the frantically turning Riley at full speed.Bad news was that Alex got the wind knocked out of her and probably did end up spraining something, but the good news is that Riley's flying seemed to kick in at all of the heart racing moments that the game encouraged, keeping them floating in air instead of hitting the concrete hard. Alex couldn’t help but smirk down at Riley from her position of being hugged safely to Riley so she wouldn’t fall, even with her ankle smarting her sass roamed free, "Tag, you're it."No one really noticed due to the playful jeering at Riley being caught, but when Riley reached up gently brush a few strands that fell forward back behind Alex's left ear, Alex stared after glancing to see the others busy horsing around, and lightly place her left hand over Riley's right while her right was resting against the lower left side of Riley's face. The redhead finally had a guess of what Riley might have seen in Astra's dream world and could understand why the brunette needed a minute to recover. After all, they never truly considered the other family, because before they could, they had fallen in love. It was something that had happened a few months and a year past the arrival day of Kara and Riley, just after their 15th when Alex had realized the almost random silly things Rile, now Riley, would do for her. Riley had brought her flowers, crafted extremely elaborate yet comfortable and tame in color wrist bands for her, and even had taught Alex about Kryptonian life since it was still hard for Kara to talk about. Riley had taught the curious Alex about traditions, the birthing matrix, how the cities had to reside under what reminded Riley of glass domes, how they used flying versions of Earth's cars, and so much more. It was after one of the tradition lessons that Alex had learned about the courting tradition. Alex was surprised at first, but had decided to accept the courting before she had thought about the possible repercussions of Eliza finding out. It all had ended before Eliza ever found out, because Kara finding out had spooked them. Kara had taken it in stride and even approved, but it made them both fear what would happen if Eliza did not. Would Riley be sent away? And that thought scared Alex enough at the time that they had decided to stop, even though it had broken both of their hearts. Many years had passed by, Alex having graduated college and joined the D.E.O, Riley having graduated and opened her own vehicle repair garage. Even after eight years, they still loved each other, were in love with each other. But that same fear they had as teenagers kept it at bay, and over the years of not even talking about it in the slightest, they were worried about mentioning it to the other in case the other had moved on. They didn't want to lose one another, more so than they figured they already had, and they were frighteningly good at keeping it walled away in their minds. A light throat clear jolted them both back to the present. It was none other than Astra standing near them while the others were now laughing about other events that happened during the game, "You both might want to join the others," she paused, having known the looks on their face from the ones her and Sai-El had shared on Krypton before their planned bondings were canceled and they were encouraged to court each other, "however, if your powers are back fully now Riley, I would suggest you have your suit ready because Kara has been gone for a while, and I have a bad feeling about it." Alex leapt to her feet and Riley floated to a standing position, neither really looking at each other as they mumbled excuses and darted in opposite directions. Riley striding out of the garage to get her super suit, and Alex heading out of the other side door probably to go to her lab. "Rao, J'onn, those two need help." Astra muttered as she narrowed her eyes and placed her hands determinedly on her hips.J'onn calmly placed a hand on her shoulder and nodded in agreement, glancing between the two doors the two women left through, "So we're going to need to step in and call in the cavalry." (Just outside of the Toy Convention) Kara had been tracking Winn once she couldn't find him at his apartment. The fact that his cellphone and laptop had been dropped in the outside hallway had her on high alert and in the air faster than someone could blink. It took her a good twenty minutes to finally find him, having heard his voice at a large building that a Toy Convention was being held at. Hearing her best friend and the sound of a single shot going off and agents running up with weapon safety's clicking off, Kara busted through the glass at the top and landed between him and the hail of bullets from the Agents. The gunfire cut off a second later since the Agents knew that they weren't getting past Supergirl. Winn's frantic voice caught her attention though, "He planted ten bombs here. You have to find them before he blows this place up!" Thankful for Alex training them to react under pressure in a possibly volatile situation like this, Kara began scanning around. Not seeing any of the bombs with the crowd, she turned her gaze to the floor and heard Winslow's voice from below, "Natural consequences. This is gonna hurt me more than it's gonna hurt you." The man muttered to himself, moving his finger to start the detonation timer. "He's detonating the bombs!" She barely had time to shout before she pushed off into the air. Looking once again with her x-ray vision, she counted all ten bombs further along the room where most of the crowd had been heading and shouted desperately at them all, "Everybody move! Come this way!" Kara could have sighed with relief when the crowd moved as a whole and began running towards the area under her current location. Having a sudden idea since she didn't have time to get to all of the bombs, she shot heat vision at a specific row of water sprinkler pipes, making that one row spray down rapidly. The absolute moment the last person was within that 'safe area' and away from the water, Kara used her freeze breath to quickly build a large wall of ice between them and the bombs as fast as she could, knowing that she might only have two or so seconds remaining. The wall was only just thick enough when the bombs exploded violently, shattering the wall and the force of it knocking everyone over. Scowling, Kara launched up again to head-off Winslow's quick escape route. It was merely a second in human time when she landed solidly in front of him. Completely sick and done with the man's games, and how he had hurt her best friend and tried to hurt the crowd, Kara marched forward with determined intent. That man was going back to prison if he wanted to or not. (At Riley, Lucy and Vasquez's Apartment) Since Lucy was out with Vasquez and Astra for some sort of musical festival thing that her roommates were going to introduce Astra to, Riley let Kara and Alex know that her place was free for their usual trio after-work get together. Kara was on her way there after dropping Winn off at his apartment and handing him a watch that if the face was lifted and the button under it was pressed, it would alert Kara, Riley and the D.E.O to his location. The Minecraft sword design on the face of it was Winn's favorite look to it. Alex had ordered the food and had it delivered to the apartment, not quite sure how to feel about it all since the wall she had built up refused to stay up now. She wiped away a few tears of frustration and went into the bathroom to clear up any traces of them before the two Kryptonians arrived.Riley on the other hand, had been doing a patrol after catching up on what happened that day with Kara and Winn over the Toyman stuff. Since the night was almost absent of crime, minus a few attempted break-ins she stopped, it was mostly done to clear her head of what she saw in her mom's dream world, and what happened with Alex during the later game. She realized that the wall she had to painstakingly built as a teenager and reinforced over time, refused to stay up again. It was like some sort of dam had burst and nature refused to allow it to return. Hearing Kara's heartbeat approach, Riley looked over and smiled softly at her. That quickly changed when Kara slammed into her and they barrel rolled through the air, both of them laughing in joy at being able to play fight or just fly together again without holding back.It was maybe five minutes later when Kara and then Riley flew down into the large window that Alex had left open for them, landing in the apartment that had a few soft yellow light lamps turned on through it. Alex sat the box down on the coffee table while Kara human speed jogged over to the fridge to grab the drinks for everyone. Riley ended up using super speed to flash into her room to change into her pajamas and grab Kara's spare set since Alex was already wearing hers. Walking back into the living room, she tossed the pajamas to Kara and smirked at the whoosh of super speed changing as she dropped down in her usual spot on the couch at Alex's left side since Alex sat in the middle. Kara joining them stopped any awkward conversation with her excited babble over them starting the tv show Criminal Minds from season one all over again. Why Kara loved the show so much with her personality, neither Alex or Riley would ever understand. Riley reached forward and grabbed three slices of pizza, passing one each to Kara and Alex. They all 'toasted' their pizzas together when Alex held out her own and said, "Here's to the three of us. We should come with a warning label." "Ooh, it's starting!" Kara cheered since the loading screen finally went away and the first episode began. Her eyes were glued to the screen, but she still noticed how Alex and Riley looked at each other for a few moments, then turned back to the screen with very slight blushes when she couldn’t help but giggle at Reed's antics. Truthfully, Kara wasn't as imperceptive as she let people think. However, she decided not to bug them about something that seemed to be recently changing, for now, and her smile changed from being aimed at the tv to being about how adorable the two people she considered to be so close to her heart, were acting. (A few blocks away) A figure floating, shrouded in the shadows of a building, snarled angrily at the what he had seen. 'Non will not be pleased about any of these events! Yet it is that fool's fault for allowing Rile Ast-Ze to escape with the gemstone. He must be corrected by the Generals as a whole, or he may yet be the cause of our plans destruction.' He turned in mid-air and flew off with his eyes starting to glow red with rage, 'Kara Zor-El and Rile Ast-Ze must perish, or all of our hard work will come undone before our very own eyes! Myriad must begin soon!'' ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 10 : Evil Aliens, Forever Family, and Relationship Advice from Cat Grant. Uh oh. (At Night, on the mountains near National City) Flying through the air to the large fire that Winn alerted them to, Supergirl and Superboy arrived at the scene, readying their freeze breaths to put it out and continue on. That plan was put on hold when they both could hear screams of terror. Following their hearing, Kara and Riley's vision locked on to a dog under the truck and camper that had people inside of it. "Kara, you get the camper and I'll grab the truck with the dog?" Riley asked, both of them diving into action at Kara's nod of agreement. "Help! Save us!" A man yelled as loud as he could when the swooping sound that was now a sign of help to National City could be heard outside, his family crying out with him. The fire was raging ever close, so Kara wasted no time in carefully lifting the camper on to her shoulders. A glace towards Riley showed her that the truck was easily lifted with her right hand and the Husky was gently held in her left arm. "Come on! I know where we can drop them off!" Kara called out after they were both in the air. Riley simply just followed along without question, both using their freeze breath as they flew over the large fire and thankfully putting out the worst parts without actually freezing anything this time around. Kara could hear the awe filled gasps and comments from the family when they looked out of a window near them, but a 'ack' noise from Riley was what had her laughing. The dog's tail was wagging and there was now a trail of drool on the left side of Riley's face that said the brunette was ready to say 'ew' or coo at how cute the happy dog was acting. (National City, the Next Day) "Well, where did you put them?" Alex asked while walking down the street with Kara on the way to Noonan's. She had just finished reading the front of the CatCo Tribune paper that talked about the raging fire Supergirl and Superboy put out. It also talked about how Superboy seemed to return from some sort of hiatus that the hero had disappeared on. Blindingly sunny was the only way to describe Kara's happy grin and bounce in her step, "By a very nice lake with no raging fire. Riley was the one who carried their truck and dog next to the spot I set their R.V down at. Once they were safely on the ground, we went back and put the rest of that fire out." Folding the paper and placing it under her arm, Alex then held up a hand to stop Kara's rambling, "Okay wait, you did at least make sure to place them near a major road, right?" Kara full on deadpan stared at Alex as if she was silently yet sarcastically asking 'Really, Alex?'. It made Alex grin and raise both of her hands in a playfully defensive way, "What? You know I had to ask just in case! Sometimes the two of you don't consider those kind of things!" Riley's voice calling out from next to the main entrance to Noonan's drew their attention to her laughing figure, "Hey now, that only happened once and we even went back to fix it!" "Riley!" Kara's attention was diverted at the sight of Riley holding their usual from Noonan's and Cat's latte, "And you got the food!" Alex laughed at Riley's eyes going wide and snatching her now empty left hand away, making sure to count all of her fingers since Kara lunged forward to grab the bag like she was close to starving, "Jeez Kara, you act like you haven't had anything to eat in a week!" Riley muttered, smiling shyly at Alex. That smile brightened into a happy grin when Alex smiled right back and initiated hand holding of Riley's left hand with her right hand. The three began their walk down the path, Alex and Riley still holding hands while Kara happily munched on a sticky bun with one hand. They had to pause though, so Kara could hop up from behind Riley to have the now light brunette carry her around for a piggy-back ride with her arms crossed around Riley's collarbone. Once she was settled, Riley passed Kara the latte Cat wanted so Riley could use a free hand to eat. It still amused Alex over how natural it was for the two Kryptonians to goof around like that, and the two didn’t even have to think about it, they just did it. All three of them may have gotten some glances from people who seemed to think they were odd but not a single of them really cared to pay any attention to it. "Hey, did you two hear about Senator Crane's anti-alien rally that's set for today?" Riley asked after she unwrapped half of her usual breakfast burrito that Kara had passed to her from the Noonan's bag. Waiting for their responses, she grinned and watched with amusement at how Alex would pull her arm once every few bites she would take of the burrito, to snag bites of her own. Kara paused as she went to start on sticky bun number two, her shoulders slumping somewhat and a whine entered her voice when she asked, "Oh Rao, that's today? Cat has a board meeting soon about it and on top of that, she's also been stressed over that reporter randomly leaving. Although, she did tell me that she got Lucy to drive his career into the ground. I'm not sure if Lucy actually agreed to that or even knows about it, but Cat seemed happy about it either way so I wasn't going to comment." Alex nodded with a smirk at Cat's antics, then swallowed her latest bite before she spoke, "Yeah, so once we drop you off near CatCo, Riley and I will be heading to the D.E.O to plan for this upcoming madness." Of course, Riley couldn't help but chime in truthfully with one of the Star Wars quotes that had always been stuck in her mind. In fact, most of those had been stuck there since she first stumbled across them after Jerimiah had taught her how to use the VHS player. She was able to watch the Star Wars trilogy when the adults went out on a date with each other, and Alex was helping Kara understand higher level Earth math, those nerds, "I got a bad feeling about this." Maybe ten or so minutes later, Kara hopped off Riley's back and waved bye to the two that continued walking towards where Riley had probably parked her truck. Alex and Riley waved back, and the sight of the two still holding hands had Kara nearly glowing with how happy she felt for them. 'Now to deal with the CatCo coverage of that rally.' She thought with a deep sigh in the currently empty public elevator. 'Riley might end up being right about today. Something bad is going to end up happening, I can feel it too.' (At the D.E.O, Agent Armory) The agents were all suiting up for a protection detail for the Senator because even though they did not share the woman's views, protecting her and the civilians at the rally was still the right thing to do. Each of them made sure to carry weapons that would work against most Humans and Aliens, just in case. Among the small group of both humans and now aliens that made up Alex's team and standing next to Alex, was Riley. She had swapped out her civilian clothes for her agent gear that currently included some of the bits of blue crystal that Alex had used to reverse her loss of powers. Plus, since literally every last bit of gold Kryptonite was finally gone, Alex went ahead and had those bits of crystal added to the new suit materials Winn required to make two new and stronger suits for Kara and Riley, each. One new suit for both of them had the crystals that could be removed after they ran out, without affect the suits, while the other suit did not. The crystals wouldn't protect them from Kryptonite forever though. The only problem was that it naturally lost power over time, but the more it was exposed to any kind of Kryptonite, the quicker it ran out of its power. Once the agent gear and suit crystals were drained, that was it, no more Kryptonite protection from those shards. Because of that, they were going to use the stuff while it lasted. The door slid open sharply to reveal Hank as he strolled back into the room and stood near the front of it, gathering the now suited up agent's attentions, "Okay people, listen up. We are going to go in two vehicles. Of them, one will hold squad 'A', the other car will hold squad 'B'. When we reach the location, 'B' will fan out and blend in with the crowd furthest from the podium with the civilian over-clothes that have been provided. Watch out for long ranged attacks. 'A' will be closer and will not be blending in as civilians, but passing as every-day government security and F.B.I. If you see something that needs immediate attention but cannot call it over the radio without alerting the target, do the usual double beep for trouble, and one beep for all clear." He stopped to look around at all of the people around him, then gave an approving firm nod at their serious attention, "Alright everyone, let's move out." They all marched along in two lines behind Hank when he strolled down the hallways towards the garage, squad 'A' behind to his left and squad 'B' behind to his right. In no time, they were all loaded up into the subtly armored vehicles and swiftly on their way to National City. The agents in squad 'A' with Hank were Alex, Riley, and three agents named Ocampo, Abernathy, and Wick. Squad 'B' in the other SUV had Vasquez, Astra, and three agents named Harkness, Vidal, and Lawson. No one really talked during the ride since they were all settling into the headspaces they needed to be in, so they were as prepared as they could be for whatever might happen. Hank gave a small smile that he quickly let drop to focus like the others, at seeing how close Alex and Riley sat together. He was thankful that Astra didn’t have to step in like she thought and figured that the older Kryptonian would be happy about it as well. He didn't say anything since both were focused on the mission and had respect for the fact that now was not the time for them to get lost in their minds over one another. 'Let's just hope this goes smoothly.' Hank thought before his eyebrows furrowed in slight annoyance at his own thoughts, realizing their luck so far with 'smooth' plans, 'And in Kara's words, I just jinxed us.' (At CatCo, around the same time) Kara stepped out of the elevator and grinned at her best friend rushing up from the bullpen, "Winn, hey!" "Talk in the Super office later. Cat's on a warpath." Winn muttered as he darted past her with wide eyes and into the elevator that closed with only him inside of it. The entire event happened in seconds, leaving Kara staring at the elevator doors with eyes narrowed in bewilderment. An alarm going off almost silently alerted her to the fact that the meeting was starting soon, and she still had to give Cat her latte, put all of her stuff down at her desk, and gather up all of the notes that might be needed. 'Oh Rao, I do not want to be late, more so if Cat's already on a warpath like Winn said.' Kara thought to herself, speed walking as fast as she could get away with towards her desk. She sent out a quick email to all of the department heads that simply stated, "She's ready for war. Please arrive at the meeting room five minutes before the scheduled time, and have things prepared." Kara almost laughed at seeing one of the six department heads that was the only one on the same floor as Cat, nearly sprint out of his office and down the hall to the designated meeting room with a small folder. He was soon followed by the other men and women department heads that quickly arrived via elevator. Lucy walked out of her office and had to dodge the last department head to avoid a collision. Hearing Kara's giggle, she turned to her blonde friend with a look of confusion and pointed after the rushing group of people. The blonde typed something on her computer, and hearing a ping from her Facebook messenger, Lucy pulled her phone out to see the message. "Cat's on a warpath so the department heads are going to arrive at the meeting area five minutes ahead of schedule to avoid any backlash from it. You should probably gather your stuff and join them since I am heading there with Cat in the next few minutes." At that, Lucy just rolled her eyes and nodded to Kara in understanding, turning back to her office to grab the folders she would need. Sure enough, once she was in the meeting room and was settled in like the others, Cat and Kara strolled into the room with Kara moving to a nearby corner to take notes for Cat, while Cat stood at the head of the table dramatically with a 'bring it on, world' gleam to her eyes. Dropping a folder down on the table, Cat began the meeting, "Miranda Crane is in town." Walking over to the other side of the table she continued with annoyance lacing her tone, "She is a lightning rod for bigots, hippies, and aliens. Yes, that is the order in which I detest them." Kara looked down at her tablet to hide the grin she was fighting off at Cat's words, knowing that her partner darn well treated aliens by how they acted and not by their 'not from Earth' status. She focused back to reality when Cat continued, "Our top reporter has made the mistake of dumping CatCo for a cash grab at Vanity Fair. His ruin will be swift and merciless, thanks to Lucy," Cat gestured to Lucy as she moved past her to the other far side of the table again, "who will serve him a lawsuit by the end of today." Lucy's eyebrows shot up at the 'end of today' comment and tried to cut in, "That's not how it works," But got cut off by a firm toned Cat with ease, "By the end of today." Working hard to not smirk at Lucy's playful grouching, Cat moved on to the next issue at hand, "Meanwhile, we need someone to get to the rally. Kerrah, get me a list of who's available." "Actually, I'll do it." James offered with a small grin, feeling quite in the mood to 'go out on the field' as it were. Cat went to shut him down with a squint of confusion, "You have lay-outs to do. Kerrah." She tried to tell Kara, only for James to interrupt again, making her give him a slight glare. After all, she was still trying to subtly train Kara to become a Journalist, if that's what Kara wanted to be, and tended to get snippy at those who cut into those plans. Even if they did not know they were doing so. James went out on a limb, hoping he would not get in trouble for it yet also not expecting any extra leeway just because he was friends with Cat and Kara outside of the office, "Ms. Grant, it's nothing that can't spare an hour and with all due respect, I'm the most experienced photojournalist you have. And with my connection to a very famous alien, I may just be able to get us a good quote from Senator Crane." Sure enough, Cat's next words and pointed stare gave him plenty of knowing just how much he barely escaped her wrath, "You had better get us a quote that will offend virtually, everyone." Giving a single nod and glance to Kara, Cat looked over at the department heads and stated before she turned and strutted out of the room with Kara on her heels, "That's all." (Later at the Rally) Riley's jaw was clenched at seeing some of the vicious signs people were holding up at the rally. Things like a picture of Kara and herself in their super suits with a red dashed circle, or even a few that said 'Super Freak' with an odd angle extended font to the Super part that had her confused as to who thought of that idea. Honestly, it looked kind of cool to her. "Hey, this rally isn't scheduled to last long. We'll all be out of here before you know it." Alex said as she gently gripped at Riley's elbow to ground the Kryptonian, glancing to make sure she was okay. Seeing that she was, Alex turned back to the rally to keep an eye on things with the scanner device she was holding in her left hand when Crane started talking. Senator Crane had a look of disgust on her face as she spoke to the crowd, "Aliens. Extraterrestrials. Non-humans. Whether they're wearing a red cape or not, they are a threat to this country, our freedom, and our lives. Starting today, we need solutions. We need to know where they live, what they do, and who they eat." 'Oh Rao,' Riley thought with a scowl while continuing to look around to protect this bigot, 'this lady cannot be serious, I mean really! Only two planets I can name that have aliens that would eat humans, and they are not even able to fully colonize their own planets, much less be a space faring species.' Her scowl faded a bit at seeing James at the rally, 'James is here! Probably sent by Cat for a quote or something. Maybe I should talk with Kara and Alex to see about starting game night back up and inviting Maggie, along with her wife Kate that I have yet to meet.' "Most importantly, we need to stop them from landing in our country." A slight blur caught Riley's attention from the Senator's continued rant when she noticed a tall and almost sand colored alien dashing past at super speed. Looking over at Alex and Hank, Riley muttered to the two, "I'm going to change. There is a large and very fast alien here, and it does not seem friendly." At Hank's accepting nod, she slipped into the nearby van and changed once he closed the doors behind her. Done with her careful changing so she wouldn't trip and put an arm through the ceiling or sides of the S.U.V, Riley slipped quietly and surprisingly subtly into the crowd next to Alex and Hank, nodding to them as if she just arrived while tuning back into the rant, "It's time to stop talking, and start acting! Monsters are coming for your families." At that, the alien Riley had noticed launched one of the agents on the rally elevated flooring, then grabbed another one with a roar. Using super speed to stay on the unknown Alien's heels, Riley would pause long enough to gently set down the guards and police the alien was knocking around before continuing after the fast being, not paying attention to the surprised looks from the rally goers that a Super was helping them, even after what was said by the Senator and the rally goers. She could hear Alex and Hank running through the crowd to check on the Senator and sighed with relief when she caught sight of James activating the watch device that would call Kara to the rally. Hank froze when he and Alex arrived near the Alien though and had to nearly dive out of the way when the they flipped a car towards them. Riley had just finished catching the last launched police officer when the calvary arrived. Kara flew down into the underground parking and landed softly at the lack of the violent Alien, moving to check on the Senator that was on the ground, "Careful." Kara said as the woman tried to leap to her feet while injured. Spinning around to try to catch sight of it, she asked quickly, "Where did it go?" "I don't know, it was just here!" Senator Crane panted out, eyes wide as she looked around in fear. "Supergirl, do you have a visual? Is it down there?" Alex called out to Kara over the radio from outside, feeling a slight rush of wind as Riley appeared next to her and Hank. Riley could see Kara shake her head before she answered, "No. Whatever it is, it's gone." Things quickly calmed down after that but left a tense atmosphere in its wake. With Kara escorting the Senator safely to the other agents and an E.M.S vehicle, Riley walked with Hank and Alex towards the S.U.V's, "Transport Senator Crane to headquarters, right now." He ordered firmly, yet his shaky undertones had the others worried. "What was that thing?" Alex asked him as they continued to walk, knowing that Kara would be heading back to the D.E.O as well when she was done giving James a lift back to CatCo to make sure he made it back safely. The Kryptonians and Hank tended to be very over protective in situations like this. Hank glanced at both women near him, then turned back forward and quickened his strides, "A creature that doesn't leave any survivors. We have to move her now, before it comes back." "I'll see you two back at the D.E.O then." Riley excused herself to take off in flight to go deal with a few attempts at break-in's and robberies, leaving Alex and Hank to continue talking about what had just happened with him freezing mid-combat. (At the D.E.O.) Walking down the hallway towards the main room with Hank, the two supers couldn’t help but roll their eyes at Senator Crane's overly dramatic complaints, "I'll tell you what happened." the woman said with spite lacing her tone, "You people screwed up royally, and I will not be kept here." Hank wasn't having any of the woman's crap though, "Madam Senator, I assure you it's for your protection. I know your friend Sam Lane talks a lot of crap about the D.E.O, but we're here to help." "The General told me that for all your big talk about monitoring aliens, you're the first one to let them in through the front door." Crane verbally fired over her shoulder to the two supers, not noticing Alex slip away to get something from the large table. Kara chimed in with frustration while Riley slipped over to stand next to Hank's right, so he wouldn't have to be near the Crane woman, "I guess you forgot the part where I saved your ass." Crane wasn't done though, and just kept digging her verbal grave deeper, "Mm. For all I know, you all staged that little stunt. It's just like an alien." "Pardon me?" Riley asked with her eyebrows raised, unable to believe that a politician could be using so much mudslinging and belittlement. Things like that just were not done on Krypton in polite conversation, it was considered bad form. "You're all the same. Disgusting insects who've come crawling from your own diseased, backwater planets," Crane continued rambling, but Riley had to hide a grin when she saw Alex quickly stroll back over with a shot of something, "looking to suck our resources for yourselves." Sure enough, Alex stuck the Senator with zero pause and injected the stuff into the woman's arm, getting an 'ow' from her, "Sedative. You're welcome." Alex said with a small wicked and mischievous smile that had Kara fighting a grin and Riley coughing to cover her laugh. "My team and I are currently tracking your attacker, we'll keep you updated." Hank informed her as he started walking away, hiding his amusement at Alex's viciously protective actions. "I told you I'm not staying here." She tried to argue, but Hank cut her off sharply, "Madam Senator as long as it's out there, you're in here. Enjoy your stay at the D.E.O." He then turned and continued walking away. Seeing a group of agents walk up to escort the Senator to a 'guest' room, Alex, Riley and Kara trotted along after Hank. Making it to one of the red sun training rooms, Kara spoke up with a scowl, "I should have let it eat her." Hank lightly shook his head at her sass, "It would have. It still might. What we're looking for is a White Martian. That creature and its kind slaughtered my people." He took a deep breath and sat down on the edge of the raised platform as his voice gained a sharp tone, "The White Martians came from beneath the planet's surface, bringing fire from the planets guts. And they burned us all. Alex winced at how hard it has to be for him to be telling them all of that, "J'onn, I'm so sorry." She started saying until she was softly cut off by him. "Don't. Knowing what we're up against might just save lives. This creature belongs to a race devoted to the mission of killing me and mine. It'll be back. It might have attacked the Senator, but it was more than likely to draw me out." He stood up and started pacing, "It is because as Martians, we not only share our ability to shapeshift, we share a link. If I assume my true form, phase, or reach out to it with my mind, it knows. It sensed me when I used my powers to investigate some odd information found on that drive that Astra recovered from Maxwell Lord. We will discuss that later since we will need to deal with the possible confrontation with him. Anyway, thankfully Riley and Kara scared it off because I couldn't fight it today. I couldn't even move." Kara placed a gentle hand on his shoulder while Riley nodded in agreement with what Kara said next, "You will next time, and you are not alone. Not anymore." "We'll find it, just stay low for now, and we could see about bringing it in." Alex promised, continuing the conversation, "In the meantime, we'll keep Senator Crane here. It's the safest place around." With that, Alex walked from the room once she gave him a quick hug, moving to make sure all agents were on high alert. When Alex and Kara had both left to get started on that plan, Riley stood next to the man she considered a father figure, "We'll take the White Martian down. Besides, you are part of our family and something that every last one of us can agree on, is that we refuse to lose anyone else." She paused to smile at him softly, "You're stuck with us, old man." Hank's eyebrows shot up at her sass, "Old, am I?" He asked before taking a playful swipe at her, making Riley laugh as she took off down the hall at a human speed. 'I hope that things really do go as well as they are all hoping. Fate knows we could use a break.' He thought, closing the door behind him as he left the room feeling a bit lighter than before. (Next Day at CatCo) Riley, after having called ahead to make sure Cat had a clear schedule for at least a few minutes, had to watch her speed as she walked into Cat's office and then to the balcony where the woman was waiting for her. "Alright, what is this all about?" Cat asked her from one of the outside seats, holding a glass of M&M's. Sitting down nearby on a nearby couch, Riley dropped her head in her hands and rested her elbows on her knees, "I don't know how to do it Cat." She said with a sigh before dragging her hands to clasp them below her chin. Cat just sat there silently with her eyebrows raised in slight confusion, gesturing with her free hand for Riley to continue to train of thought. "Okay so, I want to ask Alex out on a date, but is it too soon? If it isn't too soon, where should I take her if she says yes? Or should I just make her a home cooked meal?" Riley's voice started going higher in pitch as she began panicking, "Oh Rao, what if she says no and she's really no longer interested?" Setting down her glass of M&M's, Cat raised her hand to silence the babbling Kryptonian, "I am going to stop you there, because there is no reason to be panicking. She is interested in you, you are interested in her. In fact, she had this almost exact conversation with Kara not too long ago." Cat paused to sit up straight and brush non-existent lint off her pants before she continued, "Now, what you could do is keep panicking, or you can take my advice and go for it. Like I said, you are both interested in each other, probably have been for years now if what Kara tells me is right, so take the plunge." Riley sat quietly and in awe as Cat wound herself up into a speech that she knew was coming. Sure enough, Cat stood up and started almost pacing with her hands waving around to emphasize her points, "This might be scary for you, but you are both so deeply in love with each other. For Rao's sake, apparently everyone can see it happening besides the two of you, Riley. Carter even said something about it!" Cat sat down on the other side of the small out door couch next to Riley and held the Kryptonian's hand to get the younger woman to look her in the eye, "Tell me, right here and now, how you feel about her. Maybe then you'll finally realize that any possible outcome will be worth it." The super thought about it and took a moment before she spoke to catch Cat up with the situation and let out how she felt about it all, then glanced down at her hands that Cat still determinedly clung to as she said, "I'm not sure exactly when it started. I think it was not long after we first arrived on Earth, but I didn't know what it was at the time. When I was about fourteen, was when I first realized that I was in love, much like how Alura, a woman I still consider a mother to me, would tell Kara and I about when we were even younger. It felt like a single smile from Alex would send me flying, or her laughter would brighten even my worst days and memories." Riley stopped to take a deep breath to calm her emotions a little, continuing when Cat squeezed her hands reassuringly. "Not long after I realized that, I decided to take a leap and ask Alex out on a date. Imagine my happy awe when she said 'Yes'. We ended up dating for about a year before Kara's obliviousness finally ended and she caught on. Even though she was excited for us, it hit us that we hadn't told her or Eliza, and Alex was afraid of what Eliza would do if she didn't approve. So, we broke up. Ended up trying to avoid each other for the longest time and tried to date other people in college." Riley let out a self-deprecating laugh, pulling her hands away so she could run them down her face and placing them under her chin again, "I couldn't do it. I was still so in love that it hurt just thinking about being with anyone else. So instead, I just kept quiet about it. Not saying anything in case Eliza ever found out because I didn’t want to disappoint her either." "When we were all at the D.E.O playing that chase game, and all of you were teasing me for losing, Alex had looked at me while we were floating there in a way that nearly had my heart beating out of my chest. It was one of the first times in a long time where she actually looked me in the eye, and I could feel cracks appearing in the proverbial walls I put up years ago. The reason I am so scared of trying to ask her out, is that, I can't lose her Cat." Tears filled Riley's eyes and the Kryptonian's breath turned shaky, leading Cat pouring them both a fair amount of whiskey as the older woman fought a bit of tears off. Knocking back her drink, Cat waved her hand for Riley to continue, wanting the younger woman to realize that it is all worth it, without actually saying anything else yet, "Go ahead and sum up the emotions of this for me, just keep going." She said reassuringly, even though she was now holding Riley's drink as well, in case she needed it since Riley couldn't even get tipsy from human alcohol. "I fell in love with her even before I could understand what love truly is, Cat. It feels like I can reach the stars, even without my powers. When she smiles, my heart soars. When she cries, my heart breaks and I fumble trying to do whatever I can to help her. I am terrified of the fact that I am so deeply in love with her because she can shatter my heart so easily, yet I trust her that if she does not feel the same, to at least let me down easy. It would hurt, but as long as she is in my life, I'd be okay with that." Riley stopped as it suddenly hit her what Cat said earlier, that Alex had the same conversation with Kara not too long ago and she went from slumped in her seat to sitting up and feeling almost renewed, "But to me, it's all worth it in the end. It's worth the feeling of falling, flying, the tears, the laughs, the terror and the joy." Cat grinned, ignoring the tears in her own eyes as it finally hit Riley that indeed, Alex loved her just as much in return, "So, what are you going to do about it?" She asked pointedly, using a nearby napkin to pat away any stray tears on her face. Riley stood up sharply from the couch and purposefully strolled over to the doors to Cat's office, not paying attention to Cat's texting that was the woman telling Vasquez that they needed to record the upcoming conversation between Alex and Riley for the group, "I'm going to the D.E.O, and I am going to ask Alex out on a date because I want to spend the rest of my life with her, and if she says yes, I want the rest of my life to start as soon as possible." She said with a determined look before continuing out towards the hidden balcony Kara used to leave CatCo quickly. Getting a confirmation from Vasquez, Cat couldn't help but smile proudly while watching Riley as she left, muttering to herself, "Go get her, Rile." (At the D.E.O.) Running at a human speed through the D.E.O, Riley quickly found Alex in her lab, just finishing typing up a report on some sort of test she seemed to have done recently. Wasting no time so she wouldn't lose her sudden courage, Riley cleared her throat and smile when Alex turned and smiled somewhat shyly at her, "Alex," Riley started as she walked closer to stand maybe a foot from the red head, "I know you might not be interested, and if not, just let me know, but would you like to go on a date with me?" Alex stared in shock for a minute, jerking back into the moment when Riley shuffled nervously, "Yes!" Then cleared her throat at her almost shout, moving closer as she did so, "I would love to." She told the Kryptonian, smirking when the blonde blushed with a happy grin. "When would this date be?" Riley's brain kick started again at that question and she couldn't help but blab out, "Are you busy for the rest of tonight?" At Alex's silent head shake of 'no', the slowly growing grin, and eyes almost glowing at how adorable she thought Riley was being, the Kryptonian nearly stuttered at her next words. Amusingly enough, neither had noticed a nearly cooing Vasquez recording the moment to send to the group that was so excited for the two women, knowing the two wouldn't mind, "Want to go try out that restaurant Kara keeps dropping not-so-subtle hints about?" "Sounds good, semi-casual wear and would six tonight work?" Alex asked as both of their shy attitudes seemed to clear away completely and bit her own lip to fight off a smirk when Riley nodded rapidly. "Works perfectly for me." Riley said, fighting the urge to swoon at said smirk. Instead, she gently pulled away, slowly moving backwards towards the door to the lab with Alex walking with her, "Meet you there at six then?" Alex nodded, grinning when Riley bumped into the door and blushed before the Kryptonian moved to the side a little to stop in the hallway, "Yeah, I'll see you there at six." The red head finished, feeling daring enough to lean forward to place a light chaste kiss just to the right of Riley's mouth. Riley's face lit up in a blush and the blonde gave a shy grin, backing up again when Alex leaned back to get ready to close the lab door when she left, having to turn around to walk correctly when she almost walked backwards through a wall, leaving an indent from her klutz moves. Vasquez and Lucy, who had joined Vasquez near the main computers, gave Riley a thumbs up when the blonde shot past, the super leaping into the air to do some silly acrobatics. At Hank's throat clear, the blonde actually swooped down to snatch him up and do a playful waltz in mid-air for a minute, then set him down gently on her way out of the D.E.O, waltz with an invisible partner, humming some sort of song as she went. Hank watched Riley leave, then turned to Vasquez and Lucy with his eyes narrowed in pure confusion, even as a smile started forming, "What was that all about?" Only to chuckle under his breath when they both pointed at Alex's lab and he saw Alex smiling giddily while nearly glowing with excitement, "Never mind then." (The SuperAgent Date) Arriving at the restaurant about ten or so minutes early to make sure it wasn't too packed, Riley was already liking the relaxed atmosphere of it, and from talking with Lucy since she and Astra apparently have already been there, the place had pretty good food too. Getting a table for two took no time at all since the place wasn't anywhere near packed, and soon Riley was sitting down at said table with a glass of water. At six exactly, Alex walked in the main door, her red hair and leather jacket catching Riley's attention. She stood up and saw how Alex approached one of the people standing behind a small desk, to be pointed to where Riley was waiting. It almost felt like forever till Alex arrived at the table, both women feeling nervous that they might somehow mess up the date before it had even officially begun. Of all the things to be an icebreaker, it was someone bumping into Riley, sending her tripping forward trying to catch herself, only to finally stop after moving two feet and into Alex's arms, luckily without hurting the red head. "Hey there." Alex greeted her with a smile, getting grin from Riley when she leaned forward to place a soft kiss on the corner of the blonde's mouth, neither noticing Kara slip away, feeling like her duty had been done successfully. Riley pulled back with a blush and shy smile, then gently tugged Alex to the table for two, "Hey," she responded almost quietly, then shook her head with a light laugh, "so, I guess that's one way to break the ice." Alex snickered at that, sitting down in her seat across from Riley with a warm smile and rested her chin on her left hand with her elbow on the edge of the table, "Mm, no kidding." The two soon slipped into a calm and relaxing conversation after that, swapping stories of both college and job incidents of times before they worked together at the D.E.O. It wasn't until a college story Riley told about how her friends Lena and Megan had got into an argument over what sort of science was better, then it hit Riley that now was probably a good time to bring up the Thorul thing. "So, Lena Thorul." Riley drawled out, trying to sort how best to tell Alex, only to get cut off by Alex's snort of amusement and a familiar giggle nearby that had her glancing around but turning her attention back to Alex when the red head spoke. "Don't worry, Kara and I figured it out almost instantly when you told us. We just decided not to say anything since she seemed like a decent person. It did take a while to get used to it, but we figured to avoid any stress over it all together, we would pretend to not know so no one ended up panicking." Alex chimed in with a cheeky grin, taking a sip of a soda that she ordered earlier. Unable to help her sigh of relief, Riley rolled her eyes at Alex's playful teasing and foot nudging. Thankfully for the hungry pair, their food arrived a few minutes later and conversation continued between bites and drinks. Their conversation ranged from work, to even telling Eliza, a suggestion that Alex brought up and asked in Riley was comfortable with that. The blonde nodded and reached to lightly grasp Alex's hand, "The moment you're ready to tell Eliza is good for me." She said seriously, smiling softly when the red head grasped right back. "Then I will, but when she comes to visit. She'd skin us alive if it was said over the phone or worse, over email or text." Alex said cheeky and playful grin, pulling a hearty laugh from Riley. Nearly an hour later, they had both realized the time when a call came in from Kara, who had slipped away once the ice completely broke, having left to go back to CatCo. Riley listened in as Kara rushed to explain the situation to Alex. "Alex, I'm sorry something came up during the date between you two, but we're pretty sure the White Martian shapeshifted into Senator Crane. Which means the real Senator might still be in danger somewhere. I'm headed to the D.E.O now." "Good, hurry. Riley and I are heading there now as well." The red head leapt to her feet as she put away her phone and rushed to the door with Riley following on her heels, only for the dark blonde hero to stop and pay for their food, citing a family emergency as the reason for their rush to the shocked host who was nearly bowled over by Alex. Once the transaction was done in maybe three minutes by a thankfully rushing host who had to check them out after two other groups, she booked it outside after Alex, using a bit of her super speed when she knew she was out of sight of city cameras and public view. She arrived only to turn around with a fierce blush when she came across the older woman changing out of her casual wear and into her Agent clothes in the backseat of her truck. At Alex's throat clear, Riley used her super speed to change into her super suit that was under the front passenger seat. Of course, Alex being in a 'lead the charge' rush had her leaping out of the truck and on to Riley's back to use the small cables on her bulletproof vest to hook her safely to Riley, before the Super launched into the air towards the D.E.O, leaving the now locked truck in the nearby parking garage Riley had left it in earlier. At the speed they were going, it took maybe two minutes for Riley to be flying them through the halls to arrive on a catwalk in the main control room, Alex unhooked herself pulling out her gun with Vasquez and Lucy joining them a second later with their own guns. No one messed with the group's Space Dad, not even a shape shifting White Martian. (Earlier at the CatCo Super Office) Winn, James, Kara and Cat were all in the Super office going over James' photos that were taken of the Rally, looking for any shots that caught the White Martian alien they were looking for. "You did a fine job on these photos, Olsen." Cat admitted since it was after office hours, while the four looked over said pictures from the Senator's rally. James gave Cat his signature cheeky grin from his spot on the one of the chairs around the lighted table Kara moved into the room for them at Cat's behest, "Thanks! Near-death experiences tend to make me shutter-happy." He then gestured to all of the of the photos, "Do any of you see anything?" "Nothing out of the ordinary yet. Well, besides the giant White Martian from Mars, that is." Winn chiming in from his own seat, gesturing to a zoomed in shutter photo of said alien. Humming in though, James got up and moved over to the main computer and pulled up the White Martian picture Winn had gestured to, noticing something off about it. Putting it through different filters, he stopped and went back one when one showed an odd glow at the creature's eyes. Applying that same filter to all of the photos, he felt himself pale at one of the ones he took of the Senator after the creature was supposedly gone, "Hey, take a look at this." He stood back and let Winn, Cat and Kara move up to see. First, James showed them the White Martian pictured before flipping to one of Senator Crane before and after the attack. Cat's eyebrows climbing high, "Well I'll be damned, Olsen. Nice catch." She backed up and could see Kara already calling Alex. Gathering up her jacket and purse, Cat nodded to the door at the other two, "Come along then, we've done what we can here and Kara can contact all of us later. I am also sure that Riley, Alex and a few others will be there as well. Besides, Carter swears you both owe him a rematch to some sort of game." Shrugging, both men waved bye to Kara as they followed their boss, letting Cat's words sooth their worries for the moment. Kara on the other hand, used her super speed to drop her civilian clothes into a bag near the couch since Cat had admonished her the day before for ripping so many shirts open when super speed could just as easily allow her to rapidly and safely relieve herself of her over clothes. Tucking her phone into one of the inner pockets in her boots, Kara came to a complete stop outside of the Super office and couldn't help but laugh when she noticed the window next to the door was wide open so she could slip out without being caught by the security cameras. Shutting the window behind her, she was quickly flying out towards the D.E.O, using a bit more speed than usual, deeming the situation more than worth the risk. (At the D.E.O.) Tensed and ready to leap into action, Riley watched the Martian disguised at the Senator like a hawk. Alex nodded to Hank when he looked over at the growing group, and his hand slowly slid down to his gun, pretending that the others were not on the catwalk not too far away so as to not blow their cover. "There are no hidden aliens here." Riley could hear him mutter to the Senator look-a-like, tightening his grip on the pistol at his side. Neither Martians were looking at each other by this point, standing nearly shoulder to shoulder instead, "Are you absolutely of that, Director Henshaw?" The group clicked off the safety to their guns and took aim at Hank's next words, Riley willing Kara to hurry at what was about to go down. "I wish I could say yes. But I never said you were attacked by a White Martian." The White Martian smirked at Hank, "Well, you're smarter than I thought." It backhanded hank down the catwalk the two were on, by a few feet, and Riley shot forward next to the bullets that Alex, Lucy and Vasquez fired. Realizing the possible causalities though, she kicked the alien at the abdomen to stop it from attacking the agent that was up with Hank and the White Martian. Diving after it, Riley could feel herself snarling as she let the others fire away at the shifter, herself more focused on protecting agents that it attacked to try to fight its way out of the base. She didn't know how many times she had to take a blow from the Martian to stop it from striking an agent. Being slammed into walls, throw through ceilings and scratched something awful, Riley continued to stick to the Martian so she could block its hits aimed at her humans.In one of the hallways almost back to the Command Center, Riley had to risk breaking arms to yank two agents out of the way from being breathed on by some sort of freaky sand storm looking stuff that made her think it needed one hell of a tic-tac.Hearing Alex and Hank and Alpha Squad running through the halls behind her, Riley was determined that everyone make it out okay and continued defending the agents, not noticing the wear-and-tear done to herself that had her stumbling, her hearing going fuzzy, and her vision going hazy.Throwing herself forward, she couldn't help bumping into the side of a doorway, cleanly knocking a chunk off. Riley could feel an odd exhaustion setting in as she continued pushing herself to drag agents away from any hits the Martian might have landed if she didn't, not feeling the last attempt at an attack harshly scrape at her back and further ruining her already tattered suit.Hearing a 'whoosh' noise had Riley's shoulders slumping with relief that Kara had arrived to take care of business. With a shaky grin, Riley felt herself swaying in place as she watched Kara kick the tar out of the White Martian. It didn't last long, sadly, and Kara was tossed away so the Martian could take off in flight to escape. Kara followed, but not before telling Alex something that Riley couldn’t actually hear due to the weird underwater sound everything was having.Stumbling over to Alex and Hank with a woozy grin and eyes out of focus, she was caught by Lucy and Vasquez when her legs gave out from under her, "Alex! Superboy is down!" Riley could barely hear Lucy yell out frantically. A few of the agents she saved that were already nearby rushed over with some sort of gurney and it took Hank's stern tone to get her to actually lay down on it to be wheeled to the sun room."Rile Jane Zor-El Ast-Ze Danvers!" Alex yelled next to her ear, sharpening her attention somewhat. "There you are. Try to stay awake, okay? Also, did you really need to get this banged up?" The red head asked her in exasperation.Nearly panting awkwardly for breath as she was laying on her side, Riley gave a weak smile and rasped out, "Of course I did! All the agents are mostly okay and none of them were badly injured. That alien isn't going to hurt any of my people." She paused to cling to Hank's hand with a cheeky grin, "And that includes you, Space Dad. Everyone is okay though, right?"Hank nodded as he tightly held on right back and she never noticed how his eyes had grown red with tears that he refused to let fall. It was because of the sight of one of his 'Earth Kids', as most of the group dubbed themselves, being so beaten up by a monster that killed his family on Mars. The super had never realized just how much of a beating she had taken, it seemed.From the scans they've done so far, the White Martian had broken a few ribs, gave her a concussion that was already healing thanks to the yellow sun lamps, had placed three wide and deep acidic cuts along most of Riley's back that were struggling to heal, she even had one of those slashes on her outer left thigh and one across the area just above her collar bone. Riley's suit was in tatters, and she had so much damage done to her. Yet she was worried about the agents in the D.E.O, Lucy, Vasquez, Alex, and Hank, ignoring any and all of the damage she currently had.Since the concussion was gone quite fast, Alex finally let Riley dose off to sleep and finished cleaning the clawed areas of Riley's leg and back. The tatters of Riley's suit though, were pulled away and left in a pile to dispose of. Sure enough, once the acid was cleared away, the cuts began to stitch close in front of them till all that was left were slightly raised pinkish skin. Small scars that would either stay or disappear over time.Turning around, Hank walked out of the room with Alex on his heels since there was nothing more to do than let Riley rest. "I should have known." He muttered dejectedly.Alex cut him off abruptly and followed him into the side room that, for some weird reason, people in their group always ended up in during serious conversations, "This isn't your fault. If I hadn't have left you locked in that room in during the Jemm incident, you wouldn't have had to change to save me. If only I could have done better with hacking his computers, you wouldn't have even needed to use your powers to sneak into Maxwell Lord's lab.""No, Alex. That was not your fault, I got impatient and that's on me. Either way, it sure feels like it because members of my team would have died tonight were it not for Riley." He ran a hand down his face, "She was that injured, and now having to rest up on that table because of me. This is my war, not Earth's.""Not anymore." Alex took a calming breath to stop her own tears, "I am so sorry what happened to your planet, and I can't imagine what it feels like. But together, all of us, we're gonna protect this one."Hank nodded jerkily before he spoke up again, his voice hoarse, "It wasn't just my planet." In his mind, he could see the barren wasteland that his home world had turned into as if he was back there. His people standing together in what they figured were their last moments which they spent with their families, having no more weapons or ways to fight back against the White Martian menace."We'd fought back. We'd known war. But nothing like that. White Martians had been toiling underground, building weapons of death. Fire traps. Their technology overwhelmed us. There was no honor in how they fought." He felt himself stutter over his words, but forced himself to continue, to get it all out, "They herded us into camps. I swore that no matter what, I'd protect my family. That we would survive. But when we got through the gates," the tears were harder to fight off, and a few escaped, "they took the women and children. Men were forced into labor. The others went to the furnace. My wife and daughters, burned."Alex dropped her head, still trying not to cry but feeling so heartbroken for the man she considered another father, she could not stop her tears any longer.Walking across the small room to another wall, Hank leaned against it with a hand and continued, "I escaped. I survived. To my great shame. I will hear my family's screams until the day I die." Moving over to him, Alex placed a hand on his arm, "Look at me." She said softly to him, and tried again when he did not, "J'onn, look at me." He did, and her heart was breaking all over again as she watched him cry, "There's no shame in surviving. If your family would have lived, you wouldn't want them to be ashamed." "I agree." Riley's voice rasped out, getting their attention as Kara hovered close to Riley in case the stubborn younger Kryptonian needed help. Her posture was tense and her face radiated how serious she was being. Hank and Alex both straightened up and gazed at her searchingly, "I've never, uh, never said this to anyone before, but after being awake for twenty-four years in the phantom zone, I had a lot of time to just sit and think." Kara and Alex looked over at Riley with horror, and J'onn felt himself pale at her words, "I wondered, 'why did they not build a pod for themselves as well?'" Riley walked up from her place next to Kara and stood in front of her third father figure, feeling a pure refusal at even the idea of losing him, "It took me so long till it finally hit me. It's easier to just let go, than it is to survive. J'onn," She stopped to place her hands on his shoulders and look him in the eye, her currently raspy voice cracking with emotion, "we too, lost everything. Everyone. For the longest time, every breath taken every day, felt like it was more than I deserved." Raising his arms, he pulled Riley into a hug and with a gesture, the other two quickly joined in. But Riley wasn't done, "The hardest part about it all, is wondering what happens next. Wondering if it's worth it rebuilding a life, oh Rao, if it's even worth living anymore. But J'onn, it is. There will always be people who will stick to you like a leech and never let go because they care for you. You're our Space Dad J'onn, we'd be lost without you, and I'm sorry for sounding rude but, I can't lose another parent. Please." Clearing her throat, Riley pulled away waited a few seconds as everyone dried their tears before she fired a weak but cheeky grin at all of them, "Come on, don't you science nerds have a White Martian to track? Besides, I think I'll need a while longer under the sun lamps." With that, the four made their way to Alex's lab since Kara ended up using her super speed to move the detachable sunlamps to a chair in Alex's lab so Riley could stay with them while they worked. Glancing around in her sun seat, Riley placed her head in her hands and sighed in frustration. "What is it?" Alex asked on her way back into the lab, having go to get some supplies with Kara. She stopped abruptly at her main table when she noticed the White Martian finger was gone. Looking around the D.E.O from what she could see through the glass walls, Alex turned back to Riley, Kara joining them a second later with a confused look as well, "Where is J'onn?" The red head asked as she felt dread creeping up her spine. Riley stood up sharply and stormed from the room with the others on her heels, "I think he took off to track the thing. Vasquez!" She called out as they entered the command center area, "Could you track Senator Crane's location?" Vasquez nodded and maybe spent a minute or two typing, no one saying anything about the satellite hacking they did, and a location popped up on the large screen. "There, at the underground parking lot near the rally." Alex motioned Kara and Lucy to join her, "Alright, lets head there." At Riley moving to join as well, she pointed to the solar chair in her lab, "Nope, back to your chair. You are not a hundred percent yet and you know as well as I that you could end up far worse off than you did earlier if you don't recharge." "Be safe, please." Riley told her, leaning forward to brush a stray lock of hair back behind Alex's left ear, "Well, as safe as you can be, fighting a giant White Martian." Nodding, Alex reached up and ran her hand through Riley's hair once at an attempt to comfort her Kryptonian, "I'll do my best. Your Bluetooth ear piece is in my lab next to the chair you confiscated. You can keep up with what's going on with it, but radio silence just in case." Kara and Lucy walked past since Lucy was now geared up completely and Kara was carrying Riley's favorite shotgun with weird pink lit ammo rounds in it, "What?" Kara asked with a shrug at the confused looks she gained, "I was testing some things and decided to try out this ammo since for a lack of Kryptonite on this planet now, it tends to pop up when we least expect it. So I'm expecting the unexpected and using Riley's gun to do so." Shaking her head in amusement, Riley blushed when Alex took a chance since everyone's attention was locked on to Kara and placed a chaste kiss on the side of Riley's mouth, "I'll be back soon, and I'll see about getting that gun back to you in one piece." A scoff of fake offense had their attention back on Kara, who was now resting the shotgun on her shoulder and had agent diving out of the way as she swung it around, "Come on Alex! We have a Senator to free from the clutches of Marvin the Martian!" The number of deadpan stares and giggles that got, were far too many. Hell, half the agents in the room seemed to snort or giggle in amusement, Alex and Riley both shot deadpan stares at Kara to hide their own laughter, while Lucy, Vasquez and a few others were nearly rolling on the floor with their laughter. 'Well, I have to give it to her. Laughter is some of the best medicine for tense situations like this.' Riley admitted to herself, thus let her own laugh break free, Alex swatting at her arm with a light chuckle as well. Moving over to share a hug with Kara and Lucy, Riley then gave Vasquez a side hug before she went ahead and headed to Alex's lab to get some sunrays in the chair that Alex had moved to a somewhat hidden corner of the room. Getting comfortable, Riley could finally feel the exhaustion that felt deep in her bones and gave in to it, settling into a deep sleep. Unknown to the now exhausted Kryptonian, the Bluetooth device was flashing red, before it finally ran out of power until the next time it was charged. (Almost an Hour Later) Jerking awake, Riley pulled off some sort of headphones that someone must have placed over her ears to help her sleep. Setting them off to the side, the now revitalized Kryptonian stood up and stretched with a happy smile. Using her super vision, her smile dropped into a curious frown when she saw that Alex, Kara and Hank weren't there, and that Lucy seemed to be in the medic room with another agent. Super speeding to see what was going on, she froze half way there at a sharp yelp of pain that her mind registered as belonging to Alex. Not even wasting a second, she ignored the usual rules Kara and herself imposed on themselves and shot out of the D.E.O, sending any loose light weight objects soaring into the air behind her. Coming upon the sight of J'onn stepping away from the defeated but not dead White Martian, Kara wearing red sun cuffs and Alex on the floor in obvious pain, Riley snarled and dive bombed at the rising enemy that was gunning to try to attack J'onn as his back was turned. The two slid along the ground for a good twenty feet and Riley lifted her now clasped hands above her head and brought them down with just enough power to knock the White Martian out. Standing up, she turned around. Upon seeing the stunned looks the others were aiming at her and shrugged, "Apparently someone placed lead laced headphones over my ears after I went to sleep, probably to let me sleep better. So it turns out, I didn’t hear the beep of the Bluetooth's battery dying, or anything really, till after I finally woke up. I apologize." Riley said as she moved over to gently lift a scowling and fussy Alex into a bridal carry. J'onn removed Kara's red sun cuffs and at 'Supergirl's' stern look, he allowed her to carry the White Martian back to the D.E.O and grabbed Alex's assault rifle and Riley's shotgun instead. "Alright then, let's head back to base." The three awake aliens leapt into the air, Kara and Riley protectively flying on either side of J'onn. Riley might have missed a lot, but she had a feeling that what she did miss, Kara and Alex would fill her in on. Taking Alex to the Medical room back at the D.E.O, Riley had to promise to watch the movie Homefront with Alex and a bowl of popcorn after she was cleared to head home, before the red head would let go of her civilian clothes. The doctor there just laughed and patched up Alex, shooing them both out maybe a minute later. "Where to, now?" Riley asked, only to have Alex grab her wrist and pull her along to the high security cell area. "My kind will come for me and you will die! They will come and you will all know destruction!" The White Martian in Senator Crane's form snarled out in rage nearby. Kara's voice was firm and steady when she asked, "There are more of you, then?" "Thousands. Millions." The Martian's fists slid down the glass as it tried to intimidate Kara. "Then let them come. We'll be waiting." Kara's response sent shivers down Riley's spine from how awesome her sister sounded. Strolling out of the room with no cares to give to the White Martian now throwing itself around the cell cage, Kara met Alex and Riley just outside of the room and in time for Hank to start walking by, "You did the right thing. I'm sorry you had to." Kara called to him. Hank stopped in his tracks and turned to the three women, squinting in thought for a moment before he spoke, "My daughters were named K'hym and Tanya. It's not the same, but," He paused to make sure he had all three of their attentions, "Any man would be proud to call all of you his daughters." Kara leaned forward immediately and hugged him, Riley joining a second later, quickly followed by Alex. Not a single person didn't feel the urge to cry again. Hank pulled back though and tried to puff up like a tough guy, "Alright, enough of that." "Right, of course." Alex cleared her throat and pulled the Kryptonians back with her, "Boss." Watching him turn on his heel and walk away, Kara leaned over a bit to Alex and Riley and muttered, "Icecream at Cat and I's place." She got sniffles and nods in acceptance since it indeed had been one hell of a day. (At Cat, Carter, and now Kara's too, House) "So, let me make sure I heard you right. The next time Eliza shows up, you're both telling her?" Kara asked after the swapped their icecreams. Riley nodded and swallowed a bite, "Yep! Alex suggested it and, if it still feels good at the time, we will." Alex shot Riley a thankful look at the last bit the darker blonde haired Kryptonian tacked on. "Another topic that needs to be updated is that Astra was able to sneak that girl away from Maxwell Lord's lab. Apparently Vasquez found some files in Maxwell Lord's information that J'onn swiped, where Maxwell was planning on turning the girl into some mind controlled version of Kara called Bizzaro. Why? Well, that seemed to be answered too by the fact that Maxwell Lord went into a villainous ranting rage when Astra freed the girl, then he tried to kill her with a green Kryptonite sword." Kara and Riley's eyes both started glowing at the edges with that info, which had Alex rushing to reassure them before they broke something of Cat's and Cat skinned them alive, "But! The woman Astra freed helped out and now the Sword has been destroyed by Clark, while Maxwell Lord is sitting in one of the containment cells." "If it's not one thing with this group, it's another." Riley muttered, the growing heat in both Kryptonian's eyes vanishing. Finishing up the three cartons of icecream, Kara walked with Riley and Alex afterwards as the two were headed out of the back door to the high hedges backyard to head back to their respective apartments. "You two sleep well, okay? And please remember that if anything comes up, everyone in our ragtag family is only one call away. Oh, and please be careful!" Kara called out to them as Alex stood in front of Riley on the Kryptonian's feet, arms wrapping around each other. Riley laughed while starting to float them both above the ground, "You worry to much, Kar!" She called out to Kara, "Besides, I'll drop Alex off at her apartment and head back to my own, where I will probably be grilled by Lucy, Vasquez, and if he's there, James." Alex scoffed and smirked, "Thankfully I can just lay down and pass out. Also, don't forget Kara, tomorrow night is Game Night so for the love of Rao, tell your Cat woman to keep her claws to herself so you're not goo-goo eyed while we play. After all, Riley is supposed to introduce us to her new friend and said friend's wife!" Kara threw a clear sheet paper she balled up from the nearby printer and laughed hard when the two muttering women both got hit on their foreheads, "Get on out of here you two, I'll see you both tomorrow! Carter won't be there since he left to his dad's the day before yesterday!" The floating women nodded, then Riley took off into the air with a burst of speed and laughed at Alex's playful shriek of 'Riley!' Heading back inside, Kara made sure that all the doors and windows were locked on her way upstairs. Arriving at the master bedroom that had a nightstand lamp turned on, her eyes locked on to Cat's form, the older woman standing near the bed wearing a bathroom and glasses. Said bathrobe slipped free and Kara felt her eyes go wide, "Well? If I am to not keep you up too late, I suppose we must make do with the time we have. Chop chop, Kara." Further into town, beyond Alex and even Riley's apartment, a figure finished planting the red Kryptonite Maxwell Lord had him finish making and place at a building that had a small bomb planted in it. 'I really hope this works. Half of the ingredients Maxwell Lord sent on the list didn't even show up right, just blobs of ink. If this doesn't work out like he wants, I'm a dead man.' He finished and snuck out of the building, putting his hands in his pockets and tried to blend in, 'Look out National City, if this works like the boss wants it to, we won't have our two super heroes anymore.' ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- (The Apartment) Sitting next to the open window in the living room, Riley breathed in the cool night air as she gazed out at the stars and moon. Something that the people Kara and she knew would find amusement in was how Kara preferred the sunlight, while Riley preferred the night when the stars and moon were out, and the sun was long gone. There was something relaxing to her about the moonlight, stars, and the soft yellow city lights being the main sources of light. The fact that their own moon on Krypton was nowhere near as bright as the one orbiting around Earth might have been one of the reasons it originally caught her attention. Rao, ever since the first time she's seen it, Riley always preferred it to the bright yellow star that signaled daylight hours. Her relaxation was shattered as she noticed a shadow floating a few blocks away with a familiar clothing design that had her rocketing out of the window after it when the metal shoulder mark gleamed. The mark for those part of Non's army was noticeable when the figure had slipped up and blocked some of the stars in Riley's line of view. Cursing under her breath, Riley tried to keep pace with the other Kryptonian, clicking the signal for Kara on her wrist watch when it hit her that she might need backup. The merry chase went on for a solid ten minutes before a visibly frustrated Kara came rocketing from the left of both Riley and the mystery person, putting said person into an arm locked hold that Alex taught them. Riley's eyebrows shot up and she floated to a stop next to Kara and the struggling unknown Kryptonian. "What? Cat and I just finished and I was about to fall asleep with her being my little spoon when you pinged me." Kara hissed at Riley with a frustrated glare, causing a blush to appear on Riley's face. The younger Kryptonian cleared her throat and nodded apologetically to Kara, "I do apologize for that, by the way. But you're faster than I am and from the small set up of tech I spotted near the apartment, this person had been camping out and doing surveillance of us for a while now." Kara's glare shorted out and she made sure she did indeed have a firm grip on the mystery person, "Who are you and why are you spying on us?" She asked firmly, not easing her solid hold even though the unknown Kryptonian ceased their struggling. "My name is Hal-Dar, I am one of the D.E.O's contacts within Non's army." The man rushed out, glancing side to side in a panicked manner, "Non and his Generals have plans to begin the Myriad soon. They must have had some sort of hidden sensor because I was found out. I barely escaped, but you must warn Ast-Ze and the others, Kara Zor-El and Rile Ast-Ze." Sharing a look, Riley nodded firmly, "Alright then. Come back with me to the D.E.O." At his nod she pulled off her hooded jacket and tossed it to him to put on, now that Kara let him loose, "Stay flying next to me, just in case." Looking over at Kara, Riley smiled at the drooping eyelids, showing how tired Kara must be lately, "Go ahead and head home to Cat, I can take it over from here. Sorry for the false alarm." Waving her Kryptonian sister off, Kara pulled Riley into a quick hug, "Don't worry about it, it's a good thing that you actually call for backup now. Also, I suppose I could take you up on that offer and head back. Fly safe, okay?" "I'll head to the D.E.O immediately with Hal-Dar here and check in with Alex. When I get there, I will also send you a text so you know we made it safely." Riley pulled back from the hug and gave Kara a reassuring smile to go along with her words. Kara gave her one last stern look, which was offset by the smile the older blonde was fighting, before she turned and shot off back towards home. "Well," Riley started, gesturing for Hal-Dar to follow her, "let's get you to the D.E.O. You can speak with Astra directly over there and we can get you settled in." Hal-Dar nodded gratefully and they took off towards the desert base. Landing at one of the entrances a few minutes later, Riley waved in greetings to the first patrol group as they walked through the short red sun lit hallway. She noticed his look of confusion at the lights and went to explain, "Red sun lamps. They negate our powers, thus allowing the D.E.O to install them at all of the entrances to avoid allowing enemy Kryptonians easy access to the base. They would have to go through the red sun hallways and four heavily armed patrols located in each area." What she didn't mention was that there were secret lead lined entrances Kara, Astra and herself usually used that did not have the red sun lamps. Hell, besides the three Kryptonians the only others who knew the exact locations of said entrances were the rest of the 'Super' group and very few agents. Riley forced herself to seem relaxed and unaware when Hal-Dar started looking around the D.E.O areas they walked past, almost as if cataloging all of the details he could. Arriving at the main command room, Riley called over to Astra, but gave Alex a pointed look, nodding her head slightly towards the Kryptonian next to her that was tensing up more by the second. "Ieiu, this man claims to be one of your informants, a man named Hal-Dar." Sure enough, Astra turned around sharply to glare with her eyes going red from her heat vision being ready to fire, "Rile, move!" There was a split second that Riley used to do as her mom yelled, barely dodging the man as he lunged to use her as a shield. Astra's heat vision hit the still recovering Kryptonian man in the chest, the strength of it knocking him backwards off his feet and into a wall on the other side of the room. He stood and snarled at them all, clicking on a small device in his hand, "Myriad will begin soon, and Non sends his regards, traitor!" He then pulled a Green Kryptonite vial out of his belt pocket and drank it before anyone could react. It must have been laced with something else as well, since he dropped to the floor dead within seconds. At Hank's orders, few D.E.O agents hustled towards the body and picked it up, taking to Alex's lab to make sure the Kryptonite didn't affect Astra and Riley. Moving over to stand next to Hank, Alex and Astra, Riley's questioning gaze was aimed at Astra, "I figured he was acting weird, but how did you know?" "Well, the name Hal-Dar was actually the name of one of our ancestors. It was to be given to my informants to pass on to anyone who found them out in Non's army. That way, when someone came here claiming to be Hal-Dar, it would alert me to pull out any other informants to avoid their capture." Astra explained, moving to use a nearby secured laptop to send out a specific signal that would silently alert those informants to flee when they could and head to a safehouse if they could not make it to the D.E.O. "Alright, Vasquez, get a hold of the agent that was in charge of the double bunkbed rooms to make sure those rooms are still prepared for the informants to move in to. Then do another scan for unaccounted Fort Rozz prisoners." Vasquez nodded to Hank and turned to their work phone to call said agent. Hank then turned to the two Kryptonians in the room who were standing next to Alex, "Now, this Myriad thing he mentioned, anyone know details?" Astra shook her head in a negative way, "No, not until the actual informants arrive. Even then, they might not know anything either, Non and his Generals might be keeping their true plan hushed up." Riley shrugged helplessly when he looked towards her, "Honestly, I don't know any more about it than anyone here." "Riley, contact Kara and have her come in. Alex, take a sample of that Kryptonians blood and see if you can find out who he really is. Also, take that clicker with you, even though I'm pretty sure we all know what it was used for." He said, waving his hand at the two women to dismiss them. Using her Bluetooth, Riley called Kara with a small sigh and running a hand down her face to rest near her jaw, "Kara," she said when her sister answered the phone, "we need you to come in. That Kryptonian was actually a spy for Non and Vasquez seems to be close to finding another Fort Rozz prisoner." ' Rao, here we go again. ' She thought to herself in exasperation over the situation. (Later at the D.E.O.) Kara had already been helping with whatever information both she and Riley could possibly think of long after Hank had mentioned the spy's earlier babbling, but they were interrupted by Vasquez calling out to Hank, "Sir, got a trace of something." Putting the discussion of whatever Myriad was to the side, Hank moved over to the dual screens Vasquez moved the information to with himself, Vasquez and Astra going into their 'Fort Rozz Prisoner Hunting' modes. Looking over his shoulder, Hank raised his eyebrows at the others still standing around, "You all have a fairly long day ahead of each of you, so go get some rest." Even Alex put up no fight at the dismissal, the red head almost dragged her feet in exhaustion till she reached Riley, who had easily pulled Alex into her arms. Showing just how tired she was, Alex put up no fight over it and just grumbled with a small pout as she ignored a few amused looks and rested her head on her Super's shoulder. Kara and Riley both gave quiet goodbyes to the others before they floated off to one of the secret entrances that would lead them directly outside just beyond a red sun lamp hallway. Flying at a relaxed speed, the two floated to a stop around the part of town they would part ways at since Alex and Riley's apartments were in the other direction than the Grant house. "I'll see you tomorrow. Cat found a second assistant so with the lighter work load, I should be able to help with the patrols more often." Kara muttered to Riley, then leaned over to gently hug the now dozing Alex, "Get some rest as well because knowing our luck, we'll all need it." Riley nodded softly in understanding of Kara's recently ever-growing protective attitude, "See you tomorrow then, Kar." Once Kara was officially on her way back, Riley flew to her apartment and landed gently just inside the window, not wanting to bother Alex. Honestly, Alex had never actually taken the two Kryptonians to see her current apartment so Riley hoped she didn’t mind another 'sleepover'. She gently settled the older woman on her own bed and was able to wake her up enough to coax her into changing. While Alex changed, Riley had left the room and changed in the bathroom. "Riley, I'm finished." Alex called out to her from the other room. Riley walked back into her room and was surprised to see Alex holding out her arms, "Cuddles and sleep, if you don't mind?" Alex asked her, and the red head chuckled as Riley dove onto the bed to cuddle with her. Low volume music could soon be heard through the room from a Bluetooth speaker connected to Alex's phone. The two women fell into a deep and comfortable sleep together to 'Once Upon a Dream' by 'Lana Del Rey', which Riley knew was one of the more recent songs in Alex's main playlist that was created when they were all still teenagers, part of a few that were deemed 'worthy' of being added on to the old list. Neither ever noticed Astra stopping by the door to Riley's room to check on her daughter, only to smile softly at the two cuddling together with Alex's light snoring and Riley's random bouts of floating just making the sight more adorable. The music seemed to provide a steady noise to offset Alex's almost random soft snores, while Riley's floating would be fixed by Alex grabbing the bed they were both floating away from in her sleep, leading Riley to float back down due to Alex beginning to slip off from her spot over the Kryptonian. The cycle seemed so ingrained into the both of the women that it never once woke them up from their deep sleep in the slightest. Grinning, Astra continued on to her own bed and sent out a quick message over her phone in the group chat, confirming that now everyone of the group were all officially at their homes and safe as she was the last one turning in for the night. That, and a short clip she couldn’t help but take a minute ago of the two goofs in one of the other rooms. 'Too adorable not to share. Besides, there should be no shame in such a love like the one they share. Rao, it is good that Cat and Kara's love is also not hidden with shame.' Her last thought popped into her head as she laid down, grinning at the memory of Kara and Cat in the sun recharge room sharing a few chaste kisses, neither embarrassed by being caught, just amused at Alex's and Riley's over-dramatic reactions. (Next Day at CatCo ) A panicking Winn rushed up to Kara as she walked out of the elevator on to their floor, "We have a problem." Kara continued on towards her desk yet glanced at Winn in confusion, "What happened? Is it any worse than the Blood Feud that Astra is predicting Non to call out within the next week before he unleashes the rest of his forces on National City once the Kryptonian days of Remembrance are over?" "Uh, not quite." Winn said with a thoughtful expression since it just hit him why all the Kryptonians seemed to call a cease-fire earlier, without warning, and how none of them were willing to fight each other. He shook his head a bit to refocus and continued, "First of all, that new second assistant Cat hired? She seems to be gunning to be the only assistant, even though everyone knows that will never happen. Secondly, game night is tonight where we will all finally meet Riley's gamer friend and said friend's wife so remember to bring extra snacks. Lastly, the target that the D.E.O was tracking has disappeared off the grid, like, completely. Just, gone." Dropping her shoulder bag on to her desk, Kara went to respond but did a double take at the name she noticed on the small plaque at the new second assistant's desk, "Wait, how do you pronounce that name?" She asked in a curious whisper, but then shook her head and refocused with a thoughtful squint, "Really? That has to be the third target in a row, something fishy is going on." Winn moved back to his desk at Kara's pointed glance to Cat's elevator, "Alex said that while Riley sets up for game night tonight since it's Riley's day off, she's going to head to the D.E.O with the other agents to see if they can find some link between the escapees." "Good morning, Miss Grant." Kara greeted professionally, giving Cat a small but genuine smile along with it, "Your latte, hot." She passed said latte before her notepad off her desk and moving follow Cat into the older woman's office to begin their work day. An auburn-haired woman stopped them both by offering Cat a large glass mug with a saccharine smile, "Your coffee, Miss Grant. I hand pressed it myself using beans grown in the shade of guava trees on the slope of Mount Baru in Panama." Cat's eyebrows shot up at that, knowing that she did not ask for such a drink, nor did she like regular coffee unless it was after a night of heavy drinking. Glancing at Kara and seeing the blonde subtly nod pointedly, Cat sighed "Kara, you will be the one to answer the phones after you call Olsen and Lane up to my office. Come along, Siobhan." She strutted past without taking the offered coffee, and as she sat in her office chair she noticed Kara muttering softly to the new second assistant in what appeared to be reassurance or possibly explaining Cat's usual dislike of regular coffee, "Chop chop, Assistant two. You are wasting precious daylight." Kara knew that Cat really did have an extremely busy day of work ahead of her and rushed to her desk. She also knew that when that happened, Cat would always be 'in-the-zone' to make dead-lines with ease and tended to snap at or verbally crush people without even realizing it. The two got to work when Siobhan walked into Cat's office, neither Cat or Kara noticing the new assistant gritting her teeth and glaring at Kara every so often, as if whatever happened was the younger blonde's fault. (The Apartment) Having finished their jog in the rain with the red sun bracelets on, Riley closed the door behind them as she and Astra entered the apartment, panting but grinning happily at the tired feeling they both got from the long jog. Most of their exhaustion came from when they were on their way back, where they were play-fighting and chasing each other in a free-style parkour version of tag, with the apartment building entrance being the 'safety-base'. "You can go shower first since you have to head in to work soon, Mom. You can also borrow some clothes from my room as well." Riley offered, removing the bracelet and dropping it into a lockable lead-lined drawer. She then flipped a switch behind a small painting on her way to the kitchen to put the few groceries for game-night that they had picked up on their way back from the small food market a few blocks down. Astra pulled off her own bracelet and dropped it in as well, then made sure to close and lock it, sighing with relief at the slight aches already starting to disappear thanks to a few well-hidden ramped up sun lamps, though knew the boost would only last a few seconds, "If you're sure, then that works for me. Don't forget your own though, you stink." She dodged the hard-plastic cup thrown at her on her way to Riley's room with a hearty laugh. Riley recovered the cup she threw and rolled her eyes with amusement at her Mom. "Easy to see where I got my bouts of sass from." The super muttered to herself with a small smile before opening a water bottle and beginning to take a drink. Her musings were interrupted by Astra still fully clothed, popping her head out of bedroom with a wickedly teasing grin, "What is this?" She asked, holding an article of black lace clothing into the hallway with a single finger for Riley to see once her daughter turned back around to see whatever it was. The spit-take done by her daughter would be a memory that would never cease to amuse her. She laughed as Riley made frantic gestures for her to put it back while stuttering with a growing blush, "I swear that is not mine! Put that back from wherever you got it because if that is Lucy's, she's going to kick the tar out of you for going through her sacred 'Date-Night drawer!" Neither women heard a specific red head stop outside the apartment door, freezing at Riley's whisper-yelled words before she had the chance to knock. Alex dropped her hand and carefully twisted the door knob, moving to slip into the naturally lit apartment. Looking from a panicking Riley to a snickering Astra, Alex's her eyes went wide in shock that Astra discovered the lace bra and panties she was going to try on that Lucy had suggested, on her next date with Riley to ' raise her confidence level ', as Lucy put it, even if nothing happened. When Astra playfully flung the items at a blushing Riley, Alex darted forward and caught the clothing mid-air, tucking it into an inner pocket of her leather jacket. She glared at the older woman, "I would appreciate it if you would not throw my under-things around, nor go through my own set of drawers here." Alex fought down a smirk when the now wide-eyed Astra nodded quickly and stood straight before mumbling 'bathroom', almost instantly disappearing into said room. "Well then, I'll just go grab my iPod that I forgot and head to the D.E.O." An awkward feel in the air seemed almost visible, though Alex didn't turn around as she muttered, fighting off a blush of her own as she rushed to get said item. As Alex went to speed-walk to the front door, she halted to a stop and slapped a hand over her mouth so she wouldn't break into laughter at the sight of Riley still being somewhat slack-jawed and blushing in the spot between the living room and the kitchen. She shook her head at the blonde and jogged up, sharing a quick chaste kiss with a now shyly smiling Riley, "I'll see you after work." Alex said with a slightly dopey smile of her own. "See you later, Alex." Riley called out breathily as the redhead jogged out of the apartment. A freshly cleaned and dressed Astra caught Riley a few minutes later, her daughter sighing softly as she gazed wistfully and tenderly at the door Alex had left from. Walking over, Astra gently patted Riley's shoulder, "Come on daughter, allow me to help you set up a few things. You can also teach me how to make that homemade Shepherd's Pie before the others arrive in a few hours." Riley shook her head slightly and grinned at her mom, "Sure, let's go ahead and get the food out of the way, then we can set up for game night." (Apartment – 7pm, Four hours before Fort Rozz Alien hit) Riley looked around the apartment, making sure anything 'alien' or 'agenty' was hidden carefully out of sight while Astra strategically set up the food on the counters so that the more vegetarian friendly foods were separated from the meats. Lucy and Vasquez had arrived a few minutes ago and were using the two showers to freshen up before anyone else showed up, so them already being home was reassuring. One last glance around had reassured her that everything was ready, just as the door to the apartment swung open to reveal Kara, Winn, and James being herded in by Cat. Catching sight of Riley, Kara shot forward with super speed and slammed into the younger Kryptonian in a hug, "Carter called me leiu before he left!" She whispered fast but with a bright grin and slightly teary eyes. A few people nearly went crossed eyed from the squeal let out by both Kryptonians that could have shattered glass if it hit a little bit higher in pitch, as they both adorably freaked out over whatever Kara had whispered by jumping around in place while hugging. "Alright you two, break it up." James said, popping a hand towel at them that he grabbed from the back of a seat at the dining room table. "If the new couple is arriving on time, then that means they will beat space-dad and Alex here, so avoid doing... all this." He gestured to all of them with a teasing grin. Kara raised an eyebrow at him and put her hands on her hips when she and Riley broke away from the hug, "You just gestured to all of us." Lucy laughed from her place on the smaller couch with Vasquez, "Of course he did. You two are probably the most badly hidden aliens in existence. How more people haven't figured it out in less than two seconds, I will never know but I remain thankful for that since Pam would find a way to kill you both. Honestly though, I wouldn’t be surprised if the entire city knew and just all keep silent about it like the rest of us." Seeing that Cat was claiming half of the bigger couch, Kara rushed over to help share that half, leaving the other half open. "Thank you for claiming a seat." She muttered with a goofy smile and share a quick kiss with Cat. Winn and James had moved to sit on the floor next to Lucy and Vasquez, while Astra dropped down on to the leather roller chair that was next to two women on the large couch. Kara and Cat shared half of the bigger couch, which left the large lounge chair and the other half of the large couch open for others to claim for game night. Two voices she recognized from her games, one of them Maggie, and the other normally just a voice in the background, could be heard as two sets of footsteps made their way down the short hall to the apartment door. Riley waited with nervous excitement until a few quick knocks sounded out, to open the door and greet the two women, "Maggie, sup dude!" Riley greeted her gamer friend with a happy 'dude hug'. Turning slightly to Maggie's wife, Riley felt herself accidently slip into her old teachings and bowed at the waist particularly as she took the woman's offered hand, not kissing it but still holding it delicately, "Kate Sawyer, it is good to meet you." Riley then stood up straight after releasing the hand and blushed a bit at Maggie's amused grin. "Go ahead and head on in. There's beer in the fridge, a case of water bottles next to that, and wine in an ice bucket at the dinner table." The two thanked her and headed inside, soon being greeted by the others already in the apartment. "Well, glad I finally got to see that sort of reaction to people." Hank's voice could be heard from a few feet away, making the blonde jump in surprise. Riley beamed happily at seeing not only the group's Space-Dad, but Alex as well, "Hey Space-Dad, the others are inside and we'll be starting the games in a few minutes." She said to Hank, then focused on Alex with a somewhat shy grin as the laughing man strolled into the apartment to a chorus of happy greetings from his unofficially adopted kids, his unofficial sister, and even the new couple who seemed to already relax among the group. "Hey there." Alex muttered, pulling Riley closer till they both bumped noses in the greeting that Kara had previously swore was 'the most adorkable thing ever'. That pulled a soft laugh from Riley with ease, "Hey you." The blonde returned the silly greeting, then gently pulled Alex with her towards the apartment in a backwards slow walk, not noticing that most of the people already in said apartment were watching them from the doorway with grins, "We should head inside with the others, if only to avoid Kara whining about game night being late to start again." Kara's amused voice cutting through the air had both women startling, "You still pick on me even though you didn't realize we were all at the door and it’s usually you making it late. Meanie." Alex shared a chaste kiss with Riley before she darted towards Kara, sending the other Kryptonian running deeper into the apartment with a squeal and giggle to avoid being tickled. “Well? Let’s get this party started!” Lucy called out, reaching forward to grab Riley by her shirt and pull her back into the apartment, “Food and drinks first though, we don’t want our Danvers’ to feel like we’re starving them.” That pulled laughter from the others, even the three fake-pouting Danvers’, and with some reassurances that there would be plenty of food for the people patiently waiting for their turn. Kate and Maggie joined the other humans, not that they knew that quite yet, in getting their food first. (Small Time Skip) The people who were playing Charades and not just watching, had been split into teams of two. The teams were drawn by random via papers in a hat, and the results were a bit interesting. Kara and Vasquez ended up being the first team, followed by Alex and Maggie, James and Cat, then Kate and Riley. While those groups were teamed up, Astra, Winn, Hank and Lucy decided they would simply enjoy their drinks and the view of the amusing train wreck they were about to witness. “Five dollars says that James and Cat wins.” Hank muttered to the others near him as he dropped a five on the table, grinning when they all raised their eyebrows in surprise, “What? We all know this game will be challenging for all of them due to random teams, but between Cat being ‘The Queen of all Media’ and James with his Photojournalism...” He trailed off with a pointed look, explaining his bet. Astra smirked and leaned forward to put a five on the same small table as well, “I’ll take that bet, and say that Kara and Vasquez will win the game.” Two other fives hit the table, Winn simply pointing at Alex and Maggie, while Lucy gestured to Kate and Riley. At the other two’s confused looks over the seemingly underdog choices, Lucy shrugged, “Might as well, and it’s only five bucks.” A rowdy shout and cheers ringing out pulled their attention to the quickly escalating game where Kate had been doing acrobatics, getting Riley to call out the correct answer of ‘Gymnist’ quickly once the people in the game all got over their initial surprise. Winn took a sip of his soda and laughed at the scene in front of them, “It’s gonna be a long night.” In the end, Winn walked away fifteen dollars richer and both Maggie and Kate feeling relaxed with how well they seemed to fit in with the group. (Next Night – D.E.O) Hank pulled a stand carrying a screen and tech over to the group of Agents, “Due to Agent Vasquez’s new tracking system, we’ve caught the location of a rogue. Fort Rozz Prisoner number Two-Four-Four-Four.” He left the stand and moved towards the group, “He’s been hiding in National City using the name Gabriel Phillips. Considering this being feeds off rotting flesh, there is some worry over how he has been gathering his food source.” A few winces broke through on some faces when he said that, but Hank trudged on, “He’s been spotting coming and going from an abandoned warehouse downtown where he is probably storing his food. Proceed with caution when approaching him, we don’t know if this being is friendly or not.” Turning to Supergirl, Superboy and Astra after he nodded at the other Agents with Alex leading them for to head out. “Supers, there are strange reports of heavy machinery being moved around by people we’ve recognized as part of Non’s non-Kryptonian side of his army. While Alex and her squads head to the warehouse, I need the two of you to be stealthy and check out what’s going on. If you are confronted, get out of there. We don’t know if they have other strange Kryptonite weapons and I would like to avoid finding out the hard way if they do, anytime soon.” Riley and Kara nodded in understanding once they saw Astra was ready to head out as well, the three disappeared out of the building and into the sky to await updates on where to head to. ‘ Rao, let’s hope Non hasn’t made more toys lately. ' Kara thought to herself as they soared through the night. (Warehouse – Downtown National City) Three unmarked and reinforced black vans came to a hard stop just outside of the warehouse and the Agents leapt into action. Alex lead the others towards the door they parked near, “On my mark.” She muttered lowly to the other Agents as they all huddled around the door, “One, Two, Three. Go!” The group flowed into the building when Alex opened the door and began looking over the area for any hostiles or traps, one of the Agents closer to the middle of the group held up a scanner that would alert them to any dangerous toxins in the air or just nearby. Unknown to them, a figure just out of their line of sight finished double checking their armor and helmet, with his weapons set to stun. Alex knew something was up, however, the moment she saw their target chained up on his knees, “Help me!” The alien called out to the armed agents, then lowered his tone to try to alert them to the situation, “Help me, he’s here.” That sent them into high alert and everyone turned the safety off their guns as the previously unseen figure stepped out from the shadows on the other side of the room. A charging or powering noise could be heard from the armored figure, right before a blue pulse shot was fired and hit an agent, knocking the wind out of them and back on their rears. “Weapons free!” Alex called to the others, signaling everyone to open fire. Noise levels quickly shot up as they all fired their issued weapons at the being, doing little to no damage to the armor as more blue pulses were fired in return, flinging Agents backwards all over the place. Something was off about all of it, however. Firing another clip of rounds, Alex noticed that the being was heading straight for the escapee, and that the blue shots did no actual damage to the others. Hell, the falls and knocking into things seemed to do more damage than the actual shots. The armored figure finished crossed the last few feet in-between them and the alien, grabbing the chains as it shot up into the air and away from the warehouse with its cargo in tow. The following lack of gunfire left the warehouse sounded just as quiet as it was before. Hank’s worried voice could be heard over the com-link while a few agents still standing rushed around to help the others back on to their feet, “ Agent Danvers, are you alright? " “We were ambushed and the hostile is gone. He was abducted.” Alex sighed in frustration and feeling more than just a little bit baffled as she stood up from her crouched position behind the shell of a car. (Outside of National City) Astra, Kara and Riley flew overhead in the clouds as they trailed after the small convoy. “What do you think they’re moving?” Riley asked the other two in a low tone, just in case there were people below with super hearing. Astra chimed in since Kara just shrugged, flying lower to try to catch sight of any distinctive markers, “That’s a good question that should try to get answered, along with ‘where are they moving their cargo’, and what for.” Joining in a slow descent to get closer to their target, Kara’s hearing locked on to a strange noise coming from one of the containers, “Alright, do you two hear that or am I going crazy? I think they’re transporting tech, but what sort of tech? It doesn’t sound like anything you would hear from Earth.” “You would know.” Riley muttered with a small smirk, knowing her joke was lame is what made it amusing to her, along with the dual eyerolls from the other two Kryptonians. Astra suddenly stopped mid-flight, leading Kara and Riley to bank hard to avoid crashing into the older woman. They flew back over as she spoke with a scowl of frustration at how careful Non or Non’s remaining Generals were being, “We should head back to base, we’re not going to find out much more while sticking to Henshaw’s orders since they seem to be heading to Fort Rozz, and the cargo crates lined with lead aren’t going to help much beyond alert us that they are hiding something.” Kara turned and lead the flight back to the D.E.O base, smiling softly when Riley started gently drifting around in slow, wide barrel rolls in joy of flight at night, “Agreed, and if we’re lucky Alex and the other Agents will be back from their mission as well. Hopefully they had more luck than we did.” (D.E.O Base) Vasquez pulled up a few stills of the kidnapper that were caught on a small camera attached to one of the Agent’s helmet, and they had it moved over to a screen where Alex and Hank were sitting on either side of them instead of the tablet they had in their hand, “Alright everything is ready, now we just need to wait on the others and we can start the debrief.” They turned to Alex and grinned slyly, “You know, you never did tell us how the date with Riley went. Also, do you two have a second date planned yet?” Alex blushed and let out a sigh with a small smile, “The date was probably everything I could have asked for, for a first official date. Though it was disappointing that it was interrupted, I can’t wait till the next one.” Glancing around and seeing no sign of the Supers yet, she continued, “And nothing is official yet since I don’t know if she’s going to say yes or no, but I plan on asking her out somewhere, this time. Hopefully nothing will come up because I have plans to take her to her first musical. None other than ‘Wicked’.” Alex slipped two tickets out of the ‘go’ bag she kept with her that was near her feet and showed them to Vasquez. Letting out a snort of amusement, Vasquez pushed on Alex’s arm to get her to put them back in case the Supers decided to appear soon, “We all know she’s going to say yes to a second date, and I know for a fact she is going to love said date, with or without the musical because you know she’d be happy so long as you are there. Though she will probably enjoy the musical as well.” Just as she finished replacing the tickets and zipping the bag up, a rush of air breezed through the room, signaling the landing of Kara, Riley and Astra. The Supers moved over to join the others near the monitor, with Riley stopping near Alex to tilt forward a bit so she could lean on the back the chair and sigh happily when she rested her forehead on the top of Alex’s head, “We had no luck beyond finding out they were heading to Fort Rozz with lead lined cargo containers that gave off some not-so-good sounds.” Riley muttered with a deep sigh, relaxing by just being near Alex. J’onn nodded at the information and began updating everyone on the other front, “We’ll look more into it later. At the moment, Alex and her team went to gather the ex-prisoner, only to see him taken by a masked kidnapper with advanced extraterrestrial weaponry that knocked most of our agents flat out.” “Well, the big question is, where did he take our target?” Alex thought out loud, then gestured to one of the screens in front of the group as Riley pulled away to float in a sitting position, “I ran all the images of the kidnapper through our database and nothing matches up.” Kara shrugged after everyone was quietly in thought from that, “Maybe if this person has done this before, they’ve run into local law enforcement?” Vasquez nodded in agreement as they quickly clicked away at something on the tablet they still had, “We could interview NCPD.” “Agreed. We could see if some of their missing persons are our missing aliens.” J’onn leaned forward somewhat to see something Vasquez was trying to show him on the tablet. Astra spoke up for the first time since the three Supers arrived, a worried look etched on to her features, “This person might even be an interstellar bounty hunter, and we will need to be prepared if that is the case. As far as any of us could know, they could be anywhere in the galaxy, and anyone.” (Across the City) In a strange room where the walls were covered in alien tech and four reinforced cages were located, a mechanic voice could be heard from the kidnapper’s armor, “You are Fort Rozz prisoner number two-four-four-four. Guilty of armed theft, and murder. Disguising yourself as a human will not keep you from facing justice. Show yourself.” The figure took on a demanding tone when they spoke their last words. The alien who had been kidnapped earlier, before the D.E.O agents could recover him, tried to say as he knew he simply took the fall for his brother, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Turning on some sort of laser above the restrained alien, the armored figure kept a wrist weapon aimed as he spoke, “By breaking the law you have forfeited your right to exist.” “There is no death penalty on Krypton.” The alien tried once more, having a bad feeling about the situation as he glanced at the ceiling, thinking how he didn’t regret taking the fall for family, but hoped his family would forgive his brother before shifting to show his true form. “Is this what you want? Will you let me go now?” His heart plummeted and sheer terror gripped him when the armored figure grabbed the back on his neck and pushed him forward so strange restraints held his head down, “Wait, please! Don’t kill me, please! Please!” The reddish laser soared down with a press of a nearby button, silencing the sudden screams of terror. Permanently. (Next Day at NCPD) Riley tried to hide the spike of nervousness she felt as she fixed the tie on her fitted ‘Agent’ suit that matched J’onn’s. ‘ Not only did I get a suit, but I also received one of those badges. Now to just make sure I don’t lose it... ' She thought to herself as she double checked to make sure it was still inside of her inner jacket pocket. J’onn stopped mid stride and batted the blonde’s hands away, straightening the tie himself and mutteringly lowly so no one besides those with super hearing could hear, “Easy, Riley. Detective Sawyer isn’t working today so we’re good on that front, and if you’re nervous, treat this like a Kryptonian meeting, formal but somewhat relaxed.” He dropped his hands once he had it fixed and gave her a look when she raised her hands to fiddle with it again, making her drop said hands quickly. “Right, sorry. I’m ready as I’ll ever be, then.” Riley nodded briskly, smiling minutely when J’onn nodded once in return before he turned on his heels and caught up with Alex, the blonde quickly rejoining them right before they all strolled towards a specific office. J’onn knocked a pattern on the open door as he followed Alex into the room with Riley on their heels. Alex took the lead and spoke for them while all three raised their I.D’s to be seen, “Agents Danvers’ and Henshaw, F.B.I.” Out of the two men previously in the room, the one standing introduced them both to the Agents, “I’m Detective Warren. He’s Draper.” “We’re looking into a recent kidnapping in National City.” J’onn started, pulling up the armored figure on his tablet, he turned and showed the two Detectives, “This is our primary suspect.” “Halloween already, huh?” Detective Warren said, adding two cents in a tone that was not needed nor wanted. Alex tried to brush past it though and plastered a fake smile on her face, “Any help would be appreciated.” The man seemed to have a huge dislike for the F.B.I as he sassed, yet again, but with a small fake laugh, “Feds come crawlin’. You must be embarrassed.” Riley turned her head to look out of the office with x-ray vision, her eyes slightly glowing as she scanned to make sure the coast was still clear. She brought her focus back to the room and canceled her x-ray vision to not raise suspicion just in time to catch Alex’s reply. “Well, as long as the job gets done, it doesn’t matter who helps. I mean, look at you guys.” Riley knew Alex was about to bring that Detective’s world down around his ears just by the red heads tone and posture if he took the bait. Warren raised an eyebrow and seemed quite offended, “Meaning?” ‘ Hook, line, and sinking boat .’ Riley thought as she watched the scene play out, shaking her head a bit with a small smirk. “Crime’s gone way down in National City over the last few months, a lot of that, thanks to Supergirl and Superboy.” Alex knew she had them both, the mouthy and silent Detectives, by the line, “But you don’t mind that they help, do you?” “I’ve got an interview with a donut,” Warren bowed out of the verbal sparring with a sigh and headed out of the room after Riley stepped out of his way, “wouldn’t want to be late.” Detective Draper finally spoke up, leaning forward in his chair, “Sorry about Warren. He’s a good cop, he’s just uh... not enlightened.” Riley stepped forward and nodded politely in greeting to the man, “Is there anything you could tell us, Detective Draper?” The man nodded once in return, almost a mirror movement of the blonde, “Not much though. We don’t know who this guy is. We do know that he has been kickin’ around for months though.” “There’s been more kidnappings?” J’onn asked as he stepped closer to the desk, allowing a look of worry to show. “At least five that we know of. But he’s, uh,” Draper glanced out of the office window to make sure Warren was still in the hall and not in hearing range before he slid a file over to Alex, J’onn and Riley, “he’s not just kidnapping them.” Alex opened the file and Riley inhaled a small, sharp breath at the crime scene photo, moving to slightly rub at her neck at Draper next bit of information for them, “We found all the bodies down by the river. All of the decapitated.” Lifting the file for emphasis, Alex questioned him with honest confusion, “How could we not have heard about this?” Draper had an explanation for that as well, “The mayor wants this kept quiet but, all the victims were... weird. Having fish gills, kind of weird.” He glanced out of the room and seeing Warren look back, he pulls the file away, “Hope that helps.” “Thank you, Detective Draper.” J’onn told the man, leading Alex and Riley from the room with a brisk human pace, his easy smile falling off as if was never there. He spoke up again when the three of them left hearing range, “There’s an alien serial killer in National City.” Nodding in agreement, Alex spoke before she lead the way out of the building and towards the S.U.V they arrived in with Riley hopping into the driver’s seat to take them all back to base, “And we need to find out who’s next.” (Later at the D.E.O.) Vasquez pulled up the information on the major set of screens in the command center while J’onn updated everyone, “Based on the human aliases of our guys victims, I think they were actually these five alien prisoners from Fort Rozz.” “Any connection besides Fort Rozz?” Alex asked, using the keyboard in front of her to quick cycle through the information they had. J’onn shook his head and crossed his arms, “Not that I can see. All different backgrounds in crimes. None of them were even cellmates.” Riley walked over to join them, having changed out of her Agent suit and into her Super costume, “The killer has to be picking them for a reason though.” “Wait a minute.” Alex said in realization while pressing a few keys to have the order of the victims on screen begin moving, “Look at this. See what happens when you arrange them in the order that they were killed? He’s killing the escapee’s in their prison number order.” “Which would make the next target, Prisoner two-four-four-five.” J’onn said, using the same keyboard to pull up a picture of said target. Riley stepped forward and picked the Bluetooth ear piece off the desk and placed it in her left ear, “I’ll head out now and see if I can get started on finding him first, get a hold of Kara so she knows what’s going on and we can double the effort.” With that said, she was soaring out of the hidden passage from the D.E.O to hit the skies and begin looking. (That Night, just outside of National City College) Kara called out from over their Bluetooth connection, “ I won’t be able to meet up with you anytime soon Superboy , dealing with a major apartment building fire and a very aggressive rogue alien .” “Don’t worry about it Supergirl. Just make sure to get those civilians to safety and be careful out there.” Riley returned, sticking to their nicknames just in case someone could hear from Kara’s end. A deep and metallic voice caught Riley’s attention, making the super turn and head in its direction, “ Prisoner two-four-four-five. Show yourself. " “Supergirl I have to go, I found the killer!” Riley clicked the ear bud to end the call and risked a bit more speed at seeing the killer’s target try to run, but get hit at the knees by something thrown. “Hey!” She called out as she landed between the ex-prisoner and the armored being, “I thought masks were only a thing in Gotham? Are you going to tell me who you are, murderer, or will this have to be done the hard way?” The being dropped its arms to its sides and chains appeared, making Riley slide into a fighting stance, “The hard way it is, then.” Riley shot in to the air to dodge the chains flung in her direction, feeling her heart begin to race like it always did in a fight, more so as the chains rattled through the air below her. Cutting through the air as fast as she dared, Riley swung hard, but was left mentally reeling in surprise when the armored being simply moved out of the way, leaving her open for a counter-attack. Chains rattling through the air again forced her to turn swiftly to catch them and avoid a direct hit, but with a twist of its arms, her grip on the chains turned in to the chains having a grip on her. Knowing there wasn’t an easy way out of this, Riley let herself be thrown, only to use the whiplash of the chains to launch herself back at the being and she huffed a breath of triumph when she landed a hit on them and sent them spinning through the air. That moment was soon ended as more chains were launched at her, and the brawl began to pick up. Good hits were landed by both the Super and the armored being, the chains assisting and hindering both of them as they fought. Riley could honestly say that all of the spinning started making her a little nauseous, but catching sight of the terrified ex-prisoner during one of the spins honed her focus on the battle once more. Risking her super speed, Riley darted behind her opponent and wrapped the chains around them, lifting them off their feet for a few seconds before she spun them around and slammed her head forward to headbutt the armored helmet, sending the other staggering back. Deciding enough was enough Riley launched into the air again, only to feel chains wrap around her ankles, jerking her to a stop and her arms were quickly chained as well. Not wanting to break whatever she was attached to via chains, she used her heat vision to burn off all four connections and turned her gaze back forward. Forcing herself to keep quiet at the lack of ex-prisoner and killer, Riley resisted the urge to yell in angered frustration. ‘ Rao, can anything go right today?! ' Gently as she could in her current mood, she yanked the chains out of the concrete and grabbed whatever was thrown at the ex-prisoner earlier, then shot off in the sky back towards the D.E.O. (At the D.E.O.) Back in the command center near their usual top lit-up table, J’onn crossed his arms and nodded to the objects Riley recovered, “Black star alloy. With that kind of technology, this guy is definitely not from around here.” “Then why is he killing other aliens?” Kara asked, still covered in soot and slightly smelled of smoke from the fire she put out earlier. Alex responded to clear up a bit of Kara’s confusion at the situation, “He’s not just killing these victims, he’s executing them. We’ll run diagnostics on the weapons and the possible connection they have to Fort Rozz to see what we can find.” At that the group broke apart and everyone went about whatever it was they needed to do, leaving Riley and Vasquez at the table. Vasquez let out a small huff of annoyance at the lack of orders until an idea hit them, “Hey Superboy, what do you say to a competition in the red sun training room?” “Rao, count me in! What sort of competition?” Riley grinned at Vasquez, who moved off with Riley quickly following the shorter agent out of the main area and down a hall. Vasquez chuckled lowly in amusement, excited that they might have someone to join in on the game, “You’ll see.” (Later, still at the D.E.O.) Riley let out a harsh gasp, still being somewhat tired as she stared at Vasquez in both surprise and feeling more than a little impressed at what just occurred. She got a cheeky grin and a shrug from them in return, “I know, right? I’m pretty good at this if I do say so myself.” Looking back, Riley stared at the target on the other side of the room with her jaw dropped in awe, “How?” Was all she could ask, starting to grin in excitement at the cool-ness factor of what she just witnessed. Vasquez laughed hard at that, wiping away a tear or two that said laughter caused before they could answer, “Told you I could hit a far target with a knife throw, and the how would be quite a few practices during college when I wanted to impress a girl that was in my class, off campus.” They grinned and patted Riley’s shoulder, “You were the one who challenged me to hit the target while we both sparred with hand-to-hand combat!” “I can easily say that I regret nothing and now I feel the need to see if you can do that while sparring both myself and Alex...” Riley trailed off in thought, considering when that would work best if Vasquez agreed to it. They were cut off though, by the door to the large training room swinging open and the red lights shut off as the regular lights kicked on, “Come on you two, Alex found a match!” Kara called out, wasting no time to turn back around and jog the way she came, but now with Riley and Vasquez quickly on her heels. The sight of Alex turning a corner to stroll down the small hallway to the command room had Riley lifting Vasquez up by a few inches and using her returned super speed to zoom down the hall. Now having joined the red head, while happily amused that Vasquez just kept walking like that didn’t just happen, Riley spoke up in question, “What did you find?” “We ran diagnostics on the masked man’s weapon from the attack. The metal baton was standard police issue and was covered in human DNA.” Alex explained as the now group of four made their way towards the center of the command room, “So we ran it through the database and we got a match. Detective Warren. Good thing we already know where he works.” A small pout mixed with confusion, appeared on Kara’s face, “That cop you guys interviewed who hates me?” that pout morphed into a bit of oddly vicious glee, “Ooh, I’ve wanted to catch a corrupt cop ever since we binge watched ‘The Wire’.” Riley rolled her eyes and chuckled lowly, because of course that would be exciting to Kara, “Well Miss Corrupt-Cop-Catchers, after J’onn tells us what’s going on, you two get to go catch us a bad guy while I assist Astra.” Giving a two fingered salute to a nearby guard who nodded in greeting to the group, she strolled towards where J’onn was waving them over, where he and Astra were looking over a map of the desert outside of town, probably due to recently new information on Non’s army. (Next day, near the outskirts of National City) Riley sat in the back-passenger seat of the SUV that the D.E.O was taking towards their real target’s location. She would have flown, but with the murderer being who he was, they didn’t want to risk Kryptonian powers alerting the guy to the fact that they were there. With the way they were taking the bumpy backroad, it was no surprise to anyone that Lawson was the one driving. That woman could drive anything, but it was normally high speeds or nothing for her. When they seemed to be back on some sort flat road again, the two SUVs cruised to a stop. Instantly agents of Alex’s squad swarmed out of the vehicles to begin saving Kara. “Trap Leader this is Greyhound. Give me a sitrep.” J’onn’s voice called over the team’s radio. “Moving in now.” Alex said as took point with her AR at the ready, Riley on her heels with a shotgun and half of the rest of the squad following in a row to hide their numbers. The other half banked around the side in the trees while they approached from the unpaved driveway. Every precaution was taken to avoid any possible traps outside, so while the other squad checked and dealt with anything outside, Alex and the others pushed for the main door. The three lined up at the door, and with a short nod, Alex gave her orders. A resounding thump echoed through the small cabin as the door was firmly kicked in by Riley, allowing the other two agents with her and Alex to swarm inside. The forest group broke in through the backdoor a second later. “Clear!” Was echoed out one by one from the agents. “Director, she isn’t...” Alex was cut off by Riley passing her shot gun over to Wick, her eyes glowing blue from her x-ray vision. Riley then brought her foot down hard, shattering a few wooden planks out of the way. The dim red glow from some strange source became more visible, “Because they’re down there. Allow me to clear the way for you.” Alex leapt forward and gripped the well-hidden grapple points on Riley’s armor just as the super dropped down into the cavern below. The decently sized ship was stoutly made, but it wasn’t made in mind to find off a very angry super powered Kryptonian. What wasn’t part of the plan was for Riley to stumble the moment they burst through the top of the ship, sending her careening to the side while Alex instantly turned her Assault Rifle towards the Jailer and unloaded the ammo towards him. The red light in the room was far more than just emergency lights it seemed, as Riley could feel her powers rapidly draining due to the red sun lamps. Master Jailer swung an arm out and sent Riley tumbling again when she tried to lung at him with the powers she had remaining, leading her head to slam solidly into the cage holding Kara. Other agents were now dropping in via rope lines, joining Alex in the assault, but they too were sent flying. Thankfully one of them had been able to tug the Professor away from the commotion and dove over him protectively. Kara yanked harder at the bars, though it did nothing to free her. She cursed at the armored man when the Jailer quickly over powered Alex and forced the red head down so her neck was right where it needed to be for the machine to behead her next. Alex’s last reach for her pistol was aimed true. More shots were fired, and though every shot missed the Jailer, he didn’t seem to realize that it simply shot a darkened glass window just enough that the sun’s bright rays beamed down into the ship. Right on to Kara and Riley. His masked smug voice sent a burning anger through their veins, “ You wasted your ammo. ” “No I didn’t.” Alex leaned forward as much as she could, grinning wickedly as Kara reared back to punch the cage doors away and Riley rocketed to her feet, “Here comes the sun.” Alex kicked him hard in the side, and even with his armor he was forced backwards. A second kick from her sent him stumbling backwards, and the two Super’s gazes locked on to him with a vengeance. “Alex, move!” Kara called out just before her fists connected firmly with the cage doors, sending them flying forward and away leaving her clear to walk out freely even as the doors slammed into the Jailer and made him stumble again. Riley shot forward with a roar when he straightened up and fired at Kara, grabbing his hands before he could fire again, and crunched the weapons under her grip. The Master Jailer’s eyes widened for all to see; his helmet having been knocked off when the doors to Kara’s cage slammed in to him. What he did not expect, and neither did anyone else, was for Riley to drop the man’s wrist, forcefully grab him by his neck. Something dark warred in Riley’s eyes that no one but the Jailer could see, and a crack of a neck sounded just lower than familiar footsteps, signaling the end of the Master Jailer. It was all over so fast, that it felt like the fight only lasted a second when Alex came back over from finding a way out they could all take to get back to the surface. Wick tossed Riley her shotgun back, Kara took off to take the Professor back to the college and Alex walked over while the other agents dealt with what remained of the Jailer. “You okay?” “No.” Riley muttered with a lost look towards the place that was now vacant of the Jailer’s body, a deep red gem pulsing beneath the skin of her left side, though she and no one else had noticed, “I don’t think I am. ” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter Twelve: Living Nightmare 35 Years Ago – The Phantom Zone* The computer records show that it had only been a week since Rile made the decision for both herself and Kara. Three days in the Phantom Zone and the hibernation systems had failed to the point where only one of them could sleep through however long they were stuck there. So Rile did what she thought best and activated Kara’s mid argument since both wanted the other to have the security of the system active.Now, one week later, Rile realized just how terrifying the Phantom Zone actually is with nothing to really see but the vast lack of life outside the pod. One Month Later Rile had exhausted the computer’s data banks. She had read all she could since she was forced to be awake for every miserable second the two Kryptonians were trapped. Sure, she did not need food or liquids as the pod had no issue keeping up with Life Support, but that did not mean she couldn’t already feel the lack of social interaction scraping at the insides of her mind. For a moment, Rile wished Kara was awake as well so she wouldn’t be so alone. She mentally shoved that thought away though since she didn’t want Kara to have to deal with this feeling as well. It was already bad enough for one of them and she figured that both of them didn’t need to feel miserable. One Year and Eleven Months Later Two years. Two years since being trapped in the Phantom Zone and Rile was already hearing the voices of her and Kara’s family speaking to her as if they were in the pod with them. “No Ieiu, you know Aunt Astra is right. The battle strategies she did during the skirmish with the Daxamites proves that they were merely testing our planets defenses for a proper attack. If she had brought more than just a token of fighters, their real attack later would have actually done damage to our people. Instead, they underestimated Krypton and paid for it.” Rile muttered to the two people seemingly leaning against the outsides of the pod’s glass on her left and right. Astra smirked with this new victory and Alura rolled her eyes with a sigh, admitting defeat without words. She knew they weren’t real, but with each passing day it felt less and less true. Five Years Later Rile bobbed her head and swayed around to the music coming from the computer systems. A year ago she would have mentally drifted till she could pretend to be back home on Krypton, but as of a few weeks ago, she could no longer pull herself away from where she really was. Seven lines were carved into the metal wall to the left of her. One for every year they had been trapped in the Phantom Zone. Rile knew her mind was fraying. She finally had to admit it to herself when, just to feel grounded, she had yelled as loud as she could till her voice had given out on her before she had discovered the music files. Thanks to the Medical part of the Life Support on the pod, she wouldn’t scar from the all the scratching she had previously been doing to herself when the yelling hadn't been enough. There were some days where Rile’s memory was missing hours or even a full day of time. She started recording herself daily, and was surprised that she didn’t pass out during the mental black outs. Instead it seemed like she was still fully awake, but something changed about her. Her posture, the look in her eyes... she saw someone stubborn there after her worst mental breakdowns. Rile wasn’t sure she wanted to know what was happening. Thirteen Years Later The music had stopped a few years ago, same with her access to read the virtual library of data that was stored. The computer having locked it to save power due to the unexpected amount of time spent holding the two El’s. Only the noises she could make and Kara’s own steady breathing was there to latch on to. Rile was silent while slumped forward, her forehead resting on the back of Kara’s seat as her mind locked on to the sound of her sister’s breathing. The others she had seen were long gone as well, leaving her with nothing but desperation and talking to herself as she tried to keep her thoughts from drifting to the hopelessness of the situation. She also lost track of the years, and had to rely on the computer to keep her updated now. Sometimes when her mind would cease drifting aimlessly and remember the current situation, she would scream and cry into the void. It led to her lashing out at the metal of the pod around her as her mind felt like it was close to shattering, desperately wanting to break things around her to fit how she felt. Rile wouldn’t stop until her voice gave out, her body no longer able to produce tears at the time, and her knuckles raw from hitting the walls around her as she begged, screamed and cried for those that were lost in the death of Krypton. For Kara to please wake up because she couldn’t take it anymore. Twenty lines were carved along the walls she so desperately lashed out at. Four Years Later Rile was once again slumped forward against Kara’s seat. Staring sightlessly at the blank screen in front of her that had been built into the seat itself. Twenty-four lines now marked the walls. She wasn’t sure if she could keep up with them anymore. The will to keep track was gone, replaced by a growing desperation for everything to just stop. She jolted in surprise when the computer kicked on, staring in blank-faced confusion at the three red dots on the screen that had been only showing the time for so long. Kara’s gasp from waking up made her fear that the computer decided that neither should hibernate, but the movement of the pod shooting forward towards the exit of the Phantom Zone halted her from saying anything. “Rile? I think the pod was able to reactive its guidance systems! We’re leaving!” Kara’s excited voice dragged silent, tearless sobs from the Rile. She hoped that this was really happening, and that it wasn’t all just in her mind again. She needed it to be real. She didn’t know what she’d do if it wasn’t. She couldn’t quite respond to Kara. After four years of not speaking or even humming, she felt that she forgotten how. Her silence worried Kara, but simply placing a shaky hand on the top of Kara’s seat for Kara to see, kept that worry on a backburner. In a mere two days, Earth would be seen from the view port of the pod and it was highlighted by Kara's excited babble of information that was given from the now rebooted computer. What happened next would begin to shape things to come for them. One way or another.
11325447	The Way We Love	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Min Yoongi \| Suga, Park Jimin (BTS)", "Fandom": "방탄소년단 \| Bangtan Boys \| BTS", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by aigoomaster", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-06-28T00:00:00", "words": "1,256", "Additional Tags": "just realized i didn't put the rest of the members in, Oops, author's first fic, Min Yoongi \| Suga Swears a Lot, min yoongi is an idol, park jimin is the bf, au!, Established Relationship, Hidden Relationship, Long-Term Relationship(s), I Will Go Down With This Ship, Love, True Love", "Relationship": "Min Yoongi \| Suga/Park Jimin", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": "30 Day OTP Challenge!! (bc im v lame)", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	(Day 1: holding hands)They were holding hands. Something soft and nice, no harsh feelings or harsh words, no deadline or day to dread – just soft, peaceful handholding – something that Yoongi hadn’t had the ability to do in so long because he’s not just Jimin’s anymore. Jimin was just playing with Yoongi’s fingers, tracing the lines in the palm, occasionally telling him what each line means, but mostly just basking in the light of Yoongi (and loving that, just for this moment, Yoongi was just his). They were just talking, but it was still as new as it was in college – back when they had just started learning about one another.Yoongi had hit it big – like really big, and now Jimin shared him with a shit ton of fans. But they both remembers from before that – Jimin remembers how much time Yoongi had spent on his music, back when there was no face or money or fame involved, back when it was just the low-quality recordings of his emotions – the anger, the hate, the pain and longing, the sex, and the love. Yoongi remembers how many sleepless nights were spent in the rented-out studio, how much excitement was felt when someone commented about how much they enjoyed listening to music or followed AGUSTD on soundcloud. They were young, in love, and had hope for a dream to not be lost and a dream to come true – in the best way.And it did. It truly did. Yoongi became the guy, the rapper, and the face of the Korean underground scene. Some smaller label noticed him and asked for a demo. They soon (very soon) after sent Yoongi a contract and a new family. He started putting out new music regularly, and got paid for it. Some big vloggers somehow came across him and started promoting him – big time.Next thing he knows he’s getting the treatment of an idol, without him having to live the life of an idol (the fake smiles and fake happiness piss him off, to say the least so that was good.) He got fans, followers on all his public social media; he got haters, of course, but he also got people to stand up for him when he was down and help him back up, too.Then he’s getting told to get ready for tours and interviews, to think about his image and to leave Jimin because, even now, after all these years, people aren’t cool with the fact that guys fuck guys and girls fuck girls.It causes a lot of fights, a lot of harsh words, and lot less loving. Yoongi and Jimin fighting because it wasn’t working out anymore, because Yoongi got spotted with another “good girl” (who everyone thought would be the one to tame the great rapper, AGUSTD); because Jimin was too close to that fucking prick in his dance group that doesn’t understand that Jimin was fucking in a relationship; because both were tired of not seeing one another for months on end, of cold beds, of hoarse voices, of the drunk fighting as well as the sober, and of all the time fucking wasted.They almost break up. The fighting was getting to be too much, with too little time to figure everything out and to keep the love going. They had countless I hate yous and the I (still) love yous but sometimes, sometimes love needs to be taken care of too. After their worst fight, Yoongi left Jimin in tears for some stupid award show, and Jimin left Yoongi for Busan, for the comfort of his family and places that he thought Yoongi hadn’t tainted. (Jimin didn’t realize that regardless of where he went or what he did, Yoongi would be engraved in soul, a shadow he couldn’t get rid of even in the night.)Yoongi almost gave up. It was too hard to pretend like Jimin leaving didn’t break every part of him, and everyone always said that it would happen sooner or later, that you can’t chase your dreams with the baggage of another person. He didn’t, of fucking course he doesn’t (everyone fucking knows he’d give up his dream before Jimin – Jimin is his real dream and he isn’t going to fuck leave that), and so he missed Jimin, left him voicemails. Told him that he would wait until the last breath he took, told Jimin that without him, there was no point in getting the fame and the money.They got back together and that night, Yoongi put up a video. Jimin didn’t find out until that morning, neither did the managers. It was a shitstorm, of course, but Yoongi didn’t give a shit. At all. Eventually, it came down to this: the fans that stuck stayed, others slandered and left.And then, he got asked to do an international tour. It was small, only one day in each venue, only one or two per country; only lasted two months, but it was the world to him and Jimin. People recognized him on the streets in other countries now, told him that he inspired them to come out and be with people they love – and to him, that was the greatest thing. The fact that he was able to help people stand up for who they were, that he was able to make something great of something people didn’t want to be associated with, something they called dirty and wrong – he made it something beautiful and real. And now here they were: holding hands. Something soft and nice, no harsh feelings or harsh words, no deadline or day to dread – just soft, peaceful handholding – something that Yoongi hadn’t had the ability to do in so long because now, now he’s got millions chanting his name and singing along. (“Okay, now listen up. I’m saying this now, and I’m only gonna say it once. Translators, please make sure this get translated into all the languages needed, just like usual.I’m gay. I’m very gay. I’m in a relationship with the most perfect man to grace this world with his being. We’ve been together for 7 years now, and everyday I thank my fate that we ended up together. That we stayed together. Without him, I would be worth nothing. I would be nothing. This fame and attention, without him, wouldn’t be worth shit, isn’t worth shit because without the person who matters most, I don’t think any fucking thing matters. He matters the most to me. More than fame or money or even this career. Regardless of how you react to this, thank you for being a fan, listening to my music, and supporting me. If this is where you stop being a fan, thank you for stopping by and letting me tell you parts and pieces of my story. If not, I hope this gives you some strength to be who you are and love who you love, because if there’s one thing I’ve learned in these 7 years and with this career: it’s that love needs to be loved too, and that life is way too fucking short to worry about whether everyone is going to be happy with who you are. They’re not going to be. You will be, and you’ll find others who will be too, and one day (even if it’s not soon) that will be enough.So, to sum up this video, I’m Min-fucking-Yoongi (just in case someone tries to say I’m not) and I’m in love with a man.”)
11307663	Trolls Cinderella	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Branch (Trolls), Creek (Trolls), Poppy (Trolls), King Peppy, Grandma Rosiepuff, Satin (Trolls), Chenille (Trolls)", "Fandom": "Trolls (2016)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by Bluemoondreams", "chapters": "9/9", "completed": "2017-07-03", "published": "2017-06-26T00:00:00", "words": "27,231", "Additional Tags": "Romance, Eventual Romance, Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Male Cinderella, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Fairy Tale Retellings, Alternate Universe - Cinderella Fusion", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Branch/Creek (Trolls), Branch & Creek (Trolls)", "Series": null, "Collections": "Troll's Creek and Branch Fairy Tales", "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Trolls Cinderella.Chapter one:Once long ago there was a good troll King named Peppy and his fair troll Queen Rosiepuff, the couple had one son named Sky he had married a troll named Pansy, their first child was named Branch and five years later they had a daughter named Poppy, unfortunately during the birth of this child Pansy died. Sky mourned the death of his wife so deeply that he soon followed Pansy into the after life and it was at this time that Branch turned grey with sadness over the loss of both his parents. After their deaths King Peppy and Queen Rosiepuff were left to raise their two grandchildren, which they did to their best of their abilities but it saddened them both that they could not bring the colours back to their grandson.Poppy grew to be a beautiful troll, she was happy, positive, full of fun, song and dance but yet stubborn and determined. Branch on the other hand was wise, serious, withdrawn, he was just like his sister was also stubborn and determined but unlike Poppy he never sung or danced. Poppy had made many friends they called themselves the snack pack, they even included the older Branch and Creek a purple spiritual troll as part of their group, but it was clear from the beginning that these two male trolls did not get on in the slightest. Creek loved to torment the grey troll, any female troll Branch fell in love with the purple troll enjoyed making them his girlfriend before Branch ever got a chance to tell them of his feelings, Creek also liked to mock Branch for being grey and he was the one responsible for the other trolls all calling him the gloomy prince not that Creek ever admitted to this fact. This nickname caused the prince to retreat further from the other trolls, however as Peppy grew older Branch began to take over many of the day to day duties of running the kingdom which caused a lot of the trolls to start to see their grey prince in a different light, as they began to see what kind of King he was going to be one day.Peppy and Rosiepuff were very proud of their grandson but they worried about the fact that he lived his life in such an isolated way, aside from his sister and them Branch wasn’t really close to any of the other trolls. They knew most of this came from, the loss of his parents, as well as being teased by other trolls about being grey and his nickname of the gloomy prince. The King and Queen both wanted their grandson to be happy, they felt that maybe if he found himself a life mate then perhaps this would help to make Branch more cheerful. Peppy and Rosiepuff had talked for a long time about how they could help their grandson find that one special troll for him and eventually the royal couple had settled on holding a grand ball, so that Branch had the chance to meet as may eligible troll’s as possible, but they also felt that it would be wise to wait until Branch was twenty five which was two years away.With their decision was made Peppy and Rosiepuff went to see Branch, who was working hard in his study as he often did. “Grandson?” The old King said to the grey troll as they stood in the doorway of the room.The prince looked up at his grandparents, he gave them a slight smile glad to see them and then gestured them into his study. “Grandpa, Grandma, can I help you both?”Side by side the two older trolls entered the prince’s study and then settled themselves into the two chairs on the other side of Branch’s desk from where he was sitting. “As you know Branch I will soon be retiring as King of the troll tree. You have been doing a wonderful job of taking over the duties of King from me, we are both very proud of you Branch and your grandma and I both think that when the time comes you are going be a wonderful King but we do have some concerns.”“Oh, what worries are those grandpa?” Branch asked him with concern and curiosity.King Peppy took a deep breath, he knew that he needed to word what he was about to say carefully and did his best to do so. “We are worried that you spend so much time alone…We also think that you should think about taking a life mate Branch…Ruling alone wouldn’t be easy.”Branch’s heart gave a lurch and a faintly ill feeling swept through the prince as his grandpa mentioned the idea of him trying to find a life mate. Branch took a few moments to calm himself, he had known that his grandparents worried about him, the prince wished he could ease their concerns about his single state but the grey troll know that wasn’t possible. “I know ruling alone wouldn’t be easy grandpa…But although I’ve been in love it’s never really ended well for me…Besides which can you honestly ever see any troll loving me…I don’t want to marry a troll I don’t love, you know that the healers have said that if I did do so it would more than probably make my grey condition even worse. Unfortunately for me it appears that no troll in the troll tree seems to be able to see beyond my grey condition to me.”Rosiepuff placed a hand onto his and then said softly to the grandson she loved so much. “We know it’s not going to be easy for you Branch but…Please at least think about it…I’ve sure there is a troll out there who will see beyond your colours to you…”“I’ll think about it grandma.” The grey troll promised her, Branch felt this was the least he could do, he did understand their concerns, it was times like this when the prince hated his grey colouring and the way that it effected his life.After this conversation with his grandparents Branch found that his mind was to full of conflicting thoughts to continue on which his work, so the prince pushed what remained of his work to one side and left the royal pod. He made his way through the troll tree lose in thought, the prince went for a long walk in the forest trying to get his thoughts into some kind of order so he could deal with them. After walking for some time, the grey troll let out a sigh, he stopped walking it was clear to him that his mind was not going to settle tonight and that he was going to have to do something different to settle them. Branch knew that only his family knew why he was grey and why he didn’t sing but tonight from somewhere the urge to sing to try and still his thoughts was bubbling up in him. Slowly for the very first time since he had lost his parents Branch gave his voice wings, he totally unaware of two trolls other out on a walk together themselves in the forest as they came across him singing and got the surprise of their lives.“Every day of my life is a grey day,I see no colour, yet I look for a rainbow.I wait for the rain of hope to wash my pain awayBut no rain falls to ease my heart.Every day of my life is a grey dayThey call me the gloomy prince,What do they know of my heart?What do they know of my soul?What do they know of my spirit?Every day of my life is a grey dayClouds of pain rolled in to cloud my wayI wait for the wind of love to push them awayBut no wind comes to blow love into my life.Every day of my life is a grey dayThey call me the gloomy prince,What do they know of my heart?What do they know of my soul?What do they know of my spirit?Every day of my life is grey dayI seek the sunshine of a brighter lifeI wait for the light of happiness to help the flower bloomBut no sunshine comes and the flower withers and dies.Every day of my life is a grey dayThey call me the gloomy princeWhat do they know of my heart?What do they know of my soul?What do they know of my spirit?Every day of my life is a grey dayWith colours lost to the grave,Hope lost to the all consuming darkness,With my heart and soul crying out for you,Happiness is nothing but a distant memory…Every day of my life is a grey day…Yes every day of my life is a grey day…”“Oh wow…!” The female voice said after he finished singing, startled Branch he turned to find his sister and Creek standing there, they were both staring at him in wide eyed wonder. “Oh wow…Brother I had no idea you could sing like that…It was amazing”Branch was surprised when instead of saying something usually derogatory to him, Creek simply continued to stand there and stare at him. The grey troll blushed slightly, then addressed his sister. “I hadn’t sung for years…To be honest I was expecting my voice to sound terrible. Did I interrupt your date with Creek?”Poppy shook her head at her brother and then smiled at him. “Oh no, no, we did date a few years back, but well we decided we were better off as friends.”“Oh I see.” The grey troll said softly, his eyes strayed to Creek for a few moments as he wondered how the purple troll felt about his sister’s words.“I hope you’ll sing again soon…But maybe something a little more positive.” The pink troll said to the grey troll drawing his eyes away from Creek and back to her.“Maybe if I have something positive to sing about then I will.” He said softly to his sister, Poppy grinned at her brother she ran across the clearing, flung her arms around him and hugged Branch close, glad to hear him say he would think about singing something more positive.Slowly the prince returned her hug, holding his little sister close to him, as they broke the hug Poppy grinned up at her brother. “You really do have such an amazing voice it would be a crime for you not to sing again.”“Thank you sister.” The pink troll smiled at her brother again before releasing him from the hug, she then turned, gave her brother a wave which he returned and headed back towards the troll tree.Branch was surprised to find that despite the fact Poppy had left Creek was still standing there watching him and the grey troll found himself asking the other troll. “What is it Creek?”“Your aura is different tonight…”“Is that a good thing?” The prince asked with some concern.The purple troll shook himself slightly to dislodge the dazed state Branch’s singing had caused him to be in and then answered this question. “I think so…It feels like something is going to change for you soon.”Knowing that the spiritual troll had no idea about what his grandparents had spoken to him about earlier in the day, Branch felt that for the very first time that Creek was telling him something he needed to take note of so for once the grey troll said softly. “I’ll remember that.”Creek felt his eyes widen, Branch had never spoken to him in such a gentle way before, the grey troll assuming that with this said that the purple troll would now return to the troll tree turned away from him. The grey troll then climbed up a nearby plant and instead of going home as he had meant to the spiritual troll found himself following the prince up the plant. Branch settled down on one of the high leaves of the plant he looked up at the moon, totally unaware of Creek a few leaves bellow him on the plant the grey troll spoke. “Hey mum, hey dad…Somethings going to change…I wonder what he meant…I get a feeling that Creek is right, which is strange on its own. You’d laugh if you were still here mum, you where such good friend with Creek’s mother and well I get along with her just fine, but Creek and I we hate each other so that makes me wonder why I…Ugh…I wish you were here dad, that troll confuses me no end, there are times I want to strangle him and times I want to…Well that part is best not said but I do get that feeling you use to tell me about, I wonder if I inherited it from you dad…I know I should talk to grandpa about it, but I know thinking about you makes him sad. Find some troll to love they say, there will be a troll out there who will see me beyond the grey, yeah like that’s going to happen thanks to Creek all they see is the gloomy prince and the one who will take care of the kingdom after grandpa dies…I better get home and get some sleep. Night mum, night dad and don’t worry I’m watching over and taking care of Poppy just like you asked me too.”Knowing that Branch would be coming back down the plant Creek pressed himself back against the plant and blended in to it. The spiritual troll held his breath hoping that the grey troll wouldn’t notice him as he watched the prince go passed him, Creek let out relived breath when he wasn’t spotted by the prince but the purple troll still waited until Branch was well out of sight before he then came out of hiding. Creek hadn’t known that Branch was friends with his mother just as his own mother had been and the spiritual troll also hadn’t known that the other troll spoke to his parent’s spirits. Listening to the grey troll tonight had given the spiritual troll an insight into the other troll's life which he hadn't had before, one which made Creek feel like the biggest idiot to have ever lived. The purple troll wondered what the prince had been talking about…What had Branch inherited from his father? Creek made his way back to the troll tree, the purple troll went to bed that night with a lot of things on his mind from his day all of them to do with the prince. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter two:The day after this encounter with the prince in the forest Creek went in search of the grey troll, he located him supervising the placement of some new pods. As soon as the purple troll noticed the prince he felt his heart pick up its pace and Creek felt terribly nervous about what he was going to do. After all trying to make peace with a troll he had spent most of his years teasing wasn’t going to be easy to manage, but Creek felt it was well worth the effort to make emends with Branch after all he now knew that the prince had a lot to deal with and they were now fully grown trolls not children any more. “Good morning prince Branch.”“Good morning Creek was there something I can help you with?” Branch asked this question cautiously unsure why the purple troll was approaching him and at the same time waiting for him to either say something about last night or to mock him in some way.“I’m not in need of any help but it was kind of you to ask. I see there are a lot of new pods to be placed…Have you thought about the east side of the tree?” Creek asked slowly moving closer to Branch trying to show that he wasn’t going to do anything untoward.The grey troll looked down at the map of the troll tree with its various pods in his hands and frowned for a moment with concentration. “The east side, no I will admit I thought that perhaps it would be too bright in the mornings for most trolls.”“Some trolls like morning sun. My families pod is on that side of the tree and I know my mother and myself both like having the sun in the morning and the shade in the evenings.” Creek said casually coming to stand at the shoulder of the prince and looking down at the map he held in his hands. Branch wasn’t use to another troll outside of his family this close to him, it made the grey troll feel a little nervous, he was sure that he could feel the heat radiating off of Creek as he stood at his left shoulder and pointed down at the map. “There are couple of areas just here and here I think would be good for pods, of course you should inspect them just to be sure…After all I don’t know how placing pods on the tree works and what you might need, but the branches just there are very sturdy.”Branch looked from the purple finger on his map to the troll it belonged to, he was surprised that Creek appeared to be helping him and the prince wondered for a moment if this was a subtle way of the spiritual troll showing the other troll’s how useless he was. At the same time as the grey troll thought this he also knew it was very rare for Creek to admit that he didn’t know anything about something or that his knowledge of the subject might be better that his own which made him more than a little confused. “Thank you for pointing that area out, I and my workers will go and look it over to see if it might be viable for new pods.”Slowly Creek removed his finger from the map drawing Branch’s attention to him once more, he deliberately locked gazes with the prince, their gazes held there was something in the gaze of the purple troll which looked a little like respect and regret Branch decided. The moment was broken when one of the workers called out to the prince. “Prince Branch we could use your help!”Without thinking about it the grey troll simply folded up the map, he shrugged out of his unassuming black jacket, he lay them to one side and then the prince rolled up shirt sleeves before walking over and using his dark hair to help the workers to move the new pod into position. Creek stood watching him work, he could feel a new found respect for the prince growing inside him, Branch was clearly a troll that the workers knew they could rely on for help and they also didn’t fear asking him for that help which spoke highly of the grey troll. Some female giggling from nearby caught the purple troll’s attention, he turned to see several female trolls sitting on a nearby branch watching the male troll’s working together. Curious about what they were talking about the purple troll twitched his ears in their direction to catch what they were saying. “Their all so strong…” One said with a sigh.“Even the gloomy prince is joining in.” Another pointed out eagerly.There was some nasty snickering and then one of the female trolls said. “If the gloomy prince wasn’t such a kill joy he’d make some troll a fine catch.”For the first time Creek began to realise the damage he had caused the prince’s reputation and to the grey troll’s chances of finding a troll to love him. The purple troll felt guilt bubbling up inside him, Branch may not be like the rest of them, but Creek was starting to realise that he worked hard to keep all of the trolls safe, happy and protected. The spiritual troll had never before now taken the time to look at all of the work Branch did, but it was becoming clear to him that there was a lot that the prince did for them all and Creek felt those feelings of respect for the grey troll grow a little more it was a strange but not unpleasant feeling the purple troll decided.It was later in that same day that from his pod window that Creek watched Branch and his workers as side by side they pulled some pods into position near his own pod. After pulling one new pod into place the prince had looked up from his work and seen him watching, Creek felt himself blushing, for some reason the intense gaze of the prince as it fell on him it made the spiritual troll feel like some errant school troll. Then much to the purple troll’s surprise Branch smiled slightly and raised one hand in greeting, quickly Creek returned this gesture.A short while later the spiritual troll made his way down to the working trolls bringing with him a tray on which were glasses, a pitcher of water and a plate of cupcakes. Once he was closer Creek waited until the other trolls had finished moving the pod they were working with into place before calling out to them all. “I thought you all might like a drink and something to eat!”The workers all looked to their prince for permission, Branch gave them a single nod, the worker trolls didn’t have to be told twice they quickly made their way over to were Creek was standing and as they helped themselves to the refreshments the workers all thanked him for the cakes and water. The grey troll however had turned back to inspect the new pod, quickly Creek grabbed a glass, he filled it with water before sweeping up a cup cake and carrying it over to Branch, holding them out to him before saying very awkwardly. “Here your highness you should eat and drink something too.”“Thank you Creek…” The grey troll frowned slightly as he said this as it felt a little strange to thank Creek for something.The prince accepted the glass of water which the purple troll was holding out to him, the prince drank the water, once he had finished drinking Branch looked at the cupcake for a moment and then turned his gaze onto Creek. Noticing that the prince was looking at him in a suspicious way, the purple troll felt himself blushing as it was clear that the other troll wasn’t at all sure about eating this offered cupcake. Creek had never felt so uncomfortable or ashamed of himself as he did in that moment, the spiritual troll wanted to assure the prince that there was nothing in the cupcake which was true, but Creek had a funny feeling that Branch wouldn’t believe him and the purple troll couldn’t blame him for that. Taking a deep breath, the purple troll held the cupcake towards Branch once more and said the only thing he could think of. “My mother made them.”Creek felt even more ashamed as it was only when he said this that some of the distrust left Branch’s eyes and he accepted the cupcake and ate it. Once the workers as well as Branch had finished with their break they went back to work and soon they had the last few pods in place. The prince carefully checked the pods were secure and when he was happy that they were Branch thanked the workers for their hard work and sent them off home. When the grey troll turned around he was surprised to see that Creek was still standing there and that the other troll was watching him closely. There was something about the way in which the spiritual troll was looking at him which made Branch wonder what exactly it was he was looking for in him. “What made you decide to help me today?” The prince asked Creek curious to see what his answer would be to this question.“Last night…I started to realise a lot of things…I owe you a massive apology for my passed behaviour…I don’t expect you to accept my apology or believe me when I say I want to make up for the past.” As he spoke Creek kept his eyes locked with those of the prince trying with both his eyes and voice to convey that he was being honest in his words.Branch looked at the purple troll for a long while, he couldn’t quite believe that Creek was apologising to him or that he wanted to make up for things in their passed. “Your right I don’t believe you, but I’m willing to give you a chance to prove yourself to me. Don’t make me regret this Creek.” Branch told him with a note of warning to his voice.“I promise I won’t make you regret this.” Creek promised him, his heart filling with hope that at least the grey troll was willing to give him this chance. As Branch gave him a nod and walked away the purple troll promised himself that he wouldn’t squander this chance and would prove to the prince that he could be trusted.Two years passed by quickly and although Branch didn’t find a troll to love during this time, his relationship with Creek did improve over that same two years. The purple troll had kept his promise to his prince, he hadn’t betrayed his trust, in fact Creek had gone out of his way to show Branch that he could be trusted. Over time the prince had come to trust the spiritual troll, they were now good friends and spent quite a bit of time talking about various subjects which they had discovered they shared an interest in. The purple troll had even apologised for the nickname he had given the other troll when they had been younger and had gone as far to reprimand other trolls for using what Creek now called the unkind nickname. In return for this apology and the purple troll’s work to eradicate his nickname, the prince had conceded that sometimes Creek’s belief in the spiritual and magical things in life wasn’t always wrong, and he would even talk to the spiritual troll about such things every so often. Branch was glad to have Creek as a friend as now when he had a long day or when all his royal duties were just too much for him and he wanted a troll to complain to the spiritual troll was more than willing to listen and would usually make Branch laugh about it eventually. The grey troll in his own turn was always there for Creek when he had something serious which he wanted to talk about and would dispense any advice he thought would help the other troll. Though allowing the spiritual troll closer to him had been hard for Branch in the beginning but now he could feel that something inside him had changed, he looked forward to seeing Creek and every time they met his heart beat a little faster leaving Branch had always had some feelings for the purple troll they had always confused him but lately these feelings had grown stronger and it was certainly starting to look like they were the feelings which his father use to tell him about. Despite knowing that these feelings were stirring in him Branch said nothing about them to his friend and instead kept them to himself.The purple troll had to admit that after he had made peace with Branch he had started to see entirely new sides to the grey prince. Seeing these before now hidden facets of the grey troll had changed everything for the spiritual troll and he wished with all of his heart that Branch was his soul mate but he felt that after the way he had behaved towards the other troll during their childhood years this would be highly unlikely so he instead settled for being the best friend he could be to the prince. Creek had tried to encourage Branch to talk to him about his parents but the pain he could see in the grey troll’s eyes when he had brought the subject up had been enough to make Creek decide that asking him about this was something he would never do again. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter three:Creek entered his mother’s room and smiled at her, the pale purple troll smiled back at him, she was always glad to see her handsome son, though she was concerned about him as lately he had seemed more worn down, but despite asking him if anything was wrong Creek denied that anything was the matter. Rain knew that because she was very unwell that her son didn’t want to burden her with his worries, but she still wished that Creek would confide in her in the way he used to. The purple troll walked over to his mother, Creek settled down on the side of the bed and his ill mother addressed him. “I’m so glad that you have become closer to Branch over the past two years, the prince could use a good friend and confident. I hope your stepfather and stepbrother are taking good care of you while I am unwell?”The spiritual troll made sure not to show on his face how little his stepfather and brother cared for him to his sickly mother. “I’m fine mum, I’m glad that I have become friends with Branch too I wouldn’t have it any other way now.”“Good I am so glad to hear that, are you keeping up with your meditation and yoga?”“I am mum, I have also started to teach princess Poppy and she is learning very well.”This information made Rain smile, as she knew that the pink troll would keep a close eye on her son as she could not at this time. “It’s wonderful that you have a pupil Creek.”“I have to say I am enjoying teaching the princess.”“Well that makes it even better.” The pale purple troll said to her son, she then yawned, the spiritual troll helped his mother to settle down in the bed and she had soon fallen asleep. The purple troll looked down at his mother, he stroked over her hair, pressed a kiss to her forehead and then said to her softly. “Please get better soon mum.”When Creek left his mother’s, bedroom Mist his stepfather was waiting for him, he thrust at the purple troll an ugly brown apron and then said with a sneer on his face. “Since you have so much free time to spend with the prince, you make up for wasting your time with him by cleaning the kitchen and sweeping out the main room of the pod. Oh, and you can do so without breakfast!” Once he had finished speaking Mist pointed at the kitchen commandingly. “Well get on with it unless you don’t want lunch either!”Knowing better than to say anything to the grey blue troll Creek took the cause brown apron, he put it on and then went into the kitchen. As he entered the kitchen the purple troll held back the groan which wanted to escape him it was a complete mess, it looked like a whole army had come through the kitchen. It was in fact so untidy in the kitchen that it took Creek several hours to clean the kitchen, once this was done he then started on sweeping out the main room of pod. Just when he had finally finished doing this his stepbrother Leaf came into the pod, and he deliberately tracked lots of dirty foot prints through the main room of the pod as he made his way to his room. It was times like this that Creek just wanted to weep, he hated the way that slowly but surely his stepfather and brother had chipped away at his confidence and courage, they had turned him into a servant in his own home and were cruel to him constantly. There wasn’t anyone he felt that he could tell about the way his step family treated him, not even Branch, but he yearned to tell the prince the truth of his life instead of hiding what was happening to him. The purple troll sighed he wished that he was as confident as he used to be, quietly the purple troll cleaned the foot prints up, as Creek cleaned he was ravenously hungry but the purple troll dared not eat anything in the kitchen knowing that if he was discovered by either his stepbrother or father eating anything it would only make things worse for him.Despite the fact that the spiritual troll had said nothing to either of them Creek had a funny feeling that both Poppy and Branch knew that something had changed negatively in his life after his mother had remarried a year ago and although both of them never asked what had happened, they both kept an eye on him and tried to get him out of the pod regularly. With the chores Mist had made him do around the pod now finished Creek went to his small room in the pod, the spiritual troll retrieved his yoga mat, he tucked it under one arm, the purple troll came out of his room to find his stepfather inspecting his work and when the grey blue troll noticed Creek with his yoga mat he sneered at him again. “Going out to practice your rubbish, are you?”“I have a class to give today to princess Poppy.” Creek told him, knowing full well that by mentioning the princess’s name that Mist wouldn’t dare to stop him for giving his lesson.“I see, then go give your lesson, when you get back you can make us all lunch and then do all the laundry, do I make myself clear?”“Yes sir.” The spiritual troll said quickly before he slipped out of the door making his way to the royal pod to give Poppy her lesson. When Creek set foot outside the pod he felt some of the weight he was always carrying slipping from his shoulders, he took a deep cleansing breaths of the fresh air outside the pod and he closed his eyes enjoying the feeling of the sun on his face. After a few moments Creek let out a deep breath, he opened his grey blue eyes and then the purple troll set off towards the royal pod to give his lesson to Poppy.As soon as he arrived at the royal pod the spiritual troll knocked, the princess who had been waiting for her friend to arrive quickly opened the door, but as soon as the pink troll set eyes on her friend she knew something was wrong. Both her brother and herself had been worried about Creek for a long time now, they wanted to ask him what was wrong but they felt that it was unlikely that the purple troll would confide in them what was wrong until he felt ready to do so. Quickly Poppy pulled him into the royal pod, she sat Creek down, the princess handed him a plate of cupcakes and said commandingly. “Eat some of those, you look like you could use something to sweeten up your day. Oh which reminds me I have a pleasant surprise for you!”Before the purple troll could ask the princess what was going on, she had hurried of, so while he waited for the pink troll to come back, Creek helped himself to a cupcake and waited for Poppy to return. When the pink troll did come back the spiritual troll almost choked on the cake he was eating, Branch was beside the princess, he was shirtless, the prince wore only a lose dark pair of trousers and was carrying a yoga mat. The grey troll gave his friend a small smile, before he addressed the other troll hopefully. “I hope you won’t mind if I join in too?”Creek quickly swallowed the piece of cupcake he had been eating, he fought not to blush at the sight of Branch shirtless like this. The spiritual troll took a deep breath to calm himself before answering the question from the prince. “No of course I don’t mind.”“Good I’m glad to hear you say that.”So it was that together the three trolls practiced their yoga, Creek enjoyed teaching Branch and Poppy they were good pupils and Branch was more than happy to let the purple troll correct his positions whenever he needed to. Creek had to admit that being able to touch the skin of the prince in this intimate way gave him a great deal of pleasure and he knew that he would dream about touching Branch like this for days to come. The purple troll was therefore very disappointed when it was time for this first lesson with the prince to end. Creek had absolutely no idea that he was not the only one to be unhappy that it was time for their lesson to end, as Branch had also been enjoying feeling Creek touching him, it was like a guilty form of pleasure one which the prince wanted more of. “Will you be joining us again next week?” The purple troll asked Branch hoping whole heartedly that the answer to this question would be a positive one.“I enjoyed today so, yes I would like to join in again as long as that is alright with you.”“I’m glad that you enjoyed the lesson and of course I do not object to you joining us again.”Slowly Branch smiled slightly at the spiritual troll. “Then I look forward to our next lesson.”Creek walked made his way through the troll tree back to his family pod with a smile on his face, when he got closer to home the purple troll carefully took the smile off of his face, because he knew that if he appeared happy then Mist would take great delight in seeking out a way to make him miserable. Creek entered the pod, he took his yoga mat to his room, then made his way into the main room of the pod and to the kitchen where he made lunch for the whole family. As they ate in silence the purple troll wished he could find a way out of this situation for himself and his mother but Creek had never been able to think of anything that would be possible without bringing down his stepfather’s wrath on himself and his mother. There were times when Creek thought about telling Poppy and Branch what was happening as he was sure they would help him with his situation, but he didn’t want to make things difficult for them. When he slept at night the purple troll often found himself dreaming of being rescued from this life by Branch, although it was something which Creek felt would never happen it was a dream he still enjoyed. After lunch had been eaten, the spiritual troll cleaned up once more afterwards, when this was done Creek set to doing all of the laundry as he worked Mist and Leaf left the pod to go shopping. Once the spiritual troll was sure that he was alone outside the pod Creek started to sing about his hopes wishes and dreams.“I wish that the darkness would go,I want to walk in the sunlight again.Now I know how you feel,I understand how you became grey.I long to be anywhere but here,I wish I could tell you of my painAnd let you hold me in your arms.I want to be free once more,But I am only free in my dreams.I wish I could escape the darkness hereBut the shadows are too long to escape.I long to be anywhere but here,I wish I could tell you of my painAnd let you hold me in your arms.I used to be so brash and brave,I used to be so confident nothing could harm me.Now I know that all I had was an illusion of truthMy safety has been torn away.I long to be anywhere but here,I wish I could tell you of my painAnd let you hold me in your arms.If I could have the chance to tell you the truth.I’d tell you I love you.If I could have the chance to escape from hereThen I’d run strait to you…” Creek let out a deep sigh, his longing for Branch had only grown as his stepfathers and brother’s cruelty had become more obvious towards him as it had put the grey troll into contrast with them. The prince was nothing like them, he was a kind gentle soul, Creek knew that Branch would always to protect the troll he loved and never treat that troll in the way he was being treated by those who should care for him. Slowly the purple troll looked up at the sky, he sent up a fervent prayer, that somehow, some way he would be presented with a way to both escape from his life as it was and to tell Branch how he really felt about him. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter four:As his twenty fifth birthday had drawn closer Peppy and Rosiepuff had gone to see their grandson, about the ball, they found him settled reading quietly in his room and as the King and Queen entered his room Branch looked up at them. Instantly noticing their serious expressions, the prince had marked his place in the book, placed it to one side and then turned his full attention onto his grandparents. It was Peppy who addressed his grandson first out of the royal couple. “As you know your twenty fifth birthday is soon, we are glad to see that you have made friends with Creek and started to spend more time with Poppy and her friends as well…But we are still hoping that you will use the night of the ball to find a life partner.”Branch closed his eyes for a few moments, the idea of finding a life partner at the ball filled him with fear, the thought of spending his life with anyone but…The eyes of the grey troll snapped open, he held back the urge to groan as realisation that he had been right about his growing feelings for Creek settled over him. Quickly the prince brought his attention back to his grandparents, he would deal with what he realised after he had spoken to Rosiepuff and Peppy. “I know that you both want me to find a life partner at the ball, I can only promise to look…I can’t say I will find a troll to spend my life with.”Peppy went to say something to the prince but Rosiepuff knowing that her husband probably was going to say something which would doubtless make Branch even more nervous than he undoubtedly already was, so she quickly shot him a silencing look which caused the King to close his mouth quickly. The Queen went over to her grandson, she placed a hand onto his and then said to him with a warm smile on her face. “All your grandpa and I are asking is that you tried to find yourself a troll to share your life with and if you can’t find that troll at the ball then we will respect that fact Branch.”“Thank you grandma.” The grey troll said happily to the Queen, as relief that he wasn’t going to be constantly badgered by his grandparents to find a life mate filled him. Before the King could think to say anything else to Branch Rosiepuff took his hand and gently but firmly guided Peppy out of the room, leaving their grandson alone with his thoughts.The grey troll didn’t pick up his book again, instead he walked across his room and looked out of his window up at the full moon. “Oh dad now what do I do? True love…I think that’s what I’m feeling for Creek…I wish you were here so I could make sure, after all you were the one who told me you truly loved mum and what that felt like. I just know that since I’ve had a chance to get to know him my feelings towards Creek have only grown but I am sure he only sees me as a friend. I have the worst luck when it comes to love…How am I ever going to choose another troll over Creek?” As he himself asked this question Branch sat down by the window and started to sing quietly to himself.“How did I fall in love? How couldn’t I see the signs? The way you make my heart beat faster. The way you light up my day.True love my father used to say comes by surprise And that was true of you. Yes, that was true of you.I live to see you smile. I love to hear you laugh. When you hurt all I want is to ease your pain. When your frightened I want to protect you.True love my father used to say comes by surprise And that was true of you. Yes, that was true of you.But I’m a troll you’ll never see. I’m a friend and that’s all I’ll ever be. My love is best kept silent, But deep in my heart I loved you from the start.True love my father used to say comes by surprise And that was true of you. Yes, that was true of you…” Branch let out a deep sigh, he stood up, then walked away from the window he settled down in bed for the night many conflicting thoughts and feelings going around in his head.So, it was that the next day exactly six months before Branch’s twenty fifth birthday, that with their grandson’s permission that his grandmother and grandfather had announced that there was to be a grand ball, to celebrate this important occasion and for the prince to seek a life mate. The announcement of a great royal ball had of cause caused great excitement around the troll tree, and soon preparations for this wonderful event were well underway.After hearing of the royal ball which was to be held for Branch’s birthday, a plan of how he could tell the grey troll of his feelings for him had come into the mind of the spiritual troll, after turning the idea over in his mind for a while Creek hadn’t been able to see any problems with his idea. He had gone to the princess for help with his idea first, when the spiritual troll found her the pink troll was helping prepare things for the ball. “Poppy can I borrow you for a little while?”The princess looked up at him, smiled widely and then handed what she had been doing to one of the other trolls helping to organise the party before saying to her friend. “I was just about to finish here so of course I can help you Creek, is something the matter?”“It’s private…” The purple troll said blushing slightly and looking around at the rest of the trolls in the area.“Oh I see.” Poppy said looking around at the other trolls all around them with understanding.Creek and Poppy walked away from the area and once he felt they were far enough from prying ears the spiritual troll addressed the princess. “I want to talk to the twins about my situation as well, so I hope you can wait to hear all I have to say until we have found them.”The pink troll looked up at her friend, she felt very concerned it wasn’t like Creek to be so secretive and she couldn’t help but fear the worst but hope for the best. “It sounds very serious Creek.” “It is.” The spiritual troll confirmed. “Do you know where we can find the twins today?”“As far as I am aware they should be in their pod.”“Good that should make this a little easier.” Together Poppy and Creek walked the rest of the way to the twin’s pod in silence, the princess couldn’t help but wonder what was on her friend’s mind, it was clearly something very important for him to be seeking privacy in order to talk about it and this made the already concerned princess become even more worried. When they arrived at the pod the purple troll knocked on the door it was answered by Chenille, she smiled widely at the two trolls and gestured them inside. Once they were inside the pod Chenille turned to Poppy and Creek and then said to them. “Hello Creek and Poppy, what can we do for you both today?”“Actually I’m the one who needs help from both of you.” Creek admitted drawing enquiring glances from the twins, the purple troll gestured at the chairs in the room before he said. “Can we sit?” “Oh! Of course!” Satin said quickly feeling slightly foolish for not thinking to offer the other two troll’s seats strait away.Creek, Poppy, Satin and Chenille all sat down on the chairs in the main room, and then after a few moments he spoke to them all very seriously. “Before we begin I want all three of you to promise me you won’t say a word about any of this to any other troll.” The three female trolls looked at each other with concern but seeing the look of determination on the face of Creek they know that the spiritual troll wouldn’t say anything more to them until they all give him their promise. Chenille gave her promise first, this was closely followed by her sister, Poppy gave her promise to Creek last and when this final promise was given the purple troll let out a relived sigh because he knew that none of them would break their word to him. “I want to go to the ball, but I don’t want any troll to know it’s me.”“Why?” Satin asked him with complete confusion.“Because I want to dance with Branch at the ball…And tell him that I’m in love with him.” As he spoke this last part the normally confident voice of the purple troll had dropped into nothing more than a whisper and he blushed slightly as he confessed this. Though this was one of the reasons that Creek wanted to make sure none of the trolls would know it was him for the night, he also wanted to be sure that his stepbrother and father wouldn’t know that he was at the ball because Creek felt that it was more than likely that his stepfather would try to find a way to prevent him from attending the ball. The purple troll planned to deal with this fact by pretending to be sick for a few days before hand and hiding his disguise under his bed until they had left for the ball.“WHAT!” All three of the female trolls screamed together, closely followed by Poppy saying. “When did this happen? And why didn’t you tell me?”“You remember that night when we ran into Branch two years ago…” As his sentence petered out the princess gave him a nod and then Creek spoke once more. “Let’s just say it opened my eyes, I started trying to just be nicer to him and then slowly but surely I fell in love with your brother. That’s why none of the other troll’s can know it’s me…Though we are friends can you honestly see Branch taking my confession of love seriously in any way?” All three female trolls shook their heads at the same time and seeing this the spiritual troll spoke to them all again. “Exactly, that’s why I need a disguise for the night of the ball, a good one and I couldn’t think of any trolls more skilled in that area than the twins.” Satin and Chenille both blushed as Creek said this but at the same time they preened happy to hear another troll praise their work.“Well we can start by dressing you formally for the night.” Chenille said thoughtfully as she ran her eyes over the purple troll and liking the sound of that idea Creek gave her an enthusiastic nod.Then Satin spoke to the purple troll contemplatively. “If we dye your hair with a wash in and wash out dye that’s bound to help after all it’s far too distinctive as is.” The purple troll winced slightly he didn’t really want to dye his hair but Creek gave Satin a nod, while he mentally conceded that she did have a point as his two tone hair was far too distinctive to be left as it was if he didn’t want any of the trolls at the ball to know it was him for the night.Then Poppy decided to add her own idea to those being voiced. “A mask…You are definitely going to need a mask.”Creek smiled slowly, he had to admit a mask would be a brilliant idea, because then it really would be hard for any of the other trolls including his stepfather and brother to know who he was. The female trolls started to make suggestions for what kind of mask the spiritual troll should use but they all sounded like far too much, Creek couldn’t help but feel simple would be better and he found himself saying firmly to Poppy, Satin and Chenille. “I think a simple silver domino mask would be best…”Nodding at him with understanding the twins pulled out paper, they started to draw and together over cupcakes the four friends planed for the ball. They talked together about colours for the clothes which Creek would ware, it was eventually decided would be a royal purple and after the colour was chosen Chenille and Satin spent a bit of time arguing over fabrics. One the twins were happy with the fabrics they had chosen the four friends then discussed the dye that would work best with the purple trolls colouring and settled on a shade of grey blue to match his eyes. Creek was very vocal over the mask, he wanted to make sure that it was a simple mask so as not to give too much away about him and the twins had agreed that simple would be best in this case.Once the discussion of what he would where was over Creek turned his attention to the princess and said to her. “As for you Poppy I am hoping that you will be willing to teach me how to dance the waltz…I’ve never had to dance it before but I am sure I will need to know how to for the ball.”“Of course, I will be more than happy to teach you Creek.” Poppy assured him with a large smile.“Thank you for agreeing to help me my friend I think that practicing at my pod would be best, is that alright with you Poppy?”The princess thought about this for a few moments before giving the spiritual troll a nod. “I think you are right practicing at your pod would be wise, after all we can’t practice in the royal pod Branch might catch us and that would ruin your plan.” Before Creek could get a word in Poppy was speaking again her voice bubbling with enthusiasm. “This is so exciting! I’ve always hoped that someday some troll would fall in love with my brother…I hadn’t expected it to be you but I’m so happy it is you Creek! I think you will make my brother a wonderful life partner!”As much as the purple troll would have loved to be able to become Branch’s life mate Creek felt that there was no chance that the prince could ever see him as possible life mate, which pained him a lot more than the spiritual troll had ever thought that something could ever have. Regret for his passed actions rose up in Creek as it always did when he thought about what could have been between himself and the grey troll if he hadn’t acted so stupidly towards Branch and the purple troll took a few moments to battle it down before he said gently to Poppy. “I only intend to dance with your brother and tell him my feelings for him on the night of the ball…Never again, I’m hoping that telling Branch I love him with all my heart just this once will help me to push it to one side. I care for him to much as a friend to lose Branch by confessing that I feel anything more for him than friendship after the ball.”Poppy could hear the sadness in the voice of her friend, she wished that there was some way in which she could comfort Creek and encourage him but the princess just like the purple troll had no idea if her brother had any romantic feelings for the spiritual troll. It was times like this that Poppy wished that Branch’s heart was not such a closed book, but she knew that due to being grey and that his passed romantic relationships had never worked out well for him meant that her brother kept his feelings close to himself. “Creek you love my brother with all of your heart yes?”“Yes Poppy I do.” The purple troll said with absolute honesty to the princess.“Then don’t be so quick to give up on the idea that it would be possible for my brother to love you as much as you do him.” Not sure what to say to this Creek simply settled on giving the princess a nod which she returned with a smile for the spiritual troll. After this discussion between Poppy and Creek the four friends started to talk about how many lessons the purple troll would need to learn to dance the waltz properly before the ball as well as the number of fittings that the purple troll would need for his outfit for the ball to be ready for that night. The twins, Poppy and Creek all eventually settled on one meeting a week on a Monday for the fittings and Wednesday for the dance lessons. The purple troll felt he could get away from his pod for these two days as he already gave his yoga lesson to Poppy on Wednesday, as for Monday this was the day Creek went to get food for the family anyway so just adding a little time hopefully wouldn’t be noticed by his stepbrother and stepfather.Creek soon discovered that princess Poppy was a good and thorough dance teacher, after a few false starts the pink troll quickly had her friend dancing a basic waltz. Once Poppy was satisfied with this she began to teach him more complex forms of the waltz, these took Creek a little longer to learn from the princess but he did learn them. Over the same time the purple troll was going to see the twins for the fittings of his clothes for the ball, as the clothes came together Creek could see they were going to suite him well. He felt sure that with the mask on and his hair dyed grey blue none of the trolls at the ball would ever know he was the one under the disguise. When Creek came to this conclusion he felt some of her nerves about approaching Branch easing, at the same time though he also felt the first twinges of guilt stirring in him, Creek quickly stamped this out by reminding himself that there was no way that the prince would ever love him the way he loved Branch so this little deception on his part was necessary. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter five:Creek had been careful as the ball drew closer to make himself appear to be unwell enough that he wouldn’t be able to attend the ball as he would need to go to bed early that night but not so unwell that he couldn’t do his work around the pod. When at last the night of the royal ball had arrived, the purple troll helped his stepbrother and father to get ready for the ball and once they were dressed in their best Mist turned to Creek and addressed him. “It is a good thing you are ill really, if you turned up to the ball in those ragged yellow trousers of yours you’d only be laughed at by all the other trolls.”Leaf had laughed cruelly at this point and then spoke to his father. “The prince would probably be insulted by Creeks mere presence at his ball anyway.”“Yes he is rather ugly to look at after all.” Mist said in agreement to his son as they left the pod to go to the ball.Once they were gone Creek took a deep breath, after a few moments he let it out, tonight the purple troll was determined not to let the words of his stepfather and brother get to him and prevent him from going to the ball. No matter what they said to him the spiritual troll was determined that he was going to attend the prince’s ball tonight. Creek checked his mother was asleep which he was glad to see she was, then when the spiritual troll was happy that Mist and Leaf would not be returning to the pod for the night he went to his bedroom and started to get ready for the ball himself. When Creek had finished getting ready he looked at himself in the mirror in his room and smiled to himself he looked very different dressed as he was in the well fitted purple suite and crisp white shirt the twins had made for him. The purple troll was surprised how much of a difference to his appearance having the grey blue hair made, Creek had also carefully styled his newly coloured hair so it stood up strait rather than bending as it usually did. The spiritual trolls carefully placed the domino mask to his face, it fitted there perfectly, he didn’t know how the twins had manged to make it so that the mask wouldn’t come off of his face but whatever they had done it was almost like magic. Happy with his appearance in his disguise for the ball Creek’s smile grew and for the first time in a long time the spiritual troll felt handsome, he also felt his confidence rising and he embraced both of those emotions wanting to hold onto these wonderful feelings for the night. Creek quietly made his way out of the pod determined not to disturb his sleeping mother and then have to explain where he was going and why he was dressed like this to her. Once he had made it outside the pod Creek let out a relived sigh, the purple troll then quickly made his way to the ball eager to see Branch, to dance with him and make his confession to the prince. In the royal pod Branch was busy getting ready for tonight, he hadn’t worn something this formal for years now and it made him feel slightly uncomfortable to be dressed in this manor once more. The grey troll wore black well fitted full length trousers, a crisp white top with a v opening at his neck, over which was a silver waistcoat embroidered with black leaves and fastened with three silver leaf buttons. Over this was a well fitted black jacket, the jacket was embroidered in a fine silver leafy tendrils which matched that pattern on his wait coat it was sewn into his cuffs, as well as on the lapels and around the hem. Branch looked at himself in the mirror in his room, as he did so the grey troll felt like he looked absolutely ridiculous dressed like this. As soon as the prince thought like this he felt fear creeping in on him and Branch was sure that all of the trolls at the ball were going to take one look at him dressed like this and laugh at him. Quickly the grey troll took a deep breath he held it for a few moments, Branch then let it out slowly and closed his eyes for a few moments determined to get his fear back under control. The grey troll tried to replace the terror he was feeling with hope for the night ahead, slowly Branch felt the anxiety washing away to be replaced with a sense of calm.Now he felt calmer the prince drew himself up to his full height, he looked into the mirror to make sure that none of his inner turmoil could be seen on his face and when Branch was sure that none of it could be seen the grey troll room left his room and made his way to the main room of the pod. When Branch came into the main room of the royal pod, as he entered the room his grandpa and grandma turned to face him, they both smiled at the sight of Branch dressed in the way he was and it was Rosiepuff who said to him. “Oh Branch you look so handsome, if they were here your father and mother would be so proud of you tonight. I am very sure that you are going to have every single troll chasing after you at the ball.”“Thank you grandma, I’ll admit that it feels a little strange to be dressed in this instead of my normal white shirt, black jacket and long black trousers. I am not sure I shall have every single troll coming after me, but I am glad that you think I look handsome tonight and that you think mum and dad would have been proud of me. I hope that as one of the most beautiful trolls at the ball tonight you will save me a dance?” As he asked this Branch shot his grandmother in her wonderful aqua green ball gown with silver flowers embroidered on it a teasing look.The Queen walked across the pod to Branch, she playfully swatted her grandson on the arm as he called her one of the most beautiful trolls, Rosiepuff smiled at her grandson and then said to him. “You flatterer, but of course I shall save you a dance.”“Your grandma is right Branch, you look every inch the prince tonight.” Peppy said to his grandson seeking to reassure him, the King did this because despite the fact that the grey troll had done his best to push his concerns about his appearance tonight to one side, Peppy knowing Branch as well as he did could still hear and see that his grandson was still a little worried about the night ahead of him.Before Branch could say anything in return to this Poppy entered the room, the smile that came onto the face of the prince at the sight of his sister was one of his rare truly happy ones. “Poppy you look beautiful.” Branch told the pink troll with sincerity. Tonight the princess had really gone all out she was dressed in a sky blue ball gown, it had a fitted bodice, with wide skirts, which had shimmering opalescent flowers sewn onto the skirts and around her neckline of the gown. There were even three matching flowers in the pink troll’s hair which had been worked up into a simple but beautiful bun for the night and around her neck as well as at her wrist were shimmering sky blue beads to match the gown.Branch crossed the pod to stand before his sister, he bowed formally to the pink troll, he offered Poppy his arm and then the prince said to his sister with a one of his truly happy smiles on his face. “May I have the honour of escorting the most beautiful of all the trolls to the ball tonight?”The princess blushed as her brother complimented her like this, Poppy knew that Branch meant every word of his compliment which made her feel extremely happy about how she looked tonight. The pink troll placed her arm through her brothers, the princess then smiled up at Branch and said with her eyes alight with joy and pride. “I’m very honoured to be escorted to the ball by the most handsome of trolls.”Arm in arm the siblings left the pod for the ball, Peppy and Rosiepuff also arm in arm walked behind them and together the royal family made their way through the troll tree to the ball. The royal ball was being held in the large clearing in the middle of the village were all such large events where held by the tribe. When the four royals arrived at the ball they were greeted with polite bows and curtsies from the other trolls present at the ball, they returned these bows and curtsies with nods of greeting as they made their way across the dancefloor to a mushroom platform which was at one end of the clearing were the ball was being held. Once all four of the royal trolls were settled on the mushroom Peppy stepped to its edge, he raised his hand for quiet, when everything had fallen silent in the clearing, the King then addressed all of the troll’s present at the ball. “We have come together tonight so prince Branch can seek a life mate and in order to celebrate my grandson’s and heir’s twenty fifth birthday. Today by troll law prince Branch became a full adult, in six months times I shall retire my place as your King and my grandson shall take over from me, but for tonight we shall dance and we shall celebrate!”The cheering these words from the King caused was immense, it took quite some time for this cheering to end, when it did so the trolls quickly cleared the dancefloor so that they could begin to dance and once the dancefloor was fully vacated Peppy gave the signal to the troll musicians to start playing for the night. When the music for the ball started, Branch left the mushroom with his grandma on his arm, they took to the floor for the first dance together, the two of them danced well together and a lot of the troll’s present at the ball were extremely surprised to see how well their prince danced. They were joined a few moments later by Peppy and Poppy, then slowly but surely other couples started to join the royals out on the dancefloor. As this dance drew to a close the grey troll escorted his grandmother off of the dancefloor, back up onto the mushroom and to the side of his grandfather, he bowed politely to his grandparents then moved away from them towards his sister.When Branch reached Poppy side, he held a hand out to her and then said to the pink troll. “Would you dance with me sister?”“Of course I will brother.” As she spoke the princess put her hand into that of the grey troll, she let her brother guide her off of the mushroom and out onto the dancefloor.As the music of the second dance of the night started to play Poppy and Branch made their way around the dancefloor to the strains of a slow song, they were soon joined by lots of other troll couple’s eager to enjoy the night of the ball. When the music of this second dance came to an ended the two royal trolls left the dancefloor together, they went to one side of the dancefloor near where the mushroom was instead of returning to the top of it this time. When the trolls attending the ball noticed that the prince and princess were available to dance with it wasn’t long before Poppy had many trolls asking her to dance with them. The pink troll was soon stepping out onto the floor with the first of her partners for the night, as she did so Branch smiled sadly to himself, he wasn’t at all surprised to see his beautiful sister being asked by so many trolls to dance. As he watched his sister dancing the grey troll felt like fading into shadows and letting Poppy take all of the lime light for the night.Just as this thought came into his head but before the grey troll could think about following his thought a male voice from next to him said. “Would you dance with me Prince Branch?”The grey troll jumped with surprise, Branch turned to look at the troll standing beside him and his eyes widened at the sight of this handsome troll. His skin was a lovely shade of purple, he wore a white shirt, and a suite which rivalled his own, it was a deeper shade of purple than his skin it was embroidered at the cuffs and lapels with silver butterflies instead of silver leafy tendrils. His hair was the same shade of grey blue as his eyes, which Branch suddenly realised were framed by a simple silver domino mask which shimmered like starlight. The prince found himself trapped by those wonderful eyes, he felt like he had seen these eyes before but for the life of him Branch couldn’t place where from. The purple troll held his hand out to Branch, he smiled encouragingly at the grey troll and then said to softly to the grey troll. “Please dance with me prince Branch.”Slowly Branch smiled back at the other troll, it was not one of the small smiles which Creek was used to seeing from the prince, this was a smile he had only ever known Poppy to talk of it was wide and truly happy. Seeing this smile for the first time made Creek fall just a little more in love with the prince than he already had been before now and it also made the spiritual troll feel glad that he had gone through with his plan for the ball tonight. The grey troll placed his hand into that of the purple troll, they went out onto the floor together as they did this the two trolls drew plenty of startled looks but neither of them paid the other trolls looking at them. As the waltz began to play the two male trolls began to dance together, their dance was a complicated beautiful waltz which they performed flawlessly. Their eyes never left each other as they danced, in fact the two male trolls were so involved in their dance that they hadn’t even noticed that the dancefloor had emptied of other couples leaving them as the only couple dancing. As Branch and Creek danced together every one of the troll’s present at the ball could see that Branch and this mysterious troll were clearly very attracted to each other.As their dance finally drew to a close the prince held his arm out to the purple troll and then asked his companion politely. “Would you walk with me?”“I’d be honoured Prince Branch.” The masked troll said as he placed his arm not through Branch’s, but very formally laid it along his and lay his hand on top of the prince’s hand.Smiling with pleasure when his dance partner did this the grey troll escorted the other troll away from the ball and into the nearby forest where they could talk together in private. King Peppy and Queen Rosiepuff seeing this happening smiled at each other, not wanting this potential romantic relationship between their grandson and this mysterious troll to be interrupted they had gestured at the orchestra to continue playing, which they instantly did. This meant that just as the King and Queen had planned the other trolls continued to dance instead of trying to follow or wondering about the two trolls who had left the ball together. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter six:Once Branch was sure that he and his masked companion had walked far enough into the forest to be far away from prying eyes and ears for their conversation to be private, the grey troll brought their walk to a halt and then turned to the other troll before saying with clear curiosity. “Why did you ask me to dance?”Creek met the teal gaze of his prince and answered the question truthfully. “I asked you to dance with me because it is something I have always wanted to do.” As he spoke the spiritual troll made time to look at the prince dressed in this very formal fashion, Branch looked amazingly handsome tonight and Creek found himself wishing that the grey troll would dress like this more often. Knowing he was alone with the prince right now made the purple troll feel excited and apprehensive all at once, Creek hoped that his disguise would be good enough that Branch wouldn’t be able to work out who he was before or after he confessed his feelings to the other troll.“Oh I see, thank you…I didn’t think any troll would ever want to dance with me let alone a handsome troll such as yourself. Your mask is very unusual.”The purple troll smiled at Branch, he reached up to touch the mask in a slightly nervous gesture and then said to his grey companion. “I’m glad you like it, I will admit that it was having the mask on which gave me enough bravery to ask you to dance with me. I hear that you are supposed to be seeking a troll to wed tonight.”“I am.” The grey troll confirmed but before Creek could say anything to this he spoke again. “To be honest I don’t expect any of the trolls to be interested in me in a romantic way…They never have been before now…So why would that change tonight? They call me the gloomy prince but then you probably know that already.”The spiritual troll felt his heart clench painfully as Branch said this to him, but he quickly pushed the feelings of guilt and pain aside, Creek gave the prince at his side a nod before saying to him. “Yes, I had heard that you had such a nickname, but I had also heard that a friend of yours was trying to get the other trolls to stop using it.”“Creek…Yes he has been trying to make up for giving me the nickname in the first place by getting the other trolls to stop using it…And it has been much better lately. I know my grandparents want me to be happy and find a troll to love but…” The grey troll’s words trailed away and he let out a sad sigh.“But what?” Creek asked desperately wanting to know what Branch had been about to say.“I fell in love a few times…Let’s just say that it never worked out so well for me…It wouldn’t surprise me to find out that I had a soul mate who wouldn’t want me either…” The grey troll let out a derisive chuckle and then spoke to the other troll again while he gestured at himself. “I don’t blame them for not wanting me, who could I’m grey…No troll is ever really going to want me, they don’t see me.”“I see you.” The purple troll said tenderly but honestly, as he placed a hand onto the arm of the prince in a comforting gesture.The prince looked at the masked troll with surprise. “Really…You see me?”“Yes…I see a kind gentle troll, one who wants to protect his family, friends and all the other trolls from all harm. I see a troll who is wise, strong, and handsome in body, heart and soul…I see you prince Branch.” Branch’s teal eyes had gone wide with shock, Creek slowly placed his other hand gently onto his cheek and stroked his fingers over it in a loving gesture. “I see you.” The purple troll assured the grey troll for the third time.Slowly the beautiful smile which Creek had seen earlier appeared on the face of the prince again and before the spiritual troll could really register what was happening Branch was kissing him gently but firmly on the lips. Creek moved his hands up to his shoulders gripping them tightly, he started kissing Branch back and soon their lips were moving together in a beautiful dance. Slowly the prince pressed his body closer to Creek’s causing him to take a sudden sharp breath that ended with a hum of pleasure. As the grey troll’s strong arms wrapped around him, his hands came to rest flat against his back and instantly Creek felt safe in his hold and loved as he had never been loved before. For Branch holding this troll close to him felt like perfection, though part of him felt a little guilty for giving his first kiss away to a stranger rather than a troll he loved like Creek, the prince reminded himself that it would never have been possible to kiss the one he secretly loved like this. Kissing like this felt so perfect to both of the trolls that they wanted it to go on forever, but eventually the need for air forced them to break the kiss. Branch looked at the other troll in his arms, he blushed and then said. “Thank you for saying that…I’m sorry I didn’t mean to get carried away and kiss…”The rest of his sentence went unsaid as Creek brought his lips to those of the grey troll, the spiritual troll hadn’t known how one kiss could make him crave as many more as he could get from the prince but crave them he did. Surprised by this sudden second kiss it took Branch a few moments to respond, but once he did the grey troll was more than happy to get lost in kissing the other troll once more. It was Creek who broke this second kiss, he looked into the teal eyes of the other troll and then said to him wistfully. “This night feels magical…I wish it didn’t have to end.”“I wish that it didn’t have to either…You’ve come into my life so suddenly…But somehow you feel right in my arms. It feels like I’ve been waiting for you for a very long time…” Branch chuckled slightly, he shook himself, released the purple troll from his hold and moved back from the other troll. “Sorry, listen to me I sound like a fool.”The purple troll suddenly felt cold without Branch close to him, he also hated the way the grey troll belittled himself, Creek was starting to really see the damage his torturing of the other troll had caused to Branch’s self-esteem for the first time and it made him feel so ashamed of himself, but at the same time it made the spiritual troll even more determined to make this one night perfect for both of them. The purple troll went after the prince, when Creek reached his side again the spiritual troll shook his head at the grey troll and took hold of one of his hands in his again. “No you don’t sound like a fool to me, you sound like a troll who has been waiting…Far too long for a troll to love you just as you are, to love you with all of their heart and soul.”“You know I thought my grandma was crazy when she told me that all it took was one night to change your life…But now I think she might have been right. Are you going to tell me who you are under that mask?”“I’m no one important.” Creek told him softly and he meant those words as he spoke them to the grey troll.The prince looked into those masked ringed grey blue eyes and asked him as gently as he could. “Why don’t you want to tell me who you are?”The purple troll blushed slightly, Creek lowered his eyes from the face of the prince and looked down at the grass before saying. “I don’t want to tell you because I don’t want you to be disappointed when you discover who I am.”Branch reached out with his free hand, gently he lifted the chin of the purple troll and then said softly to the troll at his side. “Disappointed in what? That I found a troll who sees me, a troll that wants to kiss me and cares for me…A troll I think I could give my heart to…Why would I be disappointed by that troll?”“But you don’t know who I am…I could be your worst enemy…A troll you hate. I could be a troll you only see as a friend…A troll who has no hope of winning your heart.” Creek said voicing some of his inner most fears and worries to the other troll.“Do you know what I see in you?” Branch said to him gently still keeping hold of Creek’s chin as he spoke.“No…What do you see?” The spiritual troll asked him half afraid of the answer he was going to receive from the prince.“I see that you have a heart that wants to love, but that you are scared of getting hurt just like me…I see a troll who loves with all of their heart…In fact I’d go so far as to say you could love a troll truly and true love that’s a rare thing to see. I see a troll who needs to believe in himself and reach for what he wants, I know that you have the strength to do so, you already took that first step towards getting what you want by coming to see me tonight.” There was silence between them for a few moments and then Branch echoed Creek’s earlier words by saying honestly to the purple troll. “I see you.”The eyes of the spiritual troll had gone very wide, his heart was hammering in his chest, he felt like there were a thousand butterflies fluttering around inside him, but eventually from somewhere he managed to find enough of his voice to say to the prince. “I love you…I really do, I have for the longest time.”“Then let me choose you as my life partner tonight.” As the grey troll said to his mysterious partner he realised that he really did want to choose this troll, the prince felt that if he couldn’t have Creek as his life mate then this troll was one he would eventually be able to give his heart to.Creek was convinced that his heart skipped a beat when Branch said those words to him, but he made himself shake his head at the prince. “No, you should choose another prince Branch, once you know who I am you wouldn’t want me…I have what I wanted…One night to tell you I loved you and to dance with you…The kisses were an unexpected but wonderful bonus. Now I should go and let you choose a troll who would make you far happier than I ever would.”The purple troll tore himself out of Branch’s hold, he turned and ran away from him as quickly as he could. “WAIT!” The prince cried out with pain and concern clear in his voice as he did so, but the troll in the mask didn’t stop running so the prince set off after the one he had danced with.Creek kept running heading back to the troll tree, the two trolls went running through the ball, all of the trolls dancing there watched them run passed with expressions of shock on their faces. The spiritual troll ran up into the troll tree, as he pushed through some leaves Creek felt his mask get caught and come away from his face but the spiritual troll knew he didn’t have time to stop and pick it up. So instead the purple troll quickly used his hair to get up onto the branch above the leaves and then blend in to the foliage there. Creek took a deep breath fear swamping him when he heard and then saw Branch arrive at this point in the tree, knowing he couldn’t hold his breath forever the spiritual troll slowly and quietly let out the breath he was holding hoping the whole time that Branch wouldn’t hear him as he did this. Bellow Creek’s hiding spot the prince quickly looked around him and as he did so Branch noticed the mask laying on the branch of the troll tree, the prince then looked around the area for the second time hoping for another clue as to the direction of the mysterious troll, but the grey troll quickly realised there was no other sign of the purple troll he had been chasing any were around him. Through the leaves the purple troll watched as the prince went over to were the mask lay, he knelt down before the mask, the grey troll then lifted up the mask delicately as if it were the most precious thing in the world to him and held it against his chest. “Not again…” Branch said in a broken voice, the grey troll closed his eyes as he felt a sharp stab of pain in his heart and he tried desperately to hold the pain back so that it wouldn’t make his grey state worse. Despite his best efforts to hold his pain in the prince felt a tear escape the corner of one of his eyes and run down his cheek but Branch didn’t wipe it away at this time. Creek watched on his heart clenching painfully at the sight of that single tear leaking out of one of the eyes of the prince and then ghosting slowly down over one cheek. “Not again…I can’t do this again, I can’t lose a troll I love…I have to find him…He didn’t even give me a chance to tell him that in time I feel that I could love him as he does me.”Creek watched Branch reach up, he touched the tear on his cheek taking it onto his fingers, the tear seemed to glow in the light, the prince carefully held the mask out, he let the single tear drop onto the mask and it to glowed with a teal blue light. “Loving heart, to loving heart, only you who wore this mask this night will ware this again.” The purple troll covered his mouth with his hands so that the gasp he could feel wanting to escape him wouldn’t. Creek had heard stories that the royal family had some magic but he had never seen one of them use it before tonight.Slowly the grey troll stood, still holding the mask he then slowly walked back away from where Creek was hiding and towards the ball. Once he was sure that Branch was gone, the purple troll came out of hiding, he stood on the branch and looked in the direction the prince had gone in his heart was hammering in his chest. Creek knew exactly how stubborn and determined the grey troll was, he knew that Branch would keep on searching until he found the one he was looking for. The spiritual troll sent up a fervent prayer that if the prince ever discovered the truth of who had been the one to capture his heart tonight he would not be disappointed by his discovery.When Branch returned to the ball his grandparents and sister instantly came over to him, they all looked at him with concern when they noticed that the prince was alone. Branch fought back the sadness he felt at losing the one troll to see him, instead he focused on his determination to find him again. The prince looked from the delicate silver domino mask he held in his hand, to Rosiepuff and then addressed her. “You were right grandma tonight did change things. I found a troll who can see me for who I am and I want to find him again.”“How are going to do that?” Rosiepuff asked her grandson softly.The prince gave her a small smile and then extended the mask. “I have this, I have cast a simple spell on the mask so that only the troll who wore this mask can ware it again. I will only marry that troll no other.”“This mysterious troll is the one you intend to have as your life partner?” King Peppy asked his grandson with both concern and seriousness in his voice.“It is grandpa. If I cannot find him then I will not marry…” When the King went to interrupt Branch, he shook his head at the old troll and said as gently but as firmly as possible to him. “No grandpa I am already scared enough, if I cannot find this one troll, then I will never marry and I shall make that fact part of my acceptance speech when I take over as King from you.”Slowly Peppy smiled it was good to see Branch so determined to find this one troll to have reached a heart which had been in pain for far too long as far as the King was concerned. “Then I hope you find him and soon grandson. When will you start your search for him?”“Tomorrow.” Branch said his hands curling protectively around the mask, the rest of his family smiled at him glad to see that he was eager to start on his search and clearly determined to find this masked troll. Once by one Branch’s family then left his side they knew that after all which had happened to him tonight that the grey troll would want some time to himself now. Slowly the prince looked up, he watched with a small smile on his face as Poppy was wept out onto the floor by another suiter. At this point Branch quietly slipped away from the ball, he made his way to the royal pod, when he reached his room the prince carefully placed the mask down on his bedside table, shed his jacket, Branch sat down on the side of the bed, looked at the mask and smiled slightly as he said. “I am going to find you again.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter seven:As soon as Creek was sure that Branch had finally left the area he came out from where he had been hiding, the purple troll gazed back in the direction prince had left, part of him really wanted to go after Branch and tell him the truth. Somehow Creek managed to make himself turn away, he dashed back to his pod, the spiritual troll let himself in quietly, he crept through the pod terrified that he would wake his mother as he made his way to his room. Once Creek was safely inside his room, with the door closed behind him, the purple troll let out a sigh of relief that it appeared he hadn’t woken Rain. The spiritual troll then quickly undressed, he placed his clothes back into the box the twins had given them to him in and pushed it under the bed with all the other boxes which were there, the spiritual troll knew the box containing his costume wouldn’t look at all out of place. Creek swiftly pulled on his normal tattered and patched yellow trousers, then quietly made his way to the bathroom, where the purple troll spent some time getting the dye back out of his hair. When there was at last no dye left in his hair the spiritual troll then spent some time making sure that there was nothing anywhere in the pod to hint at the fact he had been the troll in the mask to Mist and Leaf. Once Creek was sure that everything looked perfectly normal in the pod, he went back to his room, got into bed, then the purple troll pulled the covers up and willed himself to go to sleep.When sleep did find the spiritual troll, it was unsurprising that he dreamt of dancing with the prince, of kissing him again, but in his dream this time Creek didn’t run away from the grey troll as he had tonight, instead he let Branch unmask him. As the prince realised who he was the purple troll got to see that wonderful smile again, the prince kissed him, held him close and said to him softly. “I had hoped it would be you, I love you Creek.” Once he had spoken these words the prince had pulled back from the embrace and kissed him for a second time after unmasking him. When the morning after the ball came Creek was very reluctant to wake up, he wanted to go back to that wonderful dream, but the spiritual troll knew that he needed to get up to do his chores and pretend that he was still quiet sick or his stepfather and brother would suspect something was amiss which Creek knew would not end well for him. Over this first day after the ball the spiritual troll was extremely glad to see that Leaf and Mist did not seem to have realised that he was the troll in the mask and this eased some of the weight of the concern which had been on his shoulders off of them.So, for the next few days the purple troll pretended to be ill but recovering, as he showed signs of recovery Mist made sure to start making him work harder than he had been while the spiritual troll had been unwell. One day five days after the ball as Creek was dusting the pod, when he overheard Mist and Leaf talking about the ball, this was something they had not done until now, Creek had no doubt that they were only doing this now because he was here to torment with the fact they had attended the ball while he had been stuck at home in the pod sick. “I can’t believe how grand the royal ball was.” Mist said to his son with a touch of awe to his voice.Leaf gave his father a smile before saying to him. “It was amazing and I have to say the prince was even looking splendidly regal for once.”“Indeed he was, it was a shame that his attention was drawn away from all of the other trolls at the ball by that one troll in the mask. I was hoping that prince Branch might focus on a troll more fitting to his standing such as you my son.”“Well who knows father if prince Branch cannot find this masked troll of his then maybe I can get him to focus on me as a potential partner.”As Leaf said these words Creek wanted to scream at them, but he used his years of spiritual experience to calm himself and asked them with contrived interest. “A masked troll? How unusual?”Mist turned to look at him as the purple troll as he continued to dust, the grey blue troll said in a scathing tone. “It was, I can’t understand why a royal troll such as prince Branch would have let such a common troll like him turn his head like that, it would be like prince Branch falling in love with a troll like you! Impossible and totally laughable!”“But the prince is looking for this troll?” Creek asked trying to sound a little confused and a little intrigued by this troll and the prince’s reaction to it himself.His stepfather made a dismissive hand motion as he spoke to the purple troll again. “Oh yes prince Branch is looking for him all around the troll tree, but I dare say that when the novelty of such a troll wares off then prince Branch will come to see the folly of what he is doing and then turn his attentions to a much better troll such as Leaf.”Those words made Creek’s heart clench painfully, he hoped with all of his might that when Branch couldn’t find the masked troll then he wouldn’t choose a troll like his stepbrother to be his life partner. On the surface, the purple troll made sure to appear as though what his stepfather was saying made sense to him, he just continued to dust and once Creek was finished dusting the spiritual troll then addressed mist. “I’ve finished dusting, if you will excuse me I need to go and give princess Poppy her yoga lesson.”“Yes, yes go already.” Mist said dismissively.Creek made sure not to run to his room, instead he walked calmly to his room the purple troll gathered up his yoga mat, he then slowly left the pod and once the spiritual troll was out of the pod he allowed himself to feel glad that his stepfather and stepbrother had no idea he had been the troll in the mask. Creek then made his way to the royal pod, when he arrived at the pod, the purple troll made sure as he always did to knock politely. When Poppy answered the door to his knocking the pink troll quickly gestured him inside, the purple troll came into the pod, he looked around and then asked the princess curiously. “Is Branch not joining us today?”The pink troll shook her head, she slanted the purple troll a look which spoke of what she thought of this question and then said to him. “No, I’m afraid my brother will not be joining us today, as he is looking for his mysterious partner from the ball. My brother said to give you his apologies.”“From what my stepbrother and stepfather had said about what happened on the night of the ball that is understandable.” Creek said to her pleased when his voice came out normally and not shaking or squeaking as he had been sure it should have been.Knowing that her grandparents were still present and that she couldn’t break her word to Creek Poppy gave him a meaningful look as she said to him. “I hope that my brother finds the troll he met at the ball as he seems to have touched the heart of my brother.”The purple troll swallowed hard as Poppy said this, he felt the guilt of hiding who he was from Branch starting to stir again and Creek fought hard to bring these feelings back under control. His grey blue eyes met the pink eyes of the princess, she was giving him a long hard stair and he knew what Poppy was trying to convey to him with the looks she was giving him. The spiritual troll gave her a sad look in return, trying to show the princess that he wished things could be different but that they couldn’t be.Poppy let out a sigh of her own, she did understand why Creek was so nervous about the situation he was in but the princess hoped that somehow, someway these two souls who deserved each other could find each other. Deciding to say no more on the subject of her brother’s search for Creek Poppy rolled out her yoga mat, side by side she and Creek made their way through their yoga together. They were so absorbed in what they were doing that the two trolls didn’t notice the King and Queen leave the pod and Branch enter it. The grey troll didn’t want to disturb them, he made some tea for when they were finished, he also placed onto the tray some biscuits, with this done Branch returned to the main room of the pod, before he then sat on the floor cross legged and waited for Poppy and Creek to finish their yoga.It was the smell of the tea which caused both trolls to stop what they were doing, they both realised that Branch was sitting on the floor watching them, he had a tray also settled on the floor with him, sitting on the tray were three steaming hot cups of tea and some biscuits as well. “Tea and biscuits, you two?” Branch asked them both politely with a slight smile quirking up the corners of his mouth.“That sounds lovely.” Creek admitted, he sat down also cross legged on the floor and a few moments later Poppy joined him.“One sugar cube and a little milk for my sister.” Branch said as he placed a sugar cube in the tea and then mixed in the milk.Once this was done the princess smiled at him. “Thank you.” As she said this to her brother the pink troll took the cup, she sipped from it, then put the cup back onto the tray and helped herself to a biscuit.“And for you Creek?” The prince asked him politely.“Just two cubes of sugar please.”With a nod Branch placed the two cubes of sugar into another cup of tea, which Creek picked up and sipped some of the tea. The prince added one cube of sugar to his tea then some milk, he took a biscuit and ate that as he let his tea cool a little before he drank it. The three trolls sat in a companionable silence sipping tea together and eating biscuits, once this was finished they all placed their cups onto the tray, they all stood up now they had finished, but it was Poppy who lifted up the tray and she said to the other two trolls. “Let me deal with this brother.”“Thank you.”“No brother thank you, for doing this for us.”“Your sister is right, it was kind of you to think of making us tea and getting us biscuits.”Branch smiled at Creek, the praise of the purple troll always made him feel so warm inside so he bathed in this feeling for a few moments before he said to him. “Its what friends are for…Creek…I know something hasn’t been right with you for a while…I’ve tried not to pry but I am your friend, I want you to know I’m worried about you Creek and I hope that when you’re ready you’ll tell me what’s wrong.”As the prince spoke to him so kindly and with such concern Creek could feel the tears gathering in his eyes, seeing this Branch moved hesitantly towards the spiritual troll, he wanted to hug Creek but as he hadn’t hugged any toll’s outside of his family for a long time Branch was a little nervous about doing this. Carefully the prince placed his arms around the purple troll and then slowly the grey troll brought the purple troll close to him in a gentle but firm hug. The spiritual troll knew that Branch hugging him like this was a huge thing for Branch to do, as Creek brought his arms up they were shaking, he placed them around the prince returning his hug. After a few moments he felt his whole body shake as the grey troll held him in his comforting embrace, Creek hid his face in Branch’s shoulder, then the dam inside the purple troll broke and he wept loudly. The prince stroked one of his hands over the back of the other troll in a comforting gesture and while he did so Branch murmured soothingly to Creek. “I have you, it’s alright…Just let it all go Creek…”Poppy came back into the room, she didn’t say anything the princess just stood in the doorway to the pod’s kitchen and watched them quietly. Branch swept Creek up into his arms, the purple troll didn’t even seem to notice as he did this, the prince carried him across the room, he settled on the sofa and cradled the other troll close to him. Slowly but surely Creek stopped crying, the purple troll gradually lifted his head from the shoulder of the prince and looked at him. “Thank you I needed that…My mother has been very ill but you probably heard that.” Branch gave him a nod, their eyes met, as this happened Creek felt completely safe and he knew that at last he could tell another troll what had been happening to him. Slowly but surely everything trickled out of Creek, there were times he had to stop because he would start to cry again, but Branch never let him go, he was an unwavering support to him as the spiritual troll told him everything.When the purple troll had finally run out of words Branch was furious at Mist and Leaf but at the moment his first concern was the one he secretly loved, so for now the prince pushed his anger to one side to focus on Creek. Branch quickly hugged the other troll close to him once more and then said to the spiritual troll very gently. “Oh Creek, I wish you’d said something sooner…But I can understand why you didn’t. I want you to let me deal with this for you alright?” The purple troll felt an overwhelming surge of gratefulness come over him as Branch said this to him, Creek couldn’t find any words, so instead he rested his head back against the shoulder of the prince once more and nodded his head against the shoulder of the prince.Branch stood up taking Creek with him, as he walked across the room Poppy came with him, the grey troll carried the purple troll from the main room into his bedroom, the pink troll quickly pulled the covers of his bed down, Branch gave her a grateful smile, he then put Creek into his bed covered him over, the prince stroked over the hair of the other troll and said to the spiritual troll gently. “Rest now everything is going to be fine.”Creek believed those words as soon as the prince spoke them, it felt so calming to have the grey troll stroking his hair, he also felt very tired after letting out everything he had been holding in and the purple troll was soon fast asleep. Once Branch was sure that Creek was completely asleep the grey troll stopped stroking his hair, the prince then turned to his sister and said to her in a quiet voice. “Would you make sure Creek has water ready to drink when he wakes up he will need it and would you mind sitting with him while I am gone sister?”“Of course I will take care of Creek brother, you go with grandpa and do what you need to.”“Thank you sister, I’m just glad that Creek had no idea that grandpa and grandma heard him.” As he spoke Branch looked back down at the purple troll in his bed and for the first time Poppy realised that her brother cared a lot for Creek.The prince turned he left his bedroom, when Branch entered the main room of the pod, he quickly walked over to his grandfather, the King looked as furious as the grey troll felt and the two trolls didn’t even need to say anything to each other, as they already knew what they were going to do. The King summoned some of the royal guards to their pod, once they had arrived at the royal pod Branch and Peppy with the guards left their home heading for Creeks home. As they walked through the troll tree the two royal trolls both made themselves as calm as possible, so they would be ready to deal with Leaf and Mist in a composed manor when they arrived. So it was, that by the time they had come to Creeks home you would never know the two royal trolls were in fact very angry under their tranquil facades. Peppy was the one out of the two royal trolls to knock on the door of the pod it flew open with Mist yelling his face contorted in furry as he did so. “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN YOU LAZY, GOOD FOR NOTHING TROLL?!”As the grey blue troll realised who he had just shouted at his mouth opened wide with shock, King Peppy looked at him for a long moment before saying to him tranquilly. “We would like to come in.” As soon as the King said this to him Mist quickly stepped back so that Peppy and Branch, with the royal guards could enter the pod which they did.Leaf had entered the room drawn by his father’s yelling, the green troll was looking forward to seeing his father degrade the far to handsome Creek once again, when Leaf noticed that royal guards were in the room as well as the King and the prince fear filled him and he froze in place. The King turned towards the grey blue troll, he asked him in very formal and cool tones. “Which room is Creeks?”Mist pointed towards the room and then asked the King as politely as possible. “What is this all about your majesty?”Peppy held his hand up towards Mist when he asked this question and instead of answering the question he spoke to his grandson. “Would you go and look please Branch?” With a nod Branch left his grandpa’s side, he made his way into the small room, looked around it as he noticed how little was in this small room the grey troll felt his anger grow, he clamped down on it ruthlessly and returned to the main room where he addressed King Peppy. “It is as we were told.”Peppy gave him a nod then addressed Mist again. “Your son and yourself have been found to be mistreating your stepson, you are to leave this pod now, you will both be escorted by the guards from here to prison. I shall deal with you both when I see fit.”The two trolls both let out cries of denial, the King glared at them they went quiet as they noticed this look, Peppy then gestured the guards towards them. When the royal guards had quickly hustled the two struggling trolls away Branch and Peppy looked to each other with concern as they heard Creeks mother Rain calling out weakly but worriedly from her bedroom. “Creek! Creek!”They entered her room together and as soon as the pale purple troll noticed them, tears filled her eyes, she looked to Peppy and asked the King with concern clear in her voice. “What has happened?”The old troll turned to his grandson and said softly but firmly. “I’ll talk to Rain, Branch would you get one of the healers to come to see Rain and then see to brining Creek home when he is ready?”“Of course grandpa.” Branch left the room, he shut the door behind him quietly and then left the pod to get the healer for Rain and then return to Creek. On the way back to the royal pod Branch stopped at the healers pod, he told the healers of his grandpa’s request and one of them instantly set off for Creek's home to see Rain.When the prince came into the royal pod, the purple troll was sitting on the sofa in the main room, he looked a lot better than he had earlier, seeing this made Branch feel extremely happy. Creek had turned to look straight at the grey troll when he had entered the pod, as their eyes met the prince could see that the purple troll’s grey blue eyes held in them a mixture fear and hope. “Everything is fine Creek, they are currently sitting in prison.” Branch assured him with a small smile for the other troll.As soon as the grey troll said this Creek let out a sigh of relief, he felt his whole body relaxing and then addressed the prince with relief evident in his voice as he spoke. “Thank you…Does my mother know about what had been happening to me?”“My grandpa is talking to her at the moment, I am sure he will find the best way to tell Rain what has been happening without worrying her too much, though I think your mother was already worried about you. I’ve sent a healer to your pod at my grandpa’s request, my grandpa has also asked me to walk you home, but then I had been planning to do that anyway.”“I’d be glad of your company on my walk home. Thank you for your help Branch.”“As I said earlier friends help each other and I am glad that you trusted me enough to let me help you with this.”Together the spiritual troll and the prince went back to his home pod, when they came into the main room of the pod, the two male trolls were met with sight of King Peppy settled in an arm chair, Rain was sitting on the sofa looking much better than she had before, the healer Branch had sent to see the pale purple troll was just packing up his bag, once he had finished packing up the healer then said to Rain. “Now make sure not to overdo things, take the medication for the next two weeks and I shall come and see you at the end of that to see how you are doing.”“Thank you, healer.” She said to him, then noticing Creek standing in the door way with the prince Rain opened her arms up to him, the spiritual troll quickly crossed the room, he sat on the sofa and hugged his mother tightly. “Oh, my poor son…” Rain said softly hugging him close, she gave Branch a grateful smile over Creeks shoulder which he returned. It was at this point that quietly the prince and the King left the pod, they both felt that they should allow Creek and Rain this time alone. As the prince and King walked back to the royal pod Peppy told Branch that the healer had discovered that Rain was going to be just fine and that it had been discovered that her husband had been giving the light purple troll the wrong medication to keep her unwell. Branch knew that this was also against troll law, it made the grey troll feel even more anger towards Creek’s stepfather and brother, Branch calmed himself with the knowledge that as King, his grandpa would make sure that those who were responsible for everything that had happened to Creek and Rain would be punished properly. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter eight:Over the next few days and weeks the prince had been glad to watch both Rain growing better and Creek once more became happier and confident in himself, Branch had to admit that it felt absolutely wonderful to him to see the other troll becoming more like his old self again. As for Mist and Leaf they had been punished for their actions by King Peppy, who had sentenced them both to work in the fields for the next year as punishment for their actions. Aware that these two trolls might try to harm the purple troll in some sort of revenge for telling others what had been happening to him, the King had placed a life time spell of protection onto Creek and his mother which would make sure that neither Leaf, Mist or any troll they might ask to could hurt the spiritual troll or Rain in any way for the rest of their lives.At the same time as all of this was going on Branch day after day spent time looking for the troll in the mask, he tried the mask on troll after troll but the spell on the mask would not allow it to stay on any of them, slowly but surely the days became weeks and then when a month had passed the grey troll began to feel that he was never going to find the troll from the ball again. It appeared to Branch that all he would have was that one special night, the prince cursed his bad luck when it came to love but at the same time he did his best to make sure that loosing this troll would not make his grey condition any worse than it was. The prince knew that his grandparents and his sister were all worried about him, Branch did his best to assure them that he would be alright eventually and that it was not making him any deeper shade of grey than he already was. The reason he sought to assure them of this was because the healers had told him he had to watch for this years ago as it meant his condition was getting worse. Creek had watched the prince as he had searched the troll tree for the troll from the ball, he’d seen his hope fading as troll after troll failed to fit the mask and this sight tore at him, but the spiritual troll was just to terrified to admit to the other troll that he had been the one in the mask to do anything about the pain the other troll was clearly feeling. Creek peered around the trunk of the troll tree at the prince, he was sitting on the branch of the troll tree in front of him looking down at the silver mask in his hands. As he looked at the clearly depressed Branch sitting on the branch the purple troll started to sing quietly to himself not wanting any of the other trolls to over hear him as he did so.“I never meant for it to be like this, I never thought I’d cause you such pain. I never meant to hurt you, But I hurt you just the same.But if you knew the truth would you forgive me? If you knew the truth would you love me? My love I wish I knew the secrets of your heart.I see your hope is dying every day, And I die a little at the sight. I see your pain growing every day, And I feel the pain with you.But if you knew the truth would you forgive me? If you knew the truth would you love me? My love I wish I knew the secrets of your heart.I never knew you could care like this, I never thought a troll could feel so deeply. I never dreamt that you would love so truly But love truly you do.But if you knew the truth would you forgive me? If you knew the truth would you love me? My love I wish I knew the secrets of your heart.You have such a strong heart, I wonder why I never noticed it before, And I feel like a fool for never seeing you before. Now though I see, I see only you.But if you knew the truth would you forgive me? If you knew the truth would you love me…?”Totally unaware of the other troll singing the grey troll sat on one of the branches of the troll tree looking down at the silver mask sitting in his hands, he let out a deep sigh, there were not that many trolls he could try the mask on now and to be honest Branch was considering giving up the search now. Those trolls which were left seemed to have no interest in the mask or were highly unlikely to be the one behind the mask in the view of the prince. Branch classed Creek to be one of those trolls who was highly unlikely to be the one behind the mask after all they were just friends nothing more nothing less, despite his wishes to the contrary. The grey troll wasn’t about to jeopardise the friendship he now had with the purple troll by revealing how he felt to the other troll only to be rejected. Being rejected by the one the grey troll loved with all of his heart was a thought which was too painful to contemplate for Branch and so even though he was very tempted to try to see if the mask fitted Creek he decided not to.“Hey Branch.” Said the voice of the very troll who had been on his thoughts.The prince looked up from the mask to Creek, who sat down on the branch beside him, the purple troll turned in his direction, he looked down at the mask sitting in Branch’s hands, gestured to it and then said to the prince. “You’re still looking then?” As Branch shook his head sadly, as he did this the spiritual troll felt his heart clench painfully, seeing the one he loved looking as depressed as he did made Creek want to try and make him feel better. “Well you have spent a month searching, there can’t be that many trolls left to try the mask on.”“No there aren’t that many trolls left now…But those who are left are those trolls who are least likely to have been him, I’ve done my best but…I think it’s best I gave up, I’ve never had much luck when it came to love…Besides which I only met him that once and although he said he sees me for who I am, our meeting obviously meant more to me than it did him…I must have come off as being so desperate.” As the prince spoke he practically radiated sadness and pain.“What will you do with the mask?” Even as he asked this question, Creek found himself wanting to reach out, take the mask from the hands of the prince and place it onto his face in the hope that he would get to see the smile he’d seen at the ball one more time.The grey troll looked up from the mask, he stared into the distance letting himself think about the answer to this question for a while. Branch wasn’t quite sure were the idea had come from but before he could really try to reason it the prince voiced his idea to his friend. “I think I shall ware it from here on in. He was the only one to ever say he could see me for who I am despite my grey colour, so it makes sense that now no troll will ever see me properly again.” Those words made Creek wanted to scream in horror, he felt terribly guilty, seeing Branch like this was pure torture he wanted to say something or do something to help the miserable prince but the purple troll knew that unless he revealed the truth there wasn’t anything he could do for him. The grey troll took a deep breath, he turned in Creek’s direction, lifted the mask up wards towards his face but just before he could place it to his face the purple troll caught his hands and pulled them back down firmly. “Are you sure you don’t want to try the mask on those few trolls remaining?” “I don’t see as there is much point to it, as I told you I left those trolls until last because I felt that they were the least likely to see me as anything other than the gloomy prince.” Branch confessed with a sad shrug.“DON’T CALL YOURSELF THAT!” Creek yelled angrily at the grey troll causing him to lean back slightly away from the spiritual troll, Creek’s blushed brightly, he took a deep breath and then spoke to the prince again but more normal tone of voice this time. “I’m sorry…I hate hearing you call yourself by the nickname I gave you…It makes me feel horrible so please don’t call yourself that again.”Branch gently moved the mask into his right hand, he reached out with his left and placed it onto the right shoulder of the purple troll seeking to reassure him. “I won’t call myself by that name again I promise Creek…I didn’t realise it upset you that much.”“It does, so I am glad to hear that you won’t call yourself by that name again.” As Creek spoke he felt relief filling him as the grey troll said this because the spiritual troll knew that Branch would keep his word to him and wouldn’t call himself the gloomy prince again. The prince removed his hand from Creek’s shoulder, he took the mask in both hands again, the purple troll swallowed hard, as much as he feared the prince’s reaction to finding out the truth Creek just couldn’t let Branch do this to himself and said softly. “You haven’t asked me to try the mask on.”Startled by these softly said words the grey troll looked at him with surprise, silence stretched between the two trolls and eventually Branch spoke. “I…Your right I haven’t…Would you try the mask on for me Creek please?” The spiritual troll gave the grey troll a nod, seeing this Branch carefully placed the silver mask onto the face of the purple troll, it fitted there with ease, the mask glowed for a moment with blue magic and in that moment the prince knew that this was the one he had danced with at the ball. “Why did you hide from me like this Creek?” The grey troll asked him softly his voice tinged with sadness as he spoke.Creek looked down at the branch they were sitting on, he was not able to meet the gaze of the prince, despite his fears the purple troll decided that the truth was best in this situation, he could feel the fear burning through him, Creek had never been this frightened in his life before, but then he had never put his heart on the line like this before. Branch gently took both of Creek’s hands into his, he then started to stroke soothing circles over the back of his hands. The spiritual troll knew the prince only sought to comfort him but it just made Creek feel even more like that if the grey troll hated him for what he had done then his world was going to end. “I…I hid because I didn’t think you would want me…I mean I made your life miserable for years! You’d already lost so much and I just poured salt onto the wound! Then after that night I heard you sing I started to see that there was so much I didn’t know about you and I wanted to be your friend. Then when I became your friend I started to see you, not the prince of the troll tree but just you Branch and I…I fell in love with you…I thought if I told you about my feeling for you then they would go away but they didn’t instead they just became stronger. I love you Branch I truly do.”The grey troll’s fingers stilled in their motions over the back of the purple troll’s hands, gently the prince let go of Creek’s left hand, he placed the fingers of his right hand under his chin and slowly lifted spiritual troll’s face up. As their gazes met the purple troll wasn’t expecting to see Branch looking at him with such gentle eyes and when he smiled slowly Creek felt some of the fear oozing out of him. “Oh Creek your such an idiot.” Before the spiritual troll could ask him anything about this statement, Branch took the mask from his face with his left hand and then captured the other troll’s lips with his own.As the purple troll started to kiss him back something suddenly went through Branch it was like thousands of feathers brushing over his skin. He pulled back from Creek, winced, closed his eyes and made a whine of pain as the feathery feeling became a burning sensation. “Branch are you alight?” The purple troll asked the fear and concern he felt for the prince was palpable in his voice.The grey troll shook his head, he reached up with his right hand to touch his chest over his heart were the pain was centred. “I feel ugh…Strange…Like something is trying to…Un…”Fear spiked in Creek, he quickly looked the grey troll over, but he could see nothing obviously wrong with him, then his eyes were drawn to the mask in Branch’s hands which was glowing blue, it was then that the spiritual troll noticed the mask was being held by fingers which were now teal blue at the tips and suddenly Creek realised what was happening to Branch. The purple troll turned wide eyes onto the prince who still had his eyes closed, his face was screwed up in an expression of terrible pain. Creek reacted on pure instinct, he pulled Branch’s hand away from over his heart, the spiritual troll placed his left hand there instead fingers spread wide and spoke to the prince commandingly. “Branch open your eyes and look at me!” Slowly the grey troll did so and Creek held his teal gaze with his own grey blue one and then he opened his heart completely to the prince. “I see you my true love.” After he spoke these words the purple troll placed his right hand to the back of the head of the prince and he brought his lips to those of Branch kissing him.Branch took a deep breath as Creek made this confession then he kissed him, and the prince kissed him back letting all the love he felt for the other troll flow through him. As the right arm of Branch went around Creek’s waist teal light raced up the grey troll’s skin, when it hit his hair the light turned royal blue, the hair of the prince went upwards becoming higher and took on a new shape. As the changes to the prince finally finished Branch wavered slightly, Creek drew his lips away from those of the prince, he then carefully took his hand away from the other troll’s chest and slipped his arm around his waist to steady the one he loved and slowly the now blue troll stopped swaying, he smiled at the one he loved with a full wide smile. “Thank you for seeing me and loving me Creek. I love you too I truly do…I thought that if I couldn’t be with you then at least I would be able to eventually give my heart to the troll in the mask, so to discover that he is you is wonderful.”Creek was staring at the prince with wide eyes and eventually asked in complete shock. “You love me? You truly love me?”“Yes Creek I truly do.” Branch assured him, he pulled the purple troll closer to him and Creek allowed himself to do something he had always wanted to do and nuzzled into the chest of the prince. The blue troll looked down at the troll nestled against him, he smiled softly at Creek, then carefully Branch came up onto his feet picking the purple troll up with him as he went. The spiritual troll let out a noise of surprise as Branch did this and looked up at the prince with wide eyes. “Branch what are you doing?”“Creek if you think I’m letting you out of my sight until I’ve had a chance to ask you a very important question then you really are daft.” As he said this the blue troll carefully placed the purple troll down onto his feet.The spiritual troll was frowning at the prince with confusion. “Question what question could you have to ask me now you know I am the one you danced with?”Slowly Branch smiled at Creek, the prince took the purple trolls left hand into his right and then went down on one knee. As soon as he did this the grey blue eyes of the spiritual troll went wide because he realised exactly what the prince was about to ask him and he could hardly believe that this was happening. “Will you marry me Creek?”The purple troll could only nod to begin with and then from somewhere Creek finally managed to find his voice. “Yes Branch of course I will.”Still holding onto Creek’s hand, the blue troll came up onto his feet smiling widely at the spiritual troll as he did so. Branch released the hand of the one he loved, the prince put his arms around Creek, closed his eyes and then kissed him softly but fully enjoying being able to kiss the spiritual troll as often as he wanted. The purple troll quickly closed his eyes, he eagerly returned this kiss thrilled to be kissing Branch again, he still found the blue troll’s kisses completely addictive and Creek looked forward to each one with eagerness. As Branch broke the kiss the spiritual troll let out a small noise of discontent, which caused the prince to smile down at him and say to him. “I could kiss you all day my love but I want to show my family that I have found you at last.” Slowly the blue troll removed his arms from around Creek, he then took one of the purple troll’s hands into his and then side by side the two trolls made their way through the troll tree to the royal pod. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter nine:As the royal pod came into view Creek could feel worry starting to fill him, he was deeply concerned that the King and Queen would object to him marrying Branch because of their tempestuous past. The purple troll gently pulled the prince to a halt, the blue troll turned to look at the other troll concern was very clear in Branch’s eyes as their eyes met. Creek swallowed hard, then addressed the one he loved his voice full of worry as he did so. “Branch…Are you sure that King Peppy and Queen Rosiepuff won’t object to you marrying me?”As he heard this question the blue troll felt relief fill him as he realised this was what was worrying Creek, this relief was soon overcome by a feeling of stupidity for not thinking to reassure the purple troll about his likely reception from his grandparent. Seeking to make sure that Creek knew everything was going to be alright, Branch smiled at the one he loved, he then used the hand he had hold of to pull Creek to him, the blue troll hugged him and the addressed the one he loved. “Creek I want you to listen to me closely, my grandparents have wanted me to find a troll to share my life with for a long time now, so as long as I love you, which I do then they are going to thrilled that I have found you and they are certainly not going to object to me marrying you. The fact you have returned my colours to me because you love me and make me happy, is also going to be something which will make them extremely happy about the fact that I have found you my love.” As the prince said this the spiritual troll let out a breath he hadn’t known that he had been holding, slowly Branch released Creek from the hug, the blue troll placed the silver mask back onto the face of the purple troll, who gave him a confused look, the prince just smiled at Creek and then took hold of his hand once more. “Are you ready to come with me now?”“Yes I think so…But I’m still nervous about this.” The purple troll admitted to the one he loved.Branch squeezed the hand he was holding and said to him as reassuringly as possible. “Trust me everything is going to be fine Creek.” The purple troll squeezed the hand of the one he loved back, and then gave him a nod which Branch returned and they set off again.As they came into the royal pod Peppy noticed his grandson first, then that he was hand in hand with another troll who wore the mask of the troll from the ball, a few moments passed before Peppy recognised the hair of the other troll and then he realised that his grandson was blue as he had not been since his childhood. The older troll gasped with surprise at the sight of Branch with his colours returned and as he realised who the troll in the mask was, the King quickly got to his feet and then called out. “Rosiepuff! Poppy!”Hearing the Kings shouting they quickly entered the main room of the royal pod, as Rosiepuff looked at the two trolls standing in the main room of the pod together and as her eyes settled on Branch she realised why her husband had called for her. When her eyes went from the now blue prince to the troll at his side, the Queen gasped when she too realised from the hair who this troll was her eyes went wide. “Oh my!”Poppy on the other hand stood in the main room of the pod smiling widely at the couple standing before her, the princess was very glad to see her brother with his colours for the very first time. At the same time the pink troll said nothing about knowing that Creek had been the one behind the mask, she knew that her and the twins parts in all this were best kept secret, one look at the purple troll confirmed to Poppy that he didn’t want her to say anything about them all helping him to her brother and the pink troll gave him a quick small wink which caused Creek to smile a little in return.Carefully Creek removed the mask from his face with his free hand, the purple troll handed the mask to the one he loved, as he did this Branch accepted the mask and addressed his family calmly but firmly. “As you can all see I have found the troll I danced with at the ball, I have asked Creek to marry me, he has accepted my proposal and I intend to marry him.”Rosiepuff walked over to Peppy, she took his hand in hers, the King and Queen shared a smile and then the prince’s grandma ask him gently. “Do you love Creek?”Branch smiled then a full wide smile, he gave his grandma a nod, he squeezed Creeks hand slightly with his own and then answered the question. “I do grandma, with all of my heart and soul.”The Queen then turned her attention to the purple troll and asked him in a serious voice. “And you Creek, do you love Branch?”He gave Rosiepuff a nod of his head before saying to her. “Yes, I love Branch, I love him for himself nothing more and nothing less.”The smile on the Queens face at his answer was huge. “Well then, I think you will have to get use to calling me Rosiepuff Creek.”Poppy spoke next still smiling widely. “I’m so glad that the two of you found each other. Well brother this is the first time I have seen your colours and how handsome they are! I think Creek you are going to be glad that you won my brother before all of the other trolls got to see him like this!” As the princess said this last part she shot her soon to be brother-in-law a teasing look.“I think little sister you are quite correct about that.” Creek said giving the prince at his side a loving look as he spoke.Branch smiled at the one he loved glad to hear that he liked his returned colours, then all eyes in the room turned to the still silent King Peppy, the old troll took a deep breath, he looked at Creek and then said to him with great seriousness. “You had better take good care of my grandson I don’t want to ever have to see him grey again understand?”“I understand completely King Peppy.” Creek assured the King gravely.Happy with this assurance from the spiritual troll Peppy gave him a nod before saying. “Good, I think it would be wise to have the wedding before the coronation, don’t you?” As the King asked this question he looked at Branch.The prince gave his grandpa a nod and then addressed him. “Yes the wedding should be before the coronation, I’m not about to wait another five months before I marry Creek.”The half determined and half horrified tone which the blue troll said this in caused all of the other trolls to start laughing at once, Branch also joined in, after a few moments the laughter died and then Creek said softly. “Well then I think that is settled.”It was Peppy who spoke next. “Well then now the fact the wedding should be before Branch’s coronation has been settled on, I shall send a guard with this news to your mother Creek and ask her to come here to the royal pod so that we can set on a date for the wedding. Once Rain is here and we have settled on a date, then we can gather rest of the trolls together and make an announcement of your betrothal to the rest of the trolls.” As he finished speaking Peppy wrote Rain a note, he then summoned one of the royal guards and sent him with his note to Creek’s mother.Half an hour later when Rain entered the royal pod she was out of breath and wide eyed, the light purple troll stopped dead at the sight of her son hand in hand with a blue troll. It took Rain a few moments to realise just who this troll was and when the light purple troll spoke to him it was with shock clear in her voice. “Branch you’re blue again.”“Yes, I am blue once more, that is because I discovered Creek who I had been secretly in love with for some time now, was the one I danced with at the ball.”Quickly Creek’s mother turned her attention to her son and asked him with awe in her voice. “You were the masked troll?”“Yes mum I was.” The purple troll confirmed with a smile and a nod for his mother.“Oh my…” Rain said clearly shocked.Branch spoke to Creek’s mother at this moment. “We have more news for you.”“More?” She asked her voice squeaking slightly as she asked the prince this question.Creek and Branch looked at each other, the purple troll gave the one he loved a nod of permission and seeing this the prince addressed Rain once more. “I have asked Creek to marry me and he has accepted my proposal, I hope you have no objections.”Rain looked at her son and said to him. “Are you in love with Branch Creek?”“Yes mum I love him with all of my heart and he loves me with all of his.” Creek assured his mother with a truly happy smile on his face, which was followed by him giving the prince a loving look. The light purple troll smiled widely at her son, she was so glad to see Creek so happy and clearly in love after all he had been through lately. “I’m so glad you found a troll you can love so whole heartedly and I have no objections to you marrying Branch, he is a good troll, I know that Branch will take care of you and love you as you should be loved Creek. So when is the wedding going to be?”“Well we wanted you to be here before we set a date, but Branch has stated he wishes to marry Creek before he is crowned King.” King Peppy told her with a grin and a chuckle for River.Creek’s mother chuckled slightly she was unsurprised that after his long search that the prince would wish to marry the one he clearly truly loved sooner rather than later. “Well then, how long do we think a royal wedding will take to plan?”It was Rosiepuff who stepped into the conversation at this moment. “I am sure that with all of the trolls of the tree helping us to organise everything we could have the wedding organised in two months easily.”“Two months!” Branch exclaimed in horror really not wanting to have to wait that long to marry the troll he loved.Creek kissed the one he loved on his cheek and then said soothingly to the prince. “Now love, this is a royal wedding it was bound to take some time.” It was only as the purple troll said this to him that Branch let out a sigh, he gave an understanding nod to the one he loved and surrendered to the fact he would have to wait two months to be married to Creek, but as the prince looked at the troll by his side he knew that this was one troll he was willing to wait to wed.With the two months for the wedding to be organised settled upon, King Peppy called upon the royal guards to go and gather the trolls so the announcement of the prince’s betrothal could be made to them all. Once the guards had gathered up all of the trolls of the troll tree, the six trolls made their way down the troll tree to the mushroom platform in the clearing where the ball had been held. King Peppy held his hands up for silence, eventually it fell over all of the trolls and then Peppy addressed them. “My people, my grandson prince Branch has found the troll he was seeking with the mask it has caused the return of his colours. The troll in the mask was Creek and he has agreed to marry prince Branch their wedding will be held in two months’ time!”As he spoke there was lots of shocked gasps from the trolls as they discovered Creek was the troll in the mask, Branch led him forward to the edge of the mushroom he lifted the silver mask so that all of the trolls could see it and they all fell quiet. Once the prince had made sure all of the trolls had seen the mask Branch carefully placed the mask onto the face of the purple troll, it glowed blue with his magic and staid firmly on Creeks face. When this happened all of the trolls’ present started to cheer, they were glad to see their prince with his colours once more and happy to see that Branch had found the troll he had been searching for so diligently.Just as Rosiepuff had predicted after the announcement of the wedding had been made the rest of the trolls of the troll tree had without any prompting been more than happy to help the royal family with preparing everything for the wedding of Branch and Creek. Well nearly all of the trolls had been happy to lend their aid to this event, Leaf and Mist had not wanted to help at all but none of the other trolls were to surprise by this and ignored them when they tried to disrupt their work. For the troll’s seeing their prince, smile and laugh had been a wonderful gift and they were truly grateful to Creek for making Branch be able to do both of those things. The first time the trolls all heard their prince sing, they had been amazed by the beauty of his voice and they had become even more respectful towards Creek as they were all well aware of the fact that he was the reason Branch sang. Two months later it was time for the royal wedding, Rain came into her son’s room in their pod, she stopped at sight of her son and smiled with pride and joy at the sight of him. Creek was dressed in a white well fitted suite, it was embroidered with a celtic silver pattern at the wrists and on the lapels, he also wore a silver waistcoat. The light purple troll felt that today her son looked every inch the future prince of their kingdom and she wished Creek’s father Lotus could be here to see him today. The purple troll took a deep breath, he looked down at his hands which shook slightly with nervousness, as Creek’s eyes focused on the slender white gold band with a royal glue stone which marked his betrothal on his middle finger and the spiritual troll felt a wave of joy and calmness come over him. “You look very handsome Creek.” Rain said softly and proudly to her son as she crossed the room to stand in front of him.“Thank you mum.” The spiritual troll said with a smile for his mother.“I wish your father were here, Lotus would have been so proud of you…” As she spoke tears gathered in her eyes and Creek quickly handed her a purple handkerchief from the pocket of his trousers.“Don’t cry mum, this is a happy day.” The spiritual troll told her in a soft voice, Rain took a few deep breaths to regain control, she gave her son a nod and then handed the handkerchief back. The purple troll accepted it back, he then put the purple handkerchief back into his pocket before addressing his mother once again. “Is it time?” As Creek asked his mother this question his voice was shaking slightly as he spoke.Hearing the nerves in his voice Creek’s mother quickly took his hands into hers and sought to reassure her son. “Yes son it is time, but don’t be nervous Branch is waiting for you.”The spiritual troll took another deep breath he let it out again and then Creek gave his mother a smile as he said to her. “Well then let’s not keep my prince waiting any longer.”Knowing that he would be alright now Rain let go of Creek’s hands, she then took her son’s arm into hers and escorted him from their pod down to the clearing before the mushroom. When they arrived at the end of the clearing all of the trolls of the troll tree stood respectfully as Creek entered and walked passed them towards Branch. The spiritual troll only had eyes for the prince, he looked as handsome today as he had at the ball, he wore a deep royal blue suite, the silver embroidery was identical to Creeks and his waistcoat also matched that of the one he loved. Today though as this was a royal occasion Branch had on his head the simple silver crown which marked his current rank as prince of the trolls. When Creek reached his side, Rain placed her sons hand into that of the blue troll, she smiled with absolute joy at them both, the light purple troll then stepped back and gave King Peppy who was marrying them the signal to begin which he did.Soon enough it was time for Branch and Creek to exchange their vows, the prince as tradition dictated was the first out of the couple to speak his vows to the one he loved. “My father used to tell me all about true love, when I became grey I never thought I would find it, but I found my true love in you and I will love you Creek with all of my heart now and always. I am proud to promise before all these witnesses that from this day forward I am your faithful husband and I shall be ever more.” As he finished speaking Branch took Creek’s left hand into his right and gently placed onto his middle finger a simple gold band.With this done it was Creek’s turn to make his vows to Branch. “I never thought true love could exist until I found myself in love with you, I love you Branch with all of my heart and I always will. I am proud to promise before all these witnesses that from this day forward I am your faithful husband and I shall be ever more.” The purple troll took the prince’s left hand into his right and carefully placed onto Branch’s middle finger his own identical gold band.Peppy smiled at the young couple before declaring. “I now pronounce you married you may kiss.”The blue troll didn’t need to be told twice, he took hold of Creek’s waist pulled him in and kissed his new husband firmly on the lips. Quickly the spiritual troll brought his hands up, he took hold of Branch’s shoulders and then kissed him back. As the two trolls broke this kiss, all of the trolls started to cheer for them, the blue troll smiled down at the purple troll and then released Creek. Rosiepuff brought over to Branch a purple pillow on which was settled a silver crown to match the one the blue troll wore. Carefully the prince took the crown from the pillow, Creek carefully lowered his head and once the purple troll had done this, Branch then placed the crown onto the head of his new husband. The blue troll offered his hand to Creek, the new prince of the troll tree took Branch’s hand, he then let his husband help him to stand and then hand in hand the newly married couple walked back down the aisle together. As the two princes walked back down the aisle all of the troll cheered for them, the party which was held for the royal wedding was huge, as all of the trolls of the troll tree celebrated the wedding in style for several days. Three months later all of the trolls gathered together once more, together all dressed in their finest King Peppy, Queen Rosiepuff, prince Branch, prince Creek and princess Poppy came into the clearing were the ball and the wedding had been held, today was the day when Branch would become King of the trolls. In a simple ceremony King Peppy retired from his throne, the King turned to his grandson and spoke to him. “Come forward Branch and kneel.” The blue troll did as his grandpa asked, the old troll took Branch’s silver crown off and handed it to the waiting royal guard, with this done Peppy took off his gold crown off and placed it onto the head of his grandson. “I retired my throne today to you my grandson. Hail to the King! Hail to King Branch!” As his Peppy yelled this to the other trolls, they echoed it back and slowly Branch stood.As the shouts died down the new King was approached by Queen Rosiepuff, she curtsied low to him and the blue troll carefully took her gold crown from her head and handed it to his grandpa who stood at his left side. Once Branch had done this the former Queen rose, she then moved to stand at her grandson’s right side. The blue troll held his hand out towards Creek, the purple troll walked forward, he knelt down before his husband, who lifted from his head the silver crown he handed this crown to Rosiepuff who accepted it. Branch turned to his grandpa he took hold of the gold crown Peppy had been holding, the blue troll turned back to his husband with the crown in his hands, the King then lowered the gold crown onto Creek’s head and once he had done this Branch helped the purple troll onto his feet. Once he was on his feet once more Creek moved to stand at the left side of his husband, the blue troll held his arm out to the one he loved and with a smile Creek lay his arm along Branch’s placing his hand atop his husbands. The trolls cheered the royal couple, tradition dictated that at this point Branch as the new King should make a speech and as the other trolls quietened he spoke to his people. “Today I have become your King, I promise that I shall do my best to keep you all safe and happy for the rest of my reign until my heir takes the throne after me. As I am no longer grey you need not fear that my reign will be one of gloom, though I shall always be serious due to the many years I spent grey, I have my husband Creek at my side and he will help to make sure that my serious nature is balanced with his own joyful one. Now let us do what we do best and celebrate!”The trolls didn’t need telling twice, the party to celebrate the crowning of their new King and his consort quickly began, this celebration lasted for a whole three days, most of which Branch and Creek walked amongst their people making sure to spend time talking to them all. The blue and purple troll would go down in history as wise, good and kind rulers of the trolls and in time the royal couple would have two sons, the eldest was called Sky and the younger Lotus, these two trolls were a wonderful mixture of both their parents. Creek and Branch were also recorded in the history as two trolls who loved each other truly all of their lives, to the extent that when they died together and were buried together. Poppy would many years after the all of this happened find a troll of her own to love the princess loved him as much as her brother loved his husband, this troll was a sparkling grey troll prince Diamond, he was a younger son of the royal family of the mountain trolls which was a kingdom far away from Poppy’s home. When they married the princess and her husband Diamond did not return to his home kingdom instead they with his families and her families blessing they stayed at the troll tree where they made their home and had their family of four daughters. As for Leaf and Mist after they had spent their year working in the fields the two trolls left the troll tree never to return to it.
11495352	Trial and Error	{ "Archive Warning": null, "Category": "F/M", "Characters": "Jason \"J. D.\" Dean, Veronica Sawyer, Heather McNamara, Heather Duke, Heather Chandler, Kurt Kelly, Ram Sweeney", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by orphan_account", "chapters": "1/11", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-14T00:00:00", "words": "1,007", "Additional Tags": "Only JD and Veronica are main characters, sorry bout that, Also this fic is very JD centric, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, also I've never seen groundhogs day so please don't compare this to it, Time Loop, i just love time loop things, i'll add tags as i go", "Relationship": "Jason \"J. D.\" Dean/Veronica Sawyer", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "Heathers: The Musical - Murphy & O'Keefe, Heathers (1988)", "Archive Warnings": "Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death", "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Two minutes. That's all he had left. JD stared down at the bomb, he held, before clutching it tightly to his chest. He backed further into the field and ignored the pain in his side as he did so. This was all his creation, all his fault. This was his bomb and his plan. He deserved this.When he glanced up, his eyes met with Veronica's. The girl of his dreams, his everything, his goddess. Oh god did he fuck up what they had. He let out a dry chuckle, but it sounded more like a broken sob. He felt a few tears run down his face."Veronica, I want you to get away! Get further away, please, I have no idea what this thing is going to do!" JD yelled, taking a few steps back on his own. His eyes scanned nervously around the field before they looked back on Veronica. "I'm really sorry, but I'm just... I'm damaged, I'm broken, and there's no fixing me. I've run my course this is it for me. But you're not beyond repair. You're broken too, but you can manage still You can fix everything I fucked up. Fix this school, fix your friendships, fix... fix yourself."Veronica shook her head and yelled something, but JD couldn't hear her. His heart was beating in his ears and the bomb had started aggressively blaring out a warning as it continued to count down.One minute left.JD had accepted his fate. He had brought this upon himself, really. It was only fitting he'd kill himself after killing the others. He tightened his grip on the bomb as he doubled over onto the ground, tears still streaming down his face.Even if this was all his fault, he didn't want this. He wished he could restart or do things from the beginning. Wished he could make different choices and not make the same mistakes.The agitated beeping grew in volume with every second. JD looked up at Veronica, tears in his eyes.Thirty seconds left.He fought for something to say, some last words that could sum up how he felt. He came up with nothing. His mind felt blank, his throat felt like cotton. All that he felt was regret.Twenty seconds left.He gulped and looked back down at the grass, hunching himself over the bomb again. He tried to steady his breathing and think of something. He looked up again, and mustered up something."I-I... Our... Our love is god.." JD cried, unable to form anything better. He wished he could say something else, but that was all he could manage. He hoped that summed up how he felt.Ten seconds left.Just as he started to hunch back over again, he heard Veronica speak."Say hi to God," She said, voice firm but shaky. JD tightened his grip on the bomb again, his knuckles starting to turn white. But he didn't care.Because in that moment, everything fell silent and the world ceased to exist. He could only hear a faint beeping as he continued to look up at Veronica. There was only the two of them now. Just like when they kissed, just like when they fucked, just like when they killed. Just them, and only them.And then. There was pain. Searing, white hot pain traveling through him like a wave. All he felt was heat and pressure and then...... nothing.JD shot up in his bed, heart racing as tears pricked his eyes. He glanced over at his calendar.September first, 1989.His breathing picked up as he flipped through the pages."No, no, no, no!" He mumbled under his breath as he frantically searched for any other dates he could have crossed off, "No, today isn't September! I'm dead, I've already lived through this day!"Was it just a dream..? No, it couldn't have been. There's no way he dreamed up a few fucking months and the love of his life. He ran to his closet and threw on some clothes, pulling his coat on and slipping on some shoes before bolting out the door.This wasn't real, this wasn't real, this couldn't possibly be real. He was in such a panicked rush that he had forgotten to style his hair or brush his teeth. He just needed to get to the school. He needed to prove that something was up, that he was dead and none of this was real. That it wasn't September fucking first.But when JD got to the school, he wasn't greeted with students starting to take down the homecoming decoration. Instead there was a big banner that read "Happy first day of school!!" in bright, red, enthusiastic letters. He felt his breath catch in his throat.It really was September first.Before his mind could fill with any more panic, somebody bumped into him. He snapped his head around."Hey, watch where you're go... V-Veronica...?" His voice went from a toxic hiss to an unsure whisper. She was Veronica, right?"H-How do you know my name?" Veronica stuttered, clutching her book to her chest, "Listen, I'm really sorry but I gotta go-"JD watched as she bolted past him and into the building. That was Veronica. Except, she wasn't wearing her typical blue blazer or skirt. Instead she wore baggy and heavy clothing, complete with a thick scarf. Her hair wasn't fixed like normal, either. What was going on...?As JD stepped cautiously into the building, he started piecing things together. He watched scenes unfold before him the same way they had happened last time. He had gone back.Just like he wanted. He remembered thinking about how much he wanted to redo things and go back. How much he wanted to fix his mistakes, and here he was. The earlier anxiety washed away and he was filled with a rush of excitement. He wore a small smirk on his face as he strode through the halls.Maybe this time he wouldn't fuck things up so much.
11407614	Inpatient	{ "Archive Warning": "Rape/Non-Con", "Category": null, "Characters": null, "Fandom": "Original Work", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Explicit", "author": "by vanessa_cardui", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-05T00:00:00", "words": "1,096", "Additional Tags": "Kidnapping, Non-Consensual Somnophilia, Medical Restraints, suicide attempt references, Stockholm Syndrome, Victim Turned Rapist", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": "Nonconathon 2017", "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": "F/F, F/M", "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	As Ashley came to, there was someone fucking her. She was already pretty into it, and it felt good; she was wriggling against the smooth, steady force of his cock, and she tried to move her hand down to press down, right over her pussy--that felt good, when she had a good sized cock in her, and. . .And her hand didn't move. She pulled harder, and nothing; she was. . . Ashley opened her eyes, looked up at her hand. It wasn't fuzzy handcuffs or anything like that--there were those big blue velcro restraints, like they'd had at the hospital, and. . . she looked up. Dr. Laurence was fucking her. He was wearing a blue polo shirt, and she couldn't see below his waist, but she felt his skin against hers. . . he was smiling down at her. He didn't stop fucking.She wanted to say something, but she couldn't--her mouth was full. And it wasn't the hospital. She'd been discharged, and it didn't even look like the hospital. There were timber boards overhead, and plywood, and copper pipes twisting up through them. A basement? And she'd--"Back with us, Ash," said Dr. Laurence, with that deep, mellow voice that always sounded like he really cared, even if nobody else did. "You're lucky; that was a lot of pills you took."It was. It had been. She'd gotten into a fight with Paul, and she'd thought about calling him and making up, again, but it had all been so pointless. The fight, and the making up, and everything else. So she'd downed half a bottle of Xanax, and. . . he still hadn't stopped. His cock was bigger than she thought it would be, and it was . . . she couldn't move her hands, couldn't move her legs, her mouth was stuffed with something.Ashley started shaking her head, trying to spit out whatever it was that was holding her mouth closed, and it didn't, and--"Shh," said Dr. Laurence. "I know. It's an adjustment. But think about it this way. You wanted to die, right? You made your choice, and took those pills. So what am I taking, here? Something that you wanted to throw away. You can't be too mad about someone picking up something out of the trash after you threw it out."Ashley was pretty mad about everything. She shook her head, and she yelled into her gag, and . . . and Dr. Laurence kept fucking her, strong and steady, his hands moving from her hips to her breast, his thumb ghosting across her nipple. "It's one of the things that makes working with kids so damn hard," he said. "They're so wasteful with what they have."He picked his pace up. "You threw yourself away, Ashley. And now I've picked you up out of the trash. You get an instinct with working like kids like you, and that note was pretty vague. All signs point to suicide, and there are a lot of bridges in the city."She'd scrawled out something. An apology, though she wasn't sure who she was apologizing to or why.Dr. Laurence's hand closed on her breast, squeezing hard enough to make her gasp. "It could be that I'll give it back to you when I'm done. After there are some changes, after I can be sure you're not going to throw it away again."Ashley screamed into her gag; all that came out was a whimper.Dr. Laurence shook his head. "I know. I know. You have a lot to say about this. You've always had a lot to say. But now isn't the time for talking. Now is a time for listening."Then his eyes rolled closed, and his pace picked up. Ashley squeezed her eyes closed as he came, tried not to feel it, wished that she was back where that Xanax had taken her. But she felt it, and he . . . when she opened her eyes, he was fastening his belt, as he headed up the basement stairs."There," said someone behind her, "goes one fucked up dude."Ashley looked over. It was another girl, older than she was, and wearing something gray. Hospital scrubs, maybe?"No, but okay. He's got his wife, who he fucks on the regular. Twice a day, every day. You can hear them, if you listen carefully at 7:00 AM and 11:30 PM. And there's me, and there's his daughter, who lives in the city, who I think he might be fucking? And then he goes out to get another girl, who he thinks is going to try to commit suicide in a way that'll make her easy to kidnap. You'd think, this guy has either two or three girls, and uses them regular like. Why risk that for another?"Ashley made a questioning noise. Who was . . . what was she . . ."Exactly!" said the girl. "Fucked up dude." Then she added, "Sorry, I'm June. Fucked up my suicide a . . . well, a while back anyway. Dr. Laurence found me and patched me up. Took a while before I saw things his way, but while he's not okay in the head, he's also not completely wrong."She stepped out from behind Ashley, and ran her hand along her side. "I mean, you're really pretty. And if you're dead, you know, that's wasted. Even necrophiliacs would only get two or three uses out of you then, if they were allowed, which they're usually not."Ashley shook her head. No."I know," said June. "I know. It's going to be a whole big fight before you even eat anything, and it's going to be months before you start seeing things that way. But whatever. We've got months. And I've got to get you clean."She walked around to where Dr. Laurence had been standing, and looked down at Ashley, who shivered. "Aw, come on," she said. "I mean, you can't say you didn't enjoy that."Her finger ran along the length of Ashley's pussy, dabbed into the puddle that had been dripping out from inside. "I mean, come on. All puffy and used and. . ."June trailed off, and leaned forward. "And Dr. Laurence promised me a treat, if I kept up with my coursework," she said. "You're going to be a lovely treat, Ashley."Ashley closed her eyes as June lowered her head onto her pussy. She was scared and cold and scared, and if June thought she was going to get her off after that, it was going to take her forever.Then again, it seemed like June and Dr. Laurence had all the time in the world.
11458977	In Perfect Harmony	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "F/M", "Characters": "Melian (Tolkien), Elu Thingol \| Elwë Singollo", "Fandom": "The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien", "Language": "Deutsch", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by Elenyafinwe", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-10T00:00:00", "words": "897", "Additional Tags": "Years of the Trees, One Shot, Love, Songfic", "Relationship": "Elu Thingol \| Elwë Singollo/Melian", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Wenig ist bekannt aus den ersten Tagen der Welt, als sie noch jung war und voller zauberischer Dinge. Wundersame Geschichten sind’s, die die Zeiten überdauerten, Dinge, von denen schon lange niemand mehr erzählen kann, der sie noch erlebte. Fern schien diese Welt zu sein, obgleich noch immer dieselbe, hatte sie sich doch verändert, hatte ein anderes Gesicht bekommen. In dieser fernen Vergangenheit waren die Wanderungen der Eldalië von See Cuiviénen in den Westen und zu den Valar. In viele Züge hatten sie sich geteilt und einige verweilten gar ganz in den dunklen Ländern fern Amans. Doch der Großteil folgte den vier Fürsten der Eldalië: Ingwe, der Herr der Vanyar, Finwe, der Herr der Noldor, und die Brüder Olwe und Elwe, die Herren der Teleri. Doch es sollte geschehen, dass die Teleri durch die bewaldeten Länder kamen, die später Ossiriand geheißen werden sollten und Doriath, und hier im westlichen Bereich der Länder im Osten blieben sie eine Weile, denn noch schreckte es sie vor dem Meer. Elwe wanderte oft und viel durch die Wälder, um seinen Freund Finwe zu sehen und bei einer dieser Begegnungen traf er im Wald von Nan Elmoth auf Melian die Maia. Es war in einer dieser vielen sternenbeschienen Nächte des Ostens, wie sie mild über dem Land lagen, dass der süße Gesang von Nachtigallen an Elwes Ohren drang. Bezaubert blieb er stehen und lauschte. Nie in seinem Leben hatte er lieblichere Musik vernommen, nie hatte ihn etwas so sehr verzückt. Und als er nun über der Musik eine Stimme vernahm, war er umso verwunderter. Tief in den Wäldern war er an einem verborgenen Platz, wer könnte noch hier sein? Diese Stimme war etwas Einmaliges in der Welt und selbst nach allem zu urteilen, was Orome ihnen mitgeteilt hatte, so musste auch in Aman alles verstummen, wenn diese Stimme anhub zu singen. Elwe war sich dessen absolut sicher, anders konnte es nicht sein. Die Sängerin konnte nur aus Aman kommen. Wer war diese wunderschöne Fremde? Warum war sie hier unter sternenbeschienenem Himmel in dunklen Ländern? Sie musste ein Waldgeist sein! Ja, das war sie wohl, denn schon hatte sie ihren Bann über ihn ausgebreitet. Verzaubert stand er da und lauschte und würde in seinem Leben nie wieder etwas Anderes benötigen außer diesem Gesang, nicht einmal Speis und Trank. Begehren packte ihn, zu erfahren, nach wem sein Herz da so sehnlichst verlangte. Alles war vergessen, all sein großes Sinnen, dem Vala in den Westen zu folgen, sein ganzes Begehren, seinem Volk ein guter Fürst zu sein und es auf seinem Weg zu führen. All dies verging in Nichtigkeit, als er der Stimme folgte. Welch Bedeutung könnte dieses Sinnen auch jemals wieder erlangen? Im Vergleich zum Gesang der Lómelindi verblasste alles, im Vergleich zur Schönheit dieser Frau, die da sang, könnte niemals etwas wieder Glanz erlangen. Er musste sie einfach sehen, nichts Anderes war mehr wichtig auf der Welt. Elwe scherte sich nicht darum, welchen Weg er nahm, es gab nur den einen, den ihm der Gesang zeigte. Es war ihm egal, ob er wieder zurückfand, so tief in Nan Elmoth, wenn er erst einmal sein Ziel erreicht hätte, würde er nie wieder umkehren müssen. Und schließlich sah er vor sich Melian. Sie war auf einer Lichtung tief im Wald, das Sternenlicht schimmerte auf sie herab und ließ sie so wunderschön und unwirklich erscheinen, als sei sie nur ein Hauch ihrer wahren Schönheit und könnte jeden Augenblick verwehen. Und aus ihrem Gesicht schien das Licht Amans, das Licht von absoluter Reinheit und Schönheit. Elwe sah sie aus dem Dunkel des Waldes heraus an und war wie bezaubert. Ihre Erscheinung war so überwältigend, dass er sie kaum in ihrer Gesamtheit fassen konnte. Nichts würde er je mehr begehren als ihre Liebe, denn in Liebe zu ihr war sein Herz entflammt. Was wollte er nach Aman, wenn er in Melian einen herrlichen Abglanz dessen vor sich sah? Was wollte er sich einer solch gefahrvollen Reise unterziehen, wenn er all seine Wünsche hier, in diesem Augenblick, erfüllen konnte? Er musste nur einen Schritt tun. Und er tat es. Als wäre sein Gang beflügelt, schritt er leichtfüßig auf Melian zu, langsam und vorsichtig, als hätte er Angst, diesen wunderschönen Traum mit einer unbedachten Bewegung zu zerstören. Und ebenso bezaubert wie er war auch Melian. In ihren Augen schien der Glanz der Sterne und ihre Herzen schlugen einzig und allein füreinander. Einer inneren Eingebung folgend, ergriff Elwe Melians Hand, als er nun vor ihr stand. Sogleich legte sich ein zauberischer Schlaf über sie und Hand in Hand standen sie da. Lange Jahre hin verharrten sie so, während die Sterne über ihnen ihren ewigen Bahnen folgten. Lange suchte Elwes Volk nach ihm, und viele blieben aus Treue und Liebe zu ihm und wurden die Úmanyar genannt, die Sindar oder Grau-Elben von Beleriand. Doch Elwe blieb verschollen, während die Bäume um ihn und Melian herum groß und dunkel wurden und niemand den Weg finden konnte. Als Elwe schließlich wieder aus seinem Zauberschlaf erwachte, nahm er Melian zur Gemahlin und kehrte zu seinem Volk zurück, und Elwe Singollo wurde nun Elu Thingol genannt, König Graumantel. Denn in der Tat nahmen die Sindar ihn zu ihrem König, und er war Herr über alle Eldar Beleriands. Nie wieder begehrte er nach Aman, denn einzig und allein in seinen Ländern fand er in jenen Tagen Friede und Harmonie. Allein in jenen Wäldern, in denen er Melian traf.
11456487	Rain Rain Go Away	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Ferid Bathory, Crowley Eusford, Ichinose Guren", "Fandom": "終わりのセラフ \| Owari no Seraph \| Seraph of the End", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by noirlevity", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-10T00:00:00", "words": "2,765", "Additional Tags": "Highschool AU", "Relationship": "Ferid Bathory/Ichinose Guren", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": "Flush of Youth", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	It would not have been difficult if Ferid only knew how to reject Crowley. Crowley invited him out for Valentines Day, but he told him he had other plans. They had been doing this ever since they were young—spending Valentines Day together. Now that they were older, Ferid got bored of all the shiny and fluffy stuff that came with it. It was not because he didn’t want to spend time with Crowley anymore; he just thought it would be a nice change if he didn’t spend his Valentines Day with him. After all, it should be about time Crowley got a girlfriend. So for the first time, he lied to him. He told him that he was to go to school that Sunday to meet up with his club members. Because of this terrible, terrible lie, Ferid found himself trapped inside the empty locker room waiting for the rain to subside. The beads of rain lashed and raged as it fell from the adamant skies. The sound of streaming water, its impetuous rush and trickles of drops rang in Ferid’s sensitive ears. The cold breeze caressed his skin. It prickled his flesh with thousands of icy thorns. HIs muscles stiffened. He felt himself turn as hard as a rock because of the frosty air. Sitting on the bench, his back against the cold spine of the steel locker, Ferid gazed dreamily at the window. With folded knees, he watched thousands of droplets of rain sluice down the windowpane. He studied the glistening marks and trails that these little beads of glass left. In contrast to the heavy nimbus clouds that hung over the grey sky, they were light and glowing. He counted the seconds before a droplet completely ceased streaming down the fogged glass. He watched them deliquesce and turn into a puddle, a spot on the expanse. It looked as if he was watching a falling star in the sky. Languidly, he dropped his gaze and huddled close to the wall. He gripped his elbows and curled into himself to preserve heat. He took in air just to let a gust of lukewarm wind escape his cherry lips. Sighing was both inhaling and exhaling. It was the expanding and the shrinking of the diaphragm. It was also getting rid of sadness and gloom. The light inside the room was too bright for his eyes. He leaned against the window this time; crossed arms indolently perched atop his knees; hands clutched the meaty bun of his biceps that were covered by wet sleeves. His skinny arms cushioned his bent head. Eyelids aflutter, hands aquiver, he closed his eyes to dim the blinding light. Darkness was still out of reach, for he only saw a red like a sheet block his vision. Tiny orbs of light splattered across it like stars in the night sky. The hissing sound of the pouring rain and the rustling of the quivering trees drowned his senses. From time to time, the wind wailed. The air that passed through the open slits of the closed windows got colder and colder as if enclosing him in a cage of ice. It made his hair stand on ends. It made the pores on his skin close and the mantle of flesh tighten to preserve his body heat. He wished Crowley was there to nestle him, or to just be there so that he could feel his warmth. “Crowley..” he muttered as he embraced himself. He was cold, bare and alone. The flowing water from the eaves rushed like the sound of a waterfall; gushing heavily down the precipice, running through the rocks underneath, splattering its dagger like splashes. The gurgle, the rush, the trickle drowned the hissing sound of the pelting rain against the roof. He could hear manifest staccatos of droplets over the rush and rustle, over the hiss and the trickle of water. Despite the vehemence of the rain, despite the moans of the wind and the reedy shake of the branches, for Ferid, it was a lull. Their harmony, the way they just went in sync made him want to sleep. So he shifted, pressed his knees together and rubbed his head against his smooth arms. He curled his body and just listened to the trio of the rain, the wind and the trees. Running footsteps disrupted his peace. The footfalls were heavy against the ground. Like the sound of a chef’s knife on the chopping board, it was precise, crisp but sometimes unsteady. Tap Tap Tap Every strike was filled with brashness, filled with desperation. It annoyed Ferid. He sat up properly and waited. When the footsteps became louder, it ceased all of a sudden as the doorknob was twisted clumsily, making it howl with shrill clicking noises. After what took seconds of clicking and squeaking, the door slammed open. A huffing boy, wet to his toes, bent on his knees came into view. He was out of breath. Ferid’s eyes widened. His pupils dilated at the sight of this boy—his classmate. Guren Ichinose was it? Ferid mulled over. Pretending. Of course he knew. Of course he did. They had been schoolmates for like forever, but this was the first time they were in the same class. They didn’t get along though. Crowley hated the guy because of a past incident, and Ferid was not really that interested in him. In short, there was nothing that made interaction possible. Ferid fluttered his eyelids and looked away. Guren, who didn’t know that there was someone inside the locker room apart from himself, slipped and fell on his back. Guren let out a grating yelp. A shrill rubbing noise and a hard thump followed through which forced Ferid to look at his direction, shocked. “Are you okay?” Ferid tried his best to sound worried. “Tsk. That hurt! Ouch, my back.” Guren whined as he clutched his back in agony. Ferid didn’t know what to do. Should he help him? Should he pretend he wanted to help him? Guren cursed. He stood up with trembling legs and a pained face. He steadied himself and dusted himself off. Slouched, he plodded forward. “Ferid bastard you surprised me!” Guren growled. It was the first time Guren said his name so Ferid was taken aback. He was put off by the familiar tone in Guren’s voice, as if they had been friends for a long time. As Guren trudged towards the lockers, he left wet puddles in his wake, like the trail left by a slug. The plinking of vitreous beads of the rain accompanied his movements; droplets fell, splattered one after the other like the tapping of the feet. Guren started stripping off his wet clothes all of sudden, making Ferid blush. Ferid didn’t expect it. He was exposed to that stuff already so he was conscious, too conscious in fact of the warm body near him. He was trying to pretend Guren’s drenched form didn’t distract him. He was trying to pretend he didn’t notice the way the clothes clung to Guren’s well-toned body. It made him swallow hard so that his throat bobbed up and down slowly. Guren’s heat thawed the earlier sheet of ice that enveloped him. Squeaky wet sounds seared through Ferid’s hearing. Guren’s shoes were wet and as he walked in tiptoes, his shoes squeaked. It ruined Ferid’s earlier mood. Shameless, Guren was only in boxers now. He kicked off his shoes as he lumbered towards Ferid, clutching his back. His hips still hurt. In a rash manner, he opened his locker and rummaged through the pile of unfolded clothes inside, muttering something under his breath. He grabbed and tossed things, disorganizing the neatly folded shirts and pants inside. Ferid couldn’t help but look at him; he didn’t really know where to look. He forced himself to look away so he buried his face on his arms instead. He clenched his fist and mumbled Crowley. Guren who was still a bit vexed about the whole thing noticed how quiet Ferid had gotten. He closed his locker a little to violently so that he forced himself to utter a sheepish and rushed Sorry. He scratched his face using the tip of his index finger, pouted and then looked at Ferid. He calmed down a bit now. Arms akimbo, he faced Ferid’s slouched figure on the bench and said, “Why are you here?” Guren thought that he might have used more edge in his tone than he intended to. Ferid was surprised. The shock then turned into irritation. “Taking shelter from the rain obviously.” He snapped. Guren sat beside him, donned with a towel on his head. He shifted, shook the metal seat with his impatient movements. Ferid heard him. He heard the rustling of Guren’s clothes and his breathing. For some reason he started feeling too conscious of himself. “Ah, Why aren’t you with Crowley? Isn’t it Valentines Day today? Don’t you always spend it together? Guren said without looking at the other. His hands were busy fiddling with his clothes. How did you know? Ferid wanted to ask. But he just kept quiet. He pressed his palms on his elbows forcefully and buried his head deeper on his arms. When he relaxed, he raised his head and flashed a smile at Guren. Guren waited. He waited for Ferid to reciprocate his gaze. When Ferid focused his eyes on him, he was surprised at the look in Guren’s eyes. Eager. Curious. The other was waiting for him to say something.Ferid would not admit it, but he shuddered when their eyes met. “Well, he did force me to… “Force you to what?… Ouch!” Guren interrupted, surprising him. The reaction made Ferid gape at Guren who was patting his aching hip. Ferid was at a loss for words. When he had composed himself, with squinted eyes, he moved closer to the distracted Guren. “Oh, it’s not that kind you’re thinking of. I meant..” Ferid paused; the seconds dragged tediously which made the lull turn the mood infinitesimally coquettish. He smiled, leaned in for a whisper and added, “He… kind of forced me to spend time with him and his family like usual.” “Well, why didn’t you?” Guren said without hesitation as if he knew all along, now completely free of the throbbing in his back. Or at least he tried to pretend it didn’t hurt anymore. Ferid looked at him through sullen eyes. He fluttered his thick lashes and sighed; a sigh that was overdramatic just because he didn’t want Guren to know what he truly felt. He reclined and resumed his former position with a grin that always allowed him get away with everything; withdrawing, as if he was saying, “I don’t want to let you in just yet”. He snuggled close to the wall, away from Guren’s reach, away from the ribbons of scent wafting from Guren’s flesh, mingled with the scent of his drenched clothes. On Guren’s part, this was the first time he actually had the courage to look at Ferid. Looking intently at him, he could see him fully now: nuzzling his arms, burying his small head against his slender arms, clutching his elbows. Guren thought it was nice to finally look at Ferid without holding back. He finally saw how beautiful he really was with his short shoulder length hair and parted bangs. He was aching to touch the tresses of Ferid’s hair. He was agonizing over the sight of Ferid’s bristles, over the fact that it covered his ears and the side of his face. Guren bit his bottom lip to stop his mouth from trembling with nervousness at this sudden intimacy that they both shared. They had known each other for a long time, but this was the first time they ever talked and really looked at each other. While it was the first time he gazed upon him closely, he didn’t need something or someone to tell him that there was something that bothered his classmate. There was something sad about Ferid. The twitch of Ferid’s eyelids and the fluttering of his pretty lashes interrupted Guren’s thoughts. Its curl took Guren’s breath away. Ferid gave him a sidelong glance, and a slow opening of his hooded eyes that felt like a whiplash. “Aren’t you cold Ichinose-..” “Call me Guren.” Guren said embarrassed; his eyes averted. Ferid smiled at that. He couldn’t help but say Oh inside his mind. “Aren’t you cold Guren? You haven’t changed clothes yet.” Ferid raised his eyes and stared at the towel that hung on the other’s head. He may have wanted to be the one to dry Guren’s hair. He may have wanted to run his slender fingers through Guren’s dark hair. But the droplets that streamed down Guren’s hair— plopping in long successions against the tiled floor—amused him. He thought Guren looked like a lost puppy. Adorable. Ferid mused. But then, a somber gaze replaced the laughter in his eyes. He looked away. Guren chose to look away as well. Clutching his t-shirt and pants, he shifted and put them beside him. If silence was the absence of noise, then the combination of the rattle of leaves, the rush and flow of the rain, and the rustle of clothes was the sound of distance. Guren took off his wet socks and wiped his body. The sound of the cloth that glided on his skin became overbearing to Ferid’s ears. Guren’s breathing drowned the wailing wind; it overcame the rush of the rain. It reduced the sound of Ferid’s raging heartbeat to a mere whisper. They knew each other. They had been aware of each other. They had been attracted to each other for a long time already. But they didn’t really think much of it. Ferid didn’t think much of it until now, when he was so close to Guren. Guren felt awkward. He wanted to run. He wanted to go somewhere. He wanted to say something, anything that would make the unbearable silence go away, but he didn’t know what to say. He just clenched his teeth and hoped that Ferid didn’t hear how loud his heart beat. Ferid kept stealing glances at him. Silence had been his repose, yet for the first time, he wanted to be the one to break the ice. Finally, he said something that totally caught Guren off guard. The sound of Ferid’s voice was a mere whisper. It was drowned by the pouring rain, hidden from the others who were bound to listen to their conversation, hidden to us, to everyone except both of them. Others may only hear the rattling sound of the rain against the eaves, the rush and the trickle of water, but only the sound of Ferid’s cold soothing voice filled Guren’s ears. Ferid told him something that he had never told anyone before—not even his closest friend Crowley. Guren looked to and fro, scratched the side of his face using his finger and cleared his throat. “Well, uh.. I mean..” Stuttering, he looked away with blush-suffused cheeks. His eyes frantically searched for something to focus on. He was surprised at Ferid’s sudden confession. Although the truth was, he was more surprised at himself for being embarrassed when he followed every movement of Ferid’s cherry lips. The way Ferid pressed his lips together, the way he pursed and opened them made him feel things; things that confused him. “Hmmm?” It was a hum, a prolonged vibration of the vocal chords to produce the “m” sound. Lilting, it was a tease from a newly found friend. “Well, uhh… Since we’re both alone and all, we can spend Valentines together. Would you like that? Only when the rain stops though.” Guren said as he touched the nape of his neck, flustered up to his ears. “Aren’t you bold~ Are you inviting me out on a date Ichinose-kun?” “No I’m not!” Guren protested with clenched fists and widened eyes; facing Ferid, his body leaned forwards, bridging the gap between them. “I told you to call me Guren.” He added in a hushed tone as if he was sulking. He was much redder than before. “Ahahaha~ Guren. I’m just kidding okay. You don’t need to react that much. Yes! Let’s go. I’d like to unwind too you know.” Guren looked away. “I just broke up with a girlfriend a few months ago. I don’t really mind accompanying you today. Since were both free and all.” Petulant, Guren couldn’t help insert this little fact about himself, as if demarcating a line between him and Ferid.
11424948	More Than an Abandoned	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": null, "Characters": "Evan Hansen, Connor Murphy (Dear Evan Hansen)", "Fandom": "Dear Evan Hansen - Pasek & Paul/Levenson", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by EmpyrealFantasy", "chapters": "2/3", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-07T00:00:00", "words": "5,279", "Additional Tags": "Time Travel, Implied/Referenced Suicide, discussions of depression, Connor Deserves Happiness, Anxiety, Friendship/Love, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Explicit Language, Because Connor POV, Gift Fic, Everybody Lives, Awkward Romance, Time Travel Fix-It, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Mental Health Issues, Angst with a Happy Ending", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Evan Hansen/Connor Murphy, Evan Hansen & Connor Murphy", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": "Gen, M/M", "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Connor woke up.Consciousness hit him with the strength of a freight train, eyes flying open and breath stalling in his lungs. He blinked at the familiar, star-splattered ceiling of his bedroom, wide-eyed and stunned. How was he—hadn’t he been—?He scrambled out of bed and spun around, taking in the familiar bedroom he’d spent so many hours holed away in over the years. His bed, his posters, his dresser. The guitar he’d briefly tried to learn to play before giving up, the black eyeliner and nail polish he’d occasionally taken to wearing laying discarded beside his brush in front of his mirror… the mirror he’d broken in a fit of rage, that he’d used the shards to—Maybe he was crazy after all. He huffed out a hollow, disbelieving laugh and sunk back to sit on his bed, heart hammering. He must be. Because he could have sworn that he’d been dead just a few moments ago, that he’d been watching that loser Evan Hansen from school bury himself deeper and deeper into lies about some epic friendship he’d supposedly had with Connor himself. That people had actually acted sad that he’d died, that he’d been remembered with something other than fear and hatred, that he’d been remembered at all.Connor buried his face into his hands and gave another hollow laugh. Right, crazy. What a fucked up dream that had been. What was up with his subconscious? It wasn’t like he was looking for a way to die or anything, not really. He just got so pissed sometimes, and really, who would even notice if he went away?His subconscious wanted him to believe that people would, apparently. The dream’s meaning had been pretty clear. What a load of optimistic bullshit that was.“Connor? Connor! Breakfast is ready – summer’s almost over, you know, you can’t sleep all day anymore!”He jolted at the sound of his mother’s voice, head whipping to stare at his closed door. A flash of her breaking down, begging for the last memory she had of her son – it was a dream, damnit, it shouldn’t matter – flashed through his mind, making his heart stutter.“Come on, Connor! I bought syrup that wasn’t gluten-free since you hated the other kind so much!”He made his way quietly down the stairs, still feeling off-center and befuddled. “It isn’t like he’ll thank you,” said Zoe in a low, sarcastic drawl. “I don’t know why you bother. He’s probably too fucked up to get out of bed.”“Language, Zoe!”Connor pushed open the door to the kitchen and eyed the too-familiar scene: his father sat tapping away at his Blackberry, his mother ferrying food from the stove to the table, Zoe picking at her plate with a surly scowl. It was like nothing had happened… because nothing had happened. He’d dreamt up months of events, apparently. How fucked up was that? Did he actually care what these people thought so much that he’d manufactured some crazy world where they’d give a shit if he died? Fuck, he was not only crazy, he was pathetic.“I’m going out,” he muttered, making a beeline for the door without looking back at them.“You’re going out? I mean—good! You’re going out!” He could hear the forced way she tried to inject cheer into her voice.“Probably just needs to meet his dealer,” Zoe said snidely under her breath.He opened the door without replying or glancing back, shoulders hunched.“Are you taking your phone with you? Don’t stay out too late; you need to get back on a regular schedule with your senior year starting soon—“Connor slammed the door behind himself, not pausing as he strode blindly toward the street. He didn’t even know where he was going, only that he needed to get away.He stayed out until well past sunset. He’d spent the majority of the day swinging idly back and forth on a swing at the park down the road, scowling at small children that worked up the courage to come near him. He felt no less crazy, but the thick bewilderment that came from waking up after such an intensely real-feeling dream had faded somewhat. He made his way home because he didn’t know what else to do; what else could he do? So he walked the familiar greenbelt path behind the houses on his block, forcing himself to shove the dream from his mind. He wasn’t suicidal, so it wasn’t like it was going to change his mind. He didn’t sit around planning how he was gonna die or anything, he just knew with absolute certainty that no one would miss him if he was gone. And if he sometimes blanked out a bit when he was super pissed, when he was high and so angry he could just scream and kick and—But he wasn’t some sad little depressed kid, damnit. That trophy went to that loser Hansen who had apparently dreamt up some great, life-changing friendship between them once Connor had been dead. In his dream. Not in reality, in his dream. He shook his head and focused harder on shoving the dream away. He needed to stop thinking about it like it had been real; it was only going to make him fuck something up.The door opened as he touched the handle, swinging in to frame Zoe in the light that spilt from it. She startled and shrieked, stumbling in surprise to see him standing there. He caught her before she could fall, maneuvering her until she was standing straight. She stared down at his hands on her and he jerked them back like he’d been burned.“What the hell, Connor?” she said after a long, delayed pause. “Why are you just standing there in the dark?”“I just walked up,” he huffed, not sure why he was explaining himself. He moved past her but surprised himself when he did it gently, turning to avoid shouldering her as he had never done before.She, too, seemed shocked, running her eyes up and down him. She opened her mouth to question him but seemed to think better of it, lips snapping shut and her eyes narrowing. “Whatever.” The door was closed between them with a slam, leaving Connor to stare at the door with blank eyes. He recalled the platitudes that the Hansen kid had given her about how much Connor had supposedly loved her, how she’d thawed and gentled from the iceberg she’d been the last few years – unmovable and cold – into the little sister he still remembered playing with as a child. Did the mere idea of Connor actually giving a shit about her mean that much to her?But no—there he went again, thinking like the dream was real. He swallowed down the strange urge to call her back and made his way up the stairs, ignoring the murmur of his parents’ voices from the living room. He needed to find a way to separate the dream from reality. He needed to somehow disprove it so he’d stop dwelling on the shit that had never happened.He pulled his laptop from under his bed, picking at some bit of gunk next to the touchpad while it booted up. He didn’t know why his mind had chosen Evan Hansen, of all people, to fixate on. Well, that wasn’t entirely true – they’d had a couple of classes together the year before, and Connor was well aware that he’d spent too much time watching the awkward little loser chew endearingly on his lower lip and fidget around in his seat, stammer over the answer to any question asked of him. But it seemed a bit much to have created so much depth about him: likes, dislikes, friendships, odd habits. He hardly knew Evan beyond thinking he was cute in a nerdy, gawky way.But this worked to his advantage in one way, at least. Surely he could easily show himself how fake the dream was when he saw that Evan was nothing like he’d dreamed up. He pulled up Twitter first, poking around classmates’ profiles until he found the barely-used, sparse account for @evanhansen. It was… lackluster, to say the least. A few clumsy, badly-worded jokes, a several-tweet reply thread arguing with someone about whether ‘cronch’ was a word. This was such a stupid idea, Connor thought. He scowled and nearly violently tried to close the webpage, but a small link caught his attention in Evan’s profile. Instagram. Connor clicked through and found himself drowning in pictures of trees and plants, several attempts at aesthetically pleasing angled shots of forest paths. So Evan did like trees, huh? He must have heard that at some point and his subconscious remembered it. That didn’t mean anything, obviously.Several hours later, Connor found a spike of rage fading to see his laptop in pieces on the ground, his mother shouting from downstairs asking if he was all right. He hadn’t learned anything useful, instead had ended up daydreaming about the version of the stupid loser Hansen his mind had created. God, he was so pathetic.The next day, he was up with the sun and making his way to the bus station, the directions he’d found to Ellison State Park on his cell phone. He hadn’t managed to sleep at all last night, half afraid he’d dream again and wake up even more confused, half afraid he wouldn’t. Desperation drove him onto the bus, ignoring the startled, wary look a little old lady gave him when he stormed past her to board the bus first. He glared at her and received a cowing scowl in return.The bus ride seemed to go on forever. Connor opened an app on his phone and began jotting notes down, little things he remembered about the Evan Hansen of his dream that he could pretty easily disprove. His mother’s name, his fear of rabbits and chinchillas, the way he organized his sock drawer. Connor couldn’t guess when he’d heard that Evan would be working as an apprentice park ranger that summer, but he must have heard about it somewhere. How else had be known?He pasted on a stilted parody of a friendly smile to the first park ranger he came across, claiming to be a visiting friend of Evan’s. That the lie made something in his stomach squeeze and swoop was irrelevant. He was pointed down a lesser-used path to his right, told Evan was to be checking on the health of the trees and wildlife along it that morning. He spat out a ‘thank you’ to the increasingly confused looking man and darted away, feeling like he needed to get to Evan right that minute. It was like ripping off a Band-Aid, right? Prove his stupid dream was fake, that Evan Hansen wasn’t half the clumsily-charming, sweet boy he’d dreamed had so sincerely playacted caring for him, then get on with his life. He couldn’t—he just couldn’t keep going like this, all confused with this sinking, tight pain in his chest. He had always denied being crazy, no matter how many shrinks Cynthia and Larry had tried to force him to see, but every minute since waking up the morning before only made him feel crazier and crazier.When he rounded a corner and heard a grunt, his eyes swung upwards before he had really registered what he was doing. And there was Evan Hansen, face red and sweat beading across his brow as he heaved himself upward, a terribly serious, hard expression on his face unlike anything Connor had ever seen from him.God, but the loser was going to think Connor was nuts. Showing up out of nowhere, staring at him helplessly. But images from the dream kept cycling through his mind, the heart-wrenching speech Evan had given to the school, Evan sitting on Connor’s bed and idly stroking his comforter as he talked to Connor like he was there, Evan awkwardly patting Cynthia’s back as she hugged him and sobbed, Evan sitting alone in his room at night tearing at his hair and berating himself for his lies but still wishing that the lies had been the truth. That he’d really been Connor’s friend. That he really had had a friend.He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t notice for several seconds that Evan had frozen on a high branch, eyes wide and jaw slack as he stared down at Connor where he stood just off the path. The angle was awkward and Evan was quite a ways up, but Connor swore the boy was muttering ‘no’ over and over again as he stared.“C-Connor?” Evan gasped out, fingertips skittering over the bark of the tree as his grip tightened. He looked like—like he’d seen a ghost.And with an echoing crack Evan Hansen was falling. Connor darted into movement without thinking, a shout leaving his lips. He was too late, though. With a scream, Evan hit the ground, all his weight landing on his arm. On his left arm. Connor felt a chill run down his spine, hairs standing on end. Maybe—had the dream been something of a premonition, then? Or was this just a fucked up coincidence?But the dream didn’t matter in that moment. Connor hit his knees and reached out, hands awkwardly hovering over Evan. He didn’t know if he should move him or what. “The hell, Evan?” Connor said breathlessly, hands clenching and unclenching uselessly. “What do I do? Should I go get someone?”Blue eyes – bright blue, summer-sky blue, much more startling than his own vaguely bluish-greyish eyes – stared at him; Evan didn’t even seem to be blinking. His mouth worked soundlessly as he gasped for air, half from pain and half from shock. “C-Connor?”“Yes, you idiot. Why in the hell wouldn’t you be more careful?” He seethed and took refuge in his irritation, scowling down at the other boy. “Your arm’s totally broken. I should go find a ranger, right?”“Don’t—don’t go!” Evan gasped out, his right arm reaching out to grab at Connor. He seemed to notice what he’d done moments later, flailing back away and managing to jostle his arm. He winced and hissed between his teeth, tears gathering in his eyes. “Don’t leave me alone, please.” He said it so quietly that, had Connor not been singularly focused on him, he probably wouldn’t have heard. “Ah, I mean, I don’t want to bother you or anything! No big deal! It’s just a scratch—““Did you hit your head on the way down? We need to get someone to take you to a hospital.”“Doesn’t matter, I’ve got to be dreaming—“ Evan said vaguely, still staring with wide blue-blue eyes trained on Connor’s face. “Or maybe I’m dead. Am I dead, Connor?”Connor froze. “The fuck, man? Why would you say that?”“Well,” Evan said, flushing now and stammering. “I mean, yeah, that’s dumb! Just, I mean, I know this has to be a dream? Because for one thing it was snowing last night but now it’s over eighty degrees? But also, because you’re dead?” he said it like a question, voice rising into a shrill state as he began talking faster and faster. “Not that I don’t like when I dream about you, but this one seems a little mean? I thought you weren’t supposed to feel pain in dreams, so I guess being dead is possible, but that doesn’t make much sense either?”The string of panicked questions would normally have given Connor a headache, but instead he found himself frozen, one hand clamped on Evan’s uninjured arm. “What did you say?”“W-What part? About my dream?”“About me being dead. Why would you say that?”Evan stared at him in silence for a long moment, lips parted as he flicked his eyes over Connor’s face. “Umm, because you are? Remember? You killed yourself just a few days into the school year.”This, he thought, was what shock felt like. Suddenly he was lying on the ground beside Evan, peering at the endless sky through the tree’s branches.It hadn’t been a dream. Somehow, impossibly, he’d travelled through time.The hell was he going to do now? ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- “Umm, Connor? Connor?” Evan wheezed and whined in his throat. “Oh no, I broke him!” Vaguely, as if from far away, Connor could hear Evan’s steadily rising voice as he panicked. “Is this like a horror movie? Did I kill him by reminding him he was dead?” A hand flailed against his chest, fingers pressing just a bit too hard against his neck. “Oh thank God,” Evan said with a loud exhale. “Not dead. Still broken, though; good job, Hansen! Ugh, this is the worst dream ever—““Not a dream,” Connor gasped out in return, still staring at the sky through the trees. “I remember, too. But it’s summer before school started again.”“Very funny, Connor,” Evan said in a squeaking, high-pitched tone. “You know, usually when I dream of you it’s much more cheerful! Can we do one of those dreams, please?”“Dream of me often?” He’d meant to sound sardonic, maybe a bit teasing, but instead his voice came out harsh. “Just trying to come up with more fodder for the fucked up stories about our non-existent friendship, huh?”He felt bad when he glanced over and caught the stricken look on Evan’s face; the boy was too expressive for his own good. His chin trembled. “Ah, so it’s one of those dreams, where you remind me what a terrible person I am for lying to everyone—“It struck something in Connor that Evan had had dreams like that. He scowled at the sky for a moment before struggling back into a sitting position. “This isn’t a dream, freak. Hell, I thought the other stuff was a dream, but here we are.”Evan was shaking his head, but the motion jostled the arm he’d been holding rigid against his torso. He whimpered. “Oh god—I forgot how much this hurt…”Connor stood and – gently, though he’d never admit it – helped maneuver Evan to stand. “Do you think you can keep your arm still enough if we walk back? Or should I go get one of the rangers?”Evan was chewing at his lower lip and wouldn’t meet Connor’s eyes now, a deep frown making a little crease deepen between his eyes. “Umm—last time, I walked fine. So unless this dream gets even weirder, I should be okay?”Connor bit back another attempt to convince the other boy that it wasn’t a dream, instead striding back down the path and expecting Evan would follow. He’d have to convince him later, probably once he’d gone to sleep and woken again. Aside from proving himself not to be crazy, Connor felt… lightened, somehow, to know he wasn’t alone in this. That he wasn’t floundering in the dark in the fucked up, unprecedented position of having come back to life and travelled back in time.Even if his companion was Evan Hansen – awkward and ridiculous, endearing and fumbling as he was – at least Connor wasn’t alone.God damn he was pathetic.See, the thing was, Connor hadn’t really meant to kill himself.Not really, anyway.Weed was great for taking the edge off, for shutting up the ever-present, snide voice in the back of his mind that gave unhelpful commentary on his every action. That reminded him what a fuckup he was, what a disappointment. That it was obvious why he had no friends: who’d want to be friends with a freak anyway? But the downside was that, without that voice holding him back, he’d sober up to find he’d kicked Zoe’s door off its hinges, punched a hole through the wall in the kitchen, threw one of his dad’s stupid baseball trophies through the new flat screen. At least with that voice narrating his faults, he was more likely to swallow down his rage and stick to scathing words rather than actual violence.The other downside was that, the higher he got, the less likely he was to think of consequences. He’d broken a lot of things that way, nearly or actually hurt random people while stoned out of his gourd. Normally he tried to keep it balanced, lock himself away in his room and smoke just enough to feel floaty and lazy, to stop that asshole voice from telling him about what a crazy fucktard he was. He’d chill listening to music or reading or fucking around on Tumblr and Reddit, eating Hot Cheetos until everything he touched was smudged with little red fingerprints, then doze off for a few hours without nightmares. Without pain.But sometimes, in an effort to feel less, to think less, he just kept smoking.He had tried other drugs, but most of them just made him even more high-strung than usual, worse than getting to that ridiculous stage when he smoked too much pot. The only things that were comparable were pain meds and benzos, but those weren’t exactly easy to find even with the number of his mom’s bored, housewife friends that were drugged to the gills. He remembered the night he’d died, though, he’d gotten his hands on a few Xanax. Between that and the weed, he’d felt… numb. He had just sat there on the floor of his room thinking about how much he hated his family, his school, and all the idiots he had to interact with on a daily basis. Mostly, though, he had just realized how deeply he hated himself. He was seventeen and hadn’t had a real friend since elementary school. His family thought he was nuts. Even his lame, bitchy sister was afraid of him. He never said the right thing. He always managed to scare people off, even when he genuinely wanted to get to know them. But how could he blame them?So he’d sat there, staring at his reflection until something in him had snapped. He’d shattered the mirror with his boot, kicking and kicking and kicking until he was exhausted and panting. Things were fuzzy after that, but he remembered laying there with his head stuffed with cotton, eyeing where he’d managed to get a small shard of glass stuck in his palm. He couldn’t feel it. So he’d decided to see what it took until he could feel it.So yeah, no, he hadn’t been planning to die or anything. Sure, he’d always known that it would probably be better if he wasn’t there anymore. No more parents arguing about his stability, no more cold, snide sister flinching away from him whenever he got near. No more assholes at school eyeing him like he was going to explode at any given moment. Really, even if someone did notice he was gone, they’d probably be glad, he’d assumed.But somehow, that hadn’t been the case.Whether it would have been different if he hadn’t forgotten about that stupid letter he’d stuffed in his pocket after arguing with Evan in the library, he’d never know. All he did know was that, due to Evan’s ridiculous awkwardness and anxiety and several increasingly improbable situations, his death had started a motherfucking movement. He remembered being dead like he remembered childhood memories: foggy and distant but with shining moments of clarity. He had been aware of things in fits and starts, a set of seemingly disconnected and alternating points of view that spanned the days and weeks following his death.Most clearly, though, he remembered watching Evan Hansen fumble for notecards on his knees before his terrified expression had melted to a steely resolve. That look on the boy’s face haunted him still, blue-blue eyes and set jaw as he stood and began to pour out his heart about an asshole who’d pushed him and called him names only days before. Passionately and without guile demanding that no one be forgotten, that no one believe they were alone.Lying in his bed after the strangest day of his life, staring up at the galaxy motif he had painted himself when he was young and still cared about shit, terrified to go to sleep and find that this second chance had been the dream after all… Connor found himself hoping that really did apply to him, too.Connor woke to a hesitant knock on his bedroom door, his mother’s bewildered voice on the other side. “C-Connor? There’s someone at the door for you?” She sounded so shocked that he’d be insulted if he didn’t understand completely. He’d never had someone over before.Connor pushed himself out of bed and dragged his hands through his hair; it was a riotous mess in the mornings. “Send him up,” he croaked, reaching for a random shirt from the floor.She retreated fast, steps skipping down the stairs. Now that he was listening, he heard her overly-cheerful voice from the living room. “You said your name was Evan, right?” God, she sounded so disgustingly saccharine. “I’m Cynthia, Connor’s mom! He said to go right up—it’s really nice to meet you! Do you want a kale smoothie? I just made a fresh batch!”He couldn’t hear Evan’s response, but he could imagine it was stuttering and abrupt. After a few minutes of silence from them both, he heard much slower steps on the stairs and down the hall to his room, hovering outside his door. There was a long moment of silence.“For fucks sake, Evan, open the door.”He heard a squeak and startled fumbling, but after a moment the door inched open. Evan Hansen was chewing at his lower lip and shifting from foot to foot, a glass of green murk awkwardly clasped in his cast-impaired hand. “Umm, your mom said to come up, and I’m sorry to bother you but I didn’t have your phone number?”“Just come in, dork,” he said with an exhausted sigh. “Stop hovering.”“Sorry! Sorry.”Connor rolled his eyes and pulled up his legs to sit cross-legged on his unmade bed. Evan, after creeping in awkwardly and nudging his door shut again, hovered a few steps into the room amidst Connor’s dirty laundry. "I like your ceiling," Evan said apropos of nothing. "Your mom told me you'd painted it yourself. Did you ever think of doing the walls, too? Like, a forest scene or something and that's the sky above it? I could get you pictures of really pretty, easy trees if you want – I could even help! Then your room could be like a forest—""You're here for a reason, right?" He'd feel bad for interrupting, but he really didn't want the boy to get started on trees. It was adorable when he started rambling and nearly bouncing in place, but they had shit to discuss and clear up.“Ah, so, I guess I’m maybe not dreaming?” Evan said after a moment, his voice full of a low-key sort of panic of the sort that came from being strung tightly very often and not having the energy for much more than that. “I mean, it’s definitely still summer again, and I slept and woke up… umm, I don’t think I’ve ever done that in a dream before.”Connor rolled his eyes and thrust out an arm to point at his desk chair. “Sit, would you? What did I say about hovering?”Evan jolted and chewed harder at his lower lip; it was swollen and red at this point and Connor wouldn’t be surprised if he made himself bleed. Anxiety really shouldn't be allowed to be attractive. “Ah! Sorry!” He tripped over himself to sit in the chair, though he kept his still-untouched glass of kale-goop aloft and unspilled. He kept his eyes on it instead of Connor, rotating it between his hands. “So this really isn’t a dream? You’re really alive, but you remember that you died? This is—really weird.”Connor sighed again and flopped back, staring up at the swirling nebulae painted on his ceiling, trying to keep from snapping. “Yeah. I woke up day before yesterday after being dead. I think I win on the weird front.”“It’s not a competition,” Evan muttered, though Connor was sure he wasn’t supposed to hear it. “What do we do?”“Do?” Well… he hadn’t actually thought of that.“Well, yeah. I mean, in movies there’s always a reason when you get sent back in time, right? Stop some bad guy, save someone’s life—“ Evan’s breathing hitched and stalled before suddenly he sucked in a deep, audible gulp. “Oh. Oh.”“Don’t ‘oh’ me,” Connor snarled, sitting back up with violent intent. He leaned forward over his knees and pinned Evan in place with a glare. “This isn’t some shitty movie, Hansen. We aren’t heroes and my life sure as hell isn’t important enough to be the reason for the fucking universe to rewind.”Rather than being terrified, as Connor would have expected him to be, Evan stared at him with a bewildering solemnity, blue eyes wide and damp. “Of course your life is important, Connor. You don’t know how many people—““Yeah, I know,” he interrupted, not willing to listen to the boy wax poetic. “I watched shit, all right? I saw. But it was never about me, it was about the shit you made up about me.”That made Evan flinch, hard, nearly upending himself in the chair. Surprisingly, he still held that stupid glass steady that Connor’s mother had foisted on him. “No! No, Connor, it was about you. M-Maybe we weren’t really friends—“ oh god, those were tears, the loser was crying now. Connor held himself rigid to keep himself from reaching out placating hands to pat at him ineffectively. “—but that doesn’t mean your death didn’t mean something. If you watched, you saw that. You saw how much your family hurt, how many people missed you –““Again.” Connor dipped his head and let his hair hide his eyes. “That was more about you, Evan. That was because of the stories you made up about a person who wasn’t me and the speech you gave—““But it was all because of you!” They both froze in the aftermath of Evan’s high, frantic shout, the sudden silence thick. But as he had done so many times already, Evan surprised Connor when he sucked in a deep breath and continued, his voice emotional and earnest and— ugh. “It was because of you. Yeah, maybe we weren’t really friends, but we could have been. You’re not the only one hurting, Connor Murphy. You’re not the only person who's felt forgotten, alone, or useless. But because of you, because of losing you, we were all able to come together and realize what you didn’t live long enough to. And your family didn’t miss the person I wrote emails about, they missed you. They were upset because they felt like they’d failed you. And yeah, okay, maybe Zoe was a little more because of the stories I told, but even she just wanted her brother back.”Connor drew his knees up to his chest, curling in on himself as well as he could. He didn’t have a response for that.“So maybe that’s why we’re here,” Evan said softly after a long silence. “Maybe it’s so I can show you how important you are. Help you find a way to say the stuff you can’t. Show you that you’re not alone—“Connor’s breath hitched.“—like you did for me.”Fucking fuck— fuck Evan Hansen. Connor pressed his forehead to his knees and hated himself as he cried.
11474751	Moving On	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Aaron Dingle, Chas Dingle, Robert Sugden, Charity Dingle, Marlon Dingle, Original Male Character(s)", "Fandom": "Emmerdale", "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by No_goodbyes_no_regrets", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "1,730", "Additional Tags": "Angst with a Happy Ending, Robron endgame, Misunderstandings", "Relationship": "Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": "7 days of Robron", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	“He’s got some nerve coming in here showing off his latest conquest.” Chas said to Charity, glaring at Robert from across the bar. “I wonder if that guy knows he’s just another notch on his bedpost.”“How do you know it’s not some kind of business… associate? He’s this big shot businessman isn’t he?” Marlon asked, having caught the last part of the conversation when he’d come in to the pub to serve up an order.“Does that look like a business meeting to you Marlon?” Chas demanded.“Doesn’t really look like a date either.” Charity said, openly staring at the guy sat at a table with Robert. “Maybe it’s just a friend? He is cute.”“Robert Sugden having friends? I doubt that. Most people know to stay well away from him. Thankfully Aaron does too now.”“He reminds me of Aaron a bit.” Charity noted, ignoring Chas’s comments. “The whole dark and broody thing. I guess Robert has a type, eh?”“He looks nothing like Aaron.”“He does a bit, doesn’t he Marlon?”“Er… I suppose… But if they’ve split up, doesn’t that mean he can go out with whoever he likes?” Marlon said, which earned him a glare from Chas.“We haven’t split up. We’re taking a break. And I’m not going out with anyone.” Robert said and put a 10 pound note on the bar. “Two pints please Chas.”“I’m not serving you. If you think you can come in here with your latest victim to make Aaron jealous, you’ve got another thing coming. I won’t let you hurt my boy anymore.”“Aaron isn’t even here, is he Chas?” Robert sighed. “How can I hurt him or make him jealous if he’s in Dublin with Liv?”“They got back last night actually.” Marlon told him.“Marlon!” Chas yelled like she was scolding a puppy that had just peed on the rug.“I uh.. think something’s burning in the kitchen.” Marlon said and all but ran from the bar.“He’s back?” Robert asked, eyes flicking to the door to the backroom.“Yes. But you’re staying away from him. He doesn’t want to see you.”“He can tell me that himself.”“You’re not going anywhere near my boy.”“He’s not a little boy anymore Chas. He’s a grown man who can fight his own battles.”“He’s done enough of that lately, don’t you think? With you.” Chas said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.“Who’s your friend?” Charity asked, changing the subject and nodding to the guy sat at the table playing with a beer coaster.Robert looked over his shoulder as if he just remembered the guy existed.“None of your business.”“Are you sleeping with him?”“That’s even less of your business.”“That’s a yes then.”“No it’s a mind your own business. Now are you going to serve me or do I have to take my money elsewhere?”“Go. By all means. Go and never come back.” Chas said but Charity quickly swiped the 10 pound note from the bar.“What? Money is money and he’s got plenty of it.” She said when Chas glared at her.“You’re just as bad as he is. Everything is about money!”“Are you having money troubles with the pub?” Robert asked as Charity put two pints on the bar.“Why do you want to know? So you can swoop in and throw your money around to impress Aaron?” Chas asked.“Yeah because that’s worked so well for me in the past.” Robert said, rolling his eyes as he picked up the pints and walked back to the table.“You took your time.” The guy said when Robert put his pint down in front of him.“Yeah… that’s Aaron’s mother. She owns this place. Half his family works here actually.” Robert explained.“Ah. And she’s not your biggest fan?”“Nope. Never really has been to be honest. She just put up with me for Aaron’s sake I suppose.” Robert said, taking a sip from his beer. “She also thinks you’re my boyfriend.”“Boyfriend? I’ve done a lot of crazy shit over the years but even I draw the line at sleeping with my brother.”Robert laughed.“Yeah same here mate.”They chatted for a while but Robert kept glancing at the bar and checking his phone.“I’m sorry am I boring you?”“What? No, no I’m sorry.” Robert shook his head to clear his mind. “It’s just… Chas just said Aaron is back from Dublin and I really need to talk to him, Sean… but she’ll never let me go through to the back.”“Want me to distract her?” Sean suggested. “I’ll get another round in and distract her.”“What? No. That’ll never work. And I’m not sure he’ll want to talk to me in the first place.”“You won’t know unless you try.” Sean said but the look on Robert’s face said he wasn’t convinced. “Come on big brother, go get your husband back.” He said and patted Robert’s knee before getting up and walking to the bar.“You want to reconsider the company you’re keeping.” Chas told him.“Nah I’m good. Two pints please.”“He doesn’t love you, you know. He’s only using you. He uses everyone.”“Maybe. But I’m a big boy. I can figure that out for myself, thanks.”“What’s your name then?” Charity asked, leaning on the bar, smiling sweetly.“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Sean replied, mirroring her pose.Charity raised an eyebrow at him and grinned.“Ooh playing hard to get, are we? Is that what he sees in you? I’ve been told he likes a chase.”“Does he now? Can’t say I have any experience in that department. What about you? Do you like a chase?”“You stay on that side of the bar if you know what’s good for you, Robert Sugden.” Chas snapped at Robert who’d tried to slip around the bar to go find Aaron.“Chas, please. I just want to talk to him. If he tells me to go, I’ll go.”She sighed.“I’ll tell him you were here. If he wants to talk to you, he knows where to find you.”Sean slung an arm around Robert’s shoulder.“See? We’re moving in the right direction. Now let’s get you home so you can sulk there and scare the B&B guests away. ”Robert gave him a small smile and nodded.“Ok.”“So four months is all it took for you to move on?” Aaron, who had just walked into the bar, said when he saw Sean’s arm around Robert’s shoulder.“No mate, you’ve got it all wrong.” Sean said quickly but Aaron ignored him and just stormed out of the pub.“Aaron wait!” Robert called out after him. “Aaron!”“Why? So you can introduce me to your new boyfriend?!” Aaron asked when Robert had caught up with him outside the pub.“He’s not my boyfriend. Sean is my brother. My dad and his mum had a thing before he met my mum. It didn’t last long and he never knew Sean even existed.”“And I’m supposed to believe that?” Aaron said and started walking away again.“It’s the truth. I wouldn’t lie to you. Not anymore.” Robert said, following him.“Why hasn’t Vic said anything then?”“She doesn’t know. We’re not exactly close at the moment…”“Why not? She seemed happy enough that you were going to be a dad to the baby.”“She was. But he’s not mine. He was born about two months ago. We were arguing in the café when she went into labour and I was a mess. I was convinced he wouldn’t make it because it was way too early. He was born around 2AM the next morning… a perfectly healthy baby boy… the spitting image of his dad. His name is Thomas Lawrence.”“Stop. I don’t want to hear this. I can’t Robert. I’m glad your son is ok but… it’s too hard. I can’t deal with this.”“Aaron… he wasn’t premature. He’s not mine.” Robert repeated.“What?”“I knew the second the nurse put him in my arms but I ignored it at first. I wanted to be a dad to that boy. Be a better dad than mine was... To do something right in my life for once.” Robert said, and let out a sad laugh. “She admitted it when he was about a week old. He has dark hair and looks more like Ross every day.”“What? Does Ross know?”Robert nodded.“Yeah. Yeah… I got drunk and told him myself. In the middle of the pub.”“Always the dramatic.”“Can’t help myself, can I?”“And that guy? In the pub.”“Sean. My brother. Or… half-brother I suppose.” Robert said with a shrug. “He sent me an email a few months ago. I emailed him back… eventually. We emailed back and forth for a while and met up and we got on pretty well… and we’re both staying at the B&B now.”“The B&B? Why not the house?”“I don’t want to live there without you.”They walked together in silence for a few minutes.“I missed you.” Aaron admitted.“I missed you too… I wanted to text and call but Adam told me to give you space.”Aaron nodded.“I know. I had to sort my head out. Figure out what I wanted to do with the baby and the mess we both made of our marriage.” He said, twisting his ring around his finger.“You’re still wearing your ring.” Robert pointed out.“Never took it off.” Aaron told him. “I wanted to… but I couldn’t.”Robert held up his left hand.“Me too.”“We’re a right pair of idiots aren’t we?” Aaron said laughingly.“Yeah.” Robert agreed. “Are… Are you back for good now?”“Yeah. I want to make this work Robert. If you still want that too.”“Always have. I just… didn’t always go about it the right way, eh?”“I mean it Robert. If we’re doing this, we have to be completely honest with each other. No more secrets and lies. No more bottling things up. Actually talking about our issues.”Robert nodded.“I promise. Nothing but honesty from now on.” He said and put his hands on Aaron’s hips, happy when the other man let him. “Fresh start.”“Fresh start.” Aaron agreed and pressed a kiss to Robert’s lips.
11473899	Soldier On	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": null, "Characters": "Oliver Queen, John Diggle, Quentin Lance, Thea Queen, Felicity Smoak", "Fandom": "Arrow (TV 2012)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by trufflemores", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "4,007", "Additional Tags": "Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Family, Aftermath of Torture, Some Heavy Themes", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak, Oliver Queen & John Diggle", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": "F/M, Gen", "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	When the mayor's door opens, shuts, and locks, Oliver is so numb he doesn't move.He keeps his back to the intruder, aching for sleep or death or some finite space between, hands on his lap, meditatively still."Forgive me," Quentin introduces, setting a glass of water on his desk. "I can't drink to your good health.""It's fine, Quentin." Oliver doesn't turn around, gaze fixed on the window. Rain drizzles down steadily, obscuring the city beyond. "How are you?"Quentin huffs dismissively, sitting in the chair across from him. "Oliver, there was a time when you were going to be my son-in-law," he says bluntly. "I know we've had a lot of history since then, but you're still the closest thing I have to one.""I'm not your son." Oliver says it quietly, but sternly, like snuffing out a candle between his thumb and forefinger.Quentin sighs, ice clinking as he drinks from his own glass. "No, I know," he says, setting it down. "You're Robert Queen's son.""I don't need to be reminded.""I think you do."Oliver swivels slowly in his chair, looking at Quentin. His eyes burn. He is fairly sure he wouldn't recognize his own face in a mirror. "Why?""Because you're convinced your birth certificate says May 9, 2007."Oliver's jaw stiffens. "Might as well," he says without heat.Quentin pushes the glass closer to him. "Twenty-one-years-old." Shaking his head, he repeats, "You were twenty-one-years-old when that damn boat went down."Oliver ignores the glass. "Your point?"Quentin meets his gaze, unblinking. "Robert Queen's son," he says, "survived five years in hell, came home, and still tried to put the city right.""He failed," Oliver says quietly."Plenty of times," Quentin agrees. "So have I.""You've been through a crucible," Oliver reminds, looking at his hands. He doesn't like to talk about Laurel, or Sara; both are too far away. "There's no protocol.""There's no protocol for what you went through, either." Quentin pushes the glass forward and Oliver takes it to humor him, but he doesn't drink. He isn't thirsty; he hasn't been since he got back. Water turns his stomach. "No one, not even God, could have endured what you did and come out unscarred.""I know." Oliver forces down a sip before folding his hands on the desk to hide their tremble. "But I'm not God, Quentin. Oliver Queen died on that yacht. Robert's son died ten years ago." Leveling a flat look at him, he finishes firmly, "I'm not the man you think I am. I didn't survive. I broke. I changed. I became someone else. Something else."Quentin doesn't blink. "And what is that, exactly?"Oliver's chest hurts. He has to look away. "A monster.""A monster," Quentin echoes. "Is that what he told you?"Oliver's jaw hardens. "He didn't need to.""Just had to beat it out of you first, didn't he?"Oliver slashes a hand across the desk; both glasses shatter on the floor. "Chase didn't force me into anything," he snaps. "I became a monster. I snapped people's necks and tortured them because I wanted to.""How many of those people tried to hurt you first? Hurt your family, your friends, people you cared about?""There is no excuse for--""No. Damn right there isn't. But those people weren't innocent, and you weren't exactly in an authoritative position, making decisions all on your lonesome. No," he says softly, leaning forward a little, conspiratorial, "you were forced, and then you were conditioned, and now you're convinced that all that trauma somehow made twenty-one-years of personhood disappear. And yet you've spent the past five years fighting for that humanity.""I'm a serial killer."Quentin doesn't say anything. Oliver swivels his chair, putting his back to him. His hands shake so hard he knows he couldn't hide them in front of Quentin."I used to live in a black-and-white world," Quentin begins, tone seated before a crackling fire. "That's what we cops call ourselves: 'black-and-whites.' Justice on one side, injustice on the other, and nothing in between. Then the Peter Declan case happened.""He was framed for his wife's murder," Oliver supplies quietly. His stomach hurts. He wants Quentin to leave, but he can't bring himself to say the words. "Jason Brodeur ordered the hit.""Laurel," Quentin pauses to cough, actively-in-pain, "she, she listened to you, when you were The Hood, because she knew that something wasn't right. She had an intuition for these kinds of things. A real cop's daughter."Oliver doesn't turn, granting Quentin the privacy to cry in peace. "Justice was Declan lying down with a needle in his arm and never getting up again," Quentin continues. "That didn't happen. Know why?"Oliver keeps his mouth shut. Quentin plunges on, undeterred. "A man in a green hood decided justice was an innocent man walking free. I happen to agree with that. I still, at times, disagree with his methods." Oliver doesn't smile, but something in his chest loosens at the reminder of old-times. "Can't help it, I've been on one side of the law for too long. But I know why he does it now.""Why does he do it?""Because he believes in a world with fewer tragedies," Quentin finishes.Oliver doesn't respond; thunder fills the interluding silence. Aching to be out on the streets, he wants to bask in the rain, but his body doesn't move. He doesn't deserve it. He doesn't deserve anything given to him after May 9, 2007. Swallowing, he says, "I'm still a mass murderer.""Yeah. You are. And by conventional law, I should have you locked up for life.""I've earned death row."Quentin sighs, standing and walking around the desk. Oliver tenses but doesn't move when he places a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it. "We don't operate under conventional law," he says. "What you've done -- the atrocities you've committed -- won't go away. Neither will your guilt. But unless you acknowledge it, the pain will fester, Oliver, until it infects every corner of your soul.""It already has," Oliver replies, husked out."No." Quentin shakes his head. "It hasn't. Because if it had, you would've killed Chase. If it had, you never would have brought Diggle or Felicity, or me into the mix. A true monster doesn't care for anyone. I've met few people who care as much as you do."Oliver's throat feels tight. Speech escapes him."You care about your family and friends and your city. You care about being the Green Arrow." Oliver keeps his gaze on the world beyond the glass, resisting tears. "You want to be the person your family and friends would be proud of.""I skinned a man alive," he says. Quentin's flinch is tiny but not imperceptible. "I didn't have to," he continues, numb. "He gave up what I needed pretty quickly, but I ... I did it anyway. I did it because I wanted practice." Shaking hard, he hunches over his own stomach, nausea and terror warring for dominance. Nausea wins out; yanking the trash bin out from underneath the desk, he dry-heaves into it."All right, it's all right," Quentin says, patting his back.Oliver hasn't eaten anything since Chase released him, and he regrets it, but not half as much as he regrets the burning guilt in his stomach."All right," Quentin repeats. Oliver sits up slowly, still shaking. "Come on. Come on, Oliver," he says, pulling Oliver to his feet. He goes, unresisting, even though it hurts. Everything hurts; the soles of his feet, the arc of his wrists, the catastrophic burn sweeping the canvas of his skin. His lungs hurt, his stomach hurts, his eyes hurt. He wants to sleep it all off, but sleep won't come, either; even his dreams hurt. Quentin says, "Come with me."Oliver goes, putting on a mayoral indifference to his own emotions as he straightens his jacket. Quentin leads the way, unlocking the door for him. The hall is full of staffers, but the walls of his office are thick; people turn, but no one stares. "Mayor Queen," they greet in passing. He dips his head in salutary nods, silently refusing the offers to engage or shake hands, moving on. Quentin gets him to the elevator and down to the main level without drawing any undue attention. A perfectly pressed suit is an effective wall of armor against inquisitive eyes.In the rain, Mayor Queen and Deputy Mayor Lance walk. If Mayor Queen limps, even observant bystanders would be hard-pressed to see it. The black car pulled up to the curb purrs invitingly, engine still running. Queen grimaces but does not fight the hand on his back, urging him towards the backseat. Lance opens the door and Queen slides in next to bodyguard John Diggle. The door shuts, and Lance climbs into the front passenger's seat beside former Chief of Staff Thea Queen, who pulls away from the curb as soon as Lance is seated.Oliver slips out of his own head for a while, descending under a canopy of forest green. He thunders across the terrain, trusting his feet where he cannot trust his eyes. His own breathing is the loudest sound for two miles; the shore is a distant thing, leaves hissing subsonically underfoot. His lungs ache, but he doesn't slow down, doesn't dare. Something is coming after him, and it doesn't matter if it's Edward Fyer's men or Konstantin Kovar's. He has to keep running. If he stops, he will die. Акула, которая не плавает - тонет. The shark that does not swim -- drowns.Oliver comes to seated on a hospital bed in a grey, sterile room. A.R.G.U.S. Tensing, he starts to stand, but John places a hand on his shoulder, keeping him down. "Easy," he advises. "It's okay." Someone took his jacket and tie off for him, but they left the pressed white shirt on. Lyla stands nearby, frowning."John," she begins, but he shakes his head. The admonition is clear: later."Let's get you settled, okay?" he tells Oliver, tugging on his shirt.Oliver obediently unbuttons it, closing his eyes as he slides it off his torso. There was a time when he would have fought tooth-and-nail to avoid revealing the extent of the scars. Now they feel like brands; he can't bring himself to hide them.Meeting Lyla's unflinching stare, he waits for her judgment. She doesn't pass it, turning instead to greet a woman he doesn't recognize, introducing, "This is Dr. Aidan C. She's one of our best."Aidan steps forward and holds out a hand to shake. Oliver clasps his fingers around it and says nothing, letting go. He wants to hide, but he knows he can't. "None of this is on the record," Lyla assures.Oliver dips his head in an acknowledging nod. John's hand is back on his shoulder. Oliver reaches up and squeezes it, seeking his strength. When he was nineteen, he spent a night in jail, a friendly purple memory of joking with Tommy and laughing raucously, drunk and untouchable. Charges were dropped the next morning and consequences forgotten by the next shot of tequila. When he's twenty-two, jail is an arctic blue cage carved a claustrophobic three feet deep into the earth, situated somewhere in the middle of Purgatory. It's eighteen square feet, lined with rusty, stripped soil. It's two broken fingers, middle-and-ring, right hand, throbbing noisily, a shout of I didn't do anything! still burning in his lungs.He's barely awake, but he resists the quiet impulse of a sedative, watching someone bandage his right hand. Round-and-around the roll of gauze goes, mesmerizing him. Reality shoulders its way in, drawing shallow breaths from him. He's ten years younger, his throbbing fingers a reality, the earthen cage a visceral taste in his mouth, gley and unforgettable. He tries to sit up and stops halfway, arrested by the pain in his shoulder, in the burns branded there, and how could it all have been a dream? There's something he told Laurel, something important, something cold. You might think it's impossible to crave cold when your hands are numb and your breath bleeds in your chest, trapped in a hypothermic cycle, but he wants something cold. He wants something, and his stomach is empty, and the cold is all he can taste, and then it hits him: he wants to eat ice cream again. He wants something cold and sweet and untraceable to the island, a better cold, a kinder cold, a cold to erase the pain of his curled toes and shivering chest. He wants to eat ice cream with her again. In his dreams he sees it, sunshine pouring golden across a small table between them, smiles and warmth juxtaposed with the bright silver spoon in his mouth, vanilla, blueberry, peach, every flavor he can conceive. He dreams about it until it almost tastes real, and then he opens his eyes-- And sees grey-blue walls.Like the cold castaway that huddled in his precious hiding nook under an overturned tree, he shivers. There's something heavy in his system, and it brings back the steaming cold, too, the white memory of heavy days and sleepless nights. The weight sits on his tongue, the remembered sourness of edible plants and the bitterness of poisonous ones. His stomach hurts chronically, but he can't change it, fueling the machine with calories that cost. Often he wishes they would kill him, but they don't, and he develops tolerances that turn even bitter almost sweet.Warmth blankets his shoulders, and the shivering intensifies before subsiding, pain and shame jockeying for prominence. He tangles a hand in the blanket and holds it to his chin, breathing slowly in-and-out, aching for the perfect solitude that haunted him too often on Lian Yu, and then he closes his eyes-- And slips under again, diving beneath waves of turquoise-blue that grade into obsidian. He kicks hard and swims as fast as he can even though his lungs strain for reprieve, aware that people die in cold waters far warmer than these. He has no choice; he has to swim, or he will drown. He never even sees the shark coming. Thea says, "Ollie," and he flinches, because he knows it's there a second before contact, a shivering, primordial fear paralyzing him as the water moves unnaturally behind him and then magmatic pain erupts across his left side, sawed teeth punching deep into his flesh. "Ollie," Thea repeats, and he's thrashing, yelling, sucking in water instead of air, actively drowning, the shark letting go and his legs propelling him forward, upward, desperately, please-please-please, bleeding red into the unforgiving sea.A hand slips into his bandaged one and squeezes it so gently that it's barely there, but it draws his attention, and he breathes shallowly, and squeezes it back, and tries to unpuzzle reality."You're okay," Thea tells him. "You're at A.R.G.U.S." " My name is Amanda Waller." She never smiles. She rarely praises. She wants more of him, and he wants less, and they meet in the middle and find a partnership signed in blood. "Ollie," Thea says again, a heartbreaking plea to her voice, and he tilts his head to look at her. His mouth doesn't cooperate, but he doesn't need to speak to see the relief finally cross her features as he stays above water, watching her. "It's okay," she promises, letting go of his hand. "You're safe." The first night back he almost kills his own mother. But she doesn't hate him. " It's all right, sweetheart. You're home. "You're home."Oliver closes his eyes before gathering his last painfully depleted reserves and sitting up. He doesn't get far, but regarding her with hooded eyes, he finds clarity with elevation. Clarity with forced alertness. "Where's John?" he asks quietly."With Lyla. They're around," Thea replies, relaxing in the chair next to him. "Quentin's with Rene at the office."Oliver tilts his head in a shallow nod. "Why'd he--?""Bring you here?" Another nod. "Ollie. You--" She hesitates on the words were tortured. "You needed help.""I've survived worse.""Not here," Thea says, sounding closer to tears than he's heard her in a while. He blinks at her slowly. "There, we couldn't do anything," she elaborates, "but here, we can."It's sedation, exhaustion, and pain that pries it out of him: "You should have let me die.""Like hell," John replies, stepping into the room. Oliver doesn't turn to look at him, can't bring himself to look at the greatest man he has ever known, knowing that he betrayed him, not just once but to his core because I'm not the man you think I am. "Chase got in your head. We're your family. Trust us.""I do trust you, John," he says slowly, meeting his eyes, "but you don't know the truth. You don't know who I am.""Brave," John says, stepping forward. "Hurt." He sits on the edge of the bed near Oliver's feet. "Thea, would you mind giving us the room?" he asks.Without a word, Thea rises and squeezes Oliver's knee, stepping outside and closing the door quietly behind her."Five fractures," John lists off in his debriefing voice, and Oliver closes his eyes, just-listening. "Two ribs, left clavicle, right index and middle fingers." Goosebumps rise on Oliver's skin, but he doesn't stop John. Just-listens. "You have a solid concussion and multiple deep lacerations on your chest and back. One was infected. You almost pulled a shoulder. A bit of TLC and you should have unimpeded mobility in about six weeks."Oliver opens his eyes. They burn, but there are no tears. Meeting John's gaze, he says, "Okay."John's tone shifts from medic to comrade, an almost imperceptible firmness replacing quiet gentility as he explains, "You're also exhibiting a lot of signs of post-traumatic stress disorder."Oliver looks away. John carries on, undeterred. "Trouble sleeping. Trouble concentrating. Overwhelming guilt. Angry outbursts."Oliver's jaw clenches. "I'm not--""Apathy. Self-isolation.""John.""Avoidance. Always being on guard."Oliver's chest burns with resistance. "John.""Millions of soldiers, countless civilians -- PTSD isn't something you just shrug off, Oliver.""I'm not." I don't have it."The darkness is something you have to live with," John says, ignoring him. "The things you could've done differently, the ways you came up short, the worst sides of yourself. But you're more than the cornered animal who did anything he had to to survive. You're more than the monster you became to stay sane. You're Oliver Queen."Oliver doesn't respond, gaze drifting to the wall. He doesn't know what he would say -- whether the rage or regret would voice itself more loudly. It all boils down to one over-arching self-loathing: I wish I had died on that boat."Back in Afghanistan, there were days when I looked for a grenade to jump on," John admits, smoothing down the blanket near his right hand. "When I would've given anything to go up in flames. Two things stopped me. One," tapping Oliver's knee to get his attention, eyes-up, he explains, "survival instinct. Two, my own legacy. I would be a hero for all the wrong reasons. No one would've known," he allows, flattening his hand on Oliver's knee, warm and grounding. "Except me. I would've died knowing people saw me as a better person than I was when I threw myself on a grenade. They'd see a man who wanted to live, dying for his brothers. But I would have been a man who wanted to die, refusing to live with myself." With a soft, ironic huff, he finishes, "I didn't even deserve to die."I stayed alive looking for a middle road. I stayed alive believing there was something better out there. And I found it: service. I'd become a soldier to protect the world I loved. I found out the world I loved didn't exist, not in the way I'd conceived it. But there were still things worth fighting for: people I loved, things I believed in. I regrouped. I came home. I got lost, and then I met you."The billionaire kid who came back from the dead. After washing up, I didn't know what I could still do, but you knew: you were going to save the world. Honor your dad's legacy. You were living to make sure the man who jumped on the grenade was a hero, setting his master plan into motion. You had a purpose, and you didn't make apologies. And yes, Oliver: you made mistakes."So did I. I went along with it; I was complicit. My ledger grew longer. But," giving Oliver's knee a little shake, he explains, "I also learned how to balance the terms. I learned that I didn't have to live as just a survivor, a soldier. I didn't have to die just because I couldn't live the perfect life. I could live with the terrible things I had done, not because I tore out their teeth and made them less terrible, but because I could be more than them, and I could do better than them. I'm not the same person I was in the field. I hope to never be the same person I was on some days. But I carry that person with me, even though I'm a different person now."You were a monster. A part of you still is, and always will be."But you're also Oliver Queen, one of the bravest and most selfless people I've ever met. You survived five years of hell and came home with a mission. That, Oliver, is the man I signed on with. I knew you had demons in your past that you didn't want to talk about. But I also saw what kind of person you were going forward, and maybe none of us have pure motives, maybe we're always going to be animals, doing things because we want to, because it feels good, because we think it's right, but we're more than those impulses. We're more than our worst moments. We're our best, too."Oliver sits up slowly, carefully, still somewhat out-of-body, nothing hurts but nothing feels like it belongs to him, either, and then he holds out an arm.John and he aren't huggers by nature, but he doesn't need to ask, and he doesn't need to say thank you for it to be heard. Pressing his forehead against John's shoulder, he lets the tears burn, lets it hurt, lets it be his fault.Then he inhales slowly and lets it go.You don't erase; you accommodate.Standing in the Green Arrow suit, Oliver looks in the floor-length mirror at the man he barely recognizes, at the man he wishes he didn't know, and meets his own eyes.PTSD isn't something you just shrug off, Oliver.Setting down his bow, he exhales slowly.You needed help.Reaching up, he flicks the hood back.No one, not even God, could have endured what you did and come out unscarred.Tugging the mask off, Oliver turns on his heel to face the empty cave.He looks around at all the empty space, at all the spaces he has created for other people.Then the elevator doors slide open.Felicity steps out of them, alone.Oliver walks over to her, pausing just before her, holding himself steady. Waiting.Wrapping her arms around his waist, she asks, "Ready to save the world?"Oliver hugs her back and reels her in gently. "Ready to go home," he says softly, kissing the top of her head.She nods, stepping back so he can shrug out of the jacket, and into a pedestrian shirt; shelve the bow, the arrows. It's a detangling process, removing his identity from his role as the Green Arrow without ever sacrificing it completely. Making more room, he likes to think of it, stepping forward for another, unencumbered hug.It'll take years, maybe lifetimes, to accept that which he cannot erase.But with his team at his side, he's ready to try.
11466744	Catch You	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Tenth Doctor, The Master (Simm), Third Doctor, The Master (Ainley), Seventh Doctor, The Master (Delgado), The Master (Roberts), Fifth Doctor, Fourth Doctor, Sixth Doctor, The Master (Beevers)", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by Lala_Sara", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "25", "Additional Tags": "Fanvids", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Tenth Doctor/The Master (Simm), Third Doctor/The Master (Ainley), Seventh Doctor/The Master (Doctor Who), Eighth Doctor/The Master (Roberts), Third Doctor/The Master (Delgado), Fifth Doctor/The Master (Ainley), Fourth Doctor/The Master (Ainley), Seventh Doctor/The Master (Ainley), Sixth Doctor/The Master (Ainley), Fourth Doctor/The Master (Beevers)", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "Doctor Who (2005), Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963)", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	song is Catch You by Sophie Ellis Bextor Password: lalasara catchyou from Lala Sara on Vimeo.с русскими сабами: catchyou from Lala Sara on Vimeo.
11410356	A Separate Deal with	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "Gen", "Characters": "The Director \| Lucretia, Kravitz (The Adventure Zone)", "Fandom": "The Adventure Zone (Podcast)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by epersonae", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-05T00:00:00", "words": "724", "Additional Tags": "implied Taako/Kravitz, Stolen Century Spoilers", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": "The Director", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Lucretia looks up from her desk, frowning slightly, as a shimmering rift appears in space. The tear elongates and widens, until it becomes vaguely door-shaped. Then a man dressed in a cloak over an elegant dark suit steps through, carrying a scythe. A book materializes floating in front of him.“I was wondering when you would show up,” she says. “It’s Kravitz, yes?”He clears his throat and the book vanishes.“Well. Then. You ain’t all that surprised. A bit more on the ball than the blokes.”“Indeed.” She purses her lips and taps the feather end of her quill on her desk. “That...that book of yours, it says four deaths on my account, doesn’t it? And I don’t know exactly how these things work, but I’m guessing my name is listed there with Magnus and Taako and Merle? Right?”He blinks rapidly.“I’ll take that as a yes,” she says. “I’m also going to assume that there’s a few other names along with us, but let’s set that aside for now.”His mouth is agape and his eyes are set in a quizzical stare.“Now, the boys’ original deal, that little card game, that was just for them and the robot NO-3113, but I take it that you and Taako had a nice chat after he got back from Refuge” -- a smile twitches at the corner of her mouth -- “...congratulations, by the way, he’s a bit of a handful but he makes an excellent boyfriend. And so this whole situation…. Apparently Lady Istus has intervened with your Raven Queen….” She hesitates, and the faint smile disappears. “I don’t know what gods are aware of, but the situation with Refuge...me and the boys...it’s all connected, and I’m sure someday we’ll all have a lot to answer for...but for the time being….” She lets the thought trail off.He jumps into the pause.“Oi. I mean, what? The? Hell? Those three had no idea they’d died. At all. And nobody said nothin’ to me about those deaths having jack all to do with that other lot in that town, except those idiots being in the wrong fucking place at the wrong fucking time. Yet here you are, lady, cool as a damned cucumber --” and as he talks, his human face fades, replaced by a skeletal visage with glowing red eyes. “You know what? I don’t even have anything to say. I came her as a courtesy to tell you that yes, Istus’ bargain applies to you. But apparently you already know that!”“I’m sorry,” she says. “I genuinely do not mean to disparage the Raven Queen’s generosity. It’s just…” She taps the quill against her lips, the little furrow in her brow deepening. “Here’s the thing. As you say, I am more aware than they are of the situation, the whole context and all that. And it’s important that it stay that way for a little while longer. So I need your help.”Still in skeletal form, he points the scythe at her.“You. Need. My. Help.”“All I ask is that you not mention this conversation to Taako. Something critical is about to happen, and not only would that be” -- she inhales sharply -- “ disrupted , but, well honestly, I don’t think it would go that well for Taako either.”She sets down the quill, folds her hands, and regards him calmly, until his glowing eyes fade and he turns back to his human form.“Is that all?” he says.“I mean, that of course applies to Magnus and Merle as well, but I imagine you’re not about to have intimate tete-a-tetes with either of them anytime soon. Do we have a deal?”He tilts his head quizzically.“That’s not how deals work, love. But I’ll keep your death count to myself, for now.”“That’s all I ask.”She holds out a hand; their handshake is brief and businesslike, and Death’s hand may be icy, but Lucretia’s hand is chilly as well.Kravitz reopens the rift, but before he leaves, he pauses and looks at her again.“Can I trust you with him?” The terrible Cockney accent is entirely gone.Now she’s the one blinking furiously, and her nostrils flare slightly.“I do my best,” she says, after a long pause.Kravitz nods, then steps into the Astral Plane and is gone.
11416596	Etched in Skin	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": null, "Characters": "Julian Blackthorn, Emma Carstairs, Cristina Rosales, Mark Blackthorn, Kieran (Shadowhunter Chronicles), Tiberius Blackthorn, Livia Blackthorn, Kit Rook, Drusilla Blackthorn, Octavian Blackthorn, Cameron Ashdown", "Fandom": "The Dark Artifices Series - Cassandra Clare", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by watersandwisdom", "chapters": "1/?", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-06T00:00:00", "words": "3,128", "Additional Tags": "Mentioned Helen Blackthorn/Aline Penhallow, Mentioned Cameron Ashdown/Emma Carstairs, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Julian Blackthorn/Emma Carstairs, Tiberius Blackthorn/Kit Rook, Mark Blackthorn/Kieran/Cristina Rosales", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": "F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi", "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	College is a bitch. Emma Carstairs knew that for sure. The blonde wondered how families could be excited for their children to go off to college for it wasn’t all that great. She had experience. Sure, she liked her college major— well, like is an overstatement. Emma’s college major had been related to the arts of photography. The young woman wasn’t sure why she picked it exactly; she never had the eye to capture beauty or the skill to look at something in her everyday time to think, “This would be an amazing photo.” Hell, Emma had nearly fallen asleep the first day of her new adult life on campus. Yeah. Photography wasn’t her thing. Fortunately, there were perks to college that kept Emma sane after all her classes. She basically lived in the coffee shop, named Java Jones, during her first semester when she was determined not to fail and try her best to keep herself organized. Emma’s plans and goals for that flopped. If the bitter-sweet scented shop was closed, Emma had her own dorm to find comfort in. She had heard many stories about student dormitories— both good and bad. Emma decided that her own experiences with the dorms were more on a good side. She had to admit, Emma was a little nervous to see who her roommate would be. The blonde girl knew that she’d put up with any roommate but if she would be living there, studying there, eating there, sleeping there, she needed somebody who could put up with her. Therefore, when Cristina Rosales appeared on one of the beds when Emma walked in, she nearly cried tears of joy. Cristina seemed like a nice person at first glance. She introduced herself with a bright smile and didn’t seem like the type who would annoy Emma. Even now, looking at the dark-haired girl, Emma found that Cristina wasn’t a person that she’d want to piss off. The two hit it off pretty quickly and engaged in a conversation nearly right away about the state of the dorm building. Cristina had helped Emma unpack her things and tried her best to let the blonde feel comfortable in their new home that they’d share. Emma learned that Cristina was from Mexico, she was engulfed in stories about Cristina’s family and a boy named Diego— Emma nicknamed him Perfect Diego— who had broken Cristina’s heart. She learned that Cristina had decided to move to the city of Los Angeles for few years to escape everything but to also explore. Overall, the two girls became best friends. Three years had passed since they became friends and Emma was struggling throughout her college major but somehow keeping it together. She was a tough girl after all. Cristina persisted to give her some help with the constant assignments thrown at Emma by her professor but she brushed her off, telling her that she was fine. Cristina’s own major was political science. The young woman believed in the rights of other people and how political views seemed to be violating those rights. Cristina’s own composure and views inspired Emma in a way. Still, Emma hated this hellhole even if Cristina was with her nearly every step of the way. Unfortunately, Cristina would be graduating this year and leaving Emma alone for her last year as a senior. Thoughts like these made Emma suck in a breath and make herself stronger, she’d put up with it. “I’m heading out,” Emma called out as she shrugged on a denim jacket. Cristina looked up from her book that she had invested her attention into. “Going to the park?” She asked as she doggy eared a page to go back to it later. Emma responded with a nod and opened up the door to lead out to the dormitories halls. She heard Cristina call out a quick farewell as the door closed with a soft thud. The park was one of the very places that Emma escaped to when she felt stressed. Before when she was a child, she’d sneak up to her roof on the house and watch the cars pass by along the highway. She had a good view of the ocean from that high place. The smell of it had calmed her but she knew that if she ever stepped into the deep abyss, she’d panic. Emma wasn’t friendly with the ocean. She had nearly drowned while her family went out to the beach for a picnic. Nobody had been paying attention to where the little girl went and she found herself kicking at the water, flailing her arms in hope of getting back to shore. Traumatizing, right? As Emma walked down the hall, crinkling her nose at the musky odor of the building, she let herself slip into a daze. Whilst passing certain rooms, she could hear the sounds and noises of it’s occupants as if peeking into a little bit of their life. She could hear the noises of somebody tapping against their keyboard, the subtle beeping of a microwave, the soft musical tunes playing from somebody’s phone. “Proves that the walls are extremely thin,” Emma muttered as she looked down at her hand. She drew her eyebrows together as she discovered a smudge of blue paint on the back of her palm. Emma frowned and wiped her hand on her jeans. Of course this happened. It always happened. Everybody knew about it. Everybody was included. It had to do with your soulmate. Once you were born, anything that the person who is bond to your soul draws, paints, or marks on their skin will show on yours. If they drew something on their skin with a marker, it would show on yours as if you wrote it on your skin as well. Emma thought this was complete bullshit despite all of the miraculous times paint seemed to have smeared on her California sun kissed skin that still appeared pale no matter how many times she stayed in the sun. Sometimes paint would even be found on her face. She didn’t believe in any of the soulmate stories even if she had experienced it herself or seen it. To her, it was stupid. It could mess with your life or it could help it move forward. Emma saw it as something to mess with your life. It was as if it were forcing you to love only one person, it made you feel as if you couldn’t explore with other people. Speaking of other people, Emma had a boyfriend. Cameron Ashdown was either a blessing or a curse. She wasn’t sure. The two had been together for about seven months and he had been surprised when Emma told him that she didn’t believe in soulmates. Cameron seemed too smitten to even care about the bonding of souls and certainly didn’t care whether they weren’t soulmates. In fact, he had hoped that they were soulmates. Emma shrugged it off and decided to try it out with the guy. Although as the months went by, they were in rocky territory… which lead them here. Brr! Brr! The familiar sound made Emma’s pocket vibrate and she fished into her jeans, pulling out her phone to only frown. The photo of a llama illuminated her screen complete with the name “Cameron”. Emma hit the red dot indicating that she would not take the call. The two were in an argument about how Emma hadn’t been visiting lately. She wasn’t in the mood to yell her head off again. Lost in thought, the blonde had bumped into something, no, someone while walking. Emma looked up, ready to make a snarky and rude comment about watching where you were going— despite it being her fault for not paying attention— but was face to face with a white surface. It took her a few seconds to figure out what she had come in contact with but she concluded that it was a blank canvas. Emma was pulled out of her observation by the sound of someone clearing their throat. Her dark chocolate eyes reverted themselves from the painting canvas and met a pair of blue-green eyes. She blinked several times and took a few steps back. Holding the canvas was a young man who looked about Emma’s age. He had dark chocolate curls that looked comforting to run your hands through, his frame was tall and built but not too bulky— he sure had muscle though, his cheekbones defined the shape of his face with olive skin. He was clad in all black; black t-shirt and black jeans. Emma wondered how the hell he could stand the heat of LA in that. What struck her the most though were his eyes. His eyes looked as if they held the ocean and for once, Emma didn’t seem frightened. They were the color of broken sea glass sometimes found lying on the shore, dusted with small grains of sand. They looked at Emma with a glint of confusion. “Oh ah, I’m sorry,” Emma apologized, “I didn’t see you.” She rubbed the palm of her hands against the denim material on her thighs. The young man cracked a small smile and shook his head. “It’s fine, I should be more careful of how I lug this stuff around anyway.” A low chuckle escaped his throat and the corner of Emma’s lip tugged up into a smile. “Well, I’ll see you around?” His voice raised as if asking a question but Emma knew that it was also a statement. The blonde beauty simply nodded and cleared her throat, moving past him. What was that feeling she felt while observing more? More so talking to him? It made goosebumps dot her arms as she pushed open the dormitory doors, feeling a stare on her back. Julian Blackthorn loved coffee with a passion, almost more than he loved painting. After all, the bitter drink kept him up late or awake in the early morning for when his hands itched to paint or when he had to leave for class. Julian was never one to be late nor was he the one to slack off, it happened occasionally but he did everything in his power to keep himself organized. Coffee was the answer. He was nearly about to leave for his favorite coffee spot when a soft and tired voice rang out from the stairs. “Jules?” The voice asked and Julian turned his head to face his youngest brother, Tavvy. Octavian was now eleven years old yet Julian still felt as if Tavvy was the baby he cradled in his arms long ago. “Are you going to make pancakes?” Crap, he had nearly forgot. Julian flashed his little brother a smile and nodded. “Yeah of course, let me just get everything set up.” The brunet strode over to the kitchen, setting his shoulder bag down on the island-countertop, and began to grab the ingredients needed for the sweet breakfast cake. “Thanks,” Tavvy said with a yawn and plopped himself onto one of the barstools that adorned the island. Julian looked over at Tavvy, who had now somehow fallen asleep upright, and smiled. Not long after, Julian sighed and leaned against the counter, staring at the batter he had made. The Blackthorns were a large and… damaged family you could say. To Julian, they weren’t exactly broken but more so lost. Their parents had perished in a car accident, their mother died right on impact and their father passed in the hospital. Julian was fourteen at the time and was left to take care of his younger siblings temporarily. However, he had two older siblings who weren’t fullblood. They were his half siblings, born from another woman but that didn’t make them any different in the younger Blackthorn’s eyes. They all adored Mark and Helen, who were eighteen and twenty at the time, but the two had gone on with their own lives before the accident. They both had moved out. Mark had moved to go to college in Los Angeles but found himself an apartment and Helen had moved to New York with her girlfriend, Aline Penhallow. Mark tried his best to help out with the younger Blackthorns but it was nearly futile with how busy school had been for him. Now at twenty-one, Julian was pretty much the father role to Tiberius, Livia, Drusilla, and Octavian. Although, Ty and Livvy were now eighteen. They were practically adults now, though the realization of that still pained Julian as a father would feel. Dru was still a kid in his eyes despite being the age of sixteen. She was most definitely the most difficult out of the group right now, Julian wasn’t sure how to talk to the horror obsessed teenager. He tried his best. Julian made sure that Tavvy still kept that child innocence in himself. He had been four years old when their parents had died yet he still had memories of what had happened to them. Carefully balancing the pancake on the spatula, Julian placed the delicious piece of food on a plate. He took out strawberries, chocolate chips, and a can of whip cream to decorate the pancake. With the finished product, Julian set the plate in front of Tavvy and chuckled. His hand reached out to ruffle Tavvy’s signature Blackthorn curls which snapped him awake. He grumbled something about pancakes and rubbed at his eyes. “I gotta head out now, you know what to do with your plate after you’re done.” Julian said softly and placed a kiss on top of the young boy’s head. He picked up his bag and hastily scribbled a note for his younger siblings, reassuring them that he’d be back soon. With that, Julian opened up the door and set foot on the pavement outside. The night before, Julian had been painting in one of his friend’s dorm rooms. Julian didn’t live in the dormitories as he had to watch over his younger siblings at the Blackthorn household. He and his friend had been working on a project but it started to get late, they still had an empty canvas that they needed to paint in order to create the collage. “Thanks for letting us use your space, man,” Julian said with a nod. “Yeah no problem, have a good night.” His partner replied and Julian started down the hall. The canvas was blocking his view somewhat and he hoped that he didn’t bump into anybody or anything. That would be embarrassing. Just then, he felt something run into the canvas in his arms. More like someone. Speak of the devil. He had looked down to find a blonde girl. She was most definitely the same age as him and she was beautiful. It was the first thought that struck him. She was obviously attractive and her hair was tied into a long braid that went over her shoulder. Her eyes that seemed like melted chocolate stared into his. Julian listened to her as she apologized and replied quickly, almost nervous. It had irked him. Why did he feel such a way spontaneously? He had watched her leave so suddenly and wondered what it was about her. Now he was here in his favorite coffee shop. The bitter smell of his favored caffeine drink filled his nostrils and he sighed in relief. Java Jones was a 24-hour coffee shop that was a blessing to the Blackthorn. Julian stood in line to get his coffee when a familiar blonde head caught his eye. The girl had appeared to be sitting with her laptop and a pile of photographs were spread across the table. Julian observed as she furrowed her eyebrows and crinkled her nose whilst looking down at the photos. Her brown eyes glanced up and Julian quickly reverted his gaze. The brunet decided that maybe he should try talking to her. He had asked— told her that he would see her around. A little conversation wouldn’t hurt, right? Julian sucked up the courage needed and took the coffee that he ordered, saying a quick thank you and walked over to where the young woman was sitting. “Is this seat taken?” Julian asked and he gestured with his free hand to the seat across from the girl. She looked up and her eyes gleamed with realization of who he was. “No it isn’t actually.” She replied. “Do you mind if I sit here?” She shook her head no and he smiled, pulling the chair out slightly and situating himself in it. Julian studied the photos laid out on the wooden table and hummed. “Photography major?” He asked with a raised eyebrow and looked up at her. The blonde sighed and leaned back in her seat. “Yup, I don’t like it. I wish I chose something else. Professor Loss is really the only thing I can cooperate with in the class. A soft laugh fell from her lips and Julian cracked a smile. “Hey, they aren’t that bad,” Julian suggested as he picked one up. It was a photograph of the ocean at sunset. Looking at the picture made his hands itch to paint it. The girl’s hand snatched the photo out of his hands, a pink tint dusted her cheeks with a defensive expression on her face. “Come on, you don’t want to look at these half-assed photos. You never know, maybe I stole it off of Pinterest!” Julian cocked an eyebrow again. “Did you?” “Nah, I may hate the course and college but I wouldn’t want to get expelled.” Emma took a bite of the cookie that Julian now noticed had been in her lap this whole time. She munched on the sweet as she talked, “It’d be a waste of money. All I gotta do is put up with all the projects and assignments for another year and I’m all good!” Julian laughed and soon both of them were laughing, Emma being more careful in case she choked on her food. “I never got your name, did I?” Julian asked after they calmed down from their laughing fit. People were giving them weird looks but the brunet brushed them off. Things were going off well. Emma shook her head, “Nope. It’s Emma Carstairs.” She flashed him a grin as she said her name with confidence. Julian nodded as he let the name sink in, matching the name with her face. “Well nice to meet you formerly, Emma.” The name rolled off his tongue with genuine interest. “I’m Julian. Julian Blackthorn.” “You too, Julian. Julian Blackthorn,” she replied mockingly and Julian shook his head, a chuckle erupting from his throat. He quickly learned that Emma was one to kid around. Surprisingly, it didn’t annoy him. He had a good feeling about this.
11463552	What happened when	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": null, "Characters": "Wicked Witch of the West \| Zelena, Hades (Once Upon a Time), Captain Hook \| Killian Jones, Evil Queen \| Regina Mills, Robin Hood (Once Upon a Time), Emma Swan, Henry Mills (Once Upon a Time), Isaac Heller", "Fandom": "Once Upon a Time (TV)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by AngelicaR2", "chapters": "21/21", "completed": "2017-09-08", "published": "2017-07-10T00:00:00", "words": "18,838", "Additional Tags": "Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, zades, Missings moments, Evil Snow White \| Mary Margaret Blanchard, Rewritten of the story, Heroes and Villains Universe (Once Upon a Time), Dark Snow White \| Mary Margaret Blanchard, Good Person Hades (Once Upon a Time)", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Hades/Wicked Witch of the West \| Zelena, Captain Hook \| Killian Jones/Emma Swan, Evil Queen \| Regina Mills/Robin Hood, Apollo/Hermes, Red Riding Hood \| Ruby/Snow White \| Mary Margaret Blanchard, Prince Charming \| David Nolan/Snow White \| Mary Margaret Blanchard", "Series": "Lost and Found", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": "F/M, F/F, M/M", "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	It was something bad. She perfectly knew it. Even if no one here said it, it was a murder. Regina realized it when the Author proposed her to make her sister disappear from the story. She didn't want it, at the beginning, because she changed, she didn't kill people now. Yes, it was really something bad, terrible, horrible. She knew the difference between good and evil, after all, she used to be the Evil Queen. Kill someone, she did this before. But things were different. Because the person who was going to be erased was her sister. Half-sister, yes, but she did belong to her family. In a way, they were the same, who used to be ready to do everything in order to be loved by their mother. Who was dead now. And maybe that her sister was just a victim, as her. Maybe that she was not really a monster. Yes, maybe that she just needed help. But how could she help someone who didn't want help? From her or someone else ? What else could she do ? Zelena was just what she was in the past, before she had Henry. Lost. Desperate. Broken . And full of hatred. There was a time when Regina really wanted to believe in her sister, that she could find redemption, just as she did. She made a terrible mistake. Because then, Zelena tried to take Robin from her, by playing the perfect wife. By killing Marian and taking her place. By lying, by manipulating Robin. Without thinking of the others, just thinking of her. (Without thinking of the poor little Roland, who would loose his mother for the second time.) There were things that Regina would not forgive her or forget. Never. As she was facing her half-sister, she tried not to show her that it devastated her; in a way, she was destroying the only family she still had. She was going to kill the only person that had blood ties with her. She did feel remorse, she just didn't want her sister to see it. She was really good at this game, not showing her emotions to someone. Love is weakness . She didn't love Zelena, didn't really consider her as a sister, although they were sisters. She could have seen her that way, one day. She could have loved her. But. But Zelena tried to take her happiness from her, attacked her and get pregnant. She had the chance to have something Regina could never have. A baby. With the man Regina loved, and who loved her. It stopped her from killing her, this day, when she arrived in New York. But now, things were different. It would not be a murder. The Author would just make her disappear, as if she never existed . She didn't want it, but it was the only way for her to get her happy ending, with the man she loved. Robin was not her happy ending, but he was a part of it. A part of the thing that the wicked witch always tried to destroy. Se didn't love it, what was going to happen. But after all, wasn't she the one who had been attacked by Zelena in the first place ? Wasn't she defending herself ? Liar… She was the one who was jealous now, because her sister would become a mother, and have Robin's child. She couldn't. So, she decided to accept the Author's proposal. It was not just motivated by hatred. Not only. It was for the safety of the town. Really ? But she is locked, with no magic, and she is pregnant. She can do nothing against you . She exists. That's why you want her to die ? Maybe she was just lying to herself. She was selfish, and trying to get her revenge, and she finally made her choice. She agreed the Author to do it as he wanted. Which didn't mean she was happy with it. But she couldn't do something else. Yes , she told to herself, trying to convince herself, it's the better choice . ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Robin Hood wasn't a coward. This was something he knew, for a long time. It didn't mean that he was perfect; of course he made things he wasn't proud of. But he always tried to act courageously, no matter the situation in which he was. He was a thief, yeah, but he also had a code, and the things he did was meant to be good. Or, the less bad if he could. So, the present situation wasn't really good for him, and he really, really didn't like it. Just as Regina herself. When Isaac proposed to them to do… well… it, that is to say destroy Zelena (he didn't tell this that way, but, well, it was what it meant), he really wanted to say no, at first. Even though there was a great part of him that wanted this to happen. He hated Zelena, maybe even more than Regina did, because he was the one who had been manipulated, et she killed his wife. And she made him believe that she was Marian, and she stopped him from being with Regina. Furthermore, unlike Regina, he didn't really know what it was to be a villain. Because, even though he was a thief, and he used to be an outlaw, he just broke the law as he was in Sherwood. He never did really bad things, just as did Regina or Zelena. He wanted her to disappear, and the fact that she would have his child made him want it more, in fact. He didn't want her to be killed, but the way Isaac had the intention to proceed… made this appear less horrible than it actually was. And she deserved it. In fact, that was something Robin told to himself, something he really wanted to believe as being true. And after all, murder someone who never existed, wasn't really a crime, no ? It was his revenge on her, as it was Regina', even if they tried to convince themselves that it was all about justice. Justice… Really ? Even if they were clearly trying to hide the truth to themselves, there was something they couldn't ignore, just for now. Justice had nothing to do with this act. The story would be rewritten, someone would disappear and of course there would have no consequences. But it didn't change the fact that what was happening was a terrible thing, and a true crime. A murder. That was not what they were supposed to do, they were supposed to fight villains with a great courage and during battles, just as Regina did against Zelena. They were supposed to be courageous, and brave, and most of the time, they were. But now, it had never been so untrue. If someone had been there, as the other heroes, maybe things would have been different. Maybe they would have stopped them from killing the witch. Because, even if there was something untold in this situation, the most important thing, in fact, the disappearance of someone, that was going to happen. They were going to kill someone, maybe someone who did terrible and monstrous things. Someone who wasn't innocent. Someone who hurt people who clearly didn't deserve such a treatment. But if they did, they would not be better than her. They would be just like her. It was about that that Robin was just thinking. And there was something worse. The child. The little baby that was also Robin's child. Would die. It was the only point about all of this where Robin could agree that yes, he may be considered as a coward. It was not just about Zelena' life, they would erase something else, someone else, that even wasn't still someone. That wasn't born now. And would never, if they let Isaac act. They still could lie to themselves, tell that it was about justice, that they would make disappear a person who in the end would not have existed for anyone in the world. (So, why would they care about it ?) But the truth was that it had never been about justice, not this time. It could have been, before. Before Emma' and Killian' time-travel. When Zelena was just Zelena and wasn't as Marian. When she wasn't pregnant with Robin's child and that she was still saw just as a villain. But now ? It was too late. Everything was just about revenge. Their revenge. Because of what Zelena did to them, because of what she did to take their happy ending from them. To destroy their life. So now, they were going to destroy hers. And Robin was really aware of that. So yes, Robin Hood may not be a coward, but a hero, and what the three of them were doing would have no consequences. Which didn't mean that he didn't know that it was not something brave. It was really, really not. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Isaac always liked to write stories. Even after he grew up, he didn't lose this envy to write and to become an author, even after he had to find a job to live. It never stopped. And he tried, again and again, until he became the Author. And everything changed. But, even though he truly became an Author and that, yeah, what he could consider as his happy ending was becoming real , well… Everything changed again. But not in the good way. To write stories, the stories of the fairytale characters, was something really fantastic, in all the senses. And he loved it, r e ally, at the beginning. But with time, it became less fascinating, because he was just narrating . It was not his own stories, nor his characters, he invented nothing ! He just… told what was happening. It was good, yes, but it wasn't enough. And with time, it was more and more… frustrating to him. He created nothing, he didn't have the right to act on the story, so… it bored him. He was the Author, but not really an author. And even though celebrity wasn't the most important thing for him, it would have pleased him that people actually read his stories. The Apprentice thought he was good at writing, that was why he chose him, but just have one reader wasn't really the thing any writer wants to have. That was why he thought that Cruella could be his happy ending, but things didn't go well between the two of them. Of course, that was a great euphemism. And now, after everything he went trough, after he did act on the story, became both a creator and a character. He became someone, took part of the story. (And manipulated two desperate people who just wanted to be sure their daughter would be safe. For the tragedy of the story, of course. In a way, he was right. Who could have predicted the future of the two little girls, so different from the other, but who would finally find complementarity in the other one ?) And then, he was here, with people asking him to change the story, they needed him. He didn't care what he would do, what they wanted him to do. The fact was that, for the first time, someone needed him, him and his assistance. Him and his quill. Him, and his talent for writing He couldn't describe with good words how he was enjoying it. He did it, in the end, rewrote the story so Zelena would disappear, be destroyed, erased. Would die. As her child, of course, but who would matter ? They didn't, so he didn't care about it. She was a sort of a crazy woman, who tried to kill her sister, to steal her happy ending, if he goodly understood. He knew what it was, when someone did this to you. It happened when he was trapped in this damned book. It happened when Cruella betrayed him and that he saw her real face, the face of a true monster. The face of madness. Maybe this was also his revenge. And then, he wrote, and well… he did it. He was almost afraid of having that power, but it happened so easily ! And to feel this power, it had been so.. great ! The feeling he had at that moment was so … thrilling ! But for some reason, it wasn't enough to him. The sensation that, as an author he was in and out of the book, and so he was the only one who did remember Zelena' existence, was really wonderful. But he wanted something more. So, he went to see Gold, and did as the Dark One wanted him to act. He rewrote the story. Again. With the great changes that had been asked. He gave himself the great role, of course. If Gold had the right to steal his happy ending, why couldn't he do the same thing ? He was a writer, and he was good, he knew it ! The world… just needed a little help to realize it. To see it. And he was ready to give it all the help it could need. His happy ending was to be considered as a true and great writer. And it was going to happen. After all , the story he wrote for Gold was of his own ! He had the right to be seen as the Author of this particular story ! It was not cheating, not really. Everything he wrote came from him, with Gold's ideas, yeah, but it was his words. He deserved it, that people saw who he truly was. And, a s he wrote the final line of “Heroes and Villains”, a great smile appeared on the Author's face. He never felt so happy or relieved. He was really going to enjoy that… ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- He had no other ways, and he knew it. After he found out that maybe Zeus was the responsible of what happened to him, he wanted to contact him. All he needed was an explanation, and maybe some help. Because he had to be honest with himself, there was a chance that his brother wasn't the one who cast this spell on him. So, he had to talk with his brother, but, as he hated him, he had no good relationship with him. There was just one way to contact him. Through Iris, of course, and he didn't really want to do that. He would appear as someone weak, asking for help to figure out what had been made to him. Many times, he thought about giving up this, and just stay absorbed by his revenge. He really, really tried, but every time he told to himself to give up, there was something in him that told him that he was wrong. Maybe Zelena didn't need his help, and maybe that she could defend herself, but he had to admit it. He needed help. He didn't tell that to Iris when he convoked her in his palace. He almost ordered her to come in and she obeyed. Here she was, facing him, with her beautiful wings, and her eternal youth. She didn't seem so unhappy to be here… just neutral. Apparently, Hera let her go, even if she surely wasn't pleased by that. Or maybe she also wanted to reconcile with her brother, as he became a pariah since so long time. Maybe she missed him. And maybe she hoped that Hades missed them too. But Hades wasn't thinking about it, he was just observing Iris. She didn't really look like Persephone, but just looking at her reminded him of his dead wife. Another strange though came to his mind, that she didn't look like Zelena. And, then he remembered the reason why he brought her here. “What do you want from Hades ? Asked Iris to the god of the Underworld. I need your help. Surely, it was what the god should have tell her, but he couldn't. Because he had too pride, so he just wasn't able to be humble, and he would have feel humiliated to ask for help. Furthermore, to ask help to the people who were his former family and that he hated (almost) completely, it wasn't something pleasant. Iris looked at Hades with interest, and looked at the place where they were. The Underworld. Hades' palace, more precisely, a place no one liked, especially since Persephone's death. - I want you to deliver a message to Zeus, my “dear” brother. The irony was so not hidden that Iris couldn't help but rolling her eyes with annoyance. Oh, they really bored her, acting like this ! Well, the only one who did act like this was Hades, but the fact that he still hated Zeus and so showed it each time he faced a god who wasn't from the Underworld was… really, really boring. He appeared like a child, even though Iris understood his pain, it happened almost two thousands a year ago. And Zeus never intended to kill Persephone ! Even Demeter forgave him, as she wasn't someone who forgave easily. She was wrong, and knew it but she just wanted the gods stop hating each other. - What sort of message ? - I want to see him, in Greece, soon. Me and him we need to talk.” It was just that, and Iris frowned an eyebrow, as surprise took her. “Nothing else ? About… the reason why you want to see him ? - No. - But… Zeus will probably ask me questions, concerning your strange demand. - Well… you'll tell him that you don't know. I terribly need help . He still wasn't ready to say it, he wasn't even ready to think it, or to admit it. He really preferred being alone. Oh, truly ? That's why you desperately search for a woman that may not exist in reality but just in your mind ? Or who now doesn't exist any more ? And you don't even know her, or if you did love her, if you were together, or something like that. You should be working on you project of revenge, just as you did during the centuries… That wo uld be better for you, trust me… For the first time, he didn't listen the little voice in his head. He wasn't interested in revenge, not now. Not yet. All he cared about just now was to find what happened to the woman he forgot, and that he should never have forgot. “All right Hades, I will do what you asked me too.” Just for a moment, she saw a sort of relief in Hades' eyes, as if he thought she wouldn't agree to accept his request. He didn't thank her, and it didn't surprise her, but he really seemed to be concerned by this (probably) next encounter with his brother . And as she went from it and in direction of Mount Olympus , she hoped that things could get better between him and his brother. She had no idea of how badly he needed their help, even though he wasn't ready to admit it. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- When Iris left the Olympus one day because Hades wanted to talk with her, the one who was the most both interested and afraid of all the gods was probably Zeus himself. And also Hera, of course, who didn't really want her friend to go, event though she was also interested by what was happening. So, when the young woman came back to the Olympus, not hurt ( all of them were afraid of what could Hades do s o they thought it could happen), but just surprised and maybe a little confused, everyone became… really interested by it. And when Zeus asked her to come with him so they could talk about what Hades told to her, the other gods wanted to stay. A thing that the king of the gods finally accepted. After all, the others were from his family and from Hades' family. They just wanted to have news from their brother/uncle/brother-in-law/dad/former friend/cousin/ former son-in-law… Yes, they truly had a complicated and big family. It didn't take such a long time for Iris to tell Zeus what Hades wanted him to do, and he frowned an eyebrow with surprise, just as the rest of the gods. “So… that' s all. He wants to see me but… nothing else. - Non, he told me nothing else. Just when and where he wanted the two of you to meet. - Alright… I guess it's all I will have. Thanks you Iris. - Can I go ? - Yes, of course, as you told me everything, I suppose you can't help us more. Except if you have any idea about what we can do about this… demand. - I can help. - How was my brother Iris ? Normal ? Fine ? - I don't know… he appeared to me as… a little confused, maybe sad, and angry. But not really furious. - Do you think he wants to do something bad ? Demanded Hera, a little worried. - I have no idea… but I don't think so. I know why he would want to, but he couldn't and I don't think he would try to do it that way. That would be stupid, as he can't use his powers.” After saying that, she left, seeing that she told everything she could. Zeus stayed here, thinking. “What do we do ? He asked. - What do you do ? Answered Hera. He wants to see you. - Maybe he just wants you to apologize.” Zeus rolled his eyes and sighed. “Demeter, he answered, a little bored, I did apologize thousands and thousands times ! I always told him that I was sorry for what I did to his wife. What could I do know ? - Apparently, he still hates you. That had been told by Hestia. - I know that. - And he is right, continued Hestia. After all, you stopped his heart from beating. - I had my reasons ! - You could have done something else, replied his sister. - You think so ? He was trying to kill us, Hestia ! - Because he suffered because of the loss of his wife. Can't you understand, brother ? - Of course I can ! But his pain rook him too far ! I had to stop him ! - So you still see yourself as the hero, hum ? - No, I just… - Stop it, right now ! Exploded Hera. The question is not if Zeus or Hades is the culprit. The question is, will you come to see him in Greece ?” Zeus wanted to go in there, and finally reconcile with his brother. He truly wanted to try, to stop fighting against him. They were a family, at least, they used to be. This old rancor... he really was getting tired of it. And for a second he thought that maybe, maybe it was the same for his brother. “Well… he answered, that could work . - I agree with you father, said Athena. I mean… this is the best thing you could do, talking with him. And if he wants to attack you, you'll just have to go.” They all agreed. Yes, it could be a good idea. Then, he smiled. His choice was made. “Well… he said. At least, I think we could try.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- When Zeus arrived in the Olympus, safe, but a little confused, all the gods came to see him. “So… how was your encounter with Hades ? - It was… strange. And good. And productive. - What did he want ? - At first, he accused me. He thought I did something that I, in fact didn't do. - What ? - Apparently, his memory had been erased, and he had no idea why. - But, if it is the case… how does he know that he forgot something ? - He told me that maybe there was something in him that made him understand what happened. - How does it concern us ?” The other gods turns around, in the direction of the one who just talked, that is to say Ares. “I mean, he said, he became an enemy for us. Or he seems to be. I don't think it will be a great idea that we… What does he want ? - He wanted to know if I was the one who put the spell on him. I answered no, and I promised him that me and you, we would try to find a way, and discover what has been made to him. - You didn't know if we agreed to it brother ? Asked Poseidon (not Ursula' father, of course, the true Poseidon.) - You don't ? - I don't know… As Ares told us, he is still our enemy… - An enemy that we defeated, and who needs our help now. Maybe we could reconcile with him. - You're too hopeful my brother, replied Hestia. I am the only one that he may accept to see, sometimes, but he is not really ready to forgive us. - But Hestia, said Hera, it doesn't change the fact that he is our brother. We are a family ! She exclaimed. - Well… a broken family, I would say, told her Apollo.” Hera rolled her eyes. “Fine… as you want. A broken and great family. - And complicated, added Aphrodite. - And very, very large, said Demeter. - And regarding to human standards, very, very incestuous,.” It was coming from Hermes, something he said with an ironic smile and his surprising reflexion leaded to the other members of his family to laugh a lot. All of them. Almost. Even Hera accepted to smile. Right. It was funny. She didn't always agree to her son-in-law's jokes, but it made her smile. It was more than what happened usually. So, it was something amusing. And also terribly true. “Fine… fine. So now, the funny time is over. So tell me, have you suggestions ? And I mean real and serious suggestions.” Everyone became serious again. “In fact, asked Athena, what can we do ? - Help Hades ? Suggested Artemis. - I agree with this, answered Athena. Because apparently, first, something terrible happened, something that involves magic. Second, he is still a part of our family, as Hera said it. Three, if we help him, that could help us, and our familial conflict will stop. - You think so sister ? Demanded Ares to her. It was not a provocation, just a question. Athena shrugged, seeming pensive. “I don't know. I just want to hope that it could happen. I don't want to think that our uncle won't be able to reconcile with us. - Maybe you're right, whispered the god of the war. - So… you will help me ?” That had been asked by Zeus. Yes, he truly was the king of the gods, but it didn't mean the other one would obviously agree to everything he said. Because of course, he was their king, but he wasn't a tyrant ! And they were his family, when they discussed, everyone had the same power and the same importance (and by the way, his wife, Hera, was a queen. Not just a kind of window dressing. She did had a role, by being the queen.) so he was a little afraid that something wouldn't work. “Of course, they all answered.” Some may be not really enjoyed by this, but they were ready to help. He looked at them, all of them with a great joy in his heart. What his wife and his daughter told them was true. They were a family. When he looked at them, he saw, a brother, or sisters, and also sons and daughters… All of his family was there, under his eyes. Almost all. There wasn't his daughter, Persephone. And his brother, Hades. He lost the first one. He would try to have the other one back in their broken, complicated, large, and incestuous family. Maybe that what was happening was their chance. Their new chance. He hoped this. It would take time, he knew it. But he was a god, he had all the time he needed, he could wait. (He was waiting since so many time, trying without success to regain his brother's affection.) Time would not be a problem, but his brother could be. But now, things were different. Because his brother asked for his help, Hades needed him, him and the others. He needed all of them. Nothing could have made Zeus happier than that. And he wasn't alone, the rest of his family would try, and succeed. He was sure of it. Pretty sure. They were powerful, almost invincible, and nothing could resist to them. Yes , that was very pretentious. But they were gods, so it wasn't a surprise that they saw themselves as… gods . Something they were. But this is not the point. The point is that, together, they would rebuild their family. “You know what ? He whispered to his wife/brother/sisters/sons/daughters. I'm proud of you. Thank you.” They smiled to him, knowing what he meant, as they were ready to help him with Hades, despite what this last one did in the past. He also smiled to them. They really, really had a new chance. And he wasn't the one who would let this pass. Not without trying to take it, if he could. To try it, that really worth it, no ? ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- “So… can you repeat to us what happened to Hades ? Asked Athena, as almost all the gods (at least, the more important and powerful) were there, in order to help.” They were many to be there, of course Zeus was present, with his wife (and sister) Hera, his sisters Demeter and Hestia. Poseidon, as also Athena, Ares, Hermes, Apollo, and Aphrodite were there also. He looked at Artemis, Hephaestus who came also, wanting also to act and do something. “Hades' memory had been erased. But we don't know how or why. - That's all we have ? Demanded Hera. - Yes. - So, summarized Aphrodite, it had been made by someone we don't know. In a way we don't know. For a reason we don't know. So we don't know what happened. - That's right, was forced to recognize the king of the gods. - If I goodly understand, added Hermes to Zeus' answer, you know nothing… - Jon Snow, whispered to himself Apollo with a smile.” Artemis rolled her eyes, but smiled. She was the only one who recognized the reference. “Well, said Ares with a little despondency, that's not a great beginning.” The others said nothing but approved. They searched. During a long time, they searched for a wizard who would be enough powerful to act on a god's memory. They searched, and they didn't find. Everyone became, well… very frustrated by what was happening. They were failing. And they were gods, they could not accept defeat. Athena was the first one to say a good idea. She mentioned Storybrooke, but as no one thought it would be important, she came into the town. And she saw something unexpected. There was no one. The town was empty. When she came back, the others gods had to admit that there was something strange. Strange and incomprehensible. “So now, will you listen to me ? She asked with anger and bitterness” The other gods looked at each other with shame. Even though their dear Athena was seen as a great goddess, strong, smart and other things, they didn't really pay attention to her suggestion. At least, not this time. They just didn't think she could be right. But yeah, she was. As almost all the time. And they had been wrong. Oh, by the magic, she would made them pay for it for the eternity. Which can be very, very long when you're a god and that you can't die. And of course, she would make it in a terrible, smart, and inventive way. Eh ! She wasn't the goddess of wisdom for nothing, after all ! “Now… what do you propose to us ? Asked Artemis. The other virgin was the only one who listened to Athena's suggestion, so she was still goodly seen by the goddess. - Use a dream-catcher. To see what happened during these days before… I don't know, everyone in there vanished. - I can have one, answered immediately Hermes. Apollo raised an eyebrow, and said with irony: - You mean, steal it ?” Hermes rolled his eyes, didn't answer, and then, kissed his “brother,” and smiled to him. Apollo blushed, and couldn't reply. Athena smiled. Oh… yes, the two of them were really cute together. “When, she demanded. - Really soon.” Hermes and Apollo went on this quest together, and did find a dream-catcher together – even though everyone knew it was just a pretext, and that Hermes could have left alone. But, well, it didn't really matter, they had what they needed. At first, when they used the dream-catcher, everything was normal. They began the memories by the end, when everyone disappeared, and they saw what happened. To one point. When something strange happened. They couldn't see what happened any more. “Alright… recognized Aphrodite… that's strange. - And incomprehensible, added her husband. Strange and incomprehensible. That's was the thing which represented the most their situation. “What happened ? Demanded Hera. - I don't know ! Answered Athena. Something, at least, but what ? I have no idea !” They had almost all the elements, except one. Something a man, named Isaac, the Author, apparently, just did. And they couldn't see it. “Wait, said Demeter. Can you go to the moment next ? Between him and the Dark One. I think he said something about what just happened.” And then, there was a strange conversation. “Where were you ? Asked Rumplestiltskin, seeming to… die. Or at least, being sick. - I don't think it really matters, said Isaac with a victorious smile, still savoring what he did before. - What does it mean ? - Nothing. You just have to know that I… made disappear someone that some people wanted to forget… Don't worry, I will write you story, rewrite everything. - Will it work ? Will it be good ? Isaac smiled. - I am a writer Mr Gold. Of course, it will be good. And will work.” They were able to see what happened just after, and before the scene they couldn't see. They learned Henry's fate, all alone in a deserted town, trying desperately to find his family again. Who did it. And trapped the Author himself in his own story. “I am… impressed, said Artemis. - Why ? Asked Apollo. - This kid, all alone, succeeded to find a way to go in a world he doesn't know. Without any fear, and in order to save his family. - A family who won't remember him, whispered Athena with sadness. - Do you think it will be enough for Hades ? Demanded Hera. - I think so… thanks for your help, Zeus said to his family. I think that now I can go to him, and tell him what we know. - It won't be enough, said Hermes, pensive. - What ? - I mean… Hades won't become again our “friend”, not now. He won't take part of this family, it won't be easy to make him come back. - It's not a problem. I think that we can wait. - By the way, added Athena, that was a strange and incomprehensible mystery.” They all agreed. But, at least, the mystery was in part resolved. That would not end so fast, but this story was truly advancing. And they were all happy about that. Next chapter : return to the rewritten story with a certain future Author. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Henry had no idea of how many times he spend in his cellar. He just knew that he asked to see the queen, but the guards just answered to him that it wouldn't happen. After all, he and his mother were a threat to the kingdom, and why would the Evil Queen be interesting into listening to a kid ? So, he was there, waiting something to happen… And there was nothing, and yeah, if he hadn't been so desperate, he would have said to himself that it was boring. He had nothing to do, just… wait. He couldn't fight, or help or even just do something. He felt so useless. But then, things changed. For a time. But maybe not for good. When the queen entered into the prison, and came not far from his cellar, Henry didn't know what to expect. She approached him, with a pleasant and cruel smile on her lips, which was both appealing and terrifying. “Hello there, she whispered to her grandson. How are doing, kid ? - Not very well, he answered bitterly. - Oh… you don't like the place where you are ? - Not at all. In reality, I hate it.” Snow White smiled again. The boy was… quite funny. And interesting. And maybe a little weird. Like his mother, in a way. “Didn't you want to see me ? She demanded. - Yes, of course, but the guards told me you didn't want to come in ? - Well, of course. I am the queen, remember?” Oh yeah, that was something he couldn't forget, even if he wanted to. “No, you're not.” It was a great mistake, and Henry knew it at the moment he told it to Snow. He saw her face become red with anger, and her smile disappeared. Oh, Henry though, I should have choose another moment . But she succeeded to calm herself, and another smile took place on her face. It didn't reassure the adolescent, it almost more frightened him. Because he never saw his grand-mother have that look on her face. “You think so ? So, tell me, who is the real queen, if it's not me, hum ? Regina ?” He didn't dare to answer. But he had to try despite everything. “You're not who you think you are. - Maybe that's the contrary, she automatically answered. Maybe that I am not what you think I am. - That could be a possibility. But the thing is that I know who I am, and I perfectly know who you're, grand-ma… - STOP IT ! Snow exploded. RIGHT NOW ! I accepted your… disobedience for too long kid. So now, you will call as you must. - How ? Asked Henry ? He already knew, of course. He was testing her. He shouldn't have. He felt something on his throat, that stopped him breathing, like a hand. And then, he understood, by seeing that she didn't move. She was using her magic. In order to kill him, or to threaten him, he didn't know. And he didn't want to know. He didn't have to, because just then, she let him fall on the floor, having difficulties to breathe. And she was still smiling. “It's clear. Your majesty, of course.” Henry nodded. Right, he learned the lesson. He wasn't playing any more. “Alright… your majesty, he succeeded to say, standing up. - Finally… wasn't it simple ? Now , we are talking. And we will do it right. What's your name ? Henry froze. - You… you don't remember ? Your majesty, he quickly added. - Well… maybe I need you to help me remember it.” She didn't see the irony in her sentence, and of course, in other occasions, Henry would have laughed. That could have been funny, if it hadn't been so tragic. “Henry, he answered. My name his Henry. - And tell me, Henry . Who do you think I am ? He knew it was worthless. But at least, he could try. - You're my grand-mother, you're the princess Snow White. And you're not the Evil Queen, you're a hero, someone good. You're not evil, and you're not a monster.” Snow White's look looked at him. She smiled, the same cruel and naughty smile. “You really believe in it, don't you ? And for a second, Henry believed that he was facing his grand-mother again. But the illusion soon disappeared. - I do your majesty.” During a moment, Snow White's expression changed. He looked as herself as the same age, she thought. Before she grew up, and before her happy ending was taken by Regina. Still full of hope. A hope she would soon make disappear. And she had an idea about the way of doing it. “Charming ! She called then. Henry was afraid. He knew now that nothing could work. And he was terribly afraid, because he knew what his grand-father could, furthermore in this world, without his heart, and controlled by Snow. He came and looked at Henry with nothing in the eyes. And Henry's heart broke. Right. It wasn't his grand-father who was facing him. Not any more. Not wit h these empty eyes. That couldn't be him. “My queen ? The heartless man said. What do you want from me ? - I want you to bring the prisoner just here. I want to give to this young man, our dear guest , a lesson that I know, will be difficult for him to understand. But… I'm sure he will… in the end. - You mean… the prisoner, darling ? - Yes of course, my dear. Now go and find her .” And she let him go. But not before she kissed him, with still a grin on her face. It could be seen as a passionate kiss, but Henry was disgusted by it. Because it didn't seem to be his grand-parents. In fact, it wasn't. It was not a kiss full of passion, or love. But full of anger, and hatred. Just as Snow White was. At that moment Henry saw how his grand-mother changed because of the spell. He saw it before, but at that time, he just gave up. But this wasn't over. Oh no ! The worst of all was just coming right now. Because Henry saw who was coming, next to the queen and to Charming. Someone Henry goodly knew. “Ruby ! He exclaimed.” The young woman answered nothing. There was just fear in her eyes. And then, the terrible, cruel and soulless smile was back o n Snow White's face . “You can't do it ! Henry said. Surprise was seen on the queen's face. - Do what ?” She was lying, of course, and Henry knew it. He knew what was going to happen. But it was too late. Quickly, Snow ripped out her heart, and took it in her hand. “Someone told me that you had been a bad wolf Ruby, aren't you ? She whispered to Ruby's ear. That you were a traitor ? Is it true ? Terror was in Ruby's eyes. - I am not, your majesty, she succeeded to answer. I am a loyal subject to your majesty, I would never betray you, I swear !” Maybe it was the truth. But it didn't matter for the queen. She was so close to Ruby, that her faces almost touch each other. Ruby seemed to be troubled by her proximity with her queen, and Snow seemed to be pleased by that, because her smile became larger. “That's so sad, Ruby, the queen said almost with sadness, because you could have been a so good ally to me, and a good fighter. If you hadn't betray me.” And just then, she crushed Ruby's heart, and the young woman fell on the ground. Henry screamed, and the queen burst into laughter, and send a cruel and satisfied smile to her grand-son. This last one was crying now, and trembling, and the queen approached him, and took his face in her hand. “You see now ? You see who I really am ? Because kid, this is who I am. A monster. Someone cruel and evil. Someone who will kill you, and your dear mother, as my sworn enemy. And then, I will have my happy ending.” She was ready to leave, when she heard Henry's voice, as he was still crying. “You have no idea of what you just did ! He shouted. You can trust me, grand-ma. YOU HAVE NO IDEA OF WHAT YOU JUST DID !” The queen smiled, laughed, and left. Henry looked at Charming's face, as he was following her. And he saw nothing, but emptiness. He fell on the ground, crying, and trembling. He couldn't believe that it did happen. Ruby is dead. His own grand-mother killed someone in front of him. She killed Ruby. She killed her. Snow White killed Ruby. She killed her best friend, who helped her so much times. That can't be. That just CAN'T be. But it was, even though he didn't want it to be true. And at that moment, he realized that he saw for the first time the true face of evil. Or at least, the face of evil that his grand-mother could have. And could be. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- He was running. He ran as fast as he could, in order to find his mom. Yes, this was pointless, in a sens, because he didn't really need to do it. But he was so afraid not to find her in time, that he immediately did it after Hades put the spell of the object he had from Emma. Henry wasn't trembling any more, as he did in the queen's castle, in her cellar. After Ruby's death, under his eyes, and before the god came and found him, he was desperate. In some way, he still was. His grand-mother would do anything to stop them, even if she had to kill people from her family. Henry hated Gold a little more because of that. To see the look on Ruby's face, her terror, and her pain also, had been terrible. And seeing the kind of awkward and maybe unconventional relationship they seemed to have was quite… disturbing. Yes, Henry wasn't blind, and event though it had been during a short time, he saw something strange between them that shouldn't have been there. It wasn't love, not at all. The Evil Queen couldn't love, never could, or lost this ability after her dear “James” had been killed and replaced by this heartless man (literary speaking) that Charming became. There was something in his grand-mother's eyes, a thing that he wished he never saw in her eyes. Lust. And not for Charming, he may accepted this if it had been(he wasn't a child any more, and there was things he knew now. And yes, with Snow White being the Evil Queen, that and these other things… well, it was still disturbing.) It was for Ruby. As he didn't have nor time nor interest to figure out this, he didn't know if it was the same for Ruby. Maybe. Or maybe not. And it didn't change the fact that Charming was his grand-mother's true love. But try to explain this to a bloodthirsty Evil Queen (not only of this, if he goodly analyzed her look on Ruby.) Yep, it looked like his grand-mother and Ruby seemed to have a relationship. As the formal real Evil Queen had with Graham. (He also knew that, of course.) Because of the curse, yeah, that was clear. And still disturbing. So, as he was running, he also ran from those memories and trying to forget he saw it. Just imagine Snow and Ruby together was so… weird. Even if it did make sense, in some strange and twisted way. And then, he didn't think about it anymore, because he was where he was supposed to be. His mother was there, standing alone, and a smile appeared on his face. “Mom ! He said. She turned back, and then, she saw him. - Henry ?” They fell in the arms of each other in a long and great embrace. “Where were you ? She asked. - In the queen's castle. I mean… in grand-ma's. She put me in one of her cellars, and left me alone. - She didn't hurt you ? There was both fear, anger and relief in Emma's voice. - No. not physically, I would say, he whispered to himself, not even being sure that she would hear him. She didn't seem to. - You're alright ? - Yes… in a way. And what about you mom ?” She offered him a sad and a little tired smile. She couldn't lie to him, it had been a very, very harsh day. “I… I don't really feel good kid. And… I don't think I want to talk about this with you.” Henry nodded. He understood, of course. Killian Jones' death affected his mother, he saw it, seeing that she really tried not to cry. But to find a way to destroy all of this. “How did you find me? - Well… it's a long story. I met someone who helped me find you. - Who ? - He told me his name was Hades. I'm not sure it's true, but I think that after people and characters like the Evil Queen, Snow White and Charming or Peter Pan, I can't really believe it can't be true. - Wait… really ? Like in… Hades the god of the Underworld ? - He said it was him. - Why did he help you ? And why was he here by the way ? - Trying to find someone who disappeared, apparently because of what Isaac did. - If I find him, whispered Emma, I swear I will punch in the face for what he did to us.” Again, Henry nodded. He completely agreed to it. That was almost all that he had to tell her. He was happy to find her again, that she was alive, and had not been taken by the queen's soldiers. He didn't tell her about Ruby. He just wasn't able to do it, because he may still hoped that they could fix it, in the end, and do the same with Hook. Hope wasn't enough, yes, but it was a beginning. He then explained to her what Hades told him, and also the kind of “deal” he made with him. “You think he will help us ? - He told me he would. - And where is he now ? - Trying to find the person he lost… And he also wants to do it because apparently, Isaac made disappear someone as he rewrote the story. - You know what ? I'm not even surprised. This man makes me think to Rumplestiltskin… Have great power, could do great things, but use it for an evil purpose. (If she only knew that he wasn't completely the culprit in all this story.) - I think I kind of understand him… a little, in a way. - You what ? - I saw him, when he was in… well… our land. Thanks to what he did he became an author that is loved, appreciated and read. You know, if there wasn't the fate of her our family in the balance, I could almost accept him motivations. - You really do son ? - Yes… See, he didn't ask for riches, or to conquer the world, as many villains do. Or to get revenge on his enemies, as… many people we know did. He wanted to be an author, and it didn't work, so he tried something else. Even though I still think he shouldn't have done this. - I agree, answered Emma.” And then, they decided to wait for a moment, just before he asked the god again, so they could find a way to find the Author, as Emma knew where he was. They found each other, so, they could wait for a time… ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- It's happening, again, and it's not the first time. The curse, the spell, or whatever it is, is broken now, and Henry saved the day, thanks to Regina's courage, and now, things are back to normal. Are they ? That's a serious question that Snow White asks to herself, because she is not really sure of the answer. Because yes, she remembers. But not only the good things. Not the one she should know. She remembers who she truly is, that she is not that, this terrible Evil Queen who hurts people. That she doesn't rip out hearts, doesn't kill people, but loves Charming, and that she never intended to hurt him, in any way. But, whereas she knows it, she also remembers what happened in the Enchanted Forest. This sort of world. The evil and twisted world. The murders. The killings. The way she treated her daughter, and it hurts her, even though it wasn't her fault. And she admires Emma's courage for being so determined to save them, and she loves her daughter even more than before. But, in a way, that's not the worse, because everyone is alive, and her and Charming didn't really kill Hook or Ruby. It never was, and never will. And, of course, there was something else. What she remembered would haunt her for a time. What she had with Ruby came to her mind, and yes, it was very disturbing. Strangely, more than killing her. She had a kind of relationship with Ruby. Without any love or tenderness, but just sex and passion. Yep, she did sleep with her best friend as she was the Evil Queen. And the worst of it is when she sees Ruby again, as they understand each other, just by seeing the other, they both know one thing. Terrible and awful thing. They didn't hate it. In fact, they even adored it. And that was the problem. Snow remembered everything, the kissing, their “relationship”, them being together, sleeping together, and her also torturing Ruby (a little, before the strangers came), and killing her. These two last one were her worse memories. They looked at each other, embarrassed, because that was not how they really felt. Because it hadn't been them, not their true self, but a broken and wicked version of Snow, the same for Ruby. Except that it did happen, and that a version of them had want this to happen. So they were very confused, not knowing how to react. But Snow knew something. They wouldn't talk about it, because it was over, and she felt happy that Charming knew nothing about it. And she felt also relief by the fact no one of the two of them would ever evoke it. She didn't regret that. It wasn't the first time she remembered after a curse was broken. But it was the first time that she wanted to forget. §§§§ All of this had been terrible. That was Killian's first thought as he woke up. And sort of… resurrected from death. In a way. After Charming killed him. Well. Terrible was the good word to qualify all of this, and he was happy that it was finally over. And yes, he had someone to find, someone who may still thought he was dead. Emma. He tried not to think about the fact that he was dead for a time, and went to find her. And as he did, he told to himself that he definitely hated curses. §§§§ He hadn't been the only one to die. Regina did also, and she came back to life. Her first thought was Henry was right . She saw him, waiting her to wake up and she smiled, as her memories took their right place in her. She took a great breath, stand up, and hugged her son in her arms. Henry, responded to her embrace. Emma was there also, smiling at them, being a little nervous, waiting for someone else to appear, a thing that happened some minutes after. Emma and Henry didn't remember, because they didn't forget, and in a way, they had been the one who were the more cursed. So, loosing the people they loved in the reversed Enchanted Forest had been terribly painful. And when she saw that both Regina and Killian were alive, the Savior couldn't help but smiling at it. Because they found each other again, despite the curse. §§§§ When he woke up, that is to say that he remembered, David felt terribly sorry and also ashamed because of what he did. But, as there was no consequences, he didn't last for long. But surely, he wasn't the only one to feel bad. §§§§ Oh, the pain. He really didn't miss it. Rumplestiltskin should have expected it when he asked to the Author to rewrite the story. The thing that maybe, it would not end good. That again, the curse would be broken, and that everything would come back to normal. And he didn't want it t o happen. That was selfish, cowardice, and many other things that an honorable man wouldn't do. But yeah, he never pretended he was that sort of man. He would be able to contain it, for a time, he could still stay himself and not to turn definitely into the dark One. But for what time ? §§§§ She was angry. She really was, angry because of the Author, and because of Rumplestiltskin. But that was a thing Belle had to confess to herself, she still loved him. So, when she saw him being almost dying, of course she tried to do something. She couldn't save him, but at least, she would try to stop it, stop the darkness in him. Well, that was going to be a long and harsh battle. Because despite all her efforts before these day, she never succeeded to do it. §§§§ Regina was blaming herself now. What she did to Zelena was terrible, and, as she just found Robin again, she felt happy, but knew that what they did would have consequences. At first, there had been this strange man, looking for her half-sister. (Oh, well, she didn't know how many trouble s he was going to cause to her. At least, not yet. But she would.) And there were her remorse, even though she did worse tha n that before. She had to tell them, she though. She really had to. §§§§ Everything was okay now, Henry thought. It was not the first time it happened, and Henry knew that maybe it wasn't the last (who knew, after all ?). But he was happy, and satisfied. And relieved. Things were good now, everyone remembered, everyone had been saved. Everything would be good now, right ? Or maybe not… Maybe they still had something to do. Maybe that later they should fight. And destroy the darkness. But not for now. Now, they were just happy to be reunited, and together. They had a little time, before they had to fight. And someone had still had to make a confession about what she did. And of course , they wouldn't take this really goodly. Because, make disappear someone from the story and almost destroy someone wasn't really good. (What a euphemism…) And Regina and Robin themselves knew it. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- “But there is something I still don't understand, said Emma, after the things were now back to normal. Even though I wasn't hit by the curse, I remember that I forget the existence of Zelena for a time. - I had the same thing, Henry explained. And another strange thing, a man who told me his name was Hades, was searching for a woman, saying that she had been erased from the story. I think… no I'm almost sure that he was looking for Zelena. - I guess that this damned Author did this to her, said Emma, and even if I don't like her, I don't think he had the right to do it. And that he shouldn't have done it. - But, Snow said, why would he do such a thing ? I mean… he even doesn't know Zelena, she did nothing to him, and she can't do anything to anyone. It makes no sense.” All of them were wondering why it happened, except the main concerned, the one who did this. Regina and Robin. Well, it came from Regina herself, she just persuaded Robin to let this happen. And now, she really regretted it. Deeply. What she saw as the better choice, now that she had been through all of this, seemed to be just a terrible mistake. Robin tried to talk, to say what they did, but Regina was faster than him. “It was me, she simply said. Snow White frowned. - Wait… what ? - I asked to Isaac to do it. I wanted her to disappear from my life. - We both wanted it, added Robin. After all, he was as culprit as her. He didn't have the idea, but he let it happen. - I wanted her not being a danger for me. I was so exhausted by her simple presence, I just… didn't want her to exist anymore. - You did what ? Asked Emma, looking at her with surprise. As they all did, of course. They weren't horrified, or terrorized by what she did, because she did worse, but… yeah, they were choked. - You tried to make disappear your own sister ? Said Snow with some disapproval. The irony is that it was coming from someone who actually virtually killed her best friend not a so long time ago. - Yes, I did. But she is alright now, as I saw it. - Why did you do that ? Asked Snow. She was locked with no power, wouldn't hurt you. So why ?” Apparently, none of them understood. “Because she existed ! She was going to have Robin' child ! I did this because… I was jealous of her. - You decided to do to her just for the same reasons as she did, said David to Regina. This is not… this is not right. - Tell me David, at my place, what would you have done ? - Not that, of course. Regina, added the prince with disapproval, you did try to kill her. - Yes, said Hook with irony, she tried to kill the person who was jealous of her and did try to kill in the first place, forced you and Snow to cast a curse, and erased your memories. Oh, and she also tried to steal her boyfriend from her, and get pregnant with his child. Yes, the pirate said, still ironic, Regina is really the more culprit of the two… Regina looked at him with astonishment. - You're on my side ? You ? Why ? The pirate shrugged. - You see, I am the one who tried to get revenge, so… I understand your reasons. - And I do too.” It was coming from Emma, and the others looked at her with surprise. “Even though I don't accept your method, I understand why you did this. I really do.” Regina smiled to her friend for her understanding, and Emma replied. “What about her child ? Demanded Ruby (who was still there). It… would have died. Regina sighed. - Not really… I mean… she would have been erased from the story, but it wouldn't have been a murder. Just as if… she never existed.” It was true. In a strange and twisted way, but, yeah, it was true. “And now Regina ? What will you do ? Demanded Snow. - I don't know, I mean… she still hates me. I tried to kill her, as she did, I guess that I won't try again. What could I do ? - Reconcile with her ? Suggested Emma.” Regina started to laugh. “Really ? But how ? I mean… we still hate each other, what happened in the rewritten story changed nothing to that ! I won't like her, and she won't do it either. - You could try, said Snow. - I already tried ! Said the former Evil Queen. And it didn't work ! She took Marian' place, manipulated Robin and all these other things. How could I forgive her ? And how could she forgive me ? - I have no idea, answered Snow, but you and I, we did this, so I think it may work. - Oh, Snow… Regina said with an amused smile, you and your constant optimism. - Well… it worked with you. So, it could work with her. As she can't fight you, and that we won't kill her, we could help her to redeem herself. - It will take time. - Just as it did with you, added Emma.” Regina nodded. It was true. She sighed again. “I think I can try… But she isn't going out of her cellar !” Zelena was still too dangerous, for the others or for herself. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Regina was very, very tired. For many reasons, the first being the “Gold problem”. Yeah, they had problems with the Dark One, what a surprise ! This last one was a little… overwhelmed by his dark powers, and risked at each moment to turn definitely into someone evil. That he already was, but it would be worst. Yes, she never thought that it could ever be possible for Gold being more evil than he was. But for now, it wasn't happening, thanks to, she had to confess, the help of Hades. The god of the Underworld. Who existed. As the other Olympus gods, and even though she was herself a fairy tale character, it took a time for her to accept it. As for the others, Henry excepted. So, right now, she really was tired, exhausted, and as if it wasn't enough, she was having a headache. So, it wasn't a wonderful day. And you could say it was the contrary. Because this god that arrived here, in their lives and in Storybrooke was—oh by the magic, she couldn't believe she was going to say that – in love with Zelena. And apparently, she loved him too. And at that moment they were talking about her, as the god wanted to free her. Understanding why it really was a bad day ? §§§§ Regina sighed. Alright, she was really upset about that. Because Hades wanted Zelena to be released. And everyone in town were against it. As Regina, of course. Mostly Regina, indeed. “She has the right to be outside it ! Said Hades. - No, she doesn't, answered Regina. - You're the one who tried to destroy her, to erase her life from the story. - I did this, that's true, and I regret it, right ? But you have no idea of who she is. - I think that's the contrary, and I'm pretty sure that I know her better than yourself do. - Oh, I'm not going to disagree with you on that point. Because you know why ? This woman is known by me only because she tried to kill me. - You have no idea of who she really is. - Well, you know what ? I tried. When I defeated her, I offered her peace. - You put her in jail. - Because she was dangerous, not because I wanted it ! Said Regina. - What about you ? You're the Evil Queen after all ? - I used to be. I'm not it any more ! I changed ! - So she can too, and I want her to be released ! - We can't do that, said Regina. - Why not ? I don't ask you to give her her powers back, but just to make her free ! - We won't. Hades, the answer is still no.” They both sighed. They really were into an impasse. Oh by the gods, she told to herself, that would take a really, really long time for them to finally agree about what would happen to Zelena. Yes, they would need time before stop to disagree about the other' point of view. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- She really didn't want to do it. Regina didn't hate Zelena as much as she did before, mostly because of this I-will-erase-you-from-the-story-and-my-life thing, but she still thought that the witch didn't deserve to be free. Unfortunately, a certain god didn't really agree with her. In fact, completely not. They both tried to discuss, and find a way to do it, to succeed not to fight about Zelena being released or not. And she had to admit it, the god wanted to do it properly. He could have made his “true love” - as Zelena was apparently that for him – escape from her cellar, and thanks to magic, but he didn't. After all this Author's thing, he may realized that she really was important to him, and he wanted to build a relationship with her. And of course, release her from where she was. It has been two weeks since Isaac rewrote the story, and since things were back to normal, and the most of their problems seemed to become more and more worse. At least, just one, the thing with Gold. As time passed, he risked to become more and more impossible to control, and that was a big problem that they really had to stop. But, back to the other situation, things weren't that awful. Since what happened in the rewritten story – as Zelena apparently still existed at that time. Yes, Regina thought, that was weird – the other witch seemed to be… calmer than before. The strange thing is that she didn't yelled on Regina for having tried to kill her. In a way, of course. As her half-sister came to apologize, she just listened to her, as she never did before, a look in the direction of her own belly, with one hand on it. That was the first Regina understood that her half-sister cared about her child. She didn't see it before, as Zelena didn't really show it, and the former Evil Queen thought that this future baby was just a way to stay alive, and have something against them. Well, she had been wrong, after all. She didn't trust Zelena at all, but she was still part of her family, and her remorse from the moment when she asked Isaac to destroy Zelena came again in her. So, when she apologized to Zelena she was really sincere. She wanted them to be a family, as she was with Henry, Roland, Robin, and other people as Emma, Snow, David – and also Gold and Belle, in a way – and regarding to who she was, or used to be, she knew that redemption's time would be long for Zelena. (And was really her own redemption's time over ? She wasn't really that sure.) The other witch still had anger, pain, and hatred in her, just as Regina did. That was why she hadn't had the intention to kill her when they stopped her the first time, she really wanted to believe in her redemption. Because then, it would be easier to believe in her own second chance. But then, there was what Gold did, the time travel thing, the Marian thing, and the rest of it. For the first time since Zelena' “death”, Regina was really thinking that maybe the other Cora's daughter could be redeemed. It could work. At least, if they tried. That could be the better or the worst idea ever. But who knew how it would end ? Not her. And they just may had to trust her a little if they wanted her to trust them… Maybe that Hades was right after all… §§§§ When Regina entered into her room, Zelena didn't expect her to be there. “Regina ? Why are you here ?” The witch asked, on her defensive. She still didn't trust her, as the other one did too. Regina sighed. She used a word, as she was opposed with Hades, and that they didn't agree about what would happen to Zelena. Impasse. Well, this word could easily describe their relationship, as they both had no will to trust the other or try something to do the things better. And they were right. “Maybe I just had the intention to see you ? - You're not good at lying, Regina. So tell me, what is the reason of your presence ? Regina looked at her, and smiled. - Your freedom.” Zelena was good at playing the indifferent. To make other people think that she didn't care about what they did to her and told her. But this time, she couldn't. Before she even thought about it, she was stand up, trembling, and a smile appearing on her face. “You… you're serious ? - Yes I am. - But… why ? You still hate me, no ? - As you do… - Are you doing this because of Hades ? The former inhabitant of Oz asked. - Yes and no. He could become a threat if we don't accept to do what he wants, and he just wants you to be free. And… maybe that could help. I mean… let you go outside. - There are some people who won't agree with that. - Yes, like a certain Dark One, but don't worry, I don't think he will dare to defy a god. A god who is helping him to control his darkness, and to whom he owes a favor now… And as Hades asked for your freedom in exchange of this help… - So he does really care about me, Zelena whispered with a great smile on her face.” A non evil, wicked, or twisted smile. Just happy. Regina nodded then, and she almost wanted to ask her how she met Hades, and what was their story. But she didn't. Not now, at least. Later. Maybe when their relationship would have become, at least… normal, and non mortal. If they could. “Zelena ? She said to her sister. - Yes ? - You know… I would want to trust you. I really want to, but… what you did to me… You tried to kill me, get revenge on me for something that wasn't coming from me, and I won't even talk about you pretending being Marian… And don't forget that you tried to erase me from the story in the first place. - I didn't… - Oh, really ? What about all the time travel thing ? - Yes, I may did this, but… - Don't tell me you regret that, that wouldn't be true. - Exact. But I was jealous of you. - This is not a real reason, even though I used to be the one who used it to convince myself that what I was doing wasn't that bad… But you know what ? I'm the one jealous of you now. Ironic how the things are all reversed now… - What do you want from me Regina ? - I will let you go, and you'll be free, but without your magic. And you will stay in Storybrooke. - What are you doing, exactly ? - Giving you a second chance. A chance to redeem yourself, as I tried to do. As people gave it to me, believing in me, even though I didn't deserve that at that time. At first, I couldn't become better, because of what I did, people didn't believe in me. But then Henry did, as Emma, and Snow and Robin.” The other witch didn't become someone good since the two previous weeks. But, something did change in her. As she was in an unknown room, invisible, forgot by almost everyone, and thinking she was forced to die, she thought about many things. And it helped her to relative things. And to have a different point of view about the events, past or present. All she ever wanted was a family, to be loved, and accepted. And now, she could have it. With her child, her sister, and Hades – her True Love. She really could have it, and be happy, if she accepted to change. Regina was tending her a hand, so why would have she refused it ? Then she smiled, and said : “ Yes, maybe… maybe that could actually work...” And as Regina also thought, she told to herself that that could be the best, or on the contrary, the worst idea ever. But they wouldn't know that, not now. Not before they tried, and gave a chance to it. They both wanted to believe in it. Only time would tell them if they had been right about it… ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Hades knew that things were changing now. It has been now only three days that he and the heroes came back from Camelot, where they succeeded to destroy the darkness. And it has been a month since Zelena has been released from her cellar, and he finally had the right to talk with her, freely. Now he was there, waiting for someone to come, as he has been told by Iris, who gave him a message from Hestia, saying she wanted to talk with him. And, now, here she was. Standing in front of him smiling at her dear brother that she didn't see since such a long, long time. She didn't approach him, their relationship was not that good, so she didn't embrace him. She just smiled. “Hello Hades, she told him. That's a nice place, where you live. - Yes, it is. Why are you here Hestia ? - Zeus send me there, and I came here to see you, as we didn't see each other since… a long time. We wanted to know how things were for you. - Pretty good, I would say. - You found the person you were looking for ? - Yes, I did. - But you won't tell me something about her. - No. - Why ? - I don't trust you. - Oh no, brother ! She exclaimed.” He looked at her with surprise. She continued. “Don't tell me that ! You can give that excuse to Poseidon, or Zeus, or even Hera, but not to me. Because you know as I do that it's false. - You think so ? - Oh, yes. I know you Hades, much more than you do yourself. I'm the only one you accepted to see before this day, except when you asked for Zeus' help. - I didn't…. - Of course you did. So now that you we agree, tell me more about her.” When she saw a smile on her brother's face, Hestia knew that she had been right to come there. And then they talked, for hours and hours, both happy to be reunited. In the end, the goddess smiled at her brother. “What are you thinking ? Hades asked, also with a smile on his lips. - Nothing, the other answered mysteriously, just that… changing is in the air.” And she wasn't just talking about him. “What do you mean ? - You… you're changing. And you're not the only one. - What ? - W are looking at you, all of you, as this town is where you live now… we have a great interest in it. And, she added before he began to talk, we do it because we care about you, not to spy you, and we don't do it all the time, right ? - Right. - I have to go. I was happy to talk with you. - Me too. Goodbye Hestia, I hope you will come again here. - Don't worry, I surely will, but it won't be just me. - It's alright, I guess the other gods can come there.” She smiled. He accepted the probability of Zeus' presence, that was a great thing, and a good beginning. Changing is in the air . And in people, of course. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- It was a normal day when a strange and wonderful thing happened between the gods. Between two, in fact. Two brothers (well… as they were all related to each other, it wasn't necessary to mention it) who were talking to each other. Hestia had been right, the time when she came to see Hades in Storybrooke, there was changing. Hades and Zeus were the two people that were talking. Of what ? Well… of things, apparently. Which were important. Yeah, the talking between them was still something difficult. But it was true, things were changing. “Hello brother, finally said Hades to the other god. Zeus nodded his head and smiled. - You wanted to see me, right ? He answered. - Exact. I think we need to talk.” Time passed since Hestia' visit to her brother, and Hades never stopped to think about what they talked about. That is to say what she said, the fact that they missed him, all of them did, and that they wanted to see him again. Of course, there would always be a part of Hades that would hate his brother because of what happened between them. What Zeus did, and then what Hades did. How the war started between them, the reason of the beginning of their hatred. Persephone's death. As an accident, in a fight against Titans who were trying to free themselves from their prisons, and be free again. They defeated them again, of course, but there was a cost. Something terrible, and extremely painful to pay. It was how the goddess, daughter of Demeter and Zeus, died this day. And Hades' heart was broken. Love disappeared from his heart, replaced by hatred and… And everyone knows what happened next. But time passed, and now, things were different. Because Hades was not alone any more, he had someone in his life. A woman, a witch, who still had hatred in her heart, as he did. Someone as he was, or as he used to be. Zelena, the love of his life, that helped him to cure himself from the pain of the loss of Persephone. Thanks to her presence, he was getting better, becoming better. He destroyed the darkness with the other after all, helped Gold to contain his own darkness before that. He wasn't a hero, but was surely becoming one. That was the reason why he was there. To say to his brother that things were over now. “Why did you want to see me ? What did you want to tell me ?” And Hades, the god of the Underworld, who finally decided not to try to get his revenge, just smiled to Zeus. “I forgive you brother.” And Zeus smiled to him, said nothing, and just embraced him. His brother just said what he waited to hear for years and centuries. And he was happy. Because after all, after all these years, they did it. After the hatred, the anger, the dead and their wars, they finally did it. After this almost non-ending war, they succeeded to do it, in the end. They succeeded to be a family again. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- “You never told me, Zelena said, shyly. - Told you what ? - Your life. What it was, in the Enchanted Forest. - I never really had the occasion”, Regina said with a grin. It was their first conversation, at least their first sane since, well… forever. It seemed, in fact. “You know, Regina added, with all our trying to kill each other, we never really talked. - You mean, without hatred ?” Regina looked at her half-sister, who was now strangely non-assured with her. “Why do you want to talk about it now ? She demanded, surprised. - I talked with Hades yesterday, he told me that he finally reconciled with his brother. Now, he has almost no hatred in his heart, not any more. And he told me how good it was not to fight against people you used to love. - But you never loved me. You hated me since the day you knew me. - It never was about you, but about the fact that mother chose you instead of me. I think I hated her, not you. - Well, Regina said, thinking about her former hatred against Snow White, mother really destroyed our lives. - Sure she did.” And they smiled to each other, stayed silent, before Zelena talked again. “How was it ? Being a queen ? - Great. Wonderful. Amazing. I was powerful, I was the one who chose, who acted. That would be what I would tell you if I still was the Evil Queen. - And now ? - Now ? I think it had been the worst years of my life. - You had power, Zelena said. - Power is nothing when you're alone. And I had no one, except my father. Tell me, would you prefer having powers or Hades ? - Hades, Zelena answered with no hesitation. Regina smiled. - You see what I mean. I had someone, before becoming the queen. And mother killed him, and it hurt, as much as it would hurt you if you lost Hades. - But you now have Robin. Are you happy with him ? Regina's smile became larger. - Yes. And you, with Hades, what about his heart ?” Zelena blushed. “Well… it's not beating, not now, as we didn't kiss. - You haven't kiss Hades ? Regina asked, surprised, amused and with a laugh in her voice. - No. I think we need time. - Don't be that long ! Exclaimed Regina, smiling.” And the sisters laughed together. They were there, together, as sisters. Then, Zelena felt something in her heart, a great heat and she smiled. “You were married, right ? Before. - Yes. To the king Leopold. - How was he ? With you ? - Indifferent. He never loved me, but he never touched me too. He was a good man, and a good father. But not a good husband. His only mistake was to be manipulated by our mother. - But… you killed him. - I did. It was a mistake, I did that because I wanted to be free. And finally, I told to Snow I was sorry. - And she forgave you, after all these years. - She did. - Tell me, Regina… Zelena said with difficulties, will you ever forgive me for what I did to you ?” Regina started. It was the first time that the witch made apologies to her. She smiled, and took her sister's hand. “I'm sure I will Zelena. With time.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Zelena looked at her belly, and smiled. Now, it was more and more visible. Four months. She was pregnant since that time, and felt truly happy. It was a beautiful day, Zelena saw it by looking at the outside. The witch was now at Regina's home, where she lived since the day she went out of her cellar. The cohabitation was good, and the two sisters succeeded to talk to each other, as they first did days ago. Things were calm in town, Belle was forgiving Gold, and Hades was more and more accepted in Storybrooke. Everything was perfect. Almost. And Zelena would soon discover all the things that were hidden in this little “almost”. §§§§ Some hours after that, Regina came back at their home, after she came out to see Robin and Roland. “Hey”, Zelena said. It was still uneasy for them to talk normally to each other, but things were better now. At first, it had been harsh to talk. Zelena did the first step, after Regina let her free. But they were both now going on a long walk. “Hey, Regina answered. - I wanted to ask you something. - I'm listening.” If Zelena lived there, it was first for practical reasons. The witch still couldn't be left alone, and she needed someone to look at her. But now, as things were more calm between them, Zelena decided to ask something to her sister. “I want you to let me go out.” Regina started, surprised. Well… she didn't expect that. “No. - What ? Why ? - Zelena, I… I can't let you leave the house. - And… you won't tell me your reasons, right ? Regina sighed. - Listen, Zelena… people don't love you. You're a villain. In town, most of the people fear you. - I did nothing wicked, or evil since, since… - Since you came back in town ? That's because you're powerless ! You can do anything to anyone. - That's why you should let me go. And I changed ! - No, you didn't Zelena. You're changing, you're redeeming yourself, that's true, but… this is not enough. - What about you ? You were a villain before. - Yes, but the difference is that people accepted me. When I suggested to free you, people didn't agree with that.” A silence settled between the two women. Apparently, the conversation they had before hadn't been enough to make their relationship stronger. “It has nothing to do with their opinion, right ? Zelena demanded. You let me free despite what people thought. So why ? Regina didn't answer. - Tell me Regina, why don't you want to let me go ? - Because I don't trust you ! Regina finally screamed with anger. Zelena looked at her sister, seeming shocked and hurt. - What ? - I think that I'm not enough confident to trust you”, Regina confessed. Zelena should have understood. Except that it was Zelena, and she didn't take it goodly. “Why not ? - You tried to kill me ! I'm trying to do it, to have faith in you, but… it's hard for me. - You're the only family I still have Regina, and I know that I made mistakes, but… so did you. Regina looked at her, angry. - Oh no ! Don't compare what I did to what you did. I just tried to erase your life, and I would have hurt no one except you. You tried to erase me, my existence and change the history. Our story. It's completely different. - Hades is accepted, and he is the god of the Underworld. Why should it be different for me ? - He helped us, you didn't. - You didn't let me do it ! - You would have helped us ? - Maybe… maybe not, I don't know. We will never know. - Zelena, people think you're still dangerous, and… I quite agree with them. - I don't have my magic ! How could I be dangerous ! - And trust me, I'm not giving it back to you. Not now. The discussion is over Zelena, I'm not letting you go.” Zelena tried to protest, to say something, but Regina wasn't ready to listen. She wanted to hurt her sister, as this last one did by not trusting her, despite her efforts. Then she found, and without really thinking about it, she talked. “You know what ? She asked. I wish you stayed dead, as you were in the rewritten story !” A great and heavy silence was now between them. The second after she said those words, Zelena immediately regretted them. Especially by seeing how hurt and sad Regina seemed to be. But it was too late. Their relationship was new and they were still building it. They just needed a little thing to destroy it. It was the thing. “Regina, I… Zelena apologized, I didn't intend to say it. I'm.. I'm sorry.” The former evil queen looked at her with both sadness and anger. More with anger. “Go, she said with a cold tone, showing her the door with her hand. - Regina… Zelena tried again. - Just… GO ! - I thought you didn't want me to go.” Regina didn't listen to this try of humor. “Go, now, she repeated, go and find your dear god and stay with him.” Understanding she couldn't stay now after what she said, the witch left. Then, Regina sat down on a chair, and took her head in her hands, a tear falling along her cheek. Everything was destroyed now, or seemed to be. What have they done ? ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- It had been two weeks since the “thing” happened. The argument between the two sisters. No one saw each other since this day. And of course, they didn't talk to each other. You couldn't have said that things were really good in town. Everyone knew what happened, but except Regina's and Zelena' relatives (who weren't that much in town), no one really cared. Zelena lived now with Hades (in the same house as him), and had no desire to return to Regina's home. That was what she told to Hades, at least, but the god rapidly saw that it was more a lie than something else. He wasn't on any side, he didn't blame Zelena for saying hurting things to her sister, and said nothing about Regina not trusting her sister. He just accepted to let her stay there, and didn't find this situation that good. The woman he loved was now with him, and he was able to see her every day, but… she wasn't happy. She missed her half-sister, and felt guilty for what she told her this day in her house. And for now, she understood why the mayor didn't trust her. She remembered what she did, and well, it wasn't brilliant. The curse Snow and Regina had to cast to find a way to defeat her, her try to cast the time-travel spell, her attitude when she was Marian (and the murder of this last one). That thing, and others… it was her. She did feel guilty now, for her actions, and she was trying to change, as her sister did. But it was harsh, and long. She knew it now. §§§§ When he saw Henry come at his door, Hades felt a great feeling of surprise. He hadn't seen him since their adventure in the rewritten story. Or at least, the kid never came to see him personally before. He raised an eyebrow. “Hello kid… you're here for… what ? - To talk to you. Is Zelena there ? - No, she must be sleeping, or maybe reading in another room. Why ? - Good. I wanted to talk to you alone. - About what ? - About “the thing”. Hades rapidly understood. - You mean what happened between your mother and Zelena ? - Yes. I really think that we must do something. As soon as possible. - But what can we do exactly ? It's a thing between them. - I know that they are adults, and I tried to wait, as I thought they would find by themselves a way to solve it. But Hades, it had been since two weeks ! - My argument with Zeus lasted longer than that. - It was more serious. We need to do some operation to solve it. A fix-it operation. I called that “Operation lizard”. This time, Hades really looked at the young boy with a suspicious and surprised look. - Why this name ? - It's a tradition for me to do and form operations and give them the name of an animal. This time, it will be the lizard. Because of the green color, it's a reminder of Zelena and her former skin color. - I don't think that it's a reference which will bring good memories… - It's not what I want to do… - How do we proceed ? - First, let's talk to Zelena… - We can try at least, it's one of the solutions we have… §§§§ “You want to talk to me about what happened between me and Regina ?” The witch was now talking to Henry, with also surprise in her voice. “Yes I do. - You want me to do what, apologize about what I said ? - That could be the first step. - I would want, but I can't ! - You think she won't forgive you ? You did worse to her, and she did worse. - I don't think I want her to forgive me, Zelena confessed in a low voice.” (She understood but she didn't completely accept it.) Henry and Hades both started. “But… why ? Demanded Hades. She is your sister, and… - She doesn't trust me. Regina doesn't trust me enough to let me go outside. - I wouldn't blame her for that. I mean… I know that you deserve a second chance, but… don't be that harsh toward her. Henry thought about it for some seconds. For example, if your adoptive father tried to apologize to you, for what he made you live, or if you real mother, Cora, was trying to do it, you would need time to accept it, right ?” Zelena stayed silent. She never saw the things that way, with that point of view. “How do you know for my life ? - My mom told me. And I read your story in one the books that are in the Apprentice's house. - Maybe you're not that wrong, Zelena whispered.” Hades and Henry looked at each other, smiling. Operation Lizard was on its way. After some hours of discussion, they succeeded to make her accept the fact that earn Regina's trust wouldn't be easy. But now, they needed to talk to Regina, and make her accept Zelena' apologizes. As they were walking in the direction of her house, Hades thought about a thing he hadn't in mind before. “Tell me kid, why do you do that ? Why do you care about all of this ? Henry sighed. - My mom is happy, she is with the man she loves, she has me, Snow White forgave and she is friend with Emma. But I think she would be happier if she had her sister with her. I think they both deserve that. - She tried to kill you. - As my grand-father did, and you know, my mother, she… made it, he said by looking at Storybrooke. I think she can change, with you, and the baby. - You really think so ? Henry looked at him. “You changed, my mom and Zelena told me that. So she can.” §§§§ Regina wasn't in a good mood, as Henry and Hades rapidly saw it. She hadn't sleep since some days, and seemed to be both angry and sad. She didn't want to talk to him, Hades realized, but as Henry was there, she let them enter. But she didn't listen to them, even though they talked and talked and talked. Again and again. Even if Henry tried. When they left, they were in an impasse, but then, Henry had a grin. “You, you have an idea, right ? - Yes, that's true.” Regina didn't understand what happened to her when she was send to a room she easily recognized. It was one of the room of Hades' house, and she sighed when she saw her sister was there too. And she sighed a new time when she understood she couldn't leave. And then, they heard a voice they goodly knew. Hades. “You will stay there until you will explain yourself to each other, and forgive each other.” There was something they forgot before. Hades was a god. His heart still didn't beat, but he had powers stronger than the one of the two witches. So he would be able to keep them here for a time. Henry was the one who remembered. And he used it perfectly. §§§§ Zelena wasn't really relieved about that. But she began to talk. (She wanted to do it since two weeks after all…) “I'm sorry. For what I told you. And I think that now I understand what you tried to tell me. The reason why you don't trust me. And I accept.” Regina didn't expect that. She realized she didn't know her sister as goodly as she thought she did. Their reconciliation shouldn't have been easy. But Regina needed her sister back. She knew what it was to be a pariah, to be rejected (for good reasons, of course), and if her sister hadn't been that rude toward her, she would have learned little by little to trust her and have faith in the witch's redemption. Rapidly, she came next to Zelena, and embraced her, taking her in her arms. But the fact is that she had to explain herself too. “Almost all the people I trusted and cared for betrayed me, or died. Our mother, and Snow did it. Daniel, my father… they died too, because of me. I need time to trust people.” Zelena' smile never seemed to be that brilliant. “I will let you time sis', as much time as you will need to forgive me for my actions.” And Regina smiled in reply. Hades had a sight of relieve, as he knew that now everything was okay and fine between the two witches. They needed time, but they did it. He put off the spell that blocked the sisters in the room, but none of them left, and they continued to talk. Hades addressed a proud smile to Henry. Operation lizard was a success. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Today was a great day. Now, they were one month after the thing between Regina and Zelena and their reconciliation, thanks to Henry and Hades. They were together, all walking in the streets of Storybrooke. It was a calm day, again, and they were happy of that, and they were more and more used to it, even though it firstly appeared as strange. N o one seemed not to accept Zelena in the town, as they also did before with Hades, Gold, and Regina. Even Robin was beginning to do it, after all, he lived for a time with her, so he did have a thing with her (all of it had been false but they knew a little each other). And he was forgiving her, as they all did. Now, they were there, Zelena, her sister, Henry, Emma, Hook, Hades, Snow and Charming, as Robin, talking about the future. About something more specific. The baby. “How many time there still is ? Asked Emma. - Four months, apparently, Zelena immediately answered. - You know if it's a boy or a girl ? - No, Robin said.” Emma frowned. “You didn't want to know ? She asked to Zelena, surprised. - I hadn't such time to think about it. I think I may want to know now. - You could, Snow White immediately replied. Right now.” They looked at her with surprise, not knowing what she meant. Then, she put something from her pocket. “It's a magic object that I have from Ruth, David's mother. I always keep it with me, every day. It helps you to see if your child will be a boy or a girl. I can use it on you. Zelena started, and looked at Snow, surprised and moved. “You would do that ?” Zelena' redemption was made of apologizes. Many apologizes. Almost all of them had been for Regina, or Robin, and also Henry (but not Gold, of course, as they still hated each other. After all he never apologized for what he did). And then, there had been Snow. The one to who she tried to steal her baby. The one she forced to kill her own husband and cast a terrible curse. It took time. Before this day, Zelena would have thought that the princess couldn't forgive her. Snow's gesture was unexpected, good and great. But she had a great capability to forgive people (Regina could have told things about that), and despite what the witch did her, she was beginning to accept her presence. That was why she was there, offering her this object, as an offer of peace. §§§§ It would be a girl. So then, of course, a natural question appeared in everyone's mind. The first to say it was Hook. “Do you have any idea for a name ? He demanded.” Zelena and Robin made a no with their head. “We could think about it now, no ? Regina said then.” It was a good suggestion. Everyone said names and other names, but as no one listened to each other, Hades finally had to stop it. They said it then more slowly. “Elena. - Anna. - Sofia. - Who will choose the name exactly ?” The question was coming from Henry. He clarified what he mean t then. “I mean… It won't be Zelena or Robin alone, Hades and Regina may want to say something about it. - I think we can all do that, together. Regina said. For the previous names, I think we can agree on the fact that it's no.” Strangely, the other accepted. “I guess the name Cora isn't an option… Zelena said with irony. No one answered. That was what I thought… - Elphaba ? Emma said. The other looked at her, perplex. She rolled her eyes, seeing that Zelena didn't get what she meant. Well… I was thinking about that, you're the wicked witch, and she will be your daughter. So, the name, the irony, and all these things… She sighed. I was trying to do a reference to something. Zelena grimaced. - I don't like this name. - And I don't either, Regina said. - I hope you won't choose a name like Hope, Emma said with an ironic grin. I mean, this name seems to be so cliche. - This is not really a name, Robin said after that. - Who has other ideas ? Regina demanded. - I have, Zelena said in a low voice. They listened carefully. “Elizabeth. - Why this name in particular ? Regina demanded. - I don't know… I like it. I think it sounds good. What do you think about it ? Elizabeth Hood. That could be good… - It is.” They all agreed to this name, in this end, and Zelena smiled. No t only because they accepted her idea, no. This day, they didn't only do it. They accepted her, after all this time. She found it. She found her family. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- In a way, you could have said that Zelena' and Hades' relationship began five months ago. Or at least, four, after the end of the rewritten story thing, and before Zelena' almost complete redemption.Yes, the two of them really were together, and happy, and everything was perfect. But there was still a thing.They hadn't kiss each other again since the moment where Zelena did when Hades came to see her.The reason why ?Zelena was afraid.Their first kiss had been a complete disaster, and the famous “True Love's Kiss” thing didn't work, and even though there was a normal reason, it wasn't enough.It didn't stop the witch from being afraid.That was why she did nothing since this day, or at least, it was one of the causes.As there was a terrible question in her mind right now, more and more powerful.What if it didn't work ?What if her kiss couldn't make the god's heart beat again ? What if their love wasn't strong enough to succeed in it ? What if despite their efforts, it didn't work ?What if they weren't True Love ?What if he left her because of that ?It was absurd, because, yeah, she couldn't say that without trying to do it. If they didn't try, they would never be able to make it work. And she knew it, just as he did.§§§§The same day, Hades brought her with him so they could have a walk, alone. Now, the witch was able to go out, and no one was afraid of her any more. She still didn't have her magic, but she learned to live with it.She didn't need magic any more, and it felt good, not to feel her darkness being in her. Maybe that finally, her heart was becoming less dark, she hoped it.They were walking now, not talking, hands in hands, and it was good.She never knew it before, she never really was in a relationship, and what she lived with Hades at the time where they still had hatred in their heart didn't count. (Nor the time she lived with Robin.) So, it was new for her, but not for him, apparently.Hades was nervous this day, particularly nervous, and Zelena saw it. She had no idea why, but she was worried, she knew he would tell her if there was something wrong.She trusted him and he trusted her.He would tell her.The god had now his hand in his pocket, and a little object in his hand, touching it again and again. He had a question to ask to his dear Zelena, an important question, and he was hoping she would accept.She would, right ?He hoped she would.He really did.§§§§When Hades stopped finally their walk, Zelena began to fear a little about what would come next. But Hades was smiling now, he just seemed to be a little stressed. And he seemed also to be really determined.“Zelena, do you accept to live with me ?”The witch started, surprised, not expecting that. She still was with Regina, in her house, even though she stayed less and less often in there, letting her alone with Robin, Roland, or Henry (or even Snow or Emma), coming frequently at Hades' house, to talk with him.She never thought he would ask her for that, not that rapidly. But after all, they knew and loved each other since years, right ?She stayed silent, unable to talk, moved by his proposal.He wanted her to live with him ?He wanted them to be together, officially ?He wanted her with him ?A look of worry appeared on Hades' face as she didn't answer, but then, she had a great and wonderful smile.And, without thinking about it, just taken by this sudden joy, she threw herself in Hades' arms and kissed him. It's just when the great and powerful wave of magic crossed through them that she realized what she did.Hades' heart was beating again.“You did it, he whispered, before kissing her again.”In the end, they did it.Together. Still smiling, as they kissed again and again, Zelena let all her doubts and fears leave her, just for a moment.Everything would be fine now.She was certain of it.She broke the curse that was on Hades, so now the only things they had to do was to build their family.All they needed to do was that.Break and build. Break all the terrible things that happened to them before, make them all disappear, and build a thing together.A thing which would be terribly strong, and true.Rebuild what had been destroyed before, and fix everything.They could do it. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Zelena had a terrible scream of pain. It was happening, just right now. The labor. And it hurt, hurt so much. And she was there, on this bed, crying. And finally, after hours of that, she was able to take her baby, her little child in her arm. “Hello, she whispered to the little baby who was now screaming with all her forces, hello, my little Elizabeth.” §§§§ The child had a good health, and regarding to who her mother (and family in general) was, everyone had in mind that some day, the little child would soon have powers, and would also have to learn to use them. But now, no one really thought about it, just to raise the child. A child who would have a great, great family, just as Henry had. A family that also was extremely complex and complicated. (Just as Henry's too.) A mother, Zelena, and a father Robin. They were her closest family, her parents, and in fact that could have been all, if you just took in mind the link formed by blood. (With Regina who was present too, of course.) But it wasn't all, there also was Hades, who lived with Zelena and lived with her since now like four months, and who was as Elizabeth' step-father. And, on the other side, we had Regina, who was with Robin, and was as a step-mother for Elizabeth. And of course, to make these things more complicated, she also was Elizabeth' aunt. Which made of Henry her cousin. (Or half-cousin, if it can be said.) And then it was all. So yes, doing this family tree surely would take a long time. (Not as long as for Henry's family, but it also was.) §§§§ Time passed, as it always does, even though it was kind of a surprising thing in a town as Storybrooke. Elizabeth was just a baby, growing up normally and acting as a baby. So she wasn't not normal, her powers still didn't appear, but there was magic in her. It would, with time, when she would be aged enough to be able to control them. And she was a beautiful child, with the red hair of her mother and the eyes of her father. She was loved by everyone and, without knowing it, she was the one who would help Zelena to get a complete redemption. There were still people in town who didn't accept Zelena, or at least, who didn't come to see her and talk with her. There was Rumplestiltskin, of course, and that could be understood after what she did to him, but there was a statu quo between them. They didn't attack each other, and they didn't see each other. But there was Belle also, who didn't forgive the witch, who was now pregnant, since two months, and who decided to go to see Zelena and her child. For the two of them, it was the first step before the beginning of a friendship, as Belle, just as Snow was great at forgiving people. Things were different now, as Belle saw it. Zelena really changed, just as Rumplestiltskin did too, and the young woman really felt happy that Regina did find in her a sister. §§§§ Five years later “Mom ?” Zelena looked at the little girl, and smiled. The child really was a charming girl, kind and beautiful, and she really loved her. To become a mother hadn't been easy, and it took time for her, but she did it. “What Elizabeth ? What did you want to tell me ? - Dad Hades wants to see you, he send me to tell you to go to our house.” Zelena smiled again. The child wasn't disappointed by the situation, which was really strange. Because, in a way, the girl had four parents, two mothers, and two fathers. She called them all the same way, so there was every day a “dad Hades” or “dad Robin”, or “mom Zelena”, or “mom Regina”. She just called them mom or dad when she was with them, and it was funny to see two people listening to her when she just said “mom” or “dad” and that they were both in the same room. “Tell him that I am coming soon.” She put the book she was reading, The Wizard of Oz (yes, she had been interested to know what people there thought her story happened. She felt disappointed when she read how easily she was defeated by Dorothy. Because yeah, she was more powerful than that.) Hades was there, waiting her, and he came next to her and embraced her. Since their second kiss, things really changed between them, and their relationship really began. And Hades truly was a good father for Elizabeth. (Oh, and yes, don't forget the other gods, the little girl had thanks to “dad Hades” plenty of uncles, aunts and cousins by alliance that loved come here to see her. Complications and complications, again. But Elizabeth didn't care, she loved her great and complicated and wonderful family.) And Hades began to talk. “Zelena, we have been together since more than five years, and our life is wonderful. Our daughter, Elizabeth, is the proof that we have been able to form a real family, together (even though with the presence of your sister and Robin – Zelena had a little laugh). I am more happy than I ever was, even with Persephone, and I thank you for that. I love you, so tell me Zelena, will you marry me ?” THE END
11467524	Calm Down Bro	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": null, "Fandom": "iKON (Korea Band)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Mature", "author": "by Renee6", "chapters": "10/?", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "12,950", "Additional Tags": "Alternate Universe - Office, Boss/Employee Relationship", "Relationship": "Goo Junhoe/Kim Hanbin \| B.I", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Hanbin liked to think that after 22 years of his laborious lifetime, he would have a pretty good understanding of what it meant to be royally fucked. This is something he knew when he was a child, climbing up the biggest tree in his backyard without thinking of a route down; when he was in high school and decided it was a good idea to ‘reinvent' himself as a tough boy, the resulting beatings he took by real bad boys forever bruising his ego. Or most notably in college when he assumed he was smart enough to pass his classes without studying like in previous years, promptly failing miserably on 2 finals and wasting money he did not own to redo them the following year. Now more than ever, Hanbin wished that his penchant for getting himself into these types of situations, would cease to exist. He’d been working as the assistant to the CFO of ‘Account On Us’ for the last 4 months, and couldn’t fathom how someone so constantly infuriated could ever work for a place with such a chipper and cheesy name. He stood out like a sore thumb against the bright yellow walls with his dark and tailored suits; the frown always present on his face, souring Hanbin’s mood every single morning. And though Hanbin had somehow managed to not be fired, he knew his current mishap would 100% incur his boss's wrath. He realizes that his habit of drafting up churlish responses to his boss's emails was not his brightest idea, but it was the only way he’d been able to unleash his aggravation without straight up cursing out the one who held his career in their hands. He started this routine his third week into the job. After a particularly brutal day, Hanbin had been at his wits end; ready to tear his hair out and live the rest of his life bald if he had to deal with anymore of Junhoe’s peevish attitude. The taller man had spent the entire day nitpicking at everything Hanbin did. The final straw had been an incredibly brusque email detailing Hanbin’s failure at properly booking his appointments. Minutes prior, Junhoe had rushed out of the office and into the idling car Hanbin had ordered, cussing under his breath in irritation. He scanned through the email a second time in disbelief, anger rising at every word he read before promptly smashing the reply button. His mouse hovered over the send button as he had an internal battle. Did he value self respect more, or having a steady income? With a deep-seated sigh he went back to the body of the email and backspaced to the beginning Months later, Hanbin finds the emails almost therapeutic. It had been a habit to just write out his initial thoughts without any filter and then send a more acceptable version to his boss. This time however, Hanbin wished more than ever that he’d never written that first email. “For the last time Hanbin, you can’t pre call an ambulance.” “You don’t understand Dongie, I’m gonna die, I’ll need heavy medical attention. You need to come asap.” “Just go in and apologize like a man,” Donghyuk tried to reason with him. He obviously had no idea who Hanbin was dealing with. He could hardly contain his scoff, “Be a man? Be a MAN?! I told him that his ding-a-ling must be non existent if he needed to be on a power trip all the time!” Hanbin could hear his friend unsuccessfully try to muffle a snicker on the other end of the line. “Okay, well maybe you should just leave then if being a man isn’t an option? Either way, I gotta go, there’s a real emergency that needs my attention. Good luck!” 'Betrayer'. Hanbin slowly placed the phone back in it's cradle and contemplated calling up Chanwoo in IT. Maybe if he bribed him enough he’d send a virus to Junhoe’s computer and destroy any evidence of his email. A ping from his desktop stopped him mid dial. His IM had popped up with a message from his boss. A very succinct, ‘Office, now.’ Hanbin tried to gulp but his throat was suddenly parched. Sweat beading on his forehead. “I’m so fucked.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Passing in front of the large oak doors, Hanbin seriously contemplated bolting like Donghyuk had suggested. Aside from his childhood friend’s lack of sympathy, he knew that if he ever had to quit his job for any reason, Donghyuk would always have his back. His decision was disrupted once more, this time via Junhoe calling through the door.“Stop dawdling out there. Come in, now.”“Shit,” Hanbin whispered out, rubbing his sweaty palms over his slacks.He slowly trudged forward, stepping inside his boss’s den. The office was as bleak as the man who worked in it. No pictures in site, no paintings on the walls, which were stark white; his desk impeccable as always.Hanbin gulped down the lump in his throat before attempting to speak. “You wished to see me?”“Sit,” Junhoe commanded with a vague gesture towards the seat across from him, not once looking away from his desktop where he was fervently typing.Sitting down as instructed, Hanbin clutched at his knees to stave away any trembling. Minutes passed with only the sound of the keys clicking.Finally, after what must have been 10 grueling minutes, Junhoe clicked around a few times with his mouse, ‘probably submitting my termination papers’ Hanbin thought bitterly, before turning towards him.Hanbin had taken that time to look over his boss. Aside from his awful attitude, it was easy to see why the rest of the company fell at his feet. He was slightly taller than Hanbin himself, and he was an incredibly handsome man. The girls in the office could always be heard gossiping about how good he looked in his fitted suits, how hot he was when he concentrated on his work, and to Hanbin’s utter astonishment, how nice he was.Obviously the people he worked with were delusional.While he could agree on the first two points, not once had Hanbin witnessed this so called nice behavior.“I believe you know why you're here,” Junhoe questioned, eyebrow quirked as if to say ‘I'm asking because I know you’re an idiot and you might not actually know why.’He released a shuddered breath before nodding, “Of course Mr.Koo, and I’m terribly sorry fo-”What would have certainly become verbal diarrhea was cut off by a wave of dismissal from his boss.“I don’t want your apology, I want to know it will never happen again, and that your obvious dislike towards me will no longer continue to affect your work.” Hanbin floundered for words, nodding in agreeance instead.“Good. I need you to call Mr.Park from the sales department, tell him we need to reschedule our meeting. Push it until mid-next week.”“Of course!” Hanbin exclaimed, standing up. He turned and briskly walked towards the doors, ready to prove his worth. He paused when Junhoe spoke up behind him.“Oh, and Hanbin,” he waited until Hanbin looked over at him, a wicked smirk in place. “Get me a coffee. Black, like my soul apparently”.Recalling the words written in his latest and regrettably sent email, Hanbin gulped before hastily retreating. With the door firmly closed he lent back against it and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath. This was going to be a long week. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Monday the following week showed a harried Hanbin who’d spent the remainder of the previous week being harassed at every chance possible by Junhoe.“I swear Donghyuk, he's just biding his time,” He whispered furiously, hand cupping the receiver to muffle the noise.Hanbin could hear his friend moving around on the other side of the line and the faint sound of a protest before someone spoke again.“Binnie, can we talk about this later? I know you're stressed but Donghyuk and I finally got some time off together and want to spend it cuddling and watching sappy movies,” Yunhyeong answered, obviously annoyed at the amount of time Hanbin had been complaining to his boyfriend for.“Sorry…” mumbled Hanbin.“Don't pout, it's unbecoming,” Yunhyeong chided, “We’ll see you tonight at that bar Bobby told you about. Don't be late or I'm not inviting you to dinner on Thursday.”“Why does Bobby even want to celebrate on a Monday night? He's fucking crazy,” Hanbin snorted in derision. Honestly, couldn't he just wait until the weekend to celebrate his birthday like any normal human being?“Don't know, don't care. Bye.” With that said, the elder hung up“Bye friend, nice talking to you too friend, can't wait to talk to you again soon friend,” Hanbin grumbled to himself while placing the phone back down in its cradle. He obviously had the most wonderful friends a guy could ever ask for.Stuffing the rest of his lunch into his mouth and packing away the empty containers, Hanbin continued reading through his current emails. Last week had been so hectic that he’d skimmed over 70% of his inbox and flagged non-essential emails to go over at a later date, which is basically Monday during his lunch break, as per usual.“Hanbin”Hearing his boss’s stern voice from behind startled him. Whipping around he titled his head back slightly to look into Junhoe’s eyes, realizing belatedly that his cheeks were still bulging quite unattractively with his food.He gulped the rest down harshly with a strangled cough before answering, “Yes sir, what can I do for you?”Junhoe eyed him wearily before minutely shaking his head, “I need you to make sure my schedule is fully clear tonight and field any late phone calls. I have an event I need to attend and don't want any distractions.”“I can clear your schedule no problem, but as for tonight…”Hanbin trailed off, noticing Junhoe's narrowing eyes as he spoke. “Yes, absolutely, no problem at all sir.” He finished lamely; too nervous that one refused task would end up with his ass on the curb.“Good,” Junhoe stated while walking past him towards his office. He paused just before opening his door, “I’ll need you to pick up some clothes for me from the dry cleaners before the end of the day.”“Of cour-”“I can't show up looking like the grim reaper now can I?” Junhoe finished saying before he finally entered his lair.Hanbin let his head fall onto his desk with a painful thud. Nothing was hurting him more than hearing his boss reiterate his idiotic email day in and day out. He’d told Donghyuk that he was being harassed, what Donghyuk didn't know was that he was being harassed with his own words being repeated by his straight faced employer.Picking his head up, Hanbin looked quickly at the time and mentally calculated how long it would take to get to the dry cleaners and back. If he left now then he’d have just enough time to stop off at home for a quick shower and a change of clothes before meeting the others at the bar.At least he’d still get invited to dinner on Thursday. ------- Walking into the crowded bar Hanbin cursed his luck when he managed to bump into a total of 3 people in the span of 2 seconds. The others couldn’t be fully to blame since his eyes were pretty much glued to his phone, furiously texting Yunhyeong, promising that yes he was in fact there, and no he wasn’t lying and actually at home still. Glancing up he scanned the area to see if he could find his friends platinum blonde head, with no luck. The place was really just too crowded. Why Bobby insisted on coming here of all places was lost to him, but Hanbin was a curl up at home kind of guy; the type to want to stay in his boxers and lounge on the couch from Friday night to Monday morning. He wasn’t a hermit by any means, but he was incredibly awkward in nature and always found it much easier to avoid dealing with people in general if possible.His phone pinged with a notification, causing him to pause his search. He opened his notifications to see an urgent request requiring Junhoe’s attention. Letting out a heavy sigh he typed out a quick reply, stating that unless this ‘urgent request’ couldn’t wait until the following morning, then they would need to settle for their controller. He read though the email one more time and CCed in their controller before sending it. He moved further into the bar hoping to catch sight of someone he knew, silently praying he didn’t get the name of the bar wrong or Yunhyeong would really kill him this time.He felt someone slam into his shoulder from behind him and turned around to give them a piece of his mind. Noticing the larger body wrapped in a fitted leather jacket he quickly changed his mind, muttering a quick apology before looking up towards the strangers face, wondering if their face would be as attractive as their chest. Just as soon as the words left his mouth he was left speechless.Standing before Hanbin, looking as good and grumpy as ever, was Koo Junhoe. His jacket was worn over a simple black t-shirt, paired with dark jeans that showed just how long his legs really are, and though the sight of his boss wearing something other than a suit shocked him, he was more surprised to see that Junhoe would be caught dead in a place like this. Hanbin always imagined that Junhoe would frequent those upscale swanky bars that sold drinks that cost more than his entire paycheck.Another ping from his phone broke him out of his stupor. He unlocked his phone quickly to see a sting of texts coming though Hanbin whipped his head around, finally spotting his friend glaring at him from across the room.“Sorry about that, he’s a brute but I swear he didn’t do it on purpose.”When Hanbin turned back around he saw the petite brunette beside Junhoe, having completely overlooked him he was quick to reply, “Its ok! I’m sure it was just an accident.”He glanced up at Junhoe from the corner of his eye, unsure if his boss wanted their working relationship to be known. It was uncomfortable meeting a work acquaintance out in the real world as it was, let alone his ill-tempered boss. Focusing back onto the smaller man in front of him he couldn’t help but appreciate his delicate features. He wondered if Junhoe’s ‘event’ that he needed to attend tonight was actually a date. His eyes widened unintentionally, trying to dispel the thought of his boss needing uninterrupted time to get laid.The other man smiled apologetically before pulling Junhoe away and further into the bar.Shaking his head to finish ridding his mind of unwanted thoughts, Hanbin turned around for the last time and headed towards Yunhyeong who was still eyeing him.“I swear on all of my precious albums that I was not late,” Hanbin implored once he as close enough for his friend to hear him.Yunhyeong just huffed and ruffled his hair, making it messier then it already was.“Where’s Bobby?” He asked, not seeing him or Donghyuk anywhere still.“They’re getting drinks, nothing for you though, only people who are on time get their drinks ordered right away,” Yunhyeong replied, the slight upturn on the corner of his lips giving him away. He couldn’t stay annoyed at Hanbin for any lengthy amount of time. They both take a seat at the large booth; sitting across each other, and Hanbin placed the small bag he brought onto the table. “You actually bought him a gift?” Yunhyeong joked, quirking an eyebrow.“Unlike you, who thinks their presence is gift enough, I actually take the time to go out and personally pick out the perfect gift for my friends,” Hanbin huffed, head tilting up in a taunt.“You bought that from the store across your apartment, didn’t you?” Before Hanbin could defend his honor, though he had in fact bought it from that very same place, he was being called by a very cheerful Bobby.“Glad you made it!” Bobby exclaimed, clamping him on the shoulder, hauling him up for a hug, “Let me introduce you to a couple people,” he gestured to behind him. Donghyuk was the first person Hanbin saw, so he reached over to help him place the drinks he was carrying down.“I know I wasn’t supposed to get you anything, but I just grabbed you a beer,” Donghyuk told him when he saw him eyeing the large amount of liquor they brought back to the table.Yunhyeong rolled his eyes at the ceiling; he should have known Donghyuk would have gotten Hanbin something regardless of his newly implemented rule.Bobby coughed lightly and nodded his head to his other side,” These are the friends that I told you about from the gym, Jinhwan and Junhoe,” Bobby pointed to each male and gestured for them all to take a seat. Donghyuk slid in beside Yunhyeong, while Bobby followed beside him. Jinhwan pushed Junhoe toward Hanbin’s side of the booth, and the next thing Hanbin knew, he was sitting beside his boss, trying with all his might not to make a complete ass out of himself.He remembered Bobby mentioning meeting a couple of guys at the gym a few months ago that he got along with very well. If he recalled correctly, which for some odd reason he could easily, that meant that Jinhwan was Junhoe’s brother in law, having married into the family.“Oh, it’s you!” Jinhwan pointed out, grinning when he saw Hanbin for the second time that night.“You guys know each other?” Bobby asked, looking between them curiously.Junhoe stayed silent and left Jinhwan to explain their earlier encounter. Bobby’s attention waned though as soon as he noticed the bag that Hanbin had placed on the table.“Binnie, hand that over!” He shouted, holding his hands out to collect his present.Hanbin chuckled before tossing it over, “Happy birthday loser.”Hastily opening up the bag, he pulled out a yellow bear wearing a cute blue hat. Blinking Bobby looked up at Hanbin silently questioning his choice in gift.Blushing, Hanbin mumbled, “It’s so Pooh won’t get lonely while you’re away…” he trailed off, feeling stupid for coming up with such a lame idea. At the time it seemed like the perfect gift, but looking back on it he realizes that it might be a bit childish. He glanced up and noticed Bobby’s widening smile, eyes crinkling like they do when he’s really happy. ‘Well, Bobby can be pretty childish sometimes, so I guess I was right after all’“Thanks Hanbin, Pooh will love him.”Hanbin smiled, glad that Bobby seemed happy with it. The conversation progressed from there; Donghyuk and Yunhyeong talking about their upcoming plans for a vacation; Jinhwan expressing his annoyance at the price of alcohol now a days, and Bobby happily inserting comments here and there. The only two not engaging in any form of conversation was Junhoe and Hanbin himself. Of course they answered when asked a direct question, but the awkwardness burned between them, almost palpable.Hanbin noticed Yunhyeong eyeing the two of them and just as he went to open his mouth to probably ask a bothersome question, Hanbin was saved by his phone pinging for the nth time that night.He pulled it out of his jacket pocket and read through his recent email. It was from the same employee as earlier that night, and with a sigh he went to reply. A shadow fell across his screen so he looked up to see Junhoe leaning over, trying to see what was written.Hanbin instinctively pulled his phone closer to his chest. Boss or no boss, looking at someone else’s phone was an invasion of privacy. He glared at him and turned back to his phone, the screen pointedly turned away from him.“Hey! Put that away!” Bobby complained when he noticed Hanbin’s attention focused elsewhere.“Sorry this is important; I just need to answer really quick.”Bobby huffed, leaning across the table to try and take his phone away from him,” This is my birthday, I’m declaring no working allowed, I don’t care how much of a demon your boss is, today is about me!”Hanbin felt Junhoe tense beside him, and quickly protested, “Come on Bobby, it’s not that big of a deal, someone is just being a bit persistent that’s all. Just give me a second and I’ll be done.”With a sigh Bobby sat back down arms crossed, undoubtedly pouting. “You already work ridiculous hours, can’t you have one day off?”“Ya Binnie, even when you’re not at work, you’re working at home. You’re never going to get a boyfriend at this rate,” Donghyuk interjected, though Hanbin couldn’t tell if it was in concern or amusement.“Wow, does your boss even do anything? Sounds like your being run ragged for someone who doesn’t appreciate what you do,” Jinhwan added in, looking at him from across Junhoe.Horrified, Hanbin tried to derail this conversation, “No, no, no, everything is fine, just peachy at work. Either way, this is Bobby’s birthday we’re here for, not me.”“That’s right! Stop talking about Hanbin’s dumb job.” Hanbin sighed in relief when Bobby replied exactly as he’d hoped.He took a small drink from his bottle and peeked over to see if Junhoe looked as pissed as he was expecting but couldn’t make out his expression. He’d been silent the entire exchange, and Hanbin wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing. He looked down at his phone and the start of his drafted email; letting out an exhale he began finishing it.Abruptly Junhoe stood up beside him and excused himself to the bathroom. Sweat started to form on Hanbin’s forehead. At least this time if he actually does get fired, it would be his friends fault and not his.Just as Hanbin was about to push send on his reply, a notification showed a new email from none other than Junhoe. He must have answered the email as he was walking away.Opening it up he couldn’t help but feel sorry for the poor stubborn bastard that wanted to talk to his boss, Junhoe’s email having been more vicious then most Hanbin had ever seen. Hanbin doubts that neither Junhoe, nor Hanbin will be getting another email for the remainder of the night. Locking his phone he placed it back into his pocket and wished that nothing more would go wrong that day. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The next morning Hanbin stood in front of familiar oak doors, hand firmly wrapped around the bottle of homemade hangover smoothie. He recalled Junhoe consuming a rather frightening amount of alcohol the previous night once he’d returned back to their table. Without thinking much about it, he’d made enough of his secret cure for both himself and his boss.Now that he was standing in front of his office, doubt started to sink in. He couldn’t fathom what had made him decide to make enough for Junhoe; the alcohol must not have been fully out of his system.He was about to go back to his desk with his extra drink when the door opened. Junhoe was dressed as impeccable as ever, but it was clear to see he had a headache from the extra tension in his shoulders, and the depth of his frown.Without any deliberation, Hanbin thrusted his hand out, accidentally misjudging the distance and hitting Junhoe square in the chest with the bottle. “I um, thought you might need this. Maybe, or maybe not, I mean maybe you don’t even get hangover’s, or maybe you d-“ Getting cut off was something Hanbin was getting used to, however this time he managed to cut himself off as he noticed Junhoe wincing at the sound of his flustered prattling. “Sorry, it’s a hangover smoothie,” he lamely finished.Hanbin was surprised when Junhoe reached out and grabbed the offered drink, instantly gulping down a quarter of it in one fell swoop.Junhoe turned back around to head back into his office, motioning for Hanbin to follow him inside.Walking into the room Hanbin closed the door behind him and headed over towards the chair across from Junhoe’s desk.Junhoe sat down and gestured for Hanbin to sit before looking at him. “I think we have some things to discuss that shouldn’t wait until later.”Hanbin had been expecting something like this to come up, what with the conversation that happened last night, and his email incident.“First things first, Jinhwan and I have become good friends with Bobby, and it’s easy to see that you too have been friends for years. The chances of having to meet outside of the office are rather large now, so we need to set some boundaries.”Nodding his head Hanbin wondered what type of boundaries Junhoe meant.“If, or when, we have to be somewhere at the same time as each other, I’d rather not discuss anything related to work, or the fact that we work together. Especially not since they think I’m the devil’s spawn now,” Junhoe added on, taking a break for another chug of his smoothie.“I’m really sorry about that,“ Hanbin implored, but was shrugged off.“No, that’s another thing I wanted to talk about. I’ve been thinking, not just since last night, but since that email you sent; maybe we need to go over what your position requirements actually are. It’s been awhile since I’ve had a competent assistant, and I think that since you started here and proved that you we’re able to handle the work load, I might have started to unconsciously lean on you a bit more then I should have.”Hanbin was completely floored; never would he have expected Junhoe of all people to admit that he may have been wrong about something. Obviously Hanbin didn’t know as much about his boss as he's previously thought.“I’m going to write down a list of everything I think you’ve been doing, and I want you to write out a list of what you have been actually doing. We should be able to shift some of the work to other departments, or other employees if needed.”“When do you want me to have this completed?” Hanbin asked, already thinking of the work load he has waiting for him.“Tomorrow morning,” Junhoe answered. The sooner they get this resolved, the quicker he could get his guilty conscious cleared.Nodding his head Hanbin prepared to stand, watching Junhoe polish off his drink with a few more gulps. He leaned over, reaching for the empty bottle only to have Junhoe pull it out of reach. “I’m not done sucking its soul out.”Flushing, he uncharacteristically placed a hand on the desk and leaned in further, snatching the bottle out of his boss’s hand with a frown, “I think you’ve had enough soul sucking for the day. Wouldn’t want you to get drunk off of it and start dancing on the table.” He smirked when he saw Junhoe’s eyes widen as his words sunk in. “There’s no way I did tha-” Hanbin gleefully walked towards the door when Junhoe's phone began to ring, cutting his boss off. It was nice to finally have the last word. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The next few weeks chugged along fairly well considering Junhoe’s and Hanbin’s new tendency to try and one up each other verbally.Since that fateful morning after, which for once didn’t infer towards any form of one night stand, Hanbin had found it easier to push back against Junhoe’s irrational requests by simply hinting at how sad his friends would be that he had to stay late another night, or anything along those lines. They typically prompted a grumpy scowl, followed by his boss conceding in one way or another.To be fair, Junhoe had also stuck by his word, and handed over a lot of Hanbin’s work load to other employees of various departments. The amount of work that not only didn’t belong to Hanbin, but also to their section, was astounding. Hanbin had always just assumed that it had been his responsibility, but after hearing Junhoe chew out 3 individual section chiefs, he realized he was sadly mistaken.After being told to inform Junhoe on all work given to him that was not in the outline he handed to him, Hanbin found his days a great deal easier to manage.So far they’d also both been able to avoid any more awkward meet ups outside of work hours. Not for lack of trying on Bobby’s end. Bobby was the type of person who liked to surround himself with all his friends, all the time.Despite Hanbin’s penchant for being a homebody, his friend had managed to drag him out 4 times in the last two weeks, much to Hanbin’s displeasure. All occasions, thankfully, we’re boss free.Tonight however, neither Junhoe’s polite refusal, nor Hanbin’s vehement ‘not on your life Bobby’, could deter Bobby’s determination for a group dinner at his place. Regardless that he couldn’t cook, and would poison them all, Hanbin knew what a dinner at Bobby’s would entail.Game night.Game night always ended with Hanbin morbidly embarrassed, and was not something he needed his boss to hang over his head.“Hanbin, hurry the fuck up already, everyone's waiting on you,” Bobby so kindly called from the adjacent living room. His impatience was understandable though, seeing as Hanbin had dawdled in the kitchen for the last 15 minutes, pretending to contemplate over which drink would get him less plastered. Taking his time was in no way connected to the fact that his partner in charades ended up being Junhoe, because of course who else could it be, nor the fact that Yunhyeong was a closet pervert and insisted on playing adult charades. ‘He probably just wants to give Donghyuk a lap dance, that voyeur.’ With a sigh, Hanbin grabbed the closest drink and shut the fridge; a strange concoction of jolly ranchers and vodka was the drink of the night apparently. A new experiment that Bobby had wanted to try after seeing it online, and had easily convinced Donghyuk to help make. Despite his previous reservations on getting too drunk, Hanbin brought the bottle up and took a large swig, grimacing at the taste. A little too strong and a little too sickly sweet. You couldn't trust Bobby near any type of food or beverage, even supervised it appears. Thank goodness Yunhyeong and Jinhwan had arrived earlier than the rest and took it upon themselves to feed their little group. Walking into the living room, Hanbin glanced around for an available seat but the only spaces unoccupied were the arms of the couch or the floor.He decided on the floor, leaning against Bobby’s legs.“Okay, who wants to start first?” Jinhwan questioned, holding out the cards for the game.“Please, anybody but the gross couple over there,” Hanbin joked while Yunhyeong glared and chucked a pillow at him.“How kind of you to volunteer Binnie,” Donghyuk mentioned; his smile a bit too nice to be genuine.Sighing, Hanbin made to stand up but was surprised to notice Junhoe reach out for the first card instead. Standing in front of everyone, Junhoe cleared his throat and stared Hanbin straight in the eyes. He pulled on his shirt for his first clue.“Uh, shirt?” Rolling his eyes rather impressively, he started to tug on it harder, exaggerating his movements. As if flailing about would suddenly make it clear. Hanbin just gave him a dubious look, not understanding what he was trying to make him guess.“Tug…?”With a huff, Junhoe glanced around and focused on Bobby’ red shirt. Pointing at it, he crossed his arms and tugged at his again.Hanbin finally caught on, “Not red, but blue,” He was encouraged with Junhoe’s nod. “Okay, so blue what?"Junhoe clenched his left hand into a first, pretended to grab it with his right hand and throw it, following through with a mimic of swinging a bat.“Ball? Oh, blue balls!” Hanbin shouted, now standing and celebrating their first win. He heard Jinhwan snort from his left and turned to see him smirking at Junhoe.“Wow that was rather PG for you. I expected something more obscene and animated,” Jinhwan commented, ignoring Junhoe’s glare.“Oh, you want something more R rated? You’re on,” Junhoe replied, obviously rising to Jinhwan’s taunt. Hanbin didn’t know his boss was so easily baited or competitive, but he supposed it made sense given his ‘must succeed’ attitude at work. Junhoe reached for the next card, a slight wince showing for but a moment before his poker face was back on. Pretending to sit down and type on a computer, and pick up a call made it easy to assume the setting.“Office; Job; work,” Hanbin began rattling off. He paused when he saw Junhoe gave no indication that those were the exact words he needed.Junhoe raised his head and stared off to his side, away from everyone else and waved his hand, as if giving someone permission to enter. It was odd to see here, in the home of his close friend, the same look in his eyes that he held when at work. “Employee, boss,” At the last word Junhoe looked at him and nodded. He turned back to this imaginary employee and scowled severely; another expression Hanbin was very familiar with. He made as if to scold this person, before his mouth snapped shut. His lids grew heavier; a sultry look that Hanbin was 100% not used to seeing, and leaned back in his fictional chair. He beckoned the person over and made a motion towards the floor, between his now spread knees.Hanbin’s face immediately flushed, he’d originally imaged himself in the position of the employee, seeing as it was an everyday occurrence for him. Now however, it took a turn far out of any realm he could’ve imagined, though he should have expected it since it was adult charades. He tried to dispel the image of himself kneeling before Junhoe in that way and cleared his suddenly dried throat.“Taking care of the boss? Giving the boss a hand?” Junhoe shook his head, and went back to his little demonstration. He pretended to weave his hands into the hair of the employee and leaned his head back, eyes closed in pleasure.“Pleas-,” Hanbin gulped down and started again, “Please the boss?”Junhoe grinned; another sight unknown to Hanbin, and threw his card on the table, “Your turn, try and beat that,” was directed to his brother in law, smug as hell.Hanbin wasn’t sure if he could handle the rest of the night if it was just going to escalade from there. How the hell was he supposed to act out sexy shit to his boss? ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- He wasn't entirely sure what color his face was all morning, but if Hanbin had to guess, he’d assume it probably flittered between various hues of red.In a desperate attempt to block out the prior night's events, Hanbin had tried to bury his head into his work. It was rather unfortunate then, that his work revolved the one person he was trying to erase from his memories.He could still remember the sound of Bobby goading him into drinking shots with him, which surprisingly didn't leave him blackout drunk, though Hanbin would have preferred it if it would have at this point.Flashes of him grinding up against a wall in an attempt to have Junhoe guess ‘wall sex', was not something Hanbin was particularly fond or proud of.Junhoe, who had not had as much to drink, would have had no problem remembering all the shameless actions Hanbin had performed for the sake of game night. He hadn’t brought it up yet, but there was no doubt in his mind that Junhoe was just waiting for the right time to cause maximum embarrassment with the least amount of effort.In actuality, the schedule for the day was pretty packed for his surly boss, and he had not had much time to talk, aside from a quick peek inside the office to inform him of his next meetings.The second half of the day seemed to be much more open, which was when Hanbin was expecting the jibes to come rolling in.This led to him trying to scramble for more work to distract himself with. He contemplated trying to call Chanwoo from IT again and complain about his computer not working or something. At least then he could take the laptop down to the basement level and hide away there for the remainder of the day. For some reason though, the little jerk has been ignoring his recent calls, to be fair though, Hanbin had been bored the previous week and had spam called him with one liners. He thought the nerd would appreciate them, especially ‘Is your name Wi-Fi? Because I’m feeling a connection.’ which was his personal favorite.Chanwoo had apparently thought differently though, as he was now persistently refusing to answer any of his calls, emails or IM’s, which was just rude.Just as Hanbin was about to unhook his computer to storm the IT department, Junhoe walked by, dropping a folder onto his desk on his way by to his office.“Look through those for any errors and come see me when you're done,” Junhoe instructed without a glance in his direction.Hanbin stood there for a moment, staring at the now closed office before sitting down with a grumble, “Yes of course, anything for you boss, whatever you say boss.”Opening the folder he skimmed over the first page before buckling down to work. It took slightly over 20 minutes, but he had completed his review, making a few notes in the margins and adding a slew of sticky notes with additional information required. He closed the folder and stretched his arms behind his back, hearing a satisfying pop before sighing and dropping his pen back onto the desk.A quick glance at the computer showed the current time to be just before his lunch break. His stomach grumbled just in time; his own internal alarm clock. He figured it wouldn't take too long to go over the work, and then he could dash out for a bite to eat.Hanbin scooped up the documents and walked over to the office door, rapping against it quickly before ducking his head inside.Junhoe waved him in silently, listening to someone on the other side of his desk phone.“To be frank, I don't care how much work or time this is going to cause you, get me the numbers I’ve asked for or I’ll find someone else who can.”Hanbin sat down on the other side of the desk and marveled at how much Junhoe could sound like a mob boss. He wouldn't be surprised if he'd been one in a past life.Junhoe aggressively hung up while glaring it the phone, as if hoping it would cause the person on the other side to spontaneously combust.“Sales trying to skirt the month end reports again?” Hanbin questioned and wasn't surprised at the derisive snort Junhoe let out.“When aren’t they?”Nodding, he had to agree that it was pretty typical of them. “Anyways, here are the files you asked for,” Hanbin leaned over to drop the folder in front of his boss.Opening it, Junhoe began to read over some of the notes when the distinctive timbre of Jinhwan wafted through the door, thanking someone for showing him where his brother in laws office was.Hanbin and Junhoe quickly looked at each other, panic mirrored in their eyes.“What the hell is he doing here?” Hanbin furiously whispered.“How should I know!?” Junhoe hissed back. His eyes skimmed the room quickly before he wheeled back in his chair, “hurry up, hide in here,” he motioned underneath his desk.Hanbin's eyes bulged, “you’ve got to be fucking kidding me” he cursed, though he was already getting up and moving around to the other side.Junhoe gave an exasperated eye roll,” just stay quiet, I’ll try to get rid of him quickly.” His hand was suddenly in Hanbin's hair, messing up his already disarrayed strands and pushing him down under the finely crafted furniture, before wheeling himself back in.Hanbin squeezed himself as much as he could to the back, the only light source coming from between the spaces of Junhoe’s lower body and his chair.They heard the door opening with a rather loud bang and Jinhwan declared his arrival.“Hello there little brother.”“Jinhwan, what the hell are you doing here?”“Oh come on, can't a brother just stop in and see how his sibling is doing and ask them to come out for lunch?”Hanbin could almost feel the scathing look he was sure Junhoe was sending to the shorter male.“No, I’m busy, go away.”“Oh? Can't your little assistant help you?” Jinhwan questioned, ruffling Hanbin's feathers. He wasn't little.“He's also busy, go away,” Junhoe repeated.Jinhwan seemed to be unaffected however and just chuckled. “I see, but I couldn't help but notice a lack of assistant sitting in the desk out there…” he trailed off.“Not that it's any of your business, but it happens to be his lunch break,” Junhoe stated, leaning back further in his chair. This unfortunately tore Hanbin’s attention away from whatever Jinhwan replied with, and his eyes zeroed in on the stretched material across his bosses’ lap. He slammed his eyes shut and turned his head away, disturbed at the thoughts that filtered through his mind, most having been entirely too inappropriate.He heard more then saw Junhoe tensing at whatever Jinhwan had said, the leather under his thighs creaking as his muscles flexed.“Shut up Jinhwan,” was all Junhoe mumbled, leaving Hanbin to curse his momentary distraction.Jinhwan full out laughed this time, “come on, you can't blame me for wanting to get a glimpse of this cute assistant of yours. He must be really something else if he's got you so hung up o-”“Seriously shut up, let's go eat or something,” Junhoe abruptly stood up, cutting Jinhwan off mid-sentence.“But what abo-”“No, let's go,” Junhoe cut him off again, his usual MO.Hanbin heard some more faint protests from Jinhwan before the telltale sound of the door being closed reached his ears.He tried to make sense of what Jinhwan had been trying to say. Why would Jinhwan think Hanbin was supposed to be cute? What was he trying to say before he was rudely cut off? Personally Hanbin would have to agree, of course he was cute, but as far as Jinhwan was concerned, they had never met before, so there should be no pre conceived notions towards his looks.Lightly banging the back of his head on the wood he was leaning against, he shut his eyes and took a deep breath, hoping to let the silence take over his brain and remove all of the unnecessary and irritating questions that were buzzing around in his head.A loud grumble snapped him out of his mini self-induced trance. Patting his noisy stomach he pulled himself out from under the desk and headed out of the office, intent on finding some form of sustenance and wondering if it would be best to ignore everything he’d heard for the sake of his sanity, or if he should milk the answers out of Junhoe since it had seemed to make him feel uncomfortable.Hanbin figured he would decide after he had a full belly, but was always up for pestering his stiff boss. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Two hours after lunch it was pretty clear that the one doing the avoiding was Junhoe. Hanbin, after gorging himself with his healthy and delicious breakfast; courtesy of Yunhyeong, aka Song Chef, aka new best friend, aka is going to be man-napped away from Donghyuk soon if he keeps making such damn good food; had determined that it was too good an opportunity to not try to wheedle information out of Junhoe while simultaneously annoying the hell out of him.Hanbin was of a curious mind, and couldn't handle not knowing something. Especially when it seemed to affect someone else he knew.Sadly, once Junhoe had returned from his lunch out with Jinhwan, he’d locked himself back into his office and had yet to ask Hanbin for a single thing.Sitting at his desk, Hanbin couldn't contain the constant tapping of his foot against the floor. His thumbnail most likely ruined resulted from his inattentive gnawing.He had now spent the last 3 and half hours after his lunch break, reliving those 5 minutes under that desk. No matter how hard he tried, Jinhwan’s words could not escape him, especially the ones he did not even hear.Hanbin considered making up some random excuse as to ask Junhoe a question about some bogus work he had, in order to try to slip in a few innocently placed remarks and hoping Junhoe would spill some answers inadvertently.Glancing around, he picked up a report that sat at the edge of his desk. His eyes ran through it to see if it was a good candidate for his subterfuge. There was only another half an hour left of work if they both left on time and Hanbin wanted to make the most of it by squeezing out information from the boss man.Standing up, he made his way to the large door and gave it a sharp knock. He heard a muffled acknowledgement and before entering he cleared his throat, squared his shoulders, and gave himself a mental pat on the back, ‘You got this Bin, the fucker won't even know what hit him.’Pushing into the room he was certainly surprised to note how disheveled Junhoe looked. His hair mussed, tie loose and crooked. He appeared to be suffering from some kind of headache, as his long fingers massaged at his temples. Hanbin almost felt sorry for the guy and for a minute thought that maybe he should wait and give him some more time to wallow in his dreary office, but that thought quickly diminished when a more suitable thought popped up. Reminding him that he was a man on a mission and that a pained Junhoe, was probably an easier target.“ Hanbin, I suppose you should sit down. I’m sorry, I was planning to talk to you about this, but was secretly hoping the opportunity would never arise,” Junhoe revealed while gesturing to the chair directly across from him with a slight head nod.Hanbin could feel his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, as this was probably only the second time he had even heard Junhoe apologize for anything. Both times at which had been directed to him.He perched on the edge of the seat, ready to jump into his pre-planned, made up speech, on the issues he was having with the budget allowance for the break room supplies, when Junhoe finally looked up and faced Hanbin directly.He kept his mouth shut this time, not in the mood to be cut off any time soon, and waited a bit impatient while he allowed his boss to gather up his words. The look in Junhoe's eyes made it clear that he had something to say and that it would be in Hanbin's best interest to wait and listen.Junhoe took a deep breath before releasing it and started with, “ I know it might have been a shock for you to find out, and though it might not be completely against the code of conduct, I’m sure you must be feeling a bit uncomfortable and possibly worried about what this means about your position here. I just want to tell you that no matter what I may be feeling, your job is safe.”Junhoe paused to asses Hanbin’s reaction, to which Hanbin could only assume was the picture of a perplexed individual, seeing as Hanbin had zero clues about what Junhoe was trying to say.Nevertheless, Junhoe pushed on, “ I expect that you will not try to use your new knowledge against me, and I will ensure that I maintain a professional attitude while in the office. Outside of the office though, I would appreciate it if you would keep our working relationship a continued secret, otherwise I don't think Jinhwan would ever let me live it down. Is that okay?”Hanbin tried to clear his throat again, and tentatively answered with his own question,” Um, of course not, but could you maybe let me know what it is that I shouldn’t be worried about exactly?”His bosses face immediately turned stormy.“ Hanbin, don't make me say it out loud for the sake of just saying it. Jinhwan might have been ok with spilling my private life everywhere, but I personally don't want to have to repeat it.”Stuttering out an apology, still confused as all hell, he knew not to press it. Apparently whatever it was Jinhwan had said in the office earlier today had been way bigger than Hanbin had anticipated.Junhoe's face almost immediately softened. He gave a slight nod before standing up.“ Thanks for not making this a much bigger deal. There's only 15 minutes left before work ends, why don't you take off early,” Junhoe suggested, ushering Hanbin out of his seat and towards the door.Hanbin wordlessly nodded in agreeance before shuffling over to his own desk.He didn't notice Junhoe lingering by his door, giving him one more contemplative look, before gently closing it behind him. Hanbin just started to shut down on autopilot after sending a quick email to Chanwoo. This was the first time since he had started working here, that Junhoe had suggested he leave early. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Despite his friends’ misgivings about his aptitude at life, Hanbin thought he did pretty well by himself.He had a furnished apartment, though no one is to mention from where said furniture was scrounged from, a steady job; very recently steady. He makes sure there is food stocked in his fridge; no matter what Yunhyeong says, frozen meals and prepackaged dinners were an acceptable form of sustenance for a single male with no one to impress but his own stomach.And as a young, responsible adult, Hanbin knew when something was awry. His adult senses were tingling if one was so inclined to call them that. As he stood in the elevator, patiently waiting the arrival of his floor, the hair on the back of his neck raised as a shiver ran the length of his spine.There was a chance he was just being paranoid, which would be no small coincidence due to their little gatherings horror movie marathon last night, courtesy of the little devil himself, Koo Junhoe. It would definitely explain the feeling of eyes following him as he left the elevator and headed towards his desk. However, when he reached the sleek wood of his work station, and saw an inconspicuous paper bag sitting innocently on his keyboard, Hanbin knew instantly that his adult senses were still finely in tune.After weighing the pros and cons, he squared his shoulders and reached out to pluck the bag up. Eyeing it carefully, he couldn’t ascertain what could possibly be inside. It took more than a few tries of self-encouragement before Hanbin was able to peel the sides apart and take a one eyed glance inside the bag, praying to any high being that could be listening, that there wasn’t a severed hand, or God forbid a bug, in there.A gust of breath left his lungs when it was revealed to just be a pastry.“Who the hell left their pastry on my desk?” Hanbin wondered aloud. He looked around to see if he could ask someone if they saw who left it, but noticed that he was the only one in the office so far. It was quite early, as Hanbin had made a habit of arriving before Junhoe back when they still had a rocky relationship; a habit he had yet to be able to break away from.Pulling the pastry out of the bag, he noticed a sticky note attached to the side of it He remembered Yunhyeong and Donghyuk pestering him about his choice in morning meals last night, but wondered how the hell they managed to break into his office building, when his eyes zeroed in on the initial at the bottom corner.His eyebrows shot up to his hairline, there was only two people with that initial who would have heard that particular tirade last night, and seeing as Jinhwan did not know that this was Hanbin’s workplace, it took him .2 seconds flat to figure out that Junhoe had left him this bag. Moving towards the closed doors to Junhoe’s office, Hanbin hesitantly raised his fist to give a soft knock. After waiting a second and hearing no reply, he gently pushed the door open just enough to poke his head inside. Hanbin was under the impression that his boss never slept, despite the last few weeks pointing towards the otherwise, Hanbin still wasn’t entirely convinced his boss wasn’t some sort of vampire demon. So it made it even more shocking to see Junhoe slumped onto his desk, arms pillowing his cheek, and shoulders moving with his soft breathing. He slowly crept inside to take a closer look; it was like a whole other creature. Hanbin has seen multiple layers of Junhoe already, like the steadfast boss, or the competitive brother, but never before has he seen Junhoe’s face look so relaxed.The frown lines that tended to crease his face while at work, were smoothed out, the laugh lines around his mouth were not as prominent as they normally were like in comparison to when he’s hanging out with the rest of their friends. Hanbin took a moment to think about who got to see Junhoe like this or how often, and a sharp pang zinged through his chest at the thought.The feeling freaked him out, Hanbin couldn’t pin point exactly what that ache meant, but he was smart enough to know that it probably didn’t bode well for him.Turning around, he headed back toward the exit, deciding it would be best to not dwell on it, and let Junhoe continue his impromptu cat nap, when he heard the sound of papers shuffling behind him.Looking over his shoulder, Hanbin watched as his boss stirred awake, unsettling a stack of, to be completely honest, very important budget papers, which were now threatening to topple over. Hanbin had spent hours the other day organizing those exact same pages in a very precise order and was not keen on having to repeat it. He quickly moved back to the side of Junhoe’s desk, and grabbed the papers before they had a chance to fall overboard.In the meantime, Junhoe had stretched his arms out on either side and let out a ridiculously large yawn. Hanbin could see the effort he was trying to make to pry his eyes open, a fist coming up to rub the sleep away from his eyes, and couldn’t hold in a snort of amusement. Junhoe literally looked like an over grown cat, his hair mussed on one side, and flattened against his face on the other, wrinkle lines on one cheek from the folds in his clothes that it had been resting against. Heck, even his tie was askew, and Hanbin had very rarely seen Junhoe without his tie perfectly in place, the only other time that came to mind was his hangover debacle from a few weeks ago.With his inelegant attempt to smother his mirth, he quickly caught Junhoe’s attention. It couldn’t quite be called a flail, but his boss had very clearly jolted in surprise and scrambled to stand on unsteady morning legs.“Hanbin, when did you get here?”“Just a few seconds ago, sorry to have woken you up,” he replied, trying to bite down his merriment, trying his best to not laugh in Junhoe’s face.He could see an obvious flush run up Junhoe’s neck to his ears; this was certainly a first for Hanbin.Junhoe cleared his throat and tried to fix his tie, but his fingers were swollen and weak from sleep, “Sorry, I shouldn’t have fallen asleep here.”Hanbin took pity on him and reached forward to bat his hands away, skillfully untying the knot and smoothing the material out. “You don’t need to apologize, it was just me who saw you, and I’ve seen you do much worse than sleep at work,” he joked, and noticed Junhoe’s lip twitch in response. “Besides, I should be thanking you I suppose.”Junhoe cocked a brow,”Thank me for what?”“Breakfast, obviously,” Hanbin stated, retying the knot and sliding it towards the base of Junhoe’s neck. He could see the flush he was sporting darken and dip below the collar of his expensive shirt.Junhoe’s eyes shifted to above his shoulder, staring at the wall behind him and gave a half shrug in response. “It’s nothing; I grabbed one for myself anyways, besides you need brain food in the morning if you want to give it your all during the day.”Hanbin tugged the knot a bit tighter, slightly choking Junhoe. He glared at him through narrowed eyes, “are you trying to say I haven’t been giving it my all this whole time because I don’t eat breakfast?”He allowed more slack when he saw the panicked look Junhoe shot his way, his hands had risen in an attempt to placate his disgruntled employee. “No, no, of course not, that’s not what I meant at all…” Junhoe trailed off, awkwardly trying to justify his words.Laughing, Hanbin dropped his angry facade and let go of the tie completely. “I was just joking, calm down,” he stepped away to give a critical once over of Junhoe’s appearance, “You have a meeting this morning with the head of IT, so you might want to wash up a bit and fix that nest,” he suggested, pointing towards the disheveled mop of hair he was displaying at the moment.Junhoe’s hands flew to his head, as he twisted around to look at the clock hanging on his wall. “Shit! Fuck, shit!”Hanbin couldn’t contain his snort again and slowly walked backwards to the door, “I mean, you could always meet with them like that, I’m sure they would love to hear about their budget cut while you look like you just finished a wrestling match with a raccoon.”It was Hanbin’s turn to be fixed with a glare, as Junhoe took one second to send one his way before fleeing into the attached en-suite bathroom.Hanbin shook his head in amusement, ‘Oh, it’s going to be a good day.’ ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- “You auto-complete me,” No response given.“Can you un-zip my files, I tried but it’s too hard?” Slight uptick of the upper lip.Hanbin took a breath before delivering the final punch, “There must be something wrong with my eyes, I can’t take them off you.”He saw the moment where his resolve slipped and a chuckle was about to escape.“Hanbin, my office, now!” Wide eyed, Hanbin exchanged a look of confusion with Chanwoo before looking at Junhoe’s retreating back. It had been quite a long time since he had heard his boss raise his voice, at him anyways. It was disconcerting to say the least, since he couldn’t for the life of him recall anything that he could have possibly screwed up to the extent that would warrant such wrath. He scanned over the work he did in the last few days and balked when he remembered something.“Do you think he knows I stole all the creamer in the cafeteria?” He whispered, worried look amplifying tenfold. “What was I supposed to do? He was going to replace it with that chalk shit. I can’t survive off that crap Chanwoo, it’s unjust.”Releasing an irritated sigh, Chanwoo swiveled in Hanbin’s chair to stare up at him, “I don’t know, and I don’t care. You should go see what he wants though before he rips your noodle arms out from their sockets.”Indignation was rolling from Hanbin in waves, as he stopped leaning against his desk and walked to Junhoe’s office, all the while hissing, “They are not noodles!”-------------------------------Hanbin hadn’t felt this nervous around Junhoe in ages, if he were trying to be completely honest with himself. It had been getting ever more difficult to separate the two sides of him he got to see almost daily now, and they were starting to merge into this odd singular personality that was so uniquely Junhoe, that it was hard to find him anything else aside from amusing. Sure, he still talked like a stunted toddler at work, barely managing more than a few syllables at a time when he wanted something. Outside of work though, he was kind of a blabber mouth, not that Hanbin would ever be brave enough to say so to his face. Junhoe was loud, competitive almost to a fault, and very clearly liked spending time with people he considered his friends.So, despite their assurances to keep their private and work lives separate, it was clear to Hanbin that he at very least, was failing miserably.This time however, he could feel that uneasy feeling creeping back into his stomach.‘If he fires me, I’m selling his soul to our friends. Let them eat him alive for making me jobless,’ Hanbin determined, trying to make himself feel better.It wasn’t helping much, as he sat with his back straight in the chair across from Junhoe’s. Rather than sitting down in his own chair behind his desk, his boss was pacing back and forth, more than likely wearing a line in the nice carpet. His hands kept rotating between sternly crossed at his chest, or stamped on his hips. Not once did he look at Hanbin since he arrived.“If this is about the creamer, it was Chanwoo not me…” Hanbin attempted to throw his part time friend, full time nemesis under the bus.That caused Junhoe to pause in his path, “Creamer? What are you talking about?”“Nothing, forget that, forget I said anything, please continue,” Hanbin verbally backpedaled, gesturing with his hands to do so.Junhoe released an audible exhale before leaning back against the wall, arms back to being crossed. Once again, he wouldn’t look at Hanbin.Hanbin shuffled awkwardly in his seat before deciding to speak out again, “Did I mess something up?” he asked cautiously.Junhoe’s eyes immediately shot up to meet his, “No, no. It’s nothing like that. Sorry, it’s just…”“Just…?” Hanbin prompted.“I need you to not do that here,” Junhoe stated.Leaning further back in his seat, Hanbin tried to figure out what he was talking about. “Stop doing what exactly?”“That thing, that you were doing out there,” Junhoe said nonchalantly waiving his hands towards the door, obviously gesturing towards Hanbin’s desk.Hanbin couldn’t help his eyebrows from raising, “You mean talking?”“I mean flirting. Here. In the office. In front of me.““Whoa whoa whoa, hold up a second, I was not, in any way shape or form, flirting with Jung Chanwoo,” Hanbin persisted, “That would be like flirting with Bobby,” he finished, a grimace of distaste crossing his face at the idea of him and Bobby engaging in anything romantic. I would be like flirting with his brother.Junhoe seemed to have relaxed a bit at hearing those words, but remained stone faced. “Hanbin, I literally just heard you using one of the worst pickup lines I’ve ever heard, two seconds ago.”Hanbin rolled his eyes, exasperated, “It’s a thing we do. I find the worst, most cheesy pickup lines, and spam him with them. He tells me they’re atrocious, and I get to piss him off by flooding his inbox,” he shrugged as if it was indeed a common occurrence.Junhoe’s arms fell slack to his side, “Oh.”Hanbin snorted, “Ya, oh. Really as if you thought I would flirt with Chanwoo of all people.”“To be fair, I don’t even know who he is, or that you even knew him,” Junhoe tried to defend. He pushed off the wall and finally sat down in his own chair. For a second he seemed almost sheepish, rubbing one hand across the back of his neck, before turning his gaze up to look back at Hanbin.“Listen,” Junhoe started, after a moment of silence, “I know I said that I would keep a professional attitude about all of this, so I’m sorry that I didn’t handle this as well as I was hoping I would. I really didn’t expect to overhear something that sounded much more private then it really was, but that’s really no excuse. I’ll understand if you feel the need to report me.”“Wait, what?” Hanbin reeled back in shock, he’d been nodding along slightly, pretending to understand what Junhoe was talking about, but that had just thrown him for a loop. “Why the heck would I report you?”“It’s clear that I can’t keep my feelings for you separate from our working relationship, if that little display wasn’t enough to prove it. I can’t keep myself from wanting to get you breakfast every morning, or keep my head cool when I even think of you flirting with someone else. If you don’t want to put in a complaint then we’ll work on having you moved somewhere else. You don’t have to worry about losing your job, you’re too valuable for that, I just don’t think I’ll get any better at holding my feelings in check,” Junhoe confessed, fiddling with his fingers while doing his best to avoid eye contact with Hanbin.“Wait, What?!” ------------------------------- Hanbin was still in a state of shock as he returned to his desk. He was completely unable to process anything Junhoe had expressed. His mind was still walking in loops, trying to sort through the wealth of information that had just been sprung at him.Taking a seat, he finally noticed Chanwoo was nowhere in sight. He looked at his computer screen and saw there was an open document pulled up and nothing else. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- That weekend, Hanbin was still reeling from the fact that Junhoe not only had feelings for him but had admitted it to his face.Bobby had yet again successfully bullied his friends into going to the same bar they went to for his birthday, however this time, it appeared that some luck was on Hanbin’s side, as he wasn’t forced to sit beside his boss all night again.He’d been struggling to come to terms with Junhoe’s feelings and what it meant for him and his job. Looking back on the past few weeks, Hanbin kind of felt like an idiot for not noticing anything had changed in that way. He’d just assumed that their relationship was getting a bit better because of the talks they’d had about mistreatment, but if he was really honest with himself, there had been a few times he’d caught some strange looks aimed his way from his boss, that he’d shrugged off at the time.After Junhoe’s confession, he couldn’t deny his feelings were valid, even if he’d spent that first night in a daze, questioning if he’d just witnessed his first hallucination. Now though, his thoughts were filled with what he should do about it, if anything at all.Glancing length wise across the booth, he took in Junhoe’s face under the dim lights of the boisterous bar. His eyes followed the way the light hit the top of his cheeks and noticed how cut and sharp his jaw looked. It was obvious to anyone in the room that Junhoe was handsome, but Hanbin couldn’t figure out if the slow burn in the bottom of his stomach was because of Junhoe or the beer he’d chugged down as soon as Donghyuk had set it onto the table. Maybe if he drank himself into a stupor, his brain would finally shut down and give him some semblance of peace and stop reminding him that Junhoe was as hot as the sun and apparently very interested. “Oi, Hanbin, instead of staring off into space, why don’t you go grab us another round!” Bobby shouted to be heard over the music.“Do you think his noodle arms could handle carrying over all our drinks alone?” Yunhyeong joked, earning himself a solid punch to the arm. Hanbin resisted the urge to hold onto his sore fist while he glared at his supposed friend.“My arms aren’t noodles! I’ve been working out a lot lately, and you can definitely see the difference!”“Yeah, those bags of chips you scarf down everyday must be pretty heavy.” Donghyuk added on, encouraging his boyfriends’ bad habit of teasing Hanbin.Standing up in a huff, Hanbin scowled down at them all, “We’ll see what kind of shit drinks you guys will get for that.”As he moved towards the bar, he vaguely heard Jinhwan comment that someone should go help him, but resolutely walked forward without looking back at his ungrateful friends.The crowd around the bar was thick, but he’d managed to wedge himself closer to the counter and tried to wave down one of the busy bartenders, with no luck.“Am I invisible or something?!” Hanbin shouted, as once again one of the bartenders went right past him to help the newly arrived giggling girls on his right.He was contemplating standing on the bar, to see if anyone would finally notice him, when he felt someone push lightly up against his back and saw an arm wave by his face, flagging down the other bartender, miraculously getting their attention immediately.“Seriously!?” Hanbin swiveled around to see who the hell could get their attention so easily, and was met with a broad, white shirt cladded chest. Feeling a sense of déjà vu, he turned his gaze up, and saw Junhoe’s strong features up close. Junhoe was telling the bartender their order, while Hanbin just continued to stare at him, eyes straying from his dark, neatly styled hair, to the slight furrow between his brows that never seemed to go away, and lastly to his full lips, 100% not thinking about how nice they’d probably feel.Junhoe’s eyes dropped down to Hanbin’s once he’d finished their order, and patiently waited for Hanbin to realize he’d been staring. A sudden jarring to his left broke his trance, as someone moved too close to them, and a flush that would hopefully not be seen in the bar’s current lighting, dusted across Hanbin’s face.Clearing his throat, his eyes bounced around, looking anywhere but Junhoe.“I totally had that under control. You didn’t need to come and help.” Junhoe’s eyebrow raised, obviously not believing him one bit.“Jinhwan made me come help, but I’m sure you could have gotten the bartenders attention on your own eventually,” his lips twitched into a slight smirk, succeeding in making Hanbin sulk in offence. Turning back to face the bar, Hanbin was conscious of the heat emanating off Junhoe’s body against his back. He’d always been an ‘ignore the problem until it went away’ kind of guy, and right now he hoped Junhoe would take the hint and give him a bit of space. His mind had already been too full of thoughts of Junhoe recently, and really didn’t need the added stress of liking the feel of their bodies so close together.Apparently Junhoe had no qualms over how close they were, as he’d yet to move away, and just as Hanbin was about to reach his limit and turn around to tell Junhoe he needed space, he felt him move back as coldness rushed along his back.Looking over his shoulder he could see someone had grabbed onto Junhoe’s shoulder and had pulled him back enough for a greeting.“Koo Junhoe! Wow, what a coincidence seeing you here!” The man was as tall as Junhoe and looked way too put together to be in this type of bar, with his pristine slacks, and collared button up. He looked very excited at the prospect of having bumped into Junhoe though.“Park Hajoon, this is a surprise. I didn’t think bars were really your thing.” Junhoe responded, looking as surprised as he’d suggested. Hanbin could see Junhoe’s face beginning to shift into his business façade, though with a bit of annoyance slipping through. At the sound of the other name, Hanbin turned around again to fully face the two men, recognizing him as one of the company’s business associates. He’d seen him on occasion when Junhoe had been pulled into meetings with the Park group, from what he knew, they had been trying to show that they would be a great investment for a possible merger, but nothing had come of those meetings, meaning the answer had been a firm ‘no’.“Well, sometimes you just got to give something a try first before swearing off it forever. I figured I’d trade in my usually cocktail bar for this for a night, and see what happens,” Hajoon said cheerily, hand still holding onto Junhoe’s shoulder, nursing what looked like a ridiculous Pina Colada in the other hand, tiny umbrella and all. Junhoe gave a strained, if not polite smile, and brushed his hand off him, before turning to Hanbin, gesturing towards the bar. Their drinks had just been placed down, and he’d leaned over to grab half of them, leaving Hanbin to grab the rest. “Well, it was unexpected to see you here, but it looks like our drinks are ready, and our table must be waiting on us, so we’ll be taking our leave.” Hanbin had seen Hajoon glance over his way and could tell the other man recognized him as well. Before either of them could push past him, Hajoon once again spoke, making Junhoe tense up.“Oh. You brought your little secretary with you? I didn’t know you two were so close.”Hanbin bristled at being called a ‘little secretary’, but before he could respond, Junhoe again tried to politely excuse them.“My assistant Hanbin, is good friends with my own, and they have been deprived of their drinks for too long, so if you’ll excuse us,” he bit out tersely.Hajoon had just been about to stop their retreat again with another comment, when Jinhwan appeared behind him, looking confused, and glancing at all three men, unsure as to why Junhoe looked so agitated.“Junhoe, Hanbin, what’s taking so long? The others are complaining that they’re never going to get buzzed this century, it’s taking so long…”Assessing Jinhwan, Hajoon turned to offer his hand for a shake, “You must be one of the mutual friends of Junhoe and his little secretary here.”Before Jinhwan could raise his hand to accept the hand offered, Hanbin snapped, “I’m his assistant, not his little secretary.”It took a few good, heavy seconds before Hanbin realized what a colossal mistake that had been, on two accounts.One, being rude to someone who may be an associate in some way to the company would not only reflect badly on him, but Junhoe as well, regardless of whether or not this guy had been a massive dickwad first, and most importantly two, because Jinhwan hadn’t known about Junhoe’s and Hanbin’s working relationship.Eyes wide, he looked over to Jinhwan who mirrored his expression, eyes darting quickly back and forth from Hanbin to Junhoe, as the information clicked into place.Junhoe must have had an easier time controlling his own emotions about this all, because all he’d done was coldly tell Hajoon to respect the people who he worked with, and tugged Hanbin away, Jinhwan following in step.“Holy crap! You two work together! You’re Hanbin’s god awful boss, and Hanbin’s your assistant that you have a cru-“ Jinhwan cut himself off, at Junhoe’s glare, arms springing up in a placating manner, “Okay, okay, sorry, but like why didn’t either of you tell any of us?”“After being called a demon the first time, I wasn’t exactly in a rush to have everyone find out who I was.” Junhoe stated, causing Hanbin to wince in sympathy. He really hadn’t meant for the others to say those things. Junhoe continued, “just, please don’t say anything. Not yet anyways. Hanbin and I should talk about how to bring this up to everyone once we’ve figured out our own issues.”Jinhwan contemplated it for a few second before shrugging and grinned, “Sure, whatever you want Romeo.”He winked over at Hanbin before rushing over to the table first, taking Hanbin’s old spot, forcing him to sit beside Junhoe again.He tuned out the sounds of his friends’ exclamations of ‘finally!’ and tried not to focus on the heat of Junhoe’s thigh pressed tight against his own, and how it made his heart race.Hanbin couldn’t help but think, ‘where’s a cardiologist when you need one.’
11483124	habits	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Sugawara Koushi, Sawamura Daichi", "Fandom": "Haikyuu!!", "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by noahczerns", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-15T00:00:00", "words": "1,024", "Additional Tags": null, "Relationship": "Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": "daisuga week 2017", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Suga has lots of habits that he happens to share with Daichi. It’s inevitable, they spend practically every day together anyway. Whether it’s Daichi scolding Hinata and Kageyama for having a shouting match in the middle of an actual match and Suga being the one to back him up without any hesitation, or the two of them studying for a test together and helping each other with the parts they individually find difficult, or simply walking home together after practice. Three years together, almost attached at the hip, they’ve developed a lot of habits that half of the time they don’t even notice are habits.It’s different when they are together. Suga still has a lot to learn about Daichi, he realises.After their first kiss, which still sends Suga’s head into a spin when he thinks about it, there’s a shift between the two of them. They still do all the things they did before, but now there’s a new, exciting edge to it.It’s been a week since they first kissed and Suga is aching to do it again.“Walk home with me?” Suga asks Daichi after practice has finished and they’re packing away the net. It’s a dumb question and Suga knows it. He looks away from Daichi’s eyes.“When don’t I?” Daichi answers and Suga can tell he’s smiling by the tone of his voice.They finish clearing up the gym in silence. Something is gnawing at Suga’s insides, he wants to say something but he doesn’t know what.As Suga closes the door to the gym and Daichi slides the key into the lock, Suga’s palm catches along Daichi’s knuckles. Suga feels a shiver that isn’t only from the night air around them. Suga shoves his hands into his pockets before he does something stupid like grabbing a hold of Daichi’s hands. That was the plan, anyway. Before his hand can reach its destination, Daichi’s key-free hand takes a hold of it and links their fingers together. Suga looks down at their joined hands, warmth rising in his cheeks, then looks at Daichi whose face is looking suspiciously pink.Suga can’t keep the smile off his face.“Let’s go before we catch a cold,” says Daichi, pulling at Suga’s hand.Suga has touched Daichi’s palms countless times. He’s lost count of the number of high-fives they’ve shared over the years, but that touch was fleeting and fierce. This was on-going, gentle and warm. Suga wonders if he could adapt to going through life with only one hand so that one could stay snug in Daichi’s forever.Suga nods at Daichi and they fall into their familiar synchronised step as they walk the just as familiar route that leads to both of their homes.It’s just like any other day after practice; Daichi recounts the good parts and the things they still need to improve on, Suga listens and throws in a cheesy joke or two into the mix which causes Daichi to roll his eyes but laugh anyway.It’s everything that Suga’s used to, but wholly and infinitely better, all because of Daichi’s hand in his own. He hopes this becomes a habit of theirs too.They arrive at Suga’s doorstep much quicker than either of them want to. He considers inviting Daichi in, it would be easy, then he remembers that his mother had mentioned something about a family thing this evening. He sighs and begins to come to terms with the fact that he’ll have to wait another day at least for another chance of a kiss.What if Daichi is waiting for him?He’s still stood with him on the porch, hands still very much together, still looking at him. Suga is significantly more of an idiot than he originally considered himself to be. Suga wets his lip with his tongue and resents himself for constantly forgetting to use lip balm.“Can I...?” Suga clears his throat. “Can I kiss you?”Daichi nods at him. Suga’s stomach twists in knots as he leans his face closer and feels Daichi’s breath, hot compared to the winter air, brush over his cheeks. He stops with millimetres between their lips. He knows he should close his eyes, but he wants to keep looking at Daichi, even though he could probably draw his face from memory (if he was any good at drawing) from the sheer amount of time he has already spent looking at him. Suga sprawls his hand flat against Daichi’s chest; his heart flutters wildly against his palm. It’s good to know he’s not the only one feeling like that. His eyes slunk involuntarily to Daichi’s lips, they’re crimson and plump and he cannot bear to not have his lips on them for a second longer. He barely has to move to kiss Daichi, only move his mouth forward a tiny bit. Their teeth clack together with the combined force of their eagerness, and Suga’s hand is now a tight fist gripping onto Daichi’s shirt, attempting still to pull him closer.Suga feels that same daze in his head that he had felt the first time, his mind run riot with thoughts of Daichi. Suga wants to keep kissing him, keep the feeling of Daichi’s lips on his, but his lungs are screaming at him for air, so he pulls away, but only slightly. His heart is pounding just as much Daichi’s was moments before. He releases his hand from Daichi’s shirt as he slowly regains his breath.“I’ve been waiting for that,” Daichi whispers against Suga’s lips, then presses his forehead against Suga’s.Suga raises an eyebrow. “Was it worth the wait?”“There’s room for improvement.” Daichi smiles.“I hate you,” Suga replies.“Improvement means more practice.”Suga likes the sound of that.Daichi wishes Suga good night, without another kiss. In hindsight, Suga realises that that was probably the best idea, or they might have ended up stood on his porch all night. Still, it doesn’t stop his finger from lingering on his lip exactly where Daichi’s mouth had been as he watches him walk away.He hopes this becomes a habit of theirs too.
11498757	Wait For It	{ "Archive Warning": "Major Character Death", "Category": "F/M", "Characters": "Ellen Ripley, Dwayne Hicks, Rebecca \"Newt\" Jorden, Bishop, Jonathan Clemens", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "Mature", "author": "by CorellianKenway", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-16T00:00:00", "words": "640", "Additional Tags": "implied Hicks/Ripley, angsty fic ;), Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, with fluff there's angst!, Alien can never have a happy ending, Fiorina \"Fury\" 161, USS Sulaco, USS Nostromo, there's a sly movie trivia/fact that I snuck in here ;), just look it up online, you'd be surprised", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Dwayne Hicks/Ellen Ripley, Rebecca \"Newt\" Jorden & Ellen Ripley", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "Aliens (1986), Alien 3 (1992)", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Ripley, Newt, Hicks, and Bishop’s upper body were the only survivors of the LV-426 mission. There had been so much death. Lieutenant Gorman, Sergeant Apone, Vazquez, Hudson, Spunkmeyer, Dave, Frost, and even that motherfucker Carter Burke. But she was used to it. Prior to this dreadful mission, Ripley’s entire crew on the Nostromo was wiped out in less than 24 hours by the xenomorph. It had scarred her, and she still got vivid memories and dreams.Ripley was tending to her bruises while Newt was quietly sitting on the bed of her pod. Hicks was lying down, and so was Bishop. After she finished, she got up and walked over to Hicks.“Hey, I want to talk to you in private,” she said while gently shaking him. Dwayne nodded and stood up. The two of them walked over to one of the hallways of the USS Sulaco.Ellen was the first to speak, “I just wanted to thank you for waiting for me while I searched for Newt. Most people that I have met in my lifetime would have taken that chance and just left, but you didn’t. So thank you... Dwayne.”Hicks noticed Ripley look away and fidget a little bit. Her cheeks were also beginning to redden.Dwayne chuckled, “Hey,” he took her chin gently, “if it weren’t for your knowledge about those alien fuckers, we’d all be dead in hours. I should be the one thanking you. Ripley, what happened to you and your crew on the Nostromo was devastating, and I’m happy as hell that we managed to kill them all. So I thank you… Ellen.”Ripley smiled. How long had it been since she had a truly sincere smile? She didn’t remember. In seconds, she trapped Hicks in a giant bear hug. The two of them stayed in this position for a while before she suggested that they ready up for cryo-sleep. As they entered the room, Newt gave them a big smile. She had overheard everything. In secret, of course.First, Ellen put Bishop into his pod. Once that was done, she helped Hicks get into his pod.“How long do you think it’s gonna take to get back to Earth?” he asked.She didn’t know.“I don’t know, but I guess we’re just going to have to wait for it.”Dwayne gently cupped her face before going into sleep.Newt was the last person that was put to sleep, and then Ellen herself climbed into her pod. “They didn’t make it.”“What?”“They didn’t survive.”Those three words hit Ripley harder than an 8-wheeler going at 100 miles per hour. Ellen was literally shaken into reality. They didn’t survive? But how? Everything was perfectly fine… unless… something could have sabotaged the pods. Tentatively, Ellen asked for Dr. Clemens to perform an autopsy on Newt. There was a chance that a facehugger could have laid eggs within the girl.There was nothing. Her body was natural, as the doctor had stated. Ripley couldn’t believe it. Everything was taken away from her, even when she was so close. Just why couldn’t things work out? The doctor helped Ripley obtain Bishop, Newt, and Hicks’ corpses, for they were to be cremated.As the furnace was turned on, the bodies entered. First went Bishop, then Dwayne, then Newt. Dr. Clemens faced Ellen and gave her his condolences, then left the room. She knew that it was time to move on. Though, the deaths hurt her too much, she had to be strong and find her way back to Earth again. As Ellen left the room, she looked back at the furnace. She studied it for a while and thought to herself: There was something oddly different about Dwayne… She shook her head and thought nothing of it, turning back around and then proceeding to exit the room.
11456769	wrong is just right	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "F/F", "Characters": "Alex Danvers, Kara Danvers", "Fandom": "Supergirl (TV 2015)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Mature", "author": "by adozencaptains", "chapters": "2/2", "completed": "2017-07-29", "published": "2017-07-10T00:00:00", "words": "5,082", "Additional Tags": "Pining", "Relationship": "Alex Danvers/Kara Danvers", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Alex is fifteen the first time she kisses a girl.It’s in a closet at Jessica Kessler's birthday party, and Alex can’t lie to herself and say her heart didn’t jump into her throat when she noticed the girl was blonde. She had brown eyes - pretty eyes, but the wrong kind. Alex didn’t even get her last name - only her first, Rebecca - and yet, when their lips touched, the only name she could think of was the wrong one. Everything about it was wrong, but it was the first of all of Alex’s wrongs-to-be.She fucks a girl for the first time when she is seventeen in a dimly lit dorm room reeking of beer, vomit, and weed. It’s quite the romantic scene, but neither Alex nor the girl whose lips are moaning her name care too much. This girl is not blonde, not that that means anything to Alex, but she has pretty blue eyes and long legs, and if Alex closes her eyes when the girl crawls between her legs, then it’s from passion and nothing else.Her first relationship with a girl doesn’t even last long enough to bring her home for Thanksgiving dinner, but she was a good fuck and liked watching documentaries, so Alex doesn’t count it as a loss when they part ways and next week she’s pushing another girl into her dorm room. Instead, it’s a learning experience - invest less, hurt less, fuck more. The only thing that could’ve made it more wrong - her logic, her habits, her new way of life, her everything really - would be if all the girls she pushed down on her bed with her teeth on their throats and her fingers between their legs were blonde. And they weren’t; one was a brunette. Her name was Cara.~~The lights are bright in the ballroom, and Alex’s back itches but she can’t scratch it, not in this dress. It’s strapless and dips low enough that she almost thought about ditching her underwear on the drive over, and if she so much as touches the sides, she’s sure it’s going to slide straight down her body. Considering this is a charity event for her sister’s company, that wouldn’t be the wisest of decisions.“Alex.” A hand ghosts across her shoulder, and Alex shivers. “You’re fidgeting again. Is it the dress?”“No,” Alex lies, forcing a smile when she sees the concerned frown on Kara’s face. “Aren’t you supposed to be reporting?”Kara rolls her eyes, making to take the flute of champagne she offers to Alex away, but Alex quickly snatches it and takes a greedily gulp. “No. I’m not covering anything here.”“Aren’t there people you’re supposed to schmooze?”Shrugging, Kara scans the room. “No one I’m super interested in. Besides, I invited you, so the least I can do is spend some time with you.”“Thank you, you’re so kind,” Alex deadpans, throwing back the rest of the champagne gracelessly, “and for the record, yes it is the dress. I hate it. I wish I didn’t wear it.”“Well I’m glad you did. You look stunning.”Alex flushes despite herself, weakly pushing at Kara’s side. When her sister’s gaze becomes too much, Alex says, “Thanks. You too, you know.”Kara’s grin is cheeky and wide, her eyebrows wiggling when she says, “Oh I know.”~~Alex thinks she knows jealousy when she sees the way her parents dote over her new foster sister, the way her mother fusses over her the way she has never fussed over Alex. She thinks she knows it when the teachers at school are extra nice and thorough with their explanations for Kara, when all the boys on the beach stop and stare at her sister in a bathing suit like they’ve never seen arms and legs and a stomach before. She thinks growing up with a literal alien, cousin-of-a-superhero with superpowers of her own, who can fly and touch the stars and do extraordinary things would be enough for her to understand jealousy.But Alex doesn’t understand, and she doesn’t really know jealousy until Kara’s freshman year of college when she brings home a friend - Danielle. She’s tall and lithe, a track star at her university, and a sophomore in Kara’s general education biology course. Worst of all, she’s pretty and she’s funny and smart to boot. She sleeps in Kara’s room with her, and Alex wants to cry herself to sleep.She can’t, not when she hears quiet giggles and soft sighs, a chorus of shushing and the catch of breath that makes Alex grit her teeth together. She grew up in the bedroom back-to-back with Kara’s, and if there’s one thing she knows in her life, one thing at all, it’s the sound Kara makes when she comes - a stutter in her breathing, slightly higher pitched than before, almost silent as she shudders through her climax. Alex doesn’t wait to listen to anymore; with a scowl and hot tears pooling in her eyes, she throws a sweatshirt over her head and climbs out her window.She walks the beach for hours, coming back only when the sun starts to peak over the horizon, and she falls asleep on the back porch in one of the deck chairs, using a beach towel as a blanket. When Kara asks her about it curiously over breakfast, Alex lies and says she wanted to catch an early morning surf but they weren’t any waves. If Kara remembers that Alex’s surfboard is still packed away in the basement and not leaning against the garage with her wetsuit the way it is every morning after she goes surfing, then she doesn’t say so.It’s not jealousy, Alex reasons to herself, because she just wants what’s best for her sister, and some hook-up who is just a friend is not what Kara needs. It’s not jealousy if Alex knows that Danielle is nothing but a blip on the radar that is Kara’s life; it’s the cold brutal truth. Unfortunately, it takes seven more weeks for her to realize that, and when Kara calls her in tears, Alex tries to dampen the way her entire body seems to internally cheer for what is Kara’s first heartbreak.Danielle wasn’t good enough for her anyway. And she’s not jealous.~~Kara’s dress is purple, a smooth silky wrap of a thing, and Alex had never known how good purple looked until she saw it on her sister. It wasn’t a dark plum purple or even light like lilac, something in the middle, but rich and warm, soft-looking and tempting to touch. When Kara moves through the room, people seem to part for her, casting glances back in her wake. She’s a vision of beauty and impossibility rolled into one.Alex watches her around the room, flitting from person to person like a graceful hummingbird, and Alex might be on her fourth or fifth glass of champagne, but Kara is stunning. Like awe-inspiring and breathtaking and wonderful, and not just the compliments but the literal meanings of the words.“You look miserable,” James says with a chuckle as he slides up beside her. He offers her a flute of champagne, and Alex doesn’t think twice before taking it.“Quite the opposite,” Alex hums, gently knocking her glass against his with a wry grin. “This party is terrible, the music is bland at best, but the alcohol is superb.”James laughs, something that rumbles deep from within his chest, and for a moment, Alex can see why Kara had fallen so quickly, so deeply for this handsome man. “Well, I can agree with all of those. I thought Kara would’ve kept you company at least.”Alex waves him off, pointing vaguely in the direction she last saw her sister. “I sent her off. She was hovering, as she does, and my ankles were ready to start rolling without her begging to dance.”“Ah,” James nods in understanding, and his eyes twinkle with amusement. “Lack of gun throwing off your balance?”Alex snorts. “Who says I’m not armed?”James laughs again, holding up his hand in mock surrender. “I’ll drink to that.”~~Somewhere along the way, Alex made a promise to herself. She doesn’t remember when, but she remembers how important it is she stay away from Kara. So she does. It’s unspoken and it hurts, but there are worse things that can happen. So she lives her life and Kara lives hers, and they talk but they don’t talk. It’s easier that way, better for all parties involved.Except there are nights when Alex can’t sleep, when she closes her eyes and all she sees is Kara, Kara, Kara. Those nights are decidedly worse when she rolls to her stomach, slides her hand into her underwear, and rocks her hips forward until she’s clutching the sheets, burying her face in her pillow to stop the name that threatens to spill past her lips.She thinks of beautiful blonde curls and bright blue eyes, of smooth lips and strong hands. How easy it would be to surge into her, catching her lips in a kiss instead of her arms in a hug. How those lips would part in surprise, allowing her entry into her mouth, her tongue licking hotly at the backs of her teeth. And oh those teeth, what damage they could do if she let them. Her neck, her shoulders, her collarbones, her breasts -Alex remembers the noises - God, the noises. She shouldn’t have listened, but Kara was still new to Earth, and two years was not enough time to fully acclimate to a new planet, life, and family. What if Kara had been hurt, or having a nightmare? But it was neither of those things, and Alex knew, from the first gasp, what had been happening in the next room over. The first time was the only time Kara made noise, and Alex savors the memory shamefully still. On her loneliest nights, Kara’s low moans and breathless sighs are Alex’s only preferred company.Her nipples ache with tightness, and Alex pushes her chest down into the mattress for friction. Her fingers are wet, sliding with familiarity and purpose, skipping all pretense of foreplay and teasing. Her body shivers at the thought of Kara’s fingers on her, and that is foreplay enough. When Alex slides two fingers into herself, she knows they’re not her own; they’re longer and they reach that spot inside of her that makes her see the actual stars Kara fell from.It’s hot and sticky and absolutely filthy, but Alex swallows her shame until morning and sleeps dreamless and easy. No sullen faces with questions about her distance, no regret and remorse eager to make her apologize, just simple darkness. Until morning. Then all hell breaks loose. Deplorable meets disgust, and Alex swallows her nausea and drags herself to the shower. She comes twice thinking about what Kara would do - what Alex would want her to do - if she knew what Alex really thought about her.~~“I think I’m done socializing,” Kara whines when she finally makes her way back to Alex, who happens to be at the open bar. “People are exhausting.”Alex hums something noncommittal, eating the cherry from her drink. “Just learning that now?”“What time do you think is socially acceptable for me to bail so we can go back to my place and eat pizza in our PJs?” Kara lays her head in her palm, watching Alex intently. “Because I’m about ready to say right… now.”Alex thinks about going back to Kara’s apartment, the inevitable help me out of my dress Kara will ask her because the zipper is so hard, even for a super dorky superhero. Alex will have to stand behind her, undo the zipper at a moderately fast pace - because if it’s too slow then it’s just wrong - and pretend that she doesn’t want to run her tongue up the length of Kara’s back, tracing the notches in her spine and nipping at the skin she knows will never bruise.Would Kara shiver, would she moan, would her head fall back? Alex would drop to her knees, start from her lower back, slow and tender, and work her way up, hoping that by the time she had reached Kara’s shoulder that she would be a shuddering mess, sensory overload leaving her breathless and too turned on to think. The muscles would flex under her tongue as Alex carefully mapped Kara’s back, they would tremble when she sunk her teeth in, when she soothed the skin with her lips.She’ll have to pretend that she doesn’t want Kara to turn and let dress drop to the floor, that Alex won’t see her blue eyes finally burning with desire, that Kara won’t even wait to slide her dress off before pushing Alex to the bed and just taking her. Alex will have to smile, like good sisters do, and leave the room to let Kara change into her pajamas, wait her turn to do the same. She’ll have to sit on the couch beside Kara and not think of how many ways Kara could’ve made her scream in that too-low-for-underwear dress she didn’t even want to wear in the first place. Alex would have to sit there, Kara snuggled up at her side, and remember how wrong it was - to want her, to think of her, to dream of her - and know that it still wasn’t enough to make her stop.“Your party, your rules. I’m game if you are.” Alex gives her a slow smile, shrugging as she finishes her drink. “Always have been.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Alex is not twenty-one the first time she has a drink nor the first time she gets drunk. It is, however, the first time she has a drink in a bar legally. It’s a bar near campus, one she’s frequented many a times with the intention of cheap bar pizza and terrible karaoke, but instead, she always finds herself in the storeroom behind the bar with the bartender, tugging a fistful of dark blonde hair to direct the hot mouth away from her neck and down between her legs. Annmarie never complains about the rough treatment, and when Alex looks down, the sight of her blonde hair between her legs is nearly enough to get her off every single time.But when Alex’s birthday rolls around, and she is thoroughly pushing off papers and studying for exams to the point that she’s almost forgotten about her anxiety over the due dates, she avoids Kara’s traditional birthday phone call and sends it to voicemail. She’ll ask about her plans, and Alex will have to lie and make up some sort of birthday get-together with friends that don’t exist just to keep Kara from flying out to keep her company. She doesn’t need company; she needs a drink. Alex slides into a small black dress, does two shots of vodka in her dorm room, and is at the bar before the buzz even hits her.Annmarie is working, and her smile is charming, if not a little devious, when she takes a shot with Alex, something blue and sweet and so very easy to swallow. She winks and pecks her lips with a whispered, “Happy birthday, darling.” Alex gets at least a half dozen more of those magic blue shots, and when Annmarie leads her into the back, Alex is dizzy with happiness. Or lust, because Annmarie is licking along her collarbone and saying things so dirty that if Alex was sober she’d be as red as Annmarie’s shirt. Instead, because she’s drunk, Alex pulls her close and tells her she’s going to fuck her until she screams, and when she does, Alex pushes Annmarie’s hand away from her, letting Annmarie smile and kiss the corner of her mouth and get her a cab.She listens to Kara’s voicemail when she stumbles into her dorm, mind spinning and legs uncoordinated. Falling to her bed in a heap of cocktail dress and disgruntled groans, Alex kicks off her heels and hikes her dress up to her waist. She comes twice listening to Kara’s voicemail and falls asleep with her hand between her legs and Kara’s voice in her ear. When Alex wakes up in the morning, head pounding and mouth dry, she deletes the voicemail, drags herself to the shower, and promises to be more responsible next time she drinks.Then she finds out she’s on academic probation, and everything goes to hell.~~“You look a little, um, drunk? Maybe I should drive,” Kara suggests when they near Alex’s sleek silver coupe. She holds her hand out to steady Alex should she need it, but Alex eyes the heels Kara walks on, a little surprised at Kara’s balance. “Are you sure I can’t fly us home?”“A little drunk? Try a lot,” Alex snorts. She tosses her keys to Kara without looking, humming to herself. “Don’t crash it.”“One time,” Kara mumbles under her breath before unlocking the car and sliding into the driver’s seat.Alex sighs when she collapses into the passenger seat. Her dress bunches at her lower back, and when she reaches around to straighten it out, she shivers at the feeling of Kara’s hands skimming across her skin as she helps. She drank too much, and this dress is just fucking stupid.“Gonna drive us home anytime soon, Supergirl?” Alex says, letting her head loll against the window as her eyes slide closed.“Sure thing, your highness,” Kara rolls her eyes, starting the car and adjusting the mirrors to her desired positions. “Anything else you request?”“Ice cream,” Alex moans pitfully. “I’m starving.”“Why didn’t you eat at the party? There was tons of food.”“Liquid diet,” Alex shrugs. “Also you can’t yell at me when I helped you ditch early. You owe me.”Kara pouts but aquesieces quickly when Alex mentions takeout - why pick between pizza, Chinese, and Indian when you can have all three, Alex - and she has Alex phone the orders in while she rattles off when she wants. When Kara’s sufficiently depleted Alex’s bank account for the night, they settle into companionable silence. Alex’s head is already starting to hurt, a terrible side effect she’s learned her body punishes her with whenever she’s getting anything remotely close to drunk.“Head hurt?” Kara glances at her. “I can stop and pick you up something.”Alex waves her off, nose scrunching up. “Just go home. Wait - pick the food up, then go home.”The car is silent for a moment, the radio having been turned down when they first got in the car, until Kara asks, “Why’d you drink so much?”Without missing a beat, Alex complains, “You look good in purple.”Kara laughs. “A good a reason as any, I guess.”~~Alex is not twenty-three the first time there’s a solar flare and Kara loses her powers, but it is the first time Kara shows up at her door, terrified and in tears because it's been over forty-eight hours without her powers and they still haven't come back and I've tried everything, Alex, what am I going to do and what of they never come back this time...Having just finished a double at the DEO - hours in the lab, in tactical training sessions, and in the sparring room - Alex is nearly dead on her feet. The scientist in her is aching to understand variables and controls, external conditions and internal anomalies, but its the sister in her that ushers Kara in, forgetting about the self-imposed distance Alex created between them for a moment. Kara is almost inconsolable, but a pint of ice cream and a soft blanket has her sobs controlled to occasional hiccups as she curls into Alex’s side, spooning ice cream into her mouth with one hand and clutching desperately to Alex’s thigh with the other.“It’ll be okay,” Alex says again and again, and Kara nods, though she doesn’t believe her. The words slide over her, pooling heavily in the awkward spaces Alex feels between them. “They’ll come back. They always do. You’ll be okay.”The words feel foreign and insincere, but Alex isn’t sure what more she can do. When Kara places the empty ice cream carton on the coffee table, Alex opens her arms, letting Kara crawl into her lap the way she used to when they were younger. She weighs more than she did back then, and their bodies fit together differently, but it’s almost comforting how similar it is, how Alex can close her eyes and imagine she’s fourteen again.“What if they don’t?” Kara whispers against Alex’s neck, where she’s tucked her head. Her words are forlorn and watery, and when Alex ressaures her again that they will, Kara just shakes her head. “But what if they don’t? Will you… will you still love me?”Alex imagines a world when she forces Kara to look at her, maybe tilting her chin up or grabbing her face with both hands, looking deeply into her eyes. She would tell her that she has and will always love her, no matter the circumstance, powers or no powers. She would press light kisses to Kara’s forehead, both of her eyes, her nose, both of her cheeks, her chin, and finally - her lips. Soft but confident, a manifestation of how true and insistent her love for Kara was. Alex would tell her how important she was, how special, and nothing could make her love Kara less.Maybe in that world Kara would tell her she loved her too, and mean it the way Alex meant it. Maybe Kara would kiss her back, straddle her lap instead, and they would kiss until Alex couldn’t breathe, and then they would kiss some more. Maybe Kara would take them to the bedroom, and Alex could show her how deeply and truly she loved her with the most intimate and sensual touches.In that world, Alex is brave, but in this world, Alex is not brave.She squeezes Kara’s shoulder, dropping a featherlight kiss to the side of Kara’s head as she murmurs, “I will always love you, Kara.”~~Kara carries the food up, and Alex follows behind - if only to make sure Kara doesn’t trip. She does not look at her sister’s ass, which looks better in purple up close than it did across the room. “Wanna get drinks and I’ll pick the movie?” Kara asks, juggling the bags of food to unlock the door.Alex is so not distracted by Kara’s dress that she forgets to argue it’s her turn to pick the movie. “Sure. Got any beer?”“Nope!” Kara exclaims gleefully. She attempts to kick her shoes off at the door, giving up when she remembers the strap across the heel, and deposits the food on the table. “Grab some plates and stuff. I don’t think they gave us any.”Alex hums in acknowledgement, carefully searching the cabinets for any leftover alcohol from the last time she stayed over, but her search is fruitless. She huffs in frustration, grabbing a handful of utensils and two plates. Kara hears her, smothering her smile when Alex drops the items on the table and starts to pile food on her plate. They settle on the couch to watch some romantic comedy that Alex only pays half a mind to.They’re both still in their dresses. Kara’s hair is half falling out of her updo, and her makeup is somewhat smudged and clumpy. Alex bets her own isn’t any better. So she watches Kara from the corner of her eye, pleasantly warm from the food, the champagne from earlier, and Kara’s thigh pressed against her own.The movie’s main character is crying over her lost love - or something, Alex isn’t really paying attention, Kara says, fork somewhere between her plate and her mouth, “We could talk about it, you know.”Alex blinks. Suddenly she’s a bit dizzy, a bit too warm. “Or we could not.”She thinks maybe she should’ve tried to play dumb, to feel Kara out and see what she was going to say. Instead, she’s given her hand away, showed Kara all her cards, and now she’s left with only feeling vaguely nauseous and a plate of chicken bones and uneaten beef fried rice.Kara chuckles, surprising Alex, and she nudges her with her elbow, eyes locked on the television screen. “I didn’t know I was dealing with a child.”“Yeah, well,” Alex says lamely, unable to think of anything to say.Kara shrugs, and from the corner of her eye, Alex sees her head turn slightly to look at her. “I liked it.”For a moment, Alex’s heart stops. She’s fourteen again, she’s seventeen, she’s nineteen, twenty, twenty-two, and Kara’s too much with her dazzling smile and pretty eyes and everything that Alex isn’t allowed to have. Kara is so - and she’s here, now, saying things like -“Kara,” Alex says in warning, but she doesn’t know what else to say, so she lets the unspoken words fall between them.“What?” Kara huffs, maybe more than a little affronted if Alex isn’t too hopeful to guess. “I’m not going to apologize for that. I liked it. I’m not sorry for saying that.”Me neither, Alex thinks to herself. “Okay,” she croaks out instead, face warmer than she’d like.~~Alex is not twenty-seven the first time she kisses Kara, but it is the first time Kara kisses her. It’s not like when she kissed Kara, when she was fifteen and everything was pink and hazy and she was shit-faced on pink lemonade wine coolers and raspberry vodka. Kara carried her home from the party, listened to her vent, and didn’t protest when Alex planted a sloppy kiss on the corner of her mouth, trying three times before she landed her mark fully. Alex kissed her and Kara let her, and the next morning, Kara didn’t mention it, just got the Gatorade and aspirin Alex bemoaned for from her bed.When Kara kisses her, Alex is not even a little drunk; she remembers every moment. How absolutely devastated she felt seeing Kara standing on the edge of the plane’s wing, soaking wet and chest bursting with pride at having finally living up to her own exceptions - to be as extraordinary as her powers would allow her to be. When she stormed into Kara’s apartment, there was panic.How reckless, how stupid it was for Kara to save the plane, to expose herself to the world. She should’ve let it fall, let her die on that plane the way fate intended, but Kara is defiant to disrupt all paths of Alex’s life it seems. Alex berates her, she yells and projects her fear and frustration onto Kara, and Kara, with a smile too big to be diminished, takes it all and more.“Kara, don’t you have anything to say?” Alex huffs, at her wit’s end, a breath away from a complete breakdown. Kara ruined her life for her - because Alex couldn’t protect her. “What you just did, it was…”“It was awesome,” Kara gushes, her smile lopsided as she reminisces. “I flew, Alex.”“I know,” Alex says tiredly. She pinches the bridge of her nose. “You can’t just - don’t you know what you did? Don’t you realize?”When Alex looks at Kara again, she’s closer and her grin is radiant and excited. It makes Alex’s stomach flutter, and her excitement is contagious but Alex remembers she’s supposed to be mad at Kara, furious at her for exposing herself to the world for her.“I saved you,” Kara says simply, and then she kisses her.It’s a quick nudge forward with her head, and then their lips are touching. Kara’s lips are warm, chapped, and taste like sugar and sweetness. Alex melts into it, a faint gasp of surprise falling from her lips, Kara’s mouth swallowing it greedily as she presses closer, cradling Alex’s face between her hands with a touch so gentle it makes Alex swoon. It’s over so quickly, much too quickly, that Alex can’t even think to grasp Kara’s waist and pull her closer.Kara rests her forehead against Alex’s, breathing in her. “I saved you,” she says again.~~Alex can’t focus on the movie.All she knows is that she is not brave. She’s weak and she’s a coward. She’s not brave.Kara’s thigh is so warm where it’s pressed against her own, and she smells good, the kind of good where Alex wants to cuddle up to her and press her nose against her neck and just be, the movie background noise to the way Kara’s hand strokes the place between her shoulder blades and kisses the side of her head. It could almost be, Alex thinks, if she were brave, but she’s not.She wants to say I liked it, too. She wants to grab Kara’s face, smashing their lips together to see if she tastes like sugar or pink lemonade or if there’s something else altogether that makes up Kara’s lips. Alex deems her own memory too unreliable, and she’s desperate to find out - if she was brave.“Alex,” Kara murmurs quietly, and her hand slides into Alex’s slowly, as if giving her the chance to say no.Alex opens her mouth, but no words come out. What would she say? She’s not brave like Kara; she’s just Alex.When Kara nuzzles her cheek, Alex’s breath catches in her throat. “I love you,” Kara says against her skin, soft and easy.There has never been a moment in her life where something has been easy to say than when Alex tells Kara, “I love you, too.”It’s not bravery, it’s the truth. It’s easy to tell Kara she loves her, easier than telling her she liked it when Kara kissed her too. Loving Kara had been both the hardest and easiest thing in her life. It was simple - Kara was so loveable - and it was only hard when Alex realized how Kara loved her was not how she loved Kara.If only she could be brave…“I’m going to kiss you again,” Kara whispers, her hand sliding down to tilt Alex’s chin up toward her. “Tell me to stop… and I will.”Alex swallows, her eyes fluttering shut. She’s dizzy. “I won’t.”It’s not bravery, it’s the truth.For now, Alex is just glad that Kara is brave enough for the both of them. And then Kara kisses her again.
11425689	All Too True	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": null, "Fandom": "Highlander: The Series", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Explicit", "author": "by saraid", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-07T00:00:00", "words": "20,627", "Additional Tags": null, "Relationship": "Duncan MacLeod/Methos (Highlander)", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	"Methos?"Stepping out of the elevator, Duncan MacLeod felt the distinctive presence of the oldest Immortal close by, but he couldn't see him. Which was odd, because the loft was one big room. He preferred to have maximum visibility in his living space, for both practical and aesthetic reasons.Well, perhaps his friend was in the bathroom. Duncan went to the kitchen, laying his briefcase and keys on the counter. He took a beer from the fridge -- Methos was teaching him bad habits -- and flipped the top, sipping it."Methos?" The bathroom door was open. There was no one inside. Perplexed, Duncan went to the living room area and resolved the dilemma.The world's oldest living being was crashed on the floor in front of the sofa. There was a book on the floor beside him, and his head was resting on a purloined couch cushion.Duncan grinned and knelt beside him. At one time he might have thought it could be dangerous to wake this man, but Methos was no more dangerous upon gaining consciousness than he was at any other time. Which meant he was dangerous, just not unduly so. Duncan had never seen him lose control. Ever. He shook a deceptively thin shoulder."Hi honey, I'm home.""Lucy?" Methos opened his eyes, and put his hand on Duncan's chest. After a few seconds, he slid it down to his groin and rubbed gently. "Darling, you've changed.""Get up, goofball," Duncan laughed. He lifted the hand to his lips and kissed it. "There's a perfectly good bed ten feet away from you, and a moderately comfortable couch right above your head. What are you doing down here?""The sun moved.""You must have been born someplace very warm." Duncan wrapped both arms around the taller man and pulled him close. "You're always cold.""And you generate the heat of a small star." Methos lay against him passively, his head on Duncan's shoulder. His voice was a low rumble. "I keep telling you I'm not Egyptian.""Whatever you say, old man." After a few more minutes Duncan let him go, then stood. "I'm starving. What do you want for dinner?""Are we cooking, ordering in, or eating out?" Methos followed him to the kitchen, where Duncan handed him the unfinished beer. He took his briefcase to the desk and opened it, sorting through several files."Whatever you want. I'm easy.""No you're not. I worked hard to get into your bed." Methos drained the beer.It was true. After Richie and Liam O'Rourke, Duncan hadn't wanted anyone near him. He definitely hadn't wanted a new lover. Methos had left him alone for a year, and then began his pursuit. Eventually -- reluctantly -- he'd given Methos a place in his bed with an option on his heart, but he was never certain if the attraction was physical or if the oldest wanted something more. They never talked about it.After nearly six years of peaceful semi-cohabitation, neither of them was pushing for more. That told Duncan something."You're right," he answered, closing the briefcase and turning on the computer monitor. "I'm glad you went to the effort." The screen flickered to life and he saw that the internet was opened to page filled with medical terminology. "Did you want to bookmark this?"Methos went to him and slouched on the desk. His grin could have meant anything. "No, I'm finished there. It wasn't very useful."Duncan went to check his email. Methos spoke up."Cheap Italian. And your service called.""Cheap Italian?" Duncan picked up the phone and hit speed dial. He kept an answering service so that people could reach him wherever he was. It was more reliable than a cellphone, and he only gave the cell number to people that he actually wanted to call him.The voice on the other end was smooth and cultured."Mr. Macleod? Yes, sir. A Mr. Peter Brighton called about an appraisal. He said that he was referred by Connor Macleod and he left a number where he can be reached."He took the number and thanked her, aware that Methos was watching him. The older man waited until he hung up the phone."Cheap Italian," he repeated."You mean one of the mass market places," Duncan guessed."Right. They get busy on the weekends, though, so let's go." Methos slid off the desk, but Duncan caught his arm."Don't I get a welcome-home kiss?""You can have a welcome-home fuck if you want it." Methos came around the desk and approached aggressively. Duncan let himself be backed up until the carved wooden edge was cutting into his ass. He put his hands flat on the surface behind him and leaned back. Methos followed, leaning over him."What if I want more?" Duncan breathed. He could smell the beer Methos had drank and the singular scent of the oldest. It was part book dust, part shimmer-hot sunshine, and part exotic spice. Sometimes, when they were very close, Duncan swore he could smell the age on him."Tell me what you want, Duncan MacLeod," Methos whispered the words on Duncan's mouth."I... Methos..." It happened this way. Methos would get close and Duncan would forget what he wanted to say. He would forget everything."I thought so."It wasn't fair, but at the moment Duncan was in no condition to complain. Methos kissed him deeply, hungrily, their tongues sliding together and he moaned, sitting on the desk, not caring that he was knocking things off. He spread his legs and Methos moved between them, pressing their groins together hard. It only took Duncan a second to toe off his shoes, and then his hands were unzipping his trousers and he was pushing them off with the briefs, not caring that the silk was being wrinkled. Methos was wearing baggy jeans and a sweater. He stripped them both off faster than Duncan imagined possible. Then his hands were on the inside of Duncan's thighs. He pushed them up and Duncan covered his lover's hands with his own and held them apart.His abdominals strained to hold the position. He didn't want to lay back, he wanted to be able to reach Methos.There was a tube of lubricant in the desk drawer. Over the years they'd begun appearing all over the loft. Duncan sometimes wondered what his cleaning service thought, but they wouldn’t say anything.Methos used it quickly, just getting a bit in Duncan and some on himself, then he put his hands on the desk on either side of Duncan's hips and began entering him without further preparation.Duncan hissed between his teeth, stoically taking the pain."Is it good, Duncan?" Methos nibbled his ear and then bit it as he pushed harder. Duncan answered with a groan, half pain and half need. "Do you want it?""Aye! Yes, Methos, I do!" He could barely form words; they sounded more like moans.It burned, it ached, it felt like he was being split in two. Each time, every time. Ripped in half and put back together again by the same mouth, the same hands, the same cock. He felt unbearably full, but had to resist the urge to bear down. That would only make it worse."Methos," he moaned, feeling the burn spread. His eyes stung."Right here." The man had the nerve to chuckle, and then he bit Duncan's shoulder. He broke the skin and Duncan grunted and then sighed as he felt a soft tongue licking the wound.A last forceful push and Methos was all the way in. He paused, waiting for Duncan to adjust.Duncan panted a little desperately, ready for the pain to turn. Any minute now the nerves would start to recover and he would feel something besides agony."Easy," Methos murmured in his ear, licking delicately around the shell. "Facile. Il se sentira bon dans une minute. Dans deux vous ne voudrez pas sentir toute autre chose." Easy. It will feel good in a minute. In two you willnot want to feel anything else.The sound of his favorite language made Duncan flush hotter. It was easier than breathing, letting his mind fall into the patterns of it.Making love in French was something Methos had only recently started and it stunned Duncan how much he liked it. It made him want to be crazy. To lie back and scream 'take me!'. But he only had the breath to mutter."Aimez-moi, Methos. Aimez-moi." Love me, Methos. Love me.As soon as he started begging, Methos started thrusting. Slowly, then with considerable force. Duncan was doubled up, his feet on Methos' chest, his hands on his own sex."More - harder - please!" Duncan gasped the words, not wanting it to end so soon, but then he lost sight of Methos as his vision clouded and his head spun. The pleasure was intense, it always was, and he missed the chance to see his lover's face when Methos came as well. He felt it, heard the deep rumbling moan, and the softly moaned words."Est-ce que ce tout est l�� est, Duncan? Entre n'y aura-t-il jamais plus nous mais ceci? Je vous donnerais mon coeur... Is this all there is, Duncan? Will there never be more between us but this? I would give you my heart.The meaning escaped him, his brain had shut down, and Duncan felt that he had missed something important. He felt that way almost every time they had sex. Like the answer to all his prayers was right there, just out of reach, and he couldn't figure out how to grab it.Methos collapsed on top of him and Duncan's head bumped the computer, but he didn't care. He held his lover close as long as Methos would let him."Italian," Methos muttered, lifting himself off Duncan and pulling free. "Oui." Duncan held onto him for one more minute, then Methos was completely free and moving toward the bathroom. Duncan sat up and brought his knees up under his chin. He was probably leaking all over the desk, but he didn't care.He felt cold. Methos could joke about his warmth, but sometimes it felt like the oldest Immortal took it all when he took Duncan's body. Sometimes their loving left Duncan feeling cold and alone.Methos would say he was brooding. The sex was good. It was great. But that didn't mean they had to spend hours cuddling every time they did it. That's what Methos said.Duncan told himself that he had no right to feel used. He enjoyed it as much or more than Methos did. Especially of it was judged on the level of control. Duncan always lost it and Methos never did. He just drove Duncan mad with want and made him come harder than he ever had before in his life. So what was the problem?Duncan slid off the desk, grimacing at the condition of his shirt. The tail had been caught beneath him and fortunately it had soaked up most of the seepage. He took it off and dropped it to the floor beside the trousers, then padded to the bathroom to join his lover in the shower.He'd been hungry before, but now his appetite had faded. Just as well. Italian wasn't his favorite, though he did love the language."So what was the phone call about?" Methos swirled the last inch of wine in his glass while they lingered. The food was reasonable, the wine was good, and the music atrocious."Peter Brighton was a customer. Tessa and I found some pieces for him, years ago when we were just starting out.""Anything in particular?"Duncan picked up the bottle when Methos held out his glass, and refilled it while he answered. Their waiter hovered nearby. He was probably ready for them to leave, they'd hogged the table for a couple of hours now."Pottery. Specifically, Van Briggle vases.""Never heard of them." Methos gave him the half-smile that meant he would listen to Duncan talk about it but it wouldn't make him any more interested. Old books turned him on, but otherwise... as the oldest human on the planet -- probably the oldest living thing, it was him or some tree -- he didn't have much interest in antiques. Being one himself might have influenced that."It's not remarkable, except for the depth and quality of the glazes." Duncan let it go at that. "Tessa enjoyed searching for them."Methos drained the wine and signaled the waiter. Duncan paid with his credit card. They walked out together, and another young waiter -- a boy of twenty, if that -- winked at him. Taking in the multiple earrings and spiky hair, Duncan assumed he was gay and winked back. Just to tease. The boy blushed and a friend near him laughed.Methos slid an arm around Duncan's waist and smiled at them.Outside he laughed softly."Got them eating out of your hands, Highlander.""He's just a boy. He saw you and probably thought I would be safe to practice on.""He was right." Methos pressed him back until he was sitting on the hood of the T-bird. "You're mine.""Am I, now?" Enjoying the public display of dominance, Duncan allowed himself to be kissed, there in the parking lot. But when Methos let go and got into the passenger's side, he almost shivered. He felt cold, again.The drive home was silent. Duncan took a scenic route, wanting a bit of time to think. He ignored the way Methos played with the radio and just drove, quiet. Thoughtful. There was a lot he knew about this man -- but so much he didn't. Was it possible to know everything? Was it even something he wanted? Or was it something he needed.Just this afternoon, he'd been reflecting on how good things were between them. He was comfortable, it seemed that Methos was happy. As happy as he got. He made himself at home in Duncan's life.More and more often Duncan found himself looking over at the other Immortal and wondering; who was he, really? What did his existence mean to the world? Why did he want Duncan to survive?These weren't questions that had answers, so he did what he usually did when his head got in the way of his heart. They got home, Methos went upstairs to finish his lecture for his class the next day, and Duncan changed downstairs and put himself through a grueling workout.By the end of it, he was drenched in sweat. His arms were trembling with fatigue and his legs felt heavy. The only thought in his mind was a plea for rest. Satisfied, he took a quick cool shower and went up to find Methos already asleep.He slid into the bed and reached for him. He would be able to hold him for a little while before the Methos withdrew from the embrace.Duncan had learned to let him go before that point, because it always hurt when Methos did that, pulled away in his sleep.Hopefully tonight he would be asleep himself before it happened."And now we're getting to the middle ages; the most overly-romanticized period of human history." Duncan was perched on his desk at the front of the lecture hall. He taught a full schedule now, and so had his own classroom, a great improvement. He went to the chalkboard and looked at the class. "Can anyone give me an example of a romanticized notion?"They stared at him, silent. He sighed, and waited. The semester was only a couple of weeks old, he'd started them with the basic timeline and written history, now he wanted them to start thinking. Not the easiest thing to get a college freshman to do. Most of these kids were here because they had to take a history class, not because they were actually interested."Chivalry." Someone answered from the door. He looked over, startled, and saw Methos. Damn, he had to learn how he did that. The ability to mute his Immortal signature would be a great advantage."Okay. Our guest says chivalry." Duncan wrote it on the board; in English and French. He liked to conduct the class in both, just for fun. "Anyone else?" He nodded at his lover, and he came in and took the empty seat at the end of the first row. It was always empty. Duncan had heard the students tell each other; Don't sit in that seat. That's where Professor Pierson sits when he comes into Mr. Macleod's class. He wondered occasionally if their relationship was one of the reasons his classes were so popular. The University had never complained."Yes, Theresa?" He usually got their names right the first day. This girl reminded him, just a bit, of Amanda. It could have been the tall, slender frame or the short-cropped bleached hair. Or it could have been the attitude."The whole concept of virginity being such a great thing." It was a little rough, but he could work with it."The purity of women, yes."They were getting into the spirit of it now. Several more suggestions came, quickly. When he thought he had enough of them he held up a hand. "Okay. Now, how about the realities of the middle ages?"Theresa answered right away."Women were property.""Aye, children, too." Duncan drew a vertical line and started the new list on the other side of the board. "What else?""No plumbing.""No medicine.""No transportation.""Yes, yes, and yes." He wrote those, then turned to face the class. Methos was smiling at him, slouched in his seat. "Adam?""No schools. No books.""Trust you," he said with a smile. "But yes. No school and no books, not for any but the most wealthy or members of religious orders." He glanced at his watch, though he knew time was almost up. Stepping back, he looked up at the board, and then glanced at the student nearest him -- Theresa. She had written in all down. In English and French."First assignment," he said, and they groaned. He grinned widely. "It's on the syllabus. I want each of you to pick one of these topics -- from either side of the board -- and write me a 2,000 word essay. No bibliography, no research; just your thoughts on that topic and the realities of living in that time.""Do we get extra credit for writing it in French?" a young man in the back asked with a smirk. Methos craned his head to see who'd asked. Duncan shook his head."Obviously you've been talking to other students. That opportunity has to be offered by your French teacher, not me. Now, if you wrote it in Aramaic, I'd give you an A off the bat." Duncan turned, with his hands on his hips, and rolled his eyes at the boy. "But I don't see that happening."Several hands shot up, but he just waved at them. "Dismissed. I'll see you next week."As the students filed out around him, Duncan sat on the desk next to Methos'. "I called Brighton this morning before you got up. He wants me to give him an estimate on his collection before he ships it to Sotheby’s for auction. You up for a quick trip to New York?"A student stopped in front of them and Duncan held up a hand, waiting for Methos answer."I don't have any plans." Methos gave him the just-a-guy face and nodded at the student."Yes?" Duncan asked the boy."When you said we'd get an A if we wrote it in Aramaic, did you mean that?"Methos snickered. Duncan was taken aback. He'd never expected to find a student at this relatively small public school who spoke the language."Can you write Aramaic?""I was hoping I could get a B for Hebrew." The boy grinned, and his friends laughed."Get outta here." Duncan stood, scolding and laughing with them. "Or I'll change that to Scottish Gaelic!""But Duncan, no one speaks that anymore," Methos protested cheerfully."Vi non ho bisogno di alcun aiuto, uomo anziano." Duncan half-snarled in Italia. I don’t need any help, old man. He put a hand on Methos' shoulder and squeezed. The small group of students watched closely.Is this all there is, Duncan? Will there never be more between us but this? I would give you my heart."Wenn ich alt bin, was bildet der Sie, Kind?" Methos retorted, also smiling. Who are you calling old, child? He put his hand over Duncan's and they exchanged a glance. This was far more affectionate than they usually were in public. It made Duncan worry."How romantic," one of the girls sighed. Another giggled."Don't let appearances fool you." Duncan looked at them. "He's calling me names.""And you weren't? Un si grand menteur, Duncan MacLeod."You're a big liar, Duncan MacLeod. "Don't tease the students." Duncan removed his hand and made shooing motions. "Out with ye. It's the weekend, don't you have plans?""Oh, yes, we're going to be studying, and writing that essay, Mr. MacLeod!" Theresa told him seriously. He didn't believe her for a minute."Out, out, out. I have a plane to catch."They would have stayed and asked more questions, but he gave them that look, the one that made it clear he wasn't playing anymore, and they trooped out without any more fuss, leaving him alone with his lover."Why New York?" Methos asked. He wasn't showing any sign of being ready to get up, so Duncan went to his desk and began to gather his notes and jacket."That's where Brighton lives now. He couldn't find me since the shop closed -- he was very nice when I told him that Tessa was gone -- but he found Connor's webpage and called there, thinking it might be me.""And Connor referred him to you.""Connor doesn't know the first thing about twentieth century pottery." Duncan chuckled. He was ready to go and finally Methos rose. "You let yours go early?""It's Friday and a three-day weekend. You could have, you know.""And ruin my reputation?" Duncan shook his head. "You're easy enough on them for both of us.""They learn the languages, don't they?""Yes, they do. You're a good teacher.""We both are," Methos told him as they walked out, and Duncan knew that Methos knew he was thinking about Richie. Good teachers don't kill their students, possessed by demons or not. But he let it slide. The easy feeling between them was too rare lately, he just wanted to enjoy it."So, will we see Connor? I've never actually met him," Methos said as they left the building. The campus was rapidly emptying."I think he's out of the country again," Duncan shrugged. He would like to spend more time with his clansman, but it never seemed to work out that way. Connor needed to wander the way Duncan needed to stay put."Perhaps he'll be back before -" As one they paused and turned toward the left parking lot, their heads aching, stomachs rolling. The distinctive signature of another Immortal was present, and close."Go to the car. He won't feel you." Duncan thrust his briefcase at Methos, but he didn't take it. "Adam, go. I need to know that you're safe.""How do you know this fight is for you?" Methos snapped back."What are the odds?" They had been very careful to keep his Adam Pierson persona intact. One-time Watcher, researcher, possible new Immortal. That was all anyone, including the Watchers, should know. They didn't even have proof of a first death. As long as he kept his signature muted and stayed out of the way, he should be safe from challenges. "You know how I feel about this.""I am not more important than you are, MacLeod!""Yes, you are!" The things this man had seen, the things he had done... They couldn't be lost to something as mundane as the Game.A man came around the corner and Duncan dropped the briefcase. He slid one hand into his coat, ready to grab his katana. But this was still a public place, perhaps the challenger could be convinced to take it somewhere else."Identify yourself!" he shouted, his anger at Methos spilling over. It had been shaping up into such a nice night. A nice weekend, but this would take the fun out of it."I will not. You'll know me when you die on my blade, and not before." a male voice, a light tenor answered. The man stopped twenty feet away from them, separated from them by several vehicles in the faculty lot. Duncan stood straight and stared at him."That sure of yourself, are ye? Then there's no need to wait. I'm Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod and I would know whose head I'll take next.""Not mine, MacLeod," the man laughed. "I'll be seeing you around. When you don't have quite so much -- company."He walked backwards until he reached the corner and turned it. Duncan, his adrenaline pumping, was prepared to chase him, but Methos stopped him with a hand on his arm."Let it go, Mac. He'll show up when he's ready.""What if I don't want to do this on his schedule?" Duncan snarled, pulling away from the hand. His body was well-trained; it had jumped to battle-ready in a matter of seconds and now he would have to deal with that state for a while, until he could calm down. "I have plans, Methos. I'm not going to sit around town waiting for him to show up!""Of course not.” Methos grasped Duncan's arm again and used it to pull him close. "We're going to New York.""Me-- Adam." Duncan protested as arms wrapped around his waist and he was embraced. "Not here.""It's not like they don't know, mon amour." A thrill shot through Duncan. Combined with the adrenaline from the confrontation, he wasn't in the mood to resist. He let Methos kiss him, and he kissed him back. Mouth open, his hands found the back of Methos neck and stroked there, gently, just barely holding his head."Suis-je votre amour, Methos?" He whispered when they finally broke for air. He stepped away, watching the other man's face close off. It became smooth, expressionless. "Methos?" He said again, more loudly this time. "Am I your love?""Who else would be, Duncan?" The smile he was given wasn't cold, but it was not that of a lover, either. "Come on." Methos leaned down to pick up his briefcase. "We've got to pack."Duncan stood still. Methos took a few steps, then turned and waited for him. Duncan sighed, and shook his head, then made several long strides to catch up.He'd pushed too hard that time. He knew it. But he wasn't sorry. There was something about the way Methos was acting lately. Just the past few weeks.It wasn't unusual for the oldest Immortal to take some time for himself. He would tell Duncan that he needed to take a quick trip, take care of something, and off he would go. Duncan knew he should be grateful that he told him when he was going; that only started happening after they started sleeping together. Sometimes it was only a day or two, sometimes it was as long as a week. But Methos always came back. Looking drawn and tired, and Duncan always welcomed him back and didn't ask any questions. He knew, instinctively, that to do so would end their relationship.He wanted this relationship. He was as deeply in love with Methos as he had ever been. It wasn't the same love he had shared with Tessa. Theirs had been the love of equals; despite his age and experience, her intelligence and natural talent had made her a perfect match for him. He still regretted her death with a deep, lingering pain that accompanied every thought of her.He had so wanted to see her grow old. To give her children. Not his own, but they could have adopted. Or even used a donor so she could have them herself. Before her death he knew she'd begun to think of it. Her career as an artist had been established, her reputation secure. She'd been only 34, with many years ahead of her.He should have found a way to give her children.He should have found a way to keep her alive."Duncan." Methos was speaking to him. He looked over, surprised to find that they were back at the dojo. "We're here."Here. Not we're home. Just here."I'll pack -- why don't you call the airlines and get us something out tonight or tomorrow morning," he said, climbing from the car."The fight will come when it's ready." Methos was catching him close again, trying to hold him. Duncan struggled without putting up any real resistance. He didn't know why these thoughts were suddenly filling his head. "Mac." Methos pressed Duncan's head to his shoulder and Duncan relented, letting himself be held and comforted. He felt the urge to cry and forced it down, silently berating himself.His relationship with Methos might be falling apart, but that didn't mean that he had to. He'd survived breakups before. And he could be wrong. With the oldest Immortal anything was possible.Including the fact that he might be planning to leave. He would leave Duncan alone again, and he just didn't know what he would do then.Without Methos, without Richie, without Amanda or Connor. It was like his last anchor in the world was threatening to abandon him. There was always Joe, but his friendship with the mortal Watcher had to be carefully managed. Like a child, he wanted to cry. But he did not. He leaned into the embrace until the urge passed and then pulled away, and brushed his lips softly over Methos'. "Thank you." he sighed. "I'm sorry."Methos didn't answer. He just ran his hands through Duncan's hair, messing it up, and then smiled at him. It was a rather sad smile."I'll pack, you make the reservations. A good hotel, okay?""Okay," Duncan agreed, still off-balance. They went together up to the loft and the whole time he wondered what he'd done wrong. Methos acted like he loved him; but that didn't mean he felt it, did it?There was no reason for him to go inviting trouble. It would find him soon enough anyhow if it wanted to."You don't look anything like your brother, Duncan." Peter Brighton's daughter, Samantha, was flirting with him across the table. She was close to his age -- his age before he died -- and pretty in an abstract way. He felt the warmth of Methos at his side and smiled back."When did you meet Connor?""I told Daddy I would help him with this auction. He gave me your name and I looked it upon the net. I felt pretty proud of myself when I found MacLeod Antiques here in New York, so I went to the store.""Connor's in town?" Duncan was surprised. He'd called and left a message as soon as they got into town, but not received a call back."He said something about flying out that afternoon.” Her eyes were sparkling with interest and Duncan sighed. He wanted to reach for Methos' hand, to hold it under the table, but that felt childish."I always seem to miss him," he said with forced cheerfulness, and picked up his fork to play in the remains of his pasta. Italian again, only this time the Brightons had chosen the restaurant. Far more expensive than what he and Methos usually enjoyed. They both preferred a more casual atmosphere."He sounded like you, though." Her smile was inviting. Duncan threw a glance at her father. He seemed to be enjoying the conversation he was having with Methos, unaware of his daughter's intentions toward Duncan. "Which of you is the elder?"Beside him Methos laughed softly and Duncan had to grin. "Connor is, but not by much." Relatively speaking, that is. Fifty years was almost nothing in Immortal terms. "We had different mothers and did not meet until we were adults.""Your father got around, I guess." She seemed perturbed by the story. "I suppose." Duncan ate another bite. It was cool now and the sauce had congealed. He drank some wine to cover the taste. Earlier the conversation had focused on the collection and he'd been more comfortable with that."But the two of you are close? He was quick to refer us to you.""Connor's specialty is not American pottery." Methos spoke up and Duncan had to grin at that understatement."Not that it couldn't be. Connor is a gifted man. But more recent history doesn't interest him as much as the distant past," Duncan added."The lovely woman that works for him -- would that be his mother?""Rachel?" Duncan sputtered. How to explain? "No, they've been business partners for years." It was the best he could do."So he's not married?"Ah, that was it. This young woman wasn't interested in him. It was Connor she was after. This could be a chance to cause him some trouble, but Duncan didn't really feel like it. Normally he would encourage her attentions, just to annoy Connor, but not now. Not when his own love life felt so fragile."Connor's wife Brenda died several years ago." "I'm sorry to hear that." She leaned forward and Duncan groaned mentally. Here came the inquisition. She was interrupted, thankfully, by her father's words."So, Duncan, how is your lovely partner, Miss. Noel? Did she move back to Paris and abandon you?" It had been a threat she'd made more than once, within his hearing. It was clear the man was teasing but truly curious.Duncan felt himself go still, but he managed a small smile."Tessa - died, Peter. Almost ten years ago.""Lord, we are just doing a bang-up job of stirring up bad memories tonight. I am sorry. She was so talented.""Many of her works are still on display at the museum in Seacouver, where I live now." Duncan told him. He sipped wine, needing to do something to hide the shaking in his hands. To his surprise, Methos reached over and put a hand on his shoulder. "If you'd like to see them."It shouldn't hurt so badly, not after so long. But he'd lost too many people too close together. The peace of the last few years had only just begun to help him start to heal."If I ever get up that way I will." The man looked subdued, and his eyes lingered on Methos' hand on Duncan's shoulder. "So that's why I couldn't find the shop. You closed it?""Yes, right after she died. It wasn't the same without her.""And what do you do now?"Knowing the man was just making friendly conversation didn't help. Duncan suddenly wished that this meal was over, that this job was over. He wanted to go home and hide for a few days, away from the world and the questions. But he knew the questions would follow him. In his head. In the mirror. Whenever he looked at his lover."I run a dojo. Teach martial arts. And I teach history at Seacouver University. That's where I met Adam. He teaches languages.""No more antiques?""Not for a while.""Then I really appreciate your coming when I called. If I had known you were out of the business -" Peter shrugged apologetically. Duncan found a small smile to offer him."I do some private work, for old friends and customers. It's not an inconvenience."He sat back, and slowly drank the last of his wine. Methos' hand was still on his shoulder and it felt good. Peter was looking for their waiter. Feeling the need to re-connect, Duncan turned his head and nuzzled the hand. Methos returned the affection by brushing his cheek with a finger.Duncan glanced up to see Samantha's dark eyes watching them. She smiled, but it looked a little smug.They left the restaurant and made arrangements to meet the next morning at Peter's home, where he kept the collection. Duncan hadn't asked why he was selling it. A little research had shown that his second wife, with whom he had bought the collection, had recently left him for a younger man. That was explanation enough for Duncan.They were staying at the Hilton. Duncan had been surprised to find a room, but glad because it would make Methos happy."This good enough for you?" he teased half-heartedly as they went in, and Methos flopped on the large bed."Perfect, Highlander. You take very good care of me.""Hmm." Duncan lay beside him, not bothering to take off his shoes or jacket. "I'd do more if you would let me."Methos rolled to his stomach and propped his chin on Duncan's chest."You want to keep me as a boy-toy, Mac?""I want to keep you." Duncan ran his fingers through Methos' short hair thoughtfully. It was hard to keep his worries to himself. "Sometimes I think I would do anything to keep you."Apparently startled by the words, or by the turn of the conversation, the oldest pulled away and sat up. He stared at Duncan."Where did that come from?"Duncan sighed, and lay back, his hands beneath his head."It didn't come from anywhere. It's been here a while.""Are you trying to tell me something, Mac? Because I'm not getting the message if you are." Methos stood and went to their suitcases, opening his. He pulled out his traveling bag and headed for the bathroom.Duncan watched him go. The coldness he felt was growing stronger. It seemed like it was always with him now. He was beginning to realize what it was. The understanding, the certainty, that one day Methos would leave him. Not because Duncan had done anything wrong or because Methos made a choice to do so; but because that was who Methos was. It was what he did.They had been friends for more than a decade. Lovers almost as long. For a man who claimed his only goal was to survive, beside Duncan was not a safe place to be. It never had been. Eventually the conflict Methos felt would have to be addressed. He wanted to stay, Duncan liked to believe that. But his instinct for survival was doubtless urging him to go.To get away from Duncan MacLeod and stay away, as far as possible.It was only a matter of time.Taking a deep breath, Duncan rolled off the bed and stood. For a second it was hard to catch his balance.Brooding would do no good. There was nothing he could do to prevent the outcome. And what was it, after all, that he brooded over? The loss of a love affair? There were no promises between them. This was a convenient arrangement, no more. Good sex, friendship. A bit of love, maybe.Telling himself that wouldn't make it hurt any less when it ended. But it wouldn't make it hurt any more, either. He thought he still had some time. To build up good memories that might support him in the end.A workout would help put things into perspective. Loosen him. Warm him up.He went to his suitcase and quickly changed into tight running shorts, a tank and running shoes. The water started in the bathroom and he decided to go stick his head in.Methos was lolling in the oversized tub. The scent of jasmine hung in the seamy air. Duncan could see the faint sheen of oil on the surface of the hot water. It highlighted the smooth, pale muscles of his lover's body."Methos." He spoke softly, in case the other man had fallen asleep in the tub, something which had happened at home more than once."Yeah, Mac?" The long-suffering tone told him they were still at odds."I'm going to the gym to run a bit.""Okay.""You want anything before I go?""I forgot to grab a beer." Now the hazel eyes opened and blinked slowly at him. Duncan couldn't stop himself from grinning."Riiiight." He went to the minibar and took out two. There was a good selection of microbrews, he chose a label he recognized and took them back to the bathroom, opening one and handing it over.Methos took it and swallowed a gulp, then eyed the other one still in Duncan's hand. "You going to join me?"It was a tempting offer, but Duncan shook his head."I won't be able to sleep if I don't work off some of that food." He stood the other bottle on the lip of the tub. "I might be a while." He turned to go.Methos closed his eyes."I'll be here when you get back."Duncan paused and looked back at him."That's good to know."Methos didn't give any sign that he'd heard him, but he took another swallow. Duncan grabbed a towel and slung it over his shoulders and went into the hallway.It was late enough that the only people he saw were late travelers that barely spared him a glance, too tired to care. The gym was empty. There was a pool next to it, separated from it by a wall of glass, it had a crowd of people. There was music playing, and a lot of shouting and laughing.Duncan stepped up to a treadmill, one of a line of them facing a bank of television sets, all turned off. He left them that way, not needing the distraction. He was here to run. To work off the frustrations of the day.He did his stretches quickly, then set the treadmill, increased the incline, and set to work.His feet pounded in a satisfying rhythm. He'd once tried to explain to Methos what the attraction of running was -- no, he reminded himself. He was here to run, not think. He increased the speed of the machine and was quickly so preoccupied with putting one foot in front of the other that thought didn't have a chance.His heart labored. His breath burned in his lungs. It felt good. He hadn't pushed himself on this level in a while. His usual routine was a good run, katas, and sword work. Two hours daily, four on the weekends if he wasn't distracted. This was just punishment. Hard and harsh. To tire him out, to batter his mind into submission.It worked. Soon all he could feel was the stride and the need to breathe. Air became thick and hot, he had to work to draw it into his lungs. Getting his legs up for the next stride became the most important thing. It dominated his mind.He felt strong, and powerful, and alive.He held onto the feeling as long as he could. When it finally began to fade he reached blindly for the control panel, realizing only then that he'd shut his eyes. There was sweat running down his face, he used the towel to mop at it so he could see the panel.Thirty-two minutes? Surely he'd been running longer than that. After lowering the speed he looked around the room for a clock and saw that it had been over ninety minutes since he began. The machine must have reset at sixty. He was gradually aware that he was hurting. It was painful to breathe. But as he slowed and his strides became shorter, that eased and he was pleased to find that he'd taken the abuse so well. His endurance was still up to par.He slowed the machine further and dropped to a jog after another fifteen minutes. Ten minutes later he went to a walk.It was only then that he felt like looking around again.It was only then that he saw he had an audience. Two of them, actually. There was a line of people sitting on the other side of the glass wall, in the swimming pool area. They all had drinks and were toasting him. They looked young and they looked like they'd had too much to drink. One of the men gave him an enthusiastic thumbs-up, and a couple of the women were making rather obvious suggestive gestures. Duncan stopped the treadmill and stepped off it at last.It felt strange to be on solid ground again. He had to stand still for a moment until his got his land-legs back. His thighs quivered in protest when he went down for a stretch.The other half of the audience was sitting on the floor a couple of feet away, his back to the wall. He was facing the cheering, laughing crowd but not looking at them. In his jeans and baggy sweater he looked like he could be one of them.Duncan stifled a moan as he stretched, touching his hands flat to the floor. His hair fell around his face, a sodden mass of curls. It was longer now than he usually wore it. Because Methos had once said he liked Duncan with long hair.Finally he stood and looked at his lover, wiping his face again and then mopping around his neck and shoulders."Been here long?" The words rasped, his lungs ill-used."The last half-hour or so. I thought I might -" The man shrugged."Might what?" Duncan walked over and dropped to his knees in front of him. He was still a little euphoric from the run; that was what he told himself, anyhow, when he put his hands on the man's thighs."I don't know. Make it up to you?" Methos covered Duncan's hands with his own. Whistles and catcalls from the audience."Make what up to me?" Duncan asked gently. The confusion was clear on his lover's face. Methos thought he had done something to make Duncan angry with him, or hurt his feelings. He wouldn't begin to understand the conclusion Duncan had come to earlier in the evening."Whatever it is." Methos sighed and disengaged his hands. "It's late, Mac. Can we get to bed now?""Sure." Duncan stood with a groan and held out a hand. Methos took it and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet.The oldest looked over at the squealing, cheering, very drunk crowd."No." Duncan said, smiling suddenly. "Don't even think about it.""And why not?" Methos smiled back. A very evil smile that promised to embarrass a certain Highland lad."Because I sai-"Before Duncan could finish his protest Methos had him in his arms and was kissing him. And it was so sweet. So tender and gentle that all he wanted to do was kiss back, for as long as he could. This was all he wanted out of life. Right this moment, he would happily have given up any notion of honor or responsibility. If it could guarantee that Methos would stay a part of his life.But there were no guarantees, he remembered as the other man finally pulled away, with obvious reluctance."Unless you plan on letting me have my way with you right here, we'd better go," Methos murmured, and Duncan grabbed his hand. For one brief moment he wanted to.Wanted to fall to his knees and open himself to his lover right here. In front of God and everyone. Let them say what they liked. If that was what Methos wanted.Methos smiled, as if he understood what Duncan was thinking."We have a very nice bed upstairs."Duncan nodded. The feeling passed. He missed it almost instantly.Together they went upstairs. The crowd behind them booed. They got a couple of funny looks from the people they passed. Duncan knew he had to look a mess, soaked in sweat and trembling. His muscles were quivering from the abuse he'd put them through. Soft tissue strain like this didn't heal promptly. Faster than a mortal's, yes, but not like something life-threatening. He didn't mind, really. It was good, sometimes, to have a taste of mortality.People could also have been staring because they were still holding hands. Not normally demonstrative in public, not with this lover, Duncan found that he was enjoying the contact. To feel that affectionate connection.An elderly couple got into the elevator on the fourth floor. Duncan and Methos were standing to the right, next to the control panel. The gentleman grimaced and turned to face the back of the elevator. His wife sighed and reached rather reluctantly past Methos to push the button for the tenth floor.Methos didn't seem to notice her. He stepped closer to Duncan."Whatever I did." He leaned until his mouth was close to Duncan's ear. "Whatever it was, Highlander, I'm sorry."Duncan sighed and half-turned to lay his head on Methos' shoulder. He closed his eyes and fought down the urge to cry.There was nothing to cry about. He was with Methos now and that was all he had ever asked for. He had no right to want more."You didn't do anything, muileach," he said quietly. Maybe he should have offered more, said something else; tried to explain. But the words didn't come. So he sighed again and closed his eyes, dragging a deep breath into aching lungs. Methos' scent filled him."Do you mind?" the woman snapped. "Some of us prefer not to witness perversion.""And some of us prefer beauty to ugliness, but we allow you to live unremarked." Methos answered without heat.The husband turned at those words and his anger was obvious."You're disgusting! Keep your filthy mouth to yourself!" He got close to his shocked wife."I'll tell you what's disgusting." Methos was gathering anger now, and Duncan opened his eyes, slipping an arm around his waist. Not to flaunt anything, but so he could restrain him if it came to that. "That prejudice like yours is allowed to exist. Why don't we just lock up everyone that doesn't meet your standards?" he snapped. "Oh, but what would you do without someone to look down on? What would you do without someone to hate?""We don't hate you, God hates you!""God?" Methos laughed out loud. "God hates us? Did he tell you so himself? He hates money-changers, too. And women with short hair. Didn't you read that in your holy book?"The woman had very short, carefully coifed silver hair.The man was clearly gearing up for a spiteful comeback, so Duncan took matters into his own hands; he yanked Methos to him and kissed him. Not brutally, but with the same tenderness his lover had shown him in the gym. A tenderness often sorely lacking from their lovemaking."Hm?" Methos seemed intent on pulling free and continuing the exchange, but Duncan held him tightly by the shoulders and jostled him back to the wall, working on changing his mind. "Mmm." He felt the long, slender hands close on his hips and knew he'd succeeded."This is outrageous! I will complain to management!"Engrossed in the kiss, Duncan ignored him and was happy that Methos did the same.The car stopped but they didn't. The door opened and the couple got out, leaving them in peace. When it closed again Duncan broke off the kiss, just far enough to breathe, and Methos was smiling at him."We'll be arrested," he predicted."For whot?" Duncan asked. He was distracted by the soft pressure of Methos' hands on his waist, by the urgent pressure of his cock trying to escape his shorts. "Attempted murder," Methos answered, his tongue flicking out to taste Duncan's lips. "We were trying to give him a heart attack, weren't we?""No. But we could try to give one to each other." Duncan claimed his lips again. He savored the surrender when Methos let him lead it, let him push the slender man against the wall and hold him there while his hand roamed beneath the baggy sweater.The car stopped again and the doors opened. Someone giggled. Abruptly Methos pulled away. He touched Duncan's face lightly. A young woman in a swimsuit was holding the door open."My friend called me down to see the show, but then she called to say I missed it. Guess I'll have a story to tell her," she drawled with a distinctive Southern accent."Glad to entertain." Duncan said archly. He got out, tugging on Methos' hand. "Don't get your knickers in a twist." She was laughing at them as she got on and the doors closed. "I just wish I'd brought a camera..."They stared after her for a moment."Well," Duncan said, at a loss for words."Yes, well." Methos seemed to agree. "I say we go to our room and continue what we started?""I would like that," Duncan sighed, and looked at his friend. "I would like that verra much."The silence that came between them when they stepped into the room was awkward but bearable. Without discussing it they both began their bedtime rituals. Duncan showered quickly, and by the time he was done Methos was already in bed. The oldest was propped against the headboard, writing in a journal, when Duncan exited the bathroom, still naked, his skin flushed from the hot water. He'd dried his hair with a towel, so it was still damp and it curled a bit around his face.Methos had turned off the lights and opened the drapes on the balcony window to let in the lights of the city.As soon as Duncan came into the room Methos closed the journal and set it aside. He folded back the covers on the other side of the bed and opened his arms, a more enthusiastic invitation that he usually offered. Duncan slid into the bed, and into his arms, and lay still, allowing himself to be held.With his head on Methos' chest he closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on the here-and-now. Live in the moment. Methos was gently stroking his hair with both hands, tenderly untangling the few small snarls left. It was absurdly hard for Duncan to relax in the face of such affection. Their lovemaking was generally aggressive and athletic. He couldn't help but think that this sudden change for the romantic did not bode well."What are you worrying about now, MacLeod?" There was no censure in the tone. A touch of amusement, but mostly Methos sounded - sad."I'm only tired," Duncan told him, unthinking of how it might be taken. When Methos immediately stopped petting his hair he tipped his head back to look up at him. "Not too tired for that." Duncan tried to sound convincing, because he did want to make love. Especially if it was going to be gentle and sweet. If the two of them could do gentle and sweet. That would be really nice."Are you sure? You gave yourself a bit of a beating downstairs.""Aye." Duncan slid a hand down Methos' side beneath the covers and caressed his thigh, not wanting to start off with the big guns. "I'm sure. But I would like to take it slow, if it's alright with you.""I can do slow." Methos' grin was almost threatening. Duncan frowned, and squeezed a bit."I don't mean 'drive-me-crazy-and-make-me-beg' slow, old man. I mean 'I-really-want-to-be-with-you' slow."Methos stared. His eyes darkened and Duncan was afraid he'd crossed some well-guarded border. Was he asking too much? Putting too much into it?"If that's what you want, Highlander." Methos wasn't smiling. His expression was shuttered, and Duncan felt a sinking in his stomach. He had pushed too far. He should have left things the way they were.Sex between friends who probably loved each other as opposed to sex between two people deeply in love with each other. The problem was, he knew he was in the latter category, and he was fairly certain Methos was still in the first.He brought his hand up and spread it on Methos' flat belly, the skin sinfully soft under his callused fingers.It might be the only chance he would have to do it this way, so he forced a smile and answered, "That's what I want, Methos.""Then that's what I'll give you." Methos cradled Duncan's head between his hands and pulled him up so that they could kiss.He was true to his word. He didn't try to overwhelm Duncan with sensation or to take over control of the lovemaking. They exchanged kisses, hot, open-mouthed, but still gentle. They kissed while Methos stroked Duncan's back and kneaded the mounds of his ass. They kissed while Duncan moaned into Methos' mouth and teased his nipples.They kissed far longer than they normally did. Duncan thought perhaps he could come just from being kissed. With Methos' hands wandering his body, gently stroking and inflaming, he wondered why they hadn't done this before. It was so good to be held and petted and cradled, and to do those things in return. He had a chance to enjoy how well Methos fit against him, how well they moved together.The candlelight flickered over them and he pulled away for a moment, just long enough to store the image in his memory -- Methos, on his back, lightly sweating. His mouth looked swollen from being kissed, his chest was flushed. His eyes glowed golden in the light.Then he was pulling Duncan back down and rolling them over and Duncan went with it. He settled on his side and arched back into his lover, asking for more, but gently. Always gently. And Methos surprised him by having oil ready, by preparing him carefully, as if it were a first time and not one of hundreds.A last time. Duncan tried not to think it, but the thought intruded anyhow. It made him need more. He pushed back on the fingers inside him, moving more vigorously, and Methos stopped him with an iron hand on his hip. His breath tickled Duncan's ear as he whispered."Slowly, Highlander. We do this slowly, remember? It's what you wanted."Duncan wondered if it was what Methos wanted. If he had ever wanted it like this. He was afraid to ask.It was okay to be selfish, just this once. To say what he wanted, needed. It was a sign of how close they had become, despite their differences, that Methos would do this for him. "Yes," he breathed a reply, sliding a hand down his own chest, fingers travelling the ridges and valleys of his own stomach before reaching his aching cock. "It's what I want, Methos."He circled his cock with thumb and forefinger and stroked lightly, taking the edge off but not raising the intensity. With Methos' fingers inside him and his breath warm on Duncan's neck, he felt he could be happy just like this.Methos nuzzled underneath his hair and began kissing the back of his neck. He didn't bite; he kissed, he licked, he nibbled. It made Duncan shudder and moan. The fingers were removed gradually, and he felt the hard, hot heat of his lover's cock poised to enter him.Methos bit just a little bit, right at the base of Duncan's neck, as he began to press entry. Duncan groaned. It felt delicious. To be filled so completely, his body opened to the invasion, softening to make it easier. He shifted his upper leg forward a bit and was rewarded by the entire length slipping in. He groaned again, and reached back for Methos. He caught his lover's head to his neck with one hand, his hip tight with the other, and held him there."Just -" he groaned again. "Just be still. Let me feel you, for a minute.""Yes, Duncan." It sounded like Methos sighed. Duncan was too wrapped up in what he was feeling to worry about it, but he couldn't tell if it was a happy sigh, a contented sigh, or an annoyed one."Thank you," he whispered."Anything for you," Methos whispered back, and Duncan stiffened. He hadn't expected a declaration, but this was the closest he'd ever got.After an unmeasured time, his body wouldn't let him be still any longer. He gave up the closeness with a groan that was almost a sob, and released Methos' head and hip, reaching to stroke his own cock while Methos began to pull out. He did it slowly, but steadily, and then pushed in again the same way. Duncan shuddered hard."Again," he demanded, breathlessly.Methos kissed the back of his neck, and Duncan felt his smile as he did it again.True to his promise, Methos kept it slow and steady, letting the pleasure build in waves that washed over Duncan periodically. He wrapped an arm over Duncan's shoulder, his hand sliding up to lightly encircle his neck from the front. His other hand came over Duncan's hip to cover the hand Duncan was stroking himself with. He tangled their fingers together and Duncan let his head fall back to rest on Methos' shoulder as the other man scooted up in the bed. Panting through his open mouth, Duncan let himself be limp. He let himself be held. When Methos stopped thrusting he moaned a protest, turning his head, trying to see the other man's face."Shhh, Duncan," Methos crooned, there was no other way to describe it. "Trust me, Highlander.""Yes," Duncan gasped. He wanted to. He needed to. "Yes."Methos was pressed so tightly against him that Duncan could feel his lover's balls warm on his ass. Methos' cock was firmly planted on Duncan's prostate.He began to move, not stroking in and out, but undulating. Moving his hips in circles. It made his cock rub right on that spot, and Duncan felt himself flush hot. He lifted his leg, crooked it, and tried to open himself further, to let Methos in deeper.His entire being was focused on that movement, on that pressure inside him. He was vaguely aware that he was moaning continuously, the sound only broken by gasping sobs for air. Methos' hand on his cock stopped stroking and he circled the head with his fingers repeatedly while Duncan gripped the base. He was getting a little frantic. It was intense, too intense. He'd never felt anything like it.He should have known he was in over his head."Let it come, Highlander. Let it happen." The whispered coaxing was the final straw. At last the wave crested and Duncan felt his body go rigid with anticipation as the heat gathered low in his belly. Then it rolled through him and out of him and Methos had the head of his cock cupped warmly in his gentle hand and Duncan came until he thought the top of his head had come off.He lay, unable to breathe, the aftermath almost as powerful as the orgasm had been.Methos dropped a light, sweet kiss on his cheek, thrust three times and came himself, almost an afterthought. He groaned once, deeply, and his arms tightened around Duncan, holding him as close as possible."Methos," Duncan said finally, into the silence.The man stroked his hair away from his face tenderly and Duncan felt tears well in his eyes; foolish, sentimental, childish. He swallowed twice, trying to bring himself under control.Was this why they never did it this way? Was it too close to what he wanted, but was convinced he would never have? Did Methos know? Had he been sparing Duncan this?There could be no answers to questions he wouldn't ask. He tucked his head down, letting his hair fall forward again to hide his face, and wrapped his arms over Methos' where they held him.This would have to be enough. Somehow, he knew it was all he was going to get.He wouldn't be asking for it again.Methos freed an arm long enough to cover them, and then returned to holding Duncan. Exhausted by the day, and the workout and the emotions, Duncan lay in his arms heavily. Sleep crept up on him and he didn't fight it the way he had fought the tears.He didn't know when Methos slid from his body at last. Or when he slipped from the bed and blew out the candles.When the door opened and closed Duncan sat up, and stared into the darkness, faintly lit by city lights.He could just make out the features of the room.He quickly noted that his suitcase now sat alone.Still he didn't let the tears come. There was no use in it. He'd done what he'd done, and now he had to live with the consequences. There was just something inside of Methos that made him need to stay separate. Duncan had gotten too close. He'd known he was going to, and he'd done it anyway.Though he did not cry, he didn't sleep any more that night. He lay curled on the bed, the raw scent of sex in the air around him, and breathed in the touch of Methos left on the sheets and pillows. On his skin."So where do you want to start?" Samantha Brighton stood beside him in a storage room of Hallow House, the mansion Brighton had restored over the years. Duncan had been grimly amused to realize that it stood on Holy Ground, having once been a convent. At least no one would take his head while he was working. That made him more comfortable with taking off his coat and leaving it with the butler in the front hall. Peter had left for his office, giving Duncan the run of the grounds and his daughter as an assistant."Is any of it crated?" The collection seemed to take up one whole wall, on shelves and tables. There were boxes stacked under the tables."No, Daddy wanted to do this part first. We can crate it as we go, if you want, or you can just do your thing and we'll have someone in to do the manual labor later this week."Duncan glanced at her over his shoulder, trying to determine whether she was taunting him or not. This morning she was wearing jeans -- designer jeans, but jeans -- and a couple of tee shirts, layered, with her flat tummy showing. There was a jewelled ring in her navel."I'll pack it. That way I can be sure nothing will get confused."She held up a ledger. "You want me to document?""Sure." Already he was tired of playing games with her. If that was what she was doing. He'd spent so much time in Methos' company the last few years, it was possible he'd forgotten how to interact with normal people. Methos was as far from normal as you could get. "I'll just start at one end of the wall, and work my way across. Are there packing supplies here?""In the boxes." "Okay." Duncan put his hands on his hips and took a deep breath. He surveyed the wall.This was turning out to be a much larger job than he'd expected. It was Saturday morning, he had to be back to work on Tuesday. He would have to make progress quickly. "On second thought, why don't you help me pack?" He needed to get back to the University on time. In case Methos - no, he was being foolish. Methos would come back when he was ready, Duncan knew from experience that he hadn't just gone home."Sure." It seemed she couldn't decide if she was pleased by that or offended. He didn't care, as long as she got her share done.He didn't regret taking the job. It was just the sort of thing he needed to distract him from Methos' defection. The worst part was not knowing if, or when, the other man would come back. Normally he only stayed away a few days -- a couple of weeks at the most -- but things between them weren't normal right now. He felt responsible, but he also felt that it was wrong to keep hiding his real feelings to protect Methos.He went to the table and picked up a small vase. It was only four inches high, with a wide curved lip, and the glaze was a matte black so pure that it seemed to absorb the light around it. Duncan whistled softly, recognizing the value of the piece. Van Briggle's black was one of the rarest and most desirable colors.He flipped open one of his resource books, he'd brought several, and got to work.It went fairly quickly once he'd started. Many of the pieces had been valued before and he only had to adjust for the current projected market price.There were many exquisite pieces. He would have to ask Brighton if he were willing to sell one or two before the auction, Duncan would like to buy them. The first 4" black vase and a larger 10" vase in green-and-pink with the famed Iris pattern that was so difficult to find. Tessa had liked it.A servant brought lunch, roast beef and turkey sandwiches on nutty dark bread with pasta salad. Duncan ate as he worked, not wanting to take a break until he'd made some significant progress.It was a pleasure to handle beautiful things. There was quiet dance music from Samantha’s phone, hooked to a speaker. It made the atmosphere pleasant. Duncan slipped into a mood and a rhythm: pick a piece, study it, touch it, weigh it. Look it up, price it, tell Samantha. Wrap it, pack it, mark the box, and on to the next one. No hurry, just steady, steady. Occasionally he gave something a price higher or lower than she expected, and she told him so with a lift of her eyebrows or a questioning look, but she didn't argue. It was getting on toward dinner when she started talking."So where's your boyfriend?"Duncan stilled for a moment and then returned to what he was doing, answering as matter-of-factly as he could."Adam decided he needed some time to himself. He took off this morning.""Does he dump you frequently?" She smirked when he looked at her."He didn't dump me. He just needed some space.""I can't imagine why, with an ass like yours at home."Startled by the vulgarity of the comment, Duncan turned around, carefully cradling a larger vase against his chest."If you have a problem with my current sexual orientation, I'd be happy to request another assistant from your father. There's no need for us to spend any time together at all.""Then he'd scold me for not being helpful," she shrugged. "I just think it's wrong. What right do you have to go against the natural order of things?"Duncan sighed and turned back around, not answering her question."Besides, isn't he a little young for you? How old is he anyhow? Nineteen? Twenty? Not any older than twenty-two, I'm sure.""He's older than he looks." This wasn't an area anyone had ever commented on before, but it was something Duncan had thought about. What did people think when they saw him with Methos, who, in his Adam persona, looked barely over twenty, definitely not old enough dating a man apparently thirty-five. He didn't really care what people thought, never had, but he liked to avoid conflict when he could."Not by that much." She made a sound of mockery. "So, you're the bottom, right? I've always read that in these relationships it's usually the one that looks dominant that takes the woman's part."This was too much. Duncan set the piece down and turned. He wanted to grab her arm and shake her, but managed to restrain himself."For the record -" he paused, closed his eyes briefly, and drew strength from inside. "We are not women; therefore there is no 'woman's part'. What my lover and I do in bed together is no one's business, and particularly not yours. If you canna keep yer thoughts to yerself, I will call your father and tell him that I canna complete this job under these circumstances." He was distressed to hear how much his accent slipped, proving he was more upset than he'd thought."Geez Loiuse," she held up both hands defensively. "I was just trying to make a little conversation. "You don't have to take it so personally.""It is personal," he snarled. "That's the whole bloody point!""I was just curious -- I've never met a gay man before. Not face-to-face, exactly. I mean, not where I could talk to him..." she trailed off as Duncan began walking toward the far door. "Where are you going?""I'm done here." Duncan didn't look back. He didn't need this. "I took this job as a favor to an old customer, not because I need the money. I'll call your father tonight, and tell him that something came up.""You can't go!" she almost wailed. "He'll get pissed at me and take my damned car away again!"Duncan stopped and faced her."Samantha, you're what, thirty? And still living at home under Daddy's roof? Under his rules? Why don't you get a job, get a bloody life?!""As long as I do what he wants, I'll never have to work," she pouted.“If I come back to finish, I don't want you anywhere near me.""He won't understand that -"Duncan was out the door before she could protest further. A servant brought him his coat and showed him the door, and he climbed into the rented SUV with a deep sigh. He was disappointed, in himself and the world. He could have handled that better.He could have handled so many things better. Why did he have to ask for something Methos couldn't give? Why couldn't he have left things the way they were?He wanted a chance to explain.Well, he had the time. He could always hunt Methos down and sit on him until they talked it out. Duncan was willing to give him space, to keep things friendly, anything Methos wanted, as long as he stayed a part of Duncan's life. As long as he said he would come back again eventually.That's what he wanted to do. It felt like the right thing, deep inside.He started the truck and drove back to the hotel. He would check out, call Joe to see if he knew anything, and go to the airport to see what he could find. He knew a couple of kids at the University that could hack the airline computer if he asked.He would find out where Methos had gone and follow him. Find him and make him listen to what Duncan had to say.Peter Brighton wouldn't be happy about it, but Duncan would make it up to him."There are several site watchers assigned to JFK," Joe told him on the phone three hours later. Duncan was sitting in the airport parking lot on his cellphone. "But I can't just start asking around, Mac. When Adam left the Watchers, he made some promises. If I start tracking him someone will notice, and his integrity will be questioned. I don't have to tell you what can happen to a Watcher that doesn't keep his promises."It was too early for Dawson to be up. He'd turned the day-to-day running of the bar over to Mike last year, and now considered himself semi-retired. It was hard for Duncan to think of him that way. And he was only retired from his day job; he was still Duncan's Watcher full time. He still made the trek to Paris every year when Duncan did, though they no longer traveled together. It had become too dangerous for them both.There had been a time when Duncan would have bought a third plane ticket for this trip, and booked a second hotel room, just so Joe could come with them. They would have caught a show on Broadway and visited Central Park, because Joe liked those places.That time was long past. Ever since O'Rourke, Duncan made an effort to keep the most vulnerable of his friends out of the line of fire. If that meant they couldn't be friends the way they used to; he accepted that. Especially these last few years. As long as he had Methos beside him he could manage without anyone else.The Clan MacLeod had shrunk substantially. It was sad, but necessary."I understand, Joe. I was just hoping that someone might have recognized him. He was a Watcher, after all.""But he left us to start an affair with you," Joe answered. "It didn't do anything for his credibility.""And eventually someone is going to twig to the fact that I didn't teach him swordsmanship out of the need for a sparing partner."He heard Joe's sigh and wished he hadn't brought that up."If I'm lucky, it'll happen after I die," Joe told him roughly. "I don't need that kind of hassle in my life at this stage."Duncan sucked in a breath and held it for a moment. The reality of Joe dying was becoming closer every year and he wasn't ready to face it. It seemed like every time they spoke lately, the mortal man mentioned something along these lines.Duncan wanted to know if something had happened, if Joe had found something out, but he couldn't bring himself to ask. If Joe was sick, then Duncan would have to become involved. He would do whatever it took to keep his friend as long as he could.It wasn't like he could just step back into the life he'd had before, though, was it? So, again, he didn't ask."I'll call you once I know where I'm going," he said. "Save you the trouble of tracking me down.""I'd appreciate it," Joe drawled. He'd once expressed to Duncan the inherent illogic of trusting the Immortal to report his activities when Duncan resented the Watchers as much as he did. But this way he didn't have to go chasing after him, which was probably the best thing all around. "Talk to you later." It seemed he was ready to get off the phone, but then he spoke up again. "Oh, yeah, Mac?""Yeah, Joe?""Connor went to Scotland. Next month is Heather's birthday."Duncan resisted the urge to smack himself. How could he have forgotten?"Right, Joe. Thanks for reminding me.""Anytime, Mac. Anytime." Dawson hung up without saying anything else.Duncan sat for a moment, eyes closed, the phone pressed to his forehead.Of course. How could he have forgotten? Connor had spent nearly forty years with Heather. Had the kind of relationship Duncan had searched for, the kind he'd hoped to have with Tessa. It was unlike Connor to be predictable, but he did return to the Highlands every once in a while to celebrate that love in memory.So, Duncan was on his own. All he had to do was figure out which name Methos had used, and which plane he'd gotten on. Of course, which airport he used was also going to be an issue...Hah. He could find that out quickly enough. He called the hotel."This is Duncan MacLeod. I'm at JFK, about to catch a flight to join my companion Adam Pierson; he wanted me to check something for him, but I didn't get all the information before he had to go into the conference he's attending."Probably too much information, but he'd never become an accomplished liar, something he was perversely proud of, despite the difficulties it could create in his life.He'd called Methos his companion before. It didn't fit right, but it was better than 'boyfriend'. Way better than 'boy toy'."Yes, of course, Mr. MacLeod." He knew the man had looked him up in the computer now and registered his credit card status. More and more these days people that didn't know him judged him on his wealth and not his character, but he'd let it slide this time. "How can I help you?""Adam had to leave early this morning," he was guessing at the time, "He took a cab, but he can't remember the name of the company. He thinks he left his sunglasses in it.""Ah, yes. Just a moment, let me ask the doorman." Duncan silently blessed Methos' laziness and grinned. "The doorman put him on the LaGuardia shuttle. Would you like me to call them for you?""No, just give me the number, I wouldn't want to take up any more of your time.""It's no bother, Mr. MacLeod." The man rattled off a number, and Duncan said thank you and goodbye and hung up. He didn't need the number. He knew which airport Methos had flown out of and that was where he was going next.As he drove out of the JFK parking lot, he considered the idea that Methos had only used that shuttle as a decoy, to throw him off the trail. But Methos didn't know Duncan was following him. After all, Duncan had never followed him before.Maybe Methos had wanted him to?The thought was so stunning that he sat through a whole green light, with horns blaring behind him, as he absorbed it.What if one of the reasons Methos left was to test Duncan? It fit completely with the way the oldest's mind worked. He couldn't just say something, he had to be sure of it first.It usually worked this way; Methos left, sometimes warning Duncan first, more often not. He dropped off the face of the Earth for days or, rarely, weeks, and then he returned. Each time he left, Duncan missed him and Duncan worried about him. Each time he returned, Duncan made certain that he slid right back into his spot in Duncan's life without the slightest bit of turmoil. Maybe Methos wanted some turmoil?Duncan always told him he missed him. He tried not to make too big a deal of it, but he always found himself making an extra effort to spend time with Methos whenever Methos came back.He pressed the accelerator, ignoring the angry sounds from the cars behind him, and laughed quietly as he headed for the Interstate.Methos wanted Duncan to follow him. Wanted Duncan to find him. Well, at least, Duncan thought he did. Maybe. When Duncan found him, maybe then Duncan could say what he'd wanted to say last night and Methos wouldn't run away. Because Duncan had followed him.The airport would be a real trial. There was no way to predict where Methos had gone or what name he was using. But Duncan was better at cloak-and-dagger than the old man thought. He'd learned something during all those years with Amanda, after all.He laughed a little bit more, and drove a little bit faster. The sooner he found him, the sooner he could say what he needed to say."Duncan MacLeod." He answered the satellite phone with a touch of irritation. The last three days had been - well, the less said the better. Now that he'd finally picked up Methos' trail again, he didn't much feel like being distracted from his mission.Find Methos, tell Methos. "Mac?" He could barely hear the voice, but thought he recognized the strong new York snap."Peter Brighton?" Just to be sure. The University had called twice. His classes were being covered by TA's, Adam's, too, but those in charge were somewhat less than pleased with the projected return date of two of the most popular professors."Yes, yes. MacLeod, what did you do to my daughter?!""Your daughter? Samantha?" He remembered exchanging harsh words with the woman, but sleep had been a rare commodity the past few days as he followed up on lead after clue after hunch."Yes, Samantha! She's moved out! She gave me back the Mercedes I bought her! She's going to college, for Chrissakes'!""Oh." He hadn't expected to have any effect on the woman, much less a significant one. "I have no idea, Peter," he told him. The jeep bumped and he winced. There wasn't a lot of padding on the ancient seat. Only for you, Methos, he said silently. Only for you would I be out here, doing this. "Um - aren't those good things for her to be doing?""No!" It was clear Peter wasn't taking his daughter's belated enthusiasm for independence well. "I liked having her live here with me, Duncan. I liked having her around.""Peter, she's your daughter, not a pet." Oops. Too much, maybe.There was silence on the other end of the line."But I miss her, MacLeod." Duncan hit the brake and juggled the phone as he bounced. If the map the guide had given him was close to correct, he was in the right place.A vista of poverty stretched out before him. There were lines of mud brick shacks in rows. It was eerily quiet."She's still your daughter, Peter," he told the phone. He had never been close with this man. They had barely been acquaintances, so many years ago. In the wake of his unwanted divorce, Peter Brighton was lonelier than Duncan had thought. "Make an effort to keep her as part of your life, and I'm sure she'll welcome your help.""MacLeod, what do you mean by that? Mac-"Duncan turned off the phone. The last thing he wanted was to be interrupted by it right now.He clipped the phone to his belt and climbed out, shutting the door carefully to avoid a slam.He sighed and closed his eyes. He could feel Methos. Feel him close. His buzz was muted somewhat, but not altogether.Duncan looked around again. There were signs of life among the shacks, a few people peeking out windows, dark eyes watching him warily.This was Kiriman. A small settlement in rural Bangladesh. Duncan didn't even want to think about what it had taken to get himself here. The number of people he had bribed, the smirk on the face of the pilot that had flown him illegally over the border. The only reason Duncan had trusted him was because, two days ago, the man had done the same for Methos.Well. He would have to quit believing that his lover ran off like this to laze about and enjoy the good life. For the life of him, Duncan couldn't imagine what had drawn the world's oldest man to this God-forsaken place.Judging by the strength of the unmuted buzz , Methos was tired, and about fifty yards away.Duncan shrugged to settle his coat on his shoulders. He was getting a bad feeling about this. Suppose Methos wasn't here by choice? There were so many things he didn't know about his lover's past. For a while there it had seemed that every time he turned around he was learning some new unpleasant fact.One thing he was sure of; he wasn't going to just go barging in as he'd originally planned. That had been before he saw this place.Before he smelled it, and tasted it in the back of his mouth.Despair had a sour flavor. He'd tasted it before.The buzz became stronger as he slogged between shacks around the back of another row. There were people on this side; even a few children, playing half-heartedly in the stinking mud. They looked at him with protruding eyes that matched their sad tummies, stick legs stretched out in front of them.They didn't seem disturbed by his presence. They scarcely seemed to see him at all.Duncan crept to the back of the shack. He was absolutely certain that Methos was inside it. But why didn't the other man come out? Why didn't he react to Duncan's presence, which he must feel? It wasn't like he could be upwind or something; it was there.This, more than anything, convinced Duncan that something was wrong. The shack was built of flimsy material. Its original form was undetectable. There were cracks in the roughly formed walls. Duncan got close enough to look into one.He pulled away, and then looked again. Were his eyes playing tricks on him? Methos sat on the floor beside a woman, who lay on a rough bed of rags. There was an electric lantern illuminating the dim interior.The woman was obviously, visibly gravid, and, in fact, seemed to be in the last stage of labor. Methos was holding her hand as he knelt between her legs. Duncan couldn't see his other hand, it was at her crotch, the view blocked by Methos' body. The hand that held the woman's was taut with tension and covered in blood.The shack had a dirt floor and no furniture at all. Methos had no medical supplies with him. Duncan was going to go around, go in and help, get the new mother and infant to a hospital, or at least someplace cleaner, but then the woman moaned, a low animal sound, and Methos spoke."It's coming. It's almost over. Your child will be here soon." He spoke in English, though Duncan realized there was almost no chance the woman understood him.She moaned again, and her voice rose quickly to a piercing scream. Duncan flinched, and then flinched again when he felt something touch him. He looked down and saw that a child was touching his leg. Not to offer comfort, or ask it; it seemed he- she? - it just wanted to touch the fabric of his jeans.The child didn't react at all to the tide of screams coming from inside the shack. No one did. The most shocking part of the whole thing was what Duncan knew. He knew the woman was probably Moslem - 80% of the population here was - why was Methos alone with her? Where was her husband, her family?Duncan forced himself to look away from the doomed child that touched him, and back into the shack.Methos was holding an infant. It was thin and it arched in his arms almost violently. It did not cry.He scooted on his knees around the mother and held the baby close for her to see."Look," he said quietly. The screams had stopped, and Duncan hadn't noticed. "Look at your daughter."The mother tipped her head obediently, and reached her hand weakly, fingers ghosting over the torso of the squirming newborn."Would you like to hold her?" Methos asked, and it sounded wrong to Duncan. The way he said it, the way it felt.The mother reached with both hands and Methos gently laid the baby, naked and covered with blood and the by-products of birth, into her arms.She stared at the baby, and for the first time her face showed an expression other than pain.She smiled.It didn't make her beautiful. She was gaunt and bloody and her body was twisted painfully.She smiled at her baby. And Duncan was so caught up in the moment that he didn't see what Methos was doing.Not until he saw the glint of metal and saw the flash of the blade as the man he loved took a large knife and, with one sure slash, opened the vein in the mother's leg. She screamed once, but the new pain, on top of the birth and starvation, was too much. Methos moved back up to her head to catch the baby just before it fell from her arms.Duncan gasped. He heard the ocean in his ears. The world tilted beneath him, and he was adrift.Nothing he believed was true, and nothing he knew was right.It was the end of the world, and he'd lived to see it.He slid down the side of the shack, face pressed to the crack, watching the blood pour from her body and puddle on the dirt floor, adding to the slime and filth already there.Somehow he knew that Methos was wrapping the newborn in a towel he produced from a pocket. That he was tucking the baby into his shirt and buttoning the coat over it. He even knew that Methos had left the shack, eventually.In a fleeting moment of awareness, he knew that Methos had not known he was there. His lover had delivered a baby, killed the mother and walked away, all without knowing that Duncan had watched him do it.What did this mean?Duncan sat in the refuse behind the shack long after night fell. The child that had touched him sat beside him for a while. Then something moved her, and she got up and went away.Duncan sat. He looked into the shack at the woman. Methos had left the lantern. Apparently he wasn't worried about leaving fingerprints or being tracked.He didn't know how Methos had gotten here. He hadn't seen another vehicle, or heard one start up. This place was deathly silent. A tomb.Duncan knew what was happening to him. He'd been on autopilot before. He knew that he had to get up, to call the authorities, to report what he had seen.He couldn't do it. It wasn't because he didn't think they would care. He knew they wouldn't. That shouldn't have mattered, and it didn't.It was that he didn't care. He'd taken one too many blows to his worldview in the last few hours. He would have preferred being hit in the head, if given a choice. A roundhouse punch to the heart was too painful to be borne. Especially when it came from the person you loved above all others.At last, he began considering his options. What could he do? Surely Methos had a reason for this. An explanation. Doubtless it would be one that made Duncan feel even worse, but there had to be one. The oldest among them did nothing without a reason. With only the rarest of exceptions, it was a reason that would benefit him.From watching the birth, Duncan was positive this wasn't the first time Methos had done this. It had all been too slick, too planned. That meant that Methos wanted that baby for something.Duncan shuddered suddenly and turned his head, falling forward and catching himself on his hands as he vomited into the mud. Far too many possibilities had opened to him with that thought.He had wondered how Methos had survived so long; oh God, did that baby have something to do with it?!It was so horrifying that he found his feet. He stood, wiping his mouth the back of his hand, and walked.Whatever Methos was going to do, whatever he wanted, needed, planned to do to that helpless innocent, Duncan was going to be there to stop it.Then he would take the man's head, and try to live with himself for as long as it took to find someone to kill him.His eyes searched the piled ground for signs of Methos' trail, and he found them. There weren't many size elevens in this neighborhood, and fewer Timberland hiking boots.If he had to kill Methos -- and at the moment it seemed the only rational response for any God-loving barbarian -- then he hoped Connor would have the heart to kill him. He didn't want to waste his Quickening on some vicious headhunter, especially after he added Methos' power to it, and he refused to live with that inside him. Connor would be able to handle it.The trail was easy to follow. Methos was making no effort to hide his tracks. He probably felt safe; there was little chance of being punished here, for this crime. These people were worthless to their society, except as cannon fodder. No one would miss one woman who somehow managed to carry her pregnancy to term but died anyhow. No one would miss another starving child that didn't get a chance to grow up.There were, miraculously, a few pathetic trees growing on the edges of the dump. Duncan followed the tracks through them, and found himself in a much smaller and slighter better shanty-town. It was just as quiet here, everyone asleep or dying or both.The thin wail of a newborn roused him from his unintended reverie, and he headed for the last shack on the end. It had a door, and seemed to be lit from within.This time Duncan approached with less caution. He didn't care if Methos felt him, if Methos heard him. He had his hand on the hilt of the katana, the weight of it strangely uncomforting this night.It was a better shack, but still a shack. The baby's cries stopped, and Duncan thought his heart would as well, but when he got close enough to peek in he was startled by what he saw.Methos sat on a low chair, the baby wrapped warmly in a pink blanket, a little hat on its tiny head. It was striped red-and-white, just the sort of thing a baby should wear.He was rocking his body slowly as he tried to coax her to suckle from a bottle he held.Understanding that the baby was safe for the moment, Duncan let his eyes wander the single room.There was a gasoline-powered heater. Collapsible camping furniture; the chair, a cot, a low table.There was also a camp stove, and a pack beside it that he assumed held food. There was a can of solid fuel burning and a pan of water on the stove. Duncan thought he must have heated the bottle.A small plastic bin held bloody water. There were several small towels piled beside it.He had bathed the baby and now he was feeding it. Crooning to it. With the same voice he used when he comforted Duncan. MacLeod had only heard it twice, but he recognized it. The low, soothing sound that might have meant love.Duncan was deeply, desperately confused.In the face of this confusion, he wanted to retreat. Go away, go home, pretend he hadn't seen any of this. That he had never smelled or tasted this place.Only, Methos still had the baby, and no matter how kind he was to it at the moment, there had to be something deeper going on here. Something darker.With his sword held low, Duncan pushed through the flimsy door.Methos jumped up like he'd been hit, turning and crouching and reaching for his coat on the other side of the room all in one movement. His body was folded low over the now-crying baby, protecting it.He froze and said something in a language Duncan didn't understand. "What?" Duncan asked stupidly.Methos straightened slowly, both arms around the baby, automatically rocking and soothing her. She continued to wail, apparently heart-broken by the interruption of her first meal."I said, what in God's name are you doing here, Highlander?"Methos repeated in slow, stilted English. Duncan was sure he'd never seen anyone so angry, not in all of his four hundred-plus years.It oozed off the older man, visibly. Duncan had to work hard to resist the urge to step back, even though he was the one with the sword.He'd wondered a few times what it would be like to have 5,000 years focused on him. Most of the time, he only got bits and parts of Methos, and he'd known that. So he'd wondered.He wasn't wondering that anymore. Now he was wondering if he would survive it."I followed you." Truth, truth, truth.Moving slowly, Methos shifted the baby so that he could lean over and pick up the bottle. There was a thick cloth spread over the floor. Duncan hadn't noticed it before because it was the same dark brown as the dirt.He watched while Methos dipped the nipple of the bottle into the hot water, then blew on it to cool it before offering it to the baby again. She grunted and waved her tiny fists and sucked fiercely."What the fuck is going on, Methos?" Duncan let the tip of the katana sink to the floor, but he didn't put it away.With a sketched version of his usual just-a-guy shrug, Methos straightened his overturned chair with one hand. He somehow wrapped his other arm around the baby well enough to keep her secure against his chest and keep the bottle in her mouth, and then he sat down."Why in the world would you follow me?" he answered the question with another one."I thought - I thought -" it all seemed so god-damned stupid right now that Duncan couldn't even say it. Romantic bullshit. "I don't know.""You thought I wanted you to," Methos laughed. It was utterly without humor. "I knew getting involved with you was a bad idea. It just never occurred to me you'd go to this length.""Don't change the subject, Methos. Whatever my reasons were, they aren't important any longer. This -what you've done -- this is so far out of the realm that I can't begin to discuss it." Duncan's temper was rising."Then don't." Methos took the bottle from the now-drowsy baby's mouth and sat her up in his lap, expertly draping a towel over his hand before he began patting her on the back. She drooped, half-asleep, as he burped her gently.She was tiny. Duncan was astonished that something that small was so alive. He remembered when Mary had been born, how frightened he had been for Anne, but even Mary had been bigger than this scrap of humanity."Give her to me." He made a decision, and stepped forward aggressively."She's going to spit up all over you," Methos said softly. Duncan felt something twist inside himself, but reached for her anyhow.Methos let her take the baby from his arms. He leaned back in the chair, his hands between his knees, and watched while Duncan lay the baby on his shoulder and resumed the burping.Methos' eyes were blank, his face unreadable when he spoke again."You watched?"Duncan refused to look at him. He nodded."All of it." It wasn't a question. Duncan didn't act like it was. "I can just imagine what you thought I was going to do with her," Methos' voice cracked low, cutting Duncan like a whip. "Witchcraft, Duncan? Perhaps Satanism? Oh, I know; Thuggees."Duncan felt the little chest lurch with a burp, and stopped patting. She whimpered, a kittenish sound, and he began to rub her back as gently as he could.She quieted. One of her fists somehow got into his hair and she held on with more strength than he would have thought such a tiny being could possess.Methos was just sitting there. Duncan stood, swaying slightly, the baby sleeping on his shoulder.And he realized what he was feeling.He had to turn slowly, so he didn't wake her, but when he did, his eyes landed on Methos with hot accusation."She's one of us."When Methos looked up at him, Duncan recognized, for the first time, what he was looking at. He recognized the creature in the eyes of the man he loved. Had loved. Did love.He was talking to the oldest living person on the planet.It was hard to breathe. Without a sound he went to his knees, only vaguely remembering that he held a newborn infant, and that she was sleeping. That she was fragile and vulnerable and couldn't be dropped.He did not drop her. It must have been divine intervention, but he didn't drop her.The urge to bow his head to the floor was overwhelming."Get up." A boot nudged his knee, ungently. "You bloody fool, get up."That was asking too much. But Duncan did force himself to look up.At eyes that weren't even human.At eyes that were far too human."You thought you wanted to know, Duncan MacLeod," Methos crooned in that lost voice that seemed to come from millennia ago. "Now you know. What do you think now?""I'm going to be sick again." Duncan whispered, and promptly was.Methos rescued the baby from his trembling hands, and carried her over to the cot, where he lay her down while Duncan retched helplessly, bile running from his mouth, burning his throat, clogging his nose. For a moment he thought he was going to choke on it, the spasms were so powerful.Then large hands closed around his head and tipped it to the side and something soft wiped his face, taking the time to squeeze the foul fluid from his nostrils and he could breathe. Gasping, choking, but breathe.As soon as he thought his body would obey him, he scrambled away from Methos and pressed his back to the coarse wall.He now knew the definition of terror. He'd thought he'd been afraid before, but he had been very wrong.Methos crouched, the towel still in his hand, and looked at him."What, Highlander?"The ancient creature had gone back into hiding. But Duncan had seen it, Duncan knew."You -- you're -""Everything I was yesterday, and last week, and last month." Methos spread his hands and gave a bashful smile. It fit his face like he'd been born to it. Duncan found himself struggling for air again. "No more and no less than I always was, Duncan. No more and no less.""Ye are more." Duncan snarled. "Ye are -- unnatural!" He spluttered, the hypocrisy of the statement escaping him in the heat of the moment. "You are no' human!""Ah, but I am." Methos looked over at the baby, and then back at Duncan. He sat, folding his legs neatly, his hands in his lap, fingers laced. "There's the great secret, Duncan MacLeod. We all are. Human.""We're Immortal," Duncan spat. "I am, she is, you are!""We're humans." Methos repeated, as if he was talking to a disbelieving child. "Each and every one of us. Conceived of mortal mothers with mortal fathers, birthed by mortal bodies.""Immortals don't have mothers." He couldn't accept this. Wouldn't."Yes, we do. I knew yours." Methos' gaze was steady and kind."Did you kill her?" Duncan moaned, bringing his hands up to hold his head when it seemed it would spin off into space. "By the Gods, Methos, did you kill her?!""Yes." The simple answer was enough to trigger another bout of dry-heaving for Duncan. This time he was too weak to resist the hands that held him, the cloth that cleaned him, by the time it was over."It's not me," Methos said kindly. "It's her. She's drawing on your Quickening. The longer a newborn is exposed to an Immortal, the stronger they become. I try to give them all at least a few days, to get them off to a good start.""This is insane," Duncan gagged. His head was in Methos' lap and that was the last place he wanted to be, ever again. Methos rubbed his back, much as Duncan had rubbed the baby's."It is that." He said it like it was taken for granted. Like this was normal."How long?" Duncan needed to know, with a sudden urgency. "How?""Lie still and I'll tell you a story." Methos patted him and then began to stroke his hair. It made Duncan shudder, and he stopped. His hands moved to lie still on the neutral ground of Duncan's waist.With an effort, Duncan made himself be still. His nose was still burning from the stomach acids he'd tried to exhale, and he couldn't smell the man that held him.He was very, very glad of that."Two thousand years ago, Highlander." Methos began quietly. "Two thousand years ago and change, I was Death. I rode with my three brothers and together we brought pain and suffering to the world. It was glorious."Duncan shuddered."Then, one day, completely out of the blue, something came to me. A gift. I didn't want it."Duncan waited, unwilling to hear more, unable to make him stop. "It hit me literally like a brick. One of those heavy mud-and-straw ones we used for houses so long ago."He paused. He seemed to be waiting for something. Duncan had nothing to give."It was like getting kicked between the eyes by a large horse," Methos continued at last. "One minute I was Death, and the next I was, somehow, the oldest Immortal. And I learned what that meant in the span of an instant that lasted forever."Like this night. Duncan just wanted to go home, to drink himself into a stupor and wake up to convince himself he'd dreamed all of this."The thing is, you can't un-know something," Methos sighed. "I would have tried if I hadn't understood from the beginning that it's not possible. Once I knew, I knew. Once I was, I was."He paused again. Then he traced the curve of Duncan's jaw with one fingertip. Duncan shivered involuntarily."On that morning, somewhere in the world, someone older than I died. I became the oldest. And I inherited the burden."He nodded toward the cot, where the baby made hardly a noticeable bump."It can be a beautiful thing, of course, but it is above all a burden. The burden.""I don't understand," Duncan whispered desperately."Of course you don't. You're barely out of infancy yourself, MacLeod. How can you expect to understand my life?""Tell me." As afraid as he was to know, not knowing would be worse. If he was going to survive this with his mind intact, he would have to understand it first. Already he could feel the tethers of reality slipping their moorings. He thought he heard Tessa's voice, calling to him sweetly. "Please," he begged shamelessly."I will try." Duncan waited. Tessa's voice was stronger now. He could picture her face as she called his name, from their bed, at the store. She was waiting for him. He wanted to go to her, but Methos began speaking at last."I've done some research. Several lifetimes' worth. And the best I can do to explain it is like this; we are a mutation. A genetic mistake that only seems to appear in certain populations under certain circumstances."Duncan made a sound; even he didn't recognize it."They are always poor. They are frequently on the verge of starvation. They always die moments after the birth. They die in agony.""Ma, ma, mothers..." Duncan gasped. When had it become so hard to breathe?"Yes. The mothers. Our mothers." Methos kept talking, slow and steady. He didn't seem to notice that Duncan was slowly dying in his lap. And he wasn't sure he would come back from this one. "Over the years I've managed to identify several specific genetic disorders that seem to be involved in the mutation, and several traits that can be identified as a result of it." His hand patted Duncan's head."The most obvious one is the over-active adrenal gland. It gives us our strength, the ridiculously strong sex drives, and it makes us sterile. Female Immortals don't have the monthly cycles of normal females because of the testosterone that works so well with the adrenaline. The extra testosterone has pretty much the same effect as the adrenaline. Both combined make us rampantly aggressive.""Quick - quicken-- " if he was going to die, he would understand this first."We store energy that others can't access." Methos shrugged lightly. "I didn't say it was a perfect theory, Duncan. In the last two thousand years, since this burden was given to me, I have delivered seven hundred and ninety-three Immortal children. We all know that we have to die a violent death for the Immortality to kick in, and it has to be after puberty has begun, even if it has barely begun. The hormones clearly trigger it."Duncan would have moaned, but there was no air left in his lungs. Methos patted him again."It will get better in a few minutes. She's sleeping pretty deeply now, it should drop off."That did not make Duncan feel any better. At this moment death was looking pretty appealing. Particularly if it would be permanent, and he wouldn't have to deal with this increasingly unreal situation.In his mind, Tessa was beginning to get frustrated with him."There's one thing I want you to know." Methos was shifting him, putting Duncan's head on the floor, moving away and standing. He stared down at Duncan, and Duncan flopped like a dying fish. "I would have told you. If you lived long enough. I was going to tell you. I was looking forward to it. To having one other person who knew. Who understood."He dropped his head until his chin touched his chest."It would have made me happy to tell you, Mac."He turned his back on Duncan at about the same time Tessa got demanding and Duncan closed his eyes and went to her. Life left him in a sweet, welcome rush.**Duncan raised his head cautiously.It didn't hurt. It seemed to still be firmly attached to his shoulders.So. He lived.What the fuck was he supposed to do now?For starters, he looked around.He was somewhere else now. Unless he was hallucinating -- a real possibility under the circumstances -- he was on a bed.In a reasonably-priced hotel. Or motel, more likely.There was a second bed a few feet away. The covers were mussed.He was alive, and he felt Methos coming. Duncan sat up.The door opened, and Methos came in. The baby was in an orange-flowered carrier on the other bed."You're awake. Good, just in time." The man bustled in. "I thought you were going to miss it, and there was no way you'd believe me when I explained.""Explained what?" he felt thick and stupid. Had he dreamed it? Any of it?"It's a good thing I didn't tell you about this before." Methos gave him Adam's grin, from Adam's face. "Having you dead for a week has been less than helpful.""I've been dead a week?!""She didn't mean it." Methos bent his neck and kissed the top of the baby's head. "But I am glad you're back. I haven't named her yet, I was rather hoping you would want to. Poor thing has been called 'baby' since she was born.""Name her?" Duncan said faintly. Methos was gathering things, packing them up. Duncan was aware that he was naked, and clean. "Before I give them up, I name them." Methos said, as if that were obvious."You named me?" It was a jump in logic that he regretted as soon as he made it."’Duncan’ is a strong, masculine name. It suits you." Clothes were thrown at him without malice."You named me." Duncan repeated, musing. He dressed slowly, not trusting his body after the extended death, but he felt fine. He felt good. "Where are we going?" he asked, and then thought that perhaps he should have asked where they were first."The airport. Her new parents are meeting us there to take her home. The paperwork's been done, they're very anxious to meet her.""Parents?" Duncan picked up the two suitcases when Methos pointed at them. Methos was carrying a maroon diaper bag with a faint embossed pattern of - teddy bears?"I only deliver them, Duncan, I don't raise them. And there isn't always time to find good homes for them. I've delivered a baby while being hunted more than once. One of the good things about 'modern' society is that there are agencies set up that want to find babies for people, and a lot of them aren’t always careful about where those babies come from."Duncan caught up with him in the hall; Methos had walked while he talked. The new boots Duncan wore were the right size, but stiff.He looked over Methos' shoulder at the sleeping infant and marveled at the change in her.In only a week she seemed to have gained ten pounds. Her skin was dusky and flushed with health. Her hair fluffed around her round head in cute little curls.She was wearing a yellow onesie -- Duncan had learned the word from Anne -- and she looked too perfect to be real."Think of a name, Highlander." Methos told him when they climbed into the taxi. It turned out that the baby-carrier in his hand doubled as a car seat. He strapped her in with amusing care while the taxi-driver rolled his eyes at them. "She's going to need one fairly soon.""Won't the - the parents want to name her?""It's a condition of the adoption." Methos grinned at him. Adam's grin, Adam's face. It was disconcerting. "I do free private adoptions for carefully chosen families. They don't complain about the names."Duncan, still searching for an anchor in the new world he'd rejoined, sat silent for the rest of the ride.In the first class waiting room of a major airline, two men waited. As soon as Duncan and Methos walked in, Methos carrying the baby and Duncan her things, it was clear who they were. They stood and stared as if they were afraid to come closer."I chose them because of you, Highlander." Methos leaned close enough to tell him quietly. "Because of what you and I found together. I've never given a baby to a gay couple before."Duncan swallowed heavily. He wasn't ready to go there. He didn't think he ever would be.Methos was no longer just the old man, in his mind. Now he knew what Methos was, and he'd seen who he was.He didn't think he could love something so different from himself."Are you Michael Angelis?" the younger parent-to-be asked.Caught off-guard, Duncan snorted at the name and smothered it in a cough. Methos threw him a dirty look and stepped forward, holding out the baby to the shorter of the two men, who was dark-skinned and of Asian descent."Yes, Zhuang. I am so glad to finally meet you. And you, Jonathan." He offered a hand and the taller man; blond and athletic, shook it, but his attention was on the Asian man and the baby."Oh, she's beautiful." Zhuang had tears in his eyes. Jonathan reached around him to touch her, and began crying. "Isn't she beautiful?"Methos watched them. He watched with a certain stillness that Duncan thought he might understand.He went to him and stood beside him, to watch with him.After several minutes of pure emotion, Zhuang looked at Methos."So, what is her name? I hope it's something as beautiful as she is."Methos looked at Duncan. Duncan met the eyes of the man holding the baby."Tessa Noel." He didn't know what he was going to say until the words left his mouth. "Tessa Noel.""Tessa." "Tessa Noel, Tessa, Tess, Tessa."They tried it out and she stirred. Both men broke into tear-streaked smiles."It suits her," Jonathan said."Yes," Methos agreed, watching Duncan. "It does."There were last-minute papers to sign. Duncan watched the way Zhuang cared for the baby while Jonathan took care of the details. They seemed to work well together as a team. Methos gave them a short lecture and answered a couple of nervous questions, but it was plain that these men had prepared themselves for this day. They were ready for a baby.When the flight attendant came to get them, Zhuang kissed her face and handed her to Jonathan like it had all been planned ahead of time. It was so natural that Duncan felt like he might cry, too.He was startled by the hug the short man launched at him, and couldn't help laughing when Methos got the same treatment. The two new parents practically danced onto the airplane.Duncan watched it take off, Methos by his side."Where are they taking her?" he asked when he could no longer see the plane. "San Francisco?""Blech, no." Methos touched his shoulder and they started walking out. "Their first stop is to the Embassy to get her a visa. Then they'll take her home to Idaho. Zhuang is a radio DJ and Jonathan is a radiologist. They both have families there that are very supportive of the adoption, so they'll have plenty of help.""Sounds like you know a lot about them.""I work hard to find the best families." They were out in the main entry now. Duncan paused and gave Methos a hard look."So what happened to Richie?" He hadn't spoken the name in years. Richie hadn't ended up in a good family with aunts and uncles and cousins to love him.Methos sighed."He was born in a hospital, Mac. It was all I could do to get close enough to make sure he lived. Short of kidnapping, there wasn't anything I could do. He was adopted right away, but those parents died only a few months later.""You could have told him that. It would have meant the world to him." Duncan said, unwilling to forgive."And explain it how?" Methos shrugged. "I know why you came after me, MacLeod, and it was sweet, in a juvenile, pathetically romantic way. But now you know, so we don't have to pretend anymore. You aren't ready to accept me, and I can't live with anything less."He paused. Duncan stood in front of him. He couldn't think of anything to say. He hadn't made any decisions.When Methos looked up again, there was a shadow in his eyes that reminded Duncan again of what Methos was, and what he wasn't.He was not just a guy. He never had been.Duncan had been in love with someone that didn't exist."I can't accept anything less, Highlander," Methos repeated. "Not anymore. Not from you."With that he turned abruptly and walked away, melting into the crowd so quickly that Duncan lost sight of him before he even realized it.This time, Duncan did not follow him. Didn't even consider it.Instead, he went to the nearest telephone, his phone had apparently been abandoned in Bangladesh, with the jeep and his clothes. He started making calls.He had a job to get back to, two of them in fact. The University and Peter Brighton. The student he'd left in charge of the dojo had no doubt had some kind of panic attack when he hadn't come back on time.He had a friend that he owed attention to. If Joe Dawson was going to die, he was going to do it after Duncan made sure Joe knew how much Duncan cared for him.Most of all, he had a life to change. Parts of it needed cleaning, parts of it needed to be removed. And parts of it just needed to be understood.As he waited for the first call to go through, he noticed a calendar on the wall behind a ticket counter and idly counted backwards. The date he came up with made him smile.Tessa Noel had been born on Heather MacLeod's birthday. What better omen for her than that?
11410131	Hogwarts Shenanigans	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "Gen", "Characters": "Lee Jordan, Minerva McGonagall, Graham Montague", "Fandom": "Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling", "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by Mimi_Raven", "chapters": "2/?", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-05T00:00:00", "words": "3,417", "Additional Tags": "Behind the Scenes, Hogwarts, My First Fanfic, Feedback appreciated, bits and pieces, Claustrophobia", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Brixton and Biscuits Lee was feeling a bit nervous. Admittedly, he didn’t care much about being told off by a teacher, he was used to it. But he had a feeling it was different this time, although he had no idea what it could be about. So many possibilities. That book he had stolen just to upset the nasty librarian? It had been weeks. Had one of the elves finally complained that cakes were vanishing? Unlikely. They were always more than happy to help, always very nice to him. Lee wondered for a moment why he kept stealing instead of just asking.But what was it then? Professor McGonagall didn’t just summon you to her office to give you biscuits. Grabbing him by the arm after the match, she had told him to go wait for her there. He had been sitting on this tartan-covered chair for the past twenty minutes, and he was growing anxious by the second.Lee had never been one to worry much. He wore dreadlocks when it upset her mother. He joked about pretty much everything. He liked being a rulebreaker, and his nights out with Fred and George were already the stuff of Hogwarts legend after only two years in the school. He felt he belonged there.Lee stood up, intrigued by the spine of a book on the shelf to his left. It read A History of Riots in Twentieth Century England. He took it. He was surprised to see something so clearly Muggly and un-McGonagallish on this shelf. He had expected everything to be about witches and wizards of Scotland, wizarding clans and kilts. He had never imagined she could have an interest in history or social sciences.“What are you doing, Jordan?” said a sharp voice behind him. Professor McGonagall had just entered her office, frowning severely, her bun as tight as ever. She took of her hat and put it on a small table by the door.“Sorry, Professor, I was just–”“Sit down, Jordan. You know I always like a good joke, but this is getting ridiculous.”Professor McGonagall? A joke? Surely someone had Confunded her. The last thing anyone could ever imagine about Minerva McGonagall was that she liked jokes or laughing.“Oh.” Lee was baffled; he couldn’t come up with anything smart or cheeky this time.“Your comment during the match made me very unhappy.”“Which one, Professor?”“Don’t be smart with me, Jordan. Calling out Miss Johnson about her looks in front of the whole school while she is busy chasing the Quaffle? A ‘fun fact’, I believe you called it. I don’t like this, Jordan. I will not have it.”It was Lee’s turn to be confused this time. He couldn’t see where the conversation was going. Did Professor McGonagall like to meddle with her students’ dating life? This was a preposterous assumption. What on earth was going on?“Jordan, what I am painfully trying to make you understand is that if you don’t abide by the school rules, at least respect your fellow students.”“But I didn’t–”“Enough. I have tried to move past it up to this point, but I’m not quite comfortable with the idea of my students being pressured into going out with another student.”“I’m sorry Professor, is it against the rules to ask someone out? I wasn’t aware of this.”“Of course not! Dating isn’t against any rules I know of, unless one of the parties isn’t interested.”“But she might be.” Lee couldn’t believe he was talking about his crush with his Transfiguration teacher. Fred and George would definitely think he was lying. “Indeed. This will come as a shock to you, but this is of no interest to me. However, how you treat female students in my school is. You must remember the things everyone says about Gryffindors, I’m sure? I remember you were proud to be sorted in my house. Brave and fierce, yes. But that does not translate to loud and obnoxious, as some Gryffindors sometimes like to believe. I am quite indifferent to your shenanigans with the Weasley twins, because your school work is satisfactory. But I will not let you think it is normal to call out a girl on how she looks when she is clearly not in the capacity to retort.”“But I like her, Professor, I meant to pay her a compliment.”Professor McGonagall sighed and reached for a tin on her desk. “Have a biscuit, Jordan.”Now completely puzzled by the situation, Lee took a biscuit tentatively. He took a bite, trying not to chew too loudly so as not to upset his teacher any further.“It’s quite simple, really”, said Professor McGonagall after a minute or so. If you like the girl, Jordan, just talk to her about it. Merlin’s beard, young people are so useless these days. You are perfectly allowed to express your feelings to her in private, when she is able to talk back and say how she feels as well. But it’s just no right to comment on her looks to pressure her into going out with you. When playing Quidditch, she’s not here to look pretty, she’s here to chase the Quaffle, score, and make us all very proud.”Lee felt his cheeks burning. “Yes, she is an excellent player indeed.” But there was something he couldn’t quite grasp yet. He hesitated, then asked timidly: “Could you explain further, Professor?”Professor McGonagall smiled for a fraction of a second. She reached for the book Lee had taken off the shelf, stroke the back for a second, then replaced it next to the others.“Yes, Jordan, I can. Where did you grow up?”“Brixton, London, Professor.”“Yes. I assumed as much. They do mention Brixton in this book, you know. I know about the riots.”For a moment, the smell of wet grass and sand came back to Lee. He felt he was four again, playing in that little square off Atlantic Road with his friends. He felt a hand grabbing his and heard the panicked voice of his aunt telling him they had to go home straight away.“Are you feeling well, Jordan?”“Yes, Professor, sorry.”Years later, his mom had explained this day. With his dad they had been protesting with many others in Brixton, following the tragic death of Michael Bailey, when the police had charged. His mom had rushed to the nearest and safest public phone and had called her aunt, telling her to go pick Lee up from the square, fearing something would happen. Coming home with Martha, Lee had noticed three white men in black jackets and tight jeans looking at them from across the street. He had felt scared, although this had surprised him, because they sometimes came to the park where he played to fetch their children too. But they always seemed unhappy about something. How could he have guessed it was his parents’, friends’, and his own skin colour they were frowning at?His mother had explained that too. “They don’t like us because we’re black. They’re scared of us.”“But why?”“I don’t know, pumpkin. I think they are afraid because they don’t think we are like them”.Lee had not been able to understand this. He had seen little Sean make twigs fly without meaning to, just like he and his friends did. Little Sean was definitely a wizard too, just like them. Muggles had feared and hated all of them for centuries. How could it be that Sean’s dad and his two friends in turn would hate Lee and his parents because they were different? From this day on, growing up, Lee had felt the atmosphere in Brixton. It was heavy, tense, despite being also very festive at times. Hogwarts had allowed him to escape that and he was grateful for it.“So, Jordan, I assume you are familiar with the fact of being uncomfortable in the public space and singled out because of how you look.”“Yes, Professor.”“Well then, I think we are done here. I will not take any points from Gryffindor this time. Off you go, Jordan. I’ll see you on Tuesday in Transfiguration. Please note points will be taken if you don’t hand in your essay.”Lee stood up and walked out of the office. He heard the door closing behind him. Still holding his biscuit, he went to sit on the stairs and took another bite.So anyone could hurt someone else after all, without even meaning to or realising it. He would have to keep it in mind. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- It was dark. He couldn’t see anything around him and his head felt heavy. He stretched his arm and his knuckles bumped into something solid. Wood, perhaps? He was in some kind of enclosed space, he could feel it. A cupboard. He felt his chest tighten and his pulse quicken. Graham had always been terrified of the dark.He couldn't even remember how he’d got here. The darkness seemed like a fog, clouding his thoughts and closing in on him. Don't be a coward, Graham. Breathing rapidly, he tried to think. He remembered patrolling the corridors and running into the Weasley twins. Hadn’t he tried to take points from them? Yes, he had. but one of them had put his hand over Graham's mouth and the other had helped push him into something. That's where he must be now. He pushed against what seemed to be a wooden panel. It creaked, but didn’t open. It must be locked, he thought. He reached for his pocket and extracted his wand. He might be afraid of the dark, but these two ginger boys would regret ever making fun of him. “Alohomora”, he said confidently. Nothing happened. Silence was ringing in his ears. Well, never mind that. Surely many places in Hogwarts were locked by something more powerful than this simple spell all the students knew about. He would have to resort to more drastic measures, like trying to destroy this thing he was trapped in. Wood didn’t seem too dangerous even if it collapsed on top of him. He considered this for a moment. It wasn’t such a bad idea, after all. “Reducto”, he said. Still, nothing happened. The panel didn’t even creak. Graham felt something cold trickling down his back. Magic didn’t seem to work in here. Was he trapped in some kind of Muggle contraption? What would he do? Graham started banging furiously on the panel, trying to break it open. It just wouldn’t budge. He couldn’t breathe properly now. He reached for the collar of his robes and tried to loosen it a little. His hand brushed against something cold on his chest, something metallic. The Inquisitorial Squad badge. Graham sighed in relief. He could pick the lock with the pin! Was there a lock? He felt the panel with his fingers slowly and carefully. Something cold. Metal again. Yes, there was a lock. He unclipped his badge, inserted the pin in the lock… and felt his heart skip a beat.Instead of the clicking of metal on metal, he had just heard something very strange and unexpected. Something similar to noises he had heard in Potions class. The sound of something dissolving in water. The pin had melted.His panic was barely manageable now, he was starting to suffocate. The idea of having to stay trapped in there with no light at all made him feel sick. “Deep breaths”, he thought. “Just like Dad said.” Mr. Montague had always loved his son very much, and had never made fun of him for being afraid of the dark. He was all too familiar with the sensation himself, and could not blame Graham for something he couldn’t control. He had taught his son to manage the panic, however – and how to appear confident, proud, sometimes to the point of being obnoxious. This kind of ridiculous fear was no option in their world, and he had explained to Graham that he should never display any sign of weakness, because others wouldn’t understand. Graham thought his father had a point: surely no Slytherin had ever been afraid of the dark. He was instantly transported back to his Sorting, and remembered how the Hat had hesitated before putting him in Slytherin, where all his family had always been. He wondered if his fear had anything to do with this hesitation. He had always wanted to be like his father and his friends, fighting for the greater good, and he was keen to start helping as soon as he left school, but he just felt it was a shame he and his father could not open up to their friends about their fears. Wasn’t it the whole point of having friends? He sometimes felt witches and wizards could be kinder to each other. He had always understood why Muggles were inferior and destined to be ruled, but after centuries of having to live in hiding, why was the magical community so divided? Graham often felt it was probably a mistake to judge other witches and wizards when it would be so hard already to be respected as a community if they made their existence known. Perhaps they should all focus on respecting each other before asking the Mudbloods to respect them – which they naturally should, but all the same.Graham considered all this for a moment, before returning to his current problem. How would he get out of this cupboard? His breathing was slowing down and he seemed to have mastered his anxiety for now, so it was a good time to start thinking again. He had no idea how long he had been in there for, though. Was anyone looking for him? If so, his best chance was to make as much noise as he could. He started banging on the door again.“I’m trapped in here!” he yelled. No one seemed to be passing in the corridor outside. He couldn’t hear any footsteps. Perhaps it was night already and everyone was in bed by now. Yes, that had to be it. Someone would find him in the morning. He would just have to be patient. It’s like Quidditch, he thought. Wait for your turn to grab the Quaffle, then take it and score. Scoring would probably mean punching Fred and George Weasley in the face in this case.Graham tried to sit comfortably on the floor of the cabinet – it was a cabinet, not a cupboard, he was sure of it now; too small. He crossed his legs and straightened his robes, adjusted his collar again and tried to listen to noises in case anyone would indeed pass in the corridor. After all, Professor Umbridge might have sent some of the teachers to patrol the corridors. Maybe Filch was somewhere nearby with his awful cat. All Graham could hear right now was silence. Just deep, very troubling silence.But was it really just silence? Graham thought he could hear a man’s voice. Now that he concentrated on it, it seemed very close, too. How was that possible? He listened carefully. Maybe Professor Snape had been patrolling and was now going back to the dungeons for the night. He banged on the door again. “Is someone there? I’m locked in!” But the man kept talking, as if he couldn’t hear Graham making such a racket. Whoever was in the corridor couldn’t hear him, apparently. But he could hear them. Graham tried to relax again. He was at Hogwarts. Someone was bound to come looking for him at some point. Professor Snape would notice he was missing from Slytherin house, and someone would think of searching for him and getting him out of there. At least he hoped they would. The voice outside the cabinet was not fading. He could hear the man as though he was standing right outside, now. So someone was definitely in the corridor, talking while standing still.Graham thought he knew that voice, but he couldn’t quite place it. The man sounded older than Snape and had an oily sort of voice. His tone was polite, considerate, even sort of submissive. Graham pressed his ear against the panel and took two slow, deep breaths, concentrating hard.“Of course, sir. Your husband will love it. The stone is quite ancient, as you can see.”Graham felt very confused. Surely no one at Hogwarts could be discussing stones as if they were selling them?“…from an old tomb, sir”, continued the voice. “It was taken from a cursed coffin.”“A counter-curse was cast, I expect?” said another man, sounding doubtful.“Of course, sir!” replied the other quickly. “We wouldn’t want anything to happen to your husband, sir. Such a great man. And a loyal customer”, he added.There it was. The oily voice, hypocrisy and fake manners – it was Mr. Borgin’s voice. Graham had been to Borgin & Burke’s several times with his father, when he had to run errands for Draco’s father. So Mr. Borgin was at Hogwarts on business. But no, it couldn’t be. Dumbledore would never allow it, he knew it, and more importantly, Borgin’s business was quite fishy and he would not take the risk of coming to Hogwarts. Who would he sell ancient cursed stones to, anyway? No, Graham thought. Mr. Borgin couldn’t be at Hogwarts. But he was definitely hearing his voice in real time, so… Yes, surely. Graham had moved somewhere else when entering this cabinet, and he was inside the shop now. So if he eventually managed to knock down the cabinet door, he would logically find himself in Knockturn Alley. It wasn’t so bad, then. Mr. Borgin would let his father know and he would be able to go home or back to Hogwarts in no time. Graham sighed in relief.He scratched his head. He couldn’t break down the door or make himself heard, and that was a problem. He had to think, to make sense of the facts. He was trapped in a cabinet, yet the person standing right outside couldn’t hear him. How could he be in the shop and not be heard? He had to be somewhere in between Hogwarts and London. Limbo. No way out of the cabinet either in Hogwarts or in Borgin & Burke’s.Contrary to popular belief, Graham wasn’t stupid. He had acceptable grades in exams, did his homework on time on most occasions, and no teacher had ever complained about him – except about Quidditch, but that was different. He knew he could get rowdy on the pitch, but that’s how it was. That didn’t stop him from being clever sometimes.Wait. Something else had popped into his mind. He knew this shop from going there with his dad. He had been there countless times already. He remembered wandering among the many objects on display - cursed items, strange heirlooms, old furniture. He raised his hand, trying to capture his thought; there had been a bulk wooden cabinet in a corner last time he was there. Was it at all possible that he was in there right now? Graham frowned in concentration. The cabinet he had seen in Borgin & Burke’s was tall, black, with golden ornaments. Unless he was very much mistaken, there was a tall black cabinet on the first floor at Hogwarts too, and these stupid twins had shoved him in there.Twins. Twin cabinets – one in Hogwarts and one in the shop. So perhaps he had just unknowingly navigated from the one in Hogwarts to the one in Borgin & Burke’s. He had absolutely no clue as how to go back, but if he had indeed been transported to the shop… it meant that the restrictions on disapparating in Hogwarts no longer applied! After all, you could apparate in Knockturn Alley. And, he repeated himself, that was no other way out for him anyway. He had no idea how much time had passed already and he couldn't be sure anyone was actually looking for him. Trying to disapparate was his only chance. He had to be brave, just like his dad.Graham took a deep breath, got to his feet and tried to stand up as best he could. He closed his eyes, concentrated on Hogwarts and turned on the spot. Darkness seemed to become solid and he felt his chest being compressed. He could only think of one thing: Professor McGonagall talking to them the other day about Apparition, mentioning you could do it wrong and stay stuck.
11425806	the best part of me is	{ "Archive Warning": "Underage Sex", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Bakugou Katsuki, Midoriya Izuku, Bakugou Mitsuki, Bakugou Masaru, Midoriya Inko, Todoroki Shouto, Uraraka Ochako", "Fandom": "僕のヒーローアカデミア \| Boku no Hero Academia \| My Hero Academia", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by halcyonwhispers", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-09T00:00:00", "words": "5,668", "Additional Tags": "Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Canon Universe, Canon Compliant, Manga Spoilers, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, tiny side todomomo, tiny side tsuchako, Time Skips, i love my otp", "Relationship": "Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": "GBFOAT: Greatest BakuDeku Fics Of All Time 💥🥦, Creative Chaos Discord Recs, Kylo's BNHA Recommendation Stories :D, I'm Gonna Rec It, bnha fics !!!, best of bkdk :’), Stellar Fics: A Wonder Duo Collection ☆★, BakuDeku AO3 Collection (Shin), fluff fics", "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	1His first word shaped into his own name. He pointed to everything and squealed out Katsuki.His parents screeched when it happened, camcorder snuggly sitting in his mom’s palm. His dad lifted both him and Izuku up in his arms and turned toward her with a laugh about sending a copy of the tape to Inko for her own collection.A month passed, the three adults eagerly waiting, until at last sleepy-eyed Izuku babbled his own word, but not his first, at their latest play date. It was the first time Katsuki heard him speak. Izuku 3 ½The moment Katsuki pushed Izuku down at the sandbox, the teacher darted at them. It had to be the fastest the chunky women had ever ran according to his short memory.“Katsuki! What are you doing- oh no! Don't cry, Izuku! It's ok!” By the time she arrived, Izuku's shell-shocked eyes rimmed with shiny tears, ready to burst. His chubby fingers grasped the sand he sat on as he visibly tried to hold back his sobs.“He won't stop following me!” Katsuki argued back just as quickly. His throat tightened at the tone of her voice however, unused to the disappointment in a grownup's words. Sometimes his parents would chastise him but big hugs and kisses usually followed. This felt different already. “It's stupid!” The teacher let out a soft gasp with Izuku cradled in her arms, his quiet sobs muffled by her shoulder.Katsuki felt his bottom lip tremble. “Katsuki, we don't say that word. It's a bad word because it's mean,” she rubbed Izuku's tiny quivering back.He stared at the two of them, throat tightening with each passing second until, “Ahhh!! Ahh!” He started crying from an emotion he couldn't quite name yet.Hands reached out for him. They pulled him close and held him there as he let out his sobbing. His hands clawed the teacher's chest to get away, but she firmly refused to release him.Soon enough, all his energy disappeared, and it left Katsuki to weakly glare at Izuku from his spot. His green eyes peeked at him for a moment before he pushed his whole face back into the teacher's shoulder.Izuku bored him. Everyone said Katsuki was special. His quirk crackled like fireworks in his hands and everyone loved it. Izuku had nothing yet and all he got from the grownups were sorry looks. Katsuki knew that someone as special as him couldn't possibly play with someone plain as Izuku for too long.“Katsuki,” teacher hummed in that special voice. “Izuku follows you around because he loves you. You're his best friend, right Izuku?” Izuku nodded, slowly, timidly into her shoulder. Katsuki stretched his mouth to the side and wrinkled his nose.“But he's boring and I'm better.” He raised his voice, pushing up from her to clearly make his argument. He saw Izuku wince from his spot and a pain unexpectedly struck his chest. It faded just as it came but the stinging aftermath kept his mouth shut with furrowed brows. Her mouth fell open. She deeply sighed, shaking her head. “Katsuki, do you like Izuku?”“N-” the word half started in his mouth before he actually thought about it. The question caught him off guard. The faint sensation of the sting made him hesitate even further.Izuku always shared his crayons with him. He gave Katsuki an All Might action figure for his birthday. Whenever they slept over each other's houses, Izuku always held his hand because Katsuki hated the dark but didn't wanna tell anyone ‘cause that was stupid.Katsuki liked being around him.Katsuki liked Izuku.Even if he was super boring and he was super awesome.“Mm...” he muttered, cheeks warm from his tears and honesty. “Yeah.”At last Izuku emerged from his hiding place and watched him. Katsuki almost stuck out his tongue because he looked like a big baby, tear stains over his freckles, but he knew he probably looked the same. “See.” She combed her fingers through each of their hair. Her soft voice brushed away all the frustration Katsuki felt up to that point. “You two are both very special little boys.” Katsuki gawked at Izuku then at her in disbelief. “And it's because you have each other that makes you very special. Never forget that.”She lightly placed her fingertips on Katsuki's collarbone. The left side. Her other hand touched Izuku's smaller one, on his wrist. “You two will be best friends forever. Haha, that's why you have each other's name on here!”His eyes fell to where her hands were on each of them.Was that really why?“Now say sorry to each other and go play,” she patted them firmly, finally pulling away. Katsuki saw her gaze land on him, where her hand was a second ago under his neck. Her lips twitched.They each stood up on wobbly legs and faced each other. Katsuki took a fistful of his blue smock as Izuku held his sides. He still pouted, blinking hard but trying to smile like always.“I-I’m sorry Kacchan,” he whispered just barely loud enough for Katsuki to hear over the gleeful screaming of the other kids on the playground.“Ok,” Katsuki replied then said nothing else.“Katsuki...” teacher warned with just his name.He frowned, fingers digging into his shirt. His gaze avoided Izuku's. “Me too...”“Hm?” came from their teacher. Her blue lips twitched again but she hide her whole mouth under a hand.“I’m sorry for being mean! Do you want to play!?” Katsuki ended up screaming each word louder than the last.Izuku giggled, all forgotten. “Yeah! I'll race you!” He shot off without any more of a warning, causing Katsuki to chase after him with a shriek. 7His mouth missed Katsuki’s, and his lips ended up kissing the corner instead. Izuku pulled away and blinked in confusion.“That was weird.”Katsuki touched his mouth. He didn’t feel different. “That was boring. Deku why is everything I do with you so damn stupid?” He moved away from him and onto the floor.“Geez, I’m sorry,” Deku sniffled, looking hurt for a second until Katsuki tossed him a villain action figure with huge horns and big eyes. All Might grinned from his hand.“Yeah, yeah. Hurry up, I wanna play before the old lady tells me to we gotta leave.”Deku came down from the bed and sat next to him. He stared hard at Katsuki. Instantly Katsuki narrowed his eyes. Pulling All Might close to his chest, he barked, “You’re not going to get him!” But the moment he said it, Deku leaned forward and pecked his cheek.His lips stayed on him for a second before pulling away. Silence filled the room.“Why did you do it again?!” Katsuki yelled, hand slapped against his cheek. It felt better that time, like when the old man kissed his scraps from the playground.He decided he would refuse to admit that as long as he lived. Deku was Deku and that was more than enough reason to dislike it, him. He had no idea how quirkless Deku ended up being his special friend like all the idiotic grownups cooed.Deku mouth fell open in his worry. “Ah! I’m sorry! I wanted to do better!” He clutched his doll to his chest. His eyes quickly filled up with tears.“You’re a stupid crybaby! Stupid Deku! Why are you such a deku!?” Katsuki threw All Might to the ground and stomped away, red faced.“No I’m not! W-wait Kacchan!” 11“Have you kissed him yet?” Riku asked. The videogame’s theme song played loudly in the background.Katsuki stiffened, losing his concentration and letting Kaito take the lead in Mario Kart. “What!?” he demanded, shoving Riku and his stupid as hell question off the bed. He collapsed with a high pitched scream. “That’s fucking gross! Deku’s fucking gross!” His thumbs worked their magic on the controller until he got a lap head of Kaito, rightfully taking his place once more in first.His mind took him back to when they were seven and the tiny pecks of lips. The memory felt so tender and soft he wanted to throw up.Kaito inched away from him, but continued to say, “But you’re Soulmates right? You got his name on you right there-” Kaito’s finger followed to his collarbone as if to touch it. Katsuki hissed and snapped his teeth at the digit. Katio pulled back with a yap.“Don’t fucking touch me, asswipe!”Riku nervously glanced back at him. “W-why you don’t like him, Bakugou?”Stamped on his collarbone like some kinda burn sat the name Izuku. Because of the obvious placing, everyone seemed to know Deku was his. Likewise his name was on Deku’s wrist let everyone knew he was Deku’s. Sick.Their parents knew, the teachers knew, most of their nosy as fuck classmates knew. The fucking goddamn doctor who delivered him knew because Deku's birth followed a couple of months afterward. Damn, even at the fucking start Deku always had to tag along.Kaito opened his fat mouth again and added in, “I know he’s useless and all, but he is kinda pretty lookin’.”“I don’t wanna talk about that quirkless fuck!” His controller suddenly erupted in his hands, tossing chunks everywhere. Katsuki yelled and threw the rest of the fiery remains on the ground. The fire licked up the rug and quickly started to spread.Kaito and Riku screamed, jumping away from the small bonfire.Katsuki grumbled under his breath, faintly hearing his mom’s heavy footsteps up the stairs. He reached under his bed and grabbed ahold of the fire extinguisher.“Katsuki!” She sounded annoying like always.“I know!” he screamed back at her. The foam splashed and smothered the fire, leaving behind a black hole. 14Deku looked up at him from between his legs. Katsuki’s heart jumped to his throat, but he didn’t say anything to question his movements.His pants were gone, and Deku’s soft check laid on his thigh, certainly way to close for comfort. He blinked once, twice, his eyelashes long and dark.Katsuki didn’t know why he noticed that. He for sure never gave a shit about fucking eyelashes in his whole fucking life.But here he was, entranced by the way Deku peered up at him from under them. His lips curved into a dangerous smile, dark and lustful. It was a smile that he’d never seen from Deku before. The smile matched the ones seductive porn stars wore, not dorky, nerdy Deku.Katsuki’s throat tightened. His head spun and sweat gathered on his forehead. The heat in his abdomen flared and his dick got instantly hard. “Katsuki,” his voice reflected a smooth coolness. That voice wasn’t Deku’s either. Goosebumps made their way up Katsuki’s arms just as a chill slithered at his spine.Katsuki, not Kacchan.Katsuki forgot how his name sounded on his mouth.Deku lightly giggled and hid his face in Katsuki’s thigh. A gasp escaped him when he felt the wetness of a tongue where Deku’s lips were on him. He resisted the urge to push him away and close his legs. The level of intimacy strangely kept Katsuki on a line of fear and want for more.Quickly as it came however to Katsuki’s disappointment, Deku pulled back and laughed.The fuck actually laughed in his face.Katsuki growled. “Wha-” he started then closed his mouth. His voice echoed as if in a cave. His eyes roamed the room and found nothing different or special about his bedroom.“Katsuki.” Deku drew his attention back to him in that same alluring, echoing voice. He stood up, clad in only his shirt. It was one that fit Katsuki himself big, so on Deku, thinner and smaller, it reached his thighs teasingly. “Katsuki,” Deku purred. He swung a leg around his waist then another until he straddled him.Holy shit, holy shit, holy shitDeku pressed his chest close to Katsuki’s, lips ghosting over his neck and then lower to his Words. His lips parted, tongue tracing his name with a slowness that threatened to make Katsuki whimper. The sloppy sounds that came from it made his toes curl and his dick twitch in his underwear.“Shit. W-wait I- I…” Katsuki gasped loudly and closed his eyes against the feeling. His hands finally grabbed onto Deku, shocking himself by how utterly soft he felt. Baby fat still clung to his sides and as his hand pulled him closer by the thigh, Katsuki moaned at the fullness he was met with. “Does it feel good, Katsuki?” Deku came away from him with full, swollen lips. Arms lazily wrapped his neck. His forehead touched his, lips a breath away from Katsuki’s. Katsuki’s hands gripped his waist so tightly, he was surprised Deku didn’t whine about it.He wanted more, fucking shit, he wanted everything Deku offered. “Do I feel good?” Deku’s warm breath tickled his mouth shyly. “Do you want me?” With a roll of his hips, everything came undone all at once, and Katsuki’s eyes snapped wide, pant fresh on his mouth.He sat up in bed, trembling and panting. He looked down at himself and cursed.The clock told him he had a half an hour before his parents woke up, which meant he only had half an hour to get everything cleaned up before they woke up.For the rest of the day, his shit mood only worsened with each word anyone said to him. He flat out ignored Deku’s presence in class, repressed everything from that fucked up dream, and by the time they started to talk about high schools, Katsuki felt hella lot more relaxed.He bragged, of fucking course he bragged. Katsuki’s dream school was the very same one All Might himself attended. Success was practically guaranteed if he went there, and by then it was all a simple of when.But then, “Midoriya, don’t you want to go to U.A too?”Deku pissed him off. Everything about him pissed him off. Deku couldn’t do anything, and all the stupid flares of hope shining his big fucking eyes made him sick. His name on Katsuki’s skin made him want to rip it off.Last night’s dream fucked him up. He didn’t need a deku in his life, and he sure as hell didn’t want him near after Katsuki dumped this trash school.So yeah, he blew up his stupid little book and tossed it. Katsuki threw his sad, pathetic dreams back at him for what they really were.On the way out from the school gates, Katsuki shoved his hands in his pockets. The ache in his chest weighted him down. He looked over his shoulder at the school in distaste. Maybe the talk about jumping was too much but whatever.One of his hands rubbed the side of his neck and discreetly palmed his Words. As much as he hated to even think about it, destiny made him its bitch. 16Deku collapsed into the couch, then flinched. He held his side and made a face of pain. Katsuki rolled his eyes and placed the vacuum cleaner against the wall. He was finally done after the last two hours of cleaning the stupidly large dorm hall.He eyed Deku. He took most of the damage from their fight. Katsuki clicked his tongue but said nothing. The win came with emptiness and all the glory Katsuki thought he would feel fell short. He sat down in the furthest seat from Deku with a grunt.Deku took off one of the thick bracelets he always wore. Katsuki stared at his blank wrist. He knew the other one bared his name. It’s been a while since he’s last seen it. Unlike Deku, who hid it by clothes or fucking bracelets, Katsuki’s learned the damn art of sweat-proof makeup to smear on his Words.“Uh,” Katsuki’s eyes meet Deku’s. Deku caught him staring. The words sounded awkward, a contrast to a few hours ago where he declared he was gonna beat him and take the number one spot. “W-what’s the matter, Kacchan?”“I didn’t say shi…” he trailed off just as stupidly as Deku sounded. Katsuki looked away at the wall. He didn’t say anything for the longest time until he decided to stop being a bitch for once.“If you wanna fucking hide it, use something other those damn things,” he managed to say, sounding a lot more nonchalant than what he felt.Oh motherfucking… He felt nervous. Why? Fuck, it suddenly occurred to Katsuki that was the first time they were talking about their Words.Deku hesitated, “Why would I want to hide it?”Katsuki jerked his head at him. “What the fuck do you mean, why would I want to hide it?” he raised his voice a pitch higher.Deku sighed. “Exactly that. I never really cared if anyone saw my Words, but I just thought you didn’t want anyone to know, so… I just kinda cover it up when I go out.” He shrugged. His hand touched the wrist with the remaining bracelet.His eyes went to his wrist then his face. For some reason, that sentence hurt more than any of the punches Deku threw at him earlier; mostly because it was true. He touched his chest, realizing that this time the pain came from him instead of Izuku.What the hell.“Do you… Do you regret having me as your Soulmate?” Katsuki’s eyes popped opened. He just said that? Motherfucking burning ballcocks! He just said that shit out loud. Fucking-! “No,” Deku simply replied.“You don’t-!?”“Do you? Regret having me as your Soulmate?”Deku looked at him with such disgusting earnest that Katsuki knew he had to tell him something, at least this time he had too.Maybe at one point he didn’t want anything to do with Deku, ironic because Katsuki had his name stitched on his fucking body. So maybe at that time, he wished Deku wasn’t… But now? How did he feel now?“No.” It felt the most honest to whatever jumblefuck of emotions twisted in his chest.Deku’s mouth fell opened.“Close it before I rip it off.”“Ok…” he said then nothing.Katsuki crossed his arms, mockingly saying, “That’s it? You got nothing else for me?”Deku’s eyes moved to the right in thought. “Hmm… No, not right now at least.” He pulled off his bracelet and rubbed his wrist. Katsuki watched his moments carefully. “We should go back to our rooms. Aizawa-sensei would get mad at seeing us up so late if he came down now.”Katsuki scoffed but followed Deku’s lead up to the rooms. The hallways seemed oddly quiet without anyone throwing a fit in the middle of ‘em.He stared at Deku then at his wrist. Katsuki could clearly see his name in black ink-like pigment.“Deku,” Katsuki started abruptly.Deku paused opening his door. “Yeah?”“Tomorrow morning,” his throat closed up. Katsuki ground his teeth and dug his nails into the palms of his hands. To hell with it. Katsuki glared at Deku’s puzzled expression. “The workout room is empty at 4:30, I’ll spot you or some shit.” Katsuki wanted to throw up, preferably on Deku’s stupid face.His hand slipped from the door handle. “O-Oh ok… Kacchan-”“I don’t give a fuck if you show or not!” Katsuki made sure to get the point across and trudged over to his own room without getting a clear answer.He slammed the door shut behind him, falling into the cool darkness of his bedroom. Fuck him! Katsuki cover his mouth and nose, taking a deep breath under it. It was a damn simple question. Yes or fucking no! Oh ok…Kacchan, his fucking ass! Seriously…Loser…Katsuki smiled under his hand.Then screamed when he realized he smiled over Deku. 18“He’s so fucking cute.” Katsuki heard the voice pass right by his ear. He wrinkled his nose and scowled at how loud this chick was so early in the morning. He glanced back at her, spotting two girls clinging to each other and looking over at someone to their left.He rolled his eyes. It’s the ass crack of dawn on a fuckin Monday and these bitches are already panting over some asshole. Goddamn. Katsuki yawned and scratched his head.The second girl nodded, a large grin showing off a mouthful of fangs. “I think he goes to U.A! Look at his uniform!” Katsuki just about started to stomp past them when she said that, instantly prompting him to look at whoever the fuck caught their attention. “Look at his hands… Hot damn. Would smash.”No fucking way.Izuku walked in oblivion to the conversation taking place a few feet away from him. A journal occupied one hand while the other scribbled away some shit. Katsuki made of face of disgust at the girls. He felt his temper quickly rise as they continued to talk. His hand pulled up his shirt’s collar higher against his neck. He shook his head, telling himself that he didn’t care. Nope, fuck it. He didn’t care if people thought Izuku was hot.Katsuki looked away, ready to cut through into a different street just to get the hell away when he barely heard in a quiet giggle, “He’s so pretty too.” He watched Izuku, sweeping his gaze up and down like these girls were surely doing.Katsuki took in how soft and full his lips were, and the morning light, his green eyes look vividly emerald. Even his freckled were suddenly highlighted, a lighter tone of color splashed against his tanned skin. Fuck, Izuku was hot, and he hated how everyone else seemed to know that.This was the same guy who cried over a baby bird falling out of his nest and used to wet the bed as a kid. He shouldn’t be labeled motherfucking hot in any universe. But he fucking was. He fucking was.“Should we say hi?”“Fuck!”Everyone around him leaped into the air. Izuku turned and immediately spotted him. His growing confusion slipped off for a moment. “Kacchan!” Katsuki made his way towards him, ignoring the girls altogether. “I didn’t know you wanted to walk together today… Oh! Ok,” He said in reply to his hand reaching out and snagging his arm.“Shut it. You’re just walking so damn slow, it pissed me off.” He glanced over his shoulder and shot the chicks a sneer. Their dropped jaws felt great to see.Katsuki turned his eyes back, only to glance at Izuku and gag. “What the hell are you looking at me like that for, nerd?!” he snapped. His heart boomed inside of his ribcage at Izuku’s expression. His eyes half closed in quiet chuckles, and shoulders shaking with the feeling. Roses bloomed against his cheeks, and in the morning light, he looked angelic.The happiness mirrored in Katsuki, and he bathed in the sensation for a split second.“You’re holding my hand, Kacchan,” Izuku held up their locked hands and had the fucking nerve to playfully stick out his tongue. From the dark shadows where their wrists met, Katsuki could see the hidden blur of his Words. Izuku stopped hiding it behind bracelets and long-sleeved shirts a while back.Katsuki ground his teeth, trying not to show the shock on his face. When the actually fuck did he…? His blush splattered across his neck and face. Good fucking… He snapped his eyes away from it. “Pftt! I-I know that, dumbass! Keep walking!” He yanked them forward, keeping his gaze locked in front of them.Izuku continued to laugh and the sound reverberated softly in Katsuki’s head. 24Katsuki’s come in 21 times in the last three weeks, and he still couldn’t get how shitty hospital food tasted so good. He shoved the soup down his throat with a loud slurp. He reached over in the tray and took a bite of the bread.“You’re seriously missing out,” he said around the wad of food in his mouth. Katsuki stabbed his spoon in Izuku’s direction. “So you better get your bitch ass up soon.” Yet Izuku remained in his unmoving sleep, breathing tube down his throat.Lowering the utensil, Katsuki huffed and finished draining the bowel and meal. He placed the tray on the nightstand and peered around for the TV controller. Once finding it, he slumped in his chair and turned it on. He read that people in comas and shit could hear everything around them, and Izuku loved to keep up with the news. Almost three weeks since the Pro Hero, Deku, fought and won against the villainous VVitch, resulting in his state of unconsciousness. His company has assured his wellbeing is being taken care of by hospital staff. Katsuki sneered at the TV, ire burning in his hands as the screen changed and suddenly Glasses and Round Face appeared. His finger hovered the on button in surprise.A ghoulish man being yanked into a cop car behind them, hands tied and mouth gagged, but all the cameras seemed to follow were the heroes. Deku’s fellow labelmates, Ingenium and Uravity, refused any questioning regarding the supposed solo mission. “Deku’s safe now, and that’s the most import-” Katsuki shut her up before the sentence even finished. He tsked and slammed the control onto the table. The tray of crumbles shuddered.His fingers ran through his hair, a million stupid thoughts racing through his head. Of all the fucking psychos out there, Izuku just had to take out the one bitch who literally ripped out people’s hearts and ate them. Seriously, what the fuck was that even about? Now his stupid boyfriend laid in a hospital bed with a hole in chest from, guess what, a pair of six fucking inched claws.Katsuki’s read the report. He had to break a couple of balls to get to it, but he did, and finding out that bitch actually held his Soulmate’s beating heart in her scummy hands really pissed him off. Enough to cause a goddamn restraining order from her shitty lawyer.'He’d revoke his license...' Fuck that shit. A two-bit crook attorney ain’t worth fucks on a stick, and everyone knew it. If All-Might wasn’t in the room when that dick said it, Katsuki would’ve wrapped his hands around VVitch’s throat and then blasted her limps apart one by one.“Fuck,” he muttered his breath. His hands slide down his face. “Fuuuck.” Katsuki couldn’t believe it. None of this felt real. Everything blurred into chunks and bits of a nightmare. He couldn’t deny the reality of it all though; not as long as he had to wait for Izuku to open his eyes (those eyes) and smile at him like everything was alright.He’d cry if he knew all the people who sobbed for him. One look at the thousands and thousands of letters and flowers, and Izuku would burst a tear duct.“She didn’t even have a strong quirk, Izuku, you stupid dumbass.” All she had was simple memory quirk. One touch to the forehead was all it took to alter and implant shit.“What the hell did she show you? …You’re supposed to be number one,” he heard himself say. Katsuki blinked his eyes, angrily rubbing out the tears. They didn’t seem to stop no matter how long he cried. He didn’t even know it was possible to cry this much in so little time. He knew it was pointless. Izuku was gonna wake up. But…While all his regrets rested on his back, raw and throbbing, the feeling was nothing compared to the numbness inside of him. It hollowed out the place between his lungs and rusted his ribcage. Sitting next to Izuku like this, no jokes or tender words or simple talking, it made him figure out just how much he missed out on everything in their childhood.He sat in the stillness, the low beeps of the machines resonating in the background. Reaching for Izuku, his hands graced his cheeks, fingertips connecting his freckles. “Wake up so I can punch you,” he whispered.Katsuki shut his eyes. “I…” His hands left his cheek to trace downwards to his Words. He bent down and kissed his wrist.In the 24 years they’ve known each other, they’ve only really been friends on a mutual scale since he was 17. If he could go back in time and slap himself, he would. Katsuki would tell his younger self to get his head outta his ass and open his eyes.You missed out on something greater than you ever thought you would achieve.He missed out on loving his Soulmate as a friend.His pocket buzzed. He didn’t even take a good look at the name on the screen when he answered. “What?”“I’m guessing you’re still in with Midoriya,” Todoroki stated.Katsuki sat up straighter, spitting, “What of it?”“I called to set up a visit so Momo and I could go after our appointment with the obstetrician, but they said Midoriya’s non-family visitation time was already taken for the day. Again. You know they don’t even make exceptions for Soulmates in these cases.”“So,” he deadpanned, failing to see the point of his conversation.Halfie didn’t say anything until, “Tsuyu and Ochako decided to postpone the wedding.”Katsuki frowned. That wedding’s been on their mouths for the last year. They’ve been planning it even longer, since high school when they said their Words.His eyes fell onto Izuku’s comatose form. Ah.Some of the tension slipped from his body.“Good. He’ll be pissed at himself for missing Ponytail pushing out your brats. If he missed being Round Face’s best man, he’d just freak out.”He grinned, free hand moving to lay on Izuku’s upper arm. It was relatively smooth compared to his forearms and not to mention Katsuki’s own. Having a quirk focused on his arms made for a great target, and since his high school days, he’s racked up a series of thick scarring all over them.“How far did they push it back?”“…They don’t have a date.”What? He clutched his jaw for a moment before speaking. “Why the hell don’t they have a fucking date? Deku just needs a month to wake up and get ready for their damn wedding.” He needed maybe less if he woke up within the couple weeks.His condition was stable, the flow of oxygen to his brain was normal, the only thing holding him back was the stress on his body. At least according to the doctors, that’s what was going on. He was going to be ok, so why did everyone act like he’d become some sorta fucking vegetable?He sighed. “They just don’t want to rush things, Bakugou. It’s nothing else than that. Plus, they’re inducing Momo soon, and Tsuyu didn’t want to put any pressure on her with the children on their way.”It fucking annoyed him when Katsuki couldn’t tell if he was lying. But he forced himself to ignore the bitter sensation at the pit of his stomach. “Fine, whatever.”He absently rubbed his thumb in circles on Izuku’s arm. He felt warm. Turning his gaze to Izuku, he asked into the phone, “Have you picked out names or something for the kids yet? Or are you planning on calling them fetus one and two?”Izuku’s even breathing tittered and suddenly Katsuki saw his eyes moving under the lids. He snickered. Looked like even now Izuku had to get the gossip on his friends. “Yeah we did.” Katsuki heard the excitement in his voice. He rolled his eyes, but stopped to focus his stare on Izuku. His fingers twitched, then a quiver went up his arm. Izuku took a deep inhale and-Blinked.“Momo liked the name Toshihir-”“OH FUCK!”“What?”“Motherfucker!”“Bakugou, that doesn’t answer my ques-”“Shut up! He fucking blinked, you stupid fucking son of a bitch!” Katsuki screamed into the phone. “Holy shit! He’s blinking a lot! What the fuck! What do I do?!”Izuku made a face, a confused hand coming to his mouth and feeling up the machine that’s been keeping him stable for the last couple of weeks. He let out a wheeze around the tube.“Midoriya’s awake?!”“Can he fucking blink if he’s not awake?!”“Get a damn doctor, Bakugou!”Katsuki dropped the phone and ran out the door, colliding with hospital security on his way out.“ARRRGGGHHH!” 28Katsuki quietly opened the door, bare feet carefully trying to stay silent in the darkness of the bedroom. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust, but when they do, he saw a bundle of blankets on his bed.Closing the door, it let out a soft groan. To anyone else, the sound would’ve gone unnoticed, however in their line of work, it might as well be a bomb blowing up.“Kacchan…?” He heard Izuku whisper.“Go back to sleep,” Katsuki uttered, stepping closer to his side.Izuku’s hand reached out from under the sheets, fingers brushing his hero’s costume. Damn he hated working night shifts.“Ok…”Katsuki’s about to yank off his shit as Izuku suddenly breathed, “I love…you.” He’s probably half asleep, but Katsuki’s heart still did a fucking summersault like some sort of love-struck teenager.The ends of his lips curled up.“I love you too.” 1Inko teared up from watching the boys. After a couple of hours wigging around, they seemed exhausted and quickly fell asleep. Really, that enough oozed pure adorableness, yet this? This took the prize.Katsuki’s little hand tightly held Izuku’s in their crib.Giggling under her breath, she gently rested her elbow on the edge of the bars and looked down at them. She wondered what sort of adventures they’ll have, if they’ll fall in love quickly or slowly and how’ll happen.What a mystery.
11442141	Cup of Coffee	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "F/M", "Characters": "Rogue (X-Men), Logan (X-Men)", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by EmaniaHilel", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-08T00:00:00", "words": "4,916", "Additional Tags": "Angst, Songfic, One Shot", "Relationship": "Logan/Rogue (X-Men)", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": "Cup of Coffee", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "X-Men - All Media Types, X-Men (Movieverse)", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Cup of Coffee By Em i “You tell me you don’t love me over a cup of coffee / and I just have to look away...” Her momma once told her she was too direct for her own good. For a small town southern lady, being direct was worse than anything. (Except, maybe, being a mutant). But Marie had never figured out what was so wrong with saying what she felt and being clear with what she thought. Still, being a mutant sort of overshadowed even that, and for a long while, she lost herself (and not just because she had the imprints of five males rolling around in her head). She just lost herself, in everything that she was becoming and in her new life and new feelings. Those first few years after she 'manifested' (as the professor had put it) she felt, most of the times, like she was being dragged along through her life, with little input of her own and all she could do was try to keep up and in the mad dash she felt like pieces of who she was, who Marie was, went falling off like loose pieces of a house during a hurricane. Her directness fell off somewhere between Meridian, Mississippi and Topeka, Kansas. She got it back, though. Round about the same time she started getting used to the idea of what she'd become (not accepting, mind, but used to) and as safety and good food filled out the hollow places in her body and in her soul.So, come her 18th birthday, she was about as direct as ever she had been -- maybe more so, because she wasn't a little girl with big dreams stuck in a small southern town anymore. And although part of her understood what her momma had meant about subtlety and knowing how to put things, she still held firm to the belief that sometimes (most of the times) the direct approach was best. So, the morning after her 18th birthday, sitting in a 24 hour greasy spoon off the I-278 Eastbound as the sunrise turned from pinks to oranges, with steaming mugs of coffee between them, she told him. Flat out. “I love you.”And she should have known better than to think he would do anything but be just as direct with her. They had been dancing around this issue for years, not because he wasn't the kind to be direct about it (even blunt, truth be told), but because he seemed to be taking her lead about it. “I don't.” There was an apology in his eyes, but she was infinitely grateful he didn't vocalize it. She wouldn't be able to stand it if he apologized for not loving her. But she found she couldn’t look at him anymore and looked away, at the spot on the Formica table-top where some long forgotten thing had burned the top layer, leaving it brown. “Okay,” she said her voice tight, but otherwise normal. She expected this, of course; it was within the realm of probabilities (likely, even) so she wasn't so shocked she forgot her pride. Her momma had also always taught her to carry enough money with her to get herself back home from anywhere by taxi if she had to, and she was glad suddenly that lesson -- if not many more-- had stuck with her, because she was able to grab her bag, say, “Thanks for the coffee,” and “I'll see you at home” and walk away to the street outside, where cabs were plenty. She didn't know whether he watched her as she hailed one and got inside -- she couldn't look at him, even as the taxi made a u-turn right outside the window where she'd just been sitting.ii “…so no of course we can’t be friends / not while I still feel like this…” It had been days (weeks? months?) since she'd last seen him, and that had been fine because she wasn't certain she was ready to see him and if anybody had suspected anything when they heard she came home from her birthday celebration in the city (the one he was supposed to pick her up from) in a taxi, no one said anything to her and she was thankful for that too. Like good friends, they asked no questions, but helped her pretend nothing was wrong and that everything was the same, even though they had to notice how she never seemed to be in the same room with him anymore, and how his name never left her lips.All in all, it wasn't until she came home one afternoon and looked up and he was there, on the stairs, looking at her and it occurred to her that it had been months, because she was in college then, just rounding out her first week of classes. She stood frozen for a few moments, one hand on the doorknob, another on the wide strap of her bag where she'd been about to slide it over and off.She exhaled, her eyes shuttering in on themselves and for what seemed like eons, they stared at each other. Then, Jubilee's voice called out to her from the rec room, breaking the tension, even if Marie hadn't really heard what she said. When Jubilee’s footsteps sounded, she tore her eyes away from him to watch her friend stand in the entrance to the rec room. “I thought that was you, chica,” Jubilee said, smiling, because she hadn't noticed him standing still on the stairs. “Are we going running or what?” she asked, then, looked absently at the stairs and froze, slowly turning back to look at her. “Uh...”But Marie was used to pretending now, so it took her only a moment to slip into a smile, close the door and finish pulling the bag off her shoulder. “I'll be right down,” she told her friend. “It'll take me five minutes to change,” she said easily walking toward the stairs. “I promise!” she called back as she took the stairs, two at a time, ignoring the fact that he didn't move an inch out of her way and she had to squeeze slightly passed, even though the stairs were usually wide enough to climb four people across. “I'm counting!” Jubilee called back.She had reached her room, dropped the bag on the floor by the door and kicked off her shoes by the time she heard the door open. She stopped in the middle of unbuttoning her blouse and turned around to find him taking over the doorway. “Marie--” he spoke.“I've gotta change,” she interrupted him. He shook his head. “We've gotta talk.”“No,” she said. “No we don't.”“Enough, Marie,” he said, and his tone had an edge of anger that grated on her nerves, dragging up the anger she had settled on as easier to deal with than the pain. “I agree,” she said, and her tone was hard. “Leave, please.”“No,” he said, coming inside and closing the door behind him. “Not until we settle this.”“There's nothing to settle.”“You've been avoiding me.”She took a moment to gaze disbelievingly at him. “Yes,” she answered, as if it should've been obvious. “So?”He raked a hand through his perpetually messy hair and shook his head again. “I don't want you to.”She sighed. “I can't help that.”“Why not?” And she almost laughed. Was he really so oblivious? “What do you want from me?” she asked.“I want you to not be mad at me,” he answered.She still wasn't meeting his eyes, was hardly looking at his face. “I'm not mad at you,” she admitted softly. “Then what the hell's all this about, Marie?” he exploded. “Are you punishing me or something for your birthday?”She was angry again, but not really at him. “This isn't about you, Logan,” she said, exasperated. “This is about me -- the way I feel and the fact that I can't look at you right now without thinking that you can't love me.”He opened his mouth, but she stood and stopped him by speaking first. “No, Logan,” she insisted. And she knew, the way she always tended to, what he was trying to say, what his concerns were, even without his saying them aloud. “We can't go back to being friends, not right now, not while I still feel like this.” She went to her door and held it open. “I know it’s not your fault and I don’t blame you, but…” she trailed off for a moment, then sighed. “Just please go.”As he walked out, she knew that it wasn't his fault, she really didn't blame him for not loving her, and she knew one day she'd prefer to be his friend, she'd prefer for things to be the way they had been instead of having him so completely out of her life as he was, but she also knew that it would have to wait until such time as she could look at him without remembering that she would never know what it felt like to be loved by someone who she loved that much.iii “...I guess I always knew the score / this is where our story ends ...” He was gone within the hour, and although she had asked him to leave, she hadn't really thought he'd leave the Mansion entirely. If she had thought about it, perhaps she would have, but she didn't. She didn't quite know how to feel about it, because a part of her was glad he was gone -- glad she'd have time away from even the threat of running into him, or seeing him while she was unprepared. She also knew that ultimately, it wasn't healthy because all she was doing was pushing her feelings aside instead of dealing with them, but she was tired of always doing the right thing; of always thinking of others first and she wanted to be selfish for once. And another part of her was sadder than she'd ever been in her life, because she knew letting him leave had been it, that they'd reached the end of their story, and that things would never be the same between them. iv “…a million miles between us…” It didn’t hit her until later, with the force of a punch to the gut, that she had done this – that he had tried to talk to her, and she tried to feel guilty, but a part of her was glad that, in this at least, she’d been the one with the power – that she hadn’t whimpered or begged like a child – that he hadn’t even seen her cry. And although she swore she hadn’t been trying to punish him for not loving her, she couldn’t make herself care if he felt as if he’d lost a friend (or, whatever she had been to him in his mind) because in the end, even though she was mature enough to know she couldn’t blame him for something he had no control over, she still wasn’t mature enough to forgive him.He was gone for a long time; days rolling into weeks, and weeks into months, until one day, unexpectedly, she realized she hadn’t thought of him for more than two days put together and she suddenly felt the pang of missing him. Not the ache of an old wound, but the emptiness of a space too long void. She wanted to talk to him, to just sit and hear each other speak about the thousand things she hadn’t been able to talk about with anyone else, and which they had always been able to talk about – before she ruined it all. And for the first time since the morning after her 18th birthday and that dingy diner off the I-278 Eastbound, she longed for the friend he’d been more than she hurt for the lover he’d never be and she thought that if he could forgive her for ruining their friendship, she would very much like to see him again. x-xNearly a year passes before the Professor calls her into his office and asks her to sit down. No one had spoken to her about him, or asked what she knew of his reasons for leaving, and after a while, she thought her initial suspicion that he had left because she asked him to had been a foundless conceit; one more way in which she fancied herself more important to him than she had been, and she had been aware enough at the time of her potential for cruelty that the thought soothed the remorse she felt of the reactions she had indulged in at the time. The Professor asks. He is every bit of subtlety that she herself never would even know how to be, and doesn’t ask her what she knows of his reasons (perhaps he doesn’t have to) but he lets her know that he’s needed. She’s convinced herself that it wasn’t because of her that he left, and asks the Professor what he might expect her to do to bring him home, but the Professor just looks at her and she knows she’d been lying to herself. “I know where he is, Rogue, but I do not believe anyone else can bring him home.”And she grows defensive, as she usually does and lashes out even as the tears sting her eyes. “I never asked him to leave the damn Mansion,” she says angrily, but the Professor knows she’s not angry at him. “I just needed some space,” she looks at the Professor and knows he understands, even though she doesn’t deserve any understanding. She digs the apple of her palm into the sockets of her eyes, sitting on the Professor’s comfortable leather couch. The stitched seams of her gloves bite harder than her naked palm would have, but she doesn’t care if it’ll stop the tears from falling. “I couldn’t look at him,” she whispers it because she’s ashamed again. “Go to him.”She shakes her head at his quiet words, knowing above anything else that she shouldn’t go to him; that going to him would be the absolute worst thing she could do. “I can’t.” She shakes her head again, more emphatically. “He tried, but I was a selfish bitch,” she sighs. “Why would he listen to me? He’ll just kick me out, slam the door in my face.”“If you think you’re as bad as all that, then isn’t it his prerogative to do just that?”Her palms come off her eyes and she blinks back the lights and the tears and stares blearily at the Professor’s kindly face. “Yes,” she admits, nodding. “Yes, it is.” And with another sigh, she stands.v “…you left behind some clothes / my belly summersaults and I pick them off the floor…” She’s learned a few things over the years, and it isn’t any great hardship to pick the lock of the ramshackle motel he’d chosen for the last few days. She knows he’s at a nearby bar and probably would be for hours yet, but she doesn’t want to confront him there, so she settles in to wait, sitting in the lone chair and sipping from a paper cup filled with too sweet coffee she’d bought in the vending machine in the corner. She finds it ironic that after all this time, it isn’t the finding him or picking a place to confront him that is difficult, but the waiting that nearly does her in.She doesn’t know what she’ll say to him because she knows that apologizing won’t make a dent. She understands that about him, just as he does about her, but it leaves her with a dearth of words. She is half afraid she’ll lose her courage and leave before he comes, and sits instead, looking at the empty room he’d come back to for days, noting the scent of him in the air, the bed the motel staff hadn’t bothered to remake. A pair of jeans, a t-shirt sprawled near the bed. She’s up and picking them up off the floor before she can think, her stomach summersaults unexpectedly at the smell of him on them and she’s holding them a little tightly for a few moments, until it passes and she folds them on top of the bed.It occurs to her after she’s been waiting for a good hour and a half that this isn’t the best laid plan; he can probably smell her even from the other side of the door. He could leave and she’d never know it and end up waiting there all night. He’d just turn around and go if he was pissed enough, he wouldn’t need any of the few things he had in the room, he didn’t have to come inside at all…and why should he, she wonders? Still, when she hears the footfall on the hallway outside, she goes utterly still, holding her breath, and is grateful that the people in the room next door had shut off the damn TV and that there was only silence so she could listen. She knows he’s sensed her inside, but couldn’t tell anyone how. She thinks she might do best getting up and opening the door before he could decide this isn’t worth his trouble and walks away, but for what seems to be the longest time, she can’t move. Finally, she thinks she hears him taking a step away from the door and that spurs her to stand, to take a step toward the door, but she hasn’t raised her foot to take another before the door is suddenly open and she’s staring at him silhouetted by the garish fluorescent lighting in the hall. vi “…I want to ask where I went wrong / But don’t say anything at all…” She can’t speak, though her lips are opened and her tongue is working and there are too many words swirling in her mind to pick the right ones, and even in the unnatural light she can see his eyes change, can see that he’s wondering if all she’s doing here is nothing and the only thing that comes is the truth she never thought of speaking.“I missed you.” And her voice is breathy, as if she’d just run a marathon, and it’s so much more vulnerable than she ever thought to be, and she doesn’t know what else to say.She can feel it, that it’s not enough, that he’s thinking of reasons other than what she meant, and one part of her isn’t surprised because she had told him they couldn’t be friends, she had told him that she couldn’t look at him, or she had thought it, she couldn’t remember which suddenly, and she knew she had to say something else, but she didn’t know what.“I didn’t want you to go.”He walks into the room and a quick flick of his wrist has the door closing behind him and in the weak light from the bedside table, she sees the blood on his shirt, the rip in his jeans, and she knows it’s been a tough night, but her eyes drink him in anyway, and for a moment, she feels the tug of desire tear through her, but she fights it back because now she’s mature enough to sacrifice her desire on the altar of friendship.“You’re lying, kid.”And she doesn’t know if he’s talking about her decision to stamp out her desire or what she’d actually spoken aloud. “No,” she argues. She sees it in his eyes and she shakes her head. “Okay, maybe I did want you to go, but I never wanted you to—““What?” He’s walking through the room and she’s turning to keep him in sight, the way she would a wild animal, and he’s dropping things like his saddle bags and jacket along the way. “To leave forever,” she finishes. She sees the disbelief in his eyes and suddenly can’t stand it anymore. “God, Logan, what?” she asks, exasperated. “What do you want me to say?” She shoves the hair away from her eyes and can’t stand still suddenly. She walks to the window and looks out at the desolate parking lot. “I was wrong,” she admits, “I was a stupid brat, and I was wrong.”“You were wrong,” he echoes and she can’t read the inflection, whether he’s surprised or agreeing, or disbelieving and it occurs to her just what he might think she was talking about so she turns to face him again.“I won’t take back what I said,” she says. “I won’t,” she reiterates, as if there had been any doubt he heard her. “I won’t take back that I love you,” she insists. “But I was a stupid immature kid and I didn’t know how to deal with the fact that you didn’t love me back.” She turns her back on him again, looks back out at the window where a mangy dog is sniffing around a discarded paper bag. “I don’t know if you left because of me,” she admits on a whisper. “But if you did…” she trails off and sighs. “Don’t.” She lowers her head to rest her forehead on the window and it’s cool. “I’ll pretend I don’t,” she whispers and her breath fogs up the glass. “I won’t say a word,” she assures him, her eyes opening and searching for his reflection in the glass. “I’ll even understand if you don’t even want to be friends anymore, or if you won’t give me a chance to show you I can be happy with just that.” She sees him standing just over her left shoulder, but she can’t tell how close. “Just…” she turns around, meets his eyes. “…come home.”“Is that it?” and his jaw is tight, his fingers twitching, as he stands across from her, seemingly waiting. “I don’t know what else to say,” she confesses. “What more do you want from me?”“Do you really think we can go back to being,” he falters for a moment, “whatever we were, just like that?” She’s angry suddenly, angry that he’s questioning her, expecting something from her but not telling her what. She wants to ask what she did wrong, because she feels that it was more than just pushing him away when he was trying to make things normal between them almost a year ago, standing here in front of him, she finally realizes that it has to be more than that. She wants to ask how he would expect her to have told him she loved him, how the scene could’ve played out any differently and not had her offering him false smiles and pretending like she was fine and nothing had changed. But she can’t say a word. She sits on the chair she’d vacated with the force of her epiphany, because she finally realizes that if she was selfish about something, if she was protective of something it wasn’t her pride, it was the fact that she loved him at all. She had known (some part of her had known) that the only way to make it better had been to pretend it never happened, but that would have meant minimizing her love, sweeping it under the rug, and she hadn’t been ready to do that then.She still wasn’t.But she would pretend. If he’d let her. “Marie.”His voice, her name, and the tears were stinging her eyes, but she couldn’t keep from looking at him. “If not like this, then how,” she said her voice tight with the effort of keeping back the tears. He sighed. “Marie.”“Stop saying my name, damnit,” she exclaims, “and just tell me what I have to do to fix this,” she demands. “If not like this, then tell me how. Tell me what you need, Logan,” she looks up at him and she’s surprised by how close he is suddenly. “Just…”But his hands are burning through the cloth covering the skin of her shoulders and he shakes her just a little and she sees the anger in his eyes. “You push me away, you leave me alone to face the fact that you love me for nearly a fucking year, Marie, and now you want to fix this?” he demands. “A year,” and he shakes her a little again and she can’t fight him, even if she thought she would win, because she’s looking in his eyes again and he’s talking to her again and she knows its messed up, but even this is something she can’t resist. “of knowing I couldn’t have you the way you wanted me to and that you wouldn’t have me the only way I could have you, and now you’re—“His words finally make it through her consciousness and she frowns at him, confused. “Logan—““No, Marie,” he insists. “You said it,” he reminds her. “We can’t be friends,” and although she winces at her words flung back at her, she still doesn’t struggle, still only looks confused, not hurt. “Not after you make it so hard to pretend and then throw me away—““I didn’t--” she tries, but he doesn’t let her finish. His lips are on hers, his hands gripping her shoulders, and although she panics with the skin to skin contact and her hands flex with the need to push him away, she relishes in the way his lips are bruising hers, the way his tongue invades her mouth, the taste of him rolling through every one of her senses until she feels the tug of her mutation, the first press of his conscious and she fights him, pushes at him.“Stop it, Logan!” she exclaims, breathless when their mouths part. And although he’s stopped kissing her, he hasn’t let her go. “No,” he says, breathless himself with the effort of keeping conscious from even such a small touch of her power. He brings her close and she’s ready to fight him again, but he rests his forehead on her hair. “I won’t,” and she can feel his breath on her skin, the way his hands holding her arms aren’t holding her tight enough to bruise anymore. And despite the fact he almost killed himself to kiss her, despite the fact he’s just said such a thing and is so close, she says the first thing that occurs to her. “But you said you don’t love me.”“I lied,” he admits.She can’t get away fast enough, the tears coming to her eyes no matter what she tries to stop them, but they’re from anger this time and she wrenches herself out of his hands. She pushes at his chest and he’s still weak enough to stumble onto his knees and she turns to the door. “You bastard,” she exclaims. “All these months, this whole year and you –" she turns back to him, unconcerned with the fact he’s still kneeling on the ground. “You bastard!” she repeats for lack of a better word.She turns back to the door, yanks it open and is halfway down the parking lot before he’s behind her, vice like grip on her forearm this time, and although she tries to wrench herself out of his grasp again, he recovers quickly and he isn’t weak anymore and he stops her. “No more running, Marie,” his voice is gruff and he turns her to face him before she can say anything. “You wanted this,” he tells her. “You love me,” he says like an accusation, “and you wouldn’t let me pretend otherwise,” his eyes are stormy and his face is tight and she’s breathing hard and she wants him to kiss her again, but she doesn’t know that she doesn’t want to be angry with him more for putting her through it all.“Why’d you put me through all that, Logan?” she finally asks. “Why? A year!”“Do you think I want to love you?” he demands hotly. “Do you think I want to watch you age, or know that you’re hurting when I can’t? Do you think I want to leave you behind?” he insists. “Do you, Marie?” The tears are running down her cheeks, and for once she hadn’t felt them coming. “So don’t,” she says. “Don’t even worry what I feel,” she’s still angry and it shows. “Don’t worry that I’d be willing to be whatever you’ll accept just to spend time with you, even if I will grow old and you won’t.” She glares at him. “Stay here and don’t grow old all by yourself for all I care,” she writhes to get out from his touch, but he isn’t letting her go. “It’s too late for that now,” he says and his voice is low and softer than she’d ever heard it. “You might come to regret this,” he warns. “I know I will,” he admits. “But it’s too late now,” he finishes and before she could say another word, he’s kissing her again, so gentle and soft she can taste her own tears on his lips, stopping before her mutation kicks in. “You’ve got me now,” he whispers against her cheek, his arms wrapping around her to anchor her firmly in place. His hands cradle the back of her head and angle her head to look up at him. “Do you understand?”And she does. She finally does. ”...it took a cup of coffee...”
11476596	A Gift in Return	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane", "Fandom": "Shadowhunters (TV)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by dontwantyourcrown", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-12T00:00:00", "words": "1,625", "Additional Tags": "AU universe, Fae Magnus, Witch Alec, No shadow world but still a magical world, Fluff", "Relationship": "Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": "It All Comes Down To You", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Alec knew from a young age that names held a certain power in the witch community. Whether you were communicating with spirits, gods, Shadow people, and especially the Fae. He had been taught by his step family all about them. Giving a name, was giving the other power. It wasn’t something to be played with and he had great respect for every entity he worked with. Once he was on his own, he definitely enjoyed working with each and every type. Spirits were present nearly everywhere, and luckily with his excellent wards, he was able to keep the dark ones at bay and simply interact with the Spirits. They never needed much, sometimes just hanging out and watching him work spells and potions for the locals that came knocking at his door. Shadow people were more visceral, when he low on energy, or needed an extra boost for a curse, he would be able to call on them by simply sitting in the corner of his room, eyes closed and then reaching out until a figure took his hand. Sometimes the figure was as small as a toddler, other times, it took the form of a great mist cloud. He left gifts for the Gods daily, along with the Fae. He probably gave a little too much to the Fae, but considering his cottage was in a forest that was basically breathing magic, he figured it was the least he could do to since he was in their space so frequently for herbs and flowers.Of course, he never saw much of the Fae, they mostly kept to themselves, which was fine with him. He knew that they were some of the most tricky beings to deal with, but that hadn’t stopped one Fae in particular from getting to know him.Alec called him MB, and MB only knew him by his first initial, but he’s met up with the Fae more than once, often times, his gifts were things he knew that MB would like. Glitter was a big hit, as was soft and luxurious fabrics. MB seemed to be fascinated by the potions and spells that Alec would do, and more than once asked for a Tarot reading. Alec thought it was a joke at first. After all, Fae had so much more power than he did in their pinky than his whole body, but MB asked about it multiple times, not taking no for an answer, and simply Alec would delay him to another day.It’s not that he didn’t want to do it, or invite the Fae into his home, hell, he was so close to telling MB his real name, and that’s what scared him. It wasn’t done. Fae and Witches did not have feelings for one another. He’d never heard of such a thing, and it was slightly alarming that Alec found himself daydreaming about the Fae while he was working on a love potion for a client, or he’d think about the iridescent sparkle that MB’s hair gave off when they met up last week when the sun was just rising, all while he was pressing roses into his heavy books. Just this morning while he was outside and harvesting herbs, he saw a spider web and thought of the shimmering wings that he never quite got a glance at, but always behind MB’s back. He’s gripping a tigers eye crystal in each hand, trying not to think of Magnus’ own golden cat like eyes, and instead trying to mediate. Trying to clear his mind, and just focus on his breath and the tranquil music that he has playing in the background. He probably should have picked Amethyst, but something drew him to the tiger eye today, and now that he can’t stop picturing MB, he’s pretty sure why that is. The music starts over again, and if that isn’t a testament to how long he’s been trying at this, he’s not sure what is. That playlist was at least an hour long. As if that wasn’t enough, he can hear his cat, Lapis, batting at something on his desk, probably a crystal because he hears a loud thump as it falls to the ground. His eyes open, and he gets up, grabs the large chunk of Chalcopyrite, and puts it, and the two tiger eyes stones back on his so called work desk. Lapis clears off, knocking over a book in the process, but she’s never been very graceful. The book, of course, is his old Grimoire, he has many, filling about one a year since he turned fifteen. This one he knows because it was when he was dealing with the Fae, particularly MB, he knows that in one page there is a list of traits, likes, and dislikes. He had one for every Fae, but their not as detailed. Though, he only ever seems to deal with MB now. He remembers a girl named Cat, and another man named RF, but he only ever dealt with them briefly. He puts the book back where it was, and wanders to the kitchen, there is a client coming in later for a good luck spell, and he hasn’t even started on it yet. Luckily his ingredients are all on hand, allspice, bay leaves, clover, a star anise, and others. He grinds them together in his mortar and pestle, and then grabs a few dried lilac petals and grinds them into the mixture as well. It’s easy work, thoughtless. The spells and jars, and potions that the locals ask for are always quite simple. His own, much more difficult and time consuming. He transfers the mix into a glass bottle and then grabs some gold glitter and a baby acorn, just small enough to go on top of everything, with the glitter underneath. Sometimes he’ll add extra things, a sigil, or even a more personalized good luck endeavor, but this client never gave him any specifics, so he figures a general one will have to do. Knowing that he’ll just be occupied with thoughts of MB, Alec quickly does a few more spell jars, one for prosperity, another for easy travels, and of course, a self love, and a finding love one, as they are his best sellers. The moon is shining when he’s done, only stopping for food and drink, and a few other household chores. Yet, his mind is still lingering, and he’s drawn to his backyard. His backyard is not really cut off from the rest of the forest, though he does have a few tranquil fish ponds around, and a place to hang his clothes. A bird bath, and so many herbs and flowers, not to mention his garden where all of his vegetables are grown and his chicken pen. The chickens basically walk around all day, but he does prefer they stay in their small house at nightfall. He gently eases them back into their house and then locks it up. He walks past his garden and over to where he laid out the newest gifts for the Fae. The glitter is gone, as well as the satin fabric, but oddly enough, there is something there that he definitely didn’t put there.Closer up, he can see that it’s a necklace. The band weaved with black thread that has glitter saturated between the strings. There is a moonstone hanging from it, and the crystal shines so brightly. It’s a gift. A gift that logically he knows he shouldn’t take because you never take anything from the Fae, not gifts, not ever. It’s a contract, and you’ll never be able to pay it back. It can lead to so many terrible things, and he knows witches that have turned Fae themselves just for taking such a gift.Yet, there is no aura of maliciousness around it. Only a gentle and tender energy, and Alec knows this signature, he knows this energy.MB. “I wondered when you would come out,” a light voice says from behind him. Alec doesn’t even need to turn to know who that is. His heart feels a thousand times lighter with MB around, his stomach fluttering when MB gets close and finally in front of him. “Please take the necklace.” MB pleads, his hands grasping the cord and holding it out to Alec. Alec has nothing that he could give. Nothing on his person, not even in his home. “I don’t know if I could ever repay you, it’s so beautiful.” He has seen MB wear necklaces like this on himself. His chest always bare, the necklaces laying in varying lengths over his skin. He’s never seen one so close up, not daring to look at MB for so long. MB steps closer, barely a foot between them, and so close to touch that Alec can feel the magic that surrounds the Fae. “I want you to have it darling.” MB whispers, his eyes closing as he presses his forehead against Alec’s. “I want you, to be by your side, for this eternity and the next.”Alec’s hands cover MB’s that hold onto the necklace. He’s never let himself think about his love being returned, not like this. “That is all I want.” He replies just as low, not wanting to disturb this moment. MB’s eyes open, glowing gold, and Alec is not afraid. The necklace gets put around his neck and once it does, Alec can feel the power in it. The power MB used while creating it. “My name is Magnus Bane.” “Alec Lightwood,” he gives out his birth last name, always felt more right, and his adoptive parents never minded. “Would you come inside my house?” Magnus’ eyes crinkle with amusement. “I would love nothing more, Alexander.”
11484591	Cheater Cheater Jughead	{ "Archive Warning": null, "Category": "F/M", "Characters": "Jughead Jones, Archie Andrews, Geraldine Grundy (Archie Comics)", "Fandom": "Riverdale (TV 2017)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Not Rated", "author": "by tvdplusriverdale", "chapters": "2/2", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-12T00:00:00", "words": "2,245", "Additional Tags": null, "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Archie Andrews/Reader, Jughead Jones/Reader", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": "No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage Sex", "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Jughead slid into the booth across from me at Pop's, his laptop bag laying right beside him, and he propped his elbows up on the table, trying to draw my attention away from my homework. It was working, but I acted as if he wasn't and continued on with it."You're still mad." He said, I dropped my pencil down on the table, and look up at him."And if I am?" I said, giving him a blank stare."Look, I'm sorry, I get why you're upset-""But you were trying to protect me? Or were you just trying to get back at Archie?""Look I wouldn't do that for Archie skipping out on plans." I raised an eyebrow. "You weren't even supposed to hear it from me, he was supposed to tell you." I let out a breathless, yet humorless laugh, and looked out the window, thinking about the fight three nights ago.*I walked out of the gym cheer practice was being held in, out to the football to find Archie and Jughead in a heated argument. I wanted to leave them be, but my feet moved towards them, and I had a gut feeling that I needed to hear what was being said."When are you going to tell her, Archie?" Jughead yelled as he pushed him."I will, when it's the prefect time, just give it a break.""Its never the 'prefect time' to tell someone you're cheating on them with the music teacher!""What?" I asked, bringing both boys attention to me."Y/N, I-" Archie began but I was already storming away."Save it, Archibald." I said over my shoulder, not wanting to here his excuses.A teacher. He cheated on me with a teacher.Archie grabbed my arm, turning me around to face him."Listen to me, Y/N." He pleaded, but I wasn't having any of it."Oh, fuck off. Haven't you done enough?" Archie let go of my arm, shocked with my choice of words. All I had to say about that was he should've thought about his choice of actions.That night I shredded all the pictures, notes, everything of me and Archie together, or that he gave me. I was heart broken that night - I still am, but most of the heart break has turned into anger."How long have you known?" I asked, still looking out the window."A week." He said, my head snapped over to face him, almost giving me whiplash."A week, and you didn't even bother to tell me." I said, almost shouting."Archie made me promise not say anything to anyone." I scoffed at his response."How did you find out." I asked, leaning back into the booth."Are you sure you want to know?" He questioned solemnly, giving me a doubtful look, hurt in his eyes."What more damage can be done." I threw my hand up, and slammed it back down on the table, my elbow not leaving the surface."I caught them in her room." He admitted, I made a gagging noise."Never let me go in that room or touch anything in that room. And her poor students." Jughead smirked at my response. "God, that's disgusting, she's disgusting.""Are you going to tell the police?" He asked in all seriousness."Yes? No? I don't know." I put both elbows on the table and dug the heels of my hands into my forehead, looking down at the table. "I don't know what to do. I don't want to seem like the petty ex, but she's a teacher, that's just so many levels of wrong." Jug nodded his head, agreeing with what I was saying."What if Archie is actually in trouble with her? There's just so many possibilities. And it's like, do the right thing and Archie hate me, or ignore it, and it tear me apart? And the bad thing is after what he did, I still care about whether or not he hates me or not.""Well, talk to Archie about, it might help with your decision." I nodded in agreement. "What are you working on anyways?" He asked, sliding my paper across the table to himself."Geometry.""Ew," He said looking down at my paper. "You got number 6 wrong.""What?" I yelled, going to grab my paper out of his hands, but he moves it out of my reach. "Jughead." I said in a warning tone."Yes?" He responded, eyebrows raised."Give me my paper back." I separate each word as I said it."Come and make me." He shot up and ran out Pop's door, with me shortly behind him, chasing him outside into the rainHe turned around to see how far I was and as he turned around, I ran into him. He caught me to keep us from falling into a puddle and we both brust out laughing.As our laughter died down and our eyes locked eyes. Jug tucked a piece of hair beside my hair, he then looked away, realizing what he was doing."Your papers wet." He stated holding it up between us, I let out a sigh, one of disappointment and blowing off what just happened."There went all my hard work.""Come on, I'll help you redo it." Jug said nodding his head to the diner."Alright." ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- I hadn't talked to Archie in 5 days and each day that went by it was a new emotion. I've gone from anger to sadness, back to anger, then self hate, and now I'm teetering between anger and sadness. As I walked down the hallway, I'd past several couples, and my heart would break more.Archie had blown my phone up for the first two days since I'd found out, then it's text here and there, finally it stopped. I hadn't responded to a single text.All that was on my mind was playing the times we were together and he'd cheated on me. I replayed the memories over and over again in my mind, looking for signs. Was I really that stupid that I hadn't known my boyfriend had been cheating on me for a month?I walk into my Advanced Lit class, and went straight to the back, opposite of sitting in the middle of the classroom to talk to everybody. Since I'd found out, my brain has been on autopilot while my mind was sitting in the seat dead.I sat in the back corner, excluded from everyone else. I watched the door as Archie walked in, a smile on his face as he jokingly pushed one of his "friends". He looked over at me, but I turned my head away, looking out the window.He was perfectly fine, while I was crumbling apart."Hey," Jughead said to me as he slid into the seat next to mine. "How are you holding up?""Not at that well." I turned my head to him. "Is it bad that I'm so torn up by this?""No, you two dated for over a year." I look down at desk."Can we skip Pop's and just go to your house?" I asked, not wanting to be in public any longer than I have to."Yeah, of course." Jughead had been my rock, since I'd found out Archie had cheated on me with Grundy. It was on thing cheating on me, but with a fucking teacher, that was the breaking point."Alright class," The Lit teacher said, closing the door behind him as the bell rang.The bell rang, snapping me out of my thoughts, I shut my laptop and slid it in my bag. I followed closely behind Jughead, wanting to get out of Archie's line of sight as quick as possible. We went our separate ways, him going to his next class and me going to my locker.As I closed my locker and turned to head to my next class, I watched Archie go into Grundy's classroom. Despite my minds protest, my feet moved towards her classroom, and I'm peeking through the small glass window. Archie and Grundy were close to kissing, and felt sick to my stomach, that's when I knew any chance of us getting back together was obsolete.I knew I couldn't trust him before this and I was still looking for a reason to forgive him, but know that he's still seeing her after I found out, I knew it was over.I slipped my phone out my pocket, my glaze still on the pair, hatred setting my blood on fire. I dragged my eyes away from the two, pulling up Archie's contact, creating a new text.I didn't care how cold it was to break up with someone over text, I was pissed, and couldn't find myself no longer caring if he got hurt./You two should cover the window, you know before you start snogging. Just thought to give you a tip so you don't get caught for a third time. Have fun with your slut. We're over./I hit send and watched as he pulled away, looking at his phone. He looked up and at the window, his hazel eyes meeting mine. Absolute panic and fear brought down his face, and he's sprinting to the door, but I was already gone."Y/N!" He yelled through the crowded hallway, I ignored him, the damage was done.I could see the doors to the student parking lot, my hand holding onto my phone with a death grip.I had to get out of here.I didn't feel the heart break anymore, I was numb with anger. I wasn't just feeling anger though, I finally felt free. Relief.Archie and I were over and I was walking away, leaving destruction in my path. I didn't give a single shit.I got to my car, the wind blowing through my hair as I unlocked my car.Archie had finally got outside, still yelling my name, but I was already in my car and staring it. He got mid way to my car, but I was already pulling out.I pressed down on the gas once I got on the road. I rolled down the windows, letting the wind blow throughout my car as I speed. I was laughing and crying, I was free.I slowed down as I get to my neighborhood, pulling into my driveway. I got out of my car, happiness over taking me as I unlocked the front door, and run up the stairs. I get to my room and fall back into my bed.Closing my eyes, I knew I was at peace.I waited for Jughead to get out to the student parking lot, music blasting through my speakers.Everything felt normal.As Jug walked up to my car, he seen the huge smile on my face, and before he could say again, I spoke."Do you need a ride?" He nodded his head, getting into the passenger side of my car, speechless. "Okay, so your house or Pop's or do you want to just drive around, because I'm totally up for all three?" He looked over at me in complete shock."Who are you and what did you do to Y/N?" I laughed."I know, I did a complete 180 on my mood since Lit, I broke up with Archie, and skipped the rest of school, having a me day." I explained. "Now where to?""I guess my house." He said buckling up. "And did I just here you say you broke up with Archie?""Yep," I put my car in gear and drive out of the parking lot, the wind yet again blowing through the windows, but no where near as bad as this morning."No remorse, sadness? You're perfectly fine?" He asked, not able to believe the mood I was in."Yep, it's in the past. Now, turn the radio up!" I see him looking at me in disbelief and finally turned up the volume.**"What?" I asked laughing as Jughead continued staring at me in disbelief, he shook his head, giving a slight laugh. He sat in his desk chair as I laid propped up in his bed." I still can't believe it, yesterday you were balling your eyes out on my shoulder, and today you're happy as can be.""Well believe it, now what about a Star Wars marathon?" He had a ghost of a smile on his face as he agreed. "Okay, you get the movie going and I'll go make popcorn!" I said, jumping out of his bed and going into the kitchen before he could change his mind.Once the popcorn was done popping, I poured it in a bowl, and ran up stairs and to his room, finding him propped up against the headboard on his bed, fast forwarding through the commercials.I got the popcorn!" I announced, jumping on his bed, but careful not to get the popcorn everywhere. I sat next to him, leaning my back against the headboard and my head on his shoulder. He looked down at me, I didn't see the look on his face as I continued staring at the TV and eating popcorn.Once he got the movie started, our night was filled with both of us repeating lines word-for-word, and throwing popcorn at each other.I eventually laid my head on his chest, pieces of popcorn covering the bed, and closed my eyes.I was at peace.
11485794	Restless Waltz	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Armitage Hux, Ben Solo \| Kylo Ren, Kylo Ren", "Fandom": "Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by oorsprong", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-13T00:00:00", "words": "548", "Additional Tags": "Ficlet, Dancing, Ballroom Dancing, Awkward Conversations", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren, Armitage Hux/Ben Solo \| Kylo Ren", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	“You aren’t enjoying yourself.” “It’s a wedding,” Hux says, taking another sip of the sour wine the locals can’t get enough of. “I’ve only been to one wedding in my life,” Ren admits, making Hux pause. He knows enough about Ren’s past to find this incredulous. Weddings are big business in the Republic and surely a senator and her son would be frequent guests. “No, she never took me along. Said I’d hate it.” Torn between irritation at Ren for taking the thought and shame at letting it come to the surface in the first place, he sets the glass on a low table and looks away, listening to the faint murmur of voices in the room beyond. They’re alone out here in the hall. “She wasn’t wrong. They’re dreadful affairs. People drink too much and make fools of themselves. There’s a great deal of dancing, both structured and unstructured. You toast simpering speeches and feign enthusiasm. You mingle.” He looks up again to see Ren smiling at him. “You love dancing.” “I certainly do not.” Officers need passable skill at dancing to attend formal functions and Hux has mastered the fast tempo of the traditional Alderaanian waltz, the slower Hssuha waltz popular in the outer rim, and even the Enfi-Oe that went out of fashion in the core worlds over a century ago. He supposes he does enjoy that one a bit. “You do,” Ren says, reaching over and taking his hand. Hux lets him. “I enjoy the precision of the movement. I am not interested in dancing for it’s own sake.” “You’re not much of a liar.” Ren tugs him close and slips strong arms around him. Hux shouldn’t give into this. Any moment he’ll be called in to speak on behalf of the First Order. His focus shifts to Ren as he finds himself pulled into a clumsy shuffle. The knight is attempting to dance with him. Badly. “You’re not much of dancer.” “You could teach me.” WIth his hair pinned back from his face and his eyes rimmed in soft silver he looks oddly lovely. Hux reaches up to trace the outer shell of his ear and Ren’s lips quirk into a smile. “Not here I can’t.” “Of course you could. You’re just embarrassed.” “What’s there to be embarrassed about?” Hux snaps, irritated that Ren is right and not at all sure why he feels that way. “Because you like dancing and you like me and you’re afraid that if we dance together everyone will see it on your face.” Hux drops his gaze only to have Ren tilt his chin up with a crooked finger. “Don’t…” “But if we stay here,” Ren continues as if Hux hasn’t spoken, “no one else has to see. And I don’t have to share you.” The stare at one another. Ren is the first to look away. “Alright,” Hux says, taking Ren’s hands. “I’ll teach you.” “You will?” “Mmhmm.” He surprises Ren with a kiss on the cheek before placing his hands in the proper positions. “Watch my feet and don’t step on them. I don’t want my boots scuffed. Ren.” “Yes?” “You’re still looking at me. Look down.” He bites back a smile as Ren's gaze drops to the floor with clear reluctance. “Okay.” They begin.
11453505	Accurate Nomenclature	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "Gen", "Characters": "Gast Faremis, Jenova", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by Kieron_ODuibhir", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-09T00:00:00", "words": "1,621", "Additional Tags": "Dramatic Irony, Gast Is A Prig, sorry aerith, sorry sephiroth, archeology, Etymology, Sealed Evil In A Can, Names, two thousand years is a lot of time for people, but not all that long for science!, i figure the behold-this-mural is at least five thousand years old, Nice Job Breaking It Shinra, I Named Rufus' Dad Rupert", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": "lucky sevens", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "Final Fantasy VII, Compilation of Final Fantasy VII", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	This was not actually Gast’s dig. Archeology was not his specialty, after all. He had a general grasp of the discipline but had conducted his deeper studies primarily in the harder sciences, particularly the biological. His lifelong interest in Ancient culture had never raised him above hobbyist, amateur expert on the subject but no real authority.But this dig was sponsored by Shinra Company, and he was head of the Department of Natural Sciences, which gave him the authority to peer over whatever shoulders he liked when he chose, and demand regular updates. Many of the workers here, even the most experienced excavationists, had no particular sensitivity to where treasure hunting left off and science began, and it was necessary to keep a sharp eye on them lest they make off with precious artifacts.Not that there was very much by way of temptation just now. This stage of the excavation was uncovering no small articles that could be covertly slipped into pockets, not since the materia embedded at the corners had been pried loose—just smooth obsidian surface engraved at the cardinal points with mysterious inscriptions, and inset with a serene silver death mask.The same face had been carved into the basalt outer housing of the tomb, almost entirely worn away by the elements, and cast onto the mythril box inside of that.A little further north, inside the ice fields, the atmosphere might have been cold and dry enough for the wooden intermediate layer to survive. At this latitude it had not, but it was generally agreed the face had appeared there, too. The loss of whatever text had been placed on the cedar casket was a blow, but the surviving layers were a treasure trove. Bets on how many steadily smaller tombs they were going to have to cut their way carefully through were flying fast around the dig site. Gast supposed that sort of thing was harmless as long as the bets didn’t concern anything that could be falsified, to the detriment of scientific integrity, in the interests of winning them, so he pretended not to notice. It wasn’t actually his dig.An acquaintance at Junon University had talked about an imaging system based on sending shockwaves through the ground to pick up solid objects, and if he ever got the sensors actually developed it would be incredibly useful for digs like this—it was hard, after all, to X-ray a small, half-buried building. For now, they would have to wait and see.It would have helped if they understood more of the Ancient writing system, but the few sites that had preserved any text came from all across the Planet and, scholars agreed, centuries apart from one another; not being able to rely on any perceived similarity reflecting actual linguistic continuity made the translation process slow in the extreme.This amazing discovery was only two thousand years old, though—the most recent Ancient site ever unearthed, the inner inscriptions beautifully preserved, and last Gast had heard the linguists on the Project had been fairly sure they had found a familial resemblance to at least one language that had gone extinct within the frame of historical time, and was not actually lost to scholars. This had accelerated their work immensely, though at least one major error had been made due to a false cognate.Being able to watch history unveiled millimeter by millimeter was more than worth enduring the chill winds of the Northern Continent. Gast thought he could quite get to like it here, really. “What have you learned since my last visit?” he asked, finally looking away from the dig site itself to pay attention to his supposed guide.“It’s hard to say anything with certainty just now,” the dig coordinator temporized, clipboard clutched in both hands. The main impression Gast had of her so far was a tendency to gush. “But this is one of the most complete Ancient sites we’ve ever found, and by far the most elaborate tomb. We’re learning something every day!”Gast knew all of that. Larger burial sites had been found in the south, but none so intricate, and none that had not been despoiled by grave robbers long before scientists came along. “Have you determined the identity of the occupant yet?”That was what everyone wanted to know, all the casually interested archeology fans and Rupert Shinra who was underwriting the excavation. Who had they found? A king, had been the initial assumption—who else did you find buried so elaborately?But the first legible inscriptions to be partially deciphered had seemed to refer to the occupant in consistently feminine terms, which had provoked an immediate new flurry of interest. A queen, perhaps? A High Priestess of the forgotten Ancient religion? Archeology departments across the Planet were hoping for the latter; there was likely to be more cultural information available in a priestess’ tomb.If Gast was honest, he was anxious to know himself. “Last I heard the name was something like Sefirot?” He quite liked the name, thought it suited the serene death-mask.But the coordinator was shaking her head. “No, the southern university got back to us. Sefiroth is the shorthand for the ten names of the Ancients’ star god, the reason it appeared on every wall of the mythril layer was to invoke the watchfulness of the stars to guard the site.”“So we still don’t have a name?”She tucked some hair behind one ear. “Oh, no, we do. I mean…we still don’t have a comprehensive grasp of the Ancient syllabary, even with the work Doctor Valentine has done on the Western Continental sites, but this part,” she continued, pointing to a clump of three characters graven into the obsidian, difficult to make out even with the strong diagonal light being cast upon it by dig lamps, “is definitely the name, and the consensus is that it reads Je-no-va.”“Jenova," Gast echoed. "Do we have any idea what it means?” Not that it necessarily meant anything, but what Ancient writings had been deciphered suggested a tendency toward descriptive names, or possibly toward referring to people in writing almost exclusively by their titles.The coordinator shrugged. “Something like Originator, or the Source. It’s related to the Old Northern Genos, which gives us the modern word genesis.”“Mother of All, perhaps,” Gast mused.“That’s definitely a possible interpretation, especially if she was a religious figure. We’ll have to keep our minds open.” That was possibly the most diplomatic way anyone had ever called him a romantic idiot, but Gast frowned at the woman anyway until she looked down at her clipboard, abashed.“This tomb dates from near the end of the collapse of Ancient civilization,” she said in a more subdued voice. “As you know, some of the Site C fragments suggest that one of the effects of the great plague was sterility in its survivors. It’s possible she represented some sort of hope of rebirth for her people, possibly by literally having a large number of children.”“Whatever it was she did,” put in Doctor Niles, rather snide, “it wasn’t enough.”Gast and the coordinator—he should really learn her name, she was obviously an actual scholar in the field, not just a low-level administrator—both frowned at Niles, on his knees several feet away taking a careful rubbing of some of the large-cut characters near the base of one black wall. “It’s unfair to blame the extinction of a race on one of its heroes,” Gast told him rather stiffly. Niles was always unpleasant, but being in a position of authority over him meant it would be bad form to lose his temper over it. “Worse, you’re kneeling at her grave; it is rude.”Niles laughed but didn’t make any retort, just returned to his work.Gast shook his head. Niles wasn’t really a Shinra employee, just on loan from his university for this project, and seemed to take entirely too much satisfaction in not owing the company hierarchy much respect. If this kept up Gast might need to write to his Department head about the need to maintain harmonious relations between their institutions.But for now he was standing before an awe-inspiringly intricate work of Ancient artifice, watching the inexorable progress of research, bringing them closer to the secrets of the Ancients, the path to the brightest of possible futures. He thought the silver mask seemed to be smiling the faintest, most secretive smile as it gazed off into nothingness, exposed to air and a view for the first time in two thousand years.The Ancients had lived contemporaneously with humans, mingled with them toward the end, and it was always possible the body they found inside would be merely human. Some people argued the Ancients had been human all along, and all their fabled powers only myth and lost technology. But Gast didn’t believe it.“The cause of science requires that we disturb your rest, Great Lady,” he told the High Priestess, or Witch-Queen, or whatever she turned out to have been.“But perhaps…” Gast fingered the slip of a coded telegram in his pocket. This was getting ahead of himself, he knew, when the inner tomb still lay sealed, but budget allocations were best sorted out before one needed the money, and Rupert had come through. If there was preserved biological material enshrined in the site, Shinra would fund an attempt at reproducing its genetic traits. Some part of the Ancients would walk the Planet again.Gast returned the gentle smile of the silver mask. If Jenova’s ghost was watching, he hoped she understood. “Perhaps in the pursuit of our mission…we can help you fulfill yours as well.”
11483472	red	{ "Archive Warning": null, "Category": "F/F", "Characters": "Kara Danvers, Lena Luthor, Alex Danvers", "Fandom": "Supergirl (TV 2015)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Mature", "author": "by ImaginaryDragons", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-12T00:00:00", "words": "2,596", "Additional Tags": "Red Kryptonite, Some angst, fluff at the end, i think", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Alex Danvers & Kara Danvers", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply", "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	If she was being truthful, she would admit that she knew it was not Kara, she knew it was not the same person who she had spent so much time with. She should have known that it was not Kara, it was so out of character for Kara to just suddenly kiss her like that. It was her fault for letting herself think that Kara would ever want her, when she was in her right mind. She had let her hopeless crush rule her actions, she never saw the red flashing in Kara’s eyes. The way Kara’s smile was off when she showed up at the office. It was so out of character for Kara, innocent sweet Kara who had suddenly decided to march into Lena’s office wearing an outfit that hugged every curve and made Lena’s knees go weak. God Kara had strutted over to Lena and kissed her harshly, she had given in so quickly letting Kara push her back against her desk. Their lips still clashing, her hands made their way into Kara’s hair, tugging it down from it's elaborate bun. Kara had quickly pushed everything off of Lena’s desk, as she lifted the CEO onto it. Lena shook her head trying to rid herself of the memory, of the feel of Kara’s hands on her skin, the sound of kara’s moans as she had touched the reporter. The way Kara had touched her, the way she had said Kara’s name as she was driven to the brink of insanity by the reporter. She had deluded herself into thinking that it was all real, that Kara come to the realization that she had feelings for Lena, but that was nothing but a lie. It felt like a bullet to the chest, when she found out from agent Danvers. Alex had come by looking for Kara, saying that there was a chance that she had been exposed to red kryptonite. Alex was panicking, as she listed to Lena the symptoms and all of the effects of red kryptonite poisoning, Lena had barely managed not to break down as she realized that everything that had happened between her and Kara meant absolutely nothing. She had answered all of the questions Alex had asked her, she left out the part about being fucked on her desk by the agents little sister. When Alex had finally left, she ended up giving Lena a com so that if Kara returned they could send a squad to take her down. She let tears fall after the door had slammed shut, she allowed herself to fall apart if only for a few moments, as she mourned the end of something that had never truly begun. The love that had never existed seemed to be the most painful love of all, and Lena was far to familiar with that type of love. It was the kind that hurt more than anything, it tore her apart from the inside out as she would try and and convince herself she was worth the love. She slumped onto her couch, her face in her hands as tears once again began to fall from her eyes despite her best efforts to push them back. A sob escaped her mouth as she sat, trying to come to terms with everything that had been thrown at her that day. Part of her wanted to scream, part of her wanted to disappear. It was all too much for one day, the day she had thought was going to be great had turned into a nightmare. When Kara had come back it had been even more painful though, as Kara knew that she had spoken to Alex, damn super hearing and all. She landed harshly on the balcony, shaking Lena out of her thoughts. Apparently Kara was no longer pretending that Lena did not know her secret identity. The look on Kara’s face stopped Lena from making any quips, or saying a single word as Kara stalked forward.Red flashed underneath the kryptonian’s skin, her eyes flashed red, the sight was enough to send chills down Lena’s spine. She was terrified, she had never been scared of Kara but this, this was not her Kara. She wiped her eyes, and tried to compose herself as Kara stalked towards her, an almost evil smile on the blonde’s face. Kara was wearing a different suit than supergirl usually wore, it was black and red and more built for combat, she looked like a soldier ready for battle.It was like the regime of kryptonians that had been in national city the year earlier, before Lena had moved to national city. She had heard about them and their suits that were near impenetrable. Seeing Kara in one was different, it looked good on her but it also looked terrifying and that was not something that supergirl usually was. Lena took in a breath trying to collect herself, as she pressed the button on the com to call Alex and alert her that Kara had come back to L-corp. It would take a while for the DEO to get there, so she would have to figure a way to slow Kara and keep her there.“Lee, what’s wrong, someone say something to upset you.” Lena would have taken Kara’s words for genuine worry, if it had not been for the malicious tone to the blonde’s voice. “Then again you are so easy to upset, someone says the truth and you are breaking down crying.” Lena flinched back at Kara’s words, she had never heard such cruelty fall from Kara’s lips. Sweet innocent Kara had changed drastically, and now that she knew what it was she felt guilt build in her chests, Kara was not in her right mind she had used Kara while she was in this state, it made Lena feel sick. Kara was looking at her waiting for an answer to her question, expectantly and rather impatiently. “ no, no it’s nothing.” Lena said, her voice shaky as terror gripped her heart. She stepped back away from Kara, trying to put space between them, as if it would some how keep her safe from the hero.“ of course it is nothing, but this nothing still seemed to upset the little baby luthor.” Kara said, her voice mocking much like a young child would when trying to insult someone.“ You betrayed me you know that right Lena, you told them,” Kara stated cruelly, as she used her speed to immediately place herself right in front of Lena, who gulped loudly as she found herself looking up at the taller woman.“ Kara you’re not in your right mind please!” the CEO begged, as she put her hands on Kara’s shoulders trying to pull some real emotion out of the woman she secretly loved, the one who had picked her up after her whole world had seemingly fell apart. “ oh poor naive Lena, I thought that you of all people would understand,” Kara said, putting her hand on Lena’s cheek and tilting the other woman's head towards hers as if she was going to kiss her. Kara’s lips brushed over Lena’s and for a millisecond, Lena found herself almost giving into the feel of the blonde’s lips, especially when she had the knowledge that this was likely the last time she would ever get the chance to feel Kara’s lips against her own. The only thing keeping her from giving in was the knowledge that in this state Kara was not truly giving Lena her consent to kiss her, and Lena could never do that to Kara. Kara seemed to since this and leaned in and captured Lena’s lips in a rough kiss, Lena did not return it this time though. This time she was going to be stronger, and not give into the infected kryptonians kiss. “ tsk, tsk, tsk and here I was thinking that we could have some more fun,” Kara’s voice held a dark nature to it, that made Lena want to run for cover. The person speaking to her was certainly not the same Kara that she was in love with. “ Kara please this isn’t you” Lena begged again, putting her left hand on Kara’s cheek trying to pull what ever part of her Kara that was in there out. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes as she pleaded with Kara. “ Lena how many times am I going to have to tell you this, I AM MORE ME THAN I HAVE EVER BEEN BEFORE, now do you understand that.” Kara said harshly, then quickly did a one eighty and had switched back into a sickly dark and soft voice. “ now I thought you were a genius, it should not take a genius so long to get this” “ I get it Kara I do,” Lena said, trying to keep Kara talking as she saw the tell tale blink of a blue light on the communicator, that signaled the DEO was approaching her location. She just had to stall until they could get to her. “ good good, I was getting worried that it was a lie when you told me you were a genius, and I do hate it when people lie to me” Kara said, her voice sending a new wave of fear through Lena’s body. “ then again you did already call the DEO on me didn’t you Lee, I knew I could never trust a Luthor, wish I could say it’s been fun Lee, but it honestly wasn’t.” With that Kara turned quickly and rocketed out of the window, not minding the glass as it shattered behind her Lena barely evaded the falling glass by ducking behind the couch and using it to shield her. She saw the com next to her flashing quickly as the DEO agents approached the building. She knew that she had to keep herself together, at least until after the agents had left. A Luthor never shows weakness and she was a Luthor after all, so she would not cry she would not allow herself to let the emotions Kara had cause control her. The door to her office opened as multiple DEO agents charged into the room, prepared to fight a red kryptonite infected superhero. Alex was at the forefront of the group, she was the one who noticed Lena on the ground behind the couch. She rushed over immediately checking for injuries or signs of anything that Kara may have inflicted on the young CEO, the only thing that was out of place was Lena’s smudged lipstick. “ she is gone, headed south east,” Lena said weakly, she was unable to pull her usual composure together. Alex immediately noticed this and went to help Lena to her feet, from where the other woman was holding herself on the floor. “ head out south east and get Winn back on tracking.” Alex commanded quickly. She leaned down to Lena, softly began speaking to Lena “I know she said some things, and did things but, she did not mean them Lena, we are going to get our Kara back ok.” Lena nodded at Alex’s attempt to calm the broken CEO, Alex pulled back and headed out the door after the other agents. As soon as she was sure that they were gone from the building she let herself fall apart, crying into her hands. It took a good ten minutes for her to collect herself, so that she was presentable again. She needed to get home to get away from the wretched office for a while. When she left the office no one would have been able to guess that just thirty minutes before she was crying on the floor. She made her way back to her apartment, when she closed her apartment door though she found herself dashing for the bathroom and emptying the contents of her stomach into the toilet. As images of the day flashed before her eyes, she felt repulsed by herself, and by the words Kara had said. She felt hot tears sting her cheeks, as she rested her head on the side of the toilet. She felt so drained of all emotions by the time she went to try and sleep, she was exhausted by the day. The dull ache of the words Kara had said still hung in her chest, as she closed her eyes and tried to sleep. That night all she did was toss and turn just like the days events through her head. She turned on the news to see Kara fighting the DEO once again, it was going to be a media disaster in the morning, Lena knew that. Kara was taking hit after hit and Lena found herself flinching with each hit Kara took. It took the DEO over three hours to get Kara restrained, and get the cure for the poisoning in her system. They brought a collapsed supergirl into a van before taking her to some secret government location. Lena found that the sun had risen by the time the fight was over. She got up and decided to get ready for her day, L-corp would need it’s CEO and she would have to make a statement about the supergirl situation at some point, especially considering that supergirl was seen flying out of her office window. She spoke to a Catco reporter and a few other news outlets, telling them that she was aware that supergirl was under the effects of a poisoning, that it was not the hero’s fault and that the true person responsible was the one who had exposed supergirl to the substance. She defended Kara to the media. No matter what had been said she would not betray Kara’s trust, and Kara’s faith in her even if the words that had been spoken the day before, still echoed in her head. Even when she could feel the burn of regret and pain in her heart. She felt once again, like the world was falling apart around her, but this time she did not have Kara at her side to pick her up and tell her that it would all be ok. She had expected to come home to an empty apartment that night, to have a glass of wine and then try to get some sleep again, she was exhausted after the last two days. She was not expecting to step out onto her balcony to find it covered in plumerias the flowers were accompanied by a note on the table with her name on it, written in Kara’s hand writing. ‘ I am so sorry Lena, for everything that I said and what I have done to you is unforgivable, just know that I am sorry and I wish that I had better words to put on this page but there is no amount of apologies that can make up for what I have done, just know please that I a care for you so much and that you deserve so much better than the way I treated you’ Lena sat on the patio and allowed herself to cry for the first time that day, knowing that she has not completely lost Kara, but there will be a long way to go for them to figure everything out, no matter what there was no going back from what they had done, and they needed to figure out where they stood. Lena was scared of that of finding that Kara felt nothing, it was just as terrifying as finding out, that Kara was not herself when they had been together.
11400171	Life Bites	{ "Archive Warning": "Graphic Depictions Of Violence", "Category": "Gen", "Characters": "Edd (Eddsworld), Matt (Eddsworld), Tom (Eddsworld), Vampire Matt - Character, random plot ocs", "Fandom": "Eddsworld - All Media Types", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by wisterinite", "chapters": "18/18", "completed": "2017-09-12", "published": "2017-07-04T00:00:00", "words": "30,918", "Additional Tags": "Vampire!Matt AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Angst, Humor, Character Study, Character Analysis, Vampires, Matt Sucks Episode References, Eddisode References In General", "Relationship": "Edd & Matt & Tom (Eddsworld)", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	He’d gone after Edd first. It was a difficult task, but he’d followed Edd’s wishes that he wouldn’t try and bite him until after a dinner and a movie. It could have been super romantic if Matt hadn’t been thinking of his food the whole time, of sinking his teeth into that soft, exposed flesh at the side of Edd’s neck… Then Tom appeared and everything went to hell. He killed them both, however still being unable to get the full satisfaction of a meal. Matt stepped outside for a second of fresh air, which was a mistake when.... ... Matt woke up in the darkness of his own room and was relieved to find that he was still alive, and not burnt to ashes in the light of the sun. What an odd dream, he thought to himself as he sat up and ran a hand through his ginger locks. It wasn’t really an unusual dream, to find himself in a strange scenario where he and his friends ended up dying in the end. What didn’t fully bode well in Matt’s mind was that it was him who killed everyone in the end, again, and that this also wasn’t a strange occurrence. It was a little funny how it went down though, Matt noted humorously, so maybe he’d share what had happened in that dream over breakfast or something. Looking over at the clock, Matt found it was actually already evening. He must have came home after Halloween and decided to catch up on his beauty sleep, since it appeared he’d slept the day away. He only figured so, because he’d forgotten what he’d actually done. It was just another thing he’d forgotten, as Matt was often forgetful, so not too concerning at the moment. The hallways were also dark, telling Matt that everyone must already be asleep. He could see for himself, where a drunk Tom must have passed out in the light of the TV, which was now dark assumably courtesy of Edd, where bottles of Smirnoff lay all around him. Nudging Tom proved fruitless as he continued to sleep like a log, so Matt decided to seek out Edd. He wondered what he’d missed while he was passed out, since the trio had planned on going out the following day for hot cocoa by the lake. Fall at the park was beautiful this time of year, in addition to the bounds and bounds of candy leftover from Halloween all over the ground that Matt hoped to pick up, so they’d surely have a good outing. Matt padded through the darkness of the corridors in only his boxer shorts, which he only just noticed looking down at himself. He should’ve noticed earlier, since the weather, especially at night, was rather chilly. Even with this revelation, he couldn’t bring himself to care that he’d be cold, that is until he reached Edd’s door. Before his friend’s door, he was struck with a sense of modesty that he should probably throw on a bathrobe before waking his friend up, and convinced himself to put something on. He came back, after having quickly thrown on the first fluffy material he’d reached within the black of his closet, and entered Edd’s room. The curtains were shut, and not even Edd’s bedside lamp was on to provide light for Matt’s tread into Edd’s room, causing him to accidentally step on some of his sketch journals. He peeled his foot off from the papers quietly, with a touch of guilt at having stepped on one of Edd’s works, and this time carefully made his way towards the bed. He’d hoped that Edd would already be awake, but looking at the sleeping form before him, illuminated only by the digital clock on his nightstand, he felt a little mournful about waking him up now. Edd often overworked himself, his obsession with drawing storylines and comics driving him to pull all nighters and even ignoring basic human needs like eating in addition to sleeping. The dark circles under Edd’s eyes told him that it must have been another night like that, and he supposed he would’ve looked like that if he hadn’t caught up on sleep after his exciting Halloween. Had Matt had an exciting Halloween? He couldn’t exactly remember it. That alone though, must have meant that he had the time of his life, so he put it aside, and with distracted feelings, pushed at Edd’s shoulder to awaken him. Edd groaned at being jostled, attempting to bury his face into his pillow without moving anymore. It was a little endearing, how his face got all squished up, Matt mused, but continued by poking him more harshly. His quest for knowledge exceeded his pity for his friend’s sleep deprivation, fueling his poking powers to awaken him. Finally Edd gave in, turning his face towards his assailant with a look of loathing as he peeled himself from his blissful sleep. Matt shot him a toothy grin, to which Edd turned away from, back now facing him so that he could go back to sleep. “Hey, wait!” Matt protested, bring Edd back around with a pull. Edd shot him a sour look, so he let go. “W-hat do you want Matt?” Edd willed his sleepy brain to say. Maybe if he responded, Matt would leave quicker. Matt rolled his eyes. “I was just wondering how long I was out,” he said. Honestly, his concerns were pretty viable. Who knows what could’ve happened while he was out: Tom could’ve eaten all of his candy; Edd could’ve thrown out his halloween costume already; the two of them could’ve already gone and combed through the park for candy without him! Edd broke him out of his worries by deadpanning, “Couldn’t you just look at a calendar,” It wasn’t a question, Edd thinking this must have been obvious to even a four year old to have known. Matt pursed his lips at his indignancy and shook his head. “No,” he responded, though he couldn’t elaborate against Edd’s logic. He forged on, “Couldn’t you just tell me already?” He was beginning to become impatient with Edd. “Erghh...” Edd groaned, as if Matt was asking him to get up and run a marathon for him. “Fiiine,” he drawled. He might as well get this over with, he was probably thinking. Matt felt that his roommates must only tolerate his existence, with how it was like pulling teeth to get them to do anything for him, he thought frustratedly. Edd sat up so he didn’t have to peer up as much at Matt. “After Halloween we didn’t really see you for a while. Actually, this is the first time you’ve turned up,” Edd explained emotionlessly. Matt thought for a moment. “Wait, what’s today again?” “I dunno. Two days after Halloween…? Er, November….second.” Edd’s sleepy voice supplied for him. “...Two days?!” Matt’s reaction was delayed, seeing as Edd didn’t seem overly surprised to see him. “Um,” Edd noticed his mistake, thinking for a moment. “And I don’t even get a welcome back?” he asked, hurt. Edd rubbed the back of his neck, muttering something incomprehensible before responding. “Welcome back…?” Matt snorted at his compassionless attempt at making up. Edd gave in, saying, “So, are we done here, orr…?” He wanted to go back to sleep, probably. “...You guys didn’t already go to the park without me, did you?” Matt bit his lip, swallowing back the sad lump in his throat. “Err,” Edd hesitated again. “Yeah. It was a good time.” He supplied. It was Matt’s turn to grumble a bit. Matt turned around, not wanting to deal with this insufferable human anymore. Edd could go back to sleep for all he cared, Matt thought numbly as he left the room, ignoring the murmured ‘night M’tt’ that trailed after him. It was still dark out in the hallways even though Matt felt wide awake, save for his heavy heart. He stood for a moment outside of Edd’s door, wondering what to do. He couldn’t remember what had happened after Halloween night. Perhaps he’d ODed on sugar or something gross he picked up, causing him to go on some sort of high and forget what had happened. He then must have come home quietly to his bed and crashed afterwards. It seemed that Tom and Edd hadn’t been overly concerned about where he’d been after Halloween night anyways, so he too wouldn’t worry too much about it. This hadn’t been the first time that he’d forgotten about adventures he’d taken, and he hadn’t gotten himself into too much trouble yet, as far as he could remember. He should take Edd’s advice and sleep it off, sleep being a much easier way of convincing himself not to worry than he could in his mind. In his room, he shed his robe off and hung it back up neatly, before climbing into bed. He laid back, head hitting the pillow, with a mind wide awake. It already felt like he’d slept for hours, but it was way too early in the night for him to be up and about. He’d hate to have baggy eyes in the morning. He found it extremely difficult to sleep that night, but finally managed to shut his eyes long enough for dreams to come alive. --- ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Flashes of teeth filled Matt’s vision before the red overtook him. Then, like a grainy film, patches of black blotted the scene when he came to again in some alleyway, dizzy and stumbling around like a drunk. He felt weak, and distantly wished that he could find his bucket of candy. Moreso though, he felt a pit in his stomach urging him to eat actual food, mouth watering at that thought coming to the forefront of his mind. The scene became a blur. His eyes were already open when he could see again. There was a woman sleeping at his feet, and he was in another location. Brick walls with red graffiti surrounded him, although the graffiti paint was still wet, dripping down to the concrete below. The paint continued dripping down the tiles until the floor pooled with red. The liquid was steadily rising, as Matt stood watching this in morbid fascination, until it was sloshing around his ankles. As he stared at this strange flood occurring, he thought to himself that this wasn’t actually paint. This was something he was certain about. He felt dizzy again, swaying for a bit before a hot pain seared his shoulder, causing him to gasp and grab at the infected area. He blacked out again. When he came to, his muscles felt heavy, and every part of him was sweating. He still couldn’t see, but a creeping feeling in his mind told him that he wouldn’t want to see this… ...Dream. It was a dream, he realized, as Matt’s eyes snapped open. He was still in his room, on top of his bed and tucked under his covers, laying there in the dark. Drowsiness was not a luxury he would have anymore, as his feet itched to move around out of its fluffy encasing. So he threw back the covers and gave in. The clock showed that it was an early morning hour, whereas the sun was still not up. Thankfully , Matt thought with a shudder, perhaps due that first dream having affected him more than he’d initially thought. Not bothering with his room light, but turning on the harsh bathroom lights, he began his morning routine. The first thing he’d do was check himself out but...that was odd. He couldn’t see himself in his mirror. Confusion took over, and Matt reached out to touch the normally reflective surface. Moving left and right, he could see that it was reflecting the bathroom as usual, but for some reason he couldn’t see himself. Was this some sort a prank, like a payback for not being around after Halloween? He wondered this hopefully, because that would mean that his friends actually cared that he’d been gone and that his mirror had been rigged somehow. Very clever, guys … He shook himself out of his confused daze to brush his teeth. After that, he brushed his hair, did up his face, and freshened up. Although he did this all blind, he felt that, even if he did feel like he’d slept for too long, that he’d probably look okay. If only he could gaze at the artwork he’d made. Oh well, he thought as he left the too-bright lights behind him and shrugged on his bathrobe once more. His eyes readjusted to the dimness of his room. As he walked out towards the kitchen, he mused about how off today was so far. He disliked how thrown off his sleeping schedule must have become, all because of his mysterious disappearance after Halloween. He was never up this early, whereas he was usually up by seven or eight and NOT up at four-bloody-AM, even despite the morning person he was. He was careful to stepping onto the tile floor, remembering the shock he’d had with how cold it’d been last time. He was pleasantly surprised to find it was comfortably warm. Hopefully it hadn’t anything to do with their heater being cranked up too much, because Matt wanted nothing to do with that bill. Matt didn’t feel incredibly hungry, but he’d nothing better to do than get his morning going. He started out by making himself a delicious bowl of Eddsworld Cereal™. Sitting at the kitchen table, he stared off into the distance and out through the glass door towards their backyard lawn. As he munched on his cereal, he could see the sky turning different shades of colors in the dawn light. It took Matt’s breath away, but not in awe of its beauty. Fear clawed at his throat as he choked down some of the last bits of cereal, eyes not leaving the hue-meshed sky. He got up quickly, not bothering to drink his milk, dumping his dish in the sink and retreating back to the dark corridors towards his room. Shutting the door behind him, he didn’t yet feel safe. Some light was sneaking in through his windows, illuminating some parts of his room and eliciting another fear. He yelped as he saw parts of his floor were dotted with something that looked like blood. It trailed from the door and all around his room. Eyes darting around, his breaths getting shorter and shorter with each taken in, his attention stopped at the metal wastebin that stood next him. Inside, he could peer into it and see his purple hoodie and green overcoat. Cross that out-- his blood soaked hoodie and overcoat. It was as if an eery mist was rising from the floor that Matt could see, indicating the pollution of his once safe haven. It reeked of a tangy smell, lifting into his nostrils and causing his heart to do a backflip, his hand slapping over his face as if to protect himself from it. He leaned his head against the door behind him, closing his eyes and counting each breath he took. What sort of horror show was this? Matt needed his mirror. His favorite mirror was in-- this time it was his stomach that took a turn as he stumbled away from the accursed looking waste bin. He tripped over himself to his bedside desk, opening the drawer and pulling out his second favorite mirror. He fell onto his knees as he pulled it out, peering into it desperately for some semblance of comfort in himself. He found nothing but the opposite side of the room. The sun was steadily peering into the window, and with a cry he leapt to his feet and tore the curtains shut. It was dark again, as he let gravity take him once more. Every part of him was shaking as he lifted the mirror to his now teary-eyed face, the shimmering surface doing nothing to sedate him. He bit his lip and let it fall to his lap, as he folded in on himself like a wilting flower. The flashes of a certain memory continued filling his vision, finally causing the tears to flow. Dark splashes of red fell onto the mirror’s surface, feeding the fire of his mind to bring him back to the incident of the last night that he’d been conscious. He felt sick again, the nightmarish scene playing before him being almost too much. Before his mind could catch up to him, his feet had taken him to the still bright and white bathroom, where he retched into the porcelain bowl. Mixed with his cereal was more red, the stench returning with gusto to fill his senses. Having lost his meal, along with the sensory overload, his vision dotted out again. His forehead was resting on the toilet seat when the images pushed him back over the edge. No, no, no, he didn’t want to see this. He didn’t want to go back to that...A series of emotions were clouding his perception as he cried out again, this time in pain as the memories forced themselves into the forefront of his mind. The floodgates had been opened. It was a bloody rampage, where Matt was the killer and everyone in the recent vicinity were the victims. He was constantly licking his lips, lapping up the still dribbling blood from his jaw from his last victim, as he continuously charged for the next one. They were easy to find. He could sense their heat, smell their fear, and already taste the warm, delicious blood. The heat in his neck reminded him where to strike, the primal powers of something unnamable, unidentifiable, driving him to seek satisfaction. One person hadn’t been satisfying, two hadn’t been enough, and three still had something left to be desired. The tastes were exhilarating, once bitten into the flesh. It filled his senses like a water tank, drowning out the sounds of the outside world and any protests his meal might’ve had. It was almost as if the blood was the only thing that temporarily tamed the beast within him, the unnamable force relaxing its grip on him long enough to let them go and go for the next person. Each meal tasted sweet, so, so sweet, their bloods high in sugar and fear. This maybe came along with the special holiday he was feeding on. But it didn’t matter too much, only serving to delight him as he enjoyed the massacre’s feast. There was an itching on the side of his face as he turned from his latest meal and turned towards the approaching sun. He hissed, sounding as if a cross between a cat and a snake, and hid inside a nearby building. His heart was pounding, reminding him of the all too painful feeling that he’d temporarily forgotten about. Before he’d lost consciousness, the burning on his neck felt like it was going to kill him. He didn’t know why it hadn’t, but then he’d lost consciousness, before coming to with the--hunger. He could sense a lot of people in this building. It was a bar, Matt could distantly tell, as he walked into the mellow atmosphere, stopping in time to remember something. He should block the entrance. He smirked, as he turned to a table that sat one lonely man drinking away and grabbed the edge of the hardwood. He took a step back, rotating himself and flinging the table towards the door, effectively completing his task. Anyone could see the blood on his front and everyone who was even slightly sober was immediately on guard. A few of them had guns, but it hadn’t been a problem. The bullets passed through him without pain. He felt like he could look like swiss cheese and still plow on through, as the killing fever returned to him, filling him with confidence. One victim, their blood tangy and kind of bitter, left a strange aftertaste on his tongue. The second tasted like they’d drank a little too much, Matt drinking only a portion before leaving their bleeding corpse leaning over the barstool. Three, four, five… It was after he’s lost count that he had to start actively looking for his prey, some hiding in the bathroom stalls and others hiding behind the counters. He felt giddy, high on the adrenaline and the unnamable feeling, giggling a bit as he stumbled around and located the one who would be his last victim. The woman had only gotten so far out the door, which she’d managed to wedge herself through, before he was on her. He drained her lifeless, her blood rather bland and with less bite than the others. He contained another giggle as he stood away from her, leaving her lifeless on the ground before him and he leaned against the wall behind him. He felt numb, a pleasant buzzing in his head pasting a juxtaposed smile on his face. He flexed his hand before him, trying to feel his fingers through the blissful drunkenness. They were coated in the bodily fluids of multiple victims, he remembered, relaxing his hand a bit. He almost could feel himself again, although the nameless feeling was ever present, allowing the man who’d once been known as Matt to think for a moment. What was going on exactly? What was this nameless feeling? More importantly, he thought as Matt began to come to again, in turn losing himself to his sudden fear of the nameless feeling, what was he? He held a bloody hand to his ginger locks, much like he was doing in the present, trying to make sense of it. He needed to go home. The lump growing in this throat that tasted of bile and blood reminded him that he needed normalcy now, or he was going to lose himself to the monster. He felt he knew this in his bones, this being the only feeling he trusted for now; fear. He sprinted home, not losing his goal even as he fell into a puddle on the way, merely clambering back to his feet to start running again. He didn’t break pace when he flew into his room, memories of how he’d gotten there without Edd and Tom seeing him burry as he tore off his clothes and threw them into a wastebin, the force of the clothes whipping through the air splattering his room with a mess. Looking down at himself, he wiped away any semblance of blood off of his pale body and also threw that cloth away. He didn’t stop until he’d made it to his bed, in which he fell onto the surface and crawled under it, hiding from the streaming light of the sun. He’d had an exhausting night, and it was time to call it a day. He drifted off, finally able to release the fear and what Matt could, in the present, identify as guilt for the previous night. Guilt and shame were what he felt now. Matt let go of his head, looking at his hands, wondering where his humanity had gone. He couldn’t find himself, not in his mirrors, not in the glimmer of blood, and not in his own pounding heart. He could feel his heart rate slowing down as he continued to sit on the ground, all around him barely registering save for that organ’s steady beat. He was a...he was a… He was a vampire now. And the steady, foreboding feeling in his heart told him that this change would be irreversible. He let the numbness take over him once more, emotions having been released in his coppery tears, watching nothing in particular as his human life completely dissolved. --- ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- So, Matt mused as he sat on the bathroom floor, he was a murderer now. Was he a mass murderer? He couldn’t bring himself to panic too much on this topic, seeing as death came along with their adventuring territory in everyday life. If Matt hadn’t survived Zombie apocalypses, tomb raiding, jungle expeditions, and intergalactic wars, then he might’ve been worried about this discovery. So, he’s a...vampire. His tongue could prove it, though he couldn’t exactly remember when he’d been turned. He didn’t want to feel the side of his neck, as much as it itched, remembering the strange nameless feeling that originated from there before. Mr. Nameless Feeling. That was another problem. And it directly stemmed into the issue of what he was going to tell, or not tell, his friends about his new condition. Was the feeling going to come back and cause him to tear into his old friends, murdering them like he had in his first dream-vision? (--dream-vision, because who knew what was fantasy and truth anymore, Matt logicized.) This was going off on the theory that his condition was permanent. He hadn’t yet confronted google, to see if he actually was going to be a vampire for the rest of eternity. Matt wasn’t sure about a lot of things, with this whole ‘vampire business’. He never asked to be a vampire! He hoped he was one of those teenage dream vampires, one that sparkled in the sun and not one of those ugly, folklore vampires that terrorized villages and got staked. Also though, he really didn’t want to stand under the sun and find out, a fear that felt rational to him to not stand under the sun and experience immediate death, thank you very much. He was still trembling when he finally convinced himself onto his feet. Matt felt that he could pretend things were more normal once he’d gotten this place cleaned up, not wanting to have to deal with the immediate consequences of Edd and Tom’s reactions if they decided to break into his room. He still didn’t know if he wanted to tell them. As he mopped up blood from various and sentries places, very, very slowly, hand slipping a couple times, slightly afraid to touch the stuff, he wondered if they would accept him. Since Matt was just as uncomfortable with this condition as they would be, wouldn’t they try and help him out? Wasn’t that what friends were for? Thinking about them for this prolonged period of time as he pulled out some bleach to get rid of some of the nastier stains, he found that he wasn’t feeling particularly murderous at the moment. He didn’t think that he would immediately rip out...okay, he wouldn’t think about them like that at all, as the shaking in his hands caused him to spill some cleaner on himself. With the room clean, Matt felt that he could begin his Google expedition, to see if there were other cases of real vampires. He ignored the weird mist that he could see rising from the floor, the stench unique in its own white color, and soon found that he could switch off his senses from visibly seeing the smell. It was as if he were a superman just finding out that he had laser vision, with these new vampire powers...What else could he do? Nothing on Google told him anything about his powers though, so he stuck to the basics: ‘Are vampires real?’ ‘Can you cure vampirism?’ ‘Help! I’m a vampire.’ ‘please, are there any other vampires out there?? Real’-- nothing of immediate interest popped up, other than a couple videogame advertisements for ‘vampires’. He wondered if he could live forever-- his internet surfing was cut off short by the sound of his door opening. Tom’s head poked in, his nose immediately wrinkling at the smell. Matt jumped, twisting around to face the intruder, his eyes nervously darting to and from his screen. “Hey,” Tom greeted, stepping the rest of the way in. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking around at the spotless room with mild interest. “Ah, hey,” Matt pasted a toothy smile on his face, but let it drop when he remembered that he probably had fangs. He bit his lip instead. “...” Tom must have picked up on the awkwardness, because he quirked an eyebrow at his strange behavior. “Edd said you were back. Not that we’ve seen much of you lately.” Matt could see movement in his front pocket, indicating that he was probably playing with his flask of alcohol. “What’s up?” “N-Nothings up,” Matt assured, voice contrary to his statement. “Is that why it smells like a swimming pool in here?” Tom’s eyes were squinted, probably irritated by the smell. Matt couldn’t think of an excuse for why he super cleaned in here. Gosh, he was a terrible liar. “Errr...” “Matt,” Tom prompted, and Matt could sense his mounting suspicions. He could feel himself beginning to crack, resisting the renewed urge to glance at his computer screen, but looking anywhere but at Tom. “I just. Thought I should--” That was not going to be a good excuse. He rerouted, “I found something really gross in here.” “So you,” Tom put stress on the ‘you’, “-cleaned it.” “Yyes.” “...” Tom’s head was faced towards his bedroom window. Matt held his breath, hoping he wouldn’t be interrogated anymore. He wasn’t ready yet. He couldn’t tell them. He could hear Tom’s weight shifting from one foot to the other, Matt’s eyes adamant to stare at the empty spot of the ground where there once had been blood splatters. “Are you--” Tom cut himself off, Matt blinking up at this hesitance. He rephrased, “Where have you been?” “Er,” Matt thought for a moment. He really didn’t know the answer to that question. “In the neighborhood?” “Is that a question?” “Maybe?” Matt shook his head, at a loss. “Alright then,” Tom gave in, pulling his hands out of his pockets to grab the door frame. “Dinner’s on by the way. And-.” He gestured to the other side of the room. “-Open a window will you? It’s suffocating in here, and it’s not doing anything for my head.” He shot Matt a pointed look, which Matt only shrunk back a little from. If he thought anything was up, Matt didn’t look to find out if he did, he didn’t say anything as he shut the door behind him. Matt didn’t really feel like eating right now, seeing as the last food that he’d eaten he’d thrown up. He didn’t know if he was supposed to eat food, now that he was a vampire. Instead of getting up to go out to the kitchen, he returned to his bed. Grabbing it from where he’d left it at the foot of his nightstand, he laid down and stared into the mirror’s empty reflection. --- His most faithful companion, his pick-me-up, his boost of confidence, his confidant...Matt’s mirror were all of these things and more. In order to stay faithful, should he continue to stare into it, even as he sees nothing? As a human, a normal human, when he stared into it, it would stare back, no matter the day, time, or place. Should he bring himself to stop doing so, it might be seen as abandonment. The eyes were the windows to the soul, and his mirror had known his so well. It was his reassurance of who he was, and now he needed that reassurance more than ever. So many platitudes having to do with him and his mirror, pointed to him being in love. Afterall, ‘you never knew how much you loved something until it was gone.’ FLASHBACK His mother and father stood behind a young Matt in front of a mirror. They’re hands were on either side of his shoulders, spouting encouragements on how great he was going to be one day; that they were so proud of him; that he was their most treasured possession. Later, he would stand in front of that same mirror, years later, and wonder what anyone saw in him. He hated that reflection, and the person he saw in it. All dressed in black and face covered in freckles and zits, its appearance made him wonder what his parents had been talking about all those years ago. After he started hanging out with some friends, his opinion began to change. A boy in their class was an artist and a storyteller, and wanted him to be a character in his stories. Now, standing in front of the mirror, stroking his ‘magnificent chin’, he wondered if he had been missing something up until then. He thought that it looked magnificent too. As his friends became more independent, they each also became more self absorbed. Matt too turned to himself for strength during hardships, and also immersed himself in self-absorption, his mirror becoming his best friend. He’d finally found his source of confidence, power, and self-esteem, and saw in his reflection as the better person that he’d always wanted to be. END FLASHBACK Now, as Matt tried to envision himself in this little mirror in his hand, he had no idea what he looked like. He looked at where he should have been, and saw nothing. He’d lost both himself and his love. --- ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- It was in his bed where Edd found him still lying, stiff with his head resting on his pillow, staring at his mirror. “Er, Matt..?” he called tentatively. Matt’s head shot up at the sudden intrusion, but seeing as it was just Edd, laid his head back down with a whimper. “Edd! I...” he trailed off, trying to place what he was feeling with his limited vocabulary. He felt sick, with how slow his heart was beating. He didn’t want to get up. He wanted to wallow in self-pity. And he desperately wanted to cry, but found that he was too weak to. He finished dramatically, “My life’s falling apart.” “Oh boy,” Edd said apprehensively, approaching the bed a little more. “Tom!” he called, sitting on the bed beside Matt. Matt held the mirror closer to him, protectively as he made room for Edd’s butt. “What?” the pair could hear in the distance. Edd turned his attention back to Matt, speaking softer. “Matt, have you eaten anything today?” he asked, brushing his friend’s bangs out from his forehead. Matt flinched at the contact. “You look a bit pale.” Matt shook his head, burrowing deeping in his covers trying to escape from the comfort. Why was he being so nice to him? “What?” Tom asked again, now at his door. He stopped where he had before, watching the two of them, confused. “Tom,” Edd said, voice tinted with urgency. “Was he like this earlier?” “Er, like what?” he asked dumbly. “This,” Edd jerked the hand that wasn’t hovering near Matt’s head pointedly. Matt kept his attention down towards his hands, trying to ward off the empty churning of his insides. “Uh,” Tom hesitated, probably now assessing Matt’s condition. “Yyes?” he said, but quickly changed his answer, a bit defensively, “-No? --I dunno!!” Edd exhaled sharply. Matt shut his eyes, not wanting to be between their arguing. “...” Edd paused for a moment, before tearing Matt back to reality with a hand on his wrist. As Matt’s eyes shot open, Edd quickly retracted his hand. “Good gravy, Matt, you’re freezing!” “...” Matt didn’t respond to that. Edd’s hand was comfortably warm, but not so different that he’d be considered ‘freezing’. Then again, Edd’s hands were always cold, which was a little strange… Matt’s ears could pick up a strange buzzing noise coming from outside of the room. The lights, he realized. “That’s it,” he heard Edd say, before his wrist was seized once more. Edd’s other hand was slowing guiding him up into a sitting position. “Come on. We’re going to get you some fresh air,” he said. Matt could still see white smoke rising up from the ground, belatedly realizing what Edd meant as being ‘fresher’ air. He ordered Tom, “Go grab Matt some fresh clothes.” He was still wearing his fluffy bathrobe, slowly coming undone and dropping off of Matt’s tired frame. Edd had an arm around Matt’s back, and looking from the corner of his eye, Matt could that he was peering at him with the same worried frown that he’d walked in with. It was as if the world was moving in slow motion around him, Matt thought, blinking slowly. Edd was saying something else to Tom, but their chatter dimmed in Matt’s mind as he focused on this strange new sensation occurring around him. He could feel the arm around him tightening, as Edd pointed frantically at something across the room with the other. Had Edd always been this protective of his friends? Matt thought that if he asked him about it, he’d probably say, ‘he hated seeing a dumb animal suffer’, and in fact he probably had before. Hadn’t there been a time when Edd had been sworn to making sure nothing bad happened to his friends though? It had been that way for each of them, before in highschool when everything was out to get them and they’d silently formed a tight knit, armored bond. Nowadays it wasn’t like that, Matt thought to himself, but he couldn’t recall when that had changed. It was every man for himself, but now seeing his friends working together to try and help him, which was a miracle in itself, he wondered if they’d ever completely moved on from that mentality. Tom chucked some pants and a sweatshirt at him, making the world go back to normal pace in Matt’s mind before looking down at their selection. They’d chosen his ‘I <3 M@’ shirt and a random pair of jeans. The shirt was made of rather thin materials for the weather. It was looking at the collar that spiked a remembrance of something he needed to keep hidden, however. He cupped a hand over his shoulder and glanced over at Edd, who scrunched his eyebrows together at his strange behavior. “Are you okay..?” he asked, and Matt shook his head, laughing nervously. He let go of his neck and instead pulled his robe tighter around himself, fluffy material brushing over what must have been vampire puncture wounds, causing Matt to shudder a bit. “Um, y-yeah,” he answered. “..Don’t you think this outfit looks a bit cold?” he asked, to which Edd shot an ‘I told you,’ look towards Tom. Tom raised his hands and said, “Well, as clean as this place is, you’re in serious need of doing some laundry.” At the reminder of what the room was clean whence of, Matt flinched. As Tom started talking again, Edd started rubbing circles on his back, causing Matt’s attention to be fixed on him. “You have a coat though,” Tom pointed out. “Uhh,” Matt hummed, distractedly. He ‘did’ have a coat. Pasttense. It was currently being eaten away by the bucket of bleach Matt had poured onto the blood-soaked clothes. “D-don’t I have a sweatshirt somewhere?” He had a few of the same purple sweatshirts lying about. “Fine,” Tom said, walking towards his dirty laundry hamper, where one said apparel laid on the ground. “Don’t complain it if smells, though.” Matt couldn’t imagine himself doing so, seeing as he had worse things to worry about. “Thanks,” Matt said, taking the items from him. He could feel the heat radiating off of his skin before he pulled away, making Matt pause in wonderment. Was Tom always so warm blooded? Contrasting from the half-time speed Matt had seen before, he suddenly found that Edd had dragged him all the way to the door. He’d paused, looking back at Matt as if he too was waiting for his mind to catch up. “Uh, what?” Matt asked, because he wasn’t sure if Edd had asked a question. Tom pushed past him and out the door. “We’ll wait out here for you.” Oh, yeah. Matt looked down at the bundle of clothes in his arms in acknowledgement. He nodded. Matt had a floor length mirror in his room that he would automatically look towards while changing. He finished pulling up his pants, expressionless, as he then moved to put a shirt on. He was a vampire now, and had no soul, no heart, and no reflection. He didn’t care that he was making a huge deal out of it, as the first two assumptions were made up. The slow, barely audible ‘bu-bump’ in his chest told he at least still had a heart. As for the soul part, well, who’s anyone to say on that guess. Matt felt entitled to some drama, as up to now no one else could pity him for it, since he hadn’t told anyone. Pulling on the tight-necked sweatshirt ensured that he wouldn’t be planning on telling anyone anytime soon anyways, so he might as well get his grievances aside for now. There was a knocking on his door, and Edd’s voice saying, “Matt, are you okay in there?” “Yeah,” Matt called back. He better not walk in here, Matt thought, more as for his preservation of dignity than of modesty. He ran a hand through his hair experimentally, trying to imagine how it looked. He finally gave up for now, walking towards the door and opening it. He asked, pointing at the red locks, “Does my hair look okay?” Edd blinked up at him, moving away from the door. “Er,” he thought for a little too long, making Matt frown. “Yeah! It looks fine.” Matt guessed that was as good as he was going to get, as Tom clearly was avoiding his gaze. “Alright then,” he said, smiling softly. There were his two roommates, waiting for him to finished getting dressed, while before they’d have surely left without him. They were doing this for him. “Great,” Tom said, with an enthusiasm that sounded forced. “Let’s go!” As he and Edd followed him out the door, he made the exception that they were ‘trying’, anyways. --- ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Between the two of them, Tom and Edd, they both had to literally drag Matt in order to get him outdoors, as Matt was determined to grab ahold of any wall or surface and hang onto it for dear life. They only wanted to make Matt feel better, for some strange reason, and he wasn’t making it any easier for them. Repeated chants of ‘no, no, no, no’ and pleas of ‘please, don’t, I’m too young to die’, fell on deaf ears as they pried his white knuckles from the kitchen doorframe. The kitchen was bright and open, with many windows allowing natural sunlight to fill the room. Matt screeched in fear from where he was slung over Tom’s shoulder, arms scrambling to let himself be released from this stronghold. It was too late, as he covered his face in horror of his inevitable demise, Tom trudging on stubbornly through the cheery looking vampire-slaughterhouse. Edd was ahead of them, saying comforting things to Matt like, “Matt please, you’re being dramatic,” and “WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP YELLING?!” Matt’s yells soon died down as he accepted his fate with small whimpers and sniffles. Did they hate him so much that they wanted to kill him, Matt wondered, ignoring the fact that they had no idea what was wrong with him. If his brain had caught up with him earlier, that when they wanted him to get dressed that they were going to take him outside in the sunlight, he wouldn’t have gotten out of bed in the first place. However, as they walked through the hallways, leaving the darkness of his bedroom behind, Matt grasped what was going on and tried futilely to retreat. He’d put up a good fight, despite there being two against one, but it was useless as they soon overpowered him. And they’d soon had gotten him in sunlight. Hearing his protests die down, Tom plopped a confused Matt down by their front door, with an expectant look. “You can walk yourself,” he said, pushing his shoulder through the open door. Matt blinked, looking down at his shoulder, then his whole self, wondering why, being so close to sunlight, that he wasn’t evaporating yet. Tom must have gotten tired of waiting for him, because Matt yelped as he was pushed fully out the door. He stumbled a bit, shutting his eyes then squinting towards the sun. He wasn’t...dead? Edd was also waiting, patiently outside holding the door open for his two companions. He rolled his eyes, and began to lead the way, saying, “Well, c’mon then.” Well, Matt thought, catching up to him, that’s one vampire trait he didn’t need to worry about. So far. Although he hadn’t completely shaken off the itchy, jumpy feeling at being completely exposed to the sunlight, he managed to take his mind off of his fear long enough to let his mind drift to his experiences this morning. On their walk to wherever, because Matt hadn’t been listening very well to what Edd and Tom were saying to him, Matt found himself continually getting lost in thought. It was as if he’d regressed back to his teenage years, with wondering how his new body worked and why he was feeling the way he was, and if he would be accepted by other people...he generally felt like he was going through puberty again, albeit a supernatural one. Apparently he could literally see smells now. They came in multiple colors and densities, floating through the air, always moving, but originating from whatever object was releasing the odor. Everything had a distinct smell, from the trees to the metal poles on the sidewalks, to random buildings. Even people had their own distinct smell, although each being human they had a variety of odors anyway. He could also affect how fast he saw the world changing around him. He wasn’t sure if he was physically affecting time or if he was just slowing down or speeding up his thought processes, but he found he was getting better and better at willing time to go faster or slower. It got him in trouble a bit when he was walking besides his friends and struggled to catch up with them or went way farther ahead of them, but he somehow managed to brush it off as being his fatigue. “Matt,” Edd repeated for what was probably the fiftieth time that day. Matt snapped back to reality finally, after he finished playing around with making time go faster around him. This was a perfect way to not pay attention if he got bored with what someone was saying! The worried look Edd was casting him got him to feel a bit remorseful however. Matt wasn’t sure where Tom went off to, probably gotten bored with the quiet park scene and Matt being preoccupied with himself. But Edd was still there, waiting patiently for Matt to come back to reality. Was he really worrying him that much, Matt wondered. “Sorry,” he said, because he’d forgotten a bit that they were doing this for him. Why, still, he wasn’t sure, but he hoped to shed light on the subject soon…”Why are you doing this for me?” he asked abruptly. Edd hadn’t expected this, Matt’s sudden change from semi-catatonic to looking all like he was completely attentive, and shifted a bit uncertainly. Matt wasn’t very good with normal conversation flows though, whereas if something pertinent appeared in his mind, he wouldn’t usually ease into it like any other tactful person might’ve. Maybe Edd himself didn’t know the answer, or he just really didn’t want to say, because there was then a heavy pause. He finally sighed and shrugged, partially confirming Matt’s suspicions. “I don’t know,” he stated. The answer was so bland and truthful, that Matt had to nod, because he understood. His chest had an aching feeling though, as if he’d wished that he would have said something different. That his answer would have been, ‘because we’re friends’. But friends didn’t think it was ‘every man for himself’. And friends didn’t go weeks without talking to eachother in the same living space. Friends leaned on eachother in the end, instead of themselves. Or, these were what the movies told Matt, anyways. Friends did worry about eachother, though. And friends did watch movies together, play co-op video games, and order specific pizza toppings with the others in mind. Friends could be civil with one another most of the time, and friends could stand to live with eachother. Edd wasn’t looking at him, as if having the same internal conflict Matt was. Though, probably not, since it was Matt doing most of the thinking on this trip so far, but he’d like to think so anyways. Maybe they were more connected than they gave eachother the impression that they did. Maybe all the harsh words spoken to one another were in self-defense and that the apathetic attitudes they held for one another were them coping. Maybe it wasn’t just Matt who’d missed their friendship in the end. As much as they’d grown away from eachother, maybe in their own convoluted way they were still friends. “...thanks,” Matt said, breaking out of his thoughts once more. The smile that Edd returned to him got Matt feeling that maybe there was one upside of having to reevaluate his life, now that he was a vampire. It helped him remember something, perhaps something that not only he’d forgotten. “Hey,” Tom’s voice spoke from behind him. He was approaching with a string in hand, that connected to… “Here.” Matt saved the red balloon from flying up in the sky by gripping it tight, looking up at the beautiful red sphere. The elated feeling growing within him had finally reached his eyes at this point, some life returning to his pale freckled face. He turned his face back to his friends and said, “It’s beautiful.” Sure, his hands and heart were now empty of his mirror and his beautiful reflection, but maybe now he could strive to look towards a different comfort. His vampirism had stripped himself of his self-addiction, but maybe he wasn’t stripped of everything. He still had his friends. Maybe he could find a love in himself another day, as the urge would always be there, but right now, maybe he could find a love in another thing. “Hey,” Matt started, “-we should go get icecream next!” “Are you kidding,” Tom huffed. “It’s freakin cold out here.” “Well...” “How about we go grab a second supper,” Edd suggested. “I’m getting kind of hungry.” “..Eh, why not?” Matt took a little longer to answer. “...Sure!” --- ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Matt stared down at the dinner plate that had been set before him. It wasn’t anything fancy, just a plastic container of mashed potatoes and gravy slapped together by the fast food attendees. It smelled the same and looked the same, Matt noted as he poked it experimentally. He hadn’t had the chance to experience any nasty side affects of eating his cereal that morning, since almost immediately after he had thrown up its contents. Though, he’d thought it had been the sight of blood that had made him sick earlier and not vampire food poisoning. Tom and Edd were lightly arguing over their own foods, so not paying too much mind to Matt’s hesitance. Matt finally dug his spoon into the mushy substance and brought it to his lips. Rolling it around on his tongue, he thought it felt kind of funny on his numb canines, but otherwise didn’t elicit any gag reflexes in him. He swallowed, and watched the heat wafting up from his meal as he waited. Still nothing. He smiled a bit more at this and continued to dig in. The other two’s conversation lulled a bit, Matt glancing up from the round table to the pair now eating. Without thinking about it, he sort of observed how Tom’s eye lids would flicker in whatever direction he was looking at and how Edd would wipe his mouth with a napkin after each bite of food. “So, Matt,” Edd began, lowering the cheap towel from his face. He looked towards the soft drink Tom was currently drinking to the table and back. Tom looked blankly at him. “..Where to next?” For some reason, Matt felt like that wasn’t what he wanted to ask him, from the awkward way it slipped off his tongue. He was at the bottom of his mashed potatoes, so began to pile up his trash. “Er, I don’t have a preference,” he said, voice raising a bit. He might’ve been feeling a tad nervous, with how foreign it was to have acknowledged that his friends still had a semblance of compassion in them. He didn’t want to mess this up?? When was the last time one of them did something like this for another? There might’ve been the times when Tom had fallen into a severe low that they’d attempted to do something nice for him. Or, if one of them was in need of medical attention, that they’d make the phone call to the pharmacy or hospital to get them the help they needed. Was Matt doing something different to earn this special treatment, or was it something to do with his vampirism? Matt didn’t have the sort of knowledge to answer that question, not unless he met another vampire or something. Edd was leveling him was a look that was a little more to what he was used to: Exasperation. Meanwhile, Tom had hesitantly lowered his drink and was looking between the two of them unsurely. “Er, do you wanna go home?” Tom asked, surprising Matt to being the one to breaking the tension. In fact, Tom still being here at all seemed like a miracle to Matt, seeing as he was the most...insensitive with emotions, out of all of them. Matt wanted to say no, because he was enjoying having the three of them just hanging out together. He stalled, “Uhhh...” He wouldn’t want to explain to them why he didn’t want to go home, his mind delving into if he’d have to defend why home wasn’t where he wanted to be or why he wanted them to spend more time together. It was Tom’s turn to sigh, annoyed. “Just spit it out already.” “Uhh,” Matt’s mind tried to remember what the question was again. “Matt.” It was Edd who snapped at him, bringing his flustered attention back to remembering what he was supposed to say. “Oh! Uh, sure,” he rushed, belatedly realizing that wasn’t the answer he wanted to give. “If you want...” “..Are you sure?” Edd must have noticed his hesitation, but Matt nodded anyways, not wanting to seem too unsure of himself as he was. “Yep!” His leg bounced under the table as he endured Edd’s piercing stare. “Alright then,” Tom said, gathering up his own trash and getting up. Matt quickly followed him, Edd being the last one to get up as he scooted in their chairs politely for other customers. It made sense that they should start to go home, anyways. The sun was still in the sky, but almost down to the point that it would be considered evening. This time it didn’t bother Matt too much, since it was no longer beating down on them as harshly. Instead, he could focus on the two individuals next to him. Walking in between them now, it felt as though Matt could begin to pinpoint exactly what they felt like. It wasn’t as if they were in direct contact, but it was more that Matt could sense them as being distinctly them. He thought that this was important, so he let himself record the sounds of their footsteps intermingling, the heat bouncing off of their sides, and the sound of their breaths fighting against the cold air. A sudden protective instinct began to well inside of Matt, and for some reason he felt like, if his common sense hadn’t screamed at him ‘NO that isn’t a good idea’, he would’ve grabbed their hands. “Brr,” Edd shuddered, shoulders rising to protect his neck from the cold. “I knew I should’ve ordered coffee..” Tom humphed at this, amused despite the frown on his lips (it was a Tom-thing). “Like you need more caffeine in your system.” For whatever reason, Tom decided to pull out his flask, swishing it around, as if debating on whether or not to drink. Matt opened his mouth to also say something mindlessly about the weather, but found he couldn’t. He wasn’t just yet ready to talk like nothing was going on with himself, which was the main reason why he was mostly keeping himself lost in his thoughts about his friends. It was beyond Matt’s capabilities to multitask keeping his thoughts focused on one thing and to lie out of the other. Maybe if he suggested something for them to do when they got home…? Edd beat him to it, saying, “When I get back, I’m bundling up in blankets and never coming out.” That...was a perfect idea! “We should watch a movie when we get back,” Matt proclaimed, a proud smile on his lips for his fast thinking. Tom made a disgruntled noise at this, while Edd nodded in agreement. “Sounds good,” he said. Matt looked towards Tom to look for a similar response, but he kept his attention transfixed ahead. It was a known fact that Matt was the cuddliest of the three of them. Usually Matt had to be in a mood to engage it, but it was often counter measured by making Matt stand while they watched a movie or yelled at until they’d gotten their personal spaces back. However, with the giving mood Edd seemed to be in, and the neediness of Matt so far, perhaps Tom must’ve detected that there was some caution to be needed before agreeing. Matt attempted to give him puppydog-eyes, and he saw Edd leaning towards them with a similar goading expression on his face. Tom looked boredly from Edd to looking disgruntled by Matt, before sighing. Matt and Edd cheered victoriously before actually hearing Tom say, “-Fine.” Matt and Edd turned to one another to high-five. Matt payed little attention to how Edd gasped in surprise at something, grinning cheekily at Tom. He did, however, turn when Edd grabbed his hand in both of his. “You’re so warm now!” Matt’s mouth hung open as Edd claimed his hand as his own, holding it close to him and bundling close to his side. He could feel himself getting warmer, now that he mentioned it.. “I claim you, Matt Harvey, to be my walking heater,” Edd said, with an official tone. “What..?” Tom seemed curious as to the enthusiastic display Edd was putting on. At his doubt, Matt held his hand out, palm up, for Tom to see for himself. Tom was only barely feeling the side of it, but Matt enclosed his fingers around his, his earlier whim coming back to him. “H-ey, ‘leggo!” He flailed his captured arm, Matt determined to hold on. Tom managed to slip out though, stepping a little ways farther as to prevent another attack. “What, don’t you wanna be warm?” Matt asked, recalling the similar, if less severe than Edd’s, chill in his fingers. “I don’t need you,” Tom said. And, as if to prove his point, he swished his bottle of alcohol around, as if that proved his point. Edd released a breathy laugh, a roll of his eyes laced in his voice. “Fine,” Matt said. “We don’t need you.” Tom stuck his tongue out at him, like the polite, mature adult he was. As they walked, Matt and Edd continually made jabbing comments on ‘how nice and unlonely they were’ with their current state, and ‘wow, we’re so warm and still sober,’ as if they were wondering why that was possible. Finally Tom gave up on listening to their saltiness and gave in. He made a lame comment on their ‘girly behavior’, but they didn’t say anything more about it as they walked the rest of the way home, literally connected and still in step. --- ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Despite Matt’s earlier hesitance at going back home, he found he felt a whole lot safer being in that familiar space than out in the open airs of the city. It might’ve been the warmth of the room or the smells, but the place seemed to settle something within him, like placing the final missing puzzle piece to the puzzle. While Edd went to the kitchen with a popcorn bag in hand, Matt went searching for their closet, where he found a blanket for them to sit beneath. Tom was already on the couch, bottle of vodka at ready on the couch’s right armrest. He’d flicked on to a random channel, watching it in the passing time before they’d make a movie selection. Matt sat down on the opposite side of the couch, mindful to throw Tom a corner of the blanket for him to take as he wanted. He then drew his knees up to his chest, ignoring the sidelong glance Tom shot him, watching the infomercials playing on the screen. He let the glowing box suck him in until Edd had returned asking, “So, what movie do you guys wanna watch?” He set the bowl of popcorn in the middle where he’d eventually sit and looked between the two of them. Matt saw Tom shrug indifferently, so he made the suggestion. “How about a romantic comedy.” Edd’s face dropped at this, while Tom didn’t make any outright rejections of the idea. “Orr,” Edd tried to steer away, “-we could watch a horror movie!” Matt made a face at this suggestion, while Tom raised his Smirnoff as a toast to this idea. “Whatever,” he said, taking a swig. Matt felt a little jealous, seeing as Tom would get to be drunk while they’d watch it. “Ohh,” Matt made a defeated noise, hugging his knees tighter to himself. “Do we have to?” Horror movies meant blood, and he definitely wasn’t sure if he was feeling it right now. Usually he was the one to suggest the bloodbath movies, but now...he would actually go for one of Tom’s chick-flicks right now (they each claimed that it was the other person who liked chick-flicks, but really it was both of them). “Aw, Matt, look,” Edd said, pulling out a DVD from their small cabinet. “-it’s one of your favorites~.” It was a horror movie that they’d watched nearly a million times, because it was so hilariously put together. Maybe since he knew what to expect he wouldn’t be too affected? “Alright,” he relented. He didn’t want to look like a wimp in front of his friends, or have to explain why he was currently a bit traumatized(?) by blood. “Yay!” Edd cheered, sticking the disc into their player. He came back, placing the bowl on his blanketed legs and covering Tom’s own legs himself, seeing as the man had yet to make a move to take it. Tom was in control of the remote, pressing play to leave the menu screen. All eyes were glued to the captivating box, hands sneaking out of covers to grab handfuls of popcorn as the movie played out. It didn’t seem too scary at the beginning, Matt even giggling the first part that the serial killer took their first victims. The blood was horrendously fake, and didn’t get too much screen time before the scene snapped to the next would-be victims. And when the movie did get to its scarier parts, Matt hadn’t gotten immediate flashbacks to his halloween night of horrors, but rather was enraptured by the misfortunate events happening on screen. After the bowl of popcorn had emptied itself, Ringo decided to take his place on Edd’s lap. He stayed there clear until the long expected jump scare, which got Matt every time, so in turn triggered a chain reaction of jumping as Matt clung onto Edd which caused Edd to hit Tom. Edd had gotten Tom pretty good in the nose, which started the nervous giggling going on near the end as the credits began to roll. Matt joined in, sprawling across Edd’s lap to pat Tom in a mock-apologetic way, laughing at the surprise written on Tom’s face. Tom’s vodka had thankfully already been empty, as to not get it everywhere in the commotion, which he looked mournfully at as to try and drown himself in it. “Y-Your poor face,” Matt gasped, turning onto his back to look up at Tom’s grumbling self. His lack of response only made way for more laughter, before both Edd and Matt decided to calm down. Matt sighed, the hilarity of the situation draining out and in its place comfort coming in, as he let himself be content with just lying there underneath the covers on top of his human-pillow. He closed his eyes, wishing to just have nobody move so that he could sleep there all night. “Hey, Matt,” Edd whispered, brushing a bit of the hair from his face. No one was supposed to touch his hair though, which he grumbled so, swatting the air in front of him sleepily and opening his eyes. He looked up at the smirking face above him. Matt reluctantly sat up with a groan, not wanting to be a spectacle for his smug, yet very comfy, friend any longer. He yawned, his body protesting to being awoken, and stretched a bit. “You feelin’ any better?” Edd asked. Matt looked back to find both Tom and Edd were awaiting his answer. He smiled, that same camaraderie feeling returning to him, and replied. “Yeah. Thanks.” Tom looked away, probably embarrassed to being presented with feelings, while Edd’s eyes looked on, sparking with a similar emotion to Matt’s. “Good,” Edd said, before he cleared his throat, apparently also beginning to become embarrassed. Matt rolled his eyes, although the smile that remained on his face ruined the effect. “Well, I’m going to bed now,” Tom announced, apparently also fed up. Matt wasn’t yet fed up, and privately wished that he’d stayed lying down so he could have grabbed hold of him to make him stay. “That’s a good idea,” Edd agreed, Matt’s internal disappointment apparently not reaching him either as he stood off of the couch. He went over to the sink and deposited the popcorn bowl while Tom walked away towards his room. Matt was left on the couch alone, debating on what to do now. “You coming?” Edd called, already at the foot of the hallway. “Y-yeah!” He got up as well, following Edd through the hallway until he stopped at his room, Edd still making his way to his own room. What if when he got there, it still smelled like bleach? Would he be reminded of the blood that he’d left there, splattered all around the room, on his floors, in his trash bin, on his mirror--? “G’night,” Edd said, breaking Matt out of his trance. He glanced over in Edd’s direction, before pushing his door bravely open. “G’night,” he returned, entering and shutting the door behind him. He held his breath and pried his eyes open to his closed door, unable to let go of it just yet. He couldn’t sleep here, he thought to himself, not daring to breathe even as he hadn’t yet judged his room’s condition. He would quietly sneak to the living room and sleep on the couch. He perked up his hearing, trying to listen to find if Edd was still in the hallway. Not hearing anything to indicate so, he pushed the door back open and tip-toed through the hall. The couch wasn’t as inviting as it had been when he had Edd to prop himself up on, nor was the blanket as warm without the extra bodies, but he found himself relaxing in its embrace all the same. At least it wasn’t his room, which felt like a stranger place to be in, where none of his mirrors reflected his face anymore and the air was stained in white with his attempt to make it feel normal again. --- ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Despite his best attempts at getting to stay comfortable, he’d only managed to stay in a tranquil sleep-like state for about an hour. He sat up, frustrated with his body’s refusal to go into hibernation. The least he could do to keep himself looking nice for the day is to get his beauty sleep, now that he couldn’t even check his hair to make sure it was looking nice. Thanks a lot for being unhelpful again, body, Matt thought with a tired sigh. He stroked his hair self consciously, even though no one was around in these wee-hours of the night, and tried to think of something to do. For Edd, he usually worked until he collapsed, but reading and drawing weren’t really Matt’s ‘things’ to do. He wasn’t sure what Tom did, but he assumed it had either something to do with music or drinking, depending on his mood. Matt usually didn’t have sleeping problems, so he wasn’t too experienced in that department either… When he was younger, he was sure he’d had his parents to bug if he couldn’t sleep at night, but he couldn’t remember how they’d remedied a cure for his rare insomnia. How long has it been since he’d last been in contact with them…? Shaking his head from those thoughts, he heard a door ‘click’ somewhere in the dark hall beyond. Glancing over at the clock, it was a little after midnight. Who would be up at this hour…? The figure approached slowly, and Matt could clearly make out the outline of Tom. He was looking straight at him with a wary gait, a broomstick in his hand like a bat. He looked like he saw and intruder...Matt glanced behind him, not having sensed anyone else approaching and panicking. Tom broke out into a half-run, stopping just as Matt managed to whip his head around and yelp in fear. He lowered his ‘weapon’ slightly, gawking a bit. “Matt?” he called, as if trying to rightly confirm his identity. Matt raised his hands defensively, just in case he decided to go for the face. “Tom?” he echoed back tentatively. Tom released a breath, crumpling a bit in relief. He suddenly straightened back up. “What’s with the creepy red glowing eyes, man?!” Tom threw down his broom to lean against a side table. Matt looked from side to side, startled. “I--” He didn’t know that his eyes glowed red! “It’s a...beauty thing!” he quickly spat out the excuse. “More like a freaky thing,” Tom laughed, more of nerves than of humor. “Halloween’s passed.” Oh my gosh, was he buying it? Matt was a better liar than he’d initially thought.. “They...just came in,” he continued along that excuse. “Yeah, well. Those would have made a heck of a lot better a costume than what you had.” Tom approached the couch, perhaps finding it safe to come nearer now that he’d confirmed that a demon wasn’t sitting in his living room. Matt made an indignant noise, because he liked his bunny costume, thank you very much. “Says you. You didn’t even go trick or treating, so you can’t talk.” After he’d already made his comeback, he belatedly realized he should’ve made a jab at Tom’s own creepy eyes. Then again, between Matt and Edd they’d probably already done that about every Halloween, so maybe not. As he thought to himself, Tom was saying something. “...” Well, whatever he said, Matt missed it. Oh well. “Anyways, what are you even doing up this late?” Tom sat down on the left side of the couch, Matt turning to sit normally to make room. “Er,” Matt was stumped for an answer. There goes his lying streak, he supposed. Tom got tired of waiting for one, “-You weren’t just trying on contacts in the middle of the night,” he said, because it sounded ridiculous, even to Matt. He couldn’t think of anything better though. “I was.” “-In the living room,” It sounded like a question, doubt leaking through. “Yyes.” With the way things were going, it seemed like the truth might be uncovered if Tom continued. Matt’s leg began to jiggle anxiously. “Stop that,” Tom said, nudging the vibrating appendage. Matt swallowed, mind running blank of excuses and Tom’s own gears slowly working. He finally spoke, “Look. Now that we’re alone and all, I think there’s something we should to talk about.” Matt felt his breaths coming in shallow, eyes widening as he realized what this meant. No, no, no, he can’t already know! It’s too soon, they can’t already know. Tom must have noticed his distress, because his perceptive eyes shone concern. “Are you okay…?” he asked, and Matt had to look away, so that he wouldn’t give anything else away. “Y-yeah,” he said, only to get him off his back. Well, he needed to try harder than that. “W-what’s there to talk about?” It was a terrible attempt at nonchalance, as his outward demeanor was still panicky. “Well...” he hesitated, as if debating on whether or not they should really have this conversation, or so Matt hoped. He delved on. “It’s just something I’ve noticed, the past couple days,” he said, shooting down whatever hopes Matt had to end this ‘interrogation’. “I didn’t notice anything at first, with all the bleach and all, but-” Oh, no. “-as we walked, I began to notice little differences...” This was it. Matt was going to be discovered, and kicked out for sure. “I didn’t know if Edd should’ve been the one to talk to you about this or not, seeing as he’s a little better with...well. We haven’t talked about it yet.” Edd didn’t know yet? That was one partial relief for Matt. “But Matt, you’ve...” “-...you’ve reeked of death all day, and you haven’t checked yourself out once since we’ve gone out. And…-” he trailed off, although Matt knew he was already done for even with Tom trying to delay the inevitable for him. Maybe he wouldn’t want to kick him out, or maybe he just didn’t want to believe it himself. Matt didn’t want to believe it either though. He never asked to become a vampire, he thought, eyes welling up at the thought of all that he could lose now, the moment Tom dropped the pin. “Oh, God,” Tom muttered, Matt refusing to look up from his lap. Those two words were the stopper, and once released, Matt couldn’t help the moisture that began to run down his face. He turned his head away, trying to hide it. “I’m sorry.” Maybe he hadn’t hidden it well enough. Tom let a hand rest on his back, Matt’s shoulders shaking anew. “...Do you want to talk about it?” Matt bit his lip, trying to keep in his sobs as he shook his head ‘no’, face still turned away from him. It was silent for a bit, save for Matt’s sniffles and shuddering breaths. He eventually gave up on trying to put up a strong front in front of Tom, bringing his sleeve up to wipe what he surely knew was blood. All the while that he cried, Tom sat there, an awkward yet comforting hand steadfast at his shoulder. “Someone should have gone with you.” Tom’s voice smoothly rode over his sobs, and Matt found it to be true. Maybes and what-if to what could have gone down differently that Halloween night ran through his mind. Edd could have punched that vampire that turned him right in the nose. Tom could have joined in. The two of them would have stopped Matt from saying anything stupid to provoke the monster. Or, a sick sort of fantasy that snapped Matt back to reality, was what if they’d all been turned into vampires? As Tom said something softly to him, Matt’s ears rung with one thing, despite the hand that guided him down into a lying position on the couch and tucked his blanket over him. All Matt could think now was that it was too late. A door shut in the background, and Matt saw that Tom had left. Matt’s glowing eyes stared into the dark, unmoving as he watched the shadows crowd around him. Sure, now he was afraid of the light, but Matt had always been afraid of the dark. --- ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The shadows tormented Matt all through the night, not a wink more of sleep able to find him. It was still dark when he heard the front door opening, Matt instinctually knowing it was Tom but hiding under his covers anyways until he’d passed. Now that Tom knew what he was going through, he would probably go to find Edd. Matt didn’t know why he’d gone out in the night, but nor did he care, seeing as he was biding his time until he’d deal with the confrontation he was sure would happen this morning. He thought about running away, just so he wouldn’t have to see Edd’s face after he found out. Still, he stayed under his covers, an illusion on comfort as he convinced himself that he couldn’t run away yet because it was dark out. Really though, he didn’t know where he would go, and he hadn’t had much time to think about it, when his thoughts weren’t occupied by other things through these two days. Maybe he would go live with Santa, Matt curiously feeling his ears to find they had an almost suitable point to them. But then again, who would take in a vampire, anyways…? He might as well bury himself and live with Zanta Clause instead, seeing as he was probably just as evil now that he was a monster. Just as he predicted, a hand placed itself on his blanketed form, making him jump as he hadn’t heard their socked feet approaching before, and he peeled the covers from his face to find Edd sitting above him. Edd’s left hand came towards his cheek, thumb brushing over the skin before Matt shook his face from his grip, burrowing back in his blanket. Edd looked at his hand, Matt watching as a red flaky substance was rubbed off in between his friend’s thumb and forefinger. His eyebrows scrunched together. “Matt, what is this stuff-?” he asked, before Tom came up from behind the couch and whispered something in his ear. As quietly as he said it, it sounded like he said, “-the freak make-up,” although Matt didn’t know what that meant. Edd nodded, apparently getting whatever code that was for, since they must have talked earlier together. Edd turned his attention back to him, with that same, unnervingly calm expression. It was strange, how he didn’t even need to say anything, yet still be so disarming, even looking like he’d literally just been dragged out of bed. Matt probably didn’t look any better though… Looking to Tom, who was still standing behind Edd, he looked like he also hadn’t had any sleep last night, as he usually looked, but this time Matt knew that he hadn’t. He couldn’t find it in himself to pity him for long though, as he remembered he was the one that told Edd about him. In fact, he was beginning to become impatient with this whole waiting game, as no one had yet to say anything. He spoke, “So, are we going to get on with it?” His voice was raw, and it hurt to speak, but honestly, it was the least of his problems. It was nice of his friends to try and soften the blow up to here, but maybe it would be best to rip off the band-aid now, so to speak. He had waited all night for this, after all. Edd glanced back at Tom, before replying. “Only if you want to,” he said, as if it was still up to Matt anymore. He looked back at the two of them, a bit annoyed and confused that they were dragging this on, but Edd still looked as encouraging as ever. “O-Only if I want to?” he asked, feeling the outrageousness of the statement on his tongue. “Don’t you already know?” “Yes,” Edd said, “You’re a vampire.” It was stated so calmly, as if they were speaking of something as normal as a food preference or the weather. Matt’s eyes widened at the confirmation, and tried seeing how Tom was taking this. He was as blank as Edd was. Didn’t they know what this meant?? “And...you’re not mad?” he asked instead, because he didn’t want to say something like, ‘you’re not scared of me’ or ‘you’re not going to kick me out of the house’, just yet. “No, Matt.” Edd laughed, a pitying expression on his face. He placed a hand on top of the blankets where he guessed correctly was Matt’s knee. Nobody said anything for a moment, although all attention was on Matt, making him feel smaller. He wasn’t sure what was going to happen next. Did his friends really accept him? “Matt, we trrruuuussstt-” Edd drew out the word oddly, eyes nervously flickering towards Tom’s blank ones. “-you.” he finished, smiling to Matt, as if to distract him from the man behind him. Edd rubbed his knee as Tom moved, a blue sleeve coming somewhere behind himself as if to grab something. Matt wanted to thank Edd for trusting him, even when he couldn’t quite trust himself. He wanted to be pulled into a hug right then, and told that everything would be okay now, that they would work through this together. He also understood what Tom was grabbing from behind him, metal of a harpoon stick peeking out from in between his friend’s bodies. It didn’t mean that he wanted to die. He struggled to move, as Edd granted his internal wish, pulling him into a hug that he found his limbs relaxing into. Tom approached slowly, as Matt tried willing himself to struggle, screaming internally as he could do nothing to stop him from raising his arms. Tom poised to drill the harpoon into him, and Matt buried his face into Edd’s shoulder, not wanting to watch as his face would be penetrated into--. He jumped for a second time from under the covers, as a hand was placed on his blanketed form. He fearfully peeked out of the covers to find Edd sitting above him, eyes filled with concern. “Matt, are you okay?” he asked, seeing the terror stricken on his friend’s face. Matt stared at him for a few seconds, reality slowly catching up to him. A parallel to his dream, Tom walked over from behind the couch, head peeking over as if to make sure everything was okay. Matt’s eyes snapped back, and remembering Edd asked him a question, merely nodded, lips too numb to cooperate. This seemed to relieve Edd a bit, as he smiled warmly at him and said, “Morn’, bud.” He got up, walking around towards the kitchen area. “Do you want anything for breakfast?” As Edd’s voice carried out from the kitchen, Tom stayed for a moment, watching Matt suspiciously. Matt let the covers fall, turning away from the two, hand checking over his face. He was fine, he told himself, hand shakily brushing over his mussed-up hair. His hand slid down from his head to the ever present wounds on his neck, dashing that notion aside for a new one. “Tom, can you get the milk for me?” Edd’s voice spoke. Matt turned and saw that Tom had already exited towards the kitchen area. Sounds of butter frying and mixtures whisking leaked into the livingroom area, enticing Matt’s senses. A murmured reply and the telltale sound of an opening fridge finally convinced Matt to get up and search for the comforting noises. As Matt entered the kitchen, Edd’s attention was pulled to him, and he was about to say something before something cut him off. “--What is that?” Matt looked around, habitually hoping it was something else, though Edd had clearly been looking at his face. He strode over to him, catching his face in his inspecting hands. He brushed a forefinger across his cheekbone while squinting at--oh, what must have been his bloody tear tracks. Matt bit his lip, and as if taken a cue from his dream, Tom muttered. “-the freak makeup.” Matt gawked at him, and Edd looked back as if offended by Tom’s gall. Tom kept his mouth shut for the time being by taking a chug out of the carton of milk. “Just ignore him,” Edd told him with a roll of his eyes. “He still hasn’t taken off his bad-attitude makeup.” Tom made an indignant noise and walked back towards the fridge. “Hey! I still need that!” Edd pursued him, giving Matt the precious space that he suddenly felt he so needed. What were they all doing here? What was Matt still doing here? He let time slow down around him, mind rushing trying to decide what would be best for survival: Fight or flight. If his friends knew, would they accept him with open arms or kill him? Did Matt even want to know right now? He just wanted to pretend that nothing was wrong, that his friends suspected nothing and that he could just keep living normally even as a vampire. But then, Matt remembered how Tom had seen basically everything last night, and how he stood watching him from a distance this morning. And how it was clear that Edd and Tom had had the chance to talk already, a similar plot point as his dream had played out. It was obvious that this would be unavoidable… ...Unless he left. “Hey guys, Imma just-” The two of them looked up from where Edd was cooking and Tom was ‘helping’. “-I’m going to take a walk.” Without waiting for a reply, he strode out, mindful to grab a scarf while stuffing his feet into his boots on his way out. He needed fresh air, something other than the distractions that he had needed earlier. It was time that he faced these problems of his on his own. --- ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- It was awkward, going out without doing his morning routine. He hadn’t even combed through his hair properly, besides still wearing the rumply, blood stained clothes. And he shuddered to think of what his face looked like, with how lightly he slept that night. He yawned, still feeling the affects of said lack of sleep. All the passerbys around him were bundled up tightly, their breaths coming out in puffs of smoke in the chilly air. It was strange, how Matt felt numb instead of cold, to the biting wind that blew past the tips of his ears. There was even some frost on the pavement, but inside and out Matt only felt these things distantly, like an impression of something forgotten. He didn’t have a direction, knowing that he’d eventually get lost and have to struggle to find his way back again. But at least then he could give himself plenty of time to think before facing his friends again. Eventually Matt had wandered into the shopping district, one where Matt enjoyed going window shopping in, only because once he looked past his reflection he would become enthralled by something he had to have. Stopping in front of a window would usually bring a smile to his face, but perhaps that was a chapter of his life passed, because he could only see the streets behind him. Why would his friends even want to keep him anymore? They’d already gotten to the comfortable point in their lives where they basically knew everything about the other persons and didn’t need to dodge through any more curve balls. Was there even anything worth keeping anymore, this faceless, joyless vampire shell of a friend that so far has only proved to be a burden? Would they remember anything good about him that still remained? --past his good looks of course, if those were even still there. Matt walked towards the main square, the hub of everyone’s morning social rounds. He walked towards one of the tables with an umbrella and sat in the shade, boot sloshing in a puddle on his way much to his distaste. They should much rather kill him out of convenience, than keep him around. That way, they could save themselves the trouble of having to get used to a vampire for a roommate. Matt would, if he didn’t care about his own safety so much. If it was Matt in their positions, would he too want to kill them? He tried placing either of them in his shoes, trying to judge what he would do. He recalled the many nights where he or another friend would kill the other, and wondered to himself if those dreams could become reality. He’d become rather desensitized by those murder dreams, so hadn’t really ever sat down and contemplated them, or, at least he couldn’t remember ever doing so. He’d always just chalked them up to that--just dreams. But now that they could potentially become reality… Matt was usually a very imaginative person, in his opinion, but he couldn’t quite place the scenario in his head. He tried acting it out a bit, sitting up from where he lay slumped on the table, and cleared his throat. “Hey, Matt. I’m a vampire now,” he spoke, Edd’s lips moving to his speech in his head. “Wow, that’s great,” he replied. He imagined he would crack a joke about Edd’s name in relation to the Twilight series and laugh about it. Now, if Tom said it… “Matt, Edd,” he built up, because he felt Tom might be just as reluctant to tell them as Matt currently was. ‘-I’m a vampire.’ Matt didn’t feel comfortable saying it out loud anymore, voice dying down and only lip syncing to the scene in his head. He paused, trying to think of how they’d react. “Whatever,” Matt said out loud again, because it didn’t sound like a big deal, when he thought about it. But what if they knew all that it entailed? He began feeling silly talking out loud to himself, and wished he had thought to grab one of his toys on the way out, so he could talk to something. He looked around himself, and soon spotted his prize. A claw machine! He walked past the throngs of people, face lighting up in a way that it hadn’t all morning, and dug into his pockets for change. ...Yes! He hadn’t changed out of his outing clothes, so he still had plenty of money for a few goes at the game. He licked his dry, chapped lips, mentally preparing himself for this endeavor. He immediately spotted the one he wanted: A plush, cartoon-faced lunchbox-thing. It just spoke to him, deep inside his soul as being a good listener-type. He guided the claw to slowly dock over his desired item and… He lost it. He shouted out something random in his frustration and tried again. He finally managed it in his third try, by mere will power alone. Once the toy was safely in his hands, he knew that he would never let it go again. The table he’d vacated was still free, so he returned to it, sitting down and placing his victory-item onto it. He closed his eyes again, bringing himself back to his original purpose. “Matt,” he talked to it, mentally naming it Sir Mattilious in his head. “I can see smells now, I can control my speed in an inhuman way,” he began to list. “I can hear the barest of whispers, I can mentally identify anyone who approaches me, the sun makes my skin itch, I hate blood now, even though I probably have a strong craving for it, I’ve gone on a bloodthirsty rampage that I can’t clearly remember, I can’t see myself in the mirror anymore, and I’m not sure about any other abilities or problems that I have.” He steadily escalated in worseness, in Matt’s opinion, the build-up hopefully brushing any doubts Mattilious had about him. He looked into his stuffed companion’s beady eyes, trying to recall if he missed anything. “Also,” he said, barely above a whisper, “I think I might be ugly now.” There- he said it all. Mattilious would probably be saying something now, if he could, so Matt ‘listened’ to it. He stared at it attentively for a couple moments, eyebrows furrowing as he ‘listened’ to Mattilious’ response. “Fine!” Matt snapped at it, swiping it off the table and stuffing it into his hoodie pocket. “Be that way.” He stood up, chair clattering in protest as he walked away from the fountain square. Apparently, the ‘ugliness’ had done it for Mattilious, stating something about Matt having way too much baggage to deal with now. It was rudely stated though, in Matt’s opinion, although the message had come across pristinely. Well, now Matt couldn’t go home. If he had all of these issues, he should need to get rid of them first, or find a new roommate, before thinking of returning. Maybe if he could find the vampire who turned him, he could figure out what to do. It sounded like a perfectly logical plan, seeing as a vampire would know what a vampire should do. Or, if only Matt could remember what he looked like, anyways. He could vaguely remember the route he took on his hunt for candy, so he would travel down there first, and see what he could find. Maybe the vampire would be looking for him! That would be an odd coincidence, he mused. --- ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- As he walked, he tried bringing the Halloween night back this his mind. Or, at least the part from before he’d been turned, because there wasn’t much point freaking himself out anymore with after he’d been turned. He remembered having a stern conversation with one of the neighbors of a house that had a restraining order on him. Some kid had made fun of his costume and then gotten a ton more candy than him at that house, to which the owners didn’t take well to it when he gave the child a strong word. The bunny costume wasn’t supposed to be scary, it was supposed to be ironic. Matt’s mind half wondered what it would’ve been like to be one of his first victims though, being chased by a man in a bloody bunny suit...although, he’d come home in his normal clothes, so maybe he’d ditched the suit along the way? Weird, since he thought it would’ve been too much trouble in all the pain and hunger he’d been experiencing. Unless the vampire took it! Matt decided that along with his vampire friend, he would keep an eye out for the pink costume, seeing as it might be a vital clue to his search. Matt wondered if it had rained recently, with the occasional puddle blocking his path. He was currently walking down a street that was maybe a couple blocks from his house, steadily walking towards the poorer parts of the neighborhood. Afterall, he’d probably find low-life vampires in a more run down, scary setting rather than a nice part like his own. Then again, his own neighbors were pretty low-life, and they lived right next to them, so maybe his theory wasn’t completely sound… Oh well, he was here now, so he might as well keep up his search. He stayed along the closely knit apartment buildings, having remembered being bitten next to a tall brick wall of some sort. He kept his hands in his pockets, holding onto Sir Mattilious for safety as he walked along more and more ominous paths. He finally stopped beside a building that rang nostalgically in his brain. He’d been walking for about an hour now, since he began his search, and still hadn’t found a trail...until he looked down at the ground. There was a rather dark, splotchy shadow next to this building, trailing all the way into an alleyway beside it. It was dim, in between the two tall buildings, but past the trashcans Matt could see a sign reading to an entrance to a seedy looking place. It wasn’t something that would usually draw Matt in, as he had no interest in either clubbing or drinking, but something about this place was intriguing. There was a man standing outside the building, and Matt, as he walked around the trashcan, could see police tape was blocking off the door, therefore preventing any legal entrance to the facility. He didn’t want any trouble for the moment, besides the fact that he was turned outdoors rather than indoors, so turned away to leave. The man spoke, “Are you lost, son?” His voice was gravelly, and a bit stuffy, maybe due to the cold. Matt stopped to politely answer, one foot away from exiting the alleyway. “No,” he replied. “I was just looking for someone.” His eyes drifted to the neon strips lining the door. The man chuckled, apparently finding something amusing. “Won’t find any life ‘round here,” he said gravely. He stepped away from the brick wall, and Matt could see his face more clearly now. He was old, his face weathered and unshaven, with a black beanie hat and coat to protect himself from the autumn air. “Haven’t you heard about the ‘incident’?” As fishy as the man was, Matt must have been drawn here for a reason. “...What ‘incident’?” The man stepped forward, offering his right hand to him and going into his coat with the other. “Detective Ramsey, at your service.” He pulled out a badge to show him, as Matt took his hand in his, the detective leading the firm handshake. “Um, Matt,” he replied, a bit hesitant to give a man of authority his name. The detective shot him a toothy, crooked smile and let go. “Hey, Matt,” he greeted formally, then began to walk deeper into the alleyway. Matt hesitantly trailed behind, before the man stopped in front of the bar entrance. Ramsey pointed at the door. “Do you see this here little entrance?” Matt nodded. “It’s made of straight oak. Took the police about an hour to finally bust in to investigate the scene. T’was blocked, you see.” He rubbed his nose with his thumb, then pointed to the area Matt was currently standing on. “And out here, where we got the initial report from, was a woman. About in her 20s, I believe.” He made eye contact with Matt. “She was dead. So were all the people in the bar.” Matt stopped breathing, suddenly realizing why his feet took him here. “They say,” Ramsey continued. “-that strange things go on in this town. We usually get a report like this about once every few months, sometimes even a year.” He stuffed a hand into his pocket. “Never before has there been such a messy, loud incident like this one. And do you know where it directly points at?” Matt took a step back, wondering if he should flee. The detective stepped closer to him, grabbing his shoulder. “Vampires.” Oh no, did the detective suspect him? “Sir, I have a warrant that juristics that I have the right and authority to take any bite molds of passerbys that come back to this scene.” Matt felt the detective’s grip was strong on him, and his scent hostile. Bite molds? A warrant? “Can I...see this warrant?” Matt licked his suddenly dry lips, covering up the urge to bite his lower one. The detective’s face faltered, apparently not prepared for Matt’s perceptiveness. Matt had dealt with the court multiple times before though, so had plenty of experience keeping the cops on their toes and off his back, despite his continual lack of judgement to get in trouble in the first place. “Request denied,” he grunted, shoving Matt up against a wall. He let go though, digging out of his pockets the said bite mold, along with… “Hey, you can’t arrest me!” He had pulled out handcuffs, metal dangling threateningly from his left hand. “You’re a suspect of this crime,” he smoothly replied. “Now, turn around, with your hands on the wall.” “No,” Matt refused, remembering to breathe. The detective knew his face now, and if the police really were looking for vampire suspects, he would be in trouble. They wouldn’t have trouble tracking him down, after all, with his record in their possession. “What did you just say to me?” The detective’s stance matched his scent now, hand coming back to where there was surely a weapon of some sort. Matt glared back at him, steadily gaining confidence. “No,” he ordered. He felt and saw a dark aura gathering around him, like in his dream with the same aura that vampire had walked with, its powers tangibly emanating around him. The detective’s eyes widened, and his jaw became slack. “No...” he repeated. Matt smirked, a bit confused with this reaction, but going along with it. “I was never here,” Matt told him, willing and hoping that this was what he thought it was. It was as if his body knew what he wanted and was granting it for him, reaching the detective’s mind and having him repeat it. “You were never here...” “You do not have a search warrant.” “I do not have a search warrant...” “And you do not touch innocent civilians,” Matt sniffed indignantly, pit in his stomach at being forced around by the detective returning. “And I do not touch innocent civilians…?” the detective echoed obediently, although a bit waveringly. He looked as if he’d been casted a spell on, staring blankly ahead into Matt’s eyes. Matt broke eye contact with him, satisfied with his work here. “Thank you, detective.” He pleasantly saluted him with a nod of his head and strode out of the alleyway. Once he was out, he began to stroll from whence he came, figuring he’d gone too far down this route. As he walked, a grin began to spread on his lips, amazed with what had just happened. He’s literally just told the detective what to think, and he repeated it back to him, like a puppet being commanded to dance. He was almost positive that he wouldn’t have anymore trouble from him in the future. It was exhilarating, commanding that power. The earlier fear of the man had been completely erased the moment he dug into that dark aura, and replaced with it was a headiness that he could take on the world. He laughed, a bit delirious with the sudden positive energy flowing through his emotions. At hearing his voice float through the empty streets, he calmed down a bit. So, he had another freaky power, one where he could control the thoughts and emotions of other people with just his will power. That didn’t sound too...safe, for other people around him. It worked out well for him, but what about the people being commanded, mainly speaking of his friends. He pushed those thoughts aside, hesitantly accepting that this was just another part of him that he would need to come to terms with, and kept on walking forward. It was the only thing he could do right now. --- ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The more he walked, the more that Matt started to notice the aching feeling in his gut that usually meant he was hungry. He didn’t have his phone on him to check, but a park clock told him that it was about noon-ish. Yesterday’s meal test hadn’t gone horribly, so maybe he could continue to sustain himself on human food and not have to worry about drinking blood ever again. It was a light thought, compared to the permanency of his new vampire condition looming over his life now. Matt made his way to a random cafe, ordering himself a croissant and a tea. If Tom and Edd were here, Edd would usually order a coffee and biscotti, while Tom would change his orders around depending on the day. Matt nearly forgot to tell the lady what kind of tea he wanted, as he brushed thoughts of his friends aside. Maybe Matt was kidding himself, thinking that he could up and leave his friends, after so many years of living around them. It would probably serve as a wake-up call, once it came to it, on how dependant he’d become to them over the years. A large part of Matt was hoping that they wouldn’t let him leave, that they would come busting in through the cafe doors, demanding that Matt let them into his problems. He probably wouldn’t fight them, seeing as their presence would be proof enough that they were willing to go the extra mile to adjust to Matt’s new vampire lifestyle. But, even as Matt stared at the cafe doors ahead of him, no one burst in to see him. The bell jingled as a random business man came up to the front counter to order himself an espresso. His friends operated on terms of convenience and level of interest, and since when, these last couple days, had Matt been good on either of those? No, it was selfish of Matt to think so, after all the ways his friends had already reached for him in the past. Matt sipped his tea, before finally taking the care to grab a napkin and wipe his face clean of any excess dried blood, although finding that most of it had flaked off during his walk. He didn’t know why he did it, since he still had dark circles under his eyes, freckles exposed, and an overall rumply appearance, but maybe it was step one to feeling a little less undesirable. He weakly smiled into his tea, pretending that he could still see his appearance in it and that he liked what he saw. It managed to pick him up only a little bit, by the time he left the cafe to roam the streets again. He’d needed some motivation to keep looking for the vampire, an inkling of hope for him to smoothly transition back into the world. His scarf had loosened quite a bit since he’d first put it on, so he readjusted it, better securing it around his neck. The police were apparently on the lookout for vampires, so it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to ask around too boldly. However, Matt was growing tired of wandering aimlessly with no vampire in sight, and would appreciate other people's insights on the matter. The issue was, where could Matt ask around without being called on to the cops about it? He needed to find a place where no questions were asked...Ahah! Matt knew just the place, and it wasn’t too far from the park either. Matt burst through the doors of the unsuspecting building, standing strong and dramatic as he declared, “I’m looking for answers.” Some of the artists looked up from where they were stationed at, but most of them kept at their work. “Only if you’re also looking for a tattoo,” a burly man spoke to him. He was bald, fashioning many tattoos that he prided himself in giving, but most notably he was also very shirtless. Matt thought the place smelled rather strongly of testosterone. “Uh,” Matt hadn’t prepared a comeback for that, and was the reason why he was soon dragged over to a table to be worked on. He thought that he recognized the man though…”Jim…?” “Timone, actually,” the same large man corrected, preparing his needles. “So, what are you getting again?” It wasn’t as if Matt had told the man what he wanted in the first place, but for some reason, Matt already had a clear picture of what he apparently wanted. “I want a pink bunny, right down here,” he pulled down his boot and exposed his ankle. “Right next to the jolly roger.” Timone didn’t blink at his request, rather shooting him a calculating look. “Also, try and make it look like a bunny costume--no! A man. A bunny that stands like a man. A manly bunny.” “Hey, you’ve come down here before, haven’t you?” Matt thought for a moment, trying to recall. It probably was to get his jolly roger then, hadn’t it? As he thought to himself, the other man supplied for him proof that he’d known him. “...Matt, right?” At Matt’s surprised look, Timone barked out a laugh. “I am right! You look good, man.” Now, when had Matt met this strong, burly man before…? He couldn’t exactly remember, but he smiled friendlily, seeing how excited the other man was. The man had Matt prop his foot up for him, while Matt spoke. “Er, when have we met again?” He felt a little left out of the loop, because when was he the sort to get along with such an uncouth looking guy? “You don’t remember?” His smile faltered, before he filled in for him, “We were part of the same crew.” The crew of what? Matt didn’t want to ruin the man’s spirits anymore though, so he kept his confusion to himself. Maybe he should play along, seeing as the more he got along with the man the more likely he was to get information. “Oh, yeah! I remember now,” he lied, then breaking out into chuckles of his own. “Oh, those were good times.” “They were good times,” he agreed, a misty-eyed look crossing his face. Er, Matt wasn’t sure how to react, other than continuing to nod, as if too remembering those ‘times’. ...Perhaps it was time that Matt practiced his bluffing again. “Do you remember the guy with the hair?” he asked, as if sharing in some joke he’d had while in this ‘crew’. Timone shot him a funny look. “What guy?” His face was closed, and Matt suddenly felt as though he’d made a grave mistake with those few words. “Uh, nevermind,” he backtracked, not wanting to risk not being able to start any more conversation with him. Thankfully, Timone answered again. “Oh, do you mean the captain?” “Uh,” A captain? As in, a captain of a pirate ship? Matt imaged a captain that looked sort of like Captain Hook, long black curls cascading down their back, and felt as though he could supply a good opinion on him. “Well, his hair certainly did make a statement, I thought,” he said vaguely. Timone laughed and shook his head, “You yourself were always one for a statement though.” Whatever that meant, it amused him greatly. Matt laughed along with him, still not sure why he was laughing but doing so anyways. “So,” Timone spoke up again, laughter through with. He was working at a steady pace on Matt’s skin while he talked. “What brings you back here again?” “Um,” Matt thought for a moment. “A tattoo?” “You said you wanted ‘answers’,” Timone reminded. Oh, yeah. “Oh yeah,” Matt thought aloud. Well, at least he was brought back to things he was aware of happening, Matt feeling a little more in his element. “I’m looking for someone. Someone who knows something about vampires.” Timone raised an eyebrow in his direction. “You lookin’ about the incident?” “No,” Matt replied. “I’m here for something much more...personal.” “Hm,” Timone grunted, pausing to inspect his work. “Well. I don’t know if they’re any expert or anything, but I do know a real vampire fanatic, if that’s what you’re looking for.” “That’s fine.” Anything would do, at this point, even if it ended up getting him in trouble. Matt didn’t have much to lose anymore, or so it seemed anyways. “Their name is Cherri,” With the way he said her name, it almost sounded like he said ‘Sherry’. “They come here occasionally, usually for a new occultish design or whatever. And they’re very chatty about their work...” “She’s obsessed with vampires and the likes, and regularly deals with people interested in those things. If you go to anyone about your ‘vampire-curiosity’, it would be her.” Timone set his needles down for a moment, walking over to a counter and digging through a drawer for something. He finally came back, holding a sheet of paper. “The number’s the same as her business card though, just a fair warning.” He handed Matt the phone number and got back to work on his leg. “Thanks,” Matt finally said, after mulling over what Timone might’ve meant by a ‘fair warning’. Timone grunted back to him, probably his way of saying ‘you’re welcome’, Matt figured, by the returning good atmosphere. As Matt exited with his fresh tattoo, Timone said one last farewell, something about ‘anyone that’s a friend of the jolly roger’s a friend of his’, and that Matt was welcome back there anytime. It lifted Matt’s spirits quite a bit, even if it was just some random man who didn’t know a thing about Matt saying so. Being welcome anywhere at this low of Matt’s life so gratuitously made Matt’s heart feel warm inside. Besides that, shouldn’t Matt start getting used to trying to appeal to random strangers that might accept a vampire like him? He still didn’t like to think of if his future confrontation with his friends were to go south, and would much rather start searching for a payphone that Matt could dial the number he was handed. With one set of knuckles bunched tight around the slip of paper and the other gripping his plush, he set off down the road again on his quest. --- ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The stinging on the inside of Matt’s right ankle served as an annoying, but good distraction for as he walked. He didn’t know what possessed him to get the tattoo, nor could he remember what possessed him the first time, but figured it was a little too late to have regrets about it now. Besides, he kinda liked his ‘manly bunny’. When he’d finally found a payphone to call the woman, he was met with a rather awkward opening from someone who sounded as though they were in their 60s. He quickly explained to her why he was calling, and the conversation got much easier to reroute towards a very professional meeting to talk about vampires. “Vampires, huh?” the smoker’s voice spoke. “What’s got you so interested?” “I...have a friend, that’s been somewhat impacted by something that seems vampire-ish. So...” It was a weak cover up, but he wasn’t sure how much he could trust this lady yet. He’d much rather talk more about this in person. There was a breathy laugh on the other end, one that got Matt pulling the phone away from his ear, chills running up his spine. “Well, I’m free this afternoon, if you’re really serious ‘bout it.” “Er, will you charge?” Matt felt as though he should ask, because the claw machine had taken quite a bit from him. “That depends. Where did you hear of me?” “Um, Timmy?” There was a pause on the other end. Had Matt gotten the name wrong? “I just heard about you today, when I got my tattoo..” “Oh!” There was a barked laughter on the other end. “I know your ‘Timmy’, haha!” She guffawed at the name for another second, before recovering. “Alright, I’ll do it free of charge. As long as I get to hear how he reacted to that nickname, haha!” Matt chuckled nervously, since he still couldn’t remember the guy’s not-nickname. She set up a place where they could grab a cup of coffee and maybe see just how interested Matt was in the supernatural, then go from there. They would be meeting in about an hour, but Matt didn’t have much to do in the meantime, without spending more money on arcade games that is, so he went straight to the restaurant to hold up fort. Matt had plenty of time to get some refills of water and some mints to fill him while he waited. Both items combined served to remind him that he hadn’t had a chance to brush his teeth that morning, and Matt made sure to order extra mints. When somebody finally approached his table, he was in the middle of playing mint-tennis with his stuffed toy. Looking at her in person, the first thing Matt noticed was that she was a lot younger than she had sounded, maybe in her 30s or 40s rather than elderly years. She shook his hand and said, “-I hope you weren’t waiting too long.” “Oh, naw.” He said, postponing his little game and just fiddling with his toy. “I’m Matt, by the way.” She smiled kindly at him and sat across from him. “Cherri,” she reintroduced. She was looking at the object in Matt’s hands curiously, so Matt filled in for her. “This is Sir Mattilious,” he said proudly, turning it so it ‘faced’ her. “I won him before I came here.” “It’s very cute,” she complimented. Matt beamed, because he thought so too. She moved the conversation, “So, you got a ‘tat?” “...Pardon me?” Was that an insult, he wondered. “A tattoo,” she reiterated. Oh. “Oh,” he said, pulling up his ankle, since he might as well prove it to her. The skin around his bunny was still a little red, but it felt better than it had an hour ago. “Aw, that’s adorable,” she said. “It’s a manly bunny,” Matt supplied, feeling as though ‘adorable’ couldn’t possibly encase its awesomeness. The two chatted a bit more, ordering food at one point or another. She rementioned the name ‘Timmy’, to which Matt had to explain that he often gave people nicknames without their knowledge. It was a trick of his to try and remember their names, personally, even though it usually just threw Matt even more off the mark than need be. Pleasantries aside, they finally got down to business again. “So,” she said, taking a sip of water. “-Vampires?” “Yeah,” he agreed, coming back on task. “What do you know about them?” “I dunno, what do you want to know?” she contradicted. Matt blinked at her, before digging for his first question. “Have you met any real ones before?” That should be his first question, because if she had, he might have some hope at finding them. “I have,” she said, igniting Matt’s interest. “I’ve met people who were born a vampire, people who’ve been turned by the taste of blood, those who’ve identified as a vampire, etcetera.” “Oh.” None of those sounded like him, or not exactly. “What about those who’ve been turned by being bitten by another vampire?” His heart pounded, knowing he was getting a little closer to his own condition and also closer to answers. “It’s hard to say,” she said cryptically, before saying, “-but I think I have.” There was an odd glint in her eye as she said this, cutting into her meat loaf. “Really?” Matt wasn’t eating anymore, holding attentively on her words. “What were they like?” “Just like any of us,” she said. “...You seem awfully interested for someone asking for a friend.” There was suspicion in her voice that raised a flag in Matt’s mind. “I’m just...a bit of a fanatic, too, I guess..” He bit his bottom lip, not sure what else he could say to get her off his trail. She shrugged, taking a bite out of her food. “What else?” Matt asked, feeling a lull in the conversation. She finished chewing. “I’ve probably only met one once before,” she said thoughtfully. “They had this...aura about them.” She waved her hand through the air, trying to connect her vague terms for him. “...They were one of the most handsome people I’ve ever met, I think.” This sparked a hope in Matt’s chest for a moment, before she continued, lost in thought. “-But also, very dull. Lackluster. I think they were in a slump at the time.” She finished, before making eye contact with Matt again. “...What kind of slump?” Matt wanted to hear more about this person, if they were anything like him. “They were...having problems. It was why they came to me,” she said with a sad shake of her head. Both of Matt’s elbows were resting on the table as he leaned forward, hanging onto what she was saying. But, Matt also had a question that needed answered. “Did they seem...dangerous?” “Yes, of course.” She laughed at the audacity of his question, before sobering up again. “Yes, but, also no. They had a way of hiding their powers, I guess. So if you didn’t know it, they wouldn’t seem dangerous to you, like they hadn’t to me. But looking back at it, if I’d known what powers were bunched up inside of them, and didn’t know them, maybe I would’ve been more cautious.” That was...an interesting observation, but not exactly something applicable for Matt, currently. He stored it away in his mind for later, anyways-- if he didn’t forget it by then. “But, how did you find out?” “Find out what?” she asked. “What their powers were...what their problem was,” Matt grouped the two together. He wanted to know everything, so if he reached that ‘slump’, he’d know how to deal with it. She watched his face for a second, as if trying to judge something about him. “Why don’t I just show you, after our meal.” She was already pretty much done, but Matt still had quite a ways to go to finish his food. He nodded anyways, scarfing down his food like he was Sonic the Hedgehog. By the time Matt was finished, Cherri was sipping the last of her water with a coy smile on her face. Matt wiped his mouth politely, a little embarrassed on having to pig out like that in front of a lady. “Well then,” she laughed breathily. “Let’s go.” --- ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- They got the chance to talk a bit on the way to what she informed him was her home. “So, how long has your friend been ‘affected’ by vampirism?” she asked him, taking along his right side. “Er, not long. A couple days, at most,” he replied honestly. Why else would she be asking, unless...“Is there a cure for it?” That would be amazing! It would blow away all of his problems at once and-- “Not most conventionally.” Before Matt could ask what that meant, she continued. “Why don’t I show you later, after we’ve shown you the book.” “There’s a book?” Oh no, Matt hated reading. He frowned. “Yes. But it’s not something typically found at your local library,” she explained, as if answering to his ‘doubtful’ frown. “Oh.” Well, he’d cross that bridge when he came to it, he guessed. “Are there pictures in it?” She laughed for some reason, “Yes, there are some.” “Good,” he returned seriously, throwing her into another laughing fit. Was Matt really that funny, or was it something about old people humor that he didn’t get? First Timone, now Cherri. Her house wasn’t too far, thankfully, as Cherri’s laugh was getting rather obnoxious. It sounded more like wheezing and whispering than an actual laugh, which disturbed Matt even more when it was in close proximity to his ear. She calmed down as they approached her front door, bending down to slip out a key from under her mat and unlocking the door. It was rather cramped inside, where the hallways were nearly shoulder to shoulder for Matt to walk in. He followed her lithe body, navigating so he would avoid knocking over a rather interesting looking lamp fixture that had a skull embedded into it, all the way into a study area. There were even more cool objects inside, things ranging from skeletons to masks to old dusty books along shelves that covered nearly every wall. There were no windows inside this room, only the door and an overhanging light bulb serving to barely light the room at all. Cherri walked straight towards one bookshelf in particular, while Matt stood, thinking of whether or not it would be sanitary to take a seat at her couch, which was set behind a table covered in old junk. “I haven’t pulled this thing out in ages,” she conversed. Well, thinking he might as well settle himself for some ‘reading time’, he pulled up the lone red-cushioned chair that stood directly next to the couch, deeming it more safe to sit on. There was a pause, where his host was too busy looking for the book to fill in the silence, giving Matt time to think for a moment. He soon asked, “-Can vampires eat garlic?” “Yes, but their sense of smell is much higher than ours, so it tends to overpower them so much that they don’t tend to like it.” “Hm, interesting,” Matt said. How was it that she knew all of this stuff? He was about to ask, when she gasped. “Yes! Here it is.” She turned back to him, holding her prize in both hands. She blew some dust off of the cover, making Matt cringe a bit as it was blown in his direction. “Sorry,” she said, noticing his discomfort. She walked over and sat on the couch next to him, turning over some pages. “Now, let’s see...” She finally turned over to one she liked, pointing at a picture and heading. “There! Vampires.” She thrust the book towards him, to which he hesitantly took it as it was practically forced into his lap. Before he could ask for instructions, she’d stood up, leaving him to figure out how to translate the text alone. Well , he looked down at the boring looking pages, here goes nothing … Ugh , he thought, eyes glossing over as he struggled to read over some history section. This feels like school again . He did come here to learn, but he was hoping to have a better instructor for this, one that wouldn’t thrust a textbook at him to read. Cherri had left somewhere, and listening in he could hear activity coming from her kitchen. The book did have pictures, but of the small, ugly variety. They depicted vampires to look like horrible, scary creatures, which he was nothing like. Peeking back, their section was placed right after some werewolf section, which did nothing for the book’s credibility, in Matt’s opinion. Cherri didn’t seem like she’s be back anytime soon, so Matt tried to be productive again...He imagined to himself, that if Edd was the artist for this book, vampires would probably be given a much better name. In the book, they had vampires made out to be a plotting, conniving people, disguised as villagers that would seduce their women and drain blood from their unsuspecting victims. It went on that vampires would appear out of the shadows, materializing before their eyes sometimes, and disappear just as fast, like a spooked bat flying out of a window. Vampires were blood thirsty beasts in their eyes, and with the amount of fear written into it, Matt could almost believe it. There was a section about being turned, which seemed much more relevant to Matt, so he skipped the rest of the ‘abilities’ section and went straight on to it. People weren’t usually turned, it seemed, but it wasn’t unheard of either. There was a legend in it, where those people that were turned would go about their day just like any other human, before going on a violent rampage that would only be sedated by a large amount of blood. It was said that this condition was once the cause of a whole village to be wiped out. Matt remembered the first night he was turned, and wondered if that was the bloody massacre that the book was talking about. He severely hoped that it was, or else he had to be prepared for the worst to happen later on. The book went on to conclude that anyone identified as a vampire, usually signified by two puncture wounds on the neck and long, protruding fangs, their condition alone was punishable by death. Matt closed the book so that his thumb held his place, staring ahead of him. This thing must have been written in the medieval times, with how wordy it was. It was starting to make Matt’s head spin, both out of shock at the language and with the contents of what he just read. Finally, Cherri chose this time to walk in. She was holding a tray with some cheese sandwiches on it, their crusts cut off. “So, how are you doing?” Matt didn’t respond, swallowing dryly, following her movements with his eyes. She frowned, pushing some nick-nacks aside and setting the tray down on the coffee table. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing,” he said, because he wasn’t a vampire to her, so nothing should be wrong with what he read. He couldn’t help the most pressing thought in his mind after reading it, saying, “-a bloody rampage...?” She sighed sadly, as if she had been expecting his reaction. “Yes. That’s exactly what my vampire friend had been worried about before, when he came to me.” Another vampire had come to her, worried about it. Probably because they’d somehow been affected by it-. “-Did it happen more than once?” How else could they have been worrying about it, unless they knew that it was a problem to begin with? “...Yes,” she said. Matt’s gaze dropped fearfully to his lap, afraid that she would read it in his eyes alone what he was thinking. She sat at the couch, not touching the sandwiches that she had brought, her full attention on him. “You should eat,” she suggested softly. It hardly seemed like the time to eat, rather more the time to be sick. Looking at the sandwiches and seeing the cheese smell wafting up, he’d much rather not. He shook his head. “No thank you,” he refused politely. She placed a hand on his shoulder, making him look up to see her concerned expression gracing her wrinkled, but still pretty features. Matt randomly noted in his mind, not having given it thought before, that her black hair looked to have been teased to become as frizzy as it was, sporting the occasional braided extension, framing her model-like face uniquely. Her appearance served to pull him from his initial disgust with the contents of the book, allowing him to finally ask another question. “Did you ever fix his problem?” Matt asked, somehow recalling that she’d called the vampire a ‘he’. She looked towards the foot of his chair, breath rushing out of her nose as she thought for a moment. “I think so,” she answered. Matt was about to ask ‘how’, when she interrupted, “-but I think I should first correct some of the book’s misconceptions of vampires.” Well, that worked for Matt too. She continued, “Not everyone who’s bitten by a vampire will turn. In fact, it’s extremely rare for it to occur at all, because they don’t choose when to turn another person.” To Matt’s surprise, she pulled down the collar of her shirt quite a bit for him, giving him view of...her own puncture marks! A smile unconsciously was placed on his lips, to which she grimaced. “For that, I must apologize.” Wait--. “Apologize? For what?” It wasn’t as if she’d turned him. The one who turned him was a man. Or at least Matt was pretty sure he was turned by a man. “Me and my boyfriend have been trying for years to be able to turn me into a vampire you see,” she revealed to him, letting go of her shirt collar to hide the markings. “So, it’s a surprise for a new one to turn up so soon after the Halloween night that he’d gone hunting.” She stood up, ignoring the way Matt was now openly gawking at her as she took the book from him. She paced across the room to return it. “There is a way to prevent uncontrollable rampages, and that is a steady supply of blood being put into your system.” “My system? I’m afraid you’ve got it--” Matt tried to cover up, sensing that although the atmosphere was rather calm at the moment, that something would soon be up if he didn’t defend himself now. She continued over him, “It had gotten rather troublesome receiving blood donations peaceably with his occupation, so we’d agreed that this method of obtaining blood was sound. That it would protect everyone from the beast in the long run.” She apparently felt as though she must defend the actions of her boyfriend rather than hear Matt out. She strode to another bookshelf, saying, “Now, you were asking about a cure earlier, and I have just the thing.” There, that’s when the atmosphere finally turned threatening. Matt stood up, seeing that she’d grabbed some sort of machete from her collections. She hadn’t turned around just yet, talking with her back to him. “I’m afraid that your turning was a mistake, and that it would be quite troublesome to have to compete for the same foods-- especially with your noisey fiasco just a few nights ago.” “Wait--,” he tried, but she’d made up her mind. She leapt at him, to which he ducked at when the machete was swung clear through where his head used to be. Yikes! “Stop!” He then remembered something, an ability that he had that could stop her. He looked into her dark eyes, focusing in on her. “Stop!” She stared back intently at him, and he felt something rebounding in him. She stood there for another moment, before walking towards him. It didn’t work? “Your will isn’t as strong as mine, nor is that power as effective when the other person knows to fight back,” she advised. Was she telling him this for future reference or was she just caught up in having fun trying to kill him? “Um, good to know?” he said, backing away a bit before his legs his the plush chair again. He wondered how he should fight back, seeing as he should have some nifty vampire abilities up his sleeve. Then again, looking towards the open door, an exit also seeming promising, that is, until she thrust her hand in the direction of the door. As if she’d physically pushed it, it swung shut. Matt cursed to himself, brushing aside thoughts on how cool that was as she held the machete in front of herself again. “I’ve dabbled in a bit of different arts,” she confessed. Was she a witch or a magician, Matt wondered. Being distracted, he barely had time to react as suddenly he was tipped backwards in his chair. Cherri pulled something under him, before suddenly he could see that a chair leg was sticking out of his abdomen. He blinked, confused at where that came from. She was now leaning over him, her hand still not left her weapon as he brought him back to reality by pushing the blade up to his throat. “Luckily for me, you’re quite new at this,” she said, bringing the machete away. Wait, Matt slowed down time in a stroke of genius, wondering what she meant by that. She was currently in motion to drive the machete down at his throat though, he reminded himself, so rather than mull over what she meant by that, he wondered on how to get out of this. He was pinned by this...makeshift wooden stake. Not to mention the lady was extremely close to chopping his head off. Would the wooden stake not already kill him? He supposed not, since she was going to all of the effort. She was maybe two inches from his throat now. Okay, think brain, think think think. Thinking was for school though, like that textbook...Hey, the textbook. He tried to remember if he’d read anything useful. Well, it had ugly drawings, it had offensive language in it...No...Maybe something about shadows. That would be cool, if he could literally materialize through shadows, Matt thought. Well, he was one inch away from being killed anyways, so he might as well try it. If it didn’t work, he could always push her away, he thought. He thought hard for a moment. What would shadows feel like? Dark, scary, maybe cold. He tried resummoning his aura...nothing. He pushed her away, making contact with her just as the machete seemed like it should have been cutting into him. He came back to present speed to watch her fly through the air, her back hitting her bookshelves and causing dust to burst out everywhere. “You should really dust this place,” Matt said with a raised finger to her, although she probably didn’t see it, from where she laid sprawled, coughing near the wall. Oh well. He ripped the wooden thing out of him so that he could sit up again. Nevermind that he had a hole in his midsection, because something cold was trickling down his neck…”Oh, darn it.” He glared in her direction, hand coming back with blood. She nicked him! “You nicked my jugular!” She spat to the side, struggling to stand. “My boyfriend will do a lot more to you, once he gets here.” She was quite the feisty one, Matt thought, as she looked all around herself, probably for her weapon. “It will show too,” he complained, still about the nick on this throat. What was he going to say to his friends about it, once he came home? “Do you hear me?!” she yelled, pulling his attention back to her. “Yeah,” he drawled. “I guess I should get going then.” He really didn’t want to have a confrontation with another vampire, especially an older, experienced one. He picked up a sandwich as he walked towards the door. “Do you mind if I eat this on the way?” He held up the sandwich for her to see what he was talking about. He wasn’t really that hungry, but figured since he had quite a bit of a walk ahead of him, he’d soon get hungry. She growled at him as she slipped on something, her ankle bent wrong. Ew. He shrugged, taking her inhospitality as a go to do whatever he wanted, taking the sandwich and a napkin and leaving the weird home. He thought about snatching up the cool lamp on his way out, just as a souvenir of surviving a witch’s house, but figured that the sandwich would be enough. Plus, if her machete had made a scar, which it better not have, then that would be proof enough. Okay, scratch that. Just thinking of the possibility of her machete marring his skin drove him to go back and snatch up her creepy lamp, hurrying as he heard her stumbling through the hallways after him. It wasn’t stealing if it was from a creepy witch trying to kill him, after all. As he resumed walking, munching on his sandwich, he felt as though he’d gained more answers than not. The sandwich was doing nothing to ease the literal pit in his stomach, but at least his stomach seemed to be doing fine on its own. Probably. He might’ve still have been running on adrenaline, because as he walked some more, he began to stumble. Matt was more worried about what he looked like to the afternoon passerbys, so slipped into a random alleyway to recover from his sudden dizzy spell. His head felt hot and the world was spinning, so he leaned back against the cold bricks, willing his body to regain control. He wanted to think about seeing his friends again, now that he’d found a way to keep his friends out of danger. He wanted to think about precautions, against getting into more trouble with the vampire couple. But now, all he could think about was getting some sleep. --- ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Matt’s face was being pressed up against something cold and hard. Where was he…? He sat up slowly, allowing his vision to stop dotting out while he held the side of his pounding head. He was wet, lying on some pavement in a random alleyway, and it was dark out. He must’ve passed out, he figured… Oh yeah, hadn’t he been visiting that one lady and gotten into a fight? He must have passed out from blood loss or something. Ignoring the half-eaten sandwich that lay floating in a red puddle beside him, he stood up. He clutched his cramping mid-section, muscles bunched tight for whatever reason that Matt didn’t want to investigate at that moment, and walked on. He felt tired again, but figured it would be better to sleep at home than out in the open. Feeling Sir Mattilious getting a bit in the way of his clutching, he belatedly noticed that his lamp souvenir was gone. Thinking he must have left it behind, he told himself he’d get it in the morning, as he was already on his doorstep. Jiggling the doorknob and finding it locked, he went into his jean pockets for his key. All of his limbs were so tired and shaky, it was a wonder how he’d managed to get the key into the lock, as he pushed the door open. It was dark inside the house. The TV was still on, and walking deeper in, he found Edd slumped down in front of it, looking with half-lidded eyes at the screen. “Oh, you’re back,” Edd noted, not taking his eyes off the screen. “Yeah,” Matt hummed tiredly and said curiously, “You weren’t staying up for me, were you?” “Mh, no.” Matt didn’t think so, relaxing at the normalcy. “I just got caught up in...” he trailed off, becoming mesmerized by whatever the screen was doing once more. Matt too, watched the screen for another moment more, before fatigue convinced him to get a move on to bed. He left without another word, dragging his feet along the hardwood, hand returning to his stomach as the other felt along the wall for support. He wondered if he should go to the hospital for it… The air was blissfully clean when he walked back into his room, and he noticed that somebody had gone and opened his window for him. He felt a bit of gratitude for that, but continued walking on over to his nightstand, picking up his phone and contemplating using it. His friends may not have gone out to look for him, but he did notice one missed call from their home phone number on it. He wished he could smile at this too, the corners of his mouth struggling to move. He was starting to feel a bit woozy though, head spinning so much that he fell face first into his bed, knees giving out on him. It was uncomfortable lying on his stomach, so he turned over, reaching into his stomach pouch and pulling out the main source of his discomfort. Matt looked at Sir Mattilious, its face smiling, oblivious to the whirlpool in his head, not really thinking of anything in particular. He felt sick and tired at the same time, and his mind was growing fuzzier by the second. And there was an odd taste of bile growing in his throat. Matt suddenly sat up, just in time as he struggled to breathe, coughing up something onto his floor. Opening his eyes again, he saw that it was blood. His mind noted that it was a shame, since he’d recently cleaned those floors. Matt fell back onto his side, relief at being able to breath again not lasting long as the spinning continued. The cramp in his middle decided that it didn’t like that movement, seizing up, causing Matt to curl up, trying to ease his pain. The pain was still there, lasting as a dull ache in his belly, but he could finally let go a bit. He continued to lay there in a fetal position, waiting out the vertigo. Matt breathed heavily through his nose, air coming in and out, accelerating. His eyes were open, but his vision continued to blur out of focus, leaving him staring ahead at nothing. He couldn’t focus on anything, until finally, a pinprick of definity hit him. He felt it for a split second, around his neck area, and immediately knew what it was. He licked the back of his front teeth, fascinated at the way that it enhanced the feeling, growing stronger as his teeth grew number. Mr. Unnamable Feeling was back-. -And it felt good. His body thought so too, eyes blinking shut and open again, to immediately start searching for the one thing that the Unnamable Feeling wanted. Matt smiled, teeth baring at the desire, something so relieving from the pain he’d just been feeling. He wanted it, and he wanted it badly. He sat up quickly, eager to get a move on, but tripping as his stomach seized up again. Matt made a frustrated noise through his teeth, hands scrambling for a purchase as he got on his feet again. He knew what he wanted-- no, needed, and he knew it was close by. He could smell it in the air, through all of the smells that he’d once named familiar. These familiar smells would lead him straight to his preys. He smiled again, excited at the prospect of the kill, opening his door and making his way across the hall. The first person whom he knew was in the house: In the living room, the green one. His prey no longer had a name, only the comforting smell of the person identifying him in his mind. Matt approached the couch quietly, something deep in Matt’s mind stuttering at the dejavu of the scene, teeth extending in anticipation. Over in the kitchen, a light flickered on, making Matt jump. Although the green one hadn’t reacted to the change, Matt could sense a strong presence up ahead, causing him to duck and hide behind the couch. What was that? Matt hadn’t detected any intruders in the house. Hearing them rifling through the fridge so freely, Matt identified who it must be: The warm blooded one. He licked his lips at the scent, mouth salivating as he imagined sinking his fangs into that hot meal. Okay, forget the green one, he’d go for the main course first before having dessert. He could hear their footsteps growing nearer to the living room now. “Hey, Edd,” Tom greeted, spritzing open a cold Smirnoff. “I’m going to bed now. Have you seen Matt yet?” The inquiry was filled with suspicious interest. Matt held his breath from where he was hidden, crouched behind the sofa. “Uh, yeah, actually.” Edd’s eyes finally tore themselves away from the TV screen to look at his friend. “Why?” Tom shrugged, saying, “Just thought I smelled something funny,” he said, then, “Plus, I saw a trail of watery footprints leading to Matt’s room, so.” “Oh.” And if that confession wasn’t enough, he then continued. “Yeah, and now he’s right behind you.” Tom took a leisurely sip. Startled at being revealed, Matt looked around himself for clues to how Tom could have known. Not finding any footprints after all, he stood up to glare at him, before baring his fangs and walking towards him menacingly. Tom noticed his approach before Edd did, but most of all his general appearance. He spurted out some of his drink and coughed. Edd then exclaimed, “Woah, Matt!” Matt ignored him, going straight for his first target. “M-att?” Tom raised his hands and started to back away from the monster. He didn’t respond, grin hardly able to widen anymore with how he presented his weapons to his prey. “Tom!” Matt was suddenly hit on the back of the head with something. The world took a turn, and he found himself sprawled upside down against the opposite wall. “I think we should...Run!” Edd dropped the lamp he’d used to bat Matt away from the two, running with Tom towards the kitchen area. Wait, they were getting away? Matt rolled onto all fours, rubbing the back of his sore head. Still feeling the bump on his skull, he stood up again, raising his hearing towards where his prey had left. “...some sort of vampire.” There’s the sound of a door opening. “What do we do?” There’s the shutting of a door, and more muffled conversation. They must have left the house. Feeling properly recovered, Matt trudged on to go looking for his meals. They’d gone out the back way and fled...Matt could smell that they ran upwind, the scent already growing more faint. He jogged after them, eyes watching the faint smokey trail leading towards out of their neighborhood. They were going towards denser populated areas. Matt narrowed his eyes, picking up his pace. “Wait, I’ve got an idea,” Matt could hear one of them say. He stopped short, just before the lines of houses stopped, seeing the smells going in opposite directions. They’d split up, it seemed. Matt chose the stronger scent and chased after it, going into another person’s backyard and back over the fence again. They were going straight back towards their house again. With a clear goal in mind, he was there again in a flash. However, he’d lost sight of the smell. Where did it go…? Looking around himself from the side of their house, he could see a smell going through their front door. Bingo. The door slammed in his face before he could dive through it, nearly taking off his head. He glared at it, hearing the footsteps of his prey quickly retreating. Dumb door. He ripped it out of its hinges, throwing it behind himself as he walked on through. “Now!” Tom said, before there was a crash somewhere else. He faltered, but wasn’t the most pressing thing on Matt’s mind as he stared at the thing in Tom’s hand. Tom recovered, “Um, prepare yourself! Mega-Ultra-Stake-Machine-Gun!!” He pressed a button that began its revolution. Matt slowed down time, rolling his eyes at the reusage of the weapon from his dream. Get creative, reality, he thought before his thoughts were interrupted once again. Something hit him from behind, on the bump on his head no less! It was the lamp again. He turned around to see Edd, who was currently hiding behind a stolen gurney to which--. The stake machine gun had tore into Matt, throwing him straight for the gurney. He and someone else yelped as he was pinned against it, Edd also cowering somewhere to avoid getting stabbed. How lucky for him, since he wasn’t the one currently with stakes pinning most of their limbs to a board. He struggled to get out. “Uhh, we might wanna tie him down too,” Edd muttered, getting up and walking presumably towards Tom, who sighed. “I’ll get the duck-tape...” Matt growled at them, finding that he’d almost loosened his left wrist. He’d be out of this soon enough… “Make that chains,” Edd revised. --- ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- There was a searing pain in his stomach before he passed out again. Or, so he later thought, because it seemed he was still struggling as he fuzzily came in and out of consciousness, always growling and hissing, struggling to get out of his binds. They wouldn’t cage him, he’d rip their throats out, he’d--. Thoughts of those things came back to Matt as he slowly regained consciousness again, this time in a much calmer state. The sickness that he’d felt earlier, both mentally and physically, was no longer present. His limbs were heavy now, but for once not out of exhaustion. There was an IV sticking out of his wrist, to which Matt thought about investigating. Should he leave it in there? He didn’t know where he was, but judging by all the white, he must be in a hospital. Another thing he noted, as he moved to take out the IV, was that he couldn’t move. He was strapped down, apparently, covers on top of him hiding the strong bindings. He picked up his hearing to see if anyone was nearby. The door was shut, and apparently they were very sound proof, because he could only pick up muffled talking on the other side. Matt fixed his attention on the white roof tiles above, a worried nick in his mind telling him that it was about him. He’d gone crazy, apparently. The vague recollections of what must have been yesterday, a new sun shining through the curtain cracks telling him that it was light out again, started to fall onto Matt’s shoulders to having been real. Yesterday he went and tried to kill his friends, bloodlust having taken over both his mind and body. He hoped he hadn’t caught them in the end. He remembered having been staked to a gurney, but couldn’t clearly remember anything else. He’d been violent the few times he did come to again on the way to the hospital, so could have hurt his friends in any of those times. Were they too stuck in a hospital room, waking up with injuries inflicted by him? Looking to either sides of him, he couldn’t find any traces that anyone had come to visit him. Not that his friends would come to see him, no he was looking for doctors’ clipboards or a note for him of course...There was a glass of water on the stand, not that Matt could reach out to take a sip. He did have the IV in his arm, two in fact, one of which had a long red string going up into a pouch beside his bed. His pupils locked onto the trail and his mouth watered. He was a bit hungry, now that he was awake. His heart pounded, as a fear clawed its way into his mind that this was just him thirsting for blood again, and that was what had him wound up in the hospital in the first place. Why wasn’t he locked up now, if the hospital figured out he was a vampire? Maybe this was monster jail, and that he was in the medical wing of that place right now. His monstrous urges were what had him strapped down in the first place, so that had to be the case. If not, they would come for him later, unless his friends had covered for him. There wouldn’t be any reason for them to, since he tried to kill them and they therefore couldn’t know how dangerous of a creature he was now. He remembered the aghast expression on Tom’s face before his friends had knocked him in the head and ran. They had no idea what he was or what he was capable of. They’d probably seen the bulk of it last night though, of just about everything he had he threw at them. Even though Matt was probably still a novice at his abilities, as the witch had stated, so he still had a ways to go and could have done a lot more damage. Matt didn’t think he was really dangerous besides that nasty craving that was struggling to come to surface again, probably staved off by whatever drugs he was given. Not that it mattered much anymore, since he’d snapped and was by proof, dangerous to be around. He was still conflicted by the time somebody finally opened the door again. It was a nurse, Matt saw, walking around his bed to check his IV pouches. He followed them with his eyes, not saying anything as anxiety tore at his throat rendering him mute. “How are you feeling, Matt?” The nurse asked, a smile on her lips. Since he was engaged in conversation, a bit of voice came back to him. “I’m fine.” His voice was small, scared to speak any louder and break the bubble of illusioned peace. “Very good.” His response apparently hadn’t outraged them, as they sat down on a chair next to his bed with a clipboard at ready. They wrote down something to what he said. “I’m Dr. Montoya,” she said, Matt erasing the title of nurse from his mind. “I’m going to ask you a few questions, if that’s alright?” Matt couldn’t nod his head properly from how he lay. “Sure,” he responded instead. They wrote something else, before asking, “Do you remember anything from last night?” “I...Yes and no,” he said truthfully. That brought something to mind... “I’m sorry. Uh, can I, ask something…?” “Of course.” They dotted their I’s or crossed their T’s, before bringing Matt their full attention. “I...Are Tom and Edd okay?” “Your friends? They’re fine.” It was a rather brief response, but maybe that would be all that Matt was getting. They must still be alive, at least… They plowed on, seeing as Matt was silent for another moment. “Do you know how you got your injuries?” “I was staked to a gurney.” The image came back to him, as he reenvisioned the wood pieces sticking out of him. “Do you know by whom?” they pressed. “...” It went without saying that he shouldn’t throw his friends under the bus. They wrote something down, before Matt remembered someone who he could pin some blame on. “There was a lady-,” Matt interrupted Montoya's scribbling, “-that staked me with a chair leg, in my stomach. But...” He hoped he was conveying that he couldn’t remember the rest, as he lamely finished, “...yeah.” “..Do you have a name?” She wasn’t asking about his name, but the lady’s. “Oh, uhh,” Matt racked his brain for a name to come back to him. “Chair-y?” “-any last name?” “Uhh.” He couldn’t remember. They wrote something down as a final, before setting their pen down. “Sir,” they addressed, before giving him a run down. “You have about 13 stab wounds, one of which had been allowed to bleed out for hours before treatment, in the stomach, as you’ve addressed,” she began. “We’ve found traces of heroin and the equivalent of elephant tranquilizers in your blood. We believe that a bad reaction to both of these drugs caused you to have a psychotic episode that lasted about six hours before you finally calmed down. In addition, you’ve been diagnosed with an iron deficiency problem, to which we can prescribe medication to you for on request.” “Any questions?” she finally asked. That was...a lot of information. Wait, when had Matt been drugged? “I was drugged?” “Yes. We think that you had ingested them at some point. There were only small amounts, so it was likely that it had been laced in your food.” “Oh.” Matt didn’t think he’d eaten any suspicious foods, not that he could remember. Huh, there hadn’t been any mentions of his vampirism, strangely enough. “No,” he answered hesitantly. She nodded, then stood up. “Alright then.” She paused. “Also, the people who brought you here, your friends, are here to see you. Would you like me to send them in?” WHAT? “YES,” Matt replied, with vigor. She grinned and agreed to do so, walking towards the door and carefully shutting it with a click. They’re here? Why are they here? Had they not told the hospital that he was a vampire after all? How had they managed to make it look like he was a normal person when he was staked to a gurney? Did he hurt any of them? Questions rushed through his mind at what he would ask them when they came in, before one caused the rest to come to a stuttering halt. He could hear footsteps walking past his room, none of which had come to open his door yet. What if they were mad, and he couldn’t get one question out because they were yelling at him? They would be rightly so. He could see the betrayal written on their faces, as Edd and Tom took turns releasing their emotions at him. Or worse, it would be dead silent, with Matt’s guilt just hanging in the air as Edd and Tom tried to figure out how to break the bad news to him that they couldn’t live with a vampire anymore. Matt couldn’t look at the door immediately after it opened, nerves trying to steel themselves into not taking flight despite the straps holding him down. He felt like a bug on an examining table, just waiting to be squashed or have its wings clipped. He knew who they were, by the sounds of their baited breath. “-Matt?” One of them asked, although both of them looked like they had a question on their lips. Matt’s chest rose and fell a couple shaky times, knowing that it must be his turn to say something. “Hey guys,” Matt greeted, almost normally. “You came to see me.” “Oh my God,” Edd breathed, pulling up a metal chair conveniently set up by the bed. “Don’t EVER do that again.” “You had us worried sick!” Tom scolded, though he amended, “-Not for the stake machine gun thing. You deserved that.” Edd seemed to be in agreement. “-But with the wound that you didn’t tell us about! Unless the we had 13 stakes instead of the 12 shot at you. And the drugs??” “Since when?” Tom asked Matt. “Since when what?” He had to be more specific. “All of this! You can tell us more about the you-know-what later, but the drugs?” “I didn’t-. I-I was poisoned!” Matt wasn’t at fault for that, maybe for everything else though. Speaking of… “the ‘you-know-what’?” “You know,” Tom trailed off vaguely. He looked to Edd for help, but finding that useless, gave up, red in the face. “Ugh, nevermind. We can talk about it when we get home.” “Why?” It was Edd who asked. “Isn’t that a bit paranoid?” “You never know!” Tom defended. “They’ve got nurses all over this building, with ears.” Edd was shaking his head at Tom, while Matt’s ears picked up on a certain word Tom used. Home. Was he even going back to a home? “I’m...” he broke in, “-sorry.” He wasn’t used to apologizing for things, but usually he didn’t endanger his friends on his own accord/being. Even if he was being controlled by the Mysterious Feeling. He felt that he should try to persuade them, “I didn’t-…” He didn’t mean to. “I couldn’t-…” He couldn’t control himself. Neither of those things could justly defend himself, but looking at the faces of his friends, a light rose above his clouds as they exchanged a look. Edd and Tom, at the same time, said, “We know.” Tom, tired of standing, went to sit on the edge of Matt’s bed. “But--” “--We know,” Edd interrupted, while Tom said, “What the heck?” His hand was hovering over a part where a strap was hidden underneath the covers, to which Tom peeked at. “Ah...” Those were Matt’s restraints, because he was still dangerous. Tom shot him a wary glance, but otherwise remained sitting. “I’m...they haven’t taken those off yet.” “I can see that.” Tom stated, crossing his arms. “Whatever,” Edd said, after an awkward beat. “They’re probably going to come take those off soon anyways, since Matt’s in the right frame of mind now.” How could Edd be sure though, he wanted to ask. Instead, he groveled. “They’re going to keep me here forever, guys. They’re going to lock me up, like the monster I am.” There, he said it. Tom snorted at his drama, while Edd huffed. “Stop being dramatic,” Edd said. Then Tom asked, “You didn’t let on that you were a monster to them, did you?” Oh, so they were going to talk about the ‘you-know-what’? “...No,” he admitted. “Then they aren’t going to lock you up.” “At most, they’ll put him in rehab,” Edd joked to Tom. “I didn’t do drugs, guys!” How could Edd joke at a time like this? “Surrrre you didn’t,” Tom said sarcastically. He was a monster now, and the conversation had just gotten derailed. But, it seemed normal. It was something that Matt had been craving since he’d woken up the previous day, some semblance that nothing had changed. And for once, it was looking to be that way; normal. As they talked about what had gone on in the waiting room while Matt was passed out, Matt found himself forgetting that he was a vampire for a bit. Eventually, a nurse did come in and release him, both physically and officially. In that time, no vampire hunters burst in, not angry boyfriends, no emotional outbursts. Just a few friends walking out of the hospital with their friend in tow, on their way home. --- ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Matt’s feet were resting on a pile of towels in the backseat, a result of the messy trip the previous day. Tom had thrown those haphazardly in the backseat when he’d went to grab Edd and himself food while Edd stuck it out in the hospital, still waiting for updates about Matt’s condition. They didn’t talk much about the trip to the hospital, only brief mentions of it and after it. Perhaps it was best for now, to keep that violent image of Matt out of their minds, until they had an actual discussion about it. Matt was perfectly fine with this, as he couldn’t and didn’t want to remember it all clearly. There were many reminders of it however, with the wet squelching noise the towels made underneath him, the unnerved glances made into the rear view mirror towards the backseat, and the fatigue written on each of their faces with a clear lack of sleep. There was a container of fries left sitting in their cup holder that Tom had offered to Matt, but as hungry as he was, the cold potatoes hadn’t looked very appealing. Maybe it was the battle worn car that rose a sickness to his stomach, but Matt’s dry tastebuds just weren’t craving them. He’d much prefer ice cream, however he wasn’t quite comfortable making them turn the car around to go grab some just for him, especially when it looked like they were all about to pass out any second. Matt was extremely grateful to be out of the hospital, as were his friends, so tried lightening the mood by reaching over and turning on the radio. No one jumped when he leaned over, which he counted as a victory, especially when no one yelled at him for not staying in his seat or that he ‘could’ve gotten them into a car accident’. They probably appreciated the music right now, even if it was some random repeat of a song playing. He’d gotten his foot tangled with the gross towels as he sat down, shaking his foot to loosen the tangle. He kept his head straight on, Edd mentioning something the radio had said about the weather and getting snow, ignoring the beads of grime that were left on his boot when it had come free. Would Matt ever be free from things related to blood? That was probably the largest reason for when they had stopped the car in front of their house, Matt was the first to jump out. The other two took their time to meander out of the car, Matt already at the front door by the time they’d shut the car doors shut again. They must have taken it as eagerness to be home though, as no one said anything about his strange behavior. They all walked through the doorway entrance, Edd taking one glance at the door laying on their front lawn and saying that he wasn’t going to clean that up. Matt and Tom looked at eachother, being the last ones with the responsibility, Tom’s face saying clearly that he wasn’t going to either. Well, maybe Matt would take responsibility for that too, as he needed to get on their good sides again. Edd with purpose went and face planted onto the couch, a muffled voice telling Tom to grab him a Cola from the fridge when he nudged his legs to make room for himself. Since the couch was pretty much occupied but he still wanted to sit, Matt sat down with his back to the TV facing the couch, and laid back on the floor. Tom sighed and complied with Edd’s demands. When Matt opened his eyes again, he saw that Edd had turned his head and was silently watching him in his tired state. Matt pretended he hadn’t seen him, yawning and turning his head in the opposite direction. “Hey, Matt?” Edd’s sleepy voice called. “Yeah?” Matt cleared his throat, preparing to answer whatever inquiry that was on Edd’s mind. “How long have you been a vampire?” “Since...Halloween, I think.” “Oh.” And that was all he said on that note. It filled in the gap though, for why Matt had been behaving so oddly all this week. Matt opened his eyes, and looking across the carpet, there were indeed dark footprints leading from the living room out towards his room. Tom came back and handed Edd his Cola, also with a Smirnoff and another bottle tucked under his arm. He handed the bottle to Matt, which Matt took gratefully. He did like pickle juice. Edd sat up, and the three of them took a moment to savor their respective drinks. Matt’s mind was blank, remaining receptive to the quietness of the room rather than being introspective. He had enough of that in the blankness of the hospital room, eyes and mind left alone to wander for far too long. “So, we should probably get this over with.” Tom was the first one to speak again. “-Before I’m too drunk to care.” “Mh,” Edd sighed, content as the caffeine probably did its work. As for Matt, his tastebuds were nicely quenched by now, so he nodded. They sat there watching Matt as if he was the television screen for another second more. “I--.” Edd and Matt had spoken at the same time, words getting jumbled and coming to a stop. “No, you go first,” Edd told him, before Matt could insist. “I don’t know where to start anyways,” Matt protested. Tom grunted, annoyed. “Why are you a vampire now?” Well, that was as good a place to start anyways. “I got bitten,” Matt said, instinctively holding the shoulder he’s gotten turned by. Edd’s mouth had formed a little ‘o’, while Tom kept his eyes on his Smirnoff bottle. “Can-,” Edd hesitated, before asking, “-Can we see it?” Matt shrugged the shoulder he wasn’t holding. “Sure,” he said, and hooked a finger into the material around his right shoulder. Edd made a little gasping noise, but Matt wasn’t looking at them, a little embarrassed by the marring of his skin there. What did it look like , he wondered. He figured it probably looked like the classic two puncture holes, like where a vampire’s canines would be. “So you’re--,” Edd started, not finishing that thought. “Can you turn into a bat?” “Er, I don’t know.” “What about teleportation?” “Nno?” “Super strength?” “Do you crave blood,” Tom interrupted Edd’s peppering. “-like, right now?” “Uh.” That was a hard one. “I am a little hungry. But. Not really. Crave-y?” Matt rambled, “I can eat normal food, but I don’t really have to drink blood. Well, if I don’t, then the lady said that I’ll probably go on a rampage. Again. But you guys already know that- Well, I didn’t know that, and you didn’t know that--.” He felt a little guilty about mentioning it, but he wanted to get it out of the way as soon as possible. Tom cut in again, “--Wait, what lady?” “Um. The vampire-witch lady.” What was her name again? “-Carol.” “Wwhen was this?” “Today?” Oh, wait. “-I mean yesterday.” Blacking out might’ve made time go by a little quicker in Matt’s mind. “How about I just tell you what happened yesterday,” Matt suggested. Edd shrugged, “Sure.” FLAAAAASHBAAAAACK One nightmare recounted, messy room cleaned, reflection mourned --Edd, Tom, why are you laughing about that, that’s the worst part--, post-park night’s sleep slept, Sir Mattilious obtained, Detective confused, tattoo shop visited, and one witch’s hut escaped later, Matt had delved into the entirety of what he could remember since he was turned. After he’d gotten through the seriousness of the strings of murders he’d committed and had, with equally solemn face, gone into how he couldn’t see himself in his mirror anymore, his friends broke the serious atmosphere with their gawfs, but otherwise, for the most part, they were good listeners. Over the course of his story he’d also described most of what abilities he knew he had, to which both friends seemed quite interested in. He even had to stop his story for a moment when they were most curious about his mind-controlling powers. “So, wait. You can control peoples’ minds??” Edd had interrupted. Matt fiddled with Sir Mattilious, having run off to show him off once he’d gotten to that part of his story. “I guess?” Matt accepted. “It’s kind of like a battle of wills, or something.” “Try it with me,” Tom ordered. “What?” Matt didn’t want to do that. They were his friends. “I said. Try to do it with me,” he repeated. “Oo! Me too!” Edd chimed in. “I-It doesn’t work very well when the other person knows to fight it,” Matt said, trying to ward them off. It kind of looked like Tom had rolled his eyes. “Come on, Matt,” he complained. It wasn’t fair, that they could naturally loom over him from where he sat on the floor. He sat up a bit straighter, getting ready. “Yeah, Matt,” Edd continued to press, “We’re your friends. We gotta be prepared and all that.” “Fine,” Matt snapped, then added, “Just. Don’t get mad at me.” It was as much warning as he could give them, because if it worked, trust would be an even thinner thing to obtain from them. He stared directly into the blacks of Tom’s eyes, hands loosening their grip on his pant legs, trying to think of something to order him to do. He stared back, getting the message that he was starting. “Tom,” he said. “-You will go make me a sandwich.” Tom didn’t even blink, assumably holding Matt’s stare. “...” For a moment he didn’t say anything. “..No.” Matt released the breath that he didn’t know he’d been holding. Then Tom grinned smugly, saying, “See?” Matt grinned also, more out of relief than of anything else. “Woah,” Edd breathed, also smiling. “That’s cool.” “What?” Matt asked. He hadn’t been trying to control Edd’s mind, so what was ‘cool’ about it? “Your eyes became slits and flashed red. Or, maybe they were already slits..” Edd thought for a moment. “Kinda intimidating, actually.” Matt’s stomach sank a bit. “Pshh, Matt? Intimidating?” Tom shook his head, taking a swig of vodka. Edd also scoffed at the idea. “But seriously. Your eyes have been changing colors a lot lately,” Edd mused. “The first night you came back, they were glowing red, kinda like last-last night. Then, during the day, they were a kinda poopy brown. But then, later, they were a nicer brown? I dunno...” Matt and Tom both blinked at this, glancing at eachother momentarily. “..Why do you know all this?” Tom asked, and Matt snickered. He did feel a bit unnerved, how closely he’d been watched. But also kind of flattered. “Um,” Edd looked bashful. “An artist’s observation of color and light?” Matt tried to stifle his giggles, while Tom called, “Bullshit.” Edd started to spout something to his defense, shoving Tom’s arm. Matt cooed, “Aww.” “Come on, guys,” Edd pleaded. “Tom, you saw it too. With glow-in-the-dark eyes. I just thought it was strange, is all.” Matt and Tom let off a bit. “-Combined with how differently Matt was acting.” He gestured a hand to Matt, to which Tom’s eyes followed. “Hm...” He leaned forward towards Matt. Matt sat still, curious. “You’re right. They’re green now.” Matt looked towards his lap, surprised with this revelation. He still wished he could’ve had a mirror to confirm for himself. “Let me see,” Edd said, and Matt complied. “Huh. You’re right.” Edd looked cheekily at the other two, huffing. “See? I told you.” “Doesn’t change anything,” Tom lamely retorted. “Doesn’t change what?” Edd asked. “I just said.” “Well, you meant something,” Edd said, while Matt thought for a moment. “I thought my eyes were just green,” Matt muttered, though loudly enough that it stopped his friends bickering. His eyes had always been green, occasionally blue or yellow in certain lightings- never brown or red though. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that, not that brown and red were bad colors, but with how much he’d changed without his knowing. What else was he going to miss, now that he couldn’t check himself in his reflection? The other two must have caught where his train of thought was going, so Edd suggested, “Why don’t you tell us the rest of what happened yesterday.” Matt’s brain took a moment to process what Edd had said. “Oh. Uh, where was I?” --- ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Matt’s story took a long time to tell, having starting from the very beginning of his vampirism. Eventually there was a lull in the conversation, where all their stomachs were growling so loudly that they decided to take their ‘family meeting’ to the kitchen. Edd was standing by the stove making noodles now, Tom being too drunk to help and Matt’s mind otherwise more occupied with telling the story over the sound of the water boiling. Food was about ready by the time Matt drew to the end of his tale. Matt refused to move Sir Mattilious from where he placed him on the table where there used to be a fourth seat... Why had there used to be a fourth seat , Matt wondered. Edd merely sighed, settling to place the noodles on the counter instead, after serving everyone a bowl of hot soup. “So, you’re basically a ticking bomb,” Tom concluded, after getting something that wasn’t alcohol into his system. Matt thought about that comparison for a moment, shrugging. Edd cut in to clarify, “I mean, it sounds like you need a pretty steady supply of blood, in order not to lose control.” Matt fiddled with the dirty hoodie Tom had brought back for him at the hospital, still uncomfortable with the line of conversation. His other friends were taking these in strides though, much better than he himself was taking it. “I-I-...” What they were saying though made him sound dangerous though, and he didn’t want to confirm any of those suspicions. He swallowed his fears, even then admitting, ”-Yeah.” It was silent for a moment, allowing everyone to mull over what this meant. Then Tom spoke, “Well, you’re not getting my blood.” He crossed his arms, leaning back in his seat calmly, while Edd scolded him. “Tom.” Although, he didn’t go volunteering his own blood next. Instead, he said, “That’s no permanent solution anyways. There’s no way, even with the two of us, that we could give blood to him so often. Er, however often that is,” he amended, revealing how new the situation was to him. “Well,” Matt spoke, feeling a little better. From the way Edd talked, it sounded like they were willing to try to come up with a ‘solution’ for him. “The book the lady had didn’t really say how often vampires fed. But-” his voice wavered, feeling the weight of his friend’s stares on the word ‘fed’. “I can sort of sense it.” -With the ‘Nameless Feeling’. It liked to creep up on him, gradually becoming more present before it finally took over him. That was probably an indicator to his uncontrollable cravings, Matt figured. “We know what the limit is,” Tom said. “It’s two days, since Matt went crazy two days after he became a vampire.” That’s not a long time at all , Matt panicked. “That doesn’t count though,” Edd retorted, “since Matt lost a lot of blood in between that time.” Oh, that was true too. Edd punctuated that sentence with a loud sip of his soup, the chainsaw like noise not fazing the other two in the least as they all mulled over what to do. Blood didn’t sound like an easy thing to come by at all, Matt realized. His friends had pensive looks pasted onto their faces as the silence overtook them, Matt unconsciously letting time slow around him. There was still a nervous pit in his stomach, but the warm soup combined with the way Tom bit his bottom lip in thought and Edd scratched at his scalp as if to stimulate the activity in his mind, let that fluttering feeling seem less painful. It was much better than lying on a cold pavement in his own blood alone, and their help was a grand welcoming after having to encounter the two-faced witch. No, this was much better. There was a beam of light entering the kitchen, just hitting the table where Matt rested his forearm next to his bowl. He knew that it itched a little, but his curiosity at the sensation caused him to leave it there, testing his tolerance to the radiation. His arm was already littered with little freckles from past exposure to the light, but now was he even more susceptible to being kissed by the sun? “I know,” Edd interrupted Matt’s wonderings, causing him to jump a little. Edd was grinning as if he just solved a grand mystery, which he just may have. Edd drew it out for a moment. “We could...” Tom’s forefinger tapped his bicep impatiently. “...start a donation pool!” There was a second where they all processed that. “What,” Tom stated blandly. “Why would they wanna donate blood to Matt?” “Uh,” Edd thought for a second. He glanced worriedly at Matt’s expectant face, ever so hopefully. “Well...” Matt cast his eyes downwards. Tom was right. Who would want to donate blood to some random guy that they never met? Unless they tried to buy blood or something, if that sort of market existed. That would require a lot of planning and effort though, and who knows how much time they would have to put into putting it out into social media and appealing to customers-- not to mention doing this all under the legal radar. When Matt looked up again, Edd was lost in his thoughts again, while Tom was busy messing around on his phone. Depression sunk in once again, making Matt wish he could just go back to the livingroom and die on the couch right then and there. Maybe the notion that they could work though this problem together was just too unfeasible, and it would end there and then as a nice thought. All Matt had to do to end it would be to leave and do jus--. “Take your pick..” Tom brought his phone back up, thrusting it towards Matt’s face. Matt blinked rapidly at the glowing screen, staring as Tom’s thumb brushed over multiple tabs, ranging from blood-donation places, social media help pages, labs and the whole lot of what Matt had been stumped upon. There was a lot of information and resources pulled up, as if Tom had been working this out for a while. Had he been doing this at the table, or before then? Matt’s eyes were glued to the screen, the harsh light of the screen having nothing to do with the irritation in his eyes. -Or the wide smile spreading on his face. “Oo, go back to the magazine page. I wanna be a model!” Matt stood up, leaning over the table to try and bring Tom to the page himself. Tom brought the phone back to him protectively, although complying. “A model..? I was thinking we could just write a sappy article and put it in there,” Tom muttered, head turned down to the phone. Matt could feel the heat radiating off of him, partially confirming some of Matt’s suspicions.. “We could do both!” Edd butted in, face making it clear that he too wanted a part of this. Edd pointed at Tom. “Tom, you could be the photographer,” he said, and pointed to Matt, “You can be the model,” then finally to himself, “and I can be the writer/publisher.” “Hey, why do you get to be the publisher?” Tom interrupted. “Well, who else would be the publisher?” Edd scoffed and shook his head as Tom opened his mouth to object. “What about Ringo?” Both of them turned to look at Matt with deadpan expressions. Edd and Tom spoke, “no.” They didn’t give an explanation as to why not, and just continued to bicker again. Matt leaned back a bit to avoid the bulk of the argument, pitching in every now and then. He may have had his doubts about his friends before, but they were on his side, it seemed, even if they weren’t always on the same page. For the rest of the morning, as they bounced ideas back and forth on what to do with Matt’s problem, it felt as though everything would be okay. His smile didn’t leave for the rest of that day, as they left out on another adventure to inevitably return home again in wholesome peace.
11431779	Evolution in Progress	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "James \"Bucky\" Barnes, Steve Rogers, Clint Barton, Natasha Romanov, Sam Wilson", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by Winginblood", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-07T00:00:00", "words": "1,113", "Additional Tags": "Steve Rogers is a Troll, Bucky Barnes isn't much better, recovering Bucky Barnes, Not Canon Compliant, Canon Divergence - Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, friend from work, Sam Wilson Did Not Sign Up For This, Steve Rogers & Tony Stark Friendship", "Relationship": "James \"Bucky\" Barnes/Steve Rogers", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain America (Movies), Marvel", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Clint and Sam walked into the common room of the Avengers compound, chatting quietly about their thoughts for some changes to Redwing’s evasion patterns following their latest training session. Bucky and Natasha were standing not far into the room, barely 20 feet, and Clint stepped between them, slinging one arm around each of their shoulders and starting to ask, “Hey guys, what’s up?” but he broke off when he saw what they could see. Natasha’s left hand lifted to stop Sam with a touch to his bicep as he went to walk by them to the fridge.Steve and Tony were on the other side of the large, open space by the floor to ceiling windows standing at a slight angle to each other and away from the room as they talked. A quick glance told Clint that they were clearly discussing something but they were being careful about it. There were long gaps between each other talking which suggested they were choosing their words carefully, their voices subdued enough that Clint couldn’t hear them although he’d lay money on Bucky being able to make out every word, and the angle they were at made lip reading all but impossible. And they were both so still. There was very little animation in either of them, both tamping down hard on the way they tended to talk to each other with their hands as well as their voices, although their body language was open and friendly enough.“What are they arguing about now?”“Not arguing,” Bucky and Natasha replied together.Clint rolled his eyes and sighed. “What are they discussing in a polite, cilvilised and adult manner befitting two professional work colleagues who appreciate the value of each other’s opinion this time?“Well,” Bucky began, “I’m not sure what they started out with but when I arrived I heard Steve mention that they’d changed the urinal cakes in the mens restroom in the diner in town. Stark thinks he’d prefer the new cinnamon scented ones Steve said they had. Steve thinks tradition should stand for something and wanted to know what’s so bad about sticking with lemon scented. He reckons it smells cleaner.”“There was something about wattage and colour quality of the light fittings in the garage when I arrived,” Natasha added. “Now they’re on to the relative merits of sporks versus spoons in the field ration packs.”“Stark is never going to win that one,” Bucky continued. “Steve hates sporks on principle. Always has. It’s a whole thing with him. He’s very particular about his cutlery.”“Uh-huh.” Clint gave Bucky a critical stare, still not quite able to judge when Bucky was being serious or when he was fucking with them. Bucky’s poker face was just too good. “So are they actively thinking of things to arg…” He stopped himself before anyone else had the chance. “...discuss now?”Bucky popped the p on his answer. “Yup.” “Yeah,” Sam agreed. “Some half baked theory about how if they can practise on sorting out the small stuff they disagree on without resorting to yelling and name calling and hair pulling and going off half cocked to follow through with their own ideas then when the big stuff comes around it should be easier.""And they came up with that all on their own?" Natasha asked.At Bucky’s nodded assent Clint sighed. "At least they could agree on something.""Steve was partial to a bit of hair pulling when we were making time. Used to moan so sweetly for me. Course, he wore it a little longer back before the war." Bucky looked over when he felt Clint and Sam staring at him. "What? It's new information." He lifted his hand to flap it close to head, his face was a wide eyed picture of innocence not seen outside Puss in Boots in Shrek 2. "It helps it stick if I say it out loud. My court mandated therapist says so."A slightly horrified "Uh huh" was all that Bucky got back from Clint and Sam. Natasha smiled quietly between them.Bucky looked back to Steve. "Hey, doll,” he said loudly enough to get Steve’s attention. “I remembered something else."Steve glanced over, his whole expression lightening with a quick smile and a wink, Bucky's tone and use of Steve’s second favourite pet name letting him know it wasn't anything bad or worrisome. "That's great, Buck. We'll talk about it later, okay? Kinda busy right now." He didn’t wait for Bucky’s response, just turned back to Tony, his smile disappearing as he carried on with what he’d been saying previously.“Steve does forced polite better,” Clint declared after a few moments. “It’s like a whole body thing with him. He just radiates polite and calm. Tony needs to work harder at it to maintain it.”“He did learn from the best. Peggy could do polite to a fucking terrifying level.” Clint looked at him again as Bucky continued. “And his mom before that, of course.” Bucky smiled fondly. “Sarah Rogers was an even tinier bundle of take no shit from anyone than Steve was. Where do you think he got it from? She was just cleverer with words and never got punched for her trouble.”They all watched quietly for a few minutes longer until Sam asked, “How long have they been at it?”Natasha took a quick glance at the clock on the wall before replying. “I got here 30 minutes ago.”“About 20 for me,” Bucky said. “He was supposed to be grabbing some water and meeting me at the gym. I got bored waiting.”“Right.” Clint removed his arms from around Natasha’s and Bucky’s shoulder. He lifted Natasha’s arm and pointed it at Tony first, making a ‘bzzzt’ sound as he gave it a slight jerk to simulate a recoil from one of her Widow’s Bites, then shifted his aim to do the same at Steve.“Taze...,” Clint lifted his other hand to indicate between Steve and Tony, “...floor, drooling…” then twisted his hand back to point between Bucky, himself, Natasha and Sam, “...Dog Cops.”Natasha smiled. “Probably not how you’re supposed to deal with inter office politics. Could be fun to see though.”“I’d have given my left arm for a taser in the 30’s. Might’ve got him to stay down and saved me a few bruised knuckles along the way.” Bucky just grinned while Sam stared at him open mouthed. “What’s Dog Cops?” Clint snorted with laughter as he threw his arm back around Bucky’s shoulders and began guiding him to the couches of the TV area. “Only the best show ever created. You are in for a treat, pal.”
11481072	Podfic of Proposals and	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": null, "Fandom": "Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by Rhea314 (Rhea)", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-12T00:00:00", "words": "36", "Additional Tags": "Podfic, Podfic Length: 10-20 Minutes, podfic cover art welcome, Audio Format: Download, Audio Format: Streaming", "Relationship": "Ivan Vorpatril/Byerly Vorrutyer", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Title: Proposals and Propositions Author: misura Reader: Rhea314 Fandom: Vorkosigan Saga Character: Ivan/Byerly Rating: Teen and Up Warnings: None Summary: One man's proposal is another man's proposition. Text: here Length: 0:12:30 Link: here
11472807	The Landscapes of the	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "Gen", "Characters": "Rey (Star Wars), The Force (Star Wars), Unkar Plutt, Chewbacca (Star Wars), Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo (mentioned), Lor San Tekka (Mentioned), Dosmit Raeh (mentioned), Ben Solo \| Kylo Ren (mentioned), Nomads - Character, Obi-Wan Kenobi", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by longwaytogallifrey", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "3,308", "Additional Tags": "Canon Compliant, Pre-Canon, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, References to Canon, The Force, Force Ghosts, Force Visions, Force Sensitivity, Desert, Dreams, Dreams and Nightmares, Prophetic Dreams, Prophetic Visions, Identity, Self-Discovery, Coming of Age, Child Abandonment, Child Neglect, Ahch-To, scavenging, Jakku, details of jakku were kindly provided by the wookiepedia, Force Ghost Anakin Skywalker, Young Rey, the author has never actually seen a desert, Force Ghost Obi-Wan Kenobi", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "The Force & Rey, Rey & Luke Skywalker, Unkar Plutt & Rey, Rey & Anakin Skywalker, Chewbacca & Rey", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017)", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	She is eight when they leave her. There used to be forests on Jakku. Sometimes Rey sees them when she sleeps: the endless spans of green. The waters deep as canyons. The skin of the planet alive and thriving. Then something terrible happened to the world – no one knows what – and Jakku was scorched, made barren, burnt into a waste where nothing lived, only survived. For the first few cycles on Jakku she lives with Unkar Plutt. He is neither kind nor gentle, but when Rey is hungry, she gets a portion, and when nights hang bitter over the desert, she gets a blanket. “You pay me back by growing into the best damn scavenger at Niima Outpost,” Unkar tells her, after loudly proclaiming how much Rey will owe him as soon as she becomes useful. Rey is smart enough to know why Unkar intends for this to happen. If Rey is the best scavenger, then she brings Unkar the best salvage, and Unkar makes the most credits. He sees something in Rey, yes – Unkar’s rule over his patch of desert was built because of his skill for recognizing forgotten things that can be reshaped for a use. It’s not fondness that makes him warn the other scavengers and thieves off Rey’s back when she starts salvaging; it’s good business sense. She’s an investment in Unkar’s future profit. The funny part is that Rey knows all this and still grows the littlest bit fond of Unkar, who spends Rey’s first cycle on Jakku proclaiming archly that he might sell her to a moisture farm for hard labor. “Selling people's 'gainst the law in the New Republic,” Rey tells him solemnly. Unkar laughs so deep his ale tub sloshes. “Funny girl. Thinks the New Republic gives a bloggin’s arse what goes on in Jakku.” “Why wouldn’t they?” “Because they don’t have to, do they? Nobody cares unless you make them. Don’t you forget it.” Rey thinks about that for a second, then scowls. “Then you better not sell me or I’ll make you care you did.” This time, Unkar doesn’t laugh – he grins till the fat of his cheeks rolls high up his face. “You’ll make me regret it, eh? Not too bad, girl. You just try your best.” Unkar Plutt sends her scavenging in the most dangerous ruins, wrecks that can barely withstand the brush of a breeze. Nobody cares unless you make them. Rey knows that for any of her potential she’s not yet worth enough for Unkar to care if she lives or dies. “He says,” Rey grunts into the emptiness as she climbs the skeletal rafters inside an old cruiser, “that for someone smaller than a skittermouse I eat enough to choke the Sinking Fields. That’s why I gotta start bringing in salvage for portions now. Otherwise Unkar will have nothing to trade and is that how I thank him for taking me in when I got left?” There’s a sharp creak in the rafters that cuts into Rey’s very bones. It sounds like a voice, like a scream. Inside the wrecked cruiser, the world is shadow-dappled and dim. Dangling wires and loose beams weave shapes from the emptiness. Rey has not salvaged enough to trade Unkar for a rappelling kit; if fear loosens her hands she will fall and be lost until her bones are salvage too. Between thundering heartbeats Rey imagines her parents' voices – imagines what she would want them to say to her, and hears it like a bell ringing clear in her head. There are only dead things here. You are stronger than ghosts. You can survive. There was a town called Reestkii, some four hundred kilometers from Niima Outpost. It was near Jakku’s equator and all but empty. Barely enough grew to keep its settlers from starving. But Rey still listened whenever she heard the place’s name, because her mind was quick for languages and she knew how Reestkii translated into Basic: the leftover. A place just like her. You dream strange things in a desert. Rey’s sleeping mind watches as the skeletons of ships she scavenges emerge from the ground, spilling sand, undoing time. Suddenly they are shining and terrible, and the sky is filled with war. It should scare her, but it doesn’t. Fighting makes her feel fierce, and when she’s fierce she’s never afraid. She practices fighting in the ships’ empty bellies with a long staff like those light-swords from her dreams. The movements come to her with the ease of training Rey never had. At night asleep she sees how those swords glow to warm the whole desert. It’s snuffed by morning, but Rey knows what could be held in her sand-scraped fists. Something bright and burning. Something warm, and full of starlight. The Teedos believe in a goddess called R’iia. She was full of anger, and her breath made storms. In her fury R’iia brought famine to Jakku, brought drought, brought battle and ships falling from the sky. One Imperial starship struck the ground with such heat that the sand around it became the Crackle, a field of black glass shattering beneath footsteps. But not Rey’s. In her smallness and swiftness she becomes wind on glass, flying where no feet can chase her. Rey makes her home inside a downed AT-AT, away from Unkar Plutt and the outpost, when she is eleven. Or – she thinks she is eleven. The days wick away from her memories. There was the midyear eclipsing of Jakku's moons soon after she was – left behind, she was left behind – so that's her mark: three eclipses, three meetings of moons, three years older. Rey starts scratching a line onto the AT's wall for every day that passes. As if holding time’s mass in her mind will let her make sense of her long desertion. The span of years stretching to fill the desert. She can’t ever stray too far from the Niima Outpost. It’s where they left her, three eclipses ago – so it’s where they’ll come back, someday, and Rey will show them how faithfully she counted the days of waiting. I always knew. I always knew you’d come back for me. Look, I counted every moment, because I knew you loved me too. Inside her home, she fixes things. She hoards the things she salvages that are too damaged to trade for portions, and she connects them with one another. She fuses metal. She hammers bent transparisteel flat. She replaces pistons, scrapes rust from iron, solders circuitboards. Everything broken can be made into something new. Everything can be rebuilt. Change is the order of the universe. So one day, Rey knows, change will come for her too. From a distance the downed walker looks like a carcass, some bent-legged animal stiff and dead in the sands. Everything on Jakku is long-dead: corpses from a time when Rey was not yet alive, relics of a history she salvages for survival. She doesn’t let herself think about that very often. Yet she feels like an interloper inside the immensity of the past, prying somewhere she does not belong just as she runs endlessly after a future where she belongs to her family again. Either way: Rey is rooted in her present, chained to her place. There are nomads on Jakku. They wander through Niima Outpost every few cycles, sometimes carrying word of Tuanul down the ravine where some Force-church members had a town. (Their elder is called Lor San Tekka, one nomad tells Rey when they see how fiercely the girl listens. If you ever find yourself down there, ask for him.) Rey lives and breathes on those stories: a town full of families, every one of them connected by a great power. The Force is everywhere, so no one can be lost. “It is real, isn’t it?” she asks Unkar Plutt one day, as he traded out rations in exchange for knockback nectar from Cratertown. She doesn't look at the alcohol; people who drink make her stomach twist. “The Force?” He grunts behind his window. “Might be. Might not.” “But there’s a whole town for it.” “There’s whole wars for it, girl. Where’d you think our shipwrecks out there came from? The rest of the galaxy fought over their Force, and now we live off what they left.” Rey stares at him. For all her dreaming, she’d never wondered. The Graveyard of Giants seemed to grow from Jakku itself, the way she dreamed that green things could. “Either way, girl, there’s no Force down here. All we got is what we find. You ever found the Force out there?” How can you find something, Rey wonders as Unkar shoos her from the window to make space for a rations queue, when you’re not sure what it is? Out alone in the desert, things are less real. Wind spins fantastical figures from sand: twisters, spirals, dancers, grasping branches. Oases waver and fade in the hot distance. Sometimes Rey sees the shimmering outlines of strange ships on the horizon, upside-down and enormous. In the sand after lightning storms she finds fragile, hardened glass, fine-grained and grey. Once Rey watched, cross-legged atop a dune, as a whirlwind shaped like a serpent carved a dark, twisting trail upon the desert. The trail looked like the veins beneath Rey’s skin, where her blood pounded. Above, the arch of the sky stretched to such immensity that Rey knew it held all the universe, just beyond that haze of blue. “I’ll go there,” she tells the whirlwind. “I’ll go beyond the sky with my family, when they come.” Alone by her AT-AT, Rey feels the hunger of the emptiness around her and gives it her words. The yawning distance swallows her voice and is never, ever filled. “Here I am,” says Rey. The desert listens. Sometimes when she’s out wandering alone, time seems to sink down into the sands. Heat shivers the desert around her and Rey sees ghosts, soft-edged and wavering like mirages, stealing between the sand dunes in streaks of shimmering blue. They never leave any footprints. Only some ghosts seem to see her – there's an old man in robes who smiles at Rey, sometimes. When she dares to follow them (the occasional ghost will try and lead her into collapsing ruins or the Sinking Fields: trickster spirits, easy to avoid), they lead her to good salvage. A ravine choked with crashed X-wings where she finds repulsorlifts for her speeder. A downed Y-wing’s computer, still functional enough to run flight simulations and display ship schematics. An AT-AT, sunk deeper than the one she’d made a home in, with crew skeletons still inside; Rey carries them out in pieces to bury beneath the sand. Later, a pale-haired boy's ghost brings her back to that AT-AT, then disappears when Rey looks up from a green spinebarrel flower pushing out of the desert sands. One time, best of all, inside the wreckage of a single-seat starfighter the boy leads her to – a Rebel pilot’s helmet with Captain Ræh written inside. My name, thought Rey, or close enough. She had forgotten how her family spelled her name. Rey knew the helmet was for her: the first and only thing she remembered being given. Without thinking, she yelled, “Thank you!” to the sun-stained horizon. Only silence echoed back. But when Rey dropped her huge helmet over her ears and stood, the boy was still there. Smiling at her like he’d just raced for his freedom and won. (Why did I think that, Rey wondered.) Rey wears the helmet when she practices flight simulations. Sometimes it feels like she can half-remember what it was to be Dosmit Ræh, starfighter captain, leader of a squadron, and that almost-memory guides Rey through the Y-wing computer’s flight simulations until there isn’t a ship in the galaxy Rey couldn’t bring through the sky. “This is Captain Rey of the Tierfon Yellow Aces,” she calls from under her helmet, flying a computerized X-wing like Captain Ræh’s from inside her AT-AT. “This is Captain Rey from Hellhound 2, calling on all Rebel frequencies,” Rey says to no one. “Come in, Resistance. Over.” “Requesting clearance for landing on Jakku, this is Rey and her Yellow Aces. Do you copy?” “I’m not receiving you, over. Please come in. Over.” Rey fills scraps with sand and makes a cloth figurine of Captain Ræh, so both of them can be together. When she’s out scavenging, she tucks the little Ræh into her pack and whispers to her when no one can hear. Ræh becomes her desert: the thing that always listens. At night she tucks the little thing by her heartbeat and curls around it, trying to dream Dosmit Ræh’s dreams. The vast black shine of space. The impossible beauty of nebulas. Fighting for a cause. Having people behind you. Friends, allies, teams and family – a vocabulary of not being alone. The closer she holds Ræh to her, the closer Rey is to them. The water dreams start when she’s older – old enough to start binding her chest and bleeding from between her legs. (There are no other human females at Niima Outpost. The first few times it happened, Rey thought she was dying.) Her day-marks tally just over two cycles since she started living in her AT-AT, and she lived with Unkar for about three cycles before that – so she must be thirteen, or just about, mustn’t she? (But what about the days I forget to carve, Rey thinks, what about the lost time–) Rey doesn’t know how long she’s been alone. But there’s nothing more lonely than the water dreams. There’s a word for water like that – almost endless, enfolding a planet in liquid dunes that crash onto sand. Rey wakes up with sand in her eyes and imagines it’s from the – (shores, Rey thinks, how do I know that word) the place where the great water ends. There are only a few places like that on the planet from her water dreams. Those places are worn, bold rocks (island, says something that isn’t quite Rey, I land-) that jut out from the water like wreckage from the dunes. Something pulls her toward them. There’s some(one) thing there, something that needs to be found. She has to salvage what was lost. She has to save them. (Who, Rey begs her dreaming mind, but there is no answer, and she forgets by morning.) These are your first steps. There’s never quite a word for it, not on Jakku, but – later, when the only sands near Rey are the old grains caught beneath her fingernails, she tries to fit her memories inside this Force that’s claimed her. It’s easier than she wanted it to be. The way she could just see how each component of a broken engine should fit together. Or how she always chanced to find good parts amongst the wreckage. How after stretches of poor salvage she still managed to convince Unkar to trade her enough rations to survive, when everyone knew Unkar Plutt was the cheapest banthafucker south of the Sinking Fields. The way the scattered languages of ragtag traders crossing through Niima would reassemble into sense inside her head. How Rey could always find her way back to the sun from within great labyrinths of wreckage that yearned to trap her inside their darkness. Rey, you know her, scavengers would say to each other, that girl with the staff, she’s lucky. And her dreams, and the ghosts. Her dreams– Rey was left, and never returned for – so she waited. To meet the future she had to survive, so she grew into a thing that did only that: survive, always. A true desert creature. Rey built herself from the wreckage of a child who was deserted into a woman who will not submit – not to death, nor to despair, and so neither to denial. So Rey asks herself: how much of the strength I earned is not my own? How much of my survival was because of the Force? Has this old magic been my crutch all along? Am I not that strength which kept me alive when I had nothing left to live for? And then she goes to find Skywalker. Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi, who might – just might – understand. It isn’t that Rey wants to be told what she ought to do or who she ought to become. But a suggestion wouldn’t hurt. An answer. A confirmation that she isn’t alone in this mystery. The questions sing in her mind like R’iia’s storms as she weaves an untraceable path across the galaxy to Ahch-To. How much of me is not myself? What is my place in this old story? Am I beholden to this legacy? Out of all the universe, why is it me? “You think too much, little one,” rumbles Chewbacca. Rey wets her lips as hyperspace shimmers around them. She confesses, “I don’t know how to stop.” “Funny,” Chewie says. “My last captain never had that problem.” To laugh beside a friend is more miraculous than green. This is my water-dream, thinks Rey, and then – the sea. It’s called a sea, that greatness of water. I see, thinks Rey, then the temple shimmers into her vision and – I land. Stepping onto Ahch-To, clutched by that water-soaked air: it feels like the bending of stars into hyperspace. Not quite here, not yet there, and on the verge of that nothingness wound between the two. The past is echoing in every wave; the future is sketched by currents across the waters. Voices careen on the wind, as old as the forests that once wreathed Jakku. As new as a wind-carved dune. Rey climbs the worn stair to the temple and her mind is – I know this place. I know this place. Old stone-songs echo through her feet. This place knows me. Is that the Force, then: to know someone before you see them? To recognize places you’ve never been? Old stone-songs echo through her feet, tangle in her bones, and threaded throughout them is the deep ache of Luke’s regret. His pain, his guilt. It grays the green of the little world. It could drown the oceans. I should have saved them, moans the mountainside. I fought so long for good, whispers a stone-stacked temple wall, and it was all made into evil. We are all trapped in this legacy: a jagged crack within a step. Wind cut against a peak cries out, I lost my charge to darkness and he killed all my children. All my children, all my children. Rey sees them when she blinks: the bodies from her vision. The memory of the sword. The screaming. The weeping. They are why she cannot blame Luke for giving up while others fight. All my children. They never left but were taken away. Even the Force cannot express to Rey the weight of all those ghosts. But Rey is not a stranger to the landscapes of the dead. She clutches her staff and marches on. Rey is a scavenger. It’s what she made of herself: she finds what was left behind and gives it new purpose. She fixes broken things so they can live a little longer. Nothing is ever the same as it was before it was lost – but, Rey knows, if you put two lost things together you can create something new. You can build something better. The lightsaber hangs in the air between them and Rey thinks, you are meant to be one who comes back. You are the one who comes back. I’m sorry you lost them. Everyone left me. But if you come with me then we won’t be alone anymore. We can fix what was broken, or come close enough. I think that’s what the Force is. To have the strength to try again. To never be alone.
11426160	Kiss me take my breath	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent, Martha Kent, Lois Lane, Jonathan Kent, Lex Luthor, Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Damian Wayne, Tim Drake, Selina Kyle, Wally West, Roy Harper, Kon-El \| Conner Kent, Colin Wilkes", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "Explicit", "author": "by Questevelm", "chapters": "15/15", "completed": "2017-12-25", "published": "2017-07-08T00:00:00", "words": "37,551", "Additional Tags": "Sirens, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Smut, Mermaid Sex, Siren song, Minor Violence, Language Barrier, Sea Magic, Siren!Bruce, Sailor!Clark, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Smut, Sea-longing, Minor Character Death, mermaid au, Alternate Universe- Merfolk, courting, Body Language, Scent Marking, Grooming, Biting, Blood Drinking, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg, Claiming, Unplanned Pregnancy, Drama & Romance, Batfamily Feels, Sadism, Lex Luthor must die, Intersex, can't really explain it, Angst with a Happy Ending, Side Relationships - Freeform, NSFW", "Relationship": "Clark Kent/Bruce Wayne", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "Batman - All Media Types, Superman - All Media Types, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Looking over the side of his boat, the light glinted off the water, making it resemble a green or turquoise colour from one angle, or bluish grey from another. The water could be deceiving, and that was the first lesson Jonathan had taught Clark of the ocean. They used to spend hours out on the seas of coast side Metropolis, fishing, sailing, star gazing or just talking. Sometimes being on the sea made Clark miss him so much that it hurt; a sharp pain in his heart that would ebb for a while then go away temporarily.Over the years, he found it harder to forget about everything- and he sometimes woke up in a cold sweat hearing his father’s voice as he fell overboard- but Clark decided to leave his ghosts in Metropolis, still opting to take his father’s catamaran and go on a sailing expedition, hoping that the sea could either fix his aching heart, or take it with her. He had been on the seas for two years and seven months, and would send a letter to his mother Martha at every port he stopped in.The first few months, he travelled around South America, before heading to Africa, and spent time with tribes near the coast, learning to speak Xhosa and Swahili. Clark became so enamored with the sea and everything with it, and was sad to have to head home, but there were things that needed his attention in Metropolis. His mother would need him sooner than later, and though he would miss the sea, Clark set course from Russia to return home.-Two weeks later, and Clark is approximately five days travel from Metropolis. He took a while to say goodbye to his new Russian friends and to collect all his belongings, as well as arrange supplies for his journey, but his mother was expecting him home approximately a month thereupon her letter, so he was making good time. He adjusts his sails and heads inside for a nap. The weather is nice, but he’d tired himself out a bit from keeping the ship steady through heavy waves the night before.When Clark wakes up, it’s to his the sound of his own screams. It was just another bad dream. It was always the same thing- Jonathan falling over the hull of the S.S. Krypton, which had been destroyed with the storm.The S.S. Krypton was the ship he had been born on, and it had been owned by his birth parents before they died, leaving Clark to be adopted by the Kents. When the storm came, he had only been eight years old, and it was by God’s good grace he had managed to hold on to a floating brandy barrel; still -he had watched as his father struggled to stay afloat, and eventually got pulled down with the suction of the sinking ship, too obstructed by debris to help.Clark often saw Jonathan’s face in his dreams, and could vividly remember his blue eyes, and greying hair, with the last wan smile he gave before he stopped kicking and starting sinking. The dreams happened less often when he was at sea, but once he was on land, they became hell, plaguing his mind and poisoning his sleep. It was for this sole reason he started his sailing expedition, hoping to gain peace by taking his father’s catamaran around the world, hoping that once he fulfilled is father’s wishes of seeing all the sea, his soul might finally rest in peace.Clark sits up on his cot, rubbing his face to get the sleep out of his eyes, and walks out of the cabin to see that it’s mid-afternoon. He decides he’ll go for a swim rather than use up his clean water, and it really shouldn’t be too cold anyways. His coordinates says he’s about ten miles west of Gotham Bay, and he immediately sets out to drop anchor, not wanting to get any closer to those waters than need be. He’s not superstitious, but when even the most stoic people tell you to keep your vessel from those waters, you listen.Old sailors on the pier in Metropolis told tales of sea monsters lurking those water, and old witches who lay curses in the coves, and honestly, Clark doesn’t believe any of it. Logically, there is a bit of truth to all the rumors. Almost everyone knows that there were Spanish ships that crashed in Gotham Bay years ago, so the gold must be what lures foolish men into the water where they could either get trapped in rock clusters or drown, not ridiculous ‘sea monsters’.The ‘cursed coves’ that caused shipwrecks were clearly just jagged cliff terrain wrecking the ships, because of men’s haphazard sailing in tight spaces that gave the illusion of being big enough for a ship to pass. When he’s dropped his anchor and secured it well, Clark changes into his rash guard and board shorts and heads out for a swim. With his mask on, he leisurely swims through the water, not particularly worried because they don’t have predators in these waters at this time of year. Even the barracuda had migrated, leaving behind the much more docile creatures like manta rays, dolphins, turtles, and manatees. A school of fish swam past him, and he pauses to watch them, utterly fascinated.He knows this area pretty well, and it’s only a three mile swim on average around this rock cluster to get to Oracle isle, plus he hasn’t been there since he was a kid.-Oracle isle is just like he remembers it. Palm trees and boulder ridden sands, with goddamn seaweed everywhere. Clark still loves it. The shore is littered with shiny stones, colorful coral and several varieties of sea shells. With almost child-like glee, he starts gathering some up, intending to take them for his mother. The sun is less hot now, and Clark decides to make his way around the first island, trying not to get too far from the catamaran. He continues to collect all sorts of sea shells that his mother would love for their sea shell bowl in the veranda, and he’s really starting to miss her.Clark doesn’t realize just how late it’s gotten until the sun is almost down. He turns around in a frenzy trying to find something to put his goodies in, but realizes he’s without a bag. Something splashes off to his right before a small fishing net happens to land on his foot. He looks over, but sees nothing suspicious, and quickly shoves the assorted items in the net, before tying the net sideways on his waist and making his way back to the catamaran.The sailor is half way up onto the boat when he sees something. There was definitely flash of something dark in his left peripheral. Whatever that thing is, it’s relatively big alright. Clark almost feels like he’s being watched, and it’s making him very, very, uncomfortable.“Get a grip, Clark. Nothing is watching you.”-Bruce is watching the human. He’s been watching him since he arrived fourteen miles west of Gotham Bay, tracking the vibrations of the engine towards the disturbance. Most sailors never even sail this close to his territory, seeing as he has built a reputation for himself, but this one is different. He isn’t a fisherman, because he lays no nets. He isn’t a soldier because he bears no weapon. He just appears to be a lone sailor.Bruce cannot see him very well from under the water, but he doesn’t dare get any closer to the surface where he could expose himself. He was born to be a warrior siren, and as such his tail will not blend in with the bay. It is much darker, and will stand out against the light water and off white rock. The man appears to have a somewhat large build, despite being a bit blurry, and is dark haired like himself. The siren is curious, but cautious, and trails his target from a distance. The man enters the water, and for the first time, Bruce gets a look at him properly. For the first time in a long time, Bruce is stunned. The human is very attractive. He is in prime condition, with a well trained physique that he lingers on too long, and he can swim almost as well as a siren, though most certainly not as fast.His hair is black like squid ink, and his eyes are a clear blue like the zoanthids below them. He glides through the water more gracefully than the other bumbling men, who have met their slow, watery deaths here. The human wears some sort of protective armor against his skin, but it is light weight and nicely fitted to display his well built muscles, almost like something a siren would wear to attract a mate. Bruce thinks it is something like a courting dance tunic his mother would have made for him, were he not the last of his clan. The sea dweller curls further behind his coral patch as the human draws nearer, but then changes course. From the looks of it, he will be headed to Oracle’s isle. There are jellyfish that way though, and Bruce swims ahead with a burst of speed to get rid of them. He thinks it would be a shame to see the pretty human get hurt.-When the human gets to Oracle isle, he stays on the first island, and spends his time collecting things. A variety of seashells, stones and coral goes into a pile, and Bruce watches as the man smiles at his collection. The siren notices the sun is going down, and doesn’t understand why the man is taking so long. Does he not plan to go back to his vessel? Does he not know that there are creatures in the isles that could harm him after dark?After a few minutes, Bruce realizes the foolish human has no way to carry back his trinkets with him, and rolls his eyes exasperatedly. He swims down to the sea bed looking for something useful, and finds a small, abandoned fishing net. Sirens detest nets, having found countless creatures in their territory get caught in them, but Bruce figures it would assist the human better than leaving it on the ocean floor to hurt some innocent sea dweller.Making sure that the man’s back is turned, Bruce swims as close to the surface as he dares, then throws the net onto the sand as hard as he can. He ducks back under the water quickly; blending in with some wreckage to his left and waits till the human is a good distance ahead of him, and then follows slowly, knowing that he can’t swim fast with the weight of the shells anyways.When they are nearing the ship, there aren’t any more hiding places for Bruce, but he’s rather fond of the silly human, and doesn’t want to go back under the waves. He instead does the craziest thing ever, and swims behind the human, heading towards the starboard side of the ship, to see what he does next.The blue eyed man looks in his direction as he boards his boat, and Bruce dives lower beyond his sight, knowing he’s already been spotted. This makes the siren just a little reckless, and he surfaces for a bit, keeping his eyes on the male human, watching as he peels off his water armor.The man shakes his head, and appears to be speaking to himself when he says, “Get a grip, Clark. Nothing is watching you.” His given name is Clark then? It’s beautiful, Bruce thinks.He keep his eyes on the man as he fixes his sail, and to keep up with the boat is nothing more than a slow gait for Bruce, because a Siren of his stature can swim as fast as 35-45 knots with extreme strength. The human sets a leisurely 15 knots, so the half-fish is barely batting an eye to keep up with him.He doesn’t even register how far past the bay he’s gone, but it’s too late because before he can see it clearly, his tail gets tangled in stray nylon fishing net, and he’s definitely trapped.He starts to thrash about, not caring what attention he attracts to himself, because he needs to get out of this thing now. His tail starts beating against the starboard side of the vessel, and he registers the sound of the engine shutting off, and he starts thrashing even more because he cannot let himself be seen.-Clark is making good headway past Gotham Bay now, ensuring that whatever the sea fish was wasn’t following him. He’s making his way through the fishing zone near Coast City when something big starts thrashing against the catamaran, not threatening to topple him, but shaking the boat fiercely.He makes his way over to the rails to see what it is, and his mouth hangs open in shock; because trapped against the side of his boat is a nine foot long creature, with the upper body of a man, and the tail of a fish. If Clark didn’t think he was losing it, he’d say he found a mermaid. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Clark is definitely losing it. There is no way in hell he found a mermaid- well it’s a male so a merman- by his boat. He watches as the creature splashes around in the netting, clearly hurting himself as he bangs against the ship. “Hold on, you have to stop thrashing around, or you’re going to hurt yourself.”The half fish stops thrashing, but wriggles his tail a bit, clearly to keep somewhat afloat. “I’m going to get something to help you get out of the net, but you have to stay calm, okay?”The merman seems to understand, so Clark slowly pulls out the switchblade from his board shorts, but as soon as the light hits the gleaming metal, the merman starts to hiss and bare some very terrifying fangs. His eyes glow a lambent blue, and the brightness of it is a little disturbing.“I’m not going to hurt you! I’m just going to cut the net, I swear.” He puts on his most sincere expression, hoping the sea dweller will believe him and relax. The merman still has his fangs elongated but doesn’t appear to want to maim Clark, so with a steady and quick dive, he jumps overboard, and surfaces next to the half fish. “I’m going to bring the knife close to the net, but I won’t touch you with it, okay?”The merman doesn’t look pleased with this idea, but at the same time, he’s not hissing like a cat anymore either. He takes a somewhat shaky hand and starts cutting the net, taking care to avoid touching the fish tail. When he’s spent at least four minutes cutting through the net, the merman does a complex twist, and manages to get out of the encumbering trap. He makes a trilling noise, akin to an angry dolphin, and swims a little distance away. Did Clark do something wrong? He holds up his hand in surrender, and the merman just hisses again. Oh- the knife, Clark realises. He doesn’t like the knife. Clark throws the knife back onto the boat with a well aimed throw, and realises that was probably a bad idea. He’s defenceless against a potentially hostile merman, who could most definitely drown him and eat him for lunch if those fangs were anything to go by. Great idea Kent, he chastises himself. The merman is clearly thinking along the same lines, because he starts swimming closer, with a new sense of bravado now that his only available weapon is gone. Clark vaguely recognises his movements as swimming backwards to get away from the approaching creature, but his back hits the boat, and he has nowhere to go as the creature is up close in a heartbeat. For the first time, he gets a look at the merman up close. He has slightly wavy, albeit wet, dark hair. His eyes are blue with a ring of light brown on the inside; paired with long feathery lashes that Clark only notices because he is very, very close. At the same time, he realises he doesn’t mind it at all; and that notion is what scares him most about the whole encounter. The merman brings his hand up to touch Clark's face, brushing his one curl out of his eye, and dragging his hand down his cheek. There is barely an inch between them, and the touches are almost reverent, as though he’s never seen a human up close before. Chances are he hasn’t. The merman whispers something in a foreign language, and it sounds almost like a prayer, before there’s a pair of lips against his own. He doesn’t move. At first he focuses on a tingling sensation in his lips that he definitely never felt before, and then he feels guilty because Lois is back home and she said she’d wait on him and- it’s over that quickly. Clark is feeling a strange mix of relief, elation and disappointment. The merman’s head snaps up, and it’s clear he hears something Clark doesn’t. “There are fishermen coming this way to clear their nets. They won’t be pleased that you’ve cut them.”Clark is mesmerised by his voice, and it’s almost as if he feels a tug on his soul as he listens to it. He of course, puts his foot in his mouth the minute he opens it.“You can talk?” “It is a special ability all sirens have. We can learn the language of another through the act of kissing.”“Oh- that’s what that was about.” He tried not to let the disappointment waver in his voice, but he clearly failed. Not like some mystical creature would actually want to kiss him anyways.“What else would it be Kent?” This is paired with a tired eye roll, and Clark is glad to know that eye rolls are a universal sign of exasperation.He pauses for a second, realizing he’s just been sassed by a siren, but instead of giving a snappy comeback he just has another query.“How do you know my name?” “Enough questions, get back on your vessel, and find some excuse that doesn’t include a siren when you tell the fishermen about the state of their nets.”Clark feels a warm sensation wash over him, and he feels overly compelled to listen to a creature that shouldn’t even exist.“Okay. Will I ever see you again?” A strange cold and heavy feeling fills his guts at the thought of never seeing the beautiful siren again. Perhaps he could get another kiss? Wait no- Lois is home for him. The man suddenly feels very conflicted about where his heart is set, but he’s pretty sure the sea creature has something to do with it.“What are you doing to me?”There is a sigh and a pause before the half fish reluctantly answers.“It’s the siren call. It draws creatures of all natures to me. It’s meant for attracting a mate or prey. You feel unusually connected to me, yes?”Yes- but can you please explain the part about prey?”“I can use a particular noise to attract a particular creature should I be hungry.” “So you want to eat me?” Clark knows the terror is leaking into his voice, but he can’t help it. “If I wanted to eat you Kent, I’d be on your liver by now. I only eat trespassers.” “Trespassers? Like the people who go to Gotham Bay?”“Precisely, and I don’t appreciate filthy humans trawling their nets in my territory. I believe I’ve made myself clear enough over the years. I protect those in my territory, and I don’t believe letting them become someone’s dinner fits that description.”“I’m sorry.” Clark doesn’t even know why he’s apologizing. Something in him can’t stand to hear the siren upset. “It’s not your fault Kent. It will be your fault if those fishermen catch sight of me though.”He doesn’t want to the merman to leave, but he also knows he won’t be safe if those men get any closer.“Where will you go?”“Back to Gotham Bay; I have subjects to protect, Kent.”“I’ll never see you again, will I?”“That is how it was meant to be. You think you care but I assure you, it is just the siren call. You must have a mate waiting on you somewhere. A siren and a human could never work either ways.”“At least tell me your name before you go.” Clark knows he sounds desperate, but it's almost like he can't help it.“I don’t think I can say such things above water. But I suppose a close equivalent of my birth name would be Bruce, in your language.”Clark thinks the name suits him. “Good bye, Bruce.” There is a fondness, almost longing in his voice.“Good bye, Clark.” There is a sprig of wistfulness, as though Bruce wishes he could stay too. - Bruce hates knives. When the human brings one near him, his first instinct is uncontrollable, and he knows his eyes are glowing as his canines elongate while he spits furiously. He feels overly uncomfortable as Clark cuts through the net, but waits patiently despite it. The minute there is enough room for him to maneuver himself out; he does a barrel twist, and curls himself out of the net elegantly. The man still has the knife in his hand, and Bruce swims away to distance himself far from it. Clark raises his arms, and Bruce, who immediately sees an act of aggression- having been raised to be wary of land dwellers-starts hissing menacingly again. Why won’t he put down the knife? Does he mean to harm Bruce? Does he not know the siren can easily crush him with his tail alone? Clark looks at the knife, and then throws it onto his boat. That was probably his best idea. It was unwise to threaten a siren of any stature. Such things usually resulted in violent death; not that Bruce wanted to kill Clark. He was too pretty to kill anyways, not that he would admit it. Of course, he could do anything he wants with Clark now. They were in his element, and there was no way a human could out maneuver him in the water. Bruce slowly starts swimming towards the man, not sure of what his own intents were, but knowing that he wanted him. The silly human starts moving backwards, trapping himself against the stern of his vessel, and Bruce holds back a laugh. He jets forward, and is wonderfully close to Clark now, memorising the strong cut of his jaw, the way his eyes look like pools of Caribbean water and how his full lips are slightly parted; a pretty shade of pink that he’d like to explore. He can tell Clark is looking at him; really looking at him, and resists the urge to preen. He doesn’t have any standards to compare himself to, but Bruce likes to think he is a handsome siren. He is utterly transfixed on the human, and really such dull, frail creatures should not be allowed to look this enticing, but he can’t help himself. He moves a stray lock of hair out of Clark’s face, and runs his hand over his cheek, noticing that humans have thinner skin than sirens. He whispers beautiful, and the words curl off his tongue in his native language, before he presses his lips against Clarks. He feels the magic transferring a world of knowledge into him- a tingling and warm sensation in his skull- and he suddenly remembers why he never kissed humans before. He never had the need to learn their language. A first time for everything, he supposes. - Bruce doesn’t want to leave. He knows it’s simply his nature that has Clark drawn to him, but he can’t help but want to keep him. He knows it’s irrational, and that the human probably has a mate and that their relationship would be unnatural, but he can’t help but think of what life might be like if he courted Clark; if they were to become mates. He doesn’t register that he’s pouring more essence into his voice until he sees the human’s eyes glazing over.“I’ll never see you again, will I?”Bruce knows he’s most likely delusional, but he swears he detects a flicker of sadness in Clark’s voice. It couldn’t be though. The only thing that tethers him to Bruce is the call. He doesn’t care for him; not truly anyways.“That is how it was meant to be. You think you care but I assure you, it is just the siren call. You must have a mate waiting on you somewhere. A siren and a human could never work either ways.”He knows that is not true, because he could very well carry Clark’s children to term, and he could spend up to a week on land before he would need to shift, but that’s not something Clark needs to hear right now.“At least tell me your name before you go.”When Bruce thinks about it, his true is not something human enunciation would have terminology for. Such things simply needed hydrodynamics to sound right. “I don’t think I can say such things above water. But I suppose a close equivalent of my birth name would be Bruce, in your language.”“Good bye, Bruce.” The siren purposefully doesn’t look him in the eyes, but instead turns around, bringing his tail up for measure before he says his farewells.“Good bye, Clark.” He begins the swim back to Gotham Bay, leaving nothing but the shadow of black scales and failed dreams. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Clark doesn’t move for a while.He just stays there, floating in the water and feeling as though he’s coming down from a high. It’s as though the further away Bruce goes, the more awareness he gets back. He watches wistfully as the last trace of the siren disappears, before even considering going back to his boat.If he closes his eyes, he can still feel the lingering of a kiss, thrumming with magic of the sea. It’s mildly disconcerting. He continues to tread water for a bit, before he hears the engine of a fast approaching boat. He sees a vessel, the S.S. Prince, and watches as it comes to a full turn, before halting next to his much smaller catamaran.“You there! What’s your business with Coast City fishermen?”Surprisingly, the captain appears to be a woman.She has long blonde hair, fierce blue eyes, and an expression that doesn’t seem to tolerate any crap. The way she carries herself seems to be akin to a Greek goddess while she observes him -wielding a menacingly sharp harpoon gun that is. Clark struggles for a bit, trying to think of a logical excuse that doesn’t involve sirens, because he knows Coast City people can be rather unforgiving, and he has no intents of ending up in the nut house. He takes a deep breath and answers.“I was heading through these waters, going to the port to send a letter, before continuing on my trip back to Metropolis. There was a pelican stuck in your nets- drowning quickly from the looks of it. I had to cut him out I’m afraid. Why didn’t you get safety issued nets?”“A lone sailor wants to give us fishing advice, ladies? That’s remarkable.”The other women on the boat laughed at the gesture, some wiping tears from their eyes. What was remarkable about wanting to ensure animal safety? Maybe Clark was still sensitive to the subject after seeing Bruce get trapped in that net. Whether or not he’d admit it, the situation upset him more than he realised.“We just trawl and throw out whatever doesn’t fit. I’ll strike you a deal. You don’t report us; we don’t run you through with a harpoon gun for ruining a prime net. Do we have a deal?”“I guess we do, miss…?”“Antiope, now you’d do well to get out of Amazon territory, sailor.”“Yes ma’am.”He quickly gets back to the hull, and gets his engine up and running at his fastest- 45 knots-before sailing in towards Central City. He still has a few days travel till he gets to Metropolis. The longest part of the journey really, would be the stretch near Bludhaven caverns. Those were the longest to navigate through, but he could manage it easily now. He’s well past Coast City when he decides to give the engine a rest. The sun is far past set now, and he’d never enjoyed sailing choppy waters in the dark. The sea was never particularly nice in the stretch between Coast City and Central City, but he’s passed the worst of it already. He decides to head in for the night, dropping anchor and stalling the engines, before lying down on his somewhat small bed in the cabin. He stares at the ceiling of the cabin for a while, noticing every crack in the beech wood, and the ceiling isn’t that interesting, so why is he staring at it? Mostly because he wants to stop thinking about black shining scales, glowing blue eyes, and unusually soft lips; but he can’t.He knows he should be thinking of Lois- who’s been waiting for him for almost three years, and sent a barrage of letters-but there’s something about Bruce that he can’t shake off. The Adonis called it the siren call, but it felt like so much more than that. He could tell, because the call, to him, felt like a hot sensation in his stomach; a rope pulling him closer to Bruce- but this was different. This was a fuzzy, contented feeling- nothing like the withdrawal he felt as Bruce swam away. The only way he could think to describe it was as though the siren call was cocaine, but this was marijuana.It was mellower, not as intense, and somewhat calming. As though his new found attachment to a theoretically non-existent creature was okay…in a way. You see, this is why Clark doesn’t contemplate on things. He closes his eyes-and remembers how Bruce looked at him before he kissed him, how he touched him like he was something to be cherished, how the water droplets hung off the tips of his eyelashes like a pin waiting to drop- and doesn’t feel an ounce of the guilt he knows he should as a committed man. Does it count as cheating if he didn’t initiate it? What if the other party wasn’t even human? He and Lois aren’t technically together either, right?This is too confusing. Clark closes his eyes, willing away his semi-boner for the merman- who probably though he was a waste of a good lunch- and roughly grabs his pillow, intending to get some sleep, even if it killed him. -Bruce is not infatuated with a land dweller. Of course, it’s natural for a siren of his age to want a mate, but he’s not so far gone as to consider a human. That would be downright scandalous. He’s more than two thirds of the way back to Gotham Bay when he hears it.Singing.Not just any singing- siren singing. It sounds like a whole pod, but why would they be migrating to these waters? He never had visitors at this time of year. They are getting close, so he goes to approach them. “Where is the leader of the pod?” he asks, directing at a group of thirteen or fourteen sirens; all women. A blonde girl comes forward, looking much too young to be a leader, but sirens don’t age very quickly, so he’s not too sure.“I’m Tamara, leader of Nightwave Pod. Who might you be?”“Bruce, last of the clan of Arkham Waters.”There is a collective gasp from all the women, and he bows his head in acknowledgement.“Our condolences are with you, Bruce. We were migrating from Denice City, and heading back to Caribbean waters. We mean no intrusion on your territory.”“I sense no threat. I merely came to greet visitors Lady Tamara. Do avoid Coast City waters if you fear the safety of your pod.”“Thank you for the forewarning. We ought to seek shelter in Bludhaven, as there is a fast approaching storm. It will surely shake the ocean floors tonight.”“Can a storm of such great magnitude truly occur in these waters? Are you sure?”“Our youngest, Syrena, has a gift for premonition. She has already foreseen it.”Bruce hopes he hasn’t gone as pale as he ought to, because he knows Clark is still on the water, and his catamaran couldn’t handle a storm like that.“I hope you find safe travels then. I ought to get back to my own domain.” His voice is a little shakier than he intended, but clear all the same.“Thank you, and may Triton shine glory on you.”-The minute the pod leaves, Bruce looks to the skies and sees the beginning of what looks like his worst nightmare. He’s torn between protecting his territory, and saving Clark. If he leaves Gotham Bay unattended, he could come back to meet it overrun with sharks-not that they could challenge him- but if he continued forward, Clark would surely crash and drown. It’s not a particularly hard choice after that, and Bruce does a neat dive off his perch, and starts swimming at top speed. At this rate, he may catch up to Clark within an hour or two. He pushes himself forward, avoiding coral patches and shark territories, while hoping Clark hadn’t turned off his engine. No such luck either. He couldn’t hear a vessel for miles- most of them probably docked due to the impending storm- and realised he might have to use sonar to find him. He slowed down, sending out a screeching echo, and waited for the reverb. Approximately 130 miles north east was a solitary boat on the waters, far off from Central City. Bruce knew those waters and they wouldn’t be particularly nice.He continues swimming with as much vigour as he can, praying to all the deities of the sea that he gets there fast enough.-Clark wakes up to the ship rocking terribly, and torrential rain pounding on the cabin. He quickly throws on a shirt, and gets outside to lift anchor and get the catamaran out of this weather. When he gets outside, he can hardly keep his balance, and is wracked by wave after wave of water tossing the boat. He tries to calm his internal panic, because he usually avoided storm zones while sailing, and repeats his mantra to himself. You will not drown. You will not drown. You will not drown. It’s easier to believe in mermaids.Clark heads to the pulley to lift the anchor, and the gear isn’t working. That is just great. He rolls up his sleeves, and squints to keep the never ending spray of salt water out of his eyes, and starts pulling up the anchor manually. The anchor is a lot heavier than he thought it was. He pulls on the heavy linked chain, ignoring the cuts he gets from jagged metal, and focuses on keeping his grip against sea moss and slime that’s accumulated on the anchor. When he finally gets the anchor up, the waves start getting even bigger now, and it’s almost like he can hear the sea floor cracking, but he keeps heart, and heads to the engine, where to his chagrin- it won’t start. He pulls the gun, and lets it go, and the engine still will not start. He is utterly fucked.-Bruce tamps down on his internal panic as he gets closer to the ship, because the waters have gotten downright raucous now, and the catamaran is probably being tossed side to side like a child’s toy. He continues through the water, his night vision being well adjusted to the depth and darkness. He doesn’t even care that he’s surface swimming because there is no one around to see him anyways. When he gets to the catamaran, he sees Clark on deck, looking for the world of it like he’s having a panic attack while trying to start his engine, but he can’t get any closer because the ship is being wracked by fifteen foot waves in the centre of an eddy that will do no good for Bruce’s tail.The siren knows he’s going to regret his next decision for while, but it’s the only way to save Clark’s life. If he stays on that boat, he’s going to go down with it, and Bruce may not be able to get him to the surface in time while swimming against the suction from a sinking ship. So knowing it’s his only choice, he opens his mouth and starts to sing. -Clark is struggling to breathe now, because this scenario is all too familiar, and he swears he sees his father on the deck screaming at him to go to the lifeboat. He keeps trying with the engines because opening the sails now would mean getting tossed windward and possibly tail ending the boat. He stops in his tracks, not even minding the constant barrage of hard hitting waves, because he hears the most enchanting voice that has him transfixed. “My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold, Nothing can console me, but my jolly sailor bold,” He finds himself walking towards the voice, ignoring the alarms in his head screaming for him to get back to the engine, and get home to Metropolis. There is a burning feeling in his gut- as though someone is disembowelling him- but it cools a little more with every step he takes closer to the beautiful singing. He looks at the water, black and vengeful, and finds it looks rather appetising. He is willing to do anything to get closer to the angel whose voice floats over the waters and rings loudly through the storm. “Come all you pretty fair maids, whoever you may be, Who love a jolly sailor, that ploughs the raging sea,” He watches the engine, watches the water, listens to then singing, and then makes his decision. In a split second, Clark is jumping overboard into the tossing waves, feeling freezing water against his skin; and thinking: I must find that voice. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The first thing Clark realises is that he is in shock.The water is freezing, but he’s hearing the most beautiful voice singing to him. The singer was beckoning him closer with a melody of the sea, covering him in a warm embrace with their lyrics. He finds himself struggling against the water to get closer to the angelic voice, and he’s kicking to no avail- because waves keep pushing him back, and he hears a distinctive crack and groaning begins as the catamaran starts to crack in half. He keeps swimming, getting quite tired, and his eyes are burning from the salt in the water. He can barely breathe, but he’s too focused on finding the angel whose tune is keeping his head above water. “Come to me Clark. You don’t want to disappoint me do you? You are doing so well.” The voice is melodic and enticing and he continues to swim towards it, away from the boat. He gets far enough from the boat before it sinks, and he watches in a daze, as flotsam and jetsam swirl around as the last remnants of his father’s boat. His entrancement is momentarily broken. That ship was the last thing he’d owned of his father’s. His father; the man who he’d adored-whose memory would forever haunt him now, ensuring he’d never get another peaceful night of sleep again. He feels a pair of strong arms wrap around him, dragging him away from the scene of the wreckage and he starts to kick and wail like a child.“No! Let me go, let me drown with it! I failed him!”His voice is cracked and broken from in taking cold salt water, but he doesn’t care. He continues to scream and kick and cry hysterically, and in that moment, he doesn’t want to be saved. He wants to join his father in a watery grave because he’d failed him. He hadn’t taken the boat everywhere. He hadn’t given his father his best. He deserved to drown.“Please,” he whimpers, hoping to get his rescuers sympathy, “Just let me drown.” “Clark, look at me.” He manages to lift his head and sees Bruce looking back at him with concerned eyes. The rain is still pouring torrential, and they might be out of the crash zone for the waves, but the noise is like a lion in the background, but none of that is what Clark is focused on.“You came back for me?” His voice sounds like someone ran him through with sandpaper, but he ignores it.“It’s only fair that I save your life after you saved mine, Kent. Now wrap your arms around my neck. I’m going to get you to shelter.”Clark’s throat is killing him, and he has dried tears on his face, but he nods twice, and allows Bruce to put him into a live saver from the catamaran wreckage. They are suddenly moving very fast, and it’s a tough battle between nausea and consciousness, but the sailor fights on, and watches as Bruce’s obsidian tail glides with powerful strokes, almost as long as his body. He starts to drift off a bit, and closes his eyes, wanting to forget everything. -Bruce realises that halfway there Clark has fallen asleep, but there seems to be no real danger, so he continues speeding towards the nearest zone free from the storm, and of course that has to be Bludhaven caverns. He enters the complex chain of caves, and literally has to shake the sailor to get him awake.“Kent! Get up.”Clark looks like a mess, with bits of sea weed in his hair, bloodied hands, a torn shirt and what looks like a leech attached to his shoulder. If the word dishevelled had a grimy older cousin, this look was definitely it.“Just get on the damn floor before you get pneumonia from being in the water.”Clark complies; flopping onto the hard rocky surface and feeling himself on the brink of falling back to sleep.“Bruce?”“What?”“You won’t leave me here, right?”“No. Go to sleep, Kent.”“Goodnight.”There’s no response. There is simply the calming lullaby of a tail lapping against water to put him to sleep. -Clark does not sleep well. His dreams are now a never ending repeat of his father’s death, but rather with him drowning instead. He sees crashing waves, and feels the water in his lungs, and it’s so real that he can’t breathe and- It starts again. Each repeat gets worse, with Jonathan’s cries getting more desperate, and his drowning taking even longer, while ice cold water pumps in his veins, but it’s as though he’s stuck in a time loop because he just can’t wake up. But in the back ground there’s a song on repeat, as he sinks to the ocean floor. My heart is pierced by Cupid; I disdain all glittering gold, Nothing can console me, but my jolly sailor bold. When he finally hits the ocean floor - his whole body turned numb from shock and every cell screaming for oxygen - he sees Bruce there singing and reaches out a hand for him. They are so close now, almost touching, before he hears Lois screaming and sees blood running from his ears-He’s awake now.But his reality is that the dream was less frightening than waking up; because he’s surrounded women with tails with glowing eyes. -When Bruce wakes up, Clark has death grip on his shoulder from where he was perched on a rock cluster, but he soon realises why. It would be awfully disturbing for a human to wake up surrounded by sirens.“Bruce is this snack yours?” asks Tamara, watching Bruce curiously.“He’s not a snack, Lady Tamara. He’s a sailor who saved my life. I was simply returning the favour before escorting him back to land.”Another siren swims forward into the moonlight -a black haired one with a yellow tail and green eyes- and her tone drips with disdain when she speaks.“I find it rather rude that you keep the human all for yourself as you have guests in your territory. Would it not be fair to share him? He would be a delicious meal I’m sure.”Everything about her nature seems to get under his skin, and the notion of her even touching Clark is doing terrible things for his level of control. Bruce tells himself it’s just a protective instinct to keep his rescuer safe. She looks at Clark a bit too long, and he barely contains the guttural growl in his throat, because he knows that look. It’s downright predatory, and means no good for any human on the opposite end. The truth is he would much rather hide Clark away from the world when no man or woman could get to him, and adorn him with the most beautiful things the ocean has to offer, and court him like he would any other siren.This notion makes Bruce red hot, and rather concerned at the same time.“Allura, control yourself.”“Why should I? Could a lone siren like him ever win a battle against our pod? He stands no chance, Tamara.”Bruce feels the scales on the back of his neck rising, and his tail is flicking dangerously under the currents.Tamara speaks again in a calm voice, “We wish no harm to him or his human and will not join you if you choose to challenge him. You know we do not present against males, Allura. It is against our law. If you are hungry, perhaps try some kelp or fish, sister?”“It matters not to me; she will lose should she choose to fight me.” Bruce spits, eyes glowing menacingly.“You dare challenge a general in Nightwave pod? If I should want your pathetic human, I will have him. I see no reason for you to defend those who raped and killed our kind for centuries.”Allura’s fangs are out, and her eyes glow a neon green, and Bruce watches as her claws lengthen, though not as long as his.“If you want him, you’re going to have to kill me first. I lay all claims to him, and declare him as mine. As penance for saving his life, his body belongs to me. ”There are several gasps among the pod at the notion of him claiming a human, but he doesn’t care. His side gills have started fluttering rapidly now, and he knows he must look like the picture of ferocity with his body poised to attack. The rest of the pod had climbed out of the water, knowing full well that someone was going to die. Clark moves even further into the corner to get away from them, and Bruce hisses menacingly at anyone who gets too close. He and Allura circle each other, both tensed to attack.“You lay claim to a human? Are you so desperate for a mate that you would have even a land dweller? That’s just pathet-“Bruce doesn’t wait for her to finish her sentence. He dives fangs first and sinks them into her neck. Allura throws him off with a little difficulty, but her neck is bleeding heavily, and their tails are swishing lightning fast as they exchange and block blows. She manages to claw his lower fin a bit, but he continues, locking her in a choke hold, and keeping her down as she tries to disembowel him with her claws. She’s hissing menacingly and spitting curses in their native tongue that should not be said above water. She bites his collar bone, successfully making him lose his grip and escapes the choke hold with mild trouble. She lunges to get at Clark- a picture of bared fangs, bleeding skin and a broken dorsal fin- but gets smacked straight back into the water with a powerful hit from Bruce’s tail.She is beginning to slow down, and Bruce knows she’s losing too much blood to keep up with him. He lands blow after blow with his tail to slow her down, and when she makes her final lunge, he grabs her mid-air and the last thing she would have felt was a harsh crack. The rest of the pod slowly reenters the water with their heads down- a sign of submission- and Allura’s body is quickly gathered and arranged to be disposed.“I apologise for her behaviour Bruce. Such is not the way of our pod, but Allura was always headstrong and tenacious. I assure you we mean no harm to your human, and do not seek to question your authority in your territory. The law of our pod states we do not challenge males, and I hope you know we intended no duel. I apologise for any harm she caused, Bruce.” said Tamara, looking far too ashamed for a crime she didn’t commit.“There were no cruel intentions on your behalf so I see no threat. You and your pod have until morning to be gone. Tell any migrating pods that I claim the waters from Bludhaven Caverns to Gotham Bay. I want no trespassers."“Thank you for allowing us refuge. We will not overstay our welcome.”The pod was gone as fast as they came, and Bruce turns to Clark to see him trembling.“Are you okay?”“I-I’m terrified and freezing. How could you k-kill someone for m-me? You b-barely even know me.”Bruce sighs.“You’re right, I don’t know you. I do know you didn’t hesitate to rescue me from that net, when any other man would have captured me. I do know you’re strong enough to resist the lure of the siren call sometimes, and I do know you’re an honest man. My people have rules with these things, Kent. I owe you my life, so I have to protect yours. That also includes keeping you warm apparently.”He swims over to the edge of the cavern floor, and picks up a dry melon sized rock, before whispering something and having it burst into flames. Clark scrambles back, eyes wide and looking between Bruce and the fire as though not believing his eyes.“How the hell did you do that?”“All sirens have abilities. Some have mental, physical or magical. I can create fire and not get burned.”“That’s terrifying, and confusing because sea magic isn’t supposed to exist, but it’s also fascinating.”“I could douse the fire you know. Gratitude goes a long way with my people.”“Thank you. For everything.”Clark rubs his hands together trying to get them warm while Bruce swims lazy laps through the cavern and watches the sea rage from a distance. After an hour Bruce curls back up on his rock cluster and leaves most of his tail in the water so he doesn’t dry out. He falls asleep while listening to the crackling fire and Clark skipping rocks across the pool. He hopes he gets enough rest, because he’ll have to hunt in the morning to feed Clark and himself. Clark lies awake watching Bruce- observing the rise and fall of his chest, the way his tail flicks absent-mindedly while he sleeps, his lightly parted lips, the shallow open and close of his gills, how his hair fans into his face a bit- and wonders what saintly act he did in his past life to end up here. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Bruce wakes up at sun rise by habit. He gets up off his perch and stretches, slipping back into the water to wake up his tail. His attention moves over to Clark, who is sleeping in a somewhat uncomfortable looking position, and has to stifle a laugh. There's drool running down the side of his face, and his hair is a bird's nest, and he's hugging a rock for a pillow, but he still manages to look so angelic and peaceful.Bruce doesn't like it. So with a flick of his tail, he splashes cold morning water on Clark's sleeping figure, and the sailor wakes up with a jolt. “What the hell, Bruce?"Clark is rubbing his eyes, and yawning adorably, but there are more important things to focus on damn it. "I'm going to hunt for food. What do you want?"Clark is much too sleepy for this, and it is way too bright outside with the morning sun in his face. Didn't sirens know how to use their discretion?"I'm not picky. Fish of any kind would be appreciated."Bruce nods, and dives back under the water, disappearing into the current. His charcoal colored scales stand out against the green water, and Clark follows the shadow as far as forty meters out before he loses sight of him. He tries to make himself useful, but there isn't much he can he can do in the cavern beside play with the skates that swim by or wait for the sea dweller to return with food. It makes for a rather boring twenty minutes. He looks up at the ceiling laden with stalactites and squints as the rising sun filters through holes in the aged rock. When Bruce returns his arms are filled with two rainbow trout, driftwood, two shirts and a rash guard."Where did you get those from?" He asks, gesturing to the clothes."They were the last salvageable things from the wreckage. I hope they will suffice.""Thank you. Any clothes are better than none I suppose."Bruce sets the driftwood on the edge of the cavern floor and sets about starting another fire. Clark is watching in fascination and confounded, though not at the fire."You don't expect me to eat all of that, do you?" He's looking at one of the fish and feeling very uncomfortable because the poor guy is flopping about and seems to be looking right at him.Bruce looks up at him with a curious expression."You don't like trout? I could get you something else. There is plenty of fish in the sea you know.”Clark can’t help it. He tries to hold it in at first, because really? He tries in vain and eventually bursts into hysterical laughter, falling back onto the floor of the cave gasping for air, and the siren is watching him as though he has two heads.“Are you okay? I don’t understand what is so funny.”Clark wipes the tears from his eyes and tries to explain it to Bruce simply.“It’s just too much irony for me to handle. I promise, I’m not making fun of you, I swear. Just let me have this one inside joke.”Bruce just watches him for a moment, but seems to go with it.“So you will have the trout then?”“Sure, but I really can’t eat all of that. I don’t tend to have that big of an appetite. I mean look at this beast- it’s literally the size of my thigh, Bruce. I don’t think I can even finish one, and I have a serious peeve about wasting food.”He gently picks up the second trout- the one that survived by flopping in the collected water at the edge of the floor- and puts it back in the water.Bruce rolls his eyes, but passively watches the fish flee to safety.“Whatever you don’t eat, I will finish for you then. Does that solve your problem?”Clark nods and sets the fish on the little pyre-thing they have set up and he listens to the crackle as the scales fizzle and pop.“I’ll be back in a while,” says Bruce, turning to go.“Wait- where are you going?”He knows he sounds a little frantic, but he can’t help it. He doesn’t exactly like the idea of being left alone in the cave after what happened the night before.Bruce looks to the sky as though seeking some deity to help him deal with his insufferable human, and answers.“There are springs of fresh water from the stalactites further into the caves. I am going to get something to collect water for you before you get dehydrated. I find it somewhat disturbing that I am more aware of your own biological functions than you, Clark.”He doesn’t wait for a response, but just does a neat tuck and surges under the water, heading further away. It takes Clark a few moments to realize Bruce used his first name. It takes him a couple more to realize his tone was bordering a little past fondness.Perhaps he was growing on Bruce?-Okay, so Clark was kind of growing on Bruce. Humans looked so strange while they sleep but Clark looked so beautiful with the morning light dancing through his hair. He hadn’t even realized how blue his eyes were until he saw them in daylight, but they were truly astonishing.The realization had hit him hard and fast the night before; said realization was not good.Clark was his only potential chance for a mate.… But how does a siren woo a human?Bruce thinks about it, and also goes looking for a large enough seashell to collect water for Clark in. Typically a male shows his ability to entertain and provide for their mate, and he thinks he’s done most of that. He gave Clark food, warmth, shelter- how could he be so slow?Of all things to forget, he can’t believe himself. He hadn’t gotten Clark a gift. What could he possibly give to a human that would impress him anyways? Almost anything that would win a siren over would be seen as junk to a human. A starfish was too bland, and a small pearl wasn’t grand enough, while finding a large enough one would take far too long and a necklace would just seem too effeminate.Maybe something from the ship wrecks? Humans were always trying to get to the sunken ships, though there was nothing there but measly gold and- of course.He could get Clark something shiny and pretty from the ship wreck, but something that he would actually use.He takes off to the nearest ship- the La Viriana- and hopes he finds something useful.-Bruce is fed up of searching after the first fifteen minutes. There is a lot of gold, but not a lot of much else. Anything paper based is ruined, and most metal would be useless. He continues searching until he finds a glass bottle. It seems simple, but inside of it are two rings with a strange pattern on it. It almost looks like an S, but he can’t be sure.He picks it up anyways along with a stash of gold coins and hopes Clark likes them. The only thing left is to find a big sea shell to carry water in. Said task is easier said than done.After about twenty minutes he finds it. It’s a huge queen conch with spindles of white, pink, coral and champagne colors striating it, and it ought to hold a nice amount of water to carry for Clark.He smiles to himself when he finds it, and desperately prays that it’s well received because the sad but true facts are Bruce doesn’t have a pod to help him choose mating gifts. His mother isn’t here to make him a tunic to attract someone, his father isn’t here to teach him their pod’s mating dance, (though other the years he’s learned quite a few from other pods), Alfred isn’t here to give him the much needed confidence to help him win Clark’s affection.He is on his own, and it is mildly terrifying.-Clark spends a long time waiting on Bruce. He’s cooked, eaten, done a half assed tidying up, and placed the remains of his fish on a pile of kelp, because he realizes that’s what Bruce seems to snack on when he’s bored.He tries to keep himself occupied because boredom tends to do bad things to his head, but boredom seems inevitable. He tries skipping rocks, playing with passing sea creatures (none of interest really), counting stalactites, and eventually humming, but even he can tell it’s been more than an hour, and he sighs in exasperation.“For Christ’s sake Bruce, where are you?”There is no tell-tale splash before Bruce appears next to him, so the sudden reply jolts him.“I’m right here, Clark.”The human in question yelps in surprise, placing a hand over his chest to steady his pounding heart.“Don’t do that!”Bruce chuckles softly, offering the conch to Clark who takes it gladly, drinking all of the water in one sitting.“Thirsty?”“Yeah, I’m fine now though. What took you so long?” He turns the shell in his hands, eyeing it appreciatively, because it really was gorgeous. It was nothing like the fake ones they cranked out it sea side stores.Bruce places the bottle and the pouch on the floor, and watches Clark to gauge his reaction.Clark’s eyes widen comically as he opens the pouch, looking at the glittering gold coins in it, and thumbing some of them to see if they were real.“Wow, Bruce. I don’t know what to say. These are probably worth a lot of money… I wouldn’t even know where to pawn them. Thank you. What’s this?”He looks at the bottle, and gasps.“Bruce, where did you get these?”He continues to stare at the two identical bands, and he knows his eyes are watering, but he doesn’t care. The rings look exactly like the ones his father wore in the family album. His biological family, that is. The rings bore the symbol of the house of El. He was so young when his parents died that he hardly remembered them, much less remembered seeing Jor-El’s ring up close, but now that he had he almost wanted to cry, because he was pretty sure this was the exact same design in the pictures, though these were silver, not gold.He clutched the bottle tightly to his chest, not caring what Bruce thought of him, because he’d finally gotten something that would link him to his parents.“Clark, are you okay?”There he goes again with the calling him by his first name.“I’m fine. I’m perfect. It’s just that the symbol on the rings- well it’s pretty special to me. It’s like my family symbol if that makes any sense.”“Well that is understandable I suppose. Did I upset you by bringing them?”“No, of course you didn’t’! Bruce- these are the most thoughtful things anyone has given me in my entire life. This is so amazing I could kiss you right now-“He slaps his hand over his mouth before he could say any more. The following silence is deafening and Clark sort of wishes he could crawl in a hole and just die.There is a comforting lull as Bruce’s tail sways in the water, and when Clark opens his eyes he sees the siren looking at him with an expectant expression.“You can if you want to.”“What?”Bruce is looking up at him through his eye lashes with his perpetually wet hair falling across his face, and there is a running droplet of water on his neck that Clark would really like to taste.“You can kiss me if you want to. I won’t bite, I promise.”Bruce pours a little more of the allure into his voice than is strictly necessary, and Clark is leaning forward without realizing it. A wet hand touches his cheek, and soft lips press against his firmly but chastely in a sweet kiss, before Bruce whispers, “You are quite welcome Clark.”“Bruce?”Their foreheads are still pressed together as though they don’t want the moment to end, but the siren answers anyways.“Yes?”“Why are you doing all of this for me?”There’s a beat before he gets an answer.“You saved my life. I think we’re even.”“What if I want to?” The siren is looking him straight in the eyes now, and it’s a heady sensation that causes Clark to lose focus, but he responds anyways, in what he hope is a coherent sentence.“Want to what, Bruce?”“What if I want to give you things just because? What if want to spoil you, and keep you to myself, and give you everything your heart desires because I can?”Bruce knows when he gets attached he can’t exactly control the level of the call he uses, but he doesn’t exactly want to. He sees no need to give his human ample chance to leave either way.Clark’s hands are still on his shoulders, and they begin to move over his arms, exploring the landscape of muscles.“I might not be opposed to that, come to think of it. Why choose me of all people?”“Last night Clark, I claimed you in front of a whole pod. I would not do that for just any human. It is a sign of the first stages of… mating courtship.”“…you want to… court me?”“If you will have me, then yes, I would.”“What exactly does this courting entail?”He’s being coy and annoying now, because there is no way he’s going to tell Bruce no to anything considering his capabilities, but he knows the siren will entertain his nonsense anyways.“Well typically there is a lot of doting, and public claiming and provisional stasis and the mating dance and-““Did you say mating dance?” The look on his face is slightly intrigued, and the siren suddenly remembers that most of the dances he learned were…a little too erotic to show Clark just yet.Bruce can’t help but redden a bit- and hopes that his hair hides it-but he replies anyways, “Yes, I did. Don’t worry -you don’t have to learn anything. I am required to perform it for you.”“Well I suppose I’ll just have to see this then won’t I? It’s not every day I get to see something like that.”“Do you accept my offer then?” his voice comes out softer than he intended, but still has the desired effect, because Clark smiles at him, moving his wet locks out of his face, and says,“I don’t see any reason why not.” Bruce does not grin like a buffoon. Okay he does, but just a little bit. A teeny tiny bit. (Clark thinks his smile is radiant enough to light up even the darkest parts of the ocean, but he won't say that yet. In terms of courting he clearly has some catching up to do.) ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Clark is much happier over the next few days and Bruce can tell.The siren even smiles laughs more and occasionally indulges Clark in a few unfair games of water tag, though he feels terribly nostalgic playing a game he from his childhood. He gets lost in his sailor’s joyous laughter and outraged squeals as he sneaks up under him from beneath the water, gripping him round the waist. Clark finds it somewhat unnerving that the phrase, “Tag you’re it,” becomes strangely erotic when Bruce whispers it to him. The sea dweller gets as close as he can to the human, and mutters it in his ears, nosing down the side of his neck and leaving chaste kisses as he goes. Clark lists this down to cultural differences and surmises that sirens must just be a tactile species, not that he has a problem. It’s hard to find anything a problem when he’s near Bruce. Their relationship becomes so domestic and feels so right that the human completely forgets he has a home to go to. As far as he is concerned, Bruce is his home.Bruce is his protector, his friend, and now his partner by some cosmic mix up in his favour. Clark is still wrapping his mind around having a siren for a boyfriend, though he doesn’t think Bruce would appreciate the term. Maybe he was a lover, or a significant other or something, but Bruce wasn’t the typical boyfriend material per say. Boyfriends went on dates and all that stuff, but he and Bruce stayed inside… sort of. Does a cave count as inside? Clark wasn’t too sure. He and Bruce were special, that much he was sure of. This wasn’t like him and Lois. He felt like he could be himself around the siren, with no pressure to be constantly perfect like some kind of superhero. He could just lie around all day, swim lazily, eat, play with the sea creatures and relax. It was like a vacation away from vacation. He is laying on the cave floor one evening when his stomach lets out an interestingly loud growl.“You’re hungry.”It’s not a question. Bruce has taken to spoiling him a bit, and truly he hadn’t thought he was hungry until his appetite reared its ugly head, ruining the blissful silence he and Bruce were sharing. The half fish wasn’t on of many words, but his silences spoke volumes.Just by his behaviours Clark could tell Bruce wasn’t even thinking, he was just relaxed – and serenity did not come easily to either of them as the past few nights of fitful sleep had taught them.“What do you want to eat?”Clark ponders for a moments, screwing up his nose a bit.“Would I sound picky if I asked for squid?”“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t get it. It just means I might take a while. You’re hungry aren’t you? Perhaps choose something that resides a little closer?”“I can wait. I’m really tired of fish and a man can only handle so much shrimp at a time.” Bruce sighs but acquiesces with a, “If you’re certain. I can get you more water on my way back if you need it.”It’s a simple offer, but Clark feels touched none the less.“I think I have enough coconuts here, Bruce.”Bruce looks balefully at the pile of coconuts he’d stoned down from Oracle isle. He knows it’s more than enough (dragging back a twenty pound net of coconuts was not good for hydrodynamics mind you), but he’s feeling the primal urge to ensure his mate is well cared for. Clark is an easy one to please, but that only makes Bruce want to try harder- be better - for him. Bruce knows at the end of the day he will never be equal to a human, so he will constantly have to make sure he is good enough for Clark, and the thought leaves lead in his stomach.“Okay. I’ll be back in an hour maybe. Don’t do anything stupid.”-In hindsight, Clark should have realised this was a stupid idea, but he was bored okay? He only thought to take a swim through the caverns without Bruce because there was nothing else to do. He didn’t bother to strip down because he was already in board shorts and a rash guard, but he did put his foot in the water to see how cold it was. Satisfied that the water wasn’t too cold, he slid in quietly and made his way down the pathways of eroded rock and stalactites. The water rippled to his left, and a curious little skate nudged him in passing. He made his way past their spot and continued swimming leisurely for a few minutes, taking the time to really stretch his limbs and take in the surrounding scenery. There were some plants where the water was fresh- ferns and others like it- and near them were beautiful yellow flowers growing in the corners of the rock clusters.He glided over to where the flowers were, thinking to collect some for Bruce as a surprise before he came back. As he stretched his hand forward into the little shrub of sea flowers, something dark and quick zipped out, biting his hand and high tailing it away. Shit.Even in mostly fresh water, a bite like that fucking hurt. Clark looked at his hand, and he could see a clearly defined bite mark on the fleshy part between his thumb and pointer finger. Blood flowed from it freely, tingeing the water pink as it spread. Not good at all. Clark puts his hand in his mouth, ignoring the metallic tang that he hates, and tries to swim one handed, kicking as fast as he can in hopes of getting back to his and Bruce’s cave- the only safe space for a good distance. A few minutes in, and he’s almost there when he hears a swishing noise- a noise not loud enough to be Bruce, but not quite soft enough to be the typical sea friend he’ll find in here. Clark veers left quickly, jumping onto a medium sized cluster of rocks barely big enough to stoop on. His grip is tight on the jagged land form, cutting into his hand even more, but he doesn’t care because right below him are a trio of tiger sharks who look particularly hungry- the worse part being he doesn’t know how long he can hold onto the slippery mossy rock.The beasts look ravenous with baleful eyes looking at him, and lightly patterned skins. He can feel himself shaking, and a lesser man might have already peed himself by now. He holds on for dear life, but all Clark can think is ‘Bruce where are you?’ -Bruce is on his way back to the cave with Clark’s food when he smells it. The iron filled, addictive scent of blood in the water. It’s not any blood either- it’s human blood, Clark’s to be specific. He speeds his way back to the cave and Clark isn’t there. He panics for a moment, but calms himself. The sailor couldn’t have gotten very far. He knows something is wrong because he definitely wasn’t the only predator to smell that, and his human was not becoming fish food on his watch. He follows the smell far past their living quarters and sees Clark gripping a rock bunch, with a troupe of tiger sharks circling him menacingly. One of them lunges for Clark, missing by a fraction- and now he’s seeing red. “Bruce! Help me!” There’s terror in his eyes, and the siren is suddenly murderous.Another dive for Clark, but Clark knocks the shark away with his good hand, narrowly avoiding getting bitten. Bruce is there in a heartbeat, gripping one of the sharks by the jaw, and slapping another away with a powerful lash of his tail. His snaps the shark’s jaw open, but doesn’t see the third shark as it slips past his defences, making a harsh bite below his dorsal fin. Two of them circle him now, smelling his blood in the water, but thankfully not focused on Clark anymore. He can still fight, but he knows he’s going to be in pain after this. He grabs the next shark mid dive, taking a chunk of its gills out with his teeth, and throwing it aside. He doesn’t have to watch to know its dying. He can picture the thrashing and eventual sinking behind his eyes. The last shark circles him slowly, gauging his reflexes, and when it tries a sharp turn, he grips it head and tail fin, breaking its spine over his shoulders- the snap making Clark flinch badly.The life fades away from it as it twitches sadly, sinking to the bottom of the cave floor with its brethren. He’s breathing heavily and bleeding lightly, but he still looks at Clark deadpan. “I thought I said nothing stupid.” Clark actually blushes at that, looking at the water rather than at his mate.“Sorry.”“It’s fine. Let’s go. I might not be able to swim much further.”-As it turns out, Clark end up dragging Bruce a third of the way back, but he doesn’t care. They reach the cavern, and Bruce realises he’d forgotten to hunt in his haste to bring Clark his food.“Clark?”“Yes, Bruce?”“I don’t suppose you’d be inclined to share that squid?”“I’ll think about it.”The lilt in his voice is teasing none the less, but Bruce really is hungry. He pulls a bit of the young kelp growing on the edge of the rock, and chews it lazily, trying to ignore the pain from the shark bite.“Are you okay?”He needs to know that Clark is okay- it’s purely instinctive now to make sure his sailor is safe.“I’m fine Bruce. I actually just got a small bite from something when I tried to pick-"“Sea daisies? The little yellow ones?”“Yes. How’d you know?”“Every siren pup knows to avoid those. Moray eels like to sleep in their shrubs. You usually get a nasty bite if you piss them off.”“Well I guess you learn something new every day. How’s your tail?”“Hurts like a bitch. I’ll be fine in a day or two though.”Clark makes a surprised noise, because he didn’t know sirens healed so fast, but runs his hands through Bruce’s hair in a comforting manner while he sets about preparing the squid. He figures the ;east he could do is feed Bruce after he'd saved his life again.-They keep talking for a while- mainly to keep Bruce distracted- and the squid disappears with time.“Bruce- look I really am sorry.”“Clark, this is the twelfth time you’ve apologised in the last hour.”“I know-but I should have listened to you. You got hurt because of me. What if you’d died?”“I feel lightly insulted because it would take at least seven sharks to pin me, but I understand your worry. I can handle myself Clark, and it’s my job to protect you. A siren would quicker dishonour his pod than leave his mate unprotected. I need you to understand that. A bite is nothing to me.”Clark takes a deep breath before responding. He doesn’t know how to tell Bruce he was scared. He was scared of losing him though they’d only been together a week. He can’t figure out a way to say that he was terrified that he’d never hear Bruce’s sarcastic jokes or his pealing laugh or his beautiful singing again.“Bruce, I thought I was going to lose you. I saw blood and I got scared. I panicked because you were hurt and… I don’t know how to go back to my life without you. What I’m saying basically is… I love you.”Bruce is looking at him with an expression that’s both halves awed and confounded.“You really mean that don’t you?”“Of course I do.”'“It’s not the call either?”“No, Bruce. I can tell the difference. This is something more. I can’t go back to humanity. Not without you.”Bruce feels tears welling at the corners of his eyes, and he doesn’t fight them.“But I’m not a female. I’m not human, I’m a-”“You’re perfect. You’re different. You’re ridiculously beautiful, and somehow you’re mine.”Clark leans forward, not wanting Bruce to move and he gently places his lips against the siren, cradling the other’s head in his hands. Bruce makes a light growling noise.“Not a good idea to have your hand so close to my face right now, Clark.”As he speaks his neck is moving of its own accord, following his lover’s hand as it moves away.“Does it bother you?”“No. But I’m having trouble ignoring my vested interest in licking your hand till the blood is gone. That might come off as disturbing.”Clark considers it for a second before putting his palm back out. “You won’t bite right?” He asks, hesitating a bit.The look on Bruce’s face is devilish when he responds, “I wouldn’t dream of it.”Bruce holds his hand, nosing between his fingers, getting a good smell of the blood there. It’s only a trickle really, more of somewhat thick line running down his arm -not life threatening by any means- but he’s utterly transfixed. The red liquid is viscous now that he’s not in the water any more- and the wound is crusted over. The siren darts his tongue out to taste it, revelling in the rich flavor that sea food lacks-a metallic salty tinge he’s addicted to- and drags his tongue up Clark's forearm a bit, lapping it up shamelessly.He doesn’t think to mention that his saliva will heal the wound, but that’s because he’s focused on Clark. Clark whose eyes have gone dark, face flushed and heart beat fast. He can smell the arousal on him- not that Clark needs to know that. Clark makes a noise that’s simply obscene but he can’t focus on that while he’s in frenzy. He noses over the trail again, memorising the spot where the blood was and looking at Clark from under his lashes. He knows exactly what he’s doing to the sailor, but he doesn’t care. He start sucking on the flesh between the thumb and fore finger, licking away the last remnants of blood, and his mouth comes off of Clark’s thumb with an obscene pop. He kisses Clark fiercely, nipping his lip a bit just to be troublesome, pulling him closer, and pulling his hair just a little bit.There are nails down his back now, and it feels like Clark is trying to pull him out of the water, but he drags Clark forward instead. The human slides into the water and Bruce can feel his arousal against him. The feeling is severely gratifying. He curls his tail around Bruce- grinding their bodies together, and he knows the friction must be incredibly satisfying by the noises Clark is making. The sailor is shamelessly rutting against him, and he feels his own gills fluttering and his body beginning to present in response as a set of nails come dragging down his back, but he reigns himself in.His mate looks positively wrecked, bucking his hips against him looking for release, and whining almost prettily. His lips are red and swollen from biting them and it’s clear he’s about to climax any minute now, looking like the picture of debauchery with his eyes blown dark and ragged breathing.“Bruce, please. I need-”The siren throws the full allure into his voice when he answers. "Come for me Clark." The sailor’s eyes go misty for a moment with the sheer force of the siren call and then he’s shuddering before sagging against Bruce. The siren gently rolls him back onto the cave floor, starting another fire to keep his mate warm while he recovers.“You used the siren call on me.”He sounds like he just ran a marathon, but that's beside the point.“It worked didn’t it?"“Well… yes.” He know has a plethora of scenarios that Bruce could use his siren call in stocked away in his brain.“Go to sleep, Clark.”There’s a beat of silence before the siren gets a response.“I love you Bruce.”“… I care for you too Clark.” There’s a press of lips to his forehead before Bruce curls halfway onto his little rock perch.... Clark sleeps soundly that night. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The next day is a bit more difficult for Clark and Bruce.Bruce wakes up with his lower tail aching, and he knows it’s not exactly smart to go hunting in this state to put himself at risk. It’s quite possible for a siren to get by on kelp and sea weed, but Clark, the resident human, needs to eat. He carefully thinks about his options (quite few really), and makes up his mind.Then he starts humming, because singing will most certainly wake Clark up, and he’s quite content to stare at the sleeping form for a few more minutes. Tousled hair, face pressed against a bed of palm leaves, shirt ridden up to show a delicious sliver of toned skin – it’s distracting, but oh so intoxicatingly pleasant.To be fair, he doesn’t expect a lot of game. Maybe a few minnows, some shrimp or some carp-the usual suckers ready to be anyone’s lunch - but the sheer amount of damn fish that crowd around him after five minutes is disturbing, because he doesn’t think that Clark is going to eat this much and the poor bastards don’t want to leave. A fleeting thought of oceanic masochism passes through his mind, but he chuckles and shoes it away.But seriously, there’s so many of them, it’s annoying now. Dozens of little eyes staring at him expectantly, not realizing he’s invited them to breakfast to put them on the menu. By the time Clark wakes up, Bruce is trying to shoo an overly friendly octopus away, without much success.“Bruce?” Clark sounds confused. That’s probably because there is a horde of sea creatures looking at him curiously.“Yes?”“What are you doing?” The octopus still hasn’t let go of his waist yet. It’s embarrassing really.“Trying to make you breakfast?” The excuse sounds much weaker than he thought it would, and Bruce himself winces a bit at how it sounds. However, Clark has this innate ability to look overly adorable in the morning and before he knows it, Bruce is moving forward, and subsequently letting out a feral hiss at the stab of pain in his lower tail. “Bruce, shit-are you okay?”“If I say yes, will you worry less?”“No.” The answer is quick and unabashed, and the siren feels something in his chest flutter in response. He is still getting used to the fact that Clark cares, and not in the I-want-to-stuff-you-in-a-terrarium kind of care. It’s touching, as the humans would say.Clark takes a thorough look at Bruce, and makes his verdict after a few minutes.“You’re not moving a muscle until tomorrow, you know that right?”“I’m fine.”He tries to move off his rock perch again and his whole tail groans in disapproval. The pain is evident in his expression, and Clark rushes to push him back down, shushing him and ordering him to stay still. The determined look in Bruce’s eye is now worrying.“If you move, I will probably make a sound you have never heard escape a human body before, Bruce. You have sensitive ears if I recall correctly.” The fierce look the Clark gives him while brushing hair out of his face is beautiful. Is he starting to get stubble?Well damn. More to the point, it’s a low blow but screaming might actually work considering Bruce wouldn’t get very far trying to cover his ears and flail away at the same time. Clark might be the smartest human Bruce has ever met, though one doesn’t exactly give their lunch an IQ test before digging in, so he’s not one hundred percent sure if he’s right.“Such tactics seem beneath you Clark. Aren’t you supposed to be the good one?”The sailor raises a single eyebrow in response.“How do you know I’m good, Bruce? Maybe I murder turtles for fun. You wouldn’t know.”“Well for starters Clark, turtle murderers probably wouldn’t confess such a crime to a siren upon the fear of death, and secondly-you don’t have it in you. I believe the word in my language roughly translates to you being a wuss.” Bruce absentmindedly picks a barnacle off a rock and starts to munch.The sound makes Clark’s blood crawl but he puts that on the backburner to him being called a wuss by a supposedly non-existent being.“Did you just call me a-”“Are you hungry?” If its one thing Bruce can master, it’s the art of deflection. Looking to his right, Bruce realizes they have observers. It’s obvious between the two of them; they are just going to ignore the looming pack of fishes and sea creatures who can’t actually understand their conversation. That includes the octopus that is looking very comfortable on Bruce’s lower abdomen. It’s like having a blind audience at a silent movie, Clark thinks.“Yes-”There is a split second before claws are out and Bruce skewers a fish mid-conversation. The sound is played on loop in Clark’s mind. He can practically envision the coated nacre claws shredding through flesh and blood, shattering bones-“That doesn’t faze you at all?” There is a fizzling sound as Bruce scorches the fish in his hand. Siren magic is still something he needs to get used to.“What?”“How about your ability to provide rapid death to marine life? Doesn’t that irk you a little?”“Not when you’re hungry, no. It’s a fish eat fish world, Clark.”The sailor is beginning to wonder if kissing Bruce not only gave him the ability to speak English, but to make butchered literature references. It’s endearing in its own way, if you look at it.“Is that something all sirens do?”The half human looks a little sullen at the question.“Yes. You usually learn to finger hunt first in your pod. My mother taught me as a pup.”“What happened?” Too late he realizes that might have been an overly personal question. Clark knows he has a penchant for putting his foot in his mouth, so to speak but this one really takes the cake.“My parents were murdered, Clark.”“God- Bruce, I’m sorry. I never knew my birth parents. I mean I have vague memories of them before I was adopted, but it all blurs together now that I’m older. My adopted father died when I was eight, actually.”“Do you want to talk about it?” His tone is weird, but it’s clear Bruce is trying to be sympathetic in some kind of way. That’s mainly why Clark continues to talk.“Well, you’re no therapist so I certainly feel more at home,” an eye roll accompanies the comment, “-but sure. I think I might be better off talking about it. I never even told my mother about that night.”He takes a deep breath, and leans back on one of the adjoining rocks to get closer to Bruce, who absentmindedly starts a fire to warm Clark up. For a few moments he mesmerized by the play of the flames over delicate veined fingers, but appearances can deceive. He doesn’t need Bruce to tell him those same fingers have choked men out, slit throats and crushed skulls.He can see it in the siren’s languid grace. That does not make it any less attractive to him- it’s like the danger excites him.“I was eight years old, and my father and I- his name was Jonathan- we were going out for our usual weekend sail. I always got real excited because I loved the sea and that was our special time. No Ma or neighbors or chores to interrupt it.” He lets out a content sigh at the happier memories.“We knew the weather wasn’t the best that day, but we’d sailed in rough waters before, and it wasn’t a big deal to us. So we took my parents ship, the S.S.Krypton- the last thing they left me really- and we went out as usual, not really expecting anything exciting to happen.”“We reached about an hour out and the sky started to darken. It was like it came out of nowhere. The storm came on us in five minutes, like-like magic Bruce. The ship was tossing and turning and I was just a kid. I couldn’t do anything. When the starboard side tipped Pa and I got tossed. The water was so rough, and I couldn’t see -” His breath is wracking now, but Bruce knows better than to touch him.“He drowned. I watched the sea swallow him and my ship whole, and I was a little eight year old squirt who couldn’t do a thing but scream and cry for my dad, almost to the point of dehydration, before someone found me floating unconscious, tied to a barrel in the middle of Gotham Bay. That’s why I panicked during the storm. That’s also how I learned to hate the sea.”Bruce’s heart is in shreds. Clark didn’t deserve that. He was just a kid, and no one should have to see such violence at a young age. He knows what it’s like. To scream and watch the life leave their eyes until you don’t realize the voice you’re hearing is your own.Clark’s eyes are red from crying by the time Bruce thinks he’s calmed down enough to be touched. He practically melts into Bruce’s touch, but luckily Clarks is a silent crier.“I was eight too.”Clark doesn’t respond, but Bruce knows he’s listening.“It was another pod. They had a vendetta against my family. Mobsters you might call them, I guess. I was supposed to be asleep but I couldn’t so my parents took me to a reef show. I got scared, and I asked to leave. On the way back, they ambushed us.”He hears the intake of breath but continues.“They wouldn’t even fight me. They tossed me aside and ran them through with spears, like the cowards they were because they thought it was fair to fight a mother and a pacifist. There was so much blood in the water-and then the sharks came.”He feels Clark stiffen at the mention of sharks and runs a comforting hand over his hair, taking advantage of the cradled position he holds the human in. “There were dozens of them-circling their corpses- so I just started screaming. I went feral on them. They were practically fish food when I was done, Clark. The entire cavern was red, and I couldn’t tell whose it was by the time I was done.”His face is blank but his memories are filled with the stench of iron scented blood. There was just so much of it. There was so much red. He’s learned to love it now.“They took my father’s best friend, Alfred, too. Made him take voluntary exile from the pod. I missed so much- God I missed him- but I could never see him or they would kill him, Clark. They would murder him and he was all I had left, so I stayed away. Two years later I was spotted by fishermen. They caught me in a net, and I was still a child. They tried to kill me…tried to skin my gills. They called me a freak.”Bruce would not cry. That doesn’t mean he didn’t hurt in his own way. The sick feeling in his stomach spoke for itself. He still saw the sneering faces of those bastards who wanted to preserve him like some kind of exhibit in his nightmares.“That’s how I learned to hate humans.”The following silence is poignant. It’s not awkward, but it rather loaded. Like shattering it would bring something the two men weren’t sure they could handle just yet, so they said nothing.“How did you get away?”His laughter is cold, and brittle like glass.“I do what I do best Clark. I sang, and then sat smiling like Bacchus amongst the madmen.”“I don’t understand.” Bruce suspected as much.“The song of a siren can do more than lure men… if it’s not controlled it can drive people to the point of madness. I didn’t know what would happen, only that I wasn’t supposed to sing until I presented because something bad could happen.No one had taught me to control the strength of the call in my voice, and they tripped over each other trying to get it out of their heads. Eventually most of them killed themselves or bled out in the fight.”“Christ- you just sat there and watched them go mad?”“Yes.” The answer is finite, with no room for misinterpretation. Bruce wants Clark to be afraid. He should be.“I’m sorry Bruce.“I’m not. They deserved it. Not all men are like you Clark. Most men are snacks to me. Remember that. I am firstly and foremost a predator, I can’t control that. You need to know that you’re in love with a monster.” His tone is pleading, but Clark is immune.“Bruce I’m not afraid.”“There’s something severely wrong with you, Kent.”“Yes. I am sitting down talking out my childhood trauma with a mythological creature, who I am apparently mated to, while eating magically cooked fish in a cave after being shipwrecked. Something is definitely wrong, but being right is extremely overrated to me right now.”“You’re an idiot, I hope you know that.”“I love when you do that.” Clark’s tone is so fond, one might have thought he'd been dropped on his head before.“Do what, insult you?”“No. I mean push me away when we both know you don’t mean it. Bruce, how do I get this into in your thick skull? I’m not going anywhere that you aren’t. You saved my life. You took care of me. You chose me as your mate. I don’t care about anything else. If I have to build a house by the ocean then so be it. I’m not leaving.”“Shut up Clark.”“You’re not a monster to me Bruce. Men are monsters, so you did what you had to do to survive. I would never hold that against you, because I know you don’t want to hurt me. If you did you would have done it already.”Bruce makes a non committal noise of agreement.“So you would rather live with a siren? You would give up humanity?”“We’re mates right?”“Well yes-”“If I didn’t want to stay Bruce I wouldn’t. I’ve seen what humanity is like, and I don’t necessarily want to go back, but pretty soon I will have to.”“What do you mean?”“My mother needs me at home to handle some things. I will come back for you though. I’m not going anywhere for long. But with the catamaran wrecked, she might be thinking the worst Bruce.”“Its fine, Clark-I’ll get you to wherever you need to go- just go see her. She’s your only parent left. I have matters to attend to as well.”“Matters like?”“Scoping my territory- intruders tend to scamp into Gotham Bay when its guardian is gone too long. I might need to give a not-so-friendly reminder for them to get out. There are more sharks in these waters than you think.”“Alright then, you can handle your arrangements and I’ll meet you on the outskirts of Gotham Bay when I wrap up my family business and fetch another boat. I won’t be more than a few days.”"Okay... I trust you." The rest of their day needs no words. Clark’s eminent departure invokes an involuntary silence from him, and he doesn’t know why the prospect makes him so upset, so Bruce keeps quiet while his sailor tells him stories from the human history. They sit there for hours, content to hold each other while the siren’s tail mends with supernatural speed.When the sun has long settled into the sea, they sit next to the fire, watching as Bruce makes the embers dance and take the form of dolphins and sirens and ships. It takes a moment, but the half human realizes he can finally say the words now.“Clark?”“Yeah?”“I love you.” Bruce knows they’ve finally completed their mating bond, because he’s said it. He feels the warm coiling attachment to Clark growing ever stronger, and he can tell the human feels it too as his face contorts in confusion at the warm sensation in his chest. He eventually realizes it has something to do with the new strength of their relationship though.The resulting smile is blinding.(Bruce thinks to himself: this won’t ever get old.) ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Clark didn’t think leaving would hurt so much, but after the time he’d spent with Bruce- the time he’d depended on Bruce for everything- he felt like he wasn’t at all sure how he was supposed to manage on his own now.The siren had swam and carried him as close to Metropolis as he could without being spotted, and then left without a word. Clark could tell the environment made his mate tense, so he let him go and stared as he sped away at unnaturally fast speeds to avoid any possible human interaction.When he was a good few miles out, Bruce stopped and looked back to make sure Clark had made it safely to the docks. Then, with a neat flourish, he dived up and out of the water, curling his tail and making a dolphin noise. He wasn’t worried about being seen now because it was four in the morning and not a soul was on the docks yet.He didn’t have to look back. He could feel Clark’s splitting smile from the distance.-Clark made his way into town on foot, and stopped at the nearest pawn shop, and to say the place is huge is an understatement. They weren’t open yet, but he could see a frazzled, pot-bellied man behind the desk, watching reruns of a western on an old television. He knocked on the glass, but was ignored.He rolled his eyes, and fished in his pouch to pull out the gold coins and held one up to the glass before knocking again. The man looked up in annoyance before freezing. The maneuver to get to the door was quicker than the sailor expected. The lock is opened in seconds.“Is that real?” The old man is wide eyed and practically nosing the doubloon in Clark’s hand.“I don’t know, what do you think?”“It has all the makers for original Spaniard gold. Say…how about I take that off you for some cash?” He’s practically salivating, and Clark doesn’t understand what’s so special about it really.“I don’t know- could you take the whole bag?”“You want me to take a whole bag? How many do you have in there, son?” The man’s jaw should not be able to drop that low.“Thirty six originals and they’re all in mint condition.”“I’ll give you a hundred and fifty large for them now.”“Make it two hundred or I call the museum and get triple.”“You have yourself a deal.”The bag of money is heavier than Clark expected.- Bruce knows something is wrong by the time he’s twenty miles out from Gotham Bay. He uses his sonar and senses a ship in his territory. Not a one man sail either. He swims carefully to avoid being seen and smiles devilishly in anticipation. He knows how to play men, and they won’t know what’s coming.The men on the ship walk back and forth restlessly, and Bruce thinks he’ll toy with them a bit first. He circles the ship, hovering barely under the water until one of them notices him, fluttering his tail prettily and looking for the entire world like a dumb half fish, curious about the new visitors.“Sir, I spotted the specimen on the port bow!”There is a flurry of footsteps and a curly haired young man comes to the port bow and looks at Bruce.“Don’t engage it. It’s dangerous- savage even.”“That’s not true!” he says, putting a petulant lilt to his voice. He can’t come off as a perfect predator or they might attack him prematurely and that will just throw off his plan. “I’m perfectly civil, especially to handsome visitors such as you men.” The siren smiles charmingly while the men stare -flabbergasted that he can speak.“You speak English?”“Yes, but why are you in my territory? Did you come to help with the shark invasion problem? I swear they are like pests-”“These are unclaimed waters, I’ll have you know, and we’re here to see you.”Bruce’s eyebrows hit the ceiling. “Me? To what do I owe the pleasure then?” He pours the full allure into his voice, and sees some of the men start to walk forward.“You’re genetic call doesn’t work on me, creature.” His sneer is not as bad as some Bruce has seen.“I have a name.”He presses a button in Bruce’s ‘distraction’, and a net entraps him, dragging him onto the ship.“Animals like you don’t get names. But if you prefer, I can call you Fishy.”Oh, this bastard is as good as dead, Bruce thinks. -By the time Clark reaches his mother’s house, he’s so tired he’s barely noticed something is wrong. It actually takes him a few moments to come to the realisation. Krypto, the family dog, isn’t in the yard. The windows are all closed. The gate is locked. No one is home.“Ma? Are you there? It’s me, Clark.” He’s speaking more loudly than necessary because his mother is deaf in one ear and never bothered to get a hearing aid.“Clark?”It’s not his mother’s voice, but a familiar voice all the same.“Lois?”“You’re alive?” She pulls him into a bruising hug, and he expected as much really.“Yeah, the catamaran didn’t make it but I’m fine.”“Oh god, I thought I’d lost you too.”“Lost me too? Who- who died Lois?”The silence is hard hitting, but not as bad as the realisation.“No- no I don’t believe it.” He’s shaking, and without thought his hand flies into the plant pot on the wall, crashing the clay and scattering the dirt.“Clark I’m sorry.”“How? How did she die?”He’s leaning on the wall trying to catch his breath, and she knows better than to touch him.“Martha held on, but she passed two days ago. She thought you’d died Clark.”Of course. He’d stayed in a cave playing house with Bruce and hadn’t even realised what his own mother would be feeling. She’d thought her baby boy had drowned in the ocean like her husband. How could he do that to her? How could he let her go through that again?He realized the sinking feeling in his gut was back and he let it slowly tear him apart, because he’d practically killed his own mother. His selfishness broke her heart. How was he supposed to live with himself? He didn’t even acknowledge the red hot tears sliding down his face, but instead focused on the crunching noises as pounded his hands into the brick wall. He kept it up until his knuckles were bled and battered and he couldn’t even realise he was screaming.“Clark.” Her tone is pleading. It’s the pity that he hates. He doesn’t want her pity. If he’s being honest he doesn’t even know if he wants her. He wants Bruce, but he can’t have that, so he wants to be alone.“No.”The one word spoke volumes, and at the moment, it was clear he just wanted to be left alone. She walked away, and he entered the house to sit amongst the relics of times he’d never have again. He closes the door and that wretched house becomes his own Fortress of Solitude.-The one thing Bruce has to his advantage is that the men didn’t plan for him to be so heavy. With him sitting in a net, not helping hold any of his weight, it takes six of them to lift him. His entire tail is literally six feet of mainly muscles and fins.“Tie him up. I’m going to prove it to all of them who didn’t believe me. I told them mermaids were real.”“Yes, Mr. Luthor, sir.” They untangle the siren from the net and don’t even bother to pin him down, as though his tail leaves him at a disadvantage. Idiots. There are nine men on deck, and one siren. The odds were in his favour.“You don’t want to tie me up do you boys?” Luthor may not be affected by Bruce, but his men sure were.“Tie him up!”The two men who come to bind his hands go first.His innocent expression morphs into one of rage, and he wastes no time dispatching them. He extends his claws and slits their throats, not even flinching at the blood splattering across his face. The two men who were supposed to bind his tail clearly forget its damage capabilities, because it only takes one small swish while they are frozen in horror to leave one lying unconscious and the other with his neck broken at a horrid angle from the force of the blow.The rest of the men are quick to pull out guns, but Luthor quickly screams at them.“No! I want the creature unharmed you moronic imbeciles!”They switch to knives, and that is their first mistake. The siren slides his tail across the deck in a rapid motion, tripping two of them men so as to successfully disarm them. A knife clutters near his reach and he throws it with deadly accuracy at a taller man’s head, hitting him right between the eyes.Bruce barrel rolls off the edge of the deck knowing he can do more damage from in the water, and swims underneath the ship. There are only four of them left, including Luthor, and he can hear the rapid fire cursing as the load a harpoon gun.He stays low in the water, and as soon as one of the men wonder close enough to the edge of the ship, he waits for him to turn to walk away before he lunges. Using his full strength, he dives out of the water, grabbing the man as he screams and dragging him under the sea.It only takes a few moments for him to drown, because humans don’t seem to realise that struggling only tires you out faster. He waits for the body to go completely still and then drags it to the starboard side before letting it float to the surface thanks to high density water in the bay.When one of the men spots the body the crowd the starboard side, and it gives Bruce enough time to use his upper body strength and haul himself back onto the deck quietly. He picks up the first thing the sees- a tanker of oil, how convenient- and summons a ball of fire. He thought it was about time to blow this joint anyways, and maybe humans tasted better cooked. Who knows?The men turn around just as Bruce slides back into the water, and he burrows a good mile below in a matter of seconds before the ship explodes. When he comes to the surface there is only one survivor, floating in the water, wide eyed and afraid.Luthor.-Clark wasn’t sure how long he sat there before he realised he needed to get up. He’d been sitting in that damned love seat staring at the living for what could have been hours but he had things to do. Firstly, he needs to pack, because when he buys another boat and goes back out to meet Bruce, he’s not sure he will have anything left to come back for.He gets two suitcases, and packs them with only the things he will need for now. If anything, he can always make a trip to the mainland to get anything he would find himself wanting. He goes through the motions, packing all his clothes and swimwear, not even thinking of picking up mementos because he knows they will only bring him pain.He thumbs the leather string around his neck, and the pair of rings that Bruce gave him tinkles softly. Clark thinks it might be best to forget it all. He nothing left in Metropolis. Lois just isn’t enough to tether him to this city of despair anymore.He walks through his childhood home, memorising every detail, because something in him tells him he won’t be coming back here after this. Clark picks up a picture on the table and a single tear slides down his face as he remembers when it was taken.He was five years old, and he and his dad were on the hull of the S.S.Krypton. They were preparing the ship to sail, and Clark climbed up one of the masts like a monkey so he could get a better view of the ocean over all the other ships blocking. His father had sneaked up behind him just as Martha took the picture, and he was giggling as Jonathan grabbed him from behind, laughing at his antics.It hurt to think about those times, because he felt like his parent’s deaths were his fault. All of a sudden it felt like he couldn’t breathe. It was as though there was metal binding his chest with how bad it hurt.Moving as fast as his legs could take him Clark ran out of the house, gasping for air as the world spun around him. What was going on? Get a grip, Kent. He takes a deep breath before calming himself and getting back on track. After, all he couldn’t sit on his butt all day. He had a ship and a suit to go buy.-To say capturing Luthor was easy is an understatement. The man literally passed out the moment he turned around and saw Bruce surface next to him. The siren carried him further into Gotham Bay, and bound him to a rock before leaving him in his favourite sea cavern. He would have to keep an eye out though. If the waves got too high, they would flood the cavern and drown Luthor before Bruce got to have any fun with him. That would be disappointing.Bruce waited patiently until Luthor came to, and then smiled like the cat that got the cream.“Wha- where am I?”“You don’t remember where you are Lex?”“Oh god- it’s y-you.” He sounds terrified. Bruce loves it.“Yes. It’s the animal you tried to capture. Or were you going to kill me? Oh- just so you know your little ear devices fell out.”Luthor manages to go even paler at that. It was obvious he wouldn’t be resistant to the siren call anymore.“Don’t look so scared Lex. I like that name, by the way. It looked great in charred black on the side of your ruined ship as it sunk. Beautiful view really.”Lex says nothing, but squirms as Bruce circles the isolated rock in the water that he is tied to.“Don’t worry darling,” he purrs, “If not going to lay a finger on you…yet. I’m just going to sing to you.”Bruce sings for hours. He sings lullabies, and love odes and family songs because he knows exactly what’s happening. With each passing minute, Lex Luthor is losing his goddamned mind as the magic slowly melts his sanity; Bruce loves every minute of it.The sun is set, and Lex is shivering now from the constant spray of water paired with the late evening chill. He hasn’t said a word in the last hour, but in the hours before that he progressed from pleading to crying to screaming and then laughing like a maniac. Now he just lies there blankly, watching the waves, and chuckling lightly as the water mists him and causes him to feel even colder. It’s pathetic how quickly he breaks really.Bruce had hoped to drag this out for a few days. He might have two- three at best.“Now Lex, do you think we should take a break? My voice is getting a little tired.”A different voice responds.“I should hope so; you’ve been at it for hours.”Bruce doesn’t even turn to look. He’s all too familiar with the voice to his left.“Arthur… it’s been a while.”Lex whimpers, and like the sadist he is, Bruce smiles. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The suit Clark buys is probably the last one he will ever wear. It is expensive and soft, and he only chooses it on the recommendation of the overly perky sales assistant. The girl rings him up, all blonde curls, red lipstick, and skinny jeans with over exaggerated smiles.He exits the store- almost forgetting the damn suit mind you- and heads to the nearest broker. The man, unfortunately, is a pain in the ass.“So you want to buy a nautical transport vehicle?” Clark resists the urge to roll his eyes.“Yes sir, I would.”“Do you have insurance? Licensing? What about priors in sailing? Have you read our guide lines-?”“I am more than qualified to purchase a ship, sir. I also have all my relevant papers in the folder I just handed you.”The man turns up his nose, straightens his glasses (he probably calls them spectacles for Christ sakes) and thumbs through the file.“It says here you had an accident. You crashed your last nautical transport vehicle, so you may not be liable to-” Clark pinches the bridge of his nose.“I didn’t crash it. I had to abandon ship because the vessel was sinking. In the middle of a storm, if you would read a little bit further, sir.”“Ah, I see.”It takes another three hours before Clark gets the actual papers for the boat, and of course that’s after he gets a lecture about sea insurance, is forced to purchase a policy for the boat, is given a mandatory safety class that he doesn’t need, and gets wheedled into donating to their swimmers course for drowning awareness.Clark is beginning to hate the brokering industry.-Bruce turns around to greet his new guest and reigns in his surprise.Arthur’s gotten big.The so called ‘king of the ocean’ had been childhood friends with Bruce, but alliances between sirens and merfolk weren’t exactly encouraged. Typically sirens outgrew the average merperson, because sirens grew as large as nine feet long, while a merman would grow as large as six and a half to seven feet. Arthur was an exception.The man was easily nine and a half feet, with an emerald tail, and regal orange armour with ornate detailing. His blonde hair was swept out of his eyes, and the look he was giving Bruce was one of sheer disappointment.“Oh come on Arthur, don’t give me that look.”“You know I don’t condone maltreatment of innocent humans.” His glare is piercing.“You know as well as I that your word means naught in these waters.” Bruce is unaffected. He is no merman, and the oath of the sea farers does nothing to sway a siren.Arthur sighs and swims over to Lex. The man doesn’t even look at him. His eyes are glazed over, and he is wheezing now. Bruce really needs to hurry up.“He’s too far gone isn’t he?”“He had very little sanity to begin with.” Bruce busies himself with preparing a fire. It was beginning to get rather cold and mermen’s blood would never run as warm as sirens either ways, all with their protective shield around Atlantis.“Explain yourself. You must have some reason to torture him so.”“He wanted to capture me.”Arthur’s face grows rather grim. The water outside starts to foam and crash violently and Bruce swears he hears thunder.“My dearest friend would not mind me taking the wretched human’s head from his shoulders then.”“I actually would mind. I plan to eat him soon, you know.”Arthur looks disgusted.“What? They taste just fine. You should try it.” Arthur swims a few feet away and Bruce chuckles.“You have an ocean at your disposal and you sirens still commit the vile act of man-eating?”“They never learn, my friend. They come like lambs to the slaughter, and I just can’t help myself. It’s not in your nature, so you wouldn’t understand. Their scent calls to us, just as our voice calls to them.”“You can control it. I know you can.”“Can I? We don’t strive to be honourable and perfect like mermen, my king.” The sarcasm is biting, making mockery of the title, and the siren knows he won’t be made to pay for it. He sees the flinch in Arthur’s facade. He knows, like anyone else, that just as there are good mermen, there are bad ones.“Your father was an honourable siren.”“Don’t speak about my father as though you knew him. You don’t want to get me angry, Arthur.” It’s an empty threat.“Or you’ll do what Bruce? What will you do? Are you going to bite me?”Bruce picks up a rock and throws it at the merman with no real force. It’s pathetic, because it misses him by a good few feet, and falls into the water with a resounding plunk.“...did you just throw a rock at me?”“No. I attempted to throw a rock at you.”It starts off slow with soft chuckles, but then they both begin to laugh uncontrollably, and Bruce is taken back to his childhood days. He now remembers why he ignored everyone who told him Arthur was no good.He was no good either.-The yacht is beautiful. The paint was navy and white, and Clark had never seen anything quite like it. It was almost worth the three hours. He walks across the deck, running his hands over the railings, and taking in the entirety of the vessel. It wasn’t the S.S.Krypton; it certainly wasn’t his catamaran, but that was because it was something else entirely.It was the S.S.Martha. She was strong, she was sturdy and she was beautiful. She would sail places Clark had yet to discover. She would tread water like a champ. In that moment, the sailor was finally at peace enough to pick himself up, put on the suit, and say his last goodbyes.Lois is there, like always, waiting to comfort him and wipe away his tears. She’s a good woman- she always had been- but she’s not what he needs. She can tell, but that doesn’t stop her from caring. That doesn’t stop her from holding his hand through the sermon, or handing him a better eulogy than he could ever write, or putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder as they throw shovel after shovel of dirt on Martha’s casket.It’s ridiculously sad that the woman who has always been in his corner is now the last person he wants to be with. He used to dream or marrying her. He always thought she and his Ma would plan a big country wedding and they would get a house outside the city, and have some kids. Now he can’t think of anything but getting back to the sea. More importantly, he is focused on getting back to Bruce.Lois, as expected, doesn’t take this so well.“You’re leaving?”“Yes.”“Clark you just got home. You just lost your mother.”“I know that!”“Then why are you so eager to leave Metropolis? Are you really going to leave me? Clark Kent I waited two years for you, and I swear by God I’m not letting you hop ship and go frolic around the world again. I put too much into us to watch you let yourself burn.”Clark sighs.“Lois, I can’t do this to you. When I left, I needed to find myself.”“Did you?”“Yes. But you weren’t part of that. I’m sorry-”“So you’re just letting me go?” She’s crying now, but there’s not much Clark can do. He’s made his choice. He’s chosen Bruce.“I have to.”Lois, like the strong gal she is just smiles trough the pain, wiping away her tears and pulling her hair back.“Let me help you carry your bags then, Kansas.”- The camaraderie can only last so long really, but Bruce wishes it never had to end.“You came on business I presume.”“Well, yes but you are an exceptionally hard siren to find as you must understand.”“It is intentional I assure you. I’m usually not fond of company as you well know. What is it you need me for?”“Bruce, I don’t need you to do anything for me. This is more of a situation in which I do something for you.”The scepticism is immediate.“...okay then. What did you have in mind?”“I have a refugee in my pod. Someone who has been looking for you for a long time, you see. They have been searching for decades actually.”“A refugee you say... who are they running from then?”“He is an elderly merman who was entangled in siren business and politics. He is running from the second generation of the Falcone pod warriors. You must be familiar with him I’m sure.”Bruce is frozen. He doesn’t know how to react.“What do you want me to do?”“He has requested to join you in isolation.”“Have him brought to me immediately.” He doesn’t even remember about controlling his allure, and cringes as Arthur drifts forward.A warm, fond voice floats to his ear and Bruce can’t help but smile.“Now Master Bruce, no need for that.”“Alfred- damn I’ve missed you.” He is speaking in his native tongue, but this mermaid can speak siren as well as any of his pod could have.“I have missed you too little one.”“I’m not that little anymore am I?”“Indeed you are not.”Their hug is a crashing of fins and Bruce only holds his old friend loosely enough to not crush him and his aged bones. Alfred is still strong, and he still swims like a champ. He is just as fatherly as he was the last time they had seen each other, and Bruce almost cries at the emotions of it all.“What about your prisoner then?” Arthur enquires.“Alfred?”“Master Bruce?”“Why don’t you take a tour of the waters then? Get a feel of the terrain, and show Arthur out, if you please.”“I will do as you wish, Master Bruce.”“Thank you.”The minute they are far enough away, Lex Luthor is going to wish he was never born. Arthur grimaces at the thought. -When Clark and Lois are finished packing everything onto the boat, they just sit and talk for hours and hours about anything and everything, but it’s because they both know it’s very unlikely Clark will ever come back to Metropolis.“How’s the job going?”“As good as a journalist gets really. There’s so much to expose in Metropolis and I want to get to the heart of it, Clark. The people deserve to know what they’re up against.”“You’ll do great.”“Who is it?”“What?”“Who did you meet, Clark? I know you met someone. I know you. You keep checking your watch like you have itching powder on your wrist.”“Okay, so I met someone. What’s the big deal?”“I’m happy for you, you big oaf.”“You’re too good to me, Lois.”“Yeah, yeah tell me about him.”The blood immediately rushes to his face. Was it that obvious?“I- uh”“Clark Kent, I know as well as you do that there is no woman you would choose over me. Journalist intuition, remember? Now spill.”-Bruce has his claws out as soon as he thinks Arthur is far away, and Luthor is so far gone, he doesn’t remember he’s supposed to scream. Or at least do something along those lines. He watched the shining weapons attached to his fingers, and slowly drags one sharp edge across the man’s neck, watching a trail of blood form. It’s a fine line, not enough to have him choking on his own blood; that would be too quick.Bruce has a favourite technique he does. He inserts two claws into their chest, and ruptures their lungs; essentially he lets them know what it is like to drown from the inside out. His incisions are always neat and quick, and Lex lets out a groan and a gasp before the recognition starts to hit him.His insides are slowly filling with blood, and he starts to gasp for air, but he won’t die just yet. It’s a somewhat slower process, because the cut is just a trickle really. It’s such a thin stream; filling up the caverns of his chest, and bringing his doom.Bruce uses this time to slowly torture him. He brings a soft pale hand to his mouth, trailing gentle kisses over the cold flesh before swiftly breaking off a finger. He savours the screams- they’re even more addictive than the blood. When he places his flaming hand on the back of the prisoner’s neck, he smells the fear on his capturer. If he was to be treated like an animal, he would brand the bastard like an animal. He was no more than cattle to the slaughter now.His handprint looks wonderful in the bright red.Bruce’s eyes are glowing fully now, but he doesn’t care. Lex knows what he is-hell, he asked for it. The finger- it’s an appetizer. He usually enjoys them one by one, but really he just wants to start getting to the good part. He drags his tongue over the human’s forearm- shivering as it is- and sinks his teeth in, watching the spray of blood.Now, this is the good part. The thick, crimson life source of a human is like a drug to him. He laps at it obscenely, not caring if Arthur or Alfred hears his prisoner’s screams. Lex is gasping even faster now, and he’s finally started to cough blood. The drowning begins.Bruce looks at him, and pretty little thing he is; the man is small- all curled locks and blue-green eyes with pale skin. It’s a shame the pretty ones are always the stupid ones when it came to lunch.The most fun is the kiss of death for the siren. The crashing of lips as his victims start spitting red, letting him taste the metallic tang, the salty silkiness as it slides down his throat. It’s intoxicating. Lex is still somewhat cognitive, and the half-human runs the back of his hand down those pronounced cheekbones. It’s a shame really.“P-please.” He siren is genuinely impressed Lex can still speak, what with his eminent death approaching.Lex is ready to pass out from the pain. He’s gone from seeing starts to seeing constellations behind his eyes, and his entire chest feels like it is on fire. “What, my dearest. What do you want?” His victims eyes are glazed over, a white fog across them now, without a trace of the blue green tinge that had before. Bruce is losing him, and he’s drifting fast.“Kill me.”The sight before him is truly pitiful either ways, and Bruce is nothing if not kind. He never said he ate all of the humans alive, did he? A gentle press of lips against his is the last thing Lex will remember. Arthur wishes he could erase the echo of the sound of a human neck snapping; Alfred, as weathered as he is, doesn’t even flinch.-“So he’s good to you, then Kent?”“Yeah... he’s good.” His private smile comforts Lois just a little.Their last kiss is fond, and Lois is sad to see him leave. Clark wipes away her tears, and tells her everything will be okay.“Well you know what I say, Kansas. Even if I’m not okay I will be.” The only thing consoling Lois was that her sailor was going to be in good hands.On the inside Bruce and Clark both know he is anything but good, but the sailor doesn’t care. A short while later Clark watches Lois fade to speck on the horizon. He has his reasons for choosing Bruce- even knowing what his true nature was like.After all, love is not because of- it is in spite of. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Clark only has good sailing back to Gotham Bay, but even that isn’t enough to lift his spirits fully. He feels the loss deep in his bones, and he can’t help but miss his mother. He’ll never get another letter from her at a port, or come home to her apple pie, or get her consoling kisses on his forehead.For all intents and purposes, Clark Kent grew up a momma’s boy, and losing her is a particularly hard blow to his psyche. The sailor takes a deep breath and steers the yacht into the bay, listening to the purr of the engine, rather than the sound of his own heart breaking. “Bruce?” He calls out for his mate and the echo of his own voice reverberates back at him.“I’m right ahead of you, Clark.”Sure as ever, Bruce is lazily gliding ahead of the yacht, relaxed and without a care in the world from the looks of it.“How was everything?” He stops the engine and walks over to the side stairs to sit halfway in the water. Bruce swims closer, and gently glides his tail against Clark. It tickles, but it is soothing.“It went well. I had a visitor, and now I have another pod member. I’d like you to meet him, if you want.”“Of course I do, Bruce.” It’s easier to focus on someone else rather than himself in the moment, anyway.“Alfred? Can you come out here please?”“Master Bruce?”“This is Alfred?” Clark is equally flabbergasted, and amazed. The man is so small compared to Bruce, and looks a good bit older.“Indeed I am, Mister Kent.”“Please, call me Clark.”Alfred raises one well practised eyebrow, and the sailor realises the jury is out on that one.“Alfred, this is my mate, Clark Kent. Clark, this is a god friend of mine, Alfred.”“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Alfred.” Alfred’s warm smile is overly infectious, and his shake is firm and warm.“You ought to take good care of Master Bruce. I might be an old mermaid, but I still have something left of me should any harm come to him.” His gaze is stern and unwavering, and Clark feels himself gulp.“Yes, sir.”“That’s quite enough of the scaring my mate act, Alfred. Why don’t you go see if there’s anything you would like to collect near Oracle Isle? I know you’re fond of shells.”“As you wish, Master Bruce.”Alfred swims away leisurely, and Clark takes a deep shuddering breath.“Clark, what’s wrong?” Bruce feels a tightness in his chest that’s not his own, and a sorrow like he’s never felt before.“She’s gone, Bruce. My mother is gone.” The tears are back, and the sailor is actually glad Bruce sent his friend away, because it would be rather embarrassing if someone were to see him crying like this.The two sit in silence for a while, and the siren can do no more than to run gentle hands over Clark’s hair, and hush his whines of sadness as they watch the lapping waves in the distance.“I miss my mother too.”Clark holds his siren a little tighter with no concern for the fact that his clothes are getting wet.“It gets easier with time. At first, everything that reminds you of her feels like a knife, but then it gets better. A knife becomes a shard of glass. The glass shard slowly shrinks -till it becomes a pin prick in your side after a while- till it’s so numb you forget all about it, and begin to focus on the good memories instead.”“How long does it take to go away?”“It depends. How long do you think you’ll need until you can revisit all those memories?”“Hopefully not too long, Bruce.”“Then it should get better soon.” The siren sighs. It would be nice if he could get his sailor to smile.“How about I show you a trick?”“Really, Bruce?”“I’m serious. I can feel what you feel. I think you need some cheering up, carissthme.” The term of affection slips out really. He doesn’t mean to say it, and the siren can feel a subtle flush running up his gills.“What does that mean?”“It’s... an affectionate term. It means... my dearest? I think that’s what it roughly translates to, but it seems more intense in my language.”“Teach me some?”Bruce sighs fondly. “Why not?”-The siren accompanies Clark to the last island in Oracle isle, and they lounge in the shallow, with Bruce on his stomach, halfway onto the sand.“How do you say baby?”“Hǐllet, or hǐletin if you’re referring to a lover.”“How do you say darling?”“Are you only planning on learning pet names?”“Perhaps.”“It’s rellenăr but an even fonder version, adarthĩ, could be used.“You must have been a hit with the ladies.” Clark chuckles at his own joke and Bruce rolls his eyes.“Oh, come on Bruce. You can’t expect me to believe you’ve never used your fancy siren language on a female before.”Bruce brings his lips directly next to Clark’s ears before he whispers, “Cal sathnitis opines jesthya eek- sine threybeurs, rellenăr. Yé arethys essen meťh ales-detho auk ati lunarǐ ett stariuns.”Clark shivers as hot breath runs down his neck and a warm tongue traces the shell of his ear.“The other women don’t matter- they are not you, darling. You are my all- better than any moon or stars.”“You s-sure know how to charm the pants off someone.” His breath is coming heavily now, and Bruce’s hands are roaming all over him with no abandon. Suddenly he freezes. “I almost forgot. I want to borrow a shirt. If I’m being realistic, I guess pants would be appropriate too.”Clark turns around, looking rather confused.“You- a siren- want to borrow my clothes?”“Shut up and go get them, you’ll see. I did say I was going to show you a trick, didn’t I?”-When Clark goes to the yacht and brings back the clothes, Bruce is already on land. He’s looking rather funny, trying to drag his entire six foot tail onto the shore, and looking for the entire world like a turtle ready to lay eggs.“Stop laughing Clark.”“I’m not laughing at you.”“You’re a bad liar, Clark.”The sailor can’t help but laugh, and he’s clearly awful at stifling it.Bruce rolls over on his back and his hands bursts into flames. Clark involuntarily steps backwards, and Bruce just shakes his head. The siren begins to run his flaming hands over his tail, and his mate goes to interrupt before he remembers Bruce is fireproof.How convenient.“What exactly are you doing?”“Close your eyes, this can look kind of gross.”Clark still hasn’t gotten an answer, but turns around for good measure. There are weird, wet and sloshing noises before he hears an unusual sound.Shuffling of feet.“Bruce?”A pair of familiar hands grabs the cargo shorts out of his hands, and there is a rustling of starchy cotton and slight cursing.“Do you need some help? Pants can be tricky if you’re not human you know-”“Clark? Shut up.”The shirt goes next, and a few seconds later Bruce speaks.“I’m decent now.”Clark turns around, is at a loss for words.“..you have legs.”“I do.”“You failed to mention this before.”“I didn’t think it was relevant.”Clark thinks it is pretty relevant all right. Bruce was attractive in siren form, but he was no less appealing in any way. He was maybe two or so inches shorter than him, with a muscular build as expected, but the subtle differences were obvious in this form. He did not have gills or webbed ears, his eyes were a more of a natural shade of blue rather than an obscenely bright colour, and his usual shoulder length hair was much shorter.“I think it’s pretty relevant.”“Do you not like it?”“No! You look... wonderful. It’s just something to get used to, is all.”“How about a walk on the beach then?”“I’d like that.”-Bruce has been nosing the juncture at the sailor’s neck for a few minutes now, and Clark doesn’t exactly want to tell him to stop. Perhaps it’s a siren thing. “You smell so good.”“Excuse me?”“I still have heightened senses, Clark. But yes, you smell good.”“How do I smell, exactly?”Bruce takes a deep sniff, and Clark stifles a laugh.“Salty, with something like... cedar? Is that sage? I can’t pinpoint it all. But it’s really good. You just smell intoxicating.”“Thanks?”Bruce mumbles something but Clark doesn’t hear it between the vigorous scenting. Clark is something out of his dreams, and it dawns on Bruce just how attached he is. He can’t bear the thought of losing his mate now- not after everything they’ve been though.“Tell me you love me?” Clark isn’t averse to the call, but now that Bruce is his mate it has a slightly different effect on him. It’s more soothing than anything else, really. Bruce is seated behind Clark, his legs around the sailor’s waist, and hugging him from behind as though any space between the two was a sin.“I love you.”“Tell me you’re mine?” Bruce unclasps his hands from around Clark’s waist and gently manoeuvres himself so he’s practically sitting in the human’s lap, facing him.“I’m yours, adarthĩ,.”“Tell me you won’t leave?” Bruce looks innocent almost- all soft lips and long lashes and windswept hair- but the look he’s giving his mate is far from it.“Being away from you would be like drowning...” “Kiss me?” “My pleasure.”Their lips meet softly, and Clark is still getting used to Bruce in this form. Where he would expect to find scaled, rigid muscle there are toned, pale thighs splayed on either side of him. He runs his hands over them, gently kneading, and Bruce masks the smallest of gasps. Bruce is still fascinated with Clarks neck, and whispers, “You are perfect,” while dragging his nails down the column of Clark’s throat. It suddenly occurs to Clark that maybe this isn’t the best time or place for their particular brand of extracurricular activities, per say.“Bruce…we- ungh- we shouldn’t.” He’s trying to pull away slightly, and is finding it rather difficult with the siren stuck to him like glue, nibbling and biting and making rather obscene noises.“Shouldn’t what, Clark?” Bruce knows exactly what he is doing.“This isn’t exactly the prime location for what you’re thinking.”“How do you know what I’m thinking?”Clark gives him a deadpan, albeit breathless look.“You’re sprawled on my lap, with yours hands in my hair, and your mouth on my neck and I’m not supposed to know what you’re thinking?”“Point taken. So I guess you don’t want me to do this?” He punctuates with a slow grind against Clark.“Bruce.” It’s becoming increasingly difficult to reason with his mate, and while he’s all for the idea of a roll in the hay so to speak, he’s not keen on getting sand in places where sand shouldn’t be, if you know what he means.“No? Okay, what about this?” He dips in close to the side of Clark’s head, dragging his tongue over the outer shell of the sailor’s ear, and blowing on it with cool air. Clark resists the urge to shiver.“Bruce…”“Kent, you are really no fun.” There’s a pout in there that the human is determinedly not looking at, because if he looks at Bruce, he loses. If he takes one glance at those endless blue eyes, and those pouty lips and he’ll crack, and for once, just once he would like to win, thank you.“What if Alfred comes looking for us?”“He won’t.” Bruce gives him a chaste kiss, but he’s not like himself; he’s a little too frantic- too needy and it’s showing.“How could you possibly know that?” Another kiss, but this time a little more fervent. Like he has a mission of sorts.“Call it a hunch. The man has impeccable timing.” Bruce is holding his shoulders and pushing him down, and he’s doing something magical with his hips alright, because Clark has never felt anything like it. Any arguments he had are flying out the metaphorical window now, and Lois Lane is the last goddamn person on his mind in that particular moment.Bruce starts fumbling at his zip and the sailor finally gets control over himself.“Bruce.” The siren looks up and his eyes are hazy, almost glassed over. He looks… entranced. He seems to be attuned to Clark though, so Clark tries to shake him out of it.“Bruce!” Suddenly, his mate shakes his head, and is back to normal.“What just happened?” It’s Clark’s turn to feel all awkward now.“You kind went into a daze… you tried to jump me.”Bruce groans and covers his face with hands, crawling out of his mate’s lap and trying to not die of embarrassment.“Are you okay? Do I need to be worried, Bruce?”The siren sighs, and responds, “No, I’m sorry. It was a one-time thing. It won’t happen again.” He isn’t exactly sure how he’s going to keep that promise but he’ll damn well try.“The trance or the sex? I don’t think that it’s fair-”“I meant the trance, you idiot.” Bruce can’t help but laugh, and Clark starts to laugh with him too, feeling it bubble up and burst out of his chest like butterflies. Later, when he’s changed back, and Clark is asleep, Bruce tries and tries to rest but he just can’t. He feels squeamish and on edge, his entire face is flushed and his lower abdomen feels like someone is running a knife through it.He eventually goes to Alfred to seek help, but the merman just looks at him and nods gravely.“Oh, dear; I’d expected this upon meeting Master Kent, but I’d hoped it wouldn’t be so soon.”“What the hell do you mean Alfred?” Bruce isn’t exactly feeling keen on bullshit right now, and he’s suddenly feeling like his skin is too tight.“You’ve chosen a male as your mate, Master Bruce. Your siren anatomy recognizes you as the child bearer in the relationship…and thus you are beginning to experience your first heat.”All the blood leaves the siren’s face. Well damn.(It was at this moment, Bruce realized he fucked up.) ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Bruce valiantly keeps his head high after his conversation with Alfred, and heads back to the cave, ignoring the possible repercussions of being near to Clark. He knows what effect Clark will have on him, but if there is a possibility of him being able to get through this heat without telling his mate, his is willing to try it. Within the next few hours, he begins to feel the true onset of the effects of his heat. He enters the water to cool himself off rather than burn on his rock perch, but it doesn’t help. He feels several degrees too warm, and there’s a flush to his skin that is certainly not natural. The pain in his abdomen doesn’t subside but there isn’t much he can do to fix that. He’s already started to present, and he’s actually somewhat fuzzy on how this works. It’s clearly stated his anatomy will shift, but no one ever states how and- holy Triton what is that pain? His gills feel like they are burning and he’s throbbing in places that don’t normally throb, and when he lowers his hands from holding his stomach- that was not there before. His scales have practically curled in on themselves and disappeared, starting from above his hips- and where there is usually glossy black skin underneath there are soft folds. His breath catches at the sight, but he pauses to ensure Clark is still sleeping. Bruce looks to the sea and starts praying that his mate doesn’t wake up soon before he picks up on a sharp, sweet smell. He turns around looking for the source before realizing the smell is him. He blushes straight up to his ears and foolishly tries to wash it away, but the slightest contact makes him moan pitifully. His fingers, he realises, are sticky- the source of the scent. He lifts them into the moonlight, and they are covered in a thick glistening fluid that came from him. He’s soaking wet, and he has more than a few ideas of how to fix it, but few that don’t involve waking up Clark. He swims away from their usual cavern before he deems it necessary to wake up his mate. Bruce isn’t sure that the sailor would react well to these...abrupt changes in his anatomy. The curling movements the siren makes to cut through the water goes straight to his core and as soon as he is far enough away to not be heard or seen, he supports himself on the nearest structure, a smooth enough rock cluster, and tries to relieve himself. Everything feels too hot, and he uses delicate fingers to explore the soft new flesh. His fingers glide back and forth over his entrance, and the siren allows himself to close his eyes and imagine that it’s Clark touching him instead. He has no idea what he’s doing, but when one of his fingers slide into his entrance, something tells him he’s doing things right. With the amount of slick he’s making, the first digit slides right in, and the siren whimpers at the positively wonderful stretch. He experiments, sliding and curling his finger, and the shivers down his spine are fair rewards. The feeling is unusual but so good, and Bruce can’t imagine stopping. His breath is coming faster and he’s practically rolling his hips for more friction, but not getting very far with his tail weighing him down. He whines at the lack of a better angle, and tries to desperately take care of it. He slides another finger in and flutters them, while holding back a moan. The caverns might be long, but they do echo. He imagines what it would be like if Clark found him like this, needy and whining with two fingers in him, begging for more. He clenches around his own fingers at the thought, imagining his sailor approaching him with dark eyes, skin accented in the moonlight, and kissing him like he never dared to do. Touching him like this, so intimately-pleasuring him like this till he screams- Bruce speeds up his hands, and he starts to cry and shake with how good it is before his stomach tightens and his vision blurs with the strength of his orgasm. It ripples through him, causing a full body shudder, and he feels positively wrecked when he comes down. His tail feels heavy, and he’s sticky and sweaty in all the wrong places. He looks down at the mess he’s made -positively filthy- and closes his eyes, hoping to will it away. The extreme pain he felt before has died down to a mild sensation, but Bruce gets the feeling it will be back, and with it, the same wanton desires as before. All he wants is to do is curl up next to Clark, but that wouldn’t be a great idea, so Bruce assigns himself to the metaphorical couch for the night by sleeping on the other half of the cave, leaving a stretch of water about forty yards between them. He looks up at the moon and estimates the time of night. He has about five hours till sunrise. It’s too bad that Bruce barely gets any sleep. - Clark wakes up to any empty perch next to him. Bruce isn’t in his usual space, but when Clark looks around he sees Bruce some distance away, sleeping on a different perch, turned away from him. He quietly slips into the water, hoping to surprise Bruce with a morning kiss. It turns out Bruce is already awake, because when Clark is a few feet away, he curls in even further on himself, whimpering and holding his stomach. “Bruce?” “Now really isn’t a good time, Clark.” “Is something wrong?” “I’m fine.” Clark closes the distance, resting a hand on Bruce’s waist, and then siren lets out an obscene moan at the touch. His skin, the sailor notices, is much hotter than usual. “Don’t touch me! You’ll make it-ungh- worse.” His voice sounds wrecked, and the human begins to get worried. “Bruce, tell me what the hell is wrong with you, now. ” The siren shudders at the command in Clark’s voice and whimpers. “I’m going through my heat.” Clark’s breathing hitches and Bruce hears it, curling in even more and the human didn’t think that was physically possible with his tail. “Bruce, look at me.” “No. I have a- I have-” “Bruce. Look at me .” The siren hesitantly sits up, and turns, flipping his tail into the water. Clarks eyes focus on him, and Bruce flushes deeply when his eyes drop downward. His state of painful arousal is obvious, and he’s dripping wet again, with slick glistening down onto his scales that are on display for Clark. “There is nothing wrong with you. I’m sure your body is doing what it thinks is normal. You are no less attractive to me like this, but you already guessed that, right?” Bruce relaxes with Clark’s affirmation, but a passing breeze is enough to make him shudder in pleasure now. “I wasn’t sure you would want me like this…” The siren looks anywhere at Clark, and he’s never had anything to be embarrassed about his entire life, but now with his mates eyes on him, and his current situation, he feels so exposed. “Bruce, you could have legs or fins, female or male parts and I would still want you.” Bruce grins in response, but his smile only lasts so long. He's hit with a wave of nerve-wracking pain, and doubles over in response. Clark is immediately at his side, trying to help him. “ It hurts.I need you to touch me,Clark.” The sailor’s eyes grow dark in response. “ Bruce, I don't want to do anything that you aren’t sure of.” “Clark, if you don't put your hands on me right now I will rip something on you,” the siren growls. Clark hastily gets out of the water, and places himself comfortably around his mate. His hair is dripping,and his eyes are a dark blue,much like the night sky. The hunger in them is enough to make Bruce shiver with anticipation.“Why didn't you come to me Bruce?” His voice is husky and low, and Bruce tires to find an answer.“ I didn't want to tell you. I thought you would find this...unattractive.” “Well I suppose I will have to show you just how attractive I find you.” The sailor punctuates his response with several kisses down his mate’s neck. He drags his hands over Bruce's shoulders, following a path down his chest and over his stomach before pausing right below the hips. “Tell me what you want, Bruce.” The siren practically melts into his touch. His eyes have taken on the seam glazed look as before, but Clark knows that the end result will not be the same as their last encounter. “I- I want your fingers in me. I want to feel them. Please,Clark.” There's a desperate lilt to his voice, and Clark thanks it suits him. The sailor smashes their lips together in a desperate kiss, and his mate grabs his hair almost possessively. Bruce is holding him so tightly, it's almost like he's scared to let go. Clarks thumbs make circles over Bruce's hip bones and he rubs softly at the skin there. When he dips his fingers lower towards the apex of Bruce's heat, his mate is soaking wet for him,and the siren releases and inhuman keening noise. “ Please Clark, I need it .” The siren pours the allure into his voice, and emphasizes his point by rolling his hips into Clark's palm. “I don't want to hurt you, so I’ll have to go slow.” Bruce lets out a frustrated noise before he replies. “ For the love of Triton, you won't hurt me Clark. My biology is mostly elastic, and after last night I doubt another stretch would be too uncomfortable.” He still flushes a little as he says this. “So you did this already then? You didn't think to wake me up?” Bruce doesn't respond, but from the way Clark has stopped moving, he can tell he is in trouble. “You think I didn't want to see you like this? Breathless and begging? You should have come to me,Bruce. I’m disappointed. I would have made everything better.” “Oh yeah? Just how much do you really know about siren biology?” “ Well sweetie, if you're anything like what I'm familiar with, I'd say a good bit.” Bruce doesn't get a chance to give a sarcastic reply before Clark slides two fingers into him causing him to choke on his own words. He does something spectacular with the two digits - curling them in a way and angle that he could never do on his own.“Something tells me you didn't expect that.” The smug grin on his face is almost too much for Bruce. He can't even fathom words at the moment, and any syllables he might try to put together are drowned out by his wanton moaning as Clark drags a tongue over his neck. “Clark,”he pleads breathlessly,“ I need more.” “ Don't worry Bruce, I'll take good care of you,”he whispers. Bruce lets out a full body shudder. Clark's fingers slide out, and his mate whimpers at the empty feeling. A pair of lips leaves his neck, and the sailor is suddenly maneuvering himself to be face to face with Bruce's nether regions. He rests his face against Bruce’s tail- it flutters helplessly- and inhales deeply. “God, you smell amazing.” The predator flushes even more-a feat Clark did not think was even possible-and covers his face with his arm at his embarrassment. “ Carissthme , look at me.” Bruce looks up, and Clark is looking at him like he is some kind of angel. “You are beautiful. Don't hide your face from me, adarthĩ.” Clark doesn't take his eyes off of Bruce as he lowers himself back down, trailing kisses over the sirens neck, chest, stomach and hips before placing a kiss at the top of the mounded flesh. Bruce stares in amazement and shock, because he has never thought of such an act as what Clark is about to do. The sailor leaves featherlight kisses at first,but then he begins to take the predator apart, mouthing over him and finding a certain spot with his tongue that Bruce had never before touched. The feeling of white hot desire spirals down his spine, and Clark rubs relentlessly with thumb as he licks broad stripes over Bruce’s core. The siren is reduced to a sobbing mess, hands scrambling for something and Clark is groaning into it now, hot breath against Bruce’s sensitised skin. When he slips three fingers into him this time and curls Bruce practically screams- the stretch feeling so good and everything going so fast- and he sees constellations and oceans behind his eyes, with bursts of white. Everything stops for a minute and he knows Clark is close too. He’s still riding out his orgasm, but without hesitation, he pulls Clark up towards him, grinding himself against the sailor’s thigh as he bares his fangs and latches onto his mates neck, sinking in his teeth. Clark isn’t even phased by the pain- it will heal- and he lets out a guttural noise as Bruce licks over the wound, rucking up against the muscles of his upper tail before freezing and then going limp. Somewhere post afterglow, when his vision and senses clear up, Bruce sits up immediately- in horror. What has he done? He bit Clark.He bit Clark.He bit Clark. In the middle of his heat, he gave the mating bite, the ultimate siren mark of possession to Clark . His fragile human who is entirely breakable- “ Fuck .” “Again Bruce? I’m a little tired. Do sirens not have refractory periods? If so, how long does your heat last?” “A week, give or take. But that’s not what I meant, Clark. I bit you .” “I’m aware. It’s already healing, see?” Bruce breathes in relief. “I’m sorry.” “Don’t be hǐletin, I kind of like it. It’s like a way of saying I’m yours. We humans have another way of doing that.” “Really?” “Yeah,” the sailor replies, tracing his finger over Bruce’s neck. When he lowers his mouth and spends some time suckling on the skin there, nipping and leaving his mark, it turns a dark green rather. “Well that’s interesting. These are usually red or purple.” he murmurs, looking at his work curiously. “If I shift, it will change colours to match my blood type.” “You can shift during heat?” “Much more easily.” They may both be tired, but the cogs in their brains both start turning. “I think this is going to be a good week.” Bruce doesn’t respond but rather rolls over and curls into Clark’s chest, while making sure his tail was in the water. They’ll discuss that later. (Bruce, unfortunately, severely underestimated Clark’s knowledge of siren biology- or any biology for that matter. He wasn’t too fond his legs, but he was less fond of them when he couldn’t feel them . No matter what anyone said, he firmly believed Clark was the beast in their relationship- and that was just how he liked it. ) ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- On the sixth day of Bruce’s heat, Clark wakes up to his typical morning wood and not so typically, Bruce’s mouth. On him. “Good-ungh- morning, Bruce.” The siren doesn’t respond- his mouth is otherwise occupied- but he looks up from under his lashes where he has Clark’s pants pooled around at his ankles and his own sleeping shirt was thrown aside haphazardly. After day three Bruce had taken to liking his human form more as he learned about the wonders of the male prostate. Not to mention the variety of positions that didn’t involve getting in the water. Clark runs his hands through Bruce’s hair, pulling it rewardingly, and Bruce moans around his cock, the vibrations carrying as they went. “Someone’s ready to go already. Is it even nine o'clock yet?” Bruce rolls his eyes and raises eight fingers to signal the hour. Bruce pulls off with an obscene pop, and mutters, “You didn’t seem to care about the hour last time.” Clark chuckles and pulls Bruce into his lap for a kiss, and his mate grinds against him in earnest. “I want you in me. Now .” He pouts, but it’s clear he’s losing patience. “Relax, I’m not going anywhere.” “Yes, but I let you sleep for two whole hours after I woke up. I need it .” He’s shamelessly uses the call to entrance Clark, but he’s not asking for much, is he? “Tell me what you need then, baby.” Clark isn’t entirely affected, being his mate, but the call doesn’t have more sway over his reasoning than it should. Besides, who is he to deny Bruce anything? The sailor has a gorgeous mate- he’s straddling his lap, tan and very naked, with obscenely blue eyes, and a hot flush that follows from his neck and ears right down to his gorgeous cock- and he’s not particularly inclined to turn him down. “I want to ride you.” Clark groans. “Are you sure?” “Yes, dammit, I’m offering to do all the work here. Why are you even questioning me, Clark?” His frustration is adorable, and Clark just smiles fondly. “I just wanted to make sure.” “Clark, you’ve practically fucked me into oblivion all week, and made me scream so loud Alfred heard us from Oracle Isle, and you still feel like you need to double check me on what I want?” “Yes.” Bruce smiles devilishly, and leans in to whisper in his mates ear. “Well then, yes Clark, I want to ride you like a rodeo til I either can’t feel my legs anymore or pass out. Happy?” The sailor knows Bruce could be being sarcastic or entirely serious- sometimes it’s hard to tell. Clark places a kiss on his nose and responds, “Very,” before Bruce is kissing him like a drowning man. He wastes no time sinking his ass onto Clark’s cock, and if there is one thing about siren biology he can appreciate, it’s the self lubrication. Clark lets out a strangled choke, because they’ve been at this five times a day minimum, for the last five days and Bruce is still ridiculously tight . The siren dons the blissed out expression he gets every time they do this, and Clark grips his hips to lift him, but his hands are smacked away. “I can do this, Clark.” Bruce’s face is concentrated- nose scrunched up, bitten lips, forehead creased- and he has a very light sheen of sweat over him. When he starts to move is the part the Clark loves. Sirens seem to have no qualms about being vocal, and when there is no one within miles - aside from Alfred who wisely refrains from commenting- his mate likes to get loud . Clark believes it’s the heat, because usually Bruce is quiet and controlling and he seems more likely to lead the sex where he wants it, but now? Clark has free reign for the most part and Bruce just takes it . Bruce uses his strong thighs to lift himself up and down, and he runs his hand through his hair to keep it out of his face; Clark thinks it’s the most beautiful things he’s ever seen. He runs his hands over Bruce appreciatively, and Bruce actually preens . He’s rather fond of praise, so Clark remembers to use it as he says, “You’re so good for me Bruce. You don’t even know how gorgeous you are, do you?” The siren is about to start to move, but the sailor holds him in place. “Not yet, carissthme .” Bruce lets out a whine, because he wants to move dammit, but he’s still adjusting. “You should have let me prep you, Bruce.” “ Clark, please.. ” His eyes are welling up, and he’s so full and it’s so good, and if Clark would just let him move - “Just a little while longer. You’re so- God- tight.” Bruce finally loses his patience, pressing his hands on Clark’s shoulders, while rapidly lifting his hips and snapping them back down, earning a loud moan from them both. His hands are immediately held, and though he could very well break the sailor’s grip, he doesn’t. It’s a respect thing. “That’s not what we agreed.” Clark is breathless, but Bruce knows he should have listened. If he pissed Clark off, he might have to resort to using his own hands and it’s just not the same. “I’m sorry.” “We both know you’re not but I’ll accept it. Now, since you want to do things the hard way, I guess we’re going to have to do this slow, aren’t we?” Bruce doesn’t know how he ever thought humans were weak...he wishes he was right though.- “Clark, please.” His eyes are red rimmed from crying, and he’s came four times in the last hour- this was after being left to wait painstakingly hard for a whole hour untouched - and he just wants to be fucked already. He knows Alfred must be wondering why they haven’t eaten anything in couple of hours, but that is self explanatory. Food can wait. “ Not going to work Bruce.” The sailor had been rimming Bruce for almost an hour and Clark just kept him orgasming until it became painful, but his hands were in a grip strong enough to bruise, and he was still leaking. “I’m sorry.” “Are you, carissthme ?” “I am adarthĩ.” Bruce really hopes Clark thinks he’s sorry enough now, because he’s skin is getting too tight and he needs something in him now, or the fangs are coming out. “I believe you. Stay still for me.” The siren doesn’t move an inch, and Clark dutifully lines himself up, and slowly enters the faux-human, breathing sharply and he goes. Bruce doesn’t even breath until Clark is all the way in, and then Clark is moving, and oh his hips - the sensual glide as he goes in and out- it just makes the siren go crazy. Clark, however is a contrary lover, as Bruce is now well aware. You ask him to kiss you, he leans away, you ask him to go faster, he goes so smooth and slow that you go insane. So wisely, the sea dweller keeps his mouth shut, and just lets Clark give him what he will. “God, Bruce. So perfect, so good,” Clark groans as he starts to move faster. His mate hesitantly moves his hips slightly out of sync so they glide towards each other and it’s heaven. He arches his back, and a wanton moan leaves his mouth and echos off the caverns -he knows there’s no one around to hear him, but he wants the world to know that he is Clark’s. He starts moving his hips backwards faster, forcing Clark to go faster and when Clark hits his prostate he screams. The sailor shushes him, kissing his neck, and hits his sensitive bundle of nerves over and over like a marksman while he deftly reaches around and jerks the siren off. That just about does it for him, and Bruce sees white dancing in his vision when he comes this time- it’s ripped out of him like a wave, and he can’t even hear his own voice when he calls Clark’s name, but he knows he did. Clark comes after him with a few more ragged thrusts, and he pulls out, spent and lays next to Bruce. “Do you think we should get something to eat now?” “Maybe in a few minutes. I think that was it.” “It’s over? Your heat I mean.” “I think so.” He cradles into Clark a bit, if only for the warmth, (he’s naked and cold okay?) and falls asleep. He smiles at the kiss placed on his forehead. - For all the good the morning was, it doesn’t last all day. “Bruce, can we talk?” “Sure.” Bruce shoos away the little jellyfish he was talking to- Clark doesn’t ask about their conversation- and looks up. “I wanted to talk to you about moving.” Bruce’s eyebrows furrow in response. “Moving? I don’t think I understand, Clark.” Clark winces. “Moving on land, Bruce. I think we should get a home on the mainland, near the shore I’d hope.” “You want me to do what ?” There’s an icy disbelief in his voice, like he can’t fathom what his mate is saying. “Bruce, I love you, you know that, but I need things too. I can’t live between the caves in the middle of Gotham Bay and my catamaran for the rest of my life. You can’t either.” Bruce snaps. “I’m not a human, Clark! I might have legs but I was raised in the water! How am I supposed to just go on land and live amongst the same species of people who raped, pillaged and hunted my kind for years?” The sailor looks gobsmacked at the sudden outburst. “Am I not a human, Bruce?” “You’re different.” “I’m really not. I just want what’s best for you Bruce-” “What’s best for me is staying in the sea! I don’t belong there Clark, and I worked my tail off for this territory. I got ripped by sharks, other sirens and sailors to get Gotham Bay and keep it. I earned this home and I can’t just up and leave it to go sit in a brick house all day, away from the ocean. I won’t.” His glare is harsh, with no room for misinterpretation. “Bruce, you can’t ask me to do this.” His sailor’s voice is pleading. “Neither can you, Clark.” “I need to go back. You know I don’t want to leave you, carissthme .” Bruce makes up his mind right then and then there. Clark is not leaving him. “Then don’t. Stay with me Clark, you don’t need them.” Bruce pours more than the full allure of the siren song into his voice, and guiltily watches as Clark’s eyes go from blue, to a cloudy white, and then black. “You don’t want to leave, do you?” Clarks starts shaking himself, and making distressed sounds he tries to fight the call. His eyes flicker between an empty black to a lively blue, and the siren sees the moment that Clark breaks the enchantment, and his eyes take on a furious rage. “You used the siren call on me?” “ Clark-” “No! I trusted you. You’re my mate. You tried to take control of my mind, and force me to stay, when all I wanted to do was build a damned house so we could start a life together, and get a fucking dog or something!” “ Clark-” “Stop it, Bruce. There’s no justifying your actions. You say men are the monsters, but I don’t know that there are words for what you just did.” Clark turns away from him, and Bruce feels tears threatening to run down his face.“If you don’t want to be around me right now, then fine. I’ll give you some space. If you decide to leave, then I guess I’ll know how you really feel, Clark. Don’t worry- I won’t try to stop you either.” The siren doesn’t wait for an answer, but turns and shed his clothes as he walks, doing a neat dive into the water, and changing back to his true form. His tail hits the water with a splash, and by the time Clark catches his senses enough to try to stop him, Bruce is long gone. -Bruce avoids Clark for more than a few days. He stays on the other end of the caverns for nearly a week and a half, leaving Clark with Alfred (who attends to him dutifully of course) while he stews angrily. He is not being petty. One evening, he's munching on a minnow when he feels suddenly sick. He examines the fish, and it looks just fine (for something already half eaten and bloody), so he continues eating, although that seems to be a bad idea. Not even five minutes later, he’s expelling all of his lunch into the water next to him, and holding his nose in disgust. The acrid bile of the vomit is not familiar to him, but the scent is all too sharp for his enhanced senses. The sea dweller waits a while before trying to eat again, but he can’t seem to keep anything down. He deigns to lie down, but notices something peculiar. His scales are...lightening. He’s not entirely black anymore, but rather black at the bottom, and his upper scales nearer to his waist look...faded. Like a dusty, dark grey rather than the matte black they used to be. His face pales at the realization, and he slowly brings his fingers up to his neck and- indeed- he now has a second pair of gills. The only time a siren experiences changes like these are when- are when they’re pregnant . Well it’s no wonder he blew up at Clark. The hormonal imbalance must have thrown him off. Bruce offhandedly thinks that this makes a lot more sense now. (The only hiccup now is figuring out how to tell Clark he’s going to be a father….) ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- To say Bruce is panicking is an understatement. His face might have been stoic but there were one hundred and thirty million things going through his mind. What would Clark think? He probably didn't even want to be a father. What if he really thinks Bruce to be a monster? What if his child grows up with only one parent? He can’t fathom raising their child alone. The siren loses himself in a fitful state of hysteria, clinging to his rock perch like a limpet, and drearily muttering to himself. He doesn’t even know how the hell to parent a child. What would he name them? Would he even get sleep? Children cried a lot. Would he be able to switch forms? Sex would be a whole lot less interesting in siren form. Could he even have sex anymore? This whole pregnancy thing was beginning to seem a little too scary, and the mere prospect of talking to Clark now put Bruce’s heart in his throat. He absentmindedly rubs his hand over his stomach, and he feels a little warmth at the thought of a growing something in him. “Alfred?”“Yes, Master Bruce?” The merman looks over at Bruce from where he is tending to the sea flora on the other side of this particular stretch of the caverns.“How long will I be pregnant for?”“Well... siren biology is more advanced than human, but if I recall correctly your mother had you for approximately three months.” “You mean to tell me… I have a little over two months before this child rips out of me like a tidal wave?” “Approximately. It could be a little more than that depending on the child’s development. You do know that you are going to have to talk to Master Kent sometime, correct?”“Yes. That doesn’t mean I want to though.” His glare and pout is so childish, Alfred sees all of the little boy he knew so well in those features. Instead of focusing on the nostalgia he simply sighs.“When you see it fit, you should do so then. I should go see if sir needs anything.”“Please tell him…,” he pauses and looks away vulnerably, “- tell him I’d like to speak to him, if he would have me. I’ll wait by the catamaran stairs.” Alfred gives him a soft smile reserved for those moments of need. “Between you and I master Bruce, there is not a bloody chance in hell he wouldn’t speak to you. He is your mate, your better half, and I assure you, it hurts him more to be away from you than you him.” He swims away, leaving Bruce with a lot of food for thought, but not enough food for eating. He rolls his eyes and starts to hum. Shrimp sounds delicious when you’re pregnant. - Alfred checks up on Clark, who he looks even more miserable than ever. “Master Kent, are you quite alright?” “No. I… I miss him, Alfred. It’s been nearly two weeks, and he hasn’t checked on me once. How the hell do I tell him I don’t want anymore space?” “Master Bruce has asked to see you if you wish, sir. I believe he has something important to discuss with you.”“Oh god- he’s leaving me isn’t he?” His face goes white as a sheet and for a second the butler is worried.“Perish the thought Master Kent, he is doing nothing of the sort. Perhaps you should go speak to him yourself? He said he would await you alongside your vessel.” The elder gives Clark a small smile and receives one in return. “Thanks Alfred.” - When Bruce sees Clark, he physically winces. The man looked like he’d gotten no sleep at all, and he hadn’t even bothered to shave, something Bruce actually was not too fond of. Okay. perhaps twelve days away from Clark was being petty. He was still mildly angry about their whole argument, but not nearly as much as he could have been. Seeing his mate in such a state was more than enough to soften his heart and before he even knew what he was doing he found himself swimming over to Clark and embracing him tightly.“I’m so sorry, Clark. Please forgive me.” The sailor sighs deeply, burying his nose in the crook of Bruce’s neck and absentmindedly strokes a soft hand over his mate’s tail in response.“Bruce, I couldn’t stay mad at you if I tried. God- I just missed you so much, I couldn’t sleep, I barely ate, and I was constantly on edge, waiting for a sign that you wanted to talk.” “I know… I was being entirely unreasonable- a severely hard statement for me to say so don’t ask me to repeat- and I want to say I’m sorry too. I overreacted, and I never should have used the call on you like that-” “Bruce. It’s fine. I’m just glad I have you back, carissthme .” “I still have something to tell you…” Bruce pulls away, and Clark becomes worried. The siren turns his back to the sailor, and there’s a bright flush making its way up his neck.“Bruce? Is there something wrong then?” The siren turns back to him, and his eyes are watering, as he can barely look his mate in the eye. “Clark…. Adarthi… I’m- I’m pregnant.” The air is silent for a moment, and neither of them are breathing, but that’s right before tears start streaming down the siren’s face.“I’m sorry, Clark. I didn’t know-”“Bruce, stop.” The half fish looks up at him with a tear streaked face, marred with confusion. “You of all people should know me better than that, Bruce. What are you sorry for? For getting pregnant? ” “ Adarthi , you’re going to be a father. I didn’t know how you would react, and I’m not a-” “If you say you’re not a human one more time, Bruce I swear to God I will drown myself. I know you’re not human, carissthme. Do you think that means I love you any less? All I wanted was for us to settle down and be happy, and now you’ve done me one better and told me we’re having a child. Why on earth do you think I would be upset?” “I don’t know…” Bruce buries his head in his hands, scraping his hair out of his face, “I just assumed, and I got so scared- for the first time in a long time Clark… I was terrified and it was not pleasant.” “Look at me, B.” When cerulean and cobalt meet, the siren goes lax. “I will love you no matter what you are, and if I have to say that a million times I will. I’m not going to leave you, okay? Not you or your child.”His smile is wider than ever, and Bruce brings their lips together in a smashing kiss, just to show how truly remorseful he is, and his grip on Clark is tight enough to bruise.“I love you, Clark.” The sailor adorably scrunches up his nose, and sniffs.“Here I was thinking I was just a lunch platter.” Bruce smacks his shoulder playfully, and the two of them squish their behinds into the relatively small staircase of the catamaran that levels into the water.“How long have you been pregnant?”"I’m guessing for the time of conception and the development, but we could say two weeks and approximately three or four days. Which means we don’t have a lot of time.” Clark's face looks beautifully confused. “Uh… how long do siren pregnancies last, adarthi ?” “About three months give or take. The fetus develops quite quickly.”“Wow, so we have about ten weeks before a little siren starts splashing about?”“I should hope so, but I don’t know for sure Clark… there are incidents of human-born siren children. We can’t know the species of the child just yet.”“What do you mean? The child could be hu- like me?”“It’s entirely possible. The fetus could be a pup or a baby. We’ll only know after they are born. But whether or not the child is human, all siren born have abilities, Clark.” Clark freezes for a minute. “Wait- we might have a toddler that can light things on fire? Bruce, I am not fireproof like you so please tell me you can handle-” His mate chuckles in response, “ Carissthme , the child, siren or not, won’t have the same powers as me; that’s practically unheard of. If they take after you, they will likely elemental powers like mine, but not fire.” “This is a lot to process. Is there any instances of powerless children?”“Not that I know of… we will just have to train them the hard way. Just as every other siren did. If it makes you feel better, I burnt Alfred thirty seven times before I was even two years old.”“Well that’s comforting. I’m going to have a baby that might potentially be able to freeze my fingers off. How nice.” His sarcasm is a fond one, and he rolls his eyes to match, making Bruce think he is rubbing off on his mate a bit too much.“You were right about one thing however, but if you say I told you so, I will not hesitate to drown you.”“Oh really?” Clark looks mildly smug and amused but waits for Bruce’s continuation.“If we don’t know what species the child will be… it would still be in our best interest to- to get a house on the land.”He looks away indignantly but Clark smiles like a madman.“Okay, I’ll start looking from tomorrow! We can have whatever kind of house you want, baby.”“Don’t push the envelope, Kent.” He’s reigning in his smile, because he isn't going to let his mate off the hook just yet.“Come on Bruce, we can get a nice beach front house somewhere with a salt pool… and we can design the baby’s room however you want. Just think about it, B. The only downside is you’re going to have to be in human form most of the time.”“After the baby changing forms will be easiest. But if you want me to move on land you might want to find another pawn shop then.”“Why?” “Because I’m going to want a lot of stuff, and you have no idea how much gold I can find.” “You’re being serious aren’t you? You’re going to pawn off a gigantic pile of old Spanish relics so you can have a mansion on a beach that you’ll likely be able to buy.”“Gotham Bay is loaded with it Clark, and when it comes to sea treasure there is one rule. If you find it, it's yours. Also, in man’s world money is power. I like the sound of that.” “Oh boy.” Clark looks horrified, and Bruce simply smiles and pets his head. He gets the eerie feeling that his mate is going to be one very high maintenance human. - As it would turn out, Alfred is very familiar with the nature of human life and behavior, and as such becomes a crutch to Bruce, seeing as he accompanied Arthur around when he spent his time on land. The next three weeks are very aggravating, and the siren is slowly starting to eat more and more while getting progressively snappish. Clark finds it adorable.“Now, Master Bruce when you need to relieve yourself, what do you ask?”“Where’s the bathroom- Clark, why can’t you teach me this nonsense?”“Because you’d get distracted. I’m going to head out again today, but I think this place is the one.” - Clark had gone and pawned off an overly large portion of gold, leaving him with more money than he felt comfortable with, but Bruce had wanted a whole beach, so it the sum of cash seemed feasible. He had been out hunting down an estate that fit all of his mates criteria, but so far Bruce hadn’t liked any of them. The likelihood of them actually buying a beach was little to none. Maybe somewhere with a lake would work? The real estate agent seemed like a nice girl, and didn’t question Clark’s inability to bring his partner with him while the went house hunting either. Silena, after all, helped find what Clark now thought was the perfect place. It was a large mansion in Gotham City, that had an underground cavern system with salt springs and a waterfall. She’d thought the water might draw his partner to the house.“It’s perfect, Selina. Bruce will love it, I’m sure.”She smiles and hands him a folder with different shots of the house for Bruce to see and says, “I have a good feeling about this one too.” - Bruce loves the house. He practically melts over the salt springs and he and Alfred start nitpicking over how effective it would be for him to have his water birth in there. Clark wraps his arms around his mate, hugging him from behind, and rubbing his belly soothingly. The siren melds into his touch, and he covers Clark’s hands with his own, while they both make massaging circle on his more rounded stomach. “Bruce, there are way too many rooms in in the manor though.”“That won’t be a problem Master Kent. They will all be put to efficient use, or made into guest rooms.”“As long as you two know what you are doing then.”“Don’t worry, Clark. Arthur said he would find us the best interior designer for what I want.”“Should I call Selina and tell her we’ll take the house then?”“Tell her we’ll take the whole estate. I want a two mile radius around the whole house.”“Woah, Bruce. Why exactly do we need all that space?”“We don’t, but if we’re going to be rich we might as well do it right.”Clark bursts out laughing and his mate kisses his cheek before going back to his very serious discussion on the water filtration system for the house. He watches the two of them and how prepared they are to face the world and ensure his child gets the best of everything. He can just imagine them raising this baby and it brings a smile to his face. Then suddenly he realises something.“Bruce… what are we naming the baby?”“Richard. The siren translation means defender of the weak.”“How do you know it’s a boy?” “Call it maternal intuition.” The siren hasn’t stopped rubbing his belly but for a moment Alfred freezes. Then Bruce freezes too. The baby is kicking. “Why, Master Bruce, it appears the young ward is responding to his father’s voices.” The elder looks pleasantly surprised, dusting off his jacket seeing as both he and Bruce had forgone their tails for convenience. When they both look down, a footprint was lightly pressed against Bruce’s stomach, moving slightly. Clark’s expression is almost reverent and he kneels in front of his mate, bringing his head to Bruce’s belly. He can hear their child moving around, and he laughs.Bruce the whole time is still silent, because this is the first time the baby’s kicked. He does manage to let out a pealing laugh as his face breaks into a splitting grin, because when Clark pulls away, Richard’s tiny little hand is pressed firmly against his belly, and his sailor’s shocked face is beautiful.“That’s our son in there, B. That’s my little boy.”“Yes he is. With the way he’s moving, we might have ourselves a gymnast.”All three men laugh uncontrollably, and Bruce thinks this moment is the best one he’ll ever have. (But life as he knows it will keep getting better and better.) ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- By the time Bruce is just about ready to have the baby, the house has become more of a home. Yes, Alfred may have kept the place meticulously, but there’s no denying the homey feel of slightly chipped mugs, opera music playing at maximum volume, and the endless bowls of potpourri placed around by Bruce. With time, Richard likes to make his presence known. The siren finds he likes to move a lot, and if you wake up with his foot imprinting on your stomach, you most certainly will fall asleep with some other appendage plastered against the taut skin. The baby responds very well to voices and music,and it warms his heart to see the little one so active from even in the womb. Dick, as Clark chooses to call him, has no sense of timing whatsoever. The child, Bruce thinks objectively, is too much like his father. Clark is out on a long errand, and in the last trimester of his pregnancy, Bruce is forced to stay in Siren form to protect his vital organs. He stays in the salt pool for most of the time, but it can only get so interesting after the first few days. His beloved butler and mate had set up a birthing place for him just out of the water, and when he was truly bored, the siren would swim over and inspect all the tools they had set up. He is taking a leisurely swim when he gets a strange feeling, and notices the water turning a bright, iridescent orange around him. He’s shocked for a few moments before it hits him. His water broke. His water broke. His water broke. So he does what any dignified person does in this situation, when their baby is five days before due date. He screams. - “Master Bruce, you need to breathe!” Alfred’s face is rather concerned, and he ignores the fact that Bruce is basically crushing the bones in his hand in favour of guiding him through the birth. “Don’t tell me to breathe, I need my mate! I am pushing a fucking brat out of my cervix, and he kind of had something to do with it! Get him here, now!” Bruce’s eyes look like hell fire, and the butler fears for Clark’s safety when he returns. “I’m afraid Master Kent forgot his phone in the kitchen…” The initial silence is deafening. The butler cringes right before the screaches start “We bought him the latest fucking phone for him to leave it in the- oh my god when do the contractions stop? I’m going to kill him! ” Bruce does not seem to be reacting well to the pain, and he slowly gets more feral by the minute, fangs elongating and eyes glowing eerily. His breathing is laboured, and Alfred prays that Tamara finds Clark on her way to the Manor. - Tamara is driving through Gotham like a mad woman- and when she gets her hands on Clark, she might be sorely tempted to smack him. What kind of mate forgets his phone at home when they are expecting a child? She makes a close park outside of the building where Alfred told her the sailor should be, skidding her coupe into a small spot between a Chevy and a BMW. Her heels clack on the tiles of the nicely furnished business, before she sniffs him out, stomping into some random woman’s office, and grabbing him by the ear. “Sorry- I need to borrow him for an unspecified period of time, Ma’am. Enjoy your day.” She smiles maniacally at the lady whose eyes fog over and turn a misty white. “Ow-Tamara- Ow, you can’t just use the- stop pulling me!” “Get. In. The car.” She says this through gritted teeth, barely controlling her eyes from changing to their typical bright purple. “What’s wrong?” His head hits the back of the seat when she pulls out of her spot, and starts maneuvering through traffic at breakneck speeds. He quickly pulls on his seatbelt so he doesn’t die. “Bruce is in labour.” She doesn’t look away from the road, but her expression is livid, and he’s trying to fathom what he did wrong. “Why didn’t you call me?” “Are you kidding me? You little-” The pod leader looks ready to blow steam out of her nose, and Clark finally begins to smell of fear, which makes her smirk, if just a little. “Your phone, Clark. Where is it?” “Its right here in my pocket-” except when the sailor checks his pocket his expression deflates. It’s not in his pocket. “It’s on the kitchen counter. Which is why we couldn’t reach you. It’s also the reason your mate is going to rip you to ribbons when you get home. It was nice knowing you, Kent.” She still hasn’t looked away from the road, and the view outside is now a blur of forestry greens, signalling that they are near to home. The human takes on a pale face and gulps. This is not going to end well for him. - “Oh my Triton fucking wave pools, that hurts! Somebody get this baby out of me, now.” “Master Bruce, your call will not work on me, nor will it make Master Dick appear any sooner. You also know as well as I do that I cannot deliver the child alone, so I suggest you practice your breathing exercises until assistance arrives.” “Well I suggest you go fuc-” “Master Bruce! You should try to breath, and not test my wavering patience like an insolent child. Mistress Tamara has said she and Master Kent are en route.” His glare hardens, and Bruce glowers silently, cursing in his native tongue when the contractions return with a fury, and his face contorts in agony. A resounding slam comes from the front door and the scent of fear wafts in like a daydream to Bruce. Tamara comes speeding in with Clark in her shadow, and she immediately turns to Alfred. “How long have the contractions been going on for?” she asks. “Nearly forty minutes.” The butler replies. Bruce watches his mate with a calm gaze. His breathing is still heavy and his abdomen receives shocks like lightning every few moments, but he motions Clark over with a wave of his hand. His tail however still flicks dangerously as though it has a mind of its own. “Come lower. I can’t see you from there.” “Like this?” The sailor lowers himself to his knees in front of Bruce. “Yes, perfect.” The slap rings out loudly, and Tamara and Alfred both jump. Clark was expecting it. “Leave your phone at home again, and I will literally rip you to pieces, am I understood?” Clark nods silently, before Bruce starts groaning again, and hissing in siren tongue. “Tamara, get this baby out of me!” Clark rushes to Bruce’s side again, ignoring the ringing in his ears, and when he puts out his hand for Bruce to hold, there is a subtle cracking noise as the siren attempts to rearrange the bones in his fingers. “Bruce, I am going to need you to follow my breathing okay?” The woman then begins a set of deep breathing exercises, and Bruce follows suit, face scrunching in pain now and again. “I’m going to need you to lower your tail fin, so I can take a look and see how much dilation is going on under there, okay?” Bruce nods, and slowly unfurls his fin which was in a position very much like cradling one’s knees to their chest. “Okay, Alfred I need a cloth and some warm water here. Clark, try to keep him calm.” After a few moments of some inspections that the human doesn’t understand, Tamara looks up with a grave expression. “We’re at about four and a half centimetres of dilation, but Bruce… the baby is in breech.” “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me right now.” “I’m sorry,Bruce. We can try to do a cesarean section but you might bleed out… however, if the child is siren, the delivery will need to be underwater.” Bruce pales slightly at the thought of a knife near him, and grips Clark’s hand more tightly. “We shall have to wait then, until the child presents before attempting to submerge Master Bruce.” “No need,” says Tamara, wiping away at Bruce, “My eyesight is more than perfect, and I see scales.” Clark releases a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. The baby is a siren. Thank God. “How the hell do you expect me to get into the water when I am practically beached on this thing, and as big as a house, Tamara?” “I’ll help you, B.” Bruce looks over at Clark with watery eyes, and the sailor gives him a reassuring smile, before helping him to get off the pedestal table. The predator wraps his arms around the human’s neck, and with some difficulty, the two of them manage to make it into the pool. By the time they are finished, Tamara has already shifted, and is tying back her hair into a braid. “If you’d follow me, please.” She swims to the very bottom of the pool, and Bruce slowly sinks down, not even bothering to swim. Clark couldn’t see very much from there- because the water was very blurry- but after about six hours of nervous the butler leans over his shoulder and smiles. “Our young ward is out, Master Kent.” His grey eyes light up with joy, and there is mirth in his unresigned smile as he organises the last of the materials they had set up. “When can I see him?” Alfred’s face crinkles a bit before he responds. He seems reluctant to reply. “Unfortunately not for a week or so. Siren children need to adjust to the oxygen level slowly, before they learn to switch between using their gills and their lungs. I will gradually raise the level of oxygen in the water for the next few days and hopefully by Sunday evening, Master Bruce will be well rested enough to bring him and the baby to the surface.” “Will they be okay?” Alfred rolls his eyes. “They are creatures of the water you know; they will survive just fine under there. I would suggest you keep your mate well fed is all.” “Thank you, Alfred.” “It’s only my job, Master Kent.” The sailor leans in close to the edge of the pool, and sees his mate curled into a small lump, holding their child in his arms, with a small blue tail twitching feverishly. He breathes a small sigh. - “Okay, I’m going to guide Bruce and Richard up to the surface, but you must try your best not to fluster the baby, okay Clark?” “Yes, I heard you. No touching the gills, no rough handling the fragile fins, and no screeching.” “Basically.” When she ducks under the water and rises back with Bruce and a giggling baby siren, the human has to hold back a gasp. “C-can I hold him?” Bruce rolls his eyes. “He’s your son too.” Bruce gently hands over the child to Clark, who holds him as if he is the most delicate thing in the world. “Hi there little guy…” Dick looks at him with bright blue eyes and sticks out his chubby little hands to grab at Clarks face. When his father leans closer, his stout slippery fingers latch onto a lock of hair, and when he finally lets it go, it forms a perfect ‘S’. Clark chuckles, and the baby peels with laughter. “That’s my boy.” He cradles the boy near to his chest and the child croons softly. Dick gazes at him and his eyes seem to switch from dark blue, to light blue to grey...and it’s almost mesmerising. “I forgot to mention, don’t stare into his eyes for too long, Clark. Babies can’t control the call.” Clark snaps his head up, and looks at Bruce with an exasperated expression. “You didn’t think to mention that before, B?” “Oops?” The half-fish shrugs his shoulder innocently as though this weren’t vital information. Clark facepalms with his free hand and the baby laughs, smacking his whole tail against his father’s chest with joy. “It seems like the kid finds you funny.” “That’s good, because we both know I have a sense of humour that’s an acquired taste.” “Sirs, if you would look up please?” The butler sounds concerned; an unusual occurence. Both Clark and Bruce look upwards, and their eyes go wide. Around them in the cave, are little glowing orbs of light in iridescent blue, silver and white, and they all seem to be gravitating towards the baby. They dance around like they are being controlled, and the siren looks over to the pod leader. “Tamara are you doing that?” “No… I think- I think it’s the baby.” The two men look down at their son who was still giggling and waving his arms, and with every motion, the little orbs moved with him. “He has his powers already?” asks the sailor. “It would appear our little boy is a light master.” Bruce’s fond smile makes his eyes shine, and his skin glow, and Clark wonders how when he will stop falling in love with this man. “That’s good right?” “Yes. For now.” Clark goes to ask another question, then realises that he doesn’t want to know the answer.He carefully cradles the baby closer to him, whispering in hushed tones, and sits next to Bruce at the edge of the pool as the little orbs surround their blooming family, and brings hope for a bright future. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Clark stares at the gold wedding band on his hand, angling it this way and that way so it catches the afternoon light. It’s been twenty years since he and Bruce were married, and he still can’t help but smile at the shining ring adorning his ring finger. He walks through the door and out to the back lawn, breathing in the fresh air. Bruce and Dick had just come back from a grocery run for more snacks, and Damian was sure to be around somewhere. The two other resident humans besides himself-Tim and Jason- were in the kitchen because Clark had sent them to get the supplies to set up the barbeque. It was the fourth of July, and Clark loved having big celebrations amongst the family, so he even told the boys they could invite a friend each. Dick had said he was inviting his boyfriend Wally, while Jason said Roy would be coming, Tim meekly asked if Conner would be permitted to join, and Damian declared Colin would be arriving as well. He was fine with all of this, of course, but expectedly Bruce was still a little skeptical. Even after all these years he still had a healthy dose of dislike for the majority of the human race; this was no surprise. “What if they find out? You can’t possibly think the boys are going to keep our lifestyles from their friends, much less a boyfriend forever, Clark.” He folds his arms and leans against the back wall, not agreeing with his mate’s choice. “Bruce, letting four more people into the circle wouldn’t be catastrophic you know.” Clark looks around clumsily for the grill lighter and can’t find it. “Yes, but what if Dick and Wally breakup? What happens if Colin and Damian stop talking?” Bruce takes pity on Clark, summoning a fireball and throwing it onto the doused coals in the midst of their conversation. After several years of seeing the man casually summon fire, it doesn’t bother him, not to mention the fact that his youngest and his eldest also had gifts. “Then we deal with that as it comes. But realistically, I think Wally might be the one.” Clark wipes his glasses on the apron to clean them quickly. “You mean Wally West… the spastic, long legged, track dork whose whole body shakes like a newborn giraffe every time I come around? You think he’s Dick’s mate?” Clark chuckles gently, tending the grill as he side eyes Bruce. “You may not have realized this, but the poor guy finds you terrifying.” Bruce rolls his eyes. “He’s a kid. So is Dick.” Clark makes a deadpan expression. “He’s twenty two, Bruce. That’s only a year older than Dick is anyways. They’ve been together for nearly three years now, too.” “Really? Are you sure, Clark?” To say that Bruce ignores Wally at times is an understatement. The man in question just facepalms.Obnoxious laughter breaks out from behind him, and he turns around to see Jason and Tim smiling, bringing in the stuff for the barbeque. Jason is gesturing wildly as he talks to Tim, “So I had to strip down to my underwear and run across the hallway to distract Roy and Wally while Dick practically jumped out of the water, because he forgot they were coming over-” “Oh my gosh, when are you guys going to tell them?” interjects Tim. He runs his hands through his hair that’s getting a bit shaggy now. Jason gives him a squeamish look as though he’s not comfortable discussing it. “Well, uh-Papa trusts them but you know Dad, he’s still a little skeptical of outside humans sometimes… I’m sure he’ll come around though. I hope he does, because I don’t know how much longer I can keep covering for Dick.” “Yeah, Damian’s getting sloppy with hiding too. I had to turn on the emergency lock on the cave last week because Colin’s gotten comfortable. He doesn’t call before he swings by anymore.” “Huh, looks like the red heads are the weakness of the Wayne siren boys. How interesting.”“Firstly, that’s hypocrisy because Roy’s a redhead, and secondly I’d pay to see the look on Wally’s face when he finds out his boyfriend is a siren.” “Come on, what’s the big difference. The guy’s putty in Dick’s hand anyways. I don’t think he even needs the call. Also, what’s Roy got to do with it? It’s not like he’s my boyfriend or anything.” “Mhm… I believe you Jay.” His side eye and and sly grin says otherwise. “What’s that punk?” Jason’s face has gone red with embarrassment, and he looks like he’s a split second away from dropping the food and wrangling with his brother. “Come on boys, lets get this food going,” Clark calls, tying on his apron, and effectively ending the conversation. Bruce watched silently, but he was listening to every word. - When all the guests for their little party arrived, it was a lovely get together. Clark watched as his boys mingled with their friends, while he, Bruce, Arthur and Tamara enjoyed drinks and shared stories. Damian and Colin were arguing with Tim and Conner over the best gaming modules, while Jason and Roy were having a hushed conversation under the arbor. Dick had gone to refill the cooler, and his boyfriend was approaching the group of adults with a passion in his step. When Wally walked over though, he looked nervous. “Mr. Wayne, Mr. Kent- uh… can I have a moment to speak to you?” “Sure, Wally. Do you want to talk in private?” Clark shoots a pointed glare at Jason who had paused his conversation, and was obviously eavesdropping. “If you don’t mind, yeah.” He wrings his sweaty palms together, and constantly fidgets for the whole walk inside, much to Bruce’s annoyance. They led him into the office and Clark gestured for him sit down, but he remained standing. “Look, I just wanted to say that I really care about Dick and he means the world to me. We’ve been together for two years, ten months and two weeks today. I really want to show him that I take this relationship seriously and that he’s the only one I want to be with, but I feel like he’s hiding something from me.” The redhead looks at them wide expectant eyes, and Clark and Bruce have a non verbal conversation. This of course involves a lot of eyebrow twitching, scoffs, grunts and glaring. “Wally, what are you trying to say, son?” asks the sailor gently. “I… I want to marry him. I thought I would come ask you for your blessing first, but if there’s something going on that I need to know, please- just tell me.” “Wow...I’d be honoured if you would join our family, Wally. You’ve been nothing but good to our boy, isn’t that right, Bruce?” He looks at his mate who has an expression on his face that usually means no good. “Sorry about this Clark.” He runs a hand through his hair and takes off his faux glasses that matches Clark’s. “Bruce no -” “Wally, tell me your heart’s true feelings about Dick, please. ” Wally’s eyes go milky white, he takes a deep breath and then starts to talk. “I love him. I don’t know how I do so much, and some days it feels like my heart is going to burst, but I love him. I want to be with him till I die, and I want to memorise his laugh and the way he growls when I steal the tv remote and how he practically draws light to him when he’s happy. I want to adopt kids, and get a dog, and move into a house with him. I want to wake up to him, breathe the same air, share the same heart and be his everything. I want… I want to marry him.” “Bruce…” The siren relinquishes his hold on the boy, who stumbles backwards against the desk, horrified at his loss of brain to mouth filter. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to ramble like that-” Wally starts. “It’s not your fault Wally. I believe you; you’ve earned my blessing.” “Thank you so much sir!” The red head is bouncing with joy, and his grin is bright enough to light up a room. Clark however is still simmering at Bruce’s rash actions. “You might want to talk to Dick before you propose though. I think he has something to tell you.” says Clark, looking sharply at Bruce, who just arches a brow. “Uh sure… I’ll talk to him.” Bruce and Clark have another silent conversation, and Wally politely stares and the Ming vase while picking invisible lint off of his shirt. From the looks of it, he thinks Clark won. When they are done, the scarier of the two speaks first. “Wally, I’m sorry. I know you feel as though Dick is keeping something from you, and he is...but it’s because I told him to. We’re an extremely tight knit family as you may notice, and I like to keep everything under wraps. I think it’s best if you all find out anyways.” “Uh...you all? This is a group thing now?” He scratches the back of his neck and doesn’t seem to understand. “You, Roy, Conner and Colin, he means.” Clark says gently. “You guys aren’t like...Mafia right?” The two men start laughing heartily, and Wally laughs nervously with them. “No Wally, we’re not part of any mob.” Bruce seems genuinely amused, so the track runner thinks he is doing okay. “How about we all meet up and wait in the cave then?” Clark suggests, looking at Bruce for confirmation. “You grab the boys then, I’ll get Alfred and the guests.” - The four humans aside from Clark, Tim and Jason look around nervously and the seafolk try to repress their laughter. “Dad, why are we here again?” Dick looks a little confused, and Jason looks bored, instead opting to lean against Roy lazily, gripping his red hoodie and poking him absentmindedly. Tim clearly knows what’s going on, because he has a poker face on, and Damian sits next to Jason, while trying to gauge Colin’s reactions. “I think it’s time we… enlightened our guests as to the nature of our family, Dick…” “Wait. Are you serious?” The eldest has wide eyes, and a hopeful expression that reminds Bruce everything of when he was just a little seapup barely able to gurgle. He holds his calm facade and replies bluntly. “Yes. But I think it would be better to show them, don’t you think?” Roy, Wally and Conner look confused while Colin looks back and forth between Bruce and Dick. “Okay, who’s turn is it?” “I’m not volunteering. I’m old with four kids.” Clark then looks at Damian and Dick, motioning for them to decide between themselves, and leave their father out of it. “I don’t understand. What’s going on here?” asks Conner, looking like a confused puppy. “Wait for it. Don’t ask. Just wait.” replies Tim, with mirth in his voice. “Come on little D, can you do it?” “Tt. Excuse me? I’m not wrinkling my outfit, this is designer. You’re wearing a v-neck for crying out loud, you do it. ” Dick sighs, but resignedly accepts his fate. “Always me, just because I’m the oldest. I swear you guys are cruel.” He takes his ponytail out and stings Wally with the rubberband. The redhead flinches and grabs the offending thing with a laugh. Then to the amusement of some, and shock of others, he begins to strip. “Master Dick, please don’t leave your clothes in a pile on the floor.” Alfred seems unfazed, and Roy and Conner just watch him in shock while Colin looks at Damian who shakes his head. “Sure thing, Alfred. Humans please step away from the splash zone,” he says as he picks up his jeans and shirt. “Humans? Why do you say that like you’re an alien or something?” asks Colin, speaking up for the first time, and somewhat nervous. “Not quite alien, but you’ll see in a minute, Wilkes.” replies Damian. The boys step away from the water anyways, but they are all rather skeptical as to why the man needs to strip. Dick enters the water right as Damian covers Colin’s eyes, and Tim turns Conner’s head away. There is a wet slap as Dick throws his boxers across to the other side of the room. “Was that his underwear?!?” Roy asks, looking between Jason and Bruce. “Yes,” answers Clark before turning to his son, “Nothing too showy please, Dick.” “No promises Papa.” Before anyone else can try to figure out what’s going on, he starts to move. He ducks under the water, and Tamara and Arthur roll their eyes, because they know exactly what he’s going to do. A few seconds later, he comes diving up out of the pool in a dolphin jump, and flicking his bright blue tail like someone waving hello, before falling back into the water with a small splash. “What just happened?” asks Roy softly. He slowly slides down the wall and Jason pats his head gingerly because he looks as though he’s in shock. Conner just...faints. “Don’t worry dad. I got him,” says Tim, using Jason’s help to drag him off to the side. The two of them carry him across the room, while Roy and Colin watch the whole ordeal like an episode of Maury. Dick comes up to the edge of the pool, looking nervously at Wally. He self consciously tucks a lock of wet hair behind his ears, and doesn’t look at his boyfriend at all. Wally slowly stoops and gradually gets on his knees to be nearer to him. “I can explain?” “So… this is the big secret? My boyfriend is a merman.” “Not quite. I’m a siren… just a little different.” Wally still looks awed. Dick’s eyes glow beautifully and his hair curls damply just past his shoulders. His tail is like something out of a movie, and it glides up and down, threading water gently with varying shades of blue shimmering as he moved like some kind of magic. “I don’t care.” Wally looks him in the eye, and leans closer till their noses touch. “You don’t?” It’s barely a whisper, but everyone present hears it because the room is so quiet. “Dick, you’re still the same man I’ve been dating for almost two years now, and this doesn’t change that. It’s part of who you are and if I can’t accept it, then I don’t deserve you. Actually… before you mentioned all of this, I asked your dads for their blessing because I was going to propose to you. Tonight, during the fireworks show.” There’s a collective gasp from everyone in the room, aside from Alfred. (He’s not surprised at all; it’s a very difficult feat.) “Was...You don’t want to marry me anymore?” “I never said that, but I still can’t give you this ring can I?” he says as he pulls out a velvet box, but ceases to open it, his face a sombre mask. No one in the room is even breathing now. “Why not? I thought you didn’t care if I was a siren? Wally please don’t do this...” “I have to. I’m taking the ring back Dick.” He looks at the ground and his lips form a thin line. “I’m sorry Wally. This is all my fault.” The siren’s eyes are watering now, and he wipes his hand across his face. “Why are you sorry? It’s not your fault I didn’t get a waterproof ring.” He finally stops holding in his smile and grins like crazy before Dick smacks hard on the shoulder. “You idiot! You scared me!” Laughter erupts from the entire room, and Wally’s face goes red. “Marry me?” “I thought you’d never ask.” Dick pulls him in close with one hand, and he didn’t think it was possible for one person to blush so much, before he drags him down for a kiss. The room erupts in claps and cheering and Arthur uses some of his magic to make the water take the shape of dolphins jumping out, while Colin and Roy watch with wide eyes. Conner wakes up, and after some blushing on his part, and a lot of explaining, Tim helps him off the floor and he goes over to the couple to wish them congratulations. -The best part of the night is the fireworks. The display goes on in bright whites, blues and reds off the pier, and they can see it perfectly from the waterfront behind the manor. Wally has his hands around Dick’s waist, and in the midst of the fireworks the siren pulls him in for a kiss, and suddenly the place starts to glow. Lights the size of tennis balls start forming all over the waterfront, and Jason sighs, batting one to the left before eventually giving up. Suddenly all the nighttime Jasmines start to bloom like crazy and when Bruce looks over, Colin and Damian are sitting next to each other on a stone bench, and the little freckled beauty has Damian’s hand in his, while his son blushes like crazy. He refrains from smiling, but instead pokes Clark and nods his head towards the two, to show his mate the sweet moment. When he looks back at Jason and Roy, they are both sitting on a branch up in the trees, but he can make out Jason’s head leant against the other, and Roy running his hands through soft hair. He knows they haven’t decided anything, but above all else, he only wants his son to be happy, and if Roy Harper can do that, the boy is more than welcome in his home. “Have you seen Tim?” He directs the question softly at Clark who is sipping a brandy and barely watching the fireworks at all. “He looks pretty comfortable over there with Conner.” He points to a spot of grass on the left, and the two have a blanket out on the cold grass to block the dew, legs and arms tangled not even bothering to pretend they were looking at the fireworks. “Are they even watching the show?” Bruce chuckles, but to be honest, he hardly looked after the first minute, even though the point of coming outside was to watch the display.“No. Why watch that when we all have something brighter to look at?” Bruce smiles and looks away, because even after years of marriage Clark always manages to sweep him off his feet. “Tonight was perfect. Thank you, Clark.” “I love you, carissthme .” “And you take my breath away, adarthi .” Bruce pulls Clark in for a kiss, and it tastes like brandy and sugar and everything perfect wrapped up into one, and even all these years later they still kiss like they’re drowning in each other, and the sailor finds that ironically beautiful. When they pull away, and their foreheads still touch, Clark still sees those eyes, blue like the ocean-just like the first time they kissed-and he caresses his mates cheek, falling in love all over again. Bruce looks around at his family, and pulls Clark closer to him, eyes glistening with unshed tears. He looks out at the bay, and the water ripples and sparkles beautifully- but he doesn’t yearn for the sea the way he used to. The sea might have been his home, but home is where the heart is, and his heart belongs right next to him, in the hands of his own sea, his everything, his sailor.
11476647	to ease the pain	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": null, "Characters": "Yoo Kihyun, Son Hyunwoo \| Shownu, Shin Hoseok \| Wonho, Lee Minhyuk (Monsta X), Chae Hyungwon, Lee Jooheon, Lim Changkyun \| I.M", "Fandom": "Monsta X (Band)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Mature", "author": "by snowyxiu", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-12T00:00:00", "words": "631", "Additional Tags": "Self-Harm, theres really no relationship at all, the other members are actually just mentioned, No Dialogue, Self-Hatred, Stress, i wrote this when i was :(", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Kihyun sat in his bunk, staring at the sheets crumbled at the foot. He did it again. He fucked up. When would he learn to get it right? The producer had given him numerous corrections. More emotion. Not so loud. Stop with the falsetto. He couldn't do one damn thing. And if that wasn't bad enough, his own group members had been whispering about him. Kihyun’s tone isn't too great. What’s happened to him? Even Kihyun himself couldn't answer that question. He didn't know what had happened to him. Everything had been fine. He was the main singer. He was talented. Fans swooned over his singing. Renowned artists even praised him. So why was he such a disgrace now? He told himself it was because he had lost his touch. His throat was always scratchy from practice, which made his voice ragged. He ran out of breath whenever he sang. His voice cracked when he spoke. He was falling apart. Yoo Kihyun was falling apart. His band members could only watch from the sidelines. Kihyun was always the one to take care of the others when they hit a nadir. He was left to himself when he was hurting. That wasn't to say the others didn't try. Hyunwoo tried to talk to him in his completely diplomatic manner a few times. Hoseok would offer him food. Minhyuk, who was the most worried for his best friend, reassured him that he was a great singer and had nothing to worry about. Hyungwon and Jooheon did everything they could to make him smile. Changkyun, bless the boy, tried to cuddle. Kihyun appreciated their efforts, but he couldn't accept. He couldn't talk about it because it was too hard. He couldn't eat because he would gain weight. He knew he wasn't good enough. Smiling hurt, and he wasn't in the mood to cuddle. The last thing he wanted to do was impose his problems on the members. So there he was, alone in his room. The others knew very well to stay out (as much as they wanted to accompany him) when Kihyun locked himself in there. They figured he was crying or writing or sleeping. They weren't wrong, but they weren't completely right either. Kihyun looked around the cluttered bedside table. He found a paper clip holding together a few sheets of paper. He knew he shouldn't do this. It was wrong. It was unhealthy. He should find other ways that were less destructive. But no one cares about self harm unless they see blood. Scratch. He drags the sharp edge of the unraveled paper clip across his arm. The skin was white and flaky. Scratch. It wasn't so bad, really. The pain was there, but there was no blood. No way for people to know that he hurt himself, since it would disappear by the next morning. Scratch. He was such an idiot. Scratch. Why did he think he had what it took to be in a group? He was bringing all the members down with him. They were too good for that. Scratch . He lost all his talent. He couldn't sing. He couldn't dance. He wasn't handsome. He was too fat. Too ugly. Too useless. Scratch . Others in the group had amazing voices. Why did they need Kihyun when he was failing at every line he got? They could easily remove him and distribute the lines more fairly. He went to scratch again, but he heard footsteps. Throwing the paper clip back onto the table, he pulled his sleeve down and yanked the covers up to his chin. For a few seconds, there was nothing. The bathroom door could be hear and Kihyun let out a soft sigh. His fingers ran over the raised lines on his arms. He was pleased.
11467224	Living on Instinct	{ "Archive Warning": "Major Character Death", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Peter Hale, Stiles Stilinski", "Fandom": "Teen Wolf (TV)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by TriscuitsandSoup", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "1,181", "Additional Tags": "Afterlife, Reaper Stiles Stilinski, Wolf Peter, Wolf Peter Hale, Rebirth, Death and Rebirth, Character Death, Reincarnation", "Relationship": "Peter Hale/Stiles Stilinski", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Every creature in the woods climbed their way to death. It wasn’t a metaphor but a literal fact of life. His parents had done it and someday so would the little black wolf. The climb always happened when no one else was around. They traversed the logs and raging rapids with whatever wounds or diseases cut their lives short. Of course, there was no way to prove this, only the row of bodies lining the topside of the mountain gave credence to the tale.Knowing that the little black wolf couldn’t understand why anyone would ever start the climb. If it always ended in death, what was the point? Just refuse to go up the mountain and life can continue. It might have been painful, unpleasant, and harsh but at least it was his. With that mentality, he suffered through many cold, hungry winters and a dozen wounds that would have made a weaker wolf curl up whine until the urge to climb the mountain overtook them. For a while, the black wolf thought he had cheated death.He lived to be in his twenties and for a wolf that was a long time. His body wasn’t what it had been when he was young. He spent more days hungry than not and years of ripping his paw pads on jagged rocks and being torn into by hungry bears had left its mark upon him. He trembled when he stood and his eyesight was nearly depleted. He survived another six months in that condition before the need to climb encircled him with tempting fingers.As a pup, he’d thought of the climbing as a desire, a want, an urge, but it was nothing like that. It was like seeing the last puddle of fresh water in a desert. It was a need as strong as any other and so, with his legs quivering, his tail lowered, and his ears down he started to walk one paw after another up the steep and narrow trail lined by hundreds of paws before his.His pads slipped a few times in the mud but he never fell far. It was like an invisible rope kept him tethered to the path and caught him when he started to slip. Looking down his greying muzzle he saw the forest finally split. He always thought he’d find a grave at the top, or maybe a clearing, but instead where two large crags that jutted into the sky. Between them stood a figure wearing a dark cloak with the hood drawn up over its head. Past the figure he could hear running water.The figure turned towards him as he put his paw on the rock. He hadn’t realized how badly his entire body hurt, or how old he was until he saw the youth on the young boy’s face.“Welcome home, buddy,” said the boy. He smiled and bent down on his knees. His face was marked by little brown moles. His eyes were as brown as the shady side of a tree and looked at him with the recognition and warmth of an old friend. The black wolf approached, feeling the creak in his bones and the pain in his shoulders as he walked closer, knowing his journey wasn’t quite over.“I hope you don’t regret it. I know it’s not easy out there,” said the boy. His hand pressed to the wolf’s furry cheek, his slender little fingers tucking themselves into his fur. Just like that the pain that afflicted every muscle and joint was wiped out in a sudden flood of calm. He closed his eyes and let himself enjoy his bodies absence of pain.With a gentle press of his fingers the figure encouraged him to step forward.The black wolf took his first painless step in years. Whoever the stranger was the wolf felt a warming in his heart that spread through his entire being and with his eyes he returned the young boy’s gentle smile.The boy stood and together they walked towards the center of the crags where he could see a small wooden bridge leading to the other side. The gates beyond were filled with bright lights but they weren’t hard to look at. The light was calm, reassuring. “I wouldn’t look behind if I were you,” said the boy.Having an ounce of defiance left in his old bones the wolf turned his head. His own body lay collapsed on the ground behind him. His eyes were dull and glazed over, his mouth gaped, his tongue touched the rock. He was dead. His heart would have stammered if there had been one in his ethereal chest.“I told you,” said the boy with a click of his tongue.The wolf turned his head from his corpse and back to the glowing lights. As he stepped onto the walkway his entire being shuddered and changed. He spasmed all the way through and when he stopped the body he possessed was different than the one he’d had before. Instead of having four legs with four paws he had two legs and two arms. The comforting fur that once wrapped him like a coat had fallen away in favor of soft skin and muscle tissue.“Did you have a good time?” asked the boy he now recognized as Stiles. His Stiles. The Stiles who’d been meant to reap his soul but again and again guided him back to life instead.“It was hard,” said Peter in a voice he recognized as his own. That’s right, Peter was the name given to him when he’d been human.“Do you still want to go back?” “What would I be?”“I don’t know,” said Stiles. “You should know that by now. Fifteen times we’ve done this. Nobody knows why you take the shapes you do when you go back, it’s just what happens.”Peter looked down at the hands of his first form. He thought it was fitting his first was a werewolf, and his last a wolf. The lives lived between them he could hardly remember but they were all animals, living on instinct. He supposed it wasn’t a bad way to live.“I can’t take you with me, can I?”Stiles expression saddened. “No, but wherever you go and whatever you do I’ll follow you.” He held out a thin hand and pressed it to Peter’s cheek. He was always surprised by just how warm and tender death’s hands could be.“I want to go back,” said Peter. “I’m not ready to die yet.”“Then go,” said Stiles, “because I’m not ready to say goodbye to you yet.”Stiles leaned close and kissed him on his lips. With that, his phantom body glowed and faded. His consciousness dulled as the ever-encompassing light surrounded him with its life-giving rays and sucked him back down into the world where the light coexisted with dark and happiness could be achieved even in pain. The last thing he felt was Stiles soft lips grazing his temple. Peter had never had such a wonderful friend as death.
11470776	im absolutely smitten	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Even Bech Næsheim, Isak Valtersen, Julian Dahl, Jonas Noah Vasquez, Mahdi Disi, Magnus Fossbakken", "Fandom": "SKAM (TV)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Not Rated", "author": "by nveld", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "1,453", "Additional Tags": "au i guess, julian was isak's sugar daddy #confirmed, Fluff, Attempt at Humor, but i mostly fail lol, One Shot", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Even Bech Næsheim/Isak Valtersen, Julian Dahl/Isak Valtersen (past relatonship)", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	* This is Even’s favourite part of the day. He’s almost done with his last lesson for the day. In just 5 minutes he can finally see his boyfriend again. To be fair, it has only been 3 hours since he’s seen Isak, but it feels like an eternity, okay. He’s a teenager in love, let him live. Impatiently, he taps his pen on his desk, until he notices how the girl sitting next to him is sending him death-glares. Oops. He puts his pen down and shoots her an apologetic smile. 3 minutes. He tries to focus on what the teacher is saying, but he is yet again reminded of what Isak did in the shower this morning. Damn. He is sure the girl next to him would prefer him tapping his pen over getting a raging boner in class while the teacher is talking about neurons. But that wouldn’t really be a good look. Okay Even, calm down. Focus. Think about dead puppies, your naked grandma, Magnus watching you and Isak bang. That seems to work. Thank god. The bell rings and Even lets out a relieved sigh. However, when he walks outside to find his boyfriend, he doesn’t see him standing with his friends. Instead, he’s talking to a blonde boy Even has never seen before. Isak laughs loudly at something the other boy says and Even feels a little jealous. Don’t be ridiculous, he’s just talking to another boy. Isak is allowed to have friends you don’t know. Even shrugs it off, and walks towards Isak’s friends, Jonas, Mahdi, and Magnus. “Halla gutta!” he says, greeting the boys. Mahdi and Jonas grin and nod at him, acknowledging his presence. “Even!” Magnus happily exclaims, throwing his arm around the taller boy, who laughs and pats his back. The three boys continue their conversation about some party and about how Magnus tried to flirt with Vilde, but then he found out that she is a lesbian and recently started dating Eva. “I swear, I thought she was into me, and that she was just playing hard to get,” he complains “but she was just trying to get Eva’s attention.” Even tries to pay attention to their conversation but he catches himself looking at his boyfriend and the mystery boy again. He clears his throat, trying to get the boys’ attention. “What’s up man?” Jonas asks.“Do you guys know who Isak is talking to?” he asks while nodding his head once in Isak’s direction. All three of them whip their heads around. Magnus snorts at the sight, while Mahdi and Jonas look mostly confused. “That’s Julian Dahl.” Jonas answers, while Mahdi mutters “Julian fucking Dahl...” under his breath.“I thought they ended their... Arrangement?” Magnus questions “You know, since Even?” “What kind of arrangement?” Even asks cautiously. Mahdi and Jonas share an uncomfortable glance with each other. “I think,” Jonas starts off slowly “that you should ask Isak that.”Even nods, and can’t help but furrow his brows when he sees Isak hugging the boy -Julian- and making his way to the four boys. “But really, don’t worry about it. There’s nothing going on between them,” the curly haired boy continues “if that’s what you’re afraid of.” He smiles and shakes his head. “I trust him.” Right at that moment, he hears his boyfriend’s voice behind him. “Hey, baby.”Even grins down at the younger boy and gives him a peck on his lips. “Hey.” “So who do you trust?” Isak asks. “You.” Even answered and smiles down at him.“You were talking about me?”“Baby, I never stop talking about you.” Isak huffs out a laugh and gives his boyfriend a kiss on the cheek.“You guys are disgustingly cute, let’s go to MacDonald's gutta!” Magnus groans. The boys laugh and say their goodbyes. * While they are walking to their apartment, Isak tells Even about his day and how Sana is now the one forgetting to do assignments since she started dating Yousef. Even smiles. He could listen to Isak talk all day.A little over a year ago he didn’t think he could ever be this happy. And even now, whenever he thinks “This is it, I can’t possibly be happier than this.”, Isak finds a way to make him do exactly that.Even is so smitten. He still can’t believe Isak feels the same way about him. Although there are times in which Even doubts everything, his boyfriend always makes sure to let him know that he’s loved. Loving someone is a scary thing to do. You give them the power to completely break you, you trust them with one of the most valuable things you have; your heart. But loving Isak is the easiest thing in the world. He is not only incredibly handsome, but he is also generous, forgiving, and kind. Isak gives his hand a small squeeze. “We’re here.” Even smiles down at him, fishes the key out of his pocket and opens the door. They both drop their backpacks and jackets and flop down on their bed. “Isak?” Even asks. “Hm?”“Can we talk?”Isak props himself up on his elbows and gives Even a curious look.“Sure, what about?” he asks.Even pauses for a second, not sure where to start. “I... Saw you talking to Julian Dahl today?”It comes out more like a question than an observation.“Hm? Oh, yeah, I did. What about it?”Even chews on the inside of his cheek. “Jonas said that there used to be an arrangement between the two of you?”Isak’s eyes grow wide and a pink blush is starting to spread across his cheeks. God, he looks so pretty. “Isak, I don’t judge you for the relationships you’ve had before me, you know that, right?” Even asks. “I just didn’t think you had been with a boy before me.”“I wasn’t in a relationship with him!” Isak quickly answers. Even raises his eyebrows.“Well, sort of. It’s just hard to explain,” he continued “we did have an ‘arrangement’, but I’m kind of ashamed of it now.”“Baby, you can tell me anything, I will never judge you.” Even said, while stroking a strand of hair out of his boyfriend’s face, urging him to look at him.Isak sighs and looks down again. “I know that.”He pauses briefly before muttering fuck it and starts rambling. “Okay so there were these rumors at school that this guy -Julian Dahl- once offered this one guy money to be his boyfriend, so kind of like a sugar daddy but not really, and at that time I was running low on money and I still had to pay Eskild rent and my dad didn’t reply to me when I asked him to send me money.And I always noticed Julian looking at me in this weird way and it made me really uncomfortable but I just really needed the money so I thought that I’d befriend him and see if the rumors are true. It turned out that Julian was a pretty decent guy, and one day he just asked me if I’d go on dates with him if he took care of my rent and I agreed and I only told the boys about it so please don’t tell anyone else. And I broke it off when I met you I swear he just came up to me today to ask me how I was doing and I told him about you and he was really happy for me but if you are mad at me and don’t want me to be friends with him anymore I completely understand I’ll cut ties with him and-” “Isak, it’s okay.” Even interrupts. “You did what you had to do, and I’m not mad at you.” “You’re really not mad?” the younger boy shyly asks, carefully lifting his head again to look at Even to see if he’s being genuine. Even gives him a reassuring smile and pecks him one, two, three times on the lips before answering “I’m really not mad. I’m just happy you don’t feel like you have to do that anymore, and if you want to stay friends with him, who am I to tell you that you can’t do that? It’s your life, only you are allowed to choose how you live it.” Isak smiles back at him. “Have I ever told you that you’re the perfect boyfriend?” “You just did, but you can tell me that a few more times.” Even replies. Isak laughs “I’m sure I will baby.” *** “By the way, if I would go on a date with Julian, do you think he’d buy us a kettle?” “Shut the fuck up Even.”
11455242	It happened when Brett	{ "Archive Warning": "Graphic Depictions Of Violence", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Aleksandr Vitalyevich Marchant, James Richard Wilson, Cow Chop Ensemble, Including Ein and Mishka, And eventually that damn swan", "Fandom": "Cow Chop", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Explicit", "author": "by orphan_account", "chapters": "4/4", "completed": "2017-09-22", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "18,896", "Additional Tags": "Fake Chop Au, Assassination and Feelings, Sexual Content, Rimming, Panic Attacks, The A-Team (Cow Chop), AA Bro-Date, Violence, Fire, Explosions, Riding, Emotional Constipation, Communicating like Real Adults (So Proud)", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Aleksandr Vitalyevich Marchant/James Richard Wilson, (Background Relationship)", "Series": "Assassination and Feelings (The Remix)", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	It happened while Brett and James were out of town. Aleks couldn’t help but be grateful for that because Brett definitely would have made it all worse. And James, well. James hadn’t been acting like himself since that shit with the Corpirate and Aleks doesn’t know what would have happened if James had been there.To be fair though, it was all Asher’s idea and Aleks just ran with it while the rest of the crew trailed along. Trevor’s birthday was recent enough to be an excuse and with two members of their crew at a meeting with the Cockbites while they were between heists, Aleks was itching for something to do. He wanted to go out and maybe start a bar fight or three to get the feeling out from under his skin. Aleks definitely didn’t want to think about why he wasn’t included in the meeting if Fake Chop was just as much his crew as it was James’s and probably more than it was Brett’s.“If you’re so eager for action, just go to a strip club.” Asher had said while Trevor was bitching about being too young to legally drink or vape in California and about how bars are boring when no one believes his fake ID. Aleks was hopping around and punching at the air but he broke off to agree.“Yo, we should though. Trevor, it’s gonna make you a man!” Aleks said.“I’ve had sex before,” Trevor mumbled.“That’s not- no. I don’t need to know that.” Aleks said. “Going to a strip club is completely different anyway! We’re going. Who’s in?”Anna and Joe were braiding each other’s hair and started whispering to each other. Aleks swore he saw some money exchanged between them and Asher.And that’s how it started.-It was Joe, Trevor, Asher, Anna, and Lindsey who accompanied Aleks to the strip club. So basically the whole crew came along because all of them had the foresight to know that no matter how it went down, something was going to go down. It wasn’t just Aleks looking for some sort of action.They met up at Aleks’ apartment beforehand. Trevor and Joe were fucking around in the kitchen while Anna and Aleks waited for everyone else to get there. Aleks couldn’t stay still, he was playing with that fucking fidget spinner that James got him as a joke. The thing was gold with diamond inlay and while part of Aleks wanted to refuse the gaudy thing, James made a comment about trying to get him one to “match his sunglasses from fucking Golden Boy Free.” Anna just sat and watched him before speaking up.“You really want to do this?”“Yeah, of course,” Aleks said. Why wouldn’t he?“You think this is a good idea while James is out of town?” she continued.Aleks squirmed a little in his seat. Things had been weird between them recently. James had been- well, he had been bolder since the move to Cali. But since that night when Aleks almost fucked a pirate in the year of our Lord twenty-seventeen for the crew, James had also become softer: more likely to brush the back of Aleks’ hand with his while they’re walking, more likely to guide him through doors with a hand at the small of his back, more likely to stroke Aleks’ hair when he was seated and James was passing by. It wasn’t just in the dark of night when Aleks could blame it on sleepiness, and it wasn’t just in front of their crew when it could be because James has become comfortable with them seeing him as human.Aleks couldn’t hate it, of course, he couldn’t- he just didn’t know what to make of it. There was an aching pit in Aleks’ stomach and every time James touched him, the ache relaxed and that emptiness was made whole.“Why wouldn’t it be?” Aleks asked, pushing James and well, everything attached to the side.“Well,” Anna began, elongating the ‘ell’ in a way that Aleks did not appreciate. “Last time it was even suggested that you would have to look at someone else, he turned into such a bear that I almost punched his face in.”Anna’s grin spread and grew devilish. Aleks regretted asking her the question, but she continued on.“And then there was the actual mission itself. Let me tell you, the coms were not fun to be on. Brett thought Trevor muted James’ input for most of the night because he wasn’t filling the line with any bullshit.”Asher chose this moment to join them. He nodded at Aleks before catching the tail end of what Anna was saying.“You talking about that Corpirate thing?” Asher asked. At Anna’s nod, he continued. “Man, that was some bullshit. Everyone was nervous ‘cause James wasn’t talking and then when Fakehaus fucked everything up, he wouldn’t shut the fuck up. He kept reminding us not to kill you and not to ruin your cover like we would forget who you were.”Aleks didn’t really know what to say. He hadn’t asked for specifics from James and hadn’t wanted to think about the time he almost fucked a pirate to really focus on any other part of the job that went haywire.“Oh, and of course, you-“ Asher pointed a firm finger in Aleks’ face- “had to go and make out with his best friend while he was watching. That definitely fucked with his head. He looked like you broke his heart and he didn’t know how to be angry with you. Instead, he just ripped into Joe the first chance he could.”“We’re not- listen, you got it wrong- James and I,” Aleks fumbled. “We’re not together or anything like that.”Asher snorted and Anna shook her head.But Lindsey started yelling at Trevor and Joe for making a mess in the kitchen and Aleks couldn’t press any further.-The strip club was loud with flashing lights and lots of dancing guys and girls. It took a few bills with Trevor's fake ID to get him in but with Aleks' arm hooked around his neck and the crew's ready-to-fight smirks behind them, it was a smooth enough process.Now, everyone was enjoying themselves: Lindsey was in a corner hitting on one of the bottle babes, Anna and Joe were sharing a booth with a topless worker, and Trevor was getting a lap dance (paid for by the Cow Chop specific credit card James left with Aleks for emergency use) while Asher watched and laughed his ass off.Aleks was sitting by the bar drinking alone and watching his group. A few of the dancers had tried at different times to talk to him, but he muttered nonsense in Russian and froze them out whenever they did.He couldn’t help the swell of pride as he watched that way they all spread out and then came back together before splitting off into different groups. Joe and James were best friends, Trevor joined because of Aleks, Lindsey joined them because of Brett, and Asher and Anna were already partners. But they co-mingled perfectly. They didn’t get along all the time, but goddamn they were good together. The future looked good for Fake Chop.Aleks closed his eyes and grinned at the ceiling. Yes, the future looked good. Trevor had already started talking about a friend of his joining up and helping with some of the leg work."You look like you could use a friend." said a deep voice near Aleks' ear."Nah, I'm good," Aleks said without opening his eyes."You sure? I think we could have some-" the voice paused and Aleks could feel a fingertip start to trace up the side of his neck.He grabbed the hand and began to bend the finger back."What the hell?" said Asher.Frowning, Aleks opened his eyes. No one was around him but Asher. It was Asher's finger the Aleks was about to break. He let go."Hey, you fuck!" Asher said."Sorry man, I thought you were someone else," Aleks said. He looked around him. Who the hell had been talking to him?"Dude, calm down. I was just fucking with you because you looked seriously deranged over here just standing alone and grinning at the ceiling." Asher continued.Oh, so that's who was talking. Aleks filed Asher's voice change away for later heist ideas.Aleks licked his lips and entangled his fingers with Asher's. He tugged Asher closer and grinned into Asher's stiff face."Don't you want to have some fun with me, Asher?" Aleks cooed."No,” came Asher’s stilted reply."So you weren't just hitting on me?" Aleks used his most annoying, sing-songy voice."No, I was going to ask if we could get a bigger booth for all of us because Joe won't stop making moon-eyes at one of the VIP dancers and it's driving Lindsey crazy," Asher said and started trying to pulling himself away from Aleks."That sounds cool. It's on James!" Aleks began to march off, but Asher grabbed him and spun him in the right direction.And that was the beginning of the end of the night. The booth itself was great. Sitting there and laughing and drinking with the crew while the dancers strutted and danced with each other was easily one of the best nights of Aleks’ life and it caused him to become dangerously distracted.He was so distracted that Aleks isn't even sure how the fight started. Aleks remembers the harsh sounding words. Remembers Lindsey speaking to a bouncer, and then all of them were leaving. Remembers the other assholes were waiting in an alley by the exit and one of them grabbing at Anna. Remembers Anna laying him out, but not before Asher had jumped into the group to beat the shit out of them. Aleks pulled his knife and followed Anna into the fray and after Asher.The next bit is clearer, the adrenaline cleaning up the vodka and Redbull soaked memories. Aleks slashes a man's throat and the blood spots his vision but clears his mind. Everyone in the group has either run away or is on the ground with Asher systematically stomping their hands to pieces. They created a bloodbath.Trevor is giving Lindsey a boost while she writes FAKECHOP in blood on the one wall. Fuck. Anna is grabbing Asher's arms and pulling him away from the remaining corpses. Joe is on his phone trying to get them an Uber out of there- which would be a good idea except three of them are covered in blood spatter and the remaining members aren't exactly squeaky clean.That's when Aleks hears the sirens.Fuck.Anna is closest so Aleks grabs her."Cops are coming- get the fuck out of their line of sight and I'll distract them. Make sure you and Asher don't get got- we'll need you two to get anyone the fuck out." Aleks instructs.Anna's eyes widen briefly before she opens her mouth to argue."No," Aleks says and shakes Anna. "Get the fuck out of here."Anna nods and grabs Asher's arm. He spins as if to hit her, but Anna is fast and she knows him. She whispers to him briefly and he nods before splitting away. The two of them usher everyone else out and Aleks is left with the broken bodies, the FAKECHOP written in blood, the encroaching sirens, and the beginnings of a terrible headache.Aleks grabs at some of the nearby bodies. He tries to shift them around and make it look less bad than it is, but it's half-hearted, like when a kid's parents are in the driveway and the kid did none of the chores they were supposed to do. Thankfully there are no cameras in this part of the alley- probably why the assholes chose this spot in particular. Searching the goons yields a pistol, some chewing gum, and a condom. Which is, well, at least he's prepared?The cops have finally arrived but they don't know what they're walking into so Aleks could sneak out the back if he wanted. Instead, he crouches behind a dumpster and fires off a few shots into the air.It slows the cops down because they don't want to go in without backup- it gives the others more time to get away. Aleks pulls out his phone to turn on the location, this way Trevor will be able to find him if he gets picked up.He thinks about wandering away from the alley and heading South towards more bars and more drunks. He could exaggerate his stumbles and sing a drinking song that someone Aleks can't quite remember taught him to sing.Aleks stays put. If he leaves, then there's no guarantee that the others will stay out of trouble. Aleks looks around the alley: no cameras, there's a ladder and a few dumpsters. And the bodies.Aleks groans. He's too drunk for free-running, but he climbs up the ladder anyway.From the roof, he can see the backup driving in. There are three patrol cars now and that's three too many.All Aleks has is a stolen pistol and his knife and fuck, it's not enough.In what could be considered the dumbest move possible, but hey, it seems like a good idea at that moment. Aleks has Redbull and Goose in his veins. That's gotta be like better than tiger blood.Charlie Sheen is a distraction and Aleks doesn't need that right now. But some cocaine would be fun. Maybe when James gets back they can get high and James will eat his ass.Slightly horny, Aleks throws the stolen pistol and beans one of the cops in the head.There are some yells accompanied by some bullets but Aleks only gloats in his head as he runs the other way. He makes the first jump, makes the second, but on the third the building he hits the side.His shoulder is wrenched from its socket and Aleks can't hold on to the ledge. At least the alcohol quickly numbs the pain, but Aleks is pretty sure he messes up his ankle when he hits the ground. He keeps walking anyway.Aleks picks a wallet from a drunken singer outside some random bar. They spin and spin and spin together and Aleks doesn't have to fake his attempt to stay upright. The singer never notices the blood on Aleks's clothes and face. Drunk people are dumb. He grabs the cash and ditches the rest.Anna has already texted him: she and Lindsay stole a car and they're going to be in the warehouse trying to clean up whatever footage of the surrounding area is available to the cops. Trevor and Asher are following up on who, if anyone, those assholes are associated with.And Joe is waiting for Aleks at a dinner about two blocks to the South. Aleks keeps to the shadows and makes his way down there.He doesn't make it. He gets halfway there and a patrol car pulls over and snatches him off the street. Aleks passes out in the back from a mix of pain and vodka. Tiger blood is probably better than Redbull and vodka blood.-Aleks wakes up but keeps his eyes closed. His head hurts and he knows that there is nothing good on the other side of his eyelids. The last thing he remembers is being pulled into a patrol car. And something about Charlie Sheen, even though Charlie Sheen hasn't been news in something like 4, maybe 5 years."Hey, are you up? Can we get going?"The voice sounds familiar. Fuck. Aleks opens his eyes.Joe is waving to Aleks from the other side of the holding cell."What the fuck?" Aleks says. Is this real or is he hallucinating?Joe is just standing there and smiling. He changed his clothes but he's just wearing jeans and a t-shirt."Hey, you ready to go?" Joe asks like he's picking Aleks up from a fucking pool party in the desert and there's the chance that Aleks isn't ready to fucking leave."Yes?"And so they leave. Joe unlocks the cell, and Aleks hobbles out. Joe leaves the keys on a random desk and hands Aleks an evidence bag with his personal effects.Aleks doesn't know what is happening, but he's pretty sure Joe is a magical angel that was part of the deal when James sold his soul to literal Satan years ago.They make it back to the warehouse with no issues. Which is a good thing because Joe is a Sunday driver every day of the damn week and Aleks is not hungover enough to sleep during the ride. Instead, he ends up in a weirdly meditative state while trying to figure out if James is coming home tonight or tomorrow morning. Aleks is excited; he and James are going to do coke and James is going to eat his ass. He has to double check that with James, of course, consent is sexy or mandatory or whatever the catchphrase is now, but James loves eating ass so it shouldn't be too much of an issue. Oh, and Brett will be back too.The moment he makes it in the warehouse, he immediately goes into the office James never uses and sleeps under the desk. Anna comes in briefly to check on his shoulder- the cops must have relocated it for him- and to ice his ankle. The crew is busy nursing their own hangovers and admiring the photos that Trevor took last night. Aleks will look at them later. He should also ask for a report on the assholes outside the strip club, but it can’t be urgent or they would have told him by now.Anna wakes Aleks up sometime in the late afternoon when the office is just this side of too warm and sunlight is burning through the thin blinds. She tuts at his ankle and shoulder. She and Asher carry Aleks out to a car and they drive him home. There’s a prick of pain in his elbow and Anna’s smile in Aleks’ eyes. He wonders if they’ve ever had sex. Asher and Anna, that is. Aleks would know if he had sex with them. Either of them. They would probably be a fun to have sex with, even if they only let Aleks watch. The A-Team could be a sexy fun time.Anna laughs and Asher sighs from the front seat.“No,” Anna says. “We haven’t slept together, we aren’t planning on it, and if we ever did, we wouldn’t invite you because you’re dating our boss. And to be honest, I already know way too much about your love life.”Aleks’ head is swimming. He can’t follow what Anna is saying. He would know if he was dating someone, right?“I’m dating your boss?” He asks. “Who’s your boss?”“Oh god,” Anna laughs. She has a nice laugh.“No, do not start this while you’re pumping him full of drugs.” Asher snaps, but he takes the next turn slowly and Aleks knows he’s not that upset.Aleks looks at his elbow. There’s an IV in it. These must be the drugs Asher was talking about.“Are they the good drugs?” Aleks asks.“Yes,” Anna says. “They’re painkillers. For when the alcohol wears off and you remember that you manage to sprain your ankle and dislocate your shoulder.”Anna’s pretty face begins to morph.“Oh god,” Aleks breathes. “Your face. Anna, I’m so sorry.”He reaches out to touch the blob that used to be her check. He hears a muffled, deep voice. Then Aleks sleeps the only blissful sleep he’s had since he went to a strip club with his crew.-Aleks wakes up because there’s someone in his apartment. There’s a knife on the bedside table but Aleks is honestly too tired to grab it. He hears them lock the door behind them and some soft cursing. Mishka isn’t barking at them so that’s either a good thing or a very bad thing. Aleks thinks he hears Ein’s bark but that could just be wishful thinking. Half-asleep, he can hear them making their way through the apartment.They come in the bedroom but Aleks still doesn’t move. His ankle hurts and his shoulder is sore and the drugs Anna gave him are wearing off. And there’s no way that Brett isn’t going to yell at him for being picked up by cops. And then James will either yell or be quiet and disappointed in him. He might as well just die now.“Hey, you wake?”Aleks turns his head and James’s face is super close. His hair is down and if that’s not enough of a revelation in the ambient light from the street, he’s shirtless. James doesn’t leave his chest bare often because he’s not Aleks who thrives on the sunlight and could probably photosynthesize if he wanted to, so Aleks would love to take advantage of this but goddamn, he’s in pain and he wants to sleep.Aleks groans and buries his head in the pillow. James chuckles and strokes the bare skin of his back. Aleks shivers and grumbles. It’s too early for this shit.“What’s wrong with your shoulder?” James asks and removes the now melted ice pack from the bed.“I don’t know. I think it was dislocated.” Aleks says. “Anna gave me some drugs last night but they’re wearing off and now everything hurts.”“Ahhh, poor baby,” James breathes and his warm breath tickles the back of Aleks’ neck. Aleks shudders and is given a sudden flash of memory.“Eat my ass,” Aleks blurts and is immediately embarrassed. He feels his skin begin to flush. James’s hand stops stroking Aleks’ back and he is made suddenly aware of just how exposed he feels lying naked on his stomach with a silk sheet just barely covering his butt. It’s only made worse by the fact that James is the one who bought Aleks the silk sheets in the first place.James chuckles. It’s not the nice chuckle that James does when he’s enjoying himself, it’s the dark one that means someone is going to start begging soon.“You want that?” James asks and resumes stroking Aleks’ back. His hand is slipping lower and lower.“You don’t have to,” Aleks says.I missed you, please don’t leave me like that again, Aleks wants to say.Why didn’t you text me? Call me? I tried and I got nothing from you, Aleks wants to demand. He wants to fight.“But yeah, I do,” he whispers instead of everything else he’s thinking of saying.He can feel James’ grin in the lips pressed to the back of his neck. And Aleks cranes his neck to the side to kiss James’ lips. He pretends that James’s fervor is because that he really and truly missed Aleks, not a warm and willing body, but Aleks. But like James said when they started this whole thing- they’re just two friends who fuck sometimesJames’s mouth goes lower and lower and lower until Aleks’ world orbits the places of contact between James’s body and his own. James’s leg pressed next to his own, James’s hands- one spreading him open, the other resting on his tongue to muffle his begging, James’s mouth licking and kissing and biting until James shifts and replaces his tongue with his cock. It feels like hours later and Aleks’ voice is broken and his pillow is covered with drool, but James kisses him anyway and sets a pace too fast for Aleks process. Despite his begging, it feels like it’s all over too soon.James shifts them so they’re on their sides with Aleks’ damaged shoulder on top and his front is pressed to Aleks’ back and his hand is weighing heavy over Alek’s sternum. This is easily Aleks’ second favorite part of being with James. His favorite being anytime he and James can cause mischief without injury. James looks best illuminated by dancing flames while he laughs in mirth and borderline cruelty. Aleks drowses in the soft morning light pulled closer to sleep by the warmth of James at his back.Aleks doesn’t think James sleeps so he isn’t surprised when he feels James get up and leave Aleks to sleep some more. Aleks hear the jingle of Mishka’s collar and yeah, that’s definitely Ein barking. James just coos over their ladies and gets them their breakfast.James wanders through Aleks’ apartment making just enough noise for Aleks to know where he is, but not enough noise for Aleks to wake up. The endorphins from the sex helped, but his shoulder still throbbed and his ankle felt stiff. Unwillingly, Aleks grabs his phone off the bedside table and calls Anna.When he starts to complain, she just reams him out for not drinking any water and tells to “take some damn Tylenol for fuck’s sake!” Just to fuck with her, Aleks whines that he only has acetaminophen. She just screams in rage and Aleks can hear Asher, Joe, and- is that Trevor?- laughing in the background when Anna physically slams her phone on a table before picking it up and hanging up on Aleks. Their crew might need to take anger management courses, Aleks makes a note to mention this to Brett.There’s a chuckle from the doorway. James is leaning against the doorjamb and he looks devastating. His hair is still down and messed up from when Aleks grabbed at it. He’s wearing a shirt but it’s one of his newer, tighter shirts from after he lost all the weight that came from stress eating at the Hub. His eyes are as dark as ever but they’re overflowing with amusement, contentment, and something else that Aleks might be imagining.“What’s the good doctor have to say?” James asks as he makes his way over to where Aleks is sitting upright on the bed.“That I’m an idiot,” Aleks says and James laughs his deep, full-bellied laugh. “She just said to drink more water and take some over-the-counter painkillers.”“She’s cutting you off from the good stuff?” James asks and raises his eyebrow.“Yeah,” Aleks scratches at the back of his neck and breaks eye contact. “I may or may not have said something that annoyed Asher but made Anna laugh.”“Yeah?” James asks but he doesn’t press.“Yeah,” Aleks says. Grateful, but unwilling to say why exactly he doesn’t want to bring up his comments about a threesome with objectively two of their more flexible crew members while he was too stoned to realize he was talking.Aleks picks at the sheets and wills himself to look up at James. Sometimes, he misses the ability to hide under his fringe. And his is one of those times because James is looking at him with such intensity that if Aleks were a lesser man, he would run away. No, it’s not the intensity that’s bothering Aleks, it’s the emotion that he doesn’t want to identify. Because it can’t possibly be what he thinks it is. But if it is what he thinks it is, then he might just cry for the first time in years.James gets up. He stretches out a hand to Aleks and Aleks takes it.“Let’s shower. I fed the girls and there’s breakfast waiting for us.” James says and leads the way into the ensuite.Later when they’re eating breakfast, James drops a credit card on the table in front of Aleks. He picks it up with one hand and keeps chewing his turkey bacon with the other hand. It’s a Platinum AmEx with the name “Sasha M Wilson” on it.“What’s this?” he asks between bites.“A fail-safe or a back-up depending on how you want to look at it. Even if everything goes to shit, that card will be clean and good to go. I’ll cover it no matter what goes down, no matter where you go.”“Where would I go?” Aleks mumbles. Then he raises his eyebrows. “What’s with the last name?”“Well,” James begins. He’s not making eye contact and Aleks can see a flush rising in his cheeks. Aleks feels a wicked grin spread across his face.“If this is a proposal, then I demand a better one.” Aleks teases.“What?” James startles. “That’s not- No. Look, if shit ever hits the fan, then I’ll only leave you alone if you want me to leave, so I got us joint cards.”“Uh-huh. This still sounds like a proposal to me dude.” Aleks says. He thinks of a better way to mock James and asks, “What’s your name?”James groans and pulls out his wallet. The card he hands to Aleks is the same with the exception of the numbers and the name. Oh god, the name. Aleks starts laughing.“I knew it!” he crowed. “You want to fuck Ryan Reynolds!”Aleks drops the card with the name “Wade W Wilson” onto the table while James just covers his face and groans.Then Aleks starts to choke on his turkey bacon and it’s James’ turn to laugh at him.-They ride to the warehouse together. James had Brett drop him off after the flight in so Aleks drives while James remains in the passenger seat. It’s a nice ride. The windows cracked while the AC pumps and James even lets Aleks blast some Post Malone. He even sings along a little.Aleks walks into the warehouse with a skip to his step and James trailing behind him.“What’s up my dudes?” He asks the gathering of crew members.His entire crew. Sitting around Brett with varying degrees of worry on their faces. They’re all staring at him. Not Aleks and James, just Aleks.Brett is standing in the center with his arms crossed. He’s the only one looking at James.“Did you tell him?” Brett asks.“Not all of it,” James responds.And Aleks sees red. What the fuck does his crew know that he doesn’t?Brett must see the rage in Aleks’ eyes because he just points them towards James’ office and gathers the rest of the crew like ducklings. He claps his hands and starts giving them jobs to do.Aleks leads the way to the office and slams the door open. The office was his sanctuary yesterday- he can still see the evidence bag with his personal effects on the desk- but right now he just wants to break all of it.James shuts the door behind him. When Aleks spins to face him, he just looks weary.But Aleks is too fucking hot to feel pity for the man.“What the actual fuck James?!”James ignores Aleks’ yell and walks over to his desk.“If you start hollering, then I’m not going to tell you,” James says looking at Aleks calmly over his clasped hands. His eyes are heavy and Aleks is struck by the matching heaviness of the bags underneath them.“Fine,” Aleks responds and throws himself down into the chair across from James. He tries not to look at the small table and chair in the corner that Aleks usually sits at. It’s tucked behind James’ desk and is really just there so he can pull the chair over and collaborate with James on potential heist planning. This is a very different situation.James sighs and with empty eyes, he details the exact events of his and Brett’s meeting with The Cockbites.And Aleks is forced to sit there and watch as his best friend reveals just how much shit is about to catch up to and overtake Aleks. There’s nothing but fear and bile in his stomach. Oh, God. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- From the moment James begins to explain, Aleks is stuck to the chair. He wants to react but he can’t.“The Russians want you and I can understand why.”His past is catching up with him- Russia is catching up with him- fuck.“What do you know- about before? When I was in Russia?” Aleks asks.“You were a runner for some bad dudes. They got brought down, and somehow you’re here and not dead or rotting in a fucking pit.” James says. He sounds so detached, like he doesn’t care that Aleks is sitting in front of him and not dead or in the aforementioned pit.“And now,” James continued. “The Cockbites know the people that your bosses worked for have noticed that you’re alive. They want you because they think you turned in your old bosses.”“No-“ and Aleks fumbles for the words to defend himself. “No, I never ratted. There was an undercover cop- Mama Graire.”“Yeah,” James nods. He’s not looking at Aleks anymore. He’s just staring at the wall over Aleks’ shoulder.“Yeah,” James repeats. “She’s looking for you too.”Fuck. She knows about Sergiu and Elisa then.“On the plus side,” James continues oblivious to Aleks’ growing horror. “Her splinter group of Russians can’t legally deport you. You’d have to be arrested for something unrelated first and even then, considering the political climate, they probably would rather you served time here.”Fuck. Shit, fucking damn.“So then,” Aleks begins, but god, he doesn’t want to hear the answer. “What was the meeting with the Cockbites about?”James sighs and rubs his eyes. He finally stops staring at the damn wall over Aleks’ shoulder. Now he’s staring at his desk.“The meeting was to let Brett and I know about the shit-show you’re about to be in. They wanted to know whether or not Brett and I wanted to keep you around or if we could be trusted to put you down ourselves.”No.Aleks jumps to his feet and stumbles backward over the chair he was sitting on. No, not like this.James remains seated with his hands on the desk. He’s watching Aleks strangely, but that doesn’t mean anything when there are Brett and Anna and Asher and Lindsey and Trevor and fucking Joe outside the office probably waiting for him to run.He can’t out run them. Aleks’ heart starts working overtime.James stands and reaches out towards Aleks. And Aleks, god-fucking-damn it, Aleks takes James’ hand and lets him drag Aleks close to the desk.The room’s too small. Aleks can’t breathe but he can hear someone breathing loudly and he wants to snap at James to be grateful that he can breathe at all because Aleks is dying. But there’s a slightly nasal sound that means it’s not James and oh, there’s a pounding heartbeat in his ears.James is cruel and he just watches wide-eyed as Aleks starts to crumble. Aleks closes his eyes. He wishes that James had just put him down this morning, or last night. He had so many opportunities, the only reason to do it here is to make an example of him to the crew and to prove to the Cockbites that James and Fake Chop can handle the pressure.“Aleks, breathe,” James says like it’s easy.Aleks opens his mouth and gasps like the dying man he is.“Aleks,” James says.Aleks closes his eyes and grabs James. James does something that Aleks is sure would either have been impressive or awkward as hell to watch. Either way, it gets James over the desk and right in front of Aleks and Aleks pulls him closer. James wraps his arms around Aleks awkwardly, which is funny when considering that James had his tongue in Aleks’ ass not even 12 hours ago. This makes Aleks laugh.“Um,” James starts.“Shut the fuck up.” Aleks interrupts him. “Stand here and let me freak out a little bit more.”“I can do that,” James says. “I can do that.”Well. Aleks runs through what he knows now: Mama Graire definitely knows that Aleks is to blame for the deaths of both her daughter and her son-in-law, the Russians that Aleks used to work for went from blissfully unaware that Aleks existed to now blaming him for a lot of things that weren’t his fault, the Cockbites know all this, the Cockbites told James and Brett all this, and James hasn’t killed him yet despite having ample opportunity to do so.“So,” begins Aleks. He shifts his head so he’s talking into James’ beard instead of his neck. “Is it safe to assume that you’re not going to put me down?”“Nah,” responds James. “Too much work.”“Yeah?” Aleks asks.“Yeah, I kind of started a crew with you,” James says and Aleks chuckles.“So you’d have to promote someone if you killed me? Good to know Trevor’s incompetence is the only reason you’re holding back.” Aleks says.“Trevor’s not incompetent and I already told the Cockbites that if they wanted you dead that I would take you so far underground that even their grandkids wouldn’t be able to pick up our trail.”That’s a lot. James basically told the Cockbites to suck his dick and all for Aleks. There’s a growing warmth in Aleks’ chest that makes him want to break away from James and smack his back and employ some “just bros” language. But they’re so far beyond “just bros.” At least what Aleks feels is so far beyond “just bros.”James does it for him. He pulls away and looking Aleks in the eye says, “We can figure this out.”But no, no they can’t.“No, this is my mess. Let me deal with it.”“Aleks-sandr,” James chides.“No! You don’t get to fucking harass me over this!”And that’s the beginning of the fight.The middle is a lot of screaming and cursing. Saying things they don’t really mean and both will get over with enough time.It ends with James throwing the bag of Aleks’ personal effects from the police station.The bag pops open and Aleks dives for the sunglasses and the fidget spinner. James hops after him, but freezes and snatches at something. Aleks has no idea what he could be after.Then James opens his fist and Aleks see it. The condom he grabbed off one of the goons in the alley.James’ face is icy. And when he speaks his tone is colder than the Artic. Aleks wonders how long it would take for him to die of hypothermia.“Should I be worried? I didn’t wear a condom this morning.” James asks.And Aleks would rather swallow tacks than deal with James when he’s like this.“No! I found that on one of the guys that we fucked up in the alley.” Aleks begins.“Why did you keep it?” asks James.“I don’t know?” Aleks says and at the look in James’ eyes, he continues: “I was really, really fucking drunk and I don’t really know why I did anything.”“Uh-huh,” James says as he stands up.Aleks can’t let James walk away from him like this. Can’t let him leave while both of them are still alive.“Why do you care? We’re not exclusive or anything. We’re just fucking.”“You’re right. Why the fuck do I care at all, Aleksandr?” asks James.Then James leaves.-Aleks and James don’t talk. There’s a crew meeting shortly after their argument and it’s confirmed that the crew is loyal and fuck the Russians and fuck Graire and fuck the Cockbites. They’re going to keep Aleks alive whether he wants to be or not. Trevor and Asher relay that the assholes who tried to jump them but made the mistake of starting with Anna are working out of a warehouse in South LA and are almost definitely being funded by the Russians. It’s decided that Anna and Asher are going to live in Aleks’ apartment and keep an eye out to see if anyone is trying stake it out. It’s decided that Aleks is going to be- not hiding, because that would be cowardly- but kept safe in James’ mansion rather than shipped outside the state to Brett’s family’s ranch. Surprisingly, it’s James who insists this. Or rather it surprises Aleks until James makes the snide comment that he’ll be keep track of everyone who comes to visit Aleks.It’s when Aleks goes to respond to this that the real fun begins.Trevor jumps in and says, “Who? The stripper?”“What fucking stripper?” James, as always, manages to say the exact same thing that Aleks is thinking.Trevor shrinks a little under James’ wrath but points to the board where he put up the pictures from the night before. James stomps over, scans the board, and hangs down the one from under Aleks’ mugshot.He throws it onto the table and that’s the first time Aleks sees it. [This is the only one I could find, but you know the picture: https://www.reddit.com/r/CowChop/comments/6cfkes/cow_chops_newest_show_for_first_members_only/]James turns and leaves. He grabs a bike from the bay and leaves. Later, Lindsey goes to pick him up somewhere in San Bernardino County because James crashes the bike. Anna goes with her to patch him up, but he doesn’t let her. Instead, he just lets his scrapes go uncleaned and if Brett didn’t hold him down so she could clean them, Anna later tells Aleks that they would have become badly infected.Aleks and James still don’t talk.Instead, Aleks spends some time doing things that he has no memory of doing. Until James comes home and locks up all the alcohol and weed in a cabinet and then locks the room that’s in.That’s where Trevor and some kid who looks like a palm tree find him. Aleks squints up at them through the harsh light and his hangover.“Hey buddy,” Trevor says.“Shhhh,” Aleks hisses. When will Trevor learn to be quiet?“Okay then, I’ll be quiet. James sent us to babysit you.” Trevor stage-whispers.Aleks closes his eyes and grumbles.“Yeah, he said you might say that. Said you’ve been fucked up on some of the good stuff for the last three days.” Trevor says then pretends to inhale some Mary Jane.The palm tree kid says something to Trevor that Aleks can’t quite make out.“Anyway, we came over to keep you entertained. We brought beer and pizza,” Trevor continues.Aleks sits up and lunges towards the beer but the sharp movement causes his head to throb. He ends up just sort of flopping towards Trevor.“Did he just have a seizure?” the palm tree asks.“No, I don’t think he has seizures. I’m sure if we leave him it’ll be fine.” Trevor says and walks away. The palm tree follows and continues to speak but the words are blurry like he’s speaking under water. Aleks passes out.The sun’s position has changed and that’s the only indication of the passing time. Aleks hasn’t moved. He woke up maybe half an hour ago but the sun’s not in his eyes anymore so there’s no reason to move.There’s noise coming from the game room that’s progressively growing louder but Aleks feels no desire to investigate. He needs water. And then he needs to break into this room just so James doesn’t feel like he’s won. Because he hasn’t.There’s the sound of shattering glass and Aleks hauls himself to his feet. He swallows the bile and closes his eyes against the dark spots in his vision. It takes maybe five minutes but manages to stop swaying too badly and puts one foot in front of the other.The hallway is slimmer than he remembers it being because every time Aleks takes a step, one of the walls rushes up to meet him. Thankfully, his hands work almost as well as they normally do and he can catch himself. Except when he doesn’t.Aleks’ ankle gives way and his shoulder doesn’t hold when he tries to catch himself. Oh, that’s right. His sprained ankle gave way and his dislocated shoulder is throbbing too much for that arm to be of any use.This is not ideal.Aleks remains crumbled on the floor while his head pounds. He rolls to his side when he feels the bile surge again. Staring at the small pile of vomit is one thing, but the smell is another. This time when Aleks tries to stand, he doesn’t make it off the floor. He should call someone for help. But the only one who could actually help him is Anna.Where is his phone?Aleks keeps his eyes closed and pats himself down one handed. He finds it in his back pocket. Which is a good thing because is it wasn’t on him, Aleks has no idea where it would be.He dials Asher’s number because he doesn’t want Anna to yell at him again.“Hello? Aren’t you on house arrest?” Asher asks as soon as he answers.“Of course not. But I need our ever lovely doctor to make a house call.” Aleks croaks and hopes he sounds better than he feels.“Are you actually dying right now?” Asher asks so no, Aleks sounds just as bad as he feels. “Also, stop hitting on Anna.”“Feels like it, my man,” Aleks says. “And why? Does it bother you?”Asher just hangs up.Aleks hopes that means he’s going to bring her over. Asher seems to accompany Anna everywhere she goes unless it’s a group thing or she’s with Lindsey or Joe. It made sense at first, but now it’s just getting a little odd. Especially when Anna will frown at the side of Asher’s head whenever he gets up to follow her.Either way, Aleks has something he wants open and he knows just the battering ram. He calls Trevor.Trevor picks up with: “Are you really calling me from the next room over?”Aleks hears Trevor start walking as he continues.“That is the dumbest shit- oh hey. You were able to move. Where are you now?”“I’m dying Trevy-boy.”“Oh shit,” Trevor says. “I can come get you.”“No, no it’s fine,” Aleks says seriously before continuing to meme. “I have a final request.”“Okay.”“That door I was in front of-““Yeah, I’m looking at it.” Trevor interrupts.“-behind that door is a locked safe with some top quality bud.”“Oh, you gonna share with us, my man?”“If you can get it open, by any means necessary, then it’s all yours.” Aleks finishes.He hangs up and lets himself grin. Trevor and that new kid will find a way in. While this doesn’t really let Aleks win, it just means that James doesn’t win. And sometimes that just as much of a win.Aleks just stays where he is and waits.-Aleks must fall asleep while he waits for Anna to come help him because next thing he knows, Asher is shaking him awake.“Anna said that if half of what James says you’ve been doing for the last three days is true, then you would be in bad shape. But damn you look worse than I expected.” Asher says in what he probably thinks is a soothing voice.“Where’s Anna?” Aleks asks.“She’s in the kitchen getting things set up so you don’t die from dehydration like a fucking pussy,” Asher says.Aleks would be offended if that wasn’t basically what was happening. Asher gets Aleks into a chair in the kitchen and Anna hooks up an IV. She then basically force feeds Aleks a terrible tasting granola bar. It takes some time but Aleks starts to feel better. Asher keeps hovering near her while Anna loads up her medical bag. They’re whispering to each other. Anna’s responses are clipped while Asher’s words meander then linger.Aleks rolls his eyes. They’re not subtle when they’re fighting. Anna doesn’t talk a lot but it’s obvious that she’s busy or annoyed when she’s not smiling. And Asher, for all his monotonous nihilistic comments, places Anna’s wellbeing and happiness before his own.Aleks laughs and stares up at the ceiling. The pounding in his head has dissipated and he can hear Trevor mumbling to that kid who was with him. And oh, that’s the garage door. James must be home. He doesn’t have to wait long before he hears James start to yell. Anna and Asher both jump.“Don’t worry about it,” Aleks says, flopping around the hand with the IV in it still. “He just likes making noise. He gets quiet when he’s really angry.”They don’t look comforted by this and Aleks frowns. He knows James better than anyone, with the probable exception of Joe, so there’s no reason why they shouldn’t believe him.James’ yelling continues and the palm tree kid rushes into the kitchen.“Dude, hide me.” He says to Asher. His voice is surprisingly deep for someone with such a thin build.“No,” Asher says. “What the fuck did you do?”“Not me, Trevor broke the wall and-“Whatever palm tree kid was going to says is interrupted by Trevor skidding into the kitchen and eating shit. Not like actual shit, but like face planting into a counter. An irate James follows him in and James takes in everything in one go: the palm tree trying to hide behind an annoyed Asher, Anna’s not-so-resting bitch face and the way she’s moving away from Asher, Aleks lounging with his Golden Boy Free sunglasses and an IV in his arm, and Trevor bleeding on the floor.James continues to inhale and turns to just scream at Trevor. When he’s done yelling in gibberish, he turns to Asher and the palm tree that James calls Jakob and orders them to take Trevor out of the kitchen.Aleks settles in to watch.James asks Anna why she’s here and what’s with the IV. And Anna, not one to back down, responds that Aleks is a dumbass and can’t be trusted to be by himself and not die. James snaps that if that’s the case, then he expects to see her back at the house in the morning to take care of the dumbass. Anna asks why James can’t do it himself. James answer that Nova has a kill to accomplish and the dumbass is a liability in the field.Of course, they’re also screaming at each other the entire time. Aleks just grins. He wishes he had popcorn.Anna retorts that she’s not putting her life on hold just because she has to take the dumbass on “walkies” and then she stomps out of the room. James calls after her that she needs to tell Asher to cover Trevor’s warehouse shift since he got fucked up.James finally spins around and glares at Aleks.“What the hell are you smirking at?”“Nothing man,” Aleks drawls. “Just watching the show.”When James doesn’t move, Aleks continues. “Think of all the bank we could make. ‘Real Crews of SoCal’ has a nice ring to it. Or even, ‘Real Crews of LA.’ Then Nova could finally retire.”James starts forward like a cat towards a trapped mouse. Aleks doesn’t stop speaking, “I wonder which one of us would continue after the show aired. You know, making money and maintaining star status.”James puts an arm on either side of Aleks and leans into his face.“Well Aleksandr,” James enunciates his name in a way that makes Aleks shiver. “It wouldn’t be you because if these Russians don’t kill you, I will.”James pushes off and walks away. Aleks is left alone in the kitchen.-Aleks doesn’t really have a bedroom in James’ house. The other crew members claimed spaces for their own in case of emergency or even just getting too fucked up to drive home. Trevor’s is next to the server room, Lindsey picked one that opens out to the pool, Brett claimed the little one next to the garage, Joe lived in the one wing for long enough that everyone thinks of it as his actual home, and Anna and Asher claimed adjoining rooms with a mountain view. But Aleks usually just ends up in James’ room in his bed.There’s like five or six hours of time to kill before Aleks has to sleep, but god, he’s tired. He doesn’t really know what he did with those three days. And he’s not sure where he’s been sleeping.While he’s pondering where to sleep, or more accurately, where to pass out, Anna and Asher come back in the kitchen. Aleks stays still and watches the way they act in sync. Anna replaces the IV while Aleks is staring at Asher’s ass. She pats his shoulder.“I know, it’s not bad.” She agrees.“There are definitely worse,” Aleks confirms. “I haven’t seen many that are better though.”Anna laughs and Aleks winks at her to keep her smiling.“Yours is better though.” He says.“Oh, but of course,” she says between giggles. “I work at it.”Aleks keeps smiling up at her. Her laughs could cure cancer. Fake Chop should look into marketing her and Joe as a double team of sweetness and pure joy. They could make some fat stacks.“Don’t worry,” Anna continues. “You’ll get to experience the labors I go through to look this good tomorrow.”“What?” Asher asks.“Well, I have to babysit the resident dumbass,” Anna scratches through Aleks’ hair at that so he can’t be too mad at being called a ‘dumbass’ for like the eleventh time that day. “So he gets to come with me when I go to spinning.”“I’m sure someone else can watch him if you want to be alone,” Asher says, looking like he swallowed a lemon.“Nope,” Anna grins. “It’ll be some good bonding time for us. Don’t worry I’ll send you snaps.”She turns to Asher and pinches his cheek. The sour look leaves his face as he watches her spin away.“I’d love to accompany you anywhere you’ll let me, Anna,” Aleks says grinning.The sour look returns to Asher’s face.“Oh good,” Anna says and she turns her she-devil smile onto Aleks. “Then you’ll be ready for us to pick you up at 5:30 on the dot.”She spins and leaves the room with all her things.“What? No!” Aleks says.“Yeah,” Asher says. “You’re in for a good time tomorrow.”He claps Aleks on the shoulder and follows Anna out.Aleks makes the executive decision to sleep in a real bed before whatever Hell Anna has in store for him. He drags the new IV and pole that Anna set up into James’ room. He hopes he hogs the covers all night and James spend the whole night freezing.-“Double A Day,” as Anna dubs it, begins not at 5:30 like Aleks was promised but at 5. The sun isn’t even up yet when Asher physically pries Aleks off of James. When he’s just starting to panic, Anna dumps a bucket of ice water onto Aleks. Aleks sputters and grasps at the blankets in his shock. James screeches “fucking assholes,” and the rest of his expletives are lost when he bolts out of the room to sleep somewhere else.Aleks is still gasping when Anna turns her grin onto him.She pokes and prods him into some spandex workout clothes that Aleks swears he never bought. She shoves him into the bathroom to shit and shaves. Aleks comes out of the bathroom feeling awake and refreshed in a way that he is positive can only be due to trauma. Anna is packing a spare bag for him and Asher is staring at his phone like a zombie.Anna grins and leads the way to the car. Asher gets dropped off at the warehouse (with a coffee, and yes Anna had a coffee, and no, Aleks was not allowed a coffee) and Aleks blows him a kiss. The car ride has been silent up until now but Aleks can’t hold back anymore.“You know, what gets me about this?” he begins. And Anna just hums.“What gets me is that like Cockbite found out all this shit about me and instead of being like, yo, let’s let some shit stay buried- they call up James and Brett and are like, wanna hear some gossip about your best friend and crew founder? You don’t have to bring anything, we already made popcorn and Fake Haus is bringing the booze.”They make it to the building and even after Anna parks the car, Aleks continues:“Why can’t they come to me and say, hey, we heard some shit but we got your back? Oh no, I’m sure they would do something like that for James. But no, I’m fucking Russian so they can’t do that shit for me.”The class is warming up and Aleks and Anna get bikes right next to each other. Aleks doesn’t speak for another hour. He’s too busy trying to catch his breath but it gives him plenty of time to work himself up.“And Brett doesn’t even run this crew! James and I do.” Aleks continues when the class is over and Anna is chugging water like it’s going out of style. “And it was my fucking idea!”They go to brunch and Anna orders them both eggs with avocado toast, which Aleks thought was just a meme but it turns out to be delicious. Aleks continues ranting and gesticulating. Not enough to cause a scene, but enough that their waitress made a comment about his passion.“When we walked in and he said that he told me part of it, what a goddamn lie. He told me nothing. He just gave me a joint credit card,” Aleks’ words slow. “And told me if I left that he would follow me out if I let him. And if I didn’t want him to, that he would still take care of me.”“Wow,” Anna says. “Is this really where you’re at in your big gay revelation? I thought too highly of you guys, I thought you just wanted to keep it a secret so it wouldn’t mess with the crew. Joe was right. You two are just dumbasses in love with each other.”“No- we’re not.” Aleks begins and then he stops.He stares out at the waves breaking out on the shore. The waves come in and they go out and he is in love with James. He’s thinking about this in the daylight, he’s sober, and the world hasn’t ended. A baby is toddling around under the watchful gaze of their parents. Aleks is in love with James and he hasn’t been struck dead by lightning.“I’m in love with him,” Aleks whispers. Anna’s eyebrow rises artfully over her sunglasses and Aleks clears his throat. “I’m in love with James Wilson.”“Was that so hard?” she asks.“Yes,” he says. “This has taken decades off of my life.”“You’re a wanted criminal with a hit placed on you by the entirety of Russia,” Anna snorts. “Your estimated lifespan isn’t exactly long.”“Whatever,” he says. “Anyway, what about you and Asher? I’m not high so you can’t escape this conversation by just watching me pass out.”Anna sighs.“I could just make you pass out,” she mutters. She takes a long drink from her mimosa. “I don’t really know. I grew up thinking I was just a lesbian.”“Wait. What?”“Yeah, I know, it’s usually the other way around,” she says. “I thought boys were cute but that could have been just aesthetically because I only ever dated or wanted to date or sleep with girls.”They leave brunch and go to a salon. Anna leans over as they’re getting their nails done.“And when I was in college, I talked to people who were like ‘sexuality is fluid!’ and I knew that. But like, I knew I wasn’t really not into boys so I knew I wasn’t a hard 6, maybe more like an easy 5.”The workers move on to their feet for the pedi part of the mani-pedi and Anna continues.“Then I was talking to an ex’s new girlfriend and she was talking about demisexuality. And I was like that’s it! That’s who I am. I don’t want to fuck someone I’m not in love with, and girls are so much easier to fall in love with than boys.”When they leave, Anna talks on the drive back to James’s house. This is easily the most Aleks has ever heard her say to anyone that isn’t Asher. And usually, then it's just whispered so that Aleks can’t actually hear.“So basically, I fell in love with Asher a while ago. But I’m only just now thinking that I love him romantically and not just platonically.”They’re getting into the hot tub, Aleks in a pair of trunks that he keeps with James’ stuff and Anna in a pair of Asher’s trunks and her bra. Aleks takes the first two hits and then passes the joint to Anna.“He’s my best friend and I can’t imagine living without him. I don’t want to lose him. Even if he doesn’t love me like that.”“That sucks man. I’m kind of in the same boat. Except we fuck sometimes.”Anna snorts.“Your issues are because you two don’t communicate with words,” Anna says and passes it back.“Yeah, and your issues are because you’ve invested all your eggs in one chicken,” Aleks says.“I know, but at least I know not to start fucking someone I have feelings for without knowing that they love me back.” Anna snaps.“Your problem, young one, is that you are so afraid to lose what you don’t have that you aren’t willing to risk what you do have,” Aleks says.“That was so fake deep.”“Yeah, I know.”-Aleks wakes to James roughly shaking him awake. He blinks his eyes and tries to untangle himself from Anna’s arms. They had come inside last night and, Aleks checks the clock, fallen asleep maybe an hour ago cuddling on the couch.“You need to come to bed before Asher sees this and decides to kill you,” James whispers and guides him to standing. And Aleks follows along behind him.James strips off Aleks’ trunks and guides him into bed.“I’m still mad at you,” Aleks says as James pulls the covers over him.“I’m thinking about smothering you in your sleep, asshole,” James says as he climbs into bed behind Aleks.“You’re Satan, aren’t you?” Aleks mutters as James wraps an arm around Aleks’ middle.“Go the fuck to sleep,” James says into Aleks’ neck.Aleks sleeps.James is gone when Aleks wakes up. He pulls on a pair of shorts from of the floor and stumbles out into the living room. He finds Asher sitting on the couch staring into space. He has Anna’s head on his lap. Her face is pressed against his stomach and he is stroking a hand through her long hair.“So,” Aleks clears his throat and slumps onto the chair facing them. Asher looks up at him. “What exactly are your intentions with Anna?”Asher tilts his head.“What are you talking about,” Asher asks. Well, he would ask it but it’s clearly too early for any sort of inflection or tone in his voice.“You know,” Aleks gestures towards Anna. Asher has his jacket draped over her top half so her bra is covered now. Aleks is struck speechless by the gesture for reasons he can’t quite pinpoint.Aleks clears his throat again and starts again. “You know, are you going to put a ring on it?”Asher’s face didn’t really change throughout Aleks’ question. But now he looks away and Aleks sees a tightening in the corners of his mouth and the beginnings of a grimace.“We’re best friends. Full stop. We’re partners. Full stop.” Asher says.Aleks nods. “Is that all?” he continues.“Don’t harass him.” James cuts in.Aleks has to crane his neck to see James where he’s standing in the archway to the kitchen. It kind of hurts but he does it anyway.“This is the plan: Asher is going to go home and get some sleep. Brett is watching the warehouse right now, but you and Anna are going to go relieve him in about two hours.” James runs through the list. “Trevor and Joe will relieve you around 2 and you two will pick up Ein and Mishka from the groomers.”“Yes daddy,” Aleks says as James places a hand on his head. “What will you be doing?”“Nova has another sniping job. Jakob will be with me,” says James.“Okay,” Asher begins. “Why can’t Aleks and I go to his apartment and chill there while Anna keeps an eye on the warehouse?”“Because ” James snorts. “Aleks hasn’t been released by the good doctor.”With that, Anna rolls over to face the group.“This is me, the good doctor, releasing him from my care.” Anna rasps.“Holy shit! Is that your morning voice?” Aleks laughs. Asher just glares at him.“Sorry Anna, it’s not that easy. Even I can see that he’s still limping.” James says.Anna groans and flops her hands. Asher shifts his jacket so her bra stays covered. Aleks giggles a little and tilts his head back. James’ hand doesn’t leave his hair. The four of the sit in silence for a little bit. Aleks closes his eyes. He thinks that this is what the four of them might be like if they met and lived a normal life. It’s peaceful.And boring.“Alrighty then,” Aleks jumps up and claps his hands together. “I’m going to get ready, see you later.”Aleks leaves the room. He hears Anna mutter something and Asher’s laugh trailing after him.-Aleks drives them to the warehouse while Anna sleeps in the passenger seat. He thinks about taking the long, scenic drive but James had called ahead to let Brett know they were coming, and that would just give Brett another reason to yell at him.They arrive in due time. Aleks backs into the garage opening because he can be careless but then normally all of Russia isn’t out to get him. And he has to look out for more than just himself. He leaves Anna sleeping in his bulletproof car with both of their go-bags in the back. She was probably up early talking to Asher and now she needs her sleep.Brett is waiting for Aleks in front of the wall of photos that is Trevor’s pride and joy. His arms are crossed and his legs are shoulder width apart. Aleks stops out of the range of Brett’s fists and puts his hands up in surrender.“I’m sorry. What I did was-“ Aleks begins.“Oh fuck no,” Brett said. “You are going to stand there and you are going to take this like a fucking man.”Aleks just stares at the clock on the wall until Brett calls him out on not making eye contact on top of being arrested and drunk enough that he couldn’t get himself out.“I ask you to do one thing! And you fucking can’t do it.” Brett yells. “I want you to know that I didn’t yell until I was a part of this crew. I was chill and then I starting working with you ass lamps on a regular basis and now I fucking yell!”“Umm,” Anna says from behind Aleks. “I have a headache? Please stop?”Aleks turns to see her standing in the doorway and holding her head.“Yeah man,” Aleks walks over to her. “Cut the poor lady some slack. She’s in pain.”“Whatever,” Brett says and turns to walk away. “I don’t care. Just don’t burn down the fucking warehouse.”“That sounds like a challenge!” Aleks calls after him.But Brett just leaves and Anna and Aleks are left alone in the Fake Chop warehouse.-They don’t burn down the warehouse.At least, not at first. And when they do, it definitely isn’t for funsies.When Brett eventually complains though, Aleks will point out that the warehouse lasted until about noon so it didn’t happen right away.Besides what does James expect when he literally paints the front of the warehouse with their logo. They’re not incognito and this is why they give people shifts to watch the warehouse. Because of things like this.What happens is this: Someone who strongly dislikes Fake Chop gets their friends together and they converge on the warehouse from all directions. All the alarms the Trevor set up, go off at the same time- which aggravates Anna’s headache. So Aleks bundles her into his car and along with the hard drives she had grabbed before collapsing in pain. Realistically, Aleks could just start driving and everything would be fine, but where’s the fun in that?So what Aleks does is he starts the blaze in the common area on the couch where he and James have definitely fucked and that no one else in the crew will willingly sit. There’s a few accelerants lying around that he moves so they’re near some of the entrances. He gets a good fire going before he can hear bullets flying into the room.He takes that as his cue and he peaces out.His car is a thing of beauty and she outruns any other car there. Not that they try too hard to come after Aleks, they’re too focused on the warehouse. They have no idea what they’re getting themselves into. The warehouse is dangerous enough when it’s just their crew in there- now all the traps are loaded and set and everything is on fire. It’s rewarding as fuck.Anna is napping on and off in the car on the way to the dog groomers so Aleks swings by a gas station and grabs Excedrin and a water bottle for when she wakes up. The relative peace in the car and the satisfaction of a job well done lulls Aleks into an almost meditative state. He’s almost to the dog groomers when he realizes that he has a tail.Give him some credit, he does try to lose them. He even thinks about calling up Steve and Cib to see if one of the members of Fake Pine is nearby to help him out. But Anna is still drowsing while the Excedrin takes affect and he doesn’t want to make it any worse.Their tail slows down and then just drives by once he pulls into the dog groomers. Aleks waits to see if they’re just looping around the block. When he doesn’t see them for another five minutes, he wakes Anna up.“Something weird is happening. Stay here, keep an eye open and I’ll let you know when I figure it out.” Aleks says. Anna, ever the professional just nods.Aleks heads into the dog groomers and picks up the dogs. No one hassles him but it's quickly very clear why their tail ditched them. He gets back to the car and tries to show Anna the collars. She squints at him and then back at the pink collars."So, uh," Aleks says. "Fuck James, right?""Fuck James," Anna confirms but her arms are crossed and her brow scrunched up."So, like, fuck James," Aleks begins again. "We're leaving Fake Chop and joining the Cartel.""Yes," Anna says. She sounds like she's agreeing but her face and posture hasn't changed. "The Cartel.""You know, because Mexicans and Puerto Ricans hate each other.""How do you know this?" she asks."James told me. But fuck him.""Yes, fuck James. We covered that already."Anna still doesn't look convinced. Aleks sighs. He points at Mishka's collar and mouths the word "bug" at Anna until she gets it.The lights come on in her eyes."Oh," she breathes."Yeah," Aleks says."So, do you have a plan for this?" Anna asks."Of course, I do." Aleks says. He has maybe 56 percent of a plan. But it's better than nothing. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Aleks drives south. Anna is awake and she’s not talking. It’s making Aleks nervous because Anna isn’t even fussing with the radio.But everything goes alright despite the tension in the car.They make it to the safe house in San Diego that Aleks was only half sure was still there. He gets them in and leaves Anna to play with the dogs in the living room. He shakes a burner phone at her so she can see what he’s up to.Aleks calls James and his phone rings and rings and the asshole better be busy.Next, he calls Joe. Thank fuck, he actually answers. It’s too late to warn him not to go to where the warehouse used to be. But Joe and Trevor got to fuck with some cops so they’re in good moods. They said that they’ll spread the word to the rest of the crew about the bugs and the attack.Exhausted by one conversation, Aleks walks inside and face-plants into the couch. Mishka tries to play with him a little but Aleks just waves her away.“Is it hard work running away to a new crew?” Anna asks, standing in the doorway to the kitchen and inspecting a frying pan.“Yes,” Aleks says. “What’s for dinner?”“It’s like three in the afternoon. It’s not dinner time.” Anna says. “But we’re eating out.”“I’ll eat you out,” Aleks snits. Anna drops the pan.“Excuse me?” Anna’s voice goes very high. Her wide eyes follow Aleks’ hand-waving apology.“We’ll talk about it later.”“Excuse me?” Anna’s voice goes even higher when she repeats herself.Aleks gets up and walks to the car before Anna can remember how to form any other words. Anna kisses the girls goodbye but Aleks doesn’t see why when they’re only going to be gone for an hour or two at most.They get settled at a moderately busy diner and they talk. It’s soft and in between bites and sips. Aleks is too paranoid to be anything but cautious at a time like this. And Anna, God bless her, is quick on the uptake.Anna tells Aleks that she knows all that Trevor has found and that James has been trying to, not keep from Aleks because it’s not like Aleks was the most coherent, but hadn’t shared with him. Like that the Russians have staked out his apartment and Anna and Asher had to leave almost immediately for fear of being attacked at night, really at any time of day. Like that the Russians may have followed Joe to the dog groomers. Like how they have a name and they wanted to know if Aleks recognized it.“Ovechkin.” She whispers.“Fuck. I know that name.” Aleks begins, but their waitress comes back.“Here you are,” she says laying down the pie Aleks ordered. “Sweetie, you and your girl sure are quiet.”“Yeah,” Aleks chuckles. “Just a private conversation.”“Oh honey,” the woman says. “Secrecy is suspicious. Trying sharing a little more.” She tries for a saucy wink. “You might make some new friends.”“Well, my boyfriend and I were just chatting about the migraines I get when I’m menstruating.” Anna cuts in. “Do you have any tips, friend?”“Oh yes, orgasms help headaches.” The woman winks again.Anna grins like a shark. “Too bad he’s not that good. He’s only good for financial stability.”The woman’s smile fades.Anna turns back to Aleks. “What were you saying earlier? About eating me out? Let’s try that tonight and see if you can manage to make someone else orgasm for the first time in your life.”Anna leaves the booth and Aleks is both a little terrified and a little turned on.“Umm, can I have this to go?” Aleks asks and gestures to the pie.The waitress is quick to pack it to go and to give him the bill.“Do you really get migraines?” Aleks asks when he gets in the car. The passenger seat because Anna has taken the driver’s seat.“Yes,” Anna says when she starts the car. “What do think has been wrong with me all day?”“Oh.”Anna drives towards the highway. Aleks has no idea what she’s doing.He keeps his mouth shut though. At the very least, there’s a tracker on his car now. Maybe a bug or two.Anna gets out at a rest stop. She grabs her go bag from the back and Aleks grabs his. She walks about twenty feet away from the car. Then she turns back to him.“So.” She says.“So?” Aleks says.“Please continue.”“There’s not much to say,” Aleks says and scratches the back of his neck. “Ovechkin is a big fish. I never met him, of course, but if he’s here- they really want me dead.”“Okay,” Anna says.“And we’ve reached the end of my plan. I don’t know what to do from here. No one is answering their phone.”Anna nods like she knows he means James isn’t answering his phone. Fuck, she probably does after their conversation yesterday. Either way, she looks like she approves. Like she knows how much more comfortable Aleks is with James at his back, at his side, just with him. Maybe that’s how she feels about working with Asher. Aleks knows they’ve been partners for longer than Aleks and James have known each other.Anna turns to look out at all the people scurrying here and there. From their cars to the restrooms and back again.There’s some silence then Anna turns back to Aleks.“Let’s go to the warehouse.” She says.“I kind of burned it down?” Aleks says.“Not that one. The Russian’s warehouse.” Anna says. Her eyes are alight. “They’re too arrogant, we’ve talking on staking it out so we can ambush them when they’re there.”Aleks nods. It’s not a terrible idea.“So, the two of us can get started.” She finishes.Aleks nods. “That’s a terrible idea.” He says.Anna agrees. “But they haven’t really waited that long to come after you, so really. We need to retaliate soon.”“Yeah,” Aleks runs his hands through his hair. “Might as well. But you get to make the phone calls. I’ve already gotten yelled at by Brett today.”Anna laughs and takes the burner from Aleks while he goes to find a car to steal.-The drive to the Russian’s warehouse is a lot more relaxed than the drive to the safe house. Which seems like it should be the opposite, but Aleks has always had heists like this. Everything is relaxing and fun until the fallout. That’s when shit gets tense. Also, that’s when the yelling happens.Anna is in good spirits and she’s fun to talk to. She takes the conversation in circles around Aleks until he can steal it back and spins some stories around her.Then they reach their destination.They park. They walk through the alley and Anna heads to the roof. She tells Aleks that she didn’t see anyone until she peeked down through one of the skylights. No one looks up, but they’re not busy. Just sort of lounging around and waiting.So they heist it up. They’re going to be sneaking around so they leave their bulletproof vests in the stolen truck. Aleks lets Anna set up their coms. He’s not planning on leaving her alone with any of the Russians, but it can’t hurt to be on the safe side.They climb back up the ladder. Anna pulls Aleks up the last few rungs.“How’s your ankle?” she asks.“Little late to ask that doc, we’re already here.” He says.“Don’t suffer in silence. That will get us both killed.”Aleks nods. He of all people knows how important it is to be honest about when he’s not at his best and they’re heisting anyway.“It’s mostly stiff. Same with my shoulder.” Aleks says.“We’ll ice it when we’re done.”“If we aren’t dead.” He says.“That’s comforting,” Anna says as she turns on silent feet to look for a way in.Aleks lets her lead, follows her and works as her lookout. It’s not often other crew members are in the position to step up and lead. When they are, it tends to be Trevor. So Aleks is more than happy with standing to the side and letting Anna do what she does best without interfering. To be quite honest, Aleks is fucking exhausted and he knows that if he was leading, he would make them much more predictable to the Russians.It doesn’t take long until she’s got a roof hatch open. She ducks her head in and signals Aleks to go first down the ladder. Which he does, even if it takes him longer than it would usually. He’s mostly silent, a few pained inhales here and there, but he makes it to the bottom and pats himself on the back.The inside of the warehouse is just as empty as Anna said it would be. There are two men wearing all black lounging in the middle of the warehouse sharing a cigarette in the least homosexual way Aleks has ever seen. There’s like seven feet of space between them and they both have to lean unnecessarily far to pass it off. Aleks just shakes his head. Heterosexuality is so fragile.Anna closes the hatch silently then slides down the ladder to join Aleks on the ground. They’re hidden by a few boxes and the men in the middle have their backs to them. They could turn around at any minute.Anna clearly isn’t concerned because she walks, fully upright, to a door along the other wall of the warehouse. This is going to be Aleks’ cause of death; the stress created by Anna just strolling without a care through a warehouse run by the Russians trying very hard to kill Aleks.She gets the door open and slipped through. Aleks followed her closely at her back.The door shuts silently and Aleks grabs her arm. Anna just stared at him until he lets go.“Sorry, but what was that?” Aleks asks.Anna sighs and looks away. “I know you’re pissed that we learned parts of your tragic backstory without your consent. So can you just give me some time to adjust to the idea that my tragic backstory is resurfacing without warning?”“Oh,” Aleks says. “Those guys…?”“They’re fucked up right now and I can tell you exactly what drug and how high their tolerance probably is by now.”“Okay,” Aleks says and that’s the end of that conversation.Anna turns and keeps walking. Aleks is pretty sure she has whatever blueprints memorized.She leads him through the winding corridors and down down down steps. The Russians have no prisoners, but Anna walks on silent feet into every room and inspects it. In a server, Anna inserts a thumb drive that she magics out of thin air. In the next room over, she takes apart a computer and slides the hard drive into the back of her pants. She doesn’t explain and Aleks doesn’t ask.Aleks’ phone dings.“Trevor says thanks.” Aleks reads as he silences it. A voice that sounds way too much like Lindsey tells him that he should have done it earlier. She’s not wrong.Anna nods and continues on her silent stealth tour of the Russian’s basement.Two rooms over, there’s a crackle over the coms.“Sup bitch, I got eyes on a prize,” James says. “And hello Bananna.”“I’m happy for your sake that you were not addressing me with the bitch comment,” Anna responds.“Fuck both of you,” Aleks says.“Keep this shit out of the coms.” Trevor chimes in. When the fuck did he get here?“Chicken Tendies, you need to announce yourself when you join.” James chides.“I just did, Stacks. Now all of you shut the fuck up.” Trevor says. “Over.”Anna snorts but doesn’t say anything. Neither does Aleks but he’s sure they’re thinking the same fucking thing.They’re two rooms over when Anna brightens up.“Moles here, hanging along the northern wall. Stacks, you got me?” Asher's voice comes over the coms.Aleks snorts when Anna does a little happy dance and grins wildly.“I got you Moles. Over.” James says.“Moles,” Anna says. “There’s a hatch on the roof we came in through. We’ll meet you on the main in twenty. Over.”“Got ya. Over.” Asher says.Its maybe ten minutes later and they’re going up the steps when Aleks hears two men coming in their direction. He reaches up to Anna and she turns back to grab his hand as she runs back down the steps. She picks the room that she previously identified as a custodial closet to shove him into, then she slips the door shut and Aleks is left alone in the dark.The men’s footsteps make their way by at a stroll and Aleks holds his breath. He gets got and he’s dead. James is somewhere up high outside and Aleks is underground. There’s only Anna here but he doesn’t know where Anna is. If she gets caught, he isn’t sure what kind of relationship they had with her but he can’t imagine it’ll be a happy reunion.They walk by with no suspicion and Aleks slowly lets out his breath.“Requesting status report. Over.” Aleks announces over the com.“Moles here, planting C4 along the west wall now. Over.” Asher says.“Stacks here, covering Moles. No one new within my view. Over.” James says.“Tendies here, with the Jew. We’re watching from a secure enough location.” Trevor says.Anna doesn’t respond.“Bitch, you need to report your status too. Over.” James sounds annoyed.“Alex is fine, you ass. Bananna, what’s going on? Over.” Aleks says.Anna still doesn’t say anything.“Moles, stick to what you were doing,” James says.“No,” Aleks says. “Moles come in. Bananna and I might need back up.”“Working on it. Over.” Asher says.Aleks takes a deep breath and opens the door. The hallway isn’t empty the two men from before are standing near the corner with their backs to Aleks. He steps into the hallway and shuts the door behind him. It doesn’t shut quietly.Oops.Both men turn to look at Aleks, shit.Anna drops out of the ceiling behind them and knocks one of them into a wall. The other turns to look in surprise and Aleks rushes him. He shoulders him with his bad shoulder and cries out in pain.One of them, Aleks isn’t sure which, calls out in shock and then there are a lot more footsteps coming down the steps.“Moles, behind!” James calls out over the coms and Anna lets out a shriek from where she’s still fighting the original guy.Aleks stabs the one he rushed and manages to get out: “Moles, don’t rush! I’m with her and we are-“ before he gets cut off. Hopefully, that’s enough to keep Asher from rushing and getting himself fucked up.Anna gets her guy down and they stand breathing heavily while two more men rush down the steps with their guns up and ready.Aleks steps forward.“Now, now, now gentleman-“ Aleks begins but the one on the right fires a bullet just over his left shoulder.Before anything else can happen, the building shakes and there’s the sound of a collapse from the northern side of the building. Both men look up confused. That’s their mistake.Anna and Aleks hear the explosion and use the distraction to go after the men holding them at gunpoint. Timing was perfect and Aleks calls out general thanks over the coms. He scoops up a gun from one of the men and sees Anna do the same.“You better be careful. Moles is down.” James says.Anna’s face drops.Aleks reaches out a hand to her and thumbs at his coms. Anna moves away from his touch.“Stacks,” Aleks says. “Please repeat.”“Well, Moles blew some C4 and now he’s down. He’s being surrounded.”Anna tries to turn away from Aleks.“Stacks,” Aleks begins.“Calm down. Moles is moving. But they’re converging.”“Where?” Anna asks James and he gives her the location. She turns and runs.Fuck. Aleks runs after her and covers her back. There are a few Russians here and there, but Anna and Aleks are runners. They can easily dart through the ranks of bulky men who wouldn’t have any idea how to run a marathon if their lives depended on it. Aleks shoots at them too, a little wildly, but enough to keep them covered.Anna doesn’t stop running just bursts through the door into the main structure. She leaps onto one of the men pointing a gun at Asher where he’s lying in a puddle of blood. The wall behind him is blown open.“Relax comrade,” Aleks hears from behind his back and there’s a warm gun pressed to the back of his neck.“Fuck,” he hisses and jerks away from the burning metal. Aleks drops the gun and hopes it goes off again and shoots the guy. It doesn’t.The guy just laughs.“Call off your Hellcat.” The man says as he walks Aleks forward.The man she jumped onto has thrown her to the ground.“Anna,” Aleks calls. “Stay down!”And she rears up like she’s going to leap again- but she just snarls at the men and crab walks her way to Asher.They get corralled together and held at gunpoint. One of the guns tells another one, in Russian but Aleks is sure that Anna and Asher get the gist, to go get Ovechkin and Graire. They must be working together.“Hey Chicken Tendies,” James says over the coms. “We may have an issue.”“Stacks, we’re working on it,” Trevor says. “Hey A-Team, keep them talking. This might take a little bit.”Like they have time. Anna is not going to be any help, she’s busy working on Asher’s leg- must be where the blood is coming from. And Asher just looks dizzy.Except maybe they do have time because it feels like hours before Aleks can see Graire and Ovechkin standing on the other side of the wall Asher blew up. And oh thank God, James can see them. Aleks almost lets his shoulders slump in relief.Ovechkin steps forward first.“Allo, there you are!” he says with a grin and a wave. He’s missing a respectable amount of teeth.“You’ve given me a lot of trouble. Now please Sasha, you and your friends come with me and let’s have a one on one chat.” Graire says from behind him and she steps forward. Her minions behind her, and oh, there’s the waitress from the dinner there with her. She throws Aleks another attempt at a saucy wink.Ovechkin holds up a hand and stops her.He walks forward and paces around Anna and Asher where they’re on the ground.“This is very cute. A Smith and a Wesson, like a gun, da?” Ovechkin says and Aleks flinches. He had thought that Asher was kidding when he said his last name was Smith.Ovechkin kneels down and speaks into Anna’s pissed off face.“I wonder what your Papa is thinking. Running off with the car thief that stole from your brother?” Ovechkin tsks. “Very naughty, matryoshka.”Anna doesn’t say anything just stares into Ovechkin’s laughing eyes.He stands up.“Graire,” he says. “The little Sasha is yours. I take the gun team.”Graire just nods with pursed lips.Then she begins to talk. Thankfully in Russian so the A-Team can’t hear what she’s spewing, but she’s speaking like she’s some made-for-tv movie villain. Aleks can see Ovechkin’s shoulders shaking off to the side.It’s when Graire still doing her monologue that Aleks hears Brett telling them to get down. Oh good, that means she’ll have to stop speaking. Anna ducks over Asher and Aleks ducks over her. A door blows open and Brett bursts in from behind them with some fucking automatic and his goddamn pool swan strapped to his back.While everyone else is ducked and being shot, Aleks sees Ovechkin slip away with a tall blond man. That doesn’t matter.Graire starts to fall, blooms of red coming from her knees. The angle of the shots means that James is doing this.Aleks gets his feet under him and lunges for Graire.It’s easy to tackle her to the ground.He stares into her fearful eyes as he slices her throat open with his obsidian knife. It slices through her flesh so easy, so smooth.She coughs and chokes on her own blood but her frantic eyes are forced to stare into Aleks’ own.He grins and she dies.Brett is still shooting and screaming like the maniac he is. James' voice comes out soft over the coms. Aleks has no thought but to obey. He gathers the A-Team together and carries Asher to the stole truck as James shoots to kill everyone who approaches them.Aleks can hear Trevor and Joe coordinating with Brett over the coms. Oh, that’s Kovic’s voice. Fake Haus is here.Aleks gets them in the truck and he’s never been more grateful for the ugly ass trucks with a back seat because there’s nowhere else to lay Asher down. Anna squeezes in the back with him. She might be hyperventilating. Aleks can’t tell when he knows that he is not aware enough to process anything other the blood on his hands and the weight easing itself off his shoulders.Fake Haus brings in helicopters and Aleks can hear their gunmen starting a kill count competition over the coms. Trevor waves from outside an unmarked van as Aleks speeds by with the A-Team. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- It’s hard to drive at a reasonable speed and pace when Aleks is still hopped up on adrenaline and Asher might be bleeding to death in the back. Aleks manages it because he is a goddamn professional, but holy shit is it difficult.The hotel is in a little place in Lake Elsinore that Lindsey picked out as their go-to fallout hidey-hole. It’s about an hour and a half away from the warehouse depending on the route taken. Honestly, it’s a great location and Aleks is too panicked to think of anywhere else to take them.The back seat of the truck that Aleks stole is going to have to be burned and all he can hear from back there is soft crying and some low groans.“Anna,” he calls softly. “How are things looking, doc?”“I’m not a doctor.” She says between gasps. “I’m not a doctor and my best friend is dying and I can’t fix this.”Aleks winces at the emotion in her voice.“He sounds alive from where I’m sitting?” Aleks offers.“Oh he’s alive,” Anna says but she doesn’t sound happy about it. “But I don’t know how much longer, or even if he does survive if he’ll be able to walk without a limp.”Aleks nods. He’s not surprised that this injury is out of Anna’s level of experience or even too specific for her. But she’s overreacting, they’ll just stabilize him until Lindsey can get a specialist to them.When he says as much, Anna just laughs.“That would be a good plan if I was a doctor,” Anna says.When Aleks opens his mouth to respond, Anna interrupts him.“I’ve only got a BS in Biology and an expired EMT certification. I’m not a doctor.” Anna says.Oh, that’s what she means.“Anna, its fine. You’ve done spectacularly so far.”“No! It’s not fine. He could die and it’s all because I didn’t go to med school!”“Anna,” Aleks laughs through the last shakes of adrenaline. “If it matters that much, I’ll pay for you to go to med school.”“Really?” Anna asks in a small voice.“Show me a letter of acceptance and I’ll sign you a blank check,” Aleks says.“Oh,” Anna sounds surprised. “Well, thank you.”Despite Anna’s dire prediction, Asher doesn’t die in the car on the way to the hotel. He doesn’t even die in the hotel. Aleks carries him into the room he gets for Anna and Asher with little issue. He leaves Anna to handle any further care and calls Lindsey to let her know that they made it. Aleks already suffered through one in the car where he was forced to explain to her what exactly happened between when she left for vacation and now. It wasn’t fun.Aleks calls James’ phone again. This time someone answers, but it’s not James. It’s Trevor.Trevor is an alright kid and all, but Aleks will have to beat him up if it turns out that something happened to James and he didn’t tell Aleks. After, he vomits out of shame for being that weak over someone like James.“My man!” Trevor says. “That was some good shit you let Jakob and I have-““I don’t really have time for this right now. Give me the run down.” Aleks interrupts.“Okay,” And Trevor gets serious.Brett and Fake Haus are eliminating what’s left of the Russian’s base of operations while Joe and Trevor watch. Ovechkin hasn’t been found yet, but that’s not something they’re worried about. Fake Pine is fucking around in the desert so the cops haven’t made it to the warehouse districts yet. Something about burning cars and trying to make a connect-the-dots picture- Trevor isn’t sure and Aleks doesn’t care. Oh, and Jakob is at James’ house making sure no one goes after that next.“And James?” Aleks asks because his masochism always gets the best of him.“We don’t know. But he wasn’t injured and we’re not sure where he was sniping from so he could be back there.”“Back there?”“Yeah,” Trevor says. “He came down and threw his phone at me. He said that when you call, I should say that you’re a dumbass and this is why you have a crew for back up. And he wants to know why you’re still a part of the crew if this is how you act even when you have one that will back you up.”“What?” Aleks asks, his heart drops to rest somewhere in his stomach.“Yeah, so are you leaving the crew? Can I come with you?”“I-I, I’ll let you know,” Aleks says.He hangs up and goes for a walk. His hands are shaking. If James wants him out- then well, he’ll just have to leave.-When Aleks walks inside his room, the curtains are shifting in the breeze let in by the open window. Aleks didn’t open the window. But James- James is sitting on the chair by the bed and watching a cigarette burn. Aleks shuts the door behind him and leans against it. James is silent, not even his breath is making noise. Aleks wasn’t joking when he told Anna and Asher that a really, very angry James will be quiet.He takes a shaky breath and moves forward. James’ eyes leave the end of the cigarette and jump to Aleks. James watches every step he takes and James doesn’t move other than to tilt his head back when he stands over him and plucks the cigarette and snuffs out it on the table.“I was smoking that.” James protests, but softly and without any vinegar.“No smoking room.” Aleks whispers and he leans forward and catches James’ lips with his own.It’s really just a brushing of lips, the kind of kiss that only counts as a kiss when both individuals are in elementary school and immediately get cootie shots. But James doesn’t pull away. So Aleks presses, harder and harder, and he steps in between James’ legs. James’ hands dart up and grip Aleks’ hips while Aleks cradles his face.When James starts pressing up into Aleks and his hands start slipping up his shirt and brushing his waistband. Aleks pulls away. James’ groan of disappointment turns into muffled shock when Aleks drops to his knees and starts undoing James’ belt. James watches with wide eyes and a heaving chest as Aleks pulls out his dick. It’s half hard and Aleks can easily swallow it down.Aleks is alright when it comes to sucking dick. He’s not super bad at it and even enjoys it a little bit, but he hates swallowing or spitting out cum. Before James (sometimes it’s hard to remember that there’s a before) he used to pull off and just let whoever cum in his hand. But James doesn’t like that trick. It’s either a mouthful or a facial and Aleks despises both of those. So Aleks doesn’t suck James’ dick unless it’s a special occasion and he gets this longing for dick stretching his mouth wide open. Like James’ birthday, or when James got Aleks a beautiful obsidian knife for his birthday, or when James has just finished threatening some asshats and has just a touch of blood on his face.James’ face gets very expressive and Aleks finds his face distracting enough when he’s not giving James a blowjob. Aleks closes his eyes. He knows what James likes. The suction, the licking, the creeping finger brushing against his hole. God, Aleks wishes he could watch the face James makes when he lets a strangled, bitten-off moan escape when Aleks slips a dry fingertip just barely in. James tugs at Aleks’ hair and he pulls off. James holds him there. “Aleks, don’t want to come like this,” James says between pants. Aleks nods and knows that James can feel it even if his eyes are closed.“Lay down on the bed,” Aleks says. “I wanna ride you.”James groans but eases himself up. He strips on his way there and Aleks is frozen. His eyes trace the muscles in James’ back and legs. Memorizing everything so he can keep this moment forever.Aleks finally stands when James is settled with his arms propping him up. He didn’t really do it on purpose but James whistles anyway as he takes off his shirt. He glares at James when he drops his pants. James just grins.Aleks grabs the lube in the drawer by the bed and crawls up so he’s straddling James. He closes his eyes and starts to open himself up. James tries to do what he thinks helps, but really he just rushes things, so Aleks smacks away his hands. James strokes his legs and hips until Aleks is shaking. Aleks is as ready as he’ll ever be and sinks down onto James’ dick.He starts a pace that James can’t contest and keeps his mind shut to everything but the drag of James’ cock inside of him and the moans James is making. James grabs the side of his face to pull him down into a kiss but Aleks shoves James down and keeps riding him.“Aleks,” James whimpers.“Shut the fuck up,” Aleks says and he rolls his hips to grind down harder. More to feel the way the angle changes and makes his breath catch, then for any benefit of James.“Aleks,” James repeats. “Why won’t you look at me?”Aleks refuses to answer and keeps grinding on James’ dick.“Aleks,” James gasps.“Aleks, Aleks, Aleks, Aleks, Aleks,” James repeats like his name is the only prayer that could grant his damned soul salvation.Aleks squints his eyes shut and keeps them shut when he comes, gasping for more air.“Sasha,” James pleads and grips his hips so mean. “Can I? Can I please?”Aleks nods, too startled by the use of his childhood nickname to protest, and James flips them over to thrust and finishes inside Aleks. Aleks is too sensitive, but god. His eyes and mouth are forced open. He tries to memorize the feel of James coming inside him. The look on James’ face is like staring into the sun.Aleks reaches up to stroke his face just as James breaks eye contact and bows his head. James pants into his neck.“I know,” James begins. “That you didn’t- wouldn’t fuck anyone when you went out with the crew. I shouldn’t have implied that you would do something like that.”“Not right now,” Aleks begs. “Please not right now. Just let me have this one last time.”James’ grip slides up to hold Aleks’ wrists tight.“You’re not leaving,” James says.“You don’t want me to go?” Aleks asks. His voice sounds so weak. “But all this shit is because of me.”“We all have a past. Even Anna, and she’s a fucking daisy.” James almost spits.“Okay,” Aleks says.There’s quiet for a little bit before James speaks up again.“So you killed Graire.”“Yeah, I did,” Aleks says.“Ovechkin was impressed. He let me know that he called off the Russians and while they may not deal with us directly ever, they’re willing to work with the rest of the Syndicate.” James says because he always thinks crew business is an appropriate pillow talk topic. “Oh, and they’re going to stop trying to kill you.”Aleks nods.“Please,” James says and his voice catches on the second syllable. “Don’t leave.”“I won’t,” Aleks says and wraps his arms around James’ neck.“I’m going to pay for Anna to go to medical school.” Aleks offers because as much as he has wanted to ban business in their pillow talk, he wanted- wants James to keep talking to him more. Aleks feels James’ nod where his face is still pressed into his neck.“I think we should move HQ to my house. It’s harder to get to because it’s a civilian area and it’s gated.” James says.“Where will you live?” Aleks asks. He feels so hollow after everything that’s happened in the last few hours. He’s not really sure how to keep the conversation going.“I talked to the stripper. She doesn’t remember you.” James continues like Aleks never spoke and he’s just running through a checklist.“I don’t remember her.” Aleks retorts. Where is this going?“Also, I like that mug shot of yours. I asked Brett to frame it.” James says.“Thanks,” Aleks responds. “What the fuck are you getting at?”“You were right. I want to fuck Ryan Reynolds and that’s why my card is under the name ‘Wade W Wilson,’” James says and the victory in hearing him say that is a little stale to Aleks’ taste buds.“I knew it.” Aleks tries for a laugh but it sounds just as forced as it is.“Shut the fuck up,” James says and he buries his head into Aleks’ neck. “я люблю тебя”What?James mangles the pronunciation but there’s no way he’s saying anything but “I love you.”“What?” Aleks asks.“And if HQ is in my house, then I need somewhere to live,” James continues like nothing happened.Aleks is speechless.“And I was thinking that should be wherever you are,” James finishes.“Oh my god.”“Yeah,” mutters James.The silence reigns for a minute, but it can’t last because Aleks is an asshole when placed in uncomfortable emotional situations.“So the joint cards really were a proposal.”There’s a pause then James says:“I guess, I can come up with a better proposal if that’s what you want.”“Shut up and marry me so I can be a legal US citizen.”“I see how it is. You don’t want me, you just want to papers,” laughs James.James raises up his head and they smile at each other.“I’m never saying it again.”“Yeah well, I’m never saying it,” Aleks responds.They lay there. Just looking at each other until Aleks needs to get up to clean the cum out of his ass and scrub the feelings off his skin. James joins him, so it takes much longer than it should.They fall giggling out of the shower. Aleks can’t help but ask the question burning on the tip of his tongue.“How did you know the words?” he asks. James blinks but catches on quickly.“I looked it up,” James says, which is obvious because Aleks has definitely never told James ‘I love you,’ even in Russian. “Sometimes, you slip into Russian when you’re tired and I wanted to know if you ever said that to me.”“I didn’t. I know I didn’t.”“You didn’t,” James says. He hunches over and looks at Aleks from underneath his lashes. “But I also hoped you would.”That. Well, Aleks frowns at that. Because ‘I love you’ slipping out of his mouth like gasoline is easily his greatest fear.“What would you have done if I had said I- said that?” Aleks asks.James snorts. “You can marry me but you can’t even say that you love me?”“I’ve said it. Just ask Anna.”“That doesn’t count. You didn’t say it to me,” James says. He sighs and looks upwards. “Depends on when you said it.”Aleks opens his mouth but James shushes him with a small flap of his hand.“I would have made fun of you, at first. But around the time you want to leave, I wouldn’t have said anything.” James says. “But in the past few months, since we hit our crew anniversary, I would’ve said it back.”Aleks looks at his hands. “Oh,” is all that escapes his mouth. He doesn’t know how to say, ‘I’ve loved you for a long time, but I’ve only just learned the depth of the words recently. Please, be patient with me. I don’t know how to trust that you love me just as much yet.’He doesn’t know how to say this. So he says nothing and hopes that his silence speaks enough of it to James.-Every good crew leader checks in with their members after a job, whether or not it has gone well. Aleks and James aren’t bad leaders but occasionally they delegate this job to other people. Aleks has already talked to Trevor personally, so he knows that Trevor has checked in with Joe and Jakob and that he’s coordinating things with Fake Haus and Fake Pine. Aleks talked to (read: got yelled at by Lindsey) on the phone. James talked to Brett a little when they were blowing up the warehouse and the stack of bodies they stashed in there. That just leaves Anna and Asher.Unsurprisingly, they haven’t left the room Aleks got for them. There’s another man in there stitching up Asher’s leg. He must be the doctor that Lindsey called in a favor from.Asher is blinking up at the ceiling at a slow pace. Aleks knows that feel, Anna must have given him the good shit. Aleks made a bag of ice for his ankle and shoulder before he and James came over here. He’s glad he did because there’s no way Anna is an in any state to remind him.Anna sits in a chair by the window with empty eyes. She’s not even watching the doctor work on Asher. She’s just staring at the wall four feet in front of her.Aleks sits down and blocks her view while James whispers to the doctor. They exchange money.It takes five minutes (Aleks counts it) for Anna to see him.“I’m sorry,” she whispers.“Don’t apologize. If you hadn’t been with him, Aleks would have found something dumber to do.” James says.“It was my idea-“ Anna tries again to apologize.“Don’t. Aleks’ plans always end worse than this did.” James repeats.“But Asher,” Anna breathes and finally turns to look at her best friend.“The doctor Lindsey called says that he’ll be fine. We just need to get him in PT so he won’t have too bad of a limp.”Anna nods.“Says that if it does bother Asher, it’ll be the rainy weather. But we’re in sunny California so that shouldn’t be a problem.” James continues.“Okay,” Anna says.There’s silence and James sits quietly at the end of the only bed.Aleks doesn’t bother counting how long this silence lasts. Anna will talk when she’s ready.“I’m sorry,” Anna begins. “I’m not really a doctor.”“That’s okay, you will be,” James says.“My family, my past-“ Anna tries again.“Unimportant.” James counters.“It’s becoming important!”“Hey,” Aleks leans in and steal Anna’s attention. “Fuck your family and fuck your past. Fake Chop has your back.”Anna slumps in her seat, all the tension finally leaving her body.“Thanks.”“I’d say anytime but you guys just did this for me,” Aleks says.James laughs. “And if we would do it for this asshole, then why wouldn’t do it for you?” James questions.“Well,” Anna startles. “Fake Chop is half Aleks’ crew-““And you’re a piece Fake Chop, Anna,” James says. “We wouldn’t have brought you and Asher in, we wouldn’t have kept you and Asher if we weren’t willing to keep you and Asher.”“Oh, thank you,” Anna says.They sit and listen to Asher’s steady breaths. Aleks knows that whatever has been unearthed in Anna’s life- nothing can hold Fake Chop down. Because Fake Chop takes care of their own.
11454303	Black Blue and Red	{ "Archive Warning": null, "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "The Neighbor (Hello Neighbor), The Player (Hello Neighbor)", "Fandom": "Hello Neighbor (Video Game)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Explicit", "author": "by LightningDrawz", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-09T00:00:00", "words": "271", "Additional Tags": "Drabble, Rape, Violence, Blood, Tough Love, Love Hurts, this fucked up, sorry Scottie, still love ya, trigger warning", "Relationship": "Neighbor (Hello Neighbor)/ Player (Hello Neighbor)", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": "Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con", "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Scottie grunted and struggled as his wrists were held down by two, much stronger arms, which were clad in rubber gloves. "Scottie, Scottie, Scottie..." Leonard murmured, bring his face closer. Scottie whimpered when he noticed that Leonard's eyes were green, meaning he was doing this of his own free will. "L-Let me go...please..." Scottie whimpered, as he attempted to break free of Leonard's grip but to no avail. Scottie expecting the grip to loosen but was met with a warm, sharp pain in his cheek. Leonard had punched him, and the first punch was followed by two more. Scottie could feel blood pouring out of his nose and his now-busted lip. "Sorry, Scottie...but, when I want something...I find a way to get it. Even, if it means using force." Leonard said, darkly. Leonard ripped off Scottie's pants and underwear, leaving him exposed. Leonard then unzipped his pants and pulled down his underwear, revealing his erection. Leonard positioned himself before forcing himself into Scottie. Scottie screamed as tears streamed down his face. Leonard thrusted harder and deeper into Scottie with each thrust. "That feel good, baby?" Leonard asked with a demented grin on his face. Scottie didn't answer, he just closed his eyes and waited for it to be over. Eventually, it ended, as Leonard released into Scottie and walked away. Scottie sobbed and curled up into a ball as he wondered why Leonard, the man he loved, would do something like this. Scottie couldn't think of a reason why. Meanwhile, Leonard sat on the side of his bed and covered his face before crying. "Scottie...I'm so sorry..."
11473842	Oceans Deep	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Monkey D. Luffy, Roronoa Zoro, Nami (One Piece), Usopp (One Piece), Monkey D. Garp", "Fandom": "One Piece", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by grayclouds", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "13,465", "Additional Tags": "Comedy, Fluff, No Angst, Freeform, Light-Hearted, Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Sharkman Zoro, Tumblr Prompt, ZoLu Week", "Relationship": "Monkey D. Luffy/Roronoa Zoro", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Luffy looks out over the horizon of sea before him and wonders what today has in store for him.“You should stay on land, Luffy,” Nami warns him, her forearms folded on the edge of the pier he sits on together with Usopp, flashes of the scales on her orange-and-pink tail flickering in the water as it sways back and forth. “I have a bad feeling about today; I think there’s a storm coming.” “Nami, you worry too much!” Usopp says, both his and Luffy’s legs dangling down into the water with their bare feet making occasional splashes. “We’ll be back before the storm hits—it can’t be that close by, can it?”“They hit much faster than you think!” Nami says with a scowl, tail breaking through the surface briefly to flick some water his way, Usopp yelping. “Just be back within a few hours, okay?”“We’ll be fine,” Luffy replies cheerfully, not a care in the world as he toys with the ruby red pendant of his necklace, feeling warm against his fingers.And why would he have a care? He’s a good swimmer, and luck has always been on his side. Besides, fishing is just about the only fun thing to do on this little island of his, remote and isolated from the rest of the world. Well, that and hanging out with the local merpeople, like Nami.“Besides, even if he drowns you can just pluck him out of the water!” Usopp adds as he gets up from the pier, grinning widely in unison with Luffy.Nami looks decidedly unamused. “Just be careful is all I’m saying, I’m not babysitting you two every time you go out fishing!” She huffs. “There’s been rumors about sharks being spotted near here, you know? I don’t want to end up a meal for one of them!”“Yeah, yeah, we got it,” Usopp replies casually, half-turned around to start walking away. “Honestly, I think the sharks should be more afraid of you than you are of them.” “Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?”As they begin to launch into a familiar routine of arguing and banter, Luffy lingers at the edge of the pier as he pushes himself up to his feet, wind blowing strangely through his hair.There’s something in the air today, he can feel it, and whatever it is has his heart beating in excitement.Storm or no, he can’t wait to see what the day will bring.Luffy has always been a better swimmer than he has been a fisherman, but falling off a boat and getting his leg tangled in his fishing net is definitely not what he thought the day would bring earlier that morning.The water is icy as it submerges him in its currents. He thinks he can hear Usopp’s voice calling for him through the blur of the waves, but it’s impossible to really know with all the noise from the storm thundering above the water. As the wind and the restless currents yank the boat around, Luffy drifts helplessly, unable to get a good hold on the net to free his foot.Panic spikes through him for the first time when the need for air presses on his throat, his flailing turning frustrated. If he doesn’t find a way to cut himself loose fast, he’ll drown.As if that wasn’t bad enough, the net then slips off the boat with something heavy tangled in it, likely the box of snacks and drinks they’d brought along with them. It sinks down towards the seafloor and Luffy feels it yank on his ankle, pulling him down with it no matter how hard he’s flailing to reach the surface again.He can’t even see their boat anymore and his lungs are starting to burn, chest tightening as it hurts for oxygen but he’s only sinking deeper, and it’s getting darker, and colder, and he can’t hold his breath anymore, airways flooding with water as soon as he gasps on reflex, his struggling growing weaker and weaker until—The last thing Luffy remembers before passing out is something darting around him in the water, and a flash of green.Then, darkness.There’s a sound.It’s low, kind of like a murmur if it was spoken through a wall of water, and for a moment Luffy thinks he’s still lost to the sea when he realizes he can breathe and the sun is burning on his cheeks, feet in the water as small waves rhythmically wash over his lower legs, up and down again with the tide.He sucks in a breath and shoots up like a bullet, which is the exact wrong thing to do because as soon as he tries to sit up his head collides with something harsh above him, and whatever was murmuring before shouts a curse now.“Ow, dammit!”Luffy groans and collapses back onto the—sand, he’s lying on sand, holding his forehead with a hand and hoping he didn’t just earn himself a bruise with how the pain throbs through his skull. His hand reflexively reaches for his necklace, and when he finds it still secure around his neck he relaxes.Above him the cursing thing is now grumbling, and Luffy squints against the sunlight to make out something green. It’s a much brighter shade out in daylight than in the depths of the sea.The green thing shifts above him and as his vision clears up Luffy can finally make out two dark gray eyes in a stormy face, the actual green part of it just being the hair atop the man’s head.His savior continues to stare at him.Luffy blinks back slowly.“A mosshead?”Mosshead scowls even deeper. “I drag your sorry ass out of a storm and that’s the first thing you say to me?”Luffy notices the sharp teeth when Mosshead speaks, far sharper than Nami’s. Not to mention as Luffy’s gaze wanders lower he notices Mosshead isn’t wearing any clothes, and when he looks even further down he sees the huge green and white tail where legs should be laying on the sand and touching on the calm tide washing over the beach, matching Mosshead’s... well, mosshead.“Are you a shark-man?” Luffy asks in amazement, and Moss-shark raises his brows.“What, did the teeth give it away?” he mocks, slapping his huge tail down into an incoming wave and creating a splash, drops of it landing on Luffy’s face—it’s definitely bigger and stronger looking than Nami’s, whose tail is slender and much prettier in comparison.So cool!“You’re taking this very calmly,” Moss-shark says, watching Luffy stare at his tail. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll eat you?”Luffy shakes his head. “If you wanted to eat me you wouldn’t have dragged me out of the water.”“True enough,” Moss-shark replies with a grin, putting his rows of teeth on display. So cool! “Thanks for saving me, by the way!”Moss-shark pushes himself away from Luffy to sit-up, leaning back on his hands as he stares out over the sea. “You’re lucky I happened to be in the area.”“I’ve never seen a shark-man before,” Luffy says as he sits up as well beside him, curiously looking over the skin of his tail—it looks very different from Nami’s colorful scales. “Don’t you guys live further south?”Moss-shark glares at him from the corner of his eyes, tensing up. “I live where I want.”Silence stretches between them.“You got lost, didn’t you?”“I didn’t get lost!” Moss-shark yells as Luffy starts laughing. “I was just taking a detour, that’s all!”“I like you, Idiot-shark!” Luffy declares brightly. “What’s your name?”“My name is Roronoa Zoro,” Idiot-shark snaps. “And at least I didn’t nearly drown in my own fishing net, so who’s really the idiot here?” Luffy grins mischievously, taking the insult in stride. “I’m Monkey D. Luffy!”“Great.” Zoro looks back towards the sea again. “Well, this was weird. I’m gonna go now, so—”“But you just got here!” Luffy protests. “You could at least stay for a while before getting lost again!”“I told you, I didn’t get lost!”Luffy scrambles up to his feet, ignoring Zoro’s protest. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to my friends!”Zoro frowns at him, twisting to flop onto his belly with his elbows buried in the wet sand. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed,” he starts slowly, tail swinging up behind him, “but I don’t have any legs.”Luffy tilts his head. “You can’t grow them?”There’s another silence.“What?”“Nami can!” Luffy replies at Zoro’s bewildered look. “Nami is a mermaid and she can turn her tail into legs and walk on land whenever she wants, but she always turns back as soon as she gets wet.”“That’s nice, but I have no idea how to do that,” Zoro responds bluntly. “So, like I said, I should just—”“Then Nami can teach you!” Luffy insists. “Just follow me from the water!”And before Zoro can throw out another protest, Luffy dashes off, hearing loud cursing and yelling behind him followed seconds later by a loud splash that brings a huge smile to his face.It’s not every day that he makes a new friend, especially one as cool as Zoro—he can hardly wait to show him off to the others, sprinting across the beach, kicking up sand as he goes as if he didn’t almost drown just a few scant minutes ago.When he looks to his left toward the sea and wonders if Zoro is still following him, something breaks through the waves and into the air in a magnificent arc, Luffy’s eyes going wide in awe as he watches Zoro dive down again and disappear underwater. Far away on the horizon behind him are the last of the storm clouds dispersing underneath the sun, beams of sunlight scattered over the surface of the water.He breaches again and Luffy’s eyes flit to the muscles on his torso, and while his breaching isn’t even half as graceful as Nami’s, it reaches higher and seems much more powerful.Laughter slips from his mouth, bright and loud, and when Zoro breaches a third time Luffy waves at him with both arms stretched high.“Zoro!” he yells at the top of his lungs, drawing a glance. “That’s super cool!”He thinks he sees a smile but Zoro disappears too quickly beneath the waves for him to be sure. Even so he continues running with a new spring in his step, noting belatedly that his precious straw hat is secure on his back, wind blowing through his hair and drying the wetness by the time he spots the pier in the distance.Luffy can just about make out Usopp bringing their fishing boat in, screaming something at Nami who is swimming around the boat. As he approaches, the words become clearer—beside him in the water, Zoro has stopped breaching, but if Luffy looks close enough he can see his dorsal fin sticking out.“He was behind me when I turned around but when I looked over my shoulder he was gone!” Luffy can hear Usopp yelling. “Oh my god, what if he drowned, NAMI, WHAT DO WE DO, WHAT IF LUFFY DROWNED AND HE SUNK TO THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN, OH MY GOD NAMI WHAT IF HE GOT EATEN BY SHARKS—”“Calm down, Usopp!” Nami yells back at him as Usopp collapses onto his knees on the pier after having tied the boat, bawling. “I’ll go look for him, alright? He’s-he’s a great swimmer, I’m sure he made it to shore!”Luffy watches Zoro’s fin disappear underwater again, and looks at his distressed friends who seem so caught up by the idea of him having drowned to death that they don’t even see him approaching.“GARP IS GOING TO KILL ME!” Usopp cries, sinking to his knees with his hands in his hair. “AND I DESERVE IT!”Zoro, swimming faster than that Luffy can run, pops up at the other side of the pier, hanging onto the edge with his elbows. “For your information,” he starts loudly, inducing two horrified screams, Usopp falling off the pier into his boat and Nami diving under. “Hey! Listen to people when they’re talking, don’t swim off!”“Guys, it’s okay!” Luffy calls as he finally makes it to the pier, and Usopp scrambles up to his feet, swaying in the boat with a slack-jawed look on his face.“LUFFY?”Nami’s head appears several dozen feet away from the pier, eyes squinting before widening in surprise. “Luffy!”Grinning with delight, Luffy runs up the pier and notices he has lost his sandals, the wood slapping against his bare feet. “Zoro won’t eat you, he’s my friend!”“OH THANK GOD, I THOUGHT YOU—wait, wait, wait, he’s your what?” Usopp shrieks, eyeing Zoro warily, gaze darting to the dorsal fin on his back. “Luffy, he’s a sh-sh-sh-shark! Ha-half a shark! A shark-man!”“I know, isn’t he cool?” Luffy says, eyes glimmering. “He saved me from drowning!”Usopp slowly climbs out of the boat, glancing down nervously at Zoro, who stares back impassively.“As I was saying,” Zoro continues, “I don’t eat humans; they taste bad.”“H-h-how do you know w-w-what humans t-t-ta-taste like?”Zoro grins widely, revealing the sharp teeth, Usopp letting out a squeak and diving behind Luffy who laughs heartily. Nami approaches the side of the pier opposite to Zoro, pulling herself up out of the water and sitting down at the edge next to the boat, brushing back her long hair.“He’s just messing with you, Usopp,” she says, looking less afraid now that Luffy has introduced Zoro. “Though I guess now I know where all those rumors about sharks being sighted near here came from. What are you doing this far up north?”“Zoro got lost!”Luffy twists out of the way of the spray of water Zoro chucks at him with his tail, using Usopp as a shield while laughing cheerfully—Usopp, not so much.“For the last time, I didn’t get lost!”“Oh, great,” Nami sighs as Usopp wipes the water off his face with his bandana, glowering at Luffy. “You’ve found another idiot to complete your triangle of idiots.”Zoro and Usopp turn to her in unison with indignant looks. “Hey!”“By the way, Nami,” Luffy interrupts as he places his straw hat back on top of his head again after rubbing all the sand out of his hair, thinking it’s probably about time for a bath. “Can you teach Zoro how to walk on land?” Nami tilts her head in thought, looking at Zoro. “You don’t know?”“What, about turning into a human?” Zoro replies dryly. “Not until just now, no.”“That’s because it can only happen on this island,” Nami informs him, as well as the rest of them considering Luffy sure didn’t know about that part. “I don’t know how to explain it, but there’s a magic on this island that allows it.”She holds out her hand expectantly, and Usopp and Luffy exchange confused glances before Nami gets impatient. “Well? Hurry up and get me a towel and some clothes!”“Oh, hold on, I’ll do it!” Luffy says, running off towards the old abandoned little house right next to the pier that used to be a fishing shop, until the owner passed away several years ago. Now it’s used as a storage house for the local fishermen—plenty of blankets and towels there, not to mention they keep some clothes for Nami for whenever she wants to come on land.He returns with his arms full of towels and clothes and Nami pulls her long, slender tail out of the water, the way orange scales fade into pink the closer they get to her caudal fins fully visible. She takes a large towel and starts drying herself, wrapping it around her, and when she does her tail lights up gold so glaringly bright they all turn away from it.By the time the light has faded, the only thing sticking out from under the towel she has tied around her chest are two very human legs.Usopp gives her a hand as she stands up, but she doesn’t wobble nearly as much as she used to when she first did it. Usopp even has the decency, or rather, the self-awareness to turn away as Nami slips her panties on under the towel.Luffy, on the other hand, just points at her legs, Zoro staring at them in shock. “See, I told you!”After having pulled on her long beach dress Nami flings her towel at Luffy’s head.“Don’t just point at people, idiot!”Zoro pokes at her big toe. “Huh, it’s real.”Nami slams her heel onto his hand, Zoro biting down a curse. “Don’t randomly touch people either, second idiot!”Luffy laughs loudly at their antics, tossing the wet towel to the side without a care; Zoro is fitting in perfectly already. “Come on, Zoro, now you try it!”Zoro narrows his eyes at him, resting his chin behind his forearms on the edge of the pier, the tide calmed around him, water swaying gently. “I don’t even know how to walk.”“Then we’ll teach you,” Nami says, a mischievous smirk uncurling on her face. “For a price!”“Price?” Zoro repeats warily. “What price?”“Hmm, how about… yes, let’s make it ten-thousand pearls!”Zoro sputters. “Ten-thousand? Do you have any idea how long that would take?”“No?” Nami tilts her head in thought. “Alright then, how about my weight in Aztec gold?”“Where the hell am I supposed to find that much Aztec gold?”“Are you calling me fat?”“What? No! I’m just saying—”“Fine then!” Nami huffs dismayed, crossing her arms. “My final price is Captain Flint’s long-lost treasure, take it or leave it!”“ARE YOU INSANE?”“We’ll do it for free!” Luffy interrupts after having had his fill of laughing at the pair. “It’s only right, since Zoro did save my life.”Nami looks like she very much wants to protest, but at Luffy’s determined gaze gives up with a sigh. “Fine, this one is pro bono.”“Wait!” Luffy calls out just as Zoro opens his mouth to answer. “I do have one condition.”Nami and Zoro glance each other, the latter prompting, “What?”Luffy grins widely. “Can I ride you?”There’s a moment of complete silence, broken seconds later by the eruption of loud laughter while Zoro scowls in confusion, eyeing Luffy warily.“What the hell is that even supposed to mean?”“You know, when you do the breaching thing!” Luffy explains, gesturing widely with his hands to mimic the big arc he saw Zoro make.“Seriously?” Zoro tilts his head slightly, appearing a tad bit annoyed (or contemplative? Luffy can’t really tell) before his look dims to something more akin to resignation, sinking back down to the edge of the pier. “Alright, I’ll take you for a swim later.”Luffy does a fist pump. “Yes!”“So how does this work?” Zoro asks all three of them, appearing more curious than he does reluctant. “I just get out the water and dry off?”“That’s the gist of it,” Nami answers, pulling her hair up in a bun with an elastic band Usopp handed her.“Alright then, this should be interesting.” Zoro shifts his hands and lays them down flat on the pier, and with a single pull hoists himself out the water. “Let’s see what happens.”Both Luffy and Usopp watch with thinly-veiled awe as the full length of Zoro’s tail comes into view, even Nami—as proud as she is of her own tail—looking faintly impressed.“Why would you want to trade that for legs?” Usopp wonders out loud. “Never had legs before,” Zoro replies with a shrug as he takes one of the towels offered by Luffy. “Might as well experience it at least once.”Luffy, Nami and Usopp watch with anticipation as Zoro begins to dry himself off, though he has some trouble reaching the very end of his tail. Luffy takes the towel from him with a smile and helps dry off the caudal fins, receiving a weird look in turn, though Zoro doesn’t seem to be bothered by it—confused, maybe, but not bothered.“Feel anything yet?” Nami asks lightly.“Not really.” Zoro stares down at his tail skeptically. “Just—”Whatever he was about to say is cut off when bright green light envelopes his tail and dorsal fin, Luffy and Usopp too busy gawking as Nami quickly rips the towel out of Luffy’s hands and throws it on top of Zoro who is frozen on the spot.They watch the huge tail and fin slowly shrink and disappear, the light shaping into two legs poking out from under the towel laying where the shark tail was just moments ago. Where there was wet-smooth, hardy skin there is now the bareness of human flesh, frailer and softer.Luffy hums as he prods at Zoro’s kneecap, who jerks in surprise but seems otherwise fine being touched. He looks lost more than anything else, as if he has no idea what to do now that he went and got himself a pair of legs, and Luffy can’t help but giggle at the cluelessness. It’s endearing.“Well?” Nami says when Zoro just keeps staring at the pair of golden bronzed legs, shaking his head lightly.“This feels weird.”He lifts both legs, then puts them down again, lifts his right leg, lifts his left leg, wiggles his toes, starts twisting his feet around, seeming caught between being uncomfortable and fascinated.“This feels really weird,” Zoro amends as he starts testing out his knees, bending both legs carefully, not even having noticed yet that his razor-sharp teeth are gone, replaced with human ones. “And what’s with this thing between my legs—”He pulls the towel off his hips and Nami shrieks, having been coming and going on the island for so long that she has accustomed herself to the taboo on public nudity, quickly turning away. Luffy, on the other hand, just bursts into laughter and Usopp turns bright red.“T-t-that’s, uh.” Usopp clears his throat, eyes darting around in every direction except for where Zoro has unwittingly put himself on display. “That would be your, um, dick and balls.”Zoro looks up at Usopp uncomprehendingly. “My what?”“Your reproductive organs!” Nami snaps, back still turned. “Now hurry up and put some clothes on!”“Wait, wait, wait—yours just hang around?” Zoro questions Usopp and Luffy incredulously. “The whole time?”“Yep, you get used to it!” Luffy chirps brightly, looking supremely unconcerned with the nudity and even giving Zoro a tentative once-over. “Huh.”Zoro scowls at him, pulling his knees together. “What?”“Definitely bigger than Usopp’s.”Usopp somehow turns even redder as he smacks Luffy on the head, Nami making a disgusted noise behind them. “Sh-sh-sh-shut up!”“Just get him dressed already!” Nami huffs, foot tapping impatiently against the wood.Luffy quickly jumps to the task of picking out something for Zoro to wear from the pile of clothes and towels he got from the storage cabin before, though leaving it to him was probably a bad idea since his sense of fashion is entirely non-existent.Ah well, so long as Zoro’s not naked, it should be fine!“Here!” Luffy presents him with a simple pair of briefs, which are normal enough, and one of what kind of looks like Nami’s long beach dresses, which is definitely not as normal but Usopp is starting to laugh so Luffy assumes he made the right decision.Zoro eyes the briefs warily. “Do I have to wear it?”“YES!” Nami yells insistently.“Ugh, fine, give me that—”It goes more smoothly than Luffy expected, though Zoro does look hilarious flopping around on the pier in an attempt to get the briefs on, looking thoroughly dismayed once they fit around his hips.“This is terrible,” Zoro decides, glaring down at the plain gray briefs. “Clothes are terrible.”“Now put this on!” Luffy urges him, not even waiting for a response as he undoes the blue sash on the brown dress, which turns out to be more of a robe as he helps—shoves—Zoro’s arms through the sleeves.Zoro ties the sash himself, looking finally presentable in polite society, glowering at the sleeves of his robe as if they had personally affronted him by their very existence, before turning his glare at the shoes Usopp offers him.“No,” he snaps. “None of those… whatever they are!”“Are you three numbskulls finally done?” Nami says, peeking over her shoulder and seeing that Zoro is finally dressed deigns to rejoin them, eyeing Zoro’s robe critically. “Where’d you find that, Luffy?”“Hmm?” Luffy glances at Zoro’s robe. “In the storage room; there’s a whole bunch of them! Why?”“It looks ancient.”Now that she mentions it, the thing does eye a bit dusty, and it’s true Luffy never sees anyone but the oldest geezers in town amble around in those robes, but it’ll have to do. With how much Zoro hated the briefs, Luffy doubts anyone can convince him to put on pants on top of that.“Whatever, I put your stupid clothes on,” Zoro interrupts gruffly. “Now how do I walk?”“First, you need to stand up.” Nami puts her hands on her hips, giving him an assessing look. “Can you manage that?”“Ha!” Zoro scoffs. “You just watch—”He propels himself up with such force that he tips to the side and immediately falls off the pier.“ZORO, YOU IDIOT!”Luffy laughs so loudly his stomach starts aching, Usopp beside him crying tears as he hangs onto Luffy’s shoulder while Nami screams in the background.Five minutes, one ripped robe, another wet towel and a second set of clothes later, Zoro is finally standing on his feet, holding onto Luffy’s shoulders for balance and scowling at his legs as if he can glare them into doing what he wants.“See, it’s easy!” Luffy encourages brightly, his own hands lightly curled around Zoro’s wrist who gives him a glance that’s too quick for him to decipher, but his expression eases slightly so Luffy figures Zoro is having at least some measure of fun.Meanwhile Nami, the bridge of her nose pinched between her fingers, continues where they left off, trying to ignore Usopp who is still snickering in the background. “Alright, now, try taking a step forward—Luffy, move with him.”“Okay!”Zoro makes a difficult face, carefully sliding his right foot forward as Luffy puts his left one back to make space. Luffy watches the wrinkle between his brows, drawn to the look of concentration in sea-dark eyes as Zoro manages to shift his weight around, a bit wobbly but not a spectacular failure like his first try.“You got it!” Luffy cheers him on, taking another step back as Zoro now moves his left foot, grip tightening briefly around Luffy’s shoulders.“Just be careful you don’t walk off the pier,” Nami remarks sardonically from behind them, watching their progress with Usopp who kind of looks impressed now that his laughter has died away.“Nothing to it,” Zoro declares, meeting Luffy’s eyes with a grin, taking another step, this time lifting his foot off the ground and reaching further faster. He lurches forward for a moment, gravity pulling on his balance and making him wobble until Luffy’s hands drop from his wrists down to his waist, steadying him.When their gazes cross again, faces a little bit closer now than they were moments ago, Luffy feels something build in the pit of his chest. It’s not quite a flutter but a rumble, something deeper down and louder, and he knows at once that while Zoro will be—is—a friend, it’s different from what he has with Nami and Usopp.There’s a something, oceans deep, waiting to be carried to the surface.Zoro stares back at him with a smile flitting over his lips and Luffy knows that he feels it too, before the smile widens into a smirk and Zoro’s steps become more confident, quicker, bigger—Luffy follows, takes a step too far over the edge of the pier and falls off.Zoro falls off with him.Nami’s shrieks are heard across the island and Usopp nearly dies.As Luffy resurfaces with Nami’s screams in one ear and Usopp’s breathless laughter in the other, he turns to Zoro with a grin as big as the sun, returned to him with sharp teeth and dark eyes glinting like treasures on the ocean floor.Today has been a good day.“You promised!” Luffy whines through the sweltering heat, upper body hanging off the side of the pier, his hair dipped in the water in an effort to remain cool. Probably not his greatest plan ever, considering the blood rushing to his head.The day is bright and the sun is merciless, though the humans are far more bothered by it than the two fishmen, Nami lazily drifting on her back in the water and Zoro still practicing his walking up and down the pier, being able to manage it unassisted with just a week’s practice. He can break into a run, too, though he tends to have trouble coming to a stop—usually he just ends up falling flat on his face.“Yeah, yeah,” Zoro waves him off, frowningly deeply as he tries to figure out a walk that doesn’t look like he has no idea what a walk is supposed to look like. “What the hell do I do with my arms?”“Just keep them to your sides,” Usopp mumbles from the boat, drifting along with the currents.“Come on, Zoro!” Luffy whines, pulling himself up and briefly experiencing vertigo as the blood all rushes downwards again. “It’s hot and I want to swim!”“Then go swim,” Zoro replies bluntly, still focused on his feet.“But I want to swim with you!”Nami makes a noise, humming at the exclamation, and Usopp whistles, trying to tease them. Luffy ignores both completely as he looks stubbornly at Zoro, who has paused in his walking and is finally looking at him now with considering eyes.Something darts across his face, there and gone again, before he sighs and finally relents.“Alright, fine.”“Awesome!” Luffy springs up, tossing his hat to Usopp—or rather, straight onto Usopp’s face, who is grateful for the shade—and kicking off his sandals with a burst of energy, as if he hadn’t been melting away in the heat just moments ago.Usopp sniffs from underneath Luffy’s hat, bemoaning, “I want a ride too.”“I don’t care!” Zoro undoes the sash of his robe with a moody scowl, letting it fall to the ground and yanking off his briefs as well. “Just one ride, got it, Luffy?”Luffy nods heavily. “Mhm, just one ride!”Zoro stares at his face, wholly unconvinced. “I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?”“You won’t!” Luffy promises. “Now let’s go!”With a huff and a grumble, Zoro inches to the edge of the pier, bends his knees, and launches himself into the air.Ending up with a horrible belly-flop into the water.“Still can’t dive, huh?” Nami mutters, drowned out by Luffy’s guffaws and then Zoro’s angry shouting when he comes up for air, razor teeth and all.“I totally meant to do that!” he yells at Luffy, who’s holding his stomach with both hands.“Z-Zoro, you looked s-so stupid!” Luffy chokes out, too busy wiping the tears from his eyes to notice the approaching danger as Zoro drifts back towards the pier.“I’ll show you stupid!”Before Luffy realizes it Zoro shoots up with a powerful stroke of his large tail, grabbing him by his vest and yanking him down into the sea, Luffy nearly choking on the water as he sputters and flails and breaks through the surface again, eyes stinging for a different reason now.Zoro looks back at him with a smug grin. “Now who’s the stupid one?”“Not fair!” Luffy yells, splashing him with some water, Zoro appearing entirely unperturbed. “That was a sneak attack!”“Still got you.”While he can’t argue the effectiveness, Luffy nonetheless puffs his cheeks in dismay and Zoro grins at him, looking mighty pleased with himself until Luffy swims around him and nearly strangles him by wrapping his arms around Zoro’s neck.“Swim!”Zoro elbows him in the ear. “You’re holding on too tight, idiot!”“I don’t wanna fall off when you breach!”“What does that matter?” Zoro mocks as he propels himself forward with one big swing of his tail, Luffy’s knees awkwardly hitting the back of it as he’s draped over the right half of Zoro’s back to avoid squishing the dorsal fin on his back—if it’s even possible to squish a dorsal fin. “We’re in the sea, it won’t hurt unless you land on your face.” “You mean like the belly-flop you just did?” Luffy remarks innocently.“Shut up, I did that on purpose!”“Zoro, you’re really—”The rest of Luffy’s sentence is cut off abruptly when Zoro dives under and Luffy almost chokes on the water flooding his mouth, eyes stinging and squeezing shut as he’s dragged under.For one terrifying moment he’s reminded of the storm, of not being able to see anything, of having no sense of up or down, of the ache gradually throbbing in his chest, his lungs, spreading into his throat and how cold it was, so cold.The only thing keeping him from panicking is his grip around Zoro’s neck and shoulders, and thankfully the dive doesn’t last that long. Within moments they resurface again and Luffy snaps his eyes open to the sunlight, coughing and gasping for breath.“Hey, you okay?” Zoro sounds different. He has a hand on Luffy’s wrist and his voice is quiet. “Sorry, that was a bad prank.”Luffy breathes in deep through his mouth, rubbing one eye out with his palm as he leans his forehead against the back of Zoro’s neck, heart still pounding.“Luffy?”After a moment of silence while they drift over the surface, Luffy starts to laugh.“Phew, that was scary!” he says cheerily. “I almost let go!”Zoro’s tail swishes agitatedly beneath them and Luffy feels the force against his bare feet. “That’s not funny.” “It’s alright,” Luffy assures him, shifting to rest his chin on Zoro’s shoulder. “You would’ve saved me anyway, like you did last time.”“You seem awfully certain of that.”Luffy blinks, tilting his head slightly. “Why wouldn’t I be?”“Let’s see,” Zoro starts sarcastically, “you’re in the middle of the ocean, your friends are way out of earshot, and did I mention that you’re all alone with a shark?” He says this as if Luffy should understand what he’s getting at, but Luffy genuinely doesn’t. He peers toward the shore where the pier is no bigger than his thumb, and the only thing that comes to mind is how impressive it is that they’re already this far away—Zoro is really fast!“I don’t get why that matters,” Luffy answers as the drift even farther from the beach and the pier. “I’m plenty safe with you around.”There’s a brief lull in the conversation as Luffy admires the sunlight sparking off the water and the small waves Zoro creates as he propels them through it like it’s nothing but air.“Idiot,” Luffy hears Zoro mutter. “Who feels safe around a shark?”“Well, I don’t know much about sharks,” Luffy answers, even though he knows Zoro didn’t mean for him to answer that at all, “but I know about you, and you’re not just a shark. You’re Zoro.”Zoro doesn’t reply to that and Luffy can’t look at his face to see what he’s thinking from his position on Zoro’s back. It’s not in him to worry about crossing boundaries, but that doesn’t mean his words were equally without care; what he says may often be blunt, but it’s never thoughtless.He hopes Zoro knows that."I'm going under," Zoro says, not replying to Luffy's words. "Keep your eyes open.""Okay!"Zoro snorts as Luffy takes a deep breath and as soon as he holds it, Zoro goes under.His eyes sting but he keeps them open, resisting the urge to close them because he knows he'll slip into that nightmare again, and maybe that's why Zoro told him to hold his eyes open but then he sees it.Schools of fish in depths of blue that dart away as soon as they sense their approach while Zoro propels them further and further down with inhuman speed that's making it hard to keep his eyes open and focused, and it's not as if Luffy has never dived before but he's never dived this far off the coast and the seafloor is breath-takingly beautiful.There are coral reefs popping in every color imaginable, the center of life for all the different shades and shapes of fish that swim around it like moths to a flame, and Luffy wishes they could get closer but he knows Zoro's hovering at the edge of this small world is done with purpose. He wonders if Zoro wishes that he could get closer, too.Luffy watches a large turtle traverse the reef, at which point he feels the need for air pressing on him and he taps on Zoro's shoulder. Strange how he didn't experience even the slightest sense of discomfort just now when the last time was so terrible. Keeping his eyes open really helped.With a single twist Zoro smoothly flips them around to face the thin sheen of light that still reaches these depths, making all the colors shine, and with another large swing of his tail shoots them toward the surface.Luffy wonders briefly why they keep gaining speed and whether Zoro is hurrying up on his account, until he realizes—They burst through the water and the cold air hitting his face makes Luffy gasp more in surprise than needing to breathe, everything light and blue and white and he glimpses the horizon for just a moment, floating in air before his vision shifts again and they dive back down into the water.He closes his eyes as they go under, arms tightening around Zoro's neck but within seconds they're up for air again, drifting above the surface."That," Luffy breathes, trying to catch himself but failing utterly, "that was AWESOME!"Zoro laughs, and it's not a mocking one. It's loud and sharp and abrupt, as if he didn't mean to but couldn't stop himself, but it's weightless and sincere and Luffy likes the sound of it."Again, again!" Luffy urges him, tugging at his hair, and Zoro's laugh stops just as suddenly as it started."No way!" Zoro shakes his head. "You're too heavy, heavier than I expected, anyway—where's that scrawny little ass of yours hiding all that weight?""In my stomach," Luffy responds bluntly. "Come on, please, Zoro, please?"It takes Zoro only three seconds to give in. "Fine, but just one more time, you hear?"They end up doing it three more times before Zoro starts actually getting tired of it and Luffy decides pushing him any further would be taking advantage, but how badly he wishes to go again, to be able to do that whenever he wanted to, to be so utterly free."You're a real handful, you know that?" Zoro says as he swims them back to the pier, and Luffy has to admit his arms have been getting a bit tired as well even as he has been insisting to repeat the little excursion tomorrow morning. "I don't get why you're so fixated on it—it's just diving into the water, like you do off a pier.""No it's not," Luffy insists. "It's way different."Zoro snorts. "Enlighten me.""You can do it wherever you want, whenever you want." Luffy leans his chin on Zoro's shoulder again, watching the shore in the distance steadily draw closer. "It's like you're flying, you know?""So you just like the feeling?" Zoro surmises."Yeah, but," Luffy starts, pausing for a moment to try and pinpoint why it was that he wanted to do this so badly, and the image of seeing Zoro first breach flashes through his mind. "But it's also because I saw you do it."Zoro hums, sounding confused. "What does that have to do with it?""It's because you're really cool, Zoro!"Luffy feels the muscles underneath his arms tense up, and Zoro doesn't say anything for a while, which makes Luffy wonder if he said something bad, though he dismisses that thought almost instantly. Something must be bothering Zoro a lot; whenever Luffy compliments him, he just seems to freeze up a bit."You're really something," Zoro says, and Luffy can't tell from his muttering whether that's a bad thing or a good thing, so he opts to take it as a good thing."So are you," he responds cheekily. "We make quite a pair, huh?"Whether Zoro was planning to answer or not, it's at that moment that Nami, sitting at the edge of the pier with a cooled bottle of something in her hand, notices them arrive and waves them over."Hey, Luffy, your grandfather was looking for you!"Luffy's mood dips considerably as he lets go of Zoro and swims over to the pier, hoisting himself up with shaky arms. "Did he say why?""Nope," Usopp calls from his spot on the boat, not having moved an inch. "He sounded really serious, though."Put off by the sudden development, Luffy shrugs off his shirt and wrings the water out of it with a scowl, glancing over at Zoro and managing a smile. "Seems I gotta run—see you tomorrow?"Zoro lets out a sigh that trails off into a lopsided smirk. "Guess so."Luffy's smile brightens, saying goodbye to his other two friends before leaving the pier.It lingers on his face all the way home.By the time Luffy arrives home the sun has already set, the cool evening wind making him shiver as he hurries to get inside, his way lit by lanters hanging off porches, attracting moths and flies like small, glowing beehives. He opens the door and slips inside, hoping he didn't take too long or he'll have another scolding waiting for him.He finds his grandfather sitting silently in his chair in the living room of their modest house, one of many in this small, isolated village.Luffy closes the front door behind him, kicking his sandals off. "Hey gramps, Nami said you wanted to talk to me?"Despite the fact that he's dripping water all over the floors as he walks inside, Garp remains quiet, the back of his chair turned towards Luffy.Whatever this is, it isn't good."Sit down."It's not said with any sort of suppressed rage that usually accompanies a command like that, often the result of Luffy having done something to break the rules again, but rather something much more grim.Luffy, unnerved by the unexpected mood he's found Garp in, pads over to the couch opposite to him without protest and sits down obediently.He stares at his grandfather's inscrutably stern expression, meeting his unwavering gaze, and starts feeling sweat beading on his forehead."W-what's this about?"The seconds seem to stretch into a full minute of staring as Luffy's sweating intensifies and Garp remains completely silent, until finally he says,"You're almost eighteen."Luffy has no idea what that has to do with anything, but it must be serious. "Yeah, so?"Garp doesn't reply immediately, continuing to stare and Luffy's face starts turning red."Could you just tell me what the hell is going on?" he errupts, throwing his hands up in the air. So he's turning eighteen in two weeks, it's not like he cares about birthdays, and becoming an adult in the eyes of the law matters even less considering he does whatever he wants anyway.Unless this is about—Garp finally opens his mouth, and panicked, Luffy yells, "I''m not getting married!"A pause."What on earth are you talking about?" Garp asks, bewildered, but Luffy knows better than to fall for that. Oh, he's had enough teasing from the older women in the village to let his guard down."I don't care how cute she is, I'm not getting married, you hear me?" Luffy insists with a scowl. "Never EVER!""That's not what I—" Garp trails off abruptly. "WHAT?""I don't want a wife!""What the hell do you mean, you don't want a wife?" Garp yells, eyes all but bulging out of their sockets. "WHO ELSE IS GOING TO GIVE ME GREAT-GRANDKIDS, YOU BRAT?""Ask Ace!" Luffy retorts petulantly, crossing his arms and knowing full well that before his older brother left the island at eighteen, he'd laughed in Garp's face at the mere suggestion. "I'm not doing it!""You..." Garp's entire head looks like it's burning up scarlet, but instead of exploding even further as Luffy is used to, he instead takes a deep breath and composes himself again, slinking back into his chair. "That's not what I wanted to talk about."A long moment passes as the words slowly sink in, and Luffy blinks, then frowns in confusion. "Huh?""It has nothing to do with marriage," Garp responds irritably. "Listen to people before jumping to conclusions on your own, you little punk."Luffy breathes a sigh of relief and deflates on the couch, feeling like he just dodged a bullet, though he's fully aware that that conversation has been shelved and not forgotten. "So, what is it?"Garp settles back down into his silent sternness and Luffy eyes him suspiciously, deciding to wait since he has no idea what else this could be about.Eventually, his grandfather glances down at the necklace hanging off Luffy's neck and says, "You've never taken that thing off, have you?"Luffy's fingers instinctively reach to grasp at the ruby pendant, shaking his head. His grandfather had told him ever since he was very little—no older than three or four at most—that it was important that he keep the necklace on no matter what. Normally Luffy wouldn't have listened, but considering the fact that Garp stressed he would actually die if he took it off and Ace also wore one, taking it seriously, he decided not to tempt fate."Good, good." Garp seems distant for a moment as he stares at it, and Luffy is starting to become impatient until Garp finally continues. "The truth is, I've been lying to you about that necklace for the past fourteen years."Luffy stares at him."You're not going to die if you take it off."Luffy continues to stare."The only thing that's going to happen is that if you take it off before your eighteenth birthday, you'll turn into a merman and you'll never be able to walk on land again. That's why I had you keep it on. It's alright if you take it off after your birthday, though."Luffy stares even more."That's all I wanted to say." Garp gets up from his chair and leaves to his bedroom, turning the lights of the living room off and leaving Luffy in the dark. "Good night."Luffy stares at the empty chair in front of him.And stares.And stares.And stares, until—"WHAT THE HELL?"Usopp is in awe when Luffy tells him all about it at the crack of dawn the next day, waiting for Zoro to arrive. Nami is absent, as she usually tends to show up later in the morning.Luffy might have been more excited about the prospect if the surprise of it hadn't been predicated on a huge lie. Of course he understands why Garp did it—never being able to walk on land again sounds awful—but that doesn't mean he's not pissed at the deception."Still, isn't this great?" Usopp enthuses, before his smile turns into somewhat of a smirk and he's suggestively elbowing Luffy in the side. "This means that once you turn eighteen you can swim with Zoro whenever you want!"Luffy pauses; he hadn't thought of that yet."What's this about swimming?"His heart flutters in the depth of his chest at Zoro's voice, neck and back stiffening. It's an involuntary reaction, entirely unexpected as he glances at Zoro who is hanging off the edge of the pier with a smirk, having just arrived with neither him nor Usopp noticing."Oh, Zoro," Usopp greets him brightly as Luffy stays silent, still caught off-guard by that strange spike in his heartbeat and starting to feel unusually warm. "You're not gonna believe this!"As Usopp starts rattling off about what Garp said yesterday Luffy starts to zone out, too distracted by the strange reactions of his body. He can't seem to hold Zoro's gaze for longer than a few seconds before feeling cornered; for some reason his presence today feels overbearing.He frowns as he thinks it over.Overbearing? No, that's not it. Zoro's the same as he's always been in the short time Luffy has known him.From the corner of his eyes he sees Zoro's expression change as Usopp talks, glancing at the widening of his eyes and the smallest parting between slackening lips.Luffy is just too aware of him."Are you serious?" Zoro turns to Luffy, finds him suddenly squatting right in front of him with their faces inches apart, glaring him right in the eyes, and nearly falls off the pier. "W-what the—don't just sneak up on people like that!""You!" Luffy demands, scowling fiercely.Zoro frowns back. "Me?"A tense silence passes, Luffy taking a deep breath through his nostrils."Stop being so—" He chokes on the sentence, having no idea what word to use, feeling even more pressured with Zoro's dark eyes fixed on his face. "So... so...""So what?""Stop being so you!"Zoro's brows arch to his hairline before dropping down again into a scowl. "The hell does that mean?""You know!" Luffy says, gesturing widely with his hands while he feels his face starting to burn. "So... so you!""I don't know what that means!" Zoro glances at Usopp, who just shrugs, looking just as lost. "What's gotten into you all of a sudden?""It's distracting!" Luffy complains angrily. "Stop doing it!""How am I supposed to stop being me, idiot?""I don't know, act like Nami!"Before Zoro can retort Usopp interrupts. "What, exactly, is so distracting?"Luffy pauses and turns towards Usopp who, from the gleam in his eyes looks like he has figured something out. Either way, it's kind of a hard question to answer.In his peripheral vision he sees Zoro rest his chin in his hand. He has strong hands. Luffy has known this since the day they met because he still remembers the grip underneath his arms as he was pulled from the currents, barely awake, and yet reexamining this knowledge now makes him tense up even more."Argh!" Luffy grips the edge of his hat, pulling it down over his eyes, aggravated."Do you think he might be sick?" he hears Zoro mutter, the low tone of his voice cutting in its clarity because Luffy is so focused on it."Oh, I think he's definitely caught something," Usopp replies slyly, but doesn't get a chance to elaborate as Luffy interrupts."It just is, alright!" he yells, feeling fed up. "It's really distracting, all because of his stupid face and his stupid hands and his stupid voice—""Okay, seriously," Zoro cuts in, starting to sound seriously annoyed. "What did I do aside from exist?"Usopp steps in-between them then, looking rather smug, eyed warily by both. "So, Luffy, about you swimming with Zoro..." He trails off, watching Luffy carefully who, without being able to help it, feels his cheeks starting to burn and his heart starting to race.He drops down and hangs over the pier, setting his hat aside as he dunks his head into the cold seawater. It helps cool him for a moment, but when he pulls his head out again he realizes he's right next to Zoro who meets his gaze, the gray in his eyes glinting sharply in the sunlight, reflected back into Luffy's brown ones and for one very strange, unsettling moment it's like they're the only thing he can see."AGH!"He dunks his head in a second time."As I thought," he hears Usopp's voice, dimmed by the water. "He really is sick."Luffy yanks his head out of the water again. "What?""You're sick!" Usopp tells him, looking far too happy about it. "Don't worry, everyone gets this sickness at least once in their lives and it's not lethal—in most cases, anyway.""Well?" Zoro snaps impatiently as Luffy starts to pale. "Don't be coy about it!""Did you feel your heart beating weirdly today, Luffy?"Luffy's jaw drops. "How did you know that?""Ha!" Usopp laughs loudly. "I'm the great doctor Usopp, didn't you know? I've cured over one million people with just my bare hands and a single roll of bandages—"Zoro's tail splashes in the water, the spray hitting Usopp right in the face."Point taken." He clears his throat, turning to Luffy with a suddenly rather grave expression, grabbing him by both shoulders. "Luffy, I'm sorry to tell you this, but..."Luffy swallows thickly. "But?""You are..." Usopp takes a deep breath, and breathes out slowly. "You are falling in love."There's a silence.And then Zoro is all but strangling Usopp, holding him by the front of his overalls and shaking him wildly. "This isn't the time to be making stupid jokes like that, you moron, I thought there was actually something wrong with him!""I-I-I'm being totally s-s-serious, Zoro!" Usopp cries, trying to defend himself.Luffy stares blankly at the two of them as Zoro continues to yell at Usopp, the words echoing through his head. Falling in love? Him? He never thought about it; it was one of those bridges he'd cross if he ever got there, a faint possibility in the back of his mind he never paid attention to.It still doesn't sound particularly appealing as a concept, as something that just happens to people in general, but when he thinks about him falling in love with Zoro—well, the pounding in his chest and the blood rushing to his face says enough, but there's something else.His lips seem to almost move on their own or as if they were pulled by some sort of alien force, stretching wide into a smile as that restlessness in his stomach shifts and turns into something brighter, warmer.So that's what it feels like."Zoro!"Both Usopp and Zoro pause in their bickering, turning to look at him with twin expressions of surprise at the change in Luffy's tone, only deepening at the smile on his face."What is it?" Zoro asks after a slight pause, looking almost hesitant as he releases Usopp, full attention on Luffy again and now that he knows what this is, the tension that was frighteningly unknown before feels good—it feels like giddiness.He's not just nervous anymore, he's excited.Grinning wide, Luffy meets Zoro's eyes in the sunlight and asks, "Will you swim with me?"They haven't talked about it yet.Zoro's fingers are wrapped tightly around both his hands, facing him as he pulls Luffy down further towards the seafloor who's doing his best to hold his breath. There's a bag tied around Zoro's wrist, holding all sorts of shiny little things that Luffy made him pick up when they went on a small treasure hunt, though most of it consists of funny looking rocks or pretty seashells.At this depth Zoro's hair and tail aren't as green as they are above water, Luffy notices, though it still stands out a little—definitely moss. His eyes look completely black, the sun shining above them through the water too dim to light the silver and gray."Stay here, I'll be right back," Zoro says, letting go of his hands and darting away, the force of it shifting the water around Luffy and making him flail, like being blown over by a fierce gust of wind.He drifts aimlessly for a moment before managing to get himself upright instead of facing down towards the seafloor at least, and while being left alone to float like this might have made most people uncomfortable at best Luffy hasn't the slightest worry. Zoro said he'd be back, after all.Luffy tries peering towards the direction Zoro left, not being able to see much through the vast blue at first until he spots something moving in the distance, something very large.Straight towards him.All he can do with his movements sluggish in the water is put his arms up in front of his face, expecting a collision with a whale or something similar, but instead feels the water pressure shift around him, things flitting around his body, touching on his arms and legs.Opening his eyes he'd squeezed shut out of reflex, Luffy looks around him and almost gasps.There are so many of them it almost looks like he's caught in the middle of a small tornado, a school of silver-scaled fish circling around him, glimmering in the light and surrounding him in their flurry just for a moment.As quickly as they came they're gone again, leaving Luffy behind in an awestruck daze, twisting around in the water and trying to see where they fled to. He's running out of air now, lifting a hand to his throat and wondering briefly where Zoro is as he gives up the search.Out of nowhere two arms wrap around his waist from behind him—as if he heard Luffy's thoughts Zoro carries him back to the surface, holding him close.They break through the water and Luffy sucks in a deep breath, only to immediately waste it by shouting, "That was amazing!"He realizes belatedly Zoro's arms are still around him, his back pressed against Zoro's chest, and his stomach does a flip when he feels Zoro sigh against his neck."Satisfied?"Luffy finds himself very quiet, not something that happens often, but the thought he tried to dismiss before returns in full force.They still haven't talked about it.Zoro didn't ask and Luffy didn't tell. It's as if what Usopp said went completely ignored, but it wasn't brushed off, not really. While it helped Luffy figure out what was going on, it seems Zoro already knew all along.It was a little like telling them the sky is blue, in a way. But that doesn't mean Luffy doesn't have any questions."I'm taking you back to the pier," Zoro announces dryly, yanking at the bag tied around his wrist. "You've got enough seashells to last you a lifetime."Luffy doesn't protest as he's pulled through the calm water, facing a cloudless blue sky just as endless as the sea, the sun shining bright again today."Hey Zoro.""Hmm?" "Have you ever been in love?"There's a choking sound and Luffy tries to turn his head to look at Zoro, an unfortunate ripple on the surface launching water right up his nose and making him cough."Hey, don't drown yourself," Zoro cautions him, one arm still firm around his waist. "And no, I've, uh, never been in love before."Luffy wipes the snot off his face, perking up with keen interest. "Before?"All he gets in return is silence which, he thinks with a smile that's starting to hurt his cheeks, is an answer on its own."Okay." Luffy decides, sitting on the beach underneath a large parasol next to Nami, enjoying a cold drink in a colorful bikini. "I think it's time you meet gramps."Zoro, struggling with his new legs on the sand in front of them, slips and falls down again. "Wha—what?""Don't you think that's a little early?" Nami says, having been supremely unsurprised at Usopp telling her about Luffy and Zoro. "I mean, you guys haven't even been on a proper date yet—unless you want to count swimming together."Both Luffy and Zoro stare at her, heads tilting in unison."Date?" Zoro questions."Oh, oh, does that mean food?" Luffy enthuses when it occurs to him. "Like, a dinner, right? A dinner date?"Nami rolls her eyes, sipping from her soda. "Yes, Luffy, a dinner date.""Zoro, let's go on a date!" Luffy exclaims, getting up from the sand and grabbing his sandals. He was actually planning on swimming today since he hasn't been out in the water for about three days now, Zoro wanting to practice walking and running on land instead, but a dinner date sounds just as good."What, right now?""Yeah, you can just come over to my place and I'll cook us something!"Zoro looks rather wary of the idea. "What about your grandfather?""He's at work," Luffy dismisses. "So, are we going or what? Come on, Zoro!""You are so going to get caught," Nami murmurs, looking disinclined to move.Zoro glances from her to Luffy, but seeing that he hasn't been able to say no to anything Luffy has asked of him so far, the trend continues as he concedes, allowing Luffy to help him get off the sand by holding his hand.Luffy is all but buzzing with energy, and though he isn't the greatest cook he knows how to cook meat if nothing else. They have a grill, so it should be simple enough."Hey," Zoro says as they walk up the dusty road leading from the beach towards the town, steps awkward while still getting used to the boots on his feet. "Your hand is sweaty, let go."Luffy blinks, reluctantly releasing his grip and looking at his palm. Huh, it really is sweaty; he got so worked up over the date that he didn't even notice. "But—"Zoro casually throws an arm over Luffy's shoulders, pulling him against his side. It would've been very suave if the sudden shift in balance hadn't made him stumble a step and nearly fall over were it not for Luffy supporting him, cheeks tinting pink and a drop of sweat rolling down the side of his face.Luffy will take what he can get, though, curling his own arm around Zoro's back and snickering openly. "You're so clumsy.""Sh-shut up.""Don't trip over a rock or something, okay?""Shut up!""Do you really know what you're doing?" Zoro asks for the fourth time as he watches Luffy drop every bit of meat he could find in his house on the grill, including whole fish.They're both in the backyard, Zoro sitting at the round little table where Garp usually has his morning coffee before setting out to work. He was rather fascinated by the fire of the grill a moment ago, but that was before Luffy enthusiastically started fanning it and it nearly burned his brows off.Now he's seated a safe distance away, leaving the work of preparing dinner to Luffy."It's fine!" Luffy reassures him, mouth already watering as the scent of grilled meat floods his nostrils. There's lamb, chicken, beef, fish, some mushrooms and vegetables on the side—he hopes gramps won't be too angry at Luffy using his homemade barbecue sauce, but ah well."How much food do you even eat?" Zoro questions at the whole bowl of raw foods sitting on the table, waiting their turn on the grill. "And you can't eat it raw, huh? What a pain.""I'd eat it raw if I could!"Zoro gives him an amused if exasperated look. "I bet you would at that."With the sun glaring as it settles down toward the horizon and the smoke and heat from the grill, Luffy has to wipe the sweat off his forehead every now and again with a cloth, turning the meat as Zoro waits."How far off is your birthday?"He glances at Zoro, who has taken to toying around with a knife Luffy set on the table earlier, testing out its sharpness against his thumb."You shouldn't—"Zoro flinches in surprise when the edge breaks through skin, glancing at the small cut that wells up with blood with an offended look. "This knife is a lot sharper than I thought," he mumbles. "And this skin is stupidly soft." "Well yeah, you're not a shark-man right now," Luffy replies, turning towards the door. "Watch the fire, I'll get you a band-aid.""A what?"When Luffy returns from the kitchen with a small band-aid, Zoro is no less confused. "It's for your cut!"Zoro shows him his thumb, red mark still there, but no longer welling up. "It already stopped bleeding."Luffy being Luffy he doesn't listen, pulling a chair to sit next to Zoro and grabbing his hand, pulling the backing off the band-aid and wrapping it carefully around Zoro's thumb."Better?"Zoro frowns at the bandage, flexing his thumb critically. "It still stings, and this band-aid thing is annoying."Luffy considers this for a moment, then grabs Zoro's hand and pulls it up to his face, pressing his lips on Zoro's thumb—Makino used to do it all the time when Luffy got hurt playing, and it always made him feel better.Zoro, however, screams and yanks his hand away. "What the hell are you doing?""What?" Luffy frowns, bewildered."Are you trying to eat my thumb or something, you weirdo?"Luffy squints for a long moment, until it finally occurs to him. "Zoro, don't you... don't you know what a kiss is?" From Zoro's blank stare, he assumes not—Luffy can't help himself, he starts laughing. "You're so dumb!""W-what? Shut up!""You thought I was trying to eat your thumb?" Luffy cackles, remembering the panicked scream and laughs even harder, clutching breathlessly at his stomach. "Idiot! You're such an idiot!"Zoro, face burning red, slams his hands on the table. "I said shut up! I'm not a human, how am I supposed to know what humans do?"Properly embarrassed, the conversation lulls there as Luffy continues to chuckle to himself while he tends to the grilled meat, filling their plates with it until they both have small stacks of meat on top of meat and some vegetables."Hey, hey, what's this smell?" a voice calls from over the white, wooden picket-fence, and Luffy turns to find Usopp leaning against it. "Grilling, huh?""Yo, Usopp!" Luffy greets him. "Zoro and I are on a date!"Usopp's jaw drops and eyes bulge. "Y-you're having a date at home?""Yeah, why?" Zoro asks suspiciously, and Usopp starts wildly shaking his head."N-nothing, it's f-f-fine!"It's at that point that Luffy finally finishes grilling the last bit of meat as Zoro glares Usopp down who starts looking increasingly uncomfortable with his interruption."Finally!" Luffy barely holds back from salivating as he sits down across from Zoro who's eyeing a grilled fish on his large plate skeptically—meanwhile, Luffy already has a drumstick in his mouth. "What are you waiting for? Dig in! Usopp, you want some too?""Oh, uh, no thanks." "I'm not used to food being cooked," Zoro replies blandly, grabbing the fish by the lower end with his bare hand. "Guess I'll give it a try.""Oy," Luffy calls, munching on his drumstick in the corner of his mouth. "You're supposed to use a knife and fork, you uncultured swine.""YOU'RE EATING CHICKEN WITH YOUR BARE HANDS!""CHICKEN IS DIFFERENT!"Zoro glares at him, before conceding and grabbing the knife he cut himself on earlier, wiping it clean with a napkin.And then he starts stabbing his fish."Zoro, what are you doing?" Usopp asks nervously."Using my knife," Zoro states darkly, glancing Usopp's way who shrieks and hides behind the fence, inducing a loud laugh from Zoro."You fool, that's not how you use it!" Luffy protests, snatching his knife out of his hand. "You're supposed to use your fork to stab the food!"Zoro turns contemplative. "Then what's the knife for?"Luffy shrugs. "Stabbing people?" he proposes, shoving half a steak into his mouth as Zoro nods sagely."Makes sense.""You're both morons," Usopp sighs from the fence. "Though I guess that just means you're made for each other. I'm gonna head on home, have fun on your weird date—and don't stab anyone!"He departs and leaves them to eat, and while Zoro struggles with the fish he seems to take a liking to the chicken, lamb and steak. Luffy finished much earlier than him, of course, starting to get impatient with how slow Zoro's eating and kicking at his legs under the table."Zoro," he whines, silenced temporarily when Zoro tosses a chicken-wing his way. "So," Zoro says, chewing on a mushroom with the right side of his mouth, "what's this kiss thing about?"Luffy glances up from his chicken-wing, the meat already completely cleaned off the bone, not having expected Zoro to return to that subject. "Whaddaya mean?""What's it for?" Zoro clarifies."Mmm, well... it's like, um..." Luffy briefly trails off. It's actually pretty hard to explain. "It's like, when I was a kid and I got a scrape on my knee, auntie Makino always used to kiss it.""So it helps against pain?""No," Luffy says, shaking his head. "But it made me feel better."Zoro still looks confused. "If it doesn't help against pain, how does it make you feel better?""Because it's a thing you only do when you care about someone."Zoro hums, thinking it over while swallowing down his food. "I've never seen you kiss Nami or Usopp, though.""That's different!" Luffy answers, maybe a bit louder and hastier than what was necessary. "It's different when you get older. They're my friends but we're not that kind of close.""That kind of close?""You know." Luffy's eyes flit away from Zoro, drifting everywhere but to his face. "I don't take them on dates."Zoro keeps looking at him, Luffy feels his stare even though he doesn't meet it. The sun has touched onto the horizon by now and the sky is blooming with pink and yellow in the distance, crickets chirping at the settling dusk as it fades into evening.He doesn't like being this hesitant, he doesn't like it one bit."Can I kiss you?"The words come out before he can stop himself, or even think of stopping himself. His eyes snap back to Zoro, who is caught entirely off-guard."What?""Can I kiss you?" Luffy repeats. "Since you're someone I care about."Zoro continues to stare for a moment, before his expression breaks into a faint smile and he leans back into his chair. "I don't see why not; you already did once."Luffy grins. "Yeah, and you thought I was eating your thumb.""Would you shut up about that already?"He gets up from his chair, walking around the table to the one next to Zoro's, his heartbeat speeding up with every step. By the time he has settled down, turned sideways to face Zoro his heart is pounding, but it's an excited pounding, one of anticipation almost like adrenaline.Zoro watches him for a moment before turning sideways to face him as well, unlike Luffy who feels like he's about ready to burst appearing utterly relaxed as he drapes his arm over the back of his chair."Well?" he prompts."Come closer," Luffy replies playfully, and Zoro obliges, leaning towards him."Close enough?" he asks, a few inches left between them."Closer," Luffy insists.Zoro huffs a laugh that Luffy feels brush over his lips and he freezes up, like electricity leaving him paralyzed as Zoro leans in even closer, but still not close enough. "Is this—"Luffy grips the front of his robe and yanks, the small gap between them disappearing into lips and teeth that meet awkwardly, and Zoro almost recoils from the initial collision with a surprised noise but stays where Luffy wants him to be.It's clumsy and Luffy has no idea what he's doing, going on feeling as that's all he knows. It starts very small, a peck to Zoro's lips who, after a moment returns it curiously, like prodding and being prodded back. What matters is that it feels good, and it does feel good, it feels good and exciting and somehow not enough but too much all at the same time.Their small kisses start to meld together, and he doesn't know when it happened but Zoro is clutching at his shoulders while Luffy's hands are in his hair, like they're keeping each other anchored.But like everything that Luffy does it's selfish and greedy and demanding, foregoing air to kiss Zoro more, his tongue slips out of his mouth to touch on Zoro's lips and that makes him jerk back suddenly, breaking the kiss."What was that?" he asks, slightly out of breath, a soft flush underneath tan skin, barely visible in the increasing dark as he stares at Luffy with wide eyes."My tongue." Luffy's hands drop away from Zoro's hair to his neck, curled around the back of it. "It felt good, right?"Zoro frowns slightly. "What, were you trying to stick your tongue in my mouth?""Yeah.""Huh?" Zoro gives him an incredulous look. "Why? Isn't kissing just with the lips?""Yes, Luffy," an all-too familiar voice says, making him stiffen on the spot as he finally notices the presence looming in the doorway leading back to the kitchen. "Why were you trying to stick your tongue in this man's mouth?"Sweat breaking out on his back and the back of his neck, Luffy looks at Zoro, pale as a sheet while trying not to glance at his murderous grandfather. "We need to run."Zoro scowls, glancing from Garp to Luffy. "I take it that's your grandfather?""Don't worry, son," Garp says, voice deceptively calm, "we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other—once you're in jail, that is."Knuckles crack.Luffy bolts from his seat, grabbing Zoro's wrist and yanking him out of the chair just in time to avoid Garp's punch. "Run, jump over the fence!"Zoro reacts quickly enough but nearly falls right on his face as they jump over the fence, Luffy pulling him upright and keeping him running as Garp follows them, right on his heels."LUFFY!""Why's he so pissed off?" Zoro yells, glancing back over his shoulder and paling at Garp's expression, starting to run faster."Just keep running or he'll kill us both!" Luffy yells back, holding Zoro's hand tightly in his own, sweaty palm be damned."COME BACK HERE YOU LITTLE PUNKS!""We need to get to the beach!" Luffy says. "Don't let go of my—"Sweaty palm be damned, he thought, but it's exactly because of his sweaty palm that Zoro's hand slips from his grip, and though thankfully Zoro doesn't trip, they do slow down enough for Garp to catch up, lunging at them both."Turn left!" Luffy calls and Zoro doesn't hesitate, turning the corner into a sidestreet while Luffy goes the opposite direction. Between him and Zoro, Garp predictably decides to follow after Luffy. At least that's something."Think you can outrun me?" Garp screams, starting to close the distance again.Luffy strains his muscles to keep running, face turning red. "I didn't do anything wrong!""Bringing some delinquent to my house, using my grill, feeding him my food, shoving your tongue down his throat AT MY TABLE—""Zoro's not a delinquent!" Luffy yells over his shoulder, thankfully the beach already in sight, the pier right in front of him.But even if he jumps into the water and tries to swim away, Garp will likely catch him anyways—if Luffy is a good swimmer, Garp is an excellent one. There's not much he can do, except for..."Just give it up, Luffy!" Garp sounds triumphant. "Even in the water I'll outswim you."Luffy scowls, and grabs at his necklace as he runs down the pier with Garp right on his heels. "We'll see about that.""What are you—"At the very edge of the pier, Luffy jumps off and snaps the necklace off his neck with a grin, throwing it at Garp's feet as he falls into the water."YOU IDIOT!"It's a very strange, almost unpleasant feeling. His legs shift, like something is pulling at them, sticking together and becoming something very different. He hears his jeans rip, and suddenly it feels like instead of two legs he has only one very big, very long one.He glances down at himself as he floats in the water, gasping when he sees brilliant red and white stripes on smooth skin stretched over a long tail, with similarly striped, long fins stretching out wide like fans at either side of his tail, his caudal fin larger and wider. He can even feel something on his back, reaching with his hands for what must be dorsal spines, long and separated. He even has webbing between his fingers now."Woah," he breathes, then realizes he can actually breathe and talk underwater now, and up top his grandfather is still screaming.He decides to test out his tail, and it comes naturally to him, no differently than moving his legs though he uses more force than necessary and nearly launches himself out the water. Seems like his tail is as strong as it is beautiful.Luffy reaches up to the edge of the pier, pulling himself up and leaning over with his arms while staring at his red-faces grandfather with a huge grin. "Still think you can outswim me, gramps?""YOU FOOL!" Garp screams at him, and he hears footsteps coming down the pier—Zoro."Luffy?" he calls, glancing at Garp once to make sure the chase is over before coming to stand next to him and looking down at him, his eyes widening. "You... you took off your necklace?""Yup," Luffy announces cheerily, right before Garp's boot meets his face and kicks him off the pier into the water."DIDN'T I WARN YOU?" Garp screams as Luffy drifts onto his back on the surface of the water, holding his nose. "DIDN'T I TELL YOU NOT TO TAKE IT OFF?""Gramps—""NOW YOU CAN NEVER COME ON LAND AGAIN!""Gramps!"Garp glares down at him, looking very upset, but stops his shouting just long enough for Luffy to say, "My birthday was two days ago."Silence."WHAT?!"Zoro bursts out laughing beside Garp as he starts screaming again, Luffy smiling cheekily as he dives underwater and out of sight before Garp can get the idea to actually try swimming after him."YOU LITTLE SHIT! YOU NEARLY GAVE ME A STROKE!" Garp shrieks, turning to Zoro. "AND YOU—"Zoro ducks, avoiding Garp's hand by an inch and lunges into the water after Luffy."YOU BRATS!"Luffy smirks mischievously as he swims away from the pier, Zoro transforming back and shedding his clothes before swimming after him, passing him by.It feels exhilarating, like he was always meant to be here, like this was his home all along. Not the confines of a small, isolated island, but the vastness of the ocean where there are no borders, no one to tell you where you can and can't go. Ahead of him in the water Zoro twists to face him, eyes trailing down his tail and his fins.Luffy grins proudly as he floats upright in the water. "It looks super cool, right?" "It looks as loud as you are," Zoro snorts, giving him a lopsided smile. "So, I'd say it suits you." Without a warning Luffy darts forward and Zoro can't react in time to avoid the tackle, bowling them both over and making them spin in the water. Luffy laughs brightly as Zoro's hands cling to his back, avoiding his dorsal spines and their wild spin slows down as they sink down towards the depths. "Just say you like it!" Luffy teases, Zoro's expression softening."I like it," he replies earnestly.Luffy smiles, kissing him on the the bridge of his nose, Zoro flustered just long enough for Luffy to slip out of his grip and bolt away."Race you!" "Hey!" Zoro yells after him as Luffy gets his head-start. "That's cheating!" Cheating or not Zoro follows him anyway, catching up quick enough to grab Luffy's hand.They swim, together.
11478927	The Wolves The Sun The	{ "Archive Warning": null, "Category": "F/M", "Characters": "Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, Jon Snow, Bran Stark, Cersei Lannister, Jaime Lannister, Tyrion Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, Oberyn Martell, Ellaria Sand, Margaery Tyrell, Loras Tyrell, Val (ASoIaF), Brienne of Tarth, Sandor Clegane, Ramsay Bolton, Aegon Targaryen, Doran Martell, Arianne Martell, Garlan Tyrell, Quentyn Martell, Trystane Martell, Tyene Sand, Nymeria Sand, Obara Sand, Sarella Sand, Elia Sand, Dorea Sand, Loreza Sand, Obella Sand, Other Character Tags to Be Added", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "Not Rated", "author": "by MrsWilliamHerondale", "chapters": "9/?", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-12T00:00:00", "words": "16,002", "Additional Tags": "R Plus L Equals J, Canon-Typical Violence, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arranged Marriage, Sand Snakes- book, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Rape/Non-con Elements, First Fanfiction, Ever - Freeform, Tags Are Hard, BAMF Women, Dragons, Red Wedding still happens., direwolves, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Jon Snow is a Targaryen", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Joffrey Baratheon/Sansa Stark, Jaime Lannister/Sansa Stark, Oberyn Martell/Ellaria Sand, Oberyn Martell/Arya Stark, Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow/Val, Tyrion Lannister/Sansa Stark, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)", "Archive Warnings": "Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con", "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Let go of me!” Arya yelled at the top of her voice, fighting against the arms that held her in place.“Stop fighting, girl. Be thankful that I didn’t restrain you.” His voice rasped. The only man who was smart enough to look at the people flooding through the King’s Gate in the chaos- both entering the city and leaving it. The Hound had taken one look at the small child next to the Brother of the Night’s Watch and had seen the hateful icy grey eyes glaring at him. Those eyes could only belong to one person.Arya Stark.“You killed Mycah! Let me go!” The girl screamed, still fighting at the hands and arms of the Gold Cloaks holding her body tight.“The Queen will pay me good money for this, I tell you. Me- the Capitan of the Gold Cloaks. Finding the missing Stark girl. These Northerns won’t dare do anything stupid with two of them hostages by the Queen.” Another man’s voice spoke, his voice making Arya’s skin crawl. She couldn’t see the man but wished for Needle in her grasp.The Hound barked out a harsh laugh. “She won’t be paying you, Slynt. You did fuck all. It was me who found the wolf-bitch so it will be me who gets the Dragons.” The Hound’s raspy voice was drowned out slowly from the people in Flea Bottom chanting and yelling.She heard the noise increase from the masses in Flea Bottom the closer she was dragged back to the city. All of them yelling, chanting about her father. Her very honourable and very dead father.“Fuck the Traitor!”“The Lord Hand is dead!”“Ned fucking Stark is as honourable as the ground I walk on!”“Joffrey Baratheon is my King!”“Robert has met with the Seven Gods now.”“Least I ain’t no traitor.”The voices started to going around and around in her head, each more menacing and cruel towards the more she heard them. Arya pulled against the arms of the Gold Cloaks that held her bound. They didn’t even try to muffle their laughter at her. She snapped at them “My father wasn’t any of those things!”You don’t know him. He wasn’t a traitor. He didn’t deserve to die.Her body was lifted up from the ground by a single man. She thrashed her small body as much as she could but couldn’t not stop the Hound from throwing her into one of the Queen’s litters. Arya cried a wordless scream as the lies about her father kept going. Ned Stark was an honourable man, who died a traitor’s death. She threw herself against the little door that remained steadfast closed, with tears running down her dirt stained face. All around her, the notable brown Stark head fell from her skull, showing the rough job Yoren had done cutting her hair.Gods, she hated Yoren. Hated him for being caught at the Gate. Hated him for letting the Queen’s men find her.Arya didn’t need to close her eyes to see the man in her mind being cut into two by the Hound- staring into nothingness as he spewed out blood and guts before falling to the ground. The Hound still had the blood all over him. It wasn’t a dream.Nor did she need to closer her eyes to hear Sansa’s screams and cries from when she tried to run to the Lord of Winterfell, screaming as loud as she could while her betrothed sentenced him to die.But to see the blood of her father run down his great sword Ice, the way his knees collapsed and gave way underneath his headless, his head roll away from his body was something she never wanted to see again. She never wanted to relive the moment she saw Ned Stark die again. So OOooOO “You found her?” The Queen’s voice was no more than a whisper as Arya Stark was led into a room full of the lion of Lannister plastered everywhere. It hadn’t taken long for the majority of the Baratheon Stag to disappear. Within hours actually, even though her son was meant to be a Baratheon himself. The Queen wasn’t wearing black for mourning, but the bright crimson and gold of the Lannisters.They were the bright colours of a proud house rather than a wife mourning the loss of her husband or a Queen mourning her King. They showed the pride the House was known for instead of the grief she was as wife was to experience. And Cersei was not going to show that bastard another second of her time- even in his death.Cersei Lannister’s eyes were as hard as flint, even with the joyful glimmer the green eyes held within them. Her hair was braided into the style of the Crownlands, the pile of golden curls high upon her head. The golden crown she wore was decorated with the dark rubies- the colours of the Lannisters.The younger Stark girl was in men’s clothing- loose breeches and a tunic. She was covered in muck and dirt and what looked like dried blood, with clear tracks on her cheeks that had been wet with tears not long ago. She had a weapon’s belt on her hip without either weapon or scabbard. Maybe my guards aren’t all as stupid as they looked after all. Chunks of the Stark’s hair were missing and her scalp was visible. If it wasn’t for the eyes that burned her with an icy grey contempt- Cersei might not even know that it was Arya Stark.The Queen clicked her tongue. “This won’t do. Put her in one of the dresses and out of those clothes. Joff wants to see both girls before Stark’s head goes up on the pike.” She took a few steps forward, and lent her lean body down closer to the girl’s. “And I want them to watch my son sitting on the Iron Throne that their father fought against.” She pulled herself back up to the Hound and spoke to him. “Go and give the girl to her sister. Sansa could always obey what I told her. Let’s see if this one has that little talent.”The girl spat at the bottom folds of the dress that Cersei wore. That will not do.The Queen smiled dangerously before a hand darted out and smacked the girl on the cheek. “It’s clear you don’t have your sister’s stupidity but if you do not behave yourself, I will see to it that you are raped until you are bleeding, by men who wouldn’t give a care in the world if you were to die from your injuries. I will see to it that you watch your sister get beheaded as well and the downfall of House Stark.” The Queen to King Robert Baratheon smiled daintily. “Leave now.”As the girl was lead out she spoke once again. “Oh, and Clegane, I will see it you that your get rewarded so heavily for finding me this little…” bitch, child, tratior’s spawn? “-wolf.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The King sat on the Iron Throne, with flatten golden hair that his golden crown sat crookedly. The rubies shined as much as the green eyes burned with passion. The doublet of crimson silk with the golden lions sewn into them was seen by Arya as she stood below the dais where Joffrey sat. He didn’t even pretend to be Baratheon. The only thing that name had given him was a Throne. Everything else was given to him from his mother. If Arya squinted hard enough, she thought she could see a little of Tyrion in him. But today the Lady Arya Stark was standing stiff as her sister’s betrothed was eying her off. Fear cuts deeper then swords. She wished that she still had Needle with her. That the Hound hadn’t just grabbed it from her hands as if it was a practice sword and snapped it over his knee like it was wooden. Or then just thrown it into the street for the poor to squabble over the iron that made it. Arya had wished that she had a tunic and breeches to wear. It made it easier to move and run. And didn’t make her feel like a dress up doll. The dresses that she had brought from Winterfell had started to fray down the bottom and showed her ankles when she moved. Sansa was given expensive and elegant clothing as she was going to be Queen one day. Yet Arya had no use for her to get new dresses- unless you counted being a prisoner. A threat to her family still in the North if they were to succeed in their War.Robb and Mother can still come and get us, Arya had though. And I’ll go see Jon. I miss Jon and the way he used to call me little sister before messing up my hair. She quickly knocked away that thought. I’m sounding like Sansa with hopeful dreams. What has happened to me?The two Stark children had never gotten along. They were like the moon and the sun. One liked being on horseback and the other refused to be near horses unless she could be in a wheelhouse being dragged by them. Arya Stark liked her Needle and parrying with someone, and Sansa Stark liked to sit with a bunch of ladies (which was expected of the future Queen) and sew new designs on a piece a material that would make a dress.They didn’t even look the tiniest bit similar, Sansa looked all Tully and Arya looked nothing but Stark.And Sansa’s betrothed looked nothing but Lannister.A Lannister bastard born out of incest and lust between the Queen and her brother, the small people would mutter whenever Arya snuck out of the Red Keep. She had even heard some of the highborn lords and ladies talking about it, and the fact that Joffrey seemed more and more of the Mad King with every passing day. The Mad King that had torched his people and trapped the Highborn in the Red Keep. Fear cuts deeper then swords. She had heard what the last Targaryen King had done to her uncle and her grandfather. They called Brandon the Wild Wolf. He had died being strangled trying to reach his sword to save Rickard from being cooked alive in his armour. Both her Uncle Brandon and grandfather Rickard had died terribly that day. It was the day that her father had become Lord of Winterfell and the day that fuelled the North to rebel against the Mad King. That and her Aunt Lyanna who was said to have looked like Arya did, who was stolen by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. Eddard, who searched for his sister desperately only came back North with a body. She wondered if King Joffrey was to anywhere that crazy. And wondered if her fate was to match her likeness. Fear cuts deeper then swords. “Did you hear the news, you spawn of a traitorous Lord? Did you hear that your brother the self-declared King in the North won against my grand-uncle? Beat him at Oxcross. He left the army still faithful to the rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms, in pieces and my kin dead! DID YOU HEAR?”When the golden haired boy raised his voice, Arya noticed that he slammed his hands onto the blades that formed his Throne. She doubted that even Joffrey knew that the blades had cut him, blood spilling on his hands. The crimson liquid dropping slowly, onto the blunted blades yet still sharp that had once defied Aegon the Conqueror.“Did you hear what I just said?” The King shouted.“No.” Arya said.“No, Your Grace.” Joffrey corrected. “Ser Mandon, please show that Lady Arya to remember her courtesies. It’s something that her sister always seems to remember. It must only come out in the traitor’s blood, the Stark blood.” He said 'Stark' like it was a curse.The fist that hit her stomach, wasn’t soft or dulled by the layers of wool that her dress was made of. The air was pushed out of Arya’s lungs as Ser Mandon Moore pulled back his arm again. Arya vowed that she wasn’t going to call out in pain. It would only fuel Joffrey with this treatment. It would take a toll on her- that’s for sure but the Mad King Reborn would forget about his anger without the screams that pleased his ears and fuelled his desires to see pain.She thought about Winterfell as the flat of the sword was hit across her legs and back, the edges cutting her dress and skin. She thought of her brothers that she had left behind and her mother who was now the mother to a King. Robb would be planning how to defeat the Lannister Armies, so he could defeat the young King on the Iron Throne and take back his sisters. Jon would be training with his sword- proving to all the men at the Wall how skilled he is with it. He would range beyond the Wall and then ride up to Winterfell to tell her all about it- the Wildlings, the mammoths and even a giant if he saw one. Bran would be climbing the towers and walls around there home and little Rickon would be pretending to ride his horse, something he had always loved. Blood filled Arya’s mouth as she bit the inside of it to hold back any sounds of pain.The sword struck again and again.Things wouldn’t be like that. Bran would never climb again. The sword stuck again. Jon wouldn’t be welcome at Winterfell if her Lady mother was there to rule over the castle. The blade stuck on the back of Arya’s legs. Robb would be planning how to win a war not winning his sister. Rickon… little Rickon… would be crying over the loss of his family- the father that never came back, the mother and brother in the South, the brother covered in black and the sisters that are stuck with the Lannister.The sword struck again. And again. And again. And again.“Enough.” The King’s voice cut across the silence. All the Highborn Ladies and Lords, sat in silence as their King disciplined a child. A Stark- who had ‘traitor’s blood’ but a child nonetheless. “I think that this Stark has learnt her lesson- but her sister has not.”The colour Arya’s face drained as she realized what Joffrey had meant. Two White Knight’s grabbed Sansa, who obediently walked with them to where her betrothed pointed at. Arya was lifted to her feet by the Hound, only to fall onto her knees. She screamed at the bastard child that sat upon the throne who was hurting Sansa- who had always been pure and innocent. She yelled out the Kingsguard who followed this command so stupidly. But within moments, Sansa was crying louder then what Arya was yelling. Cersei Lannister sat by her son, with a small smile playing on her lips. Arya had stumbled to her feet before running at her, ready to hit that smirk of the dirty Queen who had slept with her own brother when Sandor Clegane had lifted her of her feet.“Trust me she-wolf. You don’t want to do that. Let the little bird get her hits.” His voice rasped into her ear. “The Queen Bitch will get it back one time or ‘nother.” He carried her out, as Sansa screamed and sobbed swearing only to be faithful to her beloved Joffrey, having nothing to do with Robb’s action- swearing that she wasn’t faithful to him anymore even with her traitors blood. Not even her sister. Only faithful to the King. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The Stark maiden cloak wasn’t made out of wool like it should have been- like the Northers would have had it. Instead it was in silk, with bits of velvet that made the gray direwolf and little pearls in the snowy white field it was running on. The Direwolf seemed to have been cowering more than running. I feel like that direwolf, bent over in submission. Bowing to the lions and roses rather than howling with freedom and the power of the North. The cloak befitted a maid of Sansa’s standard but it treated her as a Highborn Lady of the South, and not as the North. Regardless whether she would step foot past the Neck again, it felt wrong denying where she had come from. Even though she was from a traitor’s family.Silly girl, she snapped at herself. You’re complaining over a cloak, it will not be the worst thing to happen tonight. Cersei had told her the detail of a bedding, and it still made the Red-haired feel ill.After seeing her father’s head being cut off- Sansa Stark had a new meaning for family. She couldn’t let Arya step into her place, not willful Arya. So here she was in a dress, beaded with pearls, bits of ruby and emerald with the entire thing made out of cloth-of-gold. It was as if they were showing who she belonged to now. She hated the dress, gold that screamed out; the stupid patterns on it and the stupid jewels- she hated everything on it. Sansa didn’t get the choice to wed, the dress to wear or even where to marry; but it didn’t matter that she was forced too because if it wasn’t her it would be Arya. That couldn’t happen. Even if it meant it was sacrificing herself.The autumn heat in King’s Landing was uncomfortable, even with the sleeveless dress. It didn’t help being carried in a litter covered in curtains and wearing the heavy dress. They didn’t think it was appropriate for her sister to walk her down the sept even though she was her only family left. The Lannisters hadn’t even let Arya come to the wedding in case she did something- Joffrey fought hard against it, probably wanting to beat her again over nothing- but Tywin had put the foot down. The Highborn didn’t need to see the Stark unity. Instead, the brown haired girl was locked into her room with guards at the door and Sansa was dressed in this monstrosity and was to be sold off like a brood mare.I was always the tamer wolf they said. The maid thought emotionless. Tyrion is going to claim my maiden head, and my body. I will bare his lion children who will be heirs to some of the biggest and best castles in the Seven Kingdoms. They will be kin to kings. They will be lions cubs with a wolf mother. I won’t love Tyrion, but I will love my children.The litter stopped, and then the King was opening the door for her. He offered his arm and she took it. After all it was expected of her, and you couldn’t refuse the king.Joffrey pointed to the top of the Sept stairs. “I killed your father over there.” He said, laughing manically. “Fitting that the heir to Winterfell gets married to a Lannister where her father lost his head after fighting against our reign.” He laughed again.You’re not a Lannister. She wanted to scream. But he was nothing but that, the family she was going to be kin too. The family she was going extend with her own children.Instead, she just nodded her head. “Of course, Your Grace. Funny how these things work out.” OOOoooOOO "Father, Smith, Warrior, Mother, Maiden, Crone, Stranger.""I am hers...""I am his...""She is mine...""He is mine...""From this day until the end of my days." From this day until the end of my days. OOOoooOOO Sansa Stark had died- and Sansa Lannister was born. Lady Tyrion Lannister. Tyrion Lannister, the Imp. He was now her lord husband.He had wed to her and now they would bed.Arya would likely marry Ser Lancel (or Ser Jaime the Kingslayer if Tywin had anything to say about it) and he would take Arya’s maidenhead and she would be caught in the same trouble Sansa was in.She wished that Arya would run away. Or that they both would. To be away from this place full of liars and Lannisters and players in the game of thrones. Away from Joffrey and Kingsguards in soiled white clocks. But that’s how Sansa Stark would have thought. Sansa Lannister had to be a great beauty that made up for the lack of a handsome husband. She would be as graceful as Margery to woo the small folk and lords and ladies alike, she couldn’t afford to be a naïve little girl who was a pawn in the great game but a cunning women that could rival Cersei Lannister being the mastermind of the Game.But the first thing that Lady Lannister wanted was to get out of the city of King’s Landing. That hadn’t changed along with her name.She wanted to return to her mother’s loving arms and father’s booming laugh when he had too many cups of wine. She wanted Lady at her side, and Rickon and Bran running after each other. She wanted to hear the clash of steel as Robb and Jon sparred with each other.She wanted to peruse the dream of safety and family back in Winterfell. But it wouldn’t be like that. Not with Father killed at the Sept of Baelor, Robb and mother seceding the North and Riverlands, not with Winterfell burnt alongside her two younger brothers. Not with Jon covered in black. Not with Lady beheaded that same way Father was.Now, all she had was Arya. Sansa would do everything to stop them hurting her. Regardless of her name- being a Stark or Lannister, or bloody Tyrell- Sansa would put her family first in order to keep the she ones had left alive. She would die for this mission. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The massive doors lead into the Throne Room, where Oberyn Martell, Prince of Dorne was announced with the rest of his party. All of them loyal to Doran and himself; each man and woman with holdings and keeps of their own; each of them with the power to raise thousands of Dornish fighters.The message was thinly hidden. To show the might of Dorne; the force of soldiers that was overlooked; the power that kept promises and threats- the power that could make even the Lannisters cower.Oberyn was wearing his orange tunic that left a clear section of his chest bare for everyone to gasp at. Even with all his years traveling across Westeros, it still made him laugh about how the Highborn and lowborn alike gaped at the lack of modesty in Dorne. The more scandalized women would call him uncivilized because of it- the way he dressed, spoke and acted.The Viper also wore loose breeches that were brown with a little red woven into the material. His cloak reached his shins, the yellow being stitched with large Suns of Dorne in orange. On his hips, he wore a weapons belt carved with the Martell Spear and Sun with two empty scabbards where he kept his daggers. Even though Oberyn was asked to enter the presence of the King weapon-less, hidden in his boot was a dagger gifted to him from his eldest daughter, Obara. There was no doubt to where this man had come from. Or which House he was from. The Sun and Spears told it all.He wanted the court to see him- Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken. That’s what I want them to see. Dorne as it has always been.Oberyn’s eyes were drawn to the floor of the chamber, the place where he imagined his sister’s body had been laid down with her children- innocent little Rhaenys and babe Aegon- their bodies covered with the crimson and gold cloaks of House Lannister, the crimson hiding the blood that was spilt in the murder and still leaking from them. He stopped walking for a moment, closed his eyes briefly and cursed Tywin Lannister for ordering his dearest sister to be killed. The Old Lion will get the revenge that is owed to him. He loved her deeply- and it still pained him to think of the brutality of her death. Or her children’s deaths. No one deserved a death like that- she had been shamed in life by Rhaegar Targaryen and shamed in death by The Mountain, The Old Lion, and the Butcher King. It wasn’t either Lannister or Baratheon who brought her bones home with her children- but Eddard Stark who was disgraced at the actions of his king approving the murder, and went against his King’s wishes to return Elia home. Doran had to tell Oberyn this- years later once the grief had lessened, when the Viper had asked how his sister had been returned.I will get justice for them. For Elia. For Rhaenys. For Aegon. These words went through The Red Viper of Dorne’s mind like a mantra. For Elia. For Rhaenys. For Aegon. I will get justice for them.When he looked back up to the seat next to the Throne, Tywin Lannister wasn’t sitting by the King’s seat but his daughter was. She looked at him with plain disgust and the smirk of that screamed of Tywin, playing on her face. Her crimson dress was too tight- he could see the bulges of skin bursting out from her corset, her breasts large but fleshy and loose. Yet the Queen Mother sat there proudly, as if it was her birthright and not her son’s.For Elia. For Rhaenys. For Aegon. I will get justice for them. Martells keep their debts as well as Lannisters.Two White Knight’s stood on either side of the Throne -their white amour shining in with the sunlight pouring in from the windows- guarding their King. In the middle of them, the seat of melted swords sat a man child- with a loaded crossbow on his knee, eyes burning with madness and his crown slipping on his head. Following the direction the crossbow, Oberyn Martell could see a young girl with plain brown hair being beaten by a third Kingsguard, the flat of the sword hitting the material and flesh of her back.The temper the Red Viper was known for appeared. “MY KING!” he shouted. As the Prince looked around the room, he could see the pale faces of Highborn Lords and Ladies alike that were all ruled in fear. None dared to speak against the King. None but him.“You are speaking to your King.” Cersei snarled at him as he walked closer to the girl on the floor, her hands gripping the arm of the Hand’s chair tightly.“You are speaking to a Prince, Your Grace. My title is Prince Oberyn. Mayhaps you have forgotten.” He said without it processing and the Queen’s face dropped into a scowl.Fuck. Doran will be angry when I tell him about this. It was the only thought that went through his mind before he focused back on the blondes in front of him.“Prince Oberyn. It’s good to finally meet you.” King Joffrey spoke, his eyes glimmering emerald as he lowered the crossbow from the girl and handed it to one of his Kingsguard. He looked nothing but Lannister. But if Stannis was right, there wasn’t a drop of Baratheon blood in him. The Lannister spawn didn’t even bother wearing the stags of his 'father'- only the roaring lion. Roaring with delight and victory. Gods, aren't lions smug little bastards. “What is the meaning of this? What has the girl done to get the wrath of the King?” Oberyn asked bitterly. Dorne don’t hurt little girls. “Joffrey was being an ass to Sansa.” The girl muttered loud enough for Oberyn to hear yet no one else.“The Wolf-bitch defied me, the entire family are traitors and this one is not different. Arya Stark lives at my mercy and off the generosity of me the KING! And I have disciplined her as I see fit.” Joffrey smirked as he stared the girl down.This is a Stark. No red hair maiden that was spoken oft about but the one that looked like Lyanna- The girl is Arya Stark. Eddard Stark’s daughter.With a flick of his hand, his squire Daemon Sand walked over the girl ( who appeared younger then she was) and went to offer her a hand- an offer to be lead to her rooms. Instead, his hand was pushed away from the girl by herself and on shaky feet she stood. Now the girl was up on her feet, Oberyn could see her better- could see the shoulder length hair of the girl, the stormy grey eyes that were as hard as flint. Her mouth was pulled in a tight line as she bowed to her King, her tormentor. As she bowed, he could see the red welts from the flat of the sword and the little trickle of blood in several spots as the sword bit into her skin. The dress of pale grey- I should have realised it was a Stark- was ripped badly and peeled away in strands from her ill-fitting corset, also cut many places and falling apart.She turned away and past The Viper and he grabbed her arm. “My Lady. Please let me give-” you my coat.She pulled out of his grip at once. “No.”Most Highborn Ladies believed in stories of chivalry, knights and falling in love at first sight…The stories that portrayed kindness rather than the harsh truth. But he hadn’t met a Lady quite like the one in front of him before- refusing to be carried out or to have a coat to cover herself up- instead she walked on her own two feet out of the room, a silent resistance to the Lannister’s who had been treating her as such. Letting everyone who had sat there in silence as she was beaten, see injures she bore because of it.It made Oberyn smile to see the originality of the girl who protested about what she was forced to endure- rather than just letting it happen. A snap from the Lannister Bitch brought him back to the situation at hand.“Prince Oberyn. You don’t have the power to let the girl leave. How dare-” Her face showed the fury that she was in because he had undermined her son in front with the entire court to witness it. Her voice started to raise and change pitch when the Viper cut her off.“Your Grace,” he said addressing the King -the mad little thing he was. “wouldn’t you rather hear about your sister settling into Sunspear and meeting her betrothed then talking about an insolent child of the North?”The King ended Court for the day, ignoring the sighs of the people as their requests were delayed for the morrow, and walked to the small chamber off the Throne Room. “Shall we talk in here, Prince?” For Elia. For Rhaenys. For Aegon. I will get justice for them for the wrongs that were done. For the little girls beaten- and shamed- I will fight for them. No one else seems too. I will fight the Lannisters sitting on piles of gold and pride who allowed this to happen. The rage shimmering beneath Oberyn’s skin pulsed with every step he took with the King and his whorish mother. It’s not only the Lannisters that pay their debts- your lion claws may be out but the Viper has fangs and poison. Don’t forget that. I sure will not. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- King’s Landing stayed warm during the days and faded away during the nights, but it never had that raw and dry heat that Oberyn was used to. The feeling of complete warmth and having the sun kiss your skin like a lover would. The Red Keep wasn’t cold but didn’t have any heat to it.Heat; passion; pleasure; enjoyment; freedom and lust- it was all the things that Dorne had- but not here. Instead there were liars who smiled to your face, the walls that had ears and no matter what you were doing the eyes that seemed to follow you.Plus the place smelled of shit. It also had smells of unwashed bodies from peasants and rotting seafood…. but mainly of shit.The Prince of Dorne had been in King’s Landing for less than a week and it had been too long already. The nasty people who were trained in betrayals and back stabbings, the king who was as mad as Aerys, the Small Council who were all Lannister men, and the Highborn -who had allowed such an outrageous thing happen to small children as they were beaten and shamed in front of them all. The place where his sister had died hadn’t changed with the passing of Kings and the fall of a dynasty but had just become worse.Sure there aren’t burnings of people and tongues being ripped out from mouths, but we still have the bastards who hurt little girls and hide behind the red bricks of the Red Keep as the rest of us fight in war. Oberyn Martell thought to himself as he walked down the stairs from where his room were outside the Keep. We still have the Lannister’s fighting for power, the Baratheon’s bitter about the rights of the Throne; we have little Stark girls torn from their families and a war that simply might be justified. A war that simply might be justified… a war that simply might be justified… and what role will we play in the wars to come? The halls were filled with men in brown and dark clothing, women in loose dresses of every colour that showed nothing by the standards of Dorne. Of home. The bannermen and bannerwomen around the Viper were all picked from Doran, who had spent many hours and many favours getting them to follow Oberyn to the lion’s den, where their own were slaughter years beforehand. Ellaria refused to stay with the children at Sunspear. In her feisty way, which included much begging and eventual threats she had been allowed to follow her lover into the dangerous Crownlands.She was his companion at nights where the cool air could be felt on their skin: on the trails that wet mouths had left, on wet and heavy breasts and on their naked bodies as they pleasured themselves and each other. Breathy moans and hoarse yells sounded all through the nights and sometimes into the mornings, but Ellaria wasn’t just there to be his whore. Oberyn’s paramour was much more than that. She was the mother of half of his children, she was the only person who could help him through Elia’s death, and she was there to massage his shoulders after a long day. She acted like his wife- even without the title that came with marriage.Ellaria Sand was the only women (or man) that had the power to hold Oberyn together on the days he couldn’t.Lost in his own thoughts and reflections, the Red Viper of Dorne tripped over a man as he turned around a corner. A very small man who looked extremely pissed off to have been overlooked in such a way - embarrassed and ungraceful enough to have fallen on his ass in front of the Viper.“My Prince. Regardless of being a Lannister who you despise, I do not appreciate being tripped over.” The Imp said as he stood up, dusting himself off with both of his hands, his golden pants with dirt spotted on them. The Dornish man took a breath and started to play this word game that was so common around this dreadful Keep. “My Lord. I-” Tyrion Lannister cut him off instead, something Oberyn had rarely experienced being a Prince.“You didn’t see me, you apologize. I understand. But I needed to talk to you. I have heard you have been inquiring about the Lady Arya.” The smaller man guided the taller one to the gardens (that were in the Keep, a little walk between the rooms for the Dornish and the gardens themselves) which were filled with small blossoming flowers in colours of white, blue, red, pink and yellow.Even after seeing the gardens at Highgarden, Oberyn could still admire the effort and simplicity these gardens held. All along the paths were hedges coming up to the waist on him, being broken up by rose and pansy plants with the small occasional water pool that was not for bathing like the Water Garden’s back at Dorne.“You see, as one of Lady Arya’s only kin it is my responsibility to make sure she isn’t being… bothered by unwanted attention.” The Imp said.“Did you see them beating her?” Oberyn asked, pulling out a flower from the nearest bush picking the petals off slowly. Tyrion had the grace to look almost sheepish at the taller man. “I thought you might have. I thought it might have happened before. You see, no one looked like it was a scandal, or that anything was wrong. But we don’t beat little girls in Dorne. Your niece is my brother’s honoured guest- and she isn’t harmed regardless of her family. “Yet we have Stark girls who are beaten by kin whenever the King pleases. Your father hurt my sister, he sent the orders for her to be raped and then killed. He sent the orders from my niece and nephew to be murdered so he could please Robert Baratheon. We would have taken them back home and kept them safe under the raider but your father wanted them dead. Here we stand, these Northern girls getting beaten constantly all because of their family. An echo of what happened to my own. And we haven’t hurt a single hair on Myrcella’s head. ”The more he spoke, the louder the Prince got. The louder he got, the more passionate he got. With more passion in his voice, the Prince’s words slurred with the accents of Dorne. The end of the speech was barely understandable for a Westerosi that didn’t originate from the same place the Viper did.Oberyn Martell took a deep breath. “The Butcher King wronged-”“Your sister, niece and nephew. But he wasn’t Joffrey and Joffrey isn’t his father. We are still trying to make amends for that, Prince. I wasn’t responsible for their deaths. I was only a blameless child at the Rock. Please allow me to speak. ”Tyrion Lannister looked flushed after his outburst. He waddled away from the taller man, without looking back. His golden pants reflecting the light as it bounced off the material. The crimson and black doublet tailored to fit correctly had little lions sewn into them in golden thread.The Little Lion of Lannister. Oberyn thought suddenly and walked after the Imp.“My Lady wife has been taking care of her sister with her injuries-” the Lannister said after a while of wandering paths of stone, bordered by hedges and flowers that only bloomed in autumn in the Crownlands. Oberyn recognized several plants that were seen in the North and Riverlands during summer and spring the atmosphere in the Crownlands ripe for them to bloom.“Lady Wife? I never thought you would be the one to marry, Lord Tyrion. Too interested in whores from what I’ve heard…. Did you enjoy make the heir to the North your wife? Faithful to the Crown, faithful to the Lannister she was forced to marry. How was she in bed? Did you enjoy rapping her and taking the maidenhead from a girl of only 16 name days-?”As quick as he could manage Tyrion Lannister was standing in front of the Red Viper of Dorne, face to chest. “If we weren’t surrounded by Littlefinger’s and Varys’s spies I would have slapped you.” He grit out between teeth. “I have not touched my wife. Sansa Lannister remains unbedded and with a maidenhead. If you wish to ask her, do so. I know how much you despise the word of a Lannister. ” I think I shall like this man. Lannister or not, he isn’t atrocious like everyone else is in this awful place. And as much as I wanted to aggravate him, I feel slightly sadden about his words. “What were Lady Arya’s injuries?” he asked.“Wouldn’t you like to ask her herself?” Tyrion spat out as he backed away from the older and taller man. “Begging your pardon-” the Viper asked.“You see, Prince Oberyn, I visited to let you see the young Lady. With you asking about her consistently I thought this would draw less attention. And so you could see her yourself rather than dismiss the word from myself, a Lannister.”A flash of anger went through Oberyn. “And you didn’t tell me this earlier. You made me go on a walk instead. I have better things to do, Imp and I don’t need you wasting my time.”The Lord said nothing as he continued to walk out of the gardens and into the halls and turns of the Red Keep. The blurry faces of servants who rushed past in a hurry and the Highborn folk wore their very finest to impress the King on his twisted barbed chair. They all looked at the Dornish man with scandal and awe. How someone so important could act so… recklessly, they all thought as they stared him down wearing his modest tunic and breeches. It’s all laughable really. They never can wait to get underneath someone’s skirts in the nights but can’t bear to see the fraction of my chest that I have on display. They act like it is my cock that isn’t covered up. After too many turns and stairs for Oberyn to count, Tyrion Lannister stopped before a small weirwood- looking door, pale white wood with a brass door handle. There weren’t as many windows or openings around this part of the Keep. It was all quite secluded and dark- something that Tyrion should not have been forced to put up with as a Lord Paramount’s son, or as the King’s uncle.“I made you wait because you were blaming me for the wrongs done against your House and House Stark. I am not a good person, Prince Oberyn Martell. But unlike the rest of my family, I haven’t plotted and planned the fall of another House….”Tyrion’s green eyed gaze seemed to fade away into the distance for a moment or two until he shook his head and refocused, the golden hair on his head swishing over his forehead slightly with the movement. The scar on his face and nose were visibly red and agitated.“These girls… Both of them are broken and bent. Don’t expect them to be as lovely and graceful as my niece would have been. Sansa is obedient and does what is expected of her. That is how she ended up with me- because she was told to. Arya Stark on the other hand, is nothing like her sister. Regardless of beatings, she doesn’t have any restraint when it comes to Sansa or the rest of her family. Nor does my lady wife but in an entire different way she acts.”“What is the point of this My Lord?” He found himself asking. Why are you telling me how broken these children are? Why do you put their tragic past on my own?“I don’t want you to expect anything else.” the Imp said simply, before knocking on the door. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The wounds on Arya’s back are healing slowly. Sansa observed as her sister slept. Arya’s injuries were still causing her pain and stiffness a week after the beating in front of the King’s Court and in front of the new Dornish visitors.After the first few beatings, Joffrey had forbidden any maester to help with healing and recovery from the wounds inflicted by the Kingsguard. It was only Sansa’s handmaiden Shae that stopped the cuts for being infected and the welts from scarring. The handmaiden did this for both girls- spending much more time on Arya then the red-head.For Sansa, the beatings were always softer but dragged out longer with the taunting that the King enjoyed. Threats of harm and sibling’s heads were used for her. Family was a weakness in the Crownlands and for Lannister’s; they knew Sansa had a duty to her family. She was half a Tully after all.So they used it against her. Mocking the words of her mother’s House.She couldn’t do anything to save her family; the forced duty she was made to have to her king, her husband and to the Lannister’s; she had lost her father’s honour in a moment of blind stupidly, and quite possibly her own. It taunted her every day. They taunted her everyday with the mockery.For Arya, the bashes and beatings were frequent and painful. Joffrey wanted to see the girl in pain, and she wouldn’t allow him that until she was half-unconscious. The scars from cuts by swords were much deeper on the younger girl’s back then on Sansa’s own.The cries and moans from her weren’t often but when they arose, they were terrifying. The King and Ser Meryn both liked to beat Arya much more then Sansa- they wanted to see how long until she broke; until she cried out and swore treasons at the King.The middle Stark child refused to back down. Calling Joffrey Baratheon out on everything she could, regardless if it meant herself being hurt in the process. The wolf- blooded girl cared more about undermining and embarrassing their captors then being beaten to death in front of the Court. She wanted to die fighting and resisting. She wanted to die like a true Stark--And that meant everything to Arya. The only thing that got the brown-haired to calm down was when they forced Sansa to take some of the beatings on Arya’s behalf. It was something that the elder girl had wished for, to protect her sister. Arya had the same idea. Which was why Cersei had started doing that- it hurt both Starks with either situation. The question was -which Stark did they want to hurt physically and which one mentally. They still call me a Stark after my marriage to one of their own… My sister refuses to bend or break. She wants to go out like father did. I want her safe, she wants me safe. And that can never happen until we are out of this Gods-forsaken place. She will never be free if she marries a Lannister, just like I am now trapped. Still staring at her sister’s sleeping body; Sansa was startled by the sudden appearance of Podrick Payne in the bedroom. She had left him by the fireplace in Tyrion’s solar where the boy was reading. He was her husband’s squire after all. Tyrion had left their rooms about an hour ago wordlessly after Bronn had come to report something. I like all these people Tyrion has around. Pod is kind and shy and innocent. He makes me smile oft and makes Arya laugh loudly. Bronn is brutish and rude but he protects Tyrion and always brings back sweets from outside the Keep for both me and Arya. He is blunt and truthful- he lets us know how the world really is. Both Bronn and Pod act like siblings around one another too. How Robb and Rickon would act from time to time back at Winterfell. “My lady- Lady Sansa- I mean, Lady Lannister. Tyrion- Lord Tyrion is back. He asked- requested you to come to his solar.” The squire said in a frantic bundle of words, tipping over them as each new one fell from his mouth.Sansa Lannister rose from her seat next to the bed smoothing out her red skirts as she followed Pod into the next rooms. Tyrion would have news about my family, she thought taking a deep breath. “You can call me Sansa, Podrick. I don’t mind.”The first thing she noticed was the Dornish man sitting across from her Lord husband. His skin was dark and tanned, his brown hair was as dark as the desk that he sat at and the loose orange tunic had a section of bare chest that showed dark ringlets of hair on it. It was scandalous around King’s Landing. Shae had told her about the customs from Dorne and the Free Cities. Even so, it was hard not to stare at that and how confidently he seemed- it was something that Sansa would have never seen in the North.He wore shin high boots that were brown leather and looked as unforgiving as the man himself. Lady Lannister noticed that he wore a necklace with the Sun and Spear of House Martell. Quickly realising that it had been far too long that she hadn’t said anything, she bowed with a quick apology to her Prince.“It is alright. I am not the ruling Prince of Dorne and title doesn’t matter to me as much, Sansa Stark.” The Prince said his voice thick with the accents from his homeland.“Lannister.” The maiden quickly corrected. “I’m Sansa Lannister now. My Prince” She walked to the chairs that had been set up near the middle of the solar, not far away from the desk where both men sat at.“Of course. I am Oberyn Martell, you must have heard about me by now. I must say, I haven’t seen you at Court.”She felt a slight blush rise upon her cheeks. “I have been… I have had a womanly affliction recently, and have been feeling-”“Your moonblood, I’ll assume.” She felt her blush redden further at the boldness of Prince Oberyn. “Your husband has told me that you remain unbedded. Is that true?”Sansa nodded slightly. She looked at her husband and found his green eyes staring back, a flicker of relief in them. Tyrion smiled slightly, almost to reassure her. It wasn’t doing a terrible job.Podrick entered though the white door that lead out to the hall. She hadn’t noticed that the squire had left, but he came back with a tray of sweets and cakes and a pitcher of wine. He struggled slightly as he placed it on the small table in front of her and she grabbed it for him. What she didn’t notice were the other two men in the room staring at her, both surprised at the kindness of the former Stark girl. It was something rare in this place.They ate with minimal chatter and Sansa sensed that there was something that her husband was skirting around telling her. The Prince asked her many questions about Winterfell and her family. It was a subject that she wanted to avoid at all cost and she tried to keep up the façade of indifference. It was when he asked about the war that Young Wolf was raging Sansa had almost lost her composure. Her hand started to sweat and the golden goblet engraved with lions slipped out of her hand nosily onto the table.She replied with the standard- “I am only loyal to King Joffrey and Lord husband Tyrion. My family are traitors and should throw themselves at the King begging for mercy.”Oberyn Martell had just raised an eyebrow at her, and glanced quickly at her husband before taking a sip of the dark Dornish wine.“Sansa,” Tyrion began gently. “Prince Oberyn would like to meet your sister. He feels -”“I can speak for myself, Tyrion.” The Prince said smugly, before he turned to the girl at the table. “I saw the girl at Court the other day while the King was… disciplining her. I offered her my assistance but she refused. I would like to meet with Lady Arya and see how she is recovering.”“She is sleeping. My Prince.” She spoke quietly, while she hid her shaking hands in her skirts.You can’t touch her. Don’t make her show her scars to either of you. Please don’t. She can’t fight for herself while she is like this. Please. The thoughts in Sansa’s mind started to get rushed and hysterical. She is only a little girl.“We aren’t going to hurt her.” Tyrion said, pressing a hand to her own. Blinking, she realised that she had spoken her thoughts. “Prince Oberyn knows quite a bit about healing essences and salves to help. We just want to help her. Will you please go and request her presences?” Look what happened the last time someone got near her. She was beaten and beaten while I had to watch. I heard her yells, and I heard her screams when the blades turned to me. I had to hold her when everyone left because she was so inconsolable. I was the one who stayed near her while everyone else wanted to ruin us. “I’m not asleep anymore. Sansa’s screams woke me.” Tyrion held his wife by her shaking hands as if he could hold her together bythat. He shouldn’t have asked her, he should have just sought out Arya later maybe by inviting both Arya and Oberyn to a supper. He had definitely fucked up this situation. Something about her family, and Sansa would be as protective as a lion with a cub.A wolf with its pup. Not a lion, she is Stark through and through. Even with the war ragging on and a husband she thinks to be an enemy. Both Sansa and Arya are wolves. Both are of the North. It was only the timely arrival of the younger Stark that stopped Sansa from losing it completely. Although, Arya was wearing white underskirts and a tunic that was coloured a light red that he had given her.With an inward groan he spoke. “Arya, you should go back and get your proper clothing on, please.” He looked back at Sansa whose blue eyes never strayed from her sister. Just for a moment, Tyrion wished he had a sister who cared for him as much. Then reality hit him in the face, the wish shattered with Cersei left behind.The girl didn’t move, but Podrick Payne walked over to her and handed her his dark crimson Lannister cloak. She smiled at him, which made the poor squire blush badly. The Stark walked away from the door, adjusting the cloak as she went to the seat next to Sansa.“It’s okay. She is okay.” Tyrion murmured for his wife’s sake. “I won’t hurt her, and neither will Oberyn. He does have daughters around the same age as you both.” The Imp pulled away from his young wife, and leaned back into his own seat.The Elegant Wolf seemed to calm down slightly. He dawned on Tyrion slightly, that Sansa didn’t trust Oberyn with Arya. It was a fair judgement- not to trust the people you don’t know with the person you love.“Why were you sleeping in Sansa’s chambers?” Oberyn asked.“She sleeps in there when she is… indisposed. She uses my handmaiden’s skills with healing to help her.” Sansa said softly, looking to the Prince.“So she has been in here since I arrived, my lady?”The red haired maiden nodded.Oberyn spoke again. “Where have you been sleeping, Lady Sansa?”The girl blushed as vividly as her hair. “With my Lord husband-”“I haven’t been sleeping with her. I have been on the chair in our room.” Tyrion snapped at Oberyn at the same time Arya spoke. “They haven’t consummated the marriage.” The Stark girl said as quietly as she could.Like I would be alive if I have. You would have slit my throat, and Shae would have helped you. He thought, looking past the red haired beauty at Arya.“I had to ask again, Lord Tyrion.” The Dornish man smirked taking a drink from his cup. He turned to the girl on his side. “Lady Stark. How have you been fairing?”“Do you mean after the King beat me in front of his entire court again? Oh, I'm splendid. Prince Oberyn. I haven’t been able to move in days and when I do all I can feel are the scabs from my back ripping open again.” The small girl took a sip of the wine, shrugged her shoulders and gripped the cloak around her tighter.Fuck. Arya Stark, you will be the death of us all one day. By telling that to one of the most unreliable men in Westeros met, I can’t decide if you are very bold or very stupid. The Little Lion of Lannister thought to himself in the awkward silence.“Arya.” Sansa screeched in a hoarse whisper. Her face was paler than usual, and she was staring at the Viper with open horror. “You must forgive her my Prince. She mustn’t be feeling well. She wouldn’t dare say anything like that if-”His taller and younger wife had learnt to play the word very well indeed, masking her intentions and meanings by pleasant and pleasing ideas and suggestions.His lady wife was cut off with a laugh from Oberyn Martell who was known around all Seven Kingdoms for his short temper. Tyrion saw Sansa freeze with fear; she knew that fact as well as he did. “Oh, Lady Lannister. It was a tactless thing to say in this place, but she is telling the truth. I have not taken offense and I will not be telling the King, rest assured.” He bowed his head slightly to the married Lady. The brown strands of hair falling over his forehead slightly as he did so.The Viper turned his body at Arya. “I must say, you have an honesty that you no longer see in these Kingdoms. It is refreshing.” He lent back, crossing one of his legs on the other. “But if you need any healing salves or whatnot, please ask. I did forge 6 links of my maesters chain back years ago.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Arya was wearing one of the old dresses that Sansa had brought from Winterfell. It was too long for her; the heavy white woolen undercoats were dragging along the ground as she walked, the light blue and grey material that was blended together perfectly was too hot for a King’s Landing autumn, her body slick with sweat that pooled in between her little breasts underneath a bodice that was too loose and didn’t grip onto her stomach which nothing but skin and bones.She looked like a little child playing dress ups with her mother’s gowns. Something that Sansa had done back at Winterfell many years ago. Arya had not, preferring to play with her Father’s clothing and weapons. Pretending that she could fight and not sew like the rest of the women.The bodice was stitched with the fish of House Tully, jumping around on her stomach in what looked like a flowing river of silver, grey and blue threads. The slight flicker of red could be seen on the fish if the sun was reflected well. There was no possible way Arya could sew something like that- and Sansa couldn’t do it herself. The sewing was something both Sansa and Mother had done together before everything.I miss her. I miss her yelling at me after I skipped lessons with Septa or her criticizing my wonky stiches yet again but as she sat down with me in the halls of Winterfell and explained how she did it so perfectly. The girl of fourteen name days thought to herself.She hugged her arms across her body, keeping the familiar sewing of Lady Catelyn close to her heart and her chest. Something she was sure Sansa would have done until it was traitorous to be a Stark or a Tully, blood or sympathizer to the rebellion.It’s not a rebellion. It is war. Something House Stark started but House Stark has lost the most from. A war that House Tully jumped at when it was first announced but House Tully is currently being torn apart due to it. The She-Wolf thought. At least House Lannister loses too. At least they are losing this war. Whether Sansa and I see the end of it remains in the hands of a mad child-king. The last Stark held a little section of parchment in her right hand, crumped up from the fist she was making. It had been dropped in front of her the other morning while she was breaking her fast with the Prince and her sister in a dining hall with all of the King’s current allies in King’s Landing. Everyone who was someone was dinning in that hall. Ellaria Sand who lent over the table and pretended to fix the girl’s hair had dropped it. Tommen who had taken a liking to the youngest Stark girl, hadn’t even noticed the little bit of parchment Arya slipped into her sleeve as the Dornish woman left. Go to the Kingswood when the moon is new. Only after you have eaten your midday meal. Tell no one. There wasn’t a signature or a sigil on the note but it was pretty clear who had sent it. After all, Ellaria Sand wasn’t seen oft away from Oberyn Martell. Arya hadn’t even told Sansa about the meeting either. She didn’t want the lecture that would be given from it. It is like Sansa is trying to replace Mother while she isn’t with us. All I want is my sister. She would have just… acted like Cersei towards Oberyn and this meeting. She would think me vulnerable. But I can protect myself. The man was different. He proved the contrast between the Northerns and the Dornish. Their voices both thick with the dialects from either end of Westeros, his skin was dark and hers was pale white. He wore revealing clothing even in autumn and Arya was bunched up with skirts and dresses appropriate for a Northern’s summer but much to heavy and hot for an autumn in King’s Landing. He pointed out how different one end of the land was to the other; especially in the little meeting Oberyn and Arya had attended with Tyrion and Sansa about a moon ago.Is different bad? A little whisper with the teasing but honest voice of Jon Snow said in her head. She pushed it away as she ignored the guards at the bridge over the Blackwater and walked into the Kingswood.And saw the flash of orange and brown that she expected. “Princess Arya.” Oberyn Martell said, bowing his head slightly. It would be unseemly to bow completely to someone with his own standard.The girl was visibly shocked. “Don’t call me that.” She said her voice strong. “I am not a princess. I am not even a lady.” Arya took a breath and then murmured. “I am disloyal to both my house and my King. A traitor, if you will.”Oberyn had to strain to hear over the chirping of ravens and other creatures from the Kingswood. “Which King?” he asked quietly, only heard by himself. Which king are you a traitor too? Stannis, who should be on the Throne rightfully after the Butcher King? The Butcher King’s supposed son with his golden hair and green eyes, who is keeping you here as a captive? The Old Kraken whose son that lived like a brother with you only to killed your real ones? Or to the Young Wolf who you wish to be with? To be fighting for the injustices that the South had brought against your House the day they took your father’s head. The brother that would have let you fight in the mist of it all because a fire of vengeance in your stormy grey eyes. Which King are you a traitor too, princess? Ellaria had chosen this moment to speak. “You are a Princess. Of the North. Regardless of being caught in the politics of it all, you should still be allowed your title. As should Sansa, as the heir to the Northern Kingdom.”His paramour had worn a dress similar to the rest of the Crownland women. Something that she found restricting but looked stunning in, the loose and long sleeves that hung to her hips with her arms not risen, the massive collar that stood up much further than her neck. And it was all in a deep maroon colour that brought out the brown in her eyes and the skin paler then his own. The sight of Ellaria looking so- formal- and discreet (something she did so rarely) made Oberyn’s cock twitch slightly.“Why did you call me here?” The Northerner asked, turning her head slightly as she looked at both himself and his paramour.His lover walked closer to the girl. “We needed to talk and not be overheard. Varys suggested here, your sister visits quite frequently.” She drawled out the accent of Dorne, trying to intimidate the She-Wolf. Ellaria put a hand on the girl’s shoulder and stood up to her full height. “Why don’t you come here and pray like she does?”The Stark girl’s eyes flashed their stormy grey. “The Old Gods don’t reach this far south. That’s what my father-” she shut her mouth quickly as if she had said too much. Mentioning Eddard Stark wouldn’t be helpful in this place of lies and betrayals and slaughter.After a moment of silence, the girl still refused to speak. The Viper pulled out a small dagger from his boot and started to twirl it around his fingers. It was true that his preferred weapon was a spear, but daggers were the next item of choice, especially with his own skill with them.“We can get you out of here.” He said softly, the blade of the weapon never scraping the skin on his hands. Arya Stark’s eyes were drawn to dagger, her eyes widening.“How?” She asked.“You aren’t going to like it.” Ellaria said honestly as she walked back to his side. The brown-haired girl smirked. “Try me.”Oh, my dear, how you will regret doing that. He thought as he opened his mouth. OOOoooOOO “Absolutely not. I will not. I will not be forced.” Arya Stark said as she paced across the woods. Her oversized skirts tripping her up every so often and she fell once, slightly embarrassing herself and her pride but she had refused to be laughed at -glaring at him as if to dare.“It’s your best option.” Ellaria said again for the fourth or the fifth time.“It is not-”Oberyn rolled his eyes before he snapped. “It’s either that or the bed of a Lannister supporter. And you will be stuck here. In the place where your father was killed by the brat on the Throne. If it isn’t me, it will be Lancel Lannister or Jaime fucking Lannister or-”His lover placed a hand on his arm. “Oberyn…” She spoke. Unsaid, she warned him to stop talking. Something she had done oft in the place of Lannisters and the word game that was played.The Red Viper of Dorne focused on the last Stark.For how much longer? He thought distantly. The girl he had seen over a moon turn’s ago was back. The girl, who stood up in front of the court, half naked, refused his help and ignored the blood that dripped from her back. The vengeance and anger were back on the girl’s face and eyes. It lit her face up. “You just want the claim I have to Winterfell.” The She-Wolf said growling. “The claim I have to the North and the babies I will be forced to bore if I am with you. I will not-”“I do not need children from you. Not even with your claim to the North.” He spat back at the girl. A girl less than half of his age. “I already have daughters of my own. Daughters who were raised with the Dornish sun glowing on their faces and away from this game of thrones that is played. I will not touch you.”“Why?"Why do you want me?Her eyes screamed out.“We do not hurt little girls in Dorne.” He spoke thickly in the accents of his birthplace.Arya Stark looked at him, and then to Ellaria. Her gaze stayed on the other women for much longer, as she assessed her. As if she expected his lover to disagree with him. “I... can’t. I can’t leave Sansa like that.” She said finally.“I think you need to speak with Sansa about it, little wolf.” Ellaria said softly as if she was speaking to Loreza back at the Watergardens and not Arya Stark in the Kingswood in King’s Landing.Brown hair flying as she moved, she nodded violently before fleeing out of the woods, practically running in a very unlady like fashion.The Red Viper of Dorne wrapped an arm around his paramour, burying his face in her tanned skin as she stepped in front of him. There wasn’t anything sexual about it, but a silent plead for comfort and a thank you. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- “Tywin Lannister.” The Red Viper strolled into the Hand’s solar without knocking or getting a page to announce him. His red and yellow doublet clashed terribly against the Lannister crimson that the room was covered in from top to bottom. It’s as if the Old Bastard needs to prove that Lannisters are the new Targaryens. Gods, that cunt’s pride needs a taken down a notch or two. “I want the girl.”The Old Lion didn’t even look up from his papers. “Which girl?”“Arya Stark.” Oberyn said in his heavily accented voice. That girl.“What?”The Viper smirked. “You heard me. I want her.”It was now that Tywin Lannister put down his letter and looked out at the Dornish man. Oberyn knew what he was seeing- a renowned half-mad man still vengeful about his sister’s death along with his niece and nephew, who is now wanting the girl that could start another rebellion if this one was to end with the wrong side winning -the Lannisters winning.“Take a seat.” The younger obeyed. “Why do you want the Stark girl? You never wished to marry and you have your… paramour-”“Ellaria. Her name is Ellaria and she is my lover. We Dornish wonder how all you Westerners and Northerners and Crownlanders shame love? In Dorne we celebrate it; we don’t hide behind words to show our passion... Nor does it matter what standard someone is born. It doesn’t matter if a lover is Sand or a Highborn Lady. Its love and lust and it is what we become when the pretences are stripped away.” When we stop playing this game. It’s what I love about Ellaria.The King’s Hand looked at Oberyn, his pale green eyes looking annoyed and bored. Did I ever see those eyes after Elia and not want to give him the worst poison I have and make him suffer? The old man ran a hand through his wispy golden hair before settling back into his chair. “Northerners that despise your… love… and you still want the little Stark?”The Red Viper took a breath. It wasn’t his expertise that allowed him to play the Game. It was Doran, who had learnt all this and practised for years. It was Oberyn’s role to give council and opinions, not to rule or bargain.Yet here he was sitting across from the most powerful men in the Seven Kingdoms asking for a wife. One that was currently a Lannister ward and an heir to the North. One of the most important pawns in the game at the moment. It wasn’t a small task.It would something that Doran would struggle with. He thought which made him feel slightly more confident. “It would show the faith you have for the Ruling Prince of Dorne. To let a daughter of a Great House marry into another.”Oh fuck. That’s the first thing out of my mouth? To convince the man that ordered my sister’s death to give me his most valuable prize. He cringed inside as soon as the words slipped from his mouth.Tywin merely lifted a single eyebrow at Oberyn and said nothing. It wasn’t a good enough answer. Since he asked for the girl- she would be married off quickly unless he could do something.“The Royal Family needs more allies with this war going on. Why not secure the ties House Baratheon and Lannister have by marrying a Martell and a Stark. It provides you with connection with the Ruling Family, and will make us kin through the Stark girls.” The words fell from his mouth, and the Viper didn’t even know where he was going with this. I wish I wasn’t the one doing this. I hate this fucking thing with the words and pleasantries. I want to be in Dorne, with the blunt honesty and the freedom to speak. Isn't the North like that? Maybe that's why they never travel past the Neck. “Should the North rebel further or again after this war, Arya Stark will be in Dorne as far away as possible from her home.” Oberyn took a cup sitting on Tywin’s desk and poured himself wine from the pitcher. “Sansa Stark would be in Casterly Rock as well. It means that if something were to happen the King In The North, you would hold the heir to Winterfell and have the other spare with allies. But I’m sure it wouldn’t be necessary for the girl to be heir when you have Sansa.” The Dornish man raised an eyebrow slightly.Oh shit. Is it working? Family… Lannisters love their family.“If the Tully and Stark lines are as fertile as the Lannister line, we would have little Lannister running around with blonde hair and blue eyes who will do as their grandfather asks of them…. Myrcella and Arya would come of age together- both of them bonding could be more support House Baratheon has if the North tried to raise one of the Starks to royalty.”Tywin’s small lips pressed together and slightly smirked upwards. It was the closest that Oberyn had seen him smile, in the many years the two had known of each other including the time blurry with grief and the faded childhood memories of Tywin. (With slightly more hair) The lion on the older man’s doublet seemed to move with every breath taken. The golden roaring lion that had his gaze stuck upon Oberyn Martell.“You want to marry a girl who you know nothing about to secure the ties with House Lannister? Would you insult a … paramour with a child-wife? You are a second son who is fourth in line for Sunspear, and she is second after Sansa. Why do you want her?”Why do I want her? So she doesn’t end up like Elia. Elia who ended up dead at your orders, who was raped by the Mountain with Aegon’s blood on his hands. Oberyn thought. Yet he thought carefully about his answer to the Old Lion. He started picking at a loose thread hanging off his doublet. The red thread pulling out stitches holding the material together.“If you give me Arya, she will be out of your court. She wouldn’t be injured further by the King, and wouldn’t be accidently killed before she gets married off to some loyal Lord.” Oberyn paused to take a drink of wine, the Golden Arbor sliding down his throat with ease. “Give her to Dorne and me; we will be faithful allies to the Iron Throne.”The threat stayed in the air unsaid. We want her, and we don’t want to betray you to get her.The Lord of Casterly Rock stood up suddenly, and walked over to the window, his red and golden clothing reflecting the sunlight. Oberyn stood also, his palm sweaty not from the heat but by nerves. He wouldn’t allow Arya who echoed Elia even though the Northerner looked like Lyanna, the women Rhaegar dishonoured his wife with. But the girl was staying in the place where his sister was killed, getting beaten like his sister was, by another Mad King from incest. The more he thought about it, the eerier the circumstances were. He couldn't let history repeat itself.In a last attempt, the Red Viper of Dorne blurted out. “We will leave as soon as the marriage is done and the tension between us and the Reachmen will disappear. The Dornish men and women will leave the morning after the girl’s maiden blood has dried on my cock and her legs. If you wish to view the sheets, you may.”Oberyn Martell swallowed bile after that sentence. He felt the dread climb up his spine and raise the gooseprickles on his arms. There would be no backing out on that statement now. There would be no going back from that with Tywin fucking Lannister witnessing it. Fuck. Arya is younger than Tyene and I just swore to the man I hate the most that I would fuck her and show him evidence of it. Oh shit. Oh fuck. She is younger than me by ten-and-nine name days. The Old Lion smirked as if he knew of the internal battle that the Viper was facing, and enjoyed it. The golden chain of hands glimmered as the sunlight shone off them. “I guess we need to sign a contract then, Prince Oberyn.”Oberyn Martell kept the smug look on his face, all the while feeling his stomach drop with dread. What have I done? ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The cave was dark and damp. It wasn't unbearably cold unlike the weather outside with its soft snow that didn't seem to stop and bitter wind coming through the weirwood roots that climbed down from the top of the ground.Nothing that a true Northerner couldn't handle. The boy mused to himself.The pale white tree roots that climbed down and around from the top of the cave dripped water often which left them and the cave wet and slippery. For an able bodied person, like Meera it was fine to step on and over. But for Brandon Stark, to climb to the cluster of roots towards the middle of the cave, was difficult with only his hands to pull him up.Having no feeling in his legs didn't get any easier but he learnt to deal with it. The child who had once fancied himself a grown man with independence to match Robb and Jon, was now reliant on Hodor the stable boy to carry him everywhere. Unable to fight with a sword (or any weapon), Bran relied on Meera and Summer to fend of wights and wildlings protecting him for harm. Jojen was his teacher and instructor and friend but Jojen… He didn't want to think about Jojen any longer. Looking around the cave, The Stark saw Meera curled up in a small recess in the cave walls deeply asleep. Her bushy brown hair looked like it was a pillow in itself, but he could see the small bundle of clothes that made a makeshift one. She was covered in black cloaks that seemed to swallow her whole yet he could see the greys fur of Summer who sat at her feet, as if to guard her from the night. The slight glimmer of sliver in the dim light showed Bran that the three forked spear was close at hand even in the safety of the cave.Hodor was sitting among the tree roots, picking up dead and decaying blood red leaves and through them above his head every now and then. One of the only sounds other then mice running across the rocky ground was the soft fall of the leaves. At random intervals, the giant man who mutter “Hodor” happily before grinning at everyone around the small and crowded cave.“Brandon.” The rough voice spoke and the boy looked to the middle of the cave where the weirwood had moved and grown for many a years to imprison the man speaking. His face was half covered in shadows but the evidence of his heritage was still visible after so many years. The Three Eyed Crow hadn't confirmed who he was, but Bran had heard the Children talk about it when asked. After hearing all the stories, it was hard to look at the man and not see Bloodraven in his features. It was hard to ignore what the man Bryden had been instead of what he'd become.“It is time.” The Winged Wolf swallowed thickly, before he tried to pull himself up to where Bloodraven was trapped. The roots were slippery from water droplets dripping from the soil above his head but Bran kept pulling his weight up. Bones from raven and mice were scattered resting on muddy and dead leaves from the weirwood above the cave.Once he had crawled up enough to touch Bloodraven, Bran sat himself up enough and wiped his wet hands on the woollen breeches he wore on his useless legs. The Stark both reached up with his hand, to grasp the Three-Eyed Crow on the leg. He was little more then bones and skin and Bran couldn't remember him eating in the fortnight that he had been with him. The sun peeked through the gaps and holes that were visible from the roof of the shelter where pale white roots didn't grow though. The boy took a breath.As soon as Bran Stark pressed his hands onto Bloodraven and the weirwood, he was engulfed with images that only a greenseer would see- the past, the present, the future, what might have been, what didn't happen— the possibility were endless. It was a flood of colours and times and places. It was chaotic and intimidating but The Winged Wolf had the power to see though the madness of it all, he was born to control this power and influence the future. A scream from a women tore itself into the vision. The pure and raw grief could be heard in its tones and a howl from a wolf joined in, both of the sounds intertwining until they became one. A small wolf pup, with its feet too big for its body was backed into a corner and pointed at with a loaded crossbow. The howl screamed louder and louder until it seemed that he could hear no more. As quickly as it started it ended and became silent until the thrum of the crossbow could be heard as it arrow was let loose. The scene merged into another as a green dragon was flapping its tiny wings, its body giving off heat that would one day matched only by the sun. It tried to growl but succeeded in only blowing out a puff of smoke from its nose. It was no larger then an adult cat but it still seemed childlike with its actions and appearances. A man with auburn hair, a long face and vibrant blue eyes stood on a raised stage. He looked shocked with his head scanning the room in front of him and brushing the fur on his shoulders. The scrap of steel being drawn from scabbards and the shout of men as they lifted the weapons above their head. “KING IN THE NORTH!” ‘Is that Robb? My family... I want to see my family.’ The greenseer boy projected the though out into the abyss. The flash of the new scene was too quick, or Bran too slow for it to obey. The screams and yells of women, men and children alike entered this vision and his sight was covered with the colour of emerald green flames. The heat was immense and it grew. A mad laugh could be heard, it mixing with the screams of the masses crying out in horror. A soft blue winter rose was incased in a tomb of ice. The longer it seemed to freeze, the more it welted, bowing over to it’s death. Suddenly, sunlight shined and the ice that was around the rose melted slowly. Clouds passed overhead quickly, and the winter rose slowly bloomed from its bud. Standing up tall, the stem seemed to grow as the blue petals became more vibrant. A man with long silver hair and indigo eyes was standing in a dim corridor, it's walls covered in numerous shelves with heavy hooks. There was a large tomb, bound in brown leather was open on the Targaryen’s knees. He shut the book close and then left the room. The images from the vision flashed by quicker now. ‘My family. Starks. Show me STARKS.” The 12 yelled out into the chaos of time, begging it to bend under his will. Colours merged into another and a banner flew in the air on top of a red bricked castle that could be only be the Red Keep, the yellow heart covered with red flames on a black background. The crowned stag of House Baratheon could be seen in the heart. A white raven flew by- the land underneath covered in a pale and clinical white snow. Bran heard his father’s voice murmuring the House Words A small figured women stood on sand, her long and dark brown hair twisted down her back in a simple looking braid. She wore men’s training leathers and held a dagger in her left hand, but the woman looked utterly at easy in them. She smiled brightly as she turned her head. A half dead body stood, its pale face and black rotted hands. Icy blue eyes snapped up quickly, its gaze locking onto Bran. Winter is Coming. Burn them all. Burn them all. BURN THEM ALL. A small splash in a golden cup, a scream of grief and a laugh of delight. The rumbling of the Wall, as ice chucks as big as mills fell off it. The sound crunching as it hit the ground. The groan of the unmovable Wall sounded as it moved. A fish swimming a river, getting caught up amongst various nets and traps. The blue eyes seem to plead as a human hand drove into the water with more to follow. A flock of birds taking to air, the roar of a crowd scaring them off. The sound is deafening but the world seems to stay still in the instant. A small whimper and a loud scream could be heard by Bran. Bran saw himself falling from the tower in Winterfell, where Jaime Lannister stood at the empty window frame. Bloodraven’s voice sounded in his head “FLY OR DIE. FLY OR DIE BRANDON STARK.” His body moved closer to the ground and Summer at an alarming speed. “Fly or die.” OOOoooOOO King’s Landing doesn’t smell any better with the changing of seasons, Jaime Lannister thought abstractly as he rode in the capital. He was surrounded by Bolten men and the Beauty as they rode up to the Red Keep. Every step his horse took, was a step closer to Tywin and his distant approval, Tyrion with his dry wit and humour and Cersei… Cersei is where I belong. Not at the Rock, not in the Red Keep. I belong inside her with her body pressed against mine, the quick thrill of pleasure and the risk of being caught. It's been almost a year since I've seen her, with the long golden hair and wonderful teats and wet cunt The Kingsguard would have ridden ahead of his escort months ago looking like the Warrior come again, basking in the glory that came as you returned from war but months ago he was a whole man. The bastard that took his sword hand took much more the limb. His pride, the skill of being a swordsman, the future of House Lannister and the approval of his father would be tarnished or destroyed.He had one chance to save the little honour he had and Brienne of Tarth would aid him with it. Catelyn Stark had released him in order to get her daughters back and return them too her protection. Jaime remembered Joffrey’s betrothed that echoed her mother’s Tully appearance with a bright auburn hair and clear blue eyes. Sansa Stark acted much as Cersei had in their youth while she was trying to impress the Crown Prince before Robert rebelled. It was the other Stark girl that Jaime had a tough time bringing to his mind’s eye. Arya had stayed away from the Royals and their guards, and seemed to follow her father around. In a blurry image from Winterfell, he remembered that Arya had dark brown hair that was common in the Starks and grey eyes like Eddard.“Ser Jaime.” The Beauty spoke, slowing down her horse to match pace with his own. “Gold Cloaks are approaching.” He could hear her unspoken words Your family knows you are here. He ignored the wench but waited until more then a dozen men with the billowing gold cloaks marched to the horsed party. One man on a large warhorse, rode right up to the Bolten men.“Ser Jaime.” He bowed his head slightly to show a balding patch in his frizzy red hair. Unsurprisingly, the man had a look of the Westerlands about him.“Your father knows of your arrival. Lord Tyrion is waiting for you in the Red Keep. and Prince Oberyn.”Jaime gaped. “The Viper is here? In the Crownlands? Waiting for me?” And not Cersei?The leader of the Gold Cloaks nodded before looking towards the men that surrounded the Kingslayer, “Will these men-?”An older man wearing the flayed man on his breast trotted forward a few steps. “We will be staying for a few days before getting back to our liege Lord at the Twins.”“The Twins?” The Maid of Tarth questioned, her hands tightening on her leather reins. It was evident that she had heard the rumours of the Lord Frey and his many many children and grandchildren.The man who has spoken to Jaime often on their trip replied. Geoffrey Snow, with his pale blond hair and dark hazel eyes and slow mind. “There is to be a wedding. Lord Tully is marrying a Frey.” The man snickered softly.The Lion of Lannister tossed the thought around in his head briefly before he dug his spurs into the horse he was riding. He pushed past the men that Lord Roose Bolten had given him as an escort, he ignored the Maid and the men his father had sent down from the Keep as well. He had his family to see, two Stark girls to recuse and an oath to uphold. OOOoooOOOHe returned to the place he had known as home for many years missing a limb and without a welcoming by his sister and father. Tyrion, on the other hand, stood waiting for him to return with a silly smile upon his face and didn't mock his elder brother when he came back a cripple. The Red Viper of Dorne had given him a better welcoming everyone but Tyrion, while he off handily asked who was to blame for his sister’s murder and Ned Stark’s beheading. That was a week ago.The Old Lion of the Rock, waited for his son to join him in his solar then took one look at the missing right hand and sent him off to the blacksmith to get a golden one. It was if Tywin thought that it won't matter if he'd lost a hand, if it was replaced.The next time Jaime went to speak to his father, he had been interrupted with an inspection of the golden hand, with the small lions engraved into the metal. Without letting him speak, the older man had gifted the Kingslayer with a new suit of golden armour and half of Ned Stark’s Valyarian greatsword. Wordlessly, his father had allowed Jaime to order a servant to take the items to the White Sword tower, before Tywin tried to kick him out the only thing The Lion of Lannister had ever been good at. The man of six-and-ten namedays, didn't care about the title his son held unless it was heir and therefore had no reservations about Jaime losing the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, which is how he got here.“I will NOT forced to leave the Kingsguard. I will not be disgraced like that. Besides, it is a role for life, you don't get to pick and choose when you want to leave.” Jaime yelled at Tywin in the Hand’s Solar.“You will do your duty to House Lannister. If that means that you are to be my heir and travel back to the Rock… well so be it.” The Hand of the King said softly, his calm demeanour infuriating Jaime. Tywin sat at his giant wooden desk that had belonged to Eddard Stark over a year ago answering letters and ravens while glancing up every now and again.“Fuck House Lannister.” Jaime spat out as he stood up and stomped across the room. He hadn't changed from the riding earlier in the day, and stunk of horse and sweat from many a days without a bath. He had come to see his father as soon as he'd returned into the safety and familiar Red Keep. Look how well that turned out for you. He thought bitterly to himself.“House Lannister has done nothing for me.” The cripple spat out. “It didn't get me released from captivity. It didn't stop me losing a hand, and it won't make me break my oath now.” His blood was heating up and it didn't nothing to stop the anger slipping from his mouth.With his pale green eyes and balding blond hair, Tywin continued writing his letters. “We got you realeased didn't we? You aren't being held by Robb Stark any longer. With your escape, the Young Wolf loses his only bargaining chip.”Jaime looked coldly at his father. “I didn't escape-”“A technicality” his father assured him“Catelyn Stark released me-“Makes no matter.”“She did it against her son’s wishes and did more for me then you or Cersei or fucking House Lannister.” The mockery dripped from the last of his sentence but Jaime didn't care.“We won't speak on the matter further. You will do your duty and become my heir, leaving the White Cloaks.”“I am a man grown. I won't. You have Tyrion to be your heir.” The Kingslayer refused to feel chastised by his father for nothing.“You can't protect the King with only one hand.”“Do you want to have a cripple as your beloved heir, father? You’ll be mocked by all of the Westerlands.”Tywin’s pale gaze shot up to meet Jamie's dark green eyes, “Better a cripple then a dwarf.” The elder man spat out, finally losing his cold and cool demeanour. “Jaime, you have carried on far too longer about this.”The or else was unspoken but heard clearly by both Lannister men. Jaime cocked his head to the side, a silent refusal and matched his stare to his father.“Or you are no son of mine.” The harsh words were spoken with enough malice to justify them. The Kingslayer knew his father wasn't one for idle threats and meant the words that he had spoken.I can't. I can't leave the Kingsguard, I'll be disgraced and I don't know how to be a Lord. I can't leave my family- but they didn't do anything for me…“I will do my duty to my King.”The pale green eyes seem to grow colder and harder in a second. The King’s Hand took a breath before speaking in a hushed tone. “On your way, Lord Commander.”
11479839	Ban 11hBu Fen	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": null, "Fandom": "fgo", "Language": "中文-普通话國語", "Rating": "Not Rated", "author": "by Acaliz", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-12T00:00:00", "words": "2,164", "Additional Tags": null, "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	+ 埃德蒙搂着藤丸立香，一边往对方的身体里送入润滑液，一边去吻着他在小声喘息的嘴巴。“唔……你、你得让我……喘口气。”立香艰难地说，体内的异物感逐渐转到开拓顺利后细细涂抹按压的刺激让他呜呜叫唤着，很快就勃起了。他的长裙已经被脱掉了，带有波浪边领的女式衬衫也解下了那一排扣子，假发倒是非常牢固，不知道杀生院是怎么弄的，坚守阵地，四散流淌在浅色的被单上。埃德蒙的舌头与他的紧紧纠缠在一起，用力地吻着他，像是要把他肺里的空气给吸干。“呜……”间隙里立香难受地哼着，声音含糊不清，带着黏腻的鼻音。没有舌头的辅助，唾液沿着唇角渐渐溢了出来，他抓紧男人身上同样解开扣子还没脱下的衬衫，隔着布料用钝滑的指甲刮弄对方的肩头。他被吻得头昏脑胀，后面下意识一缩一缩地，在那咬着男人有条不紊扩张的手指。“你……”当立香耳晕目眩地再次发声的时候，埃德蒙却突然离开了他。接吻结束了，他被放在柔软的床上，缺氧感让他的呼吸变得长而急促，光是躺在那里就感觉身体中有细小的电流在四处流窜，觉得有点儿空虚，又觉得有点儿害怕。然后他看到埃德蒙直起身，金色的眼睛俯视着他，男人将自己身上最后一件衣服脱去，慢慢露出具有线条而不夸张的肌肉和满满的侵略性。立香微微心悸，埃德蒙身上一切浑浊浓重无比滚烫的欲望都在这放慢的甚至带着优雅感的动作中给体现了出来，本能中的感到的危险被无限地放大，空旷又渺茫，但他又不可抑止地让兴奋冒出了苗头。藤丸立香是属于好了伤疤忘了疼，给一颗糖就能记你一辈子好的傻子，但也不是啥事儿都没干过什么都不懂的小处男生。立香慢慢抬起手，沿着空气里的细腻攀爬着。他曾经拒绝过埃德蒙·唐泰斯，对方也不曾表示过会对第一次的粗暴负责。反正都是男人他无所畏惧。藤丸立香也不是会在这方面计较的人。反而如果你因做次爱对他示以兴趣，偏离到了他不曾考虑过的范畴。【抱歉，埃德蒙先生，那让我换一个说法，我们并不是在做爱……】滑腻的乳液不断顺着腿根流下，男人最后用手指摩挲着那软糯的穴口，微微用力，就把那一小片会阴摸得一片湿滑。“立香，”男人俯下身，用额头抵上立香的额头，眼神昏暗，充满着浓郁的欲望。他哑着声音，诱哄道：“喊我……”滚烫的肉棒沉入体内，硕大的顶端撞开内壁，粗壮的柱体摩擦过内里的褶皱，湿润的穴口被不可抗拒地撑大撑开，在被侵犯的同时止不住地瑟缩着。“啊啊——别一下、太深啊、啊……”立香仰着头，他的大腿紧张地几乎抽搐起来，小腿到脚腕抵着柔软的床铺绷得笔直。整个人陷落到了一种肉体疼痛，精神无措的境地，不受控制地发出啜泣。“埃、埃德蒙……埃德蒙……”【我们只是性交。】男人将唇贴到了他的眉心，开始抽插起来，他的动作不慢，每一下都顶到深处，又狠又准，像要将人捅穿似的，胯骨撞击着臀瓣发出啪啪的声响，听得人面红耳赤。“轻、轻点……啊啊、疼……”很快地，结合处汹涌而至地快感令立香头皮发麻，前列腺的刺激让他的思维雪崩般散乱。眼睛变得湿漉漉的，没一会就掉下泪来。淡色的穴口很快就熟红了，绷到极限的褶皱可怜兮兮地吞吐着粗大的性器，浑身抽搐般地发颤。过分的愉悦让立香大幅度地挣扎起来，他努力向后缩了缩了腰，试图让体内的东西别插得那么深。但才刚抽出来一点，埃德蒙便施施然地揽住他，将他拉回原位或者更下方，重重地撞击进去。渐渐地，立香完全跟不上身上人的节奏和力度，本就疲惫的小腿的完全止不住抽搐，觉得自己仿佛要灵魂出了窍，能从另一个视角看到自己的身上被埃德蒙留满深浅不一吻痕，和男人溢着汗水的背脊以及结合处的那块床单上的濡湿印记。听着对方沙哑的嘶鸣声，埃德蒙在被柔软滚烫的内壁包裹之间感到舒适的快感，两人身体契合得如同做过了无数次，知道怎样挑逗怎样插入对方会发出什么声音做出什么更令自己心痒的反应，对方不是什么美艳凹凸的情妇和会缠着你不放的MB，对于情事并不陌生的股间玩弄几下就可以湿漉漉的一片接纳自己，常不见光的大腿腰臀也很容易就留下痕迹，特别是对方在叫出自己名字的时候，那双湖蓝色的眼睛带着说不清道不明的情态混合着委屈。这就足够了。事实上他们之间做的次数也并不少，他咬着藤丸立香不断发出细碎声音的嘴，亲着他的下巴，下身的动作却粗暴而毫不留情。随着性刺激不断溢出的透明液体将两人的腹部变得湿滑而黏腻。埃德蒙觉得藤丸立香不赖，但对方让他停在这一步说就仅此而已。但是。埃德蒙突然直起身子，压着立香的肩背按向自己。然后收拢手臂。可能只有他自己和了解自己的南丁格尔知道，埃德蒙·唐泰斯如此狡猾，在那一晚的长廊上仍有最后的保留，但却意外地，被这个人的一个抬眼吸引了所有的注意。男人滚烫的呼吸喷上对方耳根，将自己缓缓贯入，一再深入的水声把空气蒸腾出一片情色。那种令人心神摇荡的一幕只一次就足够了。“呜、呜，不……太……”语无伦次的叫声不成调子，高潮的接近让立香腰尾无意识地绷紧到发酸发疼，后面的穴口却越发软糯，淅沥的液体在进出的时候被搅出更大的水声。灭顶的快感和疼痛混合逼迫，灌入身体的每一处每一寸，又顺着尾椎节节而上敲打着他薄弱的意志。到最后，情欲煎熬中的立香在男人的怀里浑身颤抖地射了出来，额头死死抵着他的脖颈，崩溃般地给对方的身上留下道道抓痕，哭得一塌糊涂。 x 【你说得对，但我也不喜欢这个说法。】想起在资料上南丁格尔将对方的“carrier state”列表末尾打了一个勾，经历生涯上却没有“藤丸立香自己发现了自身特质”的记录。站在巷头的男人漫不经心地掐灭烟。他已经从地狱坠入湖底了，怎么可能让有着那一种眼神的罪魁祸首轻易逃脱。那夜之后，站在男人对立面的组织就已经察觉到向来只身一人的埃德蒙·唐泰斯伯爵身边跟有着一个同伙，何况最后那个俄人的死，很轻易地就可以查出不属于男人的手笔——枪法太过糟糕，只有眉心那颗才有致死的效果。不过在那时候，埃德蒙·唐泰斯这个名字在这座城市非常有名，有名到他足以在下车前与达芬奇电话详谈妥当后，对着一脸不解的立香嘲弄地笑起来。【只是可惜的是，我们已经成为共犯了。】 tbc...
11438523	my love for you is never	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Martha Washington, Sweetlips", "Fandom": "Hamilton - Miranda", "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by orphan_account", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-08T00:00:00", "words": "2,886", "Additional Tags": "Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anniversary, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Dogs", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Alexander Hamilton/George Washington, Elizabeth \"Eliza\" Schuyler/Martha Washington, George Washington & Martha Washington, George Washington & Alexander Hamilton", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	It’s their anniversary coming up and to be honest, George isn’t quite sure what to get his husband. He had asked advice from all of Alexander’s friends and they had all given him varying answers, each vaguer than the last. Of course, George consoled himself, Alexander was a vague person. He was like the morning mist that appeared over the fields of Mount Vernon, there one moment and gone the next. When they were first beginning their relationship, it had frustrated George to no end. He was a man who craved stability and feet planted firmly on the ground. Alexander on the other hand was a man whose mind took him above the clouds and away from George’s reach.However George realized in the end that their relationship was one about compromise. Alexander had kept him from staying too still in his ways and he made sure that Alexander didn’t drift too far from himself. It was this compromise - and a lot of communication - that had kept their love strong and George had every intent to celebrate it.Of course, if only he could find the perfect gift.~George had traversed all over the city and he still couldn’t find a gift. In the end he decided to give up for the time being and meet with Martha for lunch who was very much sympathetic to his woes.Martha had been his best friend since they were babies - as children of wealthy Virginians, there was no surprise - and many had thought they would marry. Of course they didn’t factor in the fact that George and Martha were both unattracted to the opposite sex and therefore, each other. In fact, Martha was in a relationship with one of Alexander’s friends, a woman named Eliza and were both going steady for about five years. Of course this meant that Martha knew well about the woes and risks of getting a gift for an anniversary. “How goes the search,” Martha drawled, her chin in her hand.George sat down heavily on the chair across from her, groaning into his hands. “I can’t find anything that Alex would like. It’s hopeless.”Martha smirked as she drank a glass of water. “Well I hope you get ready for the dog house. Didn’t he kick you out last year?”The man sulked at the mention of it. “No. That was two years ago.” It was actually a year ago but he wasn’t going to admit to Martha that she was right.As if knowing that he was lying, she rolled her eyes.“Uh huh. What did Alex’s friends say?”“They told me a bunch of vague bullshit. Something about ‘from the heart’ and you know.” George shook his head. “Do they think I haven’t tried ‘from the heart’ before?!”Martha hummed although in sympathy or amusement, he couldn’t tell. “Well I’m sure something will come to you. Sure did me when I was looking for Eliza’s anniversary gift.”“Oh?” George asked, curiosity peaked. “What did you get her?”“Mm, that’s a bit private George,” Martha teased. At George’s unamused face, she relented. “When we first started dating, Eliza said that she always wanted handwritten love letters. I wrote about a hundred of em before wrapping it up all fancy-like and gave it to her.”“Wow that is even a little sappy for you Martha,” George said laughing. “She must have loved it.”“She did,” Martha replied. Then she leaned forward. “Your Alex got anything like that?”“Alex?” George thought. He couldn’t recall the last time Alexander ever said anything he wanted. Alexander was always a man who got it himself through blood, sweat, and tears and refused to get handouts no matter how much George said it wasn’t. “I… I don’t know.”Martha raised an eyebrow. “Well I would find one soon. Your anniversary is in a day isn’t it?”George nodded miserably, wanting to sink into his chair and give up then and there. Instead he stood up, steeling himself for hours of walking. “Yeah. I should get going.”“Well I’ll see you George,” Martha said as she dragged him into a one-armed hug. “You go get that gift of yours.”~George walked about the city foregoing the car. He had been window shopping for over three hours and he hadn’t found anything. What was worse was that Alexander would be ending work any time soon and would soon be blowing up his phone about where George was. Suddenly he walked to a stop as something caught his eye. It was an old and worn-down looking bookstore, tucked away in the shadows. In any other case, George wouldn’t have been interested especially as he wasn’t much of a reader. However it looked like just the place Alexander would like especially as it wasn’t a chain store like Barnes and Noble.He quickly entered, the door letting a little chime as he did so. Inside there were only one or two people inside not including the cashier who was a kindly looking old man. He looked about the shelves, eyes raking over the spines for something that Alexander would like. Suddenly a person cleared their voice behind him making him jolt. He turned around quickly, feeling like an errant schoolboy for some reason. “Uh, y-yes?”The cashier from before smiled at him, glasses twinkling. “May I help you?”“Um yes,” George stammered. “I’m looking for an anniversary gift for my husband.”The man raised an eyebrow. “Is there any type of books your husband likes?”“My husband is fond of political books and um, sometimes fiction with a dash of mythology although he rarely reads those nowadays.” The first time he’d met Alexander, he was a vicarious reader of fiction and if he were feeling up to it, with a dash of romance. The man hummed before lifting a finger. “Give me one second. I may have a book for you. It’s rather old but it should suit your husband’s tastes.”George watched as the man disappeared behind the many shelves of the bookstore. He then felt a vibration in his pocket and pulled out his phone to see Alexander calling him. He quickly answered knowing that he had a tendency to get worried whenever he missed his calls or texts. “Hello?” “George! Where are you?” “I’m walking around the city right now. Did you just end work?” George asked.“Mm. I just came back home,” Alexander replied. “You didn’t take the car?”“I wanted to walk around for a little bit. You know, get some fresh air.” A white lie but what Alexander didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. “Tell me about work, Darling.”He let Alexander prattle about his day when he saw the man reappear from behind the shelves. George patiently waited for a pause before cutting him off. “Darling, I have to go right now. Can I talk to you when I get home?”Alexander hummed from the other side of the phone. “Hurry up okay? Sweetlips misses you.”George smiled at the mention of their dog before replying, “I’ll come as soon as possible. Bye Darling.” He quickly hung up and hurried towards the cashier.“On the phone with your husband?” the man asked. In his hands he had a singular book. George nodded before gesturing to the book. “Is that the book?”The man nodded. “It’s quite old but a good story nonetheless. It’s a fiction novel based on the mythology around the Caribbean. Perhaps this may be of interest to you?”George took the book and flipped through the pages. It did seem like something Alexander would like based on the short glances he gave to Alexander’s books when the other read on his lap. “I’ll take it.”The man quickly rang up his purchase for him and George quickly left the store, tucking the book inside his jacket. He briskly walked through the streets, eager to greet his husband. He made it in record time and barely had his hand on the doorknob before Sweetlips was barking and the door was flung open by Alexander who tackled George with an affectionate kiss. George kissed back, wrapping his arms around his husband’s waist.Finally they disentangled themselves and George entered their home with Sweetlips racing around his legs, yipping up at him. Alexander giggled as he nearly tripped over the dog, cursing as he did so. Finally his husband seemed to have taken mercy on him and restrained the dog long enough for George to enter their room and change into something more suitable. George finally came back out refreshed and he looked to see Alexander playing with Sweetlips who was affectionately lapping at his cheek. “Should I be worried?”Alexander looked up at him with a bit of confusion on his face. “Worried about what?”“That you love Sweetlips more than me,” George teased. He did an impression of dying, hand to his forehead. “Oh, how will I live without you, stolen by my very own dog?! The pain is too much!”Alexander rolled his eyes. “You dramatic old coot.”“Yeesh, that hurt,” George said sitting next to him. Sweetlips quickly took the chance to jump on him, lapping up at his face as well. “It’s our anniversary tomorrow.”Alexander raised an eyebrow. “George, it was me who reminded you about our anniversary.”“I know, I know! I’m just-” George shrugged guiltily, his shoulders slumping down. “-reminding you.”“George.” Alexander straightened up, facing him. “What’s wrong?”“Nothing! Nothing,” George said although he seemed to get more unconvincing by the minute. “I’m serious it’s nothing!”Alexander rolled his eyes before seemingly letting it go. “Alright then.”~Today was the day.George took a deep breath as he put on his best suit, spraying a hint of the cologne that Alexander liked. Suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around his waist and he could hear a husky voice in his ear. “You ready?”George felt all his nervousness dissipate and he turned to take a look at the love of his life. Alexander had decided to dress in his best suit as well and his hair was down, curling up against his face in a manner George found appealing. He leaned down to press a soft kiss against Alexander’s lips and smiled as he felt Alexander reciprocate. They stayed that way for a few seconds before Alexander disentangled himself. “We should get going. We’re going to be late for our reservation.”George checked his watch and learned that indeed they would be late if they didn’t leave that moment. He quickly herded Alexander out the door, kissed Sweetlips on the head, and locked the door. They both briskly walked to their car and George started the engine, ready to start their date.They arrived on time much to George’s relief and they were seated in a private table with candlelight illuminating them. George pulled the chair out for Alexander who sat down with rolled eyes. It didn’t fool George though who caught glimpse of red cheeks.They finished their dinner on a good note with dessert and George nearly thrummed in anticipation of giving Alexander his gift. They quickly arrived back home and the two both parted momentarily to get their presents. Alexander gave George’s his first. It was a beautifully made thing, a watch to replace his broken one. He could remember lamenting over it for days and now, he had a new one! He looked up to see Alexander’s pleased face at his own pleasure and he peppered kisses all over his husband’s face to thank him. He then pulled out his own gift, badly wrapped as it was. “Alex, I don’t know if you’ll like it but-” Alexander carefully took it out of his hands, tenderly opening the gift. He then let out an inaudible gasp. George shifted about nervously. Suddenly Alexander was running, book in hand into their room and George gaped as he heard the lock click in their room. He chased after him with Sweetlips on his heels.“Alex? Open the door Sweetie.”“How did you know?” Alexander’s voice was soft and full of tears. “Know what, Honey?” George asked confused. God, he didn’t mean the day to go like this. Not again. “Darling, please come out. I’m begging you.”It was as if Alexander didn’t hear him. “My mother had a book like this you know. She gave it to me when I turned thirteen.”George went silent at that little tidbit. He could count on one hand the things he knew about Alexander’s past, the things that he willingly told him. Now it seemed he had another.“I lost it when I came here-” His voice went tight as if the memory itself caused him pain, “-and now I have it again.” George closed his eyes at the sheer emotion in his voice. It wasn’t anything good nor bad, just there. He leaned against the door before sliding down. Sweetlips whined, scrambling onto his lap and licking his face as if to comfort him. George petted the dog as if rewarding him for the effort.“Looks like it’ll be a long night for both of us, Sweetlips.”~He woke up the next morning with a pillow underneath his head, a blanket on his body, and a crick in his back. Next to him was Sweetlips who was slobbering all over his arm. He sighed as he scratched his head, looking for Alexander. The door was open which was a relief and he padded towards the kitchen upon finding their room empty.Alexander was sitting alone in the table, book in hand. He looked almost lost as he traced the words with slender hands. Suddenly his head snapped up as George opened a cabinet looking for the coffee grounds. “George.”George hummed in response. “Do you want some coffee?” He wouldn’t push Alexander this morning. He had long-since learned that pushing Alexander got him nowhere except away from him. He had learned that the hard way when Alexander had disappeared for nearly a week only to get a call from the hospital saying that he’d overworked himself and was in a serious condition. “I’m going to make breakfast after if you want some.”“I just want some coffee,” Alexander murmured. His head was lowered, the tendrils of hair brushing his cheeks. “Thanks though.”George nodded as he went on to make coffee just how Alexander liked it. He soon placed a mug in front of Alexander before taking his own and sipping it. It was times like this that he was glad he splurged on expensive coffee grounds.He then set the cup down, getting Sweetlips’ breakfast and water, humming an old Southern lullaby as he did so. Suddenly Alexander was speaking, voice quiet but no less audible.“Thank you.”George froze, bag midway into pouring kibble. He turned to see Alexander’s red face, arms crossed. He then let out a goofy grin and raced over to tackle Alexander in a hug. Alexander squealed as George pressed kisses all over his face. After a few minutes of doing this, George finally pulled away to stare into his lover’s eyes.“God I love you so much.”Alexander rolled his eyes. “You sap.” However even Alexander softened as he let his guard down, his body relaxing in George’s grasp. “I love you too.”Suddenly both of them heard a crash and they both stiffened. George turned around slowly to see Sweetlips ruin the moment by knocking over his dish, stuffing his mouth into the kibble bag George had left on the ground. “Sweetlips! NO!”Alexander laughed as George tried to take the bag away with no avail. He watched as George succeeded on taking the bag, moving onto scolding Sweetlips with that stupid kissy face of his.As Alexander watched, the more he thought about how he lucky he was to have this man love him so dearly despite all the mistakes he made. He was always waiting for the other shoe to drop, for George to get up and leave, but as he watched George, he thought that maybe, maybe he wouldn’t have to wait anymore.That maybe he could just be.George finally returned with the kibble bag, smiling victoriously. “I got it!”Alexander nodded. “You did. Victorious against a dog.”“Well to be fair, it was a cute dog.”Alexander could only roll his eyes as George’s theatrics. “Sometimes I wonder how I fell in love with you.”Instead of teasing back, George’s eyes only softened. “Sometimes I wonder too.”Alexander swallowed a lump in his throat. “George…”George shook his head. “You’re sometimes too good for me and I wonder-”With one brisk movement, he had George’s face in his hands. “Don’t doubt yourself like that. And besides, I should be asking myself how I got lucky with you.”George smiled at that. “I guess we can agree to disagree on that one.”Alexander didn’t respond, just tucking his head underneath George’s chin. “I love you.”“I love you too,” George replied. They were silent as they both stood together bathed in sunlight, basking in the peace of their home and each other, with the certainty that happiness was forever theirs despite whatever hardship they could face.After all, they had each other. What more could they need?
11495718	Cought in her web	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "F/F", "Characters": "Widowmaker \| Amélie Lacroix, Sombra (Overwatch), Reaper \| Gabriel Reyes", "Fandom": "Overwatch (Video Game)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Explicit", "author": "by bluedreambliss", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-14T00:00:00", "words": "4,327", "Additional Tags": null, "Relationship": "Widowmaker \| Amélie Lacroix & Sombra", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	" If this is going to be another one of those charge in and pew pew everyone to death I'm out of here I have more important things to do then Watch old Gabe here get trigger happy" Sombra scoffed and leaned against the cold wet brick out side of a large old hotel. Sombra, Reaper and Widowmaker stood in a back ally waiting for a large group of omnic leaders. The hotel was hosting a ball to celebrate peace between humans and omnic in a new town. Talon had directed them to assasinate a few heads and strike fear into the citizens. Reaper let out a cold laugh and turned to her."You and I both know that's a lie so just stick to the plan and it should be over quick." He cracked his knuckles grabbing his guns turning to Widowmaker. " Get into position, I will distract the guards and scare the guests, Sombra will lead the three omnics over to you, after that you know what to do." Widowmaker who had been silent the whole time noded stiffly. She shouldered her gun and lifted her free arm grappling up to a near by building slipping into the shadows."Alright Sombra let's go." Reaper motioned for Sombra to fallow, she pulled out her gun and dropped her translocator. Cloaking herself she ran past Reaper and into the party , she made a note not to bump anyone. Sombra looked up past all the heads of people and omnic and located the targets, she looked down at her chest seeing a red dot. She looked up and seen a large window, the moon was shining through but Sombra couldn't see Widowmaker in sight. "Oh, you going to kill me first Spider?" Sombra wispered into her communicator smirking still looking up into her direction . " Tisk that would be a pity now wouldn't it, Cherie." Widowmaker always spoke in such a way that would strike fear into your heart, and leave you wanting more at the same time. Before she could reply screams ripped through the air and Reapers guns were heard. "I'm going to grab the tin cans, hope your ready for us " Sombra tried to add a wink into her tone hoping it would come across. "I'm always ready to kill" That had sent a shiver down her spine, this woman was terrifying. Sombra got behind the omnics they were after and uncloaked pulling out her gun. " Hey there" She smirked as they backed up, just alittle more. BANG BANG BANGAll three omnics lay dead at her feet, all wearing the same bullet hole almost inhumanly perfect. Sombras earpiece crackled and a voice came through. "Did you enjoy that ? Must be nice to be that close to a kill" Sombra swallowed hard, Widowmaker always got this tone after a good mission , and she had killed three targets, Sombra could almost feel the excitement in Widows voice and hearing it directly in her ear was something not many people could say they heard. " You did well, the boss man will definitely be happy." Sombra played it cool for now, not wanting Widowmaker to know she was enjoying this. Reapers voice crackled into the line. " Let's get out of here mission was a success." Sombra nodded to herself and activated her translocator, appearing back at the ally she looked down to see the red dot on her chest again. Sombra smirked looking up at Widowmaker now on a closer roof top. " Are you trying to hint at something?" She was a bit surprised she had done this again, It was thrilling and also terrifying knowing this woman could end her life at any moment. The dot disappeared and Widowmaker grappled down to the ground. Reaper had yet to met them and it left Sombra and Widowmaker alone. " I don't need to hint about anything, if I see something I want" Widowmaker walked a few steps over to Sombra, almost towering over her. Sombra noticed this and looked up at her, trying to keep herself under control. It's as if Widowmaker could sense Sombras fear and smirked staring directly into her eyes. " I take it" At that she extended her hand lightly grabbing a few strands of Sombras hair and running her fingers through it. They could both hear loud boots coming from around the corner and Widowmaker dropped her arm backing up slightly. Sombra had not moved at all throughout that whole exchange and just stood in place frozen, listening the her heart beat in her ears. "Authorities are already closing in, we are going to have to lay low in town till they stop tracking us down, we can call for a chopper tomorrow if everything goes well." Widowmaker nodded folding her arms. " Okay, I'll pull up a map see if I can find anywhere to stay for the night." Sombra tapped away at her screens working fast finding what she was looking for. "Got it, let's go" The three of them hurried out of the panicked filled streets twards the destination. After about a half hour of weaving in and out of all ways and dead streets they made it to a small abandon shop. Sombra ran her nails down the electronic door and it popped open. " Okay this has a back room that used to be an apartment, we should be able to find some supplies." Sombra was walking over to a door against the back wall, she pulled it open and sure enough it revealed a small studio apartment. Reaper grunted in approval and stayed by the door. " I'll keep first watch, go get some sleep." Sombra snickered and turned to him. "AWE Gabe you care about us"She looked over at Widowmaker and swears she saw her crack a slight smile. " Shut up and do as I say" He kicked a chair near the door and dropped down into it. Sombra just laughed and walked back over to the door way of the small apartment motioning for Widowmaker to follow, she did of course closing the door behind her. Sombra was now aware how very alone they were and made herself busy by looking for things they could use. Widowmaker set her gun down on a nearby table and looked around the room. "Is there anyway you can hack the the water, I would like to shower." Sombra stopped what she was doing and turned to look at Widowmaker. " Of course I can Amiga, but what do I get in return?" Sombra sometimes didn't think before speaking and this was one of those times she wished she had. Widowmaker arched an eyebrow sharply and her golden eyes seemed to come alive, she walked over to Sombra slowly like a preditor stalking it's prey. Sombra felt this to, worried for her life she raised her hands nervously laughing. " Heh, don't worry I'll do it." Widowmaker stopped and stared at her and started to laugh lowly. " Ah but it is you that should be worried, Cherie." Sombras heart stopped and she froze watching the taller woman closely trying to read her but it was impossible Widowmakers face was emotionless. They stayed like that for what felt like hours to Sombra when Widowmaker broke the silence. " Alright I'll do it." Sombra's eye brows shot up and she opened her mouth to say something but she was cut off. " I'll owe you a favor , but it has to be done tonight and I have to approve it." Sombra couldn't believe what she was hearing, Widowmaker was going to be in her debt for one night." Okay, I'll go work on the water." Sombra hurried over to the bathroom shutting the door behind her . She leaned her back against the door letting out the breath she had been holding. Why the fuck does she get me feeling like this? Sombra thought. She easily hacked the electronic bathroom, it felt almost unfair she gets a favor from this but who was she to argue with Widow. Sombra opened up the door of the bathroom to see Widowmaker siting on the edge of the bed settled in the middle of the room. She had taken off her visor and was working on her boots and poison dart. Her golden eyes looked up hearing the door open and she smirked,Sombra noticed this and froze again. "Well now, that was fast. Turns out your actually pretty useful. " She finished pulling off her accessories tossing them to the side, they fell to the floor with a thud and she stood up. Even without her boots Widow was much taller than Sombra and she used this to her advantage, and zeroed in on her once more. " Did you even have enough time to think about what you want from me?" Widowmaker was a few inches away from Sombra and she placed her hand in Sombras hair again, letting the ombre strands dance through her fingers. " I don't think I ever told you this, but I really enjoy looking at your hair , purple was my favorite color." Sombra could feel her cold finger tips working there way through and running along her scalp, nails softly digging in but they stopped when they felt the heat of her augments. " It's also as soft as I thought it would be." Widowmaker places her free hand on the collar of her jacket pulling it aside a bit looking at the neck of her shirt. Sombra was about to say something when she felt Widowmaker pull back retracting her hand and turning around walking towards the bed again, her hips swaying giving her a perfect view of the long black widow tattoo that sat right above her largest asset. Widowmaker turned her head to look at her over her shoulder catching her staring. " Well I think I can guess what you might want, but I need to hear you say it." Sombra knew what was going on, from the hitch in her voice after she had killed those omnics to all tension she kept building, this is why she agreed to do her a favor. " Oh is that so? Are you sure that your not the one who wants..." She didn't say the last part because Widowmaker turned around fully pulling one arm out of her suit slowly. Sombra watched her pull another arm out, it was just barely covering her breasts, Widowmaker cocked her head to the side. "Want what exactly? I already told you, when I want something I take it" The last part she said wile peeling away the rest of the suit reveling her breasts, her nipples where hardening, and Sombra felt all the air in her lungs disappear. Regaining some of her control back, Sombra knew now what she wanted. " Is that so, well I would have to agree with you on that one." Sombra walked closer to Widowmaker and reached out running a clawed finger down the middle of her breasts and lower to her ribcage. She felt her shudder slightly as she traced her digit slowly over each dip in her ribs and smirked, going a step further in one swift motion she tore the bottom half of Widows suit with her nail almost down to the pelvic area, watching the fabric slide down more. Widowmakers eyes widened slightly, she quickly recovered lowly laughing. Sombra could see a vast amount of purple skin and she was acheing to touch, but was brought back by Widows voice. " Foolish woman, you should be carful what kind of web you go playing around" Widowmaker bent over and tore off the rest of her suit leaving her completely bare. Sombra couldn't help but stare, her body was a work of art, but she wanted nothing more than to destroy it. Widowmaker reached her hands out to her neck running them down Sombras shoulders opening her jacket as she went. " Didn't you know spiders can be, deadly?" She leaned into Sombras ear to whisper the last part and Sombra could do nothing but let this beautiful creature take control of her, any fight she had left in her vanished when Widowmaker finished taking off her jacket and started to work on her shirt and pants. She was planting hard kisses along her neck and almost clawing at her clothing almost impatiently but still agonizingly slow. Sombra arched her back into her touch and placed her hands on Widowmakers hips trying to steady herself, she could feel herself getting over heated and whined wanting Widow to finish pulling of her clothes. Widow stopped suddenly and pulled back connecting eyes with Sombra, she inches her face closer until there lips were just barely touching. Sombra could feel her shallow breath against them and parted her mouth almost begging for her to close the distance. Widowmakers hands ran up the dip in Sombras back running her cold fingers against the metal peices there, Sombra wimpered at the difference in temperature wanting her to keep her hands there. Pushing her hips hard into Sombras, Widow walked them over to the bed and shoved her down onto the matress placing her legs on either side of Sombras making sure not to fully sit down on her lap. Widow looked down at her p, loving watching the way her face flushed and her eyes clouded over with need for her, Widowmaker has complete control over her, and she knew it. Widowmaker crawls up and continues her attack on Sombras neck this time sucking and biting, marking what is now hers. She made her way slowly down to her still clothed breasts and bit her hard nipple through the thin fabric. Widow smiled slightly when she heard Sombras small gasp and went to the other one running her teeth along it and rubbing the other with her fingers. Sombra's back arched up and she looked down at Widow biting her lip, her face was still hot and flushed and Widowmaker could tell all this teasing was geting to her. She reached around Sombras body and undid her bra, letting her breasts pop out, she felt a strong desire at the sight, something she had long forgotten. Widowmaker dipped her head and begun her assult licking and nipping where ever she could, her free hand was working it's way back into Sombras hair making her inhale sharply. Sombra's hands had been clawing at Widowmakers back making the taller woman moan softly into her breasts. She started to work her way down Sombras chest and down the middle of her stomach, her loose hairs tickling her as she went. Widowmaker could see the Goosebumps rising on her carmel skin at every little touch, fueling the burning desire in her cold body. She enjoyed how warm Sombra was against her and She finally reached the bottom of her stomach running her tounge around her belly button earning a gasp and sharp move of the hips. Sombra went to put her hands in Widowmakers long dark hair but realised it was still up, she pulled at the band and watched Widows locks spill out around her face and down her bare shoulders. The sight was breath taking, she rain her fingers through her hair and Widow made a noise of approval and continued her way down. Every second Sombra felt her sanity slipping as Widows cold lips contrasted with her burning skin, she could feel herself start sweating and griped Widowmakers head tightly. Widow noticed how bad Sombra wanted her to go further and stopped smirking up at her. "I think I'm going to make this a bit more interesting, every time I sense your impatience I will take on step backwards, so right now I'm going to go back up to your breasts, if your good I will continue."Sombra almost started to wimper when she felt Widowmaker slink back up her chest, but she remembered what Widow said about her being impatient. Widow began to suck on her nipples once more, this time she snuck her knee in-between Sombra's leg slightly putting pressure on her soaking center. Sombra inhaled sharply and pushed down on her leg grinding hard. Widowmaker chuckled and pulled away from her chest and shook her head. " Someone doesn't know how to follow directions, now I have to go back." At that she started to kiss her way back up to her neck and bit down hard making Sombra cry out." Th-that's not fair you tricked me" Sombra choked out placing her hands on Widows hips. " Well it was foolish of you to fall into my trap, my dear" Widow rasped into her ear, Sombra swollowed and dug her nails into Widows hips pulling them closer to her. Widowmaker could feel her patence thineing with each little noise Sombra made in reaction to her, but it's been so long sense Widow had felt this alive and she was going to make it last. Widow sat up on Sombras lap and ground her ass down onto her hard making Sombra push up and grip her hips harder. Leaning back down , Widow grabbed Sombras hands and pinned them above her head still grinding down and starting to kiss her way up her neck. Sombra was whimpering and trying not to do anything to make Widowmaker stop, but it was getting harder with each thrust of her hips. " P- please, I can't wait any longer." Sombra felt her face flush impossibly more red at how needy she sounded but she didn't care right now. Widowmaker was also feeling the overwhelming need to ravish the woman under her, but her years of being a sniper had tought her one thing and that is how to be patient, and when perfect moment hits, you get your kill."Tsk cherie, begging won't get you anything." Widowmaker purred into Sombras ear biting down on her lob earning a high wimper. The noise shot Sparks through her otherwise cold body. Letting her body take control she started to lick and kiss her way back down Sombras body, stoping only to nip and leave a few marks. Widowmaker was now at her hips looking down at the bright colored leggings still clinging to Sombras form. " Well this just won't do" She said wile running her long fingers over her hip bones poking out of her pants. Widowmaker curled her fingers around the top of them and slowly pulled them down, watching Sombra struggle to keep her hips still. She was being a good girl, and good girls get rewarded, Widowmaker told herself, trying to ignore the urge to just rip of the rest of her clothes and have her way with her, but this pace was good. With the pants now gone all that was left was her now damp panties and it was apparent just how much Sombra was enjoying this. Widowmaker was now aware of just how wet she was as well and started to notice the dull throb between her legs. She placed her palm over Sombras center and started to push down rubbing her clit slowly watching her response, Sombra threw her head back moaning and pushing herself slightly into her hand. Widowmaker was enjoying this to much to care anymore and let her, she stopped and pulled down her panties letting Sombra kick them off. Her attention was now back to what was right in front of her, she looked down at Sombra almost forgetting how to breath. She was completely nude now sprawled out on the mattress her hair pooled around her flushed face, arms above her head giving her a perfect view of everything below them. Widowmakers eyes traveled lower over the dip in her abdomen all the way between her legs. The sight was enough make what little self control she had left disappear, and she reached out and continued her rubbing this time using her fingers. Sombra let out a whine and opened her eyes to watch as Widowmaker lowered her head kissing her way up her thighs and positioning her face right in the center. She pulled her hand away and wrapped her arms around both of Sombras legs and pulled her closer connecting eyes with her. She held her stare as she opened her mouth extending her tounge dragging it up the length of her slit, she felt her mouth get coated in Sombras fluid and pushed her face into her harder working her tounge over the sensitive folds. Every new movement earned a different noise of approval from Sombra and it was driving her crazy, she started to dig her nails into her thighs and felt Sombras hands sneak their way into her hair guiding her face to all the spots she wanted licked. This continued for some time until Widow decided to slowly push a finger inside of her. Sombra shuddered and her legs gripped Widowmakers face tightly. " Mm, more please that feels amazing." Widow hummed in approval and added a second finger , pumping in and out of her a little faster and sucking on her clit. Sombra's breathing was starting to get uneven and she had a tight grip on her hair. Widow looked up and watched the way her face scrunched up and how she was biting her lip, her chest was starting to glisten and she couldn't take it and more. She got up not taking her hand out from inside of her and crawled up her body to slam their lips together. Sombra moaned into the kiss gripping her face as she thrusted her fingers in and out of her harder and faster than before. Widowmaker shoved her tounge into her mouth letting Sombra taste herself and could feel her getting close and bit down on her lip. Sombra ran one hand down Widowmakers back dragging her nails into her skin hard and gripping the sheet with the other. A few more thrusts and and Widowmaker felt Sombra loss control , she felt her pulsating around her fingers and the wetness dripping down her hand. She broke apart their kiss to look down to see Sombra breathing heavy and trying to recover. She pulled out her fingers and brought them to her lips slowly cleaning them not noticing Sombra watching her . She was cought off guard when she felt herself get pinned down to the bed and looked up to see a smirk on sombras face. "Does someone want me to return the favor?" She said eyes traveling all over her body stoping to see how wet she was, it was dripping down her thighs and getting onto the sheets and Widow was starting to feel her self throbbing almost painfully. " I would have to say you look like you need some help " Sombra ran on hand down the middle of Widowmakers chest down her stomach to where she craved it most. " Stop talking and do something about it" Widow almost growled feeling herself losing control as Sombra kept touching her . This new feeling was taking over and she wanted it to continue. Sombra was a bit cought of guard but recovered quickly and started to tease Widows nipples smirking. " My does someone sound Impatient, I might have to torture you like you did to me" Widow snatched her hand and flipped her over so fast Sombra had no idea it was happening till she was on her back looking up at her. " I think someone has a mouth that needs to be shut, and I know just how to do it." Now it was Widowmakers turn to smirk at the look Sombra had on her face, she looked startled and interested at the same time. Widow slowly crawled up to Sombras face and positioned her legs on either side of her face. She looked down and could see the lust in Sombras eyes and ran her fingers through her purple ombre hair, pulling her mouth up to her. Sombra opened her lips and started to massage Widow with her tounge working her back and forth trying to please her the best she could at this angle but from the grip on her head she could tell it was working. Widow stared to rock her hips on Sombras face gripping her hair with one hand and placing another on Sombras knee to balenc herself. She looked down and could see her wetness dripping down her lips and face, the sight make her moan lowly and push down harder on her. Sombra started to run her hands up her abdomen to play with her breasts rolling and squeezing the lightly. She snaked her hands around her to grab Widows remarkable backside, gripping it pulling her impossibly close feeling Widowmakers legs start to tremble. She was getting close and she started to quicken her pace pushing both of her hands into Sombras hair yanking on it. Sombra snuck her hand down between Widows legs and inserted two fingers curling them, Widow let out a long moan and felt a wave of sensation wash over her letting all the pent up rage from years of little to no emotion. She road out the rest of her orgasm and collapsed onto the bed nest to Sombra feeling her heart beating harder than it had in years. She looked over at the tan woman catching her purple eyes with her gold ones. "I think that you wanted that favor more than me" Widowmaker sighed and pulled her closer to her feeling the urge to strangle and hug the woman next to her. " Why must you always ruin the moment with your talking."Sombra chuckled and let herself be pulled into her long arms snuggling into her neck listening to the normally dormant heartbeat. "Ah but if I hadn't opened my mouth we wouldn't be her Amiga." Widow couldn't argue with that and let her mind wonder to thoughts that she hadn't came across in years and new ones involving the sassy hacker in her arms as she slowly drifted to sleep.
11472126	Something Just Like This	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "F/M", "Characters": "Anna (Disney), Kristoff (Disney)", "Fandom": "Frozen (2013)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by upthenorthmountain (aw264641)", "chapters": "9/9", "completed": "2018-02-07", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "16,242", "Additional Tags": "Kristanna, Modern AU, British, as always, Angst, can they help each other learn to love again, hmm what do you think", "Relationship": "Anna/Kristoff (Disney)", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	But she said, where’d you wanna go? How much you wanna risk? I’m not looking for somebody with some superhuman gifts Some superhero, some fairytale bliss Just something I can turn to, somebody I can kiss I want something just like this “Ah, here we go - you’re over here, I expect. Let me just go and find Judy but I’m sure this is your desk - I don’t know where your computer is - wait here, dear, and I’ll go and see what’s what.”Anna stood awkwardly by the desk. It was one of only three in this office, and the other two were cluttered with computers, papers, stationery, photographs and all kinds of things. This one was completely empty.It felt a bit like a metaphor. It was as empty as everything else. This was her fresh start, her new life, with this new job and her new flat and even a new town. But her sister was abroad, and her friends had moved on as quickly as her erstwhile fiancé, and the flat contained nothing but a bed, a sofa and a pile of boxes. A blank slate could be the most depressing thing imaginable.There was a tap on the open office door. It wasn’t the HR lady who’d shown her in, and it didn’t look like anyone who’d answer to the name Judy. It was a man in maybe his mid-thirties, in a shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and a computer monitor under his arm.“Are you the new designer?” he said.“Yes? Anna Rendell.”“OK, great. Sorry, they told me you were starting NEXT Monday -” he walked past her and put the monitor on the spare desk - “or I’d have got this all sorted out for you, as it is I’ve had to drop everything to come running up here because now it’s apparently an emergency -” he went past her again and returned with a computer tower - “and I don’t even know if we have enough software licences but heaven forbid they give me the budget to buy any more -” now he was under the desk doing things with cables.“I’m sorry -”“Oh, god, it’s not your fault.” He went past her again, and this time picked up a cardboard box and rummaged in it. “Okay. Mouse, keyboard, let’s see if this will boot up.”He finished attaching everything, sat down at the desk and turned on the computer. “I’m Kristoff, by the way. I’m the IT department.”“I’m Anna. Christophe, is that French?”“Hmm? No, with a K and a double-F. My dad’s Norwegian. Aha.” He started tapping away at the keyboard. “Let’s get you online, and I’ve set you up an email address so I’ll put that on - it’s first name dot last name, they’re all the same…”“Anna!” The HR woman was back. “I’m so sorry, Judy’s in a meeting all morning, she thought you were starting next week for some reason!” Kristoff cleared his throat.“But no worries!” she continued. “I see Kris is getting you all set up! Kris,” she said, her tone changing to one of tender concern. “How ARE you?”“I’m fine, thank you, April,” he replied calmly. “How are you?”“Oh, I’m very well - I meant, how are you with - everything?”“I’m fine, thank you, April,” he said again, never taking his eyes off the computer screen. “I’ll have this all done in ten minutes or so.”“Okay - thank you, Kris. Well, I’d better take Anna off with me for some health and safety training, since Judy’s not available. Come on, dear.”“Bye,” Anna said to Kristoff as she was ushered out. He raised a hand in a half-wave without looking up.“He just got divorced,” April said immediately they were outside the office door, satisfying the curiosity that Anna couldn’t bring herself to express. “Last month. So sad! Such a nice man. But he seems to be bearing up. Are you married, dear?”“No,” Anna said, very quickly. “No, I’m - single.”“Me too,” April confided. “You should get a cat, dear, they’re such good company. Now then. Let’s see what we’ve got to get through.” At night you could cry. In the day you had to smile, you had to go to work, you had to call your sister because she worried, you had to remember to buy milk. At night you could lie with your face in the pillow and let go, just for a while.Starting over again at thirty-two. She’d always planned to be married by twenty-five, and then by thirty - but now she was alone, probably forever. No cosy home with husband and babies. No one to care if she cried herself to sleep every night of the week. Maybe she should get a cat. Kristoff wondered how long it would be before he could walk up the steps to the front door of his own home and maintain a constant heart rate. Leanne wasn’t here; no one was, just the empty house. It was over.After she’d gone, once everything in the house was his, he’d had the locks changed. It had seemed silly and childish, and she’d returned her key, but he’d done it anyway. The thought of finding her there, unexpectedly - it had been worth the locksmith’s fee a hundred times over to know it could never happen. Maybe he should have just moved, but he’d always liked the house. Just as well, when it was practically the only thing he’d been able to keep.You didn’t realise how much effort it took until it was over. Tiptoeing round someone else’s moods, trying to work out what you’d done wrong before you had to be told (and that was worse, so much worse, when he hadn’t been able to read her mind. That was what made her really angry).Maybe marriage wasn’t for him. He’d always thought he’d be good at it, but apparently not. He was better off by himself. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The job was pretty much what Anna had expected. It was a sideways step rather than an upwards one; she’d justified it by saying she wanted to work for a smaller company (there were barely forty people here, rather than the thousands at her previous job), but to tell the truth she wasn’t exactly in the mood for anything challenging. In her immediate vicinity there was her boss Judy and the other graphic designer, Dan, who were both perfectly nice; after a couple of weeks she got to know everyone else. Their office was opposite the break room so everyone came past sooner or later. “Why the face?” Anna looked up from her notepad. Her colleagues were at a meeting involving some project she wasn’t working on; she’d mainly been using the peace and quiet to draw cross faces and angry lightning bolts down the border of her to-do list. But now Kristoff was leaning in the doorway of the office, holding a box of toner. “Mm?” “What’s wrong?” “Oh. It’s my birthday.” “I’m terribly sorry to hear that.” He put the box down next to the printer and knelt down to open its front panel. She pulled a face at him. “And everyone I know is busy and I’m going to spend this evening by myself at home, which is no fun and not a real birthday at all.” “OK, yeah, that is rough. Is it just the black that’s gone on here?” “I don’t know, sorry, I haven’t used it.” “No, it was Dan who rang, wasn’t it….well, I’ll do the black now, ring again if that doesn’t fix it.” “Thanks.” “Happy birthday, by the way.” “Thanks.” He shut the front of the printer again and packed the old toner cartridge neatly back in the box. Anna turned back to her computer and tried to concentrate on her work. Kristoff stood and took a step to the door. Then he turned, suddenly, and said “I’m free tonight.” “Sorry?” “I mean - if you wanted to go out and get a drink or something. Just so you’re not by yourself on your birthday.” “Oh!” “I mean, just if you -” “No, that would be nice! Just for a drink.” “Sure. Um, shall I come pick you up about eight, then?” “Okay! Okay. Great.” Anna ate some cheese on toast after work and changed, after some deliberation, into a dress. She had no idea what kind of establishments this town had to offer, or, for that matter, what sort of place Kristoff might choose to take her. There was something else she was wondering about, too. “Kristoff,” she said as they walked down the road into the town centre, “Can I ask you something?” “Of course, sure.” “Is this a date? I mean, did you mean for it to be a date?” “I - no - I don’t know?” Anna laughed. “You don’t know?” “No, I meant - if you want it to be? It’s up to you. You’re pretty and I wanted to get to know you better but I’m a bit out of practice.” “The lady in HR, April, said you just got divorced last month.” “We were separated for quite a while before that. But I guess I haven’t asked a woman out in - six years? Nearer seven.” “I suppose I haven’t been asked out in four.” They walked on a bit longer. “I think -” Anna said, after some thought - “I think I’d prefer it if it wasn’t a date. If that’s okay.” “Of course.” “It’s only been a couple of months for me, since my engagement ended, and....” “It’s fine. I understand.” “I’m sorry.” “It’s fine. Friends?” “Friends.” Anna fiddled with the strap on her handbag. “You think I’m pretty?” “I - did say that, didn’t I.” “You don’t think I’m pretty?” “I do. If that’s okay.” “Of course it’s okay...you don’t have to apologise for everything. I mean, even if I don’t want anything romantic right now, it’s still nice to know someone thinks I’m pretty.” He smiled, then coughed. “I have an idea, since it’s a school night, and we probably shouldn’t drink too much. You’re new in town, right? Have you been to Moonlight’s?” “What’s that? A nightclub?” “No. But I think you’ll like it.” It was an ice cream parlour. Kristoff laughed at Anna’s expression when she saw the counter, picked up a couple of menus and steered her into a booth. “I bring my nieces and nephews here sometimes,” he said. “You have a lot of them?” “Three nieces, two nephews. Thanks to my two sisters and brother and their respective spouses.” “That’s so nice. I just have my sister, and she’s living in Vienna at the moment. That’s my whole family.” “Really?” “Mmhmm. My parents aren’t around any more, and they were both only children. So it’s just me and Elsa.” “Huh.” “Do you have any children?” Kristoff frowned. “No - don’t you think I’d have mentioned it?” “You’d be surprised. One time, I’d been seeing this guy for a month before he mentioned his four year-old son.” “No.” “Yup. Apparently he was worried it would be a ‘dealbreaker’. The kid wasn’t, I like kids, but I don’t like men who don’t think they’re important enough to mention.” “That sounds fair. No,” he said, “We hadn’t got round to kids yet. Which is probably just as well, considering.” “We were getting married this summer and then we were going to start a family.” Anna paused for a second, then pulled herself together. “But sadly he turned out to be a big cheating cheater who cheats, so. Who needs him.” Kristoff watched her face for a long moment, then said, “That’s the hard thing, isn’t it? Losing the future you thought you’d have.” Anna swallowed and looked down at her hands. “I’m sorry,” he said. “Sorry.” He pushed her menu at her. “My niece would recommend the banana split, which comes with a wafer in the shape of a monkey.” Anna blinked hard. “What’s the chocolatiest thing they have?” He squinted at his menu, then said, “This definitely isn’t a date, right?” “No. Why?” He grimaced, and pulled a pair of reading glasses out of his jacket pocket and put them on. Anna snorted, and he moved to take them off again. “Oh, no, I’m sorry, I’m not laughing at your glasses - I’m laughing that if it was a date you wouldn’t have put them on, and wouldn’t have been able to read the menu.” “I could probably - if I - “ he held it out at arm’s length. “It’s not that my eyes are getting worse, it’s that my arms aren’t long enough.” Anna laughed. “My dad used to say that.” “That’s very flattering, thank you, comparing me to your father.” “I found two grey hairs this morning. Does that help?” “No, because I refuse to believe it. You’re lying to make me feel better.” “How old do you think I am?” “If you think I’m going to answer that question you’ve got another think coming.” “I’m thirty-three. That’s mid- thirties, isn’t it, not even early thirties any more. I’m allowed to have grey hairs. Well, no I’m not, I pulled them straight out, but. They keep growing back.” Kristoff put his head on its side. “Thirty-three? I wouldn’t have said that.” “Thank you.” “I’d have gone more, thirty-nine, forty -” Anna swiped at him with her menu and he laughed. “You’re four years younger than me, anyway.” “Really, I would have said I was TWENTY years younger than you -” “- there’s no need to be rude. What ice cream do you want, woman, hurry up, they close in two hours.” The ice cream was delicious, and the evening was warm as they walked back. Outside her building they stopped and Anna fiddled with her keys. If this was a date , Anna thought, He’d be thinking about kissing me. And I’d be okay with that? I think. But it isn’t, so he won’t. I think. “Thank you,” she said, “I thought I’d be sitting by myself feeling maudlin and instead I had a lovely evening.” “You’re welcome. And the same, to be honest.” Anna looked behind her and up at the flat. It would be cold, and dark, and empty. Ugh. “I still have the bottle of wine I bought for tonight,” she said. “If you fancy coming up?” Kristoff glanced at his watch. “No, best not.” “No?” “I have to get up for work in the morning. As do you.” “True.” “Well. Goodnight, then.” “Goodnight.” Then, to her surprise, Kristoff stepped forward and hugged her. Anna hardly had time to bring her arms up round his shoulders before he was stepping back again, looking embarrassed. “Goodnight,” he said again, then turned and walked away. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- “Anna!” Judy exclaimed as soon as she arrived at work the next morning. “Did you go out with the IT guy last night?” “Yes - I mean no - he bought me ice cream because it was my birthday. But it wasn’t going out going out.” “You should realise, Anna,” Dan said as he took off his jacket and hung it up, “That this place runs on gossip. ‘The IT guy was seen in public with the new graphic designer’ will now be the weekly conversation of choice. They’ll even stop talking about the woman in the canteen’s new tattoo.” “Ignore him,” Judy said. “You can eat ice cream with whoever you want.” “It wasn’t a date,” Anna said. “Of course.” “It’s on her face,” Dan said. “The tattoo. Well, her neck.” “Has he worked here long?” Anna asked Judy. “Kristoff.” “Longer than me,” Dan said. “But not as long as me,” Judy said. “Nine or ten years, maybe? But I don’t know him very well. He keeps himself to himself, mainly.” “That makes him sound like a serial killer,” Dan said, twiddling a pen between his fingers. “Quiet type, kept himself to himself, how were we to guess he was poisoning little old ladies.” “I wasn’t fond of his wife,” Judy said, ignoring him. “I mean, I only met her a couple of times, but she didn’t seem like a very happy woman.” “I only met her once, that time she came to the Christmas do, year before last I think,” Dan said. “She spent the whole evening glaring at him every time he spoke to another woman -” “Even me,” Judy said. “- and then they had a row and left early. The women in distribution spent the whole of the following Monday dissecting it, and as I recall they gave them a year, which was actually fairly accurate.” “You seem very up on this,” Anna said, “For someone who doesn’t like gossip.” Dan squared his shoulders. “I never said I didn’t like it.” Did Kristoff keep himself to himself? He certainly spent most of the workday in his office, a small room just down the corridor that was scrupulously tidy despite being crowded with boxes and computing equipment. He usually only ventured out if forced to fix things for people or to make a cup of tea in the breakroom. He was polite and professional, but he didn’t seem much of one for small talk, and he certainly didn’t gossip. Anna did find him easy to talk to, though. He lived only one street over from her and she ran into him on the way to and from work quite regularly. That, and the fact that seeing him make a cup of tea often made her realise that she needed one too, meant that after a month or so she probably knew him better than anyone else in the office. At first she worried a little about what people would say, what they would think if they kept seeing the two of them together. But after a while she stopped caring, not least because she realised that whatever she did, people were going to talk about it. And he was her friend, wasn’t he? They’d agreed that. So when they were walking home from work on a Friday evening, and she had nothing on (she never had anything on), it was fine to invite him up to share a takeaway pizza. Which was how he came to be sitting on her sofa at 9pm. The pizza was long gone but neither of them seemed to want him to leave. “I used to have such a great social life,” Anna said. “Out every weekend. Why does it get so hard to make friends when you get older?” “I’m sitting right here,” Kristoff said mildly. “Well, I have one friend. Just one. I used to have lots .” “Quality over quantity, surely.” “This is nearly the longest I’ve ever been without a boyfriend, also, but I’m not looking for one of those right now.” “Well, I’m thirty-seven,” he said, “And I’ve only ever kissed three women.” “Three?” “Mm. I was a late bloomer I guess - first kiss at twenty-one - and, I don’t know. When I find someone I like I tend to stick with them, I suppose. Longer than I should, actually.” “That’s sweet. I don’t know how many men I’ve kissed, off the top of my head. I don’t even -” she stopped, suddenly. “Don’t be embarrassed,” Kristoff said. “I’m glad to hear you made better use of your youth than I did.” “No, it’s not that - after my parents died, I went a bit - I had a bad year. I was going to say - I don’t even know how many men I’ve slept with, not exactly. That’s awful, isn’t it.” He didn’t say anything but his hand was warm on her shoulder. After a moment Anna put her hand over the top of his. “Long time ago, now,” she said. “Next year I’ll have been an orphan half my life. Gosh, that makes me feel old.” She looked up at him. He was closer than she’d realised, and on a whim, she reached up and kissed him quickly on the lips. “Four,” she said. She wasn’t sure what she expected to happen. What did happen, though, was that Kristoff moved his hand up from her shoulder to cup the side of her face; then he leant down and kissed her, properly. She let him, and she let herself kiss him back, until he pulled away and let his hand drop, watching her face. “Kris…” she said quietly. “I know,” he said. “I’m sorry. That’s not what you’re looking for.” “I don’t know what I’m looking for,” she said. “I don’t know what I want.” He put his hand to the side of her face again, and stroked a lock of her hair behind her ear. She leant into him and he put his arm round her shoulders, pulling her in to rest against his chest. “You remember when we went out and ate ice cream on my birthday,” she said. “Of course.” “And when we said goodnight I was sad and you hugged me.” “Yes.” “I realised, afterwards, that that was the first time in over a month that anyone had touched me. After a while you start to feel like you’re in a bubble, kind of, not connected to anything. Like a ghost.” He hugged her a bit tighter. She let out her breath slowly, relaxing against him. “I think,” she said, “I want - this. I think - a friend, but sometimes we kiss.” She looked up and he was smiling, amused. “I think that's about the level I can cope with, too,” he said. “OK, then.” Anna bit her lip in thought. “It’s weird, isn’t it,” she said. “Kissing someone else after so long.” “It is.” “Especially when you thought that was the last person you’d ever kiss. Well, I thought that, apparently he didn’t.” Anna scrunched up a bit in her seat. “Do you want to talk about it?” Kristoff said quietly. She shrugged. “I’m sure you don’t want to hear about it.” “Maybe I do.” Anna gathered her thoughts. “Oh, it wasn’t anything especially out of the ordinary, I suppose...we’d been together a couple of years, and he met this other woman - I didn’t know, obviously - and then a bit after that I think he proposed out of guilt? I don’t know. But I was happy and planning everything and I suppose that gave him more time to himself. He insisted, after I found out everything, he insisted he didn’t properly take up with her until after we were engaged, though why he thought that made the blindest bit of difference I don’t know.” “How did you find out?” “Oh, I knew for a while, or I guess I did….all the usual stupid stuff, hiding his phone, ending conversations when I came in the room, suddenly needing to work late a lot, taking out more money than he used to without saying what it was for.” She sighed. “But it was like, one part of my brain was saying ‘he’s obviously cheating on you’ but the bigger part shouted it down, we’re getting married! He loves me! So I ignored it. Until,” she took a deep breath, “One time he left his tablet in the living room, and his tablet doesn’t have a passcode like his phone but it has all his messages on it, and I picked it up and I looked. And he came back in and saw me with it and we had a HUGE row, it went on for like two hours and ended up with me throwing my ring at him and running out. And he let me, he didn’t even follow me.” She leant her head against Kristoff’s chest and he put up his hand and gently stroked her hair. “And it’s so weird but I still feel bad for snooping? Even though if I hadn’t, I might still be there, god. He tried to get arsy about me looking but he didn’t exactly have the moral high ground. I didn’t read that far back in the messages but he’d definitely been seeing her the weekend Elsa came over from Austria so we could look at wedding dresses. I was trying on wedding dresses while he was having sex with another woman. I’m sorry, I’m going on, I’ll stop.” Kristoff smiled. “You’re fine.” “It was such a pretty dress,” Anna said wistfully. “It had a skirt like this and it was all lace, here, it was lovely….I’d only paid a deposit on it though. Lost that. Lost a lot of deposits. At least we hadn’t send the invitations out yet. But I had to ring up and cancel everything. That was a fun afternoon.” “When were you supposed to get married?” “Fifth of August.” “Oh, so not yet.” “No, couple more weeks. Maybe when we’re past then I’ll feel better, I don’t know.” He kissed the top of her head. “Hopefully.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- “The problem with you, Kristoff,” his friend Sven had once said, “Is that you think about things too much. The time to ask a woman out is as soon as you realise you like her, not after you've spent weeks pining over her from afar. Just ask and be done with it.” That had been years ago - pre-Leanne - but Kristoff could hear Sven’s voice in his head when Anna had complained about having no one to go out with on her birthday. What’re you waiting for, a written invitation? Why had he kissed her? Okay, yes, she'd kissed him first, but he could easily have played that off as a joke; smiled, said thanks, changed the subject. He wasn’t normally so impulsive. Maybe part of his brain just felt he deserved something nice, something simple. A friend, but sometimes we kiss. “You need to get back on that horse,” Sven had said more recently. “That doesn’t sound very flattering to - well, anyone,” Kristoff had replied. “You know what I mean. Please don’t spend ten years moping about, waiting for the love of your life. Because then when she does appear you’ll be too scared to talk to her. Get some practice in. I mean, still find a nice girl you like and be nice to her, but aim more at the level of - we’ve had a nice dinner and now we’ll have a kiss and a cuddle on the sofa. Start there, work your way back up.” “Nice girls don't exactly grow on trees.” But, what did you know. “Are you ready for this weekend?” was the first thing Anna said to Kristoff when she saw him on the way to work that Friday. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” “I’ve never done anything like this before!” “Really? They do it every year here.” “Team-building things at my old places were all conferences and seminars and boring things like that. Oh, one time we did a firewalk.” “What’s that?” “You know! Where you walk on hot coals.” “Why?” “To prove, you know. You can do anything you put your mind to.” “Did you do it?” “Of course! It was fine. It was only a few steps.” “Huh. Well, thank you for making me feel better about a scavenger hunt and a barbecue, even if we do have to sleep in wooden sheds afterwards.” Anna laughed. “It’ll be fun! And they’re cabins.” “I slept there last year. They’re definitely sheds.” “Do we get one each?” “Oh, no. There’s one for boys and one for girls. Bunkbeds.” “I’ve been informed,” Anna said, “That it’s - and I quote - ‘not so much a barbecue as a piss-up.’” Kristoff laughed. “Did Dan say that? A few of them get quite drunk, yeah. Go to bed by midnight if you don't want to hear the printers singing dirty rugby songs.” “Maybe I know a few rugby songs.” “Well, I’ll look forward to it then.” From: [email protected] To: all staff Subject: Team-building weekend 2017 It’s nearly here! The famous ARUNDEL PRINT ANNUAL TEAM-BUILDING WEEKEND!! :) Itinerary: Saturday: 10am: Arrive and unpack 11am: Assault course: admin/design/management vs printing/binding/distribution!! Wear trainers and joggers/t-shirts that you don’t mind getting muddy!! 12 noon: Lunch 2pm: Spaghetti towers - build the tallest tower out of (dry!) spaghetti to win!! Groups of three or four for this one, try and stay in departments if poss!! 4pm: Scavenger hunt - choose a partner and whichever pair finds the most items wins!! All new items for 2017!! 7pm til late: Barbecue and bonfire!! Behave yourselves please, let’s not have a repeat of last year!! Sunday: 9am: Breakfast 10am: Tidy up and leave (we need to all be out by 11!! So no dilly-dallying, remove all rubbish from bunks and campsite please, no one is leaving until it's all clean) Any dietary or other requirements let me know ASAP please as I am going to the cash and carry on Thursday!! “Not exactly Center Parcs, is it,” Judy said cheerfully as they unpacked in the cabins. “It's barely even Butlins,” Anna replied. Judy laughed. “I think they do outward bound things here, for schools and youth groups, most of the time,” she said. “Did you get a look at the assault course?” “Yeah - does everyone do it?” “In a relay, usually. Then whichever team gets the best time wins.” “And we need three for the spaghetti thing? So we’ll do that as a department?” “Three or four, so I thought we could ask Kristoff to join us?” Judy had her back to Anna as she pushed her suitcase under the bed, but Anna could feel her grin. “Sure,” she said. “Why not.” “Ow,” Anna said. “No, no, it's fine. It only hurts if I bend it like this - OW.” “Are you sure you don't want to go to A&E?” Kristoff said. “Oh, no, it's definitely not broken.” She rubbed her wrist with her other hand. “I've broken it before. We won, though, didn't we.” “Well, yes -” He had to admit that Anna’s run round the assault course had been impressive. She'd insisted on going first and had attacked it with such gusto that her low time had more than made up for the CEO ambling round the course like he had all day (while Anna bounced on the balls of her feet with frustration). She seemed to consider the fact that she'd probably sprained her wrist as a minor annoyance. “What use are you to us now,” Dan said, “If you can't tape spaghetti together.” “I’ll supply creative vision.” “Such as?” “Triangles are strongest.” “We need height, not strength. We need to get that marshmallow the highest off the ground if we're going to win, and you're the competitive one, apparently.” “You need strength to get height,” Kristoff said. “Where is our marshmallow?” Anna looked guilty. “Okay, for the scavenger hunt we need you all in pairs,” John the CEO announced. “Everybody pair up. Try and stay in departments if you can.” Dan leant over towards Anna. “Oh dear,” he said. “Our department is three people.” “So it is,” she replied. “That’s an odd number. Anna, would you do me a personal favour? Would you let me partner with Judy? Though that does mean you’ll have to find someone else, I’m sorry.” “That’s fine,” Anna said, trying not to lUgh, “did you have any suggestions? Isn’t HR just one person?” “I think he means me,” Kristoff said, behind her. “If you can stand any more of my company.” “Of course,” Anna said, turning to him. “Rather you than Dan, I spend enough time listening to him complain.” “Fine,” Dan said. “For that, we’re going to beat you,” and he turned on his heel and went to find Judy. Everyone else was pairing up, too. Anna collected the list of scavenger hunt items and looked down it. “I wish everyone wouldn't look at us like that when we stand next to each other,” Kristoff said. “They all think we're sleeping together,” Anna said matter-of-factly. “Really?” “Mmm. Having some torrid affair.” She grinned at him. “So you’ve done this before - how do we win?” The barbecue was perfectly good fun, Anna didn’t know what everyone had been complaining about. The food was fine, for a barbecue, and there was a campfire, and someone had managed to get some music playing. And there was plenty of wine and beer. At the beginning of the evening Anna had tried to circulate, to sit and talk with different people from different departments, but she kept gravitating back towards one in particular. Kristoff mainly sat over to one side and only spoke to people who spoke to him; when she looked over he was either watching her or looking at his drink. Finally she gave in and sat down next to him on the log by the campfire. His smile was immediate. “Having a good time?” “Yes! This is fun.” To her surprise, he put his arm around her. “You look so pretty today,” he said. “Thank you.” He pulled her in a bit closer. “I know they’re all looking,” he said. “Looking at me with the prettiest girl in the room. Field. Whatever.” Anna laughed. “You’re sweet.” “May I kiss you?” he asked, very serious. “Everyone can see us.” “Oh.” He looked down at his feet. “I didn’t say no.” His face lit up again, and Anna wondered exactly how much he’d had to drink; but then, she wasn’t exactly sober either. He kissed her, but Anna jumped away from him when a piercing wolf-whistle went off on the other side of the fire. Kristoff just laughed, then cupped the back of her head and kissed her again; this time a cheer went up but it didn’t last long. The kiss lasted longer, and when it finished Anna found that she was now sitting on Kristoff’s lap - which one of them had done that? Maybe both. It was comfortable, though. She snuggled up and accepted another plastic cup of the not-as-bad-as-she-was-expecting white wine that was being passed along the line. She loved team-building. By half-eleven the group round the bonfire was noticeably thinning as people retired to their bunkbeds. Anna decided she might as well go to bed as well - the evening was clearly winding down - so she said her goodnights and tottered off in the direction of the women’s cabin. She was walking along the path through the trees, wondering vaguely if she was going to be able to climb into her bunk with only one good hand without falling off the ladder, when someone came up behind her and grabbed her arm. She jumped, and yelped. “I'm sorry!” the man said, and she turned to see Kristoff, looking worried. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry,” he said again, slipping his arms round her waist. “I didn't mean to startle you, it's only me.” “What are you doing here?” she said, “I was just going to bed.” “I wanted to kiss you goodnight,” he said. “May I?” His lips were already only millimetres from hers. Anna reached up and pulled his head down to close the gap. They kissed. Anna’s legs were already a little wobbly, and she let herself lean on Kristoff; he stumbled slightly, and Anna ended up with her back pressed against a tree. Kristoff moved his hands to her hips, then let one wander upwards as he started to kiss her jaw and neck. He’d never been this forward before; his whole body was pressed against hers, and when his kisses returned to her lips they were deep and passionate. Anna pulled herself up on his shoulders and hooked a leg round his hips; he ground against her and she gasped against his mouth. And then she had a sudden mental image of them trying to sneak onto the bunkbed to have sex and snorted with laughter. Kristoff pulled back a little in surprise. “What?” he said. Anna kept giggling as she put her foot back down. “Sorry. Sorry. It’s just -” He let go of her and pulled back further. Anna was confused until she saw a group of people coming along the path to the cabins, and she quickly stepped back onto the path and pulled her top straight. “Goodnight,” she said. “Goodnight,” Kristoff replied, and then he was gone. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- “I don’t know, Anna. Are you sure you’re ready for a new relationship?” “It’s not a relationship! It’s, it’s a support group. He got divorced, earlier this year.” “Have you slept with him?” “No!” Elsa said nothing. Anna hated that, how Elsa would let the silence sit until Anna tried to fill it. She hated more that she always would try and fill it. “Look, I don’t know if it’ll go anywhere,” she said. “But he’s easy to talk to, and he likes me, and he’s a good kisser -” Oops. “Anna! You said you hadn’t slept with him!” “Oh, for - I know it’s not your area of expertise, but there is a world of difference between kissing someone occasionally and having actual sexual intercourse with them.” The fact that, if trees had the ability to magically turn into double beds behind locking doors, she absolutely would have slept with him, was an entirely different point. She didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad one that Arundel Print didn't hold their events at hotels like normal companies. Another pause, but Anna held her tongue during this one, until her sister continued. “I suppose. Are you sure you’ll be alright this weekend? I’ll come over if you need me.” “No, it’s fine. I’ll be fine.” “Sure?” “Sure.” The Sunday morning of the team-building weekend wasn't nearly as bad as Anna feared when she woke up in her sleeping bag, hungover and blushing bright red at the memory of how Kristoff had kissed her (in public by the campfire, and in semi-private - well). But aside from a few odd comments, no one said very much. They really do think we’re already doing it, Anna realised. No one was very chatty at breakfast, anyway, and cleaning up the campsite didn't take long. Kristoff himself was the same as always, a little subdued but then everyone was. When she saw him Anna tried not to remember the night before, the way he had pressed his body against hers; soon , she just thought, and that kept her warm all the drive home. Of course she didn’t want to be getting married today. He was a cheater and a liar and she was well rid of him, she knew that. But there was the little part of her brain that still lived in the fantasy, where Matt was a good man and they loved each other and right now she’d be having her hair done, and putting on her dress; right now she’d be walking down the aisle. Now he’d be making a speech, all about how lucky he was to have her. By now she’d be someone’s wife. It was that late-afternoon slump, just gone 4pm, when it was too late to really go anywhere but too early to think about dinner. Anna lay on the sofa and stared at the ceiling. There was nothing she wanted to do but she didn’t want to stay here, either. Her whole body felt itchy. Why would today not just end . The doorbell rang. Anna turned her head to it and, for the first time in her life, gave serious thought to not answering it. It rang again. Ugh, fine . It was a florist. Anna walked back through to her living room with the bunch of flowers, fumbling for the card. She was sure they were from her sister until she read it - Just remember, someone in IT thinks you’re pretty. Tears pricked her eyes. Sweet. He was so sweet. She found a vase in the kitchen and put the flowers in water. Could she call him? He was probably busy. But she should thank him. A text, then. thank you for the flowers they helped on a hard day x you’re welcome, I’m glad you liked them is it the kind of hard day where you want company or to be left alone I don’t know yes maybe yes to which part company come over in a bit? If you’re free of course well need to finish up some things here seven ish? And we’ll do something to take your mind off it OK thanks x At quarter to seven Anna realised she was still in her pyjamas. At least she’d showered, but she hadn’t brushed her hair. What did seven-ish mean? A bit before or a bit after? She was still scrambling into jeans and a clean top when the doorbell rang. Quick drag of the brush through her hair, no time for make-up, oh well. This was her face and if he didn’t like it - Kristoff was wearing a shirt, and his nice jacket, and proper shoes. He’d been planning to take her out somewhere, clearly. Why was she such a disaster? The nice man had sent her flowers and wanted to take her out for dinner and she’d barely bothered to get dressed . “Hi,” she said, then “sorry.” “Sorry for what?” He followed her through to the living room. “Sorry, I didn’t think you meant….I thought you meant we could hang out here.” “We can do that.” “I’m sorry, I’m just...not really with it today.” “It’s fine, Anna.” He sat down on the sofa. “Have you eaten yet?” “No.” She paused. “I had breakfast.” “Not lunch?” “No. I’m hungry.” She sat down next to him and took out her phone. “What do you want? Pizza, Indian - ooh, Chinese.” “Chinese sounds good. How do you just skip lunch without noticing?” Anna tapped on her phone and then handed it to him. “Choose what you want, my treat.” “Are you sure?” “Yes, away with your - chivalry. And I slept quite long. Just to pass the time. So maybe I had lunch but not breakfast rather than the other way round.” She took her phone back from him and completed the order. “Thirty minutes and someone will bring me food. I love living in the future. Speaking of which,” she picked up the remote, “Netflix. I get to choose because I’m sad today.” “I - do not know how to argue with that.” “Good. Best thing about this flat,” Anna said, scrolling down the menu, “Is that it’s cabled so the broadband is excellent. Where I lived before it was rubbish. It’s pretty much the only thing I like about this place.” “What’s wrong with your flat? It’s fine.” Anna pulled a face. “Well,” Kristoff continued, “Do you not like where it is? The location?” “No, that’s okay.” “Good, because that’s the only thing you can’t change.” “It’s just all - beige.” “You can change the colour of the walls, you know.” “I know. I don’t know how.” “Then pay someone else to do it. Or find a friend who does know how. Look -” He sat forward and looked round the room. “OK. Find a wallpaper you like - something colourful. Maybe flowers, yellow and green - do the wall behind the sofa. Pick a colour out from it, maybe yellow, and paint the other walls.” “It’ll clash with the sofa. Which I did not choose, a friend was throwing it out.” “You can get new covers for sofas, or just put something over it, a blanket or whatever. Get some cushions that go with the wallpaper. You know, things girls like.” “Hmm.” “What’s in all those boxes?” “Books, mainly. Ornaments.” “Couple of bookcases over there, then. Go to Ikea.” “I can’t do flatpacks, it’s a disaster.” “Jesus. Get some ready-made ones from somewhere else, then. Put some more pictures up.” He was looking round the room, and it was a moment before he glanced back at her and realised she was crying. “Anna? Fuck.” He put his arm round her and pulled her towards him. “I’m sorry, just tell me to shut up.” “S’not that - you’re right - I just -” With his free arm Kristoff reached the tissue box on the coffee table and handed it to her. Anna pulled out a handful and rubbed at her face. “It’s just - I have to do everything. I’ve never lived alone before. I’m in my mid-thirties and I’ve never lived alone before. There’s so much, so many things , and I can’t…” He rubbed her arm. “It’ll get easier.” “What if it doesn’t.” “Anna…” He looked thoughtful for a moment. “I think in a year or two you’re going to look back and think, wow. I mean - not just the wedding thing. You moved to a new town, and a new job, you put basically the maximum amount of disruption into your life all at once. It’ll work out but of course this is super-stressful. You’re right in the middle of probably the most stressful period of your life.” “My parents both died when I was seventeen.” “Really? Fuck. Second-most, then. But still. It will get better. It will, you just need to keep going.” Anna blew her nose, loudly. “It’s shit ,” she said, with feeling. “Yeah, I know. But it was always going to be. Also, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you swear before.” “I save it for when I need it. And you’re the one who just got divorced.” “Yeah, but I still have the same house, the same job, the same friends. And my family around. And we’d been separated for a while.” Anna rested her cheek on his chest and he kissed the top of her head. “I’m going to end up decorating this living room, aren’t I,” Kristoff said. “I’ve had a sudden premonition.” “That’s a very kind offer, thank you.” “Oi. You’re going to help.” “If you tell me what to do.” “Of course.” The food was reasonable, and old sitcoms as reliable a source of mild entertainment as always. Normally this would be a perfectly fine way to spend an evening, especially with a nice warm man to snuggle up against. But Anna still felt out of sorts. Well, she had an idea about how to cheer herself up. When the episode finished, she pulled Kristoff’s face round to hers and kissed him. When he started to turn back away she kissed him again, and tangled her fingers in his hair, and then he understood and pulled her into his arms. He wasn't as forceful as the previous weekend, but that was okay. When Anna turned a little in her seat and lay back against the sofa cushions, it didn’t take much encouragement to pull him along with her, to settle his weight above her, warm and safe. Anna wiggled her legs round until she could hook a foot behind his knee. This was nice, very nice. Anna kissed him and tried to remember if she’d made her bed (no), and if she had any condoms (yes, but she couldn’t remember which drawer in her bedroom they were in) and what underwear she was wearing (cotton with a print of dancing owls, better get that off as quickly as possible). She moved her lips from his to kiss her way along his jaw and onto his neck; when she reached his ear she whispered “Shall we take this to the bedroom?” in the sexiest voice she could manage. Kristoff pulled back a bit, breathing hard. He pushed himself up on his hands and she waited, thinking he was just catching his breath. Then he kissed her gently on the lips, just once, and said “I think - I don’t think I’m ready for that just yet.” He sat up. Suddenly cold, Anna swung her legs round to sit next to him. “Oh,” she said, looking at her hands. “It’s not you,” he said quickly. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I just -” “It’s okay. I mean, of course it’s okay.” Anna swallowed hard. “You shouldn’t do anything you don’t want to.” “Of course I want to.” “They why -” “It just - means more to me. It’s not, casual. For me.” Anna nodded, sniffed, and scrubbed at her eyes with the palms of her hands. “Hey,” Kristoff said. “Stop that. Don’t start crying again over some old fart who’s so boring he only has sex with people he’s in a serious relationship with.” Anna sniffed. “What do you mean, again.” “You were definitely crying earlier. When I suggested you decorate your living room.” She laughed but it turned into a sob. “I’ll stop, I’m sorry…” He put an arm round her shoulder. “Would you like me to stay tonight?” he said quietly. “But you just said…” “I mean, just stay. Sleep here. So you're not by yourself.” “I don't have a spare bed. And I don’t think you’ll fit on the sofa. So we’d have to - share.” “That's fine.” “You're sure? I'd like you to stay. If you're sure.” “I suggested it, remember?” “Okay, then. Thank you.” Kristoff left to fetch his pyjamas and toothbrush (which had made Anna smile when he said it; like a sleepover. Which she supposed it was. Had half the reason she wanted to sleep with him been because she didn’t want to sleep alone tonight? Let’s not think about that too hard, Anna). She brushed her own teeth, and put on clean pyjamas, and made her bed and tidied up her room a bit. What if he changed his mind once he got home? Then you’ll be fine . Go to sleep, tomorrow is another day. Another day on which she should have been flying to Mauritius. Ugh. The door buzzed, and it was Kristoff, with a rucksack slung over his back. “Let’s do this, then,” he said. “Goodnight,” Anna said, and turned out the light. She kept her back to him, then thought, was that rude? But they were just here to sleep. She half-turned; Kristoff was lying on his back, and he turned his face to her when she moved. “This is a bit weird,” she said, feeling awkward. “I mean, isn’t it? I’ll try not to - molest you in my sleep, or anything.” “Believe me,” he said. “It's quite possible to share a bed with someone night after night and never touch at all.” He didn't sound bitter as he said it, just sad, and Anna thought about how lonely that must have been. “I'm sorry,” she said, rolling onto her back next to him. “I'm so wrapped up in myself today.” “I think you're allowed to be, today.” “What was she like?” Kristoff hesitated. Then he said, “I don't know, about five foot six? Dark hair, blue eyes.” “You know that’s not what I meant. What happened? I mean, if you want to tell me,” she added hurriedly. Kristoff was silent for a while, and Anna worried she’d over-stepped. Then he said, “Lots of things. Lots of little things. But the one big thing was that before we got married we both said we wanted to have children one day, one day soon, then afterwards she changed her mind.” “Oh.” “Well, it wasn’t as clear-cut as that - there was always some reason to wait. For her. And...I don’t know. We started arguing about it a lot. And there were other things, too, but maybe we could have got through them.” Anna put out her hand and found his. “Last year,” he continued, “It was bad. But I remember, one evening - we’d had dinner and we were clearing up, and it was - calm - but I just remember knowing, so clearly, that it was going to end. That it was inevitable. And it was really...” He ran his free hand over his face. “It was really fucking sad.” “I’m sorry.” He squeezed her hand. “And here we are,” he said. “I survived. So will you.” “Just about. But what now?” “Now you go to sleep.” He squeezed her hand again and let it go. “Goodnight.” “Goodnight. And thank you.” “You’re welcome. Go to sleep.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Anna opened her eyes. She was lying on her side, and someone was watching her. He smiled when he saw that she was awake. “Good morning, beautiful.” “Morning.” She was smiling back; she couldn’t help it. Kristoff stroked her hair back from her face, then put his arm round her and pulled her towards him. Anna snuggled up against his chest. “Were you watching me sleep? Weirdo.” “You looked so pretty.” “I was probably drooling.” “Hey, now. None of us can help what we find attractive.” Anna snorted. “What’s the time?” Kristoff peered over her to see the clock. “Just gone eight. Do you have anywhere to be?” “No, just curious.” He kissed her on the top of the head. “Tea?” “Mm. In a minute. ‘M ver’ cosy.” “OK.” He stroked her hair. She fell back asleep. When Anna woke up again she was alone in the bed, but Kristoff was just walking out of the room, stretching as he did so. His moving must have been what had woken her. She turned and looked at the clock; it was closer to nine now. Probably time to be getting up. She could hear Kristoff in the kitchen. He filled the kettle and put it on, then leant on the worktop, lost in thought. Anna watched him from the doorway. His pyjamas were grey, long trousers and short sleeves, and the fabric was soft and pilled from wear. His feet were bare, and for some reason that made a little ache in Anna’s heart. He looked at home. Yesterday! She’d been supposed to marry a completely different man, yesterday! And now….she wanted Kristoff to be at home here. She wanted to walk into the kitchen and find him making tea in his pyjamas, and to have him smile at her when she woke up. She didn’t want him to go. You always rush into everything. This was supposed to just be a little easy, comfortable thing, a cosy space to rest until they both felt ready for a real relationship again. But it was rapidly becoming much more than that. She couldn’t imagine that mythical future man, her husband, the father of her children; she didn’t want him. She wanted Kristoff. She wanted this. The kettle clicked off and Kristoff started looking for mugs. He saw Anna in the doorway and smiled. “I didn’t mean to wake you.” “It’s okay. I am prepared to concede,” she said, walking over to him, “That it is morning.” She let him fold her back into his arms. Don’t let me go, she thought. I think that maybe, possibly, I love you. I’m sorry. It was a couple of weeks later. She’d seen him all day at work (or at least a few times, and they’d eaten lunch together as they often did, and walked home together), but Anna still found herself missing Kristoff that Friday evening. Maybe it was because they hadn’t made any plans for the weekend, so she didn’t know if she’d see him before Monday. Or maybe she was just bored. Either way, at half-six she found herself putting on her shoes and walking down the road to find him. She didn’t think about whether she should have called first until she rang the doorbell. Too late now. After a moment she saw Kristoff through the frosted glass panel, and she heard him say “This’ll be them now,” to someone behind him as he opened it. “Oh!” he said when he saw her, and smiled. “Hi, Anna.” “Hi, I was just….oh, you have guests, I'll go.” “No, it's fine. Come in.” He ushered her in and closed the door behind her before she could protest. “What's up?” “Nothing, really, I just wondered if you were busy, but you are, so -” “Join us,” a man’s voice called from the living room. “The more the merrier.” “I just have some people over for dinner,” Kristoff said. “Stay.” He waved her into the living room. “These are my friends Sven and Jessica, and this is Ben -” he gestured at a little boy sitting on the floor playing with some toy cars - “and that's Daisy -” he pointed at the baby Jessica was holding. “And my parents will be here in a minute. This is my friend Anna from work,” he said to the room. “Let me just check on the food.” “Lovely to meet you,” Jessica said. “At last,” Sven said cheerfully. Anna stood awkwardly, wondering what Kristoff had been saying about her. He'd introduced her as his friend. Should she just be his friend? Was that what he wanted? “Sven,” Jessica said, “Did you bring in the other bag, is it in the car?” “No. Yes. It's in the car.” Jessica sighed and handed him the baby. “Hold this. Back in a sec.” She left, and as the door shut behind her Ben shouted “MUMMY DADDY MY CAR.” Anna and Sven looked down, and saw the little boy lying full length on the floor, peering under the sofa. “Blast,” Sven said. “Here, hold this,” and he handed Anna the baby and lay down on the floor beside his son. Anna juggled the baby onto her shoulder. “Kristoff,” Sven called, “Do you have anything long? Like a metre rule?” “Like a what?” Kristoff came back through, taking off oven gloves. “It's all the way at the back.” “Then pull the sofa forwards, hang on, move up -” The doorbell rang. “That'll be my mum,” Kristoff said. “Hang on.” “Aha!” Sven said triumphantly. “There you go, son.” He held up the car. “Now where did I put your sister? If I lose her Mummy will be cross.” “Um, here,” Anna said. “Here, take her before I drop her -” “Is that something you're planning to do?” Sven said, taking back the baby. Anna hung back as Kristoff’s friend greeted his parents. Jessica had returned also, holding a huge changing bag, and they clearly all knew each other well and were happy to see each other. Anna wondered if she should make her excuses and leave, but when she edged towards the door Kristoff came through it from the kitchen and handed her a glass of wine. “Food in ten,” he said, trying to pass another glass to his mother, but she waved him away in favour of holding the baby. Anna followed Kristoff back through to the kitchen. “Are you sure you don't want me to go? I could have an important Thing that I need to go and do.” “Do you? Have a thing.” “No.” “Well, then.” “I'm intruding -” “You come here when you don't want to be alone,” Kristoff said. “There's plenty of people in this house and I was worried I'd done too many potatoes as it is. Stay.” Anna hesitated, twirling her glass. “What's for dinner?” “Roast chicken.” Sven came into the kitchen and started wordlessly rifling through the top drawer. “What’re you doing?” Kristoff said after a minute. “Setting another place at the table,” Sven said. “Since you can’t count. We’re one short.” “He didn’t know I was coming,” Anna said. “A likely story,” Sven said. “Never mind, I’ve got you,” and he went through to the dining room, holding a handful of cutlery. Anna had seen Kristoff eating leftovers for lunch at work, so she knew he liked to cook. He’d even offered to make her dinner a couple of times, though they’d never got round to it. But since he’d finished work he’d managed to make roast chicken, roast potatoes, vegetables, yorkshire puddings and gravy for six-and-a-half people, and it was delicious. She’d underestimated his abilities by some margin. And god, his friends were nice, and their children delightful; his parents were lovely and friendly and welcoming, and no one seemed to mind that she’d gatecrashed a dinner party. Anna could tell that Kristoff’s parents, his mother in particular, were trying to size her up and work out whether she was Kristoff’s girlfriend. She wondered if she should tell them that she wasn’t really sure herself. Sven and Jessica left straight after dinner to put the children to bed. Kristoff’s parents stayed a little longer for a final cup of tea, then they said goodnight as well and Kristoff went to the door to see them out. When he came back into the kitchen Anna was sitting at the breakfast bar, refilling her wine glass. She took a deep drink from it and said “We should have a baby.” “I’m sorry?” “No, look, look. It makes sense. You want to be a father, right? At some point. It’s something you want from your life. Right?” “Well, yes.” “OK. And I want to have a baby. And we’re both employed and have safe places to live and everything. So we should just do it. We wouldn’t have to live together or anything, we could share it. One week on, one week off. Ooooorr we could have TWO babies. One each.” “Come on,” Kristoff said, taking the wine glass from her and putting it in the sink. “I'll walk you home.” “Your mum liked me. She'd be happy.” “She probably would, at that.” “Then let's -” “No.” “Everyone makes jokes about biological clocks,” Anna said as they walked down the front steps, “But it’s true. I turned thirty and my ovaries just starting shouting at me.” “You’ve plenty of time yet.” Anna looked him up and down. “Do you think you’ll get married again? One day?” “I don’t know. I didn’t turn out to be very good at it.” “Don’t say that.” “Well, it’s true.” “With someone else it would be different.” “Different, sure.” He set his jaw. Anna walked alongside him in a silence for a minute. “How about you?” Kristoff said suddenly. “Do you still want to get married?” “Of course, some day. But. I don’t know if I want to plan a wedding again? Or not the same wedding, obviously, but then…” She paused. “Like my dress. It was so pretty , and if I went looking for another dress to marry someone else, would I deliberately look for something different? But then that was my favourite! I don’t want a second-best dress to marry the actually-decent man. But I’d be stuck between choosing the dress I was going to marry Matt in, or a dress I don’t like as much. Which would be rubbish.” “Get married on a beach, then,” Kristoff said. “Wear a white bikini and sunglasses. Sparkly flip-flops.” Anna laughed. “I guess that’s an option. And the groom in board shorts. No. A speedo.” He smiled. “It sounds like a classy event, I hope I’m invited.” Anna couldn’t think what to say, so she said nothing. Kristoff didn’t seem to notice. They’d reached her building; Anna stopped at the door and Kristoff stopped with her, his hands in his pockets. “Do I get a goodnight kiss?” she said. “Of course.” He cupped the side of her face and kissed her; nicely, but quickly. “Not like that,” she said. “Properly.” He smiled, and she reached up to wrap her arms round his shoulders. “Like this,” she said, and kissed him. She felt him smile briefly against her lips, then he slid one arm round her waist and the other round to cup the back of her head with his hand, holding her in place while he deepened the kiss. “Like that?” he said, when he finally pulled back. “I -” Anna said, and stopped herself in time. “Yes. Like that.” Kristoff smiled. “Goodnight, then.” He didn’t release her, still holding her in his arms. “Goodnight.” Anna didn’t move, either. Instead she kissed him again, and another time, not wanting him to leave but not wanting to risk inviting rejection by asking him to come upstairs. A car drove along the road and they jumped, separating only slightly. “I feel like a teenager,” Anna said. She meant, because they were standing kissing on a street corner, but when Kristoff said softly “Me too,” she felt her stomach swoop. “We could elope,” she said, not thinking about the words until they were out. “We could just go, not worry about dresses or flower arrangements or, or any of that. Just go, and do it, and…” Kristoff’s eyes were searching her face. He said nothing, just gently stroked his hand over her hair. Anna waited for him to tell her that she was being silly, that she should go home,for him to ask her what the hell she was talking about. She waited. And then he said, quietly, “I don’t know what to do.” “About what?” He let his hands drop, then, and took half a step backwards. “I - this is all new to me,” he said. “I feel like - we only just met, it’s only been a couple of months, and yet - I know you. I know - that I love you. I want to spend my life with you. And I never - this is so fast and so sudden but it feels right. It doesn’t feel like me, at all.” He sighed and closed his eyes. “I feel like I'm going mad.” “In a - good way?” Anna said in a small voice. “I don't know. I -” He looked up at the sky, then back at her. “I don’t know what to do. Maybe this whole thing was a bad idea. It’s too soon.” “Kris -” “You don’t want to marry me, Anna,” he said. “I couldn’t do it. I tried, but I wasn’t good enough. You deserve better.” “Don’t you dare -” He was backing away now, and she followed him. “Don’t you dare go! Kristoff .” But he was walking away, and what could she do? “I love you,” she said, and she thought he paused for a split-second, but he didn’t turn back. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Anna’s eyes were blind with tears by the time she opened her flat door. She went straight through to the bedroom and threw herself on the bed. What the - FUCK - is wrong with you. You can’t just tell men you’re not even officially seeing that you want to marry them and have their babies. Of course they’re going to freak out and run away. You MORON. She rolled over and stared at the ceiling. That same stupid ceiling. She should put something up there, the amount of time she spent lying here alone staring at it. Maybe one of those Where’s Wally posters like they had at the dentist. Her phone rang, waking her from a doze, and Anna forced herself up to find her handbag, which she had dropped somewhere in the hall. It was a number she didn’t recognise. Anna answered it automatically. “Hello?” “Ah, hi, this is Sven McAllister? We met earlier this evening, Kristoff gave me your number, I’m here with him now, he has something to say to you - yes he fucking does, come back here -” There was the sound of a door slamming. “Oh, Jesus. He’s just - okay. I’d better - just quickly, sorry, Anna, are you still there?” “Yes?” “Quick message. He’s a fucking idiot, we all know this, but please don’t give up on him. Okay. I’d better go, sorry to disturb you -” The call disconnected. Anna looked down at her phone, her heart thumping. Don’t give up on him . There was a knock at the flat door, or rather a series of thumps. She put down the phone and went to look through the peephole. Kristoff was leaning against the opposite wall, out of breath - and he must have run straight here, to be outside her door so quickly. Anna steadied herself and opened the door. Kristoff pushed himself onto his feet. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m sorry. Sven rang a bit after I got home and asked about you, and I - told him some of what happened, and he came back over and shouted at me and took my phone.” “He said you were an - effing idiot,” Anna said. Kristoff smiled ruefully. “He said that to me, too. Several times. And I’m not saying he’s wrong.” “And he said I shouldn’t give up on you.” Kristoff sighed. “It’s been a long year,” he said. “For you too, I know. Maybe I feel like - I’ve given up on me, why shouldn’t you.” “Your friends clearly haven’t.” “Sven’s been my best friend nearly twenty years. If he was going to give up on me, he’s had plenty of opportunities.” “You’re so lucky, to have a friend like that.” “I know.” Kristoff pulled a face. “I hope he’s not still looking for me.” They were both silent for a minute. Kristoff looked at his feet. “I meant it,” Anna said. “What I said, on the street. I meant it. I love you.” “I know. I love you too.” Another silence. “So now what?” Anna said. “Now we’ve got ourselves here, now what?” Kristoff’s phone rang and he fished it out of his pocket, smiled at the screen, and answered it with “I’m at Anna’s, I’m talking to her, go home to your family, you mad Scottish bastard.” He listened for a minute. “I’ve got one. OK. Go home. Bye.” He hung up. “He was worried I’d run out without a key and locked myself out.” “That's the kind of thing I do. Lock myself out, I mean. Plus, you know, general tendency to leap without even considering looking - and saying the first thing that’s on my mind and going too fast -” “Anna. It’s okay.” “No, it's not - look. I'm sorry. We can go as slow as you want, okay? I can do that, I can. I promise. I just don't want to lose you.” He nodded. “I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm so…” “You're fine.” Anna stepped forward and hugged him. After a second he hugged her back. “Kristoff,” she said into his chest, “Can I ask you something?” “Of course?” “Am I your girlfriend?” “I'd like that.” “Me too.” He kissed the top of her head. “It's settled, then.” Taking it slow. Okay, she could do that. So she didn’t see him on Saturday (although she did text him a bit), and on Sunday he came round and watched a film and at no point did Anna say ‘if I’m your girlfriend does that mean we can have sex now’ and it was nice and cosy and they kissed a bit on the sofa and then he went home because it was a school night. She wondered if she should ring Sven and thank him. Would that be weird? Probably. Anna had also wondered if it would feel awkward at work but it felt the same as ever. Judy did have once to ring down to IT to find her, but she really was there for a genuine reason and she’d have been back in a couple of minutes anyway. Probably. Why were leaflets for a dog grooming business an ‘emergency’ anyway. On Thursday, Kristoff and Anna walked home together, so when he rang her ten minutes later she was a little surprised. “Quick question,” he said, “Are you free this weekend?” “Yes, I think so. What day?” “Both days.” “Are we going somewhere?” “Maybe. Are you free?” “Yes, sure.” “OK. Bye -” “Wait! What’s this about?” “It’s a surprise. I’ll come over later and tell you.” And he hung up. A couple of hours later there was a knock on Anna’s door. It was the person she was expecting. “Denmark,” he said. “Denmark?” “You can just email them your documents and then turn up and get married. No waiting period. Pretty much anywhere else in the EU it takes at least a week, I’ve been looking into it and really you’d need more than a weekend to go to Las Vegas or somewhere, but - and I rang this Danish company earlier and spoke to a very nice lady called Gerda and they have a cancellation for this Saturday. Four PM. Said I’d let her know in the morning. And send her scans of your birth certificate and passport and everything. If, you know. That’s something you still want to do.” He paused for breath, leaning on the doorframe. “Kristoff,” Anna said. “Is this - a proposal?” “I - I mean, it was your idea - but yes. Yes I suppose it is.” He laughed. “Will you marry me? In Denmark? On Saturday?” “Is that why you asked if I was free this weekend?” “Yes. I mean, we can just go and have a mini-break or whatever, we don’t have to do the wedding part if you don’t want.” “But you do? You said - and I don’t want to rush you -” “Last time, I was sensible. Last time I waited and I planned how I was going to ask her and we lived together first for six months to make sure, and we saved up for a deposit and it was all so organised and then it just - went to shit. You can do everything right and it still goes wrong. So I was just - fuck it. Fuck it. I love you. Let’s get married.” Anna laughed. “Okay,” she said. “Okay. Yes. Yes.” “Yes?” “Yes. Just one thing, though, and don’t take this the wrong way -” “What?” “....have you been drinking?” He laughed. “No. I’m just - life’s short, you know? Life’s so fucking short. Marry me.” “I already said I would. And, um, you don’t have to stand in the doorway, come in.” He came through, kicked the door shut behind him, and pulled her into his arms. “You’re very masterful today,” she said, laughing. “I know what I want, so I thought I’d come and get it,” he said. “Sorry, that was a bit much, wasn’t it?” She kissed him, still giggling. He kissed her back, but had to stop when he also started laughing. “Let’s not tell anyone until after we’ve done it,” Anna said. “Isn’t that the point of eloping?” Kristoff said. Then he pulled a face. “My mother’s going to go spare.” “And my sister. But I don’t care. Did you already organise flights and everything?” “Flights, car hire, hotel. We’ll have to get the train to the airport. We can sneak out at lunchtime tomorrow and get rings, that’s all, isn’t it?” “Yes. I think so. Yes. That’s everything.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- You have arrived at your destination , the satnav on Kristoff’s phone announced as he put on the handbrake and turned off the car engine. "Last chance to change your mind," he said. His tone was light but Anna knew he was serious. She looked up through the hire car windscreen at the dull grey municipal building in front of them and felt a tiny pang for the beautiful wedding she had been planning just a few months ago (with the flowers, and the personalised favours, and the table centrepieces, and the three-course sit-down meal for thirty). But when she looked over at Kristoff it was easy to remember what was really important. She smiled at him. "Ready if you are," she said, and he smiled back. "Let's go, then," he said. The first meeting was brief and mainly involved showing the originals of the documents they had sent by email. Then, just as Anna was steeling herself to say her marriage vows in someone's office, the official - Gerda - stood and said "Well, shall we go out to the garden?" On their way back down the stairs Gerda gathered two of her colleagues to be witnesses, then lead them all across the car park. Anna followed, lost in thought until Kristoff took her hand and squeezed it. She looked up at him in surprise and he lifted her fingers to his lips and kissed them. Gerda ushered them through a gate and along a path. "A little this way," she said, "And there is a -" she hesitated, turned to her colleague and said something in Danish. He shrugged. Gerda waved a hand. "You will see. Anyway, you have missed most of the flowers for this year, but it is still nice I think." "I'm sure it is," Anna said politely, then "Pergola!" as they turned a corner in the path. "That's it," Gerda said, "A pergola. Now, you both stand here, and I will stand here, and if you give Vilhem your mobile telephone he will take some photographs for you if you like." "Oh, yes," Anna said, rummaging in her bag. She unlocked her phone and handed it to the man indicated, then put out her hand so Kristoff could take it again. He tugged on her hand, and when she turned he bent down and kissed her, lightly, on the lips. "Alright?" he said softly. "Perfect," Anna replied. Gerda cleared her throat and they both turned to face her. They dined at the hotel restaurant that evening. It was busy on a Saturday night, and halfway through the meal a band starting setting up in the corner of the tiny dancefloor. Afterwards Anna couldn't remember what she had to eat or drink; all she could remember was spending most of the time smiling at her husband sitting opposite, not being able to stop smiling. They'd agreed not to tell anyone back home what they'd done until the next day, and the fun of the secret just added to Anna's glee. She wasn't even worried about her sister's reaction. Kristoff just smiled back, and every time his hand was free he sneaked it across the table to take hers. He particularly liked to take her left hand and run his thumb over the new band of gold on her ring finger. "I'm just realising," Anna said after their meal was over and they were finishing a last glass of wine, "How much I don't know about you. I don't even know what car you drive." "Probably because I don't," Kristoff replied. "I walk everywhere. You drive a red Fiat 500." "I do. Why don't you have a car? I know you drive, you drove today." Kristoff pulled a face. "It wasn't mine." "What?" He sighed. "I didn't really want to think about her this weekend, but if you insist - it was Leanne's car, I was just on her insurance although I assume I'm not any more. I haven't replaced it because I don't really need one so it seemed pointless to spend the money." "I'll let you drive mine if you're careful with her," Anna said. "And if you fit in the driver's seat." Kristoff smiled. "It's fine, you can be my chauffeur." He picked up his half-full glass and swirled it. “Anything else you want to know?” he said. “Though it’s too late to question me about my terrible personal habits.” “I don’t know. Um. Do you have any tattoos?” “No. Do you?” “Yes, one.” “Really? Where?” “That’s for me to know and for you to find out.” “I look forward to it,” he said, and Anna felt herself blush. Which was ridiculous. “It’s not anywhere -” she said. “I mean, it’s on my shoulder blade.” “What’s it of?” “A sunflower. Well, the sunflower is a cover-up, but they did a really good job, you can’t tell.” “A cover-up for what?” Anna sighed. “Okay, here’s a life tip for you - if you think someone’s about to break up with you, don’t get their name tattooed on you to show them how much you love them. Because they’ll freak out and definitely break up with you. The sunflower was my sister’s idea.” Kristoff nodded. “I’ll bear that in mind.” “I’m sorry.” “For what?” “That I have another man’s name tattooed on me. Even if you can’t see it.” “Anna, I can hardly complain about something that happened years ago - I’m assuming this was years ago -” “Oh, god, yes. I was eighteen and a half, my sister went down to the tattoo parlour and shouted at everybody for letting me do it.” “Exactly. I can hardly complain about that when I was married to someone else earlier this year .” “It’s okay,” Anna said, putting down her glass and taking his hands across the table. “I mean it. I was engaged to someone else at the time, for goodness sake.” “True.” The band changed to a slower song and the dancefloor started to fill with swaying couples. “Let’s dance,” Anna said. “Come on.” Kristoff hesitated, then drained his drink and stood to let her pull him over to the dancefloor. “I’m not much of a dancer,” he said, putting his arms loosely round her waist. Anna draped hers over his shoulders. “This is fine,” she said. “Stop doing that face.” “Sorry.” A new song began, and Anna laughed. “What is it? Is my dancing that bad?” “No, the song. I just realised what song it is. Wise men say, only fools rush in -” “But I can’t help, falling in love with you.” He laughed too. “Is this our song?” “Why not.” She rested her head on his chest and he kissed her hair. “Let’s go upstairs,” she whispered, and wasn’t sure for a moment whether he had heard her; then he moved his hand from her waist to lift her chin, and kissed her gently on the lips. “Let’s,” he said quietly. Anna found herself watching Kristoff’s hands as he unlocked the hotel room door. Neither of them had said anything as they’d walked up the stairs; they’d shared conspiratorial glances and smiles, and it felt to Anna like they were sneaking out, running away. Now he was opening the door, and holding out a hand to usher her in; now he was locking it again behind them, putting on the chain. Anna stood just inside the door -beside the bed - her heart thumping. For something to do, she took out her hair-clip and combed her hair down with her fingers. Kristoff had turned and was watching her. He opened his mouth as if he was about to speak, then closed it and shook his head. Instead, he walked over to her and ran his fingers through her hair to cup the side of her face. His expression was so soft, so tender, that Anna felt her eyes pricking. She put her hand on his shoulder and pulled herself up to kiss him. She kissed him, and slipped her hands up his chest and over his shoulders to push his jacket off and onto the floor. He wrapped his arms round her, holding her close, and when Anna kicked off her shoes he lifted her up bodily without breaking the kiss and tumbled them onto the bed. Then suddenly he broke away, looking worried. “What is it?” Anna asked. “Are you on the pill?” “No?” He sighed. “I forgot to bring any condoms. What an idiot. I don’t suppose you did?” “No…” He stood and bent to pick up his jacket. “Maybe if I go down and ask at the bar -” Anna put her hand on his arm. “Kristoff! Wait. Um. Do we need one? I mean. I’m good if you are.” He turned back to her. “Are you sure?” “Yeah, I - you know, I don’t think it’s the right time of the month anyway so I don’t think there’s much risk, and obviously after I found out everything with Matt I got myself checked out and everything, in case, so that’s fine, but like I said, there’s a risk but not much of one -” He kissed her full on the mouth and pushed her back onto the bed. Kristoff fell asleep before Anna did. She watched him sleeping for a minute, then pulled her left hand out from under the covers and held it up. She’d barely had time to get used to her ring finger being bare and now it wasn’t again. Have we done something really stupid? she thought. Oh, god, what’s everyone going to say? ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- “What time is our flight?” “I emailed you all the details.” “Yes, and it’s very sweet that you think I read them.” Kristoff rolled his eyes. “One fifteen. So you need to put some clothes on if you want breakfast.” Anna rolled onto her front. Kristoff leant over and kissed the sunflower on her shoulder. “We could just stay in bed,” she said. “Mmm. Don’t tempt me.” “Who needs to go back to England, anyway.” “We have work tomorrow.” “We could both be mysteriously ill.” She put her hand on the back of his neck and pulled herself up to kiss him, drawing him back down onto the bed. “I’m not done with you yet,” she murmured in his ear. “I should hope not.” He gently pulled away from her, and sat on the edge of the bed. “I mean, obviously I was concerned you might be terrible at it,” Anna said. “Having already bought the cow, as it were.” He laughed. “Well, I hope I acquitted myself reasonably well. I didn’t intend to wait until our actual wedding night,” he added, “I’m not quite that old-fashioned. It just turned out that way, didn’t it.” “Mm. Do we really have to go home?” “You know we do.” “And face the music.” “Yes.” “I’m going to tell everyone it was your idea, and no one will believe me, even though that is the truth,” Anna said. “You gave me the idea.” “And I hope this has taught you never to listen to any of my ideas.” He smiled at her. “Quite the opposite, unfortunately.” “Well, then, you’re doomed,” Anna said cheerfully. “Might as well come back to bed.” The airport was an hour’s drive away. “I’m going to ring my sister,” Anna said a few minutes after they started. “Might as well do it now, right? Are you going to ring your mum or will we go and see them?” “Better go and see them. Face it head-on.” Anna laughed as she pulled out her phone. “OK. The best thing with Elsa is to set the tone right from the start. Here goes.” She put the phone to her ear and waited for her sister to pick up. “Hi Elsa, it’s me! Do you have a minute?....I have some really exciting news!” Pause. “Well, this won’t take a moment….Kristoff and I got married!” A longer pause. “Well, we had to go to Denmark - yesterday, we’re just driving back to the airport - isn’t it great? I’m so happy!” Pause. “Yes, actually legally married.” Pause. “NO I’m not pregnant! For goodness -” Pause. “Yes.” Pause. “You’ll have to come over. Soon! I know you’ll love him just as much as I do - well, no, not JUST as much as I do, that’d be awkward - you know what I mean.” Pause. “Okay. Yes. Okay.” Pause. “I’ll speak to you soon, then. Okay, bye.” She hung up. “I think that went pretty well.” “...really?” “Oh, yes. She doesn’t like being taken by surprise, you know, put on the spot? Once it’s sunk in she’ll be calmer about it.” He nodded. “And she was all, ‘I can’t believe you married someone I’ve never met’ which is a fair point I suppose but then I haven’t met any of your relatives other than your mum and dad that one time.” “At least they’ve met you. If they hadn’t, I’d be in real trouble.” Anna laughed. “It’ll be fine! I’m a delight.” He smiled. “You are.” “Oh, hello, love,” Kristoff’s mum said when they arrived on her doorstep later that afternoon. “And Anna! Lovely to see you, are you stopping? I’ll put the kettle on.” “That’d be great, Mum,” Kristoff said. “Up to much?” Anna and Kristoff looked at each other. “We went away for the weekend,” Anna said. “Well, just last night, we just got back.” “Oh, lovely! Anywhere nice?” Beryl flicked the kettle on and turned round. Then she did a double-take. “Kristoff. Why are you wearing your wedding ring?” She snatched up his left hand. “ This isn’t your wedding ring, this is new -” with her other hand she grabbed Anna’s left hand, and made a noise that was somewhere between a snort and a squeal. “Um, yeah,” Kristoff said. “We went to Denmark and got married.” “Denmark? Married? ” Beryl Bjorgman was speechless for a moment, then she gasped. “You - needed to get married? Because -” “No!” Anna said. “No. No, we just -” “- wanted to,” Kristoff finished for her. “Nothing else, Mum.” “Okay.” Beryl settled back on her heels. “Well, you can’t blame me for wondering.” “I know.” Kristoff’s mother looked like she was about to say something more, then threw her arms around Anna, hugging her warmly. “Welcome to the family,” she said. “So shall we go by yours and get some more of your clothes and things?” Kristoff said as they went back out to Anna’s car, after two cups of tea, a piece of cake, and taking part in several speakerphone conversations with Kristoff’s siblings. “What?” “We’ve got some time, we can start moving you over? Do the rest later in the week.” She stared at him for a minute, then laughed. “Oh! Yes! Of course!” She laughed again. “We’re married. We live together now. At your house. Yes, I should get more of my work clothes and toiletries and things.” “Did you not want to live at mine? I’m sorry, we didn’t discuss it.” “Oh, no, you have a lovely big house and I rent a tiny ugly flat, of course we’ll live at yours. I’ll ring the letting agency tomorrow....no, I was just focussed on the married part and wasn’t thinking about all the boring day-to-day things like work clothes and, I don’t know, joint bank accounts and putting you on my car insurance and all that kind of nonsense.” “Well, we don’t have to do everything today.” Anna’s phone rang and she fished it out of her bag. “It’s Elsa.” She took a deep breath and answered it. “Hey!” Her tone was bright but Kristoff could see how she’d tensed her shoulders as soon as she saw the caller ID. “I’m fine,” Anna said into the phone, after a pause. “Well, yes, he is, but -” she put her head on one side as she was interrupted, and chewed on her lip. “I can call you later,” she said, then there another long pause. “Look, Els, I know, but - yes - I’ll call you in a bit, okay? I’m not at home, I’m walking down the street - well, of course - I’ll text it to you, okay? Okay. Talk later. Okay. Bye.” She put the phone away from her ear and hung up. “Boy, am I in trouble,” she said. “‘I don’t even know where you’re living, I don’t know my own sister’s address’, let me just text it to her quickly, what’s your postcode? Our postcode.” He told her. “She’s angry with you?” Anna bit her lip again. “Yeah. I mean, she’s acting like she’s concerned for me, but yeah, she’s angry with me.Or she just…I mean, she does worry about me. Of course. There’s just the two of us, and she’s older, so....but sometimes she’s just...I don’t know. I wish...” She started walking again, and Kristoff followed her. “You wish what?” he said. “I don’t know….your sisters, and your brother, we rang them and they were all happy, or at least they were willing to TRY and be happy, you know, at least they accept that you’re an adult and you can make decisions and they won’t AUTOMATICALLY be bad ones -” “Hey,” Kristoff said, catching up with her as they reached the car. He put his arm round her shoulders and she leant into him. “Tell you what.” “What?” “We’ll live happily ever after. That’ll show her.” Anna pulled a face, then smiled. “Yes, and it’ll serve her right.” She walked round and got into the driver’s seat. “Also,” she said. “Also what?” Kristoff said as he put on his seatbelt. “Um. Elsa thinks, or I think Elsa thinks, that I just married you because I don’t want to be, you know, left on the shelf, and because I want to have a baby, which I do, but, that’s not why I married you, you know…” “I know.” “And she also definitely thinks that you just married me for my money, but you don’t even know about that, so -” Kristoff opened his mouth but Anna was still talking. “And I’m sorry, I should have told you, I know, but - it always niggled at me, I always worried that was why Matt wanted to marry me, so. And there never seemed like a good moment. So I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” “Tell me what? What money?” “Um. When my parents died, they left us some money, and it was put in like a trust, and I couldn’t get it until I was thirty, and by then of course I was working and stuff and I didn’t need it right away so it’s mostly still there. I bought this car. But the rest is still there. I’m not sure exactly how much because it’s invested in things but, like, I could pay your mortgage -” “You don’t have to pay anything off my mortgage, Anna -” “Well, it’s silly to pay interest when you don’t have to, paying it off and saving that interest would be a better investment than whatever piddly amount of interest it’s earning wherever it is -” “- wait. Wait. Pay it off?” “Yes?” “Anna, I have almost no equity in that house. I had to buy Leanne out, I owe basically all of it, it’s a lot.” She said nothing. “Anna, how much money are we talking about?” She tucked a piece of hair behind her hair, and, avoiding his eyes, said. “Um. I’m not exactly sure, but based on the last statements and things…” “Anna.” “....about - just under a million. I think.” “A million POUNDS?” “Yes.” “Pounds STERLING?” “Yes.” Kristoff said nothing. He was staring into space. Anna hesitated, then started the car. “...is that okay?” she said. “Holy fucking shit.” “Sorry.” “I can - I can see why your sister would have that concern.” “I guess.” “I mean, Jesus Christ .” “Sorry.” “Stop apologising...I mean, I can see why you didn’t mention it.” Anna pulled out and drove down the road. “So will you let me pay off your mortgage?” “I…” he sighed. “It does seem silly not to.” “Exactly.” “Your name is going on the deed as well, though. Well, I guess we’d have done that anyway.” “Mmhmm.” Kristoff drummed his fingers on the armrest. “I was wondering how we would afford it if you wanted to give up work when we had children, I suppose I don’t have to worry about that any more.” Anna smiled. “No. See, I solve all your problems.” “Apparently you do.” They had reached Anna’s road by now and she spent a few minutes finding a parking space on the road. “Your house has a drive,” she said cheerfully. “I’ll enjoy that.” “I’m glad.” “And I never really unpacked properly,” she said as they went up the stairs and into the flat. “So that’s handy. All these boxes can come straight over, another day. Let me just sort out clothes and things….” She went through to the bedroom. Kristoff wandered into the kitchen. “Shall I clear out your fridge?” he called through. “Oh, yes, good idea, there’s some bags under the sink I think...” “OK. I’m going to throw away everything that’s out of date,” he added after a minute. “Fine, whatever. Hang on, wait,” she said coming back through. “What? This yogurt is nearly three months old, you’re not bringing it -” “No, not that.” She put her hands on her hips. “Did you marry me just so you wouldn’t have to help me decorate?” “What?” His phone rang and he fished it out of his pocket. “Sven,” he said, and answered it with a “Hello?” And then said nothing else for several minutes, other than mouthing “I think my mother rang him,” at Anna. Then, into the phone, “Yes.” Then “Seemed like a good idea at the time.” Another longer pause, then he said “No she is not, and you’re the third person to ask that.” Anna groaned. Anna parked on his drive - so convenient! - and they got out of the car. She opened the boot but Kristoff said “Hang on, wait a minute, leave that. Come here.” He led her over to the door and unlocked it, then turned and said “Ready?” “Yes? Oh!” He scooped her up in his arms and stepped over the threshold and into the house. “Welcome home,” he said, and put her down with a kiss. When Anna pulled away she laughed. “I live here,” she said, “And I’ve never been upstairs. I don’t know what my own bed looks like. Or, or how many saucepans we have. Or how the washing machine works.” “Fairly well, it’s the dryer that’s temperamental.” “Good to know.” “It can get suddenly very hot, I wouldn’t put anything wool in it.” “Noted.” “Good morning,” Anna said cheerfully. “Sorry I’m a bit late, busy weekend.” She took off her jacket and hung it on the rack by the door. As she put her hand up Judy gasped, hesitated, then picked up her phone. “IT. I need IT in graphic design right now. I know, but it’s an emergency.” Pause. “I just noticed your girlfriend is wearing an engagement ring , that is the emergency, come here right now. Thank you.” She put the phone down and turned back to Anna, who was blushing bright red. “It’s not an engagement ring,” she said. “Then why is it on your left ring finger?” “Because - it’s a wedding ring,” Anna replied, just as Kristoff appeared at the door. He held up his left hand. “Are you -” Judy started. “NO,” Anna and Kristoff said together.
11486952	OrtusOccasum	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Patrick Stump, Pete Wentz, Joe Trohman, Andy Hurley (Mentioned), Patrick's parents and siblings", "Fandom": "Fall Out Boy", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Explicit", "author": "by fanatic_by_definition", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-13T00:00:00", "words": "13,923", "Additional Tags": "pre-TTTYG era, High School Graduation, First Time, First Kiss, Frottage, Lots of sappy love confessions, Late-night excursions, Fluff, Self-Esteem Issues, patrick is 18 pete is 23", "Relationship": "Patrick Stump/Pete Wentz", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Polyester really doesn’t breathe at all. This is something Patrick’s quickly discovering as he mingles in a large but stuffy classroom with his fellow soon-to-be-graduates, most of whom are all separated into their usual cliques. He tugs uncomfortably at the flowy sleeves of his dark blue gown and wishes his mother hadn’t forced him to wear a long-sleeved dress shirt for this—not only are his arms and torso sweating already, but the cap on his head is making everything feel fifteen degrees hotter all on its own.Why can’t they just mail out the diplomas? the teenager thinks miserably. He’s been fending off anxiety about tonight for months now—he loathes the idea of walking across a brightly-lit auditorium stage in front of his family and his classmates, most of whom have bullied him in some way at least once during the last four years. It all seems completely unnecessary. Patrick would much prefer a simpler ceremony consisting of taking his last exam, emptying out his locker, and walking out of his high school without looking back. Ever again.It’s not like he’s got anything worth looking back for, anyway. No lasting friends, no girlfriends, definitely no boyfriends—Patrick’s been bomb-diffuser careful to hide his bisexuality in school. If anyone had caught wind of it, getting stuffed in lockers might have turned into a broken nose and a black eye.In short, Patrick’s thrilled to finally be escaping this oppressive, anxiety-inducing hellhole, but he’s not too happy with the way he’s being forced to escape it. Slipping away unnoticed would be much better than hearing his ugly last name read aloud to hundreds of people in an auditorium.Stop freaking out, Patrick tells himself with a huffed exhale and a scowl. He rubs at his itchy eyes (his mom also convinced him to wear his contacts tonight, which he’s only worn twice before) and leans against the wall. The cool cinderblock feels heavenly against the flushed skin of his cheek; he closes his eyes and presses against it more firmly, tapping out the drumline of a song he’s been working on lately with his fingertips. He starts absently humming and closes his eyes, listening to the music in his head and letting it soothe his nerves.He’s changed songs twice when his phone buzzes in the pocket of his dress pants. Confused, Patrick opens his eyes and awkwardly lifts up his robe to dig it out. When he flips it open, he sees a text from Pete, and his heart jumps in his chest: where r u ricksterrrPatrick bites his lip to keep from smiling at the nickname. Pete Wentz is just about the only person in the world who has permission to call him anything but “Patrick” without getting a glare and a sharp kick in the shin. Patrick isn’t entirely sure how or why he started giving the bassist that luxury, but somewhere along the course of their year-long friendship it just sort of…happened.Actually, no. The second Pete learned Patrick’s name, he’d conjured up about 352 variations of it right on the spot, including but not limited to Pattycakes, Stumpster, von Stump, Rick-ta-life, Tricky Ricky, and countless others. And for some reason, Patrick doesn’t really mind all that much. The names make Pete smile, and Patrick will always support anything that can accomplish that. Barring anything illegal or potentially dangerous, of course, which Pete doesn’t seem to understand. Patrick just insists that it’s his job as Pete’s best friend (he’s Pete-fucking-Wentz-from-Racetraitor-and-Arma’s best friend now; which is fucking insane) to keep him from accidentally impaling himself on a fencepost or something.I’m at graduation dumbass, Patrick texts back, wondering if Pete forgot this was happening tonight. At my school. yeah i kno i kno where in da skool Patrick frowns in confusion. First floor, room 540, behind the auditorium. Why thts by the west parkin lot rite Yeah. Why pete r there windows in tha room nvm I found u cm let me in “What the f…?” Patrick blinks bewilderedly at the screen of his phone for a few seconds before looking up and getting on his tiptoes to see over the heads of his much taller classmates. The west wall of the room has a few windows in it, facing the parking lot, and Patrick is stunned to see a manically-grinning Pete knocking on the glass and waving. Fucking dork, the younger boy thinks affectionately. A moment later, he jerks his head to the right towards the empty smaller classroom next door and mouths “Walk that way!” Pete stops waving, nods in understanding, and walks along the side of the building until he’s out of sight.Patrick bites his lip and glances around. No one’s really paying attention to him—big shock there—but he still has to be discreet. Holding his breath, he casually shuffles sideways along the wall and sneaks out into the hallway. The door to the other classroom is thankfully unlocked, so he turns the handle and slips inside, letting the door close quietly behind himself.The room is full of dusty desks and bookshelves full of tattered textbooks line one wall. It looks like any other classroom in the school, but Patrick can’t think of any classes he had in here himself. It’s mostly dark, apart from the dusk light shining through the windows, one of which frames Pete’s beaming face. Patrick blushes and shakes his head in astonishment before weaving through a few desks to get to him.The screen pops out a little too easily. Pete clambers inside with Patrick’s help before replacing it and locking the window; when that’s finished, he turns and grabs Patrick in a suffocating hug. “Dude, you’re like a furnace right now,” he mumbles in the teenager’s ear as a greeting.“Polyester robe,” Patrick says, his voice muffled by Pete’s shoulder. He hugs Pete back, not minding the extra heat it’s causing, and fists his sweaty hands in the fabric of the older boy’s Metallica tee. “I fucking hate it.”“I like it,” Pete replies, and Patrick can hear the smile in his voice. “It’s a nice color on you. The hat’s cute, too, but I still like the one I gave you better.”Patrick just blushes darker and presses his face into Pete’s shoulder for a few more seconds, soaking in the contact. When he pulls back, he adjusts his cap and looks up at Pete incredulously. “What the hell are you doing here?”Pete shrugs. “I went to Joe’s graduation last week,” he says simply, like that explains everything. “Wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t go to yours. That’s what best friends do, right?”Patrick ignores the way his heart flutters at that. “B-But you don’t have a ticket,” he stammers.“Well, duh,” Pete chuckles, rolling his eyes. “Why d’you think I had you let me in through a fucking window? Wait. It’s not breaking-and-entering if someone lets you in, right?” He scrunches up his nose in thought for a second or two, then shakes his head. “Anyway. Is there a route to the auditorium from here? I might be able to sneak in through the back doors towards the middle of the ceremony—the ticket takers should be gone by then. Patricia likes me, so maybe she’d let me sit with your family! I could watch from the back, too, if there aren’t any seats left. I wouldn’t wanna—‘Trick?”Patrick only realizes then that he’s probably been staring at Pete with a stupidly besotted expression on his face through that whole monologue. For once, though, he doesn’t care. After a moment of speechless silence, he just reaches out and grabs Pete in another hug, burying his pink face in the older boy’s threadbare shirt. His emotions are going a little haywire right now, and if he tries to speak, he’ll either cry or laugh or kiss the breath out of Pete’s lungs like he’s wanted to practically since they met last summer.He leans more towards crying when Pete hugs him back without missing a beat, laughing softly. “I love you too,” he teases, rubbing Patrick’s back with his large, warm hands. There’s a note of raw honesty in his voice, though, and it makes Patrick’s heart feel ten sizes too big for his chest.And this whole thing really sums Pete up perfectly, in Patrick’s mind: going out of his way, even putting himself in potential danger, just to make someone he cares about happy. For all his infuriating behaviors and fixations and self-destructive tendencies, Pete is the most empathetic, selfless person Patrick’s ever met.Which is why Patrick might be a tiny bit in love with him. But. That’s the last thing he can afford to worry about tonight.Once they’ve hugged for a good minute, Pete finally pulls away. He looks Patrick over with something like pride in his eyes and reaches up to straighten out the cap on his head, moving the tassel to the correct side again. “Nervous?” he asks, hopping up to sit on one of the desks behind him. “I remember I was.”Patrick tugs on his robe sleeves again and nods. “Kinda,” he mutters, staring down at his shined shoes. “Fucking hate having to walk across a stage in this stupid robe just to get a piece of paper that says I don’t have to go to school anymore.”“Think of it as practice for your career,” Pete says with a reassuring grin. “Soon you’ll be making your living on stages all over the world, dude.”Patrick just sighs. Fall Out Boy is fun and all, but there’s no guarantee it’ll last. They can’t even find a drummer who wants to stick around for more than three gigs. Pete’s buddy Andy Hurley seems like a cool guy, but who knows how long he’ll stick around? “You don’t know that.”“Yes I do.” Pete claps a hand on Patrick’s shoulder and squeezes gently. “Trust me, Patrick, your voice is gonna sell out fucking stadiums.”The teenager looks up at him, grateful but doubtful as always. Sometimes he forgets he’s the golden-voiced golden ticket who inspired Pete to drop out of DePaul University—no matter how much negative shit he says about himself, he knows Pete will always refute it. Still, sometimes he can’t help but be terrified that he ruined Pete’s chance at a “normal” life and a viable, steady career.As if he can read Patrick’s mind, Pete repeats, “Trust me.”Patrick sighs again and rubs the back of his neck, shrugging. “My mom still made me fill out the Common App,” he says softly. “She’s gonna send it out for me in the fall while we’re on tour. A semester off is cool with her, but…she doesn’t seem to think Fall Out Boy is gonna last long.”“As much as I love your mom, she’s dead fucking wrong about that.” Pete tugs Patrick closer to him and slings an arm around his shoulders, turning him towards the window he just climbed through.“See that?” the bassist asks, pointing at the sun starting to set behind the trees bordering the parking lot.Patrick nods, blinking the blurriness out of his contacts. He manages to crack a small smile at the sheer beauty of the radiant oranges, yellows, and reds slowly spreading across the purple early-summer sky. “’S really pretty,” he murmurs, unable to think of anything else to say—Pete’s always been the wordsmith of the band.Pete nods in agreement. “Well that,” he explains, turning to look at Patrick seriously, “is you, ‘Trick. You’re the sunset. You’re different every night but your magnetism, your talent, never changes. People could listen to you sing every day for three years and they’d never get the same show twice, but they’d always be getting something beautiful, something noteworthy, something—something worth painting.”A gentle scoff is the only thing Patrick can think of as a response to that, but Pete shushes him. “I mean it,” he insists as he nudges Patrick’s chin up with his knuckles so their eyes meet again. “You’re a fucking sunset. Your face, your voice, just. Everything about you. And people never get tired of the sunset, so why would they ever get tired of you?”“’Cuz I’m a sweaty short guy who can’t sing in front of more than ten people without a hat over my eyes?” Patrick teases, trying to distract himself from the way his heart is racing and his face is reddening from being so close to Pete’s.“Shut the fuck—seriously, dude, that’s not how people see you at all.” Pete gently turns Patrick’s face back to the window. “They see that. I see that. Every time you smile or laugh or open your mouth to sing with that golden fucking voice. You’re a sunset. Sunsets don’t doubt themselves, and they don’t waste four years and rack up thousands of dollars in debt for a degree they aren’t even passionate about. They do what they love for as long as they can, and they spread love while they do it.”Pete leans in and kisses Patrick’s temple gently, making it harder for Patrick to swallow down the growing lump in his throat. “Trust me, Patrick,” the older boy whispers. “You’re gonna paint the world orange. And I hope I’m lucky enough to get to watch you do it.”“Can’t do it without you,” Patrick says immediately, looking back up at Pete’s face. “I won’t do it without you, Pete. I need you to help me, ‘cuz I’m not—being a frontman isn’t something I think I can handle. I won’t sing your words unless you’re right next to me.”An almost sad smile graces Pete’s lips, but it only encourages Patrick to wrap him up in another hug before he can say something stupid.They stay like that for a little longer than they should. “You should get back in there,” Pete says with a fond smile when he pulls back, squeezing Patrick’s shoulders in his calloused hands. He nods towards the wall separating Patrick from the rest of his class. “If I get you in trouble on your fucking graduation night, I’ll never forgive myself.”“Yeah.” Patrick knows he should still feel nervous, but now he just wants to get the whole thing over with so he can hang out with his family and Pete afterwards. “Try not to get kicked out before I walk, okay, asshole?”“I’ll do my best,” the bassist promises with a wink and a grin, and fuck. Patrick really doesn’t need jelly knees right now. Seems like the sentimentality of before is gone, replaced by Pete’s usual strange humor. “Look for me in the crowd. I’ll be the one streaking down the aisle with ‘STUMPY’ painted on my chest.”“If you embarrass me while I’m being handed my goddamn diploma, Wentz—”“Don’t worry, I won’t be completely naked. I found this blue thong that matches the—”“Pete.” God, Patrick loves him. But he’s also a fucking nuisance. “The entrance to the auditorium is down this hall and to the right. Follow the signs.”“Gotcha. See you soon, ‘Tricky.” Pete leans over, lays a smacking kiss on Patrick’s cheek, and scampers out of the room cackling before Patrick can punch him.Luckily no one notices Patrick’s scarlet face when he re-integrates himself back into the seething mass of hormones and blue polyester. Five minutes later, when the class starts their orderly march to the auditorium, Patrick isn’t surprised to find that he isn’t all that scared anymore. The ceremony itself is…well. Ceremonial. The principal and the superintendent speak for a bit, and the commencement address is given by a student’s rich, successful father who also happens to have paid for some upcoming gym renovations. Patrick can’t help but roll his eyes at the clichéd “never give up” and “this is the beginning of the rest of your life” lines. He knows Pete could’ve written something much more impactful in probably half the time it took for this gray-haired businessman to write his mediocre lecture.Walking across the stage to receive his diploma isn’t as terrifying as Patrick thought it would be. He doesn’t trip and his palms aren’t too sweaty when he shakes the Principal’s hand and accepts the leather folder with Glenbrook South’s emblem embossed in gold on the front. He’s so focused on getting it over with that he almost misses the obnoxious whooping and applauding from one single audience member when his name is called. Blushing, he glances towards the crowd and sees Pete standing up in the middle aisle of seats, next to Patrick’s beaming mom. I’m gonna kill him he thinks, but instead he plans on punching him really good in the shoulder later.When it’s all over, the students gather outside in the parking lot to hug their family members and thank their favorite teachers. Patrick only thanks one: his band director Mr. Wojcik, who says he’s proud of him and can’t wait to buy his first album. Patrick promises to get the whole band to sign it for him.His mom, dad, stepdad and siblings all lavish him with affection and Patrick can’t help but smile so wide his face hurts when he realizes that he’s done. He’s finally done with school, with tests and math and homework and textbooks he never reads. It’s the most liberating thing he’s ever felt. “I can’t believe it!” he shouts over the loud din of voices surrounding him. His mom just smiles tearfully and draws him into another loving embrace.For some reason, Pete is the last one to show up to the powwow. Patrick finally sees him weaving his way through the crowd towards them about ten minutes later, and he’s holding a slightly crumpled yellow rose. “Sorry,” he says as he approaches, handing the flower to Patrick. “Had to steal it from a bouquet. Dropped it a couple times.”“I love it,” Patrick says before he can stop himself, looking at Pete with an expression he hopes isn’t too utterly transparent. The older boy smiles wide, and Patrick hugs him tighter than he’s hugged anyone all night.“Thanks so much for coming,” he murmurs in Pete’s ear. “I mean it.”“Like I said,” Pete whispers back, smiling against Patrick’s shoulder, “that’s what best friends do.”When they break apart, Patrick turns around to see odd but amused expressions on Megan, Kevin, and his mom’s faces. “What?” he asks, defensive, as he smooths out his robe.“Nothing, honey,” his mom replies affectionately. She looks over at Pete and smiles. “We’re glad you could make it, Pete. It’s nice to see you.”“Always happy to spend time with the Stumphs,” Pete says. He hooks an arm around Patrick’s shoulders and Patrick’s heart flutters annoyingly. “Hey, why don’t we go get ice cream in town to celebrate? I’ll buy.”“Pete!” Patrick nudges him, glaring. “You have, like, zero money.”“Well, maybe I worked a double shift on Monday so I could treat my best friend and his family to some fu—freakin’ ice cream.”“Seriously, you don’t have to—”“Rick, come on,” Meagan chimes in. “Let him be nice to you.” Patrick sighs and glances at their mother, who nods.“Fine,” he grumbles at last, and Pete cheers happily. It’s hard to stay frustrated after that. They end up at the only place in town that serves cinnamon ice cream “because I know it’s your favorite, ‘Tricky!”, Pete explains. Patrick blushes and mutters a quiet but sincere “thank you” between spoonfuls, squished into a small booth between him and Kevin. There’s small talk, jokes about Patrick’s high school years, and some discussion of the band. Patrick explains Joe’s plan to buy a van for them to tour in, instead of having two cars and two trailers to haul them and their equipment around the country. Pete promises to keep Patrick safe on the road, which his parents appreciate and his siblings give him shit for. It’s a pleasant outing, and they all thank Pete for his generosity several times.Once they’ve all had their fill of dessert, Pete asks Patrick’s parents out of nowhere if he and Patrick can hang out for the rest of the night. Patrick is about to object, knowing they would probably prefer the family spend the night together, but his mom says yes. “Go have fun on your first night as a ‘free adult’,” she tells him, smiling knowingly in that way all mothers seem to have mastered. “Just be safe. And no drinking, if you can help it.”“Sweet!” Pete hugs Patrick around the shoulders excitedly while Patrick laughs and tries to push him off. “What time should I return him?”“Oh, we trust you with him,” Mr. Stumph replies. “If it gets to be past two, just bring him back tomorrow morning.”That shouldn’t be surprising, because god knows Patrick’s spent the night at Pete’s downtown apartment several times—band practice and writing sessions sometimes require it—but he’s still a little confused. Still, it means more time with Pete, so he decides not to question it.Patrick gives his mom his cap and gown before climbing into Pete’s beat-up old green Corolla. He only thinks to ask where they’re headed five minutes after they’ve pulled away. “Someplace really special,” Pete says, turning to smile at him. “I know you’ll like it.”“Is it downtown?” Pete nods. “Then yeah, I’m sure I will.” Patrick’s always up for exploring Chicago, even at nine p.m. on a Thursday. Especially when Pete’s with him—the older boy seems to know even more about the city than Patrick, which is hard to accomplish.Pete drives south while Patrick stares out the passenger’s side window, watching headlights fly by on the highway in countless blurs of light. Something under the hood of Pete’s car is making a soft, rhythmic clanking sound, and instead of being concerned Patrick starts to tap along to it on the center console. His mind conjures up a simple bassline and he starts to hear snares and a guitar riff in his head; before he knows it, he’s opening his eyes and Pete’s looking at him adoringly. His hand is resting on Patrick’s forearm, heavy and warm.“You were humming,” he says, voice soft and dripping with fondness.“Oh.” Patrick clears his throat, glancing away shyly. “Sorry.”“Don’t be. ‘S beautiful.” Pete’s hand moves to cover Patrick’s. It squeezes, holds on, and lets go after a few seconds. “Sorry if you’re bored. We’re almost there, I promise.”“Okay,” Patrick says, voice trembling a bit. He wants to reach over and pluck Pete’s hand off the steering wheel and tangle their fingers together so fucking bad, but. There’s about a million and three reasons why he shouldn’t. The most important ones are 1) Pete’s ridiculously out of Patrick’s league; 2) Pete could have literally anyone he wanted in the entire city with a face and body like his, so why would he ever go for short, soft, sweaty Patrick; and 3) Starting an intra-band relationship before their band’s even really taken off would be the textbook definition of a Bad Idea.It doesn’t matter that they’ve been virtually inseparable since they met last summer at Patrick’s house, when the idea of having a real band was still a pipe dream. It doesn’t matter that they’re polar opposites who shade in each other’s missing colors. It doesn’t matter that sometimes Pete will look at Patrick in a certain way, the way he did just now, that makes it seem like Patrick’s stifled, constantly beaten-down feelings may be reciprocated. None of that matters.At least, that’s what Patrick tells himself.He goes back to drumming his fingers on the console, humming quietly just to watch the small grin spread over Pete’s face as he drives. The orange streetlights make his amber eyes look gold in the dark, and Patrick has to consciously remind himself not to stare.A little over an hour after leaving Glenview, Pete pulls into a parking garage off of Lake Shore Drive. “Is this it?” Patrick asks as he climbs out of the car, rolling the sleeves of his dress shirt up to his elbows.“Nope! It’s only a couple blocks away,” Pete says. He grabs a backpack out of the trunk, then locks the car. “Don’t worry, it’ll be worth the walk.”Patrick grimaces, curling his toes in the stiff, shiny dress shoes he’s still wearing. He misses his ratty Converse. “I hope so.”They cross Grand at a crosswalk but jaywalk across Lake Shore, laughing and running as fast as they can while cars fly past them and honk their horns. Patrick knows it’s stupid as they jump the guard rails, but he has Pete by his side, and he knows nothing bad could ever happen to him if Pete’s with him.“You’re crazy!” he shouts, cackling and panting for breath. Pete only grins a manic grin and nods in agreement.Their destination is on the other side of the street, and it’s not like it’s somewhere Patrick’s never been before. “Ohio Street beach?” he asks when he catches up to Pete. “I mean, not that it isn’t nice or anything, but I’m pretty sure it closed at dusk—”“This isn’t it,” Pete interjects. “C’mon.”They cross the cold sand barefoot, carrying their socks and shoes in their hands. Pete giggles when Patrick splashes him with lake water and shoves at him so he almost falls in. Lingering on the beach doesn’t appear to be Pete’s plan, though—when they reach the edge of the sand, they climb up a short grassy slope and find themselves on a normal concrete sidewalk lined with trees and lampposts on either side. It’s a wide rectangular jetty, extending for a good distance out into the lake, and Pete takes Patrick’s hand as they walk towards the end.“Milton Lee Olive Park,” the bassist explains. “Named after the first black man to receive the medal of honor. He fought in Vietnam.”“Cool,” Patrick says, genuinely intrigued and trying to focus on something other than Pete’s hand in his. “Is that why you brought me here?”“Eh, not really. I just like the view. But the history is pretty cool, too.” Pete smiles to himself and Patrick doesn’t think he’s ever seen anyone as beautiful as Pete Wentz lit up by dim lampposts in a lakefront Chicago park at ten p.m. “It did close a few hours ago, though, so if you see any cops—” “Pete!” “It’s okay! It’s not like we’re two drunk assholes who came here to puke and piss all over everything. We’ll only stay for awhile.”Patrick’s about to insist they leave now before they get arrested when Pete exclaims, “Here!” and tugs Patrick off the sidewalk. They’re right beside a concrete platform, probably an observation point, but Pete leads them down onto the giant limestone rocks lining the jetty. He ducks down under the edge of the platform and Patrick has no choice but to follow.“Pete,” Patrick says again when they’re sitting huddled together on the rocks. It smells like lake water and seaweed, but thankfully the usual fishy smell is absent. “We’re gonna get in huge trouble if someone finds us down here. I literally just graduated.”“I know,” Pete says, turning towards him as he takes off the backpack and sets it beside them. Patrick can hardly make out his face in the dark. “That’s the whole reason we’re here in the first place. Look.”Patrick looks, and his breath leaves his lungs when he finally notices what he’d completely forgotten about: Chicago’s skyline. They can’t see the whole city from here, but the Hancock and its neighbors are plainly visible, glittering and towering over the still, dark waters of Lake Michigan below them. The teenager isn’t sure what it is, exactly, about seeing the city lit up at night that consistently leaves him speechless no matter how many times he’s seen it before. All he knows is he’s a sucker for a good view of his hometown, and Pete’s definitely found one.“Wow,” he whispers, leaning against Pete’s shoulder a bit. “I love it.”“Kinda makes you forget we’re technically trespassing, doesn’t it?” Pete unzips the backpack and pulls out some Red Vines and a couple beers. “I brought snacks, too.”Patrick glances down and rolls his eyes, collapsing further against Pete’s side. “Too good for meeee,” he whines, reaching for one of the bottles. “Seriously, Pete, this is…thank you.”“Anything for you, Rickster,” Pete says, dropping a kiss to the top of Patrick’s head. After a pause, he reaches into the backpack again and brings out Patrick’s green knit beanie. “That reminds me, I thought you’d want this after wearing that cap.”Patrick grins and takes it from him, tugging it down over his unruly ginger-blonde hair. “Perfect.”“Yeah,” Pete murmurs, watching him with a faraway look in his dark eyes. “Perfect.”They sip their beers and nibble on candy for god knows how long, staring at the city and the water and talking about pointless things. Pete tells a few stories from his days at New Trier about ditching classes freshman year to smoke with seniors, and Patrick counters them with tales about getting yelled at by the music teacher for criticizing his song choices for almost every concert. It really solidifies the knowledge that Patrick is done with high school. He might even be done with school in general, now, if Pete’s blind faith in Fall Out Boy pays off.It’s…kind of a harrowing thought.“I’m not a high schooler anymore,” he says softly, staring down at the indigo water lapping at the rocks below them. He tosses a pebble and breaks the calm of the surface, watching the ripples as they spread outwards and wondering if what Pete said about him painting the world orange will ever be true. “I still feel like one.”Pete nods in understanding and gently bumps Patrick’s shoulder with his own. “So do I, sometimes,” he says.“I’m still just a kid. Fuck, Pete, we’re kids.” Patrick meets Pete’s eyes and shakes his head a bit. “I’m an eighteen-year-old music nerd and you’re a twenty-three-year-old Subway manager. How the fuck are we gonna change the world with our music like we want to?”Pete just looks at the younger boy like he’s speaking Latin. “Patrick,” he says, soft but firm, determined, “we already have.”Patrick shakes his head again. “I don’t—”“No, listen to me. We have.” Pete sets his drink down on a nearby flat rock and digs around in the backpack until he finds yet another important item: a copy of their demo. “We’ve written songs, recorded them, and performed them, and people like them. When we play tiny, shitty shows for the same fifty people three nights in a row, and they sing our words back to us, that’s our proof. That’s something that only happens to really lucky people, especially in the music industry. Our songs are changing lives, and that means they’re changing the world too.” He tucks the cassette back into the bag and takes Patrick’s hand, squeezing tight to make the other boy look at him. “It might not be on the biggest scale right now, but trust me, that will change. Soon we’ll be playing real venues, and recording full-length records with a real fucking label, and after that who knows what we’ll do? Instead of just changing lives, we might be able to save some, too. I might be the manager of a fast food restaurant and you might be a recent high school graduate, but y’know what else we are?”“Naïve kids with a wild dream?” Patrick asks quietly, heart pounding.“Yes, but more than that. We’re musicians, man.” Pete squeezes Patrick’s hand again and points at the gleaming buildings along the lakefront before them. “We’re fuckin’ rock stars. And we’re gonna own this city one day. We’ll be a household name. They’ll add a star to the fucking Chicago flag for us, just you wait.”He grins at Patrick in that special way he reserves for no one else. “And you? You’re our golden voice. One day, when people think of this city, they’ll hear you singing in their head before they can think of anything else. Yeah, you’re young, but holy shit are you talented. You’ve got more talent than anyone I’ve ever met—more than anyone else we could get to join the band. And I’m not gonna rest for a single day until the whole fucking world knows your name.”God. What’s Patrick even supposed to say to that? All he can do is stare at Pete’s earnest face and try to hold back the tears brimming in his eyes. Pete Wentz is the only person who’s ever been able to make Patrick feel special, and he seems to be going all-out tonight. It’s a little overwhelming.“They’ll know yours, too,” he whispers finally, voice tight. Building up his courage, he leans in and rests their foreheads together. His heart skips when he hears the soft gasp Pete makes over the reticent crashing of waves around them. “We’re a team. You, me, Joe, and whoever else we get. We’re in this together.”“You could do without me,” Pete mumbles, looking away. “I barely know how to play my goddamn bass anyway.”“I wouldn’t do it without you.” In a sudden wave of boldness, Patrick reaches up with the hand Pete isn’t still holding and tangles it in the soft, short curls at the nape of Pete’s neck. Pete looks back up at him in surprise, but doesn’t pull away. “Didn’t you hear me before? You and I are a package deal, asshole. If I’m sunset, you’re sunrise.”And. Fuck. Their noses are almost touching, and Pete is being so quiet, watching Patrick’s face closely like he’s afraid to spook him. Patrick bites his lip, tugging gently on Pete’s hair with shaking fingers, and decides to do something completely sappy and stupid.Maybe it’s the faint buzz he has from the single beer he’s just finished, or maybe it’s the starlight on the water, but Patrick closes his eyes and starts to sing a song he knows Pete knows by heart. He hopes it’ll convey everything he’s feeling right now, after this emotionally tumultuous night. “My dearest friend, if you don’t mind I’d like to join you by your side Where we can gaze into the stars…” Pete’s eyes are sparkling when Patrick opens his own to look at him, and he’s gripping Patrick’s hand hard enough to bruise. After a moment, the older boy clears his throat and joins in with his raspy, slightly off-tune voice: “And sit together, now and forever For it is plain as anyone can see We’re simply—” They never finish the verse. Pete leans in and presses his lips to Patrick’s between words, between syllables, but Patrick couldn’t care less. The moment he’s waited for for a year is finally here, it’s happening, and it’s fucking glorious. It’s Pete’s arms around his waist and his hands in Pete’s hair, gripping his shoulders, and their tongues dancing together like they were made to. Nothing in Patrick’s life has ever been this perfect, he thinks as he hums against Pete’s mouth and tilts his head to deepen the kiss. Nothing will ever measure up to this moment—no diploma or record deal or sold-out stadium show will ever make him feel the way he does right now.And he’s perfectly okay with that.“Fuck,” Pete huffs out when they break for air, “I’m kissing a high schooler. Fuck fuck fuck.” He doesn’t stop, though, just cups Patrick’s jaw in one hand and moves his head to the perfect position.Patrick manages a breathy laugh and grips the front of Pete’s t-shirt in his trembling hands, holding on for dear life. “’M not a high schooler anymore, remember?” he pants, nipping at Pete’s bottom lip. He doesn’t have a whole lot of kissing experience, but surprisingly, he and Pete seem to be on equal footing. They giggle as their teeth clack together.“Oh yeah, right.” Pete seems to take that as an invitation to tug Patrick into his lap, which is difficult when they’re sitting on slightly unstable rocks. They both ignore that detail so Pete can tear his mouth away from Patrick’s to latch onto Patrick’s jaw, kissing and nibbling a bit.Patrick gasps softly and flings an arm around Pete’s neck to keep himself balanced. “Dork,” he breathes, grabbing Pete’s chin gently and bringing their lips back together. A thrill shoots up his spine when Pete melts into him. “You’re such a dork. And I love you for it.”And, oh. Holy fuck. Holy fuck, he’s said it. His deepest-darkest secret is now out in the open, carried on the wind to blow over the entire fucking city. It makes him stiffen in Pete’s lap, breath catching in his chest as he prepares to panic. No no no no no—But without missing a beat, Pete lets out a relieved-sounding whimper and kisses Patrick harder. “Thank god,” he whispers, swiping their tongues together like it’s the only thing he ever wants to do for the rest of his life. “Thankgodthankgod, Patrick, I love you too.”Patrick was wrong. The feeling of their first kiss minutes ago has already been topped. They don’t see each other for a week and a half after that, with Pete working and Patrick going all over the city for graduation parties. They text, though. Constantly. Patrick doesn’t think he’s ever used his phone this much since he got it last year, and he apologizes to his parents repeatedly for using up their entire messaging plan in four days. He tells them it’s because of “band stuff”—his parents may be open-minded about what other people get up to, but when it’s their own kid, they’re considerably less tolerant. If Patrick told them he made out with and is now sorta-maybe-probably dating a 23-year-old man, even if that man is Pete, there would be some blowback.So. They text. They don’t outright talk about that night, but there’s an undercurrent to every conversation they have now and Pete is much more generous with his compliments about Patrick’s face and voice and everything. Patrick even works up the courage to return some of them, which results in pleased key smashes and copious amounts of smiley and heart emoticons from his best friend. Each message leaves Patrick both confident and confused about the precise state of their relationship, but he ignores that dilemma for now. He wants to cling to this state of euphoria for as long as he possibly can.Patrick’s own grad party is at his house on the Saturday after his graduation, and of course his mom invites Pete. Joe is on the list, too, which is nice—Patrick hasn’t seen him much in the past few weeks. He’s looking forward to reconnecting with the guitarist, but mostly he’s anxious about seeing Pete again. Are they going to talk about things? Will Pete treat him differently now? Hell, will Pete even show up? Patrick hopes things are okay between them if he does. Pete seems mostly the same from his texts, besides the extra compliments, but texting and seeing each other in real life are obviously very different.The day of the party rolls around at last, and Patrick tries not to have a total freakout when he sees Pete’s Corolla pull up and park in front of his house. He’s the fourth guest to arrive, after Patrick’s grandparents and Joe. The party isn’t huge, just a few close family members and the band, but Patrick doesn’t mind. He’s never been the most social person.Joe looks over at Patrick from where he’s sitting next to him on the living room couch, seeming to sense the sudden tension in the air. “Everything okay?” he asks, glancing between the window and Patrick’s face. “What happened, did you two have an argument over chord progressions again?”“What? No.” Patrick sighs and shakes his head, heart beating hard and fast behind his ribs. He bites his lip and laughs softly as he watches Pete get out of his car and mess with his hair for a few seconds. When he starts to make his way to Patrick’s front door, the teenager stands up from the couch. “I’ll explain later,” he promises before hurrying off to let Pete in.He opens the heavy door before Pete can even knock. The older boy is wearing his usual attire: a faded band shirt, ripped up boot-cut jeans that hug his hips and ass a little too well, and his old Converse. He smiles his toothy, too-wide grin and brushes his choppy bangs out of his eyes. “Hey,” he says, soft and sweet.“Hey,” Patrick echoes, unable to say anything else. He just blushes and takes in Pete’s face, analyzing the energy flowing between the two of them. There’s nothing awkward at all, really, but it’s definitely electric in a way Patrick’s never felt before. He thinks he likes it.They stand there staring at each other for a good ten seconds before Pete steps inside and closes the door behind himself. He reaches out, takes Patrick’s hand, and pulls him in for a hug without another word. Patrick melts into it a bit, tucking his face into Pete’s neck and breathing in his heady, comforting scent. He fists his hands in Pete’s shirt and shivers a little when he feels Pete’s heart hammering against his chest, racing just as fast as Patrick’s.“I’m nervous, too,” the bassist murmurs in Patrick’s ear, and Patrick marvels for the millionth time at Pete’s ability to read his mind like some kind of clairvoyant. “Mostly I’m just glad to be able to touch you again. Texting is one thing, but. I like this better.”Some of Patrick’s anxiety flows out of his body and he relaxes further in Pete’s arms. “Me too,” he whispers.Pete hums softly and pulls back just far enough to rest their foreheads together, making Patrick’s breath catch in his throat for a moment. They just stare into each other’s eyes for several long seconds, still tangled up together, until Patrick sighs and forces himself to step away. “We can’t here,” he says, sad and quiet. “Not yet. My parents, they’d…they wouldn’t understand.” He thinks his mom might, but his stepdad and his father…“Shh. I get it.” Pete takes Patrick’s hand again and gives it a comforting squeeze. “It’s okay. I’ll just have to keep my hands and mouth to myself until we’re alone again.”The devilish smile on Pete’s face as he says that makes Patrick’s stomach do a somersault. He’s about to open his mouth to speak when Joe rounds the corner to greet them.“Hey, Wentz. What’s—” He stops in his tracks, gawking at their joined hands. “—oh. Huh.”Patrick immediately jerks back and puts a few feet of space between him and Pete, cheeks blazing with heat. “N-Nothing, ‘s nothing,” he stammers, looking anywhere but at his friends’ faces.“Hey, Joetroh,” Pete says casually with a lot more confidence than Patrick feels. “Sorry, we were just—”Joe shakes his head and holds up his hands in innocence. “No, dude, it’s cool,” he reassures. After a moment, he adds in a smug voice, “Didn’t know you two had finally pulled your heads out of your asses.”Patrick finally glances back up at Joe, only to see a teasing smirk on his face. He blinks, confused. “What?”“Oh, come on, Rick. Like you don’t know the two of you are soulmates.”Pete looks over at Patrick, leering. Patrick would punch him if he didn’t want to kiss him so bad. “Um. S-Soulmates?” That’s kind of a serious word.“That’s right,” Pete says with a decisive nod, tangling his fingers with Patrick’s again and pulling him closer to his side. “Soulmates. Destined lovers. That’s us, ‘Tricky.”Patrick turns to Pete and his heart melts when he sees the cautious hope behind the mirth in those amber eyes. The more he thinks, the more he realizes how well he and Pete fit most of the soulmate stereotypes: they finish each other’s sentences, communicate non-verbally, miss each other like crazy when they’re apart. Being with Pete, having Pete hold his hand like he is right now, feels as natural to Patrick as breathing. Kissing Pete last week was like discovering some long-hidden secret buried deep within himself, one that Patrick was destined to discover at some point. Ever since they met, he’s felt drawn to Pete in a way he’s never been with anyone else, like there’s an astral thread connecting their hearts and always bringing them back to each other. It should be weird, maybe even scary, but it’s just…not.“Okay, yeah,” Patrick says after contemplating for a minute. “I guess the ‘soulmates’ label fits us pretty well.”Pete responds with a beautiful wide grin and Patrick knows he’s right. Joe just cackles, hugs them both, and tells them if they fill their first album with love songs he’ll quit.As they walk as a threesome through Patrick’s house to the backyard, where the real “party” is, Pete turns to Patrick and asks softly, “This does make us officially, y’know…boyfriends, or whatever, right?”He sounds so fucking hopeful. Even though Patrick’s never had a real relationship and has heard each and every gruesome detail of all of Pete’s ugly breakups and post-show conquests, he can’t do anything but nod. He knows he’ll have to hide it from his family for at least a little while, but the thought of turning Pete down right now makes him want to cry. “I sure hope so,” he says confidently, even though his heart is feeling fluttery and his brain is flooded with thoughts like Pete boyfriend Pete I have a boyfriend Pete is my boyfriend PetePeteboyfriendPete. “I was already making plans for next Valentine’s Day in my diary.”“Oh, I’d hate to fuck those up.” Pete leans over, presses a joyful kiss to Patrick’s cheek, and pulls away to a respectable distance as they step outside onto the backyard patio. Patrick barely registers the feeling of the wood and grass beneath his feet—in his head, he’s on a cloud. “So you may have noticed I didn’t bring you a present,” Pete says after he’s met Patrick’s aunts, uncles, grandparents, and a couple cousins. They’d had some hot dogs and played beanbags for awhile, the usual white suburban family party antics, and now he, Patrick, and Joe are sitting in folding chairs and sipping root beers under a pop-up gazebo. It’s hot outside but not unbearable, which Patrick is happy about—he doesn’t want to have to leave his own graduation party to change out of a sweat-soaked shirt.The teenager shakes his head and shrugs, nudging Pete’s foot with his own. “I don’t care.” He doesn’t need gifts to know Pete’s proud of him.“I still have one for you.” Pete sips his drink, watching Patrick’s stepdad grilling something across the yard. “Couldn’t really wrap it, though, so it’s at my apartment.”He says it so casually that Patrick doesn’t even pick up on the implication. Joe does, though, and he almost spits a mouthful of soda into his lap. “Seriously, guys? I’m right here!”Pete chuckles an apology while Patrick looks between the two of them, baffled. “What? What did he mean?”“Two words, man: sex den,” Joe says, and Patrick’s face turns scarlet in record time as his eyes flick back over to Pete. Who, to his credit, tries to defend himself.“That is not what I meant,” he insists, reaching over and elbowing Joe hard in the ribs. “I just meant instead of a material present, I could give him more of an emotional—okay, so—okay. Maybe that’s kind of what I meant, but in a much more romantic and meaningful way.”Patrick rolls his eyes, feigning exasperation, but inside his heart is pounding and skipping every other beat. “Joe,” he says, glancing meaningfully at the other teenager, “d’you mind, uh—?”Joe is standing up from his chair before Patrick finishes his request. “Way ahead of you.” He walks away to the snacks table, which Patrick knows will keep him occupied long enough for him and Pete to have a chat.Pete is apologizing before Patrick can even open his mouth, though: “I’m sorry, ‘Trick, I didn’t mean to sound so crude, I-I just had something special planned to celebrate for you and I know it probably came off as insensitive and I’m—”“Hey.” Patrick cuts Pete off and takes his hand, glancing around the yard to make sure no one’s watching or listening to them. “It’s okay, really. I know you like grand gestures and everything, and that’s cool, I just—I’m not used to them myself. And also, um.”His blush is reinvigorated as he drops his gaze, clears his throat, and admits softly, “I’ve never, like. Gone beyond kissing. With anyone. So, yeah.” God, he can’t believe they’re having this conversation here, of all places, with Patrick’s grandparents twenty feet away.To his surprise, the shocked-slash-confused reaction Patrick expects from Pete never comes. Instead, the bassist squeezes his hand gently and tilts Patrick’s chin up with his free one so they’re looking at each other again. He smiles, understanding. “That’s okay, ‘Trick,” he says, hushed and reassuring. “I mean, you’ve told me before you don’t have as much experience as I do. It’s not a problem at all.”“I’m not worried about it being a problem.” Patrick looks down again, fiddling with the hem of his button-up blue-and-white plaid shirt with his free hand. “I just wanted to be honest. And to let you know we should probably, like, go slow at first.” He smirks a little and bites his lip. “Not that I’m not flattered by the thought of you trying to seduce me as a fucking graduation present.”“Thought I already had you seduced,” Pete teases, squeezing Patrick’s hand again. “Also, I’m more than cool with going slow. Seems like every one of my past relationships went way too fast, so. Slow would be a nice change. And now that I know our first time together will be your first time ever, I have another excuse to make it as special as possible.”Patrick smiles and looks away, bashful. He wishes he could kiss Pete here—he’s been dying to do it again ever since his graduation night—but he settles for stroking the back of Pete’s hand with his thumb. “Too good to me,” he murmurs.“No such thing,” Pete insists, ducking his head to meet Patrick’s eyes. “’Sides, I love you, remember? Spoiling you is part of the deal.”It’s the first time either of them has said it since last week, and it makes Patrick feel like he’s floating again. He sighs and glances up at Pete with what is probably a ridiculously soppy look on his face and lets that speak for itself. Pete gets the message: he checks to make sure the coast is clear, then brings Patrick’s hand to his mouth for a brief but genuine kiss.Joe apparently takes that as his cue to return, because he’s sitting back down in his chair beside them moments after Pete takes his lips away from Patrick’s knuckles. “Careful, guys,” he warns, but his eyes are sparking with humor. “Wouldn’t want to offend Grandma Stumph’s delicate sensibilities.”Patrick rolls his eyes as Pete throws his head back with a braying laugh. Their hands are still linked, in plain view of the whole party, but neither of them makes any move to separate. The party guests are pretty much gone by nine p.m., since most of them are over 50. Patrick thanks each one of them for coming and tells them he’ll send out thank-you notes in the mail by next week, just to make his mother happy. He hugs Joe goodbye half an hour later with a promise to bring his vinyl copy of Dookie to band practice on Monday, then waves as Mrs. Trohman drives him away.Finally, it’s just Patrick, Pete, and Patrick’s immediate family left to tidy up the backyard. No one asks why Pete is the only one who’s stayed, but Patrick catches a knowing glint in his sister’s eyes at one point. He just throws an empty plastic cup at her.Once they’ve wrangled all the trash into four huge bags and dragged them out to the front curb, Patrick casually asks if he can spend the night over at Pete’s. “He just got the new Elder Scrolls game yesterday and I’ve been dying to play it, mom,” he begs, half-prepared to drop down to his knees if he has to because that’s partially the truth. “Please? I’ll be back by noon tomorrow—”“Don’t worry, I don’t have any booze in my apartment right now,” Pete interjects at Mrs. Stumph’s raised eyebrow. “Kind of on a Straightedge kick. He’ll be safe and responsible, I promise.”Patrick almost wants to laugh at the “responsible” part, but he holds back when he sees his mom’s accepting nod. “Okay,” she says. “I want you home no later than one in the afternoon, alright?”“Deal.” Patrick rushes forwards, kisses his mom on the cheek, and jogs upstairs to pack a duffel bag. His heart is pounding with nervous energy as he searches his room for two matching socks and a clean pair of boxers—he knows full well that they aren’t just going to play Xbox at Pete’s. Hell, they might not touch a single controller. More likely than not, in one way or another, Patrick’s going to lose his virginity tonight.The thought alone almost makes him drop his toothbrush in the toilet.It’s not that he’s necessarily scared to finally have sex with someone, although there is a hint of fear lingering in the back of his mind. What if he isn’t good? What if Pete sees him naked for the first time and decides he doesn’t want him like that anymore? What if they just don’t have chemistry like that? That seems pretty impossible, given the fireworks that went off in Patrick’s whole body when he and Pete kissed, but Patrick still dreads it.Fuck. Patrick Stump is probably going to lose his virginity to Pete Wentz tonight. He knows so many things could go wrong, but on the other hand, the thought of everything that could go wonderfully right makes the concept seem less terrifying. It’s not like you haven’t been fantasizing about sucking his dick since you drummed for Arma that one time.With that reminder to spur him on, Patrick looks at himself in the bathroom mirror and nods sharply. He can do this. He is a high school graduate—technically, if only in age, a college student. He’s ready for this. Pete will help him through any awkwardness, and it’ll be wonderful because they love each other and they’ll be doing it together. And that’s all Patrick’s ever wanted.When he returns to his living room with his bag, the atmosphere feels…different. Pete is beaming at him unabashedly, and his mom and stepdad are smiling, too. Patrick blinks a couple times, looking back and forth between them and Pete. “What?” he asks, puzzled. “What’d I miss?”“Nothing,” Pete assures him, drawing him in for a one-armed hug. Patrick returns it hesitantly. “We’re all just…proud of you. Our little graduate rock star.”“Shut up,” Patrick mutters, shoving at the bassist half-heartedly. He has a feeling that’s not all that’s going on, but he’ll interrogate Pete about it later. If he remembers.They drive off in Pete’s rickety car and Patrick reaches across the center console to hold Pete’s hand as soon as they’re off his block. Pete turns to him and grins, squeezing his fingers. “Something wrong?”“Nah.” Patrick watches the familiar way the yellow streetlights turn Pete’s amber eyes gold and leans back in the passenger’s seat, gazing at him adoringly. “I just love you a whole lot. Didn’t get to say it earlier.”Pete’s answering smile is a few degrees shy of splitting his face in two. “I love you, too,” he says softly as he turns back to the road. Patrick looks back out the window, but their hands remain linked, as usual.The drive to Pete’s apartment isn’t even half an hour. When they get there, Patrick feels some of his earlier anxiety return with a vengeance. His hands and knees start to shake when he climbs out of the car and walks up to the building’s front door—whether it’s nerves or just anticipation, Patrick can’t tell. His palm sweats around the strap of his duffel as he follows Pete inside and up to the third floor. Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but the teenager thinks he can feel the same tense energy radiating off of Pete in waves as they climb the stairs.Less than a minute later, they’re in Pete’s scarcely-furnished apartment. The living room is homey, consisting of a thrift store couch, a TV resting on an overturned milk crate, an Xbox (half-covered by a collapsed stack of video game cases), and various band posters and vinyl records lining the walls. Pete’s bass rests in a stand in the corner beside a beat-up drum kit, watching them. The whole place smells like Pete’s shampoo and cologne. Everything is so heart-achingly familiar, but tonight it feels so, so different.Pete must feel it, too. Once they’ve both kicked off their shoes and shed their jackets, he takes a deep breath and turns to Patrick, slow and almost hesitant. “So,” he says, wringing his hands in front of him in a nervous gesture Patrick has rarely, if ever, seen from him. “Um. Here we are.”“Yep.” Patrick stares into the older boy’s dark eyes and tries to decide if he should make the first move. Instead, he clasps his hands behind his back and shrugs, looking infinitely more nonchalant than he feels. “What do we do now?”“We could play Elder Scrolls,” Pete suggests, so dry and unironic that Patrick thinks he’s serious for a second. When he breaks out in another big, stupid smirk, Patrick almost wants to hit him.“Mmm, maybe not.” In a rare moment of boldness, Patrick strides up to Pete and wraps his arms around his neck. Biting his lip, he blinks and leans forwards to nuzzle Pete’s nose with his own, just teasing a little. “Kinda wanna do some of this.”Pete quirks one eyebrow and loops his own arms around Patrick’s waist, tugging him closer. Patrick lets himself be moved. “Some of what?” the bassist asks, voice hushed as though Patrick’s parents are still right around the corner.“This,” Patrick breathes, hooded eyes closing as he eliminates the distance between his mouth and Pete’s.It’s like coming home. Even though it’s only been nine days since Patrick last tasted Pete, it feels new and breathtaking all over again. They both gasp at that first tentative brush of lips, neither wanting to go too fast too soon, but their hesitance is soon forgotten as Pete presses forwards and grabs Patrick gently by the back of the neck, holding him in place as he slips his tongue into Patrick’s mouth. Patrick whines in the back of his throat and sucks on it, gentle, unsure, before tilting his head and pulling Pete closer as he deepens their contact. He feels dizzy, breathless, starving as he tangles his fingers in Pete’s coarse, dark hair and lets himself fall into the oblivion of this kiss.It feels like an eternity of lips and breaths and hands and teeth before Pete is tearing himself away, panting, face flushed and mouth already swollen. “My room,” he chokes out, demanding, before closing his eyes and taking a breath. When he repeats himself, it’s much more docile: “Do you want to go to my room?”Patrick doesn’t want docile. If they wait too long to start, he might second-guess himself. To show this, he moves his hands down to Pete’s hips and grinds forwards, choking out a noise he didn’t know he could make when he feels Pete already hardening in his tight jeans. “Fuck yes,” he grits out, leaning in to nip at Pete’s smooth jaw. Did he shave just for this? “Pete, please, I—take me to bed, now.”“Holy shit.” Pete doesn’t need to be told twice, apparently. Without another word, he reaches down, hooks his arms under Patrick’s ass, and lifts.Patrick yelps in surprise and immediately clings to Pete for dear life, wrapping his legs around Pete’s small waist. “Pete!” he half-shrieks, half-giggles. This is equal parts scary, funny, and sexy. “Don’t, you’ll—you better not drop me!”“You’re not that heavy, it’s fine,” Pete assures him, though his voice is strained. He cranes up to kiss Patrick, pivots on his heel, and starts stumbling down the short hallway to his bedroom.Right before he walks in, Pete breaks the kiss and carefully sets Patrick down. He looks almost shy as he says, “Wait here, baby, I gotta do something first.” Luckily, the pet name sends Patrick into such a pleasant spiral that he stays right where he is without question while Pete disappears into the dark room.A few seconds later, the dim bedside lamp flicks on. Pete is standing a bit awkwardly next to the bed, smiling nervously, but that’s not what makes Patrick’s jaw drop.On the faded blue comforter, Pete has created a large heart in orange rose petals. Not only that, the room is tidier than Patrick ever remembers it being and smells faintly of roses. It’s not too over-the-top like Patrick had feared it would be, but it’s not exactly subtle either. It’s totally Pete and utterly perfect.Patrick approaches the bed and reaches out to pick up a single petal. He holds it between his fingertips, reverent, and looks over at Pete adoringly. “Orange?” he asks, voice hoarse with emotion.“Your favorite color,” Pete says, like it’s simple. Patrick aches for him. “I also thought red was too…mature. Cliché.”“Pretty sure sprinkling rose petals of any color onto a bed is cliché,” Patrick says, “but who cares.” He puts the petal back in place and walks over to Pete, wrapping himself around the older boy again. “’S that my present?”“Part of it,” Pete replies, hiding his grin against Patrick’s neck. “The other part may or may not be a pair of very expensive Sennheiser headphones.”On any other night, Patrick would shout and punch Pete in the shoulder repeatedly for spending so much money on him. Here and now, though, he smiles so wide his cheeks hurt and kisses the bolt of Pete’s jaw. “I love you,” he murmurs. “So fucking much. You know that, don’t you?”Pete nuzzles Patrick’s cheek and breathes him in for a few moments. “I do. And I’m the luckiest sonofabitch on the planet because of it.”Patrick gently pulls him back by the hair and kisses him again, tender. It’s all he can do to not burst into tears at those words.Soon they’re both trembling and gasping into the kiss, clearly desperate for more. Patrick feels bad when he flings the covers back on the bed and the orange petals go flying everywhere, undoing Pete’s meticulous work, but Pete doesn’t seem to mind. He hugs Patrick around the waist and kisses his way up Patrick’s neck as he starts fiddling with the top buttons of his shirt. Patrick shivers, breaks the kiss, and pulls back a bit to help him.With shaking hands, they unbutton Patrick’s shirt together and Patrick shrugs it off his shoulders. He’s left in a “vintage” black Arma Angelus tee (which he’d worn completely on purpose), and the besotted look on Pete’s face makes Patrick lean in and kiss the breath out of him again.“As much as I love seeing you in my merch,” Pete teases, nipping at Patrick’s bottom lip, “I kinda wanna see you out of it more.”Swallowing down a sudden surge of nerves and old, bottled-up insecurity, Patrick swallows hard and nods. “Go on,” he says, hoping his voice isn’t trembling too much. Once the clothes come off, this whole thing is going to feel so much more real.Pete doesn’t immediately rip every scrap of fabric off Patrick’s body, like Patrick half expects him to. He’s gentle and loving as he guides Patrick to lie down on the squeaky metal-frame bed, crawling over him and kissing his mouth, cheeks, and neck. Patrick is so lost in the adoration that he barely notices Pete’s large hands slipping under his shirt and slowly lifting it off, pulling it up over his head and tossing it to the floor. When Patrick nods his consent, he goes to work on his jeans, too, unlatching the leather belt and slipping them down and off Patrick’s pale legs.Clad in nothing but red boxer briefs, Patrick shivers in the slight chill of the room and resists the instinct to cover himself with his arms. He knows he’s obviously half-hard and Pete’s eyes keep flicking down to stare. “What?” he asks, squirming.“Nothing.” Pete runs his hands over Patrick’s bare shoulders, his collarbones, his chest and ribs. Goosebumps rise in the wake of his reverent fingertips and the pale skin tints pink as Patrick blushes brilliantly. “You’re just…gorgeous. So fucking perfect, ‘Trick, god, I can’t believe I’m allowed to have you.”Patrick blinks up at him. “You’ve always been allowed,” he murmurs. Boldness returning, he lets his thighs fall open wide enough to accommodate Pete between them. “I…I’ve wanted this since the first time I ever saw you.”“Wish we hadn’t been such dense fucking morons,” Pete chuckles and leans down to kiss Patrick’s sternum. “Could’ve had this from the day I first heard you sing.”Sighing, Patrick runs his hands through Pete’s hair and realizes that Pete’s absolutely right. But they don’t have time to dwell on the what-ifs and could’ve-beens—Patrick is practically naked and Pete is still fully dressed, which needs to be remedied as soon as possible.Pete is all too eager to strip, and he does so with a fluidity and confidence that Patrick envies. His mouth starts to water when the unfairly hot necklace of thorns tattoo is revealed, draped over Pete’s collarbones and chest. His hands migrate to it as if magnetized—he’s wanted to touch and worship this tat since the first time he caught a glimpse of it last summer. Pete had worn a tank top to practice and Patrick had hidden a boner behind his guitar through the whole session, his hormonal teenage mind instantaneously coming up with several dirty scenarios starring the body art.Tracing the lines of dark ink with his fingertips, Patrick murmurs, “You should get more. Tattoos, I mean.”“I’m planning on it.” Pete nuzzles Patrick’s neck and nips at his soft skin. “Gonna have full sleeves one day.”The thought of Pete’s gorgeous tan skin covered in swirls of ink makes Patrick shudder. “Can’t wait.” In a moment of inspiration, he presses his mouth to the thorns, licking and nibbling at the skin—he hopes it feels good. He’s kind of winging this whole thing, but if Pete’s shaky gasps are any indication, he must be doing a halfway decent job.Things only escalate from there. Patrick finds himself pleading for friction after a mere thirty seconds of Pete toying with his nipples, rubbing and sucking at them with practiced motions. “D-Didn’t know it would feel like that,” he pants when Pete asks him if he’s okay. “’S good, so good, but I—please—” He rolls his hips up against Pete’s, gasping when a shock of pure arousal shoots up his spine at the feeling of Pete’s hard, clothed cock pressing against his own.Pete makes a choked-off sound in the back of his throat and grinds down in response, nodding. “Yeah, okay, I’ve got you,” he says, a bit breathless. Biting his lip, he braces himself on his elbows above Patrick, stares down at him with dark, heady eyes, and starts moving his hips at a steady pace. Patrick squeezes his eyes shut and wraps his arms around Pete’s strong shoulders as waves of unfamiliar, electrifying sensations roll over him.For all the times Patrick pictured what sex with someone—sex with Pete—would feel like, nothing could’ve prepared him for the feel of another body hot and heavy and shaking above him, another voice gasping and moaning softly in his ear, a pair of foreign-but-familiar hands touching him everywhere and unravelling each of his seams one by one. He hadn’t anticipated how earth-shatteringly raw and devastatingly hot it would be to feel Pete’s cock throbbing and leaking against his own, even through two thin layers of cotton. With every merciless downward push of Pete’s hips, Patrick lets out a breathy little “ah” and loses a little more of his grip on reality. It’s surreal and beautiful and Patrick wants to let it destroy him.He doesn’t, though. When he recognizes the telltale drop in his stomach, he tightens the loop of his legs around Pete’s waist and forces him to go still. “Pete,” he chokes out, sweat-soaked and hazy with endorphins. His clumsy hands find their way to the bassist’s shoulders and push him back a few inches, far enough so they can lock eyes.“What? What’s wrong?” Pete asks, clearly dangling off the edge himself but still concerned for Patrick’s comfort. His hair is a mess and his face is bright pink and Patrick doesn’t think he’s ever seen anyone’s eyes look that dark. “Do you need to stop?”Patrick actually whines at the thought of stopping and shakes his head vehemently. “No, no, I’m okay,” he insists. He licks his lips and glances away for a moment, embarrassed by his next words. “’S just…I was about to c-come and I don’t want to until I’ve touched you.”It takes a moment for Patrick’s words to sink in, but as soon as they do, Pete melts. “Yesss,” he hisses, grinding down one more time before carefully extracting himself from Patrick’s octopus hold. “Patrick, fuck, yes, want that.” He flops down onto his back and pulls Patrick on top of him in a reversal of their previous positions.Patrick stares down at him, uncertain, straddling one of his legs. Pete’s perfectly sculpted, sweaty torso is completely on display for him, and it’s more than a little overwhelming. “I—”“It’s okay, ’Trick.” Canting his hips up a bit, Pete stares into Patrick’s eyes and whispers hoarsely, “Take off my boxers.”Patrick has to tear his eyes away from Pete’s heaving chest before he can grand that request. He moves his hands to the elastic waistband hugging Pete’s hips and tugs it down, swallowing hard when Pete’s substantial cock springs free and rests heavily against his stomach. The head is flushed a dark pink and Patrick can hardly wait for the damp boxers to hit the floor before he’s wrapping his hand around it and pulling once, experimental.Pete’s eyes slip closed and his brow creases in concentration. He throbs in Patrick’s grip. “Yeah, keep—that’s good,” he gasps, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth again.Letting out a shaky breath, Patrick watches Pete’s face contort with pleasure as he establishes a sloppy rhythm. The tricks he likes to use on himself seem to work for Pete, too, so he utilizes them as best he can: swiping his thumb over the leaking head, twisting his wrist on the upstroke, tracing the slit with a gentle fingertip. Patrick’s impressed he has enough brain power left to do those things from this weird angle.A minute and a half of this delicious torture is all Pete can take. Just when his noises and curses start coming out more desperate and high-pitched, he reaches down and grabs Patrick’s wrist, panting. “Holy shit, you’re good at that,” he says with a breathless little laugh, staring up at Patrick in awe. “My turn now.”Before Patrick knows what’s happening, he’s on his back again, and Pete’s pulling his underwear down. Patrick blushes darker than he has all night and hides his face in Pete’s neck, shy. Objectively, he knows there’s nothing to be insecure about when it comes to his dick—he’s cut and above average for someone of his height, though Pete is still slightly bigger. Still, it’s the first time he’s ever been naked in front of someone since he was probably five years old and he has to re-calibrate his mind a bit to convince himself it’s okay.Pete is patient, though. He kisses Patrick’s temple and rubs his sides comfortingly, reassuring him with whispered words that he’s beautiful and sexy and “the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen in my whole fucking life, Patrick, I’m serious.”Even though Patrick can’t help but remember all the skinny, doe-eyed, makeup-covered scene kids he knows Pete’s had in the past, he lets the compliments wash over him and soak in. Eventually he relaxes enough to let Pete pull back and look at him with loving eyes.“I’m sorry,” the teenager apologizes, playing with Pete’s hair absentmindedly. “Guess I’m the cliché ‘blushing virgin’ I always thought I’d be after all.”“It’s okay,” Pete whispers. He kisses Patrick’s forehead and brushes some sweaty hair out of his eyes. “I was nervous my first time, too. I’m nervous right now, actually, because this is my first time with my soulmate and I really don’t wanna fuck it up.”Patrick’s heart leaps in his chest at the word “soulmate,” even though he’s the one who decided that’s what they are. He wraps his arms around Pete’s neck and pulls him down for a soothing kiss, wanting to calm them both.He gets so invested in the slow, steady, deep kiss that he barely registers the sensation of a strong, warm, calloused hand wrapping around his cock. When that hand gives him a good tug, he gasps loudly and breaks away from Pete’s mouth, eyes wide. “Oh—!”“Yeah,” Pete breathes, stroking Patrick again and watching him intently. “Tell me how it feels, baby.”Patrick hadn’t thought a handjob would feel much different than jerking himself off, but holy motherfucking shit was he wrong. It feels like Pete’s wringing his soul out of him with every flick of his wrist. Lightning is coursing through his body, making every nerve feel frayed and burned out. He tries to articulate this, but all that comes out is, “It’s so—P-Pete, it’s so good, don’t stop, don’tstopdon’tstop—”“I know, ‘Trick. I won’t, I promise.” Pete leans down to kiss him, swallowing his embarrassingly loud noises as he keeps moving his hand.Not more than a minute later, Patrick is sure he’s about to explode. Pete’s body over his and his hand on his cock and the smell of his skin surrounding him—it’s all too much, he can’t keep it in anymore, he—he’s gonna——And Pete takes his hand away, shushing him gently, running a hand through Patrick’s hair as the younger boy arches up and moans, wanting that delicious friction back. “Pleeease,” he whines, writhing helplessly, clinging to the edge by his fingernails. “Don’t—you s-said you wouldn’t—”“Hold on, baby,” Pete whispers. “Just let me…” He reaches down with his big hand and wraps his fingers around both of them, squeezing their cocks together and picking up his strokes where he left off.Patrick has never felt anything as intense and gut-wrenching as that sensation. He can feel everything—Pete’s callouses on his sensitive skin, Pete’s cock throbbing and leaking against his own—and it only takes ten seconds of this pleasure avalanche for him to throw his head back and come like he’s dying, spurting in long ropes between their sweat-slick bodies. A broken, high-pitched wail breaks free from his throat as ecstasy rattles every bone in his body in a way he’s never even come close to experiencing before. It’s utterly devastating, and it leaves him a weak-limbed puddle of endorphins and overwhelmed tears.As he comes down, all Patrick can do is whimper Pete’s name and shiver with overstimulation as the bassist keeps stroking both of them. He cracks open his damp eyes and looks up at Pete’s enraptured red face, awestruck. With a ruined voice, he begs, “Come, Pete, c-come on me, please, please.”“Patrick, oh, fuck—fuck—!” Pete’s eyes go wide and his mouth drops open, stunned into coming. His hand stutters on their cocks and Patrick feels him come, feels his dick pulse and his jizz splatter on the overheated skin of his stomach. It’s enough to make him moan one more time and he closes his eyes, completely sated.The feeling of a warm, damp rag running over his torso is the next thing Patrick is aware of. He opens his eyes to see Pete leaning over him with a fond, adoring smile that he can’t help but return. “Hey,” he croaks.“Hey there.” Pete leans down for a gentle, chaste kiss while he cleans Patrick up. “How’re you feeling?”“Mmmph. Tingly,” Patrick replies after several seconds of contemplation. He hisses and shivers when Pete runs the washcloth over his soft cock. “Loose. Like I got put through a taffy puller.”Pete chuckles and tosses the rag to the floor. He lies down on the bed beside Patrick and pulls the covers up over them, cuddling close to the smaller boy’s side. It’s almost too natural for Patrick to roll over and wrap his arms around Pete’s middle in return. They’re both still naked and Patrick feels safe and warm and…loved like he never has before. He lets himself melt against Pete completely, reveling in the feeling.“So.” Pete kisses Patrick’s forehead and rubs his back slowly. “Was that, um. A good first time, for you?”He sounds genuinely uncertain, like he’s actually worried he didn’t do a good job. Patrick looks up at him in befuddlement. “Pete,” he says, solemn, “that was the most amazing thing I’ve ever felt in my entire fucking life. Seriously, I don’t—I’ve never—”“Shhh.” Pete captures Patrick’s lips in a sweet, meaningful kiss that leaves them both breathless. When he pulls away, he cups Patrick’s flushed cheek in his hand and smiles so earnestly it almost breaks Patrick’s heart. “I love you so much,” he murmurs, sounding as though he’s talking to himself.“I love you too,” Patrick says, soul glowing. Then he bites his lip, a thought occurring to him from earlier in the night. “Um. Was—Was I okay? I-I mean, did I do everything right?”“You were perfect,” Pete insists, more sincere than Patrick’s ever heard him. “The best I’ve ever had, baby.”That makes Patrick’s breath catch in his chest. He doubts it, but he allows himself to believe it just for tonight.They stay up for another fifteen minutes or so, trading giggly kisses and hushed words, before they both become too sluggish to stay awake. Patrick picks a rose petal out of his hair as Pete reaches over to turn off the bedside lamp, and they settle down against the pillows. Patrick nuzzles Pete’s nose in the darkness and starts to hum, knowing it helps Pete sleep; Pete tugs him as close as possible and closes his eyes.Patrick is ten seconds from falling asleep when Pete suddenly says, “Oh! I forgot to tell you, your mom said you can stay here later than one tomorrow.”“Hmm?” Patrick peels open his eyes and squints at Pete’s shadowy face. “When did she say that?”“Right before we left, while you were packing your bag upstairs. Your stepdad said it was okay with him, too.”Patrick shakes his head a bit, confused. “Why? What made them change their minds?”Pete is silent. Patrick waits patiently for an answer, then kicks him under the blankets after ten seconds. “Pete. What did you tell them?”“I didn’t tell them anything!” Pete insists, eyes wide and innocent. “They just…figured it out, I guess.”“Figured what out?” Patrick feels kind of sick. Do they know about this? About him?“I-I dunno, I mean. Your mom…she told me to take good care of you,” Pete says, voice softer now. “She said…um. She asked me…if I loved you? Like, y’know, the cliché protective parent move. A-And I freaked out, internally, but I wasn’t gonna lie to your fucking mom, so I just. I said yeah, I do. More than anything. And she smiled at me and said…she always knew.”Patrick is rigid next to Pete now, tears brimming in his eyes and a complicated emotion bubbling up in his chest. “Always knew what?” he asks, barely audible.Pete tightens his grip around Patrick’s waist and bumps their noses together. Even in the dark Patrick can tell he’s smiling. “That we would be together one day,” he replies. “I don’t really know what made her think that, exactly, but…”Patrick thinks back to the night of his graduation and the look on his mother’s face when Pete asked if he could take Patrick out after they had ice cream. She’d seemed…amused, maybe? Knowing? But Patrick’s been so careful; he never dreamed she would ever find out without him telling her. “Did you fucking out me to my own mother?” he asks Pete, but there’s barely any heat behind his words. His heart is pounding hard, but it’s calming down. A moment later, he adds, “Did…did I?”“I think maybe we both did?” Pete kisses the corner of the frazzled boy’s mouth. “But it’s okay, ‘Trick. She’s okay with it. She loves you—she loves both of us, and she’s totally fine with the fact that we love each other, too. That’s more than I could’ve ever asked for, honestly.”Patrick blinks and a pair of happy, shocked tears leak from his eyes, dampening the pillow beneath his head. “Me too,” he murmurs, voice tight. He’s gonna talk to her and his stepdad when he gets home tomorrow so they can hear his side of things, but. Fuck. This might have been a surprise, but it’s not entirely unwelcome. If anything, it’s a huge weight off his and Pete’s shoulders.“Good.” Pete kisses the tears away, holding Patrick like he’s something precious and rare. “I love you.”And that kind of makes it all better. The teenager sniffles and nods, tucking his face into Pete’s neck and closing his eyes again. “Love you more.”“Not a fucking chance.”As they drift off to sleep together in Pete’s rose-scented bedroom, Patrick knows that no matter what happens with his family and the band and their lives in general, he and Pete will have each other for eternity. They’re two sides of the same coin, opposites in almost every way but the one that matters most: their hearts. Pete’s the sunrise to Patrick’s sunset.For the first time he can remember, Patrick can’t wait till dawn.###
11423286	Daddy	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "Gen", "Characters": null, "Fandom": "Haikyuu!!", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by CheetahLeopard2", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-06T00:00:00", "words": "154", "Additional Tags": "Drabble, Blame this on the discord, Shortest thing I've ever written", "Relationship": null, "Character": "Seijoh", "Relationships": null, "Series": "Blame The Discord", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Tooru’s plans to sneak back into the gym are foiled when he hears, “OI SHITTYKAWA I SEE YOU INCHING TOWARDS THE DOOR” barked from behind him. Nervously laughing, knowing he can come back later with the spare keys until Hajime comes to drag him home, Tooru weakly tries to stay now with a joking, “Are you my mom Iwa-chan?” “No,” Hajime quickly denies, even though he’d admitted to being team mom earlier, “I’m your dad, if anything. You aren’t a first year.” “Ohhh daddy.” Makki croons from the other side of the locker room, smirking. Hajime flushes deep red as everyone, except Yuutarou, who just looks confused, snickers into their hand. “Takahiro Hanamaki.” He stutters after a moment. “Run.” Takahiro laughs brightly as he dashes out of the door, Hajime hot on his tail. “Catch him daddy!” Issei calls deapan after them, and Takahiro almost trips as Hajime flips him off behind his back.
11417394	Deadeye	{ "Archive Warning": "Graphic Depictions Of Violence", "Category": "Gen", "Characters": "Soldier: 76 \| Jack Morrison, Jesse McCree", "Fandom": "Overwatch (Video Game)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by SleepingAshes", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-06T00:00:00", "words": "4,728", "Additional Tags": "Blackwatch Era, Blackwatch Jesse McCree, Pre-Fall of Overwatch, Panic Attacks, Violence, Trauma", "Relationship": "Jesse McCree & Soldier: 76 \| Jack Morrison", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": "Overwatch Soulmate AU", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Gabriel liked to think he wasn’t making a huge mistake by assigning Jesse to the mission with Jack. It didn’t take a genius to tell the two didn’t exactly get along, but Jack needed skill for this mission and Jesse was one of the most skilled Blackwatch had to offer. He tried to pretend he didn’t see Jack’s disappointed expression when he made the offer. “I asked you personally to come on this mission because it needs to be done right.” Jack had said. “I wouldn’t put you with Jesse if I didn’t know he could handle it.” Gabriel said, “Besides, I’ll be gone for a few weeks on a mission with Gerard.” Jack frowned, but didn’t say anything else. He knew if Gabriel really couldn’t come then the mission with Gerard was extremely important. He’d have to trust Gabriel’s judgement and put up with Jesse. Though...trusting Jesse to get the job done didn’t mean he had to like being with him for the duration of this mission. Gabriel left that evening with Gerard and the next day Jack and Jesse left. The way there was tense. Jesse was trying to keep up friendly conversation but after a while it just got annoying to Jack. He wanted to tell Jesse to shut up a few times but resisted the urge. Snapping at him wouldn’t help in making this any better. “You understand the importance of this mission right?” Jack asked after a while of Jesse’s chatter. If he wasn’t going to be quiet they might as well talk about something productive… “Sure do. Boss told me all about it.” “I’ve never worked with you before, so you understand if I’m worried you won’t be able to handle it.” It sounded nicer in his head, he realized, but it was already out. Nothing he could do about it now. Jesse didn’t seem phased. “I may be younger and new to workin’ with you but I like to think I got this. If Gabe thinks I got it, I must be doin’ somethin’ right.” “I didn’t realize you and Gabriel were close enough for you to call him Gabe.” Jack said before he could stop himself. The comment earned him a curious look from Jesse. “Yeah I don’t call him ‘boss’ when we’re in private, really.” Jesse let out a small laugh, “I like to think we’re kinda friends or somethin.” Jack hummed in response, trying not to let his bitterness show through. He didn’t know exactly why the comment bothered him so much, but it did. Maybe it was that, even after a few years of Jesse being a part of Blackwatch, Jack still didn’t fully trust him. He didn’t believe that Jesse was a changed person, not really. He’d never say that to Gabriel but it didn’t mean he didn’t have his own opinions. He sure as hell wouldn’t admit to Jesse’s face that he thought at the drop of a dime, Jesse would turn on him. Given the right situation Jack always expected him to cut and run. It was amazing to him that Jesse hadn’t done so already but Gabriel was the type to keep a close eye on things. He probably just hadn’t had the chance yet. “It’s...nice to be able to feel that camaraderie with the people you work with.” Jack finally said but there was no real kindness behind his response. “Hey, somethin’ we agree on.” Jesse hadn’t seemed to detect any change in Jack’s demeanor. Not like there was much to see. Jack seemed like a grump all the time and if he got a little grumpier, it wasn’t a big shock to Jesse. When the pair finally reached the area they needed to be in it seemed Jesse had run out of smalltalk. Jack was secretly glad he didn’t have to humor Jesse anymore. They stopped at a hotel for the rest of the day and planned to set out just before the sun set. Jack ran over the specifics one more time for Jesse. Jesse sat silently as Jack ran through what needed to be done. They needed to infiltrate a base of a small gang that reportedly had extremely sensitive information on a terrorist organization's weapons. Weapons that may or may not be able to wipe out a small country if whoever was in charge desired it. They needed to get that information no matter the cost. Jack said there might be casualties depending on how well guarded the base was, but Jesse expected as much. He ran with Deadlock as a teenager and worked for Blackwatch the past four years. He’d seen enough death that he was desensitized to it, really. Being asked to kill wasn’t a new thing. He figured Jack knew as much so he kept his mouth shut and nodded. “I’ll take them from the basement entrance, you keep watch from the front entrance. If they realize I’m in, take them out. Got it?” “Gotcha.” Just a few hours later they were in position. It wasn’t heavily guarded at all. Only two guys were out front and they didn’t even look to be actively guarding the place. They were just talking. It led Jesse to believe there weren’t even that many people inside. He wouldn’t be shocked if Jack came back with the information and no one noticed it at all… Jesse was honestly getting bored when the two seemed to perk up and get their guns ready. Looks like they finally noticed… Jesse sighed and got out his own weapon. He shot the two guards from where he was then dropped down from his hiding spot to go inside and help Jack. “Nice shootin’, Deadeye.” A voice said from behind him. Deadeye. Jesse hadn’t heard the name in years. Not since his days in Deadlock when his superiors had started referring to him by that dreaded nickname. No one knew him by that name outside of Deadlock. No one. He turned to find someone he honestly thought was dead. A man by the name of Andre, someone who used to be in Deadlock but left shortly before the gang got busted by Blackwatch. Jesse assumed he was killed by his extremely pissed off superiors before he got too far but...this proved him wrong. “I always wondered how you could aim so well from so far away.” Andre said, holding a gun up to Jesse’s face. Jesse eyed the gun but didn’t show any signs of fear that he’d get shot. Not that Andre wouldn’t do it. He knew he would. But he knew better than to show fear to this man. “I’ve been watchin’ you since you got here. Your little friend had some fun inside but I bet he’s regretting it now.” Andre went on, “I just had to see you in action though. Would ya believe it if I said I missed you?” “Fuck off.” Jesse growled. “Someone grew some balls since Deadlock.” Andre seemed amused. “You never woulda spoken to me like that before.” Jesse glared at the man. “Don’t look at me like that, kid! Well, you aint really a kid nomore are ya? Whaddya do now? Work for the government or some shit?” “I’m not answerin’ your questions so fuck off.” “This is my gang now, you answer me when I ask you somethin’ you little shit,” Andre hit Jesse with his gun, making the man stumble backwards. “Just cuz we aint rollin with the same people don’t mean anything changed. I’m always gonna be better than you and I’m always gonna be tougher.” Jesse tried to ignore the tightness growing in his chest. He knew he could take out Andre so why wasn’t his body moving right? Why was he standing there like some scared kid? He wasn’t scared of Andre, not anymore. Jesse had training now, he could take out Andre if it came down to a fight. He just had to move . The sound of Andre’s gun cocking snapped him out of his thoughts. “Get on your knees, boy.” Jesse’s throat felt dry. He felt himself obey the order. He felt himself forgetting this wasn’t Deadlock. He wasn’t there. Andre didn’t have that power over him anymore, or so he thought. “Good boy.” Andre said, laughing, “Just like old times, huh? Don’t matter where you go, you’re always gonna be Deadlock’s bitch, right Jesse?” “ No .” Jesse forced out. “You sure? Y’know I always had a idea that people never change. There aint no point in trying to deny what you are. I’m a killer, always will be. Proud of it too. You aint no different than me.” “I’m not like you.” “Ya killed two of my men just a minute ago but you aint a killer?” “That’s not what--” “What you think you’re all high and mighty now cuz you got official ass friends? You think I don’t know who that guy with you was? He’s the face of mother fuckin’ Overwatch. But you aint like them. You aint good like Overwatch. You killed for nothin before, you really think you come back from that?” Jesse opened his mouth to reply but nothing came out. He could feel it was getting harder to keep calm. Anything he’d say, Andre would twist into something ugly. Just like he used to in Deadlock. No matter what Jesse’s answer would be, it was the wrong answer and he’d get punished for it. Beaten bloody, starved, sometimes he did worse. Sometimes everyone in Deadlock would get creative or sicker and come up with worse ways to punish and pick on their subordinates. It’s what made Jesse make sure he killed enough and didn’t feel anything about it later. If Andre or one of the others said “kill” he did it, no questions asked. He knew most of the people deserved it anyways, but that’s what he told himself to help him sleep at night. Jesse feared more than anything that Andre was right. He wasn’t changed at all. He still killed, still told himself the people deserved it. It was just Gabriel pointing the finger and telling him what to do now. Nothing really changed at all. When he looked back to Andre, he realized he’d completely zoned out for a minute. Andre was looking at him expectantly, like he’d asked him something. Jesse only realized then that Jack was screaming in his ear through the comms. He sounded pissed. Andre probably heard Jack’s voice and Jesse wondered if that’s what he’d asked about. “He’s gonna die if you don’t kill me.” Andre said. “You gonna do somethin about that?” Jesse wanted to, if only his body would cooperate. He couldn’t find it in him to talk, it was too hard right then to form words. It was getting too hard to breathe, really. Why was it so hard to breathe? Andre was choking him. He was choking him and Jesse wasn’t doing a damn thing about it. “Always knew you were a pussy when it came down to it.” Andre taunted. “Too bad your friend brought a fuck up like you with him.” Jesse let out a bitter laugh. Andre was right. He was nothing but a fuck up and a killer. A part of him agreed that no matter how hard he tried, he’d never really change. He’d always be desensitized to the violence and death around him. He’d always be contributing to it, too, so it wasn’t like he could complain when it got too much. Jack’s angry voice was speaking in his ear again, something about getting the information. “If you’re still alive, I could use some help!” Jack didn’t sound desperate for help, more agitated that he wasn’t getting any. “Gabriel said you could handle this!” Just as Jesse’s vision started to get blurry, his mind finally snapped out of the thoughts he’d been having. He quickly shoved Andre off of him and stood up again, coughing but finding it wasn’t too hard to breathe thankfully. “What you wanna do this the hard way?” Andre asked, readying his gun. Jesse didn’t give him an answer. He charged at Andre before he could react and tackled him to the ground. He landed a solid punch with his prosthetic arm, hitting much harder than he could have with his real one. Andre spat blood and tried to recover from the hit but Jesse wouldn’t let him. He snatched Andre’s gun and held it against the man’s head. “Easy way or hard way, this ends with you dead.” Jesse said. “You don’t get to do shit to me anymore.” Andre tried to say something but Jesse shoved the gun in his mouth instead. “You were right. This is just like old times.” Jesse muttered, looking at Andre with a cold look in his eyes. “You’re pathetic.” Jesse didn’t give him any time to react before pulling the trigger. Andre’s blood stained the ground around him and it made Jesse feel good in a sick, twisted way. He stood slowly, but never stopped looking at the body. He held the gun out and shot Andre’s unmoving body once more, then twice. Then he kept shooting until there were no more bullets left in the gun. He wanted to kill his past along with Andre but with so many things brought up to the surface he knew that couldn’t happen. The pain in Jesse’s mind was fresh and even though he knew now wasn’t the time to think about every little thing he’d suffered through in Deadlock, he did. He thought of everything Andre put him through and then how he in turn made others suffer. His body moved on its own after that. He picked up his own gun and finally made his way inside the building. There was obviously a fight going on somewhere not too far in, so he followed the noise. Jack was going up against four or five other men. It didn’t matter. Jesse shot two of them quickly, giving Jack an opportunity to knock another out and get his gun back, which had been discarded a few feet away. The others were dead in seconds. “Jesus, you couldn’t have showed up sooner?” Jack snapped. “I didn’t think you’d sit there and make me do all of this by myself!” Jack went to grab Jesse by the shirt and yell at him, demand to know where the hell he’d been, but the second he touched him Jesse had his gun pressed to Jack’s gut. “Don’t fucking touch me.” Jesse said in a low voice. Jack backed away immediately, hands in the air to show he meant no real harm. He would have said something if the look in Jesse’s eyes hadn’t been so...distant. Something told him to tread carefully, and not just because Jesse was still holding onto his gun. Jesse looked at the dead bodies for a moment, not moving or saying anything for what felt like hours. After about a minute he looked at Jack. “I’m sorry.” He whispered, catching Jack off guard. “What happened, McCree?” Jack asked, frowning. “What put you on edge?” Jesse let out a small bitter laugh that quickly escalated to sobbing. He tossed his gun aside and backed himself up against a wall, sliding down it and curling in on himself. His hands grabbed at his hair roughly, the pain being the only thing keeping him even remotely in the moment. “Fuck,” Jesse cried, “Fuck, fuck, fuck! Why the fuck am I like this!” “McCree!” Jack quickly made his way to Jesse’s side, “McCree, what happened? Talk to me, ok?” Jesse shook his head and gripped his hair tighter. If he told Jack, then Jack would tell Gabriel and Gabriel would realize he was a lost cause. He was scum and he didn’t deserve any second chances. If Andre’s mangled corpse was anything to go by, Jesse was just a disaster waiting to happen. “Jesse,” Jack said, obviously worried at this point, “Calm down and talk to me.” “I’m sorry--” Jesse managed, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry… Jack I can’t…” Jack frowned, cautiously putting his hands around Jesse’s wrists to try to pry his hands away from his hair. His grip was so tight his knuckles were turning white; surely that wasn’t comfortable. “I forgive you for whatever you're apologizing for, ok? Now let go, you’re hurting yourself…” “ Good ,” Jesse only seemed to grip at his hair tighter, “I deserve it,” Jesse only seemed to be getting worse. He was going from crying to hyperventilating and it had been a long time since Jack had to comfort anyone through a panic attack. Not that he ever really knew how to do it well, but he certainly wasn’t prepared for it now. He didn’t know Jesse, he didn’t know what to say to him to calm him down or even what made him calm. He didn’t know what triggered this either or that Jesse even had panic attacks in the first place. “I can’t breathe…” Jesse forced out, panicked, “I can’t breathe,” “I know, I know,” Jack rushed, “I need you to focus ok? Breathe in and breathe out. In and out, can you do that?” “I can’t…” “You can, you can do this. Try it with me, alright? In...and out.” Jack repeated the process with Jesse a few times until it appeared he’d calmed down. Jesse was completely still for a few minutes as he focused on breathing slowly. Jack didn’t dare move until Jesse did. He slowly lifted his head and looked at the bodies laid out behind Jack. He counted to himself. “Five.” He finally said. “What?” “I killed five men today.” Jesse mumbled, “No women, no children. No innocent people. Five criminals.” Jack nodded slowly, not quite getting it, but it seemed to help ground Jesse. “We should go back to the hotel.” Jack said after a moment. “We have a lot to talk about before I call for extraction.” Jesse nodded slowly and allowed Jack to help him stand up. The way back to the hotel they’d been staying at was completely silent. Neither knew how to approach what happened tonight, not that Jesse really wanted to. He knew Jack would have questions and he’d have to give him answers but that didn’t mean he was eager to do so. Jack was nice enough and waited until Jesse had showered and eaten something small before he began questioning him. “I want you to know I’m not...mad…”Jack started carefully. “You aint mad I pulled a gun on you. Mhm.” “You weren’t yourself. That much was obvious.” Jesse said nothing, so Jack continued. “I called for backup and it took you a long time to help. What happened?” “...One of the guys running that place used to be in Deadlock. He snuck up on me after I took out the two guards in front and uh… He put me in a bad place.” Jesse answered honestly. “I didn’t know how to react to seein him.” “Deadlock? Did he offer you to join his group?” Jesse scoffed. “Jack, I don’t know if you know this...but just cuz I killed a lotta people for Deadlock doesn’t mean they treated me well or liked me well enough to want me to do that. He didn’t want me to join his fucking group, he wanted to kill me. Put me in my place again.” Jack was quiet for a moment. Jesse felt the seconds tick by and he briefly wondered if he’d said too much or sounded too rude when he said it. Had he offended Jack or angered him? He wouldn’t blame him if he was mad. He’d messed up a lot tonight. “I’m sorry.” Jack finally said. “I misjudged you entirely.” “What?” “I haven’t had the highest opinion of you since you joined Blackwatch. I always thought you joined to save yourself and that Gabriel was wrong to give you a second chance. I didn’t think you’d changed much at all. I...I was wrong to think that way.I see that now. So I’m sorry.” “I don’t really think I changed that much…” Jesse mumbled, “I’m still a killer, I just kill for different people. Nothin’s different. Not really.” “You’re wrong. You could have joined back up with your old gangmate and you could have killed me tonight. But you didn’t. You did your job, yeah, but you know you’re saving lives now in the long run.” “I...don’t know what to say.” Jesse admitted. “...I don’t...like to think about my past. I try to bury it a lot cuz I think it’ll go away if I don’t think about it… But uh...I’d never go back to Deadlock or any of em. I know that much. I don’t have to think about it to know that. And I wouldn’t kill you… The world kinda needs your perfect face to give ‘em hope and all that.” Jack let out a small, genuine laugh. “My perfect face huh?” “I dunno I told you I didn’t know what to say.” Jesse bit his lip nervously before continuing, “Hey, uh, you think Gabriel thinks I’m a fuck up?” “What? No. Whenever he talks about you he’s so obviously proud of you.” “Huh…” “What made you think that?” “Nothin...just Andre said… You know, Deadlock guy...he said some things. It made me feel like I wasn’t here anymore. Like he still had that power over me and always would.” Jesse frowned, “Just the things he said got me thinkin...Gabe would probably be better off if I hadn’t joined Blackwatch.” “You’d be in jail if you weren’t with Blackwatch.” “But it’d save him a lot of trouble. I remember when I first joined you were pissed. And don’t say you weren’t, I know you don’t like me much. But he had to justify why he thought a fuckin screw up kid like me was worth a second chance. Still does sometimes. He put a lot of work into making me someone worth giving a damn about.” “He tries to see the good in people, if he can.” Jack said softly, “I know he really thought you just weren’t given the right opportunities to be better than what you were shown. He was right, I owe him an apology for the hassle I put him through.” “You don’t gotta act nice to me outta pity.” Jack gave him a confused look. “Look, I know I fucked up a lot tonight and whatever the fuck happened, happened, but you don’t have to act different. You don’t like me and I really don’t know why me almost shooting you would change anything.” “You were in an extremely vulnerable mindset tonight. Even if I didn’t like you, I wasn’t going to treat you badly and I’m still not going to. I’m just trying to understand you better.” “...Ok. Sorry.” “No it’s...fine. I just want you to know I’m asking you questions because I’m worried.” “I’ll deal with it just fine. It won’t happen again so there’s nothin to be worried about.” Jack raised an eyebrow. “Do you talk to anyone about your past?” “No, not really.” “So you just bury it.” “Uh, yeah.” “That’s not healthy.” “Dunno if you noticed but I kinda don’t have normal people problems. What, I’m supposed to go up to someone and talk about how I was in a gang and killed people when I was a fucking kid, and if I didn’t I’d get beat and that was on a good day!” Jesse felt himself getting more and more on edge, “I can’t tell them about how I feel or what I think about half the fucking time!” “What do you think about?” Jack asked, expression completely neutral. “Lots of shit, Jack! Lots of fucked up shit! The shit that happened to me, the shit I did, but I don’t burden people with this shit and it eats me alive, I can’t fucking sleep sometimes, I’d drink until I couldn’t feel anything but then people would notice and-- and…” Jesse took a heavy sigh and shook his head. “I can’t handle being a fuck up anymore. I just can’t .” “First off, you’re not a fuck up, I can assure you that.” Jack said, startling Jesse, “I didn’t want you on this mission. I asked Gabriel first but he already had a mission he needed to go on and he practically gushed about you when he offered for you to come instead. If he thought you were a fuck up, he wouldn’t talk about you like you were someone so special to him.” Jesse kept his mouth shut, but Jack didn’t miss the light blush coating his cheeks at the mention of Gabriel’s praise for him. He decided to ignore it and go on, “Second, you wouldn’t be burdening anyone by talking about your feelings or your past. We all have things that bother us and keep us up at night. Gabe and I fought in a war, you think we don’t think about that every now and then? Hell, in the first few weeks after the war ended, I don’t think I slept more than a few hours total. I couldn’t stop thinking about the people we lost and the things I’d seen but I talked to people about it. I talked to Gabe and Ana and it helped .” “They fought that war with you. They understand it.” “We all experienced it differently. Some missions were easier for me but hard for them. Some things I had to do without them. Sometimes they’d go off on a mission and I didn’t know if they were coming back. But we can still talk to each other about it when we need to because we trust each other. You trust people right?” “...Yeah, I mean...I have to if I want them to have my back on missions.” “Find a few people you can really be friends with and I’m sure they’d listen to you when you’re thinking about darker things. I’m sure Gabe would, if you asked.” Jack sighed, “And that brings me to my last thing I wanted to say. You need to confront these things sooner or later and finding a good way to cope is important. Drinking isn’t one of those ways.” “I don’t drink myself stupid. Well, not a lot. Only when I know I don’t gotta do anything the next day.” Jesse admitted. “...I do other things mostly. I smoke and have a shit ton of sex as distractions.” “Distractions aren’t dealing with it.” Jesse shrugged. “It works for the most part.” “What about the times where it doesn’t work?” Jack had meant for it to be a rhetoric question but Jesse got a guilty look on his face and answered anyways. “Ever heard of Russian roulette?” Jack was stunned into silence. The following moments that ticked by weren’t exactly tense, but they weren’t comfortable either. Neither seemed to know what to say after that. Jesse figured he could apologize again, but it wouldn’t take back what he said. He opted to let Jack make the next move, even if it took him a while to figure out what to say. “I don’t have to explain why that’s not a good idea.” Jack finally said. “Look...the mission was a success even if there was a bit of a rough patch. I won’t tell Gabe everything, but he has to know the basics.” “...Alright…” “I’m not ordering you, but I want you to try to get some help when we get back to base.” “Ok.” Jesse muttered. “I mean it. Find someone to talk to, or get Angela to refer you to someone… You deserve to live without your demons following you everywhere you go.” “...Thanks, that...that actually means a lot.” Neither said much after that. They both agreed it had been a long evening and decided to get some rest before Jack called for extraction. The way back was relatively silent, save for Jesse making a few remarks here and there that were friendly enough. Jack found he wasn’t nearly as annoyed with Jesse as he had been before. Sure, the experience wouldn’t magically make them best friends, but Jack felt like he’d learned to appreciate and respect McCree just a bit more.
11404062	Songs Scrawled in Blue	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Connor Murphy (Dear Evan Hansen), Evan Hansen, Larry Murphy", "Fandom": "Dear Evan Hansen - Pasek & Paul/Levenson", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by StitchingStarsigns", "chapters": "6/?", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-04T00:00:00", "words": "3,220", "Additional Tags": "Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Recreational Drug Use, Songfic, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Angst, Mental Health Issues, anger issues, Self-Harm, Self-Hatred, Verbal Abuse", "Relationship": "Evan Hansen/Connor Murphy", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	He was hazy the first time his soulmate had written to him. A joint in his hand as he sat on the roof, a beer and a half sitting beside him as he watched the blue ink swirl along his skin, scrawling some sort of poem on his arm in a fancy cursive font. When he read the words, he couldn't help but laugh. Drink up, baby Stay up all night There was more, but who was he to ignore the command on his wrist. And so he drank, downing the rest of the alcohol beside him and going off to look for more.Connor woke up the next morning with a hangover and a tear stained pillow. His arm sprawled across his face, only to remind him of the writing he had neglected to read the night before.When he managed to force his eyes to focus, they scanned to fading script upon his skin. Drink up, baby Stay up all night With the things you could do You wont but you might The potential you'll be That you'll never see The promises you'll only make Connor frowned. It wasn't uncommon for soulmates to share songs with each other by way of lyrics. Ignoring the shaking of his hands as he pulled his phone off the night stand, he typed the words into the search bar and played the video that showed up.The tear stains on his pillow grew. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The first time Evan's soulmate wrote to him he was a wreck.The first day of school was never a great experience, not when his personality seemed to be nothing but a horrible hodgepodge of anxiety, stuttering and sweaty hands. Sure, he knows that, logically, none of what his brain conjures up has much chance of happening, but the creeping terror of messing up would always be there no matter what he told himself. Not to mention the fact that the chance that everything will go wrong is still there, no matter how small.Evan was sitting on his bed, staring at the blank space on his laptop. He had to write this letter eventually. His therapist would be disappointed in him if he didn't, and what if she was so disappointed that she no longer believed that he actually was trying to get better, then she wouldn't let his mom book more appointments because she never wanted to see him again and his mom would be disappointed and upset because she had worked so hard to get the money for therapy and she wouldn't bother trying to find him a new therapist and then he would get even worse and-Evan shook his head violently, shutting his train of thoughts down and regulating his breathing. In. Out. In. Out. He was fine, he just had to write a letter to himself. It wasn't that hard. He could do that. He was fine.He lowered his hands down to the keyboard and began his letter. Dear Evan Hansen, Today is going to be a good day, and here's w Evan jumped five feet into the air, tossing his laptop away from him and staring at his arm with wide eyes. There, below the fading blue cursive of his own writing, messy black scrawlings were quickly writing themselves unto his pale skin. The scratchy, angular writing was a stark contrast to his own writing, and it took him a few minutes to even gather himself enough to read the words on his forearm. There's a God-awful shitty feeling of dread in my heart, Yeah, it's got a lot to do with haven't finished what I started; And at any second now I think it all might fall apart, 'Cause there's a God-awful shitty feeling of dread in my heart, yeah. It took Evan some time to process the words. Lyrics! God did he feel stupid when he realized that they were lyrics. Of course they were. Obviously his soulmate was trying to copy what he'd done the other night.The it hit him. His soulmate.He had a soulmate. His soulmate had written this. His soulmate was writing to him. He had a soulmate. It took everything he had in him to look up the song without passing out. He took the time to hush his reeling thoughts and fears and to regulate his breathing yet again before he pulled out his heaphones and plugged them in. He played the song and listened.He was glad he did. Mother Mother... He made a note to himself to look them up, bookmarked the song in question before noticing the time. He bolted, throwing everything he needed into his bag and rushing to school.The first day of school was never a good experience, but at least he wasn't the only one who thought so. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The second time his soul mate had written to him, he couldn't help but grin. And they say It started with the big bang But they say It came out of a small thing Lately Ive been feeling like a big bang Cause i've been making something out of nothing He watched as little blue stars and planets formed around the fancy writing. It was cute. Never in the last ten years had Connor thought of anything as cute, but here he was, smiling for the first time in months over how cute his soulmate was. Part of him was a little disgusted at how sappy it was.The thing that really made him smile was the fact that he'd recognized the song the minute the first line was scrawled unto his wrist. It wasn't just any song. The song was by the same band as the song Connor had written to his soulmate. He had no idea if his soulmate had gone out of their way to look up the band, or if it was just a coincidence that they both liked Mother Mother, but it made butterflies spring to life in his stomach either way.Good things never lasted for him though, it seems. One minute he'd been watching his skin, and then next he was glaring at his red faced father. He was yelling again. Connor hadn't been paying attention to the words his father spewed until a certain sentence stuck out."I didn't raise you to be such an ungrateful failure." Connor's eyes widened only a fraction. His heart sped up and he felt his shoulders tense angrily. One moment he was on his bed with a pen in his hands, the next the pen was on the other side of the room, along with half of the stuff off his night stand and himself. He was screaming and throwing things, and before he knew it his knuckles had broken the drywall beside his door. "Fuck you! You didn't raise me to be this way?! Bull shit!" Connor yelled, eyes wild with the sudden rage that hit him. He couldn't control himself. He was so angry and it terrified him but he couldn't stop."You didn't raise me, you just tossed me aside for my perfect little sister! So you know what?!" His voice broke lightly as his eyes began to sting with tears that wouldn't come forth. He hated himself more and more with each word. He hated himself more and more because he knew deep inside that he deserved to be thrown aside. He deserved to become a failure. This was what he deserved, but he had go fight and take out the frustration of that out on others. He felt like such a fuck up." Go die in a fucking hole for all I care! Leave me the fuck alone!" Connor screamed. His father stared at him with big eyes, full of anger and hurt. His father didn't say a word.With that he shoved his father out, slamming the door shut and leaning a chair under the knob for good measure. He screamed in exasperation and picked up the pen he'd thrown earlier. He stabbed it into his hand and hissed in pain. Tears welled in his eyes and he glared down at his wrist.He took the pen and scratched the words on his skin until every speck of blue was covered by black.It only took him a moment to realize what he'd done. Once he did he leaned against the wall and slid to the floor. Connor shoved the heels of his hands into his eyes and tried to hold back his tears and frustrated sobs. Obviously his father hadn't raised him to be such a fuck up. He did that to himself.The second time his soul mate had written to him, he couldn't help but fuck things up. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The second time his soulmate wrote to him, Evan had been wishing they'd do it sooner.It was lunch, the sun was out and most everyone was off school grounds for the hour. Evan had decided to keep to himself, Jared hadn't shown up, meaning he had to go the day alone. This led to the blonde sitting in a secluded corner of the school yard, leaning against a birch tree.He was more on edge than usual. Jared wasn't great, not much of a friend, but he was routine. The broken routine was what had upset him so much about Jared's absence. When Jared was gone Evan was lost, unsure where to go, what to do. Being with Jared was his everyday, his normal. And thus Evan was left to his own devices and his own mind.To counter one of those problems, Evan had pulled out his pens and headphones. Writing lyrics to his soulmate did make him anxious, but it was a different kind of anxious, a safer one, and the mindless doodles afterwards helped him clear his head.He had been just on the edge of ok when the black began to angrily etch itself into his skin.Within moments all of his blue drawings and words had been blotted out completely by a ragged scribbly block of black, and Evan could feel the burn of where his soulmate had torn skin. It hurt him physically, his nerves screamed where his soulmate had jabbed the pen into their hand, and Evan was sobbing at the pain almost instantly.But the real pain was the emotional one. To have his soulmate destroy his writing was a cleared message than any. His soulmate didn't want him, hated him even, the inky black of his arm seared that message into his own skin, brighter than day. Then came the words, shakier than before, deeper, and more painful than the scribbling had been. What if I wanted to break Laugh it all off in your face What would you do There was a break, and Evan thought the words had stopped. Then he felt the burn on the back of his arm once again and he bit his lip until it bled, trying to see through the tears. In all capital letters it read; COME BREAK ME DOWN BURY ME, BURY ME And surrounding it began to seep a mess of words he could barely make out. The only things he could read seemed to be the repeated I'm sorry, and two sentences that confused and scared Evan more than the others. I try to be someone else but nothing seems to change. All I wanted was you Evan scrambled for his phone, calling his mom while he tried to ignore the painful tightness in his chest. By the end of lunch Evan had ended up in his bedroom, curled in a blanket and shaking from the sobs that wracked his body. He was lost and confused and all he knew was that he'd done something wrong, he'd ruined everything. He wasn't good enough and his soulmate knew that.The second time his soulmate had written to him, Evan wished he hadn't. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- The next time Connor heard from his soulmate, he was falling out of his fit of rage.Maybe ‘heard’ wasn’t the right word. But it was the only word that fit when Connor tried to think on it. Really, the only thing his soulmate had done was add a little more shaky blue scrawl to the deep black Connor had just about carved into his skin after his latest fight with Larry.It was nothing more than a small I’m Sorry hidden in his own scribblings of the same word all along his forearm.The moment Connor had noticed it was the moment that he realized how this all must have looked to his soulmate. The moment Connor had noticed it was the moment that he realized how badly he’d fucked up.It had been three days since then. Connor had tried to write to his soulmate, to explain the situation, to apologize, to do anything at all. Yet he could never find the words. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t put his feelings or thoughts into writing, and it seemed like his soulmate wasn’t interested in writing to him either. He could understand. He would probably hate his soulmate if they’d written something like his mess of a vent filled message on his arm too.A paper airplane to the back of the head pulled him back into reality.Right. Science class.Connor turned quickly, trying to find the culprit, and a scowl graced his features when he noticed a group of jocks in the back of the classroom. He was ready to call them out and had nearly left his seat when he caught sight of the small blonde beside them. More specifically, the greying ink upon the pale skin of his left arm that the blonde seemed to be staring at in a daze.The same ink Connor had drawn onto his own left arm three days prior. This forced Connor to a standstill. Then dark blue eyes caught his own, and before he could even register what had happened, Connor’s desk had been flipped by just how fast he’s stood, bolting out of the classroom and towards the nearest bathroom. He threw himself into the nearest stall and fell to his knees, bracing his hands on the toilet seat.The room was spinning, and his eyes burned with unshed tears. He wanted to scream, to cry, to punch a wall, to do something other than leaning over a grimy toilet, borderline dry heaving. There were so many things rushing through his brain all at once. So many emotions, so many fears. He knew he’d meet his soulmate eventually, but he would never have guessed it would be so soon.He spent the next ten minutes just sobbing against the door of the bathroom stall, dizzy and numb from the shock. He wasn’t ready to meet his soulmate, and the overwhelming sadness that the blonde boy had shown when his eyes met Connor’s was all the proof that Connor needed to affirm that he definitely didn’t deserve one.Connor pulled out a pen.Apparently so did his soulmate. Just as Connor had pulled his sleeve up to write, blue ink had begun to appear over the faded ink on his wrist. All my heroes are human And my gods are all dead And hope's hard to find So I’ll hide out in bed That was all he needed to recognize the song. It was a song he’d listen to when things were too much to handle. So he wrote back. And I harbor a hatred For anyone left with A fragment of a smile And so, they formed a pattern. They continued on until the end of the chorus, alternating between neat blue and scratchy black until Connor finally interrupted. With a deep sigh, he readied himself and began to write. Hey, look, I just… He paused, thinking on his choice of words. I want to apologize. That stuff the other day wasn’t because of you. I was angry and upset because of other things and, well, I wasn’t thinking of how it would affect you when I wrote it. I’m sorry. He stopped for a moment, unsure of himself. When no blue words appeared in response he steeled himself and continued. I was hoping that maybe we could…. Start over? I guess that’s the best way to put it… Anyways. Hi. I’m Connor Murphy, your soulmate. Connor grimaced, scratching out the last two words. Sorry, that was dumb. After a minute or two without reply, he was sure that his soulmate hated him. The entire thing was stupid. Why the hell would the just forgive him so easily. He was an idiot. Not only that, he just saw his soulmate in the same class as him. What sort of dumbass with a reputation like his would have told their fucking soulmate who they are! That’s practically telling your soulmate “HEY! I, YOUR SOULMATE, AM A PSYCHO THAT WAS VOTED MOST LIKELY TO SHOOT UP THE SCHOOL HOW YA DOIN!?” God he was so fucking stupid. He bit his lip and scratched at his thigh through his jeans, feeling the dull prick of scabs being torn. Just as he was about to roll down his sleeve, came the blue scrawl he’s been waiting for. Hi, Connor, I’m Evan… Evan Hansen. The words were shakier and much more unsure than usual, but Connor barely noticed. He was ecstatic and filled with energy just from getting a response. Evan Hansen.He tested the name out on his tongue, his lips quirking upwards just barely. Cute. Connor knew things wouldn’t be perfect, but his soulmate- no, Evan was willing to forgive him and to try things again, even though he probably knew who Connor was and the things he was rumored to have done. That was more than Connor could ever have hoped for.The next time Connor heard from his soulmate, he was beginning to think that maybe things could be alright. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Alright, so this thing is on a bit of an accidental haitus and im really sorry about that. I have some later chapters planned out, but im struggling finding inspiration for the in between. So to try and push myself to write that in between, i thought i would come ask you guys for some song recs. it doesnt have to be songs that fit the fic theme, im honestly looking for anything.if you have songs youd like to rec, you can comment here, send me a pm or you can contact me over on my tumblr at http://officialconnormurphy.tumblr.comagain im looking for absolutely anything, and my taste in music is literally everything (ive specifically been listening to folk punk and older artists such a mj, guns n roses and men at work lately but i will listen to pretty much everything from electroswing to vocaloid to rap to classic and much more) so throw whatever youd like at me, be it a character playlist you made for an oc that you like, your all time fav song since you were 3 years old, incredibly obscure 1800s opera or anything else youre willing to sharethank you guys for your patience with me and for all the support youve given me already! i love you all and every new kudo or comment makes my day!
11461893	Families and Friends	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "F/F", "Characters": "Asui Tsuyu, Uraraka Ochako, Midoriya Izuku", "Fandom": "僕のヒーローアカデミア \| Boku no Hero Academia \| My Hero Academia", "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by Silver_Sterling", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-10T00:00:00", "words": "2,347", "Additional Tags": "Childbirth, not graphic, I actually skip over it bc idk what happens lmao, Trans Tsuyu", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Asui Tsuyu/Uraraka Ochako, Midoriya Izuku & Uraraka Ochako", "Series": "Tsuchako Week 2017", "Collections": "My Hero Academia FemSlash", "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Wiping blood off her cheek and forehead with the back of her hand, Asui dropped into a crouch to catch her breath. Dust moved in snaking waves across the crime scene, winding its way between piles of debris and prickling at her skin. Burying her nose and mouth into the crook of her elbow, Tsuyu took breaths as deep as she could, the dust already coating her windpipe in a bitter mask.She had ducked out of the way of the media, their prattling observations and invasive questions undesirable at the best of times, let alone when her wife was heavily pregnant and she was hours late returning home, however this meant avoiding the attention of any doctors on the scene, too, and she had a few wounds that needed tending to. Deciding that home first-aid would have to do for now, she stood up and made her way out into the restless city.Her phone was light in her hand as she tapped Ochako’s number to check in with her before she got home.“Hi. Sorry I’m late. I got caught up with a villain who had a natural advantage over my quirk and beating them took a lot longer than I expected. I shouldn’t have been so careless. Do you need me to grab anything on the way back?”“No, it’s fine. I think we have everything we need. Dyou know how long it’ll take you to get here?”Her voice sounded hoarse and exhausted, something that the latest stages of pregnancy had introduced when Ochako’s baby bump became too uncomfortable to sleep or even relax properly. The fatigue had only been increasing over the past few days but now it was tinted with a hint of something Tsuyu could only describe as fear. The shaking syllables of Ochako’s speech she had learnt to associate with nerves were back, too. She needed to get home and fast. Ochako was probably fretting over the delivery of their baby, again.“Half an hour at this time of night. You said we. Who’s with you? Are they taking care of you properly?”A strained laugh.“Deku. And yes, he’s taking care of me. I’d rather you were here to distract me with your hero stories, though.”“You’ll be out here again soon enough,” said Tsuyu, fondness warming her words. “The limits the baby has put on you has only strengthened your endurance and creativity so your comeback should go smoothly. It’s only a few weeks until the baby’s due and I’m sure you’ll make a successful return with all your new moves. Civilians will eat it up.”The phone line crackled and Ochako took a slight shuddering breath.“Tsu, did you check your texts before you called me?”“No?”An outward sigh.“I was wondering why you weren’t panicking,” she said lightly, the teasing tone marred by the rush of stressed words that followed. “I’ve gone into labour. Deku and I are at the hospital. I’ve sent you the address. Please get here as fast as you can.”Tsuyu stood and blinked, eyes unseeing as the new information whirred in her brain.“Oh. Oh no. I’m on my way. Don’t have that baby without me. I’ll be there as soon as I can, I promise. I love you.”“Love you too.”She took off at a sprint, finding the nearest busy street and searching for a taxi. Her brain was in overdrive. How long had Ochako been in labour? They were at the hospital but were they in a private room being taken care of? What if she missed it?A glimpse of red came around the corner and she waved her hand, quickly reciting the address to the driver then loading up a map on her phone so she could count down the minutes until they reached the hospital.Deep breaths of the warm, sweet air inside the taxi only made her dizzier in her panic. This was fine. She had been in hero situations much worse than this and not been this terrified. A few days early is fine for the baby and would take the strain off Ochako sooner. Breathe. Breathe.The little icon dragged itself along the blank lines of the road at an agonising pace. It was all Asui could do to stare at the screen, her intense focus seemingly slowing down their pace as impatience crawled under her skin.All she wanted was to be there for Ochako. Twenty-three minutes. To hear her voice again and be able to comfort her. Twenty-three minutes. She was desperate to ring her again but worried she wouldn’t be able to hold a phone and concentrate while she had painful contractions or that it would just put more on pressure her shoulders and be unhelpful. She was going through labour and hardly deserved to be forced into comforting her wife, after all. Twenty-two minutes.Midoriya would be amazing support but he hadn’t gone through the antenatal classes or talked through Ochako’s biggest fears about the birth. Although now thinking about it she realised he had probably done some research into childbirth and pregnancy as soon as he had heard his best friend was pregnant and probably had a few notebook pages dedicated to supporting a mother through the birth lying around somewhere.Twenty minutes. Twenty whole minutes left in this stuffy taxi with air so thick with sickly sweetness she was beginning to suffocate. She had to call. Fumbling with the phone grasped in her hands she flicked through her contacts then held it up to her ear.“Hello? Asui?”“I’m not even going to tell you to call me Tsu just give me an update on the situation.”“Right. Things are-things are fine as far as I can tell.” His voice was shaking on top of his stutter and he seemed more nervous than both mothers of the baby. “I’m not sure how long it will be until they start getting her to push. We’ve been here for a few hours and even before that Ochako was having contractions but she wanted to hold off going to hospital until we contacted you.“I was just getting some ice chips for her when you called and I’m back at the room now. Would you like me to pass you over?”“Please,” she breathed.“Tsuyu? Honey, what’s going on? How far away are you now?”She pulled away to check the map.“Eleven minutes away and hopefully the driver will step on it since I could be having a baby any minute,” she said, increasing the volume so he got the message. “Anyway what about you? Are you alright, sweetheart? How does it feel?”“It hurts,” Ochako said flatly. “But not as badly as I expected. The nurses said I have to start pushing soon. Please hurry.”A pause and a little intake of breath.“I don’t think I can do this without you,” she said, voice almost a whisper.“You won’t have to do it without me. I promise. For now Midoriya’s there to help you and I’ll be there as soon as I can. There’s no way my baby and my wife are going to go through something this difficult without my help.”“I’m worried we won’t have a choice. Oh. The midwife’s just come back. I think it’s time.” There was a panicked edge to her shaky voice that hurt Tsuyu’s sinuses and made her heart rush. “I have to go now. Please hurry.”The phone cut off. It was happening and she wasn’t there. She sent a rapid text to Midoriya asking what room they were in so she would waste no time when she actually got to the hospital and leant forward to ask the driver what was going on.“I’ve been trying to dodge the traffic but now we’re stuck. We’re about five minutes away from the hospital.”In a split decision Tsuyu wrenched the door of the taxi open and began sprinting towards the hospital, her purse left to spill its contents across the back seat. Leaping forward as fast as she could she dodged the crowds and pushed to make each leap the furthest distance she could manage, thighs and lungs burning.The route to the hospital played through her mind on repeat, flashing blurrily in her vision as she followed it and soon arrived at the hospital. A quick glance at her phone told her they were on the fifth floor, third room from the right of the west side. Midoriya already seemed to know she wouldn’t be wasting any time by going inside to look at room numbers.With a powerful kick, she jumped into the air and landed on the pebbledash wall, immediately starting to climb. Within seconds she was crawling through the window that Midoriya had opened and scrambled to get up and go to Ochako’s side.“What were you doing out there?” she asked incredulously, although she knew Tsuyu too well not to know the answer.“It was quicker.” She shrugged. “What’s happening?”“You’re just in time Mrs. Asui. We were just about to start pushing,” the midwife informed her.Midoriya quickly excused himself, offering a hand squeeze and wishes of good luck, and they were left in close anticipation of the baby being born.“I’m so sorry I’m late,” Tsuyu breathed, pressing a kiss to Ochako’s sweaty forehead and grasping at her hands.“It’s fine. The most important thing starts now. You ready?”“Of course.”The adrenaline built up at the thought of missing the birth and not being able to support Ochako distorted the actual event into a blur of cramping hands, throaty screams and sweat slicked, knuckle-white grips. An hour and forty-five minutes later Tsuyu sunk into the chair next to Ochako’s bed as their baby rested delicately on her chest.“What shall we call her?” asked Ochako, her voice soft and weak as her pulse raced against the baby’s. “We never did decide on a name.”“How about Yasu?” croaked Tsuyu.“Peaceful does suit her. I’m not sure how long that will last, though.” Ochako looked up at her and her mouth trembled into a pale smile. “I love it. Our child, Asui Yasu.”They sat in silence for a few minutes. Watching the rise and fall of Yasu’s chest, something so tiny and precious that they had created. Tsuyu reached out to smooth out her little tuft of black hair.“Since you just gave her a beautiful name, do you want to hold her?” asked Ochako, her eyelids fluttering over her drowsy speech as she held onto the brink of consciousness.“Yes, please.”She was warm and soft in Tsuyu’s arms and she felt as if she had to curl into herself to hold her properly. From the moment she saw their child, she knew that she would do anything to protect Yasu but the contact had made that mothering instinct so much more intense. Emotions threatened to take over as she gazed down at Yasu, her eyelashes fanning peacefully across her chubby cheeks, the curve of her slightly open mouth and the shallow breaths she was taking through her tiny nose.“We should probably get Midoriya in here,” she whispered as to not disturb the baby’s sleep. “I’ll hand her back to you then go find him.”She didn’t have to look far as she found Midoriya slumped and half-asleep in a chair in the corridor. He immediately brightened up through his grogginess at the sight of Tsuyu and followed her back into the room.He gasped in awe at the sight of the baby curled up in Ochako’s arms and hurried to her bedside where she handed Yasu over to him. Tears streamed down his face as he tried to blink the blurriness out of his vision to get a proper look at her.“And he’s already crying,” said Tsuyu.“I’d expect nothing less from Uncle Izuku,” Ochako laughed. “Meet our daughter, Yasu.”“Congratulations. I’m so happy for you two. She’s beautiful.”They shared a content glance then both smiled at him in thanks.“She’s got dark hair so far. Have you seen her eyes? Or maybe her tongue? Feet? I wonder whose quirk she’ll get or if it’ll be a mixture of both of yours,” he said, already analysing Yasu through his affectionate gaze and beginning to mutter under his breath.“There’s plenty of time to work that out. I’m sure she’ll come to you for ideas on how to use whatever quirk she gets, don’t worry.”“Everyone’s really grown up now. You two are real adults. I almost can’t believe it, I still feel like we only graduated UA a few months ago.”“You’re living in domestic bliss with your fiancé and are getting married in the spring, it probably shouldn’t feel like that. You’re an adult, too,” Tsuyu pointed out.“Yeah, I guess so. It still doesn’t feel real. Graduating, getting engaged, being a hero. None of it. It’s like a dream.”“It is,” agreed Ochako, looking lovingly at Yasu as Midoriya handed her back into her mother’s arms.“I’ll leave you two in peace now but I’ll be back in a few days to visit along with some gifts. Just like everyone else will be, I’m sure.”“We’re all a big family, I wouldn’t expect anything less.”They waved him off and Ochako took a long, deep breath.“Speaking of family we should probably tell our parents and send them a photo of her. Can you do that, please? I think I’m about to fall asleep at any minute.”“Of course,” Tsuyu replied, leaning in for a short kiss before finding her phone and taking a picture of Yasu and Ochako, both already sound asleep in the few seconds since she had spoken.Gently, she scooped up her daughter and placed her in the crib at the end of the bed before settling down into the chair next to Ochako, again. It had been a long day and the Asuis were due for some rest before the rest of their lives began tomorrow.
11467725	out of the routine	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Aomine Daiki, Kagami Taiga, Momoi Satsuki, Haizaki Shougo", "Fandom": "Kuroko no Basuke \| Kuroko's Basketball", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by Mozanii", "chapters": "6/?", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "11,361", "Additional Tags": "Touou Kagami Taiga, Humor, Romance, Fluff, Angst", "Relationship": "Aomine Daiki/Kagami Taiga", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Aomine leaned forward, sighing and slamming his head down on the desk in front of him in the most dramatic way possible. How can class be so boring and last this long? This should be illegal. Not only was class boring, but his life in high school had quickly become boring and routine. ’Same shit, different day.’ He thinks to himself.His thoughts were quickly interrupted by somebody hitting him on his back, whispering, quite loudly he might add, in his direction. “Dai-chan, Dai chan! Sit up straight before the teacher yells at you!” his pink-haired friend scolds.“Satsuki, stop hitting me! Class is almost over anyway, the teacher won’t care.” He says burying his head further into his arms, ignoring her demands.She huffs, “Whatever. If you get in trouble, don’t say I didn’t tell you so!” Her words always go in one ear and out the other. Aomine moves his head slightly upwards only so that he can glance on the watch on his wrist in agony. Before he knows it, the bell rings and he’s out of there before the teacher can turn around and say class was dismissed. “Damn, I thought this day would never end!” Aomine says to himself out loud, rushing out into the increasingly busy hallway. He feels so mentally and physically drained, he stops walking in the hallway to just close his eyes for a moment and clear his mind. That is until, of course, somebody bumps into him in the hallway, knocking him out of his trance and making him drop his books on the floor.“Hey, watch where you’re going!” Aomine snaps at the offender, bending down to pick his belongings off the floor. “My bad. But to be fair, you’re the one who stopped suddenly in the middle of the hallway.” The voice says from beside him, as he bends down alongside him to pick up the books he dropped on the floor in the commotion.What? Somebody dare to talk back to him? The guy should be lucky Aomine was too tired or else he would have gotten a punch to the face. Aomine turns around and is immediately caught off guard by a giant patch of bright, crimson hair in his face. Aomine simply stares at him right in his face. Not only is he caught off-guard by his bright hair, but the guy actually has matching eyes andeyebrows. What’s up with those eyebrows though? Feeling an intense stare in his direction, the guy glances up at Aomine with a scowl on his face. “You know, you could also apologize...and stop staring at me. You’re making me feel weird.” “Nobody is staring at you, I’m just wondering how you got your eyebrows like that. Do you shave them yourself? You pluck them? Did they get burned off?” Aomine smirks at his own question.Almost immediately offended, the red-head’s mouth hangs open and eyebrows furrow even further. “E-excuse me! They grow in like this! Damn jerk…” “Don’t be so self-conscious about it.” Aomine laughs, causing the other man to frown further.“N-nobody is self-conscious! You just caught me off guard! Geez…” He finishes gathering his books and turns around and walks off in the opposite direction.“You could at least say bye!” Aomine yells in his direction, laughter still evident in his voice.The red-headed man didn’t even bother to turn around, but merely stuck his middle finger in the air in response, causing Aomine to burst out in another round of laughter. After the man was out of sight, Aomine secured his books in his bag and began walking home. For some reason, a reason that he couldn’t quite put his finger on, Aomine could feel his heart beat slightly faster than usual. That was out of the normal routine./////The next morning, Aomine lazily threw his bookbag on the ground and went into his usual slouched position on his desk. To him, English was the most boring subject in the world. Why does he have to learn English if everyone else could learn Japanese? At least, that’s the logic in his mind.To at least appear as if he’s following the lesson on the board, Aomine digs in his bag and cracks the book open to a random page and puts his head back down on his desk.“Wow, Dai-chan! I didn’t know you were studying so hard for this class!” Momoi says from beside him, glancing over into his book.“What are you talking about? I can’t even tell you the title of this damn textbook.” He responds lazily.“Yeah, so why does it have all that highlighter on the page and the exercises filled out?” She asks. This causes Aomine to look up to see what in the world she was talking about.“What the hell….I didn’t do any of these!” Aomine gasps and flips through the book in front of him. He flips the book to the back and sees a name scribbled on the back in permanent marker: “If lost, please return to Kagami Taiga. Class 2-B.” Almost immediately, Aomine can feel his heart pick up pace again. When they bumped into each other, did they accidentally pick up each other’s books? Are the gods watching over him and giving him a second chance? He can’t let this opportunity go to waste. Aomine raises his hand from his desk, “Teacher, may I use the restroom?” and she nods. Aomine stuffs the book under his jacket and proceeds out of the room and down the hall to where Class 2-B was currently in session.Aomine isn’t exactly the king of subtlety so he approaches the glass classroom window and peers in, looking for that bright red hair he saw yesterday. There he was! In the third row! Aomine excitedly started to wave his hands, trying to catch the attention of the boy who was slightly paying attention to the lesson.Well, if a 6’3” blue-haired man waved his hands in front of you, of course Kagami would eventually notice. Of course, so did everyone else in the class. Aomine laughs slightly as he sees the red-head get really flustered at his sudden appearance at his classroom and the attention he was drawing to himself. Quickly, Kagami excuses himself to the restroom and slides open the classroom door, meeting Aomine once again face-to-face.“What the hell are you doing out here? Stalking me?” Kagami asks, cheeks still slightly red from the earlier embarassment. “Is that the way you would thank your academic savior?” Aomine says, waving Kagami’s book in front of his face.“What kind of title is that? Why are you my savior?” Kagami asks, bewildered.“Because! I am returning your English book to you. I must have grabbed it by mistake when we were in the hall yesterday. Who would have thought you were the type to study and practice your subjects?” Aomine teased.“S-shut up! I’m good at speaking English, but it’s hard to write it because it’s so formal in Japan...so I was practicing.” Kagami defends himself.“What do you mean it’s so formal over here?”“Well, I used to live in America when I was younger. So of course, colloquial language isn’t formal all the time. Just look at how you speak in Japanese…” This time it was Kagami’s turn to tease Aomine.“My Japanese is fine!” Aomine says a bit flustered, causing Kagami to laugh softly. There it goes again. Aomine could feel his heart beating faster and his cheeks heating up slightly as he gazes upon Kagami laughing in front of him.“I’m just joking, I’m not as big of a jerk as you are.” Kagami teases once more.“You know you’re still saying you’re still a little bit of a jerk though, right?” Aomine laughs.Kagami laughs with him, “Only a little!”“Well, a jerk wouldn’t walk all this way to return your book, would he?” Aomine smiles at Kagami.“I guess not. Thanks, Aomine.” Kagami says, grabbing the book from his hands.“Wait, how do you know my name?” Aomine asks.The question strikes Kagami, causing him to hesitate a bit. “Well, you’re kind of well-known around school, you know?” “Really? For what?” Aomine asks incredulously.“You really don’t know?” Kagami raises an eyebrow and Aomine shakes his head.“I find that hard to believe. Anyway, thanks for returning my book. See you around.” Kagami turns around and heads toward his classroom.Aomine panics and his mouth opens before his mind can think properly, “Wait, Kagami! I know this is kind of sudden, but would you like to to grab a bite to eat after school or something?" Kagami's head whips around suddenly, eyes wide, "You mean...like a date or something?"Aomine laughs a bit, "Well, I said hang out, but if you want to call it a date, you said it first."Kagami avoids his gaze, "Thanks for the offer, Aomine, but no thanks. I don't want to start something then end up with my heart broken like the others." Aomine felt his heart drop at the rejection, "Like the others? What the hell are you talking about? I've never asked out anyone in this school!" "Listen, I'm just saying what I heard. I've had my heart broken in the past, and I'm very careful about who I let in. Thanks for the offer, Aomine. I'll see you around." Kagami's voice is laced with sadness and guilt, but avoids Aomine's gaze once more as he heads to class for the final time. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Besides sleeping, Aomine’s next top favorite activity was sulking and filling himself up with self-pity. Was it possible to even feel sorry for yourself if you’re the one who caused it in the first place?As the final bell rings, Aomine heads towards the gymnasium for basketball practice. At least he will finally be able to clear his mind, at least for an hour or two. He pushes the doors open and greets his teammates, “Yo…” he says nonchalantly, setting his bags down along the sideline.“Aomine, glad you could make it...and on time, actually! Good thing, we have a favor to ask.” Imayoshi says, pushing up his glasses.“You know, when you ask for a favor then push up your glasses, you look extra mischevious…” Aomine says, causing Imayoshi to frown.“Stop assuming things about people who wear glasses. Anyway, we need you to play a quick one-on-one match against this new student who wants to join the team.” Imayoshi responds.“The hell? Who joins a sports team halfway through the semester? You’re allowing that?” He says incredulously.“Well, at first I was hesitant about it, but after reviewing his record and playing history with the manager, we decided to give him a shot. He’s tall, very athletic, and his ferocity on the court is on par with his first name. We told him we don’t have room for benchwarmers, so if he’s going to join, he has to showcase what he’s got against the ace of our team. That’s you.” Imayoshi explains and points at him.Aomine scoffs and laughs, “Ha, as if some scrub could beat me. If he wants to challenge me, then bring it on. Where is he?” “Be careful of who you call a scrub until after our game, aho.” A familiar voice calls from behind him.“The hell…” Aomine is stunned. He recognizes this voice.“Nice to see you again, Aomine.” Kagami smiles at him.At this point, Aomine is ready to die. Who did he wrong in the world for the universe to test him like this? Especially the day after he just got rejected by this same man.“You two already know each other? Great, then we can skip introductions and get straight to it!” Imayoshi says, clapping his hands together and grabs a basketball from the back room.As the two head over to the center line of the court for the tip-off, Kagami talks lowly so only Aomine could hear, “Listen, Aomine. No hard feelings about yesterday, okay?”Aomine spoke through his denial, “Nothing happened yesterday, though?” “Even if you play dumb, I still remember.” Kagami laughed lightly, causing Aomine to smile involuntarily. Damn his smile. Or was it more of… Damn, his smile?“Let’s have a good game, alright?” Kagami reaches his hand out to meet Aomine’s, causing a light blush to form on his cheeks. “R-right…” Aomine sputters out, still slightly flustered at how surprisingly soft Kagami’s hands were compared to his own.“Alright, first to five points. Good luck, Kagami.” Imayoshi tosses the ball in the air. Aomine and Kagami both jump in the air, but Aomine’s fingertips touch the ball first.////Although their game was short, both players put so much energy into their game that they both collapses in exhaustion after it was over.“Ahhh, damn! So close!” Kagami curses himself as he lays gasping for breath on the floor.“Too bad, so sad, Kagami! You lost!” Aomine mutters beside him on the floor. If winning against Kagami meant that he wouldn’t have to see his face everyday with a constant reminder of his rejection, then Aomine would use all the energy he had possible in his body. “Good game, you two! That was really intense to watch! You two seem pretty winded, you can call it quits for the day, Aomine. Go home.” Imayoshi says, walking over to the pair. “Oh and, Kagami?” “Yes?” He answers.“See you at practice tomorrow. Welcome to the team!” Imayoshi smiles, tossing him a Touou uniform in its signature black and red colors. Well shit. //“I swear, Kagami, stop following me.” Aomine mutters to the boy walking beside him.“Nobody is following you, I also live this way. Plus, it’s safer to walk home at night in pairs.” Kagami says, narrowing his eyes at Aomine. Moments of silence pass between the two as they walk side by side. Aomine, of course, tries to avoid Kagami’s gaze through all methods possible, including: staring at the sky, staring at his phone, and spinning his basketball on his forefinger to pass the time.Kagami rolled his eyes at him, “Are you really that upset about yesterday, Aomine?”Aomine huffs, “Like I said, nothing happened yesterday, alright? So shut the hell up about it.” Kagami smirks, “That’s a pretty aggressive response for something that has not happened.” “Whatever.” Aomine doesn’t need to listen to this anymore.“Listen, it’s nothing personal or anything, Aomine. I just don’t want to get involved in any drama.” Kagami retorts.This comment causes Aomine to become slightly aggravated, “There you go again, talking all that nonsense. I have no idea what you’re talking about. Aside from basketball, I keep a pretty low-key profile.” He barked.“I just hear things about you. I don’t know if they’re true or not.” Kagami shrugs.“Like what?”“Well for example, your nickname is the “Heartbreaker of Touou Academy”, for starters.” Kagami points out.“I’ve literally heard nobody call me that.” Aomine raises an eyebrow.“I’m just saying what I heard! There’s rumors of you going around the school and preying upon girls that are well… you know, well-endowed in the chest area. You date them until you get a peek at them, then you kick them to the curb.” Kagami explains, voice a little skeptical at Aomine’s reaction.“What. The. Hell. People are really saying this about me? That has literally never happened! I’ve never even--” Aomine is furious, but he still managed to cut himself off mid-sentence. “You never what?” Kagami questioned.“N-nevermind. This is ridiculous. I can’t believe this.” Aomine mutters to himself, running a hand through his hair. Kagami gazes at the worried blue-haired boy, studying his reaction to their conversation. His piercing crimson eyes stare at him, completely puzzled at Aomine. “I mean the only possible girl they could be talking about is Satsuki...but that’s like..the same as looking at your sister’s breasts. Like..you know..you just don’t do it and you look past it! We’ve known each other for so long, it would be kind of weird, you know?” He explains.“So you two have never dated?” Kagami raises an eyebrow.“...anybody…” Aomine’s muttering is barely audible.“What did you say?” Kagami asks.“I’ve nev..” Aomine trails off agai.“Aomine, speak louder!” “I’ve never dated anyone, okay! I’ve never touched, kissed, or even held hands with anybody. That’s why that rumor is so crazy to me.” He admits shyly. Kagami isn’t sure if Aomine’s cheeks are pink from embarassment or the frustration he must feel.“So you’re telling me… THE great ace of Touou has never been with anybody? I mean sure, your personality is a little off-putting, but you’re not a bad-looking guy. I can’t believe it. You sure are courageous asking me out so suddenly for someone who has never had a relationship.” Kagami sounds completely skeptical.“Idiot, why would I lie about something like that? Most people that lie about stuff like how many people they have slept with and I’m telling you that I’ve never even kissed anybody! I just act on how I feel at that moment!” Aomine had never felt this embarassed openly admitting his secret, but he’s always been the heart first, head second-type of person. He tries to hide his face in the palms of his hands until Kagami leaves. Or until he dies. You know, whichever comes first.“You shouldn’t be embarassed of something like that, aho. Everyone has their reasons. Some people get pressured into it earlier than others, or maybe, some people are waiting for the right person and they haven’t come along yet. There’s lots of reasons, so you shouldn’t feel bad.” Kagami pats Aomine on the shoulder.Aomine lifts his head up, only to be greeted by Kagami’s warm smile. “Well I guess since you put it that way…”“You know, people have some stereotype in their mind about how athletes are players on and off the field, if you know what I mean. Not all of us are like that! Personally, I’d rather have one, faithful partner who cares for me as much as I care for them, than a hundred one-night stands. If that meant I would have to wait a couple of years for them to pop up in my life, then so be it. It’s nobody’s business but mine.” Kagami laughs softly. “You know, despite how you look, you’re surprisingly comforting.” Aomine says, jokingly. Kagami gasps, “You’re a damn jerk. Even when I first met you, your comments always ruin the mood.” He crosses his arms.Aomine smirks, “Oh, so we had a mood? Maybe I should keep acting like that then!” It was Kagami’s turn to blush, “S-shut up, aho! That’s not what I meant!” Aomine’s smirk never left his face, “It’s exactly what you meant. It’s only a matter of time before you fall for me.”Kagami frowns, “Your overconfidence is such a turn off.”Aomine laughs at the red-head’s furrowed face, “Oh, but you didn’t deny what I said, though!” Kagami blushed even harder, “I’m going home!” He turns on his heels and pushing past Aomine and hiding his gaze.“Hey, wait for me!” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- To say that Aomine Daiki was completely and utterly smitten with Kagami Taiga would be the the understatement of the century. As they spent more and more time together, Aomine began to find little quirks Kagami had incredibly endearing. Whether or not he was biased was subjective, of course.Aomine loved the way Kagami’s face would completely scrunch up whenever he had won against him in any of their practice basketball matches. However, that face would completely make a complete transformation into the brightest smile when Aomine would come up and throw his arm around his shoulder, congratulating him on the good game. To finally find an opponent that was an actual challenge to him was a feat in itself. Although some would view Kagami as being stubborn, especially after consistently re-challenging Aomine to rematches when he would lose, Aomine always viewed him as being strong and resilient. Aomine loved the way Kagami would constantly ask if he was feeling well or if he was feeling hungry. His interactions with Kagami of course expanded to off the court, as well as, outside of school. Kagami would often invite him over to his empty apartment for dinner after school and although it was his place, he would always ask what Aomine would like for dinner instead of making his own favorites. Even when Aomine was running late to school, Kagami would be waiting outside on the sidewalk until he decided to leave his house. Kagami would complain every single time, but yet, there he was, always waiting for him and making sure they both got to class for the day. Although some would view Kagami as being too motherly, Aomine always viewed him as being selfless, always taking care of others before himself. Aomine loved the way their relationship has grown. Although it was only a few weeks since they met, Aomine found himself wanting to know more and more about Kagami every single day. Whenever he would smile or joke with Kagami, it would always cause a chain reaction of smiles and laughter. By being a single child, it was kind of lonely whenever Aomine was not around other people at school. But with Kagami, even if he wasn’t physically there, he was only a phone call or text away. He had completely fallen for the red-headed gentle giant. They have so much in common, but yet, are very different people. Sometimes, he supposes, that good things can come when you least expect them. Sometimes, he supposes, fate has its ways.////Aomine twisted the knob to Kagami’s front door and let himself in, “Yo, Kagami! I’m home!” he yells into the distance.Aomine hears a pan drop in the kitchen and sees a startled man run into his view, “Aomine, what the hell? You could knock before you come over! In fact, you could at least text me and say that you’re coming! This isn’t your house by the way!” Kagami huffs.Aomine laughs, “But I come over like everyday so it’s like I’m automatically invited whenever I want! Besides, if you didn’t know I was coming over, then why was your door unlocked?” Kagami gulped at the sudden (but correct) accusation, “Whatever! I just started cooking dinner...what do you want?”“Burgers!”“You literally eat burgers like everyday. You need some vegetables in your diet!” Kagami folds his arms across his chest. Aomine frowned, “One more day won’t break me. Plus, it’s not like I don’t exercise! I probably over-exercise, I should be like 100 pounds!” It was Kagami’s turn to laugh this time, “Not with the way you eat!” “Hey!” Aomine playfully nudges Kagami, who is laughing even harder alongside him. “Hey, let me help you cook this time!” Kagami’s eyes got wide, “You help me? You’ve probably never cooked a day in your life. I wonder if even you could mess up a simple recipe like a burger…” At this point, Aomine is getting offended, “Hey! I’ve cooked before! I’ve made like...eggs and stuff…” Aomine trails off after realizing how lame he was starting to sound, causing Kagami to laugh once more.Kagami gleams at Aomine, “Come on, let’s cook together!”////“Okay, so I chopped all the ingredients. Just mix the onions with the ground beef while I heat the oil in the pan. Then, you just form the beef into patties and place it into the pan. Got it?” Kagami instructed Aomine.He nodded, “Sounds good! I can do this!” Aomine says, hyping himself up for the challenge.As Kagami poured the oil into the pan, he took a glance over at Aomine, who was 110% focused on his task at hand. Kagami couldn’t help but laugh a little at how concentrated Aomine looked while he was mixing the burger ingredients together. His concentration matched the same intensity as when they played basketball together. He wondered if Aomine always puts forth his ultimate effort in everything he does, and at this thought, Kagami felt his body feel a bit warmer than usual. Sure, it was hot near the stove, but this type of heat was different. It was almost as if he could physically feel the happiness inside his heart manifest itself in his body. It was a new sensation, but he didn’t mind it at all.His train of thought was interrupted when the blue-haired boy suddenly shouted, “Yes!” Aomine smiled, “Alright, I did it! I finished them and put them into perfect circles! I just place them in the pan now?” “Right, place them gently.” Kagami instructed.Aomine placed his plate of burgers on the counter and shakily picked up a nearby spatula. “Here goes nothing…” He says, placing the patty into the pan. Aomine nearly jumps out of his skin when the patty immediately starts popping in the oil, causing the man to scream in fear. Kagami bursts out in laughter as he had never heard Aomine scream, nevertheless, never heard him scream that high. “That’s a regular phenomenon when you cook! Are you okay, Aomine?” He says between his fits of laughter.“Why didn’t you tell me that the oil was so damn hot?” Aomine pouts, holding his right forefinger in his left palm.Kagami sighs, “It’s in a metal pot over an open flame...did you expect it to be cold?” Kagami’s remarks only made Aomine pout even harder.“Did you hurt your finger?” Kagami asks, voice full of concern.“It popped on me, but I’ll be alright. I’m grown.” Aomine says it with his voice, but his face and the pout on his mouth don’t reflect it.Kagami laughs softly, “You’re grown? You could’ve fooled me with that pout. Here, let me get you some ice. It won’t heal it, but it’ll make it feel better temporarily.” He says getting ice cubes and putting them in a sandwich bag. “Give me your hand.” Kagami reaches out to grab Aomine’s hand, placing the bag of ice over the small burn on the top of his tanned skin. “Does that feel better?” He asks, voice full of concern.Aomine’s body suddenly tensed, causing Kagami to look at him. He couldn’t shake the realization that he was holding hands with Kagami again and just the thought of it made his heart beat faster and his throat dry. His hands, however, had the opposite effect, and began to sweat with this building anxiety. “Y-yeah…” He managed to stammer out.Kagami blinked, “What’s wrong, Aomine?” He’s had enough at this point. “Damn it Kagami, stop being so genuine all the time! It makes me want to…” “Huh? It makes you want to what?” Kagami asked curiously.“It makes me want to punch you in the damn face!” Aomine growled.Kagami looks taken aback, “What!? Why do you --” Aomine interrupts him once more, “But at the same time, it makes me want to kiss you, Kagami. You’re so kind...so sincere...it makes me so sick. Every time I’m around you, I want to kiss you, but I always stop myself because I don’t know...you know, if you want--” This time, it was Kagami’s turn to interrupt Aomine. “I seem to remember a certain somebody telling me that they were the heart-first, head-second type?”Aomine was speechless, but he managed to nod. “So then, prove it to me. Show me who you truly are. Show me that you live up to your word. Act with your heart, ask questions later.” Kagami’s cheeks may have turned bright red, but his crimson eyes still glistened in the light with pure determination and honestly. And that look was truly the last straw for Aomine.Aomine abruptly stepped forward, closing the space between their bodies until they are a few inches apart. His intense navy gaze met a soft, yet intense crimson one. His eyes, the color of a roaring fire, set his soul ablaze in a wildfire that could not be controlled. He follows Kagami’s orders, letting go of rationality and letting his body’s instincts take over. Aomine quickly closes the gap between their mouths, causing Kagami inhale in the sudden surprise. His slightly chapped lips met Kagami’s incredibly soft ones with a kind of uncertainty, but this was quickly overcome when he felt the other boy kissing him back with an equal pressure. When they parted their mouths slightly for air, Aomine began to speak, “Kagami, I --” He was quickly quieted by Kagami’s lips returning on his own with an intensity greater than the last kiss they had just shared. Aomine felt Kagami’s arms wrap around his neck, so it only felt right that he returned the favor by wrapping his around Kagami’s waist. If this was a dream, then Aomine would want to die in his sleep so that he would never have to wake up. It felt unreal that this was happening. It would be different if he had planned to kiss him today, but he never expected Kagami to return his feelings so soon. Aomine wrapped his arms tighter around Kagami’s waist, tilting his head to deepen the kiss. Kagami returned his same passion, pushing their bodies lightly backwards until Aomine’s back hit the refridgerator, trapping Aomine between the two.Just as Kagami began to reach up to run his hands through Aomine’s hair, the pair suddenly jumped at the screeching noise in their ears. Kagami jumps back screaming, “Shit! I forgot to take the burger off the stove!” He says, panicking at the smoke filling the room and the fire alarm buzzing in his ears.Aomine begins laughing at Kagami’s panicking face as he grabs an oven mitt and the pan off the stove, immediately dropping it in the sink and filling it water.Kagami sighs in relief and then glares at the laughing man, “You know, this is your fault right?” “Act first, questions later, right?” Aomine gives him his best smile.Despite all that has happened, Kagami still finds it in him to smile back at him, “Right.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- On a springtime afternoon, Kagami opened his apartment windows to let in a crisp, refreshing breeze. He firmly grasped a nearby sofa and pushed it across his floor near the open window, throwing his body alongside its length. Letting out a deep sigh, Kagami finally had a moment of silence to reflect on his life. For once, he had finally felt perfectly content with where he was in his life in all aspects: school, sports, of course, his relationship with Aomine. With so many wars going on and people suffering in the world, was it truly okay for him to be selfishly happy? As Kagami laid with his eyes closed and savoring the wind flowing through his hair, his moment of bliss was quickly interrupted by a sudden beep beep coming from his phone. He turns his phone over to reveal the name on the caller ID, which of course, was Aomine.Kagami slides right, accepting the call, “Yo, Aomine. What’s up?” “You home right now?” The voice on the other end of the line demands.“What?” Kagami gasps.“Open your door, Kagami!” Aomine repeats once more and Kagami does as he is told. He quickly strides over towards his door, and there standing in front of his door was none other than Aomine.“What are you doing here? Well, rather, what would you have done if I wasn’t home?” Kagami raises an eyebrow.“Well, knowing you, you’re at one of four places. One, home. Two, the basketball court. Three, school. And four, Maji Burger. If you weren’t home, I guess I’d just wait for you to get back!” Aomine laughs.Kagami smiles, “You think you know me so well…Anyway, did you need something?”“Yeah, if you’re not busy, I wanted you to come with me.” Aomine says.“Go with you where?”“On the mountain!” Aomine smiles.“Huh?” Kagami says incredulously. “Well, I was bored so I wanted to go looking for some crayfish in the streams on the mountaintop. I figured you’ve never been, so...here I am. It’s okay if you don’t want to go, I know it’s not everyone’s “thing”.” Aomine says, looking hopeful.“Yeah sure, I’ll try anything once. Let me pack us some snacks before we leave!” Kagami smiles, and whether or not Aomine would like to admit it, Kagami’s reassurance made his heart flutter.///////“Okay, so first, roll your pants up so they don’t get wet in the stream. Crayfish usually hide under rocks and in holes in the ground in clean water. So usually I just flip over rocks and one will eventually scurry out!” Aomine is gleaming with excitement.Unsure of what to do next, Kagami remains hesitant, “So...then what do we do after we catch them? Do you just...grab them with your bare hands?” Aomine explains, “You can use this net if you’re so scared of a little pinch!” Kagami frowns, “You get pinched voluntarily for fun?”“Would you rather get pinched by something bigger like a lobster or crab? Plus, I think it’s fun…” Aomine begins to pout a bit, causing Kagami to sigh.“It’s fine, I said I would do it, so I might as well do it the right way. You go first, I’ll follow you in!” Aomine waded into the water and Kagami followed, wincing at how surprisingly cold the water was. He followed him downstream, looking for potential hiding spaces for the crayfish. What was Aomine talking about? What’s a good rock to turn over? All rocks look the same. Aomine ignored Kagami’s grumbling under his breath, “Ah! That rock looks like a good one!” Aomine says, placing his hands on a nearby rock. Mesmorized at the child-like joy on Aomine’s face, Kagami suddenly snaps out of his trance when he hears Aomine call his name.“Kagami, it’s your turn! It’s swimming towards you, pick it up! Hurry!” Aomine shouts.Startled, Kagami starts to panic as he sees the tiny creature swim towards his foot at a surprisingly fast speed for its body size. “W-what the hell!?” He panics even more, trying to avoid stepping on it as it swims by. Almost as if he was playing basketball, he bends over and swiftly scoops it up in his hands, grabbing the crayfish by its tail as it attempts to snip him with his claws.“Wow, you caught one on our first try! We’re so lucky, Kagami! Here put it in the bucket with some water!” Aomine says with pure excitement, causing Kagami to laugh slightly at how he was acting. It was such a pure and innocent joy on Aomine’s face that it made him happy just to know that they shared the moment together, no matter how silly the activity was. As the two quickly waded out of the water, Aomine ran towards the bucket and ran back to Kagami, holding it out so he could place the crayfish in the bucket. “Usually, I just do a catch-and-release with these, but this one is special so I’m going to keep it in a tank at home! Plus it even kind of looks like you!” Aomine laughs.Almost immediately offended, “You’re comparing me to a crayfish? You can’t even say we’re similar just because we are both red…. That’s kind of...stretching it?” “Whatever, if it reminds me of you when I’m at home, I’ll do what I want!” Aomine says, placing the bucket down and picking up the bag of sandwiches Kagami had packed before they left.The two men sat down under a nearby tree, each opening a sandwich out of a plastic bag and began to eat to refuel their energy. As a few minutes pass by in silence, Kagami glances at Aomine who looked at him like he had something to say, prompting him to raise an eyebrow.Aomine shifts his eyes, cheeks turning slightly red, “I, uh...I just wanted to say thanks for doing this with me, Kagami. It maybe a little weird to some, but I’ve done this for years, ever since I was young and I really enjoy it.” Kagami smiles and places his hand on top of Aomine’s, squeezing it lightly. “I don’t mind! Just because others may not enjoy it doesn’t necessarily make it weird. I think it makes you unique! Plus, looking at you being happy makes me happy, so that’s all that matters to me. Kagami is shocked when he sees Aomine pull his hand away, but is quickly relieved when he sees him place his hand within his, interlacing their fingers tightly.“I want to know more about you, Kagami.” Aomine confesses.“Know more like what?” he questions.“Like…your favorite activities, besides basketball of course. Or...about your family, your friends back in America… your past experiences...you know, stuff like that! Start from the beginning!” Kagami pauses for a moment before continuing, “Well to start, my name is Kagami Taiga.” When Aomine rolls his eyes, Kagami chuckles lightly before starting once more, “I was born in Japan, but when I was five, my parents moved to the United States for their jobs, so I spent a majority of my childhood there. Because I grew up overseas, I’m not very familiar with typical Japanese customs, which makes me feel like an outsider sometimes, you know?”Aomine nods, signaling him to continue with his story. “Well, while I was there, I met my best friend, Himuro Tatsuya. He lives here now too and plays basketball, but he goes to Yosen High. During my freshman year at Touou, my parents told me that they had to go back to America, but since I was old enough, they gave me the option to go with them or stay here by myself. So, here I am.” Kagami reflected, a hint of sadness in his voice.“You don’t get lonely? You know, here by yourself? ” Aomine asks, genuinely.“But, I’m not by myself! I have you now.” Kagami says before he could process his actual words, causing both of them to blush heavily. “W-well anyway, what about you? What’s your deal?”Aomine ponders for a bit, “Well, I lead a pretty normal life. A few years ago, I went to a middle school that was known for its so-called “prestegious” basketball team with the name “Generation of Miracles.” I was known as the ace of the team, actually. I lovedbasketball.” “Oh really?” Kagami is surprised.Aomine nodded, “Yeah, it all sounds good in theory. But as time passed and we all strengthened our talents, the gaps between our team and the opposite grew wider and wider, eventually to the point where nobody would even want to play against us because they knew they would lose. At a certain point, the coach even told me I didn’t have to come to practice anymore, as long as we won games and that really crushed the remaining passion I had for basketball that I had left, if I even had any left in the first place.”“That’s...kinda...shitty?” Kagami growled.“You’re telling me! I was even called a monster...nobody wanted to challenge me. Looking back at it, I probably had fallen into a depression. Yeah...that time really sucked for me.” Aomine trailed off, keeping some thoughts to himself.Kagami squeezed Aomine’s hand, reassuring him, “It’s alright, Aomine. You don’t have to talk about it anymore if you don’t want to.”“I want to! I wanted you to have a peek into my past life since you came into it kind of late.” Aomine joked, causing the redhead to laugh. “Well, better late than never.”“You’re right, Kagami...thank goodness you came into my life. Even though we’re on the same team, playing with you really relights my passion for basketball. I finally feel as if I have a real opponent that can keep up with me...an opponent that loves the sport as much as I do…So, thank you for that.” Kagami smiled, “No need to thank me, Aomine. Seriously. You’re here for me as much as I am for you.” “Don’t get sappy on me, Kagami.” Aomine said jokingly. “Whatever!” Aomine laughs at him once more, “Okay, enough with the traumatic stuff, it’s time for rapid fire! Answer me honestly! It’s yes or no, no hesitation allowed!”“Bring it on!” Kagami says excitedly, determination strong in his voice.“Alright, chicken or beef?” Aomine begins.“Am I supposed to say yes to this question?” He was completely confused. “Oh yeah, I forgot my own rules...Okay so, do you believe in life after death?”“Yes.”“Do you like Japan better than America?”“Yes.”“Would you like to have a pet?”“No.”“Do you like Touou?”“Yes.”“Do you think Wakamatsu is a natural blonde?”“Yes, he has matching eyebrows.”“Do you think Imayoshi can see even when his eyes are closed?”“Yes….?”"Do you think I’m attractive?”Kagami rolled his eyes, “No.” He pans.Aomine sighs, “Okay well, thats your first lie. Okay, so do you like being outdoors?”“Yes.”“Do you like the view on the mountain?”“Yes.”“Did you enjoy crayfish hunting with me today?”Kagami chuckled, “Yes.”“Do you love me?” “Yes--” Kagami immediately covered his mouth as a deep crimson blush rose to his face. This damn bastard tricked him with his damn yes or no game that he barely had time to think about his answers.“Ehhh, is that so?” Kagami could practically hear the smug smirk in Aomine’s voice and covered his face with his palms.“S-shut up! That was an accident...I didn’t mean to say that…” Kagami wanted to crawl in a hole and cover the top with dirt so he could never see Aomine’s dumb face ever again.“So...you don’t love me? Is that what you mean?” Aomine questioned him once more.Kagami remained silent and merely kept hiding behind his hands, leaving a frustrated Aomine sitting beside him. He pulled his hands away from his face, “Kagami, answer me.”“No, that’s not what I mean...I always mean what I say the first time.” Kagami trailed off, still avoiding eye contact.Aomine exhaled deeply, leaning backwards into a nearby tree, “Phew, what a relief.”“Hey, you’re kind of leaving me hanging here!” Kagami complained, face still red from his earlier confession.“Huh? I thought it was obvious how I felt about you? You’re the stubborn one always in denial!” Aomine pointed out.“It’s not obvious! I...I want to hear you say it!” Kagami stuttered out.“Kagami...I want to thank you for being my “first” in life. My first date, my first kiss, my first boyfriend, and now, my first love. Thank you for looking past what others have said about me and seeing who I truly am. Kagami Taiga, I love you, I love you, I love you. I’ll say it as many times as you need me to.” Aomine grasped Kagami’s hand in reassurance, giving him a chaste, but passionate, soft kiss on his lips.After they parted, Aomine rested his hand on the back of Kagami’s neck and leaned his forehead against Kagami’s. “Sometimes, I wonder...if it’s truly okay for me to be this happy with you.”“I know, I feel the same way.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Whenever Aomine would win a basketball game, pure adrenaline always rushed through his body at top speeds, filling his whole body up with excitement. However, when he and Kagami ended up on the same team and won a game, this feeling was only magnified tenfold. When Touou beat the opposing school in buzzer-beater shot, screams from the team accompanies by the roars of the crowd filled the pair up with the purest form of happiness. Not only had they won, but they had won together, and that was all that mattered. In the locker room, as everyone was refreshing themselves and chattering about the game, Aomine turned to Kagami, “That was a great game, wasn’t it?” He smiled.Kagami returned the gesture, “Yeah, I can’t believe I got the winning shot!” Aomine nudged him playfully, “It was awesome! But next time, that’ll be me getting the winning shot!”“It’s not a competition, Aomine!” Kagami frowned.“Kagami, it literally is a competition! It’s a game! Besides, did you hear all those girls cheer and scream for you? You’re lucky I’m not a jealous man.” Aomine pointed out.“We’ve been on the same team for over a year, aho! Plus, I doubt that last statement you just made.” Kagami laughed jokingly, causing Aomine to do the same.The team chatter was briefly interrupted by the head coach popping his head into the locker room. “Kagami, are you in here?”“Yes, coach! What do you need?” Kagami says, standing up from his bench.“Do you have a few moments?” He asks, and Kagami nods. On his way out the door, Kagami takes a final glance at Aomine before the door shuts and shouted, "You can go ahead home, Aomine. I’m not sure how long this will take!” Aomine nodded, but he could only wonder what they had to talk about that was so urgent that Kagami was rushed away. He shrugged, ’I’m sure it’s nothing. //The next day, as Aomine sat in Japanese class half-paying attention to what the teacher was saying on the board, he snuck his phone out of his pocket. He hadn’t seen Kagami since their game yesterday and he also texted him this morning saying he was going to head to school a bit earlier today. He thought it was a bit strange, but he decided to shrug it off. After all, they didn’t have to be together all day, everyday and they still have to lead separate lives.He opened up his recent messages and quickly scrolled to Kagami’s name.’Yo Kagami, you okay? I haven’t seen you in a while.’ He typed.’Hey, sorry! I know I’ve been kind of distant lately...wanna meet up for lunch? On the roof? Sure, that sounds fine. See you then. Aomine replied quickly, then locked his phone before his teacher would take it away for texting in class. //“Hey, sorry I’m a little late! I got caught up in the hallway when a teacher stopped me.” Kagami said, pushing the door open to the school roof.Aomine groaned, “It’s too late. I’m already dead.”Kagami chuckled, “Okay Mr.Dramatic. Here, I packed lunch for the both of us. I made your favorite!”That statement instantly put a smile on Aomine’s previously frowned face, “Ahhhh, you’re so good to me Kaga-chan~” he sung.“Kaga-chan, really?” Kagami questioned with a raised eyebrow.“Whaaat, you don’t like it?” Aomine teased a bit, a smirk forming on his smug face.“I don’t like it, I hate it.” Kagami deadpans, causing Aomine laugh softly.“Okay fine fine, I won’t call you that nickname anymore.” Aomine said before stuffing a sandwich into his mouth. “Yo, Kagami, you have a napkin? These are kind of messy..”“Yeah, they’re in my bag in the front pocket.” Kagami said nonchalantly.Aomine walked over to Kagami’s bag on the side of the roof railing, opening the zipper and searching through the pockets. “Damn, how much stuff do you have in here? I can barely see--” Aomine complained before pausing midsentence at the material in his hands. What the hell?“Kagami, what the hell is this?” Aomine turned around and shows Kagami the piece of paper with a phone number scribbled on it with permanent marker. “Whose number is this?”Kagami’s eyes immediately widened at what Aomine held up in his hands, “Listen, it’s not what you think.”Aomine eyed him suspiciously, “So tell me what I should think.”Kagami looked openly nervous, fumbling over his words as thoughts raced through his head all at once, “Listen, I don’t know how to tell you.”Aomine could feel his anger overflowing in his veins at all the possibilities that ran through his mind, “Tell me what, exactly?”Kagami hesitated, “The other night, after the game….somebody came up to me.”“Yeah?” Aomine couldn’t help but growl a bit.“It was…” Kagami exhaled slowly, grabbing his forehead and pinching the skin between his eyebrows.“Just tell me, Kagami.”Kagami lifted his head from his hands, looking at the blue-haired man in his eyes, “It was a college scout. For basketball.”Aomine’s eyes widened with surprise, “A basketball scout for college? Really? That’s awesome, why didn’t you tell me about it earlier?”“He told me that he was impressed with the way I played during the game and he was interested in recruiting me for the college basketball team for UCLA.” Kagami shifted his eyes this time, avoiding eye contact with him.“UCLA? Like Los Angeles, UCLA?” Aomine asked.“Yeah, that one. Well, that’s the scout’s phone number on the paper you’re holding. He told me was also impressed with you, but they’re looking for an immediate player after graduation and since I had already lived abroad in the United States, they thought it would be easier for me to adjust...you know.” Kagami explained, still looking anywhere but in Aomine’s direction. Kagami waited for Aomine’s response, but he never recieved one, leaving them both sitting in a brief moment of silence.It was Aomine’s turn to sigh this time, “So...you’re leaving me, huh?” He said, putting his head in between his legs, hanging his head to hide it from Kagami’s view.“I never said that, Aomine! I don’t even have a formal offer letter! He just came to talk to me and I told him I would have to think about it since I would be leaving so much behind. My friends, my family….you…” Kagami trailed off, casting his gaze to the ground.“Kagami, why would you give up a great opportunity like this? Are you stupid?” Aomine chuckled bitterly in his lap.“Huh?” Kagami was surprised.“A chance like this happens once in a lifetime...and yet, you’re hesitating? Anybody on the team would kill for a spot on a college team and here you are taking it for granted.” Aomine spat.Slightly offended, Kagami’s voice raises a bit, “I’m not taking it for granted, Aomine! I’m just weighing the pros and cons to accepting and declining the offer!”Aomine scoffs, “What is there to weigh? Accept the damn thing and leave me here in Japan. Leave me and everything we’ve built together and go off across the world like this never happened. Like we never happened. Leave me like everyone else in my life has ever done to me.” Kagami cringes at the harsh, yet pleading tone in Aomine’s voice, “See, this is what I wanted to avoid. I never meant to hide it from you, I just didn’t want to hurt you.”“Well, too fucking late, Kagami.” Aomine says bitterly.Kagami paused for a moment, “Why do you keep saying things to intentionally hurt me? Why are you pushing me away? Why aren’t you fighting for me to stay here with you? I don’t get it.” Aomine looks up when he hears a slight crack in Kagami’s voice.“Well what am I supposed to say, Kagami? Stay here in Japan with me and give up your dreams? The same dreams that we both share? You finally have the chance in front of you and now you’re hesitating to take it because you’re concerned about how I feel? How the hell do you think I would feel the rest of my life knowing that I caused the person I love to give up their one lifelong dream? Do you think I could take that on my conscience, honestly?” Aomine stands up quickly and walks towards Kagami. “Honestly, Kagami…”Aomine is surprised when Kagami stands up when he walks over, “Don’t say it like the choice is so obvious, Aomine. I’m really struggling here…” Kagami’s voice cracks again, but Aomine could tell he was reaching his breaking point soon, as he was trying to calm himself down by rubbing his hands through his own hair, avoiding his direct gaze.“Can you really stand here and look me in the eye and say that no part of you wants to take that offer?” Aomine questioned him honestly.“You would see right through me if I said “yes.” You’ve always known that I’m bad at lying. I really want this Aomine...” Kagami began.Aomine was silent for a moment, gathering his thoughts until Kagami spoke once more, “But, I also want you. If you tell me to stay, I will.” Kagami pleaded, wrapping his hand around Aomine’s, waiting for an answer.Aomine’s eyes widened at the sudden contact. Kagami sounded so desperate and it was so damn tempting to tell him to stay. It was so damn tempting to be selfish and tell him to never leave his side. It was so damn tempting to wrap his arms around his precious loved one, enveloping him in a warm, secure hug and tell him that everything would be okay. But Aomine couldn’t, he wouldn’t.He slowly pulled his hand away from Kagami, “I’m sorry, Kagami. I can’t bear the thought that if I told you to stay here with me, one day, you might regret it. You might regret me.”“A-Aomine, I would never regret you. I could never--” Kagami tried to remain strong, but his words came out stuttered as he was trying to hold back his emotions.“I’ll see you around, Kagami.”Aomine turned on his heels quickly, heading inside the school before he or Kagami would say something they both would regret. Sure, Aomine had felt the pain of losing a pet, or even losing a game. But, this sensation in his chest was totally different. It was different in a way that physically pained him, a pain that he never wanted to feel again. He suddenly feels a shortness of breath and an aching pain in his chest. It was almost as if someone had come from behind him and ripped a hole through his chest, scarily close to where his heart is.Aomine thought to himself, 'I guess what they say is true...I guess you really can feel your heart breaking.' ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Through all that happened, Aomine knew that avoiding Kagami was practically impossible. Practically? It was impossible. Same school, same schedule, same basketball team. Well, on one hand, avoiding Kagami would be easy if he didn’t show up to school or practice, but that would be admitting defeat and his selfish pride wouldn’t allow him to do that. When the bell rung to dismiss classes, Aomine and Kagami would exchange daily awkward glances at each other before heading in separate directions in the hallway. The sudden separation of the pair, despite trying to make it unoticable, stirred the gossip mill between the two classes.’Hey, what happened to Aomine and Kagami?’ ’Did you hear? Kagami stole an autographed basketball that Aomine had in his room and he won’t give it back!’ ’Eh? I don’t think that’ true. I heard that Aomine stole Kagami’s girlfriend! That’s why they’re not talking!’ ’For real? That’s pretty low...I hope it doesn’t affect the basketball team’s performance!’ ’Those ideas are both untrue! It’s because Kagami purposefully tripped Aomine during practice!’ Aomine tried his best to ignore the obvious whispers and glances that were thrown his way daily, but there was only so much he could take before he exploded. When the final bell of the day rang, the teacher finished writing the homework assignment on the board and scurried out of the room in a hurry. Aomine sighed, slowly standing up and packing his books back into his bag so he could hurry home. Practice today was cancelled and quite frankly, he wasn’t in too great of a mood to hang out with anyone in public. As he turned to go, an arm reached out and grabbed his sleeve lightly.“Neh, Aomine-san! Can I ask you a question?” A voice said from behind him, causing Aomine to turn around annoyed. He almost immediately frowned after recognizing the offender tugging on his clothes. It was that damn Haizaki Shougo, the soccer player in his class that never shuts up about being on the soccer team, but is only on it because he got kicked off the basketball team. Aomine wasn’t completely sure, but he thought that he had harbored a sort of hateful vendetta against him because his skills overshadowed his, and that was the reason he couldn’t get on the team. Psh, as if Aomine could care less. He was loud. He was pretentious. He was taking up Aomine’s precious time. “No, ask me later. I’m going home.” Aomine swatted his hand lightly, brushing past him.Haizaki chuckled, a slight cockiness in his tone, “You walking home with Kagami-kun today? Or are you two still mad at each other? A lover’s quarrel?” Aomine turned around, eyebrows completely furrowed and anger building in his voice, “What did you say, punk!?”Haizaki laughed once more, “You heard what I said. It’s about time you put these rumors to rest and let the rest of us know what we’re all wondering. Are you two an item? Were an item?”“It’s none of your business, so stay out of it.” Aomine tries to restrain his anger, but this guy is making it tough. “Oh, but it is my business, Aomine-kun~” He sung lightly, causing a small vein to pop in Aomine’s neck. He continued, “I wanted to know if the great playboy Aomine Daiki was finally settled down! And with a guy no less! By the looks of your reaction, it must be true. But hey, I don’t judge. Especially since I’m interested in him myself.” “He wouldn’t be interested in the likes of somebody like you. Besides, I’m not even playboy, I’ve never even--” Aomine cut himself off before he embarassed himself.“Never even what? That’s not what the girls around school have been saying! And why wouldn’t he be interested in me? That’s mean, Aomine-kun~” He poked his chest teasingly, causing Aomine to shove his hands away from his body.“Stop touching me and stop calling me that, “ He growled. “Kagami’s not interested in cocky sons of bitches like you, so don’t even try.” “Are you not a “cocky son-of-a-bitch” Aomine-kun? You’re one of the cockiest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. So, aren’t you quite the hypocrite? Maybe that’s the reason why Kagami left you.” Every inch of Haizaki’s smug-looking face made Aomine’s every nerve stand on edge.“Shut your fucking mouth, Haizaki. I’m telling you this once.” Aomine warned dangerously, stepping almost chest-to-chest with Haizaki, lowering his face to make his point known. “I’ll shut up once I slide my mouth down Kagami’s co--” Before Haizaki could finish his sentence, Aomine’s sent a swift punch to his jaw. Astounded, Haizaki stumbled back, gripping his assaulted mouth with his hands.“Fuck you, Aomine! Did you just punch me!?” Haizaki said, voice muffled through his hands grasping his mouth.“No, fuck you, Haizaki! If you don’t shut the hell up, I’ll do it again!” Aomine’s eyes darkened, giving him a final warning to back down.“I was just teasing, Aomine! But if only I knew you were going to be such a sensitive priss about it...But for you to get that mad, I guess there must be some truth to what I said.” Aomine was pissed Haizaki’s smug tone of voice was returning.Aomine shoved the shorter boy backwards with both hands, “I told you to shut up. Don’t you get it?”“Isn’t that the third time you told me to shut up, Mister “I’m going to tell you this once!”?” Haizaki stepped forward, shoving Aomine back.“Oh, so you’re going to get tough with me, Haizaki? I’ll fuck you up real quick.” Aomine warned once more.Haizaki stepped forward, face-to-face with Aomine once more, “You’re all bark and no bite, Aomine.” Aomine couldn’t take looking at his smug face for one second longer. He swung first, his fist connecting with Haizaki’s left cheek, causing the boy to fall backwards into the classroom door with so much force, it collapsed and he fell into the hallway.Aomine, pumping with adrenaline, jumped on top of the lying boy, continuing to punch him in the face with so much force, his knuckles began to bruise. Sure, he was angry at Haizaki, but Aomine couldn’t help but use him as a punching bag to release his emotions and frustrations. It was a blur. He was punching and cursing with so much ferocity, onlookers were hesitant to jump in to break up the fight. Finally, for what seemed like forever to Haizaki, a group of teachers managed to pull Aomine off of the bleeding boy. “That’s the what the fuck you get, Haizaki! Try me again and see what happens!” Aomine yelled, despite having his arms restrained by numerous teachers. He struggled to get free from their grip, “Get the hell off me! I’m not finished!” “Calm down, Aomine! Leave him alone! Go to the principal’s office!” A teacher yelled, helping a bleeding Haizaki off the floor. Aomine angrily shrugged the teachers off of him, “Whatever.” He growled under his breath, kicking a nearby locker before he trudged down the hallway.//////“So, let me get this straight. According to eyewitnesses, Haizaki was teasing you about something and you punched him twice before you pushed him into the hallway?” The principal read the eyewitness statement on the piece of paper in front of her.“Don’t say “teasing me” as if he was trying to bully me and I was some helpless victim.” Aomine frowned, “Plus, I didn’t push him into the hallway. He fell into the hallway on his own.”The principal looked at him disapprovingly above the rim of her glasses, “Don’t be so petty about the wording of the details, Aomine. Did you hit him first or no?”Aomine sighed, “Yeah, so what? He deserved it.”It was the principal’s turn to sigh, “It’s not a matter of who deserved what, Aomine-san. You went too far. What was the fight about?”Aomine shifted his gaze downward, avoiding eye contact with the woman in front of him and keeping silent.“It’s okay, you don’t need to tell me. But, you do need to apologize for what you did to Haizaki-san.” She lectured, causing Aomine’s eyes to widen.“Me? Apologize to that punk? Puh-lease…” Aomine complained, crossing his arms and refusing to budge. The principal sighed again, running her fingers through her hair in frustration. It was going to be a long evening.///////Aomine glanced at the time on his cell phone as he finally left the principal’s office. 7 o’clock already? He’s been at school way too long at this point and he couldn’t wait to get home. Aomine placed his phone back in his pocket and began walking towards the front door, but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw who was sitting on the bench on the side of the hallway. It was Kagami. Just his luck.Kagami, who was playing a game on his phone, glanced up quickly at the sudden presence, eyes widening at Aomine standing in front of him in the hallway. “Aomine! You’re finally out of the principal’s office! Are you okay?” Kagami stood up, voice full of concern at Aomine’s somewhat tattered clothes.“What are you doing here this late, Kagami?” Aomine asked, avoiding his questions.“What does it look like, aho? I was waiting for you! I heard you had gotten into a fight, so I wanted to check if you were okay, but you were talking to the principal for so long. I didn’t think you were ever going to get out of these!” Kagami said, eyes still full of worry.Aomine noticed Kagami’s eyes scanning his appearance, “It’s okay, the blood isn’t mine.” Kagami was instantly shocked, “Damn, that’s so much blood! What did he say to you?”Aomine scratched his head and frowned, “I wish people would stop asking me that. It doesn’t matter, it’s over and done with. I just want to go home, I’ve had a long day.”“What’s your punishment?”“I’m suspended for one week and that crazy principal of yours is talking to the coach about if I can still play on the team for the rest of the year. It doesn’t even matter at this point, though. This is my final year in this school and the season is almost over.” Aomine shrugged.“But it does matter, Aomine!” Kagami’s voice escalated, “What could be so important that you would give up playing basketball?”“You.” Aomine said it so plainly, but it was so bluntly honest, it made Kagami’s heart skip a beat for a moment.“W-what are you talking about? So sudden…” “The fight I had was about you. Well, there was some past personal prejudices there, but he said some things about you that I couldn’t let him get away with unscathed.” Aomine mumbled under his breath, realizing how embarassing he was starting to sound.“Why go through so much trouble and get yourself suspended for me when you just broke up with me like one week ago?” Kagami asked.“Nobody broke up with you, idiot.” He answered plainly.Kagami frowned, “But you avoided me basically the whole week!” “I thought you didn’t want to talk to me!” Aomine responded truthfully.Kagami chuckled lightly, “Well, I thought you didn’t want to talk to me!” “I guess we’re both idiots, then.” Aomine laughed, causing Kagami to join him soon after.After a brief moment of silence, Aomine turned to meet Kagami’s gaze, “Kagami, back then...I still mean what I said back then… on the rooftop.”“About how you want me to leave?” He muttered softly.“I just want what’s best for you, Kagami. That’s all.” Aomine’s answer was genuine and Kagami could feel the sincerity in his response.“Who are you to say what’s best for me? Best for us? How can you be so sure?” “I’m not sure of the future.” Aomine paused for a moment to gather his thoughts, “But I know what kind of opportunity this is for you. It’s truly once-in-a-lifetime. You’ve even told me it was your dream, so don’t lie and tell me it’s not.”“It is my dream, Aomine. But what if it doesn’t work out…”Aomine took hold of Kagami’s hands, “Don’t doubt yourself, Kagami. Believe in yourself. Believe in your abilities. You know that I do.” Kagami kept silent, causing Aomine to stare at his distraught face, “Whether it works out or it doesn’t, just know that I’m here supporting you all the way.”After hearing his words, a light blush formed on Kagami’s face. “A-aho, stop saying such embarassing things.” Aomine chuckled, then quickly brought Kagami’s hand to his lips for a quick kiss to the top of his skin. “It’s not embarassing if it’s for you.”Kagami suddenly tightened his grip around Aomine’s fingers, causing him to look into his gaze. “Aomine...I’m going to UCLA.”Aomine closed his eyes, but still kept a slight smile on his face, “I know.”“I’m going so I can better my style of basketball and have a shot at going pro.” “I know.” His smile never faded.“I’m going so I can better myself as a person, while you do the same here.” “I know.”“So, when I come back to Japan, I want you to be here, waiting for me.”“I know.”“Then, we’re gonna play basketball, and I’m going to demolish you.”“I kno-- Hey, wait! No way, in your dreams!” Aomine frowned, slightly insulted.Kagami grinned brightly, “Just checking to see if you’re really listening.” Aomine couldn’t help but laugh at Kagami’s little joke, “I love you, Kagami.” He stepped forward, kissing Kagami softly, but passionately enough to convey his feelings into fruition.“I love you too, Aomine. So much. Thank you for everything.”
11466285	The Wrong Pocket	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "Gen", "Characters": "Edward Elric, Alphonse Elric", "Fandom": "Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by JordannaMorgan", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "1,059", "Additional Tags": "Pickpockets", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": "fan_flashworks", "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	“Why didn’t you tell me how late it was getting?” Edward Elric demanded as he rushed down the steps of the Central Library. “Now we might be late for our train!”Clattering after him with their suitcase in hand, Alphonse simulated an exasperated huff. “I did tell you—three times! You were just so wrapped up in that metallurgical alchemy book, you didn’t even hear me!”Ignoring his brother’s correction of the facts, Ed growled between his teeth and set off toward the station at a fast walk. By his judgment, they had just enough time to make the East City train without running—if they could quickly navigate the Friday-evening pedestrian and auto traffic of Central’s commuters heading home for the weekend. Already the sidewalks were clogged with businessmen, secretaries, and off-duty soldiers. Ed wove his way through the crowd, hearing Al’s frequent apologies trail behind him as the armor-bodied boy gingerly pushed past clusters of bystanders. With his own slight frame, the elder sibling was adroit enough to dodge around people with nothing more than an occasional bump into a stray elbow or briefcase.But then Ed detected a stealthy nudge against his hip that he knew did not come from merely brushing by a fellow traveler.Halting in his tracks so abruptly that Al almost collided with him, Ed reached down. His suspicion was confirmed when he felt the empty trouser pocket where his wallet should have been.He turned on his heel, leaning to one side to look past Al’s obstructing bulk. Amidst the sea of passersby, he spotted a tall, lanky figure walking just a bit too hurriedly in the opposite direction… and without hesitation, he bolted after the man.“Hey!”At the sound of Ed’s shout, the pickpocket didn’t look back. He broke into a run instead, shoving past confused onlookers. Ed picked up speed himself—taking advantage of the fact that after having been so rudely pushed aside by the man, people instinctively backed out of the way of his pursuer. A uniformed soldier and a brawny civilian even reached out to seize the thief, but he twisted away from their hands.Ed’s lesser height gave him a shorter stride, but after his years of physical training, he was better conditioned for sprinting. Combined with his clearer path, it wasn’t difficult to catch up to the pickpocket. When he was close enough, he launched into a flying tackle and dragged the man down to the pavement.One firm crack on the back of the skull with an automail fist left the thief dazed and groaning. Ed sat on top of him and roughly patted him down. Feeling objects concealed in hidden inner pockets of the man’s jacket, he quickly dug into them, to withdraw a clutch handbag and three wallets—but none of them were his.When the nearest soldiers rushed up to help, they found Edward yanking off the pickpocket’s boots and shaking them out, searching for his own missing wallet in vain.“Where is it?” Ed snarled, grasping the thief by the shirt front and giving him a firm shake too.The only response was a half-conscious moan.Between them, Alphonse and the soldiers managed to prevent Ed from trying to beat any more answers out of the pickpocket. He was forced to settle for merely pulling off most of the man’s clothes in a thorough body search. By the time a pair of police officers came hurrying to the scene, the thief was down to his shorts, and Ed had no choice but to concede that the wallet was nowhere to be found on his person.“He must have dropped it while he was running,” one of the officers said sympathetically, as his partner was collecting the still-groggy and now barely-clothed thief. “Someone else may have picked it up. With any luck, they’ll do the right thing and turn it in.”“He did not drop it!” Ed asserted hotly. “I was right on his heels, so I would’ve seen it! He must have passed it to an accomplice or—”“I’m sorry,” the policeman interrupted more firmly. “But at this time of day, in such a big crowd of people on the move, we can hardly round up everybody who was passing by and search them all. You can keep looking around here to see if it just fell somewhere, but I’m afraid all we can do now is wait until someone finds your wallet and brings it to us.”Disgusted by the lack of positive action, the young alchemist turned and stomped off, muttering imprecations under his breath.“…This is just great,” he was still snarling five minutes later, as he halfheartedly searched beneath the petunias in a window box that he knew the thief hadn’t passed within ten feet of. “We’ve missed our train by now, and we’ve lost all the money I had on me—and since it’s the weekend, I can’t even go to the bank! We’re gonna have to sit around for two days hoping someone returns my wallet with the money still in it… and if I wanna eat while we’re waiting, I guess we’ll just have to go to Hughes.” He grimaced, thinking of the sappy condolences Major Hughes would subject him to upon hearing of his plight.“Aww, I like staying with the Hughes family…” Al winced at the look Ed gave him. “Uh, but if you really don’t want to, I think I still have a little money from the last time I bought oil for my armor. Let me see.”With that, Alphonse reached down to the pouch he wore strapped to his cuisse. He unfastened the flap and looked inside; and then he momentarily turned into a statue, freezing where he stood.“Oh,” he murmured at last, reaching into the pouch to produce Ed’s safely intact wallet—with an air of sheepishness that somehow radiated even through his metal shell. “Now I remember. After you sent me to buy a sandwich for you earlier, I forgot to give your wallet back to you. I’ve had it with me all this time.”Ed stared at his younger brother, eyelid twitching.“Um… oops?” Al half-laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his helmet.Seconds later, the nearest passersby were startled by the resounding clang of a boot striking steel. 2017 Jordanna Morgan
11475159	Blue	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Kudou Shinichi \| Edogawa Conan, Kuroba Kaito \| Kaitou Kid, Kuroba Touichi", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "Not Rated", "author": "by DaisyLoewe (orphan_account)", "chapters": "4/4", "completed": "2017-10-20", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "4,189", "Additional Tags": "Actor!AU, AU, Crack, Actor!Shinichi, Actor!Toichi", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Kudou Shinichi \| Edogawa Conan/Kuroba Kaito \| Kaitou Kid, Kudou Shinichi/Kuroba Toichi", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン \| Detective Conan \| Case Closed", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Shinichi started with acting when he was five due to his mom's friends needing a boy actor on the quick because there was some kind of trouble with the actor who was to originally portray the character. Unfortunately for him, his acting ended up being successful and even bringing him some awards, because it was a blockbuster movie which meant he had a few movie roles offered in movies that promised to be equally as successful. His mom would be damned if she missed the opportunity to make Shinichi a star and bring his attention to other things that mistery novels.So of course he, had taken to act in several other movies secretly hoping that if he became popular enough everybody would forget about him when he was older as the general public did with most child actors. However, due to his good looks that continued into his more adult life his career managed not to go into his desired path. So, really, he was still a famous actor with an promising future in the entertainment industry.Recently though, when he already couldn't choose his desired career he went on to shape his existing one to resemble more the one he wanted aka he choose more roles in the mystery department. His gigs stretched from detectives, crazy scientists to antagonists. On the side he made up some pen names to conceal his identity and went on to write a few novels like he loved to read in his free time and draw some manga - all of which received good to meditate success with the recent trend if his works becoming more and more popular.While his mother stopped intervening into his life as much as she used to she still loves controlling him. So when she saw her dear Shin-chan taking up all those, in her mind, unfavorable roles she was quickly to threaten him into doing some gigs she deemed appropriate. Which leads us to now. Cursing his damned luck Shinichi went on to passionately make out with one Kuroba Toichi. The scene looked good, however everyone familiar with his work could tell how bad in comparison it was executed. It wasn't like he never had sex before, he did but he wasn't the one to ever be penetrated in any way, shape or form. Watching porn and a few literary as well as scientific works could only make him so good in acting the scene. Really, where has his mother's sanity gone? Making one's son getting it on, at least in front of cameras, with a man older than his own father wasn't something loving parents usually did.The guy, Toichi, was indeed a very skilled man in his doings - probably due to his long lasting career as a world renowned magicians. He was sure the man would bring him all kinds of pleasures if there were in fact at it, however they weren't and his acting abilities were limited in this regard. And that simple fact brought more hurt to his ego than the reality that his mother made him play and uke in a, said to be widely broadcasted television series.He wasn't thrilled on doing a poor job and ruining his reputation, so, when the filming for the day ended he asked awkwardly his fellow actor for them to practice together. The magician, visibly reluctant seemed to attempt as no, however Shinichi wasn't one of the most desirable people of his generation, and the world in general, for nothing. A few doe eyes looks and coy smiles as well as a, in his mind, poorly made jokes about them being husbands and all was enough for the man to say yes; Although he preferred some place and time when his son wasn't able to get in the way - or interrupt them in things no son should see his father doing, especially not to a bit his age. The Kudou mansion was it then, at around 8 o'clock when his son went out and exercised; A magician had to be in shape.In their 'first meeting' Shinichi went out to prepare some things beforehand. They would need lube, condoms and probably a few other things such as buttplugs to stretch him properly, muscle relaxers for him to ease the penetration, an easy at home enema kit and few things such as lingerie to make the mood. When he was done with his little shopping spree he was set to go over with all the necessities; He found himself lucky that he naturally had very little body hair and that his mother made him do laser hair removal after he complained how much he hated both faxing and shaving whilst all the hair removal creams needed to be used to often. With one less thing to do, he found himself going straight to the enema, which turned out to be quite the strange experience he wasn't sure he wanted to repeat - he reckoned that he probably needed to get himself accustomed to it. The actual preparation was the weirdest part by far. Like all the instruction books for anal beginners he looked up told him, he tried to get himself relaxed which the muscle relaxers made significantly easier, went on to caress his nipples and other erogenous zones - when he was appropriately hot and bothered he started inserting small, lubed up, object into his passage whilst stroking his member to distract him from the penetration. Well, that was certainly a feeling like no other; it was by no means painful nor uncomfortable as long as he refrained from moving the object which wasn't as reassuring considering that sex meant a lot movement in his nether regions. It felt weird: he could only fell.the object in his most outer ring, however past that there was almost no feeling, likely because of the small girth of the toy. It was quite obvious that a 5 millimeter pen like toy wasn't going to stretch him at all. So, although still not entirely comfortable with that thing, he went a couple sizes up - not enough for it to be too invasive, but enough to make a difference and not feel like he spent so much time not properly preparing himself. The next object was stretching him almost too much, however after moments of breathing out and in he was able to regain his composition. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Working the bigger objects into himself he, obviously, became more and more stretched; While he still had a great deal of toys to play with and make himself ready for Toichi"s penetration, he was confident he could pull it of. He was making progress.Then, when he actively started attacking his prostate he regretted not doing it sooner, because that did in fact feel awesome, a little painful, but that was easily making way to pleasure. He felt himself ready for a toy even bigger, however this time around he was excited to the light feeling of being stretched too wide or it being too much to take, but still obediently taking it into him.When he inserted the dildo into himself, he found himself positively eager for it - his muscles clenched around it and he couldn't wait to get it fully seated into his passage - rubbing against his prostate and actively pleasuring him. The dildo was enormous, too long and wide for someone like him, but it stretched and filled him up perfectly - yes, he was indeed starting to enjoy that feeling.It was definitely a first to experience pleasure from anal play - for one, he hadn't done it ever before, and also, that part of the body was not something he perceived as sexual or pleasure inducing. Well, so be it. His cock was leaking precum already, clearly enjoying the ministrations, and it wasn't long before he gave way.However, he still wasn't feeling properly prepared, so, when it came to changing the toy he felt himself clenching up because he didn't want the toy to leave its place. When he had extracted the dildo in order to take a larger one - that moment of emptiness felt uncomfortable, more so than being penetrated ; He felt himself swelling up in pride. Being oversensitive from his orgasm provided to be even more pleasure inducing; His muscles were relaxed, it was easy to take the thing in, however it also felt way too much duo to the sensitivity - it was amazing when he started hitting his prostate again; the dildo invading him and brushing against his already sensitive walls. Oh, why has no one ever told him about this? Even the orgasm itself was more intense than the regular ones; He could undoubtedly see himself playing with himself anally more often.His definitely going to, because this felt amazing, more so than other penetrations. His passage war practically yearning for being played with and pleasured; penetrated. He couldn't see himself not doing this at least once a day for all he knew. Yes, he was definitely eager for Toichi to have his way with him.Depending on how could that guy was in the bed he didn't see any problems of continuing with a sexual affair. Hell, after today afternoon he was going on a search for a boyfriend - he wasn't bisexual for no reason. It sounded like a plan; First he'll have sex with Toichi as it was agreed upon, the exploring more about all the pleasures anal could bring him alone in his room, maybe even convince the already mentioned actor to continue fucking him senselessly followed with a search of other guys to do the same.But he still hasn't even finished preparing himself for his first actual anal experience with himself being the bottom; A week ago he would've called anyone crazy if they said to him that he would actively want to be penetrated - searching in fact for a dominant male who would fuck him relentlessly - playing and probing him.If he could repeatedly get orgasms as intense like today from anal only, then he would probably abandoning using, even touching, his own member, he though. He was in love.And now, the probability of someone having a 11 inch dick is unlikely, so he won't even try using the last dildo , at least not for now; If the actor does indeed have a monster penis then he still can control how much he goes in - the girth on the other hand could prove itself to be a problem. Well, he will just have to see for himself.After he goes showering. His whole being, the bed and even some other parts of them room were a mess; He should definitely clean that up - and search for another room for his guest, because there was no chance he'll manage doing that in less than an hour in which he also needed to shower, put on lingerie, prepare lube as well as other toys they might wanna use at some point in their encounter. He should be going now, if he didn't want to be abased if Kuroba came earlier than expected - that would be horrifying.So, note to self that this is absolutely going to be messy and leave them both in a proper cleaning until they get rid of all the fucking seamen. Well, presumably Shinichi's seamen because he insisted on protected sex, however who knew what they will be actually doing. He likes giving handjobs and blowjobs (without swallowing).Still, now that he thought about it, what if the guy is a no show? He, reasonably, didn't look easy when Shinichi made the proposition. He had a son, around Shinichi's age, so hucking up with him must feel weird. Also, what if his son didn't want him to go on a 'date' with Shinichi, assuming Toichi told him he was going out with the actor? According to his parents Toichi adored his son, so maybe he chose to spent time with him if he hadn't gone out today? He'll find out anyways, so there is no point in beating his head up.Camouflaging his 'concern' he went on to get dressed - in the lingerie he bought today, of course. Hmm. Would Toichi even enjoy that? He honestly hadn't thought of it before, it was just something he enjoyed, and Toichi being a magician extradionire probably needed for a few tricks here and there to dress up as a woman; Though that didn't necessarily mean he enjoyed it, or seeing it on Shinichi. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- When the subject of his worries rang the bell to his already overlarge mansion it was no wonder Shinichi was excited. Both because of what will happen after and because the older actor was looking delectable - more so than ever. Being stuffed with large toys and experiencing some intense pleasure just by walking didn't help him; Though it did keep him in the middle which in itself was a double sided sword. For one, he was about to jump that guy right away due to how much he needed it, but then for the second part he wanted to jump the guy right away and that is something he couldn't do for it not being appropriate behavior and Toichi still appearing to fiddle a bit in himself with the fact that he was about to sleep with who could be his son's twin. He didn't blame him, if he would reverse the situation then he doubted he would behave differently.Though, even though he was able to see the actor fight with himself over the issue he was also very aware of what would be happening with a certain confidence; While he was still somewhat uncomfortable at the thought of fucking him, he was also purely aware that he could make him satisfied and more - he liked that smirk, if he dared to say. It also gave him the boost he needed - he was still, after all an anal virgin, so having a man that could deliver was definitely a point to worry less about. He still couldn't get over what they are going to do, or more accurately what is going to be done with him and his passage, himself."You know it would be better if you searched for someone your own age, someone you perhaps even know on a more personal note than some middle aged actor you happen to share the screen with?" He was expecting that one, he had to confess. Toichi trying to persuade him not to have sex with him due to the fact he could be his father; He was the same age and looked like the twin of his father tbh. Under the right circumstances he even could be his biological father seeing that his mother and Toichi shared the screen and maybe even the bed around the time he was conceived and born - the possibilities are rather slim."Technically there is no reason for me not to search for some random man at the bar or ask a friend, Heiji?, to do the deed, but there is a rather logical reason speaking for the sex with you: On the screen we are the one starring and pretending to do it, so when we actually do it in real life then we know exactly the best way to make it work and look believable. Helps with the chemistry and all. Plus, if we know how to satisfy the other in the reality we would have a much easier time to make sure our characters look like they are having the perfect sex." He had to say it, because it was very much the truth. Different people liked different things in the bedroom and had a different way of doing things, so while if he did it with Hakuba or something he would indeed have anal experience e it wouldn't be as beneficial for his role than having sex with the actor his character was supposed to sleep with."You should be aware if the fact that I am going to get kicked and killed by my son if this ever comes out. His probably your biggest fan out there and knowing his dad is screwing his favourite person on Earth would ruin him. It would be much better if you just slept with him, you know?" Toichi looked now even more displeased as he mentioned his son in such a way. Springing into bed with a person his son appeared to be in love with wasn't something he could do without a bad conscience - and that had just made him adorable in Shinichi's opinion."Too bad. If I actually knew your son then maybe it could end up being something, but seeing as I don't know him I can't say anything about that. You are not getting out of this though even if I have to seduce you. I made way too many preparations for my plans to be cancelled - at the last minute at that." Yes, he was mean if he wanted to be; If he had a hot son, and seeing who his parents were it would be an anomaly if the guy wasn't some Greek god who's beauty, then he wouldn't exactly mind meeting up but he still wasn't about to drop all the hard work he had to go through. Also, while it was more common for father and son to be into the same stuff (and doing it similarly) than some random dudes at the street he still needed Toichi to be the one penetrating him. "I can call him right now of you want. He was supposed to be here in Beika anyways so he could even visit you." The actor seemed almost hopeful in his attempts. He was both loving it and absolutely hating; He loved his son so much he tried to set him up with his person if admiration, but he was also trying to escape sex with him as if it was a bad thing which… should he be offended? Sure, it was only because if his son, but still."I don't mind your son visiting as long I get fucked by the end of the day; I am still being stretched out and on the verge of panting, so not going through with my original thought is not going to happen. I'm not going to be an anal virgin by the end of the night - so don't even think of postponing it because it may or may not lead to a relationship with me and your son. Look, if your son wants to have his way with me then fine, but I'm not going to be out there any longer and if he is some kind of a prude then you shouldn't even attempt to make a call and invite him over. By the way, even if you want to invite him how are you going to explain this? Casually being in your co-workers house you are playing a romance movie in who is pretty much naked and ready for action any minute?""I haven't thought this through." ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- When he had met Kaito, he was nothing more but start struck. He was a beautiful guy, talented, charming and clearly taking after his father - definitely boyfriend material. Except that he could already swear he had already dates him once and that was not due to the fact he spelt with his father and their remarkable similarities. Seeing as how Toichi talked as if the two of them had never met before and how his son was a huge fan it couldn't be - just because he looked like the boyfriend he had when he was 13 didn't mean he was his exboyfriend, heck he himself looked like his ex, and there was no chance he was his own ex boyfriend or boyfriend for that matter. It didn't matter though, the filming of the movie was going great so far and at this time he had indeed time left over for a little bit of fun - so dating might be on if he and Kaito did in fact become a thing; Being out of highschool had its many perks and he was going to use it to the fullest. Kaito himself seemed more than eager to get into his pants so it was rather obvious they could be an item - however, that still left the window open between a (serious) relationship and a fuck-biddy kind of thing. Just, he was young and Kaito was attractive so he wouldn't exactly mind either way, but it could be complicated if he suddenly wanted to be in a relationship but Kaito only a secular agreement or if either one of them got a boyfriend. That had time though."Hey, what do you think about if we go to the Poirot? I've heard that you love the coffee there." More like he stalked him while he was completely obsessed with him around 2 years ago; He still loved him, bit damn he was glad he got out of the weird phase where he behaved like some old perverted creep. He stalked him almost completely, both on social media and in real life - going as far to rent out an apartment in Shinichi's proximity so he could keep an eye on him. The actor got suspicious many times, but he somehow managed to cover himself up the and time again. In his defence though, he was a teen and saved his life many times - so something bad for something good, no? Definitely. When he found out that his father was going to play the lover of Shinichi in their new acting gig and that there were some rather steamy scenes involved, he barely managed to contain his outburst of anger and desperation - but now his old man got him a date with the young actor so this thing didn't turn out as bad as he though.It was still bad, his father was still going to make out with Shinichi on the screen and this was the project of the year so he will be seeing it for a long long long time, but he got to see Shinichi smile at him whenever he tried to be a gentleman. He really was the most adorable person ever,and that hasn't changed since the two of them had met when they were 6; He still remembered that one time he gave Shinichi a flower - the cutie he was first gave him the standard eye roll and then proceeded to lecture him about plants and scolding him for picking flowers, but in the end he was rewarded with a beautiful smile he had never seen before. Even though it happened all those years ago those memories were ingrained in his brain so vividly for the rest of his life. It really was a shame that Shinichi was Jed to not remember anything from their childhood about them."Sure, do you have time on Wednesday? It is my day off - I mean I have absolutely nothing scheduled and there is no talk about filling in the void because I apparently deserve the rest. And you know, I am not about to go to my manager and beg him for a new workload, so we could spend time with each other without worrying that something will come up." Great, there was no magic show he had in about two weeks, and he had all the time he needed to sheme, plan, the perfect date for the two of them - everything was going to be perfect. His Shin-chan was going to be treated with the mist delicious coffee available to humanity, not bothered with any publicity, they were going to talk, they were going to kiss and see the beautiful face if his crush while his dress reflected the moon. Okay, he was going over with himself. Shin-chan stopped wearing dresses years ago and would probably, most definitely, kick a soccer ball at him if he even so dared to put him in such clothing and second of all, maybe the detective just wasn't going to kiss him. It was a possibility he much rather preferred not to think about. "For you I have all the time in the world." He smiled.Shinichi himself was on a guilt trip -. Very powerful one at that. There was such a nice guy in front of him, who wanted him, and he had slept with his father of all people before. Hell, the bed wasn't even cold yet and there he was going on a second date with the son of the man he had lost his anal virginity too. That was a rather painful thought - if this, whatever it even is, progresses due her then there were going to be many, many, many awkward moments between Kaito's family and him. Oh damn, Kaito was completely clueless about the affair which was going on between the Toichi and him. Though, after this one, the last night, that was likely very much over. They never agreed on anything feasible, anyways. One was sure, he was in for a hell of a ride.
11469663	A Beautiful Thing	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Oswald Cobblepot, Edward Nygma, Ivy Pepper", "Fandom": "Gotham - Fandom", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Mature", "author": "by bitchacne", "chapters": "7/?", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "5,242", "Additional Tags": "Angst, Smut, Slow Burn, Developing Relationship, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Sexual Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Canon Divergent", "Relationship": "Oswald Cobblepot/Edward Nygma", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	"youre alive?"Oswald turned slowly as he came face to face with the man he once loved. his mouth gaped open as he shuffled across the iron cage towards Edward. as his hands met the bars separating them, his eyes shined with what ed suspected to be unfallen tears. eds mouth had opened, at a loss for words.but then Oswald suddenly lunged forward across the bars, into Edwards cage, barely getting a feel of the rough fabric. Edwards sleeve, grazed by oswalds touch. Edward shivered as he quickly leaned back out of Oswalds reach. his breath heavied, hands slightly trembling, hoping Oswald wouldn't notice. "how...?" was all he was able to rasp out in between his heavy gasps for breathe. " you killing me, ed, has given me something to live for." he seethed out, knuckles turning white from gripping the iron bars, keeping Oswald from murdering the taller man. "revenge," he gave ed a twisted grin as the words left his mouth. "Oswald..." he couldn't help but wonder if the man before him was real. ed leaped forward, bopping Oswald on the forehead, making oswalds face twist with confusion. "what?"Oswald exclaimed, touching where Edwards hand had made contact with his face. "sorry, about that. just, er, making sure youre real." ed confessed as his hands fiddled with his glasses atop his face. oswalds brows knit together in wonder. "have... have you been hallucinating, ed? have you been hallucinating... me?" his face softened in innocent compassion for the man in front of him. Edward froze, his gaze steady at Oswald. you shouldn't have said that, eddie. now he knows, a sinister voice inside his head laughed.Edwards face scrunched as he turned away from Oswald. his hands darting up to his eyes, massaging the bridge of his nose."no, no, no," he murmured like a prayer to himself. "ed..." oswalds hands fell from the bars and went to his hair sweeping it back - nerves, he thought. "ed, its alright. I know youre mad. but I told you killing me would change you. change everything. but youre still ed nygma... the ed nygma I made," the words escaped his lips before he could stop himself, spilling out of him like an overflowing glass. Edward slowly turned, meeting oswalds eyes. he took two long strides to come barely an inch from oswalds face, his voice in a low, raspy whisper. "you did make me, Oswald. youre right. but you also destroyed me when you killed Isabella. you made ed nygma, and you destroyed him."oswalds eyes widened as a tear fell from Edwards eye. taking in every word, he listened as ed continued on."but what ive done? have you seen what ive accomplished Oswald?" Edwards voice grew gradually louder, more tears spilling from his dark eyes. "I am the riddler now, and no one can take credit for that except me, Oswald." "oh ed, you truly haven't changed." Oswald scowled up into the taller mans wet face. "youre still the attention hungry peacock you were that day at the gcpd!" Oswald yelled. "you still just want my approval! even after all this time!" Edward bared his teeth down at the smaller man. "excuse me, mr. penguin, but newsflash. if I really cared about what the hell you thought of me, I wouldn't have killed you!" "no, ed, excuse you! how about a newsflash for you, hm? I'm not dead!" his nostrils flared in rage. Edward, out of impulse, roughly reached around the bars to take hold of oswalds soft raven hair. over oswalds cry of pain, Edward continued to raise his voice back at the shorter man. "say one more thing, Oswald, and I swear i'll - i'll- " he stuttered at the last part of his sentence, at a loss for a threat. he had no weapon, no real leverage on the smaller man before him. "you'll do what, ed?" Oswald managed to gasp out despite the pain. "hm? got no gun now. so what'll you do? how about this. cry some more. make me feel even worse than I already fucking do!" he screamed up at the taller man, sobbing in his arms. "Oswald, stop" Edwards stomach clenched at the sudden expression of emotion. "don't! don't you do this to me, Oswald!" his voice was slightly raising, but as tears leaked out of oswalds eyes he noticed it wasn't rage. confusion? panic, maybe? but Oswald kept crying. he couldn't help it. it was like a large river dam in his heart just busted, releasing all his pent up emotion since the last time he had seen Edward. sure, he begged. he had cried. but this was different. Edward had shown feeling too. and it was so different from their last meeting, it had - scared Oswald? he didn't even know what he was feeling in this exact moment anymore. Edward couldn't take it anymore. the feelings of despair, hopelessness, longing since he had lost Oswald that he had pushed away had finally broken out of his shield that he had made. his grip on the back of Oswalds hair broke as his face lost all signs of anger and turned into something else that he didn't quite know how to express. "Oswald, please, stop" he begged as he pulled Oswald carefully into the bars into his haphazard attempt at an embrace. it was uncomfortable, but it felt right, they both thought to themselves. after a few brief moments, they both regained control over their eyes and emotions. Edwards hands moved to the small of oswalds back, lightly rubbing, trying to feebly comfort the hiccupping man. Oswald sighed as Edward slowly leaned out of the slightly painful embrace. " I wish I could do that more properly..." he spoke as he wiped his tear stained face, giving Oswald a small smile. Oswald smiled back, mirroring Edwards actions, wiping away the tears. "as do I, ed" he whispered. "that was nice. ive missed your hugs." "well, we know what to do now, don't we?" he gave Oswald a toothy smile, giggling softly. "lets get the hell out of here?" Oswald suggested, raising an eyebrow at the now laughing man parallel to himself. "lets," Edward agreed, Oswald now laughing along with him. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- "I swear to God I'll do it!" Edward screamed at the guards over Oswald's shoulder as he held a blade to the smaller mans neck, despite the very uncomfortable iron bars trying to separate them.The guards hastily unlocked Oswald's door, drawing their guns. "No, No! You idiots, unlock my door!"As they aimed their guns up at Ed's face, he smiled. "You know what? Never mind." And with one swift - yet careful motion - Oswald was on the ground, hands around his seemingly bloody neck.The guards leaned over Oswald, inspecting his seemingly lifeless body."Is... is that jello?" One guard mumbled."Surprise!" Oswald lunged up, grabbing hold of the guard's neck, slicing his throat. The other guard advanced on him, but Oswald was too quick, pushing him against Edward's cage. Stabbing into the guards neck, Edward laughed softly."Alright, get me out of here."But Oswald just stood directly in front of the cage door, holding the keys from the dead guard he had murdered only seconds before."How do I know you won't just kill me, Ed?" He said in a curt voice.Ed's smile had disappeared. He quite frankly didn't know what to say... Oswald couldn't know whether or not Ed would kill him. He wasn't going to, but he didn't have a very good track record regarding loyalty.His mouth opened, but no sound came out. He slowly raised his hands up, then down into his pockets. When he pulled them out, the knife was no longer in his hand. He couldn't just drop it, they might need it."Fine," Oswald placed the key into the lock. "You're lucky I just want that hug, Edward." He smiled as the taller man stepped out of the cage.Edward smiled back raising his arms. "well?"Oswald stepped into Edward's long, lanky arms. Resting the side of his face on Edward's chest and sighing, Oswald spoke. "We won't have long. But this is really nice, Ed. I've missed your hugs."Edward pushed Oswald's shoulders back so he could look into his eyes, but still allowing their bodies to touch. "Let's get out of here, hm?"~As the door came crashing down, they stumbled out into the alleyway. Looking around, Oswald spotted some homeless men staring at them. Still holding his knife, he yelled at them, causing them all to disperse.They turned to each other, smiling. It took a few moments, but finally Edward spoke up."My place?" He asked, looking Oswald up and down. "It's not too far from here, I believe. You look incredibly tired, Oswald.""That I am, Ed" He said, nodding and dropping his blade to the ground."I have warm water..." He ventured, looking down at the ground. "And a nice size tub with your name on it." He looked back up at Oswald, smiling and blushing slightly, slightly relieved and satisfied to find Oswald mirroring his exact actions. The devious smile, the light blush."Lead the way, Mr. Nygma." He chuckled following Ed down the dark alleyway towards Ed's apartment. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Oswald's POV We had been walking down the streets of Gotham for a while since breaking out of the Court of Owl's prison, on our way to Ed's apartment, and it had been silent and dark the whole way. I don't even know if I can trust him. I just can't - "Oswald," I quickly snapped out of my daydreaming, hearing him brusquely whisper my name.He stopped walking, but stared straight ahead. In front of us, no more than 50 ft., stood two figures with guns drawn, in what I recognized to be the Court's uniforms. Damn. Guards.Between them stood a woman's figure. Her face was in shadows, disabling me to see who she was. But as she spoke, it sounded faintly familiar. Painfully familiar."Gentlemen, I think its time you get back to your cells now, don't you think?" As the woman stepped from the shadows, Ed and I both gasped simultaneously."Ohmygod," Ed said. I looked over at him, shocked, all color drained from his face. "Isabella?"She looked almost exactly the same, except the demeanor. The sweet librarian was gone. There was no welcoming smile or happy look about her at all. But to be quite honest, I always knew she was bad news. But obviously, she's just something so much more. A true monster. One of Strange's abominations."Who?" The Monster's face twisted in apparent confusion. "My name is TX93. But you, Edward Nygma, and Oswald Cobblepot, are both in big trouble.""Oh dear," Edward mumbled.The Thing raised her pistol along with the other guards. "And if we don't?" I said, testing my luck reluctantly."You'll die," she said, her face remaining emotionless."Why? I loved you. Please," Edward said. I looked over at him again. I saw fresh tears falling down his face."Please, Mr. Nygma. It's bad enough you tried to escape, killed two of our men, and are now trying to confuse me. I have no idea what you are talking about," She started to raise her voice, obviously annoyed.I looked down at Edwards hands. They were now bound in tight fists. His jaw was clenched.Then I saw it. To the left of The Clone's shoulder, I saw a van cruise right across the street at the end of the alley. Odd. Not very many people out about at around, what I guessed to be, 3 am. But then again, this is Gotham."Ero, cuff them, we're taking them back."One of the guards to the right of her walked to me, holstering his gun and took out a pair of cuffs. He shoved me around and as soon as he tried to grab my wrists, I elbowed him with one arm. With the other, I reached into my pocket and found the blade Ed had given me after leaving the Court's prison. Whirling around, with a cry, I plunged the knife into the guards kneeled over figure. Pulling it out with my right hand, just as quickly, I threw it into the other now alarmed guard. My other hand reached the gun the guard had and drew it, popping two rounds into the Fake Isabella's knee caps.With a shriek of pain, she fell to the ground, dropping her gun. Edward quickly rushed over to her screaming figure lying on the ground. For a split second, I panicked, thinking he would rush to her aid. But he grabbed the gun, and standing up as straight as he could, he wiped the tears from his face."Why? Why would you do this to me? I loved you, and now I have to kill you," He shook his head vigorously. "No, no. You know what? I don't care. Just... give me answers. now. Who created you?"All the while she just writhed in pain and agony, oblivious to Ed's demands. But Ed kneeled down next to her, grabbing a handful of her blonde up-do, jamming the gun into her temple."Tell me now! Or I swear to God I'll blow your brains out!" His voice started to break. I could tell he was crying now.I limped over to him. The Clone still just lay there, crying in pain."Edward, it's no use. She won't talk. She's one of Hugo Strange's monsters. She probably doesn't even know..." I placed a hand on Ed's shoulders, hoping to comfort him.He stood up slowly, and turned to look me in the eye. "Oswald, I owe you an apology - ""It's okay, Ed. Let's just get this done and get out of here. We can discuss it when we're safe. Okay?"He nodded his head and turned back to look down at the crying woman. "Whatever you are, I'm sorry. But then again, no, I'm not." He smirked and a single tear fell down his face. When he pulled the trigger, the crying stopped."Good bye."~When we had almost gotten to the end of the alley, I heard an engine. Headlights lit up the street and tires squeeled. "We have to hide, now," I said turning to Ed, grabbing his wrist and pulling him closer to the wall of the alley."There is no where to hide," He said looking around."Shit,"The van approached, and we froze. With the windows blackened out, we couldn't see anything inside of it. The engine idled for a few seconds until I heard the driver door creak open, and a pair of high heels click across the asphalt."Hi, boys!" Ivy Pepper said in a giddy voice. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- "Well, don't just stand there, sillies! Get in, I gotta go feed the plants."Edward looked over at Oswald. "Who is she?"Oswald limped and grabbed Ed's hand, leading him over to the van. "Oh, just Ivy. An idiot, but a loyal idiot, Thank god." he smiled up at the taller man. "I'm standing right here you know," Ivy huffed as she returned back to the driver's seat. ~The ride to the mansion was full of questions and answers. "So where were you, Pengy?" Ivy asked, looking in her rearview mirrors at the gentlemen in the back seat. Edward smiled at the nickname, and, Oswald seeing it, turned pink. "Would you stop calling me that?" He snapped at the red headed woman who's smile disappeared instantly. "And we were stuck at the damn Court of Owl's prison.""Oh..." she said quietly. "Hey, isn't that the guy you loved but shot you and then threw you in the river?" She asked casually.Edward instantly started to stare out the window and pretend like he hadn't heard her say those words. He had been hoping neither of them would bring up what had happened.Oswald awkwardly cleared his throat. "Yes, Ivy. But we have a truce. We've decided to make amens - " "So do you love him now - what is it? Oh, yeah - uh, Ed?" She quickly interrupted and glanced back at Ed."What?" Edward looked up in fake confusion - he had heard what she had said. He was just extremely uncomfortable. He could tell she was doing this on purpose just to fuck with him, but oh well. Word on the street, she has the mind of a 12 year old."Do you love him now? Y'know, Penguin," She replied, turning into the mansion's driveway."Okay! That's enough questions, Ivy." Oswald said giving Ivy 'The Eye.' "Well, for you at least. What were you doing driving around anyways?""Oh, right. Well, I needed some more supplies for my plants, and there's this plant shop right around the corner from where I found you guys, so."Ivy parked and they got out, walking up to the mansion.~Soon it was time for dinner, after both Ed and Oswald taking showers and changing into some proper clothes, and they all sat down for dinner. For a while they all sat in silence, until Ivy had an idea. "So, Ozzie. Can you trust him?" Ivy asked Oswald, practically ignoring Ed's very presence.Oswald looked at Ed who paused mid - bite at the question, eyes shifting back and forth from Ivy and Oswald. Oswald turned to look back at Ivy with a doubtful look on his face."Right... Well, lucky for you fellas - er, well, Oswald at least - I got the solution to that predicament." She giggled and stood from her spot. "I think you know what I got planned, right Oswald?" She smiled at the now grinning man.She circled around the table to where Ed was sitting and placed her hands on his shoulders as he tensed, "Oswald. Please don't hurt me," he half begged as Oswald stood."Ed, relax." Oswald replied as he raised his hands. "I'll go get the perfume. Ivy, Explain to him please."Oswald turned and left the dining room. Ivy circled back to the other end of the table to face Ed. "So, basically I made a perfume that makes people tell the truth." She said playng with one of the steak knifes Oswald had used. Edward had tensed up yet again and Ivy had noticed. "That doesn't scare you does it?" Her eyebrows knit together and she cocked her head to the right. With a flick of her wrist, like lightning it was so fast, the steak knife flew and missed Ed's ear by no more than an inch and stuck into the wall behind him with a loud thump."Jesus, woman!" Ed's hand flew to his ear as he cursed to himself under his breathe. He checked his and for blood and looked at Ivy like she was crazy. "What was that for? You could've killed me!"She walked around to Ed and leaned over him, her face no less than a five inches from his. "Try to kill him again? And I will kill you. Hurt him in any way, And I will still kill you. Get it? Got it? Good." She whispered with a sweet smile that scared the shit out of Ed as he vigorously shook his head."Okay, got it. Up to speed, Ed?" Oswald asked as he entered the room holding what looked like a bottle of perfume. Ivy and Ed both stood up straight. "Yes, Yep. Definitly." Ed nodded smiling at Oswald, and then turned to Ivy, his smile dropping, giving her a slight scowl. To his fear, her smile remained unfaltering.~"Okay, so, I'm gonna put this on my wrist. And you're gonna smell it. 'Kay?" Ivy exlained to Ed, dabbing the perfume onto her wrist. Ed sat on his chair, Ivy and Oswald towering over him."Right. Right, okay." Ed whispered. Clearing his throat he spoke, "Okay, I'm ready. Let's do this."Ivy placed her wrist right under Ed's nose, and he smelled. His senses numbed, and his facial features and body muscles relaxed."Is it working?" Oswald asked worriedly."I dunno. Ask 'im." Ivy replied shrugging."Right. Okay, okay. Um, Ed? What did you do after you shot me?" He asked in a nervous tone."I announced my self as 'The Riddler' and looked for a new teacher in being a villain. I killed multiple people trying to find one, but I had a hard time. I started to miss you, Oswald. I took hallucinogens to hallucinate you, so you could keep me company. I felt really bad. I would cry myself to sleep and wake up depressed. And then I found out about the court and - ""Okay, okay. Ed repeat that - you really missed me?" Oswald interrupted."I missed you. Alot, Oswald." Ed repeated. "At one point, my hallucinations took a seductive route. You sang a seductive song, and I would think about it alot. I started thinking about you differently after that..." Ed said in a monotone voice, but his face remained to seem in a blissful state."Oh," Oswald's face reddened."Let me ask somethin'," Ivy said excitedly. Turning to Ed she asked, "Ed, do you love Oswald?"Edwards head snapped towards Ivy and his eyes widened. "Yes. Yes, I love Oswald," He said in a tone that they found oddly over - emotional. "I would do anything for him," He turned to Oswald and fell from the chair to his knees with a sudden sob. "I am so, so sorry, Oswald. I still care about you deeply. Trying to kill you killed a part of me and I love you, I've loved you for a really long time. And after seeing that Isabella was just a fake I've realised how foolish I've been. I - I should've known, I - I -" Ed was now crying, tears running down his face."Hey, uh, this hasn't ever happened before, Pengy," Ivy whispered to Oswald, nudging his arm with her elbow."Shit," Oswald muttered as he grabbed Ed by the shoulders. "Ed, Ed. Please, listen to me. It's okay, it's okay. I forgive you." Oswald said as he lightly shook Ed, trying to snap him out of his sobbing.Ed looked up at Oswald at those words and froze, gazing up into Os' crystal blue eyes. "R - really?" he asked, stuttering. A smile crept upon his face."Yes, Ed. Now could you please sit down." Ed obeyed silently with a smile still on his face, sitting back into his chair."I've never had someone get that emotional," Ivy whispered to Oswald as he continued to stare down at Ed.Oswald turned to her and his eyes widened. "Well what now? I'm afraid to even ask him anything again, he might go crying again.""I suggest letting him get some rest," Ivy said, studying Ed's overly relaxed face. "Alright, Ed. Time to retire to our rooms, okay?" Oswald said placing his hand lightly on his shoulder, making Edward look at him, fully alerted. Ed slowly stood and smiled a small smile at Oswald before exiting the room and climbing up the stairs. Oswald could here his bedroom door open and close. He let out a sigh and resigned to the chair that Ed had been sitting in and ran a hand over his face. "What am I going to do?" Oswald asked Ivy, who was leaning against the table, facing him. "Well jeez, I don't know. I mean, he did just profess love for you. And you still love him, right?" She said in a sarcastic voice."Yes, but he shot me. And he said all of that under the influence of a drug. I know it was all true but he might still be lying to himself about how he truly feels. I just don't know if things could ever truly work out. Things seem to never work out for people like us." He said, his voice breaking and a tear sliding down his cheek.Ivy walked toward him, and placed a hand on his back, trying to comfort him. "Sometimes they do. Love conquers all. Remember?" She said, a small smile on her face. At those words, Penguin's head snapped up towards her, his mouth gaping. Ivy walked away and up the stairs toward her room.Oswald just sat there, thinking, tears steadily sliding down his cheek. Love conquers all. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Edward's POV I lay in bed, fully conscious, but I keep my eyes closed. I can sense his presence. He must have came in right before I woke up. And then it hits me. The migraine. It feels as if it came out of no where. I moan and wince in pain, as my hand reaches up to massage the temples of my head."Oh, oh my - are you okay, Ed?" Oswald asks me as I feel his hands reach my neck and shoulders.I open my eyes and place my hands atop his, my gaze meeting his. "Good morning," I whisper as sweetly as I can.Oswald sighs and relaxes his face. "Ed, what's wrong? You looked in pain . . .""Oh, just a headache. Unusual, I almost never wake up with those - ""Oh," Oswald interrupts, a look of realization on his face. He stands up from the bed and paces, worriedly. "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear - ""Oswald, what's going on, you're worrying me - did we get drunk last night or something?" I begin to get worried, did I say something last night I shouldn't have? Did I do something? I must be hungover, but I hate getting drunk, I always do something intolerably idiotic.I stand up next to him and grab his shoulders and lightly shake him. He stares up at me in a look of - guilt?"Ed, don't you remember? The perfume?"I think for a moment. I do remember looking at it, But anything after that? Not at all. That cant be good. "Y - yes, but I don't have the slightest clue as to what I said," I say, staring down into Oswald's beautiful blue - green eyes.Oswald motions me to sit back down on the bed, him following suite. "Ed, we need to discuss a few things,""Okay," I hesitate, having absolutely no idea what is about to happen next.He takes a few deep breathes and takes my hand in his. I don't pull away, I welcome the gesture by holding his hand back. "Ed, you - um - you said that you . . ." his voice trails off and his eyes meet the floor.I take his chin in my hand and make his eyes meet mine. "That I love you?" I am utterly shocked at the words that had just left my mouth. Are you sure, Eddie? You sure he'll still welcome those feelings like he did before? My stomach clenches and does back flips - How did I just do that? How did I just come out and say it like that?He smiles a breathy smile and blushes. "Well - actually, yes."I smile and move closer to him. "Still mad at me?""Are you still mad at me ?" He answers breathlessly. "If you're trying to ask me if I still love you or not, I'm afraid the answer is yes, I still do . . ."It feels like my heart stopped beating, and I can't resist the urge to lean into his space. Our faces are no more than 3 inches apart, I can practically hear his heart thump out of his night shirt. "Can I kiss you?" I ask, studying his face, looking for any signs of hesitation. His face shows none."Please do," He almost begs, and it almost kills me. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- As Ed's lips meet Oswald's, Ed pushes them off the bed. they stand, eds hands meeting oswald sides. ed pulls away from the kiss to look oswald in the eyes, and caresses oswalds cheek with his hand. they smile at each other for a few moments before their lips meet again. open mouthed and heated, their tongues work against each other lustfully. ed twists oswald around and uses his weight to lean oswald onto the bed, ed above him. ed positions himself between oswalds legs, oswalds good leg wrapping around the taller mans back. "are you... comfortable with... this?" ed moans against oswalds lips in between kisses. oswald moans in response, too caught up in the kiss to break away. edward grinds his hips down into oswalds, making oswald buck his own hips. edward breaks moves his lips down oswalds jaw, throat, and then moves to his ear. "i shouldve done this back when i had you in my bed, all those months back." he whispered into oswald ear, once again rutting his hips, oswald moaning into bliss. edward moved back to kiss oswald again, his hands trailing down the smaller mans body, reaching his trousers. when edward started to undo oswalds pants, oswald parted from eds lips. his hands flinging to eds hands, ed paused. "what? whats wrong?" ed asked, confused. "just - not yet, okay? we need to make this special." oswald explained. ed slightly rolling his eyes stood up. oswald stood up, hands touching eds face lightly. "dinner, okay? were gonna do this right. i promise." oswald said apologetically. ed looked down at him and gave a tight lipped smile. "alright. its a date." eds hand meet oswalds atop his face and oswald sighed. without another word, oswald turned and retreated out the bedroom door, blushing. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Edward made his way into the dining room. oswald sat at the head of the table, an assortment of foods fit for a king lay out on the expanse of the mahogany. "im so glad you could make it, Ed." oswald said, regarding the taller man as he sat down at oswalds left. edward looked at him. "what do you mean, oswald? as if id miss this! i wouldnt miss it for the world,"oswald just smiled brightly at ed and made a gesture to the food. "please, dig in. we can discuss what ive been meaning to tell you these past few days,"edward just stared, completely still in his chair as his mind tried to puzzle together oswalds words. "oh," ~"so, what was it youve been meaning to tell me, mr. mayor?" edward asked, before taking a sip or his Bordeaux, raising his eyebrows slightly. with a smirk on edwards face, oswald smiled brightly only slightly inebriated. "well... what ive been meaning to say this past week," oswald paused, contemplating. he stood and raised his glass, looking ed in the eye. "is... if returned, i am life. if rebuffed, i am death. four letters i give to you, and wait with bated breath." oswald smiled and toasted his glass and took a long sip, downing his alcohol. "what am i?"edward stared at oswald with his glass in the air. he slowly took a sip, smiling in awe. for a second oswald feared ed wouldnt say anything or reject him, as he felt the first time around. but ed stood, eyes trained on oswald, his smile turning wide and toothy. with minimal effort, edward quickly invaded oswalds space. they were so close, ed could smell oswalds high dollar cologne. ed could feel the heat between them. oswald looked up into eds eyes and smiled back at him. "what am i?" oswald repeated, barely a whisper. "i love you too," edward whispered back before placing a hand at the back of oswalds neck, pulling him in for a lip bruising kiss. ~~
11425881	Home Sweet Home	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Jesse McCree, Hanzo Shimada", "Fandom": "Overwatch (Video Game)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by Quietmouse", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-07T00:00:00", "words": "453", "Additional Tags": "Fluff", "Relationship": "Jesse McCree/Hanzo Shimada", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	It had been a long day for Hanzo, having multiple tests and the annoyance of his brother managing to find him throughout the school day and annoying him to no end. As the day came to a close he saw the one person who could cheer him up no matter what was going on in the day. As he approached him, Hanzo was greeted with a toothy grin and tip of a hat. "Hey, Darlin' want me to walk you home?" Jesse asked, smiling at him. Hanzo shook his head, repositioning the books he was carrying. "No, I want to spend time with you at home. It wasn't that Jesse didn't like having Hanzo over, it was his father Gabe that made him worry. He was told over and over that Hanzo was no good for him, a trouble maker just looking for a good time but that didn't stop Jesse from seeing him. Jesse blushed and nodded, wrapping an arm around Hanzo's shoulder and starting the journey to his home. ------The walk home was quiet, Hanzo saying nothing as he rested his head on Jesse's shoulder and Jesse simply keeping a hold of Hanzo. As they approached his home, Jesse looked around making sure his father was gone. Seeing the coast was clear he ushered them inside and took him upstairs. Jesse's room was rather small, and simplistic. He had his bed in a corner closest to the window, his closet on the opposite wall, along with his guitar standing by his nightstand. Hanzo dropped his books off by the door, slipping off his shoes and making his way to Jesse's bed. There was a soft thump as he landed face first onto the bed, taking in a deep breath and relaxing as his lungs were filled with the familiar scent of his boyfriend. "Make yourself right at home." Jesse teased, sliding off his own shoes as he made his way over to Hanzo. He really didn't care what Hanzo did, as long as Hanzo was happy then he would be happy as well. -Carefully he moved over to the far corner of his bed and propped himself into the corner, patting his lap. Hanzo moved from his spot and crawled over to meet up with Jesse, he was silent as he moved to sit on his lap. Slowly and gently he placed his hands on top of Jesse's chest, feeling his chest rise and fall. "This is the only place I truly feel at home," Hanzo told him, leaning in to gently place a kiss on his lips."As long as you're with me, I'm at home," Jesse responded as the kiss broke, smiling as he pressed his forehead against Hanzo's.
11424465	There Were Five Robots	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": null, "Characters": "Pete White, Billy Quizboy, St Cloud - Character, Pi Wai, Rusty Venture", "Fandom": "The Venture Bros", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Mature", "author": "by hugh_jassmann", "chapters": "7/?", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-07T00:00:00", "words": "5,688", "Additional Tags": "noncon, Sexual Assault", "Relationship": "pi wai/st cloud", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": "Gen, M/M", "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Billy lost. Billy Quizboy, the master of the game, lost. Against his arch enemy. And he bet his best friend.Billy slumped down on the stool behind the podium. He heard St. Cloud gleefully chuckling beside him, clapping slowly.“Wonderful job, quizboy,” he sneered as he strode confidently from behind his own podium. Billy barely had the strength to look up. Pete’s eyes were wide with fear, and he furrowed his brow in confusion. He pulled away when St. Cloud came up to him and put an arm around him, as best as he could.Pete and Billy locked eyes for a moment before Billy was carted out of the mansion by Cloud’s loyal Pi Wai.Pete was in shock. It never even crossed his mind that Billy might lose. He snapped out of his daze when he felt Cloud slap him hard on the back. He flinched and stepped away, hunching over.“Why so scared, albino?” Cloud mused. “Don’t worry about anything, I’ll make a lovely home for you..”Pete had never been scared of the lightning-clad man before, not until he realized that he was now his property.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“Oh, Pete!” St. Cloud called from his lavish bedroom. Pete groaned and trudged up the stairs. Cloud had him tending to his every need, and Pi’s every need too. Pete was less like an object in a collection and more like a slave. In a ridiculous get-up. He pushed open the heavy doors to Cloud’s bedroom and stood at the foot of his bed, which was big enough to hold at least ten people comfortably.“What” he spat.Cloud shook his head. “Pete, say it like I told you.” he drummed his fingers together menacingly. Pete shivered in disgust and swallowed his pride.“Yes, St. Cloud?” He inquired, putting on his fake game-show host smile.Cloud grinned. “Much better.” he purred.“What can I do for you?” Pete winced at his own cheery, eager tone.“Nothing,” Cloud said. “I just wanted to hear you say it.”Pete’s eye twitched and the corners of his smile turned down.“That will be all.” Cloud clapped his hands twice, sending Pete away.Pete still wasn’t used to this, not even after months of this new life.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“Come on, Billy, you gotta get away.” Rusty handed his friend a mixture of grenadine, caramel syrup, and scotch and sat down next to him. Billy swirled the glass full of the thick concoction before setting it down on the table, deciding he didn’t actually want any.Rusty took a sip of his own drink before speaking again.“You haven’t left your house in months, just look at you!” he eyed the former quizboy up and down. He looked a mess, dark under-eyes and mussed up hair, way past 5 o'clock shadow on his face.“I know you miss White,”Billy flinched at the mention of his name.“But you can’t keep wallowing in self-pity for the rest of your life. Look where that got me.” Rusty took a big gulp of his doctail.Billy thought it over, picking up his glass and knocking back the overly-sweet substance. He slammed the glass down on the table.“Okay.” He said, before spasming as the sugar hit him. Rusty clapped him on the back.“You’ll have fun, I promise.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“SPANAKOPITA!!”Rusty excitedly ran down the ramp of the X-1, Hatred following and Billy slugging along behind, not feeling the excitement. Doc hopped up the stairs to the top of the island, throwing his hands up and exclaiming “spanakopita!” at the islanders every so often.Billy was lagging behind so much that he arrived at the small inn a few minutes after Rusty and Hatred had gotten there. “So, is my usual room ready?” Rusty asked, leaning over the counter.Giorgios explained to him that someone already came and bought the room.Rusty scoffed. “Ugh, frickin’ Jonas…” he trailed off.Giorgios dangled a set of keys in front of the scientist’s face, telling him that the Imperial Suite was still available. Rusty agreed and took the keys, humming and prancing up the stairs to the room.“Oh,” he stopped in his tracks and tilted his glasses down. “Hello! I didn’t expect to see you here, Mr. St Cloud!”Billy perked up. He watched intently as his arch enemy sauntered down the stairs.“Hello, Quizboy,” he spoke slow, condescendingly. “Spanakopita.”Billy shrank away. He didn’t want to see or talk to Cloud. He inched behind Hatred as Cloud approached him.St. Cloud smirked.“Don’t look so defeated yet, Quizboy,” he drawled in his slimy voice. “You haven’t even seen my… latest acquisition..”Billy’s heart thumped.“I’m sure you’ll get a rise out of it when I show him off tonight.”He strode out the building, his head up high.Billy started to relax before what St. Cloud said hit him. Wait, he thought, did he just say “show him off?”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“Wooo! Spanakopita!!” Rusty laughed and danced on the table outside of the inn, surrounded by islanders all exclaiming the name of the spinach pie. Billy was sat alone at a secluded table, idly pushing food around his plate. He sighed and rested his head in his hand, unceremoniously dropping his fork onto the table.He heard the sound of chair legs scraping against the ground and looked to see St Cloud had pulled up a chair and was now sat across from the former quizboy. Billy picked up his fork and resumed prodding his meal.“Ignoring me, are you?” the doughy man asked, adjusting his noxious yellow outfit.“I don’t want to talk to you.” Billy finally spoke to him. “Just… leave me alone.” he pushed some peas around in a circle.Cloud puffed. “How can I when I haven’t even shown you my prized possession yet?”Billy could hear the grin in his voice, though not evident on his face.“Yeah, the X-2. I saw it.” He shot back. Now Cloud chuckled.“No no,” he shook his head. “Much better than that old boat.”He clapped his hands twice.“Pi Wai, bring our new friend out here, please.”Billy looked up to see Cloud’s rare Asian albino leading someone by the hand.He buried his head in his arms. He had no interest in watching the man gloat any more.“Quizboy,” St Cloud began, “I trust you’re familiar with Pete.”Billy lifted his head slowly.Pete looked absolutely mortified and miserable. He was wearing nothing but too short shorts that matched St. Cloud’s ensemble, and he was shivering and rubbing his arms from the cold. He was pink from a sunburn and he was doing everything in his power not to look at Billy. It was a train-wreck that Billy couldn’t look away from.Cloud stood up and grabbed Pete’s face, squishing his cheeks and forcefully turning his head to face the seated man. Pete struggled in his grip.“Now, Pete… Don’t be rude…” Cloud was all but laughing. Pete broke free from the grasp on his face and stumbled away from his captor.“I’m so grateful you decided to bet him, Quizboy. My collection is two strong, and growing.”He sat Pete down in the chair he himself had been sitting in. “Doesn’t he look cute, Quizboy?” St Cloud purred, and ran a hand along the captive’s shaved hair, making him shiver in disgust. Billy blushed hard and averted his eyes. St Cloud went on complimenting Pete, Billy tried to tune it out. Until he heard Pete gasp sharply, and he looked to see Cloud pinching one of his nipples.Billy stood up fast.“Get your hands off of him!” He pointed a metal finger at his enemy, who only tsk tsk’d.“Maybe you could have stopped me from touching him when he was your sidekick, Quizboy.”Billy seethed.“He’s my property, I can do with him what I wish.” He resumed his groping, and Pete’s face flushed and he looked at Billy pleadingly. Billy thought he was going to be sick.He slowly sat back down. St Cloud was right, there was nothing he could do. Not now. If only I hadn’t been so quick to bet him… he thought. He wouldn’t be going through this.“...Excuse me.” he said quietly, pushing his plate away from him. He hopped down from his chair.“Leaving so soon?” Cloud teased. Billy didn’t respond, only silently walking into the inn. He heard White whimper behind him, and he slammed the door. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Billy couldn’t sleep. He’d been tossing and turning for hours and he was exhausted, but he couldn’t sleep. He turned in early after his encounter outside, and he could hear that the party was still in full swing. He couldn’t stop thinking. About Pete. About how miserable he looked, about how Cloud was touching him, about how Pete looked Billy right in the eyes, and yet Billy still left him. He couldn’t stop thinking about how badly he fucked up. How could I have just left him like that, he thought. He was looking right at me, and I didn’t even say a word… He turned on his side and buried his face in the pillow.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Pete sat alone in a forgotten room on the X-2, locked in from the outside. He was still clad in those godawful shorts, and he had a thin blanket wrapped tight around him. He couldn’t sleep. He was uncomfortable, in every sense of the word. He was in pain from his sunburn, he was cold, he felt dirty and used from being shown off. To Billy, of all people. He had no idea St. Cloud was capable of being this needlessly cruel. Though, he supposed, it made sense, since they were arch enemies. One mistake, and now Pete was his property. When he thought about it, Billy really had fucked up.Heh, Pete laughed to himself in the lonely room. I guess that means we’re even now, pally.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Billy arose groggy with the sun. Rubbing at his bleary eyes, he deduced he’d only slept for about two hours. He sat up in bed, drifting in and out of sleep, until a knock at the door brought him to his senses. He stayed quiet, hoping whoever had the audacity to knock would just go away.“Billy..?” Great, it was Dr. Venture.Billy cleared his throat. “Come in.” he called. Rusty cracked the door open and peeked inside, before pushing it open and sitting on the bed. “So…..” he whistled awkwardly and twiddled his thumbs. “What is it” Billy snapped, not in the mood for Venture to dance around the subject. “I… saw Pete last night…” Billy groaned. “I never would have brought you here if I’d known!” He put up his hands in defense. “Yeah, that’s real great, Dr. Venture. Now please leave me alone.” He backed the scientist out of his room.“Some fun vacation, huh?” he yelled, before slamming the door in his face. It was gonna be a long day.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~He threw on the previous day’s clothing and trod down the stairs. He heard something about games last night, which he had no interest in participating in. Rusty seemed no worse for wear, as he was hopping and stretching, getting ready for some race. They were led to the front of a goat pen, Cloud with Pete in tow. He was wearing something that covered his whole body, thank god, the sun was blazing directly above them. Cloud met Billy’s scornful gaze with one of his own, and lined up on the starting line, leaving Pete standing alone behind him. Billy waited until the race began to take a step forward. The crowd gathered at the starting line had migrated toward the bottom of the hill. He walked towards the tall albino, the only sounds the distant bleating of goats. He had to tap Pete on the arm to get his attention. Pete jumped slightly from the touch. “Hey…” he spoke, voice raspy, as he looked down. Billy was having second thoughts about this. “I’m sorry…” he blurted out, not realizing it. Pete sat down on a nearby rock and didn’t say anything in return. “I mean,” Pete chuckled, kicking at some pebbles at his feet. “Nothing you can really do about it now, huh?”“....yeah..” Billy responded, quiet. Minutes passed before either spoke again. They heard the sound of footsteps and hoofsteps making their way back up the hill. Pete stood up.“I know what it feels like to fuck up somebody’s life forever.” He told Billy, a hint of spite in his voice. "I guess that means we're even."He walked off in the direction of the crowd, leaving Billy alone. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Spanakopita came and went, and Billy saw neither hide nor hair of Pete after their last altercation. He thought it was best, though, that they didn’t see each other again. Billy was too wracked with guilt to even consider facing him. Whether he was avoiding him or just wasn’t outside at all, he didn’t know. Back on the X-1, he sat quietly in his seat, staring out the window at nothing in particular. Hatred was piloting, and Rusty sat in the co-pilot’s seat, glancing back at Billy every so often. Billy could feel him looking at him. He would open his mouth to say something, but hastily close it again, turning back around in his chair to look sadly out the window. Then back at Billy. Then out the window. Billy wished that whatever he had to say, he would just say it already. The cabin was silent until they got home. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“Billy, I swear to God I wouldn’t have made you come with me if I knew Pete was gonna be there.” Rusty explained, more to himself than to Billy. “I knew I shouldn’t have gone.” He stated bluntly, knocking back another glass of rum. Rusty’s eyes looked sad. “Look,” he sat down next to his friend. “Do you really think I would have done that to you on purpose?”“Yeah.” Billy spat back.“Well, I didn’t.” He retorted, indignantly. “I thought he wasn’t gonna be there just as much as you did.”Just like Rusty Venture to make it about himself. “I’m done with this.” Billy stood up and stepped shakily away from the scientist. “Just take me home.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Going home was a bad idea. The tiny trailer somehow felt even smaller without the other man. It was dark and quiet and cold. Billy flicked on the light and rummaged through a cabinet, taking out a large glass bottle. He didn’t know what was in it, but he popped the top and drank. Straight vodka, he mused, curling up on the couch. He hated getting sappy, but he realized that in ruining Pete’s life, he ruined his own, too. He took another swig.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Pete was humiliated. Scantily-clad and feeding St. Cloud grapes off the vine? He’d be willing to say it was the lowest point in his life. Ever since Cloud… won him, he’d been used as a stand-in for Pi Wai, doing all the things the exotic albino didn’t want to do. Cooking, cleaning, doing every chore known to man. And now St. Cloud had Pete feeding him grapes like some kind of Roman emperor. Everything seemed to get worse after they left Spanikos. Cloud spoke roughly to Pete, shoved him, grabbed him, groped him, man-handled him. Made him do his bidding, and Pete was too afraid to refuse, he didn’t want to know what would happen if he said no. So he took it, without retaliating. As much as he wanted to knee that pudgy asshole in the jaw, he did what he was told. There wasn’t really anything anybody could do, at least that’s what White told himself. He slept in a small guest room in the mansion. It had a bed and a couch and a closet, not that he had any clothes to put in it. His clothes were one of the things he missed the most. Cloud always had him in some get-up that showed too much skin, and almost always matched whatever the villain was wearing. He wondered if Billy picked up his clothes he left on the floor, or if he just ignored them. Maybe he folded them up like he used to do, and put them neatly with the rest of his clothing.Pete’s expression soured. He didn’t want to think about Billy. He had to concentrate on giving Cloud his grapes when he opened his mouth. “That’s enough, Peter. I’m full.” Cloud yawned and rubbed his stomach. Pete relaxed his jaw that he didn’t even realize he was clenching. “Get to bed, Pete. I have something special planned for tomorrow.” “Yes, sir.” Pete wanted to throw up. Pi Wai stepped in and escorted Pete to his room, and locked the door from the outside. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Pete never woke up on his own, his room didn’t have any windows so it was still pitch dark in the morning. He only knew it was the morning because he was always greeted by the harsh light of his lamp as Pi Wai turned it on. He got him up and ready, supervising him as he made his bed, as per Cloud’s orders. He didn’t want any room in the house to be messy. Pete had tried talking to Pi a few times, but the other never responded. The only things he ever heard come from the exotic albino’s mouth were affirmative grunts, small agreements to whatever Cloud said. Pete hated being hovered over like a misbehaving child all the time, but Pi was always there, watching and making sure Pete didn’t act out of line. Pete couldn’t read the guy, he never seemed to have any sentiment around him. Though Pete noticed that Pi seemed… jumpy? He was up and dressed in his usual garb, still uncomfortable with showing so much skin. Pi led him to Cloud’s room just like he did every morning, but this time he was greeted by a tranquilizer dart to the neck. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Pete struggled to open his eyes, his eyelids feeling like ten-ton weights. His head hurt and his whole body tingled as he forced himself to wake up. When he got his eyes to stay open of their own accord however, he wished he had kept them closed. He saw, and felt, he was tied down at his wrists and ankles at eye-screws stuck into the floor, the rough rope scratching at his skin. He struggled against his fetters until he could feel the panic start to bubble in his chest, breathing heavy and trying to calm himself down.“Oh goodie, you’re awake.”Pete recognized that slimy voice. He craned his neck around to see St Cloud standing on a balcony above him, holding a small remote. The room around them was a large metal dome with lights adorning the perimeter of the balcony’s railing and the steps leading down to the floor. Pete could see Pi Wai standing right beside Cloud, looking the trapped man in the eyes. “Peter, allow me to introduce you to the newest room in my mansion,” Cloud’s voice slithered into Pete’s ears like a snake. “Previously a greenhouse for my Corpse Flower collection, but recently renovated into a… sunroom.” He pressed a button on the remote and it beeped, sending shivers down Pete’s spine. The dome above them began to split open, the crack letting in a needle of harsh sunlight. The needle grew as the dome opened further, drowning White in the rays. He instinctively shut his eyes as the sun bore down on him, and he could already feel its effects. Cloud giggled above him.“You know, Peter, this wouldn’t be happening right now if your Master Billy Quizboy never bet you so quickly.” He teased as the dome opened up fully, still shielding him and Pi from the light. He watched down his nose as Pete gasped from the pain. “How does it feel to know that he cared about you so little that he bet you like you were a pile of poker chips?”Pete’s skin sizzled and he sobbed. He strained the eye-hooks in an attempt to curl in on himself, the rope scratching his wrists and ankles raw. He gave up out of exhaustion, tears streaming down his face as he had no choice but to listen to Cloud state the obvious. Barely twenty minutes in the morning sun and he could already feel the skin on his torso tightening from the burn, and he felt the formation of sun blisters on his shoulders. His toes curled from the pain as he continued to weakly fuss against his restraints. He resigned himself to death as he felt his body weaken, before he heard another beep and felt the heat of the sun leave his form. Pi Wai had snatched the remote from Cloud’s gloved hand and pressed the button, closing the dome. He jumped off the balcony and loosened Pete’s ties and sat him up, uncharacteristically rubbing his back. “PI WAI.” Cloud shouted down. “What do you think you’re doing??”Pi Wai ran up the stairs to the balcony before Cloud pulled him roughly away into the other room, and Pete could hear his muffled scolding. “The Albino Code..” He whispered to himself. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Pete stayed on the floor, rubbing at his raw wrists. Cloud descended the stairs to collect White himself, gripping his wrist hard and dragging him into Pete’s room. He shoved him onto the bed before angrily slamming the door and locking it. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Pete looked horrible. Red and hot, with small blisters all down his arms, spread-eagle on his bed, as that was the only position that didn’t hurt. He jumped slightly as his door creaked open, wincing from the burns on his neck as he turned his head to see who entered his room. Pi Wai walked in, holding a tray with various things Pete couldn’t recognize on it. He backed into the door to close it, and placed the tray on Pete’s bedside table. Pete looked up at the other albino quizzically, but Pi wasn’t looking back at him, and instead was busying himself with the contents of the tray. Pete rested his head against the pillow as he felt the weight of Pi sitting on the edge of the bed, and cringed from the feeling of something strikingly cold being spread over his heated skin. Pi was dutifully rubbing aloe on the captive’s burns, taking care not to touch any blisters. Pete sighed in relief as the heat and pain from his burn evaporated away.Pi squeezed something out of a tube and carefully spread it on White’s arms, who twitched a little. Even though Pi was carefully, almost lovingly, rubbing Pete down with aloe and some godsend ointment, he still kept as straight a face as he always did. “Hey..” Pete spoke with difficulty, voice raspy from screaming, and his face hurt when he talked. Pi looked at him out of the side of his eye. “Can I ask you something?” Pi stared for a second before continuing his task. Pete took that as a yes.“Why do you put up with St Cloud? It seems to me like he’s a real douche to you, y’know?” Pi didn’t respond, only looking back at Pete’s face slightly. “Like, weren’t you doing all this servant crap before I was?” He didn’t really expect an answer, it just felt good to talk.Pi Wai shrugged, barely noticeable. Pete let the subject die.“Hey uh… thanks for closing that dome thing..” He said awkwardly. “And for doing this.” He looked down at his body, still red but not in pain. Pi nodded and took more items off the tray. He gently picked up White’s wrist and spread an antibiotic ointment on the raw patch from where Pete struggled under the rope, and covered it with some gauze wrap. He did the same for Pete’s other wrist and both of his ankles, and Pete finally relaxed for the first time in a while. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~St. Cloud was still fighting with Pi late into the night. Pete could do nothing but lie still in bed, his burn may not have seared so much anymore, but it still hurt to put pressure on. Pi had come in at regular intervals to take care of the burns and blisters, and now what once was an unbearable pain was now just a dull buzz, noticeable enough to make Pete uncomfortable but not painful. He couldn’t move to cover his ears as he heard Cloud’s shout echo throughout the empty mansion. He and Pi Wai had been arguing since the previous day, Pete figured it was about how he was rescued, but he couldn’t be sure. He never heard Pi say anything to Cloud in response. As everything the villain had to say traveled down the halls, Pete never heard so much as a whisper in reply. He heard Cloud scolding his servant about jumping in and ruining his plans, and he wished he could sink into his bed, or that they would just shut up already so he could try to get some sleep. As the tiff dragged on, Pete’s brain started to tune it out. It became a background accessory to his senses, along with the dull burning in his skin and the scratch of his throat. It made him tired, in a weird way. The yelling felt familiar, comforting, like home. His eyes grew heavy as he drifted off, before he was startled awake by the sound of his door unlocking. Pi came in once more with a glass of water and some aspirin. He gently sat Pete up and tilted his head back, carefully putting the pills in his mouth and raising the water to the captive’s lips. Pete swallowed the pills and gulped the water down frantically, not realising how thirsty he was until it hit his tongue. Pi lied the bedridden man back down and left as silently as he came, though Pete noticed that he never heard the distinct sound of the door’s lock as it shut. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Pete finally got to sleep after an hour of laying in the dark and staring at nothing. After Pi left him again, Pete didn’t hear anything resembling arguing from his captors. It was late, or so he assumed, and Cloud was probably sleeping, he thought. The whole mansion seemed deathly silent, the only thing Pete could hear was the whirring of the ceiling fan above him. It lulled him into sleep, though he only felt like he was out for an hour before he heard the click of his door opening. He expected it to be Pi Wai, maybe with some more medications, but the light of the hallway outside his room illuminated St Cloud, who moved to sit on the couch adjacent to the bed. He stared silently at Pete, before smirking. “You’re beautiful.” He purred. He looked him up and down past his glasses, simper never fading. “I love how you albinos look. Fine, thin hair… that pale skin… it’s beautiful.”Pete felt a disgusted shudder wrack his body. The door creaked open further and in stepped Pi Wai, hands politely and properly clasped behind his back. “Ah, Pi…” St. Cloud began. “I must say, I’m sorry for being so… hard... on you earlier. I’m not mad anymore.” He smiled a seemingly genuine smile and patted the couch cushion beside him. “Sit.”Pi offered a small smile in return and walked to Cloud and sat gracefully on the couch, posture perfect and upright, before Cloud put a hand on his shoulder and relaxed him until he was sitting comfortably. Pete noticed how close they were sitting to each other. For the first time, he actually saw his captors looking genuinely happy as they sat so close to each other and watched Pete looking confusedly up at the ceiling fan. “Both of you are so pleasing to look at..” Cloud murmured, his hand sneakily crawling its way to Pi Wai’s leg. The exotic albino sighed happily and smiled, inching himself ever closer to the other man. It wasn’t until he heard the squeak of the couch springs that Pete looked back at the couple, and suppressed the urge to gag when he saw Pi Wai sitting sweetly on Cloud’s lap.He could still see the smirk of the villain in the low light as he played with Pi’s hair. Pi was smiling bashfully, though not rejecting Cloud’s advances. Pete turned his head away fast and winced from the pain of it. He knew they were just doing… that... to make him even more uncomfortable, and he wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of watching. His stomach turned when he heard soft chuckles and gasps coming from the two men, and he dared a glance over at them, only to see Cloud mouthing at Pi Wai’s neck and rubbing his arms, the rare albino man flushed and breathing heavy. Pete made a noise of disgust, to which Cloud responded with a devious snicker and Pi with a sharp gasp as his neck was lovingly bitten. Pete closed his eyes tightly, trying to shut out what was happening beside him. He wished now more than ever that he could move his arms to cover his ears. As much as he didn’t want to look, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from it. He felt the sting of bile rise in his throat when Cloud grabbed Pi’s hips and grinded against his backside. Pi let out a breathy moan, punctuated by Pete letting out a repulsed groan and clenching his fists. Cloud gave his partner’s neck one final kiss, before lifting him up bridal-style and carrying him out the door, Pi wrapping his arms around the other man and peppering his face with kisses, happily kicking his legs.The door was shut, and Pete was left alone once again, wondering what the hell just happened. He sighed loudly, furrowing his brow. If this was all just a ploy to make him uncomfortable, it was working. And if they weren’t faking it… well then he understood why Pi Wai was always so willing to follow orders. He waited until the moaning stopped echoing down the hall before he relaxed, and within minutes of closing his eyes, he passed out. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Pete woke up on his own, with nobody shaking him awake and no harsh fluorescent bulb hurting his eyes. He instinctively moved in the dark to stretch his limbs and rub at his bleary eyes, not realizing until after that his body no longer hurt whenever he moved. His skin still felt tight from the burn, but now he could move around freely without wincing. He took a tentative step onto the floor, and his joints cracked as he stood up and stretched out. He groaned in relief as he was finally able to move, and he ran a hand hard down his face, sloughing away the peeling skin from his sunburn. He switched on the bedside lamp and sat down on the edge of the bed, his back creaking as he slouched forwards. The bright light of the lamp illuminated something shiny, and it caught the corner of his eye. He picked it up. A cell phone.He did a quick look around the room, looking to see if maybe this was a trap, if someone was hiding in the shadows in the corners of the room that the light from his lamp couldn’t reach. He got up again and jiggled the doorknob. Yep, still locked. He sat down, this time on the couch, which was still slightly shrouded in darkness, gripping the phone tightly. With one last scan of the room, he switched it on and dialed Billy. Dialed home. It went to voicemail a few times before his fifth try, where it rang twice and was picked up, a very exhausted-sounding Billy on the other end. “Hello..?” He slurred.Pete felt like he couldn’t breathe. “...Billy?”Billy was suddenly fully alert and his eyebrows shot up in disbelief. “White??” Pete heard on the other end papers rustling and things thumping to the floor. “Yeah, it’s me.” He whispered. He could practically feel Billy’s relief through the phone. They sat in silence for a while, just listening to each other’s breathing.“...How is everything?” Billy asked, not bothering to hide his embarrassed groan at his stupid question.Pete couldn’t help but crack a smile. “It sucks, thanks for asking.” Billy only responded with a sigh. Pete suddenly felt bad. “How have you been..?” He asked, trying to ease the tension. “Bad, thanks for asking.” Billy responded. Pete could hear the smirk in his voice.“Sounds like we both have it bad, huh..?” He asked quietly as he hugged himself. Billy scoffed. “Yeah, but I’m not the one working for St Cloud…” He trailed off. Neither spoke again for some minutes, until Pete broke the silence.“I’m not mad at you, Billy.” He spoke, voice soft. “...You should be.” Billy remarked sadly. Pete shook his head, even though the other couldn’t see it. “Being mad at you won’t do me any good, not right now. I can be mad when I get home.”Billy perked up. “Home?” “Well, yeah.” Pete replied. “What, were you just planning on leaving me here, get the trailer all to yourself?” He smiled as he heard Billy breathe out a short laugh. “No.” Came his reply. “Never.” Pete jumped as he heard a noise come from down the hall. He put a hand over his racing heart. “Billy…” He hated to break away so soon. “I gotta go.”“No-”“I think he just woke up, or something, I don’t know, but I heard something.” Pete interrupted him, sounding a little bit frantic. “...I’ll get you out of there, White.” Billy said, voice wavering. Pete always kinda liked when Billy got all heroic. He hung up and turned the phone off, setting it back where he found it and climbing back into bed, turning off the lamp. He heard his door unlock.
11411382	Quite An Impression	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Gladiolus Amicitia, Ignis Scientia, Prompto Argentum, Noctis Lucis Caelum", "Fandom": "Final Fantasy XV", "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by Andromedas_Void", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-05T00:00:00", "words": "1,702", "Additional Tags": null, "Relationship": "Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Ignis stifled a yawn, shoulders tensing with the action. He removed his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. The words on the documents were starting to swim on the page. A clear sign he was exhausted. But he had another seven pages left to read.He leaned back into the arm chair with a sigh.Pushing himself up, he stretched his arms over his head and walked the short distance to the kitchen, intending on boiling the kettle for coffee, when there was a light thud to his front door, followed by a series of knocks. Ignis frowned and glanced at his watch.11:27 p.m. Who could be calling this late at night? He strode over to the door, squinting through the peephole.Gladiolus Amicita. And he looks drunk. Of course.Ignis would be more shocked if an inebriated Gladio showing up at his apartment door was something new. As it was, it was far more of a common occurance than he would have liked. He swung the door open, Gladio nearly stumbling into the foyer with the loss of his support. He caught the larger man around the waist with an arm, shoulders pulling back and nose scrunching up from the stench of alcohol.Gladio had thrown an arm over Ignis' shoulder, head down as he stepped into the apartment, kicking the door closed behind him.“You positively reek of alcohol,” Ignis stated, eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. Gladio's shirt felt soaked through underneath his fingers and he pulled his hand back. “Did you bathe in-Is that blood? Oh my Gods, you're bleeding!” His palm was coated in a thin layer of bright red. He reached back around, feeling around for a wound, and found a slit on the other man's shirt. There was a gash, not too long, but it felt deep.“'S fine,” Gladio slurred. He tried to take another step into the room only to have Ignis prevent his movements. “Jus' a scratch. I covered it.”Ignis pinned him with a look. “Pardon my saying, but judging by the blood on my hands - you did not.”Gladio tried to wave him off, giving him a pained grin. “Jus' lay some towels down on the sofa, I'll buy you more,” he said.“You're not staying.”Gladio flinched, eyebrows coming together as he looked up at Ignis.“We're going straight to the ER,” he told him. “Aw Specs, c'mon. Don't worry. It's not that bad,” Gladio argued as Ignis left him in the foyer, leaning against the wall. He'd have to sanitise it later.“You look like you've soiled yourself,” he called back from the linen closet. He grabbed out a towel, scooped up his keys from the kitchen counter, and threw a light jacket over his shoulders.Gladio had the decency to look ashamed. “Oh man. That's not cool. How am I supposed to impress you now?”Ignis raised his eyebrows as he ushered Gladio out the door, the other man throwing his arm over his shoulder once more. “Believe me when I say you're making quite an impression.” He shifted, trying to remove Gladio's arm, before relenting. He was strong even when intoxicated and injured. “Let's go.”Leading the way down to his car, Ignis helped Gladio into the passenger side, positioning the towel behind his back, over the wound. The drive to the hospital was silent, Ignis wondering if Gladio had fallen asleep. A glance over showed the other man had his eyes open, if only a little. He looked put out and Ignis shook his head, clucking his tongue softly.The emergency room held only a few people scattered about on the plastic chairs. It smelled of antiseptic and bleach and Ignis scrunched his nose up. He moved Gladio over to a chair, keeping his back pressed against the towel, as he walked up to the reception desk. The young man behind the desk gave him a nod and held out a clipboard, pen attached via a small chain.Dropping down to the chair next to Gladio, Ignis started filling out the sheet, asking Gladio the details of what happened. “I was out drinkin' and some guy attacked me,” he explained, eyes closed as he leaned his head back. “So I punched his lights out.”Ignis made a noise of disapproval. His eyes flicked down to Gladio's hand, noticing the red and swollen knuckles. “Charming.”Once the form was complete and Ignis handed it back in, he sat back in his seat, arms crossed over his chest. It looked like he wasn't going to finish reading those documents after all. He tensed when Gladio dropped his head to his shoulder then to his lap.“Gladio, might I inquire as to what you think you are doing?”Gladio shrugged, grimacing at the motion. “'M tired,” he said. He placed a hand on Ignis' knee, giving it a light squeeze. “You're such a worry wart, Iggy.”“Someone has to be,” he commented. Ignis failed to stifled a yawn, hand holding the towel to Gladio's back as he rested.–“Five stitches, Gladiolus!” Ignis exclaimed as they left the emergency room. It was nearing two in the morning and the streets were as bare as they could be in Insomnia. He huffed out and opened the car door, sliding in.“This ain't the exorcist, Iggy. I can't just turn my head 'round and look at my back,” Gladio said, throwing an arm into the air in defeat. “It felt fine.” He winced when he sat back in the seat, shoulders jerking forward from the sensitivity he still felt.Ignis let out a long sigh, head back and eyes closed. Letting out another breath, he started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. He also started up a a lecture, speaking more with his hands that normal.Gladio would have thought it funny if the lecture hadn't have been aimed solely at him. He leaned against the door, watching the neighborhoods pass by. “You can drop me off on this street,” he said when they were only a block from his apartment complex. There was a scoff and Ignis set his jaw, continuing past the road. He missed the smile on Gladio's face.Pulling up to the complex, Ignis lead the way back inside his apartment. He locked the door once Gladio was inside.Gladio had kicked his boots off and started making a beeline for the couch, ready to crash for the night like he had done more times than he would like to admit. Ignis grasped his bicep and tugged, catching his attention. “What?” “The couch would not be good for your back,” Ignis told him, looking away.He followed Ignis to his bedroom and grinned. “Oh, the chamber of secrets? I feel like I've levelled up.”“Oh, hush,” Ignis muttered. He pulled out a pair of lounge pants, ones that were loose on him, and tossed them at Gladio. “Here's some sleepwear.”Gladio caught the pants and started stripping out of his clothes, dropping them to the ground. He sprawled face down on the bed, covers aroud his waist, and face pressed into the pillow. It smelled nice and he wondered if Ignis smelled just as nice. Letting out a sigh, he relaxed. The lights in the room went out, a dim glow filtering through the curtain, as Ignis slid underneath the covers with him. That was unexpected.“Y'know, Iggy, I'm kinda glad I got stabbed now,” he said, grinning over at him.Ignis made a noise, clucking his tongue, and rolled away from him. “Neanderthal.”Gladio grinned wider.–Ignis awoke to a heavy feeling on his torso. Blinking open his eyes, he spotted a head of dark hair under his nose, an arm around his waist. Gladio was sleeping on top of him. He tensed. “Gladio, what-?”Gladio gave a soft groan, turning to look up at Ignis. “You're a scary sleeper, y'know that? Kept havin' to check if you were still breathin',” he yawned. “You don't make a sound.”“Yes... well,” Ignis started, flustered. He pushed himself up, freezing when Gladio hissed. He instantly dropped back to the bed. “M-my apologises.”“'S okay, Iggy,” Gladio hummed. “Let's just stay like this a bit longer.”Ignis pinched his lips together. He really needed to finish reading those documents but Gladio's arm over his waist kept him in place. In the end, he slipped on his glasses and picked up his phone, opening his email.“Y'know, you smell way better than your pillows,” Gladio mumbled, subtly rubbing his face over Ignis' pajama shirt.“I-thank you?” Ignis stammered, flushing at the compliment. He focused on his phone, calming himself as Gladio fell back to sleep.He had intended to slip out of bed while Gladio slept, grab up the papers, and crawl back in with him being none the wiser, but his plans were stopped by Gladio's arm constantly around his waist, never releasing his hold. At any rate, getting work done was a lost cause.Gladio stirred when there was a knock on the door to the apartment, followed by the sound of it opening and at least two people stepping in.“Hey, Specs, you ready yet?” Noctis called out just as Gladio spotted Prompto's head peeking into the bedroom.“Oh. Oooh!”Ignis frowned at that.Noctis peered into the room behind Prompto, smirking at the scene. “Oh, I was gonna say we should check up on Gladio but,” he paused, waving a hand towards them, “here he is.”“Sup, Noct,” Gladio grinned, winking from his spot on Ignis' chest.Noctis inclined his head, failing to hold back a laugh. “Hey.”Ignis cleared his throat as the two younger boys laughed. “Yes, well... You need to observed someone when they're injured,” he said, looking away. “Yes, that's it.”“He slept the whole night through. Might have been dead for a while,” Gladio teased, carefully pushing himself up and leaning back on the soft pillows.“Oh, yeah, dude! Isn't that so scary?” Noctis said, faking a gasp and moving to sit at the foot of the bed. Gladio chuckled, wincing slightly, “Yeah, it i- wait...”Ignis bristled and stood from the bed. “If you're quite finished.”
11474718	What Color is a Phoenix	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "F/F", "Characters": "Kim Possible, Shego (Kim Possible)", "Fandom": "Kim Possible (Cartoon)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by Eoraptor", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "6,445", "Additional Tags": "Angst, Community: Kim Possible Slash Haven", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Kim sat on the ledge of the skyscraper, her feet dangling in space, eyes on an imaginary horizon somewhere beyond the buildings in front of her. What she actually looked at was one of those modern glass-sheathed structures, and were it day, she’d probably see her own reflection staring back at her. But it was just after 1 A.M. now, so the building was just a smear of lights reflected up from the street below, occasionally punctuated by dots of illumination from within. The redhead’s perch was a far older edifice; solid stone, concrete, and thick antique glass windows older than her Nana was. A first or second generation skyscraper to rival the Flatiron or the Woolworth building in New York City. A few of those old panes of glass now bore her fingerprints, and some of her sweat. The stone of the building had soaked up more of her sweat where she had occasionally rested her forehead during her ascent. She let go another long, cleansing breath into the cool air; watching steam escape away into the night faintly from within her lungs. With it, she imagined some of the weight and struggles she had conquered over the past six months wafting off into nothingness. “Free Climbing is illegal in this city, you know.” A lesser woman would have leaped right off the building in shock. Kim did jerk in surprise, but not so much as to upset her perch. “Next time, just use this...” There came a clattering sound, and the redhead looked down. She was more surprised still to see a mark-one hairdryer grapple gun land next to her hand, perfectly balanced on the ridged cap of the roof’s ledge. “Where the heck did you get that?” She boggled, finally turning her eyes to look up, knowing Shego’s voice even in the darkness thirty stories up. “Princess,” the older woman let go a put-upon huff, “You’d be surprised how many times you left something of yours laying around the lair, or in a hover pod, or at a crime scene.” Kim’s eyes were well adjusted to the darkness, but it still took her some time to pick out her counterpart’s body in the gloom. Mostly because Shego was not wearing the legendary harlequin bodysuit, but some matte black gear from neck to toe. Keen green eyes finally pieced together that it was a two piece affair, and that the woman was also wearing black socks and had her sleeves tucked into black gloves. On her hips was slung a belt with a few pouches, also in black. Shego snorted, her pale face almost seemed disembodied and hovering; framed by black hair and only the outlines of her turtle-necked top. “Seriously… that thing used to be fused to your hand… why the spider-woman act?” Kim rolled herself backwards off the ledge, somersaulting in the gravel of the roof until she hit her feet again and stood up. On doing so, she realized something. Mostly by virtue of the stars and city lights moving behind and relative to Shego’s head in the darkness. The woman had her inky black hair tied back into a long pony braid, rather than the proud mane of free locks the redhead had always known her to wear. Shaking her own head, Kim dusted her hands off on her hips, “Because, I needed to do it.” “That sounds suspiciously like why overly-bold men climb mountains.” “No, that’s because ‘they’re there.’.” Kim sniffed, blowing a breath across her brow. “Erm, the mountains, not the men.” “Close enough.” the taller woman rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest, finally exposing a bit of pale skin at her wrist from her ninja-like garb. Silence reigned again for a moment Watching her, the redhead felt her mind crushingly full of questions. Six months ago, Shego had stealthed into her hospital room, announced her retirement, given Kim a heady lapel pin, and an even headier kiss. And then she had vanished. Within five minutes of leaving the hospital, not even Wade had evidence of her. Not that Kim had been immediately concerned. She was literally laying at death’s door, or just outside it. As much as she had tried to deny to Ron, to her parents, to her friends, even to Shego or herself that she had not died; the heroine’s recovery was neither smooth nor trouble free. She had no time to worry after whether Shego’s boast of independent wealth or retirement were true. It had turned out that there was a defect in the hasty repair to her suprascapular artery. The huge blood vessel which ran just beneath her collar bone had been sliced by a piece of shrapnel in the explosion which had, actually as well as technically, killed her. Her vascular surgeon told her that she was darned lucky the debris had not gone even one millimeter deeper, or it would have cut the suprascapular nerve which ran right behind the artery…. AKA the root of every nerve from shoulder to fingertip. Had that been severed, deceased or not, her right arm would have been even deader than the rest of her, permanently. But as it was, there had been a weakness in the wall of that big muscular blood vessel next to her collar bone; one which formed an aneurysm that had darned near burst two months after her rebirth, almost killing her a second time. Beyond even that complication was the sheer trauma she had suffered over all. It turned out that losing more than half of one’s blood volume, and then laying clinically dead for two hours on a slab, took its toll on the flesh. She had suffered from a form of delayed tissue death, individual cells throughout her body, stressed by her ‘death’ and her resuscitation afterwards, had succumbed to the strain and perished in the days following her revival. She had been, in addition to being physically weakened by the transfusions and the trauma, sick as a dog as toxins flooded throughout her body from dead and dying cells. She learned rather painfully just how excruciating a swollen liver and spleen were as they worked overtime to cleanse her borrowed blood. And medications to prevent clotting, infection, whole-blood rejection, and so on, certainly didn’t help matters, making her feel even worse than just the extent of her injuries. Needless to say that it had been month three before Kim was even able to start feeling like a human being again between her original injury and then the surgery to repair the aneurysm in her shoulder. Then came her intense personal rehabilitation, both physical and spiritual. And near the start of this of course was Shego, her mysterious visit, and that kiss. Which was why it was so vexing that Shego had vanished into thin air. According to Wade, Shego was one of only two green women in the western hemisphere; the one he couldn’t find when she finally got round to asking. Kim had reached out to numerous international agencies, both professionally and through personal favours, trying to find her. All reported the same… that they could not find any trace of her. The redhead had tried to reach even deeper in her efforts, but she hit a wall. A private one. The more she dug, the more people began to ask why she was digging. Drakken had been captured the first time he tried to execute a scheme without Shego’s help, and now sat back in Cell Block D at Supermax outside of Middleton. And the longer Shego stayed off the radar, the less other agencies seemed to be concerned with finding her. After all, most of Shego’s existing warrants world-wide had been canceled after the events of the alien invasion; and those few she had accumulated afterwards hardly garnered notice from international agencies; mostly petty theft and assault. And Kim couldn’t exactly tell Doctor Elizabeth Director at Global Justice that she was trying to find the retired criminal because of a smoldering and clandestine kiss still lingering on her lips. Even Ron didn’t know about that. Nor did her mother or Wade; or heck, even her tweeby little brothers who made it their business to interrogate her life and diaries. There had been cameras all over the ICU, and inside her own hospital room. But all of them had, of course, conveniently failed during the few moments Shego had been inside her room. Only two people in the world, it seemed, knew what went on inside that hospital room that day and why Kim was looking for Shego. After three weeks of struggling to find Shego, to come to terms with whatever had gone unspoken between them in that moment, Kim had needed to move on with other issues so intrinsic to her recovery. Which was why she now stood here, in the dark, at the top of this building, so gobsmacked in the face of Shego’s presence. It seemed the ex-villainess was not exactly feeling verbose either. She stood, watching Kim in the dimness on top of the municipal building, in an equal measure of silence. It just so happened to be One Go Municipal Plaza, Go City. Kim had not intended in any way, shape, or form, to use the building as bait to call out Shego. In fact, it wasn’t until she was three stories up it that she even remembered what this building had meant to Shego. IE; that it was the spot that Electronique had “killed” a teenaged Shego on over a decade before. The one where Shego had earned her own Lazarus pin. Kim was in Go City as part of an outreach. It was something she was used to. Even when she had been in high school herself, she had been asked to go and talk to other highschoolers and younger students (and even one or two colleges). It was an overnight trip, and she decided, after talking to a class of third graders, and then going to dinner, and back to her overly-quiet hotel room…. Well, she had decided that it was time to, finally, REALLY test herself and her recovery. The alien invasion had taken the wind out of the sails of most would-be and actual supervillains fifteen months ago. And after Shego did whatever it was that she had done to Dementor, even Gemini had gone to ground and taken the surviving shreds of WEE with him. So Kim’s ‘hobby’ of world saving had been reduced once again to mainly babysitting and to getting cats out of trees. Normal sized cats even. The most strenuous thing she had been asked to do in the three months since her official release-to-rehab was to head security for MC Honey at her Middleton concert. And even that was mostly ceremonial, with Kim making a few observations about Honey’s already very professional security setup and watching the concert from a well-appointed skybox. “UGH!” Kim finally growled, trying to resurface her mind from the flood of questions and remembrances which swirled within her. “Shego! Where have you BEEN?!” Raising her eyebrows at the very unprofessional and emotional tone from the redhead, Shego rested her hands on her hips and put on a show of consideration, “Well, do you want the entire itinerary, or just the guidebook pitch?” The redhead was sorely tempted to throw a punch at her for that. But then she realized, that might be exactly what the villainess wanted… to misdirect her energies and avoid a talk. So she did the next best thing to throwing a strike at her long-time foe. She grabbed the taller woman by a handful of noir shirt fabric and yanked her forward, into a hard kiss which mashed their lips together. Before Shego had a chance to react, the redhead released her and glared, “There! How does that feel?!” After a slightly stunned moment, the villainess regained some of her normal swagger, touching a finger to her chin in consideration, “Four out of ten… you didn’t really give me a chance to enjoy it.” “Ugggh!” with a put-upon squawk, Kim threw her hands skyward, “I meant how does it feel to have someone do that to you with no warning and no explanation! Should I throw myself off the building where you can’t see me for further effect?!” The redhead glared daggers at her counterpart, daring her to be glib. The villainess took a breath and did Kim one better. She dropped the act. “Fine. I probably deserved that. I mean the shouting, not the kiss.” Kim arched a brow, a signal to continue. Shego had no clue where to continue from though. So she lapsed into yet another protracted silence in the nocturnal gloom. Finally, seeing that she might be making things a bit more difficult than they had to be, and thus denying herself any explanation, the heroine sighed, “Okay, let’s… let’s try this again. The first question I have is… why are you here?” “Well, it is my home town after all.” Her counterpart began gamely with a smirk. Sensing the heat rise in Kim, she quickly held up her hands, “Kidding! Okay, mostly kidding. Look, it would sound weird to say I’ve been shadowing you, but… I’m a thief. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing since I found out you were coming here.” “And far be it from you to do anything weird.” Glaring, Kim crossed her arms over her chest. “I like weird.” Shego gave a rather pointed reply, her voice an odd mixture of coy and parroting. It had the desired effect. The redhead felt her heart clench in her chest. She’d said those words more than once. Particularly to Ron when she was reassuring him about their own relationship. That the other woman knew them, and knew to call them back to her, was just as effective as any gut punch or any surprise kiss. Kim was too stunned to be angry. “We sure know how to hit each other, don’t we?” She sighed after a moment, completing a thought along the lines of how two old enemies recognized each other. “I wasn’t trying to hit you, Kimmy,” Shego huffed. “Look, I’m… not all that good at flirting, alright? As you probably know, when one spends their formative years fighting crime, there’s not a lot of time left over for developing inter-personal skills. Then again, you might not know that. You’re so freaking perfect at everything that you managed to balance saving the world with being a straight-A student, a championship cheerleader, and having time to date at least a few boys and one goo-bot.” “Jealous much?” the redhead shot back, stung by the tone in the older woman’s voice. “Yeah I am!” Shego responded, her own heat rising. “Not all of us got to have it all, Princess.” “And who said you’re even allowed to flirt with me?” Kim practically yelled as she clenched her fists, months of confusion and multiple frustrations reaching a boil within her, “I have a boyfriend, remember?!” “Says the girl who just grabbed me and stuck her tongue down my throat?!” the emerald woman challenged, thrusting a finger accusingly in the heroine’s direction. “Oh I so did not!!!” “Tell that to the mocha-me-crazy lipstick smeared on my Onyx Olive!” “Oh, I bet you’d just love if I really did stick my tongue down your throat! Wouldn’t you?!” “Yes I would!!!” The bellowed statement landed with a heavy thud, surprising both women. After a few tense minutes, Shego rubbed her face with her hands, groaning into them, “Why did I even come here?” “That’s a darned good question, Shego,” Kim was still feeling the heat of her own anger and confusion despite the impact of the last statement. “Why did you come here? I know why I did.” “To draw me out?” the former villainess challenged, her ire rising again as she realized something Kim herself had previously thought upon. “No…” the redhead faltered, sensing the ways this situation could go bad and cut her off from the one thing she wanted… answers. “No actually. That didn’t even occur to me. I just needed to prove to myself I still had it. The capability to do a climb like this.” After a long moment, chewing her lower lip, she shook her head, “Okay. Maybe that isn’t entirely true. I didn’t realize exactly where I was until I was well into my climb. When I did, I could have just stopped and gone back down; three stories is more than just about anyone else can do bare handed, at night, in casual clothes, avoiding observation anyways. I could have been happy to say that yes I COULD do it. Maybe I kept climbing just because I thought of where I was and that maybe, MAYBE you were out there somewhere and might notice. Subconsciously anyway.” Again rubbing and slapping her own face, Shego sighed after a prolonged moment. “Fair enough. Lord knows you were always the impulsive one between us.” “I’m the impulsive one?!” Kim openly disbelieved. “The supervillainess who robs banks out of boredom says this? Pot or kettle much?” Said supervillainess gave a bark of laughter at that, “Oh pumpkin… I may be a bit flighty… but I’m also a thief par excellence. Every single thing I do comes with loads of planning, training, and observation. To whit: I followed you around all day and I climbed up this building, in your shadow, making sure to change my hair and my clothes, specifically to avoid being detected, or even sensed, by you. The only impulse in any of that was that I came back to Go City at all when I read that you were going to be giving a talk at my old elementary school.” Kim was about to give a critique to that when she stopped dead in her tracks, “You’re kidding me right?! That was the school you went to?” “Let me guess, you didn’t plan that, either?” Shego sniffed derisively. “No. I didn’t.” Kim huffed, “Paranoid much? Coming to Go City and talking at an elementary school was just an excuse to get the heck out of Middleton for a while and away from everyone who looks at me like I’m made of crystal and tinsel these days.” After a sigh and a shrug, the pale woman nodded, “You’re right, I am a bit paranoid. That also comes of being a thief.” “But, if it makes you feel better,” Shego suddenly smirked, and jabbed a gloved finger right into Kim’s infamous shoulder, “I never once believed you were made of anything less than steel.” The redhead actually smiled at that, tempted though she was to put on a show at being hurt by the poke to her scar. Turning, she sat back down on the lip of the roof, and patted the concrete next to her. Shego took a seat a moment later, sighing. “So… you want to know all about the kiss I suppose?” “You just said yourself you don’t do anything without a plan.” Kim rolled her eyes, “So yes, I do.” “Fine…” Shego let go a reluctant breath. “Look. It’s not like it’s that difficult to figure out.” “Well it is for me,” with a snort, the redhead laid bare her frustrations at the months’ long mystery in her life. “it’s not every day that someone who’s tried to kill me for four years grabs me and sucks the tongue out of my head before disappearing for six months.” The retired criminal gave a howl of laughter at that, again mimicking the heroine archly, “Oh I so did not!!!” Regaining her composure after a moment, she sighed, rubbing a mirthful tear from her eye, “but believe me, if you hadn’t mashed that stupid freaking button I probably would have. I wanted to. That was the plan.” Turning red in spite of herself, Kim waited for the explanation she had asked for. Sighing, trying to calm herself and be uncharacteristically serious, Shego finally complied. “Look, it’s not like I planned to get these… feelings for you. You were this prissy little bitch cheerleader who kept cutting into my boss’s schemes and making my life harder than it had to be. Stopping you was business; and frankly, you gave me more business in three years than I wanted.” Exhaling into the night air, the villainess continued, “Honestly, I really disliked you, and I’m sure you felt the same way. But it was business, which is why I never hunted your ass down at home and killed you in your sleep. I’m a thief and an enforcer, not an assassin. And then…” “And then,” she shook her head, a mysterious smirk on her lips, “You handed me my ass twice in one night and told me that you hated me. Hated me. With fire in your eyes and murder on your lips.” Kim shivered at that. Because she really had felt murderous at that moment. A moment she’d vowed every day since to never repeat so long as she lived. “It said something to me. It said to me that this wasn’t just business to you. That you had steel in your spine and that I might bend it, but I’d never break it.” Shego smiled that mysterious smirking smile again, “You changed in my eyes that day. You weren’t just some punk little girl pissing in my cheerios. You were someone worthy. I’d never really met worthy before.” “I guess it’s why I made Drakken keep it low-profile after that. I wasn’t sure how to deal with that.” She continued, shaking her head, “I wonder now, did you even notice we weren’t as active as much that last year? Hell, half the things we did we stumbled into, like that weird-ass pirate shit.” “I suppose I did notice, but considering how many others stepped in to fill in the gaps, I didn’t really care,” Kim ran a hand through her hair, shaking her head. “Electronique, Camille Leon, Professor Dementor, Senior Senior Junior, the Fashionistas, the Mathter, the Yono…” “It’s enough to make a girl feel not wanted,” Shego gave a suitably lugubrious complaint at that. Rolling her eyes, the redhead snorted, “Save it. We’re talking about you and me, not my rogues gallery.” With a huff at her ignored joke, the pale woman nodded and resumed, “Anyway, during that year, I kinda started to figure out that what I was feeling was not respect… it was a crush, like I’d had on my math teacher in seventh grade. Of course my math teacher couldn’t roundhouse a nine-foot tall alien. At least not that I never found out anyways…” Kim rolled her eyes again at that, wondering if Shego was ever going to get around to the point or if they would be here till sunrise. “Oh, I went through a few iterations trying to explain it away at first… maybe I just wanted to bang the head cheerleader… maybe it was a bad girl impulse to corrupt the pure, or some weird form of pedophilia…” she ticked off a few fingers as if these were all common things. The heroine made faces at each item and tried to resist the urge to interrupt on the last one. “But eventually I figured out that yeah, I had it bad for a good girl.” She sighed, shaking her head, “Not the place one wants to find one’s self when one is a top-ranked villain. Doubly so when said good girl Is the one constantly being sent to arrest you at all costs.” “AAAAND triply so when you realize that it was you who set up the good girl and her boyfriend, however indirectly.” She finally let go with a groan. “Next time I get a crush on a spunky teen hero, remind me to put them in solitary, not hang them up next to their boon companion in a moodily lit parade room.” “Wait… you knew about… that?” Kim blinked, turning to look directly at Shego, “That Ron and I got together because…” “Well not at first,” Shego harrumphed, “But yeah, those few months I spent in Cellblock F after the Diablo Bots, I had time to do the math and read the tabloids and figured it out. Most people assume that you two were always going to get together. I don’t buy into such ordained crap, but I’ve got a psychology degree and I know a jumping off point when I see it.” “Jumping off point,” the heroine made a face, “Way to describe how I fell in love with my best friend, Shego. Not earning any points here.” “Hey, I told you… not good at flirting, remember? I usually cut straight to the action part of the equation.” Shego scoffed. Then she amended her statement, “and not trying to earn points or flirt. You wanted an explanation, I figure you deserve one, that’s all.” “So get to the explaining,” Kim groused. “I’m trying!” the villainess snapped, raking a hand through her tied-back hair, “I don’t know how it is in the clean world, but I don’t exactly have a lot of experience with unburdening my feelings for someone, to that person, when those feelings aren’t limited strictly to ‘hate’ or ‘want to bone’.” Kim winced at the tone, and blushed a bit at the language, “Sorry. If it’s any consolation, listening is not exactly easy either.” “Good.” Shego huffed, turning to watch her counterpart. “Now, where was I?” Kim actually had to order her thoughts and remember, which was unusual for her, “You laying low all through my senior year… feelings for me… and setting me up with Ron. Not in that order.” “So… That’s where I left it I suppose. I may not have many redeeming qualities,” the one-time-villain held up her finger, “but not breaking up relationships is one of the few. I didn’t dance all over Drakken when DNAmy turned him down, and I did not intend to besmirch you when you ‘forgot’ you were supposed to be dating the buffoon that one time.” “Ron,” Kim growled between clenched teeth. “not doofus, buffoon, not anything else.” Shego bit back a few responses before settling on, “Look, respect is not something I have in over-abundance… Take what you can get, Pumpkin.” “Using people’s real names is not that huge a sign of respect Shego… work on it.” The redhead moved to stand up, not in a frame of mind to stomach having her partner and boyfriend badmouthed by someone as… troublesome as Shego. Shego reached out impulsively and grabbed the heroine’s wrist, “It is for me. Or if you hadn’t noticed, most people don’t even get one name out of me… but how many pet names have I given you over the years?” The heroine was about to offer a retort when she stopped, the thought jamming in her mind on that realization. Even Doctor Drakken only merited “Drakken,” usually shouted in various irritated forms. Rarely “Dr. D” if she was in a hurry. Compared to that, not even her brothers on Team Go seemed to merit two names from Shego. Reluctantly, she sat back down and waited in hope Shego would come round to the point. Seeing she had earned some sort of reprieve, the retired villainess took a breath. “ooookay. Um. So we come to the Aliens, right?” She sought confirmation. A nod from Kim bade her continue, “Yeah, by now I think you realize that me saving your heart-shaped ass from Warmonga the first time was more than just professional jealousy. First time I ever saw you in genuine peril and my hindbrain kinda said ‘Kimmie’s Mine!’ and took over before I even realized I had blown off some kind of 29th century super-handcuffs. Didn’t help that Drakken had spent the whole time antagonizing me and turning my nobs up to eleven.” “My heart-shaped…” “Ah-bububu,” Shego made a shushing sign, “We’ll never get through this if you keep stopping me to quibble. And yes, it is.” Blushing, Kim ducked her head. “The second time? Well, that was more a case of ‘who can help me save MY heart-shaped ass?’ with a little bit of ‘if this is my last day on Earth, I know where I want to spend it and boyfriend be damned’ thrown on top.” She admitted. “Believe me, I was more than a little… oh fuck it, you don’t know how depressed I was to find out they’d taken you already.” “That’s not how Ron tells that story.” Kim rolled her eyes, doubting some of the veracity of Shego’s pining. “He says you were a well behaved and eager companion intending on saving your boss and the world.” “Princess… your boy is many things, including, occasionally, a god-like force of nature, but observant he is not.” She snorted scathingly, “Besides… bad girls are good at hiding their feelings. Exhibit one; Me.” Kim pursed her lips. She knew both those things to be true. Bonnie being another prime exhibit of bitchy girls who hid their true feelings. Oh god… “Kimmie…? Kimmie, you just went pale, paler than me… is everything alright?” Shego almost moved to shake her. “N- nothing,” she shook her head, hard. “Just a… A really bad thought about someone. Please, go on.” “Anyway… you know how the Alien thing went down, you were there for most of it. We found you and you were okay, so I went back down to my more normal background levels of distraction and we dealt with the Lorwardians.” Shego let go a long sigh. “I also went back to my policy of non-interference. Seeing a guy throw two nine-foot-tall four-hundred-pound monstrosities five miles into an exploding space ship makes a person rethink the odds of interfering anyways. I know my limits.” “Okay,” Kim looked over after silence reign for a moment, “By my count that brings us more or less to the last time I saw you… because I DIDN’T see you most of the nine months after my graduation.” “Yeah, well, I was busy with the UN ceremony and the Playboy shoot, and you were sailing off into the sunset with your bu-,” She managed to mostly catch herself this time, “-oy friend. I try to hold myself above tabloid tripe, but there was one too many pictures of you and he being all happy for me to stomach.” Kim tilted her head, “I… heard that you did some kind of sexy photo spread…” “Let me guess, you never actually looked though, did you?” Shego gave her much more usual cutting smirk. “Well, until a few months ago, I… didn’t have any reason too, and by then I’d really forgotten you ever did it.” Kim’s face turned as red as her head. “I’m a cheerleader, and have seen more than enough bare breasts in the shower over the years to stop being overly curious about them.” “Oh, but now you are?” there was now a predatory gleam in Shego’s eyes as she grinned. Kim pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing, “Focus, please, Shego. It’s nearly two A.M. now and, like you said, the dawn approacheth.” Sighing as she was again shut down, the villainess nodded, “Well, okay; and yes, you’re right, we were off each other’s radar for a while for various reasons.” “And then they said you were dead.” Green light briefly illuminated the rooftop as the villainess’s temper flared at the mere memory, her black gloves evaporating in a flash of emerald fire. “I was knuckles deep into the skull of the guy who did it before I even realized where I was and what I was doing. I know I must have planned on finding him, planned on grabbing him, and doing things to him, but it’s all a blur between the moment I found out you were dead and the moment I found myself beating a pint-sized German within an inch of his Rhineloving life. It took me a second to regain my head, not explode his head from the inside out, and see if anyone was willing to pay me for my handiwork.” Kim made a face at the description, but it was hardly the worst she had seen or heard over the years, particularly from the villainess. “Turned out Senior was VERY willing to pay for the head of the man who had destroyed his one worthy opponent. Pay handsomely he would say. So I took what was left of Dementor’s groaning corpus to him, collected my pay check, kissed Junior goodbye, and bought my own island hideaway.” “Kissed Junio-,” Shego again made her shushing gesture, “Not like that. He’s like a kid brother to me… but in a good way. And that Wife of his was hardly going to let me hang around on their island even if I did now have the money to rival theirs. Especially if I did.” Kim gave a low whistle, “there’s generous, and then there’s…. uh, remind me to send him a thank-you card. But wait, Bonnie kicked you off the island?” Nodding, the emerald woman fluffed her collar, “From my island, one day later, I got word that the Phoenix had Risen. So I got into contact with the one who gave me my pin and put out some feelers; because I knew it was more than just some random trinket. Turns out it’s kinda like the old Mafia rule… ‘the one who does you will be known to you.’ So they were cool with me giving you your pin and wholly agreed you met all the criteria.” Kim reached inside her collar, pulling out the lapel pin with the scripted ‘L’ which she had mounted on a stout chain. It seemed an oddly fitting thing to do since she knew that Shego wore her own inside her neck clasp. Now all the moreso. “The kiss? Well. I was… just a bit overwhelmed that you were alive… and just like me now being reborn… and frankly, it was a bit corny and not at all planned beyond what I told you; that I had always wanted to do it and never got the chance.” Thusly did Shego finally come to the salient fact. Kim sat back in the darkness and the silence, staring at the faint stars she could pick out from the city light. After several long minutes of silence, Shego sighed bitterly, “I think this is the part where you tell me that you’re a cheerleader, and straight, and a good girl, and engaged to be married, and don’t feel the same way, and-,” It wasn’t the fervent and cliché embrace that she was hoping for, but Shego at least felt a spark of happiness and hope when Kim didn’t merely nod yes to those statements, but instead put a finger on her lips to shush her. “One, it’s the twenty-first century, Shego. And also, I’m kind of a public figure. You’re not the first girl to tell me she’s attracted to me.” Kim withdrew her finger, shaking her head. “Just the first one I actually know and have spent a lot of time around.” “As to the rest…”The redhead again looked to the sky, as though seeking answers. After a long moment of watching her breath waft away, she sighed, “Yes. I am a cheerleader, and a good girl. And I am with Ron.” Turning, she again looked to Shego, “engaged to be married? Not that I’ve heard, but then your intel may be better than mine. Heterosexual? I’ve gotten pretty tired of labels in the last six months. I’m a person. I choose who I am with, not some label from a book.” She made sure to keep her eyes fixed on Shego’s in the dim light, “and no, I don’t feel the same way. How could I? You sprung a kiss on me out of nowhere while I was in a very vulnerable state, and then you vanished for six months.” When she saw the defeat blossom in Shego’s eyes, such an alien expression there, she reached over, resting a hand on her shoulder, “and now, I’m not in a position to explore those feelings the way you want. It wouldn’t be fair to Ron, or to me, to destroy a really good thing we have for something that may be nothing more than an infatuation.” Shego tried to turn away, but Kim kept her hand resolutely on her shoulder, “That doesn’t mean that I’m disgusted, or offended. It means what it means. It also means that you happen to still be a somewhat wanted woman, criminally speaking, and I’d be legally bound to turn you in if this meeting were known to anybody.” Sighing, the heroine, shook her head, “But, as far as I know, you’ve been behaving yourself for six months straight, and I see no reason to casually admit to anyone that I ever saw you. And if you can keep behaving… well maybe you could step into the light and find someone like me who would be a better fit for you.” “You really know how to crush a girl’s heart, Kimmie, you know that? All class and charisma to the end.” Shego frowned in spite of herself. “It doesn’t have to be an ending, you know,” Kim smiled warmly, “You’ve got skills. Maybe one of these days we can work together again or something. Not that I plan on becoming a criminal… but you know, you were a hero once.” “One of these days, when you’re older,” Shego brassily rolled her eyes, “you’ll realize just how stupid you sound; offering friendship to someone who you know wants more. Maybe I’ll see you around Princess, but maybe not.” Shego plummeted silently off the roof, slipping from Kim’s grasp. Kim watched her shadow vanish noiselessly into the darkness without concern for her physical wellbeing. They were both accustomed to jumping off of perfectly good buildings. After a few minutes sitting alone in the silence, she tugged out the neck of her blouse to slip the Lazarus pin back inside. In pausing, she noted her tattoo, and lamented that Shego hadn’t seen it. It was an unconscious mark that probably spoke more about the two of them than the redhead cared to admit. An inked feather passed through the thick scar on her collar, drawn as though piercing through the skin and under the bone from one side to the other. A long ornate feather, as from a legendary Phoenix… cast in fading colors from root to tip across her shoulder. From black to green.
11486451	Bedtime	{ "Archive Warning": null, "Category": "Gen", "Characters": "RWBY - Character, Team RWBY, Team JNPR, Ruby Rose (RWBY), Weiss Schnee, Yang Xiao Long, Blake Belladonna", "Fandom": "RWBY", "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by jetmound", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-13T00:00:00", "words": "760", "Additional Tags": "Future Fic, Descendants - Freeform, Original Character(s), Ancestors, descendents", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply", "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Bedtime What is your favorite Fairy Tale , is it story or legend or myth This story takes place on Remnant but a long time from now Night falls dad is sitting on the overstuffed leather recliner looking over his domain, as Lord and Master. As King he controlled all he could see which right now was not much as he had his eyes closed. He could hear her coming she was not that sneaky yet. Then the scream and the flying claw monster it’s long talons gripping his sides seeking to pierce his lungs to rend and eviscerate his bowels. “Charlene Ruby Yang Gallicanae get off your father and get ready for bed.” “ but mommy it is early. “ “ I said bed little girl.” “ I'm not little I'm almost seven. ” “Rubes best get going mom wields a mean rolling pin.” “Yes daddy. “ Scampering down the hall to the bathroom readying herself for bed. “you spoil her you know.” “Yes I do but you are only young once.” Sigh “ it is your night you know.” Grumble The patter of tiny feet signaling the night rituals were done. “DDAAADDDDYYYYYYyyyyyyy” “So me. “ looking to his wife . “Yes you .“ rising getting a glass of water walking to Charlene’s room. A typical size room twin bed, dresser, desk with chair. A night stand with a lamp and clock. The walls a powder rosa color. Her closet a mix or red white black and yellow. Tonight she wore a red gown that flowed to her ankles. “Char settle down tomorrow is a long day. “ “yes daddy. Is Auntie Komodo gonna be there too.” “ I think she is honey. “ “So night night. “ “Tell me a story please. “ “Ok ok once upon a time there were three ursa.” “No Daddy “ “Ummm how about Three Boarbatusk and a Shepherd . “ “No Daddy you know what story. “ A long sigh so many times he had told it and it stilled echoed in her heart “Long long long ago there was an evil witch And she was going to control the world In fact she was going to build a new one by burning the old one to the ground.. And there was sent a prayer to save the world And noble men and women answered the call They battled the forces of the evil witch To which many of them fell but the valiant continued on each time there were losses With each challenge fewer and fewer knights remained The monsters from the black pits were cutting the ranks valiant But they knew they had to succeed But still the brave ventured on from the mountain to the prairies to the oceans The world was all they had and they could see the good it could be For all the evil they faced their hearts would never let them fail They might fall but not fail The last forces marched on the sixteen became twelve then eight The Shield held the field The Hammer broke the wall The Spear made the breakthrough The Ninja held the gap Together they gave last four knights the time At the end there were four knights that took the final battle to the witch and her coven. The four knights approached the evil witch's castle The last of her army fell away before their righteous endeavors The witches aides attacked with killing intent for this was the last battlefield The Emerald Knight was cleaved by the Shadow Knight and shattered breaking her illusions. The Mercury Knight was melted by the Dragon Knight forming a watery silver pool The Cinder Knight faced the blizzard of the Ice Knight and her fire was extinguished The Salem Witch faced the Rose Knight and she too was eventually planted within the earth No longer a threat to the world. Our knights each returned to their own kingdoms where they each ruled being friends ever after Looking down he watched his daughter’s silver eyes drift close. Her breathe slowing down to a soft whisper. Looking up his wife standing there her face grinning ear to ear. Embracing her there nuzzling her neck he placed a soft kiss there Softly spoken in his ear . “Do you think she suspects ? “ Closing the door. “No and sometimes I hope she never does. “ “A Rose is a Rose is a Rose . As the door closed the glass on the nightstand tipped From under the covers a small hand whipped out setting it upright As it returned she snatched the two rose petals that floated down Bring them to her nose inhaling the scent she smiled .
11462265	Santa Baby	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Im Jaebum \| JB, Choi Youngjae, Park Jinyoung \| Jr., Jackson Wang, Mark Tuan", "Fandom": "GOT7", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Explicit", "author": "by Infinity_of_Stars", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-10T00:00:00", "words": "2,058", "Additional Tags": "PWP without Porn, Christmas, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Office", "Relationship": "Choi Youngjae/Im Jaebum \| JB", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Santa Baby plays and filters through the small crack between the floor and the wooden door as the party outside continues on with full swing. Jinyoung`s honeyed voice dips, sultry and warm, laced with too many shots of spiked eggnogs and longing for Jackson. Of that, Jaebum has no doubt. The rest, he assumes, are either drunkenly making out or vomiting on colleagues’ chairs. He remembers passing by a snoring Mark on his way back to his office. He finds the irony of the situation very much pleasing and satisfactory. After all, years of pinning after the Park great-ass-pouty-lips fucking Jinyoung, he gets to sit and watch his best-friend-ex-crush sip the same bitter medicine he did all throughout four years of business school. Not that he cares very much about Jinyoung in that sense now. But he`d be lying if he said he doesn’t get hot flashes of that ass up in the air, pounding into it against his desk every once in a while. However, if he was being honest, he`ll reluctantly admit that the last being four weeks ago, exactly when Choi Youngjae stepped into his office proclaiming himself as the new resident junior photographer. It`s Youngjae`s ass that he imagines from then on. Bent over, bouncing in his lap and red from spanking. His want for the younger, softer, innocent looking employee takes Jaebum by surprise since his arrival into his company. He attributes it to having hot asses for friends, none of willing to bend over for him, while happily bending over for one another. Bambam for Jackson, Yugyeom for Mark and Jinyoung wanting to give it to Jackson. Maybe that is the reason, Jaebum tries to convince himself.Totally.Absolutely.He just wants to fuck Choi Youngjae. Not hold his hand and date by the Han River and eat ramen from the convince store.Absolutely not. “Santa baby, I'm filling up your stocking…” His lips mouths the words, hot and warm against the very red ear of the younger. His long fingers wrap around the delicate neck and give a small squeeze with his hips snapping forwards, burying his thick cock deep within Youngjae`s tight warm walls. Skin slaps against skin; lewd and the sound makes Jaebum vibrates and growls, blunt teeth sinking into the thrumming pulse at the base of a slender throat. The soft fur of the red Santa skirt brushes over his hipbone where his cock starts and he is reminded how he came to be buried, 10 inches deep inside his new favorite person. Youngjae. Dare. Mrs. Santa. Lush milky thighs and silk boxers.Right.Jaebum remembers. So vividly. The instant hard-on when he stepped into the office`s Christmas party to find Youngjae, ass up, face down, thighs on taunting display as he rummages through the box for plastic cups, ones Jackson has hidden behind his back, watching with Mark the lovely scenery. He joined them for stunned brief moments, slacked jaw and so unbelievably horny before he stepped into their view, effectively hiding the innocent fuckable angel from their pervy eyes but not from his. Their frustrated groans reached him but he had paid them no mind, all of his single-minded focus on getting Youngjae alone, bent and thoroughly fucked. His hand tightens with a flash of hot mindless jealousy. He pounds harder, his grunts mixing with the breathy broken moans of Youngjae.Youngjae, lovely Youngjae, innocent virgin loud Youngjae.“So good for me, baby boy. Taking it all in...” He mouths with an unstated hunger along the skin, with intent to mark and claim, his free hand grasping the plump ass and squeezes; hard. “So loud for daddy. Fuck Jae…”His voice drops low, soft and whimsical, rocking gently, pausing until only the flushed head of his cock remains inside and he watches how the younger`s rim of muscles breathes around it, how he swallows him whole when his round hips push back, ass cheeks flattening against his hip and he moans, loud; Jaebum`s instructed name falling past trembling plump lips. “Daddy…”Jaebum is two seconds away from shooting his load like a thirteen year old hormonal teenager at his first masturbation when he hears it. Youngjae`s normally loud and clear voice is cracked with use and it fills the large office with its volume, wrapping and squeezing around Jaebum in a heady spell. And he snaps.With practiced ease and his new found discovery of Youngjae`s flexibility, he helps Youngjae lift his right leg from where it knelt to rest horizontally against the armrest, stretching him and tightening his walls around Jaebum`s hard cock all at the same time. He steps into the space created and drops a soft lingering peck to the mole at Youngjae`s right shoulder blade, tucking his chin into the soft skin, his voice soft, demanding, assertive.“Daddy is gonna fuck you now hard. Okay baby boy?” Jaebum waits for an answer. Youngjae does not disappoint. “Fuck me, p-please!”Youngjae doesn`t even recognize who he is anymore. Bent over, still in his ridiculously short Santa getup, letting Ihm Jaebum, his boss and sex god, fuck into him. He flashes over the night, showing up in that costume as a dare with Bambam doing the same because they are the newbies and it`s tradition. He felt the eyes on him, Jaebum`s eyes. He has been feeling them since day one. Undressing him, fucking him from a distance and making him cum into his hands imagining all sorts of things Jaebum will do to him, because Youngjae isn`t as innocent as he looks or acts. Jaebum pulls out and Youngjae`s breath catches from the drag of the elder’s thick cock against his tight walls, his moan breaking into a very loud curse when he`s filled again, deeper, feeling the fullest he felt in forever. Skin slaps skin and Youngjae holds on onto the leather of the couch as he bounces against it with each snap of powerful hips inside of him.True to his words, Jaebum fucks him hard. Rough and deep. Fast strokes and rough tugs on his caramel hair that makes him arch. Back dipping and ass curving to take more of the older if that was even possible. His own cock bounces against his thigh, slapping him and smearing pre-cum over his trembling skin. His hand reaches and grasps the flesh and pumps; quick and dirty to the rhythm Jaebum sits. He twists his wrist and he prepares to reach for the head when a hand clamps tight around his and squeeze the head tighter, enough for Youngjae to feel the soft sparks of pain along the edges of his brain. “Naughty baby” Jaebum tsks as he leans over his back and punishes with a hard slam of hips and a smack to his bouncing ass, his thumb presses into the leaking slit and smears the hot liquid around with aching slowness that drives Youngjae insane. “No cumming until daddy says so” Youngjae knows he`s in way over his head long before he let his new boss fuck him.He joined Ihm Enterprises for the hopes of well, getting enough money to move out of the run down condo he shared with Wang Jackson. The crowded one-bedroom place barely contained the two loud boys, much less when Jackson brought over company. Jackson always brought home company. Loud ones and Youngjae had to sit through too many orgasms that he cared to count, some of them his as he got off to the lewd sounds coming from the bedroom, opposite from the couch-turned-bed where he jerked off. He`s thankful for Jackson, high school and college best friend, but three months after being kicked out of his parent`s house, is overstaying his welcome.So when Jackson, who majored in Marketing while Youngjae took Visual Arts with Photography as a major, came home with loud complaints about end-year projects and chaos over the three photographers who quit a month before the yearly Christmas special edition, he jokingly suggested that he`ll help if it got Jackson to shut up so he can watch One Piece in peace. Jackson stood in front of the TV and Youngjae, annoyed and irritated, was forced to look up and he remembers the look on his friend`s face. Jackson looked at him like he`s the Second Coming, the answers to his prayers.It`s a blur after. From getting an interview, tests and being hired. Youngjae felt like he`s finally gonna make something out of himself. Jackson`s friends, and god there were too many to count and remember, took a liking to him and the newbie who joined as a stylist; BamBam. He had only met Jaebum once before, during the first meeting for the month of December. Introduction made, he stuck to Jackson and watched the seniors talk. He`d occasionally catch his boss looking at him and he`d fidget and wonder why. He ran into Jaebum sparsely from then on. Exiting the elevator, hopping behind Jackson on his motor while Jaebum stepped into his very expensive Bentley, and one memorable meeting when he mistakenly thought Jaebum`s command to ‘Cum’ as he fucked Nayeon, his bunny-like secretary on his meeting table, where Youngjae himself sat a week ago, as an invitation to ‘come’ and enter the office since he knocked. His surprise and Jaebum`s were evident as they locked eyes over Nayeon`s head. Jaebum has smirked and Youngjae wished it was him before he fled the office. There was no denying his boss`s appeal. Dark, sharp and oozing of sex. Jaebum was truly on another level of human. The sharp edge of his jaw, the twin moles over his eyes, the rebellious piercings with his sharp Armani suits. Youngjae`s stomach flutters. He recalls how after an embarrassing rendition of ‘Jingle Bells Rocks’ with swaying hips and coy lip bites, Jaebum made no qualms about yanking him from the makeshift stage of their karaoke game, dragging him to the big office. Jaebum asked ‘Can I fuck you?’ and Youngjae answered with a pathetic ‘Please!’ They didn`t kiss, Jaebum ordered him to kneel on the leather couch and wait for him. He did and moments later, he felt slick lube between his ass cheeks and rim. Thick fingers worked him open and he knew that Jaebum recognized his lack of experience because they were soft, gentle, coaxing with cooing dirty promises of pleasure whispered against his ear. Until he broke and asked for it. “I can spend forever inside your ass, Baby Jae!” Jaebum`s velvety voice brings him back to the present. He`s pounding, hard and fast into Youngjae, his cock hitting his prostate that makes the younger of the two moan, shamelessly loud and wanton. Their hands, guided by Jaebum`s thicker one, pump Youngjae`s curved cock mercilessly slow unlike the thrusts taking place behind. “Is that okay with you?” Youngjae nods against the leather, damps forehead letting the skin slip nosily.“Use your words, Jae. You have a beautiful voice. Sing for Daddy!”Youngjae`s stomach coils and twists, his release building alarmingly fast and he`s sure he`s not far from releasing all that tension out. Jaebum`s voice dips with filthy promises and cooing nicknames that makes his head spin. He`s not stupid. He know what this means and what it doesn`t. He is well aware that he just replaced Nayeon as the newest conquest of the young heir to Ihm Enterprises.He just can`t bring himself to care much past the point of tonight.He doesn`t want picnics and listening to music and play badminton.Absolutely not. Two week later… “What do you have there?” He feels the presence of Jackson at his back as the later presses against his back and rest his chin on Youngjae`s shoulder, peering over it, trying to read the black card Youngjae is holding.‘Han River. Saturday. 10 AM.’The card reads and Youngjae looks up, a small smile curling at the edge of his lips, his eyes catching the ones of Jaebum just before the elevator doors close.He holds the card close to his chest.
11409081	Reciprocation	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Min Yoongi \| Suga, Jung Hoseok \| J-Hope", "Fandom": "방탄소년단 \| Bangtan Boys \| BTS", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by orphan_account", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-05T00:00:00", "words": "431", "Additional Tags": "Implicit/Implied Sex, Sappy Feelios, Sope, Yoonseok - Freeform, they love each other. period.", "Relationship": "Jung Hoseok \| J-Hope/Min Yoongi \| Suga", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	“I love you.” It’s a whisper in the dark. Two silhouettes meet in the light to become flesh and bone, heart and mind, two in one. In the shadows, there is privacy, and in this small corner of the universe there is freedom. Nothing, and no one, can stop them. Their love is honey and gold and it all feels like a dream, but it’s the sweetest of them all.“Oh God, that feels so good.” Hoseok traces the length of Yoongi’s neck with his lips, slowly, maddeningly. There’s a procedure he’s following here—a swallow of the other’s moans, a flick of the wrist, a desirable angle achieved, a passionate fuck, a love interpreted just right. And yet there’s chaos in loving someone so much you can’t find enough ways to get, to feel, closer. “Just like that. You’re so good to me—oh.”It’s him. It’s them combined. “You. Only you can do this to me, Jesus fuck Hobi.” In the sheets they meld into one perfectly. Words rush out, but coherence is abandoned. Who the fuck cares? In various positions and angles they invent their own language—tongue against skin as a form of Braille, “Is this okay?” “Yes.”, roughness and softness, gentle but hard, receiving when the other’s giving, apologies and understanding and patience. Reciprocation and respect. Making love is a dance they don’t master overnight; it’s an art they study as partners, shots evidence of a love made physical, concrete, practiced. The coffee on the bedside table has gone cold and calls have been left unanswered in a place made for consistency and order, but in their world of hurricanes and adventure they throw their cares to the wind. Fuck it. Fuck them. Fuck me. Why not be more than one thing? Why not tick all the boxes? Why not explore the endless possibilities? And in themselves, they find so much of exactly that.“How do you do it? You make me want you even more.” He’s the sun and he’s the moon, but sometimes it’s a different scenario: he’s the moon and he’s the sea. The moon, a luminous, glowing presence haloed in the midnight sky, calls for the tides, and they come. Together they sway to the music of the night. Sometime, they will have to say goodbye, but it will sound more like a “See you later”, an “I love you more” to his “I love you”, a fond smile to a wet, melancholic one.“I love you more. So much more.”There is so much time in the world, especially their own.
11469282	Well Meet Again	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Hinata Shouyou, Ushijima Wakatoshi", "Fandom": "Haikyuu!!", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by momothesweet", "chapters": "4/4", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "2,791", "Additional Tags": "Drabble Collection, Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Mafia AU, some sort of bad person au lmao, Non-Graphic Violence, Long-Distance Relationship, Sort Of, Prompt Fill, they love each other I promise, these tags are a mess and i'm sorry", "Relationship": "Hinata Shouyou/Ushijima Wakatoshi", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	He comes at him like lightning.The blade goes down, up, diagonally, and repeats in sporadic patterns that Ushijima nearly loses his footwork when he dodges each attack. Though he’s got his gun in his hand, he can barely get it raised to point it right in his forehead, beneath those bright orange locks splattered with blood from those he attacked minutes before getting to him.Their business is a filthy one. Gunshots and screams and so much sleaze it almost makes Ushijima sick to his stomach when he tries to sleep at night. He didn’t have much say in the matter, though. This life was burned into his blood. On the other hand, Hinata was thrown into it. A kid from the streets with much more skill than anyone could imagine--who wouldn’t want him on their side?Not Ushijima’s family.Hinata manages to graze Ushijima’s cheek, a couple of key centimeters that catches him off-guard for the first time since the ambush, which isn’t very long to begin with. In that split second, though, like Hinata is silently celebrating that he finally hit him, Ushijima makes a left hook with his gun to clock the other in the face.It sends him to the floor, crashing into the end table that breaks into pieces onto the floor. Ushijima finally gets his gun up and points it at Hinata, waiting for him to find his footing and stand back up. He isn’t about to shoot him while he’s down. It’s a sort of respect that he’s learned growing up with his family. Arguing with that respect won’t get him anywhere.Amazingly, Hinata rises with little struggle, the glass scratching the floor when he kicks the bigger shard aside. He drops his knife and raises his arms, the gun following him with each step to the left and to the right.Hinata smiles.Ushijima doesn’t trust it. Keeping his arms upright and the gun inches from his forehead, he tells him firmly, “Your decision to surrender is a sound one.”There’s hesitation that seems to quiver Hinata’s bottom lip. No matter what Hinata says, it’s not going to make Ushijima let his guard down. At all.Or so he thinks.“Do you really not remember me?” he asks.Ushijima says nothing.“Three years ago,” Hinata continues, “behind Sakanoshita. I was stealing food and one of your hawks were trying to gun me down. You let me go.”Ushijima remembers that day faintly. It was an ordinary drive around town, making sure nothing suspicious was going on around their part of the city. It wasn’t until Tendou shouted his name and jumped out of the car to spot a small thief stumbling out the back of a store. Most of what Ushijima remembers is the giant inconvenience it generated, but he did nonetheless remember no bloodshed and no gunshots. Because for once in his life, for once throughout his career and to everyone’s surprise, he let someone go.“You do remember. It’s written all over your face!”The more Ushijima thinks about it, the more he feels like his grip on his gun starts to tremble. Why did he not shoot him those three years ago? He was an easy target, down a straight path to the street. And nothing.Ushijima steps forward and taps the barrel of his gun to Hinata’s forehead. “You’re going to take three steps back and walk towards the door on your right. There’s a car waiting for me.”Hinata blinks, then puts his arms down. “Where are you taking me?”He sighs gruffly and keeps his eyes on Hinata’s, piercing through the pupils like he’ll find the answer to why he’s going to do the unthinkable.“We’re going to escape.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Hinata arrives at the hotel room, unharmed and unusually free from any danger. The flight and drive here were silent—too silent, in Hinata's opinion, but that's how Ushijima usually operates. The less mess and the less fuss, the better.But sometimes, he likes a little fuss. Case in point—nobody is in this hotel room right now. Hinata looks around, checks the living room and bathroom and tiny little kitchen. Not a peep. Or a hidden camera or wires.There is, however, an envelope sitting on the edge of the neatly-made bed. Hinata locks the door and examines it, making sure there isn’t something totally suspicious on its surface. Nothing is marked on the front or back.Upon opening it up, Hinata finds a handwritten letter, clearly from Ushijima, based on the crooked scrawl from a possible time crunch. He reads it slowly, taking in every word, one by one: Dear Shouyou, Forgive be for not being able to be with you at the present. The Americans have breached the contract and I will need to be in a different place for the time being. If you’re reading this letter on the same day indicated in the top right-hand corner, I can assure your safety with all of my heart. I cannot tell you how long I’m going to be gone. Do not look for me. Do not ask anybody about me. But know this: I will be there with you in due time, alive and well. You must burn this letter when you finish reading it. There can be no evidence of me keeping in contact with you. For the time being, go downstairs to the front desk and ask for Koushi. He will provide you with some resources as to what you can do while you wait for me. Again, forgive me. I will do my absolute best to be with you as soon as possible. Wakatoshi A postscript is written far below Ushijima’s name, one that Hinata can’t bear to bring it to ashes. Hinata isn’t one to disobey Ushijima’s requests, but perhaps it’s in return for Ushijima not arriving on time.He tears that bottom part of the letter before pulling out his lighter and burning it, black bits of paper falling to the bathroom sink. Before he goes downstairs to meet said person from the letter, he tucks away that ripped little portion in his pocket, only to be pulled out and read whenever he misses Ushijima late at night when he tries to fall asleep alone. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Ushijima blinks his eyes once a rough hand yanks the bag off his head. He takes a deep breath and inhales sawdust, cigarette smoke, and a cologne that stinks of power-hungry garbage. The floor is rough on his knees, hard concrete that’ll probably hurt more if he were to be kicked to the ground. There isn’t much time to assess the rest of where he is when he’s almost immediately punched in the face. It’s a right hook that jolts him very much awake.He doesn’t fall, though. Ushijima sits up tall on his knees, still looking as prominent as ever in spite of his wrists zip-tied behind his back and the dried up blood surrounding his cut lower lip. There will definitely be a bruise under his left eye at some point, but that doesn’t matter now.“Give me the name, Wakatoshi, and his location,” the man tells him in broken Japanese. From what Ushijima can observe before being punched in the face again, the man looks exactly like what he’s seen in the surveillance photos sent to him and his family—bald, lines on his forehead, a snarl that curls his upper lip and a fat gold ring that decorates his right ring finger. Hurts like a bitch, too.Ushijima says nothing, the only reaction being a spit of blood to the floor.A kick to the gut leaves him heaving and coming closer to said floor, but not without lifting back up and looking the man in the eye, defiant and unrelenting.“You’re going to regret looking at me like that.”Punch after punch, a kick here and countless threats of shooting there, and nothing. No sound other than a cough or spit of blood leaves Ushijima’s lips. If it’s one thing he’s mastered growing up, it’s to never reveal precious information.It’s only when the man holds up a photo that Ushijima suddenly starts to crack by a hair.His breaths are labored, one eye almost completely closed, but he can see the face in the picture as clear as day. A wide smile, orange hair that’s soft to the touch, wearing a black, thrift-store hoodie (probably stolen) that’s a size too large. He’s a few years younger in the picture, maybe about a year before he met him again.A year before he brought him into this mess.“This little fucker,” the man starts, “is the whole reason why we’re here. You know what he did, right?”For the first time tonight (or day, since he can’t tell what time it is in this warehouse), Ushijima quirks his busted lips up in a smile that elicits another knock to the head. It’s also the first time that he’s going to speak to the man.“He did—” Ushijima coughs, “he did exactly what I told him to do.”“He nearly destroyed my business, that’s what he did!” the man shouts, ripping the photo in half and throwing it to the floor. “He killed half my best men and stole everything from me! And you’re going to pay for it.”“I know.”“Don’t fucking sass me,” he hisses, pulling out his gun again and this time shoving it in Ushijima’s mouth, torn up from the punches and possibly a few teeth down. “Tell me, you piece of shit. I want his name and where he is, right now.”Ushijima does nothing again, closing his eyes and taking another breath.If his thinking is correct (it usually is), he is currently somewhere on the west coast of the United States, in a city currently handling a gang problem that’s getting more and more out of hand.That’s about eight thousand kilometers from where Ushijima had sent Hinata.Hinata Shouyou.Somehow, some way, Ushijima’s going to get out of this warehouse and see him again. Whatever it takes.No matter what. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Every day, Hinata drops an apple seed in a jar that sits on the kitchen windowsill.It’s his way of counting the days it’s been since he last saw Ushijima.Koushi is a gentleman. Upon meeting Hinata, he showed him around the town, quiet with many retired old folks still getting by with the work they do out in the fields and with their animals. Hinata met Koushi’s partner, Daichi, tanned and strong and guiding him to a massive plot of land towards the end of the little place.Ushijima told him about this before, once in bed after a night of intense bloodshed and interrogation. His family, generations back before getting involved in more illegal business, were one of the leading producers of apples for the country. Their farming ventures expanded to cattle and chickens, but it’s been years since someone has officially taken over the business.Hinata’s the first person who isn’t an Ushijima to have access to the orchard.The first time he saw it, it was a warm summer afternoon. He had burned the letter save for that small piece and looked for Koushi. And there they were.It took months to start up the farm again. Hinata enlisted the help of some of the younger residents in town, mostly grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the former workers of the orchard, who are still alive and well. Learning about how to manage the trees bearing the sweetest apples and how to raise cattle was nothing like he’d ever learned before; it was far from learning how to wield a knife or how to use a Beretta.But with practice came improvement, like anything else in life. Hinata went from dropping apples on his head to helping pick them all before the sun rose up high in the sky. Befriending the workers and the elders around town, along with having dinner frequently with Koushi and Daichi, helped take his mind off Ushijima, for the most part.Nights are the hardest. Sleeping alone is cold, no matter what season it is. Snow fell heavy in this town, and Hinata has considered on multiple occasions to simply go to Koushi and Daichi’s house for company. He could never do that, though. He couldn’t do it again—go out on the streets and scavenge for help. For something. He’s been done being desperate. He isn’t desperate anymore.Just lonely.Winter passes and the spring is mild, perfect for being out more with the cattle since the apples were already harvested in the fall. It’s not too hot out when Hinata guides herds of cows into trucks. He doesn’t like to think about where they go next.It’s the same with the chickens. Some days, he chases them around for fun. Other days, he talks to the hens and tells him all about Ushijima, how he’d pick on every last one of them and figure out why they’re better at laying eggs than another. “You’re perfect!” he’d shout at one hen, who laid a massive egg perfect for a breakfast for one person.But day by day, no matter what he did to pass the time, he always dropped a seed in that jar. Through the window, Hinata could see the orchard, the trees slowly growing its apples and taking its sweet time to bear the best fruit for Japan. If only Ushijima could see this. He wonders from time to time, where he is.And one day, after a productive afternoon of being out by a lake with some of his workers and with his new friends around town, he comes home and finds a figure sitting in the living room, on the sofa chair, lying back comfortably.It was like seeing a ghost.Hinata drops his bag in the doorway, struggling to get his shoes off without taking his eyes off of the man in the chair. His breath is labored, skin growing cold, trembling like a leaf in the wind.Ushijima gets up slowly from the chair, grabbing the cane that had been leaning on one arm and taking one step at a time to approach Hinata. His gait is slower, but still heavy, still commanding the attention of the entire room. It’s amplified by the little thump of the cane.An angry scar runs down his left eye, a once-olive pupil now blank but still, somehow, soft when he gazes at Hinata. There’s another scar that runs half the length of his neck, like someone tried to behead him in the slowest, most painful way. Hinata can only imagine what else lies beneath his kimono, a relaxing choice, he supposes, for a summer day.He tries to say something to Ushijima but all the words stall in his throat. What does he even say? It’s been so long. Too long.“You didn’t burn the whole letter,” Ushijima says. “I thought I taught you better.”His voice is rough, much rougher than when they had first met. Hinata isn’t sure if it’s an effect of the scar on his neck or an effect of not being around him for a long period of time. Quieter, too.“You—” Hinata chokes, “you’ve been gone forever and that’s the first thing you tell me?!”Hinata keeps that piece of the letter by his bedside, tucked beneath the lamp seated next to his knife and a clock. There hasn’t been any danger around here since his arrival, but Hinata has never really slept well throughout his life. Not from all the shit he’s been through.Ushijima grunts, getting closer to Hinata until he’s toe to toe with him, looking down and doing his absolute best not to crumble under his stare. It’s difficult to stand up straight without feeling some sort of pain in his spine or leg.Silence, sans Hinata’s sniffling, falls between them for a long time before Ushijima speaks again.“Forgive me.”Hinata sobs when he throws his arms around Ushijima, clutching the fabric of his kimono and letting himself remember what it was like to hold him. It doesn’t take long at all. Not when Ushijima does the same and clings to him like he had just been drowning for what felt like ages.If Hinata were to count the apple seeds in that jar right now, there would be 365. One year’s worth of apple trees feels like a lot. Especially when he’s had plans all along to plant them with him.But now that they’re together again, they have all the time in the world to watch them grow.Hell, Hinata dares to say that they have forever.
11446818	Home	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Dave Strider, Karkat Vantas, Rose Lalonde, Kanaya Maryam", "Fandom": "Homestuck", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by kolosaskolo", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-09T00:00:00", "words": "4,187", "Additional Tags": "Hurt/Comfort, Earth C (Homestuck), water fights, theres a small bit of rosemary if u squint, also this is my first proper fic so sorry if anythings off !!!, its also very out of character, First Kiss, Purring Trolls (Homestuck), dunno how else to tag this sorryyyy, POV Dave Strider, idk man im just having fun", "Relationship": "Dave Strider/Karkat Vantas", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	This is the first time you have felt this peaceful in so long.Possibly since you were on the meteor with your friends for three years. Sure it was boring and tormenting at times, and surely lonely without Jade or John; yet it was some of the best times in your life.Your name is DAVE STRIDER and you are finally free.To be fair you didn't expect this day to ever come. You have fantasized about it numerous times, it got you to keep fighting. Yet you never truly believed in it.You are currently walking with Karkat, Rose and Kanaya on a dusty path of your new Earth on a warm summer morning, your mind happy. You can't remember the last time you have felt this safe. The dust picks up on your shoes and you can feel it in the air around you. Young coniferous trees line the sandy path to your destination, if you could call it that. Right now the four of you are just exploring. With Terezi gone looking for Vriska, you've decided to meet up with the remainder of the meteor crew in a small holiday house near a lake. For now, you are in bliss.Sometimes you still get memories from your past but your friends always manage to help you. Karkat knows how to calm you best. Some nights you sit together in a pile of blankets and pillows, papping and talking out your worries.Despite this, you are finally safe. Its difficult to be this happy sometimes. Your entire life has been full of danger and you are still waiting for the trick, that this perfect world is deceiving you in some way. Of course you know this is futile, and yet at the back of your mind a voice still makes you stand on guard most of the time.This is not a time like that. Right now, your mind is relaxed. You can hear birds chirping around you. The sand gets increasingly cooler as you near the water source, as trees gently fade away from your vision. Your sense of touch is grounded by the cooling sand and from Karkat's hand in yours.Rose suggests you take a short break for now which you eagerly agree to. You watch as she removes the bag from her back and unfolds a large blanket onto the clean sand. Taking off your shoes, you walk into the water.You've always loved the water. Its a nice change from the scorching days in the city, as well as a nice contrast to being constantly surrounded by a flaming liquid. The cool of the lake is comforting. You stand and you fold your arms, wind blowing your hair in all different directions. Loud splashing tells you that Karkat is coming to join you. "HERE, JUST WALK IN LIKE NOTHING MATTERS INTO THIS ICE COLD EARTH JUICE WITHOUT WARNING THE REST OF US OF ITS TERRIFYING FREEZING FEATURES."You look behind you and snicker. He tries to hide a smile."WHAT, I DID THAT ONE ON PURPOSE. I KNOW WHAT LAKE WATER IS YOU HONEST TO GOG FOOL, I JUST KNOW IT MAKES YOU LAUGH TO USE MADE UP ALTERNIAN PHRASES." He follows your motion and crosses his arms."of course you do" you counter as you gently kick in his direction. He shoots you a glare as water splashes on his legs. "what, you dont like earth juice?"You try not to laugh as he angrily kicks water at you. You're not even knee deep and yet he manages to get your shirt wet. "SHUT UP!" he yells as you try to avoid his splashes. You jump to your side as your vision gets blurred from tiny droplets on your shades. Damn, that one was close. Karkat doesn't seem to stop as he reaches down and throws water on you now. You try to keep dodging as you watch Kanaya approach. She puts one finger to her lips to tell you to be quiet, other hand holding her skirt up from the surface of the water. You oblige and look to Karkat. You try to splash back in between of his attacks. You laugh as you get his hair."bingo." He screeches as it covers his eyes, kicking in what should be your general direction. You jump away but slip, falling backwards into the water.Laughing all the while, you get your hand up to lift your damp hair from your face. You see him do the same, a satisfied smirk on his face. You are fully soaked and laying in the water, propped up on your arms. Karkat only gets to bask in his victory for a little while before Kanaya gets to him. You watch with a grin as she tackles him in a hug as he staggers out of balance and falls face forward. For a second you get worried until he gets the idea to put his arms out to block the fall somewhat. He now glares at you with wide eyes and you feel sorry for Kan to be in this position. This is top quality amusement, you think to yourself. You watch as Karkat swings to his side, throwing Kanaya sideways as she staggers in the water. She lifts her arms in an attempt to re-balance herself, letting go of her skirt. You hear Rose chuckle from the sand and you see Karkat, wet from head to toe, grinning proudly.Its not too common for Kanaya to get angry and yet now, skirt wet, she jumps and kicks into both your and my direction, turning midair. You don't have to look to see her and Rose's smiles, or you cant, as more water streaks your vision.Instinct makes you lift your arms to your face, which is the most idiotic thing your body made you ever do. Losing support, you fall back into the water. You try to take a breath too late as you inhale a small bit of water. Getting back over the surface a few seconds later, you cough to try to get it out. Karkat stops flailing around and looks over to you.He tries to run over, a worried expression crossing his face. You're surprised he doesn't slip. He reaches you and helps you get up as you smile at him. Being taller, dripping water and now standing right next to him, you have an advantage. You drape your arms over his shoulders in a gentle hug. He tries to push your wet body away with a shriek but you hold. He finally realizes his defeat and leans into you. You suppose he still wanted his clothes to be at least a small bit dry.He mumbles, "I'LL GET YOU BACK SOME DAY FOR THIS" but you can hear in his voice that he isn't actually angry. You just smile as you rock gently from foot to foot, a grumpy Karkat being made sway with you. He pushes you away after a while and gives one last kick at you before looking over to find Kanaya. You try to dodge the water he sends in your direction as you do the same. You see her just as she sits down next to Rose on the blanket. You suppose she must have gotten bored. Or she's annoyed at you two for getting her skirt wet. Probably the latter.You end up floating around a bit before getting out. Your clothes are already wet, so there's no reason for you not to. Karkat returned to the sand after your water fight but he came back shortly after. About an hour into this ''short break'' you decide to get out because, honestly, you're starting to lose feeling in your fingers from the cold. You trudge back to the shore with Karkat in tow, shivering as the wind attacks you now that you're upright again. Rose greets you and Karkat with the blanket which she shook out of sand. You use it as a large towel with Karkat as the girls shake the sand away from themselves. You and Karkat find a stone and you sit down on it to avoid getting yourself covered in sand as you stare out to the water. Peace falls upon you.~The walk home was nice. You were still slightly damp, but with Karkat beside you sharing your blanket, it wasn't a bother. Rose and Kanaya walked beside you, hands together. The light made you have to squint even through your glasses. The only one seemingly unaffected by the brightness was Rose and you envied her eyes.You're practically panting once you get home. You don't do well with heat. You are pretty much dry already. With a sigh, you shake off your shoes as you take the blanket and go to hang it up somewhere. You end up chilling with Karkat, your sister and her girlfriend for the rest of the day.Your name is DAVE STRIDER and you really appreciate your friends right now.You think it might have been because of the intense heat but you really started feeling bad towards the end of the day.It's now midnight and you can't sleep.You pick up your blanket and shuffle towards Karkat's room. You tap on the door before entering, not as a knock but to signal you're coming in. You catch him laying in bed. You can tell he was sleeping but he pretends like he wasn't, sitting up the moment he sees you. He squints a bit through the darkness to find you. You can barely make out the shape of his messy hair. He probably sees you better than you him, considering the fact that he has the advantage of uncovered and nocturnal troll eyes.He rubs his eyes gently as he tells you to come over to him. His voice is softer than usual, yet still possesses its raspy tone that most trolls have. You weakly move towards his bed after closing his door. You trip up slightly on some clothes on the way and you curse your shades. Kanaya took the bedroom with the recuperacoon but you don't think this is a problem for Karkat. You note how he seems almost calmer now that he's not surrounded by sopor slime. You wince, trying not to think of the clown.You sit down feebly on the side of his bed. He moves from under the covers and sits down beside you. Leaning down he looks up at your face."WHAT'S WRONG, DAVE?"You simply sigh and shrug."IS IT NIGHTMARES AGAIN OR SOMETHING ELSE?" he continues."nah, not that. just having a bad feel ya know", you whisper.He scoots closer beside you and takes your hand into his own. He leans his head on your shoulder as he strokes your skin with his thumb. His own is rougher and so alien and yet it's one of the most comforting and familiar things you know. You don't know how it's possible for someone with such hard skin to have such soft touches. His hair tickles your neck. You lean against him too."IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT, I'LL LISTEN," he says quietly.You simply hum as you turn your head into his hair. You breathe in silence for a few seconds before lifting your head and replying with a quick "maybe later."He replies with a barely audible "OKAY" as you lower your face again. He lifts your hand and places a small kiss on the palm as he starts to purr. Even like this he can make you feel so much better in such a small amount of time. You don't know what you would do without him.He is everything to you.You don't even realize you've started crying until he stops purring and says your name in concern. He leans back and places his hands on your shoulders, one reaching up to your face. You lean into his hand as your own comes to rest on it, cupping it on your cheek. You lift your other hand below your shades as you wipe some tears away, shaking slightly with every breath. He reaches over and places his hand beside the frame of your glasses, finding your eyes through them with his own. It's a question. You nod gently as he lifts them off your face carefully. You look away as Karkat stands up to place your glasses on his bedside table. Your face heats up as he sits back down and looks back at you. He seems to be studying your face, not leaving a single part unseen. He notices you glancing away in embarrassment so he looks down for a moment, as you wipe your face with your hand. You try to hide your face behind your hand as you remember all the scars littering it from when you weren't good enough a fighter than your brother wanted you to be. You try to divert your attention from those thoughts. You already feel your breathing quickening as your foot taps away nervously. You don't know what to do, where to look, you're lost, he's gone, he's-You quickly look up when you feel Karkat touch your hand. You jump a bit as he winces and whispers again, "SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO DO THAT SO SUDDENLY. ARE YOU OKAY?"You try to even your breaths as you look at him. He looks so apologetic and you did this and you hurt him and you REALLY have to stop thinking like this. You focus on the thought that he cares about you instead of letting any more guilt invade your thoughts. More tears blur your vision and you let out a shaky breath before falling forward into him. You wrap your arms behind his back as he does the same. You lean your head on his shoulder as he bends his head to rest beside yours. He starts purring again. He places one hand on your back and one on your hair.The vibrations going through you have an incredible effect on you. It could also be the fact that Karkat's now massaging your back and head gently. He brings a finger up your spine and rubs a circle into it before letting fall to your lower back. He continues rubbing circles on your entire spine as his other hand plays with your hair. You hug him a little bit tighter.He means so much to you. You don't even know where you would be right now if not for him. Would you even have survived the meteor? Maybe the game would eventually see an end to your pitiful existence as just and let you die. Maybe it wouldn't, and you would rot away for three whole years doing nothing. Rose would probably not let that happen to you but you really doubt that you would be in any way close to this good if not for Karkat.Every single time you have a problem he helps you get through it. It doesn't fix your problems but it sure as hell helps you get through them. You feel so safe around him it scares you. You're completely vulnerable when you're with him, but he would never do anything to break your trust. Sometimes he needs your help too. At first you really didn't know what to do. You aren't sure how to comfort someone over being called a mutant by society his whole life. He would have been culled if found out. He tried hard to follow the quadrant system too but it's a fucked up thing you've got to admit yourself. You don't think you'd be able to sort your feelings in quadrants either. On top of this, he had to watch so many of his friends die. Sometimes he talks about them like they are still there. When you visited the beach you remember he took so many photos of the waves and seashells and anything he could find, saying something about how "FEFERI WOULD LOVE THIS", or when you visited that cat shelter together and he mentioned someone called Nepeta. You know that he blames himself for many of their deaths even though he denies it.You want to be able to comfort him in the way he comforts you. You know he trusts you too. You want to be able to kiss him and make any of his worries go away. You want to keep him safe from any dangers in this world. You want to keep him safe from his own self destructing thoughts and actions. You want to tell him all of this. You want to let him know just how much he means to you, even though you know that no words would ever be enough to show that. You relax your hug on him as he continues purring and massaging you."i love you."The whisper barely leaves your lips and you would have thought he hadn't heard it except for the fact that he stops petting you. His purrs continue but they waver slightly. You hold your breath in fear. You fucked up. Sure, you acted as a couple all the time. You did almost everything a couple did except for kissing. Sometimes you would hold him as you both fell asleep. You hold hands. You spent all of your time together for so many years, and you would be comfortable with telling him anything. Yet you still had your doubts.You feel your face grow cold as you start to panic a bit. He must sense this as he starts stroking your hair and back again. He whispers your name and you can hear a slight uncertainty in it."i'm sorry, i shouldn't have said anything, i promise it's nothing, sorry," you start to ramble quietly.He pulls you closer and you can hear his voice shake when he speaks next."I THINK I LOVE YOU TOO."You feel like your heart skipped a beat. You shut your eyes tightly as more tears threaten to fall. You start to shake as you cry, and he holds you, and you cry together. You don't even know why you're crying anymore. Be it from happiness, sadness, fear, stress, he is here and he is with you, and he loves you. And god, you love him too.You only let go of the hug when your back is sore from leaning forward for so long. You stretch and yawn as he looks at you with a small smile. You smile back at him weakly, face still wet with tears as you wipe your eyes and nose. You feel like a mess but hey, at least you have Karkat.Then he tells you that you're beautiful and you feel like crying all over again but you're so tired of that so you just sit silently as your face grows warm. You can feel a headache coming from all the crying but you try to ignore it. The butterflies in your stomach make it easy to focus on something else.You laugh a bit and your shoulders shake. You can see that he's blushing too."you're not so bad yourself," you shrug as you grin at him.He replies with "OH, SHUT IT STRIDER."You mentally high five yourself as you hear him say that. You know he only ever calls you Strider when he's joking around or teasing. This means that the awkwardness between you has lessened a bit.You decide that it's tonight or never. You already confessed your undying love to him, like a fair maiden in the sunset to her lover as she looks out to the distance, so you decide to ask him."have you ever kissed anyone?"Now it's his turn to go red as he stares at you, mouth hanging slightly open. His purring has stopped. He licks his lips and looks down. "YEA, MAYBE ONCE OR TWICE. IT WAS VERY LONG AGO THOUGH. I'M NOT SURE IF IT EVEN COUNTS AS A PROPER KISS ANYWAYS."He looks up at you again and asks, "YOU?"You reply, "i think so, i can't really remember." "WOULD YOU LIKE TO REMEMBER?"You pause for a moment. You hadn't expected that."you mean like, if i-""I MEAN IF YOU WOULD WANT TO REMEMBER ANY AT ALL NOT JUST ANY PREVIOUS ONES-""as in recent ones too or...""YES I MEAN ANY ONES BUT I-""i mean i don't know if-""IF YOU WANT TO I COULD HELP Y- I MEAN FUCK, I,""you mean help remember? because if you mean that then-""I MEAN IF YOU DON'T WANT TO OR ANYTHING OBVIOUSLY THAT'S NO PROBLEM AND-""fuck! karkat?"He stops and meets your eyes with concern. His face is covered with a blush so strong that you didn't think it was possible. He looks adorable."karkat, say if right now i kissed you, not that i will or anything, how would you react?" you ask. You can hear your heart pounding at the speed of light and your cry session still weighs on your mind in the form of a headache. You feel light and worried. "I.." he begins. He fidgets with his hands. "I WOULD... KISS BACK. AND I WOULD ALSO SAY SOME FUCKING SAPPY SHIT TOO, LIKE THEY ALWAYS DO IN EVERY MOVIE. IT WOULD BE CHEESY AND TERRIBLE AND," he drops his hands, "AND IT, IT WOULD BE NICE."And you have to agree. So you lean forward very slowly. You can hear your pulse in your ears and your palms are probably sweating. You feel gross and cliché and very nervous. You stop halfway, scared to go further. You close your eyes. You wait a few terrifying, agonizing seconds and you're almost going to move back before you feel a soft pair of lips on yours, and holy shit he's kissing you.You tilt your head gently as you move. He starts purring again and you can feel the vibrations on your lips. You hold his face with your hand now, you can't even remember when you brought it there. You feel fluttery as you two move together, lips locked softly. You move slowly, both of you being inexperienced but not wanting to rush too much. Your noses bump a few times and he has to move away for a second to honest to gog just giggle. You feel like you're about to melt. You have never seen anything this adorable. You can feel his hot breath on your lips as you look down to his. He gently bites his lower lip. He leans in again and it's heaven all over again as you connect. You move more passionately this time. He licks at you and bites your lip gently and you can't stop a small whine. He has his arms wrapped around you and is pulling you closer all the time, you both want to be closer but you physically can't. You love him. He tastes like home.You don't stop until you are both unable to breathe properly. He leans his head forward and you rest your foreheads against each other. He's panting and laughing gently and purring and its the most beautiful sounds you've ever heard. From this close you can see the tiny freckles covering his cheeks and nose. His eyes are starting to have flecks of red in them, contrasting against the soft orange. He looks down and you can see every single one of his eyelashes. You look down at his lips which are swollen and wet and just beautiful. He breathes heavily as do you.In a few seconds you both move in again. This time you are slow again, and it's short and simple. Before pulling away completely you give him a quick kiss on the nose, and then his forehead, and his cheeks. He's giggling again as he pushes you away.You feel light as you sit back. You give him a small smile as he grins in return. He kicks his legs and looks down at them, before back at you."SO, WHAT WAS THAT THING YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT?""maybe later. right now im exhausted. sleep?""PLEASE."You shuffle on the bed and lay down. He gets back to his own spot under his covers."I NEVER SAID YOU COULD SLEEP HERE," Karkat says in a yawn. You have practically fallen asleep the moment you hit the pillow and so you just hum. He chuckles, gives you one last kiss on your hair, and settles down beside you. You move over to hug him from behind. His continued purrs act like a lullaby to you as you gently drift away.~ You wake up in a room that is not yours, and sit up. An initial confusion is replaced by memories of the night before. Karkat is still asleep beside you. His breathing is steady and slow. You lay back down and put your arm over him again. Your name is DAVE STRIDER and you have finally found your home.
11459472	Star Festival	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "F/M", "Characters": "Natsu Dragneel, Lucy Heartfilia, Gray Fullbuster, Erza Scarlet, Loke (Fairy Tail), Makarov Dreyar, Mirajane Strauss, Happy (Fairy Tail)", "Fandom": "Fairy Tail", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by Petri808", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-10T00:00:00", "words": "6,072", "Additional Tags": "Falling In Love, Tanabata, celestial, Magic, Festival", "Relationship": "Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": "Fairytail Short Story One Shots", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	The golden blonde stares down from her fiery perch with a sigh; how the celestial longs for freedom from her heavenly confines. For centuries, she watched the mortals rise and fall, they grew from simple hunter gatherers into large civilizations and expanded all over their world. There was a time these mortals worshiped and regaled them, navigated by them, wished upon them, fell in love under them… Sweet, precious love, something she’s never experienced before.“Aunty Ama, can I go to Earthland?”“My dear Lucy, why would you want to leave our sky, are you not happy here?”“I’m curious about these mortals and I grow bored; I wanna experience something different.”Amaterasu thinks for a moment, “It is almost time for the Tanabata festival on Earthland, I will grant you one week to descend and explore life amongst the mortals.” She smiles at her niece, “Where would you like to go?”“There is a city down there called Magnolia that has a very festive Star Festival. I’d like to visit it.”“Very well, but remember, you mustn’t tell anyone who you really are.”Lucy chuckles, “I doubt anyone would believe me.”“It matters not, no mere mortal can handle the temperature we can release when not careful, it would be dangerous for you to grow too close to them.”“I know aunty…” Lucy hangs her head, “I’ll do my best to just observe.” “Good girl,” she pats her nieces shoulder, “Still… try to have some fun.” A purse materializes in her hand, “Take this, it is the currency they use in that area. You will need to secure attire to blend in and for lodging.”“Thank you Aunty Ama!” the blonde smiles, excited once more that part of her wish had come true. The festival is still a couple days away, but the city of Magnolia is already preparing for it. Shops and vendors set up displays and decorations of many colors and design. Everywhere the girl turn’s, there is a new sight to behold. “Ahhh!” Lucy takes in a deep breath and inhales the scents wafting around her. Floral, sweet, savory, so many different wondrous aromas. The first thing she does is buy enough clothes to last a week and finds a comfortable little inn right across the street from South Gate Park where the main festivities will be held.Lucy is so enamored with her surroundings she walks aimlessly through the crowds, barely paying attention to where she is walking when she bumps into someone and drops her shopping bag. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” she kneels to pick up her bag, “I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.” But before she can grab it, a hand reaches down and does it for her.“Here,” he hands it to her, “Don’t worry about it.” The man smiles at her. She takes a moment to take in the male of this species, pink spiky hair, piercing green eyes, toned, muscular body…She blushes, “At least let me make it up to you, how about I buy you lunch.”“Why, it wasn’t a big deal.”“I insist, though since I am not from this city, maybe you can recommend somewhere to eat?”“Insist huh, well in that case there is a café right around the corner.” The waiter seats the pair next to a window. As Lucy looks through the menu her excitement grows again; she’s about to try real food for the first time! ‘What to try?!’ “Um, excuse me, oh you know I didn’t get your name how rude of me.”He grins, “It’s Natsu Dragneel and what’s yours?”“My names Lucy.” She smiles, “Your name means, born in summer… That’s cute, were you born in the summer time?”He shrugs his shoulders, “Don’t know for sure, my adopted father found me in the summer time, maybe that’s why he gave me the name. What does yours mean?”“As of light or born at dawn. So, you were adopted?”“Yeah, Igneel said he found me when I was about 3 in the forest all alone so he raised me.”“Where is your dad now?”He looks down, “I don’t know, he disappeared when I was 7 or 8.”“Oh,” she frowns, “I’m sorry…”“It’s okay, hopefully someday I’ll find him.”“But how did you take care of yourself all this time without adults?”“I ended up at a guild called Fairytail, Gramps takes in orphans like me.”“Guild? What’s a guild?”“Wizards join them to take jobs and support themselves, but Fairytail is special.” She cocks her head intrigued but confused. “We’re more like a family then most guilds.”“That sounds nice.” Lucy smiles again, “At least you weren’t alone. You know I didn’t know that there were mor.. humans that had magical gifts.”“Oh, there’s plenty of us! Some are stronger than others. I like to think I’m pretty strong.”“What magic do you possess?”He grins, “I’m a fire dragon slayer.”“But dragons haven’t been around for a long time, maybe 400 years…”“There must have still been some, my dad only disappeared a few years ago.”She chokes on her drink, “Are you saying your dad was a dragon??”“Yeah!” his animated eyes flash, “He’s the one who taught me my magic.”Throughout the meal, they continue their conversation. She often finds herself laughing hysterically at his antics and just the way he gorges himself on the food, it’s a wonder where he puts it, to be so fit yet he eats like 5 men! For her just savoring every bite, every delectable piece, she must stifle the un-lady like urge to moan from each new morsel that enters her mouth.“So, what are you doing in Magnolia Luce?”“Luce?”“It’s my nickname for ya.” He grins. “Do you like it?”“I guess I can live with it. Actually, I just came to see the Tanabata festival. I heard so much about it where I come from that I decided to visit.”“Where are you from?”“Um, far away from here… I’m sorry I cannot tell you where.”“Maybe when you’re ready. In the meantime, what are you doing since the festival is still 2 days away?”“Sightseeing, I’m trying to soak up as much as I can while I’m here on Ear.. I mean in Magnolia.” Seeing a question in his expression she redirects the topic, “So Natsu, could you show me more of your beautiful city after lunch?”He gets excited, “I’d love to! But I’ll do you one better, I’ll take you to see Fairytail too.” For the rest of the afternoon, Natsu drags Lucy all over Magnolia showing her places to eat, shop, and just hang out at. As they walk up the road to the guild hall he gets excited. “You’re gonna love it, everyone is really nice; well except Erza, she can be a little scary.”“Erza?”“She can change her armor and weapons at her whim.” “Wow…”“Yeah, then there’s Gray, he’s like my friend and enemy rolled into one.”“What kind of magic does he use?”“He can create anything he can think of with ice.”She giggles, “No wonder you guys don’t get along; fire and ice, that’s like opposite personalities.”Natsu grins, “I guess, never really thought about it,” and pushes the door open just as a chair comes flying towards them. “Luce!” he pushes the blonde to the ground covering her body with his own. The chair shatters against the door. “Are you okay?” He stands and holds out his hand to her.“Yes, thanks to you.” She’s helped upTurning back to the hall Natsu starts yelling, “Alright who threw that damn chair!”Gray screams back, “Me, and what you gonna do about it?!”Natsu lights his hands on fire, “You almost hit my guest, stripper!” and swings. A fight breaks out between them. She stands still unsure of how to react, this definitely wasn’t what she expected.“Lucy?”“Leo!” she checks and makes sure Natsu’s still fighting. “What are you doing here?” she whispers.“I could ask you the same thing and by the way, here on Earthland I go by Loke.”“You didn’t answer my question.”“I can’t tell you that. So why are you here?”“Aunty Ama let me come and explore and I met Natsu while I was sightseeing.”“Ah, you’ve met our resident playboy.” Natsu walks up and slaps Loke on the back, “Stay away from this one or he’ll bug ya to death asking you out on dates.”Lucy smirks, “Playboy huh? Why am I not surprised?”“Come on Luce,” Natsu grabs her hand, “I’ll introduce you around.”“Okay. Well it was nice meeting you… Loke.”“Like wise Lucy.”As he introduces her to others around that night, she hears his stomach rumbling, “You’re hungry again?”Natsu pats his stomach, “I’ve got a high metabolism. It’s dinner time anyway,” so he leads her to a table. “…and Mira makes the best meals.” and orders them a couple of burgers, fries, and milkshakes. More members join them, curious about the pretty blonde Natsu has brought to visit them.“So, Lucy,” Erza sits down, “What brought you to our fine city?”“She came to see the Star Festival.”“Natsu, Erza was asking Lucy not you.”“And what’s it to you popsicle! If I answered the question.”“I swear your manners suck Flame Brain!”“Boys stop it, not in front of the guest!”They both stiffen, “Sorry Erza.”But Lucy just starts laughing, “Please do not worry, I find this all very entertaining. I don’t get to experience much where I come from.”She spends the rest of the evening surrounded by everyone, laughing and telling her stories, showing off their magic to her, and a few trying to flirt as well. It is close to midnight when she starts to yawn and Natsu offers to walk her to her inn. “You don’t have to trouble yourself Natsu, I’m sure I can figure it out.”“No way I’ll let you roam this city alone, there are too many creeps out there. I insist.”She chuckles and smiles, “Insisting huh? Well in that case I’d be delighted.” “Um, Luce, I was wondering if tomorrow you wanna hang out some more? There’s other places in the city I could take ya.”“That would be wonderful Natsu. I,” she blushes, “rather enjoy your company.”He blushes too, “Okay, I’ll come back in the morning then.” He smiles, “around 9 or is that too early?”“No 9 is fine, I’ll be waiting.” She gives him a peck on the cheek. “Goodnight Natsu.” and walks away.He reaches up and puts his hand over the spot she kissed, “Goodnight Luce.” After leaving her in the lobby, Natsu walks back to his own cottage with a different bounce in his step. ‘I wonder where Lucy is really from…’ he ponders to himself. ‘She gives off such a strange energy that I can’t place it. But it’s not evil, nah, the opposite, almost angelic.’ He puts his hands behind his head as walks, ‘and why’d she kiss me, does it mean anything? Nah, she was probably just being sweet…’ He reaches home and throws himself on his bed. ‘So sweet…. I think I’m falling…’ Up in her room, Lucy looks out over the city from her balcony staring up at the stars. Such a different experience to be looking up at them instead of down, she leans on the railing. ‘I was so lucky to run into that man today… He’s really nice,’ she smiles to herself. ‘I don’t know what came over me though to kiss him like that…’ On the dot, Natsu is standing in the lobby when Lucy comes down. “Good morning Natsu, you’re here on time.”He blushes, “Actually, I’ve been here for a half hour… just in case.”“Really?!” her cheeks turn pink. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting.”“Nonsense!” he grabs her hand and lead her out. “So, what shall we do today?”“I wish I could see a beach, is there one close by?”“Well, maybe an hour by train. Aikane is the prettiest.”“Would you take me?” she asks sheepishly“Of course!” “Yay!” excitement in her voice. “I’ve never seen one before so I need to get proper attire.”“You mean swim clothes, we can stop to buy that before we go.”“How about your friends, do you think they’d like to join us?”“Probably…” he flushes, “But I kinda would rather it be just the two of us, it was more fun without the others around.”She giggles, “Mr. Dragneel, are you trying to keep me all for yourself.”“Maybe,” he mumbles with his cheeks getting redder.“Alright.” She grabs his hand, “Then take me to a store so we can get going already! I’m so excited to see water!”He squeezes her, “you really didn’t get to experience much huh?”“Sadly no…”“Well, then I’m gonna make sure you experience as much as possible!” At the guild hall, Erza, Gray and Gramps are at the bar. “So, kids, what’d you think of Natsu’s new friend?”Erza- “I thought she was very nice, but her energy is different. Not human, not evil… I couldn’t figure it out.”Gray- “Who’d a thought Natsu could pick up a girl like that.”Gramps- “Well Erza, I have to agree that she is a strange one.”Gray- “Did anyone notice…”Erza- “You mean how her body is as hot as Natsu?”Gray- “Yeah, I don’t think he noticed it but us normal people sure did.”Gramps- “Did he go see her again today?”Erza- “Levy saw them getting on a train this morning…” “Ugh….” Natsu groans. “Sorry Luce… Forgot to mention, motion sickness…”“Motion sickness? Oh, the train! Natsu if I knew I wouldn’t have made you take me!”“It’s okay…. I wanted to… See you smile.”She blinks hard, ‘this boy cares that much…’ “There’s gotta be something I can do…” she thinks “Maybe I can soothe you somehow.” She pulls him down on the bench so his head is resting in her lap. “What… doing?...”“Just try to relax Natsu, close your eyes…” he nods and she watches his eyes shut. Lucy begins to hum a tune that even he has heard since childhood. Her melodic voice, soft, and slow for his listening pleasure…“Sasa no ha saara sara (Bamboo-grass leaves flowing in the wind)Nokiba ni yureru (Swinging by the edge of the eaves)Ohoshi-sama kira kira (Stars are shining)Kin-gin sunago (Like fine gold and silver sand)She repeats the melody until she feels his body totally relax and she knows he has fallen asleep, continuing to run her hands in his hair, twisting his soft pink locks through her fingers… “Natsu?... It’s time to wake up now.”The boy opens his eyes and stretches. “Hey beautiful.” He grins when he sees a pink hue splash across her face.“Stop.. I’m not beautiful…” she whispers all embarrassed.He reaches up to her face, “to me you are.” and caresses her cheek.“Please… don’t Natsu, I-I’m not supposed to get too close to anyone…and you’re making that really difficult for me…”Natsu sits up, “Why?”Her eyes grow moist, “I can’t tell you.”“You don’t have a boyfriend do you?”“No, it’s nothing like that.”Seeing her on the verge of tears he smiles and changes the subject. “It’s okay Luce, let’s just have fun while we can okay?” She nods and smiles again. They had a lot of fun that day at the beach. Since Lucy couldn’t swim they stuck to the shallows but splashing around was enough fun for the two of them. He tried his best not to stare at her but how could he help the feelings that were developing for the attractive blonde. But things were no easier for her. Once the shirt came off and she had to see his chiseled body… heated didn’t quite describe how she felt.After grabbing lunch from a snack shack they plop down on a couple of lounge chairs to relax. “Thank you Natsu for bringing me here, it’s been so much fun!”“Anything for you Luce…” he reaches over and rubs his thumb over her hand. But he continues to hold it and she doesn’t stop him. Sigh… But soon she can feel the tension relax, looking over she notices he has fallen asleep and a smirk falls over her face. Borrowing a small bucket from another beach goer she fills it with water and creeps over to the unsuspecting young man. Splash! “What the!” he scrambles off the chair to see Lucy heaving from her laughter. “Why you!” he rushes at her. She shrieks, tossing the bucket down and heads for the water. “Come here Luce!” he’s laughing and yelling at the same time.“Catch me first Natsu!” she calls back, but when she turns to look she realizes he’s gaining on her. She runs in and makes it till the water is to her chest…“Gotcha!” he grabs her around the waist and picks her up. “Don’t you dare!” she’s shrieking but he drops her in anyways. Popping back up immediately she turns around to see him now laughing hysterically. “Natsu!” she throws herself at him pushing them both back under for a few seconds.When they come up for air he’s still laughing but grabs her around the waist. “You should’a seen your face when I dropped you.”“I can’t believe you did that! What if I drowned!”His face softens, “You know I’d never let that happen, right?”Sigh, “I know you wouldn’t.”His arms tighten around her, a moment passes as they gaze into each other’s eyes. Natsu lowers his head slowly testing the field, will she respond back. As soon as she closes her eyes he leans the rest of the way for a kiss...All of a sudden, the waters around them start to bubble and boil, he breaks the kiss because he knows it’s not him doing it and that’s when he finally realizes how hot her body temperature has become. “Lucy? H-how are you doing that?”“Oh no!” she tries to push away but he holds her even tighter. “Natsu let me go… Y-you weren’t… I-I’m not supposed to…”“Lucy, I am not letting go of you.” She stops pushing and looks back to his face whose eyes are not scared but inquisitive. “I know I can boil the water if I want to, but how are you doing it??”“W-wait, h-how, Natsu are you able to still touch me? I must feel like a thousand degrees right now…”“Luce I’m a fire dragon slayer, this is nothing for me to handle. Are you a fire mage too? No that can’t be it, I don’t sense normal magic from you… it’s different.”She looks around the beach to see a lot of people staring at them. “I-I think we should get out of here.”“We can if that’s what you want, but you still need to tell me the truth Luce, please? I think I deserve it.”She looks down, “Yes… you do.” They grab their things and walk further down the beach and away from the crowds. Lucy plops down on the sand and Natsu takes a place beside her. “If you don’t believe what I tell you I’ll understand… but you are right, I am not even from Earthland.”“Are you from another realm like Edolas?”She shakes her head and points to the sky, “I come from up there, from the stars. “My aunt Amaterasu granted me a chance to visit your world because I wanted to explore… But she told me not to tell anyone where I’m from or what I am, a-and not to get close to anyone cause I would only be here a week… But I didn’t expect to meet someone like you.” Lucy hangs her head. Natsu sits back as she talks, soaking in all the information. “I’ve watched you humans for over a thousand years, and I found you all so fascinating.” She looks back up to him, “I watched what happened with the dragons… that is why I was surprised when you told me your father was one. I thought the last one was killed by Acnologia 400 years ago.” Tears start to build in her eyes. “Why’d you have to be so sweet to me… Natsu I…”She is stunned when he reaches over and pulls her into a hug, “Luce, I believe everything you’re telling me.” He chuckles, “Maybe normal humans wouldn’t but I’m not normal,” pulling back and grinning, “I’m a Fairytail wizard.”A tear breaks free and trickles down her face. “But I’m not human at all Natsu, I’m a god.”He shrugs his shoulders, “So. We deal with demons, supernatural creatures, even a God every now and again. It’s nothing new to me.” He wipes the tear off her cheek. “At least you’re not one I need to battle.” He smiles at her, “unless part of your magic is making me fall in love with you.”But instead of being happy, his comment makes her push him away. “See! That’s what I mean… I-I can’t stay, don’t you get it? I have to leave in a week, and I don’t want to hurt anyone when I do. Please don’t make this harden then it has to be.”“Do you care about me too Luce?” His eyes search hers with a glimmer of hope. Sigh, “Yes…”“That’s good enough for me.” He smiles at her. “At least I’ll be able to brag that I caught me a God.”She starts to laugh. “You are so weird.”“I just wanted to see you smiling again.” They arrive back in Magnolia on the last train. On their way to the inn, “Tomorrow is the festival Luce, I’d still like to accompany you to it.”“I’d still like that too Natsu.”“Then I’ll be back in the morning at 9 again.” He kisses her hand, “Good night my goddess.”She giggles, “Good night my fiery dragon.”He grins, “I like that one…” and walks away. Midway to his house his arms are grabbed from behind. “Alright spill it Natsu, what’s going on with Lucy?” Erza’s got one arm, Gray’s got the other.“What, she’s just a nice girl and I’m playing the tour guide.”“Then where’d you guys go today, Levy said she saw you get on a train.”“She wanted to go to the beach so we visited Aikane.”“We already heard from witnesses about the boiling water incident. Was that her?”“No, it was me, she got me all riled up after she splashed me with a bucket of water.”Gray snickers, “Aren’t you forgetting the part of your kiss?”“How’d you…”“Sources man, we have our sources.”“Well there’s nothing more to tell. Yeah so, I kissed her, what’s the big deal.”Erza- “Natsu, I know you’ve never kissed a girl before. What’s so special about this one?”He runs his hand through his hair, “She’s just special to me I guess.”Gray- “And it has nothing to do with her energy? Haven’t you noticed her body temperature is just like yours, hotter than then the rest of us?”“Maybe I did, but I didn’t think anything of it. Can I go now? Tomorrow is the festival and I promised to take her.”Erza- “Natsu, you’d tell us if there was anything we needed to worry about, right?”“Of course I would, now if you’ll excuse me…” he walks away.They watch him until they can’t see him anymore. “Do you believe him Erza?”“I have to say yes and no. He’s not telling us everything… but I do believe him when he says she’s nothing for us to worry about.” At 8:30am Lucy hears a knock on her door, “Hey Luce it’s me, hope I’m not too early.”She opens the door, “No, I’m ready. Good morning Natsu, you look nice today all dressed up.”“Are you going to dress up too?”“I didn’t know I was supposed to or even where to get a Yukata.”He grins, “I can help you with that. Let’s hurry so we can get you dressed and over to the festival.”“How?” she asks as he pulls her out of the room. “I know Mira will be able to help us at the guild. Besides I wanted you to meet my best friend Happy, he just got back from a mission.” Bursting into the doors he heads straight for the bar, “Mira, could you help Lucy, she’s never worn a yukata before.”The white haired mage smiles, “I can’t say I remember you in one either, special occasion Natsu?”He blushes, “Yeah, I wanted to go all out for her.”Mira smirks at him then turns to Lucy, “We can definitely help you out. Come with me.” She pulls the blonde with her. Lucy gives Natsu a worried look. “Don’t worry Luce, it’ll be okay.”“I think I’ve got the perfect one for you to wear Lucy,” Mira smiles at her, “You’ll give Natsu a nose bleed for sure.”Lucy blushes, “I-I don’t want to hurt him.”“It’s just an expression.” She smiles, “He’s gonna love it on ya, trust me.” “May I present Miss Lucy.” Mira grins to the fidgeting young man.“Took long enough, the festival already…” Natsu’s jaw drops when she walks out. “Wow…” Lucy stands in front of him in a gorgeous silk yukata of red and black covered in embroidered dragon and star designs. Her hair is up with pins and other hanging accessories that just adds to the overall look. “Do you like it Natsu?” Lucy blushes. He’s speechless. “Natsu?!” She calls out as the man faints. Slap. “Get up man, the girls waiting for you!” Natsu’s eyes pop open to see Gray standing above him.“What happened?” he sits upSnickering, “You fainted, you pansy. Better hurry up the festival is starting already.” And pulls Natsu off the ground.When he turns he sees Lucy waiting with a worried look on her face. “Natsu are you okay?”His cheeks turn pink, “I’m fine, we should ge… wait I wanted you to meet Happy.”“I already did while you were passed out. He said he’ll see you at the festival.”“Oh. Okay.”While they walk to the festival, Natsu avoids looking at Lucy lest he might faint again but she won’t let him get away with that. “Do you think Mira did a good job?” He just nods. “She said she was gonna make your nose bleed, but I didn’t understand what she meant.”“Figures…” he mutters.“I’m sorry?”“Mira… I shoulda figured she’d pull something like that.”“So… you don’t like it?”“No, it looks great on you.” He squeezes her hand, “sorry, didn’t mean to upset you.”“I’m fine Natsu. As long as you are.”He grins again, “Couldn’t be better.” Arriving at South Gate Park, Lucy’s hand flies up to her mouth, “It’s so beautiful…” Everywhere she looks there is something new to see. Vendors for food and souvenirs are spread out all over the park. Large, colorful shaped origami, streamers, Matsuri and Kusudama paper decorations hang from trees and booths. “Natsu there’s so much to see, I don’t know where to start!” “Can we start with food, I’m hungry.”She giggles, “You are always hungry.” They find a vendor that sells Okonomiyaki and chicken Yakitori. Lucy also orders some sweet red bean Taiyaki. Natsu gobbles up his food quickly while she just eats and walks along. “Lucy, we should go write our wishes.”“Oh right, where do we go for that?”“There should be a booth somewhere around here where you get the paper, we can keep looking around until we find it.”Eventually Lucy sees an area with several bamboo branches covered with paper strips. “Is that it Natsu?”He looks where she is pointing, “Yeah.” Grabbing her hand as they walk over. Natsu asks the lady at the booth for two tanzaku (paper) to write their wishes on; he hands Lucy one of them with a pen. “Do you know what you plan to write?”“I think so.”“Me too.”There are tables set up for people to write their messages before hanging them on the bamboo trees, neither waste any time as if they knew exactly what they planned to write before arriving today… ‘I wish to stay on Earthland with Natsu and live life as a human wizard.’ ‘I wish Lucy could stay with me on Earthland and we live happily ever after.’ They both have blushes when they look up from their papers but before either can say anything, they hear someone calling, “Lushee! Natsu!”“Happy!” the blue cat flies into Natsu’s arms. “Been awhile buddy!”“Hi Happy,” Lucy smiles, “Nice to see you again.”“You look pretty Lushee.”“Awe, thank you Happy.”“Hey Happy, do you think you could tie our wishes to the very top of the tree?”“Sure Natsu.” He does as he is asked to. “So, what are you guys doing?”“Just looking around enjoying the festival. What about you, where is Charle?”“She’s with Wendy, the Kamishibai storytelling is starting soon.”Natsu turns to Lucy, “Would you like to go watch too?”“That sounds like fun.”Happy leads them through the crowds to the booth where they find Wendy and Charle already seated. By the time introductions are made, darkness falls on the festival bringing the lights and puppets on stage to life. The friends didn’t know that Lucy knows this story all too well… ‘The tale of Tanabata. Orihime, the daughter of Tentei, the Sky King would weave beautiful cloth (clouds) along the banks of the Amanogawa (Milky Way) because her father loved the cloth she would weave. But she was sad because she wished to fall in love someday so her father arranged for her to meet someone, Hikoboshi who lived on the other side of the Amanogawa. They two fell instantly in love and were married. But after marrying, her father became upset that Orihime would no longer weave the cloths he wanted. In anger, Tentei separated the two on opposite sides of the Amanogawa and forbade them from seeing each other again. Orihime was so distraught she begged her father who finally relented and told her if she worked hard all year with her weaving, then on the 7th day of the 7th month they could see each other. So that is what she did, but that first year she went to the river only to find no bridge. She cried and cried until a flock of Magpies came and created a bridge for her to cross. It is said that if doesn’t rain on Tanabata it is good luck, because that means the magpies could make the bridge for the lovers, if not, they have to wait another year to see each other.’ Lucy sat quietly through the whole story. The humans only regarded the tale as just a cute love story, but she knew that this really happened long, long ago; it was a tale that she never really thought much about until now. Sitting next to Natsu, emotions flood her… She felt like Orihime about to be torn from her love but she didn’t want to alarm Natsu so she holds back her tears.“Did you like the story,” Natsu turns to Lucy at the end.“Mmhmm.” She nods, but he can sense the sadness and smell the excess salt in her eyes.“What’s wrong Lucy?”“It’s nothing.”“I know that’s not true, I can feel it. Your eyes… no tears but I can smell the change…”“It’s…”“I feel like Hikoboshi too…”She looks into his softened eyes as a tear manages to break free. “Please can we just not talk about this… it’s too sad, and I don’t want to ruin the happiness you’ve shown me.”Natsu cups her cheek with his hand, “I’ve only known you for 3 days… but just the thought of not having you around…”“I’ll be able to look down and see you, but… you won’t be able to see me.”“Lucy…” He wraps his arms around her waist and leans down to kiss her. She wraps her arms around his neck and holds on wanting this moment to never end. “I love you…” he whispers“I love you too Natsu.”Wendy, Charle, and Happy sit silently watching the heartbreaking scene. They have no idea what triggered it, but it is obvious something special is happening.Out of nowhere, a bright beam descends upon the couple bathing them in a golden light. The 3 three friends looking on, shield their eyes from its brilliance, confused, where is this light coming from? The couple breaks from their exchange and Lucy looks to the sky, “Aunty Ama?” A voice that only the couple can hear speaks. “My darling niece, is your wish truly to stay with this man?”“Yes aunty! I love him.”“And you Natsu, is your wish truly to have Lucy stay with you?”“Yes! I love her!”“Very well. Lucy, Natsu I will grant your star wishes because I see the pure love resting in your hearts. Lucy, we will miss you but I will grant your second wish as well. You will become a Celestial Spirit mage on Earthland.” Three golden keys appear on her lap along with 2 silver ones. “Take these to begin your new life. Find the rest to fulfill your new destiny.”“Oh, Aunty Amaterasu, I can really stay?”“You’ll be human now, no longer immortal, but yes, if that is your wish, I just want to see you happy.”“Thank you Aunty!”“Thank you Amaterasu!”“Take care of my niece Mr. Dragneel!”“I promise, with my life!”“Good bye you two and good luck.” The light disappears.“Natsu?!” She grabs him in a hug.“Lucy?!” pulling her tight.Charle- “Um, excuse me but… What the hell just happened!”The young couple turn to their friends, “Oh.” Lucy looks to Natsu unsure of what to say.“We’ll tell everyone later, for now…” he looks back to Lucy, “we have some things we need to take care.” The couple stands up and leaves their friends sitting there dumbstruck. While the pair walk towards the parks exit, Natsu puts his arm around Lucy’s waist, “Did that really just happen? Did your aunt just make our Tanabata wishes come true?”“I’m just as shocked as you are and yes, that seems to be what she did. But now I don’t know what I’m supposed to do… I-I’ve never had to live, survive on my own before.”“You won’t be alone Luce, we’ll all be by your side.”“But where will I live, I-I’ll need to get a job I guess…”“You can stay with me and Happy…” he squeezes her waist excited, “you can come with me to Fairytail!”“Will that be okay?”“Of course, like your aunt said, you’re a wizard now!” he grinsAs the pair reach the sidewalk, Gray and Erza run up, “Hey you two, did you see that light coming from the sky? It landed in the park!”Natsu- “Oh yeah, that was just her aunt.”Gray/Erza- “Huh!”“I promise, tomorrow morning we’ll come to the guild and explain everything, but right now we need to get Lucy moved out of the inn and into my place.”Gray- “But…”Lucy- “I promise to tell you the truth tomorrow but Natsu is right plus I’m tired and I’d like to get some rest.”Erza- “Fine, but if you don’t show up by 10, I’ll come lookin’ for you two.”Natsu stiffens, “We’ll be there by 9:30.”Erza and Gray step aside to let the couple leave. “How can a light be her aunt?”“I don’t know Gray, but we’ll just have to wait till tomorrow to find out.” True to their word, by 9:30 the happy couple walks into the guild hall hand in hand to shock of everyone. “Gramps,” Natsu grins, “Lucy here would like to join our guild.”“On one condition, she needs to tell me the truth of where she came from.”Lucy turns to him and smiles, “Where do you want me to begin?”
11487144	Do It With a Rockstar	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "F/F", "Characters": "Amanda Palmer, Emilie Autumn", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by KeeperofSeeds", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-13T00:00:00", "words": "100", "Additional Tags": "RPF, Musicians, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, Drabble, Implied Femslash, Community: femslashficlets, Implied Relationships, Inspired by Music, Amanda Fucking Palmer, Concerts", "Relationship": "Emilie Autumn/Amanda Palmer", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": "femslashficlets - shakespeare prompt challenge", "Collections": "femslashficlets: shakespeare prompt challenge, femslashficlets", "Fandoms": "Bandom, Amanda Palmer (Musician), Emilie Autumn (Musician)", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Amanda sees a flash of red in the crowd and feels a shiver run up her spine. She came. She wasn't sure she would. Amanda meets Emilie's eyes, then widens her stance to bare down harder on the keyboard. Emilie's pale face paint and small heart under her eye blend in here. She could be anyone, mixed in as she is among the crowd of goths and punks with ripped clothes and various artists and students.Emilie winks and Amanda sings louder and knows she'll follow that flash of red, the siren call of that voice, wherever it may lead.
11426076	Apostate	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Katsuki Yuuri, Victor Nikiforov, Victor Nikiforov's Family, Yuri Plisetsky, Nikolai Plisetsky, Phichit Chulanont, Celestino Cialdini", "Fandom": "Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Explicit", "author": "by Francowitch", "chapters": "20/20", "completed": "2017-08-26", "published": "2017-07-07T00:00:00", "words": "40,351", "Additional Tags": "Dragon Age AU, Slow Burn, Mage Yuuri, Mage viktor, Mage Yuri, will update tags as I go, Dragon Age Lore, Alternate Universe - Dragon Age Fusion, Original Character(s), Angst and Fluff and Smut, Abduction, slavers - Freeform, Trauma, Original Character Death(s), Violence, Fire, Escape, Confessions, Childhood Trauma, Loss of Control, Blow Jobs, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Victor Nikiforov & Yuri Plisetsky, Katsuki Yuuri & Yuri Plisetsky, Phichit Chulanont & Katsuki Yuuri", "Series": "Apostate", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Chapter 1 Yuuri was not certain to how he should feel about the information which was now in front of him, and the decision which seemed to be being made without his consent. While having decisions made for him was nothing new since joining the other mages in the tower of Orlais, it had been a huge departure from his freer life among the ancient lands of his clan. He had been given the opportunity to think over his future with the deadline that evening. In general being an elf there were not many options open to him, and most had all rights and decisions made for them. Yuuri sighed pushing back his black hair as he fell back onto his bed. “That is the hundredth time I have heard you sigh Yuuri. What did the old man want with you?” The raven haired elf turned over on his bed looking over to the man sitting across from him. Phichit Chulanont his best friend and roommate of several years looked to Yuuri with his chocolate eyes full of concern. Phichit was a beautiful dark skinned human mage who had talents in shape shifting. The question Yuuri had was why would they not have asked for Phichit instead? Yuuri sighed once more, taking off his glasses pinching the bridge of his nose, “Phichit, they want me to go to the Imperium.” “What? Really?” Even with his eyes closed Yuuri could envision his friend's eyes being wide with excitement, cracking open one eye he could not help but smile at the sight of Phichit's grin. “Yes, really.” Yuuri rolled onto his side, “I mean it is not like they are just throwing me out there to the blood mages. But Celestino is here and he requested my assistance in his research which includes going up to the Imperium.” “Ciao Ciao?? He is here?” Phichit was positively bouncing now. Yuuri chuckled, he knew how much his roommate and friend crushed on the older man. “Yes he is. And before you ask, despite it being a while, but he looks exactly the same. Perhaps his hair is a bit longer, but he is the same.” Phichit sighed, “What I would do to run my fingers through those--” “Oh for the love of, please stop!” Yuuri was flushing, last thing he wanted was to hear his best friend wax on about the Antivan mage. “Anyway he is here and is among those who are always complaining about the confines of the tower. He also carries news about Ferelden.” “I heard that they had an uprising.” “More like they had a few rebels who decided that blood magic was a better concept than talking to their head mage.” Phichit hissed at the mention of blood magic, “Why?” Yuuri sat up crossing his legs as he put back on his glasses, the room coming into sharp focus, “I am not sure. I know some believe that when backed into a corner making that deal is the only option, but,” he sighed, “I cannot believe that. I cannot believe that there is ever a good reason for that. There is always another way, a way that does not lead to corruption, and ultimately, death.” Phichit nodded, his smile was sad, a change came over his face as he then looked pointedly to his raven haired friend. “Were abominations a thing which happened a lot for your people. You know before...” He hesitated as though unsure how to finish asking the question. Yuuri thought back, it had been so long since he had been among his clan, he took a deep breath before answering. “Remember that I was twelve when I was brought here to the circle,” Yuuri's voice was low as he recalled to his time among the Dalish, “so what I know of the people will be limited. It is rare for us to share our magic users with the humans, often people like myself we were brought up to become the next keepers. We are kept and shared among the clans so that we keep our magics and secrets, and as a way to keep the circle and chantry happy we give up a few as sacrifice to ensure the clan's future. Our young are not feared when it is found that they have magic as they seem to among you humans.” Phichit nodded, “But do you not have accidents? Or mages who go insane?” Yuuri smirked, “I cannot remember that ever really being an issue. I mean there were those who dream walked, so they were more likely to gain contact with the spirits and daemons of the fade. But temptation to become an abomination? It was not something which happens often. We revere our dead, and blood magic is considered taboo even among our kind. I do remember the keeper teaching me that when I first presented as mage. Those who break the taboo, we have our ways to deal with them, we call those who break taboo era'harel , or daemon mages. The elders though are the only ones who know what happens to them. It is not even something which I can answer you here.” Now the boy was looking quite disappointed, “I have a feeling that even if you did know you would not tell me, am I right Yuuri?” Yuuri smirked, “You are right, I am sorry lethallin. There are still certain things which even after all of these years I am not able to share with you.” “Do you miss them?” “Sometimes.” Yuuri sighed, “I mean, I willingly came here, and I have been among the circle longer than I was ever among my family and clan. Despite that, and all I have learned. There are times where I miss the sound of the wind blowing through the trees, the sound of the halla as they pulled our aravels through the forests, of the young ones laughing and playing games among the camps. I may not have been among the people for a long time, but they are always with me in my heart.” Phichit shifted clapping his hands together soundly which made Yuuri jump, glaring at his friend. “Well I think you have your answer then.” “What?” “You must go Yuuri! You have the opportunity to leave this tower! To see other things beyond these walls and perhaps even seeing your people again.” Yuuri blushed shaking his head, “I would not even know the first way of how to find them, it is not like they stay in the same place. The people are nomads, constantly moving to keep under the radar of mage hunters and the humans in general.” “Don’t you mean shems?” Phichit smirked as he used a common slur for humans. Yuuri's eyes went wide, “I would never say such a thing! That word has lost all of it’s intended meaning, it is from back when we had long lives and your people moved so fast with your short ones. Now we are just as mortal, our time just as short and swift. And it has become a slur more common among those who grew up in the city with no idea of what it means to be of the people. To truly be Elvhen.” he sighed, “As it is I am not sure that I can truly be considered of the people anymore with having spent so much time here.” Phichit laughed, “You are not like the city elves who play at being Dalish, you are Dalish, with your fancy tattoos and all.” “Vallaslin.” Yuuri chuckled, indicating to his face markings, “these are called vallaslin, it is a type of blood writing only done to those of the clan who have proven themselves in someway.” “Yes those! You belong.” “See now Phichit, that is where I stand out the most. My marking shows that I am a magic user and one who was made sacrifice for the people. If I were to run back to them, I would not be made welcome among the clans. Instead I would looked on with shame that I failed to keep those who would do us harm, that I failed to keep my promise.” “Woah, harsh.” “Would you not be shamed if you went back home?” Phichit chuckled, “You forget, my parents give rather large donations here to the circle and the chantry. While it would be a huge scandal if I were to go rogue and become an apostate. I am sure that my father would know whose palms to grease in order to have it swept under the rug so not to drag the family name through the mud.” It had slipped Yuuri's mind of how Phichit came from a wealthy family from Orlais. While he was part of the circle, he also had more free reign than those who were brought in from the outside or poorer families. Unlike others, Phichit was given permission on occasion to leave the tower and visit his parent’s home for parties and events. Not that it was something he did often, but the option was available to him. “I actually had forgotten.” Yuuri blushed at the mistake, “I am sorry.” Phichit was still chuckling, “There is no need to apologize. The fact that you never remember my wealth is part of why I love you so much. Aside from that it is not like I ever use the family name while here, and I almost never go to the events and parties my parents put on. I have never been able to stand those events. Everyone talking about how wealthy they are, and what new thing they have purchased at an insane cost. And then there are the servants.” Phichit's face when dark. Yuuri knew that his friend was referring to the fact that majority of these high end social events had elves as the servants, as it was considered 'exotic' having an elf serving you. That within majority of the human cities elves were nothing more than second class citizens, and barely tolerated at that. Yuuri smiled fondly at his friend it meant much to him how passionate he was about Elven rights, while for Yuuri who was raised as a Dalish and then came to the circle it was hard for him to truly understand what the city elves went through. But he loved his human friend and how he wanted equal rights for all. Phichit noticed Yuuri's smile and coked his head to the side, “Why are you looking at me like that?” “Oh nothing levallin, just love how passionate you are about those who are under you. It is quite a wonderful characteristic to have. Not one that you see often with humans.” Phichit smirked, “No my friend, it is called having a heart. Something that is missing in high society .” “I really should go with Ciao Ciao.” “Uh yes of course you should!” Phichit’s tone was serious, “If only for the reason of that is happening with Fereldan. And with all the whispers of discontent in the tower. It is probably safer out there than it is here, than any circle in Thedas.” “Now you have me concerned for you here!” Phichit chuckled, “Rich family remember? I will be more than fine. If it comes down to anything I have a place to go to be safe. Do not think that the great Chulanont's do not have a backup plan for every situation.” “True, and this way I will be able to do more studies on magic outside of the circle.” “There you go,” Phichit nodded to his friend, “I really suggest you get down to the first enchanter and let him and Ciao Ciao know that you are more than interested! Go before you convince yourself to stay behind and lose it to someone else. I mean do you want someone like Jean-Jacques getting this opportunity?” Yuuri cringed, the mage Jean-Jacques LeRoy was flamboyant and arrogant. While he could not deny that the man knew his magics, he was pompous and someone who Yuuri preferred avoiding in general. “You are right, I will get down there now.” Yuuri flushed as he straightened up his robes, “I need to get out and if anything this is just continuing my studies.” Yuuri walked out of the dorm room that he had shared with Phichit for the better part of a decade since he had taken the harrowing. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 2 “Ugh Yuri remind me why I have to go?” A young blond looked over scowling at the older man with long silver hair. “Are you kidding me old man?” “Old man? I am not that old! Just you wait Yuri until you have some brat punk calling you old at only twenty-seven.” “Yeah I doubt that, anyway but that point you will still be older! A grandfather by that point!” The older man chuckled falling back into a chair flipping back his hair, “I suppose if I wait too much longer they will send someone even more annoying to collect me.” The blond Yuri scowled once more pulling a face, “Yes get going before my grandfather comes up.” He nodded to the younger boy standing up with a sigh, “I will see you later then Yuri, try not to get into too much trouble.” He went to leave the room, poking his head back in at the last moment, “Oh, and if you are looking to listen in, I would suggest that you try along the balcony, father always leaves that window open for fresh air and sound travels really well in there too.” With a wink he then walked out once more chuckling at the now red faced teenager. * With a sigh the young man checked his reflection straightening his clothing and hair. He was dressed as was expected of a magister's eldest son and heir. “Master Nikiforov, you are looking well, your father is waiting inside.” A low voice spoke from behind him making him jump. He turned his blue eyes sparkling recognizing the voice of the elf servant who grew up alongside the silver haired man. Levi was tall for an elf and stood at the same height, his face had delicate features that were hallmark of his race. His eyes were the strangest violet hue which stood out against his pale skin, with long black hair swept back in a low pony tail. “Oh Levi, I did not see you there.” He smiled, “And how many times did I say, call me Viktor, I hate that master stuff. We used to play together for crying out loud.” The elf bowed, “I know you keep saying so but it would be improper. Also you forgot your medallion sir.” Viktor's slender hand slapped up to his face dramatically his voice dry and cooler, “Ahh you are correct Levi, perhaps I will just have to go back to my rooms. I cannot appear before his lordship looking like some uncouth savage from the planes or worse those southern upstarts. He might not even recognize me, his eldest son without the adornments which dictate which house I belong to.” Viktor went to leave but found that he was being blocked by the elf, “That will not be necessary, sir .” Viktor looked down with a pained sigh seeing that there was something in Levi's hand, it was the medallion of the house Nikiforov. An ornate golden medal with a Wyvern embossed along the medal. The heavy symbol was strung on a thick woven ribbon of blues and silvers. With a deep sigh Viktor put a bland smile on his face and took up the offered medal nodding his thanks to the elf who had not moved. Levi bowed deeper once Viktor had it around his neck which made Viktor click his tongue in annoyance. He stiffly turned towards his father's office, as he reached for the door it opened in front of him showing a much older man with striking jade-green eyes and grey hair. Viktor bowed his head at the sight of his uncle, allowing the elder to pass, “Dyadya Nikolai.” The old man looked up at Viktor with a steady gaze, “Vitya. Good you are here, my grandson he fetched you?” “Yes, Yura came for me, as was requested.” The old man grunted and walked passed Viktor patting his shoulder as he passed, “Good, good. See you later then Vitya.” Viktor nodded bowing his head in acknowledgement once more before stepping into his father's office. Like the whole house the office of Alexander Nikiforov was decorated as though to mimic the style of the empress of Orlais. Despite being Tevinter, after a visit to the upstart empire, Viktor's mother found a love for Orlesian culture and decor. Everything in the manse was decorated in deep blues and whites, with heavy gold accents. When they had moved into the mansion she immediately had gone to renovating and redecorating from its stark design to the current and more Orlais aesthetics. Viktor was certain that if she could have gotten away with it she would have insisted that they all wear the ridiculous masks that they seemed to favour in the Southern city. Viktor took it all in as he walked through bowing at his neck in greeting to his father who was standing behind an impressive mahogany desk. Alexander Nikiforov was a tall man with a commanding presence but unlike his son who was lean with silver hair, Alexander had short dark brown hair which was peppered with silver at the side showing his age. His face was heavily lined as though carved out of clay, with an expression that was always severe as though on the edge of anger. Currently his father's face was devoid of emotion, save his mouth that was drawn in a thin line which spoke more than any words that would come next. Viktor could feel his insides writhing slightly as he faced forward, with a deep breath he schooled his face to show nothing. “You know why you are here Vitya.” His father's voice was stern and exasperated as he spoke to his eldest. “I have an idea,” Viktor's tone was measured, “but if I am right then this is something which we have already discussed at length.” His father slammed his hand on the desk making the objects rattle in front of him, “Enough of this nonsense! It is bad enough that you have rejected every potential bride your mother and I present to you, but this I will not tolerate. The last potential left here in tears, do you know how many letters and gifts of apology your mother and I had to send in your stead? You are my son, my eldest, at the very least, you will join me and stand at my side in the Imperium.” “I will not papa accept any bride you show me.” Viktor smirked, “You already know why I refuse the proposals. I am gay, even if you refuse to accept it.” The elder man let out a huff of air, “Ahh Vitya, I do not need this from you today. There is a time for indiscretions, but you are now an adult, it is time to take a bride, keep your perversions on the side, like others do.” He rubbed at his eyes with a deep sigh, “Just be at the Magisterium, you are expected to be there this afternoon and I will not tolerate your skipping it.” Viktor gave his father a deep bow with flourish, “As you wish papa, but I will once more suggest that you look to Alexei for such things. He is a better heir than I would ever be. And the answer is still no on marriage.” Without waiting for a reply Viktor turned and walked out of the room smirking as he hears his father let out a stream of curses under his breath. He had gotten the last word in on his father, he had won, sort of. Next would be going to the Magisterium, and dealing with them. The thought was worse than anything he could think of, he would have preferred getting lectured by his tutor Old Yakov once more for hours before having to spend a minute at the Magisterium. Viktor's mirth was not long lived though as he walked into the parlour he saw the tall serene form of his mother. Tatijana was slender much like her eldest son, with silvery hair that hung below her waist when not plaited in complicated braids. This morning she was wearing an ankle length blue gown with silver accents likely painfully sewn on by a small army of elf seamstresses, while it was a very simple design by her normal standards it still was beautiful. “Mama.” Viktor greeted her with his hand out to kiss the top of her hand. “Vitya,” her voice was scolding, but he could see her blue eyes were twinkling, “you were harassing your father again were you not? You should not antagonize him Luchik.” Viktor smiled at his mother's use of her pet name for him, “Only a little mama.” She sighed, bringing her hand dramatically to her face, “Oh Vitya...” Viktor noticed slight movement in the room identifying it as Levi he reached up and removed the medallion from his neck causing a small gasp from his mother. He did not look back to her until it was removed completely flipping back his hair and giving his neck a stretch. “Honestly mama,” He held out the medal by its ribbon, releasing it to the void, knowing that Levi would be there to silently catch it, Viktor's face and tone were impassive, “you think that we were at some official event rather than at home, why should I put on airs for my own family?” He waved off Levi, who bowed backing away from the pair. “Oh Luchik, please at least dress appropriately this afternoon as she will be there.” She reached forward straightening Viktor's collar which was now standing up slightly from the crest. Viktor's eyes narrowed, “Babushka?” “Vitya! Never let her hear you call her that!” Viktor could barely contain a laugh, his mother whose voice was shocked her face was slipping in amusement. “ Da, da.” Viktor spoke his hand waving off his mother, “I know I will only refer to her by name, Viktoriya.” “The fact she never wants to admit her age,” His mother placed a cold hand against his cheek, patting him gently, “Ahh, Luchik, you know you are her favourite.” “Well when mother and daughter look more like my siblings than my mother and grandmother it makes it very easy.” he smiled fondly, “I am sure it also helps that you named me after her mama.” He took her hand and kissed it gently. “But you know you are still prettiest and my favourite.” “It was the only name she would accept you looked so much like a Nikiforov as a babe, heavens forbid had I named you after your father.” Viktor chuckled, “She is not that bad mama, but I am always careful and know just the right words to flatter. Besides as you said she loves me best.” “Da, da.” His mother looked over his shoulder then back to Viktor her voice a bit lower, “Now get going Vitya before your papa comes out and sees that you are still here.” Viktor nodded and went back to his rooms to get ready to face whatever it was that the council had in store for him. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 3 Everything started to move extremely fast for Yuuri once he had accepted the position with Ciao Ciao. Yuuri smiled to himself as he placed some of the things he would need for his trip, the First Enchanter had looked extremely pleased when the raven haired elf had come to them with a 'yes' on his lips. The moment he did give his affirmative though Ciao Ciao gave him the afternoon to pack only the essentials as they were going to leave before the dinner bell. Phichit slammed open the door to their dorm, “I just heard from Otabek you are leaving tonight?” Yuuri chuckled leaning back from his bed his hand scratching at his hair, “Yeah, I went down saw the First Enchanter and Celestino. Well, and then I was told I had to pack up as we were leaving tonight before dinner.” “Okay, but how does dull Otabek know? I mean he is practically a tranquil with the zero personality, how does tranquilbek know more about my best friend than I do?” “What are you talking about? Otabek is a very capable mage, he is among the best in enchantments and in time, I believe will rival Rhys in abilities.” “Sure, latch onto that part of the conversation.” Yuuri grasped Phichit’s shoulders to look at his friend in his eyes, “You already knew I was saying yes, you were here this morning when I made that decision. You know when I left to accept. Lethallin, of course you were the first to know anything.” The raven haired elf tapped his pale forehead to Phichit's brown one, Yuri closed his eyes to ground himself for a moment before turning back to his bed. Yuuri sighed, “More than likely Otabek was just in the room when Celestino was discussing our travel plans, it was not like we were in an office. I found them in the library where there were many others doing research and studies.” Phichit huffed at Yuuri's back, “Fine, and that is true I did get the first scoop that you had even been asked!” “umm hmm.” Yuuri was distracted, although happy that his friend was no longer pestering him. “So what are you trying to do now Yuuri? I do not think that things will pack themselves, or that you will fit all of those books into a satchel.” Yuuri blushed looking at the pile of books longingly, they were his absolute favourite volumes which after careful consideration he was unable to bear the thought of parting with them. “But...” Phichit chuckled, “Oh you sweet sweet nerd. You will not want to hike over Thedas with books in your pack. Only pack the essentials. You were a nomadic elf for Andraste's sake. Act like one!” “I am still Dalish thank you very much,” Yuuri tried to sound frustrated but more came off petulant, “and we had wagons which carried our things, but may the Dread Wolf take me, you are right. I really do not need all of these books.” Yuuri sighed, backing up and sitting on Phichit's bed staring at the sprawled mess across his own. He could feel his heart pounding as though trying to escape his chest, and his breathing was getting shallower. “What was I thinking? I am the worst Dalish out there! I am meant to be in the library stacks, researching ancient spells and components! I barely remember how to use the trails, why did he choose me? There are so many better choices. You!” He turned his eyes wide to Phichit, “You would be so much better with your ability to shapeshift! I am useless!” Phichit came forward at once seeing his friend panic enveloping him in a tight hug, “Hush now, you are perfect just as you are. And honestly Yuuri, I can shift into a hamster, while cute as a button, I would be targeted as bait or a snack by the first wolf.” Yuuri leaned into the hug, feeling his heart rate begin to slow down, “I am still not sure why me, maybe they made a mistake.” Phichit pushed his friend off, his caramel eyes searching Yuuri's brown and gold flecked ones, “Do you really not see your own worth?” They sat like this for a few moments Yuuri using his friend's breathing to help slow down his own, once he could feel himself coming down from the anxiety attack and could smile once more. “Phichit, what am I ever going to do without you?” The brown mage grinned, his teeth dazzling white, “You will be lost no doubt! But I am sure that between the ravens and in time we will see each other again. This is not forever after all.” Yuuri nodded and then took a deep breath, “Okay so I still have to figure out what I am taking.” “No books.” “No... Books...” Yuuri agreed morosely. Phichit clapped Yuuri on the back as he stood up to look over what his friend had out, after the barest of glances he was set at removing things from Yuuri's bed over to his own. “You only need one additional set of robes, and honestly you should look into just wearing leathers for travelling and the soft cloth leggings and a tunic instead of robes. It would be far easier when having to traverse or if you are riding a horse.” Yuuri went pale, “A horse? They are not like our halla, I never did learn how to ride one.” Phichit smirked, “Well perhaps you can trade with one of the clans when you are out and about to find one or perhaps even one of those red deer I have heard about which the southerners ride.” “The people do not trade for halla, they are in a mutual agreement. They come to the clans by choice, and leave just the same. While we have what are the equivalent of stable masters, they are called keepers, and are there to see to the needs of the Halla, help them through births and to harness them to the Aravels.” Phichit rolled his eyes and sighed, “Then maybe one will make an agreement with you!” Yuuri chuckled, “Yes perhaps.” After a bit more thinning out and repacking Yuuri had successfully packed a sack for himself, with bedding, some potion supplies, and one set of cloth travelling clothes. He was wearing the leather as it was cooler along with a hooded cloak that was held together with a bone pin of his clan. He did slip in a single leather notebook and a few travelling quills so that he could make notes as he went. “This feels far too light.” Phichit chuckled, “That is because you are not bringing your library, also make sure to talk to the knight-captain for a dagger that is better suited to the field than your herb knife.” Yuuri smiled thinking of the small blunt blade he used in his potions kit, “Yes, and I will have my staff which was given to me the day I left.” “Oooh I remember you telling me about that,” Phichit sighed, “why did they take it away when you joined the circle?” “Well at first it was because I was not considered a full mage but an apprentice when I first came here, despite my teachings through the Keeper and the Hahren. Secondly it was due to the type of staff, it is made from dragon bone and has a high enchantment. So it was deemed too dangerous for me to have just while among the other mages in the tower. Especially when initiates and apprentices are not allowed to carry staves.” Yuuri smiled picking up the old wood staff which he was given when he passed his harrowing, “While this has been a decent one, it is set for a novice and not my true staff.” Phichit grinned, “I want to see this dragon staff, is it really a dragon bone?” Yuuri laughed, “Yes, and intricately carved by our wood worker. And if you want to see, please come on down with me, I am sure that the First Enchanter will not mind.” “So why are you taking that Novice one with you now?” “I am returning this to the First Enchanter, that way some other new mage will be able to have their own staff if they are unable to afford one of their own.” He smiled looking at the worn wood, “It was a good staff, and still has quite a bit of life in it.” “You are way too sentimental,” Phichit chuckled, “but that is just part of your charm. Oh and I have a solution to your book problem. What would you say if I were to send them over to my parent's home and take care of them for you for whenever you return. That way you do not have to worry about anything.” Yuuri's eyes went wide and began to tingle with the threat of tears, “Really? You would do that?” “Of course!” Yuuri threw himself at his friend in a big hug that almost knocked the smaller man over. Phichit was chuckling at the show of emotion from his Elven friend. “Alright time has been wasted enough, let's head down.” Phichit chuckled, “Yeah Ciao Ciao is likely hopping back and forth anxious to get moving the moment you said you would go with him.” Yuuri chuckled at the thought- easily envisioning it as his friend described. * The tower was a buzz with having visiting mages like Celestino and there was even the rumour that Wynn from Ferelden circle had arrived at some point. Those who travelled outside would create a fuss as many of the younger mages would gather to glean information about what was happening in the world outside of the tower while the templars watched over warily. Yuuri could not deny that the fact of his escape and venture lying before him was creating his own stir of excitement. And that he was looking forward to a life outside of the white walls, outside of Templar influence. The pair went first over to the First Enchanter's office but were told by a guard that he along with the Knight-captain and Celestino were waiting for Yuuri in one of the lower floor common rooms. “Nothing like having the young ones getting ideas of escape.” Phichit muttered under his breath to Yuuri as they walked into one of the common rooms. Yuuri looked around at the scene and there was no doubt that there was an under current of nervous energy coming from the templars. It gave Yuuri a shiver, as it was no secret that there was a huge rift between the brotherhood of mages, some were happy, while many felt that they were in nothing more than a gilded cage or jail cell. The dark haired elf could not help but agree, while he did enjoy the solace of perusing the library and doing his research without distractions. He also understood the stifling feeling when you had your every move and action under the scrutiny of templars. As these armoured men and women would finger the hilts of their swords, some very open in their distaste for their charges. The fact that they were not allowed to leave the 'safety' of the tower without an escort and the permission of several others. They were like children or criminals, depending on the person's point of view. Yuuri smiled when he saw the First Enchanter who was standing along with Ciao Ciao and in his hand was the gleaming silver white staff of his people. “First Enchanter.” Yuuri nodded to the older man. “Ahh Yuuri, yes.” He smiled seeing the dark haired elf in front of him, “This belongs to you.” He handed over the staff as Yuuri exchanged it for the novice one he was still carrying. He could not help but smile when he heard Phichit's gasp of awe as he saw the Dragon staff up close. Yuuri could feel a warm sensation flow through him and the tingle of mana as he held the staff. It was as though it were welcoming him back. Yuuri smiled his voice low and thick with emotion, “ Ir tel'him . It is nice to have you back.” The elf looked up to his friend whose eyes were wide and shining which only made him grin wider. “It seems as though it is familiar with you,” the First Enchanter spoke his words measured, “interesting, I have only read on sentient weapons, and have never had the chance to see one in action before.” Yuuri blushed, “I am not sure if it is sentient, but it became habit as a child for me to talk with my weapons and tools.” “No I believe that the First Enchanter is correct in this case Yuuri,” Celestino spoke up his voice booming, “that staff there recognized you. What by chance is it made from?” “It is made from a bone taken from Dragon's rib cage.” Yuuri spoke softly running a hand along the staff fondly, “Our clan's quartermaster is a master at forging iron bark, so when the opportunity arose to create this piece he did what I honestly will say this was the best piece he ever created. From what I understood, he used a similar process as what he does to manipulate iron bark and was able to pull forth this piece from something that had just been bone.” He nodded, “I have heard of the Elvhen master forgers, I hope we can meet one in our travels.” Yuuri perked to the sound of the Antivan's use of the Dalish term for the people, “You speak Dalish?” Celestino chuckled, “Only a few curses and random words I have picked up during my travels, nothing worth noting. Enough I think I can get by for trade, but not to carry a conversation with I apologize.” Yuuri laughed. “So are you ready then?” Celestino looked Yuuri over, “It looks like you have everything that you would need, did you say your farewells?” Yuuri turned to his only real friend there Phichit who was still standing beside him and enveloped him into a hug. “What is it that your people say before leaving?” Phichit asked his voice thick. “ Dareth shiral , for safe travels.” Phichit sniffed placing his forehead to Yuri’s, “Then dare-eth sheer'al brother.” Yuuri smiled at the attempt, “Dareth shiral Lethallin, til we meet again.” Phichit smiled, “Until then.” With those words Yuuri left the second home he had ever known since leaving his clan. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 4 With the assistance of his cousin Yuri, Viktor reluctantly got dressed for the meeting with the magisterium. He knew that the matriarch of the house would be there and likely too would be the Archon. His formal attire consisted of leather leggings with far too many buckles to be considered useful, with a tunic of deep blue with silver binding, and it had three quarter sleeves. A leather girdle cinched his already small waist with leather and gold belts, many of which were only for decoration. Viktor’s arms were adorned with leather bracers and one shoulder had a feathered spaulder which Yuri was just buckling as they were interrupted by a knock on the outer door to Viktor's rooms. Viktor glanced to Yuri, “Who could that be?” Yuri scowled, “Well old man, we cannot know if you do not bother to answer it.” “What is with the 'old man' nonsense, Kotyenok?” Viktor chuckled, adjusting his leather bracers as he walked over to the door, leaving his cousin grumbling obscenities at his new pet name. Viktor opened the door to see his younger brother scowling on the other side. Alexei was ten years younger, and at seventeen looked like a younger version of their father for whom he was named. With dark brown hair which he kept cut short, and piercing grey eyes that were often narrowed when looking to his otherwise carefree elder brother. Viktor's smile faltered slightly at the sight of his brother- it was not that he did not like the younger boy, but that he had no idea how to break through the cold demeanour. With ten years difference in age it had been hard enough to find commonalities, but as the boys aged it became more than clear that their interests and personalities were vastly different from each other. It did not help that Alexei had taken to glaring at Viktor, anytime they were in the same space, as though weighing his worth. Viktor just assumed that he was of the same mind as their father in that he was not worthy of being the heir. “Lyosha, I was not expecting you.” Viktor's voice was strained as it always tended to be around his younger sibling. Alexei bobbed his head in greeting, “No, I expect not,” his eyes darted, narrowing when he saw that Yuri was in the room as well. “I was here to see if you needed a hand getting ready for this afternoon. But I see you already have someone here.” Viktor smiled blandly at his brother, “Brother, is that anyway to speak of your cousin? Have you forgotten your manners?” Alexei glared but turned to Yuri with a small bow, “Yuri.” Viktor coughed when he saw the two younger boys glaring at each other, “Well I thank you Lyosha, I think I have everything in hand.” The younger boy nodded curtly. Viktor looked over his brother and noticed that he was in his more formal wear, “Are you coming to the magisterium as well little brother?” “Of course, Father requested it.” Viktor sighed closing his eyes, “Of course Papa did, and you do everything he asks of you.” he glanced over his shoulder to Yuri who was now sprawled across Viktor's bed flipping through one of his many books, “Why am I even going to this if they have Lyosha there?” Yuri glanced from his reading with a scowl. “You would do well to start listening to Father Vitya, it is embarrassing every time that you are not there but instead dabbling with your assorted lovers. You should be more discreet brother! He is our cousin!” Viktor was about to retort when a blur of blond and black came flying with a roar, “ Schas po ebalu poluchish, suka, blyad!!! ” Viktor swiftly moved out of the way as his brother threw up a shield in his defence his eyes wide as Yuri was thrown back from the force of the shield. “As I was about to say before a certain kotyenok came flying out,” Viktor spoke his voice steady, “while I appreciate that you think I would have the time to have a lover here while preparing for this afternoon, I have better taste than to seduce our younger cousin. I have never held or had a taste for our bloodline, unlike others in the lower branches of the family tree.” Viktor put his hand out to Yuri who was standing now beside him and still frothing ready for a fight, he could feel the mana starting to build in the younger boy. He narrowed his crystal blue eyes at his brother, “Remove this barrier Lyosha, before I remove it for you.” Alexei was breathing heavily his eyes a little wild darting between his brother and cousin, “How can I be sure that he will not attack me again.” Viktor shrugged his shoulders. “You cannot, but I cannot miss today from what I understand and you are blocking my only exit. Perhaps if you were to apologize and mean it, dear brother of mine, then our Yura will believe you and let you be. But understand if you push me I will push back, and you know, I am not always good at controlling my strength.” Alexei looked once more between the two before removing the barrier and straightening his collar. Viktor's face broke into a smile clapping his hands together, “Wonderful, now that we are all friends again, when is it that I have to be there Lyosha?” “Father is leaving with Kolya in a little while.” Yuri tapped Viktors arm, “Grandfather is going?” The silver haired man shrugged his shoulders, “I suppose if Lyosha says so, he has no reason to lie about that Yura.” Yuri crossed his arms over his chest, “Of course everyone goes and I have to stay here.” he gestured to Alexei, “Even the child goes!” Viktor raised his hand to his brother as he saw the boy open his mouth in protest, “Before you two go at attacking each other again – oh! Levi?” Viktor looked behind his brother where there was now a silent servant standing towering over the boy. Alexei jumped as he realized the elf was right behind him, trying to not flinch as Levi bowed to Viktor. “Sir, Master Nikiforov and Lord Plisetsky are waiting on you at the front parlour if you are now ready.” Levi looked up evaluating Viktor's outfit, “Very becoming sir, but you are forgetting something.” Viktor looked down, “Oh? Did I miss a buckle, there are so many ridiculous buckles and closures on this thing...” “No, your crest.” Viktor sighed, “Right. The Yoke.” Levi's mouth twitched in annoyance as he went past Viktor into his room to collect the medallion and attached it to its place on Viktor's chest, where the spaulder met tunic. Viktor looked to Yuri once his outfit was complete. The younger man looked him once over and nodded, “It works, have at it lover.” Viktor smirked at his cousin before ruffling his blond hair. “Thanks, Yura.” He walked out with his brother, leaving behind Yuri and Levi in his rooms, and with a heavy sigh he joined his father and uncle to head to the Circle Tower. For the sake of his mother Viktor straightened his shoulders and went forward, deciding that he would take on the mantle of Heir, at least until something better, something worth throwing it all away, came around. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 5 Celestino turned out to be a very interesting travelling companion for Yuuri, as the Antivan regaled Yuuri about his previous travels. He also told Yuuri about the rumours he was hearing from their neighbours to the South. While the news of the fallen Fereldan King had reached the mages in the tower, the news about the last Wardens and the rising Blight was not shared among them. When Yuuri questioned why they had not been told, Celestino shrugged his shoulders and replied. “I suppose that the First Enchanter did not see a reason for you to know about what was happening there, the hate for whom the Orlesians refer to as ‘dog lords’ runs deep.” Celestino spoke on as they made their way along the waking sea. The pair took a boat from Val Royeaux, where they made land at Cumberland to then take the Imperial Highway north through Nevarra and into the Imperium. Celestino decided to leave as soon as they did, as there were whispers of Elven uprisings in some of the outlying cities and of a potential schism that would unseat the Empress herself. If that were to happen then it would not be safe at all for travel, especially when Celestino could not predict what side the mages would be on. The downfall of the Fereldan tower and the fact that the young bastard King Alister had freed the mages in his kingdom had also opened up new options which had never been allowed to mages since the invention of the circle. The whole experience for Yuuri was nothing like his childhood among the Dalish; while he travelled a lot, it was always hidden, among the woodlands and avoiding major cities or places where humans gathered. Occasionally they would see traders, human or dwarven, to exchange items that were worn out and not easily created by the Dalish. Walking through Cumberland for the first time was much like when he first walked through Val Royeaux. Overwhelming, bustling, and beautiful. Cumberland was one of the largest cities in Thedas, where the College of Magi would convene and the seat of the Grand Enchanter. Celestino pointed out all of the architecture, telling Yuuri how the city was full of artisans and was renowned for its art. For the most part the pair did not have any troubles as they made their way through the city; Yuuri was amazed at how many people Celestino knew as they passed the borders and he would chat with the guards. They barely even looked twice at Yuuri, the shorter Elven companion, with his covered staff. Even for their travels, Celestino had felt that Yuuri's dragon bone staff was too showy and might attract the wrong types of people, especially for the fact that they travelled without the customary babysitter of a Templar. For the most part Yuuri was used to being ignored; despite his being a mage, he was an elf and his kind had been so downtrodden by the majority of the human race that he found it easy to slip into the personality of shadow or even servant. So long as he could continue in his studies and learn all that he could about ancient magics he did not care what others had to say or think. Afterwards, Celestino would apologize for how rude they were for not acknowledging him only to have Yuuri wave the Antivan off. “You really do not have to do that every time.” Yuuri was blushing at the latest set of apologies. “Still Yuuri, I still find it horrible that this is still happening, if only they knew how amazing your culture truly was. And how much they are all missing by keeping your people down.” Yuuri chuckled, “To be honest, the clans we do not see those who serve humans or live in your city alienages as part of the Dalish, as they left so long ago. I have thought it as poor taste on the Hahren to ignore those who dwell in the city. Although even in all my research I do not know how it can be remedied.” Celestino thought this over, “I see. Why do your people not see the others as part of your clans?” “They have lost their way,” Yuuri spoke, thinking back to how the keeper once described it to him. “While they may have a Vhenadahl in the centre of their communities, and even call their leaders Hahren,they are not the same; many do not even speak Elvhen. They do not follow the old gods, or understand the need to keep moving to find the way back to Halamshiral. The way back to our old magics. Did you know that at one time we lived eternally?” “Ahh yes, I did know of that, I remember talking with one of the clans to the South about the old stories of your people. I wish I could have stayed longer to hear more.” Yuuri chuckled. “Oral tradition is how we pass on our stories, and there are so many of them. I know only a few, sadly as I left so long ago at such a young age. And my telling will never compare to the Hahren who would tell our tales.” Celestino chuckled, “Well here is hoping that you will be able to meet up with one of the clans and perhaps be able to brush up on a few of those stories.” Yuuri nodded. Celestino garnered them a set of horses, which made Yuuri nervous at first, but as Celestino had pointed out it would take much longer for them if they were to walk instead. As they made their way up the highway Yuuri noticed that there were fewer and fewer settlements as they travelled through the silent plains and into Tevinter territory. Celestino explained that there was a tension between Tevinter and Naverra, that often there were scuffles between the two nations. He told Yuuri how the issue arose in their difference in opinion with the Venatori and the rise of the mage cult which revered the Elder One and while they are not sanctioned by the Imperial city, they also were not stopped. Once they reached the Imperium, Yuuri noticed a shift in the way that the people reacted to the two mages. No longer did Yuuri have to hide his staff or that they were both mages as now they were in a region which was entirely ruled by the mage class. The closer they got to the capitol of Minrathous the more excited and edgy Yuuri was finding himself. They had been travelling for the last few weeks, and Yuuri was ready for a hot bath and meal, most of all to be able to sleep in a warm bed instead of at the side of the road on the dirt. Despite having grown up in the camps of the people he had been living among the circle for so long and had gotten used to certain amenities. Celestino chuckled at the young mage, advising how he would get used to the life once more the longer that they stayed away from the inns. And while to a certain extent that was true, Yuuri could not deny that there was something quite different between bathing in a cold stream versus a hot bath. “One last warning,” Celestino spoke softly as they approached the massive gates, “you will find that the act of slavery is very much intact. For the most part any who do not hold magic or wealth were made slaves to those of the upper class. That they would import elves, humans and even qunari from other regions in order to boost the sale of slaves. While I do not agree with this thought as you well know, it is also something which I as a visitor cannot comment on if I wish to continue visiting their libraries or trade among them.” Yuuri nodded, his face stoic- here he would have to keep his face and thoughts more reserved to himself than ever before. Their first stop after entering through the gates was to the circle tower where they would be meeting up with a few members of the Imperial Senate to greet their hosts. Their horses were taken by the stable hands at the circle along with their packs, taking with them only their staves. The circle tower was one of the oldest buildings in the city, its architecture much like the the rest of the town was commanding. The tower rose high above the city, demanding to be seen and revered. Yuuri understood how and why the city folk would bow as the two mages passed. While the white tower in Val Royeaux was impressive it was a tower of light, it was also surrounded by Templars who guarded their charges from the public. This was a tower of stone and magic which dominated the skyline, and they were not guarded or kept in the same manner. This knowledge sent a shiver down Yuuri's spine as they walked through the large black doors to the Minrathous circle of magi. It was not long of a wait before a severe looking older mage with black and grey hair approached them; on sight of Celestino his grizzled face broke into a bright smile. His arms opened up in welcome, “Ahh Celestino! It has been such a long time my old friend!” His accent was thick but not so much that he could not understand what was being said. “Sasha!! You old dog! I am happy to find you in good health!” Celestine broke from the embrace to introduce Yuuri, “I would like to introduce to you my companion. This young man is Yuuri, from the circle in Val Royeaux. Very young but brilliant in his year. And this, Yuuri, is a good friend of mine, Alexander. We met as novices and kept in contact through the years.” Yuuri bowed his head, “Andaran atish'an.” “A Dalish!” Alexander gasped, “His skin alone is worth more than his weight in gold. Celestino, why would you bring such an exotic creature to this city?” Yuuri did his best to school his face, as he was being spoken about as though he were not even there. This man thought that he was a slave and would trade his skin? Did he hear that right? He felt his eye twitch slightly as he looked up and was about to speak when his Antivan companion spoke first. “Alexander!” Celestino's voice rumbled, “Yuuri is a mage first and foremost, not one of your Soporati or slaves, and we are here in peace. I did not bring a slave, but a comrade and peer.” “I meant no disrespect my friend, but if you feel so threatened then I can guide you to one of our better kept Inns, although I would greatly appreciate if you would still take up my offer of staying with my family.” “So long as no more discussion of slavery are brought up, then I will accept the offer.” Yuuri could not believe his ears, they were staying with this man. The Elven mage took a deep breath; it would be an interesting few weeks as they remained in this strange city of mages. Celestino looked to Yuuri apologetically, getting a small shake of the head in reply. While Yuuri was not thrilled on their initial reception, he was not entirely surprised after all that Celestino had told him of the people of the Imperium. He watched as the older man snapped his fingers and flinched slightly when he saw a diminutive elf come from the shadows. He flushed slightly at the fact that he had not even noticed that he was there. For all of his distaste in slavery there it was and he had not even noticed it. Yuuri was so inside his own head that he did not realize that two new mages had joined them. There was a smaller boy who looked like a clone of Alexander, likely his son, along with an older man, perhaps his brother? Or father? “This is my youngest Alexei,” Alexander clapped the young boy on the back, “and my elder brother Nikolai Plisetsky.” “Where is your eldest Sasha?” Celestino asked after nodding to the pair. “Viktor is with his cousin today.” Alexander spoke with a scowl that did not allow for any further questioning. Yuuri nodded warily to both of the new mages. The one called Alexei looked cruel, his severe looks very much like his father. Yuuri took a deep breath and decided that he would reserve his judgment, and hoped that the elder son was not going to glare his way as well. This was going to be a very long visit if he had to remain wary the whole time. Yuuri found himself wishing for the first time since they started this venture that he were back in the tower in his room with Phichit. The older mage who asked to be called Kolya had kind jade eyes, which shone like polished stone, he walked alongside Yuuri as they were led to the estate. He nodded to the staff Yuuri carried, “That is an interesting piece of work you have there young elf.” Yuuri smiled fondly looking at his staff then to the elder, “This was a parting gift from my keeper when I left the clan.” “I have never seen such material,” he held out his hand, “may I?” Yuuri chuckled, “You may, but you will not be able to use it, as it was created by the Dalish for myself alone. It is made of dragon bone.” Yuuri passed Nikolai his white staff in exchange for the elders gnarled black one. Yuuri jumped slightly when he felt an electric jolt of energy prickle through him when he touched the black staff. “This has ironbark, rare to find with human mages.” The older man laughed. “Yes! You are right, this is iron bark and oak. Created by some Dalish craftsman, and I retrieved it when I was still a novice during one of the many scuffles between Tevinter and the Qunari. But dragon bone? Are you certain that is what this is? Not a white pine, perhaps your own blood to make it attuned to you alone?” “I assure you that it is from the rib of a dragon, one who had long since passed. And our ironbark craftsman manipulated and crafted it into this, infusing my mana within the core so it can only resonate with me. I assure you as well that there was no blood magic involved in the making of that staff.” “A true master then, I meant no disrespect with asking about blood, though it is not unheard of to infuse weapons with blood of the master.” Nikolai nodded handing the staff back, “This piece though is so intricate, created by someone who truly loves their art.” Yuuri sighed thinking back on his people, “Yes. He loved his craft the Hahren who would bend the iron bark to his will. When I was very young I remember that he would create beautiful figurines for us to play with when he had any scrap pieces of material. Actually,” Yuuri tapped at his chin, “I still have one of a Halla which is in my pack, I will bring it for you to see.” “I look forward to that Yuuri.” Yuuri smiled. “I think you and my Yurochka would get along well.” Yuuri thought to himself, that must be the cousin which Alexander referred to. The group continued to move forward towards the home where they were going to be residing in for the next few weeks. Yuuri gasped as he was looking up at the house, it was beautiful and rivalled anything that Yuuri had seen in Val Royeaux. Yuuri could hear the older man chuckling at him as he gaped at the expansive manse. “Welcome Yuuri- to the house Nikiforov.” “Nikiforov? I thought your name was Plisetsky? I had understood with human naming culture males of the same bloodline shared the same surname. And only females changed when they found their mates?” The old man chuckled but it was Alexander who answered while his son who had been silent glared. “Ahh, that is because I am not a Nikiforov, it is the name of my wife's family and the house I married into.” He laughed, “Not that being a Plisetsky is a shameful thing...” “No but being a Nikiforov is a much greater one,” Nikolai interrupted, “and his mother-in-law would not have allowed the marriage otherwise.” Alexander's face became grave. “Nikolai, enough, it is bad enough she will be here tonight to meet our guests.” Yuuri did not miss the look that passed between the brothers, one like children who had been caught stealing from the cookie jar. He also noticed the twitch of amusement in the lips of Celestino. “I wonder if Vitya is back yet with Yurochka.” Nikolai wondered aloud. They walked into the front foyer; an Elven servant (slave Yuuri corrected in his brain), opened the massive black doors as though they were waiting there for their arrival. While the exterior of the house was severe, the interior reminded Yuuri much of his friend Phichit's home. Everything was a sea of white and instead of red and gold accents though the inside was done with blues and silvers. But it was not the very Orlesian style which captivated Yuuri so much as the sight of a tall mage in what Yuuri was now associating as Tevinter style. His hair was like spun silver that hung down to his waist. He was perhaps the most beautiful thing Yuuri had ever seen in his life. Yuuri had missed the introduction from Alexander as he was entranced by the mage with silver hair and eyes which were bluer than the clear water of Lake Celestine. Yuuri startled from his daze when he heard Celestino clear his throat; looking up, he noticed the Antivan smirking in Yuuri's direction. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 6 “Are you sure it is alright for you to have spent your day with me Viktor?” Yuri asking the question for the hundredth time since the morning. Viktor chuckled as he sat back in one of the overstuffed chairs in his rooms watching the blonde who was fretting. “Oh Yura, Papa was just going to collect his friend, that Antivan from the South. He is visiting the counsel for some matter, there was no need for me to be there. Besides, Dyadya Kolya and Lyosha are with them. And you wanted to spend the day with me; who am I to deny my Kotyenok!” Yuri scowled at the nickname but Viktor could see he was also pleased. They had spent the day shopping at the markets, looking for a few ingredients that the younger boy needed for a new potion he was concocting. It had been several weeks now of Viktor having to cancel due to Magisterium business and meetings. And since his friend Darius had left Tevinter due to a falling out with his father, the meetings had become far less fun. At least before, the pair would be able to mock the elder Archon and Magisters. Now it was dull and all business, talking about the ongoing war with the Qunari and the glory days of the Imperium. It was not hard for Viktor to admit that he much more preferred perusing the stalls looking for some new ingredient or another. It was his pleasure to purchase for Yuri the new vials and powders. * There was a soft cough which had Viktor look up to see Levi standing at the door, “Ahh Levi, what brings you here?” “Messere, your father will be home shortly and the Mistress has asked that you and young master Plisetsky are in your finest to greet them at the door.” Viktor groaned, “Of course she did. Ahh well, it was fun while it lasted, Yurio. You had better get to your rooms and get yourself cleaned up; I will come for you once Levi is done with me here.” Yuri nodded and dashed out of Viktor's rooms towards his own. While normally he would have complained, he was not one to get on the wrong side of his cousin's grandmother. Viktor chuckled as he watched the blonde take off. Viktor walked into his bedroom where his counsel robes and Levi were waiting. “Let us hope that this will not be too painful an evening.” Levi did not speak a word as he moved around Viktor, making fast work of dressing his once friend. Viktor took the silence as a sign to just bear with it, as he thought of the all the many things he would rather do than join his father and family with this business dinner. * It was not long before Viktor and his cousin were making their way to the foyer; they were speaking in low tones trying to keep the jovial mood from earlier that day. Despite the topic, as they came closer to the main living areas their conversation began to stagger under the weight of dealing with a dinner with the elder Nikiforov. The conversation came to an abrupt stop when they were just about at the base of the stairs. Yuri stumbled as he realized that his cousin had come full stop. Viktor's eyes were wide, his mouth slightly agape as he was staring down at the group congregated in the foyer. “Ty che, blyad? Vitya!” Yuri hissed at his cousin. Viktor swallowed as he straightened his tunic and ran a hand over his hair ensuring that the braids were still in place, cursing internally when he realized that it was just down. Along with his father, brother and uncle, there was his father's Antivan friend Celestino; beside him though was a vision, a small raven-haired Elf. The Elven mage was dressed the way that the wild elves dressed in the books Viktor had read growing up, his face marked with tattoos, with eyes that looked caramel. The Elf’s eyes caught to his own and Viktor's breath caught, he was enthralled in a way that he had never experienced before. He barely heard his cousin cough as he was jabbed in the side, pulling him back to reality. With a smile he finished walking down the steps, his eyes never wavering from the elf. “Ahh Viktor!” Alexander boomed. Viktor smirked internally. His father was always one for showing off when he had delegates visiting; at least this time it was someone he knew and liked. Viktor held out a hand to Celestino, who pulled him into a bear hug. “Oh this cannot be your eldest Sasha?!” the Antivan crowed, “He is far too beautiful to be one of yours!” Viktor smirked as Celestino kissed both cheeks. “Nice to see you too Celestino, the journey was good?” “Nothing to complain about.” Celestino grinned as he noticed the younger man’s gaze, his smile wide. “Ahh, I have someone to introduce to you; he is new to this city and its customs. This is Yuuri, a Dalish mage of the Circle in Val Royeaux.” The Antivan winked at Viktor, creating a light blush to heat his face. Viktor held out a hand to the Elf whose own face had reddened, making his markings stand out darker against his skin. “Andaran atish'an,” Yuuri spoke, his voice was soft-- the timbre hitting Viktor straight to his heart. “I have no idea what that even means,” Viktor spoke, his voice breathless. Yuuri’s ears flushed, “It is just a formal greeting of my people. It means that 'I dwell in this place in peace.'” “Krasivaya...” Victor whispered as he bent over Yuuri's hand, touching it to his lips. Viktor smirked as he could hear his father groan behind them; he straightened then, putting his arm out in invitation, “Please allow me to escort you. Papa, why are we still standing here in the foyer?” Alexander nodded with a sigh he straightened up. “Please Vitya, if you would, show Celestino's companion around the manor. Koyla, Celestino and myself shall go make our greetings to Viktoriya. You have greeted her, correct?” “Not yet Papa, I only learned that she had arrived a moment before you had come home.” Alexander nodded, leading the main group through to the salon where likely his wife and mother-in-law were waiting. Alexei glared over to his brother and the Elf, his voice low, “Do not take too long, brother.” “ Da, da. ” Viktor waved his hand in dismissal. “Yura, I will be with you in a moment.” The Blonde raised his eyebrows then nodded. Yuuri watched Viktor closely as he gestured to an Elf in livery, speaking quickly in Tevene. The Elf servant then turned to the mage with a bow. “If I may,” he indicated to the white staff. Yuuri looked to Viktor in confusion, gripping the staff tighter. “I promise he will not steal it, just place it in your room.” “I never said or thought he would steal it.” His caramel eyes widened in shock, “It is just, this was a gift.” Viktor nodded, “Yes, but it might be a bit difficult to do anything, like eat while holding it so tightly.” The mage flushed and nodded, handing over his ornate staff. “I am sorry if Levi made you feel uncomfortable,” Viktor spoke once the servant departed, “but so you know we do not have any slaves here at the house. Servants yes, but they are all paid.” “Uhh, ye – ye – yes. I mean...” Yuuri stuttered and sighed. “So you are also a Yuri?” Viktor changed the subject, smirking at how flustered the elf had become. “Like my cousin.” “Close,” his voice was soft. “It is Yuuri, the sound is a bit longer, but yes my name is much the same as your cousin.” “My apologies, Yuuri.” Viktor drew out the ‘u’ sound with a grin. The Elven mage looked up at curiously. “Are you teasing me?” Viktor flushed. “No! No! No! I promise!” “Okay.” He looked down, but did not stop holding onto Viktor's arm. Viktor took a deep breath, trying once more. “How do you like the capitol city? The great Minrathous?” He flushed. “It is very big and busy. I mean it is not like I have been here that long, but the stories really do not compare to reality.” “Like many things,” Viktor chuckled, “but does it really compare when you are from Val Royeaux? I have read that it is an impressive city itself.” Yuuri looked to Viktor with curiosity. “You have read about Val Royeaux?” “I have read a great many things, on many subjects.” Viktor escorted Yuuri through a door which opened up to a beautiful library which had Yuuri gasping with pleasure. “So many tomes!” Viktor chuckled in amusement, “I suppose, but it is a pale comparison to the Circle library.” Yuuri chuckled, “Yes well, even our Circle library is immense, but this is a very large library for personal use, not that I have seen many. I grew up in the woodlands after all.” “I would love to hear about that. How a Dalish ended up in the Circle, and now are here in Tevinter.” Yuuri blushed. “It really is not that interesting. I mean, the Dalish are just like humans and most races. We have those who have a connection with what you all call the fade. For the most part we do keep our magic users to our clans, making them keepers. And to help keep the humans from sending Mage Hunters to our clans, killing our children and people, we give them an occasional mage. I just happened to be the one chosen for our clan.” Viktor's face held a look of shock, “Just happened? It sounds like you were a sacrifice.” “No, it was not quite like that, but I suppose I can understand why you would think so.” “If this is too hard for you, I mean I know your people are secretive, so I do not want to do anything or make you say anything that might make you think you are putting your people in danger.” “Are you planning on hunting my clan?” “Never!” Yuuri shrugged. “Honestly, I am not sure why I am opening up to you so much.” He looked up and into Viktor's bright blue eyes, “There is just something about you, I feel like I can trust you.” He smiled, then with a sigh continued, “Joining the circle was my halam'shivanas, my sacrifice, my duty to my people. It was my own way to protect them from outsiders and gain some knowledge on our history and magic.” Viktor gazed at Yuuri; he traced his thumb over the younger man's mouth, caressing his jaw. There was something that made this person so attractive to him in a way that none of his lovers ever had done in the past. His eyes raked along his facial markings, memorizing the lines and shape of his features. “I really am not sure what it is about you-” Viktor's voice was soft, “I do not want to let go of your hand. I barely know you, but I want to know everything there is to know about you..” Yuuri's eyes were wide, but he did not jerk away from the caress; his face flushed bright all the way to his ears. Viktor noticed there was some movement behind Yuuri; he glanced up noticing Levi was standing by the door staring pointedly at the pair. The Elven servant had a look that bordered on sad which confused Viktor, but then was replaced immediately with his stoic mask. “The Mistress is wondering where you and your guest had disappeared to, Messere .” Levi's voice broke the intimacy of the library, “If you would come to the dining room, supper is about to be served.” Viktor nodded, his hand moved from the side of Yuuri's face. “I am sorry that I kept you from your companion. Let us go then and see what the chef made for us tonight.” Yuuri looked disappointed for a moment when the hand dropped away; he could not explain just what had happened, the exchange which seemed so intimate and yet innocent. Viktor put out his arm once more as an invitation for Yuuri, which the elf took readily and he escorted the young mage out of the library and into the dragon's nest. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 7 Yuuri's heart had not stopped racing from the moment he laid eyes on the silver-haired Viktor Nikiforov. Then there was that moment in the library where he drew his finger across Yuuri's face. His skin was still tingling from where he was touched. Never had he felt that way in all those years at the tower but here he felt as though he had found his vhenan'ara. It was crazy to think that he would find his true mate in a human from a society which actively enslaved his people. Yuuri was having a hard time concentrating on the conversation around him while at dinner. He looked down at his plate, poking at the food in front of him, thinking over his feelings. “Yuuri, are you not enjoying the dinner?” Viktor's voice was low in his ear, making the raven- haired mage startle. Yuuri looked over to his left with a flush. “It is quite good, I am just tired I think from all the travel.” Viktor nodded, smiling softly at the young man. “What are you two speaking softly for over there?” A strict female voice made Yuuri jump. Yuuri heard Celestino clear his throat beside him; the raven-haired Elven mage looked up to the speaker. It was Viktor's grandmother, the matriarch of the Nikiforov family. Viktoriya Nikiforov was a commanding woman; like her daughter and grandson, she had hair of spun silver and eyes that were bright blue. Her mouth was drawn in a thin line as she spoke once more. “Do not make me ask once more, what are you two speaking about that is more interesting than contributing to the conversation at the table.” Yuuri felt like a prey animal cowering in front of a lion; he could feel his hands start to tremble. There was pressure on his leg as he felt his breath catch; Viktor had slid one of his hands under the table to rest on Yuuri's leg in support. “Viktoriya, my krasivaya babushka,” Viktor's voice was like a melody. “I just had noticed that our guest was looking tired from his long journey and was asking after him. It was not worthy of sharing with the whole table.” Viktoriya squinted at her grandson, then her mouth quirked up into a semi smile. “You know how I hate that label Vitya.” “Ahh that is true, and you do not look older than a sister!” Yuuri could not believe what he was seeing; this stern woman who held her family with a single glare or word was actually flushing and preening at the blatant flattery. He noticed how the younger blonde, Yuri, was rolling his eyes as though he did not want to observe what was happening around him at the table. While Viktor's family all were avoiding eye contact, Viktor was chattering amiably with his grandmother. Most important though, was that the attention was away from him which helped Yuuri to relax. Viktor must have felt the tension leave Yuuri's body as he removed his hand from Yuuri’s leg in order to take another bite from his plate. While Viktor seemed to have distracted his grandmother for a moment, it was not anywhere near long enough before those piercing blue eyes directed back to him. “This must be quite the change- being in Tevinter after your travels,” she spoke, her voice on the verge of boredom. “Those Southern states have always been more savage than those of us to the North.” Yuuri could feel his eyebrows knitting together. “Well,” he coughed, “speaking as a savage Dalish , I can honestly say that this city is quite beautiful. Much different than Val Royeaux, but with its own beauty and history which I look forward to learning more on. But then again I am just a simple elf. ” Yuuri could feel his insides trembling, this time from annoyance. The fact that the woman looked down on him, just for being from the South. The fact that he was an Elf would have infuriated her even more so. Viktor coughed to cover up the smirk that was on his lips while Yuri was barely containing himself. No one spoke back to Viktoriya, and certainly not someone new. Seeing the older woman admonished even in this way was entertaining. Her eyes narrowed, “Yes, I can imagine. While my daughter certainly does enjoy the look from that upstart self-proclaimed Empress, I only find it gaudy.” She waved a bejeweled hand in dismissal. “I am sure that my grandson Vitya will be happy to educate you on the glory of the Imperium.” “I look forward to that Madam.” Yuuri bowed his head, “so long as Viktor is willing of course.” Viktor took Yuuri's hand, making him turn to look to the man, “It would be my pleasure.” Viktor smiled as he brought the hand up to his lips, making Yuuri blush to his ears once more. “I – umm need to go to bed.” Yuuri coughed, looking back to the rest of the table. “I apologize, but thank you for the meal.” The matriarch nodded once; Celestino made to join Yuuri but the younger man shook his head. “It is okay, stay and enjoy.” Yuuri walked out of the dining room after saying a round of polite good nights and thanks for allowing him to stay there. As he walked out the dining room, Yuuri realized that he had no idea where his room would be. Too embarrassed to go back in, Yuuri resolved to make his way back to the foyer and up the stairs in hope of finding that one servant who had taken his staff. He heard a chuckle behind him that made Yuuri freeze then slowly turn around. Viktor was leaning against the wall with a huge grin. “So, how were you planning on finding your room, I wonder?” Yuuri flushed. “Honestly? I was going to see if I could find that servant from before. The one who took my staff.” Viktor nodded. “Ahh yes, Levi would know, but unfortunately he would be right now in the kitchens, likely having dinner with some of the others before preparing the rooms for bed.” “Oh...” Yuuri felt his anxiety starting to stir once more. Viktor chuckled. “Fear not Yuuri. I can escort you there, if you wish.” “Really?” Yuuri felt a shiver down his spine when he heard his name spoken by Viktor; he wanted more. The silver-haired mage sauntered over, holding out his arm. “Shall we?” Yuuri smiled, accepting the proffered arm, feeling his body tingle, “Yes please.” Viktor escorted Yuuri up the main stairs to the sleeping quarters. The upper level was split into three wings, each with glass panel doors; the middle and left were open while the right were closed, barring entry. “Over there is the family wing,” Viktor gestured over to the right. “To the left is where our guests stay.” Yuuri nodded, ready to head left when instead he was herded through the central wing. Confused he looked to Viktor, who was smirking. “I thought that guests...” “They do.” Viktor stopped walking for a moment to look at Yuuri. “Usually, at least. But I have a feeling that Levi did something instead on his own.” “Your servant?” Viktor nodded; Yuuri noticed a blush start to bloom on the Tevinter mage's face. Viktor slipped from Yuuri's arm, turning to open a door on their left. He watched as the silver-haired man stepped into the room, leaving Yuuri standing in the hallway. “In here!” Yuuri jumped slightly at the sound of Viktor's voice beckoning him inside; tentatively he stepped over the threshold, slipping out of his shoes as was his custom back when he lived in the Circle Tower. The room was large, bigger than anywhere Yuuri had ever stayed in his life. It was actually made of two rooms together; a sitting or receiving room with a sleeping chamber further in. The room was dressed in reds and golds, quite different than the rest of the house which was cool blue tones. Even the furniture was a departure from the rest of the house; here it was all a black lacquer as opposed to white. The darker furniture and decor made the rooms quite cozy, although not entirely to Yuuri's taste. The raven-haired mage smiled as he saw his staff, white and pristine, against the wall along with his small sack where his toiletries and sleeping garments were. “This is a beautiful room.” Yuuri spoke, his voice low. Viktor smiled as he watched the elf take in all of the decor. “I am glad that you like it Yuuri.” “So why am I here instead of in the guest wing? Is Celestino also here?” “Umm,” Yuuri looked up to see Viktor was a bright shade of pink that hit his nose and ears, “well, no?” Yuuri laughed,confused. “I do not understand, are you asking me?” Viktor coughed, “Please do not get upset; my room is actually directly across from yours. I think that Levi was trying to be helpful, in his own way.” “What?” Yuuri squeaked, covering his hot flushed face. Yuuri jumped as he felt cool hands on his wrists. “Yuuri?? Oh Yuuri?? Are you alright? If you want I can have you moved over to the guest wing! I swear I did not ask, I mean, it is not like I did not think of it... Yuuri, why are you not saying anything?” Yuuri looked to Viktor, allowing his hands to drop slightly. He looked slightly panicked, which made Yuuri’s heart start to race. “I am alright,” he spoke, trying to make his voice as soothing as possible for Viktor. “I am rather happy to be honest; thrown, but happy.” “Really?” Viktor brightened. The way he would switch emotions was amazing to Yuuri; he seemed so honest and genuine that it warmed his heart. Everything about him made Yuuri crave more and more. Viktor reached out to caress Yuuri's face, smiling as Yuuri leaned in closing his eyes. Viktor coughed after a moment, pulling his hand away leaving Yuuri's skin tingling from the loss of warmth. “Uhh I should go, there is a powder room just beyond that door,” Viktor indicated to a door that was off of the sitting room. “Please let me know if you need anything, I am right across the hall.” Yuuri nodded, feeling speechless, he hungered for more. He wanted to touch Viktor the same way that he was being touched. He licked his lips, “Th – th – thank you.” The blue eyes in front of him widened and there was a flash of hunger there which answered his own. Viktor leaned forward, taking Yuuri's hand into his own, brushing his lips against the Elf's delicate knuckles. Yuuri's breath caught as he wished that it was his lips being kissed ever so gently. With a last gentle squeeze Viktor reluctantly released Yuuri's hand and walked out of the room, his clear blue eyes glancing back to connect once more with caramel ones. As soon as the door closed, leaving Yuuri alone in the room, he could feel his whole body go aflame. His hands rose to cover his face once more as he squealed like a besotted youth. What was he doing? Yuuri took a deep breath, what he needed was rest. With a long sigh, Yuuri gathered his night clothes and kit from his sack and went into the powder room to ready himself for bed. Perhaps, he thought, with a good night's rest he would be back to his normal self. Laying down, Yuuri stared up at the dark ceiling thinking over his day. More than likely it was a culture shock and all of this was just his being overwhelmed. He decided that in the morning he would be a more stable and confident Yuuri, one that Celestino would not regret having brought from the mage tower. With a small sigh he rolled over to his side, allowing one last thought to slide through his mind. It involved a certain man with long silver hair, hair that looked softer than kitten fur. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 8 It was such a hard thing for Viktor to leave the room and return to his own; he found Levi waiting for him to assist with removing his formal robes and prepare for the evening. The silver-haired mage grinned to his once friend as he closed the door to his own rooms. Levi bowed, “I assume you approve of the sleeping arrangements?” “More importantly, he does.” Levi nodded as he went about unbuckling all of the assorted fastenings, removing each layer of clothing. “I have a bath run for you sir, I thought you might wish to have one before you retire for the evening.” Viktor nodded, his mind still reeling as he thought about Yuuri and his markings. Did the markings cover his whole body? Or were they just along his face? Why did he leave his clan? If there was more to his story, Viktor wanted to know everything. Viktor stayed in his dreamy haze, ignoring the pointed looks from the Elven servant until he went to his own bed, foregoing his usual staying up late to read. He made a plan that he would get up early the next morning to woo and entice Yuuri to spend the day with him exclusively. * Viktor woke before first light and before Levi even had a chance to come into the room. He was so excited to see the raven-haired Dalish and wanted to waste no time waiting. Levi arrived just as Viktor was agonizing over which of his tunics he would be wearing, taking up the pale blue which matched his eyes. He allowed Levi to lead him to the vanity where he sat while the elf combed out Viktor's braided hair. There was a grin which Viktor could not wipe from his face, his eyes darted up seeing Levi's drawn look. Levi's violet eyes met Viktor's blue, “You seem to be anxious to starting the day, I cannot remember the last time that I did not have to rouse you from your bed.” Viktor's eyes widened; it was not often that Levi would open the conversation with him. Not since they were younger, he schooled his face not wanting to let the opportunity to slip. With a shrug Viktor answered, “I think the word that you should be using here is anticipation or excitement, not anxiety.” “Did you at least sleep well?” Viktor’s grin broke to a full smile, showing his perfectly white and straight teeth. “Extremely well, thank you.” “You know, you should show a little more restraint.” Levi clicked his tongue much like Yuri did when annoyed with Viktor. “Ahh Levi, is that jealousy I am hearing?” Viktor studied his once friend as he combed through the silver locks. “And to think, you put his sleeping quarters so close to my own.” Levi gathered up some hair, deftly plaiting two small braids on either side of Viktor's temples and manipulating the hair back. “Tch! Hardly,” the Elf snorted. “I was mostly saving myself from dealing with your moaning if he were on the other side of the manse.” “Then I would like you to explain your face, as your words and expressions tell a different story.” Levi took a deep breath before answering. “It is just unbecoming, you’re chasing after this Elf,” he spoke his voice low, “I do not condone someone of your rank chasing after someone from the South lands.” “Oh Levi.” Viktor's voice was sad which made Levi look up to stare at Viktor in the mirror. “Levi, of all the people in my life, I did not think that such a thing would be said by you. I cannot believe that you would prescribe to that kind of thought. Do you even know me at all?” Levi's violet eyes briefly reflected some shame as Viktor spoke. “I know you all too well Vitya,” Levi spoke, softly letting slip the familiar name, “which is part of the problem.” Levi finished Viktor's hair in silence, assisting with the finishing touches on his robes before they walked out of the room. Viktor followed Levi as he stepped into Yuuri's rooms; he knew that he should have just waited until Yuuri had awoken on his own, but he was feeling far too excited for the upcoming day to not push his luck a little further. Viktor ignored Levi's clucking tongue as he watched him move about the salon and into the sleeping chamber to opening up the heavy curtains. Viktor leaned against the door frame looking at the sleeping form of Yuuri, his face relaxed in sleep, his breath slow and steady. He smiled as the Elf stirred when a beam of light fell across his peaceful face and heard him mumble. “Phichit... the most incredible dream...” Yuuri's voice penetrated through Viktor, making his heart beat quicker, but there was a small moment of jealousy that he felt when he heard another name on the man's lips. His mind began to race. Phichit? What kind of name is that? Is it your lover’s? Viktor's lips twitched, he could not hold back any longer, “Who is this Phichit? Should I be jealous? Tell me more about your dream.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 9 Yuuri woke to the feeling of sun warm on his face and the soft sound of movement; there was someone in his room. His mind reasoned that he was back in his dorm and the sounds were just Phichit getting ready for the day as normal. Eyes still closed and half asleep Yuuri spoke, mumbling to the room. “Phichit? I had the most incredible dream last night.” “Who is this Phichit? Should I be jealous? Tell me more about your dream.” The smooth amused voice of a certain Tevinter mage startled Yuuri back to reality, his eyes snapping open. It suddenly dawned on Yuuri that he was not actually in his room back at the tower; he had not been in that room for weeks now. His brain flooded with memories; he was in Minrathous, with Celestino, staying with one of the Antivan’s acquaintances. Yuuri sat up, looking to the owner of the voice. Viktor was leaning against the door frame, his silver hair shone in the early morning light like a precious metal. Yuuri could not help but smile as his eyes raked over the smiling man. Viktor was wearing a pale blue tunic, far less formal than the one from the night before which set off his eyes, making them gleam. There was a slight movement which distracted Yuuri enough for him to look away from Viktor's sparkling form. He saw that the motion was from the servant Levi who was tidying up the bedchamber and looking through Yuuri's pack for something for the mage to wear. “Umm...” Yuuri was not sure where to start, his brain was full of questions of why. Why was Viktor watching him sleep? Why was there someone going through his pack? Levi looked over to Viktor. “Messere, it appears that this one only has the one traveling outfit and a robe which is far too aged to be appropriate for the day.” Yuuri felt himself flush; while he knew that he did not own the most fancy of robes, and he only had the two outfits with him. He was not looking to impress anyone with his style options. Both robes were serviceable, and were the best he had owned. Yuuri could feel his face flushing as he sat there in his bed clothes. “Levi do not be so rude; besides, anything Yuuri wears will look amazing on him.” Yuuri covered his face, feeling the blush rise to his ears. “If you say so messere,” Levi spoke his voice unconvinced. “Though, if I might suggest, we could borrow a simple set of robes from young master Plisetsky. I do believe they would fit your guest.” “Oh Levi, you are smarter than you look,” Victor grinned at the scowling servant. “I mean if you are alright with that Yuuri? I am sure that Yura would have something for you to borrow, I mean if you would like to have something different to wear.” “Uhh...” “I am sorry if I am overwhelming you again so early in the morning,” Viktor was blushing. “I was just so excited at the thought of seeing you today.” Yuuri smiled for a brief moment; while annoyed, he understood Viktor’s enthusiasm. Still, something needed to be said and Yuuri drew a deep breath. “Viktor, while I am really pleased seeing you first thing, I do not need you barging in on me when I am still in bed.” Viktor's eyes went wide; he opened his mouth to say something and was silenced by Yuuri raising his finger. Yuuri got up; there was no point in his sitting in bed like some blushing bride. “I am not finished.” He walked over to the taller man, raising a hand up to the side of his face much as he had done the night before, tracing his thumb along the older man's jaw. Yuuri took pleasure in how Viktor's breath caught and his eyes closed; feeling bold, Yuuri used his other hand to pull Viktor closer. “The next time you come into my room while I am still in bed, it better be because you had just left it.” Viktor let a moan escape; with a shuddering breath his eyes opened wide as his face flushed, “Yuuri...” Yuuri smiled rather shyly, despite what he had just boldly said. “Viktor...” Yuuri pulled back, letting go of the taller man. Running a hand through his messy hair and feeling himself flush slightly at the fact that he was still in his night clothes. “Now in terms of your inquiry, Phichit was my room mate back at the Circle. I was just disoriented for a moment and forgot where I was. It is not like I am used to having someone coming into my rooms to dress me. And no, you do not need to get jealous of Phichit; I am far too young for his tastes. As for the dream,” Yuuri flushed as he thought back over the dream, only fragments remained: flashes of silver hair, clearest blue eyes, and pale skin. “I am keeping that to myself.” Viktor chuckled. “Oh my, with the look that just passed over your face Yuuri, I am not sure that I want to let that one go.” “Aside from that, if your offer for your cousin's clothing is an option and he does not mind, I would be grateful.” Yuuri flushed. “I had thought my robes were sufficient but it is correct that my appearance would be rather shabby when standing next to someone like yourself.” “Yuuri you are far from shabby and I would argue with anyone who says otherwise, including yourself.” Yuuri's breath caught in his throat as he saw just how fervent Viktor was as he spoke, his blue eyes intense. There was a slight shift and cough from behind, which pulled Yuuri's attention away and to the servant who was still standing in the room. “I would suggest that you go to young Master Plisetsky and see about the robes while I assist Master Yuuri here to being more presentable.” Viktor smirked. “I am not all that sure I really want to be going out and showing the world this man who switches so easily from Agape to Eros and back again.” He kissed Yuuri's fingers in what was becoming a familiar motion for them. “I shall return.” Yuuri smiled, nodding shyly. Viktor walked out, leaving Yuuri alone with the Elf Levi who was boring a hole into Yuuri's back. Yuuri turned to look to the man and bowed his head, “Ame in ma'desen.” “I do not speak slave.” Yuuri drew back as though slapped, “Slave?” The Elf's violet eyes bored into Yuuri's caramel ones, “What you just spoke is the language of the slaves. I am not a slave.” Yuuri flushed to his ears. “I beg to differ; I speak the language of Elvhen, the language of the people. If it is what your slaves speak, I assume these slaves are all Elvhen, be they of the Dalish or from the cities. I abhor the use of slaves, if you must know.” “I suppose you would, but you are no more than a hopped up Elf who thinks they are better because you hold magic. I have seen your kind try to get close to the Master and his family, you do not fool me. You're also not his first, in time he will tire of you.” Yuuri was at a loss; never had he ever known someone to be so cruel to him, to hate him from the start. But he drew a deep breath as he knew that this person was special to Viktor and he would work through this. He bowed once more. “I apologize if I offended you; all I had said was that I was now in your care. But if you do not wish to assist that is alright, I am not used to such things and I would not want Viktor to be concerned when he returns. I can see just how much he cherishes you.” Yuuri turned then, walking towards the powder room to wash his face and find some way of settling his heart which was now thumping hard against his chest. He heard the muffled thump of the door opening and closing, which he assumed was Levi leaving in pursuit of something better to do that did not include Yuuri. It did not take Yuuri long to finish washing up and he was surprised and rather delighted when he saw Viktor walking through the door once more. He had his cousin Yuri in tow who was talking amicably with Viktor speaking in Tevene. Yuuri smiled as he watched the silver-haired mage laugh at something the younger blonde had said. Viktor looked to Yuuri, his eyes bright. “Ahh Yuuri! I have returned; I hope that it was not too long of a wait.” Yuuri flushed. “Not at all.” Viktor gestured to his cousin. “This is my dear cousin Yuri, I am sure you remember his scowling face from last night.” Viktor laughed as he dodged a rather fierce kick aimed at his back side from his cousin. Yuri looked over to Yuuri with a huff. “My cousin is old and an asshole. I am not sure what you see in him.” “Oh Yuuuuura...” Viktor whined, throwing his long limbs around his blonde cousin who looked miffed but pleased as well with the contact. “Why must you be so cruel kotyenok?” “Tch!” the teen scoffed, clicking his tongue before throwing himself into one of the overstuffed chairs. He gestured to Yuuri, “I understand you needed some threads, help yourself.” Yuuri bowed, “Ma serannas.” “Yuuri?” Viktor spoke as he laid out the several tunic options, “I do not see Levi, is he in the bed chamber?” “Umm, no...” Yuuri felt nervous. “I was fine, really. I told him he could go if he had more pressing things to do.” “Yuuri...” Viktor walked over to look the Elf in the eyes, “He did not do anything or say something to you?” “Pfft, Levi is a stiff, what would he say?” Yuri scoffed from his seat. Yuuri's eyes were wide as he felt a blush rise. “No, no. Really Viktor, I am just not used to having someone assist me with dressing. It was a bit unnerving for me.” “Okay-- if you say so.” Viktor ran a hand lightly along the side of Yuuri's face then turned back to the clothing. Yuuri now looked over to what spoils had been brought; each of the tunics were far more exquisite than anything which he had ever owned. They reminded him of the formal ones he would see when in Val Royeaux visiting Phichit's family home. Each was a different colour, Yuuri found his eyes were gravitating to a emerald green; it reminded him of the forest trails from home, with gold embroidery along the trim. “Ahh, yes I like this one too Yuuri.” Viktor picked up the green to set it against Yuuri's frame, “I think this will set off your eyes the best.” Yuuri could feel himself flushing. “They are all so beautiful, are you sure I can borrow this Yuri?” “Da, da.” Yuri waved a hand, “I have so many that I cannot possibly wear, please be my guest.” Yuuri smiled. “My thanks. I shall try this one then!” “Wonderful!” Viktor smiled, pushing a pair of black leather leggings towards him as well. “And with these! I will help you with the rest like belts once you have on those pieces.” He shooed Yuuri to the bedchamber while he fussed over the extras. Walking out in Yuri's clothing felt somewhat surreal, the younger blonde was slightly taller than Yuuri so the tunic fell a little longer down his thighs than normal. Yuuri was straightening his tunic and looked up to see Viktor who was staring with his mouth open. The look alone was enough to make Yuuri fidget and cross his arms over himself as though he were nude. “Does it look strange?” Yuuri spoke nervously. Viktor just continued to gape, then Yuri looked between the two males, swearing something under his breath before speaking to Yuuri. “Keep the tunic. It looks good on you, far better than it ever did on me. I think that is what my idiot cousin would say if he were not gaping at you like some besotted child.” Yuuri then saw Yuri push out his hand and a small bolt of electricity zapped Viktor's still form, making the taller man yelp and rub at his shoulder. Yuuri then smirked, trying to hide the giggle that was bubbling up inside him. “Da , I mean yes,” Viktor swallowed. “Yura is correct, you do look wonderful and I was right. It brings out the gold in your eyes.” “Tch! You two are sickening.” Yuri stood up, kicking at the leg of the small table in front of him. “I am headed downstairs, call when you want to go.” Once Yuri was out of the room, Viktor moved forward with a few leather belts in his hand which he deftly buckled around Yuuri's frame. Viktor licked his lips, voice low. “You really do look amazing and I have the urge of not wanting to let you out of this room for anyone else to see you.” Yuuri flushed. “Mala suledin nadas ma vhenan.” Viktor's eyes fluttered up to Yuuri's face. “I have no idea what you just said, but I would give anything to hear you speak more in your language. It is like nothing I have ever heard before.” Yuuri felt a little bolder and spoke once more, his heart racing, hoping that what Viktor has said was true. “Isalam hima sa i'na Vitya.” Viktor's eyes were wide. “How did you know to call me that?” Yuuri smiled. “I have been hearing your family call you by that name. I am sorry, was it too forward? I am not familiar with all of human customs.” Viktor smiled, “I rather like hearing it from you. It is not necessarily a human thing, as our family and some of our people have private names. Names only used by our families and lovers. I suppose to an outsider it would be confusing, hearing one name and then another.” “At times it can be. I did not realize that is was so personal though, I can just use Viktor.” “No!” He grasped Yuuri's hand. “Please call me Vitya, I rather like hearing that on your tongue.” “Very well, ma vhenan'ara Vitya.” Yuuri smiled. There was movement at the doorway, breaking the small world that the pair seemed to have created, Viktor glanced over when he saw Yuuri stiffen slightly. “Ahh Levi, can you please place these items into Yuuri's wardrobe for me?” The sight of the elf reminded Yuuri of something he wanted to ask Viktor, but it was something that would have to wait until Levi was no longer within earshot. Yuuri watched Levi as he bowed, “As you wish messere.” Levi glanced to Yuuri, his eyes curious, one eyebrow cocked. It was as though he were surprised that Yuuri had not said anything to Viktor about what had occurred earlier. Yuuri gave a small what he hoped was a friendly smile and nod. He spoke in common tongue so not to upset the elf. “Thank you Levi, I appreciate all you do.” Viktor smiled and led Yuuri toward the door. Yuuri caught a glimpse of his staff, “Oh, will I need my staff?” Viktor laughed, “I certainly hope not.” “It might actually not be a bad idea.” Levi's voice chimed from behind the pair. They turned to see the Elf standing at the door to the bed chamber, his arms filled with the colourful tunics. “My Lord, there have been a lot of uprisings with some of the Soporati and whispers about Qunari converts who are among them looking for any way to attack those of the Altus class. And let us not forget that there are those who would prize having a marked Elf for their slave and would pay a high price for one.” Viktor's face looked grim which was Yuuri's only indicator about what Levi was referring to, as he was lost with all of the terms which were thrown his way. Viktor looked to Yuuri, “Please take up the staff. If Levi says there is danger I would trust in him.” “Is it common for Elven mages to become slaves when visiting the city?” Yuuri's voice was soft. Viktor sighed, his eyes sad. “I will be honest; as far as I know it is rare, but also not unheard of. I think if anything it would mostly be swept under the carpet.” “Not all Altus are like the Nikiforov family, and certainly even less are like the Master here,” Levi spoke. “You will be safe if he remains with you.” Viktor's hand ran along Yuuri's face, his fingers tracing along some of his markings. “I swear I will not let anyone harm you.” Yuuri smiled, leaning into his hand with his eyes closed. “Now are you ready for some breakfast?” Viktor spoke. “After that, I can take you anywhere you wish!” Yuuri's eyes fluttered open. “Oh, can we go to the library?” Viktor chuckled. “I’m sorry, that was a weird request wasn’t it?” “Not at all.” Viktor was still chuckling, his hand covering over his mouth. “It’s just that--you are so earnest. Of course we can go over to the library at the Circle Tower. I will be happy to take you there.” Yuuri smiled, “Really?” Viktor nodded, “Of course.” With a last grin they walked out of the rooms, Yuuri taking up his white staff which glowed slightly in recognition of its master. Yuuri smirked at the low whistle from Viktor. “I am not sure I will get used to that. You will have to tell me what makes this staff so special.” Yuuri chuckled and they made their way to an informal dining room, bumping into each other as Viktor would talk about the house and some of the history behind a piece of furniture or painting. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 10 The pair walked into the semi formal dining room. Viktor had just said something which had the younger man chuckling; he wished he knew what it was so he could ensure to get that reaction again. Everything about Yuuri had Viktor's mind spinning, each expression he cherished and had him thirsting for more. “Tch!” Viktor looked up to see Yuri sitting in one of the chairs with a coffee in front of him along with a small plate of fruit, likely the second or third helping knowing the teen. Across from him was Celestino, who was reading a paper and only looked up when the blonde had made that sound of disgust. “Ahh! Yuuri!” Celestino burst out jovially, “I hope you slept well! Get yourself a plate my boy.” Yuuri bobbed his head, placing the staff against the wall by the door. “Celestino, good morning. And yes I did sleep very well, ma serannas.” Celestino grinned, looking between the pair. “I am sure that you did.” Yuuri flushed as he went to gather himself a small plate of eggs with toast from the buffet against the far wall. “Would you like a coffee, tea or juice?” Viktor asked softly. “Tea, if you have some, and if it is no trouble.” “Of course.” Viktor gestured to one of the servants and led Yuuri back to the dining table. “We have some tea from the Southern lands which is divine.” The servant came over with a small box and tray; they placed all of the components on the table for Yuuri to brew his own. Smelling the leaves Yuuri's face flushed with pleasure, it was a scent which he recognized and had not had the pleasure of enjoying for a long while. He thanked the man as he bowed and stepped back to his place by the wall. “Is it good?” “Oh yes!” Yuuri looked up after he carefully measured his leaves and poured some hot water over them to steep. “These are leaves from my clan of all places. I knew that we traded with the shemlen but how did you find such a thing so far North?” Viktor watched as Yuuri closed his eyes, smelling the light floral scent rising from his cup, smiling as the elf took his first sip with a sigh. Yuuri looked over to Viktor, his eyes clouded with some concern. “Are you not going to have anything?” Viktor smiled, “I am just taking pleasure in watching you enjoying your tea.” Yuuri flushed to his ears. “Vitya...” There was a chuckle, followed by a gagging sound from across the table. “Fasta vass!” Yuri spat out, “Just fuck him already Vitya, this is turning my stomach.” “Yura!” Viktor snapped. “Honestly.” Celestino burst into laughter. “Quite the mouth on your cousin there, Viktor.” Yuuri sputtered, choking on his tea. “Ara seranna-ma.” “Why are you apologizing Yuuri?” Celestino chuckled. “Besides, there is nothing bad with the two of you, enjoy your youth. Oh I was going to ask, would you mind greatly if I left you to your own devices today? I have a few meetings.” Viktor spoke before Yuuri could answer, “I was hoping to take Yuuri over to the Circle library, I understand that he was looking to get in some research.” “Tch! So boring,” Yuri groaned. “You deserve each other. Count me out if we are going to the library.” “Ahh, that will have to wait unfortunately.” Alexander's booming voice cut through the conversation as he marched in. Much as the day before he was dressed in dark formal robes that only made his appearance look more severe. “Papa?” “My apologies Vitya, but if you paid more attention to our meetings you would have remembered that there was a counsel meeting today and outsiders are not allowed in the tower at that time.” Viktor groaned, “Another meeting? Is that all you old men do?” “You should be there yourself as the heir,” Another voice spoke. Yuuri looked up to see the sullen face of Alexei as he went to the side buffet to get himself a coffee and sit by his father who was at the head of the table, thanking a servant who brought him a plate of food. “Lyosha, not you as well.” Yuuri placed a hand on Viktor's arm his voice low, “Vitya, if you need to...” Viktor looked down; every time he heard Yuuri speak his name his heart sang. He smiled softly at Yuuri, “No, they will be fine on their own. I promised that I would take you out today and I will not disappoint. Just may have to change where we go, I am sure that the kotyenok will have an idea. Right Yura?” “Tch! Of course.” Yuri was sitting straighter since Alexander had joined them. “And a far better plan than just the damn library.” “Sorry Papa, but I will not be joining you today.” Alexander nodded, “I had figured as much, but at least you will be entertaining our guest so it is not just being frivolous with your time.” “Well I am not sure I would go that far Papa,” Viktor chuckled. “This is me after all.” “Vitya...” His father's voice held a warning. Ignoring his father Viktor looked to Yuuri, “On that note, are you finished Yuuri?” Yuuri nodded, placing his napkin across his empty plate and thanking the servant who took away the dish. He took one last sip of the tea with a peaceful sigh before getting up to follow Viktor and Yuri out of the room. As he gathered his staff he turned to nod to Celestino, “I will see you later my friend.” Celestino waved, “Have fun! Ciao Ciao!” Yuuri stifled a giggle as he remembered the favourite nickname he and Phichit had for the outgoing Antivian. “Vitae benefaria Papa,” Viktor called out sweetly. “Festis bei umo canavarum Vitya.” Yuuri looked back and forth between the two, confused as Viktor walked out laughing with his cousin in tow. Yuuri caught up to Viktor touching his arm lightly, “What was that?” “Oh nothing my Yuuri, just a playful goodbye between my father and myself.” “Are you certain I am not an inconvenience for you?” Yuuri felt his anxiety and self doubt start to take over. “It sounded like you had other plans which I am disrupting.” “Tch!” Yuri spoke up, “Do you have no self awareness? Vitya would be avoiding the counsel at the best of times. You are not an inconvenience to him, just the opposite. You are his priority- I don’t think I have ever seen my cousin so smitten.” “Yura...” Viktor's voice carried a light threat of warning. “What? It is true!” Yuuri blushed, “Well I appreciate it and I rather enjoy both of your company.” Viktor grinned, holding Yuuri's hand against his arm. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 11 Minrathous was less intimidating for Yuuri when led by Viktor and Yuri. Viktor kept his hold on Yuuri's hand while they perused through the stalls, chuckling at whatever outrageous item that Yuri would point at with excitement. The teenager was drawn whenever he saw something that had an animal print. Particularly if the animal was a type of cat, a fact which only made Viktor laugh calling him “kitten” to the teens annoyance. The sight of slaves was still something which made Yuuri uncomfortable, enough that he would clutch at Viktor's arm. “I am sorry Yuuri, if it is too uncomfortable for you we can go back to the house.” Viktor's voice was low so only Yuuri could hear; the raven-haired mage took a deep breath and shook his head. “No- I will be alright. I am enjoying this, watching your cousin's glee as he finds things he enjoys. And your descriptions of monuments, of the people, I am very glad that we are doing this instead of the library. Not that the library would not be fun as well, just this is really nice. And wow I am talking a lot, I am sorry. Am I talking too much? Phichit always tells me that when I get too anxious I talk too much...” “Yuuri,” Viktor chuckled, “breathe! And no you never talk too much for me, I could listen to you talk all day.” Yuuri hummed in pleasure. “Also stop talking about that other man, or I might get jealous.” Yuuri flushed. “You really do not have to get jealous over Phichit; he is like a brother to me. My best friend.” “There you go saying his name again.” Viktor was smiling, “I may have to punish you later.” Yuuri felt his breath catch, there was an undertone to what he said that sent a thrill through him. The pair stopped bantering when Yuri came scowling at them and threw a roundhouse kick at his cousin. Yuuri, uncertain of what to do, stood aside as Viktor and Yuri bickered in the middle of the market place. By mid afternoon the men had decided that it was time for them to take a break from shopping and Viktor had a porter take their packages back to the house. Yuuri was about to protest when he saw that the porters were marked as slaves, but held off saying anything when he saw how Viktor tipped greatly, with the promise of more and food when they delivered the packages to the mansion. He had to remind himself so many times of how this was the way in the Imperium; they held to the practice of slavery, while in the Southern states it was an act which had been abolished for a long time. They were eating some food from one of the many stalls when Viktor declared that they should go for a walk along the coast. Viktor led the trio along a small beach path which twisted and bent along the coastline of the Valerian Fields. It was clear there were a few look out points which Yuuri suspected were often used for trysts. At one of these lookouts, Viktor and Yuri pointed out a landmass across the Nocen Sea. “That would be Seheron, correct?” Yuuri asked. “It is.” Viktor answered with an amused look on his face. “Is it still where the Qunari reside? Or does Tevinter still hold power there? The texts we have are all over the place, each claiming something different.” Viktor chuckled, “Well that all depends on who you ask. It is perhaps the most contested piece of land in the Imperium. But as you are asking me, I say that the Qunari own it, and honestly why would we have any interest in it?” Yuri spat over the edge with a growl. “It is full of those horned beasts and Fog Warriors, bunch of rebels and criminals. Nothing there worth keeping.” Yuuri smirked now. “I thought that the Fog Warriors were the natives of the island; would that not make you the invaders?” Viktor put a hand to his chest in mock shock. “Yuuri, how could you say such a... actually-- yes, that would be an accurate description of what my people are, in general.” “You are, perhaps, the strangest human I have ever met.” “Clearly you have not met enough humans.” Yuri spoke sullenly as he walked away giving the pair a bit of privacy. “Oh look, stuff.” Viktor smiled, thanking the old gods that his cousin had just left him alone for a moment. He raised his hand up to Yuuri's face and traced his thumb along the Elf's jaw. “Vitya...” Yuuri's voice was heavy with desire, his eyes hooded as he leaned into the caress. “I am not sure why it is, but Yuuri--” Viktor was cut off as there was a scuffling sound and Yuri's voice came crashing to the pair. “ Otva'li, mu'dak, b'lyad!! ” Yuuri and Viktor both reached for their staves, drawing mana through them as they ran toward the sound of Yuri’s cries. Around the corner they found Yuri being held by two larger men with brands down the side of their faces, markings similar to those on the casteless in the Dwarven community. Yuri was struggling with his staff on the ground, leaving the teen helpless with his magic. There were three others, one of whom Yuuri could sense mana from, and all were facing Yuri without any concern for the potential that he was not alone. Without a thought, Yuuri sent out a wave of mana that blasted through the crowd; immediately, the mage collapsed unconscious, having had all of his mana pulled forcefully from his body. The confusion gave Viktor the moment of surprise he needed to send a lightning bolt between the two humans who were standing looking at the collapsed comrade. The disruption caused by both spells was enough to cause Yuri's captors to loosen their grip on the teen, allowing him to twist out of their grasp. He turned, grabbing hold of his own staff which had been laying on the ground. “Now I'll fucking kill you-- you bitch, motherfucker!” Yuri's aura glowed a bright blue as he directed his staff and shot a wave of fire from the length, setting the remaining two brigands on fire. Yuuri and Viktor ran over to Yuri, not yet releasing their mana in case one of the three woke from their daze. Yuuri grabbed hold of Yuri, first wrapping the teen in a tight hug. Yuri shuddered at first but then leaned into the hug, turning himself until he was facing Yuuri, burying his face into the Elf's neck. With his free hand, Yuuri patted Yuri’s back. “You are safe now Lethallin,” Yuuri crooned. Yuuri looked over Yuri's golden head to see Viktor watching the pair with an odd look. Could it be that Viktor was jealous? Viktor was bent over the mage who Yuuri had knocked out earlier; when his eyes connected with Yuuri's he glanced back down to the silent form, shaking his head. “What spell was it that you used, Yuuri?” Viktor’s voice was distant. “Hmm?” “On this one here.” He indicated the unconscious form. “He isn’t dead, right?” There was a slight sound of panic rising in his voice. “Please tell me he is still breathing.” Viktor shook his head, “He is alive, he just appears to be asleep.” Yuuri sighed, his heart rate slowing back to normal. “That is good, I was uncertain if I had used too much power. It was just a mana blast, I purged all of his mana.” Viktor blanched. “You can do that?” Yuuri nodded solemnly. “Yes. But if I am not careful, the mage can go into shock and die or become tranquil.” Viktor looked from the form in front of him then back to Yuuri, his eyes wide. “I probably should not have used such a spell,” Yuuri’s voice a coarse whisper. “It was all I could think of. I did not want Yuri harmed, so I used it to remove the problem.” Yuuri felt Yuri draw away from him; his eyes were red, but there were no tears. “You idiot! You could have hit me!” Yuuri flushed. “It is a bit more directed than that, it will only hurt those I perceive as enemies.” “Tch!” Yuri walked over to Viktor and kicked the unconscious mage on the ground and spitting on him. “I could have handled it myself.” “Yura!” Yuuri released all of his mana, feeling defeated. Holstering his staff, he bowed low. “M'abelas Lethallin . I am sorry that I caused you such fear, from now on I will make myself scarce. If you do not mind, I will take my leave. I think I know the way back to the house.” Yuuri walked away leaving behind the two cousins. He had, in one small stroke, destroyed the two friendships he had forged over the last twenty-four hours. He was not sure why or how; perhaps it was just more of his not quite understanding human culture. Phichit had always made light of his not understanding; it had Yuuri once more questioning if his leaving the tower was the best of ideas after all. The fact that neither mage questioned or stopped him was all that Yuuri needed to know. He was not wanted, and it broke his heart. Yuuri was able to maneuver his way through the city well enough that he was in view of the mansion when there was a whispering behind him. Had he not been so inside his own head he might have actually realized that there was a group lying in wait for him. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 12 “I cannot believe he just left us like that, that stupid Elf!” Yuri kicked at a rock as he paced; he was waiting on his cousin who was still checking the bodies of the fallen would-be thieves. Viktor stood up with a sigh. “I cannot find any orders on them. I assume they are just one of the many who come to port looking for easy prey.” “Did you hear me?” Yuri spat. “Yes.” “So...” Viktor looked into his cousins jade eyes, “So what?” “Are you fucking kidding me?” Yuri whipped his hand out in the general direction of the city, “Your little Elf ran off and what, now you don’t care? I thought you were head over heels with him.” “Yes, but he seems to be more interested in someone else.” “Are you fucking blind Vitya? If not you are a goddamned idiot!” Viktor's eyes narrowed. “I am not blind. I see very well thank you.” “Venhedis!” Yuri swore. “You are a moron! What, because he hugged me? That was all it took for you to no longer pursue him? Are you that hot and cold? I hope that I never fall for someone so fickle as yourself that the slightest thing would turn you away.” Viktor blushed. “I am not fickle. I just do not want to get hurt…” “Look--” Yuri took a deep breath, trying to be calm. “I know you have had shitty partners before this. But honestly Vitya, I have never seen you this enthralled. Why would you allow something so shallow to end what could potentially be a good match? Let’s face it, you are not likely to find anyone with the same values as yourself here in Minrathous. Closest you had was that friend of yours from the counsel.” “ Fasta vas,” Viktor swore slapping his face with his palm. “You are right, I have been an idiot. I- no, we should go find him.” “Finally you are talking sense! Given that he left a while ago, he is likely already back at the manse. I am sure you can woo him just fine when you return; he is just as much of an idiot such as yourself.” Viktor smirked. “Careful Yura, keep talking like this and I might actually think you like him.” Yuri scowled, his cheeks taking on a pink flush. “He is alright. For an Elf, and a Southerner.” The silver-haired mage chuckled as they picked up the pace, making their way back towards the mansion. * Viktor had worked himself up thinking of the ways he could apologize to Yuuri. By the time the pair had arrived to the mansion, he was talking about offering to take Yuuri around Thedas to sample teas from around the Empire. They walked through the front door, Viktor calling out for Yuuri, hoping that he was not beyond being forgiven. “Yuuri?” Viktor went over to Levi who was approaching the pair. “Oh good! Levi, have you seen my Yuuri?” The Elf servant shook his head, “No sir, I have not seen your guest since you all left this morning.” Viktor cocked his head. “Is it possible that he came in without your knowing?” “It is possible, but highly unlikely. If I had not seen him, there are the others who would have advised me of his return.” Viktor ran a hand through his long hair, Levi's violet eyes narrowed, “Why were you not with him?” “Ah well--” “I got into some trouble and I blew up at Yuuri so he left us.” Yuri interrupted. “It was my fault; if you are going to glare daggers, glare em at me.” “After what I told you this morning about the Soporati,” Levi sucked his teeth. “I told you how there are Elves going missing right from our streets, and yet you still...” Viktor's eyes went wide. “You do not think that? Kaffas! ” Viktor turned around to grab Yuri. “We need to get back out there.” “And do what?” Yuri glared. “So we run around all of Minrathous in hopes of stumbling into them? Use your damn head.” “Well I cannot just sit here!” Viktor yelled. “Might I make a suggestion?” Levi spoke before the two cousins went to blows. “The young Master is talented at finding spells, is he not? Why not do a tracking one on your friend?” Viktor turned back to Levi kissing the pale man on the cheek. “And this is why I love you Levi. Yes! Yura you can do that right??” “Da , given the components I can make any potion.” “What do you need? I will get you whatever you desire.” “Well, I need something of his.” “Easily done. I mean, his clothing is all upstairs in his room.” “That is great, but something personal holds more meaning and the only thing I could think of for him would be that staff of his as it is unique to him, according to Gramps.” Viktor sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. After the briefest of moments he snapped his fingers, eyes sparkling. “I know just the thing!” Without another word, he dashed up the stairs, making Yuri swear as he followed after his cousin. Yuri watched as Viktor tore into the guest room, rummaging through Yuuri’s personal effects as though they were his own and finally holding up a small carving. “What are you doing Vitya?” Yuri asked catching his breath. “Koyla told me that Yuuri spoke to him a little about his staff, and that he had a little carving from his clan which he has been holding onto since that time.” Viktor held up a little wooden statue of what looked like a deer with twisted horns. “You think that you can work with this?” Yuri's eyes lit up. “Yes, I think so.” The teen took hold of the small statuette; he could feel the wooden carving start to thrum with power as though it held a piece of Yuuri within it. This would work just fine, Yuri nodded to himself as he walked out of the room towards his own. Yuri's rooms were set up much like Viktors, with a receiving area, but instead of lush seating there were desks and cabinets filled with Grimoires and loose pages of notes and scribbles. There were jars lining the shelves with strange dried herbs and glowing liquids. It was no wonder that the boy would hang out in Viktor's rooms when he needed a break, as this was just a place for him to work and create. Viktor had on more than one occasion suggested that Yuri move his lab to another part of the mansion but Yuri would have none of it. Viktor watched in awe as Yuri moved nimbly through his room, pulling out vials and mixing things together with mortar and pestle. Placing it all into a clear vial, Yuri then channelled his mana and pushed the smallest thread of magic into the mixture, transforming it from a white powder into a bright pink liquid which glowed with the faintest pulse. “That should do it.” Yuri wiped his brow with the back of his forearm. “You sure it will work?” Yuri cocked an eyebrow. “You have got to be kidding me, of course it will. Here!” He shoved the carving into Viktor's hand. “Hold it out in your hand and focus your thoughts on your Elf.” Viktor nodded and stared at the statuette, bringing to his mind images of Yuuri, all while channelling the faintest bit of mana. Yuri tipped a drop of the liquid onto the statuette. There was a vibrant glow and Viktor's eyes widened; in his mind's eye he could feel a pulse flow through him as though connecting him straight to Yuuri, with the little figurine leading the way. “You should know in which direction to head.” Viktor looked up, distracted by his cousin and felt disappointment as the connection disappeared.”Yes, but what happened?” “Idiot, it only works while you concentrate,” Yuri mocked, “but you have an idea of his direction, start moving then we can check again.” Viktor nodded his blue eyes shining. “Thank you Yura.” Yuri nodded. “Don’t thank me yet Vitya, we haven’t yet found him.” The pair walked out of the room back to the foyer where Levi was waiting; the Elf servant looked up to Viktor, beckoning him to hurry. “Your Father and the rest just arrived back,” Levi's voice was low. “They are in the library enjoying some Antivan wine. I suggest you make haste before they realize you lost one of your guests.” Viktor nodded. “Spasibo, Levi.” Levi waved them on. “Go, go.” Yuri and Viktor slipped out the front door, tearing off in the direction Viktor had felt the pulse, stopping only once to check that they were going the right way. “It seems that he is towards the docks,” Viktor spoke, his face grim. Yuri nodded. “Makes sense, although I wonder where they are planning on going with a mage.” Viktor scoffed. “I should have listened to Levi; he told us earlier that Elves, even mages, were being taken off our streets and being sold off as exotic slaves.” Yuri spat on the ground in front of them in disgust. “Whores, the lot of them. You would think they would have enough with the Southern captures. Unfortunate part of being Tevinter, all the fucking slavery.” “Yes I understand that. But what would be the point in stealing our own citizens? How did they know that Yuuri was not already a slave of the Altus?” “You think Yuuri really carries himself as a Tevinter servant?” Yuri rolled his eyes at Viktor. “Let alone a slave?” “Tch! You are right.” Yuri smirked, “Do not worry too hard there Vitya, or you might go bald!” “I am not going bald you brat!” Viktor and Yuri stopped bantering once they reached the entrance to the shipyard. There were hundreds of ships and even more warehouses where slavers could be hiding their new merchandise and acquisitions. Viktor held out his hand once more and channelled into the figurine, only nothing happened, he made a sound of disgust. “What?” “Nothing is happening Yura! What does that mean?” Yuri held out the potion, adding another drop. “Try once more.” Viktor nodded, channelling again. This time he felt the pulse; it was pulling him towards the furthest end, to a warehouse he was almost certain was owned by a Magister known as Danarius. Viktor pointed taking off once more, channelling more mana until Yuri could feel the pressure building. The warehouse was much like the others along the docks; it had large bay doors which opened up to allow the ships to easily load their cargo. Being that it was Tevinter the cargo could be anything from fine wines and fabrics to slaves from far away lands. Standing outside the door, Viktor knew that this particular building was owned by Danarius, a Magister who was known for his ruthlessness and preference towards marked elves. “Vitya,” Yuri's voice was low, “is this not Danarius' place?” Viktor nodded. “Da, but I remember hearing that he was killed in Kirkwall when he went to retrieve his favoured slave.” “Oh, that marked Elf of his?” “Da.” Viktor's voice was grim. “Do you know who owns this place now?” “So far as I know it has not been sold as of yet, but we will go in and find out.” Viktor squeezed the figurine, feeling the light pulse that let him know that Yuuri was still inside. He put the statuette to his lips and then tucked it into one of the pouches which hung from his belt. He glanced at Yuri who nodded, and together they went through the front door to go retrieve their friend. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 13 Yuuri woke in a daze, his head throbbing. Opening up one eye only brings a sharp stabbing pain behind his temples. Yuuri let out a string of profanity in Elvhen, as his world spins around him. Yuuri closes his eyes again; he needs the dizziness to stop, otherwise he will not be able to get out of this room. The last thing he remembered was coming out from the alley and seeing the mansion as he approached the black gates. Then-- then it all goes black. Yuuri took another deep breath to assess his current situation. Opening his eyes once more, Yuuri took slow deep breaths, counting to five on the way in and four on the way out. It was much like the breathing exercises he did when he would have panic attacks. Although the attacks were far less often, the muscle memory of what to do was still there. Breathing calmed and room stilled, Yuuri looked around himself; the first thing he noticed was that he was on a hard wooden floor. As Yuuri looked up, he could see dust motes floating in the sun beams which filtered through the dirty windows, giving the room a soft golden glow. The air in the room was stale, combined with the heavy tang of salt and fish. While Minrathous was a harbour town, the majority of it actually did not have that heavy scent; depending upon where you were, it would have a different scent profile. By the market it was heavy with spices and some sweat of the people, while the more residential parts had a fresher smell due to the gardens. Right now though, the only thing that enveloped his senses was dust, fish, salt and oils. He was somewhere on the port, likely one of the many warehouses which the incoming vessels would use to harbour their goods for trade. Yuuri attempted to sit up, which made him realize that he was tied and only gave him a sharp pain which rang through his back and sides, letting him know that he had been there long enough to have his muscles fall asleep. This was going to make things more difficult, the raven-haired mage looked around the room twisting his head. Something white caught Yuuri’s eye, his staff was leaning up against the wall by the door, Yuuri smirked, perhaps things were starting to look up for him. Yuuri was alerted to the sound of footsteps; taking deep calming breaths, he laid his head down to give the appearance that he was still unconscious. Barely a minute had passed when two men walked into the room. Cracking open an eye, Yuuri saw that they were dressed in a style of robe which Viktor had identified earlier as the lower class of mages. So these were not Altus like the Nikiforov. Maybe they were part of the Soporati? Wait, no those were their non mages. The Tevene class system was far too confusing at times for Yuuri to remember. As it was he already spoke Elvhen, Common and Orlesian. He even had a smattering of Dwarven, although it was not something that was needed often as the majority of the Dwarven traders he had met over the years spoke Common as it was preferred and more widespread. Yuuri watched with hooded eyes as one of them made their way over; winding a foot back, Yuuri tensed as the foot came flying into his gut. “Wake up you!” Yuuri grunted, looking up. The man above him smelled as though he had been drinking; perhaps this was not a planned event, just some drunks looking for fun. It would not be the first time that Yuuri had been accosted for such a reason. Even in the tower when he first joined there were unsavoury types who would try to get to him just for the fact that he was a marked Elf. This one had dark hair that was spiked out, he was not wearing any identifying medallions. “You,” the dark-haired one was talking again. “Answer me! How does this thing work?” Yuuri looked at the man in a confused manner, deciding it was better to talk than to allow himself to get bruised. “What are you talking about?” His companion, who was leaning by the door was holding up Yuuri’s dragon bone staff. “This-- he is asking about your staff.” The dark-haired one made to kick Yuuri once more; as he wound back his leg, Yuuri braced himself, closing his eyes only to find that the pain did not come. He relaxed his muscles then opened his eyes to see that the drunk was being held back by his blonde companion. “What did ya stop me for?” “If you knock him out he will not be of any use,” the blonde one growled. “Besides, Lord Erimond wanted the merchandise unharmed.” The drunk grunted. “Fine.” He wrenched himself out of the grasp of his companion to stand over by the doorway. Yuuri was feeling nervous as he saw the blonde crouching down in order to be closer to Yuuri's face. Unlike his friend he did not carry the scent of alcohol; this one seemed to believe in bathing and most likely was a leader of some kind. Or at least higher up than his drunk friend. A thought flitted through Yuuri’s mind, something that Celestino had told him about. A rogue group which worked against the Imperium. Unfortunately for Yuuri he was not able to remember the word which was on the tip of his tongue. Not that knowing who Lord Erimond was or if they were part of some nefarious group could help him at this time. He just knew that he needed to get his hands on his staff. “Now,” the blonde spoke soothingly, “I need you to answer me or else I might have to allow my buddy over there to re-educate yourself on your place in this world. Right now you are a slave, that is all you will ever be. That is your place in this world. And as a slave, it is your job is to answer to your master. At this point in time, your master would be me. I am your god, your one, your only.” The man smiled, his teeth showing in a way that should feel soothing, but in reality sent a shiver down Yuuri's spine. “I hope that you and I are coming to an understanding then?” Yuuri nodded shakily, he had a feeling that this was not the man to cross. “Good.” There he was with that crocodile grin; he stood up taking the staff from his drunken comrade, looking over the fine details. “Now, this here looks very much like a staff that would be valuable if sold to the right individual.” Yuuri shook his head, which caused the man to frown. “Now Mister Elf mage, I thought you understood where I was coming from. If you are not going to be helpful, then I will have to let my friend take over.” “It – it won't work with you. Or anyone else. It is attuned to myself alone.” The man sucked air through his teeth. “Ahh, is that so. Well damn.” He rocked back on his heels. “Lord Erimond will not be happy with that at all. No, not at all.” Yuuri swallowed, risking getting hit. “Who is this Lord Erimond?” The drunk made a noise at the door, “Tch! Are you even from here, you stupid Elf?” The blonde sighed, rolling his eyes as though sharing an inside joke with Yuuri. “The only stupid one here is you, you damn monkey. Can you not see that this fine knife-eared slave is from the South? One of them wild elves that lives in the forests and shit. Although,” he looked Yuuri up and down, “I can appreciate how the clothing might throw you off. These are some fine threads, from your previous master I assume?” Yuuri flushed, he was getting angry. “Tsk tsk, watch your face serrah Elf!” The man pressed the tip of Yuuri's staff to his chin, forcing Yuuri to look up, the moment the staff touched his skin Yuuri could feel his body light up as though it were on fire with mana and magic. From the look in his captor's eyes Yuuri could see that they knew they had made a grave error and they had noticed a change over Yuuri, who had gone from a cowering captive to something far more fierce. Yuuri took a deep breath and stared the man down defiantly, “Ar tu na'lin emma mi.” The man smirked with false bravado. “I have no idea what you said there, but I assume it was nothing more than asking for another kick and reminder of your place.” “Fen'Harel ma halam.” Yuuri was pissed beyond speaking Common; now he was done, he was sore and all he wanted was to get his staff and get back to Viktor, even if it meant dealing with that damn servant and his violet eyes that judged. “You keep this shit up I am really going to get mad.” The blonde’s eyes narrowed. “Ma emma harel,” Yuuri's voice was steady, “Ar tu na'din.” Yuuri channelled mana through the staff which was still pressed under his chin, willing it to remain attached to him. Using that energy he then coaxed the ropes to unbind from his wrists all while he spoke threats in Elvhen; it was a technique which his keeper had taught him before ever leaving the clan, one he never thought he would have to use in a real-life setting. “Uhh, Garrett, I am not sure that you should keep taunting him man.” The man from the door spoke up, he was sounding more sober as fear radiated in his voice. The man called Garrett turned to snap back, as he moved he realized that the hand holding the staff did not move, “What the fuck?” It was too late, Yuuri moved with the stamina which came from the well of mana which was running through his whole being. “What is happening Garrett??” “I have no idea-- this staff, I cannot move it.” “Then let go!” “That is just it! I cannot! Fasta vass!!” “The fuck, man?” “Ma Halam.” Yuuri spoke once and then stood, taking his staff in hand as the one called Garrett burst into blue flames. “Oh kaffe!” The other one swore, seeing his companion lit up like a torch. The drunk turned and began trying to pull on the door, trying to find a way to escape the wrath of the once captive and very pissed off Elf. Yuuri swung down his staff in an arc. “Halam sahlin, emma shem'nan.” With his last words the other one burst into bright blue flames. Yuuri tapped his staff to the ground twice and the room itself engulfed in fire, leaving the raven-haired Elf unscathed. Yuuri walked out of the room, along a path that opened for him alone, moving forward while flames licked around him, consuming everything they touched. He walked out of the office and into the main warehouse, the fire following his footsteps, engulfing the entire building. Yuuri walked as though in a trance to the exit; the door opened in front of him, he could feel his rage starting to grow once more. He began to pull in more mana, channelling through his brightly glowing staff. The light equalized enough that Yuuri recognize the men before him, one blonde with green eyes and one taller with hair of hammered silver and bright blue eyes which were wide and shone with their own power. Yuuri sighed releasing all of his mana at once, he stepped forward into darkness. “Ma vhenan, Vitya.” The fire around Yuuri burst out from him blasting Viktor and Yuri with a wave of intense heat and flame which did not burn either of them. Viktor moved swiftly to catch Yuuri, who collapsed as a marionette whose strings had been cut. The staff, no longer glowing with power, fell from Yuuri’s lax hands, clattering uselessly to the floor. “Vitya, we can examine him later! We need to move now!” Viktor blinked looking up at Yuri and nodded, realizing that the warehouse was becoming dangerous to them now that Yuuri was unconscious. The room was becoming progressively hotter, and Viktor had a feeling that without the assistance of Yuuri and his staff, the flames would burn them both. “Yura, the staff,” Viktor spoke, channelling mana himself to create a barrier which would enshrine all three of the men so they could push through the already burning exit. Yura grabbed the staff and followed Viktor who was carrying the limp Elf mage. “The hell happened here, Vitya?” Viktor shook his head, his voice grim. “I have a feeling we will not know until Yuuri wakes.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 14 Yuuri groaned as he opened his eyes, his whole body protesting each and every slight movement. Unlike before where he was on a hardwood floor, now his body was surrounded by the comfort of a mattress and blankets. Yuuri's eyes snapped open in a panic; the last thing he remembered was fire; that and being in a warehouse. “Yuuri, amatus , you are safe now.” Viktor's voice brought Yuuri's eyes into focus. “Ir abelas, ma melava halani,” Yuuri took a shaky breath. “Ir tel'him.” “Yuuri, baby, I do not understand you.” Viktor ran his hand along Yuuri’s cheek. The raven-haired Elf blinked and then focused on the blue eyes before him. Collecting his thoughts, he tried again this time in Common. “I -– I am sorry.” It was as though he were remembering how to speak once more. He shook his head, trying to piece together what happened before he had blacked out. Looking around, he realized he was not actually in his own room. “Umm Vitya?” “Yuuri?” “Where are we right now?” He watched as the man blushed, his hand dropping away as his pale face turned a bright rose that reached the tip of his nose. “Vitya, are you okay ma serannas?” Yuuri lifted his right hand to the man's face, gently caressing his cheek. “This is my room.” “Oh... oh... oh ...” Yuuri's face stained crimson, making his markings flare across his cheeks at the realization that he was laying in Viktor's bed. Alone-- with Viktor. “Are you alright?” Viktor's eyes went wide. Yuuri swallowed, nodding slowly. “Yes, I am. What happened?” Viktor raised an eyebrow, “I was going to ask you the same thing.” “What do you mean?” “Yuri and I went to the warehouse and you were walking through fire untouched by the flames. That is how we found you.” “Oh,” Yuuri closed his eyes. “It happened again.” “Again?” Yuuri blew out a breath, his hand falling down to his lap, he looked up when he heard the faintest disappointed humm. Yuuri looked up, his caramel eyes looking into bright blue ones. “Before I tell you and you think poorly of me,” Yuuri sighed, “can I request one thing?” Viktor's eyes narrowed. “Why would I ever think poorly of you?” “Just-- Please, Vitya.” “Anything, ask and if it is in my power I will grant it.” Viktor watched with slight amusement, as the younger man squirmed on the bed. “I was wondering, if I could gain a kiss from you. You know-- before I tell you everything and you want me to leave.” Viktor's eyes went wide; he could feel his heart start to pound as the man in front of him was turning the brightest hue. He could not believe his ears; did he just ask for a kiss? Yuuri was feeling his breath start to hitch, oh Mythal perhaps he overstepped his bounds and now Vitya will hate him. The elf went to open his mouth to say something but was met with the softest lips crashing into his. It took a few moments for Yuuri to realize what was happening, that this Tevinter god was actually kissing him. Viktor pulled back breathless, his eyes sparkling. “I hope that answers your question?” Yuuri leaned forward to pull Viktor in for a second one but was stopped when slender fingers pressed against his lips, making Yuuri open his eyes in question. “My dear, while I would love to just spend all night tasting your lips,” Viktor was breathing hard as he struggled to put together the words, “I need to hear your story. I want to know what happened after you left us on the cliffs.” Yuuri took a deep breath, nodding. “Promise me that you will not think too poorly of me.” Viktor moved so that he was sitting against the headboard, pulling Yuuri against his chest. Viktor cradled Yuuri against him as he kissed the top of Yuuri's head, “I promise that I will remain here and listen to all you have to say. I behaved poorly before and I am sorry, know that I am far too deep to ever let you go again.” Yuuri nestled himself against Viktor's chest; it felt easier to open up when he was not looking directly at the man. He sighed as he felt Viktor run his hands along Yuuri's arm. “You have nothing to apologize for Vitya-- but before you proclaim any undying devotion to me, let me tell you about where I came from.” Yuuri took a deep shuddering breath, trying to take comfort in Viktor’s warmth. “I am not sure if it is the same for your young mages here in Tevinter, but I have heard that it can happen among the humans in the South. Especially if the Templars do not make it in time. You know how when a new mage comes to their power that it can be explosive? Out of control?” Viktor was stroking Yuuri's head, “Da, it is known to happen even here, while not often as we are a people who expect magic in our lineage. It can still occur if a child presents earlier due to stress or with someone who was thought to be without magic.” Yuuri nodded, “I assumed that it might be more rare where magic is embraced over feared. It is more or less the same with the clans. Among the Elvhen, those who walk through the fade are fewer than what you would find among the Shemlen. Magic is not a thing which our people fear, as our Keepers are most often those with magic as a way to keep balance with our Gods. Our Keepers know what to look for in most cases, but there are a few rare moments when there is a child who shows potential to be beyond the levels which the Keepers can handle. Then it is during the Arlathvhen, a clan gathering, when such children are discussed. Either they are passed to another clan who are better equipped to handle such children-- or they are given to the Circle. While that might seem strange, by doing to it helps to keep the Templars from harassing our clans and destroying our homes.” “But I thought you said that you had volunteered to join the circle.” “That is the story which I tell, yes,” Yuuri sighed. He closed his eyes as he breathed in the scent of Viktor, “You have to understand Vitya, how our clans are structured. How we live and the number of magical children we have is a secret. It is something that could destroy an entire clan. So I must keep our secrets for the safety of my people.” “You were one of those children.” Viktor’s voice was low and careful without accusation. “You were one of those uncontrollable children?” Yuuri chuckled softly, “I would not say uncontrollable, that is a bit much. Although I am sure my Keeper would agree with you on some days.” Yuuri felt the rumble of Viktor's laughter through his back. “I take it back, then. Not uncontrollable, a handful maybe? Undeniably cute, perhaps?” “Vitya!” Yuuri smiled, leaning his head back with a sigh. “Honestly-- So no, I was not ‘uncontrollable’, but I was someone who had a tendency to lose myself to my emotions. Not that it was all the time, but when I am emotionally compromised, if my life is in danger, or someone I love is in danger-- my magic takes over. I was told that my mana bursts out in the form of flames that will destroy anything around me, but will leave me unscathed.” Yuuri's breath hitched; Viktor spoke, voice low. “Go on love.” “There was one time I almost killed a group of children who had been attacking me.” Yuuri paused before continuing. Viktor held his breath, not wanting to break the spell of Yuuri’s words. “Not that it gave me any right, but these len , they were my constant bullies. They did anything that children do; adding bugs into my meals, tripping me, calling me a len'alas lath'din. A dirty child, who no one loves.” Viktor wrapped his arm around Yuuri tighter. He knew how cruel children were; being abnormal himself made for a certain torment. Yuuri smiled, patting Viktor’s arm gently. “The woodworker would often be the one to save me, he was kind and would tell me that they were just jealous as I was invited to meetings with the Hahren and Keeper. That my being able to walk through the fade was a special gift.” “You walk in the fade?” Viktor asked his voice low. Yuuri nodded. “Yes, I am a dreamwalker of my people. I can walk through the fade in my dreams if I so desire. As a child, I did not know or understand the dangers of such abilities-- and I was lucky that my Keeper understood and helped to guide me.” Viktor hummed, “I am sorry for interrupting, you were talking about your childhood. Please go on, I won’t interrupt you further.” Yuuri took a deep breath, trying to pull together his thoughts once more. “One day, they tricked me into some ruins. They locked me in, thinking it would be great fun to hear me scream and call for help. What they did not know was that these ruins were filled with large cave spiders and even some Darkspawn.” Viktor hissed, clutching Yuuri closer. “I was terrified; I do not remember much after that-- only that I woke much later and I was isolated. No longer allowed to be among the other children. “The Keeper took me later, back to the ruins and there was nothing left but smoking ash.” Yuuri’s voice hitched, “My flames were so hot that they melted stone. The children, my tormentors were burned. Apparently something made them change their mind, perhaps it was that they had a moment of clarity. Or my screams were more than what they had planned for; whatever the reason, they came back. When they saw that a fire had erupted they even tried to rescue me, but my flames did not see them as ally. So unlike yourself and Yuri, they were harmed. They were all lucky that they did not become ash as well. Worst is that I have no memory of it, minus the being locked in the cave and feeling so much terror.” Yuuri shuddered; he still had nightmares of that night and would find himself in bed sweating, his skin burning hot. Viktor clung to Yuuri, rocking him slowly, allowing the Elf to catch his breath and find his place in his memory to continue. “It was at the Arlathvhen that the option of joining the Shemlen circle was presented to me; funny enough it was Celestino who offered this option to our Harhen, only to later come for me to join him here on this quest. I believe the other option was essentially a type of tranquility that is done to those in the clans who become Era'harel , daemon mages-- oh that is not right, what is it you call them, Blood Mages.” Viktor was processing, that was a lot for him to take in. He could hear the ragged breathing from Yuuri and felt as the younger man tensed as he waited to be rejected. On instinct, Viktor pulled Yuuri closer to himself. “Well,” Viktor broke the silence with a sigh, “that definitely explains a few things.” Yuuri turned so he could look into Viktor's eyes. “How so?” Viktor took Yuuri’s hand; bringing it up to his lips, he kissed along each knuckle, “When Yura and I found you, you were surrounded by flames, walking unscathed by the fire, and even when Yura and I ran to you, it did not touch us. It was as though you recognized who we were, that we were not enemies.” “Oh Vitya, why would you run in?” “Because you were there,” Viktor shrugged. “How could I not?” Yuuri looked at Viktor. “Ma emma lath , how do I deserve you?” “You keep slipping into your tongue, and I have no idea what you mean.” Yuuri flushed. “I – I – I am sorry.” “So what was that just now?” Viktor’s blue eyes sparkled as he smiled gently. “I have heard you say that one before.” Yuuri sighed, looking up at Viktor who was smiling, running his thumb along Yuuri's jaw. “Ma emma lath? In Common, it means you are the one I love.” Viktor grinned, his eyes shining as he watched Yuuri turn bright red, his hands rising up to cover his face in embarrassment. “Is that so? We barely know each other.” Yuuri made to pull away, he could feel his heart drop. Did he read everything wrong? The touching? The looks? The gentle kisses? Flushing with embarrassment, Yuuri pulled away stuttering. “Uhh, ma serannas, I – I mean thank you for saving me earlier. I will head back to my room.” Yuuri got out of the bed; eyes looking downwards he was trying to keep himself from crying, he was too old to be crying like some da'lath. As he went to leave, Yuuri was stopped by a soft tug on his tunic, forcing the raven-haired mage to looked back. “Please--” Viktor spoke the one word. .Looking up, Yuuri saw Viktor's eyes were wide with panic, “I did not mean it that way! Kaffas! Why was this so much easier in my head. Please do not go Yuuri!” “But, I thought, with what you just said...” Yuuri groaned, “By the Dread Wolf, I am so confused.” “I am an idiot.” Yuuri cocked an eyebrow looking to Viktor, “Go on.” Viktor chuckled. “What I meant was that I am surprised that you felt this way when I thought that I was the only one.” “Only one?” “I never should have let you leave me at that cliff, I was a jealous idiot. And it almost had you sold into slavery! I was beside myself.” Viktor's words were just spilling over, emotions ranging from anger to desperation. “When we found you again I was so overjoyed! I do not ever want to let you go, I insisted that you were brought to my rooms instead of to your own!” Yuuri watched as the confession unfolded; his heart was racing, but he wanted to be sure. “Vitya, speak clearly please.” Yuuri could feel his heart pounding in his chest. “Common is not my first language and it seems no matter how long I live among your kind, I sometimes get confused by shemlin customs and words.” “Yuuri,” Viktor spoke, his face in a smile, “I am saying that I have been in love with you from the start. I want you, you are my amatus . And I will follow you anywhere, everywhere, if you would allow me.” “Vitya!” Yuuri threw himself on the bed and into Viktor's arms. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 15 Yuuri threw himself against Viktor, their lips crushing against each other, wet and demanding. Viktor's hands moved along the hem of Yuuri's tunic, lifting it up around his hips to allow the smaller man to be able to straddle his lap. Yuuri moaned as he felt Viktor's delicate fingers dance along his skin. The Elf began to grind against Viktor's hips, making the silver-haired mage moan into Yuuri's mouth; he could feel himself getting hard. There needed to be less clothing between them. Viktor pulled up the tunic over Yuuri's head, the momentary break from kissing had the younger man whining slightly. The second he was free they came back together while Yuuri began tugging at Viktor's own tunic. “Less – this,” Yuuri indicated to the clothing. Viktor smiled as Yuuri failed to make a proper sentence. “As you wish.” Before complying, Viktor pulled Yuuri in tighter, kissing and sucking his way down the Elf’s neck until he found a spot which made Yuuri tremble. Right at the base where the neck and collarbone meet, the softest area, Viktor sucked and nipped until it was bruised. When he was happy with the colour he lifted Yuuri up and placed him on the bed, switching their positions. He then carefully untied the laces on Yuuri's breeches with his mouth, enjoying the view of the Elf who was squirming below him. He could feel the hardened length of Yuuri strained against the leather. Viktor laid a wet kiss on Yuuri's hips, his hands sliding up from underneath cupping Yuuri’s ass before hooking his fingers along the pant waist. “Vitya...” Yuuri moaned, his hips rising up to assist in the removal of his breeches. Viktor slid the pants down and off, throwing them off the bed. He sat back on his knees admiring the view in front of him. Yuuri's skin had a golden hue, not quite tan, but also not pale alabaster like his own. It was as though the Elf had been lightly kissed by the sun. Along his body Viktor saw that Yuuri had more than just the face markings; tattoos wove along his torso in a vine pattern. Viktor had the urge to lick his way along the markings, making his partner writhe under him. He felt his cock ache in response, pressed against his leggings. “Now, I think I have a bit too much in the clothing department.” Viktor ran his hands along Yuuri's thighs, speaking in between kisses, “What do you think my love?” Yuuri nodded, moaning whenever Viktor's hands moved closer to his very hard erection. Swiftly, Viktor got off the bed to remove his own tunic and leggings, grateful that he had already removed the buckles and belts along with the more complicated pieces of clothing. Viktor went to his side table; in the drawer there was a small vial of scented oil from Antiva, formulated for such activities. Viktor was grateful that he had a fresh one that he had purchased just a few days prior on a whim. Viktor slipped back onto the bed, positioning himself between Yuuri's legs; he was hoping to take his time with this one. If there were anything to be sure, Viktor was a thorough lover and enjoyed seeing his partner at their happiest. He placed the capped oil to the side so that he could focus on the beautiful man in front of him. “You are truly beautiful Yuuri,” Viktor's fingers traced along Yuuri's tattoos. “These designs are amazing and I just want to taste every last inch of your body.” “Vitya...” With a moan Viktor ran his hands along Yuuri's thighs, his mouth following, sucking periodically along the inside, leaving a wet trail of bruising marks. He kissed and licked his way until he was right at his goal. Yuuri's erection was quivering against his taut belly, dotting the perfect skin with precum. Viktor took it into his hand, wrapping his long fingers around the thick length and stroking it slowly. With each stroke he could hear the most delicious sounds emanating from the Elf. Viktor added in a twist with his wrist, palming the slick wetness so that it coated the shaft. “You like that Yuuri?” Viktor purred. “Do you like having me stroke and caress you? What else would you like to feel there?” “Y – you – your mouth.” Viktor smiled. “As you wish, Amatus.” Viktor leaned down and took Yuuri's whole length into his hot and wet mouth. He moaned as he sucked, tasting the precum; Viktor relaxed his throat so that he was able to take Yuuri’s full length. Viktor then used his fingers to encourage Yuuri's hips to drive upwards, to fuck his mouth until the tip of his cock was hitting the back of Viktor's throat. Viktor moaned with each thrust which would elicit a cry of pleasure from Yuuri. Viktor felt Yuuri's hands reach into his long hair which had come undone, encouraging Viktor to suck and stroke his shaft. Viktor pulled off of Yuuri's cock with a wet sound to give some attention to the testicles which were heavy and warm, ready for release. Unlike Viktor, who had a thatch of hair below, Yuuri’s body was completely hairless. Viktor hummed in pleasure as he took Yuuri's balls into his mouth, tongue lapping around and sucking, enjoying the salty taste of Yuuri’s sweat-soaked skin. Yuuri's breathing was getting frantic, he was so close and without having had any play yet around his ass. “Vitya, I am going to cum...” Viktor's eyes flashed. “Then cum, I want to taste you, all of you. I promise to have you call my name all night.” He felt Yuuri twitch in his hand, his pulse pounding through the hardened length. Viktor took Yuuri back into his mouth using his hands as well to pump and caress. He could feel his own need screaming at him, suppressing it to enjoy this sensation. After a few solid strokes Yuuri's back arched as Yuuri cried out his name. Viktor felt the hot stream of semen shoot into his mouth, salty and slightly sweet like an exotic fruit. The silver-haired mage swallowed every last drop, giving Yuuri's cock a few additional pumps to ensure it was emptied before pulling his mouth off to look up at his lover. He went to kiss Yuuri's hip bone when he felt a tug on his hair, allowing himself to be guided up to Yuuri's mouth where they kissed passionately. Yuuri's tongue explored every crevasse, tasting himself in Viktor's mouth moaning and feeling himself start to harden once more. Viktor groaned as he felt Yuuri rut up against him, making his needs clear. Viktor reached with his left hand for the bottle of oil; leaning back onto his knees he cracked the wax seal, the scent of cinnamon and cloves filled the room, mixing pleasantly with the smell of their sweat and sex. Viktor poured a few drops onto his fingers, rubbing them together to warm them up. Viktor then positioned himself between Yuuri’s legs. He slid his oiled fingers, tracing a path behind his balls until he reached Yuuri's entrance which was quivering as though begging to be entered. Viktor drew his finger around the rim, feeling the tight ring of muscle. Yuuri moaned and pressed himself against Viktor's fingers, trying to get them inside faster. He begged, his voice coming out in sharp pants and gasps. “Please... Vitya...” Viktor's breath caught as he slipped his first finger inside. “Yuuri, you are so hot, so lewd.” Viktor’s voice was ragged as he listened to Yuuri moan, “Your ass is sucking me in, so greedy, wanting more.” Viktor kissed Yuuri's mouth as he pressed his second finger inside, gently massaging and scissoring open Yuuri's hole. Viktor loved hearing the moans which came out of the younger man. Briefly Viktor pulled his fingers out, causing a small whimper to escape from the Elf; Viktor pulled Yuuri onto his lap, re-positioning Yuuri's hips to make access easier. Viktor added a few more drops of oil to his fingers, capping the vial once more. Yuuri caressed the side of Viktor's neck as he angled himself for Viktor to slide three of his fingers inside. With his free hand Viktor caressed Yuuri’s pert ass, massaging it as he bit and sucked at Yuuri's neck. Viktor enjoyed the feeling of Yuuri as he ground his hips, rocking with the motion of Viktor's fingers. Yuuri dug his nails into Viktor's shoulders and back, moaning and calling out Viktor's name as Viktor found Yuuri's sweet spot. Yuuri snaked one hand between them, taking hold of both erections and pumping them together, gaining a gasp and cry of ecstasy from Viktor. Yuuri came once again, ribbons of cum painting their abdomens. Viktor held on a little longer, he wanted to fill Yuuri and not waste a single drop of it outside. Yuuri was breathing heavily as his body slumped against Viktor. Viktor pressed his lips against the Elf's neck. “Are you ready for more?” Yuuri shivered and nodded, “Y – y – yes Vitya.” “Then roll over for me my love.” Yuuri nodded, whimpering as Viktor's fingers pulled out from his hole and with some assistance Yuuri positioned himself with his ass high in the air. Viktor groaned in approval as he looked at the display before him. The winding vine tattoo wrapped around his beautiful Elf, accenting the lines of his back and hips. Viktor picked up the oil once more, this time making his own near bursting cock slick and glistening. He lined himself up with Yuuri's ass, pressing the tip against the ring of muscle. Viktor moaned as he felt Yuuri pressing his ass against Viktor’s erection. Viktor slowly pressed himself inside, pausing against his instinct to just press in, allowing Yuuri to adjust to his size. Viktor moaned as he bottomed out; Yuuri's ass was so tight and hot. Viktor had to pause for a moment to just enjoy the sensation before he began to move; moving first with shallow thrusts, then moving harder. Viktor groaned as Yuuri's ass tightened around him, as though trying to milk his cock with each motion. The sound of their wet skin slapping against each other, the wet sucking sound with each thrust. Viktor could feel his orgasm building as he heard Yuuri moan. Viktor had found Yuuri's favourite spot as he held up the Elf's hips in a bruising grasp. Hearing his cries of pleasure only added to Viktor's own, he wanted to make Yuuri cum once more before he filled his lover. “I need you to cum with me Yuuri,” Viktor purred. “You think you are up to that?” Yuuri moaned, reaching his own hand down and grasping his own cock, pumping it in rhythm with the thrusts. Viktor groaned in satisfaction, “I am so close, will you finish with me?” Yuri could only moan in response, his breath coming out in rasps. Viktor thrust once, twice and just as he heard Yuuri call out his ass tightened and Viktor came, filling the Elf with his hot seed. Viktor called out Yuuri's name as he felt his lover clench, trying to milk every last drop from him and sending waves of pleasure through Viktor’s body. Viktor collapsed against Yuuri's sweat covered back and moving aside the locks of raven coloured hair, Viktor kissed the back of Yuuri's neck, tasting the salt of his skin. He shifted, allowing the pair to lay side by side spooned and still locked together. “I cannot explain how, but I do love you.” Viktor spoke, his voice low and raspy. “Ma emma lath, emma vhenan, ma sa'lath,” Yuuri replied faintly. “My love, my heart, my only love.” And with that they fell asleep together, knowing that there would be more to talk about in the morning, but for now they had this moment. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 16 Viktor woke to the feeling of his bed partner shivering; he shifted his position, getting up long enough to fetch a blanket for some warmth as they were still nude from their earlier activities. As he went to cover Yuuri, he felt the dried semen and sweat start to flake from his chest. With a sigh, Viktor fetched his robe and padded over to his private bath where he could clean himself. Viktor turned on the faucets, which brought water right to the room. It was a benefit which only the wealthy in Tevinter enjoyed; there was no need to draw water from a common well or to have servants heat it slowly over a fire. Here in the Nikiforov mansion they had several baths and water closets which only made to show their wealth, as such designs were not cheap to come by. As he waited for the tub to fill, Viktor pulled his hair up into a bun to avoid getting it wet. He heard the soft sound of footsteps making their way towards him. Viktor looked up, expecting Levi with a disapproving look but instead saw a dishevelled raven-haired Elf wrapped in the very blanket Viktor had left him with. The bath forgotten, Viktor could feel himself stirring once more at the sight. “Yuuri, I had thought that you were asleep. I am sorry if I woke you with the water.” Yuuri smiled, his face flushing slightly. “I noticed that you were no longer with me, I just--” The sentence hung between them unfinished, both men flushed, happy and excited for what might come next. “I just thought I would clean up a bit, and then come and do the same for you.” Viktor held out his hand, “Care to join me instead?” Yuuri dropped his blanket, his eyes hooded as he made his way to Viktor's waiting arms. Viktor's eyes gleamed as he watched Yuuri saunter towards him, his member already at half mast. As Yuuri reached the tub, he stopped just in front of Viktor, allowing him to run his hands along his exposed form. Viktor admired the marks which covered his body from earlier, the purple bruises from bites contrasting against the white of his tattoos on golden skin. Yuuri let out a moan as Viktor caressed his body; Yuuri reached out, sliding his hands under the collar of Viktor's robe, sliding the fabric away from his form and exposing his alabaster skin. Viktor leaned in closer kissing Yuuri's chest, licking and sucking Yuuri's pert nipples. “Uhh Vitya?” Viktors eyebrows raised at the tone of concern, pulling his mouth from the nipple. “Hmm? What is it my love?” “The water, Vitya.” Viktor's eyes widened, “Oh yes, thank you. I may have become a big distracted.” Yuuri smiled, “Is that so?” Viktor turned off the taps before focusing back to his Elf lover. “Now, where were we?” Viktor let his robe pool at his feet, now both men were nude. He smiled, hearing the sharp intake of breath from Yuuri, Viktor could feel his erection bob against his taut stomach. Yuuri smiled as he knelt in front of Viktor, he took Viktor’s swollen cock into his wet mouth. Yuuri encouraged Viktor to fuck his mouth while he palmed his own erection, moaning as he felt Viktor’s cock hit the back of his throat with each snap of his hips. It did not take Viktor long to finish, Yuuri swallowing every drop with a pleased moan; Yuuri pumped at himself a few more times, painting himself in white. Viktor sighed contently then as Yuuri stood up to clean himself off, finding himself trapped by Viktor’s firm grip as he leaned forward to lick every salty drop from Yuuri's tattooed chest. Viktor held out his hand as he licked his lips, inviting Yuuri to join him in the large tub. * Yuuri was nestled between Viktor's legs in the large tub, leaning back against the taller man's chest. Viktor sighed as he kissed along Yuuri's neck, his arms were wrapped around the Elf's midsection, pulling him closer. Yuuri moaned lightly, enjoying the gentle touch from his lover and the caress of the warm water that lapped against them. “So,” Viktor's voice was low. “So?” Yuuri held up his hand, watching the water droplets roll down. “How are we explaining this?” “This?” Yuuri shifted slightly to look back at Viktor. Viktor pressed his hand into Yuuri's still raised one, linking together their fingers and allowing Yuuri to pull his hand against his chest. Viktor hummed as he felt the beating of Yuuri's heart through his hand. “Yes Yuuri, this.” Viktor kissed Yuuri on the mouth before going back to nuzzling at his neck. “What do we tell my father, and the others? It is not like they are not aware of my, umm-- I think my mother likes to refer to it as my perversions. Not that I think of it as that, I just love whom I love.” Yuuri sighed, “I guess I did not think about it. I mean it was not like we planned this or anything.” Viktor placed his chin on Yuuri's shoulder. “Well you might not have been planning it, but I know I have been thinking of this from the moment you stepped into the foyer.” There was a splash as Yuuri pulled away, turning around to face Viktor straight on, his caramel coloured eyes searching Viktor’s aqua ones. “Yuuri!” Viktor laughed, “You are getting water everywhere!” “Really?” Yuuri leaned forward. “Did you really like me from... from then?” “I said early how I love whom I love, but you turn for that?” “Well you might have just been you know, saying that.” Yuuri leaned in to Viktor, his breath caught as Yuuri's forehead touched his own; while they had been intimate this felt so much more to Viktor. “Yuuri?” It was strange how Viktor’s voice sounded to his own ears, he felt a giggle bubble up through his chest. “Viktor? Vitya??” Viktor could hear Yuuri's voice sounding panicked but he was not sure why he sounded so far away. The room began to tilt and twirl. There was a sound of splashing and some panicked voices, then blessed darkness. * Viktor woke back in bed, the image flipped from the day before with Yuuri sitting above him watching concerned. “Vitya! You are awake.” “Yuuri?” Viktor spoke, feeling confused. “What happened?” “You fainted you moron!” Yuri’s voice rang through the room. “Who the hell faints in a tub?” Viktor watched Yuuri turn to Yuri, his eyes narrowed. “Yuri, that is not polite.” “Tch! But it is true,” Yuri pouted, “Anyway, he is being the not polite one, I had to help haul the idiot out of the tub before he drowned. Twice I have helped him now. You are just lucky I heard you yell out when you did, idiot would have drowned otherwise.” Yuuri sighed in Yuri’s direction, shook his head then turned back to Viktor, “We were talking, then you started giggling before fainting, and well Yuri came in to help me move you to your bed. How are you feeling?” Viktor sighed, leaning into the gentle caress from Yuuri. “Ahh, we must have been in there too long and the heat got to me. I am alright now.” Viktor sat up only to realize that he was nude under the covers. He looked over to Yuuri, registering that he was wearing Viktor’s robe from before, his dark hair still wet and dripping slightly. “Oh!” Yuuri blushed, “I am sure you would like this back, just give me a moment--I can get changed.” Viktor snatched Yuuri's wrist, “No, it looks nicer on you. I have so many and I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am to see you to wear something of mine.” “Tch! You two are disgusting!” Yuri pushed off from the wall. “Vitya, you and your lover-boy are expected downstairs. Your father and the rest all have questions.” Viktor's eyes narrowed. “What did you tell them, Yura?” “What did I tell them? Are you fucking kidding me?” Yuri glared at his cousin. “Old man, don’t you remember? After we found Yuuri here you crashed back to the house, and you went dashing up to your rooms with an unconscious Elf. And then-- you would not come back down for supper or breakfast! I didn’t have to say a damn thing!” Viktor sighed, “Yes I suppose you are right. What time is it now?” “Well into the afternoon, close to supper.” Yuri turned to leave. “Also, I suggest you two put on a bit more than you are currently wearing before you head down. They are all waiting on you. I was just sent up to summon you.” Viktor reached out, taking Yuuri's hand and rubbing his thumb along his knuckles. “Oh this should be fun.” Yuuri gave him a worried look, “I hope I have not caused you too much trouble.” Viktor pulled Yuuri against him, hugging him to his chest; the Elf nuzzled against Viktor’s neck leaving a soft trail of kisses, his fingers playing with the long strands of silver hair. “I would have you trouble me, all hours, every day, for as long as I live.” “That sounds like a proposal Vitya.” Viktor replied without having to think twice, “Perhaps it is.” “Ame in ma'desen.” Yuuri spoke softly, his eyes shining. Viktor cocked his head, “That sounded important.” Yuuri sighed contently, “Best translation I can think of is to say that I am in your care .” “So is that a yes?” “If you are truly proposing? Then yes-” Yuuri looked into Viktor's bright blue eyes. “This is so crazy, but yes.” Viktor's face broke into the biggest heart-shaped smile as he clutched Yuuri closer. “I am so happy!” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 17 The pair emerged from the bedroom arm in arm, whispering to each other with stupid grins. After Yuuri helped Viktor get cleaned up and dressed, they slipped across the hall to Yuuri's room where Viktor returned the favour by helping Yuuri into one of the borrowed Tunics, this time in a soft blue with silver accent. Like the day before, the tunic was a short three-quarter style worn with some black leather leggings. Yuuri found it fascinating how Viktor's family seemed to be able to spell their tunics. It was more advanced than anything he had seen in his years at the circle. While the Dalish had similar techniques for their clothing, this was definitely more advanced. “I feel very spoiled with you.” Yuuri spoke softly as they made their way down to the informal dining room. Viktor leaned in, squeezing Yuuri's arm. “I hope that you always feel that way as you deserve it.” Viktor smiled, enjoying the flush that coloured the man's face and neck, highlighting his face tattoos. Viktor resisted the urge to just scoop him up and carry him back to the bedroom; he did not want to have to deal with anyone but Yuuri. As the pair stepped into the smaller dining room he instantly regretted not doing just that, as it felt as though he were stepping into the dragon's den with a trembling deer at his side. Viktor sighed, all joy leaving him as he looked at the grim faces around the table staring at the pair as they entered. Not since he was a small boy causing mischief with Dorian and Levi, had he seen the room so full of joyless faces. His grandmother too who would often have a secret glint with anything Viktor did, her eyes held no joy. This was not going to be fun. “Vitya, what do you have to say for yourself?” The matriarch Viktoriya Nikiforov spoke, her voice leaving no room for argument. Viktor could feel Yuuri shrinking against him and the faintest of tremors flow through their joined hands. Viktor took a deep breath before putting on his largest smile; he squeezed Yuuri's hand in hopes it would help calm Yuuri, no matter what he was not letting go of that hand. He was not going to abandon his amatus , not with these dragons. “Babushka,” Viktor spoke with the greatest of ease, putting as much honey into his words as he could, “what on earth do you mean?” “Vitya!” He heard his mother gasp. “Really Vitya!” Viktoriya slammed a clenched fist on the table. “Enough is enough. I have tolerated your deviance as just part of your charm; I have never spoken against anything so long as you kept up your duties as a Nikiforov in representing this family. But to burn down the warehouse of one of the magisters? And for an Elf? Do you truly hate this family so much?” Viktor's eyes narrowed; he could feel his rage boiling not too far below the surface. “Grandmother, I love you truly, but I will not tolerate your saying anything against my Yuuri. And if representing this family means turning a blind eye to having a guest of this house, no matter their race, being abducted. Just because the abductor happens to be a magistrate? I will go against you every damn time.” Yuuri trembled, looking at everyone staring, their eyes narrowed as they glared in his direction, rage rolling from them in waves. Celestino was the only one who looked to the pair with sympathy. Yuuri closed his eyes as he felt Viktor rub his thumb against his knuckles as to soothe his nerves. Viktoriya's crystal blue eyes narrowed her gaze, directing it to her grandson, “What is it that you are saying Viktor?” “You know what I am saying Babushka .” Viktor's voice had taken on a hard tone, his gaze matching hers. Yuuri trembled under the gaze of the matriarch as her eyes swept over him; he felt his body break out in a cold sweat with only Viktor's interlinked fingers anchoring him. “You are willing to cast aside your name? Your place among the Magisterium?” She turned her gaze back to her grandson, “What happened at the docks will not be forgiven so easily if you choose to take this path. The warehouse which was destroyed was owned by one of the magister Lords.” “As I understand Danarius is dead.” Viktor replied evenly. Yuuri squeezed Viktor's hand causing him to look down. Yuuri swallowed to speak, his voice a bit shaky, “Did you say Danarius?” he waited for Viktor to nod before continuing, “I know that name; he was killed by the Champion of Kirkwall along with a runaway slave whom she had rescued.” “Truly? It was only a rumour here.” Yuuri nodded, forgetting his fear for the moment. “Oh yes, we had word at the tower when we had a visit from one of the mages from the Kirkwall circle.” There was a cough at the other end of the table; Celestino spoke up, “I can confirm that information as well.” Viktor nodded, then looked back up to his grandmother. “There you see? Nothing that should cause you or this family hassle. The owner of the warehouse is dead and not likely to come to us for revenge.” “Danerius was not the one whom I was referring to.” Viktoriya's eyes glinted, “That particular warehouse is currently owned by one Lord Livius Erimond. I had heard rumours of Danerius, he has always made poor choices, particularly where that slave was concerned.” Yuuri stiffened at the name, a flashback to his waking in the warehouse washed over him. Viktor noticed, gripping Yuuri's hand tighter, running his thumb in circles. Viktoriya noticed the change in Yuuri. “It looks like your little toy there knows the name.” A growl ripped from the back of Viktor's throat. “That trash is part of the Venatori and you know it.” Viktoriya waved her hand in dismissal, “That is only a rumour I am talking about you being banished from the family, you foolish boy. You know as well as I that they will not allow for there to be no repercussions for the actions taken.” “Vitya!” Yuuri gasped, looking up to Viktor in shock. Viktor looked back to Yuuri; his eyes soft, he raised his hand up to Yuuri's face and drew his thumb across Yuuri’s plump lips. He leaned forward until their foreheads touched, “Nyet my amatus, come what may I have made my choice.” He drew up Yuuri's hand to his mouth, brushing his lips across his knuckles. Yuuri held his breath as he gazed into Viktor’s clear blue eyes; he had no words and nodded solemnly. “I have no regrets, my love.” Viktor then turned back to his grandmother, “I understand what it is that I am suggesting, I know what I want and I will follow my heart. While you might not approve, I still ask for your blessing.” “Mama!” Tatijana spoke up, her hand flying to her mother's arm. “You cannot allow this! What are you saying? My Luchik!” The elder matriarch held up her hand to silence her daughter. “I find it interesting how you will speak up for your son while your husband stays silent, along with that other child.” She turned to Viktor. her eyes cold. “Vitya – it pains me to see where you choose to lay your lot; but it is and always has been your choice. I cannot and will not bless this, not as the head of this family. You know how the Nikiforov's trace back to the time of Old Tevinter. To think, to see my heir to throw it all away. It saddens me as I say this, Viktor Alexander Nikiforov. I strip you of your inheritance, of your name, and all the shelter it provides there in.” “Mother no!!!” Tatijana burst out, “Sasha! Do something! Say something!!” Alexander's face remained as it had throughout, stern and closed off; at the cries of his wife he closed his eyes as though to shut out her existence. Alexei glanced nervously to his parents, but tried to imitate his father with a stoic gaze. “Viktoriya,” Nikolai spoke, his choice gruff, “You and I have not always gotten along, but that seems a rather harsh punishment for the boy. Surely...” Viktoriya turned her icy gaze to the older man, “Kolya, need I remind you of your own place within this family?” Nikolai held her stare; his hands were balled into tight fists on the table, his face twitched before he spoke next. “No dear Viktoriya, you have made it abundantly clear my place. You remind my grandson and I daily in your every word and deed.” “Mother, Dyadya – while I appreciate your words I knew exactly what I was getting into in making my choice and standing here before you all.” Viktor bowed, his hand still clasped with Yuuri, “Babush – no Viktoriya, I accept my fate and take my leave.” Yuuri hastily bowed and spoke a low, “Ir abelas.” Viktor led them out of the room with Celestino watching in curiosity and light amusement in his eye. Just waiting outside the room was Levi, who bowed deeply upon seeing Viktor emerge, his violet eyes turned to Viktor awaiting further instruction. Viktor looked to him with a wan smile, “One moment my old friend, I will need your assistance.” Viktor then turned to Yuuri, whose face looked confused and panicked. Viktor caressed Yuuri's face, “Well as they say, into the frying pan...” Yuuri's panic was all but forgotten as he tried to piece together what Viktor had said. “I have no idea what it is that you are saying now, or what the intended meaning could be, but no matter what happens from now, I will follow you wherever you may lead. Ame in ma'desen ma sa'lath.” Viktor smiled, his mouth breaking into a heart shaped grin before he dipped down to kiss Yuuri full on the mouth. “I love you truly, and I am in your care.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 18 Viktor wasted no time; he sent Yuuri to his room with Levi in tow to assist as needed. He was to pack away all that he needed in order to leave; Viktor also insisted that he also pack the gifted outfits from Yuri, that they suited him and would be wonderful to have. They were going to be leaving the mansion as soon as they had all they required together. Viktor went to his own room where he found a very agitated and feisty blonde kitten who was raging as he paced a hole into the carpets. “Vitya! Why?” Yuri's voice was sharp, penetrating through Viktor's head; the young blonde was trying to stare him down. Viktor looked to his cousin impassively not saying a word, letting him blow off some steam. Yuri took the silence as permission to continue, “You have the opportunity to become one of the best magistrates, one of the most powerful! You could be someone with power and influence! And instead you choose to live among the dogs!” “Yura...” Viktor's voice was sad, but had a hint of warning as his eyes began to shine with the promise of power. “No! You do not get to Yura me!” Yuri spat, “I get that you like men, but to take up with that, that knife ear --” Yuri did not get a chance to finish his sentence as a jet of power flew millimetres past his face, making his hair move. The younger boy stiffened, his eyes wide; in all his years he had never seen his cousin become so furious with him to have lost control of his magic even once. He looked for signs of escaped mana, but what had happened was not a loss of control at all. Viktor was keeping himself highly contained, and it had been a calculated hit meant to intimidate. Yuri took an instinctive step back with a gasp as Viktor moved forward; his eyes were glowing a bright blue while his hair was now a dazzling silver. This was the Viktor who Yuri idolized, it was not often that he had the opportunity to see Viktor in his full power; there were only a handful of memories where he had ever seen him look like this. In this moment though, he saw just how powerful his cousin could be if he had the will to use the power he had at his fingertips, that some mages would, and have killed for. “Yura,” Viktor began, his measured voice penetrating through Yuri with each syllable, “I get that you are upset. And I can even accept that you wish to rant and rave against me and my choices in my career and position as a mage within the Imperium. I can even allow you to diminish me for my place within this family or my preference of men in my bed and past lovers.” His eyes glowed brighter as though to punctuate the next part, the air crackling and smelling like ozone. “But I tell you this only once Yuri Plisetsky, even if you are my cousin of flesh and blood, as much as I may care for you, if you ever speak of the man I love in such a manner again I will destroy you.” Yuri's eyes were wide; Viktor looked like a vengeful god, his whole body alight with magic. His heart was pounding, he knew that he had crossed the line when he had insulted the raven-haired Elf that his cousin favoured. Reality was that Yuri did not care who Viktor slept with, over the years he had thought that it would have been the Elf servant that he seemed to be friendly with when they were younger. He could even see some of the charm in this new partner and could see himself liking the inquisitive mage from Orlais. It was more the knowledge of all that Viktor was giving up, the fear of losing the one family member who actually accepted him and enjoyed his company was almost too much for Yuri to handle that he lashed out at the only thing he could think of. Yuri hung his head flushed with shame; this was no way to speak with the only person who seemed to be able to stand him. “I am sorry Vitya.” Yuri's voice was low, barely above a whisper, but with the magic coursing through him Viktor could hear it clear as though he were yelling. He saw the change pass through his cousin and with a deep breath he released the mana which he had been holding. It was not that Viktor wanted to hurt his cousin, but just the thought of his precious Yuuri being threatened was enough to make his blood race and gave him the urge to protect above all. As the magic left his body he could feel the familiar sense of loss ring through his core; everything around him became slightly duller and his breathing returned to normal. Viktor reached forward, ignoring the flinch of the younger boy, taking hold of his chin to raise Yuri's face to meet his own. Yuri's eyes were a green with gold, which reminded Viktor of a cat; they were glistening slightly as Viktor noticed the hurt which was reflected in their depths. “Ahh my little kotyenok , I do love you,” Viktor's eyes were sad as he spoke, “but I can no longer be what the family expects me to be. I cannot stand by and watch as they plot and scheme, it would literally kill me.” Yuri felt as though his heart would explode and threw himself into his cousin's arms. “Please Vitya, do not leave me here.” his voice trembled, thick with unshed tears and muffled against Viktor's chest. “I am sorry Kotyenok , I cannot stay.” The older man petted the blonde head, “You know they gave me an ultimatum and I have only until tonight to make my decision. But I do not need that much time as I have already made my choice. I made my choice the moment I slept with him; hell, I think I made the choice the moment he walked through those doors. I am choosing Yuuri. We are leaving as soon as I am ready.” Yuri leaned back. pushing Viktor away, his eyes flashing with anger once more. “But what about me? What about Alexei?” Viktor chuckled, “Lyosha will be more than fine, he was always better suited to this life. And as for you Yura? I am sure that you will rise in your own way as well. Yuri scowled at the older man, “I still do not understand, why him?” Viktor's eyes narrowed in warning, the scent of mana gathering once more. “Tch!” Yuri clicked his tongue. “I honestly do not care that he is an Elf; earlier, I just was looking to hurt you. I really do not care who you sleep with- but I do wonder, why him? You just met him! It has barely been two days! How can you throw everything away? Your future? Everything-- for him?” Yuri threw his arms in the air as he began to pace. “He is not the first dignitary or researcher who has come through to learn, he is not even the first one you have slept with! You have had many lovers. Better lovers in the past, and it has never amounted to anything before. So why throw it all away for him?” Viktor sighed, his shoulders falling as he released mana once more, “Because I love him more than life itself.” Yuri growled pulling at his hair, “Love? Seriously? That is your reason? The hell do you know about love cousin?” The silver haired man smiled now chuckling as he patted the side of Yuri's arm, “Cheer up Yura! One day you too will find that someone with whom you would risk it all for!” “I doubt that,” he threw off Viktor's hand, “I am nowhere near as stupid as you, old man!” “We shall see, my feisty kotyenok !” “Tch! That is the third time!” Yuri stomped his feet, “Stop calling me kotyenok! I am not a kitten!” “Hmm,” Viktor put a finger to his lips his eyes sparkling, “but it fits, no? Well then how about tigryenok ?” Yuri grumbled, “Better, but I would rather no pet names if you would be so kind.” Viktor chuckled, “Now that I cannot promise,” he sighed, his voice wistful. “I will miss you, though.” “It is not like you are leaving Tevinter forever, and it is not like I can never come to you wherever you happen to be roaming.” “Of course! I am glad though that you have come to be more reasonable.” “It is not so much as that,” Yuri sighed heavily, “as I am resigned in this. I know you will do whatever you want Viktor, no matter what I or anyone says.” “ Da that is true.” “Now, I am curious,” Viktor spoke, his voice sounding amused, “how is it that you even know that I am leaving when I did not see your blonde locks among the judge and jury?” “Tch! You should know very well how I could hear everything, I just was in the library where the vents are connected.” Yuri scoffed, “It is not like I could not have guessed exactly how you would have reacted anyway. You are like one of those stupid books from the South, which you insist on reading. The one by that Dwarf.” Viktor chuckled, “Don’t knock Verric Tethras; his work, Hard in Hightown is a work of art,” He spoke as he walked through his room, trying to find all that he would need on a journey. He had no idea where they would end up. Yuri scoffed once more as he threw himself down on the chaise. “Work of art might be pushing it slightly.” Viktor was about to respond when there was a soft knock on the door, which had Viktor stop and look up to wave them in; Levi came into the room. “Levi? I had asked you to assist Yuuri, surely you are not finished?” The servant bowed, “You speak as though he has a plethora of things to pack, I assisted as you had requested until that Antivan came by to speak with him. I was asked to leave, and given my place in this house, who am I but to obey.” Viktor sighed, “You too?” Levi stared blankly at Viktor, “I do not understand, messere.” “Oh for the love of, Levi, are you also upset due to my leaving?” Viktor sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, “Due to my choice? I just had it out with Yura; please do not make me have to say the same with you!” Levi shook his head, his eyes hard and narrowed. “No, I understand and in some ways I guess it is just that I envy that Elf. That you chose him.” Viktor's eyes widened, “Levi?” “I never thought that you were one to become like them, to become a magister. But when you began actually taking the meetings seriously I will admit that my heart plummeted. I am glad in a way that you are the way you are. That you are standing up for this Elf. I just wish--” Levi's voice faltered; Viktor wrapped him in a tight hug. “Levi, you are my friend from childhood. I would take you with us if you so desired, I am sure that my grandmother would allow it- despite everything that she said. I am sorry that I cannot love you the same way that you care for me.” Levi pushed Viktor away sharply, “I am a servant for the Nikiforov family, I will not betray that on some whim.” “Levi?” Levi's eyes blazed with insult, “I wish you well messere .” Levi bowed and stalked out of the room, Yuri let out a long whistle, “To think, you pissed off the stoic one. That is more emotion than I have seen from him in years.” Viktor shook his head. “I am not sure what to say anymore Yura, everything seems to be the wrong thing. I am at a loss.” Yuri shrugged, “This is just part and parcel of the choice you made Vitya. While you can choose your own path, you cannot control how others will react to your choices, and their feelings are just as valid as your own.” Viktor nodded, “Da, you are right.” Yuri assisted Viktor in silence as they pulled together a suitable bag for Viktor’s travels. Yuri promised that he would hold onto certain items for his return, or to forward them on to whatever address he desired. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 19 Celestino watched as his protege and Viktor walked out of the dining room. It was time for them to make tracks, as it was it seemed that there was nothing more for them. He sighed, looking over to his friend; Alexander’s face was dark, giving nothing away. Celestino tapped his fingers on the table, making eye contact with his friend who frowned but nodded in his direction. Celestino took it as a dismissal, rising from his seat. Viktoriya fired an icy look at the Antivan. “While I respect the relationship you have with the Magisterium, Enchanter Celestino, I would appreciate if you kept the matter of what happened here to yourself.” Celestino bowed to the matriarch, “I understand. Lady Nikiforov.” The elder woman nodded. “I thank you. Although I can see you wish to leave, know that the estate is still open to you in the future.” “I appreciate that,” Celestino smiled, his voice measured, “but I think given the circumstances and for the sake of my protege we will take our leave. I did receive word today that there has been a breakdown at the Spire in Orlais. And we have been summoned by the Grand Enchanter in Cumberland.” Alexander slammed his fist on the table. “Celestino, you should not go back there. With all of the upheaval there is no way that those Southern bastards won’t call for an annulment! You are going to your death, old friend.” Celestino looked to Alexander. “Ahh Sasha, I would think that you cared. I am not without my own sources. I know your opinion of the Southern circles, know that I will be careful.” “I do agree with Alexander on this,” Viktoriya’s voice was measured. “Take care in your travels,Celestino. I am not sure that it was your Grand Enchanter who did send you word, it is as bad as they claim.” “I will take both of your words to heart and investigate further. By your leave?” Viktoriya nodded, waving him off. Celestino bowed once more to the matriarch; as he passed Alexander his hand fell on the man’s broad shoulder, squeezing it and speaking softly before walking out of the room. “I will watch over him.” Celestino turned back to the old matriarch. “Oh, one thing before I go. That warehouse, the one that burned.” He watched as Viktoriya nodded slowly, her eyes narrowed, “The owner of it, am I correct in thinking that it is Lord Erimond? As in Livius Erimond?” Viktoriya nodded. “Yes, you would be correct.” Celestino nodded to himself then bowing again, “Thank you, I will take my leave.” * Celestino made haste up to the wing where Yuuri was staying. He knew that his protege was likely in the midst of a panic attack given his nature and he wanted to do what he could to avoid a full meltdown of the young Elf. Celestino walked into Yuuri's room without knocking, waving off the violet-eyed Elven servant. “Yuuri,” he spoke his voice careful and measured. “Are you alright after all of that?” Yuuri looked to Celestino. His whole body started to shake the moment that they were alone; the tremors which he had held at bay were now taking over his whole body. He allowed the elder man to embrace him. Yuuri could feel his breath coming out in gasps, his heart fluttering as though a bird caught in a cage. “It’s alright Yuuri,” Celestino murmured, “With me now, deep breaths.” It took some time for Yuuri to calm down his heart rate. Once his breathing was back to normal Celestino pulled out from the embrace, patting the younger man's arms. “There now, that is better.” He smiled, his tanned face breaking into a light smile. Yuuri nodded; he was feeling far better than he had before but the dawning of all that was before them, “How are we going to do this Celestino? There is no way that you are done with what you needed to do here, is there?” Celestino chuckled, “Do not worry about me. And actually you and your lover helped me with that a bit the other day. I was getting stonewalled, but that conversation and your experience actually gave me a lot of what I was coming here for.” Celestino assisted Yuuri in packing up the items which were laid out on the bed; he whistled appreciatively at the collection of new tunics which were gifted to the Elf. “These are impressive!” Yuuri nodded, “A gift from Yuri and Viktor; they are old pieces from his cousin who is similar in size. What do you mean by my helping you?” “Well I am no tailor, but Yuuri I do believe that these are actually brand new.” Celestino placed the last of the tunics into Yuuri’s pack. “Your little adventure at the docks. It stirred up what I needed to hear, at least part of what I was here to learn.” “How so?” Yuuri shook his head. “Wait, these cannot be brand new Celestino! I only met Viktor that afternoon, it is not as though he knew my measurements beforehand. Trust me, these are just cast offs of his cousin. I mean they very well could be something which he had never worn before, but trust me when I say that these are a gift from him, and were from Yuri's closet.” Celestino nodded, “Well those docks we had been looking for the name of the owner, we had a thought that they might be related to the underground group referred to as the Venatori.” Yuuri cocked his head, “Viktor said that word before, Venatori; who or what is it?” “The Venatori are a group of extremists in Tevinter who revere Corypheus, and their aim is to revive what they call the 'Elder One'.” Celestino’s voice was grim, “They are cultists who have been doing nothing but causing trouble with their fanatical views. There was word that one of the leaders is one Lord Erimond, Livius Erimond. Which was confirmed as the owner of that warehouse by Viktoriya.” Yuuri thought about it as he grasped a few of the last items, “Okay, but just knowing the name, how is that helpful?” “Well we knew that the warehouse was being used for transporting and smuggling Elves and others for slavery.” Yuuri shuddered, “Yes, they- those men who took me, they spoke of an Erimond person. That- that I was ‘merchandise’ and I was not to be bruised up.” Celestino growled, “That they would attack a mage knowingly.” “I got the feeling that it was not a new thing for them,” Yuuri licked his lips, “stealing Elven mages off the streets. I just think that my having someone to come for me the way that- the way that Vitya and Yuri did was not something that they anticipated.” “Interesting.” There was a knock on the door which Celestino went to answer; outside was Viktor, his hair tied back in a simple low ponytail. On his back was a simple rucksack which looked well packed, but not as full or heavy as Celestino was expecting from a young nobleman. Celestino nodded in appreciation, “I am impressed, I did not expect that you would know how to pack your own ruck. I was half expecting to see you show up with several pack horses worth of trunks and travelling clothing.” Viktor chuckled softly, “Ahh well you have not seen the trunks I have packed away in my rooms, hordes of servants packing away all of my precious items waiting for an address to send it all.” Celestino clapped the man on his back, “Oh I do like you.” Viktor broke into a bright smile, “And our journey hasn’t yet even really begun!” Viktor walked over to Yuuri cupping his hand against Yuuri’s cheek. “Are you alright? You look a little flushed my love, was that all too much?” Yuuri smiled, “Better now that you are here.” “I’m never going to leave your side my amatus.” “Ma sa’lath.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Chapter 20 It had been two weeks since Celestino, Yuuri and Viktor had left Minrathous. They had just reached the border of Nevarra when Celestino received a raven. “Change of plans.” Yuuri looked up from the campfire where he was mixing together their dinner. “What happened?” “Looks like Cumberland might be compromised, the Grand Enchanter and all survivors are headed to Andoral’s Reach.” Viktor walked over from the horses which he had just finished settling. “Andoral’s Reach? Isn’t that way in the Blasted Hills? That takes us off the Imperial Highway.” Celestino nodded, “Yes, it will be a bit of a harder journey, not impossible, perhaps we can stop over in Caimen Brea and in Perendale. So it will not be all roughing it, but it does add another week or two to the journey.” Viktor pouted, “And here I thought I was doing quite well with travelling.” Yuuri and Celestino chuckled. Yuuri just bit his lip as he focused on the meal. “It is true, for someone who has never really stepped foot outside of his city life, you have done quite well.” “I feel as though there is a ‘but’ in there.” “But-” Celestino smiled, “you still have a lot to learn. And while I could say it is all because of you that I am suggesting the two towns, I am also an old man and there are only so many ways one can get comfortable when there are rocks and twigs sticking into your lower back all night long.” The trio settled down for their evening meal of stewed roots with some of the dried meat and spices Yuuri had found at the market before leaving. They ate in silence, the crackling of logs from the fire and the scrape of spoons against plates filling the quiet. Yuuri settled against Viktor; like magnets, the two moved in sync. Often touching lightly, brushing up against each other, moving together as though in a dance where only they heard the music and knew the steps. Celestino smiled fondly looking a the pair. It was nice to see something positive when there was so much chaos and upset happening in the world right this moment. Viktor was first to break the silence, “I am sorry that you did not get a chance to see the library in Minrathous Yuuri. I know how you wanted to get in some studies there.” Yuuri smiled sadly, “Yes it would have been nice, but I am more concerned for Celestino. You were here on business and I messed it all up for you.” Viktor ran his hands along Yuuri’s arms, while kissing the top of his head to calm the Elf. Celestino shook his head as he sat forward, “No, actually you both helped as I said to you before Yuuri.” Celestino sighed, ‘I suppose I should let you know what I was doing up here. Especially given what we have awaiting us in the days and months to follow.” “You told me that you were sent regarding the Venatori.” Yuuri jumped as he heard Viktor hiss at the name, “Was there more?” “Well now I am not so certain, as I was sent by the Grand Enchanter and Divine Justinia to investigate the slave trade in Tevinter. If the Venatori were actually working with the government there or if they were on their own.” Celestino sighed, rubbing his face. “Now I am not so sure what to think on the whole thing, as it seems like there are a few magisters who are high up in the ranks who are also part of the Venatori. Now with the fall of the mage's circle in Val Royeaux, I am not sure what will be happening here.” Yuuri sat forward his eyes wide. “The White Spire has fallen? What happened? Is everyone okay? Why are we headed to Andoral’s Reach instead of back to Val Royeaux?” Celestino rubbed the back of his neck. “Ahh well, what happened? I am a bit fuzzy on that. But it seems that just a few weeks after we left there was a bit of a rebellion. The one thing I heard was it had to do with a Templar and Mage working together. I really do not have the details and likely won’t know more until we are at the Reach. I know you are concerned for your friend, but I cannot give you the answer. I hope if he is as savvy as you are, he will have survived the chaos and is waiting for you when we arrive.” “So the Divine is working with the mages?” Yuuri leaned back once more against Viktor, his body trembling. “There is also the rumour that the Empress is as well.” Celestino shrugged, poking at the fire .with a stick, “But that remains to be seen, as they are both political figures and for so long the chantry has striven to keep control of mages.” “It is not much better the other way,” Viktor piped up. “While we have our ‘freedom’ there are still so many class issues. And more often than not, Magisters will turn to blood magic as it is all about power.” “I wish I could just go back to the clans.” Yuuri nuzzled against Viktor, his voice sad. “You could, you know,” Celestino mused, “go back I mean. There was nothing in my agreement with the keeper which said that you would not be welcome. And with all that is happening and the fallout from this rebellion, I am certain that it would be safer to stay hidden among your people.” “What?” Yuuri stiffened; he could go back? Back to the forests, back among the people. “But what about the others? What about Phichit or the other mages? What happens with them?” Celestino shrugged, “They fight or submit, I suppose. You know better than anyone else, the Elvhen do not take in outsiders. I am sure even your Viktor would not be entirely welcomed among the people. Not that it is unheard of but-” Yuuri nodded. “It is rare for any clan to take in a human, usually it would only be due to pregnancy.” Yuuri chuckled, “Which is not a problem we are likely to have.” Yuuri could feel Viktor chuckle stiffly, “That is one blessing.” Yuuri sighed, “As nice as it would be to be back, I could never leave ma sa’lath . And it is not something I would risk, as Vitya is my one true mate.” Viktor sighed, pulling Yuuri tightly against him, nuzzling against Yuuri’s neck. “I would never let you abandon me either my amatus. ” Celestino groaned as he stretched, his back popping loudly, “Now we really should get some rest. Dawn comes far too early and with all that is happening, I do not want to be on the roads when the Templars decide to look for Apostates.” * They made it to Caimen Brea with little incident. It helped that Caimen Brea was still part of the Imperium, so having three mages arrive was not something that they blinked an eye at. Once they had settled into their shared room, Celestino warned them that it might not be as simple when they reached Perendale and further on, as mages are treated with more suspicion and fear. Celestino had gotten them a room with two beds, Yuuri and Viktor sharing one while Celestino took the other. “Is it really that bad?” Viktor asked as he settled down beside Yuuri for the night. Yuuri looked over to the other bed, Celestino was starting to snore. He smirked, thinking that he would have to tell Phichit when he saw his friend next, if he saw his friend again. Looking back to Viktor, he sighed before answering. “Yes and no,” Yuuri bit his lip trying to think of the best way to answer. “Honestly it can be, I told you some of how it is among the clans. And being inside the circle towers, so long as you do as you are told, the templars don’t really bother with you. Outside of that though, I have learned there is a lot of fear, people will shy away or outright not deal with you.” Yuuri snuggled against Viktor, resting his head on his chest. Viktor hummed as he ran his fingers through Yuuri’s dark hair, “You know we could always settle in Teninter, or Nevarrah around the border.” Yuuri hummed, “That sounds nice, can it be somewhere with water and a glade?” Viktor chuckled his chest rumbling, “Absolutely.” “We would also need a spare room, for when your cousin Yuri comes.” Yuuri looked up at Viktor with concern, “Do you think he would want to stay with us? I hate the thought of him staying there where he feels so unwelcome.” Viktor smiled, his thumb running along the length of Yuuri’s jaw. He marveled at how he had become so lucky to have this Elf be here with him. “I am sure that he would be thrilled and probably demand two rooms, one for his potions.” Yuuri smiled, “I like that idea, maybe he can teach me how to mix some; my friend Phichit would try to teach me even the simplest of potions and I could never quite get the measurements correct.” Yuuri then sighed pulling away slightly, “Ahh but this is only a dream. We seem to be on the brink of war and I am not sure that there will ever be that house. That we will actually have any peace.” Viktor pulled Yuuri back against him. “It will happen my love, I am sure of it.” * Days passed and as the trio travelled closer to the blasted lands, they noticed a change in landscape, there was a change as well in the people. Where Caimen Brea was lush and green thanks to the rivers and lakes, the area outside of Perendale was barren and showed signs of one of the previous Blights. Blackened mountains rose in the distance and there were now expanses of sand with wisps of dry desert grasses. They were about a half a day’s walk from the town when Celestino was approached by a ranger in brown leathers. They wore an emblem which identified them as a member of the chantry, a blazing sun with an eye in the centre. All three dismounted from their horses, Viktor taking Yuuri’s reigns as the Elf stepped forward to take Celestino’s mount. The rangers pressed their fist to their chest and bowed, “Enchanter Cialdini?” Celestino nodded. The ranger handed Celestino a scroll which had a wax seal showing an emblem of a nightingale in flight. Yuuri and Viktor remained silent, waiting for word from Celestino of what had been sent. Celestino’s normally relaxed face was grim as he read over the missive. Celestino turned to Yuuri, handing the parchment over to him. Yuuri read over the missive, his tattooed hand going to his face to cover the small gasp which escaped. “Thank you, let Nightingale know that we have received her message and we will make haste to Andoral’s Reach.” The ranger nodded and vanished, leaving Celestino looking to Viktor and Yuri. “You read the message?” “Is it true?” Yuuri’s brown eyes were wide, his markings standing out against his face. “By the Dread Wolf, all of those people.” Viktor looked between Celestino and Yuuri, confusion painting his features. “What is going on?” Yuuri handed the reins back to Celestino before turning to Viktor, his eyes glistening, “This says that the Right of Annulment was invoked, the circle in Dairsmuid is no more.” “Fasta vass!” Viktor swore, his voice harsh. “I may not know much about your Circles, but we do know about Annulments. Bad enough you are treated like an animal caged in a tower, but to slaughter you as well.” Yuuri flushed, “We are not caged, Vitya.” “You may as well be, are you allowed to just leave? To live your life?” Yuuri looked to Viktor, confused. “No, we are in the tower for our protection.” Celestino sighed, “Yes, that is what we tell ourselves. That we are locked away, separated from our families for protection. Ours or theirs. I am among those who believe that there is a certain modicum of freedom which we should have, especially after my years travelling. Not that I believe the Tevinter Imperium has it all correct.” Celestino looked to Viktor, “No offense.” Viktor smirked shaking his head, “None taken. There are too many blood mages and slaves for me to ever think that the Imperium is the only way.” “It would be nice if there were a happy medium,” Yuuri spoke, his voice soft. “While I understand the idea of freedom is lovely, I have enjoyed being on this journey with you. I never would have met Vitya otherwise.” Yuuri blushed before continuing on, “But there are those even in the tower, who are too dangerous or too nervous to ever really live on the outside and survive.” “This is a conversation for another time,” Celestino sighed. “Right now we have to get to the Reach. What I wouldn’t give for a teleportation spell.” Celestino chuckled at the thought. “Do such spells exist?” Yuuri asked, his eyes wide. “I am sure that they do,” Celestino swung up on his mount. “But as none of us know such spells, nor do we have a dragon, we will just have to make do with our horses and a few refreshing spells. Hopefully not killing them in the process.” When all three were mounted they set off at a furious pace to Andoral’s Reach, bypassing Perendale to the South to avoid any further delays. * It was not until the the ruins of Andoral’s Reach were in view that their pace slowed, their mounts frothing at the mouth despite spells and all three mages looking exhausted from extensive use of their mana. What should have been a seven to ten day ride took only three and they were all feeling it. As the approached the ruins, signs of life were cropping up in rangers who nodded as they saw the three mages. A single templar came out to greet them, Celestino nodding to her. “Knight-Captain Evangeline,” Celestino called to the templar. “It is just Ser,” the woman spoke, her voice warmer than Yuuri last remembered. “I am not sure what will happen to the templar order, but I made my choice.” Celestino nodded. The three dismounted as three of the tranquil came out offering to take the horses. “Please take good care of them,” Yuuri spoke, petting the side of his mare which was breathing heavily. “They have been better to us than we deserve.” The tranquil nodded, taking the reins and leading the horses away gently. There was a sudden yell as Yuuri was knocked off his feet by a brown blur. “Kaffas!” Viktor swore, “Yuuri are you alright?” There was a series of giggles from the tangle of limbs, “Emma lath, this is my dear lethallin, Phichit.” “I was so worried about you!” Phichit was sitting up his legs straddling Yuuri’s lap, gaining a glare from Viktor. Phichit smiled up to Viktor as he leaned closer to Yuuri, “So, who is this tall silver fox glaring daggers at me?” “Lethallin, this is my Vitya.” Yuuri was flushing making, his markings stand out, as he looked up through a fringe of black hair. “Your what?” Viktor wiped the glare from his face, seeing Yuuri’s blush for him. Smiling, he stepped forward his hand out, “I would be Viktor, Yuuri’s fiance.” There was a high pitch squeal of delight as Phichit launched himself off of Yuuri and hugged Viktor. Yuuri laughed at his friend’s enthusiasm as he got up from the ground, dusting himself off. Yuuri looked around, not seeing either Ser Evangeline or Celestino, “Where did Celestino go?” Phichit was back by Yuuri’s side. “Ciao Ciao? Likely he went inside where the others have been arguing the past few weeks.” “Arguing?” Yuuri asked as he leaned into Viktor as they made their way over to the old fort which seemed to now house a few hundred mages and tranquil. Phichit nodded, “Yes, oh Yuuri! You have no idea, being gone all this time. There was a huge battle in the Spire! Templars trying to take over and attacking even the tranquil! There were also rumours of a ghost who was killing mages and templars!” “A Ghost?” Yuuri shook his head, “Oh Phich, you know there is no such thing, it is just what some of the older accolades use to scare the new recruits.” “Ghosts do exist Yuuri.” Viktor piped up. “Oh not you too.” Yuuri moaned, “Fen’Harel ma ghilana.” Phichit chuckled, “I know that one! May the Dread Wolf lead you. Right?” “Close, ‘may the Dread Wolf guide you.’” Yuuri smiled, “You have been practicing?” “Nah, I just have heard you say that an awful lot over the years. It has stuck with me.” The trio chuckled as they made their way into the main room where the mages were holding council. * The old fort was filled with mages young and old, the elder leaders in the centre yelling at each other while the Grand Enchanter Fiona, a small Elf with short dark hair stood in the centre of the ;chaos with her arms crossed. Yuuri looked around the room, there were many familiar faces from the Spire including JJ and Otabek, who were standing side by side whispering to each other. JJ nodded over with a smile when he saw Yuuri enter the room with Phichit and Viktor, before going back to his conversation with Otabek. Yuuri glanced over to Phichit his voice low, “When did they become a pair?” Phichit smirked, “The King and Tranquilbek? Not sure. But it was a bit after you left that I noticed they were hanging around together more.” “You shouldn’t be so mean.” Phichit shrugged then nudged Yuuri, pointing to where Celestino stood, how Ser Evangeline and Enchanter Rhys was standing there alongside the Grand Enchanter. They hushed the yells as the Grand Enchanter spoke up. “We all know what happened at the Circle in Dairsmuid.” there was a round of hisses from the room, “All inside perished, not even the First Enchanter was saved from the annulment. And now there is a call for us to either surrender or fight for our independance.” There was a murmur that went round the room, shifting bodies, this was something which they had all dreamed about at one point. Being free of the tower, of phylacteries which chained them to the will of the templar order. “What is to stop the Templars from just hunting us all down like dogs?” An elder voice piped out calling over the crowd. Ser Evangeline stepped forward, “Enchanter Wynn and I destroyed what phylacteries were housed in the spire. There will be no hunt for those who are here.” “Sure, don’t mention me. Not like I did anything.” Yuuri’s eyes widened to see a massive rock construct speaking out, its voice a low rumble. Fiona held up her hand. “I have also word from all First Enchanters here that the phylacteries which were housed in their own towers too have been destroyed. Whatever we do, we do as one, we either submit or fight. If we submit, there will no doubt be many deaths and those who will be made tranquil. As you may or may not know the Grand Cleric was someone who assisted us in our escape. If we fight, it will be war, and many will die.” The room was silent. “Now not all First Enchanters are here, but I am calling for a vote for independence.” Fiona looked around the room, “Those mages here have asked for representatives of each fraternity to vote in lieu of the First Enchanters. I ask now for those leaders to stand now and cast their votes.” Yuuri watched as each leader made a small speech casting a yes or no for separation. It was left in the end to the Antiquarians who held the largest number of members and held the swing vote. Fiona looked to Rhys who had taken up his mother’s role as leader, he spoke clearly his voice steady as he weighed the pros and cons. In the end casting that they fight. Yuuri let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding, sagging against Viktor. It would be war, there would be no peaceful cottage by a lake for them, at least not in their immediate future. * Yuuri was standing outside looking over the ruins, there was a small gathering for a funeral for Enchanter Wynn who had died during the battle in the Spire. It was an odd group of mages, a Templar and a giant rock construct. Yuuri smiled as he felt Viktor come up behind him, sliding his arms around the Elf’s chest pulling him in to kiss the top of his head. “So,” Yuuri broke the silence, “It is bloodshed that awaits us.” Viktor hummed in response, “Yes it would seem so.” “What about your family? What of Yuri?” Viktor held Yuuri closer, “I think they will all be fine, I mean they are far north of there, and likely will not be bothered by the skirmishes of the southern kingdoms.” “D- d- do you regret coming with me?” Viktor forced Yuuri to turn around, lifting his face so that he could stare into the wide brown eyes, “I regret nothing when it comes to you. You are my life now and always.” “Ma emma lath, ma sa’lath.” Yuuri crooned. “My amantus.” Viktor answered as he bent down to kiss those full lips. Neither Yuuri not Viktor knew what awaited them or the war that would arise, all they knew was that they would stand through it together.
11479416	Beginning of Forever	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Jeon Wonwoo, Kim Mingyu, Kwon Soonyoung \| Hoshi, Lee Seokmin \| DK, Choi Seungcheol \| S.Coups, Lee Jihoon \| Woozi, Xu Ming Hao \| The8, Wen Jun Hui \| Jun", "Fandom": "SEVENTEEN (Band)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Mature", "author": "by orphan_account", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-12T00:00:00", "words": "5,658", "Additional Tags": "Alternate Universe, Marriage Proposal, Marriage, Fluff, smut-ish?, Established Relationship", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Jeon Wonwoo/Kim Mingyu, Kwon Soonyoung \| Hoshi/Lee Seokmin \| DK, jicheol is there if you squint", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	It starts with two women talking in the cafe next to Mingyu’s work.Wonwoo isn’t listening, not at first. He’s too busy thinking about unfinished edits and that horrid romance novel that he needs to send back because it was that bad, all of he will have to do tomorrow because he left the office early. He’s also thinking about which route to take to the restaurant to minimize traffic and so they’re not late for the double date with Seokmin and Soonyoung. On top of all that, he’s wondering whether or not he should order Mingyu one of those sugary drinks that he’s addicted too but is incredibly bad for his health.He’s frowning at the menu of drinks when he hears Mingyu’s name.“You have to get out there, you know? If you don’t find someone, you’ll end up all alone. You don’t want to end up like Mingyu, do you?”Wonwoo furrows his eyebrows immediately and has half the mind to turn around and scowl at the two gossiping women. Instead, he chooses to just glance over at the two, who are sitting at a table talking loudly enough for him to hear in the mostly empty cafe.“Mingyu?” one of the women asks. “Isn’t he dating someone?”The other woman scoffs at her. “Yeah, but it’s not serious.” Wonwoo’s eyes widen. Who are these women to be talking about Mingyu?The woman frowns. “But they’ve been dating for ages now, haven’t they?”“Yeah, but usually when people date for that long, they either split up or get married. If they haven’t gotten married yet, then that means that he’s not serious. Mingyu might seem all happy now, but that guy is bound to leave him at some point, probably sooner than later, and then Mingyu will be all heartbroken.The woman looks strangely accepting of this twisted-up logic, and Wonwoo scowls even harder.Wonwoo stomps up to the counter, bids Hansol a sharp hello, and orders one of those stupid drinks that Mingyu loves but will eventually kill him one day.Hansol laughs at his order, and simply remarks, “I thought you were trying to reduce his addiction tendencies.”Wonwoo shrugs. “It won’t hurt to cut some slack once in a while.”Hansol makes a face that tells Wonwoo that he’s trying very hard not to laugh at him.With Mingyu’s dumb drink and a scowl on his face, Wonwoo charges out of the cafe and makes his way to the elementary school. There are children streaming out of the doors in waves, but Wonwoo has perfected the art of dodging all of them throughout the years.When he walks into Mingyu’s classroom, Mingyu is talking to some parents, leaning casually against the desk with a cheery sort of elegance. One of his students is drawing on the whiteboard playfully.Wonwoo feels his scowl fade off of his face as he watches Mingyu bid goodbye to the parents and ruffle the student’s hair on the way out. Mingyu’s hair is ruffled and his shirt is a little rumpled, but the smile on his face is bright as ever. Wonwoo can’t help the smile that spreads across his own face at the sight of him.The parents nod to Wonwoo as they pass him in the doorway, and then Wonwoo slides his way into Mingyu’s classroom. By now, Mingyu has lounged himself in the office chair behind his desk.“Hey,” Wonwoo says, sliding himself to sit on Mingyu’s desk. He drops a kiss onto Mingyu’s forehead. “I got you a drink,” he adds, pressing the cup into Mingyu’s hand.Mingyu smiles at him, soft and warm, and takes a sip of his drink. He blinks in surprise. “Wow, one of my unhealthy drinks? You must really love me.”Wonwoo rolls his eyes but smiles anyways. “Don’t be fooled, this is just my plot to have you die earlier so I can be rid of you at last.”Mingyu laughs, throwing his head back, and Wonwoo has to restrain himself from attaching his lips to Mingyu’s exposed neck. Instead, he watches as Mingyu sips some more, humming at the taste of sweetness on his tongue. “Give me five minutes,” Mingyu says then, standing up to pack his bag.Mingyu chatters pretty much non-stop on the ride to the restaurant while Wonwoo just hums or nods in response. Usually Wonwoo would make more of an effort to engage in conversation, but tonight, he’s just watching Mingyu.Mingyu hasn’t changed all that much from when they first met during Wonwoo’s third-year and Mingyu’s second-year at SNU. He’s still built, just with some more added muscle, as handsome as always with a few more wrinkles that come along with the job of teaching young children as a profession, and he still has his vertical superiority over everyone else. The same enthusiastic and young look remains in his eyes, and his almost puppy-like personality is still as bright as Wonwoo remembers it being the first time that they met.Over dinner, Mingyu picks up on Wonwoo’s quietness, turning to look at him questioningly when Seokmin and Soonyoung begin giggling in their own world. Wonwoo looks at him. He’s not sure what non-verbal message he sends, but Mingyu nods and just presses a kiss to his temple before turning around and arguing with Seokmin that no, while puppies are great, we will not be unleashing a horde of them at your wedding reception, while Seokmin whines that it’s his wedding in the first place and that he should be allowed to have puppies there if he wants.When they get home, Wonwoo lets himself be pulled to watch Marley and Me for the twelfth time because Mingyu decides that talks of puppies during dinner really made him want to watch this movie and experience all of the angst that comes with it. Of course, they cuddle and watch until Mingyu gets bored and rolls on top of Wonwoo, kissing down his chest, and Wonwoo has to pretend like he hadn’t known that this was really Mingyu’s plan all along. Really, Wonwoo thinks when they topple into bed and Mingyu grins at him from above, those women had absolutely no idea what they were talking about. It’s not like Wonwoo has never thought about it before. He just isn’t really that type of person. He’s always been the kind of person that thought of marriage as nothing more than a tax break and really, why did he need to register his relationship through the government in order for it to be real?The first time he saw Mingyu was when Mingyu had tripped over nothing and spilled coffee all over the floor in a crowded coffeeshop. People had laughed at the sight, and Mingyu had laughed with them, a bright happy smile accompanied with a couple bats of his eyelashes, as if agreeing that yes, his clumsiness was very entertaining. Somehow, that led to half of the coffeeshop rushing with napkins to help him clean up the mess and attempting to buy Mingyu a new cup. Wonwoo had watched all of this from his seat in the corner, and simply thought, fuck. Afterwards, Mingyu had chosen to sit at the table next to him, and Wonwoo made the point of approaching him and teasing him for his two left feet and impossibly long octopus legs that clearly Mingyu had no control over, as well as point out that the shirt he was wearing was a hideous shade of green and that he should probably develop some sense of fashion.Mingyu had stared at him in shock and then started laughing, and Wonwoo felt strangely proud of himself. Mingyu had then proceeded to call him an asshole in a voice full of admiration, and Wonwoo thought again, fuck. Somehow, from there, Mingyu weaved himself into Wonwoo’s friend group, and they became sort-of friends that made out while drunk and pretended like they didn’t have feelings for each other.It all came to a head one day when they were hanging out, just the two of them, arguing over the merits of Natalie Portman as an actress because honestly, the Star Wars prequels were just too abysmal for her to still be considered decent, when Mingyu had to leave for class. He had rushed to grab his backpack and his coat before leaning over and planting a completely-sober peck on Wonwoo’s lips and saying, “see you later, babe.” Then they had promptly froze and stared at each other before Wonwoo decided, fuck it, and just dived right back in. And that was that.(Mingyu never made it to class that day.)Then suddenly, Mingyu had moved himself into Wonwoo’s apartment, bringing his messes that Wonwoo only tolerated because man, could Mingyu cook. Sometimes, when they were both stressed or one of them was being particularly obtuse that day, they would fight and drift away, which made Wonwoo panic and ponder over the ownership of the succulent that sat on their coffee table. He distinctly remembered buying it, but Mingyu was the one to water it, so if Wonwoo took it then that would be dooming it to a certain death.But for some reason, Mingyu never left. Wonwoo pinned it to his amazing charm and wit, but it was more like Mingyu had the patience of a god. The apartment became increasingly cluttered.And then, inexplicably, people began referring to Mingyu as his partner instead of his boyfriend, Mingyu began to go on his weekend trips home with him, and their families began spending Christmas together.It was just that there wasn’t really a point in their seven-year relationship where Wonwoo had thought about it and gone, “I’m gonna marry this man and spend the rest of my life with him.”Soonyoung likes to argue that it’s because Wonwoo didn’t have a single romantic bone in his body, and Wonwoo ignores him because 1) Soonyoung is dumb and 2) he’s been whipped for Lee Seokmin (Lee Seokmin, of all people, really?) since they were nine years old, so thus he has absolutely no idea what romance even is. Besides, Soonyoung and Seokmin can live the rest of their lives in happy married, domestic bliss, but Wonwoo already had that with Mingyu, so what was the big deal anyways?Wonwoo didn’t really think much for marriage. And Mingyu, well, Wonwoo didn’t really know what Mingyu thought of marriage. They had never really talked about it. Anyways, Mingyu seemed pretty content just to live in their little apartment in domestic bliss, and was always more interested in his classes, watching bad movies, and fucking Wonwoo whenever he felt like it, which was pretty much all the time.Beside, Wonwoo had argued, if Mingyu wanted to get married, it wasn’t like he couldn’t get down on one knee himself. Soonyoung had cackled and then called Wonwoo an idiot. Wonwoo had pouted because that was rude and then dragged Mingyu to watch Howl’s Moving Castle while Mingyu had pet his hair.People just didn’t understand them. They weren’t the marrying kind, not like Soonyoung and Seokmin and Jihoon and Seungcheol and just about all of the rest of the friends, but that was okay. That day at work, Mingyu calls Wonwoo. Wonwoo digs his hands through his hair, thankful for a break from the horrendous science fiction book he was editing. Wonwoo’s scowling and wondering whether the world had any good authors left when he picks up the phone.“I’ll pick you up after work?” Mingyu says, bypassing a greeting completely. At the sound of his voice, Wonwoo’s scowl melts off his face and a smile spreads instead.However, Wonwoo’s smile turns to confusion pretty quickly. “For what?”He can almost hear Mingyu rolling his eyes on the other end. “Seokmin and Soonyoung’s bachelor party. You remember, don’t you?”Wonwoo lets out a very large sigh. Of course, the soon-to-be married couple would be having their bachelor parties together because they were absolutely whipped.“Of course I do,” Wonwoo says, despite the fact that he didn’t remember at all. “Where is it again?”“The strip club,” Mingyu says, and Wonwoo groans so loudly that Jisoo pokes his head in from the next room over.“Strippers?” Wonwoo whines, and Jisoo decides to leave again.Mingyu cackles on the other end. “I’ll pick you up after work then.”When he hangs up, Wonwoo slams his head down on the desk, but this time, Jisoo doesn’t stick his head in in concern. The party was everything that Wonwoo thought it was going to be: full of alcohol and questionable entertainment. Wonwoo made sure to keep his eyes trained on people’s faces at all times.Despite the strange atmosphere, the gathering is also rather intimate. It’s just Seokmin, Soonyoung, Mingyu, Wonwoo, Seungcheol, Jihoon, Minghao, and Junhui. And despite Wonwoo’s earlier reluctance to come out and see strippers, he’s having a pretty good time getting well and truly drunk along with the people he trusts and loves, and it feels good to just sit back and relax.The grooms are already extremely drunk and leaning on top of each other. Junhui and Seungcheol are the designated drivers for the night, so Wonwoo allows himself to get a little bit hazy. As the night continues on, he finds himself leaning on Mingyu next to him, who isn’t much better than he is.At one point, the group turns their attention away from the strippers (not that any of them were paying a whole lot of attention anyways, aside from Junhui, the manwhore of the group), and they all start getting nostalgic.“You know,” Soonyoung slurs, giggling to himself. “I can’t believe I’m getting married next week.”Seokmin shrieks, right in Wonwoo’s ear and he resists the urge to choke him. “To me!” Seokmin yells, happy with himself. The smile on his face quickly turns wistful, as he continues to say “wow, I’m so lucky to be marrying you.”Wonwoo laughs when he catches Jihoon rolling his eyes. “You two are disgusting,” Jihoon snides. “Absolutely and completely disgusting.”Seungcheol laughs from beside Jihoon before slinging his arm around the smaller male. “I’m actually surprised,” Seungcheol says, leaning forward and getting that dangerous look in his eye. “I always thought Wonwoo and Mingyu would be the first to jump the gun and get married.”Soonyoung, the bastard, starts cackling at the top of his lungs, clutching at his stomach as he topples on top of Seokmin in his ridiculous laughing fit. Wonwoo stares daggers at him, because Soonyoung knows how he feels about marriage, or more like how he doesn’t really feel anything about marriage. Soonyoung just continues to laugh in his ridiculous high-pitched dolphin squeak.Wonwoo scoffs. “We’re not the marrying type,” he says, instead of strangling Soonyoung like he wants to.Suddenly, Soonyoung shrieks mid-laugh, and Wonwoo looks to see that it’s because Seokmin has stood up and is now pointing a finger accusingly at Mingyu. Or Wonwoo. Maybe both of them. Wonwoo can’t really tell because Seokmin is kind of swaying and his hand is sort of swaying too.Everyone is staring at Seokmin as he very slowly says, “Mingyu’s the marrying type.”Wonwoo just furrows his brows and turns to look at Mingyu, who is not looking at him. Seokmin continues, swaying unsteadily in his stance. “Mingyu told me that he wanted to get married!” Seokmin’s finger is getting dangerously close to Wonwoo’s eyes now. “It’s his dream to get married outside under one of those trees that looks like it has hair with fairy lights because he likes fairy lights.”For a second, Wonwoo just stares at Seokmin, who looks extremely pleased with himself. Then, Wonwoo turns to stare at Mingyu, who is just staring back at him at this point. “You never told me that,” Wonwoo says, and he’s suddenly very sober.Mingyu just shrugs and then smiles brightly right in Wonwoo’s face. He doesn’t say anything though, as the conversation turns back to something that Soonyoung had done to Seokmin during senior year in college that may or may not have involved copious amounts of alcohol and an orgy.Wonwoo remains out of it though, running the thought through his mind repeatedly. Did Mingyu want to get married? Why hadn’t Mingyu brought it up before? Suddenly, Wonwoo’s not very happy with him because why didn’t he tell him? Now Wonwoo just feels like an ass when he is clearly not an ass because it’s all Mingyu’s fault for not communicating his hopes and desires.At one point, Mingyu wraps an arm around Wonwoo, but Wonwoo remains frozen under his touch, not relenting. Mingyu just sighs and nuzzles into the side of his face, his nose brushing against his hairline in a way that says I haven’t done anything wrong, but please forgive me anyways. And Wonwoo’s drunk and never had infinite amount of resistance when it came to Mingyu anyways, so he eventually relents and melts into Mingyu’s side, but he makes sure to bite at Mingyu’s earlobe and leave a mark anyways. When he pulls back, Mingyu is grinning.The rest of the night is a bit of a blur. At one point, Soonyoung is dancing right alongside one of the pole dancers while someone (who Wonwoo is pretty sure is Minghao) starts chanting “take it off!” and he starts stripping. And then the next moment, they’re all piling into the two cars, and then Seungcheol is dropping them off at home.Wonwoo is drunk, but he’s not drunk enough to lose his sex drive, so he presses Mingyu up against the front door as soon as they get home and pushes punishing kisses against his lips. Mingyu laughs into it, before giving back just as good as he’s getting.Wonwoo knows that there will be bruises tomorrow, but he really wants to fuck Mingyu, so that’s what he does. He does it partially to forget what happened earlier tonight but also because Mingyu looked downright sinful in that loosely buttoned white shirt and wow, he needs to fuck Mingyu into the mattress right now. So that’s what he does.Afterwards, Mingyu curls up around Wonwoo, pressing his chest against Wonwoo’s back, and Wonwoo knows that they need to talk about it, but right now, he just really wants to sleep. He falls asleep to the sound of Mingyu whispering “I love you” in his ear, affectionate and sweet. The next week passes in a blur, and Wonwoo and Mingyu don’t talk about it. Wonwoo blames work, because they chose to dump a million projects on him and he ends up staying late at the office every day, only coming home to press himself close to Mingyu before falling asleep.Before he knows it, it’s the day of the wedding and he’s leaving the apartment before Mingyu’s even awake because he has best man duties to attend to. He spends the morning trying the sedate the nervous Soonyoung, who is basically just a bundle of nerves.“Calm down,” Wonwoo says, leaning in to fix Soonyoung’s tie just before the ceremony starts. Guests are starting to find their seats, and Soonyoung’s eyes are trained on the door, not seeing anyone because they aren’t Lee Seokmin.“I can’t,” Soonyoung replies, and the usual sassy edge is missing from his voice. “This is the biggest day of my life.”Wonwoo smirks and pats his chest. “I mean, your birth was also a pretty big day.”Soonyoung rolls his eyes. “Yeah, but today I’m marrying Seokmin,” he says, and then he stops and stares at Wonwoo with wide eyes. “Holy shit, I’m marrying Lee Seokmin.”Wonwoo laughs. “Yes, you are.”He returns to his spot, and spots Mingyu sitting in the second row, head bent low to talk to Jihoon in the seat next to him.Seungcheol, who is standing next to him, elbows him in the side. “Man,” Seungcheol says. “I love weddings.” And, oh god, Seungcheol is starting to tear up a bit as he looks at the crowd and then at Soonyoung’s nervous face.“Planning on having your own soon?” Wonwoo quips sarcastically.Seungcheol just gets sighs dreamily and Wonwoo is disgusted with the look in his eyes. He’s probably envisioning Jihoon in one of those ugly white dresses. Wonwoo resists the urge to barf because Soonyoung would probably kill him. It would make for some funny wedding pictures though.“Weddings are just romantic,” Seungcheol says, his eyes refocusing on Wonwoo. His eyes flit over to wear Mingyu and Jihoon are sitting. “Oh look, there’s Mingyu and Jihoon. Mingyu looks so cute today!” Wonwoo scowls. He hates when people call Mingyu cute because he’s not cute. However, as Wonwoo turns to look at him, there is something about the way Mingyu looks today, all soft and sweet as he laughs at something Jihoon says. Wonwoo shakes his head. It’s the wedding-disease coming to get him.Suddenly, the music starts playing, and Wonwoo snaps himself into position. Soonyoung’s back straightens almost comically as he stares at the door.Wonwoo has never been one for emotion, but he’ll admit that he was moved by this wedding. There’s never been a doubt in his mind that Soonyoung and Seokmin were absolutely perfect for each other. It just took so many years, and lots of teenage-like angst, for them to get to this point.Seokmin, wearing a dark blue tuxedo and a bright smile, has transformed from a naive boy to someone who brought happiness to others in a mature way. Soonyoung has transformed from the classic prankster to someone who was confident in his own skin and stood up for what he believed in. Throughout the years, the two had grown into their own skin, and they had done it together.Watching them, Wonwoo reckons that they were always meant for each other. Two halves in a whole.Unbidden, his eyes drift to Mingyu, and Mingyu is watching Soonyoung and Seokmin with a smile that’s happy and bright, but the unexpected longing in his eyes catches Wonwoo off guard. Wonwoo feels like his throat is closing, cutting off his air, and there is a heavy weight on his chest but he can’t drag his eyes off of Mingyu, because for a second, Mingyu looks sad .It’s gone quickly, and Mingyu is all smiles again, but Wonwoo can’t shake the feeling from his chest.Beside him, Seungcheol whispers “so beautiful,” and Wonwoo nods, but he’s not looking at Soonyoung and Seokmin at all. During the reception, Wonwoo delivers his best man speech with perfection, but his mind really isn’t there. Instead, he watches as Mingyu dances with Seokmin and chats with just about everyone in attendance, the smile never leaving his face.Wonwoo can’t stop watching him. He knows that he’s making a lousy conversation partner and he’s barely touching the food, but he can’t tear his eyes away from Mingyu. It’s like having some sort of epiphany, except that milestone was long gone. Wonwoo had seen Mingyu at his very worst, crying about his insecurities and his studies, as well as at his very best, beaming up at Wonwoo when he got his job at the local elementary school. They had fought, screaming at each other and breaking glasses as they threw them at the walls, arguing about money or the future or God-knows-what. There hasn’t been mystery for either of them for a long time.It’s like an epiphany, only it isn’t. Still, Wonwoo can’t help but feel numb with all of the new feelings flooding over him. It’s not like he had just realized he loved Mingyu, that had been done when Mingyu had first stayed the night and Wonwoo had woken up to a mouthful of Mingyu’s hair and the sight of Mingyu’s sleepy eyes blinking back at him. It’s not like he had just realized he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Mingyu, because that was just a fact that Wonwoo had learned to accept after years of being with him.After they see the grooms off, Wonwoo drags Mingyu home. Mingyu, as expected, is absolutely exhausted from the reception and it feels like his feet are glued to the floor.Once through the door, Mingyu makes a beeline for the bedroom, stripping out of his tux on the way there. He leaves it all on the floor before collapsing into bed and burying his head in his pillow, and it’s very clear that nothing, not even the house burning down around them, could make him get up again.Wonwoo’s slower in his motions, stripping and changing slowly. He doesn’t climb into bed right away though, just watches as Mingyu snuggles deeper into the blankets.“Mingyu?” Wonwoo asks. Mingyu hums in response.“Do you want to get married?”Mingyu scoffs into his pillow. “Are you drunk?”“I’m serious.”Mingyu just groans at him and buries his head back in his pillow.“Fine, be like that,” Wonwoo grumbles. He just stands there for a couple more moments, before giving in and climbing into bed beside him.Mingyu is dead to the world, fast asleep and snoring. But when Wonwoo brings an arm around Mingyu’s waist and presses a kiss to his skin, Mingyu unconsciously shifts in his sleep, pressing himself even more firmly to Wonwoo’s side. Wonwoo’s breath catches in his throat. Even in his sleep, Mingyu is still looking for him, pressing tighter against him, as if that was the most natural thing for him to do.Emotion pents itself up in Wonwoo’s chest, pressing itself into his lungs until he feels like he was about to burst.“Fuck,” he whispers. “I love you so much, Mingyu.” He squeezes an arm around the younger male. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”Mingyu grumbles, before slowly opening his eyes. “Wonwoo? What's wrong?”Wonwoo realizes that his distressed voice must have woken him up, and just presses an easy kiss to his forehead. Mingyu’s eyes are still half-closed, but he clutches at Wonwoo insistently.“Nothing,” Wonwoo whispers. “I love you.”Mingyu relaxes. “Love you too,” he grumbles, and this time, he’s out cold.Wonwoo laughs, pressing kissing into Mingyu’s neck until the tightness in his chest eases. Two days later, Wonwoo is walking home from work when a shadow crosses his path. It’s funny, how the contents of his wallet were actually worth less than how much the wound would cost him. Wonwoo distinctly remembers a knife and a sharp pain to his side.He thinks of Mingyu before he blacks out.When Wonwoo wakes up, it’s in a white room with harsh lighting. He’s in a hospital bed. He spots Mingyu in the chair next to the bed, sleeping with his head tilted back, baring his neck.It hits Wonwoo, then, that he had almost died and that he had almost died without ever vowing to Mingyu that Mingyu was the only one for him and the absolute love of his life. Even now, with Mingyu looking almost lifeless underneath the harsh hospital lights, Wonwoo feels his heart swell with affection for the other man.It suddenly becomes very, very, very imperative for Wonwoo to wake him up.Wonwoo coughs and Mingyu wakes abruptly, his eyes opening in a flash and his entire body propelling itself out of the hospital chair.Mingyu blinks his bleary eyes, and his hand automatically comes up to clutch at Wonwoo’s.“Hey,” Mingyu says softly. “Oh my God, hi. You’re awake.”Wonwoo smiles back at him to the best of his ability with the oxygen mask on. Mingyu has tears building up in his eyes, and Wonwoo reaches out to cradle his face. “You were out for a while,” Mingyu says. “Don’t scare me like that again.”Wonwoo nods, still unable to speak. Mingyu turns his head in Wonwoo’s hand, pressing kisses into his palm. “I love you,” Mingyu whispers. “I love you so much, Wonwoo, you have no idea how scared I was. I thought you died. ” The pain in Mingyu’s voice chokes Wonwoo. Mingyu continues pressing kisses into Wonwoo’s palm, and Wonwoo’s other hand comes up to pull the oxygen mask from his face. He gasps out a breath and Mingyu suddenly stands to try and put it back on.“Baby,” Mingyu says, “you don’t have to say anything.”“Will you marry me?”It comes out as a croak, but Wonwoo has never meant anything as sincerely as he meant that. Mingyu stares at him in shock for a moment, and then starts weeping harder than Wonwoo has ever seen him weep.“Yes,” Mingyu cries, “yes, yes, yes, a thousand times yes.”Wonwoo can only smile at that, and he pulls at Mingyu to press a kiss to his lips. It’s soft and chaste, but Wonwoo figures that they have the rest of their lives to kiss anyways.There’s no ring, considering that Wonwoo had sort of just asked out of the blue, but he goes and buys one as soon as he’s discharged from the hospital.He presents it to Mingyu, a simple golden band that Mingyu cries upon seeing, and it rests on Mingyu’s ring finger, as if it was always meant to be there. The wedding ends up being in Wonwoo’s parents’ backyard because Mingyu loves the outdoors and he loves the Jeons. It’s a rather simple wedding, with their family and close friends in attendance, and it feels right.Wonwoo almost passes out when he sees Mingyu coming down the aisle, because, really, it should be illegal for someone to look that good in a suit.When it comes to saying the vows, Wonwoo’s hands are shaking crazily, but he still manages his spiel about how he knew Mingyu was the love of his life and had known since basically the first moment that he had laid eyes on him, and that he didn’t need a ring or a marriage to know that Mingyu was the only one he would want to spend the rest of his life with. Really, the only reason he was marrying him was because he had almost died four months ago and it made him realize that should he actually die, he’d rather Mingyu end up with all of his belongings because they were married than have all of his free-loading friends try and lay claim to his possessions. Also, Soonyoung had gotten married, so therefore, Wonwoo had to get married just to prove that he could do the whole wedding and marriage thing better than he could.Everyone laughs, Soonyoung mutters “how romantic, you asshole” from where he was standing in the best man spot, the priest looks absolutely scandalized, and Mingyu starts crying anyways.And then it was Wonwoo’s turn to cry, because Mingyu begins his vow about how he loves Wonwoo from the bottom of his heart, even though they had seen each other at their absolute worst, and honestly, if Mingyu could still love Wonwoo after the Alcohol Incident of 2016, then there was nothing that could make Mingyu not love him. And then Mingyu, the sap, reads a poem about Wonwoo’s smile, comparing it to the sun, and Wonwoo is torn between wanting to kiss him senseless and marrying him just so he could divorce him.And before he knows it, the priest is giving his spiel and saying that Wonwoo could kiss the groom and Mingyu could kiss the bride, and Wonwoo opens his mouth to protest because he was the one who had actually popped the question so why was he the bride? But then Mingyu kisses him and all protests fly out of his mind because Mingyu’s kiss, even after all these years, still has that effect on him.During the reception, Soonyoung retells a story about the time that Wonwoo had gotten unbearably drunk in college and proclaimed that he loved Mingyu to the entire world, and no, it wasn’t just because he was a champion in bed, it was also because of his dumb canines. And how Wonwoo cried later because Mingyu wanted a dog but Wonwoo was scared of them, and oh god, Wonwoo was going to have to break up with him lest he have to live the rest of his life in fear of being attacked by Mingyu’s rabid pet. Soonyoung actually manages to recount the entire story and Wonwoo’s words by memory, and Wonwoo would have been impressed if he wasn’t busy being so mortified. Mingyu just cackles from beside him.Later, they dance within each other’s arms under the fairy lights that Soonyoung had nearly died trying to put up to the Descendents of the Sun OST because Mingyu had said that it was the epitome of romance and Wonwoo had never been able to refuse him.They dance for the rest of the night, and then later, they fall into bed and do their own dance there too. The next morning, Wonwoo wakes up to the sunlight slowly crawling into the room. The bed is warm, and Mingyu is tucked neatly into Wonwoo’s side, his long limbs conquered for once.The light stretch across the room through the window, rosy and golden. Beside him, Mingyu is the epitome of elegance, the sheets pooled low on his waist, baring his tan back to the world. His hair is a mess, but it’s a brilliant contrast against the white sheets. Wonwoo has never seen anything so beautiful.Mingyu chooses at that moment to let out an ugly snore and then proceed to mumble about kimchi, ruining the illusion completely.Wonwoo laughs to himself, because although the moment was ruined, it’s still rather perfect. He presses a kiss to Mingyu’s forehead and then closes his eyes again, drifting off. They should really get up and do the things they have to do, but Wonwoo figures they still have forever, and it’s very early still.
11433648	The End is Just the	{ "Archive Warning": null, "Category": "Other", "Characters": "Ronald Knox, William T. Spears, Sebastian Michaelis, Undertaker (Kuroshitsuji), Grell Sutcliff", "Fandom": "Kuroshitsuji \| Black Butler", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by FujoshiForBrownies", "chapters": "1/50", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-07T00:00:00", "words": "1,679", "Additional Tags": "Suicide, Rape, Depression", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Ronald Knox/Sebastian Michaelis/William T. Spears/Grell Sutcliff/Undertaker, grell/bennett", "Series": "Shattered", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": "Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con", "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	It hurts . Grell rolled over, wrapping himself in the crumpled sheets of their bed, trying to hide his bruised, aching body from prying eyes, as he struggles to keep the smell of the sheets - his only lifeline - from seeping into his pale skin, from permeating him like he has. Grell can still remember it clearly, how his hands had held Grell’s hips roughly, leaving dark red bruises among the scars he has from the candle wax poured on his back. How his breath had smelled, rotten like something dying, and Grell supposes it is something dying. Trust, the small amount of trust Grell had for him. For Bennett. His breath smelled like tobacco, earthy and mysterious. It was the smell of blood - Grell’s own blood - from the wounds on his shoulders. Love bites , Bennett called them. One shaking hand went to his stomach, feeling the lines there. I can't take this anymore. Grell thought, removing his hand from his shoulder as his frail body shook with sobs. He doesn't dare to cry out loud here, because he knows Bennett could be anywhere, waiting for him to break so he has a reason to yell at Grell again, to punish him like he has all these other times. Grell has to stay quiet. He has all these six years, after all. Please. Why won't he stop? Grell already knows the answer, though. It's because Bennett enjoys it, enjoys seeing Grell in pain, crying and pleading as his diminishing sanity was slowly ripped away from his broken body, bleeding crimson red like some unspeakable sin. And it is a sin, at least in Grell’s eyes. Love should be mutual, with consent from both sides. But he can't remember the last time Bennett asked him if something was okay. If he ever did in the first place. Sighing shakily, Grell decides to start his day, knowing he can't stay in bed forever like this. Reaching over, his numb fingers catch on the edge of the sheet, intending to pull it off his body, but he hesitates. This sheet is the only thing covering his broken body. The only thing that protects him from Bennett. He can't bear exposing himself yet again, even if it just to get dressed or shower, a futile attempt to wash away the explicit memories and fluids from the night before. His own blood coats his shoulders and parts of his chest where it dripped down unbeknownst to Grell at that time. It's coppery smell, unnoticed up until now, rises up in the air like a helium balloon, filling the space like some type of invisible gas. Grell’s trembling fingers pull the sheet off, and the cold air caresses his body like a gentle touch. But to Grell, it feels false, too gentle to exist here, where there is only pain and more pain and lies Grell is surprised he believed. The wind is cold on his broken body, much like Bennett’s dark eyes, forest green but with flecks of ice in there, unloving. Cold as Antarctica, with the hidden meaning of a thousand sleepless night spent yelling, pleading as Bennett broke him- No! Grell shook his head quickly, his long red hair whapping him in the face, as sobs rise up in his chest. He doesn't want to remember, yet his traitorous mind won't let the matter go. It keeps replaying the moment, making him feel everything, every little ache and sound and laceration. Bile rises up in Grell’s throat, and he just manages to get to the bathroom sink before the contents of his stomach spew out of his mouth, hot and stinking, burning his esophagus and throat as it shoots out of him. Sinking to his knees, Grell sobs quietly, pressing his mouth and teeth into his arm to stifle his last, broken cry for help. As he sinks into the linoleum, Grell’s joints protest, the soft fibers of the bathroom rug bending against his bruises, making him cry out. It's so painful, even the slightest touch, and Grell wishes it could stop, wishes he could speak out and rid his body of Bennett’s mendacious touch forever. Slowly getting up, Grell looks at his reflection in the mirror, no longer shocked by what he sees. He's not like he was six years ago, worrying about every little cut, every little bruise, worrying about how to hide them. Now, he just hides them, not even bothering to put any antiseptic cream on them. It's hopeless, he knows. Why fix them? “They’ll never close up.” Grell mumbles out, feeling his heart squeeze for a second at the painfully true statement he just uttered. “Never. He's broken me…” and that's the truth. Grell’s breaking, broken. Gone. Reaching out, Grell touches the reflection with broken fingertips, rough on the edges where he's bitten the skin away out of nerves, mostly at work, hiding at the end of they day, dreading the train ride home because he knows he’ll have to go through this all over again. He's tired of it, tired of lying to people - the people at work, his boss, strangers who see the marks on the back of neck from two years ago when he said the wrong thing and ended up with those marks to remind Grell who the boss of the house was. No, who the boss of him was. And that was Bennett. “I never wanted him to break me.” Pulling his arm back, Grell walks over to the shower. And with numb hands and fingers, he turns the knobs to start the needling spray of water so he can clean himself off all over again, scrubbing his body with the boiling hot water until it's an angry red, scoured until it bleeds. But even that isn't enough to erase his touch. It lingers like Bennett’s voice does in the back of his mind, a leech sucking all the health and life out of his body, leaving him a painful husk. Stepping into the water, Grell lets the hot spray of water cascade down his skinny body, plastering his long red hair to the sides of his face, his hips, his back. The water runs in rivulets down his body, and reaches the old cuts Grell’s long since forgotten about, making them sting. Eventually, it hurts too much, and his whole body stings like he's been slapped all over. Sinking to his knees, he reaches up to stop the water, and his arm drops down after, wrapping around his bare chest, a hug he deserves more than anything else, yet he has to suffer through this horrible life where he's captive inside himself, unable to speak out like he needs to. His whole body is marred with bruises, marks where clothes cover them so no one looking at Grell would be able to tell he's suffering, that his whole body is broken. The false smile he pastes on his face is there as a defensive action, much like his arms covering his face are, how his hands go over his ears to block out the sound of his own pleas, his own voice wanton for release, escape from this hell he is forced to live in. But no one has heard him. No one - not even at work - knows he's suffering. “I just want it to stop!” Grell cries out, forgetting to be silent for a minute. Clapping a hand over his mouth, his chest aches with the tears he has yet to shed. What did he do to deserve this? He's lived normally, nicely, never snubbing anybody or stolen anything. “Please! I'm begging you!” every day he has to deal with this pain, lying to the people that care about him most. He's broken, bleeding, sick of so many things that have happened to him. He doesn't want people to rule over him anymore. He doesn't want to deal with anybody, actually. He's tired of listening to people talk to him, hearing Bennett’s voice yelling in the back of his head you're mine you're not good enough over and over again. Standing, Grell’s eyes focus on the medicine cabinet, and he limps over to it, slumping on the closed toilet seat underneath it. With weak fingers, he opens it up, praying there's something in there he can take to help him forget this, even if it doesn't kill him. But a part of him wants it to kill him so that he can be gone, away from Bennett and everyone else. Opening the cabinet, the first thing his eyes focus on is the acetone , the nail polish remover he had somehow managed to persuade Bennett to buy for him. That was the only thing Bennett had ever bought for him, if you think about it. Maybe he knew I’d use it like this. Grell thinks, his hand closing around the bottle to pull it out with arms that no longer work. Maybe Bennett was thinking about this moment all this time. Opening the cap, he stares into the pinkish, fuming contents, feeling high merely from smelling it. His stomach rumbles - he hasn't eaten breakfast yet - and that sparks a thought in his head. “They always say a good drink is the first part of breakfast, right?” Grell laughs, though it sounds like a cat coughing up a hairball because his throat is still raw from throwing up earlier. “We'll, it's not orange juice, but this will work.” Tipping the bottle back, he places it to his lips and drinks up the whole contents of the bottle. Liquid fire runs down his body, and he convulses, spewing back up half the contents of the bottle onto his bare legs as his eyes squeeze shut against the pain. His body is on fire, and it hurts so so so much . Even more than what he deals with on a daily basis. Still, he won't have to deal with it ever again. “I'm sorry..” he mumbles out, as he falls off the seat and onto his back, his eyes closing. “Can you live without me, Bennett?”
11489238	Aritmiia	{ "Archive Warning": "Major Character Death", "Category": null, "Characters": "Peacock (Skullgirls), Marie Korbel, Double (Skullgirls)", "Fandom": "Skullgirls", "Language": "Русский", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by Runa_Kamoran", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-13T00:00:00", "words": "1,612", "Additional Tags": "Angst, Slight OOC, Memories, Character Death, Character resurrected from dead, Symbolism", "Relationship": "Marie Korbel/Peacock", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": "F/F, Gen", "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Павлин всегда считался царской, благородной птицей.Мари поняла это еще тогда, когда Патриция всеми силами подбадривала остальных, просила их не падать духом. Когда вынашивала планы побега и сносила побои, когда эти планы проваливались. Когда дерзила, буянила, сопротивлялась. Когда закрыла Мари своим телом от нападающих. Когда дала ей возможность убежать ценой собственной жизни. О большем благородстве Мари не могла и мечтать в разрушенном войной и насквозь прогнившем мире.Мари вспомнила это, когда снова увидела ее, сражающуюся не за себя, но во имя других. Сила артефакта не волновала ее — лишь желание остановить разрушение и смерть, выполнить свое… предназначение? У нее никогда не было особой цели или несокрушимого идеала. Патриция просто делала то, что считала правильным, — и, возможно, если бы ей вздумалось остановить бой на середине, Мари приняла бы такое решение. Потому что оно было бы лучше для них обеих.Однако бой продолжался. Дрожал под ногами растрескавшийся бетон, пульсировали в трещинах ручьи теонитовой энергии, шипело горячее, удушающее пламя, обжигающее Мари изнутри ее пустой реберной клетки. Патриция не останавливалась, продолжая осыпать костяной остов разнообразием ударов.Даже смерть не смогла остановить ее упрямство. Что говорить о Сердце-Черепе.Павлин всегда считался птицей-стражем, птицей королей.Мари поняла это еще тогда, когда видела, как Патриция с легкостью подчиняла людей своей воле. Заставить человека слушаться — та еще морока, но она взваливала на свои плечи бремя лидера. И, когда очередное восстание рабов проваливалось, именно предводительница получала за всех сразу, — и никогда не избегала своей судьбы, закрывая собой остальных.Мари вспомнила это, когда вновь увидела ее, окруженную целой армией помощников. Все они, нелепые игрушки ее искаженного рассудка, подчинялись ее воле. Они сражались как одна команда, позволяя ей выполнять невероятные, невообразимо сложные атаки самым различным оружием. Ее удары были непредсказуемыми и чертовски странными, вывернутыми наизнанку, как ее сломанный агонией разум.Павлин считался еще и птицей гордыни.Мари даже спорить не могла с этим убеждением. Патриция считала себя сильнейшей. Считала, что ей не нужен артефакт, дарующий такое могущество, что она сможет справиться с ним самостоятельно. И куда это ее привело?Мари чувствовала, как медленно слабеет ее тело, как жизнь по капле вытекает из рваных ран, оставленных осколками костей. Патриция, — всегда Патриция, и никогда Пикок, — теперь наполовину воссоздана из металла. Ее отвратительно длинные руки, гремящие железом ноги, капкан вместо челюсти, два и два десятка глаз. Эти мерзкие имплантаты никогда не должны были коснутся ее идеального тела.Она останавливается, напоминая себе, что это ее вина. Сердце-Череп на какое-то время пропускает удар, бьется в аритмии. Его пламя забивает горло, застилает рассудок, заставляя подчиниться, — но Мари отбрасывает мимолетное искажение. Она будет бороться за свое желание не стать чудовищем как можно дольше.Но, когда перед ее глазами встает Патриция, она не может не смотреть в пустые провалы глазниц, в раскрытую от боли зубастую пасть. Она помнит, как томилась и ждала, падала на колени и молила Троицу о том, чтобы они пощадили Патрицию, позволили ей убежать и снова встретить Мари. Они бы навсегда покинули город и колесили бы по королевству Кэнопи, счастливые и свободные, навеки вместе.Все надежды рухнули с лучами рассвета, когда Мари открыла утреннюю газету. Конечно, такого рода новости всегда публиковали на первой полосе — жуткие, отвратительные, шокирующие, что же еще так прекрасно привлекает аудиторию? Но гремела война, пошли слухи о Сердце-Черепе, — и историю с изуродованной, ослепленной, лишенной конечностей сиротой быстро забыли.Только Мари обивала ступени собора Святой Троицы, проводя часы в молитве. Троица милосердна, говорила сестра Агата, она смоет вину с твоей души, если быть искренней в своих мотивах. Троица отпустит ее грех, подарит Патриции святость мученицы за все ее страдания во имя других. Мари стремилась к добру и прощению, ведь только чистые сердцем могут исполнить волю Троицы (и, о святые небеса, Сердце-Череп понимает это лучше всех остальных).Но она забыла лишь об одном.Павлин символизирует божественность и бессмертие.Мари поняла это еще тогда, когда из всех сирот, проданных в рабство, сломленных телом и душой, Патриция не сломалась. Она смотрела на других, таких же избитых и пустых изнутри, умерших душою вместе с их родителями на войне, — и воскресла, восстала, взмыла вверх огнем дерзости и своеволия, как маяк надежды.Мари вспомнила об этом, когда увидела фотографии Проекта Пикок — и Патрицию, волшебным образом живую.Крыша Большого Собора обрушилась, бетонная пыль медленно оседала на камнях и в легких.. Наблюдали за схваткой пустые взгляды черепов, и воздух сиял от переполнявшей его энергии. Черными следами размазана кровь на костях. Ни один человек не смог бы стоять на ногах после таких ранений.Но Патриция стояла. Двигалась быстро, пусть и без прежней ловкости. Раскалывала летящие в ее сторону черепа. Стреляла, резала, крушила и ломала, призывала на помощь миньонов и не останавливалась ни на секунду.Однако Мари чувствовала, как слабеют удары с каждой сломанной железкой в ее механических руках, как замедляются движения с каждым ожогом на уязвимой коже, как уходит из нее жизнь с каждой костью, застрявшей между ребер.Пусть она сама задыхалась от слабости, от огня, от Сердца, подчиняющего ее волю, от бесконечных атак, что лились волной, Мари знала — выйдет кто-то один. Выдержит только один. Потому что гордыня не позволит Патриции покинуть поле боя, — а Сердце-Череп в грудной клетке Мари не знает, что такое милосердие.Она чувствует, что скоро не выдержит, что ее костяной остов развалится и сгорит в проклятом пламени. Однако Патриция, потеряв обе руки и всех прислужников, тоже едва стоит на ногах, но сдаваться по-прежнему не собирается.Киборг наклоняется, как будто кланяясь своей противнице, и тогда Мари вспоминает.Павлиний хвост, прекраснейшее из украшений дикой природы, символизирует собой звездное небо.Как они любили считать небесные светила, сидя в обнимку на узком подоконнике, как шептали свои желания звездам, как рассказывали друг другу секреты под их бдительными глазами. Иногда Мари казалось, что эти волшебные моменты — единственное, ради чего еще стоило жить. Словно звезды были подарены им обеим за страдания, чтоб они раз за разом находили в себе силы выдерживать дни рабства.Павлиний хвост распускается веером за спиной Патриции. Звезды в нем — два десятка сияющих рубиновых огней, пылающих дерзко среди голубого пламени. Они вспыхивают ярче и ярче, пока не начинают рассыпать вокруг себя клубки энергии. Агония Аргуса, целый дождь бушующего алого огня обрушивается на противницу, превращая останки в прах, — и остов не выдерживает. С криком Мари рассыпается, открывая Патриции уязвимое Сердце-Череп. Артефакт пульсирует огнем, однако его сила все еще поддерживает жизнь в осыпающихся костях давно мертвой Мари.Однако бой по-прежнему не закончен.Сердце бьется в аритмии, окруженное облаком пыли и праха, но продолжает вызывать из-под земли своих немёртвых слуг. Патриции достаточно нескольких ударов, чтобы закончить сражение. Но, когда наступил решающий момент, ей не хватило сил.Высокая тень материализуется из тумана и обрушивается на Пикок, едва успевшую подняться. Удар нечеловеческой силы смял ее грудную клетку и отбросил назад, заставив проехаться по покрытой рытвинами земле.Кости, туман и пламя снова срастаются, образуя остов Мари вокруг Сердца. Что значит для немёртвых потеря формы? Лишь то, что придется немного подождать, прежде чем магия артефакта затянет раны. Живые тоже могут терять форму, — но, в отличие от них, не могут собрать свои кости заново.Когда Мари подходит ближе, Патриция больше не встает.Она похожа на разбитую фарфоровую куклу. С вырванными руками, в своем изорванном пышном платье, с накидкой и бантом, который едва прикрывает дыру в груди и смятые ударом ребра. Патриция тяжело дышит, изо рта, — проржавевшего от крови капкана, — вырываются хрипы. Пустые глазницы наполняются слезами.— Похоже, на этом всё, народ.Настоящая агония отражается в ее двух и двух десятках глаз, которые лежат на земле мертвым металлом. — Я говорила тебе, ты должна была уйти.Мари смотрит на сломанную куклу у своих ног, и Сердце-Череп в ее груди снова заходится аритмией — не от боли, но от чего-то еще, забытого, оставленного в мире живых. Патриция поворачивается на звук ее голоса, и склабится всеми острыми окровавленными зубами. — Меня… создали, чтобы находить таких, как ты. Разве я… могла пропустить такое шоу?Она закашлялась и захрипела, с каждым словом речь ее замедлялась и затихала. Мари опустилась на колени. Мертвые не могут плакать, но по-прежнему могут страдать. — И все же… я так рада… снова увидеть тебя. — Как ты можешь говорить это? — прорычала сквозь зубы Мари. — Ты умерла дважды из-за меня и все еще… все еще не пытаешься обвинить меня в этом? Я все время была твоей обузой. Не будь меня, ты бы давно убежала и жила своей жизнью. Ты была сильной, ты была лидером среди нас — так почему сейчас ты так глупо умираешь у меня на глазах? — Дурашка… это лучший конец… о котором я могла… мечтать.Мари впилась руками в волосы и безмолвно смотрела, как жизнь покидает ее лучшую подругу, за которую она поклялась отомстить, которую хотела спасти и в итоге убила своими же руками. Это больше походило на какую-то сцену из дурацких любовных сериалов, которые они с Патрицией иногда смотрели вместе.Она тоже не готова сказать «прощай». Она не готова к тому, чтобы всё так быстро и просто закончилось.Сердце-Череп заходится аритмией еще раз, когда Мари поднимает руки, и сила артефакта наполняет землю. Волны энергии сталкиваются, сокрушая потрескавшиеся стены собора, сливаются в один поток и вливаются в безжизненную оболочку. Синее пламя костром вспыхивает из кровавой дыры в груди и затихает.Она умерла в первый раз, когда была продана в рабство как некая вещь. Она умерла во второй раз, жестоко обезображенная работорговцами. Она умерла в третий раз от рук любимой подруги. Троица. Сестра Агата говорила, что Троица приведет их к бессмертию. И Павлин будет ее символом.Мари поднимает свою любимую куклу, — сломанную, но все еще любимую. Энергия Сердца поднимает их в воздух, и они оставляют разрушающийся собор под стоны падающих камней и крушащихся колонн. Новый Меридиан вспыхивает под ними разнообразием огней и затихает в ожидании, маяком горит Башня Медичи вдали. Патриция смотрит на невзрачный диск луны пустыми глазницами и открывает зубастую пасть, хрипя, но не чувствуя боли: — Аха-ха! Похоже, шоу должно продолжаться!Мари отвечает ей смехом и направляется к Башне. Она права, шоу должно и будет продолжаться, — и на этот раз они вдвоем устроят самый прекрасный перфоманс под светом мертвой луны.
11496660	Air Conditioning is an	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Hannibal Lecter, Will Graham", "Fandom": "Hannibal (TV)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Explicit", "author": "by Kateera", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-14T00:00:00", "words": "3,857", "Additional Tags": "Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Hannibal is a Cannibal, Omega Hannibal Lecter, Alpha Will Graham, slick, Rimming, Will Knows", "Relationship": "Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": "#SummertimeSlick, Wendigo & Stag", "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Sweat dripped down his face to pool in the hollow of his throat. His mind felt muggy and slow and even the air felt thin and too hot. The sound of electronic music played in his ear and Hannibal inhaled in long and slow breaths, trying to keep his patience from snapping.. He hated being hot and sticky, something that occurred more often now that his body was on a more regulated heat cycle. He’d hid for so many years and one nasty flu had betrayed his true identity. The papers had been in a frenzy, reporting every detail of “The Omega Doctor Who Tricked Us All.” Scent blockers and heat suppressants were a waste of money now that everyone knew what he was. Heats, sweats, giving off “fuck me” pheromones even when I’m working, this is why I hid for so long. The music cut out and the phone crackled as a gruff voice answered. “You still there?” Hannibal pinched his nose, grimacing at the slide of sweat down the bridge. “Yes, I’m still here. My air conditioning unit seems-” “Well air conditioners aren’t an emergency fix so I can get out there in a couple days. What’s your address?” The man interrupted and the sound of a pen scratching on paper echoed in the background. “It is actually an emergency.” Hannibal answered with clenched teeth. “My office needs to stay cool so my patients feel relaxed and-” “Look pal, just get a few fans and I’ll see if I can make it by Friday. Address?” Hannibal rattled off his address and hung up the phone in a huff. His mind felt stuffed with cotton, every part of his body was drenched in sweat and now, he had to go get loud, distracting fans. He wondered if the man on the phone was always rude or if he’d sensed that Hannibal was an omega and decided to play nasty. Being an omega isn’t an invite to walk all over me. Why did I have to get sick? I could have stayed hidden forever if not for that fucking flu. He walked to his desk, memories of the past few weeks bringing his mood down even further. At least the people who matter don’t treat me any different. Carefully writing down the name and address of the repair shop on a small card, Hannibal placed it in his rolodex for a later date and turned to look out the window. He thought about the people who mattered, Bedelia, Jack and Bella, Will. Will, as unconventional an alpha as I am an omega. I expected him to disappear once he found out but instead, he’s taken to keeping me company more often. I wonder if he knows how much his scent gives his attraction away? Watching people walk the streets in thin shirts and barely there shorts, Hannibal wondered if the heat would make Will dress down a little more on their daily walk to his house. An image of Will, shirtless and wearing the tiny shorts so popular these days with the younger crowd, Hannibal felt wet slick slide down his thigh and he sighed at his body’s betrayal. He pictured dumping a gallon of ice water on his head to cool his body and libido and whimpered at the imagined sensation. Will and his attraction would have to wait until this heat wave was over. Maybe with the heat, a few patients will cancel. ONE DAY LATER Will knocked on the door to Hannibal’s office and frowned at the lack of movement from the other side. Hannibal normally wanted out of his office as soon as the last patient exited the building and he’d taken to walking the newly revealed omega home, ever since the papers plastered his secret all over Baltimore. Hannibal never asked him to, of course, but he also never asked him to stop, so Will continued to let his alpha presence keep the good doctor safe. Knocking again, Will at last heard a shuffling from the other side of the door and stepped back as Hannibal pulled it open and waved him in. A wall of heat hit him and he staggered a bit as he felt sweat instantly bead on his forehead. The heat couldn’t distract him from the sight of Hannibal. He stood a few feet away, dressed in a thin sweat soaked tank-top and tight boxer briefs. “I apologize, Will. Come in and wait here while I get dressed.” Hannibal pulled at his top, embarrassment coloring his cheeks with a faint blush. Will couldn’t take his eyes off the expanse of hair showing beneath the thin top, the dark thatch sticking to the wet shirt as Hannibal moved. “What happened to your air conditioning?” Will asked at last, getting his filthy mind away from trying to figure out how a hairy, sweaty Hannibal might feel underneath him. He’d heard of the changes an omega went through if they stayed on suppressors, usually with a heavy dose of disgust from the general public, but he found the abnormal body hair and muscle mass of Hannibal intriguing His attraction to Hannibal had been puzzling at best but now that he’d been revealed as an omega, Will found his control slipping more and more. Hannibal stopped and bowed his head and at first Will thought it was in distress but he looked up with anger blazing in his eyes. “It’s broken, and my normal repairman said it would be two days before he could fix it. I called other companies but apparently, every air conditioner in the city is broken. I’ve been forced to see patients while swimming in sweat.” By the end of his sentence, Hannibal was huffing in barely contained rage. Will placed a hand on Hannibal’s neck, his instincts to calm kicking in before he could think better of the idea. Hannibal tensed for a fraction of a second before relaxing under the firm weight of Will’s presence. Letting his hand rest against Hannibal’s skin, Will took a deep breath and almost lost it as the scent of Hannibal, plus sweat, filled his nostrils. Stepping away from his friend, Will closed his eyes and recentered his thoughts. “I could take a look if you’d like?” A few beats of silence passed and Will opened his eyes to see Hannibal staring at him in shock. A drop of sweat slid down his nose to drip on his shirt. “Yes, if you can fix it, I’ll be in your debt.” Hannibal wiped a hand over his face and then groaned. “Why didn’t I ask you in the first place?” Will shrugged off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. “Heat can bring out the stupid in even the best of us.” His ears turned red as he realized that he’d unintentionally called Hannibal stupid and gestured wildly to the room. “Where is the air conditioner?” Shaking damp hair out of his face, Hannibal led Will to one of the back windows where a high-end air conditioning unit, in dark red, sat in silent uselessness. “It stopped working yesterday and I changed the filters but it won’t turn on. Please tell me you can fix this.” Will popped open the front and stuck his head in the unit, checking tubes and fuses while he muttered to himself. ***** Watching Will tinker with the A/C unit, Hannibal felt an overwhelming urge to wrap himself up in his arms and let the alpha comfort him. He liked taking care of himself. He sneered at other omegas who lounged in lazy dependence as alphas and even betas bent over backwards to care for them. He liked being independently wealthy and liked his much needed privacy, but as Will pulled and twisted things inside the air conditioning unit, Hannibal wondered what it might be like to let an alpha into his world. Not just any alpha, but Will. Will with his charming chivalry and haunting eyes, his ability to see through Hannibal’s walls but his stubborn dismissal that Hannibal could be anything but a mild mannered psychiatrist. “I think I see your problem. Do you have any electrical tape?” Will didn’t look up from his work as he talked. Hannibal snapped back to reality. “I may have some in the car.” Slipping on his trousers and loafers, Hannibal sped down the stairs and ran to his car, hope flaring in his chest that he might not die of heatstroke after all. Opening the trunk, Hannibal popped the false bottom up and located the box labeled “Electric Emergencies”. He grabbed the black tape, sitting next to a pair of tasers, and closed everything up as quickly as he could. Racing back up to Will, Hannibal stopped at the landing to his door and mopped sweat off his face with his shirt. He entered the office with a smile of triumph and held up the tape. “We’re in luck,” he said as he closed the door. Will returned the smile. “Good, I think this should work.” Turning back to his project, Will held out his hand for the tape while Hannibal got his breathing back under control. He watched as Will wrapped something in the tape, flipped another thing over, and readjusted one of the tubes. Hannibal held his breath as Will pushed the cover back on and pushed the power button. The machine whirred to life and Hannibal wanted to weep. Hannibal waited until Will stood and brushed off his pant legs before rushing into his arms and holding him close. “Thank you.” Will patted his back awkwardly. “You’re welcome. That part will need to be replaced but, well, at least it’s running.” They stood with their arms around each other and Hannibal was all too aware of the changing tension in the room. Will’s scent brought with it the light musky smell of his arousal and Hannibal knew he couldn’t allow the attraction between them to remain unspoken. “My patients and I are very grateful,” He said as he leaned back, his arms still around Will, and licked his lips. “Very grateful.” Will groaned, his eyes following Hannibal’s tongue as he slowly licked across his bottom lip and then sucked it into his mouth. “Fuck Hannibal, I mean, um, well...like I said.” “Let me repay you,” Hannibal said softly, his voice a soft rasp while his eyes burned with lust. “You haven’t hid your attraction as well as you think, Mr. Graham.” He liked watching Will blush. The color spread through his face, down his neck, and across his chest like paint down a canvas. Will coughed and cleared his throat and Hannibal released him with a small smile. Stepping around Will, Hannibal placed himself directly in front of the air conditioner and sighed with relief. Cool air blew from the working contraption and the large rotating fan on the ceiling moved it about the stuffy room. He stood and closed his eyes, feeling the weight of Will’s gaze as he processed the new information. A shift in the air preceded Will’s decision and so Hannibal wasn’t surprised when a hand came to rest on the small of his back, it’s weight unsteady as if waiting for a rebuff. Hannibal leaned into the touch with a sigh. “I didn’t want to presume,” Will whispered. “You were visibly upset when people learned about your omega status.” “People, yes,” Hannibal answered, his own voice barely audible in the whirring noise of the machine. “Not you though.” He turned around to face Will, his heart thumping in his chest. “I’m find it hard to be upset about my spilled secret though, when you look at me.” Will grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer, pressing their lips together in a chaste kiss that sent shivers down Hannibal’s spine, shivers that had nothing to do with the blasting cold of the air conditioner. Pulling back, Will looked at him with glazed eyes and a soft smile, an expression so open that Hannibal thought he might drown in it. Light from the setting sun dripped amber across his face and Hannibal wanted to brush the color over every inch of Will’s body until he glowed. “You’re much better at hiding I guess,” Will said, his smile never wavering as he reached forward and cupped Hannibal’s cheek. Hesitation, trepidation, and a strange twisting feeling that Hannibal didn’t want to name as dread, flitted through his conscious as Will brought him close again. Will’s lips brushed his ear, a soft caress accompanying his whisper-quiet voice. “I’d thought I might try to fight it, seeing as how you eat people and all.” Hannibal froze, his hand inches away from Will’s arm and his breath catching behind his teeth. A multitude of scenarios danced in his head, all the ways he could kill Will and dispose of him, and it shocked Hannibal at how viciously his mind rebelled against the idea of ending his friend’s life. “I’m good at my job, remember?” Will continued, as if his existence didn’t teeter on the strength of Hannibal’s control. Fingers trailed down Hannibal’s face, wiping away the last remnants of sweat as Will stroked over prominent cheekbones and down to his full mouth. “You don’t-” Hannibal started, but Will put a finger over his lips and then replaced the digit with his mouth. The kiss started tender but Will soon slid his tongue along the seam of Hannibal’s lips and they parted in a gasp. Will sucked and stroked and explored the new territory of Hannibal’s mouth between soft moans. With cold air at his back, busy drying sweat from his body, and hot slick pooling and spilling down his legs from Will’s devouring mouth, Hannibal couldn't think beyond his need. Will pulled back and a faint smirk stretched his face. “I believe you mentioned paying me back?” Hannibal swallowed and then swallowed again, trying to regain a sense of calm after Will’s casual reveal of his secret. With Wil looking at him expectantly, Hannibal shoved the ordeal to the back of his mind and concentrated on the present. In the present, Will wanted something from him and Hannibal was more than happy to assist. “What seems fair to you?” Hannibal said at last. Will's answering grin was worth the risk of ignoring the voice in the back of Hannibal's mind that screamed KILL HIM! Hoping he was reading the mischievous grin correctly, Hannibal stripped off his tank top and wiped his face before throwing the balled-up shirt onto his couch. As he kicked off his shoes and undid his trousers, the grin disappeared and he watched Will’s adam’s apple bob against his skin. “Is this what you want...Alpha?” Hannibal asked, the word sinking into his tongue like melted chocolate. Slick and sweat coated his thighs and it took effort to peel the soaked fabric away from his skin. Will watched him without a word, his eyes following the bared path of skin, pupils blown with lust. Hannibal could smell his arousal growing stronger and mixing with the cool air. He bit back a whimper. When he stood still at last, naked and dripping with sweat and slick, Hannibal heard Will’s soft inhale. “God Hannibal, what you do to me.” Hannibal couldn’t move, Will’s gaze pinning him like a butterfly to a collector’s tray as he walked close and trailed a hand down his chest, fingers threading through damp hair and circling his sensitive nipples. Giving a small push, Will brought them to the blue couch against the wall and sat down, positioning Hannibal so that he stood between his legs. Will undid his own belt and zipper and button and pushed his pants down to his ankles. His cock curved up to his stomach, the tip wet from smeared pre-cum. “Hannibal, turn around and bend over,” Will said, his voice quiet and commanding. “Hands around your ankles.” Hannibal frowned at the idea of facing away from Will, but did as he was told, even spreading his legs farther apart to give better access. He could feel slick drip from him and hit the floor, the vulnerable position leaving him panting and at Will's mercy. Hands trailed across his back, sending shivers through Hannibal as they moved lower and massaged the firm round muscles of his ass. “Will,” Hannibal started. “Shhh.” Will’s fingers stroked his skin as if calming a panicking animal. Hannibal took a deep breath, labored from his position, and willed his body to relax. A slow moan slipped from his lips as he felt a tongue glide over his slick covered skin, lapping up the excess and circling around his eager entrance. “You. Taste. So. Good.” Will punctuated each word with a lick to the rim of his hole and Hannibal shook with the strength of his desire. His patience was rewarded as Will pushed through the tight ring of muscle to breach his body but Hannibal couldn't hold back anymore. “Yes, Will, please, Alpha,” he moaned, wanting more, to be filled and knotted and unmade under Will’s hands. Will kept up a steady rhythm, pressing his face closer and swirling his tongue in the copious slick sliding from Hannibal’s body. As his orgasm grew, Hannibal couldn’t stop the whimpers and groans being forced out from his lips. He felt he could burst, a bubble against Will’s talented mouth, when everything stopped. Will brushed one last lick against his red, tender flesh and backed away. Hands skimmed across his body, dragging Hannibal up until he stood straight, and holding him still as the blood rush made him dizzy. “Hannibal, turn around,” Will said. His voice still held a tone of command but craving edged it and made Hannibal’s heart hammer with what might come next. The air conditioner had cooled the room but Hannibal’s skin still felt hot as he turned around to see Will sitting on the couch, his legs stretched in front of him and his cock dripping pre-cum onto his bare thighs. He looked iridescent. “Come here please.” Will held out his hand and Hannibal would have followed him off a cliff if he asked. Will wasn’t asking for sacrifice, he was asking for submission, and the prospect was both terrifying and thrilling. Hannibal stepped forward and straddled Will’s legs, earning a smile and the initiative to move up until he was sitting across cum sticky thighs. Settling with Will’s cock sandwiched between them, Hannibal leaned forward and nosed against the juncture of Will’s neck until he could seal his lips against sweat-salty skin. Sucking a bruise into Will's neck, Hannibal felt him tremble and worked harder at the mark, scraping his teeth on scent glands until he was drunk on the musk-rich smell. “Hannibal, up,” Will said in a breathless gasp. Without breaking away from the skin under his mouth, Hannibal lifted his hips and felt Will position under him. Strong hands pulled him back down and Hannibal cried out as Will’s cock filled him. Pushing down until he could feel Will's expanding knot against his opening, Hannibal threw his head back at the pleasure buzzing in his skin. Will grabbed at his sides, pushing him down over the large knot and Hannibal lost what was left of his control. His cries filled the room as he felt the knot grow larger inside of him. Will said something but the words slid through his mind without sticking. He felt arms wrench him forward and then teeth sank into his neck and he came in a flood of cum and slick. Will’s own orgasm filled him and the pressure against his prostate released another gush of slick, the liquid pooling on his skin and Will and the ruined couch. Hannibal shook and cried as Will lapped at the bloody wound on his throat. He could already feel the hum of the new bond in his head, sending him flashes of Will's pleasure and hints of dazed delight. They stayed wrapped around each other, the bond stretching and growing strong, until Will’s knot deflated and Hannibal could pull free. When he could form sentences, Hannibal met Will’s eyes. “You bonded with me, why?” Will laughed, surprise floating along the bond. “Giving in to the inevitable I suppose. I couldn’t stay away from you even after knowing the truth so what chance did I have once I knew you wanted this too?” Hannibal hummed and touched the fresh mark on his neck. “I won’t let this alter who I am. Is this your way of trying to force change?” Will took Hannibal’s hand and licked the blood away from his fingertips. The sensation of Will’s tongue cleaning his skin sent sparks down Hannibal’s spine. Will grinned at the reaction. “Perhaps I am trying to force change,” Will said, his eyes dark and glittering. “But it’s not for you. I’m a, a creature of habit. If your air conditioner hadn’t broken, I might have hid what I knew and what I wanted for years and then resented the waste.” “So you bonded with me to save time?” Hannibal asked, pulling his hand back from Will and sliding off his lap. Pushing a hand through his hair, Will sighed. “I suppose, but only in the most basic sense. You’re not angry with me. I would be able to feel that. Do you want to break it? There’s still time.” Hannibal stood with his back to Will, staring at the air conditioner as it ran at full strength. He wanted to be angry and tell Will that he didn’t need an attachment to anyone. The truth though, was that he adored Will too much and was too selfish to break the bond. A deep seated loneliness was fading with the strength of their connection and he loathed the idea of it returning. “Breaking it isn’t necessary.” Hannibal turned back around to see Will with his knees drawn up to his chest and his head hanging low between them. “You’re right. I do want this, as much as it chafes me to admit it.” Will’s head moved and Hannibal watched the dark curls fall back, revealing eyes full of humor and fondness. Whatever might be coming next, Hannibal couldn’t regret their connection. “I can’t promise it’ll be easy,” Hannibal said in warning and Will huffed a laugh. “I don’t want easy,” he said with a grin. “I want you, cannibal or not.” “It’s not cannibalism if they’re not my equal,” Hannibal said with a wave of his hand. “If I ate you, Will, that would be cannibalism.” “Please stop saying that word and come back here,” Will beckoned, the bond already broadcasting his intentions. Hannibal dropped down next to Will on the couch. As their lips touched, the bond between them sang and the harmony was enough to drown out whatever doubt Hannibal still harbored about Will’s true motives. Will knew the worst thing about him, and still moaned into his mouth and ran his tongue along Hannibal’s teeth. The last thought he had before his mind was occupied with only Will, was that instead of eating him, he should send his repairman a fruit basket.
11462832	ATEOSE s a n i t y	{ "Archive Warning": "Graphic Depictions Of Violence", "Category": "Gen", "Characters": "Death the Kid, Soul Eater Evans, Maka Albarn, Black Star, Nakatsukasa Tsubaki, Liz Thompson, Patty Thompson, Franken Stein, Marie Mjolnir, Yumi Azusa, Medusa (Soul Eater), Spirit Albarn \| Death Scythe", "Fandom": "Soul Eater", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Mature", "author": "by lavendermatrix", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-10T00:00:00", "words": "5,781", "Additional Tags": "written for reverb 2017!!!, Madness, Mind Control, ish, Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, Blood and Gore, Mild Gore, Blood, Black Blood", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": "Reverse Resonance Bang 2017", "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	For the first time in a (too) long while, Death City has been… Quiet. Granted, the city was fresh off of Asura’s assault that nearly plunged the world into Madness. None of the citizens (or Kid, for the matter) expected a disruption for at a long while. They could get used to this peace-like quiet.Death the Kid hasn’t gotten accustomed yet. Granted, it’s been a couple of days since the victory mission on the Moon, but he’d very much rather be outside in the fresh open air either supervising the reconstruction to the City or supervising a mission. He definitely misses the fresh open air the moment he eyes the towering pile of papers on his desk. Because for the past couple of days, all he’s been seeing are papers and papers and even more papers.“It’s just stuff for the record, Kid.” Azusa would say when she brought him today’s pile early in the morning, trying not to take pity on his tired face and drooping eyelids. “Your father went through the same thing when he ascended. Besides, this is the start of a new era! A new Shinigami, a brand-new Death City! So, don’t worry, everybody in this city and the world will support you for this.”“Thanks, Azusa.” He chuckled.He supposes she’s right. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~At first, Medusa was shocked over the victory on the Moon. She hadn’t expected those kids to really overcome the Madness Crona and Kishin Asura had caused. Hell, she expected at least one of them to wind up dead. And yet, they all survived. Bruised and bloody, but they survived. She was there, hidden in the shadow of an alley, during the celebration to name Death the Kid the new Shinigami and there to witness the naming of the Last Death Scythe. The same Death Scythe who has learned to overcome the effects of her Black Blood thanks to that silly meister of his. She’s been itching to do something: something new! Her child was stuck on the moon and she wishes they were back just so she can tweak and further her experiments. That Soul Eater guy is already a Death Scythe, and even though she knows that the Black Blood is still inside of him, she’ll have to interact from someplace else if she wishes to stir up his dormant Madness“Although it’s highly unlikely, thanks to his more stable wavelength and his meister’s guidance.” Her voice of reason would spit at herself whenever she got carried away with an idea that’s too good. Fuck that guy.And that Shinigami…He’s new, a byproduct in the Battle of the Moon and of his late father’s first failure with Kishin Asura. The same Asura who wreaked havoc no less than a week ago…Wait… Oh, she could definitely use this. There’s that giddy feeling again. “Don’t get too carried away, fufufu…”Shut the hell up.Oh, has she not felt this good in a while. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “You know what’s kind of weird?” “What?”“That there aren’t gonna be any more Death Scythes after me. Like, Kid named me the “Last Death Scythe”.”She peers at him from the kitchen, meeting his eyes as they look up at her expectantly. “Well, I mean, there aren’t going to be more Kishins like Asura anymore. Any of the remaining Kishin Eggs would be destroyed by one of us or somebody else at Shibusen. And to top that off, witches are on our side now. It’d be unfair to kill them at this point.” She wonders aloud while she turns back to focus on dinner. Soul thinks about that for a moment. “I guess you’re right.” He yawns out. He lets his eyes close drifts his head to the top of the couch, letting the spicy smell of dinner waft over. He hears the shuffling of her slippers as she makes her way back to the living room. “What’re you reading?” She nods at the book spread open on his lap, his thumb marking the page instead of dog-earring it (which would result in a Maka Chop).“Just the sequel to a series I found in your room while I cleaned.” He stills for a second and then continues, “You know, I just can’t understand why she would leave the society? She’s living the perfect life there and she doesn’t gotta do anything to fix her problems. There’s people who will fix her problems for her.”“Rant all you want, but it’s why she left the society.” She quips smartly “Imagine if you were being watched all the time by the government, and they had every say in who you were, what you did, and how to be. I mean, I’d get tired of it and blow a gasket the first hour.” She rambles on. Soul lets out an exaggerated sigh and stands up to shelf the book for the time being. “How long ‘till dinner, Maka?” “Dinner’s almost ready, we just need to let it simmer for a while.”“M’kay.”-------------Four helpings of curry later, the Thing pops into Maka’s head as she halts her eating. “Maka, what’s wro-?” “Shoot! I forgot!” She exclaimed, “I promised Kid that we would go over tonight to help him with his stuff! Soul, can you take me over to the campus to meet him there?”“Sure, I don’t mind. Poor guy can’t catch a break anyways; It’s better if we help him” He said in between bites.“Dude,” Maka starts“Yeah…?” “Are you full now? Because that’s like, your third bowl of curry.” She began while standing up. “And your point is…?” He implored“Nothing, just glad you haven’t changed yet, you weirdo.” She quips, along with that spark in her eyes.He barks out a laugh, tossing his head back and exposing a mouthful of half-chewed curry. “Of course not! If I’m the coolest Death Scythe, why would I ever change for the coolest meister?” He flashes out his thousand-watt grin.She feels her cheeks redden just a bit. “Let’s get going before he thinks we ditched him, weirdo.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~If he sees another paper from Shibusen, he’s probably going to blow a gasket. His back aches thanks to being hunched over his desk all day, powering through his workload and wishing he could just go outside without the responsibility of that itching the back of his mind. He just wishes he could be hanging out with Liz and Patty. As per usual, they would ask him how his day went, and he does enjoy hanging out with them after a tedious day, even if it’s just for a little while. The brief moment he has with them is enough to alleviate the tension in his shoulders while they rambled how awesome Venice was in their last mission. His phone flashes to display the time: 8:34pm. Maka had texted him a while ago, saying that she and Soul are on their way. He really appreciates his friends coming in through the clutch with his largest milestone to date. As if by miracle, Maka knocks on the door to his study in the mansion. Liz and/or Patty must’ve let Maka and Soul through, and he was so preoccupied in his worries he didn’t really hear it. “Come on in, guys!” he yells out.It’s a big study, after all.“Hello, hello Lord Death! Sorry we’re late, Soul wouldn’t stop whining about having to wash the dishes and he got distracted on the way.” Maka sheepishly quippedSoul, entering after his meister, looks a bit embarrassed. “Well, at least we got here, so stop complainin’. What’s up, Kid?” Soul retorted“Soul! He’s the Shinigami now, at least address him respectfully!”“Oh please, Maka, you know I don’t mind that. I can make a special exception for my friends. I’m fine, by the way. Just almost done with this bunch. Thanks for coming by, by the way.”“Of course! We’d be happy to help anytime! So, what’d you need help with?” Maka asks as she strides over to his desk.“Yo! Kid, I’m gonna grab a soda from the kitchen, want anything?” Soul interrupts“If you’d be kind enough to bring over a glass of water, I’d appreciate it.”Soul hums out in affirmatory and goes over to the kitchen.Medusa has exactly twenty seconds for her little feat to go. There’s an open window in the kitchen, and while the Death Scythe has his back turned (he took a call from Black*Star), Medusa sneaks in the small vial into Kid’s glass of water.The black, inky substance is a catalyst of some of her Black Blood.It fades neatly, and seems as if it weren’t there. She sneaks out as Soul is pressing end to the call.She just strolls, taking in the calm Death City has to offer after the Battle on the Moon. This calm won’t last for long, though. She’s all giddy for now, her body ringing with tingles. Her feet stroll through the soft sand of the outskirts of Death City. She waits.And waits. She waits until she’s at a safe distance to release her Soul Protect.And there’s when the first explosion goes off. She finally turns around, and sees a small, faint red light at the top of the DWMA. There’s an itch at the back of her mind.“What the hell do we have here, huh?”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~He’s tossing. He’s turning. His mind is in turmoil and he can’t find a reason for this all disorder in his mind. He shoots up the bed and scrambles to turn on the lamp beside his bed. He checks around his surroundings to find some sort of comfort in the symmetry he knows he left the bedroom in: bedsheets still immaculately tucked at the sides (despite his weight at the smack center of the king mattress), skull portrait placed at the exact middle of the wall, all books sorted by color in his bookcase, and (he pushes his soul perception just to check, just to check) he feels his weapons’ souls resting in deep slumber down the hall. They’re still breathing.So why does it still feel like he’s drowning in something thicker than water?Everything’s okay.Peace is reigning Death City (and the world) at this moment and forevermore.Calm down, Kid. He takes a deep breath, smoothing out the front of his pajamas as he sinks back to the bed. He’ll keep the light on tonight, he decides. But still…He feels more irked than usual at the asymmetrical appearance of light shown on the ceiling. He huffs out and turns over his right side so he can turn on his other lamp. His fingers barely brush against the switch when-“Why do you do that?”A voice calls out to him from somewhere inside his head (it’s gotta be there, right?!) and he recognizes the voice almost instantly.“What’s wrong Medusa? Aren’t you supposed to be joining your sisters by now?” He still feels tense as he questions the witch. There’s a question that even he as a Shinigami can’t fucking answer.Why and how on earth is she still alive after Crona’s assault?!The witch looks bored, a sharp contrast to the smirk she’s trying to hide. “Well, who knows Shinigami? And my sisters aren’t actually very interested in me, you should know that by now, after all…” His world is plunged into darkness. He’s so startled by the sudden change that he takes a step back, only to bump into Medusa, her slender arms circling him tight. “Now, I believe I asked you a question.” He’s goddam certain that her voice and everything that’s happening is all inside his head.His own hell inside his head.“Well Medusa, that’s something I have to do as a Shinigami.”“What, be a pathetic whelp?”“No, but it’s just something.”She finally lets him go and he stumbles forward, just catching himself before he falls. “Well then, I assume you know what’s about to happen?” Medusa wonders.He knows. Does he know? How long ago was he supposed to know?!“Go on, Deathchild. Wreck havoc on this beloved city of yours. Create, let’s say, your own perfect landscape.” She closes her eyes and then snaps them again, a frightening, splitting image of insanity splattered on her features,“Destroy this city and make it yours. After that, engulf this planet with Madness,”There’s still a little bit of himself left inside the pool of Madness growing inside him. “And if I don’t?” She snickers as she fades out of view. “Simple. Your friends will simply be next in line for this task, should you fail.”Her menacing laugh finally has him jerk awake, Order screeching in his mind.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Maka definitely prefers these nights to the sleepless ones back before the Battle on the Moon. She’s cleaning the kitchen slowly, for once, and humming to herself. Soul’s on the couch, half channel-surfing and half falling asleep. She wishes these nights could go on for as long as they can. But no. Everyone’s shocked awake from their trance when an explosion goes off, disrupting the TV signal. Maka gasps and holds her breath, and she can hear Soul do the same thing. The next explosion flickers off the lights in their apartment. After a few aftershocks, all of Death City is plunged into darkness. “What the hell was that?!” Maka takes a sharp breath, “I have no idea…”They slowly walk over to the window in hopes of putting some sense into this.It’s only then when they see Kid fly by, Wavelength gone haywire, shooting up the city. “Well…that explains something…” Soul observes “You think?!”“But still, it’s not as creepy as the Souls floating over by the plaza.”“Fuck.” Maka breathes out.“Guess we got a nasty one on our hands tonight.”They spot Black Star running down the streets.“Ready, Soul?”“You know it.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~There are two things Maka did not wish to see tonight-or any night, for the matter-: the first one being catching Soul off-guard and seeing him rubbing at the scar on his chest (he flinched when Maka caught him and denied the itch but when Maka pressed, he said that he’s ok), and the second being Kid zipping in the sky, wreaking havoc and destroying. It wasn’t just the sight of Kid doing that that disturbed her, but the look in his eyes.They were cold and wild even in the split second he saw her. It sent a violent chill across her back. She shakes her head and focuses on the task at hand: destroying the Kishin Egg that wondered inside the city in the middle of Kid’s attack. Which, by the way, have been swarming the goddam city for the past couple of hours in search of the frenzied Madness that called them over. The dozens of innocent human Souls show the process they have made, but it’s still not enough people saved from the Pre-Kishins. “Maka! There they are!” Soul snaps her out of her train of thought as she focuses on her (5th) target (of the night).She eyes them, peering at them with eyes full of disgust as it plucks a human Soul floating next to it. “I guess tonight I’ve hit the jackpot!” They cackle. “Yep, you’re lucky enough to sliced out by us two!”The Kishin Egg turns around, surprised. Maka dashes towards them and prepares her attack: “Soul Resonance!” she and Soul shout out. She feels her wavelength ease down and then rise up to match her partner’s. “Great Traditional Techniques of the Scythe-meister: Witch Hunter!” she chants out and Soul’s blade glows a brilliant stark as it grows. She slices the Kishin Egg open with ease, twisting her hips to get it done faster. It bursts into wisps and coalesces into a red soul. “We’ve gotta get moving. We don’t know if there are any more Kishin Eggs attracted to the state of the city anymore.” Soul observes.“You’re right, let’s get going!” She repliedAfter another couple fights, she tries to ignore the burning sensation in her legs from running all night long. It’s almost second nature: slicing open the bad guys in order to unlock Soul’s Death Scythe powers. It almost feels nostalgic; sneaking out into the middle of the night whenever they couldn’t sleep to scout the city for potential Kishin Eggs. She’s snapped out of her thought process when she hears a loud buzzing sound coming from nowhere on the ground. She looks up, and finds a single black light-darker than the night sky. She stands there, dumbfounded as Soul reverts back to his human form to look better.“What the hell is that?” he uttered.“No idea.” she offered.They stay there as it starts pulsing, and ribbons of darkness spew out of it, long and wide enough to pull a dome around-“Maka! We have to leave Death City, now!” Soul barks out. He grabs his meister’s hand and starts running. After they turn the corner of their block, they spot Tsubaki and Black Star running out of the city as well. “Yo, Black Star and Tsubaki! Do you guys know what that thing in the sky is?” Maka shouts when they catch up with them.He barely turns his face when he shouts out, “Of course not! I saw Kid up in some sort of frenzy and when I got out of the house to do something, a swarm of Kishin Eggs just attacked Tsu and I! We lost Kid about half an hour ago, but I assume that thing is his doing.” “Anyway, we have no idea what it is or what it can do, so we should escape the city and figure it out. Stein and the others are already outside.” Tsubaki informs They’re a couple of blocks away when they see the dome circle the sky around them and starts lowering itself. In response, they all run faster to make it out before it’s too late. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~They can barely see Death City thanks to the veil of darkness coating it, but the smiling Sun up in the sky provides some light into it. The city is left in ruins, the only salvageable things are the rubble left over from the houses and other buildings. Shibusen still stands, tall and gloomy compared to the miserable state of the remaining buildings. “Professor Stein, do you have any idea what that dome around the city is?” Ox questions.Stein clears his throat and twists his screw before replying , “It must be some sort of manifestation of Kid’s Madness and it coalesced around Death City since it’s the closest he could do in a short time.”The remaining Deathscythes, as for the former group of Spartoi all made it to the outskirts of Death City the previous night barely unscathed. They all figured out that they can all easily get in and out without any harm when Sid and Nygus came through early in the morning. Black Star suggested they all went through and “smack Kid back to his senses”. “Black Star, you know better than anyone here how unwise it is to show up in enemy territory without a basic plan.” Sid reprimanded. He sighed, “Then what to you all suggest? The sooner we do this, the better.”“I think it’d be best if we all split up and take on any Kishin Eggs that should be in the way, and then we meet up in the front of the school so we can scour it and find Kid. Then, we’ll take what he has to offer.” Nygus insisted. “Sounds like a plan then. Do we go now or tonight?” Soul quipped“It would be best to go in during the night, so we’ll be better concealed.” Marie supplied. “And I’ll stay here with Stein and Spirit. I still don’t know if Kid’s Madness can affect Stein or the child.” “It would also be best that we all wait for each other in the schoolyard; nobody goes in until everybody’s with us.” Maka saidEverybody agreed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The crisp night air of Death City feels light in Maka’s lungs as she spars against the third Kishin Egg in the hour. It’s been more or less the same with all of them they’ve encountered: talk them down, slice them up, and store the soul underneath any nearby rubble. This Kishin Egg, however, is putting up a harsher fight thanks to its quicker reflexes and cloaking ability. “I betcha you can’t see me now, missy!” they taunted as Maka swung and missed the fifth time around. “Maka, let’s resonate! Maybe the increased wavelength will give you a better Soul Perception!” Soul offered.“It’s worth a shot.” As she takes a deep breath, the Kishin Egg attacks Maka, slicing across her arm. Maka screams out in surprise and kicks the Kishin Egg out of reflex, sending it back a couple of feet. She winces as she checks her arm: it’s a deep cut which suggests the enemy’s use of a blade and there’s blood gushing out of it. “Maka! Are you okay?” Soul worriedly asks.“Soul, can we use the Black Blood inside you to focus on the enemy?” Maka suggests. “I know it’s a risk, but we gotta get to Kid! This is our last Kishin Egg fight before we reach the school!”Soul hesitates a bit at his meister’s stubbornness.“Are you sure?”“Yes! Just let me know when it’s enough for you.” Soul focuses and taps into that pure power that he hasn’t used in a long, long time. He keeps Maka’s sanity in check as he hears her slowly descend into Madness by cackling out, “I don’t know…heh heh heh… what’s so funny~.” She opens her eyes and stars flash as the Kishin Egg runs to attack her. Maka stops them by using the same arm they tore as a shield with the hardened blood. Maka flashes her a twisted grin before she swings her scythe to slice open the monster. She manages to slice her coat, which renders the cloaking mechanism useless. Now that Maka can see them better, she approaches them and chants out Witch Hunter as the enemy cowers back in fear. Maka pays no mercy as she slices them open, Black Blood of their own sputtering out of them. As a last resort, one of the droplets turns itself into a needle, and stabs Maka on her stomach. The enemy twitches as they’re reduced to a red floating soul. As the Black Blood wears off, Maka comes back to her senses and notices the pain of the wound on her abdomen, still hardened. “Soul, are you okay?” She checks“Yeah, you didn’t go too far down this time so I’m good.” He sighs out.“Let’s go over to the schoolyard, I’m sure everybody’s waiting for us there.”“Fine, but we’re gonna stop by the nurse’s office to check out that needle on your stomach. If it’s Black Blood left by the enemy, then we have to know if it got into your bloodstream. Let’s get- what’s wrong?!” He stops as soon as he hears Maka yelp out. He switches back to his human form to see her crouched over, both hands holding her stomach. She lets out a cough, groaning out when she feels something splatter on the ground in front of her. Soul eyes it: it’s Black Blood.“Maka, don’t freak out, but I’m pretty sure that that needle entered your bloodstream.” Soul worriedly says.“Yeah, no shit.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~After meeting with everyone in the schoolyard, Maka and Soul go off to the nurse’s office to at least patch up Maka’s arm wound. Once inside, Maka lets out a shuddering breath he didn’t know she was holding. “How’re you feeling, Maka?” “I don’t know. I’m scared because that cut on my arm does not hurt. And I’m scared because I don’t know how to manage this Black Blood inside me.” She rambles out“Listen, Maka. I had a hard time with the Black Blood at first, too. But, you’re a fast learner. And you just have to remain calm and try not to get carried away if we ever use the Black Blood in battle again, alright? Besides, I think it’s badass that now we’ve got more in common. So, don’t worry, cuz we’re all here to support you.” He consoles“Thanks, Soul. It’ll come in handy in battles. I could get slashed and I can just harden the blood for a while until we get back, right?” She offers“You can do that, sure. But it’s not as easy as Crona made it look.”She stares out the window, the glow of human souls giving some light into the office.“Yeah, you might be right. Now, let’s patch this up! We’ve got Kid to save!” She announced with glee. He finds the band-aid and helps her wrap it around her arm and some on her stomach to close the wound. He hopes she could stay this cheerful for the upcoming battle. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`Medusa was pleased that her plan was working out just fine. It was all perfect! Nobody would suspect it was her who took control of the Shinigami and molded him to destroy the city he was raised in.Everybody assumed she was long gone after Crona’s assault, but no. Thanks to her ability to transfer her own soul, she survived her child’s assault by a very thin margin, being able to transfer her soul to one of the dead civilian’s in the nearby hospital. And after a couple of hours, returned to her (Arachne’s) body. She did spend time tinkering on herself to heal the wounds caused by Crona (while experimenting with alternate methods to spread her Black Blood). She knew the new Shinigami would be the perfect target, having similar wavelength to his brother’s, and she could spread Madness quickly around the world. But she wanted all the credit to herself. She wants to be blamed for the world’s demise, not that new Shinigami.That’s the reason why Kid is on the floor, unconscious, while his weapons tend to the wound Medusa caused. “Do you wish to tell us why he’s on the floor and not crazy?” Liz snapped“Well, he was being an errant child. He did not wish to comply to my rules, so I made the Black Blood inside of him stab him on the side so it would get out. It’s now useless to him.” The witch explained calmly. “So, what do you plan to do now?” Liz hissed.“Simple, I am-” “Going to stop you right there!” Black Star interruptedThe doors to the Death Room burst open, and Black Star came in dashing first, landing a strike on Medusa before she teleported away. Everybody else came in, one by one to finally take down Medusa.“We heard everything, Medusa. And your plan ends right here, right now!” Black Star declared.“Oh, but you did not let me finish, dear one. Tell me, how do you expect to defeat me here without your Deathscythe, huh?” Medusa taunted“Because he’s right here!” Soul called out.She just needs to get rid of the obstacle, and then she can finish her plan. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`Maka surges towards Medusa, anger seething in her eyes. Medusa dashes away, using a Vector plate. Maka swings and lands a blow on the witch, her blood spattering to the floor . Maka steps back, readying Demon Hunter to finish Medusa. Medusa takes notice of the bandages on Maka’s right arm, an inky, black substance seeping through the cloth.And it just clicks.“Well, well, well.” Medusa coos out. In the blink of an eye, she’s gone. Maka whips her head when she feels a chill run up her spine and her eyes meet Medusa’s crazed ones. With one blow to her nape, Maka’s knocked out. Soul clatters to the ground and is pushed away by the Vector plates Medusa placed around Maka; all facing outside so nobody can touch her. “Maka!” Soul calls out“Oh, don’t worry about her, dear. You’re the one who’s going to cause trouble for us later, should she behave…” Medusa advised. She lets one of her Light Snakes on her arm go towards Maka.“And now, I need to deal with all of you…”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~When Maka opens her eyes, all she sees is darkness. She’s there, and she can see herself. But she sees no light cast on her or her casting a shadow of any kind. There’s definitely a ground beneath her, she can feel that with her palms as she pushes herself up. She takes in a deep breath, ignoring the stinging pain of the wound on her right arm. She notices that it feels a bit too warm on the bandages covering the gash. She finally takes notice of something black snapping out of her arm and she screams out in pain as a fucking snake just slithers out of the gash. It slithers all the way to the ground and leaves a trail of Black Blood behind it. This is just another mindscape, Maka. Get yourself together before you lose it-Hello, Albarn. Medusa?!She tries to focus on the snake right in front of her. It’s long, a color darker than the darkness surrounding them, and the red of her slithering tongue a sharp contrast from the darkness. “What do you want, you witch?” Maka spits outNow, now. I just need you for a special mission, Albarn. How does that Black Blood feel in you?Suddenly self-conscious about her own blood, Maka shivers. “Just peachy, thank you very much.” She quipsI’m glad you feel great with it dear, how would you like to help me?“The answer’s no, you witch.”Snake-Medusa lets out a long sigh. C’mon now. You. Me. And Madness all together. That Black Blood inside you will play a nice catalyst. With your amazing Soul Perception, you could manipulate the Madness within everyone on this miserable planet. If you don’t do as I say, I’ll simply use that Deathscythe you always use. Imagine him, broken beyond repair, using his and your Black Blood together. The Madness Wavelength that will create. Maka tries not to think about it: her friends and family thrown into the deep wave of Madness. She feels panic surge up in her chest and tries to calm it down. No. They will not suffer through anything. She can and will bring an end to Medusa’s threats. Right here. Right now. She closes her eyes and focuses on her friends outside, in the real world, protecting her physical body.She loves them all for a reason. She would die for them if it came for it, going down swinging. And she knows they would, too. She feels her grip on sanity tighten, and strolls over to Medusa. She knows what to do. If this is a manifestation of Medusa’s soul, then this could work. “Medusa?”Hmm?“This is from Crona, you evil witch.”She raises her foot as high as she can, and strikes her heel on Snake-Medusa’s head. She hears Medusa yell out in pain, and increases the pressure of her hell, finally bringing down her entire boot over Snake-Medusa’s head. Snake-Medusa tries writhing away, but Maka brings down her other foot to keep Medusa in place.She writhes and writhes and writhes.Until she stops completely. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Maka wakes up on something way, way softer than the ground. She pries open her eyes and notices she’s back in the infirmary. Judging by the looks of outside, it’s early in the morning. Watery sunlight fills the room and she looks around to find Soul resting his head on the bed Maka’s resting on. She softly giggles at the sight of drool on the sheets where his head is. On her other side (on the nightstand) , there’s a card signed by her father. She stretches her good arm and reads it.“Get well soon, Maka! You fought bravely against that witch. Get plenty of rest. Love, Papa”She hears the soft cracking of Soul’s bones as he stretches by her side, shaken awake by her moving around the bed. “G’mornin’, Maka.” He grumbles out. “Morning, sleeping beauty.” She chuckles He groans out and stretches his back, “How do you feel? That arm good?”She looks down at her right arm, all cleaned up and stitched and bandaged. “Yep, it’s good. How long was I out?” She yawned“Not much, you slept all night though.” He suppliedShe hums out an okay. “By the way, what happened after, I dunno what happened. But I think I destroyed Medusa’s mindscape?” she saidHe chuckled out, “Nah, after you did whatever you did in your mindscape Kid came to his senses. Everyone was relieved he was okay and such. Medusa’s physical body just…faded away. She stopped fighting us and she faded away. Kid is working with the rest of the Witch Council to find Medusa, but assures us that we’re safe as of for now. Nobody knows if Medusa is either dead or alive… After that, since the barrier fell down, Stein and the others came through. He said that the human souls are returning to their respective hosts’ and people are working together to rebuild Death City. Stein patched you up and Marie and Tsubaki brought you here, by the way.” He suppliedShe clasped his hand in hers, “Thanks. For staying by my side.”“Of course, that’s what a good weapon does: look out for their meister.”“And is Kid okay?”He thinks about it for a second before replying, “Yeah, I think so. His Black Blood wore off, so he’s free from the influence of Madness. But he apologized for bringing us all into this mess.”“He’s too humble, that wasn’t his fault.”“I know, but he still feels guilty about destroying the city and bringing chaos over for a visit.” He sighed out. “So, what now?” Maka asked after the silence stretched too long. “Well, when Stein says so, we can go help the others with rebuilding the city. He doesn’t want me to leave your side so, I guess we’re stuck together.” He groans outShe nudges his shoulder. “Oh! Shut up, you like being with me!” she teasedHe chuckles out, “Of course I do, silly. We’re gonna be together for a long time.”She laughs. With Medusa no longer an imminent threat, Death City can thrive under the peace that’s about to come. It might not be as quiet as she likes it. But she’ll take it.
11427477	Protego	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": null, "Characters": "Cassian Andor, Jyn Erso, Orson Krennic", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by ohmytheon", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-07T00:00:00", "words": "1,596", "Additional Tags": "Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Protectiveness, Name-Calling, Duelling, Bigotry & Prejudice, Prompt Fic", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Cassian Andor/Jyn Erso, Cassian Andor & Jyn Erso", "Series": "Rebelcaptain AUs", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": "F/M, Gen", "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	It wasn’t the first time Jyn got detention, as was her habit, but it was definitely the first time someone had ever gotten detention over Cassian before.Honestly, he hadn’t thought much of it himself. If he got worked up about all the times he was called a Mudblood, then he’d probably live in detention and forget what the Ravenclaw tower looked like. He knew that he tended to be polarizing; he knew that there would always be bad blood when he didn’t mind sticking up for people or using his status as a prefect to actually do something. Seriously, he had been called much worse things than a “goodie-two-shoe Mudblood,” so he hadn’t even blinked.And then Jyn Erso, tiny as she was, appeared out of nowhere like a ghost and socked the Slytherin seventh year boy right in the face. Where the hell was her wand? Why had she used her fist? They had magic, after all. And besides, was she not a Pureblood? From what he’d seen in his time in the wizarding world since he was eleven, all Purebloods gravitated towards magic before anything else, like they forgot how to use their hands.Apparently that wasn’t the case for Jyn.“What did you just call him?” she demanded, a ball of rage, looking like she was ready to punch the boy all over again.The Slytherin pulled himself up and spit blood from his mouth, snarling at her. He had to have had at least a foot on her. “You’ll regret that, Erso. Filthy Blood Traitors, the lot of you!”“I’d rather be a Blood Traitor than a buggery halfwit!” Jyn exclaimed. Oh, therewas her wand. She held it in her hand threateningly and he could somehow tell by her stance alone what hex she was about to shout.Cassian snapped out of whatever confused trance he’d been in, leaping forward to grab a hold of her. He wrapped one arm around her, pulling her out of the way just as a curse shot by. Instead of hitting her, it went through her robes, causing a slight sizzle. She kicked wildly, the back of her shoe connecting with his shin, but he didn’t let go. With his other free hand, he flicked his own wand and snapped, “Expelliarmus,” which caused the Slytherin boy’s wand to go soaring in the air.The other boy moved to retrieve his wand, but Cassian trained his wand on him again, a warning look on his face. Better not. The Slytherin growled irritably, but stood still, and folded his arms across his chest. He might’ve had a year on Cassian and more muscle as well, but most students at Hogwarts knew better than to get on Cassian’s bad side when he had his wand out. Just because he rarely got into duels did not mean he wasn’t excellent at them. He was proficient at dueling and was always top of his Defense Against the Dark Arts class.He could take care of himself and had for a long time, even before he’d arrived at Hogwarts, but that didn’t seem to matter to Jyn so much.“Hey, hey, Jyn!” Cassian huffed, still holding her against him. It was by luck that he’d managed to get his arm completely around her so that her wand hand was pinned against her side, but he wouldn’t put it past her to still figure something out since she had a tight grip on it. “It’s over. Everything is fine. Do you hear me? It’s over. I’m okay. We’re all okay.”Jyn finally stopped fighting him, breathing heavily. She tilted her head all the way back so that she could look up at him and the two of them connected eyes. He gave her a weak smile. She twisted her lips into a frown, but nodded her head. Suddenly, he was keenly aware of the way she was practically leaning back into his chest now and how close their faces were, so he pulled his arm away from her and she took a step forward.“You should apologize to him,” Jyn told the Slytherin.The boy scoffed and shook his head. “I think not. I don’t apologize to–” Her eyes narrowed dangerously. Behind her, Cassian pinched the bridge of his nose. Not again. Jyn had a ridiculous amount of energy for someone her size. Luckily, the Slytherin seemed to think better of it as well. “Whatever.”“And just what is going on here?”Cassian tried not to cringe as he turned around the face the professor that was striding towards him. Professor Krennic was not known for being just and kind. In fact, as Head of Slytherin, it was very obvious how much he disliked any student outside of his House, especially those that weren’t pure of blood. Oh, of course, he never said anything directly, but it was like he went out of his way to be cruel to students he cared little for. Cassian had been at the top of that list since his second year when he’d called the man out for making a Muggleborn Hufflepuff girl cry in Potions class.“There was a slight dispute, but it’s all settled now, sir,” Cassian explained as politely as he could.Krennic did not look appeased in the slightest and outright ignored Cassian, turning away from him. It irritated Cassian to no end, but he’d handled much worse from the man before. “What happened to your face, Fett?”The Slytherin boy pointed an accusing finger at Jyn. “The Erso brat punched me in the face and Andor hexed me.”“You called Cassian a Mudblood!” Jyn burst out. When the Slytherin smirked, she harrumphed. “I’ll show you a hexing.”Judging from the arched eyebrow on Krennic’s face, the older man did not appear to disagree with his student’s assessment of Cassian. He looked from each student, appraising them with a glance. With Jyn, his lips quirked briefly as she glowered under his gaze. The two of them had some sort of history, having to do with her family, but Jyn never wanted to talk about it and avoided Krennic like the plague. He was particularly hard on her, though not in the same way as he was with Cassian. It was almost like he was fixated on her at times whereas Cassian was a piece of decor that he loathed but couldn’t get rid of.“Twenty points from Gryffindor,” Krennic announced, “and three nights of detention with me.”“I’d rather go hang out with a dementor,” Jyn grumbled under her breath.It could’ve been worse, Cassian reasoned. She had punched another student, even if it had been in defense of his honor or whatever. It really didn’t bother him. He’d told her a few times before, but for some reason, it was one of those things that always upset her, something about him being better at magic than most purebloods. She would blush and scowl whenever he tried to push the subject, so he’d learned to let it go.“And ten points from Ravenclaw,” Krennic added.Cassian jerked upright. “Sir?”“Dueling in the hallways, Andor? I expect better of a Prefect.” The Head of Slytherin clucked his tongue before turning around, his white robes billowing around him. “I told Mothma that you should never have been given that badge.”The fact that there was no punishment for Slytherin hung thick in the air, but none of them said anything as Krennic strode away from them. Fett picked up his wand, smirking at them the whole time, and gave them a very rude gesture before leaving as well.Sighing, Cassian rubbed the back of his neck and peered at Jyn. “Are you alright?”“What?” Jyn glanced down at the burn on her robes. “Oh yeah, he didn’t even hit me. Terrible aim.”“He might’ve been a bit cross-eyed after you hit him in the face,” Cassian pointed out. Jyn looked up at him and a shy smile slowly appeared on her face. It was one of those smiles that always made him feel a bit off center, though he couldn’t explain why, maybe because she so rarely gave them. “You didn’t have to do that, you know. It honestly doesn’t bother me.”Jyn shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe I just wanted an excuse to hit him.”Cassian laughed. “You Gryffindors are always so impulsive and rowdy.”“Better than being a stick in the mud Ravenclaw,” Jyn quipped. She leaned forward precariously on one foot, hitting him in the arm. “Nice job on disarming him and getting points docked though. You’re a rule breaker deep down.”“I’m a Prefect, Jyn,” Cassian told her in a mock-arrogant tone. “We don’t break the rules; we enforce them.” Jyn snorted, but said nothing to contradict him. He grinned at her. “C’mon, it’s almost dinner. You’re not going to want to go to detention with Krennic on an empty stomach.”She sighed dramatically, but followed him without complaint nonetheless. No, it didn’t bother him when people called him a Mudblood, but it also felt kind of nice to have someone that would stick up for him anyways. He supposed it bothered her the same way someone calling her a Blood Traitor didn’t sit right with him. By the time they reached the Great Hall, both of them had agreed not to talk about it any further. Instead of going their separate ways though, Jyn sat at the Ravenclaw table with him, laughing and tossing a roll at him when he said something smart. They didn’t talk about that either.
11402064	Would you die for me	{ "Archive Warning": null, "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Enjolras (Les Misérables), Enjolras, Grantaire (Les Misérables), Grantaire", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by Anna_zou", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-04T00:00:00", "words": "326", "Additional Tags": "Fluff, Cute", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Enjolras/Grantaire, Enjolras & Grantaire", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo, Les Misérables (2012)", "Archive Warnings": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply", "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	“Grantaire, would you die for me? “The question is so sudden, and so weird, that Grantaire can only stare at his boyfriend.It’s late Friday night. Grantaire is sitting on Enjolras’ couch with the man himself, watching some movie he lost interest in five minutes after it started. He has his arm halfway around his boyfriend, playing with his locks. Enjolras’ head is resting on Grantaire’s shoulder, their legs tangled under the blanket.“Would you? “Enjolras lifts his head, looking up at Grantaire. Grantaire opens his mouth, but can’t really seem to get any words out. A pair of big, blue eyes is staring right up at him, and as so many times before, Grantaire asks the god on how he can be worthy of Enjolras.“No” he says, and his boyfriend frowns. Grantaire regrets saying it, for Enjolras’ face is much more beautiful when he smiles.“But you always say you’d do anything for me… “Enjolras starts, and Grantaire shakes his head with a small chuckle.“Enjolras, I’ve wanted to die my whole life” he says, and Enjolras seems even more confused, and Grantaire can’t help but thank the gods for his beautiful boyfriend. A small smile find the way to his face, even though he know that it is not the time for laughter.“But for you” He bops Enjolras’ nose. “I would live a whole life, just for you”A small smile spreads on Enjolras face, and slowly it grows to the biggest one Grantaire has seen. It’s not the kind of smile when you just told a joke, it’s a smile like the one when you are in love with someone, when you are as happy as you’ve ever been. Enjolras leans up, and gives Grantaire a small peck on his lips, before resting his head on his shoulder again. Grantaire watches his boyfriend for a few seconds, and the same smile he just watched on Enjolras’ lips, grows on his own.
11464086	The Shadows Will Bleed	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": null, "Characters": "Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "Not Rated", "author": "by Arctic_Cyclist", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "3,092", "Additional Tags": "DickDamiWeek, Secret Relationship, House of Leaves", "Relationship": "Dick Grayson & Damian Wayne", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman and Robin (Comics)", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	In order to become an initiate, he had to step into the dessert and shed himself. Enter a horrifying vision of death. One that was overwhelming real, rich in in scents and texture and feeling. Two years later, he met his father and saw the uniform of the boy who died defiant. Five months later, he met Richard Grayson and realized who the boy was. More important, he understood that he would survive his grandfather's attempt on his body. As much as he's tempted to, he doesn't tell Dick about this aspect of their relationship. Even when he's mad, enraged, furious with the man and his father and their unreasonable beliefs that he takes too many risks, he doesn't say,"Don't be idiotic, Grayson, I have seen how I die. As long as you are Batman, I will be safe."He thinks about it. Practices telling him in his many nests and next to his grandparents graves. Informing Dick about how he saw his death but still can't astral project like his mother, and then spill out his other secrets like a river in flood. Things he keeps silent and chokes on. A history unmarked and erased from his skin. Al Ghuls have no scars unless they were given by another of the blood, unless Grandfather approves. Arkady had been marked by Dusan, Mara by him, Nyssa in Ravensbruck at Grandfather's command. She'd let her niece and nephew run their fingers over the bright blue numbers and whisper, "Never forget, never forgive."Sometimes, when left alone by his so called family in this foul smelling city surrounded by swamp and sea, he'll ink her numbers into his skin and read the love letters she wrote to Joshua Wayne. Memorize the ones she sent to Solomon and his wife, the discourse on death sentences. Advice on how to sentence her half brother Arkady for the rape and murder of a girl, the one they caught him committing. One of the many crimes he committed. So many vile things they even Ra's grew weary of him and let him rot as Judge Wayne commanded.It is amazing how times have changed, how easy it is to catch a criminal. Justice is in his blood, and the he finds the process of it fascinating. He'll never tell anyone that. Just like he doesn't think Father knows to check his great grandfather's bones to see if Alan Wayne is more closely related to himself than Damian. He isn't, Damian tested them and settled with the terrible secret knowledge that his father is also a cousin. Immortal relationships are a pain. "Grayson." He says to the mirror in his green bower decorated in blue. Bowerbirds like blue, and when he wears a Nightwing hoodie, he can be both a bowerbird and his brother, they are disconcertingly similar. "My father is descended from my mother's older sister. I am the product of incest, and I think it was deliberately arranged by my Grandfather to create a perfect vessel. Everyone I have ever cared about or cared about me before I came to Gotham is either dead or crippled in a way to deny them their greatest joys. My father's clone said I was his greatest mistake. My mother has replaced me. You're all I have, please don't leave me."There aren't any cameras or recording devices, he checked. Still, he whispers. It hurts to say things like that out loud. The birds might hear, or the bats, and they will sing it in their high voices to his mentor. They might even make him understand. The first emotion in the mythology of Wonder Woman was grief. Cross checking shows that it was not a unique aspect of mythology to that part of the world, many aboriginal and indigenous cultures feel the same. The shamans he knew in Siberia told him this, as did the priests who made him a god at eighteen months. The first little boy god in five hundred years, and the only native speaker of a language dead for eight thousand. It served him well in the Year of Blood, he likes the way it flows. The lack of directions and pronouns. What he did not like was how it felt a few months later when he was dropped unceremoniously on the ground and cut. Godhood, the divine living essence of the universe leaving him, flowing away with his blood into the thirsty dust. He'd wailed for days, refused to be comforted until Grandfather lost his patience and had Mother drop him in a dry well and close the lid. Darkness wrapped around him, a thick warm blanket, and bats sung him stories and promises. After a few hours he wiped his snot on the ground and climbed up and pushed out bricks to escape because the lid was too heavy to lift. They found him four days later with a pack of feral dogs, flea bitten and savage. Ravi still has the scar from the bite Damian gave him.He doesn't remember being removed from Talia, it was during the first trimester. He remembers the day of his birth, the red swirled water and smiling face. He remembers missing someone, a part of him, a twin in another jar. They reached out for each other, lonely in their separate spaces. In the crèche was Mara and another baby demon. They spoke their own language, a trinity complete in themselves. A binary set of stars, with a third orbiting them, content in each other's company. Grandfather said she held them back. Ordered his sister gone. Talia was summoned after the second day of him being colicky to deal with his tantrum and Mara's moody silence. His first words were a plaintive "Why? Why, Mama?"A question that became it's own answer. A relationship that like the being a god's vessel year later, hurts too much to talk about or remember. A secret he keeps from himself as a blacked out page in his mind. Often there are days where he doubts his decision to leave Mother. Days when Grayson chooses Drake as his partner, which drag into weeks and the man he...likes and depends on slips away. Becomes someone else. Alfred says it's who he used to be before becoming Batman. A man of doubts, who doesn't have the easy confidence in himself and his Robin that Damian has come to rely on. Then Father will leave, and Drake, and it's just them again, Bat and Butler and Boy. The way it should be and his doubts disappear like fear gas in sunshine. There are even times like this, when Alfred is too busy to care for them because Father is needy and helpless, where they eat cereal for multiple meals or take out and simple meals made on the grill. Days when Damian wears the same pair of socks to see how long before he's wrestled to the ground and feet stripped bare and scrubbed. It's been three days in the socks with little purple bats on them. It's not certain, but he thinks they may be developing sentience. At least, he's blaming them for the way he's lounging on the couch with Grayson, and the way his toes keep poking the man's ear. "Damn it, Damian! Stop that.""What? Kicking your ass? Is it my fault that you don't know any good words? Are you blaming me for the crappy letters you keep getting? Oracle has personally blocked me from doing that. Blame her and your inadequate education system for your losing."One bat toe wiggles down to Dick's nose. Survival instincts kick in and the man yanks away."Jesus, Robin, your socks reek. Take them off.""No. You can't make me, Buttman. My Sock Fu is superior to your Kung Fu. Only the Bat-ler can defeat it. And he's off with Grumpyman.""Stephanie is a terrible influence on you. As Butt- I mean Batman and the oldest brother, I can defeat Stinky Sock Fu, I created it!" When he came to Gotham, he thought he could shed his past like a reptile its skin. Swift, smooth, and clean with a dry empty husk left behind. He didn't realize that by deciding to be a bat as a two year old, his past would be like Goliath's fur. It's long, red, and gets everywhere and into everything, working its way throughout the fabrics of his life. Itchy and troublesome, it clings and clogs and even if it's shed and done, it still defines him. It's all people who know who he was can think about when they think of him.It never goes away.Sometimes, he sits in the deepest cave below the manor and turns out the light. Returns to the darkness that creates him and practices telling Grayson about the dark and the truth it shelters. "Grayson," he whispers because the dark prefers quiet if it can't have silence, "you are not my first bat. His name is Goliath and I killed his family. He forgave me and guided me to the light. I stole him away from home, and then left him behind for you. I abandoned my Bat for another. Did I make the right choice? Will you abandon me, like Mother did and Father does? Choose Jason's company over mine like they do, or Drake's, or will another supersede me? Without Goliath, I would have died in the dark, in the labyrinth. Or become a monster. Maybe I already am one. Everyone thinks so, and I've done terrible things. Unforgivable."He practices and practices, but the words aren't easy and silence presses in. Silence and dark speak to him through the tides, sighing a distant hush, hush. In the beginning, they moved to the Tower and the Bunker. Alfred anticipated resistance on Damian's part to sharing the deck and pool, rants about security and privacy, and gave a preemptive lecture series on why it was critical. Damian sulked though it, growling and snarling because it was expected; because admitting that he was more comfortable in a world full of people was too risky to contemplate. Before the last weeks of the Year, the only times he'd been alone were for training and punishment, or as he now realizes, punishment masked as training. There was the Hand and others watching him, a constant warm presence that only let him get hurt because he was the heir; therefore he must be strong and hard enough to bear the painful burden of leadership. That his father and Alfred can tolerate an empty house and shallow relationships is shocking. Grandfather has friendships that have lasted for hundreds of years; close, deep bonds of mutual respect and affection. He doesn't discard his lovers; Whisper has warmed his bed off and on for over a hundred years. Dr Darrk, who Damian was never to mention to Mother, or even think about in her presence just like calling Mara cousin, had been a loyal servant for decades. Loyal and valuable enough that when he had been murdered in a power scuffle two years before Damian's birth Ra's had brought him back in a sort of half life. When Damian read the files of his parents first meeting, he was confused and horrified. At least he finally understood why he was never to mention his friend to Mother. He wonders if she finished the job, or if Whisper, Darrk, and the others that Mother hated are still out there and alive. He wonders what he'll do if they are, and if he has to fight them.Pennyworth's six part lecture, complete with slides and videos, while informative, wasn't necessary. Damian likes watching people, hearing them babbling about inane things. Even when the peasants bring children to splash and play in his pool he enjoys it. After a while he'll even join their games. They did not have pool noodles in the League. A horrible oversight.Today is glorious, a golden heat that burns white. Every chair on the deck is full of employees and Wayne sycophants attempting to acquire color to their pallid skin. Gotham absorbs skin color, his nut brown has faded to an olive gold and is approaching fish belly. He thinks it's the chemicals in the air, the same ones that drive people mad. Although Sensei swears all white peoples are mad to begin with, and would provide examples of the uncivilized violence they have been prone to. Grandfather's mother's tribe is always listed as part of the examples.Lucius Fox looks up as Dick bounces over, the cement is hot enough to dry a towel in a few minutes, steam rising up from the dripping swimmer. His son and daughters are with him, basking and manufacturing vitamin D. "Dick?" He asks, "What's going on?""Damian swears I can't defeat his stinky sock fu.""Fool! No one can defeat the power of my socks! I am invincible!" Damian wiggles his toes to prove his point. The socks are stiff enough that he doubts the Foxes can tell. "He doesn't know about the power of older brothers and a pool?" Tiffany asks, "Or big sisters? Tcht. It took Tam ages to learn that Sock Fu is not an all powerful weapon, or that it can be turned against her. Think Damian's any smarter?""No." Dick says, and launches Damian up into the blue to cannonball into the deep end. Other things he has left behind when he came to Gotham: his violin; he can't and won't play it now, he's only had one teacher since he was three and his style is distinct and recognizable; and art because although there were several teachers, their influence can also be identified. Questions will be asked, and he'll have to talk about them. Explain how and why he knew them, and how and why they were retired. Jobs done, sinking into the heavy dark, weighed down so that they would never teach another. Because who could be a better student than Damian?The last time Damian drowned he was four and three quarters, the last time he got the bends was just after his sixth birthday. Both times he was following them down, knowing they couldn't and wouldn't be spared, but unwilling to let go. He isn't sure, but after Grayson fought the Sensei, he thinks he may have confessed. It isn't clear, all he knows is that Grayson was reporting how his Great Grandsire had him bound and clubbed than tossed into the outgoing tide. And Damian couldn't breathe, forgot where he was, felt the sun and the chains, heard Sensei's voice and the screaming of gulls, the swishing of waves against the submarine's sides. They were cautious with him for days after the incident, Richard offering more reassurances than normal. Both of his caretakers even went so far as to allow Damian to give them sub dermal trackers, in case something similar happened again. A single soaked sock hits Grayson in the face. It lands in his open mouth. The other follows, hitting with a satisfactory thump as Grayson gags. Damian crows victory, than dives, eelling away from the man's mock wrath as he hits the pool with a splash. Tam and Tiffany are younger siblings, his natural allies in this battle. They have shoved his enemy into the cool salt water. After clone and Pit incident, while Pennyworth dealt with his father's cousin and Grayson the Justice League, Damian cleaned and scrubbed the security feeds and bunker. No one, in particular himself, needed reminding of how Bruce Wayne feels about him. It's just another secret, and he's good at those. But he can't hide his dislike of Father's touch after that, the flinch and fight response. The way his stomach churns whenever Bruce Wayne gets close and he catches a whiff of bleach and rancid flesh, hears the decaying voice say, "sacrifice a sun."Unintentional as it is, he classifies his father with his grandfather: a defining feature of his life, the irrational setter of arbitrary boundaries and rules, not to be trusted, someone who would erase him if they could. In his dreams, and sometimes his waking, they smell of decay and their finger bones slough off flesh as they touch him.He keeps Grayson and Pennyworth between them when possible, and gives a sigh of relief when Bruce Wayne leaves and life can go back to normal. Tiffany and Tamara explain the rules of the game, and that it's called Marco Polo because the explorer was prone to being lost. Which is true, Grandfather and Great Grandfather both knew him and said he was abysmal at following directions. The name is also pleasing to say, it rolls around the tongue. They play for hours, roping others into the game, until the Fox women must return to work. After a shower, they let him follow. Lucius allows him in the lab, listens as he critiques blueprints and points out design flaws. Drake maybe the official and obvious heir, but Damian is the one who shadows the CEO and asks questions. He has dozens of yellow legal pads filled with his neat cursive, detailing how the company is run and why.After a few hours, Grayson collects him and they make dinner together. A salad and couscous, salmon from Alaska seared on the grill. Then patrol, laughing as they leap into the night. He's becoming chiaroscuro. Grayson is layering him with light, creating sharp definition. The Robin uniform is a long, red thread leading him through the maze of his families. Leading him to the future. As long as Grayson's his Bat, and not Nightwing in red, it will be fine. There will be no girl in a red coat with the death of billions in her hands. His twin and mother are distant nightmares, someone else's problem. They can live together, two princes in a tower. Warriors defending their city. And Damian's secrets won't hurt them. He won't tell Grayson the worst secret of all, the one he whispers into the pillow when the man is asleep, deep in his REM cycle."Grayson, I'm sorry. I love you, and I know it's wrong to love. Love destroys everything and everyone. I'm sorry. I tried, but you make it easy to love you. I won't let them destroy you, not like the others. I'll die first." When Grayson shows him his new uniform, Damian shrugs and pretends indifference. Solidarity is overrated, and he prefers blue over red. Another secret, never to be told.
11416374	First Meeting	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": null, "Characters": "Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, Reader, Ellen Harvelle", "Fandom": "Supernatural", "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by Sille92", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-06T00:00:00", "words": "1,201", "Additional Tags": "A little bit of angst, Mention of a dead character, mention of John Winchester - Freeform, Dean doesn't get lucky, for now?", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Dean Winchester/Original Female Character(s), Dean Winchester/Reader", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": "F/M, Gen", "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Title: First Meeting Chapter No./One-Shot/ Drabble: One-Shot Words: 1201 Author: Sille It was a busy night at the Roadhouse. Hunter after Hunter came in to get drinks or just chat with a few friends and familiar faces. You were fully engaged in your job. Making drinks and bringing them to the patrons. Getting the occasionally flirty smile or wink. Not something you were used to, to be honest. Even after years of working here. It took you by surprise every time. But you relished it nevertheless. You enjoyed working at the Roadhouse. It gave you the opportunity to do something for the hunter community. Even if it was just serving drinks and trying to distract them from their everyday darkness. You tried hunting yourself once after your fiance was murdered by a ghost. It nearly cost you your life. But another hunter came to your rescue at the last moment. Something you were still eternally grateful for. After that, you decided that hunting was not something you could do. You asked the hunter if he knew something else you could do it instead and he suggested working at the Roadhouse. He even introduced you to Ellen. That was 3 years ago. Nearly to the day. You were still happily working for Ellen and never regretted your choice. Sometimes you did a little research for one hunter or another when they asked you to. A few years ago you would have never thought that you could be happy living a life like that. But here you were. “Y/N!” you heard Ellen's voice call over the noise in the room as you were on your way back to the bar. Turning around, you saw here standing near the entry door with two men. The one to her left was very tall with shaggy brown hair while the other one had a more military cut. Both were very attractive in your opinion. Ellen waved you over. Following her request, you made your way over to them. Your eyes never leaving the shorter one of the two men. You felt drawn to him for some reason. Maybe because of his eyes. You have never seen such a gorgeous green before. The man noticed you looking and gave you a smug grin which made you frown a bit. “There you are!” said Ellen as you stood before the three. “May I introduce you to Sam and Dean Winchester? I think you know their Dad.” Your eyes widened. “John Winchester's boys?” you asked and Ellen nodded. Sam held out is hand. “Nice to meet you!” “Nice to meet you too! John told me so much about you two.” you returned and let a smile grace your lips. “Hopefully only good things.” laughed Sam. “Of course.” You sobered a bit. “I'm so sorry for your loss. He was such a great man.” “That he was,” said Dean and took a step in your direction. He took your hand in his and gave it a firm shake accompanied with a flirty smile. “Nice to meet you, sweetheart.” The smile on your lips grew despised yourself. You heard about Dean reputation with the women. But you still couldn't resist enjoying his attention for a bit. It gave you a significant self-confidence boost. The women he usually went after were all good looking with a thin figure. According to the other hunters at least. Dean was still holding your hand and didn't seem inclined to let go anytime soon. His brother shook his head and rolled his eyes. Like this was something Dean always did with the women he was interested. Even knowing this you still blushed as you retracted your hand from his grip. “You guys wanna have a drink? I don't think you came all this way just to say “Hi”!” broke Ellen the silence that descended over you. Dean's smile widened. “I'm always up for a drink.” Even as he spoke to Ellen he didn't turn is gaze away from you. “Are you gonna make us those drinks sweetheart? I'm sure they will be the best we ever tasted.” You blushed again. “Of course. It is kind of my job around here, you know,” you answered. “Awesome!” Ellen nodded and left you three to your own devices. But not without giving you a meaningful glance that had you rolling your eyes as you turned around to lead the boys to the bar. It was always the same. Every time a good looking man came in and showed even the slight interest in you, she tried to set you both up. This time her victim seemed to be Dean. But with his reputation you sure as hell weren't going to get involved with him. You were not the girl for One-Night-Stands. Even if he was very attractive. The brothers followed you back to the bar and took a seat on the stools. You went behind the bar and leaned with your arms on the surface. Unaware that this position showed of your cleavage. “What can I get you guys?” you asked. “Whiskey, straight up,” Dean answered, still with that flirty smile on his lips. You noticed his eyes going down to your breast and straightened up. Your face turned red. Yet again. What was it about this man that made you, a grown women, into a blushing virgin? Turning to Sam you smiled at him. “And for you?” “Just a beer, please. Someone needs to keep a clear head,” he answered with a grin. “Beer and Whiskey. Got it. Coming right up.” You turned around to the shelves to get the drinks which gave you the opportunity to take a deep breath. The last time you were this flustered was when you met your late fiance for the first time. Back then you weren't used to the attention. Now though. Now you were flirted with on a regular basis. Even though it still surprised you every time it didn't mean you weren't used to it. What was wrong with you? In no time at all you had the two drinks prepared and turned back to the boys. “Here you go!” you said smiling, trying not to let your feelings of embarrassment show. “Thanks, sweetheart,” answered Dean and downed the drink right away. Sam was more reserved. He thanked you with a small smile before taking a swing of his beer. “Enjoy your evening guys. I still have some work to do here,” you announced and gestured to the room in general. Everything to get away from Dean. He still hadn't taken his eyes off of you. And you really did have some work to do. Your shift wasn't over after all. Dean grinned at you. “Maybe catch you after your shift?” he asked and winked at you. Trying to look happy and unaffected you patted his check. “Maybe next time handsome.” you teased and turned to ask another guest for their order. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Sam hitting Dean on his and hissing something at him. You couldn't suppress a little smirk. Even though you didn't know why but you kind of hoped that there would be a next time. The End.
11484876	Bodies On Fire	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "F/F", "Characters": "Kimberly Hart, Trini (Power Rangers 2017), Billy Cranston, Jason Lee Scott, Zack Taylor, Tommy Oliver", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "Mature", "author": "by TaikoTurtle", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-12T00:00:00", "words": "9,618", "Additional Tags": "Mostly Fluff, but the M is there for the very end, it's not super explicit I don't think, But just fair warning, a day in the life, trimberly - Freeform, Established Relationship, trimberly loves to tease each other, because they're both little shits, but they love each other so much", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Kimberly Hart/Trini Kwan, Kimberly Hart/Trini (Power Rangers 2017)", "Series": "Feel The Heat", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "Power Rangers, Power Rangers (2017)", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	The best part about dating Trini isn’t the fact that she has a witty, sarcastic sense of humor that can put a person in their place in five seconds flat, or the fact that every time she smiles it’s like basking in warm comforting rays of sunlight on a perfect summer afternoon.It’s not the fact that her infectious laughter could brighten the darkest of nights, or the fact that somehow in that tiny body of hers behind the lone wolf, tough girl facade, she manages to hold one of the biggest hearts Kimberly has ever known.No, the best part about dating Trini is that there is no best part.With each passing day, Kimberly discovers something new about her and every fascinating detail, every small adorable quirk, makes her fall more and more in love.It hits her throughout random parts of the day in short, powerful, and unexpected bursts. Trini could be doing something as mundane as eating ice cream, cracking a joke at Zack’s expense, or even lacing their fingers together in a stolen quiet moment, but Kimberly thinks to herself, damn, I want to spend my whole life with this girl. And it scares her sometimes because she knows that when things are going well, that’s exactly when life loves to fuck shit up - it just seems to be the natural law of the universe. If she’s this happy, then there has to be an equal amount of unhappy somewhere else. You know, equivalent exchange and all that junk.Except science has never been Kimberly’s strongest subject, so she chooses to enjoy and appreciate what she has in the moment so as not to get bogged down by the inane fear of what ifs.And with Trini, there is much to appreciate.“Got your head in the clouds again, princess?”Trini’s voice snaps Kimberly out of her thoughts and grounds her back in reality, although with Trini standing several feet in front of her wearing nothing but a deep yellow sports bra and black shorts, it feels like heaven more than anything.She has her hands on her hips with a thin layer of perspiration covering her skin resulting in her chest glistening with every deep breath and Kimberly honestly feels like she’s never been so blessed before.Thank God for gym days.“Nah,” Kimberly retorts, “I was just thinking that with your tiny little legs, you’re going to need a head start.”“We’re just doing laps, it’s not a race.”“Well why not? How about last one to finish ten laps owes the other a dinner of their choice, deal?”Trini laughs and shakes her head humorously. “Always gotta be a competition with you, doesn’t it?”“Of course.” Kimberly saunters on up to Trini and grins. “But let’s be real, we all know I’m going to win because I’m the better runner.”Confidently raising up her chin, Trini narrows her eyes to challenge her back. “You’re going to eat those words soon enough.”Leaning in close, Kimberly’s breath is hot on her skin as she whispers coyly into Trini’s ear.“I’d rather eat something else.”She pulls back and winks at the smaller girl and between Trini’s dumbfounded, wide-eyed expression and the furious blush betraying her flustered embarrassment, she looks positively petrified on the spot. Kimberly revels the fact that she can elicit such a visceral reaction out of her and after blowing her a kiss, she dashes off to start the race around the track.Trini, still reeling from Kimberly’s words, blinks rapidly and shakes her head before shouting after her. “Hey, what happened to my head start?”“All bets are off when food is on the line.”Kicking it into high gear, Trini starts sprinting to make up for lost ground, but she knows she’s at a disadvantage now. Shaking her fist in the air she calls out to Kimberly while ignoring the odd looks from the other gym goers around them.“You fight dirty!”Kimberly laughs in response. “Thought you already figured that out from the first time we met!”Trini grumbles to herself before pumping her arms in an attempt to will her body to go faster. They dash around the track at a blistering pace but Trini knows when she’s beat. The physical augmentations from their Ranger powers only go so far and coupled with the cheap head start she ends up finishing a good ten seconds behind Kimberly.“And the Pink Ranger wins!” Kimberly throws her arms up and cheers like a stadium announcer. “The crowd goes wild! Woo! Alright! Kimberly’s the queen!”“Yeah, yeah, big woop.” Trini brings her hands up behind her head to facilitate air flow to her lungs and walks around to regain her breath. “Cheaters never prosper.”“All’s fair in love and war and I think you owe me a dinner now.”“Fine,” Trini says as they head over to grab their towels and water bottles. “I’ll take you on a romantic dinner date to McDonald’s.”“You’re a terrible girlfriend.”“Thanks, I try.”Kimberly punches her in the shoulder jokingly before wrapping her arm around Trini’s shoulders and pulling her in close as they walk towards the free weights section of the gym.Girlfriend has a nice ring to it.It’s only been two and a half months since the ordeal with Lord Zedd which prompted them to start dating, but Kimberly thinks she’ll never tire of saying that word out loud. Even though her life is still in its early stages and the frightening prospect of an uncertain future looms overhead, the one thing that she knows will be a constant is the bond that she shares with Trini.Kimberly doesn’t know why it took her so long to admit how much she cares for her, or why it took a near death experience to finally lay her heart out on the line, but what matters is that they’re together now and she doesn’t want to waste any more time.“Dude, no hugs. I’m totally sweaty right now.” Trini protests against the contact, her body wriggling in a weak attempt to escape Kimberly’s grasp, but the broad smile on her face says otherwise.Shrugging lightly, Kimberly hums in a lilting playful manner, “I dunno - I kind of like you when you’re wet.”Trini chokes on air and Kimberly bursts into a boisterous laugh as the smaller girl tries to regain her composure.“You make this way too easy,” Kimberly wheezes out in between gasps of air. “C’mon, you can spot me at the bench press."“You’re going to be the death of me one day,” Trini says as they set up at an unoccupied bench.“At least you’ll die happy then.” Kimberly wipes down the bar and seat with a clean paper towel. There’s nothing she hates more than sweaty, slightly odorous equipment.The only downside to using public gyms are the clientele, which can range vastly depending on which city they go to. Today unfortunately, some of the skeeviest people she’s ever seen decided to show up.Kimberly tries her best to ignore the looks that the guys in the vicinity throw their way, like they’re just ignorant strangers in a foreign land, as she grabs some of the weights and starts loading them up onto the bar.Sitting down on the bench, Kimberly preps herself by doing a couple of quick stretches even though her muscles are still somewhat warm from their earlier jog. Her eyes scan the area so she can get a good read on the guys around them as she pulls her arms across her chest alternately.“Something the matter?” Trini asks after taking a large gulp from her water bottle.“No, not really,” Kimberly replies hesitantly. “Just… surveying our surroundings.”Trini’s gaze flickers behind Kimberly and her brow furrows into a wary frown. “Well I think a guy just surveyed you.”“What?” Kimberly’s eyes widen with surprise but the warning had come too late.“Wow, looks pretty heavy. You sure you can lift that?”His voice is cheerful and inviting but it’s laced with an underlying air of condescension that makes his words feel fake and contrived.Kimberly turns around and finds herself staring up at a tall, well-built stranger in his early twenties. Like the many guys currently surrounding them in the free weights section, his brunette hair features a fade on both sides that comes up into a mid-length cut combed backwards. With his baggy basketball shorts and oversized tank top with the sides cut down far enough to expose his abs, Kimberly groans internally and knows this isn’t going to end well.Perhaps a couple years ago he might’ve been her type. His five o’clock shadow helps frame his defined jaw and he’s by no means an unattractive person, but the past is in the past and right now he’s nothing more than a nuisance that needs to leave them alone.“I put the weights on here, so yeah, I’m pretty sure I can lift it.” Her voice is dripping with sarcasm, but the guy doesn’t seem to take the hint and he circles around to the head of the bench. He crosses his arms on the bar and leans forward, clearly intent on sticking around.“How about a spotter? I wouldn’t want you to crush your beautiful face.”Narrowing her eyes dangerously Trini growls, “She’s got one already.”Taken aback by the outburst, the guy gives her a curious once over before chuckling derisively at her much smaller frame. He turns his attention back to Kimberly and clears his throat.“As I was saying, I could spot you for a few reps and maybe once we’re done here, you and I could go out for some dinner this evening?”Trini scowls and takes an aggressive step forward, “What part of she’s got one already don’t you under--”“Trini it’s okay.” Kimberly interrupts calmly and for a split moment hurt flashes in Trini’s confused eyes. “If this guy wants a date, then by all means he should be rewarded for his effort. I mean, it took guts to come over here and ask me out, right?”The guy nods in agreement and eagerly whips out his phone, but before he can go any further Kimberly sticks up her hand and wags a finger at him.“On one condition.”He falters for a second and stares at her oddly. “Sure I guess, you name it.”“You have to out bench press me.”Kimberly smiles innocently and out of the corner of her eye she catches the growing smirk on Trini’s face because the unsuspecting guy looks like he struck the jackpot with this seemingly easy request.“That’s it? Well, you’re on. I hope you like Italian. Oh, and by the way, the name’s Kyle. ”Relaxing down into position, Kimberly gets ready for the first set. “I have a feeling you won’t need to know mine.”The starting weights are small - barely sixty pounds including the bar - so it’s easy enough for both of them. Other onlookers watch as the two trade places in doing their sets, each time adding another ten pounds to the mix.Trini stands at the head and spots them both. Whenever it’s Kimberly’s turn they gaze into each other’s eyes and share a knowing look that makes them both nearly laugh because they know this guy is destined to be humiliated in front of an audience.Having super strength thanks to their Ranger powers has its perks, even if it’s occasionally exploiting them for shits and giggles. She knows this goes against Zordon’s rules and she’s sure it has something to do with letting power get to one’s head or some precautionary warning like that, but hey - what Zordon doesn’t know, won’t hurt him.The minutes pass by and Kyle’s tank top gets soaked through with sweat as he nervously watches Kimberly place another ten pounds onto the bar. His eyes dart from the bench to Kimberly and he scratches his head in bafflement because how can someone this petite not show any signs of fatigue?A few more reps in and the total weight climbs to a hefty 225 pounds. Proportionately, Kimberly already has him beat. He knows it, Trini knows it, hell, the entire crowd that has gathered around them knows it.People whisper and snicker and on Kyle’s last set of reps, despite gritting his teeth and grunting disgustingly, his arms give out and he nearly drops everything onto his neck. Trini catches the bar with ease and places it back into the resting position for him, an action which garners even more looks of surprise because of her tinier stature.Kimberly cracks her knuckles and effortlessly completes her set to seal the deal, upon which the crowd erupts in exuberant cheers and Kyle shakes his head in utter disbelief.“Unbelievable,” he spits out angrily, “you must have rigged this somehow. There’s no way in hell you can bench more than me.”Gathering up her towel and water bottle, Kimberly brushes him off. “A deal’s a deal. Better luck next time.”They make their way towards the exit but the guy forcefully grabs Kimberly’s shoulder. “Don’t walk away from me you cheating whore, you owe me a dinn--” WHAP! Trini’s fist collides with his stomach sending the guy doubled over to the ground in pain, wheezing haggardly for air thanks to the wind being knocked out of his lungs. She towers over his crumpled form and snarls.“She doesn’t owe you shit .”She laces her fingers with Kimberly’s and they walk out of the gym hand in hand, leaving the creep gasping and groaning alone on the ground. No one in the crowd takes pity on him after hearing the toxic words that spilled from his mouth, so they disperse and let the guy recover on his own.After exiting through the double doors, Kimberly bursts into raucous laughter as they near her sedan. The gunmetal paint is chipping in places and it’s definitely seen better days, but for her first used car it gets her from point “A” to point “B” and that’s all that really matters.Kimberly leans her back against the side of the car and pulls Trini into a close embrace, her arms wrapping loosely around her waist.“That was pretty badass of you back there.”Trini gazes up into her eyes and flashes a crooked grin. “Yeah? Maybe I should punch people more often.”“Please don’t,” Kimberly chuckles light heartedly, “Angel Grove only has so many gyms.”“I know, I know, but I didn’t like what he called you back there. It just sort of… happened.”Memories of the previous year and the various colorful words that decorated their lockers resurfaced in Kimberly’s mind. At the time they stung like a bitch. They were like splinters jamming into her skin in all directions and no matter how much she thought she pulled them out, the pain still persisted. The sentiment of Trini ripping off her locker whenever new words surfaced was endearing, but it never completely erased the insults that clung to her like a second shadow.But forming these powerful bonds with the other Rangers helped her through the ordeal in more ways than one.Not only did she gain a second family, it also brought her and Trini together, which is why she’s never regretted becoming a Ranger in spite of its dangers and also why she’s standing here in a parking lot with a sappy smile and a full heart.Swept up in the moment, Kimberly leans in close and captures Trini’s lips with her own. It’s sweet and chaste and filled with the love that’s been blooming in her soul and carefully nurtured by affection. It’s patient and tender in a way that begets more feelings of fond adoration so immeasurably vast that she feels weak in the knees beneath the weight of its impact.From the familiar taste of her soft lips to the way their bodies fit so naturally together, for the first time in a long time, Kimberly feels perfectly at peace. There’s nowhere else she’d rather be, and no one else she’d rather be with, than the small, feisty girl leaning into her arms right now.Trini smiles into the kiss and her nose rests against Kimberly’s as she pulls back a fraction of an inch. “What was that for? Not that I’m complaining.”“Nothing, it’s just… I’m glad I have you in my life.”Sighing contently, Trini looks into her eyes, her voice a quiet whisper. “You have me forever, if you want.”Kimberly draws her in close and kisses her once more.“Always.” “You sure you’re tall enough to ride this?”“Har har, like I haven’t heard that one before, Zack.”Trini socks him in the arm as the gang waits by the line’s entrance to the amusement park’s largest roller coaster.It’s a bright and sunny Saturday afternoon and though the heat makes walking around somewhat of a chore and the lines are long thanks to it being a weekend, the Rangers tough it out together because days off from training are few and far between.“Are we going on or not?” Tommy asks as she shields her eyes from the sun while surveying the tallest drop near the beginning of the ride. Screams echo in the distance with each new line of carts that tip over the edge of the peak and plummet down to their doom.“I don’t know,” Zack jokes, “does Trini need a booster seat?”“I will fucking wreck you--”“Hey, hey, language ,” Billy interjects calmly. “There are kids at this park too.”“And they’re about to witness their first murder,” Trini grumbles in the most threatening tone she can muster.“Only if you can catch me with your tiny hobbit hands.” Zack walks through the entrance and turns around, casting them an inviting look. “Come on everyone, let’s go! But I call dibs on the front.”Tommy runs after him excitedly. “I want the front too! Looks like we’re seat buddies.”They high five like a pair of childish fiends as the rest of the group follows close behind. The line is rather short and estimated to be about a five minute wait, but given that the daunting ride features one of the largest drops on the west coast it makes complete sense.After zig zagging through empty snaking lines with a jungle-themed ambience to heighten the mood, they reach the loading zone for the carts. Decked out in dirtied explorer outfits à la Indiana Jones, the ride attendants remain in character while addressing the park guests.“Welcome to Goliath,” one of the operators announces in an ominous tone. “We wish you the best of luck on your expedition because rumor has it that not a single person has made it back alive.”He pauses for dramatic effect before shouting into the comm. “Safety check!”The other workers methodically flash him a thumbs up, indicating that their section of carts are good to go, and within seconds the riders exit the station to begin their long ascent.All the Rangers shuffle into position behind the yellow gates as the other people load into the next waiting carts.“Alright, we’re up next!” Zack rubs his hands together with anticipation and grins. “I heard it’s so intense that people black out on this ride.”“That’s not true,” Jason replies before turning and whispering anxiously to Billy. “...that’s not true, right?”Billy shrugs and Jason gulps visibly.Trini claps him on the shoulder heartily. “Oh c’mon fearless leader. We pilot Zords on a weekly basis. I’m sure a tiny roller coaster like this is nothing.”Jason groans in response and they all share a laugh at his expense except for Kimberly. There are butterflies flapping in her stomach and she can’t help the trembling in her hands or the clamminess in her palms. Unfortunately for her, since she’s holding hands with Trini, the smaller girl notices almost immediately.“You too?” she whispers dubiously under her breath.Kimberly nods weakly. “I uh-- I had a mild fear of roller coasters as a kid.”“But you’re a Power Ranger now and you pilot a flying pterodactyl .”“I know that, but it still doesn’t erase a bad childhood memory!”The next row of carts leave the station and the yellow safety gates swing open granting the Rangers access to the loading zone. Zack hollers loudly as they all settle down into their seats, his excitement equally reflected by an eager Billy and Tommy.“Did you know that this ride is classified as a hypercoaster and has a drop that exceeds the coaster’s actual height?” Billy buckles up his safety belt before lowering the lap restraints, all the while spewing out more facts that he had researched beforehand. “That means it has one of the fastest and longest drops!”Jason looks like he’s getting paler by the second as he triple checks his own lap bar. “How can something possibly have a bigger drop than the ride itself?”“It goes underground at the bottom,” Billy states in a matter-of-fact tone, “did you not see the tunnel while we were walking through the line?”“Oh boy.” Jason exhales nervously and clutches on for dear life.Static crackles through the overhead comm system and the ride attendant’s voice booms loudly for all the guests to hear.“Hello brave adventurers! Welcome to your impending doom. Keep your arms and legs in the ride at all times and oh--” The other workers flash him the thumbs up and the ride hisses to life as the carts lurch forward, the guy’s voice trailing off behind them. “...try not to die.”Turning the initial corner, they begin their ascent to the top of the first drop. Click... Click... Click... It’s agonizingly slow and it gives Kimberly far too much time to think. She makes the mistake of looking around, and while the view of the entire park is irrefutably breathless, the sheer height at which they keep climbing makes her want to throw up.At least in her Zord she has a full suit of armor and the reassurance of a sealed, reinforced cockpit. Click... Click... Click... Who in their right mind thought it would be a good idea to make a ride this huge? Of course leave it to human beings to want to challenge their limits and push entertainment to ridiculous extremes until they’re teetering on the edge of insanity.The sun beats down overhead and Kimberly feels her throat dry up. Flashbacks to when she was a kid constricts her chest and seizes her breath.There’s no escape.It’s too late to turn back.What was she thinking? Click… Click… Click... She’s breathing in small rapid bursts but before the panic can take root, Trini’s hand squeezes her own and the stifling, blurry haze dissipates.“Hey, I got you.” Trini smiles while Kimberly bobs her head up and down in silent affirmation. “You’re not gonna die.”Kimberly shuts her eyes as the ride almost crawls to a halt. It’s an odd, quiet stillness, like the calm before a storm, except she knows exactly what’s coming next and the terror in her chest intensifies. “Somehow, I don’t believe you.”Trini’s smile turns wicked as the carts slowly tip over the edge and she can feel her body begin to lean forward. Riding in the front makes the first drop the worst since pulling the weight of the other cars behind you means you get the best unobstructed view of the fall for the longest period of time.And then her body feels weightless.Is this what it’s like to die?Her heart shoots into her throat as her insides flip and implode, and by the time they’re blasting through the dark tunnel at the bottom of the drop, Kimberly registers that the screams she hears buzzing in her head are actually her own.Wind whips through her hair and the sounds of Trini’s pure, joyous laughter mixes with the chaos of Jason’s screams and Tommy, Billy, and Zack’s exhilarated cheering.With one hand gripping the lap bar and the other still entwined with Trini’s, Kimberly opens her eyes and the adrenaline kicks in. With each winding twist and every sharp, sloping hill her body comes alive and soon enough her screams turn to laughter, albeit with several colorful obscenities thrown in for good measure.A powerful, 4G downward helix spiral towards the end of the ride forces Kimberly’s eyes shut from the pressure and by the time she opens them again the cart is pulling up to the station.Kimberly’s heart hammers away in her chest and she feels like she’s having an out of body experience as she leaps out of the ride to go down to the photograph section. She feels her legs taking her down the stairs, but none of it registers in her mind. She stares at the monitors blankly as her friends all point at their picture from the ride, but it isn’t until Trini snakes her arm around Kimberly’s waist does her vision come into focus.“You look absolutely terrified.”Kimberly blinks a few times before gaping in horror at the most disgusting facial expression she’s ever made in the history of her life and she has a sudden urge to burn the photo booth down to the ground.Trini pulls away and fishes out her wallet. “I’m gonna get it.”“What?! No!” Kimberly shouts with alarm. “There’s no way in hell I’m letting you buy this photo!”“Why?” Trini chuckles as the worker manning the booth awaits her payment. “I think you look kinda cute.”A blush spreads across her cheeks and Kimberly grumbles weakly, “I look like a freaking troll and you know it.”“Yeah, but you’re my adorable troll.”“YAUCKH!” Zack makes a loud gagging noise and coughs, “Sorry, sorry - I think I just threw up a little bit thanks to you both. Either get a room or hurry up because we have more rides to hit up today.”Trini punches him in the shoulder as she accepts the bag with the purchased photo from the worker. Her hand finds Kimberly’s and their fingers weave together comfortably as the group leaves the ride’s exit.It’s almost like a surreal dream to Kimberly. Joking so freely with her friends on a perfect summer day with her girlfriend right beside her. Who could’ve imagined? Certainly not her. No, never in a million years could she have thought it to be feasible, yet here they are defying all odds and expectations. She’s floating on cloud nine, and even the simple comfort of holding Trini’s hand and for once not feeling judged by those around her is all it takes to make her heart do backflips.All she knows is that she’s never felt this happy before, with another person or even herself, and that peace with her own self-worth makes a world of difference.“So where to next?” Billy inquires as they pass by empty food vendor carts. His eyes scan the unfolded map in his hands as he narrowly dodges other guests at the park. “I personally recommend the haunted maze and while I know it’s not Halloween yet, I’ve heard good things about this attraction.”“That sounds pretty rad, I’m down,” Tommy chimes in before taking a long sip of water from her giant neon green souvenir cup.They all nod in agreement and start to head towards the back of the park. Along the way, Zack buys a disappointingly small cup of Dippin’ Dots Rocky Road ice cream, much to Trini’s amusement. They bicker over the usefulness of having ice cream in tiny dot form, but Trini comes out victorious simply because of the overhyped, gimmicky nature of the dessert’s presentation.Zack laughs and cracks a joke that Trini is so against Dippin’ Dots because they’re just shaped like a bunch of balls. She responds with a swift punch to his arm with such force that he ends up accidentally fumbling his cup and the contents all splatter to the floor, melting nearly instantaneously from the heat.In spite of their conversation, Trini treats him to another cup, but this time Cookies ‘n Cream because it’s the “superior flavor.”The gang passes through the obligatory carnival section of the park, complete with overpriced games like ring toss, balloon and darts, and the milk bottles.Kimberly spots a massive tiger plushie with fuzzy pastel fur the color of pink cotton candy and she thinks to herself how adorable it looks. Although it’s no saber-toothed tiger, it’s a darn close match to being a blend of both her and Trini, at least metaphorically speaking, so it would look perfect in her room. However, she knows these games are rigged beyond belief, so only a sucker would waste money on them.But then Trini’s hand leaves her own and Kimberly chokes down a laugh as the tiny girl approaches the ring toss booth, her gaze locked on the giant pink tiger, clearly having taken notice of Kimberly’s interest in the prize.“How many for the giant tiger?”The bored attendant at the booth glances up at the toy in question, his face bereft of any joy or amusement due to how few people visit the carnival area, and he shrugs.“Just one ring, kid.”Trini’s eyes narrow, possibly from the audacity of his words or the challenge presented in front of her, and she slaps down a five dollar bill. The guy hands her a basket of old, metal rings and returns to his seat to observe from the comfort of his rickety wooden chair.“Go crazy.”The other Rangers gather behind her and watch as she starts chucking the rings into the mass of bottles. One by one, they clink and clatter as they hit the necks and ricochet to the ground. With furrowed brow and clenched jaw, Trini throws ring after ring, assuming that at least one has to make it around one of the seemingly easy targets, but to her dismay not a single ring aims true by the time her hand scrapes the bottom of the basket.“C’mon Trini,” Kimberly chuckles as she wraps her around the frustrated girl’s shoulders, “you don’t need to win me anything, really.”But Trini isn’t having any of that.She fishes out another five from her pocket and slams it on the counter, her eyes burning with determination. The guy scoffs and pulls out another pre-loaded basket, placing it down in front of her silently. Trini picks up a ring from the fresh set of ammunition and Kimberly backs up to give her her space.Even though the game is ridiculous and clearly nothing will come of it, Kimberly just can’t help it when her lips tug up into a fond smile. She’s never had anyone try and win her something before, at least not without her subtle prompting, and especially not with such passionate vigor. Though Trini dislikes being called cute - she argues that “cool” and “badass” are her only applicable descriptors - the tiny crinkle on her forehead and the way her tongue sticks out just a tiny bit from concentration makes Kimberly stand firm in her belief that Trini is quite possibly the cutest person on the planet.“Ugh, what the hell man!” Trini watches angrily as another ring clatters to the ground pitifully.The last metal ring mocks her from its resting place, all alone in the barren basket. She side-eyes the worker as he sits in his chair, a smirk painted across his features as he takes some twisted satisfaction in her failure. “This game isn’t for everyone, little girl.”“No, this game is rigged ,” Trini bites back.He shrugs once again. “I didn’t make the game, I just man the booth, and if it seems impossible to you, that’s your problem not--” Clink! The last metal ring twirls precariously around the neck of one of the many bottles before sinking securely onto it. The man nearly gets whiplash from doing a double take before both he and Trini turn to look at the lucky thrower.With crossed arms and her head tilted at an angle, Kimberly flashes the rude worker an aggressively sarcastic smile.“Looks like you owe us a pink tiger, jackass.”All the Rangers behind her are stunned into silence, their eyes bulging and mouths agape in perfect “O” shapes from witnessing such a glorious shut down. After another beat of silence, they simultaneously burst into raucous cheers and victorious laughter so loud that other guests at the amusement park stop and stare to see what the commotion is all about.“Ohhh snap!” Zack doubles over and slaps his knees in amusement, his chest heaving in and out as he tries to catch his breath in between wheezing laughter.“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Here you go.” The worker unhooks the supports that are keeping the gigantic plushie on display and gruffly hands it over into Kimberly’s arms.It’s even larger up close and as they all turn around to leave the booth, Kimberly struggles to hang on to it with one arm as she flips the guy off with her other hand, drawing more laughter from her gang of misfits.Small children point and stare as they pass by the group, wide-eyed and envious of Kimberly’s newfound possession. She grins to herself because it’s definitely one of the finest moments in her life, given that the game really is so difficult to actually win, but to succeed while in the presence of that dickhead of a worker? It made it just that much more priceless.Which is why Kimberly turns and shoves the massive pink tiger into Trini’s arms, who let’s out a little oof upon impact.She wraps her arms around the plushie and pokes her head out by the neck of the stuffed animal in order to see where she’s going. “You’re giving it to me?”“Of course.” Kimberly smiles and wraps her arm around Trini’s shoulders, pulling the girl in close and planting a soft kiss on her cheek. “What, you thought I was going to keep it for myself?”“Well it is pink…”“Yeah, well you’re my girlfriend,” Kimberly states like it’s a no-brainer, “and you’re the only prize I need in my life. I mean, metaphorically speaking because people aren’t prizes to be won but-- okay whatever, you get what I’m saying.”Trini’s lips twitch - her eyes grow watery and her brow upturns - but then she hastily buries her face deep into the stuffed animal before leaning gently into Kimberly’s embrace. She sniffles a bit before talking, her voice muffled in the fur. “You’re so lame.”Kimberly pulls her in tight and whispers jokingly. “Don’t lie - you know you love me like that.”Trini’s head turns ever so slightly and she catches Kimberly’s gaze. Her eyes twinkle in the sunlight and she gulps visibly, her lips parted as if ready to utter the three words that they know is reflected in both their hearts. That unspoken feeling that vibrates through every fiber of their being, whether they’re next to each other or miles apart, and reminds them how much brighter their life is now that they’ve found one another.“Damn Trini, that thing is practically taller than you.”Tommy’s teasing observation cuts through the air and though Kimberly has long since gotten past her differences with the Green Ranger, all she wants to do right now is strangle her for ruining the moment. The other Rangers laugh because really, the stuffed animal actually is almost as tall as Trini. The tiger’s hind legs dangle around her kneecaps and it almost looks like it’s walking on its own.Kimberly grins because it’s an adorable sight and though she’s still a little annoyed at Tommy’s obscenely oblivious, untimely nature, she also knows that the look she exchanged with Trini spoke volumes and that’s good enough for her.“Yeah,” Zack chimes in, “any larger and the tiger would be walking Trini.”“Shut up!”“Guys, have you seen Trini anywhere? I can’t seem to find her.”“Billy, not you too!” Kimberly loves training days alone with Trini. Okay fine, she loves spending any kind of time alone with Trini, but training days are especially enjoyable because of the powerful bond that stems from a shared experience unlike any other.Anybody can go to the gym and exercise.Only Power Rangers can go to the Command Center.Their relationship transcends your everyday average one thanks to them both being Rangers. They understand what the other goes through on a daily basis and they rigorously fight side by side, ready to lay their life on the line for the city and one another. There’s no need for lies or secrets, no poorly-crafted reasons on why they need to mysteriously leave at the drop of a dime whenever monsters threaten the city. It’s a beautiful relationship that’s heightened by a remarkably unique circumstance.So on the days that Jason doesn’t call for group training, Kimberly shoots Trini a brief text. The pit? And the other girl’s answer is always the same. b there in 10 Sometimes Kimberly likes to shop. Sometimes she likes to watch movies. Sometimes she likes to beat the living shit out of artificial training dummies designed after creatures born from the darkest corners of the universe.Hey, to each their own.“Alpha said he updated the system with some new enemies,” Trini says as she brushes sand and debris from her arms after having smashed through the standard Putties. “Wanna give ‘em a go?”Grabbing her water bottle off a nearby boulder, Kimberly takes a long deep gulp, her hand wiping across her mouth afterwards. “Sure. I’m getting tired of the same old things.”“Hey uh, system! Give us the new stuff!” Trini stares up to the ceiling as if the cavernous walls could hear her. Not a single sound answers her back and the two of them stand quietly in the room wondering whether it worked or not, but after another minute or so the rocky outcrops shift and crumble away until a few stones roll out and plop to the ground.Oblong in shape and with an uneven surface, the stones measure roughly 4 feet in height, but they’re much taller than they are wide and oddly resemble an egg.“Sooo we’re fighting chickens?” Kimberly snorts loudly and looks around the room like it’s a joke.Trini frowns and her head tilts to the side. “This can’t be right. Maybe I didn’t say the command correctly, I’ll just--”The eggs begin to shake mid-sentence as tiny fissures appear, slowly splintering across the surface like breaking glass. Crackling noises ripple through the air before hideous grey beaks violently poke out like zombies rising from the grave. Gross, inhuman screeches echo through the cavern and the girls immediately flinch, their hands shooting up to cover their ears.“Trini, what are these?!” Kimberly shouts above the piercing racket.They watch in horror as giant, anthropomorphic birds the size of a full-grown adult burst out of the rocky eggs. Dark, onyx black feathers cover the entirety of their bodies save for the deep indigo chestplate and protective leg bracers.But they don’t have time to observe beyond that, as one of the monsters throws open its winged arms and in a flurry of feathers and dirt, rushes blindingly fast at Trini. She throws her arms up to form an “X” across her face just in time as the bird collides with her body with reckless abandon, sending her flying through the air and slamming into the unforgiving rocky wall.The wind whooshes out of her chest upon impact and she slides to the ground, groaning in pain. “Okay this is not what I asked for.”Another beast throws its head back, letting loose a shrill squawk of a battlecry, before hurtling towards Kimberly at breakneck speeds. She barely somersaults to the side in time but not without getting nicked in the arm by the bird’s sharp, clawed hands. Wincing in pain, she remains in a crouched position and surveys her shoulder.Shallow claw marks decorate her skin drawing small beads of blood from the new open wounds. Faster, stronger, and armed to the teeth with clawed hands and talon-like feet?“These things mean business,” voices Kimberly with a serious tone. “We’ve got to take them down before we end up looking like a cat’s leftovers.”“I hear ya on that, princess.” Trini pushes off the ground and leaps back up into a defensive position.With her legs spread into a solid stance and her arms up, she goads one of the birds by flicking her hand in a come here motion. It flails its arms in a feverish frenzy accompanied by more high-pitched screeching. Rearing up, the bird bum-rushes her with surprising agility, but Trini’s ready this time.She swings her leg around and sidesteps at just the right time. Whipping her hands out, she snatches the lunging bird by one of its winged arms and pivots hard, using its own momentum against it, before yanking the beast into an over the shoulder throw in one fluid motion. Upon slamming into the ground, the bird lets out one more pitiful squawk before exploding in a cloud of sand and feathers.“Now that’s how it’s done,” Trini grins wickedly, her words exhaling in breathy bursts from the excitement. “These things aren’t that--” BAM! One of the surviving birds came barreling straight towards Trini and tackled her to the ground. Clawing away blindly like a rabid animal, the monster screeches away not caring about how much damage it’s inflicting. Pinned beneath its weight, Trini can only wriggle helplessly and cover her face with her arms as the sharp claws swipe on and on in a merciless onslaught.“Trini!”Kimberly cries out in surprise but she recovers quickly and launches herself towards the enemy target. She manages to knock the bird away, but there’s blood splatters all over the ground with gashes riddling Trini’s forearms and Kimberly becomes absolutely livid.Simulation or not, these things are going to die a very painful, painful death.“Tenga Warriors.” A robotic, synthesized voice booms overhead. “Large bird combatants. Level 5 classification. Salient characteristics include: limited flight, impressive speeds, and sharp claws.”Staring up to the ceiling with a furrowed brow, Kimberly throws her arms up in wild disbelief. “ Now, you tell us what they are?”“Heads up!” Trini’s command gives Kimberly enough time to leap out of the way of one of the birds, but the Tenga don’t play fair. Caught in a pincer attack, despite dodging the first bird Kimberly fails to notice its companion rapidly approach from the other side and gets tossed into an adjacent rock like nothing more than a rag doll. She can already feel the bruises forming all over her body, but she’s suffered worse; nothing tops getting stabbed completely through her torso, so compared to that, this is mere child’s play.Her legs push her back up from the ground and Kimberly’s already back into a powerful stance reflecting hours of arduous practice and meticulous training. “Bring it on, bird bitches.”“Really, Kim?” Trini’s at her side, dried blood caked along her arms but with a smirk on her face nonetheless. “God, if you fight as well as you insult, then we’re totally doomed.”“Well I’ll just have to prove you wrong.”Kimberly casts her a fiendish smile and in perfect synchronization, the two of them whip their heads around to focus their attention on the Tenga before launching a simultaneous assault.Instead of splitting up and taking on the enemies on a one-to-one fashion, they instead travel as a pair towards their first target with lightning quick speed. Without even uttering a word, Trini dives down low and sweeps her leg in a wide arc just as Kimberly jumps high to deliver a swift roundhouse kick.The bird’s beady eyes barely have time to register both oncoming attacks before it’s ultimately smashed by both all at once. Its body soars through the air from the solid impact of the combined kicks and upon colliding with a rocky outcrop, the Tenga explodes in a violent display of feathers and sand.Kimberly and Trini set their sights on the last target and the enemy unleashes its trademark screech in response. This time, being more proactive than its expired counterparts, the Tenga kicks its legs like a trampling wildebeest as it makes a beeline towards them all the while flapping its winged arms in some sort of intimidating display.Trini decides to meet it halfway and as she runs towards the beast she slides down low on the dirt before kicking upwards towards the bird’s torso and launching it into the air where it promptly meets the base of Kimberly’s heel, who’s following up with a devastating axe kick from above.Like its fellow simulations, the Tenga hits the ground and bursts into nothingness, leaving the girls alone in The Pit with nothing but the sounds of their heavy breathing.Kimberly sucks in mouthfuls of air, but it does little to alleviate the burning in her lungs. She hasn’t had such a good workout in a long time and on the one hand she feels absolutely refreshed, but on the flipside to that, she can feel her muscles all over screaming in protest. Her head turns to see how Trini’s faring, but instead she’s met with the sight of her in a battle-ready stance looking more invigorated than ever.“I’m still not convinced that you’re any good at fighting,” Trini throws out her statement in a deep, sultry tone. “You’ll just have to show me.”Though battered and bruised, there’s a fire in Trini’s eyes and despite the aching in Kimberly’s bones and the pulsing pain radiating from the scratches on her shoulder, there’s no way she can decline this invitation.“You’re on.”No sooner do the words leave Kimberly’s mouth than Trini goes on the offensive. She closes the gap between them in the blink of an eye and, wasting no time at all, opens up with a feint attack by jabbing lightly with her left before swinging in hard with a right hook.Kimberly leans back just far enough to narrowly dodge both punches and responds by planting her foot back to wind up into a quick uppercut, but Trini’s reaction time is on par with her own. The smaller girl shuffles backwards a few steps to avoid the blow and takes that time to cautiously gauge her movements.Truth be told, Kimberly’s entirely certain that Trini is the better fighter when it comes to hand-to-hand combat, but that doesn’t mean she’ll concede a spar solely because she knows what the outcome will be ninety percent of the time.No, she loves fighting against Trini.There’s a certain thrill when facing off against her girlfriend because of her unpredictable fighting style and relentless tenacity, and it’s something Kimberly seldom witnesses in the other Rangers.Jason and Billy are calm and calculated, but they fall victim to patterns and habits, which makes it easy to foresee their next attack. Zack, though a respectable fighter in his own right, is mostly unrefined in his technique and can’t hold a candle to Trini’s sheer natural talent and finely-tuned abilities.The closest in comparison would be Tommy who’s had a hard time staying in one school due to fights and bullying. She’s lead a life similar to Trini’s and was forced to learn to fend for herself, but ultimately Trini’s dedication is what puts her above her fellow Green Ranger.Kimberly’s eyelids flutter as her eyes track Trini’s motions. They’re circling one another, like two animals coiled and ready to pounce, but neither one is making a move. They feel each other out and test the waters, occasionally making a miniscule flinch to see if the other reacts, but it’s Trini who’s the first to break the spell.She dashes towards Kimberly with a hunched posture and for once she thinks she finally sees through her tactics. She’s going to do a low kick , Kimberly thinks rapidly, it’s her favorite move, I just know it. Gambling on her instincts, as soon as Trini reaches her, Kimberly leaps forward off the ground into an impressive front flip and sure enough dodges right over Trini, who had slid below in a sweeping fashion.When Kimberly lands on the ground, she turns around and throws a blind elbow attack in hopes of catching Trini off guard, who should be standing up any second now. But as her elbow swings around, she feels firm hands grasp her arm and all that runs through Kimberly’s mind is oh shit-- And then her world flips violently upside down as she’s thrown over Trini’s shoulder and hurled straight into the ground with a resounding thud upon hitting the cold floor. Kimberly gets the wind knocked out of her and her vision is nothing but an explosion of stars and splotches, but she’s denied any reprieve as she feels the sudden added weight of Trini on top of her and straddling her waist.Trini slams her hands down on both of Kimberly’s wrists, effectively pinning her down in place, and a smug grin spreads across her face as she towers over her triumphantly. Her dark brown hair cascades down like a wavy veil and Kimberly wonders how she still looks so good even though they went through hell and back. Loose strands brush against her skin and Kimberly’s heart starts pounding like it’s ready to leap out of her chest.Trini’s smirk just grows wider because she knows damn well what she’s doing.“Looks like I win.”Kimberly can’t find the words in her mind to form a proper comeback, but she notices the soft look in Trini’s eyes and instead takes full advantage of the fact that she let her guard down in a moment of clouded judgment.Throwing as much of her weight as she could, in one sudden movement she manages to roll them both over to the side and Trini comes crashing down in an unstable heap, allowing Kimberly to turn the tables in her favor. With her now in the same position that Trini once held mere moments before, Kimberly revels the thoroughly shocked look in her eyes and the faint flush of her cheeks.It’s not often that she gets the upper hand on the smaller girl, but when she does, she never likes to waste it.Kimberly dives in hungrily and kisses Trini hard, their teeth clumsily clacking together at first before they both recover to pick up the pace. She already had a hard time breathing before, having been so winded from the back-to-back fights, but now more than ever did Kimberly feel so goddamn breathless.Trini’s hands wrestle free from her grasp and wrap around Kimberly’s back, pulling her in close before scraping down the length of her shoulder blades, drawing out a deep moan from the depths of Kimberly’s throat. Even with her thin tank top, it’s a sharp enough pain that lets her know she’s going to have scratches from more than just the Tenga in the morning, but none of that even matters because the pain blends perfectly with the blazing wildfire roaring beneath her skin and it’s eating her alive.She’s suffocating in a Trini-induced haze and she only wants to dive deeper.Beyond the outer layer of her blasé persona, past the rugged, no-nonsense, tough-girl act, there’s the Trini that cares fiercely for others, who attentively ensures the happiness of everyone no matter who they are - the one who was brave enough to take a chance on them, on her .And those sentiments alone are enough to make her heartbeat skyrocket to an inhuman level, like a beast thrashing away trying to claw its way out of a flimsy cage.Kimberly rocks her hips against Trini’s waist, the movement fueling the heat building down below at a thundering pace that leaves her desperately wanting more. Trini’s lips leave her own, and for a moment Kimberly whimpers softly in protest, not wanting it to stop, but then the smaller girl yanks her down even closer and bites down hard on her neck right beneath her jaw instantly earning a pleasant gasp of surprise. The harsh bite is immediately followed by Trini’s soft lips leaving a trail of tender kisses going down Kimberly’s neck, occasionally sucking gently in different spots to elicit husky moans until she reaches her collarbone and pauses in place.“God, I’m so lucky.” Trini’s voice exhales in raspy breaths, each word tickling Kimberly’s skin and sends shivers down her spine.And Kimberly wants to respond, she really, really does, but before she can even fathom the words needed to string a coherent sentence together, Trini’s hands come back around and roam all over the landscape of her skin beneath her tank top. They’re everywhere and nowhere all at once. They’re palming at Kimberly’s breasts and grazing over her nipples rendering her utterly useless. Her head dips down as she leans her forehead against the ground, panting heavily, barely able to hold herself up.Between the flurry of kisses peppering the sensitive parts of her neck and the hands roaming her torso, Kimberly can barely even concentrate. Her body is humming all over and she knows she’s just moments from becoming undone.All it would take is just a couple more seconds, but Trini suddenly hisses audibly and her movements slow down. Kimberly notices the wounds she sustained from before had somewhat reopened so she starts to pull back, not wanting to push her any further, but Trini wraps her arms around her waist and grits her teeth.“I’m fine.”“But Trini--”“I said I’m fine.” As if to make a point, Trini raises her thigh up between Kimberly’s legs and the sudden deliberate contact causes Kimberly to buck her hips and intake a sharp breath before crying out softly.“Okay, I get it you-ahh!”The words die in Kimberly’s throat and turn into a series of low, desperate moans. Her hips continue to rock against Trini’s body, and the heat that was growing from before now feels like a wild, unbearable pressure craving release. If they weren’t so dirty from training before, she knows a simple direct touch would yield instant results, but that can’t be helped and in all honesty, rolling her hips against Trini works just as well.Some say that getting off easy can be embarrassing, but Kimberly thinks it can be a useful skill in certain situations.The tension in her body has her brain cranked on overdrive and Kimberly’s losing sight of the room around her. Her eyes are screwed shut as Trini’s lips find her neck and she’s biting again and Kimberly doesn’t know how much more she can take.Her velvety tongue darts out and runs along Kimberly’s skin before nibbling again at the tender areas of her neck. As if her mind can only focus on one thing at a time, Kimberlys thoughts shift abruptly away as she becomes acutely aware of the hands that are cupping her breasts and rubbing her nipples simultaneously and her body absolutely comes alive from her electric touch.And then her brain tries to register every sensation all at once and she knows she’s done for. It’s too much to handle. The intense heat building between her legs pushes past a certain threshold and Kimberly can just feel her body giving out.Her legs start tingling. Her hearing dampens. Moans escape her throat with increasingly rapid frequency. Her body feels so tightly wound and a muted mantra of yes’s tumble from her lips.Kimberly rocks her hips down hard against Trini’s thigh and combined with Trini’s hands and the soft lips on her neck, the pressure all at once releases in a giant, heated eruption. It crashes over her and sends waves upon waves of heated pleasure through her entire body until she feels like she’s drowning in the best way possible. She grabs hold of Trini tightly as if she’d fly away if she dare let go, but Trini keeps her tethered to this world with a firm, secure grasp on her hips.Blood rushes to her head and she can literally feel her heart pounding in her ear like a drum. She continues to rock against Trini to ride it out for as long as she can, her body continuing to feel the rhythmic aftershocks from the intense release.Kimberly’s body shudders as she comes down, her muscles feeling loose and relaxed, and she flops to the ground on her back to lie beside Trini.Their chests heave up and down from the physical exertion and they look downright exhausted, but their faces are glowing with happiness and when Kimberly turns to look at Trini, the latter flashes her a lazy smile.“Wow.”Kimberly exhales deeply and nods in response. “Wow is right.”“So you…?”“Yes,” Kimberly interjects, “I did.”Trini smirks. “Nice.”“Oh shush you.” Kimberly laughs and slaps her playfully on the shoulder.“Pshh, whatever,” Trini scoffs, “you know you love me.”It’s a teasing phrase that they use casually on the daily, but this time Kimberly’s gaze softens and as she stares into Trini’s eyes, she feels everything click into place because life is finally going the way she’s always imagined.“I love you Trini.”Trini leans in close and brushes her lips against her’s.“I love you too.”
11449068	Thats what being a	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Dazai Osamu (Bungou Stray Dogs), Nakahara Chuuya (Bungou Stray Dogs)", "Fandom": "文豪ストレイドッグス \| Bungou Stray Dogs", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by Lyonadono", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-09T00:00:00", "words": "2,182", "Additional Tags": "soukokuweek 2017, birthday fic, Implied Suicide Attempts, Implied Sexual Content, implied self harm depending of your interpretation, Hurt/Comfort", "Relationship": "Dazai Osamu/Nakahara Chuuya (Bungou Stray Dogs)", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	He didn't know why. Really, honestly. And he didn't want to know. Not at all. Why he had fallen back into old habits, old like four years ago, so easily. Why he had found those old, forgotten, cleared thoughts back. Dazai didn't mean anything anymore. Dazai was only a traitor. He had betrayed them. He had betrayed him, betrayed Chuuya. Not that this individual betrayal was anything special. Dazai threw people away like he threw objects away, once used, worn out, definitely damaged. His partner was a tool like any other, he would have never claimed any privilege. Or was it what he kept saying to himself. In order to make the thought more bearable, to forget he had personally suffered from it. First when the doubt surrounding Dazai's disappearance had morphed into certainty. Then, after two years, when his named had appeared again, in conversations, in Yokohama, when it had became sure that the ex-prodigy of Port mafia was still in town, alive, and had decided to come back to the public streets – in the lively streets downtown, not those darker ones surrounding the less visited neighborhood, the one housing the intimidating premises that had welcomed him so often when no one would have done it. Finally, two more years later, when they had eventually faced each other, in the flesh, after four years of dodge. Dazai's face had lost those light round childish shapes from his teenage years, and his eyes part of the cruel sharpness he used to know. So he had let curiosity take over him. Maybe had he really changed ? Maybe had he became someone... better ? And instead of rejecting everything about him as a whole, he had watched him ; he had let himself get caught, a split second too late, by the familiarity that was Dazai's view, that was the way his heart was getting carried away in front of it, imperceptibly for just an instant, never more, but enough for him to know, to know that they were still here, those feelings of affection, of tenderness, mixed with a craving need to touch, to feel, this coldness, this scarred personality. No matter if it was about letting his blood flow between his fingers, or welcoming his intimate touch and pleasured moans – they had experimented with both, in the past, and both were suitable for him. Beyond that, a deeper desire, of loving touches, of lengthy, tender gazes, of stolen kisses in the shadow, had never been satisfied. Chuuya would had even never realized he had it, if such gestures, inappropriate in a relationship like theirs, had not awoken it, to eventually disappoint him every single time, as they were always aborted, quickly dropped. And it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that Dazai could have looked at him this way, such a deep way, seemingly sincere, in those stolen moments. It wasn't fair that he could have made him lost his composure, his defenses so easily, and, eventually, that he could have ended up taking his heart away. It was even less fair that, each time, the young man had turned his dark eyes away, looking like he was recanting, eliciting such harmful questions inside his partner's mind : was it unintentional ? Did he had this same kind of affection too ? Was he trying to stifle those fleeting hopes, because they had no room to be in their relationship, too ? We're really fucked up , his mind concluded as he gently put his cheek against brown locks, a bit more tangled than usual, and tightened his embrace around shoulders maybe a bit skinnier than he remembered them. The bottom of his back was already protesting against this half sitting position, leaning against the wall, on a futon smelling like alcohol, in the middle of empty bottles of sake, open books and other things he did not want to identify more precisely than as some trash. To his feet, used bandages, covered in blood and dirt, the contents of a first-aid kit scattered on not-so-white sheets. Wedged between his arms and knees, the gentle human warmth from Dazai's body, the regular raising of his chest to the rhythm of the deep breathing of someone sleeping. But he was not sleeping. Chuuya knew it. Not when his body was hurting this much. Despite the darkness, he could already see a few dark stains on the spotless white of bandages he had just used, even though he had put a generous amount of it on him. A sigh, like a light snort, crossed his lips."Still, happy birthday... moron." Moron, for hurting yourself so much. Moron, for still only seeing the day of your birth as one more failed year not being able to take your own life. Moron... because I'm still here as if it were something normal. Dazai's back was shaken by a slight shiver – a silent laugh, a surprised shudder, why not even a repressed sob ? Two recently bandaged hands pressed against each of his shoulder blades, as if they were made to fit perfectly together. "Ah, Chuuya, it's really mean to ram it home like that."In any other situation, the tone would have been exaggeratedly whining, and it even sounded like it did take such accent in his mind, as the sound of his voice reached his ears. Instead, the words only felt like a whisper, though. Chuuya did not reply. He slightly moved, trying to lighten the pressure on the bottom of his back that less and less liked having to hold his whole weight, as well as a big part of Dazai's. The fabric of their clothes sliding against each other was the only sound echoing in the room for a moment, as his ex-partner took the opportunity to change his position against him, gently putting his chin against Chuuya's shoulder. The embrace had something strangely familiar. Such a situation had not happened for years. Chuuya sighed. Such thoughts had occupied his mind just a week ago. When they had fallen together on this same futon, a bit inebriated, and their minds especially clouded by the unconquerable desire to rediscover each other's body, even though they had thought they had been weaned from this mutual sensual addiction. He then had the opportunity to make a note about Dazai's address. And he eventually had not been able to resist the need to check on his state, this nineteenth day of June ; he knew the detective could not be fine this very day. He had seen it in the past ; some rare times he had watched a cracking on this perfect mask the boy had always worn in his memories. "That's what being a partner means, too, right ?"Chuuya eventually found himself whispering an answer, long minutes later, the same moment the idea crossed his mind. Some words Dazai liked to repeat, just to see him throw irritated glances and harsh groans. This time, the shiver that ran between the young man's shoulders matched a slight laugh."But we aren't partners anymore, Chuuya", he replied softly, imitating what Chuuya would automatically answer with a voice full of blame.An amused smile forced Chuuya's lips and, before he could think about it, they were nuzzling a few brown locks. The sudden wave of affection that overwhelmed his chest brought him quickly back to reality and he hurriedly reconsidered."Anyway, Chuuya, since you're here, I hope you at least remembered to bring a gift for me."The tone of his voice was more frivolous. It still sounded openly fake though."As if I thought about it", was the sharp reply.Dazai did not need to know he had actually thought about it. The latter straightened up with a pout, his hands folded around the back of his neck to wrap a few locks of hair around the tip of his fingers."You're such an apathetic character", the detective sighed. "Then, I have the right to ask for anything I want by way of compensation."Both men were plunged into darkness. Despite that fact he could discern with certainty the odd sparkle that furtively crossed both chocolate eyes though."You could told me 'I love you' and kiss me, for instance."Every vital organs in Chuuya felt like they just stopped for a whole second as his guts made a 180 degrees rotation. Dazai smiled at him, his features full of an adoration he had never seen on him and which, if he had not already been, paralyzed him entirely."Don't look at me like that, Chuuya. That's what your eyes keep telling me. It would just be formalizing things out loud." No, it would not be. No, his eyes were not telling anything. They could not betray him to that extent, he kept checking. How could Dazai's eyes hold his so calmly after such an aberration ? Why had he came in the first place ? He wanted to leave. He had to leave. He had nothing to do here, they had nothing to do together. The hands that landed against the chest facing him with the aim of pushing him away shook more than he would have wanted. However one of them was grabbed and slightly moved downwards, where it could feel the heart that beat a bit more quickly than usual. Chuuya raised wide, incredulous eyes towards the young man, questioning this silent admission, so far from the Dazai he knew. "Or you can grant me access to your bank account, it would be good with me too."The mafia executive put a bit more distance between them and turned his eyes away, but not trying to pull his hand away. He tried to seize such a generously offered opportunity, but his reply painfully lacked its usual sharpness."Maybe in your dreams.""You earn your living on fencing and money laundering, it's not as if you deserve it anyway. I may as well help you spend it."He could have whispered sweet nothings at the very moment, the tone would have not been much different. All of that was deeply troubling."Tch, it's not as if you hadn't done it for years too.""Hm... So if it's a no for that, is it okay for the rest ?"Dazai had suddenly gotten considerably closer. Chuuya found himself trapped between the wall and those shoulders, larger than his. He could have easily freed himself, he knew it. But he also only had to finish reducing the distance between them to join their lips."Can I at least kiss you ?""What would be the point, anyway ?"The irritation starting to break through his voice was only a way to protect himself. How could Dazai ask him this kind of things so easily ? Their relationship did not work like that. It was only based on denials and unsaid things. Why had he to smash everything to pieces all of sudden ?"I just want it. Please, Chuuya."Something in Chuuya snapped. Dazai never said please. Dazai never asked for permission, besides. He was realizing only now that, maybe, just, maybe, the ex-mafioso's defenses had shattered more than he had thought. Was it only because of this day he openly hated ? Or was it also because of his partner's – ex partner, whatever – presence, who had not thought twice before forcing him to take care of his bloody wounds, cutting off this so confidential moment with his oh so harmful thoughts ?A pair of lips gently pressed on his and he immediately stopped thinking. In the end, Dazai still did not ask him for permission. Unless his whole face had already approved for him. The sweet feeling of warmth quickly disappeared, letting a feeling of incompletion behind, when the detective pulled away to look at him in the eyes. Chuuya quickly put his hands on the back of Dazai's neck to make him get back close to him. He could not bear seeing those eyes with red reflections look at him with so much affection any longer. Neither could he hear his name, repeated in a breath, like he could get addicted to that, any longer. Their lips met again, in a real kiss instead of this first affectionate brush. He let Dazai turn his head gently, slowly open his lips and deepen their embrace as they progressively fell against the futon. Until the young man with brown locks released their lips and suddenly hid his face against his partner's – partner in which way ? - shoulder."Dazai...?""My whole body hurts, Chuuya", was the whining answer.He sighed."It's your fault."From instinct only, he could guess the pout drawing the curve of lips, dangerously close from his neck. The two boys stayed like that, against each other, for a while, silently. Dazai broke the silence again, but as if using a lot of caution."Chuuya...?""Hm ?""Stay until morning ?""You're asking for too much things tonight."Yet he did not move. He did not answer expressly either. Words would not be necessary. He knew, and Dazai knew too, that he would comply and stay. Why would he leave ? He had never been able to, anyway.
11446548	The Captive of	{ "Archive Warning": "Rape/Non-Con", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": null, "Fandom": "D.Gray-man", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Explicit", "author": "by Ketakoshka", "chapters": "8/8", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-09T00:00:00", "words": "5,269", "Additional Tags": "Kidnapping, Rape/Non-con Elements, it gets weirdly sweet, Stockholm Syndrome, Sort of? - Freeform, Voyeurism", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Sennen Hakushaku \| Millennium Earl/Allen Walker, Kanda Yuu/Tyki Mikk", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	The chains that spread him eagle with his face to the floor pull at his ankles and wrists as they fight to keep him suspended above the ground. They're stationed at the four corners of the bed beneath him as it silently mocks his position. Captured by the Millennium Earl and suspended naked above his bed.Allen wants to cry.But he can't, knowing that at any moment his capturer will be here. Here to do something awful, Allen knows it. He knows it.A hand caresses his body softly, drawing him from his reverie, and he turns his head to see the Earl himself. A mocking grin gleams back at him before the hand at his back presses down sharply, causing him to snarl and turn his head back around. "Hello, Allen Walker. How nice to see you here."Allen shivers upon hearing his voice as the hand continues to sweep across his flesh. "Why are you doing this?""Because," the Earl whispers, momentarily pausing to run a glovedfinger down to his ass crack. "I find you irresistible." He tries to flinch away from it as it stops right over his entrance, but to no avail. "Oh, dear child, don't flinch so hard. You might make me do something bad."Despite not really wanting to know, he asks, "like what?""Like this." His head dips down, and his tongue laves over the younger's pucker. Allen squeaks and tries to move away as the wet muscle slides into the delicate folds."Ahh~, you sick bastard. Ahh!" Two fingers worm their way inside, making Allen cry out in pain. They pull apart from one another, stretching him out. "S-stop i-it!""I see you're not enjoying this Allen-kun. I should fix that." The Earl removes his fingers slowly before reaching into a pocket and walking around to the front of the bed. "Swallow it." A little pink pill is held up to his lips that refuse to part. "Now!" Allen reluctantly opens up and swallows, seeing no other option in his predicament. "Good boy. Now wait here until I come back. But before I go, I must ask one question. Do you want me?""No!" Allen shrieks, feeling his face start to flush.The Millennium Earl sighs and starts to walk out. "Try to lose that mentality because I will not rape you." ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- A whining sound fills the room, sharp and shrill. Its owner bites down hard on his front lip, trying his hardest not to cry out for the Earl to make it stop. His fingernails carve into the flesh of his hands, drawing blood and causing his masochistic side to rear its head.His cock stands proudly, red and throbbing. It hurts, having been hard for so long without friction. It seems to dictate his movements, calling for him to struggle more against the binds. To no avail.They're made of special steel, like the ones the Black Order uses to bind exorcists who are marked for execution. Like he'll be most likely if he ever makes it back.Behind him the door opens just as he starts to cry out again. Allen turns his head to see the one who put him in this position. "Mil-lenium Ea-rl, ple-ease make it s-top!" The Noah leader's eyes rake over his frame with lust filled eyes. "Please!""I can't do that or you'll hate me even more than you already do. But I can let you take care of this by yourself." With that he busieshimself with unlatching the cuffs. He moves quickly and efficiently, letting the boy fall to the ground. "You're just as beautiful as Neahwas.""Ne-ah?" The Earl only nods, sitting down with his back to the boy.Allen, as he watches his enemy, feels himself grow impossibly harder and soon finds his hand wrapped around his dick, masturbating to his earlier memories of the first Noah tongue fucking him. His unoccupied hand lends its fingers to his mouth, and he laps at them. When they're wet enough, he slips one inside his entrance and gasps. "Ahh... s-so... ahh!"The Noah turns around just as the boy inserts another finger. The fingers spread apart, showing quite a bit to the gold eyes that darken with lust. They hit their owner's prostate and he lets out a short scream. He pumps himself one last time and cums.When his mind finally comes back fully, he squeaks, grabs the comforter, seeming not to care about the sperm that coats it, and wraps it around his body. "Is there a bathroom I can use?""Yes, come with me. And leave the comforter behind."Allen's face turns a brilliant shade of red as he drops it on the floor before following the older man through a previously unnoticeddoor. The bathroom is huge and warm, making Allen temporarily forget his predicament. A walk in shower with doors made of frosted glass takes up a large portion of the right wall, and a sunken tub that's big enough to fit in at least twenty people sits on the other side. Both are made of smooth tan and brown tiles that blend in well with the cherry wood and reddish-brown walls."You may use any of the facilities that you like. For all purposes, my room is yours until yours is fixed up. You will not leave without an escort. You will not attempt to escape. You will be required to attend family dinners, and you will have to wear something other than your atrocious exorcist uniform. For the time being, until I can get you some decent clothes, you can wear some of mine. They will be rather big but will work. Understood?""Yes, Millennium Earl.""Adam.""What?""In the privacy of my home, you may call me by my true name, Adam. In public, you will call me Millennium, Earl or Millennium Earl. Kay?"Allen nods. "Yes, Adam." ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- He pulls a silver and red, satin Japanese style shirt on over his red undershirt and sighs. "Why do you obsess over the color red, Adam?" Seeing as his captor isn't in the room, he gets no answers.But it does irritate the exorcist that his color choices are only red, white, black, silver and grey in of course effeminate clothing of mainly Japanese style. The style was to be expected as the arc is above Edo, Japan, and the Noahs call this place their home.Strangely, he's begun to feel at home in the newly painted black and white checkerboard walls of his new room. The only thing that unnerves him badly about his new sanctuary is the urge to play the completely white piano that's nestled in the south corner. It calls to him, screaming 'play me, play me.'He only made the mistake of asking why it was there once. The look he'd gotten from the Earl was enough to fill him with guilt, all that pain and sorrow. That night was the only time he'd ever seen, or even heard, the Noah cry. That was the night that his mind started to see the other as human.Sighing and pushing the unpleasant memory away, Allen pulls on his black slacks and shoes before ringing the bell system to tell his caretaker for when the Earl is away that he wants to do something. As always, Tyki shows up right on time with a smile and a deck of cards. "Bored?""Yeah... do you know when Adam will be back?""It's hard to tell. But I don't think he'll be gone long.""Where did he go?""Paris, France.""Ahh, I've always wanted to go there. Is it as beautiful as they say?""More. Perhaps he'll take you one day." Allen nods, a smile creeping up on his face.Suddenly he remembers something. "What's today's date?""June 3rd, why?""Kanda's birthday's in a few days. And he won't have anyone to celebrate it with.""What do you mean?""I'm the only one who knows when it is. I was going to get him something, after all he's the only one that knows when my adoption date is.""Your adoption date?"Allen gives the Noah of Pleasure a sorrow-filled smile. "Christmas Day, that's when Mana took me in." His eyes flash gold, and he sets down. "What's wrong with me? Why didn't anyone want me?"The Millennium Earl smirks as he watches the exorcists beneath him fight the akuma. "Lero, do you think we should bring a present home?""For Allen Lero?""Yeah, he seems awfully lonely without his friends. Especially that Kanda fellow.""Lero I'm sure Allen would love for us to bring the exorcist home!"An evil grin breaks out on the Earl's face. "Oh, Kanda-kun!" ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Allen sighs, dropping his head onto the overly plush pillows. "What's taking you so long, Adam?" A soft yawn comes out of his young mouth as he rolls over onto his side. "Why am I so tired? Perhaps I need to get up and move." He pokes at his belly that still hasn't changed since his imprisonment due to his near constant training with Tyki, Jesdevi and Road despite the fact that he eats more than he ever had before. Another yawn breaks free from his throat as he stands up to go ring the bell.The door slides open to reveal the person he's wanted to see. "Hello, Allen-kun.""Adam!" He jumps into the Earl's outstretched arms and snuggle his face into his body. "What took you so long?""I was getting you a present. Do you like presents?"He nods. "Uh huh... what's my present?""A special surprise...""When will I get it?""When you're dressed and ready to come out of your room."He blushes knowing that he'll want to stay and watch him get dressed... like always... "Do you wish for me to where something specific?""Yes. This!" He cheerfully brings out a black funeral dress that for once looks like it came from someplace other than Japan. "Now put it on, princess!"The boy's eyes narrow at him, but he still complies to the Noah's request silently and pulls his shirt off over his head, flinging it to the ground to be collected by an akuma maid later. He hold out his hand for the dress and slips it on before taking off his sweatpants. The exorcist pulls the skirt of it down to smooth it out before turning to look him in the eye. "How do I look?""Ravishable." Allen turns his head away slightly and looks down even as he comes closer. "I'll never force you, Allen-kun. I don't want you to hate me. I want you to like it here.""I do," he assures reaching out to grasp the Earl's hand, so big compared to his own. "Please don't think that I don't.""Then, please don't be angry with me." Soft lips press against Allen's, and silver eyes flutter shut."Adam..." A soft voice murmurs when he pulls away. "I'm so sorry..."Two pairs of golden eyes meet, and the set coming from the older face widens. "Neah Walker...""Yes, I'm here." He hugs the man whom he once loved more than life despite knowing that the man could kill him at any time. "Please don't hurt Allen. He deserves so much more than the hand he's been dealt. Please love him. Love him like you loved me.""Are you sure that he'd return it?""Yes, he wants to be loved so much, and he has so much love to give. I want you to love him... for me." Another kiss, one so much more passionate is shared before the fourteenth breaks it off. "I have to go. Goodbye, Adam.""Goodbye, Neah..."Gold fades away into the tainted innocent color that Allen's eyes normally are. "Adam, what's wrong?"The Earl's head shakes, and he takes up the smaller's hand. "Nothing. Everything is perfect."Chained to the floor near a long table, Kanda glares up at the collected Noahs. "Where is the Moyashi?!""As if we'd tell you~!" Devit cries, leaning back in his chair."Yeah, yeah!" Jasdero giggles after agreeing with his other half."I can't wait to see his face when he sees his surprise though!" Road giggles in a sadistic fashion, letting everyone know that she knows something she doesn't."What's the giggle for Road?" Tyki asks.Wisely starts dying of laughter and everyone turns to him. "Stay out my head!" Road screams."Seriously, what's so funny?" Lulu Bell asks."He's wearing a dress!" Wisely falls out of his seat still laughing, oblivious to Road's glares."Road, did you give him one of yours?" Sheryl asks."No, she didn't. I bought it for him myself." The heads in the room collectively turn to see the Earl walking with his arm around the white haired boy. "And I even got him to wear it without complaint.""Because complaining's futile. Road would just help you. Wouldn't you?!" He fixes her with a glare before looking over at the astonished Kanda. "BaKanda...""Moyashi! Are you alright?!""It's Allen, or is that too hard for you to remember?! And I'm fine! The Millennium Earl hasn't hurt me.""But he's a Noah!""And he hasn't hurt me!" Allen drops to the ground in front of him with a soft smile and reaches out to touch his hair. "I won't let him hurt you either. I'm glad you're hear so you can meet my new family. Even if some of them are bastards." Wisely, the twins, Tyki and Road look away at his comment. "Can we unlock him if he promises to be good?""Yes.""Will you be promise to be good?""What the hell happened to you?" he asks, concerned for the mental health of the white haired boy."I'd rather not talk about it..." he says after a moment. Wisely reading his thoughts, and consequentially knowing what the Millennium Earl has done before, gets a massive nosebleed. "You deserved it. Now stay out of my head!" He turns back to the other exorcist. "Please promise to be good so I can eventually get you out to play with Road and me. Dress Up Tyki is lots of fun!"The Noah's head slams against the table, and the twins, Road and Allen laugh. "Let's play it again tonight!" the purple haired girl cries. "Then we can do my homework!""Haven't you learned your lesson?" Devit asks."I didn't want your help, you moron. I wanted Allen's help, because he actually has a brain." She turns her gaze to the cowering white haired boy. "Please help me!""No! Earl, save me! I don't want to do her homework!""Then don't. Road please let Allen-kun be his own person for a while.""Okay, Millenie. I'll leave Allen be."Allen smiles over at the exorcist that was transferred into his room. "I'm moving out until yours is built," he says, smiling down at the other."To where.""The Millennium's room. It's where I spent my first two weeks here. He's actually very nice once you get to know him." A knock on the door has Allen standing up. "I need to go. He's waiting for me." As he's just about to open the door, he turns around. "By the way, I think Tyki likes you." ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Allen, with his hands pinned against the bed by the Earl's, sighs with contentment. "I'm ready."The man shakes his head. "No you're not. Trust me..." He kisses the boy sweetly who responds with fiery passion. "Now, let's sleep.""I don't wanna!""You will." He kisses the boy's hair with a great amount of tenderness, before dragging him closer. "Now, do you want me to sing you a lullaby?""No!" He swings a half-hearted punch at the Noah before returning to the task at hand, trying to seduce the older male. He bats his longeyelashes at his captor and bares his slender invitation as his left hand drifts down to the front of the Earl's sleeping pants.Adam's hand captures Allen's, who pouts before giving up and laying back onto the bed. "Go to sleep, Allen-kun." He presses a kiss to the back of Allen's head before snuggling into the boy. Together they promptly fall asleep.Allen blinks up at a moon that hangs mockingly above him, taunting him about the fact that it is free and he is not. A soft sigh escapes hislips, and he trudges to a bench beside the sparkling lake of ice. He looks down upon a figure laying there, a Noah, Neah Walker. "Hello," he murmurs."Hello, Allen." Golden eyes appear from behind grey eyelids, and a smile breaks out lazily on his face. He moves up into a sitting position and pats the seat beside him.Allen, taking that as a cue, sits down with his hands twisted nervously in his lap. "Uncle Neah... do you love Adam?"Neah's eyes open in surprise. "How did you know?""I could feel it from you, longing. You wish that you were the one captured. Right?"He nods. "Sometimes, but you need him more. You didn't spoil your chance to be with him like I did." He runs a gray hand through his ebony locks with a soft sigh. "I want you to be happy with him. I want you to be happy in this family, forever.""Will there be a forever?""If Adam has his say, there will be.""He loved you very much, didn't he?""Yes, he did. And I loved him back." Neah reaches over to touch the boy's cheek with a tender sweetness, like a mother to a child. "Now goback, nephew, and be happy. You deserve it.""But what about you?" Allen asks."As long as you are happy, I'll be happy."Allen's eyes snap open, and a shiver racks his body. He's alone in the bed, Adam having left an hour earlier than usual. "Where are you when I want to tell you something?" He buries his nose into the fabric of Adams pillow and whispers. "I love you." He lays there for a few more minutes staring at the wall and taking in the scent of the Millennium Earl. "Do you love me too?"Outside Adam walks with Lero, just thinking about how much Neah and now Allen means to him. "I know I should be more careful with my heart, Lero. But i just can't help myself anymore... I love him.""Then tell him Lero!""I can't.""You'll have to one day. Lero or he won't be able to love you back." ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- "Kanda-chan!" Kanda growls low in his throat at the approaching Noah, hoping that she will go away. Road giggles loudly in response before bouncing onto him."What do you want?""Uncle Tyki wants to see you!""So?"She gives him an 'are you serious look?' and pushes him towards the direction she came from. "Go to him! I have to find Allen so Uncle Tyki can play poker with him!" Kanda growls again but does as the little Noah asks, trudging toward Tyki's room.Allen's reclining in the garden, tracing delicate patterns into the flower petals and singing under his breath when Road finds him. Instead of interrupting his beautiful song, she waits to the end. By the time it's finishes, Allen's silver pools have turned to grace her. "What's up, Road?""Uncle Tyki wants to see you... and Kanda." Allen giggles at her tone of voice knowing that the Noah of Pleasure has a thing for the samurai."Oh, is he planning on seducing, Kanda?I hope not with us watching." She laughs and reaches out a hand to help him stand."Hello, Kanda. Pleasure to see you.""Che." The dark haired exorcist sits down across from the Noah with a growl, hoping that Road and Allen will arrive quickly. "Whatever you think, Noah."A grin alights upon said Noah's face, and he stands up smoothly. A worried line shows up on Kanda's face as the Noah comes to stand beside him. Hands grip his hair and push his face toward Tyki's as his lips descend onto Kanda's.Kanda's eyes open wide as he tries to get away from the Noah who's tongue rubs against his lips, asking for entry. Eventually he succumbs. Opening his mouth for the offending muscle to plunder. Their tongues tangle in a carnal dance until Kanda breaks away to breathe."Good show!" The two men look over at the newcomers, Allen and Road who chuckle at their misfortune at being caught. "That doesn't hold a candle to when Allen and Millennie kiss though."Allen's eyes grow wide as he turns to look at Road. "You've watched us?""Only kissing," she says defensively."That's all we've done! Because he's a goddamned prude and won't take me!""More information than I wanted to know, Shounen."Allen blushes at Tyki's comment, looking every bit like an embarrassed snow angel. "Do you know when the Earl will come home?""No. He left without a word," Tyki answers. "He didn't even say where he was going." Allen's face falls, and he fiddles with a ring that the others finally notice. But only two of them know what it is."Neah's?"Huh?" He gives Road a confused look."The ring. It was Neah's, right?" Allen nods. "Good." Her smile is sorrowful. "It's about time someone wears it... Millennie loves you so much.""I know."To bring the teens out of their depression, Tyki speaks up. "So Shounen. Are you ready to lose?"Just as Tyki suspected, Allen's need to win overtakes the sorrow from both himself and the fourteenth. "You wish.""Straight Flush," Tyki says victoriously despite the fact that he's in his silk boxers.Allen chuckles. "Royal. Straight. Flush." A dark evil chuckle comes from his mouth as the male Noah gets a look of horror on his face. "Yes, you have to."Just as his fingers grip the waistband, a knock sounds at the door. "Tyki-pon! Is Allen-kun in there with you?""Adam!" In his excitement, the white haired teen forgets to call Adam by his title. He scrambles out of his seat and jumps into the Earl's arms. "I've missed you! Where did you go~?"Adam laughs and kisses the boy on his forehead. "I missed you too." He presses the next kiss to his lips without deepening it. "I was in England, getting you yet another present.""What?""An engagement ring of sorts to go with Neah's.""Really?""Really. I love you, Allen-kun."Allen blushes. 'This is my chance!' But he stammers as he says, "I love you too, Adam."Everyone looks at the boy with astonishment at his proclamation as he just smiles. Then his eyes widen before his nails sink into the first Noah's flesh and he lets out a blood curdling scream. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- A shriek makes its way out of Allen's mouth, long, loud and pain- filled. His fingernails rip through the silk sheets like they were made of spider webs ad he arches his back to draw himself away from the pain. Tears stream down his face in thick rivulets, even as he sleeps: remembering all of the pain he's had to endure.The verbal and physical abuse before being adopted by Mana. The pain of losing his, then, only shot at happiness. The pain of the beatings that Cross's debts lent to him. Losing his first friend and his older sister. Cross's brand of training. Watching the akuma explode. Losing his left arm. It goes on for hours as the boy's screams escalate in frequency and pain; they serve to drive the Earl mad.He, Kanda and the other Noah watch over him, trying every trick they have to help him. However despite they're best efforts, Allen still screams until he loses his voice.His skin turns gray then to black and back to pale peach before starting the cycle over again. Blood runs down his forehead from the crosses that etch themselves into it, mingling with the blood from his bleeding curse scar. His new fang-like incisors bite into his lip, letting the red fluid flow from those wounds as well. His innocence flashes brightly as it tries to ward off the Noah genes. By the time it stops its glow, Allen's screams have stopped as well."Allen-kun?" The boy's eyes open slowly, gold against gray skin. A weak smile graces his lips as he looks up at the man he loves."Hello, Millennium... Our Adam...""Neah?""Yes, I'm still here. My nephew and I will be here forever..." ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Why is it that when you have nothing, you unconsciously cling to something that makes you feel whole, even if it is worse for you?" Allen smiles underneath Adam as he spreads his pale legs for the man. "Take me," he murmurs, silver eyes darkening with lust. "Take me now.""Why should I?" Adam runs his hand down the new Noah of Destruction's body, eliciting a loud keening whine from the boy."Because... ahh, I want it!" Adam smirks down at him and descends upon the boy's neck, sucking and biting at the sensitive flesh. "Ahh! Adam!" Allen's breathing gets very ragged as he tilts back his head to allow greater access. "M-more," the boy whispers as a free arm slips around the older male's neck and pulls him down for a kiss.Their tongues tangle in a desperate fight for dominance that Allen quickly loses and as they part, it leaves the younger male panting underneath Adam. "You're just too sexy, you know that?" Adam murmurs. "Much too sexy to belong to someone like me.""But I do," Allen purrs, only to have that turned into a loud moan when the elder's hand gropes him roughly. "Adam!" He bucks up into the other's touch, face flushing in pleasure. "Ahh! A-Adam, ple-ease! M-more!""Are you sure?" Another grope and a tweak of his right nipple accompany the question."Y-yes!""Then help me out." Allen nods and fumbles with the buttons on his clothes, trying his hardest to tear them off his fragile body. Adam snickers at his attempts only to get slugged halfheartedly."Stop laughing and help me!""Nah, I like watching you struggle." His breath hitches when Allen growls and presses a hand to the front of his pants. "You're treading dangerously, Allen.""Who said Allen's the one doing this now?" Gold eyes stare up at the first Noah and a pink tongue wets his lips. "He's not the one to be so forward, Adam.""Neah!"Slight fangs show in the Fourteenth's mouth as he flips the duo over and helps Allen along, throwing his clothes over his shoulder. "What would you prefer, Adam?" He leans down to suck at the other male's neck just below the jawline."Prefer what?""Would you prefer to take Allen now, or to be taken by me?" His hand slips into the Earl's pants and caresses him lightly, teasingly."I-i don't care!""You don't care?" Neah teases, pumping just a little bit harder. "I guess I can wait. After all, Allen's been waiting for quite some time. He needs these experiences, just like I did. Do you remember that night?""Ahh!" Neah's finger rubs right at his slit as he opens his mouth to speak. "I-i do. I re-member all of the t-times we... Ahh!- were together.""Good, 'cause I made Allen watch them all."Outside the door, the Noah and Kanda (not by his own will) are gathered together to listen to this momentous occasion. Kanda's the only one who looks beyond disturbed when they hear what Neah has done to little innocent Allen. Then they all hear, "You what?! Nyaah~! Get your finger out of my ass!" coming from the Millennium Earl."I wonder what's going to happen next," Road says, trying to get closer to the door.Neah surrenders control to Allen before he even removes his middle finger from Adam's entrance. "Eek!" he squeaks and removes it as fast as he can, stumbling backwards. "I can't believe that Neah used to top you."The panting male beneath the white haired teen sighs. "So he showed you all of my embarrassment at his hands. Ne?""Yeah..."Adam smirks. "I think revenge is in order." And he jumps onto Allen."It's getting good..." Lulubell murmurs."A-Adam... W-what are you doing?""I'm getting revenge." He flips Allen onto his hands and knees and in a repeat of the day Allen first became a captive, laps at the boy's entrance."A-Adam! Mmm..." His tongue pushes inside making the boy squeal, and his hand wraps around Allen's dick, stroking roughly. "Nya~! Ahh... Adam~. More~!" The man smirks again and rummages around in his nightstand with his free hand for lube. As soon as he finds it, he slicks up three fingers before pushing one inside."It's getting intense in there," Tyki comments. "Does anyone else want to see?"A second and then third are added quickly due to the pleading of Allen. "I w-want you in me, Adam. N-now!""Are you so sure?""Now!" He slugs the man behind him, having gotten more violent since awakening Neah's powers."Alright, alright.""Are they seriously fighting again?" Sheryl complains."Ahh! Mnnn..." Allen arches his back when Adam enters him. At first they start off slow, like most people would in order to savor the moment, until Allen complains that it's too gentle. "I'm not fragile!""Fine, if that's the way you want it." The force behind Adam's next thrust cracks the wall behind the bed and brings a scream from Allen's throat."Oh, god, yes!" His arms struggle to hold him up even as he moves back to meet each thrust, beyond happy to finally get what he's wanted. "Faster, Adam!" The Earl complies bringing more harsh cries from his lover.It's too good to last long and before they even know it, they're screaming (in Allen's case, sighing in Adam's) their release to the sky."Can you please let me go?!" Kanda shrieks. "They're done! I don't need to be a part of this pervy eavesdropping group anymore!""Shh... They'll hear you," Jasdero whispers, only to squeak when the door opens to reveal an extremely disheveled and pissed off Adam."They were listening!" Allen's screech has everyone looking around Adam to see the boy wrapped up in the blankets and blushing a furious red. "Even Kanda!""I didn't want to! Tyki and I are handcuffed together courtesy of Road!""Hehe! I'm going to run now!" The purple haired girl is followed by everyone except Wisely."I'm glad you got what you wanted, Allen," he says before turning away.Adam closes the door and sighs, looking over at his younger lover. "I can't believe them," Allen says, burying his face into the pillows. "I can't believe that they'd listen to us!""Honestly, it's not the first time." Adam sits on the edge of the bed with his back to Allen. Taking the cue, Allen moves behind him and wraps his mismatched arms around his shoulders. "I need to talk to you.""Okay?""You don't want your friends to die, right?""Right.""I've arranged for a peace conference with the Black Order so you don't have to fight them."You'd do that for me?""Of course. I love you." "Perhaps what I thought would be the worst possible thing that could happen to me was what I needed. Would I have ever been loved the way I am now? I do not know, but I don't think I could go back. "I don't want to go back."
11435994	things come out of the	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Derek \"Nursey\" Nurse, William \"Dex\" Poindexter", "Fandom": "Check Please! (Webcomic)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by aroceu", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-07T00:00:00", "words": "1,613", "Additional Tags": "Pre-Slash, Pining, Episode Tag, Anxiety Attacks, Anxiety Disorder", "Relationship": "Derek \"Nursey\" Nurse/William \"Dex\" Poindexter", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": "July 2017 Advent Calendar", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	The coin still stood in the crack of the floorboards. Dex had sat down in front of it - Lardo had left the room with an, "ugh, this isn't worth my time, be out of my room when I get back" - and Derek knew that sharing a room with Dex wouldn't be terrible - especially if Dex moved out since he was so uptight, truthfully - but making fun of him got old two minutes ago when Derek was joking about Dex moving out by September and Dex saying nothing."Dude," Derek said, peering around to look him in the face. "It's not going to be that bad, you know? I'm a pretty good roommate, if I do say so myself - ""I don't care," Dex bit out, not looking up. "I like my space. I don't want to share a room with you. Not you, not Chowder, not anyone.""Well I mean, I'd understand not wanting to room with Chowder," Derek said, trying to chuckle. "C'mon man, haven't you had a roommate before - ""I haven't had a roommate like you. Who I - " Dex shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Why aren't re-flips allowed?"Derek tried to pretend that the comment didn't sting, staring at the angry flush on Dex's freckled cheeks as he continued to stare at the coin. Everything suddenly seemed very far away - and Derek knew why, knew all the reasons behind why he glanced at Dex in the locker rooms sometimes when he wasn't looking, couldn't think of anything else to say except weird insults and only half-hated the way Dex seemed to think he worked harder than everyone else - but it was real now, the way Dex wouldn't look at him, didn't want to be in the same room as him for an entire month.And a part of Derek did think Dex wouldn't be able to handle it, just give up and move out after a month or so next year, but - that was still hard to deal with when Derek didn't mind, when he just wanted to -Tightness enclosed over his chest. It didn't feel like his body when he heard his voice speak, "Okay, well, uh, I'm going to head back to my dorm." Like was on autopilot, he trotted out of the Haus, said goodbye to Bitty and Lardo ("is Dex still in there?") and made his way back to campus.Derek didn't really try to get dibs, but he did help Lardo and he did know that he deserved it and it would be - Derek wasn't going to give that up, because a crush was nothing to interfere with living space, especially a crush on Dex. Jack and Bitty seemed so happy - Lardo and Shitty when he visited seemed so happy - and Derek didn't know why his chest burned for someone who argued with him all the time, even though Dex would still sit next to him on the bus and be a good d-man during games. But he didn't want to live with him, and the harder Derek thought about it the more panic it gave him. What was wrong with him? What was wrong with living with him? And why did Derek have to have these stupid feelings, anyway, because if he didn't care everything would be easier and he could just laugh in Dex's face and sit with Chowder on the bus or something.He was pacing down campus, not realizing how fast he was walking until he approached the park. Derek liked the park; in Manhattan he was always scoping out the greener areas. It never really felt like the city when he was there, but like an isle inside a city, of green and something fresh. Nature had always had that calming effect, and as he could feel the dark thoughts and gripping sensation rise inside his chest, Derek made his way through the park, focusing on his feet and breathing and realizing he was more affected by this than he thought.It was just Dex - and Derek didn't care, except he did. He did like making fun of Chowder's shits on the bus with Dex, discussing bogus plays of other teams, arguing about petty bullshit like the best way to wash bedsheets or the best flavor of pie. ("There is no best flavor, gentlemen," Bitty always said.)And yeah, okay, sure, sometimes Derek fantasized about, like, telling Dex how he felt, or just forgoing the whole talking part and kissing him or whatever, tucking his fingers behind his neck, rubbing his thumbs against his freckles. So what.So what. Derek's breathing was getting shallower and all he wanted to do was fucking scream. There was a forest at the edge of the park - and Derek knew this, having come here a few times before, after the first time he scoped out campus during orientation and saw how isolated the forest was. It was better than the green oases of Manhattan or scattered across campus - it was completely sheltered by trees, practically dead quiet, and the inescapable feelings in Derek's chest were too much for him to handle around other people right now.He took a deep breath, and then belted out into the trees as loud as he could. Just fucking screamed, because Dex was being stupid, and he was being stupid, and why couldn't they all just calm down and get along and live together and have it be no big deal? Why did Derek's stomach have to sink, why did he have to care, why did everything feel like it was closing in on him? He yelled and yelled into the forest, as hard as he could, nothing but a stream of sound out of his mouth, out of his chest, like it was being punched out of him. Like he was deflating until his mind was blissfully empty."Okay," he said, kind of hoarsely, when he was done yelling. The birds, of course, had flocked off, and Derek felt a little ridiculous, but it always worked. His heart was back to its normal rate, his mind felt less fuzzy, and Dex - well, what he felt for Dex was still there, but he could cope with it as much as he could. As much as he'd been doing as of now. It was fine.He made his way back to his dorm and decided to do homework - that didn't require any thinking about feelings, just thinking about things that had nothing to do with ginger teammates. His roommate asked him if he'd come down with a cold when he heard Derek's slightly raspy voice, and Derek laughed and said that he'd just swallowed something down the wrong way.He liked being calm. If he had to find his way to do so, he would. Even if that meant screaming at greenery for twenty minutes.The rest of the evening was mildly uneventful, despite that Lardo texted him, dude dex's still here can u come and get him? Derek ignored her; it would have consequences, one day, but if Dex was going to be a baby about this - there was nothing Derek could do. His chest seized up briefly, but he exhaled through his nose because it wasn't like before, with the anxiety attack, like falling into a hole and calling for help with no response. It was just a crush.*And then Derek was getting ready for bed when there was a knock at his dorm door. It was past midnight, and Derek was reading on his bed. "It's open," he called, because his roommate had gone out with some friends and might've left his key inside or something.But when the door opened, Derek was surprised to see Dex shuffling in, looking vaguely tired. Derek was suddenly aware that he was in his pajamas, and put his book down. "Hi?" he said.Dex shifted from foot to foot, and then eyed a spot sideways on the ground instead of looking at Derek. "I realize that my reaction earlier was, um," he said.Derek said, "Did Lardo put you up to this?""No!" Dex said immediately. "I'm trying to - ugh, look, I asked Lardo and Bitty and even called Shitty about the dibs thing and they said that they don't do re-flips, and I guess it wouldn't be terrible to have a lower rent with - basically," he tried to look at Derek, "I'm saying it couldn't be that bad."This was as close to an apology Derek was going to get, he knew. Still, he said, "So you're not gonna move out in September?""I'm not a quitter." Dex huffed out of his nose.Derek laughed anyway. "It won't be that bad, rooming with me," he said, trying to ignore how much he really was looking forward to it. "And look, at least we both got dibs - ""You did deserve yours," Dex said begrudgingly. "This doesn't mean anything, though - I only found your dorm 'cause I asked around, I didn't want you to think - ""Whatever you didn't want me to think, I probably already though tit." Derek rolled his eyes. At Dex's alarmed expression, he added, "Seriously. It's whatever.""It's whatever?" Dex said hesitantly.What Derek really wanted to do was tug Dex down and kiss him. What he did instead was extend his hand and shrug."We're gonna have to be roommates for at least a week," he said. "So - ""More than a week," Dex insisted, taking his hand and shaking it.Derek looked determinedly at Dex's eyes, and nowhere lower. "Sure," he said, and made himself think of shiny green grass, the isolationism of the trees, what his knuckles might look against Dex's cheek. "Whatever you say."
11462073	A Deer in Headlights	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "F/F", "Characters": "Meryl Silverburgh, Sniper Wolf", "Fandom": "Metal Gear", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Mature", "author": "by orphan_account", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-10T00:00:00", "words": "1,688", "Additional Tags": "uhh theres showering, and being gay, Pre-Game(s), doesnt get super explicit But, youve been warned, Possessiveness", "Relationship": "Meryl Silverburgh/Sniper Wolf", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Meryl wasn’t surprised when Sniper Wolf entered her cell. Despite her isolation, her hallway was a busy one. High profile prisoners, high profile guards, even the occasional FOXHOUND member. So to have Sniper Wolf, with her hard blue eyes and green lips, holding her rifle, sit down and appraise her was not the most unusual thing she had seen here as a prisoner. She wasn’t much of a conversationalist, and Meryl, as a rule, didn’t like to speak to her captors, but when she stood up, Meryl wanted to follow. “How long have you been here now, a year?” Wolf asked. Meryl glared at her. “Maybe two.” she laughed, a private and insidious thing. “Come with me.” “Where.” she broke her oath of silence, not asking the question so much as demanding an answer, staring down the woman at the doorway. In response, Sniper Wolf seemed to look her up and down, opposite of Meryl’s trained focus on her eyes. She felt vulnerable, more vulnerable than she had ever been in this compound. “Would you like to shower?” Her heart skipped a beat. God, yes, she would love to shower. Her hair was a greasy mess and her skin felt like it caked in dust, like she was slowly becoming her room. Meryl got off her cot and stood up, still waiting for Sniper Wolf to gun her down. She unlocked the door and held it open, letting Meryl tentatively step through. A cold chill ran down her spine, if there was a time to escape, it was now, but Wolf’s hand on her lower back reminded her she’d be dead in an instant if she tried to flee. “This way.” she whispered into her ear, an unnecessary movement to unsettle Meryl further, she thought as she was led down a few hallways, never passing any windows, or any guards. “Where are your men?” Meryl asked as they passed a long hallway opening, with a railing at the end, on the second story. “Minding their business.” She said, again, a little too close again, now with the tip of her gun pressed flush against her spine. Meryl nodded as they entered a shower room, mirrors on the end of the room, and shower heads installed in the ceiling. She sighed when she realized Sniper Wolf would have her gun trained on her the entire time, and stripped unceremoniously, albeit nervously. “How long have you uh, I guess worked here?” Meryl said, forgoing the last shred of dignity and self protecting behavior she had left. Sniper Wolf sat on a wooden bench, two shower heads down, one leg propped up. “Now you want to talk?” Meryl looked over her shoulder as she squeaked the water on. She made eye contact with Wolf and immediately turned back, noticing their reflection in the mirror. It was humiliating, standing naked, with a rifle pointed at her ass, even more so that the woman holding the gun could see her face as she realized this. “Maybe seven years, I lost track.” she said. “There’s too much interesting to do to think about dates and years.” “Not even birthdays?” she didn’t know why she said that. She didn’t know why she didn’t just shut up and rinse her hair. Meryl hadn’t realized Wolf had got up until there was a bar of soap on the bench next to her. She stepped out of the hot water and shivered, grabbing the bar quickly and rubbing it into her scalp. Wolf snickered and returned to where she had sat, the sound of water raining down onto the cement floor a roar, blocking out the thought that there was much else in the world besides this room. Meryl scrubbed her legs, wondering exactly how long she had been here- her legs hairier that she’d usually like. If she had shaved in the week before she left, which she usually did, then she had been a prisoner for longer than she thought. “You’re interesting.” Wolf said. Meryl bit her lip, lucky that the mirror had fogged up. She could stand for more human interaction, “How so?” “You are very- headstrong.” Meryl laughed, “Do you mean that as a compliment? Cause usually it’s not.” She had been told that since she was very young, never as a nicety. “You haven’t caved in, despite not knowing anything about your circumstance, and you didn’t refuse being so exposed.” She explained. “Yeah, well, I’m just about as exposed as normal around here, clothing or not.” She said, cranking the water off. She turned around, coming face to face with the woman. In a split second Meryl realized she could be dead come another split second. She instinctively stepped back, hitting the slippery bench with the back of her calf and colliding with it, ass-first. “Jesus!” she coughed, Wolf standing over her now. Maybe she was more powerless here than in her cell. At least on the cot, she could wear her steel toed boots. What a small comfort. Wolf had this look in her eyes, like she was honing in on a kill, watching Meryl breathe harshly, squirming, but unable to move in the danger, like a deer in headlights. It wasn’t hard to tell what would happen next. Meryl was going to die. She was going to have her head broken into a hundred little pieces, brain matter and blood splattered over the mirror, naked body limp and dead. Her heart was racing. Sniper Wolf’s hand cupped her cheek, thumb running back and forth over her cheekbone. She stepped forward, Meryl’s legs between hers, and played with her wet hair, watching as water dripped from her chin. “What are you doing?” Meryl breathed, the barrel of the gun just barely touching her leg. She shivered as Wolf’s hair brushed against her collarbone, again trying to stare down the sniper, without much use. “You would have died without me.” Wolf said, blue eyes shimmering, like she was regaling her pride, “They would have tortured you, cut you open, but you were left alone. Did you know that?” She didn’t know that. “You would have been electrocuted first,” Wolf whispered, her voice low and husky, “And this,” she ran her fingers through her hair again, “They shave the women prisoner’s hair.” Meryl shivered as Wolf leaned down, her lips almost touching the skin next to her ear, hot breath overwhelming, “But you are too beautiful for that. I said I wanted you to myself; they complied.” “What-” she shook, “What are you going to do to me?” Wolf’s hand fell from her hair to her neck, tracing the curve of her shoulders, then her collarbone. Meryl tried to look away as she slid down her waist. “What do you want me to do to you?” “What?” She sputtered. There was no one in this room, no one outside of it that she had seen, possibly no one even left at Shadow Moses. Was there anyone in the entire world? “You-” “Your freckles are endearing.” Meryl laughed nervously, “My mother always said they were ugly.” Something fierce came across Wolf’s face. “I wore a lot of sunscreen as a kid.” she tried again. Wolf’s hand rose and gripped her jaw, making Meryl’s mouth open slightly. She was staring at her lips, she knew, and it was hard to not feel uncomfortable in her grasp, slightly cold, still dripping wet, and under the most dangerous person alive’s grasp. In some distant corner of her mind, she was enjoying this. “You are cute.” she said, the words innocuous but her voice not. Meryl had an idea, a dangerous idea, “How?” Wolf blinked, for a moment almost shocked. Then she smiled. She pressed a kiss to Meryl’s temple, leaving a small green stain. “The curve of your jaw,” she murmured, kissing her there, then down to the crook of her neck, Meryl sucking in air through her teeth. “Your shoulders are broad for a woman.” “Good thing or bad thing?” Meryl smiled, trying to ease into the situation, despite her heart still going a million miles an hour. “Perfect thing.” she replied, obviously enjoying this too. Her breath hitched as Wolf kissed the top of her breast, her hands going straight for her hair. She tugged and Wolf gave a soft moan into the base of her hipbone, dangerously close to where Meryl was hoping she’d go. “What else?” she asked, “Why was I beautiful enough to save?” She looked down at Wolf, who had knelt in front of her. She touched the inside of her thighs and Meryl opened, breath shaking. “What else?” Wolf said, looking up from between her legs. Meryl’s abdomen was tight, her face red hot, her clit just as warm. “No man will ever appreciate you, not the way I do.” God, alright. “No one?” she whispered as Wolf kissed the inside of her thigh, up and up and up. Her blue eyes were unwavering, heavy and deep. Maybe it was lust they were full of, but Meryl could pretend it was infatuation. In all the things she was trained for, no one had ever mentioned she might have to prepare for this. “You are above men,” she nodded as Wolf sucked on her skin, then kissed it before leaning back. “You respect them, but they don’t respect you. I respect you.” Meryl wanted to pull on her hair and fix her problems. Maybe if she came hard enough, she’d forget her job, and could live in peace with this woman. She wouldn’t be a good FOXHOUND member, she didn’t think so, but she could fall in love with her, easily. It wouldn’t be bad, not terrible, to have Sniper Wolf and her ridiculously soft lips whenever she’d like. And it wouldn’t be terrible to see her naked either, or to do something about the heat between her legs. She recollected herself as best she could. She didn’t want to forget. But she could put her thoughts away for a little bit. “You do more than respect me, though.” Wolf laughed, she could feel her breath on her skin. “Yes, I do.”
11478366	Tyl Regors Terrible	{ "Archive Warning": null, "Category": "Other", "Characters": "Tyl Regor, OC - Character, Reader, Grineer, Clem", "Fandom": "Warframe", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Explicit", "author": "by orphan_account", "chapters": "3/?", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-12T00:00:00", "words": "7,612", "Additional Tags": "Warframe - Freeform, NSFW, nsfl, this aint even done yet and its boutta get bad", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Tyl Regor/Reader, Jerry/Making You Gut Your Eyes Out", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": "Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death", "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	It is about 8:00 PM, Tenno Time. You have already eaten your dinner, brushed your teeth, and put on your sweet Excalibur onesie. Ordis reminds you about something involving the Orbiter’s power core preparing to explode or something, but you merely wave your hand at him, telling him to deal with it himself while you’re too busy preparing to play Clem: A Man of Many Feelings. Picking up your controller, you continued where you left off last time, during a date with your dear beloved, Clem. You press a few buttons, giving your date some flowers. Clem blushes, letting out a cheerful little “Clem!” as your fictional date simmers down. You slowly blink your eyes, staring intently at the holographic screen. Knowing that you have been playing this game for many weeks now, you’ve grown slightly delusional, seeing this fictional Clem as your boyfriend of sorts. No, not a “boyfriend”, nor even a “friend” really, after what you have done with his Twin Grakatas the last time you assisted him in getting Darvo some more goods. But rather, he was like a “waifu” of sorts. It was almost ritualistic for you to hop into your transference chair, turn on the game console, and visit your dearest Clem. After many, many weeks of grinding both in-game and outside of the game through micro-transactions, you were prepared to truly finish the game, with the best ending, which had already cost you 1.5 million credits thus far in multiple past attempts. Inside of your inventory was the in-game money to pay for your date, various dating tips you received from Darvo and the like in-game, and… the golden Grakata, something no man, woman, or otherwise would ever say no to.However, as you settled down comfortably to enjoy your rather delightful and immersive date with Clem, you receive a rather loud and obnoxious message, from a Tenno by the name of “Xx_SwagMaster69_xX”. The message simply said “[Equinox]”, hyperlinked to display the Market entry containing the data for the Equinox Warframe, and you receive another message: “Come on, dude! I gotta have her! She’s LITERALLY my wife and I need her! Please, please, pretty please?!”God… fucking damn it, you scream internally.“Fine, Jerry,” you groan, pausing the game to create a save state and suspend the game for the time being. Your not-so-best friend, Jerry, has been nagging for you to help him farm Tyl Regor for Equinox parts. Why he doesn’t just do it himself is beyond you, as this guy’s not just not a noobie, but he’s a Founder, constantly emblazoned in his Excalibur Prime in every mission. Besides, you have far more better things to do; your Kubrow needs tending to, and that creepy infested room is getting creepier by the moment. Gotta do something about that. Plus, isn’t Jerry’s loaded in platinum after you gave him a $50 gift card to shut him up? Why doesn’t he just buy his own? Well, storytelling, my friend. Sit tight, it’ll be a while.Donning your Warframe and equipping your weaponry, you and Jerry send yourselves off to Uranus. It’s dark, it’s wet, it’s hotter than the Void, and worst of all, it smells like shit, so much so that you could smell it through Transference. Like Jerry always has, he’s in his ever so edgy black-and-red Excalibur Prime, ugly enough to make you tear out your eyeballs. Keep in mind, my dearest reader, you have to deal with him for a whole eight times… at least. You take a moment to check the Warframe Wikia in hopes that the grind wouldn’t be so bad… until you see a big fat “52” for the number of average runs. You groan some more from within your Warframe, tired of dealing with this annoying neanderthal of a guy. Oh, what you could give to be in those big, muscular, caring arms of Clem’s right about now, dozing off into a night of good sleep...Taking out your primary weapon, the two of you descend into the depths of the Grineer sea-labs. Grineer troops of various shapes and sizes scream Grineer drivel at your faces, but you make a rather quick work out of them using your arsenal. While it appears that they die fast, it’s more like you are the one killing everything while Jerry is too busy scanning things to not give a damn. “Jerry, come on,” you tell him, reminding him that the two of you have a mission to complete and you want in and out of this hell as soon as you possibly can. But Jerry cannot hear you, for Jerry still does not give a shit. You scream in agony from your Transference Room. He scans a common Grineer storage crate.Following the corridors to the next room, you see that it has caved in, with water flooding from above. You bullet jump across the hole, easily making your way to the other side. Jerry, unknowing about the new movement system, fumbles around, jumping from platform to platform and constantly falling in. “Jerry, you’re supposed to bullet jump,” you remind him. He does not know what a bullet jump is, and is too insistent upon knowing what he is doing for you to help him. You continue on through the corridor, reaching another lab room. The echos of your “friend” still failing in their endeavor of reaching the other side could be heard from where you are at. You take your secondary weapon out and finish off the rest of the Grineer in the room. Jerry has yet to return from his troubles. You sigh in relief, sitting yourself down on the brutish floor panel so that you could take a break from your Warframe to rub your face in frustration another time, your hands taking a rather harsh grip upon your head. Next to your Warframe is a chunk of Gallium. With your melee weapon, you smash it open, and receive a single bar of Gallium. While you take this small moment of solace, Jerry soon quickly returns. “Hey, dude! Check out what learned!” he yells to you, showing you… how to bullet jump. “Really cool, huh?”You nod in agreement, although in your mind you can’t help but scream yet again.The next room that you are lead to is a small dead end. Water surrounds both you and Jerry, which may allow you to use your Archwing. Despite praying to every single deity you could possibly think of, Jerry decides to take a dive into the water. He gets stuck underneath the Grineer platform and cries for help. You cannot do anything, not just because you don’t have the power to, but simply because you couldn’t possibly care about him at this point. Getting the mission done and extracting was your biggest goal. You could’ve finally been free from Jerry’s reign of terror upon you… had it not been for the in-UI chat. “Dude! DUDE, COME ON!” Jerry screams at you. You take a deep breath, and send to him “./unstuck”, with a period in the front so that it wouldn’t execute the ‘unstuck’ command for you. It is no use, however, for Jerry just spams “./unstuck” with the period anyway, leaving him trapped, submerged underneath the water.Eventually, while you are making your way through the next lab corridor, Jerry is charging right behind you, scanner in hand and scanning practically anything and everything that can be scanned. “Why don't you get yourself a Helios?” you ask him. He tells you that he needs Carrier’s Vacuum. You remind him of the Vacuum Within, and that all sentinels can use Vacuum now. Jerry, however, doesn't believe you, as he is under the notion that DE still doesn't listen to their player base. You grumble under your breath something about how you wish to strangle Jerry’s lifeless body until he could no longer be discerned as an actual human being. Jerry scans a Drekar Butcher that is attacking him.As you and your Founder friend descend further into the depths of the Grineer sea-labs, it becomes even more of a challenge for you to deal with him. He continues to whine about the game’s current state, and about how you keep getting more kills than he is, while he is waving around his unmodded Skana Prime. His complaints embedded themselves into your mind, giving you quite the migraine.You approach upon a room that preludes the one for the boss fight. It is a large, sprawling area filled to the brim with Grineer bio-pods, filled with living embryos of potential future marines that you or your brethren will no doubt slaughter easily like the cannon fodder they are. There were few scientists and Grineer guards inside of the lab, which you had swiftly ripped the lives out of their very bodies in little time, forcing the lab into a nigh silence, had it not been for the creaking of the waterworks surrounding you. The water-filled pipes that line the walls appear as if they’d burst at any moment, from both lack of maintenance and lack of control over the sheer pressure of the water. You look behind yourself, seeing Jerry running towards you in a rather brisk pace. Great, you groan internally. “Hey, dude!” he yells out to you, waving his hand in the air frantically. What the hell could he be on about this time, you wonder to yourself. You sigh, and ask the guy, “What is it now, Jerry?”“Dude, we gotta abort the mission,” he exclaims to you.“Jerry, what the fuck!” You scream in a fit of rage. “Can’t we just get this done and over with? It’s a quick five minutes!”“But my FASHIONFRAME, dude!” he cries. “I didn’t use the right colors for my Excal’, man! How am I gonna show Tyl Regor how sexy my Warframe is if it’s not perfect?!”“Jerry, you’re just going to change the red to black and black to red,” you slowly but rather painfully firmly rub your face with your hand. You knew already that this was about to be a very long night of farming, but this was nearing your breaking point. While you were fond of the art of FashionFrame, and practiced it yourself, Jerry was… less proficient at it.“So what? I want Tyl to be 200% impressed by my luscious looks!” Jerry argued, sticking his leg up in the air in a complete 180 degrees. If there was one positive thing about Jerry, you’d suppose it’d be his Warframe’s flexibility. “Let me be beautiful, dammit!”“Jerry, no,” you put your feet down in refusal. There was no way that you were going to waste any more time than you already have. But, despite your refusal, a message pop-up on your HUD shows that Xx_SwagMaster69_xX has left the squad… leaving you all alone, hidden beneath the depths of Uranus. You can’t help the desire to sigh and shake your head; Tyl Regor wasn’t exactly too hard of a boss, or at least, you don’t recall him being one. In fact… it’s been a while. Your own Equinox has been in your arsenal since she was released, and ever since, you haven’t really fought Tyl Regor. Regardless, although you could abort the mission to go and get Jerry, or you could simply wait, the temptation to just abandon Jerry and get it done and over with was far higher than that of actually just waiting for him for about two to three minutes for him to change his Warframe colors... ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- “The VIP is in your proximity, Tenno. Take them out,” The Lotus, also known as Captain fucking Obvious, points out before blipping out of the radio. You sigh and shake your head; you never paid much attention to the Lotus anymore, as you've heard her a billion times at this point, you were sure of it.Maneuvering your way through the tubes and corridors of the final room, you reach the boss fight room. A menacingly large statue of Tyl Regor looms from above you, staring down upon you. From afar, you hear the sounds of tapping, furious tapping, of metal between metal. The man himself, the glorious Tyl Regor himself, was approaching. The mask that covered his scarred Grineer face stares directly at you, his eyes glowing a distinct and vibrant orange. His masterfully molded pecs glistened from the drops of water that had fallen from above the lab, and his arms, thick and muscular, adorned two giant, Grineer fists, which you could easily had fit in the palm of just one mere hand. From the reflection off of his massive statue, his Drekar blunts are indeed as massive as you had last recalled them. An instrument of life, he was to the Grineer, conjuring biological creatures used for his studies, which had one sole goal: to extend the lives of the Grineer and turn back the effects of cloning deterioration. Although you were not on his side, you knew of his loyalty to the Grineer. He was sworn to the Twin Queens, through and through, and his pride seeped through every bit of his being.“Tenno!” his beautiful bass voice sang. “I have been eagerly waiting for this moment, when I can finally crush you!”You couldn't handle yourself for even a moment. He was simply too good, to majestic for this world, and you knew that. A one-of-a-kind he was, and a one-of-a-kind you simply had to get your hands on. You drop your weapons and run towards him, arms spread wide open as you awaited his embrace. The thought of Jerry plaguing your life has melted into nothing, and there was only left a man who could potentially trump Clem as your one true waifu. But alas, your Warframe’s face is immediately hit by his shield as the Grineer scientist defended himself against your sudden adoration to the Grineer scientist, forcing you down to the ground. “What in the name of the Queens is wrong with you?!” Tyl Regor roared in anger. “Have you been driven mad, Tenno?”You slowly shake your head in disagreement, ogling this hunk of a Grineer man. He was massive and toned, almost like a statue himself. Combined with his voice, he was simply a dreamboat. If the Grineer could reproduce… why, regardless of whatever you may be, you'd gladly carry and raise all of his children if he ever so desired. He was smart, handsome, and especially curious about who the Tenno were. He was simply too good for you to pass up, and this was an opportunity you could not waste.“Oh, I see,” Tyl Regor snickered. Had it not been for his mask, you could only assume that he was smiling. “You wish to be… one of my test subjects, little lizard?”“Y-Yes,” you stutter. Tyl Regor’s very being dominates over you. You could feel your heart furiously pounding in your chest, both in fear… and arousal. Oh, how you simply dream of him holding you tenderly as his Vulkar pushed deeper and deeper into your Void, vigorously thrusting into it and preparing to fill you with his Clem. Or, even attempting to see how far he could push your limit with his Knux… Redness covers your face, bullets of sweat trailing down your forehead and over your cheek. You are more than prepared to give your body over to him to do as he pleased, to try all sorts of ‘experiments’ upon you until he is satisfied, and from the looks of him, he appeared as if his ‘experiments’ could go on for quite a long time. Thoughts of him tying you down to a surgical table and doing rather questionable actions with your flooded your mind, making you giggle to yourself a little. Even the thought of him standing there, a mere few feet away from him, felt almost like a dream. How you wish you could just reach up to him and grab onto his...“I-I didn’t mean it that way, you imbecilic lizard!” the Grineer scientist exclaimed in embarrassment, aware of your lewd and indecent mental imagery for one reason or another. “I thought you were donating yourself to the advancement of the Grineer, not attempting to send yourself off into some grotesque, euphoric daydream!”You stare at Tyl Regor blankly. He… rejected you? The man that everyone had insisted was such a saucy, sexy Grineer with unusual kinks had kinkshamed you? You felt as if the world was suddenly collapsing upon you, and that everything you had known about WARFRAME was all a lie. What was next, you thought to yourself, could Cyclone Kraken actually drop from the Kuva Fortress? Could Darvo have an actually good deal for once that doesn't get bought out the instant that it comes out? Could [DE]Steve wear his glorious pink shorts again? Regardless, you begin to sniffle up from the emotional distress the situation caused for you. Tears began to roll down your cheek. Your dreams of being held in that Grineer’s buff, loving arms began to fade away. Perhaps you even consider whether or not if abandoning your digital husbando for Tyl Regor in the flesh and blood was really worth it. Maybe this was all for nothing? But perhaps a different approach could be made, you thought to yourself. Something less… creepy.“You know what? Yeah, I do want to fight you, Tyl Regor! Right here, right now!” you bellow in return. “I'll kick your ass to the sun and back! I'll kick your Tubemen’s asses! I'll kick my own ass!”“Now that is a more suitable tone for a formidable foe!” Tyl Regor laughs, unsheathing his Ack and Brunt from himself. You do the same, equipping your primary weapon. Now was go time… but you couldn't help but feel a bit remorseful. He was an easy fight, for sure, but you imagined all the times you could've spent with him, feeling his metallic Knux trail about your body as Tyl plunged his thick Gorgon right into your… THWACK! your Warframe went flying across the room in recoil. While you were busy fantasizing to yourself, Tyl Regor charged right towards you. Your Warframe slams onto the glass ceiling, cracking it generously enough for a few spurts of water to flow through. The hit was enough to imbed your Warframe into the window, but not enough to make it stay in; it falls back down onto the floor, leaving you staggered for a moment, unable to control your Warframe. Tyl Regor was by no means looking for a hot, passionate night with you, from how he was literally slamming you… across the battle stage. While you busied yourself by fawning over him, he bashed and he crashed himself into your Warframe, not enough to really kill your Warframe, but enough for him to be very intrusive. By now, there was no way to convince him otherwise. Once you've regained control of your Warframe, you take your primary weapon and fire at him, damaging him enough to get him to move onto the next stage.“Just when I thought I’d lose hope on a good fight,” Tyl chuckled, aiming his Knux at the two glass ceilings of the lab and firing at them. Water roared as it flooded the lab, causing you to bullet jump onto the top platforms lest you enter… sharkwing mode. You shiver in fright at the thought of plunging into the water while you were fighting Tyl. Certainly, it'd make you not only very moist and vulnerable for him to ravage your insides, it'd also be an incredible pain in the ass to get out of the water anyway.As you reach the upper levels, Grineer Manics and Bombards, well, bombard you as if they were greasy weeaboos wanted your grimy hands off their one true waifu. Swapping to your secondary, you make the task of killing the Bombards a rather easy feat, but the Manics were another story. They kept disappearing and reappearing, making them increasingly difficult to aim your secondary weapon at. In desperation, you simply swap from your secondary to your melee weapon of choice and dice, pierce, or squash the Manics into tiny little bits. With their defeat, Tyl Regor returns to the battle once more. “So, you were able to defeat some of my finest Tubemen?” Tyl sat himself on one of the large water pipes rather sensually. Like before, he aimed one of his Knux towards the ceiling and fired, forcing the flood level of the field to rise exponentially. As the room filled with water, however, you begin to notice sparks coming from the water. “Well, I don't suppose we should turn up the stakes here, do we, Tenno?”With your melee weapon still in hand, you rush towards Tyl Regor, swinging it towards him. Tyl blocks your attack with his Brunt and manages to try and swing back at you, but instead misses. Taking advantage of the chance you had, you swing your melee weapon at his head, causing it to critically damage him. He staggers onto the floor and, in the rush of the moment, fires his Knux directly towards you. Your Warframe flies across the room once more, falling into the waterfall of seawater and falling into the water below.Initializing your Archwing, you look around desperately for a way out as the electrified waters zapped away at your health and shield systems. Drekar equipped with underwater weaponry approach towards you, ready to attack. You swiftly scan the arena, and upon seeing a spot where you could dismantle your Archwing you rush towards the water’s surface, shooting out of the water like a Daikyu’s arrow going through enemies, modified with a +3.0 punchthrough.Tyl Regor was now on his last legs. His once pristine body was now limping, covered in the blood of his fallen tubemen. “The Lotus… she doesn't love you. Not like I loved the Tubemen you murdered,” Tyl monologues, aiming his Knux at you once more. However, you dodge his detachable knuckles and quickly slam him one last time with your melee weapon. The Grineer scientist falls to the floor, allowing you to easily finish him off. He moans and groans in pain until the lights in his helmet dim down to a complete off state.“Great work taking down the VIP, Tenno,” the Lotus thanks you from your radio before disappearing. You couldn't really care much for the Lotus; you've always joked about her being the “space mom,” but ultimately you'd take any replacement over her dull, droning voice. Darvo. Clem. That one forgettable bitch you saw that one time that you now bum for Ayatans. The Syndicate leaders. Anyone but the Lotus would be nice, you ranted to yourself. A replacement for that claptrap Ordis would also be a nice touch, you added in your inner monologue. Perhaps a more fashion-based Cephalon that could help you with your fashionframe game? After all, you did spend practically 1,000 hours of your playtime merely dressing up your Warframes like the game was some elaborate 3D dress up. Thinking about it now, Jerry could use a little something like that… one day.As you depart his lab, you take a glance at his body one last time, sitting on the floor lifeless. You couldn’t help but feel a little awful for the deeds you’ve done, but perhaps it was for the better. After all, it was what you came for: to get parts for Jerry and leave… until you remember that Jerry had long left the squad. In his absence, he has spammed you with at least 30 messages, ten being complaints as to your delayed response, and twenty being bad, outdated memes. You sigh before speeding through hall to hall until you reach extraction. Your landing craft arrives, and you holster your Warframe onto it as the ship departs from the Grineer lab and back to your Orbiter. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Arriving at your Orbiter, however, you couldn’t possibly feel more guilty than you did then and there. What you had done back at Tyl Regor’s labs was… embarrassing, to say the least. You unequip your Warframe and weaponry and, upon disconnecting the Transference link, you slump down on your chair to think to yourself. The thoughts of Tyl Regor flood your mind, thoughts of his rejection and refusal… but also him. His muscular exoskeleton, his voice, his Knux, and especially: his sweet, sweet… laboratory. You couldn't resist the urge to fantasize about him, of him doing all kinds of things to you. You knew that any attempt at making these dreams into reality were next to impossible, but the mere idea of him was simply unbelievable to you. You are infatuated with him, lustful over Tyl Regor… and you hated it.Turning towards the clock nearby your transference chamber, you noticed how late it has became: 2 AM. Next to it was the calendar; tomorrow was when Baro Ki’Teer would arrive at the Larunda Relay. You rub on your tired eyes and sigh, setting your heartbroken feelings aside. Now was not the time to sulk; rest assured, Jerry would be back at it again in the morning… wait, Jerry . You realize that you had completely forgotten about Jerry, who exploded your chat window with at least 200 messages before going offline himself. Smiling in relief, you pulled your body out from the transference chair and took a nice, long stretch before walking back to your room and throwing yourself into bed. You tucked yourself in, snuggling up next to your Clem bodypillow. It was expensive, and well made, too- when squeezed enough, it’ll say “Clem!”. However… tonight, you didn’t squeeze Clem. Tyl Regor was far too on your mind for you to even think about being with anyone other than him. The man you had once loved ever so much, enough for you to consider him as the one… becoming a mere memory compared to Tyl Regor. Your eyes slowly come to a close as you drifted off to sleep, without a single thing waking you u- CRASH You pop right up from your bed from the sound of something shattering. Following the hallway out from your bedroom, you look to find Ordis taking control of one of your Warframes, your Limbo in particular, sitting on the floor with a broken Clem noggle in hand. He was frantically trying to piece it back together, as its head simply popped off from the body, by using a Nukor to melt the plastic. Upon noticing that you were staring at him, Ordis jumped up from the floor with a shriek.“O-Operator! What the hell are you- I-It’s not what it looks like!” Ordis cried, shaking his head and hands wildly.You groan, turning back around and heading back to bed like it was nothing. You were simply too tired to deal with more bullshit thrown at you, and whatever was going on would need to be dealt with tomorrow. From your fatigue, you almost instantaneously fall back to sleep. Your dream is vivid. You were in it, your body cold and frail. Being held in Tyl Regor’s arms, the two of you are watching the sunset together, lounging outside of Tyl Regor’s labs. The sky is a rose-like color, with a beautiful amber stone that was the sun suspended in the sky. As clouds fade, stars began to peer through, just enough to allude to the evening. The air was warm and sweet smelling, just enough to be enticing but not too much, lest it be sickening to the stomach. From behind you, a Grineer servant scurries over towards you with a bottle of some pre-Orokin champagne in one hand and two liqueur glasses in another. He pours the drink into each glass, preparing it for you and Tyl Regor to enjoy.Tyl Regor sighs, letting go of you with one arm to reach for a drink. “For you, my love?” he offers to you. Should you take the glass, he’ll replace his free hand with his own glass. “To the years we spent together, and the years we will spend,” Tyl Regor toasted, tapping his glass onto yours before taking a sip. You follow suit, taking a drink from your own champagne. It was strange tasting, having a distinct sweetness to it. You wondered for a moment why all of this sweetness hasn't made you sick to your stomach yet, but simply set it aside to enjoy the sunset with your lover.Snuggling up next to him, you find yourself too short to kiss his face, so instead you kiss his sweet, sweet mantitty instead. “You are safe, my love,” Tyl Regor hums, bumping his head on the top of yours as if he were kissing you. “I’ll never let anyone hurt you.”It is surreal. You could feel him, his warm body pressing against yours, his every heart beat in rhythm with yours. “I love you, Tyl,” you tell him.“I love you too,” says Tyl in return, patting your head. The two of you are in equilibrium, your once cold body now warm to the brim from Tyl’s own. For once in your turbulent life, you’ve found peace, even if it was merely in a dream, to be forgotten once you awaken. It was a rather joyful yet foreign sensation, to be happy and at rest.You doze off in his arms, feeling his torso. It's so muscular, so thick , and so… odd? Opening your eyes back up, you look down upon him to investigate, only to uncover a shocking discovery.He’s pregnant. With your baby.What the fuck.“Oh, isn't it beautiful?” Tyl sighed, his voice beginning to change. It was raspier, more hoarse and direct. “Just a few more weeks until your Daddy’s going to be a daddy!”What the fuck . You wonder to yourself whether or not you’ve accidentally taken any drugs before falling asleep. Wake up, you tell yourself, but you simply couldn't. You look back up at Tyl’s face, only to find not his mask, but Vay Hek’s instead.“WE’RE GOING TO BE PARENTS SOON, TENNO!” his voice boomed. “FEEL MY BELLY, OUR BABY IS COMING!”You began to cry. You wanted out of this nightmare, out of this hell , but alas, dear reader, you are trapped… and this was only the beginning.“DON'T CRY, HONEY, YOU’LL WAKE UP THE OTHER KIDS!” Vay Hek exclaims, noting the rather questionable amount of cribs lined along the side. His yelling helped little in this predicament, as several of the babies inside of the cribs began to whine, more and more adding onto this choir of pain. The sounds of their cries rang through your head, causing quite the hefty headache.To your luck, however… the crying soon stops. All is now silent, as if time itself had stopped. Slipping from Vay Hek’s manly grasp, you studied the surroundings around you.You reluctantly touch Vay Hek’s Tyl Regor Tummy ™, feeling the kicks of this supposed newborn child you were going to have with him. “ISN'T IT BEAUTIFUL?!?” Vay Hek wails once more. “AND TO THINK, I WANTED TO KILL MY FIANCÉ.”His… fiancé? Oh, no . Oh, no, no, no. You wanted nothing to do with this. Struggling, you cry out for help, but alas, it was as if nobody could hear you.“I'M SO GLAD THAT I MET SUCH A SWEETHEART LIKE YOU, TENNO,” Vay Hek coos, giving you a big fat smooch on the mouth. His blue lipstick stains your lips, leaving a permanent mark on your face. He then proceeds to give you a barrage of kisses, continuing until your entire face was as blue as a crewman taking a shotgun shell to the face was red. You wanted to cry, to shed tears, but your body stayed absolutely still, as if you lost all control of it.“I SHOULD PAY YOU BACK SOMEHOW, HMM?” Vay Hek offers, licking his Coral Blue Number 5 Semigloss ™ lips as his Tyl Regor hands trailed around your body. You tried to shake your head furiously in refusal, but alas, it was in vain. He begins to undress you, gliding his cold, metal fingers across your warm skin. Before he could do any more to you, you are able to close your eyes, for just one moment... You wake up in a heavy sweat, screaming. Your dream… had quickly twisted into a nightmare. Seeing Tyl like that, why, you were on the verge of puking. At the same time, however… it was also heaven. Being held in Tyl’s arms, giving you his reassurement, something about that moment you simply couldn't not look back upon. But every time you imagined it, you couldn't help but see Vay Hek bursting into your dream like a terrible forced sidekick in a bad fanfiction.Immediately, inspiration strikes you.Rushing to your transference room, you began to write. “A Scientist’s Sole Lover,” you wrote a title in. “A Tyl Regor x Reader Fanfiction”. Your fingers swipe across your keyboard as you typed your story furiously. Adding a little this, a little that, you found yourself working hard on the little piece of writing you wanted to create. About two hours later, give or take, you found yourself with the perfect piece of fiction to have ever been created in the post-Old War world: A Scientist’s Sole Lover: A Tyl Regor x Reader Fanfiction By GrineerFucker69 AUTHOR’S NOTE: IF UR A GUY THIS MIGHT HAVE HOT YAOI ACTION!!! DON’T LIKE DON’T READ!!! Tyl Rego was sitting in his lab. His body was really hot and sweaty from doing all kinds of science-y things. By science-y things I mean sitting around in his lab looking hot and sexy while his scientists are doing actual work. He was really hot. His chest was large and wet from all the lotion he puts on in the morning. You would think that this guy is invincible. Well you! are!! wrong!!!! He turns arund!! and sees you!! His eyes turn into heart shapes. “T-Tenno!” he cries out to you, his arms wide open. “I’m so relieved to see you again!!” You turn into jely looking at him. He was really really hot. Like really hot. His butt looked really good from where he was sitting. Like, all big n muscular n round n sexy n shit, it was great. Made you forget that’s where he poops from. “R-Regor senpai,” you stutter. Your heart is beating rapidly, your knees weak, mom’s spaghetti. “I-I wanted to ask you something…” Tyl Regor turned his hot, muscular body over towards you, stretching his leggies real far. They were indeed so hot, you could fry an egg. “Yes, Tenno?” “R-Regor senpai, will you… will you go to prom with me?” “T-TENNO, YOU REALLY WANT TO GO OUT WITH ME?!?!?” Tyl Regor screams in delight as he gives you a big squeeze. “This is the best day of my life!!!” (Timeskip cause SCREW YOU IM THE RIGHTER!!!) It’s Friday night, prom night. You’re standing around in Tyl Regor’s basketball court, where the prom is being held because Tyl Regor can. Dressed in your best clothing, you ran through the crowds of Grineer, trying to find Tyl… Tyl, now at the juice table, was sitting all sexy like before. He was also looking for you. No matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn’t find you. He grew desparate, standing up on the top of the table to stick his leggies up even further. You would think he’d fry two eggs instead of one. With the power of his leg-sight, he was able to quickly find you again. “Tenno!! I thought I lost you!” “I thought I lost you too Tyl,” you sigh in relief. Jumping off the table, Tyl Regor rushes over to you to give you a big hug. But now… they were gonna annoucne the Prom King and Queen/Other King!!! “And the Prom King is… Tyl Regor!!! For 50 years in a row!!!” the Grineer announceed. “And the Prom Queen/Other King is… the Tenno!” The other grineer were like, “yaaaaaaaaas bitch yaaaaaaaaas” and it was really great. They gave you and Tyl these cool crowns and sashes and flowers and stuff and it was really great. The newlky proclaimed Prom King was holding you, yes YOU!! In his arms. “I love you so much, Tenno…” he cooe to you. You give him a kiss in the face and you two make out while Tyl Regor runs into the sunset. THE END… or is it? TO BE CONTINUED!!! Wiping the sweat off of your brow, you made a hearty sigh and a smile upon finishing your masterpiece… and noticing that you overslept. 2 PM, the clock on your transference chamber said. Your not-so-friend Jerry is back at it again with spewing messages at you, this time around was some drivel about some new Prime items that were just recently released, and how he needed to farm them.“Come on, already! ” his messages whined at you. “I gotta have him, dude! He’s my husband! Please?!”Fine, fine, you grumble to yourself. “After lunch,” you respond to his bawling before sitting up from your transference chair. After going for so long without eating, you were pretty hungry. It was starting to get rather annoying, having to deal with bodily requirements after centuries of being locked up tight on the moon. “Ordis, I’m hungry, can I get something to eat?”“Not until you clean up your room, Operator!” Ordis snappily refuses. “I’m tired of watching the orbiter compartment turn into a derelict from yo- * your disgusting filth- * messes. You’re not getting a single calorie until I see that room spotless!”Really, Ordis, you thought to yourself. You are the operator, the Tenno ! You serve the Lotus, the greater good ! Ordis should be on his cephalon knees begging to be by your side, not nagging at you like a disgruntled mother. You cross your arms in protest. “Well, I guess I’m starving to death. What will you do without your operator , huh?”“Operator, by the stars!” exclaims Ordis. “Are you really trying to fight with me, over this ? * I suppose you’ll die, then- * fine. Have it your way, but I’ll be choosing what you’ll be eating.”Damn it, you comment silently to yourself. You wanted Kronia Fried Chromas.“You will be having… Tenno rations ,” your cephalon chose aloud. “The protein meal!”Sudden flashbacks. You’re taken back to the Orokin era, after you and your fellow Tenno have been taken out of the Zariman Ten-Zero. The gilded halls, the golden walls… and the odor that was the rations served to you. A stench so foul, that could surpass that of the Infested, surpass that of Sargas Ruk’s breath, surpass even the nasty old people smell that reeks off of the members of the Corpus Board of Directors. They served it to you every single day, three times a day, until you were deployed for Lua. You must’ve spent at least four or five years enduring that gruel, and to even fathom having it again was like a nightmare come anew.“Your rations are availible from your foundry, Tenno,” Ordis annoys you in his typically cheery tone, as if nothing had happened. You sigh. Just one won’t hurt, you tell yourself. You’ve dealt with it for several years, you can deal with it for one meal… right?Upon taking one bite out of your rations, your first go-to destination is the compost removal compartment of the orbiter. The taste of the rations sickened your stomach upon contact with it. It reminds you of memories you had once left locked away, memories of the Old War. The Orokin, the Sentients, Margulis, Ballas, Jerry when he wasn’t such a fucking cock, the old Warframes, and…“TENNO!” a familiar voice bellowed to you.Oh no.“TENNO, HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN ABOUT OUR WEDDING? ” Vay Hek wails in disbelief as his massive Terraframe tore through your orbiter compartments. “ HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN ABOUT OUR CHILDREN ?” Oh no. You rush for your arsenal, attempting to take out a Warframe to fight Vay Hek with, but you were too late. Vay Hek furiously grasped you with his weird Grineer robot hands. “HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME, TENNO?! YOU LEFT ME!”Struggle as you might, you simply couldn’t escape. “YOU’RE NEVER GONNA LEAVE ME NOW! AHAHA!!” The Chancellor hoots and hollers as your orbiter collapses into......an outdoor wedding? The skies, a bright blue, were cloudless, the sun suspended high above your head. There wasn't a tree in sight, strangely enough, but it still felt as if you were on Earth. The little wedding setup was somewhat elegant looking, if anything a bit cheap-looking but otherwise quite lovely. A variety of Grineer were also found at the wedding, dressed in their best, although a Grineer’s best was, more or less, just what they usually wear. Even Ordis could be found, still using your Limbo for some reason or another. Although Vay Hek is still holding onto you tightly, you find yourself in a rather nice looking wedding dress. Vay Hek, too, is prepared for the occasion, dressed in the exact same dress you were in, complete with a little tiara and a veil. “OH, TENNO, AREN'T WE A BEAUTIFUL COUPLE? ” Vay Hek scream-asked. “ NOW YOU CAN NEVER LEAVE ME, NEVER, EVER, EVER !”Fuck. You try to wiggle your way out of his hold, but upon seeing you attempt to escape, he holds onto you even tighter, his mechanical digits digging into your skin to the point of nearly drawing blood. “TENNO… I COULD NEVER BE HAPPIER THAN BEING HERE WITH YOU ,” Vay Hek continues to scream. It appears a volume button was never installed onto Vay Hek’s terraframe. “ EVEN IF… I DON’T LIKE THE TENNO. I LIKE YOU.”While Vay Hek was monologuing, you were pulling at his fingers to try and pry him off of you. His hands simply dig deeper into your torso, practically stabbing you on three sides. “TENNO… I MUST ASK YOU ONE LAST THING BEFORE WE MARRY ,” Vay Hek adds. “ I WANT YOU… TO THROW ME INTO THE SUN.”What.“YOU MUST, TENNO. I-I LIKE IT THAT WAY, ” Vay Hek stutters. “ PLEASE, TENNO, THROW ME INTO THE SUN! LET ME BURN TO A CRISP LIKE THE FILTHY SCUM I AM!”“I would , if you could let me go!” you finally are able to exclaim. Vay Hek sat you down on the ground, freeing you from his grasp. Large, gaping holes were left from where he was holding onto you, allowing ample blood to spill on all sides. You double over in pain, wincing and crying, but Vay Hek pays no heed to your suffering.“OH, FINALLY! PLEASE, TENNO, MY LOVE, DO IT! OH, BY THE TWIN QUEENS, I AM READY FOR YOU, TENNO!” Vay Hek announces, falling towards you.As the massive terraframe leaned over, you close your eyes, bracing for impact as you hope to wake up from this nightmare.... You awaken in a pool of your own sweat once more. Ensuring that it wasn’t a dream, you opt to pinch yourself rather forcefully, leaving two red marks on your arm that left a rather painful sensation. The clock near your bed read 11 AM. A dream within a dream… definitely not the weirdest thing you’ve come across, but it was certainly among one of them. Slipping out from your bed, you find yourself surprised by the lack of messages you’ve received. You’d think, by now Jerry would’ve clogged your inbox to the brim with messages whining about how he wants to farm Equinox. It was an odd feeling, being the one to message Jerry first before him, but you had to do it. It was for your man .“Hey, Jerry…” you tell Jerry, hoping to get his attention.“What do you want, I’m busy fashionframing,” Jerry groans, trying to pick which eye burning red he should use on his Excalibur Prime.Now was your chance. To return to your one and only, your true love, even for just a mere moment. You knew that, despite Jerry’s rather long list of shortcomings, he would give you another chance at meeting your beloved Tyl Regor again. You take a deep breath, preparing yourself to ask Jerry…“Could we… go back to doing that Equinox farming again?”Jerry’s eyes widen, but not long after did they dim. “Oh! A-bout… that,” his voice was uneasy. “She’s too much work. I just bought her instead.”You sat in your transference chair silently. For the first time in your life, you hated Jerry not for being an idiot, but for not being an idiot. “Oh,” you simply tell him.“I do need relics for Hydroid Prime, though,” Jerry quickly adds. “I need to go farming for some. I gotta get him, he’s OP as shit right now! I can’t be the lame loser who doesn’t have him! He’s my fuckin’ husbando, dude!”Fuck. Fuck. God fucking damn it. Fucking Christ. Fuck. Fuck. Not here. Not now. And especially, not with Jerry. In your rage, you block him, preventing him from messaging you again. Pent up in anger, you let off a furious scream. You wanted to be with your man, and you wanted to be with him now, and you weren’t going to let this fool stop you from being with him.“Okay, fine, I’ll find someone else,” Jerry grumbles in disgust. “Sheesh, you don’t have to be such a dick, you know. If you’re some kind of Warframe expert, why don’t you just solo him?”
11498247	Connected	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": null, "Characters": "Delsin Rowe, Eugene Sims, Fetch Walker", "Fandom": "inFAMOUS: Second Son", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by Assassin_J", "chapters": "1/?", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-14T00:00:00", "words": "1,180", "Additional Tags": "Scents & Smells, A/B/O done a bit differently, Kissing, Fluff, Brief sexual talk, omegaverse that isn’t rapey or sexist, Post-Good Karma Ending, Polyamory, Alpha Fetch Walker, Beta Eugene Sims, Omega Delsin Rowe, To Be Continued", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Delsin Rowe/Eugene Sims, Eventual Delgenetch", "Series": "i made an infamous a/b/o-verse", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": "M/M, Multi", "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Delsin was chilling on a rooftop with Eugene and Fetch one lazy afternoon. They'd talked for hours, about various topics, but now the conversation had wound down and all three had got their phones out to scroll through apps, as one does when one is a citizen of this online age, whether Conduit or not.While Delsin was scrolling the Conduit Rights League forums, checking out a topic about some rally coming up, trying to decide if maybe he should attend, a soft bling notified him of a Facebook message. He didn't recognize the messager, but that was nothing new; strangers sent him notes all the time on all sorts of social media.The contents of the message were also nothing new. "goddd you're too hot to be single, i think about your knot inside me and -" Delsin sighed and didn't read any further, blocking the guy with a quick couple of taps.Fetch turned her head at his sigh. "Somethin' up?""Just another rando who thinks it's cool to send sexual fantasies to me.""You're still getting those? I told you to take your FB off public view.""I would but, you know," Delsin shrugged at her, "sometimes the message is a new Conduit who needs me to give 'em a little support and shit. Like they're struggling keeping the powers from coming out before they're ready to tell people, or they already told people and got dumped or kicked out or whatever."Fetch sat up. "Yeah.... That's tough, I admit, I remember what it was like... But they got those CRL hotlines now, anyone can call them instead of bugging you."Delsin looked up at the sky. "I dunno. Some people are like, more comfortable with Facebooking me.""Uh-huh, I definitely see that," Eugene said, nodding. "Way easier typing to one person than calling in to a whole organization.""Well okay then." Fetch plopped back down. "Leave it all public and just accept that you're a celebrity, and lotsa people wanna knot celebrities."Delsin felt his face get hot. "They usually want me to knot them."Eugene rolled onto his side and put an arm over Delsin's chest while making an indignant noise. "Are heat hormones really that strong, that you can't stop yourself asking strangers for a hookup?"Delsin snorted. "Never happened to me. I guess every Omega is different. But maybe these ones messaging me have like zero self-control.""Next one asks you for a knot, send 'em my way," Fetch said, raising her arm and smirking. "I been thinking of getting onto the dating scene.""They may or may not be looking to actually date," Eugene said."Eh, I'll still take care of 'em."Another message blinged. Delsin checked it, and groaned."Again?" Eugene asked. "Already?""Yeah... Fuck it, I'm changing my status." Delsin poked into his profile info. "There we go. In a relationship." Eugene didn't have a Facebook account or else he would've tagged him in."Oooh, you two are Facebook-official now," Fetch purred at Eugene, "that's a big milestone, congrats!""Hopefully those horny fans will leave me alone with that on my profile," Delsin said, putting his phone away in the deep pocket of his baggy jeans."For good measure maybe you oughtta post a snap of you and Gene making out," Fetch joked. "Prove you ain't making things up.""Heh." Delsin sat up and pulled Eugene into his lap.Upon seeing Delsin's grin, Eugene's breath quickened with anxiety. "Oh, uh, I'm not sure-"Delsin nodded with a soft gentle laugh. "All right, no kissy-pics. Just kisses without pics, is that okay?"Eugene relaxed and took hold of Delsin's collar. "Yeah, sure. Definitely okay." And he leaned in.Delsin was soft and warm as always, hot breath tasting so good as it rolled over Eugene's tongue. Everything about Delsin felt strong and rough, with hidden reserves of power. He tightened his arms around Eugene and inhaled, purposeful and deep, pressing into the kiss for a few seconds more before letting it end."H-how do I smell?" Eugene asked after a moment."Uh." Delsin blinked. He clearly hadn't expected this question. "Hard to put into words.... You smell like... Eugene."Unsatisfied, Eugene flicked at Delsin's shoulder."No really, I can't describe it. It's like, 'how does water taste?' It tastes like water, you know!""There's different tasting water, in different cities," Eugene said.Delsin smirked. "Sure. But there's only one Eugene Sims, and believe me, you smell fantastic.""Mmh." Eugene smiled and touched his nose to Delsin's face. "You smell like nuts.""Nuts?""Nuts and smoke. Smoked nuts."Fetch snorted into her hand. "Smoked nuts! That's Del for ya."Delsin gave them both a querulous look. "What about when I'm not in smoke mode? Do I smell like something else?"Both the others shook their heads. "Don't think it's a Conduit thing," Fetch said. "In pulp romance novels sometimes the one mate says the other smells like smokey wood, if it's not lilacs or fresh rain or whatever.""You read those trashy things?" Delsin asked."Fuck off, I read a lot of different types'a books.""You're like a lemon-lime," Eugene said.Fetch turned to him. "Huh? Me?"Delsin gave a sudden eager nod. "Yeah, that's exactly it, Gene! I couldn't think of the way to describe it but yeah, that's exactly her scent!"Eugene grinned. "Heh, yeah." He rubbed the fabric of Delsin's vest back and forth between his fingers. It was soft, and soothing, and perfect.Delsin's phone made yet another bling noise. He snaked a hand into his pocket and pressed the volume down until it was mute. "Let's just forget social media exists for today, huh? I've had enough of it."Still grinning, Eugene leaned in to kiss him again."Okay, I'm feeling a little left out over here," Fetch said, though mostly in jest. She stood up. "I'll see you guys back at the res." And she buzzed away in electric pinks over the cityscape.Delsin pulled out of the kiss. "Hm. Maybe we should ask her to join in next time."Eugene's heart started to hammer harder. "I... maybe?" he choked out.Delsin stroked his back. "Just an idea, sorry, just forget it if you're not comfortable with-""No, I- it's just-" He was practically tripping over his tongue, not able to conjure a smooth sentence. "That- three people, it would complicate- I've barely started with just you, and- but uh, shit, if you need an Alpha-""Shh, shh," Delsin said quickly, taking Eugene's hands and holding them firmly. "It's not about her being Alpha, I just... I like her, okay? I like you and I like her. But- it's fine." He gave Eugene's hands a squeeze. "Sorry.""No, don't apologize." Eugene pulled his hands free to hug onto Delsin. "It's just... I would... need to be... eased into it, I guess."Delsin took a breath and smiled. "All right. Whatever you need, my guy." He brushed a kiss against Eugene's forehead. "I don't wanna rush anything. We're young; we got all the time in the world."
11485758	First Last	{ "Archive Warning": "Major Character Death", "Category": "F/M", "Characters": "Sam Winchester, Jessica Moore, Dean Winchester, Tyson Brady", "Fandom": "Supernatural", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by orphan_account", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-13T00:00:00", "words": "2,661", "Additional Tags": "Canonical Character Death, Fluff and Angst, Implied Sexual Content, Oh Jess, we barely knew ye, Canon Compliant", "Relationship": "Jessica Moore/Sam Winchester", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	571 days “Hey, like, not to be rude, but I can’t see around your hair.”Those are the first words Jessica Moore, art history senior, says to Sam Winchester, pre-law junior. She’s teasing, really, trying to be clever, to make him finally notice her, because there are only three weeks left in this semester and then she’ll never see him again, this quiet boy who keeps sitting in front of her in her Latin class.Jess took Latin because she heard this professor was easy. Sam Winchester apparently already speaks it, as much as anyone can speak a dead language, and she’s maybe been a little bit in love with him since the first time she heard him say “nosce te ipsum” with perfect pronunciation.She smiles when he turns around, red-faced and clearly flustered, muttering, “sorry” to the floor. Jess starts to panic a little when he moves to get up, because she definitely misjudged the right approach, here. Clearly the guy, although maybe the most handsome man at Stanford, doesn’t often get jokingly flirted with.“Hey,” she says again, and reaches out to rest a hand on his arm, stopping him from getting up. “Bad joke.” She smiles again, and finally Sam Winchester looks her in the eye, and yes, if Jess didn’t know before this moment how badly she wanted to talk to him, to have him look at her, those hazel eyes and that timid upturn of his lips would seal the deal.“I’m Jess,” she says, moving her hand from his arm and holding it out in front of him. He shakes it with a surprisingly firm grip.“I know,” he says, somewhat shyly. “You always argue with Dr. Klein.”She shrugs, trying to hide how ridiculously happy she is that this cute boy noticed her. She’s not a freshman, after all.“He’s sexist,” Jess says. “He never calls on the girls, and he always treats our input with less value.”Sam huffs a laugh.“Yeah, guy’s a jerk,” he says, then scoots his chair over slightly to the right, presumably so she can see the board better. “I’m Sam, by the way.”Jess nods, still grinning like an idiot and feeling suddenly, inexplicably brave.“Oh, I know. You’re the guy who always gets all the answers right, and also the guy I’d like to get coffee with some time.”It’s cute, the way a blush springs up over his cheekbones instantly, the way he nods eagerly before saying, “Yeah, yeah, I’d like that.”Jess rummages in her purse for a Sharpie, then writes her number carefully on the back of his hand. When Dr. Klein comes in and calls for class to start, she’s still smiling to herself. 391 days Sometimes Sam scares her a little.Now, Jess isn’t afraid of Sam. No, she’s mostly afraid for him. In the six months since they’ve started dating, he’s woken up screaming in the middle of the night at least two dozen times, thrashing wildly in bed, sweaty and manic. The most recent nightmare happened the night before. He kept muttering in Latin, words she couldn't quite discern. She hates when he does that, doesn’t know what it means. All she can do is try to wake him up, hold him close until he falls asleep again.He never tells her what he dreams about.Jess knows his mom died when he was a baby, in a fire. She thinks maybe he dreams of flames. Jess knows he hasn’t spoken to his father in years. She thinks maybe he dreams of the last big fight they had, right before he came to Stanford. Jess knows his brother is a womanizer and a wild card and that Sam misses him, even if he never says it out loud. She thinks maybe he dreams of Dean, trapped somewhere Sam can’t reach.But she doesn’t know for sure.He’s not jealous or overprotective, but he hates it when she walks alone across campus at night. Sam doesn’t say anything about it, doesn’t tell her not to spend her late night hours in the grad student carrels at the library, but he does seem relieved every time she calls him to walk her home after the sun goes down.He never drinks more than a beer or two, which is obviously not an issue — Jess has dated an alcoholic before, briefly, and it wasn’t fun — but the one time Sam did get drunk he started gushing weepy gibberish about his family, how they’re cursed. Jess took him to his apartment early, and they never spoke about it after Sam sobered up.He starts wildly at loud noises, hates people coming up from behind him. He has the oddest scars he claims he doesn’t remember receiving — a huge gash down the right side of his abdomen, two puffy puncture wounds on his neck, a bad burn on his left ankle, and, most disturbingly, what looks like bite marks just above his right elbow.Jess learns early enough that she hates his family, wherever they are, for hurting Sam, for abandoning him, for never calling. She hopes he’ll tell her the truth one day, but she doesn’t want to push. She’s just afraid that if he keeps it all in forever, someday he’ll break. 182 days “I like it,” Jess says, twirling around the living room. “Look, I can set up my easel right there, and the kitchen’s just big enough to move around in. Oh, and all your big law books will definitely fit once we buy some sturdier bookshelves and put them over...”Before she can finish speaking, Sam sweeps her, quite literally, off her feet, swirling her around in a circle. Jess laughs and pushes at his back half-heartedly.“Let me down!” she says. “No dancing until you’ve helped me unpack at least ten boxes.”Sam lets her feet touch the floor, but he doesn’t loosen his grip, kissing her cheek sloppily.“Five boxes,” he bargains, and she groans, knowing immediately that of course she’s going to give in.Jess pulls back to look him in the eyes, placing her hands on his chest.“Seven,” she says, and Sam smiles that big smile, the rare one he gets when he’s really happy, the one that makes his eyes crinkle at the edges, that makes him finally look younger, like he's actually his age and not some world-weary old man.“Seven,” he agrees, letting her go to place his hands on his hips. She watches him survey the room, a satisfied look on his face. “This is probably the nicest place I’ve ever lived.”Jess starts a little at that, the way she always does when his past hits her in the face without warning. She knows his dad does migrant work, that they moved around constantly, but she never gave much thought to what kinds of places little Sam grew up in. This isn’t even that great of an apartment, but he’s looking at the living room like he’s standing in the Taj Mahal.She pictures a younger Sam, far younger than she’s ever seen him, playing on the floor of some roach-infested motel and suddenly she feels like crying. Jess never cries in front of Sam. She knows she could, knows he would hold her and whisper sweet things in her ear if she ever did, but she never wants to be another burden on him. The weight of the life he lived before her, the life he never talks about except in the barest of detail, is enough for him to carry.So Jess hurries to the kitchen, starting to unpack her chipped dishes and Sam’s plastic cups, and Sam comes to the doorway to watch.“Hey,” he says softly, and Jess looks at him, hoping he can’t see her eyes are wet. “I’m happy, Jess. I’m happy here with you.”She tries to smile, says, “Yeah, I’m happy, too.” 137 days Dean Winchester calls Sam’s phone one day, and Jess picks it up.Sam’s at the library. He’s always at the library, now, studying relentlessly for the LSAT. Jess understands. Most of her time these days is spent working on her thesis, holed up in their apartment with hundreds of photocopies of various Impressionist works littered around her. It’s crunch time, but she always tells herself it will be worth it, when Sam’s a lawyer and she’s an art professor. When they buy a nice house in Palo Alto, get their dream dog and a new, more reliable car. When they’re married, a thought that always makes her smile.The number on the phone is unlisted, which may be why Jess answers it, saying cheekily, “Sam’s phone, Jess speaking — and before you ask, no, we’re poor college students and we're not buying.”A gruff voice says, “Who is this?”Jess rolls her eyes and starts reorganizing her cluttered workspace, pressing the phone between her ear and the crook of her shoulder.“Jessica Moore.”“Where’s Sam?”“Out,” she says curtly. “Now, who is this?”There’s silence on the line for several seconds.“Dean,” the guy says finally. “His brother, if he hasn’t told you anything about me.”Oh, I know who you are, Jess wants to say. I know you took your father’s side when he and Sam fought about school. I know his body’s covered in scars you didn’t stop him from getting. I know he cries out for you at night, but when he wakes up he doesn’t want to talk about you. I know he misses you, but I also think he hates you a little bit, maybe a lot.Instead she says, “He hasn’t really said anything about you. Can I take a message?”More silence. Then, “I just wanted to —” There’s a pause, and Dean sighs. “You know what? Never mind. Forget that I called.”The phone beeps when he hangs up. If it belonged to her, Jess would throw it across the room in her anger.How dare he call Sam after years of radio silence? How dare he drudge up the history that has Sam terrified half the time, constantly looking over his shoulder? How dare he try to be a part of the new life Sam is building, one where he’s happy and safe?Maybe the worst sin in Jessica Moore’s life is that she never tells Sam his brother called, and she deletes the record from his phone. 55 days They drive down the coast for a quick getaway, stopping at a bungalow their friend Terri’s family owns. It’s all theirs for three days.Three days spent frolicking — yeah, that’s the best word for it — on the beach, making shitty hot dogs on the cheap grill, skinny dipping in the ocean at night (Jess is actually illogically terrified of sharks, so she always makes Sam swim out ahead of her — “You’re a bigger meal!” she says, teasing).Making love on the beach turns out to be overrated — so much sand, in too many uncomfortable places — so they use the bed after the first night, and they probably spend more time there than they should. But every time one of them gets up, protesting about seeing the ocean, the other one pulls them right back in, and there they go again. If Jess ever worried about their sex life while they were in the midst of all their thesis writing and LSAT studying, she’s not worried anymore.On their last night at the bungalow Sam builds a small bonfire out of driftwood and dried grass, sparking the flames with twigs, just like a Boy Scout (which, Jess is pretty sure he never was one, but he doesn’t tell her how he learned all this stuff).“Show off,” she says, but it’s without any malice, and Sam pulls her down to sit next to him in the sand. She teaches him how to make smores the Moore family way, which really just means double layers of everything.“Hey,” Sam says, once the fire starts to die and Jess is beginning to drift off. “I have sort of an important question to ask you.”“Hmmm?” She leans against his broad chest, closing her eyes as he wraps his arms around her.“Do you ever think about us getting engaged?”Well, now she’s awake. Jess turns to look at him, heart thumping wildly at the sight of Sam’s openly earnest face. He looks hopeful. It’s not a look he wears often.She swallows, says, “All the damn time.”Sam laughs a little, bending down to rub her nose with his, this sweet butterfly kiss she taught him when they first started dating.“Okay,” he says, grinning widely, and now she’s laughing, too, giddy. “Okay, when we get back we’ll look at rings, and I'll start saving money for one. Sound good?”Jess just nods frantically, like he did when she first asked him to get coffee in Dr. Klein’s class, and pulls him down for a hard kiss. 1 day She listens to the voicemail three times, telling herself no, Sam doesn’t sound weird; yes, he’s fine. He promised he’d come back. He’s coming back.Jess doesn’t like Dean any better in person than she did getting to know him through Sam’s vague stories. She doesn’t like that her Sam — studious, dedicated, hardworking Sam — is spending the weekend before his incredibly important law school interview chasing down his deadbeat father with his equally deadbeat brother.He said he was fine, though, in the voicemail. She’ll have to accept that.Jess decides that since she can’t focus on any work while he’s gone, she’s got to distract herself in some other way. So she goes shopping, picking out the ingredients for Sam’s favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. She calls him on the way to the store.“Hey, it’s me. It’s about 10:20... Uh, I got your message. Just checking in. Love you, be safe, come home soon, and all that crap. Okay, bye.”He doesn’t call back, so she pours her frustration into the dough, beating in the chips savagely and debating calling again.You’re not that girl, she reminds herself. You’re not clingy and obsessive.So she doesn’t call.The doorbell rings when she’s on her fourth batch of cookies, worry-baking through all of the ingredients she bought today, even though she intended to stop herself much sooner.Jess half runs to the door, expecting Sam. She opens it without looking through the peephole.“Oh,” she says, any potential elation deflated upon seeing who it is. “Hey, Brady.”Brady smiles.“Well, don’t sound so disappointed, Jess.”She tries her best to smile back.“Sorry, long day.” Jess stands back from the door to let him in. “Hey, help yourself to some cookies. I’ve got to call Sam real quick. He should be home soon, if that’s who you’re here for.”“You wound me!” Brady calls as she makes her way back to the bedroom. “I’m here for you, Jess!”“Yeah right!” she shouts back, laughing a little as she pulls her cell phone out.Her thumb hovers over Sam’s number for several long seconds. She doesn’t know why she’s hesitating. They’ve been dating over a year; he wants to marry her, for fuck’s sake. She has just as much of a right to Sam as his brother does.The phone rings and rings before it goes to voicemail. Jess closes her eyes, trying not to let rejection sting her. When she opens them, Brady’s in the doorway of their bedroom, smiling oddly at her. She frowns a little at him — what are you doing back here — then holds a finger up in a “just one moment” gesture.“Hey Sam,” she says. “Just calling to make sure you’re on your way back.” Jess pauses, thinks for a second. “I miss you. Okay, well, call me when you get close. Love you, bye.”Those are the last words Jessica Moore says to Sam Winchester.
11473749	Youd Be the First One to	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "F/F", "Characters": "Waverly Earp, Nicole Haught", "Fandom": "Wynonna Earp (TV)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by burglebezzlement", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "1,251", "Additional Tags": "Fluff and Angst, Post-Possession, Hurt/Comfort, Dinner, Anniversary, Wine, Episode tag for 2x05, Spoilers through 2x05", "Relationship": "Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Nicole comes home to a light in her window.“Waves?” She keeps one hand on her gun as she slides open the door, because this is Purgatory.But inside, the lights are shining, and it smells like food and warmth and home. Waverly bounces up from the couch. “You’re home!” she says. “Not that I was waiting. Exactly.”Nicole leans down for a kiss, short and sweet. Waverly tastes like bubblegum lip balm. She’s got Nicole’s cat, Calamity Jane, slung over her shoulder. The cat’s purring, a rusty wheezing sound that Nicole hasn’t heard much recently.“That’s new,” Nicole says, motioning towards the cat, and then winces when she remembers why Calamity Jane suddenly started hiding when Waverly came over.“Guess cats aren’t big on cuddling with demons.” Waverly’s voice is even. Neutral. It’s her dealing-with-it voice, the one she puts on for Dolls and Wynonna and her aunt. The one Nicole has been listening to for the past week.“Hey.” Nicole puts an arm around Waverly’s waist. “It’s good to see you,” she says, a little emphasis on the you that maybe she didn’t mean to put there. Waverly’s mouth quirks up on one side. “Yeah. Me.”“I didn’t mean it like that.” Nicole runs her hand down Waverly’s arm, fingers gentle against her girlfriend’s skin. “Let me change, okay?”“Okay.” Waverly goes in for another kiss before she lets Nicole go, though, and Nicole lets herself linger. “I hope you’re hungry,” Waverly calls through the door while Nicole strips off her uniform jacket and khakis and pulls on an oversized sweater and yoga pants. Earp clothes, she thinks of them now. She needs to get down to the city this weekend and buy some new work pants, now that Nedley’s finally loosened his reign of khaki terror. “Starving,” Nicole calls back. It was a long day of handling shoplifters and drunks, and bored teenagers with Sharpies and walls to write on, and lunch was a sandwich she only got to eat half of, because another call came in.“Wynonna’s staking out those weirdos from the Fire Department,” Waverly calls. “The ones who tried to kill me.”The weirdo fire fighters who also fight demons, just like everyone else in the Ghost River Triangle. Except Nicole. Sometimes Nicole wonders about that. What’s next, a secret cadre of local Public Works who fight demon alligators in Purgatory’s sewers? A demonic plot foiled by the local ice cream delivery guy?She brushes her fingers through her hair and looks at herself in the mirror. She likes the shorter hair. Her hair used to ache at the end of the day, when she finally let it out of the braid. “I always wondered why a town as small as Purgatory had enough firefighters for a calendar,” Nicole says, coming back out into the main room. Not that the calendar would ever be her thing, but Marge down in Maintenance has one that she insists on showing off whenever anyone wanders down to the basement. Mr. February just has a fireman’s helmet in a strategic location. Nicole’s hoping for something a little less revealing from Mr. March.In the main room, Waverly’s lighting candles on Nicole’s little fold-down table, which is set with cloth napkins and wine glasses and silverware. Nicole didn’t even know she had candle holders, much less fancy wine glasses.Waverly sees Nicole looking. “It’s too much, isn’t it? I knew it.” She looks down at the table.“No,” Nicole says. “No, it’s perfect. I just didn’t know if I missed an anniversary or something.”“I’ll get the food!” Waverly says, brightly, and then Nicole knows that she did miss something.“Waves?”“I hope you like garlic bread.” Waverly sets down two plates, loaded with lasagna, and turns back to the kitchen. Nicole follows her in, stepping up behind her and pressing her body against her. “What did I miss?”Waverly’s still, and then she sighs. “Two-month anniversary,” she says, turning so she’s facing Nicole. “I planned it last week.”It takes Nicole a moment. Last week. “When you were —”“—kinda super-hella-possessed,” Waverly says. “Yeah.”“Do you —” Nicole’s not sure how to say it. “Do you want to talk about it?”“I don’t even want to think about it.” Waverly steps away from Nicole, her hands moving restlessly over the counter. “But I can’t stop. It’s like —” She scrunches up her nose. “This wine. Did I pick it? Or did Mictian just have really good taste in wine? Maybe 1989 was a great year for low-end California reds and being evil.”Nicole picks up the bottle. “First off, this wine is too cheap to have a year on it. And second, it has alcohol. I think that’s the most important thing.”Waverly looks at her side-long. “Yeah?”“Yeah.” Nicole slides the bottle over and opens a drawer to grab the corkscrew. Waverly studies the bottle. “This chicken is cute,” she says, tracing her finger over the rooster on the label. “I think I picked it out.”“You did.” Nicole kisses Waverly on the forehead and takes the wine to open. Waverly’s the only person she knows who chooses her wine based on the presence and cuteness of the animal on the label.Once the wine is poured, they pick up their forks and start eating. Waverly made fancy little salads, with orange slices on curly lettuce and some sort of creamy dressing.“I wasn’t gone,” Waverly says, when their salads are finished. She gets up and grabs Nicole’s plate, like she’s looking for an excuse not to look at Nicole while she says this. “I was still in there the entire time.”Nicole’s not sure what to say, but she knows she wants Waverly to keep talking. “I know you were,” she says.“I think it was still me.” Waverly comes back with the cheese grater and starts grating long curls of some fancy cheese over Nicole’s lasagna.“I was in control through most of it,” Waverly says. “I — I don’t remember what happened when the demon took over. But I think it was me for most of it.”“I know,” Nicole says, and she reaches out and takes the cheese and the grater from Waverly.“I couldn’t talk about it,” Waverly says. “The — Mictian wouldn’t let me. I could keep fighting it as long as I didn’t try to ask for help.”Nicole thinks her heart might be breaking. She puts Waverly’s hand between hers and kisses it. “I know,” she says. “I know, baby, I know.”Waverly’s voice hitches. “I didn’t know if I’d get to see you again,” she says. “When I ran over to you and kissed you — I’m really sorry, by the way. But I didn’t know if Mictian was going to take over and that might be the last time —”Nicole gets up and wraps her in her arms. Waverly’s head falls into her shoulder and Nicole leans down and kisses her head. She strokes Waverly’s long hair, hands careful. “I know,” she says, like if she just says it enough times, everything will somehow be alright. “I know. You’re you now, Waves, and we’re going to figure everything else out.”Waverly sniffles and laughs, a little, and hugs Nicole tighter. “I feel like I keep asking you if we can start over.” Her voice is tiny. “Nicole —”“Waverly,” Nicole says, her voice rough. “I’m never going to stop wanting to start over with you.”“Promise?” Waverly asks.Nicole nods. Kisses Waverly’s head again. “Promise.”
11412573	Holiday	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "F/F", "Characters": "Asui Tsuyu, Uraraka Ochako", "Fandom": "僕のヒーローアカデミア \| Boku no Hero Academia \| My Hero Academia", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by Silver_Sterling", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-05T00:00:00", "words": "1,628", "Additional Tags": "Holidays, Holding Hands, Fluff, Kissing", "Relationship": "Asui Tsuyu/Uraraka Ochako", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": "Tsuchako Week 2017", "Collections": "My Hero Academia FemSlash", "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	The roaring cheers of far off waves rode the current onto the shore as crystalline water lapped at the sand, a foamy lace trim lining its skirts. Wisps of cool salted air rolled off of the sea and brushed against their skin, ruffling the edges of bikinis and sundresses while combing its fingers through their hair. The wind’s touch was soothing as the scorching heat beat down from a cloudless sky and soon their breath became intertwined with the breeze, the ebbing and flowing of the air lulling them into a sound sleep.“Ochako. Ochako?”Slowly Ochako came back into consciousness. The sounds of the ocean lapped at her hearing as she blinked bleariness out of her eyes and focussed on Tsuyu, beautiful and rose-tinted as her hair fluttered in the wind, a few strands coming loose from her bow.Sitting up she stretched out a few stiff muscles and noticed her nose and cheeks feeling tight and sore. Tsuyu caught her hand as she went to touch her face.“You got sunburnt. We’ve been asleep for an hour or two. Use my hat on the way back and we’ll deal with your burns back in the hotel room,” she said, placing a large sunhat on Ochako’s head. “You’re going to have some interesting tan lines now.”She realised belatedly that she was wearing sunglasses. Huge round lenses that coupled with the floppy white sunhat and chic beach bag she was carrying made her feel a lot older and more put together than she was. Of course Tsuyu wasn’t tinted pink, but with all of her adoration she didn’t have to wonder why she had thought otherwise.They traipsed unsteadily over the mounds of white sand, drowsy from their naps and dancing to avoid the scorching heat on their toes. Asui opted to hop as far as she could to avoid the searing sand while Uraraka lightened everything she could and shuffled forwards in her flip-flops, feet burnt by the occasional fleck of glass.Air conditioning and cool surfaces welcomed them back at the hotel. They walked to their room which they had left tucked in shade, the wind pushing at the muslin curtains. Rummaging in her suitcase, Tsuyu pulled out some after sun lotion and handed it to her girlfriend.“It’s probably best if you do it. I don’t want to hurt you.”“You don’t have to get so sweet and deep it’s just a sunburn,” Uraraka said, ignoring the heat in her cheeks flaring up around her burn at the caring statement.After checking herself over for sunburns, Asui hopped onto the bed and sat cross-legged to wait.“What do you want to do now? It’s mid-afternoon. Are you hungry?”“Not really. Maybe in a bit we could get some food and go for a swim but for now we could just hang out here and make out a little.”Tsuyu pulled a face and tilted her head but it was accompanied with a fond smile.“Make out a little? Are we back in UA? The last time we made plans just to make out must’ve been in your old dorm.”“We’re on holiday! Can’t a heroine get an uninterrupted kiss or two from her girlfriend?”Tsuyu leant over then pressed a short kiss to Ochako’s lips and quickly pulled away.“Little enough for you?”“A little more?”“Just a bit?”“Just a tad.”“Okay if you insist.”This time Ochako came to her, crawling across the bed until she sat on her knees to cup Tsuyu’s face and bring her in for a deeper kiss. Her lips were soft as usual, gently placed against hers then pulling away slightly, always leaving her wanting more.Leaning back into her partner’s arms, she took a glance at Ochako’s eyes, filled to the brim with awe and affection. She cradled Tsuyu’s head and eased her down onto the mattress so she could climb on top, kissing her throughout. Sometimes Tsuyu’s tongue would dart out, slipping momentarily into her mouth and brushing her tongue, each time it happened she shivered and smiled into the next kiss. Asui could smell the fresh aloe vera from Ochako’s skin and the smell of the ocean that was locked in her rumpled curls from when they had splashed around in the sea that morning, the salt stiff in her hair. The skin-to-skin contact felt hotter than usual, Ochako’s right hand now grasping Tsuyu’s left while warmth radiated from the red on Ochako’s face, almost scorching Tsuyu as their noses brushed.Caught up in the heat of the moment, they lost track of time to treasured affection and whispered promises shared in the cool shade of their hotel room. By the time they finally pulled away from each other their hair was messy and lips were swollen around ragged breaths.“We make such an effort to go on holiday and we end up messing around in our bedroom for an hour and a half,” croaked Tsuyu, a hint of a laugh in her voice.“To be fair we’re busy heroes who hardly ever get a break to just enjoy on another’s company. And a holiday is a period to relax in. So time well spent if you ask me.”“Agreed. I’m feeling hungry. Are you alright to go back out again?”“Yeah. Let’s check out that restaurant by the beach.”Asui nodded, gathering a few things including a large bottle of sun cream into a bag and slinging it over her shoulder.As soon as they left the room Ochako snuck her hand into Tsuyu’s and they began the short walk into the nearby town.“Oh. Did you bring money? How are we paying for this?”“How about the person who defeated the most villains this month eats for free and the loser pays?” she teased.Asui gave her a flat look then rolled her eyes.“You only won by two and I had to take a few days off because I was ill.”“Ah, yes. But were your villains important enough to earn you and a guest of choice a week’s paid holiday?”“After four days in hospital?” Tsuyu retorted, eyebrows raised but she couldn’t quite keep the pride out of her voice.“After three and a half days in hospital.”“It was four days. Since I’m so very in love with and proud of my heroic girlfriend who managed to save twenty lives for each day she spent in hospital in just one, horrific event, I guess I’ll pay this time.”“Thanks babe. You’re the best. I’ll buy us some ice cream later.”“Sounds good,” said Asui, squeezing her hand as they came up to the little restaurant facing the sea. “I am extremely proud of you and what you achieved that day and this is the least I could do to show it.”Taking a slight step back, Ochako stared at her girlfriend and felt a wave of emotion hit her, a line of tears rising in her eye line that had to be quickly blinked away to prove it. She had only been teasing before since this holiday was heavily encouraged after one particular risk she had taken. Joking about the more serious and even terrifying aspects of their job was a common way to cope, especially among the younger heroes, but she had accidentally brought up the trauma and hardship they had both faced in the aftereffects of the massive strain she had chosen to put on her body.“That means a lot to me,” she said, her voice thick. “Let’s go inside?”With delicious food that had been swimming around in the ocean only this morning sitting happily in their bellies and the softer sun rays of the evening now caressing their skin they found a spot to sit on a towel Ochako laid out while their bare feet were tickled by the receding tide.Fingers intertwined and both leaning on each other slightly for support they talked through the events of the last month while gazing off into the horizon. Focussing on the rocking of distant waves helped to steady any emotions that flared up when broaching more difficult topics as they moved onto their future, family, friends and everything in between.As rosy pinks and pastel oranges began to grey into dusk they finally got up and stretched feeling cleansed and exhausted. With that talk out of the way they could just have much needed, harmless fun for the rest of the short break.“If you had an online dating profile would you put that you enjoy long walks on the beach on it?” asked Ochako as they walked back along the front.“Why would I need a dating profile when I have you?” Tsuyu asked, puzzled.“I’m saying hypothetically.”“If I had it on my profile would you try and ask me out?” she asked in return.“I’d do that regardless,” laughed Ochako. “You’re so far out of my league I’d probably be a nervous wreck the whole time but who would say no to getting to know such a beautiful woman.”“So you’re just shallow then?” Tsuyu teased, dry as ever.“I am not shallow! It’s just that since I’m lucky enough to have an honest, loyal, heroic, brave, hardworking, skilled, courageous, compassionate girlfriend who is also overwhelmingly beautiful, like the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen, then I might as well appreciate it.”“You’re ridiculous,” she said, smile soft but intense until it grew into a beam.She was. But she still got rewarded with a kiss on the cheek for it and as they walked up to their room, her hand securely around Tsuyu’s waist, she knew she’d probably do anything, no matter how ridiculous, just to make her smile again.
11470185	but in between theres	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "F/M", "Characters": "Jyn Erso, Cassian Andor, Leia Organa, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker", "Fandom": "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Explicit", "author": "by anothersadsong", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "3,988", "Additional Tags": null, "Relationship": "Cassian Andor/Jyn Erso", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": "close ain't close enough", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	'captain andor - ',the tinny, jarring voice of the med-droid cut through jyn’s thoughts, pulling her from her mental picture of just how she and cassian were going to properly reunite after a month and a half apart, both having been pulled to different sides of the galaxy entirely. they kept in contact via comlink when they could, but that was hardly the same thing as actually having time and opportunity to spend with each other, tangled up in a mess of limbs in their shared bunk, boneless and satisfied, panting and laughing, littered in marks made by overeager mouths and hands alike, and -‘captain andor - ‘, the droid tries again, finally catching jyn’s attention. she’s spent an entire lifetime using assumed names in order to get by unnoticed - liana and kestrel and tanith and a handful of others - that it’s sometimes still a surprise to hear her given name, and now, her married name, not to mention her brand new rank.captain jyn erso-andor, married to major cassian andor. the heroes of scarif. the survivors of scarif.sometimes, it still feels as though she is living a life that is not meant to be her own. But despite the difficulties, and despite the danger that still permeates every day, she is … happy enough. privately, she holds onto the hope that someday, maybe not soon, but someday, they could have a normal life far away from the death and destruction and loss and heartbreak of war. and she knows that it isn’t going to be easy, especially for people like the pair of them, but she wants it more than she’s ever wanted anything in her whole life. mundane, by other people’s standards. downright boring in comparison to the lives that they are living now. completely taken for granted by the people that are able to live the same types of lives far away from the horrors that jyn and cassian have had to face for far longer than anyone should have to face such things. maybe they’d have children. maybe they wouldn’t.but they would be happy together, and that’s the only thing that matters.‘yes, i - ‘, she answers, shaking her head of all distractions, training her attention on the droid in front of her. ‘sorry.’the med droid would have given kay a run for his money when it came to being judgemental. if it could have cleared its throat before it continued speaking, it probably would have, leaving jyn feeling chagrined in its wake.‘there was an anomaly detected in your exam, captain’, the droid informs her, and all color drains from jyn’s face. the mission hadn’t been particularly dangerous more than it had been long and drawn out. for once, she hadn’t returned to echo base with any wounds, superficial or otherwise. to say that she’s confused is an understatement.‘what exactly do you mean by ‘an anomaly’?’if a droid could sigh, this one would, she thinks, her brow furrowing as she wracks her brain in an attempt to figure out if she’s picked up an illness that she wasn’t already vaccinated for, or if maybe she’s picked up a parasite of some sort that she would need to be treated for before she was sent out on her next assignment.‘you’re pregnant, congratulations’, the droid states flatly, and jyn thinks that maybe there should be a little more celebration when hearing such news. immediately, her hands rest against her abdomen, and although her eyes widen to think that there is a baby in there, she knows exactly when and where he or she had been conceived. it hadn’t exactly been romantic, given the fact that they’d had to hurry before their respective ships were due to depart, they hadn’t exactly taken their time, but apparently they had been come away from that particular go-round with a little parting gift nonetheless.she hasn’t experienced any of the symptoms synonymous with pregnancy. her cycles have never been regular, so she’s had no reason to suspect that she was late at all. no morning sickness, or any sickness at all, no strange pains or cravings. she’d thought, and rightfully so, that everything was fine.and now …there are no children on base, although plenty of people were fraternizing, cohabitating, and some couples were even married, just like jyn and cassian. jyn was beginning to feel a sneaking suspicion as to why that was. birth control was readily available, and required in some cases, but it wasn’t always 100% foolproof, as she was finding out firsthand.‘we can schedule you for a follow-up appointment soon. termination only requires a day or two away from active duty - ‘‘no!’, she cries, shaking her head vehemently, aghast at the very thought. it makes perfect sense, of course, they’re in the middle of a war, it is not the most opportune time to begin a family. but she wasn’t going to go through with anything irreversible without speaking to cassian first. he has a right to know, after all, that he was going to be a father if they ultimately decide to go against medical advice and keep the baby. ‘i’ll make the appointment myself. i just - i have to speak to my husband first.’‘very well. you are free to go, captain.’~she is going to tell him.but it's difficult to find any words other than 'oh, fuck yes', groaned over and over and over again as he's got her back pressed against the painfully frigid wall of their quarters, and he's perched on his knees between her open thighs, and he's urging her to hook a knee over his shoulder and he doesn't hesitate at all to lick and suck and nibble at her until she is a sobbing, moaning mess and he's grinning smugly at her, his mouth absolutely sopping with her essence, his eyes, his expressions, his actions telling her 'welcome home' without ever saying a word.she is definitely going to tell him.but when she's woken up much too early for her own good with one leg hitched over his hip, his arm wrapped firmly around her, holding her steady as he fucks slowly into her from behind, there's no helping the way she loses all sense of herself, intended words included, only able to concentrate on each measured stroke, and the way, inevitably, he stokes the fire burning low in her belly into the inferno that always threatens to consume them both whole. his breath, hot against her ear, his voice as he murmurs encouragement and praise both, and the way they fit together as though they were made for each other, and jyn can't hold out forever, no matter much she might wish that she could, that this exact moment in time could last, frozen in time - soon enough, she's shivering and shuddering and sighing her satisfaction, and he's soon following suit, and they find themselves both unwilling to untangle from around each other even as they slowly slide back into sleep for at least a few hours more.she is absolutely, unequivocally going to tell him.but not when they're attempting to take refuge from the hustle and bustle of echo base by hiding around some corner in some lesser utilized corridor, his hand thrust down her trousers, two fingers filling her and filling her and filling her again, her lips at his throat, biting and sucking and kissing, anything to keep from making too much noise and alerting anyone within hearing distance to what they're getting up to. 'that's it, that's my good girl', he coos, his voice little more than the hint of a husky whisper against her ear, and she breathes sharply, her knees giving out almost completely, grateful for the way he curls an arm around her, and keeps her steady, still, and standing upright, even as she's completely overcome by wave after wave of pure, unadulterated sensation as it washes over her, again, again, again.she is going to tell him ... eventually.~jyn never actually gets the chance to tell cassian, even though she’s found herself with plenty of opportunity to do so. the moments just never seemed … right. or she found herself distracted by other things entirely, such as cassian’s hands and his mouth, and the way that they still gravitate toward each other, still need each other as much as they ever have, three years after getting married. or, they were pulled to separate sides of base in order to assist where they are needed the most, and by the time they are able to come back together, telling him is the very last thing on her mind. telling him is only made more difficult by the fact that jyn doesn’t even know what she wants, her decision fluctuating with her moods, and the days as they pass. some days, she thinks that they absolutely cannot bring a new life into a world that’s so torn up and uncertain. and some days, all she wants is to begin a family of her very own, to give her child the life that had been so cruelly taken away from her when she was far too young to be without her parents.and through it all, she can’t even begin to gauge what cassian wants, either. he doesn’t talk of his family often, and when he does, there’s a pain that lingers in his eyes and in his voice and in his heart that she knows will never disappear. she shares that same pain, she knows it better than most, she would never wish it on anyone, not even her worst enemies, and yet …if they have a child, there is no guarantee that they would be able to keep their son (would he have her smile?) or their daughter (would she share cassian’s deep, dark eyes?) safe. how could they possibly, after everything they’ve lost, believe that they were capable of keeping all the bad in the galaxy away from their child? how could they possibly believe that they were equipped emotionally to deal with the intricacies and difficulties of parenthood, especially since they were still learning how to maneuver through married life? how could they even begin to think that they could provide their child with the kind of life that they deserve to live, happy, safe, away from the ravages of war?but if they decide together that now is not the right time … who’s to say that they’ll ever have this chance again? and if they didn’t, would they feel guilty for giving it up when they did have the chance? would that change the way that they felt about each other in the process? she couldn’t imagine, and didn’t want to, the size of the divide that might slowly push them apart. a life without cassian wasn’t much of a life at all, she had accepted that years before, holding each other tight on that beach on scarif, waiting for their imminent demise. it was too soon for the both of them, but at least they were together. at least they’d never be alone again.and so, the mental debate rages on, her mind torn, shifting between wanting what she never thought she could ever have, and feeling selfish for even considering bringing a new life into an unsafe world. cassian notices when she’s trapped in her thoughts, and although he gently attempts to coax jyn back to him, she always seems distracted. all he can do is remind her that he is here, and that she can talk to him about anything, and offer his steadfast presence, which does soothe her a bit, but not completely. this isn’t supposed to be happening - not here, not now, maybe not ever.days turn into a week, and then two, and jyn still doesn’t say a word, and cassian worries all the more the further she pulls into herself, and they tread a delicate line between the peace and contentment they usually feel in the moments that they are allowed to be together, and falling apart entirely under the weight of the stress that now rests upon jyn’s shoulders.she is going to tell him.but all too suddenly, he is pulled into a briefing of the utmost importance, one that even jyn wasn’t invited to, and when he returns to their quarters, it’s with his brow furrowed in concentration … or concern … or maybe both. and before jyn ever gets a chance to ask what’s wrong, or more importantly, where he is getting shipped off to, because that’s obviously what the meeting was about, because they always are, and nobody else ever has the skills that cassian has, and he’s the only person in the whole of the rebellion that can do certain jobs, and he’s always pulled away from her, and more often than not, they are parted, for force knows how long, he grabs a bag that’s already been packed, pulls her close in order to peck a kiss to her forehead, and then one to her lips, and reluctantly steps away.‘i can’t talk about it, jyn’, he says, already well aware of the questions racing through her mind. ‘i have to go.’jyn doesn’t argue. she doesn’t protest. but her heart pounds a little harder against her ribs as she considers, however fleetingly, telling cassian about the baby. with a classified mission imminent, he can’t afford that sort of distraction, and she swallows the words down, hides them away, hopes beyond any hope she’s ever held in her little body that the mission is quick and easy and painless, and finds them reunited in a timely manner so that they can give that discussion the proper amount of time and consideration that it deserves.‘just come back to me’, she murmurs, and although he offers a curt nod and a tiny, reassuring smile in return, he doesn’t make a promise that he knows he cannot keep. they’ve been lucky so far, but luck doesn’t last forever. it would be unfair to lead her on. ‘i’ll do my best’, he replies instead, and she knows that he means it with everything that he is.he’ll try. it’s all she can ever ask of him, and it’s all that he’ll ever be able to promise her. he’ll try.unceremoniously, he leaves her. alone in their quarters, jyn breaks down completely, sobbing until she physically could not sob anymore. she should have told him. they should have already spoken about it at length, and made a decision as to what would be best, and taken care of it, if that’s what they ultimately decided on. and now, she was left waiting and wondering and worrying about him, now, more than usual.she does return to medbay, and does consult with a doctor, but decides that for the time being, she isn’t going to schedule a termination. she is reminded that the window of opportunity is not infinite, which she understands. she’s just adamant upon not doing anything rash without speaking to cassian first. (perhaps selfishly, deep down, she’s aware that he might not return, and she wants some little piece of him with her if that comes to pass, some visceral reminder that for one bright, shining moment, she’d been happy, and in love, even in the midst of war.)the waiting was always the worst part, but all the moreso now. jyn found herself constantly on edge, and constantly on the verge of tears, her emotions a wreck from worrying and from changing on her at the slightest provocation. the normally stoic captain andor was a mess, and people were beginning to notice. even though they never brought it up to her, plenty of personnel talked behind her back, brought up the deep, dark bags underneath her eyes, her noticeable weight loss, the fact that more often than not, she appeared to have been crying. has something happened to major andor that nobody knew about? was she grieving, or have the stresses of her duties and responsibilities finally gotten to her? rumors spread like wildfire, but jyn could hardy find a reason to care. all she wants is her husband back, safe and in her arms.all she wants, she thinks, late one night, three weeks and five days later, when she can’t sleep and she’s sitting at their shared desk wrapped in one of cassian’s sweaters just to feel close to him somehow, is to have him back. all she wants is to tell him about the child growing within her body, and to tell him that despite every instinct in her body screaming at her that it is not the right time, she wants to keep it. and even if they never actually get to settle into that mundane, boring life together, she wants whatever life has yet to bring to them. she might not be showing yet, she certainly might not know the baby, but she loves her child nonetheless. she knows that she would do anything to protect the baby, to keep it safe, to love it to the best of her ability, and cassian will, too, she’s convinced of it.the days begin to bleed from one into another with no end in sight, and no word from cassian, and no explanations from the powers-that-be about where he’s been sent to, what he was doing, when he was expected back, not that that was much of a surprise. all jyn could do was find ways to keep herself busy, even though no matter how much she is distracted, her thoughts inevitably circle back to him. surprisingly, she’s become friendly enough with the princess to spend long sleepless nights speaking about anything and everything in an attempt to keep both their minds occupied from their darker thoughts. once, though, on a particularly bad night, she held on tightly to a small hand clutching her own, crying in relief when she’s told ‘he’s okay. soon, jyn, he’ll return soon. just hold on. just be strong’.through leia, she met han, and chewbacca, and found herself having a hell of a time cheating them at sabaac. he always blusters and huffs and puffs when he loses, but more often than not, she finds a friendly hand clapping against her shoulder and the offer of a drink. ‘another time’, she always replies, snorting softly when he drawls ‘can’t wait to meet the man that’s managed to tame you’.‘who says i’ve been tamed at all, solo?’, she challenges, unable to keep from laughing herself when he lets loose with a peal of loud, raucous laughter that is mostly bereft from the base as a whole, filling the room and brightening it exponentially, if even for a few quick moments.through leia, she meets luke, the destroyer of the death star itself. with him, she finds a sense of peace and calm that she’s been missing her entire life. once, he tells her that they’d all be just fine, and she found herself wondering just how much he really knew, and if his words would actually come to pass. she’ll never say, but she holds onto them with everything that she is, hoping and praying to deities that she wasn’t even sure that she believes in that he is right.she’s made friends again, and although she still mourns the loss of the friends she was still missing terribly, jyn she finds herself settling into familiar rhythms. their presence in her life did not take away her need for cassian, but they each help her through in their own particular ways.three and a half more weeks pass by, and then, just as she was waking up from an unplanned nap while doing some translating work, a quick message from leia via comlink has her heart pounding wildly against her ribs. ‘medbay. he’s back. he’s okay’, and nothing more. but that is all that jyn needs to hear, off like a shot, pulling on cassian’s big, blue parka as she goes. she can’t exactly run through the icy hallways in her condition, lest she fall and find herself admitted to medbay too, but she walks as fast as her legs can take her, the determined expression on her face more than enough to make others jump out of her way before she barrels past them without slowing down.jyn storms into medbay, startling the doctor doing the standard exam, and cassian, too, who stares at her through wide eyes. she must look a mess, panting, wild-eyed, desperate to see for herself that he is unharmed, that he’s returned in one piece. she won’t even be satisfied, truly, until she’s able to examine him for herself, touching each and every inch of him to reassure herself that he’s returned safe and sound.if she looks at cassian as though she is a woman drowning, he stares at her with the exact same need in his eyes. ‘jyn … ‘captain’, the doctor interrupts, as though his presence has even been noticed. ‘i’ll be done with the examination soon - ‘‘a moment with my husband, please’, she requests, not above begging if she absolutely has to. there must be a tremble in her voice, or enough raw emotion shining in her eyes, because the doctor doesn’t deny the request.‘a few minutes, captain, and then i really must finish my exam’, he acquiesces, quietly leaving the pair of them to themselves.at first, all they can do is stare at each other, wary, as though they’ve both dreamed up the other. and then jyn just can’t hold back anymore, she practically launches herself at cassian, and he catches her easily, tender as he brushes her hair away from her face, plastered to her cheeks by the tears that she could not stop from falling, a heated torrent with no end in sight. he murmurs that he loves her, that he’d wanted to get in touch with her a thousand times or more, but it was a delicate mission, that he couldn’t risk arousing any suspicion, but none of that matter anymore, she thinks, now that he’s returned, now that he’s holding her as tightly as she is him, now that she has him and isn’t likely to let go anytime soon.he slides a hand underneath the jacket, smiling softly, recalling each and every time he’s told her that it looks better on her than it ever did on him, especially the times in which she wore little else underneath. his fingers curl around a hip and squeeze gently, and jyn holds her breath in anticipation. ever observant, cassian notices the new softness there, glances at jyn wonderingly, and then lets go just long enough to push the jacket open just a little bit more. her shirt is baggy enough that it obscures her well enough, but as he smooths it down with trembling fingers, she knows that he feels the beginning of the tiny swell of her stomach. his breath catches in his throat, and jyn thinks that she might pass out entirely, too many worries swirling through her brain.but when cassian curls an arm around jyn, urging her all the closer, and when he breathes ‘are you … ? are we … ?’ in her ear, she was certain that although this was hardly either of their idea of a proper welcome home, it will do.‘i was going to tell you’, she whispers through her relieved tears.‘you’re telling me now’, he replies, pulling away so that he can wipe away each and every tear with gentle fingers.there is still so much to say, so much to discuss, and so much that jyn needs to apologize for, but in the moment that he meets her eyes and whispers ‘we’re going to be okay’, it all settles. they would probably always have worries, and they would probably always have fears, but here and now …she believes him.
11409726	forgotten nil pmh	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": null, "Characters": "Park Minhyuk \| Rocky, Moon Bin, Yoon Sanha, Lee Dongmin \| Cha Eunwoo", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by yoonsanhashair", "chapters": "17/17", "completed": "2017-07-27", "published": "2016-08-18T00:00:00", "words": "6,299", "Additional Tags": null, "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "minhyuk/insook/moonbin, Park Minhyuk \| Rocky & Yoon Sanha", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "ASTRO (Band), rocky - Fandom", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": "F/M, Other", "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	7:29 am rocky get up insook 7:30 am insook why must you be an ass and wake me from my slumber? 7:30 am rocky fine. then be late for school. i'll just pull out of your driveway and leave you to walk 7:31 am insook NO DONT LEAVE ME ILL BE RIGHT OUT 7:31 am rocky hurry up then. i'm giving you 7 minutes 7:32 am insook MINHYUK DONT BE THAT WAY IM GETTING READY 7:32 am rocky times a ticking. now stop looking at your phone and get ready. moonbin's waiting for us at school 7:37 am insook please unlock the car minhyuk 7:37 am rocky only cause you said please ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- 10:25 am insook minhyuk 10:26 am minhyuk i'm in class insook 10:26 am insook i know but i'm bored and i don't see either you or moonbin until lunch 10:26 am minhyuk we've got four minutes till then you can wait sooki 10:27 am insook i hate you 10:27 am minhyuk love you too we'll see you at lunch 10:32 am "finally! lunch!" insook said excitedly as she entered the lunch room. she quickly went into the lunch line and bought a bowl of ramen. she looked around lunch room and spotted her two friends. "annyeonghaseyo minhyuk, annyeonghaseyo moonbin." she greeted the two as she sat down at the table. "annyeonghaseyo." they said in unison. "you guys don't understand how hungry i am." insook said as she broke apart her chopsticks. minhyuk laughed as insook started shoving ramen in her mouth, while moonbin looked at her with a slightly disgusted face. "you eat like a fucking animal sooki." minhyuk laughed. "yah! i'm hurt rocky." insook faked being hurt as she placed her hand over her heart. "you guys are idiots." moonbin laughed. "yah! why are you two being so rude to me!" she whined. minhyuk broke apart his chopsticks and took some of insook's ramen while she wasn't paying attention. "yah! what the hell rocky! that's my ramen!" "i know, that's why i took some." He laughed. "i hate both of you." insook pouted. "you love us." minhyuk smiled. minhyuk and insook both noticed that moonbin was quieter than usual. they looked at each other with concern. "bin, you alright?" minhyuk waved his hand in front of moonbin's face. moonbin had no reaction. insook and minhyuk looked at each other again. "yah! pabo!" insook hit moonbin's shoulder causing him to flinch. "i'm sorry. i just remembered i have a thing to go to." moonbin said quickly. he grabbed his stuff and walked out the lunch room leaving his two friends worried and confused. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- 11:56 pm minhyuk hey moonbin. is something wrong? why'd you leave lunch today? 11:58 pm minhyuk i know you're awake bin 11:59 pm moonbin i'm fine minhyuk. i had something to do. that's all. 11:59 pm minhyuk that's bullshit and you know it. you can tell me bin. we've been friends since we were three. 12:00 am moonbin i told you i'm fine. why can't you just leave me alone about it already? 12:00 am minhyuk insook was worried about you bin. why can't you just tell us what's wrong? 12:01 am moonbin how do you feel about insook? answer truthfully minhyuk. 12:01 am minhyuk she's my best friend. besides you of course. i don't see her as anything more than that. 12:02 am moonbin do you think insook would go out with me minhyuk? 12:02 am minhyuk you like insook? 12:02 am moonbin yeah. i do. so, do you think she would say yes if i asked her out? 12:05 am minhyuk i just remembered i have to wake up early tomorrow. goodnight bin. 12:06 am minhyuk wanted to pull his hair out. this is not how things were supposed to go. this can't be happening. "i won't lose insook to moonbin." minhyuk whispered to himself. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- 6:20 am rocky morning sooki. 6:24 am insook what the hell rocky? it's 6:25 in the fucking morning. i don't have to be up till 7:30. 6:25 am rocky i forgot about that. sorry. but hey, it's friday. 6:25 am insook i don't give a shit. you woke me up a whole hour earlier than i needed to be. 6:27 am rocky can you just stop complaining and open the front door for me? 6:27 am insook give me a second to find my sandals. 6:29 am insook opened the door to a smiling minhyuk. "good morning sleeping beauty." minhyuk joked. "just come in already." insook said with a yawn following afterwards. insook looked like she had walked through a tornado, while minhyuk was dressed nicely in his school uniform. minhyuk nodded and walked inside. he took off his regular shoes, placed them nicely on the shoe rack, and put on his house sandals that were already on the shoe rack. "what would you like to do sooki?" "i would like to go back to sleep. would rocky like to join me?" she asked. "why not?" he smiled and followed insook to her room. 'bin will not win.' ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- 6:35 am minhyuk and insook were laying in bed. insook was resting on minhyuk, but he didn't mind. it wasn't anything awkward. they've done it before. but why does it leave him with butterflies in his stomach? minhyuk shook the feelings away and pulled insook closer to him. he liked what they had but recently, he wanted to be something more. minhyuk looked down at insook and saw she was asleep once again. he really, really liked her . but, so does bin. minhyuk moved the stray strand of hair off her face. "사랑해. (i love you)." he whispered, trying not to wake her up. minhyuk slowly closed his eyes and drifted into a deep sleep. 7:30 am "rocky. get up." insook said as she lightly shook him awake. insook had woken up 20 minutes earlier to get ready. she didn't wake minhyuk up, he just looked to peaceful. "what time is it?" minhyuk asked with a groggy voice. "it's 7:30. come on, we can't leave bin waiting for us." insook smiled at minhyuk. minhyuk tiredly smiled back and got out of her bed. He walked over to insook's mirror and fixed his uniform and hair. "hurry up rocky, stop being such a girl." "yah! i'm not going to school looking like a mess." he laughed. "ok, I'm ready." the two of them grabbed their book bags and headed to minhyuk's car. he pulled the keys out his book bag and they set off for school. "hey rocky." "yeah." "i love you." "love you too sooki." "i don't ever want anyone or anything to get in the way of our friendship." insook smiled. minhyuk felt his heart ache. friendship. 'but what if i want more than just a friendship?' minhyuk thought as they pulled up into the school parking lot. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- 9:42 am rocky sooki you up? 9:45 am insook hello good sir and yes i am 9:45 am rocky wanna go to the shopping center or something? 9:46 am insook sure sounds like fun :) 9:46 am rocky be ready by 10 so i can pick you up 9:46 am insook alright. see you in fourteen minutes :) 9:50 am insook's phone made a light ping noise. she picked up her phone expecting it to be minhyuk but was surprised to who called. she answered the call and placed the phone by her ear. "yebaseyo moonbin." "yebaseyo insook. are you doing anything today?" the boy asked. "yeah, minhyuk and i are actually going to the shopping center today. i'm really sorry, maybe next weekend?" "ani, its fine. next weekend sounds good." bin said into the phone. before insook had the chance to say goodbye, moonbin had already hung up the phone. she looked at the time and saw it was almost 10 so she decided to go outside and wait for minhyuk. 9:59 am minhyuk pulled into her driveway and smiled when he saw her. insook waved at minhyuk and ran to the passenger side. "annyeong rocky!" insook said as she got into the car. "annyeong insook." minhyuk smiled at her. "let's go!" insook shouted. minhyuk only laughed at her childish behavior and started driving towards the shopping center. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- 1:24 pm minhyuk and insook walked around the shopping center hand in hand. minhyuk savored this action. he dearly wanted to tell insook how he felt, but feared it wound ruin their friendship. insook lightly squeezed minhyuk's hand. he looked down at her. "rocky, can we get burgers?" she asked him. "sure." he shrugged his shoulders. 1:31 pm insook and minhyuk found a table to sit at. they placed there trays down, one on each side so they could face each other as they ate. if you didn't know any better, you'd think they were a young couple. "hey, rocky." "what's up insook?" "did bin call you today?" she asked him. "uh... no. why?" minhyuk asked, taking a sip from his soda. "he invited me to go somewhere with him today. i thought maybe he invited you as well." insook bit into her burger. "what did you tell him?" "i told him i already have plans with you today and that he could reschedule for next weekend." she said calmly. "why does it interest you?" "just curious, that's all." minhyuk said as he bit into his burger. "hey, rocky." insook nudged him. "yes?" "hurry up." "don't rush me." minhyuk laughed. "you're taking forever!" "hey! it's not my fault you eat like a pig!" "i'm hurt minhyuk." insook placed her hand over her heart and pretended to cry. " shut up. i'm done now, lets go." minhyuk stood up with his trash in hand. insook was about to grab her trash but minhyuk beat her to it. "hey, i can do it myself." she whined. "it's called a kind gesture. accept it." minhyuk said then tossed both of their garbage in the bin. insook grabbed minhyuk's hand, looked up at him, and smiled. "now, lets do something fun." she said then started to run through the mall, dragging minhyuk along with her. "insook! slow down!" minhyuk shouted while earning strange looks from people in the shopping center. 1:59 pm insook finally stopped running. minhyuk looked around and realized where they were, a build-a-bear. "why are we at a build-a-bear sooki?" "since we've been friends for... as long as i can remember, i thought we could come here and make each other a bear. to symbolize our friendship and that we'll never forget about each other." insook smiled shyly. minhyuk couldn't help but smile. "then what are we waiting for?" insook smiled and pulled minhyuk into the store. "you'll make a bear to represent me and i'll make one representing you, got it?" minhyuk nodded. 2:17 pm "that'll be 86,852 won for the two bears." the lady at the register said. minhyuk pulled out his wallet and handed the lady the amount she said. "by the way, you two are such a cute couple." insook blushed lightly. "thank you for the compliment ma'am, but we're not dating. we're just friends." minhyuk said politely. "oh dear, forgive me. you two just look so cute together, that's all." minhyuk just smiled at the lady. they got their change back and left the store. 2:26 pm "what'd you name your bear?" insook asked minhyuk. "sooki." insook blushed. "what'd you name yours?" "i named him rocky." ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- 7:57 am ding dong. insook looked up from her phone. 'minhyuk didn't tell me he was here.' she thought to herself. she slipped her school shoes on and headed for the door. "moonbin? what are you doing here?" "annyeong insook. i came to take you to school." moonbin smiled. "but, minhyuk usually takes me. what if he shows up and i'm not here?" insook said, standing on her tip toes trying to see over moonbin's shoulder. "it's alright insook, i already told minhyuk. he'll meet us at the school." he smirked. "o...kay. just let me get my book bag from my room." she smiled at her friend. 8:10 am minhyuk waited outside of insook's house. he picked up his phone and saw a message from the one and only, moonbin. 8:05 am moonbin hey i forgot to tell you I picked up insook at 8. oops. 8:11 am "aish." minhyuk murmured. he quickly pulled out of her driveway and headed off to the school. 8:25 am minhyuk ran through the empty hallways. he was 10 minutes late. he quickly opened the classroom door, causing everyone to stare at him. "park minhyuk! why are you late?" ms. choi asked him. "i woke up late. please forgive me." minhyuk bowed, then walked to his seat. "hello minhyuk." said the shy boy with glasses who sat next to him. "hello sanha. did i miss anything important?" the boy sat thought for a second then lightly shook his head. "just a small lecture, nothing too important." he squeaked. just as minhyuk was about to thank the beagle boy, there was a shout from their small teacher. "yoon sanha! outside, now." her shouts made the poor boy flinch. "yes ma'am." he sighed then slowly walked out the room. "ms. choi, it was my fault. don't punish sanha for something i caused." "well," she rubbed her chin. "then you can join mr. yoon outside." she evilly smiled, then shooed his out of the classroom. sanha saw minhyuk step out the classroom and started to panic. "minh-" "its alright sanha. don't blame yourself for it." he smiled at the younger one. 8:48 am the two boys were still outside in the hallway, most likely forgotten about. "should we go back into the class?" sanha asked. "no, the bells about to ring. what's the point of going in if we'll just have to get back out a minute later?" sanha pushed the frame of his glasses up, nodding in agreement. sure enough, the bell rang not even a minute later. minhyuk started walking towards the cafeteria when he heard footsteps right behind him. he turned around to see the beagle boy right behind him. "i was wondering if i could sit with you at lunch today?" sanha asked shyly. "of course! i sit with my two friends from kinder, maybe you could get to know them." minhyuk smiled. sanha and minhyuk took off to the cafeteria. there was only one thing on the beagle boy's mind, "i hope his friends like me." ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- 8:51 am "hi sooki, moonbin. So uh... this is yoon sanha from my class." minhyuk introduced him. "hello yoon sanha, im jeong insook." insook smiled brightly. "i'm moonbin. nice to meet you." moonbin gave the beagle boy a slight smile. "what are we doing just standing here, let's go get food!" insook cheered as she ran to the lines. 8:57 am "so, yoon sanha, how old are you?" insook asked with a mouth full of rice and steak. "don't talk with your mouth full sooki." moonbin commented. "im sixteen." sanha smiled. insook swallowed the food in her mouth followed by a gasp. "oh my god rocky, he's a little kid." insook playfully shoved minhyuk. "wait, how old are you guys?" sanha asked. "insook and i are both seventeen and moonbin hyung is eighteen." minhyuk explained. "oh. noona, i'm not that much younger than you!" sanha exclaimed. insook cringed at the word, noona. "please don't call me noona, it makes me feel old." minhyuk laughed at insook's pouting, which earned him another shove, only this time it wasn't playful. minhyuk was quick to act, shoving insook back. "minhyuk hyung," sanha questioned, "are you two dating?" moonbin immediately slammed down his spoon on the table and stood up. 'not again.' minhyuk thought to himself. "bin, please sit down." insook stood up and pleaded. "you two might as well start dating, hell, you two even went on a date this weekend!" moonbin shouted then once again, walked out the lunch room. insook sat back down and sighed. "we're sorry about that sanha. something's gotten into him lately, he's not usually like this." she gave him an apologetic smile. "it's ok insook, i understand." sanha gave her a reassuring smile. minhyuk was still standing up from moonbin's outburst. he looked down at insook and sanha and sighed. "i'll be back sooki, take care of sanha." minhyuk smiled then followed the same path as moonbin. 9:09 am moonbin rushed to his motorbike. he slung his leg over and threw on his helmet. "hey, moonbin!" minhyuk called out to his elder. he saw moonbin on his bike and rushed to him. minhyuk grabbed moonbin's arm and pulled him off the bike. "you idiot, what do you think you're doing?!" minhyuk screamed. "it's a half day minhyuk, im allowed to leave. now, let go of me." moonbin snarled. "stop acting like an asshole around insook." "how can you do this to me, minhyuk?" "pardon?" minhyuk asked in a confused tone. "you know that i like her, yet you still go out with her?" "insook and i," he took a deep breath, "we aren't dating." he sighed. the two boys stood in silence. "minhyuk..." he looked up at the taller boy. "do you... like insook aswell?" bin asked him. minhyuk just looked down in silence. "i can't believe it. i can't fucking believe it." moonbin repeated. "bin-" the bell rang. "you know what the worst part about this is? she will always chose you. you've always been closer to her than i've been. so in the end, i don't stand a chance." moonbin spat as tears rolled down his face. bin wiped his tears and climbed back onto his bike. "tell sooki i said bye." the engine of his bike roared as he sped off, leaving minhyuk speechless. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- 12:07 am insook rocky , are you still awake? 12:09 am rocky yeah im up 12:09 am insook what was wrong with bin yesterday? 12:10 am rocky he said it was family stuff 12:11 am insook oh. well is everything good now? 12:12 am rocky i don't know i didn't want to bother him about it. it seems like a him problem 12:12 am insook oh alright. goodnight rocky don't stay up too late❤ 12:14 am rocky love you too sooki see you tomorrow 12:15 am minhyuk sat up in his bed. he looked back down at his phone and sighed. he threw his phone across the room, letting out a sigh of relief that he didn't hear it break. 'was it really the best idea to lie to her?' he thought to himself. he threw himself back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. "mom, what should i do?" he whispered to himself. he rolled over on his side and sighed. he felt a single tear escape his eye. "i don't know what to do anymore mom. i wish you and dad were here, i miss you guys." he sniffled. "do you guys remember jeong insook?" He smiled. "i love her, not just as friends." he wiped his tears away as they fell. "i don't know what to do anymore mom, bin likes her too, and i don't want to hurt him. should i suffer to make him happy dad?" minhyuk felt the room temperature change slightly. he smiled, knowing his parents were with him. minhyuk grabbed a pillow and pulled it close to him. "mom, dad, i love you." he whispered before falling asleep. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- 8:14 am minhyuk hyung, can i visit you today? 8:20 am dongmin yeah of course 8:20 am minhyuk is it ok if i show up within the next 10-15 mins? 8:21 am dongmin what about school? you not gonna go? 8:21 am minhyuk i'm already late hyung. what's the point anyways 8:22 am dongmin alright then. i'll be waiting. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- 8:37 am minhyuk looked up as he made sure he had the right place, 'seoul hospital'. he hadn't been to the hospital for a while. minhyuk took a deep breath and stepped inside the cold building. he slowly walked up to the receptionist, "excuse me ma'am, do you know what room lee dongmin is in?" she nodded and pointed him to the directed of his room. minhyuk bowed and headed for the room. he lightly nocked on the door, letting dongmin know he was coming in. "hi hyung." he said as he stepped into the white room. "minhyuk, how've you been?" he smiled at his younger. "things are terrible without you hyung. are you getting better?" he said as he sat down on the hard chair by his older's bed. "the doctors said that they can see progress in my recovery, they say the treatment might actually work this time." he smiled lightly. "that's good, we need you to get better, hyung." "don't worry minhyuk, i really have hope this time, i'll be outta here in no time. now tell me, what's up with you?" "hyung, i like insook, but so does bin and we got into a fight about it yesterday." he confessed. "oh, does insook know?" "that's the thing hyung, she doesn't know about our feelings for her. all she knows is that moonbin was upset and left school yesterday. she knows nothing about the fight." minhyuk signed. "and i'm assuming you didn't go to school to avoid all this conflict?" dongmin questioned. "in a way, yeah." "so, you didn't take insook to school, leaving bin to pick her up, and hang out with her at school, while you're here with me, far away from the both of them?" dongmin said, with an eyebrow raised. minhyuk slowly looked back up at his elder, eyes wide. "oh my god, you're right." "of course i am, i'm always right." dongmin smiled brightly. "but hyung, i already made plans to hang out with you, i'm not gonna leave you when i just showed up." minhyuk frowned. "i'm not saying to leave minhyuk, i haven't had any visitors in a while. it's nice having human interaction other than nurses and doctors." dongmin sighed. "don't worry hyung, i'd planned to stay for a bit." minhyuk smiled. the two continued to converse. talking for hours without even realizing it. neither of them even noticed the younger's phone going off. or the person who repeatedly called and messaged him. 36 missed calls from: sooki (4:37 pm) 21 voicemails from: sooki (4:58 pm) 139 messages from: sooki (7:51 pm) ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- 11:47 pm the hospital let minhyuk stay late, as it's been so long since dongmin had any visitors. yes, he had skipped a whole day of school, but seeing dongmin was more important than school. although minhyuk never used his phone at the hospital, it strangely died. so he walked home in silence. he got to his house when he noticed something strange, there was someone at his door. it wasn't just anyone, it was insook. she was leaning on his front door, asleep. minhyuk quickly ran to the front of his house. he looked down at the sleeping girl and sighed. 'looks like she was worried.' he lightly smiled to himself. he picked her up off the ground and unlocked his front door, bringing her in with him. he walked to his room and gently laid her on his bed. he wasn't gonna just wake her up and send her back home alone. he quickly changed in his bathroom, not wanting insook to wake up while he was in the middle of changing. he stepped back into his room, making sure not to wake up the sleeping girl. he slowly climbed into bed next to her, pulling the covers over the both of them. he closed his eyes, slowly falling into a deep sleep. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- 7:46 am "minhyuk?" "yeah?" "what happened between you and bin? i know you said that he was going through family stuff but-" minhyuk abruptly stopped the car. "it's nothing to worry about sooki." "but minhyuk, it seems really serious. you guys aren't even talking and-" insook was interrupted once again by minhyuk, but this time he placed his finger over her lips. "insook. everything's fine. i promise." he smiled. "i'm just worried minhyuk, i just miss the times when it was the three of us." minhyuk pulled the car over and set it in park. he looked at insook and tightly grabbed her hand. "hey, i'm ok, really." he lightly rubbed her knuckles with his thumb. "no need to worry about me or bin." minhyuk looked down at his wristwatch and sighed. "we're gonna be late, sooki." minhyuk set the car in drive and started driving towards the school. 10:36 am minhyuk, sanha, and insook all sat down at the lunch table, but there was still no moonbin. insook scanned the lunchroom for her other friend, but only saw the other students of her school. she only sighed. "so, how's everyone this fine monday?" sanha asked with a big smile, his braces fully shown. "peachy." "pretty good." minhyuk and insook said at the same time. "that's good!" sanha smiled as he shoved kimchi into his mouth. "hey guys! i've got an idea!" sanha said excitedly, causing the two to look at the younger. "after school, lets go to this cafe i know. it's really good, i think you'd like it." he said. minhyuk and insook nodded in agreement as they continued to eat their lunch. 3:46 pm the three teens walked into the small cafe. "welcome to confession cafe!" the employee shouted as they walked in. "you two give me your orders, i'll get the drinks." minhyuk said. the younger two gave him their orders and he went to the order their drinks. "hello! what would you like to order today?" the blonde male asked. minhyuk gave the shorter man their order. "that'll be 12,300 won please." the shorter male said. minhyuk handed the cashier the money and sat back down with insook and sanha. "so, what's going on with you two?" sanha curiously asked. "we've just been worried about binnie, that's all sanha." insook said. 'binnie.' minhyuk just ignored the nickname and continued to listen to the conversation. "hyung," minhyuk looked at sanha. "why weren't you at school on friday?" he asked. "i was at the hospital." he bluntly answered. "are you ok?" sanha asked, worry laced in his voice. "i was visiting a friend, who's very sick." minhyuk frowned. insook looked down as well, knowing who he was talking about. "oh no, what's wrong?" sanha asked again. "sanha, please don-" "he has cancer, sanha. it's very severe and he's been in the hospital for months." minhyuk said, trying to stop the tears from falling. "one hot chocolate and two iced americanos!" the blonde man shouted. minhyuk quickly stood up. insook noticed the stray tear falling out his eye as he turned to go get their drinks. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- 3:16 pm minhyuk lightly knocked on the door waiting for his elder's response. once he heard the ok, he quickly opened the door, taking a step into the solid white room. "minhyukkie! i missed you!" dongmin greeted his dongsaeng with a smile on his face. "hi dongmin hyung, how's everything going?" the younger asked as he pulled a chair up to his elder's hospital bed. "they started some new type of chemo today; they said it's cured most patients. hopefully it'll work for me and i'll finally be able to go and see my mom." dongmin smiled at the younger. he doesn't remember. "hyung," minhyuk swallowed. "your mom passed away five years ago." "that's not true minhyuk, she called me this morning." he innocently smiled. he's forgotten about his mother's death. "minhyukkie," the elder called his dongsaeng. "where are binnie and insook?" "insooks probably at home with her mom; as for bin, i don't really know." "i miss when it was just the four of us against the world. we were inseparable!" dongmin said happily, then quickly frowned. "hey, why the long face?" "when do you think bin and insook will visit me?" the raven haired boy asked. "i don't know hyung; it's all up to them." 3:20 pm bin heard a quiet knock on his front door. he walked to his door and slowly opened it, revealing a shivering insook. "what are you doing here?" he asked coldly. "i've been worried about you bin." "why, you've got minhyuk." bin said as he slowly closed the door. insook wedged her foot in the door frame. "bin wait!" she cried. "please let me in." the older just sighed and opened his door, letting in the freezing girl. she whispered a quiet 'thank you' as she took off her shoes. "where've you been?" she asked him. "around." he answered coldly. "don't be that way, bin." "did minhyuk tell you anything?" moonbin asked. "he said there were some family problems, but it's been over a week since we've seen you. i was worried." she said as she played with her fingers. 'he would say that.' bin thought to himself. "insook, do you know anything about how i feel about you?" bin asked as he stepped closer to her. "y-you're one of my best friends." she smiled at him. once moonbin was close enough to insook, he lightly pulled her towards him. he gently held pushed her chin up; making her look up at him. "i really like you insook. like a lot." he said as he slowly started to lean into her. "bin," was the only thing that could escape her lips when moonbin connected his lips with hers. 3:31 pm "we need a nurse!" minhyuk shouted as he ran out his elder's hospital room. a few nurses followed minhyuk to dongmin's room, where the elder was having a seizure. the three nurses quickly wheeled the boy's bed to the emergency room. minhyuk tried to follow his elder when three male nurses held him back. tears started to fall out of minhyuk's eyes as he screamed for dongmin. "sir, you need to calm down." one of the nurses said calmly. "my brother could die right now! how do you expect me to calm down?!?" minhyuk shouted through his tears. "sir i-" the nurse started before being interrupted my the younger boy. "no you don't understand what's going on!" minhyuk cried. two of the male nurses pulled minhyuk to the waiting area and sat the crying boy down. the boy pulled his knees to his chest, tears flowing out his eyes. how could this happen so quickly? he was fine twenty minutes ago; they told him he'd be ok? they promised him everything would be fine. everything was supposed to be ok. he was supposed to get better. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- 8:47 pm minhyuk sat in the waiting room for hours, waiting for news on dongmin. he tried calling insook, but she never picked up the phone. that's when he decided to call sanha, who thankfully showed up around two hours ago. minhyuk didn't want to seem weak in front of the younger, but he needed someone. he thought having sanha with him would help him calm down, and it did; but he just wanted to cry more. sanha didn't know how to help minhyuk. as much as he wanted to, he just couldn't. "is there anyone for a lee dongmin?" one of the doctors asked. minhyuk shot up and ran towards the doctor, sanha trailing after him. "i'm lee dongmin's brother." minhyuk said as he franticlly wiped the tears running down his face. the doctor looked down at his clipboard for a moment then looked back up at the two boys. "well, it seems that mr. lee had a bad reaction to the chemo; thus causing him to experience seizures." the doctor said calmly. "is he gonna be ok? why is he forgetting things?" minhyuk frantically formed the words. "he's fine, for now; this treatment is the last resort for mr. lee. if he can't pull through with this, then you'll have to prepare your goodbyes with him. now, as for the memory loss, none of the other patients, that i know of, have experienced that side effect. unfortunately i can't explain that for you." the doctor told the two. "when will i be able to see him?" minhyuk asked. "you could come back tomorrow if you'd like." the doctor suggested. "ok, thank you." minhyuk slightly smiled at the doctor before walking back to the waiting area. 9:01 pm the two sat at opposite sides of the small couch. moonbin knows he fucked up. that was her first kiss, hell, it was his first kiss. he turned around and lightly tapped insook's shoulder, causing her to flinch. "insook..." she turned around and locked eyes with moonbin. "please don't confuse me, bin." moonbin slightly tilted his head in confusion. "w-what do you mean by that?" he asked. "i don't know what's up with you bin! you don't show up to school to try and avoid us; you don't want to let me into your house until i begged to be let in; then you kiss me?! how does that make any sense to you?!" insook shouted as tears started to roll down her cheeks. "i ca-" before bin could finish his sentence insook's phone started to buzz. she quickly picked up her phone and put it to her ear. "hey sanha, what's up?" she gasped as she covered her mouth. "he's at the hospital?" "ok i'll be right there to pick him up. bye sanha." once she hung up she quickly stood up and started heading for the door. "wait, where are you going?" moonbin asked frantically. "i need to get to the hospital, minhyuk needs me." she said as grabbed onto the door handle. moonbin ran over to insook and grabbed her shoulder, "let me take you." he said quietly. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- 9:37 pm insook and moonbin rushed into the hospital looking for sanha. once they spotted him they realized that he was sitting with minhyuk, leaving the two confused. they walked up to the two boys and realized that minhyuk had tears running down his cheeks. "minhyuk, is everything ok?" insook asked as she sat next to him. "it's about dongmin..." minhyuk hiccuped. moonbin and insook's faces went pale. "i-is he alright?" insook asked, trying to hold back her tears. "t-the chemos not working. if this last treatment fails, he's n-not gonna make it." minhyuk said as he choked back his tears. "he's allowed visitors tomorrow; you guys should come, he's been wondering why you haven't visited him." moonbin quickly wiped the tear that rolled down his cheek. insook pulled minhyuk into a deep hug and began to cry. minhyuk let his tears fall once again as he hugged her back. moonbin walked over to them, then proceeded to hug the two. he tried so hard to hold back the tears that were about to fall. he looked at sanha and saw the pain in his eyes. 'he didn't need to see any of this, he shouldn't be involved' he thought. he pulled away from minhyuk and insook and sat next to a worried sanha. "do you need me to take you home?" he asked the younger boy. sanha shyly nodded. moonbin gathered his two crying friends and the four of them started to leave. that was until the heard bone chilling words. "family of lee dongmin." minhyuk quickly turned around and ran up to the doctor, tears still leaking from his eyes. the doctor sighed, then followed it with a small frown. "we're sorry to inform you-" before the doctor even had a chance to finish his statement, minhyuk fell to his knees and started bawling in his hands. moonbin quickly ran to minhyuk, trying to pull him up as minhyuk repeated the word 'no' over and over again. "-that your brother, lee dongmin, has sadly passed away." he finished. moonbin struggled to get the younger boy up, when his body suddenly went limp. insook gasped as she turned around and buried her face into sanha's chest. "sir, are you ok?" the doctor asked as moonbin shook the younger boy. "does he look ok to you? he's not fucking breathing! do something!" moonbin shouted as the tears started to spill from his eyes. "we need a nurse!" the doctor shouted as three nurses pulled along a stretcher. the three of them picked minhyuk up and placed him on it, before taking off the the emergency room. moonbin fell to his knees, like minhyuk did before, and sat there as the tears continued to fall. 2 years later... moonbin, insook, and sanha walked through the rusted black gates, each holding two red roses. they walked passed a few tombstones until they finally came up to the one they were looking for. here lies lee dongmin march 30, 1997 - september 20, 2015 he will always be in our hearts the three each placed a rose on his grave. they payed their respects to dongmin and his mother, who he was buried right next to. once they were done, they headed further into the cemetery. they walked for about ten minutes before stumbling upon the stone they were looking for. they placed the remaining roses on the grave and payed their respects. here lies park minhyuk february 25, 1999 - september 21, 2015 loved and never forgotten once they were done, they walked away from the graves of the deceased family, not looking back.
11401899	Elation	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Hong Jisoo \| Joshua, Yoon Jeonghan, Choi Seungcheol \| S.Coups", "Fandom": "SEVENTEEN (Band)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by Eottoghe", "chapters": "2/2", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-04T00:00:00", "words": "3,572", "Additional Tags": "Alternate Universe - College/University, Jealous Seungcheol, Jealous Jisoo, Cuddles, Angst, Love Triangles, Unrequited Love", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Hong Jisoo \| Joshua & Yoon Jeonghan, Choi Seungcheol \| S.Coups/Yoon Jeonghan", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	2 years ago “Jeonghannie, I haven’t seen you in days. Wake up. Please.” Jisoo cooed to his longtime friend, shaking him gently. Jeonghan was clutched in his arms, facing him. He rarely used aegyo, but knowing it annoys Jeonghan just enough to grasp his attention, he tried. He stared down at long lashes curving on an angelically tranquil face. The smooth slope of his high cheekbones formed a porcelain mask to highlight the small, pastel lips slightly turned down in a chronic pout. Jisoo reached out to brush Jeonghan's light brown, tousled hair out of his face. He did so precariously as if Jeonghan would shatter if startled."You see me right now, Shua. Let me sleep!" Jeonghan whined, turning over to bury his face in the soft sheets tucked up to his chin. Honestly, Jisoo just missed Jeonghan. He was craving his attention. The two didn’t have any overlapping classes their second semester of their freshman year in college. Both had paying jobs at different shops across the vast campus which made it difficult to see each other during the day. On a typical morning, Jisoo would run out the door just as Jeonghan would wake up and vice versa. The only time they'd get to see each other was at night when one snuck into the other's bed, curling around an already sleeping figure.It was sort of tradition, Jeonghan liked to think. One that began at a sleepover in high school. If the day was particularly hard, he'd slip into Jisoo's bed and relax into his embrace. Likewise for the other. But, as Jeonghan saw it merely as a common act, Jisoo found himself falling deeper in love with the boy held in his arms.So when October came around, the duo were exhausted and in need of a mental vacation. They had been friends since their sophomore year of high school when Jeonghan had befriended the lost American. Jisoo's family moved to Korea for his father's job and the young, quiet boy was very distraught when they did so. He never expected to leave the Californian town he grew up in. Before he had even left, he'd began reminiscing. He would never forget engulfing, warm rays of sun and cool breezes as his closest friends walked the palm tree lined streets. When he ended up in Korea, the stifling humidity alone felt suffocating. He'd look back now and realize that his hatred for his circumstance wasn't because it was Korea, but that it wasn’t what was familiar. That all changed when he met Yoon Jeonghan. Jisoo was shy. He was slow to admit it, but with his low understanding of hangul, the classrooms and schedule left him overwhelmed. There were people around, but he just couldn't bring himself to ask for help in his broken Korean. He paced the halls as they became relatively empty. Just like that, his first day began in disaster. Finding a bathroom, he quickly dodged into it feeling his anxiety creep into his throat. He wanted to cry—wanted so badly to shout and kick and curse whatever had forced him into this stupid, unknown place. As he was about to act on one of his many instincts, a soft hand placed itself on his shoulder, startling him back to reality. Turning around, he laid eyes on a beautiful individual radiating concern and comfort. Jisoo realized that it was an angel that had come to save him. How ironic was it that years later, Jisoo still found this boy unimaginably pristine, despite discovering how crude and lazy he actually was. "You never spend time with me. You're always busy" Jisoo raised his voice a few pitches higher, gently poking at what was visible of Jeonghan's cheek."You're always busy too. I'd have to hug myself until I fell asleep the past couple of nights because you were out late." Jeonghan accused lightly. He would never understand the pressure in Jisoo's heart hearing those words. "Why are you still here anyway? Don't you have music theory this morning?" "Nope. It was cancelled. I'm free." "Hi free, I'm sleepy. Come back later." Jeonghan giggled to himself, finding humor in his own joke. Jisoo sighed, seeing that Jeonghan wasn't going to budge without a little push. "I'll make breakfast." He caved. That was all it took to get Jeonghan stretching and fluttering his eyes open. He stared at his platonic bedmate with half-lidded eyes, not fully awake yet. A wide grin replaced his prominent pout and he wrapped his arms around Jisoo's neck. "Thank you. And good morning." Jisoo could almost feel the light blush tickling at his ears and tinting his cheeks a light shade of red. He removed himself from the situation, rolling his eyes to play off the embarrassment that Jeonghan instilled. "Whatever." he hastily spoke, walking out the bedroom. He immediately went to work in the kitchen, making Jeonghan food. This felt so domestic. Waking up to see the lovely face of the person in your arms; cooking breakfast for the two of you. He was whipped, assuredly.After a bit more prodding, Jisoo eventually convinced Jeonghan to shower and get dressed. “It’s so nice out today, why waste it inside?” He had tried these words on Jeonghan, but still had to practically drag the reluctant boy out the door. The weather was nice. The air was cold and crisp, yet no breeze was prevalent. The afternoon sun was high—a stark contrast to the chilly air, giving the atmosphere a nice blend of warm and cool. As Jeonghan explained how his week had gone, full attention was on him. Jisoo watched his eyes crinkle with a bold smile on his face, laughing at some random thing a classmate said. He observed how the sun created a halo of light around Jeonghan and how he'd peek over every so often to make sure Jisoo was still listening. But of course he was because whenever Jeonghan spoke, he was spellbound. Jisoo wanted to mention how beautiful his best friend looked in the pastel pink fuzzy sweater or how the light washed jeans fit him perfectly. Jisoo also knew how that would go straight to Jeonghan's ego, so he held off.Jeonghan had picked out his sweater as well. He opted for a navy sweater with tiny white tree patterns. Jisoo hated it, but Jeonghan loved it. Therefore, he wore it without qualms. He'd really do anything if Jeonghan asked. Which is why he found himself being dragged around a strip of stores a few blocks away from their campus."Are you planning on actually buying anything or...?” Jisoo had finally caught up to the evanescent ball of energy. Jeonghan giggled running to another shop front. "I dunno... Were you planning on buying it for me?"If he asked, Jisoo would do it in a heartbeat. Jeonghan wiggled his eyebrows before going inside the closest shop—a music store by the looks of it. Jisoo loved how entertained his best friend was when placed around many different distractions. He'd look at one thing like he was in love then forget it in the moment, moving on to the next. Jisoo entered the small wooden shop. It had a cozy, hipster feel to it complete with mood beads, fairy lights, and slow EDM wafting in the background. They explored this area, yet never seemed to venture into this quaint little music store. Aisles were crowded close together with many albums borrowed from all over the world. There was a section to accommodate everyone's individual preferences it seemed. The wooden floor boards creaked beneath their feet as they wandered deeper into the building. Jisoo followed the light thumping of Jeonghan's feet to a corner filled with American artists."Ooh! Maroon 5. Don't you like this music?" Jeonghan asked, curiously picking up the CD."Wow. I'm surprised you remember" the American native chuckled at Jeonghan's shocked facade. Jeonghan wrapped his arms around Jisoo's neck and leaned into his ear, his breath lightly caressing his neck."You may not notice, Shua, but I pay very close attention to you.Jisoo couldn't hide the slight blush creeping onto his puffy cheeks. What was that about? He thought. Jeonghan pulled away and put his attention back on the CDs.He will never know, Jisoo said to himself, feeling elated, yet empty. He wanted so badly to scoop the other in his arms and never let go, but Jeonghan was a free spirit. His course changed by the day and Jisoo did all he could just to keep up. By the time he gathered himself, Jeonghan was off again. He traced his fingers along the plastic covered cases, a quiet squeak emanating from the friction. So distracted by the various designs, Jeonghan failed to notice a man hunched over a box filled with CDs a couple feet away. Jeonghan pranced forward and the man stood up—the collision was inevitable. Seungcheol was blindsided and went tumbling down, buried under multiple Zicos and Deans. A slim face was directly above his, eyes shut, pink lips slightly parted. He stared up at the majestic being, not quite acknowledging the growing pain in his lower back or the prickly poke of a piece of plastic stabbing awkwardly at the back of his head. If the fall didn't take his breath, the person on top of him surely did. Slow and cautious, Seungcheol caught a glimpse of the sparkling, curious eyes of the stranger."Oh no. I'm so sorry." Jeonghan stumbled and stuttered, pushing himself off the wounded worker. Awkwardly, Jeonghan clambered up onto his knees and immediately began gathering loose albums and placing them back in the box from which they had fallen. Seungcheol followed soon after, sitting up."It's okay. Really." Seungcheol stared in awe, "I'm usually the clumsy one causing all the mess. It's nice not to be that person this time." Seungcheol cringed at his lame attempt at conversation starting.Jeonghan scoffed. "Well if that's supposed to make me feel better...""No. I'm sorry. I meant like..." Seungcheol had just set his sights on an angel and wasn't all too keen on letting him slip by "I thought that..." His mouth went dry, his hands clammy. Why was he nervous? The questioning eyes in front of him seemed to drain his confidence. He noticed Jeonghan had stood up, dramatically brushing off his distressed jeans.“It’s okay. I can take a joke.” Jeonghan smiled. He gathered the two CDs from the floor he had been planning on purchasing. Seungcheol immediately pointed them out."I can check you out.” As the words slipped his mouth, he immediately regretted them. He'd never seen this side of himself before. It's like middle school Seungcheol had resurfaced, bringing forth a new wave of shyness. He is not shy at all, but this boy had him struck.“I mean check your CDs out. Not… you.” God, he was not off to a good start."Oh. Umm..." Jeonghan began before getting cut off.Jisoo saw how the situation was progressing and decided to intervene. He deemed now was the appropriate time to cut in. "Jeonghannie!" He turned on the charm, a slight whine in his voice. "You should pay more attention to where you're going." He reached out to rub Jeonghan's back, placing it closer to his waist if anything. He felt the urge to claim the man. Jeonghan was his best friend, cuddle buddy, and most trusted confidant, but nothing more. His feelings for a relationship would never—could never be requited.“Yes. We’ll go ahead and check out. Thank you.” Jisoo politely nodded. Guiding Jeonghan to the counter, his hand not once leaving the small of his best friend’s back. Seungcheol scrambled to get to the counter and began to ring up the items. Jisoo began pulling out some cash to pay for the CDs but Jeonghan had already swiped his card. That was strange. He recalled various situations in which Jeonghan had swindled Jisoo into buying him whatever he pulled from the shelves. Why was he so quick to pay now?“Sign here, please.” Seungcheol handed a receipt and pen to his new crush, blushing all the while. Jisoo noticed the way Jeonghan ran his slender fingers through his light, auburn hair. The way he bit his lower lip was all too familiar. This flirtatious air had arisen from him. Jisoo could feel the jealousy angrily biting at his fingertips. He feared someone could take his Jeonghan away.But no matter how hard he’d want to believe, Jeonghan was not his.Casually trading receipts, Jeonghan’s fingers grazed the handsome cashier’s. With a wink and that knowing smile, Jeonghan linked arms with Jisoo and made his exit. Seungcheol’s red lips were round and his eyes widened. He couldn’t help but stare out the door where the angel had left a sweet scent of vanilla and a trail of light in his wake. He clutched the receipt in his hand, a number quickly scribbled on it with a small note and heart by it. Yes, you can check me out. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Present Day Jeonghan often liked to recount how him and Seungcheol met. “We literally fell for each other.” He’d tell anyone who’d ask (and even people who didn’t), describing Seungcheol’s flustered look as he sashayed out the door. There was a fondness in his voice talking about his boyfriend and nearly two years passed where that spark seemed as prevalent as ever. Jeonghan was happy and entirely content with his lover, which is why it came as a shock when he finally returned back to his and Jisoo’s shared dorm one night, livid.After Jeonghan began dating Seungcheol, there was less and less interaction between the original power duo. Jeonghan began hanging out with Seungcheol in all of his free time and would stop returning to Jisoo, leaving him with a vacant feeling at nights. So much for tradition.Jeonghan would sometimes visit Jisoo in a dream. The kind where Jeonghan was as radiant as ever, touching him in the most obscene places. He’d find himself panting and groaning as the image of Jeonghan’s half-lidded eyes held him entranced. It was only after he’d awoke that he realized his dreams were just that—dreams. He’d bask in a guilty afterglow, having the thought that Jeonghan would be disgusted if he ever found out.Over the course of their relationship, he’d have to sit and listen to Jeonghan brag and boast over Seungcheol whenever he actually made time for him. Seungcheol was so sweet whenever he’d surprise him at work with his favorite snacks. Seungcheol was so talented each time he’d recite a rap he’d made to woo the younger. Seungcheol was so strong as he lifted Jeonghan in his arms and spun him, leaving him blushing and laughing all the while. Jisoo nearly burst when Jeonghan felt compelled to share how they’d cuddle after sweaty nights of (as Jeonghan so vulgarly stated) the most mind-blowing sex he’d ever had. As far as Jisoo knew, their relationship was the epitome of perfect. Or so, he thought.“Shua! Can you believe him?” Jeonghan seethed before his foot even breached the doorway. “I just… Dammit Cheol!” Jisoo sat down his composition homework to give the boy his attention, but each time Jisoo opened his mouth to ask what was wrong, Jeonghan exclaimed more obscenities. “He makes me so mad sometimes!” As if to emphasize just how mad Jeonghan was, he began to pick up various items, flinging them around.“Hey! Hannie! Let’s talk, okay? What happened?” Jisoo easily slid off of the bed and grabbed a lamp from his tight grasp before it went hurling into the wall. Jeonghan’s resolve finally broke as his face scrunched up into a rare frown. The habit of hiding his face behind his hair hadn’t entirely vanished although the locks were long gone. Silver tears rolled down his face. Jisoo’s anger peaked at the prospect of someone making his best friend cry. He wrapped his arms around Jeonghan’s shaking shoulders, guiding them back to his bed. He laid them down. It sucks that something terrible had to happen just to have him in his arms again.Jeonghan explained how Seungcheol had always had this underlying fear that he was cheating on him. Several conversations about how he was too kind or his touches lingered too long left Jeonghan feeling shittier each day in their relationship. He’d never even considered being with someone other than Seungcheol so when he was accused of such indecent acts, he was more than offended. It made since now. How Jeonghan opted for spending the majority of his time with Seungcheol as opposed to with him. Why their ritualistic nightly cuddle sessions were cut short. He was afraid that he wasn’t giving Seungcheol the devotion he desired. He felt guilty for sharing his affections with others.“He even accused me of cheating with you.” Jeonghan had cried into Jisoo’s chest. An odd feeling took over Jisoo at how incredulously he’d sounded, like it was impossible for them to ever be together. It stung, he couldn’t lie. But now wasn’t the time to let his jealousy plant itself in his heart when he held the cause of that jealousy so close.“I’m sorry. You don’t deserve to be treated that way. I’ve never met someone so loyal.” Jisoo hugged the boy snugger in his arms. Jeonghan had his arms in a similar position, both entangled comfortably with each other.“That’s not even the worst part.” Jeonghan went silent for a while. Jisoo knew he just needed time. “I—I walked in… on him and Jihoon kissing.” Frost coated his lungs upon hearing those words. After he’d been ridiculed and suspected of cheating, Seungcheol had the nerve to do something like that? He swore he’d kick his ass the next chance he got.A quiet knock was heard at the door. It looked like the chance presented itself all too quickly. The door opened before they had the chance to assess the situation.“I wanted to give you time to calm do—” Seungcheol’s words were trapped in his throat as he looked up to see what he dreaded the most. “H-hey!” He stuttered. “You do things like this and you expect me not to worry?” Seungcheol was furious and hurt and confused. He really did love Yoon Jeonghan, but over the years, realized that everyone else did too.“You have no right to say anything to me.” Jeonghan sprung up, eyes accusatory and stance defensive.“I have no right? When you’re over here lying in bed with another man?” The rage boiled like a hot cauldron.“I think I should just leave.” Jisoo bowed his head, feeling uncomfortable and out of place. He didn’t want to be caught in the crossfire of this argument. There was no point in trying to intervene when Jeonghan was fired up.“No. Stay. I think Seungcheol should leave. He has no right being here anyway.” Jeonghan physically stopped Jisoo with a hand to his chest. Seungcheol’s eyes spoke a venomous warning.“I came to explain myself. If we can just talk… alone.” He cut his eyes to Jisoo. He resented everything about the boy.“Anything you have to say, you can say it in front of Jisoo.” The aforementioned felt more and more awkward. It felt like watching a drama, only way more intimate and definitely more terrifying.“Why are you doing this? Can you stop being dramatic and just—”“Dramatic?” Jeonghan asked appalled. “You accuse me of cheating and then I find you kissing Jihoon. Do I not have reason to act this way?”“That’s what I’m trying to tell you. I didn’t kiss him. He kissed me.”“I really don’t think I should be here.” Jisoo tried to leave again, but Jeonghan blocked his path, continuing his rant.“That’s really fucking bold of you. So he forced you to kiss back?”“No. Jeonghan, please. It was just a kiss it doesn’t matter.”“Oh, really?” Jeonghan asked sarcastically. Unprepared for his rash actions, Jisoo was shocked when Jeonghan reached out and yanked him close, his fist curled tightly around the fabric of his t-shirt. Unpredictably, soft lips pressed roughly against his own. Their noses bumped into each other, and he could feel Jeonghan’s erratic breath, knowing he was making a regrettable decision. The kiss was fast and hard, the sheer force of it causing him to stumble back slightly. It was nothing like he’d imagined their first kiss to be, but he never felt something so perfect before in his life.“It’s just a kiss. It doesn’t matter.” Jeonghan stated harshly, tears staining his angelic face. He stormed out the door, leaving both boys stunned. Seungcheol could only watch, his limbs rendered immobile as the boy slammed the door behind him. The loud crash of wood resonated in the small room, causing the two remaining occupants to jump. Neither moved.Seungcheol’s words were thrown right back in his face in the most unexpected way. Jisoo’s heart was used in a petty little game that he willingly decided to play. How this one boy could entirely captivate the world with his antics was unbeknownst to anyone. You can’t help but love him, no matter how bad it hurts. But the heart ache he left in his wake, could never replace the elation felt from his presence.
11415630	CLEAN	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "F/M", "Characters": "Ignis Scientia, Noctis Lucis Caelum, Gladiolus Amicitia, Prompto Argentum", "Fandom": "Final Fantasy XV", "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by Taciturn", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-06T00:00:00", "words": "10,120", "Additional Tags": "Fluff, This is the purest fluff, Tooth Rotting Fluff, I don't know how to write anything else, how do tags work", "Relationship": "Ignis Scientia/Reader", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	It's strange how the endless, gentle patience of one person could turn a pickpocketing waif like you into a somewhat, respectable member the Crownsguard.As beautiful a city as Insomnia was, you were always one to see the dirt in all of its cracks. Only the Astrals knew the number of times where above said dirt was all you would have for dinner. Teaching yourself the art of stealing was the easiest way to get by on the bad days, and conning drunkards got you by on the better days. Either way, it wasn't a life you were very proud of, and it was better than being in the outlands.You had your small handful of confidants – a network, if you will – of people who you could almost rely on for support; almost, considering the whole lot of you would be willing to sell each other out for a heavy pouch of money and an actual bed to sleep at night. There was no honor among thieves, and the lot of you gave only what was important enough to get by. Information was valuable and almost a currency amongst your group. It wasn't much to call them a family or a home; however, it was what you had, and you made do.It was during a regular meet up with your confidants one day when you realized that there was a chance that you could make the rest of your life one of luxury thanks the the prince himself. News of the young prince roaming the streets and enjoying the luxuries that he could afford was nothing new. What was news was finding out he frequented places that you pickpocketed."I hear tha' he coulda rent a hotel whenver he wants. Th'boy's got'a bit o' moneh to spare fer sure."Rumors flew thick and fast amongst the members of your network. Noctis, the Crown Prince, had more money than any of you could ever dream of."Hey, hey, did'ya hear? Tha prince was down at th' bar las' night 'nd he bought out th' whole place! Had a wild good party tha went til past dawn. Is true! I heard it from Granny down th' road!"You could feel your breath hitch at the idea of how it must feel to be able to throw around that much money. It made the tips of your fingers burn and itch."Gods! I jus' saw th' kind o' purse tha' kid has with him, I've never seen that much money in my life!"You could almost feel the heavy coins in your hands at that point. The temptation became too great. You needed to try to grasp for it. Picking the left over change from tourists had long lost its luster to you. It was a definite challenge, but it was a chance at a life you had only seen from afar."I'm gonna git outta here an' steal his money," you declared. The incredulous looks that your friends gave you was enough to tell your plan wasn't going to end well. "I'm tired 'o sufferin' here. I'm gonna take all his money and we'll eat and live like King Regis for the rest of our lives!"The cheers they gave you was enough to let you know that you were now committed to this insane plan. Now you had to succeed, or there really was no home to come back to. With the meeting adjourned after your great proclamation, you gritted your teeth and got up from your spot to blend back into the crowd.The fates were cruel, and they seemed to derive glee in your eternal suffering.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The flow of the plan was simple enough. Stake out the bar that Noctis frequented, find who comes and goes with him, ensure that he was too drunk to see straight and steal his money.What you did not expect was the fact that he had a royal baby sitter. The first time you saw Noctis stumbling out of the bar at half past four in the morning, you were primed and ready to knock the barely standing man over and make a run for it once you've made the necessary pass to get to his money. However, the damned brat stumbled right into the waiting arms of someone you had no intel on.Tall and impeccably dressed in a suit that was probably worth more than all the money you had stolen in your lifetime, the man gently worried over the inebriated prince and guided him into the open door of a fancy car. You bit your bottom lip and scowled from where you stood. You internally grumbled as you watched Noctis disappear into the car. Your first attempt had been a failure. Luckily, from what your sources had told, the prince would be back once he got a chance to sneak out again.You froze in your spot in the dark when you heard the car door close. You could have sworn this man was staring right at where you stood. His expression was unreadable under dimmed street lights; however, you could make out sharp features and stylish glasses. A long, stern face was further accentuated by his gelled up coif. He was the very image of prim and proper. If you hadn't known any better, you would have thought that this man was the prince, not the sleeping child in the car.Either this man was paranoid, or he had super powers to see in the dark. It wasn't possible. You were at least fifty paces away and in the dark. There was no way he could tell where you were. Just to be on the safe side though, you held your breath and did your best to not move.After what seemed to be an eternal staring contest, he sighed, shook his head and got into the car thanks to the incessant nagging from Noctis. You heaved a deep breath after you saw the car drive past. The first time had been a failure; however, the next time...the next time you would be ready for anything that would come your way. Mysterious man or not, you were going to get that money even if it killed you.Determined to not be thwarted again, you passed up a few more opportunities to pickpocket Noctis. It wouldn't do to raise suspicions. That, and you were still unnerved by the man who could see in the dark. You picked up more information through a couple of weeks of casual interrogation and more eaves dropping than you cared for. A thief lived off of rumors; however, it always felt dirty to listen in on the whispers.It was easy enough to find out about his name. Ignis Scientia, the name fell from many conversations about the "prince's handsome advisor." It was a fancy name, just like the suit and leather gloves he wore. Knowing that much made your mission that much harder. The chance of him appearing to pick up a drunk Noctis was too high. You were almost ready to give up and find some other careless rich boy to rob when you found out that they were almost always seen together.And yet, the fates loved to toy with those who try the most. More rumors, more whispers and more information came too and fro. Ignis would be gone for a day on matters pertaining to the crown. The prince was free to do as he wished for a full 24 hours, and so opened your second chance.Except no one told you that he was protected by a bear of a man who was literally a wall of muscle.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The routine was the same. You watched from darkened corners as Noctis became more and more inebriated throughout the night. You almost fell asleep with how late his party continued. At last, when it almost struck four, the alcohol ran dry; and the owner forcibly sent everyone home. You waited with bated breath as the last person to leave the bar was Noctis. Again, the prince was a stumbling, drunk mess who made the perfect target.You could feel your legs aching as you made your move past the crates you were hidden behind. Having crouched there for hours, they were numb; but it was your chance to make good on your word. You were almost standing when the prince waved at someone in the distance. Instantly, you withdrew back in the dark crevices.A man with elaborate sleeve tattoos approached and made short conversation with the prince. Squinting, you could make out the form of a grand eagle's wings spread across his arm which disappeared under the folds of his clothes. He had square jaw and wild hair, there was no way you could overpower this man in hopes of getting your prize. A fleeting thought of grabbing what you could and running as fast as possible passed your mind. A quick glance at how built this man was told you there was no way you were going to outrun those long legs.You internally groaned as you watched your prey being easily lifted like a sack of flour and thrown over the shoulder of the hulking man. The fates weren't playing fair as Noctis, and his money, disappeared into the night. For a split second, as you watched his retreating form, you could have sworn you saw the man turn his head around and flash a brilliantly cocky smile in your general direction. Regardless of whether or not he had seen you, it was enough to light a fire in you to finish what you had started out to do.The third time. The third time had to be the charm. That's what they always said, right?More research. More time spent overhearing conversations about what kind of company the prince kept.For a careless child, he sure had enough baby sitters to keep you busy. Your comrades had abandoned your mission at this point, and the information they provided was scarce at best. Ignis had come back from his trip, and you were back to playing a waiting game for the prince to get shitfaced again. Through the rumor mill, you discovered that the wall of muscle was named Gladiolus Amicitia.You had kicked yourself mentally several times at not having the foresight to remember the Amicitia family existed. They were a household name in the protection of the prince. Of course he would have one of their kin around.Time was running short, as were the days. Autumn was coming in quickly this year; and with so much time spent on gathering information, you barely had enough to buy clothes that would actually weather the cold that was settling in. Still, you persevered through what you could with eyes on the prize and the dream that you could live the life you saw so often through the windows of the bar.The break you were looking for seemed to come perfectly. A birthday celebration for Noctis' best friend was to be thrown. Whisperings that both a handsome "shield" and an "advisor" would grace the bar with their presence made your heart flutter with glee. Everyone was going to get drunk, and you were going to be rich. For once, the fates were being kind to you.You could almost sing with glee the awaited day came. The corner where you usually hid was well stocked with crates for the upcoming party. It was much darker, much safer, this time. Everything was finally paying off. Your patience was at last going to be rewarded.It would be a lie to say that you weren't jealous of the patrons in the bar that night. The smell of food and beer constantly wafted your way, and you constantly had to quell the loud grumbles your stomach gave every time you got a good whiff."No worries, by t'morrow, I'mma stuff myself so full, I won't be able to walk," you reasoned with yourself.The night brought in chilly winds; and you struggled to stay awake, though you also knew that falling asleep was not an option. It was some time past 2 when you noticed something was off. After having kept an eye on Noctis for the whole night, you completely lost track of where Ignis and Gladiolus had disappeared off to. Shit, shit, shit, where'd they go? You panicked and craned your neck to try and get a better look at the bar's interior.I swear I just saw them next to the punky bastard. People don't just disappear, do they? Though the prince was your target, you had to keep an eye out for the other two. They poised the greatest threat to your plan, after all.A warm puff of air behind your ear was all the warning you got before a leather clad hand clamped over our mouth. In an instant, you squirmed your hardest to get away from your assailant only to be drawn closer to their body while another hand effortlessly restrained your arms behind your back to keep you from knocking anything over."I know you want to scream, but I would highly advise against doing that," a voice whispered into your ear. Accented and smooth, as panicked as you were, you couldn't help but also be rather intrigued as to who it belonged to. "And, please, no biting, I'd rather not have to replace these gloves.Your mind reeled as you tried to slow your breathing. The scent of expensive cologne and luxurious leather was making you rather light headed. Your senses told you to run or at least struggle; however, with the position you were in, it didn't look like you would make it very far if you did struggle. The best course of action would be to stay put until you had a chance to run when you weren't restrained.Gladio's large shadow blocked your view into the bar as he came into your field of vision. "Aww, Iggy, is this the little street rat you've been trying to track down? She's hardly there."I'm gonna to break that shit eatin' grin offa ya face, ya bastard, you thought as you looked around and tried to assess the situation better."It would appear so," Ignis mused from behind you. "To think that a little kitten like this was the one planning to rob Noctis blind. It's not what I expected, to say the least."A cold chill ran down your spine when you heard Ignis blowing all of your hard planning away. Tears threatened to fall at the corners of your eyes when you realized that this was not only a failure, it was probably going to be your last one. With nothing left to go home to and nothing to lose, you did the one thing you were told not to do and bit down as hard as you could into the leather hand covering your mouth.With a hiss of pain, the gloved hand twitched away from your face; and that was all you needed to buy you enough time to worm free from Ignis' grasp. However, as you had hypothesized, you didn't cover much ground in your escape attempt. You felt someone grab onto your collar; and in a flurry of movement, you found the air knocked out of you as you hit the ground. Before you could reassess the situation further, what felt like a ton of bricks situated itself on your back."Really, Gladio? You're sitting on her. Couldn't you have chosen a more gentle method?""Well, she's not going anywhere for sure this time." You could feel the grin on Gladio's face when he said that."Leggo 'f me! I ain't doin' 'nythin' wrong!""On the contrary, kitten." Ignis walked towards you, massaging the hand you bit before crouching down to where you were pinned down. "You see, to steal from my liege is quite the crime.""I ain't steal nothin' yet," you grumbled, looking up at Ignis defiantly.For the first time, you were able to get a good look at this man; and if circumstances were better, you wouldn't have minded getting to know the personality behind that face better. He had a flawless complexion and long eyelashes which framed jade green eyes behind sleek glasses. His expression told you all you needed to know. Your plan failed. He knew your every move, and you were in every way, shape and form defeated."You don't deny that it's in your plan to steal from my liege. I'm simply being proactive in preventing this event.""Well ya did a great job. Ya gonna kill me yet? I'm a busy woman."You felt the man sitting on you let out a loud laugh. "If we planned on killing you, we'd definitely be making less of a deal of all of this." He reached down to ruffle your hair."Indeed, I have a proposition to make.""Whas tha' mean? I ain't good with big words. Dunno if ya fancy people can tell, but some of us can't say things as well as you."Another hearty laugh from Gladiolus above you came, and your hair was ruffled again. "We'll get you learned right quick. It means he wants to make a deal with you."You struggled to give Ignis your best narrow eyed glare. The angle that you had to crane your neck in order to look at the sandy haired man in front of you made the back of your neck and your shoulders ache. Gladiolus sitting on top of you did not help this cause in the least bit. Either way, you were wary of anything these two might try to sell you. There was no reason anyone of their blood would want to reason with a street urchin like you."I'll make this simple for you then. I'm impressed with how you found out so much about the prince and his colleagues in a short amount of time.""Ain't nothin' special. E'rryone can git infomation like what I got on the streets, easy," you tried your best to sound confident. Truth be told, it had been far from easy to get what you had on the prince, but you weren't going to let those two catch onto that."If it's easy for you then, why not make it your job?" Ignis looked at you, the barest twich of a smile played on his lips."It kinda is? I mean, not really, comes with th' whole stealin' stuff to live thing.""And if I offered you a job to gather information as a living, not as a means to steal... stuff, would you object?"You paused your struggling to narrow your eyes at Ignis. "I see wha's in it fer me, but what 'bout you lot?" There had to be a catch somewhere, and you were going to find it before you fell face first into their plans."What's with the questioning? I thought the lot of you would have jumped at the opportunity to be near the king. You'd get money, fame, all the dick yo--""Gladiolus, please. We're in a public setting.""Right. Sorry, Specs."Ignis heaved a sigh and glanced at you. "As my comrade has stat--""I get what I'm going to get outta this, what do you get in return for me serving the king like a dog?""You get to live."The answer came from his lips in a more curt manner than his previous diplomatic cadence. It seemed as though you had pushed on some buttons with your last question. As much as you wanted to sass this man, living seemed to be a better choice than the alternative he had given you."Fine. It's a deal."You felt Gladiolus stand up, letting you take a full breath for the first time in a while. A warm, leather clad hand helped you up. "Then let's make haste. Your training begins tomorrow.""Fine. Ain't like I've got much t' pack anyway.""Gladiolus, I hope that you will see Noctis home? There's much to do with this one before the sun rises.""You got it, Specs!" Gladiolus saluted in jest before you were gently escorted towards a car to be plunged head first into a new life. As frightful as it all seemed, as much as you had failed to obtained what you had originally set out for, you were given a second lease on life. Perhaps, it wouldn't be so bad after all.Oh, the fates were truly, truly cruel to enjoy toying with you.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Rookies always had it hard. As much as that statement was true, you had an inkling that it meant much more to you. Having to adjust to the training the Crownsguard received on a day to day basis was a jarring change of schedule to say the least. The physical pain, you had no problem with. The mere fact that you were guaranteed food and lodging made any bruises you received a worthy price. It was learning to blend in that was the hardest part.Words didn't flow from your lips as easily as they did for you on the streets. The trainees were quick to pick up on your quirks and your mannerisms the moment you joined their ranks. It wasn't hard to single out someone without any "culture" as they called it. The consonants and the words were so hard for your tongue to follow. It almost felt like a different language sometimes. When you stumbled over the proper terms and etiquette, the other recruits jumped on any chance to poke fun of your accent.The days felt long, longer than they had ever been in your lifetime. The initial novelty of having a bed to sleep on and food started to lose its appeal when it was near impossible to make any friends among the ranks. You were the first to get up most of the time, spending some time in the library and struggling through grammar and etiquette books in hopes of being accepted. Depending on the number of fights you would get into in a day, you would normally stay later to clean equipment after everyone had gone for the day.It was hard. If you had been born into a different life, you may have quit already. However, you had too much to prove to quit. You had been given one blessing by the fates to be living the life you had now, and you were going to stretch their goodness for all it was worth.If the fates were kind, then they at least granted you the company of one person.Ignis was honestly the last person you expected yourself to become close to. However, it appeared that the two of you kept similar hours; up before everyone and the last to go to sleep during the night. He was a man of routine, and you quickly discovered he made a quick round through the citadel every night before settling in his office to complete any lingering paperwork for the day."You're still here? I was sure everyone gone to sleep already.""I have to do remedy chores," you deadpanned, while polishing practice daggers."Remedy chores?""Yeah, you know. When you do somethin' bad an' you gotta do somethin' like clean everythin' as punishment. But I guess since you're Mr. Perfect, you ain't ever had to do anythin' like that.""Ah, you mean remedial duties," Ignis corrected."Right, that. Remedial," you repeated after him, kicking yourself for getting yet another term incorrect. "Whatever, I'm almos' done with everythin'. Ya gonna leave me alone t' do my work?""I'm rather hesitant to finish my work in a hurry for the night. I'll wait for you to finish. I'd like to think that your company is an improvement over my office.""There you go with those complicated words again..." you grumbled as you reached for the last few daggers in the pile. "Do whatever you like, it's not like it's going to make me work faster."He leaned against a wall, watching you work in silence for a few moments before speaking again, "Your annunciation has improved...""Eh?" you turned around, looking at him quizzically."Your annunciation," he repeated. "You've gotten better at speaking.""Oh. Yeah, I've been practicing." As much as you didn't want to admit it. His words struck a chord in you. It was the first time anyone had commented positively on any changes you had made. You felt your face heat up just slightly as you finished cleaning off the last piece of equipment. Your heart beat a little faster, hoping that he would give you another compliment. You wanted to hold onto the feeling as much as you could.As tired as your body was that night, you felt the determination in you burn brightly. You had to prove to this man that his choice was right. You deserved to be a respectable member of the Crownsguard. Emboldened by his encouragement, you decided to pursue his company for a bit longer."Hey, I'm all done here. How much work do you have left?" you tried your best to keep your words as clean and crisp as possible. "I'll keep you company until you're done if it's not much.""It won't be long," he reassured, pushing himself away from the wall. "Follow me whenever you're ready."You swore your steps had a little more life and skip to them as you followed after him to his office that night.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Watching Ignis work was like watching a clock. He read quickly, wrote neatly, breathed evenly and looked prim and proper while doing it. You sat in the chair across from his desk in awe as he made quick work of a pile of proposals. It was hypnotizing watching his eyes scan line after line of text. His writing was fluid and deft as he signed off on one thing and rejected another.It was a quiet life he led, and you didn't want to intrude on his work; however, the urge to talk about your day – a simple craving you had to have conversation for the first time since you entered the citadel – was overwhelming. The words you wanted to tell him were overflowing, and you couldn't help yourself from speaking up after he had finished signing what seemed like the fortieth proposal that night."I-I warped for real for the first time today!" you blurted out. Your words seemed to be absorbed into the walls, and Ignis looked up from his work. He blinked once, and you instantly felt yourself wanting to shrink and melt into the chair you were sitting in. You had told him you'd keep him company, not talk and bore his ears off from things he clearly knew about already. Well, that was a complete failure and a mistake. What am I even doing here? I should leave. I need to leave I s---"Tell me more, I'm sure it was an exhilarating moment for you."Your panicked thoughts stopped dead. "Really? But you're working...""I can multitask. It'll help the time pass.""If you say so... Just don't get bored before the end, okay?""I would never dream of it."Thus began your long story of how you had finally grasped the feeling of moving from one place to another in an instant. Magic did not come easily for you; however, learning to warp was an integral part of your training. Having failed the proper technique for a week at that point, you were close to giving up until something finally clicked and felt right for the first time that day. One moment you were faced with your sparring partner; the next moment, you were across the room and staring right at the back wall of the room. It wasn't your intended destination, but you had done it. After days of trying unsuccessfully to budge even an inch from your initial location, you had made it to another place."I mean, I lost against Nyx in the end, but I mean, I did it y'know?" you babbled excitedly as your story came to a close and he was skimming through the last unread sheet of paper on his desk. "It was like... I dunno, magic." You breathed excitedly, "And I mean, they made fun of me ending up at the wrong spot, but I guess my aim was off...""I'm sure with more practice you'll be rather adept at it," he reassured. He looked up from the paper and you could have sworn, with the way his eyes crinkled, he was hiding a smile behind the sheet of paper.You could feel the pride in you swell from your chest. "I'm gonna be the best at it, just you wait. I'm gonna be better than all of them."At your bold proclamation, he let out a low chuckle, "I'm sure you will be. However, it's rather late and I'd hate to be the reason that you oversleep."You gasped when you looked at the clock situated behind you. "Astrals be damned, I'm going to be dead tomorrow," you groaned and reluctantly peeled yourself away from the comfortable spot you had made yourself in his chair."Well, that won't do. If you're dead tomorrow, who else will keep me company and make sure I complete my work in a timely manner?""I guess I gotta make an extra effort to be alive then," you shot back before hurriedly making it to your quarters. If you were lucky, you'd get four hours of sleep if you fell asleep the moment your head hit the pillow. However, the floating feeling that came from having someone to talk to, even if it were the dead of the night, was enough to keep you energized for a week.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Over the next months, you found much needed comfort and warmth in late hours spent in the Royal Advisor's office. There had even been a few times he had woken you up from your curled up position on the chair across from him after a rather long day. Sometimes, he would work in a comfortable silence while you looked around the office and marveled at all the small, intricately carved statues he called book ends. Occasionally, you would indulge in going through one of the thick, leather bound tomes on the shelves. They were much too complex for your liking, and you found yourself dozing off on those nights.Other nights, you would talk the night away, regaling him with the tales of a rather long day of training. Those were always the nights he finished his work the slowest. He would take the time to look up from his papers and ask you questions, letting you go further into detail.One night you were getting rather animated in a story regarding a fight you picked against a larger recruit. Swinging your arm around to show him how you had fought against your opponent, your sleeve fell back to reveal a myriad of bruises in various states of healing. Most, if not all of them, were from your regular scuffles."Let me see your arm.""Eh?" You noticed, too late what had happened and hastily pulled your sleeve down. "Oh, what! These bruises? They're nothing! Everyone gets them all the time.""Let me see it.""But you've got a bunch of wor--""Your arm," he demanded. The cold stare he gave you from behind his glasses was enough to stop any other arguments."Yes, sir..." you grumbled and walked forward to show him your arm.His gaze was calculating and clinical as he gently took your arm into his gloved hands. Ignis guided you to stand next to him behind his desk so he could see bruises better. As angry as the newer ones looked, you tried to assure him that they weren't as bad as it seemed. Though any arguments you may have had were quickly shut down by a silent, judging stare from him.He would press at a few of the older marks to test how they were healing, but never too hard to make it hurt. You could feel your body heat rising under his intense scrutiny, and you fought the incessant urge to pull away and leave. You could feel his warmth though his leather gloves, and the silence started to grow uncomfortable. Whatever soap or cologne he was wearing reminded of you of resin and eucalyptus, a soothing scent that eased the tension a bit.After what seemed like an eternity of examining your one arm, Ignis sighed and leaned back into his chair after letting go. He cocked one hand up and motioned towards himself with an expectant look. Understanding what he wanted, you hesitantly rolled up your other sleeve to reveal more bruises, this time with a few scrapes here and there. You couldn't bare to look at him from sheer embarrassment. You felt utterly exposed, and the sinking feeling in your stomach was akin to the feeling you had when you first been completely defeated by him."How long has this been going on?""I don't know... a while? Since I got here, really...""Honestly, you have a way with making me worry.""I'm sorry. I'm not good with telling people things."The floor had suddenly become rather interesting. You couldn't muster up the courage to look him straight in the eye anymore. Not at this moment at least.You heard shuffling and a drawer opening. There was the delicate clinking of glass bottles before the drawer was closed again. "Come here," he beckoned.Doing your best to not look at him and taking as much time as possible, you approached Ignis, your face burning in shame and embarrassment. You let out a soft gasp when you felt a cool gel touch one of your newer scrapes. The cooling sensation quickly dissipated as it became a burning ache where it had been applied. Looking down at your arm, you watched as the angry purple bruise turned into a dull yellow-green."You need to make sure you take care of these. They'll hinder you soon enough if you let them build up," he explained, applying more of the healing salve on your arms. First on the nastiest looking bruises and the freshest scrapes before moving to the older marks, his motions were quick and to the point. Wait, when did he even take off his gloves? "I'm already in charge of maintaining the health of one high maintenance prince. I'd like to request that we please don't make these pleasant evenings about me worrying over your injuries.""Yeah, I'll do better. I'm sorry." You could barely manage to whisper your apology before the feeling of tears pricked at the corners of your eyes. The sinking feeling in your stomach intensified. You would do anything you could to leave at this point.You tried your best to pass off the tears that threatened to fall as the tears that came after a yawn.He noticed the yawn and glanced over at the clock. "My apologies, I didn't realize how late it has become. Please, I think it's best you head to bed.""Yeah. I'll do that," you mumbled before making your way out of his office and as fast as you could back to your room.For the first time in your life, you cried yourself to sleep. You had let down the one person who you had let into your life within the citadel. You were sure that any chance you had of stitching back what trust was built had been burnt to ashes. The burning sensation from where Ignis had applied the magic salve died down to a low ache that reached deep into your muscles. You were going to be late to training that morning, and you honestly didn't care.~~~~~~~~~~~~~One week.You had survived on your own in the streets for years. However, it took a week before any semblance of self control you had to stay upset at Ignis crumbled. In a short seven days, you found yourself in front of his office again craving the warm glow of his presence, company, conversation and light.It was normal for you to be tired after practice. However, the last week had been hell without anyone to vent or talk to. Your feet felt leadened, and your steps dragged. With the memory of worried Ignis weighing heavily on your mind, your progress during training had drastically fallen. Your mood had swung back to the way it was when you had first arrived at the citadel which was a fiery ball of rage with a short temper. You were quick to burn any bridges you had built amongst your comrades, and you found yourself withdrawing from any social connection. It's easier this way, no one needs to know or care about a street urchin. It was normal for you to feel aches and pains. However, every now and then you swore you could feel the soft warmth of the salve that was so gently put on your arms. They offered an odd, painful comfort that at least once upon a time, someone cared enough about your health to even think about tending to you. Your arms still carried purple splotches; however, there were definitely fewer since you stopped bothering to pick fights.What wasn't normal was how completely lonely and unreasonably jealous of other people and their easy going friendships. You found yourself shooting dangerous glares and pouting whenever you overheard cheerful conversation between people. Even secluding yourself into the furthest corners of the library to be alone didn't bring you much alone time to think. Somehow, you had found the favorite "secret fuck place" that the younger recruits frequented.Exasperated, tired and lonely, you found yourself standing in front of Ignis' office door after a solid week of avoiding him. You could see the glow from his desk lamp leak past the crack in the door. You reached for the handle, ready to just apologize for being rash and irresponsible for your own well being. You had built up a grand speech, telling him how he was right and you had to take responsibility for your own actions and temper and everything that was wrong with your upbringing.You were ready to tell him all that and more – about the shit week you've had, about the stupid things that made you tick – you wanted to pour your heart out with the countless words you had saved up. You wanted to share a normal daily conversation as you had done before. As you your fingers brushed the cool door handle, you hesitated. "I'd like to request that we please don't make these pleasant evenings about me worrying over your injuries." His words echoed in your head, and you had half the mind to turn away and continue your merry life as a reckless rage machine at that point."The door's unlocked, you know."You jolted when you heard his voice from behind the door. Well, it'd be dumb of me to chicken out at this point.Even though it had only been a week since you had last been in there, it felt like a whole new world to you again. Well lit and covered in books, the room contained the smell of leather and his cologne laced with the scent of drying ink and aged book pages. Was that always there? Did he get a new clock? "Take a seat," Ignis offered, not looking from his work. However, he gestured towards the chair you had found so much comfort in across from his desk.You did as you were told, curling up to the deepest corner of the chair that you could. The tension between you two felt so thick it was almost hard for you to draw full breath. The comfortable silence you once had with him was no longer there. In fact, it felt more like whenever you were called into Cor's office for causing a ruckus. You listened to the clock behind you tick while you watched his jade green eyes study the papers in front of him.Ignis seemed more tired than usual. He had developed the barest hint of dark circles under his eyes, something that wasn't there the week before. Even from where you sat, you could see how his lower eyelids were pink and irritated. The man's working himself to death and has the gall to call me out on being reckless with my body, you idly thought while watching him. It was still a beautiful, hypnotic pace that he worked at. It didn't take much more than three minutes for him to read a page and sign it or turn it over to a different neat pile of papers."I have to apologize for being rather inconsiderate the last time you were in here," he confessed as he casually signed off on page thirty-four of whatever the fuck treaty they were working on. "What I said was out of line. I admit that I am regretting those words and rather missing your company the past week."You bit your inner lip in order not to cry. "Hey, I'm the one who's supposed to apologize. You've already got so much on your plate, you really shouldn't have to worry about someone like me. I should be responsible for my own decisions and reckless actions."He glanced up from page thirty-five and sighed heavily before pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "On the contrary, it's in my nature to worry about my friends, no matter how reckless they are. However, I am rather glad to hear that you are uptaking the responsibility of your care in your own hands."Friend. He considered you his friend. Part of you celebrated in sheer glee that he didn't hate your guts for being a wild child. The other part of wanted to sink into the floor for realizing he thought of you as a friend only."There's salve on the desk right there," he motioned towards a tiny green jar sitting at the corner of his desk. "I had the infirmary make a new batch for you. You can have it."Tentatively, you reached for the jar and opened it to be greeted by the soothing scent of eucalyptus and pine resin. It smelled like comfort and the happy memories you had in that office. More than anything though, it smelled distinctly like Ignis. All was right in your world again, and your ordinary days returned to color.For the first time in the last week, you slept without pain. You hadn't realized you had fallen asleep in his office until you woke up to a warm jacket draped over you in the next morning.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Your breath floated up in small clouds every time you breathed out into the late January air. On the rare occasion you were allowed out of the citadel and into the city, you found yourself roaming your old stalking grounds for the sake of reminiscing. The stores came and went, and so did your old comrades. News of where you went and what you became undoubtedly traveled fast. Any connection to your old network on the streets had been cleanly cut. You weren't one to sell them out, but they were interested in their own lives and had branded you a traitor."Hey, you know it's gonna be Spec's birthday soon," Gladiolus commented after a rather animated chat with the granny who sold greens across the bar. He had decided that day to accompany you and get some fresh air. In all honesty, you were sure he was only going out with you to stock up on more cup noodles."Eh?""Birthday, you know, like the one party you almost crashed a year and a half ago?"You blinked and tilted your head, trying to comprehend what he was trying to hint at."Birthday, you know, that thing that we do to celebrate another year of you being around? When a party is thrown in your honor and you get showered with gifts?""Gladiolus, I--""Gladio," he promptly corrected. Somehow becoming Ignis' friend also meant you were a friend of Gladiolus by association; thus, his profound mission to get you to start calling him by his nickname."Gladio. Contrary to your belief, having a birthday wasn't exactly a necessary part of living on the streets. So there's that...""Oh, well... We'll make his party your party too," Gladio suggested, his eyes gleaming with the idea of an even bigger party for him to attend."I'd rather not. Thank you. The less attention brought to me, the better. You did hire me to be trained as a spy after all," you countered."Oh, right, there's that too... I guess you'll just have to go to Iggy's party.""I suppose I will, if that will get you to stop scheming anything.""Ah, close enough," he said after a small sigh. "You know...""Know what? There's a lot I don't know.""Well, I do know that you sound like a upright citizen of Insomnia and not some street rat I sat on a year and a half ago. The accent's definitely improved. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were born a blue blood."You scoffed at the idea of being born into a prestigious family. Inwardly though, you could feel your ego swell from the compliment. All the early hours in the library had paid off after all. "Hardly, I only had to make sure I--"You stopped dead in your tracks as the two of you passed a jewelery store. In the window, a tiny obsidian skull pendant on a simple silver chain was on display."Gladio, you said that people get gifts for their birthay, right?""Right... Are you asking me to get that for you for your not birthday? I would have figured you to be a more cute coureal print type --""No, no, no. I found Ignis' birthday present," you breathed, your hands and nose pressed against the window in excitement. You briefly glanced at the price tag and internally winced. It would be half the allowance you had saved up for emergencies, but for a gift for the only person that you could honestly call your friend, it would be worth it.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The night before his birthday was impossibly cold. Through all the layers of clothes you had on, the tips of your fingers and toes were frigid from the cold that permeated through the citadel walls. You hastened your pace towards the office where you knew Ignis would at least have a spare blanket to curl up under if he hadn't kept the room warm by using the fire place there.Much to your delight, he had a cheerful fire going. The atmosphere was its usual comforting and relaxed air when you slid into his room. You sighed in relief at how warm it was. The package you hid in your pocket felt as though it was burning a hole through your pants, and you couldn't tell if your hands were shaking with nervousness or from the cold.The world didn't have time to stop for anyone's birthday, and the pile of work at Ignis' desk seemed heavier than usual. He didn't seem to mind, and worked right through the night as he usually did. It was almost infuriating how selfless this man was. Most anyone you knew would have wanted to do the most to get out of any responsibility they had to celebrate their birthday.You watched him work in pleasant silence, staying hyper aware of the clock ticking behind you and the time of the night. There was a chance that your grand plan would be ruined by Noctis or Gladio bursting in once it hit midnight. You only hoped that they would be delayed by some scheme laid out by a forgiving fate that night. The heart beat louder and louder the closer it got to midnight. By the time it was five minutes prior, you could swear you were going deaf from the drumming in your ears.Fuck it, now or never.You nearly dropped the package with your trembling fingers as you fished it from your pocket. Doing your best to appear nonchalant and pretending to be suddenly interested in a book end by his desk, you sauntered over to get a little closer."Hey, Ignis, isn't it supposed to be your birthday tomorrow?""Yes. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll have time for festivities. It has gotten rather chaotic in the last few months. I doubt the prince and his comrades will let me go without some sort of celebration though.""Yeah, Gladio seemed really dead set on you throwing you a grand party. Complete with exotic dancers and a week's worth of fine wine."Ignis let out a dry chuckle. "Yes, that does sound like something that he would plan."Unflappable as always, he continued to systematically take down the pile of work in front of him. You leaned against his desk and gingerly pushed the package into his peripheral vision. He paused for a moment before putting down the piece of paper. "And this is?""A present. I'm not good at the whole wrapping thing..." you mumbled sheepishly. You had given up on wrapping the tiny gift in paper. Any attempts you had made only came out to be a lopsided mess. In the end, you opted for a soft, jade colored, silk kercheif with its corners pulled up and tied together by a ribbon. It was rather generic looking; however, it was the best you could do."I'd like to think it's a rather clever solution. It's quite the fetching color."You felt your heart thump as he fingered the tails of ribbon, it got increasingly harder and harder to breath as the seconds tick by. "So... uhm, are you going to open it?""I will in a minute," he said, glancing up at the clock, and you noticed it was still a full minute before midnight.The last sixty seconds seemed to drag on forever before it finally, finally struck midnight, and you watched with nervous glee as the knot that held the ribbon together was pulled away to reveal the small black box inside. He lifted the lid to find his gift nestled against dark red velvet."This must have cost you a fortune..." he breathed, lifting the piece of jewelery and letting the light from this desk lamp shine into the stone. "It's lovely. But--""I bought it with my own money! On my honor I didn't steal a single gil to get it."A smile played at his lips as he continued to watch the pendant sway gently back and forth in the warm lamplight. "I have no doubts that you had spent your own hard earned allowance on this, but you really shouldn't have gotten me anything. A birthday is just another day that happens every year.""But it's your birthday, Ignis! That's what makes it special! I mean, not to say that you're not special on a regular basis. But doesn't that mean that today should be extra special because.--- ""I'll treasure it always." His eyes softened, crinkling into the barest trace of a smile at your babbling, and he held the necklace out to you. "Will you do me the honor helping me put it on?""I.. Uh... Yeah. I guess, if that's what you want me to do.""I'd like nothing more."Your hands were a trembling mess as you fumbled with the clasp of the necklace. It was barely secured onto his neck before the door was forcibly thrown open by Gladio, Noctis and Prompto. They all appeared bearing gifts and wine."HAPPY, BIRTHDAY SPECS!" they exclaimed. You yelped at the sudden intrusion and leapt backwards, crashing into one of the many bookshelves that lined his room."Are... we interrupting something?" Gladio asked, noticing the rather intimate scene they had interrupted."Eh? No! I was about to leave actually! I was just uh, stopping by!" you flailed, cautiously looking behind you to make sure you didn't break anything. "So uh, have a good early party!" You scrambled to reach the door and save yourself form further embarrassment."It'd be nice for you to stay, actually. I'd enjoy the company."His words held you frozen in place. You slowly turned and assessed everyone in the room with wary eyes. "If... its okay with them.""Birthday boy's wishes! Of course you're welcome," Gladio beckoned you to come back and preemptively poured you a healthy glass of wine. "Come on, I splurged on the drinks tonight!"You accepted the cup and let the rest of the night's good cheer warm you to your core. As cold as it was outside, his office felt like it was the warmest place in the citadel. Drinks and games were played, and lavish gifts were given to Ignis. Every now and then, you would catch Gladio casting a side glance your way and then back at Ignis. His eyes rested on the necklace resting in between his collarbones."It suits him," Gladio commented softly when Ignis was distracted with keeping the prince and his best friend tamed after a rather loud round of King's Cup."Yeah. It does," you murmured in reply, enjoying the loud, yet friendly company that you were suddenly surrounded by.~~~~~~~~The rest of the night was drawn out by more drinking games and story telling. Most of the games were suggested by Gladio while Noctis regaled everyone about every embarrassing moment he had that Ignis needed to clean up after.As the night woud down to a close, Noctis and Prompto were soundly asleep on the ground, wrapped in a spare blanket. Gladio made it his duty to clean up the place as best as possible and had disappeared into the night to hide the empty wine bottles. It was back to the comforting silence you had grown accustomed to whenever you were in Ignis' office. You could feel your eyelids becoming heavy having stayed up way later than you had initially intended.Ignis' warm hand rested on your shoulder, causing your eyelids to flutter open. The barest trace of a blush colored his cheeks from all the drinks that had been passed around. "It's late, let me walk you back to your quarters.""Eh? I couldn't ask you to do that. You've got to get sleep too!""You're not asking me to do anything. I'm offering to do this.""I... Well, if it's not a burden.. I guess that's fine.""Then please, lead the way."Drinking wasn't exactly your forte and having downed a few glasses of wine by the end of the night made your body feel extraordinarily heavy. You concentrated on making it back to your room and being able to fall face first into your bed. You focused on taking one step at a time and did your best to not sway to and fro too much. Ignis' presence beside you made the task all the more important feeling.You stopped at the door to your room and looked up at Ignis. Your hand rested on the door handle before they were gently pulled away. You gasped when he took your shaking fingers into his hands and gently rubbed them to get some circulation in them."It's this cold, and you still don't own a pair of gloves?" he chided.You found it difficult to look at him and suddenly found great interest in the details carved into the door handle to your room. "It's not that cold..." you pouted. "It's been worse.""I'm sure it has, but it doesn't mean that you have to live like that," he said, letting go after he was satisfied with how warm your hands were.You dropped them listlessly to your side and continued to try and find new things that you hadn't noticed about your door handle. You squeaked when you felt his hands in yours again, this time without his gloves. Wait, what? Didn't he have them on just a second ago? Your internal questions were answered when he pressed his leather gloves into your hands. "They may be a bit big... But they'll do for now, I suppose. Gladio explained to me that you didn't recall your birthday. Since we've already celebrated one today, I don't see a reason why we couldn't celebrate another at the same time."You blushed deeply and were forever grateful that it was dark enough for him to not realize this. "Wait, Ignis are you saying---""Yeah, Happy birthday to you too," he whispered, gently pulling your head towards him and planting a soft kiss on your forehead. "I apologize for not having the foresight to plan a better planned gift."You could still feel his body heat emanating from the gloves in your hands, and you felt tears threatening to fall from the corner of your eyes. You were still reeling from the whirlwind of activities that happened that night. You held the gloves to your face, enjoying how soft they felt against your cheeks."I'll treasure them always," you whispered.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~There was a hushed sort of rush that surrounded the citadel when Noctis' engagement was announced. The energy was electric, and Ignis made himself rather scarce. You missed frequenting his office to chat, but you knew his duty was above all other matters. It was the day before Noctis was to leave, and you found yourself looking frantically for Ignis for one last chance to let him know how grateful you were for everything he did. You didn't know when the next time you would see him would be, and it was your last chance to give him the words that he deserved.You caught him early in the morning, walking down a corridor alone. Calling out too him, you rushed to catch up to where he was. "Hey, I have to tell you something. Can we talk real quick?" you pulled him aside towards a quieter corridor."Of course, what can I do for you? It's rather rare that you'd visit me in the morning," he mused.There were only two words that needed to be said, and they wouldn't come out. With all that happened between the two of you, the only things that you wanted to say seemed eternally frozen at the back of your throat. The Royal Advisor stood there, waiting for what you were going to say, and the god damned words wouldn't come out. All of the ease you felt from your previous conversations had gone and died. You opened your mouth to start saying something, but no sound came out."Is there something wrong?" Not at all, why would anything be wrong? You've given me color to life, and an actual life to be proud of, how could there be anything wrong? "Uhm, if it's not anything important, I've got matters to attend to, may we speak about it later?""I-I..." Say it, you dumb ass, what's wrong with you? "Yeah, we can talk about it later. "Ever the gentleman, he bowed slightly before turning away and walking towards his appointments for the day.Watching his retreat back, something in the back of your mind told you you might never see him again. The fates had granted you this treasure of a man, and yet the countless times you were grateful for all he did, for all his patience, you had never expressed it. This was your last chance. Even if you did see him again, the same feeling told you he would never be the same man again. It was now or never."Ignis! Wait!" you called out, jogging to catch up to him."Hm?""Thank you. For everything. Thank you... You know."A smile. A pure, genuine smile graced his lips, and he reached out to gently stroke your hair. You felt your heart racing at your throat at the gentle gesture. He seemed to be lost in a daze as he touched your hair. You found yourself wanting to look away, but convinced yourself at the same time that if you blinked, that smile would be gone."I know. Of course," he whispered before turning away again.You prayed that the next time, in the future, when the two of you saw each other again, he would give you that smile again. Truly. Forever, truly, you know, truly thank you. -- Fin --
11457354	Ill Take Whatever Youll	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "James \"Bucky\" Barnes, Steve Rogers", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by bucharestbuck", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-10T00:00:00", "words": "1,749", "Additional Tags": "Nightmares, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst", "Relationship": "James \"Bucky\" Barnes/Steve Rogers", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": "Running From the Past", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Shuffling quickly into the dingy room lit only by street lamps through the window, the sharp thud of the door and the clicking of locks shattered the silence. Steve watched as Bucky ditched the duffel slung on his shoulder and prowled around the room like a lion on the hunt. Lap after lap, Steve watched in silence, frozen in place. Once Bucky was satisfied with the security of the room, he returned to his duffel bag, removing multiple weapons to conceal under and in pieces of furniture throughout the room. A hand gun under the pillow. A knife strapped to the leg of a desk. Another gun slid between the mattress of the queen bed and the box springs. And that was only the beginning. Blinking a few times, Steve slid into motion. He walked over to the small sofa, placing his own duffel bag on it. The light weight of the bag contrasted heavily with the thoughts weighing on Steve’s mind. Living on the run and being two extremely high profile “celebrities” to put it kindly, had its difficulties. “Shower” was all Steve heard before Bucky disappeared into the bathroom. The terse word thrown over the other mans shoulder worried Steve. They hadn’t exactly had time to catch up either in the few short weeks they’d been together, bouncing from city to city, motel room to abandoned building. Steve, however, wasn’t exactly jumping at the idea. You can’t exactly put decades of pain and suffering and longing into a light, chatty conversation. The rush of water from the shower drew Steve's eyes to the closed door. He watched the shadow of Bucky's feet dance against the light coming under the white wood.Their relationship since having reunited was a bit rocky. Not much progress had been made aside from the fact that their bodies instinctively trusted one another be it in a fight or just sitting in a room. Steve still found Bucky sticking mostly to his left side and that if danger presented itself, Bucky would place himself between Steve and what or whoever posed a threat. It scared Steve the first time he truly watched Bucky fight. Any human emotion or expression drained from his face, Bucky Barnes fading to Soldier. After the situation was neutralized, Steve counted the minuted until Bucky seemed to return to his body. It took longer than Steve would have liked. But as time went on, Steve counting the time it took for his Bucky to return, the agonizing minutes decreased. Each time he saw the light flicker back behind grey eyes, Steve thought a silent prayer of gratitude.As the shower shut off, Steve spent the brief minutes before Bucky would inevitable exit the bathroom dripping and half naked stripping his civilian disguise and replacing it with a pair of flannel pants and a t-shirt, preferring to shower in the morning to escape those piercing eyes before he could reconstruct the toppling walls he’d built. The bathroom door creaked open, Bucky emerged bathed in the harsh florescent light and in nothing but a pair of boxers and a t shirt. For all of the months they had now spent together, Steve had never once seen Bucky without a shirt. Maybe he didn’t want Steve to see the scars or maybe he didn’t want to see them himself. Steve never asked. Bucky never told. “I’ll grab the couch since you did last time,” Steve said pulling his duffel bag from the cushions. “No. I am staying up anyway. Take the bed,” Bucky said before heading over to the desk and pulling the chair out from under it. He placed it in the center of the room pointed at the door, windows to one side, bathroom with window to his other. “You haven’t slept much, Buck. Please get some rest. It’s really not a problem,” Steve protested. He knew Bucky got little sleep as it was, and he refused to watch the dark circles under Bucky’s eyes get any darker. Bucky crossed his arms. “I’m not letting you sleep on the couch. I know it isn’t comfortable on your hundred year old bones.”Steve huffed. Sometimes Bucky would crack little jokes like this, raising Steve’s hopes of bringing some kind of normalcy back to their relationship even higher. However, he knew a mountains worth of talking and working things out stood in the way of that. “Your bones are older than mine so sitting in that chair all night isn’t good for them. The beds big enough. Just get in it,” Steve said, leaving no room for discussion. After seeming to come to a decision and shaking his head, Bucky returned the chair back under the desk and plodded his way over to the bed. Both men stood opposite each other, looking at each other, before finally Bucky sighed and pulled back the covers. They both slipped under the scratchy cotton sheets, leaving a safe distance. Steve reached over to the night stand, cutting the light and leaving them in darkness. For as long as they had been running together, never once had they shared a bed. Steve had tried to convince Bucky multiple times, a few times selfishly for the opportunity to be near him, the rest out of sheer desperation to get the man to sleep. He didn’t sleep much at all, and when he did, it usually ended in screams. Once Steve had ended up trapped beneath Bucky’s muscular thighs, knife to his throat. Another time he watched Bucky fling himself from the bed into the corner of the room and contort his body into the smallest shape he could manage, screaming in Russian and pulling his hair out with tearing running steadily down his face. Needless to say, when he finally saw Bucky give into sleep, he pretended to sleep, all the while keeping a watchful eye on his companion. During the day to day nightmares, Steve could typically draw Bucky from his dream with a light hand on his shoulder and quiet words. Though when Bucky’s night terrors got extremely bad, Steve was little help. Steve liked to be able to be there for Bucky. The only real time Steve was reminded of his pal before the war was after rousing Bucky from a dream. Much like Steve, Bucky could not wake from sleep with his protective layers fully assembled. In the moments before realty crashed down on him, Bucky wasn’t the soldier. He was himself, Steve’s Bucky. And Steve cherished these moments, as selfish as they were. Thankfully, Bucky had never caught Steve waking up from a night terror. He truly doesn't get them as often as he did. That's not to say he sleeps like a baby either. He sleeps extremely lightly after having lived in a warzone. However, the few times he has woken up from watching Peggy slowly fade away into nothingness or watching Bucky fall over and over, he hasn't tipped Bucky off. A few deep breaths and most nights Steve could wipe his eyes, roll over, and doze fitfully back to sleep. Steve could easily pass off the fitful sleeping if Bucky started to catch on on the fact that men like him and Bucky don't get to sleep peacefully. On the worse nights, he would get up, dress and start the day. It didn't seem abnormal for Bucky either because neither had established a routine so a screw up sleeping pattern didn't seem all that odd, especially considering Bucky's own sleeping schedule. Minutes passed and neither moved to get more comfortable. Bucky’s voice suddenly broke the somewhat tense silence. “I’m sorry for waking you so often. Seeing the darkness under your eyes because of me.. I hate it,” he whispered. Steve was taken aback. Maybe it was the cover of dark or the close proximity, but Steve could tell both of their layers of armor were coming down. “I don’t mind. You don’t wake me much. I’m typically already awake.”Not commenting on Steve’s admission, Bucky continued on, “I don’t know how you do it. Compartmentalizing or suppressing or whatever enough to not wake up screaming or back in a hail of bullets. How do you do it?” “I.. After a while, I stopped screaming. My voice gets caught in my throat. I wake up in a cold sweat or crying,” Steve murmured.Bucky’s body shifted as he turned to face Steve, “So you mean to tell me each time you’ve woken up and been on that plane or in that warzone during the time we've been together, you’ve done it alone?”The hurt and edge of pain in Bucky’s voice caused grief and guilt to well up in Steve’s chest. “You just.. don’t get much sleep and already have so much on your mind,” Steve answered weakly.“Sleep nor places in my memory are more important than being able to be there for you like you’ve been there for me,” Bucky said firmly. “I know.. we haven’t talked much.. at all.. But I have most of my memories and I catch glimpses of it on your face, Steve, and I hate so much to disappoint you.. But I’m not that person that you made love to and cried over sending him off to war.”Tears stung Steve’s eyes, but he willed them not to fall. “I know you aren’t that person and you don’t have to be. I’m not that person either. So much has changed and I’ve had to change with it. I will never be a hundred and twenty-five pound asthmatic fording papers and sneaking into his best friends bunk.” A tear escaped Steve’s eyes, rolling hotly down his check and plopping wetly on the pillow his head rested on. He finally turned over from his position on his back to look at Bucky and say, “We aren’t the same people, Buck. I know that. But I’ll take whatever you’ll give me and that will never change.”Hesitantly, Bucky’s hand reached up to gently wipe away the tear from Steve’s eye. Resting his palm on Steve’s cheek, thumb lightly caressing the soft skin there, Bucky placed a delicate kiss on Steve’s trembling lips. Slowly, Bucky snaked his arm around Steve’s back and torso, bringing him closer. Steve nuzzled his face into the warm hollow beneath Bucky’s chin, wrapping his arms around Bucky’s middle. Though it wasn't the reunion either had expected, it was a start. Easily, both fell into a deep sleep wrapped up in each other.
11401788	You Know Nothing Jon	{ "Archive Warning": null, "Category": null, "Characters": "Jon Snow, Sansa Stark, Daenerys Targaryen, Arya Stark", "Fandom": "Game of Thrones (TV)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by Tigereye77", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-04T00:00:00", "words": "2,281", "Additional Tags": "Angst, screwed up relationships, Jon still knows nothing, Stupid decisions", "Relationship": "Jon Snow/Sansa Stark", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": "Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply", "Categories": "F/M, Gen", "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	The invitation is a surprise on many levels; one that she was getting married and two that she had invited him to the wedding. However, it isn’t a surprise, for who would not want to marry the beautiful Queen of the North who saw her people through the long night and has brought them back from the brink of extinction to prosperity now that the winter snows have melted away. And protocol dictated that she invite her cousin, the King of the South, to her wedding.But the invitation was followed by a letter, this time from the woman he still considered his sister and it contained a simple message. Do not come if you intend to make trouble for Sansa. You’ve broken her heart once. I will not let you do so again. His fist crumpled the wedding invitation and he felt old wounds reopen at Arya’s words. Jon had half a mind to not go to the wedding, but he had to. As King of the South his presence was required, but he was not sure how he could bear to see the woman he loved married to another.So he gathered the overly large retinue that for some reason a king must always travel with and made the journey North. The people bowed to him respectfully, but without love. There was no hatred there either. That was reserved for his late wife, Daenerys, who after a year on the throne showed that she did not escape the Targaryen curse of madness. Now the people in the South waited. Waited and watched to see if he too would show the illness that plagued his family. In the meantime, the South accepted that his rule was better than that of his wife who before she accidentally fell from her balcony on a windy day, made it a sport of burning small folk and nobles alike.As Jon traveled further North, excitement and dread filled him. The weight of the South and the throne he never wanted seemed to slip away as he encountered the cooler temperatures, the foliage and fauna he grew up with and the accent and attitudes of the people he loved best. But he was also dreading his reception at Winterfell.After the war, he had believed himself to be completely in love with the beautiful dragon queen. She had lost all of her dragons in the Great War and had asked Jon to help her take the Throne in the South. Sansa had asked him not to go, reminding him of his promise to help her rebuild Winterfell and of something else. “You said you loved me,” she had murmured quietly. “You were all that father promised me, someone brave, gentle and strong. Why, Jon? Why?” A pang went through Jon. He had never fully figured out his feelings for Sansa and then he had met Daenerys, so vivid and beautiful, so overwhelming, that he had pushed aside those confusing emotions for another. “I do. I always will. But not like that.” He had kissed Sansa’s forehead. “I love, Dany.” He truly believed that at the time, caught up in the majesty that was the Mother of Dragons, but only looking at the surface and not what was truly beneath the intoxicating veneer of her blonde hair and power over dragons. Sansa had stiffened in his arms and nodded curtly. “Then I wish you safe travels and success, Jon Snow.” Those were the last words she had ever spoken to him. But Sansa was not the only Stark who felt betrayed. Arya glared at him. “So, you’re abandoning your family in favor of her?” “Dany is my family as well. I’m a Targaryen.” “You’re a Stark,” Arya had spat. “Or least you were until something you thought was better came along.” “Arya-“ “Don’t speak to me! You’re no brother to me!” Jon had much time to think over his actions in the four years he had been in the South and away from Winterfell. After the war, the South was in disarray, the years of Baratheon and Lannister rule as devastating the war with the Night King had been on the North. It was with ease that Jon and Dany had taken the Iron Throne, but as they soon found out, it’s easy to conquer a broken and bleeding land, but much harder to stitch it back together. Tyrion and Varys perished in the Great War, and while Davos tried his best, they found themselves ill-equipped to rule. Jon wanted no part in ruling so left many matters to Daenerys which in hindsight proved to be a grave error.The events across the sea in Meeren should have been a lesson. Daenerys, without any experienced advisors, struggled daily to rule a land she was not familiar with. Coupled with the feeling from the South that she was a foreigner who had no right to the throne, dissent occurred almost immediately. Without her dragons to enforce her rule, she relied on the brutality of her forces to keep order. And they were brutal. While the Unsullied could be counted on for their discipline, the Dorothki were another matter, and Jon found himself horrified by the rampages they would unleash on the lands. Without her dragons to cow them, Daenerys struggled to keep them in check, but found she could accept their actions if they limited their rampages to the ones who opposed her. Jon and Davos had tried to be a tempering force, but soon realized she was slowly slipping into a madness and cruelty.But there were times that Jon glimpsed the woman he thought he had fallen in love with, the silver-haired beauty who warmed his bed. Then the children came. Misshapen and deformed, living only a few painful hours before the Stranger took them. Rumors spread the Mother of Dragons had become the Mother of Monsters.In their third year together, one windy night, she stood on her bedroom balcony. No one heard anything or saw anything, but the next morning, her broken body was found on the rocks below. Some believe she thought she was going for a ride on her dragon. Others thought King Jon had pushed her or an assassin hired by some of the wealthier families. The more charitable few had called it an accident. Few mourned her death.Jon found himself then sitting on a throne he never wanted. He had his struggles too, but as the hero of the Great War, raised in Westeros by Ned Stark, a man who’s good reputation had been restored to an even more vaulted status, and cousin to the Queen of the North who had become an admired and beloved figure even beyond her own lands, the South was willing to give him a chance.He wasn’t a great ruler, but he was fair and for now, the South was stable, but it was nowhere near the prosperity it once had and strangely, was being quickly out-paced by developments in the North. Sansa had learned her lessons well, and paid for them dearly, in her time with the Lannisters and Littlefinger. She had turned into a great ruler and a savvy businesswoman, setting up profitable relations with lands that reached beyond Westeros and ensuring her people were fed and secure. The North was flourishing.It was after the first year of Jon’s reign that Davos approached him about marrying again. A king needed a queen and more importantly, heirs. Jon had neither. The most logical and appealing choice would be the Queen of the North.“I remember you had a certain affection for you cousin, Your Grace,” Davos had mumbled in embarrassment. “And more importantly, the South now needs the North. We need their strength to help us in our recovery.”Jon’s heart leapt at the idea. He knew he had made a mistake following and marrying Daenerys. Deep down, it was Sansa he should have married and now he had the chance. For his heart and politically, it was the perfect solution.Except two days letter, a marriage invitation came by raven and all of Jon’s hopes were dashed.But perhaps they weren’t, Jon mused as the gates to Winterfell slowly opened for him. This was obviously a political match for Sansa, something she had to do but likely did not want. Maybe he could still stop this wedding. She couldn’t be in love with this other man. There was still a chance that he could marry Sansa and they would be together.All hopes died when he met Sansa’s betrothed, a second son of a minor Northern house. He was tall and broad of shoulder with light brown hair, a trim beard and kind eyes. This was no political match. Aside from a consort, Sansa had nothing to gain by marrying this man.Except love.Jon saw it clearly in how she looked at her betrothed, Ser Malcom of Galeswood. Her eyes shone, her face gentled, and a becoming blush tinted her cheeks. So different from the polite, cool gaze she favored Jon with.Ser Malcolm was clearly besotted with Sansa. He gazed adoringly at her and spoke to her with a gentle voice.If his eyes did not tell him the truth, Arya did.“They’re completely in love and Sansa is finally happy,” Arya warned him. “You had your chance, Jon and you threw it away. Don’t try to ruin this for her. He’s a good man. She’s finally found someone worthy of her. Some brave, gentle and strong. Let her have this.”A pang went through Jon at his sister’s words. He was supposed to be that person, but he had not been. Instead he chased a glimmering dream that quickly turned into dust and all he was left with was a crown he never wanted and a lonely life.Jon could have said something and almost did several times. Especially when he would catch Sansa alone, looking more beautiful than she ever had. His mouth would open, a hand reach out to touch her, but then she would catch sight of him and her lovely blue eyes would turn to ice and she would inquire whether he needed something.The day of the wedding came and it was Bran and Arya who escorted their sister to Ser Malcolm. Jon did not even have a place by their side, instead regulated to a place of honor only for his position as King of the South. He nearly wept when he saw Sansa, a lovely weirwood tree come to life with her red hair and the grey Stark dress embroidered all over with silver threads.The wedding feast was a boisterous and happy affair, but Jon simply brooded into his cups. While he had, again, a place of honor at the head table, he could not help feel as he did when he was the bastard of Winterfell, looking from the outside in on the happiness that surrounded the Starks and the latest addition to their family. That should be him in Ser Malcom’s chair, next to Sansa, holding her hand and brushing a kiss against her soft cheek. But it was not and all he had to warm him was his cup of Dornish wine.Protocol dictated that the bride dance at least once with the King of the South. Jon eagerly anticipated the opportunity to hold Sansa in his arms. As one wrapped around her slim waist and his other hand engulfed her small one, Jon felt a moment of utter contentment and peace settle upon his soul. He inhaled her sweet scent of lemon and roses and allowed the strands of her silky hair to tickle his cheek. This was how it was supposed to be, he and Sansa together, in his arms forever.“I have to thank you, Your Grace,” he heard her say.“Please, Sansa, it’s Jon. It’s always Jon for you,” he murmured, still enjoying the illusion she was his, if even for a moment.“Jon. I do want to thank you. You were right.”Jon pulled back slightly and frowned at her in confusion. “Right? Right about what?”Sansa quirked her lips at him, the first hint of a smile since he arrived at Winterfell. “About us. You were right to go South with Daenerys. I thought there was something between us. That maybe we were fated to be together. But I know better now.” She looked over at her husband and smiled happily at him. “I understand you only loved me as your kin. Not how I wanted you to. I realize that now that I’ve found true love." Jon felt his heart shatter in two. He now understood what Sansa must have felt when he had said similar words to her four years ago when he declared his love for Daenerys. Sansa sighed and turned back to Jon, her face solemn. “Thank you, Jon, thank you for being the level-headed one. I think, I think I can finally be happy.” She gave him a small smile and then leaned forward to kiss him chastely on his cheek.Jon stood mutely as the song ended. When she tugged on his arm slightly, he started and escorted her back to her groom before he mumbled some excuses and left the Great Hall. He strode outside to breathe in the cold, Northern night air, not realizing tears had begun to leak from his eyes. Too late. Too foolish. I’ve lost her and I have no one to blame but myself, he chastised himself silently. In the cold night air, he heard a voice from the past. You know nothing, Jon Snow. The End.
11468724	Prove Them Wrong	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "F/M", "Characters": "Jon Snow, Sansa Stark, Robb Stark, Arya Stark, Talisa Maegyr", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "Not Rated", "author": "by thewolvescalledmehome", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "3,859", "Additional Tags": "Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Jonsa Summer Challenge", "Relationship": "Jon Snow/Sansa Stark", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "Game of Thrones (TV), A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Sansa knew she wasn’t in shape for this, but all of her siblings protested. Jon and Robb are coming, and they’re older than you. What, are you scared of getting your hair wet? The swimming hole was a Stark tradition. The last one was her father. She’d like to point out that, if it was a Stark tradition as he put it, why was Catelyn staying at the campsite and why was Jon Snow, who was not a Stark, coming with? She didn’t push it though. She was old enough that she knew neither of those points would win her any arguments—they’d be more likely to start a few.Plus, her point was proven when she tried swinging into the pond, with everyone egging her on. Robb pointing out that she’d been more fun when she was younger, Arya pointing out that since she’d gone away to college she never spent any time with her siblings any more—she was always with her new sophisticated friends, or telling Catelyn all about the new things she’d learned. She wanted to prove that going south for college hadn’t changed her. She was still Sansa Stark of Winterfell, and could still swing into a pond on a rope.Except she couldn’t. Caught up in her first year of college, Sansa hadn’t found any time to go to the gym and found she couldn’t hold herself on the rope long enough to make it into the pond. She fell; most of her body into the water, but her ankle hit a rock. She thought the sound was worse than the pain, until the pain started seconds later. She couldn’t help but cry out.Robb was by her side in an instant, lifting her out of the water and carrying her to the bank.“What happened?” Ned called across the pond, from the other side where he was holding Rickon. Sansa saw Jon and Arya start to swim over, and she desperately wanted nothing to be wrong. Arya would hate her for ruining the camping trip only three days in.“She slipped off the rope—hit her ankle,” Robb answered. “Can you stand?” Sansa nodded, hoping she could. Robb helped her up, and she was fine, until she put pressure on her foot and she cried out again.“It looks fractured,” Jon commented, holding her foot. Of course he’d know. He’s an EMT, she thought angrily. “She should go to the hospital and get an x-ray.” Now Sansa was the one protesting.“No, no, I’m fine.”“No, you aren’t. At the very least it’s a sprain.” Jon continued to inspect her ankle, holding her foot gently in his hands. Arya looked stormily at Sansa, as if she’d done this on purpose. Ned was swimming over then, their time at the pond abruptly finished. Sansa turned pleadingly to Robb—he and Jon had driven up separately, as they couldn’t all fit in the minivan with the camping supplies—there was no need for everyone to pack up and head in because of her stupid ankle, not when they had two cars. Robb must’ve grasped what her wide eyes meant, because he was turning towards their father.“We’ve got two cars. There’s bound to be something near by. Jon can take her.” Sansa opened her mouth, but closed it just as quickly. Jon taking her was the lesser of the two evils, even if it wasn’t quite what she had in mind. She thought Robb taking her would be better, but Jon was the EMT. It did make more sense, even if she didn’t like it.“We’ll come back as soon as we’re done. I’m sure I can manage two days in a cast,” Sansa offered, even if she wasn’t all that sure she could manage two days in the woods in a cast, but it’d give her an excuse to sit around the campsite all day instead of hiking up the hills.“Jon, is that all right with you?” Ned asked, and Sansa closed her eyes, not at the pain, but at her own idiocy. Robb offered up Jon to help her, and neither of them thought to ask Jon. She couldn’t believe she let that slip her attention. Jon looked at Sansa, probably gauging her reaction. He was most likely as thrilled about this as she was. For a second, she thought he was going to say no, just to spite her, but she knew he wouldn’t put the whole Stark family through that.“Yeah, I can do that. C’mon.” Before she could say she could hobble along on her own, thank you very much, she was swept into Jon’s arms.“I can walk,” she grumbled.“No, you can’t.” She sighed, resigning herself to be carried.“I don’t know how Arya got the reputation for being the most stubborn Stark. I’ve always thought it was you,” he muttered. Sansa rolled her eyes.This was why she would’ve preferred Robb taking her to the hospital. She knew Jon had never liked her, always preferring the other Starks to her, ever since Robb brought him home when they were younger. Robb and Jon were two years ahead of her in school, and when she was eight she thought her popularity was dependent on Robb’s. When she was eight, she thought her happiness was dependent on popularity. She’d been rude to Jon, thinking he’d get in the way of her social climbing. That was more than a decade ago, but Jon never seemed to get over whatever eight-year-old her had said to him.“There’s a hospital twenty minutes away. You’ll be all right until then?” He had deposited her in the passenger seat, and climbed in on the other side. She could see concern in his eyes, but she thought it was the general concern he would feel for any patient as an EMT, and not actual concern for her.“S’long as I don’t freeze to death before we get there,” she half-joked. She’d been in a bikini, and neither of them had thought to grab her cover-up. It wasn’t that cold out, but with her being wet and the AC in the car running, she was suddenly shivering.“Oh, shit. Sorry.” Jon was only in his trunks as well, but he was dealing better with it than she was. “There should be something in the backseat, if you can reach.” Sansa twisted, trying to keep her weight off her supposedly broken ankle. What she found in the backseat was half a wardrobe, though she was pretty sure it wasn’t just his, or Robb’s, given that she pulled a bra out from under a hoodie. Considering its size, she hazarded that it wasn’t Jeyne’s. Tossing it aside, she grabbed the hoodie and a t-shirt that she passed to Jon.“Interesting attire back there,” she commented flippantly. Jon spared her a glance and she leaned back, snagging one of the straps, and flung it into his lap. She felt a flash of satisfaction when she saw him turn right red. He gingerly picked it back up and returned it to the backseat.“How’d you know that’s not Jeyne’s?”“That’s not Jeyne’s size.” His ears flared red again. “That’s a nice quality bra. You should return it to her.”“Is it?” How dense is he? It was a black lace push-up bra, with a lace up front and a pink VS on the tag.“Nearly bought the same one myself, until I saw the price. You must be something special to her.” Special enough to leave a sixty-dollar bra in his car. She was teasing him needlessly, but it took her mind of her ankle.“I’ll be sure to return it to her next time I see her then.”Sansa spent the last ten minutes of the ride trying to learn more about the woman who left the bra in the backseat, but the only thing he’d admitted was that they weren’t dating, nor were they exclusive. Sansa could’ve believe this woman wore a sixty-dollar bra for a hookup in a car with a guy she wasn’t even exclusive with, but she wasn’t going to judge. She’d only be proving that she was the stuck-up prude Jon no doubt thought she was.At the hospital, Jon came around to her side, despite the fact that she was managing just fine to totter out of the car on her own.“I can hop,” she informed him when he attempted to pick her up. She tried to make her way to the doors, but she was barefoot and the asphalt was hot. “Ow, ow, ow,” she muttered every time her foot touched down.“All right, you’ve put on a brave show, but we don’t need you breaking your other ankle.” She was back in his arms before she could get any farther away.“I was managing just fine on my own.” He snorted and Sansa ignored it.Inside the hospital, she let Jon take care of everything, too focused on the pain of her ankle to be able to coherently communicate with the nurses. Plus, he knew all the medical terminology and all she’d be able to contribute was that her ankle hurt. The nurse passed them a clipboard with paperwork to fill out, and instructed them to wait in one of the chairs that lined the wall. She also promised to find some scrubs for Sansa to use as pants.When the nurse reappeared not five minutes later, she had a pair of light blue scrubs pants in hand.“Can you carry her to the bathroom? I can help her put them on.” Jon did as he was told, setting her just inside and saying he would wait outside. Sansa gripped the nurse’s shoulders—her nametag read Talisa—as she put her hurt leg through. Talisa’s grip tightened and she was supporting nearly all of her weight as she pulled the scrubs up her good leg. Sansa let out a sound when she put too much weight on the broken ankle and Jon called through the door to check on her.“What a sweet boyfriend you’ve got,” Talisa whispered. “He seems very caring.”“What? Oh, no, he’s not… He’s my brother’s best friend,” Sansa explained.“Whatever you say.” Talisa clearly didn’t believe her but Sansa was too focused on her ankle to continue the conversation. They pushed open the door and Jon picked her back up, not even letting her stagger to the chairs not ten feet away.When she finished the paperwork, Jon ran it up to the desk for her. Sansa saw Talisa say something to him, and given his reaction, she guessed it was something similar to what she’d said in the bathroom. Talisa gave him a sly look to whatever he said and the back of Jon’s neck turned bright red. Sansa hadn’t noticed, but he’d tied his hair up in a little bun. She thought it was cute, until she realized that she was thinking that about Jon Snow. The man she’d been at odds with since she was eight.That’s not new though, a voice in her head reminded her. You’ve thought of Jon as cute before. She had, the summer she turned sixteen. He had been eighteen, and that must’ve been the summer he and Robb decided to start working out—gotta be fit for college, Sans. We’re men now, Robb’s voice echoed. That was the first time she discovered that Jon was attractive. She’d harbored a crush on him for the rest of the summer, until she heard him call her Robb’s maddening little sister. He was complaining about how irritating she was, and she knew he was talking about her and not Arya. He’d never thought of Arya as annoying. In fact, Sansa was pretty sure he would’ve adopted her as his own sister if he could. Sansa ended her crush then, though there were still moments like these when she was struck with how stunning he was.It was nearly a half hour of awkward silence between them before her name was called and again Jon carried her, until one of the nurses took pity on him and summoned a wheel chair. Jon explained what happened to the doctor while she poked and prodded at her foot.“I believe it is fractured, but unfortunately radiology is backed up right now. It’ll probably be an hour before we can get an x-ray for you. The best I can do is give you something for the pain, wrap it, and send you back down to the waiting room until we can get you in.”Back in the waiting room, whatever drugs they’d given her started to take effect and her ankle wasn’t taking all of her attention anymore. It wasn’t anything very strong, but it was enough to take the edge off. She thought it probably had a similar effect to a shot or two—just enough to numb any pain and lower her inhibitions. Neither of them had their phones, so the only entertainment they had were the people around them and each other. Sansa busied herself watching the other people come in and out, looking for anything to distract her from the fact that, technically, this was the first time her and Jon had been alone together for more than a handful of minutes.“Is your medication kicking in yet?” Jon asked, leaning over to look at the wrapping. Sansa settled with nodding, not sure what was going to come out of her mouth. He met her eyes for the briefest of seconds, and Sansa felt as if she was looking at him for the first time.She couldn’t believe the scrawny ten-year-old boy with a mop of curls who almost never spoke was the handsome, chivalrous man beside her. That little boy was terrified of everything but the man all but ran into any dangerous situation. He was going to be a solider in the Marines until everyone in her family sat him down and explained how important he was to their family and how devastated they would be if he didn’t come back. Even Catelyn had looked teary at the prospect. Sansa had been terrified for him as well, but held her stoicism when in everyone else’s company. He became an EMT instead and Sansa couldn’t explain the relief she’d felt when he’d announced he wouldn’t be enlisting. That had been the same summer she’d overheard him call her Robb’s maddening little sister and she was still bitter. She’d never told him though. She let him believe that she was indifferent, couldn’t care less if he got himself blown up in some desert.“I’m glad you didn’t go,” she said out loud. Jon’s head jerked toward her.“I’m pretty sure Catelyn would kill me if I came back without you.” Sansa rolled her eyes, flapping a hand to dismiss his misinterpretation.“No. Not what I meant. I’m glad you didn’t enlist.” Sansa didn’t allow herself to look at Jon, but she could feel his eyes burning into her. “Just think, if you’d gone off, the whole camping trip this week would’ve been ruined,” she joked, trying to steer the conversation back to safer territory. Confessions was not the game to play while hopped up on pain meds.“Oh, I doubt you would’ve noticed. Probably be happier for it—I don’t think you’ve had fun on one of these trips since we were kids.”That wasn’t untrue, though it was probably for a different reason than he, and the rest of her siblings thought. It was around the time that she was crossing that chasm between girl and young lady, when she started to wear bras and sneak off to the bathroom with a pad shoved up her sleeve. That was when the boys started to treat her differently. They wouldn’t toss her in the pond anymore, or use her in a chicken fight, or sneak up behind her and dunk her. They had Arya for all that now.“That’s not true. I would’ve definitely noticed if you weren’t around. Who would I tease about bras I find in the backseat? It’s not as though Jeyne leaves hers lying about.”“Really? You would notice if I weren’t here?”“Yes, considering you’re my ride back, I believe I’d certainly notice.” Jon sighed and she wondered if she didn’t push too far. She could hardly let him close, though, especially given the fact she was full of pain meds.“Sansa…”“Yes, Jon. I’d notice if you weren’t here,” she said quietly.“You never told me… That summer, every other Stark came and begged me not to go, except you.” Sansa started biting her fingernail for something to do. “I thought you wanted me to go. Finally leave your family alone.” Sansa felt like she might be sick at the thought.Finally leave your family alone. That was what her angry, stupid eight-year-old self told the ten-year-old boy without a family. Jeyne Poole had heard a rumor about Jon Snow and Sansa, desperate to be one of the popular girls, like Margaery Tyrell and Myrcella Lannister, couldn’t have a boy like him ruining her chances. She’d found him on the playground and said Leave my family alone. Go find one of your own. He started blankly at her, as if he didn’t know who she was, what family he was talking about. Haven’t got one, not really. That shut Sansa up. She left him alone after that, never saying anything else about his friendship with Robb, but it was obvious, given what he’d just said, that her stupid comment from ten years ago still stung him.“I was worried sick about you leaving. I was terrified about you not coming back. I couldn’t bare the thought of it, but I was mad at you, for something you said. So I never told you.”“Mad? About something I said? What’d I say?” He looked as though he couldn’t believe she’d be angry at anything he could have said, which was fair. He very rarely said anything to her or about her.“That I’m Robb’s maddening little sister.” He laughed, his cheeks tinged pink.“That had you so mad that you wouldn’t ask me to stay, not go away to war?”“Well, I was embarrassed.”“How did that embarrass you?”“Seven hells, Jon, are you always so obtuse? It was because I had a crush on you and you called me Robb’s maddening little sister, as if I were no different than Arya.” He turned a dusky shade of pink, and his eyes darkened.“Sansa, you are immensely different than Arya.” His voice was low, and Sansa couldn’t look away from his eyes, they were staring at her so intently. “When I called you maddening, I didn’t mean annoying.”“Jon, forgive me, my head’s clouded with these pain killers, but are those not synonyms?” He chuckled.“I meant that you drive me mad. I’ve had a crush on you since I was sixteen.”“What? Why?” Sansa bodily turned toward him at that, believing she’d misheard. There was no way he’d had a crush on her since he was sixteen. She would’ve been fourteen then. That was the year she decided popularity was stupid, told her friends off, and decided to do what made her happy.“You remember you had a slumber party for your birthday?” She nodded. That had been before she told her friends off. All the mean girls and Jeyne had been over to the house. Sansa couldn’t think of anything special that happened that night. They played the normal games, watched movies, and ate junk food. “Robb and I kept sneaking down to steal your food.”“Yes, you were both very obnoxious.”“Well, one of the times were sneaked down you were all playing a game. Something about ranking all the attractive upperclassmen…” Sansa’s was suddenly flushing hot. She vaguely remembered that game, and had a suspicion of where this was going. “You’re brother was at the top, and your friends suggested that, since you couldn’t very well comment his attractiveness, you pick the second most attractive. We waited to hear who you said. Robb wanted to be able to tease you for it. Then you said my name.”Sansa remembered the outrage that followed. She was expected to say Myrcella’s brother, who was a year older than they were, or Margaery’s, who was older than Robb and Jon. They had voted her brother as most attractive, it would only be fair. She didn’t say either of those names though. She said what she honestly thought. Myrcella’s brother hadn’t fully hit puberty yet and still had a baby face, and Margaery’s was too old, too aware of his attractiveness. It made him less attractive. Jon didn’t know how attractive he was, which made him so much more so in Sansa’s eyes. When the others were outraged, she fought them, until someone declared it a stupid game and they put in a movie instead.“You fought for me,” he explained.“In a stupid game! Wasn’t like it did you any good. They’d rather quit than put you second.”“Yes, but you quit being their friend rather than bending to their wills. You should probably elevate it,” he said, changing the topic. She glanced down at her ankle, having forgot about it. Before she could move to do so, he had her leg in his lap.“I’m sorry.”“What for?”“The stupid things I said when I was eight. For not telling you not to go. For keeping you at arm’s length. Any other offensive thing I’ve done.”“Sansa, it’s all righ—”“No, it isn’t. I was a brat when we were younger and only turned into an indignant teenager, which is pretty much the same thing. I’ve never treated you as part of the family and I’m sorry for that.”“I hope you never treat me as part of the family.” Sansa’s head wrenched toward him, confused.“Wha—”“If you treated me as part of the family, I couldn’t do this,” he muttered before kissing her. Sansa was kissing him back before she registered anything about the situation. Jon broke away before she could actually realize that she was kissing him.“This is real, right? It’s not the pain meds?” Jon laughed.“No, no, it’s not. What they gave you isn’t much stronger than an Advil.” He laughed again, at her face no doubt. “I think they should be calling you back for the x-ray soon.” He indicated to the clock on the wall, showing they’d been there for just over an hour. “Promise me something, Sansa.”“All right.”“This doesn’t all end when we’re back with everyone else. I’m sure Catelyn will throw a fit and Seven save me, I’ve no idea what Ned and Robb will say, but this… we can’t go back to how we were. It’s not fair to either of us.”“All right.” Ten minutes later, Sansa was wheeled back to radiology.“Thought you said he wasn’t your boyfriend,” Talisa whispered.“He wasn’t.”“And now?” Sansa didn’t say anything, just smiled. “Mhm. Just as I thought.”
11491875	Why You Should Never	{ "Archive Warning": "Major Character Death", "Category": "Gen", "Characters": "Original Characters, Original Overwatch Character(s), Lena \"Tracer\" Oxton, Soldier: 76 \| Jack Morrison, Reaper \| Gabriel Reyes, Widowmaker \| Amélie Lacroix, Sombra (Overwatch), Doomfist: The Successor \| Akande Ogundimu, Isaiah Mustafa", "Fandom": "Overwatch (Video Game)", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Mature", "author": "by Psyga315", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-13T00:00:00", "words": "393", "Additional Tags": "Reference to Paladins, References to Old Spice, Isaiah Mustafa is Doomfist, Face Punching", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	"Sorry for the brief lecture, but you probably need to start work now." Tracer said as she handed the new recruit a gun. "By the way, welcome to Overwatch!" "... I'm actually more of a Paladins fan." As soon as the recruit said that, Tracer's happy face soon morphed into an angry look. "What did you just say, love?" She asked. "I liked Paladins more." Tracer turned around to Soldier 76. "Jack, get back here, love!" She barked. "What? Talon's wrecking shit up and Winston's about to get Harambe'd!" Soldier 76 groaned. "This recruit said he likes Paladins!" "... What? I know you're new here, but that is a line no one crosses. Not even me." Soldier 76 said. "B-but I like Paladins more because it's free!" The two Overwatch members just glance at each other. "And Hero Mission looks cool as well." That's when Soldier 76 snapped. "That's it. You stay right there!" He took out a phone and called up a number.Reaper did what he loved doing: killing people while listening to a dubstep cover of "It's Raining Men" on his iPhone... only for it to get a ringtone. He looked at the ID and smiled before answering it. "Well, this is a face I haven't seen in a while... Jack." "Gabe Gabe Gabe! This is urgent. We have to put our differences aside." Soldier 76's voice rang from the phone causing Widowmaker to look in confusion. "We're fucking up your HQ and we just got Doomfist confirmed, bitches!" Reaper said. "AH YEAH!" Doomfist shouted as he punched through a wall with his... erm... Doomfist. "We have a bigger problem. We have a Paladins fan." That's when all of Talon stopped and listened in. "Weeeeeeeell, might as well hit the old dusty trail..." Sombra then disappeared into data. She wouldn't dare oust her secret love for the game.Soon, Talon came out to confront the recruit. "Hello. recruit. Look at Reaper, now back to me, now look at Widowmaker, now back to my fist." Doomfist then slammed his golden gauntlet right into the recruit's face, braining him. "Where are you? You're now stone cold dead on the floor." He then gave a smirk to the camera as a familiar whistle played. After a moment of silence, Reaper just said it flat out: "This is why I hate the Isaiah Mustafa voice pack."
11405151	Out Of the Woods	{ "Archive Warning": "Graphic Depictions Of Violence", "Category": "F/M", "Characters": null, "Fandom": "Original Work", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by PsychGirl1", "chapters": "2/?", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-05T00:00:00", "words": "7,738", "Additional Tags": null, "Relationship": "OC/OC", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Out of the WoodsChapter One-Strange Things I pulled up in front of the East Hollow Police department. I took a deep breath and put the car in park and then shut off the ignition. I grabbed the cup holder and my keys and pushed open my door. I kicked it shut and proceeded up the stairs. Officers were coming and going and heading to their cars to start their daily patrols. I entered the building and was immediately hit with the cool air conditioning. My purse hung on my left arm as I walked toward the desk of my best friend, Detective Jacob Wilson. He was sitting behind his desk typing on the keyboard. He was dressed in a pair of battleship gray slacks, a matching white shirt and striped tie. He was in his mid-thirties with short, but thick and wavy dark brown hair and blue eyes. His badge and ID were clipped to his waist band. He also had a dark brown leather holster which crisscrossed over his back and around each shoulder. He looked up and spied me, breaking into a grin. “Hey this is a nice surprise,” he said warmly. “What are you doing here?” I flopped down into one of the plush leather chairs in front of his desk and crossed my legs. I pulled one of the iced coffees from the cup holder and handed it to him. “Just milk, no sugar,” I said to him as I took mine off and tossed the cup holder into the garbage can. “I just decided to surprise you.” I said shrugging a shoulder nonchalantly. “That and I came to cheer you up.” I took a sip of my own iced tea and studied him. I was a bit worried about him. He’d just gone through a major divorce only a week ago. I was even surprised he’d gone back to work so quickly also. “Ems, I’m okay I swear,” he said sighing. “It was just not meant to be. I know there’s someone out there for me I just have to find her. I’ll be okay I promise.” “You have me right here,” I muttered under my breath but thankfully, Jacob didn’t hear me. I took a sip of my tea again and got lost in my own thoughts. Jacob was tall, about six feet, but he was built. He was athletic, did most of the sports things like white water rafting, rock climbing you name it. I’d been his best friend now for almost 12 years. We’d met at a concert and just hit it off. It turned out we liked the same type of music…however, I wouldn’t be caught dead in a white-water raft, or rock climbing. I had a horrible fear of heights and a little thing about drowning. Through the seven years I’d watch him date one woman after the next and oddly, never seemed to see him connect with any of them until he met Jules. They had gotten married and I’d been a bride’s maid. In truth, I had to admit it stung a bit as I had slowly fallen in love with him over the past few years but I never had the courage to tell him. I figured I’d rather have him in my life then not at all. They had stayed married for about 4 years until this divorce popped up. According to Jules, she complained that he was too involved in his job and she even complained about me…which was the icing on the cake. Jacob had gotten angry at her for that and that led to a fight—which led to the divorce and now here we are. We live in a small town called East Hollow, Maine. This town wasn’t like your ordinary town, which most people would say about their home, but this time, it was right on the money. Here, things are not what they seem. There are supernatural’s living in this town and even working in the police department…and yes, Jacob is one of them. He’s a werewolf. There are humans living here in town too, in harmony with the supernaturals. Of course, there are going to be problems which is why the police department hired a few on the inside so there would be no biased issues when dealing with the law. It works, and so far, things are in balance. I, myself, am just a normal human. My name is Emma Coleman. I’m 33 years old with shoulder length wheat brown hair with black streaks through it, and hazel brown eyes. Today I was wearing a red paisley dress and knee high black suede boots. My hair was fluffed around my shoulders and I’d applied light blue eye shadow and clear lip-gloss. I had a heart locket around my neck and small diamond studs in my ears. The locket was given to me by my mother who was killed when I was young by a drunk driver who swerved and ended up hitting her. My dad had died a few years ago. Life was never the same after mom passed away. I was snapped out of my solemn thoughts when I realized Jacob had his hand over mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Huh?” I asked blinking and coming out of my stupor. “I said are you alright? You zoned out,” he said with a concerned expression. “Oh y-yeah I’m alright,” I said waving a hand in the air dismissively. “Just had brain fart.” He frowned, but didn’t say anything else which is what I loved about him. He never pushes you or forces you into anything. “Hey,” he continued. “I get off work at seven. How about you and I go grab a bite to eat?” “Sounds good,” I said nodding. “Sure.” “Okay. I’ll pick you up,” He grinned at me and then returned his attention back onto the computer screen and resumed typing. I got up and took a few more sips of my tea, heading back out to the guest parking lot. I opened the door to my 2017 Hyundai Sonata and slipped onto the seat. I pulled it closed and turned on the ignition, the ice-cold air conditioning hitting me in the face. I sighed and gripped the steering wheel, letting my forehead hit the top of it. I took a few deep breaths. My pulse was racing madly in my chest as I tried to calm myself. I shouldn’t be nervous—this is Jacob we’re dealing with. He’s my best friend. Still, I eventually calmed down and started the car. I pulled out and headed home. Around seven pm, I waited patiently on the couch. I had found a nice summer dress and curled my hair with a curling iron. I had to admit to myself I didn’t look bad. But I knew I didn’t have to dress up for him but I enjoyed it. I sat on the couch, and crossed my legs. My phone was next to me on the cushion as I waited for Jacob to text me he was outside in the driveway. I checked my watch. It was 6:59. I had grabbed a glass of orange juice and drank it a bit. When I was done I put the glass on the coffee table. I nervously bounced my foot as I waited. An hour went by. No text. I was worried as I had hoped nothing serious had happened. I checked my phone. It wasn’t a full moon out so I knew Jacob wasn’t morphing now. So, what was going on? I ran a hand over my face and then propped my chin up. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. I anxiously jumped up and rushed over to the front door. I grabbed the door knob and turned it and opened it expecting it to be Jacob. My excited grin faded when I saw there was nothing there. I took a step onto the porch, looking around trying to see if there was anyone there. But the darkened street was silent. The sun had set and now darkness had fallen. Street lights had come on illuminating sporadic spots down the street. Shrugging it off thinking that perhaps it was a mistake, I closed the door and locked it, and turned to walk back to the couch, when the doorbell rang again. My heart jumped as I took a deep breath and turned around to answer the door again. I grabbed the knob and twisted it. Once again, there was no one there. Now I was starting to get scared and uneasy. My heart rate picked up a bit now as I closed the door again and headed back to the couch. Again, the doorbell rang. I was starting breathe a little heavier now. I stood frozen in the living room with my fingers clenched into a fist, which dug into my palms. I heard a noise behind me and turned just as a pile of books from my shelf went flying off and slammed into the opposite wall. I screamed and turned to rush toward the door. I yanked it open preparing to run into the street when I bumped into the chest of something solid. I screamed and felt this something grab my arms. I struggled to break free. “Ems! Stop it’s me what’s going on?” Jacob’s voice scolded me. I stopped struggling and looked into his concerned face. I realized at that point he was carrying a Chinese takeout bag. Sitting on the couch next to me, I explained to Jacob what had happened just as he arrived. He noted the books lying splayed on the floor next to the wall. He frowned. “Are you sure they didn’t just topple over from vibration?” he asked slowly. “No,” I said shaking my head as I wrapped my arms around myself. “I told you. The doorbell rang twice, but there was no one there. Then I turned and saw the books flying off the shelf.” Jacob slowly exhaled and placed a hand on my arm, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Alright,” he said slowly. “How about I stay the night to make sure that nothing else goes on?” I shook my head vehemently at his suggestion. I didn’t want him thinking I was some wacko or scaredy cat. It probably was caused by some logical explanation and here I was freaking out like some weirdo. “No I can’t ask you to do that,” I said. “You’re probably right. I’m over reacting and there is some logical explanation behind it.” Jacob frowned suddenly and got to his feet, heading over to where the books were. I saw him crouch down next to them and pick one of them up. I watched him curiously, wondering what he was up to. “Ems, I don’t think there is a logical explanation for this,” he said his tone changing suddenly and now I was starting to get worried. “Why what did you find?” I asked. “I’m picking up a faint scent of ectoplasm here,” he said wrinkling his nose as he rose to his feet. “So I think you might have a problem.” “A ghost problem?” I asked him uneasily. “Maybe,” he said slowly. “I think its best that you gather some of your belongings and come stay with me. I don’t think it’s safe here now.” Werewolves had an uncanny knack for picking up the most unusual scents. Ghosts, spirits and other things along those lines apparently leave behind residue that their sensitive senses can detect. I never understood it, the technical aspects of it, but I trusted Jacob and nodded. He waited in the living room while I hurried into my bedroom, grabbed my suitcase and began packing. I had my back to the closet, which had two sliding doors. I was busy throwing clothes into the luggage and didn’t hear them slowly opening behind me…until I heard the creak. My heart hammering in my chest I closed the luggage and zipped it and then slowly turned around. The doors were opened and I stared into the darkness and that’s when I saw two glowing red eyes staring back at me. I screamed and grabbed my luggage, rushing from the room. “Ems, what happened?” Jacob asked as I came charging down the stairs. “Let’s go,” I said frightened as I hurried out of the house. Jacob was confused for a moment then he followed me. He put the luggage into the back of his car as I climbed into the front passenger seat and reached up to grab the seatbelt and pull it across my shoulder. My hands were shaking violently as I tried to get the belt to click but I kept missing. He climbed in next to me and shut his door. Noticing I was having a problem buckling in, he gently placed his hand over mine and guided it into the buckle. It clicked into place and started his car. I felt his eyes on me the entire time as he put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway. When we were away from the house, I felt relaxed but a bit unnerved and spooked. “Ems what happened back there?” he demanded glancing at me sideways as we stopped for a red light. I swallowed and told him what I’d seen. When I was done, he was silent for a moment. “It’s okay,” he said in a reassuring tone patting my knee. “You’re safe now. I think I was right about having a ghost issue in the house—but I never imagined something like that.” “Do you have an idea on what it could be?” I asked him meekly peering over at him. “No,” he said shaking his head. “But I think we did the right thing in getting you out of there.” A few moments later, we pulled up to his house. He had colonial style ranch painted a light yellow with accented dark teal window shutters. The garage was on the right side of the house. There was a large tree in front which provided plenty of shade. He pulled into the driveway and shut off the engine. I unbuckled myself and pushed open my door, climbing out. I felt safer already here. Jacob grabbed my luggage and then locked the car. He led me up the small path to the front door. He opened it and turned to glance at me. “Make yourself at home,” he said softly as he opened the door and we went inside. His home was decorated in modern furniture with some colonial designs thrown in. It actually meshed really well. “The guest bedroom is down the hall and to the right,” he instructed motioning to the hallway. “Bathrooms at the end.” He handed me my luggage. “Go unpack and unwind,” he said. “I’ll heat up the Chinese food I brought so you can have something to eat.” I gently took the luggage and followed his instructions. I opened the door to the guest bedroom and flicked on the light. It was painted a warm mauve color with a cannon ball four poster bed. The comforter was matching with mauve and white accents on it. There was a dresser against the wall, a nightstand with a lamp on it and alarm clock; a wooden wardrobe against the corner and then the window which was opened a bit letting in a semi cool breeze. The curtains fluttered softly as I plopped the luggage on the bed and began unpacking. I grabbed a pair of gray leggings and an oversized tee shirt which hung off my shoulder a bit and headed into the bathroom to change. Feeling a bit more comfortable, I then padded back down the hall with white anklet socks on my feet to find Jacob in the kitchen already warming up the food. He had changed into a pair of plaid lounge pants and a plain white undershirt. He looked up. He handed me a plate filled with my favorite Chinese food which was steaming hot and a bottle of water. I gratefully took the plate and bottle and stared at my food for a moment. “Thanks Jake,” I said quietly. “For what?” “For believing me,” I said finally raising my eyes to his. “Just for everything tonight.” He waved a hand dismissively and grabbed his own plate and drink. “Never mind,” he said coming over to me. “You’re my best friend Ems. Of course, I’m going to believe you and have your back.” Smiling, I took a seat on the couch and dug into my food. Surprisingly, I was starving. I had a feeling knowing that I wasn’t in the house or possible danger, my appetite had come back. When I was done, I leaned back against the couch. Jake turned on the TV. Apparently, there were news reports of strange things occurring around town. The supernatural community was dumbfounded at this point. The human community had no idea what was going on either but there a few accusations around that the supernatural residents might have something to do with these occurrences. There was just a lot of suspicion going around now with no real answers which made it even more frightening and confusing. I drew one leg up to my chest and wrapped my arms around it. I rested my chin on top of my knee. “What’s happening Jake?” I asked him. “No idea,” he responded next to me. “But I have a feeling in the morning I’m going to have a stackful of cases to figure out.” He sighed and ran a hand over his face from exhaustion. I could see that he was tired. By now it was nearly ten o’clock and even I was starting to feel fatigue settling in. I yawned and raised my arms above my head, stretching lazily. “Okay I think it’s time to hit the sack,” I said. “Night Jake.” “If it hits you back, let me know,” He cracked. I chuckled and shook my head as I headed into the guest bedroom. I face planted on the bed and within moments I was out cold. **************************************************************************** I awoke to warm sunshine on my face and I blinked a few time clearing my vision. I yawned and stretched and slowly got to my feet. Bright rays of sunlight poured in through the blinds, creating little bars of light on the hardwood floor. Dust particles danced in the beams. The scent of sausage, eggs and bacon filled my nose as I inhaled and hungrily my stomach responded in a loud growl. I eagerly left the bedroom and entered the kitchen. Jacob was already dressed in a suit and tie. He grinned. “Morning sleepy head,” he said as I slid onto a barstool at the semi large island that was in the center of the kitchen. He plopped a plateful of food down in front of me and I grabbed a fork and dug in. As he passed me, I caught a brief whiff of his cologne. “Hey,” I said lightly spearing a piece of sausage. “How did you sleep?” He prompted as he leaned against the counter and dug into his own breakfast. “Alright,” I admitted softly. “Better knowing I was safe here.” Jacob let out an understanding huff and within moments, his plate was completely bare. Werewolves tended to have really good appetites. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you Ems you know that,” he added warmly and sincerely as he placed his plate into the sink. I quickly finished my own breakfast and he took my plate too, placing it on top of his. “Um,” he said rubbing the back of his head. “I know you don’t wanna hang around the house all day. I-I mean you can come with me to the precinct. It’s not usually protocol to have civilians hanging around the bullpen, but…” his voice trailed off. “I don’t want to get you into trouble Jake,” I said shaking my head. “I’ll be fine around the house.” He looked upset and guilty but he sighed and walked around the island. He came up to me and threw his arms around me, pulling me against him. I leaned into his embrace, wrapping my arms around his neck. One of his arms snaked around my shoulders, while the other wound around my waist. Our chins rested on one anothers shoulders. “I’ll be okay,” I whispered. “If you need me for anything, and I mean anything just call okay?” he whispered back in my ear. He gave me an extra squeeze before gently disentangling himself from my embrace. He gave me a mock salute before slipping on his suit jacket and grabbing his keys and heading out the door. **************************************************************************** JACOB As I stepped out of the house and closed the door behind me, I felt my heart flutter a bit. I had never told Emma this but I had fallen in love with her. I had supposed that was why most of my dates and the marriage had fallen apart. She was the one for me. I was just too scared teo tell her right now for the fear of losing her completely. Exhaling, I climbed into my 2017 Ford Fusion, black, and headed to the precinct. Sitting behind my desk now, my partner, Carlton Weiss, came over and leaned his hip against it. He was dressed in a navy suit and tie. He was older, in his early 40’s with gray hair and blue eyes. He was about the same height as I was but he was wiry and slender. He folded his arms across his chest and watched me with a knowing expression on his face. “Okay I know that look,” he said in an amused tone. “Girl trouble right?” I looked up at him and didn’t say anything right away. “Oh come on,” he pleaded. “You have that look on your face like ‘I slept with the wrong girl and how do I get out of this’ expression. Spill, Wilson.” I sighed. There was no getting past him. He was just too damn good. “Emma’s staying with me,” I finally relayed to him leaning back in my chair and clasping my hands behind my head. “She had something strange happen to her last night and I could pick up it was some kind of ghost, but it was dangerous. I didn’t want her staying in her house alone.” Carlton blinked. “Ah,” he said in an understanding tone. “You want to get into her shorts huh? But you’re afraid to cross that friendship line.” “Jesus,” I said exhaling and rolling my eyes at him in disgust. “Have some respect.” “I’m sorry,” he said laughing and holding up his hands in a defensive position. “Emma is a hottie man come on. You know it and I know it and so does every guy out there. You just played the hero to the damsel in distress. You’re golden. It’s only a matter of time for the reward.” He said winking at me. I went to throw something at him but thankfully, the Chief, Alan Harper, came over with a tan manila case folder, ending our conversation. Alan was in his late 50’s with salt and pepper hair and a bit of a beer belly. He had a goatee that was the same color as his hair. He dropped it on my desk. “This just came in,” he grunted in a gruff voice. “There has been a murder. A female victim in her early 30’s. She had been badly mutilated by something. I want you two to go investigate this.” “Right Chief,” I said nodding and snatched the folder. I got to my feet and grabbed the keys to the Ford Explorer, and Carlton followed me closely behind. When we got to the scene, there was yellow and black crime scene tape wrapped around blocking it off. Carlton and I flashed our badges and ID’s to the police officer standing guard before ducking under the tape. There was a body lying a few feet in front of us. The murder had apparently taken place in the park only a few blocks from Emma’s home. The park had several jogging paths that wound through it. In the center of the park was a small pond and a foot bridge that went over it. The body was covered in a yellow tarp but I could see a bright red stain forming on it already. When we reached it, the ME looked up. “So what happened?” Carlton asked the ME curiously as I crouched down next to the body to see if I could pick up any scent that might alert me to what had done this. Carlton, was a vampire. They usually tried to pair two supernaturals together to work on cases. It was a legal thing the department did. But he could control his blood urges. In cases like this, if he got a little too out of hand, I was ordered to restrain him any way I could. Why the Chief gave us this case knowing he had an affinity to blood, I’ll never know. The ME pulled back the tarp and I choked back a gag and pressed the top of my wrist to my nostrils. The girls throat was torn out, as well as several deep gauges along her back. Her leg had been bitten in several places, and looked as though it had been partially eaten. I knew a werewolf wouldn’t do this as werewolves didn’t hunt humans…unless this was a rogue one that went off the grid. I could hear Carlton talking with the ME. “We have no idea what could’ve done this,” The ME was saying writing on the clipboard. “It definitely doesn’t look like any known regular animal.” “Could it be…?” Carlton’s voice trailed off and I knew what he was asking. “A rogue one possibly,” I responded. “But I don’t detect anything.” Carlton kept his eyes on the ME and began asking if there any witnesses. I heard their voices but as I gently turned the womans head slightly toward me, a hard truth hit me. This woman looked like Emma. Same build, body type and hair coloring. I stood up. Carlton was done talking to the ME as they covered the poor girl up again. I turned to Carlton. He saw my expression. “What is it?” he asked me with concern. “Did you notice something?” I asked him, gently taking his elbow and leading him away from the crime scene. We ducked back under the tape and stood next to the Ford Explorer. He looked at me with a puzzled look that I figured he wasn’t sure what I was talking about. “The victim looked exactly like Emma,” I whispered. “Same body build and type and hair color.” “Are you sure?” he asked frowning. “It could be a coincidence and nothing more.” “I don’t know,” I said biting my bottom lip. “Something about this seems wrong and I have a bad feeling in my gut.” Carlton was silent for a moment. “Okay,” he said exhaling. “Let’s see if there’s anything that might shed some light on this more. We can check out the victim’s house. If you wanna call Emma go a head to check in with her.” We climbed into the truck. Carlton was driving so that gave me a chance to call Emma and check on her. For some reason, this case was bothering me. More so because I didn’t get any scent off what killed her, and the fact that she looked like Emma so much in her profile, it was nagging me. I dialed home. ********************************************************************************** EMMA. The phone rang and I picked it up. It was Jake. “Hey,” I said cheerfully into phone. “What’s up Jake?” “Are you alright Emma?” he asked. Something in his tone I didn’t like. “Sure. What’s going on?” I asked now lowering the volume on the TV so I could hear him better. I was watching my favorite TV show but now I was alert to Jake’s tone. “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay,” he said. “I can’t talk about it now but I just wanted to check in and make sure you were alright.” “Yes I’m fine,” I said. “You’re scaring me now Jacob.” “Trust me,” he said as I heard traffic noises coming through the phone. “I’ll talk to you more later when I get home. But if you see anything or hear anything unusual call me right away okay?” “Yes of course,” I said. “Okay. I’ll be home soon. Talk to you later,” “Bye,” After I hung up, I turned up the volume on the TV again and saw a news reporter standing in front of a crime scene in the park that was only a few blocks from my house. I leaned forward with interest now as I saw the reporter flash a picture of the victim. Apparently, she had been viciously attacked by some animal. And when the picture of the victim appeared on the screen, I finally understood what had rattled Jacob. The victim looked exactly like me. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Out of The WoodsChapter Two-Grim Grim Grinning Ghosts When Jacob returned home, I could tell he was preoccupied. He dropped his keys on the small little table in the hallway and then he appeared in the doorway to the living room. I had tucked my legs beneath me on the couch and was in the midst of reading a book. I quickly put it down and jumped to my feet. “I saw the news,” I said biting my lower lip. “Is that what’s bothering you?” Jake sighed and pulled off his suit jacket. He carefully slung it across the back of the chair and stood with a hand on his hip. He raised the other hand to his forehead and rubbed his temple. “Yes,” he said closing his eyes. His handsome features were twisted into a mask of anguish and anxiety; a look that did not suit him one bit. “But whatever killed that poor girl is still on the loose out there.” “Was it a rogue?” I whispered. “No,” he said shaking his head and eventually raised his eyes to meet mine. “That’s what’s bothering me. There was no scent there…nothing. I have no idea what could’ve done this.” I hugged myself and felt a shiver run down my spine. If Jake had no idea what killed her, then something was wrong. “Hey,” he said softly coming over to me and gently taking my elbows. “I won’t let anything happen to you; you know that. We’ll get to the bottom of this I promise.” I nodded but kept my eyes off to the space beside him not wanting to look him in the eyes. I felt him gently take my chin between his index finger and thumb and tilt my face up forcing me to look into his eyes. Eep! My mind screamed. “Try not to worry okay?” he said softly studying my expression. I swore he looked more and more like he stepped off the cover of GQ. He could’ve actually gone into modeling he just had that look about him and a certain je ne sais quoi. But he’d decided that he’d wanted to get into law enforcement. His parents were pretty supportive of him and his choices. His mother was in a nursing home on the edge of town. She was a werewolf too—the whole family was as he had been born into it. Most are thrown into it from a bite or scratch. If you are born into it, you are pretty much able to control your transformations. While you’re really supposed to morph during the full moon, there are some occasions when you can morph on non-full moon cycles. It’s not really advised but those that are thrown into this ‘lifestyle’ tend to have a much harder time and end up going rogue. I offered him a wan smile and gently pulled my chin from his grasp. I wrung my hands together as I returned to sitting on the couch. I was honestly worried about him, but my conscience was telling me that he could most certainly handle himself. After a few moments, we relaxed and watched some TV. I felt my eye lids getting heavy. I felt myself slumping sideways. I felt my cheek hit the cool material of his shirt on his bicep. My eye lids got heavier and I eventually found myself dozing off and falling into a peaceful sleep. ******************************************************************** The next morning, I awoke to the warm sunshine on my face. I heard a soft snoring beside me and realized I’d fallen asleep against Jacob. I quickly sat up, feeling the heat creeping into my cheeks from embarrassment. I had hoped I hadn’t made any kind of noises during the night because that would traumatize me for life if he had heard them. He was asleep too, with his head against the back of the couch. Suddenly, the doorbell rang, which caused him to jump a mile. He ended up kicking the coffee table and let out a few choice curses and a hiss as he scrambled to his feet. He limped over to the front door and I heard it open. “Hey partner, ready?” I heard his partner, Carlton’s cheery voice. “Come in,” I heard Jacob say. I heard footsteps on the hardwood floor and looked up. His partner was standing in the doorway, one shoulder leaning against the frame. He had his arms crossed across his chest with a knowing and smug expression on his face. “Why what went on here?” he teased winking at me. That only caused my cheeks to flush with color more as I sank into the couch and physically wanted to disappear at this point. “Knock it off,” Jacob muttered in slight irritation. “Nothing we just fell asleep together on the couch. Nothing more. I’ll be right back.” “Suuure,” Carlton sung in a mock tone but he was grinning broadly none-the-less. “Hey listen,” he said to me. “You need to come along. The chief gave me instructions to bring Emma in.” Jacob had returned at that moment from a quick shower and a fresh suit and tie. He was just pulling on his tie when he had heard Carlton’s statement. “What? Why?” he demanded glancing at me before returning his attention back to his partner. “I think it’s because the Chief’s not stupid mate,” Carlton said frowning. “He noted the coincidence about the victim’s appearance that matches Emma’s.” “Okay,” I said slowly getting to my feet. “Let me go change.” “Nah you can stay that way I won’t mind,” “You are such a horndog,” I said rolling my eyes but I headed into the guest bedroom and changed into a pair of jeans, a pair of black ankle boots and a white poplin shirt. I quickly gathered my hair into a side braid and fastened it. I turned and hurried back out to meet Jacob and Carlton.At the precinct, I sat in the chair in front of the Chief’s desk. I had my hands clasped on my lap. Flanking me, were Jacob and Carlton. “Alright,” the Chief grumbled. “I’m sure you two are aware of the uncanny resemblance to Miss Coleman. (They nodded) So, I’m putting you two on guard duty. We don’t know what’s going on or if there is any connection here but I want to be safe than sorry.” “Right Chief,” Carlton said in a serious tone. The Chief turned to me and his expression softened slightly. “Don’t worry we’ll get to the bottom of all this mess,” he said and turned his attention onto the case file on his desk. “Dismissed.” We exited his office and I felt Jacob put a hand on the small of my back, leading me over to the chair. I sat down. Jacob sat down behind his desk. He began doing some filing. Carlton had headed over to his own. I looked around. The bullpen was busy. There was a soft murmur of chatter floating around from the police officers and detectives. Papers rustled, coughs went around and the good-natured banter. Phones rang off their hooks as well adding to the already hectic atmosphere. I reached up and tucked a few strands of hair behind my ear as I crossed my legs. I had my purse on the floor under Jacob’s desk. Suddenly, the air in the bullpen seemed to almost freeze. I tilted my head slightly and turned around. It was suddenly as though a chilly breeze had swept through. Papers fluttered to the floor on their own. I could hear puzzled and confused murmurs going around now. Filing cabinet doors were yanked open and the contents went spitting into the air. Several officers were now on their feet, completely alarmed and dare I say spooked. “What on earth…?” I heard Jacob say slowly rising to his feet. The phenomenon seemed to be getting closer to me. I dug my fingernails into the back rail of the chair. There was this palpable silence that hung in the air. At that point, something had grabbed one of the legs of the chair I was sitting on and yanked it out from underneath me. I landed on my hands and knees. I was just starting to get to my feet, when something grabbed my ankle. It felt like ice cold hands gripping me. The fingers dug into my skin as I suddenly felt myself being dragged across the floor. My leg was raised in the air by this invisible ‘thing’ as it pulled me along the bullpen. “Emma!” I heard Jacob shout. I screamed as several officers tried to grab my arms as I went by but to no avail. I could see the look of fear, anxiety and determination flashing across Jacob’s face. Carlton was right behind him also. Jacob made a dive for me and managed to grab my arms. “Hang on,” He instructed. I gripped his forearm tightly. I felt bad that my fingers were digging into his skin through his shirt, but I hung on for dear life. I could feel whatever had my ankle give a fruitful tug, but due to Jacob’s strength, eventually whatever had me let me go. The chaos in the bullpen had died down. My legs dropped to the floor as Carlton caught up to where we were. We had been inches from the front door. Jacob pulled me against him as he was on his knees at this point. I was too as I gathered a bit of his shirt in my hands and pressed my face into it. His arm wrapped around my shoulder and gently placed a hand on the back of my head. His other arm snaked around my waist. “What the hell is going on?” I whimpered shutting my eyes. Jacob was silent. I think he was at a genuine loss for words. His only response was to pull me tighter against him. “Jake, look at her ankle,” I heard Carlton whisper softly. I felt him gently touch my ankle. I slowly peeled my face away from the front of Jacob’s shirt to look down at my ankle. There were four red finger prints on my ankle that were ice cold to the touch. ************************************************************* Jacob decided to head the library and see if there were any occult books that might be able to help us identify what’s going on. He found three books and now, sitting with him on the couch in his house, along with Carlton, we poured over them. My ankle felt like it had been dipped in an ice bucket. I was reading one book, Jacob had the second and Carlton had the last. I looked up at him. “Are you…okay? Food wise,” I said carefully meaning if he had taken enough blood to sustain him for a decent amount of time before having to ‘refuel’. “Yeah don’t worry,” he said grinning at me so that I caught a faint glimpse of his long canines. “If I bite you Jacob will kill me.” Jacob snorted at that but I knew that Jake would be good on his word. “Here’s something,” I said suddenly sitting up right and handing the book over to Jacob. “It says something about a poltergeist.” “Hmm,” Jacob mused looking over the article. “Even poltergeists leave some form of trace behind that I could pick up.” “Yeah,” Carlton agreed nodding. “Vampire sense of smell is also very sharp. But I too, didn’t pick up anything from the last crime scene.” “We have to keep looking,” Jacob said handing the book back to me. I nodded. About another hour went by, and Jacob suddenly sat up straighter. By the look on his face, I knew he’d found something. “What is it?” I asked leaning closer and peering over his arm at the book. Carlton came over and stood next to the couch, bending over slightly. “Uh oh,” I heard him mutter under his breath. “What?” I prompted looking from him to Jacob. There was silence for a moment before Jacob spoke. “It’s something called a Veruct,” he explained. “What that is, is a spirit working for someone. This person has the power or ability to help cloak that spirit’s energy, which is why we couldn’t pick up any residual scent of the ectoplasm. This person controls the spirit to track down targets and drag them to the underworld where they will stay permanently.” I was not liking where this was going at all. I chewed on the inside of my cheek as he continued. “Someone has a vendetta against you,” Jacob said skimming over the paragraph before closing the book. “I don’t understand why, but we need to find this person and put a stop to this.” “Did you tick anyone off?” Carlton asked tilting his head to the side and placing his hands on his hips. “Of course not,” I said scandalized. “I’m just as shocked and confused as you are.” “Okay,” he said calmly holding his hands up defensively. “I just have to make sure in case there are some leads that we could follow up on.” “But this definitely means she’s going to need protection,” Jacob said looking up at his partner. “They already tried to grab her once already today in broad daylight in the middle of the police station so we know whoever’s behind this isn’t afraid and has guts.” Carlton nodded. Jacob ran his hands over his face to shake off fatigue. “I think it’s time to get some shut eye,” he said turning to his partner. “You’re sitting outside to keep watch right?” Carlton nodded. “Yeah I’m taking the first watch,” he said before turning his eyes onto me and giving me a mock salute. “Night Ems.” “Night,” I said softly. Jacob put the books on the coffee table and turned to me. “Try and get some sleep,” he said. “I know its hard but definitely try.” I nodded and got to my feet, before turning and heading into the room. ********************************************************************* Now that we had an idea on what it could possibly be, that didn’t make it any less frightening and scary. I had no idea who would want to hurt me like this or why. I generally got along with everyone or at least tried to. I couldn’t wait to find out who was the one behind this.SEVERAL WEEKS LATER. It was a little frustrating having two ‘baby sitters’ still but I knew it was for a good reason. Jacob understood my frustration and grumblings. I hated sometimes snapping at him and would often apologize the moment I realized I’d done it. It was just the pressure of the unknown that was really bothering me at this point. I was standing in the bathroom in front of the mirror running a brush through my hair. I stared at my own reflection. There were slight dark circles under my eyes as I hadn’t been sleeping well at night. My cheeks were still naturally rosy and my eyes had this dull light in them. As I continued to brush my hair, I noticed that my reflection seemed to have stopped following my movement. I stopped brushing too, staring at it as fear crept into my chest. My reflection’s expression changed too to this sinister smirk. “You like the attention you’re getting from Jacob aren’t you?” It asked in an odd gravelly voice as though it had been underwater for a long period of time. “Yeah…you are. You just want to sleep with him. You’re curious. He wouldn’t want to sleep with you though. He thinks you’re revolting.” I shut my eyes willing the image to go away. I counted to five and opened my eyes again. My reflection was still there but then, the glass shimmered and rippled like the surface of a pond. At that moment, a decaying hand shot out from the center and tried to grab me. I let out a cry and stumbled back. My reflection cackled in the mirror before I heard Jacob’s shout. I heard a knock on the door. “Ems are you okay in there? I heard you cry out,” I heard his voice on the other side of the door filled with concern. By now the glass in the mirror had returned to normal as though nothing had happened. I cleared my throat and slowly got to my feet. “Yes I’m fine,” I called as I slipped past the sink and opened the door. “I just saw a spider crawling down the sink. Sorry I scared you.” I offered sheepishly hoping he would buy the lie, but I didn’t think so. He was too smart. He only frowned but said nothing more. Just then, his cell phone rang. He remained standing in front of me and reached into his pocket. “Detective Wilson here,” He said and then was silent. I saw a look of shock and surprise flitter across his face. “Are you sure?” (another pause) “Alright. I’ll be right there.” He hung up and slipped his phone back into his pocket. I looked at him puzzled. “Apparently, there’s been another murder,” he said studying me intently. “This time, it’s a young girl.”
11416302	At Night Alone	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Peter Quill, Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, James \"Bucky\" Barnes, James \"Rhodey\" Rhodes, Pepper Potts, Gamora (Marvel), Drax the Destroyer, Rocket Raccoon, Groot (Marvel), Various Characters", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "Not Rated", "author": "by TenSpencerRiedPlease", "chapters": "7/7", "completed": "2017-07-18", "published": "2017-07-06T00:00:00", "words": "23,823", "Additional Tags": "Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Infidelity, Emotional Infidelity, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Laws around soulmates, kind of messed up laws, I don't know how to tag this, Peter Quill workd for NASA, because why not, The Milano(tm), Dysfunctional Relationships, Sometimes Soulmates Suck, Because the universe does not know all, I Don't Even Know", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Peter Quill/Tony Stark, Minor Steve Rogers/ Tony Stark, Minor or Background Relationship(s)", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "Guardians of the Galaxy - All Media Types, Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies)", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Tony knew as soon as he met his soul mate because, like everyone else, his eyes glowed as soon as he made eye contact with Steve. He never really wanted a soul mate because he liked the freedom of not having one but life had a funny way of fucking him over. Most met their soul mates, if they met them, between the ages of fifteen and twenty-six and Tony was well past that. He had met Pepper a few years before and he had been happy, maybe even enough to pass her off as his soul mate even but that never happened. He figured in his early thirties he had been free to live his life however he wanted, then he met Steve and he knew that Pepper wasn’t his One and Only and his heart sank.There were rules with soul mates and Tony never desired following them really. He liked being in charge of his own life, taking responsibility for the events that happen in it but soul mates didn’t work like that. When you found them marriage was imminent and thanks to the low glow of your eyes it was next to impossible to avoid people finding out. Pepper knew with him right away and gasped when his eyes glowed a light golden color, the same color his eyes were when the sun hit them the right way. Steve’s eyes had been a bright ice blue that had made Tony feel somewhat uncomfortable given how unnatural it looked. But what he felt didn’t matter, only the fact that they were soul mates did.So they were shuffled off to the nearest City Hall office and married off right away. Pepper had been a good sport about it; she had even acted as Tony’s bride’s maid. Tony always thought that was overkill but this was Pepper, she never did anything half assed.He had waited, for months he waited before giving up, but none of that Hollywood inspired bullshit ever happened. There was no moment when he and Steve ‘just clicked’, there was no warmth when they looked at each other, there was nothing. Tony though, he was good at faking it for the cameras and with all eyes on him thanks to his company and sometimes he even thought Steve believed his act. At home though? Tony thought Howard was cold but Steve was worse. He didn’t think Steve Rogers was a bad man, not really, it was just obvious that they weren’t a good match soul mates be damned.Divorce wasn’t an option though, not in America anyways. He’s heard that other parts of the world were more lenient with soul mate laws but in America once you met your soul mate it was until death did you part. There were advertisements everywhere that drilled it into you- you’re soul mate is the one made especially for you, why would you ever want to leave them? Every time Tony had another meal with Steve in which they sat on opposite sides of the table he wondered if death was the better option here. There was no escaping your soul mate and if you tried you were sent off to a Reeducation Camp. He’s only met a few people that have come back from them, most had no problem with their soul mates at all or so the happy couples said, but they weren’t really people after that. They just went through the motions the way Tony did when cameras were pointed at him.Instead of focusing on his loveless relationship with Steve he focuses on work, on making the world better. He was well known for his work in green energy, a far cry from his father’s legacy in making weapons, one he nearly took over himself. It was a freak accident with Rhodey that changed his mind on that front. He saw what his weapons did and he wanted nothing to do with it, not anymore. People called him crazy but he scrapped the most profitable sector of his company and created something entirely new. He revolutionized the face of green energy and that was what he focused on now.Steve watches Tony play his role easily for the cameras. Some days he’s good enough that Steve almost thinks Tony really does love him but he’s learned to read Tony well since they got married. Tony wasn’t happy with him, hell, he wasn’t even sure Tony liked him.If he was honest he wasn’t sure he liked Tony either. Sure, the man was good looking and intelligent but he was reckless and wild, there was something untamable about him and Steve didn’t like things you couldn’t put into a neat order. He spent time in the military and that had agitated his need for things to be clean and organized and there was nothing about Tony that was the clean, orderly precision that Steve had a preference for. Tony listened to loud rock music, only ever ate when the bots left food laying around for him, lived off of coffee, and was easily classed as a workaholic.He could have worked with Tony’s work schedule- he ran a multibillion-dollar company after all- his schedule was to be expected. He probably could have dealt with the music and the loudness, and even the disorder that Tony preferred in his lab, but it was the emotional distance that broke him. If Tony cared he didn’t show it but they were soul mates. Something must have drawn them together, this was how nature worked, so he continues to live with Tony and hope that something will change.Sometimes he tries with Tony and every time it feels sort of foreign, like they were going through the motions and he knew Tony felt the same way. Maybe that was why he made no effort unless people were looking, because he thought that his efforts were useless here. But there had to be something that held them together, something neither of them found yet. Nature brought them together for a reason and Steve would find it. Eventually.For now though he was stuck at some gala he was expected to attend with Tony. He was sure Tony would leave him at home if it wouldn’t raise suspicion around their relationship status. Steve supposed he felt the worry there, Reeducation didn’t sound pleasant but honestly Steve couldn’t see why anyone wouldn’t believe in the soul mate system anyways. Nature designed them to be this way and even with his own troubles he knew he and Tony were meant to be together, they just had to find a way to make it work. Surely some soul mates had trouble, it had to happen every once and awhile. Steve has never been opposed to a little hard work, even if he never expected it to be work at all.“Have you ever considered making something that would make it easier to find your soul mate? I mean some people never meet theirs and that’s just awful,” some reporter says to Tony.Right away he knows Tony has dismissed the thought but Tony doesn’t tell the reporter that. “Of course not. If it’s meant to be it’s meant to be, why mess with nature? It worked for me,” he says and he gives the reporter an easy smile like he actually believed that. Steve wonders if he does.Something to make finding soul mates easier, why, so someone else could suffer in this prison like him? Tony couldn’t believe the idiot reporter actually asked that. He plays it off easily though even when he knew hundreds of companies were trying to make some kind of technology to find soul mates. Didn’t that just sound wonderful, people hunting others down so they could act out a happily ever after like Tony had to with Steve. Speaking of he was giving Tony one of his usual confused and somewhat self-righteous looks. Steve might not be so bad if he didn’t act like he was right all the time, and that this made him somehow superior.“What?” Tony finally asks.“You ‘don’t want to mess with nature’ by designing something to find soul mates faster? Isn’t that what literally every piece of your technology does, messes with the natural order of things?” he asks in an almost haughty tone.He should have known Steve was never meant for him when he found out the man was a fucking Luddite. He preferred everything the ‘old fashioned’ way and Tony… well Tony never has been for living in the past. Actually he did his best to live in the future because that’s where humanity was going. “No, it helps the natural order of things,” he says eventually. What was he supposed to say to that?“Then why not help the natural order of soul mates then?” Steve asks.It isn’t actually a bad question but it annoys Tony nonetheless. “Because it doesn’t need to be messed with,” Tony snaps. The world didn’t need more people buying into this nonsense, not when it was already everywhere. He couldn’t go anywhere without an ad, billboard, or movie trailer telling him that soul mates were inevitable. That breaking away from them was high treason, so much that the mere suggestion that you didn’t believe in the system called everything about you into question. The villains in movies never believed in soul mates, they always worked to keep them apart because they were selfish and cruel but Tony just thought that maybe they wanted the freedom of choice. There was no world in which Tony ever would have married Steve if he weren’t required to by law. If they hadn’t been married within a week they both would have been stuffed into Reeducation.“I think it would be useful,” Steve says softly.He works to keep himself calm because Steve wasn’t doing anything wrong except maybe believe in a system he had first hand proof didn’t work. “Why?” he asks in a much more pleasant tone.“Well, maybe if we met when we were younger we wouldn’t… well…” Steve trails off, trying to find a way to phrase that that wouldn’t be considered treasonous to the precious system.“Hate each other?” Tony suggests after a few moments of Steve floundering.The automatic outrage on Steve’s face makes Tony want to roll his eyes. How could the man actually believe in the concept of soul mates when he knew it was lies? Steve was always pin straight, nostalgic, hyper-organized, and he hated anyone that wasn’t. His constant nagging and harassing Tony to be cleaner proved that. He swore there wasn’t a time when Steve wasn’t complaining about something he was doing. His work schedule, music, the messiness of his lab, the way he still had Pepper working for him even though they dated, there was always something. Tony couldn’t escape Steve’s impossible standards and it was suffocating so he worked. It was the only time he could escape the man.“I… we… we don’t hate each other!” Steve says in outrage.“Are you happy with me? Be honest, I can take it,” Tony says. He knows the answer already anyways.Steve falters here a bit, looking away as he thought of what he was supposed to say. “We’re just having some trouble, it’ll be fine if you put a little effort in but you’re always working,” Steve says finally.“I’m always working because there’s no pleasing you, Steve. You don’t like anything about me. You hate my music, you can’t stand that I’m not freakishly neat, you don’t like the way I dress, you don’t like the way I decorate, you don’t even like my assistant for fucks sakes. I’m not putting effort in because I can’t ever be the person you want without getting a personality transplant. I’m sorry but I’m not Bucky,” he snaps, losing his patience. “Bucky. I should have known this was about him, look Tony. That was in the past and-” Steve starts but Tony waves him off.“It’s fine Steve. I get it, you two were perfect for each other and then I came along and screwed it up. I wouldn’t want to be in your situation either,” he says. He doesn’t mention that he was in his situation before because that’s just rude.“Tony,” Steve’s face softens a little, “I don’t think you ruined anything. We just… need time.”“We’ve been together for almost seven years Steve, we’ve had more time than some people even get. We don’t need more because we just aren’t suited for each other. Just… if you want to go back to him I don’t care, just keep it out of the media.” God would it ever be a relief for him. Maybe instead of having to deal with Steve’s cold criticism interspersed with his strange attempts to get closer to Tony in probably the worst ways he could he might just leave him alone. They’d probably both be happier that way.Steve shakes his head, “I… won’t claim to understand you but you don’t need to be jealous of Bucky. That ended as soon as I met you.”As soon as he was supposed to be happy with Tony, he means. Not that that time ever came. “Steve,” he says patiently, “I’m not jealous. I’m not happy here and you can’t possibly be happy either so… do something that makes you happy. I know you loved Bucky so just… go back.” That statement alone was more than enough to get him tossed into a Reeducation center but the charade was exhausting and he wanted to be done with it.“Do you… not want to be with me?” he asks, almost looking hurt. Tony would feel flattered by that if Steve actually cared about him, not the system that dictated that he was supposed to be important to Steve. Steve had no faith at all in Tony and if he wasn’t Steve’s soul mate he’d never spend time with him, he was only here because he had an unshakable faith that he was supposed to be happy with Tony. Evidence be damned Steve wouldn’t let it go.“I want you to be happy,” Tony says somewhat evasively. He didn’t want to further hurt Steve’s feelings, he just wanted to give Steve an out. No, he realizes, he wants to give himself an out. If Steve walked away first he didn’t have to feel guilty. Selfish maybe, but he did genuinely want Steve to be happy and that was never going to happen with him because they were terrible together. He was better off with Pepper or any number of other people and the way Tony has heard people talk about Bucky and Steve it sounded like they were far better suited to each other than Tony was to Steve.“Then why don’t you put any effort into our relationship?” Steve asks, almost annoyed now. At least he had a real reason to be this time.“Because,” Tony tells him after several long moments, “I’ve been force fed an idea of what soul mates were supposed to feel like and I’ve never felt any of that with you.” As soon as the words were out he regretted it because Steve looked… well he looked like Tony just boiled his first born alive right in front of him.Tony may not believe in the system but Steve did. He just inadvertently shattered Steve’s world and he was a real asshole for that. Maybe it was just yet another in a long list of reasons they shouldn’t be together.As usual Tony takes the first opportunity to leave Steve as he could and Steve was glad to see him go. Usually he was but this was different. I’ve been force fed an idea of what soul mates were supposed to feel like and I’ve never felt any of that with you. Tony’s words kept playing over and over again in his head and it didn’t matter to Steve that he’s never felt anything either, it was a cruel thing Tony said. Unforgivable even. He could have, if he wanted to, put Tony into Reeducation but something holds him back.Tony told him to go back to Bucky. He had to admit he and Bucky worked far better than he and Tony ever did but that was probably because they’d been friends for years first. He and Tony met on more… turbulent circumstances. So fine, he would go back to Bucky and he’d prove to Tony that Bucky wasn’t an issue here because he was Steve’s soul mate and Bucky wasn’t. There wasn’t even a contest. Then Tony would drop this craziness and maybe they could finally work things out and get on with their lives.So he does it, he reaches out to Bucky and he makes a coffee date. The last thing Steve expects is for things to feel exactly the way they always had with Bucky. Warm, easy, effortless. All the things he never felt with Tony even though he should. He puts it out of his head though because that was dangerous.He jumped on the first opportunity to escape Steve he could but that was mostly because he felt guilty for squashing his feelings. Usually being around Steve was tedious and insufferable for reasons related to Steve but this time it was Tony’s fault for the cold feeling that lingered in the mansion. So he goes as soon as possible, off to help with some space program that would certainly take months and give him limited contact with Steve. Everyone acted like he was suffering for it and he put on a good show but he was relieved to be away from Steve. Truthfully Steve even looked a little relieved when he left, not even offering a kiss goodbye the way he usually did. Not that either of them really felt anything he was sure.Regardless he puts it out of his head as he enters the NASA facility, grinning at the business of the building. This was the kind of environment he tended to like, the kind o that reminded him of the ten floors of R&D in his Stark Industries building in New York. The one Steve called ugly once.“Hey, Stark,” someone says and he turns to find a guy running up behind him with dark blonde hair that just curled and pretty blue eyes. He stops for a moment, eyes widening in shock for a moment and Tony swears he feels a little bit of warmth in his chest but he waves it off. Maybe Steve had a point when he harassed Tony about the food he ate, claiming it was going to give him a heart attack one day.“Hey,” Tony says back, unsure how else to respond. Thankfully his companion recovers fast and grins again.“Tony Stark, wow, never thought I’d ever get to work with you! I’m Peter Quill, the head of the team here. I’ll introduce you to the others later but for now I figured I’d let you see what we’ve been working on,” he says and gestures for Tony to follow him. He does because he’s only been dying to see what Quill has done. People keep saying he’s revolutionized space travel in some way and he was curious the way he always was when he thought of technological advancements.“How many are on your team?” he asks out of curiosity.“Five including me. All absolutely brilliant, you’ll love them trust me. We’re almost there but there are some uh… unanticipated issues with the mechanics. Rocket, Groot, and Gamora are good, great actually, but some things are beyond them. So we called you in because… well you have a habit of doing the impossible and we’re in a bit of a pickle mechanics-wise.” Peter turns another corner and Tony follows easily enough, curious about their issue.“What exactly do you need my help with?” he asks.Peter turns another corner and sighs heavily. “Gas mostly. We need some kind of energy source if we’re going to travel long distances and with something as big as… well I’ll let you see for yourself so you get what I mean. If this was a rover we’d be fine but fueling something as big as the Milano, well.” Peter shrugs and leads Tony into a room so he could see what he was talking about.When he does Tony’s eyes triple in size because there was an honest to fucking god spaceship right in front of him. “It’s blue and orange,” he says to no one in particular. And it was huge. Tony could see how they were having trouble designing some kind of energy source to power it.“Well yeah, we had to paint her pretty colors so she’d stand out. Just because I’m trying to revolutionize space travel doesn’t mean I can’t do it with style,” Peter says.Tony could relate to that, he also had a preference for making things pretty. What was the point of an earth-shattering design if it was ugly? He had to admire Peter’s style here even if he would have chosen different colors. Red and gold would have looked pretty sweet on the ship. “How far away is it from completion?” he asks.“Technically?” Peter asks and grins wide, “she’s ready to go. Even took her for a bit of a test drive but until we figure out how to permanently power the ship testing it in any sort of real capacity is useless. So what do you think?” he asks.“I think I might want to fuck whoever made this,” Tony says without thinking. God, he hoped that Peter wasn’t one of those soul mate nuts who would report him in an instant for a joke.“My room is downstairs, three doors down. You can’t miss it, its got Rocket’s graffiti all over it,” Peter says, winking. Tony laughs and shakes his head, relieved that Peter seemed reasonably relaxed about the soul mate thing. This wouldn’t go so well if he wasn’t if Tony was honest. Soul mate talk grated his nerves.“Good to know. Mind giving me a tour?” he asks.Peter has followed Tony Stark’s work for a long time, mostly because it was awesome and Tony had the same flare for design that he did. Some people thought sacrificing looks was something that you could do but not Peter. His designs always looked excellent because what was the point of a cool advancement if it didn’t look cool? His teachers had hated him for it but he always made the actual design as useful as the components so they couldn’t say shit. The Milano was no exception and he was more than enthused to have Tony on the team.He gives him a tour, pointing things out and telling him as much as he could jam into a single walk through the ship. He expects the guy to get annoyed but Tony soaks it all up with ease and he even manages to slip questions in too. Peter was more than happy to answer them if for no other reason than he was talking to Tony Stark. He wasn’t that much older than Peter but given how advanced his tech was the few years was enough of a gap that Peter kid of grew up idolizing him. He was mostly over the hero-worship stuff now but it was still pretty fucking awesome that he got to work with someone who’s work he admired.“Careful, Quill, someone might think you found your soul mate,” Gamora says. She appears out of the shadows like always, hair tied back in a bun on the back of her head. She’s got grease and dirt all over her face and it looked like she tried to wipe some sweat off her forehead but that left a streak of dirt too. He doesn’t tell her about it because most people thought Gamora was drop-dead gorgeous- Peter included- but it was amusing when the people around them saw Gamora dirty. It was like she was some kind of model on a spaceship and the dirt made it seem more like she belonged on Peter’s engineering team. Which she did. Model looks or not the woman knew her mechanics.He opens his mouth to say Tony already had a soul mate but realizes Tony hasn’t said anything and that make shim curious. Peter never really bought into that garbage anyways and his inexplicable attraction to Tony when they first met was proof. You obviously didn’t need to be fated to someone for life to get that warm fuzzy feeling inside, that was just good old fashioned sexual attraction. “The Milano is my soul mate, obviously,” he tells her and she snorts.“You probably aren’t wrong. Who would want a soul mate as skinny as you?” she asks, poking him in the ribs. He swats her away and shakes his head.“I dunno, he’s got a nice ass,” Tony throws out to Gamora, winking at her. Peter almost raises an eyebrow but Tony was well known for being a flirt. Clearly getting married hadn’t changed that much. He wondered what that soul mate of his thought of it but then anyone who bought into it probably didn’t think anything of it. Peter? He had to wonder how serious Tony was but maybe that’s because he was jaded. His mom’s soul mate hadn’t worked out too well for her after all. Fucking bastard killed her. Peter didn’t need fate to tell him when he was happy, he’d find it all on his own. Though he damn well hoped if he ever met his soul mate no one was around, the glow-y eye thing was hard to hide and he didn’t really want to get hitched based on some ridiculous premise that he was supposed to be happy with the person who’s eyes glowed back.“You need better taste,” Gamora tells him and with that she leaves, snickering at Peter’s offense.“So who was that?” Tony asks.“Gamora. She’s the lead engineer here after me obviously. Groot and Rocket are her underlings and they both hate it but it’s funny to watch her bitch them out. I figured she’s be best in charge given my other option was Rocket and he once stole a man’s prosthetic leg for funsies. Not even kidding,” Peter says. Thankfully Tony laughs even though that was totally a dick move on Rocket’s part. He knew he was going to hell for laughing at that but he embraced it. Hell, as long as he died in space he didn’t care. He and his mom used to watch the stars and he always told her he’d get there some day. She probably thought he was some pussy ass child but he was dead serious about it and he wasn’t about to let his dead mother down.“Jesus that’s hilarious, horrible, but hilarious. So, when do we get started?” Tony asks, brown eyes sparkling.Peter grins wide, “as soon as you want, honey bun. Let me know what you need and I’ll give it to you.”Tony grins in the same way Rocket does when he’s about to get into something and Peter just knows he’s going to love working with Tony. “Get me a video call with my best friend Rhodey and I’ll do whatever you want,” he says almost suggestively.“Don’t tempt me Stark, I’m depraved,” Peter tells him dramatically.Tony laughs, “aren’t we all?” Maybe so, but Peter kind of wanted to know how depraved Tony was. Bad thoughts, he knew, they tossed people who got involved with people with soul mates into Reeducation too but he kind of wanted to see how far this would go. He’s always been fond of testing limits and there was no way Stark was serious anyways. What was the harm? ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Steve meets Bucky again for coffee even if he knew he shouldn’t but he was lonely even when Tony was around. He missed his old life and the simplicity of it. These days he was always stuck dealing with the media and Tony’s work and everything else that came with Tony. Most of his friends didn’t talk to him anymore because it was a hassle due to the media’s harassment of everyone who is even remotely close to Tony. Steve had, in the beginning, wondered why Tony had no few friends and quickly found out.“How’ve you been?” Bucky asks, giving Steve an easy smile.“Bored mostly,” he says honestly. Tony’s house was huge but empty and devoid of all personal touches for both Steve and Tony.Bucky raises an eyebrow. “How is it that you luck out with a billionaire soul mate and you’re bored? Can’t you go on vacation or something? Lay around in the sun?”He guessed technically he could but he had never been clear on what his entitlements to Tony’s money were so he used it as little as possible. Most of his budget came out of some freelance art work that he did. “Yeah I guess, never really done any of that though.” Tony was always working- apparently to get away from him- and he’s social by nature. Going alone just sounded lonely plus it would call unwanted attention to their relationship. Normal people were watched closely in case they weren’t doing the right things but Tony? Everyone watched everything he did. Maybe that’s how he got so good at playing the soul mate role even when he didn’t believe in it. That was lunacy to Steve but Tony was… well sometimes he got disillusioned about things. That’s all this was, nothing more.“Why not? I figured you and Stark would go on all sorts of cool adventures,” he says, frowning.“We went to Italy once,” he says. It had been a business trip for Tony that Steve had only tagged along on because he wanted to draw the architecture. He was fairly certain Tony spoke less than five sentences to him and it only just occurs to him now that he had been pleased with that, not wanting to be drawn away from his work. And that was years ago.“You went to Italy once,” Bucky repeats in a dull tone. “Seriously?”Steve shrugs, “Tony isn’t a vacation kind of person.” He had no idea if that was true and given the look on Bucky’s face he didn’t believe that was true at all.“You know what, lets go do something. Lets… I don’t know, go on a road trip or something,” Bucky says, already mapping things out in his head.Steve shakes his head, “you can’t just leave your job, Buck.” Normal people weren’t nearly as rich as Tony, meaning Steve technically never had to work. Bucky though? Not so much.Bucky just grins though, “nah, Wilson owes me so he can cover me this week. You’ve always wanted to go to the Grand Canyon, right? Lets go there.” It takes some convincing and a phone call to this mysterious Wilson person but Bucky eventually rearranges his work responsibilities and convince Steve but it happens. He has always wanted to go to the Grand Canyon.Tony looks over the designs to the Milano thoroughly and insists on seeing everything in action. It was essential if he was to figure out how exactly to power this thing for long distance space travel given there would be no access to regular methods of fuel. He had a few ideas of course but he needed to build some things and begin testing them to see if they could do what they needed to.Peter comes around often and he always manages to do something absurd to brighten Tony’s day. Today he was arguing with Drax about his being or not being pathetic. “I’m just saying if you are to find your soul mate you need to understand they will be pathetic. Like you,” he says.Tough break Tony thinks but Peter is clearly used to Drax’s behavior so all he does is roll his eyes. “Okay buddy, you keep talking like you know what you’re the expert,” he says, patting Drax’s shoulder.“I am given that I have a wife. Accept your mediocrity,” Drax says almost soothingly. Tony has learned that he is beyond blunt, bordering on cruel sometimes but he doesn’t mean anything by it.“I revolutionized space travel with the Milano you asshole, I am not mediocre!” Peter says in his own defense. Tony whole heartedly agrees there.Drax looks at the massive ship and then back to Peter. “You can’t even power it. You built a very large toy is what you did. He,” Drax says and points at Tony, “will revolutionize space travel. He revolutionizes everything he touches. I would tell you to be like him but you would fail.” Drax walks off after that and Peter flips him off.“In your defense you actually did revolutionize space travel. Nothing like this has ever been seen before and the power issue is to be expected. You had a number of ideas on how to solve it anyways, none would have worked, but you had ideas.” Tony looks up at the ship and marvels in its beauty. It was amazing what the human brain could do, what it could come up with given just a little time and effort. Peter was exceptional even if Drax didn’t think so.“None of my ideas will work?” Peter asks, sounding disappointed. He looks up at the Milano again and sighs. “Think I’ll ever get her working right?”“You got it this far, Peter. Further than anyone else ever has might I add. So none of your ideas would have worked out given the size of the ship and the conditions of space, it happens. I’m working on a good energy alternative to help you out.” He had sketches and simple constructions of prototypes already but he didn’t want to bring them to anyone without knowing for certain that they’d work. He liked to thoroughly test everything before he brought it to anyone, which was why his products were so popular. They were built to last. Also they looked cool.He sighs, “lets go get batshit wasted and ponder our energy problem when we get to the bottom of a bottle of tequila,” he says.Tony considers it for a moment before shrugging and following Peter out of the building and back to the area that was currently housing workers. There was a little bit of everything around here in order to make the staff confortable and that included a bar. Tony has come to learn that if Peter isn’t hanging out in or around the Milano he’s at the bar hitting on the bar tender with zero discrimination as far as looks went.Peter orders a couple drinks, considers, and then orders shots. That should have been Tony’s first clue that he was about to die but he’s never been a quitter so he goes ahead and downs the shots with Peter. “So Stark,” he slurs out some drinks later, “what’re the plans?”The plans to power the Milano, he means. “I’ve got a couple but the most promising is the- you know that thing I have in SI? That huge arc reactor thing?” he asks.“Fuck me that thing is way to big to fit on the Milano Stark, rethink it,” Peter tells him.“I know that you damn cretin. I want to make it mini,” he tells him. He knows he’s wasted because he can see the numbers float by his face and he resists the urge to reach out and touch them.“Impossible, the math would never line up,” Peter says after thinking about this for a moment.Tony laughs, “for you maybe. I already figured it out,” he says proudly.“If I can’t see it it didn’t happen,” Peter tells him immediately.“Be prepared to put your money where your mouth is Quill because I have a half finished prototype. It’s got problems though, but I’ll work the bugs out,” he says, throwing some cash on the table to cover the drinks and stands. His whole world tips to the left and then the right and then an unknown direction but thankfully Peter catches him before he lands anywhere he doesn’t want to be. For a moment they hold the position and Tony is surprised by how warm Peter is. Was he really that cold? He shakes his head and then regrets it because his brain goes swimming on him and Peter laughs.“Jesus Stark, can’t handle your liquor?” he asks.“Can so, you fed me jet fuel,” he accuses and primly pulls away so he could orient himself. They manage to make it back to Tony’s room in the worker’s compound and for all Peter’s talk he’s the one who falls into a bush and flails around in it for almost ten minutes before he manages to free himself and that leather coat he had a fondness for.Unlocking the door turned out to be trouble so for a long couple minutes they do the math on what it would take to break the deadbolt on the door but then Tony manages to stick the key into the hole and he lets them in. His room is a mess because it was functioning as a lab space until his own was cleared- probably with Banner if he heard right- but he knows where everything is. It takes him seconds to locate the mini reactor and toss it to Peter.“No fucking way,” he says as he turns it over, “dude you are amazing!”Tony ducks his head at the compliment but he smiles. It’s the first time in a long time he’s been complimented on his abilities and it feels nice. People called him a genius all the time but people didn’t really get the capacity of that like Peter would. He’s an engineer too; he knows exactly how talented Tony is because he was also an expert in their field. ‘Amazing’ from a normal person was because they didn’t understand how he did what he did. ‘Amazing from Peter was because he knew exactly how things were done and still didn’t know how Tony did this, and he was impressed.“It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be,” he says honestly.Peter turns it over, examining it closely in part because he was interested but also probably because he was drunk and needed to hold it right in front of his face. “Okay you need to show me how you did this because I have no clue how this is possible and I want to know,” he says excitedly.“Sure,” Tony says, grabbing the nearest design he made for the mini reactor and handing it off to Peter. The rest of the night is them going over the designs and the problems with the mini reactor, namely the core, while they sobered up and considered solutions. By morning they had several ideas that Tony was set on testing before he got back to Peter.Peter probably calls him a genius about twelve more times, a term Tony knows he doesn’t use lightly, as he examines Tony’s math. “God, this isn’t even possible. Your old man’s design was pretty much just a publicity stunt given how expensive and huge it was. This… this is way beyond anything he could have done,” Peter tells him.It’s the right thing to say given how much people liked to compare the two, but everyone always acted like Howard was the smarter one. He wasn’t, Tony knew, because he broke way more boundaries than Howard even came close to but no one ever saw it that way. Except Peter apparently. “Thanks. Never did like Howard, he was a fucking asshole. And his reactor wasn’t good. This is far more efficient,” he says.“Cheaper and has a lot more energy output too, even with the core problem. This could revolutionize green energy here too,” Peter points out.Tony nods, “I had that thought too. Figured while you’re off exploring space I’ll make this planet a little less shitty.” Climate change was imminent and it was important that they did what they could to lessen the threat of a warming planet. Also the reactor looked cool.“This is beyond me actually. I still don’t understand how you did any of this so uh… unless you can invent a way to talk over really long distances I might have to take you with me. If something goes wrong we’d all be fucked.” He examines the reactor closely, like if he stared at it long enough he might figure it out.“I… but you saw all the designs, all my math. You should know what’s going on with it,” he says. Peter wasn’t exactly stupid, he figured with all the pieces he’d be able to put it together but Peter shakes his head.“Nah man, this is totally out of my league. Doesn’t happen often these days but you’ve got one hell of a mind. You could probably map this sucker out with me step by step and I’d still be hopelessly outclassed.” He laughs a little and shakes his head, eyes bright as he examined the designs around him.In Tony’s experience when people found out he was smarter than them they… well they resented him. No one liked being outsmarted he guessed, he didn’t like it either, but people tended to take it personally or something. Like Tony’s extreme intelligence was there to slight them personally. Obviously that wasn’t true but it meant a lot of isolation over the years because even experts like Tony couldn’t follow his word much like Peter. Except Peter was fine with it all, accepting that Tony was smarter than him easily. That was… shocking.“I’m not so sure, you did some impressive work with the Milano,” Tony points out.“But you didn’t need any of my designs to know what I did, hell, you probably didn’t even need to see it in action to know what I did. You only went through all those steps to get a good idea of energy output,” Peter says. “face it dude, you’re smarter than me. Take it as a compliment, I don’t say it often,” Peter tells him, grinning.Tony snorts and laughs, “I don’t think I’ve said it ever.”“Probably because you’re one of the smartest people on the planet,” Peter points out. “I’m going to borrow these designs if that’s okay. I probably won’t ever be able to make heads or tails of them but I really want to try now.”Tony gestures for him to go ahead with a laugh as Peter excitedly snatches the papers around him.He had scheduled ‘dates’ of sorts with Steve mostly because it was expected but he had no energy left after his day of fielding the hefty suspicion that surrounded his and Peter’s relationship. People he didn’t even know were demanding answers from him; acting like a night out with Peter and going back to his room to examine designs was some kind of betrayal to Steve. Finally after he noticed Peter was facing the same harassment he hijacked the PA system for a bit to tell everyone that there was nothing going on between him and Peter, they just did some drunk work together and that their working relationship was none of anyone’s fucking business. This was all, of course, because everyone knew Tony had a soul mate. He’d faced none of this scrutiny before he and Steve met and he wouldn’t have with Pepper either despite their being in a committed relationship.When Steve’s face appears on screen Tony is weary given that he’s spent the whole day defending their loveless relationship. He had no desire to talk to Steve long, or at least he didn’t until he noticed the setting. “Are you in a hotel?” he asks and Steve looks immediately guilty.“I um… went on a trip,” he says somewhat vaguely. Tony doesn’t even notice because he got the answer he was looking for.“Oh. Well that’s good, might as well get out of the house. I know you hate it there. Maybe you should spend some time in the penthouse,” Tony says. Steve liked to draw the skyline, something Tony only knew because the drawings never failed to get mixed up in his designs somehow. They were good he had to admit, but he’s never had an eye for art.Steve shrugs vaguely, “maybe. How’s the space thing?” he asks.“Good. The lead guy here and I have a bunch of ideas on how to power the ship but we’ve got our work cut out for us,” he says. They lapse into an uncomfortable silence and Tony sighs. “Actually people around here are being rather annoying about my relationship with Peter. They act like us working together is basically me cheating on you.”Just like Tony knows he would Steve laughs like this is the most ridiculous thing in the world, “we’re soul mates,” he says like this somehow solves everything. “That’s not possible.” Yeah, Tony thought, it was given that he liked Peter a lot better than he liked Steve but this was all he needed to get people to shut up anyways. He asks Steve a couple more awkward questions, learning that he was somewhere close to the Grand Canyon with Bucky, whom Steve looked guilty for inviting. Tony doesn’t care though because Steve didn’t look miserable for once and he was anxious to get back to his trip so Tony didn’t have to find ways to waste time here before going back to work.They part ways after a half an hour and they both seem pleased with that. Tony doesn’t think much of it until there’s a knock at the door. He goes to open it hoping Peter was there because he had some new ideas about the core and he wanted to run them by him but instead he finds two people behind the door in uniforms looking stern.“You only had a half an hour video call with Steve?” the one says, disapproval heavy in in her voice.“Steve chose to take a trip while I was gone and had some plans lined up, he had to go,” Tony says slowly, knowing he needed to tread carefully.“Why would he do that?” the other asks.Tony thinks quick and comes up with a plausible answer. “The trip was sort of last minute for him, he figured he needed to do something with himself since I was gone and he can do his art anywhere. He didn’t factor in the time difference when he made the plans,” he says. It was a human mistake, he figured, that was reasonable, right? Most of that was even true.“He couldn’t have rescheduled?” the first one asks, disapproval showing through in this statement too.“He grew up poor. He doesn’t like wasting money or causing hassle so unless I wanted to stress him out no, he wouldn’t have rescheduled. We have these meetings three times a week, he knows he’ll see me again,” Tony points out. He injects just enough of Steve’s history into the statement to make it sound like he knew him even though he didn’t, not really. He’s pretty sure Steve would reschedule if he asked but they both knew he wouldn’t.“And what does he think of this Peter… situation?” the second person asks. Tony shows them the video he covertly took of Steve blowing the whole thing off with such strong confidence that he wouldn’t have been questioned. Tony wished he could pull that off but he’s never been a good liar.The officers of sorts exchange a look, “well it looks like you’re fine. Don’t let this happen again,” the first one tells him, glaring at him like she knew he was up to something. Tony resists the urge to roll his eyes and shuts the door. As soon as he’s back into his room safely- for now at least- he sends that video of Steve to everyone with a small note not to insult relationships they don’t understand. Hopefully it would guilt everyone into shutting the hell up.Peter watches the video for the third time in a row, marveling at how sure Steve sounded. Back when he was in Tony’s room he hadn’t been so sure. Peter had no faith in soul mates, not that he’d dare to tell a soul that, but he had been hoping that…Well he didn’t know what he’d been hoping for. Maybe a companion that could keep up with him, outsmart him even. Someone who was funny and understood Peter’s sense of humor the way Tony did. Most people thought his flippant arrogant attitude was all there was to offer, like Drax, but few knew to dig deeper. He was sort of hoping, perhaps foolishly, that Tony might be that person.He tosses his phone on his nightstand and stares up at the ceiling. There were constellations all over it with those little glow starts children had. They reminded him of his mom and the way they’d stare at the sky at night and she’d show him the planets and constellations and how they moved in the sky. He missed her more than anything and he hated his piece of shit father for taking her from him. Something else Tony related to as well given his own history with his father.He sighs and goes over the constellations in his head the way he used to with his mom until he finally drifts off, thinking of one of the last things his mom said to him. Goodnight my little Star Lord. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Sometimes, after so long with only Tony around for support, he forgot how it felt to actually be happy. The thought was… well it was horrible and he didn’t think Tony intentionally went out of his way to dislike Steve but he didn’t think he tried to like him either. Things with Bucky were always easy though, partially because they knew each other so well. It turned out that Bucky remembered all his favorite things, including random and somewhat useless things like the way Steve only liked vanilla ice cream if there was strawberry sauce on it. Not strawberries, strawberry sauce. It was totally different.Bucky remembers all of these things effortlessly too and without any kind of prompt. Steve has to wonder if Tony knew any of this stuff about him but he doubts it. If he was honest he didn’t know that much about Tony. It seemed unrealistic to expect Tony to remember details of Steve’s life when he barely even knew what Tony’s middle name was. Edward. He saw it on a legal document once three years ago.Peter holds himself at a distance for a solid week and it was driving Tony nuts. Sure he liked his other coworkers but none of them were as interesting as Peter and that was saying something considering he worked with a guy with the legal name ‘Rocket Raccoon’. Not only was Rocket’s name ‘Raccoon’ but he had a rare skin condition called vitiligo that left his skin looking vaguely like raccoon markings. To say he was unimpressed with this was an understatement but the guy was hilarious, if a little less entertaining than Peter. Rocket was abrasive, as was Drax, and Gamora had a preference for keeping to herself which was fine but it left Tony bored.No one else seemed fond of him either, which was no surprise really. Those that weren’t personally insulted by his work relationship with Peter didn’t like his intelligence. This would have been one place where he didn’t think he’d have to dumb it down for people but apparently that wasn’t true. And, like most people, the people around him didn’t like it when he proved them wrong easily. He thought it was friendly academic banter but no, he supposed others just found it annoying. So he ends up working on his designs alone again.Sometimes he hated Steve when it came to moments like this. More than half the people here thought his spending time with Peter one time was a moral fucking outrage and shunned him for it. Hell, if that’s what influenced the rest to assume everything else that came out of his mouth was inherently untrustworthy or something he wouldn’t be surprised. He knew none of this was Steve’s fault, that he also faced this too, but he couldn’t help but resent him for inadvertently being the cause of his isolation from the world. Tony was abrasive enough on his own, he didn’t need help.“You haven’t made progress on that in a week? The first week you were here you managed to revolutionize that giant arc reactor and the next you’re stumped?” Peter asks, shaking Tony out of his thoughts. He jumps a little but settles back into his spot deep in the Milano. He liked the isolation here. It meant he chose to be away from the glares and snotty comments thrown his way instead of having to be isolated sitting in a room full of people.“It took me two weeks,” Tony reminds him. “And I’m still finalizing the design I want to use.” He had three contenders, each more advanced than the last, but it wasn’t a matter of advanced so much as what could survive the conditions of deep space. So far design one and three were the best, but two had the advantage of a higher energy output the way he designed the core. All three would burn cores out fast though and no matter what he tried he couldn’t seem to figure out what kind of core would withstand the conditions of the reactor better let alone space.Peter throws himself down next to him, “I’ll trust you to make the right choice because not one of us can understand how the hell those things work. Rocket and Drax managed to make a half of a replica but then it blew up so I’m guessing they did something wrong,” he jokes. “Still, didn’t think it’d take you this long. Not that it matters, you have three years before this thing is planned to launch but given how fast things were in the beginning, well.” He’d been hoping for something sooner obviously. Tony didn’t blame him for wanting to leave this godforsaken planet.Tony just shrugs because that’s all he has to offer right now. The core problem was bigger than he thought and given the unpredictability of space travel he wanted something, well, near permanent. There would be backups of course, that was just necessary, but he wanted those to be emergency use only. He and Peter sit in silence for a little while as Tony tries to calculate how well various other elemental combinations would work in the reactor. So far nothing was working out.After some time sitting in silence Peter shifts, looking around in all directions. “No one comes to this section of the Milano, you know that. No one has business down here,” Tony points out. It was why he chose this spot and Peter had to know it. Plus he knew this ship inside and out, he would definitely know that no one would be anywhere around here. Though Tony had to wonder why he cared.“I know but… well I’m going to ask something personal and most likely extremely offensive and I don’t want anyone to hear it,” he says. Tony frowns but Peter takes a deep breath and looks around one last time. “Do you actually care at all about your soul mate?” If it came from someone else Tony actually would have taken offense even if anyone looking closely enough would know he and Steve were considerably unhappy together. But no one else needed to know that given the repercussions that would follow.“You’re asking because…?” he asks, not sure if he could trust Peter. This wouldn’t be the first time someone has been set up to admit that maybe they didn’t really care that much about their soul mate by someone they cared about only to be carted off to a Reeducation Center. Tony didn’t plan on being one of them.“I uh… noticed that those people, the soul mate cops I guess, keep harassing you. They only do that when they think someone is uh… not acting normally, whatever those arbitrary standards look like,” he says.Tony can feel his eyes widen and Peter winces, tensing up. That was a risk, Tony knows, one he’s never been ballsy enough to take with the exception of one drunken night when he was seventeen and Rhodey never would have turned him in. Even if someone heard he knew Rhodey would tell anyone who would listen that Tony was just distraught from his parents’ death and didn’t know what he was saying. “Yeah, our calls are always too short. Apparently two hours is the norm,” he says.“But why? The calls I mean, why are they too short?” Peter asks.Nosey, Tony thinks, but there’s some other motivation he can see there that isn’t the same as everyone else’s. Peter doesn’t think Tony is wrong, he realizes, but he doesn’t know what Tony felt the way he did and he considers Peter’s first question. “Steve and I… don’t really get along much,” he says slowly and Peter, oddly, goes ramrod straight. He can see something there on his face, some kind of fierce look that Tony doesn’t understand but he continues. “It isn’t that he’s a bad person or whatever it’s just… we’re completely different people. We have nothing in common and we make each other miserable but he refuses to admit it. I don’t get it, I work in my lab more than I do anything else to avoid the guy and I know he hates spending time with me when he actually has to do it but he refuses to let go of the fact that we’re like meant to be or whatever. I don’t even thing soul mates are real, they’re statistically unlikely,” he mumbles.It feels surprisingly good to admit that all out loud for once but he also can’t help but tense. People didn’t say things like that, not without giving up months of their life at the least dealing with Reeducation. He’s heard that some people spend years there and he just wasn’t built for captivity.“Neither do I,” Peter says softly, drawing Tony out of his own anxieties.“What?” he asks a little stupidly.“Believe in soul mates. Sure you’ll meet some glow-y eyes bastard one day but it’s all a fucking sham. You even know what they do when soul mates don’t work out? And I don’t mean the ones who don’t fall for this bullshit, I mean the ones who get hurt,” he says.“Nothing. My father was abusive, didn’t seem to care that he beat the shit out of his soul mate; he just wanted a punching bag. Sometimes he didn’t care if it was me either.” Peter sucks in a breath and his face shows the proper amount of disgust that warranted. Tony frowns because he’s spent his entire life making casual mentions to his mother’s abuse, to his own abuse, and all he’s ever gotten was silence of ‘well they’re soul mates’ like that somehow excused the abuse. It made him want to hit people as much as Howard apparently wanted to hit his mother, except Tony wasn’t a disgusting excuse for a human being. At least not like Howard.“My mom was killed by hers. Poison. Doctors thought it was cancer and honestly so did I for the longest time. A foster family of sorts took me in and it wasn’t until years later that I even met my dad. Yondu knew him pretty well I think because whenever I asked about him he shut me down. I didn’t know why until I met the guy in college and I have no idea how he found me. Anyways, long story short I found out he killed my mother and got away with it. Cops didn’t even do anything when I gave them a fucking taped confession. They were soul mates so I guess that makes premeditated murder okay,” Peter snarls in disgust.Yeah, okay that might just be worse than his own parents’ sordid tale. “Why did he come back for you?” he asks, wondering why a guy like that would care to find the kid he clearly left behind.Peter shrugs, “he thought we’d have some grand adventure or something. I think he might have heard about me getting accepted to a Masters program and the funding that came with it. I might have been nice enough to share the wealth if he wasn’t stupid enough to admit to murder like we’d I don’t know, bond over it or something.”Tony can’t help but wrinkle his nose in disgust at that, wincing. Yikes. So his own father was a piece of work but he never expected Tony to take some kind of sick pleasure in his mother’s pain. “That’s horrible,” Tony says finally because there was no other reaction for that.“Yeah. So I’ve sort of lost all faith in this soul mate thing and the way you acted… I thought maybe you did too. At first I figured you were just flirty, so am I, but when we were in your room I thought it might be something else,” he says. And then after he wondered if he was imagining shit when he was drunk. Tony knew because he’d think the same thing if he were in Peter’s place.“You weren’t. Imagining things I mean. People don’t really appreciate my intelligence, not they way you do anyways. People call me arrogant, hail me as some kind of technological hero, and dozens of other things but they do it out of ignorance. You know how smart I am and you know because you’re pretty damn smart yourself. And you’re not afraid to admit that I’m smarter than you. I’m sure you’d be just as unafraid to tell me if I was wrong. I don’t get that ever let alone often,” he says. People were either threatened by his intelligence of thought he was an ass for knowing how smart he was. When you spent you’re entire life dumbing everything you knew down even in the most mundane of moments you came to know exactly how smart you were. You had no other choice but to accept that you accidentally outsmarted everyone in the room and when people hated you for it, well, who could blame you for using that intelligence as a shield. Except now he was known as an arrogant asshole like his father. That hadn’t been in his plans when he decided to just freely admit that there was almost no one smarter than him.“I don’t meet people that are smarter than me often and none of them are like you. I’ve met some smart people don’t get me wrong, Gamora is insanely smart, but we both had to work to have that kind of intelligence. We’re smart because we worked our asses off to be that way, especially her. But you? That’s just how you are. I had to consult a freakisly large amount of resources to design the Milano but you walked in here and knew how it all worked because your brain can just do that. I have no idea why people are so rude to you about it or why they act like you’re an ass for stating how smart you are. It’s just a fact. It’s also pretty attractive. Your soul mate though, does he know all this?”Does he understand, he’s asking. It’s probably the first time Tony actually read between the lines successfully in the first try in a social interaction without prior experience. He was awful at social interactions, always has been, but he learned to do a few things well enough to pass when he was out in the world. He still preferred his tech.“No, Steve doesn’t get it. The guy is a fucking Luddite. How the hell did I, Tony Stark, the futurist and one of the most prominent technological visionaries that has ever existed get stuck with a Luddite? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Steve is a bad person or whatever but Jesus Christ, he whines when I make notes on things that aren’t paper and he can barely operate a toaster.” That last bit was an exaggeration, Steve wasn’t bad with tech when he cared to learn how to use it but most of the time he just didn’t care. Tony swore they’d live in Ye Olde Shack churning their own butter with no electricity like the Amish if Steve had his way. He’d rather die.Peter unexpectedly starts laughing, “oh my god seriously? Dude I am so sorry but that’s the funniest thing I have ever heard. Oh my god the universe really fucked that up!”“He says opposites attract,” Tony mumbles, which only encourages Peter to laugh harder.“Opposites? Oh man he really doesn’t get it, does he? That technology is more than just something you make? He doesn’t get how you relate to it, how each thing you make has a little bit of you in it.” Peter has stopped laughing by that last bit and Tony is surprised to find that Peter actually understands how he feels about tech.“He thinks technology is cold and isolating but I don’t think he knows just how much more it offers to people. People look at a phone and see something cold and impersonal but I see a fifteen year old kid’s only lifeline to talk to his aunt after his uncle died,” he says, thinking of a kid he ran into years ago. Peter Parker. “Or a stereo. It just plays music, right? People don’t understand how music, for some people, is a way to escape into a melody and some lyrics that understand you better than people. Even my clean energy stuff helps people, I mean a lot of environmental disaster has been slowed or even stopped thanks to what I’ve built. But people act like a laptop has the power to destroy society if people use it ‘too much.’”Steve often complained that he spent too much time with his technology but he didn’t understand that Tony liked it better than people. Technology might be finicky and strange at times but people broke your heart. He didn’t seem to understand, or maybe he didn’t care to, that Tony has long since used technology as a way to relate to the people around him because it was the only way he knew how. People didn’t like him, people usually described him as ‘too much’ of something whether it was smart, rude, involved, distant, whatever. Technology made people easier for him because he didn’t have natural people skills like Steve did. Steve understood the social rules and Tony has never understood why people said they appreciated honesty and then got upset when he told them the truth without using all those little social euphemisms that somehow make harsh words easier.“Society is weak if it can be brought down by a hunk of gears. I’ve always thought that was a bullshit excuse people pull when they can’t adapt to the new things that are around them. Just admit you don’t know how to use the new stuff, that’d fine, but don’t act like a phone will somehow ruin people’s lives. People ruin people’s lives. The phone is irrelevant. Also there are really cool video games so I feel like people should get with the program because who wants to miss out on that? So you have a Luddite for a soul mate. That’s pretty shitty dude,” Peter says and starts laughing again.“Stop laughing at me, it’s not funny!” Tony tells him. “When he talks to my AI he looks at the ceiling!” Actually everyone did that but it was a stupid and annoying habit that makes Peter double over, clutching his stomach.“Seriously?” he asks.“Yes. Like JARVIS doesn’t have a face, accept it and talk to the air like a normal human,” he snaps. Peter starts laughing again, probably because normal humans didn’t talk to air but still.“So you really don’t care about your soul mate?” Peter asks after he calms himself a little.“It isn’t that I don’t care, I just don’t care like I’m supposed to. I guess I’m mostly indifferent to him like you would be to a stranger. You don’t want terrible things to happen to them but you also don’t really care if good things happen to them. Why?” he asks, turning to look at Peter.“Because, if you did I’d feel like a real ass for doing this,” he says. Tony goes to ask what this was but then Peter leans forward and kisses him. It’s chaste and soft, like he’s mostly just testing the waters but when he goes to pull back Tony draws him back in.It wasn’t that he’s never kissed Steve, or even that it was infrequent, it was just that there was nothing there for him. Steve was objectively a decent kisser but without any of the normal emotional connection or attraction to go with it kissing him was empty and somewhat meaningless. Why kiss a person if you weren’t attracted to them in some way or if you didn’t really care about them?Peter was different though and it takes Tony an embarrassingly long time to note that the feeling he had when he ran into Peter the first time was attraction. Except he hasn’t felt immediately attracted to someone like that in… well, years. It used to be a regular thing before being Steve’s soul mate sucked the life out of him. No wonder his kiss with Peter felt warm and soft with a touch of passion behind it even if Tony could tell Peter was holding back. He does too because he had no idea if this is what he wants, plus as much as he didn’t want to be with Steve he didn’t want to out and out wreak the guy emotionally either. This would undoubtedly do that.He pulls away after a moment and Peter lets him, giving him space to decide how he felt about this. Another difference between him and Steve. Steve assumed he had to have felt something but he held himself to the same standard so Tony never really called him on it. Truthfully he was sure Steve only ever bothered because he was trying to convince himself something was there when it wasn’t and Tony let him because he hadn’t wanted to admit that there was nothing desirable about spending time with him in or out of bed. Which was unusual for someone who was rather known for being a bit of a slut before meeting Steve.“Was that… okay?” Peter asks after a moment.Tony considers it for a few seconds before he kisses Peter again, noting that spark of pleasure when Peter gently pulls him closer. “Yeah, that was okay,” Tony tells him when he finally pulls away. His hair must looks ridiculous from work and his designs got shuffled around when Peter had drawn him closer but he doesn’t pay too much attention to that because for the first time in a long time physical contact like this wasn’t something he engaged in to get it over with. He actually liked being in contact with Peter and if Peter’s body language was to be trusted- and this was probably the only area of human communication Tony knew he was something of an expert in- he didn’t mind either. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Steve wasn’t happy with Tony. No matter how much he tried to defend it, no matter how much he’d argue if Bucky were to out and out tell him what he’s noticed he wasn’t happy. When he talked about Tony it was like it was tedious to remember that he existed, like their relationship was something that annoyed him more than thrilled him. Bucky might have believed in soul mates once upon a time but he’s long since lost faith. If soul mates were real why was his perfect match paired with some jackass who clearly didn’t know what he was missing? Steve would have been with him, not Tony Stark.Hell, from the way Steve talked it sounded like Tony was less happy in their relationship and after accidentally overhearing a video call between the two that was absolutely confirmed. Stark seemed more fond of some guy named Peter than Steve and he just nodded numbly along like a moron. It was sad to watch and it also kind of pissed him off but Steve was… well, fond of the idea of soul mates. Maybe it was because he disliked being wrong more than most anything or maybe it was because he put a lot of effort in with Tony, who knew? Regardless of why Steve felt the way he did Bucky was determined to make him feel differently. Well, not make him, he already knew Steve felt differently he was just clinging to some stubborn beliefs and if anyone could help him out of that it was Bucky.If it was anyone else he never would have risked it. He’s heard the horror stories about Reeducation same as everyone else and he had no desire to do a stint there but this was Steve. They’ve known each other since they were kids, even if Steve refused to see reason he wouldn’t ever turn Bucky in for his blasphemous views. So after yet another dud of a video call with Tony that they managed to stretch to the allotted time frame he climbs into bed beside Steve. “You guys suck together,” he says eloquently, fully anticipating all the arguments that Steve throws out for Tony. “Steve, I’ve known you since we were five, do you really think your flimsy excuses will work on me? Stark isn’t happy with you either and honestly he’s an idiot for it.”Bucky couldn’t believe he lost the love of his life to a guy that didn’t even deserve Steve. What kind of unfair shit was this? “Bucky, you don’t know anything about our relationship,” Steve snaps, jumping straight to anger than.Good, that meant Bucky could get this over with faster. “There isn’t a relationship to know anything about Steve,” he fires back. “If I asked you what Tony’s favorite dessert was you probably wouldn’t know. He definitely doesn’t know anything about you, don’t you shake your head at me Steve he had no idea that you’ve always wanted to go the Grand Canyon. You’ve only wanted to go since as far back as you can remember, that should be common knowledge to him. You two have been with each other for seven fucking years and you probably have no idea what his first invention was when even I know that,” he says.Steve frowns, “you do not know what the first thing Tony invented was.” Neither did Steve but Bucky doesn’t need to tell him that.“A circuit board when he was six, later it went in one of those robots he seems to love so much. He told someone that in an interview I watched years ago.” One he watched for an update on Steve and he got dick all for it. Tony skirted the question and then they ended up talking about some new thing he made and he was back to being animated and happy. “Google it,” he tells Steve when he doubts Bucky.He does because Steve was nothing if not stubborn so he does, eyes widening in surprise when he realizes Bucky was right. “I… he never told me that,” he says eventually.“You never asked,” Bucky tells him with absolute certainty. Steve made it his business to talk to the people he cared about and he didn’t care about Tony. Or at least not like he did with everyone else anyways.“We just… need more time,” he says softly.“You’ve had almost a decade,” Bucky says softly, “how much more time could you need?”Steve sets his computer aside, something Bucky knew he disliked using despite it probably being custom made for him, and runs his hands through his hair. “I don’t know Buck. I just… we’re soul mates,” he says softly.“So what?” Bucky tells him, still using a soft tone. “Maybe the universe got it wrong this time, I don’t know. But I do know how unhappy you are and it’s not fair.”“What am I supposed to do about that, Bucky? Tony said… never mind,” he mumbles but Bucky senses something in that so he jumps on it.“Tony said what?” he asks, trying to keep the excitement from his voice. Stark was blunt, whatever he said it was in no uncertain terms.“He told me to go back to you. Just to keep it out of the media,” Steve says almost too softly to hear. Music to Bucky’s ears. He could sneak around for the rest of his life if it meant a few stolen moments with Steve and he’d damn well do it too. Steve would have never told him that if he didn’t want to either. Steve was a deliberate kind of person, he didn’t bother saying things he didn’t intend to mean something.“So do it,” Bucky tells him, almost breathless. Steve’s eyes go wide like he was seriously surprised Bucky just said that. Hell, maybe he was after being in a seven year long relationship that was all messed up.“What?” Steve asks.“I said ‘do it’. You’re the love of my life, Steve, I don’t give a shit what the universe thinks.” With that he leans forward and kisses Steve, surprised when Steve drags him into his lap immediately, apparently starved for affection.Tony and Peter aren’t complete idiots. They fell under suspicion once so they did their best to avoid it now. When they talked to each other in public it was in short, professional sentences that seemed to please the soul mate cops or whoever the hell they were. Tony hasn’t seen them around before but he wouldn’t have. Until now he put on a good show and his communication with Steve wasn’t monitored. Now everything he did was under extra scrutiny in regards to Steve so people were noticing some things.When they met up they also made sure to leave at different times and from different directions, same for when they met up. So far they’ve managed to throw suspicion off and Tony was more than happy to sneak around for some extra time with Peter. When he sneaks over to Peter’s door in the middle of the night Peter opens it while singing Hooked on a Feeling into a rat of all things.“Aww, poor rat,” Tony says as the poor little thing dangles there.“Nah, Cedric is cool. He’s going to be the first rat in deep space but for now he’s my microphone. Come on,” Peter says and he draws Tony in. He laughs and goes, shaking his head as he does. Peter continues singing into poor Cedric but in the rat’s defense it did look genuinely fine with this predicament. When Peter gently places him back in his cage he runs off to his wheel and starts running and Peter leaves him be.“You and you’re damn seventies music,” Tony says, shaking his head. He preferred eighties music himself and Peter thought he was a heathen for liking anything made after seventy-nine.“Excuse you, you mean the superior decade? Everything made before and after is total shit,” Peter tells him with absolute confidence.“Uh huh. Lets not pretend like the seventies would be there without all the stuff before it sweetheart. And if we’re talking the superior decade the eighties is key and nineties grunge is alright,” he says. He liked Kurt Cobain as much as the next guy and, if pressed very deeply, he’d admit he had a thing for Rihanna. But only when basically tortured or with Rhodey because he could blame the bad music on him.“Oh no, I don’t give a shit what had to be around to get seventies music it all sucked. John Lennon can suck my dick. Seventies was the pinnacle on music,” he says.Tony throws himself on Peter’s bed and laughs, “says the guy who’s never heard AC/DC’s Back in Black album,” he says.“Oh but I have gorgeous, I still think it’s shit,” he says, crawling onto the bed after Tony.“I’m going to have to dump you if you keep this up,” Tony warns as Peter crawls over his body, coming to a stop as he hovers over Tony’s frame.“You wouldn’t. Who else would put up with your freakish music taste?” he asks. Well, not his soul mate. Steve hates his music too but when he complained it wasn’t in the easy good-natured way Peter did it in.“Probably the same heathen that thinks the seventies is the pinnacle of music,” he says, laughing as Peter bends to kiss him. He tentatively reaches out and settles his hands on Peter’s hips, drawing him closer. This was all new to him still after so long with Steve and Peter was patient with him, letting him explore things slowly. It was strange to him, doing this because he wanted to instead of just going through the motions. With Peter he noticed the details, like the way he smelled, and how warm his skin was. The difference between him and Steve was startling.Peter pulls back after a long moment, laughing when Tony lets out what could only be described as a squawk of protest. Peter settles his hands on Tony’s thighs, drumming some beat to one of his crappy seventies songs more than likely. He stares at Tony for so long that Tony eventually shifts in discomfort, unused to this kind of attention. Peter gently squeezes his thighs, “Relax. I just… don’t know how the hell I managed to get so lucky,” he says eventually.Tony snorts, “you’re in a relationship with a guy who has a soul mate Peter. That’s high treason and if anyone even thinks we’re involved we’re being sent off to some center where we’re going to be brainwashed into believing in soul mates again. If this is what you call lucky you need to reconsider bad luck,” he says honestly. God even knew what he was going to do with Steve when Peter eventually took off into space and he was left here with his ‘proper’ partner. Tony didn’t really want to think about going back to the way his life was before.“Or,” Peter says, “I’m in a relationship with a guy who understands the kind of messed up society we live in in which people can literally get away with murder if they kill their soul mate. I might have to keep this under some pretty tight wraps but I think it’s worth it when I found someone who actually understands me, soul mate or not.”“Yeah, crime of passion laws,” he mumbles, shaking his head. How abuse like Howard’s fell under such a law considering how abuse is a continuous thing not a heat-of-the-moment thing he had no idea but he’s stopped trying to apply logic to this crazy universe.“Bullshit laws are what they are. You know what I find interesting about soul mates though? Back before interracial relationships and same sex relationships and all that were legal those nutty soul mate police straight up used to kill those soul mate pairs. Guess being completely loyal to a fault to your soul mate is only a thing if your relationship is considered socially acceptable,” Peter says, rolling his eyes.Yeah, Tony knew about that too. “You’re still carted off if you have more than one soul mate,” he says and Peter’s eyebrows lift.“That’s possible?” he asks.“I’ve met a few people with more than one actually, and every single one of them has disappeared without a trace by my standards. I mean it’s statistically unlikely that you’d only have one soul mate anyways, that’s absurd.” What if his soul mate was five when he was fifty? That’d be next level disturbing though it probably happened. Soul mate cops probably tossed them into jail or whatever it was they did with the undesirable matches.“Huh. Guess it never occurred to me that people could have more than one,” Peter says.“That’s the goal. I mean until recently soul mate pairs didn’t cross race or sexed lines. Soul mates are supposed to be perfect, same sex pairings and interracial relationships were considered dirty and wrong.” Anyone who knew the history of soul mates would know that they were not an infallible system even to the system.“Or soul mates who are just bad together,” Peter points out. “If people would just acknowledge that soul mates are only as awesome as the people in the pairs than maybe my mom would be alive. Maybe your mom wouldn’t have suffered and maybe we wouldn’t be stuck sneaking around,” he says bitterly.“Too much to ask,” Tony says flippantly. “Now get back down here, I like kissing you and it’s been forever since I’ve properly enjoyed a kiss.” Fuck soul mate history, he was more interested in Peter.Steve missed Bucky now that he was at home but he didn’t have much choice but to deal with it until he got off work. He was coming over after but in the mean time Steve was stuck in Tony’s huge house alone. Even Tony once admitted that this house was cold and devoid of life but he seemed unable to let the childhood home go. He’s reading a book when someone knocks on the door and he frowns, wondering who would be here. Without Tony home people rarely came around and Bucky wasn’t supposed to be here for hours yet.When he gets to the door he’s surprised to find what looked like two officers though he didn’t recognize their uniforms. “Um, what can I do for you?” he asks in a polite enough tone.“Are you Steve Rogers?” the first one asks.“I am. And you are?” he asks.“We’re concerned citizens,” the second says. Concerned citizens with badges, Steve notes, which meant they weren’t citizens at all.“Fine then. I don’t see why you have reason to be concerned unless I’m missing something. Unless something happened to Tony than there’s really nothing particularly special going on in my life and I talked to him last night so I know he was fine a few hours ago.” It’s mostly true. Yes, Tony was fine and Steve knew it because they spoke last night when Steve got home but Bucky was probably a pretty interesting development in his life to most. No one needed to know about him though. Something he says causes the cops to relax though because they look far less on edge when he finishes his small rant than when he started.“You seem to have a record of short conversations with each other and research has told us that you two almost never keep in contact when he’s away on business,” the first cop says.Uh, what? How would they even know that? “Tony keeps odd hours,” he says slowly, “and he doesn’t like being interrupted when he’s working. Sometimes it’s difficult to keep up with the time changes and his work schedule is impossible to predict.” It wasn’t wrong. Even when Steve had been intent on keeping in contact and Tony had been open to it they had one hell of a time finding a decent time and over the course of a few months they just didn’t bother anymore. But how these people knew that he had no clue and frankly it was creepy.“So you’re saying he doesn’t make time for you?” the second officer says, jumping on his statement in a way that makes him uncomfortable.“No, I’m saying Tony has a difficult schedule, one we’ve learned to work with. Can I ask why exactly you’re here?” he asks. Something told him ‘concerned citizens’ was code for something else entirely.The two officers exchange a glace, “well the two of you have been raising suspicion with your… habits and you’re under investigation,” the first officer tells him.“For?” Steve prompts, raising an eyebrow.“Undesirable conduct,” the second officer says and Steve barks out a laugh.“What the hell is that supposed to mean? What even qualifies for ‘undesirable’ anyways? You know what, never mind, I’m calling a lawyer,” he says and he slams the door. Fuck.He quickly leaves the foyer and paces back and forth in the living room for a few moments before an idea strikes him. “JARVIS?” he asks, feeling silly talking to nothing.“Yes, sir?” the AI asks and Steve represses a shiver at the creepy voice coming from nowhere. Tony insisted on having it everywhere though because he liked the bizarre system.“Is there a secure way to get ahold of Tony, one people won’t be able to track?” he asks.“Of course. Would you like me to call him?” the AI asks.“That’s be awesome, thanks,” Steve mumbles as the whole living room starts to ring. Apparently JARVIS put the call through over the speaker system in the room. Whatever, it would do.“Rhodey, it’s only been eighty years you asshole. It’s about time you called,” Tony says casually, laughing a little.“Sorry to burst your bubble but I’m not Rhodey,” Steve tells him. He swears he can feel Tony’s mood change even though they weren’t anywhere near each other.“Oh. What’s going on, Steve?” he asks in a far less friendly tone. No wonder they were under investigation if this was how Tony acted.“Well apparently the fucking soul mate police are after us because we don’t talk enough or something. I don’t know they said something about undesirable conduct or something,” he snaps, annoyed.This seems to catch Tony’s attention. “When did this happen?” he asks urgently.“About fifteen minutes ago. I told them I was calling a lawyer and slammed the door on them,” he says.Tony snorts, “well at least you have a brain. Alright, did they say anything else about our uh… communication habits?” he asks.“No but…” Steve pauses, wondering if he should mention Bucky. Tony told him to go back to Bucky but saying and doing were two different things and if someone starts looking too closely at least fifteen people in Arizona thought Bucky and Steve were soul mates and neither of them corrected them. It had been a miracle Steve wasn’t recognized as Tony’s soul mate anyways. God damn it he knew he got cocky and Tony… well he had a right to know.“But?” Tony prompts and he realizes he’s been silent for too long.“I followed your advice and met up with Bucky,” he mumbles.“Huh? You did what?” Tony asks.“I slept with Bucky, okay?” he yells, annoyed.Tony is silent for a long few moments and Steve kind of wants to cry for doing that to him. Tony might not be a very good soul mate but he didn’t deserve this and honestly it was just downright nasty of him to run off with someone else like that and-“Didn’t see that coming. Fine, if someone looks too closely they’d know I’ve been sneaking around with Peter so. Okay, okay. I’m going to go look up some laws and see if I can screw over their investigation before it starts, okay? We’re probably going to be brought in for questioning too, shit. You know what, one thing at a time. I’ll look up the laws and I’m going to call you back when I know what’s going on, alright?” Tony says. His tone is more gentle than it’s ever been with him, which is weird considering he just admitted to betraying him out and out.“I… okay. How are you going to do that though?” he asks.Tony laughs, “of course you don’t know. True Luddite you are. Pretty much every system on this half of the hemisphere was build by me personally. If they think I made ways to keep myself out they’re fucking idiots. I’ll know everything they knew within a few hours if it takes that long and by dinner time I can probably find a few laws to hold them out. Don’t you worry, I’m not about to get shoved into some brainwashing facility,” he says with a note of determination to his voice. Yeah, Steve believed that and he also knew to do it Tony needed to keep him out of a facility too. They’d have to help each other out if they wanted their details right.“Okay. Is there anything you need me to do?” he asks more out of habit than anything.“Keep away from Bucky for now. Ask JARVIS for a private line, I know you don’t like talking to him or whatever but you’re communication is probably already being watched. I can make sure nothing looks hinky though so don’t worry about that. JARVIS will make sure that nothing you say will be tracked so he isn’t dragged into this too,” Tony says.“I uh… well I asked JARVIS to call you in a secure way so I’m sure I can ask him to call Bucky too,” Steve says, half annoyed that Tony thought he wouldn’t think to ask JARVIS.“Huh. Well you’re full of surprises today. Call Bucky and tell him to keep his distance for now and JARVIS will set up a way for you two to talk. I’ll handle the rest,” he says easily and with that he hangs up.“Secure line of communication enabled. Would you like me to call Bucky?” JARVIS asks and Steve finds that all manners of disturbing, especially when JARVIS responds to him nodding his head instead of a verbal command. Creepy. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- “Bucky!” Steve says, jumping about three feet in the air when he spots his lover leaning against the doorframe of his living room. Jesus. “How the hell did you get in here?” he asks.Bucky grins, “I have my ways and don’t worry, I wasn’t spotted. Stark’s creepy AI said as much when I got to the back door.”Steve sighs, “oh Tony and I are fucked,” he mumbles.“No offense but if they know anything about you in particular one look at you would have screwed you both over,” Bucky points out.“Not everyone knows me as well as you- oh, that could be useful,” he says, “I need you to tell everyone how happy I am with Tony.” He might as well have slapped Bucky judging by the look on his face and Steve sighs. “This isn’t something either of us want to do, Buck, but unless we want to be tossed into some Reeducation center that’s what’ll happen. We’re a very public couple, I guess these soul mate police people can’t have anyone thinking we’re unhappy,” he says, gesturing to the papers he got in the mail that morning. True to his word Tony managed to screw their investigation right up by blocking their ability to actually watch their video calls and listen to all their other communications. It was an antiquated law that was designed to protect the letters of soul mates back in the eighteen hundreds but it worked just as well. Tony argued that soul mates were just as entitled to privacy now as they were then and he wasn’t wrong.The problem now was that they could still access all the interviews they’ve both done publically because they weren’t private and Tony’s were… well not good. Steve’s could probably pass given that he’d at least held steadfast in his belief in soul mates until rather recently but Tony had confessed that he never really bought into soul mates. He also told Steve why and he couldn’t help but feel horrible. His own father was abusive but he hadn’t been his mom’s soul mate either. Her soul mate died when they were immigrating to the US and she had settled for Joseph, which turned out to be a mistake. He wondered if his own rosy view of soul mates would have been tainted if he had been his mom’s soul mate.No actually he didn’t. He’s never liked bullies and if his father had been his mom’s soul mate he would have no faith in them either. It gave him a new appreciation for why, exactly, Tony has been distant all these years. He used to think Tony was just selfish and cold but now he knew he was actually hurt and unwilling to put faith in a system that he’s seen fail. That, and he had no control over soul mates. He’s always known about Tony’s controlling tendencies, it was why he preferred technology to people Steve thinks. Technology was something that he could alter and change on a whim when he didn’t like it, people? He wouldn’t even dream of it thanks to his father’s attempts to control him and his mother. It was strange to Steve that Tony didn’t like people, especially considering how extroverted he was, but then he didn’t really like tech much either. They were even, he guessed.“Why would I do that?” Bucky asks. He doesn’t look very impressed with Steve and he supposed if he were in Bucky’s position he wouldn’t be either. It had to hurt watching him spend years with someone else without ever moving on only to find out Steve spent the whole span of that time miserable. And now he had to ask him to tell the soul mate police that Steve had no clue existed until two days ago to gush about how happy he was in a relationship he hated. It wasn’t very fair and it was selfish to ask, but Reeducation was the stuff of nightmares if Tony’s research was even a little bit right.“Because if you don’t ‘m going to get stuffed into some crazy program for god knows how long. Tony would never even leave.” There was no way they could convince the man his beliefs were wrong and Tony was stubborn on the best of days. It didn’t matter how many times they told him what to believe Tony wasn’t the following type. Steve didn’t want to know what these people did with the people they couldn’t ‘fix’.“Why should I care about Stark? He clearly doesn’t care about you,” Bucky points out.No, not the way Bucky thinks he should anyways. They cared about each other in the exact same way- they’d bail the other out in a fit of self-preservation but that was it. “Bucky. I don’t care much about him either; you don’t hold that against me. Besides, you have no idea what it was like to be stuck in a relationship for almost ten years with someone you didn’t even like. I at least had the benefit of thinking there was something drawing us together, he never even had that belief at all. Could you imagine that? Being stuck with me must have been like being stuck in a prison, except if he tried to leave that prison he’d get stuck in a bigger, shitter prison. And now I might be thrown in there too.”God, how did this get so messed up when a month ago things were fine? Well, not fine, but they were steady and stable. That was better than whatever this was. He supposed he could at least count on Tony to figure things out legally and he had connections to the media. If they thought that Tony was about to go down without a fight they didn’t know very much about him. Hell, Steve didn’t know very much about him and new that wasn’t going to happen.Bucky sighs, “I don’t want to defend him,” he says eventually.“Hate to break it to you Buck, but defending him and defending me is pretty much the same to these people.” Once, five or so years ago, Tony had been drunk and he had said that this society was two steps away from a dystopia. Steve had no idea what he was talking about and he had been annoyed that Tony was drunk again but now he thinks he understands what Tony was saying that night. Except America was two steps into a dystopia if they had people go around monitoring the happiness of random soul mate pairs. Why did it even matter if they weren’t happy? They weren’t hurting anyone and if Tony’s background is true- and Steve highly doubted he was lying- than being stuck in a soul mate pair genuinely could hurt people.“Great. So I get stuck doing Stark a favor,” he mumbles, annoyed. He flops onto the couch beside Steve and lets out along sigh. Steve felt that too.“If I may remind you,” JARVIS interrupts, making Steve and Bucky jump, “you are in danger of Reeducation too according to the law. It would not serve you well to insult the man who is currently keeping you out of prison too.”Bucky stares at the ceiling in shock. “Did Stark’s creepy AI just threaten me?”“No. I was simply defending Tony,” the AI says. Bucky doesn’t look less disturbed by this.“Tony says it has feelings and honestly when it does stuff like this I really do wonder.” He didn’t think normal robots like the ones Tony had in the lab would think to defend Tony. Or think at all really. But Tony had told him once that that’s what he designed JARVIS to do. Apparently the AI could think enough to recode himself, filtering out useless code and commands and he could generate new codes and commands that were useful to his functioning as Tony’s… AI. Steve wasn’t sure what JARVIS’ function was. It occurs to him that this is the sort of simple knowledge he should know about Tony’s tech.No wonder Tony had no faith in their relationship.Tony made sure to inform Peter if his and Steve’s sudden presence in hot water and to his surprise he watched Tony function with a new level of interest as he made phone calls, read over soul mate law books, and did his research. “What?” he finally asks after he gets off the phone with one Christine Everhart. The woman was a shark when it came to journalism and if anyone could get this story right without tossing them into Reeducation it’d be her. That and he also happened to know she was a skeptic of the whole soul mate thing. They slept together years ago in the late nineties, long before Tony got his shit together with Pepper. He knew he could trust her to some degree.“This is all surprisingly attractive,” Peter says, grinning at him.“You have issues, Quill,” Tony says, shaking his head and laughing.“No really, watching you smack people down with shitty laws they wrote is pretty hot. Just saying,” Peter says in his own defense, hands up.He shakes his head again, “issues, buddy. I’m honestly surprised things have gone as smoothly as I’ve needed them to go. I thought this would be harder.”Peter snorts, “yeah, to someone who isn’t as smart or as well read as you none of this would even be possible. I mean come on, you whipped out a law that’s like two hundred years old and then two phone calls later you told some soul mate popo that they were the treasonous ones for even suggesting your relationship wasn’t all happy and whatever. You’re really good at turning people’s words and thoughts around and throwing it back at them. Deflection 101 honestly, but it’s so well worded that they don’t notice. Like I said, hot.”Tony couldn’t help but wonder if Steve would have this appreciation of his skill. No, he decides, Steve doesn’t. He was appreciative of course but he didn’t look at things the same way Peter did. He didn’t see much more to Tony’s actions than the sum of them while Peter looked past what Tony was doing to see how that tied in with how he worked. That kind of appreciation was new to him really. Even Pepper, someone he’s known for years even before they dated didn’t see these things. Maybe she wasn’t as perfect for him as he thought she was when they were together and especially through the first few years of his relationship with Steve.“Where have you been my whole life?” he asks. He could have used Peter in his life way sooner honestly.“Here mostly. Someone had to build the Milano,” he jokes and Tony laughs.“Yeah, yeah. I’ve been working on the core to the reactor too, don’t worry. I just don’t know what would work,” he says. He gets out of his desk chair and walks over to his bed and sits down beside Peter, letting him draw Tony into his side when he sits.“You’ll figure it out,” Peter says with absolute confidence. More than Tony felt anyways.“Sure,” he mumbles. He’s went through every element that wouldn’t blow the reactor up three times and in a couple different ways but nothing seemed to work right. The stuff that did would eventually lose power or it could have unexpected problems that were as simple as just not working to accidentally poisoning the air. Clearly they weren’t options he’d choose for a deep space mission that meant fixing potential problems was near impossible.“Tony, you already did the impossible by making that reactor. I know nothing you’ve tried has worked out but I know you can do this. You’ll find a way,” Peter tells him, pressing his lips to the top of Tony’s head.“I’ve tried everything,” Tony says after a few moments of silence. There was no way to get it to work like he needed to, he’s tried and tried again. There was only so much he could do.“Then you’ll make something new like you always seem to when you hit a wall. You didn’t become the most well known inventor on this planet and maybe even in history just because you have a pretty face. You’re brilliant Tony, even if you don’t believe it sometimes. You’ll be fine,” Peter tells him.Make something, as if it was that easy. He couldn’t just make something out of nothing.He sits straight up as a thought occurs to him. Sometimes he doodled when he needed to think and he hadn’t been paying attention to the doodles before but now he saw what he was doing. Like always he doodled to solve the problem. Except his doodle was the solved problem. Damnit, he should have been paying more attention to what he was drawing, if he had he would have had this solved some time ago. “You’re a genius,” he tells Peter and he kisses him quickly before he flies out of bed, out the door, and all but runs to the lab. He had work to do if he was going to solve this core issue. He hears Peter’s laughter chase after him as he goes but he mostly ignores it, too excited to try his new idea. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Tony never liked being interrupted when he was working but thanks to his being on the edge of a scientific discovery of some sort he was down right bitchy when he had to call Steve. It didn’t help, Steve thinks, that the time they spent talking was all memorizing details about each other for their interview next week. They both got the impression that they had to pass the tests or else. What the tests were they had no idea.“Yeah yeah, you only eat ice cream with strawberries on it, whatever,” he mumbles. He keeps looking at something off screen and Steve is tempted just to tell him to go and do whatever it was he wanted to do instead of this because his attitude was grating but he doesn’t. They needed this.“No, strawberry sauce, not strawberries,” Bucky corrects.Tony rolls his eyes, “is this even relevant? Also why don’t you just eat strawberry ice cream if you’re so damn picky with the vanilla?” he asks.“Oh, that could be a long standing argument we’ve had,” Steve says. He can visibly see this getting through to Tony and he takes a breath of relief. He had no idea if he remembered the details of their conversations and they didn’t have time for quizzing when they needed to memorize every detail of the other’s life and fabricate a happy seven year long relationship.“Good, lets do that. I’ll eat basically anything that’s chocolate so you don’t have to think too hard about what I eat,” Tony says, a note of annoyance in his voice.“Yeah except you’ll eat all of the chocolate things until you either get a stomach ache or throw up,” Steve says, surprising them both with the knowledge. “That party we went to years ago, I spent most of it annoyed at you stuck in a bathroom patting your back because you couldn’t just leave the damn chocolate alone.” Right, he’d been some pissed at Tony and Tony, as usual, hadn’t even noticed.Judging from the look on his face he doesn’t even remember the incident, which annoys Steve. “Huh. Whatever. I think we should focus on my tech, it would make sense that you’d know a lot about it and you’ve gotten all the rest of the details of my life right except that so.” Tony shrugs like this is easy for Steve when it wasn’t. He had no interest in Tony’s technology.“You built a circuit board thing when you were six and JARVIS is next level creepy,” he says, recapping his knowledge.“I built a lot of circuit boards when I was six, the hell are you talking about? And JARVIS is not creepy, he’s the most advanced AI on the planet!” he says in defense of the AI.“The first one you made, I don’t know. And I don’t care how advanced JARVIS is it’s creepy.” He leaves the AI’s subtle threat to Bucky out of it because Tony would probably laugh and encourage the AI.“How old was I when I built the first version of JARVIS?” Tony asks and Steve shrugs. Was he supposed to know that.“Seventeen, just after your parents died,” Bucky says and Steve frowns at him. “Stevie, that’s common knowledge. Everyone knows that and you don’t? Jesus you two are shit together,” he mumbles.“So JARVIS was your way of dealing with the loss, I’m guessing?” he asks more than states. It fit with Tony’s other habits.He nods, “JARVIS is modeled after my family’s old butler. The man basically raised me; he was more of a father to me than my own ever was. That isn’t common knowledge. Throw that out there and they might not question why you seem to know so little.”That actually gives Steve an idea so he perks up. “I suck at tech Tony, you know that. There’s no way I’ll ever learn all of this but you naturally seem to connect tech to people do give me those stories. If someone asks for the details on the tech itself I’ll just tell them I suck with technology, which is true, and that I never asked because I have total faith in your genius. I know about all the stories behind the tech because people are kind of my thing.” It was an easy way to lie because technically it wasn’t much of one. The best way to lie was to tell the truth, it made things easier to follow later.Tony nods, “that might save our asses. Okay, lets do that.”“I did it!” Tony yells as he runs up to Peter, throwing his arms around him. He doesn’t have to pretend like he’s shocked because he is. He does, however, awkwardly pat Tony’s back like this was some kind of bizarre reaction even though it wasn’t. Appearances had to be kept though so even though he wants to hug Tony back and go celebrate or something he acts like this is weird and a little uncomfortable for him. It wasn’t like he wanted to be stuffed into a Reeducation center either.“Uh. Cool,” he says stiffly.“Well don’t be shy, Stark, whip it out,” Rocket tells him, snickering at his own joke.He steps back from Peter and throws Rocket the reactor with a smug look. Rocket immediately pulls the core out to inspect it and frowns as he turns it over in his hands. “The fuck even is this?” he asks.“An element that I made,” Tony says casually like this was an everyday run of the mill thing.“An element that you made?” Rocket asks slowly, squinting at it. This lasts for another several seconds before he shakes his head and sticks it back in the reactor. “Holy fuck Stark, I knew you were a genius but this is… dude I am tempted to bow down and I don’t bow to anyone,” he says, shaking his head in wonder.“What had Rocket looking so awed?” Drax asks, appearing out of the back room of the facility they were in.“Stark made a new element to power the reactor,” Rocket says, sounding as impressed as he looked.Drax snorts, “blending elements does not count as making a new one,” he says and he snatches the reactor out of Tony’s hand, removing the core to examine it. The look of minor annoyance at Rocket falls off his face almost immediately as he realizes Rocket wasn’t shitting him and his eyes get wide. “Oh my god. That is… very impressive,” he says eventually.Tony looks deeply impressed with himself and Peter, even if he couldn’t show it at the moment, was very proud. He knew Tony could do it.“Your video calls have been longer,” Soul Mate Cop One says as he examines Tony’s call times. That was all they’d been able to get from him legally. Tony doesn’t bother to tell him the calls were longer because he and Steve were memorizing useless things about each other, not because they spontaneously loved each other again. Or at all. “Sometimes scrutiny helps couples become closer,” he says.Uh, no. Sometimes scrutiny means couples do their best not to be tossed into some kind of prison that was intent on brainwashing them into believing in soul mates. God even knew what the goal of that even was. Tony saw no reason for them to be so extremely relevant that those that didn’t believe in them were like a threat to the fabric of society or whatever. He says none of that though.“We’ve always had short calls- my work schedule is unpredictable and Steve doesn’t like being a nuisance but he was worried so I did my best to comfort him,” he explains. They made the cover story to explain why their calls were short based on explanations Steve has already given and because the brief history explained why there was a change to their habits. It was best; they felt, to explain why their habits were different before and why they might return to that pattern. It would prevent further suspicion.“Steve seems to think you’ve done a pretty decent job of it,” he says and Tony snorts.“No he doesn’t. I’m shit with emotions and he knows it,” he blurts out before he can think for a moment. Fuck he was stupid for a genius.Fortunately for him the soul mate cop guy nods. “So you are aware that he thinks that about you,” he says.“Well yeah. I’ve never been good with people,” he says, wondering what the hell else Steve would have said about him. What else would Steve know? What would stick out to him as an explanation? He resists the urge to try and takes a stab at it. “He knows I’ve long preferred technology to people, it’s less complicated and… well and I have a history of abuse. Left me a bit emotionally stunted.” It wasn’t wrong exactly, but he had no idea if that’s what Steve listed as his reasons for Tony’s cool emotional nature.The soul mate cop nods though so Tony must have got it right unless he got it totally wrong and this guy was leading him in all sorts of wrong directions. No, he couldn’t afford to think like that. With people, Steve explained, the most likely answer was usually the right one. He told Tony that he over thought things too much, acting like people were math problems instead of somewhat predictable humans. He still had no clue what that even meant but he figures that his assumptions were somewhat accurate. He hoped anyways.“He says that’s something you’ve bonded over, abusive fathers?” the cop asks more than states.Tony nods, “his mom’s soul mate died when they were immigrating here. Turns out the guy she settled for was a real piece of shit.” He doesn’t think through his word choice but he knows right away that he said something right. He thinks it over and decides it was the use of the word ‘settled’ that got the positive reaction. He used it because he didn’t have a high opinion of abusers but he knew this guy liked the choice of word because if you weren’t with your soul mate people always saw it as ‘settling’.“Steve says you’re not fond of looking into technological ways to locate your soul mate faster,” the cop says. Well fuck; he and Steve never covered that in all their fabricating their lives. Jesus Christ these people had to pick the most obscure things to quiz on. But he does, thanks to an argument they had a while ago; sort of know what Steve’s opinion on the subject was.Lets hope that he remembered the same argument and made some shit up on the same lines Tony was about to. “It’s a long standing argument we’ve had. I don’t think the system should be messed with and he thinks that it would have been nice to have met sooner or whatever. Personally I think we met at a good time in our lives, that’s when things were supposed to happen and I don’t feel like messing with a good thing.” More like he didn’t want to condemn people to the same shitty prison he was in but whatever.“When was the first time you knew he felt this way?” he asks and shit, how the fuck was Tony supposed to know that? But wait, Steve knew he sucked at this. Tony, according to Steve, was very predictable so he hadn’t felt the need to have Tony coach him on how to figure out what he was going to say but he spent a lot of time telling Tony how he would answer things. He also said he’d deliberately make it easy for him to answer things.The only time he could think of when he and Steve ever discussed soul mate finding tech was shortly before he left for his work for NASA so that’s what he tells the cop. He resists the urge to relax when he can see that he got it right. Steve warned him that they’d be watching his body language the whole time and he couldn’t waver in it at all if he wanted them to not suspect anything. He came in here tense so he needed to stay that way.The cop asks a few more questions and Tony is sure he gets most if not all of them right and finally, finally he is released.When he finds Steve sitting in the hallway he doesn’t have to fake his relief and neither does Steve. Actually until he spotted Tony he looked worried enough that even he would have been fooled into thinking that Steve genuinely cared. Steve immediately drapes an arm around Tony’s shoulders and he hooks his hand around Steve’s waist like they planned and walk out without saying much of anything. Tony didn’t want to risk saying something and apparently Steve felt the same way. Neither of them thought to script this part but the people around them didn’t seem to look too suspicious.They don’t say anything until they get into the car and Happy drives off with no questions asked. “That was genius,” Steve tells him and Tony frowns.“What was?” he asks.Steve looks surprised for a moment and he sighs, “you really are dense. You looked some pissed off walking out of there, like you were offended that you were dragged in to begin with. Were you like that the whole time?” he asks.Tony shrugs, “I don’t know, that’s just my face.”“You know what, who cares. We’re out for now so let’s just take it.” ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Three months they’ve been suspicion-free but it involved more work than either of them anticipated and Tony knew Steve was getting to the end of his rope. Tony? He was used to sneaking around to avoid the media if nothing else but Steve was a blunt, to the point kind of guy. Keeping secrets like this was killing him and his dipshit boyfriend was reckless as hell and Tony didn’t like cleaning up after him. He only did it because he didn’t want to be tossed into Reeducation thanks to Bucky’s actions.Thankfully he thought he had a ticket out via Christine, who had been shocked to learn about the presence of soul mate police and was rather disgusted. Of course none of them could say that so instead they came up with something else. Something that would, hopefully, get them around the rules of being stuck in a forcible marriage but would also give both Tony and Steve some freedom.Peter thought this was going to go horribly but Tony thought that maybe if he just bent the rules he would be okay. They all gather around the television, Rocket with popcorn, and lean forward in interest as Christine’s interview with Steve and Tony comes on.“Quill, since you’re fucking him can you tell us what’s going on?” Drax asks, blunt as ever.He whips around to face them all, shocked. “You guys knew?” he asks.Gamora shrugs, “yeah. We know you well enough to know when you’re lying or acting. Besides, Drax’s soul mate turned out to be a woman he hated, Rocket doesn’t seem to have a soul mate, and my soul mate was my adoptive sister. Thankfully we weren’t forced into marriage but we didn’t get out of that without a few scars to the psyche. She hates me now,” Gamora says like this was no big deal.“I married another woman after Mary and I agreed to fake having other soul mates. Once, before we fooled everyone though, I convinced her a raccoon was a puppy and had her pet it. It almost bit her hand off,” Drax says, laughing like that wasn’t fucked up at all. “I am happily married to my wife now and we have children. Heather is doing very well,” he says proudly. Poor kid, having Drax as a father.“Wow this is all way more messed up than Tony’s situation. I don’t really know what’s going on though. He thinks he’s found a way around the whole ‘marry your soul mate and stay together until you die or else’ thing and I think he’s being too hopeful.” People weren’t going to leave this damn thing alone until… well Peter didn’t think it’d ever leave the oppressive state it was in but Tony… is Tony.They all settle back as Christine asks questions though, watching as Steve and Tony laugh together easily. Yeah, Peter has seen them together and they weren’t that happy. Steve didn’t laugh at any of Tony’s jokes, which was a damn shame because Tony is hilarious, and Tony didn’t have near that much patience with Steve. Whatever they were getting to was still a damn joke. It takes some time to get to the point but Peter thinks that it’s worth it to establish a connection between the two however fake it was. It would make whatever was about to come easier, he thinks.Christine draws attention to their falling under suspicion from the soul mate police that still freaked Peter out. They went after people who didn’t look happy enough but murder and abuse? That’s okay. He really wanted to leave this damn planet and thanks to Tony he was that much closer to being able to do that. Clearly they were meant to be.“We did have some issues, yes,” Steve says and Tony shoots him a dirty look. If he hadn’t known Tony as well as he did though he would have only assumed he was offended. For a guy who sucked at lying he was really good at it.“Not ‘issues’ per se. We’ve always had a good relationship,” he says and Peter snorts. Yeah, no they didn’t.“Jealous much?” Rocket says, rolling his eyes. Peter flips him off.“What we found was the problem was how we were expected to connect,” Tony continues and Peter starts paying attention to the interview again. “See, Steve and I have found our love a little… lackluster. It isn’t that that we haven’t tried, of course we have, we knew we were drawn together for a reason,” Tony says with such confidence that Peter actually believes it for a moment. “It took us a long time and an investigation but we found that we weren’t meshing as well as we were meant to because we just weren’t meant to be together romantically. We’ve determined that our soul mate connection is platonic.”“Familial even,” Steve throws in. “We still love each other unconditionally of course, we were meant to, we just love each other a little differently than we expected.”Rocket snorts, “I’ll say,” he mumbles.“Is this real?” Drax asks, frowning at Peter.He shakes his head, “no they suck together. Rogers has no idea what he’s missing honestly. Dude has squandered seven years of Tony’s life.” But even he had to admit this was good. Especially all that shit with them not really questioning the ‘must love each other forever and ever’ shit. They just changed the love. Now he saw what Tony meant when he said this would free them up without really changing things.“So,” Christine says, “how exactly did you figure this out?”“Probably when we tried really hard to force the romance and just… nothing,” Steve says.“And it wasn’t that we didn’t get along,” Tony covers fast, “we did. We were really confused because we seemed to be compatible in pretty much every way but the romance was… well not what Hollywood told us to expect.”“We figured we’d get all that fire and sparks but instead we got a great connection, just not that romantic passion. It wasn’t until that um… investigation that we started figuring things out. We knew all the answers to the questions and all that so it wasn’t as if we were lacking anything that’s expected of a soul mate so we got to thinking and eventually concluded that the romance wasn’t there because it wasn’t meant to be. Our connection has been a lot stronger since we stopped trying to force ourselves into something our connection was never meant for,” Steve says.Oh that was just fucking precious. Connection being stronger his ass, Tony’s number one complaint about everything was Steve’s presence in his life and he’d bet that Steve’s complains were all Tony related too. But it was smart to play it that way he guessed. Everyone got their precious soul mates without trying to jam Steve and Tony’s marriage down their throats.They go on talking about their supposedly excellent platonic connection and how great it all was and all that. Peter mostly tunes out because none of this shit mattered to him, it was all in there to make sure the idea that they weren’t making out non-stop was palatable to the public. It isn’t until he hears the word ‘romance’ that he tunes back in. Christine, he realized, has asked about romantic relationships. It’s stupid to hope Tony would mention him but he kind of hopes for it anyways.Steve and Tony exchange a glance and even Peter had to admit the action looked natural on them, familiar. “Actually, yeah. We both thought that an easy way to um… test the bond was to see how we connected with other people romantically,” Steve says. Holy shit they were actually going to say it. No wonder they spent so much time hammering it into the audience that they had some super awesome connection to each other if they were going to out and out admit to high treason as far as soul mates go. Infidelity was illegal when you were with your soul mate. This was more than a little gutsy.“We both found that with others things were fine. We both thought the other would be, well you know, jealous and all that because it’s only natural but we didn’t get that. Instead we were happy with the new arrangement. I know it sounds weird but I mean having your soul mate as your wingman is optimal. Who else knows you like you’re soul mate does? Other people might be um… intimidated by that kind of connection because soul mates are thought of as romantic but we don’t think it’s something to be scared of,” Tony says, grinning at Steve like he didn’t hate the guy.Steve grins back, “it’s true. Like he said it sounds weird because if your soul mate knows you so well than why not just be with them? But I mean people have best friends, right, people they’ve known for a long time and love but they wouldn’t date because it’s just…” Steve trails off.“Like dating a sibling,” Tony finishes and Steve nods.“Exactly. Sure Tony always knows what’s on my mind and we finish each other’s sentences but sometimes people have strong connections without them being romantic. That’s what Tony and I have and it works,” Steve says. Nice, Peter thinks, pointing out that Tony finishes his sentences right after he finishes his sentence. An easy way, Peter realizes, to convey that they still had a warm and fizzy soul mate connection. Their new connection was threatening to the system, but it didn’t question it enough to throw everything out of balance.“We figure these connections haven’t got much attention because soul mates are always talked about as if they’re romantic. I mean romance isn’t for everyone though, for some people they only want platonic connections. You hear of strange cases too, where people’s soul mates are related to them and stuff so I figure that platonic connections are more popular than we know. We figured we’d make them known so soul mates can get along better,” Tony says. Up until then Peter was sure he actually believed what he was saying but that last bit was total bullshit. He didn’t give a damn about how well soul mates got along.“Right,” Steve says, “we wanted to tell people about this so soul mated pairs out there didn’t wonder if they were broken or something for not really feeling the romance. And of course like Tony said you do get the cases where people are soul mates with family members so these connections obviously happen, just not always to family members.”“Guess that’s you Gamora,” Peter says and Gamora throws a wadded up piece of paper at his head. “Just saying.” Rocket at least snickers at his joke and Peter is sure that his comedic genius is underrated with this freaks.Admitting they had been with other people had been dangerous, Tony knew, but someone out there was bound to ask if they knew without testing it. Of course that was against the law so the person asking wouldn’t have expected an answer but Tony was nothing if not thorough. He and Steve made it sound like an arrangement they made with each other and that they thought they’d respond like ‘normal’ people. In real life they didn’t give a damn who or what the other did but people didn’t need to know that. Pretending to be friends was easier than pretending to be married.They had been nervous but they were good at pretending to like each other in public already so all they had to do was make a few social outings clearly showing that they had a connection still. They wanted to rock the boat, not crash it into an iceberg. The only issue was that they claimed to have a better connection now, which meant that they should appear in public more rather than less. That also depended on how people reacted to their relationship though because what they did was a real risk and there was a very real chance that it would backfire.The reception, thankfully, was excellent thanks to their validating unconventional pairs. No one thought soul mates that were also family members were right and now they had made the pairs acceptable. Obviously they were meant to be platonic soul mates, the universe didn’t mess something up after all. It also validated pairs with huge age gaps too, which they hadn’t anticipated, and so they decided they were on safe ground after a month of the world being shook by their interview. Christine had also written an article criticizing soul mate police using Tony and Steve as a model for how no two soul bonds were alike, meaning people had no right to police other people’s happiness. She had toed the line of acceptability there but had done a decent enough job making criticisms without risking her ass for it. Her influence was helpful in the end, thankfully.Thanks to the positive reception the fact that they had technically broken the law had gone overlooked because throwing them in jail wouldn’t look good when they explained why certain soul mates existed like that. Tony thought they were idiots for buying it all, not that he didn’t believe platonic soul mates existed because they were statistically more likely than that romantic soul mate crap, but he and Steve were obviously not a good match in any way. People saw what they wanted to he guessed and he wasn’t in a position to question it.“Do you think this is a good idea?” Steve asks in a low voice as Bucky moves his stuff into the mansion. He hadn’t liked that and Steve wasn’t sure about it but Tony insisted.“People expect us to stay close,” he points out, “if we want a divorce we need to play within the rules as much as we can here. Divorce are still technically illegal for us so moving Bucky in with us will be a hell of a lot easier to explain than divorcing me and leaving my ass in the dust. Bucky moving in is like a sleep over with your best friend and his boyfriend every night and that’s fun. If you up and moved out it would be flat out unacceptable.” This way they were a big, happy family rather than a broken home. Or at least that’s how he was going to play it.Thanks to Steve’s people lessons he was getting better at it if only to avoid being stuffed in jail. Already he had done interviews reiterating that he wanted Steve to be happy and that he would do everything in his power to make that happen because that’s what soul mates did, supported each other. People had settled down some after that and Steve’s moving Bucky in was less of a betrayal Tony was accepting for some reason and more like Tony being a good soul mate like he was supposed to.“I guess you have a point. What about Peter?” he asks.“I’ll wait for the dust to settle around Bucky first before kicking things back up again. People know he exists, that’s all they need to know right now.” That had been another reason why people weren’t after Steve’s head. He supported Tony in his relationship too, he wasn’t a horrible monster who was just trying to find a legal way to cheat on Tony and take his money too if Tony was also with someone. Peter didn’t like being used as a pawn but he accepted it because he did genuinely love Tony and he knew Tony wasn’t fond of this either. But they had to do what they had to do.Steve remains silent for a long few moments before he speaks again. “Thanks for this. You didn’t need to take care of me first and you did. As much bullshit as we’re selling here you aren’t really lying about being a good soul mate to me,” he says.Tony shrugs, “people like me and they’re willing to overlook my transgressions. They aren’t so willing to do that with you so right now it’s imperative to make sure that your ass is covered unless we want people breaking out the pitchforks. Besides, making sure things go smoothly for you means they’ll go smoothly for me in the future.” Most of this was for selfish reasons really.“Still doing your soul mate duties,” Steve sing songs and Tony rolls his eyes as he walks away to go find Bucky.Later he can thank his lucky stars that the best picture of Bucky’s move in happened to be a picture of Steve and Bucky kissing with Tony gazing at them warmly, like he was happy that Steve found happiness. There was no malice, no longing like he secretly wanted Steve and was letting him do whatever he wanted like some kind of fucked up martyr or whatever, or any other bizarre conspiracy people came up with. Instead a lot of people were forced to admit that maybe, just maybe Tony and Steve really did have a platonic connection and he was actually happy Steve was with someone else. To be fair he was, watching Steve and Bucky kiss was a damn load off his shoulders because he didn’t have to pretend to love Steve anymore and Steve wasn’t trying to force them both into a relationship they hated to make himself feel better. But the picture still looked good in the way it needed to and that’s what mattered.*Peter didn’t except Tony to drag him out of obscure mentions really given how messy his fight to change the divorce laws were- all in the name of doing right by his platonic soul mate whom he totally cared about- but he does and without Peter knowing about it too.He’s happily situated in Tony’s giant ass mansion with some wicked nice floors that he liked so slide across on his socks when he overhears Tony’s interview outside. It wasn’t abnormal, ironically there were more eyes on him and Steve than ever before, but he doesn’t expect Tony to open the damn doors to reveal him in his socks singing into his trusty rat. Boy was that embarrassing. Tony just grins at him and Peter knows that’s all he’ll need for the press. His face clearly shows how much he cares about Peter and he sighs, wondering where he was supposed to put his rat now.“Well come on, people keep questioning your existence so you might as well say hi,” Tony says. Jesus he was not prepared for this.“Uh, hi?” he asks more than says and the press goes wild. For the next forty-five minutes he gets his ass grilled on his and Tony’s relationship and Tony and Steve’s relationship. He awkwardly holds his rat and answers things probably too honestly minus the stuff about Tony and Steve, he lied though his teeth about that. And about the super awesome relationship he totally had with Steve that he one hundred percent oversold but these people were idiots and actually bought his having fucking movie dates with Steve once a week because they both loved sci-fi. Steve hated sci-fi because he’s a fucking freak, he made that up.When he and Tony finally escape back into the house he sighs, “so uh, sorry for fucking that all up for you,” he says honestly. They were all going to Reeducation now, whoops.Tony frowns, “what are you talking about? You were great! I mean come on, all that stuff about you and Steve bonding even though I think he hates alien movies, and all that stuff with Steve and I. Trust me you did great,” Tony tells him.“Think I oversold it a little with Steve and come on, I was definitely laying it on thick when I said we bonded over losing our mothers young to tragic circumstances,” he says.“Actually I think that’s when they were less prepared to burn you alive. You made a pretty damn convincing picture of you and Steve bonding and how he’s totally fine with all of this and how we all go stargazing, Bucky included. I mean the calling you Star Lord thing was definitely over the top but then you brought it around by connecting your ridiculous nickname to your dead mom so it went form being absurd to cute and all warm and fuzzy and stuff so I can’t complain,” Tony says, shrugging.“My mom actually did call me that you ass!” Peter says and Tony’s eyes go wide and he apologizes.“You’re all contractually obligated to call me Star Lord now,” Peter says, fully prepared to use this to his advantage.“We are not calling you that. Also the rat? People will love it,” Tony tells him. “Now come on, I want to forget about the press and you’re pretty good at distractions.” Peter grins and follows Tony up the stairs to his room, depositing the rat back in it’s cage on the way.
11473356	Hand in Hand	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Ignis Scientia, Balthier Bunansa", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by BabyChocoboAlchemist", "chapters": "2/?", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-11T00:00:00", "words": "4,530", "Additional Tags": "Comfort, Ignis Protection Squad Forever, Happy Zodiac Age Release Day, Budding Love, Friendship", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "Balthier Bunansa/Ignis Scientia, Balthier Bunansa/Prompto Argentum (close friends)", "Series": "The Zodiac Crownsguard", "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "Final Fantasy XV, Final Fantasy XII", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	It was into a sea of triumph and defeat he walked, nestled among ancient tomes feeling no greater than a feather. It was never admitted out loud, but being surrounded by shelves that housed tales of the past always made him feel a hundred times smaller. Tales of warriors far greater than he served as constant reminders of the warrior he wouldn't ever be, of the expectations far too many had set for him-his father included. Shiva be damned, he would've given anything to cut himself free from that world's shackles. Free from the shackles of a legacy he never asked to carry. But on he pressed, eyes set on the path before him. He was in search of the one he had been asked to watch over at the beginning of his tale-a young man with shackles even greater than his. He had grown up alongside the young man he sought, but even as the present unfolded with Summer serenity, he still couldn't keep himself from feeling a thousand miles apart from his charge. Like the tomes that engulfed him, his charge was a stronghold of impenetrable strength and unrivaled intellect. A fragile but blindingly brilliant beacon of valor that commanded respect from the Espers. Strange, how such an incredible spirit had been abandoned by his family. The one tasked with the responsibility of keeping him safe found it impossible to choose the better path: was it better for him to have been abandoned, or should the heavens be held responsible for not doing a better job of keeping him with his family? While Cid's son enjoyed his charge's company, much better than he initially expected to, Ffamran couldn't help but wish the young man had remained in his birth world. Would've been much vastly superior to seeing someone else chained to a life burdened with regrets and responsibilities. Ah. Ffamran caught sight of the young man with his nose in a book-as usual. Sitting alone at one of the tables inside Arcadia's greatest library. Shafts of afternoon light were pouring in from the windows, bestowing a rich, luminous glow upon the young reader's shoulders. Awe spread across the face of Cid's son as he realized something; sitting at that table, Ignis looked very much like an Esper. One alive with the golden riches of Summer and Autumn. Best to approach him with great care and calm. "Hello," he waved at his charge. "How are your studies going?" The look Ignis gave him was one that commanded reverence. While he despised the world he had been chained to, Ffamran took his father's lessons to heart-one of the greatest being 'respect the divine'. He may have been tethered to a world of responsibilities, but the young Bunansa wasn't seized by lunacy. His charge's divinity was as plain as day. Anyone could see it. Ignis looked at him as though he hadn't expected a falling feather to interrupt his reading, and it caused his mentor to take a few steps back. "Sorry-didn't mean to alarm you." "It's quite all right," was the soft answer. Relief swept through Ffamran's heart in an instant. Ah. Ignis saw fit to speak to him. The gods hadn't been angered after all. The two of them shared a strong connection, but the small Bunansa always keep the other's divinity close to heart. It wasn't ever wise to anger those ruling from above. Ignis set down the book he had been reading-one of the many tomes that spoke of bygone Judge Magisters. It was one of the many books he had been using quite often as of late, being bred to become a Judge Magister himself. "They're going rather well, thank you." Ffamran grimaced at the large azure blue book in his friend's hands. "You've been at them for a rather long time, now," he scowled. And it was the truth-Ignis must've memorized every nook and cranny of that book an hour ago, but was still intent on reading it. "Why don't we enjoy a bit of the afternoon together?" the Bunansa offered, his hopeful smile as bright as the midday sun. Ignis looked at him as though he had suggested treason against the Royal Family of Dalmasca, but Ffamran was insistent. "There's quite an amazing market being held downtown," he pressed on, green eyes ablaze with excitement. "I know how fond you are of those. We could take a peek and come right back! What do you think? It won't be long at all, I promise." The young man sitting across from him eyed him with a world of curiosity, trying to make sense of what was going on inside a mortal's inner machinations. Cid's son was suspended in mid-air, waiting for the other's answer with bated breath, but then- "All right. Not for too long, though." ---------------------------Balthier sighed, rolling his eyes all the while. Ten years of friendship, and he still hadn't figured out how to properly approach Ignis. Present circumstances heightened thet task's difficulty by a hundred levels. Evening calm had settled over their world, but it wouldn't ever be enough. They had all barely escaped hellflame's reach, having torn one of Balthier's two proteges out of the underworld's darkest void. Hell had swept through all of creation in what must've been a matter of seconds, pushing not only a certain Sky Pirate but his friends beyond their limits as well. Prompto, bearing ancient, powerful nethicite in his veins (as they found out), was abducted by Dalmasca's Chancellor and his father. Balthier's young gunner, the young man he came to treasure far more than any legendary jewel a Sky Pirate could grab, was revealed to be a soldier designed for destruction-with the most powerful and brutal substance embedded in his veins. It was all in the hope of creating the perfect army-a force that would cause the gods to cower in fear. Gathering all of their strength, wits and courage, Balthier and his friends tore the young man out of Hell's grasp-but none of them left unscathed. Sleep had taken a hold of the others, but rest wouldn't be found that night. Not only was his kind-hearted, beaming protege still in danger, broken and still bearing the nethicite, but the Bunansa's old charge emerged from the fires of battle with a heavy loss-the loss of his sight. Protecting the city from Leviathan proved to be a task of monstrous proportions-one that left the Magister-in-training without his eyes. Fate was already strained enough, with them frantically searching for the elixir that would rid their Prompto of the nethicite. The Sky Pirate stood at Ignis' door, heart pounding upon the drums of war, throat parched. Fran wasn't anywhere in sight, having been asked to take her leave by Balthier himself. 'They need you far more than I do', he told his old friend, patting her on the shoulder as a warm smile was given to her. 'Watch over the kitten in my place,' he added, referring to their sleeping Prompto. 'I'll be back in no time at all.'Unfortunately, quite a lot of time must've passed while he stood in front of Ignis' door. They had all taken rooms inside Bhujerba's Inn for the night, in dire need of whatever rest they could grab ahold of. Basch was visiting the nearby market, purchasing much-needed supplies for his battered company. Fran, Consulman Gladiolus Amicitia, Vaan, Penelo and Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum of Dalmasca were watching over Prompto, Ignis demanding they all refrain from giving him a second glance. Prompto was the one that need the utmost care and attention-he could do without it. They all knew none of it was true, but they also knew that when it came to comforting the runaway Magister-in-Training, Balthier was the best man for the job. 'You're the only one that understands Ignis, after all,' Noctis teased, heartbroken but playful, warm, grateful. 'Why don't you take a shot at it? He'd only throw me out the window. May not be able to see any more, but I'm pretty sure he can still kick ass.'With confidence from his friends close to heart, Balthier knocked on the door. The only barrier keeping him from the friend he had known for a lifetime. Nervousness was never allowed into the picture, but Ignis always made him feel perfectly comfortable with him. Comfortable with the person he had left behind, and was determined to forget. Panic shot through him once a faint 'go away, please' met his knocking from the other side, but the Bunansa was insistent."It's only me. No need to be afraid-I won't take up too much of your time."Five minutes passed before the door was opened. Balthier stepped back once the world beyond the door was revealed, pierced by the loneliness that poured from it-and from its lone occupant. The state of his friend's face buried stakes deeper into his heart. Not out of disgust, but out of sadness. Tiny protege Prompto was receiving the love and care he needed, but Ignis had been left alone. Per his own orders, but he was alone nonetheless-when he needed just as much care and attention as his photo-taking, chocobo-loving friend. "Have you come to tell me about my little brother?" Ignis asked, hands on the door, ready to close it without a second's notice-not at all interested in entertaining the other's concern. Balthier bit his bottom lip with a small grunt, hating how he hadn't grown an inch from the person that sat in front of Ignis in the library that afternoon. "That's one of the reasons why I'm here," he confessed. Everything within him screamed for the opportunity to settle Ignis back into his room, but he was adamant about remaining right where he was. Adamant about shutting out anyone that wanted to comfort him. Best to tread lightly."Basch has gone to market for healing herbs and other forms of sustenance. Prompto's sleeping like a newborn chocobo, thank the fates, which gives us a little more room to breathe.""Splendid. What a relief. Thank you."It was at that moment a third dagger joined the others in piercing his spirit. Balthier was delighted to know Ignis couldn't see the expression on his face, for it was one no other soul would ever see: a union of anger, frustration and mirth. While it was amusing to not have Ignis see the look on his face, knowing how adamant the Scientia was about shutting him out, even after ten years of studying and dreaming and waiting together, cut through him like Ifrit's roar. No other was privy to the emotions flowing through Balthier's veins, but Ignis bore witness to the one he wanted to leave behind: the vulnerable, helpless young man that could do nothing but dream of a life outside of chains. Balthier knew that the moment he even thought of asking after Ignis' well-being, the other would shut him out immediately-and that wasn't something he took pride in.Was he guilty of the same crime? No. Prompto was proof of that. So was Noctis. If Balthier had shut himself off from the world, he wouldn't have adopted either of the young men as proteges. His spirit wouldn't be bleeding over what had happened to the freckled young man he came to love as a brother. And, as their recent run-in with Hell had beautifully proven, life was much too short and far too precious to take lightly. So, as risky as it was, it was time to take a shot. Time to keep Ignis from closing the door. "If you don't mind, I'll be going back to bed, now," the runaway Magister told him, moving to end the conversation-but Balthier shot out a hand. The hand latched onto Ignis' arm, his former charge gave him a look of alarm-"Don't. Don't flee. Please. I mean no harm. I only wish to spend the rest of the night enjoying your company. Nothing more."Shiva would've been in fear of the frost that laced Ignis' voice. "I'd rather you didn't."Fran would've been thoroughly amused, seeing Balthier transformed into the tiny, awkward young man named Ffamran. "I won't utter a word," the Sky Pirate assured him, giving Ignis' arm a gentle squeeze. He gave off a laugh; a small, roguish, nervous sound. "You won't even know I'm around. I'll just be by your side."The ice remained in place. "I'd be happier if you were with the others.""I'd be happy if you trusted me. Just this once. Not asking too much, am I?"Dangerous shot. "Who says I don't trust you?" Ignis snarled, ice growing even colder, wrenching his arm away. "What lunacy is this?"Balthier knew that his next words had the power to end their conversation immediately. Ignis would probably see fit to slam the door in his face. But on he pressed, gentle, anxious, desperately fighting to remain calm but hurt. "It's yours, if you don't mind my saying so," the pirate replied. "As much as it pains me to say it, I am at a loss. I've been by your side for ten years. On the darkest of all nights, you treat me as though I'm a plague. I have plenty of fans that can't stand me-and while I find all of them amusing, I'd rather not add your name to that list."He took the other's hand, voice soft with concern, sadness, memories. "I don't want to hurt you. Just let me be by your side tonight. I won't say a thing-you have my word and honor as a pirate of the skies."Ignis' chuckle violently infused Balthier's veins with relief. It was a frail sound, but it was there, nonetheless. "Not the word and honor of a judge?"The Bunansa chuckled in return, mostly out of the piercing relief flowing through him. "No, I'm afraid. I find it a little more glamorous to speak of myself as a pirate. Just as you speak of yourself as a chef. Nothing wrong with being drawn to a path that provides more than rules and regulations, don't you agree?""Yes, well, I find more freedom in the culinary arts." It was at that moment Ignis bowed his head, hand still locked inside Balthier's, his other hand gripping his cane. "I did, anyway. However, there's no sense in clinging to the past."Balthier's voice lost all traces of humor, every bit of it replaced by a much more grave but still infinitely tender nature. "There is if its a part of what makes you come to life."He kissed the other's hand. "Enough. I promised I wouldn't prod at certain wounds, and a true Sky Pirate keeps his promises. So. Bedtime?"Silence unfolded between the two of them, carrying them back into the room Ignis inhabited inside Bhujerba's inn. Balthier gave minimal attention to his friend as he settled back into his bed, not wanting the other to feel overwhelming with supervision-certainly not after the progress that had been made. The pirate settled one of the room's chairs near the other's bed and set his focus on surrendering to sleep, but-Ignis continued to surprise him."Are you worried about me?"Balthier chuckled once again, the sound both nervous and warm. "Promise not to have me thrown out if I say anything?"The Scientia's voice was sad, unbearably sad and unbearably difficult to listen to. "I'll do no such thing.""Fascinating. Change of heart, I see. All right then. Yes. Yes, I'm worried about you. I've always been worried about you. And not because I was ordered by my father to worry about you. Oh, by the way, a thousand apologies for what happened earlier. You know, the little exchange between our Prompto and my darling old man. I love Prompto beyond words-but it seems as though I've done a poor job of showing it."The runaway Magister gave him a look of electric confusion. "An odd conclusion to come to.""Ah-not really. Not when that old bastard's my responsibility. I am his son, after all, no matter how hard I try to ignore that bit of truth.""Prompto would disagree with you.""Of course he would," Balthier challenged, sadness and anger working as one potent force. "I could rip his camera apart and he'd forgive me. With a smile. But instead of me continuing to go down that road-the road that will only result in me turning my gun on myself-I'll go back to your inquiry. Yes, I'm worried about you. Even more so than normal. And no, it's not because I fear you've outgrown your usefulness. Even without your eyes, your wisdom and grace are far more valuable than those of any sovereign's. So consider me the last person to write you off as useless. I'm worried about you because you won't let me in."Silence returned to their corner of the world, Ignis keeping his head bowed as it unfolded. Balthier watched him with gentle eyes, but just as he was set on closing his-"Your hand. Would you mind giving it to me again?"The runaway Magister's hand was soon enveloped in the warm, soft hand of a lifelong friend. But that wasn't enough, it seemed. "Would you mind coming a little closer?" Ignis asked. He soon found himself nestled against a body of overwhelming warmth, one that offered a world of loving comfort. Their hands still locked within each other's all the while.Balthier's former charge sighed. "I'm awfully sorry about this.""Why?"Neither of them uttered a word for the remainder of the evening, eventually falling asleep-side by side, hand in hand. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- Balthier Bunansa's relationship with doors wasn't a great one. Approaching the barrier that constantly separated him from Ignis was never an easy job-and considering the dangers he tangled with on a daily basis, that was an odd bit of truth. Wrestling with death was never a challenge he turned down, but facing a door, knowing Ignis was on the other side of it? A task he willingly took on, but not without the weaknesses he had sworn off a lifetime ago. A bond that had been forged in Archadia's library, Doctor Cid's study and Downtown Rabanastre's markets was something he'd fight to the death to protect, but getting used to the possibility of Ignis slamming a door in his face?He sighed, frustration rolling out of his lips in a soft cloud. Fran wasn't a witness to the monumental struggle between the legendary Sky Pirate and the door, having been asked by her twin spirit to look after their friends. She could've been in the Giza Plains that night and would've sensed his internal struggle-but she didn't have a front-row seat to it. The teasing, even though it came in small wisps, was more than enough. She heard the voices of conflict loud and clear, knowing how they stormed through him like a maelstrom-and sometimes saw fit to poke him over them. When the voices of conflict were at their loudest, though, she gave him the room he needed to breathe. To think. Just in time, too. The night in Bhujerba wasn't at all interested in bringing any of them peace.It had been two nights since Prompto's return. Two nights since their descent into the chasm known as Hell. Fran's other half had succeeded in draping healing balm over some of Ignis' wounds, but the day granted no favors for any of them. The little, virtuous photograpger they had all grown to love with a passion remained asleep, hidden from the world and all that he loved. Ignis' spirits were lifted by his lifelong friend's kindness last night, but the day's unfolding hours erased the good Balthier had done. A patron of the Khus Skygrounds drove the pain even deeper. The brash customer made a reference to Ignis' blindness after bumping into him, eyes burning with inhumane contempt. The exchange was swift, but followed up with a perfect response: "Watch where you're going, you witless bag of bones, or I'll boil you alive!" "You might want to refrain from such idiocy," Balthier suggested, just as calm as ever-with the barrel of his gun pointed at the side of the bangaa's head. With his friends and other patrons looking upon him in awe (with the exception of Fran, whose eyes were on fire with amusement), the Sky Pirate kept the barrel firm. "You ARE in a Judge Magister's presence," the pirate of the skies informed him, his own eyes on fire with valor. "Better behave, my good man, unless you fancy losing your head. I'd rather not make a mess in the good shopkeeper's store, so please mind your manners."However, the fruits of Balthier's triumph did not last long. His former charge retreated in the wake of such cruelty, returning to the shell he had fashioned for himself against the cold of the unknown. He claimed to withdraw from his room with a yearning to enjoy the evening air, but the incident inside the city's shop was a fresh wound. In addition to his little brother still being trapped in a chasm of slumber. With the world caving in on his shoulders, and with constant reminders of how losing his sight was a grave hindrance, the Scientia found comfort in hiding. However, none of them were willing to let him be. They entrusted Balthier with their friend's well-being, knowing the bond that had been forged over an eon would hold out against the maelstrom of the unknown. Unfortunately-Balthier found himself helpless against a door, yet again.Deep breaths. Ignis claimed to be unscathed from the item shop's incident, and from all other nightmares that had taken place, but Cid's son was well aware of the truth. Focused on comforting his lifelong friend once again, Balthier turned the doorknob. Strange, how such a small task felt like such a tremendous venture. The door was slowly opened by a force that felt nothing like his own hand, revealing a world of stars little by little. A world of constellations, portraits of star-kissed wonders that graced the pages of ancient tales. Balthier soon found the one he sought standing underneath those stars, just as small and delicate as the wonders that sang above. With his head raised to the stars, as though the answers to many prayers were within that golden realm, Ignis once again looked very much like an Esper. Something strange and mythical, not at all familiar to the realm of humes.Deep breaths. Balthier approached his friend the way anyone would approach a holy creature-with great care and calm. He scrambled for an opening topic, not wanting to alarm Ignis by prodding any wounds, then-"The stars above Bhujerba are incredible little things, aren't they? Many claim they're a bridge to the heavens. Gateways to worlds beyond your wildest dreams. I was never one for fairy tales, but then I met you."Ignis' voice was quiet but alive with enough frost to destroy the Ozmone Plain. Prompto's mentor took note of that: Ignis was rather serene around all others, but frequently acted as though a certain Sky Pirate was nothing but a curse. "What do I have to do with fairy tales?" he asked without turning to his friend. Balthier continued to walk towards his former charge carefully, encouraged by how Ignis hadn't ordered him to leave-but also encouraged by the other's ferocious demeanor. "Plenty," was the deceptively calm answer. "You probably know every constellation by heart, just as well as you know your recipes. Fancy that-a master of the culinary arts being familiar with the divine. Ah, well, shouldn't be that much of a surprise. Of course you're familiar with the comforts of home."Ignis said nothing in response, most likely trying to determine the quickest way to end their conversation. 'It burns, the energy coming from within', Fran informed him on one occasion, referring to the aura that enveloped Ignis while he and Balthier were close. It was another occasion in which the Scientia saw Balthier's presence as nothing but a curse, an ailment that needed immediate treatment. She would've said something similar that night, as even the Sky Pirate could feel the wrath radiating off of him. It was best to think of a good direction for their conversation quickly, or else the bond between them would be cut in a heartbeat.Balthier's voice softened under the light, warm brush of sadness. He knew the conversation couldn't tread upon the incident inside the item shop-it couldn't tread anywhere near the state of his eyes. One option remained to him, though, and it was an option he was determined to take-no matter how risky it appeared to be. "I've been troubled by something," Ignis' former mentor confessed, head bowed. "By a decision I made, long ago. I made the choice to flee from home, wanting to leave behind the pressures of a luxurious life-but I took you with me. I cut you out of a world that could've protected you. Could've kept you safe and given you wonders beyond your wildest dreams. And I can't help but wonder-do you hate me for it?"The runaway Magister's voice was icy enough to demand respect from the heavens. "Do I hate you?" the Scientia laughed, the sound not even remotely close to being pleasant. "Do I hate you for bringing me out of a world that would've suffocated me? A world that very well may have killed me? Do you not see the chaos swirling around the world we were born into? My, your ignorance never ceases to amaze me."Balthier stepped back, grimacing as though Ignis had plunged his blade into him. His voice was pricked with the colors of frustration, hurt and confusion. "A simple 'yes' or 'no' would've sufficed.""What, I'm supposed to allay your fears when you've obviously been holding that lunacy in for, what, months on end? Am I truly that weak? Weak enough to earn your pity?"Astounding, how even the smallest sentence could spiral into a nightmare when shared with Ignis. At least it could when spoken by Balthier. The cold, cruel hours distorted Ignis' face yet again, recreating memories that never should have happened. Painting those memories on a face burdened with far too many wounds. "I'll be taking my leave, if you don't mind," the runaway Magister snarled, hand tightening his grip on his cane. He took only a few steps before Balthier stopped him, his voice holding onto calm's fragile remnants."Perhaps I should ask you again. Do you hate me?"Ignis would've instilled fear into the great, tyrannical gladiator known as Consulman Vayne. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm no longer in the mood for conversation. Good night."The Scientia tore away from Balthier, disappearing into the star-kissed night. Returning to his home within Bhujerba's Inn. Fran, Noctis and Prompto's partner could do nothing but watch as Ignis vanished, open, bleeding memories plaguing both men all the while. The Sky Pirate sighed as the stars melted into each other, heart growing heavier with each second."Ah. Looks as though Prompto's not the only one I've failed, dear Fran."
11412264	Stuck On My Eyes	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Mark \"Rent Boy\" Renton, Simon \"Sick Boy\" Williamson, Veronika", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "Teen And Up Audiences", "author": "by sullenhearts", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-05T00:00:00", "words": "1,717", "Additional Tags": null, "Relationship": "Mark \"Rent Boy\" Renton/Simon \"Sick Boy\" Williamson", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "Trainspotting (Movies), Trainspotting Series - Irvine Welsh, t2: trainspotting", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	“I’m going to bed,” Veronika says, draining her glass and putting it down on the table. She stands up, picks her way across to us, and leans down to silently kiss Simon’s cheek. “Goodnight, Mark.”“Night,” I say, smiling up at her.Her eyelids flicker. She moves across the floor without making a noise, not even a shuffle on the terrible carpet. We’re alone. Simon and me, me and Simon. Alone for the first time in twenty years. He could kill me. He might reach out, wrap one or both hands around my throat, those thick fingers squeezing tighter and tighter until my sight goes runny and I’m pulling at his hands, gasping for breath, pleading for my life. Or he might have a knife, just a wee three inch blade, you know, but he’d go deep enough to do some harm. Enough harm to kill me? I’m considering this when Veronika appears again, the lamp next to Simon suddenly shaded by her hips and cunt, or, well, where they would be if she wasn’t dressed.“Be safe, boys,” she says, and drops a condom into Sickboy’s hand. Then she pads away again.A laugh catches in my throat and dies. Simon coughs, looking the most embarrassed I think I’ve ever seen him look. He palms the packet and slips it into a pocket, then chugs some beer, trying to not look as if his missus has just basically told us to have sex. He won’t look at me. He’ll look at all the dark corners of this room except at me.It’s not like the thought has never crossed my mind. Come on, back in the day Sickboy was pretty, whippet thin, all that bleached blonde hair adding to the innocence. He used to be blonde, you know, as a kid. White blonde, wide eyed, looking the very picture of innocence. “Naw, miss, I didnae do nothin’,” he’d say, turning the eyes on Miss England, and before I knew it I was on the way to the headmistress’ office with nothing to say for myself. Then he hit puberty – late, the soft shite – and his hair went muddy, dark blonde, and then finally just mousy. That’s when he started bleaching it. The first time he didn’t leave it on long enough and it turned orange. That was a fucking laugh. Fucking knobhead.“At least I didn’t use me ma’s Domestos, you fuckers,” he said on the bus when we were calling him Carrot Top and when Spud asked him if he’d dyed his pubes too, and I think he thought he’d won, only that just made us laugh more. I nearly fell down the stairs and broke my fucking neck. He wasn’t embarrassed, though, that’s my point. He’s never been embarrassed, only it kind of suits him, I quite like it. I keep looking at him, waiting while he closes his fingers round the shiny red packet and prays to some kind of god that must be residing in the ceiling there, while he bites a thumbnail and sighs loudly, while he looks at his jeans and the pool table and then finally, finally, turns to me.“It’s not what you think,” he says.“No? What do I think?”“Someone can’t just disappear for twenty years and then come back and expect everything to be the same.”“Nothing’s the same, Simon. Not even your fucking name.”“Aye, well, no point in having a matching nickname when the wee cunt you matched with has stolen sixteen grand off you and fucked off.” He looks so petulant that I want to laugh. “I never stole sixteen grand off you personally, Simon. Off the collective, I stole the whole lot, sure, but what you’re forgetting is that I am a member of that collective too, so are you saying I stole sixteen grand off myself? Come on, that’s just nonsense. I stole four grand off you personally, Simon, so sure, you can be fucking angry about that if you want to be, but don’t tell me that you’re not just pissed off that –”“Shut up, Rents, for the love of Christ shut up.” He reaches over and puts his hand over my mouth. “Yeah, I probably would’ve fucking done it too, if I’d woken up and thought I could get the bag off Begbie without losing my eyes in the meantime. But you can’t tell me that you wouldn’t still be pissed off about it if I had.”I shrug, his hand still over my mouth, my eyes still on him. He’s moved closer, though, so that his knee is next to mine. He’s got smarter while I’ve been away. I suppose cocaine expects a more debonair look than skag. I like it; the tailored shirt and those jeans that are supposed to look lived in from the minute you buy them. He’s chunkier than he used to be, too, although he’d probably say the same about me and anyway, I like that, too. His eyes flicker and he moves his hand away. I open my mouth but I’m not that sure what I’m going to say, I just don’t like the silence, I just want to fill it with something, anything, which is awful because silence used to be okay between us and now it isn’t, but that all doesn’t matter because he says,“I’ve a wee touch of the hepatitis.”I blink.“That’s why she brought the johnny, you know, just in case. Looking out for your wellbeing, Rents, and she barely even knows you.” He’s trying for funny but it dies between us and instead we just gaze at each other wide eyed like ten year olds about to be told off. “What kind?” I ask. “C. It’s chronic, won’t go away.”“From needles.”“From needles,” he nods. “No, I don’t know whose. Suppose that’s why I went on the charlie instead, you know?” He laughs bitterly. “Less risk that way.”“I’m sorry,” I say. “Suppose you’re still clean as a whistle? I don’t know how you do it, Mark. Made of Teflon or some shite.”“I got clean, mate,” I say, stung. “Hard to catch anything when you’re not misusing needles.”“Easy to get clean when you’ve sixteen grand to do it on, eh?”“Fourteen,” I remind him. “I left some for Spud.”“Aye,” he sighs. “He thought it was fucking Christmas. He’s lucky he never got robbed for it.”“Mmm? You decided to leave him alone, did you?”“Fuck off, I wouldn’t. He’s a mate, isn’t he?”“I’m not sure you know what mates means, Simon.”“You’re sure a fucking preachy bastard these days, Mark.”I don’t say anything. “I can’t forgive you,” Sickboy says eventually. “I tried, about ten years ago. I was in rehab and they kept doing all that touchy feely shite, where we talk to a chair and pretend it’s the people we’ve let down and all of that.”He doesn’t know but I’ve done that therapy myself. I was already clean when I took the money, but I wasn’t healed from all the crap I’d put myself through. I wasn’t over the terrible things I’d done and seen. Angela, Dawn, Tommy, all of them haunted my dreams and presented themselves in daily life. I used to see Angela all the time on a train I took to work. I would argue with Tommy every night in my dreams, knocking needles out of his hands and pulling tourniquets off his arms. And when my own children were born, red and angry and perfectly new, eyes screwed shut against the light of the outside world, I saw Dawn in my arms instead of them, and I wondered how the fuck I could ever think that I would be anything like a good father. I’ve tried my best, of course I have, but I’m pretty sure I’ve failed them, in one way or another.“I never asked you to,” I say to Simon, coming back to him, tearing my mind out of the past twenty years, trying to focus on him again.“Don’t frown at me, Rents,” he says. “Pretty boy like you always wants forgiveness.”“I don’t want anything from you,” I say. A flicker of anger flares, I suddenly don’t know why I’m sitting here, why I’m bothering. I only came to say goodbye to my Ma; I don’t owe any of these boys anything. Tommy, yes. Spud, maybe. Definitely not Begbie and definitely, definitely not Sickboy. I move, getting up. I can see myself out, forget this, forget him –He grabs my wrist, his grip stronger than I remember. I sit back down, caught off balance, closer to him now, close enough to feel his breath on my cheek.“I don’t forgive you,” he says. “But I probably would’ve done the same thing, given the chance. Anything to get out of this shithole, aye?”It’s not just about the town. It’s not about the town at all. All towns have awful parts like this. I’ve seen them all – Miami, Oregon, LA, even the less salubrious parts of Provence. The difference there was that I didn’t know anyone to drag me down, to get me back into that life, their life, until such a time as they tried to break out and I dragged them back down with me, until we were all in too much of a cycle to ever escape. That’s what the money gave me. A chance. A chance that I wanted to give Simon, that I wanted to open up something for him to help him get out of this, out of his cycle. Yeah, it might come with a pretty girl and hookers on tap, but the amount of coke he forces up his nose and the deadness in his eyes shows me what I wanted to know.“Come with me,” I say. “You and Veronika. She’s a pretty girl, she can start again, if she’d got with us.”“Where do you want to go?” he asks, his fingers still wrapped around my wrist, but more gently now, less like he wants to wrap them round my throat. “Anywhere you want,” I say softly. “I’ve got money. The world is your oyster, Simon.” He closes his eyes, nods just once, and then he kisses me.
11410824	A marrige	{ "Archive Warning": "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Category": "F/M", "Characters": null, "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "Explicit", "author": "by ThePolarBear19", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-05T00:00:00", "words": "3,249", "Additional Tags": "Sex, Incest, Marriage, Starkcest, Love, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net", "Relationship": "Jon Snow/Sansa Stark", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "Game of Thrones (TV), A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin", "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	warning, Warning… and finally WARNING. This chapter contains explicit sexual content and incest. Every chapter will contain sexual content, so warning. Read at your own risk.Jon Targaryen marries his cousin Sansa StarkThe arranged marriage-The king stood in the large throne room with his son. Before him the lord of winterfell and her daughter stood. The small girl clung to her father as her eyes met the young prince. "Jon this is Sansa." Jon took a few steps forward the two said nothing only stared at the other."Would you like to see the castle. " He asked silently. The girl only looked up at her father and he nodded."Ok. " She replied. The two left the throne room Jon leading the way. Once far from ear shot Jon turned towards her."I'm not supposed to." He stopped and checked to make sure his father was not listening. "But what to see something cool?" He asked. She nodded as Jon grabbed her hand and led her though the halls Sansa had never seen a large castle before her eyes, as pillars rose to the sky. Coming to a small room Jon opened the door and she followed. Upon entering on the opposite side of the room she found a small winged beast laying at the edge of the room."Is that?" She asked chocking on her words"It's a dragon." He said with a smile as he closed the distance. The dragon lifted her head to see the young prince. Immanently standing moving towards him. Jon crouched down next to his small fire breather."Do you want to touch it?" Sansa stood far away on the either side of the room."Will he bite?""It's a she and she won't, just don't do anything drastic." Sansa took a step and another until she stood before the small fire breather. The tiny dragon looked up staring into's sansa's eyes. Sansa felt it's eyes piercing her soul but dropped down next to Jon. The dragon stepped forward and nuzzled it's head against Sansa."She likes you." Jon told. Sansa giggled. "She still can't fly but she will once she's older." He stated as the two spent most of the day in the small room with the Dragon.Years later-Cool crisp air struck Jon's naked body. He stood on the veranda that connected to his bedroom. Out below him he could see his father's kingdom. It made him happy to think it would not be his for some time. His father, King Rahegar, was young when he married in fact. Thusly his resulting child, Jon, knew he would not die of old age for some time and not let him have the throne which he was grateful for.He did love his father, but he knew he wanted to wait. His father knew he was more than capable of ruling. Many times he had dreamed of riding out and conquering his own lands, but it all faded when he became engaged, not by his choice of course. His father had arranged a marriage to a cousin in another land to strengthen the throne. Blaming his father would be pointless, but he had dreams of his own, and on top of everything he had not even seen this cousin of his since she was a little girl, let alone knew anything about her.The sun had risen and his cousin would be here shortly for his wedding. It seemed like only a day ago when his father had told him of the engagement. From that moment he had been with a different thoughts nightly, much to his father's disapproval. He could not help himself. The thought of being king and spending endless hours droning on with lords? Adventure was what he needed. With a reluctant sigh he left.Lost in thought once again, Jon did not realize he had reached the throne room. He had been so occupied imagining his cousin that it came as a surprise when he reached the door. The guard coughed and gestured downward quickly looking away. Apparently both heads were on the same page as his thoughts were traveling. With a quick adjustment of his clothes he was sporting, Jon entered the throne room.Pillars towered beside the walkway to the throne. In the shadows creped servants attempting to stay out of sight as they catered to the visiting tradesmen, senators, and all other walks of life waiting to be seen by the king.Jon's father, a tall man, a force to be feared. In his younger days he had been a warrior and expected the same of his son. Jon had trained hard, his muscles were toned and he considered that, amongst being the prince. Looking at his father now, he could picture the man he used to be in the paintings all around the castle. With a nod to the man King Rahegar had been speaking to was dismissed and Jon stepped forward giving a curt bow."I thought the preparations for the wedding were completed," Jon's voice was trained to echo in the room when needed, but now he kept it low to keep the conversation contained."A few minor details that needed seen to," His father responded in the same measured tone that kept the conversation away from the people waiting by the doors."I must say that I am not looking forward to going to some kingdom on the edge of the world."Jon's father seemed annoyed, they had discussed it many times. "It is a move for your benefit, my son. You will have a kingdom of your own, and when I pass from this world you will gain this one as well to double your lands.""Father," Jon said to prepare defending himself."This wedding tonight will be grand, and I expect you to honor it.""Of course, Father." Jon had expected more, but instead was waved away himself. His father most likely just wanted to confirm he was still in the castle. He bowed and left the scene, now to do nothing until the wedding.Jon, being a soldier, was dressed in decorated armor. Gold filigree formed a pattern of a haw emblazoned on his chest piece. Intricate designs were all over and the armor seemed like an entire encompassing beast that swallowed him. Completely useless in true combat he thought to himself, but it did indeed make him look larger and more masculine. Hopefully his new wife would not completely hate him when it was removed and he was not quite as big as it made him look.Marriage, he thought again as he headed to his spot in the Sept. The sept was packed with so many faces, most of which he barely recognized. He had not even seen his bride's arrival, and only now saw her family on the opposite side of his. He tried to take in all the faces and remember them, but there were far too many.Music struck up as a small band in the corner began to play and as if on que all present rose at once. The doors at the end of the sept opened and Jon's stomach tightened. Then there she was.Jon's heart stopped for a moment in time. A thin white gown flowed with her like wisps of air as she moved. Her skin was milky white and her hair seemed to be fire on the top of her head gently cascading down her back. Emerald eyes looked back at him, taking stock of him as well. He could feel the scanning his body.Vaguely he remembered the ceremony. Those emerald eyes kept him hypnotized the entire way through. He took in every detail of her face, freckles all around her nose, but not an overly amount as to take away from her face, in fact, it enhanced it making her nose even cuter. Her lips were thin and peach and in his eyes she seemed flawless, his father truly blessed him.Hand in hand they walked to the feast, no words were spoken between them, even as they ate. Instead the raucous behavior of the others filled the room. It was a party like none Jon had ever seen, being his only son getting married, Jon's father must have gone all out. The entire feast hall, never before being even half full, was now packed to the brim.Before long Jon's father whispered to him it was time to consummate the marriage and sent him away from the feasting hall. Accompanied by jeers and cheers Jon left with his new wife in tow. For some reason his stomach was tightening. He had never been with a women before, why was it so different now?The guards left the two alone in Jon's room and she took the edge of the bed as a seat and an awkward silence grew."Sansa," She said, her voice like silk."Hm?" Jon seemed to not notice as he was clunking down his heavy armor."My name, it's Sansa.""Oh, apologies. This armor is heavy and useless, could not stand it a minute longer. I am Jon.""Indeed, husband. I remember you." Her eyebrows seemed to raise at the word and it only made her appear even cuter."When we were young. Only once I saw you. We spoke little.""Yes you were with your father." She nodded as he continued. "I do remember. You stared at me. And I revealed my dragon… Do you want to see her?" He asked as she only shook her head."Um, that can wait my husband." She stood from the bed with a small smile. The air grew silent once more. "I dint know what to expect when I left home.""Neither did I.""But you are even more handsome then they say." She told and Jon felt his face turn red. He stirred himself."I must say, you are the most beautiful woman I ever laid my eyes on." she blushed brightly but stood before him."Your words do me a great pleasure… I never knew I would become a princess." She spoke lightly."In due course you will be a queen of all seven realms." He told."Now we will have all the time until then." She stated and Jon swallowed hard. "Can I tell you a secret?" Her voice was soft."What?""I always wanted to marry a Targaryen prince, but sine I found out it was you. It only made it better, I still remember being with you and the dragon.""Really?" He asked and she nodded as she took another step closer."You know, we shouldn't wait." She said and he nodded."I know how these marriage's work and I must ask." The word was unsettling to Jon, but he went with it. "So, wife, shall we see this marriage consummated?" He asked with a bit of unsettlement."I am, however, inexperienced, so please forgive me."An amazingly gorgeous girl, and a virgin? "You need not apologize. As am I." Jon said."Don't jest, my husband." She said knowing all to well."I'm not." He said sheepishly."Really? You're so handsome.""Just never had the chance, I guess." Jon felt his pulse quicken. He walked over to her, he now stood only in pants. Turning her around he slowly lowered her dress past her shoulders and letting it drop to the floor, his actions speaking more than words. He hands found his hands moving slowly. "Don't stop." She whispered her hands wrapping around his.He glanced down at his new wife's ass and by all that was holy it was the most glorious ass he had ever laid eyes on. Small, but firm, jutting out enough to give it a nice round appearance while keeping perfectly shaped. Wrapping his arms around her he pulled her back against his chest and began to kiss her neck. She tilted her head to the side to accept his pecks.Being taller than his new wife had an advantage, as he kissed her neck he looked down at her perfectly shaped breasts, each one a nice handful. Her nipples, pink and puffy, made him even more aroused and he pressed his cock into her backside."Jon." She breathed. His cousin, no, his new wife turned around and pushed him away some before getting on her knees. "I am inexperienced, yes, but my mother gave me some tips on the trip here." With that she pulled down his pants revealing his hard-on.Jon was at full mast now, a good eight inches long and thick around. His cousin, no, his new wife Sansa, gasped as it was revealed. Her hand as she tentatively touched it could not even cover half of it. She opted to use both to stroke it like her mother had informed her. Grateful to receive a groan from her new husband to give her courage to continue.Slowly she approached with her tongue, licked the tip and retreated expecting a foul taste. Yet the drip that came out of the tip was kind of tasteless, if not a tad salty. She went back for more, licking all over the engorged head.Jon felt incredible the way she was working her tongue on his cock just seemed so much better. She worked that third like a expert and Jon felt like he was in heaven. He looked down at the tiny redhead bobbing on his cock and those emerald eyes stared back, it was hands down the sexiest thing he had ever seen in his life.He knew to be a good night. As she retreated off his cock to catch her breath Jon grabbed her and moved her to the bed. She laid on her back looking back at him as he approached. He could see she was completely bald below, something he enjoyed seeing, a very rare sight in itself.Staring at her neck he slowly kissed down to her chest and grabbed one of her perky tits in one hand and took the nipple of the other in his mouth. Sansa let out a slight gasp and watched him work. "Jon my husband." She moaned. Only a few moments and he was on the move again, kissing down her milky white skin of her flat stomach and stopping right before her pussy. Adjusting her legs a bit, he began kissing slowly from her knees, up her thighs, and stopping again before her pussy, repeating the process on the other leg. It was beginning to make her squirm.Finally, with one long lick from bottom to top his tongue slid up her small pink slit. She shuttered at the feeling. Taking his hand, he spread her pussy's lips gently and began to zig-zag his tongue up and down. He had heard many friends of his complain about the taste, but he wanted to, and his cousin/wife's tasted the best. Maneuvering his tongue with precision he found her clit easily and began to slowly circle it around, the sounds of her heavy breathing cheering him on. Then he took it in his mouth and sucked on it, flicking his tongue at the same time, this caused her to audibly moan out loud. It was the most amazing sound he ever heard, he wanted to hear it more.Ensuring his finger was properly wet by running it up and down his wife's pussy using her on lubrication, he removed his mouth from her clit and began to flicked it across it at a fast pace. "Fuck." She whispered. While he did that he moved his tongue down and found the entrance and slid it inside, wiggling it as he went. Her moans became loader and loader until her entire body seemed to shake, but he did not stop, knowing she was in the midst of an orgasm. After a few moments he stopped and sat up, looking down at such a perfect figure. His new wife seemed to glow in an after orgasm ecstasy. Now it was his turn, but knowing she was a virgin, he would have to be gentle.Scooting forward on his knees between her legs he got into position, took his cock in his hand and began to run it up and down her slick cunt. Looking at her face below him she seemed extremely nervous so he took her hand in his free one and began to press home. Leaning forward he pressed his lips to hers.Once his head was inside her he stayed still for a moment to let her get used to it before continuing. When his hips began to move again and push more inside her she began to grimace and he marveled at how tight she was. It was as if his cock was in a smooth wet vice. He let her get used to it once more before pushing again, meeting only slight resistance before it gave and she let out a hiss in pain, he had just taken her virginity.Her hand squeezed his and he took it as a que to wait until her grip loosened. Not the sex he was used to, but damn if he wasn't enjoying this tight little girl, he thought. She had managed to take half his cock before he began to pull out and move back in slowly. He wrapped his arms around and under her and began to passionately kiss her. Their tongues met, hers a bit nervous at first, but quickly they became entangled."Jon, don't stop." She breathed. Jon could feel his wife's nails dig into his back as he sped up, her tight little pussy was giving him so much pleasure. Sitting up once more he placed his hands on her hips and continue to drive his cock into her over and over, never going all in. Soon enough his thrusts got shallower and shallower and her moans became loud of more. Before he could let loose his load, to his surprise, his cock was gripped even tighter and felt as if it was sucking him in. There was no way in hell he could stop from cumming any longer. Her pussy was milking him. With one last motion he pushed inside and let it all out with a groan. He could feel his cum exploding inside his cousin/wife's pussy and it made him shake in pleasure.Pulling her to lay on top of him as he rolled over he embraced her in his arms, cock deflating inside her. Fiery red hairs caressed his chest, he could feel her begin kissing it.Her voice came as silky smooth as ever, but contained a hint of something more. "That was wonderful. How long before we can do that again?" She looked up at him with those eyes of hers and there was no way he was going to say no to her."Give me just a few moments to recharge," He said."Good, because I hope this is only the beginning.""Me too."Jon thought for a moment about his future, but just a moment. All his plans, all his dreams, they were with her. Right now he had the most gorgeous woman to attend to and he was not about to let this little redhead go unattended. His future was with her.Author- I have a request. Can anyone who can draw, draw fanart between these two. There isn't enough fanart of these two.
11498895	Selfie	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "Blaine Anderson, Kurt Hummel", "Fandom": "Glee", "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by trufflemores_Glee_fic", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-14T00:00:00", "words": "1,788", "Additional Tags": "Romance, Fluff, AU, First Meeting", "Relationship": "Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel", "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	Having achieved a near-nirvanic state of unconcern, Blaine didn't answer his phone immediately when it pinged beside the tub. Nor did he respond at the second, third, or fourth ping. By the fifth, a tiny fracture in his blissful visage appeared; a tic in his jaw jumped. Waiting, tense, molars threatening to slide the slightest bit in aggravation, he listened for another ping, relaxing the hard line of his jaw when it failed to arrive. Worry cast aside, he reposed undisturbed for another glorious moment, awash in the warm glow of a truly divine bubble bath. Then his phone pinged again.Refusing -- absolutely refusing -- to leave the tub, he listened to it ping twice more without moving before letting his eyelids slide open and sliding down until his eyes alone were above water.He could still hear it, warbled but unmistakable: ping!Resurfacing, he hooked an arm over the edge of the tub and fished blindly for his phone, snatching it from the depths of his shaggy bath rug and staring blankly at the screen. Asshat. One of eighteen new messages from Cooper.Blaine hit delete all without bothering to read the rest.Pulling up a new message for Cooper, he hit Photo reply and snapped a selfie, beaming at the camera, before hitting send and replacing his phone on the floor with a deep sigh of satisfaction.The torrent of pings continued unabated, but Blaine didn't reply, pleasantly reclined against the rim of the tub. It wasn't until his phone started buzzing that he sighed, reaching over and hitting End.He should just turn the damn thing off; if Jeff or Nick needed him, they could always break down the door (as they had proven the last time that he had his phone off back when he'd been studying for finals).Resigned, he reached back over, swiping his soapy hand on his towel before reaching for the phone, and lifted it to hit Off when his heart stopped.Slowly, hardly daring to believe that the image in front of him was real, he swiped his thumb across the screen and stared at the new message at the top of his screen.Wow.Almost angelically reclined against a tree and looking pleasantly bewildered with wind-ruffled hair and a pair of stunningly arched eyebrows, was a boy Blaine had never seen before. His leg-hugging blue jeans were borderline sinful, deep blue shirt slightly open at the collar. A worn copy of Lord of the Rings lay half-open at his side.Holy shit you're really attractive, was Blaine's first thought.Then, horribly: Oh my God.I am so, so sorry, he typed, frantic to remedy the situation before the cutest boy in his area code decided that he was mentally unsound for sending him a selfie in the bathtub and refused to speak to him ever again. That was meant for someone else, he called me an asshat. I promise I don't make a habit of sending strangers bathtub selfies.Hitting send, Blaine lay still in the tub, frozen with dread as an ellipse appeared, wondering if it would be better to just end his own misery and never emerge from the bathroom.Then: Maybe you should.Oh. Blaine typed, deleted, and retyped the two-letter word twice before hitting send, deciding that maybe -- maybe -- Blue Jeans didn't think he was completely crazy. Or maybe Blue Jeans was crazy.Looking at the selfie, Blaine decided that it didn't actually matter if Blue Jeans was crazy. He was gorgeous.Maybe I could buy you coffee to make it up to you? he tried. If you drink coffee. In for a penny, in for a pound. If Blue Jeans could flirt with him after he sent him a selfie of himself in the bath, then it couldn't be the worst thing to ever happen if he flirted back. Right?A pause. An ellipse. The silence seemed to last forever; Cooper's unanswered text count rose to seventeen as Blaine waited, itching to get out of the tub.At last, just when he had resolved to bury the encounter as deep in his memory as he possibly could to overcome the embarrassment packed into that unwritten ellipse, Blue Jeans replied.You don't need to make it up to me.Blaine's heart sank -- he'd overstepped. Of course he had. Idiot.But I'm not one to turn down free coffee.Blaine almost dropped his phone. It pinged again.Failing to connect a single rational response beyond Oh my God he said yes, Blaine scrambled out of the tub and into a towel, irrationally worried that Blue Jeans might rethink his offer if Blaine remained in such a state of non-decorum. I'd love that. To meet. To meet you. For coffee. He wasn't five. He was not five. Do not screw this up, a voice warned him.Funny, it sounded like Cooper.I'd love to buy you a coffee, he responded, patting himself on the back for that one. Strong, but not too strong. Solid. A friend and I were on our way to grab a cup -- so if you don't change your mind, we'll be at the Lima Bean in half an hour. Half an hour. Excellent. He might even have time to wrestle his hair into a semblance of normal by then, even though Blue Jeans had already seen him looking pretty spectacularly ruffled in the tub.Great, he wrote. Feeling insufficient, he added, My name's Blaine. And you're super cute but you've seen me naked in the bathtub. Please don't judge me too hard. Thankfully, shaking fingers did not transcribe shakier thoughts into words.Meandering into his room towel-clad, he dressed quickly, picking up his phone and frowning at the twenty-nine new messages from Cooper. None from Blue Jeans.Just as Blaine finished tying his Warbler's tie, his phone pinged. Asshat. He sighed, swiping the lock, deciding that he would have to respond to Cooper sometime and there was no time like the present when his phone pinged again.One word stood out to him: Kurt."Kurt," he tried aloud, feeling irrationally pleased with himself, reaching up to fuss with his already perfect tie for a moment before replying stupidly, Like "The Sound of Music"?A brief pause -- still long enough for Blaine to untie his maimed tie, ready to redo it correctly -- before Kurt replied, You know "The Sound of Music"?All but scoffing aloud, Blaine tapped out a quick, Of course I do.Kurt's smile was almost visible through the phone as he replied, Yes. Just like "The Sound of Music."It was, Blaine decided, not the worst way to start a friendship.Twenty minutes later he walked into the Lima Bean, clad from head-to-toe in his Warbler's uniform. He'd chosen it out of sheer need for familiarity -- he knew that Kurt didn't know him, couldn't care what he chose but he wanted Kurt to care, and having seen Kurt so finely dressed, Blaine knew that he wanted to impress, and the uniform wasn't much but it was him.Despite the crowd, he spotted Kurt almost immediately, tucked at a corner table with a female friend, both oblivious to his presence as the girl spoke energetically, making frequent reference to a stack of papers on the table."Regionals are in two weeks, Kurt, and we can't afford to let our guard down--"At that moment, Kurt's gaze flicked upward absently and caught Blaine's, those same blue eyes breathtaking in person, the smile tugging at his lips impossible to resist. Blushing, Blaine stepped forward, refusing to back down now that he was here, and cleared his throat gently when the girl fell silent."I, ah -- I feel like we got off on the wrong foot," he began, apologetic even though Kurt's smile didn't waver, pleased to see him."Oh my God, Kurt. He's cute," the girl gushed, and now it was Kurt's turn to blush pink as the girl flung herself out of her seat, already introducing, "Rachel Berry, lead soloist of the New Directions. And you are?""Not going to be scared away within two minutes of meeting us," Kurt interjected smoothly, rising from his seat and taking Blaine's arm. "You were serious about that coffee, weren't you?""Very," Blaine agreed, affecting his most solemn air as his heart threatened to beat out of his chest, "very, very serious."Unruffled by Blaine's nerves, Kurt smiled and said, "Excellent."And despite knowing that Kurt had seen him in the bathtub, the only thing that Blaine could focus on was how nonplussed Kurt was by it, the intensity of his gaze arresting, the lull of his speech divine. Blaine was certain that he could listen to Kurt recite the phonebook without losing interest; indeed, Rachel excused herself and Blaine hardly noticed another hour slip by as Kurt and he traded intel on the New Directions and Warbler's plans for regionals."They're going to maim me for telling you that," he reflected, after unveiling their plans to use P!nk to hopefully surprise the judges."Worth the risk?" Kurt asked, twirling his second coffee absentmindedly -- Blaine hadn't batted an eyelash at buying him a refill, wanting, needing to spend more time with him, to affirm how perfectly normal and not crazy Blaine himself was so that Kurt might -- just might -- want to spend more time with him."Definitely," he agreed, staring at Kurt and wondering how his life was real. "Very, very worth the risk."Kurt's smile was like sunrise, warm and soft, and Blaine decided that if he was destined to spend only a day in Kurt's company, he was determined to make it worthwhile."So you like Lord of the Rings?" he prompted at last, tearing his gaze away from Kurt's eyes and lips because do not screw this up Anderson.Kurt laughed and Blaine decided that even if he did screw everything up, meeting Kurt would have been worth it.Six months later and four months after Kurt and he started dating, Jeff and Nick finally did break down Blaine's door a second time. They found Kurt and Blaine asleep on Blaine's bed, fully clothed but completely tangled together, Kurt's head on Blaine's chest as they napped. Nick snapped a pic and sent it to Blaine three hours later with a single caption. Lovebirds. To which Blaine had replied quite simply: Asshats.Kurt had laughed, insisting that he be nicer to them in spite of the broken door and the picture that would doubtless circulate among all the Warblers.Blaine couldn't really be mad, though, even if he pretended to be. Even Cooper and he were finally speaking to each other again, after he'd agreed to tell Cooper Kurt's name.All was well.
11478705	Moonlight Lovers	{ "Archive Warning": "No Archive Warnings Apply", "Category": "M/M", "Characters": "He Tian, Mo Guan Shan - Character, Jian Yi, Zhan Zheng Xi", "Fandom": "19天 - Old先 \| 19 Days - Old Xian", "Language": "English", "Rating": "Explicit", "author": "by InsaneAndHappyAboutIt", "chapters": "1/1", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-12T00:00:00", "words": "4,045", "Additional Tags": "Alternate Universe - Shifters, Feels, SMUT!!", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": "He Tian/Mo Guan Shan, Jian Yi/Zhan Zheng Xi", "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": null, "Archive Warnings": null, "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	He ran like his life depended on it. Ragged puffs of air turned to clouds of mist as soon as they left the comfortable heat of his lungs and got expelled into the chilling night air. The moon up ahead was his only source of light but Mo Guan Shan saw the world perfectly clearly, maybe for the first time in his life. His usually latte brown eyes were shining gold as the rods and cones in his irises adjusted to see in the dark. That was one of the advantages of having the DNA of a nightly predator coursing through his veins. His ears were alert but his brain was not paying attention at all. His bushy tail trailed behind him, occasionally twisting from side to side in irritation when he was too distracted to pay attention to the road and almost took a wrong turn.There weren't a lot of fox shifters, at least not in this part of the world, and he'd always been picked on by the other boys as he grew up for the vibrant colour of his fiery hair. He'd learned to fight them off, usually with his bark alone. Heaven knows he was rather cowardly and when things got too far out of his control he had a tendency to cut and run. Foxes were scavengers by nature not apex predators so in a world where the big dogs and cats ruled he had to learn to survive. His mother always told him to stay away from fights but he was too proud for his own good to listen. She was a fox too but his father had been a lion. He must have inherited this out of place sense of entitlement from him and Shan hated him for that.Running away when things got though had always saved his hide just in time but then he'd met him, the wolf. He Tian was the only thing he hadn't managed to run away from. The fucking wolf started hanging around him at school and then 'hired' him as his maid and chef and before Shan knew it he was the one seeking the other shifter out. He tried to mouth off and make himself as unpleasant a companion as possible but his bark didn't seem to faze the sinister wolf and if he stepped too far out of line He Tian reminded him quickly enough who was really in charge. Shan was at once terrified of him because a wolf would rip a fox to shreds and also morbidly fascinated by the other man. Any sane person would have done everything in his power to stay away but Shan found himself pulled towards the source of his troubles.And now the full moon was high in the sky and his blood was screaming for the wolf. The already boiling liquid under his skin heated up even further with each driven leap he took. He'd managed to ignore the other mating cycles but this time it was too much for him to take. He was going out of his mind with lust for the fucking wolf. He Tian would probably laugh in his face and slam the door on him but he had to at least try, even if this cost every ounce of his carefully constructed pride. He knew what this desire meant and he could no longer deny the truth which he'd conveniently pretended not to see. He loved the wolf. The moon didn't affect them if the emotions weren't already there and if they weren't strong enough. Feeling like he wanted to reach his fingers through his own eye sockets so he could scramble his brain just to silence the screaming for He Tian's touch meant he had it bad.Shan had been close to coming running the last time they'd had a full moon. It happened just a week after He Tian nonchalantly shoved his tongue down his throat at school. Shan had been hurt and he'd tried harder than ever to cut the wolf away from him but then the fucking idiot went and literally fought with him. If someone could understand the symbolism of spilling blood for another it was another predator, even a fox such as himself. That was considered a big peace offering in their circles and Shan couldn't help feeling touched. After that they'd fallen back in a sort of peaceful existence, if getting terrorised by the alpha wolf on a daily basis could be called peaceful, but Shan couldn't argue that they'd gotten closer. Apparently they'd gotten much closer than he'd thought, at least on his own behalf.Finally He Tian's luxurious building was within sight. Shan ran harder, the muscles in his lean legs screaming from the burn but he ignored the pain. He cut through the park, his brain not paying full attention to what a bad idea that was. He was in heat and pheromones were oozing out of his pores almost like a tangible mass. Any shifter within a pretty sizable radios would be drawn to him and not everyone was nice enough to resist their primal urges. The police always issued a warning during full moons to use caution since rapes and murders were at their peak during those frenzied nights.Shan was too close to his goal to let that stop him and for once luck was on his side because he met no one before he stopped, out of breath, right in front of He Tian's door. His arms were shaking as he took a second to steady himself and rivers of fresh sweat fell off the tip of his nose. He was just about to knock when the door swung violently open and a pair of strong hands reached for his shirt. He Tian hauled him inside roughly and slammed him against the door with enough force to rattle the bones inside Shan's body. The fox stared wide eyed and terrified into the wolf's dark, dark blue eyes and gasped when lips crushed possessively against his. He felt his heart literally skip a beat at the contact and fire exploded inside his gut like fireworks as he pushed his tongue eagerly against He Tian's.'What the fuck were you thinking? Coming here when you smell like this! Do you want to be claimed by the whole city?!' He Tian growled the words through clenched teeth and pressed his lips to Shan's throat, feeling the erratic pulse there while he inhaled the fox's unique scent.'I needed to see you…' Shan would normally hate himself for sounding so weak but he was going boneless. He Tian's pheromones were also sending him tipping over the edge of insanity and he recalled how often he'd go home and sniffed the black tracksuit jacket the wolf had giving him on impulse that day when he'd fought She Li for him. It was a familiar scent but it was so much sharper and alluring tonight and Shan knew he wasn't the only one in heat.'Next time call and I'll come get you.' Next time? There was going to be a next time? Shan really wished he had enough reason to consider the repercussions of his actions but he'd used the last of his mental faculties to get there. Now the animal, primal, instinctual side took over and he was more than happy to stop fighting against it for once.Shan pressed himself flush against He Tian, desperate to feel his heat. In turn the bigger shifter displayed his physical prowess by grabbing Shan's thighs and lifting the boy up against the door like he weighed nothing. Shan crossed his legs and arms behind He Tian's neck as their mouths met in a ravenous kiss, all lashing tongues and biting teeth. Shan was too focused on the sensation of He Tian's tongue claiming control of his mouth to realize they were moving. He curled his fingers in the midnight black hair, a little surprised to find it was so soft. He was grateful He Tian didn't cut his hair short like him because he loved having something to grab onto. It felt like some sort of anchor to sanity not that he was trying very hard to hold onto reason.Suddenly Shan was falling and his back hit the soft satin sheets of He Tian's bed. He was drowning in the other's scent and he moaned, watching He Tian crawl over his outstretched figure through half-lidded eyes. He noted the way He Tian licked his lips before he leaned down and captured his breath all over again. The kiss was so powerful and all-consuming that when He Tian finally pulled back Shan was literally seeing stars painted on the insides of his eyelids. He felt delirious from the lack of oxygen and he gasped for air when the possessive mouth moved down his throat, nipping here and there at sensitive spots Shan hadn't even known were there.Strong hands pulled up his t-shirt and Shan rose just enough off the bed for He Tian to push the pesky garment over his head. The material was soaked and before He Tian threw it to the floor he brought it to his nose and filled his lungs with Shan's fragrance. For some reason the sight turned Shan on even more and his ears went flat against his skull. He reached for He Tian and the wolf was happy to give him what he wanted. Fortunately the taller shifter wasn't wearing a shirt himself so when he draped himself over Shan again they were skin to shivering shin.Shan gasped eagerly when He Tian pressed the palm of one hand against the obvious erection pitching a tent in Shan's tracksuit trousers. The friction was gentle, teasing and it was too much for the fox who started mewling desperately. He wanted something more but he couldn't articulate his need into words anymore. He Tian smirked and placed a playful kiss on the corner of Shan's gaping mouth before he trailed his tongue down the heaving torso and abdomen. He made quick work of the trousers and anything else Shan was wearing, and pushed the rising hips firmly against the mattress. Shan glanced down, confused as to what He Tian had planned and saw the wicked grin which normally spelled trouble for him.The next thing he knew a far too experienced tongue began rubbing the underside of his cock and lips closed around the twitching head sucking on it with gusto. Shan felt like he'd forgotten how to breathe and he called He Tian's name, the first and only coherent thing he's said since the door. As if getting exactly what he wanted, He Tian took the full length inside the hot cavern of his mouth and Shan twisted his body frantically against the sheets. His fists were tangled so harshly into the black material he wondered why it didn't rip apart. When his toes were curling and his hips were jerking as if zapped by a taser gun, He Tian stopped and Shan nearly cried in exasperation.The wolf placated him by kissing his mouth and then his cheek and forehead gently. His tongue lapped the few tears gathered in the corners of Shan's eyes and he soothed the shivering body by running his palms all along his sides until the fox calmed down a little. When he saw Shan could wait a little longer for his release, He Tian reached for his nightstand, opened the first drawer and took out a condom and tub of lubricant. He half expected Shan to freak out at the sight but Shan only bit his lower lip and his legs spread unconsciously around He Tian. The wolf indulged in another drawn-out kiss before he sat back up, his sharp eyes drinking in the beautiful sight of the decadent fox below him. He'd lost track of how many dreams he'd had where this exact scenario was happening but even his most mature fantasies paled in comparison to the real deal. He had to use that famous restraint of his just to keep from ravishing the boy mercilessly.He coated his fingers generously and pressed the first one to Shan's twitching hole while he distracted the fox with his other hand on his weeping cock. He made sure to tease only since he didn't want to send Shan over the ecstatic edge too quickly. His fingers went in easily and he stretched the walls of muscle apart until he could fit three digits inside comfortably. Shan hadn't complained once though a frown crossed his features at the third finger. It had smoothed out soon enough when He Tian found his prostate and Shan moaned for him oh so sweetly. He'd heard bird shifters made the loveliest sounds in bed but he couldn't imagine anyone sounding more alluring than his beloved fox.'I'm good….' He Tian glanced up at Shan who was watching him through thick lashes.The fox rose up, albeit with some effort since his limbs felt numb, and turned his back to He Tian. He rested his hands on the bed headboard and presented himself for the taking. His ass was pushed up, perfectly vulnerable and inviting. His tail rose up and followed the curve of his spine letting He Tian see the puckered ring of pink muscles. Shan glanced at the wolf over his shoulder, his ears pressed low in equal part shyness and unrestrained lust. The sight made the wolf abandon any semblance of control he somehow had managed to cling to.He Tian pressed his back flush against Shan's, pressing his lips to the trembling shoulder. He stopped short of biting because he was growling and if he sunk his fangs into flesh he would cut clean through but Shan felt the clenched incisors against his skin. Nails dug roughly into his hips and Shan saw stars when He Tian pushed inside him in one fluid and powerful motion. Shan hummed at the intense heat filling him up and twisted his head, seeking He Tian's mouth. When he found it, He Tian began snapping his hips forwards and backwards, rocking Shan's entire body. Moans so loud they were practically yells tumbled in torrents out of the fox's throat.The fingers digging into his hips were sure to leave bruises but Shan relished the sting. He pushed his own hips against He Tian's pelvis, meeting the strong thrusts. The wolf licked a thin river of seat which ran down the dip of Shan's spine, the white tip of the shifter's tail twitching against his chest where it was trapped between their two bodies. Next he closed his lips around the tips of Shan's sensitive ears while he snaked a hand around the shifter's rippling stomach to get to his neglected cock. He could tell Shan was close and so was he. He paid close attention to every signal Shan's body was sending him and timed his next move perfectly.Just before Shan was swallowed up by a wave of euphoria he bit down on the nape of his neck. His sharp teeth designed to cut through raw meat pushed inside the flesh without any trouble and the fox's blood immediately flooded his mouth. He was careful not to cut too deeply or injure the spine in any way. He went just deep enough to make sure a scar would be left behind. His brand for all other shifters to see. He felt Shan convulse as the ecstasy of his orgasm rolled over him and He Tian joined him, breathing heavily against the fresh injury. Shan's blood rolled down his pale back and down He Tian's chin.He Tian felt the body shake and he caught the shifter just as his arms gave way, lowering Shan gently on the bed. It seemed like the force of their coupling knocked the poor exhausted fox out but He Tian knew the pull of the moon was too strong to resist. Sleep was a poor shield against the call of nature and soon Shan would stir, his body yearning for more. He Tian grinned, his tail almost wagging in anticipation and placed a kiss on the other shifter's forehead, taking some pleasure when the gesture seemed to calm the boy and his ever present frown smoothed out.*'I can't believe you marked me, you stupid wolf in heat! Have you any idea what this fucking means?!'Shan was hysterical, pacing from one end of the apartment to the other while He Tian watched him with great amusement. He'd been worried Shan would feel wrung out after the amount of times they'd made love the night before but the fox seemed fine. Maybe the adrenaline born of his anger was giving him new found reserves of energy. He Tian was lounging across the unmade bed, his head resting on the palm of one hand while his eyes followed the other's movements. He wanted to go over and kiss him. Maybe that would put an end to Shan's irrational agitation.'It means you're mine and every other shifter will know that. It means that nobody will think of laying a finger on you unless they want me ripping out their guts with my bare hands. It means I love you.' Shan froze and turned to stare open mouthed at the smirking wolf.'You what?!' Why was his voice so high?...'You heard me.' He Tian casually got to his feet and moved towards Shan who was still imitating a living statue. He wrapped his powerful arms around Shan's thin waist and pulled him in close, leaning in for a kiss before he moved his lips to Shan's ear. 'I love you.''Why?...' Shan didn't mean to sound ungrateful but he was genuinely flabbergasted by He Tian's choice. It wasn't like he'd been affectionate towards the wolf in the past or anything… Sure the sex last night had been mind-blowing but love was a little much. He Tian looked surprised by the question before he broke into loud laughter. When he finally calmed down, tears gathered in the corners of his eyes, and cleared his throat, he fixed a now irritated Shan with an affectionate look. He moved a finger under Shan's chin and tilted his head up.'You asking that question is exactly why.''What the fuck does that even mean?!' He Tian just shook his head and smiled cryptically before kissing Shan again. He doubted he could ever get tired of the sweet taste of his fox.'We should head out now. We said we'd meet Jian Yi and the other one in the park today. Or we could just blow it off and do something more fun…' The suggestive tilt of He Tian's head towards the bed left no mistake as to his meaning but Shan disentangled himself from the embrace.'I need the air and you know if we say no they'll just show up here instead.' He Tian shrugged but he was a little disappointed and Shan noticed the slump of his ears. 'Don't pout! You're supposed to be an alpha predator!' When He Tian's eyes drooped even lower Shan sighed in exasperation. He knew it was an act but he couldn't help falling for it anyway. 'Fine! We'll have sex when we get back. I'll stay over tonight.' And as if by magic the wolf's ears sprang back to their upright position and that sly, triumphant, infuriating smile was back on his lips. Honestly, the guy could put any fox, who were known for their slyness, to shame…'I can live with that… So let's get this over with. The sooner we ditch the cat and dog the sooner I can have you all to myself.' He Tian made to reach back for Shan but the fox darted out of his reach.'Quit it!' He was out the door and He Tian was left to follow which he begrudgingly did.*'I think I hear wedding bells in the not so distant future!' Jian Yi skipped around the fox and wolf, imitating a flower girl throwing imaginary flowers over their heads. Zheng Xi watched impassively from the side.'Stop it! It's nothing like that!' Shan played with the hem of his jacket, He Tian's borrowed jacket actually, betraying his discomfort. The jacket was too big for him and it was zipped all the way up to his chin so it would hide the mark on the nape of his neck.'Pfft! Who are you kidding ginger? He Tian claimed you and everyone knows what that means. Love is in the air~' Jian Yi began singing, quite badly in fact, while Shan paled. He Tian grinned from ear to ear. He knew the jacked would fool no-one but he'd indulged the fox's wish despite wanting to show off his newly branded mate to everyone who crossed their paths.'How did you know?...' Jian Yi and Zheng Xi exchanged a knowing look.'Because you smell just like him. When you get branded it's more than just a visible scar. It alters your chemistry somehow. Nobody can mistake the fact that you're someone's mate.' Zheng Xi deadpanned in his usually stoic manner.'Remember how I used to smell before this guy over here claimed me and how every dumb guy wanted to get close to me so they could pat my hair or touch my tail? Including this fucking pervert.' Jian Yi gestured at He Tian who faked a hurt look.'I just thought it looked soft. My intentions were purely superficial.' Jian Yi rolled his eyes at He Tian's explanation. Shan felt a pang of jealousy but then he realized there was no reason behind it. Jian Yi didn't smell… available. It was like Shan couldn't even think of anyone other than his partner, Zheng Xi being with him. Fuck, was this how people saw him now?! How was he ever going to explain this one to his mother?!'Oh fuck…' Shan looked about ready to have a panic attack and He Tian pulled him close to him. The wolf's scent immediately calmed him down and Jian Yi awed dramatically.'Yep, you two are getting hitched. I called it! Didn't I?' The cat turned to Zheng Xi, his fluffy, snow white tail standing up excitedly. Shan wasn't sure what sort of cat the guy was but it was something with a pedigree. No wonder he'd attracted so much attention in the past. His DNA was some good quality stuff.'He did.' Zheng Xi's tail was moving lazily from side to side, telling the world that he was in a good mood despite his lack of expression. He was of the canine variety but he wasn't purebred. Best Shan could tell he was a mutt of sorts, the type who was loyal, watchful and guarding. He was a protector through and through and judging by his partner's knack of getting into trouble that trait would come in mighty handy.'Would you stop it with the wedding jokes?!' Shan growled, his ears pressing down in annoyance and the hairs on his upright tail standing on end. Even He Tian's natural odor wasn't enough to calm him anymore.'Can I be the best man at your wedding and can you choose a flower arrangement with purple. The colour looks really good on me.' Zheng Xi opened his mouth to tell his feline partner to stop teasing the fox but it was too late.'That's it! You're dead!' Jian Yi took off running, a wide grin on his serene face, with Shan right behind him. He Tian and Zhen Xi sighed in unison and began walking towards their mates.'We sure found lively ones.' Zheng Xi noted and anyone who wasn't accustomed to his strange way of showing emotion, or not showing emotion, would assume this made him unhappy. He Tian knew better and he chuckled.'Yeah but it sure keeps things interesting.' His eyes looked fondly at the fox who was barking a stream of insults up at the cat who had nimbly climbed into a tree.'Can't argue with you there.' Zheng Xi shrugged but an all too rare smile curved the corners of his lips.
11420040	Tales From the Time Lord	{ "Archive Warning": null, "Category": "Gen", "Characters": "The Doctor \| Theta Sigma (Doctor Who: Academy Era), The Doctor (Doctor Who), The Doctor's Father (Doctor Who), The Master (Doctor Who), The Master \| Koschei (Doctor Who: Academy Era)", "Fandom": null, "Language": "English", "Rating": "General Audiences", "author": "by starryeyedgazer", "chapters": "3/?", "completed": "", "published": "2017-07-06T00:00:00", "words": "2,116", "Additional Tags": "Academy Era, time lord academy", "Relationship": null, "Character": null, "Relationships": null, "Series": null, "Collections": null, "Fandoms": "Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005), Doctor Who & Related Fandoms", "Archive Warnings": "No Archive Warnings Apply, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", "Categories": null, "Bookmarks": null, "Chapters": null, "Comments": null, "Completed": null, "Hits": null, "Kudos": null, "Published": null, "Words": null, "Updated": null }	On Gallifrey, when children were of age, there was the chance that they might be brought to the Time Lord Academy for studies. The higher up in class their family was, the more likely they were to be inducted. Most were thrilled along with their families. Theta Sigma, however, was not. "Do I have to, father?" He practically whined. "There will be a lot of people there. And they'll just be stuck up, probably." "Theta Sigma, you will go there. It is an honor to be selected to go there. And it is a great opportunity," his father stated. "But I knew I'd get in. You went there. So did Braxiatel. It's not a surprise," he responded. "You will go, and you will be thankful later," his father stated, slamming Theta Sigma's trunk shut. And that was how he, Theta Sigma, who wanted nothing to do with the Time Lord Academy, wound up sitting in a blank room with about two dozen other boys and girls, after looking into the Untempered Schism. He had run. Of course he had. Always afraid of everything. How did they expect him to be a Time Lord? That was one of the rules. Don't run. He had to be the only one who had run, because every one of the other students there was smiling, claiming how they knew what they had to do now, hardly being able to sit still. Except… the dark haired boy sitting across the room from him. He wasn't looking at the others. Instead, he was staring at his tapping foot. Suddenly, he looked up. Theta Sigma quickly looked away, as to not be caught staring. Before he could look back, another boy walked up to him.“I’m Magnus,” the boy stated. “You are?”“Theta Sigma…” he muttered, not looking up to meet the others harsh gaze. Magnus scowled. “Sorry, what? I couldn't hear you. You might want to speak up. Unless you're stupid.” Theta Sigma turned red at this, and Magnus laughed. “Well, good luck here, then. I've heard it's brutal.” And with that, the boy walked away to another group of laughing children. Theta Sigma stared at his feet. Luck was definitely what he needed if he were to survive this school. Just then, a tall, thin, instructor walked in. When he spoke, it almost sent chills through the blond boy. “You will now be led to the exam rooms. When the exams are concluded, you will receive what Chapter you will be a part of, and therefore, what your schedule will be like.” The instructor cleared his throat. “There are three Chapters in the Academy; The Patrex, the Arcalian, and the Prydonian. You will be given the robes after the exam that correspond to your School of Thought. Each Chapter has their own specialties. The Patrex are the artists, the archivists, and the catalogers of information, as well as often displaying advanced telepathic abilities. The Arcalian tend to be the solitary and logical thinkers, excelling in the fields of Temporal Technology. And finally, the Prydonian are the plotters, strategists, and the decision-makers. They tend to thrive with languages. None of these Chapters are inferior to the other. Now, follow me, and we will split you into your exam rooms.” With that, the instructor left, leaving the children to follow. As he stood, he once again noticed the dark haired boy. Only this time, the boy was staring at him, and looked away quickly when Theta Sigma noticed. The exam was long and dull as expected, and the blond was relieved when it was over. As soon as he had finished, his result popped onto the screen: Prydonian. Of course. That wasn't a surprise. The same as the rest of his family. Although, he was secretly hoping for the Arcalian Chapter. Then it would be more acceptable for him to work alone. What did surprise his was, when he was ushered into the room, the brunette boy was in there as well. Now was his chance. All he had to do was walk over. But that was easier said than done. He had yet to be good at approaching people, and was still working on it. As people trickled in, excited chatter started. Even the dark haired boy joined in. But not Theta Sigma. He just couldn't bring himself to, even if he wanted. He began to think, thoughts drifting off. Back to his home, where it was safe, and quiet, and—“What's your name?” Someone asked, yanking Theta Sigma from the warm thoughts of his home, back to cold, loud reality, and nearly knocking him off of his chair. He stared at the other boy with wide eyes. “I… Theta Sigma,” he answered weakly, not averting his gaze. The other boy smiled. “I'm Koschei. Nice to meet you,” he said. “Theta Sigma is too long. Mind if I just call you Theta?” The dark haired boy called Koschei asked. Theta shook his head quickly. Koschei studied the blond, as if waiting for a verbal answer. When there was none, he spoke again. “You don't talk much, do you?” Another head shake. “We’ll work on that, don't worry. Otherwise, this friendship might get boring pretty quickly. One sided conversations aren't fun.”“F-friendship?” Theta stammered. “Of course,” Koschei replied. “Why else would I walk over here? You can't just be alone. You need a friend. And you seem nicer than the others. They're all boring and stuck up. So, here I am.” He beamed, and Theta couldn't help but smile softly. A friend. Yes. Maybe this Academy thing wouldn't be so bad after all. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- After being given their schedules, the new Academy students were sent to their assigned dormitories for the night. Which, of course, Theta had managed to make a fool of himself while going to his dormitory, tripping over his own robe. Everyone was staring. Or at least, it felt like everyone was. The boy from earlier snickered as Theta gathered his belongings and stood quickly, only to walk right into the person in front of him, who whipped around and glared. He muttered an apology quickly, focusing on his steps for the rest of the walk to the dorms. Fortunately, Theta and Koschei had been assigned to the same room. Unfortunately, Theta had never been away from home at night. He had no need to. Or a want to. Home was where he was safe and comfortable. Why would he want to spend the night elsewhere? Now, he regretted it. It meant that he had no idea what to expect, and night was approaching faster than he'd like. He unpacked slowly, using as much time as he possibly could. Anything to stall sleeping for even a few minutes. “So, Theta,” Koschei said as he finished unpacking. “Why don't you talk much?” Theta paused, then shrugged. “I just… don't want to,” he responded, trying to ignore the stare he felt as Koschei watched him. “You should. I'm sure you have a lot to say,” he said, sitting on his bed.“I don’t,” Theta mumbled, finishing unpacking. He stood there for a moment. He didn't want to yet go to be, but he had no excuse now, so he sat down on his own bed. “First, I think we need to work on you being louder. I can hardly hear you, and we're the only two in the room. So… repeat that again. But louder.” Koschei smiled. Theta turned slightly red, but cleared his throat softly.“I don't,” he repeated, only slightly louder. “Well… That's better, I guess,” Koschei said standing to turn off the lights, then returning to lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. “We’ll work on it more tomorrow.” He yawned, closing his eyes. “Goodnight, Theta.”And so Theta Sigma was left alone in a dark room, victim to his own imagination. Every creak sounded like a footstep coming nearer. Every shadow was someone walking through the room. He buried himself under his blankets, shutting his eyes tightly to hold back tears. He could feel himself shaking. He knew it was irrational. That's what his parents told him. It was just his imagination, and he needed to get over it. But for whatever reason, he couldn't. It was real. Every fairy tale he was told was just so real, especially in that moment. Tears began to run more freely. Why him? Why did his father have to make him go to this stupid school? Just then, he felt a hand rest on his back, and he screamed. What horrible monster was it?! He yanked back his blankets to reveal…A startled Koschei. And the warmth glow of lights. “Are you okay?” The boy asked. “I heard you crying, and—”“I'm fine,” Theta interjected. “Homesick?” Koschei asked. Theta looked down, then nodded. “Oh, that's fine. I am, too. I'm sure most people are.” Theta slowly looked up, and Koschei smiled warmly. “Really?” He finally asked hesitantly. “I'd have to be stupid not to be. No one has been here before,” Koschei said, walking back to his own bed. “You'll be fine. Nothing will get you. And if something tries to, then… then I'll kick their butt!” He grinned triumphantly, and Theta couldn't help but laugh. “See? You'll be fine. I'm going to sleep now. You should, too. Classes start tomorrow.” With that, he layed back down on his bed, this time, leaving the lights on. Theta slowly closed his eyes. He tried not to let his thoughts wander again. But he couldn't help it, and the thoughts of the monsters soon returned, and he fell into an uneasy sleep. ——————————————————————As the young Time Lords slept, a shadow slipped through the halls. Watching. ----- CHAPTER BREAK ----- With sunlight streaming through the windows, Theta blinked awake. He looked around the room, frowning. He had no dreams that night, which was odd for him, although, he was slightly relieved. He knew his dreams would only be of what could possibly be under the bed.As he looked around, he noticed his friend was no longer there. He quickly stood up, looking around. But Koschei was nowhere to be seen. Theta checked the time, seeing if he maybe overslept, but no. He had plenty of time before the first meal even began, let alone the first class. He quickly got dressed into the robes, trying not to trip over them again as he began to search for the taller boy. As he ran through the halls, he tried not to run into anyone. But try his best, he still ran smack into someone, falling backwards. As he looked up, he immediately recognized the face. Magnus. “Oh, look. It's the idiot,” the boy laughed, causing Theta to turn red once again.“I… I'm not,” he managed to say, only causing Magnus to laugh more. “Really? Prove it. Say something clever,” he retorted. Before he could even open his mouth to respond, however, a voice called from out behind. “He's not the idiot. You are.” Magnus turned around, scowling. “And what makes you so sure about that?” He shot back. “Because we haven't even started classes yet. He's probably the top of the class,” Koschei said, grinning. Magnus just frowned deeply and stormed away. Theta slowly stood, adjusting his robe, and Koschei ran to him. “Are you alright?” He asked. Theta just nodded. “Good. Now, let’s get something to eat before our first class.” Koschei smiled, but his eyes didn't. Theta stared at him for a moment, then slowly nodded. The two of them started down the hallway, heading to the dining hall. The first meal had gone by quickly, and soon enough, they were sitting in their first class of the day, next to each other, of course. The Laws of Time. Simple enough, but boring. Essentially the do’s and don't’s for the first few years, and then they'd finally get into timelines and such. The worst was when they had to introduce themselves. It was their first class. Theta should have expected they would have to do something like that. As each student stood up and said their name, he could feel his heart rates speed up, and his breathing quicken. He tries to control both, only to find soon enough that he couldn't. It was Koschei’s turn, but Theta couldn't hear him. Was the room always this warm? Suddenly, he felt an elbow to his rib. It was his turn. Koschei smiled at him encouragingly. He slowly stood up, legs shaking. Every eye in the room. Everyone was staring at him. Waiting. But before he could catch his breath enough to even open his mouth, the world spun, around him, and then engulfed him in darkness.

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