#like my other brother threw my glasses on the table after he picked them up to ask what they were doing there | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

anticipatecrime · 9 months

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'𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩'| colby brock x male oc

a/n: enjoy ;) summary: sam, colby, corey and jake plan to go to the witches forest, little do they know, they’ll meet a friend of jennifers. he’s a lonely medium studying witchcraft, what happens when colby starts to feel a pull towards him? his feelings confuse him, and make him question himself.

words: 8.8k (TOO FUCKING MANY, i got lost in the sauce🫠)

sam sat on his couch, dialing the number of the woman him and colby met at the stanley hotel. the latter began to film as she picked up.

“hello?”

“hi is this jennifer?” they shared a look towards eachother, acknowledging the awkwardness.

“yes, this is she.”

“sweet uh.. about that forest, was that a legit offer? colby and i have been talking over the past few weeks and maybe.. are you in la now?” he asked, curiously.

“yeah i am”

“cool so maybe tomorrow or later this week we could meet up, and we’d probably be filming it so if that’s cool with you, you could tell us more like about what the forest is and then maybe like find time to schedule to go out there or something?”

“yeah we can meet up.” jennifer said ominously.

“okay cool, maybe tomorrow we’ll schedule a time then.” sam started to laugh from the awkwardness, and immediately after the phone call was over he threw the phone onto the table and freaked out. “why is it so awkward?” he cringed.

“everytime we talk to her.” colby chuckles.

they both start talking to the camera about their plans with the witches forest, and planning a whereabouts for the meetup.

a day had past, and sam, colby and jake were in the car, driving to the area where they were supposed to meet up with jennifer. colby had parked very close to another car in attempts to not be in the way of someones driveway. “can’t park in this driveway brother, gonna get a ticket.”

“can’t go to jail again.” sam laughs.

“we’re in a neighborhood, it’s not that sketchy.” sam commented, as they all start talking about how creepy this whole situation was, joking about getting murdered.

they walk into the park, and they look around until they see two people sitting at a park bench. “hey!” sam calls out, as he sees them. “nice to see you again!” he goes in for a hug with jennifer.

“how was the shoot and everything?” he asked.

“it was good.” she responded, nodding her head, before looking over to her friend, the guy next to her. jennifer didn’t really care about meeting up with strangers but elias, found it sketchy, so he decided to come along as some sort of backup.

“hey, i’m elias, good to meet you.” he shook hands with the person closest to him, colby.

“nice to meet you too.” colby smiled, curious about the guy infront of him. he looked pretty cool, his sense in fashion was definitely something out of a vintage movie. his hair was dark brown, about medium length. he had brown circle glasses pushed towards his nose, contrasting his freckled face.

from what he was wearing, you could see a few tattoos under his sleeves, along with a few different ear piercings. ‘damn this guy is cool’ he felt like some kind of fangirl.

as sam talked to jennifer, colby starting asking questions to the other. “are you also into the paranormal?”

“yeah. i grew up around it my entire life, and now it just seeks me out i guess.” he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “how’d you get into it?”

“that’s the same as one of my friends, corey.” he acknowledges. “honestly it’s not that exciting, me and my buddy sam would explore like abandoned places and stuff then it became haunted areas and now we think we’re haunted.”

“that’s cool.” suddenly jake climbs onto the picnic table, creating a thud sound. “jesus jake.” colby laughed.

“so do you guys chill at the park often?” jake tries to make conversation with the two.

“yeah.” they answer at the same time. the camera is held facing jennifer as she begins to explain why the cabin is haunted, and why it’s called the witches forest.

“you really have to figure it out yourself.” elias commented, chuckling.

“so you’ve been there too?” sam interrogates him.

“you could say that, i also own a cabin about a mile out.”

“would you say it’s haunted?”

“oh definitely, in 1946 a couple moved into the cabin and after a few years they started like experiencing financial issues, and it caused a lot of stress between them and eventually the husband started drinking, and one night he killed his pregnant wife before shooting himself in the head.” elias smirked, watching their jaws drop. “let’s just say i’m not legally able to rent it out anymore because of what happened to the last guests we had.”

“holy shit.” sam looked to the guys, with wide eyes.

“that’s actually insane.” colby said, rubbing his eye. “so do you live there or just use it as a vacation spot?”

“bit of both honestly, the spirits don’t bother me much. i was just there a few days ago and i stayed about three months, left with tons of scratches and stuff.” elias explained.

“do you still have visible marks?”

“yeah, the longest one is on my leg, i can show you if you like.” the guys nodded, so he stands up and props his leg on the park bench, before rolling up his black pants. quickly a red shiny scratch is visible. it starts at his ankle and goes underneath his thigh. “it’s one of the weirder marks i’ve gotten. it’s shiny and feels almost like a burn, like blistered over and stuff.”

“holy shit, that’s crazy.” jake muttered.

“i don’t know if we should do this anymore.” colby laughs, jokingly crying.

“so on a scale of one to ten, how is this a good idea or are we going to die.” sam wondered.

“let’s just say it’s scarier then the stanley hotel.” jennifer answered.

“is that the key?” jake zooms into colby holding the key to the cabin. colby pauses for a second, having an idea. “would you let us see your cabin?” he asks to elias.

“uhh, i don’t know, i would have to be there to supervise.” “not just because i don’t know you, but also for you’re protection. the spirits know me well, even the negative ones, they don’t like other people.”

“jesus.” colby mumbles. “is that why you can’t rent it out anymore.” he nods slowly.

“we have a friend out there that we met from the summer camp thing. a few of them are still there. elias can probably get in contact with one of them to help you out. since they’re both wiccans.”

“so you’re friend is a... wait you’re a wiccan?” sam asks towards elias, pointing the camera in his direction, receiving a half nod.

“after i became a medium it slowly transitioned into exploring witchcraft, i wouldn’t like 100% consider myself a wiccan but i do partake in that stuff.” he holds up his pagan necklace.

“wow, so does your friend live around the cabin?”

“yeah.”

“now i see why it’s called witches forest.” sam laughed hesitantly.

“so a lot of people there are wiccans i’m assuming?” colby asks, before receiving a nod. “witches forest, wiccans.” he does a weird voice to express how crazy this situation is.

“this is awesome, thank you so much for this, we would probably just of done another hotel video.” sam thanked her. “should we call corey?” he asks to the guys.

everyone begins to say goodbye, colby hugging jennifer and elias. “we’ll let you know how it goes.”

“but uh, i just wanted to say, i haven’t been there in awhile so be careful.” jennifer calls out to them.

jennifer and elias start walking back to their apartment. he glances towards the group they had just encountered. “they seem cool, colby’s pretty nice.”

“yeah i guess. i’m surprised you didn’t give them the key.”

“first, they’re strangers, second, they seem like novices, i don’t want their deaths to be on my hands.” elias joked.

“you could’ve gone with them.” she shrugs. elias pauses for a moment, thinking about it. maybe he should. they are trying to find the most haunted areas..

“i’ll think about it.”

it was early morning of the next day, and elias had been messaging with colby since he woke up talking about whether or not he should go up with them. colby has been trying to persuade him, borderline begging him to come. they think it would be awesome for the video and their paranormal experience.

and secretly colby just wants to get to know him as well.

the four boys were in their car, on the way to the first house, to talk to a wiccan who is offering a reading, and more information on the witches forest.

“i was thinking about what the physic said a lot last night, about how corey and i are in danger, and i think they could be right. i hope we have service because we’ve never been in this forest, who knows, like what if we get lost right? that’s why i think bringing elias, who knows the area could be helpful.”

“honestly yeah, and he seems like a cool dude so.” jake shrugs, agreeing with the idea. corey then calls and agrees to come, making everyone so much more relieved.

“let’s just act like we’re going to a cabin in the woods.” corey says, trying to lighten the mood as he gets into the car.

they keep on driving, about twenty minutes out, pulling over only to get jake some food because he kept complaining about being hungry. they pull into a burger king, and grab some food. colby suggests sitting at a table so he can fill both corey and the viewers in about elias and the other wiccan.

“just to catch everyone up, we got some food and we are ten minutes away from the forest!” sam starts it off.

“i’ve been texting with both this wiccan and elias, who agreed on meeting us, but they want to meet us at her house. she was just like ‘yeah swing by, and i’ll show you my tarot cards and stuff.’”

“well, let’s hope we don’t die.”

they walk out to the parking lot, and talk a bit more, explaining to corey. “me, colby, and jake met up with jennifer and this new guy, elias, so the reason why he’s texting to this random wiccan is because they’re friends, them two would meet up with her at summer camp, and she’s going to tell us about the area.” sam said.

as they start driving, they encounter the fog of the mountains, and they struggle to see out the window.

“yeah, elias is going to be with the wiccan, so atleast it’s not like we’re by ourselves with a complete stranger.” colby mentioned.

“well we don’t really know him either.”

“better then completely alone though.” he shrugged, continuing to drive until google maps said he was at the correct address.

“so what have they told you?” sam asked.

“nothing really, just gave us the address and said see you then.” colby explained, shutting the car door. they walked up to the door, not even having to knock before someone opened the door. “hey colby!” elias said, arm on the door.

“yoo hey.” colby gave a hug before smiling. “thanks for taking up our offer on this, having you here and talk about some of the stuff is super great for the video.”

colby felt nervous, seeing elias stand confidentially at the door, he looked more relaxed today, grey sweatpants, black hoodie and his usual brown glasses. you can tell he wasn’t planning on coming.

in the light, it was much easier to see his face. he also realized elias’ hair was slightly curly.

“yeah it’s no problem.” elias said as the other wiccan presented herself. “good to see you again.”

“hey, how are you guys?” she asked. “wanna come in? if you don’t mind i’ll have to sage you though.”

“yeah it’s no problem.”

after the boys were saged, they sat around the table and began to talk about the witches forest. “so why is it called witches forest?” sam asked, getting down to business.

“there’s a lot of rituals that go on in this area, it used to be a spot with mobsters, there’s a lot of satanic rituals, which aren’t as bad or evil as you would think.” elias nods along, agreeing with her.

“so you guys would consider yourselves wiccans in the way that you both study witchcraft.

“yes, i identify as a wiccan, but i feel like it has a different perception of what you would think.”

“okay so can you explain that to us.” sam asked.

“i like to live my life by the moon cycles, so full moon would be a time of like creativity and energy, where as new moon is more introspective and..” she trails off as the door opens for the second time.

“we’re trying to spend the night here, in the forest. do you think that’s a good idea or bad idea?”

elias grimances, shaking his head.

“what’s that supposed to mean?!” corey fake cries.

“a lot of people have died up there.. not recently so i don’t think you’ll die.” she says positively. “if you want we can do a little tarot reading.” she suggests, waving over elias to help her with it.

“tarot reading?” colby repeats asking for clarification.

“tarot cards really tell you what you’re feeling subconsciously, and they help give insight into the past, your future, or the present. and basically however you relate to the card, it tells you what’s going on with your inner-self or stuff you may be doing.” he explains, before sageing the cards.

“this basically helps to detach anything thats holding onto the cards, so for example, the past readings she’s done, it’s possible that those readings could effect yours. so when i sage the cards, it clears anything on them.” he hands over the cards to colby, who passes them to sam, to jake and then to corey, to get their presence onto the cards.

she takes the cards and sets them onto the table. a few gasps come from the guys after seeing the death card, “none of these are bad, so don’t be afraid.”

“the tower is an iffy card in my opinion, so it means danger and destruction, it’s basically like a very sudden unforeseen change, which means you have to rebuild. it can lead to the next chapter of your life. so it starts out negative and eventually it leads to rebuilding which is positive.” elias explains.

“yeah and chaos isn’t always a bad thing, which relates to the death card.” she taps onto it.

“the next chapter of my life is death?” sam asked.

“no.” elias answered shortly. “the death card will almost never mean death or represent anything like that. it’s typically more like the end of an era, so it implies new beginnings. it also is commonly known as the card that describes self awareness.” he was briefly interrupted by a bang upstairs.

“this card is all about fear and anxiety.” she points out. “but not a real fear, more like you’re worrying about something too much. like it’s in your head, like when you can’t sleep and you’re terrified but it’s not something that you should be worrying about. it’s more like you’re imagining something, like making up a problem.”

“like making conspiracy theories about yourself.” jake adds in, earning weird looks from colby and sam.

“just being scared of something that isn’t that big of a deal, like you’re more afraid then you need to be.” elias adds.

“that’s basically our group.” sam comments.

they talked more about the different chapters of their life, corey refusing to do more tarot. she gave more advice on how to keep the guys safe at their campsite, like taking the sage, having a ring of salt and holding hands.

elias watches as they huddle into the corner of the room and talk about some of their plans together. “honestly guys, i don’t know if i can do this.” corey admits. “this shit is crazy, we don’t need more spirits trapped with us.”

“i think we just have to hurry up because it’s a few hours from sundown, and we don’t know the area too well, i don’t want us to get lost.” sam comments.

“do you think we should invite elias?” colby asked.

“brother, now why would we do that.” corey said, shaking his head.

“he knows the area, and i think he would be awesome for content, he can tell us more stories, we can get to know him and maybe do more ghost stuff with him in the future.”

“i’m down.” jake shrugs.

“we don’t know him very well, but i do think he’d be beneficial for this.” sam doesn’t seem to care that much.

“okay well i won’t invite him if you guy’s arent sure.” they all to look corey.

“fine, but i swear to god if he murders us, i’m going to murder you again.”

“okay awesome!” colby walks away from the guys and up to elias. “i was wondering if you wanted to come with us, like to our campsite.”

“oh. uhh, i mean i guess i could hang for a bit, but it would probably be weird to stay the night with you guys. my cabin isn’t too far away in the forest so i’ll go back there once you guys are settled in.”

“we’d be chill if you wanted to stay the night in a tent beside us or something, but it’s cool if not.”

“i’ll figure it out later.” he shrugs, and follows the guys to the car. elias sits in the passenger seat, sam giving it up to sit in the back, so he didn’t have to sit squished next to strangers.

they began to drive in the direction of witches forest, taking a right turn onto a gravel road.

“so where do you suggest us staying the night exactly?”

“well i would say definitely be near one of the main roads, so you’re near your car, but as in area, if you keep going down here, there’s some pretty flat ground with trees surrounding it.” elias points in the right direction.

they pull into a blank area, and start gathering their stuff. “just down this way.” he leads, while helping carrying one of their bags.

“awesome, thank you.” sam thanks him, actually kind of surprised how much this stranger was helping them.

“do you need help setting up your tent, or?” he wondered.

“uhh..” jake mumbled, knowing he’s never put up a tent in his life.

“that is a possibility.” sam chuckles. ”so like, did you group up in california or elsewhere?” he took what colby said earlier, about getting to know him, and ran with it.

“oh uh, no i grew up in a small town out of seattle, but i moved to la when i was 17.” elias answered, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

“oh cool. why’d you leave seattle?” jake asked.

“just bad memories i guess.” he took a deep breath. “the house i grew up in.. my brother he died there when i was 6. his death brought me into the paranormal world.”

“oh, i’m sorry for your loss.” colby commented, beginning to build the tent.

“don’t be.” elias laughed it off. “it was a pretty natural death, he was born with heart complications, honestly a miracle he lived till 14. he was very positive and i’m sure he wouldn’t want people mourning, so i choose not to i guess.”

“that’s a good way to look at it.” colby smiled at the other. colby took a liking to him, he wasn’t sure why though but it felt like something was pushing him to get to know him.

“so you said you’re a medium?” corey asked, helping colby with the tent.

“yeah, the thing with my brother, it guided me to other spirits and i just kind of fell into it all. i feel things more the most people, i hear more, i sense more.” he paused. “i don’t feel any presences here but i feel sadness and regret.”

“that’s honestly really cool, so to become a medium does it need to be something that happens to you or can you like learn and study to become one?” colby asked, setting up the camera on a camping chair, pointed to elias.

“in my opinion it has to come to you, you can’t work for it. if you are gifted with the ability you can learn and study to enhance it but you can’t force it.”

“the tent’s looking good.” corey nodded towards it. “but i swear to god i don’t want to sleep here.” he begs, making everyone laugh.

once everything was set up, and looking good, elias decided to leave. “i’ll probably head up to the cabin.” he says, rubbing the back of his neck.

“yo, you sure?” jake asks, actually wanting him to stay. in the past few hours they’ve all been vibing pretty hard.

“yeah no pressure to leave.” colby said, giving him a smile.

“i don’t wanna intrude too much on your video or anything, but feel free to come to the cabin if you have any problems or something crazy happens. can’t promise staying at the cabin will be any better but still. i have wifi, hot water, beds, all that stuff so don’t be shy.” elias smiled back.

“alright, thank you.” sam nodded.

“make sure to say goodbye before you leave though!” elias called out, as he walked away.

“bye!” colby shouted.

“cya!” jake yelled.

“dude, you’re staring.” corey pointed out, laughing at his friend. colby turned to look at him, before rolling his eyes.

“shut up, i just think he’s cool.”

corey winked to sam and jake, them chuckling to eachother.

it was hours later, maybe 3 or 4, and elias was in his cabin, drinking a glass of wine, while reading one of the books from the old bookshelf. his days here were simple. he’d tend to the plants, garden, read some books and drink wine. he wish he had a more extroverted life, and would sometimes regret missing out on opportunities. such as hanging out with the guys back at the campsite.

he wondered why he didn’t just stay, when they were clearly okay with him there, but he was still unfortunately a stranger. they were okay with him there, but they didn’t want him there.

‘god i need friends’, he thought. he’s been so lonely, his only friend being jennifer, and they weren’t all that close anymore since he’s started studying witchcraft. elias has only had a few friends in his lifetime, people thinking he’s weird or abnormal for his interests and gifts, and he’s only been in one relationship which ended around 6 months.

he honestly hasn’t felt that interested in people, elias finds them too generic, but he did take interest in the group. no matter how goofy they all seemed, they were cool. especially colby, he seemed to care the most. and he was kinda cute so that’s a plus. but he was probably straight.

he paused, hearing a bang upstairs, before sighing. his only friends are the spirits of the forest. he took his glasses off and gave them a rub, as they got a bit foggy.

‘maybe a bath will ease my mind’ as he began to run a bath he heard a scream for help. his eyes widened at the voice, that was definitely colby.

“help!” it was a gut-retching scream. elias turned off the bath, and as he was running to the front door, he turned the outside lights on, immediately lighting up the area.

“colby?!” he called out, opening the door.

“elias?!” suddenly, he came into view. “holy fuck, thank god.” he sighed, relieved. he rushed to the door.

“what the hell happened out there? where is everyone?”

“i-i i got lost, i don’t know where i am, i was chasing after a shadow and i thought sam and jake were after me but i went in circles and i walked for so long it’s been like 15 minutes and i don’t know where they are.”

“woah, colby are you hurt?” elias reaches out to the others side, seeing a few smaller scratches. he gently touches them, earning a hiss out of colby.

“ouch.” he chuckles. “anyways, i really need help finding them, i don’t know what the fuck happened.”

“you said you saw a shadow figure? was it just a shadow or were there any visible descriptions?”

“just a shadow.” he shrugs, shivering a bit.

“theres been a few people spotting shadows around here, a lot of people think one of the main shadows, it’s of a larger male and it’s predicted that it’s the spirit of the husband i told you guys about earlier, and that he’s stuck in this forest as punishment.”

“jesus.” colby exhales.

“here, come in for a second, i’ll get you a heavier jacket and i’ll get a bandage for your side.”

“oh, thank you so much.” colby rubs his neck, awkwardly standing in the others home. “this cabin is actually beautiful.” he said, not expecting it.

“haha yeah, i take pride in it. nobody ever is here to see how gorgeous the wood and plants are.”

“oh why’s that?”

“i just don’t have many friends.” elias said, while grabbing a few items. “gets lonely up here.”

“hey well, you can consider us friends, i think you’re cool as hell.” colby smiles, taking the jacket, and putting it over his shoulder. “it would be awesome to have you come with us to other haunted places.”

“i-” elias was about to decline, before he thought for a minute. he knew he would regret declining. “sure, why not.” he gestured for colby to move his arm so he could wrap his side.

“that should do it.” he gave him a pat on the shoulder. “now, we really have to get you back to your friends, they’re probably freaking out.”

“yeah.” colby agreed, rubbing his side.

“do you mind if i spend the night with you guys? i have a feeling.. like i can feel something bad in your future, and i don’t think it’s safe for you guys alone.”

“oh god..” colby sighed, not ready for whatever he’s talking about. elias grabbed a few more things, and shoved it into a backpack. “it would be appreciated if you stayed with us.” he laughed it off, pretending he didn’t care too much, but he actually felt pretty nervous about the idea.

he’s never really found guys that attractive or anything but something about elias, it wasn’t even his looks, something about his personality or dare he say ‘spirit’ was alluring. colby just needed to know more, needed to get close to him.

“okay, let’s go.” he said, turning off the house lights, and turning on his flashlight.

they walked through the forest, trying to avoid all of the unnerving noises they heard. “thank you.” elias said quietly.

“what? why?”

“because, today has been the most social interaction i’ve had in awhile.” he chuckled. they continued to walk in peaceful silence, colby instinctively walking closer to elias. they smiled to eachother, elias having to look away and blush out of sight. ‘jesus, what is happening to me.’

they walked a bit more, and finally began to see bright lantern lights, similar to colby’s. “guys!” he shouted.

“no way, colby!” corey shouted, running straight to him out of relief.

“guys!”

“holy shit it’s colby!”

“colby!”

“what the fuck happened to you.” sam shook his head. they all looked closer and saw another person. as they got closer they realized it was elias.

“holy shit.” corey exclaimed.

“are you okay bro?” jake asked.

“the shadow person, i kept chasing it, i saw it again. it ran so i ran after it, i ended up going in circles and i got lost so i started screaming for help and i saw a cabin, thank god it was elias’.

“did you hear the scream? it was like a female scream.” sam explained.

colby went to sit in a chair, his side aching. “no i didn’t, i scratched my side though.” he lifted his shirt to show the bandage.

“dude, me and jake saw like a baby or something small hung.” sam said.

“bro, i looked at it, and my first thought was that it was a baby hanging, it was swaying and everything.”

“wait.. you said you saw a baby hanging?” elias looked at them in pure shock. “holy fuck.. you saw her.” he mumbled.

“what?” sam asked, eyes wide.

“what the fuck is going on.” corey shouted.

“the.. the story i told you guys, about the husband killing his pregnant wife. a few people i rented the cabin out to, they would see shadows of a hanging dead baby outside the windows.”

“holy fuck!” corey screamed, jumping before walking a few steps away.

“that is fucking crazy.” jake exclaimed, holding onto his head.

“i can’t believe this.” sam held the camera, beginning to shake. “okay, a rule, we can’t separate again.”

they began to talk about what the shadow could’ve been, talking about the biker kids they had seen earlier in the day.

“it definitely was not a biker, you would’ve heard it a mile away, and nobody just goes for a walk in the middle of the night.” elias shakes his head in disbelief at the situation.

“i’m not staying out here any longer.” jake says, running into the tent. everyone else begins to pack away their stuff, making sure that if they got scared again, they could leave without having to worry about their scattered belongings.

sam pulls out the camera once everything is put away, and gives the viewers a quick update. “just a little update guys, we did clean up our entire campsite, and now we’re going to chill in here for a little bit, because we don’t know what’s out here.” he gestures inside the tent.

“is it alright if i stay here? i don’t feel like walking back to the cabin.” he asks.

“oh yeah of course.” sam practically invites him in. “you’ll just have to deal with our gross selves.”

“i think i’ll be fine, i was a babysitter for 3 years of my life.” he joked, earning laughs from everyone.

a small fight ensues about sleeping bags with the guys, and elias sits off to the side of the tent, not wanting to get too close and make anyone uncomfortable. he watches as colby pokes around at corey’s pocket.

“brotherrrr, scared the fuck outta me.” corey cries out. “it’s either colby hitting on me again or a ghost.” elias laughed at that.

“i like to use shrek’s belly as a pillow.” jake mumbles, away from the drama.

a few minutes go by, and bugs in the tent frighten elias, while sam and colby start swatting at them before jake and corey talk about the white people face. elias, guilty of making that face more then once tonight.

the rest of the night was filled with fivesome jokes, jake playing with shrek into the camera, dance parties, sam touching more spiders in the tent, and colby trying to rest his eyes.

he originally laid near corey, between him and elias. he was resting on the end of his sleeping bag, feeling exhausted with the night so far. after another bug was squashed, they placed the camera back in the center of everyone.

elias was the closest to the camera, slightly out of frame, colby close by, corey leaning to the front, jake beside him, and sam on the other side also out of frame. “who keeps farting?” colby asked jokingly annoyed.

“yo what is that smell bro.” colby started cringing, holding his nose, causing everyone to laugh, corey the most.

“who farted dude?” jake commented about the smell looking towards sam.

“i don’t smell anything.” he shrugged carelessly, elias agreeing with him.

“yeah cause it was you!”

“someone ripped ass, and it was me two minutes ago.” corey revealed, laughing like a madman.

“my face was right by your asshole!” colby shouted, making a disgusted face to the camera before slowly shuffling away from the guy, and closer to elias. he dramatically collapsed onto elias’ leg and begged him not to do the same.

colby found his leg oddly comfortable, holding onto it like a pillow. he didn’t want to get too over the top and make elias uncomfortable, so tried to stay away from the boys lap.

then, it was back to jake putting shrek up to the camera, pretending to ring an imaginary doorbell.

“look guys, stop recording if we’re actually going to fuck.” corey pulled his sleeping bag over his face.

“yeah i don’t wanna be on camera.” elias said, holding his hands up, making everyone snicker. it was kind of awesome how they could go from complete strangers, thinking eachother was creepy, to then making jokes like this.

speaking of jokes, everyone made comments about colby and how he was sleeping all cuddly on the other, and god was it unbearable.

it was awkward, and uncomfortable but oddly enough, the friendly teasing felt better then being alone, so he dealt with it, and listened to corey’s little story about the boys and the shadowman.

suddenly, noises started getting louder. exhales, footsteps, bangings. corey felt uncomfortable, and kept demanding to leave the tent. everyone paused, trying to listen to the surrounding sounds, sam hearing a car, and elias hearing thuds.

“yo, should we just try to go to sleep?” colby asked, genuinely really tired.

“uh, no.” corey answered like it was obvious

elias felt the need to interrupt. “listen, the noises are obviously scary and whatever, but you need to understand that you guys are overthinking. think back to the tarot cards. you are scaring yourselves.” he tried to explain, as a way to calm them down.

it definitely didn’t work, corey hearing another exhale, and telling everyone to get out of the tent as a safety precaution.

eventually everyone began to rush out of the tent, into darkness, sam screaming for someone to get a light. elias put on his glasses, and grabbed a flashlight, pointing it around the camp.

he heard rustling coming from a near bush and started walking up to it, he peeked around trying to find what the noise could’ve been. “elias, hurry up!” sam called, as everyone began running to the car.

he caught up to them, not caring anymore and jumping in the back with jake and corey. “holy fuck.” he exhaled. “where are we going?”

“jennifer’s cabin.” corey replied, nodding at the idea.

sam’s phone started to ring as colby was driving on a tight road. “yo, yo, look!” he answered the call, everyone hearing absolute gibberish. it was random noises, deep exhales and other strange noises.

“that sounds like someone fucking with us.” colby stated, as sam talked about telling all his friends he was coming here.

“holy shit, i don’t think it’s someone pranking you guys.” elias stared, wide eyed at his phone before holding it up so everyone could see.

“fuck.” jake muttered. “answer! answer!”

elias answered the call, putting it on speaker phone. the sounds coming from his call was much different from sam’s. these, sounded like chants, as if a huge group of people were shouting into the phone, cursing the boy. “guys, what the fuck is this.” he had experienced everything, but never has he gotten no caller id calls, with scary ass chants. “are you fucking with me right now?” he asked the group, tears welling in his eyes.

“no! no! of course not!” colby assured him. “we don’t do shit like that.”

he pulled into the driveway of jennifer’s cabin, immediately opening the doors and seeing the pouring rain. at the door, jake started shaking the water off of him, complaining about being wet.

quickly, elias could see sam was struggling. he was digging through his bag trying to find the key. he was beginning to panic, and everyone was starting to realize.

“wait you don’t have the key?” corey questioned, getting nervous. “sam.” he sighed.

“was it in your pockets or the backpack?” colby asked.

“when do you remember last having it?” jake watched as sam patted his pockets.

“n-no i had it today, i showed the girl that jennifer gave me the key.” he defended. “here, just check the car, i swear, i have it.”

“really try to remember, did you put it in your bag or your pockets?” colby kept pushing.

sam frantically looked around the car as the others judged him, complaining and blaming him for losing the key. “hey honestly sam, don’t worry about it, it��s just a mistake.” elias tried to reassure him everything was fine, only for corey to say something.

“i thought.. it’s either here or in the backpack.. unless is it in our bags? should we check the trunk?” everyone was freaking out, and elias stood there awkwardly watching. he felt bad for sam.. he could feel the sadness and guilt dripping off of him.

“we need this key. we can’t get in. dude jennifer trusted us with this key, you can’t-”

“is this the only key?” “sam, are you fucking serious, dude. i’m not trying to be rude, but first you lowkey lost colby, and now you don’t have the key. i’m just saying, this is why i don’t like doing this type of shit.” corey raised his voice.

jake and corey agreed they didn’t want to go back to the tent, as colby kept filming. elias took a breath before saying excuse me and pulling sam to the side.

sam looked confused, but his guilt was overtaking it. “what?” he looked at the other, wondering why he dragged him a few feet away.

“dude, don’t listen to them, losing the key, like i said is a simple mistake, any of them could have done it, they’re not upset at you, they’re just upset at the cirumstances. but you’re forgetting i have a place just a few minutes away.” elias tried calming him down, seeing tears well in his eyes. he could tell sam wasn’t one that could deal with being yelled at.

“it’s not anything big, it’s a two bedroom with a pull out couch.” elias shrugged. “please just accept my offer, alright?” sam nodded, wiping any sort of water away from his eyes.

“thank you elias, really.” sam suddenly grabbed onto him, giving him a side hug.

“no worries.” he smiled, leading him back to the car, before they explained the plan to the others. everyone could see the disappointment in sam’s eyes, as he sat quiet in the passenger seat.

jake whispered to elias, about what happened out there, him shaking it off as to say it was private. he guides colby down the different roads, and in a few minutes they were outside his cabin.

“here we are!” he welcomes them inside, turning all the lights on.

“shit this is nice.” corey nodded, jumping onto the couch.

“woah woah, take your dirty ass boots off.” elias joked, watching as he threw them off in the direction of the door.

“thank you so much for having us here.” sam smiled, setting his bag down.

“really, don’t worry about it, i’m glad you’re here and not outside.” elias took their stuff and organized it by the doors. “okay so, there’s two bedrooms, you guys can take those if you want, i don’t mind sleeping on the couch.”

“hell no.” colby laughed, refusing to have him give up his own room in his own house.

“mkay whatever, someone can sleep in my room with me i guess, because trust me the couch is very uncomfortable to sleep on. plus the rooms are much safer. the living room is the scariest, you’ll hear the most shit out here.” he chuckled. “you guys can look around if you want, also feel free to eat anything you find, and use the wifi, passwords on the fridge.” he yawned. “i’m going the fuck to bed.”

the guys chuckled, taking him up on that offer.

for over half an hour, they decided to eat some of the snacks in his fridge, and taking crackers from the pantry. “god i was so hungry.” jake moaned into the leftover burger he was eating.

“okay guys, take it easy, we aren’t trying to raid their food.” colby snickered, watching as his friends ate like hungry rats.

“yeah good point.” sam took a handful of crackers and put the box back. “should we talk about sleeping arrangements?”

“there’s no fucking way i’m sleeping on the couch or anywhere in the living room after what he said.” corey stated, heading into the direction of the guest bedroom.

“yeahh, me neither.” jake followed after him.

“so.” colby shrugged. “do you care where you’re sleeping tonight?”

“not really, i’ve gotten to know elias pretty well so it doesn’t really matter to me.” the brunette squints at him.

“what did you guy’s talk about?” he questions.

“honestly, when he pulled me aside i was shocked. he like saw how overstimulated i was with the whole situation and he completely calmed me down, comforted me and everything.” he threw his arms as he was talking.

“yeah, i’m sorry about that, we were all just frustrated about the key.”

“don’t worry about it.” sam smiled. “are you and elias getting close? you were like all over him, sleeping back at the tent.” he was genuinely curious, considering he hasn’t seen his friend like this in awhile.

colby paused, thinking about everything that’s happened tonight. “honestly... i don’t know, it’s been really weird for me. i’m so confused with what im feeling.” he shook his head, so unsure.

“hm, i’ll go sleep with corey and jake.” they both nodded to that. “goodnight colby!” sam called out, walking in the same direction as the others did.

colby slowly approached elias’ room, pushing open the door gently. both bedside table lights were on, followed by a few candles around the room. he could see that the other boy was still awake. “oh hey.” he put down his book.

“hey elias. thought you were going to bed?”

“i was, heard some loud munchers in my kitchen though.” he giggled, as colby apologized. “no, honestly it’s okay, i was actually surprised how fast you guys decided to come to bed.”

elias yawned once more, stretching his arms out on the bed. “i can either sleep on the floor, make a little bed and shit, or if you’re cool i’ll just stay on the right of the bed.”

“literally don’t worry about it, not the first time i’m sleeping with a dude-” he paused, cutting himself off. “god that sounded bad.” he laughed, blushing with embarrassment.

“wouldn’t be my first time either.” elias smirked, blowing a fake kiss before wheezing at their dumb jokes.

colby moved closer, setting his personal backpack down and folding his jacket on the table. he shuffled towards the bed, and sat ontop of it. “i have no idea if i’m going to sleep tonight.” he sighed.

“that’s fair. it’s crazy out here. if you want we can just stay up and talk for awhile?”

“actually.. that would be nice.” colby rubbed the back of his neck. in was silent for a few seconds, him getting comfortable under the covers. “so..”

“how did you like the witches forest? scary enough for you guys?” the other asked, trying to start a good conversation.

“oh definitely one of the scariest places we’ve been to, like with the history of it and everything.”

“what other places have you been to?”

“uhh the stanley hotel, the biltmore, queen mary, cobb estate, griffin park, and we’ve explored so many creepy places, like morgues and abandoned hospitals.” colby explained.

“geez, no wonder you guys are haunted.” he laughs.

“do you think we are? we joke about it but im genuinely curious if we are.”

elias thinks for a minute. “i don’t think you’re haunted. however, i can sense something with you. with you and corey. whatever is following you, is completely different then what is attached to corey. notice the different in words.” he points out. “i think you have gotten yourself into many negative situations, not just paranormal.” “would you consider yourself lonely, or sad?”

colby exhaled shakily. “yes, sometimes.”

“spirits love following people that are lonely, they find them to be like easy prey, vulnerable.” he emphasizes the last word. elias closes his eyes, really focusing on colby’s presence. “i think the spirit that is with you is also lonely. they are following along with you, because you are feeding into it, giving it attention. and that’s fine, but if you don’t want it with you, you have to make it clear.”

“is it friendly?” he asked.

“yes. it’s friendly. i can’t tell you where you picked this spirit up, but it’s positive, and enjoys your company. it will not hurt you-” he stops, feeling something float by him. “it will not hurt you, it doesn’t want to, that’s not it’s intent. infact, it wants to protect you. noises you might hear, when you go to a haunted area, it very well could be this spirit trying to assert dominance with other ones.”

“holy.” colby tried to calm his breathing. “this is crazy. as long as it’s friendly, then i welcome it.” “so, do you think corey’s ghost is like bad?”

“i wouldn’t say bad, but when i was sitting near him earlier, it isn’t as friendly as yours. it likes the fear that comes with scaring him, i’d even go as far as, it wants to scare him more, it wants to up it. and with that spirit challenging him, i am nervous for his health both physically and mentally.”

“jesus, i have to tell him that in the morning, he’ll probably freak.” he sighed. “it’s so cool how you can like sense this stuff, does it ever get overwhelming?”

“allll the time.” elias chuckles. “sometimes i can just be in a library back in la, and i’ll feel like some version of spirits and like all these weird emotions, and i have to leave.”

“wow i’m sorry that comes with such an amazing gift.”

“it’s okay, i feel at peace with it now. i think my brothers with me, helping me deal with it all. i think he realizes how alone i am, and has decided to follow me.” he laughs at himself. “sorry, sorry, let’s talk about something more fun.”

colby laughed along. “so do you have a girlfriend?” he wondered, making elias pause and blush lightly.

“no, i’m single.” “goes along with the loneliness, if you feel me.” he chuckled. “you?”

“same, it’s hard to date now that sam and i’s channel has blown up. a lot of people have tried to use me for like clout and stuff.” the other frowned at that, apologizing for his past experiences. “no, no it’s okay, i just hope i’ll find someone soon, i do feel you, it gets so lonely.” he fake cries.

elias sips his glass of wine, offering some to colby. “i’m a vodka and rum kinda guy.”

and soon enough, the boys were drinking, gossiping to each other about absolutely everything. colby was a very talkative drunk it seemed. he was blabbing about his friends, girls, ghosts, anything. “so like, are you gay?” he asked.

elias spat out his wine back into the glass before turning to colby. “uh wow..” he rubbed the back of his neck. “where did that come from?”

“i-i don’t know.” colby admitted, trying to hide himself with the blanket. he really didn’t know why he asked, his weird confused feelings mixed with being drunk just made him ask, he was so curious.

“i’m bisexual.. how’d you know i was into men?”

“i.. i didn’t.” colby mumbled into the blanket. he felt himself shaking, so nervous and anxious. he took a deep breath and exhaled aggressively before jolting up and looking right at elias. “i didn’t know you liked men but i think i do.” he rushed it out.

“i’ve never felt anything for a guy before so i’m pretty freaked out right now and-d confused but i think i like you.” he rubs his eyes, embarrassed and uh pretty drunk.

“wait really?” he paused for a moment. ‘holy shit’ he thought. he never would have expected this, he just thought colby loved being physical with his friends from all the touches earlier in the night.

seeing that his confusing feelings were being reciprocated, it made elias the happiest he’s been in awhile. “dude, i feel the same way.”

colby stopped, completely still. both boys were completely shocked at each others confessions.

“like i feel like i’ve known you for awhile.” elias commented.

“same.” he tried to think of what to say next, where to go from here.

“hey.” the other touched his arm. “don’t get too nervous about this whole situation, we have plenty of time to get to know eachother, plenty of time for you to figure out everything you’re going through.” “don’t feel pressured into anything.”

colby thought for a few minutes. “thank you, i appreciate it.” “it’s.. it’s so weird feeling like this. ever since i was younger i’ve been so convinced that i’m straight, and now i’m getting all these feelings for you and it’s honestly making me scared. what if i do like you? does that mean i have to come out? tell my friends, family and viewers? what if i don’t and this is just a mistake?”

“you can.. or we can figure it out one step at a time.” elias smiled. “and by the way, never feel pressured to come out, it’s a personal and heavy thing to do.”

he shivered, tears threatening to spill. it was such a vulnerable moment for him. elias reached out to the boy, offering a hug.

they shared a tight hug, elias rubbing his back out of comfort.

their moment was interrupted by an incredibly loud bang, and three loud screams from the guys in the other room. “colby!” one of them shouted.

they pulled apart from their hug, just as the three barged into their room. “did you fucking hear that, bro?!” sam questioned, before looking at the people in front of him. he acknowledged how close they were, the slight tears in colby’s eyes,how intimate the room lighting was, the wine, the white rum..

oh fuck, they just interrupted a moment.

the other two didn’t notice, too scared of the noises they’ve been hearing all night. “that was the loudest one yet!” jake announced.

“i’m not going back in there.” corey whined.

“we’ve been hearing shit over there, what about you?” sam asked, before mouthing a sorry to the two sitting in bed. elias smiled at the gesture, before trying to wipe off his smirk.

“nope.” colby shook his head, his eyes less red then a few minutes ago.

“it’s safer in here.” corey stated, setting down the pillow he brought from the other room, and curling into a ball onto the floor, making elias laugh.

“are we having a sleepover?” he asked.

“oh, fucking totally.” jake snickered, running back to the other room and grabbing every blanket and pillow he could.

sam made a gesture with his finger, calling over colby. he noticed and walked to the bathroom with him.

“uh, hey, sorry about that, we didn’t mean to interrupt you guys.”

“interrupt? you uh didn’t interrupt anything we were just talking.”

sam made a face, before nodding. it was his business, so when he wanted to tell him, he would, so he left it alone. “alright.. you ready for this sleepover?” he smiled.

“fuckkk yeahh.”

it had been over an hour, everyone was dead asleep, corey snoring. elias was the only one awake, he was too in thought to sleep. he watched over colby, who was laying right infront of him on the floor with the rest of the guys. they were each laying on both bed mattresses, covered in blankets, basically in a line.

he had been debating to put an arm around colby, but.. if they woke up like that he could expose colby to the rest of his friends, or atleast cause him to get teased.

after a bit, he decided to shuffle his left arm under colby, so it was less noticeable. he held the boy, smiling, before finally falling asleep.

he didn’t know this, but colby was awake the entire time, smiling, wondering what the frick he was gonna do about this goofy medium he found himself possibly falling in love with...

#colby brock #colbybrock #colby brock x oc #colby brock x reader #sam and colby #samandcolby #jake webber #colby brock fanfic #colby brock fanfiction #corey scherer #sam golbach #colby brock x male reader #colby brock x male #maleoc #anticipatecrime

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kckt88 · 3 months

Text

Cruel Intentions.

Summary:

Two brothers who attend an elite university make a bet: to deflower the new dean's daughter before the start of the new semester.

Warning(s): Language, Drug Taking, Slight Homophobic Language, Bet Making, Maniplulation, Kissing, Loss of Virginity, Smut – Fingering, Oral Sex (M Recieving), P in V, Major Character Death.

MODERN AEMOND x O.C & AEGON x ALYS. - (HINTED AEMOND x ALYS & MINOR AEMOND x FLORIS BARATHEON)

HEAVILY INSPIRED BY THE MOVIE - CRUEL INTENTIONS

Word Count: 8124

Taglist - @immyowndefender, @mrsbarnes314, @dixie-elocin, @targaryenbarbie, @ammo23

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the House of The Dragon or Fire & Blood characters nor do I claim to own them. I do not own any of the images used.

Comments, likes, and reblogs are very much appreciated.

“What are we betting for?” asked Aemond.

“Money of course” quipped Aegon stubbing out his cigarette.

“Seriously-how boring, let’s put something really worthwhile on the line” said Aemond.

“Ok-If I win, I get your car”.

“And if I win?” asked Aemond pursing his lips.

“I’ll let you fuck my girlfriend” replied Aegon.

“Not even remotely worth it” quipped Aemond.

“Oh please-I see the way you look at Alys”.

“Again-Not interested” retorted Aemond.

“Not even if I tell you that Alys will let you put your cock anywhere-she’s into all sorts of freaky shit” said Aegon smirking.

Aemond paused as he thought over his brother’s proposition, he wasn’t wrong when he pointed out his fixation with Alys, she was a little older and she was so fucking beautiful, and she had a spectacular set of breasts that he just wanted to bury his face between and worship.

Of course, there were other parameters of the bet that needed to be discussed but a chance to stick his cock into Alys was more than enough to gain his acceptance and the fact that she was allegedly into freaky shit intrigued him thoroughly.

He was sick of bedding insipid debutants who’s shoe size was higher than their I.Q, he wanted someone different.

“I accept-now what are the actual terms of the bet?” asked Aemond.

“You know the new dean’s daughter-“

“-Reese Hargrove?” asked Aemond.

“Yeah, that one-little miss prim and proper thinks she too good for anyone, so I say we knock her down a peg or two” replied Aegon.

“-And how do we do that?”

“You will seduce her and then discard her” said Aegon.

“Seriously? That’s too easy-not even remotely enough of a challenge” laughed Aemond.

“Did I mention that she’s a proper daddy’s little princess-“

“Again boring” said Aemond yawning.

“-And a virgin” replied Aegon smirking.

“How’d you know that?” asked Aemond curiously.

“I take it you didn’t read her manifesto in the University magazine” asked Aegon as he threw a copy onto the glass table.

“Menstrual cramps?” asked Aemond as he glanced at the front cover.

“Shut up and turn to page sixty four” snapped Aegon.

Aemond rolled his eye and picked up the magazine, he flicked through the pages until he found the one, he wanted.

“Why I plan to wait by Reese Hargrove-Jesus christ is she for real?” asked Aemond.

“Oh, she’s daddy’s little angel-a paradigm of chastity and virtue”.

“Hm” muttered Aemond as Aegon ripped the magazine from his grasp.

“Let’s see-boring, boring, boring-I love my parents, boring, boring, boring-making a mature decision-oh here, she has a boyfriend named Trevor, been going out for a year and he understands” said Aegon mockingly.

“What a loser” snarked Aemond rolling his eye.

“My point is-you and I have fucked our way through most of the girls at university, which is hardly a challenge anymore”.

“So, all I have to do is fuck her and I win the bet?” asked Aemond.

“Pretty much-but if you’re thinking it’ll be easy then your wrong-” muttered Aegon.

“How do you even know that?

“Remember that chick I told you about over Easter?” said Aegon.

“The one who broke your nose after you tried to finger-wait that was her?” asked Aemond trying to stifle his laughter.

A girl with some bite to her-this could be interesting.

“Yes, it was her, humiliated me in front of everyone so now it’s payback time”.

“So, this bet is just your desperate attempt at getting revenge against a girl who wasn’t interested in you-for fuck sake Aegon” muttered Aemond running a hand through his sandy blonde hair.

“Oh, cut the moral high ground shit brother it doesn’t suit you-or do I need to remind you of the time you fucked your way through all of the Baratheon sisters in the space of a week”.

“Far point-so I fuck Hargrove and then what?” asked Aemond.

“Providing you have proof of the deed being done, then I’ll let you fuck Alys” replied Aegon.

“What does Alys say about all this-” mused Aemond.

“Well of course I asked her before I discussed things with you, and she agreed-“

“-Just like that?” asked Aemond disbelief.

“We have a semi open relationship remember-as long we tell each other that we want to fuck someone else, then it’s ok. Sometimes we even share” shrugged Aegon.

“Well, I’m not into sharing” growled Aemond.

“Do you seriously think I want to see your bare arse-no thanks. I just meant that me and Alys are open to many forms of expressing ourselves and our love” said Aegon.

“-And you’re ok with her potentially fucking your own brother?”

“You have to win the bet first” laughed Aegon.

“-And if I fail?”

“I get your car which I will make sure to fuck Alys in” quipped Aegon smirking.

“Fine-you’re on” said Aemond holding out his hand.

“There was me thinking you’d need a little more convincing”.

“Thing is, can you imagine what this would do for my reputation? Screwing the new deans daughter before the semester starts” mused Aemond.

“Would be one of your greatest victories-aside from the school nurse that you fucked last year, I’m still surprised they didn’t kick you out for that” said Aegon reaching for his silver cross necklace and pulling away the end.

The white power lingering on the small scoop spilled over the edge as Aegon lifted it to his nose and inhaled it in one sharp breath.

“Speaking of getting kicked out-if mum and dad see you doing that, they will go crazy, they told you last time that there were no more chances” said Aemond.

“What they don’t know won’t hurt them-besides you need to start making nice with Reese”.

“I suppose this would make an interesting chapter”.

“Oh, gee your journal, could you be any more queer?” said Aegon.

“Could you be more desperate to read it” smirked Aemond.

“I would say good luck brother-you’re going to need it-besides it might be worth mentioning that you only have a limited time in which to get Hargrove into bed” replied Aegon.

“What do you mean?”

“Her father’s preoccupied with getting ready for the new semester, so Reese is staying at our aunt’s place for a few weeks, but I also know that she’ll be spending the last two weeks of summer break at her grandmothers place-so that means you’ve only got four weeks to win the bet” said Aegon.

“FUCK” exclaimed Aemond as he turned on his heel and left the room.

“Your home is so beautiful Mrs Hightower” exclaimed Reese, her grip tightening on the reins of the horse she was riding.

“Oh, thank you-It’s been in my family for over a hundred years”.

“I’ve never seen anything like it” replied Reese.

“Does your family ride much?”

“My grandfather used to breed horses on his farm-“ said Reese softly.

“Really how-“

Suddenly the sound of a distant bang echoed through the air.

“What was that?” asked Reese looking around in alarm.

“Oh, Aemond must be here”.

Reese smiled at Mrs Hightower and directed her horse to follow as they entered a small clearing.

“Pull” shouted Aemond and he aimed the shotgun he was holding towards the sky.

The accompanying attendant pressed a button, and a small clay disk was launched into the air, and without skipping a beat, Aemond pulled the trigger and shot the clay out of the sky.

“Aemond”

“Ahh fuck me” muttered Aemond as he handed the attendant the shot gun and plastered a fake smile on his face before he raced over to his aunt.

“Sweetpea”.

“Aunt Ellen-god I’ve missed you” exclaimed Aemond as he wrapped his arms around her.

“I miss you too”.

“I’ve been looking all over for you” replied Aemond sweetly.

“Now, I want you to meet Reese-and be nice”.

“Well-well-“ muttered Aemond as he slowly walked towards Reese who was still sat upon the chestnut mare.

“Reese Hargrove-this is my nephew Aemond Targaryen”.

“I do believe you’ve already met my older brother Aegon” said Aemond as he reached forward and helped Reese climb down from the saddle.

“Briefly” replied Reese clapping her hands together slowly to dispel the dirt.

“Reese will be staying with me for a few weeks”.

“Interesting-that makes two of us” muttered Aemond as he folded his arms behind his back.

“Thank you for helping” muttered Reese.

“Aunt Ellen, why don’t you go a whip us up some of that iced tea of yours and I’ll tend to Reese” said Aemond smiling.

“Alright-you two don’t get into any trouble”.

“We won’t” said Reese and Aemond in unison.

Aemond waited until his aunt had disappeared inside before he took Reese’s hand and led her towards the manor.

“Come on-quickly, lots to see” urged Aemond.

“Ok” muttered Reese.

“I read your manifesto” said Aemond.

“Oh, you did” replied Reese smiling.

“Hm-I must say I found it rather appalling”.

“That’s a first, most people praise me for it,” said Reese.

“Most people are sheep-who are you to criticise something you’ve never experienced”.

“I wasn’t criticising anything-it’s just my belief that people shouldn’t experience the act of love, until they are in love. I just don’t think people our age are mature enough to experience those kinds of emotions”.

“Are you a lesbian?” asked Aemond smirking.

“No”

“I didn’t mean to offend you-I just picked up on a little bit of that lesbian vibe”.

“Look-I wouldn’t expect a man of your experience to understand my beliefs”.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Aemond.

“I’m well aware of your reputation and that of your older brother,” said Reese.

“What have you heard?”

“That you promise girls the world to get them in bed with you, but then again I suppose that’s a better approach than your brother who thinks he can just take whatever he wants”.

“I heard about that-Aegon shouldn’t have done it, but I heard you were pretty adept at defending yourself” said Aemond.

“You almost sound impressed” muttered Reese raising her eyebrow.

“Oh, believe me I am” replied Aemond smiling as he walked away.

Later that night after her shower, Reese was sitting alone in her bedroom reading a book, when the sound of loud opera music broke her concentration.

“What the-“ muttered Reese as she put the book down and looked around bewildered.

A few minutes later she let her bedroom and wen in search of someone who could tell her what was going on, gods the music was so loud.

Noticing the lights on in the pool house, Reese slowly opened the door and went inside.

“Hello-Excuse me” said Reese loudly.

Just when she was about to give up and look elsewhere, Reese spotted Aemond sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, his hand absentmindedly swirling in the air as he reclined against the cushions.

“Excuse me” said Reese as she slowly approached Aemond.

“What a pleasant surprise” replied Aemond as he paused the music.

“Are you aware that this music is playing in every room of the house?”

“It’s not-just yours, I thought you’d like it” said Aemond.

Reese scoffed and turned around full intent on walking back to her room, until Aemond pressed the remote again and ‘Lovefool by the Cardigans’ began blasting through the speakers.

“So, what were you doing in your room?” asked Aemond smirking as Reese turned back to face him.

“Reading-“

“-Anything interesting?” asked Aemond as he levered himself off his chair.

“Yes actually-it was quite intriguing” replied Reese.

“I got you a gift” said Aemond as he reached behind one of the ornate stone pillars and handed Reese a leather bag, embossed with her name.

“What-“ exclaimed Reese.

“Something to start the new semester with”.

“You didn’t have to do this” muttered Reese softly.

“I get it -you hate it” snapped Aemond as he pulled the bag out of Reese’s hand only for her to snatch it back.

“No-I love it, you just didn’t have to, that’s all” retorted Reese.

“Do you think you can pry yourself away from your reading and join me for a swim?”

“Ok-just give me a minute” muttered Reese and she turned away from Aemond and left the pool house.

Aemond nodded and then proceeded to get undressed, having no qualms at all about being completely naked. Reese’s reaction to his nudity would be very interesting.

Suddenly his mobile rang, Aemond grimaced when he saw the name highlighted on the screen, but he answered, nonetheless.

“Alys”

“Fuck her yet?” asked Alys.

“I’m working on it”

“Loser” replied Alys.

“Blow me”

“Call me later? Aegon wants to go for a drink” mused Alys.

“Ok” said Aemond as he hung up the call and threw his phone onto the chair.

With the music now playing softly in the background, Aemond placed a towel around his neck and turned his back to the door.

Sure, enough the door opened, and a soft gasp of surprise echoed around the tiled room, Aemond smiled before he slowly turned giving Reese a complete view of his naked body.

“Do you mind turning around so I could put on my bathing suit?” asked Aemond thoroughly delighted by Reese’s reaction.

“I-I’m sorry” muttered Reese and she placed a hand over her eyes and turned away.

It was only when she heard the splash of water that turned back to face Aemond who was now in the pool.

Reese took a deep breath before she untied her robe and descended into the warm pool.

“Your right you know” muttered Aemond.

“About what?” asked Reese.

“What you said today-I’ve done something I’m not proud of”

“Look I wasn’t trying to give you a hard time-“

“-No, it’s ok, I mean look at you with all your morals and values, you seem to be happy in your choices, I envy you. No bullshit”

“Really” asked Reese curiously.

“Seriously-you’ve got everything going for you-your smart, beautiful, determined. Everything I’d want in a girlfriend” said Aemond.

“You know I’m seeing someone-“

“-Oh yes, the infamous Trevor, it’s funny you haven’t mentioned him until now”

“He’s backpacking through Europe-He’s great, I really miss him,” said Reese.

“I’m here” whispered Aemond as he reached out and slowly ran his hand down Reese’s arm.

“I’m sorry but you are not my type”.

“Honestly?” wondered Aemond.

“Yeah-your smart, your beautiful, listing my qualities on your fingers is not going to get you anywhere with me, the best you can hope for is my friendship and your really walking a fine line at that” replied Reese as she moved away from Aemond and climbed out of the pool.

Aemond watched aghast as the wet swimsuit clung to every one of Reese’s curves, her body swaying slightly as she picked up a towel and left the room.

“Night sweet pea” snarked Aemond as he lowered himself into the water.

This was going to be harder than he thought.

“Oh no what am I going to do”.

“Is something wrong?” asked Aemond as he sat at the breakfast table.

“That was Mrs Collins-their short of volunteers over at the retirement home, but I have theatre tickets for this afternoon”.

“Oh no that’s terrible” said Aemond softly.

“I have a thought why don’t you two fill in for me”.

“I’d love to” said Reese smiling.

“You two are the best-thank you, so sweet of you”.

“Can’t help it” said Aemond pulling a face as his aunt kissed him on the head and hugged him.

Gods, how he found himself in such a predicament Aemond would never know, for the love of all that was holy why did he have to open his big mouth.

He supposed it was another opportunity to spend time with Reese, but the car ride on the way to the retirement home had been rather awkward with neither one of them not knowing what to say to the other.

The retirement home itself had a funny smell to it and just as Aemond hoped to be paired with Reese, he was shoved into a room with an old lady called Mrs Sugarman.

Turns out she was quite senile, so he could work that to his advantage, he supposed sitting in a chair and doing the crossword puzzle was the only semblance of entertainment he would have for the next few hours.

“Oh, did I ever tell you the time, when my late husband sent me-“

“Yes, you already did, Mrs. Sugarman” replied Aemond.

“Oh, I did?”

“Right after we played backgammon, Mrs. Sugarman” muttered Aemond.

“Oh! We played backgammon”,

“Uh huh. You beat me three times” exclaimed Aemond.

“I did?”

“Yeah, and I fucked your daughter-“ said Aemond.

“What?”

“I said would you care for some water?” asked Aemond smiling sweetly.

“No thank you dear”.

Aemond rolled his eye and resumed his crossword puzzle.

Suddenly a knock at the door, had Aemond springing into action as he put down the newspaper and sat behind Mrs Sugarman, smiling.

“How’s going in here?” asked the nurse.

“We played backgammon, and I won three times” exclaimed Mrs Sugarman excitedly.

“Oh well done” said the nurse brightly.

“Isn’t it wonderful” gasped Mrs Sugarman.

“See I told you she was special” said the nurse as she hugged Reese who smiled widely at Aemond.

As they got in the car for the drive home, Reese reached into her pocket and pulled out a beaded bracelet.

“What’s that?” asked Aemond.

“A friendship bracelet-I made it with Mr Gottlieb” replied Reese.

“Sounds like you had a productive day” mused Aemond as he watched Reese tie the mismatched beaded bracelet round his wrist.

It was positively ghastly, the colours were wrong, it made a weird clicking sound when he moved his hand and it clashed terribly with his outfit, but he found himself unwilling to tell Reese any of those things, so he kept quiet and decided to wear the damn thing if it made her happy, as making her sad invoked a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“You know I actually feel good about myself-Mrs Sugarman was cool” said Aemond.

“Oh, come on your trying to tell me that you had a good time with that old lady”.

“I did, we played three games of backgammon and-oh alright I was bored out of my mind” said Aemond frowning.

“It’s ok-it doesn’t make you a bad person”

“It does-“ muttered Aemond.

“No, it doesn’t” replied Reese softly.

“I can’t win with you” quipped Aemond.

“It’s not about winning Aemond-you know what you take yourself far too seriously”.

“I do not” snapped Aemond.

“Yes, you do-you should lighten up” laughed Reese.

“I am lightened up can we just drop this”.

“Ok-fine” replied Reese shrugging, but as Aemond huffed, she turned to him and began pulling faces.

“What are you doing?” asked Aemond.

Reese ignored him and continued to pull faces.

“Cut it out-it’s distracting, I said stop that” exclaimed Aemond smiling.

“Are you smiling?” asked Reese.

“No”.

“It’s ok, you can laugh-I won’t tell anyone” replied Reese softly.

Aemond looked over at Reese briefly before he returned his attention to driving, but his heart skipped a beat when he felt her take his hand and entwine their fingers.

Gods the music was loud, it was almost hurting his eardrums.

Why in the fuck had he let Aegon talk him into coming here was beyond him. The place was cheap and smelled like rancid shit, but it served its purpose.

He needed a distraction, his days were being consumed by Reese and it was driving him insane, the more time he spent around her the more he wanted her, but she didn’t give any inclination that she was interested. Sure, she’d held his hand in the car but that was it, nothing had happened in the days since.

Probably wasn’t the best idea to come here and get shit faced, as his frustrations surrounding Reese and the copious amounts of alcohol that he’d consumed did not make for a good combination, and it led to some pretty bad decision making on his part when he happened upon Floris Baratheon and allowed her to suck his cock in one of the toilet cubicles.

If he squinted his eyes enough, he could almost imagine that he was Reese, that it was her lips stretched around his cock, that it was her hands grasping at his thighs as he ruthlessly fucked her mouth.

But it wasn’t-it was Floris, and he knew he would end up regretting this later, but he needed to come, he was desperate. In his pursuit of Reese, he’d gone from regularly indulging in depraved and debauched sex to nothing and he needed this, to clear his mind if anything.

He just wished Floris would shut the fuck up, her little moans were distracting him, he screwed his eyes shut and he saw Reese smiling at him, her blue eyes twinkling in the-

“FUCK” moaned Aemond as his spilt rope after rope of come into Floris’ mouth.

He probably should have lingered a while longer, but as soon as he tucked his softened cock back into his trousers, he couldn’t wait to get out of there, he didn’t want Floris getting the wrong idea-again.

He placed a quick kiss on her forehead and practically vaulted himself out of the cubicle and made a hasty exit from the shithole that Aegon had dragged him too, he did consider looking for his brother, but he was more than likely piss drunk and cock deep in Alys or some bimbo they’d found.

So, he hailed a taxi and went back to his aunts manor, hoping that tomorrow would be brighter day.

Aemond sighed deeply as he watched Reese through a pair of binoculars, upon hearing the sound of approaching footsteps, he and turns to find Alys standing behind him.

“Aegon’s looking for you”.

“Hm”.

“Who are you spying on?” asked Alys as she snatched the binoculars from Aemond’s hand.

“No one” muttered Aemond.

“Is that her?”

“Yeah”

“Oh no she’s crying-little baby seems upset by the big bad book�� mocked Alys.

“Shut up” snapped Aemond.

“What’s up your arse?”

“Nothing”

“She’s really getting to you isn’t she” quipped Alys.

“If you must know yes-I don’t know what to do. I can’t stand that holier than thou bullshit, yet I’m completely infatuated with her, she made me laugh”.

“So that’s why you’re going to lose the bet with Aegon?” mused Alys as she examined her red painted nails.

“I’m not losing the bet-it’s just taking a little longer than I expected”.

“Mind if I take Aegon’s new car for a ride?” asked Alys as she leaned forward and kissed Aemond on the corner of his mouth.

“Alys-the only thing you’re going to be riding is me. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some work to do” replied Aemond quietly.

Reese looked up from her book and smiled as she saw Aemond approaching.

“Bonjour Mademoiselle” whispered Aemond as he knelt down and slowly pressed a kiss to her left cheek then her right.

“Bonjour Monsieur Targaryen” replied Reese as Aemond’s lips met hers.

He leaned forward slightly, trying to manoeuvre her onto her back as they kissed, his tongue sliding against hers.

“Aemond. No” said Reese as she sat up and pushed him away.

“I’m sorry about that” muttered Aemond as he stood up.

“I am too” whispered Reese.

“You know what-I’m not sorry. I don’t take it back”.

“I thought we were just going to be friends?” asked Reese.

“I-I can’t handle it. I can’t keep my feelings all bottled up like you. Can you honestly tell me that you feel nothing for me?”

“Yes, I have feelings for you Aemond”.

“T-Then what’s wrong. It’s not like you have a husband. Unless your married to Jesus”

“That’s not fair” snapped Reese.

“Do you really want to know why?”

“Yes, I want to know why” retorted Aemond.

“Because I don’t trust myself with you” snapped Reese as she stood up and left Aemond alone.

Later that night as she sat brushing her blonde hair, Reese was startled by a sharp knock at the door.

“Come in”.

The door opened slowly and Aemond walked in, his expression giving nothing away as he stood in front of her.

“I just came to say goodbye”.

“Where are you going?” asked Reese.

“Back to the city-I might go to the south of France until the end of summer. I just can’t take your games anymore” said Aemond shrugging.

“What games?”

“Oh, come off it, your hot one minute, cold the next. You make me feel inadequate” said Aemond bluntly.

“Well, I guess if that’s how I’m making you feel then it’s for the best that your leaving”.

“Good for you” muttered Aemond as he turned around and went to open the door.

“Aemond-I don’t want us to part on bad terms” muttered Reese.

“Well, I’m afraid you don’t have a choice in the matter-you’re a hypocrite and I don’t associate with hypocrites”.

“How am I a hypocrite?” asked Reese.

“Oh, please Reese. You spend all your time preaching about waiting for love. Well, here it is. Right in front of you, and you're going to turn your back on it. So, I guess we're just fucked. I'll move on. But you are going to have to live the rest of your life knowing that you've turned your back on love. And that makes you a hypocrite. Have a nice life”.

“Wait” gasped Reese.

There was a beat of silence before Reese slowly walked towards Aemond, placed her hands in his face and kissed him.

Their tongues moved together as they slowly walked backwards towards the bed.

“Aemond” moaned Reese as she began to undo the buttons on his trousers.

For a brief moment Aemond was stunned to silence, as he watched Reese climb onto the bed and undo the buttons on her silken p.j top, his chest becoming more exposed with every undone button.

This was happening, she was giving herself to him. She was soft and sweet, like a ripe peach ready for the taking.

But he couldn’t do it, something was stopping him, he didn’t know what it was, but the feeling of uncertainty swirled within him almost to the point of making him feel sick.

“I-I’m sorry I can’t” spluttered Aemond as he turned around and left the room.

The tears rolled down Reese’s cheeks as she quickly buttoned her p.j top back up, she had offered herself to him and in turn he had rejected her.

She couldn’t stay here now, not after this.

“Morning” said Aegon brightly as he handed Aemond a coffee.

“Morning” replied Aemond through gritted teeth.

“So, how’d it go last night with Reese?”

“If your asking if a nailed her then the answer is no-“

“She shot you down” asked Aegon smirking.

“Exactly the opposite” admitted Aemond.

“So, what went wrong”.

“I don’t know-she was laying on the bed ready to do it and I was-I just didn’t feel right about it” said Aemond.

“Your telling me you had the chance to fuck her, and you didn’t-god are you pathetic”.

“Fuck off” snapped Aemond leaping off the bed.

“Oh, if your heading towards her room, you won’t find her”.

“Where is she?”

“You don’t know-she left thirty minutes ago” retorted Aegon smirking.

“Where did she go?” demanded Aemond.

“She apologised to our aunt and then told her she was going to stay with some friends in the city-you blew it Aemond, that girls come to her senses, and she’ll never go near you again”.

Aemond let out a growl of frustration before he stormed out of the room, he had to go after her, tell her he’s sorry.

She’d obviously left because of him and what happened last night, and the thought that he wouldn’t see her everyday had left him feeling hollow.

After speaking to his aunt, who told him that Reese had taken a taxi to the train station, Aemond got in his car and put his foot down in the hopes that he could beat the train and arrive at the station in the city before she did.

After the train pulled into the station, Reese grabbed her things and stepped onto the platform, she felt guilty about her hasty departure from Mrs HighTower’s manor, but she couldn’t stay not after last night-she’d fallen in love with Aemond, and it hurt when he rejected her. His reputation of bedding copious amounts of women seemed a little exaggerated in that moment.

As she stepped onto the escalator, Reese couldn’t help but think about Aemond, she wondered if he was ok, and she hoped he wasn’t too upset when he’d discovered that she’d gone.

As the escalator ascended, there he was standing there, looking at her as if she was the only person the world.

“I’m impressed”

“Well, I’m in love” said Aemond he cupped her cheeks and kissed her, not caring if they were in the middle of a packed train station.

She had fled and he had chased her, this was their moment, and no one was going to take it from them.

“I-I’m ready. Make me yours” whispered Reese as she pulled off her clothes.

Reese laid down and smiled shyly as Aemond gazed at her naked body.

"So beautiful” whispered Aemond as he slowly reached out and ran his fingers over Reese’s breasts.

Goosebumps erupted over Reese’s skin as Aemonds hand began to move lower.

“I-I need to prepare you” whispered Aemond.

“P-prepare me?” whispered Reese.

“I don’t want to hurt you” replied Aemond as he leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Reese’s lips.

Reese gasped when she felt Aemond’s fingers rubbing her folds.

“O-Oh Aemond” exclaimed Reese as he slipped a finger inside her.

Aemond buried his face in Reese’s neck as he added another finger to prepare her as best he could.

Aemond removed his fingers and then laid between Reese’s open legs, supporting his weight on his left arm as he reached down and took his hard cock in his hand and placed the tip of it against his cock her now slick entrance.

Reese shut her eyes tight and took a deep breath as Aemond sheathed himself within her.

Reese’s cunny choked his cock so tight that he needed a few seconds to adjust, making him terribly aware that he was not going to last for too long.

Aemond’s cock twitched and throbbed with need, and he released a shuddered breath while Reese sighed in relief.

“The pain will ease,” rasped Aemond.

Aemond was generous enough to start with a slow, deep grinding that soon enough turned the stinging pain into pleasure.

“Gods be good,” panted Reese, gripping Aemond’s shoulders.

“Fuck. You were made for me. You were made to fit my cock in this sweet cunt of yours.” breathed Aemond as he increased the pace of this thrusts.

“A-Aemond. Please.” exclaimed Reese her nails digging into his shoulders.

“Tell me you want me” moaned Aemond his hips slapping against hers.

“I-I want you, Please Aemond” gasped Reese.

“I love you-I love you so much” exclaimed Aemond as his thrusts beginning to stagger. He was close. So close.

“Love you too” gasped Reese as she felt Aemond’s fingers encircling her pearl in tandem with his thrusts.

It felt like lightning had shot across her stomach. Gods it felt so good.

“I want you to come-come for me” moaned Aemond, he needed her to come before him, he would not disgrace himself.

“AEMOND” screamed Reese.

Aemond pushed into the hilt for one last time and let out a long loud groan as he painted her insides with his white hot spend.

Later that night as he escorted Reese to her waiting taxi, Aemond couldn’t contain his happiness, for the first time in a long time, he felt like he was worth something. That he wasn’t totally soulless, and he’d found the capacity to love and in turn be loved, and it was all down to Reese.

As he watched the taxi drive away, he thought that nothing in this world could ruin his happiness, but of course he was completely oblivious to the looming figures of Aegon and Alys silently watching him from the balcony.

The next morning, Aemond had left the apartment bright and early, he’d gone for a run and stopped by a flower shop on the way home, buying flowers for a girl was a completely new experience for him but Reese was worth it.

He arrived back home, clutching the bouquet of flowers but was stopped in his tracks when he spotted Alys sitting on the edge of his bed, in only her underwear.

“A-Alys” gasped Aemond as he placed the flowers on his desk.

“I hear that you succeeded in your task”.

“Hm” replied Aemond.

“So, I thought that we could make the necessary arrangements” mused Alys as she reached out towards Aemond’s groin, only for him to push her away.

“Some other time” replied Aemond as he walked away, ignoring the look of fury on Alys’ face.

“Excuse me?”

“I’m not in the mood” said Aemond slamming the door shut.

He needed to get out of here, he needed to get away from Alys and Aegon, so he did the only thing he could think of and rang Reese, she spoke softly to him and whispered words of love, it calmed him down immensely and making plans to see her later that day made his heart skip a beat, he was too engrossed in the phone call to even notice Aegon entering the room.

“I love you too” muttered Aemond before he ended the phone call.

“I love you too-my god you’re completely pussy whipped” said Aegon flatly.

“Stop it” ordered Aemond.

“Oh, come on Aemond it’s just a bet” replied Aegon as he looked over at Alys as she shut the wooden sliding doors.

Alys walked over to Aemond and kissed him, her hands gripped the fabric of his shirt, until her pushed her away.

“This is ridiculous” laughed Aemond.

“What’s ridiculous dear brother is you-look at what you’ve been reduced too, have you given any thought to what’s going to happen once the semester starts-not only are you dating miss manifesto but she’s also the new deans daughter” said Aegon.

“Stop it”

“Before you know it, you’ll be giving campus tours with her-oh wait her father doesn’t know about your past, does he? I doubt he’ll let his little princess be seen with the likes of you. Quite disappointing to see that Reese’s manifesto was a total sham, I think he has a right to know” said Aegon picking up the phone.

“Put the phone down” ordered Aemond.

“Oh, this will only take a second” replied Aegon.

Aemond lurched forward and snatched the phone out of his brother’s hand, before slamming down on the desk.

“Quite the predicament you’re in” mused Aegon.

“I don’t care what either of you say, the fact of the matter is that I was planning on telling her everything this afternoon” said Aemond pulling on his long black coat.

“Oh, that’s right. I forgot, your so in love” mocked Alys.

“Do you honestly think that you’ve changed in the few weeks you’ve known her. Let me tell you something little brother-people don’t change overnight. You and I are two of a kind, at least I have the guts to admit it-you were going to leave University and legend, now all you’ll be is a joke”.

“I-I’m willing to take my chances” said Aemond reaching for the door.

“Don’t do it Aemond, you’ll not only ruin your reputation, but you’ll destroy hers”.

Aemond didn’t respond, he gave Alys and his brother one last look before leaving the room.

Aemond walked around the city for hours, thinking about Reese, the bet and what he should do, his brother’s words playing on a loop in his mind.

He seemed to walk aimlessly, without any sense of direction, letting his feet carry him wherever they desired, until he found himself standing in front of the apartment complex where Reese was staying with her friends.

After taking a deep breath, Aemond entered the building and knocked on the door.

“Hi” breathed Reese as she opened the door.

“Hey” replied Aemond solemnly as Reese pulled him in for a kiss.

After a few minutes Reese, pulled away and then gave him a quick tour of the apartment, she smiled sweetly as she took his hand and pulled him into a well-lit bedroom.

“This is my room”.

“It’s nice-“ mumbled Aemond.

“Do you think we can be quiet? asked Reese suggestively.

“There’s something I have to tell you”.

“Ok-tell me” replied Reese.

“This isn’t working out for me anymore”.

“Yeah, me neither-what’s wrong?” said Reese.

“It’s not you-it’s me. I’m completely fucked up”.

“What are you saying?” asked Reese.

“I thought I was in love with you, but it was just a lie-I wanted it to work but unfortunately. I feel nothing”.

“Why you are you doing this?”

“I just wanted to see what you were like in bed” muttered Aemond his shoulders slumping.

“I know you don’t mean that” gasped Reese.

“You know nothing-you don’t even know me; the fact of the matter is there is someone I want and you don’t even compare to her”

“I don’t believe you”.

“I don’t know how to make this any clearer-you mean nothing to me; you were just a conquest” snapped Aemond.

“Your such a coward-look at yourself, your shaking. Is that what you came to tell me”.

“Listen I’m sorry I’m completely-“

“-Yeah, your completely fucked up-get out”

“Reese-“ said Aemond reaching towards her.

“Don’t touch me”.

“Please-“ whispered Aemond.

“DON’T FUCKING TOUCH ME AEMOND-GET OUT” screamed Reese as she slapped him across the face.

Aemond stood stunned for a moment, watching the tears roll down Reese’s cheeks. His heart pounding in his chest.

“Just leave” begged Reese as she turned away from him.

Aemond bowed his head and then left the room, furiously wiping at his own tears as they fell.

“Jesus-a little melodramatic don’t you think” said Aegon as he spotted Aemond sitting in a darkened corner of the room.

“I thought you’d like to know what happened between me and Reese-It’s over”.

“Really?” asked Aegon.

“You were right-I can’t change, you and I are two of a kind, I thought we should celebrate” replied Aemond as he pulled out a bottle of champagne.

“I’d love to-but unfortunately I’m expecting Alys” said Aegon examining his nails.

“Great-As I’ve won the bet, I guess it makes sense for Alys to be here. We we’ll need to make arrangements after all”.

“We do” nodded Aegon as he took the half-filled glass from Aemond.

“What shall we toast too?” asked Aemond as he lifted the glass of champagne in the air.

“To my triumph” said Aegon smugly.

“Not my choice of toasts, but it’s your call-to your triumph over Reese” retorted Aemond as he downed the contents of his glass.

Aegon however let out a melodious giggle.

“What’ so funny?” asked Aemond.

“Silly rabbit-my triumph isn’t over her, it’s over you”.

“Come again?” asked Aemond confused.

“You were very much in love with her, and your still in love with her-but it amused me to make you ashamed of it-you gave up on the first person you ever loved, because I threatened your reputation, don’t you get it your just a toy Aemond, a little toy I like to play with and now you’ve completely blown it with her, I think it’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard-cheers” said Aegon as he lifted the glass of champagne to his lips.

Aemond stood their stunned to silence at his brother’s revelation.

“Hmmm tastes good” exclaimed Aegon.

“Aegon-“

“I also feel I have to tell you that, no arrangement will be made for you to have your way with Alys-you see she doesn’t fuck losers” said Aegon smirking.

Aemond nodded his head solemnly before he left the room.

“Will you please just tell her that I called?” asked Aemond desperately before he slammed the phone down.

Slumping in his seat, Aemond reached for his leather bound journal and ripped it open.

He had to speak to Reese, he had to make things right with her.

After spending hours furiously writing page after page, Aemond wrapped up his journal and began walking to the apartment where Reese was staying, of course Mrs Michalak refused to allow him entry into the apartment or even tell Aemond where Reese was, but he was desperate.

“Please-will you just give her this” begged Aemond.

“Of course,” replied Mrs Michalak as she took the journal.

“T-Tell her I’m sorry please-Reese if you’re in there. I’m sorry” said Aemond loudly.

“Mr Targaryen, that is enough-Now I need you to leave” urged Mrs Michalak.

“Tell her, that I’m not going anywhere-I will wait for as long as it takes”.

“Goodbye Mr Targaryen” snapped Mrs Michalak before she slammed the door.

“Fucking bitch” muttered Aemond under his breath before he walked away.

-Later that night-

Reese stared at the envelop gripped between her fingers and for the briefest of moments she considered throwing it in the bin, before curiosity got the better of her and she opened it.

Dear Reese, I don’t know what I could possibly say that would rectify the harm I’ve caused you. The truth of the matter is that being with you was the only time I have ever been happy. My whole life has been a joke. I prided myself on taking joy in others’ misery. Well, it finally backfired. I succeed in hurting the first person I ever loved.

Enclosed is my most prized possession. My journal. For a long time, I considered it my trophy. A sordid collection of my conquests. If you really want to know the truth than please read it. No more lies. Please give me another chance. I’m a wreck without you.

Your, Aemond.

Reese tore the brown paper that was wrapped around the leather bound journal and opened it.

Completely unprepared for what she was about to read.

All night he waited, sitting opposite the apartment building hoping and praying that he would catch a glimpse of Reese as she passed by her window.

But he didn’t, he’d made a massive mistake, and he had no idea how to fix it, Reese was the first girl that he’d ever loved, and he had broken her heart.

He’d allowed himself to become entangled in one of his brother’s sick twisted games and it was Reese that had paid the price, she didn’t deserve any of this. Maybe it was for the best that he left her alone, as much as it hurt to think of never seeing or speaking to her again, it wasn’t about him, it was about her.

So, with a breath of determination, Aemond decided it was for the best that he went home.

Casting one last baleful look at the apartment building, Aemond walked down the street, completely oblivious to Reese looking out of the window, and watching as he walked away.

It must be madness the drove her, but she couldn’t let him leave like that, so she decided to follow him, she had no idea what she was going to say once she caught up with him but that was a plan for later.

“Son of a bitch-Targaryen”

“Who-oh hey Roland” said Aemond.

“Is that all you have to say for yourself?” snapped Roland.

“What else am I meant to say”.

“You know Floris told me what you did”.

“Floris-I haven’t seen her in months” replied Aemond.

“What about your little escapade in the club toilets not to long ago”

“Oh-shit” muttered Aemond, he knew that was going to come back and haunt him.

“You think it’s appropriate to do that to my little sister” snarled Roland as he shoved Aemond backwards.

“Oh, get over it Roly she willingly got on her knees and sucked my cock-I didn’t force her”

“You smug piece of shit-“ snarled Roland reeling his fist back and punching Aemond in the face, sending him flying towards the ground.

Aemond quickly rose from the ground and tackled Roland, both of them falling the floor with a heavy thud.

“You-fucking-cunt” breathed Roland as one of Aemond’s punched connected with his nose.

“If anyone is the cunt here, it’s you” wheezed Aemond as Roland managed to knee him in the stomach.

“AEMOND” shouted Reese as she ran towards him.

He didn’t seem to hear her, too lost to his rage as he repeatedly punched every bit of Roland he could reach.

Reese reached forward and pulled on Roland’s coat, suddenly he reared backwards, and she was propelled away from the fight.

At the sound of Reese hitting the floor, Aemond quickly came back to his senses, his eye widening at the sight of her laying haphazardly on her side.

Aemond levered himself off Roland and immediately went to Reese, crouching slowly beside her.

“Reese-are you ok?” asked Aemond nervously.

“I-I’m ok-AEMOND LOOK OUT” screamed Reese as Roland came up behind Aemond and tackled him into the road.

After shoving Roland away from him, Aemond hunched over trying to catch his breath, he’d hit his head on the concrete and was momentarily dazed, the blood dripping from the cut on his forehead.

“AEMOND” shrieked Reese.

Squinting his eyes, Aemond looked up and saw the car hurtling towards him.

Then all of a sudden, a pair of hands seized the back of his coat, and he was propelled out of the way.

“REESE”

Everything after that happened so fast.

Reese didn’t even hear the sound of the car honking or the screech of tyres, she didn’t even feel the impact of the car as it hit her.

She slid up the bonnet and crashed into the windshield before she slipped over the roof and over the back of the car, before landing heavily on the road in a heap.

“Someone call an ambulance”.

“Reese-can you hear me” urged Aemond.

“I-I tried to stop in time” said the driver panicking.

“CALL A FUCKING AMBULANCE” yelled Aemond.

“I-Is she going to be ok?”

“Reese, my love” said Aemond.

“A-Aemond-hurts” muttered Reese.

“It’s ok, an ambulance is on its way-you’re going to be fine” urged Aemond.

“D-Do y-you love me?”

“You are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I’m sorry for what I said-none of it was true. Please Reese, forgive me. I’m sorry-I’m so sorry” exclaimed Aemond as he reached out and took her hand.

She wanted to say more, to move-but she couldn’t. Her legs wouldn’t work, and she felt so cold all she could do was squeeze Aemond’s hand.

“Please-Reese hold on” begged Aemond a tear slipping down his cheek.

“L-Lo-ov-e y-you-“ rasped Reese.

“Don’t do that-don’t say goodbye. Don’t leave me” cried Aemond.

The birds, she could hear the birds, the light it was bright-so bright. Perhaps she could close her eyes just-

“Reese-please, just hold on” begged Aemond. The sounds of sirens echoing in the distance.

The funeral was a complete blur, he didn’t want to say goodbye. But he had no choice. She was gone.

It was a beautiful service, complete with flowers, poems and hymns.

Aemond stared at the picture of Reese and he felt his heart constrict painfully.

He didn’t want to hear from anyone, not his parents, not Aegon or Alys. They were remnants of a life that he no longer wanted.

Reese had shown him there was more, her love had opened his heart to a whole realm of possibilities, and he was determined to live. For her.

So, after the funeral he packed up all of his belongings and watched with mild curiosity as Aegon and Alys were being hauled out of their apartment bound in handcuffs and surrounded by police officers.

The drug trafficking and distribution charges that Aemond had reported them for should earn them both quite a lofty custodial sentence. Although it wouldn’t see them incarcerated forever, it would see them face the consequences of their actions.

Casting one more look at the place that never really felt like home, Aemond climbed into his car and drove away.

He owed it to Reese; she had given her life to save his and he was determined to make something of himself.

He wanted to make her proud.

As he clutched the steering wheel, the beaded bracelet she’d made him jingled on his wrist and he smiled, he had once scorned her gift but now when he looked at it, he remembered they day she had tied it to his wrist, and he smiled.

Reese taught him everything. About life, hope and the long journey ahead. He would always miss her.

But their love was like the wind. He couldn’t see it, but he could feel it.

She would always be with him, a guiding light in the darkness.

The End.

#house of the dragon #aemond targaryen #hotd aemond #aemond fanfiction #hotd fanfic #aemond fic #aemond x oc #aemond x original female character #hotd fic #hotd smut #aemond #aemond smut #aemond one eye #aegon the second #aegon ii targaryen #hotd aegon #aegon ii #alys rivers

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lanitalay · 3 months

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Among Flames and Starlight Chapter 4

A/n: ok so THIS IS VERY FUN EXCITING CHAPTER FOR THIS STORY.

Warnings: slut shaming, a lil blood, beron

Word count: 3.4k

Other Chapters

His maroon sleeve brushed against her bare arm. As fast as she could, Irene clasped her hands together on her lap. Cassian grumbled, picking up his glass of wine and downing it in one gulp. He signaled for one of the servants to fill it again and asked them to “not let it get empty.” Cassian was the only one of the Night Court with her, Azriel had been instructed to accompany Victoria as she was assigned to a different table tonight and Rhysand was sitting with his mother.

“Good evening” he greeted. Gods, his voice. She had never heard him speak. Earlier he had remained silent and the group left before he had the chance to say anything. If Irene knew how melodic it was she would have lingered. Drops of blood gathered in her palms as she pierced her skin with her nails. That was a completely inappropriate thought. He was a monster. Cassian tipped the glass his way in lieu of speaking. Irene nodded in acknowledgement.

“You’re not usually this civilized soldier,” Eris remarked. Irene reached for an embellished linen napkin and wiped her hands clean. Cassian leveled a look at him that promised hurt, vengeance. “It takes all of my self control to not rip your throat out” the Illyrian replied in a steady voice.

“You’re not still upset about the ordeal with Morrigan are you? That was so long ago I’ve basically forgotten about it” Irene’s brows shot up and she looked to Cassian, who was sitting across from her. His hands balled up in fists, nostrils flaring and lips pulling back to reveal sharp canines. Before he could say-or do- anything Irene interjected.

“It’s disappointing that you are exactly what everyone says.”

Eris turned his head to fully face her but Irene did not meet his gaze, focusing on the bread in front of her. She was spreading butter on a roll as Eris responded “you speak? I thought Rhysand had you as a muted little wh-” Cassian slammed his fist on the table causing the cutlery and porcelain to rattle. “That’s enough, Eris.” Irene’s face was red. Neck, cheeks and eyes burning.

“You reek of him, you know? It 's nauseating.”

Irene turned her head and looked directly into his honeyed eyes. Shame pulsing through her veins for having admired them hours before. “Rude, vulgar, hot headed, unintelligent and weak. Wasn’t your father considering his heir might be the youngest Vanserra? What’s his name? Lucien?” She picked her glass of wine and sipped, feigning nonchalance. “I suggest you don’t burn all the bridges you have with other courts, emissary might be the only position left for you after your kid-brother ascends the throne.”

“I don’t consider an exchange with an Illyrian bastard and a half-blood concubine to be detrimental to my diplomatic relations.” Cassian picked up the sharpest knife in front of him and made to lunge forward. His raised hand was stopped by his shadow who promptly dragged him out of the hall. Irene threw her napkin on the table and followed after them.

“Cassian, you didn’t have to lose your cool like that, now Celene will hear about it and probably the High Lord and it will be a bigger mess” Irene reprimanded her friend while he watched her pace the length of the sitting room in the apartments. “He was running his mouth, Ire. He has no reason to insult you. It’s fine if it's just me, but he doesn’t even know you.” Irene squeezed between her brows, in an attempt to alleviate the tension then asked “how long is he going to be chained like that?” Cassian’s appointed babysitter had chained him to a column, instead of taking him to the dungeons, upon Irene’s insistence.

“When the High Lord orders me to free him, he will be freed.”

“Mother above,” Celene’s voice made Irene flinch. She would not want to be at the end of the glare Cassian was receiving. Beside her, Rhysand tried to suppress a shit eating grin, Azriel shook his head in disapproval and Victoria’s eyes bulged from her head.

“Explain, now” the Lady demanded.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Irene fanned her face white an artisanal fan that Victoria had insisted she pack. It was useful as they stood under the blaring sun. The new docks Tarquin had ordered were enormous. There was a ship docked at every bridge and even more littered across the turquoise bay. They were being inaugurated today. Six ships destined for each of the courts, excluding Summer, were lined up in the middle of the docks. Each High Lord stood behind their designated ship with a bottle of sparkling wine. It was a pristine day for a sail, the skies clear and a steady breeze was sweeping from the East.

Tarquin was finishing up a speech about this new chapter for the Courts and how “prosperity will reign upon the land.” Irene was sweating, the fan not doing enough. It did not help that Eris was next to her and he seemed to radiate heat. She had tried her best to move to another spot but the crowds were packed tightly on the narrow bridge to the docks. It was not meant for holding such a large group of fae, it was built so merchants could anticipate which ships were rolling in. She was biting her tongue because something told her he was doing it on purpose. Manipulating the temperature so that she’d be miserable.

Victoria had soothed her last night, saying that everyone had petty dramas with other courts “Rhys can’t stand Tamlin, he plays nice but only to keep the peace and Cassian has an enemy in probably every court.” But Irene wasn’t thrilled about having Eris for an enemy, if that’s what it was.

She counted each flap of her fan, each mast on the ships, everytime Tarquin said the word “prosperity” and she counted the seconds that passed. Even if it seemed that time had stopped in this excruciating moment.

It was indeed passing, if ever so slowly.

The six ships set off and the High Lords threw the bottles of sparkling wine until they collided on the wood, dousing the stern with the bubbly nectar. The crowd cheered and promptly left the bridge. Irene remained in her place since the person beside her refused to move. “Do you mind?” She asked him. “What’s the hurry?” Eris retorted, “can’t handle the heat?” Irene rolled her eyes and waited for the crowd to thin out before going around him and finding her friends. She walked until she reached the shade under a large tree and breathed in the summer air. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced. The salt opened her airways, it felt like breathing for the first time.

Velaris seemed cruel compared to Adriata.

Sharp, familiar talons scraped along her mental shields and Rhysand told Irene where to meet him. “There you are, darling” he smiled as she neared him. He held out his hand, Irene looked to see if anyone else was around before taking it. “You don’t have to be so paranoid, even if people found out about us it wouldn’t be a big deal.” He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

“You won’t get called a whore and concubine but I will, Rhys.” He stopped walking, turning to her “who said that to you?” She shook her head “I don’t feel like talking about it.” Realization flashed across his features “it was Eris, right? That’s why Cassian got locked up?”

“Can we not talk about it?” Irene pleaded.

“Why didn’t you just tell me? Why didn’t he?”

She took a deep breath. “I would have been mortified if he told your mother and your sister that Eris Vanserra said I reek of you, that I’m your plaything. So he omitted those details because it was embarrassing. Now, please let's just have a nice day at the beach.”

Rhysand relented and winnowed them the rest of the way. When Irene opened her eyes again she was in awe. They were in a small cove. It was just about the size of her bedroom in the town house. White and smooth sand, a coral reef protected the beach so there were no waves. It was a crystalline pool of pure blue. “This is where I wanted to take you, I found this beach years ago and it's always empty.”

“It's breathtaking, Rhys.” She turned and stepped on her tiptoes to kiss him. He placed his hands on her thighs, signaling for her to jump and wrap her legs around him. She did and then the kiss deepened. Her fingers ran through his hair and she pulled his face away just a bit to say “thank you for bringing me here.”

It was a scene she would have loved to freeze. To live in forever. They swam in the water, lounged on the sand, made love under the shade of a palm tree without the worry of someone seeing them. She wanted this forever.

Him, forever.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Irene stared at her reflection yet again. Tonight was the grand ball, signaling the end of the celebrations. Her gown tonight was a dark violet color, the fabric weaved with reflective fibers that made it shimmer. The fabric was silky and it cascaded around her curves beautifully. The top covered her chest and wrapped around her neck like a halter. Her back was fully exposed down to just above her underwear. Victoria insisted she put her hair up to show the dress off. So she pinned her locks into a tight bun, adorning it with a silver hair piece to match the bracelets and earrings she wore. She lined her eyes with kohl and tinted her lips in a deep berry shade.

When Rhysand saw her walking into the sitting room he knew it was over for him. He wanted to cage her against the wall and draw out all of the little noises he loved so much. Wanted to kiss every inch of her exposed skin. Wanted to see her only in the bracelets and earrings. He maintained his composure and with gritted teeth watched as she looped her arm with Azriel’s. He would be her escort tonight, since Cassian was freed from the chains but forbidden to attend the ball, or any other event. And, since Rhys would be dancing with a list of prearranged matches, all with females who could offer potentially advantageous connections.

His father had made that list and one for Victoria as well.

When the entourage entered the Grand Ballroom the party was in full swing. Dancing, drinking, eating and a fair bit of laughing transformed the marble lined room into a paradise of indulgence. Rhysand was quickly ordered to dance with a female from Winter. She was gorgeous but he could not help the way his eyes searched for Irene in the crowd. He relaxed when he saw her drinking wine and chatting with Azriel near the spread of food.

“Do you want to dance?” Azriel asked, pointing to the whirl of revelers. “I do, there’s this one dance I’m dying to do. Hopefully they play it tonight.” He takes her hand and they join in the dancing. They are two songs in when the band starts playing a familiar intro. “This is it, Az!” He grimaces “I don’t know this one.”

Irene frowns and says “oh, that’s fine, let’s just get something to drink instea-” Rhysand steps in front of them “I know this dance” and offers a hand. He knew it because she had taught him the basic movements of it on the beach. Irene beams and takes it, he swiftly leads her back to the dance floor where everyone else has positioned themselves. Right on queue the song moves into the first verse. All of the couples dance in a waltz around the room.

“You’re doing great,” Irene reassures Rhys, who is leading her carefully to not crash into anyone else. Mind to mind he says “you’re making me crazy tonight, I’ve never seen a more beautiful creature” and smiles when he notices the blush staining her cheeks. “Now you spin me and dance with the person behind you, one, two, three-” he spins her and she lands in the arms of Varian, the High Lord of Summer's cousin. “Good evening, Lady Irene.” She quirks a brow, “how do you know my name?” He spins her once but brings her back to him and answers “I sent out your invitation, upon the insistence of Victoria.” They separate but their hands remain clasped as they circle each other “oh! Thank you so much, she never mentioned who she had to bribe.” He places his hand on her waist again “it’s no problem, only next time leave Cassian at home.” Irene laughs “will do.” He spins her one more time and she reaches her final partner.

Rhysand clenched his jaw so hard he thought he might chip a tooth when he saw who Irene was dancing with.

She suppressed a groan and an insult when Eris placed his hand on her back and grabbed her right hand with his own. Stay silent. Don’t engage. Look anywhere but him. “Your lordling seems to be unhappy with your current dance partner.” Eris is smirking when she meets his gaze. “So am I.”

He spins her once, not missing a beat. “He doesn’t like to share his toys, never has.” His lips graze her ear. Irene hisses. He spins her again, but instead of having her return to face him, he presses his chest against her back in a new variation of the dance. This makes her have a clear view of Rhys and his obvious scowl. “What was your name again?”

His voice brings her back to the moment. “Irene,” she answers flatly.

“I meant your last name,” he spins her and they are face to face again. “Vallier.”

“I thought you looked familiar, I knew a Vallier during the war. Sad old male. Never understood what he was doing on a battlefield.” On instinct Irene dug her nails into Eris’ hand, deep enough to draw blood, and snapped “say one word about my father and I’ll have your head.”

He chuckles, “it’s funny that you think you have some sort of upper hand.” They separated except their hands, now smeared in blood, circling each other. “You’re an ass,” Irene spits at him. She flinches as his palm becomes scolding. Her own searing in pain. She curses loudly. Eris leads her through the final movements in a blur of precision. She centers herself to the music. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. She returns to Rhys, enraged.

“What happened?” He asked through her mind. Irene shook her head, not wanting to relive the last few moments so soon. What he said about her, about her father. It crossed a line. “Let’s just finish the dance” he nodded and continued to spin her through the final movements of the song. When it was over Rhysand held onto Irene’s right hand and inspected it. It felt rougher now, when he saw the burns on her fingers he tensed and when he saw the blood under her nails he stopped in his tracks. “He did this to you?”

“Yes, now let’s get something to drink-” before she could finish her thought he was storming through the crowd, aiming straight towards Eris. Azriel, who had been observing the whole scene, intercepted him and dragged him out of the ballroom. Irene was right behind them when Victoria saw her and began telling her about how well a member of the Winter Court dances and how he never missed a beat. Irene concluded that Azriel could handle Rhysand; she would speak with him later that night.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

“I’ll kill him for this, Irene.” He said her hand in his, as he pressed a kiss to each of her scorched fingers. “It’s basically healed and I’m not a reason for another war. But I appreciate the sentiment.”

“It wasn’t a joke, his days have been numbered since he left Mor for dead.” Irene pursed her lips, “hey, tomorrow we go back home and we can forget this happened. Let’s just say that for us, the trip ended this afternoon at the beach.” She leaned in and kissed his lips, then his cheeks and then she kissed down his neck. Rhysand groaned and Irene could feel the vibrations as she continued to kiss his chest, unbuttoning his shirt along the way.

He stopped her, putting his hand on her chin and lifting her face to meet his gaze. “I swear to you, if he ever hurts you again, I will kill him.” Irene furrowed her brows as she felt a tingle along her ribs. “Why would you swear something like that?” Her heart sped up.

A bargain was not unimportant and Rhsyand had just chosen to mark both of their bodies with the promise of retribution. If he was willing to leave a mark so permanent… maybe her feelings were not as one sided as she thought. Maybe he loved her too.

“Because I can’t stand to see him getting away with hurting the people I care about.” A pang in her chest brought her back to reality. He cared about her, she adored him. It was not the same.

“Right, well, hopefully for him he never sees me again,” she forced a laugh, then a yawn. “It’s been a long day, Rhys, I should get some sleep.” He nodded, stood from her bed and left with a kiss goodnight.

Irene finished packing the trunks she had barely riffled through and went to the apartment dining room for breakfast. She was the last one to sit down, everyone else was already halfway done with their food. “Good morning,” she greeted. While it was thrilling to be out of Velaris for the first time, she missed her home dearly. She missed the stables, the horses, the libraries, the priestesses, the dance lessons, her room... She did not miss the biting cold however, and would be sad to say goodbye to the warm weather. Even if she did not enjoy sweating, it was better than being halfway frozen anytime she stepped outside.

The table grumbled a collective “morning.” Irene made herself a plate and sat down. She stiffened when the High Lord walked in, he did not usually join them for meals. “Vallier,” he said her name in a way that made her cringe. “Yes, sir?”

He remained standing. “Are you ready to go?” She scrunched her brows and answered “I just finished packing everything.”

“Very well, take her away.” Irene’s eyes bulged as two guards dressed in orange and green uniforms rushed into the dining room.

“What is going on?” Celene asked, standing from her chair. The High Lord motioned with his hand for the guards to go on. They grabbed each of Irene’s arms, yanking her from her seat. “Beron has been pestering me about a bride ever since Morrigan soiled herself. So I’m getting him-” he pointed to Irene now “and her off my back.”

“What?” This time it was Victoria, “you can’t just sell her off. It 's not right-” He silenced her with a snap of his fingers and she scratched against her throat as she attempted to fight back, but her powers were no match against a High Lord’s.

Rhysand and his mother shared a look “she’s a member of this court-” but then he was silenced too. “She is not a member of the court, she is property of it and I have determined this is the best use of her.”

Celene asked, “Who is her betrothed?”

“I believe it is the oldest Vanserra.”

Irene had no words. None. Nothing she could say to stop it from happening. Nothing she could say to encapsulate the way her heart had sunk to her stomach. How Cassian and Azriel had paled. How Victoria’s eyes were red and watery as she watched Irene be dragged from the table. How Rhysand seemed to be paralyzed, only his erratic blinking an indication of distress.

She remained silent all the way from the apartments to the landing balcony, where nine fae, all with red hair, were waiting.

Waiting for her.

Beron looked her up and down, assessing.

“She’ll do,” he said. Eris strode over to her and grabbed her arm with a too warm hand. She made to pull away, to run and scream for help. But his grasp was firm.

Before she could shout they were already in Autumn.

taglist: @sidthedollface2 @acourtofbatboydreams

#acomaf #acowar #acotar #acofas #acotar fanfiction #acosf #azriel shadowsinger #rhysand #lucien vanserra #eris x oc #eris vanserra #eris acotar #mor #cassian acotar #cassian #night court #azriel acotar #azriel #summer court

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the-broken-truth · 3 months

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Shattered Fragments [2] - [Papa Crewel] [Big Brother Sam] [Enma Yuuken/Male Yuu]

Summary: Yuuken's recovery has been progressing slowly and steadily, and only Crewel and Sam have been allowed to visit him since Crewel prohibited the Nurse from allowing anyone else to see him. Today is the day before Yuuken is discharged, and Crewel plans to teach his son a lesson about who he should and should not associate with, using a teacher-style approach.

[The Infirmary: Yuuken's Section]

Yuuken watched his father set up a tall silver stand before placing a long vertical magnetic board on the stand, grabbing it by the closest edge and giving it a light shake to make sure that the board was stable before he reached into his bag once again and started sticking things on the surface of the board. Yuuken looked back at his plate sitting on the serving table Sam brought him and lifted his fork to pick up another piece of pancake and brought it to his mouth and chewed it the moment the soft breakfast bread hit his tongue; using his other hand, he got a piece of bacon and handed it to Grim who was sitting beside him at the head of the bed.

It had been a week since Yuuken's accident, and he was recovering surprisingly quickly, which was unusual for a human without magical abilities. His father and older brother forbade him from doing his normal training routine, fearing that he might reopen any wounds or fragment any weakened bones. Instead, Yuuken spent most of his time doing light exercises to keep himself busy and to keep his blood flowing. Only Crewel and Sam were allowed to visit him. One day, the headmaster entered his room and tried to get him to do some paperwork, which Yuuken found confusing. However, before the headmaster could explain it to him, Crewel burst into the room and threw the headmaster out, telling Yuuken not to interact with him. Yuuken was still shocked by what happened and could only nod in agreement.

After Yuuken finished his breakfast, Sam took the empty place and serving tray off of Yuuken's Lap before handing him a glass of water, which the younger male drank before handing the glass back to his smiling older brother. Sam placed the used dishes on the nightstand beside the bed before folding his arms and both of them looked in Crewel's Direction when the sound of his pointer hit the surface of the board.

The magnetic board was covered in name tags and pictures; those names made the back of Yuuken's Brain itch, just as those pictures did. The people in those pictures seemed familiar to him but he couldn't give them names to their faces; it made him rather upset that he seemed to have forgotten people that appeared to be important to him. Yuuken looked rather upset before Crewel tapped the board again with his pointer stick to get his son's attention.

"The nurse informed your brother and I that you will be discharged tomorrow morning, and you will be able to go to your classes. Your memory is slowly returning, but you seem to have trouble remembering a few things, such as the people on the board. As your father, it is my responsibility to help you remember and understand your relationships with these people before your accident, as well as the new relationships you will have with them now that you are getting better. Please listen carefully, and save your questions until the end, okay, Puppy?" Crewel said.

"Yes, Father." Yuuken nodded.

"Father is too formal right now. Whenever we are not in class or in a professional setting, I would like it if you called me 'Papa'." Crewel requested.

"Okay, Papa." Yuukened said, causing Crewel to smile before he cleared his throat, turned back to the board, and tapped the surface with the tip of his pointer; Yuuken was in full student mode.

"Night Raven College consists of seven dormitories, and if we include Ramshackle, the dorm you are in charge of, then it makes it eight. Each of these dorms is inspired by one of the Great Seven - The Seven Entities that are worshipped in Twisted Wonderland. The names of these dorms are Heartslabyul, which is ruled by the Queen of Hearts. Savanaclaw, which is ruled by the King of Beasts. Octavinelle, which is ruled by the Sea Witch. Scarabia, which is ruled by the Sorcerer of the Sands. Pomefiore, which is ruled by the Fairest Queen. Ignihyde, which is ruled by the King of the Underworld. And Diasomnia, which is ruled by the Thorn Fairy. I hope you're following along, Puppy!" Crewel asked Yuuken, who nodded remembering to keep his questions for the end. Crewel smiled at this and turned back to the board.

"Each dorm in the facility has a Dorm Warden who is responsible for managing it. Additionally, there is a Vice Dorm Warden who assists the Dorm Warden in their duties. Therefore, each dorm has a Dorm Warden and a Vice Dorm Warden. You are associated with all of these dorms, their wardens, and their vice dorm wardens because you have been providing regular assistance to them. Furthermore, you helped them when their Dorm Wardens and the Vice Dorm Warden of Scarabia made errors that led to some serious damage in the form of their Overblot Episodes." Crewel said.

Upon seeing the confusion on Yuuken's Face, Sam decided to speak his piece, "Overblotting is when someone loses control of their magic or their magic is influenced by negative emotions. It sends people into a crazed state and they enter a new powerful form called Overblot State; while they are stronger, they don't use logic and attack anyone who goes against them. You defeated every single Overblot that popped up here and gained the respect of everyone at Night Raven.".

Yuuken nodded and turned his attention back to Crewel, who continued his presentation.

"Now, we shall start with Heartslabyul." Crewel said as he placed his pointer on the picture of a red-haired boy with a crown on his head under the Heartslabyul Section.

"Dorm Leader of Heartslabyul, Riddle Rosehearts, who is responsible for enforcing the 810 Rules of the Queen of Hearts' Court in Heartslabyul. He works with Trey Clover, his Vice Dorm Warden and Childhood Friend. While Riddle is a dedicated student who follows all the rules, he has a short temper and tends to use his Unique Magic on those who upset him, particularly Ace Trappola and Deuce Spade. They are known as Heartslabyul's Rule-Breakers, and Riddle is always catching them for breaking the Queen of Hearts' Rules. There is also Cater Diamond, who is obsessed with MagiCam. However, if you value your friendship with him and maintain your studies, I will allow you to continue these friendships." Crewel finished his presentation about the Heartslabyul Students Yuuken was involved with before moving his pointer to the next session: Savanaclaw.

"Savanaclaw is mainly composed of Beastmen under the Leadership of Leona Kingscholar, Dorm Warden & Second Prince of the Sunset Savannah; you are associated with him, his Vice Dorm Warden - Ruggie Bucchi, and a fellow first-year, Jack Howl. Out of all of them, Jack Howl is the only one I approve of; Kingscholar is far too lazy and disrespectful while Bucchi is always following Kingscholar's Orders. You are not to associate with Kingscholar any longer - he is one of the responsible parties that placed you in this situation. Understood?" Crewel asked.

"Yes, Papa." Yuuken nodded as his father moved on to Octavinelle.

"Azul Ashengrotto is the Dorm Warden of Octavinelle and owner of the Mostro Lounge, a cafe located on campus. He is known to associate with the Leech Twins, Jade and Floyd. Jade is the Vice Dorm Warden and is considered to be the more responsible of the two. It is advised that you avoid all three of them unless you have been tasked by me or the Headmaster to visit their dorm or the Mostro Lounge. While the lounge is known to have good food, you are only permitted to visit for a treat every now and then. Under no circumstances should you befriend any of them, and please ensure that Floyd Leech does not hug you. The most important thing to remember is this: Never sign a contract with Azul Ashengrotto! If you need something, come to me or your brother and we shall get you whatever you need. Don't make deals with him. Ever." Crewel snared before moving along.

"Kalim Al-Asim is the Dorm Warden of Scarabia, but he doesn't take his role seriously. He is more interested in throwing extravagant parties, and as a result, most of the dorm's responsibilities fall on the shoulders of the Vice Dorm Warden, Jamil Viper. Viper is a brilliant mind and has many talents, but he can be as sneaky as his namesake. His Unique Magic is extremely dangerous, and if you see a red shine in his eyes, it's best to close your eyes and turn away from him. Don't make eye contact with him when his eyes are red." Crewel explained.

"Don't worry, Crewel, I have a way to warn my brother if Viper tries to Snake Whisper him. I'll take care of it when you are done." Sam said.

"Good." Crewel said before looking back at his board, "Pomefiore is controlled by Vil Schoenheit as Dorm Warden & Rook Hunt as Vice Dorm Warden. Schoenheit is obsessed with all things beautiful and that includes you, Yuuken; if only could remember just how he attempted to abduct you when you dressed up for an event, it would be hard to get you back. Rook Hunt is a skilled hunter and he loves beautiful things as well; he calls Vil 'Roi de Posion' and tends to call you 'Trickster'. There is always Epel Felmier and I have no real issue with him or the other two I have spoken about. Feel free to remain friends with them if you so choose, just don't allow Vil to abduct you again." Crewel moved on.

"Ignihyde's Dorm is managed by two individuals: Idia Shroud, who is the Dorm Warden, and his younger brother Ortho Shroud. Idia is not very fond of socializing, and as a result, he spends most of his time in his room. He uses his tablet device to communicate with others, so if you happen to spot a floating tablet around the campus, there is no need to be alarmed. You and the Shroud Brothers share a good relationship, and you even have game nights with Idia every Saturday." Crewel said before moving to the last dorm.

"We have finally arrived at Diasomnia Dorm, which is led by Malleus Draconia as the Dorm Warden and Lilia Vanrouge as the Vice Dorm Warden. Sebek Zigvolt and Silver are also part of the dorm. As I mentioned earlier about Leona Kingscholar, you are strictly prohibited from speaking or interacting with Malleus Draconia, as he is one of the individuals responsible for your accident. He has a habit of lurking around Ramshackle during late hours and engaging in conversations with you, but you must avoid him at all costs. Keep in mind that Sebek Zigvolt is very protective of Malleus, and he may get angry with you for refusing to interact with Malleus. Therefore, it's best to avoid Sebek as well. Silver, on the other hand, tends to sleep a lot and doesn't involve himself in matters that don't concern him, so there's no need to worry about him. As for Lilia, the only thing you should be cautious about is his cooking. It's better not to consume anything he makes." Crewel turned to Yuuken before slamming his pointer into the palm of his free gloved hand, "Understand all of that, Pup?"

"Yes, Papa. I understand." Yuuken said with a smile.

"Good. Now, I need you to stand up and take off your shirt and pants for me, Pup; I need to get your measurements for your new wardrobe." Crewel said as he snapped his fingers and Sam reached into his jacket pocket, pulled out some measuring tape, and tossed it to Crewel who caught it flawlessly.

Yuuken threw the blanket off his body and stood up before removing his shirt and pants, leaving him in his boxers. Crewel began to take measurements of his height, wingspan, waist, and everything else he needed while calling out the measurements to Sam, who wrote them all down on a notepad with his magic pen. Once everything was done, Yuuken put his clothes back on and started doing his exercises while Sam and Crewel were talking about something before Crewel left the room with the measurements in his hand.

[END]

#twisted wonderland #divus crewel #twst sam #enma yuuken #papa crewel #yuu loses his memory #big brother sam

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justmochi · 11 months

Text

Auntie

pairing :: eden x evelyn (ft. her brother in law)

word count :: 1.8k

synopsis :: eden catches up with her sister when coming back to korea.

time :: may 12, 2023

warnings :: mentions of pregnancies. pregnancy scares and fertility issues

a/n :: for those of you who don’t know, evelyn is eden’s older sister and noah is her brother in law. also let me know what you guys think of this bc im projecting 🥲

taglist :: @cafemilk-tea @cixrosie @moonlight-additions @cosmicwintr @astraw-astro @ateezjuliet @fromfreesia @succulentmom @kimhyejin3108 @enhacolor @multiplums @meginthebuilding27 @kang-ulzzang @hybesunstone @allthings-fandoms

Watching the door open, Eden was met with her sister’s beautiful smile. It had been a while since they had seen each other, due to Blackpink still being on tour. She wanted to catch up and spend some quality time with her sister before she had to leave again.

Evelyn pulled her in for a hug, squeezing her tightly and swaying them back and forth. “I’ve missed you so much!”

“I missed you too, Evie.” They both pulled away, the woman inviting the girl inside her home. Eden was carrying a gift bag in her hand, showcasing it to her sister. “I got you a couple things while on tour.”

“I’m gonna have to buy a glass case to showcase all the things that Lee Eunhye has bought us.” Her sister joked as the two girls walked to the kitchen. Eden set the gift on the counter and sat down on one of the bar seats. It seemed that she had interrupted her sister who was making dinner for everyone.

“Where’s Noah?” Eden asked the woman with her eyebrows furrowed.

“He should be here any minute now. He had to drop some paperwork off at work.”

“It smells so good.” The scent filled the entire kitchen. She always wondered where her sister learned to cook, because they never learned from their own parents.

In no time, Evelyn’s husband entered the kitchen, approaching Eden to rub the top of her head with his knuckles. “Hey kiddo.”

“Hey bro.” He messed up her hair, wanting to return the favor but he walked out of her reach. He approached his wife, kissing the side of her head as he wrapped his arm around her waist. Eden felt her cheeks heat up by seeing her sister so happy.

“Could you help set the table and maybe get Eden something to drink?”

“Of course,” He turned around, pointing to Eden. “What do you want to drink?”

“Do you guys have wine?” She asked, pursing her lips when looking at him.

“Yup we do.”

“Give me the whole bottle.” She snickered.

“I guess touring has been exhausting?” Evelyn spoke up, looking over her shoulder briefly.

“Just a little. I haven’t been sleeping well.” She sighed. “Are you guys gonna have a drink too?”

The kitchen grew quiet for a few seconds. It felt like minutes had passed.

“I’ll drink with you, yeah.” Noah cleared his throat, grabbing two glasses from the cabinet.

“I haven’t been able to drink anything ever since I got plastered and threw everything up.”

“Oh, I remember that.” She cringed, looking back on the time her sister went AWOL. Her in law had to tell her himself why she was absent. She was sick for a few days, not being able to pick up her phone.

“Yeah, never again.”

They had just finished dinner, Eden and Noah having a bonding session while doing the dishes. After that, they all gathered on the sofa to watch a movie. Once it ended, Eden put down her third glass of wine on the coffee table.

The couple were sitting across from her, stretching their limbs while complimenting the movie. Eden and Evelyn giggled together when Noah took it upon himself to start massaging his wife’s feet.

“What’s so funny?” He pouted, looking between the two girls. “Doesn’t your boyfriend rub your feet?”

“He does. You two are just so cute. It’s almost gross.”

“Ya, we could say the same thing about you and Seokmin.” Eden flattened her lips, rolling her eyes while standing to her feet.

“It’s time to open my gifts. I’m getting impatient.” She felt really warm from all the alcohol she consumed, but not feeling completely drunk yet. She skipped to the kitchen where she left her gift bag and brought it back to the living room.

Eden had gotten the two of them many things from visiting all the different countries on tour. From house decor to jewelry, it felt like they were opening presents on Christmas morning. She got her brother in law some headphones that were trending these days.

“Wow! Thanks kiddo.” Evelyn looked at how his eyes lit up. He was a responsible, grown man but he still had his moments where he acted like a little boy.

“Don’t mention it.” She smiled, sipping more from her wine glass.

“Speaking of gifts…” Evelyn looked intently at the man beside her. “We got you a little something.”

“But you didn’t have to get me anything!” She feared that they would one her up with their gift.

“Oh hush. Honey, it’s in my closet. Can you please get it?” She smiled, watching him bite his lip as he was on his way to their bedroom.

“Evie, You really didn’t have to get me anything.”

“Stop being so humble and accept the gift. Or I will give you everything you just got us back.”

“But I like the headphones!” He returned with a big box, setting it down on the coffee table in front of Eden.

From the familiar name, she knew it was going to be an expensive bag. “Evelyn.”

He sat down next to Evelyn, holding her hand while admiring his new headphones. “Don’t make me scold you in front of Noah. Open it.”

“It’s a gift from both of us, by the way.” He raised his eyebrows to remind her, knowing that if it was a gift from him she couldn’t possibly refuse it.

She had plenty of handbags that have accumulated over the years. Now she wasn’t going to use any other bag than the one in the box in front of her.

She lifted the lid off of the box, being met with pink tissue paper. Pulling the paper back revealed the beige crossbody bag. It seemed like the perfect size for her and she loved all the embroidery on it. She turned to Evelyn, pouting while her sister simply smiled at her.

Eden walked over to hug the two of them quickly before sitting back down across from them. She pulled the bag out of the box and admired how nice it was.

“It’s so nice, thank you guys.”

She didn’t see the way they looked at each other as she started going through all the pockets, unzipping them all and removing all the wrapping paper they put inside.

She set the balls of tissue paper next to her, a grin on Eden’s face as she reached down to the deepest part of the bag. She picked up what she thought was a strap that came with the bag, looking down at the pregnancy test in her hands.

It took her one second to process what she was holding, seeing the two lines to indicate that it was positive. Eden gasped loudly, slapping her hand against her mouth before shooting her eyes over at them.

“Shut the fuck up.” She felt her heart drop to the depths of her stomach, her muscles becoming jelly and feeling her hands start to shake. It wasn’t too long before the tears started to pool in her eyes.

“Surprise!” Her sister had a devilish grin on her face.

“Are you serious?” Eden’s voice climbed a few octaves, muffled against the palm of her hand.

“Yes! I’m pregnant.” She nodded, Evelyn trying to hold back her own tears.

“You’re pregnant?” Her voice cracked into a whisper, still in disbelief.

Over the years, she watched her sister fall in love with the man sitting next to her now. The two had always confided in each other their entire lives. Evelyn had been there for all Eden’s ups and downs, especially when she had many pregnancy scares. Their support for one another was what made their relationship so special.

After their wedding, they knew they wanted to get straight to business. But it took more time and a toll on the couple as planned. She was there for every negative and false positive so she witnessed how frustrating and painful it was for the two. She tried her best to comfort her even when they started considering doing IVF.

Knowing everything they went through to get to this moment right now only made Eden more emotional.

She set the test down on the coffee table, getting up to hug her once more. Evelyn held her head in her hands, rubbing her back as the youngest sobbed onto her shoulder.

“I-I don’t know what to say. You’re really pregnant?”

“Yes!” She told her again, hugging her trembling body. “I’m 8 weeks along.”

She was still crying so hard that her makeup began to run. When she pulled away, Evelyn’s eyes were teary too. She wiped Eden’s tears away, rubbing the smudged makeup on her pants.

During their moment, the man started tearing up too. He laughed at himself, pulling the ultrasound pictures out of his pocket and handing it to her.

“Look, you’re gonna be an aunt.” It looked as if she just found the news out all over again. She was so caught up in feeling overjoyed for her sister finally being pregnant that she completely forgot this meant she was going to be an aunt.

She widened her eyes, covering her mouth with both of her hands as she shook her head. “I’m gonna be an aunt?” She wept quietly, squeezing her eyes shut as her whole body shook. “There’s really a baby in your belly? Why did you wait so long to tell me?”

“So we could have this moment of course.” Evelyn wrapped her arms around her neck, pulling in Noah to hug her too.

“Oh my god, I can't believe this. I’m so happy for you!” Her voice was once again muffled on her shoulder. “Does mom and dad know?”

She nodded. “We told them over a video call last week. Surprisingly, dad cried more than her.”

“Did he really?”

“She’s so excited. She’s already bragging to everyone about being a grandma.”

Once Eden was finally able to calm down, she found herself staring at the pregnancy test again. In the past, she hoped she wouldn’t ever have to see one of these again. Today, all she could feel was happiness.

She cracked a joke to lighten the mood. “So I can keep the bag right?” She sniffled as they busted into laughter.

“The bag was my idea.” Noah raised his hand with a smirk on his face.

Eden chuckled, hugging the woman again but being extremely gentle this time. “I’m so happy for you. You don’t even know.”

“Thank you so much.”

“You’re gonna be an amazing mom. I am certain.” She had cried so much that her nose was stuffed and her eyes were red. Because of her words, the woman’s lips started to quiver.

“Wait, you gotta help me tell the girls. And Seokmin!”

#justmochi: eden #eden & friends #blackpink 5th member #5th member of blackpink #fake blackpink member #fake blackpink oc #blackpink oc #blackpink addition #fake kpop addition #fake kpop idol #fake kpop soloist #addition to kpop #eden.love

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wifeytrio · 4 months

Text

Chapter Two

Warnings: bar fight, drinking, if I missed any. Please let me know.

Mae was handing a drink to a bar regular when Seonghwa walked into the bar. “Ah there you are. Bands waiting on you in the back.” She told him as she walked to the end of the bar to clean a few glasses.

“And they can keep waiting, pretty.” He smiled at her and sat next to Jongho. “Rum and Coke baby girl.”

Every time he spoke to her like this, she’d always roll her eyes. She grabbed his rum and coke and put it in front of him. “Jongho. Another?” All he did was nod as he watched the girl turn around and grab his whiskey. She turned back around and poured him another shot and smiled.

The night continued the same way. Regulars coming and going. Seonghwa on stage with the others in the band. Jongho watched the guests, eyes scanning everyone incase something went wrong.

San had eventually made it in, getting behind the bar and helping her when she started getting busy. They always worked well together. “Yo!” Mae shouted at two guests. “Cut it out. Not by my bar. Take it outside.” She yelled.

Jongho’s eyes watched the two guys, waiting for them to do something or leave. When instead, he watched one throw a punch, making the other one fall back and almost run into Mae, who was walking drinks to a party table. Jongho caught her and the drinks before she could fall and she smiled. “You always do that. Thank you.”

“No problem doll.” He told her as he watched her walk away and to the party table. He grabbed the two guys by the shirt and threw them towards the bouncer, who threw them outside.

Finally the night was over and people had left. Mae was saying goodbye to the band when San called her over. “Yes Sannie?” She asked.

“Here’s your tips for the night.” He smiled as he handed her the money. She counted it and smiled.

“Damn. We did good.” He chuckled and nodded.

“Always do pretty.” He winked. A hand landed on Mae’s lower back and she looked at the person.

“Oh Hwa. Fuck. You scared me.” She told him, smacking his arm.

“Sorry baby girl. Was just seeing if you needed a ride home.” He chuckled, rubbing his arm even thought she barely tapped him.

“Oh please! Caden had to borrow the car for personal reasons and I was left with the bus.” She smiled at him. “You sure it’s okay?”

He nodded at her. “I’m sure. Come on. I’m heading out.”

“Let me just grab my stuff!” She smiled and walked around the bar, grabbing her bag and jacket. She walked out with Seonghwa and smiled to herself. “Thank you! Here.” She pulled out a twenty and he raised an eyebrow. “For gas.”

“No put it up. I’m not taking it. I offered you a ride. I don’t expect anything.” He told her and slid the money back into her pocket. “Spoil Ani with it.” He told her.

She giggled and nodded. “Actually. Could we stop at that twenty four hour store? I wanted to get her some flowers.” Seonghwa smiled and nodded. The more time he spent around her, the more he fell in love with her.

“Of course we can.”

The next morning came fast and Mae was not ready for the day. Ani had left for school, kissing the girls cheek and checking in on Chip, who was bouncing into his sister’s room, making Ani laugh. Mae got up, slid on sweats and a hoodie and picked Chip up, carrying him sideways down to the kitchen.

“You wanna go get coffee and hot chocolate?” She asked him as she sat him on the bar stool to get their shoes.

“Hot chocolate!” He shouted with a giggled. “Yes please Mae.”

She smiled and put his shoes on, after sliding hers on and picked him up, sliding him over and onto her back. She grabbed her keys and phone and locked the door. She talked to Chip the whole way and smiled as she spot the café they loved going too.

She walked in and smiled. “Look Choco Chip. Yeosang is here.” She told her brother.

“Sangie!” He smiled, wiggling around on her back.

“Hey bubs. You treating Mae okay?” Yeosang smiled, ringing in their normal and handed Chip a cake pop. “On me today bubs.”

“What do you say?” Mae smiled at Chip.

“Thank you Sangie.” He giggled and held the cake pop.

Mae sat Chip down and went to grab their drinks, when she turned and hit a wall. “Oh I’m sor-.” She cut herself off and giggled. “We meet again.”

“I’m so sorry.” Wooyoung pouted, even though he was thankfully for it. It made another excuse for him to talk to her. “Hot chocolate today? That’s a new one.” He laughed.

“My little brother wanted one today. So I made a special stop for him.” She laughed. “And I’m okie. I promise.” She smiled.

“Let me buy Ani’s coffee today as a sorry?” He asked her. They had sat for a while the other day, talking while Mae waited for Ani.

“I’m not gonna be able to say no, am I?” She question, which he simply just shook his head to. “Okay fine. I’ll be over in the corner.”

Wooyoung joined the two soon after and smiled. “Hello there. I’m Wooyoung.” He smiled at the little boy.

“I’m Chip!” He said as he continued coloring the paper Yeosang had gave to them earlier.

“Chip’s very cool name.” Wooyoung smiled.

“Thank you!” He smiled.

Mae and Wooyoung talked small talk for a few minutes before Wooyoung smiled. “I like this a lot. Could we do it again?” Mae smiled and nodded. “Can I get your number?” She nodded again and held out her hand, making him slid his phone into her hand after he pulled up contacts. She put her number in and handed it back to him.

“Text me when you wanna meet up. I’ll make it work.” She smiled at him. “Say goodbye Chip.”

“Bye Chip!” He giggled and let her basically manhandle him onto her back.

Masterlist

Taglist: @atinyreads @vannabanana1995 @bunnyiix @mxnsxngie @maeleelee @acrylishly @babyboyquokka @cadenonlinelive @imagine-a-life-like-this @weird-bookworm

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i-can-even-burn-salad · 1 year

Text

Epilogue

Glass Shards

Warnings: None! :)

Wrapping up some loose ends. They deserve it!

Previous | Masterlist | Next

Merridy picked up a card, frowning at it. The sparrow was red, and just last turn, she had decided to try for a black hand. With a sigh, she threw her cards on the table, face down.

“I’m out,” she declared.

Taking her glass and sipping on her apple juice, she watched the other three at the table. Cedric, his husband Yvan, and their friend Laurent—just like in old times. And just like in old times, Laurent was clearly winning.

Cedric lifted his own glass, the amber liquid inside definitely no juice.

“So you bought a house?” he asked, picking up the conversation where they had left off before her turn.

“You should see it! It’s wonderful, with a garden and all.” Merridy gestured broadly, as if she could convey the size of her new home that way. “With a few fruit trees, and berry bushes and— it’s too late this year, but next year I’m going to plant beans and potatoes and—”

“Look at our little farm girl,” Laurent interrupted her.

Merridy kicked him under the table.

“And who did you have to rob to afford that?” Cedric asked, ignoring Laurent.

“What do you think I am? A thief?” Merridy grinned as Laurent snorted into his drink. “It was an inheritance. Kind of. They sold their childhood home. Or rather, Valadan did. Damien can’t exactly go back to Caldeia, being a wanted criminal and all.” In this round, it was easy to joke about it. Not so much when Damien lay awake at night, and she had to reassure him he wasn’t putting her in danger just by being close to her. “Valadan gave us the money, because they don’t really need it.”

Cedric laughed. “I bet they don’t. The Lightwoods.” He drummed his fingers against the glass, pointing into the approximate direction of the house she had broken into to find Valadan’s location. “Filthy rich, but not pompous. Old money. Not honestly earned as the likes of us.” He winked.

When Yvan put down his hand as well, backing out, it was only Cedric and Laurent left. They made their bet, showed their cards—and of course, Laurent won.

“And what are you doing now that you’ve become such a law-abiding citizen?” he asked while shuffling the cards for the next round. Merridy stuck her tongue out at him.

“I started learning under a local seamstress, and Damien got all his tools and materials from his old workshop. It’s not easy for him to use them”—she lifted her left hand—“but he’s been working with Valadan to make some adjustments and create new tools. For the kitchen as well, because Damien loves to cook.”

“His brother is helping him?” Yvan asked, apparently more interested in the mention of craftsmanship than the cards he picked up without looking.

“Yeah. He’s a carpenter. Whatever furniture we couldn’t bring from their old house, he built for us. I even got a rocking chair now.” She rocked back and forth on her chair.

“I take my words back.” Laurent shoved her cards in front of her. “You’re an old farm lady.”

This time, she kicked him hard enough he made a noise. Cedric only shook his head.

A couple of rounds later, when everyone but Laurent was running low on coins, they decided to call it quits. Merridy helped Yvan bring the used glasses into the kitchen, casting a quizzical look at Laurent and Cedric, whispering in a corner.

“You can have a proper bed tonight,” Yvan called out to her, grabbing her attention. “We turned the study into a guest room. At least mostly. After you left, Cedric finally hired someone to deal with all the boring paperwork—his words, not mine—and transferred the unsorted stock into a warehouse.”

“Not going back to dealing with that shit himself, huh?” she muttered, handing Yvan the glasses.

Yvan laughed. “Do you miss it?” he asked over the sound of flowing water. “Any of this. Legal or illegal.”

Merridy grabbed a kitchen towel off the hook and took the first washed glass from him. “Sometimes. It was…” She polished the glass more thoroughly than needed. “It was a good time, and I don’t regret any of it. But I wouldn’t want to return to it. Laurent is right. I’ve turned into an old farm lady, happy to sit in front of her fireplace with a good book.”

“You do look happy.”

Merridy smiled.

“Don’t tell me I’m right or you’ll never hear the end of it.” Laurent stood in the doorway, grinning. “I’m gonna leave, so…” He opened his arms. “Good night?”

With a laugh, Merridy went over to him, giving him a hug. “Wouldn’t want to inflate your ego too much. Good night.”

“Come back soon.”

Perhaps she would. Josephine had offered to make it possible for her to use the Citadel’s portal whenever she wanted, and now that she had taken her up on it, she realized how much she had missed her friends.

“If you promise me my favorite candy,” she said.

Laurent laughed, waving over his shoulder as he turned around to leave. Merridy yawned. It must be close to midnight—or past it, even. Luckily, she didn’t have to be up early. The portal back was booked for noon. She picked up the towel, but Yvan shooed her away.

“I can handle two glasses. Go to bed.”

“All right. Good night.”

She hugged him too, before leaving the kitchen, grabbing her bag to follow Cedric up the stairs. The room he led her into was familiar to her, even after all this time. Where once a pile of crates and boxes had been, now a narrow bed stood, the pillows and blankets a deep purple. Merridy looked around; at the bookshelves, filled with dusty old volumes, and the velvety curtains, and the finest stationery next to the jewel-encrusted letter opener on the desk. Perhaps Josephine’s family was filthy rich, but Cedric definitely wasn’t poor, either.

“Need anything?” he asked.

“No. Thank you.”

“Good night.”

Merridy smiled. “Good night.”

She waited for him close the door before she went to the glowing crystal mounted next to it, dimming it until only the outlines of the furniture were visible. It was enough to find her way to the bed, sitting down on it and stroking the blanket. It was just as soft as it looked. With a sigh, Merridy slipped under it, pulling it up to her chin.

“Hey. Sleepyhead.”

Persistent pounding on the door jerked Merridy awake. The room was bathed in a dim, reddish light, a single sun ray poking through the curtains. She stretched sleepily, watching the dust dance in the air. It couldn’t be that late, could it?

“If you don’t get up, you’re not getting any breakfast, because Yvan’s about to leave.”

It was that late.

“Coming,” she shouted, sounding much more awake than she was.

She hastily made the bed and put her shoes back on, before she took her bag and left the room. Cedric was waiting for her, walking with her to the stairs. He must have been up for a while already, his clothes as impeccable as always, but he didn’t say anything, the tapping of his cane the only noise. Merridy grinned. He was not a morning person.

“Ah. Merry,” Yvan greeted her when she entered the kitchen. He turned around, grabbing a cup and handing it to her. “Your tea.”

While Merridy inhaled the sweet scent of herbs and honey, Cedric got himself a cup of coffee.

“I have to go. Delivery at the forge in…” Yvan looked around, as if the kitchen walls could tell him the exact time of day. “About now, I guess, so gotta hurry. Here.” He put a plate down in front of her, a masterfully crafted sandwich on it.

Merridy put the cup down, so she could wrap her arms around Yvan. “Thank you. I promise, I’ll try to come back soon.”

While Yvan and Cedric said goodbye, Merridy sat down, investigating her sandwich. To her delight, she found little slices of radishes under a lettuce leaf, sitting on top of a layer of cream cheese and cucumber. Cedric sat down on the other side of the table, sipping his coffee while she ate.

“Are you awake enough to talk?” he asked.

Merridy nodded, swallowing down the bite she had just taken.

“You said there was an… incident when you arrived,” Cedric said. His raised eyebrows told Merridy that he didn’t quite believe her softened version of events. “Are you sure it’s safe for you in Nimrisé when those men recognized Damien?”

“Valadan tore them a new one. Told them Damien is his half-brother, and they couldn’t go around trying to kill people just for looking like him. Something about their father having had an affair.”

“Damien went along with it?”

“Yeah. He hides his missing arm with an illusion, took on a fake name and all.” Merridy grinned. “He’s Jonathan Whitley now.”

“Whitley, hm? Are you actually…”

Merridy lowered her gaze to her cup. “No.” Then, after a moment, “It’s not like we could.”

Making their partnership legally known was not something that was ever going to be possible. Damien had to stay hidden. Any paperwork regarding the house was in her name, she the only one who could visit Caldeia. The story of the elusive half-brother was only going to get them so far.

Silence settled between them. Merridy was glad Cedric didn’t ask her if she’d want to. She didn’t want to have to find an answer to that.

“He wants to stay near his brother.” Merridy pushed around the rest of her sandwich. “He… they need each other. We’re cautious, but we can’t keep running.”

Cedric nodded. “For what it’s worth,” he said, his tone noncommittal, “I don’t think they’re looking for him anymore. Which brings me to the next point.” He took something out of his pocket, holding it out to her. “I’m keeping an eye on the state of things here, and you’re gonna need a way for me to contact you.”

Merridy trailed her finger over the rough surface. Even before she turned the object around, she knew what she would find—a hollow where the stone had been split, a cluster of amethyst lining the inside. One half of a geode; not just any geode, but the one she had left behind. She raised her gaze.

“If I break it in half it means…”

“Danger,” Merridy finished his sentence.

“Danger for him,” Cedric corrected her. “If I break it in quarters, it’s danger for the two of you.”

Merridy closed her hand around the geode. “Thank you.”

She slipped the geode into her pocket, before she picked up her cup again. The tea was barely lukewarm anymore, but it warmed her all the same.

“I should be going soon,” she said once her cup was empty and her sandwich gone. She brought her dishes to the sink and started rinsing them off. “It was the first time I took a private portal”—as if anyone not in the Order of Fire could afford one!—”and the attendant didn’t look like they were the most patient person alive.”

Cedric made a snide noise. “Don’t worry, they’re paid well enough for it. The hour after noon is reserved for a reason. Which means I have enough time to show you the music box I got with my latest shipment.” He got up, pointing at one of the display cases lining the wall. “Over there.”

The music box turned out to be not quite to Merridy’s taste. A couple turning in deep embrace to the metallic sound of a song she had heard once or twice when watching a marriage ceremony in one of the parks. The ornamental woodwork was rather pretty, but all things considered, she had no idea why Cedric would think she’d be interested in it. He didn’t elaborate.

Several minutes and mundane trinkets later, Merridy realized that Cedric was stalling for time. Just as she was wondering whether she should confront him about it or just insist on leaving, a knock on the door sounded. Cedric put down the ugly blue vase he had showed her and picked up his cane.

“I’ll get it,” he said, sounding way too cheerful.

Merridy watched him cross the living room and vanish into the small hallway leading to the front door. He greeted someone, and the voice answering was a familiar one.

“Laurent?” she called.

“I went to half a dozen— oh hey, Merry. You’re still here?”

He didn’t even try to sound inconspicuous. Something was definitely up. With her arms crossed, Merridy eyed the two men as they entered the room. Cedric was the first to speak up.

“I asked him to find one for me, since, you know, you told me you lost yours.”

Merridy stared at the object he held out to her. A small book—a children’s book—with a colorful cover showing a smiling sheep with a pink bow on its head. One of the very few she had kept, only to lose it to the bandits’ attack. She didn’t dare to reach for it.

“Why?” she asked, blinking in an attempt to ward off the burning in her eyes. “I’m no longer—”

“Nonsense,” Cedric interrupted her. “You’ll always be a part of us.”

Every member of Cedric’s circle had their own book to be used with a cipher, to make sure no messages could be intercepted. She had rarely ever used it, and now that she wasn’t working for Cedric anymore, she wouldn’t have to.

Still, he offered it to her, not moving until she took the book from him. Book in hand, Merridy hugged him tightly. Perhaps she hadn’t found her family by coming to Caldeia, but she had found a family.

The moment Merridy let go of Cedric, Laurent called out to her.

“Hey.”

She turned around, at the last moment catching a small bag he threw to her.

“Bribery,” he explained.

Merridy pinned the book under her arm, so she could untie the bag and peer into it. It was filled to the brim with round, deep red candies. She couldn’t resist popping one of them into her mouth before closing the bag, grinning at the delicious taste of sugary cherry.

“Now let’s get you to your portal,” Cedric said as he grabbed his coat from the rack.

Stepping from the sunny palace garden Caldeia’s into the dimly lit hall of the citadel sent a shiver down Merridy’s spine. She wrapped her coat tighter around herself as the shimmering portal flickered out of existence behind her.

She was still so giddy from her visit, she managed to keep her face from falling when she spotted Valadan standing at the end of the ramp. Merridy couldn’t help the feeling of unease that still lingered when she was around him, but at least rationally she had come to like him. Absentmindedly, she stroked the spot where the scar on her chest was, hidden under the strap of her backpack. He hadn’t meant to hurt her, and even less to almost kill her. He had tried his best to make it up to her. And most of all, he hadn’t acted out of hate, but out of fear.

Neither of these thoughts kept her from stopping two steps away from him, only greeting him with a nod.

“Josephine couldn’t make it,” he said in the way of greeting. Whether he kept his words short because of the portal attendants or her, she couldn’t tell.

She followed Valadan through the confusing hallways of the citadel and down the path to Nimrisé. He accompanied her all the way to her house, and although Merridy thought that was unnecessary, she didn’t say anything.

It was kind of nice of him.

“Tell my brother I’ll be over tomorrow to look at the oven door,” he said, breaking the awkward silence between them.

He didn’t dare to use Damien’s real name in public, and barely used his fake name. Perhaps there was something cathartic about calling him his brother as well; about having him back after such a long time.

“I almost forgot.” Merridy slid her backpack off her back and reached in, pulling out a small, wrapped bundle. “For Josephine.”

Valadan took it, careful not to step any closer than absolutely necessary.

“Thanks.”

He nodded and turned around. Before he had reached the garden door, Merridy was already running along the path to the back of the house.

“I’m back!” she called as she threw the door open.

Damien looked up, a smile spreading over his face. He stood at the counter, kneading a ball of dough, flour dusted on his hair and clothes. When Merridy dropped her backpack to the floor, he quickly wiped his hand on his pants, to catch her as she tackled him.

“I missed you.”

Damien laughed. “It’s only been a day.” Despite his words, he held her tightly, taking a deep, relieved breath.

Merridy closed her eyes, resting her head against his chest. She hadn’t truly been worried, but she felt calmer when he was around. That was only fair, she thought, after all the times she had almost lost him.

“Let’s bring your stuff up?” Damien eventually suggested.

Merridy grabbed her backpack off the floor, without taking her other hand off him. Together, they walked up the stairs, turning to the left towards her room. As every time when she stepped into it, her heart seemed to skip a beat. It was just so perfect, she couldn’t believe it was truly hers.

In the center of the room, with the head end against a wall, stood her bed, covered in pillows and blankets. As every other piece of fabric—the curtains and the rugs and the cushion on the rocking chair—they were creme white and purple. The furniture was matching, made from plain, light wood, not yet darkened by age.

A chest stood at the foot of the bed, a small desk with a chair in one corner of the room. The shelf between the two windows held bits and trinkets, while the one next to the bed was empty save for a few books. Merridy walked towards it, pulling the book Cedric had given her out of her bag to place it among the others.

When she turned around, colorful sparkles in the corner of her eye grabbed her attention. Merridy’s gaze flicked towards the window. A wind chime hung there, made from colorful glass shards, arranged like a rainbow; from crimson red and bright yellow, over vibrant green and blue to the deepest purple.

When she went closer to get a better look, Damien stepped next to her. He put his arm around her as she reached for one of the shards, brushing her finger over the polished edge.

“I asked…” He swallowed. “I asked Valadan to bring the shards of the pieces I smashed. Of the pieces I thought weren’t good enough. Worthless.”

He turned towards her, raising his hand to her cheek.

“I felt the same. Worthless. Broken. Never good enough. But you picked me up, and you turned me into someone new.” He smiled, a shimmer in his eyes. “So I took the shards. And I turned them into something new. Something to remind you how much I love you. Here… this. With you, and Valadan, and— I’d never thought it would ever be possible, but I’m happy.”

His smile turned wistful. She knew happiness didn’t help against the pain, couldn’t take away the nightmares—but it was a start.

“But are you?” he asked after a moment, a hint of uncertainty on his face. “Happy, I mean. Is this how you imagined it?”

Merridy looked from the airy, creme white curtains to the shimmering glass shards, and out the window, where in the distance the ocean sparkled in the sun. She raised her gaze to Damien, the purple gleam of his eyes fixed on her as if nothing else mattered.

“No,” she whispered. “It’s better.”

This chapter is my personal gift, from me to myself on this wonderful day. 132k words, just to arrive at this scene which I commissioned last year from @antisocialxconstruct :D

That's it. Now I'm truly happy with the end.

For those who have only read Glass Shards, a note:

Nuisance - Merridy's backstory, about how she met Cedric.

Undeserved - Damien's backstory, between his childhood, his time with the rebels and after getting caught.

Two Yeas Later - A single piece in the gap between Glass Shards and Fancy Boots. Was the epilogue of Undeserved before Glass Shards existed, which is why it is linked here as "next".

Fancy Boots - Direct continuation of Glass Shards, with recurring characters and themes of Undeserved.

Heal my Wounds - Valadan's and Josephine's story.

[ID: The top image is a banner covered in colorful glass shards. Across it is written the title of the story, glass shards, in a white to bright cyan gradient with a black outline. The font looks like written with a broad paintbrush. All other images in this post are purely ornamental lines. End ID.]

@dont-touch-my-soup @starrysky-whumpfics @kixngiggles @starlit-hopes-and-dream @honeycollectswhump

#Glass Shards #whump #fantasy whump #not a Wednesday :)#my writing

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oliverreedmasterass · 11 months

Note

GVF going to a liquor store before a party they are throwing may be a bit of a disaster.

I am SO SORRY it's taken me so long to write this!! But I absolutely love this idea, thank you for the prompt!

Booze Run

Words: 3k

Warnings: language, drinking, mentions of hallucinations

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“How much time do we have before people start coming over?” Sam asked from the couch, placing his oversized sunglasses on his face upside down as he studied the cracks in the ceiling.

“A couple hours, maybe two or three?” Josh guessed from his spot on the carpet beneath the glass living room table.

“We still need to go out and grab drinks,” Danny realized.

Jake let out a huff. “Fuck,” he grumbled.

Slowly, the four men leaned forward from their spots around Sam’s living room and studied each other, none looking all too enthusiastic to get up. Taking charge as the oldest (and most mature, in his opinion) of the four, Josh cleared his throat.

“Let’s make a game out of our drink run,” he suggested. He scanned his bandmates’ faces and was pleased to see that he had their attention. Sam was the first to take the bait.

“What kind of game?” he squinted his eyes. Josh’s idea of a good time was usually a hit or miss. Josh rubbed his hands together and tried to think on his feet.

“It’ll be like Secret Santa,” he planned. “We draw names and then buy a bottle of something for that person, and that’ll be their drink for the evening.”

“That seems like it could be fun,” Danny commented.

“We can call it Incognito Intoxicants,” Jake muttered.

“That’s the spirit!” Josh called out in joy.

“Literally, the spirit,” Jake whispered to himself, cracking a smile at his play on words.

With a grunt Josh rolled himself out from underneath the coffee table and sprung to his feet while clapping his hands, which made Danny jump in shock. “We need a hat to put the names in,” Josh announced.

Sam slowly looked across the couch at Jake and tracked his eyes up to the straw hat that was tugged over Jake’s ears. Jake cautiously looked back at Sam with his eyebrow arched and gave his head a shake, warning Sam to stay back. Seemingly unbothered by his glare, Sam lurched across the middle sofa cushion between them and tore the hat off his head, causing Jake to let out a surprised squeak.

“My hair is greasy,” Jake complained as he retracted his hands up to cover his head.

“Josh asked for a hat, and you’ve got a hat. Get over it.”

Jake continued to cover his roots in sheer embarrassment, but he didn’t argue with Sam any further. While they had an intense stare-off, Josh hurried back to Sam’s kitchen and retrieved a pen and a stack of post-it notes so he could scribble out everyone’s names. Still maintaining eye contact with Jake, Sam handed Josh the hat so he could toss the papers inside.

“Who should pick first?” Danny asked after gazing at Jake and Sam with worry.

Sam averted his attention from Jake and cleared his throat. “I say youngest first.”

“Just because you said that, we’re starting with the oldest first,” Josh countered.

“Nope,” Jake stepped in, holding a throw pillow over his head to replace his hat. “I started this band, so you all have me to thank for your success. It’s only right that I go first.”

While the brothers bickered amongst themselves, Danny slid a paper out from Jake’s straw hat, which was left unattended on the coffee table. He read the name and made a soft “huh” sound which caught the Kiszkas’ attention, as they turned around to face him.

“Josh can go next since this was his idea,” Danny delegated. “And then Jake, and then Sam.”

“Why am I last?” Sam whined. Danny chose to ignore his friend and passed the hat to Josh, who methodically selected a paper. Jake grabbed the hat from Josh, pulled out a paper, and threw the remaining one at Sam so he could secure his hat back on his head.

“Happy with your results?” Danny asked around. Josh, Jake, and Sam were all staring down at their post-it notes, looking deep in thought. Finally Josh snapped his head up and gave Danny a large thumbs up.

“I got exactly who I wanted.”

“Me too,” Sam agreed.

“Same,” Jake’s smile was wide. Danny was glad that he had dodged a full-fledged Kiszka fight and, since he was feeling good, he offered to drive them all down to the local liquor store, which was about ten minutes away.

“I call shotgun,” Josh hollered before his brothers could call dibs.

“I can drive us there,” Jake frowned at Danny.

“No you can’t, dude,” Sam put a hand on Jake’s shoulder. “Your license is fucking suspended.”

“Is it?” Jake turned around to face his brother.

“You still have four months to go,” Sam looked at him with concern. “Please don’t tell me you’ve been driving around.”

“How the hell do you think I got here?” Jake stared back at his brother.

“Oh lord,” Sam pinched at the bridge of his nose.

Danny retrieved his car keys from his shorts pocket and rattled them around to get everyone’s attention. With their eyes all on him, Danny nodded towards the door.

“The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get this run over with.”

“Amen to that,” Sam agreed.

On the drive to the liquor store, Sam leaned in Jake’s direction, which caused him to instinctually fling his hand up to hold his hat in place so Sam wouldn’t steal it. Sam rolled his eyes at this and tried to whisper at Jake so Danny and Josh wouldn’t hear from the front seats.

“Whose name did you draw?” he asked. Jake looked at Sam out of the corner of his eye, pursed his lips together, and then shook his head, earning a huff from Sam. “I knew you wouldn’t talk,” Sam’s tone was bitter.

“It’ll spoil the surprise,” Jake whispered back.

In the driver’s seat, Danny’s mind was racing as they sped along the highway. He had picked Sam’s name and, in a state of panic, was trying to remember what kind of booze Sam liked best. Secret Santa was one of Danny’s favorite games because he loved treating those closest to him to a nice surprise and seeing if they could guess that he was the one who had gone out of his way to get them something especially heartfelt. He hoped that he could find something that would brighten Sam’s day.

On the flip side, Josh watched the trees pass by out the window and grinned. He had chosen Danny’s name and, while the man was about as kind as they come, Josh couldn’t resist the temptation to find him a bottle that was sure to make groan in dread. Otherwise, what was the point of the game?

“Can you at least give me a hint?” Sam tried to whisper to Jake again. Once more Jake shook his head, which Sam responded to by sticking out his tongue.

“And…we’re here,” Danny announced as he put the car in park. “Thank god,” he added under his breath. It was a miracle that no mayhem broke loose on their drive over. The guys unbuckled their seatbelts and, in a line, moved to the entrance of the liquor store. With Josh in the lead, he pulled the glass door open and they entered the cramped shop, the bell ringing sharply over their heads.

“I’ll give us ten minutes to get our drinks,” Josh shared with his friends as they stood in the front entrance of the store. “If you don’t check out by 6:10, you’re disqualified.”

“Let’s sync our watches,” Jake looked around at everyone. “Oh wait,” he realized, “I don’t have a watch.”

Josh ignored his brother’s comment and nodded around at the group. “I’ll grab the other drinks for the party as well,” he said. “I already know what drink I’m getting for the Incognito Intoxicant, I don’t need ten minutes.”

“Ooh, cocky,” Sam poked fun. “Look at this guy.”

Once again, Josh let that comment pass without any acknowledgment.

“Ready?” he looked around for confirmation. After being met with nods, Josh waved his hand down with a swoosh and called out, “go!”

Immediately Sam, Jake, and Danny tore for separate parts of the liquor store: Jake to the spirits section, Sam to the aisle filled to the brim with wine, and Danny to the beer. Josh chuckled as he watched them disappear and strolled to the register where a middle aged man was watching Josh and his friends with interest.

“Your usual?” he asked as Josh folded his arms on the sticky counter.

“Yup, and a little extra something,” Josh said with a quick wink. The cashier rolled a couple of kegs out from the back and then retrieved a set of keys to unlock the glass case behind him. “Oscar Wilde me,” Josh called to him. “I want some hard stuff.”

“What’s the occasion?” the cashier conversed with Josh.

“Just introducing one of my pals to something out of this world,” Josh grinned. The cashier slid an especially old looking bottle to Josh, who inspected it. “This is perfect,” he blew out.

In the beer section, Danny looked up and down the rows of bottles with a deep frown. He knew that Sam really didn’t care too much about beer, as long as it went down without a fight, but he wanted to find something that Sam was sure to love. The problem was, Danny’s understanding of beer was about the same as Sam’s. If the first taste didn’t make his face scrunch up in disgust, he usually considered it to be a winner.

“I should find something imported,” Danny whispered to himself. “Sam is into that kinda shit.”

He moved past the Bud Light and Coors bottles and perked up when he found a case of German beers that advertised a light and fruity flavor. It was a relatively hot day in Nashville, so Danny knew that, after letting the beers chill in the fridge for a few hours, Sam would be in for a real treat. He grabbed the case, inspected it to make sure there was no damage on the cardboard casing, and carried the booze up to the front register.

Sam was having a field day in the wine section, finding a bottle for his Incognito Intoxicant, Josh. Josh was known for his salty dogs, but the guy also enjoyed a good glass of wine from time to time. It only felt right that Sam would choose the most rank bottle of wine on the shelf to make up for all the snooty comments he had to endure from Josh on their many winery outings. It was easy to single out the really bad bottles since they were at the very edge of the aisle and all listed for under $10 per bottle. Sam considered grabbing some two buck chuck to burn a hole through Josh’s intestines, but then gaped at a bottle tucked on the bottom row.

“Oh shit,” Sam whispered, grabbing the drink and then cradling it in his arms. “Josh is in for a rough night.”

Jake gazed at the fancy bottles of hard liquor around him and felt entirely in his element. He didn’t have a firm idea what he wanted to buy, so he decided to let fate call the shots and spun around in ten quick circles, to the point where he couldn’t tell left from right. With his vision blurred beyond belief, Jake stumbled around the aisle and eventually grasped onto one of the metal bars securing the bottles of booze in place. He held himself steady and tried to regain his composure before taking in the bottle in front of his face.

“Oh ho ho,” he chuckled at his selection.

Everyone eventually met back at Danny’s car, all making it in time before their ten minutes were up. Jake nearly didn’t make it because it took him a while to find the cashier due to his spinning head, but he still had a few minutes to spare.

“Feeling good?” Josh asked around.

“Hell fuckin yeah,” Sam replied. Danny nodded with a wide grin.

“Ay,” Jake added.

“Let’s do the grand reveal then,” Josh announced. He pulled a pen out of his back pocket and quickly scrawled out a name on the paper bag that was concealing his bottle. Taking his lead, Danny, Sam, and Jake proceeded to do the same and then, all filled with anticipation, they placed their bottles in the middle of the circle.

“Should we have at it?” Danny could hardly contain his excitement. Josh nodded and the four tore for the pile of booze, trying to seek out their designated drink.

“Get your grimey fingers off my bottle,” Sam scolded Josh, who was holding Sam’s bag and trying to find the name on it. While Sam, Josh, and Danny struggled to retrieve their respective beverages, Jake was quick to snatch his bag and stand off to the side, watching them in interest.

“How hard is it to find your goddamn name?” he had to ask. This kicked Sam, Josh, and Danny into gear and, within seconds, everything was sorted out.

“We’ll go one at a time and guess who got us our drink,” Josh shared, then turning on his heel to face Danny. “You go first.”

“I think I can guess who drew my name,” Danny murmured with a laugh as he stuck his hand into the bag and slowly pulled out an aged bottle of absinthe. “Huh?” he stared down at the label. Jake and Sam started to howl with laughter.

“I thought you could change it up tonight,” Josh explained to Danny, entirely forgetting that Danny was supposed to guess who his Incognito Intoxicant was. “Live a little in the past, you know, let it take you back in time.”

“Thank you?” Danny guessed. He wasn’t looking forward to drinking the greenish liquid, but he didn’t want Josh to know he was feeling disappointed. He tried to find the silver lining, reasoning to himself that it was an opportunity to try something new. Josh watched Danny’s face travel through a wide range of emotions as he studied the bottle, which was more than enough payoff for his prank.

“I’ll go next,” Sam decided, growing impatient waiting for his turn. Before Jake or Josh could argue that they wanted to go next, Sam tore open the bag and let it drop to the paved ground so he could focus his attention on the label. “Hofbrau Munchen Hefeweizen?” He read aloud. “Did I pronounce that right?” Sam inspected the label closer and then retrieved his phone from his back pocket to translate the writing on the package. “Oh, light and fruity tones, I like the sound of that!” his face lit up. Danny attempted to maintain a poker face, but it was impossible for him not to grin a little. Sam scanned around at his brothers and, with a chuckle, pointed at Danny. “Thank you, Daniel.”

With his cover blown, Danny finally let his smile fully stretch across his face. “How did you know it was me?”

“Jake would have pissed in a bottle and given it to me,” Sam explained, “and I’m afraid of what Josh would have done.”

“That’s an accurate assumption,” Jake nodded.

“I thought the whole point of this was to get something the person would enjoy,” Danny tried to gain some clarity.

“Oh no, that’s definitely not what I had in mind,” Josh shook his head with a laugh. He studied the paper bag in his hands and tugged it open, reaching his hand in to grab his bottle. “Oh Jesus,” he murmured as he studied the Stella Rosa Watermelon-flavored wine. Turning to Danny, he motioned at the bottle. “This is the kind of shit I’d expect to get. My Incognito Intoxicant obviously wants me to suffer.” He looked closer at the light pink liquid and gave it a small shake. “This is going to be sweet as a motherfucker. What am I supposed to pair this with?”

“Watermelon, of course,” Jake deadpanned. Josh shook his head at his brother with a scowl, and then pointed at him.

“You did this,” he accused. Jake’s hands retracted up in a defensive position and he was quick to shake his head.

“My dignity couldn’t handle buying a bottle like that in public, even if it was for you.”

“Sam?” Josh turned to face his younger brother.

“Guilty,” Sam gave a mischievous grin.

“You sick fuck,” Josh spat out, though he also had to give a chuckle. For what it was worth, Sam’s choice was especially sinister, which Josh did respect.

“That leaves me then,” Jake grunted. The other three watched as he rolled down the paper bag to reveal only the top of the bottle and flicked the lid off. “Ahh,” he grunted out after taking a long, thoughtful chug from the mysterious liquid. “That’s the good shit.”

“Hold on a second,” Danny thought hard. “I had Sam, Sam had Josh, and Josh had me. So that means…?”

“Yup,” Jake finished Danny’s thought for him, “I treated myself to a nice drink for the evening.”

“That’s not fair!” Sam protested.

“Josh didn’t set any rules about it,” Jake shrugged. “Get over it.”

Josh tried to get a better look at Jake’s drink. “What did you go with?”

“Cognac,” Jake replied after another drink. “I thought I’d switch it up tonight.”

“Interesting,” Josh nodded.

Danny checked the time on his phone and then motioned back at his car.

“We’d better get a move on before people start showing up.”

“Oh shit, right,” Sam said, turning on his heel to retreat to Danny’s car.

“Great, I can’t wait to see what watermelon-flavored wine tastes like,” Josh sarcastically retorted while he and Jake walked in line behind Sam and Danny.

“It’s gonna taste bad, I can tell you that,” Jake assured him. “But it should go down easy. Just chug it in the beginning and then it’ll be over.”

“Nah, I think I’ll nurse it,” Josh decided. “I don’t want to be beyond inebriated and miss Danny’s reaction to the absinthe.”

“Do you think he’s gonna hallucinate?”

“You can hallucinate on absinthe?” Danny turned around to ask Jake and Josh, his eyes wide.

“Oh boy,” Sam laughed. “We’re in for an interesting night.”

#gvf #greta van fleet #josh kiszka #sam kiszka #danny wagner #jake kiszka #greta van fleet fanfiction #greta van fleet fanfic #greta van fleet fic #gvf fanfiction #gvf fanfic #gvf fic #the guys go on a booze run #what could go wrong?#the answer is a lot

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anniesocsandgeneralstore · 2 years

Text

the echo (or the answer) - a werewolf au (Jake "Hangman" Seresin x OC)

Summary: The moon is beautiful and full - the wolf packs are filled with an insatiable hunger and a need to hunt. Only Jake's hunger isn't for food.

Pairing: Alpha!Jake Seresin x Human!OC (Ronnie Bradshaw)

Word Count: 9007

Warnings: language, flashbacks, violence, blood/gore mention, alpha!jake being protective and soft, werewolf bob, slight love triangle

TWO | THREE | FOUR

-> likes are great but comments/reblogs are even better!

-> thank you to my werewolf love @blue-aconite for reading this over for me and talking werewolves with me always

-> i highly recommend listening to Running with the Wolves by AURORA while reading this chapter, really adds to the experience in my humble opinion

Blue River stood on the edge of a knife. On a presipice, looking over the edge with only thoughts of jumping circling their brains. The first full moon since Red Sky was forced into their territory was tonight, and Bradley feared the worst.

All out war. Or something even more terrible: his beloved sister being used against him.

Ronnie walked into the pack house, a dingy little cabin in the middle of the woods that was nearly impossible to get to if you didn’t know the way, and immediately dropped her overnight bag on the floor. It had only been a few full moons since the last time she had gotten out there, and it was a disaster. Furniture overturned, bottles everywhere. It was like a drifter or a group of wild teenagers had gotten in and done a number on the place.

“What the fuck, Brad?” she asked, turning to her brother as he stepped into the space beside her, giving him a look.

He scratched the back of his neck. “Yeah…I know. It needs a once over.”

“Ya think?” she questioned back as she scooped up her bag again. “Are the sheets even clean on the bed back there?”

She pointed to the door that led to the only other room off of the main one. A bedroom for wolves to crash in when it was a particularly rough full moon — typically their first. She remembered after Bob’s first full moon she walked in to the mattress torn in half and foam scattered all over the floor. Bob laying in the middle of the chaos fast asleep. Luckily, they had gotten a new mattress since then.

“Yes, there’s clean sheets and spare blankets,” he said, quickly righting the chairs around the small dining table and picking up a few of the bottles.

Ronnie sighed as she opened the door to the bedroom. He wasn’t lying. There was a set of new flannel sheets already on the bed and a tall stack of blankets set precariously on the end. Bradley knew how cold she got at night, and staying in a cabin with no heat in Washington was basically a death sentence to Ronnie. She threw her bag down on the bed and came back out to the main room to find Bradley setting down a handful of glass bottles on the kitchen counter.

“Don’t worry about it,” she sighed, stopping him from cleaning up more. “It’ll give me something to do.”

“Bob can help you.”

He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder. Ronnie could see, through the front window, the wolf in question standing there talking to Natasha with his arms crossed and lips pressed into a thin line. He pushed up his tortoise shell glasses as he spoke. She and Bob got along fine. He was quiet, blended into the background when the pack was together. Preferring to observe rather than participate. Sticking to the fringes where Ronnie always seemed to end up. But when he did speak it was usually something important, dangerously witty, or spoken just for her to hear. A secret for them to share. Anytime she spoke to him it was nice. Comfortable. Easy.

She knew why Bradley picked him to stay with her tonight. To keep guard around the pack house in case some Red Sky wolves showed up. He would say it was because Bob was the biggest wolf out of all of them. His shoulder standing at six foot four inches, making him a head larger than even Bradley. A tank that could easily take a large number on. But she could see her brother’s other motives behind it. The look he would get anytime he saw them talking to one another. The way he would whisper in Bob’s ear, both of their eyes constantly darting over to her, making the other wolf blush a pretty shade of pink.

Beyond that door was safety, comfort, maybe even love if she tried. That door was expected, unlocked, encouraged for her to walk through. But was it a door she even wanted to open? Maybe, two months ago, she would’ve dared. She would’ve tried. But now there was another option that no one even knew of. That door was dangerous, locked, forbidden. Beyond that door was hurt, betrayal, and risk. But did she want to open that door, either?

“Ronnie, wait up!” Bradley called as he fell behind on the trail.

She shouted over her shoulder, “You are literally a supernatural being — I think you can keep up with your merely human sister on a hike!”

“You know I hate hiking!” he yelled back even as she continued to charge ahead, maybe even on purpose.

“You’re the one who insisted on joining me!”

She was trying not to be frustrated, really, she was. But for the past week she barely got a single moment alone. Natasha tagged along with her to and from work. She was escorted to the grocery store, the post office, the library — everywhere. Even at night she could hear the extra wolves roaming around downstairs, letting her know she wasn’t truly alone. Ronnie never even realized how many things she was used to doing by herself until suddenly she wasn’t.

And now, her most sacred of activities was tainted by the presence of someone else. The familiar trails she liked to tred, memorized since her youth, were ruined by her brother’s complaining.

For being a werewolf, Bradley really did hate hiking. He said it was tedious and he spent enough time in the woods already. But Ronnie always saw it as a solace. A way to connect to nature around her and maybe feel something close to what the pack did when they ran through the woods on the night of the full moon. She would bring books and picnic lunches — knowing all the good spots around town with comfy grass and rocks as big as tables.

Today, she was trying to go to her favorite place for some reading and charcuterie. A grass bald not too far up the small mountain that lined the edge of Marnmouth. Her great-grandmother’s journal practically burning a hole in her backpack, hopefully some nugget of information about human-werewolf mating just waiting to be found. But as soon as she put on her backpack and hiking boots, Bradley insisted that he go with her. He tried to make it seem like he just wanted to spend time with her, for her own benefit, but she knew his ulterior motive.

“Ronnie!”

She continued on ahead despite his calls for her to slow down. She just needed a moment. One goddamn moment to herself before she lost her entire mind. Bradley’s voice faded into a distant murmur as she broke through the tree line and out onto the bald. A patch of grass with no tree coverage that overlooked Marnmouth below. It was a spectacular view, one that she could never get enough of.

But her heart lept into her throat when she saw the Red Sky Alpha standing in the middle of the patch of grass, his chest heaving like he just ran for miles.

Ronnie looked over her shoulder to see if Bradley was anywhere close to catching up, then she jogged over to him — her legs burning from the uphill climb.

“What the hell are you doing here?” she whispered loudly once she was close enough.

“I’m sorry,” he panted, looking over every inch of her. “I couldn’t help it. The urge is…”

She knew what he was talking about. She hadn’t seen him since that encounter on the beach, almost a week ago. The longer they stayed apart, the stronger his urge to be with her would get. He looked like someone had stabbed him in the gut as he took a step closer to her.

“My brother is right behind me,” she warned.

“Even a moment with you is better than nothing at all.”

Her eyes slipped shut of their own accord as his fingers trailed along the edge of her jaw. The sigh Jake released was like he had been holding something in for years. He tugged her just that step closer as he cupped her cheek completely. She leaned into his touch, a contented sort of noise slipping past her lips. It was relief after days of agitation, longing, and fear. She felt his forehead bump her own, the tickle of his scruffy beard against her chin.

And then he was gone.

Ronnie moved over to the dining table and brushed off the thick layer of dust — finding it easier to speak when she wasn’t looking at Bradley.

“I still don’t see why you moved me out here. Red Sky is clearly unpredictable but they aren’t stupid enough to make a move on a house in the middle of town where people could see.”

“Ronnie,” he groaned her name, frustrated and annoyed.

They had had this conversation several times already. An Alpha for three months and people questioning him was already a foreign concept. Even though Ronnie had been questioning everything her entire life. Always digging, always searching, always wanting to know more. Even their father, an Alpha for twenty years, took her questioning him in stride. Because he always understood better than anyone why she did what she did. It seemed that Bradley never did.

“What? What?” She rounded on him now. “You didn’t even ask for my opinion before you decided this was the best course of action!”

“Because it is the best course of action! Here, we can keep you safe. Here, someone can stay with you. Here, I feel like I have some control.”

Her face was pinched, tugged, pained in something between anger and sorrow. “Control over what exactly? Me?”

Bradley rolled his eyes. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

“Sure as hell seems like it,” she muttered under her breath as she turned back to the table, wiping off more crumbs and dust to be swept away later, trying to distract herself from this terrible conversation.

“You’re not a kid anymore, Ronnie, don’t act like that,” he said.

She turned back to her brother slowly, eyes wide and top lip twitching in the effort not to snarl. Her next words came out in a hiss so they wouldn’t be a scream. “Exactly. I’m not a kid anymore, so I should get to choose where I’m held prisoner for the night.”

“You are a member of this pack, and it’s my responsibility — “

“Am I?” she questioned, her chest heaving, eyes stinging with unshed tears.

Bradley had the decency to look like she had just slapped him across the face. Mouth popped open in surprise and eyes, teetering on the edge between brown and red, wide in some kind of sudden realization. Ronnie shook her head before she looked down at her boots, unable to keep looking at him with all that she felt. She couldn’t really tell what hurt more. His inability to just trust her or the fact that he thought she felt like she belonged her entire life.

“You sure you don’t want me to come inside with you?” Pete asked as he pulled his truck into the grocery store parking lot.

Ronnie sighed, fingers rubbing at her temples. “Yes. I’m sure.”

“Look — “ Pete cut the engine on the truck. “I know this hasn’t been easy. But, we just wanna keep you safe.”

“And I just want five minutes of relative peace,” she snarked back, instantly regretting it with a suck of her teeth. “Sorry…I — sorry.”

Pete patted her leg with a closed mouth smile. “S’okay, kid. I get it. I won’t tell about your thirty minutes of freedom if you don’t.”

Pete always had been understanding and perseptive. Her father’s best friend and an easy choice for his second — and now Bradley’s. He always seemed to notice and he always seemed to care. Bringing Ronnie into conversations and suggesting that her knowledge be tapped before a decision was made. It was always subtle and he always threw a wink her way when no one was looking. Pete always found a way to make her feel seen. Especially now that her father was gone.

Ronnie grinned appreciatively and leaned over the center consol to kiss his cheek. “Thank you, Pete.”

He just smiled, watching as she hopped down from the truck and retrieved her reusable bags from the back. There was nearly a skip in her step as she crossed the rain slicked parking lot and entered the store. She loaded her bags into a cart, popped in her headphones, put on a podcast, and started making her rounds through the aisles. It felt like pure bliss in comparison to the near stifling presence of the pack since Red Sky arrived.

She knew they were only doing what they thought was right. They feared for her life, for her safety. She was vulnerable and would be an easy target to weaken the pack’s moral. But their constant hovering was made all the more difficult to bare when she knew that Red Sky would never try to go after her.

Not when she was mated to their Alpha.

She sighed heavily at the thought. And something turned in her gut. A longing, a yearning, a pull. She had only seen him once since their encounter on the beach. Those few stolen moments in the woods with Bradley right behind them. His touch lingered on her skin for hours afterward. She swore she could even feel it now, nearly a week removed, as she looked over the cereal options.

Then she felt something, down at the very core of her being. An instinct. A call. He was there. She couldn’t help the way her heart trilled at the thought, the way her stomach filled with the flutters of butterflies. Her eyes swept from left to right, up and down the aisle, to see if he was there.

But he wasn’t.

She went back to looking at the cereal, deciding to just go with the sugary junk she usually got instead of the healthy option that tried to tempt her each and every time. Fighting down the swirling mix of excitement and disappointment that filled her chest cavity. She dropped the chosen box into the cart, checking the item off her list, and when she looked back up…

Jake was there.

Her breath hitched in her throat. He swallowed thick as he approached her, his hands nearly trembled at his sides. Stopping right in front of her, toe to toe, she couldn’t help but think he even looked good in the ugly florescent lighting of the local grocery. Long hair sandy and dark at the root, green eyes intense, corduroy and flannel stretched over his broad shoulders.

“What happened to staying away from me?” she asked quietly.

He scoffed, though there was no real bite behind it. It was light, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Trust me, little one, I’m trying. I — I can’t help it.”

“Someone could see,” she said, eyes darting up and down the aisle to see if anyone had noticed them, if there was anyone she recognized.

The cereal aisle remained empty as Jake brushed his fingers against her own, a breath leaving him like a balm was finally placed on his aching blisters. There was a relief inside her too. One that she didn’t even really know she needed. At his touch, everything inside her calmed. Everything seemed not so bad. Instead of feeling vulnerable and like an outsider, she felt protected — like she belonged.

“Please,” he spoke softly as he took her hand. “I need you.”

She relented. It scared her how easy it was to do. All she wanted for the past month was to be left alone, to have a bit of peace and quiet. But now…Now the Red Sky Alpha was following her around the store and she couldn’t be happier. She couldn’t help the joy that filled her chest as they meandered through the aisles, his hands finding their way onto her body any chance they got. As she stood there trying to find the best looking squash, his fingers found their home on her hips. As they walked through the deli, his hand was shoved into her back jean pocket. Some of the locals, people who had watched her grow up, gave her either looks of approval or looks of bewilderment as they passed the pair by.

They didn’t talk much. There really was no need to. This was a stolen moment in time. Forbidden fruit. Why waste a single breath on words when those stolen touches and looks said all they needed to?

I’m scared to be parted from you. I’m scared to fall in love with you.

By the time her shopping was complete and she got to the checkout line, he was gone.

The front door creaked open and Pete popped his head inside, “Everything okay in here?”

Bradley opened his mouth to say something, not taking his eyes off his sister, but she smiled at Pete and spoke before he could, “Yeah. Everything’s good. I’m all set.”

“Alright.” She could tell Pete didn’t believe her, but he was never one to push. “Come on, Bradley, we gotta go. Sun’s getting low.”

“Yeah, coming.” He stared at Ronnie as he spoke, hands on his hips and eyes glaring.

She glared right back until he turned and walked out the door. Then she turned back towards the mess of the main room and began to furiously pick up the trash the pack had left behind. Yanking bottles off the floor and practically tossing them onto the kitchen counter. It was a distraction, but the more she cleaned the angier she became.

Why couldn’t he just trust her? Why did the things that should feel and once felt right now feel wrong? Why did she always have to be an outsider? Why did everything have to be so fucking complicated?

The front door came open with a shriek and Ronnie jumped, her heart instantly racing as adrenaline flooded her veins. But when she turned, it was only Bob — shouldering the door open as he brought in firewood from the pile outside.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” he chuckled nervously as he let the door slam shut behind him. “Bradley said you get cold at night, so I thought…Just in case.”

Her expression softened, her heart slowing, as she watched him set the logs by the stone fireplace. The little cabin was too far out in the wilderness for there to be any sort of electricity, or gas, or even cellular signal. Bob’s thoughtfulness touched her as he put in some paper and twigs for kindling, setting it ablaze with the lighter from his pocket. Once it was bright enough, he added a few logs and stepped away. Ronnie bit her lip, closed her eyes against the twisting feeling in her stomach. Like she was being pulled two different ways. Bob would be good to her. He would be.

“Thanks, Bobby.”

“No problem.” He smiled softly, rubbing at the back of his neck that was turning a light shade of red.

“We have a few hours till sundown — wanna help me clean this place up?”

“Sure.”

Bob held open a trashbag as Ronnie dropped all the bottles and other pieces of trash inside. They both swept, chuckling at the absolutely massive hairballs they found behind the tattered couch. He joked that it was mostly his and she laughed again — his blush obvious and furious. He set the heavy and full trashbag just outside the front door, a reminder for someone in the morning to take it into town. Ronnie found Pete’s old CD player, the batteries surprisingly still good, and put on some tunes. Some old Willie Nelson that had them both judging Pete hard but also infectuously dancing. And just like any other time she spent in Bob’s company, Ronnie felt happy. Comfortable. He made sure to listen and ask for her thoughts. He took the time to collect firewood for her and ask if she ate — willing to sacrifice the snacks he had brought with him for when morning came.

It felt right to be with him. Responsible. Reasonable. But was it what she truly wanted?

“I’m sorry you have to do this,” Ronnie said as she finished sweeping the last of the dirt out onto the front porch.

“Why?” he asked back, eyebrows furrowed in a nearly adorable way as he flipped through the two other CDs they were able to locate: both more Willie Nelson.

“I know that being away from the pack during the full moon doesn’t…” She struggled to find the right words as she leaned the broom against the wall. “Feel great for you guys. I think Harvey Sawyer, a wolf in the pack from years ago, described it like he was missing a limb and knew exactly where it was — but he couldn’t get to it.”

“That sounds…Like a fun time,” Bob chuckled, pulling a face as he set down the CDs and pushed up his glasses. “You sure know a lot about werewolves, Ronnie.”

She smiled, tight lipped and not entirely genuinely. “Yeah. I try.”

Bob, ever hesitant and considerate, was confident now as he took the few strides across the room to reach her. But she could see the nerves as he got closer. The bob of his throat, the pink tinge of his cheeks. Yet he powered through, tentatively reaching for her hand. And when she didn’t stop him, he took it completely in his own.

“Either way…” he said, catching her gaze with a small smile. “I don’t mind bein’ here with you.”

Ronnie opened her mouth to respond, unsure of anything to say — unsure even of what she was feeling. Then, suddenly, a wolf howled in the distance. Bob’s usually blue eyes like the sea flashed in Beta gold. That was Bradley’s howl, calling the pack to hunt. They both looked to the front window and sure enough the sun had set. Pretty soon, Bob’s transformation would be unstoppable.

He gave her hand a squeeze before he let go. “I’ll be outside all night — patrolling not too far beyond the treeline. Come get me if you need anything, okay?”

“Not sure what you’re gonna be able to do if I run out of toilet paper, but alright,” she joked, if only to lighten the heaviness in her heart, and he laughed.

“See you in the morning,” he chuckled.

Bob hesitated for only a moment, then he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. Before she could say or even do anything he turned on his heel and went out the door. As he retreated, she could just make out the blazing blush on his neck.

Once the door was closed, Ronnie touched the spot where he had kissed her. Her mind reeling. Bob was kind. Reserved. Attentive. Laughed at her terrible jokes. Respected the knowledge that she had worked so hard to gain. And he was so good. Maybe too good. He made her feel safe and seen and maybe even loved if she tried.

But he wasn’t who the Moon Goddess had hand picked for her. He wasn’t her mate. And maybe if she didn’t already have one, this would be an easy decision to make. An obvious one. But she was mated to somebody else. She was mated to Jake.

A man she barely knew. A man she didn’t know was kind or not. A man she had never told a joke to. But he respected her all the same. Took her advice to heart. He even, despite everything about his nature and the way it was sure to hurt him, kept his distance from her. That had to mean there was something good there, too, right? That he wasn’t just his first impressions: cocky, arrogant, and reckless? Anytime she was even near him she felt protected, like nothing bad was ever going to happen as long as he was around. With him, she felt like she belonged somewhere, because some part of him was always going to be bound to her. With him, her heart stopped and went hundreds of miles per hour all at the same time.

Ronnie dropped down onto the couch, sending dust particles everywhere, and placed her head in her hands.

What the hell was she supposed to do?

The sun set swiftly on full moon nights in Marnmouth, Washington. Soon, Ronnie was in bed. A candle her only source of light as she tried to distract herself from, well, everything, with her great-grandmother’s journal.

Georgiana “Gigi” Janson-Bradshaw. The reason Ronnie was only human. The woman was not very descriptive. Most of her entries were only about three sentences long. But when Ronnie flipped through the journal originally, she found that she had entered something every day for ten years. A year into the journal’s scribblings was when she was supposed to meet her husband, Isaiah. There had to be something, in all that time. Something that would be helpful, that would maybe help Ronnie understand what she was supposed to do.

Ronnie turned another page with a sigh. So far nothing. Just a few entries ago Gigi met Isaiah for the first time, so hopefully she was getting to the good stuff.

All those old stories about Marnmouth’s founder, Augustine Bradshaw, are true, Gigi wrote, and Ronnie sat up a bit straighter, angling the candle closer to the page so she could see better.

Werewolves are real. I can hardly believe it. But it’s true. Isaiah flashed his eyes at me. They turned red like something awful. Then he told me that we were bonded — bound to one another by some spirit or god that they don’t talk about in church. It scared me at first. But I can’t deny that I feel drawn to him. I can’t really explain it. The full moon is tonight. I just heard a wolf howl…Somehow I know that it is Isaiah calling for me.

Just then, an echoing howl sounded in the distance — drawn out and surreal. Ronnie jumped, singeing the corner of the journal’s page. For only a moment, she thought it was just Bob. Melancholy and lonely without his pack. But then she felt it. An understanding beyond reasoning and beyond doubt.

It was Jake. Calling for her.

Taking up the candle, she rose from bed and went to the window that looked out on the dense forest behind the pack house. Through the darkness and the trees she could see a pair of glowing red eyes, staring at her. She shuddered at the sight, at the feeling of being watched. Jake howled again — so loud it nearly rattled the window. Ronnie put a hand to the cold glass in order to stop herself from jumping right through it.

He needed to leave before Bob caught wind of him. But it wasn’t just a concern for his safety that had her slipping her jeans and shoes back on, opening the window and slipping outside. His scent was strong due to the full moon. She could feel it everywhere. The pull to him powerful now that he had called her with his howl. She needed to be with him.

Even if it was the most idiotic idea on the planet.

Ronnie entered the woods easily, the moon her only source of light as she picked her way over large roots, rocks, and fallen logs. Jake was a good distance away, far enough from Bob’s patrol root of the house and down wind so his scent wouldn’t be noticed. Ronnie gasped in awe at the sight of him in wolf form.

She had seen full wolf forms all her life. They were nothing new. Giant wolves the size of cars and trucks, paws as big as her torso and heads nearly the size of her entire body. Each one unique to the person hidden inside during the full moon. She loved seeing new wolf transformations for the first time, just to see how their inner wolf looked. Bob’s had probably been the most surprising — little timid, docile Bob being the biggest wolf in the pack was certainly a shock — but Jake’s now took the prize. He was beautiful. He was slightly smaller than Bradley’s wolf form, but she could see, as she approached, the strong muscle hidden beneath his fur. And his fur. In the moonlight it sparkled like gold. Soft and long. It made his eyes appear like rubies set in an ancient statue set to guard a temple to the Moon Goddess herself.

“Jake…” she whispered as she stopped before him.

He closed the distance between them, nudging her hand with his nose. She smiled as she ran her hand up the space between his eyes to the top of his head. His fur was as soft as it looked. His ears perked up happily.

“You shouldn’t be here,” she told him, even as she allowed him to press his face into her middle. “Brad’s got his biggest wolf guarding me tonight, if we get caught…”

It wasn’t him getting caught. It was them. The two of them. Together. She didn’t understand the implications nor want to.

Jake nudged her hand again. Then he turned, showing her his flank, and lowered himself down onto the forest floor. His blood red eyes looked at her expectantly.

She understood immediately, backing away slightly. “I can’t go with you. Are you insane?”

He just continued to stare at her. Eyes nearly unblinking. She felt something then at the very end of herself. A draw, a call, a nudge. Like she could almost hear his voice inside her head:

Come on, little one. Run with me.

Barely even aware of her own actions, the last logical part of herself screaming at her to stop, she approached him again. Grabbing hold of his fur, she pulled herself onto his back. Once she was situated, each hand fisted around his soft golden fur to keep her steady, he rose from the ground. She could feel his heart beating between her legs, strong and true. And as he looked back over his shoulder at her one last time, she knew there was no going back.

He took off into the woods. Ronnie lowered herself down on his back to avoid the wind resistance and any low hanging branches. The wind made her eyes water, froze her down to the bone, wiped her dark hair back in a torrent. But she couldn’t resist, control, the laugh that bubbled up her throat as they ran through the trees. This was complete and utter joy. The full moon shining down on them, the trees standing as ancient centurians. They lept over fallen logs, splashed through streams, curved around hillsides.

As they ran, it felt like there was some thing connecting them together. Not just the mating, but some bond, some vow unbreakable. Like a golden thread tied around each of their hearts and souls, holding them together and not easily cut. It was nearly like she was one with Jake. Two wolves running one and the same.

Is this what it felt like each full moon? Connected to the pack in a way uneasily explained. Completely free, completely satisfied, completely whole.

They came upon a small clearing and Jake slowed to a stop. A fog was rolling in from the mountain top, catching the light and casting gross shadows with the trees. Ronnie instantly tensed. There were other wolves there. Red Sky wolves. She didn’t recognize any of the forms. At Jake’s signal, she slid down from his back and onto her feet.

The other wolves stared at her, and the only thing she could think to do was stare back. But she wasn’t scared. No. Jake was with her. She was safe.

An older wolf, judging from the grey hairs around his snout and eyes, snarled at her. Jake stamped his foot and growled back. She could only assume what they were talking about. In wolf form, werewolves communicated through their minds. Talking to each other inside their own heads. But to anyone else it just looked like a lot of yipping and growling.

But it was easy enough to see that they were arguing about her. A human affiliated with Blue River being amongst their pack was not great for them, logically. Her scent could bring the other pack right to them and start a fight they weren’t prepared for. She prayed that didn’t happen as well. She hadn’t realized how small Red Sky was until this moment, either. Blue River was nearly double the size.

A small pack was a bad sign. A problem Jake most likely inherited from Jeremiah Bellmoral. It was a sign that the pack was poorly led, or that the Alpha was not in the Moon Goddesses favor, or worse, that the Alpha was drunk on their own power. And from what Jake told her about Bellmoral, she wasn’t at all surprised. She hoped that Bellmoral was just a bad leader and that he hadn’t killed any of his Betas when he felt threatened. The thought alone turned her stomach.

Suddenly, the entirety of Red Sky was barking and yipping at one another. Growls and stamps exchanged between them. Jake appeared to be trying to bring everyone under control. And through all the chaos, the older wolf in the pack was slowly approaching Ronnie. She backed up against the tree behind her, trying not to show any of the fear that was clawing its way up her throat — ready to be released in a scream or a whimper, she wasn’t entirely sure. But before the wolf could even get close enough Jake stepped in between them, his low growl making the other wolves in the pack whimper and quiet down. Her chest heaved with relief as she watched the golden fur on his neck glimmer in the moonlight.

There was no need for fear. There wasn’t room for it when a golden thread tugged at her heart.

Jake turned to her then, nuzzling his face into the side of her head. She reached up and petted his cheek.

“I’m okay,” she assured, keeping her eye on the wolf that threatened her with what she hoped to be an intense look in her eye.

Jake looked out over the pack one last time, then turned to Ronnie and got down on the ground once more. She knew what it meant. Climbing on with ease, she hunkered down just in time for him to take off — the pack following behind them.

It was different once the pack was with them. It was as if the golden thread spread, went out to each heart that ran beside them in a v formation through the woods. Ronnie had never felt so connected to something in her entire life. Now, it wasn’t just the stinging wind that made tears stream down her face.

She finally felt like she belonged.

Red Sky ran for hours or minutes Ronnie couldn’t tell. She watched the trees go by, wolves break off from the formation to hunt any poor creature that passed them, the way Jake breathed and moved beneath her. She could barely feel the cold against her bare arms or her hair as it whipped behind her.

But suddenly, Jake slid to a stop. His nose upturned and nostrils working furiously at some foreign scent. Ronnie had a feeling what that scent could be.

Blue River. Her brother. Her family. She was sure that Jake had taken them to the northern part of the Marnmouth territory, meaning the rival pack was supposed to be on the complete opposite side of the forest. But it seemed that Bradley had plans to seek Red Sky out tonight. Or worse, he knew that Ronnie was with them.

Her heart dropped into her stomach as Jake urged her to get off his back. On her feet, he nudged her over to crouch behind a rotten log and a thick curtain of ferns. She pressed her forehead into the space between his giant red eyes, a shuddering breath slipping past her lips.

“Come back,” she whispered.

Jake moved away from her then and she dropped down onto the leaf strewn ground completely. Leaning back against the rotten log, she prayed that she wasn’t the reason for this encounter. That she wouldn’t get spotted, that Bradley had no idea she was there and wouldn’t sense that she was there. A few minutes later, she heard the fight begin. Snarling and howling and echoing barks that made her flinch. She clamped a hand over her mouth to keep in the scared noises that she dared to make as the fight drew closer to her hiding spot. She could now hear the snapping of teeth, thudding as massive bodies hit the ground, the yelps of the wounded.

There was no fear for her own safety now. For her own life. She feared for Jake — for Red Sky. For wolves she didn’t know fighting what she considered her family. Guilt flared in her stomach. She shouldn’t be thinking that way. Blue River was her pack. Not Red Sky. But she felt connected to that rival pack in a way she never did to the one she was raised in. With Blue River, she was always going to be on the outside looking in. She was a Bradshaw, descended from a great line of werewolf royalty — but she was only human.

With Red Sky, there was a chance at belonging.

Eventually, the fighting stopped. The losers retreating with their tails tucked to lick their wounds. The winners heading off knowing that they were on top, that they were in charge. So it wasn’t her scent that had drawn Blue River to them. If that were the case she would’ve been found by now, Bradley’s chocolate brown face looking down at her with such sheer disappointment and horror. But instead the other pack simply left, leaving her be. At the silence, only broken by soft, heart-wrenching whimpers, Ronnie dared to peek out over the top of the log.

Red Sky were clearly the losers today. Several of the wolves were limping. All of them were bleeding from somewhere. Ronnie spotted Jake immediately. He was helping the older wolf that had threatened her earlier back to his feet. Nudging gently at his shoulder with his snout.

On some instinct she couldn’t explain, some urge to help, Ronnie hopped over the log and joined in the effort to get him to his feet. She got on the wolf’s other side and gently pushed at his shoulder. He was badly wounded. His neck matted down by blood, a deep gash evident and sparkling in the moon light. He tried to get to his feet, but fell back down with a huff. Ronnie put all her weight into it as he tried again.

“Come on, old timer,” she encouraged, “There’s some fight in you yet.”

She could nearly hear his laugh, hidden somewhere in his wolfy throat, as he finally got steady on his feet.

She chuckled too as she patted his flank. “There we go.”

The older wolf limped off towards the rest of the pack, who had gathered to attend to each other’s wounds as best they could till morning. Jake stood on the other side, watching Ronnie carefully. She smiled shyly at him. He didn’t appear to be injured, save for a claw mark across his face. She wondered if her brother gave that to him.

Jake told her to climb on his back one last time. And she did. No hesitation. He took off into the woods again, heading back in the direction of the pack house. But he stopped at a clearing she knew well — only a mile away from the cabin. She slid off again and Jake settled onto the ground, looking at her expectantly.

She knew what he wanted, but hesitated now. “I-I really should get back.”

He only sprawled out some more in response and she laughed with a roll of her eyes

She relented. It scared her how easy it was to do. Yes, she still feared being caught. Having to truly face what any of this meant. But once seh laid down on the soft earth beside Jake, none of that really mattered. It was like swimming in an ocean of him. Fathoms deep with no chance of coming up for air. But she didn’t fear drowning. She feared leaving the depths of him now. Surrounded, all encompassed, entangled in him completely. His warmth, his scent, the beating of his heart in her ear. Everything was Jake and everything was good. This, felt like home. Like true peace. Like love and light and something just beyond understanding.

How could fear possibly matter when she was finally where she was supposed to be?

“M’sorry about what happened,” she whispered, resting her head on one of his forelimbs, the other laid on top of her middle.

Jake made a noise in the back of his throat. She didn’t understand it, but she understood it enough.

“I really thought he would just stick to the usual route…But apparently you made him feel threatened enough that he needed to start a fight.”

She could nearly hear his response this time: Damn right he should feel threatened. Ronnie laughed, fingers playing with the long fur on his chest.

“I-I didn’t realize your pack was so…Small.” She felt Jake tense around her. “Did Jeremiah Bellmoral do that?”

He nodded — she felt it more than saw it.

“Did…Did he…?”

She could barely get out the question. It was so rare, so taboo, so immoral and terrible that she didn’t even like to think about that happening just so close to home. When maybe her family could have helped.

Swallowing thick, she tried again, “Did he kill…?”

She still couldn’t get it out. But she didn’t have to. The way Jake went stiff was answer enough. A chill went down her spine as she burrowed further into him. That was why Jake challenged him. To save his pack from further destruction. God, they could have came to Blue River for help. But would her father have listened?

Yes. Nick Bradshaw was a kind, understanding man. Experienced and well versed in their history. He would have known what to do. Maybe he would’ve killed Bellmoral himself and merged the packs after years and years of senseless feuding. Maybe then everything would be easier. But they were well past that point now. Bellmoral was dead, Jake was the new Alpha of a small and traumatized pack, and to make matters worse: they were forced into the territory of a rival pack, also led by a new Alpha, that was stronger than them.

So was it a blessing or a curse that Jake and Ronnie were mated? Was it just another item on Jake’s long list of things gone wrong? Or was it a solace amongst a terrible storm — a lighthouse guiding him home?

It felt closer to solace as Ronnie wrapped her arms around his large neck and pulled him as close as she could get.

“Oh, Jake,” she whispered.

He tucked his chin into her shoulder, a soft whine echoing in the back of his throat. She clutched him tighter, trying to imbue him with some of her strength — measly as it was. Trying to tell him all that she couldn’t with words.

I’m scared to be parted from you. I’m scared to fall in love with you.

It was the kind of rest that had been evading Ronnie for weeks. Peaceful, deep, and uninterrupted by strange dreams of glowing red eyes and hands on skin. And she was pulled from it slowly, like when she was a child and her dad was carrying her inside from the backseat of the car. All lazy smiles and thoughts of just rolling over and going back to sleep.

But then she felt a cold, a wetness beneath her and the spell was broken.

It occurred to her that it smelled like forest. Wet leaves and pine. Then she smelled something stronger, citrus and bonfires. This scent calmed her, told her not to worry. She tried to push herself deeper into the feeling, get lost in it. Just to get a few more minutes of sleep.

Then she felt a rumble at her back, something tighten around her stomach. Something wet, like a kiss, against her neck.

Her eyes cracked open at this, confusion pulling at her brow. She was looking out at trees, bathed in early morning sunlight. Then she looked down, and there was an arm wrapped around her waist. She ran her fingers along the fabric of the cream thermal shirt they wore, the soft skin and hair wrapped around chorded muscle at the forearm, the hand that clutched posessively at her ribs.

She was rolled over onto her back, sleep still keeping her at the brink of understanding and consciousness. At first, it was the canopy of the forest and pale grey sky. But then Jake took over her field of vision and she smiled. His hair was messed, dangling over his forehead. There was a scar, a claw mark, coming down over his left eye and cheek. It would fade completely in only a few hours, but for now the white scar tissue stood out in stark contrast against his tanned skin.

Her fingertips reached and traced the lines on his cheek. Jake’s eyes slipped shut at the gentle, barely there touch.

Where did he get these from? Oh, right. Last night. Blue River and Red Sky had fought. She had run with the wolves. Laid down with Jake in the clearing.

It all snapped back to her like someone just clapped in her face. It wasn’t some beautiful and strange dream, it was real. Her eyes widened as she tried to sit up, to get her barings and think of something she could do.

But Jake shushed her, cupping her cheek in one of his large hands and holding her down with his weight. “Easy, little one, easy. You’re okay. You’re okay.”

“I stayed out all night,” she whispered, though her body relaxed beneath him, no longer tried to fight against his superior strength.

“I know,” he chuckled fondly, tucking her hair behind her ear.

“Oh, God,” she groaned, slapping her hands over her face in some childish attempt to hide from the situation she put herself in.

The pack was surely back at the house right now. They knew she wasn’t in her room — she left the window open for crying out loud. And Bob. Poor, sweet, Bob who didn’t deserve it was probably getting ripped an entire new asshole for letting this happen. They were going to be out looking for her. Each of them with her scent fresh in their noses and on the move.

She dragged her hands over her face, her palms naturally falling on Jake’s shoulders once they made their descent. The muscles in his arms, the tendons in his neck jumped like he was just barely holding back from something. A soft noise in the back of his throat made her toes curl as he leaned down closer to her.

His warm breath fanned her face and her mouth fell open, trying to drink it in. Jake’s face buckled like he was in pain as he pressed into her body further.

“I can’t — “ he started, his lips brushing her cheek, then he pulled back to look her in the eye. “I can’t stay away. It hurts to be parted from you and — and I can’t do it anymore. Ronnie, please.”

She had never heard an Alpha beg for anything before. But there Jake was, looking down at her with a broken, pleading gleam in his eyes as he searched her for any sign of hope. Of her ending his torture.

Ronnie struggled around the words, her tongue too heavy in her mouth. “We can’t…”

“Says who?” he asked, one hand trailing down the column of her throat, dipping into that space between her collarbones.

“Everyone,” she replied, first tears sticking to her lashes. “Everything.”

“I don’t care about everyone or everything.” His grip on her neck became just a touch more firm, his thumb under her chin forcing her to look up at him. “I care about you.”

“Jake…”

There were no more arguments. No more words that needed to be said. How could there be when those stolen looks and touches said everything already? Jake glanced down at her lips, a longing in his eyes that painters of old would only dream of capturing. Her chest heaved in anticipation, every nerve ending on fire as he drew nearer. Like the sea drawn to the moon so high, high up in the sky.

But just like that fated pair, they were never meant to meet.

Jake’s head whipped to the side, his ears picking up some sound that only a werewolf could. He quickly pulled away from her, drawing her to sit up with him by the hand.

“Your brother’s coming,” he grunted.

“Shit, shit, shit.” Ronnie scrambled to her feet, desperately pulling the leaves from her hair and adjusting her clothes so it didn’t look like she spent the entire night out in the woods.

Jake took her hand one last time and tugged her into his chest. One last reprieve before he had to be away from her again. His hands went into her hair, breathing her in as he set his forehead against her own.

She didn’t know what made her say it, but she did. “Meet me at the beach tomorrow — I’ll have my decision then.”

“Okay.”

He pressed his lips to her forehead, long and soft and filled with too much for Ronnie to even explain. She never wanted that moment to end. Standing in a clearing at dawn, held in the arms of someone she was on the cusp of loving.

But when she opened her eyes, he was gone.

“Shit,” she repeated one last time.

There was a pile of deer scat not too far away. The sounds of twigs snapping and gruffed arguments were drawing nearer. Ronnie bet, once they got close enough, they would be able to smell Jake all over her. Even she could smell it. Lingering in her hair, clothes, her very skin. She didn’t want to, but she needed to cover it up before they found her. So, she shoved her hands in the scat and rubbed it over one of her arms and up the side of her neck. The smell made her gag, but at least Jake’s scent was masked.

Bradley, Pete, and Bob broke through the tree line not a moment later.

“Ronnie!” Bradley called, relief evident in his tone.

She turned towards them, trying to act nonchalant as she smiled. “Oh, hey, guys!”

“Where the hell — ? Why — ?” Bradley couldn’t seem to decide what question he wanted to ask as the three of them stomped over to her.

Bradley just looked furious. Red faced and panting. Bob was blushing like a mad man, even in human form she could see his tail tucked between his legs from the scolding he surely received from his Alpha. And Pete — Pete looked like he was observing. His blue eyes trailed over Ronnie, the shit on her neck and clothes, the obvious wet stains on her side and back. He was calculating and coming to conclusions, and Ronnie really hoped he didn’t land somewhere near the truth.

“What’re you doing, Ronnie?” Pete finally asked when it was clear Bradley was too pissed off to formulate full sentences.

“I took a sunrise walk,” she lied easily.

Bob’s nose wrinkled in sudden realization. “Ugh, why do you smell terrible?”

“I slipped coming down the hill.” She pointed in the direction of the cabin, where she knew for a fact a small hill was located that she would have had to get down in order to be in that clearing. “Fell in deer shit…Thanks for reminding me.”

“And why didn’t you use the front door when you decided to go on your little walk this morning?” Pete questioned.

Ronnie sighed, not entirely fake aggravation slipping into her voice as she shrugged. “Because I wanted to be alone. I knew if I went through the front door…Bob would’ve found me and tried to come with. Sorry, Bobby.”

“S’alright,” the bespeckled wolf answered with an understanding nod.

“No, it’s not alright!” Bradley finally exclaimed, making a few birds high in the trees take off in flight. “You could’ve been attacked! Or captured!”

Ronnie opened her mouth to retaliate, to argue, to deliver some scathing remark about he was worrying for nothing — that he clearly showed Red Sky last night who was in charge even though he didn’t have to. But Ronnie held her tongue. So the truth of her whereabouts wouldn’t get out, but also because of the fear on Bradley’s face.

He was scared for her. He was always worried about her. And it made her heart soften enough to not continue bickering with him.

So she put her head down and muttered, “M’Sorry.”

“Come on, let’s go.” Bradley tilted his head towards Ronnie, then his Beta. “Bob.”

Bob jumped into action, desperate to do something right after this massive screwup that Ronnie caused. He took her by the shoulder and led her to follow Bradley and Pete back to the house. Bob put his hand flat between her shoulder blades as they walked.

His touch felt wrong now. Forbidden.

A tingle began at the base of her spine, forcing her to look over her shoulder and into the clearing one last time. Jake stood just beyond the pines, green eyes intense as he stared right back.

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