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robbybarnes · 2 years

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~DUSKWOOD~

Hold My Hand - part 12

He woke up slowly, as after a simple afternoon nap. Heavy eyelids that didn't want to open wide at all. He didn't remember where he was or why everything seemed cold and damp around him. He blinked a couple of times to focus on the ceiling of that room and soon the memories resurfaced. It was not a room, it was a stone prison buried in a mountain. He barely sighed, trying to express his resignation, but his ribs protested causing him to hiss in pain.

At that moment he felt something fresh and wet touching his forehead and turned to the left to understand what it was. A little girl? Right, Sarah. Bloomgate's daughter. Thanks to the constant absence of light, his eyes had become accustomed to the dark. Of course, he didn't see the child's face perfectly, but he distinguished her features. She was there by his side, focused as if she was doing something extremely important. Near her legs, right between their bodies, was what appeared to be a bucket. He didn't understand whether it was made of wood or metal. If it was dark because rusty or it was colored. The only information he could get from that object was that it was filled with water. This was because the little girl had just turned to the bucket, put something in it and when she raised her hands, Jake had clearly heard the roar of the water.

What the little girl had in her hand seemed to be a piece of cloth. And after wetting and squeezing it carefully, she put it on his forehead. Maybe she didn't notice that Jake was watching her, because she kept making those movements like she was in a trance.

Jake: "Hey..."

As it wanted to demonstrate, the little girl jumped on the spot, slightly surprised to hear his voice.

S: "You scared me!"

Jake: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. Are you okay?"

S: "It's too cold here. Reminds me of that little hut on the mountains where my dad used to take me for the holidays."

As she spoke, she continued to wet the cloth and pass it over Jake's face. She did it gently, as if she had been afraid to break him. Her eyes and slow movements suggested to Jake that the kid was tired. She had probably been taking care of him for quite a while.

S: " But I had my warm clothes, not this dress."

Jake saw her face saddened and so, weakly raised the only good hand left to reach her hand, before it reached his forehead. She looked at him and her mouth curved slightly, making him realize that she was crying.

Jake: "I have never seen snow...I guess it's nice."

She pulled up with her nose making a small smile and shaking her head.

S: "Mhm..."

Jake: "I'm sorry they got you involved in all this...but we will get out of here."

S: "Why is Dad taking so long? Doesn't want to save me?"

At those words, Jake felt like a punch in the stomach. He pulled up slowly, trying to pry his still healthy arm. He held his breath as his body shouted at him to stop, not to move, but he didn't care. That little girl was suffering and needed comfort. Of course, he wasn't the world's greatest expert in emotions and things like that. Physical contact for him was often limited to a classic handshake. But he remembered that in a truly terrible moment, MC had told him that she would like him to hold her in a hug. To console her and make her feel safe. He had no way of fulfilling MC's wish, but he knew she wouldn't get angry if his hug was for that little girl.

So once seated, with a couple of really painful maneuvers he reached the nearest wall. When he got there, he leaned his back against the wall, feeling the cold and the jagged surface pricking his skin through his shirt.

S: "Ah! What are you doing!? You shouldn't move like that."

Jake, panting, raised a hand towards her and told her to get closer.

Jake: "Yeah...I know...I know."

The little girl got up and before going to him, she wet the piece of cloth again and squeezed it.

Jake: "But you were right. It's too cold there. Here is way warmer."

S: "Really?"

Jake: "Sure. Sit here next to me and try. It's really great."

The little girl, a little wary, did what he had told her and with slow movements sat a few inches from him.

S: "Mmm. Liar. It's not warm at all."

He opened his arm inviting her to approach.

Jake: "Maybe you should be closer to me."

She was doubtful for a moment. Then a chill of cold shook her body and she approached Jake, hugging him and clutching him. Jake smiled in the darkness of that cell and then settled in better, carrying his arm on the girl's shoulders. His ribs protested when they felt the kid's arms and body crush him like an octopus.

Jake: "Ow, ow. Don't squeeze me too much, I'm not a Teddy Bear."

S: "...I'm sorry..."

Jake: "It's okay. Now, I have to tell you something."

The little girl didn't look up, busy finding the best position so that her ear could hear the rhythm of Jake's heart.

Jake: "Your dad is doing his best to come here to save you. You have to trust him. Right now he might even be out here."

S: "Really?"

Jake: "Yeah, why not? But we have to believe in him. We must also rest, so when he arrives we will be ready to leave."

At that precise moment the little girl yawned and then rubbed one eye. Then she snuggled up at his side and closed her eyes.

S: "But...what if dad comes to save me and finds me sleeping?"

Jake: "Then I'll wake you up. Don't worry. You took care of me, now it's my turn."

Jake stood still for an indefinite time, until he felt the child's breathing become calm and regular. She had finally fallen asleep. Holding her close to himself, he sighed, resting his head on the wall. Alan would surely come to save Sarah, but Jake wondered why they had taken the Chief of Police's daughter. It was a risky move and worried him. The fact that Sarah was there with him probably indicated that they were holding Alan in check. Maybe they were blackmailing him and that couldn't be good. Not for him at least. If that was indeed the case, they probably thought Jake had entrusted Dedalus to him. But that was not the case.

Jake knew there was only one person that program would be safe with, but he hadn't been able to contact her. MC had disappeared from the radar and as much as he had tried, he had to give in to the evidence that he had been too good a teacher. MC had learned from him to disappear, not to be found. But he always had a plan B. Sending the program to Lilly through Nymos was the only possible alternative. And then he was lucky that there was a camera in his prison. Nymos was programmed to follow him through every kind of device possible. It was so quiet that it would go unnoticed in any system. Most likely he would have managed to sneak into a government system as well, if they had been the kidnappers. But that was not the case. The man who held him captive and tortured him was not from the government. Indeed, if it had been for him he would have gladly thrown the whole world into chaos.

Markus. He hadn't heard that name in years now. He never imagined that he would see him again in such circumstances, nor that he would be his torturer. They had met many years before. He didn't remember very well where. It seemed as if Markus had always been in his life. They were best friends at the time, almost brothers. They were simple nerds who cared about everything and nothing. They spent their days programming computers and eating junk food that Markus' mother, who was too busy with work, ordered online. It wasn't great, of course, but he liked it. Then one day Markus' grandfather died and Jake thought his friend wanted to abandon his passion to help the family. Not having a father to raise him, it was his grandfather who took care of him and his mother. She did a humble job, but it didn't allow her to bring enough money home to support her family. The grandfather then worked hard to help as he could. But after his death, something had changed. Markus' grandfather had left him a box with lots of photos and documents. "History teaches us" was written on top of the lid. Perhaps it was his way of ensuring that what was written in there was never forgotten. As a reminder. But when Jake, convinced by Markus, took a closer look at what the man had left behind, he realized that this was not the case. That legacy told a story of punishment and torture. Of wars and destruction that only a fool would have allowed. It turned out that Markus' grandfather had been enlisted, as a young man, in a secret government project. "Protection and containment" was written in one of the documents, but it had nothing to do with those two words. All that was in that box was the account of a historical period that had been almost completely erased.

From there they began their searches to find more information. They learned about MKULTRA and how the "subjects" were conditioned to do what the powerful wanted. They discovered that Markus' grandfather had been one of those subjects and that he had done terrible things in his life. But then, in one of the notes in the grandfather's notebook, they found a name. "The Minotaur". Under this name an annotation with the calligraphy of the man "saved my life". From that moment on, the two searched for the Minotaur far and wide. For Markus it became an obsession, to the point that he lost his mind. He hacked into numerous government computers and found the physical location of the archives where they kept the MKULTRA project segregated. He formed a team of criminals experienced in stealing sensitive data and succeeded in stealing that project. He wanted to use it to give those who had corrupted his grandfather's life the well-served.

Jake tried to dissuade him several times but without success. So, remembering the notes of the man who had raised Markus, he decided to take action to stop him. After finding secret information about the Minotaur project, he managed to steal it. He always kept it with him, taking care to let Markus know that if he ever even tried to bring that crazy project back to life, he would stop him. He remained in the shadows for years, waiting and hoping that Markus would never make his move. But he didn't know that his former friend was on his trail. When he decided to let his guard down to find his missing sister, Markus had already located him. On the one hand he expected it, Markus was unable to surrender. On the other hand, he had always hoped that with the passage of time Markus would think again. Unfortunately, however, that was just a dream. Now he was there, stuck in a situation he couldn't get out of without help. Luckily for him, Markus hadn't turned off the cameras that watched him and Jake still had an ace up his sleeve.

He looked around for an object. Something he could have made noise with. Unfortunately, however, there was not much. Only the chain that held an ankle tied to the floor. It was not the best but it had to make good use of it.

#Hold My Hand #robbyBarnes #duskwoodFF #newFF #chapter12

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themightykirin · 1 year

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#gretchen #chapter12

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estherquesada · 1 year

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Hell and Heaven - Page 298 (Preview) The new page is already up on Webtoon and Tapas! Have a nice week! - Don't miss any updates and don't forget to like and subscribe! ^o^ >>>WEBTOON: https://upload.webtoons.com/en/challenge/hell-and-heaven/list?title_no=38253 >>>TAPAS: https://tapas.io/series/hellandheaven - - #HellAndHeaven #EntreElCieloYElInfierno #webcomic #angel #cute #love #Estherquesada #romance #drama #friends #schoollife #devil #digitalart #magic #adventure #demon #youngadult #teens #Ryan #chapter12 #Esther #Caroline #Irene #supernatural #webtoons #tapas #christmas https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn7i0PXLfdA/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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cassiesbookishcorner · 2 years

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•July 12, 2022•

What other hobbies do you have besides reading??

▪︎

I like to play video games.

I used to be big on Sims. Now I play Minecraft, Fortnite, WoW, Zelda, Stardew Valley, and Runescape.

I also like to journal. I've not been the best at keeping up with it lately but its always fun to do.

▪︎

•

▪︎

#bookish #bookstagram #bibliophile #bookworm #read #books #tbr #bookaddict #currentlyreading #candle #coffee #chapter12 #july2022 #cruelprince #yalit #fantasy #ireadya

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thatanthagirl · 1 day

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David: Oh! Okay. Okay. I think I understand. It's not about being alone, or about being in love. It's about the things you survived. And as it's written, "The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places." -

Syd: Go on. -

David: It's not the story of a little girl whose mommy couldn't hug her who grew up wishing a prince's kiss could erase all her damage. It's about the damage itself, and how it makes us strong, not weak. You survived the bullies and the way they made you feel. You cut yourself with the dullest blade 'cause it felt the worst I know that life, - 'cause I lived it, too. -

Syd: I know.

David: And then I met you, and it was true love. Like in a fairy tale.

Syd: This isn't a fairy tale.

David: It is for me.

Syd: Do you know what love is? It's a hot bath. What happens to things when you leave them in a bath for too long?

David: Huh?

Syd: They get soft. Fall apart.

David: I read that story collection. The one in your book. At first, I was confused, you know Why is she carrying around this sordid tale of sex clubs and drug addicts and And then I read this "Junkies and masochists and hookers, and those who have squandered everything are the ring of brightest angels around heaven."

Syd: It's a war baby, this life. The things we endure. You said you saw the future, and it's an apocalypse. Who survives that the lovers or the fighters? They sell us this lie that love's gonna save us. All it does is make us stupid and weak. -

David: Thanks. -

Syd: Look at me. Love isn't gonna save us. It's what we have to save. Pain makes us strong enough to do it. All our scars, our anger, our despair.. It's armor. Baby, God loves the sinners best 'cause our fire burns bright, bright, bright. Burn with me.

Legion - season 2 - episode 4 - chapter 12

#legion #quotes #chapter12

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3schia · 1 month

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CHAPTER 10

“LEARN GAMBLING”

“I can teach you myself since I gamble a lot.

You don’t have to be great at gambling, you just have to learn.

Okay... Let’s start with Slot Games because they are easy to understand,

and unlike any other games, you will spend less time playing it.

In this game you must create a line of matching symbols to win.

Let’s go?”

“Let’s go!”

And then here we are at Casino Millionario.

ISLA: I remember grandma, she still gambles and is almost always with her friends, like she prioritizes them over us, her family.

GRAY: Just let her enjoy life.

ISLA: I mean, even when she’s younger, mom said that grandma really has that side, a not-so-family-oriented. But when she needs help with her maintenance, it’s us, her family, she’s always asking for help, not her friends. But yeah, she’s still her mom. So, she couldn’t do anything but still love and support her.

GRAY: Yap. Family is family, no matter what.

ISLA: But I hope Grandma will realize it.

GRAY: Let’s start. The major types of slot games that I’ll teach you are Classic slots, Video slots, Progressive slots, and 3D slots.

ISLA: Mhmm!

GRAY: Classic slots are single-line slot machine games. Here, you must pull the lever of the machine to make a spin, and you will hit the jackpot if you land on three similar symbols.

ISLA: Let me try... I hit it!

GRAY: Good! Then Video slots are advancements of classical slots. This game involves higher jackpot offers and has a larger engagement owing to its top-tier graphics. Compared to classical slots, it has more pay lines which increase the odds of winning.

ISLA: Let me try... Gotcha!

GRAY: You seem to have luck in gambling.

ISLA: Well, I told you grandma gambles a lot.

GRAY: Good... In progressive slots, you need to play with the maximum wager. When you make a maximum wager, a part of the amount of the bet placed is added to the jackpot prize. And this jackpot prize progresses with every bet placed until you win it.

ISLA: Alright... Hmmm... Yeah!

GRAY: Go, Isla!

Good... Then here’s the 3D slots. This involves three-dimensional elements within the game with improved graphics and colorful animation effects. The goal is to make the on-screen action appear realistically. The characters and objects seem like you can touch them.

Go...

ISLA: Basic!

GRAY: Let’s continue tomorrow. It’s Sunday anyway.

ISLA: Yeah!

---

And then we went home...

ISLA: Why do you often have dark chocolates?

GRAY: To activate my happy hormones.

Do you know how to cook?

ISLA: Yap. Do you want me to cook for you? We’re always eating ordered foods.

GRAY: Yeah. That’s your other task - to cook our dinner. I’ll prepare the ingredients.

---

GRAY: Hey, I just bought groceries.

ISLA: Yey!

GRAY: I want Arroz con bogavante later.

ISLA: Alright!

Gray went to his room, and I am now starting to cook.

The ingredients are prepared, but something is missing, black pepper,

So, I just bought it at the nearest mini-store.

Then the dish is now prepared.

ISLA: Gray, let’s eat!

GRAY: Coming!

ISLA: What’s your favorite Spanish dish?

GRAY: This!

ISLA: Oh.

GRAY: How about you?

ISLA: Vieiras en su concha, Cordero asado, Carrillada, and Rabo de Toro!

GRAY: That’s a lot

ISLA: Yeah.

A few minutes after eating, Gray had abdominal pain.

ISLA: That’s because you ate a lot

GRAY: Maybe. You cook so well.

ISLA: My pleasure.

Other minutes have passed, and Gray is still hurting.

GRAY: Did you wash the lobster well?

ISLA: Yeah!

GRAY: Have you added other ingredients?

ISLA: Hmm. I just added black pepper.

GRAY: Oh, no. I didn’t notice.

ISLA: Why?

GRAY: I’m allergic to black pepper

ISLA: Oh, I’m sorry!

GRAY: It’s fine.

ISLA: Let me make it up to you tomorrow. Which other foods or ingredients are you allergic to?

GRAY: Just black pepper. Tomorrow, let’s have Rabo de Toro, one of your favorites.

ISLA: Yey!

---

And then it’s Sunday.

After eating breakfast, we go straight to Casino Millionario.

“This time, I’ll be teaching you the Table Games. Some table games that involve cards are Baccarat, Blackjack, Teen Patti, Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, and Red Dog.

Let’s start with the Baccarat. It is a card game between the player and the banker. The objective is to bet on the winner between the two hands, which are the banker’s hand and the player’s hand.”

“Let me try...”

“Then here’s Blackjack. It is a casino game played using a deck of cards against the dealer. In this game, you will draw cards with a value close to 21 but not exceeding it.”

Go, Isla...”

“Let’s proceed to Teen Patti. It is an Indian-origin card game. The objective is to have the best three-card hand or to be the last player left in the round.

Go!”

“Yeah. I made it!”

“Then here’s the Three card poker. It is a card game played against a dealer. In here, each player competes with the dealer rather than rivals.”

“Four card poker is like Three card poker. This game allows players to place a bet three times their Ante or mandatory bet.”

“Last, Red Dog. It is a casino game that involves three to eight players. In here, players place bets on whether the rank of their third card would fall within the first two placed cards.”

“Gotcha!”

“And we’re done. Let’s continue tomorrow after your work.”

“I’m hungry”

“Me, too. Where do you want to eat?”

---

Again, it’s Monday.

After work, we ate dinner and went straight to Casino Millionario...

“This time, I’ll teach the Specialty Games, which I am sure will be easy for you. Specialty Games are just the Bingo, Keno, and Wheel of Fortune.”

Then we both just laughed.

“I knew you would be tired after work, so you’ll play the easy ones today.”

“You know how to be timing ha.” I replied.

“Aside from the fact that they are just easy to play. These games are solely based on luck, which you obviously have... Let’s go?”

“Let’s go!”

“First, Bingo. It is a casino game where numbers are called out randomly from mechanical or electronic number generators. The objective of the game is to cover a specific pattern of numbers before anyone else.”

“Let me play...”

“Go, Isla!”

“Bingo!”

“Yey!”

“Second, Keno. This is like a lottery. It is a game where you must choose numbers ranging from 1 to 10 from the given table of numbers ranging from 1 to 80. Then, the numbers are drawn by the casino, and the payout you’ll receive will be based on the correct match with your card.”

“Let me try”

“I got matches!”

“You really are so lucky!”

“Last, Wheel of Fortune. It is a casino game where contestants simply spin the wheel until they achieve three spins on the pay line. Alright, let’s wait for the others.”

“Here we go!”

“Go, Isla!”

“Yay! We’re done!”, I said.

“We’re not. You’ll repeat playing all the games in the coming few days after work.” Gray replied.

“Okay!”

Then, we went home.

Gray went to his bedroom, as usual.

Then, I started cooking.

*Ding-dong... ding-dong... ding-dong.

Gray then opened the door.

“Hey, mom!”

Wtf? He didn’t even tell me that his mom would come.

So, I suddenly turned off the gas stove.

And I hid in the cabinet in my room. I was in a rush, so I didn’t close the door.

So, I’m listening to their conversations.

“Oh, you’re cooking, ha!” Gray’s mom said.

“Ahhh. Hmm. Yeah!” Gray replied.

“Just wait in the living room, I’ll call you when it’s done.” Gray added.

Then Gray entered my room...

GRAY: Hey! I didn’t know mom was coming.

ISLA: Why did you tell her where you’re living?

GRAY: Of course, she’s my mom. Hello?

ISLA: How about now?

GRAY: I don’t know how to cook that... Let me just introduce you.

ISLA: You can see the instructions on the internet!

GRAY: That will take more time!

ISLA: You’re the owner of a resto bar, but you can’t cook?

GRAY: I can cook but... just the basics. Besides, I’m not the chef, I’m the owner. Get out of there!

ISLA: I don’t want to. Can you see how I look right now?

GRAY: Well, you can fix yourself in three minutes.

ISLA: But...

GRAY: Just do it! Don’t be shy! I’ll wait for you outside.

Then Gray suddenly went to his mom. I have no choice but to get ready.

GRAY: Mom, I’m living with someone since last month.

MOM: Ha? Who?

GRAY: My girlfriend.

MOM: Oh. You’re not telling me. Where is she?

GRAY: In her room, just fixing herself. She’s the one cooking.. ha-ha.. not me.

MOM: Oh.

Then they just laughed.

“Isla!” Gray said.

“Coming!” I replied.

MOM: How old are you?

ISLA: 25, mom

MOM: Where are you working?

ISLA: Hmm. At ZTN Corporación.

MOM: I’m familiar with that. Is that located here in Castellón?

ISLA: Yes, mom.

MOM: What’s your position there?

ISLA: Financial analyst.

MOM: That’s why you’re also living here, Gray?

GRAY: Ahm. Yeah.

MOM: So... Let’s continue cooking your Rabo de toro?

ISLA: Oh, right.

Then, we had lots of talks ~

“Fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree” is just so real XD

Her mom is also straightforward XD

Genes don’t really lie XD

And then we ate, and yeah, they liked my dish.

His mom praised me for that, and then she went home.

---

On the next few days, I just repeated playing the casino games until I have finally learned enough about it.

After this, we ate a lot of street foods, then Gray asked me...

“Wanna have some drinks?”

“Of course!”

And then we drink a lot until Gray gets drunk.

Then, I asked him...

“What’s the 3rd ordinance, Master Libra?”

#TheSecondOrdinance

#IslaTheGambler

#IslaTheChef

#IslaTheGirlfriend

CHAPTER 11

“LEARN BALLROOM DANCING”

[MAY 2014]

“What are you doing? We should be playing chess.” Gray said.

“I’m finding a good tutor online near our place.” I answered.

“What tutor?”

“A ballroom dancing tutor.”

“How did you know?”

“Well, you got drunk last night, and you told me the third ordinance.”

“Did I say that?”

“I actually asked you.”

“Oh. You’re a cheater ha. You took advantage of me.”

“If I’m a cheater, then what do you call yourself? Sounds familiar?”

“Are you sure you want to start learning ballroom dancing?”

“Yap!”

Then here I found an expert ballroom dancer, Miss Vergara.

GRAY: Hey! You insisted on learning ballroom dancing. You must lose weight. Reduce eating meat and sweets starting today.

ISLA: That will be hard. I'll eat meat and sweets once a week.

GRAY: Just make sure to stick to 1000 calories per day and avoid meats that are hard to digest.

ISLA: Sure.

Every day after work and on weekends, I practice ballroom dancing.

It’s not a joke. It’s hard.

My body has been in pain and adjusting for a couple of days.

I feel like Miss Vergara is getting annoyed since it takes me more time to do the dance steps. But yeah, at least I’m still trying and getting better each day.

---

A time came when I felt so stressed, too occupied, and couldn’t focus on work.

So, I must admit that I wasn’t able to perform well on a specific project for the Company. This could be solved in a more formal way, but they’ve become so loud about it.

I saw two possible reasons for their excessive reactions,

either they only felt disappointed in my performance,

or they just feel satisfied, dragging me down.

But I guess, both are reasons, though the latter seems to be a more convincing reason.

Then...

the hidden haters started to come out.

And guess what???

They are all the ones who don't have the looks.

Deyyyymmmmm!

They even recruited others to treat me a bit differently.

Whenever I greet some of them, they are no longer greeting back simply to make me feel like an outcast.

What a fabulous team effort!

It’s like they only used that one failure of mine as a chance to express their hidden feelings against me XD

Well, it's a reflection of their character, not mine. ~

And I know very well where that unreasonable hate is coming from.

What’s funnier was that they even recruited haters from another department whose faces were really unfamiliar to me XD

I guess, in the afterlife, I won't go to hell for being real.

But as a matter of fact, the haters seem to come from the bloodlines of bulldogs, gorillas, dwarfs, wild boars, and walking skeletons with bad skin tones and inappropriate body proportions.

I wonder how exactly they feel whenever they see themselves in the mirror XD

Well, they didn’t get any prettier for doing such a thing to me. ~

So, I didn’t think of getting back at them since their looks are already an everyday curse to them. XD

Instead of taking revenge, I just empathized with them. XD

It’s really like...

When the man from Above showered good genes, they were literally sleeping so deeply like they hadn't slept for two straight days.

Even the best plastic surgeons will give up fixing their faces.

People judge me like they know me well.

If and only if I could focus, I could have done better.

But that’s life, full of immature, judgmental, and narrow-minded animals.

It's so funny how they thought they were winning by making the environment uncomfortable to me without them even realizing that they are with someone who's been through hell (and really immune to betrayals XD).

So, I didn’t allow them to become a hindrance to our plans.

Who are they anyway?

I don’t even know their whole names.

Like f*ck?

Who are these mammals?

Or, should I say, reptiles? XD

They even targeted my dating status, like it's just so funny to know that they haven't experienced any.

They haven’t even seen the magic of how $p3®m explod3s.

They haven’t even tasted a single flavor of it.

They don’t even know how to s*ck a big c*ck or what it looks like in real life.

What’s worse is that they don't have any suitors, not even the poor and ugly ones.

So, they are just like t h a t --- c o l d, b i t t e r & d r y.

>>> KO! <<<

So, yeah... I know where that noise is coming from.

They are too busy talking about my existence when I don't even care if they don’t wake up the next day.

---

ISLA: Don't you get tired? ‘Coz I’m getting tired.

GRAY: Well, you have no choice but to follow.

ISLA: I can’t focus on work.

GRAY: Then just resign immediately.

ISLA: I can't do that. Grandma has a lot of medications.

GRAY: How about your mom and her siblings? Don’t they support her?!

ISLA: They are, of course! But you know I have four other siblings studying, as well as my cousins.

GRAY: I'll just give you money, double your salary.

ISLA: Make it triple.

GRAY: Deal.

And so, I resigned after almost two years of working here.

Then, we settled into his home.

---

[AUGUST 2014]

One day, I woke up and remembered the unreasonable hate I got at work.

This is when I finally decided to pursue my passion, which is painting.

I came up with the idea of making digital arts so I would be able to reach buyers around the world.

GRAY: Hey. Let’s go this weekend to an amusement park so you can unwind. I know you’re tired.

ISLA: Yey!

And then, here we are, riding on the different rides like children.

We even ate cotton candies, lol. And went home.

---

“Wanna play computer games?” Gray asked

“Yeah!... Oh. You’re gaining muscle, ha?” I answered.

“I’ve been going to the gym these past few months.”

“Trying to impress someone?”

“Not my thing!”

---

One day, after practice, I saw Carrillada at the dining table.

So, I asked Gray...

“It smells so good! Where did you buy this?”

“I cooked that for you.” Gray answered.

“Oh. Thanks, it’s one of my favorites!” I replied.

“I know, right?”

And then he really looked at me to see what my impression would be. XD

“You cook well, ha!” I spoke.

Then Gray just laughed.

I really appreciate the gestures Gray makes for me.

He felt that I was really in distress during this chapter.

So, he made a lot of effort to make me happy.

“I reorganized your schedule. You’ll have 15 hours of practice every day. In this case, it will take almost two years for you to finally master the game. Let’s play chess again tomorrow, okay?” Gray said.

“Okay!”

“Wanna play UNO card game?”

“Yeah!”

“Let’s sit on the floor.”

“UNO!”

HA-HA-HA ~

“Hey! Why are you laughing.” Gray asked.

“Let me sew that later. I’m seeing your brief, tho.”

“Oh! I’m sorry.”

After playing, I asked him...

“What’s the 4th ordinance, Master Libra?”

#TheThirdOrdinance

#IslaTheBallroomDancer

#LooksMatter

#TheBitterTruthOfLife

#TheNotSoBadassWriter

#JustStatingF*cksEsteFacts

CHAPTER 12

“LEARN SKYDIVING”

“Ohhhhh. I’m afraid of heights.”

“You have no choice but to learn.”

---

“Hey! Want to have some fun?” I asked.

“What kind of fun?” Gray asked.

“Let’s join the Tomato Fight Festival this coming Wednesday.”

“Oh. Let’s go!”

"That was fun!"

---

A problem came...

The sales of Gray’s Resto Bar have been constantly decreasing by 25%-30% these past few months due to a newly built resto bar near his.

ISLA: What should we do now?

GRAY: This is the first time that the sales have constantly decreased to such an extent. We must think of another technique... What if we try offering new foods and drinks?

ISLA: Yap. Hmm. You can also ask your staff to wear elegant clothes to make them look more formal. Consider having a stronger online presence. And don’t you dare decrease the price of the drinks and meals you’re already offering. That will make them think you’re losing. Just add new offers.

GRAY: Alright.

ISLA: That will attract more customers. Also, consider making the place look more elegant.

GRAY: How’s life without Isla?

ISLA: My pleasure, Master Libra.

You have me, so don’t worry that much.

---

Then, here’s the day of my first skydiving...

I feel like I can’t do it, even if it’s tandem skydiving.

I feel so nervous, so I asked for more time to prepare myself.

“You can do it, Isla. We came this far.”

“I have no choice. Okay, I’m ready.”

And then...

We jumped!

“WaaaAaaaaAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAaAaaaAAAaaA!!!!!”

“WooooooOOOOooOoOoOOoo!!!"

“I thought I couldn’t make it!”

Then, the skydiver behind me just laughed at me.

Yeah! It was an unforgettable experience.

---

“What did you feel?” Gray asked.

“It’s far scarier than all the rides we tried. My soul almost left me!” I answered.

“Well, you’ll repeat doing it occasionally so that you’ll be a bit more used to it.”

---

Then here’s another day...

“Where are you going?” I asked.

“To the bar. I’ll talk to my staff about the solutions.” Gray answered.

“Best of luck, Master.”

“Thanks, buddy!”

---

“What happened to your meeting?” I asked.

“They are now starting to look for new attire. Then, they are now working on new drinks and foods.” Gray answered.

“Good!”

---

[a phone call received by Gray]

*Trrt trrt... Trrt trrt...

ISLA: Hey, someone is calling you.

GRAY: Can you look at it? I’m still taking a bath.

ISLA: My hands are messy; I’m cooking our lunch... Wait.

GRAY: I’m done.

ISLA: It was cancelled.

GRAY: It’s fine. I’ll just look for it.

ISLA: What is it?

GRAY: My nephew is missing.

ISLA: Oh no. How old is he?

GRAY: Five

ISLA: Did they report it to the police?

GRAY: They are in the airport right now.

They’ll have a vacation in Hawaii.

*Tut tut...

“Oh. You received a message.” I said.

“We found him!” Gray read.

“Hoo! I got nervous!” Gray added.

I thought there would be another problem.

---

“Hey! Not afraid of heights anymore, right?” Gray asked.

“Hmm. A bit!” I answered.

“Wanna have some fun?”

“What kind of fun?”

“Hot air balloon!”

“Oh. Where?

“Just there in Catalonia. Let’s go?”

“Let’s go!”

“That was fun!”

“Hey! Let’s focus on chess in the coming months. I can’t wait any longer. We have to take a risk.” Gray said.

---

[DECEMBER 2014]

One day, after skydiving, we went to a beach to swim and relax,

and stayed there until the next day.

Under a midnight sky, Gray and I had long, deep talks while looking at the stars...

GRAY: Hey. Thanks for your idea. The sales are increasing again.

ISLA: My pleasure.

GRAY: What will you do after our mission?

ISLA: I'll get a tattoo on my back.

GRAY: What tattoo?

ISLA: A Dove.

GRAY: Why is it?

ISLA: Because it symbolizes harmony, love, and peace.

GRAY: Do you feel the need to do it?

ISLA: I lived in hatred for so long and had some realizations.

The world was bad, so why would I be good?

That’s why... I lost faith.

GRAY: I feel like you didn’t lose it.

You were just sad, so you feel that way.

ISLA: I hope so.

How about you? What will you do after this mission?

GRAY: I’ll take a vacation in Somalia. Will you miss me?

ISLA: Pssh!

GRAY: May I ask, what's your type?

ISLA: Do you mean my ideal man?

GRAY: Yes.

ISLA: Someone who will understand me even if I don’t usually understand myself.

GRAY: What do you mean exactly?

ISLA: I feel like.. I only understand half of myself. So, I want someone who will understand me and stay with me no matter what.

GRAY: How many boyfriends did you have?

ISLA: Just one.

GRAY: Ows. You told me about your long-time boyfriend and that, Hernan.

ISLA: I don’t consider Hernan to be one. He’s a complete jerk.

And you know what? He only dresses up like a masculine man but can’t even give me an orgasm.

GRAY: Okay, I won’t argue...

How long have you been with that one, and what’s his name again?

ISLA: He’s Bruce. We've been together for almost 6 years. How about you?

How many girlfriends did you have?

GRAY: Three.

ISLA: Ows?!

GRAY: Well, others are just one-night stands.

ISLA: So, who’s the other one?

GRAY: She’s Precious. We've been together for 10 years.

ISLA: That's long! What happened?

GRAY: She broke up with me. How about you?

ISLA: I broke up with him.

GRAY: See? Girls give up so easily.

ISLA: No, I didn't. It took me years to come up with that decision.

GRAY: Really?

ISLA: Yes. Why did she break up with you?

GRAY: She said I didn't have enough time for her, but I know the real reason. How about you?

ISLA: Personality differences. What's the real reason?

GRAY: Third party.

ISLA: Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. Do you know who's behind it?

GRAY: Not just one person.

ISLA: What do you mean?

GRAY: You'll know.

ISLA: Did you take revenge on them?

“You seem to be almost ready...

It’s time for him to meet the beautiful Pisces.”

#TheFourthOrdinance

#IslaTheSkydiver

#The10thOrdinance #LibravsPisces #Chapter10 #Chapter11 #Chapter12

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solomonyau · 1 year

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what it's like inside my mind - Chapter 12 : 'a letter to my next love'

A Letter to My Next Love,

Hi, I'm Solomon. You can call me Sol for short,

If were we were to be together, I'd want you to know that you're one of the most beautiful girls that Ive ever talked to

I'm about 6ft tall, & I'll probably weigh around 200 pounds when I meet you,

If not I'm probably a lil more on the chubbier side

But maybe thatll be a good thing if you're into hugs

I have Filipino lineage, but dont expect me to have an accent

I speak a couple languages but I'm the most confident in my English as you can see

& Im learning to love the little parts of myself that I have yet to do so

I love cooking whenever I have the chance to,

& a damn good cup of coffee whether its made personally (biasely)by me or even my favorite baristas

My favorite Netflix series is 'How I Met Your Mother', I tend to pull inspirationn & quotes from it far too often especially when all my closest friends are all advid 'FRIENDS' watchers

Id truly sometimes think that I'm just the real life version of Ted Mosby,

I aspired to be a singer, rapper, doctor, psychologist, philosopher, & maybe all the above but I kinda stucked with becoming a Physiotherapist

My friends tend to never really crack their necks around me because Id give them a stare but trust me I might~ just give you a pass

I play many sports, but you'd soon find out that I'm really just a student of the game,

& being honest with you, it's just another one of my many escapes,

I'd want you to know that my heart has been broken, many times over yet somehow Im still a hopeless romantic,

I guess its because I chase dreams endlessly like a child & tend to space out in the endless possibilities that life has to offer.

Which would make me somewhat of story teller.

I deal with my emotions like how'd sometimes I'd wear a shirt where some moments they're on & most often times they're not

I battle with myself sometimes which leads to me secluding myself, Yet I'm a people person.

I'm trying to slowly understand how I can be such a contridiction

Maybe you'll learn to love this, in the same way I'm learning to love the little parts of myself

& on the topic of love, I hope that you know that the responsibility of my happiness doesn't fall entirely on your shoulders

Whether we end up in marriage or not at all, I'd want you to know that I won't regret a single second spent with you

I hope you understand that change will happen, no matter whether its individually or together

I dont want to go through with this knowing that we'll be the same people that we entered as

I'd want you to know that how I view love might be the same way I'd read a book, where I'd continously fall deeper with every page, chapter, & every book that I finish in your continous series called 'Falling In Love with You'

I'd want you to know that you'd be the epitome of my love story, whether its the past, present or future , & that the real estate that you have within my mind will fully be occupied.

So if this is about you. & if you're ready for whatever it is that I have to offer,

I'd hope that you'd be careful with my heart, as I'd be careful with yours,

& lastly, I won't promise you the universe, but I'd pray that the universe somehow promises me you.

#words #emotions #expression #what its like inside my mind #place of thought #chapter12 #a letter to my next love

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lulupen2023 · 1 year

Text

My very first BellDom Fic 12/23

Fun Fact: I've been trying at least 5 or 6 times to post also a het fic about them, but nothing works, LOL, it means that Tumblr just wants BellDom, well who can blame Tumblr? ;P so let's go on with this one

If you're reading, I hope you're laughing

Summary:

Do you want to meet a Matthew who sees conspiracy everywhere (oh wait, this is not big news!) and is so fond of his trolley that he treat it like a sort of puppy? Do you want to meet a Dominic in love with… himself (and with Matt, too, of course!)? And do you want to meet a Chris who wants to prove to the world he's the most masculine guy ever… but is unavoidably attracted by every… female hobby? This is what you'll find in this story, among lots of BellDom and… craziness!

Summary of the chapter: Chris and Dom's reactions… and much more!

Chapter XII: No way!

After some seconds (maybe even some minutes) of silence, Chris is the first one to talk.

"What can I say, Bells? I guess it's way too soon..."

"Too son for what?" the singer narrows his eyes.

"For April fool's day, since it's just half January! Because this is a joke, isn't this? C'mon, it can't be anything but a joke!" the bassist snaps.

"No, it's not a joke. Wait, I got you. You are talking like that because it's still a work in progress, but..."

< Oh, my god, so he's not kidding at all. Note to myself: not always when Matthew concentrates and composes music he draws out something deep and spiritual!> Chris ponders, before striking back.

"Please, Matt, stop working on that project!"

"Do you mean that it's already perfect this way, so I don't need to work on it again and we can already start playing together and record it?" the frontman asks him hopefully.

"No way! Forget it, we'll never ever record that... thing!" his friend makes him desist.

"Alright! You think that it's mostly a live song to play just at the shows, right?" the other figures out, as he already approves that idea.

"No way! That would be even worse! Matthew, are you aware that you basically wrote an anthem against old people? Why do you hate them so much?" Chris wonders.

"I have my reasons!" Matthew grumbles.

"Just think about it. Let's suppose that an old person, I don't know, maybe a grandfather with his nephew, comes too see our show and you sing that... that so called song, too. How do you think he would react?" Chris tries to make him reason , with a patience that he ignores to have.

"There's no problem about that. They must not see our shows, it's simple. It will be enough to put all around some warnings." Matt suggests.

"So, tell me, what would you like to do? To plaster every place where we have a gig with tons of posters with the announcement 'The show is off limits to old damn geezers'?" Chris wonders ironically.

"No way! I would never do such a thing. I 'm not so rude and cold!" Matt comments horrified and Chris silently rejoices due to the fact that his friend seems to still have a glimpse of common sense.

"I mean, 'off limits' is such a hostile and unpleasant terminology, I could never use it. It's way much better 'Old damn geezers, we ask you cordially not to see this show. Thank you.'" Matthew adds.

Chris' temporary relief just fades away, immediately.

"You're right, Matt, this changes everything!" Chris mutters sarcastically ah he shakes his head in resignation.

"So, does it mean we can do it?" the frontman wonders, more and more hopeful.

"NO FUCKING WAY!" Chris roars, exasperated.

Matthew grumbles something indecipherable and then he turns to Dominic who doesn't even seem to pay attention, since he's lost in his thoughts.

"Hey! You don't even want to tell me what you think about the song, do you?" Matt diverts his attention.

"Uh? Do you wanna know what I think about it? IT'S WONDERFUL! I like the way it begins, I like the way it ends, I like all the variations. I like the aggressiveness, I like the rhythm, I like the subject ... I like it all!" the blond declaims excited as his eyes sparkle with admiration towards Matt.

"So, why did you keep silent?" Chris points out, as he definitely gives up his chimera of convincing those two, or at least one of them, about how wrong, dull and wicked that kind of pathetic attempt to a song is.

"It's just because I was trying to play the melody in my mind. And you know what? I think I found the perfect moment to insert a drum solo that could go down in history!" the blond informs them, more and more enthused, just like Matt after that news.

"So, you like it for real!" he cheers happily.

"Of course I do, did you doubt about that?" the blond smiles at him.

"Uh. You two getting along irritatingly well and thinking the same about a matter. That's new!" Chris comments ironically as he rolls his eyes.

"See? It's two against one, and you know... majority wins! We're going to record that song, maybe even during this tour." Matthew insists.

"Never! Forget it! About the majority, we are even, because when I tell Tom about it he'll surely be on my side!" Chris informs them.

"Uh. You two getting along irritatingly well and thinking the same about a matter. That's new!" Dominic quotes his previous speech on purpose, chuckling with Matt, but Chris does the wisest things ever: he just ignores them.

"No, wait, that's even better, I'm sure the whole Warner records will be on my side, too. So, my dear guys, surrender, mine is a crushing victory!" Chris warns them.

"Can we at least place it as a b-side in the next single?" Dominic suggests.

"No way!" Chris strikes back.

"Not even as a b-side that's only available on the web?" the blond insists.

"No sodding, bloody, shitty way!" Chris adds to it.

"Uh, Matt, we haven't even asked you yet: how is it called?" Dominic gets curios.

" 'Inconveniences of the First Class'!" Matthew replies.

Chris and Dominic stare at him, astonished.

"It's such a long story..." he explains, rolling his eyes.

"I give up understanding you!" Chris announces.

"I like even the title!" Dominic grins.

"Correction: I give up understanding both of you!" Chris rolls his eyes.

All of sudden, Matthew's mobile gives out a tiny beep that gets louder and louder, until its owner turns it off.

"What was that?" Chris asks him.

"A reminder." Matt replies.

"Of course it's reminder, but for what?"

"It's girlfriends' time!" Matt explains, glancing at Dom who nods.

"Yeah, today it was your turn to set it up." the blond adds.

"What? How long have you been resorting to a reminder to call your girlfriends?" Chris wonders dumbfounded.

"Since we... tend to forget it." Matt admits.

"What? How can it be? I don't believe you. You shouldn't use a reminder; it should be your heart suggesting you to do that!" Chris states, being careful not to expose his poetic mood too much in order to defend his beloved reputation of 'macho'.

< If I had to listen to my heart, right now there would be only Dom and me doing tons of nasty things on the piano, no, wait, that's even better, on the drums! Why not? Maybe even on a guitar... uh, no, maybe it would be way too uncomfortable... and somehow extremely kinky, too! > the frontman ponders, looking at the drummer until their eyes meet.

< What does my heart suggest me to do? Matt, me and... handcuffs, handcuffs, HANDCUFFS!! Uh, ok, maybe it's not exactly my * heart* suggesting that! > the blond thinks as he smiles at him.

"Ok, let's call them, then. Chris, would you mind..." Matt asks.

"Uh? Oh, yeah, sure!" Chris realizes, walking towards the door.

"Hey, wait a minute. Why just me?" he protests, stopping.

"Because Dom and I will be too busy talking with our girlfriends to hear each other. Instead, you would just listen to the whole conversation ... and I don't like that." Matt explains.

"He's right. But you could just watch us, like we do with you." Dominic lets it slip from his mouth.

"What? Does it mean that you watch me as I talk with Kelly?" Chris frowns.

"Yes, we do, but just when we get the opportunity!" Matthew points out.

"That's right. Anyway, don't worry, we didn't see that filthy pic!" Dom winks at the bassist.

Too bad that Chris has not the slightest idea what he's talking about.

"Now, please, go." Matthew gently begs him, gesticulating, too.

"No way! When I have to call Kelly I'm always the one who leaves the room. So, you're gonna do the same!" Chris exhorts them.

"Besides, I can't trust you. You would even able to use it as an excuse to have the room at your disposal and record that bloody horror you can keep calling a song!" Chris accuses them.

"Do you really think so? I'm insulted!" Matthew mutters, outraged.

"I'm insulted, too. At least, give me time to memorize that song, before accusing me!" Dom adds.

"Anyway, this is not a problem. Come on, Dom, let's go, since Mr I-don't-trust-you doesn't want us to stay." Matt announces as he leaves the room with Dominic.

They close the door behind their back and walk through the corridor, heading to the exit.

They both stare at their mobiles in disbelief.

"C'mon, we can do it. It's just a matter of ten minutes." Matt states.

"Yeah. Ten minutes made of lies." Dom sighs unhappily.

"I don't like cheating on them, either. Anyway, we're going to face them, just not now, we already talked about it." Matt assures him with a soft tone and one hand on his shoulder.

"Ok, let's do it, then!" Dom agrees, as they take different directions.

"Matthew!" he calls him from afar.

"What?" the brunette turns to him.

"Didn't you forget a certain thing?" Dom pleads him, with a look that hides an invitation that Matt perceives as quickly as he accepts it.

As a matter of fact, he goes back towards the blond.

They take a cautious look around, but when they see that there's no one around, they hold their hands and share a short but very intense kiss. So much that they both moan their disappointment when they break it.

"Mm... now it's getting better!" Dominic smiles satisfied as they part from each other and go make the respective phone call.

Just like they had foreseen, ten minutes after they're back.

Dom takes place at the drum, Chris and Matt put on the shoulder straps of their instruments, but before resuming to play, Matthew has something to say.

"Uh, Chris, I have another idea about how to use that song." he hazards.

"Gee, Bells, why should you waste your time and breath to suggest me something that you already know I'll inevitably refuse?" Chris snorts.

"Well, at least listen to my idea first." the frontman insists.

"Ok. Spit out!"

"What do you think about placing it in our next album, as a ghost track, without even warning about that. Plus, we could make it start after something like, I don't know, forty minutes?" Matthew suggests.

"Who the hell would ever let a CD go on for *forty minutes* after what is supposed to be the *last* song?" Chris wonders, distressed.

"I would!" Dom declares proudly.

"Why am I not surprised at all?" Chris rolls his eyes for the umpteenth time.

"Anyway, NO! Not even if you made it start after * forty hours*. End of the bloody speech!" the bassist clears the point, irreducible.

Even if a bit bothered, Matt has already begun the intro of 'Assassin', but Chris stops him.

"What? Did I make any mistakes with the chords? I don't think so." Matt mumbles.

"No, it's not that. It's just that I forgot to tell you, after our show we're gonna stay to see the My Chemical Romance." Chris warns them.

"No! No way! Not again! We've already done that." Matthew protests.

"Listen, to leave after the second song it's not what I call to see a whole show!" Chris makes him notice.

"So, not only we're gonna stay, but after their show we will even have a dinner, all together. Their manager invited us and I agreed, just like Tom would do. And don't even start complaining!" he adds, turning to Matthew.

"Dammit! I think I'll need *a lot* of wine to face everything!" he thinks out loud as he sighs unhappily.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

The show at the Wolstein Center was great and the crowd welcomed them more than enthusiastically.

Anyway, no one has seemed to notice the way Dom and Matt kept eying each other up, not even Chris has noticed that, since he was too busy playing.

After all, he's kinda accustomed to see them close to each other; it's the most normal routine ever.

And after the show, under Chris' extreme control, Dom but mostly Matt have been forced to watch the whole performance of the My Chemical Romance, looking at a bunch of girls dressed in a dark way that jumped, yelled and got crazy whenever the frontman of that band went close to them.

And Matt's torture culminated with the dinner.

Just like he had foreseen, wine has kept company to him all time long... with the relative consequences.

"Now, tell me what the hell was wrong with you!" Chris scolds him in awe, as the cab brings them back to the hotel.

"Why? What did I do?" Matt wonders with all the innocence he can muster.

"What did you do?! Gee, do you think it was appropriate to start caressing the blade of a knife with a finger and then look at them , one by one, with a manic expression, aiming the knife in their direction and saying with a even more manic voice 'I guess we'll have lots of fun together!'?" Chris reminds him.

"I was just kidding!" Matt declares, even more innocently.

"It was fun!" Dominic states as he chuckles with Matt at the memory.

"But it wasn't fun for them. Poor dear guys, you scared the shit out of them!" Chris snaps.

"Phew! They just keep singing about death, darkness, blood, vampires, murders and death all over again... and they got so scared due to a simple little knife? Yellow-bellies, that's what they are!" Matthew snorts with a shrug.

"Maybe they sing about all this stuff just to exorcise their fears and that would explain their reaction!" Dom justifies them.

That makes Matt think about it for a while and then he jumps to another conclusion.

"Yellow-bellies and cheaters, too!" he asserts and both Dom and Chris don't even try to answer back.

The cab arrives to the Hotel and they walk towards the elevator.

After taking Chris to his room and after getting sure no one is in the nearby, Matt and Dom take each other by the hand and walk together until they reach the point where they should be supposed to depart.

It's enough with just one look to make them read in each other's eyes the same desire, to realize that that night will be * the night*.

The night to make something important happen.

The night to bring their relationship to an upper level.

The night to go much more beyond the kisses.

As a matter of fact, they both smile mischievously, asking each other the same thing at the same moment.

"Your place or mine?"

TBC

hope the links still works ...

As you can easily guess, next chapter will be utterly centred on BellDom, yaaaay! ^^

Don't miss it ;P

About this delirious chapter...

There were old pics of young Matt's serial killer attitude, but I can't find them right now sigh

It was creepy and funny at once and that's what inspired me for that part

I hope you had fun reading, but feel free to tell me anything, as always!

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