#I don't even know how they'd continue the Hopeful story after... everything

[thebigolbee]

Stoked to hear about LISA: Definitive Edition, really looking forward to the new music especially. I dug up some of my old Beltboy sketches to celebrate. Maybe now we can manifest news for LISA: The Hopeful 2…

#lisa the rpg #lisa rpg #lisa the painful #lisa the joyful #lisa the hopeful #beltboy #benny oberwinch #my art #it's been so long since I engaged in anything lisa related #that game is forever burned in my head #and all the others too #I still listen to the music on the reg #I don't even know how they'd continue the Hopeful story after... everything #I just wanna see Benny again my BOY

[c0s-lettuce]

favourites - platonic!crowley x reader

gender non-specific, reader is a uni student, crowley is a father figure, implied platonic!aziraphale x reader

a/n: back from my hiatus to post this. it's been sitting in my drafts for a while. hope you like it!! <3

word count: 767

You thought it'd be nice to surprise Aziraphale and Crowley and come home during the break. However, you hadn't imagined they'd be in the middle of another… unearthly situation.

Turns out the two of them have been harbouring the Archangel Gabriel, whom you had only met once. And whom the last you heard of was when he tried to kill Aziraphale.

But, love thy neighbour, you suppose.

On your way home, you thought it peculiar that the streets were wet despite the forecast predicting no rain. However, the weather is known for its unpredictability, so you shrugged it off.

When you arrived at the bookshop, you were met with a grumpy-looking Crowley who, to your credit, did look surprised to see you. He explained that Aziraphale, against his own wishes, had taken the Bentley to Edinburgh. And he ignored your comment about how he never lets you drive his car.

So, you stayed at the bookshop with Crowley. You caught a glimpse of your room upstairs. Your bed, your desk, even the chair Aziraphale insisted on having so he could read to you was still there, despite you telling him that you were too old for bedtime stories. Everything was in the exact same place you left it.

Except now, Aziraphale's copious amounts of books have taken up storage like stalagmites in a cave. And there was a strange, large man occupying your space. You decide to take refuge downstairs.

To pass the time, Crowley tells you about Job as you look through the book that Aziraphale had left out. He tells you about God's plan to test the faith of their favourite human, how he had free reign to ruin Job's life but ultimately didn't.

Crowley was always nice, you thought.

After hearing the story, you say, "It's a bit overly righteous."

"Well, we are talking about God," Crowley replies.

"Yeah, I know, but there must have been a better way." You try to think of an analogy. "What if I said, 'Oh Crowley, you're my favourite dad, but maybe you only like me because you have to'. And then I crash your car and set your plants on fire and… punch Aziraphale in the face to see if you'll still like me afterwards."

Crowley stares at you with subtle incredulity. You sense that he's about to say something judgemental.

But instead, he asks, "I'm your favourite?"

"What?" you reply.

"You just said I'm your favourite."

"…I was just trying to make a point."

"Oh, so Aziraphale's your favourite?"

"Who said I had a favourite?"

"Come on, everyone has a favourite parent."

"Well, I don't."

Crowley stares at you even more, waiting for you to break. But you seem successful in holding your ground.

"Alright, whatever," he gives in. "And I do like you, by the way. Not just because I have to."

"Hah, I knew it," you give him a big smile.

"Just don't crash my car or do any of what you just said."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

He smirks back and continues, "I agree with you about the whole Job situation, too. So does Aziraphale. That was the first day the two of us were truly on the same side."

"Our side," you say.

"Exactly," Crowley nods, "Though we hadn't realised it at the time."

You watch as Crowley smiles to himself. It reminds you of the nights in your room when Aziraphale would abandon whatever book he had picked and tell you a story of him and Crowley instead.

You find yourself smiling too.

But a crash from upstairs ruins the moment. It's Gabriel, or rather, Jim.

You sigh and ask, "Did Aziraphale have to give him my room?"

"No, but I suppose he wanted Gabriel to be comfortable for whatever reason," Crowley shrugs.

"What if he's touching my stuff or something?"

"He probably is. Might be breaking a few of your things, too."

You cringe at the thought. "Would it really hurt you to try and make me feel better?"

"What, you want me to lie to you?" Crowley asks.

"You are a demon, aren't you?"

"Retired, technically."

Unable to think of something to respond with, you turn your sights to the street through the window, wondering when you'll see the Bentley return.

"Hey," Crowley grabs your attention again, "This will all be over before you know it. Then I'll let you and Aziraphale drag me to whatever dreaded place you both wish."

You aren't sure how true that is. Or how much trouble Jim will really be for them.

But for now, you just smile. "Sounds like a deal."

#good omens #good omens x reader #crowley #crowley x reader #ineffable husbands #ineffable husbands x reader #aziraphale #aziracrow #edit: realised that gif of crowley is actually aziraphale oops 🤭

[wolfegoddess]

Tw: DARK FIC, grief, hair loss, suicidal thoughts, suicide, angst, nothing but sad feels.

WC:1033

Please don't read this if you are uncomfortable with these topics or they will trigger you. There are lots of other amazing stories out here you can check out instead and your mental health is important!

I blame my friends for telling me about the brought back wrong au.

AO3 link

Law couldn't bear to be without you but you weren't you anymore. Just a broken shell in a decaying body. He couldn't help the choked out sob that broke free as he ran his trembling digits through your hair only to find a handful of it in his hand. You deserved better than this. Better than being forced to decay just because he didn't want to lose you. For a moment he contemplated trying to use the true power of his devil fruit to give you eternal life at the cost of his own but he knew you'd probably throw yourself to sea if you came back and he was dead.

If it even worked.

Though, would it truly be so terrible? To be dead alongside you? To take your hand in his once more in whatever journey lies beyond this life? Law didn't even feel alive anymore without you by his side. The others would be heartbroken but they'd move on, find another crew or just keep on the journey themselves.

Law glanced out over the cliff he was sitting with you on, the polar tang resembled an ant with how far away it was down the beach. Would they see him jump with you? Would they hate him for leaving? He wouldn't blame them.

He hoped they wouldn't.

His gaze fell to your face, searching for any sign you were there yet the once familiar warmth in your gaze was dull and unblinking. The only sign you were even alive was the slow and Shakey rise and fall of your pale blue and purple chest. You had lost so much weight yet never once did your stomach growl for sustanance. Law bit his bottom lip until he tasted blood, trying his best to hold himself together. After a few moments he began to speak to you even though he knew you'd never respond.

"You know, I was trying my best to avoid you when I first let you join the crew..You were just so pure and different then the others and myself and it scared me how easily my heart soared the first time you smiled at me once you stepped on the polar tangs deck. The way you always took care of everyone and took on the chores nobody else wanted to do made me so angry. I could tell you were just trying to be helpful but I wanted you to be more selfish. It felt like you didn't think you belonged."

Law stopped for a moment to run a hand down your cold cheek, thumb gently tracing the shape of your nose before it moved down to trace your chapped lips. He knew if you could see him now you'd probably cry yourself. Law hadn't been sleeping much at all. His eyes were almost constantly bloodshot from crying and his eye bags were darker then they'd ever been. His once toned body was nearly skin and bones because he could barely bring himself to eat.

Everything he tried to eat tasted rotten, like it wasn't meant for him to consume. Nothing could compare to the food you made anyways, not even the idiot cook on the straw hats crew could get him to eat much. He choked back another sob as he cradled your face in his hands and leaned in to rest his forehead against your own as he continued on.

"But then when I finally got the nerve to call you into my office and ask about it you looked at me with such sureness and told me you knew you belonged because I chose you. You told me you had been invited to Luffy-Ya's crew after I asked you to join and you chose me. I was flabbergasted, and if I'm honest with you it was in that moment I knew I had fallen for you. That terrified me so I became more distant yet you didn't push me, you waited so patiently for me to get my head out of my ass and come to you. I never told you but you were my first for a lot of things. You changed me so much for the better. You taught me how to really live again once I'd completed my goal. I wish I'd of told you then how I felt so we could have had more time together. So I could have really made you feel treasured. I'm sorry I worked so much and put you second. I should have took you out every time we docked and spoiled you rotten. You deserved so much better than me and yet you loved me and never once complained about a single thing."

Tears fell to your cheek as he silently cried, the knot in his throat nearing it's breaking point. He was so tired, tired of crying. Tired of the repeating nightmare that was the moment you jumped in front of him to save him from the enemies attack that left him alive kneeling on the dirt and you dead on impact. Law kissed your forehead gently before trailing kisses down to your lips. His next sentence came out broken and hoarse.

"You were selfish, selfish for giving your life up for mine and I'm sorry that I'm too selfish to live without you."

"I'm sorry but this is where we part ways guys. Take care of yourselves and don't cry too much, especially you Bepo."

Law took his hat off and sat it beside his blade before he moved to pick you up bridal style and cradled your head in the crook of his neck. He slowly carried you to the cliffs and stopped, glancing from your dead gaze to the jagged rocks below before finally settling on the distant image of the Polar Tang with a sad smile.

With his final goodbyes whispered to the wind Law let his gaze fall back to your lifeless one. Even in your zombie-like state he couldn't help but to think the sunrise still looked beautiful in your eyes. He kissed you again, holding you just a little tighter as he stepped off the edge without another sound, eagerly awaiting your soft embrace in the afterlife.

#one piece #one piece fanfiction #law x reader #angst #no happy endings #brought back wrong au #trafalgar law x reader #dark fic #WolfeGoddess Writes

[bennie-jerry]

My Beef with Miguel O'Hara - A Spiderverse Rant

If you've read the title of this, you already know who I'm gonna be crapping on.

I know some of y'all are gonna flame me in the comments, but I do not care. Now, if you’re willing to bring up counterpoints about a FICTIONAL topic in a respectful manner, I’ll listen no problem because I don't mind being wrong (and I actually HOPE I'm wrong about this since I WAS excited about watching Miguel in action because there was so much hype around him). But if you take me having beef with a fictional character as me having beef with YOU, then I politely ask you to spare your mental health and drink some hot chocolate under a blanket after you click away from this post, thank you. 

Now back to the topic.

Most of us Spider-Man fans have seen the movie, "Across the Spider-Verse" at some point (and if you haven't, what are you doing? Go watch it, it's on Netflix). Excluding everything that makes it a masterpiece aside, there's one character in the movie who really grinds my gears. Not in terms of how they’re written, but more so just how they are as a person in general. 

Miguel O'Freaking'Hara. 

I do not like Miguel. I feel pity for him, but I do not like him. I do like him as a character, though. I feel like he definitely adds to the story and makes it interesting. I genuinely feel like ATSV would’ve been really boring if he wasn’t part of it. But I do not like him as a person. 

Miguel doesn't JUST have a stick up his butt, he has the whole TREE.

I couldn't care less about the fact this dude looks like a handsome statue because of the stuff he was doing to Miles. I think y’all forgot that this dude THREW A TABLE AT A MINOR UPON FIRST MEETING HIM and then has the nerve to throw away the food Miles got for him like it's trash. If that’s already not a red flag, I don’t know what is.

I don’t care if it was just ‘frustration.’ Miguel's 27 years old, he should know better. Unless Miles was attacking him in the beginning (which he wasn’t), there’s no reason he should’ve done that. But oh…I have much more beef with this dude than just a table. 

I understand that his supposed role and whatnot in the Spiderverse is that he has to keep canon events going. He has to get rid of 'anomalies.’ Unfortunately, Miles Morales (from Earth-1610) is an anomaly because he was never supposed to be the Spider-Man of his universe. So, what does Miguel do? He tries to obliterate the guy.

…Ex–freaking-scuse me?

"Oh, but Miguel tried to talk to Miles about everything!" 

Yeah. And he did it in the worst way possible. Miguel had absolutely no empathy towards the whole situation, then has the gall to wonder why Miles is running off and not listening to him. No dip, Sherlock. I'm pretty sure if you harshly told any normal person that someone they loved deeply was going to die and that they couldn't save them without any hint of compassion, they'd go against what you said and try to find a way to save them, bro. 

Miguel's whole schmo is that Miles becoming Spider-Man was bad because it created Spot and Spot's creating a bunch of problems. As a result, Miguel also tells Miles that saving his dad is not allowed. Here's where I have a problem with that logic. If Miles being Spider-Man is an anomaly in the first place, why NOT save Jeff as a way to prevent more anomalies from HAPPENING? If anything, Miles losing his dad would've just been another canon event for him to continue BEING Spider-Man, even though he wasn't supposed to be. Legit, this dude’s logic irritates the pee out of me.

Miguel's approach to the problem is also hypocritical considering that he lost his own wife and daughter in the universe he belonged to, then invaded ANOTHER UNIVERSE he didn't belong to, which honestly in my opinion makes Miguel look even worse to me. I'm willing to bet that Miguel’s alternate daughter could’ve been that universe’s spider hero, but because THIS vampire edge lord stepped into a universe that was NOT his, it prevented the canon event of the classic “Dead Guardian trope,” leading to that universe’s evaporation.

Another thing that irks me about the whole thing is that MILES IS LIKE 15-16 YEARS OLD. So as far as I'm concerned, O'Hara is trying to eliminate a KID. Even though he knows what it's like to lose a KID. No wonder the multiverse prevented him from being a father—he’s violent, unstable, and completely short-sighted. He’s out here chokeslamming a teenager and calling THEM the mistake. Just because you went through grief and trauma with your own children, it isn't an excuse to take the breath of another child. 

(Y'know, considering the events of Multiverse of Madness, I'm kinda seeing a pattern here--)

Miguel, for some reason, refuses to have a smidge of sensitivity for what Miles is going through. Heck, even Gwen and Peter Parker had more empathy for Miles despite them not telling him he wasn't supposed to be Spider-Man because they actually cared about his feelings TO SOME DEGREE.

I hate Miguel’s whole “You’re a mistake!” speech because Miles didn't create the spider. Miles didn't summon the spider. Miles didn’t choose to get bit. He didn’t find it on his own terms. Miles didn't choose to create Spot—the one who’s actually causing them problems. Someone ELSE brought the spider there. Someone ELSE took away a universe’s Spider-Man. Miles is just trying to deal with what he’s been given. So if Miguel wants to go after ANYONE for ‘anomalies’ in terms of Miles’ universe, he needs to track down the person who put something where it didn’t belong.

For crying out loud, he told the boy that HE was a mistake. It’d be one thing if he said “You being Spider-Man was a mistake” or something. But no. He says that Miles IS the mistake.

During that whole speech, it sounds like Miguel is trying to tell Miles that everything is HIS fault as if Miles had a choice in being bit. As if Miles even had a choice in the fact that a radioactive spider from an alternate universe chose to bite him. 

There were so many other ways Miguel could've handled the issue and he didn’t do that. I don’t care what his so-called intentions could/would be because it really put a disgusting taste in my mouth. 

I still have no respect for the fact that he hypocritically and previously invaded another reality where he was dead so he could be with his family--and here's what I mean by that.

Yes, I understand--Miguel's life on his original earth was freaking sad. He lost his wife and daughter. That's obviously a very tragic thing to go through. But it’s the fact that he's cracking down on Miles so badly despite Miguel LITERALLY being the one to pull a Kingpin vexes me. Miles had ALWAYS belonged to his universe. Miguel’s only in the dump he’s in because he was trespassing.

Don't get me wrong, I feel pity but I absolutely cannot stand the audacity of this man to go after a kid who got bit IN HIS OWN UNIVERSE even though Miguel was the one who contributed to some multiversal disaster in the Spider-verse. You could try to say, "Oh, it's because he doesn't want to make the same mistake again and shatter the Spider-verse or something!" While I could understand that, it’s still not a good reason for Miguel to do and say the stuff he did. I thought at the bare minimum, he'd be at least able to RELATE to Miles considering that he also lost people he cared about.

End conclusion: 

Miguel is vexing to me–but I don’t hate the way he’s written. If anything, I think if he wasn’t written this way, the ASTV movie would be very different. Whether that’d be for the better or the worse, I’m willing to bet most of this storyline wouldn’t even exist were Miguel not like this. So even though Miguel absolutely grinds my gears with his mindset and who he is as a character—I’m not mad at his writers. And I honestly feel like that’s just a showmanship of how great the writing for the Spider-Verse movies is. Good writing is when you’re mad at characters for the decisions THEY make, and not at the WRITERS for having them make those decisions. 

I’m out.

#anti miguel o’hara #character rant #character ramblings #character rambles #rant post #rant #ranting #across the spiderverse #spider man #spiderman #miguel is not your uwu daddy #miguel is not misunderstood #miguel is a violent man that needs to be in therapy

[luverz-exe]

*kicks down ur door*

May I request Yandere SCP 035 with a D-Class Reader who has a sense of dark humor 👁👁. You can ignore this if you don’t want to, lol-

Yandere SCP 035 With D-Class S/O who has a Love of Dark Humor

× Oh, he is going to love you to death! He says fucked up shit, and if it gets even a chuckle out of you he'll continue until the interview is over. Researchers try to explain to you that you can't laugh at what he says, otherwise nothing will get done. But either way, you keep laughing, and he keeps telling joke after joke in hopes you laugh harder. It's been so long since he's had a good audience, you see and he just loves to entertain, especially those who enjoy the performance!

× He's never had such a captivating person, a D-Class nonetheless have genuine enjoyment with the jokes he makes, seeing as it's not everyone's taste in comedy, so it's nice to have a like minded person who can appreciate his humor. But a part of him wonders how dark you are willing to go until it's not funny anymore. How about a joke about a D-class getting a foot amputated to feed an SCP? Or maybe you wouldn't mind a bit of body horror or modification, where he'll twist his host's neck or bend a finger until it snaps?

× His charming nature does really help with helping jokes land, but when they do fall flat he can't help but feel disappointed that you didn't laugh. Keeps mental notes about what doesn't make you laugh and makes sure to use whatever upset you. Whether it is the setup, the topic or even the way he said it. Will actually ask you what about the joke fell flat so he can improve next time.

"What went wrong on that one? I thought it was pretty good, I mean, I nailed the timing and everything!"

× If you ever get forced to put on the mask he will be royally pissed, I mean what is he supposed to do? His properties are out of his control, he can't control the fact that after a while you get tempted to put on him. He can't control the fact you pick him up and place him on your head, ultimately killing you on sight. And he certainly can't help the fact that the black goo coming down his face speeds up rapidly with his frown.

× But on a lighter note, he's not going to let that happen, ever. He, despite being a mask, is wonderful at convincing employees that doing that will cause great harm to the foundation, probably because they know he means it. He'll be unstable, and they'd rather keep him as alive as possible, seeing as though there is much research to be done with the specimen.

× If he were to break out, you're the first he's coming for. You are the perfect audience to witness his escape, and he can't wait to light up your face with jokes he thought up before breaking containment. You wouldn't want to miss his greatest performance yet, it's got romance, humor, bloodshed, everything needed in a wonderful story such as this! And best of all? He's gotten you front row seats to it all~

"Come along, my dear (Y/N), you wouldn't want to miss the show! It'll be jaw-dropping, hair-raising, ELECTRIFYING!My best performance yet, and I don't want you to miss a single second of it!~"

#yandere fanfiction #yandere x reader #yandere x you #yandere scp #yandere headcanons #yandere scp foundation #scp fanfiction #scp x reader #scp 035 #yandere

[piratemousey]

Hymn on the Wind

Tav x Gale

Warning: bg3 act 2 spoilers, original poetry

Under the cut is a spicy ending for people who want. CW: oral sex, sexual situations, it's basically a blow job how to if you're looking for tips, I'm very good at it.

Part 3

Rythmn of Us

Tav peaked out of her tent. When she spotted Gale, she jogged over to him, then slowed down, attempting to act casual as she approached. He was looking over the map they'd been building of the cursed lands..

After Gale had created a beautiful night for Tav two nights ago, he'd confessed his love for her. She told Gale she loved him too. The next day her and Karlach decided they needed to get to the creche as Lae'zel insisted. 

It was the thinnest excuse for an adventure in history. Of course, Tav wanted to go to the creche, but she also wanted to extend the time she had with Gale. The last time they'd talked about the b-o-m-b issue, he seemed resigned to his fate. But Tav had promised herself and her companions that she would save Gale, if even from his own self-hate.

Gale had smiled and nodded at the news of going to the creche as he normally did when Tav made a decision, but Gale was far too smart for Tav to imagine she'd fooled him.

"Gale, can I show you something?" Tav asked.

"If it's your own magic trick again, I'll remind you that you lost my favorite hat in a fire." Gale said. He straightened from the map to turn towards her approach. Gale smiled at seeing Tav. "Of course, I'll come, my love. Lead the way."

Tav slipped her hand in his hand as she smiled at Gale. Tav convinced Astarion, Wyll, and Lae'zel to go for supplies and do more scouting of the large temple they'd found that day.

As Tav pulled Gale into her tent, Tav was bubbling with excitement. 

"I can't wait to see this, you're so excited." Gale said. Gale's eyes were bright and hopeful, just a dash of concern. He loved Tav, and she could feel it ripple through her when he spoke sweetly.

Tav had set her tent up next to a stone wall, which they'd killed some undead when they first arrived. The land against the wall was flat and slightly elevated and  wide enough for a makeshift bed. It would offer them extra privacy and some comfort.

Tav had lit a few candles and borrowed an incense stick from Shadowheart that smelled of the kind of oak wood found in libraries. She wanted everything to be perfect.

Tav walked over to the music box where she had it with her lute and an unopened bottle of wine.

"I found this at the old house of healing a few days ago. It was on a hearth, it reminded me of my mother. I don't know why I took it, it's not valuable and it'll only take up space."

"You'll keep it for the same reason we keep every scrap of paper we find," Gale said. 

"You've given it meaning." Gale reached his hand for the box, pausing before touching it. "May I?"

"Yes," Tav said. 

Gale lifted the small box with care. He turned it in his hands, viewing the craftsmanship and the detailing. As a wizard from wealth, Gale was practiced at handling crumbling tomes and powerful artifacts. It warmed Tav's heart that he used the same care for a music box with faded paint and looked as if it was made with dull tools. All because she said it was special to her. 

"When I saw it it reminded me of one she had. She said my father gave it to her, but who knows, she told so many stories."

"You don't talk much of them," Gale observed. "I imagine it's painful."

"She told me that she was everything he wanted her to be, she changed herself a thousand ways for him. Still, he hurt her. He's dead now, I don't care why."

"I asked her why she kept something that held such bad memories," Tav continued the story she'd been telling.

"And what did she say?" Gale asked. He raised a brow, aware he was being told a story. For Tav, storytelling was all around her. She brought Gale into her story. She'd introduced him to the characters, explained the jokes, and then made him a main returning lead when they'd fallen in love.

"She told me that the box didn't hold bad memories. It held music and treasures. The scars he left and his corpse, that's where the bad memories lived." Tav said. "She said, "He doesn't get the music."

"There is wisdom in her words." Gale said in his soft way. He handed Tav the music box.

"I know you've said all you will on the subject," Tav felt a tightness form in her throat at bringing up the unhappy subject. "And that's fine," she saw him take a breath as if settling himself from a surge of emotions. He watched her steadily, trusting her.

"I know Mystra is magic, but music and storytelling is my magic. And it's outside of her domain. I had trouble finding the words. I even thought of writing a song about the unethical nature of bombs, but I give Astarion and Karlach so many explosives." She said this last bit as if it was something even she found worrying. 

Gale chuckled and Tav felt a warmth knowing she'd made him happy.

Tav turned the key in the music box and set it down. 

"That's the song you've been playing," Gale noted.

"Yes, I've been practicing," She said proudly. She set the leather strap of her lute over her shoulder.

The soft tune that had struck her when she first heard it rose between them, surrounding them with its melody.

"Music is my domain and she can't have it. So no songs to convince, only songs about love." 

Gale rested his arms across his chest, his right hand settling on his lips. He smiled amused at her words and brave defiance. 

She plucked at the strings building the score she added to the music box music. They blended and created a slightly upbeat rhythm that she could shift up or down in tempo as the moods of the song shifted from romance to humor.

"Your name in the wind,

You're magic on my skin.

We both love wine and art,

You're the song inside my heart."

Gale laughed, smiling warmly.

"Each day starts anew,

With thoughts of love for you.

Scratch, Quoth, and owlbear Ol-lie,

We make a great adventuring par-ty."

She repeated the music for the verse adding some deep notes that reverberated in her lute. Then she moved to the last verse.

"The world will be scary,

We know things get hairy.

With your power, the stars we'll see,

Dancing to the rhythm of you and me.

Dancing to the rhythm of you and me.

Dancing to the rhythm of us."

She ended with a big flourish. Tav hadn't been so nervous to perform in years. Her face was hot but she smiled because she had fun singing and playing.

Gale clapped his hands laughing. "To think I once dabbled in poetry," Gale said. His eyes pools of love for Tav. 

Tav set her lute down. The music box notes tinkled softly before the key wound down. She stepped closer to Gale, and he immediately pulled her into a hug. 

Gale leaned back from the hug, keeping her held close. "You wrote that for me?" He set his hand on his chest. 

Tav knew the orb lived there, the thing that would take him from her. But Gale was so much more than that orb. He was there first.

"I've never had anyone write something for me," he said. "The last bard I woo'd left before I'd finished pouring the wine."

"Gale, if you tell me about one more person, god, or fae who's been mean to you, I'm going to start hunting people." Tav said with fake annoyance. 

"I'm sorry, my love," Gale said, earnest in his apology.

Tav hugged Gale tightly, her arms around his neck.

"You can tell me everything, Gale," Tav said. "I just get mad when I know someone's hurt you. You're so sweet."

"I've been known to be a bastard from time to time," Gale said with a wry grin.

"I don't believe it," Tav said, smiling up at Gale. She had no delusions that Gale was a saint. But she loved to joke and play with him.

"Thank you, for your gift," Gale said. He brushed Tav's cheek with the back of his fingers. "I can't imagine what I've done to deserve it."

"You've been here for me, and the others. We're in this together which means we stay together." Tav said. 

Gale's eyes fell with the weight of his choice. They both knew that she was referring to what Mystra asked of him. Tav worried that if Gale thought she was just trying to manipulate him, he'd reject her gift and his chance to live.

"I know it worries you," Gale said, his eye met hers again. "I know that your gesture was made with kindness. So, I will treasure it."

"I love you, Gale," Tav said. She felt the familiar rush of love that blossomed whenever she spoke those words to him.

Gale smiled, cradling Tav's face gently. "I love you, my beautiful Tav."

Tav and Gale kissed. She expected his kiss to remain gentle but it was more passionate. She leaned into it, rubbing the back of Gale's neck with her hand. When they broke apart, Tav was breathless and her knees felt unstable.

"I'm glad you like it." Tav said. She rested her nose against his. "Astarion suggest a cross between a massage and torture I think."

"I'm glad you listened to your instincts then," Gale said with a disgruntled head shake. He leaned in to kiss Tav again. She could feel the smile on his lips. 

The heat in her belly was already spreading over her body. She wanted Gale. She wanted to feel his hands on her skin, she wanted to live only in the moments where they were making each other feel good. 

She could tell from how he moaned low in his throat and his hands had begun to wonder that he wanted her to.

Tav and Gale's passion grew. He kissed her neck, kissing over her ear softly. "Will you sing more for me, my love." His hand slid between her legs and Tav's breath caught.

She backed up and guided him to the bed. She gestured for him to sit on the step she'd made into the bed. 

"My love, let me return the favor of your gift," he held onto her hips as she stood over him. He kissed her tummy.

"You asked me to sing," Tav knelt between Gale's knees. "I know this special bard throat technique I can show you."

Gale's face was red with a mixture of excitement and embarrassment. He was still growing used to be desired. 

"I wouldn't dream of interrupting an artist during a performance," Gale said. 

Tav kissed his lips softly. "You just sit back and be my muse." She had already started undoing his pants.

Gale hummed her tune absently and she could only hope her words got through.

The last time they'd made love, Gale asked Tav questions about her pleasure. He studied her body and even shared his own desires. 

Tav pulled Gale from his pants. She opened her shirt, unclasping her bra the way he liked it. Gale liked when her breasts peaked out but were covered enough that he could touch and expose them when he wanted. 

Tav stroked Gale with one hand while her other cradled his balls. He pulled her face to his, kissing her while she touched him. Tav started humming the tune of the bard throat trick. It was a low octave, but Tav was practiced. She separated from Gale, giving him a loving look while he gazed at her with warm brown eyes.

She slid her mouth over his sex softly caressing the head with her mouth. Tav filled her mouth with saliva then pushed down over Gale's cock taking in more than half his length. She felt him grow and throb as she hummed her song. His hand squeezed her breast while she pleasured him, his other hand touching her head. 

Tav felt Gale grow big in her mouth as his pleasure built.

"My love," she heard Gale whisper close to her ear. "You're doing amazing things but I need to taste you too."

Tav stood up while Gale moved pillows around. She took off her clothes, laying them to the side. Gale laid on his back with a mischievous smile. She kneeled on either side of his head, leaning over him. She hadn't ceased her song but she'd have to rebuild the rhythm she'd been working on. 

Gale pulled her against his mouth, his fingers already rubbing her clit. She felt her arousal building from his work. A warm tingling where her skin met his. 

Tav used her mouth up and down his shaft again, humming around him. Gale slid his fingers into her, his tongue lapping at her sex.

With steadily increasing speed her head bobbed up and down. Her free hand massage just under his balls. Tav pushed the head of his cock deeper into her throat a few times in time with the notes which made it feel amazing. She heard Gale moan as she squeezed him with his throat, his hand grabbing her ass.

She felt Gale's pleasure building against her lips. He was pulling her clit into his mouth and she felt she wasn't far behind him. He used his hand to move her hips and she realized he wanted her to ride his face. Tav rolled her hips, arching her back. Gale's tongue wiggled against her clit and it sent her over the edge. She tried to maintain rhythm, but her orgasm crashed through her like waves during a storm. Having Gale in her mouth, pushed deep in her throat only made it more intense. He held her in place so he could continue to push her pleasure. Tav was too euphoric to do much but nurse on Gale's cock as his warm cum poured into her. 

Tav's body trembled as she released Gale from her lips, aware a penis can be tender after. He licked between her legs as she laid exhausted on top of him, her head against his thigh.

When Gale was satisfied, Tav felt a last gentle kiss. "Come rest your head with me, my love."

Gale wiped his face off on a towel before discarding it. She lay next to him, her head on his chest while his arm held her close.

"The "bard throat trick", huh?" Gale said with a cheeky smile. "Never thought I'd mark that off the bucket list."

"I hope it's a long list," Tav said wistfully.

"Remember what Elminster said about fate breaking on the rocks of will," Gale said. His words were quiet, serious. "If any will were sturdy enough and full of enough love to defy what seems inevitable it would be your will, my love."

Gale softly hummed Tav's song, his fingers running over her skin. His eyes were closed, his head moving side to side at the funny bits.Tav watched him from his shoulder, wanting to remember his face, his smell, his voice. She was hopelessly in love and desperate to save Gale, but for now, she had these moments of quiet and comfort.

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 gale #bg3 gale x tav #gale x tav #bg3 fanfiction #bg3 romance #fanfic #bg3 fanfic #spicy content #this man is in my brain now he's in yours #bard throat trick to drain out the soul and make it yours #gale dekarios #gale of waterdeep

[macverse]

What you hope you can change

---

Chris wants you back but doesn't know if he deserves you. He sees how much he's ruined everything. He wants you to be happy, but it hurts to let you go.

---

A/N: Well, I've accidentally started a mini-series. This was all supposed to be a one-shot, lol. The series started because @shipheart commented, “I wonder what the reader will do next” and then this happened.  I had a wild thought that this Chris/Reader couple could be the couple in Mi Amante and what happens in this series is what led them to start couples therapy. Some of the details are off but I like the idea that this is the back story. This series and Mi Amante are not related, it's just my headcanon within a headcanon, haha. I wrote once on something I was writing “I feel like I'm writing something much bigger than this is". I'm getting that same feeling again with these. It might be. Who knows. Special shout out to Vicky of Chris Evans fan page UK 🇬🇧 @chrisevansfanuk twitter. Since Mr. Evans had taken some time off when I started writing this, I need a secondary resource for content and research. These pages were a big help. Several 11 pm til much, much later writing well past the point of exhaustion sessions were supported by Vicky's pages. There was a very special sleepy moment where I was just blindly scrolling through your tweets cause I knew, I KNEW you had the info I needed but it was from months ago. I found it. Thank you so much.

---

“Chris?” 

I didn't mean to be here. I did come here on purpose but I didn't think it would be that easy to find her. I'd thought maybe if I saw Y/N from far away, I could make up my mind. If she seems happy, if she seems like she’s in a good place, I could turn around and walk away. I could try to move on and let her go if she was okay.

That's not how it happened. We literally almost ran right into each other. One second I was deciding to give up, thinking it was providence that I hadn't seen her and the next I was colliding with Y/N.

“What are you doing here?”, Y/N asks after we’ve both recovered. “I’m honestly not following you. I heard from a friend that they'd seen you around here,” shit that sounds like I'm stalking her. She needs to know that I didn't mean for this to happen like this. I know I don't deserve a second of her time but if I can just get a moment then maybe things can be better. I hold my hands up, my palms forward as I continue, “I just wanna talk.” Uh, stress is cruel, fame's a lie

But you're special, on every level

Success is cool, money is fine

But you're special, another level The shock of Y/N leaving LA was like getting thrown into the deep end of a pool in the middle of winter. I realized too late that I was being an idiot. I was the reason she’d been there in the first place and I ignored her. I didn’t do it on purpose. My schedule kept filling up and my free time kept disappearing. I missed her but work was work. It couldn’t be ignored.

My assistant Josh had mentioned that he was getting a feeling that Y/N wasn't having a good time or didn't have much to do. He was the one who made sure I’d get a plus one so she could accompany me to my events. He'd even put together a list of exhibits and classes that I knew that Y/N would love, places we could go, and things we could do on dates but I kept putting it off because I was busy. 

I kept thinking later, later but she left before I could get to later.

Listen

I see the men, they wanna touch ya

That's when I tell 'em, uh huh

I guess I am a jealous lover

'Cause I ain't sharin' with another lover

Stress is cruel, fame's a lie

But you're special, on every level

Success is cool, and money is fine

But you're special, another level

I was a mess after she left. I didn't have the time to be a mess but the minute there wasn't a camera in my face I would break down, the facade I kept up would crumble away and all I could feel was heartache. I muddled my way through the rest of the projects I had in LA. I can't even remember if I did work that I was happy with or not. The ache Y/N left in my chest was irrepressible. I could barely breathe sometimes. 

The hole Y/N left in my life was tangible. You don't realize how entwined someone is into the fabric of every minute of your life until it hits you in the face. 

I didn't realize how the simple touch of her hand stopped my mind from racing. I didn't realize how seeing her and my dog safely at home brought me peace.

I didn't realize how the smell of her perfume on the sheets made me feel like I was home every night.

I didn't realize how much her smile warmed me from the inside and made my heart sing in my chest.

I just didn't realize how much I loved her in my life...

Want more? Read the rest on my AO3.

#chris evans #chris evans x reader #x reader #reader insert #fan fiction #fanfiction #ff #ao3 #read on ao3 #ao3 author #valentines day #breakup #i'm so sorry #but #just hold on #spoilers #winks #song fic #justin timberlake #higher higher #men of the woods #MOTW #EITIW #writing #writers on tumblr #writers community #what you... series #part 3 of 4

[classificationhell]

First, I hope you are feeling better and I hope your sister is recovering well. Your blog and stories are something I didn’t know I needed in my life, but gives me such a serotonin boost when I see anything posted!

I was wondering how our favorite caregivers would react to a little one with separation anxiety/severe abandonment issues. I can kinda see Mourningstar getting basically a baby sling and being pleased with this development, but the others I’m curious on.

Thank you and I'm glad my blog and stories are helping you feel good ^^ Everything is doing alright ish at least my body decided to stop hating me after shark week was over. My sinuses are my only issue as the weather's changing lol

I dunno what you mean by favorite but I'll assume you mean the ones I'm writing for lol so Alastor, Vox, Mourningstar, Lucifer, and Fizzmodeus.

Alastor is more than happy to take you with him most days, but there are some times when it's best to leave you at home, not that he doubts his capabilities at dispatching anyone before they get too close, more like he doesn't want to taint your innocence by bringing you to a slaughter. He isn't hesitant to kill in front of you should the need arise, but he's covering your eyes and tossing the body away with a tentacle. So you only hear whatever they'd been saying and a squelch before their gone. Papa tells you not to worry about it that he just dealt with the issue before continuing your stroll. Alastor might even take you to an Overlord meeting being one of the few to know Carmine as a Caregiver, not that she told him, he's just the more talented faker. Between her, Rosie, his tentative friend Zestial (who he knows isn't a Caregiver, but doesn't condone harming Littles despite his proclivity for violence he's a classy gemtleman with a set moral code even if that code is very skewed), and of course he, himself, you would be well protected should the need arise and they already are aware of your existence so a formal introduction wouldn't change things.

However, for when he needs to do things, he's going to have to leave you with "Uncle Husker" or Charlie.

Vox doesn't mind it. It's not like he's going out and getting his own hands dirty. Besides, as the new face of a majority of his marketable brand, it's good to be seen together as much as possible. He'll even take you to meetings with new talent, besides if they don't like you or treat you as beneath them because you're a Little well he knows they're absolute trash and will send them Valentino's way of not just kick them out of the V's tower all together. Oh, and I'd anyone dared hurt you. Well, there's worse things than even being a porn star in hell. Ultimately Vox will enable this type of behavior because it increases your reliance on him (which he's always worried about because while he is a Caregiver, Reader is an Omega in these works, and he can't have the kind of bond an Alpha could have with them no matter how hard he tries because he is just a Beta.)

Mourningstar would go for the babysling, but if that still wasn't enough for you, then prepare yourself to be cuddled by an army of the same man.

He's jealous of himself if you show too much attention to the clones. He has to be the main one you're cuddling when in a cuddle pile. His clones are more or less extensions of himself so they're all obsessed with you too.

Lucifer would be more concerned about the origins of such behavior, buuuuut it is a bit nice in a way. He'd offer to take them to therapy or talk about it but is more than fine if they just need him to such a degree.

Fizzarolli and Asmodeus don't mind extra cuddles or reassurances, but they want you to be in a good mental space. They're actively looking for help and they'll even go with you to therapy if that helps!

#ask response #memes #hazbin hotel memes #unfunny memes #classification hell au #classificationhell #thank you #lore adjacent #reactions #lucifer mourningstar #alastor reaction #vox reaction #lucifer reaction #fizzarozzie #fizzmodeus

[todayisafridaynight]

In fairness you're 100% supposed to come away from the experience wondering how they could possibly continue the story from here so they did accomplish what they set out to do lol

Granted immediately after the completion of 8's development Sakamoto said he had no clue where they'd go from there himself, but they all said the same thing after 7 and got to cooking like less than a year later. I think discussing what they don't want to do points to some thought being put toward what they would want to do in a continuation already, though. I also wouldn't personally put too much stock into the presence of the yakuza because that's what changing the name of the series back to Like a Dragon was all about but yeah

Given Yokoyama is the Guy Who's Busy Thinking Up New Stories 24/7 And Wants To Keep Making Games Until He's 80, I'm certainly curious what a sequel would entail, but there's plenty of things I can think of that could be followed up on as well as plenty they could newly introduce or recontextualize, since this is one of the more open endings in the series.

I would liken it to if we were experiencing the ending of 5 when it originally came out live, because many felt that was a decisive ending for the series at the time as well. But back then even the studio truly didn't know whether they could continue the series, whereas nowadays they're definitely planning ahead a lot more, if the plans to bring Kiryu back in 8 have been in place since 6 as Sakamato says. It's "only" going to be a 4-year wait or so until we find out anyhow because they already talked about the rough release schedule lol so we'll just have to wait and see how that shit goes down <3

But Yeah I hope you're enjoying Dondoko and everything :) I'm excited to get back to LJ with you! I also still have Arakawa Family stuff to discuss when I'm not Busy As Piss but that's for another time

truly the biggest question mark on how the series can go forward cause at least with 5 the yakuza was still in rgg's back pocket for an antag, now its truly just Free Sailing from here, esp with how Sound the ending for 8 was

but Allegedly we have four years to wait, that gives me plenty of time to catch up on other things so im fine with the wait LOL

#snap chats #i meant to stream dondoko buuuut oops </3 #it IS real fun tho im excited to finally properly start decorating it now that ive finished everything #lost judgment .. one day ill get back to you .. #maybe next week ...

[queen-of-writing-bad-things]

Henry Danger Reader Insert | Captain Man x Reader: SEASON 1

Episode 23: The Bucket Trap

~ Down in the Man Cave~

Charlotte and (y/n) were anxiously anticipating the return of Henry and Ray from their patrol. They'd had been waiting for hours and after growing antsy, they had taken to pacing around. However, to their relief, the long wait was soon over, as the tube alarm sounded and the two superheroes dropped into the headquarters.

"Hey, how'd it go?" Charlotte greeted them, she and (y/n) lighting up now that they could hear about their adventures.

"Oh, man, it was insane." Ray smiled as he and Henry walked down the steps to the females. His happy demeanour perked up his best friend, her boredom and nervous excitement bubbling down into a calmness.

"It was nuts!" Henry exclaimed, fuelling Ray's climatic animation. 

"Don't leave us in suspense then!" (y/n) told them, eager to hear about what had happened. Things had been a little tense in the Man Cave for the past week, ever since the whole Dennis escapade. Ray tried for days afterwards to get his best friend to stay with a friend downtown, but she refused. The Man Cave was her home, he was her friend and she wasn't going to leave when there was work to be done.

"Okay. The news helicopter was flying around over Swellview, just going in circles." Ray started, his grin expanding at how intently the woman was listening to him.

"Because the helicopter pilot fell asleep at the controls." Henry continued, adding a touch of drama to the tale with his voice.

"And did you guys figure out a way to wake him up?" Charlotte asked, intrigued at how the story was unfolding.

"No. We just watched the helicopter fly around in circles." Ray said, walking past the girls, who looked at the heroic duo in disbelief.

"Until it ran out of gas and fell right down into the Jandy River," Henry added, not helping how horrified they looked.

"Raymond!" (y/n) exclaimed, shocked that he had just watched the helicopter crash. She watched him move to the supercomputer.

"And you guys didn't do anything?" Charlotte voiced her anger too.

"I got a video of it going down," Henry said and he shared a smirk with Ray. The girls' frowns got even deeper at how they were borderline gloating.

"What about the pilot? Was he hurt?" Charlotte inquired, hoping they weren't going around if someone had gotten injured.

"No. Just wet." Kid Danger shrugged, as Ray laughed at the memory.

"So very wet." He chuckled, (y/n) rolling her eyes at his amusement. She didn't think that the situation was funny at all. She lost her train of thought when Henry received a text, his phone dinging from the notification.

"Ugh. Another text from Jasper. That's eleven texts in one hour," Henry groaned, wondering why his friend was so keen to get his attention.

"I've got nine," Charlotte added too, scrolling through all the notifications as she leant on the back of the couch and Henry and (y/n) sat down. 

"Man, what's up with that Jasper kid?" Ray asked, standing from the computer chair and going over to Charlotte. 

"It's the bucket boy, right? Doesn't he have any other friends?" The young woman questioned too. She didn't know a huge amount about Jasper, other than he was Henry and Charlotte's other friend, he was a bit annoying and he loved buckets.

"Well, yeah, but not the kind you'd be, you know, proud of," Charlotte said carefully, not wanting to be mean about her friend.

"We're his best friends. But now because we work for you, we end up having to leave him alone all the time." Henry explained, making Ray and (y/n) feel a little guilty. They didn't live an easy life, they had to sacrifice a lot to keep everything secret. It sucked that the kids had to do it as well.

"I feel really bad for him," Charlotte said too.

"We're sorry we expect so much from you, but this is what we have to do to keep Captain Man fighting crime." (y/n) told them sincerely and the teens knew she meant it. They knew that she went through crap for Ray too, even though it was often for a completely different reason.

"Yeah...you guys hungry? Who wants Greek food?" Ray put his hand up, smiling at his friends. They weren't impressed, especially (y/n), who wished that sometimes he'd suppress his childishness in serious moments.

"Ray, we just told you we had a real problem we have with our friend," Henry stated, not believing how dismissive his boss had been.

"And all you can say is 'Who wants Greek food?'" Charlotte reiterated and Ray lifted his arm even higher. 

"Don't be a dick!" (y/n) scolded him, punching him in the stomach, his rock-hard abs hurting her hand more than she hurt him. 

"Tzatziki? Moussaka?" The large man held both her hands together so she couldn't hit him again. She struggled against his grip, but let's face it, she wasn't going anywhere.

"Fine, but we're still going to discuss it." She sighed, making her best friend pick her up and spin her around before skipping off to phone the Greek restaurant.

"You can never say no to him." Charlotte deadpanned, she and Henry watching the situation with bemused faces.

"You lurveee him." Henry teased her, making her hide her red face in her hands.

"Shut up! Go get changed!" She replied in an embarrassed voice. She knew that what they were saying was completely true, but they didn't need to know that.

~~

The food had finally arrived, creating a delicious-looking spread on the couch table. The ground had gathered around it, serving strawberry and blueberry kool-aid alongside the meal.

"Mmmmm..." They all said as they took the first mouthful, the traditional food doing wonders on the tastebuds.

"Man, I love these 'jye-rose'. That's how you say it, y'know, 'jye-rose'." Ray said, his pronunciation not great.

"You try it." He told the kids as (y/n) rolled her eyes and took a sip of her strawberry drink.

"'Jye-rose'" They said together, thinking that it wasn't very difficult to say.

"Perfect." Ray complimented them, taking another bite of his food.

"Don't you think you should talk about something else with them?" (y/n) nudged his knee with his and he looked over his glass at her, the blue liquid sloshing about in the glass.

"What?" His voice was muffled by the glass, and he sounded puzzled as to why she was raising her eyebrows at him.

"Back to our problem with Jasper," Henry told him, jogging his memory back to their problem. Ray groaned at the mention of the boy, causing his best friend to hit him on the arm like a mother scolding her child.

"Don't be rude!" She looked at him sternly, a finger pointed at his face.

"Don't groan, he's our friend." Charlotte chided him too.

"Yeah, and it's not cool how we always have to lie to him and leave him all alone when you need us to work," Henry told his boss his real feelings, which didn't go down with Ray very well. He never took criticism in good humour.

"Okay. Here's an idea." He said in a cheerful voice.

"What?"

"What you got?" The teens replied, thinking he had good intentions.

'Oh god...' (y/n) had known Ray a lot longer than they had and she knew that he wasn't taking their concerns seriously.

"One night soon, we go to Jasper's house...we sneak into his room..." Ray leaned closer as he explained his plan, which the kids nodded along enthusiastically.

"Here it comes." (y/n) mumbled under her breath. 

"And we brain wipe his memory so he doesn't remember either one of you." Ray smiled, thinking it was foolproof.

"There it goes." The young woman pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation as Henry and Charlotte scoffed in offence.

"No. Friends don't wipe friend's brains." Charlotte said in an angry voice. 

"Yeah, you wouldn't wipe (y/n)'s brain." Henry gestured to the woman and Ray frowned as they did.

"What? No! She's my friend!" The superhero exclaimed, proving their point. The fact sucked, always the friend, never the girlfriend, but at least it made him see he was a hypocrite.

"Just pass the lamb balls," Ray said to the dark-haired girl in an irritated tone.

"They're actually called Keftedes." (y/n) mentioned as Ray served her some in a sulk.

"Anyway, I got a better idea," Henry announced, wondering how the two adults would take it.

"What?" Charlotte turned to him, knowing that anything was better than what Ray had suggested.

"I say that we just tell Jasper that I'm Kid Danger." Henry declared, causing (y/n) to choke on her meatball and Ray to spray his Kool-aid across the floor.

"That was charming," Charlotte commented with a grimacing face, as the woman in front of her coughed from the food in her windpipe. Ray patted her back and eventually, she calmed down, but she still felt shocked at what the boy had suggested.

"No! No, no, no, no, sir!" Ray exclaimed, wiping his mouth with a blue napkin as he soothingly rubbed (y/n)'s back. He was still on edge from her last near-death experience.

"Oh, why not? (y/n/n), come on! What's the worst thing that could happen?" Charlotte looked at the more reasonable of the two, but even she was sceptical at the idea. This Jasper kid wasn't known for his intelligence and his super-enthusiasm for Captain Man would surely result in him spilling to a supervillain or something.

"Uh, well, the worst thing is if Jasper blabs it all over the place, and then everyone in the world knows Henry's Kid Danger," Ray said in an amused voice, (y/n) agreeing with him even though she knew it was upsetting the teens.

"And then the bad guys follow him and find out he works here, so then they know how how to find Captain Man too, and then they blow this place up, including this really cute skirt I bought last week that I haven't worn yet." (y/n) was exaggerating a bit, but it was nothing compared to how Ray was feeling. He had stood up and was now pacing up and down the middle of the Man Cave.

"And then they could also figure out where Henry's house is, which puts him and his whole family in major danger." Ray finished the scenario by planking on the back of the couch, his body hovering next to (y/n) as she nibbled on her food a little.

"Okay, but other than that?" Charlotte looked at them with a bored expression. In her eyes, it really wasn't that big of a deal.

"Nobody is going to tell Jasper or anyone else that Henry's Kid Danger," Ray said firmly.

"(y/n), help us out!" Charlotte pleaded with her, thinking that she would get on their side and convince Ray.

"Sorry, guys, but I agree with doofus. Jasper just can't keep secrets." (y/n) tried to be fair, but it was so hard. Everyone wanted her on their team since she influenced either side. But ultimately, she thought her best friend was right. Just because Jasper was their friend and was getting left out, didn't mean they should tell him.

"Come on, what if I promise you he'll keep the secret?" Henry asked Ray, sighing with (y/n), who lifted herself onto the back of the couch.

"You can't guarantee that." The superhero argued.

"You wanna know how many of my friends I can't tell about my job? They just have to accept that I've got responsibilities." (y/n) lectured, Ray walking up behind her and squeezing her shoulder. He knew how many things she had given up for him; friends, some family, a normal life, and he couldn't be more grateful that she had stuck with him. He put her through late nights, criminal lunatics coming after them, endless repairs and menial tasks. She really was his angel.

"All right. Why don't we just test Jasper and see?" Charlotte proposed, having had enough of the tall tales about moral high ground.

"Yes. Good." Henry agreed with her.

"What are you guys talking about?" Ray said in a very strained voice, (y/n) swinging her legs over the back of the sofa so she could go over and calm him down.

"We'll make up some big old juicy secret." The dark-haired girl told the adults, making them rub their faces with frustration. Kids were too stubborn for them.

"And then, if he keeps that secret for a week, we know we can trust him." Henry theorised, looking at the two earnestly.

"What do you think?" Charlotte asked, hoping they'd agree.

"Okay." Ray nodded, (y/n) smirking at him as she whispered in his ear, her hot breath making his hair stand on end.

"But we get to pick the fake secret." The young woman grinned at the teens mischievously, knowing that it would have to be something so crafty, so intrinsically evil, they would squirm on the spot.

"Sure." 

"Done deal, man." Charlotte and Henry nodded at each other, thinking they could take anything that was thrown at them. Ray sat back down on the couch, pulling (y/n) into his lap and the two of them smiled sweetly.

"So, what secret do you want us to tell him?" Charlotte asked, so Ray murmured into the woman's ear and she giggled cunningly. 

The sight of them snuggling and whispering together so openly was unusual for them, but Ray had been more touchy ever since he saw the fading bruises on her collarbone. They always reminded him that she could be taken in an instant, so he found himself needing more physical reassurance that she was still there. However, for Charlotte and Henry, this was war, and no cute couple was going to make them back down.

"That you and Henry..." Ray started, his hands sliding down her waist so his thumb could stroke where her leg joined to her hip. She relaxed into him, enjoying how the scent of his cologne enveloped her. 

"...Are boyfriend and girlfriend!" (y/n) squealed, holding up two fingers and then joining them to indicate the two friends coming together in love. She and Ray watched in amusement as the kids cringed and scowled at the thought of being more than friends. The man's chest rumbled behind her as he chuckled and pressed a kiss to her shoulder, making the woman blush as she sipped her drink.

"Have fun..." (y/n) quipped, as she and her would-be boyfriend knew they had their employees rattled. This was going to be interesting...

~Later that night~

Henry and Charlotte had meticulously planned their dinner with Jasper. Everything had to be perfect, otherwise, Jasper would smell a rat and think it was a prank. The table was set, the food was ready, all they had to now was wait for him to arrive.

"Okay, who's going to start?" Henry asked Charlotte as she set out the beakers. 

"I don't wanna start." She replied, thinking that the whole plan was unnecessarily wicked on Ray and (y/n)'s parts. 

"It's my house, I make the rules." He said like a child.

"Well, why'd you ask me who's going to start if you knew you wanted me to start?" She responded, causing an argument between them. They talked over one another frantically until Jasper came through the door.

"Hey, guys!" He greeted his friends, who broke apart instantly once he spoke.

"Oh, hey, Jasper."

"Hi there, Jasper." They said simultaneously, acting like they hadn't just been freaking out.

"So, why'd you guys invite me for dinner?" The curly-haired boy inquired, throwing his jacket on the couch and sauntering to the table.

"Pfffft, what do you mean why?" Henry scoffed.

"Friends don't need a reason to invite a friend for dinner, right?" Charlotte joined in with a nervous smile.

"I guess." Jasper shrugged.

"Although we do have a reason."

"There is a reason." His friends told him, igniting curiosity in him. What did they want to tell him?

"But first, did you see we made your favourite dinner?" Henry gestured to the spread put out before them, and Jasper gasped as he took it all in.

"Fish sticks and peas!" The boy clapped his hands excitedly.

"Yeah. Sit down." Charlotte told him, finding it a little odd that Jasper ate fish sticks with just peas. The friends sat down, Charlotte giving Henry a look.

"Uh, so, we have something that we kind of wanna tell you. But first, you have to promise. You got to swear that you'll never tell anyone this secret. " Henry started, his tummy alive with butterflies.

"No worries, I can keep a secret." Jasper smiled.

"Can you?" Henry stared at him intensely, putting his friend on edge.

"Yeah. I never told Charlotte you were the one who killed her goldfish." Oh poor Jasper, he really needed to think before he said something. Henry looked at Charlotte with wide eyes as she kicked off.

"WHAT?" She yelled, thinking that her goldfish's death was one of life's shitty curveballs.

"You did not just say that!" Henry snapped at Jasper, who was perspiring at the situation he found himself in.

"You killed Nemo?" Tears sprung up in the corners of the girl's eyes. Her beloved fish...

"We're getting off track here." He looked at her and she calmed down a smidge.

"Now, we want to tell you a big secret, but you gotta seriously swear that you'll never tell anyone," Henry told Jasper firmly.

"Never ever." Charlotte cemented, her tone of voice telling the teen that she meant business.

"I swear on Nemo's grave." Jasper held his fingers up, swearing his secrecy. 

"Stop mentioning Nemo," Henry whined at him as the dark-haired girl in front of him gave him a death glare.

"I can't believe you killed him." She hissed over the fish sticks.

"I tickled his back, he had a stroke, it wasn't my fault!" He yelled back. He hadn't meant for the fish to die, but that wasn't the point. Henry didn't know how to get the words out of his mouth, but Charlotte gave him an encouraging look.

"Charlotte and I are boyfriend and girlfriend." He struggled out, thinking about how he was going to kill those two, oblivious, sanctimonious, stinking excuses for bosses/friends when he got hold of them. Jasper's bottom lip quivered in shock, pointing a shaking finger at his friends.

"You? She? You and She? You and him?" He stuttered, looking back and forth between them. He obviously couldn't take it, because he grabbed the bowl of peas and emptied it down his shirt.

"What?!" He yelled after the peas have rolled out of the bottom of his shirt. 

"It's true." Charlotte lied, trying to make herself sound believable.

"You guys are dating?" He spluttered.

"We sure are."

"We're deep in love." Charlotte felt like throwing up, but she plastered a fake smile on her face like Henry.

"Wow. So you guys, like, kiss and stuff?" Jasper giggled at the thought of them doing all the mushy, lovey-dovey stuff.

"Mmm-hmm, we sure do," Charlotte replied Henry looked like he was about to spontaneously combust.

"We kiss a lot." The boy said uneasily, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"Can I see?" Jasper questioned in a low voice, setting off a panic in their stomachs.

"Well, we can't kiss right now," Charlotte told him quickly.

"Why not?" The curly-haired boy groaned, thinking his friends were taking all the fun out of what he'd just learned. 

"Because Charlotte has a mouth sore." Henry came out with, irritating the girl in question. Why did she have to be the diseased one?

"Ewww, gross," Jasper complained at the thought.

"Yeah, it's real gross." Charlotte glared at the boys.

"Henry, why don't you take me to the mouth doctor?" She pointed to the door with her thumb.

"Sure, baby." Henry cringed at what he said, but it gave the two a chance to get out of the house. 

"Wait, it's nighttime. I think all the doctors are closed!" Jasper yelled after them as they opened the door.

"Remember, you promised that you'd never tell anyone that we're boyfriend and girlfriend." Henry reminded him.

"Okay, but where are you going to take Char--" The poor kid couldn't finish his sentence as they ran out briskly. At least he had his fish sticks to keep him happy.

~Junk-N-Stuff, the next day~

Henry and Charlotte were busy scrubbing the teeth in the Dinosaur's head. All that fire had scorched them into a grungy colour, so it was their task to get them back to a reasonable state. Ray and (y/n) were watching them curiously, wondering how to bring up the conversation about the bucket kid.

"So, you guys told Jasper yesterday, huh?" (y/n) asked as Ray helped her polish the counter.

"Yep."

"We did." The kids replied, getting their toothbrushes into all the nooks and crannies of the dinosaur's mouth.

"Ha, I bet he's already blabbed it to every kid in your school." Ray chuckled, thinking he and (y/n) were guaranteed to win the bet.

"And if he did, it meeeeeans....we were right and you were wrong, we were right and you were wrong, we were right and you were wrong!" The large man sang with a little dance, Henry and Charlotte strolling over to the counter with frowns on their faces.

"Okay, that's enough." (y/n) squirted some cleanser onto his hand since he was getting on her nerves too. He recoiled with a grumble, ceasing his petulant behaviour. All of a sudden, the shop's doorbell jingled and Jasper came into the store. 

"Shhhh!" Henry and Charlotte shushed the adults, much to their annoyance.

"We weren't talking," Ray said to them, but they had already gone to see Jasper. He put his arm around (y/n)'s shoulders as they watched the teens interact.

"Hey, Jasper." Henry greeted his best friend.

"What are you doing here?" Charlotte asked cheerfully.

"I can't stop thinking about what you guys told me last night." Jasper started, causing the other kids to shush him as Ray smirked into his coffee.

"Give me a sip." (y/n) whispered to him, not taking her eyes off the three.

"I asked if you wanted a coffee and you said no!" Ray mumbled back. This was one of her quirks that really annoyed him, but at the same time, he loved it. 

"I don't want a coffee, I want a sip of yours. Pleeeease!" She pouted, making him groan and offer her the cup. She took a mouthful and grinned at him happily, focusing on Henry and his friends again. How he loved to see her smile...

"I didn't say anything. But, man, this secret is hard to keep." Jasper confessed, as the two adults circled the cash register and walked over to the group.

"Ahem, excuse us." (y/n) sauntered over to them, a playful spring in her step.

"Henry, Charlotte, we need you guys to go down to the basement and mop the walls." Ray lied, thinking of anything that would get them to leave Jasper alone.

"Since when do we have to mop the walls?" Henry looked at them both with suspicious eyes. They were up to something.

"Since now. You'll find buckets and mops ready to go down there." (y/n) smiled at them, grabbing Ray's mug and taking another drink, making him purse his lips in slight annoyance.

"But our friend Jasper's here and--" Charlotte tried to excuse them as the young woman gave Ray the cup back, but he was having none of it.

"Oh hey, no worries. We'll keep your little friend company." Ray smirked, looking at Jasper, who felt a little awkward. Reluctantly, Henry and Charlotte shuffled off to the elevator, giving Jasper some hand gestures to tell him to keep the secret, no matter what.

"I think something's up with those two." (y/n) smiled at Ray, hinting to Jasper that they were talking about Henry and Charlotte's 'relationship'. 

"I don't know anything." The boy said, trying to take his mind off blabbing by playing with a piece of junk on sale.

"You sure? They seem like, I don't know like there's something they're not telling us." Ray said thoughtfully, he and the young woman walking around Jasper in an attempt to get him to feel nervous. And it was definitely working.

"Well, I can't help you." Jasper stayed strong, so (y/n) knew it was time to pull out the big guns.

Nudging Ray, she nodded her head to the floor, so he used his strength to lift a solid gold, jewel-encrusted bucket. It was everything Jasper had dreamed about and more.

"Oh dear god, what is that!?" The boy cried, having never seen such a beautiful bucket in his life.

"Oh, you mean this old thing? This is just King Tut's golden bucket." She said to the teen with an innocent face. Bribery was a classic way to get someone to squeal.

"It is? I've read about that bucket. It's over 3000 years old!" Jasper breathed, taking in how the gold glinted under the light.

"Is it?" Ray folded his arms, pretending like he and (y/n) hadn't spent all of last night curled up on his bed trying to find the world's best bucket.

"Well, who'd have thunk it? We just want thirty bucks for it." The young woman said in an airy voice, causing Jasper to go into a meltdown.

"Thirty? I could have thirty bucks by tomorrow. I can sell my grandmother's wheelchair!" Ray smirked at how desperate the boy was, he was walking right into their trap.

"So you'll really sell it to me?" The boy asked the adults, who shrugged in response. 

"Uhhh, no," Ray said, seeing the heartbreak grow on Jasper's face. (y/n) felt a bit bad at how they were using dirty tactics, but she knew that criminals didn't play fair, and they had to test Jasper thoroughly.

"No?" Jasper cried, the three of them unaware that Henry and Charlotte had turned on the supercomputer's camera link to the store. They watched in horror as their bosses teased and tortured Jasper to spill. They even had his biggest weakness: a bucket.

"See, here's the thing, we think you know something about Henry and Charlotte. Like...maybe a little secret." (y/n) leaned in close to Jasper's ear, the boy starting to feel the pinch now.

"Yeah, I think Henry and Charlotte have a secret, and I think you know what it is." Ray juggled the bucket enticingly between his hands, (y/n) nodding along with his words. She could see the boy was starting to crack, all they needed to do now was go in for the kill.

"And we're not going to sell King Tut's golden bucket to a boy who keeps secrets from us." The woman said. Ray put his arm around her so it could settle on her hip, gloating when Jasper's lip quivered. They were an intimidating pair and Jasper found it incredibly hard to stand up to them.

"But that's not fair!" Jasper whined and pouted.

"Mmmm. Life isn't fair, son." Ray pouted back. If life was fair, he would've carried (y/n) off into the sunset by now and they'd be married happily ever after. But life's a bitch and then you die.

"You know what life often is?" (y/n) smiled at Jasper sweetly.

"What?" He replied with a shred of hope.

"Unfair." She blanked him, thinking about all the time's destiny had screwed her over. If life was fair, she'd be a supermodel or a pageant winner and she'd turn Ray's eye her way, even though he'd been hers and vice versa for years.

Jasper groaned in pain, his heart in a constant battle with his brain; bucket or secret, secret or bucket? Charlotte and Henry were entranced by the monitor in the Man Cave, praying he'd stay strong for them.

"Just tell us what you know and you'll be walking outta here with King Tut's golden bucket right in your sweaty hands." Ray insisted, tempting him like a devil on his shoulder. He moved the bucket around in his hands, Jasper losing his self-control.

"Can I tell you a secret about someone else?" Jasper tried, but it was a poor shot.

"No, we don't care about anyone else." (y/n) yawned, trailing her manicured nail around one of the jewels.

"My mom steals butter from restaurants." Jasper divulged, not that it had the slightest bit of difference.

"Don't care." Ray said without emotion, not giving a shit about a woman who stole stupid things from restaurants.

"Will you please sell me the bucket?" The boy put his hands together as he begged.

"Tell us the secret!" Ray yelled, as Jasper grunted and strained from the pressure. It was on the tip of his tongue, so he started running around the shop groaning and shouting before he left the establishment completely.

Henry and Charlotte breathed a sigh of relief as Ray clenched his fists in frustration. They so nearly had him.

"What the hell just happened?" (y/n) asked, trying to process that a teen boy had just had a nervous breakdown in her workplace and had run from the store like he was in actual pain.

~A couple of days later ~

Henry and (y/n) were finishing up the cleaning, sweeping the floors and doing some final dusting. They had been working hard, leaving Ray to grumble and sulk to Charlotte. However, their attention was diverted from their work when a notification dinged on Charlotte's phone.

"Who's that?" Henry asked, propping his broom up as he stopped sweeping.

"Jasper, he just got off the bus and he's on his way here." She replied, scanning through the message rapidly.

"Ohhh. You mean our friend who's kept the secret we told him?" Henry poked (y/n) and leered at Ray, annoying the two adults.

"That's the Jasper." Charlotte played into his mockery, smirking at both of them.

"The deal is he's got to keep your fake secret for a whole week." Ray reminded them, knowing that there was still time for Jasper to bottle it.

"Only two days to go." Henry fought back. He thought Jasper could do it, he had faith in his friend.

"Only two days to go." (y/n) mimicked the boy in a childish voice, which was unlike her, but her stubbornness meant she wanted to win. The doorbell tinkled as Jasper entered Junk-N-Stuff, ready to stay strong.

"Hey, guys." He greeted, strolling into the store carefully.

"Oh, hey." Charlotte smiled, also ready to prove her bosses wrong.

"Come to hang?" Henry asked his best friend.

"Nope, I'm here to talk to your boss and his girlfriend." He said in a stern voice as Ray and (y/n) faltered from what he called them. Panic alarms were ringing in their heads and they quickly shook their heads in denial, although their red cheeks were something of a giveaway.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, you've us all wrong. She's just my friend." 

"Oh god, no, no, no. He's not my boyfriend, as if!" The words tumbled from the lips automatically, their sentences jumbling into one long mess of lies and suppressed feelings. They both avoided any eye contact as Henry and Charlotte signalled to Jasper that mentioning any feelings in front of them both was a colossal no-no. 

"W-whatever. I'm here to talk to your boss and his...friend." Jasper corrected himself, but he still maintained his confident tone.

"Well, gooooood." Ray replied, settling into the 'friendzone' once again, even as it stung his and (y/n)'s hearts.

"We like to talking to you." (y/n) smiled with a high-pitched voice, but it didn't reach her eyes. She was happy to move on from the awkward moment, despite the fact 'friend' made everything seem so bittersweet.

"Uhh, well actually, Ray and (y/n) are really busy and we got a lot of--" Henry tried to get Jasper to leave, but Ray could see that the curly-haired boy was looking for a fight, and boy, he would give him one.

"Hey! Henry, Charlotte, please go down to the basement and..." Ray interrupted him, trying to think of some humdrum work that would keep the kids busy.

"...Rotate the light bulbs." (y/n) snapped her fingers as the thought came into her mind. It was pointless, but it would take them ages to do every light in the Man Cave, so it was perfect for them.

"Rotate the light bulbs?" Henry looked at her weirdly as the woman lifted herself onto the counter.

"What does that even mean?" Charlotte added, rolling her eyes at their lame attempts to get rid of them.

"It means we want you to unscrew all the light bulbs and then screw them back in again," Ray explained like it was the best job in the world.

"Darn, I wish I was as lucky as you kids, getting to do all of the light bulbs down there! Oh well, off ya go!" (y/n) grinned at them with a fake, sugary voice and Henry and Charlotte did as they were told. But they managed to get a few hand signals in as they walked to the elevator, reminding Jasper again to keep his mouth shut.

(y/n) slid off the counter and circled it so Jaspar could stand and look at them as they faced off.

"Hello." The boy said cooly, but Ray had called the bluff of countless supervillains and that meant he was a seasoned arguer.

"I know why you're here. You've been thinking about something." Ray mocked him.

"Dreaming and thinking...about this." (y/n) used all her strength to lift the bucket, passing it to Ray who held it like it was weightless.

"I want that bucket," Jasper told them confidently.

"We know you do," Ray replied, rolling the metal object in his hands.

"$60. That's double what you asked." The boy stated, slamming the money down on the counter, but Ray just sighed.

"Okay, we were very clear. We know you have a secret. If you want us to sell you this bucket, you better start talking." Ray snapped his fingers in Jasper's face, bulking up his muscles to intimidate Jasper.

"I will not tell you my secret. This is a simple business transaction. My $60 for King Tut's bucket." The kid said firmly, pleasing his friends down in the Man Cave, who were watching again on the computer.

"No deal." (y/n) snapped, causing Jasper to groan as Ray took the bucket away. The thing was worth 3000 bucks. As if she'd sell it for sixty and not get any juicy information with it.

"Come onnnnn!" The teen cried.

"Tell you what, you can have it for free," Ray told him in a sing-song voice. This was his trump card, his best tactic, something he knew Jasper would find irresistible.

"Free?" The boy breathed, gazing at the bucket longingly. It was funny really, he looked at buckets like Ray looked at (y/n), when she wasn't looking, of course.

"Just tell me your little secret." Ray leaned in close to him, his voice sounding like Yoda or possibly Gollum. This was really tricky for Jasper, on one hand, he had the bucket of his dreams nearly in his grasp, but on the other, he had his solemn promise to his friends that he would tell. What to do?

"What's it gonna be, boy? Bucket...for...the secret."  (y/n) hissed at Jasper, holding Ray's wrist so she could edge the bucket closer to the teen's face with every word.

"One sec!" Jasper groaned, jogging off to a corner and zapping his armpit with a taser. He groaned in agony, making the two adults lean back in horror. Should they be worried about this kid? Even Henry and Charlotte were freaked out by his drastic actions.

Jasper let out a deep breath, the pain refocusing his mind. Tucking the taser back into his pants, he cricked his neck and waltzed back up to the counter, ready for round two.

"I will not tell you my secret." He reiterated, Henry and Charlotte encouraging his commitment from downstairs. Ray grumbled and put the bucket down, deciding to switch tactics.

"Hold on, we'll be right back." The large man led his helper by the hand, her stopping briefly so he could yank the bucket from under Jasper's nose. He didn't want to lose his only negotiation point, so it was best to take it with them. 

They sloped off through the backroom and went down the elevator. When it's doors opened, Henry and Charlotte were sat on the couch facing them, looking extremely smug. The adults chuckled sarcastically at how pleased they looked with themselves. 

"Oh, you guys think you're soooo smart," Ray said, walking up and over the back of the couch whilst (y/n) just walked around it. She huffed at how the teens smirked at them; they may have won the battle, but they certainly hadn't won the war.

"No, we think we're so right." Henry gloated, he and his friend leaning of the back of the coach so they could see what their opponents were doing.

"You two are just mad because we proved Jasper can keep a secret." Charlotte pointed out, making Ray frown.

"Yeah, he's so good at keeping secrets, he has to electrocute himself to stop talking." She quipped as she leaned against the wall next to the snack machine with Ray.

"One french fry." The man said, smacking his hand against the screen so he could say his order. The machine complied, and the woman took the single fried potato between her finger and thumb.

"Wait, what are you going to do with that french fry?" Charlotte looked at them both with worry, thinking it was all part of some conspiracy to break Jasper's resolve. But, it wasn't. (y/n) snapped it in half and gave one piece to Ray to eat as she scoffed her own. They swaggered back to the elevator, intent on finishing this thing.

"Aw, guys, don't feel bad just because..." Henry started as the friends turned around just in time for them to see...

"We were right and you were wrong, we were right and you were wrong, we were right and you were wrong!" The kids repeated Ray's song from earlier, copying his dance too. 

"This isn't over until we say it's over." (y/n) told them, hitting the button with her elbow so she and Ray could step back into the elevator.

"Don't count your Jaspers before they hatch," Ray said mysteriously, tossing the bucket between his hands as the doors slid shut.

"The hell does that mean?" (y/n), asked him in a confused voice once they were moving.

"I don't know," Ray said honestly, making her giggle a bit at how silly he was. Reaching the shop floor again, she drained her face of emotion and they stepped back out into Junk-N-Stuff, where Jasper was absent-mindedly counting his money.

"All right. I have $100 here. If you'll--" Jasper tried to bargain, but Ray jumped in before he could go any further. It was time to play smart...

"Stop. We'll sell it to you for ten bucks." Ray told the boy, who was really perplexed at the offer.

"Just $10?" He gasped, as Henry and Charlotte panicked in the Man Cave. This must be their dastardly plan to get him to blab once and for all.

"Well, aren't you going to buy the bucket?" (y/n) asked, noticing his hesitance.

"I'm not telling you my secret," Jasper repeated sternly, making the adults hold their hands up in innocence.

"You don't need to," Ray said, placing his trap.

"Henry and Charlotte told us everything down in the basement." (y/n) played along, pretending to sort out some documentation as Ray messed about with some junk behind the counter.

"Really? They told you they're boyfriend and girlfriend?" Jasper asked, not realising he'd been caught out. 

"Noooo, but you just did!" Ray smirked and (y/n) was glad they'd won, but victory came with a bitter taste. Ray laughed in the boy's face as he cried out in anguish, Henry and Charlotte stamping their feet in pure irritation. 

"We were right and you were wrong, we were right and you were wrong, we were right and you were wrong!" Ray bragged into the camera that was showing the store in the Man Cave before walking to the elevator to rub it into Henry and Charlotte's faces.

"I deserve this!"Jasper said to himself as he electrocuted himself with his taser. (y/n) felt rotten about the whole situation and she wasn't going to let the kid hurt himself for his mistake.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, kid, give me that!" She said, running over to him so she could confiscate the weapon.

"But, I broke my promise." Jasper whimpered, making her feel sorry for him. It was a mean trick that they'd played and she knew that just because he'd been outsmarted, it didn't mean he was dumb.

"And your friends will forgive you. Something tells me it wasn't that big of a secret." She smiled at him gently, knowing that Henry and Charlotte were probably 'breaking up' right that very minute. The curly-haired boy sighed and said goodbye to her, leaving the shop with a sombre stomp.

Going down the elevator, (y/n) arrived in the Man Cave to see Ray doing his victory dance on the couch.

"What are you doing?" She asked, looking at him with her arms folded.

"Celebrating." He replied, only stopping briefly to answer the question before boogieing again. She sighed at how he was behaving in front of Henry and Charlotte, who plodded to the elevator in a silent, but foul mood.

"You ever hear of modesty in success?" She questioned as he lept down in front of her and started to dance with her, her hands in his.

"Just dance with me." He told her, enjoying the way their bodies moved together in a clumsy rhythm.

"But there's no music." She frowned, wondering how he was able to jive and step in time when there was no beat to follow.

"There doesn't have to be when it's just us." He told her with a sweet smile on his face, sweeping her across the Man Cave. 

It was true when they were together, they made their own music, their own harmony, and it was the softest melody they had ever heard.

#fanfiction #drex stinklebaum #jace norman #bomika #captain man x reader #kid danger #nickelodeon #miles macklin #chapa de silva #danger force season 3 #danger force #henry danger #ray manchester fanfiction #ray manchester #ray manchester x reader #fanfic #friends to lovers #reader x character #x reader #reader insert #(y/n) #lovers #romantic #couple #love #relationship #friends #friendship #family #platonic

[alanshee-keeper-of-realms]

We are the Disney Brothers

So in honor of Disney's 100th Anniversary, I drag this out of my vaults, I wrote this for the Disney Brothers a bit of Hurt but love, I really wish they'd capture a storyline like this, a story of Parental Alienatation, healing after finding out the truth from a sibling

I think it'd be such an important push the boundaries story for this gen, but Disney's lost its risk taking ways so I highly doubt we will ever get a serious moment canonically like this between the Brothers.

But oh how I wish they'd risk it, take that leap it would be amazing to see.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The pair stood in Mickeys home in toon town, for the 15th time this month Oswald had snapped, going on a rampage and it had lead to the core,

Something the mouse knew bugged his older brother to his own center, the trauma was clearly still fresh as he paced ranting,

"You don't get it do you Mickey?! Walt chose you over me and that hurt will never go away" 

He angrily huffed sitting down on the couch crossing his arms, however Mickey remembered something sighing going to the stand and pulling something from it, a letter, the rabbit shuffled a bit more away tucking himself into the cushions as Mickey sat down saying in a small voice

" H-he didn't choose me, he created me because he lost you" He held out the letter the rabbit couldn't help but to side eye the envelope" I had always wondered who Oswald was, I definitely know now," a thumb ran over Walts scrawled handwriting "this letter along with one to me and the rest of the crew was left after his sudden passing. None of us knew who you were and I have a feeling Dad kept it from us because he didn't know if you would ever come back to us he didnt want us longing like him, but you have and this rightfully belongs to you." 

Oswald unfurled attention now fully caught as Mickey held out the Letter , snatching and opening it, quickly reading the words

My Dear Boy, my dear Ozzie, what do I say? What can I say knowing that by the time you are able to possibly read this, I will have been long dead.

You were stolen from me, wrongfully taken, I was honestly devastated, more than I showed over your kidnapping. My dear son, I never stopped fighting for you to come home. I know you probably think I forgot or moved on without you, I would not put it past the bastard Mintz to tell such lies, but I never stopped. Again, unfortunately, if you are reading this,  then I failed, and we never reunited before my passing, and that will be one of my biggest regrets I carry to my grave. 

I hope you and your brother will meet. I still have faith that eventually you will find your way home even though it was not in my lifetime. Take care of your younger brother for me? Michael, well, Mickey was created so that way the legacy could continue. The truth is as well if I hadn't lost you, he would not have been created, but both of you were and still are absolutely dear to me no matter the circumstances of your creation or separation.

Take care of each other, Love your creator and Father Walter Elias Disney

He slowly brought down the letter some papers slipped out he shakily looked at it, tears swelling up in his eyes. He quickly tried wiping them away, reading It his eyes widened as he realized what it was, it was an unsigned contract for their father Walter Disney to sell his rights to the Warner Company, he had never signed it, but Charles had and with the Letter Oswald realized, his creator had never wanted to, anger boiled inside the rabbit,

Charles, he remembered his heart breaking, shattering as he was told Walt no Dad had betrayed and sold him to another company, but this contract showed Mintz had been the traitor and person lying to him the entire time. His Papa had wanted him back, his father wanted him, 

"I trusted Charles, I did everything for him and he lied to me" He murmured before suddenly the toon stood up giving an enraged cry swinging as if trying to punch a ghost, making Mickey who had also jumped up take a slight step back as tears began spilling from the rabbits eyes

"I TRUSTED HIM!"

He recognized this behavior, as their Dad had acted in a similar manner when enraged. He knew what to do, and it made Mickeys heart ache. Everyone said he had taken after Lillian, but in Oswald, he saw their Dad shining brightly. And he knew the one thing that had always calmed their Creator down. 

Oswald felt his younger brother wrap an arm around his waist, drawing him into a hug. The rabbit held onto his sibling in shock, blinking as the rage settled into sadness and the lucky rabbit finally broke, sobbing uncontrollably as years of pent up trauma and anger bubbled to the surface as the pair maneuvered to the floor Mickey just holding him,

He heard words of assurance from his little brother, but it did little to help the grief pouring from him. He felt the other rock him Mickey looked up as Minnie walked into frame looking shocked seeing her boyfriend and his brother in such a state however stayed quiet at the others motion to do so and then spotted a letter on the floor, she knew this was a break through of some sort

She only motioned to her phone and saw a slight nod in response before slipping back out. They'd speak when Oswald was more calm,

By the time he looked back, Oswalds sobs had lessened, the mouse sighed,

"Oh Ozzie, I don't know what to say. Especially with the Company's stunt recently," he went quiet at the mention of the trashcan incident, both brothers were still heated about it,"But I know I'm here, I don't know if it'd be a comfort but I uh overheard them mention your name recently in the Company with the 100 years celebrations so they could be planning, you won't be forgotten again,"

The rabbit looked up in surprise, tears twinkled in them, but finally Mickey saw it,

hope

"I really wish they would, I tell people I'm not bothered by their silence....but it bothers me Mick,"

"I know, and you know what, as your younger brother, I will start mentioning you more. Eventually, they'll have to give in," a mischievous twinkle entered the mouses eyes

For a moment, Oswald saw Steamboat Willie again the Mouse that'd get up to chaos just like him. It felt good to know that part still lurked just underneath, but the rabbit also saw Lillian again. He had heard from so many Mickey took after Lillian with his gentle, down to earth, kind yet mischievous nature and now he could certainly see it as well.

"We are brothers Ozzie, and we should have been treating each other as such."

The rabbit felt warmth fill him, he nodded

"And I wasn't exactly innocent, I believed Charles, but I should have made sure that was the actual story, before getting angry,"

Mickey just gave him a smile,

"Your like Dad, a bit hot headed, with the temperment to match." Oswald gave a look, but he continued," But you're a good toon underneath it. We all make mistakes. You know what Dad would say,"

"Keep moving Forward" They echoed each other before finally laughing

The rabbit elbowed the other before finally they stood up holding the others hands,

"And you Mick your like Mom," Surprise crossed the mouses face, but also questioning"For the short time I knew Lillian she knew how to talk Walt down, a kind down to the world soul but she also wasn't afraid to put someone into their place,"

Finally Mickey broke out into a smile hugging the other

"We emulate the ones we looked up to the Most"

"That we do" the other responded returning the hug,

#disney #mickey mouse #oswald the lucky rabbit #Google Docs Archives #disney 100 #disneys 100th Anniversary #disney bros

[mimisempai]

Just a storm

Summary

After a fight more violent than any other, will Greg and Mycroft be able to get past the words spoken in anger and weather the storm?

Notes

Mystrade Monday  3.0  #46 - “I’m proud of us”

@mystradepromptsandscenarios

On AO3

651 words - Rating G

Although they disagreed from time to time, they rarely fought, which is why Greg was shocked by the force of the argument they'd just had. They had both raised their voices like never before, and Greg wasn't even sure what had started the fight.

Probably, as always, an accumulation of little things over the weeks, their respective jobs taking up their time and preventing them from communicating properly, little frustrations getting swallowed up instead of being brought to the surface, only to grow bigger as time went on.

Probably a little bit of all of that.

But for the first time, Greg didn't know how to get back. They had said some harsh things to each other that were still ringing in his ears, and Greg turned to the door. 

He put his hand on the doorknob.

He needed fresh air, time to think.

He turned the doorknob.

"So is it over?"

Mycroft's words and almost broken voice stopped Greg in his tracks. 

Greg closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

Of course it wasn't over. 

They hadn't come this far for a fight to destroy everything they had built together.

He was about to turn away when Mycroft's voice continued in a whisper, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything I said. I didn't mean a word of it. Even if you go, you must know this. Don't believe any of the terrible things I told you. If you have to remember anything, just remember that I love you more than anything. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

As Mycroft spoke, Greg felt the anger that had been in him just before fade away. Then he turned back to Mycroft and saw that his lover had his eyes on the floor and wasn't looking at him.

Greg knew what he had to do.

Mycroft didn't have to take sole responsibility for this argument. 

So he walked slowly forward and when he reached Mycroft, he gently grasped his hands, causing the other man to raise his head.

Seeing his lover's defeated expression, which must have been an exact reflection of his own, he told himself they were both idiots.

He smiled softly and said gently, "Me too, Mycroft, I'm sorry for what I said. I don't even remember what we were arguing about."

Mycroft murmured, "Something about dirty socks lying around."

Greg grinned sheepishly, "My bad."

Mycroft shook his head, "No, I shouldn't have lost my temper like that."

Greg says quietly, "Let's say the responsibility is fifty-fifty. Mycroft, I really regret what I said to you, and of course it's not over, of course I'm not leaving, I just wanted to give us space. But what we need is just to talk. I love you too. You too are the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to me. So let's not let a dirty pair of socks and my sensitivity get the best of us. What do you say?"

Mycroft finally smiled, ever so slightly, and replied, "I say that's an excellent idea, Detective Lestrade."

Greg chuckled and retorted, "My talent will only be recognized after my death."

It was Mycroft who closed the space between them and opened his arms, into which Greg naturally snuggled before tightening his arms around Mycroft. As Mycroft closed his arms around him, he felt him exhale in relief against his hair, and Greg in turn let out the same sigh.

Enjoying the reunion with Mycroft, Greg said quietly, "I'm proud of us.”

"What do you mean?" whispered Mycroft against his hair.

Greg lifted his head to look at him and said quietly, "We made it through the storm and came out unscathed. I'm proud of us for that."

Mycroft nodded slowly, then leaned forward and pressed his lips to Greg's in a tender kiss that sealed their reconciliation.

As long as they let their hearts speak, they could weather any storm.

_________

Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story  🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝

Mystrade masterlist here

#mystrade #mycroft holmes #greg lestrade #mycroft x greg #some fluff as always #sherlock bbc #emotional hurt/comfort #established relationship #mystrade monday #mystrade monday prompts

[ivarlover]

UNDENIABLE PART 3 (Sequel to UNLEASHED)

Alex + Modern Ivar

Mentions of Female Reader + Hvitserk

This was supposed to be just a one-shot, but the story has come alive for me, and the need to write more can't be ignored. At this point, I have no idea how many chapters this will end up consiating of. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it! 🔥 This is the last chapter of Undeniable. However, there will be another sequel called Unexpected that I will hopefully be posting soon. After Unexpected is finished (& I have no idea how many chapters it will be), that will be the end of this roller coaster ride. This chapter has thoroughly kicked my ass! Hope it's worth it! 😘

Summary: During a hot weekend with your classmate, Alex, and his best friend, Ivar, the two of them had their own fun together. And now, it had turned into what looked like a confusing situation in the light of day. What did it all mean to them now? What would happen with their friendship? Can they move forward as friends or has all been lost? Is friends to lovers even a possibility at this point?

Inspired by a naughty conversation with a friend of mine. 😍 (You know who you are).

Warnings: This chapter: A little bit of heartache but also all the feels. Smut, Ivar being Ivar.

The sequel in general: Totally NSFW, Unprotected anal sex (male receiving), oral, male to male contact and more, heartbreak, and a bad case of the feels, and smut, with me, there is ALWAYS smut 🤣

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!

*LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT ON OR OFF OF THE TAG LIST*

Words: I don't know; there are many, many words 🤣

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It was finally here. The after-party was scheduled to begin in almost an hour, and there were already people arriving. You didn't know who the newlyweds were, but you were certain they had more money than you were accustomed to. They'd rented out the entire bar for only their guests, so it was closed to the public.

You watched as the bouncers continued to turn people away and how sad they looked learning they couldn't enter for a second night in a row. You couldn't help but to feel proud knowing your friends had accomplished this, of course, with your help. "I can't thank you enough for your help tonight, Y/N. Looks like we're going to need as much as we can get. Did you see how many people are already here?" Alex buzzed passed you, headed for more champagne.

"Alex, you're very welcome, but remember, you're the boss. Let us help and you, I don't know, you just stand here and look pretty. I got this. Which table gets the champagne?" He smiled his flirty smile at you and told you which table. "Yes, sir," you smiled back and headed toward the table.

"Y/N?"

"Yes?" you replied.

"I like it when you call me sir."

"Oh my God!" you blushed and punched him playfully in the chest.

"Nah, seriously, Y/N, thank you," he grinned proudly, "For everything."

You shrugged and went to work. It was almost weird for you, thinking about that hot weekend you'd had with him and Ivar. It was great but so much had changed so fast and now, all you really wanted was for him to be happy with Ivar like you knew he could be, like you knew he wanted. You made a mental note to have a heart to heart discussion with Ivar as soon as you found the chance. Alex and you had become really close friends really fast and you were determined to sort out this mess the two of them had made.

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"So much for me standing and looking pretty, huh?" Alex said as the two of you ended up at the bar at the same time for the first time all night. He was washing glasses beside you. "Damn, I think we needed more help."

"No. It's ok. Don't freak out now. Look at the time. We're almost at the end. Everyone is happy and having a good time," you reassured him.

"This has been one hell of a night! It's a good thing we closed the place to the public. There's no way we would have had enough space for more people," Alex laughed.

"Oh fuck!" Your heart completely stopped.

"What? Oh God, what is it?" Alex panicked.

You just pointed to the door. Ivar and Hvitserk were standing just inside it and you could see Hvitserk standing in front of him, clearly trying to hold him back. Ivar flung his arms around and shoved Hvitserk out of his way. He headed toward the bar and he made eye contact with you. He had a murderous look across his face that appeared to be directed at you and Alex.

"What the fuck is wrong with him? Doesn't he know how big this event is?" Alex was frozen in his spot.

"I got this. You go get Hvitserk and keep him with you. He doesn't even need to be in here!" You walked into the crowd and stopped in front of Ivar. "Ivar, this is not the time or the place."

"What's it fucking to you?" He slurred his words a little and as you got closer to him, you could smell alcohol on his breath. Just great. You had no idea what he was like when he's drunk or what he was capable of.

You began, a little sweeter than before. "Ivar, look around you. This place is full of people. People who paid you guys good money to be here. Don't ruin their wedding night. You know Alex will talk to you. Just wait until we close up later tonight and you sober up some."

He looked at you straight in the eyes and said one word, "No!" He managed to walk around you, or stumble was more like it, and went straight to where Alex stood at the bar, headed to Hvitserk.

You gave Alex an apologetic smile and went to Hvitserk yourself, praying the whole way that at least he was sober.

"So, that's it? We're done? It's all over before it even begins?" Ivar's voice was so harsh and cold.

Alex looked at him, sadly, "Ivar, are you drunk?"

"No, I'm not fucking drunk! I'm pissed! Answer my damn question, Alex!" As he got louder, people around them began to stare. "It's seriously all over before it even begins?"

Alex tried to calm him. He wasn't sure how to answer him in this state. "Ivar, let's go talk in the back and I..."

"Fuck no! Answer me here!"

Alex had seen him like this before, just never had it directed at him. He spoke quietly. "Ivar, we don't know what the future holds, but you have to recognize the timing is not in our favor right now."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

Alex dropped his head. After the last couple of weeks he'd had, he couldn't believe he was shutting this down. "Ivar, please. Can we talk later? When everyone has left from here?"

Even in his drunken stuper, Ivar recognized the pain in Alex's face and he suddenly felt bad. Just as he was going to apologize, you and Hvitserk walked up.

"Hey, Ivar," you said, "Want to go with me to the office?" He looked at you with a funny smile. "Oh my God! No! Jesus! I meant for you to get some rest until everyone is gone."

He laughed and looked at Alex, who still seemed taken back by this entire situation. "Umm, yeah sure. I guess so," he answered, thinking only of Alex now.

As you walked him toward the office, you playfully smacked him in the shoulder and said, "You're such a pervert."

"Hey, I wasn't sure what you were offering," he replied and you punched him this time.

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"What the hell was that all about?" Hvitserk asked Alex as you and Ivar walked away.

Alex smiled. "Umm, long story. For another time."

"Right. Something tells me I don't even want to know."

"Yeah, probably not," Alex answered, laughing. Then he saw the serious look across Hvitserk's face. "What is it?"

"I'm just trying to figure things out here. How did you manage to make my baby brother so angry with you and yet so into you all at the same time?"

"Wait. What?" Alex was floored. He stumbled over his words, "I, I, umm, did no such a thing! Why would you even say that? You know we've been best friends for years, Hvitserk."

"Yes, I do, but this, this is more than just best friends. I've never seen him like that over any woman and Alex, you know he's been in love with one before." You both grimaced at the memory of her. "This is way deeper than friendship."

Alex tried to keep his composure. "You've never seen him act like what? I really don't know what you're talking about. He's not into me. He's just drunk."

Hvitserk was persistent, "Alex, you can knock off that innocent act with me. I know something happened with you guys, and don't worry. It doesn't bother me. As long as he's happy, I'm happy. And he is convinced he'll be happy with you."

Alex stood there in shock for a minute, trying to decide how best to answer. "Wow! I wasn't expecting that. Look, I'm not going to violate his trust like that. All I will say is our friendship took a turn that neither of us were expecting at all and now, we're just trying to navigate through the changes. It's difficult, Hvitserk."

"It's not, actually, Alex. When you feel that strongly about someone, that's major. You don't just let them slip away from you so easily. Especially if your feelings are as deep as his seem to be. All he talked about to me all afternoon was you and how he may have fucked up the first real, true thing he's ever found. I don't need details, man. I just need you to fix this. There's no reason the two of you should be suffering like this when you both clearly want the same thing. And if it's mom, don't worry about her. He can handle her. I promise you that."

"I, umm, I really don't know what to say." Hvitserk was one of the last people that Alex had ever expected to be so insightful or accepting of everything.

"You don't need to say anything, man. Not to me, at least. Just promise me you'll talk to him before you leave tonight."

Just as Alex started to answer, you walked up. "He pretty much passed out as soon as his head hit the sofa," you laughed, looking at the two of them. "Alex, you have to talk to him. Tonight."

"Ok, ok already. The two of you don't need to gang up on me! I plan on talking to him. I want to even," Alex smiled at their genuine concern.

You turned to Hvitserk, "Now, I can give you a ride home." Then you turned to Alex, "It's ok, right? I'll be right back. And don't worry, Hvitserk, Alex will be sure Ivar gets back home." You smiled.

Hvitserk put his hand up, "No, I'm fine. I don't want to leave. I'd really like to stay here with you guys. I can even help out with whatever you need." You and Alex both gave him a confused look. "Seriously, guys, it's not the alcohol that I have a problem with. It's umm, it's drugs. When I'm high is the only time I ever want to drink. You can ask Ivar. He understands this now. He drank most of the evening in front of me and it didn't bother me. It's my mom who didn't want to leave yet. She wanted to be sure I am seriously ok. Although, Y/N, I wouldn't mind you giving me 'that ride' a little later." He gave you that same shit eating grin of Ivar's.

"Oh my God! You're horrible!" You playfully smacked him on his arm.

"Yeah, but something tells me you like it," he continued to smile as you began to blush. Of course, he was right. There was definitely something about these Lothbrok boys that you couldn't get enough of.

"Ok, ok. Sorry to break up the relentless flirting, but we still have work to do," Alex interrupted them. "Hvitserk, if you're sure Ivar won't disown me for letting you stay, we definitely could use the extra help."

"I'm sure. Where do you want me, boss?" Alex rolled his eyes and put him and you to work but not before giving you very specific instructions to watch out for him, while he went to the back for more bottles of alcohol.

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The night was finally winding down. It had been almost two hours since Ivar had came in demanding answers from Alex and the place was thinning out. You had checked in on Ivar a few times and he'd just smiled and waved you off. Alex had sent you and Hvitserk to close off a section of the bar and begin having people move to the other side of the bar.

Alex was behind the bar, throwing out empty bottles. He was smiling at the success the evening had been. He'd just had the DJ do a last call and was happy that they'd be closing soon. He was more tired than he'd expected to be.

One of the bartenders alerted Alex that the office door was open so Alex told her, "I bet someone thought it was a bathroom. I'll be right back." He needed to go check that everything was ok with Ivar and to close the door back.

To his surprise, just as he got to the end of the bar, he ran straight into Ivar. It was like colliding with a brick wall. He'd forgotten just what a muscular body Ivar had. He wasn't sure how in the hell he'd forgotten but this was a nice, shocking reminder. "Oh, um, hey. I, uh, I was just headed to check on you."

"What for?" Ivar's voice was cold, but he was definitely sober now. Staring, his eyes piercing through Alex's, he asked, "If everything is over before it even began, then why bother?"

Alex felt sweat beads on his forehead. He looked up at Ivar and blushed when he saw just how sexy Ivar looked, even with his anger directed at him. "Ivar, umm, it..."

Ivar interrupted him before he could finish, "It wasn't over at all, was it?" He walked closer to Alex, pushing Alex backwards against the wall. He placed his left hand on the wall beside Alex's head. Alex panicked, not having a clue what was coming next. "And it still isn't over." He placed his right hand on Alex's cheek. Before Alex could say a word, he leaned in, pressing his body against Alex's, breathing heavily into Alex's stunned face and grazed his lips against Alex's, just lightly kissing him. He slowly pulled away and looked at Alex for reassurance. Alex's face was shocked but his lips were still puckered up and slightly parted, clearly waiting for more, as he leaned toward Ivar, chasing the kiss.

Alex was in a complete daze. Ivar leaned in again and tenderly kissed Alex on his lips once more, his heart racing, his chest heaving, his feelings undeniable. He kissed Alex as if it were the first time and the last time. As their lips pressed together heatedly, he couldn't get enough of this feeling that surged through his veins, this feeling of contentment, of overjoy. He held Alex's face between his hands as they became completely lost in eachother. They were the only ones in the room, hell, in the world. Nothing else mattered, nothing else existed, just the two of them and this loving, sensual kiss shared between them.

That is, until the clapping they heard from behind them. Ivar slowly pulled away from Alex and looked around, stunned. Several staff members and even a few guests were clapping and whistling and making cat calls. Alex immediately blushed, feeling the heat rushing to his face.

A little embarrassed, Ivar dropped his head. He looked back at Alex and then decided to make the best of it. He turned back to everyone and bowed before them and said, "'Thank you. Thank you, guys. Now, the show's over." He leaned back, laughing and a few people clapped again before going on about their business.

He grabbed Alex's hands and turned to look him straight in the eyes. Ivar then said to him, "Umm, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so umm, well, forward here in front of everyone but I couldn't help myself. I'm scared as hell to want you, so, so scared, but here I am, wanting you more and more every day. And umm, I'm, umm, I'm even more scared to lose you. How I feel is undeniable, Alex, and I can't do this to myself anymore." His eyes began to water and he dropped his head. His palms were sweaty. The anticipation of what Alex's response would be was almost too much to bear.

Squeezing Ivar's hands, Alex stared at Ivar in complete disbelief. He hadn't expected any of this. He'd really thought that giving Ivar space had really been what he wanted and needed. He put two fingers under Ivar's chin and pulled his head up to face him. "Hey, my feelings are actually undeniable, too, Ivar."

Alex felt a sense of relief run all through his body. He leaned to Ivar and closing the small gap between them, kissed him back quickly and then pulled away from him almost just as quickly as it had began. "Will you come back to my place when we're finished here so we can really talk? Just the two of us? And no interruptions. We have an audience here and I'd really rather talk when it's just the two of us." He then looked over Ivar's shoulders. "That is if Y/N can keep an eye on Hvitserk for you. I'm sure she wouldn't mind. Look," and he pointed across the bar, behind Ivar.

When Ivar turned around, he saw you and Hvitserk on the other side of the bar, making out. He laughed and turned back to Alex, "He's always in competition with me." Alex laughed. "Yes, Alex, I'd really like to talk with you more when we're finished here. We have lots to discuss, I guess, huh?"

"Great! Guess I should get to work then," Alex finally exhaled. He hadn't realized that he'd pretty much been holding his breath, maybe for the last two weeks even. He didn't know what would happen, but he felt better than he'd felt since that weekend at your place.

"Ok, where do you need me?" Ivar asked and Alex put him to work out on the floor as he went back to working behind the bar.

The bartender who he'd spoken to earlier smiled at him. "What?" Alex asked her.

"Umm, nothing."

"That's not nothing. What are you all smiles about?"

"Umm, well, it's about time," she answered.

"That?" Alex really had no idea what she meant.

"Well, we've all been watching you two for some time now. We knew it was just a matter of time before the two of you got together. And I, personally, am glad."

Completely shocked, Alex asked her, "What? Are you serious? Is that what the clapping was all about?"

"Yes!"

"How did you all even know?" He was extremely surprised.

"Can I speak freely?"

"Of course," he answered her, placing the glasses back in their spot.

"Well, I think, literally, everyone knew except for the two of you, of course. Just the way you guys treat each other and speak to each other. True relationship goals, ya know? It's rather sweet. And since I know you both so well, it makes me very happy. The two of you deserve it," she patted him on the back. "So, do whatever you need to make it work. Something tells me you won't regret it, Alex."

Alex let that soak in as he finished up behind the bar. Had they been that obvious? Seemed like nearly everyone around them had noticed except for themselves. Apparently, neither of them were particularly good at hiding their emotions. He smiled to himself as he thought of it all and continued cleaning.

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They were finally in the car ride back to Alex's place. You had all too eagerly agreed to see to it that Hvitserk got home safely and all but jumped on Alex and Ivar for suggesting it.

The event had went well. The couple had thanked Alex and Ivar and said they were putting in a word for them with some of their well known associates. Only good things could come from this evening and it certainly called for a celebration.

Although, the Uber ride to Alex's was kind of quiet. Alex looked over and watched Ivar looking out the window and wondered what he was thinking. He tried not to be a paranoid idiot but he couldn't help it. What if he was having second thoughts about everything? What if the staff in the bar had embarrassed him and he realized this was something he couldn't do? Alex knew Y/N had been right about the need for them to defend anything that may happen between them. Maybe it would be too much for Ivar. He wanted to ask him about it but he didn't want to begin a conversation like that in the Uber.

As if instinctively knowing what was going through Alex's mind, or maybe just from feeling him stare, Ivar looked over to Alex. He saw the concerned look on Alex's face and just placed his hand on top of Alex's, that was sitting in the seat between them, and gave it a gentle squeeze. He sweetly smiled at Alex and said, "We've come a long way umm, since that first night, umm, that we opened the bar, Alex. I'm so happy where we've ended up so far and umm, extremely excited to see what happens from here." He winked at Alex and Alex couldn't help but smile with relief.

Well, that was obviously nothing to do with the bar and everything to do with their current situation. Alex took a mental note to try to stop expecting the worst. He knew it would be a challenge but he also knew he just needed to let go of his fears.

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Once they were inside Alex's place, he kicked his shoes off at the door and headed to the kitchen. "Hey, would you like beer, wine, or liquor? I think we've earned ourselves a celebration, don't you?"

Ivar loved that he still felt so welcomed as he took his jacket off and hung it up by the door. "I'll take a beer," he answered, following behind Alex. "And did my pig of a brother eat all of that pizza last night or do you still have some? I'm actually a little hungry."

"There's definitely still pizza. I'm not sure why Y/N ordered so much for just two of us but I guess it's a good thing she did because I'm kind of hungry, too," Alex answered, pulling the pizza and two beers from the refrigerator. "Help yourself. You know where the plates and everything are. I have got to go take a shower before I can feel comfortable enough to eat or even talk at this point."

Ivar looked at him, smiling. "What?" Alex asked him.

"Nothing. Umm, I'm just glad it's still the same with us," Ivar blushed a little.

"I'd have it no other way, Ivar. And umm, if you want a shower when I'm done, you're more than welcomed."

"Aww, you mean I have to wait for you to finish first?" Ivar flirted. Alex gave him a serious look that said now wasn't the time to be naughty. Ivar coughed and straightened up, "I'm umm, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, man."

"It's ok. I'm not uncomfortable. I umm, I just feel like we really need to have that talk. I'll be back. Please, make yourself at home."

As Ivar set about warming his pizza, he thought about the conversation they desperately needed to have. His palms were sweaty and his heart was racing. For a moment, he felt more nervous about this than he had about being intimate with Alex and he knew that definitely said a lot. However, he knew he could do it. He had to get everything out in the open and off of his chest.

Ivar went ahead and warmed up Alex's food, too, and set their plates on the table. He got himself another beer and went to put some music on in the living room. The silence was deafening to him right now.

Just as he was finishing his second beer, Alex came through in sweats and a white t-shirt. As Ivar looked over to him, he realized just how much he liked this look on Alex. "Hey, I've already got your plate here at the table with mine. Come eat."

Alex looked at Ivar's still very full plate. He asked, as he sat down with him, "Why haven't you eaten your food yet?"

"Well, I knew you wouldn't be too long so I just figured I'd wait for you." Ivar warmly smiled.

They ate and talked about the after party and all the highlights of the evening. They discussed Y/N and Hvitserk and laughed at how into you he seemed to be. They laughed and drank and talked a little about almost everything. Everything except for the one thing they needed to. It seemed the elephant in the room couldn't get any bigger.

Alex stood up to take the plates to the sink and Ivar stopped him. "I've got this. You've already worked too hard tonight."Alex gave him a curious look. "Don't look at me like that. Go. Go get comfortable on the sofa and rest your feet. I said I've got this."

Holding his hands up in mocked defeat, Alex played, "Ok, ok. You've got it. I understand. And Ivar, thank you."

Alex went to the sofa as instructed and waited for Ivar to join him, mind wandering out of control.

Moments later, Ivar sat down beside Alex with two more beers. Handing one to Alex, he smiled softly. They sat there in silence for a few minutes with nothing but soft music playing in the background.

Alex felt nervous and glanced over at Ivar only to find him nervously glancing back at him. At the same time, they both began to speak.

"Alex,"

"Ivar,"

Simultaneously saying each other's name, they laughed. "Do you mind if I go first, Alex? I really need to say what's eating away at me. Umm, before I lose my nerve."

Alex gestured to Ivar, "The floor's all yours."

Alex shifting in his seat, Ivar's voice small, Ivar began, as he looked straight into Alex's eyes. "Alex, I know I already said this, but I am truly sorry for hurting you. It really wasn't my intentions. That night," he dropped his head and swallowed thickly. Clearing his throat and looking back at Alex, he continued, "That night at Y/N's everything took me by surprise. You've always meant the world to me so I never thought anything about it. And when you first touched me," Ivar coughed, "I felt a surge of emotions. And umm, I decided to listen to Y/N. She was right. As soon as I got out of my head, she was right. But Alex, I certainly wasn't expecting everything else." He stopped, trying to gather his thoughts to be sure he expressed himself the way he wanted to.

Alex felt uncertain of where this was going but he sat back and waited, giving Ivar the time he needed. It was worth it. Ivar was worth it.

Ivar sighed and began again. "Forgive me, Alex. I just don't want to fuck this up. I, umm, I was so confused. I've been with other people before. You know this. Even with women who meant a lot to me. But you and I, we connected on a level that I've never experienced before in my life. Sure, the sex was amazing," he blushed, and sweat beads began to form on his forehead, "But I never expected the emotions that came along with it. It confused me. It scared me. It..." he was cut off.

Alex interrupted him, "It's ok, Ivar. You don't have to..."

Ivar reached up and gently placed his finger over Alex's mouth. "Shhh," he smiled. He scooted closer to Alex and grabbed both of his hands and held them in his lap, rubbing his thumbs over the back of them. Alex's heart rate sped up so quickly, he was sure Ivar could feel it in his hands. "It terrified me, Alex, and I'm still terrified but, umm, now I know why. I-I'm terrified to actually love someone this much, much more than I've ever loved anyone else before, and there be the possibility that the feelings are not mutual."

He placed his hand on Alex's cheek as a single tear ran down it that he caught and wiped away. "I'm terrified of what it means to give myself to you wholeheartedly, heart, mind, body, and soul, and maybe be rejected in return. I'm terrified to love you, Alex, and the possibility of losing you over it, but, umm, Alex," he slid closer to Alex on the sofa and leaned in closer to his face and held it between both of his hands, staring deeply into his eyes, "I'm even more terrified of walking out that door without ever trying to give us a shot, without ever telling you how I feel. Because that's just it. I love you, Alex. I'm in love with you. I know that now. My feelings for you are undeniable. I love you, and I've always loved you. I want to shout it from the rooftops! I can't hide it any longer. I have never felt like this about anyone else in my life before, Love. When I'm with you I feel like I'm whole, like that empty, black hole in my heart is finally full. I've never known love this pure before, Alex. I want to share my everything with you!"

Ivar was trembling all over. He couldn't remember another time when he'd been this completely scared to his core or this vulnerable to another. He was a ball of emotions as a tear began to roll down his cheeks.

Alex sat in silence for a moment, trying to take it all in. He was in a daze and completely stunned at Ivar's admission. This was intense and probably even more intimate than he and Ivar had been yet. He knew just how big this was for him, for them. He worried his heart would burst from his chest before he could could even say anything. He tried to gather his thoughts and make some coherent response. He stared blankly at Ivar, missing the panic as it stretched across Ivar's face.

Ivar took his silence as rejection and began to pull away from Alex immediately, his heart beginning to crumble. "Oh. Umm," he dropped his hands from Alex's face and his body stiffened, "Alex, I'm umm, fuck, I-I'm sorry. I'll umm, I'll go..."

Just then, it registered with Alex what Ivar thought was happening. As Ivar's eyes began to water up even more, Alex placed his hands on either side of his face and pulled him to him. His soft lips reaching Ivar's, his kiss cut Ivar off in mid sentence. He tenderly kissed Ivar, it taking a moment for Ivar to catch up to what was happening and kiss him back. Alex's hands quickly wrapped around Ivar's shoulders, and he held him tightly as he pulled away from their kiss and buried his face in Ivar's neck.

He stayed there for a moment, breathing Ivar in, before pulling away and facing him. He saw Ivar's worried look and said, "Ivar, you don't know how relieved I am." He moved a strand of Ivar's hair away from his face. "Ivar, umm, I-I am in love with you, too. I love you more than anything in this world," he smiled warmly. "And umm," Alex dropped his head as he felt the blush color his face, "I've known it for quite some time."

Ivar was just as stunned as Alex had been. His heart swelled in his chest and bubbled over into tears that steady streamed down his face. He tried to catch his breath as he spoke, "Alex, oh my God. Alex, I never knew. Are we really this fucking lucky?" He cupped Alex's cheek in complete disbelief and smiled through his tears, finally taking a deep breath. "I can't remember the last time I was this fucking happy. I have been so fucking scared I was going to lose you over this."

He pulled Alex in for a tight hug and they could feel the hard thumping of their combined heartbeat. They sat, reveling in eachother's arms for several minutes before Alex finally spoke.

Alex laughed and said, "We've really tortured eachother these last two weeks, huh?"

Ivar broke their embrace and looked Alex in the eyes and said, "Alex, promise me that whatever happens from here on out, wherever we end up, we will always be honest to eachother about everything. We're going to have big enough issues defending our love fron the very beginning so as long as we have open communication, that's one less thing to worry about." Alex smiled at him with pride.

"Oh wait. Fuck! I'm sorry, Alex. I just automatically assumed that we'd be together after all of this. I realize I should ask you how you feel about any of that. So," Ivar combed through his hair nervously with his hand, "Where does this leave us? What's next for us?" Ivar was still so nervous. This seriously was all so new.

Alex smiled at him. "Ivar, I am all yours. I love you, and I want nothing more than to be with you. Officially. That is, if you'll have me." Alex couldn't help the singe of fear that coursed through his veins. He knew what Ivar had just told him but it almost seemed too good to be true. He was still insanely scared.

Ivar's smile stretched widely across his face, "Of course I want to be with you, too! 'If I'll have you,' " he mocked Alex, "Are you serious? I'll happily "have" you," he gave his devilish grin, "In every way possible, Alex."

Alex blushed but leaned in to kiss Ivar again. Just as he deepened the kiss, Ivar pulled away from him. "Umm, Alex? This is going to sound kind of twisted coming from me, I know, but.."

Alex interrupted him, "I like you twisted, preferably twisted naked between my sheets," he gave a mischievous smile.

Ivar couldn't help but smile back at that. "I'm serious, Alex. I-I umm, I feel like maybe we should take things a little slow."

Alex gave Ivar a gentle kiss on his forehead before pulling away to rest his forehead on Ivar's. "What worries you, Ivar? We've already went all the way. We know we connect in the bedroom as well. Am I missing something?" He tried not to panic before hearing Ivar's reasoning but it was definitely easier said than done.

"Well," Ivar began, "It's not necessarily that I'm worried. I can't even believe I'm going to say this, but umm, I just want to be sure that everything isn't based solely on sex. We have so many new aspects of our relationship to explore and develop and I want to build our emotional connection as well as the physical one. You see the best in me and I want to give you my very best."

Ivar gently placed his hand on Alex's cheek and Alex could feel his warm hand trembling. "I need you to know that I have never had that kind of sexual experience before. And I don't just mean by being with a man, Alex," he grinned. "I've never felt so connected on such a deep level, especially not during sex. It was quite intense and some of the best sex I've ever had." He felt himself blushing but continued, "And Alex, I want that to be the same in other aspects of our relationship, too. I want to spend my days doing nothing but making you happy and showing you how much I truly, deeply love you."

Ivar looked at Alex for understanding and followed up, "I just wanted to be sure you know this has nothing to do with our sex not being fulfilling because it is, more than words can properly explain. I just want to also express my love for you in other ways as well and think we should just take our time."

This was a first for Ivar. He shocked himself at just how true this feeling was and even more that he was so openly and honestly telling Alex, but this was the very reason he wanted to be with Alex. He knew he wouldn't be judged for being so honest. For one of the very few times in his life, sex wasn't the priority and this was why he knew that this immense feeling was real.

Alex grabbed Ivar's hand, still pressed against his cheek, and pulled it to his mouth. He gently kissed the back of it before looking back at Ivar. "And this, my dearest Ivar, is exactly why I love you so. You always look out for me, for us. You just want what's best for us and I appreciate that. Of course, I'm ok taking things slow," he felt his heart was going to explode out of his chest. "However, it may be a little difficult sometimes," he said as his eyes quickly scanned over Ivar's hard body, "Because, damn! Look at you," he gave his best flirty smile. He hadn't been ready for Ivar to say all of this and he'd be lieing if he said he wasn't blown away by it. He leaned over, hugged Ivar, and kissed him on his cheek.

Ivar felt better having said everything he needed to. He was still in disbelief that this was real. He looked at Alex, who was still smiling from ear to ear even though he still had a look of worry on his face. "So? What's that concered look on your face, still?"

As Alex pulled away, he answered him, "Ivar, I do have a question. What about your mom? And what about everything with Hvitserk? That's why I stopped everything last night. Your mom was clearly way too perceptive and was not happy about what she suspected. I know you have a lot of responsibility right now with your family, and I understand that. I just don't want to make things even harder on you, Ivar. I'd hate for you to resent me."

Giving a gentle, sweet smile, Ivar began, "Alex, that's so sweet of you but please, don't worry about my mom. When she sees how happy I am with you, she'll be fine with it. It may take her a minute to adjust but she honestly just wants her boys to be happy. And for whatever reason, if she can't accept you as my choice, then she'll quickly realize how serious I am about you because I definitely won't lose you over her prejudices. This is my life and she'll have to accept that. Don't worry."

Alex's eyes widened at Ivar's words. He was a bit surprised but he'd be lying if he didn't admit that he was really relieved. "What about Hvitserk, Ivar? I know he needs you right now."

"Hvitserk is the reason I got my nerve to come to the club tonight. He understands and just wants me to be happy. His problem is controllable and he will probably stay with me for a while even once mom returns home. He needs to make new friends and stay away from those losers back home. He will be ok, Alex. It's just, being with mom makes him a little crazy. I'm sure you can see why," Ivar laughed. "Being here will be good for him. Don't worry about him. I promise I could never resent you." Ivar smiled sincerely. He could hear Alex's sigh of relief. "So? What next?"

Alex grabbed the TV control from the table, "I was tired, but now I'm wide awake. If you're not sleepy yet, how about a little Netflix and chill? Do you need another beer?"

Ivar smiled with pride, happy to see their relationship was otherwise the same as always, "No, I'm good with this one still."

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Alex settled on the sofa, and they found a good movie to watch. Ivar looked over to him and decided to move closer. He rested his head on Alex's shoulder and looked up at him, "Is this ok?" he asked.

"Of course it is," Alex responded, kissing Ivar on top of his head and his arm coming to rest around Ivar's shoulders. Holding him snug, they cuddled together in front of the TV.

They began watching the movie, and it all just felt so natural for them to be together this way.

As he felt Ivar's breath against his his chest and Ivar's muscles beneath his shirt as he gently rubbed his back, Alex was a little too distracted to really pay much attention to the movie, but he didn't say anything. The feeling was nice.

After a few minutes, Ivar looked up to Alex, smiled sweetly, and just stared.

"What? Do I have food on my face or something?" Alex laughed.

"No," Ivar laughed, "It's nothing. I-I'm just happy," he smiled a smile that melted Alex's heart.

Alex couldn't resist that smile and placed his left hand under Ivar's chin and pulled his face up some toward him and leaned down, and kissed him. It was a gentle, quick kiss, and he pulled away from Ivar.

Ivar felt a little dizzy as if he'd been spinning in circles. He sat up beside Alex and looked over to him, his heartbeat quickening. Alex looked back at him, "Seriously, what is it? What?"

Ivar leaned over Alex's body and, with his right hand, pulled Alex's face closer to him and kissed him back passionately. It was slow at first but rapidly changed to a more heated kiss, his hands roaming down Alex's chest.

Reluctantly, Alex pulled away from him. "Hey, as much as I love this, I think we need to stop. I want to respect your wishes, Ivar, and I'm not so sure I can if you continue kissing me like that."

Feeling heat surge through his body, Alex straightened up and sat back on the sofa a little futher away from Ivar so he could catch his breath, desperately trying to ignore how he was feeling. "Umm, what is this movie even about again?" he nervously laughed.

Ivar sat there in his thoughts for a moment. He looked over at Alex, who was fumbling with the remote control. The more he watched him, the more he was sure of his next actions.

He slid over on the sofa closer to Alex yet again. Alex looked at him out of the corner of his eyes, trying not to be affected by his proximity.

"Oh, fuck this!" Ivar practically cried out. He leaned over to Alex and grabbed him with both hands, pulling him so close that he could feel the heat radiating from Alex's skin. Ivar's heart raced with anticipation as he quickly picked Alex up before Alex even knew what was happening, and swiftly sat him in his own lap so that Alex was straddling him and facing him

Alex's eyes widened as he was completely caught off guard by Ivar's strength. "What the..." and before he could finish his sentence, Ivar's lips crashed into his, his hand going to the back if Alex's neck and holding him firmly. They embraced as the kiss intensified, Ivar's arm wrapping tightly around Alex's waist.

Alex broke the kiss and leaned away from Ivar. Confused, he brought his hand to Ivar's cheek and began, "Ivar, I thought you said you wanted to take things slowly. I can't be with you this way and not want more. You.. umm, you're just too much for me to resist." Feeling defeated, he looked down.

Ivar looked up at him, catching his eye again, and flashed his devilish grin. "Good!" he laughed. "I can't resist you, either, love. I don't know what the fuck I was thinking saying we should take things slowly. Fuck that! I want you. Now." His eyes had an almost pleading look in them as he waited for Alex's response.

Excitedly, Alex grinned, "Then, take me. I'm all yours."

Ivar didn't hesitate for another moment. He grabbed Alex on his hips and squeezed. His hands then slowly traveled up Alex's sides and back to his waist, giving him goosebumps. He slipped his hands just under Alex's shirt and marveled for a moment at Alex's hard, muscular chest as his hands explored it. "Damn, Alex. You have so many muscles. I want to count them."

Alex looked down at him quizzically. Ivar smiled and answered his questioning look, "With my tongue."

Alex dropped his head backward, laughing but quickly stopped and looked back to Ivar as he felt Ivar lift his shirt up. Leaning forward, Ivar placed his hot, wet lips on Alex's stomach, just beside his navel, and began to softly kiss him. Alex felt buttflies doing somersaults with each kiss from Ivar's moist lips.

Looking up at Alex, into his eyes, Ivar pushed his shirt up higher and trailed his tongue slowly up Alex's chest behind his shirt, all the while, never losing their eye contact. "Damn, I lost count of your muscles. I'm not very good at math. Guess I'll have to try again."

"Oh fuck!" Alex placed both of his hands on Ivar's head and intertwined his fingers in his hair. He gave a little tug and Ivar bit him on his nipple. Alex moaned out in erotic pleasure.

In his most sultry voice, Ivar said, "That's it, love. Let me know you like it."

"You've ruined me. I was a good boy," Alex panted, "That is before we started all this."

Ivar pulled his mouth slightly away from Alex's skin. "Oh? I can stop then," he teased.

"No the fuck you can't!"

Ivar nodded, "That's what I thought." He yanked Alex's t-shirt up and completely off of him and dropped it in the floor as Alex shivered. "Now, where were we?"

Once again, Ivar began tracing Alex's muscles with his tongue. He looked up at Alex who was struggling to sit still in his lap. He grabbed him by his waist and held him tightly as Alex moaned. Ivar pulled Alex until he was leaning over him, his chest heaving, and he began kissing Alex's collarbone up to his neck. As he gave a gentle nibble, he felt Alex's entire body jolt in his hands. "Fuck! Take me, Ivar!" Alex panted. "You're driving me crazy. I.. fuck, I want you so badly. Now!"

Alex began to untie his sweats and Ivar removed his mouth from his neck and placed his hand over Alex's, stopping him. "No, not here, love." Alex looked at him, confused. "Hold onto me," Ivar began to slide forward to the edge of the sofa and Alex wrapped his arms tightly around him, not sure what Ivar was doing. Ivar placed his hands under Alex and before Alex knew what was even happening, Ivar stood up.

"Oh hell!" Alex exclaimed, his heart beating harder from the excitement and his legs interlocking around Ivar's hips. Ivar smiled and began to take a step. "You sure I'm not too heavy? You, you don't need me to walk?"

Ivar flashed his devious smile, "Where's the fun in that?" Alex gulped and before he knew it, Ivar slammed him against the living room wall that was behind them.

"Holy shit!" Alex gasped.

Still holding onto Alex tightly, Ivar pressed his body against Alex's and his lips ghosted over Alex's mouth, breathing him in. Ivar signed in enjoyment. Alex's eyes rolled into the back of his head as his back arched. Ivar began kissing up his neck again, sending chills all over Alex's body. Alex pulled Ivar's shirt up and gently caressed his hard body, reveling in the feel of it.

Ivar slowly made his way to Alex's mouth and sucked Alex's tongue into his own mouth as Alex whimpered. The kiss took his breath away. Somehow, everything felt different than the last time, more passionate, more intimate and Alex was taken back at this realization. He wasn't quite sure what it was or why, but he was enjoying every second of it.

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With his hands still tightly on Alex's ass, Ivar broke their kiss, nearly out of breath. "As much as I'm enjoying my hands full of ass here, I need to touch you. Are you holding onto me tightly enough?"

Alex studdered, "I..Ivar, this really isn't necessary. I, umm, I can walk."

"Shut up and hold on!" IvaYr demanded. With Alex still in his arms, Ivar swiftly pulled Alex off of the wall and began to walk with ease again, headed toward Alex's room. Alex eyes widened. He was blown away by Ivar's strength. He always knew he was strong, but this was insane.

As Ivar approached Alex's bed, he leaned over it and laid Alex down with a thud. Alex looked up at him in dismay and Ivar grinned down at him. "Sorry," he nearly whispered. He hovered over Alex for a few moments, looking him deeply in his eyes but saying nothing. Alex began to squirm with anticipation and swallowed loudly. Ivar leaned back and told him, "I.. umm, I'm sorry, Alex. I need to use your restroom. Don't move. I'll be right back."

This was perfect for Alex. You had given him some of your muscle relaxing, dilating tablets that they'd used at your place, saying how he'd need them more than you and now he was certainly glad for it. He quickly crawled up his bed to his night stand and grabbed them from the drawer and the bottle of water he had sitting there from the night before and took some. He was a little surprised at how nervous he felt but his excitement was much stronger. He then laid back against pillows propped on his headboard and impatiently waited for Ivar to return.

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With both hands on each side of the bathroom sink, Ivar leaned forward and looked at himself in the mirror. What the fuck was wrong? He couldn't figure out what was going on or why his nerves were suddenly so shot. Turning the faucet on, he splashed cold water in his face and rubbed his hands over it. "Get a fucking grip, dumbass!" he said to himself, "It's just Alex."

Ivar walked back into Alex's bedroom where he saw Alex waiting on the bed, shirtless, still, and quite beautiful. He gulped as Alex looked up at him with his bedroom eyes and patted the bed beside him. "You planning on joining me or are you just going to stand there? You like what you see?" Alex flirted and smiled widely.

Ivar swallowed, "Obviously." He crawled up the bed to Ivar's side and laid beside him. His voice shaking, "I.. umm, I love you." His heart was pounding.

Alex turned to his left, facing Ivar. He moved his right arm across Ivar's body and cupped his cheek. "And I," he smiled, "Love you." He straddled Ivar and Ivar's eyes widened. Alex leaned down to kiss him while his hands found their way to the bottom of Ivar's shirt. As Alex leaned away from him, he pulled Ivar's shirt up and over his head. "We won't be needing this." He threw it somewhere behind him.

Ivar nervously smiled and placed his hands on Alex's hips. Alex looked him directly in the eyes, "It's ok. Calm down. It's just me." Ivar felt his face blush, surprised Alex had sensed his nervousness but almost relieved.

Alex leaned down and began kissing Ivar's neck. He trailed wet kisses down his neck and to his collarbone as his hands ran over his firm chest muscles.

Ivar's breathing picked up and Alex smiled as he continued with his gentle pecks. As he began kissing his chest, Ivar's hands started rubbing Alex's back.

Alex started to undo Ivar's pants as he looked up at Ivar. He saw the stressed look across his face and sat up, moving his hands away. "Hey, did you change your mind? We don't have to do this, ya know. I wont be upset."

Ivar grabbed his hands and held them. "No, that's not it. I.. I want this. I wa..want you."

"Then what is it, Ivar? Talk to me. I don't want to do anything you have seconds thoughts about." Alex's concern outweighed his desire.

"Fuck! I don't know. I just, umm, I'm nervous."

Alex smiled, "With me? Why? We know this is good." He motioned between them, "Really good, remember?" he sheepishly smiled again.

"It's just, do you know how long it's been since I've been with someone that I was in love with, Alex?"

Alex couldn't help but smile at how sweet he found Ivar's concern. Always wanting to please. He remembered how very different it was seeing this vulnerable side of Ivar and his smile softened and widened even more. Then he saw the seriousness in Ivar's eyes and tried to comfort him. Rubbing his hands, that Ivar still had in Alex's, he answered,"Yes, Ivar. It's been two weeks," and he winked.

Ivar actually smiled at this. He hadn't thought of it like that. It's just that he felt so intimidated. "I-I'm just worried that I, I'm gonna fuck it all up." He ran his hand over his face as he sighed.

Alex placed his hand over Ivar's heart. "Look. This is all that matters. The only way you can fuck this up is if you fuck me and leave me," Alex grimaced. "And you're stuck with me now. I'm not letting you leave me again. You are what matters. Not the sex. If you want to wait, we can. If you want to continue, we can. But Ivar, if we continue, you have to get out of your head. Stop worrying. My feelings for you will never change based on the quality or volume of sex we have. Or don't," Alex smiled sweetly at him, hoping he'd eased some of his worry.

"I'm sorry, love. I, umm, I guess I just needed reassurance. This is just too fucking good to be true." Alex couldn't believe how nervous Ivar was. He squeezed his hands and brought them to his mouth, kissing his knuckles.

As Ivar looked up into Alex's beautiful face, he felt his heart skip a beat. This beautiful creature sitting in his lap was actually in love with him. What had he done to deserve such an amazing person? As his eyes followed the shape of Alex's body, the definition of his chest and arm muscles, the warm smile on his face, the love he held in his eyes, his hesitation slowly began to disappear and his nervousness somewhat subsided. He knew it would still be there in the back of his mind but he was determined to ignore the small voice in his head telling him he wasn't good enough. He loved this man. He wanted this man. And he was going to show him just how much.

Just as Alex began to say something, Ivar sat straight up so he could reach Alex's lips. He put his arms underneath Alex's armpits, pulling him closer, and grabbed Alex's head from behind. Pushing his face closer, he planted a hungry kiss on Alex's mouth, sucking his lips and entering his tongue to, again, play chase with Alex's. As the moment grew more intense, Ivar couldn't believe he'd even been so worried. This is right where he was meant to be.

His courage growing, Ivar quickly turned, still holding Alex tightly against himself, and rolled Alex over onto his back, falling roughly halfway beside Alex and halfway on top of him.

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Words escaped Alex's lips as Ivar leaned over him and gently kissed him but he quickly pulled away as panic spread across his face. "Alex!" his voice cracked, "We can't do this! It's way too soon to do this without any of those tablets of Y/N's! Oh fuck! It will not be pleasant for you at all, love."

Alex laughed, pulling Ivar back to his mouth and kissed him as Ivar pulled away again. "Alex, seriously. We can't make..."

Alex placed his finger over Ivar's mouth. "Calm down, you fucking protective sweetheart!" Alex grinned, his heart bubbling over with joy at Ivar's thoughtfulness. "It's ok. Y/N gave them to me the other night! I already took them when you went to the bathroom earlier. I also have plenty of lube." He felt Ivar instantly relax.

"Aww, thank fuck," Ivar looked relieved. "You should have started with that. Next time start with that. Fuck!" He wiped the sweat from his brow, "So when will you be, umm, ready?" he shyly asked, blushing again.

Alex smiled, "I already am!"

With a smile on his face, Ivar leaned down and began softly kissing Alex on his neck. It was as if Ivar's soft lips were massaging his skin that literally felt like it was on fire, and his tongue was savoring the taste of him with every painfully slow lick.

As Ivar's wet, erotic kisses slowly traveled down to Alex's chest, he looked up to Alex and their eyes locked in a steamy hot gaze of desire. Alex felt his heart began to race as Ivar's kisses trailed lower and lower over his torso, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

Ivar placed his right hand gently on Alex's chest as just his fingertips ghosted over his hot skin. His touch was electric. Never breaking their gaze, he slowly, barely, rubbed Alex's abdomen up and down while holding his weight on his left arm and continuing with his kisses.

Alex's hands combed through Ivar's hair as one grabbed a handful and gently tugged, and the other found Ivar's shoulders and squeezed. Ivar smiled into Alex's chest as he continued lower.

As Ivar reached Alex's waist, he grabbed the drawstring to Alex's sweats with his teeth and held it in his mouth. Alex loudly gulped. Ivar began to pull the drawstring until he untied the sweats. Smiling from ear to ear, he looked up at Alex. Winking, he asked, "Do you still want me, love?"

Alex's heart began to pound and between his heavy panting, he answered, "Fuck! That was so fucking hot! I have never wanted anything or anyone more."

Ivar quickly raised himself to his knees. With Alex lifting his body from the bed, Ivar slid Alex's sweats completely off of him and instantly dropped them to the floor, licking his lips.

Alex blushed as Ivar scanned his body with his eyes. His hands automatically went to cover himself, but Ivar caught them and laid them to either side of him on the bed. "That won't be necessary, love. Trust me when I say, I like what I see," Ivar smirked.

Intertwining his fingers with Alex's, he bent Alex's arms back so that his hands were beside his head. He slowly crawled over Alex's body, their eyes locked in a gaze of pure desire, as Alex's breathing began to speed up, and his hands in Ivar's grip squeezed tightly.

As Ivar hovered over Alex, his hand slowly trailed over Alex's chest, lightly and softly grazing him with his fingertips, igniting flames of passion all over every inch of Alex's body. As he reached Alex's stomach, he broke their enchanted kiss and whispered in his ear, "You're sure you still want to do this, right?" and he nibbled Alex's ear, sending chills down his spine.

He held Alex's hands there as he leaned down to kiss Alex. Alex felt as if he would melt into the bed as their lips met with a fiery passion. The way their tongues danced together, the sensation of their lips touching and caressing eachother, the warmth of their breath on one another, and the closeness of their bodies, skin on skin, made them become as one as they were lost in the moment, consumed by their heated passion. It was as if they were the only two people in the world, and absolutely nothing else mattered at this moment.

Alex moaned, "Of course! Absolutely!"

"You know the drill. You tell me if that changes."

Alex only nodded his head, unable to speak any longer. Every touch from Ivar's warm hands to Alex's hot body felt electric to Alex.

Ivar moved his hand further down until he finally reached Alex's already hard, throbing dick. Staring directly into Alex's eyes, he wrapped his warm hand around it and gently squeezed. He began pumping his fist up and down around it while watching Alex's eyes roll into the back of his head.

Alex whimpered when Ivar leaned back down and began kissing up his neck. Breathing heavily into Alex's ear, he asked, "Where's the lube, love?"

Alex pointed to the nightstand beside his bed. Ivar removed his hand and mouth from Alex and leaned over him to the nightstand. As he did, Alex rubbed his hands down Ivar's chest, admiring the feel, to his waist. He began to undo Ivar's pants while he leaned up and licked his collar bone. Ivar jolted, and Alex smiled. He nibbled on Ivar's shoulder and his plump lips, then kissed over the marks he left. Ivar hummed in delight.

Alex began sliding Ivar's pants down and as he reveled Ivar's ass, he grabbed his cheeks and squeezed before giving his ass a slap, sending chills over Ivar's body.

Ivar helped take his pants the rest of the way off, and suddenly, he felt nervous again. "I, umm, I want to make this perfect, Alex." He felt himself beginning to panic.

Alex placed his hands on each side of Ivar's face and looking him deeply in the eyes, said, "It already is, Ivar." He softly kissed Ivar and smiled as he pulled away from him, "Shhhh, stop worrying."

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Ivar gave Alex a pillow and nervously told him, "Facing me again, ok?"

Alex placed the pillow underneath himself and laid back again. "Definitely. I have to see you."

Grinning, Ivar sat back on his knees again, in front of Alex's widespread legs, and squeezed the lube into his hands. He coated himself with the lube, spreading it, very generously, all over his very hard cock. Looking at Alex, he gave himself very slow, tantalizing strokes as Alex whimpered.

Alex bit his bottom lip as he watched. He leaned up again and softly said to Ivar, "I want a taste." Not giving Ivar an opportunity to respond, he forcefully pushed him backwards and yanked his feet out from under him.

Ivar started to protest but as he opened his mouth to speak, Alex shoved two of his fingers into Ivar's mouth. Ivar's eyes widened but he began to suck them.

Alex flinched and leaned forward to face Ivar's cock. Wasting no time, he sucked the tip of Ivar's dick into his mouth. Ivar squeezed his eyes shut and his breathing began to pick up.

Alex twirled his tongue around Ivar as Ivar began to squirm. Then Alex took as much of him as he could into his mouth and began bobbing his head up and down as his hand found the base of Ivar and started to pump up and down in sync with his mouth.

Ivar was completely consumed by the moment. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he lost track of where he even was, conscious only of Alex. He moaned in pleasure, only urging Alex on.

Alex glanced up at Ivar and was pleased to see what his work was doing to him. Gripping Ivar tighter with his hand, he let his tongue concentrate on the tip of him while his other hand began to lightly rub his side up and down.

The sensation of Alex's tongue and lips working their magic combined with his hands on Ivar's body was too much. Ivar jolted up and pushed Alex off of him. Startled, Alex's eyes widened and his hands grasped at Ivar but Ivar quickly pushed them beside them on the bed and held himself slightly above Alex. "Love, you still want me inside you? I can't fucking take anymore of that. It's too fucking hot," Ivar practically growled.

Alex bit his lip and shook his head yes. Ivar grabbed the lube and slowly squeezed it out and let it run down Alex's butt cheeks. He smiled widely as Alex jerked from the feeling. "You like that, humm?"

Ivar placed his hand on Alex and rubbed the lube all over his entrance as Alex squirmed. Even though he was still wet from Alex's mouth, he still put more lube in his hand and lathered himself up. Looking down at Alex's red face, he asked, "Are you ready, love?"

"Fuck, yes!"

Ivar positioned himself at Alex's tight opening as he leaned over his body. He could feel the heat radiating from Alex's skin and he smiled. He slowly pushed the tip of himself into Alex and waited a moment as Alex gulped and tried to adjust. "You ok?" Ivar, ever caring, asked.

"Yes," Alex answered, placing his hands up around Ivar's neck, as he stared deeply into his eyes, fluttering around Ivar's thickness.

Ivar slowly pushed himself deeper into Alex until he finally bottomed out. He remained still for a moment, gazing into Alex's loving eyes, still not believing this was real. He wanted it to be perfect for Alex so badly and wanted Alex to know, for sure, how he felt. Pushing his nerves aside as best he could, and trying to ignore what a wreck he was, he leaned down to quickly kiss Alex and then told him, "I will seriously never get tired of this."

Alex cupped his cheek and raised up a little, and kissed him back. "Neither will I," Alex panted.

Slowly, Ivar began to rock his hips, moving back and forth inside of Alex. He held himself up on his elbows, on each side of Alex, so not to crush him and looking down at him, asked, "Is this good with you, love?"

Alex's breathing sped up as he answered, "Oh my God! Yes!"

Ivar, remembering Alex's preference from the last time they were together, pulled back to almost exit Alex altogether and then began to slam back into him, but as he made eye contact again with Alex, he felt the need to take his time and savor the moment. He moved himself back into Alex slowly, passionately, their breathing increasing, their hearts pounding, and their desire for eachother growing even more. As Ivar reached as far as he could, with the flick of his hips, he thrusted into Alex one hard time. Alex moaned out, "Damn! Do that again!" and Ivar did, never losing eye contact, making everything even more sensual.

Lost completely in eachother, they began moving together in perfect harmony, their breathing almost in sync. They locked eyecontact and interlocked their fingers in eachother's hands, squeezing tightly. The closeness and rush of emotions they each felt as they explored eachother's body with eagerness was so intense, it was almost overwhelming. With their moans of pleasure echoing in the stillness of the night, flames of passion ignited every inch of their bodies like a wildfire burning hotter and hotter, their bodies fitting together perfectly like puzzle pieces.

Ivar's long, slow thrusts into Alex were intoxicating and Alex could barely catch his breath. Alex broke their eye contact and pulled Ivar down to him and feverishly began kissing him as his hands got lost in Ivar's hair. The kiss was a long and languorous kiss that caused Ivar to jolt forward into Alex with another hard thrust. Alex whimpered into Ivar's mouth as they hungrily continued their kiss.

Skin on skin, becoming connected as one, the intensity of their passionate kiss increased. Sweat glistened over Ivar's body as his slow stroking up into Alex began to grow a bit faster and harder. Ivar's touch was electrifying on Alex's skin as he lightly trailed his fingers down Alex's side leaving goosebumps along the way.

Alex was trembling when Ivar's hand finally reached between them and found his hard, pulsating cock. Alex's heavy breathing led way to a muffled groan with the heat from Ivar's hand slowly stroking him in rhythm with his pelvis. Ivar kissed from Alex's lips to his jaw and slowly up his jawline to his ear. His voice small, "I love you," he whispered into Alex's ear and Alex thickly swallowed. Alex then wrapped his arms tightly under Ivar's arms, hands holding onto his shoulders. Using his hands on Ivar's shoulders for leverage, he thrusted into Ivar causing Ivar to moan in surprise, "Fuck!"

Alex did it a second time and Ivar dropped his head, nearly collapsing. Alex turned his head to Ivar's ear, "I love you, too."

Ivar was taken back. He couldn't remember ever exchanging those three words before during sex. As much as he'd thought he'd been in love before, now he thought maybe he hadn't been. He, at least, knew it had been absolutely nothing like this. He'd barely said it to his ex at all but definitely never like this. This was another first for him and he struggled to hold back the tears. He felt more vulnerable now than ever.

His movements slowed almost to a complete stop as he buried his face into Alex's neck. Alex, sensing the change, turned to Ivar. "Hey, hey. What's wrong, Ivar? What happened?" He rubbed his hair away from his face and kissed his cheek. "Hey, talk to me."

Still moving painfully slowly, Ivar raised his head up. Tear filled eyes stared back at Alex. "Oh, fuck! What is it? Are you ok? Look, we can stop," Alex panicked, trying to sit up and stop Ivar's movements.

"Shh, it's ok," he said softly, placing a finger over Alex's lips. "I'm just, umm, I'm happy, love. That's all. I promise. And that's as new to me as everything else." Alex looked deeply into Ivar's eyes for confirmation that he was being honest, but he could already tell he was. "Happiness, like this, is sincerely a new, new thing for me. I won't lie. I'm a wreck, Alex, but I'd really like to finish this if you still want to."

Alex was stunned. How could he tell this beautiful creature who was looking down at him so lovenly no? And so he didn't. "Of course, Ivar. I want to finish this with you. We can talk later." He pulled Ivar to him and kissed him again, barely stopping for air. He then pulled away from him and began to blush. "Umm, is there... uh, do you think..?" he stumbled over his words.

"What is it, love? What do you want?" Ivar asked, his voice dripping with concern.

"Ummm, well, do you think it's possible for me to umm, be... FUCK, on top?" Alex quickly covered his face with his hands, trying to hide his embarrassment.

The thought aroused Ivar even more and, removing Alex's hands from his face so he could see into his eyes, he shot him his devilish smile. "Oh, fuck yeah!" he gulped. "But it may be a little too painful for you."

"Umm, can we try?" Alex asked, all too eager.

"Of course." Ivar was so excited, he'd already forgotten about how tight his chest felt, all lost in his emotions. He decided to focus on the physical aspect of it all, knowing he could pick apart every one of his feelings later. He hadn't expected this emotional roller coaster but the excitement he felt now took over. He slowly pulled himself completely out of Alex as his heart rate increased rapidly and Alex moaned. He rolled over onto his back beside Alex. "I'm all yours, love." He flased his flirty smile once more.

Alex asked him to sit up and lay back against the headboard of the bed. Ivar did as requested. Alex grabbed the bottle of lube and and put more into his hand. As he gripped Ivar's hard dick and began to spread it all on him again, Ivar's head fell backwards, moans of pleasure exiting his mouth. Alex crawled into Ivar's lap and hovered his body over him. Looking at Ivar, he asked, "Are you ready for this?"

"Fuck yes, love! Just don't hurt yourself. I'll be ok if we have to stop."

Smiling, Alex answered, "Always putting me first. Thank you, babe." He leaned down and quickly kissed Ivar and then sat back up, lining himself up with Ivar as Ivar held himself in place.

Alex slowly began to sink down onto Ivar's now throbing cock. As the tip entered him, Ivar removed his hand and grabbed Alex by the hips, trying to help steady him. Alex moaned out, "Oh, fuck!"

"Take it easy, love," Ivar said, focusing only on Alex's reactions.

Alex slowly lowered himself more and more onto Ivar as Ivar patiently waited for Alex to be ready for movement. The tightness Ivar felt was almost too much for him and he wasn't sure how long he'd last this way but all he could think about was not hurting Alex.

The two were so hyper aware of the other's body and reactions that it was almost distracting. Alex asked, "Are you ok, Ivar? Do you need me to stop?"

"Oh, hell no! I'm good, love. Take your time," he smiled.

Alex finally sank all the way down onto Ivar, swallowing up Ivar's twitching cock. He wrapped his legs tightly around Ivar's hips, interlocking them behind him, bringing the two of them even closer. The intimacy Ivar felt was overpowering as he looked up and into Alex's eyes. He placed his hand on Alex's cheek and pulled him in for a kiss. His heart was pounding harder than it had all night as the kiss grew more heated. He wrapped his other arm around Alex and held him tightly as he panted into Alex's mouth.

Alex pulled slightly away, Ivar's lips chasing his. "Please stop me if I hurt you." Ivar only knodded.

Keeping his eyes locked in their gaze of passion, Alex slowly began to rock his body. He groaned unrecognizable words. Wrapping his arms around Ivar, they both now sat in a tight embrace as Alex's movements began to speed up a little.

Alex gulped and moaned with every movement. "Are you ok?" Ivar asked, willing to stop if needed.

"Yes. It's a good pain, remember?"

Ivar removed his right arm from their embrace, still holding Alex tightly with his left, and slowly trailed his hand up Alex's back and down his chest, sending chills all over Alex. Still looking him straight in the eyes, his hand found Alex's ever ready, hard cock and quickly wrapped tightly around him. He began to stroke him up and down as he leaned forward a little and kissed Alex's collarbone. Ivar's hand motions made the pain Alex felt subside into pleasure.

Alex felt heat spread throughout his body as he continued to move painfully slowly up and down on Ivar. The closeness and intimacy he felt looking into Ivar's eyes staring back at him in complete wonder was breathtaking. He knew he would never get enough of this intensity.

Ivar's heavy breathing sped up with each small movement of Alex's hips. Staring into Alex's eyes, still, he thrusted his hips forward, jolting upward and into Alex. Alex whimpered and Ivar did it again. Within seconds, the two found their rhythm and Ivar began fucking up into Alex as Alex rotated his hips seductively.

With every thrust from Ivar, sounds escaped Alex's mouth, echoing into the room. As Alex moved his hips in sync with Ivar's, their passion grew even more. Ivar's grip around Alex's waist and back held him tightly to him as his hand pounded up and down on him even harder. Their stare intensified, an unspoken agreement not to look away from eachother, and Alex, again, softly said, between pants, "I love you."

A tear rolled down Ivar's cheek and Alex caught it with his finger. He brought his finger to his lips and slowly licked the tear from his finger. Ivar gasped, his heart beating even faster than before, and he knew he couldn't handle this anymore.

Before Alex even knew what was happening, Ivar moved forward, held onto Alex even tighter, and quickly turned to his side, landing Alex on his back with himself hovering over him, still inside him. Alex's eyes widened as he gulped. "Did I hurt you? Are you ok?" Ivar asked him, concerned.

"I'm fine. You, you just shocked me. Damn, that was fucking hot," Alex whimpered as he responded.

Ivar leaned down and hungrily kissed Alex as he slowly began to move inside of Alex again. Trembling, he looked back into Alex's eyes again. As he slowly moved his hips, he brought his hand to his mouth and spit into it. Alex gasped at the sight as he shivered in anticipation.

Ivar's hand found Alex's hard dick again and wrapped tightly around him. The sensation of Ivar's wet palm sent chills down Alex's spine as Ivar began pumping him up and down again along with his stroking in and out of him.

Something about it, now, was slower, calmer, and way more intense than anything between them had been as of yet. Alex's heart rate sped up and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.

As Ivar held Alex's gaze, every movement was more sensual than the one before. Alex's hands tangled in Ivar's hair and he pulled him closer. Ivar dropped his head to the nape of Alex's neck and he feathered kisses up it as Alex whimpered. When he reached Alex's ear, he softly bit it before raising his head back above Alex and once again, staring into his eyes

With every roll of his hips, pounding deeper into Alex, Alex's heart fluttered and his tight grip around Ivar vibrated causing Ivar to arch his back with his eyes rolling into the back of his head. "Cum for me, love! I want to hear you yelling my name as you cum for me," Ivar's raspy voice commanded.

Clutching Ivar's shoulders, Alex began thrusting up into Ivar in sync with Ivar's movements, causing Ivar to groan out Alex's name in pure extasy. The two of them melted into eachother and as they moved together, lovenly, passionately. Ivar whispered, "I'm close, love. I need you to finish first."

Alex was already close to his release and as Ivar leaned down and licked Alex's lips, it was enough for Alex as it sent electric shocks throughout his veins. His entire body tensed up as white, silk streams of his cum shot out between them as he called out, "Oh my God, Ivar!"

Alex clinched his ass cheeks around Ivar and held him even more tightly as Ivar's pace picked up and fell out of any kind of rhythm. He grinded into Alex sloppily and his movements quickly stammered as his entire body stiffened and twitched. He shot his load as he tried to tell Alex, "Alex! I'm, I'm..."

"Yes, babe! Now you cum for me!" Alex said, breathing heavily.

Ivar slowly stopped his movements and collapsed on top of Alex with a thud. Alex grunted and Ivar grinned, "That was absolutely fantastic, love. I've...umm, I've never experienced anything like that. Not even the last time we were together. Fuck!" He swallowed thickly and slowly pulled out of Alex and rolled to his side, his arms still wrapped around Alex.

Hot and sweaty, and very messy, they still laid there entangled in eachother, taking in everything and coming back down together. As their breathing slowed and heartrates returned to normal, their grip on eachother never loosened. They laid like that, intertwined in eachother, in complete silence, comfortably enjoying breathing eachother in.

Not really wanting to break the peaceful, comfortable silence, Alex hesitated, "That really was fantastic, Ivar. I, umm, I don't think... umm..."

"What is it, love? You know you can tell me anything," Ivar tried not to panic, rubbing his hand over Alex's cheek and giving him a quick peck on the lips.

"I-I don't think I've ever made love to anyone before, Ivar. And that, umm, that's what that was, right? It was so different and so amazing. I've never experienced anything like that before either," Alex blushed and looked away from Ivar's piercing eyes.

It hit Ivar like a ton of bricks. No wonder he had been such a wreck. It was more than just having sex with the one he loved. It was making love with him, which had such deeper meaning than he'd ever imagined. The connection they shared was unreal and seriously like no other. He couldn't put words to it. Alex looked back at Ivar and saw the understanding and realization in his face. "I, uh.. I..ummm," he tried.

Alex cupped his cheek and replied, "I know. Oh my God, I know. It's ok. You don't have to say it. Believe me, I understand completely." He smiled and kissed Ivar deeply.

Ivar pulled away, "Now, you know the rule, love. You can't do that, or I'll have to have my way with you again."

He gave Alex his shit ass eating grin again, and Alex laughed, "You're terrible."

"Yes, and you love it. Let's go get washed up," he continued to grin. "Oh, and Alex?" he said as he sat up in the bed and looked back at Alex.

"Yes?"

"When we come back to bed, I want to be entangled with you the rest of the night just like we were right now, ok, love? I'm seriously not letting you go this time."

Alex smiled as he felt warmth spread all throughout his body, "Absolutely, Ivar. I wouldn't have it any other way."

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@istorkyou @vero-maris-zamo @chapada010101010 @ivarhoegh @lostasalice-thisway @lonewolf471 @lemonsarepink @covidinducedsocialreject @tessakate

#ivar the boneless smut #alex hogh andersen imagine #alex hogh andersen #ivar the boneless imagine #ivar the boneless fic #alex høgh andersen #alex hogh Andersen smut #modern ivar #ivar the boneless fanfiction #ivar smut #ivar imagine #alex hogh andersen × modern ivar

[x-authorship-x]

Evil Author Day!

February 15th is an opportunity for authors to be a little bit (or a lotta bit) evil by sharing snippets from WIPs, idea files, etc., with the understanding that there is NO GUARANTEE WHATSOEVER that these stories will ever be completed.

Read at your own risk!

WIP Title: Mikoto the Dragon

On the first of June, Uchiha Shiho carefully lowered herself to the ground and winced at the tenseness of her back muscles. 

It was a balmy day, without a wisp of cloud but tempered a little by the stirring of the breeze coming off the nearby coast. They were close to the sea now, only a few days out from Uzushio territory, and Shiho was confident that they'd get there before it was too late for dinner. Not that time had ever stopped her stomach.

"Are you alright?" Kagami, her lovely - but sensitive - husband asked for the tenth time in as many minutes. "You're looking a little flushed, and-"

"Shunsuke-kun is wandering off," Shiho interrupted with all her patience. Which, honestly, wasn't too much with her due-date looming in three weeks' time. 

Kagami hissed a breath, chakra fluttering as a shadow clone scampered off in the direction of their wayward son - who had taken to walking with a bit too much enthusiasm and a strange talent for escaping his harness - before crouching down to dig the sealed waterskins from Shiho’s abandoned bag. Which she had carried herself, because she was a Jounin even when pregnant (and Kagami had put absolutely everything in a seal anyway so the weight was barely anything).

They were taking a risk with travelling this close to her due date but Shiho had been adamant that they arrived in Uzushio in time for the birth of Arashi’s fourth child; his three sons were extremely excited, since the age gap was over ten years and they were hoping for a girl, and the due dates had lined up so nicely with Shiho’s own pregnancy. Shunsuke had been born in Uzushio, after all, when Shiho’s first time had all but crippled her with nausea so bad that she’d demanded that Kagami stay with her in Uzushio for the final two months. As it was, they were pushing it a little closer than Kagami was comfortable with, this time around.

"I'm fine," Shiho belatedly replied, realising that Kagami was absolutely waiting for an answer and holding the water bottle hostage until she responded. "It's just a lot of weight on the front, you know?" Shiho paused before the rim could touch her mouth, mood souring at the reminder. "Of course, you don't actually know what I'm talking about… I’m expected to carry your child for nine months and the Clan thinks that gives you the right to name them? Where is the appreciation, Kagami?"

Kagami had a lot of practice defending himself on this particular front. "Honey, you named Shunsuke-kun and we both picked the options this time around. You know I'd take my turn to carry the bump if I could-"

"They kick all the time," Shiho shot out. She leaned back on her hands, bringing her knees up to brace the weight better. The grit bit into her hands, face wrinkled in disgruntlement, and her loose, comfortable travel clothes dampened with sweat. Still, under the yellow and green leaves of the grove surrounding them, she made a lovely picture.

Kagami sighed a little, lovesick fondness warring with resignation. "In the middle of the night," he supplied.

"In the middle of the night! I can't lie back any more, my spine is killing me…"

"We bought the lounging chair for this reason."

From between the lines of trees, Kagami’s clone returned with a disgruntled, fussy captive. Shunsuke’s hat was knocked asque and, every time the clone tried to fix it, the one-and-a-half year old batted at it again.

"I feel sick and aching, I genuinely forgot how intense everything feels from the first time," Shiho continued to lament. Kagami took pity and plucked a nearby piece of fruit for her, which she graciously accepted and immediately bit into. "They press so heavily down on me and my legs are really aching."

Kagami felt his own brows furrow at that. "Have we been going too fast, honey? We should be travelling however is best for you, if you want to rest for the final stretch then-"

"I’m fine," Shiho laughed abruptly, expression clearing like smoke in a swift wind. "You fussy, dear man! It's just a little intense, I must've not been keeping as active before this as I thought. My pain tolerance is high, you know," she wagged a finger teasingly and Kagami's mouth curved upwards despite himself. "This body is a machine… and it's currently working on a baby!"

Kagami leaned up and accepted his son from the clone, which then set off to secure the perimeter. They'd been out of war for over nine years now - nine years since… well, since Tobirama-sensei had died - and the roads were as peaceful as they'd ever been.

But caution was instilled in their bones and Kagami would always choose safety over not being able to be sorry (and being the one to survive an attack was the cruellest fate).

"But you've just said you're in pain," Kagami sighed. "I wish you'd told me sooner."

"I'm telling you now…"

Shiho played politicians, civilians and fellow Shinobi alike like fiddles  but, around Kagami, she’d never been one to hold her tongue. It was the annoying lining between her brutal honesty and her determination to never show weakness that meant that she complained about trivial things that didn't bother her too much but would never breathe a word if something affected her more deeply. 

"Let's have a break for a bit," Kagami suggested. Now wasn't the time to pick a fight and it wouldn't have been worth it anyway. He turned his face down to catch Shunsuke’s swinted eyes. "You want to see the trees, hm? Hide and seek?"

The toddler understood that well enough - it was nothing more complicated than saying ‘no’ or ‘wait’ but those were mysteriously beyond Shunsuke’s comprehension - and starting squirming excitedly until Kagami relented and let his feet touch the ground.

Shunsuke was off like a rabbit. A very slow and possibly drunk rabbit. 

Kagami’s own knees ached a bit as he straightened and trotted off after his son. Surely they weren't supposed to start feeling old in their twenties, right?

Shiho waved him off with a huff of amusement, something in her face expressing ‘better you than me in this heat’, and she propped herself against the nearest trunk instead. The fruit was delicious, sweet and sticky and just on the cusp of overripeness. She ate two more, polishing off her waterskin and using the last few drops in an attempt to wash the syrup from her fingers with limited success. 

Kagami - loudly wondering where the imp had escaped to - and Shunsuke - squealing delightedly - remained in range but just hidden amongst the rows of trees surrounding Shiho's spot. She closed her eyes, lids flushed red and pink against the bright sunlight, and tried to unwind as she listened.

"Where is he?" Kagami called, a playful edge to his voice that his enemies would never think him capable of. His teammates and friends would definitely know better. "Where is the little monster?"

Shunsuke’s responding giggle was addictive, infectious. Shiho’s flattened mouth relaxed into a smile.

Lulling herself into restfulness didn't really work. Every time Shunsuke screamed, even when clearly with joy, Shiho’s pulse jack-rabbited in response. Eventually, she realised her shoulders were drawn up tight and her jaw had been clenching itself. Her sandals had carved grooves in the dried earth and, with a kind of distant recognition, Shiho realised she’d been bracing down on her legs for quite a while. In fact, her thighs had begun to ache even more as time crawled by, until it was worse than training or a bad period, and the next thing she knew she was exhaling noisily through her mouth. The dragging sensation worsened, extending up her hips and the mound of her belly, right before a wet sensation blossomed between her open legs.

"Oh Kami," Shiho breathed, the words sounding half way to hysterical laughter.

"Where… aha! There he is!"

"Kagami!" Shiho shouted, too surprised to register the irony of her timing. "The baby's coming!"

Uchiha Mikoto was born at sunset, three weeks early on the road to Uzushio, and in the middle of a plum tree orchard.

"I feel like she did this on purpose," Shiho laughed with the healer, brought from Uzushio by one of Kagami's larger crows and having arrived just in time to help with the actual birth.

Behind them, the shining golden sun slowly sank into the water, waves washed as crimson as the sky and glittering as the sea churned against the rocks. 

"I think you might be right," Kagami agreed, and neither were any the wiser.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

When Mikoto was ten, Uzushio was besieged and, within mere hours, swallowed by the sea.

It took her mother with it. Her father, Ambassador Uchiha Kagami, was slaughtered by enemy nin as he tried to reach Konoha for emergency aid. His body was found, unrecognisable, and Mikoto and Shunsuke had very little of either of their parents to burn on the ceremonial pyre.

Kushina lost her home, her people and culture. Konoha was shocked to its core, the reality that Uzushio - brilliant, ancient Uzushio that had sealwork so old than none alive could read it anymore and fuinjutsu masters who could rewrite reality, Uzushio that was their sister-Village and Uzushio that had been torn to pieces in a single night - was gone. It was their shame, the spiral that appeared on the arm of all Konohan uniforms, and the coldest of comforts.

Nothing could fix what had been done.

Konoha had failed, Uzushio had fallen, and Konoha wasn't strong enough to retaliate.

Mikoto didn't think Kushina would ever forgive the Sandaime for not being able to protect Uzushio… or to avenge it.

(She knew she never would.)

And the world was a totally different place afterwards.

Happy Evil Day!

#inspired by Ellory #Torship #Torship talks #Torship writes #naruto #fanfic #mikoto uchiha #uchiha clan #alternative universe #uzushio #kushina #world building #minato #sakumo

[you-are-forever-special]

I Am Your Mother's Keeper

\\×AU where our goofball boys make a new... "friend," and Taiga's life is caught up in another whirlwind.×

<Set to take place the same time as the episode 'Doublebookedklok'>

If you don't know who my OC Taiga is, this is her original story: https://www.tumblr.com/you-are-forever-special/723792412034662400/tenacious-me?source=share

But I wanted to put her in the Metalocalypse universe, and some of my great friends encouraged + inspired me to get here today.

So here we go!//

TW: Cussing, Alcoholism, Implied drug abuse + self-harm, Animal death, Mentions of blood/injuries, Spiritualism + Related ritual

(It's not in great detail, or graphic, but still!

This story gets kinda silly, then action-packed, and suddenly really intense and emotional. But I tried to end it on a more hopeful note.

I hope you enjoy! This was so much fun to make!

I'm open to constructive criticism, and any other comments, as always! And I tried my best to catch any errors, but if you spot any yourself, please let me know and I'll fix it!

Thank you very much~!)

-Took about 12hr40min to write out-

~~~~~

It all started with a plan to begin their infamous drinking bender.

But the guys in Dethklok were especially going to up the ante this time.

Mostly because...

They were bored out of their fucking minds.

They've played shows in Minnesota before, but each time, they wanted-

No, NEEDED to spice things up, and at least not be sober for their time spent here.

Besides, it's not like it affected their success much, right?

Everything always turned out fine.

And it continued to go that way...

Until they got stranded.

They just wanted to stop at a nearby gas station for a bit, and ended up accidentally being left behind.

And the boys forgot their Dethphones on the Dethbus they were on, and now they were freaking out because they were most likely going to DethDIE(Hamburger Time) out here with no supplies.

All they had with them were their current drinks that varied in levels of completion.

The boys tried to internally calm themselves down.

They each had a drink in their hand. That was something.

And Nathan assumed that any kind of drink they consumed meant that they were being hydrated, so it was ok for now.

Everyone else agreed, or at least in Skwisgaar and Pickles' case, didn't bother to argue with it.

Still pretty inebriated, the thought of going back into the gas station for shelter, and a phone, etc, to use... Didn't even occur to them.

And they figured that ultimately, the woods that they spotted nearby would be their best bet, because there was probably a shortcut to make it back to their bus.

--

None of these men were scared.

And if they were...

Fuck you, they weren't going to admit that.

...

Thankfully it wasn't cold outside.

And even if it was,

"Hey, at least we have booze, amirite?" Pickles pointedly swished the liquid around in his bottle as he was the first one to break the silence that fell upon them and say what they were all thinking as they trekked deeper into these woods.

He smirked before taking another swig from it; seemingly without a care in the world.

And amongst each other, they all agreed that alcohol + the cold totally cancels out the chances of getting frostbite.

Pickles then recalled what Nathan said earlier while they were still traveling on the road to get here.

About how they'd all get "so damn sloppy, that we'll have to make a new word in the dictionary just for this moment in history."

And he even made a note to himself after that statement to ask Charles how to get something put into the dictionary in the first place.

As usual though, Pickles got a head start on their little "party;" being much more than just drunk before they had even planned to have this so-called "Ultra Doubly-Brutal Bender Extreme," as Nathan had ultimately previously put it.

He seemed pretty proud of himself for that name. So, he just let Nathan have that one.

It could be called the "Party of the Piss Platoon" for all he cared...

He was obviously down for it either way.

But Pickles being Pickles was handling it supremely well, and just going with the flow as they walked; Along with starting to wonder who out there in this world even made dictionaries and chose what got put into them anyway.

Regardless, it'd sure take a lot more than this to get him to the point of sloppy Nathan talked about.

Toki, on the other hand, was currently trying to just win his battle with "stupids gravi-tees."

He was winning so far.

However, it was getting pretty dark, and much harder to see anything.

Toki felt that pit of uneasiness blossoming forth in his chest and rising, but he just tried to keep an eye on his bandmates.

Tried is the keyword here.

Because for now, he could only look up enough to spot the silhouettes of their heads, or legs, depending on how he was able to hold up the upper half of his body as time passed.

His worries subsided a bit since they stayed close by as he stumbled along behind them.

Toki's vision was swimming, but he was grateful that he didn't feel like he had to puke anymore.

As the other members chatted, Toki didn't make out a word since he was too busy grumbling mostly to himself about how he already emptied his new bottle; even swinging it upside down and shaking it like that would magically make more of the feel-happy juice flow out.

Toki sighed, but then he immediately was distracted as a different feeling rose within him.

He suddenly called out to the boys.

"Ah, waits, guys!!"

They all froze and turned to face him quickly, because he basically screamed that out.

Most of them seemed annoyed at the jolting disturbance, besides Pickles who was inquisitive, but overall was just vibin'.

Nathan seemed the most irritated by the sudden piercing pitch that Toki's voice could sometimes reach.

He may be used to loud noises in his profession, but certain ones like that just hit a nerve within him.

At least it wasn't as bad as certain fangirls' who have basically screamed right in his ear before.

And not in the ways that he'd prefer.

Still, Nathan was patient and just asked:

"...Why are you screaming...?"

Toki just swayed a bit and slowly blinked as he stared at them, before he remembered why he got their attention in the first place.

"OH.

I's gots to go pee!"

...

...

...

"Oka-?"

"Yous all waits for me here! 'Kay bye!"

And before they could even attempt to refuse, Toki went off past some nearby bushes and trees, humming to himself.

Murderface spoke up after he left, saying:

"Their'sch schomething scheriously wrong with him. I schwear."

Nathan just grumbled and debated continuing to walk ahead, but the softer side of him relented and decided to wait for Toki after all.

"Don't want him to somehow fall and, you know... Ugh... Something..."

Nathan half-heartedly sent his shoddy reasoning into the air before he shut himself and his feelings up with more beer.

Skwisgaar was the most antsy looking one out of them all; holding onto his bottle like it was his lifeline.

He didn't have his guitar, and needed to hold onto something before he snapped himself.

He couldn't even bring himself to make a snide remark this entire time despite his anger, but he did dramatically let out a heavy sigh; making it clear how much he didn't want to be here anymore.

Skwisgaar mumbled to himself, shaking his head.

Why did this have to happen?

It was so annoying having to deal with things like this all the time.

Some "bender" this was turning out to be.

He didn't realize how much he was truly exaggerating, or how hypocritical he could be.

He would usually tease others for complaining whatsoever. Toki overall. But if even one little thing didn't go his way, Skwisgaar was the one who would technically have the biggest reaction out of them all.

His pouting was unmatched. Especially once he could no longer keep it bottled up.

Sometimes he'd snap and yell, but for now, he tried his best to not hit anyone over the head with his-

OH RIGHT. HE DIDN'T HAVE IT.

Maybe his bottle would be good enough.

Skwisgaar could feel his eye barely twitch and he started weighing his options once Murderface yelled out to Toki about hurrying up, even though he was probably too far to hear, which made Nathan internally groan. Speaking of annoying sounds...

They might end up killing each other before actually partying at all.

Before Nathan decided to say something harsh that would require many types of guitar riffs, Pickles tsked first and sat down on the ground for now; resting an arm over his one bent knee.

"Ehh!

Calm dahwn, dood."

"Oh schorry!! I'm scho schorry for schpeaking and wanting to get out of here, Picklesch!"

Pickles deadpanned and just sipped at his drink, seeing where this was going by Murderface's expression and miffed tone.

"Maybe I schould just go off on my own and get eaten by a bear or schomething!

I betcha'd like that, huh!?"

"OH MY FUCKING GOD-!!!"

Nathan interrupted by shouting in frustration.

--

Toki finished up his business eventually and somehow didn't leave a stain all over his pants, or hurt himself, despite his clumsy movements.

He internally cheered for that and instinctively picked up his bottle, even though it was empty; almost toppling over as he bent down.

But he caught himself.

As he stood back up, he perked up more at the sound of...

Squeaking?

No...

Mewling?

As soon as that clicked in his head, Toki dropped his bottle and immediately started searching in excitement for where the noises were coming from.

He didn't care or even think about the scrapes he got as he looked around; eventually stumbling upon a den after getting by some bigger branches.

Toki's pupils dilated even more as he saw a baby kitty.

It was a pretty big kitty, but a kitty nonetheless.

It wasn't long before they were in his arms, being cradled and gently rocked like you would a human child.

He cooed down at them, and despite his drunken state, he was extremely careful with the baby.

"Oh you poors things. Alls alones down here.

Don'ts worries!

I'll takes care of you!"

Toki started telling the kitty every thing that they would do together once they got back to Mordhaus as he got back out of the den.

"I can'ts wait to shows you to my friends!"

Toki was heading back, but then he froze and his eyes widened when he heard a scary growl behind him.

He slowly turned around...

And his eyes widened as he saw a cougar.

He didn't know the English word for this animal, but he wasn't stupid.

All he did know right now was that this kind of "kitty" meant danger.

And one swipe from their claws could mean Hamburger Time for good.

That sight alone basically sobered the man up.

He became even paler than usual and started to back up a bit.

"N-Nice cat..."

Toki muttered, letting out a soft, nervous laugh.

But as the cougar got down even lower like it was going to pounce, Toki's eyes darted around and he thought quick on his feet, suddenly throwing the bottle he spotted that he left behind earlier.

It hit the cougar on their side, even though he was aiming for their head.

But he didn't stop to think any longer on it as he turned back around and booked it; screaming loudly as he ran.

He didn't even register it as he ran past the rest of Dethklok.

Toki just continued to scream and hold the baby cougar close to his chest; leaving them in the dust.

---Meanwhile---

Taiga was strolling around the woods she lived in, going through her usual rounds of checking the area to make sure everything was safe and secure.

It honestly never got boring to her...

And it was pretty much her duty, after all.

But she'd happily do this even if she ever moved for some reason.

It was all such an honor to be able to do this.

For herself, and for others.

And so far, everything seemed to be peaceful, as per usual.

Taiga smiled and took in a breath of fresh air as she walked.

She looked around, adjusting her duffel bag and gripping tighter onto her nata.

There was one more area to check before she'd head back towards the babbling brook where her cottage was by.

A soft melody flowed from Taiga's lips as she went around.

All was well until she heard what sounded like terrified screaming.

And she immediately tensed up, but kept her composure as she stopped humming and quickly made her way towards the screaming.

Hopefully whoever it was was ok-

"Oof!" "Agh!"

...

Next thing Taiga knew, the wind was almost knocked out of her as Toki barreled into her like a linebacker; knocking her over and onto the ground.

"Ugh...!"

Toki fell over too, but he quickly flipped onto his back and rolled a bit as he did; trying hard to not injure the little cub.

Thankfully they were fine, but in his still adrenaline-fueled mind, it took him a second to realize that he hit someone.

His shocked state amplified as he looked up and took in this stranger's features. His wide eyes blinked a few times.

Was he hallucinating again?

...No, they were still there.

Maybe he just went insane.

Unless, that was just a costume, or-

Toki got lost in thought and was dazed as he blatantly stared.

Taiga held her head in a hand and carefully got up.

She was fine, and didn't land on her nata at least...

So that was good.

She put all that aside for now and looked over at Toki, seeing his expression.

"A-Are you alright??"

Taiga asked, but Toki was silent.

She tilted her head as she waited to see if this man would answer.

As she glanced over his features though, something about him looked familiar...

And...

Oh god. Did he have a cougar cub in his arms!?

---

Back with the rest of Dethklok, they all had stopped arguing as they heard Toki's scream getting closer moments before, and were extremely confused as they watched Toki go off into the distance without halting, or falling.

Their looks of confusion changed to more tense ones, and Pickles got back up on his feet, his guard now raised like the rest of the guys.

They were expecting something, but not THAT.

The mama cougar roared and quickly shot out of the bushes not long after Toki did.

"OH SCHIT."

The guys scrambled, collectively throwing their bottles/cans at the animal, but that didn't do much to deter it.

Pickles and Skwisgaar yelled and decided to run too, off in the same direction as Toki did.

Murderface was about to run as well before he saw the cougar decided to try and jump on Nathan first since he was the closest.

"NO!!"

He dove in front of Nathan as a first response, and was successfully taken down.

They flew over a bit and rolled past the surprised, raven-haired man.

The cougar got a couple good, deep scratches on Murderface's back, but thankfully Murderface kicked and squirmed enough before the animal chose a time and spot to hold him in a tight grip and bite down into the meat of his shoulder, instead of getting his neck.

It still hurt like a bitch, though.

As Murderface screamed, Nathan grunted as he kicked off the animal quite aways off; stunning it temporarily as he grabbed Murderface, pulling him back up so they could run off.

He tried to ignore the pain as he ran, and Nathan just tried to focus on getting somewhere safe as they went.

---

Before Taiga could continue her thought, she heard more yelling and turned her head towards it.

She quickly got back up, trying to keep her resolve despite her own fears; holding her nata at the ready.

She came to find that her suspicions on who Toki might be were correct after all as she saw Pickles and Skwisgaar running over. Were they all here?

The pair saw Toki on his knees on the ground and...

Whoever-the-fuck not too far away with a big-ass sword or something.

The two stopped running for now and were hunched over some, panting, as they looked at each other like:

'What the hell is going on???'

They didn't ask questions right now, and heard the sound of other footsteps approaching and heavy panting; Murderface and Nathan coming from the treeline with differing levels of intense panic on their faces.

Since Taiga realized what was going on, she got a firm voice and spoke up loud enough for them all to hear; directing them to follow her once they were all looking her way.

It was obvious they all were confused and questioning the obvious despite their fear, but that would have to wait.

"Come on, this way! We'll be safe! Just don't. stop. running!"

She said with urgency as she heard the mama cougar's roar getting closer.

No one argued as they followed close behind. Except Toki was still frozen in shock. Nathan had to act fast and take the kitten out of Toki's arms and used his other arm to hoist him up; draping him over onto his shoulder.

Toki didn't struggle, but Nathan thought:

'How many times will I have to do this?'

Taiga instantly felt more relieved once her cottage came into view, but didn't get ahead of herself.

She quickly got the door open with her key and let the guys go in first.

Afterwards, she entered as well, slamming the door shut behind them all and locking it.

She knew that the cougar would most likely hang around, trying to get her baby back. But she would worry about all that later.

Eventually the growling died down when they got closer, but she could see them stalking around the cottage still, as she figured.

Taiga sighed heavily; happy she didn't have to hurt, or kill any creature today.

They were lucky to have even gotten that head start on outrunning the pissed off animal.

But now...

The world famous Dethklok was currently in her cottage.

She was too frazzled to even think about the ridiculous of all this, and more importantly, she took note of how badly Murderface was bleeding.

Taiga set down her stuff then got moving and went to grab her first-aid kit.

Nathan sat Toki down onto the nearby couch and saw how he was mostly just staring into space for now, so he just left him alone.

Pickles was the first to speak up again inbetween huffs and puffs as he tried to catch his breath like everyone else; his hand over his heart.

"Gahddamn, dat was close...!"

Skwisgaar agreed, before the room fell silent aside from their panting.

They all eventually looked over at Taiga and took in her appearance more clearly.

The giant swishing tail was especially what caught their attention.

It looked so real.

Taiga could feel their eyes on her, and she tried to ignore it.

She understood. Truly.

But this was always so uncomfortable.

So, she tried to break the tense atmosphere around them.

"I know what you're thinking...

But just let me get this real quick, and then we can talk."

She set down the first-aid kit on the table in front of where Murderface stood, near her dining area.

"Here...

Not assuming you need my help, but this offer's on the table if you want it...

I understand that I'm just some stranger, but I know what I'm doing when it comes to patching up wounds.

That looks pretty bad, but I'm sure you'll be fine."

Her tone was soft and sympathetic, but she wasn't lying...

From what she could tell, if he stopped the bleeding and cleaned it up well, he could get it stitched and heal up just fine.

Murderface knew he had gotten injured pretty badly, but hey, he didn't feel like he was going to die or anything like when he had that accident on the highway.

When he snapped out of his own stunned state, he defaulted back to his signature frown.

He looked down at the kit and back up at Taiga skeptically, but eventually decided to take the kit and tried fixing himself up.

Wounds from his own knife that he would treat back at Mordhaus could get pretty deep, so maybe this wouldn't be much different.

He avoided any further eye contact.

Taiga could see his attitude towards her, but still understood and didn't push it.

She stepped back and looked over at everyone else as they stared some more.

"...Is everybody else ok?"

They looked between each other, seeming fine, before looking down at Toki.

Now that he was in a safer environment, by a cozy fireplace, he had a bit of time for his anxieties to lower some and feel more grounded again.

He blinked and saw he was instinctively just petting the kitten repeatedly.

Toki smile some at seeing their content, sleepy face as they squeaked a bit.

"...You ams okays..."

He sounded more surprised, yet relieved; closing his eyes and hugging them close, so gently, like they could break at any given moment.

Taiga took that as a relative yes and nodded, mostly to herself.

"Good. I'm glad I came across you all in time. Cougars are pretty rare around here...

Only a few sightings have ever been documented before apparently, but..."

She watched as Toki cooed more at the kitten.

She understood completely why the mother chased them.

But she wouldn't scold them. They already went through enough.

"...yeah.

Either way, it's a good thing we're all safe now. But we might have to wait here a while. If you need anything, just let me know."

Taiga offered and was met with more stares.

She sighed a bit.

"Yes, I know I must look different-"

Murderface suddenly spoke up again, making good progress on the wound he could see. It was almost impressive how well he could handle the pain.

"Moscht furriesch do."

Taiga paused and blinked, then looked floored.

"What the- I- Ah- No, I'm not a furry!" Taiga stumbled over her words a little from how baffled she was at what she just heard.

He shrugged.

"Whatever you wanna call it-"

"I'm SERIOUS, look at me!"

Taiga suddenly yanked a bit on her tail enough to prove a point, along with doing the same, but a bit softer, to her sensitive ears.

"This is just how I am!"

"...Yeah, ookay."

Taiga facepalmed and gave up, realizing she wasn't getting anywhere with this.

She didn't need their validation, but she's never been accused of this before.

She had heard the term in the past, but didn't really consider herself one after learning what it meant.

At least, she thought so???

One of her ears then instinctively flicked over at the sound of a tape recorder click, along with Nathan saying a song title that he thought up just now from witnessing this:

"Feral Contusion"

Taiga looked up in confusion at the man's now more softened features as he seemed pretty pleased with what he just did, but she didn't question it as she sighed and looked down; closing her eyes for a second.

Pickles seemed intrigued once he got past his own initial shock.

"...Okay well, either way, ya gotta admit, dat's pretty cool."

He grinned a bit and glanced at the guys, gauging their reactions.

"I used to think it would be awesome as hell if I had a tail."

"Oh! Or wings!"

Toki suddenly spoke up, looking significantly more excited after all of that.

"Or horse legs."

Most of them paused and looked at the blonde. Besides Toki, who didn't seem perturbed at all as he kept playing with the kitten.

"...What?"

Nathan spoke.

"What!?"

Skwisgaar quickly said, somewhat defensively, and turned away slightly as he crossed his arms.

Back to his deep frown.

He regretted throwing that bottle now, as he tapped his fingers on his arm.

Taiga was so surprised as they all seemed to be less and less concerned about her appearance.

The last time anyone reacted so relatively positively to finding out the truth, was Luci.

Taiga's eyes glazed over a bit as she remembered her best friend's visage again.

It felt bittersweet.

But she took a quick breath and refocused as Toki suddenly asked what her name was.

She didn't even notice he was staring at her this time, but it wasn't from awkwardness, more from awe.

Like he couldn't believe she was real.

"I go by Taiga."

She smiled a tiny bit as her nickname was complimented and called pretty by him, but Murderface snorted and not so softly said behind her:

"Of coursche."

Taiga deadpanned, but pretended she didn't hear that.

Pickles chuckled as he got a big smirk on his face and slyly said:

"Like you have room ta talk, Murderface~"

Murderface was almost done fixing himself up already, but almost botched it as he stood up from the chair he sat in, knocking it over with how fast he moved.

"OH ALRIGHT, PICKLESCH!"

He didn't seem phased and glanced away, snickering at how easily he could make Murderface angry.

Taiga couldn't help but smile a bit more as she rolled her eyes at their antics; seeing Pickles lazily poke his tongue out the side of his mouth.

She didn't want to be weird about it, but still made herself ask once the noise died down, even though she knew the answer.

"And... You're Dethklok, right?"

They each perked up again for once at being recognized, but then nodded/confirmed as such verbally for her as they realized it's truly not that surprising with how big they were.

All types listened to them.

Nathan put his focus back on Taiga; his intense look piercing through her, but she didn't cower at all.

Just looked right back at him.

She realized he was just trying to remember something when he asked if she was at their show.

Taiga almost laughed.

She would have been hard to miss if she did.

"No, but it would be fun to get to go see you guys one day."

Skwisgaar looked slightly surprised and raised a brow as he looked back over at her.

"You've never beens tos a concerts?"

"Just not your guys' before."

Taiga dramatically put her hand up to her head and pretended to be distraught.

"I'm too poor."

But then she stopped and laughed.

"Maybe one day, though!"

Nathan was relieved that Taiga didn't start trying to guilt trip them into giving her a free ticket or something. As soon as he heard it, he was starting to tense up before he realized.

Because even if she technically saved them, they didn't owe her anything.

Toki quickly spoke up again, however;

"Wowee. Maybes we cans gives you a ticket!"

Nathan wanted to tell him to shut up, but he didn't have to, because Taiga waved her hand in disagreement.

"No thank you.

That's very generous of you, but I'd rather actually pay for my ticket like everyone else. Besides, I'd feel bad having you guys do that."

She held one of her arms and giggled a bit as she awkwardly looked to the side; some of her hair covering her face.

She still wasn't used to it whenever so much attention was on her, and sometimes, she just needed a break.

But she wasn't really uncomfortable right now, thankfully.

Especially since most of the tension in the room seemed to be gone by this point.

Which made Taiga relieved.

Toki shrugged, but didn't look offended before he then carefully held up the kitten in his hands; looking underneath them before he moved his focus back up to their face, happily saying to no one in particular, that he was going to call them Aksel.

Taiga liked the name.

Understanding that it either meant "Father of peace," or "Mighty God," after wracking her brain for her knowledge of the Norwegian language.

Although, she didn't want to burst his bubble by telling him that he'd eventually have to give the baby back...

Especially since he seemed to start to feel much better.

So for now, she just stayed quiet.

Her eyes softened, and she couldn't help but feel bad for the man.

He probably just wanted a pet but didn't know what he truly got himself into.

Taiga then saw that Murderface was pretty much finished with his self patch job.

At least, for now.

He knew that he would need help later on with his back, but he really wasn't comfortable with taking his shirt off right now and letting someone do that to him.

She didn't question him and put the first-aid kit away when she saw he was for sure done with it.

He soon kept staring at Taiga's nata that was propped up against the floor.

He went over and picked it up to examine it; his love of weapons, especially the more stabby ones, getting the better of him.

When Taiga noticed, she immediately tensed up and wanted to snatch it out of Murderface's grip on instinct, but she resisted that urge and just stayed off by his side as he looked at it with a mischievous grin.

"...You like it?"

She asked, glancing anxiously between him and her beloved nata.

It couldn't be replaced.

Especially not Luci's ribbon tied to it...

So she didn't want anything to happen to it.

"Yeah. Could I have it?"

Taiga's breath hitched for a second.

"Eh-

No. Sorry.

But, I know where you can get one."

"Aw, c'mon!

I'll give you a hundred bucksch for it right now!"

Murderface had an expression like he had this in the bag, until Taiga immediately said no again.

He frowned and kept raising the price.

Until Taiga got tired of saying no and sighed, pinching her brow.

"It's not... for sale.

You can look at it, but just please, be careful."

Murderface grumbled and mocked her a bit, but surprisingly listened, looking very intrigued with the design of her nata, along with its finish.

Taiga lowered her arm and was about to get something to eat, but then she stopped when she heard what sounded like...

Helicopter blades?

Oh wow, those were getting loud, and extremely close.

Her eyes widened and she looked out one of her windows.

One of the most daunting and intricate looking helicopters she had ever seen was currently making a landing in the clearing, but was too big for the surrounding trees, effectively knocking them down.

Taiga fumed; she still owned this land after all, but tried to keep her cool.

At least it didn't damage her cottage, she thought, trying to be positive.

As soon as the guys heard and saw their Dethkopter, most of them immediately went to bum rush the door; Murderface even forgetting about the nata for now right after he put it back, and Taiga was about to shout after them to remind them of how the cougar was probably still biding its time, hiding out there despite the noise...

Before her ears picked up gunshots.

Taiga felt dread flowing through her core and she chanced looking back out the window.

She quickly looked away again, letting the guys leave her cottage.

She knew it was self-defense in that moment, as the hooded men shot the cougar, but she couldn't help but feel terrible...

All she wanted to do was protect her baby.

No one else seemed to care.

Like they were used to this.

But Taiga knew that this was a pretty fucked up world they all were in...

People even got killed on damn game shows these days.

Though...

That still didn't mean she had to just roll over and accept it like most everyone else.

But... Now what?

How could she even try to make this better?

They cheered and Skwisgaar mumbled out something along the lines of:

"Finallys."

And Nathan spoke up as they each started to leave,

"Fuck yes! Where were you, Charles!? We could have STARVED."

"It's been, ah, less than an hour."

He wasn't too worried anyways since he had trackers on the boys, but it took longer than anticipated, and he knew that anything could happen in any given amount of time.

---

Earlier when Charles was first informed about what happened to the boys, a sudden Supercell thunderstorm of seismic proportions had come out of nowhere, and wasn't spotted as they were making their flight, despite the weather radar they had installed.

The winds from the violent tornadoes it had caused, along with the severity of the lightning and size of the hail that came with it, was strong enough to even throw the Dethkopter repeatedly off course.

It was one of the worst, and most unnatural looking that Charles had ever seen.

In other circumstances, he may have even thought it to be beautiful...

He knew it wasn't impossible, but from the cyclone, the form of dark blues that flashed from within quickly morphed into a harmonious tertiary mix of purples and reds; a gut feeling tearing through Charles, telling him that this storm, like all the others he had seen happen before, was no mere coincidence.

And it had sent him further into his own level of frantic searching.

Yet he kept his cool. As he always did.

He had to. Especially in the position he held.

It was a difficult fight with mother nature, and some Klokateers were blown out of the aircraft, but he had to stay focused so the entire flight crew would not end up the same way.

But thankfully this battle seemed to end with a truce.

With the assistance of their complete avionics system, along with the Klokateers who were each trained and handpicked as the best of the best for these jobs, were able to make it back on the ground to their destination.

Although, Charles made a mental note to see to it that Dethklok's driver that accidentally stranded them would be replaced immediately.

And effectively "fired" after this fiasco.

But he'd worry about the messy details later.

---

The guys talked a bit louder as they left, to compensate for the loud noises from the Dethkopter.

Taiga didn't hear the bandmates animatedly trying to tell Charles every little thing that happened to them as he saw Murderface's injuries and urgently tried to have him looked at, but he wouldn't budge and said not to worry about that right now because he wanted to finish what he had to say too.

Funny though, because any other time, he'd be annoyed, because usually no one would pay his injuries attention at all.

But Charles just relented and "listened" to them as they talked over each other for the most part, and they had to keep starting over.

Even though he looked emotionless right now, you could see the exasperation in his eyes if you looked hard enough.

But eventually Charles started getting the gist of it throughout the rambling; beginning to fully understand more and take it all in after deciphering their...

Well, basically word spaghetti.

He got used to having to do that.

At first he thought they were all extremely high once again, but then he spotted Taiga through one of the cottage's windows himself.

He didn't physically react much, but it definitely gave him pause for a second.

Then again, not much phased him after the certain things he had witnessed before...

---

In the meantime, Toki stayed a bit behind as he stood up with his new kitten.

He still looked so happy and didn't see what happened to the baby's mother.

Or...

He just pretended it didn't happen.

Taiga had her arms crossed and was hugging herself a bit as she tried to calm down from that image that was burned into her memory when she looked out the window.

Guilt started coursing through her veins like the contents of a chilling IV drip...

Could she have saved the poor creature?

She tried not to beat herself up. It's not like she could really do much...

Taiga shut her eyes for a bit, but re-opened them and looked back up as Toki suddenly thanked her. He was the first one to.

She forced a small smile onto her face and nodded.

"Of course. It was nice to help, and meet you all."

Her voice wasn't as light anymore, yet she still tried to be friendly.

But she could start to see the glint of the unsure look bubbling up in the young man's eyes as he stared down at the new life that he was now responsible for.

It was a crushing weight, and the feeling was pretty terrifying each time that he got a new pet.

Would he mess this up as well even more... Without trying?

Toki felt like an idiot for being so impulsive lots of times.

Taiga tried not to hold any resentment towards him for taking the cub.

It sure wouldn't help anything.

Besides...

Everyone made mistakes.

No one was perfect.

She never forgot a lot of her own past regrets, as they continue to haunt her.

And she wouldn't wish that on anybody.

So she decided to at least throw Toki a bone before he got too deep into his head again.

She knew that feeling all too well, and didn't want to stand by and do nothing overall.

Taiga hurriedly found and handed him one of her favorite and most educational conservationist and ecology books.

"Here. This should help you out... I hope that it all works out for you."

You weren't really supposed to have cougars as pets, but she meant that. Hopefully the cub could be taken care of properly.

Besides, she felt like they'd each already be given lectures of some form at some point before the night was over.

She tried to inform Toki on what sources to look out for as well as those to keep in mind, especially if he ever went looking online.

She thankfully was able to save a bunch of animals out here before, and a few in her travels outside the country. And she was grateful for that, but she was only so knowledgeable.

Regardless, Taiga tried her best to explain it the best she could.

And Toki seemed to genuinely be listening.

His eyes lit up the more she went on, and he borrowed a pencil to write some things down in one of the books.

His handwriting was all over the place, but he seemed to understand it, and that's what mattered anyway, so she didn't say anything.

Taiga almost giggled a bit at how enthusiastically he kept saying "Wowee!"

But she held it back.

She got so into delving into this information, that she almost forgot about the terrible parts of today's events.

But then when she turned a bit, her eyes widened and she almost jumped when she noticed Charles standing in the doorway with a briefcase; the shadows cascading over his features making him look almost ominous.

She saw him a bit before in the media, but she knew even less about him than the band. Besides the fact that he was their manager.

Not that it was her business to know more anyway.

Taiga calmed down and sighed as she stared curiously at the man.

Toki was excitedly finishing up writing as he leaned over the table.

His tongue poked out absent-mindedly as he focused on it; licking his lips a bit.

Charles was almost surprised at seeing him that intensely focused, but once he saw the cub he held in his free arm, he held back a sigh.

"Toki...

What do you, ah, have there...?"

He was dreading asking; figuring he already knew the answer since he had gotten pets randomly before.

He knew how much it could mean to him, but despite his warnings, Toki wanted to keep him, and promised to give him the best "habipstaps."

"Hab... itat."

"Hambitets!"

Taiga shook her head a bit as she just smiled a little again. She looked a bit defeated, but didn't judge.

Toki's confident smile was beaming too brightly, so she just let him have this.

"You ams nice ladies!"

He then faced Charles again to reiterate that he promises he would take good care of Aksel.

He gave up this newest battle.

Toki was obviously dead set on this.

There were worse "pets" out there that he could have tried taking home, he supposed.

Then Toki asked if he could ask Taiga for more "cool" tips if he needed them in the future, or if she could even come to Mordhaus at some point to oversee the structure and layout of the habitat since she knew a lot about it.

His tone was very convincing, and he even tried to say he wouldn't have to hire anyone to do it.

She raised a brow for a second, wondering why he didn't just ask her directly since she was, you know... Right there.

And the fact Toki just assumed and insinuated she'd do it.

For free.

But she just let it go.

It was kind of amusing in a certain way how each member of Dethklok held their manager in such high regard, yet also treated him with such disregard at different points in time.

But it probably wasn't like that for him alone.

Either way, she actually wouldn't mind doing all that, to a point.

It would put Taiga's mind at ease being able to check in on Aksel in some form or another, however.

Even if it wasn't her fault, she still felt like she was responsible, no matter how much she knew she wasn't.

...Not that she had no semblance of trust in these people, but...

At the same time, she didn't actually know really them as individuals.

So it was hard to say.

And today was definitely a rocky start, putting it lightly.

But she tried to keep an open mind at the very least.

Charles stared at the girl.

More calculating than anything.

It was usually a liability concern when deal with who each individual who entered Mordhaus, who wasn't either an employee or a part of the band.

But he knew simple fixes to that...

And hey, if this person could actually keep Toki happy without giving him or others any extra problems to deal with (like a certain clown did), even better.

Not that he wouldn't be keeping a close eye.

Just in case.

So he ultimately said that that would be fine.

However, Taiga could tell that this conversation wasn't truly over yet.

Toki smiled even wider, like a kid in a candy store, since he was told that it was alright, and his top lip twitched a little; his mustache swinging a bit with the movement.

Charles did have a sense of exigency though, and reminded Toki that they should probably get going as well, as soon as he saw the chance to.

He agreed as he politely returned the pen.

"Thanks..."

Taiga sighed out a bit as she leaned over some and carefully wrote out her phone number in his book as well.

But she didn't seem frustrated.

More so, worn out.

So much had happened in such a short amount of time, and it was all catching up with her.

She internally hoped to at least get some rest later on, but she doubted that greatly.

Taiga put the pen down after she was done, and Toki beamed as he picked up his books and thanked her once again.

He happily said goodbye, gently moving Aksel's little paw to make it look like he was waving at her, before he quickly bounded away; off in his own little world as his tall figure went over towards the Dethkopter.

Taiga could see him through the window; his mouth quickly moving like he was excitedly talking to the cub before covering their tiny ears as they got closer to the aircraft.

It was pretty adorable, but she still couldn't bring herself to feel very chipper right now.

Charles didn't waste any time though as Taiga faced him once again.

Before he left, he wanted to make some things clear.

Taiga suddenly felt the shift in the air, like she should really watch her words, and actions while with this man especially.

She crossed her arms as he spoke, and she made eye contact with him.

"I must say that you, ah, certainly have our gratitude..."

Taiga figured he was half-heartedly attempting to save face in regards to the band, since most of them didn't really show the gratitude he mentioned, but she shrugged a bit.

"I'm just glad I could make it in time. I hope they'll be alright."

He curtly nodded, but took note of her genuine tone, before pulling out some papers.

Taiga could see this is what he actually wanted to get to as she put her arms back down by her sides. He brought the papers over to the table and neatly placed them out for her; his gloved fingers moving precisely, like he's done this routine a million times before.

She took note that he didn't seem affected in the slightest by her appearance, but that was honestly a relief at this point.

Charles explained that he would also greatly appreciate it if Taiga could fill out and sign an NDA, along with a waiver of liability.

She thought, but then paused for a bit.

She wasn't surprised by either option. Especially from the things she's heard happen around Dethklok as a whole.

And she didn't argue, but brought up something.

"Okay. I'll sign the waiver, but...

Actually, may I offer something that could potentially help us both...?"

Charles had to admit, he was taken aback, but he didn't show it.

Most people didn't even think to challenge his offers, but he was actually interested in what this girl had to say.

A slight sound of acknowledgement came from the back of his throat.

"...Let's hear it."

Taiga explained her situation in this city, and how she had help in keeping it under wraps with NDAs as well from her friends Ali and Cait.

Charles continued to make mental notes as she spoke, and she could tell, but continued on; giving over the information he may need if he wanted to confirm the details with them  too.

He didn't think that she was lying, but it was best to cover your bases when legalities were involved.

Taiga figured since there was going to be a contract signed regardless, she may as well just be completely honest, and go out on a limb here for her own sake, as she asked if they could go through with an MNDA specifically.

But she didn't give him a sob story.

Just stated what was most prevalent to the situation.

Besides, she knew that afterwards she'd be looked into more thoroughly anyway.

By either Charles, and/or others.

It was inevitable, but also understandable. Despite how intimidating this all was, she wasn't going to be difficult.

It would be stupid to even try such a thing.

What would she even be able to do, that wouldn't end in disaster?

Especially with the status Dethklok held...

They were legitimately global superpowers.

Not worth it.

Charles understood, and he was glad she actually knew what she was talking about in this regard, and cut to the chase.

Either way, he didn't see how this could really have any negative consequences, so he agreed on it.

Taiga relaxed a bit more at hearing that.

She didn't expect today to end up like this at all...

But if it could end somewhat amicably, with her safety intact, she'd take it.

As Charles set it all up, she wrote down what she needed to and instinctively organized each of the papers before handing them back over to the practically inexpressible man.

He would make sure to keep his end of the deal. If anything, he wasn't the kind of man to go back on his word.

And Taiga didn't know that about him of course, but she felt like she could actually trust this all to not blow up in flames, or worse.

He was critically acclaimed to be preeminent in what he did.

So, she tried not to worry too much about it.

At least for now.

Although, she did have one more prominent issue to bring up before he left.

But she tried to make it quick.

Taiga was confused on how she would even make the commute to and from the citadel itself.

She stated how she would use the money she had been saving up and putting away from her job at the day care Cait ran, but it still most likely wouldn't be enough.

And Taiga's job running the homeless shelter, she didn't get paid for that, and didn't want to.

She loved helping out no matter the circumstances.

She already felt bad enough having Cait pay her at first for something she'd happily do for free, but she insisted.

Charles waved it off, and decided to make a deal with her.

She wouldn't have to pay them any fees, as long as she could make sure not to cause any trouble.

For Dethklok, or him.

Charles said he would have a packet sent to her that would be filled with all of the important guidelines she would have to follow whenever stepping foot onto the property of Mordhaus.

And she wasn't the kind of person that wanted to cause some sort of scandal.

So she especially knew the obvious things to not do.

Again, from a rational standpoint, why would she?

Celebrity or not, there were just some things fans, or others did, that she could never even think of trying.

Also...

The members who made up Dethklok were grown men at the end of the day, and she wouldn't try and play babysitter, or be controlling...

But she heeded the warnings, regardless.

And would try her best to respectfully keep things in check when needed.

Even if something out of her control happened, she would just try to work through and accept it as she paid the price.

Taiga still thought it was extremely fair, and surprisingly generous of him (even if he was mostly being smart and covering his ass) given the circumstances, but she could see that overall, despite his uncaring demeanor or the monkey business that ever took place, he just wanted to keep the guys happy.

At the very least in ways that wouldn't be self detrimental, if he could help it.

So after getting past her stupefaction, she signed off on that agreement as well.

"...Thank you."

Charles glanced briefly over the papers for now before tucking them away once again.

"Yes, well...

Thank you for your time and, ah, cooperation, Ms. Taira."

Taiga nodded as she internally cringed at her real last name being said, but didn't bother saying anything about it.

Charles simply then bid her a good night and farewell; not making any grand gestures, or wasting any more time with further pleasantries as he hastily left her cottage and made his way back to the Dethkopter.

...

Taiga tried to reflect on what all happened today.

Actually, she didn't have to try.

It wouldn't leave her brain.

Especially as she went outside and was left with the mother cougar's body after everyone flew off.

Seeing these kinds of things never got any easier, but she tried to stay strong for what she needed to do next.

Taiga knew that she should take a few moments for herself later on...

It would be healthy.

Not selfish at all, she reminded herself.

And maybe, just maybe, she could successfully get a good rest afterwards.

With no nightmares.

...

But this would continue to itch away at her until she cracked...

She couldn't just leave them out here, anyway.

She wouldn't be able to live with herself.

...

So she got started.

--

As she finished burying the cougar,

Taiga knew the cycle of life would continue, no matter how she felt.

And she took her gloves off, putting them away as she got lost in thought once again.

The body would decay, feeding other lifeforms, just as others that perish.

But each time, she wanted, no...

Needed to give a proper burial.

And when possible, a ritual for it.

It was always such an intense experience.

Emotional and otherwise while going through each ritual.

But Taiga would do it again and again.

In her eyes, it was deserved.

She didn't believe in "perfect," but tried her best to carry this out in the closest way to it as possible.

Taiga closed her eyes, and tears fell down her face as she inhaled; wishing the cougar farewell, and honoring her.

If her spirit wished to remain in contact, she would gladly accept that and try her best to appease them just as she did for any others that came her way...

Whether they made a connection or not, she wanted to be a safe guide, no matter the duration of the stay.

Taiga made another protective charm, similar to the ones inside and around her cottage, and placed it over the grave.

Despite her inner turmoil about how this turned out, she tried to move forward.

Staying stagnant in this moment wouldn't change much.

She would not ever forget this experience of course, but wanted to do right by this being, no matter the cost.

If that meant watching over the cub, so be it.

Taiga would try and help whenever she was called, even after their final breaths were taken.

So after saying her final goodbyes, she got back up, dusted the dirt off herself a bit, and headed inside her cottage again to get on her new computer; immediately getting started on researching more.

She wanted to go above and beyond trying to expand her knowledge on the care, and overall ways of these creatures themselves; highlighting key DOs and DONTs.

Even if she already knew quite a lot about felines as a whole, it wouldn't hurt to read up on them even more.

Focusing on this helped distract her mind for a while...

Easing any pain that came with thinking too much on the events that transpired, or when they would suddenly flash into her head again.

But she also tried to steel herself and not push herself too hard again; taking some breaks inbetween, and trying to just...

Breathe.

When Taiga was able to open her eyes and look back up again, she let herself feel, but reminded herself of what was the utmost truth...

And the end goal she was striving towards.

Strengthened by her new resolve, she took a few more breaths, and was able to set a timer for herself to stop for tonight before trying to get some sleep afterwards.

And as Taiga finished up her current study session and jotted down her notes in the much more silent, coiling vibrations of the now recessing woods that surrounded her...

She couldn't help but wonder what the future may have in store for her from here on out.

~~~~~

#metalocalypse #OC #AU #Taiga #Mika #Taira #I #Am #Your #Mother's #Keeper

[autobot2001]

Day 4: Safe With Me

Angstober; "I want to believe you." Whumpober; shock AI-lesstober; betrayal, lying OC-tober; Waking up from a nightmare. Flufftober; have your charecters share the last table at a café Comfortober; warmth ( this is fitting for Autobot Mirage being a spy, but I don't have an OC in mind yet, so using person A & B. Some details will be changed when I get to writing the story, but it'll be mostly the same).

Person A walks into a café they like to visit. They made it in time as there was only one table available. They order their usual, hoping to enjoy a little break. Everything is fine for ten minutes until someone else walks into the café. Now, there are no empty tables. They're carrying a laptop bag. Person A believes this person came to do with while eating their lunch. "Excuse me," person A calls out, "you can sit with me." The person accepts the offer and goes to the counter to order.

"Thank you," the person says as they sit at the table, "I have much work to do. It's too noisy at home, and I'd rather avoid my boss until this is done. My name is person B." "Person A." Person A is happy that person B went right to working rather than talking about their work, which would end with asking person A what they do. Person A stays for a half-hour before leaving.

The two thought they'd never see each other, but they ended up simultaneously at the cafe. Every time the café is packed, the two share a table. Friday is a bit different. Person B doesn't have work to do. Person A isn't bothered that person B planned to come to talk to them. It's strange in the world of making friends on social media, but the two welcome the old-fashioned approach. They talk about everything but their jobs. Which person A is relieved about. Hoping person B never asks what their job is.

The two plan their lunch breaks the best they can to meet at the café and talk. This continues for a month before Person A asks if Person B wants to go out for dinner. They say it's a change of scenery but add this will be after they return from a work trip that they can't talk about.

Person B is curious as to what person A does for work. They discover person A has a lot of late nights and they have unexpected business trips, but this isn't a big issue.

Even months later, the two confess their love for each other. Person B knows most would call it a major red flag, not knowing what their partner does for work. They do question why person A won't say anything. Even if they're allowed to know where person A lives. "I've been thinking," person A begins as the two sit on the couch, "maybe you should know what I do for work, but I'm worried that I'm putting you in danger," this concerns person B, "I'm a spy. If my targets find out, we're together… you know, but I can't take not telling you." "It's ok," person B assures them and hugs person B, "I love you and will have to accept things are a little different. Like how you go on sudden business trips a lot." The two have their first kiss. "Stay the night with me?" Person A asks, "I mean to sleep unless you're ready to have some fun." "No, I'm not ready for that, but six months is long enough to stay the night with you and, yes, in the same bed. "I can respect that." The night is like any other in-home date night until it's time for bed.

Peron B wakes up, chained to the wall. They don't remember what happened before they were knocked out or who'd do this. They can't believe their eyes as they see person A approach them. "You are so easy to trick. You have been my target all along," Person A explains, "but instead of turning you in to the FBI, I've been paid to kill you. First, a little torture." Person B sees all the torture tools Person A has.

Person A wakes up startled by Person B screaming. "Person B, you're safe." "Don't hurt me!" "I'm not going to hurt you." Do they think they can't get away? Person A questions. "You lied to me to arrest me but wanted to torture me." Ok, this is good. They're telling me about their nightmare. Person A thinks. "You work for an IT company. How can I be targeting you?" "I want to believe you…." Even with their confusion, person B accepts Person A's hug. Person A realizes the nightmare was terrifying enough to cause Person B to go into shock. I don't know how likely this is, but there's no other explanation. Person A believes. I need to calm them down. "You're safe; I'm not going to hurt you." Person A hopes they can get person B to calm down. Uncertain if they'll need to call 911 if they can't get person B to calm down.

It's a long few minutes until person B calms down. "There you go. You're safe, I'm not going to hurt you," person A assures person B, "I love you. I know my job is dangerous, but I'll protect you." Person A isn't sure if person B will easily go back to sleep. They carry them bridal style down to the living room with the blanket from the bed.

"We'll chill here," Person A says as they set Person B on the couch and start the electric fire. They sit next to person B, who leans on them, "you know what? Let's lie on the couch." Person B lies on person A, feeling the earth from their body. Though the couch isn't the most comfortable, person A doesn't mind if the two end up falling asleep on the couch. They worry about person B feeling safe being with them. Hoping they never have the nightmare they had again.

#ai less whumptober #comfortober #flufftober #angstober #whumptober #october #whumptober 2023 #ailesswhumptober2023 #flufftober 2023 #day 4 #nightmare #betrayal #lying #character A #character B #meeting at a cafe