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ladyreapermc · 4 years

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Fic: A Little Loss of Innocence (John Wick x Reader)

Summary: After your encounter with Mr. Wick during Daisy’s birthday, you can’t stop thinking about him and decide to pay him a visit. Part 1: Brooklyn Baby | Part 3: Insatiable Craving | Part 4: Make it Hurt | Part 5: Play with Fire |

Wordcount: 3200

Warnings: age gap; smut (Dom!John; edging; dirty talk; bodily fluids)

You shouldn’t be here, and you knew. What happened during Daisy’s birthday was all kinds of wrong and haunted your dreams, but unfortunately not in a bad way. You had been thinking of Mr. Wick all the time, remembering the feel of his hands on your body, the taste of his lips on yours. No other man had ever made you feel like that and fine, it wasn’t like you had much experience to compare to, but it felt distinctively different.

For one, you had never come that fast or so hard in your life. The way Mr. Wick seemed to know exactly what to do and where to touch was just… no other man, well, no, no other boy you had ever been with had managed to elicit that strong of a reaction from you. And part of you knew it was the forbidden aspect that made things even hotter, but his experience also made all the difference.

And in the end, that was why you were here, two weeks later, after fighting this feeling, trying to forget the entire thing in the arms of guys your age, but ending up even more frustrated. They weren’t enough anymore. Neither was your hand. You needed him.

Mr. Wick looked startled when he opened his door and found you out there, giving him a small, timid smile. You were half afraid that he would tell you to leave, but instead, he took a step to the side letting you walk in.

“I brought the books I told you about,” you said showing the three volumes of battered hardcovers that belonged to your grandfather.

Mr. Wick nodded, combing his hands over his dark hair, pushing it away from his eyes, before leading the way to the basement. You could see the tension in his shoulders as they stretched the plain white shirt, but you didn’t know if it was the same as you felt.

Your breath caught in your throat at each step you took towards his home office. The memories etched in your brain coming alive the closer you came to that place. You could almost see the ghost of yourself on his desk, spread open for his view, and a shot of shame mixed with lust ran through your body, making heat rise to your cheeks and wetness collect in between your legs.

Mr. Wick took a seat at his table, gesturing you to bring the books as he lit the table lamp. You set the books in front of him and stood to the side, watching him work as he examined the frayed binding with gentle touches.

Your gaze remained in his fingers, long and thick and calloused. The same ones that brought you to heaven in that very place and your entire body seemed to boil. Part of it was the sight before you, sure, but most was the scent flooding your nose.

Mr. Wick smelled of leather and metal and something sharp and acrid that you couldn’t name, but it set your heart racing and you wanted to bury your nose in his neck and breath in deep.

“They’re in bad shape, but I can fix it,” he said, turning around in his chair to look at you and sitting like this you towered over him just slightly.

You took a moment to look at him, the stocky legs spread on each side of the chair, the volume in his crotch, and the large, solid torso in perfect equilibrium with the broad shoulders, much unlike the gym rats that filled the halls of your college. Somehow, just by looking you knew Mr. Wick was strong not because he lifted weights, but because he used those muscles and the thought was highly arousing.

You sensed that if Mr. Wick ever caught you, locked your hands and legs, you would have no escape. You would be completely at his mercy and you had no idea why that was so hot. Why the mere thought of Mr. Wick owning you completely was enough to speed your heart and breath, making your body burn and your pussy ache.

He must have seen the desire in your eyes because, he swallowed hard and looked away from you, rubbing his hands over his thighs covered by the soft, worn fabric of his grey sweaters, making your gaze linger on the bulge of his crotch and you were pretty sure it was a little bigger than moments ago.

Before you could talk yourself out of it, let your sane part win, you moved closer, climbing on his lap and Mr. Wick’s eyes widen slightly, but he adjusted his legs, giving your space to kneel so you didn’t think he minded.

“We shouldn’t,” he whispered, his eyes fixed on your lips. “What we did, it was…”

“I know,” you sighed, running your fingers over his jaw. “But I can’t stop thinking about you. About that night. I uh, I…”

“You’ve been touching yourself?” he offered, and you nodded, trying to shove down the shame. “It’s alright. I have been doing the same.”

“Yeah?” you smiled in excitement, glad to know he was thinking about you too. “Did you jerk off after Daisy dragged me away?”

Mr. Wick winced slightly at the mention of his daughter’s name and you made note of not bringing her up again if you wanted this to move forward.

“Yes,” he breathed out, bringing his lips so close to yours you could smell the coffee and nicotine in his breath. “I licked my fingers clean of you and came all over my hand like a fucking teen.” You didn’t know why that was so hot, but you whimpered slightly, rocking on his lap, feeling his erection growing under you. “But what I really wanted was to be buried inside you.”

His hands tightened on your thighs and he finally kissed you, hard and demanding, owning your mouth much like he had owned your body the other day, making pleasure and arousal run hot through your veins, lighting up your center. You never wanted to be fucked as much as you wanted today.

“Mr. Wick, please. I want it. I need you deep inside me,” you begged against his mouth, rolling your hips, seeking more of the friction that was kindling your pleasure.

He pushed you out of his lap and you almost protested, but his hands were on your waistband, undoing your jeans and while he worked on that, you pulled your sweater over your head. In seconds you were standing in front of him in only your underwear and as his dark, hungry eyes raked over you, a strange shyness overtook you. You crossed your arms over your chest, heat rising on your neck and face from embarrassment.

A man like Mr. Wick must have seen so many women in his years, more beautiful, sexier than you with your plain, pale pink underwear, completely unappealing.

“Don’t cover yourself, darling,” he asked, tugging your forward again until his breath ghosted against your skin, making you shiver. “I want to see every inch of you.”

His kisses started soft, from behind your ear, down your neck and collarbones and finally the top of your breasts. They were wet, with just a hint of tongue and it drove you crazy. Especially when you weren’t expecting and Mr. Wick scrapped his teeth over your skin, making you jolt and giggle.

He reached behind you, undoing your bra and exposing your breasts completely, catching a nipple in his mouth and sucking it until it was completely hard and you were moaning and clenching your legs, desperate to release some of the pressure building between your thighs.

Mr. Wick did the same with the other, lavishing it with the same attention and at the same slow pace so you decided to take things in your hands. Before your fingers could touch the soaked fabric covering your cunt, he caught your wrist, making you stop.

“Patience, darling,” he whispered, mouth hovering over your wet and hardened nipple. “This isn’t going to be some quick tumble you get from those college boys. I’m gonna take my time and fuck you properly, so tell me if you can’t keep your hands to yourself. I can always tie them.”

You didn’t even recognize the sound that escaped your lips. It was so needy and pitiful, but so was the burning desire in your core, flooding your veins with want. Mr. Wick’s words uncovering something you didn’t even know you wanted.

“No,” you whined, meeting his gaze. “I’ll be good, sir.”

“Yes, you will,” he smiled at you, cupping your cheek gently and your heart leaped. “Because you’re my good girl, aren’t you?”

“Yes, sir,” you nodded eagerly, the words foreign and yet so natural.

“And good girls get rewarded,” Mr. Wick declared, hooking his fingers on the elastic of your panties and pulling them down, exposing your slick cunt to the cool air and making your shudder. “Bad girls get punished and I don’t think you want to be on my bad side.”

Why his threat was so arousing you didn’t know, but it made your cunt pulse and throb, especially with the way his fingers massaged and spread your juices, eliciting little sparks of desire in your core before he pushed two fingers inside and you whimpered.

“So, fucking tight, darling,” Mr. Wick smirked at you, his other hand shoving his sweatpants down only enough to expose his large, thick cock and you gulped, part in want, part in fear. He was huge and you knew it was going to hurt.

“Don’t worry,” he stood, pulling his fingers away and bringing to his mouth, before guiding you to bend over his desk. “I’ll go slow.”

“Thank you, sir,” you braced yourself, fingers digging on the edge of his desk as Mr. Wick pushed your legs open to fix your height, and soon you felt his tip rubbing against your folds, teasing you until you were whimpering again.

“You want it?” he asked, rumbling voice against your ear and you nodded, licking your dry lips.

At the first push of his cock against your slit, you tensed, fear making you contract your walls, but Mr. Wick just waited, rubbing soothing circles on your spine and you managed to relax, let him push in another inch. Now you could feel the stretch beginning, not completely unpleasantly and with the way he kept kissing and mouthing at your spine, it was easy to be distracted from the discomfort.

“Such a good girl,” he whispered, pushing in a little more and you could feel everything, his shape, his thickness, his veins, and ridges and it was amazing. You tried to push back against him, get more of his cock inside you, but Mr. Wick held you still. “Patience, darling.”

“Fuck me, sir,” you pleaded. “I’m ready.”

“No, you’re not,” he chuckled against the damp skin of your back, before he moved in another inch, keeping his pace slow. “You couldn’t handle it. But you will. I’ll teach you to take me in one go. Do you want that?”

“Yes, sir, I do,” there it was again, the eagerness in your voice. “Please.”

It felt like it took forever, and you had never been on the edge for so fucking long, but finally, Mr. Wick sheathed his cock all the way in until he bottomed out. You were so full and so wet, your thighs slick with your arousal, your knuckles white from gripping on the table so tight, keeping yourself from rocking back.

“Good girl,” Mr. Wick praised you, licking up your spine and making you shudder. “You’re taking me so fucking well. I can feel your cunt squeezing me, God! You feel good.”

“Please, sir, will you fuck me now?”

“Eager little girl,” he chuckled, one arm coming around your waist to hold you close as he moved backward and sat down with you on his lap. The mewl that slipped past your lips made him chuckle again. “Maybe I should teach you a lesson in patience.”

Mr. Wick pushed your ponytail aside, kissing and nipping at your nape and neck, one of his large hands keeping your grounded on his lap, legs spread, while the other toyed with your clit making you sob, the pleasure almost unbearable.

All you wanted was for him to fucking move, give you some friction to bring you to your peak but every time you thought Mr. Wick would finally let you come, he slowed down, letting his hand trail upwards to your stomach and breasts. Tears of frustration gathered in your eyes and you felt like crying.

“Please, please, please, please…” you begged so desperately you didn’t even recognize your voice, and once again Mr. Wick chuckled against your skin. “Sir, please…”

“Why?” he asked. “Why should I let you cum?”

“Because I’ve been good.”

“Were you, now?” he sucked on the skin of your neck, high enough that it would be impossible to hide the mark with your clothes and maybe that was his intention. “Did you ask what I wanted, huh? Don’t good girls ask what their sires want?”

“I’m sorry, sir,” you whimpered softly and why did his words make you feel like you kicked a puppy? “I didn’t… I didn’t know.”

“You’re right, you didn’t, darling,” he kissed your jaw softly. “Now you do.”

“What do you want, sir? How do you want me?”

“Such a fast learner,” Mr. Wick praised with a flick to your clit, making you moan again. “I want you just like this, spread open for me, like a good little girl and I want to hear you. Can you do that?”

“Yes, sir,” you sighed, and he rewarded you with a little roll of his hips, sparking the tendrils of pleasure in your core.

Mr. Wick’s pace was slow as he rocked his hips against yours. It was all about friction and not power and it was maddening, you teetered the edge as he kept rubbing your clit but it wasn’t quite enough to make you come, just cry and sob, the tears burning your cheeks.

“I think my girl suffered enough,” he whispered, once again kissing your jaw. “I think it’s time to give what you want.”

He took hold of your waist guiding you to lift your hips until his cock nearly slipped from your cunt before he brought you down again and it never felt this fucking good to ride someone. You held onto the desk for leverage and started bouncing on his shaft. Mr. Wick still guided the rhythm, but you were doing all the work, making the pleasure gather and tighten in your center as you chased your high, his fingers working steadily on your clit to aid you in your search.

“Please, sir, can I cum?” You didn’t know exactly what made you ask him, but it felt right to do it.

“Yes, darling, you can cum.”

The waves of pleasure that washed over you were intense and nearly swallowed you. You had never come this hard. Your vision never whited out like this. A scream never tore from your throat in such way. It was magnificent and perfect and deep down you knew you would never feel anything remotely similar with anyone else.

You rested against Mr. Wick's chest for a moment, gulping desperate breaths like you had just broken through the surface of the water after being submerged for too long. Your body felt so weightless and weak, like your muscles couldn’t respond to your commands even if you wanted them too.

Your mind felt scattered and your nerves hypersensitive, so all you could really focus on was the soft kisses and the tickle of his beard against your skin, pulling you back to the here and now, centering you back onto the throbbing and twitching cock inside you.

“Are you back with me, darling?”

“Yes, sir,” you sighed deeply turning your upper body so you could look at him. Mr. Wick had a soft, proud smile in his lips and it made you smile too. “Thank you, sir.”

“You’re welcome, darling,” he kissed the tip of your nose, making you giggle. “Now it’s my turn.”

“How do you want me, sir?”

“On the table, legs on my shoulders. I want to see my cock coming in and out of that cunt.”

You got up from his lap, your knees feeling a bit like Jell-O, the ache in your core delicious as you hopped on the desk and laid back, legs spread.

“Like this, sir?”

“Yes, darling,” Mr. Wick grinned, standing up and bringing your legs up to his shoulders. “Exactly like that.”

You moaned when he pushed back inside again, lifting yourself on your elbows so you could see his cock disappearing inside you as he buried himself to the hilt again. This time, it wasn’t slow. It was so hard and fast the table shook beneath you, while Mr. Wick grunted and cursed above you.

Cries fell from your lips each time he hit your cervix, making you clench around him tighter which only made him thrust harder and faster, his gaze never leaving your cunt or the way it stretched to welcome him.

“Such a pretty cunt,” he smirked at you, taking your hand and guiding it to your thighs, to keep yourself spread for his watchful eyes while he sucked on his thumb and swirled your clit again. “You’re gonna cum for me again. I wanna feel you milking my cock.”

“Yes, sir,” you keened in desperation, the rush of pleasure coming much faster now as he pounded into you so hard you knew you would feel him for days.

“Fuck! I’m gonna cum. Are you close, darling?”

“Yes, sir. So close.”

He pressed harder on your clit, his thrusts becoming sloppy and uncoordinated, but you didn’t even care because the rush overtook you again and this time you shouted his name, your body shaking and shuddering, your walls spasming around him.

“Fuck yes! That’s perfect,” he grunted, slamming into you so hard he pushed the table forward and you could feel every inch of him and the way he swelled and pulsed as him hot seed spilled inside you.

Mr. Wick pulled back out, hands over yours to keep your legs spread. He grinned and watched your cunt pulsing with the last remains of your orgasm, his cum trickling down out of you and you felt filthy but strangely, being like this under his gaze was arousing.

“So, so beautiful, my darling.” Mr. Wick pressed a kiss on the top of your mound and let go of your legs, letting you rest them back on the table, before leaning over and kissing your lips.

“You come when I call. No excuses,” he commanded, staring deep into your eyes. “No one else touches you. Not even yourself. This cunt is mine. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And Daisy can never know.”

“She won’t,” you raised yourself from the table, arms coming around his neck. “I promise.”

‘Good girl,” Mr. Wick smiled at you, pecking your lips. “Now come on, let’s get you clean up.”

xxx

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angelofthequeers · 4 years

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Not a Good Look: Chapter 2

Chapter 1 | Chapter 3 | AO3 link

@thequeenofpotatoeunicornss tagged as requested :)

Disclaimer: I don’t own ML.

Adrien’s not sure whether Marinette’s garbled confession shuts his brain down or kickstarts it into lightspeed. Marinette…loves him? One of his best friends is in love with him? How could he have never seen it before? All this time, he’s been worried that she’s secretly hated him, but it’s the opposite entirely!

“But the wax statue thing,” is the first thing his mouth blurts out, while his brain still tries to reboot. “You said you didn’t –”

“I lied!” Marinette shrieks in his face. Then she whimpers and curls away from him, just like she’d done that time. “I…you said there was this other girl that you loved, and I didn’t want to get between you and Kagami –”

“Kagami?” Oh. Dear lord. So many things are starting to fall into place. “I like her a lot, Marinette, and we kissed after we got ice cream on the Seine with our friends but, well…I felt like there was something, you know…missing. And so did she. So, we agreed to put things on hold until we figure it out, so we didn’t hurt each other by trying to force something. And, um…she wasn’t the girl I was referring to in the car. But what about you? I know you like Luka.”

“Oh. Yeah, Luka’s nice and supportive and super sweet, and I really like him as a friend, but he’s not – he’s never been…”

He’s not you. He’s never been you, rings loud and clear between them. Marinette looks away, fiddling with one of her pigtails. It breaks Adrien’s heart to see his friend like this, hurting because of him, and if Ladybug wasn’t in the picture – if only Ladybug wasn’t around – then he could fix that pain. He could take her hands and look into her bluebell eyes and let himself love her, because falling for Marinette is as easy as breathing, but Adrien can’t let himself fall for his friend and betray his lady like that. And he especially can’t betray Kagami like that, because he genuinely does love her, but could he pick between these three girls if it came down to it? His love for Ladybug has been longer, lasting through every battle they’ve fought by each other’s sides, but his love for Kagami is like a thunderstorm: wild and fierce, looming on him and then capturing him in an iron grip.

“And I also think Kagami could tell that I, um…I think I’ve always felt something more for you,” he says. Marinette’s head whips around, and her cheeks are dark pink, and her blue eyes are wide, and the sight is just so…Marinette. If someone looked up the dictionary definition of beauty, Marinette’s name would be right there next to Ladybug’s, with Kagami filling in a separate definition of her own, because the way in which she’s beautiful is as different to Marinette and Ladybug as night is to day. “I just didn’t realise it until you said…well, I always thought there was this wall between us, and knowing there isn’t – ugh, why is this so hard?”

“It’s okay,” Marinette mumbles, somehow managing to smile despite the way her heart must be breaking just as Adrien’s has done after the times Ladybug’s rejected him. “Really. You should go get that other girl. She’d be so lucky to have you, and I know Kagami would agree.”

“But she’s turned me down before,” Adrien says. “I guess I hoped if I kept trying, she’d eventually say yes. But she told me that there’s another boy, and I don’t want to let her go because I love her, but that’s why I have to let her go. And if she wasn’t around and Kagami didn’t confess first, I think I’d say yes to you. Sorry, I know that’s the last thing you want to hear –”

“No,” says Marinette with shimmering eyes and lips that twitch into a weak attempt at a smile. “Knowing that I did have a chance somehow makes it hurt less than knowing I had no chance at all. That other girl doesn’t know what she’s missing out on.” Then, before Adrien’s eyes, she schools herself back into the happy, sunshine Marinette right as they pull up to the kerb outside the bakery. How does she do it?

“I’ll see you at eight,” Adrien says to the Gorilla, who grunts in response. Then he shuts the car door after Marinette and follows her into the bakery and upstairs through the living area, all the way up to her room, where Kagami’s already waiting for them with, surprisingly, Alya and Nino.

“Um…” Marinette says, while Adrien freezes when Alya and Nino give him twin smiles. “Not that I don’t love you guys, but…what are you doing here?”

“Well, we figured we’d surprise our besties and drop in,” Alya says. “Plus, Nino wanted a croissant.”

Marinette snorts. “Of course.”

“Hey,” Nino grumbles.

“And, uh…” Alya bites her lip. “Look, we don’t know what to believe anymore. But Kagami told me and Nino about the Lila thing, and I don’t want to believe that she’s a heartless liar, but if Kagami and Adrien are taking your side and you’ve apparently got this plan going on that involves her, and you’re my best friend –”

“Alya –”

“And oh my god, if she’s lying then – then the expulsion, and all the times she’s said you were nasty to her and she didn’t know why, and I told my best friend to her face that I didn’t believe her –”

“Alya,” Marinette says with a small smile. “It’s okay. Really. I forgive you. You too, Nino.”

Nino’s shoulders slump in relief. “Thank god, dude. Nothing against you, but you have gotten pretty vicious when – ow!”

“Shut up!” Alya hisses, removing her elbow from his ribs. Marinette sighs.

“It’s okay, guys,” she says, heading to her desk chair to wheel it over, while Adrien drops to sit cross-legged at the foot of the chaise, where Alya, Nino, and Kagami are folding pieces of paper in different origami shapes. The origami ladybug at Alya’s feet nearly makes her snort. “I told Adrien in the car. He doesn’t feel the same way and I’m okay with that.”

“Oh. Oh.” Alya’s eyes crinkle. “Sorry, girl. After all the times you’ve tried…”

“How many times?” Adrien says. “Uh, if Marinette’s okay with me knowing about all this stuff?”

“Sure, knock yourself out,” Marinette mumbles.

“Oh, I have stories to tell,” Alya says. “But now’s not the time. What’s the plan?”

“Al and I are in with you guys,” Nino says when Marinette frowns at them. “Whatever you need us to do, dude.”

“If that’s okay,” Kagami says. “I’m sorry if I wasn’t supposed to tell them, but I thought that it would be okay since they’re your best friends and I know how much it was hurting you that they didn’t believe you.”

“Of course it’s okay. And thank you for trying to make things right between us,” Marinette says. Suddenly looking quite nervous, she adds, “Well, Ladybug said it’s okay to tell you guys, since I accidentally revealed my identity to Chat Noir and Ms Mendeleiev and I can’t be called on again. She entrusted me with a Miraculous a few weeks ago, back when Ms Mendeleiev was akumatised.”

The Rat! Adrien wants to exclaim, but he manages to stop himself just in time. Adrien Agreste isn’t supposed to know that Marinette was Multimouse, and he certainly doesn’t feel like explaining to his lady how he let his secret identity slip.

“The Rat.” Marinette fishes out the little necklace from underneath her shirt. Out of her purse flies a little rat – Mullo, if Adrien remembers the other kwamis’ names correctly. “I asked Ladybug if I could borrow it to pull off our plan to get evidence against Mr Agreste and Lila. I don’t think she’d have normally agreed, but she knows that Lila’s bad news since the Oni-Chan thing. Maybe she’s hoping that we can find a way to neutralise Lila before she grows too dangerous, since she can’t really get involved in this kind of teenage drama thing as a superhero?”

“Smart,” Adrien says, unable to keep the breathless marvel out of his voice. Marinette’s cheeks turn a dusty pink.

“And as she said, Ladybug and Chat Noir can’t very well be seen sneaking around in someone’s house, especially if it’s got nothing to do with Hawkmoth,” she says. “Plus, their Miraculouses aren’t the best-suited for it. But she said that if Adrien’s willing…” She fishes around in her purse and pulls out a familiar teal Ouroboros bracelet, summoning an equally familiar snake kwami in a burst of light. “He could become Aspik again and help.”

“B-But why me?” Adrien croaks, while Nino’s and Alya’s eyes bulge at the sight of Sass. “If you know I’m Aspik, you have to know how badly I messed up –”

“Well, I – she didn’t want to release more Miraculouses than necessary,” Marinette says. “And it’s your house, so you know your way around it. You have to come.”

“But I probably left a horrible impression on Sass, didn’t I?” Adrien says miserably. Sass chuckles.

“Some people are better-suited to other powers,” he says. “You could wield the Snake effectively enough if you learn not to fixate on one specific event.”

“Like trying to save Ladybug from Desperada.”

“Precisely. Rather, take in the entire situation. Look for different angles.”

“Just like you do when you’re fencing,” Kagami says, and Sass bows his head at her in agreement.

“Only if you’re willing,” Marinette says. “Otherwise, I’m happy to give you the Mouse and I can use the Snake –”

“No. No.” Adrien snatches the bracelet. He remembers vividly what it’s like to constantly go back in time, to remember all the other outcomes when everyone else around him doesn’t, and that’s not something he’s going to put on Marinette if anything goes wrong. “I can do it. I won’t let you down like I did Ladybug.”

“You didn’t let Ladybug down,” Alya says. She makes the final fold on her scarlet origami dragon and presents it to Kagami, who takes it and examines it from different angles with a small, approving smile. “Trust me, as the Ladyblogger, she’d be proud of you for stepping up and trying. Pretty sure she’d only be disappointed if you ended up working for Hawkmoth or something.”

“Alya’s right,” Marinette says softly. Then she clears her throat and pulls a familiar pair of glasses out of her purse. “And Kagami, you’re our ticket in and out. You can teleport us into Adrien’s room and if we need an escape, Ladybug wants you to use the Horse to create one for us. We can call you if we’re all transformed.”

“Of course.” Kagami immediately accepts the glasses and bows her head at Kaalki when the horse kwami materialises. “But why me? Why not Alya or Nino?”

“I don’t work with scruffy riff-raff,” Kaalki sniffs. “But you have the air of glory about you!”

“She’s not replacing Ma – Pegase,” Marinette says. Had she been about to say Max’s name? Had Ladybug told her that Max is Pegase? Just how much does Ladybug trust Marinette, anyway? Adrien hadn’t been aware that the two were particularly close, but it would explain why Marinette’s been so against Lila from the start. “But since Kagami’s already invested in the plan and I didn’t know that Alya and Nino would be here…well, Ladybug would prefer we keep it to as few people as possible.”

“She’s really putting a lot of faith in us, isn’t she?” Adrien says as Kagami slips on the glasses.

“For what it’s worth, I know you three can do it,” Alya says.

“And we’re happy to be the origami moral support, dudes,” Nino adds.

“If you make me a horse, I’ll run you through with my foil,” Kagami says dryly. “I didn’t even know you were proficient at origami, Nino.”

“Yeah, everyone’s surprised when I tell ‘em,” Nino says. “My teacher back in primaire – remember Mr Leroux, Marinette? – he told us the story about making a wish on a thousand paper cranes and I made it my mission to get that wish so our dad would come back. The wish didn’t come true but hey, I figured out that I loved origami, so it can’t be a waste, right? Maybe it was a blessing in disguise.”

The silence that falls on the room is almost awkward but not quite. What does Adrien say to that? Nino’s his best friend – one of the closest people in his life – and yet he’s never once thought that there was more to Nino than the bubbly, upbeat DJ. Adrien already knew that Nino’s father wasn’t around but…he’d never suspected anything like this.

“My father died when I was young,” Kagami finally says, breaching the stifling air with her non-hesitating manner that’s always so effective at jolting Adrien into action when he needs it. “And Adrien’s mother is gone. I think Marinette and Alya are the only ones of us with a normal family.”

“Normal is subjective,” Marinette says, while Alya snorts. “If you’d met my grandfather, you’d understand. Should we –?”

“Yes!” Adrien hastens to slide the bracelet on, while Kagami carefully slips on the dainty, almost-invisible golden frames of the disguised Horse Miraculous. “Sass, scales slither!”

“Mullo, get squeaky!”

“Kaalki, full gallop!”

Aspik’s not sure how to accurately describe the rush of emotions at seeing Multimouse again beyond some sort of baseball bat of sjdhfkljllaskdl that whacks him around the head. Ladybug had been so right to give Marinette a Miraculous! Why does she have to be such a cute hero?

“You look like a snack,” he blurts out. Although Multimouse’s cheeks pinken to the colour of her suit accents, she also snorts and raises an eyebrow at him.

“And you look like an egg,” she says. Alya lets loose with a particularly evil bout of laughter.

“Are we sure that Ladybug can’t give you the Mouse again?” Kagami says. Although Aspik can’t see her eyes behind her darkened glasses, he’s got no doubt that she’s taking in every little detail of Multimouse with her unfaltering gaze, which is one of the things about her that both thrills and intimidates him. “You really are adorable.”

“I third that sentiment,” Alya says. “Damn, I knew my bestie would be an epic superhero.”

“Agreed, babe,” Nino says. Now Multimouse’s cheeks are stained scarlet.

“S-Stop it!” she splutters. “Kagami, just – just do it already!”

“Okay, give me a moment to focus,” Kagami says, the corner of her mouth twitching. “I’ve never done this before.”

Multimouse moves to stand by Aspik’s side while Kagami frowns in concentration. Although she’s transformed, Aspik’s fairly certain that he can still catch a faint whiff of her usual scent of strawberries and vanilla, or maybe that’s just his brain deluding him, because he knows for a fact that the Miraculous magic disguises everything about someone’s identity. Then again, if he knows that Multimouse is Marinette, does that lessen the effectiveness of the magic? This is entirely new territory for him.

In more ways than one, his brain supplies, and Adrien’s too distracted by the glowing blue portal that appears before him to start poking at that thought and why it sounds suspiciously like Plagg.

“Eady, Raspik – dammit, ready, Aspik?” Multimouse shakes her head, causing her twin buns to swish from side to side. A little sixth sense tells Aspik that drawing attention to her lovestruck stammering – which is super cute, not that he’d ever voice that – is the worst thing he can do, especially before a nerve-wracking mission with someone other than Ladybug. How will Multimouse do on her second ever mission, especially with no Ladybug? If only he could tell her that he’s Chat Noir and she’s got an experienced superhero by her side.

“Aspik?” Kagami says. “I can’t keep the portal open forever.”

“Right!” Aspik blinks and shakes his head just like Multimouse had, though not as hard. Then he reaches out to take Multimouse’s hand, unable to hide his grin at the endearing blush that spreads across her cheeks at the contact, and they slip through the portal into his bedroom. Although he can understand why she’d keep her crush from him – not wanting to risk him hating her or acting awkward around her – he’s hard-pressed to find a reason as to why he’d hate her for it in the first place. He’d meant what he’d said to her earlier: she’s nothing like all the girls who cling to him and force their way into his personal space. Marinette commands attention, yes, but not through loudly demanding it. No, she draws it through her softness, her loud passion, her kindness…by being their everyday Ladybug.

“I think I’ve always felt something more for you. I just didn’t realise it until you said…well, I always thought there was this wall between us.”

No. Oh, no. Nononononono, he’s already wrestling with his feelings for Ladybug and Kagami, he cannot be having a love crisis right in the middle of a mission…but how hadn’t he realised until Marinette’s confession that he’d always loved her? Maybe he hadn’t wanted to let himself love someone who could reject him and then interact with his unmasked identity, whereas with Ladybug, he could be standing right in front of her and neither of them would have any idea. And Kagami had been the one making the moves and waiting for his response in their relationship, so he hadn’t been given the chance to hem and haw about her rejecting him.

Maybe it’s because his love for Ladybug had hit him like a sledgehammer, bashing him around the head and crushing his heart with the overwhelming strength of a gorgeous heroine in red spandex decrying a supervillain to his buggy face, and Kagami had shouldered her way into his life and carved out a comfortable little spot to share their experiences and made it impossible for him not to like her, while his feelings for Marinette have been soft, insidious, creeping up on him like the plants on Marinette’s balcony creeping up a trellis.

“Adrien?” Multimouse’s soft voice breaks through his wild thoughts. Her bright blue eyes greet Aspik when he lands back on earth, crinkled as she regards him with a tilted head. “Is everything okay? You don’t have to do this if you really don’t want to. I know it must be terrifying to be sneaking around and spying on your father like this.”

“N-No! I’m fine!” Aspik blurts out. “Just…lost in thought. About something. I’m fine. Really. We need to do this.”

Multimouse lets out a small laugh at that. “Alright. Lead the way, egghead.”

“Don’t call me egghead!”

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sourcherrybomb · 3 years

Text

The SoKai Denny’s AU:

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Grand Slam

Synopsis: After a long and arduous day at work, Sora brings Kairi to the local Denny's to unwind and have a pleasant meal. But of course, things go to shit.

Sneak Peek: “Kairi… You’re not thinking straight…” I said as I slowly raised my hands towards my girlfriend. “Please, I just want to talk. Just put down the-”

But my words landed on deaf ears as she quickly rushed at me, a syrup-drenched butter knife in hand.

Tags: Romance, Denny's, F/M, Food

Words: 2.5k+

Fanart / Graphic by: @blissfulnightrain @the-secret-place

[OCTOBER 31, 2020 - 9:09PM]

Please just give us the details on the incident right before we arrived.

“Kairi… You’re not thinking straight…” I said as I slowly raised my hands towards my girlfriend. “Please, I just want to talk. Just put down the-”

But my words landed on deaf ears as she quickly rushed at me, a syrup-drenched butter knife in hand. Before I could even process which way she swung her weapon, I jumped backwards. Grabbing the butter knife that Kairi had previously knocked out of my hand from the ground, I blocked her attack.

In Kairi’s eyes, I saw the rage of a thousand beasts. Wild, untamed, and out for blood.

Around the two of us, as the cool autumn winds blew past us, an onlooking crowd gasped. Whether it be in fear or amazement, I’ll never know. However, what I did understand is the confusion that they all share and the one question everyone asked:

Why the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks are these two people having a knife fight in a Denny’s parking lot?

[OCTOBER 31, 2020 - 6:27PM]

Care to explain to details as to how she broke into this rage?

Of course.

Kairi headed out to her job at the cafe hours ago, being called into work due to the Halloween rush. She was hesitant at first since it was her day off, but she reluctantly left anyways because she knew the extra pay would help out with rent later in the month.

As for me, I didn’t have work today, so I was home for most of the day doing my usual routine. This is usually made up of playing video games, doing housework, and bothering my friend, Riku. But today I had decided to surprise Kairi by cooking dinner for her when she got home!

Great plan, yeah? I thought so too, right up until I realized I had ruined the spaghetti I made by burning the sauce... and somehow also the pasta? Like I didn’t even know that was possible, but somehow I did it?

I swear, the smell was bad enough to make a rat gag.

By the time I realized I had messed up, I knew it’d be too late. In the middle of my mad scramble to clean up the kitchen and get rid of any evidence, Kairi walked into our apartment.

Now I may be an idiot, but I’m not stupid. I took one look at Kairi and could tell that she was not having any of it. Her work uniform was disheveled and covered in various stains and crumbs. Kairi’s thumbs were fidgeting with the hem of her work shirt. When I looked into her tired, glazed over eyes, I saw a seething flame within them.

It was like a ticking time bomb in the shape of my girlfriend.

“Sora…” Kairi said tiredly. “Were you trying to cook? Again?”

I laughed nervously, shamefully resting a sauce pan into the sink. “I knew you’d be tired from work, so I wanted to make sure you could at least eat something when you got home!” I dried my hands and signaled Kairi towards me. Following suit, she practically kicked the shoes off her feet as she walked towards me.

“Dude, I love you,” she said this as she slumped into my arms. “But please stop burning things in our kitchen.”

“Sorry…” Slumping further into my arms, it was like she was melting. I had to sort of prop her against our kitchen counter in order for me to keep on carrying her. “Listen, let me at least make it up to you.”

“How?” Kairi looked up at me, the fire in her tired eyes dying down a bit.

“I was thinking of bringing you out somewhere to eat while we let the apartment air out…”

“It does smell like a burnt down Pizza Hut in here.” Kairi sighs as she traded her flats for sneakers. “Where were you thinking of taking us?”

I opened up my phone and pulled up my bank account.

Available Balance: $365.13

“Let’s just say I’m looking for a place that’s budget-friendly”

“Oh thank god,” Kairi said. “I can wear sweatpants and not give a crap.”

“Exactly!” I let go of Kairi and started to dump the burnt mass of pasta into our trash bin. “You take a load off and dress into more comfy clothes while I get rid of… this.”

[OCTOBER 31, 2020 - 7:16PM]

You know, bad days at work don’t usually cause people to attempt a stabbing.

Trust me… If it was just the bad shift, I’d agree.

Normally when I bring my girlfriend to the local Denny’s, it’s surprisingly not a bad time. Our friend Olette works as the hostess there, so we can usually get our seats pretty quickly. I usually get a Grand Slam to get my fix on pancakes, eggs, bacon, and sausage. It’s a combo that always hits the spot when it’s 3AM, I’m hyper-aware of the world around me, and Riku is trying to find someone to take home on Sparklr. Kairi usually gets a Hammy & Cheese Omelette, mainly because she prefers the pancakes at IHOP. I always like to joke about giving her a Grand Slam once we get home.

Tonight was not the night to make those kinds of jokes. It was like the gods themselves had it out for my girl tonight.

7:45PM: Kairi and I arrived at Denny's and were told that Olette took the night off due to a cold. We were told that the wait would be close to half an hour.

8:02PM: Kairi’s left earbud died as the toddler next to us started bawling as she sang the ‘Baby Shark’ song. Mother of the child in question was too busy flirting with a busboy 20 years her junior to quiet her child.

8:07PM: Kairi dropped 27,000 Jewels in JHUX gacha trying to get a SN++ Illus. JH III Zola. All the medals obtained were ones that had been out of the meta for months.

8:17PM: Kairi and I were finally seated. Our table had sticky spots from syrup and crumbs on the seats. We asked our waitress, Asheleigh, if someone could come clean this up. The two of us were met with an unenthusiastic “Uhhh, sure?” as she called over a clearly stoned janitor. He sprayed the table once, wiped it once, and knocked the crumbs off the seats. Asheleigh took our orders with a sigh.

When I looked over at Kairi, I could tell the last half hour had done a number to her. An hour ago her anger was already near its boiling point, but now… It was like the seething fire within her eyes had evolved into a star about to burst into a supernova.

A beautiful sight indeed, but also one of pure destruction on a cosmic level.

“So Kai…” I nervously said. “Looking forward to the weekend?”

Her hands folded on the table, Kairi’s dead but fiery eyes staring out the window.

“...yes.”

C’mon man, think! I thought to myself. Anything to take her mind off this fustercluck of a situation!

“So I don’t know if you heard about this at work, but looks like JH: Master of Melodies is gonna have a preorder bonus!”

Silence.

“Y-Yeah, turns out if we get it over at Game Central Station, you get a couple bonus songs that would have been DLC! Isn’t that great?”

“...preorder exclusivity bonuses force game developers to split content amongst greedy retailers, alienating groups of consumers from experiencing the game at its 100% value.” Kairi says in a deadpan.

Crap, she’s being critical about video games... I thought to myself. Now I know I’m never gonna get through to her… Why can’t this food come any—

“Soooo I have your food.” Our waitress said, as she hastily put our plates on the table. “A Grand Slam for the spiky haired dude and a Hammy & Whatsits Omelette for his lady. Enjoy, or whatever.”

“Thank you…” I awkwardly said as I thanked whatever deity heard my prayers. “Well Kai, time to dig in!”

Silently, Kairi cut into her omelette and brought a piece over to her mouth. As if it were on cue, the food fell from the fork and onto her pants. She nonchalantly picked it off her pants and shoved it into her mouth, the look in her eyes somehow becoming even more dead.

I let out a deep exhale and started to stuff my pancakes in my face. I didn’t even notice that I held my breath in. I was honestly just quite relieved that Kairi didn’t explode then and there. We could finally just sit down, eat our food, and take a load off.

[OCTOBER 31, 2020 - 9:01PM]

Man, she really went through the ringer.

Honestly, I’m surprised she didn’t go feral sooner.

Luckily for the both of us, the incident with the fallen food was the only thing that got in the way of our meal. I was able to finish my Grand Slam and Kairi was able to scarf down her Hammy and Cheese Omelette. Looking at her face, I saw that some of the restrained rage in her eyes had been replaced with a much more tired aura.

“Hey Kai…” I softly put my hand on hers. “How ya doing?”

Sighing, she gently put my hand to her cheek. “I… I just want to get home, lie down, and forget today happened.”

After giving her a small peck on the cheek, I smiled. “That can be arranged! Now c’mon, let’s just hand this bill over and head out of here.”

But things are never simple as they seem to be.

Just as Kairi and I got out of our chairs, an ear-piercing “Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo,” came rushing down the aisle. Out of nowhere, Baby Shark Toddler bumped into Kairi, spilling the milkshake in her tiny hands all over Kairi’s legs.

“Oh sonova- Hey you!” Just steps away from the child, her mother called to us. She talked and walked with the cadence of a woman ready to chew out a teen part-timer at their first job. “Just what do you think you’re going to do about this?”

“Excuse me?” I asked in obvious confusion. “I’m pretty sure your daughter was the one who bumped into my-”

“Wasn’t talking to you, Spiky!” she snapped. “Listen up, Red, I want some recompense for my kid’s spilled drink! You think that cheap manager is gonna give me another one for free?”

“Hey now, names are uncalled for!” I retorted. “And not like it’s our fault your daughter ran into my- Kairi?”

A quiet but powerful groan escaped Kairi’s mouth, cutting me off. Her formerly clenched hands had started to crookedly flex open and contort. The tiredness in her eyes died away, being left with the energy of the ticking time bomb.

One that was seconds away from levelling a building.

“A…pologize,” Kairi said in a shaky voice. “Riiiiight. Now.”

“Apologize?” The woman mockingly laughed in her face. “Why woul-”

Before I or any of the onlookers realized, Kairi had the mother pinned down to the ground, a butter knife held to her throat. “APOLOGIZE! APOLOGIZE YOU-”

“KAIRI HOLY MOTHER OF-” As soon as my brain caught up with my eyes, I ripped Kairi off the mother and made space between them. When I turned around, I saw the woman crawling away in a frenzy, trying to escape like a dog walking with its tail between their legs.

“AaAAAaaaaaRrhrrhhgg…” A nearly inhuman growl came out of Kairi’s mouth, the grip on her butter knife tightening. When I looked into her eyes, I understood.

In removing the rude mother from the equation, I had become the focus of Kairi’s blinding rage.

“Kairi…” I slowly raised my hands towards her. “I know you’ve been through a lot today. The car is right outside. I can take you back right now, all you need to do is calm-”

“AAAAaAAaAAaaa!” Lunging at me like a mad dog, Kairi let out a guttural yell.

This is because I told her to calm down, isn’t it? I asked myself mid-dodge. Before a second thought could even pop into mind, Kairi spun into another attack from her lunge. I rolled backwards to dodge the attack, and picked up a butter knife off the table to defend myself with. After all, it was the best I could do right now. With how fast and unpredictably Kairi was moving, my only options were to dodge fast enough, or block if I was too slow.

It was like I was defending myself against a dancing blender with a knife.

Before I knew it, Kairi’s vicious attacks and my continuous defense brought us back to the entrance of the Denny’s.

And into the parking lot.

[OCTOBER 31, 2020 - 9:32PM]

“And right before your girlfriend was able to stab you with the butter knife, we arrived-”

“And tased her, yes.” I respond. “Officer Lockheart, I understand you were doing it for my safety, but I’m honestly still super concerned for Kairi.”

“And that is completely understandable,” she responds. “I can assure you that the officer that took her in exercised the most caution as effectively possible when using the taser.”

“Thank you. Is it possible to see her now?”

“The shock seemed to bring her back to her senses, so her questioning seemed to go by smoothly.” Officer Lockheart taps a pen on her chin. “I suppose it would be fine.”

After signalling one of the other officers to open the door, the two of us walked out of the interview room. Down the hall, I see Kairi wrapped in a blanket, drinking from a cup of coffee. As soon as she notices me, she puts down the mug and rushes into a hug.

“Sora, oh my god I’m so sorry!” Kairi says as she nuzzles into my chest. “I-I just really lost myself and-”

“It’s fine, it’s fine!” I chuckle. “Honestly you’d give Riku a run for his money in a sparring match if you fought against him one-on-one!”

“I’ll let you two comfort each other for a bit,” Officer Lockheart tells us. “For now just stay here, I’ll see what the higher ups have to say about the situation.”

“Thanks, ma’am!” Kairi says back. Smiling and nodding, Officer Lockheart walks away.

For a while, the two of us sort of just sit in quiet. People who enter the room pay us no attention, but occasionally an officer would come up to us and ask if we needed anything. Other than that, it was just the two of us enjoying each other’s comfort.

“God, I really needed this,” Kairi tells me.

“Cuddling in a police station?” I question. “Or getting arrested for attacking people in a Denny’s”

“Jerk.” Kairi giggles as she flicks my forehead. “Nah, I mean just this! Me and you wrapped in a blanket.”

“Honestly I wish we could have done it back at the apartment. Luckily, by the time we get out of here, it should stop smelling like a I blew up a pizzeria.”

“That would have been nice in the moment, but when we get home I think I’d want something else.”

“Oh? What would that be?”

“Weeelll…” Kairi checks her surroundings, then leans towards my ear. “You never did make that Grand Slam joke of yours back at the Denny’s. Does that mean I won’t get one once we get back home?”

The whisper of her voice is enough to send a shiver down my back. I look into her eyes and instead of the rage or tiredness I saw before, I saw something much more… Carnal.

I give Kairi a peck on the lips and flash a mischievous smile.

Destiny Island Denny’s, we might never be allowed on your establishment ever again, which I understand.

But thank you for possibly the best Grand Slam of my life.

#sokai #kingdom hearts #kingdom hearts fanfiction #fanfiction #sora #kairi #oneshot #f/m #romance #tw: food #sourcherrybomb #denny's

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itsallabigmess · 5 years

Text

Overnight

The amazing @ahgase55g7 requested number 158 “This is awkward.” with Jinyoung (GOT7) from the drabble game.

A/N: I was going to post it as an answer for your ask but it got a bit longer than I expected so I’m posting like one of my normal scenarios. I hope you like it, Amanda :) And thank you for requesting.

Hope you enjoy this silly thing I wrote.

Kisses,

It was hell. Working with Jinyoung was absolute hell. Not because he was difficult to deal with. No, it was the exact contrary. He was kind and incredibly attentive, always willing to help you with whatever you asked him. And he always forgot to hide his dorky side when there was only the two of you. Especially when you had to work overnight.

And charming. Jinyoung was incredibly charming. And it was getting harder and harder to contain your crush on him.

All your colleagues knew, apparently, teasing you at any opportunity they could get. Even in front of Jinyoung. Which was worse because you were certain he noticed, the girls not knowing how to be subtle at all. And since he always dismissed it, you were sure he only saw you as a friend from the office.

“I think it’s gonna be just you and me again tonight,” he said, stopping by your desk.

“What a surprise,” you let you a heavy sigh, not only because it was Friday, and you were desperate for your bed, exhausted from an intense week of meetings and paperwork. But because he looked exceptionally charming that day, with his new haircut and sleeves folded in a way you had the greatest sight of his veiny forearm.

Hell. You were in hell.

“Had plans for tonight, Y/N?” Jinyoung asked, half sitting on your table.

“Not really, but I also didn’t want to spend the night here. What about you?”

“I was going to meet some friends for a beer later.”

“Oh,” you finally turned your chair around to look at him. “You can go, you know. I’m sure I can handle everything by myself.”

Jinyoung crossed his arms over his chest. “And miss the opportunity to spent hours doing the paperwork our boss was supposed to do by himself? Besides, we can finish faster together.”

You replied with a shy smile, turning your body to the bright screen in front of you again, hoping Jinyoung could not notice how flushed your face become once you noticed how restrained the muscles of his arms seemed under his shirt. It was embarrassing, really, how much you were lusting for Jinyoung. But you couldn’t help yourself.

“I was thinking we could sneak in some pizza, and maybe a drink or two,” he leaned a bit closer, keeping his voice down so only you could hear it. “It’s gonna be just the two of us and the cleaning lady, and I’m sure she won’t rat on us.”

“Unless we make a mess,” you looked up at him, trying to ignore the scent of his lotion. “But I’m in.”

“Great. See you later, then, Y/N.”

Jinyoung left but not before winking at you, leaving you to bury your face in your own hands, trying to contain a grunt.

After everyone left you and Jinyoung moved to your boss’ office, his larger table making it better for you two to deal with the number of files you had to go through.

You were glad that all the work was enough to distract from the fact he was there with you, but more importantly, Jinyoung was incredibly fast and you knew you two wouldn’t be spending that much time in a place you already spent way too many hours.

Jinyoung offered to go out for a bit, buy some beer for you two to drink. The pizza arrived just a few minutes after he left, and your phone started to buzz no longer after, a friend you usually meet on the weekends inviting you to some night dancing, sounding incredibly disappointed when you refused.

“You really need to find a better job,” she said.

“It pays well. But Jinyoung is here, maybe we won’t take that long to finish, and I can still meet you.”

“Jinyoung?” you could hear the smirk on her tone. “Is he still as charming as I remember?”

You looked up, to make sure Jinyoung was nowhere to be seen, walking to the door and half closing it, sure you could hear once he was back. “It’s worse! He looks hotter every time I look at him.”

“You need to tell him how you feel!”

“Why? So I can be rejected? No, thank you.”

“You don’t know that! And never will unless you talk to him.”

“He would have talked to me if he felt something,” you pondered “We work together for quite some time now and I’m sure he heard the girls taunting me about him more than once.”

“You told me he is more on the introvert side. Maybe he’s just waiting for you to take the first step,” your friend pointed out, and you made a mental note to hug her after, for she always tried to be the positive voice on your skeptic view of life.

“Jinyoung doesn’t like me,” you reaffirmed, stubborn to the core, letting out another heavy sigh, something you unconsciously did every time your mind was taken by thoughts of him. “Besides, I’m sure Jinyoung must have this super-hot, model type girlfriend whom he is already planning to marry and have kids and live happily ever after. Just as I’m sure he only sees me as his friend. Worse, he only sees me as his coworker so, I have to be content with the idea of becoming an old maid with thousands of cats.”

“Aren’t you allergic to cats?”

You could feel your heart clench and entire body start to burn once you heard his voice, Jinyoung looking at you from the door.

“Oh my god, is that him?” you heard your friend squeal on the other side of the line, your eyes fixed at the face Jinyoung was making at you. “This is absolutely brilliant!”

“I’ll call you later,” you said, turning off the call almost in slow motion, wishing your legs could hear the voice on your head telling you to run away. “Jinyoung I…”

“They didn’t have any beer,” he said, calmly walking towards you, “so I just bought some soda.”

Jinyoung placed the cans over the table, at the same spot where the box of pizza rested still sealed. You two stayed there, silent for a few seconds, your eyes unable to meet his.

“Y/N…”

“I’m gonna grab some napkins!” your voice sounded a bit too loud as you almost jumped up from the chair, your phone dancing on your sweaty hands before you were finally able to rest it over the table.

“Are you okay?” Jinyoung asked, containing a laugh.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Superfine,” you gave him a sloppy smile, looking at him for just a breath second, enough to make you blush all over again.

“You are wrong, you know,” Jinyoung said, making you stop by the door frame. “I don’t have a girlfriend.”

You stared at him until the corners of his lips twitched up, and you could not handle your embarrassment anymore. “This is awkward,” you mumbled to yourself, making your way as fast as you could to the coffee break area.

The space was only illuminated by the vending machine, and you really didn’t care if the lights stayed off. Not only your hands but you could feel your entire body trembling. Trembling and sweating. How were you supposed to work the rest of the night with him, look at him, as if nothing had happened?

You walked from side to side, considering if you just should leave. Your purse was still on your desk so you wouldn’t need to talk with Jinyoung again. Even if it made you a jerk, just leaving him there with no explanation. You were already feeling mortified anyway. You cursed however when you realized you left your phone over the table. Now you could not even ask for a cab. Of even your friend, to ask her for some help. Even though you knew she would tell you to go back and just talk to him. You weren’t even sure you could put words together in a way they would make any sense.

“Y/N?”

You heard Jinyoung almost whisper as his image appeared between the shadows. Stopping where the entrance met the corridor, his large figure would be something hard to avoid if you tried to leave to just leave.

“Jinyoung, I…”

You opened your mouth, gathering all the courage you could find in yourself to start apologizing when his mouth collapsed against yours, your body involuntarily moving backward until your body met the wall. He tasted you hungrily, tongue licking your lower lip until you opened his mouth to him, body responding to his touch as if it always belonged to him.

“I don’t see you just as my colleague,” he breathed, holding your face gently, a contrast of how his lips were moving just a second before. “And I don’t want to be just your friend. Not anymore,” he kissed you again, slowly this time, savoring the softness of your lips. “I like you, Y/N. I thought you already knew that.”

“You never told me,” you said, voice trembling. “How could I know?”

“You never suspected there were reasons why I was always making excuses to stop at your desk? Or always asked to work with you?”

You giggled, even if you could still hear your heart thumping. “How could I know those things?!”

“Okay, maybe I’m not so slick as I thought I was. But I did ask you to go out with me a few times.”

“Jinyoung, you asked me for happy hour. That’s not exactly asking on a date.”

“I would have asked you on a date if you had gone to the happy hour!” he panted, stopping your laugh with another quick kiss. “Let’s just stick with the knowledge that we are both idiots.”

“I can’t refute that.”

Jinyoung dropped his face on your neck, leaving some butterfly kisses there. “But I hope things are clear now,” he said before his plump lips found its way to your mouth again, Jinyoung using his hands to make any space between your bodies inexistent.

“Jinyoung, we’re at work,” you moaned, logic being louder than the desire for him to never stop.

“It’s dark, and there’s only us here” he teased, nipping at your lower lip playfully.

“But we have work to do!”

“Fine,” he grunted, giving a step back, grabbing both sides of your face with his hands. “Just one more,” he gave you a long, tender kiss, before grabbing your wrist and bringing it up, kissing your palm before elancing your fingers. “I’m kissing you first thing tomorrow, though.”

“That’s just a couple of hours from now,” you stated, a grim that could not be shaken off from your lips.

“And I’m counting the seconds,” Jinyoung smiled back at you, dropping a kiss on the top of your head as you walked back to the obligations that now didn’t seem so unpleasant.

#jinyoung #park jinyoung #jinyoung got7 #got7 #got7 fluff #got7 scenario #jinyoung fluff #jinyoung scenario #park jinyoung fluff #park jinyoung scenario #jinyoung drabble #jinyoung fanfiction #got7 fanfiction #got7 drabble #kpop scenario #kpop fanfiction #kpop fanfic

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fictionalarsonist · 4 years

Text

exo_baekhyun | HOAX pt.9

Hoax_ to trick into believing or accepting as genuine something false and often preposterous.

Requested by anon

pairing: baekhyun ⨯ reader ⨯ chanyeol feat. jongdae, minseok, suho, sehun content: angst, fluff, slice of life, gang au, high school au, some mature language, smoking, pinning, drinking, violence, blood, cheating rating: PG-13 type: fanfic, series word count: 2.9K

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

… As it has been said in a song series 04. “Well, isn’t this exactly where you like me? I am exactly where you like me, you know” - But It’s Better If You Do - P!atD a/n: I’m sorry this is not properly beta-read.

「 mobile m.list | desktop m.list | ask/request 」

Only then he notices the car’s door open for him and Jongdae steps out after seeing him do so as well.

The night is dark and the drive to the condo Baekhyun knows from childhood’s something he rather not be doing. He likes even less since he had to cancel a date with you for this.

“Baek, no one likes to be called here”, Jongdae speaks up by his side, seeing his friend’s grumpy mood, “But we caused a mess in the organization. You think Mr. Kim would sit back and do nothing? Really?”

“His son caused this, not us.”

“You’re really going with that? Really?” Jongdae scoffs, “C’mon you’re smarter than this.”

With a brusque move, Baekhyun, who had been staring out the dark tinted car window, turns to look at his friend seated beside him.

“We’re doing everything better than before. The goods are much better than before, our business is secured, no rats, the cops are tamed. We fixed everything single thing” Baekhyun rants on, “If he wants to lose everything just he should just put that brat in his place and get over with it. He should see how many men will stay just for pure devotion to his family name and how many will waltz over to us.”

“Baek...”, Jongdae starts with a warning, “Promise me that even if Junmyeon provokes, you won’t pick a fight”, Baekhyun looks away, “Promise me!”

“Yeah, I guess”, Baekhyun careless answer with a wave of his hand has Jongdae sighing in frustration and worry.

When the car stops and the car’s doors are open for them, Baekhyun finds his other friends are there as well, waiting for him. Minseok seems worried and they greet each other briefly before walking down the path to the main door of the house.

“What is it?” Jongdae asks

“I don’t know” Minseok speaks up, “Everyone’s there”

“You mean..”

“Everyone, Baek.”

When the door opens Baekhyun walks in the house, sided by Minseok and Jongdae watchful eyes.

“My son!” Mr. Kim comes up to him with a proudful smile, extending his arms towards Baekhyun.

Jongdae and Minseok stop in place and Baekhyun is suspicious and much too aware of Suho’s burning glare directed to him. But, still he meets Mr. Kim where the old man stops and stay still as the man wraps an arm around his shoulders, bringing Baekhyun closer to him in a demonstration of affection and walking him deeper inside the house where the others were waiting, Jongade and Minseok followed short behind.

“I was worried you might not show up after all”

Baekhyun took the seat immediately at Mr. Kim’s right side. An honorable place that used to belong to the currently thumb-sucking Suho who’s sitting farther down the table.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

You couldn’t help but smile when you saw Chanyeol waiting for you somewhere close to school just so the two of you could have some time to be together. Your friend excused herself and you enjoyed your time with him and this time you forgot to look at Baekhyun while Chanyeol took the time to sit on the desk beside yours to keep on the conversation, leaving only when the teacher arrived.

“They really look good together”, Baekhyun hears sees the boy sitting next to him pointing at you and Chanyeol, talking to his friend.

“I heard they’re going to college together,” the other replies.

“I wish I could get a girlfriend too~”

Baekhyun couldn’t avoid the bitterness that bit him right there. As if something bit him, stirring some kind of anger he didn’t mean to indulge. It wasn’t true anyway. Baekhyun knows you’re much too focused on something else. Dating isn’t something you’d want.

He saw Chanyeol looking at you during class, Baekhyun wishes he could tell Chanyeol to piss off, stay away from you, but… Between them, Chanyeol would be the right choice for you. That doesn’t make Baekhyun feel any better about it.

“But, when they started going out?” A girl asked another and Baekhyun just couldn’t ignore the conversation as he usually does.

“Remember when they arrived together when we visited that other city during the trip? I heard that was their first date”, the girls squeal.

“Chanyeol is perfect. Y/n’s so lucky!” The other replies and Baekhyun manages to ignore whatever nonsense they add after that.

Baekhyun doesn’t think Chanyeol is perfect, but better than him in some ways. At least, he doesn’t have a mafia association to consider when he’s with you. He’s the selfish bastard who put your life on the line just because he can’t let go, not just yet.

If he chooses to accept Mr. Kim’s proposal to take the seat as the second-in-command being with you would be impossible, if someone found out… Someone dangerous. Baekhyun knows how careless he’s being, Jongdae warned him again and again while he played innocent when he shouldn’t.

“The person you’re dating-”, Mr. Kim said the night before during a private conversation while they walked through the garden while Baekhyun kept his breath held in his throat.

It wasn’t a surprise Mr. Kim would know about you, but he was worried what the man would say next.

“For now, it’s an advice, son. I know you care about her”, Mr. Kim turned to look at Baekhyun and placed a hand on his shoulder, looking at his adopted son’s eyes meaningfully.

“You gotta make up your mind. You either make her yours or don’t let her be a way to get to you when things get ugly”, Mr. Kim squeezed Baekhyun’s shoulder tightly, “You might not see me as a father, specially after what happened to your mother, but think about what happened and ask yourself… Are you willing to let the same thing happen?”

The answer is easy. He would never let anything happen to you, it’s not that you’re a way to him, it’s the other way around. To get to you he’d stupid enough to put himself in the line, obviously that’s Mr. Kim’s biggest worry. Maybe he should let you be.

That was enough to stir him up some more and before the class was over, he dismissed himself. He found himself standing before the vending machine. The others had stepped aside for him while he just stood there, playing with the money in his hand. Classes were dismissed, he supposed to meet you now, at the usual place.

When he snapped to reality he got something he knows you like and something for himself before walking away. Deciding to put any of those thoughts aside, of course people would talk about you and Chanyeol, the two of you supposed to take care of the group during the trip.

“Hey! Hyung!” Sehun greeted his friend and Baekhyun stopped as the other jogged to him right wearing his PE uniform all sweaty and dirty, “Where are you going? Can we have lunch together? Can I have this?”

Sehun reaches for your favorite drink, but Baekhyun shoves his in Sehun’s hand instead.

“I have to meet someone now. Go take a bath, you’re really stinking”, Sehun looks disappointed at the drink in his hand and looks thoughtfully at Baekhyun.

“Can I come over to play later? Your TV’s better than the one in my room...”

Sehun’s voice fades out into the distance as Baekhyun listens to someone else talking. The boiling anger inside him reacted before he could stop himself. The voice of his classmate again, the same boy who sits next to him.

It’s maddening how his heart beats so hurtfully against his chest, scratching its way up his throat just so he can’t breathe. A high-pitched, deafening noise buzzes in his ear. It seems like reality has folded itself in two and he delved into the worse version of it.

‘No.’, the word is drawn in big, bold letters in his head even though his heart and his whole body shakes, his thoughts are certain and definitive, ‘No. It’s not true.’ Baekhyun tells himself, stating a simple fact. His mind is what stops him from letting himself be taken by that desperation that has already taken the rest of his body.

Baekhyun knows you better than any of these stupid kids, so of course they’re lying. Before he knows it, he’s gripping the kid by the collar of his uniform's shirt and pulling the scared kid up close to him. The hurt in his eyes is taken by anger, that’s it! The reason why he’s body is running wild in adrenaline right now is anger. His image, the image he’s been keeping just for the sake of you. That’s gone, he can’t remember how to act in any other way.

“Who the fuck you think you are?”, he growls on the kid’s face.

He knows everyone's gathering around him, his knuckles are white and he can see the kid’s face run pale and his eyes glazed with fear seeing the fearsome face the infamous Baekhyun twisted in anger directed at him like this. No one wants to get on Baekhyun’s bad side, never.

Sehun tries a step closer. “Stay away, Sehun”, his voice is enough to make the younger stop in his tracks and Baekhyun turns to his classmate again, “I said”, Baekhyun’s voice is low and dangerous, “—who the fuck you think you are?” His pale white teeth grinds and the boy gulps down.

“I– I’m– I’m sorry, Baekhyun! I meant it”, the voice of his classmates trembles in fear trying to find in Baekhyun’s eyes some forgiveness in the middle of all the wilderness that makes him so scary,

Sehun steps away and pulls his phone quickly, with his hands sweaty and unsteady is a hard task to make a simple call, Baekhyun’s hold gets dangerously tight around the younger boy’s throat, cutting his air supply.

“Speak properly!”

“I’m– sor—sorry–”

“You think I want your apology? You should apologize to Y/n not to me! Shit!”, the boy seemed to say something to set Baekhyun at some kind of peace, but bit his tongue, afraid, “Why did you say that about Y/n?”

“I didn’t I swe–”, before the boy could say much else he was stumbling back against the stairs behind him, he wouldn’t fall if Baekhyun didn’t push him again.

It’s not like the boy couldn’t fight for himself, it’s not how it looks like, but who would put up a fight against Baekhyun when everyone knew who he is and where he’s from?

“Cut the bullshit!”, the boy stood up again, slowly, carefully, head hanging low in hopes that would make Baekhyun stop coming for him, but couldn’t stop trembling and it only worsen when Baekhyun stepped closer to him, “Be honest! Try it again!”

“I heard about it when I walked in the school today–”, the boy starts carefully, holding himself together for any advance from Baekhyun, “—the others were talking about it, so I just–”

“So you just didn’t mind in spreading this bullshit too? I should break your–”

Sehun’s eyes grow two sizes the moment Baekhyun has his hand on his classmate, he can’t understand the reason why Baekhyun was making such a fuss because of something everyone already knew. Why does it matter if you’re dating Chanyeol? Everyone seemed to cheer for that, much like they would cheer for their favorite couple in a TV show.

“Baek, stop!” Jongdae is breathless as he runs to his best friend, Minseok reaches him first, pulling away from the other boy who could barely put up a fight.

“What are you doing?” Minseok asks and Baekhyun shakes him away from his body.

“It wasn’t me-”, the boy tries again, Eyes wide open, as Baekhyun jolts toward him again and Jongdae helps Minseok hold him back this time.

“That’s enough”, Jongdae says

“It wasn’t me, I swear!” The boy tries again and Minseok motions for the boy to just leave.

“Why does he care so much?” Someone whispers to another.

“It’s like a stalker. Really. Y/n should be careful.”

“Like a psycho or something.”

Jongdae disperses the crowd and orders one of the Baekhyun and the boy’s classmate to take him to the nurse.

“We should go home-”, Minseok tries to reason with Baekhyun, but he pushes Minseok away when he sees you somewhere in the crowd and feels the tint of shame inside of him, under all of that suppressed anger. He promised himself you wouldn’t see him like that again.

“Baekhyun!” You call after him even though there are some students in the corridor and, of course, they look, “Byun Baekhyun! Wait!”

He keeps walking fast and you have to run to catch up with him, but it’s not until the two of you are alone when he finds an empty classroom that he stops and drags you inside.

Baekhyun closes the door while you stand there, against the wall, not even knowing what to say anymore. You watch him stand before you and your eyes search for his, worried and hesitant as you see the anger dissipating.

Shame is the first thing that goes by when he turns to you, he never meant for you to see him like that. All that anger just… Seem to disappear now that he sees you here, all that restless feeling just simply goes away. He should’ve known better than this.

You work like magic, just being there with him is enough. He couldn’t bear the thought of Chanyeol. Even now thinking about it makes him hate the stupid guy who said it, the girls spreading rumors.

“Why did you do that? What if you get expelled?” Baekhyun chuckles and that smile that belongs only to him, sweet and mischievous, pulls the corner of his lips into a smile as well.

“Hey! You really think they’d do this? Did you forget who I am?” You click your tongue playfully, crossing your arms between the two of you

“You really think you’re unbeatable, don’t you?”

“Me? Y/n, that’s an old concept”, he wouldn’t remind you that you’ve managed to change that concept easily not too long ago.

The old Baekhyun wouldn’t really stand up for anyone who’s not part of his feared group of close friends. He pulls your arms free, his smile growing wider, not minding to smile openly at you anymore.

“Besides, how could I just let someone speak like that about you?”

“What were they saying anyway?”

Baekhyun chuckle, amused by the bitter thought. “They said you’re dating Chanyeol.”

Baekhyun leans against the wall behind him, pulling you along with him. He doesn’t know what or how you’d say and settle his feelings down, but the distant look in your eyes wasn’t a good start. Your expression changes and your smiles simply disappears from your lips, he could hear the echo of his heartbeat in drumming in his eyes as he saw you look down between the two of you.

You look everywhere but him and it’s almost like he knows what you gonna say. An invisible hand suddenly takes a firm hold on his heart, he can hear, but can feel how it struggles to beat. It’s suffocating.

“He... wasn’t lying, Baek.”, you look up and him carefully. Baekhyun focused on the way his heart seemed to beat as fast as it could just so it could free itself from the deadly grip.

A bitter, strangled laugh leaves Baekhyun’s lips and he leans his head against the wall. His empty laughter fills the empty room even though it’s not loud, Baekhyun closes his eyes and covers them with his hand as you step away from him. Tears sting painfully behind his eyelids and he can’t show them to you, he won’t.

He never felt so drained out of energy, so beat up and tired. Him, it had to be him. Chanyeol of all people. Him.

“I’m sorry”, Baekhyun chuckles at his own misery and tries not to think of how soothing your voice sounds.

The tone of assertiveness in the apology doesn’t seem like regret. Baekhyun knows regret and begging as most people would come out with in a moment like this. But, of course, you wouldn’t.

It’s the first time Baekhyun feels his heart being crushed, it’s worst than anything. He can’t compare with something, he just knows there’s nothing that could be any worst than this. Why does he have to love you so much? Why did let himself? Why didn’t he stop? But he knew from the beginning, didn’t he? All addiction end the same way.

Baekhyun swallows hard and feels his throat dry.

“Then?” He asks with his heart pounding painfully. It’s hurting, it hurts bad and he wants to hate you, to be utterly angry at you. Baekhyun wants to attatch himself to the tough that this is for the best. You’re safe with Chanyeol. With him, you could end up…

“I can’t let you go”

Your words doesn’t really get to him, they don’t add up as if they’ve been said in a foreign language. Slowly, with a frown so deep his eyebrows almost meet and tremble, working his brain around the meaning of them. Baekhyun opens his eyes, trying to see through the numbing pain and the remaining tears.

“What?” His voice is hoarse, but he didn’t cry.

“It’s not that I can’t decide”, you explain and thought your voice is not cold nor empty, it’s not the one he’s used to, because you’re holding back, “I just can’t let you go either. Not Chanyeol, nor you. I’m sorry.”

“So you want me? You still want me?” He shouldn’t be saying this, not like this with a pathetic happiness overlapping all the right feelings he should have right now. This pathetic Baekhyun happens to appear naturally before you.

⇽ part 8 | part 10 ⇾

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elfnerdherder · 5 years

Text

Opus Dei: Chapter 4

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A warm, genuine thanks to my patrons: @sylarana @evertonem @starlit-catastrophe @frostylicker Duhaunt6, Superlurk, Mendacious Bean, and Laura G.! <3 May your Friday be fun and fucking fantastic.

Chapter 4: Extemporaneous

It always began with questions. The drugs prescribed made it difficult to handle the questions. Fog that spread, a head that dipped to whichever way the mind wanted to take him. It made lips glue, though, emotions difficult to handle in hands that didn't know how to hold them.

"Are you having nightmares?"

Will stared at the point fixed just beyond their shoulder. Dr. Lattic was their name, and they were as pleased as punch to have an intelligent psychopath like Will Graham in their clutches. They liked to tell them that whenever they appeared to witness him take his medicine.

"One of the orderlies thought they heard you crying out in your sleep." They made a note on their legal pad and observed him over their reading classes set to perch just at the edge of their nose. "Are you dreaming of the illness, or the things you've done?"

Jared Freeman paced behind Dr. Lattic, and Will tracked where he supposed he'd wander if he was stuck in such an interview as this. That they'd presume to understand him, that they'd suppose they'd ever seen into a mind like his...

"Dreaming of what he did while you slept under the blue," Garrett Jacob Hobbs whispered, just beside the doctor's ear. He was a rat. "What did he do to you whenever blue lights made you sleep?"

"I can't say that your cooperation will ease your sentence, given the things you've done, but if we can make you come to terms with some of the things your troubled psyche made you do, there might be something we can do to ease your experience here," Dr. Lattic said, tilting his head. A different tactic.

"Fool's gold," Jared snarled.

"The things done to you," Garrett Jacob Hobbs corrected. "You only enjoyed hurting the ones that tried to hurt you first."

The bloodstains on Hobbs' shirt never came clean. Will dreamed of washing it in a cold stream of thought, but it never came clean because you can't wash away bullets once they've been fired, and he'd learned that the hard way. He wondered if Abigail would have helped, if the monster under the bed hadn't decided to eat her, too.

"Silence for another session, I see. Perhaps we should lower the dosage. Your eyes are unfocused, and I wonder where your thoughts are directed today."

He was wheeled through two security doors before he's dumped into his cell, the cuffs released from his hands and feet only after he's laid back onto the bed. It's degrading, but emotions are fog. He can't grip one enough to feel it, and he lays in the damp of the low-budget facility midst the screaming of one of the other inmates whose lunch wasn't delivered at the right moment pertaining to their OCD.

Will visited Wolf Trap National Park when the body could only fix so much of the house. Things had to be taken slow, no matter how much his mind raced. He wondered if the ideas had begun to fester yet, if Hannibal had taken his bait.

He sat at the park and did as he often did, as he often had to do. It was a flat, open area with small spattering of oaks and sugar maples. Some Bradford Pears lined to the right threatened to stink the entire place up soon. A few people walked, mostly young adults or the elderly with small children. The playground nearby entertained the children as their guardians gossiped and caught up on old news. The latest body found was suspected to be the second body in the new Chesapeake Ripper wave. Much of the gossip, it seemed, circulated that, from hands that gripped and folded the newspaper article to mouths that puckered and pulled. Hard to talk about death at a park. Things were cheerful, there.

He thought about calling Molly, but it seemed in poor taste to call someone just to waste their time. Dating was commitment, dating was honesty and vulnerability and hands clasped just to walk down the grocery aisle. Still, she'd smiled so brightly when she realized he wasn't trying to be condescending. She looked like the type to like dogs.

He thought about time and hobbies and let his fingers idly scroll through his limited contacts on the phone. The Chesapeake Ripper probably wouldn't want him to date. Maybe he'd kill anyone that got too close to Will like he did last time. Maybe he wouldn't only until Will's guard was down.

It was the bird that caught his eye, even though he was supposed to be people-watching and letting the time pass. It limped along, not like the other birds around it that hopped for the worms bursting from the earth fresh from Spring rain. He stared for a moment, then another as it registered. When the bird tried to hop again, he stood from his lonely bench and slid his jacket off.

It was a male cardinal, bold and ruby red against the green. Its leg was bent oddly, and when it fluttered in panic at his approach, he stilled. "Easy," he murmured, and he wished it could be so easy as that. Say something, and it come true. Easy, and the bird was eased. Catch him, and the killer was caught.

He tossed the jacket and made the clumsy effort of scooping the bird up, all awkward elbows and quick hands. Its plaintive cries were muffled, and he straightened the arm of his jacket to try and give the bird some air flow.

"H-hey, hey," someone called, and Will turned to see a small-statured man with narrow shoulders and an uneasy expression. He stood hesitantly on the sidewalk, and he gestured once he had Will's attention. "I saw the bird...are you gonna h-help him?"

"Do you know how to help him?" Will asked. "Or do you know someone that can?"

"I-I can help him," he said, and his face brightened.

"You can?" Will smiled, and the cries of the bird didn't bother so bad.

"Follow me, I can help the bird..."

And just like that, Will found himself in the care of one of the stable hands that worked with the horses at the park. He managed to catch as much as they worked their way past the park, past the stables, and back towards a quaint white house whose trim matched the stables perfectly.

"Back here," he said, and the closer they got the brighter his face became. Behind the quaint white house sat a barn, and when Will ducked inside, he was greeted by the sound of dozens of birds, a disarming cacophony.

"Here, y-you can set him here." He gestured, and Will complied.

"Do you take care of all of these birds?" he asked, turning around. Now that the surprise of them wore off, their calls seemed more interwoven, less chaotic.

The man carefully unfolded the jacket and made quick work of securing the bird. "Yes."

Will smiled. "What's your name?"

"Peter." He glanced up, then away and smiled, his hold on the bird careful and gentle.

"I'm Will. I'll let you work...can I see him when you're done?"

"Ye-yeah, just wait out there...I'll call you in, he'll be okay."

Will headed out of the barn and gave Peter his space to work. A bale of hay sufficed for a seat, and he listened to the trailing calls of the birds inside, each secured in their own cage. Chickadees, scrub jays, a pigeon, doves, robins; maybe a caretaker on the grounds. Will had made a point not to look at the dent in the back of his head when he'd followed him.

Bird casts were delicate things, and Peter Bernadone took delight in Will being fascinated by it. He was humbly surprised by the care Will took in waiting, and they sat outside of the barn for awhile. Will felt a gentle disposition in him, as well as a genuine kindness.

"I love the animals, they...they don't do harm."

"They can do harm," Will said, thinking of Winston. He hadn't done harm until Agent Crawford decided to find out just who his previous owners ha been.

"Not like us...n-not like humans," Peter disagreed, and he watched a horse in the corral just across from the barn. "Humans are the only...the o-only ones to intentionally do h-harm. Animals don't have that, but we do."

Will couldn't argue that. If the latest killing was the Chesapeake Ripper, that artist hadn't stabbed himself in the chest before removing the kidneys. At least the animals wouldn't have let it go to waste.

"Is that why you work with animals? Because they're better than people?"

Peter laughed and looked down at the cage where the cardinal rested. The small cast dwarfed his stick-thin leg, but he'd assured Will it would heal. "Gotta p-protect them from people."

"We also have to protect people from people," said Will. "I think you're onto something.

He left the park a little while later, but only after asking Peter if it was okay if he came back.

The news could be savage when it wanted to be. When it couldn't speculate farther on the latest killing to hit DC, it ruminated on the infamous Will Graham and how he was now alive and well and on the roam. Was he truly innocent, or an acolyte, the news wondered? Could he return to his life after four years of incarceration? Would he begin to amass a wealth of death to rival the Ripper's before the jury was out?

Insomnia was a bitch. When he dreamed, he dwelled on the shadows filling the hollows of Hannibal's cheeks. Awake, he lay in a half-coherent doze on the couch and let the TV drone, anything to keep him from thinking too much. He was tired, but not tired enough. The news speculated on his absence from any media outlet. A month free, and the victim wasn't ready to start talking yet. If he started getting cold calls, he'd have to change his phone number. He wanted his story to be as old and stagnant as a standard traffic stop.

Work was easy, mindless, and the house was looking great. University classes for credits were pending, and should he get accepted he'd be allowed to swing right into a summer semester and begin getting his degree. A GED in the cell wasn't as impressive as a diploma across a high school stage, but he'd take what he could get, should they let him in. At the end of the day, bosses just wanted to see a degree. How you got it was irrelevant.

"--membered, displayed, I mean, if we analyze this realistically then the only indication that it could be the Chesapeake Ripper is because their kidneys are missing!"

"So you're saying that you don't think it's the Chesapeake Ripper's latest kill?" the newscaster asked.

Their interviewee fluffed their coif lightly. "I'm just saying that it's a bit presumptuous this early to say. It could be, but normally this form of psychopath is a tad more...violent in his attack. A single stab wound?"

"A single shot," Will corrected her in the otherwise quiet living room. As if he could have stopped at one, should he have decided to pull the trigger.

"The kidneys are a tell-tale sign, though. Our analyst, Brice Hoey, can confirm that there are currently no other known serial killers in the area that take organs as trophies."

"It's too early to tell," their guest pressed, and they shook their head. "If there was more information on the crime scene, we could confirm if the Chesapeake Ripper's other calling signs are there, but until the next report is released, I can't put my stamp on the case."

"We could always ask Will Graham," the newswoman joked.

"I think any information from him would have to be verified before it could be taken as fact," they replied. "Encephalitis is a serious illness, and coupled with the other traumatic things that happened to him at a young age, it's difficult to say if we can trust--"

Whenever the topics steered towards his mental state, Will would find it in himself to let the silence of the house keep him company, instead. The expanse of it yawned, and there were no repairs to be easily made. He needed a distraction.

Maybe that's why Will found himself pouring two cups of coffee one Friday morning a week or so later instead of one. Part time ensured he'd have time for some classes before Summer arrived and let him begin college in earnest. Hobbies. Busy hands. He'd called Molly and had the brutal pain of leaving a voicemail. All that courage, wasted in the face of a busy schedule. He'd stammered once before hanging up. Likely she'd been watching the news, too.

"You won't return my calls," Jack said, accepting the cup.

They sat out on the porch while Winston trotted about the yard, sniffing through the hesitant grass. Spring was trying its best in Wolf Trap.

"I won't," Will agreed, sitting down in the chair next to his. He'd re-stained them one evening, and they looked better than new.

"Have you watched the news recently?"

"I have," said Will.

"Then you know there's another body."

Winston was older, and it was apparent in how he didn't wander too long before trotting to Will and laying down at his feet. What was he, seven or eight? Will reached down and rubbed his ears affectionately.

"That's a nice dog you've got there, Will," Jack tried again.

"Same dog as the one you branded me a killer for," Will said curtly. Then, throwing somewhat of a bone, "he's a good dog. I didn't expect him to remember me."

Discomfort sat stupid between them for a time, each one sipping their coffee with grimaces. It was uncertain if it was the strong coffee or the silence that made it bitter. Will knew exactly what Jack wanted, only it was the very thing he didn't want to give. He had busy hands, only they didn't want to be busy with something like Jack and his manipulations. His mind was trying to confuse the two, though. It reasoned how much it wanted to do already.

"You see this person the way no one else does," Jack tried for a third time.

"I just interpret what I see in front of me."

"So just interpret something for me."

"Am I the only poor bastard you could corner on such short notice?" Will wondered incredulously. "Seriously."

"Who else would I ask?"

"Specialists, therapists, hell; ask Alana Bloom."

"I have gone to specialists, detectives, therapists, doctors, and every behavioral analyst known to hell and creation. None of them see him like you do. None of them saw the others like you did, Will. Otherwise I'd have never used you." There was a catch in his voice, something that seemed to surprise even Jack. "I'd have...never asked you to look if I didn't think you were saving lives."

"You think maybe I see him like no one else because I've spent the night at his house?" Will wondered. Ever thought it was because I've fucked him?

Jack ground his teeth. "I think it's because you look at things from a perspective uniquely yours. I think you pay the price for it, but you do it."

"And don't you wonder if I ever get tired of seeing things that way?" he asked, ashamed at how his own voice betrayed him. "Maybe I'd just like a simple life where I don't have to feel that way all the time. Shouldn't you care about something like that?"

"He's hurting people, Will," Jack needled, and it's there that Will was forced to feel the sunburn ache of Jack's guilt. "The longer I take to find him, the more people he hurts."

Winston made another round in the yard, and Will watched him halfheartedly chase a bird. "I'm not leaving this porch," he said. "And I don't want to see pictures, either."

Jack snatched the bone offered. "Okay."

He set his empty cup down and left Will to his own drink, the grounds fine enough some had seeped through the filter. He wasn't too experienced with making coffee, but he was trying. Learning adulthood was one step at a time and one Google search with each failure. He hadn't had a lot of people-watching in the hospital. He didn't have a lot to go on when he was learning how to get the stains out of a white t-shirt or timing the coffee grinder to keep the beans from turning to dust.

"The body was found in their workshop," Jack said, and he looked out across the field. Will wondered what memories Jack held of this place in comparison to his own. Ones no uglier, that was certain. "The victim is an artist, Sebastian Bibee, displayed in front of his work station. A young artist, one up-and-coming. No criminal history apart from one minor-in-possession."

Will thought about it; the news hadn't gone much into detail on how he was displayed. He was glad he'd had the thought to forbid pictures. Pictures would have made him see, and he didn't want to see Hannibal's wrath after being threatened in his own home by something so artlessly tasteless as a gun. "How was he displayed?"

"A single stab wound to the chest and a small surgical incision in the back. He took the kidneys."

"How do you know it's the Chesapeake Ripper, then?" Will asked dubiously.

"That's what I'm talking to you for. The media's looking for answers, but I won't give them one until I know for sure."

Will stood up and took Jack's empty cup, using that as an opportunity to think as he went through the motions of making another one. When he set it down, he leaned against the post on the porch and frowned, cramming his hands into his pockets.

"Could have been someone harvesting organs," he said slowly. He thought of one of the late night guest speakers on the news. "Normally they leave them alive, though, don't they?"

"Yes."

"Could've gone wrong."

"The painting on the easel was Jael and Sisera," he said, and his expression sobered as he looked Will over. "Does that mean something to you?"

"Should it mean something to me?"

"I'd show you a picture if I thought it'd help," he offered.

"I'll look it up later," he promised.

Jack looked out over the field, and if his memories of those awful days haunted him, it didn't show on his face. Only time did. Time, and a bitter sense of wounded pride. Will wondered how much crow he'd had to eat when the time came that he'd realized Will wasn't the killer. A dark part of him wished he'd lost his job over it, but the FBI takes care of their own. The good old boys club, and Jack was just trying to be a good, old boy.

"It's a bible story," he explained. "Jael promises aid to a defeated Canaanite leader, Sisera, and while he sleeps she drives a peg through his head. One of my guys said it's pretty symbolic."

"Pretty something," Will grimaced.

"You think you're in danger, saying it's him?"

"No," Will lied, only it was the kind of lie he'd practiced in the hospital, the kind orderlies didn't think to look for. "I'm not the only thing that revolves around this guy, Jack. He was killing long before me, and he'll kill long after if he's not caught."

"I don't think that's necessarily the case," Jack argued.

"Who says he's not threatening to kill you? Lull you into a sense of security, then drive a peg through your head just when you think you're getting close."

It was like being at the crime scenes again, only Will wasn't eighteen and sick and terrified and naive. Age didn't feel like wisdom, but it made it easier to talk back to Jack, to pick up his ebb and flow of speech and accidentally mimic it. He wondered what they'd done with the FBI jacket he'd used to tote around--likely rotting in an evidence locker somewhere.

Jack scowled, and he sat on that for a bit. "...What's that mean for the body?" he asked the coffee mug.

"Fuck all about the body, it's just another tool to him. Humans are tools to him."

Winston trotted back once more and laid down.

"Who's he trying to direct it at, then," Jack mused. "Me or you?"

"I bet he's hoping you ask me that, and you did." Will grinned. "What's that say about you, Jack?"

Jack stewed on that, and he didn't finish his second cup of coffee. They watched the breeze tease small shoots of tall grass out in the field.

"How's he choosing them?" Will murmured, more to himself than Jack.

"Don't you know?"

"If I knew, I'd have found him a long time ago." Will chewed on his thumb, stewing. Some symbolic, some close, some far away and strangers. "I wonder what connects them."

"We're looking for connections, but apart from the ones that all had relationships with you they don't have any correlation. Seemingly random, even before you came along."

Will had nothing for that. He thought about the artist, and he resisted the urge to ask for a photo.

When Jack left, he didn't promise not to call, but he didn't say they'd be in touch soon either. Will took it as a bit of a win, and he went back to mend a bit of fence he'd noticed needed repair while they talked.

Will looked up Jael and Sisera on his phone long after Jack left, and he stared at it for awhile, thinking. Thoughts leapt like the fish in the river back behind the house, plentiful and distracting, and he supposed that if it was the Chesapeake Ripper's response to Will pointing a gun at him, it was time that he toss the line in again. He had a fish ready to bite.

Jael, knelt, poised, her lap the pillow Sisera lay his head to sleep. The expression on her face was not violent as she pressed the nail to his ear. For a moment, he saw it much like her carving thoughts, ideas, beliefs into him. He blinked, and the hammer just above would surely strike too hard to be of any aid once she had finished crafting his mind. Surely the mallet would strike, and her creation would be obliterated? Surely everything would be destroyed in the aftermath of her actions?

An artist recreating it, only they were interrupted. Had he finished the painting? Was Sebastian stopped halfway, a single stab wound to the chest the only thing keeping him from finishing his work? Jael's mallet never striking the nail, dust never again beaten from the marble. Frozen on the canvas, she looked to Will much like Hannibal, carving secret things into whatever dark crevices he could find. Had Will killed him that night, would Hannibal's creation have been considered finished? Or would Jael's hammer have fallen and taken Sisera with her in the end?

Will couldn't have said, but he thought about it long after. Insomnia was a bitch, and so was Jack Crawford.

#LiaS scribbles #Opus Dei #Hannibal fanfic #hannigram #slowburn hannigram #ish #grey!will #nbc hannibal #will graham x hannibal #Peter Bernadone

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furuba-imagines · 5 years

Text

A Glimmer of Hope [1]

A/N: I shall be posting requests over the weekend. I started writing this story around 2016 (it’s on my quotev and FanFiction.Net) but bc of the rebooted anime I decided to reboot my own story as well the new anime’s honour :3

Word Count: 2706

Warnings: Swearing, mentions of sad character past, mentions of family abuse. Crappy format bc it was posted on mobile app. I’ll fix it up later. For now, enjoy!!

Pairing: Eventual Kyo x Oc

Story Notes:

Bold text is Amélie’s thoughts and inner dialogue.

Italicised text is when Amélie is narrating bits of the story like Tohru does in the anime as well as flashbacks (I will let you know what’s a flashback and what’s not though)

ONE - ENCOUNTERS

Amélie smiled to herself as she breathed in the fresh morning air. She marvelled at how beautiful and blue the sky was and how the white fluffy clouds looked as if they were painted in gentle strokes.

'Oooh yeah, that sun feels so warm.'

The sun shone bright, warming up her pale skin, erasing the goose bumps that littered her exposed arms. Turning back to the small black tent that she currently called home, her lip twitched and formed into a forlorn smile as she looked at the photograph sitting atop a folded pile of clothes in a simple brown wooden picture frame. It was a picture of her when she was six, posing with her mum and dad. Everything was so happy and bright back then... but a dark storm washed all that happiness away and she hasn't really felt it since. Despite the accident that befell them happening so long ago, it still got to her. It still haunted her dreams at night and plagued her thoughts during daylight. She wished she could just stop feeling – it would make things so much easier.

With a heavy sigh, Amélie grabbed her school bag and guitar and secured them both around her back and shoulder respectively. She cast one last glance at the picture before zipping up the tent and making sure it was secure, not that she was worried about anyone breaking in. Not many people passed by this area.

'See you guys soon. I love you.'

Even so, she didn't keep her more valuable belongings in the tent, like her piano keyboard. She kept that safely locked up in the school music room. Normally, she'd leave her guitar there too but she wanted to work on the new song she was writing. But she never kept both instruments in the tent at the same time in case something did happen. She didn't want to risk it no matter how small the chance. A part from the picture, her guitar and piano were the only things she had left of her parents. They were both musicians – her mum sang and wrote and her dad played. Music was one of the only things she still found happiness in. She hoped that one day her music would be played across the world for people to enjoy.

Amélie tugged at her uniform, wishing she had a mirror to check herself with. Amélie was never very fond of the girl's uniform so she wore the boy's one instead. She traded in her skirt and blouse for the pants and collared shirt and paired it with her own plain black Doc Martin's. She felt more comfortable in them than the lace up shoes the school provided. The school faculty stopped carding her after the first two weeks she refused to change. She also liked the fact that she didn't have to worry about boys trying to sneak-a-peak up her skirt. The last boy who tried walked away with a swollen cheek, bruised eye and busted lip. She stood by her actions however.

'The little shit deserved it. He had it coming if you ask me.'

Amélie hadn't always lived in a tent. After the death of her parents, her French side of her family were given custody over her but she wouldn't really call them family. The first thing they did was disown her, cast her out and hand her over to the state orphanage as soon as they could. She ended up living there until she was thirteen after her Japanese side of the family finding out about her and adopting her. Amélie would've preferred to stay at the orphanage since they were more of a family than her actual relatives. By the age of sixteen she had endured enough of their abuse and torment and ran away. She ended up staying at both her friends, Uotani and Hanajima's place for a while upon their insistence but the guilt became too much so she lied about having found good accommodation. In reality, she kept moving from hotel to hotel until she was forced to live in the tent she was living in currently. A glamorous life she liked to sarcastically call it, but she was grateful at least that she wasn't living on the sidewalks or under a bridge somewhere.

"Il ya toujours un arc en ciel après la tempéte!" She quoted to herself. There's always a rainbow after a storm. It was something her mother used to quote quite often.

The forest that she walked through she found to be quite calming and beautiful with all the tall trees and lush greenery. With that being said, feeling a little adventurous this morning and wanting to delay school as much as she could, she decided to take a different route. The more she drifted away from her usual path, the more the forest became increasingly unfamiliar until she had no idea where she was going.

"Fuck sakes," She cursed. 'Why would you even try straying from the main path with your horrible sense of direction? I'm such an idiot sometimes.'

However, much to her surprise, something in the peripherals of her vision captured her attention and halting her steps. To her far right, down a hill was a large clearing that lead to a traditional Japanese looking house. Amélie should've known that a forest as beautiful as this one had to have some kind of estate built upon it. With her curiosity piqued to the max, she couldn't help herself and decided to investigate.

‘A little snooping wouldn't hurt anybody.'

"It's called trespassing Amélie and its illegal," she reminded herself but proceeded to ignore her own warning.

Amélie was careful as she made her way down the hill. Hiding behind a bush, she did a quick look around to make sure the coast was clear before approaching the house.

'At least they don't have to worry about annoying neighbours. Must be nice to live here.'

Coming up close to the porch, Amélie couldn't help but be drawn to little ornaments sitting on a wooden rack. Upon closer inspection, she recognised them as the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. She smiled to herself.

"They look so well made and detailed. I wonder how long it took to paint them all..."

"Hello, this is a surprise. We don't get many young girls wondering around these parts."

Amélie bristled at the sudden voice and stumbled backwards, almost falling flat on her ass.

'Shit, shit! You've done fucked up now! Run before he calls the cops on you for trespassing! On second thought... he doesn't look too mad. Just play it cool and maybe you can leave without getting into any trouble.'

"I'm so sorry sir! I was just admiring I swear! I'm not here to cause you any trouble." She barely managed to string her words together without fumbling over them.

The man just chuckled and waved a hand at her. "It's quite alright, no harm done." The man's smile turned pensive. "I just find it hard to imagine that a teenager like yourself would find this place interesting." He mused.

'Oh thank goodness, I'm not in trouble.'

Amélie was quick to shake her head as she knelt in front of the rack, the man following suit. "No, it's a very lovely place. And I especially love these little zodiac ornaments here. Did you make them?" She asked.

"Yes I did. They're a favourite of mine too you could say."

Amélie scanned every rock that had been painted with detail and precision but a frown soon formed on her face when she noticed something missing.

"Of course you left out the cat just like everyone else." She muttered. It was more to herself than to the man in front of her although she realised she must've spoken too loud because of his surprised expression.

"The cat? Oh right, I see. You're referring to the old zodiac folktale." He said in realisation and Amélie nodded.

"I used to get dad to tell me the story sometimes before bed. I've always thought the cat had just as much importance to the story as any of the other animals did. I always felt for him."

_____________________

>>>Flashback<<<

_____________________

Little Amélie laid in her bed all snuggled and tucked beneath her plush blankets.

"Goodnight princess," Mr. Hoshimi smiled down at his daughter and placed a gentle kiss to her forehead. As soon as he stood up to leave though, Amélie grabbed onto the sleeve of his shirt and tugged on it.

"Wait! Can you tell me that story about the animals again? Pwease?" She pouted, putting on her best puppy dog eyes. The elder man quickly fell for her doe eyes and hopeful smile and found himself smiling along with her.

"Oh wow could I ever say no to that cute face?" he cooed, sitting back down onto the bed.

"A long, long time ago, god decided to invite all of the animals to a glorious banquet. He sent out word for all of them to come to his house the following evening and he told them not to be late.

"Can you name all the animals Amélie?"

Amélie sat up straight and proudly listed all the animals – The dog and the dragon, the rabbit and tiger, the rat and the pig, the cow and horse, the sheep and the rooster, the monkey, the snake... "And my favourite, the cat!" She cheered.

Mr. Hoshimi just laughed and tucked Amélie back underneath the sheets and continued with the story.

"However, when the mischievous rat heard the news, he decided to play a trick on his fellow neighbour – the cat. He told the cat that the party was the day after tomorrow."

Amélie turned her nose up and scowled. "I hate this part," She grumbled with a huff. "The poor kitty cat deserves better..."

"The very next day, all of the animals lined up for the celebrations with the rat leading the way, riding all the way on the back of the cow. Everyone had a wonderful time, except for the foolish cat who missed the whole thing." Mr. Hoshimi finished.

When he looked down at his daughter, he chuckled at her grumpy pout and furrowed brows.

"Amélie honey, why so grumpy?" He asked, but he knew why. She always got mad at the rat for tricking the cat, even though it was only just a story, Amélie had vowed to be the protector of all cats.

"Because the rat was so mean! If I was the cat, I would've kicked the rats butt for being such a... well, a butt!" She exclaimed, balling her hands into tiny fists.

"And if mummy heard you talk like that, she'd have yours."

Amelie giggled sheepishly before a thought popped into her head. "Do you think the cat would like it if I started a year of the cat?!"

Mr. Hoshimi just smiled. "I'm sure he would love that honey."

_______________________

>>> End of Flashback <<<

_______________________

The kimono wearing man smirked and tapped his fingers against his chin in thought. "Funny, I wonder how he would feel after hearing that story, knowing he has a little fan."

Snapping out of her reverie, she looked at him with a confused tilt of her head. "I'm sorry, who?"

The man shook his head and part of her wondered if she was actually meant to hear what he had said or not.

"Oh nevermind. So, what year were you born in?" He asked, quickly distracting her by changing the subject and Amélie went along with it.

"Year of the Ox," she replied.

The man nodded but Amélie noticed his eyes drift to her uniform. Most people found it odd that she wore the boy's uniform so she was used to it by now. She was about to speak, but he beat her to it.

"I apologise, I don't mean to stare. I've just never seen a girl wear the boy's uniform before. I must say though, you pull it off quite well."

Amélie's cheeks flushed at the compliment. She was the worst when it came to accepting flattery and compliments.

"Thank you."

"You're not from around her are you?" He asked suddenly in a curious tone.

Amélie had been waiting for that question. Something she was often asked about also.

"It's my accent isn't it?" She supplied with a smirk.

'I'm glad it isn't too thick for people to understand me.'

"It is quite nice to listen to. I mean, aside from your pretty fa-"

Whatever the man was going to say next came to an abrupt stop and was replaced with a pained gasp as something landed on his head. It was a schoolbag, just like the one Amélie and most other high school students had.

'Oh shoot, did not expect that.'

"My head!"

"Will you at least try to control yourself?" A new voice sighed.

Amélie's eyes trailed up the person's arm that held the bag until she reached their face and her eyes widen in shock.

'No way, Yuki lives here?! If I get caught with him, that stupid fan club of his won't let me hear the end of it.'

Yuki turned his attention away from the man to Amélie. "Good morning Miss Hoshimi, I'm sorry for my cousin. He's bit of a flirt but's he's harmless. It's best to just ignore him."

"Oh no, it's alright. We were just talking is all; he's good company."

The man, Yuki's cousin, rubbed the sore spot on his head. "What do you have in there? A dictionary or something?"

Yuki barely batted an eyelash at his whining. "Two dictionaries actually," he sighed in exasperation as he slid the schoolbag onto his back, adjusting the straps so it fit comfortably on his shoulders.

Yuki's cousin rubbed his head one last time. "So, you two know each other?" He asked, pointing between the two of them.

"Miss Hoshimi and I are in the same class."

Amélie dipped her head in a respectful bow. "The name's Amélie, pleasure to meet you." She officially greeted.

"Same here. I'm Shigure Sohma and Yuki here is my little cousin." He explained with a friendly smile.

"And what brings you to our house this morning?" Yuki asked in his usual soft and polite voice.

Amélie offered them a nervous smile, rubbing the back of her neck. 'I can't exactly tell them that I live in the middle of the forest. They'll probably laugh at me. I need to think of something good to say and fast!'

"Oh uh, well you know, I live... nearby." She trailed off lamely. It wasn't a complete lie.

'Oh yeah, that's such a good cover up.'

She gulped when she noticed their stunned expressions and wished they would change the subject. She didn't do well under pressure.

"Around here? Really?"

"You do? Where?" Yuki pressed. Amélie was hyperaware of how clammy the palms of her hands were becoming.

'Abort! Abort!'

"I don't mean to be rude but I should probably head to school. I haven't been late in a while and I wanted to keep my record clean this semester."

'As if they cared or needed to know that last bit.'

She bowed to them once again. "It was nice chatting with you. Have a good day." She said in a hurry, quickly turning on her heel and walking away.

'Don't look back. Just keep walking...'

"Miss Hoshimi?" Yuki called out after her.

Amélie sighed inwardly. 'Dammit.'

Putting on a smile, she turned to face him. "Yeah?"

"Since you're here, why don't we walk to school together?" He suggested.

'Say no. It's not worth the wrath of the fan club.'

"Sure, I don't see why not?" She accepted with a forced smile.

The entire walk was done so in an awkward silence as neither Yuki nor Amélie spoke a word or even looked at each other. And to make matters worse, they did eventually run into the Prince Yuki Fan Club, prompting both teens to ignore their chants and poses which only made it all the more awkward until they parted their separated ways.

'I better prepare myself for their onslaught of pathetic questioning.'

Amélie groaned. She could feel the headache coming on already...

#fruits basket 2019 #fruits basket #furuba #kyo sohma #Kyo Sohma x reader #Kyo Sohma imagines #Furuba imagines #Fruits basket imagines #Kyo Sohma x oc

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goddessofthundathighs · 5 years

Text

Chapter 3, Pt. 1

_____________________

Summary: An arrogant young disciple of Bastet is forced to spend lifetimes roaming the Earth in search of her soulmate, but what happens when she tries to run from destiny?

A/N: For those of you that have seen Fahrenheit 451, Abhimani is taking on the role of Clarisse McClellan.

_____________________

Draped in a loose fitting oversized threadbare sweater with some barely visible shorts underneath and roughed up motorcycle boots with a burlap backpack hanging off her left shoulder, Abhimani leaned against the technicolor glass bar peering at the sights around her.

Another time. Another life. Another chance to get out of this hellhole of a curse her Goddess had bestowed upon her.

It’s not that she wasn't thankful for Bast’s favor or even that she thought she was better than the Goddess herself. Mani simply didn't believe she had to continue to do what her own Mistress does not if she is supposed to be a holy extension. What was the point of this punishment? What lesson was she supposed to learn from failing to find this man over and over?

As the deep skinned beauty’s eyes scanned the room, she watched the mentally enslaved people play in their virtual reality, hands waving around. They were really into this Big Brother shit huh? Two figures emerge right in her line of sight and though she moves to a more secluded area, she can still hear their voices approaching.

“Don’t worry I’ll talk to her this time,” the slightly shorter of the two men blurts out his eyes focused ahead but not close enough for her to see what he looks like.

“Keep your dick in your pants and stand guard,” Captain Beatty says in the usual gruff tone he thinks is intimidating or seductive. She wasn't sure but it sounded like his throat needed some moisture.

He always seemed to bring the second man with him. Presumably for back up since he always skulked in the distance and was never in her eyes’ reach. He stood off behind a pillar while Beatty walked up to her a little too much in her personal space as per usual with these meetings.

“Well, well, well Mani. You better not be wasting my time tonight. Your last tip led me to boy scouts with pornos.” Rolling her eyes, Mani replies.

“Reactivate my fingers like you said you would.”

“Feed me scraps and I’ll delete your travel permit.”

Oh you caucus dick munch. I swear if I wasn’t on a totally different mission…

“That’s bullshit. You need me.”

Grabbing ahold of the hand that was clutching the thin leather strap of her bag, Beatty seemed to caress the slightly weathered skin in his fingers, holding it preciously in his palm.

Here he go again touching shit he don’t need to be. Somebody get this dude some proper sexual harassment parameters.

“How many years did we restrict you? 6?”

“With all the tips I gave you, I should be free.”

“A beautiful free rat.”

I know he did not just… Ok Bastet, you really trying me now.

Jerking her hand away, Mani switches her position from against the wall Beatty had her up against and grabs a small folded piece of parchment from her pocket holding it up for him to see.

“Take a year off my sentence and I’ll give you something you like.”

The increasingly annoying white beady eyed white man grabs hold of her hand yet again, snatching away the piece of paper.

Abhimani lets out a heavy sigh before adjusting the strap on her shoulder and turning to the left to see the bodyguard spying from a distance.

What is this dude’s deal always staring? Hopefully I can get past him without trying some silly shit.

She proceeds to make her way to leave the moody lit place but was stopped by a pair of glowing brown eyes and a slightly hukling body in her way.

“I didn't hear the captain say you could leave.”

And once again the might roar of her Goddess rang in her head and judging by the perplexed look that flashed on his face, he heard it too.

FUCK YES FINALLY!

“Oh? Then why does he always make you wait outside like a little dog, huh?”

However fine this “soulmate” was, she had things to do, places to go and she knew that now that they had officially seen each other, they would keep crossing paths. If only she’d known this was him the whole time the damn lesson would have been learned a while ago.

As she continues her exit, the man with the pretty eyes and beautifully plump lips grips her arm, but it didn't send the same shiver through her body like when Beatty touched her.

This was actually the first time her mate had touched her in all of the lifetimes they shared. It was…. Nice.

Of course she couldn't let him know he affected her so. She's met him now she can make him want her so she pretends to be almost disgusted by his forward advance.

“You’re just like Beatty,” Abhimani says with a condescending smile on her face.

That seemed to do the trick because he gently let go of her and his chest deflated a fraction.

“I’m not like Beatty.”

“Everyone has a master.”

“Not me.”

Oh we got an independent over here.

“You spy on me but you never do anything. You stand close enough to hear but far enough that I didn’t even know what you looked like till now. Can’t say I’m disappointed.”

Another gleam flashed in his eyes at her slight admission.

And not one word of it was a lie. He was absolutely gorgeous. She didn't ever get to look at her man the way she was now cause he was either too attached to someone else or shot to death for her to focus but my oh my.

Oh thank you my Lady for this wonderous blessing.

“You’re welcome, my child.”

“Why? Do I make you nervous?”

He looked down as he replied, “You don’t.”

“When I see you burning up eels’ lives you don’t look nervous.”

“That’s because I’m very good at my job.”

He was so close she could feel the heat from his body, the slight smell of kerosene and his cologne creating a dangerous aphrodisiac.

I got a couple jobs you would be good at with your fine ass.

“Mmm. You ever stop to think for one second why you do what you do?”

His brow furrowed.

“You should try reading before burning. See you around Montag.”

Flashing him a seductive smile, Mani turns her back and saunters out of the bar with a flip of her perfectly mussed curls leaving Guy all kinds of in his feelings and a hint of confusion as to where that roar came from. Unbeknownst to him, Beatty ,who had been watching the tail end of their interaction, comes up behind him and clasps a hand on his leather jacket clad shoulder.

“Hey. Off limits. Let’s go she recommended a spot.”

With that, the two firemen left and proceeded to do their jobs off the clock.

Mani walks into the seemingly dilapidated apartment building that was actually teeming with tenants and knocks on her neighbor’s door. The door opened to reveal a blonde woman with tired eyes holding her 5 month old big baby boy with a small mohawk like strip of brunette hair. Pulling the small glass bottle of milk from her jacket pocket, she hands it to the woman who lets out a sigh of relief at the sight of the thin creamy liquid.

“I haven't had milk in a week. Thanks but I couldn't find any cooking oil.”

“That’s ok.”

Mani had already turned to her apartment door to let herself in and as the lock turned over, the woman called to her.

“Mani, be careful what you’re selling. People are talking.”

Nodding her head, Abhimani ducks into her apartment, dropping all her stuff down and removing her shoes.

Now why she would land me in this dump of a decade I will never know. If this is the future, may all the Gods be with the mortals. This is absolute purgatory but praise Bast I found him!

“You seem to be in high spirits.”

Of course Anubis followed her through every single life and like her, his form didn't ever change. He always remained the same enchanting black feline friend whom she had actually come to cherish after so long.

“Well if you must know my terribly named kitty cat, I met him today.” “You mean the white devil who secretly not so secretly wishes to have you?”

“Oh Bast please not on his gray eyed life. No Nubi I mean him. He’s been with Beatty the entire time. I only just met him today.”

The bodacious woman flits around her small space to play a vinyl that she shouldn’t be playing on a record player she shouldn't be having and takes a seat at her tool table to fix the roll of a tape she was to deliver to this man who in trade has a place for her to tip the captain off for more “graffiti” for him and his team to burn.

As the smoke rises from her soldering gun, her mind wanders to privileged times spent in the dazzling night jungle running alongside the panthers of the past trying to beat the purple starry night.

Time Break

Guy stands head bowed under the warm running water of his shower dripping down his face. Hoping it would clear his frazzled mind.

He had just returned to the station from a strange graffiti burning with this old woman who seemed to only speak in graffiti. She said no actual words but gave a quote of some sort?

‘Play the man, Master Ridley. We shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.’

Of course he had no idea what the hell that meant but it was haunting him along with the word she said right after she lit the books and herself on fire.

‘Omnis’

What is that?

He stepped out of the shower, dried off and got fully dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a black t-shirt, and an army green jacket. He was sure to retrieve the book he has stolen from the house from his locker and safely hid it underneath his jacket.

As he was making his way out, he caught the 9’s report of what they were now calling Beatty’s Barbeque. When they showed footage of the old woman burning, they replaced the word she actually said with a voice over ‘coward.’

Why would they cover that up?

Guy was simply getting more and more confused by the minute and he wasn’t sure how to handle it. He was anxious to get home so he could try to properly process the night’s events.

“Montag!”

Beatty walks up behind him with a stern look on his face.

“You hesitated tonight in front of the men.”

The shorter, more good looking of the two men was instantly transported back to the house they left only hours ago when the captain instructed him to remove the old woman from the house after the graffiti was laid out and kerosene poured, she refused to leave. Guy attempted to reason with her and asked the captain if they would just leave her which was a sign of weakness and insubordination. Placing a brave look on his handsome face, he retorts back.

“I know but it won’t happen again.”

“You know it’s my first time seeing a self burn too but as far as I’m concerned, it means we’re doing the right thing.”

Beatty was his friend. His captain. His father figure. Maybe he would be able to clear up some of this bafflement in his brain.

“What was that old lady talking about? Master Ridley play something.”

He was almost embarrassed that he couldn't remember the entire text.

“Well back when people still believed in God, the Brits burned alive two eels at the stake. Ridley and Latimer for praying to a different book than their queen did. Before us, people committed genocides over books while others blew themselves up killing innocent people. Insanity plus 100.

“But why did she burn herself for books?”

The stormy eyed man looked away from him briefly before giving his rebuttal.

“Well she tried to burn us all don’t you think?” “She didn't say coward. She said omnis. What is that?”

Breaking eye contact and turning about face, Beatty gives the information he actually wants to hear.

“Well the commissioner won’t say what the ministry knows but I guess we’re gonna have to find out.”

The captain moves to stand in front of him and hands him a silver square shaped lighter.

“Burn me.”

“John…”

“Go ahead.”

What is he trying to get from me?

Sensing Guy’s hesitation, the taller man urges him on.

Hurry up. I won’t ask twice.”

Immediately, he opens the lighter and flicks it on but doesn't hold it close enough for the lone flame to touch the other man’s hand and he looked back up to lock eyes with him.

“I know you’re different than the other men. I watched you grow up. And that’s how I know you feel the same inside as me. Closer.”

Lifting the lighter higher, the tip of the flame seems to disappear and fan out in his palm.

“I’ve been burned so many times, I don’t know where my scars end and my body begins.”

Guy lifts the lighter even higher, the flame all but gone into the captain’s hand as both men’s eyes stay locked in a vehement embrace. Finally Beatty grabs the lighter and extinguishes the flame with low pain filled groan stepping closer to him with an even more fierce gaze.

“There’s no way you’re gonna break. You’re the youngest cadet I ever accepted into the Youth Fire Brigade. I raised ya and one day you’ll be just like me son. You won’t feel anything when they burn you.”

_____________________

TAGS: @jozigrrl @itsangeludaku @thehomierobbstark @eriknutinthispoosy @hearteyes-for-killmonger @muse-of-mbaku @amethyst1993 @killmongersgurl @trevantesbrat @hdkween @iamrheaspeaks @princesskillmonger @ayellepea @vikkidc @laketaj24 @madamslayyy @allhailnjadaka @purple-apricots @thadelightfulone @theunsweetenedtruth @wakanda-inspired @panthergoddessbast @blackpantherismyish @yaachtynoboat711 @forbeautyandlife @bidibidibombaclaat @quietstorm-73 @youreadthatright

#Next Lifetime #Erik Stevens #Adonis Creed #Wallace #guy montag #Abhimani Wright #Soulmate AU #vanity writes #my shit #Bastest #Panther Goddess Bast #Erik x Black OC

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meggz0rz · 5 years

Text

The It Couple - Valentine’s Day Special!

(art by @file13thetrashcan)

IT’S BACK, BITCHES

This one is a gift for my beloved friend @ideasthatbuildcities, to thank her for being so wonderful and for supporting my work from the very beginning. So here it is - a special chapter from my very first Inuyasha story, “The It Couple!” If you haven’t read it and you’d like to, you can find it..

HERE!

So without further ado...

THE IT COUPLE VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL!

Or, alternatively: SUPLEXES AND THE POWER OF ‘NOPE’

“Kanna, do we have to?” Kohaku grumbled, thumping his chin onto the table surface and fixing her with his best childish pout. “I never agreed to this.”

His girlfriend took a loud, bubbly sip through her straw and set her now-empty soda down, fixing him with that deathly serious stare over the lenses of her black-rimmed reading spectacles. “Do you hate Inuyasha? Do you hate Kagome?” She leaned forward, her whisper barely audible over the hum of noise in the university food court. “Do you hate your sister?”

What the hell kind of question - “Of course I don’t!”

Her dark eyes narrowed before returning to her enormous textbook. “Alright, then.”

“I just - I mean, it’s Valentine’s Day, Kanna,” Kohaku protested, sliding his hand forward over the table to cover hers, “And it’s our third year together. Shouldn’t we, you know, spend a little time, just the two of us? I was gonna make us a nice dinner, and maybe rent one of your favorite movies and just curl up on the couch…”

“We are perfectly capable of enjoying each other’s company every other day of the year,” Kanna said, not looking up from the text she was perusing but intertwining her fingers with his nonetheless, “Valentine’s Day is a scam invented to sell greeting cards. It’s utterly meaningless. I don’t need a holiday to encourage my affection for you, dearest.” A light squeeze of his hand, though her expression never changed.

Kohaku sighed. Once again, her logic was starting to win out. It always did. It was the thing about her that he admired most, and the thing that most often would drive him to near insanity.

“So we’re stuck babysitting my nieces and those two crazy Takahashi kids, while everyone else gets to go out and have fun?”

Kanna was still reading. Research for a doctoral thesis was always intense, Kohaku knew, but Kanna’s commitment to her academic career was incredible, even by those standards. He waited patiently for her to finish her paragraph, and the silence between them was interrupted only by the irritating squeak of a highlighter dragged across the page, until she finally sat back and looked up at him again, removing her reading glasses.

“You’re welcome to join the others at whatever loud, expensive nightclub they end up at,” she said quietly, and though the statement would have seemed harsh and blunt to any other listening ears, he knew she was just speaking plainly. As she always did. Kanna language. “I made a promise to Kagome. And if everyone broke promises society would crumble and fall. Besides, they have a better home-theatre setup than we do.”

“You literally only said yes for the surround sound and the reclining plush seats.” Kohaku broke into a small smile as the realization dawned on him.

Kanna didn’t return the smile, but if she had it would have honestly terrified him and made him wonder what sort of alternate universe he’d woken up in. “You also seem to be underestimating the benefit of watching small children who go to sleep early in the evening. I still have an entire wing of the house for my own particular use, if you’ll recall.” She looked off in the distance, as if lost in thought. “Kagome bought me custom furniture when I moved in. All black.”

Kohaku felt the heat flush up the back of his neck, and as he reached up to tug at his collar, he realized his hands were trembling.

Kanna noticed the tremor too. “Is that a brain damage tremor or an I-love-Kanna tremor?”

Kohaku snorted with laughter. Only you would say it that way. And I adore you for it. In a world where everyone else shied away from the subject, she would always just ask him about it point-blank.

“Probably both,” he laughed. The tremor slowed and disappeared as quickly as it had come.

“AXEL!”

Kagome paused, frowned, and sat back from her laptop, craning her head over her shoulder. The house had been quiet for a few blessed moments, with Inuyasha in his office answering emails from god-knows-who and the kids playing with their toys very nicely and sweetly. So of course, she’d decided to get some much-needed editing work done before they went out for Valentine’s Day tonight. And of course, quiet in the Takahashi household usually meant something insane was about to happen.

With a heavy sigh and a chuckle to herself, she stood up and followed her husband’s voice down the hallway, around the corner, through the massive living room, and into the kids’ game room.

Mimi was hiding behind the doorway, her twin pigtails hanging sideways as she peeked inside. Kagome smiled to herself and crouched low to whisper in the four-year-old’s ear.

“What happened?”

Mimi turned at the sound of her mother’s voice, her little nose red and sniffly, and just pointed hesitantly, her little cherub face pinched with nervousness. “Daddy’s mad.”

Kagome ruffled her hair reassuringly and stood to walk past her into the room.

Her precious, beloved son stood there in the center of the room, looking sheepish and a bit glum. And her precious, beloved husband was standing facing the opposite wall, bracing himself upright with a clenched fist, with his eyes screwed shut as he seemed to be trying to calm down.

“Inuyasha?” Kagome said, stepping forward. “What happened?”

At the sight of her, Axel immediately ran forward and threw his arms around her waist, burying his face in her shirt. “We were just playing! I promise, Mom! I didn’t mean to!”

Kagome suppressed a grin, glancing up at Inuyasha meaningfully.

Finally, Inuyasha took a deep breath and spoke. “You didn’t mean to throw your little sister through the air into the wall?” He pointed at the new Mimi-shaped dent just below the window.

Jesus CHRIST. Kagome’s mouth fell open in stunned silence and she glanced back at Mimi, who was still peeking through the doorway. Sure enough, there it was. A huge bruise starting to form on the little girl’s left arm.

Axel, what the hell! She thought it, but she didn’t say it. “Mimi, sweetheart, are you okay?”

Mimi just nodded, her lower lip quivering a little. She wasn’t crying, not really. She’s a tough little firecracker, gotta give her that. Of course, having to try and keep up with the actual tornado that was her older brother had no doubt given her a spine of steel that belied her mere four years of age.

“Axel,” Kagome looked down at her son, who was still plastered around her waist and clearly doing his best to be cute and small and precious, “Why did you throw your sister?” Even saying it out loud sounded ludicrous.

“A question I’d also like the answer to,” growled Inuyasha, folding his arms across his chest and fixing Axel with his patented stern-father face.

“W-We were playing,” Axel said, his voice muffled into Kagome’s stomach. Kagome gently untangled his arms from around her and stepped backward.

“Playing what?” Inuyasha held out his arms, and Mimi rushed forward and scrambled into them. He held out her arm to examine it, turning it over gently. “Does it hurt?” he asked her, his voice low and soft.

Mimi nodded, glancing at Axel with a guilty expression, like she was scared of ratting her beloved big brother out. Inuyasha placed a featherlight kiss over the bruise, then turned back to their older child. “Playing what, Axel?”

“...Pro wrestling.” Axel mumbled the words.

She’d been married to him now for eight years, so Kagome knew by the minute changes in Inuyasha’s expression when he was about to lose that famous temper of his, so she just gave him her best let-me-handle-this smile and spoke up quickly.

“Did Mimi want to play pro wrestling?”

Axel looked as if that question had never occurred to him. Kagome fought back a sigh and ran a hand through her hair.

“You can’t just throw your sister, kid,” Inuyasha said with narrowed golden eyes.

“I didn’t throw her,” Axel said, “I suplexed her.”

There it was. A quirk of Inuyasha’s eyebrow. A snarl curling at the corner of his lips. Down, boy, Kagome thought, crouching down to stare Axel in the eyes.

“I can’t believe I’m having to tell you this, as old as you are,” she said sternly, “but you are not allowed to play pro wrestling in the house. Or anywhere, unless you’re with your Aunt Ayame and she’s taken you to her dad’s gym again. Understand me?”

Axel gave a petulant glance toward the floor. A glance that looked so familiar that it nearly made Kagome crack up and forget that she was trying to do the mom thing right now. “Yes, Mom,” he mumbled.

“Now apologize to Mimi.”

Axel looked over at his sister, who was still hanging on Inuyasha’s hip. He looked truly downtrodden and regretful, and it made Kagome want to just envelop him in her arms and cuddle him, but no, she couldn’t, because that would undermine her whole speech just now -

“I’m sorry, Mimi.”

Inuyasha’s angry expression finally relaxed into general peevedness.

“If you want,” Axel continued, “You can hit me back.”

Dammit, Axel.

“No one is hitting anybody,” Kagome said, gripping Axel’s shoulder tightly enough so he knew she meant it. “Axel, you’re not hitting Mimi, and Mimi, you don’t hit Axel. Are we clear?”

Mimi nodded. Axel just bit his lip.

“Axel!” Inuyasha said sharply.

“I got it, Dad. I’m sorry.” Axel glanced up at Kagome then, those blue eyes of his shining. “I’m sorry, Mom. I’ll never do it again.”

By the look on Inuyasha’s face, he was buying it just as much as Kagome was. She sent her husband a wink as she said, “Better not.”

“Well,” Inuyasha grumbled as he pulled off his tee shirt and tossed it onto their bed before reaching for the dress shirt he had laid next to it, “Guess that rules out taking the kids to the park this weekend. All we need is for some fucking paps to see that huge honking bruise on Mimi’s arm and then there’ll be headlines for weeks about possible abuse in our household.”

Kagome didn’t respond for several seconds.

“Baby?” He turned and glanced over his shoulder.

She was standing there at her vanity in her bra and jeans, bracing herself upright with both arms and shaking with silent laughter.

He couldn’t help it; he broke into a confused grin. “What the hell are you laughing about?”

She just laughed harder and doubled over over the table. “He - he suplexed her! He physically picked her up and just - “ She mimicked the move, throwing her arms backward over her head, cackling to herself. “I know, I know, it’s not funny and I shouldn’t be laughing and we’re so lucky she didn’t break her arm, but that mental image of Axel just - “ She covered her mouth with one hand and her bare stomach with the other.

“You are terrible,” he chuckled, turning back to the dress shirt and moving to throw it over his shoulders.

“Not my fault he’s exactly like his dad,” she said, “An idiot.”

“Hmph,” he huffed, reaching for the buttons.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Suddenly, Kagome’s hand was on his chest, and she stood there with a huge grin on her face and ran it up and down over his abs. Her touch was light, caressing. “Let me appreciate.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake - “

“Shh,” she said with mock severity, “I just need a moment. Let me have this.”

“You perv,” he said, leaning down to touch his forehead to hers with a mischievous smirk, “Don’t worry. You can have all you want later tonight.”

Kagome’s smile was bright and dazzling as always, with the dimple on her cheek that he loved so much on full display. “Promise?”

He kissed her, and her arms snaked upward around his neck, pulling him closer with a small, delighted squeak.

“Hey, hey, cut that shit out,” he scolded, knowing he likely had a huge stupid smile on his face and not particularly caring, “You - we- have to get dressed. Miroku and Sango and the twins are due here in a few minutes. I mean, unless you wanna go out like that.”

Kagome glanced down at her bra and jeans ensemble. “Hmm, maybe not,” she said with a smirk, “Alright, alright, I’m getting dressed. But you owe me!”

Everything, he thought, watching her as she darted into the closet.

It was so hard to concentrate on the road. Miroku knew he deserved several medals.

The twins were chattering in baby talk in the backseat (twin talk, Sango called it), they were on their fiftieth reprise of goddamn “Wheels on the Bus” playing on the car stereo, and his gorgeous wife was next to him in the front seat in a very short mini-dress with her immaculate legs on full display. And of course, with his wife being the absolute badass she was, she was in the middle of a phone call with a studio executive, not even batting an eye at the cacophony of noise around her.

Finally, mercifully, they arrived at the Takahashi palace and buzzed through the gate. Another seven or so minutes of unloading the kids, the diaper bags, the snack packs (the one thing he hadn’t been prepared for when he became a father - all the stuff they required wherever they went), all of it.

“Need a hand?” Kagome poked her head out of the front door.

“Of course not,” Miroku said, grinning through the bag strap caught between his teeth, his speech muffled, “We’re experts. King and Queen of Parenting.”

“Hey, Kagome!” Sango had both twin girls by the hand and was gently walking them up toward the door. “Is Kanna here yet?”

“She’s on her way. She and Kohaku left right as you guys did, so it should be any minute.” Kagome bent to pick up Kimmy, the younger of the twins, who as of lately was obsessed with her Aunt Kagome and had already been reaching out for her.

“Thank god,” Miroku said through his gritted teeth, stumbling under the weight of all the bags. Suddenly the ever-wonderful Nazuna also appeared through the open doorway, and she immediately took a few of them off his hands. “And thank you, Nazuna.”

Nazuna grinned and disappeared back into the house.

“Any paps at the gate?” Kagome said, peering off in the direction of the entrance to the property, which was hidden behind the hill. Her smile was a little tighter.

“No,” Sango said, “Why? Expecting some?”

Kagome visibly sighed. “We always get a few whenever Kikyou’s back in the press. She announced her new movie this morning, but then again, you probably knew that. It’s sort of you guys’ jobs to know everything.” She turned and led them into the house, and Nazuna, ever ready and devoted, shut the door behind all of them.

“She should be sending you two royalty checks,” Miroku grumbled, “You’ve single-handedly kept her an object of interest in the public eye for the last eight years.” He let the bags dropped and cracked his shoulder. Man, I’m getting old. Just kill me now.

Sango discreetly elbowed him in the side. “Kagome, if you’d rather not go out tonight, that’s okay, we can just - “

“Hell no!” Kagome said, “Oh, I mean, heck no.” She wrinkled her nose and nuzzled at Kimmy’s face. “I made a promise to myself long ago. I’m going to live my life and be happy. Best revenge is living well, right?”

Miroku reached out and ruffled Kagome’s hair. “You’re so mature, Kagome. I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks, Dad.” She rolled her eyes.

There was the sound of lumbering footsteps, like a stampede.

Kagome shook her head and laughed. “Well, here comes the cavalry.”

And then they appeared around the corner. Mini Inuyasha and Mini Kagome, he called them.

“Kimmy and Ally are here!” shouted Axel, barrelling toward the crowd of them, and for a heart-stopping instant Miroku had a vision of the kid just failing to stop and knocking them all down like bowling pins, but the boy skidded to a stop in his white cotton socks. His silver-white hair was sticking out all over the place. Mini Inuyasha to the core.

Mimi, the little angel, was clearly doing her best to keep up with her big brother but was defeated by her shorter legs. She grinned up at the adults with pure delight. “Uncle Moku!”

“Hi, sweetheart,” he said, feeling his stone heart just melt as he bent to pick her up for a hug. “How are you?”

“Axel spooplexed me!” She held out her arm excitedly, showing off an ugly bruise running down her arm.

“...He what, now?”

“Long story,” Inuyasha said, appearing from the bedroom hallway in a smart tailored suit. “Trust me, you don’t wanna know.”

“Uh-huh.” Sango had on her skeptical face.

“Hi, Aunt Sango,” said Axel briefly before turning his attention to Ally, who was still clutching her mother’s hand. “Hi, Ally!”

“Yep, sure,” Miroku grumbled, “Hi, how are you, Axel, my name is Chopped Liver.”

Kagome and Sango giggled, and Miroku turned to glare at them. “Thanks for all the support, ladies, really. Axel, I like your shirt. What does it say?”

Axel gave him a look like he was the biggest idiot in the world and held out the shirtfront to display the writing. “It says ‘AC/DC.’”

Well, excuse the hell out of me, mini Inuyasha.

The phone rang, and Nazuna appeared seemingly from out of nowhere to answer it. “Kanna’s here,” she announced, hanging up.

“So their snacks are in the purple - no, the blue bag,” Sango scrolled through her list, brow furrowed in concentration, “and they’re just starting potty training so we’ve got pull-ups, but I’d put them in real diapers before you put them down for the night. The portable playpen has a roll-out mattress, so you can use that, but no pillows, just a thin blanket.”

Leave it to Sango to make a bulleted list for a few hours’ worth of childcare. Inuyasha sent Kagome a smirk across the room, and she smiled back.

Kanna, meanwhile, was listening intently. Or maybe that was just her face. After eight years of knowing the kid, it was still hard to tell.

Inuyasha glanced just behind her at Kohaku, whose nieces were currently latched onto both of his hands and dragging him around the living room while babbling excitedly. He looked tired already. Welcome to my life, kid.

“You’re spending the night, right?” Kagome asked Kanna when Sango finally seemed satisfied that she’d covered everything. “I don’t know how late we’ll be, or if we’ll have to wait for our table - “

“Kagome,” Miroku was at the bar mixing himself a scotch and seltzer, “You’re married to the most famous movie star in the world. If we have to wait for a table, I’m getting new friends to leech off of.”

“Well, anyway,” Kagome sent Miroku a brief look and continued as if he hadn’t spoken, “Your room is all ready to go. Clean sheets, bath towels if you want to shower, et cetera.”

“And no scary movies with the kids awake,” Inuyasha added. That had been a point of contention last time Kanna had babysat.

Kanna turned and fixed him with that unsettling stare. “I’m sorry you think ‘The Crow’ is scary. I thought it was a beautiful love story.”

“It is literally about coming back from the dead to murder people.”

She gave a minute shrug. “You’re the parents.”

“We did it!” Miroku sank into the backseat as if he had lost all feeling in his limbs. “We’re actually going. Nothing went wrong.”

“Don’t jinx it, you idiot!” There was the sound of a gentle smack from the backseat.

“Oooh, do that again.”

“Houshi?”

“Yes, Mrs. Houshi?”

“Shut the fuck up.”

Kagome glanced over at Inuyasha. He was shaking his head and chuckling under his breath as he put the car in gear and started down the driveway.

As they approached, they saw them.

The flashes. Just a few, maybe three or four, but they were going off like crazy.

“Ugh,” Kagome said, running a hand over her face, “I knew it.”

“It’ll be alright, baby,” Inuyasha said, reaching over to brush his hand over her knee, “One of the perks of living the life we do - exclusive hidden entrances.”

She knew the car windows were heavily tinted, that there would be no clear images in any of the ill-gotten photos, but she still found herself instinctively slouching lower as they passed through the gate.

“Who’s performing tonight, anyway?” Kagome asked, looping her fingers around her frosted glass of beer, looking around the crowded club.

It was decorated much like an old-timey nightclub from Hollywood’s golden age, with an enormous dance floor and a stage with a huge brass band.

“Not any metal bands, that’s for sure,” Miroku smirked as he tossed back the last of his whiskey-on-the-rocks. “Sorry, Kagome. How will you ever survive?”

Kagome tossed her napkin at his face from across the table. “Sango, can I kill him and make you a widow?”

Sango was perusing the food menu and didn’t miss a beat. “I just took out extra life insurance on him,” she said, “Give me one more month so it doesn’t look suspicious.”

“Ha!” Miroku scoffed, leaning in to kiss Sango’s cheek, “You’d never do that. You’d miss me too much. Plus you’d have to raise the twins by yourself.”

“A good life insurance payout would finance an awesome nanny.”

Inuyasha snaked an arm around Kagome’s waist and leaned back against the booth. She leaned into him, laying her head gently against his shoulder.

She was so beautiful. And he loved her so goddamn much. And the night was just beginning.

Could anything ever ruin an evening like this? He voiced the thought in his head.

And then there was a small commotion, raising the general volume of the already noisy room. The four of them craned their heads to follow the noise.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Sango spat, her brown eyes narrowed with unfiltered rage.

What was that thing Sango said earlier about not jinxing it? Way to go, you absolute moron.

It was the first time they’d seen Kikyou in the flesh in nearly eight years, not counting passing glimpses on red carpets and the constant onslaught of her image all over the television all the time. Miroku and Sango, ever loyal to their most famous and money-making client, had always firmly emphasized to every single event organizer and bigshot that under no circumstances should Mr. and Mrs. Takahashi ever be seated near or forced to interact with Kikyou Higurashi. And it had always worked.

But, of course, fate had a way of fucking with the best-laid plans, right?

“Of all the nightclubs in LA,” Sango hissed, “She picked this one? I call bullshit. This is no coincidence.” She turned to Kagome and Inuyasha, clearly in full protective mode. “Did you tell anyone where we were going tonight?”

“Of course not!” Kagome said.

“We’re not stupid,” Inuyasha muttered, pulling Kagome a little closer.

Miroku, long finished with his own drink, reached over and took a generous sip of Sango’s, a troubled frown on his face.

Kikyou, looking angelic as she always had, waited for her date to pull out her chair before taking a seat, the skirt of her ruby red evening gown billowing around her. She was smiling at all the attention, all the whispers. The Queen, holding court. Some things never fucking change, do they?

“Does she see us?” Kagome said softly. Her black-polished fingers were awkwardly fiddling with her necklace, and she was staring down at the white-clothed table.

“I don’t know,” Inuyasha replied truthfully, then leaned closer to whisper, “Do you wanna go?”

The fidgeting stopped, and her nervous stare hardened into a steely glower. “No,” she said softly, “I don’t know what her goal is, what she’s planning, but she is not ruining my Valentine’s Day.” She sat up a little straighter and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “Fuck it.”

Before anyone else could say something, the music flared up, and the entire club broke into applause.

Miroku raised his hand to signal for another round of drinks.

And here I was, about to ask Kagome to dance, Inuyasha thought glumly.

The music was sultry and jazzy. Definitely not Kagome’s usual vibe (not enough leather and studs and screaming high notes), but nice enough for a change. It all felt very fancy, which she realized was an ironic thought for half of one of the wealthiest couples in Hollywood to have. But then again, we’ve always been low-key, I guess. She snuck a glance down at her husband’s brand new Rolex watch. ...Well, relatively so.

She pointedly refused to look over at Kikyou, so she had no idea if Kikyou was looking back.

But then of course, her estranged older sister made it clear that she wanted to dance, and so there was no keeping her out of Kagome’s peripheral.

How did she find out where we were going? Sango’s right; this is no coincidence. Kikyou just announced a new movie this morning, and if there’s one thing she knows, it’s how to get press attention.

Inuyasha seemed to be thinking the same thing as she was, because he watched Kikyou laughingly get spun around by the poor idiot she’d convinced to date her with a very suspicious glare.

“I can’t stand this bullshit,” Sango spat, now well into her third strong drink of the evening.

“You and me both, babe.” Miroku had his mouth full of some overpriced appetizer and was chewing thoughtfully.

Sango set her glass down and placed both palms on the tabletop, as if she could take no more. “Houshi, c’mon,” she muttered, “We’re dancing.”

Miroku swallowed, looking like she’d just told him she was, in fact, an alien from Mars. “Sango, babe, you don’t dance. You’ve insisted that to me about twenty-three thousand, one hundred fifty times since we got married.”

“I dance now,” she hissed, glaring over at the back of Kikyou’s head, “Right now. How else am I gonna trip this bitch and make her wipe out on the dance floor?”

“I love you so much,” Miroku said, throwing down his napkin and following her out of the booth.

Kagome gave a muted smile at Inuyasha, who in return leaned over and kissed her. “You’re still having fun, right?” he murmured, so close she could feel his breath ghosting over her lips, “I know it’s not our normal sort of date night, but I figured once in a blue moon we could be hoity-toity celebrity people, you know?”

“It is fun,” she insisted, brushing his bangs out of his face lovingly. “I promise I’m having a great time.”

He didn’t look certain, and she knew he was worried. It was adorable. He was such a teddy bear underneath it all.

“I was gonna ask you to dance, of course,” he said, flicking his head back toward the dance floor behind them, “but I’m sure you don’t want to open that whole can of worms, right?”

“That can of worms was never fully closed in the first place,” Kagome said, once again letting herself settle against his shoulder, “I don’t know if it ever will be. Things are rarely ever that simple in the real world. Life isn’t a blockbuster movie.”

Inuyasha seemed to have no real reply to that, because he just kissed the top of her head and raised his glass to take another sip.

And for some reason, when Kagome saw the glum expression on his face that he was trying so desperately to hide for her sake, she felt her resolve turn to steel once again.

She nudged him, and he nearly choked on an ice cube.

“Oops, sorry!” She couldn’t help the laugh as she reached up with a napkin to wipe the whiskey off his chin.

“What gives?” he grumbled, “Trying to kill me, I see.”

“No, I don’t have any extra life insurance on you. Well, actually, the one policy we do have is more than enough. I could live for the rest of my days quite comfortably. Hey, let’s go dance!”

“Very funny.”

“I’m serious, let’s fucking do it.”

Inuyasha quirked an eyebrow at her. He wasn’t buying what she was selling, clearly. “You know she’s going to see us and try to make a thing of it,” he said slowly, “Why give her the opportunity?”

“I have a plan. One that doesn’t involve tripping her, as tempting as Sango’s idea was.”

“Babe, I know you’re on a mission from Satan right now,” Miroku said softly into her ear, “but could you at least stop with that terrifying expression on your face? And also maybe look at me instead, so we can enjoy our romantic dance and you won’t keep stomping all over my feet with those spike heels.”

Sango blinked away from where she was glaring daggers at Kikyou over Miroku’s shoulder and looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. “I’m just marking the territory here.”

“That makes it sound like you’re a dog going to the - “

“Houshi?”

“Yes, Mrs. Houshi?”

“Shut up.”

“Okay, but you’re getting twirled in three, two, one…”

“Wait, what?” Sango stumbled as he sent her spinning under his arm. “Houshi, cut it out, I’m trying to be intimidating here!” She caught herself roughly using his arms to brace herself and resumed her death glare over his shoulder. “Oh, good, she saw me. I want her to know we know she knows we’re here.”

“Run that last sentence by me again?” Miroku sighed, leaning in to plant a quick kiss on his wife’s temple.

“I said I want her to know we know she knows - oh, never mind.” Sango’s mind was clearly elsewhere, but she still leaned forward for another kiss even as she kept her eyes on Kikyou across the dance floor. It’s my animal magnetism, Miroku thought with a smirk. She can’t resist me even now. I am a god among men.

Before Miroku had the chance to whisper something filthy into her ear, her grip on his shoulder suddenly tightened painfully. “Hoooooly shit,” she whispered, pressing her cheek to his, “Kagome and Inuyasha are coming to dance.”

“This should be good.”

“How is this possibly good?”

“Maybe Kagome will punch her like she punched you that one time.”

From his vantage point he could see her ears turn a little pink. “You promised you’d never mention that again, asshole.”

“You know I love you, right?” he laughed.

“I know, dammit. You still suck, though.”

Kagome and Inuyasha had taken a place next to them, in full view of Kikyou. Sango glanced across the floor again, and she could swear she saw Kikyou’s eyes light up even as she pretended to be entirely focused on the poor bastard she’d conned into thinking she was a nice person.

“You guys know she sees you, right?” Sango whispered at them.

“Who cares,” said Kagome dreamily, gazing up at her much-taller husband as he pulled her closer.

“Let her see,” Inuyasha said, clearly on the same page.

Sure enough, Kikyou was starting to be more obvious as she kept her eyes on the couple, even craning her neck around to avoid breaking the gaze a few times.

“What’s she doing?” Miroku asked, still facing away from the entire scene.

“She’s sweating,” Sango said, “She can’t stand it.”

“Ten-four. Okay, twirling again, three, two - “

“Houshi, not again - “

“One!”

“Dammit, you are the worst when I’m trying to concentrate!”

The song ended, and all the dancers on the floor paused to applaud the band, who took a brief bow and waved their thanks before breaking into a faster, swing-style number.

It seemed Kikyou was relishing the growing whispers and points from the rest of the clubgoers, and the opportunity was too hard to pass up, so she steered her poor date closer. Close enough to where they were dancing right beside Kagome and Inuyasha.

The targets in question, however, were pointedly ignoring her. They were spinning around quickly, Kagome’s movements a little clumsy and inexperienced, Inuyasha being the stalwart teacher and helping her through it. They were laughing and happy and clearly lost in each other’s eyes. It was a true Hallmark moment. The stuff of greeting cards and terribly-plotted Christmas movies.

“They are so fucking cute, by the way,” she whispered into Miroku’s ear.

“You say that all the time.”

“It’s true, though. Oh, god, here she goes.” Sango couldn’t help it, she stopped still and quit her imitation of dancing altogether.

There was a thumping sound as Miroku stumbled. “Really, Sango?”

“Shhhh!” She held tightly onto him.

“Kagome?”

Kagome fought back the snort of laughter. Here we go. She sent Inuyasha a wink, and he smirked.

They both kept dancing, and Inuyasha twirled her around to face Kikyou for just a moment before spinning her back inward toward him.

Kikyou stood there, exuding an aura of meek kindness and humility, clasping her hands in front of her with an overjoyed smile on her face.

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” she said, blinking innocently, “I’ve missed you.”

Kagome didn’t answer, just kept looking up into her husband’s face with a fond smile.

“I get asked about you two all the time.” Kikyou kept plugging away. “I always tell people that I’m so happy for you both. And for your two kids. I’d love to meet them someday.”

There was an angry flash in Inuyasha’s eyes at the mention of Axel and Mimi, and Kagome quelled it by leaning up to kiss him. Then she craned her neck to glance at Kikyou.

“Nope!” she said brightly.

Kikyou’s smiling facade slipped only briefly before she recovered. “Are we really going to keep this going forever, Kagome? Mom wouldn’t be happy that you’re being so unforgiving. No matter what, we’re still family.”

Kagome grinned even wider. “Nope!”

Inuyasha pressed his lips together to keep from laughing as he pulled her closer again.

Kikyou’s smile faded for real this time. “I just want a relationship with you two, whatever it might be. And with your beautiful children.”

Of course you do. You want to play the doting aunt, the martyr of a failed relationship who was magnanimous enough to bury the hatchet. In full view of the paparazzi cameras, of course.

“Nope!”

“So it’s like that.” Kikyou apparently was going to try for the pity route now. She closed her eyes sadly, heaving a gentle sigh. “Well, I can at least give you my number, and you can call me if you ever change your mind.”

Inuyasha pulled Kagome over the crook of his arm and dipped her low, leaning over her body to come face-to-face with Kikyou. The first time they’d been face-to-face since...well, Kagome couldn’t remember, but it was definitely before she and Inuyasha had gotten married eight years ago.

He gave Kikyou his best, most charming smile, the smile that Kagome had witnessed firsthand sending a crowd of fangirls into shrieks and fainting spells. Kikyou’s sadness faded immediately, as her public moods seemed to do all too often, and she smiled warmly back.

Can’t appeal to me so you’re gonna try my husband instead. Classy.

Inuyasha kept the smile going for another few seconds, and then opened his mouth to speak. Kikyou seemed to visibly hold her breath, sure that her charms were working.

“Nope.” And the smile widened into a perhaps-overly-satisfied grin.

The hopeful, beaming look on Kikyou’s lovely face once again was wiped away. All the friendly facade was gone, and her face pinched in anger.

“Fine. Enjoy your life with my husband, Kagome.”

Inuyasha gave an exaggerated expression of confusion as he looked down at Kagome. “Um,” he called after Kikyou’s quickly retreating back, “I’m her husband.” He touched the tip of his finger to Kagome’s nose, and she burst into laughter. He followed suit, still looking bewildered.

“No, but really,” he said through his laughter, looking down at her from his far greater height, “I did marry you, right? I’m not just dreaming, or high, or drunk, or - “

“You married me,” Kagome said with a loving smile.

“Thank god. She just called me her fucking husband and I thought maybe all of the last eight years had been some sort of weird perfect dream.”

“She wanted the movie star,” Kagome said, leaning up to kiss him, “I wanted the man.”

“Sango, babe, you gotta stand up, I can’t hold you up much longer!”

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA - “

Oh god, Miroku thought, struggling to pull his wife to her feet as she doubled over in loud, obnoxious laughter, they broke her. She broke.

“I’m gonna be so sore in the morning,” Kagome whispered as she gently kicked off her high heels, “How you manage to walk around in these every day will always mystify me, Sango.”

“Pain is weakness leaving the body,” Sango whispered back, though Kagome didn’t miss the happy sigh she gave when her bare feet were planted firmly on the tile floor.

“What time is it, Inuyasha?” Kagome leaned back into her husband’s chest, now once again a full head shorter than him.

He checked his Rolex. “Three am.”

“Everyone’s probably asleep, then. I’m sure Kanna and Kohaku are too. I guess it all went alright here?”

Inuyasha smirked as he glanced around the dimly-lit living room. “I don’t see anything on fire,” he said, “Small victories.”

“I’m beat,” Miroku mumbled, “Where are you putting us up for the night?”

“East wing, anywhere,” Kagome replied. “Find a bedroom. They’re all ready to go.”

“Why you people need this many rooms in a house with five people in it, I’ll never know.”

“So we can host freeloaders like you,” Inuyasha retorted, his hand reaching around Kagome’s shoulder to tuck her hair behind her ear.

“Ah, that’s fair.” Miroku slipped an arm around Sango’s waist and bent to lift her in his arms, bridal-style. She clearly wasn’t ready for it and let out a squeak of surprise, fighting him off. “Ow, Sango, ow, ow, please stop, my back isn’t what it used to be and you’re making this harder - “

“Put me down, Houshi! What the hell are you thinking?” Sango was obviously still trying very hard to whisper.

“It’s Valentine’s Day. Gotta be all romantic and shit. Gotta seduce you. Are you seduced yet?”

“Oh for fuck’s sake - “

“Just let me do this, please. If I put you down now it’ll be like I gave up.”

“...Fine.”

Kagome bit her lip, fighting back even more laughter as Sango gave an embarrassed little half-wave over Miroku’s shoulder, and they disappeared down the hallway.

“He knows how big our house is, right?” Kagome leaned back and whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

“He’ll remember in a few seconds.” Inuyasha flashed that trademark smirk of his once again. “Well, now I feel like I should carry you to our bedroom. Because it’s farther. And I want to win.”

Kagome snorted. “Let’s do it.”

He bent to lift her, but she shrugged out of his grasp and ducked around behind him, jumping onto his back and linking her arms around his shoulders.

“I know I always say this,” he said with a laugh as they started down the hall toward the master bedroom, “but I’m so glad you’re a shrimp of a human being.”

They passed through the threshold and closed the door, and then he paused, facing their bed with her still linked around his back. Kagome was just about to try and lower herself into a standing position when suddenly, Inuyasha bent forward at the waist, using his hands to flip her over his head and onto the bedspread. “SUPLEX!”

Kagome shrieked with laughter as she landed in an unceremonious heap on the soft bed covers. “Now I know where Axel gets it! It wasn’t Ayame corrupting him at all, it was his dad the whole time!”

Inuyasha smirked at her devilishly as he slid onto the bed after her, crouching over her, his lips just brushing hers. “At least I didn’t throw you into a wall.”

“If you did I would destroy you.”

“Oh, I’m scared.”

“I’m serious,” she said, leaning up to give him a kiss even as she was still shaking with laughter, “I’m talking scorched earth. Not even a body to bury.”

He took her face in both hands and pulled her in to deepen the kiss, and she tangled her fingers in his long silvery hair.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Kiddo,” he murmured when they parted to catch their breath.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Jerkface.”

“Dad,” Axel said at breakfast the next morning, “Did the Purry-tans really kill a lot of witches?”

The crowded breakfast table all paused mid-bite, except for Kanna, naturally, and Inuyasha nearly choked into his morning coffee.

“The who, honey?” Kagome asked, gently brushing an affectionate hand over her son’s hair.

“The Purry-tans. Like in the movie.”

Inuyasha gave a pointed gaze down to the other end of the table, where Kanna was on her third bowl of Froot Loops cereal and showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. Miroku and Sango and Kagome all exchanged wide-eyed glances.

“What movie?” Inuyasha asked, still giving Kanna the stare-down of the century.

“‘The Crucible,’” Kanna replied matter-of-factly, “You said nothing scary, so I went with educational instead.”

“Aren’t people shown being executed in that movie?”

“Yes,” Kanna said, as next to her, Kohaku looked about ready to slide under the table in mortification, “Just as they were in the historical record.”

“So it really did happen?” Axel asked insistently. “It seems like an awful way to die.”

“It was indeed,” Kanna answered him. “A great injustice, in my opinion.”

Inuyasha planted both elbows on the table and smushed his hands over his face, mumbling something that sounded like “God dammit, Kanna.”

“What did you say, Dad?”

“N-Nothing. Finish your breakfast, kid.”

THAT’S IT! Hope you like it Lia! <3 Also tagging @dyaz-stories because she also was a very faithful and amazing follower of this story. I don’t know who else to tag because honestly I don’t actually know if any of the rest of y’all have read it lol OH ALSO @cstorm86 I SAW THAT YOU READ IT TOO

#fanfiction #inukag #valentines day #the it couple #this was honestly so fun #like coming home to my comedic roots #if you're wondering why they don't want to talk to kikyou #it's a long story #trust me she's the worst

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silverfootstepswrites · 6 years

Text

Equinox: Spring [4]

As Old Pines continued to thaw, green crept back over the town’s limits. Little shoots began poking up all over the yard. The hard little buds that formed at the tips of branches began to swell and open. And Sakura knew that spring was really here when she spotted bees hovering over the early flowers scattered around town.

The welcome mat she had used during the winter was crusted with salt and dried mud. A thorough scrub and washing did little to help. She headed to the home improvement store just outside town. And in the parking lot, she spotted Kiba carrying a stack of huge plastic totes.

“Hey!” Kiba yelled. Sakura watched as he ran to his truck to dump his purchases in the back. And then he sprinted over to sweep her up in his arms.

Sakura couldn’t help but laugh. “Hi, Kiba,” she replied.

“I haven’t seen you in a while. Avoiding me again?” asked Sakura.

He began shaking his head, which shook her too. She slapped his shoulder.

“Sorry,” Kiba said, lowering her back down to the ground, “But no way! I’ve just been swamped with work lately.” His eyes lit up as he glanced back at his truck.

“Actually, it’s not too busy right now. Let’s run away and have a quick brunch?” he suggested, checking his watch.

“…You’re the boss, Kiba. You shouldn’t be playing hooky,” she pointed out.

Thumbs slipping into the loops of his belt, Kiba smiled. “Why? You gonna rat me out? And turn down eggs benedict?” he asked.

“Hell no. Let me buy my stuff and let’s go eat,” Sakura agreed, hooking her arm through his.

The cheese and wine fundraiser was a dull affair. That didn’t surprise Sakura at all. Itachi had sort of guaranteed that.

At least Itachi looked sharp in his navy blue suit. He was fiddling with his tie when he picked her up at the salon. One of the assistants at the salon whispered that her date was here.

“He’s good looking, Bunny,” she reported.

Sakura winked at her. “Wouldn’t be my date if he wasn’t,” Sakura whispered in response. They giggled.

Sakura entered the waiting room and caught Itachi tugging at his teal tie. There were light purple flowers scattered across the fabric.

“That’s heinous,” Sakura told him. He froze mid-tug, elbow still up in the air.

“Hey, Hinata, what do you have that goes with a navy suit?” Sakura called over her shoulder. In the distance, she heard Hinata yell back, “Be right there!”

Sakura crossed the room to grasp his tie. She began undoing the knot, the silk swishing against itself.

“Hi,” Itachi said.

Sakura paused. She looked up into his eyes. He wasn’t charmed. His gaze was alert. In fact, he looked a little shocked.

“Hi,” she replied as she continued working on his tie. She managed to smooth it out. With one deft tug, she pulled the tie out from under the collar of his shirt. She folded it before tucking it into the pocket of his jacket.

“You look… wow…” Itachi trailed off.

Sakura glanced at his face again. Her expression warmed. “Thank you. And you will too… in a second,” she responded.

A few moments later, Hinata walked in with several silk ties draped over her arms. She brought them over to Sakura for inspection.

“I like this one,” Sakura said, pointing to one in deep emerald. Hinata frowned.

“You just like the color green, Bunny. I think with his olive complexion, this one is a better fit,” Hinata suggested, holding a silver one up near Itachi’s face. Then she held the dark green one up.

“You’re right. Silver it is. Thank you, Hina,” Sakura agreed.

Itachi bent his head so that she could loop the tie around his neck. She began knotting it with ease. She could feel his eyes on her face the entire time that she worked. Even when she stepped aside so that he could look in the mirror, his gaze followed her instead.

“There. Isn’t that nice?” she asked, dusting off his shoulders and straightening the lapels of his jacket.

“Yeah. It is,” Itachi answered, still looking right at her.

She smiled.

Itachi made the rounds to greet his bosses and his coworkers when they got to the fundraiser. Just a little fashionably late. She kept her mouth shut, though. No sense in drawing more attention than she needed to. When Itachi introduced her, she just smiled and shook hands.

Sakura recognized several faces around the room too. Or, at least, she could smell and see the faint aura around the fairies. One of the servers looked right at her, eyes glinting gold for an instant. Another half-siren. They nodded at each other in passing.

“Look what the cat dragged in.”

Sakura turned. Her arm slipped from Itachi’s, eyes lighting up.

“Genma,” she greeted him. They exchanged kisses on the cheek.

“Finally, some real personality at this party,” Genma sighed.

“Genma, don’t be rude,” she warned him. He rolled his eyes at her reproach. But the lazy smile returned to his face as he noticed Itachi over her shoulder. Genma reached his hand out.

“Hadn’t seen you in a while, Itachi. Thought you took a stake to the heart or something,” Genma joked. Itachi grasped his hand.

“Clever,” Itachi replied, giving a half-smile. Sakura noticed the way Itachi looked at her out of the corners of his eyes. She took a half-step back, pressing up against his side. She nudged his arm with her elbow.

“Still doing the commute from Old Pines? That’s rough,” Genma commented.

“Just on the weekends. I’m renting a place closer to the office during the week,” Itachi replied. Itachi moved his hand to rest on Sakura’s shoulder.

Genma’s eyes followed the movement. The corner of his mouth quirked up. “Relax, compadre. Sakura and I aren’t like that. No need to get all alpha male,” Genma told him. He grabbed a glass of wine off the tray of a passing waiter.

“But be careful. Helen of Troy wasn’t and look what happened,” he added. He clapped Itachi on the shoulder before he excused himself to start another conversation.

“…Was Helen of Troy a siren?” whispered Itachi as they moved toward the bar.

“Of course,” she replied. Sakura grabbed his hand off her shoulder and moved it to her waist.

“Anyway, this party definitely sucks. Shots?” she then suggested.

Itachi dumped the rest of his wine out in a potted plant as they walked past. Sakura tried to stifle her laughter.

They stayed for the silent auction because, according to Itachi, his bosses would leave right after. And once they were gone, he was free to slip away too. As soon as the stuffy suits began to move to the door, Sakura and Itachi crept out through another exit. Giggling in the cool night, they strode out of the pretentious bar.

Sakura rubbed her stomach as they waited at a red light. She leaned against Itachi as she fixed the strap of her right shoe.

“Ugh. The hors d'oeuvres weren’t even worth stealing. I’m starving,” she complained. She straightened. Itachi handed her clutch back to her. And then he was on his phone, typing away and scrolling. The light changed. The people around them surged forward, but Itachi’s eyes remained glued to his screen. Sakura pulled on his arm and began guiding him across the street.

“Watch the curb,” she said.

“Thanks,” he replied, hopping up on the sidewalk.

Halfway down the block, he tilted his screen toward her.

“Burgers and milkshakes?” he suggested. He had pulled up the menu of a diner just a few blocks away. She hugged his arm a little tighter to her chest.

“Perfect,” she declared.

The waitress did a double-take when they walked in in their fancy clothes. Sakura’s diamond earrings glittered, swaying back and forth as she walked. Itachi’s Italian leather shoes clacked against the scratched linoleum. Sakura smiled as they walked up to the waitress.

“Two, please,” she requested, holding up the right number of fingers.

The girl took a second. And then she smiled too. “Uh. Sure. Right this way.” She grabbed two laminated menus before she guided them to a booth in the back, right up against the windows.

Itachi flipped the menu, heading straight for the desserts and drinks section.

“Ooh. Cheeeeeeseburger,” Sakura read, stretching the word out. Itachi snickered.

They didn’t say anything to each other until the waitress arrived to take their order.

Sakura lowered her menu to look at Itachia cross the table. “Are you getting a milkshake?” she questioned.

“Strawberry,” he confirmed. The waitress scribbled that down on her notepad.

“Cool. So I’m going to steal a sip of that. And I’ll have a cheeseburger. Can I get the fries extra crispy, please?” Sakura asked, smiling at the waitress again. The girl nodded, her ponytail bouncing. “And a diet coke. No ice, please. Thank you so much,” Sakura added, handing the menu over.

The girl read the order back to Sakura, who confirmed it. Taking Itachi’s menu, the waitress went to hand the order over to the kitchen.

“I never said I’d share that milkshake,” Itachi spoke up.

Sakura smirked at him. She heard the note of teasing in his voice. Clasping her hands together, she leaned across the table toward him.

“Oh generous and handsome Itachi, will you please let me have some of your sacred milkshake?” she pleaded.

“Sure,” Itachi responded.

They laughed.

“You know, I never would’ve guessed you were like this. I’m so glad you’re not all starry-eyed anymore,” she sighed, leaning back in the booth. The vinyl padding squished under her weight. Itachi tilted his head to one side.

“Yeah, it’s kind of nice to be able to string sentences together. You seriously turned my brain to mush for a while,” he remarked. And then, he added, looking at her, “Not that it was on purpose. I get it.”

They passed the time mocking the awfulness of the event they had just attended. Everything from the main MC’s lisp to the sub-par quality of the bacon-wrapped shrimp.

“I think some boxed wine and some slices of American cheese would’ve been fine,” Itachi told her. Sakura snorted a little into her water.

The waitress arrived a little while later with their orders. The burger buns glistened with melted butter. Sakura squeezed one of the fries, watching just a little bit of oil gleam on her fingertips. She spun her plate so that Itachi could easily reach her fries too.

She let out a moan as she took her first bite of the burger.

“Good?” Itachi asked.

“I take it back. All my suffering was worth this one burger,” she told him. Itachi smiled as he dunked a fry into plenty of ketchup.

They demolished the food in no time. Sakura leaned back in her seat a little, glad that she was wearing shapewear under her dress. The spandex was doing a good job of hiding her food baby.

She made a grabbing motion for Itachi’s milkshake. He pushed it over to her but took her soda in exchange. She didn’t protest.

“This place is really good. But the best burgers are right by our studio. $5. Instant food coma,” she declared. She took a slurp of the strawberry milkshake.

Itachi held up one of the last french fries and wagged it at her.

“No. The best burgers are on 14th and Central. And you have to get the fries with malt vinegar,” Itachi protested.

“You don’t even eat burgers,” she pointed out, snatching the fry out of his fingers. She gobbled it down.

“They have vegetarian burgers,” he said. She made a face.

“Look, everyone’s got their preferences. I acknowledge that. Just like I need you to acknowledge that you’re wrong and I’m right,” she stated, tapping the table with her pointer finger. Itachi scoffed. He took a slurp of her soda.

“Best dessert on 3,” he demanded.

“Fine. 1, 2, 3-”

“Matcha parfaits in Chinatown,” Sakura announced.

“Chocolate donuts and coffee at Henry’s,” Itachi said at the same time.

They eyed each other. After a while, Itachi asked:

“Agree to disagree?”

“Yeah,” sighed Sakura. She stirred the straw in the remains of the milkshake.

“Should’ve guessed you only went to all those trendy spots. Since you have bamboo blinds in your apartment,” she muttered.

“Hey. There’s nothing wrong with liking different things. I bet I could take you to a bunch of places you’d love,” answered Itachi.

“Well… then show me your city,” Sakura suggested as he took a sip of her diet coke. An odd look crossed his face. He lifted his head.

“It’s the same city, Sakura,” he laughed.

“Okay, Uptown,” she snorted, tossing him a napkin. “Show me what you got.”

They paid for their dinner. This time, Itachi called an Uber for them, punching in an address that Sakura didn’t recognize. Itachi double-checked the website on the ride over.

Sakura gasped as they got off in front of a whiskey bar. She could see string lights wrapped around the rafters. Someone at the bar ordered a drink that was served in a lightbulb. She turned to point at Itachi. “You’re a hipster!”

“I resent that label,” Itachi answered.

“Just what a hipster would say,” she whispered. They burst into laughter as Itachi opened the door for her. Because hipster or not, any excuse to drink in a cute bar was fine by her.

The hostess led them onto the fenced-in patio. It was chilly, but the heat lamps near each table kept things at a comfortable temperature. Sakura sat back as Itachi ordered flights for each of them. He asked questions about the age of each drink and the type of wood used in each barrel. Sakura didn’t pay much attention. That sort of stuff didn’t really interest her.

“Is it socially acceptable to get drunk here?” she wondered.

“Absolutely,” answered Itachi.

An hour later, the tip of her tongue felt a little numb. Sakura leaned closer to Itachi, elbows resting on the table. She pushed her hair to one side of her neck before she turned to look at him. She actually felt a little warm. One of the whiskeys had honey in the name somewhere. And she had liked it so much that she had ordered a glass of just that. It filled her with a rosy glow, kind of like sitting next to the fireplace on a cold night.

“Not bad,” she admitted.

“Yeah?” Itachi smiled.

“Yeah,” she replied.

She remembered giggling as she leaned against Itachi when she got to her feet. His arm was warm as it wrapped around her. When she complained that it was cold, he took his jacket off and draped it around her. She also recalled talking with him about how she wasn’t that drunk. And when he tried to call her an Uber, she complained about not wanting to go home. He asked if there was a friend she could stay with. She suddenly couldn’t remember the friend’s name, but she pulled the contact up on her phone.

When she woke up, she was sprawled across Temari’s sofa. Temari sat on the arm of it. She was slapping Sakura’s foot, which was probably what had woken her in the first place. Temari was already dressed and had a full face of makeup on.

“You messy, messy bitch,” Temari remarked, shaking her head.

Sakura sat up. Itachi’s jacket flopped off her, falling into her lap.

“Did I throw up?” asked Sakura.

“Yeah. But you made it to the toilet. So I’m not mad,” Temari told her.

Sakura groaned, hands pressing to her forehead. “In front of him?”

“No. After he left,” Temari replied. And then she patted Sakura’s foot a few more times.

“I like him. Seems like a decent guy. What is he? Fairy?” Temari went on.

“Vampire,” Sakura corrected.

“Huh.”

“Anyway, wash up and get dressed. I’ll give you a ride to the office,” Temari ordered her. When Sakura didn’t stir, Temari shoved her off the sofa. Sakura landed with a thud on the rug.

“Tem,” Sakura called.

“Hm?”

“I probably shouldn’t be saying this after you let me crash at your place, but I hate you right now.”

“That’s fine. Hurry up so we can get breakfast. I’ll buy.”

There was a pause. “I love you,” Sakura amended.

“That’s more like it,” Temari chuckled.

Temari was close enough to her size that Sakura could borrow her clothes. Temari was taller than her, but Sakura just rolled up the cuffs of the jeans she borrowed.

They walked into the office an hour later, Sakura wearing sunglasses and chowing down on a glazed donut. They managed to slip into Temari’s usual studio without running into anyone. Temari tried to turn the lights on, but Sakura shut them right off. Temari sighed. She sat in front of the computer and logged in.

“If you’re not too hungover, Ernest Hemingway, you mind listening to something for me?” she requested.

Sakura sighed. “Yeah. Just don’t ask me to run a marathon.”

Sakura closed her eyes, leaning her head back as she listened. When the clip ended, she asked Temari to play it again. This time, she folded her hands across her stomach. Tapped her fingers every once in a while. The third time, Sakura mimed drumming out a few rhythms. Temari watched her, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

But before Temari could hit the replay button again, Sakura got to her feet. She slipped into the recording booth. Moving the electric guitar someone had left to the side, Sakura sat at the electric drums. These were a little different than the ones she had at home, but she had used them before. She picked up the drumsticks, twirling them in her hands to limber up her muscles. Temari watched her through the window. When Sakura made a circle with her pointer finger, Temari played the audio again.

Sakura banged out a couple different rhythms, just to get a feel for what sounded right. And then she settled on an old funk rhythm she had once heard somewhere. Temari’s face lit up.

“Ooh. Let’s do another one. Can you do something more New Orleans style?” Temari asked through the intercom. Sakura gave her a thumbs up.

She ran through different styles until she settled on one that really seemed to click.

“Hey, Tem, I thin-” As Sakura looked up, she realized that Temari wasn’t alone anymore. Tobirama stood next to her, one hand on his hip.

“What if you play in double-time at the beginning of the second verse?” he suggested.

“…Won’t that sound messy?” Sakura wondered.

“Well, let’s try it. If it sucks, whatever,” answered Tobirama, shrugging one shoulder.

Sakura’s eyes moved from Tobirama to Temari. Temari cringed.

“Uh… I’m gonna… go to the bathroom,” Temari excused herself. Tobirama nodded once at her before he looked back at Sakura.

“Can I come in?” he asked.

“Do whatever you want,” she retorted, turning away from him.

There was a pause. And then the heavy door opened. He picked the guitar out of the stand that she had ignored. He slipped his head through the strap and strummed out a couple chords. And then he plucked out a melody. Something dreamy and a little floaty. He bent over to adjust the knobs on the amp and then tuned a couple of the strings.

When Tobirama resumed the melody, Sakura sat and listened for a while. Her drumsticks were still.

“Is that new?” she inquired, not looking at him.

“Yeah.”

“It’s pretty.”

“Yeah.”

He kept playing. And eventually her fingers began to itch. She played out a simple beat. Drumsticks bouncing off the pads. But in the middle of a measure, her hands faltered. Tobirama continued playing for another measure. And then he went quiet too.

Sakura tightened her grip on the drumsticks.

“Can you start again? From the top?” she requested.

“Yeah,” answered Tobirama as he started strumming again.

#writing #equinox #equinox: spring #multisaku #kibasaku #itasaku #tobisaku

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shamelessly4shameless-blog · 7 years

Text

Another Way (pt 6)

Ian wakes at five am and sits up. He listens intently but can’t hear anyone else moving around. He moves into the kitchen and finds a tub of coffee, adding a generous scoop to the peculator and flicking the switch on. It makes a groaning noise and Ian winces. He doesn’t want to wake anyone up, especially not Mickey.

Once the cheap, dark coffee is brewed, Ian pours a cup and leans back against the counter. He can’t stay here and he can’t go home. He has no money, no job, no purpose. He’s never been worth much, a Gallagher from South Side is worth about as much as anyone else from South Side, but the army was supposed to be his way out, his way to make himself and his life count for something.

Now it’s fucked.

Ian wonders what it is that he actually has to offer and the answer is very little. He knows Mickey cares for him, but what use is that to either of them? Mickey is married with a kid on the way and what he does for money … Ian realises he has no idea what Mickey does for money. He didn’t even think to ask about Mickey at all. Once he knew he was still married, Ian had pretty much shut his mind off from wanting to ask anything else and of course Mickey wouldn’t volunteer the information! The guy never thinks to talk about himself, barely seems to register that he is an actual person with thoughts and feelings ... fuck! Ian hangs his head and breathes deeply. No, he definitely can’t stay here.

He’s heard about under-age guys getting work in Boys Town and if nothing else the army has given him a decent body… He drains his coffee cup and makes a decision. Maybe it’s the caffeine but now that Ian is more awake, he feels consumed with energy.

His mind is racing with possibility and he imagines owning his own club, he could call it ‘Firecrotch’ Mickey would like that! Maybe he could visit! Ian’s thoughts swing around the maypole of that idea for a couple of minutes as he tugs his boots on and he realises he is grinning a full, heady smile that makes him feel amazing.

He considers waking Mickey up to tell him the good news, that Ian has managed to find a new path in life less than twenty-four hours of losing his old one, and if that isn’t luck, Ian doesn’t know what is.

He pours a cup of coffee and eases Mickey’s bedroom door open. Svetlana is breathing deeply, buried under quilts, her back to her husband who is facing the door, lips sweetly parted in sleep, his hand curled up by his chin like a little kid.

Ian’s heart squeezes tight and he can’t bring himself to wake him. Instead he puts the coffee down beside the bed and kisses one delicately structured cheekbone.

“Thank you for saving me.”

He whispers and creeps back out of the room. It is a brand new day and Ian feels incredible … invincible. He leaves the Milkovich house and heads down town, it’s a long way but Ian doesn’t care. He can run it and he does, laughing at the sheer perfection of the morning and all within it. He waves to crack heads in alleys and calls out to shopkeepers setting up for the day. He gets to Boys Town just before six am and approaches three men smoking outside one of the brightly painted doors.

They look him up and down as he explains that he is looking for work and then one of them, a blond guy with a natty little beard, tells him to come to the White Swallow at 7pm and ask for Roger. Ian shakes all their hands and promises to be there.

He doesn’t have anything else to do for the morning so he just wanders around Chicago, smiling.

Mickey does not wander round Chicago smiling. In fact Mickey does quite the fucking opposite. He rages. Internally and externally. He woke up that morning to a half-remembered sensation of being kissed on the cheek and had a smile on his face for all of three seconds before he swung his legs out of bed and kicked over a mug of luke-warm coffee.

About a minute after that, he realised that Ian was gone and his day went rapidly downhill from there.

By lunch time he had worked himself up into such a fury that he is glad Gallagher is gone because if Mickey had found him, he’d have likely killed him. Even Svetlana stays out of his way when she senses his mood and wisely keeps her happiness at Ian’s disappearance to herself.

“He say anything to you? Anything at all?”

He demands of Mandy for the third time and it is only the frantically hopeless look on her brother’s face that stops her going into her own temper tantrum at the constant badgering.

“No. Okay? He didn’t say anything to me at all. Quit asking me.”

“Well somebody has gotta know where the fuck he went! Why the fuck does no one know?”

Mickey yells, turning away from Mandy to kick a kitchen chair across the room.

“Oh, great! Nice one, Mickey!”

Mandy snaps at him as two of the legs fly in separate directions and the battered thing topples over. She stomps past him to see if it can be fixed and mutters

“Try looking outside of the house maybe.”

“Do you have something to fuckin’ say to me?”

Mickey whirls to face her, chest puffed out and arms held wide. Mandy knows he isn’t going to hit her but the posturing finally makes her lose her own temper

“Yeah. Get out of this shitty house and look for your fuckin’ boyfriend...”

“Hey! I don’t know what the fuck you’re ...”

“Don’t play dumb with me, asshole. Ian left the first time because of you and I don’t know why he left this time but you’re not gonna know either unless you get out there and look!”

“I went and got him once already! This is not my problem...”

“Ugh. Nothing is ever your problem. Make Ian your problem or stop throwing a fuckin’ hissy fit over it.”

Mandy points a finger in her brother’s face

“And stop trashing the house. You’re not the only person who lives here.”

Mickey purses his lips and glares after her retreating back. He considers smashing another chair but as that is unlikely to move his day along he decides against it.

It’s not that he minds Ian going his own way, it is the lack of any sort of good bye and a niggling sensation that Mickey had all day yesterday that Gallagher wasn’t right. Obviously he was stressed as shit by the pricks at basic training but it was more than that it was … fuck. Mickey can’t say exactly what it was but it was enough that it is really concerning him now.

He paces back and forth like a caged bear in a zoo for a couple of minutes and then grabs his smokes and his keys and heads over to the Gallaghers.

Fiona opens the door and internally cringes.

“Hi Mickey.”

“Is Ian here?”

Fiona ignores the rude lack of preamble and folds her arms. She isn’t Mickey Milkovich’s biggest fan but he looks tired and upset and he’s wearing a smart black button down that actually looks pretty clean. She hasn’t seen him for a while but the kid looks like he’s trying to get his shit together.

“No, he hasn’t been home for weeks.”

“I brought him back from the army yesterday. I thought he’d be here.”

“You …? The army?”

Fiona grabs Mickey’s arm and tugs him roughly inside.

“Explain.”

“What?”

Mickey looks pointedly at her hand but Fiona doesn’t let go.

“How did you find him?”

Mickey shakes her off and gives her a disapproving frown, smoothing the sleeve of his shirt before deigning to answer and Fiona has to suppress a small smile. Mickey might be the same age as Lip, but he carries himself differently and she can sort of see why Ian, who seems to prefer older men, likes Mickey’s way of being.

“He called me. Said he was in trouble so I went and got him. From Fort Knox.”

“As in Kentucky?”

“Yeah.”

Mickey looks almost embarrassed to admit this but Fiona gives him a surprised nod of respect.

“Okay. Thank you for doing that. What was the trouble?”

“That’s for Ian to tell you if he wants to but listen he don’t seem right. I know we all got things that make us a bit … but he just seems like … I dunno.”

Fiona sighs a little impatiently but gives Mickey a small smile. He’s clearly trying and for someone like him, Fiona is willing to believe that this sort of thing does not come easy. She moves through into the kitchen and holds up the coffee jug in offer. Mickey shakes his head and stuffs his hands into his pockets.

“Can you describe it? Was it like he was high?”

“Yeah, no, it was more like he was zigzagging all over the place. One minute being a dick and the next being … well, more like Ian.”

Mickey rolls his shoulders and scuffs one capped boot across the threadbare carpet. He hates this. It feels like ratting Ian out but it also feels really damn important that someone in Ian’s family know what’s going on. In all honesty it kind of surprised Mickey that Ian hasn’t been home and seemingly hasn’t called. The Gallagher’s always seemed like the damn South Side Ghetto Waltons. ‘Good night John-boy’, ‘Good night alcoholic waster dad’ … all that shit.

“Did he look okay? Eating? Sleeping?”

“Yeah, I mean he got in a fight before I picked him up but we cleaned it up, I fed him and he slept a bit on the drive.”

Mickey rolls his bottom lip between his front teeth and looks up at Fiona with eyes that are dark with worry and for the first time she feels an inkling of liking for the rough kid from down the block. The one she would never let Lip hang out with. The one who used to smell as bad as he looked in his worn out clothes and shit-slinging sneer. A little thug at ten years old and no better at seventeen. Eighteen though? Maybe.

“If I see him, I’ll tell him you’re looking.”

“Thanks. If I give you my cell number you think you could text me? Just let me know he’s home?”

“Sure. Write it down.”

Fiona shoves an old envelope and a slightly chewed pen across the counter and Mickey only gives the chewed end a cursory, revolted glance before picking it up and scribbling his digits down.

“Do you know where he might have gone?”

“Sorry Mickey. I really don’t.”

Fiona pushes her hair back from her face in a sweeping gesture that is at once protective and dismissive and Mickey nods briefly.

“Alright. Well. See ya then.”

He pauses on the sidewalk to light a cigarette and puff a few clouds of fragrant grey smoke into the air around him. He needs to check in on the girls at the Alibi, he can’t just leave that crap up to Kev. The guy is a seven foot of simple minded pussy and Mickey doesn’t trust him not to end up getting ripped off if left alone for too long.

#shameless #shameless us #Another Way fic #ian gallagher #mickey milkovich #ian x mickey #Gallavich

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falloutatthediscofics · 7 years

Text

Smooth Criminal

Description: You’re an FBI agent and Brendon is a fugitive, you hate him but find him attractive, this could mean trouble.

Requested by: anon

*Disclaimer: I do not own the gif above. If it is yours please notify me and I’ll give you credit!

The phone rang out in the silent car waking you from the nap you were taking in your car. The bright screen flashed your partner’s name and you answered.

“We have a new lead on Urie. Are you sure you can handle this on your own? We can send in reinforcements just in case.” The concern evident in their voice.

“I’m good. He won’t suspect anything if it’s just me. I’ll be careful. If I need backup I’ll call in, just don’t send anyone yet.” You assure into the speaker.

“Okay, I’ll send you the location and we’ll be on standby. Good luck.”

Your phone beeped notifying you that the location had been received. You begin your drive to a warehouse about thirty minutes from where you were originally stationed.

You pull up to the abandoned warehouse, putting your gun on your hip and quietly opened the back entrance. You position yourself so that you are able to put up a fight. You hear rustling behind a shelf and quickly turn the corner, only to find a rat. Disgusted, you turn to return to your car but instead you meet face to face with the man himself.

He half smirks ,”Sorry love.” Suddenly one arm is around your waist and the other is holding a cloth to your nose. The vision around your eyes begins to go blurry and you feel yourself slump against the criminal.

// You feel yourself begin to regain your vision but notice that you’re no longer in the warehouse. Instead, you appear to be in a house and you are in a random bedroom. There is a clock on the bedside table that reads 12 pm. The date is 2 days past the day that you were taken. You notice that your weapons have been taken from your belt and you immediately begin to search for a way out. You suddenly realize that the only way out of the box like prison was the door located on the far side of the room.

The handle seemed to be locked from the outside. You immediately begin to search for anything to pick the lock with. The door handle moves and Urie himself steps in.

“Sorry love, but there’s absolutely no way you’re getting out of this one. You see, I run a highly successful company but you and your little agent friends want to come and destroy that for me.” He steps closer, pushes your hair behind your ear and leans in, “I’ve got some news for you baby, I’m not going to let that happen.”

You slap his hand away from your face making him chuckle, “you’re kind of cute when you’re mad.”

“So why did you take me? Why not run away and just leave me behind?” You question.

“Leverage, doll. If I have you, I have them.” He smirked.

“What are you going to do to me if they don’t care? Kill me?” You scoff, half serious.

“You’re one of their top agents, of course they’ll care. If they don’t, oh well. You’re not going to die sweetheart. I’m too intrigued by you to harm you.” He half smiles.

“What do you mean by ‘intrigued’“ You reply, backing away from him as he progresses towards you.

He continues to move forward, backing you up until your back made contact with the cold wall. He caressed your face lightly, “You’re unique, different from the others. Stronger, yet so soft.” He laid a chaste kiss to your cheek before stepping back.

“Put those clothes on, you’ll be joining me for dinner.” He winks, walking out of the room.

As soon as you hear the lock on the other side click, you walk closer to the bed where a black dress lay neatly folded. A tag on the inside reads, ‘if tonight goes well, we’ll see about giving you more freedom. There is hair product and other things in the basket located under the bed. Feel free to use them. -B’

You scoff at the note. You remember your training, ‘do as you are told until you see a moment of opportunity and then fight like hell.’ So, you fix yourself up. The dress is snug, showing off every inch of your figure and he has left bright red heels to accompany it. Your hair is down and your makeup has been done to the best of your ability.

Keys jingle outside of the door and soon Brendon is standing in the room. “Perfect. Now, play nice tonight and we’ll see what we can do about getting some freedom. If you don’t play along, you lose. Your freedom is earned.” He threatened with a smug look.

You roll your eyes and follow him out. He opened a door for you and the cool night air runs up your spine as you step out. He guides you to the black car that sits in the driveway.

During the ride his hand slipped over the console to your leg and you smacked it off multiple times.

“We’re here.” He says, getting out to open your door. “Now, you will not talk to anyone unless you are spoken to. We can’t risk anyone finding out you’re a cop or we’ll both be in trouble.” He spoke lightly, putting his arm out expecting you to latch onto his elbow.

“So basically I’m an accessory?” you roll your eyes.

“Don’t think of it that way sweet heart. You’re here because I want you here. I told the guys I could bring a ‘date’ and they didn’t believe me, so here you are.” He smirked.

“So you brought me here so your ego could remain intact?” you scoff yet again.

“You know, you are very vocal on your opinions. You should work for the government some day.” He sarcastically spoke, taking matters into his own hands and towing you to the front door.

The dinner party dragged on and you had smiled a nodded and played along all night with no opportunity for freedom. You don’t know how he managed to keep his eyes on your every move, but he did. He took note of every drink you had, every time you went to the bathroom and micromanaged every single part of the evening. No escape tonight.

You arrive back to the house that Brendon has been keeping you in. He came around the car and opened the door, this time you accepted his hand as he helped you from the vehicle.

“Since you were well behaved tonight, you have proven to me that you are capable of a little freedom. You will be allowed to roam the house at will. If you attempt escape, that privilege will be revoked.” He demands, but honestly you were so drunk and out of it you couldn’t focus on a word he said.

“You alright love?” He smirked, turning your body to face him.

“I’m f-fine.” you hiccup.

He cupped your face, leaning in “Are you positive?”

You then did something you never in your life thought you would do, you closed the gap between the two of you and kissed him. He kissed back, bringing you closer.

He stopped lightly pushing you away, “You’re drunk. This isn’t right, I’m sorry.”

“Now is the time you decide to start having morals?”

“Good to know your attitude doesn’t disappear with alcohol.” He laughed, helping you into the house. He took you to your bedroom, giving you clothes to sleep in.

You change, everything still confusing and all you know is that you need the warmth of a human next to you. You creep down the long hallway, stopping in front of a door that you assume is Brendon’s knocking lightly.

He comes to the door in boxers and hair slightly messed up, “(Y/n)?”

“Can I stay in here tonight?” you ask, slightly embarrassed.

“Um, y-yeah. Come in.” he stammered as you entered his room.

You climb into the warm bed, layering yourself with blankets as Brendon grabs a pillow and begins to lay in the floor.

“Aren’t you going to come up here?” you ask, tilting your head inquisitively.

“I just figured you would want to sleep alone.” He stated.

“If I wanted a bed all to myself I would have stayed in my own room.”

“Fair enough.”

He got into the bed and you rolled over and curled into his side, head on his chest. You felt him tense up but then soon relax and rest his arm on your lower back. You drifted into a deep sleep, his warmth relaxing you.

~~~

You woke up the next morning, the night before slightly blurry. You felt something stir beneath your head as realization comes crashing in. You were laying on Brendon, in his bed while wearing his t-shirt. You sat up immediately and with that he woke up.

Confused at first, he blinked and then his gravely morning voice spoke softly, “Morning.” He sat up next to you and stretched, going in to kiss you. You placed both hands on his chest and he stopped, a questioning look etched into the skin of his face.

“Last night should have never happened. I am an FBI agent. I can’t betray my agency like that ever again. I could lose my job.” You explain.

“You can’t say that you didn’t enjoy it or that you don’t like me because we both know that to be false. Whether you will admit it or not, you like me and you just won’t accept the fact you might have interest in a ‘criminal’.”

“I never said I didn’t enjoy it. In fact it’s because I might have interest in a criminal that I haven’t completely fought my way out of this house and that also factors into why I can not let myself fall for someone who cares so little.” You huff.

You look up through the curtain of hair in your face and he is closer than anticipated. He slowly pushed the hair behind your ears and looked you in the eye, “I could never do anything to hurt you.”

“You barely even know me.” You say softly.

“Actually, I know quite a bit about you. You think I don’t keep tabs on the people who are trying to arrest me?”

“Fair enough.”

“Stay with me. We can run together.” He begs.

“What about my job? My family?”

“I will let them know you are safe. I won’t let them know about us. I’ll just continue to be the bad guy that captured you.”

“You can’t do that. What if you get caught? You will not only be in prison for your business but also kidnapping. Do you realize how much time that is?”

“I won’t get caught love. Just trust me.” He winked, closing the gap between you.

Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed it<3

A/N: This gif effs me up every time I see it.

XOXO ~Rose

#brendon urie x reader #brendon x reader #brendon urie #brendon urie imagine #Panic! at the Disco #rose #rose writes

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adambstingus · 5 years

Text

People Share 35 Hilarious Habits Their Pets Have And They’re Too Good

We’ve seen dogs being weird and pets bringing home the weirdest of items, so it’s no surprise that our closest (usually) four-legged friends can be really, really bizarre. Some say that pets can be so close to their owners, that they eventually mimic some behavior and we know anything about humans, we know that our own species can have some pretty strange habits. That’s why it doesn’t surprise anyone that pets can be a little… “out there” with their actions. Well, as long as they’re not hurting anyone, we guess? People of Reddit decided to share some of the weirdest, yet harmless habits their pets have, and, let’s be honest, some are pretty darn weird. Scroll down to check them out and don’t forget to comment, as well as vote for your favorites. Oh, and if you have some weird stories of your own, share them with other pandas! (Facebook cover image: sipa)

I am not allowed to get mad, If I yell, raise my voice, or even sound angry my cat pumpkin will get up from wherever she is and run over. She will then mew gently and grab at my arm with her paws while mewing. She pulls my hands to her head and rubs her head on me trying to get me to calm down. It works though so theres that.

Growing up, we had a chocolate lab named Kody. Kody had a few oddities and idiosyncrasies about him. My parents are beer drinkers, and Kody would learn how to open each and every cooler we ever had so that he could eat all of the ice. That dog LOVED ice, he would eat it until he had what we called “brain freezers” or these mini little seizures (he was fine, but it was a weird habit). Another time, Kody was out pooping in the yard and we saw a bunch of cloth coming out of his butt. Turns out, it was an ace bandage that had to be surgically removed. Upon opening his stomach they found a silver dollar, a few bobby pins, the ace bandage and a billiards cue ball. Now, here’s the kicker- we didn’t own a pool table, and our closest neighbor was 5 miles away, who also did not own a pool table. We never did find out where he got that cue ball from. He lived to be 15 years old and passed away peacefully two years ago. Miss you, buddy.

My dog has ‘takeaway’ every time she eats. She won’t stand at her bowl. She stuffs her mouth full of dry food and then sits near me wherever I am, spits out all her food and eats it one bit at a time. When she is finished it she repeats it all.

My pet rat, Doctor, likes to poop when she is hanging from the bars of her cage and making eye contact with me or my fiancee.

She knows it makes us uncomfortable. She don’t care.

My cat likes to shower with me. He will sit and drink the water as it runs until i use shower gel, then he will sit on the edge silently judging me for contaminating our lord water.

I have a giant Maine-coon Siamese mix tomcat. His thing is to bring up laundry from the basement during the night. The weird thing is that he’s pretty good at taking clothes into the right rooms. I don’t know if he does it by smell or what – but it’s pretty normal for me to wake up to a pile of my socks, my daughters some of theirs, etc. He also chirps and meows the entire time he’s making his deliveries – which is pretty funny in and of itself.

My dog can’t go anywhere without his toy. My girlfriend calls it his “girlfriend”. If we go outside he will bring the little stuffed animal with him and drop it somewhere. If we tell him to “go find your girlfriend” he will search frantically for it until it’s found.

#10

My boyfriends cat loves to snuggle up on people’s chests and then slooowly and veeery gently place her paw (with claws out and toes spread) and just .. place it on their mouth.

Does anyone know what the heck she’s trying to get out of this?

#11

My dog can sense when I’m about to fart and will stick his nose near my ass crack to smell it and then run away in disgust after. I have no idea why he continues to do it when it clearly annoys him

#12

#13

My lardass cat has this weird cake infatuation. (Ha ha I know). Not to eat. She likes to lay on them. I can’t count how many cooling cakes I had to throw out because she decided to take a nap on them. I have to hide them somewhere to cool and frost. I also had to buy a solid cake saver because she would lay on my old one and crush the lid into the cake.

My favorite was when my son turned one, we had the unwrapped cake sitting on the counter waiting for cake time, and she tried to lay in it. When I came in to get it all the frosting is pulled off in the center and one pissed off frosting covered cat under my bed.

Yet she still does it.

#14

We have a Great Dane/greyhound mix named Keelah who, on occasion, absolutely must sniff my boyfriend’s belly button. I’ve never seen a dog get so derpy about it before. She’ll jump up and put her paws on his shoulder and stick her nose in his stomach until he gives in and pulls his shirt up so she can sniff. She’s really, really weird.

#15

Our cat pulls my dresser drawer open and sleeps in the socks after he arranges them into a cozy “cat bed” for himself.

#16

Our golden retriever has 3 comfort blankets that he folds and carries around with him.

#17

My SO’s dog, Lola, farts when we enter the car.

Everytime.

#18

My best friend’s kitten (to whom I am a kitten aunt by proxy) has a new habit of running down the stairs at top speed and launching himself onto the sofa.

She swears he’s either going to kill her with a heart attack or he’s going to f**king miss the sofa and go claws-first into her face, and she’s not sure which.

#19

My dog smiles whenever he wants something. He started showing his teeth when he got excited to see us after long periods of times (i.e. vacations) and we would say “What a pretty smile!” He made the connection to the word and now will do it on command and pretty much whenever he wants our food. Kind of like a “hey look I’m smiling, I’m pretty!” Some people probably think it’s bad that he does it because he’s technically showing his teeth, but you can tell it’s not aggressive or in a bad way. I think it’s hilarious.

#20

My cat loves to watch the toilet flush for some reason – he would even come running from other rooms in his house at the sound of a flush when he was younger. I guess it’s mostly harmless, but I have found toys in the toilet before the lid down rule was put in place (my assumption is so that he can watch them zoom around too).

#21

You know how cats, especially kittens will “nurse” on things? Like knead their paws and suck on something like a blanket?

Yeah, my 10 year old dog does that.

#22

My cat chews through bags to eat bread. Doesn’t matter the container or the type of bread. And because he drools he can dissolve any kind of paper bag in a minute. It’s bizarre but he was a stray so I figure he used to do that to survive.

#23

My cat licks walls. often for 10 minute intervals. i wake up in the middle of the night to the sound of his sandpaper tongue scritch-scratching at the wall.

#24

My cat used to sit on my couch, like a person would with her 2 back legs outstretched in front of her, and then proceed to bend down and suck on her own nipples while purring very loudly. It was weird.

#25

My parrot is obsessed with ears. He will happily spend 15-20 minutes delicately nibbling on the rim of my ear, carefully scraping his beak around the inside, and licking all over. Last time I saw my doctor for a physical and she got to the otoscope part of the exam, she exclaimed, “Wow, your ears are remarkably clean!” Gee, I wonder why…

#26

My chihuahua sneaks to her water dish. We have no idea why. She does this almost every day at varied times. If her water is dirty or if the dish is empty she will keep sneaking until the situation is fixed.

#27

#28

We don’t have pets in the main country the Netherlands where we reside but we got a ton of them in my fathers country Russia. We own a big piece of ground and a forest, with 23 white Russian wolves and 3 Caucasian owcharkas. The wolves have some weird habits and one of them is that they greet each other and their pups by friendly biting them in their neck, it still that scares the shit out of guests and relatives that we usually have over.

#29

After I take a shower, my collie mix insists on rolling in my towels.

When I have the towel on my head and I’m laying down.. He tries to roll in it.

If I’m sitting with the towel on my head, he tries to roll in it.

Then when I inevitability throw them on the floor he has a field day.

#30

My cat would be happy with his eyes closed purring and layed down my side and then suddenly look in the direction of the corner of the room with his eyes completely open. When I look there’s nothing there. It’s scary

#31

My German shepherd is a hoarder. He has a hiding spot behind a chair and underneath a table, and he’s been building a stash that we have to go in every week or so and clean out. Usually it’s just wrappers and random s**t he “sneaks” out of our trash cans. This last weeks clean out consisted of 3 of my oven mitts and a pudding cup. He doesn’t chew on anything, he just likes to have stuff.

#32

She stares at me while I sleep. From 3″ away. When I open my eyes all I see are these huge solid black eyes in a weirdly diagonal white face.

I wake up convinced that I have been abducted by aliens.

#33

One of our cats will climb up onto the back of our couch while we’re watching a movie or something and loudly clean his butthole.

#34

My dog does this little boner dance whenever he has a boner. He slides across the floor and humps the air rapidly until his doggy-boner goes down.

#35

My cat swats/punches his water dish a few times before drinking it. It splashes everywhere. No clue why.

Just thought of something else! He is long haired floofy cat (peach/blondie), and we have a fuzzy blanket similarly coloured. My cat often licks it to clean it, mistaking it for himself.

My cat talks to herself if she thinks no one is around. I’ll come home or go to a side of the house that I haven’t been in all day and hear her meowing and chirping and howling. Once she realizes I’m there, she’ll stop. I’ve been able to sneak up on her a couple of times and it’s pretty bizarre to watch. She’ll just be walking around the room making sounds. She doesn’t do it that often. I wish I could catch it on video

#37

Step 1: Drop the tennis ball into my hand so I can throw it across the room for him to fetch

Step 2: Retrieve the tennis ball and start gnawing on it with his head halfway under the couch

Step 3: Drop the ball and have it roll to an unreachable distance under the couch

Step 4: Stare at me and moan loudly until I am convinced to walk over to the couch the ball is under and lay on the floor, struggling to reach far enough. Eventually I just lift the couch so he can get far enough underneath it to grab the ball back

Repeat incessantly

#38

My cat “nurses” on a blanket we have. But only if the blanket is on me. It’s like the little f**ker actually thinks I am his mother. He’s strange. He also likes to play fetch and attack people who come over to visit. Weirdo.

#39

My cat will sit in the bathtub for hours and meow at passersby to turn the water on for him. Then when someone finally gives in, he will splash around for about a minute and then go drag his big wet furry feet over someone/my pillow.

Every morning he will excitedly hang over the edge of the bathtub, waiting for me to turn on the shower. Once I do, it takes him about two seconds to realise what’s going on, and then he panics and scrambles as fast as he can out of the tub.

Weirdo.

#40

My cat nurses on his own tail. He will creepily come up and lay really close to you, curl in a ball, and start sucking away at the end of his tail. Sometimes he’ll even look you in the eye while he does it.

I know it’s a comfort thing to him, I found him alone when he was just a baby, but it’s a pretty weird thing to do.

#41

My cat Miles will run to the other side of the house and meow to his brother Murphy. You can tell it’s a “Hey!! Come check this out!” and he’ll keep doing it until Murphy finally gets up and goes to look. Sometimes though, Murphy says eff that and stays where he is, leaving Miles to meow at nothing for like an hour. Finally he’ll show up and look at Murphy like, “Didn’t you hear me!!?” No but we did!

#42

My male cat likes to stand in the corner, face the wall, and sing the song of his people. My female kitten likes to meow at me and then hide when I walk over to pet her. She’s a jerk.

#43

My friend has a really bizarre cat, she loves to be spanked. She will lie down with her butt in the air for people to pat her right above the tail. The harder the better.

She also loves to be spun around on an office chair, she jumps up on the back of it and holds on with her claws to be spun around. Spinning + smacking her butt every time she passes = kitty bliss.

My rat loved snot and would grab all my used tissues to lick inside them.

#44

My pit asks for permission every night before getting in bed with us. We have never told him to stay off of furniture, but he always asks. He does that weird howl/growl/bark thing that “talking” dogs do.

#45

My cat, O’Malley, will always smell a new person’s shoes when I bring people over. When he is finished, he looks over at me and makes a stupid face.

#46

Not sure if this counts but my snake falls off of everything. Put him around your neck he falls off. He falls while trying to climb up or down my chair, desk, and always plops off my bed if I am not watching him. He will even get excited smelling something so he will point his head straight up and extend his body up until he falls backwards belly up. Will also do this while swallowing his food.

#47

One of my three cats is a monster. He is kinda fat but stocky/muscular too. He is 6 and weighs about 20 pounds.

Anyways, he will lick plastic bags. We are always afraid he will suffocate himself because he will stick his head down inside the bag and lick for as long as we’ll let him.

He also steals paper clips. My mom was working on her doctorate and she had mountains of papers and a lot of paperclips on them. The crazy cat would dig through all of the papers and pull off the paper clips with his teeth. And he hid them all under the rug that was under the couch so we couldn’t see them.

And he plays very rough. We found out the hard way that he enjoys being spanked. We caught him fighting another cat and gave him a tap on the behind to get him to stop, and he fell on the floor and started purring. And when I scratch his chin, he isn’t happy until I scratch as hard as I physically can, to the point where I think I’m gonna dig up all of his fur.

#48

She won’t eat unless both my husband and I are seated in the family room watching TV. It’s pretty inconvenient on busy days.

#49

My dog (a husky) will make a gap in his food with his snout, then will yowl at the nearest human like he’s hungry and there’s no food in the bowl, until you pick his bowl up, shake the gap out and put it back down again. He will eat it then!

#50

My cat licks people…all the time and all over. It’s odd when you wake up in the middle of the night being licked and realize it’s not the dog doing it.

#51

My Australian Shepherd likes to sneeze in the clean laundry as it comes out of the dryer. It has turned into a two person job to get laundry done without dog sneezes on it. One to distract the dog and the other to hustle the laundry into the basket and to safety.

#52

Anytime we Hoover a carpet my Jack Russell has to ‘swim’ all over it, because God forbid it not have his fur on it

Also, he regularly sneakily drinks our cups of tea.

#53

My male dog licks my female dogs cooch after she pees, then his lips and jaw quiver as he drools. Freakin weirdo.

#54

My cat is afraid of the dishwasher, I guess. Not the sound of the dishwasher running, the sound of me taking s**t out of it and putting it away. He is mostly silent, maybe a welcome meep when I get home. But the dishwasher…man. Mayhem. It’s been seven years and he still freaks the f**k out every single time.

#55

My English bulldog Shelby will sit with her back to me and try and look at me upside down by leaning back until she falls down. She does the same thing in the car. I thought it might be vertigo but she just really seems to enjoy it.

#56

When I’m away from my husky for more than about eight hours she will likely howl at me and make a big deal, like she’s cussing me out.

#57

Run run run, locks up front legs slide slide slide, roll roll roll. How does she not break her neck?

#58

My pancho gets super worked up and then immediately thinks he needs to drink water. This usually results in him coughing up any water he just drank and freaking out about coughing.

My sisters mastiff likes to sit down next to your leg and lean on your leg and stare at you but he’s so heavy he often pushes people over with his lean.

#59

One of my cats likes to get in the lower branches of bushes (and the Christmas tree, as it turns out) and just chill. Just sit there in the branches, eight inches off the ground.

#60

My cat likes hair ties. He swallowed one once and he proceeded to prance around the living room with the rubber piece hanging out of his asshole. I now have to hide them all so I’m not paying for surgery on his dumb ass.

My dogs also go around licking each other’s assholes and the cats assholes. They also won’t sleep unless they are buried under a blanket.

My female cat rubs her head on EVERYTHING and has a weird fascination with doing this on shoes.

#61

My cat Wookie has an intense love of the bathroom. He will lay on the edge of the bathtub while I take a bath, will sit on the bathmat and watch us shower, and loves the toilet. He loves to watch it flush, likes to watch my husband pee (has gotten pee on his head from trying to watch from the wrong angle) and likes to try to pull toilet paper up out of the toilet while it is flushing, which is pretty gross. Weird cat.

#62

Not mine but my SO’s dog, Bacon… Cannot poop unless he is backed up against something.

When we first started dating I used to get to his apartment before he got off work so I would take the dog for a walk. Like any male Bacon must pee on everything to ensure its his. Which meant sometimes I didn’t realize that he wasn’t sniffing the same place to pee but to find the prefect article in which to place his butt against and would tug him along and ruin the whole process… Which meant about five minutes of the behavior or him deciding to hold it.

#63

My dog likes to eat beaded jewelry. I shouldn’t say eat, he sucks on it until it comes apart, and then he abandons it and acts innocent.

#64

My dog take his blankey or his bed and will suck on it with his eyes closed. We assume he thinks he’s nursing. He also occasionally humps his bed before sucking on it. Harmless but weird as s**t.

#65

My GF’s cat poops in the litterbox, then immediately tries to cover it by making digging motions on the floor/wall next to the litterbox. Never inside. Not sure if dumb or just a c**t.

#66

My Doberman likes to climb up in bed with my SO and I, and just stare at us while standing over one of us.

#67

#68

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/people-share-35-hilarious-habits-their-pets-have-and-theyre-too-good/ from All of Beer https://allofbeercom.tumblr.com/post/183958094802

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blancheharlow · 7 years

Text

And, Even More Surprisingly, Nobody Got Grounded || AJ & Blanche (Chatzy)

Backdate: June 4th

Blanche learns the after effects of Alcohol: AKA the HANGOVER. AJ saves her ass.

Blanche felt her head was splitting. That was her first realization, other than the giant fluffy mass on her neck and her Granny lecturing her the second she let out a groan. Her head was killing her-- what the hell had happened last night?! Did she even-- Blanche hissed as she opened her eyes, shoving Nutmeg off her with a grumpy growl and wrenching her blankets over her head to block out the light. 'Don't you start that with me! I cannot BELIEVE you, young lady! Getting drunk and then spending the night with a boy! I cannot-' It all came rushing back to her. Prom- Logan- the punch... By the time Granny warned her the punch was spiked she had already had way too many glasses, favoring chugging more of the punch whenever she was caught talking to herself. The perky little popular girl hadn't helped, always offering her another one. That had to have been on purpose. And--" Blanche glowered at Granny, wanting to sink lower into her covers. "... Boy? What?!" And then she remembered AJ. "Oh my god!" Blanche loudly moaned, pulling the blanket over her splitting head. She was going to be sick. Poor AJ had been forced to drive her home. 'Don't you do that, he's still here! Missy! I don't care if you're hung over you-' Blanche bolted out of bed with a loud thump, hurriedly realizing she was still in her prom outfit from the night before. But she was dizzy, and she stumbled slightly trying to grab one of her giant sweatshirts to yank over her head. "Was- going on... Ugh.." Blanche groaned rubbing her face and taking a look in her mirror. The pretty curls she had styled last night were now a rats nest. "What the hell did I DO last night?" she groaned rubbing her head as she flat out sat on her bedroom floor. "Owww."

AJ couldn't sleep. Blame it on the lack of an actual bed, the cat he had woken up to crushing his sternum, or just the general uncomfortable feeling he got when he slept anywhere but at his house. Something about it made him feel unprotected. It was not a feeling he was a big fan of. Since the locker incident, AJ had been smart enough to pack a change of clothes and keep it in a bag stuffed behind the seat of his truck. He had changed from his button up shirt and dress pants into a plain black tshirt and gym shorts before crashing on the couch. When he woke up the next morning he was completely covered in cat fur with a cat resting right on his chest, purring deeply against him. He nudged the cat off of him and sat up, unsure if the right thing to do would be to leave before Blanche woke up or stick around to make sure she was actually alive. He eventually decided for the latter, pulling his laptop from his bag and booting up, sitting cross legged on the couch while he finished up some homework. A few hours had to have passed by the time he heard a thud from upstairs and knew that Blanche had either finally woken up or rolled off the bed.

‘He's still here!' Granny hissed at Blanche, as she finally started to fumble to check the time. How late was it? How early was it? Blanche eventually gave up and she sntached a pair of pajama shorts, tucgged the skirt of her dress off, and those on. 'Too short! Those shorts are too short!' "Granny I love you, but can it!" Blanche hissed. "Where is he?" She was going to be sick, that was a definite possibility. But she wouldn't do it with AJ in her house. Would he have snooped? In horror, Blanche realized her open diary was on her desk-- did she do that? And the equation she had graphed that angrily sent the swear out to the world. 'Down stairs. Fix your hair, you look awful.' Granny then decided to fuck off for a bit, having enough of her attitude. Blanche blinked some of the dizzyness out of eyes and groaned quietly as she pulled her hair back into a bun. Everything made her head hurt. Everything. Blanche started ever so slowly moving out of her room and towards the stairs. She wasn't sure if she believed Granny, and she glanced around for her. "... Hello?" Blanche's hoarse voice called, quietly.

The cat had snuggled back up against AJ while he worked on his laptop. His parents had never had a pet, they both loved travelling too much to have the time to take care of one. AJ had never had a problem with pets, but it wasn't exactly something he had a desire for either. He could appreciate a dog or cat for being cute or whatever, but he mostly liked to do that from afar without the actual responsibility of owning one. He glanced up at the ceiling when he finally heard a door creak open and he set the laptop aside and standing up and heading towards the kitchen, the staring at him as if he was some kind of traitor for abandoning them on the couch. He grabbed for a glass and started to fill it with water, then carried it back into the living room and dug into his back for some of his tylenol. "Are you talking to me or is this more practice for your job interview?" AJ laughed to himself and set the water and tylenol down on the coffee table, "Confidence is key!"

Blanche grimaced slightly as she slide from the darkened hallway into the living room. Stairs had been a trip-- almost literally. But she had clung to the railing, and entered the living room hesitantly. Blanche never had friends over, and most people at school never saw a hair out of place on her either. She made a face when he joked about her job interview, and she glanced him up and down. He was covered in cat fur, and Wilco was glowering at him like the traitor he was. Nutmeg flew past her feet in a white blurr and into the kitchen. "Confidence is overrated and so is that job interview," She mumbled, holding her head slightly as she inched to the couch. He was being nice to her. At least that was a good thing. But Blanche felt awfully grumpy, slowly going for the tylenol and water he set on the coffee table. She could apologize for being rude later. She sniffed. "You... uh. Took us all home, right? I don't... Really remember." Blanche frowned, her face twisting as she was realizing most of the night was merged together. "Thanks... Though." 'BLANCHE! You have a problem.' Blanche had to fight not to let out a groan as her Granny appeared back, turning to stare as she phased through the wall, mildly unimpressed. She looked panicked. "Did you sleep on the couch?"

AJ: "You know, I was this close to saying I was your conscience? Couldn't decide which one would make the better joke." AJ pinched his fingers together for show and dropped back onto the couch. He grabbed for his laptop and pulled it back onto his lap, unsure if her being up and alive meant that it was time for him to leave. Maybe he could head home and get some actual sleep. "You? Don't remember? I'm shocked. You seemed so well adjusted." Last night had been the most time he had spent with anyone outside of school in close to two years. Most of it had been an awfully loud and obnoxious experience that he would rather chug bleach than repeat. Side note made, if he did somehow make real friends in the future either drink with them or avoid them drinking at all costs. "Yeah. With your cat." He added grumpily, "On a scale of one to ten, how much like shit do you feel?"

Blanche ignored her Granny, looked at him dryly. “Yeah, well, in case you couldn’t tell, I don’t drink.” Blanche took the Tylenol and sipped at the water. God, she was nauseous, but hopefully the Tylenol would help her head not feel like it was being pound in with a hammer. “I can’t believe I didn’t know there was any alcohol in that punch.” She added, just as grumpily. She looked over at him, and Wilco seemed to be content snuggling up to him. There was another white blur, and Nutmeg popped up onto the armrest, looking at his computer curiously. She snorted. Traitors. “I couldn’t tell—I thought you just naturally covered yourself in white hair to add to your whole black aesthetic.” Blanche muttered, before feeling a fresh wave a nausea hit her. She dropped her head in her hands, rubbing her temples as she cussed as she folded herself over on the couch. “Is: ‘I’m never drinking again’ on that scale? Because if it is: It’s an 11.” Granny was hissing in her ear about her parents, but she waved her off.

AJ thought about telling her about the punch, but he didn't actually have any real knowledge that he could fill her in on. All he knew was that something had made all of those kids at prom last night trashed, but it had tasted nothing like alcohol. If he had not first hand witnessed the flask being emptied into the punch bowl he would have gone as far as to theorize the bowl had been drugged. But it had definitely been something liquid. AJ had never liked giving half a story when he himself didn't know all the facts, so for now he kept it to himself. "This is exactly what I do every morning. I don't have cats so I usually use an over sized white fluffy pillow to get the coverage I need. Your cats are... cuddly." He glanced around at the two of them snuggling on either side of him and wished that he had worn anything other than black. Would all of this fur even wash off when he did laundry? "I've actually heard the never drinking again thing, and as far as my experience goes it doesn't really stick. But an eleven, that fucking sucks.”

Blanche turned her head slightly to look at him with her two cats. Nutmeg and Wilco seemed perfectly content to snuggle with AJ instead of their cranky and hurting master. “That’s quite the image. White fluffy body pillow to fill your aesthetic. You should start a paid Instagram.” Blanche muttered, sitting up slightly and pulling her legs up onto the couch. “They sure are, and they like you. Last time someone came over Nutmeg bit them.” Then again, they were in the fifth grade, and she was pretty sure that that girl had pulled her tail. Blanche let out a sigh leaning back. “I think I might mean it—unless this is the gateway drug you were talking about before. Unfortunately, I don’t have any bath bombs for us to snort.” She grumbled. “Incase you couldn’t tell, I, uh… had a lot of punch last night. Good distraction from actually talking to anyone—And I mean I couldn’t say no to perky little what’s-her-name behind the punch table… Ugh.” ’YOUR PARENTS ARE COMING!’ Granny finally hollered, causing the TV to jolt on and the all the lamps in the room to flicker. The light hurt her eyes and she felt like she was going to be sick—but— Wait what? Blanche’s head snapped up. “Son of a bitch!” Blanche cursed, turning. ’They just pulled in! You would have had time if you listened to me!’ Blanche ignored the dig from her Granny, stumbling to try and stand. “Look like you’re doing… uh… homework!” And that he didn’t just spend the night. Blanche winced slightly as she heard the front door open, her parents voices flooding in. “I’m going to be sick.” She groaned, hopping off the couch to her backpack that she discarded that Friday and wrenched her biology textbook and notebook and flung it haphazardly at the coffee table.

AJ let out a laugh. A paid instagram, that was a laughable thought. "I don't know if I could handle all the negative comments from the popular kids. Those mean comments, they really get to me." AJ stuck out his bottom lip into a pout and used his index finger to trace a single tear from his eye down his cheek. AJ couldn't decide if he should consider himself lucky that Blanche's cats liked him or not. He didn't necessarily mind them, but he wasn't exactly crazy about the idea of them following him around rubbing their fur all over his clothing either. "Wow I feel so honored." He made a foolish attempt at picking some of the cat fur off of his shirt. He could spend the rest of the day picking at fur and still only clean off his sleeve. “Smart choice. If I had to talk to those asshats I would have been chugging the punch too. Lucky me they were all too busy trying to kiss ass so that I would take some decent pictures of them.” He paused for a long second after the lights flickered and the TV turned itself on, looking over at Blanche to see if she was going to have any weird reaction to it. When she didn't, he shrugged to himself and went back to his computer. Power surge? Maybe. AJ was getting the feeling that there was something else going on. Then Blanche hopped up from the couch, rather impressively considering how sick she must feel. “I am doing homework?” He held up his hands, confused by her sudden burst of energy. Seconds later, he heard the front door opening. Oh. That makes sense. How the hell had she known that was going to happen? Was it her parents walking through the door? “Right. Getting sick wouldn’t be obvious at all. Just stay cool.” He whispered to avoid the people walking through the door from hearing him.

“I am cool!” Blanche whispered back, even if she was anything but. She clambered back over the couch, ignoring the sick feeling in her stomach. Maybe if she ignored it, it would go away—She slammed open her biology text book just as her mom and dad walked through the door. Blanche looked up at them, trying not to look like a deer in the headlights. “Hi mom, hi dad.” Blanche put a smile on her face, hoping it didn’t look like she was in pain. Her parents stopped, staring at the two of them, confusion clearly on their faces. Their daughter had someone over? A boy? Without them home? Her dad frowned slightly. “I hope your medical conference went well!” Blanche continued before they could start. “This is AJ, he’s my friend from school. We have a big biology lab report to do. Right? Because we’re lab partners. I told you about that before you left, remember?” Play it cool- she was totally cool. This was cool, she was cool, AJ was cool, Granny was cool, everyone was cool. Nutmeg let out a loud meow before hopping down to go great them. Blanche really felt ill now. Hopefully, they would buy it. Blanche was generally a good child, minus the tattoo incident a couple months ago, and they usually didn’t listen when she spoke anyway. They had forgotten things she’s told them before. “… Right.” Her mother broke their silence, looking her daughter up and down. ‘Your hairs a mess, you’re wearing penguin pajama shorts in front of company, and a UMAINE Sweatshirt that’s big enough to be a dress. They’re suspicious.’ Blanche didn’t need Granny’s help right now, as her mother stepped forward first, eyes trained on AJ. “Well, hello dear.” Her mother was barely taller than Blanche, and had the same blonde hair. She held out her hand. “I see the cats got to you. I’m Diane, it’s a pleasure. And so nice to see Blanche invited someone over, you never do that, Blanche.” Her father cleared his throat. “Biology, hm? Quite the interesting subject. Nice to meet you AJ... Sorry, what was your last name?” Blanche sank into the couch, unsure whether she was going to vomit or just drop dead from mortification.

Blanche was sinking. She clearly had no experience with lying to parents about the boys sitting on their living room couch. AJ figured that with all the lying she did on a daily basis defending herself against the onslaught of cruel teenagers that she would be a little bit better at it by now. She clearly needed some work. AJ could only imagine what her parents must be thinking right now about the two being alone in their home the night after prom. Blanche looked like she had just spent the entire night partying and AJ had clearly been there long enough to amass the insane amount of cat fur that he had. AJ needed to do some damage control. Fast. He practically tossed the laptop aside and jumped up with a certain pep in his step that no other high school student had probably seen from him since maybe freshman year. Her father's face looked entirely unamused and her mom seemed incredibly apprehensive when introducing herself to him. He shook her hand eagerly before moving over to shake her father's. "AJ Ricci ma'am. I think your cats love me. It's so nice to meet you guys! You know, I am great at writing lab reports and everything but I just can't for the life of me figure out how to graph the results. My boyfriend told me how good Blanche was at math and I gotta tell you she's been a complete lifesaver!" He laughed a little too excitedly and clapped his hands together, "Blanche is a genius!" He glanced back at Blanche, his face hidden from her parents and gave a smug smile aimed towards her. "My boyfriend and I keep trying to tell Blanche the same thing. We have been trying to get her to invite us over for what feels like forever. Who knew all it took was getting assigned lab partners!" Another fake laugh. Real AJ had never been a huge hit with any parents. They found his fascination with horror and mystery to be a bit unnerving and the fact that he had a bad tendency to snoop through others belongings did not help the matter. But AJ had quickly learned that he could figure out what a parent wanted in a potential friend for their child quite easily. Then it was just a matter of crafting that alter ego and plastering it onto him like a mask. He could play whatever part he needed to. "I was actually just trying to convince her to go out to breakfast with me."

Blanche was going to be sick. She watched in horror and amusement as AJ started to charm her parents immediately. Granny was roaring with laughter. 'I knew I liked that boy!!! Clever devil, he has your mother wrapped his finger– oh dear. Not so much Jean, though. He always was a hard ass'. Blanche looked to her parents faces. Granny was right. Her mother was absolutely delighted to see her daughter had actually made a nice friend- while her parents worked long hours her mother did try to keep up. Her father... Well... He didn't look too impressed with AJ's song and dance. He always was serious, and she was pretty sure he still hadn't forgiven her for getting a tattoo. Lord knows what he was thinking. His eyes were darting between the two suspiciously, even after AJ mentioned his supposed boyfriend. But before he could open his mouth, her mom started hovering, instantly doting over AJ. "Oh how sweet!! Our little Blanche has always excelled in math— she'll be on the medical track soon enough like her father!! Oh and Honey, you should have invited the both of them over sooner than the end of the year! Goodness, it's early too. I'll have to have you both over for dinner when Jean and I aren't working—" her mother was off on a tangent, and Blanche was really starting to feel ill, especially at AJ's smug grin. Her father looked from his wife to AJ, carefully sizing him up. "I've heard the name before..." He muttered, as if trying to remember. Blanche froze, and Granny let out a word she didn't even know that the old ghost knew. "You said he was your lab partner? You must have said over dinner." Blanche nodded, stiffening slightly. "Have fun at breakfast." Maybe it was just to get her mother to stop her dinner plans, but she had permission to leave the house. "We'll go unpack. Have fun." He said, stiffly leaving the room. Her mother tutted. "I'm very sorry, he's just cranky from the plane ride- you know he pretends he just hates the service but he's terrified of flying. Ridiculous, right!" Her mother laughed, looking Blanche over. "I see your making quite the fashion statement, Blanche." Curse her penguin pajama bottoms. "And you, AJ, are always welcome! Maybe next year you can drag her to the prom— she was so insistent on not going, the silly girl. I loved my prom- oh! He's already upstairs. Have fun at breakfast. You should head to Flopped, I think Blanche gets a discount. oh and Blanche keeps a lint roller in her car, if you want to do something about that cat hair." Her mother smiled kindly, patted AJ on the shoulder, and then gave her daughter a stiff hug, before disappearing off up the stairs. 'Well that wasn't that much of a disaster. Really, my grandson can be quite hard sometimes, he certainly didn't get that from MY side of the family.' By now, Blanche looked positively green, and she was pretty sure her head was actually splitting in two. She was silent for a moment, before she looked at AJ. He probably wasn't prepared for the verbal onslaught that was her mother or whatever her father was trying to do. And now he knew that she hadn't told her parents she was attending prom in the first place. "Thank you," she said, softly. He just saved her ass. But Blanche shut her mouth, the feeling in her stomach preventing her from continuing. They had to leave now— Blanche pointed to the door, before rushing for the pair of flip flops by the door and grabbing her purse. "What are we actually doing?" Blanche asked, highly doubting the two of them were actually going to breakfast. She wouldn't be able to keep anything down anyway.

AJ gave Blanche a knowing look at the comment about medical school. Soon after Blanche’s mom mentioned AJ bringing his boyfriend over to have dinner with them and without missing a beat AJ clapped excitedly, “That’s an amazing idea. I’ll just have to see if I can get home to come over. He’s completely vegan so finding something for him to eat is like finding a matching outfit at a flea market.” Fuck. Most likely AJ would never see Blanche outside of school again, but in the unlikely chance that he did he would have to find himself a fake boyfriend. A vegan fake boyfriend. That was made even harder by the fact that he didn’t even have any friends. It was clear that her father was not as big of a fan of AJ as her mother was. He only paused slightly at the comment made about his last name. He had grown used to people recognizing his father’s name. If her dad worked at the hospital it was possible that he had handled some of the cases of the victims. Wait. If her dad worked at the hospital it was possible that he had handled some of the cases. At the very least he had access to medical records and files. Things that AJ needed. Maybe AJ had just found his reason to come back over to the house. He had definitely just found a reason why Blanche could be a useful ally. AJ was playing the game strong, laughing at her jokes and smiling widely. His dad had always taken a few times to warm up to AJ’s friends also. But maybe that was because all of his friends had been pieces of shit though. “I tried to convince her to come with me and my boyfriend but she just would not budge. Don’t worry next year she will be going even if I have to escort her arm in arm myself.” Her mom eventually left to go unpack and Blanche turned to thank AJ before asking where the two were heading off to. Meanwhile AJ had started shoving everything back into his book bag and dug his truck keys out of the side pocket, swinging it around his index finger. “Don’t worry I’m just going to add it to the list of all the other shit you owe me from last night.” He smiled at her, but it wasn’t the fake one that he used for her parents. It was less friendly and a hell of a lot more sarcastic. But it was surprisingly genuine. “I thought you might want to go get your car. But considering you didn’t even go to prom I’m a little confused what it’s doing parked at the school.”

AJ had definitely picked up on the fact that her mother hadn't known where she was at all last night. She did almost snort at AJ's promise to bring him herself, but her face did eventually slide into a frown. The frown didn't leave Blanche's face, even as AJ gave her that sarcastic little grin. 'Your mother loves him.! Oh she always was the doting type- I knew she would. Jean will warm up to him, probably.’ Blanche stared at Granny, before moving back to AJ at his question about prom. "I owe you big time," she confessed. "Sorry about my parents. Mom's a bit... Much. And dad's kind of a... Well, he hasn't forgiven me for getting a tattoo." Her voice had lowered, but she had almost forgotten about her car. "Shit! My car! Thank god you didn't let me drive home last night holy shit-" Blanche said, her eyes going wide. She dug sunglasses out of her purse. "Uh—" Blanche didn't have a useful excuse as to why she was at prom without her parents knowing. She grimaced slightly as she opened the front door, holding back a groan at the daylight and fresh air. "Ugh." Blanche inched out. All she wanted to do was crawl back under covers and die. "It's parked at the school because I went to prom last minute as a favor to someone," she explained once they were out of the house, still talking lowly. "I, uh, took advantage of them not being home to... Sneak in. Looks like I paid for it by drinking my weights worth in punch." She mumbled looking away from him and fussing with her purse. She stopped. "Wait, do you have my keys?"

One thing at a time. AJ had learned that from his father. Once seven year old AJ had expressed an interest in doing what his father did, Giovanni Ricci had taken it upon himself to begin teaching him everything he knew. It was some sort of pride thing, plus the idea that AJ could be some sort of police academy prodigy if he was a genius on the subject before graduating high school. One of the lessons that his dad would teach him time and time again was that patience was key. AJ had always had some problems getting ahead of himself, especially when he was younger. Patience had never been his strongest attribute and his confidence never helped him. His dad had embarrassed AJ a lot as a kid to prove to him that he couldn’t get what he wanted immediately every time no matter how smart he thought he was. There was no point to get ahead of himself, so AJ just held himself back and asked a single question, “Your parents are fine. They both work at the hospital here in town?” Then, follow up with some more friendly conversation as if he was never gathering evidence in the first place. “You got a tattoo without your parent’s permission? I never knew you were such a badass. I haven’t even done that.” Not that he would really need his mom’s permission to do much of anything. “Right. Wouldn’t want to miss the date with that illusive prom date of yours.” He had taken pictures of people the entire night, including some great ones of Blanche avoiding the cameras and downing copious amounts of punch. None of them had captured any picture of her with a date. He could tell that she was going to go on some tangent about her date that was unbelievable like the rest of her lies and just stuck his hand up in protest. “You don’t owe me some bullshit excuse. It’s not any of my business plus lying about it wastes both of our times anyways.” He dug her set of keys that he stole from her out of his bag and shook them as proof. “Of course I have your keys. Who do you think I am?” He scoffed at her and when she reached for them he pulled them away from her, “That doesn’t mean I trust you to drive home yourself yet. The jury is still out on that.”

Blanche nodded. “Yeah, mom’s a nurse in the pediatric wing. Dad’s a surgeon,” she said, pausing as she felt a wave of dizziness hit her. There wasn’t any way they could just, shut off the sun, was there? Blanche glanced at him, pushing her sunglasses up her nose and patted her ribs. “Yeah, right here. I, um… Wouldn’t call it badass though. It hurt like hell and I might have cried. Not that there’s no proof.” She wasn’t sure how to describe why she needed to get a tattoo. Blanche didn’t think he would particularly judge her, but there wasn’t any need to tell him that it was really an anti-possession tattoo. “I’m getting another one. Once, uh, I turn 18 later this month.” That officer has said she needed more than one to prevent possession. It really scared her, her little gift always had freaked her out. She hated seeing ghosts, even if Granny had been a great part of her life. They were scary, and a lot of them were angry. Seeing them, especially when they were bloody and massacred (especially when they were bloodied and massacred), horrified her. And she hated it when they asked her to pass on messages when she obviously couldn’t do that. The thought made her stomach churn and she rubbed her head, glancing over at him. “My date? Uh—“ He cut her off, telling her she owed him no explanation. No one had ever told he that before. Blanche hadn’t realized she had tensed up before she relaxed. “Well gosh, that’s a different point of view than most of the people at school who seem to think everything is there business. Color me surprised.” Or green. Either one. She shrugged though, reaching for her lanyard. “Ah- hey.” She frowned at him, but he was right. She relented. “Let’s see how motion sick I get on the ride there—unless you actually want breakfast, I’ll buy.” But she hoped he didn’t expect her to eat anything. If she even looked at a pancake she’d probably die.

Blanche stated at him innocently. "What embarrassing crying story?" She asked, shrugging slightly. "The next one's not going on my ribs, I learned my lesson." They reached his truck, and Blanche glanced at him as he decided to give her more advice— right. Granny had said he was just like that. Granny was the same way, it was uncanny how much he reminded her of the ghost. But she didn't think he'd appreciate being compared to an old woman. Granny was nodding approvingly. 'That's what I keep telling her! Getting even every once and a while never hurt anyone who didn't deserve it.' Blanche grimaced slightly. "It's easier making excuses to let them laugh at you." She shrugged again, hopping into the passenger seat and buckling her seatbelt. She had vague memories of Lea, Dustin, and Quinn, but it had all eventually run together, not being able to pinpoint a distinct memory. Blanche paused slightly, before glancing over to him. "You get even often? What'd you do after they decided to Carrie you?" She hadn't heard anything, from her Granny or otherwise. She hoped they got what was coming. "Since clearly the administration didn't do anything about it." Blanche had to resist pulling her legs up, the sun beating through the window made her want to double over and die. She looked at him again, unsure if that meant he was an avid drinker or something else. He was right, her stomach lurched at the thought and she sunk in her seat. "Is that word of advice number 3? Or did you skip a few numbers? I'll try something greasy, but I make absolutely 0 promises not to get sick." She paused. "But I will promise not to get sick in your truck."

“I thought about getting one.” AJ interjected. To make conversation? Not really his thing, but then again hanging out with anybody was not really his thing. “Not sure what I would get. What are you getting?” He supposed he could try it out. “Your favorite subject is math. I didn’t figure you to be the type to go for the easy route.” Math was not a particularly challenging subject for AJ but he knew how difficult it could get. Plus, as much as he hated to admit it, Blanche crushed him when it came to mathematics. AJ had peaked at her record, more out of curiosity than anything else. Her math scores blew everyone else’s out of the water. “I make people second guess screwing with me.” Even might not be the most accurate term for AJ. When people got even the score was settled, practically null and void. It opened the floor for future pranks or jokes or something crueler. To truly get them to leave him alone he had to go above and beyond their pathetic schemes. After that they would always think twice before as much as making eye contact with him. “In your boring ass terms, I prefer greater than to equal signs. But to answer your question, not yet. I haven’t had time to figure out who it was yet.” He had taken the tapes from the office, but hadn’t actually gotten around to watching them yet. “But I’ll figure out soon and then I’m start my evil scheming.” He pulled the truck away from the curb and started driving down the road, glancing over at Blanche to make sure the drive wasn’t going to push her stomach over the edge. “Ha ha. Very funny. Speaking of, word of advice number four, don’t make promises that you can’t keep.” He pointed between the window and the crank to roll it down, “Puke out the window if you have to.”

Blanche glanced at him, unsure how to offer advice on tattoos. Hers was for necessity—really, everyone should get anti-possession tattoo. Maybe more. “What I did was I found something I felt needed to be there. That was helpful for picking one.” Blanche said, shrugging slightly. “But, uh, probably an equation on my back—like the quadratic or something similar. Nothing with pi though, I’m so sick of pi.” It was a lie, and she wasn’t sure how good it was, but maybe he would believe her considering her seemed to pick up on her favorite subject. Not that she particularly made it a secret. Honestly, after years and years of harassment, easy was a better way to go. And the excuses liked to spawn different rumors. Blanche shrugged slightly. “I like solving equations, not high school,” she said, dryly. She wondered if she was supposed to be alarmed by what he was telling her, but Granny had already filled her in on his little blackmailing scheme, even if she didn’t know specifics. Blanche wondered if she would be next, but he hadn’t bought anything up yet, but her head whipped to him. “Boring ass terms?!” She mock frowned at him. “I’ll have you know, I was a big fan of ‘the alligator eats the bigger number’ rather than ‘Greater than’ for a long time, thank you. That’s not boring.” Especially when you drew teeth on sign. “Evil scheming sounds like you’re going to poison them—not that I’d blame you.” Blanche winced slightly as the truck started to move, staring straight ahead. She was okay, for the moment. “You, uh, have a book for all these word of advices? I’ll start losing track soon and I’ll need to study.” Blanche carefully snaked her hand to the window crank, just in case. “Have I mentioned that I’m never drinking again?”

“Sounds cool” AJ spoke absent mindedly. Equations weren’t his thing, but if that was what she wanted tattooed onto her body he was not going to try to stop her. He wouldn’t have cared if she got a giant butterfly tattooed on her lower back. He knew that he couldn’t think of anything that needed to be inked permanently onto his skin, but that thought would do little to stop him. Once he had an idea in his head the only thing that could change his mind was if a better idea was brought to his attention. “I don’t think high school is a solvable equation. I just call it survival.” AJ dealt fine with the pranks and the harsh words the students reserved for AJ daily. It hadn’t even bothered AJ when he had been jumped a few weeks back by Bruno and a group his friends. AJ instinctively brought a hand up to his lip at the thought of it. The bruised cheek and cut on his forehead had finally went away and now the only evidence anything at all had happened to him could only be felt in the slightly swollen area where his lip had been busted from someone’s fist. He had moved on from that. Eventually someone, whether it was one of the kids he went to school with or a parent of the deceased would decide that the ultimate revenge against the man who murdered their friend or family member was to kill his son. AJ didn’t let that thought get to him often, he considered fear a useless distraction. He ignored her defense against math terminology in hopes that she had been speaking sarcastically. For whatever reason, the comment about poisoning the students actually got to AJ. When people made similar comments at school he flipped them off, stared at the ground and walked off towards class. He knew that Blanche had not meant it literally. He knew it was a joke. “I’m not a murderer” He said it like he was joking with her. He thought he was. “I’ll fill out a notebook for you. What happens when someone spikes the punch next year? Are you going to drink then?”

Blanche nodded once, refraining from letting out a sigh of relief. At least he bought it, she didn’t have the mind capacity to start thinking of any better excuses. “There are very few unsolvable equations.” She mumbled, glancing at him. “I like to call my answer to survival: Graduation and going to school not in Maine or in a town that’s trying to kill us every other week.” Blanche thought she was just fine at school. Most people took to talking behind her back, and the people that did heckle her usually got bored once she started off on one of her tangents. It wasn’t a bad life, even if her Granny was always hounding her to make friends. They all thought she was weird or schizophrenic. AJ had it worse anyway— People held real hatred for him after what his father did. Pigs blood and she was pretty sure he was the one that got jumped a few weeks ago. Blanche would be lying if she said she hadn’t googled the cases before, along with her Granny. It wasn’t AJ’s fault, and really, it wasn’t any of Blanche’s business to either way- maybe he deserved to blackmail some of those students after the way they treated him. Blanche snorted. “No, but if you wanna know where Henry McAllister’s paint cannon got stashed after it ‘accidentally’ backfired, I’ll let you know.” The one time someone really tried to fuck with her other than rumors had been last year. Granny really saved her ass from getting covered in bright orange paint. But she shook her head, trying to ignore the dizzy feeling. “I’m not going to prom next year— dances really aren’t my thing,” Blanche shrugged slightly. She remembered having a decent time dancing with everyone, no matter who it was, but she had a feeling once she got the will to check her phone, there would be some pretty nasty snapchats of her. It would break her mother’s heart, but she’d get over it. “’Sides, they’ll probably cancel next years prom after this year’s catastrophe--- but a better answer to that question is: I don't drink alcohol often- if ever. Last night was the first time I had more than a sip."

AJ realized the similarities between their plans for the future and laughed, “Mine too. I’m apparently just a bigger dick in the present.” He couldn’t argue that Blanche’s way to survive probably made her a better person, scratch that, definitely made her a better person. He was also pretty confident that after everything was all said and done and the two had finally escaped this hell hole, Blanche would escape rather unharmed by her high school experience. She didn’t seem to let the assholes get to her. Like ignoring them or whatever was a possibility. Sometimes AJ wondered if he truly didn’t care what the other’s thought or if his constant desire to get greater than even came from some place deep down where he actually did give a fuck what they thought. “A paint gun, huh? I will make sure that I keep it in mind.” He had heard about the incident, even had the satisfaction of watching good old Henry being escorted through the front office post malfunction. He had not seen where the gun had been taken, though he probably had a key to the room. “You are most definitely going to prom next year. Did you hear your mom in there? She would kill me if you didn’t go.” He couldn’t give less a fuck if she actually went to prom next year, chances were he was going to find a way out of it unless his teacher blackmails him into going again. He just liked fucking with her, “Plus, didn’t you read my guide book? I don’t make promises that I can’t keep.” The idea of prom being cancelled was almost laughable. The popular kids would throw a fit, which meant their rich parents would throw and even bigger fit. “People died at prom a few years ago and it didn’t stop them. Some spiked punch isn’t going to either.” AJ wasn’t a big drinker anymore either. He had a short stretch, right after the cops showed up at AJ’s door and he found out that his father had left. He went through alcohol, cigarettes, and weed. The things he could get ahold of without too much hassle. When his mom started doing the same thing AJ learned that alcohol was not the kind of thing he should be messing with. Plus, AJ had some control issues. He never liked the feeling of being out of control.

Blanche laughed too, smoothing her sweatshirt down. “The farther away I get is better. All the Maine colleges I keep visiting are just places to collect another overpriced sweatshirt.” That, and she had to avoid some way of majoring in pre-med for an under graduate career. That whole problem was another can of worms entirely. Where to go and what to do… Her father would be livid and her mother would be so disappointed… Blanche was damn good at ignoring things when she really needed too. Insults from school, responsibilities, ghosts—Well, not so much the latter. Granny was sitting between the two of them, staring at Blanche expectantly and Blanche was starting to get mildly uncomfortable with her just looking at her like that. “Complete with bright orange paint, yeah. Someone, uh, tipped me it was supposed to be aimed at me. Looks like he didn’t know how to work it.” Or Granny did some of her ghost-magic and shoved a blonde bobby pin in it to make it backfire in his face. She grinned at the memory, until he mentioned prom. She looked at him making a face at him. “Well I sure hope you’re ready to come over for pictures, then.” Blanche said dryly. “Because if I have to go and suffer, so do you. Oh, and by the way, she wasn’t joking about cooking you dinner—so unless you want to dodge my mother for the next year, which is very hard too do, you’d better scrounge up a vegan boyfriend or come up with an elaborate breakup story.” She was laughing. He was right though, there was no way they were going to cancel prom after all those kids died. But Blanche suddenly started—Logan! Blanche didn’t see him at all after she was carted out by AJ. She’d have to seek him out, she wasn’t really a good date for his prom experience. “I still can’t believe they didn’t catch that the punch got spiked until the King and Queen were stumbling all over themselves. I wonder what the punishment for being caught drunk at the dance is going to be? Suspension?”

AJ couldn’t agree more. Get him the hell out of this state. “I don’t know if I want to even apply to a college unless it’s at least five hundred miles away from the border.” He specifically had nothing against Maine as a state, but there were just too many bad memories and too many people that knew about those bad memories. He would suffer through his last year of high school and he would stay just long enough to prove his dad’s innocence. Then he was gone. “What a nice Samaritan” AJ thought of Dustin, coming to help him out after the pig’s blood incident. He wondered who had been kind enough to actually go and warn Blanche about the paint gun before it actually happened. “Woah, woah, woah. Prom thing aside, why do you just assume I was lying about the boyfriend thing? Do you really find me that unapproachable?” It would not actually be a problem anyways, AJ could not imagine any scenario where AJ and Blanche were still talking to each other a year from now. Prom shouldn’t be an issue. He still had yet to mention that the spiked punch from last night had not tasted spiked in the slightest. Yet somehow it had made everyone drunk as fuck in just a few hours’ time. “Yeah weird.” He offered casually, “I don’t see anything super bad happening. They are going to try to do something to them, they will all collectively claim that they never drank anything but the punch. The administration will then start asking for people to start pointing a finger and blame them."

"I might go to California," Blanche mused. "I like the sun and not the cold. But, uh, I'll probably end up in Massachusetts attending my dad's old school." She grimaced slightly, but shook it off. Major in Pre-med or nursing and then continue on for a masters.... Not what she wanted. Blanche rubbed her temples. Even the thought of it made her headache at least ten times worse. Granny cackled. 'There are benefits to being dead, boy. You'll find that out one day-- if you become like me.' Blanche shot her a look from behind her sunglasses. She didn't like it when she talked like that. "Yeah, I owe them one," Blanche said carefully, before fully turning to look at him at the mention of the boyfriend. Granny hadn't said anything about him having one and she was fairly sure most of the people at school would be throwing even worse insults at him than they already did if that were the case. "I assumed from the sweet little innocent song and dance you put on for my parents, but if you do have a vegan boyfriend I can text my mom right now to set up dinner. Does Friday work for you both?" Blanche said innocently, pretending to start digging her phone out of her purse. "Or should we do Saturday? " Blanche couldn't imagine AJ actually showing up to dinner like that, let alone with someone to pretend to be his vegan boyfriend. "Mom will make food especially for him." But her head tilted slightly, frowning at that. "I wonder who spiked it...." She muttered. "And I wonder who it'll be they blame." That was a concern. She wasn't supposed to be there, and while she tried her best to dodge out of the way of pictures, there was bound to be proof she was there. They could easily start pointing fingers at her.

AJ had considered California. He was almost positive that he could get into Stanford, the main question being whether he could get enough aid and scholarships to be able afford Stanford. If not, there were plenty of other schools in California or around the coast that he could go to. He enjoyed the beach, or at least enjoyed looking at the beach. From afar. “Your dad’s old school? That sounds stupid.” When AJ was not putting on an act to get something, he could be a tad blunt. Blanche tried joking around about AJ’s obviously fake vegan boyfriend, going as far as digging into her purse and pulling out her phone to feign a phone call to her mother. “Very funny. I was kind of hoping that the vegan thing would stop your mom from inviting us over for dinner. It was the first thing that came to mind on short notice okay?” He didn’t have any friends to play the part and most certainly didn’t have a real boyfriend. Dustin and Quinn both owed him after last night, maybe he could convince one of them to play the part. AJ didn’t mention that he had a picture of who spiked the punch, even if his back had been turned from his camera it wouldn’t be too hard to pick the dude out from AJ’s other photos. “If I had one guess who their scapegoat would be.” He held up his middle finger and tapped it against his temple as if contemplating his options. He had this happen to him far too often. Granted, some of the times that kids blamed him for something it was actually his fault, not that they had proof.

Blanche let out a laugh at AJ's bluntness, her head starting to spin. She winced. "Tufts University in Boston for Pre-Med. Not exactly what I have I mind. What about you? Do you have a plan other than '500 miles out of Maine'." But Blanche gave a weak grin at his defensiveness. Clearly he didn't understand her mother at all. "Oh nooooo, that just gives her more of an excuse to make my father wear a tie, put on something other than unicorn scrubs on it, and look up vegan recipes. She's probably sitting at home online googling." The sad part was that Blanche wasn't joking. She was grimacing. "But it was a good excuse, you won her over easily, if you couldn't tell. I won't stop hearing about you for years- I'll be 30 and she'll be like 'Oh! How's that boy that so totally obviously didn't spend the night on our couch? The one with the vegan boyfriend? You talk to him lately?!' Just fake sick repeatedly or fake a breakup— she might make lava cakes then and we'll all end up happy." Blanche looked ahead, her eyes focusing on the road. Honestly sometimes she couldn't believe that Granny was related to her father and not her mother. But her eyes went wide when she figured out what AJ was insinuating and she looked at him, alarmed. "They wouldn't blame you, would they? You wouldn't spike the punch." Blanche scoffed at the idea. "Not like there's any proof either."

AJ shook his head at Blanche in response to her question, “Not a specific school, no. I was thinking maybe journalism or pre-law maybe.” Something that fit into the skill sets that had been drilled into AJ’s head from a young age. He had been specifically trained for criminal justice or law enforcement, but something about it all left a bad taste in his mouth now. “What you have sounds less like a plan and more like a very carefully constructed path laid by your parents.” His dad had always wanted him to go into law enforcement, but the difference was that up until a couple of years ago AJ also wanted to go into law enforcement. It was pretty clear that Blanche had no interest in pre-med. “That’s what I get for being so damn likable. I swear it’s a curse.” His acting was too damn good, even his parents had been impressed in a terrified sort of parent way. That kind that said they were proud but afraid of the monster they had created. “I guess if you need me to pop up and be your token gay best friend again I could. I’ll con someone into fake dating me or I’ll come up with the most emotional breakup of all time. Very Romeo and Juliet style.” He found it almost laughable that she would find it hard to believe that they would blame him for something going wrong at the school. Whether they did it just to spite AJ or because they actually thought he had done, he was probably the first that would come to their minds. “They would totally blame me. I’ll just have to find proof that I didn’t do it.” Since they seemed to operate on a guilty until proven innocent basis. He was surprised to hear her say that AJ wouldn’t spike the punch, shocked to hear it for once. He probably wouldn’t. Too many people that he had nothing against. He pulled into a fast food drive thru and turned towards her, “What do you want?”

Blanche nodded. “Those sound like things you’d be good at.” Was that a weird thing to say? Maybe. But from what her Granny had told her, both of those sounded like damn good options for him. She made a face at his comment about her carefully crafted path. “Really? What makes you say that? Was it my dad mentioning it to a total stranger covered in cat hair or the Tufts merch on the mantle.” The diploma, photos, everything was on there trying to appeal to her. She put on a grin though. “I’ll end up off the path somewhere—probably after some dramatic confrontation where we all cry at the end. Probably.” Blanche shrugged, glancing out the window. It wasn’t that big of a deal, right? She laughed out right. “You’ll put Romeo and Juliet to shame—and hey, maybe you’ll totally convince my dad and he won’t awkwardly try to talk to me about boys this summer.” Blanche wrinkled her nose at the thought. It was easier for her and her dad to remain at arms length and to just not get involved. Blanche looked at him, frowning slightly. “I’m sure they’ll find the right person to blame. I doubt you’d have anything to gain by making everyone have a killer hangover.” As he pulled into the drive thru, Blanche sank in her seat. She knew that greasy things would make her feel at least a little better, but the thought of food made her stomach clench and twist. She took a glance at the menu, suddenly thanking the fact that he didn’t go to a real restaurant and make her go out looking how she did. “Ugh… Number 3 looks greasy enough for me, with the hashbrown and a… water. You can get what you want too, I’ve got it.”

AJ just nodded his head. They were things that he was good at. Both required a certain degree of people skills that AJ would have to learn to fake. He used to be so good with socialization. Now he spent so much time being weary and untrusting of everyone who talked to him that he never really had time to get to know people on a personal level. By the time he would have had the chance they usually thought he was a nosy douche anyways. They were sort of right. “That plus you hate biology. Kind of important to pre-med.” He wondered if she was serious about telling her parents to stick it sometime down the road. “Maybe before you get your doctorate? No offense, but judging from your Biology grade I would not want you cutting me open.” He laughed about her dad giving the sex talk and tried imagining either of his parents trying to do the same thing. “I didn’t even want to be there.” Which would mean that people could argue he had a reason to want to spike the juice. Being forced to go to the prom against his will could be seen as motivation enough. He ordered for Blanche and then started pulling around, “I’m not hungry.” Or he didn’t like the idea of owing someone else money. He passed the food over to Blanche and pulled back onto the road. “This is either going to make you feel better now or make you throw up and you’ll feel better after that.”

He’s a strange boy.’ Granny pipped up. Blanche was surprised that she hadn’t interrupted before now. ’Be his friend, Blanche. You never know how you could benefit from it. I like him. She had to hold in a snort at that. Of course Granny liked him—not that Blanche didn’t. AJ seemed like a good person, thought she did wonder what he was doing blackmailing people. Granny hadn’t exactly figured out what she wanted yet. “OH really? I thought you needed gym.” Blanche widened her eyes, pretending to be surprised. “My bio grade isn’t as bad as Kelsey McNabb’s—trust me, she used to be my old lab partner. Also, no offense, I wouldn’t want to cut you up. Mostly because 1. That thought particularly makes me feel sick at the moment and 2. I almost passed out when we dissected frogs in December.” If Blanche was remembering correctly, she had been even greener than, and the teacher just pointed and she ran to the nurse. Blanche looked at him. “You were taking pictures for the paper, right? I’m sure you got some great ones.” Blanche said, glancing into the bag. The smell of grease and egg and sausge hit her nose and she immediately turned her nose away and she cranked the window down a little to get some non-fast food air in the truck. ’Oh please, I’ve seen you eat three hamburgers in one sitting and THAT makes you feel ill?’ “We’ll find out.” Blanche grumbled, fishing out the hash brown so she could start munching on it.

It was unlikely for anybody to excel in every single subject, unless they were geniuses. Even then, most geniuses excelled in certain subject areas and simply passed the others. AJ was lucky in that he had always learned and retained information easily. Part of which he most likely owed father, who had taught him from a young age how to observe everything and remember all of the information. “Don’t worry I’ve seen her grade too. Believe it or not you have a better grade than a lot of the kids in the class.” He was pretty sure that Blanche would be halfway decent at the subject if someone besides their teacher could explain it to her in better terms. Still, no matter how good someone was at a subject, if they didn’t like it the shouldn’t make it into a career. “I’m not telling you how to live your life because it’s none of my business, but the longer you wait to tell them you don’t want to be a doctor the worse it’s going to be. I’d rip the bandaid.” He wanted to give her a break from life talks and advice so she could attempt to eat. She already had enough reason to puke.

Blanche looked at him, nibbling on her hash brown. “How did you see all of our grades?” Not that she particularly cared, but she was curious. ’He works in the office, doesn’t he?[/I]’ Granny quipped, and Blanche glanced at her. ’Remember dear, it’s impolite to puke in front of boys!’ Blanche wished Granny would stop trying to be helpful. She finished her hash brown and stuffed the wrapper back in the bag and took a sip of her water. Now AJ was trying to help—Blanche glanced at him. He wasn’t wrong, but the earlier she told them, the more she would have to live with their disappointment and that sucked. As she started on her sandwich, they fell into a fairly comfortable silence and Blanche settled into her seat. At least, until a giant wave of nausea hit her and her head felt like it was cracking itself open. Granny’s voice felt like nails on a chalkboard. ’Blanche… I know that look.’. She gulped the bite of her sandwich and calmly put it back in the bag. Very calmly, Blanche turned to AJ. “Pull over right now. Please.” Everything was calm, she was calm, Granny was calm, AJ was calm, everything was calm.

AJ considered himself pretty resourceful and capable of getting his hands on just about anything that he put his mind to. But even he couldn’t manage getting the password of every teacher who had a student AJ disliked. Online grades were surprisingly well protected, with each teacher having their own username and password. Those grades are for their eyes only, other teachers can’t even see their own students grades from another class and only a few members of administration have access to an entire student’s GPA. Each student had their own username and password that gave access to their grades in each class as well as grades on individual assignments. Student access was typically easier, the usernames all used the same setup, first letter of first name, first five letters of last name followed by the year of birth. Most of the students had generic passwords also. But that only showed individual student’s grades. AJ had found that the easiest way to figure it out was by classroom on a teacher’s laptop. “The teacher was distracted. I got a glimpse of them on his computer screen.” Distracted being code for, AJ made something up to get them into the hallway and a glimpse being code for took a picture on his phone. Just in case they would ever come in handy. He practically slammed on his breaks when Blanche told him to pull over and immediately steered off into the grass. Lucky for both of them there were no cars on the road yet. He sat waiting in the driver’s seat. “You okay?”

Blanche was jerked forward a bit as AJ all but slammed on the breaks and pulled over. Grimacing, Blanche ignored him as she snapped her seatbelt off, snatched the bottle of water, threw open her door, and nosedived out of the truck. She rushed for the coverage of a tree, hoping AJ would just wait patiently. Granny followed, hollering at her. ’HONESTLY! Blanche, dear, you couldn’t have waited ten minutes before he got back to the school! This is quite embarrassing oh—oh dear, honey…’ Granny looked concerned as Blanche doubled over and emptied her lunch out behind the tree. ’Oh dear, if I get my ghostly hands on whoever spiked that punch I will do some very bad things to them! I’m sure AJ doesn’t mind, dear, it’s not like—‘ Blanche cussed, her head whipping to Granny. “Can it, Gran.” she snapped, only lowering her voice a little. Granny huffed loudly, but seemed to take the hint. Blanche breathed in, and out, leaning against the tree for just a second to settle her stomach and to wash her mouth out. Grabbing the water was a good move. Good job, self. “I told you I wasn’t going to get sick in your truck!” Blanche called to AJ, irritably. But he wasn’t wrong. She did feel a bit better, at least.

Not knowing whether or not Blanche needed help from AJ or would rather be alone, he eventually decided to just sit in the car while she ran off towards the tree line. He heard her shout something while by the trees that he didn’t catch, but could only tell that it had not been directed at him. He only knew this because when she had spoken to him a minute or two later her voice had been louder and more articulated. “I appreciate it. I’ve already cleaned puke off of the seats once.” Or twice. Or three times. He had lost count. The first couple of months post arrest warrant had been rough. He sat waiting in the car until Blanche eventually came back towards the truck. “Good now?” He asked, paying little attention to her the way he figured she would want. If he had just puked he wouldn’t want someone making a big deal about it. Once she had climbed back into the seat and was buckled in, AJ switched the car back into drive but kept his foot planted on the brake, “You ready to go?”

Blanche clambered back to the truck and was already digging in her purse for the mint gum she kept back in there. Unwrapping a piece, she popped it in her mouth and glowered at her forgotten sandwich like it was the sandwiches fault for all of this. “You did? It wasn’t any of ours from last night, right? I don’t remember that.” Blanche said, thought she relaxed slightly once AJ seemed not to mention anything or be patronizing or was hovering over her. ’Good boy!’ Granny cheered, approvingly. Blanche almost rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m good. Thanks. I think I feel a bit better too.” She’d likely nap in the back of her car before she went anywhere now. “Does they jury say I can drive home now?”

AJ continued driving towards the school, which wasn't for away. "No. None of you guys puked thankfully." He answered, not offering any other explanation. If she had really wanted to know or pushed the subject he would admit that it had been his mother. The only reason AJ had never gotten blackout drunk and puked in his truck was because he never went anywhere to drink. No friends did that to a kid. When he would binge drink he just raided his parent's liquor cabinet and ended up spending night in the bathroom with his head hanging over the toilet. "Fried food and puking always made me feel better" He admitted to Blanche, "If you drink too much you're fucked no matter what you do, but it helps at least." The school was just around the corner now and Blanche asked about her driving her car home. AJ glanced over at her and narrowed his eyes at her as if assessing the situation. "I guess I'll let you."

Blanche looked at him curiously for a moment. ’I think some things aren’t meant to be pushed, Blanche.’ Granny’s oh so helpful voice reached out to her. “Well, that’s a relief. I hope Quinn and Dustin also didn’t have sex in your truck bed. I can’t confirm that either.” Blanche said. They were probably so grounded by now. Blanche looked at him. “You sound like you have the experience, huh?” Maybe she was the loser here. It was really embarrassing having something like this happen to her, especially with a kid from school. She didn’t really have any friends, and really, she had been content with staying pretty much anonymous until she graduated. Blanche gave him a weak grin. “If you’re guessing yourself, I’ll have you know I’m fully planning on making use of the blanket I have in my trunk and am taking a nap.”

AJ started laughing and glanced back at the bed of his truck. “Nah I don’t think so. If they did they were really fast and really quiet.” He paused, maybe they had been if they were both virgins. Plus if they were drunk they might have gotten the deed done even faster. But he found it hard to believe that Dustin was capable of doing anything quietly. Quinn maybe, he was pretty quiet in general. But drunk Dustin had constantly been jabbering. AJ couldn’t remember a time that he wasn’t saying anything besides when he was busy using his mouth to kiss Quinn or stuff food in his mouth. “I used to take care of people a lot when they were drunk. My dad was a cop so I was too afraid to get in trouble with him. But I was pretty stupid and drank myself into a stupor and threw up all over my bedroom once. Great times.” It was weird to talk about to someone other than his mother. She hadn’t had much of a reaction to it either. “A nap isn’t a bad idea.” He pulled his car onto the street that school sat and started glancing around, “Where is your car at?”

/me laughed a bit too. She felt considerably better, even if her headache hadn’t totally gone away, and she was pretty sure if she took off her sunglasses she would be blinded by the sun. “I think Lea might have murdered him if they even tried,” Blanche offered, glancing in the truck bed herself. “I do remember she was pretty cranky most of the night. But If I got stuck with a drunk sibling and his boyfriend I’d probably be cranky too.” Lea hung out with most of the popular crew that didn’t like Blanche, but Lea hadn’t said anything too awful too her. She looked at AJ as she mentioned his dad, and winced when he mentioned puking everywhere. “My parents don’t really approve of alcohol or anything like that either.” Blanche offered. “But, well, they’re kind of oblivious. They didn’t even notice my car wasn’t in the driveway.” Blanche shrugged slightly. “My car’s on the far side. Near the back entrance a ways away from the gym.” She realized how weird that must look. “I, uh, thought it would look more suspicious if I parked near the gym.”

Nodding in agreement, AJ could only imagine how aggravated he would have been if he had been the sober one in Lea’s shoes. Forced to listen to her older brother’s sex talk must have been pretty strange. “Thank god I’m an only child.” AJ blew out a whistle of relief. He really dodged a bullet there. He wasn’t sure he was prepared to be someone’s brother, especially somebody’s older brother. He would not really consider himself a picture-perfect role model. “Oblivious parents. My favorite kind.” Thanks to an oblivious parent he had been able to get away with a lot of things the last couple of years. Maybe the only upside of his father being gone. He pulled past the gym and kept driving down the road until spotting a lone car down the road away from the school. “Ah. That must be the one then.” He laughed, pulling off of the road behind the car. “You sure you’re good?”

Blanche nodded in agreement. "I don't know what I'd do with a sister or a brother." Blanche said. Honestly, Blanche couldn't think about what her parents would do with a second child. Blanche had been independent since she could start cooking for herself and was trusted enough not to leave the stove on. "I'm sure Lea's soooo pleased about everything last night. Especially the sex talk." Blanche shrugged slightly at the oblivious parent comment. "It can be really nice sometimes. I barely even have a curfew. I think my dad might be thinking about cracking down though, especially after this morning." Not that he wouldn't get distracted with work after a week or so. And he couldn't stop her from working either. AJ pulled off the road as her car came in sight. Blanche only felt slightly nauseous now, even if her head was going to split open. "Yeah, I'm alright." She decided. Granny had disappeared off god knows where-- probably the school to go talk to more ghosts. She turned to him as she unbuckled her seatbelt and paused slightly. "Hey. Um. Thanks. You know, taking all of us home and staying with me and for saving my ass with my parents. And, um. For being so nice." Blanche wasn't sure how to word that without sounding like a total spazz, but it needed to be said. "I just need my keys, and then I'm going to take the longest car nap of the century."

Lea seemed pissed enough about having to be in the presence of AJ without adult supervision or prison bars separating the two and he could only imagine that a drunk and very talkative older brother was a large factor in the bad attitude she seemed to maintain the entire night. “Yeah the absent parental figures can really work out in your favor sometimes.” AJ agreed, and he was telling the truth. Half of the shit he got away with now never would have happened if his father had still been in the picture. Granted, before his father vanished he never had much reason to do any of the shady shit he had recently gotten himself into. Still, having the freedom to do what he wanted whenever he wanted was nice and he was sure Blanche felt the same way. Every kid’s dream. Unfortunately, the absence isn’t just while you’re out trying to party or procrastinating on doing homework and chores. It’s when your car breaks down and your first prom night and all the times when you need them too. That part is the part that fucking sucks. AJ practically groaned as Blanche thanked him, “Please don’t tell anybody you’ll ruin my bad boy rep.” Maybe Blanche would keep this favor he did for her in mind when he came to her someday asking for help. Having a doctor for parents had its perks after all. AJ dug in his bag and handed the keys off to her, “Here you go, now go pass out. Your head ache will thank you.”

"Got that right." Blanche murmured. Sure she got away with a lot of shit, but there were rimes when she really wanted them to be around. Her mom would fuss about making appearances for him and then disappear back into the hospital with the sick children. Blanche coughed slightly shaking her head at his objections. "Oooh pardon me. I wouldn't want to damage your uh 'bad boy' rep, there, buddy." Blanche laughed. "Can't have everyone at school thinking that you like sugar and cotton candy or...." Blanche paused for dramatic effect. "nice!" She smiled at him but took her lanyard. "Thanks AJ. Really. Owe ya one." 'Careful who you owe favors too Blanche.' Blanche jumped slightly at the voice of her grandmother and she hopped out of the truck. She can't look like a total moron. Blanche hurried to her car, pressing the button on her keys to pop the trunk before she paused, turning back to wave at AJ. And then she turned back, pulling out the blanket, and practically diving into the backseat of her car. Time to sleep the rest of this off.

#aj #chatzy #chatzy aj #chatzy aj 1

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smashbuddies · 7 years

Text

Part Four: Achievement Unlocked

It had been a standard day off when Daniel got the message. Really, it was the last thing he expected to see. He read it over at least three times, trying to decipher any ulterior motives behind it.

Snail: Wanna come over to my place today?

He pursed his lips.

Why’re you asking?

It took only three seconds after he set his phone down for it to buzz again.

Snail: Because I think it’ll be hot for us to bang at my place. ;)

Honestly, he couldn’t tell if they were being serious or not. But he still sent back a message saying he’d be there in a few minutes. Really, what else did he have to do?

After a quick drive he arrived there, surprised to see Snail already waiting for him in the parking lot. They had their hands stuffed into their pockets and their shoulders were hunched. But as soon as they saw him get out of the car they perked up, and sauntered over with typical Snail confidence.

“Ready to see my sexy bachelor’s pad?” they asked waggling their eyebrows at him.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” he answered dryly. Considering who he was dealing with, he wasn’t expecting much. “Lead the way.”

They gladly did so, taking him up several flights of stairs. Once they reached the door, they paused. Daniel could’ve sworn he heard them take a deep breath.

“It’s not as fancy as your place,” Snail said out of the blue.

He looked around. There was dirt and grime all around the little porch area, and the assorted noises of several other apartments filled the air. In the back of his mind he wondered about the structural stability of the entire building.

“Obviously,” he replied, deciding to keep his thoughts to himself.

Snail watched him for a long moment, then finally opened the door and went inside.

Daniel waited for a long moment, keeping his gaze straight downward. Was it bad to say the he was scared of what awaited inside? If it was, he didn’t care.

“Hurry up!”

Well, now or never. He stepped inside and carefully looked around.

It was infinitely worse than he expected. The entire place was absolutely filthy. Garbage randomly littered the floor- the small trashcan in the corner was practically overflowing too. And a mountain of dishes sat in the sink, half moldy with flies hovering about. Just looking at all the mess and clutter made him almost have a heart attack.

Snail sat down on the most worn down, uncomfortable looking couch he’d ever seen and looked at him expectantly. “Make yourself at home.”

No thanks.

Carefully, he padded over and took a seat next to them, making sure to not touch anything more than absolutely necessary.

“So, what do you think?” Snail asked, putting their arm on the back of the couch behind him.

“It’s something,” he muttered under his breath. “Why did you invite me over again?”

Their face softened just a bit. “Well, you have me over all the time. I just thought, I’d, you know… Return the favor.”

“You didn’t have to,” he said, looking around once more. His skin began to crawl. “Really.”

Snail waved him off, then turned on the TV. It was some basic cable show- Daniel had no interest in it. Instead he focused his attention on literally everything else.

The paint from the walls was peeling in some places. Every so often a bug would skitter across- too fast for him to really catch. Well, maybe this was a bad idea.

He shifted in his seat. “Where’s the bathroom?”

They pointed without looking to an open door just across the room. “Through there, on the left.” Then with a grin, they added, “Just don’t go jerking off when I’m right here.”

“You’re never going to let me live it down, are you?” he grumbled, getting to his feet and brushing off his pants.

“Nope.”

“Great.”

Through the door Snail pointed at was a room with a worn, stained mattress on the floor, and clothes strewn about all over the place. Was this really how they lived? Or was he having some sort of nightmare?

A pinch test proved he was wide awake. Sighing, he continued on, finding the bathroom with ease. And, would you look at that, it was just as filthy as the rest of the place. Thankfully the mirror was clean enough for him to stare at his reflection and contemplate all his life decisions that brought him to where he was.

Sure, he had his own days living in a shitty apartment. But was it ever this bad? Not that he could remember. So right then he made the choice to confront Snail about it. Clearly, they needed someone to intervene.

As soon as he got back to the living room and opened his mouth to tell them off, their phone rang.

“Oh, it’s feeding time,” Snail said, getting up and hurrying over to the fridge. They pulled out a pack of rather expensive looking cheese. The kind Daniel himself would buy.

“You have a pet?” he asked, looking around for any signs of animal life.

“He’s more like a roommate.”

Snail went over to the corner and crouched down. They placed a single slice of cheese in front of a hole in the wall. To his abject horror, a small rodent peeked out it’s whiskered snout, sniffing for just a moment before pouncing on the cheese and devouring it.

“You keep a rat in here!?”

Snail glared at him. “Excuse me, he’s a mouse, and his name is Captain Thunderblade.”

“This is the most ridiculous bullshit I’ve ever heard,” Daniel snapped, putting his hands on his hips. “It’s vermin, and it doesn’t belong here! This is where you live, for fuck’s sake! Take more pride in it!”

“What’s your deal?” Snail asked, voice low. Were they worried about upsetting the rat? “I don’t see anything wrong here.”

He wasn’t going to get through to them. As much as it pissed him off, he’d have to let it go. For now.

Things were tense as they both sat back down on the couch. Snail had a scowl on their face as they flipped through channels, and Daniel was sure the he looked rather pissed himself. But while Snail found joy in some idiotic show they found, lightening up enough to laugh, he did not.

“What’re we doing for dinner?” he asked, side-eyeing them. “Eating cheese with your roommate?”

“No,” they answered defensively. “Let me go see what I have.”

After just a minute that he spent tapping his foot, they came back, looking defeated.

“...Take-out?” they asked, shooting him a hopeful smile.

Daniel heard a golden opportunity in that question. He got up and began to make his way out the door. “Text me what you want. I’ll be right back with it.”

A hesitant “okay” followed him, before being cut off by the door slamming shut.

Okay, so maybe he took a little too long if Snail’s onslaught of messages were any indication. But it was all necessary. He ignored every last message in favor of shooting them a quick demand.

Come down here and help me out.

They were there in an instant, one eyebrow raised at the many shopping bags splayed out in his back seat. “Um?”

“You’re taking those inside,” Daniel explained, then delicately held up a greasy paper bag between two fingers. “This is your dinner.”

With a shrug they grabbed the bags, easily able to carry all of them. But instead of admitting that he was impressed, Daniel took the lead and went on inside. After Snail dropped all his bags on the floor- great- he shoved their junk food into their hands.

“Here, go eat.”

They frowned at him. “What’s with all the bags?”

“You’ll see,” Daniel said, grabbing one bag in particular and taking off for the bathroom.

Safe and away from Snail’s prying eyes, he pulled a plain white t-shirt out of the back, sneering at it. This was for his own sanity. So he changed into it- along with the pair of sweatpants he got- and neatly folded up his beloved suit. And once his hair was tied back and out of his face, he was ready to take on the world.

Well, just Snail’s apartment. He’d be damned if the world was going to see him like this.

A knock on the door startled him.

“Why the hell are all of those bags filled with soap and shit?”

Daniel opened the door and gave them a hard look. “Because I’m fixing up this dumpster that you call an apartment.”

They only looked him up and down with wide eyes. “What’s with-”

“Don’t look at me!” Daniel snapped, brushing past them so they wouldn’t catch his red face. “I’m not scrubbing this place down in my suit, you moron. Just watch TV or something while I get to work.”

“...You can’t be serious.” They sounded uncomfortable. “I don’t need you to do all that. I invited you over to hang out, not to be my maid.”

He snorted and snapped on a pair of latex gloves, then grabbed several trash bags and began to pick up all the garbage littering the floor. “I’m doing this for my own sanity. I’m not a charity worker.”

“Okay, well,” they said hastily, reaching down to grab a stray can, “at least let me help.”

Swatting away their hand with a hiss, he said, “Go eat. Because I swear to god, if you let that food that I spent my money on go cold, I will shove it down your fucking throat.”

“Holy shit, fine…”

To his delight, they began to eat the greasy burger he’d gotten them, leaving him to finally work in peace. At least, that’s what he thought, until just a couple minutes later when he heard them, voice muffled by the food still in their mouth.

“Can I help now?”

“No.” He glared hard at them, just to really drive the message home. “You won’t do it right.”

“Won’t do it right?” they repeated, disbelieving. “This is my apartment!”

“And just look at it!” Daniel argued and waved an arm to the entire place. “It’s a goddamn disaster!”

Snail opened their mouth. Then after a quick scan around, they closed it right back up.

Daniel crossed his arms and reveled in his victory. “Exactly. Now go sit down and enjoy your stupid TV shows. I’ll join you when I’m done.”

They begrudgingly did so. And maybe he caught some grumbled curses, but he didn’t pay them any mind. Nothing else as going to distract him from the task at hand.

Once all the trash was picked up and he gave himself a well-deserved pat on the back, he went to the dishes. Dear god, it was worse up close. But he wasn’t deterred. Every last dish was going to be scrubbed down until they shone and glimmered like he did.

“So,” Snail started out of the blue, sauntering over and breaking his train of thought, “how’s that camboy thing been going?”

Ugh.

“Great,” he answered as he ran hot water over the mountain before him, voice dripping with sarcasm. “All my viewers like seeing me get worked up. I’m bringing in more and more everyday.”

“Cool, cool.” They sounded too casual, especially with the way they checked their nails. “So when am I gonna get to see one of your shows? I mean, I’ve already fucked you, I should be able to get in on that for free. Or at least super cheap, you know?”

“If I ever have anything to say about it,” he muttered, taking his aggression out on the mold stuck to the first plate he saw, “then you’ll never see any show with me in it.”

“That’s bullshit,” Snail huffed out. It was funny how much they looked like a bratty kid with their arms crossed and that pout on their face. “I better get a private show sometime, then.”

“Not happening. Now go away, I’m trying to concentrate.”

The rest of the evening was quiet. Daniel slaved away over the dishes, getting every last one of them sparkling like they were brand new. But by the time he was all done, his arms were sore, and he could feel a very prominent hole growing in his stomach.

Fuck.

“Hey, uh,” Snail called out, shooting him a worried look from the couch. “Don’t push yourself. I mean, you can always come back and finish this up.”

“As if I’m going to leave now,” he said, tossing his grime-covered gloves in the trash and grabbing a fresh pair. “Your counters need wiped down, the carpet needs to be scrubbed, and don’t even get me started on your bathroom situation. There’s so much more to do!”

“Look, buddy, you made my place a little more livable,” they said, waving him off. “It’s fine for now. Just go home before you pass out on my floor.”

“...Fine,” he conceded. “But I will get this done eventually.”

The text he got right after work the next day made him think that no, he really wasn’t ever going to get that done. Because he was going to cut off all ties with Snail. Maybe move away. Start a new life somewhere. Or just crawl into a ditch and die, that could work.

Snail: YOU’RE ON TV

There were two ways he could go about this. Ignore them completely, or outright lie.

I have no idea what you’re talking about.

In no time at all he got a picture. Sure enough, that was his face on his TV, with Snail pointing accusingly at it. Son of a bitch.

Snail: THAT’S YOU, MR. NADIVA

Alright, time for a diversion tactic.

Why are you in my house?

Snail: DON’T YOU FUCKING AVOID IT

He couldn’t deal with this bullshit. After getting into his car- with a very cathartic slamming of the door- he sent a simple message back.

We’ll talk when I get home.

Now the question was, would he ever get home? Or would he take the chance to just drive off into the sunset? Or off a cliff?

As much as he wanted to just fade from existence, this was something he couldn’t avoid. So like a prisoner walking death row, he slowly made his way back home. As soon as he saw Snail’s car he took a deep breath and braced himself.

They pounced right as he stepped foot inside. “Why didn’t you tell me you were on TV?”

“Because it’s none of your goddamn business,” he hissed, brushing past them. “And it’s not a big deal anyway.”

“Not a big deal?” they asked, voice raised with disbelief. “Personally, I’d like to know when I’m fucking a goddamn celebrity. Kinda something you should say on the first night, actually.”

“Oh, right.” Daniel turned back and used his height to his advantage by glaring down at them. “I tell you that I have my own show,” he maintained, gesturing wildly to make his point, “and you use it to your advantage by telling everyone that you banged a TV star. And then my reputation gets ruined and everything I worked so hard to get goes down the drain. I know how this bullshit works.”

They gave him the most “what the fuck are you even talking about” look. “Seriously? You think I’m that much of a dick?”

“You’re not special!” he snapped, one hand on his hip and the other flying upwards. “It’s everyone! So don’t suddenly make this all about you!”

The look on their face was one of equal parts hurt and outrage. “Wow.”

“Look,” he hastily said, trying to rub away the tension building up behind his eyes, “it’s a normal thing for someone like me to worry about. And this kind of bullshit is the last thing I need. So you can either get the fuck out, or stay and swear on your life that you won’t take advantage of me.”

Snail stayed quiet for a long moment, then huffed. “Are you kidding me? You’re the best lay I’ve had in a long while. I’m not giving that up. So I guess I won’t tell anyone that I totally nailed a TV star. Even though it’s really fucking cool.”

Oh.

“Well, fine,” he said as he crossed his arms, feeling himself deflate. No more heat to run off of. “I guess this is settled, then.”

“I guess so,” Snail agreed, copying him.

Daniel had no idea what to say or do next. Things just felt so awkward, how the hell could he recover from this? Should he just walk away? Find something else to get angry about?

“So, Smash Brothers?” Snail asked, stuffing their hands into their pockets.

“Sure,” he muttered after taking a deep breath.

“Cool, ‘cause I’m thinking if I win this time,” they purred with a light run up his sides with their hands, “then I get that private show I wanted yesterday. Because honestly, I’m hella disappointed you’re not really a camboy.”

Really, how could he expect anything else? He stuck his nose up at them. “Like I said, not gonna happen. So prepare to get your ass beat.”

#smash buddies #pt4 #snailbitch #fic

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