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ink-on-the-brink · 11 months

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Obsessed Engie x GN Reader ~ Dark Nights Come With A Cost [PT 12]

Chapter Selection

Darkness had fallen on the winter roads, streetlights starting to pop on as the air temperature dropped further. The only thing keeping you warm was your thick coat and moving body, your pocketed hands a reminder that you had forgotten your gloves before you left. However this mild annoyance faded into the background as you took a deep breath in, relishing in the calm silence of the night. You wished you could see it more, though the thought of ever doing so alone felt like a death sentence in itself.

"So, how's your studies goin'?" Dell's voice finally spoke as he ended the silence.

"They are uh...well they're going. You've certainly helped if that's what you're asking," you responded naturally before taking a second to untuck your hands to blow warm air into them.

"Well that's good ta hear. Ya said you were graduatin' this year right?" He asked, his eyes turning over to you. In the distance you heard a small flutter before spotting a bird flying just a little bit past its bedtime.

"Yeah. What about you?" You asked, his face slightly scrunching at the question.

"Me? Well I ain't too sure. Was hopin' ta maybe get a few more studies in before quittin' college altogether. There's a lot ta learn y'know? Though I don't think I'd be doin' it full time. Probably just do it online or somethin'," he responded genuinely, so he was surprised to hear a small snicker from you.

"Right. Because nine PhD's isn't enough," you teased in a lighthearted but slightly mocking tone, quickly catching his attention. Upon seeing the small smirk on your face and a light roll of your eyes he found his own smile growing, seeing that you were now in a better mood than before.

"Well now a man can't know too much can he?" He retorted, only to earn a tsk from you.

"He most certainly can mister Conager. I've seen it with my own two eyes," you responded just before turning to him, a light chuckle falling from him as you did so.

"That's Dell ta you sweetheart," he quickly replied, his brain mildly short-circuiting at having let the nickname slip out. Though the poorly hidden look of minored shock on your face made it almost worth it. It was short-lived as you quickly turned back to looking in front of you. However he was surprised to hear a quiet laugh from you afterward.

"Yeah? And what are you gonna do about it mister Conager?" You emphasized the name this time, taunting him with it. A wide smile broke on his face as you did so, his eyes lighting up at the fact that you felt comfortable enough to be this playful with him. Even with this sudden joy he was also very aware that he couldn't let you get away with this. And, glancing towards the snow that laid on either side of the sidewalk, he knew just what he had to do. He swiftly dipped down, grabbing a handful of it before he stopped walking. You didn't notice for a few seconds, taking those extra needed steps away before you realized he wasn't there and, in almost a panic, you turned around.

Only to be met with a snowball to the chest.

The world paused for a moment, your mind trying to register what just happened. That was before you looked over to Dell, a wide grin plastered on his face and a second snowball in his hand.

"Oh. So we're playing dirty now huh?" You quipped.

"Well s'only fair. Considerin' I asked nicely the first time," with his grin only growing he wound up the second throw. Seeing it coming this time you ducked behind a nearby fence, the packed snow disintegrating on contact.

"Oh, what a gentleman!" You mockingly yelled before picking up a ball of your own, appearing for just a split second from the fence before throwing your newly made weapon. Disappointment was all you felt when it hit the ground.

"Gonna have ta try harder than that!" He retorted, sending another set of white flurries your way, eventually compromising your position. So you went further down the street taking shelter behind trash bins and lampposts as he continued advancing, though not without a few hits of your own. You could never have contained your joy upon having actually hit him, especially as he turned with a feigned look of shock. You found yourself laughing, genuinely full-on laughing, for the first time in years. You had never been in a snowball fight before, yet now you wished you would have grown up doing so.

As this one-on-one middle of the night snowball fight between the two of you continued he began to inch closer and closer, gaining more ground than you could keep between before, eventually, he stood only a little more than an arms length away, snowball in hand as you found yourself without one.

"Seems like you've met the end'a the line," he teased, his small step forward sending you a step back, your hands slightly raised, a pretend mark of surrender.

"Awww come on we can talk about th-" before you could finish your sentence you took another small yet unwise step backward, your balance immidiately lost on a thick sheet of ice that covered a decent chunk of the continuing sidewalk. With widened eyes Dell dropped his snowball, both hands reaching out to catch you, only to lose his own balance. It wasn't even a full second before you both met the earth while just barely managing to keep your head high enough to not hit it on the ice that you both almost comically slid down before coming to a complete stop a few feet down the sidewalk.

Silence enveloped the world for a moment, the shock running through your system before you slowly opened tightly shut eyes, revealing how he had landed on top of you. He went into an immediate panic.

"You alright?!" He asked as he pushed up just enough to not have his full body weight laying on you, leaving inches between his face and yours. You took a few seconds before you allowed a deep breath to fill your lungs, the world coming back to you. Besides having the wind knocked out of you and a bruise that future you would have to deal with, you felt relatively fine. Nothing felt broken at least.

"Yeah, just lost my breath," you finally spoke, his panic dissipating with the response.

"You okay?" You asked with slight breathlessness. He took a second to make sure but besides bruises he was also perfectly fine.

"Yeah. I think so," he answered. There were another few seconds of silence as you further caught your breath before speaking again.

"It uh...might help if you get off," you pointed out, knocking him back to reality as a look of embarrassment took hold. He quickly rolled off to which you finally sat up. You winced, another shock of panic rolling through his system at the sound. Though when nothing came from it he calmed again.

It was then that both of you turned to look at each other, smiles creeping onto your faces before being followed by at first small but soon howling laughter. The both of you shared the same moment of pure joy as if nothing in the world could be funnier than this. Surrounded by cold snow in the isolation of the night, both of you couldn't have felt happier in each other's company.

When the laughter died down and the quiet crept in, peacefulness fell. The stillness was no longer able to produce discomfort around each other. You both locked eyes, your smiles smaller now.

Staring at Dell you felt your worries disappear. Not a single thought of the past crept into your mind while around him, just the joy of the moments he always seemed to bring. And it was then you felt your heartbeat a little faster in your chest, though you quickly explained it away as a slowing of your adrenaline.

You were taken away from this peace when you lost Dell's eyes as he turned to stand. Upon making it to his feet he turned back to you, outstretching a hand.

"Best get back to movin'. Gettin' a lil' too cold out here for my taste," he suggested, his smile still visible. You took his hand to which he pulled you up almost effortlessly.

"Woah!" you exclaimed, surprised at the sudden speed that you were pulled to your feet. His smile fell back to poorly hidden worry.

"You okay?" He asked again, his eyes looking over you for any injury you might not have spotted the first time.

"Yeah no I'm- I'm fine. You're just stronger than you look," you pointed out, your eyes turned to your hands as you brushed off bits of snow and dirt, unaware of the wide grin that showed on his face at the compliment.

"Well movin' metal boxes might do that to ya" he pointed out, to which you nodded in agreement as the two of you continued on with your walk. Though there wasn't much of it left.

Less than ten minutes later the two of you finally arrived back to your apartment and as you did your reality was slowly coming back to you. A few steps away from the complex you turned to Dell with a question.

"It really is getting cold out here. You should uh, come warm up a bit. Wouldn't want you to freeze on the walk back," you offered, your eyes not looking at him even though you had tilted your head his way. Turning to you he almost immediately caught your apprehensive eyes, your wavering smile and tense posture. It was enough for him to know what you were really getting at.

"Sure. Though chances are I probably will anyway," he spoke in a flippant tone, trying to keep the mood light. Something he knew he succeeded in when you couldn't force away the small smile that tugged at your lips.

"Yeah well we can at least make sure you make it to your car as a slushy rather than an ice cube," you responded, another small chuckle falling from him.

Walking into the complex the soft ding of the elevator swiftly caught your attention, your eyes falling into a group of people filing out of it. Not recognizing any of them you continued walking, only noting their matching black clothing and baseball caps. Dell gave a passing hello to the group who didn't so much as turn to him. You were more focused on getting into the elevator though, Dell not far behind. Once he made it in you clicked the button, not noticing how his eyes narrowed towards those you had passed.

"Up we go," you whispered to yourself as the doors slowly closed, both of you soon ascending up the floors. It was quiet again and, though you weren't sure why, something didn't quite feel right. You looked over to Dell, his expression not too different than before, though you noted that he stood a little taller. You gave a smile that he returned but it did little to comfort the sudden unease that you felt. Even as the two of you left the elevator and began your short walk down the hall, silence remained.

Suddenly though you were stopped, Dell ceasing your movements as he laid a hand in front of you. To help come to a sudden stop your hands grabbed his arm, slowing the inertia of your body. Unable to move further confusion crept onto your face before you looked over to him, a suddenly serious stare consuming his features.

"Dell-?"

"Your door's open," he pointed out. Your eyes immediately turned back to the door, utter terror falling on your features when you noticed it was held slightly ajar. Your hands tightened onto his jacket as your stomach dropped. You both didn't make any other move for a long while, instead staring at the door, waiting for anything to leave. When nothing happened Dell then went to take a quiet step forward. Your sudden vice grip pulled him back.

"What are you doing???" You whisper yelled in an obvious panic. He turned back to you, now seeing the fear held in your eyes which only led to his furthering need to keep you safe.

"I'm gonna go see if someone's in there," he stated quietly, though your tightened grip didn't loosen in the slightest

"Are you insane?!? Dell what if- what if there is someone in there!? What the fuck then huh?!" Your voice held deep worry, your eyes now begging him to listen. And in those pleading eyes he found guilt bubble within him as he knew he wouldn't be able to listen. If he learned one thing growing up it was how to deal with scenarios like this and right now he either had to one, call the police (which wouldn't happen in any world what so ever) two, call someone from his family (which he truly did not want to do and would likely seem strange to you) or three, go see what it is. The third seemed like the most reasonable option. After all, it wasn't as if he was defenseless.

"M'just gonna look alright? Ya might'a just left it open on accident. I'll be right back," he tried to calm you with an explanation as he gently pulled away once again. This time your grip only gave slight resistance before you finally let go, instead watching him walk closer to your door from a few feet down the hall.

Making it to the door he situated himself to the side of it, slowly pushing it open and remaining ready to bolt at a moment's notice. The door creaked slightly, the sound almost ear-piercing in the silence. Looking in through the small opening he had made, his eyes widened at what he saw.

Flipped furniture, holes in the wall, shattered glass from sources he couldn't quite identify, flipped chairs and torn apart tables, it was all in a huge mess around your apartment. Curiosity and dread drove him to open the door further, soon finding that everything within sight was trashed, as if whoever did this aimed to leave nothing behind.

"Mary above," he muttered, catching your attention.

"What?" You asked, his head turning to you as his hand moved to his lips, his pointer finger held to silently shush you. You went silent again and so his head turned back over to the door, pushing it open the last bit out of the way and taking slow, hesitant steps in. His hand found its way to his hip as he readied himself for anything that might happen. He continued to slowly walk, staying near places he could quickly duck behind as he scanned for any sort of movement. He continued like this further into the apartment, his senses on high alert. His breathing slowed and his eyes sharpened into icy daggers as he didn't let a single crevice of place go unchecked. What felt like hours to you passed in minutes as he realized there truly was no one here. Even with that comfort his posture didn't change, nor did he let his guard down in the slightest, but he was at least sure that no one was here at the moment.

Unable to take waiting any longer, you slowly poked your head around the corner into your apartment, your jaw dropping and your stomach churning at the sight in front of you.

"What the fuck," you whispered to yourself, both fear and devastation fighting for the expression that fell on your face. Dell looked back, his eyes softening slightly as he saw you look around the room, taking in the damage that had been done. He gave a sympathetic stare. He couldn't begin to imagine what was going through your mind right now. He moved the hand on his hip to make his grip look a little more natural in hopes that you wouldn't notice or draw attention to it as he took a few steps toward you.

"Don't seem like no one's here, though I ain't sure if anyone's comin'," he spoke, the loud echo of his voice in the deathly silent room almost unbearable to his ears. You slowly began to step in, your head turning to look at what had once been your home, now lying in pieces around you. Your eyes welled with tears, the pure sense of loss and weeks of piled-on stress breaking you down further. You didn't look at him, in fact he felt almost as if you had forgotten he was even there as your eyes passed him.

As you moved you began to slowly wander into the kitchen, the heaps of glass under your feet recognized as every breakable item that had laid in your cabinets. Though among the wreck you found that your eyes drifted to the place your photo had been, only to find that it wasn't there. Instead it sat among the shattered glass, its frame ripped apart, its see-through covering lost among the piles of similar material, and the photo barely visible under certain piles of it. You slowly crouched down, carefully pushing the pile away before pulling the photo out only to notice it had been singed. The faces were burnt out, a black color covering most of what was left.

You felt the wet streaks of tears begin to fall down, the overwhelming situation taking you over. You felt almost unable to think, to even fully understand what was going on. All you could register was the destruction of it all.

After a little while Dell followed you into the kitchen, his senses still on full alert. This didn't feel safe. Even in the silence and with no current discernable threats he didn't feel at any sort of ease here. And with that feeling bubbling its way up his body, he knew one thing rather clearly.

You couldn't stay here.

"It's uh..." He started, your face staring at the photo for a second more before turning to him.

He almost couldn't talk once you faced him, the radiating pain of your expression almost silencing him.

You looked so tired. Not the type of tired you get from an all-nighter or a busy social event, no. It was a look of pure exhaustion he couldn't begin to describe. The type you would expect to see when an immovable object finally loses against the unstoppable force.

Yet somehow he was able to eventually find his words, his deep concern and general paranoia winning against his immediate thoughts of falling with you.

"It ain't safe here..." He spoke up, his body standing only a step into the kitchen. You looked back to the photo, its state irreparable and irreplaceable. You eventually sat it back on the ground, knowing that keeping it would be useless. Silently you stood, your arms held against you in a self-soothing hug as your eyes stared at the floor.

"What am I supposed to do Dell? What...what do I do?" You asked, resignation found in a now hollow tone. You were at a loss, completely and utterly defeated. You had given everything you could, there was nothing left in you to fight anymore. There was no spite or anger or even thoughts of self-preservation. You had nothing. No knowledge of when or even why the world had decided you were deserving of this, no power to fight back against it. You were a leaf of pain set to sea in a hurricane. It was inevitable you would be torn apart, your soul splayed in broken pieces the world would forever ignore. How futile fighting had seemed now, how fruitless.

It would have been less painful to have let the storm take you...

Dell didn't move, didn't speak, didn't act. Your voice had explained even when your words didn't. He could only stare as you lost yourself, asking him to solve what you had failed to. He didn't know what to say, what to feel. There was a swirl of so many meanings in your words. To choose one was to choose wrong and to remain idle was to let you fall apart in front of him- but there was no answer! No solution, no problem he could solve. There was nothing he could say, no righteous way to act.

There were only pieces.

"Y/n..." He started, hoping that any words would come to him, that his tongue knew something he didn't. He instead found that it fell dead in his mouth, vowels of answers nowhere to be found. He stepped closer, the glass on the ground further breaking at his feet. You finally looked back to him, streaks of hollow agony flowing down your face. And it was then, with nothing else he could think to do, that he slowly pulled you closer, his arms wrapping around you, hoping that he could bring any sort of comfort. That somehow his arms could pull against the waves of stormy sea and find your lost pieces.

You froze a moment, your body tense under his touch. Slowly, almost apprehensively, you returned it. Your arms wrapped around him, your hands soon balling up the fabric of his clothes as you fell into him. You didn't crumble in his arms as you had done before. Not a sob left your lips as you held him. There was nothing left to crumble, nothing more to break. You could only hold on to him in hopes that he somehow held a piece of you with him.

However you didn't find yourself in his arms. Instead your focus fell onto the light smell of oil and pine that surrounded you, the texture of the worn jacket that wrapped him, the natural warmth his body freely gave to you. There was no judgment in his eyes nor annoyance in his hold. He didn't dismiss you, he didn't ask you to pull yourself together, to push your emotions back into the dark void you usually kept sealed. No, he held you. His arms didn't hang loosely or ask for anything from you. He held you. And even as the shattered glass began to resemble your lost will, he held you. He- He felt...

Safe

"S'alright...you're gonna be okay," he mumbled just as he began to rub circles on your back. You squeezed him a little tighter, trying to remind yourself that he was real. That in your desperation you hadn't just imagined such kindness. Afterward you took a deep breath, calming down from the strange state of mind you had been in only seconds ago. His words ingrained in your head, your body relaxing as you took his word for truth, his arms for comfort, his presence for safety.

"Thank you," you whispered back, a response that caused him to relax as well, knowing now that he had somehow helped, if only a little bit. After that realization he slowly pulled away, each other's hands hesitating to let go, but doing so in the end. A few tears had streaked down your face once he did, though you quickly wiped them away, taking another deep breath to further calm yourself. Silence lingered for an extra second, Dells eyes a mixture of unease and worry

"My-..." He started again, his thoughts not fully collected and his apprehension for the idea he was about to propose slowing him down a moment. But with a quick glance at the surrounding area and flashing images of your shattered state, he didn't feel like there was another option.

"My family's got a house 'bout fifteen minutes out from here. We got a couple'a spare rooms. You can stay there for the night if ya need to," he finally offered, an incredibly serious expression on his face. Your eyes once again averted from his as you thought on it, hesitance found in the moment of silence you prolonged.

Then again, it wasn't like you had anywhere else to go.

"Yeah um...If you- If you think they would be okay with it," you accepted, your answer greatly relieving to hear, though the relief didn't outshine the doubt that was beginning to grow in his chest, especially with the words you had chosen to respond with.

"Course...we should get goin' then. S'gettin' a little late and we gotta walk back to get my truck" Dell pointed out to which you nodded along.

The two of you left the destroyed apartment, standing closer to each other than you had previously. Dell looked over to you, only one thought repeating through his head as he did so.

'Ain't no one allowed ta treat you like this'

Next Chapter

#dark nights come with a cost #tf2 #tf2 x reader #reader x tf2 #tf2 engie #engie #tf2 yandere #yandere tf2 engineer #tf2 engineer x reader #tf2 engie x reader

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kayhi808 · 1 year

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Billy Mine - Act 1.3

In the early evenings, before my curfew, Bill will come to visit me. It was easier this way. If he didn't visit me, I'd sneak out of the dorm to go find him. I had a knack of sneaking out of wherever I was supposed to be. Bill would call me an escape artist. Many nights, I'd end up in the boys dorm looking for Billy. I got in trouble a lot for that, but I didn't care.

Billy Mine is beautiful. He got more handsome as the years went by. Tall & lithe, thick dark hair, sharp cheekbones, a dimple in his chin & the darkest eyes. Most times, you'll find him scowling, but when he smiles at me, my chest used to expand like a balloon with all the love & adoration I had for him. I wasn't the only girl at the Home who found Billy beautiful. There were a lot of girls and I hated each & every one of them. They would try to use me to get to Billy. One girl, was jealous of the attention I got from Billy so I became her personal punching bag until Billy saw the bruises and marks she left on me.

I learned how to do a cartwheel, and needed to show Billy. "Watch me! You ain't looking!" I laughed as the world turned upside down. My shirt got loose & rose up revealing one of my bruises.

Bill does a double take, "Bunny? C'mere."

"No, watch me." I did another sad excuse of a cartwheel.

"Juliet! I said c'mere! NOW!" I jerk my head in his direction. He never used that tone with me. I hurry over & he holds my wrists, "Do you have a bruise on your tummy?"

"No," trying to tug my hand out of his grasp, but he won't let go.

"Bun, don't you dare lie to me. Did someone hurt you?" Billy was hurt badly by a bad man who visited the Home. I overheard people talking about him.

"No."

"Show me. I don't believe you." Bill folds his arms across his chest and we engage in a staring contest which I eventually lose because I can't stand the glare Billy is giving me. He bends over & reaches for the hem of my tshirt, "I'm going to take a little look, ok?" I let him look and hear him suck in air through his teeth. He looks down at me and I cry. I never seen him look so angry. Not like a regular mad. It was a scary mad. He closes his eyes and paces in front of me while I cry & he stops, "Bunny, can I see that again?" I nod. He looks at the bruise & traces his finger along it. "Does it still hurt you?"

"No."

He turns me around & lifts my shirt again to see more marks on my back. "Who did this? Who touched you?"

I turn back to him and I couldn't take his anger. I threw my arms around his neck & he picks me up & rocks me while he paces. "I love you, Billy. Don't be mad at me."

"I ain't mad at you." He sets me on my feet & grabs my shoulders, looking me straight in the eyes, "But Juliet, you can't ever, EVER lie to me again. You hear me? I ain't playing around. I'm dead serious"."

"I swear!" I hold out my pinky to him. He gives me a small smile and links his pinky with mine & I promise. He smiled at me so I know he truly isn't angry with me so I hug him again.

"You also need to tell me who did that to you."

"Carla. She likes you and wants me to give you her dumb notes. I told her no and now she don't like me. You're Billy Mine, not hers."

"Yea, Bun, I'm not hers," again with a soft smile. "Look, I gotta take you back early. There's something I need to do." Not wanting to get Billy more angry, I obey without making a fuss.

I don't know what Billy did to Carla, but she gave me a wide berth. She wouldn't even look at me anymore which was fine by me.

*****

Billy was always my hero. He loved me & looked after me. He was, to a naïve and stubborn 8 year old, Prince Charming. As in all fairy tales, it's not real. It always comes to an end. At that age I was clueless on the urges of horny 16 year old boys. Billy hadn't come by for my visit. I escaped the ward & went to look for Billy. Only to find him wrapped up in Jessica. The kisses I thought should have been mine when I was older, he gave freely away to her. Sweet words of love, calling her beautiful & his.

I look back on it now and I can laugh at it, but that night I was destroyed. I had thought my heart was irrevocably broken. My love, my dreams...shattered. For the past 5 years, I lived and breathed Billy Russo. I had been in love with him for more than half of my young life. Jessica was always sweet and nice to me, but I wanted to kill her.

I attacked them both. They were no match for a feral 8 year old. They were too concerned with covering up naked body parts and trying to prevent me from gouging his girlfriend's eyes out. "Stop it, Juliet! What the fuck are you doing?" Billy gave me a teeth rattling shake. I fell to the ground, kicking up into his groin. He dropped to his knees, incapacitated so I could make my escape.

I didn't want to stay at the Home any longer, but I couldn't run away. I had nowhere to go. Billy came looking for me, but I hid or avoided him. I felt a little joy seeing Jessica scratched up by my nails. She'd heal and be just as beautiful as she was before. I could always feel when Billy's eyes were on me or if he was near, my skin would break out in goose bumps. When I recognized that feeling, I knew to make myself scarce. He betrayed me and I wanted nothing to do with him.

I was determined to get out. Families wanted well-behaved children, so I became well-behaved. There was a couple that would frequently come to visit. Ms. Christina was my teacher when I first got there. She was always really nice. I like her. She recently started bringing her husband around. I never paid attention to them because I wanted to stay here with Billy. I wasn't tethered to him anymore. The next time they visited, I tried to pay attention & behave for them.

Patrick & Christina Ellis. I owe them so much. They changed my life. I would be nothing without them. Patrick was a Judge with the NY County Supreme Court which eventually lead him into politics. Christina was a school teacher. They weren't able to have any children of their own. I thank my lucky stars that they were ok with adopting an older child and they didn't want a baby. They started fostering me and then I got adopted. I went home with them & I never returned to Ray of Hope.

Billy was there the day I left. I felt him, but I refused to look at him. It helped that I was still so angry at him. Christina sat with me in the backseat of their car. I snuck a look once Patrick started driving away. Billy was standing at the side of the house watching me leave. Christina held me & let me cry. It was the last time I thought I'd ever see Billy Mine.

@idaofinfinity @imagine-a-fictional-boyfriend @e-dubbc11 @bustlingcrowdsxorxsilentsleepers. @snowkestrel @terry2227 @ellooo0ooo

#billy russo #billy russo fanfic #billy russo imagine #teen billy russo #billy mine x bunny girl #billy mine

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shinestarhwaa · 9 months

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QUERENCIA - CHAPTER 3: WILDEST DREAMS

Navigation:

<< Previous Chapter

>> Next chapter

>> Donna's Introduction

>> Masterlist

Word Count: 2K

Tags/warnings: wet dream, masturbation, sexual tension, mild angst

ENJOY!

"Oh, oh, yes, like that, fuck me like that!" Evelyn panted out, face pressed down in the sheets as Wooyoung fucked her into the matrass from behind. "Yeah? You like that?" He smirked as he smacked his big veiny hand on her juicy ass.

"Mm, yes, just like that! I love it so much!" She whined loudly. He pounded his cock into her so fast he swore he'd combust. It only took a few more thrusts for him to-

"Wake up"

What?

"Wake up," Yeosang whined as he shook Wooyoung's shoulder. Wooyoung sat up straight again, eyes wide open. He felt his cock pulsating in his joggers. The older one shook him again, more annoyed now.

"Are you gonna get out of the car or what? We're here. We're gonna eat chicken." Wooyoung nodded and got up, stepping out of the car, barely realizing where he was. As he walked into the restaurant with the other guys he felt his hot cum sticking in his underwear.

The men sat down at a table and were quick to order as it was quite some time after dinner hours. Wooyoung sighed, rubbing his eyes as he tried to take in what just happened. He had a wet dream where he actually came for the first time in years, and not just a wet dream, it was a wet dream about Evelyn, his dongsaeng. Oh this was bad. So bad.

Wooyoung strongly hoped nobody had seen him doing or saying anything weird in his sleep, but he figured they hadn't as the guys didn't say anything about it. They discussed about a stupid game Wooyoung did not care too much about. When the chicken came he was quick to stuff his mouth full with it, just to have something else to think about.

"So, Woo, are we gonna talk at all about what you were dreaming about?" San grinned, a slight smirk forming on his lips. Oh God no. "What?" Wooyoung asked, eyes big and wide open. "What did I do?" He asked nervously. "You were constantly shifting and making some kind of grunty...moany sound," Yeosang explained. Wooyoung thought deeply for a second, just to find something to cover his wet dream.

"I think I was getting chased or something," he blurted out. Most of the guys took his answer for the truth, but San's stare lingered on him. Wooyoung raised his eyebrow, mentally questioning him what he's on about. He knew him far too well to believe he wasn't having sexy dreams, but the others luckily had no idea. Wooyoung tried to avoid San's gaze as he felt himself blush whenever he met his eyes.

He was in trouble now.

♡

As Jongho laid in his bed he stared at the ceiling, thinking about Gayoung's beautiful voice. He put in his earbuds and searched up video's of her. The man felt a little silly like this, as if he was a fanboy, which he kinda was but that ain't the point.

It's been two weeks since Jongho sang his duet with Gayoung and he had been feeling lighter and happier ever since. They didn't necissarily have any lovesongs in their new album but he couldn't help but think about Gayoung anyways as he practiced, imagining that she watched him and cheered him on.

They had spoken for a while after it, talking about how they had started singing and why they felt so passionate about it. It somehow deepened their somewhat 'friendship' situation, although he was still left confused about if they were friends or collegues.

Hours ticked away on the clock as Jongho managed to watch every single fancam, every compilation and every Live clips of her in existance. He giggled like a teenage girl looking at her crush. Maybe he was looking at his crush.

Listening to her vocals in Donna's first album was going to be his new favourite hobby, for sure. He replayed it until he fell in a deep sleep, only to wake up around 8AM with the album still on. Did he actually stream this all night?

"Good for the charts, I guess," he sighed as he rubbed his eyes. He got up and put his earbuds back in their case. He made his way to the bathroom and took off his clothes, stepping into the shower. Jongho took a deep breath, trying to calm his heart down before facing Hongjoong and Wooyoung. He simply could not face them as he was all giddy.

After washing up Jongho took care of his skin, mumbling the words to Gayoung's parts in No Good Reason as he did so. Wooyoung stepped into the bathroom, fuck.

Okay, act normal, act normal, Jongho thought as he fixed his hair, but it was hard to hide his excitement. Wooyoung patted Jongho's back. "Good morning," he said as he brushed his hair back. "Morning, Wooyoung," Jongho smiled. Wooyoung was a little surprised to see Jongho so perky early in the morning, but let it slide. He had more important stuff to deal with.

He had trouble sleeping now because he got horny so easily. Maybe he truly was sex deprived because everything turned him on and also everything made him think about Evelyn, as if he was under some kind of spell, but he was so ready to stay under her spell.

♡

Seonghwa sat by his desk after he shut off his YouTube livestream. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair after putting his phone to the side. He had promised Atiny's to do a live today, even though he didn't truly feel like coming online.

It had been a rough time with a lot of pressure on the comeback-preparations, and Seonghwa felt somewhat drained. He absorbed himself in Animal Crossing and Zelda games, so much it started to annoy his members. He felt uncomfortable, yet he did not wanna confess as he was afraid to be a bother during this busy time.

He was used to being the members' rock, the shoulder they cry on and each of them actually would. He was grateful, but felt lonely, maybe not being seen as much right now. Seonghwa found himself craving attention and before he could contemplate too much he got up and entered San's room.

San was laying in bed, watching funny animal video's as he snuggled up in his sheets. "Hey hyung, what's up?" San asked as he sat up. Seonghwa shrugged a little before shuffling closer to San. "What are you upto?" He asked.

"Just watching some videos." San patted next to him on the bed, inviting Seonghwa in. "What's going on?"

Seonghwa sighed and rested his head on San's shoulder. "Just struggling with the pressure, I'm not statisfied with my part yet but the music video shooting is coming up and... I just lost confidence. I don't feel seen, which I know, it's ridiculous," Seonghwa mumbled.

"Hwa, hyungie, they are your feelings, your emotions. They aren't ridiculous or silly or weird. If that's how you feel that is just how you feel, hm? Do we not check in as much? Cause I can pay attention to that. And your part is truly amazing, we are all so proud of you," San smiled, immediately lifting Seonghwa's energy.

"Really?" "Yes really, you are truly the coolest~ you've been looking great too, there is nothing to worry about."

Seonghwa nuzzled his face into San's neck as he sighed, wrapping his arm around him. "It's okay to feel like this... But it isn't necissary okay?" "Okay," Seonghwa nodded. "You'll do great, I promise, everyone will love you and hype you up, like I do." "You are the best Sannie."

The door opened again, revealing a wet-haired Mingi. "Hey, what's going on? Are we having a mountain-cuddle party?" "Somewhat, yeah," San chuckled, making Seonghwa smile too. Mingi took a sprint towards San's bed, jumped and landed on top of the two boys who yelled at him in pain.

"Yah, Mingi!" Seonghwa laughed as he scolded him. "Mountain cuddle party!" Mingi cheered, shaking his head like a dog so the water droplets from his hair ended up in San's face and sheets. "Aish you-"

"Love you too Mountain."

♡

It was another day of work, but today KQ decided to give their artists some kind of update on new boring policies that the guys and girls couldn't care less about if they were honest. They were seated in a room as they listened to the chairmen, but a few of them rather paid attention to something - or someone - else.

Wooyoung's eyes met Evelyn's from across the room. He couldn't help but bite his lip as they held eyecontact, until he noticed her eyes were scanning his body. A light smirk played on his lips as he looked away, feeling his ego being boosted like crazy. She was actually checking him out.

He tried to steal glances at her when she wasn't looking, admiring how her flowery sundress hugged her figure. It was cute, but the chunky boots and the sexy eyeliner made his blood coil in his veins, in all the spicy ways.

If he got like 10.000 won for every time he had thought of her whenever they made a joke about their upcoming title track, he'd be a billionaire by now.

When the chairmain dismissed them Wooyoung found himself walking behind her. She suddenly dropped her phone out of her hands, excused herself for being clumsy and casually bended forward to pick it up, giving him a perfect view of her behind. Now she knew she was trying to give him a peek on purpose. She wanted it just as badly as he did, he just needed to get her alone.

The entire day he was busy with preparations and photoshoots and that thankfully distracted him for the most part, but the real insanity began as he entered his bedroom. He leaned against the wall, throwing back his head as he sighed.

His cock hardened in his pants when he recalled the moment he had the perfect view on her ass. Wooyoung palmed himself through his jeans, biting his lip. He got out of his clothes within a few seconds, shimmied down his underwear and got into his bed.

His phone screen lit up the room as he searched for Evelyn's pictures. His heart nearly stopped when he found a picture of her on stage, her clothing short, tight and dark, God was it tight, and Wooyoung prayed for forgiveness when he slid his hand to his crotch.

His hand wrapped around his hardened cock, and he hissed at the feeling. Wooyoung spat on his hand and used it as a lubricant to work up his cock. He fucked into his fist at a slow pace, scanning her beautiful features as he looked at her pictures.

Oh he was going to hell for this, masturbating to her pictures. Was this even okay to do? Pleasure overtook him as he jerked himself off faster, so focussed on the girls' lips and sensual eyes. Wooyoung clenched his eyes shut as he felt himself getting closer. He pictures her hands on him, her mouth on him. Maybe she'd take his cock into her mouth and-

Wooyoung spilled his seeds all over his hand, coming with a low groan. He grabbed a tissue and cleaned his hand but his length stayed so hard, so hard.

The boy started to put his dancer hips to use, sensually rolling his hips into his fist. He bit his lip to stop himself from moaning as he pictured her wet cunt swallowing him whole. "Oh Evelyn, that is so fu-fucking good," he grunted.

He knew she'd take him so well in her little pussy. She was asking for it, she wanted it just as much as him. The neediness became too much for him as he rutted into his fist until he came once more, groaning and moaning her name as silent as he could.

She truly took him to the seventh heaven, even if she hadn't touched him. Yet. But he's change that soon enough.

Taglist: @anyamaris @a-soft-hornytiny @whatudowhennooneseesyou @star1117-archives @wooyoungmybelovedhusband @pyeonghongrie-main @woosanbby @dreamlesswonder86 @lemonhongjoong @babesindestroyland @changbinslovelylegs

#kpop #ateez #smut #fluff #angst #wooyoung #seonghwa #yunho #yeosang #san #hongjoong #jongho #mingi #querencia #shinestarhwaa

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thepaintedlady00 · 1 year

Text

Nightshade

Chapter 2: Jack & Ozzy's

Chapter 1 | Chapter 3

This chapter has been the bane of my existence all day. Last night I finished all my editing and add-ons and this morning I woke up and it was all gone. I spent two hours trying to troubleshoot and save what I'd written and nothing worked. So I spent all day today re-editing and rewriting scenes. So if a few sections have mistakes or feel a bit off I apologize! But, as always, enjoy and please if you enjoy this chapter show it me lots of love! 😅😂

TW: language, some flirty tension, some drinking & smoking, minor mentions of drugs, I don't know shit about fancy wine or food 💁‍♀️, lots of new characters and little peeks into Lena's past (which we will be diving into the next few chapters), cliffhanger (yes, they're back bitches 😈)

"Bullshit!" Santos hollered beside me.

I held a wet hand up with a fit of laughter. "Swear to God!"

He shook his head, moving the bin of freshly washed dishes onto the drying rack as the other cooks joined in on the laughter. "Ain't no way a prim and proper girl like you did something like that!"

As I dried my hands I turned to the now-clean kitchen and smiled widely. "A prim and proper? Absolutely not!"

Isaac stuffed the last bite of his leftovers into his mouth and nodded. "It's true, Lena is a menace to society."

"You were there?"

"Oh yeah," he laughed, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "When she climbed onto the table I thought I'd seen it all, then-" he replicated the sound of tearing and laughed, "Off went the shirt and she started belting the worst rendition of Santa Baby I've ever heard! Best Christmas ever!"

I whacked his arm off and playfully shoved him. "Oh, like you weren't climbing on top of tables and singing Bon Jovi like a dumbass ten minutes after me!"

Isaac huffed, stumbling back into the counter with an exaggerated groan. "How could you Lena?! You know insults about my karaoke are my one weakness!"

Scott rolled his eyes, quietly laughing. "Keep it up, maybe he'll finally die and we can all have some peace."

"Ah-ha!" Isaac cheered, bouncing back up. "Hope, the source of my power!"

I clicked my tongue and shook my head at Scott. "Rookie move, Chef."

“How long have you two known each other?” Santos asked after his laughter had died down.

My friend took his bandana off his head, waving the sweaty fabric in my face. “Years.”

“Too long,” I groaned, shoving his hand away.

“Come on, there has to be an interesting story there,” one of the other cooks demanded.

I smirked at Isaac and wiggled my eyebrows. “You wanna tell em or should I?”

“I’ll tell them. No one needs to hear your exaggerated tall tales.” He shrugged his shoulders and continued, “Her older brother and I are well acquainted.”

Scott scoffed and pointed to me. “Your version.”

Isaac protested, but everyone else shushed him and settled around me to listen. “So, there I was minding my own business watching tv on MY couch eating some shitty cereal or something when all of a sudden the front door gets slammed open and my brother practically drags this disheveled man into my apartment. I was shocked and slightly mortified, seeing my brother getting hot and heavy with some guy wasn’t exactly what I was expecting to see.”

“It was not that bad!” Isaac insisted.

“How long before they noticed you?” Santos asked with a wide grin.

“Oh once the shirts came off I was pretty quick to announce myself.” I laughed, bumping Isaacs's shoulder. “We bonded the following morning over a very awkward breakfast.”

He smirked at the memory. "You are very good at holding awkward conversations."

Howard entered the kitchen and looked around, his expression always masked with a polite curve of his lips but judgmental eyes. He looked at each of us, raising one brow and smiling just a little bit more. "Good service everyone."

It was an unspoken ritual of the night's end, Howard coming in and scanning the kitchen, one that never ceased making Scott's eye twitch. Having spent a month, among two among the kitchen crew It was abundantly clear that Scott felt stifled here and I couldn't exactly blame him. Howard ran a tight ship, ever the loyal and good quartermaster keeping things afloat for the absent captain and she ran an even tighter ship.

Scott was good for the place. He was modern and creative, a butterfly freshly freed of its cocoon only to be caught in a web. The web is old, beautiful, and luxurious but one storm away from being destroyed, and the two spiders that share it never seem to fully be on the same page. The first spider, older and wise, only weaves from old threads insisting that it is the best way to create something of worth. The second spider listens for a while but notices the storm clouds and how the web gets easily caught in the wind so he mixes new silks in with the old trying to keep the web tethered. All the other insects caught in the web remain unaware of the spiders and the storm, but the butterfly sees it all and dreams of what it would be like to fly.

Part of me sympathized with him, after all, I'd been the butterfly once. That was different though. I'd been born into the web, had known the web all my life, and had to destroy the wings to tear myself free. As I looked at Scott I only hoped he wouldn't have to make such a sacrifice. A butterfly without wings was just another insect.

"Let's drink!" Scott said with a deep sigh as he and the majority of the cooks headed out the doors to the lobby.

I looked at Santos as he finished up the remaining dishes. "Need a hand?"

"No," he shook his head with a beaming smile. "There's only a few left. You go ahead, I’ll be right there."

"What's your drink? I'll make it for you when you finish."

He hummed for a minute, thinking intently about his answer. "Surprise me."

I smirked. “You like sweets or savories better?”

“Savories.”

“I’ve got the perfect drink for you to try then.”

The bar was crowded with bodies, everyone telling Nicky and Jake what they wanted to drink, some, Sasha, even reaching over to grab an entire bottle for himself. Howard walked around the lobby, quietly inspecting the tables and listening to his rowdy “changelings” as he liked to call us. Simone sat at one of the closer tables, swirling a glass of wine and looking around with the judgmental stare I’d grown used to in my time here. When her eyes settled on me, she offered up a smile, one that never reached her cold eyes. I returned the polite gesture, but never stopped to give her an opening. I’d be civil, and polite, but I knew her type… knew exactly what her goal was when it came to fresh faces and unpredictable people. In her mind, there could only be one of us.

I slid past Nicky, tapping his shoulder as I passed to grab a glass beside him. “Nick, we got shit for a Michelada?”

The older man slid his newly made drink over the bar to Will and pushed up his glasses, looking around for a minute before he nodded to the far end of the bar. “All the spices you need should be back there, bottom drawer. I’ll grab the beer and tomato juice for ya.”

“Thanks,” I replied turning to follow his directions.

Jake stood in the middle of the space, shaking a drink with hints of an amused smirk on his lips as he looked over at me and said, “Sorry, I need room when I’m shaking.”

What an idiot. I smiled, gently grabbing his shoulder and brushing my body along his back to slide past him. “That’s alright, I don’t mind getting up close and personal.”

“Obviously not,” he hummed as his eyes followed my movements.

Both of us were used to the playful back and forths by now. After the night I schooled him behind the bar he’d been persistent in flirting with me, not that I minded. It was fun and innocent enough given the fact I knew Jake had no notions of grandeur or misconceptions about what was happening between us. I truly hadn’t spent a lot of time with him, but from the small moments, we did share I knew my beginning assessment of him had been pretty close. He was extremely guarded and hid his emotions behind a charming cloud of disinterest and humor, but it was obvious he paid attention to those around him. He was a classic case of a man shit load of unresolved trauma and behavioral issues, your classic bad boy type.

Bad boys didn’t really surprise me anymore. After spending literal years around them at the bar and the slightly different variations of them in culinary school it was all basically the same now. So, I let Jake stare at my boobs and ogle my ass. I flirted back at him, something I hadn’t initially planned on doing, but turned out to be kind of fun. My sex life wasn’t nonexistent, I had a few flings here and there with people I knew and trusted enough not to make the night awkward after, but all that had slowed down after Peter’s diagnosis. At first, it was because I was so busy trying to help take care of him, but now it was… I wanted something real. I wanted to be loved. Jake most likely couldn’t offer me that, but the fun back and forths filled the gaps enough to make me at least feel better for a bit.

When I turned, supplies in hand Jake turned around to face me as I once again slid past him. Ever cocky and smug as he raised his brow at my ability to initiate the intimate closeness that the others he’d pursued likely blushed at or hesitated with in confidence. I set the supplies down and thanked Nicky for getting the rest of it set up for me before jumping into making Santos’ cocktail. He finished up just as I’d begun adding the final touches and stood in front of me with a smile. “Looks delicious.” He complimented in Spanish.

“A delicious drink for a delicious dish boy,” I teased setting it in front of him. “Enjoy Santos.”

“Thank you, Lena.”

I stayed behind the bar that night, helping out with drinks and cleaning up after every one as the night dragged on and they all began to prepare for a long night of partying at Home Bar. Howard and Simone left together, something I’d learned was a regular occurrence, and shortly after they left I too began subtly gathering my things. When someone inevitably made some kind of commotion I quietly slipped through the kitchen and out the back door, as I did often, only this time I didn't get away with it. An arm wrapped around my shoulder and Sasha huffed. "It's so very rude of you to sneak out every night like a little thief, Tiger Bitch."

"Sasha," I whined. "I'm just trying to go home."

"So am I," he said, tugging me slightly. "Home Bar!"

I planted my feet. "Absolutely not! I don't need a hangover."

He frowned. "Oh please! I want to see the Tiger loosen up for once!"

"Sorry to disappoint, but I've got places to be."

His eyebrows wiggled. "A secret boyfriend? No! A child!"

I shook my head and kept walking. "No to both."

Sasha practically collapsed as he threw his head back and groaned. "Tiger Bitch enough with your mysteries!"

Looking back at the puppy-eyed Russian I sighed. "Fine. You can come with me, but this stays between you and me. Got it?"

He locked his lips and threw away the invisible key. "I will tell no one!"

"Come on then, we can't keep him waiting."

"I knew it was a man!"

"Just shut up and walk!"

Jake watched the door for a few minutes after Lena quietly slipped out. She rarely stayed later than Simone and Howard, something his coworkers were absolutely annoyed with. He too was a bit annoyed. After a month of flirting and trying to get this new girl locked in and he had absolutely nothing to show for it. Lena Harrow was still just as much of an enigma as the first day she walked in. The cooks raved every night about how funny and talented she was. The dishwashers gushed over her sticking around to help lighten the dish load with no expectations of payment or thanks. Sasha, Will, Ari, and Heather enjoyed the new girl's bite. Hell, even Scott liked her.

No one, not even Tess, had been this popular at 22West. Jake shook his head, an instinctual attempt to try and refocus himself as the thoughts of Tess still stung. She wasn’t someone too important to him, not like Simone was, but her betrayal still hurt. He moved past it quickly, refusing to cling to that ugly ball of unresolved shit that had slowly been building mass inside his chest, and returned his thoughts to Lena.

They all gossiped as they always did but no one had anything real to add. Even Simone was at a loss, something that unsettled her far more than she let him see. Howard seemed to be the only one that could enlighten him on this frustrating woman, but he would never stoop so low. Jake huffed, turning his head to pour himself another drink just as the last cook exited the kitchen. He stared at Isaac for a moment. He knew her and maybe he'd be willing to share a few details in exchange for a bit of Jake's charm.

"Hey, Isaac," Jake called offering up a drink.

The man smiled, accepting it with a nod. "Thanks."

"So, you and the redhead?" Jake said with a suggestive smirk. "How long has that been a thing?"

Isaac made a face. "Lena and I aren't a couple. She's like a sister."

He nodded. "Sorry I just see you two together a lot, figured it was cause you were an item."

"It's alright," Isaac assured him. "An honest mistake."

"So, she's single then?"

This time Isaac laughed and shook his head. "Lena isn't gonna fuck you, Jake."

He scoffed. "Taken then?"

"Look, I won't pretend like you're not her type." He gestured to Jake, "Dark-haired, damaged bad boy is definitely her thing. But Lena doesn't have the time or interest in adding a very complicated fling or potentially rocky short relationship to her life. She's got enough on her plate as is."

Jake shrugged. "Maybe a fling is exactly what she needs."

Isaac shook his head. "Well, you’re not getting anything outta me. These lips are sealed, my friend.”

It was odd to him, the unwavering loyalty to whatever secrets Lena had entrusted Isaac with. Jake knew little about the cook personally, but from what he’d observed and gained in passing or from Simone the man was hardly a good person. He had his own shortcomings and demons, but no matter what anyone offered him he refused to give up anything that the girl hadn’t shared herself. There was more to her than met the eyes, this much he knew, but at this point, Jake was truly damn curious to learn just how deep this well went.

"Not that I don't trust you, little red-headed girl, but what the hell are we doing in a hospital?" Sasha hissed in a hushed whisper. "This isn't some sort of fucked up organ theft thing is it?"

I looked at him with scrunched eyes. "Ew, no!"

"Thank god," he sighed. "I would not have been ready for that!"

Rolling my eyes I waved to Lisa and the other nurses. “How’s today been?”

“Another good day,” she said with a wide smile. “If he keeps this up he might just get to go home.”

A sigh of relief slid past my lips as I smiled even wider. “Thank fuck. I love you guys but it’s really inconvenient having to schmooze the nurses for all-night passes.”

They all laughed and waved me off. “Shut up and get in there.”

Sasha watched me closely as we entered Peter's room, probably still a bit convinced I’d brought him here to steal his organs or something fucked up like that. I knocked on the wall and leaned around the corner a bit. “You up?”

Peter looked over at me looking surprisingly well. “I gotta wait for you, so obviously.”

“I brought someone with me. Is that okay?”

His eyes lit up as he sat up straighter in the bed. “A boy?!”

“Not like that, pervert!” Pulling Sasha into the room I gestured to Peter. “Sasha, this is Peter. My brother.” The man’s eyes went slightly wider with understanding as he took in the surrounding medical room. I gestured to Sasha and smiled at Peter. “Pete, this is Sasha. My work friend.”

Peter held his hand out and Sasha shook it with a slightly nervous look on his face. “It’s nice to meet you, Sasha. Thanks for putting up with her.”

Sasha snorted. “She’s quite a handful.”

There was a minute of silence between us, one that made Sasha's slight discomfort obvious. Peter relaxed back into his bed and gave my friend a reassuring look. “Don’t worry, I’m not contagious.”

“That’s good,” he replied, matching Peter's sarcasm. “I’d hate to have to wear that hideous hat.”

“I made him that hat!” I protested with an offended groan.

“It’s shit, so obviously you made it,” Sasha teased.

I laughed at him, slapping his arm. “So abusive! You should be nicer to me!”

Peter laughed from his bed, leaning over and pulling the slightly faded box out from the bag off to the side. “So, Sasha, do you like scrabble?”

“No.” He pulled up a chair and sat down beside the bed. “Let’s play it.”

“You in?” Peter asked me. He looked happy, glad that I’d followed his advice and opened up to at least one person from work. “Or you gonna chicken out again?”

I scoffed and hopped up on the bed, settling in across from him. “You’re going down, baldy.”

“Baldy?!” He hollered. “That’s insensitive.”

“I’m insensitive,” I answered.

“She is a real cunt,” Sasha agreed from the side, setting up his things.

Peter laughed, the sight of him so happy made me smile a bit wider. “As her older brother, I have to agree.”

I shook my head. “I expected better of you, Peter. Now I’m gonna have to kick your ass at Scrabble.”

Peter, Sasha, and I played a few rounds before chaos consumed the room. I was laughing on the bed, clutching my stomach as the muscles grew tense. Peter sat, smugly victorious yet again, with his arms behind his head while Sasha stood from his chair and pulled at the covers around my brother shouting in Russian a bit before insistently stating, “You cheat little sick boy!”

Peter only smiled wider. “I hardly think that’s necessary against two of the weakest opponents I've ever played Scrabble against.”

“I know a cheater when I see one! Where are you hiding them?”

“God I can’t breathe!” I giggled, nearly falling off the bed in a fit of laughter.

Peter shrugged his shoulders and looked at me. “You’ve got terrible taste in friends.”

I nodded, giving Sasha a loving look. “I know, at least he’s cute though.”

“Exotic too.”

“You two are monsters,” Sasha said flopping back into his chair and pointing at each of us. “Monsters and cheaters!”

“Oh don’t pretend you weren’t stuffing your jacket full of letters too, Russian boy!” Peter said, reaching over to tug on his sleeves. Letter tiles spilled, clacking to the floor. “We’re all cheaters here.”

I huffed and tossed my hair over my shoulder. “Speak for yourselves. I’d never stoop so low.”

“Shut the fuck up!” They both hollered.

After politely getting kicked out for disturbing the peace Sasha and I walked side by side down the dimly lit streets. He lit a cigarette and happily smoked as we moved. The night had gone better than I expected, though I should have known Sasha would be relaxed about things. He was dramatic, of course, but when it mattered he had your back. “So, did that answer your question?”

“One of them,” he answered with a smile. “Don’t worry, you’re still very mysterious.”

“Oh good, I’d hate to lose my fun appeal.”

“Why keep it a secret?” He asked blowing out a puff of smoke.

“I don’t want their pity.” I sighed. “Everyone that knows about Pete is close… like family. Every time I’ve told anyone outside of that they give me this look. Like I’m some poor child that they feel the need to protect. I don’t need that, especially not at work.”

Sasha nodded. “I understand. Like I said, your secrets are safe with me Tiger Bitch.”

I smiled and shoved him lightly. “Thanks, Russian Boy.”

He groaned. “You’re not calling me that.”

Sasha didn’t tell anyone of our night, not even when they pried and pleaded for the details of my mysterious life. He gave everyone a different answer each time they asked, steadily getting more ridiculous with it until people just stopped asking. It was this that ultimately led me to settle within the group. I interacted with everyone freely, staying around most nights to at least share after-shift drinks with them. They weren’t my closest friends, but maybe one day they would be.

When I arrived at work two weeks later Howard was waiting for me. “Good morning Howard.”

“Good morning Lena,” he answered stiffly. “Forgive me for springing this on you last minute, but I need you to work the front tonight.”

“You need another server?” I asked. “Planning on having a bad night?”

He sighed. “I’m not sure yet. We’re somehow overbooked, which never bodes well.”

“It’s a good thing you’ve got an extra pair of hands then. Don’t worry, Howard I’ll do my best to keep things from going to shit.”

Back in the locker room I put my cook's jacket back in my locker and straightened up the striped shirt underneath. I wasn’t a stranger to playing the field, as Howard called it during my interview, but I didn’t look forward to the night of service ahead of me. I knew exactly how to speak, stand and serve, knew the ins and outs of the position, but that wasn’t the issue… what was went a lot deeper than a few plates and fancy words. I took a deep breath and looked at myself in the mirror, tightening my ponytail slightly as I desperately tried to keep from dwelling on the past. You’re here for the future, none of that shit matters now. I told myself as I turned away from the mirror and headed downstairs.

Scott looked about as displeased about the sudden change as I did. He regarded my outfit with a shake of his head. “Bullshit that Howard’s just gonna pull you from the line last minute.”

“Yeah, sorry Chef,” I offered up standing and waiting for him to finish plating. “But that was kind of the position I got hired on for.”

“Still,” he huffed, not bothering to finish his train of thought. “These go to table 5.”

“Have a good service Chef,” I said as I easily loaded my arms up with the plates and moved out the kitchen door and toward the table.

It wasn’t complicated, but damn did the fake smiles and overly polite tones of voice really just fucking suck. When I approached my twentieth table of the night, my cheeks were sore and I was getting fed up with pretending to care about these rich idiots' food preferences. Table 14 was full of three people, all Asian and all looked unimpressed. I set the menus in front of them and smiled. “Sorry about the wait, we’re a bit overbooked tonight.”

The man furthest from me bowed his head a bit before he opened up his menu. “It is fine.”

“Is there a particular bottle of wine that you’re interested in drinking tonight? Warre’s 2000 Port Vintage has been especially popular tonight.”

He made a face but nodded. “That will suffice.”

I made a mental note of it and turned to go get the wine when he stopped me. “I believed we are ready to order as well.”

“Oh, okay what can I get started for you?”

The two closest to me ordered the same dish, but the older man hummed in thought. “What would you recommend?”

“The chicken wellington with a side of braised vegetables and garlic roasted potatoes is, in my opinion, truly exceptional.”

“That will suffice, thank you.” As he bowed his head and lifted the menu up toward me his pin caught the light, and my eyes nearly widened at the sight of the rainbow koi fish pinned to his tie. The memory burned bright in my mind as I accepted the menu with a smile and politely excused myself.

I sat at the bar, swinging my legs back and forth as I colored in the crude Koi drawing. The man sitting beside me leaned over and chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a rainbow Koi fish before.”

With a slight frown, I leaned closer to him and held my hand in front of my mouth to keep the bartender from hearing. “They’re not real.”

The old man gasped softly. “What? This is truly upsetting news.”

“I know,” I replied, admiring the bright colors of my drawing. “I cried for a whole day when my mommy told me.”

“Well,” he tapped the drawing. “At least you’ll always have this one.”

Smiling up at the old man my eyes glued to the brightly colored Koi pin he wore. “You have one too!”

With a chuckle, he touched the small trinket. “I suppose I do. Though it’s hardly as colorful as yours.”

I hummed softly. “Yeah, but it’s still pretty.”

“You seem familiar,” the man admitted.

“I wait here a lot,” I explained as I finished the final touches. “My mommy is very busy.”

He nodded with an understanding smile. “Yes, that may very well be why. Or perhaps you and I knew one another in another life.”

My brows furrowed as I looked up at him. “There’s more than one?”

“Some people think so,” he explained. “It’s believed that we live and die to begin anew based on our deeds in past lives.”

“Maybe we were fish in our past life,” I giggled.

“I think I would make quite a good fish.”

The bartender bowed his head to us and looked at me with a smile. “Your mother’s ready for you, Ms. Harrow.”

Hopping off my seat I held the drawing out to the older man. “You keep it.”

“Are you sure?” He asked. “It’s a lovely piece.”

I nodded. “I can make more.”

That had been my first run-in with the businessman and restaurant connoisseur Mr. Hiragana. He and I spoke often after that when I’d wait at the same bar for my mother. In the short years, I spoke with him, he told me everything he loved about food and wine, told me about how he planned to build a beautiful restaurant and share his family's recipes with the whole of Japan. I drew him pictures of koi fish while we sat and he took every last one of them.

“Howard,” I said softly, discarding my menus on the counter and joining him where he stood off to the side with Simone. She watched me closely, but I ignored her cold glare and continue speaking. “The man at table 14 is Katashi Hiragana. He’s a very prestigious Japanese entrepreneur. Dozens of restaurants and other businesses, food blogs, the works.”

Howard and Simone both looked over at the table before he waved over to the hostess. She brought him the scheduling book and he leafed through the pages for a moment. “I don’t see his name here.”

“You won’t. He uses a false name when he goes to new restaurants in the states. He’s known for being a picky eater, so he goes to the highly-rated restaurants in the area he’s in and tries them anonymously. If he doesn’t like the food or the service he never comes back, sometimes he leaves a bad review, but if he does like the food he makes the restaurant one of his routine visits when he visits.”

Howard looked at the table again, thoughtful and cunning. “What do you suggest then?”

I straightened up. “I want to give him wine from our Japanese selection, with compliments. The bottle I have in mind isn’t too expensive, but it’s one I think he’d enjoy. I also have a few ideas for Scott on how to make the meal more suited to his tastes.”

“How do you know what his tastes are?” Simone questioned, bitter doubt dripping in her voice. “How do you know any of this?”

All I offered her was a glance her way before looking back at Howard, who nodded to me with a smile. “Go ahead and make the changes. Providing the best experience for our guests is the priority.”

“Thank you.”

I hurried past them and into the kitchen. “Scott, I need something a bit off menu.”

The chef's eyes lit up as everything stopped. “Off menu? You serious?”

“Not off off menu, but definitely different from what we usually do.”

He tossed a rag over his shoulder and moved toward me. “I can fuck with that.”

“Good.” I grabbed a pen and notepad, jotting down the subtle changes that I knew would make this meal stand out, and looked up at him. “Think you can do it?”

His eyes scanned the paper and he smiled. “Hell yeah.”

As Scott shouted at the kitchen staff to fire the order up I went downstairs and leafed through the wine shelves until I found the dark bottle of 2000 Sainte Neige Muscat Bailey A. I squeezed it happily and returned upstairs, moving through the crowded and bustling lobby until I reached the table with a smile. I bowed and said, in Japanese, “Forgive me for the wait, Mr. Hiragana.”

The man seemed to be surprised by my swift change in language, as well as the knowledge that I knew who he was. Calmly, he responded. “You know me?”

“I know of you,” I corrected. “It is an honor to have you dine with us tonight.” Holding the bottle out for him to see I smiled. “A bottle of 2000 Sainte Neige Muscat Bailey A. Compliments of the staff.”

He smiled fondly at it, nodding to the glasses. "A fine vintage."

Pouring the rich liquid I offered him a kind smile. "The region is beautiful, truly one of the staples of your homeland."

"Have you been before?"

"Yes."

"Is that where you learned Japanese?" He asked in English as he swirled his glass, sniffing with a gleeful delight plain on his face. "You sound as though you were born speaking it."

I laughed, shaking my head and thanking him for his generous compliment. "I learned the language young. My family traveled a lot. Japan was one of our more frequent locations, one I loved. The hotels were always beautiful and the landscape even more so, but it was the people I met that made it worthwhile."

Mr. Hiragana took a sip of the wine and nodded happily, urging the others at his table to drink theirs as well. He looked up at me and narrowed his eyes. "You look familiar."

"Perhaps we've met in another lifetime," I offered up with a fond smile.

"Perhaps one not too long ago." He answered, recognition shining in his eyes.

I bowed again. "I'll go check on your food."

He returned the gesture. "Thank you."

Nicky waved me down quickly before I passed the bar. “Hey, I never do this, but my daughter's recital is tonight. Would you mind sticking around to help close everything up after drinks?”

“Absolutely,” I replied.

“You’re a lifesaver kid.”

“Don’t sweat it, Nicky,” I assured him as I moved back into the kitchen quickly. “Table 14 ready yet?”

Scott concentrated on a plate of food, adding the final garnishes to the dish. “Got it right here.”

I smiled down at the gorgeous plates of food and gathered them up into my arms. “Absolute art, Chef.”

“Fuck yeah it is.”

The plates tapped against the table lightly as I set each dish down in front of the people at the table. I stepped back and bowed deeply. “It has been an honor to host you this evening. Please, enjoy your meals.”

That night service flew by quickly, and despite the disadvantage, we all had from being overbooked every server came out well-tipped and happy. All of us clamored into the locker room and stripped ourselves of the confines of our uniforms. Sasha groaned as he tore his shoes off. “I never want to see that many people ever again in my life!”

“Agreed,” Heather huffed fluffing her hair and shaking her head. “That was absolutely ridiculous!”

“At least we came out with a shitload of tips,” Ari sighed, rolling her neck.

They all dressed quickly and hurried downstairs. “Let’s get fucking wasted!” Sasha yelled in the stairwell.

I rolled my eyes and continued to slowly reapply my regular attire. My arm got caught in my sleeve and a fair-skinned hand settled against my shoulder stopping me from the rough movements I had been making trying to fix it. Simone smiled at me. “May I?”

“Sure,” I said, cautiously.

Her eyes latched onto the long scar that marred the skin of my shoulder and part of me wanted to flinch… to hide from her scrutinizing and cold stare. She straightened out the fabric, loosening the twist or knot that had kept me from pushing my arm through. “There you go.”

“Thanks.” I slid my arm through and turned away from her, loose hair falling out of my loose ponytail as I leaned over to grab my jacket.

Her fingers gathered the loose hair, startling me with the soft and unexpected touch. “Let me.” She pulled the band from my hair and silently rebound it, securing the loose hairs back into place. “You did well today,” Simone said softly, her fingers tugging my ponytail tighter, an action that sent a quick jolt of pain and panic through my scalp and chest.

I moved away from her, breathing out a quiet, “Thank you.”

Still, she didn’t look pleased as her stiff-lipped smile made her eyes only look colder. “I still don’t know how you did it, but I hear Table 14 raved about their experience.”

“That’s good.”

“Yes,” she said. “The guests come first, after all.”

That same chill of anticipation that I felt on my second day rushed up my spine as she watched me. “Was there something you needed, Simone?”

"I found this in your hire file," Simone said, holding the photo. It was a simple thing, taken ages ago of Howard and I standing side by side smiling. I had a stupid apron on that said "future chef" and was covered in flour.

"That's a good picture of me," I said sarcastically. "We should frame it."

Simone simply smiled. "I just found it interesting to learn you knew Howard so closely."

Humming, I looked back up at her. "Oh, I see. You're trying to imply I slept with Howard to be here."

"You aren't exactly denying it."

"I don't have to." I shrugged. "If you want to believe that I did it, that's your right. I'm not going to break my back trying to convince you otherwise."

She blinked and that bright smile curved downward slightly. "I’m just concerned for you. People around here like to talk."

"And?"

“I wouldn’t want them to think less of you if they somehow found this."

"That’s very kind of you, but I don't care what anyone else thinks." I met her cold gaze with a smile. "Is there anything else you need to discuss with me?"

"No."

I passed her. "Thank you for the conversation."

Howard stood in the now-empty kitchen, thanking Santos for his work before he turned and offered me a kind smile. "You did exceptional as a server tonight. Mr. Hiragana has already confirmed his next visit and requested you see to his table personally."

"A high honor."

"One you deserve." He pointed to the photo. "What's this?"

Laughing I held it out to him. "Just the best picture ever."

He joined me in laughing. "Yes, not one of either of our finest fashion moments."

"That suit?" I joked. "Howard, what were you thinking?!"

With a quirked brow, he pointed to me. "The apron?"

"Touche,” I admitted as I moved past him toward the lobby.

"Not sneaking out tonight?"

Of course, Howard knew my habits. I simply shrugged. "I offered to give Nicky a break tonight."

"I'm sure he's grateful. Goodnight, Lena."

"Have a safe walk home, Howard."

22West had begun to feel more comfortable, something I hadn't expected when I asked for the job. Though I guess I had the people to thank for it. From behind the bar I watched them joke and laugh and let the struggles of the night wash away. It was a beautiful thing, watching life return to their eyes a little bit each minute. I laughed alongside everyone as I made them drinks and joined them in conversations. I was part of the group and it felt nice, even if there were some people I wouldn’t get along very well with.

Jake had been especially flirty, passing me ingredients and glasses with long lingering touches and whispered compliments. Though it felt nice, that feeling of desire and want when the crowd eventually thinned out and he and I remained to clean up the last of the glassware I felt the need to clearly state my intentions or lack thereof. “The flirting has been fun and all, but I feel the need to make sure you know that this isn’t going to happen.”

He looked at me with an amused smile. “What?”

“This,” I waved a hand between the two of us. “You can flirt with me all you want, but that’s as far as you’re gonna get.”

“You think so?”

“I know so.” I set the newly polished glass aside and confidently held his gaze.

Jake shrugged, doing the same. “Could be fun.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt it. You clearly know what you’re doing and I clearly know what I am, but I’ve done this song and dance before. A lot.”

His laugh was warm and light as he took a step towards me, cocky and clearly interested in pushing to see how set I was on the position. “A lot?”

I smirked. “Of course, the only way to know what you’re doing regarding sex is to practice.”

“We could swap stories,” he offered up. “Maybe practice some new moves.”

“Cute,” I said brushing past him to get another glass to polish. “Look, it’s nothing personal Jake. I’ve just been you before. So focused on anything to distract me from the shit I was dealing with that I forgot how it felt to… actually care.” I looked back at him. The humor had faded from his face and his eyes watched me, narrowed and set in hurt and frustration. “I don’t need to be distracted anymore.”

After a vulnerable moment of silence, he scoffed and pushed himself off the bar, walking until he stood right in front of me, crowding my space in an attempt to make me feel small. “You don’t know shit about me.”

I shrugged. “Maybe I don’t, but maybe I do and that scares you.”

“Didn’t expect you to be so full of yourself.”

“No?” I smiled. “I figured it was obvious. Guess I’ll have to dial it up.”

Though he didn’t show it outwardly, I could tell my calm phased him. He’d likely done this move before and gotten the big doe eyes and the timid step back, but he wouldn’t get that from me. Jake was the one to withdraw first, nodding me dismissively toward the door. “Go home.”

I set the glass I’d just finished on the shelf. “Don’t want help finishing up?”

“Nope.”

“Suit yourself.” I turned on my heel, grabbed my things, and tapped the bar. “Have a safe walk home.”

The sunlight warmed my cheeks as I stood looking up through the trees with a smile on my face. God, it felt good to have a day off, especially on a day like today. Sunny and warm and completely free to do whatever I wanted with. Anyone that knew me would already know exactly what my plans were for a day like this, my unpredictable days of adventure and poor decisions likely long behind me, but I didn’t care. I practically skipped down the steps and through the green door of the bar. “Good morning boys!”

The three large security men turned toward me with wide smiles as I deposited the bag of fresh pastries into their hands and watched them all fight over who got to pick first. “Hey, Lena!”

“The big man in yet?”

“In the office!” One of them groaned as they wrestled the others for the bag.

“Thank you!” I drew in a deep breath of the smoke-scented space. Jack and Ozzy’s was an old establishment, rich with history and all kinds of funky smells and sights. It was the place I’d learned to bartend, the place I first performed in front of a crowd, and the place threw my first drink in someone's face. I’d thrown up in every booth and bathroom stall, made friends at the bar, and cried the narrow hallways. It was a part of home for me, every scuff and torn seat.

The house lights were always dim, casting the large space of empty chairs and tables and booths in a haze of pale light. The bar was on the right, with the office tucked behind it and the stage, where the band that always played here was prepping their equipment, was on the opposite side. I tapped dads initials on the corner of the bar as I slid past and into the office where Ozzy sat with a phone in one hand and a cigar in the other. His shoulder-length silver hair contrasted against the black leather he wore. Leathery skin was now marred with dots and scuffs that matched the bar he lived and breathed so naturally.

His pale blue eyes lit up as he saw me enter and he held up a finger to let me know he was almost finished with his call. I set his bag of donuts on the desk next to him and started leafing through the week's shipment inventory list. When he finally hung up the phone I spoke, “You ordered more Whiskey? I thought we were drowning in that shit.”

“Eh, one of the new kids knocked a whole case over the other day.” His voice was light, definitely not what you’d expect him to sound like by looking at him. “It wasn’t too bad. We had enough to finish the week out, but I made sure to get more.”

“The good stuff too,” I observed as I reached over and stole a donut. “How’d the alternate band auditions go?”

“Horrible,” he groaned and moved the bag out of my reach. “Maybe it’s just me, but every one of these new gigs sounded like garbage.”

I laughed and sat down in the empty office chair beside him. “I doubt it’s you. The great Ozzy never misses real talent.”

He nodded. “Well, either way, we didn’t find anyone to fill in on Saturday nights.”

“Relax,” I soothed. “You always find the perfect fit right when you need them.”

“Here’s hoping.” Ozzy looked at me for a second and tilted his head. “Wait, isn’t today you’re day off?”

“Yep.”

“What the hell are you doing here then?” He questioned, snatching up the papers from my hands. “Shouldn’t you be out there living it up in the big city?”

I rolled my eyes. “I’ve lived it up quite a lot Oz. Besides, I like helping out around here. It’s fun.”

He shook his head. “Fun? Kids these days are hopeless.”

“Shut up old geezer and let me help.”

“Well, if you’re gonna insist,” he said with a chuckle. “You can help train the new guy.”

“Ugh!”

“How's that for fun.”

I swiveled my chair, an idea suddenly filling my mind. “How about instead I find you a musician?”

Ozzy looked up at me over his papers. “Think you know someone?”

“I might.”

“Bring em in tonight, we can have a trial run in between sets.”

Standing I offered him a salute and a bright smile, “On it old man.”

I rushed up the road toward the restaurant. Ari was going to love me after tonight. Slipping in through the back door I said quick hellos to all the cooks and hurried out toward the long dining table where everyone had gathered for Family Meal. Sasha had his arm curled around Heather and the two of them laughed and joked beside Ari and Will as they ate their food. Will saw me first, giving me a confused look. “Isn’t it your day off?”

“Yeah,” I said sitting down beside him and leaning over to get Ari’s attention. “Hey, how would your band feel about playing tonight?”

“Are you joking?” She asked practically jumping up out of her seat. “When? Where?”

“A place down the road like four blocks. Jack and Ozzy’s. They had their backup band fall out and need a new one. Audition’s tonight if you want it.”

Ari smiled widely and reached over to grab my hands. “Absolutely! You’re the fucking best!”

I pulled her off to the side and gave her the details. “Here’s the address, and time. Ozzy’s great, you’ll love him.”

“Is this a secret audition or can I invite people?” She asked looking at the piece of paper in her hand.

“You can invite anyone you want,” I replied. “Just don’t be late. Ozzy hates it.”

“You got it, boss!” She joked before squeezing my hand. “Thanks, Lena.”

“I’ll see you there!”

Jake didn’t usually let people get under his skin, well, at least not so openly, but from the start of the day to the bitter end of it he was in a foul mood and it seemed the whole crew knew why. Nicky slid him a drink and spared him a sympathetic, if not slightly amused, look. “Told you she’d rip you up.”

“She didn’t do shit,” he insisted.

“Sure.” His partner said quietly.

Ari rushed out of the kitchen with her usual group in toe. Jake leaned over and sighed, “What can I get ya?”

“Nothing tonight sweet Jakey,” Sasha said pulling his jacket on. “We’re going to Ari’s show!”

“Ari has a show?” He asked looking over at the clearly nervous girl. “Since when?”

“Since our lovely Tiger Bitch got one set up for her!” Heather said happily. “You’re welcome to come.”

Ari scoffed and glared at him. “Not like you will, you ditch every one of my shows.”

Jake smiled and made his way around the bar. “I’ll come.”

She tilted her head to the side. “What?”

Sasha squeezed her shoulder. “Oh, he’s only coming to try and get back into the Tiger's pants.”

They, of course, made fun of him, it was something they often did with everyone. Jake didn’t care much, they were easy enough to ignore as they piled into cabs and rode down to the older part of the city. As soon as they pulled up to the brightly lit bar they met up with each other and Ari’s band members at the entrance and approached the bouncer. “We should be on the list.”

“Name?”

“Ari.”

He nodded and counted heads. “They all with you?”

“Yeah.”

Stepping aside he let them pass through the green door and into the packed bar. The band was just finishing up their last set when they split away from Ari and found a booth near the bar. Jake liked the place, the lights, and the atmosphere, there were even a few attractive women. But, he really didn’t notice them much, not when his eyes shifted to the dancing crowd or more specifically the arm with a tiger tattoo illuminated by the lights. He shifted in his seat to get a better view of her familiar red hair and newfound exposed skin.

Lena was dancing with two other women, wearing a simple black top adorned with lace at the top and a short leather skirt that made her legs impossible to miss. She moved along with the beat, free and fun just like he’d imagined she would be outside of work. Her head snapped to the side where a larger man waved her over and pointed toward the bar. Without argument, she pulled her hair up and hopped behind the bar leaning over to take someone's order and flashing more of her cleavage. Jake was mesmerized by her. The way she moved as she made drinks behind the bar, the way her hair lit up in the lights, the way her green eyes shinned. Fucking hell she was something else.

It felt good to let loose after a long few weeks of nothing but work and hospital stays, but as I served the last drink and rejoined Prue and Quinn on the dancefloor I felt fucking amazing. Quinn, a gorgeous blonde-haired woman with blue eyes and a resting bitch face that could kill a man smiled at me. “Back from your second job already?”

Prue, a curly-haired tanned skinned knockout of a woman turned and smiled too. She brought her hands up so I could see them and signed an equally sarcastic reply, “Holy shit, and I thought we’d have to drag you out from behind the bar!”

“You’re both so funny,” I said and signed.

A heavy hand settled on my shoulder and Sasha's familiar Russian accent graced my ears. “Tiger Bitch!” He looked down the length of me and gasped. “Is this how hot you always are when you aren’t being a sneaky cunt?!

I rolled my eyes. “I’m especially hot when I’m being a sneaky cunt.”

“Work was so boring without your snarky ass there.”

“Aww, poor Sasha, having to survive one day bored.” I teased pulling him into my side and turning back to my friends. “This is Sasha. He’s a work friend.”

Quinn waved, “He seems like a real diva.”

“I am.” Sasha admitted with a devilish smile.

“This is Quinn, she’s also a diva. And this is Prue,” I signed a quick explanation to her. “She’s deaf, but she can read lips so behave.”

“It’s nice to finally meet Lee’s famous work friends!” Prue exclaimed, her arms wrapping around Sasha in an instant.

I laughed at Sasha's face of absolute horror. “She’s a hugger.”

He peeled her off of him and fixed his clothes. “Alright, well tell her to hug someone else.”

“Were you and Heather the only ones that came?”

“Jakey’s here as well. Will said he’d try to stop by and the kitchen was all nos aside from Scott.” Sasha pointed to the back booth. “They’re all over there, securing our seats until our dear Ari takes the stage.”

I followed his finger and locked eyes with Jake, who smirked and raised his glass to me. On any other occasion, I’d not feel anything about his presence here, but as Quinn and Prue looked over my shoulder I mentally cursed him for coming. “Is that him?”

Sasha turned with wide eyes and an open mouth “Has our little Lena been talking about Jakey outside of work?”

“No -”

“Don’t fucking lie!” Quinn scolded with an evil laugh. She looked back over at the booth and nodded. “He is absolutely your type by the way. Like my god, the hair, the beanie, the jacket.”

“And of course the broody attitude and shit personality.” Prue wiggled her eyebrows. “When are you planning on climbing into his lap? You know just so we can give you enough privacy and whatnot.”

“Yes! Climb into his lap! I would love to see the two of you make sweet, filthy love!” Sasha giggled.

I groaned. “I’m not climbing into anyone's lap!”

Quinn grabbed Prue’s hand and started off toward their table. “Let’s go say hi at least. We don’t wanna be rude to your work friends.”

I flipped her off. “Bitch.”

The only reason I followed them to the booth was to make sure they didn’t embarrass me with the loads of information they had gained from our years of friendship. Prue talked a lot of shit, but ultimately she’d keep the more embarrassing stories to herself. Quinn was the wildcard. She’d talk until you forced her to stop, and even then she’d find a way to keep going. I introduced them to the group and let them get settled. “What do you guys want to drink?”

“You working here?” Heather questioned.

I shrugged. “I help out sometimes when they get busy.”

“And they just let you behind the bar?” Jake pressed with a knowing look.

“My dad owned part of this place. It’s where I learned to bartend so yeah, they let me behind the bar.”

He nodded, very clearly pleased with the tidbit of information. “I’ll just take a beer.”

“Just get us all beers, and two more for Scott and Will, they should be here soon,” Heather said keeping her eyes on the door.

Jake stood and smirked at me. “I’ll help out.”

“You don’t have to.”

He just waved me off. Behind him Prue made a crude sign, essentially telling me to bone him. Rolling my eyes at her I turned my back to lead Jake toward the bar and flipped her off. I tapped my dads carving again and slid behind the bar digging for the drinks and instructing the new guy on where to find a knife. Jake looked around. “This is a nice place.”

“Yeah, been around for fucking ever.” I agreed setting things in front of him.

“Lena,” Ozzy called from the office doorway as he moved out with a paper. “Did you add that gin to our shipment?”

I turned and looked over the list, pointing to the gin. “Yeah, you wanted the Nords right?”

He nodded. “Perfect!” Ozzy looked up at Jake and then down at me with raised brow. “Sorry, did I interrupt something?”

“God not you too.”

“I’m just helping her with the drinks.”

Ozzy stepped closer toward Jake, extending a hand. “I’m Ozzy. You must be that Jake.”

Fuck. I slapped a hand over my face as Jake’s smugness became palpable in the air around him. “I am indeed that Jake.”

“The girls have been talking bout you nonstop,” Ozzy added.

Jake looked over at me, hardly able to contain his laughter. “Have they?”

I patted Ozzy’s arms. “Move big fella, I gotta get out from behind here so I can go shove my head through a wall.”

Ozzy slid back to let me pass. “What? Was I not supposed to say anything?”

“Goodnight Oz,” I grumbled grabbing as many of the bottles as I could manage before turning and leaving the rest for Jake. I set them down on the table and glared at Prue and Quinn. “You two are so fucking dead.”

They both laughed when Jake came into view. “Oz is the worst with discretion.”

“You’re no better!”

“There’s an easy fix to this,” Quinn signed. “Fuck. Him.”

Prue giggled. “Fuck him! You know you want to.”

I looked away from them as Scott and Will arrived. Prue waved her hand in my face trying to get my attention. Without turning I signed, “I’m ignoring you.”

Her hand returned with a middle finger in my face as Jake just leaned back and smirked. “So, you mentioned me to your friends?”

“I talked about you twice,” I admitted. “And before you ask, no it wasn’t to gush about how badly I wanted you. I just told them you flirted with me and I flirted back. And that you'd make a decent friend if you weren't so grumpy. That’s it.”

Quinn made a noise. “I mean that wasn’t it…”

I reached over and put a hand over her mouth. “Ignore her.”

He nodded. “Whatever you say.”

God he’s going to be unbearable now. Heather came back to the table. “Ari’s on, come on!”

All of us headed to the dance floor, where Ari took the stage and began preforming. She was good, just the right amouth of loud and talented, Ozzy would definitely be telling her to come back as a regular. We danced together, everyone but Jake who’d taken up a spot at the bar, clearly too good to dance with his coworkers. After a few songs, I looked up, expecting to see his flirty eyes watching me, as they had been almost all night, but instead, I saw an empty stool.

“Where’d Jake go?” I asked scanning the bar again.

Sasha gestured toward the back door. “He went for a smoke.”

“Out that door?” I pressed.

“I think so.”

“Fuck,” I cursed as I wove through the crowd toward the door.

Hurrying up the steep steps I opened the door to the chilled night air just in time to catch Dom, my old drug dealer and the resident dealer for the block, shoving Jake. God damn it. “Come on pretty boy, take a swing.”

“Leave him be, Dom.” I walked up the stairs shaking my head and stepped beside Jake.

Dom smiled at me and tilted his head. “Why should I?”

“Because I asked so nicely,” I said, batting my eyes.

Jake scoffed. “If he wants a fight I’ll -”

Dom took a step forward just as I stepped between the two men and met Dom’s gaze. “He’s an idiot, but not one that needs an ass-kicking from you.”

“He seems to want one.”

“He’s weird like that,” I said leaning back into Jake’s chest to keep him from moving. “Come on D. Just walk away. I’d hate to have to bust up that pretty face.”

He laughed, and his boys followed. “Never change Leanin Lena.”

“You too,” I replied watching as they made their way out of the alley, and back toward the bikes that were parked along the exit.

Jake let out an angry breath. “I had that handled.”

I nodded, turning to look at him. “If a beating was the goal then yeah you did.”

“I could’ve taken that guy.”

“Dom? Absolutely. The forty bikers he’s got attached to his hip, I don’t think so.” Jake looked away from me, still angry. I shook my head. “Come on tough guy. If you’re looking for a place to smoke you gotta go over an alley.”

I hopped up the stairs opposite the bar that led to the old boxing place next door and looked over at him. For a minute I didn’t think he’d follow, but he did. I bumped the sticky door open with my hip and stepped inside the small back room as Jake followed behind me. The air in here always smelt like copper and leather, most likely from the beatings that some of the people took while they were in the ring. The sound of chains creaking and bags taking heavy hits echoed as I led us toward the main space where three well-built men covered in sweat grunted and groaned as they practiced their hits and swings.

The Ring was older than me by a lot, a place that held a lot of my family's history. The walls were plain with spots of old paint and peeling wallpaper, but they were one of my favorite parts of the place because they were filled with old posters and pictures, and mementos of those trained and boxed here. It felt like being in one giant time capsule. Off to the left of the door Jake and I walked out of was the giant padded ring, and there in the center were two of the training boxers facing off. The coach stood on the sidelines, directing each of their movements and walking them through the basics, not unlike what my dad had done for me.

“Lena?” the Irish voice questioned from the front of the building.

“Hey Patrick,” I called out, moving around the small tables and lockers toward him.

“Come to give these boys a real challenge?” He laughed loudly, enveloping me in a hug the second I was close enough for him to grab. Patrick was the new owner of this place and a friend. He and I grew up together and he’d been there for me through a lot of my darker years.

His copper hair tickled my nose as he set me down. “Not tonight. I’m just showing him,” I pointed a thumb back at Jake. “To the smoking alley.”

“He run into Dom?”

“Oh yeah.”

“Mans been in a shit mood this week,” Patrick observed returning to cleaning the floor. “Watch your back out there, Lena.”

“Thanks for the tip!” I continued walking toward the locker room, giving one of the boys practicing on a punching bag a pat on the way. “Keep your wraps tight, Jer.”

He cursed and moved back to rewrap the loosening fabric. “Thanks, Lena!”

Hanging above the locker room door was the brightly painted name Jack “The Hammer” Harrow with his old gloves hanging below. I lifted my hand and ran it over the smooth leather of them as I passed through the doorway and looked back to make sure Jake was still behind me. He looked up at the gloves and paused for a moment before I tugged on his sleeve. “This way, tough guy.”

We were met immediately with steam and the bare asses of one of the groups that always came late to practice. I moved through the misty room unphased, joking around with a few of the guys I knew as I passed them until we finally reached the back door. Swinging it open with an exaggerated flare I grinned, waving a hand toward the dingy couch and chairs that adorned the closed-off back alley. “Ta-da. I believe this will suit your smoking needs.”

He looked around for a bit, picking up a few magazines left over by whoever used it last, and nodded. “Wow.”

“It’s pretty fancy, I know.” He sat in one of the chairs, pulled the pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, and lit one. The smoke billowed out of his mouth as he looked at me with a curious gaze. “Well, you seem comfortable so I’m gonna head out now.”

“You grew up around here?” He asked before I could even turn to leave.

I shook my head. “My dad and my brother did. I moved in with them when I was sixteen.”

“Why?” He asked.

All he got in return was silence and a short stare as I turned to leave. “Try not to piss off any more drug dealers.”

I heard his heavy footsteps following after me before his lean figure settled in next to me. Jake quickly regained his breath and continued smoking as he looked over at me. “Least I could do is walk you home.”

“Oh, how generous of you.”

“What can I say, I’m a real stand-up guy.”

“I’m not gonna play twenty questions with you.”

He shrugged. “Alright, how bout ten?”

“No.”

“Five?”

“No.”

“Three?”

“Jake,” I laughed. “We aren’t friends.”

He nodded. “Maybe not, but you did say I would make a good one.”

I cocked my head to the side and gave him a look. “You want to be friends with me?”

“Yeah,” he answered. “That so unbelievable?”

“Considering you’ve been trying to get me out of my clothes since we met, kinda.”

Jake smirked. “I never said I’d stop trying to get you out of your clothes, I just said we could be friends.”

“Ahh,” I looked forward at the bright lights and crowds of people. “Okay. You get two questions.”

“This mean we’re friends?”

“This means I’ll consider it.”

“Fair enough.” He took a long drag of his cigarette breathing it out before he spoke again, “Alright, first question. What the fuck is Leanin Lena?”

I laughed. “It’s a boxing title. I got mine after my first official match, for leaning, obviously.”

He nodded along. “You box?”

“Is that your second question?”

“Oh, so you’re gonna be a bitch about it?”

“Of course I am,” I said with a smug smirk.

Jake shook his head and laughed. “Fine, second question. You don’t smoke, do drugs or drink nearly enough, or fuck around so what do you do for fun?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You don’t really need any of that to have fun, you know that right?”

He shrugged. “That’s how I’ve always had fun.”

“Even when you were younger?”

For a minute he looked a little sad, but it was over too quickly to tell as he recovered with a smile. “Yeah, pretty much.”

“That’s sad.” I knew the type of pain that came with being robbed a childhood, and it seemed Jake did too. Lucky for me I had my dad and Ozzy and Peter and all my friends to help give me somewhat of that normalcy. I reached out and tapped his arm before jumping away from him with a laugh. “You’re it.”

“I’m it?”

“Yeah, you know tag the game?”

He quirked his brows. “You’re trying to play tag with me? That’s a bit childish isn’t it?”

“Some of the best ways to have fun are,” I replied with a nod. “You gonna play or do I win already?”

Jake took a while to consider his options for a minute before he took a long step toward me, clearly expecting me to let him reach out and tag me. I moved out of the way and smiled even wider. He took an even greater step toward me, but I moved again. “Seriously?”

I scoffed. “Did you think I was just gonna stand around and let you tag me?”

“Come on, I’m not gonna chase you around like some schoolboy.”

“Then I guess you’ll be it forever.”

When Jake burst into a full sprint forward I turned on my heel and started running down the mostly empty sidewalk. The two of us laughed as we wove through people and around cars until Jake finally caught up with me. His arms wrapped around my middle and he lifted me up off my feet as he slowed to a stop, huffing from the exercise. “You’re it.”

Once he set me down I turned and grinned at him. “That answer your question?”

“You’re insane.”

“It was fun though, wasn’t it?”

For the first time since I’d met him, Jake’s smile seemed happy, the gleam in his eyes even more so. “Maybe a little.”

Nodding toward the building we were a few steps away from I said, “This is me.”

“Alright. So, do I pass your weird little consideration test?”

I nodded. “I guess.”

“So friends?”

“Ah-ah, you gotta ask me properly.”

He groaned, shaking his head and looking around. “Lena, will you be my friend?”

“Hmm…” I pretended to think about it as I walked up my stairs. I turned at the top and nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be your friend Jake.” He turned and started walking back down the sidewalk, grumbling about how weird I was. “Hey!” I hollered, making him turn around to look up at me. "Night, Jerk."

He shook his head but smiled anyway. "Night Lana."

The next morning was absolute chaos. I walked through the back door, dodging as people ran around to get the trash taken out and the shelves organized. “Holy fuck.” I mumbled moving toward Scott. “What the hell is going on?”

He looked just as stressed as the others as he looked over the produce. “The owner decided to make a surprise visit.”

“Fuck.” My heart beat quicker in my chest as I looked out the kitchen windows to find Maddie and Howard moving toward the kitchen. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” I practically sprinted over to the table and set my hands on top of it loudly, gathering the attention of the back room, where everyone even the servers and bartenders seemed to be hiding out. “You’re all about to find out something about me. If you save your questions and comments til the shift ends I’ll buy all of you drinks.”

Everyone mumbled some form of agreement before the doors swung open and a chill ran up my spine. “So, the prodigal student has returned after all.”

I turned and offered her a smile, taking in the slight changes to her face and the new length of her hair as she beamed at me. “Looks that way, doesn’t it.”

She opened her arms up. "Get in here and give your aunt a hug."

#Nightshade #sweetbitter jake x oc #jake x lena #jake smut #jake sweetbitter #sweetbitter jake #sweetbitter simone #sweetbitter smut #sweetbitter #sweetbitter sasha #sweet bitter #sweetbitter howard #sweetbitter ari #sweetbitter heather #sweetbitter Scott #sweetbitter original characters

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bigfan-fanfic · 2 years

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All Heart, All Muscle (Male!Reader x James Vega)

Requested by anonymous for James Vega dating an Alliance biologist and he’s really nervous because he’s never actually dated guys before but seeing Shepard so open about his sexuality with Kaiden helped him see he can have those kinds of relationships. (Me just being irritated that you can’t romance James in mass effect 3! He’s so hot!)

"So, Loco... you and Major Alenko, huh?"

"This feel like appropriate mission talk, Lieutenant?" Shepard prompts, but James ignores the hint.

"Not like I got a problem with it, chief, just... how'd you both... you know..."

Shepard rolls his eyes. "Is it still that big of a deal on Earth?"

"Depends on where you grow up, really." James sighs. "Growin' up where I did, you got your dad and your abuelo and every man you know pushin' and pushin'. Gotta be a man's man for the family, you know?"

"Not really. I grew up in a colony, remember? Out there, so long as you do your part and help out, no one cares if you take someone of the same gender to bed. Same on the ships I've seen and been on."

James considers this. "Maybe it's just where I came from. Maybe even just my family. But still, it's hard to even consider disappointing your family."

Shepard points out of the Normandy's viewport. "Look around you, James. There's a lot of people out there, but it's just one galaxy. Beyond that is an infinity of cold and dark space, getting ever bigger. Life is precious and rare. Love is precious and rare. You tell me, Lieutenant, you gonna give up on love because you're scared?"

"I ain't scared, Loco." James bristles.

Shepard smirks. "Then ask him on a date."

James huffs. "How'd you know?"

"Kaidan noticed you staring at him after he followed you. To be fair, you were kinda watching us kiss pretty intently."

James sighs. "I want to, Loco, it's just..."

"In case you haven't noticed, Lieutenant Vega, the end of the world is going on right now. If you're not gonna do it now when you have nothing to lose anymore, when are you gonna do it?"

On the next shore leave, James Vega heads up to the Huerta Memorial Hospital, where his crush works.

A xenobiologist, you've worked around the clock to stretch Alliance meds to allies and medicines from other species to save lives as resources dry up.

James has visited you a couple of times, never been more than friendly, but helped you relax on your few mandated breaks.

You're actually excited to see him - you want to tell him about how you've figured out that utilizing certain asari medications in conjunction with turian and quarian dextro-based injections makes them beneficial to assisting in life-saving treatments in levo-based DNA.

I mean, he won't understand it, but he'll definitely catch on to your excitement.

But James has other things on his mind, and isn't his talkative self when he takes you to a cafe on the Presidium.

"Look, uh... we're buddies now, right?"

You tilt your head at him. "Uh... sure?"

"And, well... buddies can tell each other anything, right?"

"James, you're freaking me out. Just tell me!" you say, chuckling a little at his antics.

"Will you go on a date with me?"

You look around for a moment, then down at the food you both are eating. "Uh... correct me if I'm wrong, but... this isn't a date?"

James' eyes go wide.

"Like, we've been hanging out together... spending our very short amount of free time with each other... getting food, getting to know each other..."

"Ay, cógeme. Soy un gran idiota." James smirks. "I guess this is a date. Saves me the trouble trying to figure out a nice place."

"No way, mister." You grin right back. "Now that we both know, you're on the hook for the next date."

"That's fair enough." He chuckles, before glancing at you. "Well, since we've already had a few 'dates' before now... is it okay if I kiss you?"

You wink. "I think that's fair." And, feeling bold, you push your tray to the other side of the table and sit across his lap.

His lips are on yours in a matter of seconds.

"Hehe, you got no idea what you just signed on for, cariño."

#male reader #james vega x male reader #james vega x reader #mass effect headcanons #headcanons

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theageofsims · 6 months

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The Age of Sims 2.7 - Part 3 - "A Day at the Museum (Part 2)" (Language Warning)

Of course not everything could be a bright, clear, warm sunny day -- even in Oasis Springs, because these days life for them had started to throw them curve balls they weren't always able to dodge.

She didn't want to turn around, but there was no way around the eyes that were staring her down and so she did… but said nothing.

Eric spoke to her like he always had. So many days spent around each other in their youth made him feel he had every right to approach her whenever he felt like it and however he felt like it.

"Got time for the museum these days, huh?" He asked her in a tone that let her know he still hadn't forgotten about the one time he asked her and the one time she turned him down. "What's up with that?"

"I don't know Eric, but a lot has changed since ten years ago."

William's ears were wide open to their conversation and the new knowledge he now had made the wheels in his head begin to turn.

He had met Eric from the first day he had stepped foot on the unknown sacred land everybody seemed to not want him walking on -- except for one person, and there she stood becoming angrier than he had ever seen her since knowing her.

"You couldn't just say yes? After all we've been through -- after all that we were to one another."

At this point Gloria was far too caught up in a rage to pay much attention to William who was now looking at her more intently than he ever had.

"Seriously, Eric -- if our mothers hadn't thrown us in the playpen together we probably wouldn't have grown up together which means we wouldn't have even tried to be more than friends."

"Maybe they saw in us what you never could."

"Hardly--"

"I'm serious -- I'm a big deal around here -- always was."

"Good for you." She shrugged, "Makes no difference to me. I wasn't ever looking for a big deal."

"You're fucked up, Gloria. You fucked up and you're still fucking up--"

Something inside William snapped and he found himself looking away from her while putting himself in front of her, and staring at the man who was hellbent over something he most likely should have let go of long ago.

"Why don't you get outta the way." Eric said, as he reached his arm out to pat at William's arm, "This isn't your business besides isn't there some, I don't know, fucking plant or leaf you've got to tend to anyway?"

"Don't talk to him like that--" Gloria began.

"It's fine." William said, stopping her from going on. "What do you want?"

"I know you're not asking me a stupid ass question like that. YOu know damn well what I want -- I've been wating it for a long time now. You, fucking outta my face and out of my town is number one on my list--"

"You don't own the town, Eric." Gloria loudly sighed, "Between you and Claire I swear…" She fell into a grumble. "This isn't the place for this."

"Tell that to your man here staring me down like he's trying to win some sort of staring competition. Probably the only thing he's good at, am I right?" He snickered, glancing between the both of them. "He's gotta be good for something, am I right?"

Gloria started to speak when William turned around and motioned for her to stand back.

"William--"

"Gloria… I can handle it."

"But William--"

"I said -- I can handle it."

She opened her mouth only to close it, but then to open it right back up again after Eric's remarks grew far more worse and incredibly personal.

"He's not worth it, William." She finally said as a way to finish the situation at hand. "He's been like this his whole life--"

"You--"

"Yeah, Eric -- I know. I've known you my whole life and you've been the same exact person since the first day I heard you speak."

"There ain't nothing wrong with the way I speak because I speak the truth and nothing, but the truth. You're wrong for being with this man then, now, and forever. You're always gonna be wrong."

Gloria turned around and faced William who was far more interested in staring Eric down.

"Hey…" She said easily, trying to break his concentration. "Forget about him."

And just like that, Eric walked off. Disappearing so quickly it was like he hadn't even been there… but he had been because his words had left a darkened cloud hanging right over their heads.

And a wave of anger William didn't know what to do with.

"He's gone--"

"I don't care that he's gone! He had no right to approach you and then the shit he said, what the hell is that about -- and --"

"William -- he's gone." She said once more, hoping he would calm down, but he hadn't. Instead he just walked away from her and entered the museum leaving her behind to wonder what to say or do next.

#the age of sims #sims 4 story

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theoracleofgiana · 1 year

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The First Meeting

(Part two here)

(Tw: Language, fighting, pirates?)

(Place: Corena Port, Continent: Raimoth)

Hawthorne Williams laughs heartily as his daughter twirls around to some sea shanties. Johanna smiles lovingly at her father and continues to dance with the rest of the crew. She never minded being in a pirate family. She adored the adventures and thrill that came with it. Many people nicknamed her the Vicious Ruby as she was beautiful but ruthless to her enemies. Currently, however, she and the rest of the Nightmare crew were celebrating a treasure hunt that went well. The ship bumming lightly into the dock causes the band to stop playing.

Hawthorne gets up and grabs his cane. Johanna hurries over to him and helps the older man to go down the slipway. The man smiles, grateful for his daughter's help. As the two walks down the dock, Johanna looks around, astonished by the outlaws' port town. She takes note of the giant holographic dome that sits just next to the port. Hawthorne chuckles at her curious look. "The scallywags in that dome don't ever come out. They reckon themselves superior to everyone else," The pirate explains to the girl. "Makes this a good galleon fer us to stay. No code o' conduct can reach us here." Johanna starts giggling at the idea. "I be willin' to bet they be good doin' angels. Wha' ye reckon, father?" Johanna tells her father conspiratorially. The man lets out a belly laugh at her words and gives her a grin. The two laugh and talk all the way to the Blood Haven.

The Blood Haven is the main pawn shop at the port. Its prices and rates were mostly fair and they catered to everyone even outlaws. Johanna and Hawthorne enter and give a quick greeting to the shop's demon owner. Tresella Hornsby gives them a wave before heading behind the counter to greet them. "Well, if it ain't Hawthorne 'Cutthroat' Williams 'n little Johanna Nightmare. Been a while, hasn't it?" Tresella says with an impish smile. The last time she'd seen Johanna she was maybe four or five years old. Tresella had always been soft on Johanna as she reminded Tresella of her daughter.

Hawthorne shook his head at her greeting. "It ain't been that long, Tresella. Johanna still be a sprog*, only maybe thirteen," He tells the older woman with a grin. "Father! I be twenty now! Ye know that!" Johanna exclaims and gentle smack to his arm. Hawthorne laughs and gives the girl a gentle smile. "Ye know I be jokin' dear. How about ye get out of here while the adults natter?" Hawthorne gives a slight nod to the exit as he speaks. Johanna smiles at her father and leaves him to talk with his old friend. She grins at her newfound freedom and immediately heads down the harbor.

Johanna spends a good amount of time looking through the many shops before heading into the forest nearby. She found the woods very pretty and peaceful until she heard a scream come from somewhere near her. She couldn't leave whoever it was alone, damn her instincts, and immediately head towards the noise. She comes to a small clearing where two boys are beating a smaller boy to a pulp. She groans internally before coming up behind the boys and knocking them out in one hit. They drop heavily which causes the small boy to look up.

The boy looks at Johanna with wide sea-blue eyes. His sandy blonde hair is a mess and his ivory skin turns a bit red at the pirate. "Are you alright?" Johanna asks the boy in a bored tone. She honestly wanted to head back to the ship but figured it was only polite to ask. The boy nods and gets up quickly. "Thank you so much miss!" The boy tells her before holding out his hand. "I'm Emir Soho." Johanna realizes the boy is a bit taller than her and looks at his hand a little confused. When did outlaws get manners?

Pushing the thoughts away, she takes the man's hand and shakes it. "I be Johanna Nightmare lad," She tells him a little embarrassed at her speech. Emir just nods and smiles at her. "Wonderful to meet you miss Johanna. May I lead you back to town?" He asks her as if he wasn't just getting beat up. "I reckon we can get ye patched up on the way," She tells him with a slight smirk. Emir flushes and nods. "I suppose we should do that first," He says sheepishly. Johanna nods and the two start back to the town.

(A/n: Part one! We begin the main story so part two will not be posted right after. The 'Main Story' is starting way before any of the other small passages I've already posted. I'll always place in the notes if the passage is 'main story' or just a simple passage of the characters' lives. I will warn that the 'main story' will take longer to come out at times. I already know where I want the story to go but it's hard to write it down. That's not even mentioning editing, rewriting, and researching that also has to go into it. So expect a mix of main stories and small passages. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed!)

(*Sprog: Pirate slang for a child or baby)

#creative writing #ocs #my ocs #fantasy writing #fantasy world #my writing #writeblr #fantasy #pirates #family #main story

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madchild-dennis · 11 months

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A DUPPY Story.

I've heard so many different people tell duppy (ghost) stories since I was a child. I've ALWAYS wanted to see one. Well it seem today was the day for me.

Before we go into the story, I will share the reality of what a duppy/ghost really is. First of all, they are REAL. However they are NOT what most people think they are. People refer to duppy/ghost as the soul of the person who died. Whether it's a soul that won't go to heaven so stuck on earth. Or in transition to heaven. Or in transition to the afterlife. Whatever theory other than being the evil spirit/demon that possessed the living being before they died, is WRONG. After hearing all the duppy stories, reasoning and more. There is nothing else than that. Because if it was the soul of the dead who isn't rested or whatever else. Why haven't we seen the duppy of Adam or Eve, Cain, Noah, Delilah, Jezebel? What about Hitler's ghost? Or the Ghost of Caesar? Almost ALL the duppy stories I've heard (except a few) are of people who were mean, evil or wicked. The exception weren't of people who were kind, nice or philanthropist or such. Just of regular people. What the people see as Ghost/duppy are the evil spirit/demon still take the form of the being that hosted it before it find another being to possess. Not all demons/evil spirit cause the host to do a lot of wicked thing. The evil could be subtle or in a different form. Therefore all DUPPY/Ghost is a DEMON.

Before today, I have NEVER seen a duppy, the way people normally describe them; a dead person knew/saw before when they were alive then coming back and being around the living after being DEAD. Seeing these duppies while the person is awake and eyes wide open. I never had that before today. I have had demons attack me. Even at the nursing home. Like one time, I was falling asleep and I felt, then saw 2 people. A nurse/someone dressed in all white like a nurse and a man in black shirt with a white coca-cola bottle in the middle, holding me down. I did not see the faces nor recognize the beings. I fought out the grip, then I woke up. The nurse I mentioned here came and helped me:

source:

Other than that or other stories, I NEVER saw a duppy of a person I knew before. Nor have I seen one in the daylight and while awake.

TODAY I DID.

It's interesting because I was coming from the supermarket after eating and doing some Spanish practice. I burst the corner and right beside me stood the duppy, or demon, in a white shit and I think a black hat. I wasn't even frightened, but I was taken aback. I almost forgot something I was supposed to buy somewhere else. Then when I went into a different supermarket the demon stood in the same place. While I was cashing out and still the demon kept standing there and looking towards the supermarket I was in from across the street. Yes, at the same spot I first saw it. I had planned from the start to go to that supermarket for what I wanted that it stared at from across the street in the middle of the crowded sidewalk.

I ain't afraid of no fucking demon. Especially if it came for me. Especially THAT DEMON. The host of that demon was the worst shit, to me. When he was alive he caused the most emotional pain I've ever felt in my short life. I am GLAD he is DEAD. The fuck I am going to continue to make that demon come after me after he's DEAD.

I've learned from other demonic attacks that tried to strike fear into me, when I first left the nursing home. I used my anointed olive oil and sprinkle it all over the house. They never try me again afterward. Plus I walk with that olive oil with me everywhere I go. So I am READY. PLUS, I am also PREPARED to slit throats, stab a motherfucker or such. So if that demon want to take it from the spiritual (which he will loose in) and take it to the physical, I am ALWAYS READY.

I AIN'T AFRAID, I'M READY & AIN'T PLAYING

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lostinthewiind · 3 years

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Forget Me Not: Part 1

Ushijima Wakatoshi, Sawamura Daichi, Bokuto Kōtarō, Oikawa Tōru, Kuroo Tetsurō - Haikyuu

Synopsis: five years after graduating high school, you're invited to Kiyoko and Tanaka's wedding and find yourself back in Japan. Surrounded by your old classmates and volleyball buddies once again, not only are old friendships rekindled, but old feelings start to resurface as well. Did five years change you and your friends too much, or did it change you all just enough?

Rating: PG13

Warnings: none

Next → Part 2

Being back in Japan filled you with a familiar, comforting feeling that spread throughout your entire body. The country where you had lived most of your life and been educated from kindergarten to high school in brought back childhood memories that you had not thought about in nearly five years.

And now, here you were, attending the wedding of one of your best friends, whom you hadn't seen in way too long, and surrounded by people who shaped your elementary and teenage years.

It wasn't until the reception that you got to actually catch up with your childhood friends, but the ceremony had certainly gotten you thinking. With the beautiful decorations strewn all over the venue and Kiyoko's breathtaking dress—and the way Tanaka teared up after seeing his future wife coming down the aisle—you had begun to wonder, as one who is still single would, if that would ever be you; all dressed to the nines and ready to devote the rest of your life to one person.

The fact that you were deep in thought must have been visible on your face because it wasn't long after that Kiyoko made her way over, gently placing her hand on your shoulder and asking if you were all right.

Startled out of your internal dilemma, you assured her that you were fine and just caught up with your own thoughts. "Sorry," you apologized with a lighthearted chuckle. "I didn't mean to make you worry about me at your wedding."

Taking a seat beside you at the rather empty guest table—more than happy to get off of her feet after Tanaka had been swinging her around the dance floor for hours—Kiyoko sighed contently and brushed off your concern. "Oh, please, make up something if you must." Kiyoko glanced over her shoulder at her new husband, who was currently preoccupied with something Noya was saying to him. "I need a break. If this is any indication of what the rest of my life is going to be like, I'm going to be eternally exhausted."

You laughed, having completely forgotten about what you had been thinking about. "You chose to marry the boy who spent all three years of high school chasing after you and you're surprised that he's over the moon 24/7?" You cocked a brow at her jokingly. "Don't say you weren't warned."

Kiyoko giggled at that and before long you and your best friend were laughing together just like when you were teenagers. It was like nothing had changed; like the two of you had been transported back in time five years.

"In all seriousness though, are you happy?" you asked her as you grabbed for your champagne flute and took a sip. "Because that's all that matters."

A light dusting of pink rose to Kiyoko's cheeks. "I'm ecstatic." She beamed as she looked back at Tanaka again. "I mean . . . that's my husband!"

"Good. I'm happy that you're happy."

Kiyoko nodded in agreement before turning back to you. "So, when is it going to be your turn?"

You thought about asking her what she could possibly be talking about but there was no fooling Kiyoko; she already knew that you knew. Not a week had gone by since you had moved away where she hadn't asked you if you had found yourself a man yet.

You just rolled your eyes. "I would have to be dating someone first in order to start thinking about getting married."

"Okay, so we start at the beginning." Kiyoko started surveying the gorgeous outdoor reception venue as if you didn't already know pretty much everyone who was there.

You scoffed. "I'm sorry, we?"

"You act like I haven't always been invested in your love life." She waved you off, never taking her eyes off of the bustling crowd. "Anyway, back to what I was saying . . . you need someone with a stable career, handsome, and, most importantly, someone that I approve of."

"Yes . . . most importantly." You took another sip of your drink and let your eyes scan the crowd as well, mostly because there wasn't much else for you to do. Eventually, your gaze settled on a table in the back corner where five men sat, engaged in a conversation with one another. It took you a few minutes to make out the face in the dim lighting, but when you did, you were immediately hit with a wave of nostalgia.

There, in a convenient group, as if they had all collectively been waiting for you to spot them, were five of your dearest friends from high school: the captains from the various boys' volleyball teams. Since you had been the captain for the girls' team at one of the rival schools, the six of you had started as acquaintances who bonded over being captains and soon grew into an inseparable friend group. The only person you had been closer to in high school was Kiyoko.

Sawamura Daichi, Ushijima Wakatoshi, Bokuto Kōtarō, Oikawa Tōru, and Kuroo Tetsurō.

They all looked just like how you remembered and yet you couldn't help but notice from afar the ways that they had matured over the past five years. You had been given a brief chance during the ceremony to say hello to them, and during that brief moment, you weren't ashamed to say you would admit they had all grown into handsome young men (not that any of them had been hard on the eyes in high school by any means.)

"Oh, so we're going for the classic 'high school reunion' trope." Kiyoko's face was suddenly right next to yours, startling you once again. "Which one are you looking at?"

Ripping your eyes away from the group of men who had thankfully not noticed your staring, you shook your head. "It's not like that," you sighed.

"Oh, yeah . . . okay." Kiyoko's tone was dripping with sarcasm. "That's fine, you don't have to choose right now. You could probably have whichever one of them you wanted anyway considering they all had a crush on you in high school."

It had been a big mistake to try and take your final gulp of champagne right then. As soon as you had heard what Kiyoko had said, you jolted in surprise and the alcohol went down the wrong way, causing you to begin coughing and sputtering rather loudly and aggressively.

Of course, that was when the five former captains turned to look at you after hearing the commotion. To be fair, a lot of eyes were on you then as you frantically reached for a napkin to dry the champagne that had spurted out of your mouth and Kiyoko patted your back comfortingly.

"Jesus," you managed to choke out. "Warn someone before you say something like that."

Kiyoko grabbed another napkin and began dabbing at the little wet spot on your dress. "You act like you didn't already know."

"I didn't already know."

Kiyoko looked up at you in shock, her hand ceasing all movement. Thankfully, she had pretty much dried your dress completely by then anyway. "What do you mean you didn't know?" she inquired quizzically, almost like she suspected you of lying.

"What do you mean they all had a crush on me?!" You remembered to lower your voice at the last second to avoid screaming such a personal conversation.

"How could you not have known?!" Kiyoko retorted with another question. "It was so obvious!"

"We were all just friends!"

"Just friends?!" A deep voice from behind you interrupted before you or Kiyoko could say another word. "You aren't talking about us, are you?"

You could pick that voice out of a lineup and consequently, your face turned bright red and you swallowed hard. Had he heard what you and Kiyoko had been talking about? How long had he been standing there?

Turning in your chair, you looked up at Kuroo, who was standing behind your chair, and the four other guys standing behind him; all of whom had apparently made their way over after witnessing your struggle with the champagne.

Before you had the chance to work out a suitable answer and attempt to explain away what you and Kiyoko had been discussing, Kiyoko stood from her chair and offered it to Kuroo, motioning for the group to sit down with you at the same time.

"Well, I'll leave you guys so you can all catch up." She smiled wide, throwing you a quick wink when no one else was looking. "I'm sure Tanaka will start searching for me soon anyway. I can only leave his side for so long before he starts causing chaos."

"Looks like the chaos has already started." Oikawa pointed to the head table where Tanaka was pouring liquor straight down Hinata's throat while Noya and Tendou counted the seconds out loud at the top of their lungs.

"Oh, good God." Kiyoko excused herself without another word, rushing across the room to put an end to her husband's antics. The six of you were left chuckling and watching as she snatched the bottle out of his hand and made quick work of reprimanding the men.

Shaking his head, Daichi sat down across from you while the other men took their seats as well. Having been the team captain of Karasuno and on a volleyball team with Tanaka for two years, he knew all too well what it was like to have to keep him in check constantly. "I will never understand how he suckered her into marrying him," he commented.

"Because love." You shrugged. "It makes you do stupid things."

Just then, a waiter came by and placed a fresh glass of champagne in front of each of you. "Ain't that the truth." Kuroo rose his glass and encouraged everyone else to do the same. "To love and other stupid things."

"To love and other stupid things," the remaining five of you repeated before clinking your glasses together and taking a sip of the bubbly alcohol.

Bokuto, who already seemed a little too tipsy for his own good, downed all of his in one go before scooting his chair closer to yours and throwing an arm over your shoulders. "So, tell us, what have you been up to?!" he chirped happily. "We all missed you when you left, you know."

After assuring Bokuto about four or five times that you had missed him as well, you gave the group of eager listeners the short version of what you had been up to since graduation. You explained your boring job and the fact that you played volleyball as often as you could. They asked about other aspects of your life as well, and when the topic of significant others came up, you shyly admitted that you were, indeed, still single.

"Hey, it's not like any of us can judge you for that," Ushijima told you. "None of us have anyone in our lives either."

Oikawa scoffed. "You make it sound like I'm hopeless."

"You are hopeless," Kuroo laughed. "You spent how many years in Brazil and still couldn't find a girl to date you? You moved to Argentina and still nothing. Doesn't that say anything?"

"Leave it to Oikawa to make it all about him," you commented, mindlessly taunting the setter like you used to do all the time when you were younger.

Your jab earned a few amused chuckles from the others and even Oikawa cracked a smile; and just like that, it was like you were back in high school with five of your closest friends, shooting the shit like you always did.

Before you knew it, the six of you were talking, laughing, and drinking the night away. Even Ushijima, who was usually the quiet one of the group, was participating more than you ever remember him doing so. The awkwardness from the first few minutes of interaction and the burning embarrassment of what Kiyoko had told you had melted away so seamlessly that you didn't even notice; suddenly you just found yourself comfortable and feeling rather at home.

Daichi told you about how his job as a cop was going and even shared a few exciting stories—stories that the others had clearly heard many times before if their bored expressions were any indication.

Kuroo talked about his job at the Japan Volleyball Association Sports Promotion Division, which he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying. You were kind of envious of him for managing to stay in the world of volleyball without actually having to keep playing.

Then, of course, Bokuto, Ushijima, and Oikawa discussed what it was like playing for the MSBY Jackals, the Schweiden Alders, and Club Atlético San Juan in Argentina, respectively. Oikawa, much like Daichi had been, was very excited to have someone new to tell his stories to—although his stories were about Argentina and not being a cop.

It made you feel a little sad when you realized just how distant you had grown from your friends and how much of their lives you had missed, but you had to admit that getting to play catch up was extremely entertaining.

After what felt like only twenty minutes or so, but was probably closer to two hours, the reception started winding down and guests started heading home for the night.

Pulled from the happy little bubble the six of you were existing in by the sudden realization that the party had a lot fewer people than you remember, you checked the time and noted that it was rather late.

Daichi, who had been oblivious to the rapidly passing time as well, muttered something about having to work the next day as he reached for his suit jacket that he had draped over the back of his chair at some point and started putting it back on, indicating that he was getting ready to leave.

Bokuto began to pout jokingly and tightened his hold on you, his arm never having left your shoulders the entire time. "You're not going home right away, are you?" he asked you, his wide eyes ready to guilt-trip you into staying longer should he need to. "You're staying in Japan for a while, right?"

"I'll be here for about two weeks or so," you told him, patting his cheek lightly and chuckling when his expression changed on a dime and he smiled wide. "Don't worry, I'm not abandoning you again so soon."

"Then we will have to get together for dinner or drinks or something," Kuroo suggested as he too stood from his seat. "Have you changed your number since high school?"

You shook her head. "Nope, it should be the same one you all have."

"Excellent!" Oikawa cheered. "I've got to head back to Argentina in a week or so as well so we definitely have to get together soon. I have first dibs!"

"Y/N is a person, not the last piece of food," Ushijima huffed. "You can't call dibs."

Oikawa just scoffed. "Sure I can, Toshi. I just did."

"I told you not to call me that."

The two professional volleyball players glared at one another and you wondered how it was possible that they stayed friends for so long, let alone became friends in the first place, considering they were always at each other's throats.

"Okay, you two, don't make me escort one or both of you home in a cop car tonight," Daichi warned. "I'm not in the mood to babysit."

"If I promise to behave, will you promise to use your handcuffs?" Oikawa winked, earning a few hushed chuckles and an obviously disappointed look from Daichi.

"Well, that's my cue to call it a night," Daichi announced as he made his way over to you and pressed a quick kiss to your cheek. "It was lovely seeing you again. I'll call you and we can do dinner sometime, yeah?"

You smiled and nodded. "I'd love to."

With that, Daichi took his leave and the others were soon to follow. Bokuto, who was the last to leave your side, had somehow swindled you into promising to play a volleyball game with him at some point before he bid you goodnight as well and left you to collect your thoughts before catching a cab and heading back to your hotel room.

On your way out, you thanked Kiyoko for inviting you and congratulated her and Tanaka on their marriage. They too insisted on getting together with you once more before you left and you happily agreed, already dreading having to leave your friends again.

As you climbed into your cab that evening, drunker than you had been in a long while and filled to the brim with joyous memories and content feelings after being reunited with so many old friends, you couldn't help but linger on one thought in particular . . .

The fact that all of your former captain friends had grown into handsome men with stable jobs, they were all single, and the startling new discovery that they apparently all had crushes on you in high school.

Did they still feel the same way? Or, more importantly, did you feel the same way?

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