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graphicpolicy · 1 year

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House of Slay goes Global in Season 2 of the Webcomic

House of Slay goes Global in Season 2 of the Webcomic #comics #comicbooks #webcomics

House of Slay, the fashion collective formed by prominent fashion world figures Prabal Gurung, Phillip Lim, Laura Kim, Tina Leung, and Ezra Williams, has kicked off a new season of their hit superhero webcomic on the Tapas and WEBTOON platforms. The series, created in partnership with XRM Media and EEP Universe, follows superpowered versions of the fashion icons as they combat the fear of “other”…

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ambi-kiko · 6 months

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tma music tma music tma music

please reblog with your own! i need it (:

also im more than willing to elaborate on any of em, just ask! (i have much to yell about)

for bitchard, we have:

kiss me, son of god (they might be giants)

i'm gonna win (rob cantor)

blood & money (the orion experience, orion, linda XO)

ruler of everything (tally hall)

BlackBoxWarrior - OKULTRA (will wood)

community gardens (the scary jokes, louie zong)

the main character (will wood)

your body, my temple (will wood)

laplace's angel (hurt people? hurt people!) (will wood)

saint bernard (lincoln)

welcome to the internet (bo burnham)

all eyes on me (or3o)

my ordinary life (the living tombstone)

cabinet man (lemon demon)

peter x elias (for my frenchies out there <33)

marine marchande (les cowboys fringants)

ok dont judge me too much i had to have smth for them ((: plus its not that unrelated

next! martin

a better son/daughter (rilo kiley)

12 feet deep (the front bottoms)

things to do (alex g)

be nice to me (the front bottoms)

step on me (the cardigans)

heart for brains (roar)

mama (my chemical romance)

summer child (conan gray)

hello my old heart (the oh hellos)

i cant handle change (roar)

against the kitchen floor (will wood)

least favorite only child (leanna firestone)

sharpener (cavetown)

empty bed (cavetown)

life's a beach (bears in trees)

jmart ((:

no children (the mountain goats)

the moon will sing (the crane wives)

euthanasia (will wood)

as the world caves in (matt maltese)

the truth (the front bottoms)

balade à toronto (jean leloup)

doctor (jack stauber)

apocalypse (cigarettes after sex)

talk to you (ricky Montgomery)

cabo (ricky montgomery)

meteor shower (cavetown)

juliet (cavetown)

feel better (penelope scott)

would you be so kind (dodie)

two birds (regina spektor)

line without a hook (ricky Montgomery)

and jon, ofc <3 i rly dont have enough for him ):

body terror song (AJJ)

downhill (Lincoln)

montreal (penelope scott)

ramblings of a lunatic (bears in trees)

its called: freefall (rainbow kitten surprise)

chin music for the unsuspecting hero (foster the people)

love, me normally (will wood)

dinner is not over (jack stauber's micropop)

also melanie! dont have that many but she deserves the mention (:

saturn suv (fredo disco)

brave as a noun (AJJ)

tongues & teeth (the crane wives)

wreaking ball (mother mother)

we fell in love in october (girl in red)

and just random songs with tma vibes (other characters, ships, dread powers, etc)

underground (cody fry)

hand me my shovel, i'm going in! (will wood)

terry's taxidermy (teddy hyde)

cotard's solution (will wood and the tapeworms)

amnesia was her name (lemon demon)

memento mori: the most important thing in life is death (will wood)

skeleton appreciation day in vestal, n.y. (will wood)

icicles (the scary jokes)

puppet boy (devo)

oh ana (mother mother)

i dont smoke (mitski)

choke (I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME)

thermodynamic lawyer esq, G.F.D (will wood and the tapeworms)

sorry haha i fell asleep (egg)

despair (leo)

stuff is way (they might be giants)

baby teeth (baby bugs)

king park (la dispute)

i/me/myself (will wood)

dr. sunshine is dead (will wood and the tapeworms)

amygdala's rag doll (ghost and pals)

little pistol (mother mother)

burning pile (mother mother)

this is home (cavetown)

body (mother mother)

turn the lights off (tally hall)

like real people do (hozier)

im going insane

#long post #tma #the magnus archives #jonathan sims #magnuspod #jon sims #jmart #martin blackwood #martin kartin blackwood #jonmartin #jonny sims #melanie king #elias bouchard #lonely eyes

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gretavangroupie · 5 months

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Valor (Chapter 4)

Pairing: Jake x Reader, Daniel x Reader

Word Count: 25.1k

Warnings: Cursin', Smokin', Drinkin'. Angst: Struggle and Poverty, Emotional Manipulation, Abandonment, Jealousy, Mentions of Violence, Mentions of Weapons, Fire & Property Loss, Physical Fighting, Blood, Mentions of Death, Mention of Suicide, Heavy Angst, Reckless Driving, Allusions to Shady Activities, Coercion, Gambling, Betting. Smut: Kissing, Heavy Petting, Allusions to Sex.

Valor Playlist: Apple Music | Spotify

A new project in collaboration with my talented co-writer @gretavanmoon.

HER POV

You twist your fingers together nervously waiting for them to walk your way. You saw the other car pull away in a cloud of dust, but the two of them still stood in the same spot, talking amongst themselves. You swallowed anxiously as you saw them start to head your way, sitting up a little taller in the front seat of Jake’s truck.

Jake opens the door and slides in behind the wheel, as Danny leans into the passenger side window. “What do you think, you hungry?” he asks, looking down at you beneath his dark lashes.

“Yeah, I could probably stand to eat something.” you pause, looking over towards Jake. “Plus it’s his birthday…”

“Yeah it is…What do you think Jake? Louie’s? My treat?” he asks, earning him a soft smile and a nod.

“Yeah, sounds good. Drop your bike at the shop first?”

Danny nods and smacks his hand gently against the windowsill, pushing away with a smile as he heads towards his bike. Positioning himself on the seat, he starts the bike and takes off first, Jake following behind him.

“So… Wha–what was the meeting about, or can you tell me?” you ask, as Jake pulls a cigarette from the carton in his pocket. He flicks the carved zippo to life, holding the flame to the tip and taking a long drag.

“Well, that man was at the poker game the other night. Just wanted to talk to me and Danny is all.” he answers, the cigarette dancing around his lips as he spoke.

“That’s it? That seems sort of strange? Why didn’t he just come to your shop?” you ask, confused.

“Nothin’ to worry ‘bout.” he says, turning the wheel toward the shop. You sighed, feeling the same feeling that they were holding things back from you again. None of your business, right?

You blinked back the confusion, scooting over so Danny could hop in the passenger seat beside you.

“I’m starving. I think it’s meatloaf night!” Danny rubbed his hands together, and you noticed just how hungry you had gotten, too. It was mere minutes before you were pulling into the parking lot of Louie’s. You’d really forgotten just how small this town was.

As you made your way to the front door Daniel held it open for you to enter first, seeing Geraldine working the counter. She motions for the three of you to sit wherever, so you follow Jake’s lead to a small booth in the corner. You slide in first, Danny taking the spot next to you as Jake sat across. Seconds later Geraldine was greeting you with menus and mugs.

She poured steaming hot coffee into the mugs, before telling you she’d be back. Your eyes scanned over the menu, not really feeling like the days special of meatloaf.

“Did’ya tell her?” Danny asked, looking across the table to Jake.

“Nah.” he grumbled, not bothering to look at Daniel.

“Tell me what?” you ask, folding your menu and setting it in front of you.

Jake’s eyes flashed to yours, before meeting Danny’s. “Okay, so the guy didn’t just want to talk to us.” he starts, pausing to run his fingers over his chin. “He saw us fight the other night.”

“Okay and…” you press.

“And, he wants us to fight in matches.” Danny finishes, pulling his folded hands in front of his face.

“Matches? Like– Like boxing or something?” you question, with a furrowed brow.

“Yes, but not boxing. Fighting. For money.” Danny answers.

“What? Why would he– Why you two? I’m confused.”

“So are we, but he said he sees something in us.” Danny took a deep breath and turned his body toward you to speak directly. “Look, there’s maybe a bit you don’t know about me, Y/N.” He confesses. “Since I was young, I’ve always been a bit of a fighter. I like to tussle. And I guess, I’m kinda good at it?” His eyes squinted as he said the words, blowing the steam off the top of his mug.

Your eyes catch Jake’s as he silently confirms Danny’s admission with a quick nod. “Taught me how to fight, that’s for damn sure…”

“Okay, so he saw you two fight at the poker game, and he thinks you’re good enough to fight in matches for money?” you ask Danny.

“Yeah, but not just me. Both of us. He wants both of us to fight.” he says, letting his eyes trail over to Jake.

“Money…How much money?” you ask.

“Don’t know for sure, but he said the word thousands.” Danny answered, embellishing the last word with a twirl of his hand.

Hold the phone. “You two aren’t actually considering this are you? I mean, you don’t even know this guy. You have no idea what you could be actually walking into. What if– What if it’s a set up or something?” you question.

“No risk, no reward.” Danny touts.

“We can’t just drop fuckin’ everything to go fight, Daniel.” Jake says.

He crosses his arms and sits back in the booth, “I think we should do it.” He digs around in his pocket, pulling out a business card and slapping it on the table. You snatch it up, looking at the name and the phone number, before flipping it over. Blank.

“This says nothing. It’s just his name and number…” you question.

You watched as Jake started bobbing his eyes around again, like they both did the day you met them. Always paranoid. “He said this shit was underground. Doubt Oscar is even his real name.” Jake quips, twisting the paper card between his fingers.

“Okay, so say this isn’t some scam or some shit, and you two go and fight… What about the shop? What about my car?” you ask.

“Parts for your car won’t be here for another week and a half. This fight is in a few days, so...” Danny says, helping you piece this together.

“Okay so, if he’s right, and you two do end up winning some money, it would help you pay that guy back right?” you ask. Jake nods his head, you can tell he is considering every single pro and con, while Danny already has his bags packed.

Geraldine walks back over towards the table, effectively shutting all of you up. “You guys know what you’d like?” she asks, pulling her pen and pad from her apron.

“I’ll take the special, how it comes.” Jake says, followed by Danny gesturing a two.

“Alright, two specials, and you hun?” she asks, eyes meeting yours.

“Could I please do… a BLT?” you ask, closing your menu and watching her scribble it down.

“Be right up.” she nods, walking away towards the kitchen.

“Okay, anyways…” you pause, making sure she’s out of earshot. “Say you two go fight, what happens when you get injured or something? How will you be able to work?”

“Jake and I have been fighting each other for a long fuckin’ time. Has yet to be a fight we haven't bounced back from the next day.” Danny says, smugly.

“Yeah, but you aren’t fighting Jake. You’re fighting god knows who!” you shout, quickly reining it in.

“Do you think we’re gonna lose, Y/N?” Danny laughs.

“I don’t know! But I don’t want either of you to get hurt!” you say, laying your fist on the table.

“You’ve gotta trust us. Can you trust us, Y/N?” he asks.

You let out a long deep sigh and look up to Jake, his eyes reassuring you. “Okay, yeah… But for the record I still think this is all a giant set up, and a really bad idea.”

A small laugh leaves Danny’s chest, “Well, I guess there’s only one way to find out.”

—

The three of you push your nearly empty plates towards the center of the table, the food disappearing quickly from your plates. The conversation had shifted away from the proposition from Oscar and into reminiscing about years past. Much of the meal was filled with laughter between the two guys, one funny memory spurring on the next.

You felt a tingle of excitement in your chest as you remembered the little surprise you had pulled together for Jake earlier this morning. You bit your lips together to conceal your smile, but Jake noticed. Just as he was about to ask, Bubba stepped up to the table, sliding into the booth next to him.

“Well, another year huh, boy?” he said, throwing his arm around Jake’s shoulder.

“That’s what they tell me.” he laughs, making room in the booth.

“You know, you’d think with time, things would get a bit easier on us but have ta say feels a little worse each year.” he says sullenly, twisting his fingertip around his thumb.

“Hell of a way to spend a birthday ain’t it…” Jake quips.

“I know, I’m sorry son.” Bubba says, squeezing Jake’s shoulder. “He was a good man beneath it all, I promise yeh. I know he’d be proud of his boys.”

“I reckon you went to that meetin’ right?” he asks.

“We did.” Danny answers. “What’s that guy's deal?”

“Well, he rolled into town a few days ago. Stopped in here for a bite to eat, took the seat next to mine at the counter. We got chattin’ for a spell, and mentioned your name. Said he’d heard ‘bout some boys that did some fightin’. I said, ooooh yes, I know those boys. Invited him to the poker game, since it seemed like he mighta had some money to blow. Led em’ right to yeh, and you boys put on quite the little spectacle for ‘em. Saw him the next day, and told me he wanted to arrange a meetin’. And well, you know the rest.”

“Yeah, Bubba…He wants us to– he wants us to fight in underground matches. NHB fightin’.” Danny says, hesitantly.

“I figured as much. You boys considerin’ it?” he asks, leaning into his elbows on the table.

“Talkin’ about it. What do you think?” Jake asks, looking over to him.

He sniffles, and looks towards the door before turning back to the three of you. “I think there's some good money to be had in those kinds of fights. ‘Specially if they’re run clean. Think you two boys could do fairly well for yerselves.”

“So you think we should do it?” Danny asks, a child-like innocence on his face as he asks Bubba for his approval.

“Think anythings’ worth tryin’ once. Least to say ya did.” he answers, and you almost see Jake’s body relax. “I have a good feelin’ bout him, boys. Think you should give it a go. Think there’s a reason he came to town lookin’ for you two.”

Jake nods his head and looks at Daniel, the two of them communicating silently as Wanda brings the check over. Bubba snatches it up off the table as he slides out of the booth, heading towards the register. “Happy Birthday, Jacob.”

—

DANNY POV

“I have a surprise when we get home.” Y/N’s voice was as soft as butter on the ride back from the diner, and your heart skipped a beat when she referred to the place as home. You let your hand run over her thigh in the darkness of the cab, creeping it closer to the heat between her legs.

“Is it for me?” You said flirtatiously, gripping your hand into her thigh.

She lightly slapped you across the chest. “No, dummy. It’s not your birthday, now, is it?”

You laughed through your teeth, tapping the top of her leg before removing your hand. “When even is your birthday, Danny?”

“Not until the winter, babe.” You thought ahead, realizing that really, neither you nor Jake ever did anything special for your birthdays. Never had enough money. Never had enough reason to care.

“You don’t need to do anything else for me, seriously. This has already been a better day than I’ve had in a long, long time.” Jake interjected. And you believed him. He seemed so upbeat today. Like good things were on the horizon. Like he had a sparkle in his eye.

“S’not much, nothing extravagant. Just thought maybe you’d like a cherry on top of your day.” You glanced out of the corner of your eye to see Y/N gently lay her hand across Jake’s upper thigh, petting it sweetly before ripping it away as soon as her sentence was finished. It made your breath catch in your throat. Why did she just touch him there?

“Pull over here, I need to go do something.” You motioned for Jake to pull into the lot of the motel, seeing that the light in the lobby was still buzzing a dull fluorescent yellow. Jake skidded the tires into the lot, pulling in right up front.

“What are you gonna do?” He asked, the tone of his voice letting you know he was going to follow you inside.

“Just stay here, I’ll be right back.” You flung the door open and slammed it shut, just a little pissed off that you saw Y/N’s hand brushing dangerously high on Jake’s leg.

Being met with Wanda’s now unfamiliar face after knowing her for so many years felt strange; it was like she was a completely different person. Stature, clothing, overall appearance…ten years ago you would have never guessed this would be how she ended up. But what had changed the most was her personality. She wasn’t the sweet and witty lady you always knew. Now she was wily, deceitful, and overall the most unaccommodating motel owner you’d ever met.

“Well if it isn’t little Danny come to grace my presence. How’s business, boy?” She yelled, squinting through one eye.

“Could ask you the same, Wanda. But I think I already know the answer.” You firmly placed both hands on the counter, straightening out your elbows to lean down. “I need to check the person out of room number seven.”

You watched as Wanda lifted her glasses to her wrinkled nose, sarcastically smiling with her mouthful of only a few teeth. “Oh, the girly come from outa town. She paid for seven nights. Still got four to go.”

“Right well she’s checking out, she won’t be back. And I’m here to collect the difference for the nights she won’t be stayin’.” You responded, feeling the gall rise up in your chest.

Wanda stepped forward and raised her voice to an even louder volume than it already was. She punched her pointer finger down to her ledger book, right over top of Y/N’s name, ironically the last person to have checked in to the motel since. “It’s non-refundable, and non-negotiable. She signed her name here, and my policy says—”

“Your policies don’t mean shit to me, Wanda. You probably didn’t even tell her that when she signed, did you?” You were seething. “Plus I know you overcharged the hell out of her…thirty-five dollars a night? Really Wanda?” You took your fingertips and pushed the ledger back toward her.

Wanda’s jaw clenched closed as you watched her face get hot. “Now what you ain’t gonna do is walk up in my establishment and tell me how to run my business, boy!” You felt the spit travel from her mouth onto your face as she yelled across the countertop. “Huh, if Ace was still alive he would have your ass—”

“If Ace was still alive this town would be in a lot better shape than it is now!” You lurched toward her. How dare she bring up Ace’s name like that. “And this isn’t your establishment, Wanda, shit. If Bubba was still running it you wouldn’t have gutters fallin’ off the building and the police here every single fuckin’ night!”

It had turned into a screaming match. You just knew Jake and Y/N were getting a show from inside the truck. But you’d been wanting to go in on Wanda for a long time, now. This just gave you extra reason to speak your piece.

Your mind thought back to when Bubba and Wanda were married not eight or so years back…the motel was actually thriving. It was one of the only businesses in Joslyn that was worth a damn. Bubba kept the building in top shape, and Wanda ran all the housekeeping. They did it by themselves, and they did it well.

Then once Ace died, and Teddy took over holding the reins of the town, everything went downhill. Wanda got in with the wrong crowds, started fighting and arguing with Bubba…the people who were once the ones you looked to for comfort in your younger years had turned into the poster-people for the phrase ‘nasty divorce’. Bubba couldn’t do it anymore. She asked for a divorce. And Bubba lost everything.

“Four nights’ stay total. You can even keep the pocket change.” You held your hand out, wiggling your fingers to let her know you weren’t leaving this room until you had the cash in your hand. And she knew you… she knew you were serious.

“That’s my fuckin’ money, Danny.” She spat, her voice lowered now.

You rolled your eyes. This is was getting to be a chore. You leaned in close again, the dirty smell of the musty carpet below your boots and the asbestos-ridden walls suddenly enveloping your senses. “Hm, be a shame if I called the state and reported my stay here was full of rat shit, bed bugs, and roaches, wouldn’t it? Black mold in my shower?” You raised your eyebrows, knowing the threat might not be all untrue. But the last thing she needed was an inspection from the state and probable shut-down, so she conceded.

She limped back to the back room and re-emerged with a handful of cash, gritting her teeth after licking her fingers, counting the bills back out to you one by one.

“That all?” You demanded to know, flattening your hands across the counter. “Because she’s out in the truck, I’ll come right the fuck back in here if this isn’t it, Wanda.”

“Yes that’s fuckin’ it, Daniel. Now get the hell out of my lobby ‘fore I call the law on you for harassment.” She barked.

You wadded the cash up and stuck it in your pocket, offering her the tiniest nod of your head. You turned to push the front door open before stopping yourself short, and turning back around to face her again.

“Oh, I almost forgot. We know you let Teddy know she had money. Sent Joey and Tanya out to see if she was there…we aren’t fuckin’ stupid, Wanda…plotting to find her and take her money… Snitchin’ on your guests’ whereabouts ain’t good professional practice, hm?” You raised an eyebrow to her before backing up again.

“Just tell your buddies up the road to stay the fuck away from her.” You spat again before shoving your way through her door, letting the old wooden slats rattle hard behind you.

——

JAKE POV

As you pulled into the driveway of the shop the sun was down and a blanket of stars littered the sky. You sat and watched as Y/N and Daniel exited your truck, Daniel shutting the door behind the two of them. Your eyes followed her as she and Danny made their way toward the front door, hand in hand. The sound of the rumbling engine tuned out every other sound, and you watched as their bodies cast shadows on the building from the beam of your headlights. You could tell he wanted to be near her, feel her touch… even if it was just a little bit. You’d only been around her for less than a week, but the energy that emanated from her was unlike anything you’d ever experienced before. And you knew Danny felt it too.

It hurt your heart a little to admit that you noticed her body language didn’t always match with his. Not all the time, and not obviously, but it was there. Within seconds, she released his hand, bounding forward as he pulled his keys from his pocket and unlocked the door.

She had a sort of giddy excitement on her face sending a little shiver through your body as you pulled the keys from the ignition. You reached over and locked the passenger door before stepping out and locking your own, letting the heavy metal door swing shut.

You walked slowly into the house, hearing a little chatter coming from the kitchen and deciding to join in on it. Your fingers fidgeted with the zippo in your pocket, letting your nails gently scrape over the carvings in the metal.

“Okay, okay sit, sit!” Y/N instructed. “And don’t look! It’s a surprise.”

You tossed Daniel a questioning look and she shrugged his shoulders, clearly not privy to her surprise either. You both sat at the kitchen table, turning your attention away from whatever she was doing, but hearing the freezer door open and shut and a plate hit the countertop. She opened and closed a few drawers in search of something, but eventually gave up with a huff.

“Okay, I don’t think you guys have any candles, but…you get the idea.” she says, walking towards you with the plate. “Oh wait! Where’s your lighter?” she asks, reaching her hand out.

You lean over, shoving your hand in your pocket to retrieve the item, presenting it to her in the palm of your hand.

“Okay…” she says, flicking it open and producing a flame. “We’re just going to pretend, okay?” she says as she hovers the lighter over the plate, which holds a slightly frozen piece of bread, soaked in milk, sprinkled with sugar and pinch of cinnamon. A birthday cake. You felt your heart clench, as you realized that this is probably the first birthday cake you’d ever had.

You swallowed down the lump in your throat as your eyes met hers, the flame flickering as it reflected into her eyes. She began to softly and nervously sing, “Happy birthday to you…Happy birthday to you…Happy birthday dear Jake…Happy birthday to…you…”

You couldn’t help the tears that began to well in your eyes, trying your hardest to fight them away as you nodded your head feeling more shy than ever before. “Th-thank you.”

“Blow out the flame…” she pauses, “Make a wish.” her eyes were locked on yours and as you stared at her you could hardly tear your eyes away. Had anyone ever cared this much? The soft orange glow from the small flame lit up her entire face, and her smile was warm and genuine. She wasn’t doing this because she had to, she was doing this because she wanted to. For you.

As you let your eyes take sight of the dancing flame you knew exactly what you wanted to wish for. But should you? Wishes never came true anyways, right? What would it hurt?

You swallowed, and took a deep breath, blowing out the flame as she let the familiar sound of the metallic lid flick shut. You made your wish, even though you knew you shouldn’t. She placed the plate in front of you and presented you with a spoon. “Happy Birthday, Jake. I know it’s not much, but–”

“Thank you.” you interrupted, reaching for her hand and holding her soft fingers in yours. “It’s more than I’ve ever had.” you say truthfully. Your eyes flick over to Daniel, who is grinning as he watches, nodding his head in approval. You look back at her, squeezing her hand before letting it go, even though you really didn’t want to.

She walks back over to the freezer, grabbing two more plates she had prepared earlier in the day, and two more spoons. She placed a plate and spoon in front of Daniel, as he squeezed her hip in thanks, before grabbing her own and sitting down at the table with you. It was quiet as the three of you enjoyed your little dessert, in a solemn but happy moment.

“Did you… know that cinnamon is my favorite?” you ask, breaking the silence.

“No, I just…My mom…she used to make this for me when I had a bad day at school, or if she knew I was feeling sad about something. Always said a pinch of cinnamon was her special secret ingredient. Kind of became a comfort thing for me. I know it’s not really the same as a real birthday cake, but it’s what I could do. I just wanted you to have something…” she explained, almost as if she felt guilty for not doing more.

“Y/N, this is more than I ever expected, more than I’ve ever had. We’ve ever had. Danny will back me up on this.” you said, nodding towards him.

“He’s right. This is…special for us. No one’s ever cared.” he smiled at her, brushing his knuckles against her arm.

“Thank you for thinking of me. Made my whole day.” you said, offering her a smile.

“You’re welcome, Jake.” she said sweetly. You watch her bite her lips together, and you almost think there's more she wants to say, but she quickly looks back down to her plate, scooping her spoon into her dessert.

Daniel stands from the table and puts his plate into the sink, “I’ll be right back, okay?” he said, running his hand over her shoulders as he made his way down the hallway.

You hear the front door close and realize it’s just the two of you now, and you let your eyes nervously flick up to look at her. She’s staring off into space, probably still thinking about her mom or maybe the last time she had this. Again you find yourself unable to look away from her, that is, until she looks back at you.

“Jake?” she asks.

You swallow thickly, “Yes?”

“Can I ask you a question?” she pauses, “And you tell me the truth?”

You bite your lips together, and let out a breath through your nose, “I can try.”

“If those guys get to me somehow…Are they going to hurt me?” she asks, eyes searching yours.

“Honestly, yes. Probably.” you answer, seeing panic shoot across her face. “But I’ll never let them.”

“You swear?” she pleads.

“Between me and Danny… No one is layin’ a finger on you. I promise you that.” you say confidently, knowing that for certain.

She nods her head and looks down at her plate again, swirling her spoon through the melted icy milk. “Thank you…For looking out for me and everything. I know you didn’t sign up for all of this.”

You place your hand on top of hers as it lies on the table, gently squeezing her hand, silently reassuring her that she’s no burden to either you or Daniel. Your mind wanders off to the visit from Joey the other day, and you wonder if her fears really are warranted. Would they take her? Would they hurt her? But more importantly you wonder if they knew that you threw the game the other night. Surely they had to be getting suspicious after so many wins. Would they use her to send a message?

Suddenly she stands from the table, grabbing her plate and yours before walking over to the sink to wash them. You watch her as she does it, trying to block out the bad thoughts swirling through your mind as your eyes focus on the sway of her hips.

She dries the plates and puts them back in the cabinet, hanging the kitchen towel from the stove handle as you watch. She turns back to you and rests her hands on the back of a chair. “Think I’m gonna go take a shower, and go to bed.”

You stand to meet her, mimicking her stance as you push in your own chair. “Okay, Daniel will be back soon I’m sure. But hey, I just—thank you again…for all of this. I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you did that. I don’t think anyone’s ever sang me happy birthday before. If they did I don’t remember it…”

She smiles and steps forward, wrapping her arms around your body, and pulling you in for a surprising hug. You’re stiff for a moment, unsure of the last time you really received a genuine hug from anyone, but once the shock wears off, you feel a warmth spread through your chest and a tingle in your stomach. Her head is pressed to your chest, and you can smell her hair and her perfume and the tingles in your stomach start to ripple through your entire body at the feeling of her so close to you. You nervously wrap your arms around her shoulders, pulling her in and letting your fingertips memorize the feeling of her skin beneath them.

“You’re welcome Jake.” she breathes into your chest, almost a whisper. Then, all too quickly she pulls away, letting her hands linger as long as possible before breaking away. Acting quickly you grab her hand softly in yours as you pull her back towards you, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek letting your lips linger a second too long. “Goodnight, Y/N.”

You can feel her skin heat beneath your lips as she pulls away, a dark blush tinting her skin as she stifles a smile. You drop her hand and let her step away, shoving your hands into your pockets as she responds. “Goodnight, Jake. Happy Birthday.”

She retreats down the hallway, pausing and offering you one more quick glance over her shoulder before slipping into the bathroom and closing the door.

—

You could see her face, the orange of the flame glowing onto the apples of her cheeks, the flame flickering and dancing around in the reflection of her eyes. You could see her lips moving, so soft and pink, although no sound came out. You could stare at her like that for hours, just watching the way her fingers gripped your lighter, how effortlessly she pressed the igniter, the way her tongue glided over her lips as she did so. She was gorgeous, and every day you spent with her you began to realize that more and more.

Black smoke started to gather behind her, thick and dense, you could hardly see her anymore as it crept forward. Soon it completely enveloped her, though she was completely unphased. You tried to grab for her but your hand went right through her, as if she was made of smoke too. You looked around, panicked to know where the smoke was coming from but you couldn’t see anything other than the thick black clouds completely obstructing your field of vision. It was getting harder to breathe, completely unable to take a deep breath as you choked on the smoke filling your lungs. It burned, you could feel it in your chest, taste the ashiness of the smoke on your tongue, but still you couldn’t reach for her, in fact you couldn’t move at all.

You tried to yell for help, but no sound came out. You could still see Y/N in front of you, smiling as she continued to mouth the words to the birthday song you’d always desperately wanted to hear. You tried to wave away the smoke burning your eyes, reaching for her again, but this time as your hand reached for her she disappeared into the thick smoke, as if she was never there at all. Trying to take a deep breath you choked on the hot smoke, coughing and sputtering as the smoke seemed to completely devour you until all you could see was the darkness.

You shot up in your bed, sweating and gasping for air, pushing your hair off of your face and looking towards the alarm clock on your nightstand that read 3:42am. But that’s when you smelled it. It smelled just like your dream. Was that actual smoke?

You jumped out of bed, eyes scanning the room for a pair of jeans, pants, anything you could find. As you pulled on a pair of dirty jeans you noticed the flicker of orange glowing through your bedroom window, stepping over to it and flicking open the blinds. You could feel the heat radiating from the crack in the window. Holy fuck.

You bolted out into the hallway, pounding your fist on Danny’s door. “Danny we’ve got a fire! Get the fuck up!” you yelled. You quickly grabbed your shop keys, running out to the garage, and flipping on the lights. They began to buzz to life but you could hardly hear it over the sound of your heart pounding in your ears. You ran to the opposite side of the garage, sliding into your work boots as you grabbed the old, dusty, fire extinguishers from the storage rack. You heard the shop door swing open, and you whipped your head to find Daniel pulling a shirt over his head.

“The fucks’ on fire?!” he yelled.

“Somethin’! Smell woke me, saw the flames from my window! Open the bay door, and grab the hose! Y/N!?” you called out.

“She’s coming! She’s calling the fire department.” he answered, pulling the metal chain as quickly as he could, watching the garage door fly up.

“Oh motherfuck it’s my fucking shed!” he yelled, running towards the flames.

You ran after him, pulling the pin on the extinguisher, but you knew from the looks of it, that your small extinguisher would be no match for this blaze. You tried anyways, knowing that hundreds of dollars worth of parts and materials sat in that shed, even a few spare bikes. This would be a total loss for him.

He grabbed the hose, spinning the spigot and letting the water spray against the vicious flames in a feeble attempt to quell them. You could hear the fire truck in the distance and felt thankful that Y/N had the clarity of mind to call them, while your first instinct was to try and fix it yourself. Though, that was kind of how you lived your life. How could you depend on anyone but yourself?

“Danny, back up!” you yelled, the roar of the burning shed almost deafening. He ran towards the shed, nearly burning himself in the licks of the flames.

“I can’t I gotta– I gotta get my bikes… My tools–” he stammered, knowing in that moment exactly what he was losing.

“I’ll fucking replace them! I can’t replace you! Get the fuck back!” you screamed, seeing Y/N rushing out to you from the corner of your eye. You were sweating from the heat, sweat falling in streams down your chest as you tried not to breathe in the thick smoke filling the air.

“What happened!? What’s happening?!” she cried, running up behind you. Daniel walked over, throwing the hose to the ground in defeat as the fire truck pulled into the gravel lot.

“I think we’re bein’ sent a message.” you answer.

“Message received, loud and fuckin’ clear.” Danny said, grabbing Y/N, and wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

The firefighters piled out of the truck, running the hose to the hydrant at the front of the property. Within seconds the water was pummeling the flames, making quick work of a seemingly out of control fire. In a way you felt relieved that it was only a parts shed, and not your full garage, and you knew it would take a little bit of time for Daniel to come to that same realization.

—

They worked the fire until it was just a dripping mess of blackened rubble and ash, the three of you watching on as the light of the day started to peak over the horizon. As Daniel talked to a firefighter, Y/N walked over towards you, leaning her shoulder into yours as you both stared off towards the smoking shed.

“You should go get some sleep…” you say, nodding your head towards the house. “We’ve got this.”

“No, I’m not leaving you two to deal with this alone.” she insisted, as her eyes met yours. “I feel like this is all my fault.”

You shook your head. How could she think this was her fault?

“This wouldn’t have happened if my stupid car hadn’t broken down. If I hadn’t stopped here and intruded into your life.” she scolded herself.

Your hand brushed the back of hers as it hung at your side, “M’kinda glad you did.” you admit quietly, offering a shy grin.

Her fingertips grazed across yours as she turned to face you with her own nervous smile, “I guess I kinda am too. I wanted an adventure, right?”

You felt your chest grow warm as you nodded. “That you did.” you pause, watching the sun start to rise. “Really, go back to bed. I promise we’ll be fine out here.”

“Dunno if I’ll be able to sleep with all of this goin’ on. Been a little bit on edge lately. Not sleeping too well. Especially…by myself.” she admits, almost seeming a little embarrassed.

“Just try? We’re right out here, and if you can’t…I’ll… send Danny in for a little while, and I can clean up.” you answer, swallowing the lump in your throat.

“And… if I’d rather your company?” she breathed, hesitantly.

You huffed out a nervous laugh, licking your bottom lip before biting them together. You grabbed her hand in yours, giving it a gentle squeeze in place of words you knew you couldn’t speak. She seemed to understand as she nodded her head again, and looked at you for a second before walking over to Daniel whispering in his ear. Your eyes met hers again as she made her way back to the door, giving you one last glance before disappearing into the house. You knew you and Daniel had a lot of work to do to clean this up before you could move on with your day, and once you got the okay from firefighters, it would be full steam ahead.

—

So what, was this a war declaration?

You stood outside smoking a cigarette in the early morning light, watching as tiny puffs of smoke still rose from the ashes of his shed.

But why? A war on what? You already owed them so much money…what more could they want?

You tossed your cigarette to the ground, stomping it out before walking toward the piles of smoldering rubble and ash, kicking around to see if there was anything you could save. A few old tools, a metal stool, and some more expensive parts that he had locked in a box looked like they might have survived.

Why the fuck does Teddy hate you so much? Constantly doing everything in his power to make your life a living hell…and you have never done anything in retaliation. He was just a bully that lost the love of his life twenty-some years ago, and you’re the product of his heartbreak. Like you could fuckin’ help it. Ace ended his own life…what else did he want?

You let the water get extra hot as you scrubbed away at the parts you were able to salvage, watching as the dirty, soapy water spun down the drain of the shop sink. You felt like the fire that burned last night was now burning in your chest, a madness brewing that you’d never felt before. How dare Teddy catch your property on fire, the son of a bitch…

You felt horribly for Danny losing all these parts and tools, most of them he’d collected since he was a kid, before he even made his way into you and Ace’s home. One day you would replace them all, one day you would pay him back…

“What’re you doin’?” Danny’s sleepy voice broke you from your thoughts.

“Ah, just found a few things that looked salvageable. Gettin’ some of the soot off.” You shook the water from your hands as you set a tin box on a towel beside the sink.

“Thanks, man. You didn’t have to do that…” Danny rested his hands against the deep sink, seeing what else you brought in. “Shit, did you sleep at all last night?” Danny asked through a harsh yawn.

You scrunched your face. “A little. In and out, mostly. Kept wakin’ up.”

“Me fuckin’ too.” He huffed. “Y/N hasn’t been sleeping good either. Up and down all night.”

Your brow furrowed as you think back to just a few days ago, and how peacefully she slept next to you. “Hmm…probably the stress of everything…”

“Yeah probably.” he pauses, “Man, I applaud firefighters, though. That shit was exhausting.” You let a little laugh escape your chest, knowing the best medicine for chaos was to laugh your way through it.

You watched as Danny fingered through the pile of tools in the sink. “You know what we gotta do, right?”

You nodded solemnly. “Fuck. Yeah…we gotta call Oscar. Need this motherfucker paid off and off our backs.”

“You really think he’ll stop once we pay him, though? Swear he does this shit for sport now…”

He had a point. Even after paying Teddy all of your dad’s debts, would he ever really stop harassing you? Probably not… you wagered.

“Gotta fuckin’ try somethin’. Got a bit more involved these past few days, hasn’t it?” You raised your eyebrows to Danny, gesturing back to his bedroom with your eyes.

“Yeah…yeah it has. Gotta get her to Atlanta, man.”

——

You let your finger dial the rotary, while the other one intently followed the phone number off the card. You took a deep breath as you pulled the phone up to your ear, listening to the tone ring out. Danny sat in Ace’s chair, leaning in closely to listen to the impending conversation. You tapped your fingers nervously on the desk as you heard Y/N downstairs scrounging up something for breakfast.

“Talk to me.” The voice on the other end finally picked up.

“Hello, yeah, I’m calling for Oscar, please.” Your eyes darted anxiously to Danny.

“Who’s ringin’?”

“Uh, Jake, from…Ace’s Garage…”

“Oh. He’s been expectin’ yeh. Hold on.”

Your eyes widened again as you whispered to Danny, covering the speaker with your palm. “We’re 100% sure we wanna do this, right?”

“Fuck yes!” He whisper-yelled, throwing up a fist to your face. “I swear to god, Jake, if you bitch out…”

“Jacob, nice to finally hear from yeh. Have a little time to think about my proposition?” Oscar’s voice was the exact same as it was at the saw mill.

“Oscar, yes, hello. We um, we did have some time to think…b’lieve we wanna give it a shot.” You felt your insides churning with nerves. But you’d never let Danny see it.

“Excellent, excellent. Got an arrangement down in Kirksville day after, think you might want to get on the bill?” You realized he was probably speaking in rounds to keep suspicion from anyone around him, or anyone listening…

“Kirksville, only about three hours away.” You glanced to Danny as he nodded his head up and down so quickly you thought he was going to break his neck.

“Yeah, yeah, we can be there. Just give us details.”

“Wonderful, eh? I’ll get yeh a room at the Cosby Motel, my treat seein’ as how you’re my newest friends. Check in under my name by 4 o’clock. Once’t you get there, I’ll have further instruction.”

“Okay…Cosby Motel 4 o’clock…” you gestured for Danny to write it down. “Anything else we need to do?”

“Just start hydration’ now. Fuel yourselves up. And don’t be out back fightin’ each other, now, yeh hear? Don’t need you busted up and ugly for your debut.”

“Yes, got it got it.”

Debut?

“Okay, see you then. Oh, and Jacob?”

“Yes sir?”

“Heard about the action last night. Sorry to hear about that. Hope yeh know I’m here to help combat that sick son of a bitch ruinin’ lives, you understand me, son?” Oscar’s voice got quiet, an almost whisper. “That’s one thing I do not and will not tolerate, someone ruinin’ lives just for the sake of ruinin’…”

“Ah, right. We aren’t happy about it either. Could have ended up worse. ‘Least no one was hurt. Then I’d be the one burnin’ shit down.”

“That’s right, kid.” You listened as Oscar erupted into a deep, hearty laugh that lasted all of ten seconds before he finally calmed down. “See you boys soon.”

With that, you heard the click of the phone hanging up on the other end, before pulling yours down to the receiver with a clack. Danny’s excited energy was radiating from him.

“Kirksville?”

“Kirksville.”

——

The loud whining sound of the air impact drill echoed through the bay as you attempted to get a tire off an old Mustang, your mind clouded with thoughts about the fight. Like clockwork, Danny must have felt your anxiety, as he came barreling over to your side of the shop, two beers in hand.

“How the fuck we gonna break it to Y/N that she has to come along with us?” He wasted no time in asking as he cracked them both open, handing one to you.

You let the impact drop to the ground, having been wondering the same exact thing, on top of the million other worries rolling through your mind.

You shrugged, taking a long drink. “Just gonna tell her, I guess.”

“You think it’ll be that easy?” he huffed, “Not sure if you’ve noticed, Jake, but she’s a bit of a fire plug. What she says goes, if you know what I’m sayin’...” Danny side-elbowed you as he made the insinuation.

You pushed the visual of her being in charge at all in the bedroom far from your mind, letting logistics take over.

“I don’t need to hear ‘bout that, Daniel. Look, she already knows she has to basically be a stowaway here, anyway…shouldn’t be that hard to tell her she’s still safer with us even if we’re not here. This place ain’t a fortress, we learned that last night.”

You made a good point, knowing that if she stayed here alone, they could just as easily catch this place on fire, too. “Last thing we need is to get a phone call that this place is on fire, and she’s missin’.”

Your stomach turned over at the thought of her being three hours away from you, here…all alone, without your protection. But why did you care? You don’t care…she’s just passing through…

“Yeah, but we can’t ask Oscar to accommodate her, too. We don’t have the money for an extra room, Jake.” Danny argued.

“But she does. Fuck, if she wants to get her own room, so be it. But somethin’ tells me she’ll be shackin’ up with you that night, anyway, hm?” You gripped the wheel of the tire, ripping it from its hold to begin taking the brake pads off.

Danny breathed hard through his nostrils. “What about this place, huh? Losin’ two days’ work, we can’t afford that…”

“Been thinkin’ that, too. Let’s see how this goes, if we wanna stick with it, then if not maybe we can find some help. Geraldine told me there’s a drifter in town lookin’ for mechanic work. She didn’t tell him about us right off the bat ‘cause she knew we couldn’t afford him. Maybe after this, we could.”

You watched as Danny’s gears began turning, his fingers working over his peach fuzz as he thought about everything. “Alright, yeah. Alright.” His fingers padded against the hood of the Mustang before he resumed what he was doing across the bay.

You both worked silently for a bit longer before Y/N emerged from her morning bathroom routine, hand-drying her hair with a towel. She sat down in a lawn chair, flipping open a newspaper and kicking back. You eyed Danny, silently saying now or never before you both made your way to join her.

“Oh shit, what’s wrong?” She asked suspiciously.

“Nothin’, nothin’…we just wanted to tell you we called Oscar earlier, and gave him our word we’re goin’ ahead with a fight…” Danny explained.

You watched as she bit her lips in before folding the newspaper on her lap. “Great. And?”

“And…you gotta come with us, Y/N…s’in Kirksville day after tomorrow.”

She nodded. “Figured as much. On my way to start my new life and get sucked in to this fuckin’ mess…”

Whoa, you didn’t expect her to be this upset.

“Y/N, we didn’t ask for this either, it’s been a fuckin’ whirlwind and you just got here four days ago…” you interrupted. “This is somethin’ we have to fuckin’ do, okay? We’re not exactly out here living like royalty…”

“Can’t I just stay here? Bubba can come check on the place…”

“Y/N! They set a goddamned fire last night! To our property! They’re threatening us, don’t you get it?! This isn’t just some fun little side-gig, this is real fuckin’ money that we need, okay? If we don’t do this, we could end up losin’ a hell of a lot more than a storage shed and some spare motorcycles…” Danny raised his voice.

You watched as she closed her eyes, understanding the weight of what Danny said. And he was right.

“And I guess you forgot, but they have their eye on you too, Y/N…I’ll be damned if I leave you here alone…” Danny ordered. You could see the worry in his eyes.

“Yeah, and you don’t wanna be away from us for two days, do you?” You winked at her, gently punching her shoulder to lighten the mood.

She grinned a little, raising her hands up. “Yeah, yeah. I’m sorry, you’re right. Just…a lot going on I didn’t expect to be a part of…”

“It’ll go by quick. We’ll be back before you know it, the parts will be here for your Scout, we’ll get it fixed, and you can be on your merry way to Atlanta.” You could hear the dismay in Danny’s voice at the thought of her leaving. “I'm sorry you had to be a part of all this.”

You glanced at Danny, running your hands across your coveralls. “Yeah, we’re sorry, Y/N.”

“It’s kinda funny, you showed up and our world kinda turned over on itself. Maybe you’re a good luck charm.” That one earned Danny a sweet smile from her, the glimmer in her eye making your heart rate spike.

God, she’s…really pretty…

“I’m gonna go upstairs and reschedule our next two days’ appointments to next week. We’ll close up shop and leave Saturday mornin’.” You tried to pull yourself away from the situation, feeling that if you looked at her one more time, you would start feeling that strange feeling again down deep in the pit of your stomach. “Gonna pull some cash from the safe for gas to get us there and back.”

“Anything I can do to help?” She asked, throwing both of you off.

“Uhh, no, I don’t think so…” Danny stopped in his tracks, spinning around in confusion.

“Figured all I do is sit around all day, could make myself useful and clean up the shop or somethin’.” She offered, immediately walking over to grab a broom that had been leaning against the wall for probably the last six months.

You shrugged to Danny. “Feel free, babe.” The word naturally slipped from your mouth before you could even catch it, but Danny didn’t even seem to notice. She gave you a sly smile over her shoulder as she began sweeping. Fuck, you haven’t called someone ‘babe’ in years…

“Just uh, just watch the grease and oil, it’ll stain your shoes…”

“Oh! I’ve got a pair of old boots in the Scout, I’ll be right back.” She walked to the wall and grabbed her keys off the hook. “Ya know, I can’t believe you guys are making such a drastic career change from mechanics to fighting and crackin’ heads….”

You huffed out a laugh. Ha! Crackin’ heads.

If she only knew…

Wait. Stop.

“Hey, what? What did you just say?” You felt like a million light bulbs went off in your mind, ringers and buzzers and flashing lights galore.

She stopped in her tracks. “Uh, mechanics to cracking heads?”

Oh my god.

You ran to her, unable to stop yourself from grabbing her face in your dirty hands, planting a giant kiss right on her cheek.

You pulled back, holding her surprised face in your hands. “I don’t hardly know you, but I think I love you.” Your words came out as loud, forced mumbles as you dropped her face and ran to Valor, ripping the old tarp off the top.

“Whoaaaa, you what now?!” Danny yelled. “Did you just say you—”

“Yeah, Danny. If I find what I think I’m gonna find, yes, I love your girlfriend. And fuck, I’ll tell her again, too…” you were simply about to burst with joy. Please…please let this be it… come on, Ace…

You popped the hood, immediately going to your rolling tool kit to pull it your way. You worked fast, faster than you’d ever worked before. It felt strange, working on Valor sober. You could see. You could feel…nothing clouded, nothing slipped and forgotten about…no bad memories being thought about through teary eyes…

You felt Danny and Y/N join you on either side as you kept working, clawing away at exactly what you were looking for.

“Daniel, bring me the light…”

He jumped up, switching the hanging light on before bringing it to you.

“I’ll be damned…” you mumbled. “I’ll be damned!”

You jumped from under the hood, grabbing Y/N with force again as you shook her shoulders.

“What? What, Jake?” She chided, concerned about your sudden excitement. “What the fuck is going on?!”

You felt yourself smile, positively beaming at her. It hurt your face muscles to smile that hard. And you weren’t sure you’d smiled that hard in years.

“She just told me what’s wrong with Valor.”

—

“A cracked head?! Are you fuckin’ serious?!” Danny leaned down into the belly, readjusting the light to see better.

“I swear to god, man…look…”

“Son of a bitch…that is it, baby!” You could tell Danny was overcome with excitement too, as he picked up Y/N around the waist, lifting her into the air and twirling her around, having no regard for how dirty he got her.

She squealed as he spun her. “Put me down! Put me down!” She laughed. “And explain to me just what the hell I said?!”

He set her back down on the floor, and she walked closer to lean inside.

“Look…” you paused. “Right here… The wall between cylinders 2 and 4 have a crack between ‘em. Compression has been bouncing back and forth between the cylinders making it run like shit. I tried everything, so did Ace…Could never figure it out. Checked timing, checked fuel pressure. Fuck I even checked the compression… it wasn't horrible but it wasn't great… fuck how did I miss this!?” You explained, knowing she probably didn’t understand, but she was trying.

“So just now, you said crackin’ heads and…it clicked. I pulled the head of the motor and finally found the crack in the cylinder…right there, see? It’s tiny, but it’s there. Normal compression runs like, 130 and I was only gettin’ 60 psi. Fuck. I shoulda checked that years ago…”

“I have no idea what you just said but I believe you.” She laughed. “So, what now? You can fix it? We can take it to the fight?”

“Nope. It’s fucked.” You said, crossing your arms. “It’ll need a whole new motor…”

“Wait man, why don’t we just pull a motor from a scrapper? Won’t take us a day…” Danny suggested, motioning out to the lot of cars.

You nodded as you peered back down inside. Something so damn small…over seven years of searching…

“Yeah…yeah let’s fuckin’ do it…”

Y/N didn’t know it, but you wanted to kiss her cheek again. Hug her, even. Worship her big beautiful brain. You were elated…filled with so much relief. Yet again, because of her.

“Seven fuckin’ years, Ace…”

——

HER POV

You can almost feel the energy radiating off of Jake as he zips around the shop, collecting parts and talking himself through a mental checklist. His boots are heavy against the concrete floors as he walks back and forth grabbing tools and depositing them on the ground in front of the car. You stood nervously watching as Daniel joined him, putting on a pair of coveralls, and zipping them up to his neck.

“Gonna go grab an engine stand, need anything else from the back?” he shouts towards Jake, who is digging through his tool box.

“Yeah, grab some engine flush, and a bottle of coolant if you can.” he replies, letting his eyes catch sight of you before offering you a sly grin.

How did your silly little comment tip him off?

You hear the wheels of the engine stand rolling its way through the garage, then you see Danny walking up with the bottles in his arms and one hand steering the large metal frame. He parks it next to Valor and sets the bottles down, before leaning into the side of the car. “I’m thinkin’ we pull it from that old Biscayne.”

“Shit, either that or– Isn’t there an Impala out there?” Jake counters, standing up and wiping his hands across his coveralls.

“Yeah, the Impala had that timing issue, remember?”

“Oh fuck, yeah you’re right. Yeah, the Biscayne has the same block, let’s see if we can pull it. I grabbed the spanners and the breaker bar, just gotta grab my socket set.” he ponders, looking around the messy state of his tool box.

The two begin to make their way out towards the gravel lot, rolling the engine stand in front of them as Jake carries all the needed tools. As their feet hit the rocks, Jake turned around motioning for you to join them with a smile, “Let’s go miss brain, we need your help.”

—

You stood back watching as they finally broke the motor free from the long abandoned Biscayne, attaching the hook to the chain wrapped around it, and praying the engine stand would bear the weight. Jake crawled out from underneath the old car, covered in dirt and dust, but with a smile on his face nonetheless. “Alright, jack ‘er up.” he said, dusting off his pants.

Daniel spun the arm, and slowly but surely the engine rose out of the car. Jake used all of his strength to roll the stand away from the car as the engine gained enough height to make the clearance, but the gravel was making the job a bit more difficult than it needed to be. Daniel stepped in and with both of their muscles behind it, the wheels began to spin and the engine began its journey to its new home.

By the time the stand made its way to Valor, Jake and Danny were both winded and sweating, taking a second to catch their breath before repeating the exact same process with the motor still resting inside of Valor.

“Fuck, you ready to do that again?” Danny joked, earning him a laugh from Jake. A sweet sound you hadn’t heard too much of before. You noticed a dimple appear in his cheek, as he turned to look at you, and the glimmer of happiness in his eyes was magnetic.

He looked back to Daniel, who was cranking the arm of the engine stand, guiding the motor to the floor before unhooking the hook from the chains. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

—

Much of the day had been spent pulling the engines from the two vehicles, a few regular customers stopping in for quick oil changes or something of the like. You made yourself busy around the shop, tidying small messes here and there before finding your way into the house to see what you could do in there. You made the two a quick lunch, delivering it out to them as they held bewildered looks on their faces at the gesture.

“What, you two never seen a sandwich before?” you laughed, handing them the paper plates.

They both shrugged and took the sandwiches, and they were gone before you could blink. You let your legs carry you back inside, cleaning up in the kitchen as the sounds from the garage echoed into the empty house.

Hours passed as they worked steadily placing the motor into Valor. Jake underneath the car, while Danny worked from the top. You could hear the muffled chatter between them, and you were positive you’d never heard Jake talk more than he had in the past few hours. Danny seemed to enjoy it as the conversation flowed between the two of them endlessly, where previously it was a word or two every few hours.

As the sun was long past set you slipped into the shower, letting the hot water wash away any worries plaguing your mind. You grabbed the soap from the ledge, twisting it between your hands to a lather, before washing yourself, and realizing that it must be Jake’s since it didn’t smell like Danny at all. Your eyes flashed around and saw the shower gel, lifting the lid and being hit with the scent of Danny. The two could not be more different from each other, you thought. Opposite in nearly everything except their loyalty to each other.

You quickly washed your hair, and reveled in the comfort of the hot water before spinning the knob and reaching for a towel. You wrapped it around yourself, and rang out your hair before stepping out of the tub. You could hear talking in the kitchen as you opened the bathroom door, the steam spilling into the hallway as Danny popped his head around the corner.

“Dinner break?” you asked, quietly padding into the kitchen. A smile spread across Danny’s lips and Jake stopped mid bite as he saw you. You blushed a little as you saw his eyes scanning over you, before quickly looking away.

“Yep, got a little bit left to do, then I’ll be in, okay?” Danny said, placing his hand on your hip.

You nodded your head and pulled your wet hair to the side before making your way back down the hallway and into Danny’s room. Your heart was pounding out of your chest as you shut the door behind you, thinking of the way Jake studied your body. You realized he was probably a little taken aback, having never seen you, like that. You wish you knew what he was thinking. Was he thinking the same thing you were thinking?

You pulled a t-shirt over your head, and slid on a pair of panties before climbing into Danny’s bed, a guilty feeling washing over you for even thinking of Jake like that. You grabbed your book from the floor and found your page, letting the words transport you to another place where things weren’t so uncertain.

You weren’t sure what time it was when the sound of the bedroom door shutting woke you from your sleep. Your eyes cracked open to see Daniel stepping towards his dresser, hair dripping with a towel around his waist. You swallowed harshly as you took in the sight of him, still glistening from the steam of the shower. He dropped his towel, putting on a pair of dark colored boxers, before running the towel through his long waves, drying it just enough to get into bed. He tossed the towel over the closet door and pulled back the sheets sliding in next to you as you put your book on the floor and turned off the lamp.

“You showered?” you croaked out, a thin smile on your lips.

He grabbed your hips and pulled you in to him, “Mhmm…started gettin’ used to doin’ that now that you’re here with me. Wanna smell good for you.” You felt his face nuzzle into your neck as his hand slid under your t-shirt, resting over your ribs.

You twisted in his arms, soaking up his body heat. “Mm, well you do smell good. You guys get it finished?” you ask, voice still sleepy.

“Almost, still got a fair share to do. Think Jake’s still gonna work on it for a bit.” he answers, letting his eyes close.

“Can’t believe my stupid joke helped figure it out.” you giggled.

He pressed his lips to your forehead, “I know…Our little lucky charm, guess we gotta keep you around.” he hummed.

“I don’t feel like I’m very lucky. Look at what’s happened since I showed up.” you countered with a laugh.

“I don’t know. I, for one, feel very, very lucky.” he says, letting his hand trail further up your shirt, his thumb dusting over your nipple as his lips trail down the side of your jaw. You arch your chest into his touch, giving him the go ahead to touch you again. He palms your chest as you feel his dick growing hard against your stomach.

He pulls away from you just slightly, looking into your eyes before attaching his lips to yours. He rolls your nipple between his thumb and forefinger, letting his tongue lick into your mouth. Your hands that previously rested on his bare chest, have now found new placement as you stroke him through his boxers. He whines into your mouth before pulling away from your lips dragging his teeth over your bottom lip.

“I wanna fuck you, baby. I swear I do. But I’m so fuckin’ tired.” he admits with pleading eyes.

“I know. Just kiss me again.” you beg, and in seconds he complies, letting his hand slide down your torso, to cup your heat over your panties. His lips are soft and warm against yours and if you could live in this moment, surely you would. It’s you who pulls away though, brushing his damp hair out of his eyes as he savors the taste of you lingering on his lips.

“It’s okay…Go to sleep, it’s been a long day.” you whisper, watching his eyes close in relief.

“Hey…” he breathes.

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for agreeing to come with us. I don’t think we could have left you behind even if we wanted to. I know I couldn’t.” He pulls you close to him, resting your head on his chest as he rubs circles into your shoulder.

“I wanna take you on a date, soon. A real one. Once I win my fight and become a zillionaire…take you someplace special.” You felt the low vibration of Danny’s sleepy voice rumble in his chest as your head rested on his breastbone. “Show you that I’m not someone you have to run from…like that asshole ex of yours. Still good ones out here, Y/N. Wanna show you I’m one of them.”

His words made you melt into a puddle and want to cry at the same time. It wasn’t often, you’d found, that Danny let his tough-guy guard down, a trait you’d noticed he shared with his brother.

You huffed a tiny giggle as you readjusted your head to press your lips to his bare chest, leaving tiny kisses from there and up to his throat. “Where you gonna take me?”

He then laid a sweet kiss to your forehead, a gesture of true care he hadn’t shown you yet, until now. It made your body flood with the sweet flow of endorphins, and you were sure you might disintegrate into a million pieces if it weren’t for his arms wrapped tightly around you.

“M’not sure yet. But I’ll think of something, if you say you want to go with me…”

“Of course I do, Danny. Wherever you want.” You answered honestly. You suddenly felt an overwhelming feeling of protection envelop you, like you could lie here in his comfort forever if it meant you never had to feel the pain of heartbreak ever again.

You hardly knew this man at all, either one of them, for that matter. But effort was a two-way street, and though the situation was so intensely twisted into a predicament you didn’t expect to find yourself in, he had already shown you more effort than Peter ever had. Jake, too, if you were being honest.

You breathed through a deep yawn, and it wasn’t long until the two of you were slipping off into your dreams, tied up and fighting off each and every intrusive thought that passed through your mind as his hand gripped hard into your thigh.

—

The metallic sound echoing through the walls woke you from your broken sleep. Your eyes flick to the clock hanging on the wall reading 6:08. God, was he already out there?

You slowly slipped from the warmth of the sheets, doing your best not to wake Danny who was completely passed out next to you. You pulled on a pair of Danny’s boxers from his pile of clean laundry, and silently made your way out into the hallway. After a quick stop in the bathroom to pee and brush your teeth you found yourself wandering out to the garage. You opened the shop door as quietly as possible, which wasn’t too quietly as it squeaked on the hinges.

Jake rolled out from underneath the car, looking exhausted and filthy, but completely and utterly overjoyed. He sat up and looked in your direction, wiping his hands on the chest of his coveralls, before standing to meet you.

“Jake…Have–Have you been out here all night?” you ask in shock.

“Dunno. Guess so.” he smiled, placing a hand on his hip.

“Well is it almost done at least?” you ask.

“Mm…No, not really. Still got more to do. Engine is in, just gotta flush it out, add new fluids, all that.” he says, reaching for his cigarettes in his chest pocket. Realizing the carton was empty, he mumbled under his breath and tossed the empty carton towards a trash can.

“You have to sleep eventually, you know…” you said playfully.

“Who needs sleep when you’ve got nicotine?” he winks.

“Well, you, since your vices have run dry.” you banter back.

He smiles, and maybe for the first time ever you’re rewarded with the sight of every perfect white tooth in his head. “You think you’re funny, don’t you? Standing there condemnin’ me in Danny’s underwear…” he laughs, shaking his head.

“You wanna do me a favor?” he asks, his voice rich with persuasion.

“Maybe…” you answer, twisting your fingers together.

“Go in my room, in my dresser, top drawer on the left, grab me the pack that’s sittin’ there?” he asks, running his dirty fingers over his chin hairs.

“Mmm, what’s in it for me?” you press.

“Well…” he pauses, leaning on the front of the car. “You don’t have to squeeze between Daniel and I for a three hour car ride, for one.”

“And who said I wouldn’t enjoy that?” you quip, walking off towards the door to retrieve his cigarettes.

You quietly make your way back into the house, slipping into his room and breathing in the smell that was so perfectly him. You open the dresser drawer and see the pack of smokes sitting there next to his boxers, a small black notebook, and a familiar piece of folded paper. You grab the carton, and beneath it you find a pack of cinnamon gum with a few pieces missing. You swipe a stick and pop it in your mouth, letting the familiar, comforting flavor quell your morning hunger.

You make your way back out into the garage, finding him leaning up against Valor with his ankles crossed and his arms crossed over his chest. He raises his eyebrows to you, flashing you yet another smile as you approach. You extend your hand out, offering him the carton of cigarettes as his eyes flick to your mouth. “You stealin’ from me, sweet thing?” he smirks, tapping the carton on the heel of his hand.

“Borrowing…” you jest. “I’m out of my own cinnamon candies, didn’t think you’d mind, but if you want it back I’ll gladly give it to you.” you challenge, throwing him a raised eyebrow and a flirtatious smirk.

He sucks his teeth and shakes his head, mumbling something indiscernible under his breath, turning back towards Valor, stopping and doubling back as if he’d changed his mind and wanted to say whatever it was, but again he just smiled and shook his head.

“So you really think we’ll take her out to…Wherever we’re going? Kirksville?” you ask, shifting your weight on your hip, biting your bottom lip between your teeth.

He flicks his lighter on, holding the flame to the tip of the cigarette hanging from his lips, taking a long drag and blowing the smoke behind him. “Mmhm…God willing, baby.”

You could tell the pet name slipped from his lips before he could stop it, and you felt your insides melt as it swirled into your ears. He didn’t seem too mad about it, as he took another long drag from his cigarette, holding it between his tattooed fingers, flicking the ash to the ground. You could hardly peel your eyes away from him as you watched the way his lips wrapped around the smoke between his lips. You felt positively drawn to this enigma of a man, and in this exact moment you were pretty damn sure he was feeling it too.

Baby…

Yeah, you could get used to that.

—

DANNY POV

“Daniel, you’re pacin’. You never pace. You ain’t got somethin’ to fix over there?” Jake muttered as he balanced on one leg with his head in V’s belly.

“Sorry, man.” Your nerves were shot. Normally you could handle things like this. You stayed cool, calm, and collected when it mattered, but your nerves about finally getting Valor running, your excitement about the fight, and the fact that you were developing a crush more serious than any other you’d had before, you felt like you were about to jump out of your skin. “You sure you don’t need any help?”

“No, I’m good. The hard part’s done…” he twisted a socket wrench a few times before giving you a side-eye.

“Sorry. Just…antsy.”

“Well go be antsy with that oil change on the Cadillac. You’re making me nervous.” You listened to him hiss a breath as you begrudgingly heeded his demand, flipping your baseball cap around backwards as you trudged back to your side of the bay. If he really fixes this car… mmm. You simply couldn’t wait to spin the tires hard on the pavement, leaving a black trail behind you as you kicked her sideways. Cars were something of a kink for you, the sound of engines revving and the feeling of the wheel in your hands was enough to get you going in more ways than one. And you weren’t too shy to admit it.

You climbed back under the lift, and busied your mind with the oil change, watching as the thick brown liquid poured into the drain pan. You breathed a sigh, waiting for the tank to empty. You glanced over to the doorway and found Y/N leaned against the threshold, watching both of you intently. You motioned with your eyebrows for her to look to Jake, giving her a knowing smirk saying he’s almost got it.

The last of the oil dripped down into the pan, and you set it on the floor below you. Just as you came back out from underneath the Caddy, Jake hopped off his step stool, taking a step back as he wiped his hands on his towel.

You and Y/N made your way over, standing in the line of Valor as Jake bit his cheeks in. “Did you get it? Think she’s good?” You chirped.

“I think…I think so…” he mumbled, pulling out his cigarettes and lighting one up. “You start her. I can’t do it.”

“Yeah you can, Jake. You have to, she’s your baby.” You argued, knowing that he should be the only one to do the honors.

Jake took a quick deep breath. “Ace’s baby. My unwanted older sister that was always in trouble…” he joked as he slowly walked to the driver’s side door, flicking his still-burning cigarette to the floor as he stepped inside.

You moved in closer to Y/N, letting your fingers flutter against hers as you both waited in anticipation. She gave you an excited smile, probably physically feeling the nerves rushing through your body.

Jake’s movements were slow and calculated, cautious though he had literally turned the key in Val’s ignition a million times. He closed his eyes as she roared to life, the sound of the pistons firing loud, bouncing off the concrete walls. He peeked one eye open after she ran for ten seconds or so, of which you returned with a thumbs-up. So far, so good.

Another ten seconds passed with the low purring sound sitting steady as ever. He had both eyes open now. He slowly brought both of his soiled hands to the wheel, gripping it tightly as you watched him swallow. The final test…

He moved his foot to the gas pedal, pressing gently at first, giving it just the tiniest bit of gas. When it held steady, he pressed harder, revving the engine to work a little bit harder. Still sounded smooth. His eyes finally met yours as he neared hitting the metal, a smile creeping to his face as the loud sound nearly deafened you.

You couldn’t help it. The excitement was enough to make you physically jump for joy, so you did. Fist to the air, you jumped to the driver door as Jake let off the gas, listening to the engine calm back down to idle.

“That’s fuckin’ right!” You yelped as Jake jumped from the seat, the same look of pure elation written all over him. “You did it!” He wrapped both arms around you, gripping you tightly as you jerked each other around with harsh pats to each others’ backs.

When you finally released, you ran to Y/N, wrapping her in a giant celebratory embrace, too. “I’m so proud of you guys!” She squealed.

You watched as Jake moved to face the front of the car, flipping the engine off with two middle fingers. “I figured you out, you beautiful ol’ bitch!” He slammed the hood closed, and leaned down on it. He took a few seconds, savoring the sound of the purring engine, a sound Ace had been trying to achieve for way, way too many years.

Finally.

He whipped his towel from his back pocket as he made his way back over to you and Y/N.

“Fuel, air, and fire, baby. That’s all she needed.” He said, eyes flicking to Y/N’s then to yours as he clamped an appreciative hand to Y/N’s shoulder; you both knew if it weren’t for her, he probably would have never made the realization. Or in his case, realizations. “Let’s celebrate.”

The three of you made your way to the liquor cabinet to find the appropriate libation to mark the day. You left Valor running, and you were positive that if Jake could have his way, he’d let the sound of the engine be his lullaby as he drifted off tonight.

—

“Got everything ya need?” You asked Y/N as she trudged back from her Scout, kicking up dust as her boots carried her toward Valor. The late spring air was blowing a sweet-smelling morning breeze, and you felt like there was a change in the atmosphere. Positivity was springing from your every limb and extremity, and though deep down you were nervous as all get out, your confidence in yourself trumped it tenfold.

“Think so…” her tone indifferent as she pulled the leather backpack from her shoulder and tossed it into the backseat before climbing in. You let yourself adore her tight-fitting cutoff Levi’s, paired with a raglan shirt. She made herself comfortable as she began digging through her bag, pulling out a pair of aviator sunglasses and placing them across her face. She’s so fuckin’ cute…again, how the hell did you manage to bag this one?

You moved to the shotgun seat and Jake wasn’t far behind, throwing his own bag and small cooler on the floorboard. “Jake, you agree…the best thing to come outta the 70’s was chicks deciding against wearing bras at all, yeah?” You grabbed the top of the door frame of your rolled-down window, turning to give Y/N a playful smirk.

Jake laughed along and he turned the key over, hearing Valor purr to life again with a few revs of the engine. He nodded, “Yes, siree, Debbie Harry knew what she was doing. I think we should burn them all.”

You watched as Y/N embarrassingly crossed her arms over her braless chest, sending you a snarl of her nose as you threw your hand back over the seat to grab hers. “M’just teasin’, baby. You’re gorgeous all the time in whatever you’ve got on.” You reassured her.

Jake backed the car from the lot and onto the hardtop, ready as ever to take V on her maiden voyage with her brand new engine. “Alright, you mean old thing, let’s see if you still got it…”

You gripped the frame again, bracing yourself for what you knew Jake was about to do. He gripped the gearshift, shifting it quickly as he hit the clutch, sending Valor flying forward quickly already, and she was only in first gear. When the engine idled out, he shifted again, picking up speed as he raced to the bottom of the hill. You felt your stomach turn over with excitement, your jaw clenched together as you felt the rumble and vibrations in the seat below you.

“Ahhh! Jake slow the fuck down!” Y/N yelled from the back seat, but he didn’t listen. He shifted again, forcing your back into the leather seat as he took off again at top speed before shifting down to a reasonable speed to make the curve at the bottom of the hill.

“Did you just accelerate down a hill you fucking wild ass?!” Y/N leaned her head forward between you as she hit Jake across the shoulder.

He was smiling ear to ear, that familiar smile you’d seen him sport fairly often these past few days. “Son of a bitch she’s still fuckin’ got it!”

You could feel the excitement radiating from the both of you, from Valor herself, and from the watchful eye of Ace, wherever in the universe he had ended up. Keep looking after us, Ace. We’re making progress…

After a few quiet minutes on the freeway after you’d marked your route on the fold-out map, Y/N spoke up from the back seat. “So since you both felt the need to comment on my lack of undergarments, tell me. Danny, are you an ass man, or a boob man?”

Your jaw fell slightly open as she posed the question, making you feel a tad intimidated. You sucked your teeth as you lowered your sunglasses to look at her. “You sure you don’t already know the answer to that?”

She met you with her chin in the air, arms still crossed. “I sure don’t, enlighten me.”

You turned back around to face front, letting out a huff. “Consider myself a boob man, I think. Chest, shoulders, all of that region, just…” you circled your hands over the entire area you spoke of on yourself. “It’s my favorite to look at.”

“Mhm. And Jake, what about you?” She asked him, making him readjust himself in his seat as he let his cigarette burn down to nothing.

He blew out the remainder of his last inhale, the wind whipping through the rolled-down windows filling the cab with the smell of his Lucky Strikes.

“Ass man. Definitely.”

“Really?” You asked him. “Never would have guessed that.”

“Ass man, hmm?” She pestered.

“Mhmm. Ass, thighs, hips… all shapes and sizes. Never encountered one I didn’t want to meet…” he chucked his cigarette out the window as you glanced back to Y/N, the look on her face full of some type of surprise. “I read once that women store stress in their hips, and I dunno how true that is, but I like to think I’m pretty good at helping to relieve it.”

Damnit Jake, stop with your fuckin’ smooth dirty talk…gonna get my girl all worked up in the backseat…

“Is that right?” She muttered. “What, with like a hands-on deep-tissue massage?” she taunted.

“Mm, you could call it that, I guess.” He laughed as he glanced at you. “Just take out the tissue part, and replace hands with—”

“Alright, Jake we get it, fuck.” You interrupted him.

He let out a boisterous laugh, this side of him and his sense of humor becoming familiar to you again. You hadn’t seen this Jake in years. You watched as she sucked her tongue over her teeth, crossing one leg over the other as she cleared her throat. “Alright. Noted, I guess. Anyway, here.”

She was handing you an 8-track over the seat. “Springsteen?” You asked questioningly as you slipped it inside the player.

“Ah, fuck. Not that guy…really, Y/N? I thought you liked the good shit…” Jake teased as he rolled his window up a little bit.

“He just put this out a few months ago, and he’s a hell of a musician, Jake, for your information. Just listen to this…”

You pushed play, turning the knob up a bit as the heavy harmonica sound and light acoustic poured from the speakers. Everyone in the car went silent as the lyrics began, even you feeling a sudden solemn and reflective feeling. You could picture you and Jake recreating this exact song…harmonica and guitar…that’s all it was…

The sweet song came to a close, and you watched as Jake swallowed his words. “Alright, that wasn’t bad, I guess. What’s the album called?”

“Nebraska.” She answered stoically. “I’ve played it nonstop since I walked in on Peter—”

You took a quick look behind you again, watching her move closer to the small window, placing her chin in her hand as she stared at the passing scenery.

You finished out the album without another word passing through anyone’s lips the entire time, except for Jake at the very end as the tape clicked off.

“Flip it, and play it again.”

—

The Cosby Hotel was definitely a step up from the motel back home…two stories with an actual parking lot, a fresh coat of paint, and every light surrounding the vacancy neon in working condition. The check-in lobby looked clean and well-kept, green turf carpet lining the walkway where the sidewalk ended and luggage carts parked outside.

“Well, at least it doesn’t look like serial killers live here.” Jake said as he pulled the car into the parking lot. The both of you stepped out and made your way to the entrance, keeping an eye on the sleeping Y/N parked right outside.

“Hello, room under Oscar, please?” Jake said quietly to the man working the front desk. He was about your age, chipper and happy and welcoming as he looked up the reservation.

“Yes sir, one second.” The man disappeared to the back before returning promptly with two keys on a ring and an envelope. “Room twenty-six. Hope you have a wonderful stay, let us know if there’s anything you need. Oh, spare sheets and pillows are in the closet for the pull-out bed.”

“Thank you, have a good night.” You responded with a wave as you and Jake turned to leave, both of you eyeballing the envelope in Jake’s hand.

“What is that?” You asked as you quietly got back into the car.

“Not sure…” he unfolded the flap to find a handwritten note inside. It was the seven digits of a phone number.

Call me.

-Oz

You both gave each other a look as he backed out to pull around to the side lot, choosing a spot right in front of your room. You turned around to find Y/N curled up in the backseat still sound asleep. You stepped out and pulled the seat forward, nudging her a little to wake her.

“Hey, sleepyhead, we’re here.” She peeped her eyes open as she got her surroundings, stretching a little as she sat up.

“Shit, when did I fall asleep?” She asked through a groggy voice.

“Oh, about halfway through the third play of Nebraska.” You laughed. “Come on, we gotta get going.”

The three of you made your way toward the room, letting Jake open the door to find a large room equipped with a queen-sized bed, plush couch, large TV and separate bathroom. “Shit, it even has a mini-fridge!” Jake exclaimed as he threw his bag onto the couch to go over and inspect it.

You chuckled as you flipped on the lights, finding the decor to be a bit posh, and you knew immediately this place would have been way out of your price range had you gotten it yourselves. It even smelled nice. You felt Y/N press against your back as she slipped inside behind you, darting to the bathroom first thing.

“Sorry boys, gotta go!” She pranced off to the bathroom while Jake ripped the envelope from his back pocket, motioning for you to join him at the phone.

“He’ll recognize your voice.” You said. “You go ahead.”

Jake picked up the old beige phone, dialing out Oz’s number. He pulled it away a bit so you could lean in, listening as well. After a few rings, the other end picked up.

“This Oz.”

“Oz. It’s Jacob. Just wanted to let you know we just got into the room.”

“Jake! Hello, boy. Good ta hear you made it safely?”

“We did, and thank you for the room…it’s, it’s real nice.”

“Not a problem, not a problem. Listen, I’m gonna give you some specific instructions, you ready?”

“Yes sir, ready…”

“Go eat dinner now. Diner down the road if you head East about a mile n’ a half. Lots of protein and starches, you hear? Fill yourselves up. And drink water only. Take a rest. You’re to drive to the very end of Halstead Street and park at the abandoned white building. Walk around the back and down the hill there ‘til you meet the old factory. The basement door ain’t hard to find. That’s where the matches will be tonight. Knock three times on the door, tell them you’re with Oz. 11 o’clock sharp, got it? Comfortable clothing, no jewelry. You’ll be barefoot. And you boys both got that long hippie hair, don’tcha? Tie it back.”

“Halstead Street, white building, find the factory basement. 11:00. Got it.” Jake relayed back to him, looking to you for a nod of confirmation.

“That’s it, boy. And listen, attitude is half the fight, you hear? Come in like you’ve done this a hundred times before. Don’t wanna see you wide eyed-and bushy tailed and embarrassin’ me, you got it? There is some money to be made here, tonight, boys.” Oz spat, followed by his extremely long guttural laugh.

You grinned hard as you covered your mouth and fought to laugh along with him. “Yes sir, got it.”

“Go eat. I’ll see yeh there.” And without a goodbye, Oz clicked the phone.

Jake breathed a sigh as he hung up the phone, giving you an exasperated look of panic mixed with excitement. Just then Y/N emerged from the bathroom with her hands on her hips. “You guys hungry?”

—

After an early dinner that followed Oz’s specific instructions, and a few hours’ rest back in the hotel, darkness started to fall as the time grew closer and closer to 11:00.

After a few episodes of Hee Haw, Jake shot up from his place on the couch, jumping up and down and rolling his neck.

“I dunno man, should we stretch? Go for a warm-up run? I’ve never done it like this before. What do we do?” His words fell without punctuation, and you could tell the nerves were creeping up to him just the same as they were you. But you held steady in your cool exterior.

You heard Y/N laugh through her nose at him. “Chill out, Jake. It’s gonna be fine.” You tried to calm him. “I’ve never fought planned, either. We’re gonna have to pretend we’re doin’ this on a whim.”

You watched as he shook out his limbs and sat back down on the couch. “I don’t know why I’m nervous, man. I’m never nervous.” He put his face in his hands as he rubbed his eyes.

“I’m nervous too. But it’s gonna fly by. Just pretend you’re fightin’ me.” You tried to reason, feeling the anxiousness literally radiating from him. Y/N slithered in behind him, looking at you as she began to knead her hands on his shoulders, trying to loosen up his nerves. He closed his eyes and took a second, recentering himself as she dug her thumbs into his neck.

“We ain’t even there yet, and I’m actin’ a damn fool.” Jake mumbled.

Y/N glanced at you again with sympathetic pity in her eyes. “No you’re not. I’m ready to see my dinner again, if I’m bein’ honest.” You laughed, the nerves making your stomach turn. “Y/N, you’re comin’ to watch… right?”

You watched as her hands slowed on Jake’s shoulders. “Yeah, I am. I mean, if you want me to, at least—“

“We want you to.” Jake interrupted. “Be good to have a friend in the crowd, eh Danny?” He gave you a tiny wink.

Jake patted his hand against Y/N’s in silent appreciation for the massage, standing slowly and reaching into his back pocket. “Oz didn’t say shit about no smokin’, though, did he?”

—

10:50pm.

The air had gotten cooler as the night fell, and before you knew it the three of you were parking Valor in the lot of the old white building… the tall, abandoned factory looming directly behind it. There were a few other sporadic cars parked here and there, but not enough that made you think this was going to be some big event. Thank god. You squeezed your fists together and popped your fingers and wrists, rolling them around as the nerves turned into excitement.

You caught up with Y/N after locking up the doors of Valor, Jake not being reluctant at all in his decision to let you drive.

You slipped her hand into yours, the heat of her palm immediately making you feel a hundred times better. It was a strange thought, and it was so new that you hardly believed it, but her touch felt more like home than any place you had ever inhabited. No home with a cozy fireplace, no seat of the fastest motorcycle you owned, not even the arms of all the women you thought you loved felt better than just the touch of her hand.

You looked down to her to find her hair wisping around in the breeze as the three of you hurriedly walked toward the back of the building, her sly but reassuring smile making you swoon. It was silent, no noise, music, distant conversation…it hit you then how underground this really was. It had to be, with all of the money involved, right?

The smoke from Jake’s cigarette floated back and hit you in the face, and you breathed it in deeply. The smell grounded you, the familiarity bringing you back down to earth. He’s here with you, you’re here with him. Everything is going to be fine.

“You got your piece?” You asked him, watching as the cherry of his cigarette burned a bright orange as you walked.

“Mhmm.” He patted the back of his old blue jacket, his safety-blanket of a clothing item that was ridden with cigarette burns and dirt, the grease stains still present from when it belonged to Ace. You weren’t sure Jake had ever washed it.

Of course you brought a weapon. A new town, unknown people…hell, you’d only met Oscar once, and you didn’t even get to have a conversation with him. Of course you brought a weapon…

10:54pm.

You neared the back of the building and spotted what had to be the basement doors, and you felt Y/N squeeze your hand as you got closer and closer.

Before you knew it, the old, heavy metal doors were in front of you, and you heard the very faint sound of men talking inside. “Here goes fuckin’ nothin…” Jake said, banging his fist hard three times on the door. He stepped back and shoved his hands in his pockets as the three of you waited for an answer.

Within seconds, the door pushed slightly open to reveal a giant man, husky and looming as he eyed you.

“Y’all Oz new recruits?” He asked, the only visible part of him was his gangly hand holding the door open.

“Yep, that’s us.” You said matter-of-factly, watching as he peeked out enough to see Y/N cowering a bit behind you.

“You bring a cheerleader?” He quipped.

“Yeah, she goes where we go.” You said with as much candid confidence as you could.

“C’mon. Oz’s room this way.” He motioned you inside through the dark hallway, the only light in each room you passed a singular light bulb hanging from the ceiling. Random men crowded the hallways, and you instinctively walked ahead of Jake, pushing Y/N behind you as Jake fell in behind, sandwiching her between you.

You followed him around corners and crowded rooms full of old machinery and dusty equipment, nodding to each shady man you passed as you creeped through. The air was dense, and you could smell the remnants of some type of oil that was probably used to grease all the moving parts of whatever machinery this was.

11:00pm.

Finally you were ushered into a better-lit room, pushing through a few more guys as you walked further inside, finding Oscar seated at a desk he had commandeered. His feet were propped up as he reclined in an old metal desk chair, his fedora hat tipped backwards as he puffed on a cigar.

When he saw you, he perked up, interrupting the conversation he was having with a few other men when he recognized you. “Hey, my new favorite fellas!” He stood from the chair, quickly making his way to stand in front of you. “Right on time, boys. Right on time.” He shook each of your hands as he said hello, inviting you further into the room to sit. It didn’t take him long, though, to notice there weren’t just two of you.

“Ah, and who do we have here?” He asked, holding his hand out to Y/N.

“My name is Y/N, pleasure to meet you Mr. Oz.” She spoke sweetly, her voice laced with honey. The concern on his face switched quickly to a genuine smile as she shook his hand.

“My, my…it ain’t often we get a pretty face to bless our presence at these things, eh boys! And a firm handshake, I respect that, ma’am. Nice to meet you, likewise…likewise…” Oz laughed hard again. “You positive you wouldn’t like someone to escort you to another place where you don’t gotta be seein’ these two get riled up?” He asked her.

She pondered for a second, glancing to each face in the room before she spoke. “No, sir, I appreciate that, though. Believe I want to be here from start to finish with them, if at all possible. Doesn’t bother me to see a little blood.”

You thought you were going to have to convince him to let her be around, but it looked like she was doing it herself.

Oz’s eyes widened at her confidence, and he tilted his head back in his infamous cackle again. He brought her hand up to lay a quick kiss to her knuckles, only breaking away to continue his hearty chuckle. “What the lady says, goes, fellas? You hear me?” He grinned ear to ear as he looked to his confidants lining the walls of the room, earning him nods of obedience his way. “Someone get her some champagne…” he snapped his fingers in the air as one man escaped through the door, apparently going to fetch her a drink.

You looked quickly to Y/N, in complete and utter disbelief that she had won over Oscar in under a minute. And you thought that was going to be a struggle…of course he already liked her…her bubbly personality had won over yet another man…her gorgeous looks were just the icing on the cake.

Within seconds, a flute of champagne was placed in Y/N’s free hand, and you could see her hesitation to accept a drink from a stranger. Like clockwork, Oz stepped in. “Sweetheart, I notice your restraint in taking things from strangers, but I can assure yeh, though we may appear to be no-good wrongdoers who only go out at night, I run a professional outfit, though it may be underground. You can trust each and every man in this room, baby. You hear?” He shifted his gaze to you and Jake, biting the tip of his still-burning cigar between his teeth. “We ain’t here to fuck around, we’re here to make money. Win matches, and make money. You do good for me, I do good for you, ain’t that right fellas?”

A collective “Uh huh, yes sir, sure is.” fell in mumbles from the men lining the walls as they all agreed.

“And you’re in my house. My house, my rules. Simple as that. If the rules aren’t followed, the consequences follow, right boys?” Another collective sound of agreement.

“So go ahead, sweetheart. Have the champagne. We’ll keep ya flute full all night, if that’s what you prefer.” Oz reassured her as he eyed her down. She pondered another minute, and you squeezed her hand still wrapped in yours. She shot back the champagne glass, finishing the drink off in a few short gulps, her eyes never leaving Oz’s.

Oz clapped his hands together. “Alright, boys. Shall we gather at the ring? Time’s a wastin’, forty-five minutes till the bell.”

You let Oscar lead the way out of the crowded room, following in behind the hoard back out into the dark hallway. It hadn’t quite hit you yet that Y/N had just taken on the responsibility of an inkless contract, showing her trust in Oz at her own expense… not yours, not Jake’s. With the tip of her flute glass, she signed away your fate, putting her trust completely in the hands of Oz. She showed him that if in fact they had messed with her drink, they’d then have to feel the wrath of you and Jake, and that wasn’t something they wanted to do this early in the game. Not ever…and Oz knew that. He knew that the minute he watched you fight in the dirt during the poker game.

The deal was sealed. There was no turning back, now.

—

11:36pm.

The room suddenly filled with more bodies, the same type of shady characters that lined the hallways now began filing into the large middle room, also more well-lit, taking their places in rusty chairs and on dusty work benches left behind from the failed factory.

Oz pulled you and Jake to the side as he began wrapping your hands in white tape. “Listen here. Gonna be 5 bouts t’night. Two before y’all. One afta. Daniel, you’re up first, Jacob, you’ll be directly after. Now I don’t know these boys, we call this an amateur fight, few other of my constituents who run these kinna’ contests bring about new guys just like you, see what you’ve got. This ain’t the big leagues, yet boys. You hear? Trial runs, trial runs…” you both nodded as you listened to him, trying your best to keep eye contact as your feet stepped side to side below you.

“Look at me, boys.” He said lowly as he finished up the last wrap of your hand. “They’s $200 a piece in y’all pockets tonight whether you win or lose…guaranteed. If you win, an extra $300 goes on top. Lose, $200. Win, $500. Ya got it?” You both nodded hard to show you understood.

He placed one hand on either of your cheeks as he brought you in, looking you both in the eyes. “I see somethin’ in you boys, both of yeh. I know you ain’t gonna disappoint me, you wouldn’t disappoint me, would yeh?” You both shook your heads, halfway terrified to disagree with him.

“I know y’all got yourselves in some heavy debt from that dirty son of a bitch Teddy. I wanna help, I’m here to help.” You both nodded, murmuring sweet appreciation to Teddy as he stepped backwards. “Help me help you, boys!!” He pointed both fingers your way.

12:00am.

A man dressed in a leisure suit walked by you, the same man who brought Y/N her champagne from earlier, and dutifully refilled her glass she held onto so tightly now. She gave him a nod of thanks as he scurried away to the next task. Oz sure ran a tight ship.

The three of you stood ringside as you watched the first bout of the night, a whirlwind of swings and steps and kicks, growls of menace and disapproval from the men who placed their bets from the sidelines. You felt wide-eyed as you watched them brawl under the dull lights strung above them, eyes already swelling as they both became panting, sweaty messes of exhaustion.

You glanced to Jake, standing still with one arm crossed against his bare chest while the other hand spun at his mustache. You knew he was still nervous. “Jake, you alright over there?” You mumbled watching his eyes flash around.

His jaw clenched as he nodded. “Yep. ‘M fine.” But you knew he wasn’t.

You wrapped your arm around Y/N shoulders, pulling her in a little as you all continue watching from the shadows. “Oz will be in our corners, givin’ us all the advice we’ll need…it’ll be alright. This will be nothin’. We got this in the fuckin’ bag.” You we’re trying to convince yourself as much as you were trying to convince him.

The referee held one man’s hand high in the air as he stumbled around, blood pouring from his nose while the other man lay writhing on the floor beside him. “Winner!” The ref yelled, and a few men along the sidelines cheered.

You swallowed hard as the two men were escorted off the raised mat, ready to be tended to by whoever would help. The mat was cleaned and dried, ready for the next round. And then you were next.

“Daniel!” You heard Oscar call from a few yards away. He motioned with his hand 3 minutes, then pointed to the ground next to him. You nodded that you understood. You felt your heart rate rise and your face get hot as you began trying to psych yourself up, bouncing on your feet to get the blood flow going. You pulled your hair back again and re-tied it tightly, wanting to keep it from falling in your face for as long as possible.

Three minutes.

While you watched Jake busy getting in his own head as he paced around, you took a second to talk to Y/N, the look on her face an expression you hadn’t seen in her yet, except maybe the night of the fire.

You turned her toward you, leaning down and grabbing both her hands in yours, wrapped up and mummy-like in your tight white wraps. “Listen to me, I don’t want you to worry, okay? This is going to be shit to watch. Just try to tune it all out, walk away if you have to…same during Jake’s fight. We’re not forcing you to watch anything you don’t want to.” She nodded again, and you grabbed her face, putting another sweet kiss to her forehead.

God, what is this woman doing to you?

“You’re gonna be fine…you’re gonna be fine, Danny. Both of you.” Her hands found your wrists as you squeezed her cheeks, your breathing picking up as the time dwindled.

“Tell me, Y/N…tell me you’re my girl. I need to hear it…” you spat out, without even thinking it through. Her look turned to confusion, she was unsure what exactly you were asking. Hell, so were you.

“I’m not asking you to be my girlfriend, Y/N, just…tell me you feel this too…whatever it is…” you breathed again, motioning to the air between you. “I haven’t felt like this ever before, Y/N, a-and, it feels good, okay? It feels so good…I…I really like you. A lot. Just tell me you feel it. That’s all I wanna hear. That I’m not crazy…”

You were cut off by her lips crashing to yours, heated and sweet as they cut your rambling sentence in half. You could have cried, her gesture telling you all you needed to know before she pulled away, taking your face in her hands now, bringing her lips close to your ear. “I feel it too, Danny…” she whispered before lowering herself off her tip-toes.

“But you are a little crazy, look what you’re about to go do…” she winked one eye closed, gushing a little as you both laughed at the situation. You brought her in again, breathing in the smell of her hair.

“Shame we’re sharing a hotel room tonight…really wanna fuck you again…” you felt the smattering of her hair against your lips as her body tensed in your embrace.

“Yeah, been thinkin’ about that, too…” her face blushed as you stepped away, looking to Oscar. “Go kick ass, baby.”

JAKE POV

You walked up behind Danny, reaching up to place your hands on the back of his shoulders. “Yeah, go fuck him up, Daniel.” You said, squeezing his traps.

You watched as he leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to Y/N’s cheek, and bounded away toward Oz. You huffed a sigh as you took your place next to her, steadying your feet as you prepared yourself to watch.

“You guys seem awfully cozy. You in love or somethin’?” You asked, more teasing than really wanting to know.

She scoffed, folding her arms across her chest. “Shut up, Jacob. No, we aren’t in love…”

“Mmm, he’s pretty taken with you. I can see it in his eyes. I would know…” you explained, truthfully.

She didn’t have much to say, just stood awkwardly as she watched Oscar whisper hard into Danny’s ear. “I really like him, too, Jake.” She finally uttered.

You nodded, your heart sinking a bit. “I know you do.” You heard the referee yell something as Danny and his opponent stepped into the ring. “You gonna break his heart?”

That one earned you a quick snap of her head. You loved getting her worked up. “What? Why would I do that?”

“Because I see the way you look at me… I’m not stupid, Y/N.”

Was it risky? Yes. But there was something about her that made you want to shout from the rooftops, all your insecurities finding you before they knocked down the walls you built. She was destroying them, and fast.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Jake…” she scoffs.

“I’m not. And I know I’m not making it up, either.”

Just then, the shrill sound of the bell went off, and the referee signaled for the fight to begin. Danny wasted no time in undermining his opponent, a thinner guy about Danny’s height, with nowhere near the muscle or agility that Danny naturally had.

He laid an immediate low blow to his ribs, the sound of his knuckles cracking radiating through the room. His opponent retaliated with a sharp hook to Danny’s eye, lowering him to a quick crouch before he stood again, returning with the same motion. They were wailing on one another, going blow for blow as they stumbled around the ring.

Immediately you felt Y/N move closer to you, taking your hand in both of hers as she squeezed tightly. Her nerves had finally sunk in. Danny delivered a blow to the guy’s jaw, sending blood flowing into the air as he spun. Cheers erupted from half the crowd as they patted their hands on the mat. That last blow caused his opponent to fall to one knee, and Danny seized the opportunity. He tackled him to the floor and into a semi-headlock while the man rolled and tumbled. Danny wrapped his legs around him, effectively stopping his every movement while Danny continued lighter blows to the man’s face where he could.

“Fuck, is he winning? Is he winning Jake?” She spouted, obviously feeling overwhelmed.

You watched as the opponent’s eyes began to slowly flicker closed as Danny held him between all his limbs.

“Yes Danny!” You screamed. “Hold him there! Hold him!!”

You watched as Danny squeezed with all his might, his jaw clenched hard as his nose poured with blood. You could tell they were both exhausted. It was mere seconds before the man gently tapped on Danny’s arm around his neck, only seconds away from passing out. An immediate win.

“Yes! Yes yes yes!” You jumped and spun in the air and Y/N crouched down in disbelief. Danny released the man and stood, helping his opponent shakily get to his feet. The referee held Danny’s arm into the air, his body already black and blue from the fight that barely lasted two minutes.

“He won! He won, Y/N!!” You ran to her, lifting her into the air and kissing her cheek as you spun. For the tiniest split second, you felt her hair fall onto your face as you held her above you, watching as the elation grew on her face. Your faces were so close that you felt her breath, dripping with the essence of champagne, savoring the taste of it on your tongue before placing her back down on two feet.

Oscar dashed to the middle of the ring and grabbed Danny up, walking him down the steps and to an old metal folding chair. The two of you rushed to him in a whirl of congratulations and quiet squeals of happiness.

“Fuck yeah, Daniel!! Fuck yeah!” You shoved his shoulders back as he sat down in the chair, wincing a little already. He was breathing heavily as his hair fell out of the tight knot he had wrapped it in. He tried to smile through his already swelling lip and eye, a bit too dazed to comprehend what had just happened. You were all overjoyed.

“Your turn now, brother.”

And before you knew it, Oz was whisking you away to the mat.

DANNY POV

“You did it, baby! You did it!! I’m so proud of you!” Y/N was squatted down to be even with your face, pulling the strands of hair back as they stuck to your sweaty, bloody face.

“I fuckin…did, didn’t I?” You breathed through labored breaths. One of Oscar’s men was immediately at your side with wet cloths and drinking water, dabbing away at your wounds while your eye began to steadily swell closed. Y/N’s hands felt like hot coals on your shoulder and knee, as you both had no choice but to watch Jake go through the exact same thing you just had.

His opponent was a bit bigger, though. Had about a foot on him, and definitely more reach. You sucked in a quick breath of disappointment, knowing that he was going to have to fight for his life out there. You watched as they shook hands before the referee stepped between them.

“Fuck, Danny. That guy’s huge…” Y/N mumbled.

“No shit…he’s got it, though. He knows how to fight a guy that size, because he knows how to fight me. I taught him how to counteract someone with reach.” It hurt your lip to talk.

The bell rang again and you watched as the man went right for Jake’s jaw, leaning forward with the strength of a thousand fists. You scrunch your face up, waiting for him to feel the blow. But he didn’t. He swerved. Ducking quickly to avoid the blow and instead stepping sideways so the other guy tripped over his feet a little. Jake took the opportunity, laying a quick left-right blow to his ribs, followed up by a kick to the back of his knee, making him stumble again.

“YES Jake!” You yelled, getting to your feet. You could hear Oscar’s voice overtop of everyone else’s, the crowd quickly erupting into a deafening roar as Jake gained the upper hand off the bat.

But you knew better. All that did was piss the other guy off. And you were right, when he found his footing again, it was a wild blur of long arms falling and delivering hit after hit to Jake’s face and torso. He tried defending himself, blocking the hits and backing away.

“Don’t let him corner you! Push forward! Step into it!!” You yelled, hoping he heard you. Jake stepped forward and kicked him again, reaching an arm up to hit him directly in the ear, a guaranteed disorientment for his opponent. He already had red strawberries creeping up on his skin and tiny scratches all over his face and neck.

The guy was good, no doubt, but he wasn’t as quick as Jake. You watched as he got out from underneath him, pacing away as he turned and readied himself. The fight lasted a while, and they continued well into the second round. You could tell he was tiring out, the look of exhaustion coming over him.

“Is he okay, Danny? Can he finish this out?” Y/N was standing swaying side to side with her hands in a praying position in front of her face.

“Yeah, yeah he can. He’s got it.” You responded, turning your attention back right at the second that Jake lurched into him, finding the last little bit of heart he could find to pound directly into the side of the opponent’s skull. He stumbled backward, falling directly on his behind with a thud, followed by leaning over onto his side and rolling to his stomach.

The referee ran to him, laying down toward him while he wailed with his head in his hands. You watched as the man shook his head from side to side, letting him know that no, he wouldn’t carry on.

You shot up from your chair, both fists held high as you screamed again, and the place erupted with roars of both defeat and success. The referee held Jake’s hand to the air, shouting “Winner!” over the loud booming crowd.

“Yes!!! Yeahhhhh!” You bellowed, fighting through your own pain and ailments as Oscar walked him down the stairs to the chair beside you. “Fuck yes, brother!” You attacked him with a big embrace, nearly knocking his unsteady self over as he hugged you back.

“Ah, the ribs, the ribs…” he muttered, his cheek gashed open with blood pouring. You and Oscar made sure he sat down and had plenty of water to rinse and spit the blood from his mouth.

“Goddamnit, you didn’t disappoint, boys! Neither of yeh! I’m so goddamn proud!” Oscar was overflowing with pride and accolades as he held your cheeks and faces, looking at you both as if he had just won the grand prize.

“Jimbo, take care of our fellas, here. Clean them up real good, okay? Have them back to my office as soon as possible. Need to collect their winnins’.” Oscar stood up, being met with ten or so other men in congratulatory embraces.

And Jimbo did. He unwrapped your hands, gave you water, cleaned and treated your cuts with better treatment than you would get at a doctors office. You glanced over to Y/N as she bit her fingernails, giddy and vibrating with happiness for you. For the both of you.

Jake was right, maybe she was a good luck charm.

—

HER POV

It’s mostly quiet on the way back to the hotel, only the muffled sound of the radio as it quietly plays. The loudest is the labored breathing coming from both of the men in front of you. There’s a slight tremble in Jake’s breathing and you can tell that swift shot to the ribs is causing him some major pain now that the adrenaline has worn off. The street lights are flashing in through the windows every few seconds, highlighting the dark smears of blood and bruising starting to color their skin.

Jake’s left hand hangs awkwardly over the steering wheel, as his knuckles are too swollen to grip it properly. His fingers are twitching from the overexertion, but you can tell he is doing his best to ignore it. His right hand sits delicately on his leg, his hand facing upward as he tries to flex his fingers with little to no avail. Danny seems to be in slightly better shape, his match not going nearly as long as Jake’s had, affording him slightly less damage to his body.

One particular shot to his face had his left eye swelling, and the sheer force he used to knock the guy out had split the skin on his knuckles. He took a few blows to the ribs, and you could see the purple blooming on his skin only minutes after he left the fight. A punch to the nose left a trail of dried blood on his face, and black spots developing under his eyes. Their bodies were worn down, and completely exhausted, but to them it was worth it to walk out of that building knowing they had proved themselves to Oscar. You were sure it didn’t feel half bad to have a pocketful of cash either.

Jake struggled to turn the wheel into the parking lot of the hotel, but he managed, taking a deep breath before shifting the car into park. He painstakingly pulled the keys from the ignition and flipped his seat up to let you climb out of the back. You gave him a sympathetic smile as he shut the door behind you, the two of you walking over to meet Danny at the hotel room door.

As he spun the key in the lock, the three of you entered and the door slammed shut behind you. Your eyes scanned the room for an ice bucket, spotting a vending machine area at the end of the corridor. Danny fell back onto the small queen size bed with a groan, a deep breath releasing from his chest as his muscles began to ache. You grabbed the ice bucket, and walked over towards him as he lifted his open hand to you. You grabbed it, gently holding his tired hand. “You should shower, get the blood off of your face. I’m going to go get some ice so we can ice that eye.” you said, to which he responded with a tired groan.

You saw Jake out of the corner of your eye, doing his best to pull the cushions from the couch to pull out the stowaway bed. His hands were clearly bothering him, you could tell just from the way he was holding them. You set the bucket down on the dresser and rushed to help him, his eyes meeting yours in silent thanks. The two of you worked to pull the bed from underneath the cushions, unfolding it and watching the thin mattress spring to life. You walked over to the small closet, pulling out a spare set of sheets, and a pillow before making your way back over to the bed. You could see the pained look on his face as he realized he would have to get the bed ready, but what he didn’t know is that you never intended to make him.

You quickly found the fitted sheet and shook it out. You saw Danny stand from the bed, and make his way into the bathroom, turning the shower on to warm up. He shut the door behind him and your eyes met Jakes.

“Thank you… for helping me. I swear I’m not helpless I–”

“It’s fine Jake. I don’t mind. Really.” you said, tucking the last side of the sheet over the mattress. You threw the flat sheet and blanket over the mattress and fluffed the pillow. “There. All set. I’m gonna go get some ice for you two and I’ll be right back.”

“They have a vending machine?” he asks.

“Yeah, end of the corridor, Ice and Vending.” you answered. He gave you a soft smile and nodded his head, perching himself on the edge of the bed as he struggled to untie his boots. You slipped quickly out the door, making your way to the ice machine, filling the bucket and the two plastic bags you were allotted. The weather was cool, and the wind felt nice on your skin compared to the sticky humidity in the hotel room. You made the walk back a little bit slower than normal, just enjoying the coolness of the night before pushing the door to your room open.

As you entered the room, you flicked the latch to let the door close fully. You set the ice bucket and the two bags down on the dresser, stepping over towards the bathroom to grab small towels to wrap them in. Danny was now laid out on the bed in just his boxers, his damp hair creating a halo around his head as he laid there. You could hear the shower running and assumed Jake decided to let the hot water soothe his aching body.

You grabbed one of the ice bags and wrapped the small white towel around it, as you sat down next to Daniel. “Hey…” you breathed, running your fingertips down his chest. “Should ice your eye. It’s swelling pretty bad.”

He opens his eyes to look at you, giving you a soft grin and grabbing the ice filled towel from you. He places it over his darkening eye, before grabbing your hand and lacing your fingers with his. “I’m glad you came.”

“Why, so I could be your sexy nurse?” you laughed.

He smiled and shook his head, “No. You were good motivation. Wanted to win. For you.” he admits.

“Well you did. I’m proud of you. Both of you. Consider me very impressed by your manliness.” you say, rubbing your thumb over his.

“I don’t know about manly. I feel like I got hit by a truck.” he groans.

“Used a lot of strange muscles I’m sure. And I hate to say it but I know it’s going to hurt worse in the morning…”

“I know, I know. You coming to bed?” he asked, moving over to the right side of the bed.

“Yeah. I’m gonna wait for Jake to get out of the shower and make sure he ices his hand, then I’m going to have a shower. I’m sure you’ll be long out by then.” you smile. He nods his head and shuffles himself beneath the stiff hotel sheets, letting out another groan of pain as he settles.

“If you can stand five more minutes of the ice, you can be done and go to sleep.” you say, standing and walking back over to the dresser.

“If I fall asleep with it on my face will you take it off? I don’t know if I’m gonna last five more minutes with my eyes open.”

You laugh as you prepare Jake’s ice pack. “Yes, I will take it off. Close your eyes.”

“Goodnight, beautiful.” he breathes.

“Night Danny.”

It’s less than two minutes before you hear his breathing even out and his hand that was holding the ice bag fall behind his head. You grab your book from your bag of things, and kick off your shoes as you move to position yourself on the left side of the bed. A few minutes later you hear the bathroom door open, and are met with the vision of Jake walking slowly across the hotel room with a towel around his waist. The water is still dripping from his skin, and you can’t help but think that maybe he was in too much pain to really dry himself much more than he did.

Your eyes travel the length of his tattooed torso, catching sight of a few new tattoos you hadn’t noticed yet. You tried not to stare but the way his skin pulled across his stomach was positively hypnotic. You flipped the page in your book, pretending to read the words on the page, but the truth is that you were studying his every move as he pulled clean clothes from his bag. With his back to you, you were free to look as conspicuously as possible, but as the towel began to sink lower and lower on his hips, your heart rate began to spike.

You swallowed nervously as he stood up, stepping carefully into his boxers, and pulling them up his legs as the towel dropped to the floor. You felt the tendons in your neck jerk as you caught sight of his bare ass, and as he spun around you felt your face grow hot with guilt of being caught.

Your eyes snapped back to your book as he looked at you. You could see him bend over to pick up the towel, quickly running it through his hair to dry the dripping ends. He tossed the wet towel over the back of a chair, sitting on the end of the bed, with a painful exhale. You closed your book and set it on the bed, standing to retrieve the ice pack you’d made for him. You grabbed it off the dresser as his eyes fixed on you, nervously turning to meet his gaze and you held it out to him. “For your hand.”

He took it from you, letting his fingers brush yours for a miniscule second, before setting the cold towel on his knuckles. You watched him swallow down the pain, as his eyes flicked up to yours. “Thank you.” he paused, tumbling over his words in his mind. “Might have gone a little too hard on the first one.” he smiled, hoping to earn him a little laugh.

“Worked in your favor.” you said, raising an eyebrow. “Gonna take a shower. Leave that on there for as long as you can, okay?”

“Yes ma’am.”

—

The room was dark when you stepped out of the bathroom. Just the sounds of Danny’s snoring and Jake’s hard breathing. You hung your towel on the back of the bathroom door, running your hairbrush through your hair as you walked through the room. The room was stuffy, the A/C not cooling the room below 76, so you opted for just a large t-shirt tonight, hoping it wouldn’t be too warm.

You pulled the sheets back on the bed, crawling in next to Danny and letting out a comfortable sigh. In your peripheral you watched Jake roll over on the pullout bed, the sound of the metallic springs filling the room. You knew it couldn’t be comfortable, especially for how much he was hurting. You’d trade places with him in a second but you knew there was no way he would let you take the worse bed. The sound of the barely functioning AC unit roared to life and you let the whirring sound of the fan lull you to sleep, thankful that you were here to help them out in what little way you could.

—

Your bladder wakes you, begging for relief. It’s an ungodly hour, probably around three if you had to guess, and you begrudgingly slide yourself out of the bed to cave to the nagging feeling. You hear Jake roll over again, a sigh leaving his lips as you shut the bathroom door to relieve yourself. You wipe the sleep from your eyes as you flush the toilet, hoping it wouldn’t wake either of them. As you pad back through the room you see Jake move to get up, succumbing to his own bladder.

“I’m sorry, did I wake you?” you whisper.

“No. I’ve been up. Can hardly sleep.” he answers, his voice just as soft as yours. You take a drink from the glass of water on your nightstand as he quickly returns from the bathroom, falling into his bed with a hiss of pain.

“Jake, please take the bed. I feel so bad.” you plead, walking over towards him.

“No. I’m fine. I’m just sore. I’ll be okay.” he replies, trying to position the pillow beneath his head. The thin flat sheet laid just over his hip, leaving most of his stomach exposed. You let your eyes travel over his body as you sat in front of him on his bed.

“I’m sorry that you’re in pain. Wish there was something I could do. I’d do it.” you admit.

“I’ve been in pain much worse than this. Swear. Don’t want you to be worried about me. Dealt with this shit my whole life, this is nothin’.”

“You have nothing to prove to anybody, Jake.” you said, letting your hand rest on his.

“Do you often quote Maya? Or do you do it because you know I like it?” he asks.

“What if I say both?” you breathe.

His fingers move subtly against yours, “Then I’d say don’t stop.”

“Did Danny teach you how to fight?” you ask.

“You have a lot of questions. How about you answer mine and I’ll answer yours.” he counters.

“Okay. What’s yours?” you ask, grabbing the melting ice pack from the floor, and placing it on his swelling cheek.

“Why do you read that Maya book, over and over?” he asks.

You swallow harshly, unsure if you want to tell him the real reason. “Um…” you pause, trying to formulate your answer.

“No. Don’t lie to me. I know there’s a reason. You’ve seen my ugly, now show me yours.” he demands.

“Because her words help me realize that there is a life worth living if I just keep pushing through. Because she’s brave and– and I just keep hoping that if I read the words enough that something will stick and I will find that same braveness buried down somewhere in myself.” you answer honestly, completely unsure if you’d ever spoken the truth aloud.

“You left your husband, right? That was brave…” he presses, letting out a shaky breath.

“He was my fiance, we weren’t married yet. And yeah, I did.”

“Sounds pretty brave to me.” he says, his voice comforting the nervous feeling in your stomach.

“Now your turn. Answer my question.”

“Yeah. Danny taught me how to fight. We were young, he was fighting every damn day. Think it was because of his foster family at the time. Treated him like shit. Watched him punch a kid in the face, so I asked ‘em if he’d show me how to do it.”

“So, you two have always been this way…” you asked.

He nodded his head, adjusting the ice on his cheek. “What’d your fiance do?”

The pain was still fresh, you hadn’t even really talked about it to anyone. “He cheated on me with his bookkeeper.” you said, letting your eyes flick down to the tattoo that sat just on top of his ribs. “Tell me about this tattoo.” you said, running your finger over the outline of the dark black spade, wanting to change the subject.

“That one, huh?” he sighs, “That would be a spade for Ace. He had one too. Got it when he died. Spades have been known to represent a few things, and well, when I was reading ‘bout em, I thought it was kinda fitting. They’ve got two meanings. Right side up, marks the end of life, upside down means you’re lookin’ for something. Something just beyond your reach.”

“What are you looking for?” you ask, letting your hand rest over the inked symbol.

“Dunno. Something. It’s out there, whatever it is. I feel it.” he says, wincing as he rolls to his side. Your hand falls from his ribs down onto the sheets and you pull it back to your lap.

“Hey, thank you for… I don’t know. You kinda fixed Valor. I would have never thought of checking the heads for cracks like that.” he says, a look of genuine thanks in his eyes.

“Nooo… You would have figured it out eventually, I didn’t even do anything but make a stupid joke. You really should give yourself more credit, Jake. I think you’re smarter than you want people to believe.” you answer.

“Really? You think that?” he asks, a boyish quality to his voice.

“Yeah. I do.”

You can tell he is biting back words as his lips twitch, and in this moment you’d give anything to hear them. His swollen hand slides up your bare leg to grab your hand as it sits in your lap. His skin is perfectly warm against yours, and the fire in your stomach seems to be growing from a smoldering ember to a full on blaze.

“Got you somethin’.” he breathes, letting a sweet smile cross his lips.

“What? Me?” you question, furrowing your brow.

“Mmhm. Grab my jeans from the floor.”

Your eyes scan the floor spotting the old Levis crumpled in a pile by his bag. You lean over the bed, grabbing them from the floor and holding them in your lap.

“Reach into the pocket.” he presses.

You check the front pocket and you feel a long hard foil roll, wrapping your fingers around it and pulling it out. You hold it up in the darkness of the room, trying to make out what it is. A warmth radiates from your chest as the light hits it just right, and you can make out the words. ‘Lifesavers - Cin-O-Mon’

“You got me my cinnamon candy… Where did you– When?” you ask, holding the foil roll in your hand.

“While you were in the shower. Vending Machine.” he smirks, squeezing your hand..

“Jake, you didn’t have to do that…”

“Wanted my first purchase with my winnings to be something special.” he breathes. “Nevermind they were only fifty cents.”

You feel your heart twist at the sweetness of the gesture, and that fact that he even remembered you mentioning you were out. “Jake…Thank you…”

You rub your thumb over his hand, grasping it tightly and pulling it up to your lips. You press a soft, gentle kiss to his swollen knuckles, letting it linger just a little longer than you should as your eyes lock with his.

“You’re welcome.” the words barely audible as they leave his mouth.

You stand to make your way towards your bed, but as you pull away his hand doesn’t let go of yours. He holds you there, the two of you locked into that moment. He purses his lips together as he blinks slowly, “Goodnight, cinnamon girl.”

A shy smile spreads across your face as his words sink in. Your mind swirls back to just the other night in the garage. Just you and him baring your souls to each other, much like you are now. Cinnamon girl…

“Goodnight, Jake…” his name on your tongue never tasting sweeter than it did at that moment.

He drops your hand and lets you walk over to your bed, but you hear him turn over as you place the roll of cinnamon candies on the nightstand with your book. You slide into the sheets and pull them up over your shoulders, attempting to get comfortable again. You feel Danny wrap his arm around your waist, pulling you in tightly to meet his body, but as you peer over the edge of the bed to the pull out bed across from you, your eyes lock with Jake’s again. The two of you just lay there, staring at each other for what felt like hours, and as Danny’s hand slides down your hip, you can’t help but wish it was the hand that belonged to the brown eyes staring back at you, instead.

—

When the morning came your eyes sprang open, quickly taking in your surroundings and remembering where you were. You could feel Danny’s warm body pressed against your back as a sheen of sweat covered your limbs. Your eyes caught sight of Jake, still in the same position he laid in as you fell asleep, although this time his bruised eyes were closed and he was sleeping soundly. You wondered how long he continued to look at you after you fell asleep last night, pondering the thought that you’d seemingly slept through the rest of the night after your chat with Jake. Something that hadn’t happened in the past few days.

You rolled to your back before turning to face Danny, the sight of his face just as bruised and swollen as Jake’s. You lift your hand to gently rub your thumb over his swollen cheek, stirring him awake as his eyes fluttered open.

“Good morning.” He whispered in a scratchy voice.

“Morning…How are you feeling?” you ask, feeling his hand grip your hip under the sheets.

“Don’t think I can complain too much when I’ve got you here like this…” he flirts, letting his thumb slide under the hem of your panties. When you don’t stop him he takes it further, sliding his fingers into the front of the pink fabric, dusting his fingertips across the sensitive skin.

“Danny!” you huff, looking over your shoulder to see Jake still asleep.

“What? He’s out. Can’t hear shit anyways.” he gripes, pulling his hand from your panties.

“Later.” you offer, and he accepts with a soft kiss to your lips.

You slide out of the bed, and make your way to the bathroom with your clothes for the day, dressing and brushing your teeth before returning to the bedroom. Stepping through the bathroom door you see Jake sitting on the edge of his bed, putting on his jeans and his boots before standing to grab his shirt. Danny is dressed and sitting on the bed, spinning the car keys on his finger.

“Ready, baby?” Danny asks, seeing you emerge from around the corner.

You tear your eyes away from Jake pulling on his t-shirt over his purple marred skin as you answer, “Yep, but I get shot-gun this time.”

Jake flashes him a laughing grin as he slings his bag over his shoulder. “You heard ‘er. Let’s go.”

—

The drive home seemed significantly shorter than the drive there, but you’re sure that was due to the nerves running through all of you at the time. You were glad it was done and over, but you knew it probably wouldn’t be the last time. Not after the highs they were riding.

You smiled to yourself as you watched Jake flip the 8-track for the third time in a row, offering him a lifesaver from the pack he so generously gifted you. He popped one into his mouth with a twinkle in his eye before you turned to Danny to offer him the same.

“Eh, no thanks, don’t like cinnamon that much.” he says, squeezing a hand over your shoulder from the backseat. You wrap up the candies and place them in your purse as you let the cool wind blow through the window and across your face as Bruce serenades you with his gentle crooning.

—

It wasn’t long until the car was pulling in at the shop, and the overwhelming feeling of being home washed over you. Which was a little strange given that this wasn’t your home. Did you even have a home? The three of you piled out of Valor and made your way into the house, the familiar homey smell comforting, as you’d grown accustomed to over the last week.

Almost immediately Jake excused himself to the garage, turning on the radio as the shop door slammed shut. You followed Daniel down the hallway to his bedroom, seeing him flop down on his bed with a sigh.

“Backseat is small as fuck. You’re lucky you’re so cute and that I can’t say no to you.” he teases, grabbing your hand and pulling you down on top of him. His hands come to rest over your ass as he cranes his neck up to press his lips to yours.

“Mmm, you ready for that later now?” you murmur against his hot wet lips.

Pressing his hardening bulge against your center, he smirks, “You tell me.”

—

The two of you had fallen victim to exhaustion after a few long overdue rounds. Both of you taking it easy on each other as his body was still riddled with bruising and sore muscles. That didn’t seem to phase him however, and even with minimal effort he held you in the palm of his hand as he had you falling apart for him over and over again. You wondered if you’d ever get used to the way he unraveled you, leaving your body exhausted and spent in the best ways.

He was still asleep next to you as your eyes took in the darkness of the room. You silently crawled out of the bed, pulling a t-shirt over your head as you slipped out of his bedroom and into the bathroom. The house was quiet, and the music in the garage had stopped. You could hear talking though. You could make out Jake’s laugh from a mile away. Your brow crinkled as you wondered who was making him laugh like that if you and Danny were locked away in his room the whole night.

Your curiosity got the best of you as you snuck into the kitchen, and gently twisted the knob to the shop door. You knew it would squeak if you opened it all the way, so you only just cracked it, opening it just enough to see Jake and the blonde haired woman leaning up against Valor. Who is that?

Realizing it was truly none of your business you shut the door, and made yourself a glass of water. You leaned on the countertop as you sipped from the glass, drinking down its contents as you let your mind wander back to last night. Why were you feeling so jealous after such an amazing night with Danny?

You shook the thoughts from your head, knowing you needed to go back to him before he noticed you were gone. You began to wash the glass, drying it with a kitchen towel to leave no trace of your presence. The doorknob twisted, causing you to jump as you placed the glass back in the cabinet. With the unmistakable squeak, the door flew open and Jake and the unknown blonde woman came stumbling into the kitchen completely connected to each other.

Her arms were wrapped around his body as he closed the door behind them, clearly unaware of your presence as his hand traveled to her backside, squeezing and what you now knew was his favorite part of a woman. Her mouth was attached to his neck, as his hands wandered her body. She caught sight of you, growing tense and stopping her actions with Jake as she cast you a dirty look.

“You need somethin’? Wait, who’re you?” she scoffed.

“Y/N. Who are you?” you quipped back.

“Suzanne.”

Jake whipped his head around to see you pressed into the kitchen cabinets in nothing but a thin white t-shirt. His eyes flashed to your chest, where your nipples stood at attention from the rush of cold air coming in from the garage. You crossed your arms over your chest as he cleared his throat.

“Yeah, she’s uh–” he paused, sucking his teeth as he pulled away from her. “She’s Danny’s girl.”

“Since when does Danny have a girl?” she asked, as if the thought was ludicrous. Not waiting to hear his answer she continues walking through the kitchen towards his bedroom. “Whatever. You coming, baby?”

Baby?

He breathes in deeply as he pulls his gaze from you, turning to face her as she reaches for his hand.

“Yeah, I’m comin’. I’ll be there in a sec. Go wait for me.” he answers, smacking her ass as she walks down the hallway.

He looks to you and pauses for a moment as if he wants to say something. His eyes search yours, but it seems he can’t find the words he needs as he blows out a breath and swipes the stray hairs away from your face instead. He pulls his hand back and runs his fingers over his face as she calls his name from the hallway. He turns to follow her, and instinctively you follow after him, pausing as you reach Danny’s bedroom door. You turn, pressing your back to the wood door to watch him as he takes the few steps towards his door.

The two of you turn to look at each other one more time, and suddenly you’re back in that same moment from last night. Completely locked in on each other like you’re the only two on the planet. His eyes bore deep into yours, hoping you could hear what he was trying to tell you, but there was nothing. Static, just white, jealous, deafening static.

You’re both pulled back to reality as you hear her shrill voice call to him again through the door. He blows out another breath and reaches for the doorknob, pushing the door open but pausing to meet your gaze as he smirks. He pulls his nearly empty pack of gum from his jeans pocket and slides a stick into his mouth. He rolls the red gum around his tongue as he blows a quick bubble, his warm pink tongue running over his bottom lip.

In a split second decision he makes a move to step back towards you, walking slowly and placing the pack in your hand as your eyes flashed down to the single stick left inside.

“There. Now everybody gets a piece, don’t they...” he says with the raise of his brow as he turns back, stepping through his door, and locking it behind him.

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captainnameless · 13 days

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any oscar and little lando drabbles?

i been thinking about the first time Oscar gets into trouble, i can imagine Lando being there as some kind of instigator, and then feeling very bad he’s put Oscar in this position as well.

then again Oscar might land himself in a time out all on his own accord and then i think Lando’d feel worried for his teammate, continuously asking Daniel “how long left?” and “what if he gets too sad?” and “just a quick hug?”

or,

They’ve been playing with the spare balloons from Oscar’s birthday. The boys are being good, playing so nicely together Daniel feels comfortable enough to take his eyes off of them for a few minutes to answer some emails.

One of the balloons escapes outside through the cracked door onto the balcony, and the soft breezes blows it a little further over the railing, onto a partial roof below.

“Careful!” Daniel hears Lando say, and it catches his attention enough to look up to see where Lando’s looking, catching Oscar with one leg already over the railing ready to go retrieve the balloon they’re after.

Except Daniel fucking teleports there, snatches Oscar’s waist and pulls him off the railing. It’s not a death drop, and truthfully any capable adult would have been able to retrieve said balloon with little risk.

But Oscar isn’t a full adult right now, probably not as regressed as Lando is, but definitely floaty, and Daniel’s not about to take that risk.

“You do not go over that railing, do you understand me? That’s a really big no-no!” Daniel scolds, turning Oscar to face him and tipping his chin up, his own heart beating out of his chest from the adrenaline rush, fear coursing through his body.

Oscar’s eyes fill with tears immediately, not yet having experienced this Daniel first hand and takes a shaky breath, barely getting out a “Yea.” before it’s followed by a sob.

Daniel immediately brings Oscar into his chest, the younger burying himself into Daniel’s T-shirt as the sobs kick off. The adrenaline’s wearing off quick now that the danger has gone away and Daniel feels a ping of guilt for how he’s probably scared the little guy sobbing into his chest and so he does his best to calm him down, gently maneuvering them inside to where Lando’s watching everything unfold with big eyes.

Said brunette scurries off then, while Daniel whispers soft reassurance into Oscar’s mop of hair, gently rubbing his back while they settle onto the couch.

Lando returns quickly, arms full of what Daniel thinks is every single toy/plush they’ve brought with them before dumping them onto the couch and fitting himself with it too, gently curling up next to Oscar.

“Osc.” Lando hums, gently petting his friend. “I got you stuff.”

It gets Oscar to peak out, face red and blotchy from crying and Daniel instinctively tries to brush the tears away, pressing a soft kiss to Oscar’s head.

“See?” Lando says, gesturing at all the stuff he’s surrounded by.

Oscar goes to reach out for his giraffe Louie, then snatches his hand back to look at Daniel questioningly, wondering if he’s allowed.

Daniel seems to understand, gently brushing some of Oscar’s hair back. “You can grab him buddy, you’re not in trouble.”

And so Oscar snatches Louie up, cuddles back into Daniel’s chest with a shaky sigh before reaching his free hand out to grab Lando’s, pulling him close to for comfort.

Daniel swears the look on Lando’s face might actually make his heart swell out of his chest.

#littlef1adventures #lf1a.minific

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toasttt11 · 1 month

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laughter

July 2, 2024

Octavia was sitting out of the dock by the lake watching the sun setting as most of the boys were out sitting around the fire just chatting.

Octavia had her knees pulled up to her chest resting her chin on her knees enjoying the piece and quiet at the dock.

Simon was sitting in between Luke and Alex Holtz but he looked over at the dock seeing Octavia sitting all alone, he got up grabbing the blanket he had over him, he petted Louie who was sleeping on Quinn’s lap.

Simon walked down the grass hill to Octavia ignoring the questions he was getting and he plopped down next to Octavia covering her shoulders with the blanket, Octavia looked over seeing Simon giving her a soft look and gently bumping her shoulder with his.

“Is that a thing?” Trevor questioned as they all watched Simon walk away and sit right next to Octavia. Trevor knew how much Octavia was not a people person and was surprised that she let Simon sit right next to her and hug her the other day. It also made him feel old as he remembered meeting the twins when they were only fourteen and now they are both twenty already.

“It will be.” Two voices spoke at the exact same time, Luke and Juraj, the two who know exactly what is going on between Octavia and Simon.

“Already? They just met.” Cole questioned knowing that Octavia had only met Simon this season when Luke met him. Cole also knew Octavia would never be that comfortable with someone she just met.

“They met years ago.” Juraj shook his head correcting his teammate. Juraj has heard all about Octavia many times from Simon.

“They did?” Alex Holtz questioned looking interested, He’s become quite close with Luke and Simon and he’s heard so many stories and things about Octavia from Luke.

“Yeah before we got drafted.” Luke told the group, his eyes on the two and smiling slightly as watched his twin interact with Simon.

“Holy shit.” Trevor cursed as they all looked at Simon and Octavia.

Octavia was laughing loudly and her smile was bright as she laughed looking at Simon, who was staring at her with a soft smile. Octavia slowly stopped laughing and her head rested on Simon’s shoulder.

Octavia very rarely laughed out loud besides a rare snicker or a puff of air, so for Simon to get her to laugh so loud, smile so bright and for her to willingly touch him was something only Luke could ever do.

Quinn felt a smile spread across his face seeing his sister happier with Simon than he ever sees with anyone that is not Luke, he knew right then that no one would he better for his sister than Simon.

Jack smiled bittersweet he could tell Octavia had feelings for Simon and it made him remember that his twins aren’t so little anymore.

Luke smiled contently watching his twin being happy, that’s all he wants.

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justaboot · 4 months

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Changing all of this so have a lil cut snippet of GardenParty Scrooge and Matilda <3 🌸

Louie followed her finger to the crowd weaving in and out around the maypole.

Scrooge, looking ever the same, was laughing heartily. In the warm summer afternoon, he’d ditched his thick red coat in favor of rolled-up shirtsleeves and a crisp scarlet waistcoat, his pale trousers making him look brighter than Louie’d ever seen him. A bright yellow flower even stuck out of the brim of his top hat. He kept looking over his shoulder, calling out something before laughing again, and when he reached out his hand, a woman Louie’d never seen before took it.

Her hair was short, just curling around her chin, and her grin was bright. A crown of flowers hung crooked and slipped dangerously low down her head as the woman’s dress moved like the ribbons overhead. She laughed, shoving Scrooge with her shoulder and together they spun through the group as the ribbons messily braided themselves around the pole above.

Louie frowned. Not that he expected it, but he scanned the rest of the grounds quickly for a crown of gold hair to no avail. But no, Scrooge wasn’t looking at this woman the way he did Goldie. He flung her by the hand too hard, elbows jostled ribs too hard, palms shoved cheeks roughly.

Louie watched the woman purposefully and masterfully trip Scrooge, sending him careening into another guest.

#I changed it from summer to deep winter so all this had to go but I want the world to see my vision #Scrooge in rolled-up shirtsleeves my beloved #ducktales 2017 #scrooge mcduck #Louie duck #Matilda Mcduck #sibling behavior

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soupy-cosmos · 10 months

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[ID: a series of 9 illustrations featuring Louie and Boyd from DuckTales, made for the AU fanfic Daisy Bell. The first image is an extreme close up of Louie and Boyd at their age in canon. Their outfits are the same as their canonical designs except for a few color differences: Louie's hoodie is a more yellow green, and Boyd is wearing a blue bow tie instead of his usual red one. Only Boyd's body and arm are visible, he has his knees tucked under him and is holding a book open on his lap. Louie lays beside him with his chin in his hand, his eyes aren't visible but his smile is. The ground beneath them is dotted with daisies. The second image shows an older Louie, early teens. His bangs are longer and his cheeks are fluffy. He's wearing a dull green hoodie with a large daisy patch on the elbow over a light yellow sweater. There is a daisy tucked into his hair. He's holding a hand to his face, blushing and with wide eyes. The image has an off-white oval frame and is immediately next to the next image, which has Boyd looking surprised and also blushing. He's taller and his shirt sleeves are cuffed at his elbows. The next image keeps most of the elements of the prior two but has a few changes. Louie now holds his face with both hands, looking away with a shy smile. Boyd has his hand raised to his beak and smiles, raising an eyebrow. The next image shows the same designs for Louie and Boyd, no longer separated by the oval borders. They are both leaning in for a kiss with Boyd reaching a hand up to cup Louie's cheek. The next image is a close up of a sparkling emerald ring in a box. The ring itself is silver with two daisies sculpted on the visible side. Boyd's fingers are just visible at the bottom left holding the box. The next image shows Louie and Boyd's silhouettes in the foreground, light hitting one side of them. They're young adults. Boyd has his arm wrapped around Louie as they gaze at a fountain that takes up the rest of the image. The next image is of Louie as he lays in a coffin. He's holding a daisy and has the ring on his finger. Louie is wearing a black suit and tie with a light green button up. The final illustration shows Boyd sitting in a chair, back to the viewer. He's leaning forward onto a desk, hands on the sides of his head. The desk is messy, covered with papers and sticky notes, sketches and blueprints. On the wall above the desk is a bulletin board covered with more papers and blueprints. A large photo of Louie is pinned in the middle. End ID.]

Full pieces from the Daisy Bell PMV cuz the video kinda crunched them lol

#ducktales #ducktales 2017 #dt17 #ducktales fanart #ducktales au #louyd #ducktales louie #louie duck #ducktales boyd #boyd gearloose #death tw #tw death #death mention #death #daisy bell au #soupy-drawz

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sirwow · 6 months

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hi hi local wraith lover here. puts hands under chin So what happens with the plasm wraith and the space pirates if you’d like to say ^-^

hmm i think the space pirates basically abandon ship as their little junk fortress gets turned into a battle ground by plasm wraith. This is the same plasm wraith as 3 and so after its fight with the koppites its alot weaker then before and so gets dispatched by louie and olimar. When it tries to run away in tiny form again though, Egfrid the cat eats it whole.

#sirask #also hello welcome to numberone wraith lover blog

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huesofvioletandpurple · 11 months

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A few days ago, the DRDT channel made public a “character song” playlist with sixteen songs inside (link). Naturally, considering this means that every character has a theme song of their own, I became Fucking Obsessed and tried matching each song to every character

Out of sixteen, I have exactly Four I am completely and absolutely confident in. That’s like, (checks notes), a quarter of the songs. I wish four was as neat of a number as three but unfortunately I do not get a choice in that regard. This would’ve been a quick post on which song I think matches with who + why but these guys made me recite an essay to myself as I paced around the room. So they deserve their own post <3.

Featuring: screenshots, hidden quotes (link) (required reading), and a shit ton of brainrot. explanations are below cut. tl;dr:

Rose is Cartoons

Charles is Asymptotic

Nico is Drawing Pins

Teruko is Good Grief

Rose Lacroix is Cartoons

[plain text: Rose Lacroix is Cartoons]

Track #4 is Cartoons by Louie Zong, and I have decided this is Rose’s track too. This is one many, many others have suspected as well. Starting it off with this first because it’s the simplest to explain: Rose is an artist, the lyrics are about art; or, at the very least, uses animation and drawing as metaphors.

Abstractions how I live my day to day, [...] Hard to explain, And to express, Forever just a work-in-progress.

The song in general uses drawing to explain feeling burnt out/not passionate about. Well. Your passions. Rose states herself that her work can only give her catharsis, considering none of it technically “hers” anymore.

[ID: Two screenshots of Rose from chapter 2 episode 5. She is in the dressing room talking to Teruko, and has her hand on her neck as she looks downwards. Transcript: All I do is make paintings on other’s beck-and-call. It’s been so long that I don’t think I remember how to paint something original anymore. / There’s no value in the creations of someone who’s fallen so far from artistry. The only thing I can get out of art is catharsis. End ID]

Which is even more tragic, considering how she had huge ambitions as a child

[ID: One screenshot from the same episode. Rose now rests her chin in her fist. Transcript: I wanted to be a great painter when I was a kid, but things didn’t turn out that way. None of my original stuff ever sold well. End ID]

There’s also these lyrics here

Can't hold a pencil or a thought. (Oh uh oh) Can't paint myself something I'm not.

Tryin' to make that ol' deadline, But all I've got are two dots and a line.

Rose knows she’s talented; in fact, I’d argue she’s one of the most secure about her talent than anyone in the class. She understands how useful it is in the killing game when paired with her photographic memory. In chapter 2, however, she hesitates, despite knowing this more than anyone.

[ID: Three screenshots of Rose from chapter 2 episode 8. She is sitting against a wall, knees drawn to her chest as she buries her face in her arms. Transcript of her dialogue: I don’t want to find out what kind of corpse Arei left. It’s easier for me to pretend nothing bad happened and forget about everything tomorrow. / That’s why I’m sitting here, wallowing in my own guilt, unable to do anything helpful. / You probably need me to draw a picture of a crime scene, like last time. That’s something only I can do that can help everyone. End ID]

She doesn’t want to use her talent that way—she can’t “paint herself something she’s not”, and she would “make the deadline”, but she can’t just will herself to simply Do Something when it’s draining and linked to her trauma from the previous case—and she’s more self conscious of it than anyone, that she only has “two dots and a line” —an upset face.

There’s also her hidden quote from the inspect elements of her character page: “In the end, all I can do is watch my wretched life go on.” I think it fits with the general theme of being incredibly discouraged and burnt out. “Forever a work in progress” indeed.

Charles Cuevas is Asymptotic

[pt: Charles Cuevas is Asymptotic]

I’ve chosen Asymptotic by (once more,) Louie Zong as Charles’ song. I could say it’s because of the mathsy theming and Charles is literally a fuckging chemist and leave it at that—I almost chose this as Min’s song because of how groovy and nerdy (affectionate) it was. I’m sorry to say it’s because of angst.

We’re aymptotic, Divided, by the smallest, slimmest line

Hey, so you know how Charles has an older brother ?

And you know how he didn’t know this until one of the motives told him ? So now there’s a good chance he won’t remember him fully for a long, long time ?

[you’re] Not imaginary. But it's complex! The limits are infinitely great

Charles now knows of this family member he has no recollection of. He most likely existed at some point—every other secret, though written to show the worst of the cast, are based on some sort of truth. I have a pet theory that his phobia of blood is connected to his brother, considering amnesia of a traumatic event is a common occurrence, and he doesn’t recall the origin of his haemophobia either, which opens up the possibility of them being linked. As long as he has this amnesia, any memory of his brother will always be far from his grasp.

As close as we could ever get, you'll be just out of reach

His hidden quote is about how it’s better to just forget; that means those events weren’t worth keeping.

if you forgot it, then it probably wasn’t important to begin with. none of those memories should ever be kept anyway.

In the context of the creator looking at the lyrics of the song and going “omg that’s blorbo from my brain”, the song refers to him as believing that he and his brother are asymptotes—lines that greatly resemble each other that will never reach, existing in different planes altogether.

Nico Hakobyan is Drawing Pins

[pt: Nico Hakobyan is Drawing Pins]

So.

Drawing Pins by Nothing but Thieves ! This song in particular fucking Stumped me. The lyrics are good, they slap, the Creator has fantastic taste in music; I just couldn’t figure out who the Hell it could be. Then, I had an epiphany.

This epiphany, by the way, is also probably one of my BIGGEST reaches. It completely redefines the song—even MORESO than how I treated asymptotic—and focuses hard on One aspect of Nico’s character.

(In my defense, it’s a really huge part.)

I don't feel like I belong Here at all

Tell me what you did it What you did it What you did it for 'Cause I can't figure it out

What do I have to do To be loved, loved by you

These are the lyrics in particular that made me go “wait a god damn Second”.

Firstly, not feeling like they belong.

[ID: Two screenshots of Nico from chapter 2 episode 6. They hold their arm and look nervously to the side in the first screenshot, then bury their face in the collar of their shirt in the next. Transcript: I thought you would laugh at me. I was worried you would pick up rocks and start throwing them at me or pick up clumps of mud and start throwing them at me. / I’m sorry, this never happens! Usually people call me abnormal or say that I’m just trying to be special, in a derogatory way. End ID]

Nico has been a frequent victim of bullying. Even though their current classmates are accepting, that just made them wary that something was off, because their past experiences stuck with them ! I feel like it should go unsaid that that, already on its own, is pretty fucking isolating !

[ID: a screenshot from the same episode. Nico is in the same pose. They say “And then they leave me out of everything and never talk to me again because there’s something wrong with me.” End ID]

So, self-explanatory line in the context of Nico. Cool. Cool. What am I seeing in the other lyrics, though ?

Tell me what you did it What you did it What you did it for 'Cause I can't figure it out

Okay, so. You know Nico’s hidden quote ? It’s “why should I own up for the mistakes someone else made?”, if you’re wondering.

There’s another reason they don’t feel like they belong.

There’s this running thread of Nico misunderstanding social cues, causing conflict and being scorned for it, but never being explained why those social cues exist, leading to them confused on why something so arbitrary is held to such importance. This causes this cycle that they’re just expected to escape, yet not being given the understanding or tools to do.

[ID: Three screenshots of Nico from the same episode. Nico looks down at their hands, then scratches their chin, then buries the bottom half of their face in their shirt. Transcript: If you’re having dinner and want someone to pass the salt, you can say, “Please pass the salt,” or you can say “Give me the salt.” / One of those things is supposed to be more polite than the other, right? But why? They both meant the same thing. They’re just slightly different mixes of words. / It’s like that. I don’t understand why some mixes of words come off as ‘rude’ and some don’t, even if they mean tthe same thing. End ID]

I suspect the hidden quote is of Nico snapping, of not caring about being polite or nice anymore. They are already honest, which escalated their animosity with Ace, but this time they’re not caving if someone tells them that they’re being “too blunt” about it.

What do I have to do To be loved, loved by you

But it was never on purpose. They are not “blunt” or “brutally honest” to Ace or David whoever because they want to build that kind of reputation. I think these lyrics are suggesting a culmination of their arc, “What can I do to be loved ? Why should I apologise in place of the person who did hurt you ? Why am I constantly apologising for my existence ?

How do I win over people like you?”

I am fully aware that I may be reaching, but if you see the song as a representation of Nico’s rage and resentment that they had to “hold down by drawing pins”, you can at the very least see where I’m coming from.

Teruko is Good Grief

[pt: Teruko Tawaki is Good Grief]

Good Grief by Bastille, aka the last song on the playlist !

I’ve seen people say it’s a Whit song, or a Charles song, and I see it ! Death is very important in both of their arcs, and so is their way of mourning. However, I feel like it couldn’t be anyone but Teruko, and I also feel like there’s a very important part of her that people often forget.

[ID: Two screenshots from the episode 1 of the first chapter. They are lines of Teruko’s inner monologue. Transcript: His name, her face, it’s just barely out of reach. I claw and grasp through the dusty haze of my memories. / Choking on my nostalgia, I keep begging for you to come back. End ID]

[ID: A screenshot from chapter 1 episode 9 of Mai Akasaki turning around and smiling at the viewer. End ID]

Teruko mourns.

At the very least, she tries. She misses people. She grieves. That is what drives her distrust—she knows how much love hurts, and doesn’t want to feel that way.

[ID: A screenshot from chapter 2 episode 3. Teruko playing with succulents in her room as if they are dolls. One succulent has an eyepatch and knife, and the other has a knife and a sticky note, with a cowlick resembling Teruko’s. End ID]

Even in this silly moment of Teruko playing with cacti—it shows she didn’t WANT Xander to die ! She misses him. She wishes it could’ve gone better and blames herself for trusting—and notice how Xander in this scenario stands by her side.

Every minute and every hour I miss you, I miss you, I miss you more

She “chokes on her nostalgia” when she thinks of two unnamed people, “begging them to come back”. Will she ever admit it? Fuck no are you kidding me she couldn’t be emotionally vulnerable to save her Life. But Teruko constantly loses and is never given time or space to mourn (That is what I meant when I said she tries), and it’s led her to bottling and hiding them to further isolate herself, to prevent her from losing the ones she loves again.

In my thoughts you're far away And you are whistling the melody, Whistling the melody Crystallising clear as day Oh I can picture you so easily, Picture you so easily

Again, the two people are “far away”, she’s half forgotten after all. But Mai Akasaki’s image is as clear as day. Her memories are one of the only traces of Mai we have at all.

I could repeat myself over and over with pretty much every lyric of this song in particular, so I suggest seeking it out and listening to it yourself. I cannot stress enough how much this song SCREAMS Teruko to me

Overall, I’m fully ready to be wrong. I do not have a great track record when predicting story arcs. However, I have thought about this for a very intense bit of time, so this is to work as a way to get my thoughts out there.

I have a few hunches, like Shun-Ran for David or Jotaro’s theme for Xander, but both are just hunches, and neither are as strong as the four above.

Anyways, have a great day ! holy shit this is over 1.7K words excluding the image descriptions.

#drdt #danganronpa despair time #rose lacroix #charles cuevas #nico hakobyan #teruko tawaki #meta #nooty lore #anyways Hi. this was a fuckign pain to format

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velvet-paradox · 6 months

Text

Heartstrings (Part Four)

Pairing: Vessel x Female reader

Length: Long

Warnings: NSFW, 18 + ONLY, reader discretion advised, in which Vessel tells you the truth.

Tagging: @synnersaintt @megangovier20 @thesoundresoundsecho @marmalademary

ENJOY!!!

It's quiet.

Everything is muffled, underwater.

Streaks of black stain and drip over the side of the tub like spiders legs. Vessel holds his breath under the water. It's surprisingly large enough to house his lithe frame, suspended in time, his mind reeling and with the weightless thoughts he's suddenly disrupted he nearly drowns. He opens his eyes under the murky water in time to see Sleep hanging over the shower curtain, red smoky paws propped under its' chin.

"Don't do that!" Vessel sputtered and wiped at his bare face, coughing up little hiccups of water.

"There's something you should know."

"Can't it wait? Jesus." Vessel huffed and sat up, splashing more water over onto the floor.

"I suppose it could but by then it will be too late."

"Too late for what?" Vessel pulled out the plug, the chain tickled his foot and he watched as the water disappeared revealing him in his glorious birthday suit. Sleep didn't care or couldn't be bothered to look away from his position, just watched with narrowed black eyes. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all, host."

Vessel sighed, and stood up, wrapping his waist with a fluffy, actually an extra fluffy towel. He secured it then gave his full attention to Sleep, even if he did huff and puff about it.

"Now, what is just so important?"

"He's a liar." Sleep spat, as if the words held venom and by the look on the little creatures' scrunched red face, it just might be.

"Who? Who are you talking about?"

"Who do you think, sir? Y/N's fiancé. He's a phony! I'm surprised she didn't see it, he practically reeks of it. Foul thing to lie to the one you're supposed to love. He must be dealt with."

Vessel frowned. "What makes you think that?"

"Oh I do not think it my dear, Vessel. Oh no. I know it! I know a trickster when I see one," Sleep scoffed and swayed around the top of the medicine cabinet, sitting as politely as an otherworldly cat with six black eyes can. "I overheard him this morning, his conversation sounded promising so I went into his room and all was revealed."

Vessel started to panic. That awful ache in his chest made his stomach hot and his mouth sour.

"Go on."

"Well you see my dear boy…"

….

He hated it. Every second that passed seemed to linger a little too long, set the pace and tone for the dinner. Vessel was never uncertain about Sleep and what the red deity was completely capable of, always took his advice since the incident, had followed along its' path and yet he didn't have a single reason not to trust, right?

But as he sat, albeit uncomfortably beside you at some swanky restaurant in an industrial area of the city, he couldn't help but wonder if Sleep was playing tricks. Although he'd mentioned time and time again, much like old Louie had, that you two were destined to be together. Vessel could never say for sure but he hadn't been led astray so far and whether you knew it or not, the truth was in stone or so Sleep would mumble.

Breakable stones, apparently.

This guy, this Zeke guy, your fiancé was your soulmate. Not Vessel.

He poked around at the roasted vegetables on his plate, adorning everyone's features in this low lighting, the glimmer of your engagement ring. He clutched the necklace when III nearly fell out of his chair with his dramatic story, something new he'd learned about Elephants was very exciting to him.

You grabbed onto him and nearly toppled yourself over as well if it weren't for Vessel's turbo reflexes. He'd just grabbed the crook of your elbow, a mysterious white hot jab to his palm made him jolt. III settled down but when you looked at him, really looked at him, he felt as if you could see his whole life story (including the absent three year hiatus), a collection of thoughts and memories and the unknowns of the future.

"Are you really okay? You were so quiet at dinner." You asked, walking back to the hotel behind the others. Zeke was flowery in his own storytelling, II was eating it up like a fresh baked pie but IV had been skeptical. Looking over his shoulder and pretending to hang himself out of boredom.

"Yeah yeah I'm fine. Just tired you know. Jetlag and all." He said with a shrug. His palm still pulsed a bit.

"I'm glad you came. I don't what I would've done if you didn't." You admitted.

"You would still be getting married." That words filled his mouth dirt. He looked down when he felt your arm hook around his.

"I don't know. I feel like I need your approval for some reason. You wouldn't lead me astray."

Vessel didn't know what to say so he kept his mouth shut, patting your hand until you made back to the hotel and your respected rooms.

….

"She's gotta' know by now right?" IV asked the next afternoon, tapping his chin as he paced the room. "Sleep wouldn't just lie about something like that, would he?"

Vessel shrugged. All the blood rushing to his head as laid upside down on one of the stiff and scratchy recliners. III looked incredibly spindly from this angle, he thought.

"Oh shit! Is it here? Is Sleep in here, listening?" IV rolled off the bed and circled himself around, eyes frantic through the peep holes of his mask. If he didn't stop soon he'd be dizzy and sick and no one needed any of that mess, including housekeeping.

Vessel remained silent. Truth was Sleep never left his side. Well not exactly his side, he wasn't attached to the creature, not bodily, but Vessel would get little glimpses of those piercing, watchful inky eyes, wisps of crimson out of the corner of his eye. A few times Vessel had seen Sleep resting, unnoticed on one of their shoulders or at their feet.

"Well we gotta' tell her, right? We can't let this go on like this! She'll be absolutely heartbroken."

"Or worse." II chimed in.

"How do you mean?"

II sighed and slouched even further into the other recliner. "She could think were trying to ruin her big day. Alright so, say we do tell her 'hey Y/N by the way this chump is lying to you and isn't your true forever mate but because he see's how much of a catch you are and how lucky he'd be to lock you away, he's been pretending so.' Yeah, that sounds HORRIBLE. Or that we might be jealous. Ves should be the one to feel that shock, not that poser."

Blood pounded in Vessel's ears at II's words. Yes it would be terrible to hear something like that from close friends about your supposedly sacred mate. But… the shock part. Vessel squinted and sat up, shivering as he got a rush.

"What kind of shock?"

II snorted and crossed his hands over his belly. "Oh come now, you know. Didn't you pay attention in any of your classes?"

II cleared his throat and pretended to straighten some invisible tie before reciting the following:

Once one finds their mate,

Everything becomes white and clear,

For the shock of fate,

Makes them let go of fear

"Sheesh, you think you of all people would remember that!"

….

He hadn't. He must've forgotten it. Flashbacks of sitting in the back of his classes, doodling and filling the wide ruled pages of his notebooks with everything but lasting information. Back in the days of his "jester" make up, his happiness, reeking of coffee beans and tricks played. Eating SpaghettiO's cold, right out of the can as you and him would swing in gentle unison.

Zeke didn't come off as jealous as he sat with the guys, you'd banged on their hotel room door begging them to come out. You were desperate for a dance, like old times. Vessel even broke a smile as he watched III twirl you down the carpeted hallway.

You and III hadn't lost your rhythm or chemistry on the dance floor, the music of the club was smooth and easy enough to tap his feet to. Vessel looked over to see Zeke checking out some other girl in a low cut top adjust her cleavage. A wandering eye and a liar. Fucks sake.

IV and II noticed too, keeping their eyes on the new prey.

"Nice rack, right?" II's voice broke through the silence.

Zeke beamed like she'd actually flashed them, nodding with his bottom lip his teeth. IV grunted next to Vessel, he silently agreed.

"Not bad. I've seen better."

Vessel wanted to throw his drink in Zeke's face, cause a scene, expose him for all to see. But he didn't. You didn't need that. He instead slammed it in case he got the urge to follow through with whatever the man before him came up with.

"Y/N's are great, don't me wrong boys but… there's nothing like a fresh pair. The lead up to it, the adreanaline, the rush. She hates when I got to strip clubs, why get worked up to not fuck a stripper when I could just do her instead?"

As vulgar as Zeke made his plight, Vessel did quietly agree. Even if he did a piss poor mock of your voice. If he had a beautiful woman (and not just any woman but his fucking mate!) at home who would do what he liked, why waste time and money?

Zeke sat back, confidently, a little too confidently by Vessel's standards really. "That's why I don't tell her anymore."

Thankfully the glass in Vessel's hand was plastic as it would've been in shards on the floor.

"You lie to her?" IV asked.

"A little white lie here and there never hurt anyone."

"But you just said--"

"I know what I said! Sorry. I uh, no harm no foul. What she doesn't know and I do expect you lot to keep those mouths of yours shut, won't kill her. You wouldn't want to ruin her big, beautiful day now would you? Didn't think so. I trust you guys know better than that so… I'm gonna' go get another drink and grind up on my fiancé. Excuse me, lads."

Zeke got up, patted Vessel's shoulder smugly and left the table.

"I'm gonna' get him." II growled and stood, only for Vessel to grab his wrist and drag him back down.

"Don't."

"Ves--"

"I know. I know. We'll tell her, I promise."

"Yeah when? The wedding is three days, man!"

Vessel knew that. He swallowed hard and saw you spinning with III, a take on Jack and Rose in Titanic. Though it looked incredibly strange for this long legged man to be twirling so quickly with a girl two heads shorter.

He'd be the one to break it to you. It would only be fair.

Right?

….

Vessel paced the long hallway the next night. Up and down, touch the elevator doors then walk back to the bay window and touch the cool glass that overlooked the pool. You swam lap after lap, languid and gentle as falling snow. Vessel paced the hall one more time. Two more times. Poor guy was trying to hype himself up to deliver the news.

"What are you doing up?"

Your voice alerted through the quiet of the hall.

Vessel turned to see you by the elevator bank he'd just left, standing there like a vision in black. You wore a sheer and lacy swimsuit cover up, your flip flops squished with water from the pool.

He should have just gone down there, he thought. What if you screamed, what if you cried, what if you wailed like a banshee in the night at the truth of Zeke's betrayal? Would you wake the whole hotel, cause rife and chaos, break out in fight?

Vessel panicked but let you walk up on him, allowed you and only you to touch his mask, cup his cheek, pinch his painted chin. To his surprise another hot jolt of electricity hit him in the gut.

"What's wrong?" You asked, lingering there and smelling of chlorine and whatever it was your wore or maybe it was just you he was smelling. Mates could scent each other after all.

"I uh, I um… can we talk?"

"Of course," you said instantly, taking his wrist and walked further down the hallway. "Zeke said he was gonna' stay out a bit longer, hang with his boys before the wedding."

Vessel bit his tongue, last nights' unscrupulous conversations sans your ears made him instantly picture your fiancé at a strip club, face deep in oiled tits. It made him hot.

"So, what you do wanna' talk about?" You asked once inside your room, the smell of your perfume or lotion or scrub or something Vessel wasn't even aware of reeked, in a good way of course. Just a bit more overpowering. Hints and wisps of Zeke wafted from the double sink vanity in the bathroom. You settled down your things and stood facing your former best friend.

"Zeke--"

"I knew it! You don't like him do you? Vessel he's my person; he knew my phrase, the zing thing. I was really hoping you'd approve." You sounded so sad as you moved away from him, wrapping your arms around yourself.

Vessel hadn't even said anything and you were already distraught.

"It's not that its just… he's not right. The things he's doing, the lies, the betrayal, his attitude is just all sorts of wrong. I know love is sometimes blind but, you've got to see things as they are."

"Lies? Betrayal?" You gave him a quizzical glare and marched back to him. Your scent growing even stronger. "What are you talking about?"

He took a deep breath before unleashing all his knowledge about the situation. He didn't know how you'd take it. What your reaction might be.

It certainly wasn't a slap to his face.

Vessel didn't taste blood but he checked just the same, wiping his mouth, adjusting his mask.

"Get out."

"I'm sorry Y/N. But I'm not the one you should be made at."

"I said: GET OUT!" You shouted again, shoving him towards the door with tears welling up in your eyes, your face scrunched as you sobbed for air.

"If you don't believe me," Vessel took off the necklace, held it out in his palm as he stood out in the hallway then. "Game."

"I don't want it!"

"Take it," Vessel held back his own tears, thankful for the crafted mesh eyes, you couldn't see them pregnantly well up. "It's your turn."

You reluctantly took the necklace and shut the door in his face, making his cape billow with the force of it. He touched the door when he heard you start to sob behind it. He pictured you sliding down its' length, covering your face in your hands. Would you lock Zeke out? Would you confront him straight away? Would you--

"You did the right thing, Vessel." Sleep announced, coiling around his feet.

"Did I? She's a mess right now because of me." He sniffled, gripping his keycard.

"Ah ah, not because of you, because of what you told her. That's a big difference, my boy. You're surely bright enough to know that," Sleep leapt up onto Vessel's shoulder, even gave him a little pat on the cheek with his paw. "There there, host. Let her breathe. She'll understand."

….

None of them seemed to understand how you were going through with all of this. The rehearsal dinner goes on as scheduled, only difference is your lack of enthusiasm. You greeted the guys and everyone who was invited but you just looked at Vessel, he could tell you'd been crying still.

But he did see that you wore the necklace.

He moved II out of the way at the little buffet line, plating up food he knew he wouldn't be able to stomach.

"Game."

"What?" You whispered back to him, pouring gravy over some mashed potatoes.

"You heard me. Are you game?"

"Vessel please-"

"If you really love him you'll play."

With a huff you looked at him, holding up the line.

"I'm still pissed at you."

"I know." Vessel hushed his voice down and gave you a little nudge to keep it moving. "I promise I'm not trying to hurt you. I only want you to be safe, cared for. Don't you know that?"

"No, Ves I don't." Your voice paused, watery and once again on the verge of tears but you saved face and stared up at the popcorn ceiling of the venue before finding your table. "I don't know anything anymore."

That hurt more than intended.

You were lost. All those years ago ihe'd been the one to be lost, didn't know which end was up, if he was on an even path of destrcution or pleasure. You'd been there to guide him along the way. You were there for him when he needed it most and Vessel was damn sure he'd serve you the same dish.

The sudden slam of a SpaghettiO's can on the tablecloth made everyone jump.

Your eyes were wild when they met Vessel's.

III looked at II who looked at Vessel then to you. All their blue eyes were focused on you.

"The hells' that for?" Zeke asked through a mouthful of food.

You stared silently at the can.

"Honey? What is that?" He asked again, bumping your arm.

"Game?"

You straightened and reached for the can, another stinger to Vessel's fingertips this time when you touched. You locked eyes and slid the can towards you, looking at it fondly.

"Game."

"What?"

"It's her favorite thing, but of course you know that don't you Zeke? Being Y/N's mate and all o' that. Keeps them neatly tucked away in all corners," Vessel mused, remembering that one time you'd so conveniently stashed two cans of the quick meal above your stove like a trying-to-quit-one-more-time smoker. There just in case of an emergency. "Probably brought some with her."

"Is that a joke?"

II choked on his Redbull, knowing full well that ALL mates know their partners specialties of choice. Vessel tilted his head as you looked at Zeke. He should know that answer.

"You know I eat them all the time."

"Yeah and it's fucking weird but you're weird so I didn't think of it. I didn't know they were your favorite all time but I mean, I know what you like otherwise."

"I'm weird?"

"In a good way."

You scoffed and started to spin the can on the table. "Tell me then, what's my favorite dessert?"

The people at the table tried to pry, tried to listen in on "happy" couple as tension grew like vines.

Sleep poked his little head out from between the crook of your elbow, it winked one full side of eyes at Vessel the turned its' head upside down like an owl and peered up at you thoughtfully.

"Carrot cake. Duh."

You blinked at Zeke.

"What? Or is it German Chocolate…"

"I don't like dessert."

"What? Of course you do babe, I've seen you eat chocolate every month."

"Only for a week."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh."

"Babe come on it's not that--"

"What was my first car?"

Zeke was in a visible panic, Sleep was now totally invested and showing bleach white fangs in glee, III and IV had their hands on their glasses but stilled them in thin air.

"I don't-"

"You don't know?" As if Vessel was tuned into you like an AM radio, he could hear the wavering in your voice, the realization, the coming to terms that maybe just maybe he was right. He hated the defeated look on your painted up face. Hopefully your mascara was waterproof.

You shot him a watery look then across the table.

"Excuse me."

You abruptly got up, screeched back your chair and stomped towards the exit. The wedding party just stared and murmured what a shame Zeke couldn't remember his mates' particulars. Things that should come rushing to the surface. They went back to eating and chatting, while Zeke shifted and looked uncomfortable but not amused, Vessel noticed that the can of SpaghettiO's was missing from the table.

He found you by the pool.

Swaying your feet in the cool water, the can of food tipped towards your mouth.

"Hey."

You pulled the can away, a ring of sweet red sauce around your bottom lip. You swallowed and gave him a sad little wave.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For ruining your night. Well… nights', plural that is." Vessel crouched down next to you.

"I should be the one apologizing to you. For three years ago, for reaching out after all this time. For slapping you when clearly you knew more than me. For thinking… I don't even know what I was thinking," you sniffed and looked down into the half eaten/drunk can of pasta rings. "I just missed you. The first thing I thought of when Zeke proposed was you. I wanted to share something major in my life, something eccentric was happening to me and I wanted you there. I needed you there."

Vessel touched your shoulder eventually. "I'll always be there."

"I am really sorry for dragging you into this."

"You didn't drag me into anything. You know you can't make me do anything I don't want to do."

You looked over at him with half a smile and an offer of what was left in the can.

"That's not true."

Your eeyes shone bright when Vessel wiped the corner of your mouth. You jerked and opened your mouth but thought against whatever it was you were going to say. Instead you got up, told him you had to go.

He watched you leave, shaking your head and mumbling to yourself. Of course you needed time to process your next move. Vessel's shoulders sagged when he saw you stop at the doors, look back at him one last time then disappeared into the hotel.

#vessel x reader #eventual vessel x reader #vessel x female reader #sleep token fic #sleep token imagine #my work #vessel imagine #sleep token fanfic #sleep token fan fiction #vessel fanfic #vessel fanfiction #next chapter will be the last one!#ENJOY!!!

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preciouslandmermaid · 2 years

Text

nothing’s gonna hurt you baby (carmy x f!reader) - part 11

Note: We’ve had literally yearning for 6 chapters. Six whole chapters. Time for the payoff. Buckle up, this is a long one! Also, I didn’t beta or edit this sdkfjsl.

Warnings/Tags: 18+ Content! Minors DNI. (f!oral receiving, sexual content, cursing/swearing, smoking).

Synopsis: After reading a glowing review for The Beef, you head over at the end of your day to deliver a congratulatory gift of lemon-bars to the hardworking staff (and maybe it’s an excuse to see Carmy. Maybe).

Once you arrive, you learn how badly the day went, and your relationship to Carmy reaches an inevitable breaking point.

(Read on Ao3) /// (Masterpost)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dani finished reading the review out loud to the staff while you’re baking the morning sheets of vanilla and chocolate cake. Personally, you thought this particular food critic was a hack, but any good review would be beneficial for The Beef’s business. And Carmy mentioned they’d be turning on their ‘to-go’ feature soon. You smiled to yourself at the internal change that occurred over these past months. Once upon a time, you hoped for his downfall, and now you were congratulating his employees.

“Wowza.” Ted exclaimed with a grin. “That’s really something.”

Leslie suggested, “We ought to give them a gift.”

You drummed your fingers on your chin. Your conversations with Sydney were few and far in between, but Marcus, Tina, and Carmy respected her, and you respected them. Richie didn’t like her much—so that gave you all the more reason to like her.

“I think Syd likes lemon bars?” You ventured a guess, “We were talking about desserts, and I remember she mentioned a dish with citrus being her favorite.”

“We can make those.” Dani nodded, “It wouldn’t take long, either.”

You smiled. “Great.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You waited until after service before walking over to The Beef. It wouldn’t make sense to try and catch them during either of their rushes. They wouldn’t have time to appreciate the gift. And, if you’re being completely honest, you wanted to see everyone’s reaction.

Carmy’s especially.

You didn’t bother with the front door and circled straight to the back. You expected to find a few employees smoking, not a Baroque painting of exhaustion, grief, and anxiety. Richie’s forehead leaned into his palm with his elbows on his knees. Ebra stared into the distance holding a plastic to-go cup filled with water. Tina’s eyes were glued to her phone, her expression troubled, and a little angry. Carmy wasn’t out here.

Louie, Tina’s son, perked up once he saw you. Why the hell was he here?

“Hey!” He brightened with a little smile, “You’re Dani’s friend.”

You snorted. “I’m Dani’s Boss.” You lifted the tray of lemon bars while walking toward them, “And I come bearing gifts to commemorate the sparkling review in The Telegraph.”

“That guy’s a hack.” Richie looked perturbed, “and it’s not exactly a celebratory mood right now.” He gestured to his hip, “I got stabbed.”

“Oh, shit!” Your eyebrows jumped toward your hairline. Ebra took a lemon bar off the tray with a grateful, excited smile.

Tina added, “Syd and Marcus walked out.”

“Fuck.”

Your mind immediately jumped to Carmy. How was he coping with all this? You set the tray of lemon bars on the open bench and quickly wiped your palms. Syd and Marcus? You recalled Marcus’ passion and thirst for knowledge from your interview. Months ago, you would’ve celebrated this loss, and hired Marcus for your business. But that wasn’t you anymore. Your veins froze over, and a knot of anxiety twisted inside your gut.

If Carmy wasn’t here, then did that mean he was inside? Shit. Your sneaker scraped against the pavement when your body naturally pivoted toward the door.

Richie sighed, a plume of smoke trailing from his nostrils, “You gonna check on your boyfriend or what?”

“He’s not—” You groaned, shaking your head, “Doesn’t matter. Is he inside?”

Tina nodded. “In his office.” You gave her a tentative, brief smile.

She called to your retreating back, “Good luck, Chica!”

“Yeah! He’s a big baby!” Richie yelled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The temperature dropped by several degrees the moment you entered The Beef. It wasn’t a literal change. In fact, the restaurant was warm, and smelled like smoke, with edges of burned chicken and sour giardiniera. But there was a tension and coldness to the air. You offered subdued, passing smiles to Manny and Angel and Sweeps.

Carmy’s office door was shut. You chewed the inside of your cheek. You considered walking away and texting him later once the dust settled. But he came into your office when you were having an emotional breakdown. It’s only fair that you returned the favor.

“Hey!” You slammed your palm on the door a few times, “Open up. It’s me.”

“Not right now,” came Carmy’s struggled reply.

You jiggled the knob. Locked. You pressed your cheek to the cool, quiet wood and said, “I bet Fak has a set of keys.”

His office was the size of a closet. It shouldn’t take him more than a minute to reach over and unlock it. But it felt like an eternity passed before the doorknob turned under your hand. You slipped through and shut it behind you. The room was bathed in the low, yellowish light of his lamp and smelled faintly of cigarettes. Carmy sat in his office chair less than a foot away. He looked as if someone just ran him through with a sword. The lines on his face were drawn, his eyes heavy and exhausted, a sheen of sweat and grease saturated his hair.

“It’s not a good time.” He said, rubbing his fingers over his forehead.

“It never is.” You shrugged and rested your bottom against the metal edge of his desk. Your fingertips nearly brushed. Your left foot almost touched his. Your skin prickled with keen awareness at the breathing space between you. So close, yet so very far. You tore your gaze from his face and smirked at the white-board drawings.

Carmy looked behind him, “What?”

“Richie drew some very similar designs on my board.”

“Of-fucking-course he did.” He scowled.

Your head tilted. Something was…strange…about his tone. Ever since the Fourth of July fireworks, you noticed Carmy’s tone sharpened when it came stories about you and Richie. You assumed it was the usual, nearly-sibling-type annoyance. Richie could be a major asshole, but he grew on you like a non-toxic fungus. He wasn’t a bad guy. He was just a dumb, sad jerk. Did Carmy and Richie have some secret rivalry or disagreement? Wait…

You gasped. “Did you stab Richie?!”

“What?” Carmy scoffed, “No!”

“You’ve been weird every time I’ve brought him up!”

“I – no – I can’t fucking do this today, alright?” He threw his hands into the air and dragged them down his face. “Not today.”

You disliked that he avoided the question. You would have to try and figure it out another time because today wasn’t about Richie. It was about Carmy and how he was coping after Sydney and Marcus bailed. That’s why you were here. You stepped closer, away from the desk, and your knees bumped into his.

“What happened?”

“It was a fucking shitshow, that’s all.” He snapped, “Same as every other fucking day here.”

“Such a shitshow that you locked yourself in your office?”

His jaw flexed and he looked away from you, “What? I can’t have a moment of—a moment of fucking peace?” He said and gestured with a firm, straight hand.

You crossed your arms over your chest. You weren’t buying it. No way. You closed yourself up in your office because you were on the brink of losing your goddamn mind. Now, you weren’t trying to project, but you recognized when someone had their claws out just because they didn’t wany anyone to worry about them.

“Now will you go?” He returned his exhausted gaze to yours, “Please?”

“Only if you agree to something.”

“Fine. Whatever.” He gave a small shake of his head, “What is it?”

“I get to come over after you’re done here.” You said. His eyes widened in shock. You saw the gears turning in his mind to back out of the deal and take something else. But your mind was made up. You weren’t going to let him be alone tonight. He just lost two of his people and you weren’t going to abandon him too.

“W-what? Wh-why?”

You smirked. “You owe me a sleepover.”

At his confused expression, you reached over and lightly patted the side of his cheek. He blinked at you in a stupor and your heart made a funny little somersault like it was auditioning for the Olympics.

“Chin up.” You said, “It’ll be a blast.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carmy stared at his office door after it shut behind you. Today was worse than a shitshow. Today was a fucking cosmic horror of catastrophe. He lost his shit. People were (rightfully) pissed off at him. The To-Go system was insanity. He lost Syd. He lost Marcus (and his donut was fucking fire and now Carmy wouldn’t even have the chance to tell him). Syd was right. He was a piece of shit. An asshole. No better than the chef he worked with in New York. The Beef was fucked, he was fucked, and everything else was chaos and ruin.

Until you.

You showed up like golden salvation and he wanted—Carmy pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He wanted so badly to just hold you. Not kiss you, or fuck you, or profess his messed-up feelings. He wanted to indulge in the simple pleasure of wrapping his arms tight around your body and nuzzling his face against your shoulder. He wanted to be comforted by you. He wanted to smell the warm, sweet powder of your laundry detergent that clung to your clothes. How pathetic was that? He had his worst day at the Beef since he started working and all he wanted to do was forget about it and be with you.

Well, he got his wish.

“Fuck.” He scrubbed one hand over his face, “Fuck.” You were coming over tonight. His place was a wreck. He always imagined he’d have twenty-four hours to clean up the place and make it presentable. However, reality was harsher, and you’d end up seeing his apartment in all its grimy glory.

He sighed heavily and got to his feet.

A mote of lightness lingered in the shell of his chest. It belonged to the tentative excitement of seeing you later. You were something—someone— to look forward to. He recognized the selfishness and couldn’t find the energy, or the resolve, to extinguish the flame.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carmy opened his door with a mild shrug and self-deprecating frown. “This is it.”

You breezed into the apartment, barely a cursory glance around, and settled your hands on your hips. You’d seen worse. His place looked as if he just moved in. There were a few unpacked boxes in the kitchen near the table and no decoration to speak of. He could use a piece of artwork or two. Or maybe an unkillable cactus by the window to liven it up.

You asked, “You hungry?”

“Nah.” Carmy said, shaking his head.

“Then at least take a shower.”

Carmy leveled you with a semi-serious look, but a faint—so faint it’s nearly a ghost—smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“Did you come over just to boss me around?”

“Yes.” You said without missing a beat.

A long time ago, your grandfather issued the same level of annoying, bossy care. You were a teenager at the time and your bad mood had morphed darker and deeper. Your mom hardly noticed that you slept more hours than you were awake. But your grandfather stubbornly refused to leave your room until you showered and ate a single piece of toast. He came by every morning to check-in. He made sure you knew, above all else, that you had him.

Your throat prickled with grief. You turned away from Carmy and pretended to look at his kitchen countertop, touching the wooden spoons on the stove. You needed Carmy to know that he had you. He wasn’t alone. Romantic feelings aside, you were friends, and you looked out for each other.

He shrugged, fishing his cigarettes out of his front pocket, “I can shower in the morning.”

“No way!” You snatched the cigarette from his mouth, “Carmen.”

His brow furrowed. “What?”

Your shoulders relaxed imperceptibly beneath his tired, blue eyes. You schooled all joviality and teasing from your expression and tone. It was important he took care of himself. He couldn’t bury his head in the sand and keep trudging along like a beast of burden.

“Do you trust me?”

“Y-yeah. Yeah, of course.”

“Then trust me when I say you’ll feel better after a shower.”

He bristled. “I feel fine.”

“Well, you look like shit.” You held out your open palm, “Cigarettes, please. You can have them back after your shower.”

His eyelashes fluttered and a familiar confused light entered his expression. “You’re being more bullheaded than usual.”

You bit the inside of your cheek to stop yourself from rolling your eyes.

He paused, licking his lips, “Why?”

Your jaw slackened. You stared up at him in the quiet light of his kitchen, his unlit cigarette pinched between your index and middle finger, the refrigerator buzzing next to you. Wasn’t it obvious? You cared about him. Sometimes you cared about him a little too much, a little too hard, but you were sick of shoving those feelings into a box and denying them. It didn’t matter if Carmy didn’t feel the same way. It didn’t matter that he was uninterested in dating. Your big, stupid heart liked him. You might as well spell it out for him since he continued to be obtuse.

“You had a shit day,” You said, “And I care about you.”

“Everyone had a shit day.” Carmy pressed his lips together. “Richie got stabbed.” He raised his eyebrows as if expecting a unique reaction from you. You merely blinked, mildly annoyed at his avoidance, and confused by his mention of Richie. Who cared if Richie got stabbed? He probably deserved it.

“Okay. And?”

“I don’t know.” He huffed. “His issue’s bigger than mine.”

“I’m not friends with Richie.” You proclaimed. “I’m friends with you.”

You placed Carmy’s cigarette between your lips and talked around it, “And you’re right, Richie’s issues are bigger than yours, but I don’t wanna be the one to try and tackle them.”

Carmy smiled softly and your heart melted. You were so stupidly into him that it was embarrassing. He finally agreed to shower and left you alone with blue-gray cigarette smoke twirling above your head.

You waited until you heard the shower turn on before snooping through his small, undecorated apartment.

The kitchen refrigerator was desolate. A loaf of bread, jar of grape jelly, and a few cans of Coca-Cola and that was it. You winced. Your own fridge and pantry weren’t much better, but at least you had a few vegetables rotting in the crisper drawer. There were a bunch of folded denim jackets in the oven. Your face pinched in confusion. Who kept clothes in the oven? You made a mental note to ask about that later.

His bedroom wasn’t as exciting as you hoped. A red and orange striped blanket hung above the unmade bed. A white ashtray, alarm clock, and a virtually empty bottle of pink Pepto-Bismol rested on his nightstand. Everything about his apartment thus far felt featureless and transitional. This wasn’t a home. He didn’t live here - this was only the place where he kept his stuff. Your heart clenched at that revelation.

You gently smoothed his blankets until something bright near the door caught the edge of your vision. It couldn’t be.

Your fingertips touched the delicate origami crane hanging from the ceiling by a thin, fishing wire. It was unmistakably yours. He not only kept it, but he brought it home with him. You touched the sharp beak to your lips and closed your eyes for a lingering moment of gratitude and too-many-emotions at once. You released the crane from your tender grasp. It swung leisurely on the line. You were happy to know that it was here and watching over him. A piece of you, forever folded and flying in the corner of Carmy’s bedroom.

You wandered into the living room and located the single, solitary evidence of Carmy’s whole personality and career. A mountainous stack of cookbooks. A smile pulled at your lips. You snuffed your cigarette out on the coffee-table ashtray and sat on the floor beside them.

You opened a cookbook in your lap. You flipped through the pages, heart swelling at the notes annotated in the margins, the neon highlight across measurements and important ingredients. You set one aside and flipped through another. Your fingertips lovingly tracing the cramped, dark ink of Carmy’s handwriting. Well-loved. These pieces of him were adored, cared for, used but not worn or falling apart.

Some of his notes were practical like ‘better with a roux’, or ‘add 2tbsp not 1.’ Others were scathing and blustering with self-importance. He wrote ‘inedible. Too much salt’ or ‘it’s bad. Do not make this’. You smiled down at the cookbook.

Your heart blossomed with warmth, with quiet simmering affection, and gentle yearning. He might’ve started cooking because of Mikey, but you could plainly see his love for it. You saw how his love for his brother transitioned into what he could create and communicate with food.

You thought of the lunch he made and delivered after your dad visited. You flipped to the table of contents, checking, and then turned to the lemon chicken piccata. A yellow sticky-note bookmarked the page. Carmy’s tight, neat handwriting greeted you – literally – because it was your name on the post-it note.

Your heart stuttered and your eyes misted with unshed tears. He looked this up and made it for you. He tried to harass your dad into leaving you alone. He called you after your interview because he wanted to know how you were feeling. Your heart swelled and all the pieces clicked into place. A hopeful, resplendent ‘What If’ bubbled to the surface of your thoughts. What if you were wrong about your interaction during the Fourth of July fireworks? What if you trusted yourself and your instincts? All the physical evidence – his food, your crane, the shared cigarettes, your passing glances and lingering embrace, every quiet phone call in the dark and wordless moments charged with electricity. Your bones thrummed with want.

What if it wasn’t hopeless? What if he wanted to be with you? You idly turned to another page, lost in thought, your brow furrowed. To be fair—you never asked him outright. You simply alluded to a future, ambiguous desire to date in the future. You never clarified and perhaps you should have because you’re sitting on his floor instead of sharing the shower with him.

“What are you doing?”

Droplets of water dripped into his eyes from his curly bangs and onto his soft cotton t-shirt. The rumpled chaos that lived inside Carmy’s expression was hushed and softened by the low, intimate light of his living room.

“Looking for something to make, obviously.” You said with a pointed, overly dramatic roll of your eyes.

He stepped closer and glanced at your open page. He tilted his head to read it.

He said, “I’m fresh out of snails.”

“Bummer.”

You turned to another page at random. “Okay, how about seared swordfish with lemon grass and rice pilaf?”

“I think you’re overestimating my pantry.”

He sat next to you, legs crossed, and opened his hands to receive the book. Your arms and shoulders brushed as you passed it over. The book laid open like a holy offering in his lap. And he skated his tattooed hands across the page with silent reverence.

You leaned your chin onto his shoulder and tenderly asked, “Which one is your favorite?”

“From this book or in general?”

“The book first.” Your skin prickled with warmth. You inhaled deeply, smelling soap and shampoo, clean and sharp.

“Hm.” Carmy chewed his lower lip, pages turned, but your eyes stayed glued to him. “This one.”

He glanced at you briefly and raised his eyebrows, likely expecting you to pull away and look down.

You tilted forward and kissed him. His surprised grunt puffed softly against your lips.

You drew away, chastised and embarrassed, feeling more and more like the worlds’ biggest idiot. Carmy experienced his worst day in the restaurant, and you were making moves on him. Despicable. Deplorable. You were the worst friend. You panicked with wide, nervous eyes. You didn’t even know with if he still liked you. Your actions were a gamble on hope and foolishness. You needed to backtrack, have a conversation, make things right before you lost him completely. Anxiety swirled in your stomach with a venomous power.

“I’m—” Your apology vanished beneath the firm pressure of Carmy’s mouth.

His hand lifted from the glossy pages, a smudge of ink on his thumb, and he cradled your jaw. You deepened the kiss in response and your anxiety vanished into smoke.

It felt inevitable, really. Like you were destined to do this from the moment he held your hand at Lake Michigan. You pushed your fingers through his silky, wet hair and you flinched each time droplets hit your skin. The book clattered loudly to the floor when you swung your leg over his lap to straddle him.

You held his face between your hands, pressing your torso flush against his, and seeing if you could transmute all your feelings about him into physical touch. Words could come later. Right now, you wanted only to touch him, to feel him, and give yourself everything you denied for months because you weren’t worthy.

He exhaled between your lips and clutched around your waist. He clung to you like he was drowning, and you were a piece of driftwood in a storm. His tongue delved into your mouth, eliciting a moan from your throat, and his hands went beneath your shirt, warm and calloused against your spine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He must’ve slipped and hit his head in the shower because there was no possible way this was real. You were kissing him, moaning sweetly into his mouth, your fingers carding through his hair. His fingertips met the clasp of your bra. He pushed his fingers underneath it, but he wasn’t trying to unfasten it. He only wanted to touch your skin. He felt the glorious, wonderful flex of your shoulder blades beneath his palms when your hands traveled from his face to hold his shoulders.

He mumbled your name, honeyed and warm on his tongue, with relief. He thought he’d never do this again—thought he’d never have the chance—assumed you’d never want him. You sucked his lower lip and desire ran like ribbons through his veins.

Everything; all the bullshit, all his stress and anxiety, melted like ice in a heatwave. You were a balm to his tattered, worn soul. He didn’t know if you wanted him only for sex, but right now that question was irrelevant. Because you were here. You were in his shitty, little apartment and you were on his lap and kissing him and God—God he never wanted to stop. He wanted to spend the rest of the evening like this, locked in your embrace, breathing the same air as you. When he saw you sitting on the floor, flipping through his books, burdened by a furrowed brow—he wrestled the urge to crouch down and smooth the pucker between your eyebrows with his thumb. He never considered himself a physical, touchy person.

It happened when you entered a room. That overwhelming desire to brush his skin against yours in a passing, accidental touch that sent a shiver down his spine. His hands splayed against your back, covering as much surface area as possible and holding you close. He wasn’t good at much (just the one thing—cooking), but he was good at touching you. He was good at making you gasp, your hips gyrating onto his, every inch of you pressed close. His face flamed with pride. Your tongue played along his, stroking and teasing, sending molten-hot licks of desire straight down his spine and into his abdomen.

You sighed against his mouth and pressed your forehead to his, gently playing with his hair at the nape of his flushed neck. He saw his haggard reflection in the blown-wide pupils of your eyes and your lips shone softly with salvia.

“C’mon.” You breathed. Anticipation was a drug burning through his veins. You climbed off his lap and held out both your hands for him. His fingers wrapped around yours and you half-heartedly pulled him from the floor. He was in a trance following you into his small bedroom. How many times did he dream of this scenario? Too many to count, he was sure. He bit the inside of his cheek to confirm if he wasn’t’ hallucinating.

You bunched the fabric of your shirt at the hem and pulled it off your body in a single, fluid motion. Carmy’s throat went dry. His desk lamp painted sharp, contrasted white light down the angles and curves of your body. You were gorgeous. You were perfect. You were too many inches away.

His fingertips ghosted along your exposed hip, and you turned halfway toward him, and rested your face on his, your nose skimming along his cheek. His eyelashes fluttered at the simple, innocent touch. He shuddered, exhaled with longing, and carefully—slowly—pressed his mouth to the corner of yours. Your sharp inhale and the way your body trembled under his touch told him everything he needed to know.

“Do you have a shirt I can borrow?” You said, “To sleep in.”

“Mhm.” He nodded. “Right now?”

You held him by the shoulders and smiled against his cheek.

“Yes. Right now.”

He leant back to see your face in full view to determine the emotion in your eyes. “We’re not—I mean you don’t want to…?” He cleared this throat awkwardly, “We don’t have to do anything.”

You shook your head, “No, no, I want to. It’s just…” Your palm settled on his cheek, mollifying him.

“I want to sleep with you.” Your mouth thinned, “And I want to have sex with you. Just not, um, not tonight.”

He burned with relief and a rampant, desperate yearning. He wanted to show you exactly how he felt about you. Not with words, or with food, but with his hands and his body, and make up for all the lost time that laid like a wraith between you. But he could wait a little longer.

All he said was, “Okay.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carmy gave you one of his white t-shirts. You shimmied off your pants, hyperaware of Carmy’s gaze burning into the backs of your thighs and crawled into bed with him. The sheets were soft and cool on your bare skin. You sidled next to him and wrapped your arms around him without a second thought. You felt the tension gradually seep from him until his face tucked near your collarbone and his leg wedged between yours. You were entirely tangled in each other. Despite the lack of movement, your heart pounded furiously, and your nape tingled with warmth. You weren’t sure if you’d get any sleep with Carmy so close and warm on you.

“Is this…” His curly crown tickled your chin when you spoke, “Okay?” You asked quietly.

“Mm.”

You hummed with satisfaction. “Good.” You listened to the steady inhale and exhale of Carmy’s breathing and felt the strong, thunderous pulse of his heart. You traced shadows in the darkness and smiled lightly at the crane hanging near the doorway.

He whispered against your skin, “I flipped out today.” His breath tickled your neck. “I blew up on Syd. On Marcus. I just – I couldn’t– I couldn’t...”

You started combing your fingers through his fluffy, silken hair. His shoulders relaxed and his body weight sank further into you.

“I couldn’t deal.” He said. He went through the day and told you everything. The to-go catastrophe, Tina’s son, Marcus’ inattention, and Syd’s mistake. His talked about his shitty behavior, how it felt like no one was listening to him, how Richie got stabbed and how the iPad kept freezing. You listened attentively and worked your fingers through his damp hair.

“It’s fucked.” He admitted feebly. “Cicero was right.”

He sighed, “I don’t know what I’m gonna fucking do.”

You tilted your chin down and pressed a brief, shallow kiss to his head. “Sleep on it.”

“Seriously?”

He lifted from your chest and his mouth drifted over yours. Your core throbbed and you wished to seal your lips over his. Yet, you resisted the urge. You wanted to this right. You needed to be transparent and honest about your intentions and desires. Because you wanted to try dating even if you weren’t perfect or wholly recovered. But you weren’t about to broach that topic of conversation with him tonight. Tonight, was about healing, and coping, and comfort. The relationship conversation would happen tomorrow.

In the light of a new day, yesterday’s problems were smaller, and tender bruises of the past started to heal.

“There’s nothing you can do tonight.” You said perceptively. “I’ll be here in the morning. We’ll deal with the damage together.”

In the darkness, his nose bumped into yours.

“Together, huh?”

Your nerves skittered along your skin, “Y-yeah.”

He closed the scant distance between you. His kiss blistered every valve of your heart, robbed your breath, and etched across your bone marrow. You whined, twisting your fingers into his hair, and arched your hip upward into his. His hands slid down your legs, exposed soft skin meeting his rough, calloused palms. Your resolve wavered.

You grumbled against his smiling mouth, “Stop tempting me.”

“Sorry.” He said not sounding sorry at all, “You’re – uh – hard to resist.”

You chuckled and your ego blossomed from his compliment. “I’m sure you say that to all the girls.”

“No.” A beat. “It’s only ever been you.”

If you were standing, you might’ve swooned. Only you? Was he being serious? You remembered your past conversations, his admissions of loneliness, and his lack of any romantic or platonic relationships. He wasn’t a liar. Something that you appreciated about Carmy was his habit for honesty. He might avoid certain topics, or dodge questions, but– to your knowledge – he never lied to you.

“Yeah, well…I’m the best…so…” You grinned.

His low, quiet chuckle warmed you to your toes. He returned his head to the crook of your neck. You re-adjusted your limbs, one arm over his shoulders, the other curled over his mid-back. His weight was warm and heavy draped across you, and you listened to his breath shallow-out and deepen. You hoped his dreams were peaceful. You hoped he’d get a solid eight hours of sleep. He deserved it.

“Carmen Berzatto.” You mouthed to the darkness, “I think I’m in love with you.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carmy rolled onto his stomach and squinted his eyes open. The world was hazy and dark, and he surmised it must be late evening. A soft blue-light glowed from your phone screen as you held it close to your face. So, it wasn’t a dream. At the sight of you, his heart swelled in his chest, and a dozen confessions sprung to life behind his teeth. He wished he could wake up to you in his bed for the next hundred-thousand mornings. And the things you said last night…about dealing with things together…did you maybe want…?

You glanced over to him, “Shit. Did I wake you?”

“N-no.” His voice rumbled deeply with sleep, “What time is it?”

“A little past midnight.”

“It’s tomorrow then.”

You set your phone aside, “Yeah, sure. Technically.” You worried your lower lip between your teeth, “Can I just say something before I lose my nerve?”

Carmy tucked his bended arm under his head and nodded sleepily. He couldn’t imagine anything terrifying you or causing you nerves. You were the bravest person alive.

“I want…” You exhaled deliberately through your nostrils. “I want to be with you. I mean - I want to date you.”

He perked up, “Yeah?”

“I’m sorry my timing is shitty.” You said hurriedly and sat up against his pillows. “I understand if you don’t want to – or – or can’t – but…”

You looked at him, earnest and sweet, “I really like you, Carmy.” You said, “More than expected.”

He inhaled with awe and adoration filling his lungs. None of the awards, the accolades, or praise he received as a Chef came close to this admission from you. You liked him. You wanted to date him.

“I’ve never…” He swallowed, “dated.”

Your tone was dubious, “Ever?”

“I’ve always been – um – focused on my career.” He said, “Didn’t really try to, y’know, date.”

And he didn’t think anyone would want to date him. He wasn’t funny, or interesting, and he simply didn’t have the time to get to know someone. His first sexual encounter was in culinary school. He barely remembered it. Not because he was drunk, or high, but because it was unremarkable. Everyone was celebrating the end of year, one thing led to another, and he slept with someone. That was it. He didn’t understand the ‘big deal’ or why his fellow classmates would skip out of class for their partners or celebrate their roommates being away.

After that solitary experience, Carmy shelved sexual relationships into the lowest possible tier of priority in his life. It wasn’t necessary, or important, or even fun. Until he met you. Until you kissed him with scorching intensity and passion. Until you rode on his thigh and Carmy felt himself become someone else. Someone cool and suave who could have gorgeous and maddening girls in his car. And when you came all over his fingers, he felt like a fucking rockstar, and entertained the idea that sex could be fun and invigorating.

You asked, “Do you want to try?” Your fingertips trailed up his bicep.

Carmy leaned in, capturing your lips in a slow, gentle kiss. You let him be tender for a few seconds before you flicked your tongue into his mouth in askance. He opened his mouth for you and your tongue slid past his lips with a gorgeously, delicious sweep.

He pulled away slightly, “Only with you.”

“I never had much time for relationships either. I might be awful at it.” You warned.

He held you under your chin, leveling your eyes to meet his, “D’you wanna figure it out together?”

“Yeah.” You laughed and your smile lingered. “I really, really do.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You yanked your borrowed shirt over your head and tossed it aside. His hands skated across your waist, your legs, your stomach, before coming to your breasts and squeezing them. You arched your back and pressed your chest into his warm, rough palms. He kissed you like he might fall apart if he didn’t. He swallowed your moans, reveling in them, tasting them.

He slotted his hips into yours. You could feel the hard, thick length of him through his sweatpants against your damp underwear. Your body writhed and you were no better than teenagers dry humping at the drive-in movie theater. His mouth traveled down the column of your throat, and you were reminded of the pale red hickeys he used to gift you.

He said, “There’s something I want…I want to try.”

Your curiosity piqued. “Alright…”

He kissed between the valley of your breasts and pulled your underwear down your legs. They caught on your ankle. You kicked them off. Your body hummed with enthusiasm. With need. Carmy spread your thighs with both hands and bit his lower lip, staring down at you glistening beneath him. Your walls fluttered and you suspected his train of thought before the words left his kiss-swollen lips.

“I want to go down on you.”

Good God. Your stomach clenched.

“I know last time you didn’t want to.”

“It was too intimate.” You explained quickly. He snapped his gaze to you and his blue irises were nearly swallowed by his lust-filled pupils.

“We had sex on your desk.” His lips twisted into a wry grin.

You waved a dismissive hand. “Sex is different.”

“What about now?” He asked, “Now that we’re going to date. Do you – um – still not want to do that?”

The mental image alone of Carmy between your legs made your cunt pulse with need. It was different now. He wasn’t a stranger, or a fuck buddy, or a rival. He was a friend. A soon-to-be boyfriend. Hopefully.

“Okay.” You flexed your hands on the sheets. Carmy smiled, boyish and adorable, and you fell a little harder for him. He maneuvered himself to lie between your legs. His tattooed calloused hands squeezed the soft, delicate skin of your inner thighs. And your walls throbbed at the look he gave you, peering at you through his curls and long eyelashes, his breath warm and tickling your clit.

“You’re sure?”

You nodded, fingers twining through his hair, “Yeah.”

“I’ve never done this before.” He confessed and a note of bashfulness creeped into his voice. “I’ve only seen it in porn, but I want to. I want to make you…” He lightly kissed your thigh and your hips twitched forward.

“I want to make you feel good.”

You released a strangled, “Okay.”

His mouth traveled across your thigh, sucking softly, before he kissed across your stomach and worked downward to your other inner thigh. You squirmed, huffing, desperate for him to touch you. He skimmed his thumb across your swollen, aching clit and you hissed, head arching back into his pillow, and squirming.

“Good?” He asked.

“Very—” You swallowed roughly, “--Good.”

His tongue, warm and wet, flicked across you—a light touch that you assumed had more to do with Carmy’s own hesitation than outright teasing.

Your chest heaved and you clung to the back of Carmy’s head with a quiet, needy whimper. Regardless of his inexperience, you’re so outrageously turned-on that you’re going to orgasm quickly no matter what.

He laid his tongue flat, licking a stripe along your folds, and you quivered with an encouraging, “Please.”

His large, beautiful nose nudged your clit, his eyes slipping shut as his tongue pushed through your folds and slid into your cunt. He experimented with long licks and short laps, all the while his nose pressed into your clit, your thighs trembled on his shoulders and clenched around his head.

He groaned into you and your eyes squeezed so tightly that you saw stars.

His lips traveled, suckling, kissing wetly and noisily until they closed over your clit.

You moaned, loud and unapologetic, and a high-pitched “Fuck” trailed after the sound.

You bucked your hips into him, panting, the faint stubble of his chin rubbed against your cunt. Your fingers slipped from his hair. You grabbed his hand, interlacing your fingers and squeezing, while your other hand clutched and twisted his sheets.

“Carmy, please. Touch me.” You begged, feeling your walls pulse and flutter around nothing, your heart pounding like a drum in your chest. Carmy shifted, nudging your thigh out of the way, and you nearly weep with relief at the sensation of his finger curled into you. You lost yourself to the sensations—his warm mouth, his large hands, the quiet moans he released as you thrust into him, erratic and crazed with desire. You came apart with a throaty, unrestrained scream. Everything tightened and tensed before your orgasm washed over you in thick, honeyed waves.

You sank into the mattress and blinked at Carmy, his chin and lips glistened wetly with saliva and your release. You blanketed your eyes with your forearm.

“Holy shit.” You breathed.

“I can’t tell you how long I’ve wanted to do that.”

“Months?” You guessed.

“Months.”

You heard a rustle of fabric and movement. You peered out from underneath your arm and saw Carmy rolling a condom onto his engorged cock. You wished you could feel him without the latex and made a mental note to figure out an alternative form of birth control. He hovered over you, bracing himself with one arm, while the other grasped the base of his cock and positioned his tip at your weeping core.

You trembled and gripped his shoulders. He met your eyes, a question lingering in their depths, and you nodded. His cock pushed forward, and you gasped, shuddering.

Carmy exhaled roughly and whispered, “Fuck!”

Every second was pure, beautiful torture as his cock slid into you. Your walls stretched to accommodate him. Your spine bowed, chest lifting from the bed, as your thighs held onto his hips. He fit perfectly. How had you never noticed before? It was like you were made for each other. He buried himself to the hilt and your body was swaddled by his, surrounded, sweaty and warm.

His mouth covered yours. He didn’t thrust, but grinded, his movements shallow and slow. His cock, deep and filling you, his pelvic bone pressed into your sensitive clit. You were wholly and completely his. Adored. Enraptured. Stupid with love. Your walls squeezed him, and he moaned your name, his face flushed pink, and eyes closed.

He blindly peppered kisses across your jaw, to the curve of your ear, your neck. His thrusts were deep and lingering. You hiccupped a surprised cry each time he bottomed out. It was as if he was trying to mold himself into you. Every deliberate, slow thrust drove you closer and closer to the brink of release. You opened your eyes and witnessed golden, muted light framing Carmy’s face and curls with angelic luminosity. The disheveled white sheets shifted over his lower back and along your hips. The bed squeaked beneath you. You were suddenly struck by the intimacy of this moment. The gentleness of it.

You ran your nails down his muscular, slick back and kissed his collarbone before falling back onto the pillows.

“Not gonna last very long.” He groaned, pressing his forehead to yours.

“That sounds like a compliment.” You laughed, your heart brimming with light and hope.

“Mhm.” He flattened his palms on the mattress, holding himself upright so you were no longer chest-to-chest, and you were deprived of of his warmth and heavy pressure. But he quickly made up for it when he started thrusting with singular, driven purpose. And you found yourself spellbound. Just like the first time, you were lost to the sensations and sounds, your world narrowed into this moment. There was only Carmy, and you, and white sheets touched by gold.

You reached for him. You wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him close to you. He curled an arm under your arched spine, pining you close, and you felt his heartbeat and his sweat and every heaving, desperate breath that left him. You hooked your legs around his waist in an attempt to pull him deeper.

“Oh, god.” He rasped into the shell of your ear. Your lips met the joining of his neck and shoulder and your teeth scraped across the tendon. You wished you could melt into him. Carmy’s breath hitched. His hips stuttered. He lost himself in you, buried deep, his brow pinched and breathing ragged. He panted your name over and over as he came.

He collapsed, face falling into your shoulder, his body limp and boneless.

You placed a chaste kiss on his stubbled cheek, “Have I killed you?”

His response was muffled by your skin. “Mm, yeah.”

“Ahh, well.” You clicked your tongue.

“We had a good run.” You teased, your fingertips gliding across his sweaty shoulder blades. He shivered beneath your touch and lifted his head. His eyes were wonderfully clear and—dare you say it? Happy. He looked happy. A new light entered his eyes, smoldering and bright, crinkling the corners of them and drawing lines around his lips. The dimple in his cheek made a blessed appearance.

“How many hours until you need to be at the bakery?” He asked, surprising you.

You glanced at his alarm clock, “Four.”

“Okay.” He pulled out. You flinched a little at the tenderness of your folds and walls. You considered searching for your underwear and borrowed t-shirt when Carmy’s hands slipped between your thighs.

You gasped at his touch and clutched his wrist with wide, confused eyes.

“What are you—?” Your head fell back into the pillows and your thighs reflexively clamped as he stroked you, “Carmy. It’s – ah, fuck – it’s sensitive.”

His ministrations slowed, “Do you want me to stop?”

“No.” You worried your lower lip, “Be gentle, though.”

He listened. His lips and tongue worked over your breasts, your nipples, your neck. His thumb moved in lazy, careful patterns over your clit. Your fingertips dug into his strong, firm arms or clutched his soft, curly hair. You relaxed into the mattress and your second orgasm came to you in a magnificent, pleasant pulse of heat and fireworks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carmy curled around you like a missing puzzle piece. His arm wrapped snug around your waist and your spine fit comfortably against his chest. Every sense immersed and saturated with him. You nestled in the warmth, and safety, and comfort of his bed and inside his arms.

“See you in the morning.” You muttered sleepily, while your hand gently stroked across the fine, light hairs on his forearm. He didn’t reply, but squeezed you closer, and pressed a kiss to the nape of your neck.

You fell asleep with a smile on your face.

#carmy x reader #carmen berzatto x reader #carmen berzatto x you #carmy berzatto x reader #carmy berzatto x you #carmy berzatto smut

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urfavblackbimbo · 27 days

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Chapter 3 I’m back back back again LET THE DRAMA COMMENCE and Lexi is going to meet Karvel and Lenny (sidenote: I don’t think I want to add the r*pe scence I just think that would be too much for me and I can’t handle that.) buuut gurlll I’m so excited for y’all to read this chapter shit is about to go down.

Summary:It’s the morning after the sleepover Lexi and Frankie have a moment together then having breakfast with Jerome and Louie, Lexi makes up a lie to her momma to stay out with Frankie, Lee comes over to help Frankie to get his money back from lenny with the help of Karvel.

Word count:3.6 k words 18+ mdni

Warnings: afab-reader, n-word usage, tongue kissing, cursing, very quick SA, lying lexi, protective frankie,

Slowly opening your eyes, raising your arms above your head stretching your muscle, putting your arms down, feeling a strong arm wrapping your hips, pulling you in closer, but Frankie is still sleeping, light snores coming out of him you tuned your body, closer to Frankie. You snuggle up to him, as close where you can feel his breath on you, and you just stare at him, looking at all his features from the almost slipped green du-rag, to his relaxed brows, his long lashes almost touching his cheek, to his beautiful nose, seeing a little peach-fuzz on top his lip, oh his lips they have to be the softest on this god green earth. You raised your arm to his face, slowly graze your thumb across his face, seeing raise and fall of Frankie made you calm, you moved your thumb to his lips, slightly parted, touching his bottom lip, you pull in closer to him, feeling his lips on you was so magical, you peck his lips and continue, Frankie lips push back, biting your lip, you gasp "Oh my god Frankie I thought you were still sleeping." Frankie growls "don't start something, where you don't finish." you giggle "I always finish with you Frankie." He hums "yes you do." "but I have go to the bathroom though." Frankie grins "you could just go right here you know." you roll your eyes "nigga I’m not doing that again and I'm still tired, but I still have go to the bathroom" Frankie grabs your chin "When I get our place I’m gonna make sure you wet the bed every night baby." Frankie kiss you, smooth lips on you, you pull away slowly standing up "I'll be right back." "You better." you kiss him one more time, you put on your shirt and shorts before opening the door, you smell eggs and bacon cooking, passing by the kitchen seeing Jerome cooking the food "good morning y'all." "Good morning, Lexi, aye tell Franklin to come get these eggs." you nod your head continuing to the bathroom, you do your business, you walk back to the bedroom to see Frankie falling back to sleep, you walk over to the bed, slowly touching Frankie stomach, "Frankie you gotta wake up, Jerome made breakfast." he stirs, you leaned down to kiss his lips, feeling Frankie rise up trying to chase your lips, you pull away " see your wake up, come on nigga I'm hungry." Frankie groans putting his feet on the ground, grabbing a pair of sweats in his drawer, putting them on, you both walk into the kitchen, taking a seat at the table.

"Good morning y'all" "morning." you start to eat your eggs and bacon "So how was y'all night?" Louie said "It was good we just chilled and eat some snack while we did that." you smiled to yourself, knowing what really happened last night. "Well, that's good I'm glad y'all had fun." Louie smirks at you, you didn't think you were that loud last night "But I got hella thirsty last night and I accidentally slipped some water on the bed." "Damn nephew I didn't think you were clumsy like that." Jerome chuckles "Yeah it was kind of a big one." Frankie chuckles as well, slowly turning his head to look you with a smirk on his face, as you finish your breakfast, everybody puts their dishes in the sink, Jerome and Louie walk back into their room and you start the wash the dishes out of hospitality, you start putting each dish on the drying rack, as you walk over to the pan grabbing it and putting in the sink to wash it, you see Frankie looking at you "What?" "Nothing I'm just imagining us being together in our own place." Frankie walks over to you while you’re still cleaning the pan almost done with it. You feel Frankie strong arms around you pulling you closer to him, you relax in his hold, both of you start to sway back and forth, Frankie kisses your neck, you melt into Frankie arms pushing your ass against him, you hear footsteps coming into the kitchen "Lexi I know it don't take you that long to wash some damn dishes-." Jerome walks in seeing his nephew kissing up on Lexi, you shut off the water turning to see Frankie a couple feet of away from you "awh shit damn nephew and Lexi I didn't see anything." Frankie smirks "It's aight unc, me and Lexi are together." while Frankie looks at you "Oh shit you tryin' to be me and Louie huh." Jerome laughs "yeah something like that, aye I'm gonna page Lee so I can get my money back." you turn the water back on rinsing off all of the suds of the pan, puttin’ it in the drying rack then turning off the water, you wipe off the water on your shirt, you feel Frankie hand interlocking yours his thumb grazing your hand, turning your head to see Frankie is already looking at you, Frankie kiss your cheek "About time I thought y'all will never together." Louie walks into the kitchen smiling at the both of you "yeah we're goin' steady." being your corny-self giggling at your joke, Jerome and Louie smile at your joke, Frankie pulls away smiling at you.

Frankie walks into the hallway to call Lee "Sup Lee how was the party?" Frankie continues to talk Lee to tell him to come by Jerome’s house that he found a guy name Karvel that's going to help him to get his money back. You walked back into the guest room, looking at all of the family pictures, seeing a picture of baby Franklin and Alton, alton wearing a black beret and a black turtleneck and pants smiling at the camera, Frankie walks into the bedroom, seeing Lexi looking at his baby picture, Frankie stands next you also looking at the picture, your heart shivers knowing what happened to Alton that he's homeless and a drunk, you look at Frankie, seeing his chocolate eyes not being able to read them. "Lee is coming by, he should be here in ten minutes." you nod your head "I should probably call my momma and tell her that I'll be home late I'll say I'm gonna go see that new spike Lee movie I think it's called she's gotta have something?" Frankie laughs at you "You mean she's gotta have it baby." Frankie puts his arm over your shoulder "I ain't gonna be like him, like alton I'll do everything in my power to not end up like him." you hear a knock on the door, it's Lee "Aye franklin openin' up its me." "I'm gonna call my momma, tell Lee to be quiet for me." "Okay baby." you walk over to the house phone to call your momma, you see Frankie opening the door for Lee "My nigga." " Sup man." franklin daps up Lee "aye you gotta keep it down for a minute, Lexi is here and she's about to call her moms." "Oh, shit Lexi I didn't know that your here what's up?" before you call your momma, you hang up the phone and walk over to Lee to hug him, you both do your handshake as you were done you both snap your fingers "I can't believe y'all are still doin' that handshake." "don't hate, appreciate nigga." Lee said, and you join in "yeah nigga." Frankie rolls his eyes, walking towards the guest room to change his clothes, "aye so when did this happen." Lee pointing at you and Franklin "we just started no one knows expect Jerome, Louie, Kev and now you." "Damn Lexi, Kev knew before me and I'm your best friend." Lee almost looking sad, to be the last person to know, you grab Lee shoulders "You are my best friend, Frankie told Kev at the match yesterday, Kev was askin' me where I got my betting money cause he knows I ain't got no job." "it's okay Lexi I ain't mad at you, if you happy then I'm happy, I'm glad that y'all are together." "Thank you lee, and I'll be right back I’m gonna call my momma."

Daling your home phone number, letting it ring a few times, your momma picks up, "Johnson residence." "Hey momma it's me." "Oh, Lexi how are you doin' baby, you ready to come home?" you breathe out your nose "actually me I was thinking that I can go to the movies today the new spike Lee movie is out, shon-shon wants to go see the movie, but I wanna tag along." "Sure, baby if it keeps you away from them boys, then I'm fine with it, but what time are you comin' home?" "Probably after the movie momma, and I'll page you if I need anything I love you momma." "Okay baby, have fun with shon-shon and I love you too." you hang up the phone, walking towards the living room to see Frankie and Lee sitting on the coach waiting patiently. Lee is a wearing a tan 2-piece with a grey undershirt and a pair of white chucks, and Frankie was wearing a grey and black baseball shirt with some dark blue jeans and some black adidas, they both stood up “I’m able to still to stay out I told my momma that I’m seeing the new spike Lee movie with shon-shon.” Lee eyes widened “Lexi you comin’ with us?” you nod your head “I am and it’s better to have four instead of three, you know.” “You think you are ready for the game?” Lee asks “don’t try to talk her out if it Lee I’ve already tried.” licking your lips “that’s right Frankie I’ve already made up my mind.”

You all walk up to Karvel’s place, seeing trash everywhere and and stuff in trees, Lee walks in first through the back gate then Frankie, making sure you stand behind Frankie "The fuck y'all niggas want." "We look for someone that can help us get Lenny and ray-ray man.” Lee spoke “Aye I know them niggas Lenny live off on MLK and Havery I can help y’all out.” a man stood up, wearing a red shirt and jeans and tennis shoes, “The name’s is Karvel, nice to meet y’all, sup little mama.” Karvel smirks down at you, like a grimace smile, Frankie stands in front of you, blocking Karvel from looking at you, kavel laughs lightly punching Frankie “Damn nigga I’m just playin’ y’all niggas can roll with me.” Karvel walks back to grab his keys, walking to his car, you all follow him, Karvel unlocks the car to get in, Frankie opens the door for you, kindly smiling at you, reaching out to touch his shoulder “Thank you baby.’’ “Of course baby.” sliding through the other seat, you put your seatbelt on, Frankie gets in shutting the door, Frankie lays his hand on your thigh, Karvel drives off to Lenny’s house.

Finally stopping in front of Lenny’s house, Karvel shuts off the engine, looking at the house “Lenny lives in there, and ray-ray lives a few blocks from here.” Karvel said “How you know Lenny got the cash?” Frankie said “Oh trust me, Lenny got yo shit man, ray-ray is a bitch.” Karvel said, you look at Frankie, your heart is pounding at your chest, Frankie looked at Lee and nods his head, you all proceed to get out the car, walking up to Lenny’s house “Aye what’s the plan?” Karvel grabs his gun from his waist, cocking it, Lee smiles “Aight.” Frankie grabs your hand to squeeze it, walking up the steps, he moves pass Karvel to bang his fist on the door, Karvel pushes Frankie up against the wall “The fuck is you doin’.” Lee yells out, Karvel pushes Lee the ground, Karvel turns to you, grabbing you by the hair, pushing you up against the door, holding the gun to your head “Aye Lenny openin’ up I got your little bitch out here.” Lenny opens up “Aye man what bitch you talkin’ about?” Karvel pushes you the floor, falling on your knees, Karvel barges in the door, making Lenny stumbled on the ground, Lee and Frankie runs in, Frankie grabbing your hand, pulling you in the house, you stand up closing the door behind you, Karvel pointing his gun in Lenny’s face “Grab the exentison cord homie.” Karvel told lee, flipping over Lenny on his stomach wrapping it around his hands “Tie his ass up.” Lenny spits out “fuckin’ bitches man.” Lenny trying to fight off Lee strength “stop fuckin’ movin’ man.” Karvel grinning “Yeah just like that homie.” Lee tie a knot, securing Lenny from escaping, Lenny chuckles looking up at Frankie “This little nigga again huh, you back for more you thought we fuck you up last time, just wait huh.” Lee and Karvel make Lenny sit up against the wall, Frankie walks into the kitchen to grab a chair, you walk in closer to have Lenny smirking at you “Huh Karvel this is the little bitch you talkin’ about huh.” you walk in closer “Where’s the money Lenny?” Lenny laugh “Bitch you think I’m tellin’ you fuck out of here.” “Fuck you nigga.” you spew out, rolling your eyes, Frankie walks up to you “Let’s look around and try to find my money.”

Karvel walks into the kitchen, looking in the pantry to find a box of apple jacks, Karvel walks back in the living room, taking a seat eating the cereal, Frankie nods his head to start looking for the money, you walk to the couches, moving them out the way, Frankie walks into hallway to the backroom, Lee looks in the kitchen to find the money, everywhere y’all look everywhere and you can’t find it, all three of you ransack the house, books on the floor, bedspread ripped off, Frankie looks in the cabinets in the living room, Lee knocking stuff down, you were looking in dresser, nothing fuck, you walk in the living walking to the tv looking behind it, “Look you, fuckin’ jheri curl lookin’ motherfucker, and aye you too bitch lookin’ like good time motherfuckers.” Frankie walks towards Lenny, glaring at Lenny “Where’s my money man.” “Up your momma’s pussy.” Karvel laughs “Aye franklin I can’t find nothin’.” Lee spoke, Frankie looks at you, shaking your head no “Cause dumbass I don’t keep no fuckin’ money here. ever.” you grab a vhs player, throwing it on the ground, Lee pushes the speaker to the floor “Aww fuck this shit man, aye you some Frankenstein motherfucker, and stop eatin’ my shit.” “Aye what’cha you say to me homie.” “You heard me you ugly motherfucka.” Karvel walks closer to Lenny “Nah actually I didn’t hear you all the way back let me come closer.” Lenny and Karvel arguing back and forth, Karvel puts a sock in Lenny’s mouth and taping it over, Lenny is still talking shit, Karvel walks back to grab a bat, swinging it around smashing the fine China glasses, smashing the table “Aye how much we talkin’.’ “Just couple grand.” knocking hits the door “Aye Lenny that new Stars Wars movie is comin’ out come on let’s roll.” you drop the ground, someone was still knocking the door, Karvel covers Lenny mouth to silence him, “aye man you in there, come the show is about to start… fine miss it I’m out.”

Frankie slowly walks up to the window to see Ray-Ray leaving “Fuck this where’s the money at homie huh.” Karvel said, you rise up from the floor, Karvel takes the bat about to swing on Lenny, Frankie stops him, “Let me holla at him for a second.” “No talk time is over just bust his ass.” Frankie looks at Lee “He can’t tell us a damn thing if he died.” Frankie looks at you, Karvel looking at you and Frankie “God damn man, you soft as baby shit bro.” Frankie looks down, almost looking defeated, Karvel laughs pushing the bat up against Lenny’s head “Aye you hear that you got some soft-served ice cream niggas ass with you bro, some cupcake lookin’ ass niggas, aye you don’t like me eating your food huh I can give something else you will like huh.” Karvel starts humming, backing up humming to a tune of some song, walking back into Lenny’s room "You see that man, you next, now tell me where's my fuckin' money." Frankie walks in front of lenny to take off the tape on lenny’s face you walk in closer "Lenny we can save you the trouble, from getting really hurt." "Fuck you bitch, and fuck all of you, you know what." Lee punches Lenny in the face, with so much force causing blood to slip out of his mouth, Lenny leans forward to spit in Frankie face, he stares down at lenny huffing out a breath out his nose, lifting a hand to wipe off the blood, he walks over to you, putting a hand on your shoulder “you need to leave. Now.” You roll your eyes “ugh Frankie I’m not leaving you that’s out of the question.” Karvel walks into the room “Aye you know what, fuck this shit homie.” Karvel walks into the kitchen, walking back with a knife “The fuck is this Karvel.” You spoke out. Karvel slices the cords around Lenny body and around his neck, Karvel drags Lenny into the guest room, slamming the door shaking the room.

Your sitting on the coach, covering your ears trying to drown out the yells and grunts coming the back room, Frankie sits next to you, leaning over to you, slightly uncovering your ear “baby you need to leave.Please.” you nod your head slowly raising up, waving bye at Lee, walking over to the door, Frankie opens the door for you, you walk outside down the stairs to the sidewalk, felling the sun on your face, you hear frankie closing the door behind him and walking towards you “I’m sorry baby.” Frankie puts his arms around you and holding you still “It’s okay Frankie you did know that was going to happen.” “if you wanna go home that’s fine I can page Louie and she can pick you up.” you nod your head “Aye Franklin!” you both turn around to see Karvel walking out of the house, wearing a awful smile, holding a lot of money and stuffing it in his pockets, karvel looks up and down at you “Aye Karvel that’s money.” Frankie standing still in front of you, Karvel chuckles “You’s a bitch man.” Karvel walks to his car and proceeds to drive off, lee walks out to you “Aye Lexi, you good?” you nod “Yeah I’m good, what about you?” “Yeah yeah, you franklin.” “Yeah lee, fuck and now we gotta get my money back now from Karvel.” you put your hand on frankie neck “come on let’s go back to Jerome’s and come up on a plan.” Frankie and Lee nod their head and start walking back to Jerome and Louie’s place.

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And the chapter 3 has come to an close and thank you to everyone who read this chapter it’s means so much to me that y’all took the time to read this thank you thank you and lexi is not backing down when it comes to being frankie’s ride or die and lexi and frankie having their little moment in the bed AHHHH I CAN’T EVEN and when unc pop up on lexi and frankie yayyyy bitch (🥰) but honestly it was kinda of a struggle to write this chapter just because of the r*pe scene, I didn’t how write it out but I figure it out, but has been a joy for me now, l’ve been reading on this app for a while and seeing all the amazing work y’all do, I just wanted to put my two cent in, but thank you again for reading this.

love, nazzy 💕

#franklin saint #franklin saint fanfic #franklin saint x reader #snowfall fanfic #snowfall fx #snowfall smut #Alexia Johnson x Franklin Saint #franklin saint smut #franklin saint x black reader #Franklin saint girlies UNITE!!!#damson idris smut #damson idris

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gizmocrate-werecrow · 9 months

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What to do when you are a leafling: a Dandori battle

(originally I had a whole thing planned involing the water wraith but then I was hit with a bigger idea with the whole plot so stay tuned for it ;3)

The moment Pom exited the S.S Beagle, she saw the red leafling and the dog. In the dog’s mouth was another castaway! Pom smiled to herself as she sent Blue Pikmin to defeat a Pearly Clamclamp. Attack, whistle, retreat, attack, whistle, retreat until it is dead. Watching the min carry the Pearly Clamclamp, Pom climbed onto Oatchi and pointed at the red leafling.

The cave door opened and the red Leafling jumped in. Adjusting her whistle Pom jumped in.

In the cave, Pom watched while the dog dragged the castaway into the onion. She barley flinched at the result now. However by the red Leafling’s side was a dark blue coloured Leafling wearing a similar get up to the red one.

“Collin, do you see this? There’s two of them now.” Pom said.

“I do and there's another castaway! You know what to do Rookie.” Collin said, he turned at the sound of the ship door opening. In walked Shepherd and Dingo with Jack riding the lone ranger’s shoulder. Collin motioned to the three to look at the footage. Dingo grabbed his helmet and put it on

Jack looked around the ship. It was huge and messy with funny looking tools strewn around and a whole pile of white cloth. The bald one, or Russ as Shepherd called him, walked up to the comms station. The whole group huddled around Collin.

Meanwhile in the arena, Pom directed the dandori Pikmin with some struggle. The Red leafling seemed to be quicker on his feet than before. Expertly directing his min to various giant’s fruits and monster corpses. It didn't help that by his side was that blue Leafling lending an extra hand to the red Leafling.

Pom whistled and tossed multiple Ice Pikmin at the leaf tailed dog, she then pressed a button on her suit. Calling down the lighting that this arena so happily provided. The dog stood there stunned while Pom directed more Pikmin to steal the golden sniffer that it had.

“Oh no! Is Moss…” the red leafling said, quickly running over to his onion to sigh in relief as Moss returned.

“That’s good, yes! Get that dog for me Pom!” Dingo’s voice echoed over the coms, causing an explosion of chatter on coms.

“The leafling has called his dog Moss? Not a bad name for her!” Shepherd happily said.

“That's the dog that turned Bernard!”

“So its leaf tail lets it breathe oxygen too.” Russ said.

“Hey um Shepherd? Why is Oatchi doing fine in this atmosphere?” Dingo asked.

“I’ll tell you after this Evans.”

Pom giggled to herself at that.

“Evans?” she said, watching the ice Pikmin carry the golden sniffer into her dandori onion.

“Don't mind that Amarde and win!”

A minute later Pom stood there victorious, the Red leafling huffed and climbed onto Moss, grabbing the blue one as well.

“You have won this one…meet me…in the hideaway…” The red Leafling said. The Blue one lifted their head and stared straight into Pom’s eyes.

“You…Dandori…to save them?” was what the blue one said before the Red leafling rode away.

–

At Hero’s hideaway, Olimar took off his suit. Louie stood there dizzyingly and sat down on the pilot's seat. Olimar ran to Moss and took out a nearly empty first aid kit, he unfurled the bandages and wrapped it around the dog’s leg. “You did great out there…You did well…I didn't do Dandori well enough…That’s okay…I need to…turn more to test Dandori.” Olimar petted Moss and scratched her under the chin. He blew the whistle and in a moment Louie delivered a scrummy bone for her.

“Thank you Louie.” He said. Moss perked up and chomped the bone. She happily barked and rubbed up against Louie and Olimar. She then whimpered a little and sat back down.

“Louie…if I am taken…you can dandori in my place.” Olimar said, placing a hand on his co-worker’s shoulder. He smiled a little and walked back to Moss, giving the dog a tight hug.

The Rookie, or Pom as I have heard over the coms, has injured Moss. Although as much as I want to say, it seems that when I look at her dog I get the feeling that something is going to happen to him. I hope that they are able to save me soon or I dare not wish to think what will happen to that dog.

(isn’t it weird that it’s implied that olimar has some level of psychic power? Being able to have dreams of the future Is probably either just a cute little wink to the past or seeing the future so I’m just running with the latter one)

#fanfic #red pikmin #pikmin au #pikmin 4 #pikmin 4 spoilers #captain olimar #louie pikmin #russ pikmin #dingo pikmin #shepherd pikmin #erma shepherd #collin pikmin #pom pikmin #moss pikmin #oatchi #pikmin

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