#was surprised as everyone else when the bastards actually *liked* that one

[im-not-your-nice-jewish-boy]

we've got long memories

I am not the least bit surprised by any of the tidal wave of antisemitism the left has spewed since October 7th. Every single post saying Hamas did nothing wrong; every single targeted attack on my fellow Jewish people on this site; the number of people who proudly paraded misinformation and disinformation to the extent of funding organizations actual Palestinians have said outright don't help them in any way just because it's against Israel which means that it must be good. None of this is surprising to me.

Now, maybe you could say that I'm a cynical bastard, and you'd be right. But you'd also completely be missing why I'm a cynical bastard. I learned this from my mother, who was beaten up just for being Jewish as a child. I learned this from family who disappeared between my ancestors fleeing the countries they came from and looking to see who made it with them. I learned this from the story of one of my grandfathers picking a new birthday because his birth certificate had been burned when the Shul was destroyed so he had no idea when it was. I learned this from people using "Jewish" as an insult in school and watching a girl I knew break down in tears because people were calling her a Jew when she wasn't. I learned this from holiday after holiday that repeated the same verse of people trying to destroy us and us celebrating our survival.

We remember these things because the rest of the world is very good at deliberately forgetting them.

"It's not that bad because it happened to the Jews. It's not an actual problem because Jews are white anyway. Was the Holocaust really even so terrible? Why do you want to be oppressed so badly if not to use it as a weapon against people who you're oppressing yourselves?"

Some variety of every single one of those is something I've seen in recent memory.

So, dear Passionate Goy Internet Leftists who have spent the last few months attacking and accosting every single Jewish person who dares to speak on the issue in any way that doesn't make them a Good Jew?

My dear friend, just know that we will remember you. You can try to go back to normal. You can try to just sweep it under the rug. You can try to act like it was all just business as usual and there was no harm done to any "Good Jews" and just to the "Evil Zionists" (both of which deserve their own rant post and have multiple of them from people a lot smarter than I am).

We will remember what you did

You will never be able to make us forget you calling for our deaths

And most of all, we will outlive you, just like everyone else who ever bayed for our blood

#antisemitism #leftist antisemitism #jewblr #jewish and proud #never forget #free palestine from hamas #am yisrael chai

[writingoddess1125]

A Fluffy little Buggy X Fem-Reader

This popped in my head randomly. Enjoy!

Support me on Ko-Fi

Theater Brat 🎭

(Y/N) hadn't been on the ship long, Acting as a Quartermaster of sorts, Especially with Nami having abandoned them. She hadn't been apart of the group long, being the freshest face besides Sanji in this whole ordeal. She hadn't exactly been the biggest Fan of Nami, especially after she had betrayed them for Arlong- however she believed in second chances and that people were the way they are due to past events- not that they just so happen to be bad. That and she trusted Luffy- What was more to say?

After a rather long day of helping with the ship and doing inventory (Y/N) set to relax a little- choosing to play a record and draw for a while. Deciding to do a peice of their favorite theater play they had recently seen before setting off with the Strawhats- as she set off to ink her work a loud knock shook her from her peace and the door opened revealing a very irritated Zoro with a bag in his hand.

"(Y/N)! It's your turn to take it-" Zoro grumbled, Tossing the bag onto the desk, ignoring the grunt of pain from the severed Pirate head inside. "Ow! You Broccoli headed bastard!" Buggy yelled from inside the bag, Zoro glaring at the bag before grumbling about some sort of nap or something and marching off. (Y/N) sighed at this, Opening the bag and carefully setting Buggy's head upright. "Ohh~ I get the pretty girl tonight! Watch out Zoro the amount of noise we are gonna make may keep you up all night!" Buggy cackled, (Y/N) simply shaking her head at this and turning back to her drawing. Buggy clearly not liking to be ignored in such a regard.

"Ugh- That damn bag smells! Has no one heard of deodorant? It's like a bunch of teenagers running a ship-" He said sarcastically, his eyes landing on the girl infront of his drawing away. Trying to take a peak at whatever was being drawn.

"Ugh- Did I get the weird one of the group? Not even gonna entertain me? The least you can do is shimmy your ti-"

"I was just finishing up the lines on this is all, Calm down" She said carefully, her words not even laced with a hint of venom as she blew on the ink to dry. Ignoring c

The clear sexual joke he was trying to deliver.

"What are ya drawing? A wanted poster for the tangerine girl?" He questioned and gave a crookeded grin, assuming Nami was a sensitive topic for them. However frown when he didn't get a reaction.

"No a drawing from one of my favorite musicals. I try to do a drawing of each one I see" She admitted, holding up the paper for him to take a peak at and huffed in genuine surprise at seeing someone on THIS ship actually take some form of interest in the performing arts.

"Huh- Never expected anyone here to be into performing arts. You should draw one of my shows next! One of the best you've ever seen!" He bragged, Grinning as he started to talk about his favorites acts in his shows. From his innocent juggling tricks to the gruesome of having a marine try to tightrope over a raging fire. (Y/N) raised a brow at his boasting and patted his head, more out of habit then anything else which surprised Buggy.

"Well if I ever see a show of yours we're people aren't being tortured to death I'll draw it for you. Deal?" Buggy grinned widely at this and nodded excitedly.

"So what- you're a theater kid or something?- not many people know about shows like this"

"Oh yeah. I'm a total theater brat- My mother was a performer and my father was a musician" (Y/N) said with a chuckle. Thinking back to those days, The anxiety that hung in the air before a show, the live music that filled the air and the heartwarming stories that everyone watched.

"Is that the only type of brat you are?~" Buggy teased with a wink, (Y/N) gave his a mock disgusted look and poked his forehead.

"Pervert- Like you're one to talk. I can smell a fellow theater kid from a mile away- Also the grease paint doesn't help"

"Hey! While my shows are top notch I wouldn't compare them to some low brow theater"

"Oh? So you don't watch any plays" She questioned, a knowing smile on her lips as she met his now narrowed gaze. "No..." He muttered, his own tone of voice starting to betray him.

"Damn- well I could have sworn that I heard a certain barrel singing a song from that really sweet Romcom Play Gaizu & Douruzu (Guys and Dolls)-" She said with a bright smile- Buggy's face turning pale and staring at her with a mixture of embrassment and mild anger.

"...Now you are just being cruel-" He deadpanned and (Y/N) couldn't help but let out a cackle.

"That one is an exception!" He shouted making them laugh harder, He puffed his cheeks in a pout. (Y/n) Wiping the tears from her eyes and poking his puffed our cheek.

"Awww, I didn't mean to make you upset Mr. Scary clown- It's a good play!" She protested as he gave her a Mock glare. He stared at her for a second as she straightened herself out, Buggy staring at them for a hard moment.

"Hey W-" Buggy voice was cut off as the intercom system sounded through the ship. "Food is Ready" Sanji voice rang out as (Y/N) got up with a skip in her step. "I'll be right back!" She called out leaving Buggy by himself- He didn't voice it but he had enjoyed (Y/N) company.

When she returned (Y/N) holding a large bowl of seafood risotto. Buggy felt his mouth watering at the sight and his face twisted up- Expecting him to just have to watch them eat like all the other Strawhats. However he was pleasantly surprised when you held out a spoonful to him. His eyes widened at this and he greedily took the bite, Moaning as he savored the taste. (Y/N) taking her own bite with the same spoon before offering him another. He stares at them for a moment-

"..Why are you being nice to me?"

Buggy asked as he accepted at the bite of food. Watching them as they ate a bite of their own and thought for a moment.

"Well I don't see why I need to be mean to you?" She said softly, Making Buggy stare at them a bit confused.

"I'm ... Me? I mean I hurt your friends, Im a Pirate of a rivaling pirate crew! You should hate me?" He said softly, he felt a small peg to his ego but he couldn't help it.

"I guess...but I wasn't there to see all of what you did. I always try to think people deserve a chance even if others think against it. After all, we are a different kind of Pirate-" She said softly, Feeding him another bite of the risotto. His eyes locked onto her, He didn't remeber the last time someone treated him with this level of kindness?... actually thinking he could be something better or giving him the benefit of the doubt.

"Huh- Quite the sappy one" He joked, making (Y/N) also chuckle a bit and shrug once more.

"Well what can I say- Us theater brats gotta stick together"

#x reader #buggy one piece #buggy the clown x reader #op buggy #one peice x reader #one peice #buggy x reader #one piece imagine #one peice live action

[noforkingclue]

Can you pls do a deadpool one where his avenger s/o really loves him , like shes always laughting at something he says and always kissing him ?

He would be so smug like : my sexy ass girl love me and not you 😌

Note: requests are currently closed

Of course anon! Hope you like the fic :)

Title: Loving You

Marvel tag list: @geocookie21, @greeneyedblondie44, @purebloodwitch, @sessa23, @mxacegrey

Everything tag list: @greenrevolutionary, @byebyebreezywrites, @spngingerbread21, @layazul, @lov3vivian, @simonsbluee

You burst out laughing at one of Wade’s jokes as you kicked your feet up and rested them across his lap. Wade rested his arm across your legs and gave you a soft smile, the one that was only reserved for you.

You had managed to get some time off from your Avengers duties so of course you had time to go and visit Wade, and your other friends, but mainly your boyfriend. You lay back down, your head resting against the arm of the sofa and said,

“I missed you, Wade.”

“Aww babe,” Wade pulled you up and onto his lap, “Fucking missed you too.”

You pressed a kiss against Wade’s lips and rested your head against his chest. You closed your eyes and listened to his beating heart.

“What the fuck.”

You opened your eyes and saw Negasonic Teenage Warhead giving you and Wade a disgusted look. Yukio was next to her, arms linked together, and beamed at you.

“Hi Wade,” she said, “Hi y/n.”

“Hi Yukio.” You both said together

“Why the fuck are you with him?” asked Nega

“What do you mean?” you asked

“You’re an Avenger,” she said, “You’re… alright.”

You looked up at Wade.

“Is that teenage girl code for ‘cool’?” you asked

“Yep.” Said Wade, resting his chin on top of your head

“Aww,” you said teasingly, “Thank you. Didn’t know you thought so highly of me Nega!”

“So what the fuck are you doing with him?” she said, ignoring your remarks

“Hmm,” you said, “Well many reasons but none that would be appropriate to say in front of children.”

“Don’t be disgusting.” She said

“But the many reason is because he makes me laugh,” you said, “he’s handsome. Incredibly loyal and brave. He may act like a bit of a bastard-“

“Hey!” Wade said

“I mean that affectionately,” you said, “He loves me and I love him.”

“And who wouldn’t want a fucking amazingly hot Avenger girlfriend who can kick my ass and make it look like the easiest fucking thing. Everyone else is fucking jealous because they don’t have someone as amazing as y/n.”

“Apart from you,” you said, “Because Yukio is fucking great.”

“She really is,” agreed Wade, “You two are so cute together.”

“Really adorable.” You teased

Your grin widened when you saw Nega becoming flustered. She grabbed Yukio’s hand and dragged her out of the room. Yukio was trying her hardest not to smile but ultimately failed.

“Bye Wade,” she said, “Bye y/n.”

“Bye Yukio.” You both said

“They’re good kids,” you said to Wade when you were both alone, “And a sweet couple.”

“Yeah. Surprised the studio actually allowed a lesbian couple. Hope they still remain a couple when we officially join the MCU.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing.”

You noted the pained look on Wade’s face but knew better than to try and pry too much. Even now Wade had the tendency to clam up when prodded too much about this. You closed your eyes and grabbed Wade’s hand and linked your fingers together.

“Love you, Wade Wilson.” You said

“Love you too, y/n l/n.”

#fanfiction #marvel #deadpool #reader insert #request #deadpool x reader #wade wilson #wade wilson x reader

[britcision]

Okay so I fucking adore “Jason feels peace around Danny as the pit shuts the fuck up”

Now give me the slow burn

Just two lads trying to help but keeping it as not-weird as possible

Weekly coffee dates where Danny and Jason just… go somewhere

Read in the park

See a movie

Hang out behind a mall doing kick flips, whatever

Danny doesn’t wanna take advantage of the warm fuzzies Jason gets around him cuz they’re not personal, this is just…

A weirdly fast friendship speedrun

Someone who finally, fully gets him, and yeah, maybe just getting to be himself feels pretty fucking good to Danny too

Jason doesn’t want to impose any more than he surely already is, this is the Ghost King, taking time out of his schedule just to hang out with him so he can have some self control

He’s always and only a burden, Danny’s clearly just being cool cuz he’s the only King Jason’s met who actually fucking cares

He’d do the same for anyone

And so Jason tries to make sure they’re always doing something convenient/easy for Danny, something Danny likes to do

And Danny’s Physically Allergic to asking for anything or telling people things he wants or needs, so this requires Jason’s full detective abilities

And Tim’s but shut the fuck up no one will ever no Jason caved and asked for help

So when Jason sets up their next weekly sesh and takes Danny to the planetarium (maybe he was scared to ask first, maybe he was prepared to wimp out, it’s a surprise stfu)

And sees Danny’s whole face just light up

And they go inside, and Danny’s glowing in human form, bouncing from one place to another, gushing about everything

Jason knows he’s even gonna accept a favour from B to get the whole place to themselves for an overnight viewing

Cuz all he can feel isn’t just the soothing calm of the pit being silent, isn’t just the satisfaction of a job well done

He can feel the joy, the excitement, the radiant enthusiasm pouring off of Danny as if it were his own (and maybe something soft and small and fond that’s truly his)

And Danny

Danny’s a competitive little bitch

If we’re playing “Find Each Others’ Secret Hobbies” he’s got the god of software and his lesser subject Technus both on the line

(Technus stays Tucker’s subject instead of Danny’s until he can hack the PDA, it was a dare)

So he brings Jason out of Gotham for the first time (maybe through the zone, it’s fast travel either way) and they do Shakespeare in the Park

And Jason knows exactly what Danny’s doing (the bastard, this is supposed to be how Jason thanks him for this clearly super annoying favour) but he’s

He’s not had the chance to be soft in so long

To be the literature nerd he’s never left behind

It takes literal years for them to realize they’ve been competitively dating each other and everyone else is absolutely betting on when they will finally kiss

Danny moves in and Jason makes a joke about “well I guess we won’t need our weekly hang sesh” and Danny stares him dead in the eye, full Eldritch Horror

“Does that mean I win?”

So nah Date Night is permanent and eternal and every fucking rogue in Gotham knows to hold it sacred

#dp x dc #dpxdc #danny phantom #jason todd #slow burn #dp x dc prompt #i do not have the time or patience to write a slowburn but that doesn’t mean they don’t haunt me #jason x danny #bonus points if jason gets kidnapped once before date night and thr fucking ghost king comes for him #‘oh you were expecting batman? that’s adorable tell him hi when he gets here’ #danny fenton dead and loving it

[wardenparker]

If You Were Mine, pt 1

Javier Peña x female reader Co-written with @absurdthirst

Rating: Mature. But this blog is always 18+ Word Count: 15.8k   Warnings: Mentions of sex work, smoking, food/alcohol, mentions of past Steve x reader, angst, yearning, the love in requited but they’re both idiots, there’s only one bed, Chucho is the best, this fic has a cockblocking dog and I’m ecstatic about it. Summary: When you and Javi are both suspended and deported from Colombia pending investigation, the truth about what got you into trouble and the onus of trying to decide what comes next hangs over you like a black cloud. Out of guilt - and maybe something else - Javi invites you to stay at the ranch with him while you wait for your hearings. And that’s when things start to get more complicated. Notes: Part one of two! I told Keri that I wanted to write a little wedding date one shot and it got wildly out of hand. And I’m so glad it did, because I love these two idiots.

“So, uh, call me when you land.” Steve Murphy looks decided unhappy, maybe a little nervous as he looks between you and Javi. It’s all out in the open now, the secret spilled, but he’s still not sure how his other partner feels about the revelation that had been the nail in the coffin for sending you back to the States. “Gonna miss you both.”

“I’ll miss you, too.” What had passed between you and Steve didn’t damage your friendship with him or change your working relationship in any way, although it had threatened to. Now, though? Now that everyone knows? You had no work at all. “I’ll let you know where I end up. Don’t know how long it will take me to get back on my feet.”

Guilt is a heavy thing, weighing around Javi’s neck as he shuffles and shifts his bag on his shoulder. You’ve been suspended indefinitely and he doesn’t know what that means for you. Although there’s a long flight back to Miami to talk about it.

The time is ticking by interminably slowly, but you swallow and give Steve a tight, brief hug. “We should go.” You’re on the same flight, so there’s no escaping having to talk to Javier, but you’re not looking forward to it. The whole thing has been a whirlwind.

Javi watches you hug Steve, wondering if there was anything there beyond what had been said. A drunken, sad night where partners decided to fall into bed together. The pang of jealousy is surprising and unwanted.

"Call me when you get back to Texas?" Steve claps Javi on the back and clears his throat, holding back the fact that he's actually pretty fucking emotional about the whole thing. Both of his partners being ejected from the country in one fell swoop isn't a good situation to be in.

“Get the bastard.” Regret laces his words, hating that he had worked so fucking hard and done so much only to be kicked off the team here at the end. He can feel that it’s close, Escobar is backed into a corner.

"Promise." One more pat to his shoulder and Steve is stepping back to shove his hands in his pockets. Colombia is going to be a hell of a lot more lonely without you and Javi here to keep him sane. Or, at least, mutually insane.

The call to board the plane comes over the airport speakers and Javi looks at you. “Looks like that’s us.” He murmurs, hating how defeated you look.

One more round of goodbyes and you’re picking up your purse to hand your ticket to the gate agent. You and Javi have seats right next to each other because the secretary who booked them had thought she was being nice, but the fact that you’ll have hours to talk might not be the best thing in the world. You don’t know yet. There’s a lot Javi doesn’t know about you still – after all, you’d only been in Colombia for a year. Less time even than Steve.

There’s a certain familiarity with storing the bags, getting settled into a seat. You are on the inside seat with Javier sitting on the aisle; but he wonders if you are comfortable with that. “Do you want to swap seats? Or are you good being by the window?”

"I like the window." It's a kind of meditation, but you don't know if he would understand that or not. "Unless..." You glance up at him from your place a few feet away. "Did you want it? I can deal with the aisle."

“No.” He shakes his head and steps back to allow you to move into the seat. “I’ll put your bag up.”

"Thanks." Your oversized tote bag goes to him and you keep only a book for yourself, knowing you won't be able to concentrate on much. The two of you settle into your seats as the other passengers file in and settle down around you. "So you're going back to Texas?" It's what Steve had said, so you figure it must be the case.

“Yeah.” Javi taps his fingers, wishing he could smoke but they had stopped that years ago. “Where are you headed?”

"I'll find a hotel when we get to Miami." There's nothing for you to go home to even if you did go back to your hometown, so you'll have to figure out how to start fresh. Your job experience is intensely specialized, but you'll figure something out.

“You—I’m sure they will call you back to D.C.” he offers quietly. “You’re too good of an agent to let you go. It’ll probably be some bullshit slap on the wrist.”

"Then I guess I'll find a place in DC if they decide not to kick me out on my ass." You shake your head and sit back, shrugging a little when you look over at him. "There's no guarantees in life, Jav. You know that."

“Give it a month.” He predicts with a very guilty conscience. Barely able to look at you. “You don’t want to go home?” He asks. “Visit with your folks?”

"Can't." The fact that he can't even meet your eyes stings more than it should, and you look out the window at the runway instead. "Sister says I'm ungrateful for not dropping everything and coming home when our Mom died, and Dad left when I was a kid. So a heartwarming family reunion isn't exactly in the cards."

“I’m sorry.” He winces slightly and swallows. “That’s– that's shitty. Not the welcome home I guess you imagined.”

"I kinda didn't think I'd be going back at all," you admit with another half-hearted shrug. "At least...if I did it would either be with a job or in a bag, ya know?"

A real possibility in the line of work that you’ve chosen. He musters the courage to finally meet your eyes. “Why did you do it?”

"Which?" The hammer had come down on you for two reasons, but he hadn't known about either of them. "Why did I get drunk and sloppy, or why did I get sentimental?"

“Whatever it was that made them send you home.” He doesn’t believe it’s all because of fucking Steve. There’s something else that he hasn’t been told.

"I'm surprised we got separate meetings, honestly." Sitting back, you tilt your head at him and wish like hell that you could still have a cigarette on an airplane. Or that they would hurry up and start serving alcohol already. "I went to Judy and Don Berna and tried to bargain for your safety," you tell him quietly. "After you told me...about everything. When it was getting bad. And Judy threw me under the bus right along with you." It had been an impulsive move, trying desperately to get Javi a grasp of freedom after getting in bed with Los Pepes, but it had ended up just backfiring spectacularly and getting both of you kicked out of the country instead. Suspended pending investigation, and then they had tacked on the charge of interdepartmental fraternization to boot. Steve got a slap on the wrist. You got a plane ticket.

“Fuck.” Javi squeezes his eyes shut and sighs. Regret souring in his stomach and he desperately wishes he had a whiskey, or something to drink. “You shouldn’t have risked your career for me.” He responds, voice raspy with unspoken emotions. “I’m not worth that.”

"Too late now." He doesn't need to know why you did it. That you had developed feelings for him slowly but surely over the course of the year you had worked together and had been trying to talk yourself out of it unsuccessfully since you know he has no interest in you. "I did what I thought was right. It's not your fault that it bit me in the ass."

The doors to the plane close and Javi leans back in his seat. “Shit.” He hisses, shaking his head. “I'm sorry.”

"It's not your fault, Jav." It isn't. Not really. He didn't ask you to try to help him or involve you in any of the dealings with Los Pepes. In fact, he had actively warned you against it. "I made my decision and now I'm living with the consequences."

“I’m sorry I dragged you into my shit.” He slides his hand over his face and sighs, closing his eyes as the weight of the fallout from his mistakes bleakly shoves themselves into his face again.

"We're both adults, you didn't drag me into anything." Your own stupid sentimentality did that, but he doesn't need to know it. He doesn't need to know the details. "I'll find something new. Get back on my feet. The DEA isn't the end of the line for me."

“Come to Texas with me.” The offer pops out of his mouth, but in reality, it’s a good idea. It's not like there isn’t room at his Pop’s and that way you aren’t spending money you don’t need to until the DEA is done punishing you.

"You don't have to do that." When you look back up at him he looks surprised to even have said it and the small spark of hope that he might have meant it fizzles immediately. "Pity is worse than hatred, ya know."

“It’s not pity.” He immediately argues. “I just hadn’t – it’s a good idea.” He shifts slightly and turns in his seat to face you. “The ranch isn’t luxurious, but it’s comfortable.” For him, it’s home. “Pop has a spare bedroom that is never used. He’d probably be grateful to have more than my sullen ass to talk to.”

It's not that you don't want to say yes. To spend time with him or at least around him. To get to know his family and see where he's from. The problem is that you want to do those things for all the wrong reasons. "I don't know what help I'll be," you warn him, like reminding him that you grew up in a very different way than he did might somehow deter him. "But..." But you could have just a little more time with him before never seeing him again. You deflate a little, knowing that your only other option is throwing money at a hotel for a while. It's not like you can just knock on Connie Murphy's door when you get to Miami – she certainly won't want to see you. "If you don't think your father would mind too much? I'll stay out of both your hair."

“Nah, he won’t mind at all.” Javi promises. He had too many cousins or friends stay over when he was younger for the elder Peña to care about his house being used as a way station. “I’ll give him a ring when we land in Miami.” He promises. “Just so you know it’s okay.”

"Okay." Suddenly you wish you had a drink even more. More time spent with your partner – former partner? – before you let go of him altogether might be more than you bargained for. But still, you don't think you could pass up the chance. Even just a few more days. "As long as it's okay with your dad."

He relaxes slightly, shooting you a small, rare grin. “Okay.” He nods, feeling better about the entire situation. He wouldn’t want to leave you in Miami by yourself even if he knows you are more than capable. Hell, you’re a better agent than him and Steve, but he would still feel uneasy about it.

******

The flights are long, and you end up buying a new book in Miami just to have something to read on the way to Texas. Being back stateside isn't the triumphant return that Javier wanted it to be and his father didn't seem fazed at all by the idea of him bringing someone back to the ranch so you had nodded gratefully. By the time you land at Laredo International Airport you feel about ready to drop but Javi seems as near to relieved as you've seen him in months.

“I need a fucking cigarette.” The non-smoking rule in the airport had killed him, the idea that you couldn’t light up at the restaurants in the States had been irritating and he anxiously waits for his checked bag so he can hopefully get one before his dad shows up.

"You and me both." At least you'd been able to drink on the flights. A steady stream of scotch had kept both of you from getting too irritable.

He spots your bag first, a hideous maroon color that he had teased you about, but it’s handy for spotting it as the conveyor belt rolls around. Stepping forward, he grabs it and turns back to you. “That all you checked?”

"Yeah." You shoulder the bag before he can tease you about the color again and shrug. "Murphy said he'd ship me the rest of my shit if they decide to fire me." Technically you're just under investigation, but anything could happen. "It's boxed up at his place for now."

Javi nods, frowning slightly as he waits for his own bag. Wondering what prompted you to sleep with Steve. Not that it was his business, but you never seemed like you were interested.

"Here." His nondescript black bag swings around the carousel and you nab it for him, not mentioning that the reason you have such an awful colored bag is so you can actually recognize it. His stupid black bag had probably passed by you four times before you had even recognized it. "We, uh...we're waiting for your father to pick us up?" Surely that's enough time for a cigarette, isn't it?

“Yeah.” Javi guides you towards the revolving door and sighs as soon as the warm night air hits him. The airport was artificially freezing. “He should be here soon.”

"Is it bad that the heat is actually comforting?" Colombia might have varying climates, but you had gotten used to the damp heat of the jungles and busy sunshine of the city. "The office is always way too fucking cold."

“Why do you think I kept a jacket around?” He huffs with a grin, fishing in his pockets for his pack of cigarettes. When he finds it, he pulls out the lighter and offers you the pack to take one if you want it.

Humming in thanks, you take a cigarette from the pack and easily lean forward so he can light it after he does his own. It's a practiced ritual, something the two of you have done a hundred or a thousand times before, and a calming one. The air is warm here but it's dry, and seeing that it's the end of the day you can tell it's going to start cooling off quickly. "So this is where you grew up, huh? The original hunting grounds, so to speak?"

He blows out the first, satisfying puff of tobacco and nicotine and chuckles. “You could say that.” He hums, looking out to watch as the last plane of the night takes off. Watching the blinking lights lift into the sky. “Got into a lot of shit around here.”

"I bet." It isn't hard to imagine him as a charming trouble-maker of a teen, talking circles around the adults in his life and pitching that signature Peña smile at anyone with a grudge. "A whole line of swooning country girls left behind you when you took off for bigger things." It wouldn't be that different from all the swooning women he had left behind in Colombia. After all, he has no idea that he brought one of them with him.

“One very bitter, jilted fiancée.” Javi confesses. He had told Steve about Lorraine but he hadn’t said anything to you about her. It had seemed wrong for some reason.

"No." You practically choke on an inhale of smoke and whirl around to look at him instead of watching the parking lot. "You were engaged?"

“Yeah.” Javi admits it wasn’t his finest moment, leaving her at the altar but it was better than the alternative. “I was.”

It casts things in a different light, to think of him that way, but you nod and pretend that you don't have a single care about it in the world. When you had thought of him as having no interest in marriage before, that had been a presumption based on what you had seen. Now, it seemed to have slightly more concrete evidence to support it. "She doesn't still live around here, does she?"

“Think so.” He rolls his eyes slightly. “Her husband Randy is some kind of investment banker.” He scoffs, never having much use for them. They are right up there with used car salesmen and pimps.

"Randy?" You snort at the name, letting it conjure images of either an idiot in a garish suit or else that actor whose last name you always forget from National Lampoon. "Sounds like she traded pretty far down. Might be glad to see you in spite of the break up." Imagining him with just about anyone hurts at this point, why not add insult to your own injury by picturing him getting back together with his ex?

“Doubt it.” He eyes you, waiting to see your reaction. “Left her at the altar with about a hundred of our friends and family.”

"Madre de Dios, Javi!" The Spanish curses are far more fun to use and roll off the tongue more often after having spent so much time in Colombia, and when you swerve to look at him with your cigarette hanging out of your mouth you nearly punch him instead of just shoving him in the arm. Your usual playfulness comes out when you're surprised, apparently. Even if that surprise is tempered with a bad situation. "That woman is gonna murder you if she ever sees you again!"

He shrugs, having accepted that as his fate a long time ago. “She’s moved on, got two kids with her husband. Better with him than me.”

"God forbid the great Casanova himself, Javier Peña, should ever settle down." You nearly huff when you roll your eyes, but a truck in the distance saves you the trouble. "Looks like your dad is here."

He doesn’t know why that comment makes him frown, but he tosses down his cigarette and grinds it under his heel. Annoyed that your off hand teasing has him defensive. “Can't wait to take a shower.”

"Can't wait to sleep without worrying about getting shot or kidnapped," you gripe before painting a smile onto your face. Is your work important? Of course it is. But they took it away from you and branded you the office slut when that title clearly already belonged to someone else, so you'll take whatever comforts you can get at the moment.

He can agree with that, although he never slept well anyway. There was too much on his mind in a constant stream of worry and regret. The pick up truck rolls to a stop and Javi steps forward to open the door. “Pop.” He greets his dad and then turns towards you for a proper introduction. Telling his father your name and that you are his partner, he looks back at you. “Chucho Peña.” He flashes a small grin. “Just call him Pop.”

“It’s really nice to meet you.” Chucho is jovial and friendly, offering you a hug immediately and getting borderline emotional to see his son after you-can-only-guess how long. He hushes you when you try to thank him, ushering you into the truck instead and promising you that he’s glad to have the company.

It doesn’t take long for bags to be thrown into the bed and for the three of you to be loaded up in the truck. “Thanks for picking us up, pop.” Javi knows he could have rented a car, but he doubts the counter is even open at this time of night and the one taxi service that Laredo has is notorious for not answering the phone after 10pm.

“Mijito, I’m not going to leave a beautiful woman stranded.” The elder Peña aims a wink at you and chuckles as he turns over the truck’s engine. “It’s been far too long since we had a face this lovely at home.”

His brows arch up at the flirtatiousness of his father. For a moment, it’s the perfect example of where Javi learned his smooth moves.

“Don’t look so shocked.” Chucho laughs when his son tilts his head and laughs straight from his belly to see your amusement when you snicker on the bench seat next to him. “Your mamá was much too good for me. I had to get her to stick around somehow.”

“Don’t believe a single second of that surprise on his face,” you tell the older man, still laughing. “The flirting is genetic in Peñas, apparently.” Not that he ever aimed it at you. As his partner you might as well have been completely sexless to Javi - a fact which bothered you far more than you would like to admit.

Chucho chuckles again and looks over at you and his son. He’s surprised that Javi had finally brought someone home. “Then I taught him well.” He teases.

The bench seat of Chucho’s truck keeps you tucked neatly in between the Peña boys for the drive home, and the warm air from outside the truck swirls around each of you while the radio plays ranchera and Javier’s father gives you both a rundown of how things are running on the ranch these days. The ride isn’t long, but it’s enough for Javi to get updates on some family members and such, and to find out that his dad’s got a new pair of dogs that he’s doting on.

“That sounds good.” Javi’s never been opposed to dogs and he knows that Chucho has been lonely the last few years. He hadn’t been able to come home often.

"They tend to get up early," he warns his son, laughing at the idea of his puppies waking Javier up when he knows his only boy is not a morning person at all. "Just so you know."

“Great.” Javi rolls his eyes and sighs. Not even one day to sleep in. “Don’t shoot the dogs when they wake me up, got it.”

“We’ll train them to make your coffee,” you tease, knowing that Javi before caffeine and nicotine is barely Javi at all.

“You’re worse than I am.” Javi reminds you with a grunt. He always treads warily before 9am around you.

“I am not!” The tease does make you laugh, though, and you end up shrugging in between the Peña men. “Maybe a little.”

Chucho grins, admiring that you have no issue with Javi’s sarcastic sense of humor. You’re good for his boy, he can tell.

When you pull up to the house it’s smaller than you expected at first but it’s obvious that the ranch house rambles on. Rather than being tall it is long, a sprawling thing that seems to carry on to room after room instead of room on top of room. It’s welcoming and homey, and the two dogs out front are most definitely the puppies that Chucho had talked about on the way here.

“Home sweet home.” Javi is conflicted, opening the door to the truck and stepping out. He turns towards you and reaches for your handbag so you can climb out.

“And with playmates!” The dogs perk up immediately upon seeing two new people, and rush over to you with tails wagging and tongues lolling from happy mouths. “Hi boys!” Without hesitation you’re on your knees in the dirt giving them all the pets and cuddles they could possibly want.

Raising his brow, Javi’s surprised at your enthusiasm for the dogs. Not like there was much time for animals in Colombia. “She’s going to fit right in.” Chucho hums in approval, getting the bags out of the bed of the truck.

“Shit, let me get those, Pop.” Javi hurries around the truck to take them from his father.

“Leave mine, Jav.” Scattering the dogs’ fur with kisses, you flash both men a smile before reaching to take your suitcase from Javi. “Sorry, I just…I grew up around dogs and I miss them like hell.”

“I’ve got it.” He insists, “The bedroom is going to be the first door on the left.” He tells you, imagining that you would be in the ‘guest bedroom’ rather than the old room Javi had grown up in.

“Second.” Chucho turns halfway to the horse with confusion on his face. “Have you forgotten where your room is?”

“No,” Javi shakes his head, now confused himself. “I thought you would put her in the spare bedroom.”

“Mijo…” The elder Peña furrows his brow in confusion. “Why would I put your girlfriend in a different room? You’re not sixteen anymore.”

Javi’s eyes widen, realizing the mistake his father had made. He thinks you are with Javi. That he’s brought you home to meet. “Pop—”

“Danny is getting married in a couple of weeks.” Chucho remembers suddenly. “I told him that you will be bringing your girl.”

“I don’t think that’s—” Standing up fully, you look between both men and clear your throat awkwardly. Javier’s father has made the jump - the assumption - that partner meant in business and in pleasure, and you’re the only woman in the world he hasn’t tried to fuck. “It’s not…” You should never have come here…

“Don’t worry.” Chucho doesn’t want to embarrass you; but he wants you to know it’s okay. “The boy has been charming girls into his bed since he was sixteen, I know what he gets up to. But he’s never really been one to bring someone home, so you’re special.”

“Less special than you think I am.” You mutter under your breath, looking to Javier for help in clarifying the situation without being rude.

“Pop…” Javi frowns slightly. “I think she’d be more comfortable with her own space. She didn’t, we didn’t live together.”

“The second bedroom is basically a junk closet,” Chucho admits, looking a little sheepish. “I didn’t think you would be needing it.”

Shit. Javi knows you aren’t happy but he can talk about the sleeping arrangements when his father isn’t listening. “Okay.” He agrees, pointing you down the hall. “Last door on the left.”

Standing in that room with him ten minutes later is more awkward than the first time you had to go to a brothel with him in Medellín, finding that he knew the name of every girl there and discovering exactly how jealous that made you. “I’ll sleep on the floor,” you tell him without hesitation.

“Don’t be stupid.” Javi shakes his head. “We can share. Or I’ll sleep on the couch if that makes you uncomfortable.” There is no way he would let you sleep on the floor when you are a guest in his house. Or, technically, his Pop’s house.

“I’m not stupid.” Even if he doesn’t mean it, the offensive comment does make you bristle and you frown. “And I’m not uncomfortable.” Daydreaming is what you’ll be, but you’ll be damned if he finds that out. “Fine. We’ll just let your Pops think we’re sleeping together, if that’s what you would prefer.”

“He already thinks we are sleeping together, muñeca.” He reminds you, tossing his bag down on the bed and rubbing his neck. It’s awkward and he doesn’t want to think about why his father would think he was sleeping with you. “We are adults. It’s a big enough bed to share.” It’s not a king like his bed in Colombia, but he had shared a queen-sized bed with plenty of women before.

“Just tell me you don’t kick or talk in your sleep or anything.” You’ll just stay on one far edge of the mattress and find someplace else to stay ASAP. That’s all there is to it, you tell yourself firmly.

“Not that I know of.” No one has told him about shit like that, but it’s been awhile since he’s slept beside a woman. “I’ll even wear underwear to bed.”

“How noble of you.” You huff and roll your eyes.

“If you don’t care…” he chuckles quietly, wondering if you're annoyed or embarrassed.

“Poke me with that thing in the middle of the night and you’re gonna wake up without it.” Better that he should never know what your real reaction to his cock would be. Let him think you don’t want him like he doesn’t want you.

Javi frowns and looks away. “Don’t worry about that.” He grumbles, never happy with the idea of losing his manhood.

“Fine then.” Even with knowing that he isn’t interested in you, it still stings when he assures you that you are safe from his attention. Why are you the one woman Javier Peña won’t put his dick near and why do you still want him to so badly? It’s like a sick joke from the universe.

He can tell you aren’t happy with the current arrangement and he knows that he will be busting his ass to make sure the spare bedroom gets cleaned out. “It’s late.” He bites his lip. “I’ll shower and you can…settle in.”

“I shower in the morning.” He knows that. You’ve had plenty of long stake outs and hikes through the jungle and fuck only knows what else — shared hotel rooms where Steve always took the pull out couch and gave you the second bed. He knows you shower in the morning. But still, when you open your bag to pull out clean pajamas and your toothbrush, you pause. “Unless that would weird you out? Some people think it’s gross to sleep on clean sheets without showering. And it’s…it’s your bed.”

“Whatever you want to do, muñeca.” Javi murmurs quietly. He tries not to think about you in a shower, focusing on unzipping his own bag to pull out clothes. It’s late, so any unpacking would need to wait until tomorrow.

“Tomorrow, then.” You have a feeling you’re going to need a cold shower after sleeping next to him anyway. “And I’ll write your dad a check for having to call long distance. But I promised Steve I’d check in.”

“Don’t worry about that.” He shakes his head and turns to look at you with clean boxers and his toiletry bag in his hand. “I’ll pay the long distance bill. Phone is in the kitchen.”

“We’ll figure it out later.” You tell him with a shrug, not wanting to think about Javi naked or Javi wet. Or Javi all clean and shiny crawling into bed with you. You’re never going to get any sleep tonight. “Now go so I can put my pajamas on. I’m still exhausted from that kid screaming all the way from Miami to here.”

“Yeah,” Javi winces. “The kid had a set of lungs on them.” He motions towards the bed. “Take whatever side you want.” He offers. “Not picky.”

The awkwardness of changing your clothes in Javier Peña's childhood bedroom is very real, but you stack your things up neatly in one corner and slip under the crisp, clean covers and put your head on one of his pillows without letting yourself wonder too often how many girls were in this bed before you. And for very different reasons.

He doesn't take too long in the shower, even though he's tempted to jerk off. Knowing that it will be awkward if he wakes up with his cock pressed against your ass. It's not like you would want that. You wanted Steve. Once clean, he steps out of the shower and towels off, swiping the deodorant under his arms and slipping on a pair of rarely used boxers to sleep in. It was better than sleeping naked, like he normally does.

Javi returns to you leaning half out of the bed petting one of his father's dogs that had nudged its way into the room while he was showering, and you're giggling like an idiot with all awkwardness forgotten at the way the sweet cattle dog is giddy to be getting so much attention.

Javi shakes his head, tossing his dirty clothes into the basket that is near the closet door and he does double back to open the door to the hallway so the pup can leave again. "Why do I feel like the dog's gonna end up in the bed?" He asks.

"He's a good boy," you insist with the most dedicated talking to a puppy voice you can possibly manage.

He rolls his eyes, but it's not in annoyance. Even offering to pet the pup when he comes over to curiously sniff Javi before rejecting his affections to return to the woman who is just basking in his presence. "I'm sure he is."

"You gonna come snuggle up with us, MacGyver?" Javi's father has a habit of naming his dogs after television characters, and these two are no exceptions. MacGyver the cattle dog jumps excitedly before bounding up onto the bed and wiggling right up next to you. "See, Jav? He's a sweet baby."

He sighs, but doesn't protest as the dog wiggles happily and licks you repeatedly as you giggle. You laughing and enjoying doggy kisses is much preferred over the depressed moping that had come with your suspension. He doesn't blame you, his moping just isn't as obvious. "The 'sweet baby' better not hog the bed." He grunts, lifting the covers to get in beside you. Maybe having the dog between the two of you would be a good thing.

"He won't," you promise, even though you have no idea what this dog's sleeping habits are like. You do know that getting cuddles from a dog is the best and happiest you've felt in months, so you're just going to accept it and let the good boy snuggle up to you. "See? He's my snuggle buddy."

“I see that.” It’s impossible to be jealous of a dog and Javi isn’t that ridiculous. His watch and wallet set down on the nightstand, he sits up in the bed and reaches down to pat him a few times and scratch behind his ears.

MacGyver might be the happiest dog in the world right now, and you laugh again before settling down. Tucked down under the blanket with a sweet dog between you and some distance from everything that has happened today, things don't seem quite as helpless as they did this morning. "Thanks for this." As ridiculous as everything is, it's thanks to Javi that you have a place to sleep tonight and a soft place to land. It's not his fault that sleeping in the same bed as him is your own personal hell.

“No problem.” Javi nods and then thinks about something. Hopping out of the bed. “I’m going to get some water.” He tells you. “Want some? So you aren’t searching in the middle of the night?”

"Sure. Thanks." As long as he's offering, you're not going to turn it down. Especially since a tour of the house was waiting for the morning.

“Be right back.” Javi disappears down the dark hallway, sure of his footing and the layout of the house he had been born and raised in.

The light in the kitchen at the end of the hallway is still on, illuminating the large room where Javier's father is babysitting a pot of milk on the stove with Matlock halfway through destroying a chew toy at his feet. "Javi?" He barely turns around. "Need something, mijo?"

“Getting some water.” He knows his Pop has a problem sleeping most nights. It’s gotten worse since his mamá passed, the warm milk helping the older man settle down. “Don’t want her trying to find the kitchen in the dark and tripping.”

"Probably for the best," Chucho chuckles. "Can't find where MacGyver went, she might trip over him in the night."

“Dog’s curled up to her like they are best friends.” He snorts, walking over to the cabinet next to the sink where the chipped glasses from his childhood still sit on the shelves.

"Well, damn." That makes him laugh a little harder, and he ends up leaning back on the counter a little with a contented sigh. "Might be for the best." He can't resist needling his son a little. "Keeps the moaning to a minimum if there's a dog in the way."

“Pop.” Javi groans, feeling like he’s fucking fifteen again, being teased about Mary Louise from his class. Of course his dad had known about the groping and experimenting in his barns after school, but there’s no chance of moaning with you.

"I'm not wagging a finger at you, mijo, I just don't want to be woken up in the middle of the night." He laughs, taking his pan off the stove to pour its contents into a mug. Normally he carries it back to his room to sip while he reads, but it's so nice to have his son in the house again. "She seems nice," Chucho commends. "And she's a knockout, to boot."

Javi grunts, aware of how attractive you are. He moves over to the sink and fills the glasses halfway with cool well water. “She’s a good woman.”

"Hell of a lot sweeter than that Lorraine." Chucho remarks sharply, but he shrugs immediately after. "But that's just a first impression. I'll get to know her well enough soon. Y'all stay as long as you want or need to. It's nice to have life in the house again."

“Thanks Pop.” He means that. Both of you need a place to lay low and rest. Once he gets you into your own bedroom, the uneasiness will pass. “I’ll see you in the morning, okay?”

"Night, son." The nod Chucho gives Javier as he ambles from the room comes with a pat on the younger man's shoulder, and soon enough Javi's father has disappeared out of sight with Matlock right at his heels.

Javi sighs, carrying the two glasses of water to the bedroom and contemplates going outside for one last smoke. Pop doesn’t condone smoking in the house, a rule set by his late wife and Javi respects it. In the end, it’s the hassle of brushing his teeth again so he doesn’t accidentally breathe cigarette breath into your face if he rolls over during the night, that convinces him not to. “You two look comfortable.” The dog is halfway sprawled over you, greedy for your pets and praise like he was a lap dog.

“I miss having a dog,” you admit with a sheepish, sleepy grin.

He hands you the water for your side and nods. “Grew up with dogs out here.” He knows that it’s common, but there hasn’t been time for a pet with the work in Colombia.

Even a single sip of the cold water is refreshing, and you put the glass down on the nightstand beside you with a hum. “There were always a lot of animals around when I was growing up. Dogs, cats, the horses, a goat for a while, a bunch of chickens…” You shrug a little and settle down under the covers with the dog still sprawled out over you. “Guess I missed it more than I thought.”

“Goats are funny things.” Javi chuckles as he gets back into the bed. The door is still open to let the dog out when he wants but he’s not worried about it. “We used to have some that would fall out, stiff as a corpse.”

“We had one that did that whenever my sister got near it. Funniest fucking thing in the world, it made her so mad.” The memory makes you giggle a little, but you’re also pretty punchy from being tired and upset all day, so you scratch lazily behind MacGyver’s ear and blow out a breath. “We should get some sleep.”

“We should.” Javi pushes down and twists his body so he can turn off the bedside lamp and plunge the room into darkness. “I know you are tired, muñeca.” He murmurs as he wonders how long it will take him to fall asleep beside you.

“Mmm.” You are, but you doubt you’ll do anything tonight but pet the dog and stare at the wall. His age-old habit of calling you ‘doll’ seems so much more intimate when it’s said in a shared bed and you can’t do anything about it. Masturbating four inches away from him on the same mattress is out of the question. “Night, Jav.”

“Night.” Javi shifts, settling into the bed and sighing softly, tucking his arm behind his head as he looks up at the ceiling fan spinning lazily overhead. The next few days until that room can be cleaned out will be interesting.

******

The most interesting part, unfortunately, was finding out that the old guest room bed hidden underneath ten years of clutter was broken in two places, making it completely unusable. After more than a week of pulling things out of that room, you and Javier had stood in dusty clothes and looked down at the frame in defeat, deciding to deal with it when you got back from your hearings in Washington, which would begin after the next weekend. A few more days in that bed together with the dog between you wouldn’t kill you — although you were increasingly frustrated at this point — and you would be in DC for however long they saw necessary. After that? After that you would know if you were headed back to Colombia or another field office. Or if you still had a job at all.

“At least we have Danny’s wedding this weekend.” It will be an opportunity to see a lot of family, although there has been a steady stream of visitors to the ranch after word got out that Javi was home.

“Right.” Wincing slightly, you nod and sit back in the chair you parked yourself in when MacGyver came bounding into the house to demand attention. “I should probably make sure I have something other than jeans to wear to that.” The idea of shopping for Javi’s cousin’s wedding is vaguely outlandish, but you’re not sure you have much of anything in your bag from Colombia that would be appropriate.

Javi chuckles and shakes his head. “I’m wearing jeans, I don’t think you’d be out of place.” He honestly doesn’t know if he’s ever seen you in a dress outside of work.

“I think the ghost of my granny would rise up and smack me upside the head if I wore jeans to a wedding.” You laugh at the image and sigh, pushing up from your seat. “C’mon, sweet boy,” you coax the dog. “Let’s go see what’s left in that suitcase that I haven’t unpacked.” Over your shoulder, you throw Javier a familiar smile. “Maybe I have something from that undercover stint I did a couple of months ago.”

His brows rise and he stares after you for a moment. That undercover stint had not been family friendly and he had tried so hard to ignore how good you looked.

“What?” When Javi’s reaction is the opposite of what you were expecting, you stop halfway down the hallway and turn. “Too inappropriate? I might not even have anything with me, anyway.”

“It was…a nice dress.” He comments, shaking his head. “It will look good.” You would be the sexiest woman there, though that wouldn’t be hard when everyone else is either family or lifelong friends. His problem is that every person there believes that you are his and he will be fielding ribald jokes all day.

“Wouldn’t want you to be embarrassed to be seen with me.” It picks at you in a way you haven't expected, that he has just let everyone believe you’re together. Even Chucho is still convinced of it and at this point there is probably no telling him otherwise. Every subsequent night you spend in his son’s bed is proof to him, even if you sleep with the door cracked open and the dog between you, and have never shared physical affection in any way.

“Never be embarrassed about being seen with you.” He frowns, wondering where that comment came from. You’re a good looking woman and know that. You got hit on all the time, the men around the embassy and the members of the Bloc. You are probably the one embarrassed to be seen with him. “You call Steve?”

“Yeah.” It’s awful when he bristles at you like a cat with its fur standing on end, but since you have no clue what you did to deserve it this time, you just turn into his room to look at what’s left in your suitcase. “He’s gonna hang on to my stuff until I know if they’re transferring me or outright firing me.”

“I’m sure he misses you.” The close proximity to you is starting to gnaw at him. The ache in his cock matches the hollowness in his heart. Reminding himself that this isn’t what you want, he sighs at the broken bed, putting on his gloves again to toss the ruined item into the large pile of junk that’s been amassed to take to the dump.

“Sure. I mean…that’s what you do with friends, right?” Rummaging in the bottom of his closet, you come out of your suitcase with a little black dress and a pair of stylish high heels that you’d bought for the op, using it as an excuse to get something nicer than what you wore for work everyday. Telling yourself that you’d kept them on the off chance that you ever got asked out on a date. “Are these okay?” You ask, appearing in the guest room doorway a second later. “I have some colorful jewelry so I won’t look like I got lost on my way to a funeral.”

“Whatever you want to wear.” Javi doesn’t know much about women’s fashion besides how to peel a woman out of her dress, but it seems fine to him. “You will look good.”

"Okay." It was an attempt to engage with him, to maybe hear an anecdote or get encouragement, but he's closed himself off again. It just makes you want to shrug it off and walk away so you go back to his room to put the clothes away and grab your book off the nightstand. You'll go read and get out of his hair for a while. Clearly spending so much time around you is grating on him.

Javi sighs again when you walk away, watching you and he can’t help the way his eyes tip down to your ass. It’s a nice ass. Making him frown when he remembers Steve saw it. He’s never been a jealous man, but fuck if he’s not jealous of that fucking hillbilly right now.

Finding Chucho out in the garden shouldn't have been a surprise, but when you flop down on the porch swing in back of the house with your book and look up to see him smiling and waving from the herb pots, you still startle a little. "H-hey Pops." You wave back awkwardly and silently congratulate yourself on being dumb enough to accidentally trade one Peña for the other. There's no escape though, because if you flee Chucho's presence you'll just have to explain yourself later.

“Mija.” Chucho notices the unhappy look on your face that you quickly decide to suppress. “My son giving you heartburn?” He asks, swiping his hat off his head to wipe the sweat. “I keep telling him that he does not have to be so glum all the time.”

"It's nothing, Pops, I promise." The last thing you want is for him to be thinking that you and Javi are having relationship problems when you have no relationship to begin with. "I'm just a little anxious." Good. You'll go with that. He knows the hearings are coming up anyway.

“They would be fools not to take you back.” Chucho grunts, although he keeps his opinion on whether you should go back to himself. “If they don’t, you can stay here as long as you want. Javier likes you here.”

"The standards are different for me." It's bullshit, but it's true. Being a woman, you have to out perform every single one of your male coworkers in order to just keep your head above water. And you had let yourself get sentimental over Javier - the one man in your universe who never seemed to care what you thought of him in the first place.

“They know that one day you will be telling them that you are carrying Javier’s baby.” Chucho huffs, shaking his head. “Stupid men believe women cannot carry a child and do a job. Even though women are stronger than men.”

"That—um—" To hear that from his father flusters you beyond imagination, and you nearly vibrate in a very uncomfortable way. "That isn't...Chucho that's not...Javi and I don't have that kind of relationship." You hate feeling like you're lying to the man when he's been so incredibly kind to you. Maybe it's better that he knows the truth. If you're not Javi's girlfriend he might not want you here — and that's something you need to know.

“Not now.” Chucho huffs. “When the boy gets his head out of his ass and decides to make an honest woman out of you, he will want babies.” He leans against the railing and smirks. “He’s actually good with the bebitos.”

"No, that's not what I—" You stop though, tilting your head slightly in confusion. "I've never seen him look anything but terrified in the presence of babies or small children."

“Really?” Shock turns to amusement and Chucho nearly doubled over laughing. “He said he was going to pretend he knew nothing.” He gasps as he chuckles after a long minute. “Mija, Javier is the oldest of all the cousins. He was changing diapers before he was eight. His tía swears he was the only one who could get Danny to stop crying.”

"Really?" The idea of Javi taking care of any kid is unexpected to you, and you hate the way it warms through you. The way it makes you yearn.

“He is a good boy, a bit stubborn.” He chuckles and shakes his head. “But throw a baby in his arms and the boy would light up.”

"Not in Colombia." You shake your head a little. "Our other partner...he and his wife had adopted a baby while she was in country with us. I don't think I ever saw Javi go near her."

“Olivia.” Chucho nods. “Javier blames himself for what happened to her mother.”

"Sometimes the best thing we can do is work toward the best solution for a bad situation." Sweet little Olivia is with Connie now, and although you don't know what will happen between Connie and Steve, you know that baby will be loved and looked after. That's all you can really hope for sometimes. Love and care.

“That is a good way to look at it mija.” He nods, looking back out at the garden. “You will be good for him.” He promises you. “Everything he’s ever told me about you is true.” He reaches over and pats your hand before he turns back to go down the porch steps and back into the garden.

He's talked about you? Maybe Chucho just means the things that Javi has told him since you've been in the house, you really can't be sure. The best you can do is try to push it out of your mind and open your book.

******

Once the bed frame and mattress are tossed, Javi strips down and climbs into a cold shower. Groaning at the refreshing feeling of the water as it calms his overheated skin, he leans against the wall. You are upset at him, and he wonders if he can take you into town for a meal or something to get you to forgive him.

It's been almost an hour before Javi emerges again, looking very much like himself in that blue shirt with the pinstripes that makes him look taller and crisp, clean jeans. The dogs are the first to notice him, woofing excitedly and jumping up onto the porch to get dusty pawprints on his thighs before you can even turn around.

Javi snorts and shakes his head as he scratches the dog's ears. “Do you want to go into town?” He asks casually. “Get a drink and a meal no one in this house cooked?”

Though the voice in the back of your head wonders if he's asking out of guilt, it does sound nice to get out of the house and you had started feeling hungry about a half hour ago. Cleaning the guest room had been a bigger task than either of you expected and you're pretty sure you skipped lunch most days by accident. "Sure," you nod, plucking your bookmark out of the back cover of your book and saving your page for later. "Sure, that sounds nice."

“Okay.” Javi nods and shoves his hands in his jeans. “I’ll — you go get ready and I’ll get the truck keys from Pop.”

"Okay." You nod in return and disappear back into the house to wash up and change into clean clothes. That black dress is the only nice piece of clothing you managed to pack, but the jeans you routinely wore to the office were decent looking and several of the blouses that you had brought back to the States were nice, soft, floral things that you had bought in Colombia. So when you reappear a little while later in clean clothes with your face washed and hair tamed, it almost feels like the date you know you're never going to get with him.

“Ready?” Javi pops up from the rocker and he swallows harshly at the sight of you all cleaned up. He’s going to need a double in order to not say something stupid. “Got the keys.”

"Okay." Yeah, this feels exactly like getting ready for a date, and you seriously hope that wherever he's taking you has a liquor license because otherwise you're gonna make an idiot of yourself. "Where are we going?"

“There’s this bar in town.” Javi saunters down the porch steps and out to the truck. “Looks like shit but they serve the best damn food.”

"That's usually how it goes." You follow him out to the truck and hide your surprise when he opens the door for you. The dogs are pouting from the front door to see you go but you settle back in your seat when he climbs behind the wheel. Town isn't too far of a drive and it isn't like you've never been alone with Javi. You've just been alone with him a hell of a lot more since getting suspended from the DEA than you ever were when you were active agents.

“Wings are good, but the chili rellenos are probably the best in town.” Javi throws his arm on the bench as he backs the truck up to turn it around. “And add it to a burger? I used to live off of them when I was a sheriff’s deputy.”

"A chili relleno burger?" The idea has you nearly drooling, but you tilt your head at Javi as he starts to drive. "You were a deputy? Seriously?" As much as you know him as a law enforcement officer, he's so prone to break the rules that imagining him as a small town cop just seems so unlikely.

“Yep.” He shrugs and continues to guide the truck down the long drive from the house to the road. “A million years ago when I got out of college.”

"I wanted to be Secret Service." There's no reason to tell him this, but you find it rolling off your tongue anyway as the truck rumbles down the dirt road. "I started the process and ended up with the US Marshals instead. The DEA is where I went afterward. We worked a big joint operation with the DEA in LA and they offered me a transfer for my good work." Sometimes you wonder what would have happened if you had never taken that transfer at all, if you had stayed with the Marshals, but it's too late to do anything about it now.

“No shit?” Javi is impressed, looking over at you with a grin before he hums. “No damn wonder you run laps around us.” He had always admired your work ethic. It was one of the reasons he had kept clear of you, wanting to make sure you weren’t smeared by his reputation, although the joke was on him since you were fucking Steve.

"Yeah." You nod your head and shrug like it doesn't matter, because to some degree it doesn't. After all, Javi had been DEA for far longer than you. "Doubt they'd take me back, though."

“They’d been fools not to.” Javi sighs. “I think they will. Maybe some shit hole assignment for a few years. But you’ll overcome that.”

"You'll get to go back to Colombia. I know you will." For some reason you're certain of it. Not only because Javi tends to overcome his own shitty hardships pretty well through charm and perseverance, but because he's a damn good agent. He worked that case against Escobar longer and harder than anybody and he damn well deserves to get to go back.

“Doubt it.” He frowns and shakes his head. “It hurts not being there. Knowing that they are close to getting the bastard.”

"You will." Your hand rests on his arm on the back of the seat and you give it a supportive squeeze. After all, regardless of what else you feel for him, he's your partner. Your friend. "I can feel it."

“Thanks.” Javi sighs again and tries to shake off the glumness. “Maybe after Escobar is caught…you can figure out what you are doing with…Steve.”

"I really wish you would stop bringing that up," you tell him, letting your own sigh loose. "It was one time, we were drinking, and it was a mistake. That's all. He missed Connie and I—" He doesn't need to know, you remind yourself sternly. "I let it go too far."

He didn’t know that. He had assumed that it was something more. At least more than once. “I’m sorry.”

"We were never going to tell anyone." It feels like an explanation is warranted, since you snapped a little, and you sit back in your seat. "I don't know what happened. Somebody found out and it got back to the higher ups." Stupidly, you shrug. "Sometimes you do shit you shouldn't have for dumb reasons. That's all. He's my best friend, and it shouldn't have happened."

“I thought you two were having— that it was something more.” He admits, shrugging slightly. He doesn’t want to admit that he was jealous. He’s not your best friend.

"You thought we were having an affair." You swallow a sigh and wish you had brought your cigarettes. "It wasn't that. We just...neither of us could have what we wanted, so sometimes when that happens you make the dumb decision to cling to whatever is closest."

“Why couldn’t you have what you wanted?” He catches that and frowns slightly. Wondering what you couldn’t possibly get.

"Doesn't matter now." He's perceptive as hell as an agent, but shit sometimes Javi is oblivious. And the last thing you want is to make shit awkward between you by admitting that you want him and pretty much always have. Since you met, at least.

He frowns and wonders why you are being cagey. Unless it was someone in Colombia that you had left behind. “Well, I’m sorry.”

"You didn't do anything to be sorry for." It's not his fault that he doesn't want you. It's not like he sat back and consciously decided not to be attracted to you. That would be kind of insane, to be honest.

“No, I did.” Javi snorts. “Spent so much time making sure no one thought you would sleep with me, I didn’t notice you and Steve.”

"You made it very clear that you didn't want to sleep with me." And it fucking stings that he would be so casual about bringing it up. Maybe dinner was a mistake. Maybe this whole thing was a mistake.

“Oh I wanted to sleep with you.” Javi snorts. “That’s why I made sure everyone knew I wasn’t.” He taps his fingers on the steering wheel. “There was a betting pool on how long before I fucked you when you showed up.”

"You–I–there was a what??" There is no way to disguise the shock in your voice, and you probably should have taken a breath before you opened your mouth, but you're too dumbstruck for logic at the moment.

“Yeah.” Javi shakes his head in disgust. “Bastards, every one of them. Acting like it was just some kind of game. That you weren’t an agent and just another worker at the brothel.”

"Okay, but–" Your mind is spinning a little and you reach to shut off the truck's radio, hoping that it will help you think a little more clearly. "But you–you said that–Jesus fucking Christ this can't be happening..."

“You didn’t know?” Javi looks over at you and wonders why this seems to be rocking you so harshly. “Even the damn ambassador had a stake in the pool.”

"No I didn't fucking know!" And right now it feels like it's going to drown you, the disbelief and the frustration crashing over you in equal measure. "And Steve sure as fuck didn't know. Otherwise he should have fucking said something instead of sleeping with me."

What the fuck does Steve have to do with it? Javi frowns and shakes his head. “They all talked about it in Spanish. You know he can’t fucking understand half of a conversation on a good day.”

"He can't even order in a restaurant." Which was a source of endless amusement, but it doesn't answer your biggest question. The one that has you turning to watch him while he drives with exhausted curiosity. "So...you were protecting my reputation? Is that it?"

“You’re a good agent.” Javi insists. “If they thought you were fucking me, they wouldn’t give you any of the respect you are due.” It’s bullshit and completely wrong, but it’s what would have happened. “So I just….acted like you were a man.”

That makes you groan, and you cover your face with both hands as he drives. “Fucking, of course you did.” That certainly explained a hell of a lot, even if you’re not thrilled about the answer. He had done it out of respect, knowing that you couldn’t get both. Meanwhile, you would have gladly taken the option to be banged like a screen door in July.

You don’t sound happy about his decision as you groan and he is utterly confused. “Sorry?” He practically asks it, unsure why you are annoyed. You know how men act.

"You didn't do anything wrong." In fact, he did less wrong than you had originally thought, which makes it so much more difficult to be mad about.

“You sound pissed.”

"I'm surprised." Pissed is the wrong word, although you're not exactly excited to find out after the fact that you didn't have a chance for entirely different reasons than you thought.

Silence falls in the cab of the truck and Javi feels you shifting beside him as he drives. It’s probably that it was kept from you, he decides. You never like being kept in the dark, but he had never shared anyone’s proclivity for locker room bragging. The awkwardness and discomfort of the whole situation makes you feel like you’re walking on eggshells, until eventually you shift one too many times and can’t stand it anymore. “I thought you didn’t like me,” you murmur, staring out the window.

“Oh.” Javi is shocked you would feel that way, but he guesses it’s not too much of a stretch. “I thought you didn’t care. You never seemed to think I was anything but a manwhore.”

The times you had teased him about it or made side comments were very definitely not your finest moments, and if you could fold up into a pretzel in this truck as he pulls into town, you would. “Of course I care.” This is barreling dangerously close to a confession, but you don’t know what else to say. The idea that you don’t care about him is absolutely the furthest from the truth.

He had thought that you were judging him for how he spent his time and who he slept with. There had seemed to be an edge of disdain to your barbed comments, so he had assumed that you hadn’t approved. “Well, it doesn’t matter now.” Javi huffs. “I’m not sleeping with anyone.”

“That’s…technically not true.” And the realization makes you huff at your own ridiculousness and even roll your eyes. “You’re just actually sleeping with me, not the euphemism.”

He chuckles and shrugs. “And the dog.” He reminds you, MacGuyver deciding that his favorite sleeping spot is between the two of you. Javi slept on the edge of the mattress most nights.

“I love that dog but he is a bed hog.” It’s sweet, though, and has kept you from doing anything stupid, which you have to stay grateful for.

“So it’s not just me?” Javi grunts. “I’m almost falling off the damn bed by morning.”

“We’re both sleeping on the edge and MacGyver’s got the whole bed to himself.” A half-laugh makes it out of you as he pulls up in front of a nondescript building and you shake your head. “This it?”

“This is it.” Javi puts the truck into park and shoots you a grin. “Just say no to the Hellspawn Boilermaker.” He advises you before he climbs out of the truck.

“Why would you tell me that?” You’re out of the truck and onto the sidewalk in an instant and throwing him a pout. “Now I have to know!”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He cautions, striding up to the door and holding it open for you.

Inside is dimly lit and a little on the loud side, with plenty of people drinking and just as many eating while the jukebox plays and the pool tables in the corner stay active. It’s a hole in the wall for damn sure, but an inviting one. “Do you want to sit at the bar?” Javi asks, spying a small table in the corner of you don’t.

“Wherever.” This is his town - his place - and you are flexible as long as he feels comfortable. You’re going to be in your head the whole dinner now that you know he used to want you anyway, so you truly couldn’t care less.

“Let’s sit at that table.” He would rather not answer a dozen questions on being home. So he guides you over to the small table.

A waitress notices you quickly enough, bringing over two thin menus and taking your drink orders while simultaneously making it obvious that she finds Javi extremely attractive. Not that you can blame her, but she is awfully blatant about it. What if you were on a date or something?

Javi studies the menu quickly before setting it aside and leaning back, reaching for the ashtray. He has been dying for a cigarette and needs one now.

"So this is an old haunt?" The menu is nothing surprising - basically barbecue and some house specialties, but it all sounds damn good.

"Pretty much." Javi smirks slightly. "We all used to drink underage here, back when that wasn't horrible." He explains. "Then most of us became solid citizens. Half the police force in Laredo used to come here."

"Boilermakers for all?" You guess, shooting him a grin.

Javi chuckles and shrugs slightly. "I'm surprised that it wasn't offered when we ordered our drinks. Wonder if they still do it. It was a tradition."

"When I was in the Marshals, we used to do these awful tequila bombs after missions." For better or for worse, you haven't had one in years. Although it almost feels like a sentimental memory now, it was more like hazing back then. "Thank god we could get good tequila in LA. If I had tried that where I grew up, it would have been cheap shit and bad beer and tasted even worse."

He chuckles again and nods. "This is a habanero infused whiskey with a shot of pickled jalapeño juice dropped in it, all dropped into a glass of Budweiser. Have to drink it all in one shot."

"Ugh." The grimace on your face is immediate, but still you're laughing. "So the kind of thing Milgroup would make their boys drink and tell them it's a Colombian specialty?"

"Yep." The waitress swings back by, dropping off drinks and lingering for just a moment, so Javi picks up his whiskey and looks up at her. "You still offer the Hellspawn?" He asks curiously before he downs the shot in one toss of his head.

"Only to people brave enough to try it," she simpers, clearly meaning dumb instead of brave, but not wanting to put him off.

Javi smirks and looks over at you. "Give us two and a basket of cheese fries to cool down with." He orders.

"We're both going to do the barbecue burger." There isn't even a debate on that – the burger boasted cheddar cheese, thick cut bacon, house barbecue sauce, and onion straws with house-made pickles on the side and that has both your name and Javi's written all over it like a neon sign. When the waitress nods and walks away with your menus, you sit back and laugh at his expression. "You didn't think we'd both gravitate toward the same thing? That's the quintessential burger for us."

"I expected you to go for the chili relleno burger." He admits with a small grin.

"I thought about it." You really did, especially since he had mentioned it on the way here. "But...onion straws. You know I'd probably climb through the jungle in high heels for anything having to do with fried onions."

"That is true." He frowns. "Haven't you already run through the jungle in high heels though?"

Only once, but it had been early on and Javi had made you out to be something of a legend for managing it. "Yeah, so I know what a pain in the ass it is."

"I wouldn't want to find out for myself." He picks up the glass of water that had been delivered with the other drinks and takes a sip. "Word of advice, don't try to drink water after the Hellspawn. Makes it worse."

“Noted.” Although that has you morbidly curious, you don’t ask questions. He ordered the cheese fries, that’s what is going to happen after the drink of doom.

The jukebox starts to play and Javi looks around the bar again. Noting that not a lot has changed over the years. "So we just need to get through Danny's wedding." He broaches the subject. "I'm sorry, but I think pop has told the entire family that we are together. So expect questions and tales about the wedding that wasn't."

“Why didn’t you ever tell them that we aren’t?” It is such a point of curiosity and frustration that you need to ask. As much as you don’t want to upset him, you need to know why he never just told his family that you aren’t his girlfriend.

He sighs and shakes his head. "It's–" He doesn't want to admit that he had talked a lot about you with his Pop, giving the man the impression you were very important to him. Because you were. "I don't know." He admits with a shrug, figuring that it was easier to say that than to admit that he wondered what it would be like to be in a relationship with you.

“Bullshit.” It is, and you’ll call him out on it any day of the week. There’s apparently shit he’s been hiding from you, but this isn’t going to be on that list anymore.

He frowns, lips curled unhappily and he reaches for his cigarettes again after crushing out the one he just finished. "What the fuck do you want me to say?" He demands, shoving the cigarette between his lips and flicking the zippo open.

“The truth.” Your beer is going to be empty pretty quickly at the rate you’re drinking it, but fuck it. You’re annoyed after everything that got said in the truck. “I’m not gonna get mad, Jav, whatever it is. But I just found out you’ve been keeping shit from me and you’re lying about this and I hate being lied to.”

"I haven't lied." Javi shakes his head, lighting the cigarette and taking a long drag off of it before blowing the smoke up into the air. "Not to you. And I've kept plenty of shit from you." It's not the best argument but you don't let it go, just staring at him and waiting for your answer. He sighs and catches the waitress's eye, lifting his glass to indicate he wants another drink and sighs again. "Because I didn't want to tell them you weren't my girlfriend."

“But I’m not.” The lackluster explanation has only made you more confused, and you drain the end of your beer with your eyes pinched closed. “You just don’t want them to know you’re single? Jav, I would have given you shit about it but I would have played along. You could’ve just asked. I get having an invasive family.”

"I don't give a shit about that." Javi scoffs and shakes his head. Looking away from you in embarrassment. "You– you're the closest I've been to a relationship since Lorraine." He admits quietly, shrugging one shoulder. "It's kind of nice."

“Lorraine is…the fiancée you left at the altar?” If you’re the closest he’s been to a relationship since that, he’s even worse at them than you thought.

"Yep." Javi huffs and leans back when the woman brings over his next drink.

"Those Hellspawns are almost ready." She tells him with a wink.

He nods but he doesn't watch her walk away, finding your eyes again. "Talked about you enough that Pop thought...well, he thought I was hesitant to admit we were dating."

“You talked about me?” All of this is news to you, but at least you can keep your voice down with that no one is looking your way. “Like…before you told him I was coming here?”

Javi frowns again, picking up the new glass of whiskey. "Of course I did." He tells you. "You didn't ever talk about me?"

“I don’t talk to my family.” They don’t want to hear from you and you don’t want to fight with them, so it was just easier to avoid by not calling. “The people I talked to most were you and Steve.”

He rolls his eyes, aware that any conversation with Steve about him wouldn't be a good one. "I–" He tosses back the drink and shakes his head. "It's nice, okay?" He hisses. "Fucking normal. I feel normal. Imagining that we– that you–" He breaks off and slumps back. "I'll tell them."

“He wanted me to tell you.” The words come blurring out of your mouth like you had tried to swallow lava, and it’s immediately too late to take it back.

"Tell me what?" Javi barely pays attention to you, clenching his jaw as he thinks of how to break it to his Pop that the woman who is 'perfect for him', isn't even someone he's ever kissed.

The waitress comes back, this time with a tray with six items on it. Two shot glasses, two whiskey glasses and two beer glasses. The makings of the Hellspawn. "Here we go."

With the moment broken, your sudden burst of bravery deflates and you sit back, very nearly pouting sullenly. “Right. Let’s just drink.”

"Okay." Tessa sets the tray down and smiles at Javi. "You know how this works right?" She asks, sure that he might be the most handsome man she's ever seen. "Drop the jalapeño juice into the whiskey and then drop both glasses into the beer." The glasses of beer were only half full, making sure that it's not too messy. "And those cheese fries are coming right up."

“Can’t take the barely legal waitress home if you’re still fake-dating me,” you mutter after she walks off, feeling bitter at your own stupidity at this point.

"What?" Javi frowns, confused at what you are talking about. "I– her?" He shakes his head. "I haven't even looked at her."

“Until twenty minutes ago in the truck I was under the impression that your rule was anybody but me, so I’m still adjusting,” you tell him curtly before dropping your drink together with determination and putting the concoction to your lips so you can’t say anything else stupid.

"Fuck you." Javi drops the juice into the whiskey and glares at you before he picks up that glass to drop into the beer. "I always wanted you. Still do." He picks up his own drink and starts to down it.

It isn’t until your glass is down – the foul drink being oddly tasty at first but soured by the mood that you find his eyes again. “I slept with Steve because I was depressed that you never looked at me twice.”

Javi grimaces and coughs slightly at the burn of the capsaicin in the drink before staring at you. "Probably because when I looked at you, you were walking away from me."

“He told me to tell you.” You repeat, wishing you had another drink to down, like maybe you could drown yourself in them. “Said you deserved to know. So there. I’m telling you.”

"So there?" Javi reaches for the water out of reflex. "Like I was expected to know you wanted me to look at you when you scoffed every time I left the office." You knew where he was going, what he was doing. He hadn't hidden it. You had made your feelings about his affairs very clear.

“Shockingly,” this time your sarcasm is aimed at yourself. “I didn’t handle being in love with you very well. Being jealous of every other woman in Colombia grated on me just a little.”

The water is halfway gone when Javi realizes his mistake. The burn of the peppers in the whiskey immediately increases and he feels his tongue start to burn. "Shit."

“Shit?” Not having registered the drink or the water or any of it, you sigh only so you don’t scream and squeeze one hand into fist as hard as you can. “Forget it. Never mind. I’ll get my shit out of your Dad’s house and find a hotel tonight. I’ll get out of your hair.”

Eyes watering, Javi squeezes them shut and prays that the fries come quickly. "H-hot." He wheezes after a moment of trying to speak but being unable because of how bad his mouth is watering.

“Wha—oh!” When you finally realize what happened – remembering what he said about water making the drink hotter and realizing that he had half of his glass – you are up and out of your seat in a heartbeat to go straight to the bar for a glass of lemonade or juice or even tomato juice. Anything with acid. The confused bartender gives you a glass of tomato juice with lemon and says he’ll put it in your tab in the same breath that you’re thanking him and bringing it back to the table.

Breathing hurts and Javi's trying not to inhale too much as you rush back over with the glass of juice. Shoving it into his hand as he greedily starts to gulp it down in an effort to quell the burning of his mouth and esophagus.

Acid helps heat. Carrillo told you that once when you had dinner with him and his wife and got in over your head with his wife's fantastic and incredibly spicy salsa. It won't cure him instantly but it will help, and now you're sitting at the table feeling like an idiot for getting mad about his reaction when he was in pain.

Once every drop of the juice is gone, Javi sighs, setting it down and cursing himself for being so unnerved by you and this entire situation and he had fucked up and done exactly what he had warned you again. "Thanks." He grunts, reaching for a napkin to wipe his mouth and wishes he had another beer to wash down the taste of the tomato juice.

"Sure." The awkward shuffle of two people who can barely look at each other is mercifully interrupted by the waitress arriving with the plate of fries and two more beers, and she takes your glasses away silently after reading the tension between you.

"So." Javi takes a large swallow of his beer. "Let me lay this out. I made sure not to hit on you so it wouldn't ruin your reputation. And you were mad at me for not hitting on you?" He asks, finally glancing back over at you.

"Not...technically?" Thank god there's food to concentrate on right now and you can be justified in not looking at him. "I was jealous and frustrated. Not quite mad."

"And I'm jealous that you fucked Steve." He confesses. "When I found out, I figured that was why you never seemed to like me."

"He was upset about Connie and I was upset about you." You poke at a few cheese fries with your fork and try not to curl in on yourself. "I said your fucking name in bed with him Jav, it's not like I'm not fully aware that I fucked up."

"Oh don't tell me that." Javi winces, his own fries halfway to his mouth. "I– that's– ouch."

"I just said I fucked up." You point out. "I did. And we both knew it. That's why he told me I should tell you."

"You have told me." He murmurs, shoving the fries in his still overheated mouth. "And look like you want to be anywhere else but here."

"I'm not chomping at the bit to be rejected, that's all." There is a difference between wanting someone and you just admitting to being in love with him, and you are absolutely as fully prepared to be told that he doesn't feel the same way about you that you have been the whole time. It's just that now he actually knows the extent of how you feel.

He never thought you were dim witted. Out of the three of you, Javi had personally felt you were the smartest agent there. Yet you still have not made the connection despite all the pieces being in front of you. "And you are here because I could not admit that you and I aren't together."

A long moment of silence passes between you before you close your eyes and sigh, feeling even stupider than you had a minute ago. "...fuck."

Javi doesn't say anything. Letting the moment hang between you. If you want to clarify, to ask something, you can.

"I honestly can't decide which one of us is more of a dumbass," you mutter, wiping one hand over your face. "Probably me, honestly. But fuck..."

"Did you work with Los Pepes?" Javi snorts, shaking his head. "I think that honor would go to me."

"No." The shift at the table is only your awkwardness, and you gulp another breath. "But I did go to them to beg them to let you out of your agreement, so I guess I'm specifically a sentimental dumbass."

"You shouldn't have." Javi insists. "They would have just slapped you on the wrist for fucking Steve if that hadn't come out. You would still be there. In the hunt for that bastard."

"Well, I did." The things you do for love apparently include tanking your career. "You had been there a hell of a lot longer than any of us. You deserved to see it through."

"Apparently not." Javi grumbles, shaking off the sense of disappointment. "That's life though."

"I'm sorry." It's not as though you made it worse, but you certainly didn't make it any better.

"It's not your fault." Javi knows he has no one to blame but himself. "I'm sorry." He is the one who is ultimately responsible for you being sent back to the States. He is the one who needs to apologize.

"You didn't make me go to them. For that matter, you didn't make me get drunk and stupid with Steve, either." You sigh, shaking your head. "I did what I did for my own dumb reasons and you have nothing to apologize for."

"You felt like you had to protect me." Javi hums quietly. "You put your career on the line for me."

Picking up your beer, you stare into the golden bubbles for a second before nodding. “The shit we do for love, right?”

"You don't love me, muñeca." Javi shakes his head. "You don't know all the things that I've done. You think you love me.”

“You don’t get to decide that.” You tell him flatly. “You don’t have to feel the same way, and you don’t have to be my friend, or even my partner. But you definitely don’t get to decide how I feel about you.”

That shuts him up. Staring at you for a moment before he frowns, nodding at the truth in your comment. "I am– I am not a good man."

“Does that immediately disqualify you from deserving every morsel of happiness?” Some people might say that it does, but you’ve never believed that.

"I will let you down." He sighs softly, revealing his worst fear.

"How do you know that?" Considering you haven't actually asked him for anything, the possibility is extremely miniscule. The worst he can do at this moment is tell you no, and that's what you're fully expecting. So it can't be a let down at all.

"It's what I do, muñeca." Javi snorts. "My mother, Lorraine, Helena, Oliva, Horatio, Steve, you, I let everyone down."

"And you don't deserve a chance to redeem yourself ever?" That makes you put your drink down again, and actually hold his gaze across the table. "I can't decide for you, Javi. I never thought in all the time I've known you that I actually had a chance at all, so you telling me 'no' is exactly what I expect. But if you want to give whatever this could be a chance, you very literally know where to find me."

“Don’t turn this into me rejecting you.” Javi shakes his head and leans back, folding his arms over his chest. “This is me protecting you.” He insists. “Don’t you see that?”

"I'm not trying to pick another fight." There has already been plenty of that for today. "If forgetting we ever had this conversation is what you want, that's fine. I'll smile pretty and play your fake girlfriend at your cousin's wedding, and I'll get myself out of your hair just as soon as Washington decides what to do with me. Seriously, Javi. It's fine." You've dealt with plenty of heartbreak in your life. Javier Peña won't be the first or the last person to break your heart, but you're a big girl. You'll carry on.

Javi frowns, unhappy with your answer but he can’t blame you. He’s pushing you away. “It’s not smart.” Javi shakes his head. “We’ve been drinking.”

"Fine." Despite the fact that you can feel your heart breaking in your chest, you just shrug and fold your hands in your lap under the table. "The dog takes up the whole bed anyway."

“Muñeca.” Javi murmurs quietly, his dark eyes fixed on you. Sighing softly when you won’t look at him. Hating how much you look like he’s crushing your heart.

****** To say the meal is tense is a bit of an understatement, but you pick up your book for a few hours when you get back to the house and mercifully find that Chucho has had some friends over to play poker tonight so no one is paying much attention to you or to Javi. It's just you and the dogs for a while before you figure it's safe to go to bed, seeing as you haven't seen hide nor hair of Javi since you got home.

The barn has always been a place where Javi has been able to think. The monotony of manual labor helps clear his mind and just work. Even after years away, he knows how to clean out a stall and lay fresh bedding. So the animals are getting it tonight instead of tomorrow morning? What’s a few hours when he can exhaust himself instead of going inside and begging you to let him touch you. To burn off this need that is clawing under the surface and threatening to overwhelm him.

"Looks like it's you and me, bud," you tell MacGyver, placing a kiss between his ears and shutting the bedroom door temporarily so you can put on your pajamas. It takes just a couple of minutes before you pop the door open again and crawl under the covers to give him your undivided attention. Five or ten minutes of devoted petting before shutting your eyes is good for the soul, and maybe tonight you won't end up crying yourself to sleep.

By the time that Javi closes the barn door, it’s late and every muscle in his body aches. Sweaty and needing another shower, he quietly makes his way into the house and into the bathroom. He can’t climb in the bed filthy, that wouldn’t be fair to you. Quickly showering, he wraps a towel around his waist and makes his way to the bedroom.

The dog is snoring soundly but you barely managed to stop the tears when you heard him start up the shower across the hall. With your eyes closed and the blanket pulled up to your chest you hope you look convincingly asleep, just trying not to get into another argument before sleeping.

Pushing the door open, Javi stops, listening to hear if you are still awake. “Muñeca?” He whispers softly. “Are you awake?”

It's better not to answer, you decide quickly. Better to let him think you've already drifted off so he can just settle in and fall asleep. For that matter, maybe pretending will actually help you fall asleep.

He sighs softly, unsure of why he even bothered. You hate him now. Moving over to the dresser, he pulls out a pair of boxers and slides them on. Easing his way into the bed so he doesn’t wake you, he fights for the tiniest piece that he can squeeze onto, pushing the dog over. “I wish you knew how much I love you.” He murmurs after a long moment of staring into the darkness. “How much I want to be with you.”

It's too late to say anything now, but at least you're facing away from him so he can't see that you're tearing up all over again. Of all the men in the world, you had to go and fall in love with an emotionally closed off idiot who talks to you when he thinks you're asleep. And you know for damn sure it's love because you catch yourself thinking it's cute.

“You’re going to be reassigned somewhere else.” Javi whispers. “You’re too good of an agent not to be. And if I’m– if we are together, you won’t take it. You’d give up your career for me. Again. And you’d hate me for it.”

Barely suppressing a sniffle, you squeeze your eyes shut facing the windows and say nothing. You don't move and don't make a sound, listening to him pour his heart out when he thinks you can't hear him.

“Every damn day I want you. Crave you like you’re the purest fucking cocaine that has ever come out of Colombia.” He sighs. “I’m fucking tired of jerking off in the shower, imagining how you would feel, how you would sound. But I can’t touch you and lose you. I can’t, muñeca.”

A tear actually escapes this time, damn him and his sentimentality, but you don't move to wipe it away or even flinch. His confessional is his alone. You're not supposed to be hearing a word of this.

“If it takes you hating me to keep you safe, to keep from hurting you, I’ll do it. I’ll sacrifice my own happiness for you. Anything for you.”

A sob nearly shakes you, and it takes biting your lip to keep still and silent. Thank god for MacGyver, that dog could drown out anyone with the sounds of his sleeping. He's trying to protect you. And as noble as that is, you'd rather have him than safety any day of the week.

He had imagined it would be cathartic to confess this to you. That it would be a weight off his chest, but it’s not. He doesn’t know why, but the hollow ache is still there, the weight pressing down on him. “You asked me why I didn’t tell my family that we were together.” Javi has to add one last thing and then he will bury these feelings. “I wanted to imagine what it was like for a while. Pretend that you are mine. So I could go on without you when you leave.”

Biting your lip, squeezing the pillow, muffling your mouth with your hand, none of it could possibly be enough this time. With those words out of his mouth and the raw sob that wracks through you, the best you can do is hope that he doesn't feel the bed shake - or maybe that he isn't looking at you while he's talking. Otherwise the ruse of being asleep is completely useless at this point.

“Goodnight, muñeca.” Javi whispers again, feeling the dog shake the bed. “I always called you ‘doll’ because you are precious to me.” He closes his eyes and sighs, turning towards the door so he can try to sleep even though he knows he won’t.

______

Master Tags: @pixiedurango @chattychell @winter-fox-queen @lady-himbo @artsymaddie @princess76179 @paintballkid711 @missminkylove @pedrosbrat @ew-erin @sarahjkl82-blog @sharkbait77 @justanotherblonde23 @lv7867 @recklesswit @mylittlesenaar @f0rever15elf @gallowsjoker @steeevienicks @athalien @sherala007 @skvatnavle @thatpinkshirt @jaime1110 @girlimjusttryingtoreadfanfics @goodgriefitsawildworld @greeneyedblondie44 @katheriner1999 @littlemousedroid @harriedandharassed @churchill356 @ajathegreats-blog @haylzcyon   @beardsanddetectives @kirsteng42 @ladykatakuri @adancedivasmom @madiebear @tanzthompson @emilianamason @bigsdinger @xocalliexo @pedr0swh0r3 @avaleineandafryingpan @charlyrmv @avidreader73 @iceclaw101 @loveslide @elegantduckturtle @becsworld @julesonrecord

My Masterlist!

#Pedro Pascal #Pedro Pascal character fanficition #Pedro Pascal fanfic #Javier Peña #Javier Peña x reader #Javier Peña x you #Javier Peña x female reader #dea reader #past Steve x reader #Narcos #Narcos fanfic #the love is requited they're just idiots #THERE WAS ONLY ONE BED

[animentality]

Your post about Gortash being embarrassing and cringe and not realizing it is SO real to me. I think he is perfectly suave and charming to everyone except when it comes to someone he ACTUALLY likes, at which point his usual mask is useless because he has no idea how to cover up Real Feelings. The way he 🥺 and grins and blabbers nonstop to Durge at the coronation reunion is exhibit A for this of course. Personally I think he had no idea what was happening on his face during that, it just earnestly happened, and he probably THOUGHT he was being chill but he so wasnt. He is a 40 or 50 year old teenager with a crush and he’s clueless that it gets him acting like an idiot. Important Gortash characterisation (to me!)

It just makes sense to me given his history and overall emotional immaturity that he does not know how to express casual affection for something, let alone someONE. (And yeah the whole thing where he and Durge are both really smart people capable of near-flawless teamwork but they also genuinely make each other kind of stupid when they’re around each other. It tracks.)

He wooed Jannath with unimpeachable charm because he did not actually care about or love her (im really sorry Jannath 🫣) so he was just being a fake bastard, and thats easy. But real affection? Real love? He has no framework for that. Catch the Chosen of Bane in the most unbecoming act of ducking his head to hide his stupid smile after taking Durge’s hand in his. Embarrassing!

ANON, your mind.

It's powerful.

I am gnawing on the wonderful idea, because I love the concept of, Gortash is the perfect gentleman, he's great at copying others, at pretending to be a patriar, and exuding this carefully constructed charm.

He was raised by DEVILS. He was in a GANG.

He has Raphael's bullshit charm, and all these rough edges.

But he smooths them out, when he's trying to seduce rich women or arms dealer.

But that act doesn't work on the Dark Urge, of course, and he would never even try that sort of thing with them anyway.

Because anyone who seduces people for a living knows, not everyone reacts to the same tricks.

BUT.

Maybe he starts out trying to seduce them, by being cold and practical and intelligent...but then, surprise surprise.

it ends up not being an act. he finds the dark urge is warmer and more receptive than he thought they'd be, after decades of being alone.

and they have things in COMMON.

And he IS honest with them, as his partner.

And then, when he's NOT trying to seduce then....he accidentally seduces them...by being such a fucking nerd.

And THEN.

as you said.

He is SO dorky and cringe...because he's being honest, for one thing, AND he doesn't know how to act, when he genuinely likes someone, and isn't just trying to seduce them.

And he's THRILLED that that's what gets the Dark Urge hot under the collar.

The biggest freak in all of Baldur's Gate, meets the second biggest one, and they don't know how to act "right," but their version of right ends up being healthier than anything else they might have ever been capable of.

UGH, anon.

Do not SEND ME DOWN THIS RABBITHOLE.

You couldn't pry soft dorky lovestruck idiot Durgetash from my dead claws.

I think they committed horrible atrocities together.

I also think they were so sweet on each other, it would make Bhaal gag.

#baldurs gate 3 #bg3 #enver gortash #durgetash #dark urge

[animexts]

Broken hearts - Chapter 1

Summary: Ran Haitani did the worst shit of his life by cheating on his wife Y/n, but she forgave him and everything was fine now... right?

Pairing: Ran Haitani X Wife!Reader | Kakucho Hitto X Reader

Word count: 1.479 | Masterlist

A/n: Hope you like this! Comment what you think, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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Ran doesn't really know what he's feeling in this situation, he's sure he just saw Kakuchu giving his wife a kiss, but... would he do something like that? What is he thinking, of course he would do.

Ran is a shit, he knows that, but he was sure of it when his wife found out about his cheating.

Y/n was the light of his life, his ray of sunshine, I know a reason to smile and live, and this was the worst mistake he ever made in his entire life, he is aware of that.

This was probably one of the happiest days of his life but... What was this feeling he was feeling now?

They talked, she cried and hit him, but after a long time of trying and trying, Ran got her second chance.

Ran was almost sure he saw Kakucho speak close to his wife's ear, he was almost sure he saw her blush, was that right?

Yes, he was a little drunk and they were in a crowded club, but he didn't think his eyes would deceive him that much.

"Ran, are you deaf or something?" He wakes up with Sanzu screaming in his ears.

"What?" Ran says looking back at his letters.

"It's your turn Ran." Rindou says staring at his older brother.

"Yeah, I actually don't know if I want to continue this match."

"Haitani already given up?" He hears a voice behind him and feels his stomach drop or realize it was Kakucho's voice.

"And where were you Heartthrob?" Sanzu asks taking his pills out of his pocket.

Kakucho smiles passionately, as if she's remembering where she was just a few seconds ago.

"Bastard"

"And you're still seeing that girl Ran?" Kokonoi asks with a mischievous smile on her face.

"Who? My wife?"

"You know better, one of the girls from Sanzu's clubs." Ran looks at him in surprise.

"You know better, stop saying that shit before she hears it and thinks I'm seeing someone else." Ran says seriously.

"Oh please Ran, we all know you can't keep your dick in your pants." Sanzu says laughing.

"Shut the fuck up, she's already suffered enough for this shit." Ran speaks and hears Kakucho laugh softly next to her.

"I think Y/n is a much stronger woman than you imagine Haitani." Kakucho speaks and sits across from Ran.

"Do you suddenly know my wife well?" Ran asks feeling her blood boil.

"Maybe you don't know her very much."

"What the fuck does that mean?" Ran asks, already getting up.

"Calm down hothead, I'm sure Kakucho is just trying to say that it was so stupid of you to exchange the cure for the disease." Kokonoi making everyone at the table laugh.

"Because you guys don't mind your own fucking business." Ran says throwing the cards and leaving there.

Rindou chases after his brother, dodging people he has no idea who they are.

After spending a few minutes looking for Ran, he finds his brother near the toilets with his head resting on the wall and his eyes closed.

"Hey, what happened? What's got you so riled up?"

Ran opens his eyes when he hears his brother's voice and rubs his hands over his face.

"I think... I think Y/n and Kakucho are having an affair."

"Are you saying that because of what he said at the table?"

"I think I saw the two of them kissing." Ran says this, feeling his voice tremble a little.

Rindou's eyes widen when he hears this, he's surprised but at the same time he's not, it's been many months since Ran was "mistreating" his wife.

"Well are you... sad about it?" Rindou asks, trying to read his brother's expression.

"Of course I am, she's my wife brother, how could that not destroy me?" Ran asks, looking incredulously at Rindou, who shrugs.

"You were seeing another woman Ran."

"But I'm not anymore, Rindou I love Y/n with all my heart, we've resolved this and everything I'm doing in my life is for her." Hearing this, Rindou mocks his brother.

Ran was very clever sometimes, but he was also dumber than ever.

"Do you think it's easy to forget a betrayal?" Hearing this, Ran clenches his fists and leaves in search of his wife.

Now, all he wanted was to find his wife and get out of there as quickly as possible.

When he finds her, she's drinking and laughing with some other women.

"Baby, let's go." He says, looking seriously at his wife, who stops smiling when she sees Ran approaching.

"Right, bye girls." Y/n picks up her coat from the chair and walks straight past Ran towards the car without waiting for him.

If he was Kakucho, would she wait? No, not Ran, she's your wife, not his.

Ran turns and walks quickly to catch up with his wife.

"Hey doll, I almost didn't see you today." Sanzu says, stopping in front of Y/n and hugging her.

Y/n just smiles and hugs Sanzu too, and when Ran looks away, he notices Kakucho gazing lovingly at his wife still hugging Sanzu.

"Holy shit, I'm going to kill this guy."

"Come on honey, let go of her, you fucking addict." Ran says, pulling Sanzu out of Y/n's arms and taking her hand lovingly.

"I know the way Ran." She says, letting go of Ran's hand and continuing to walk on her own.

Now that they were both in the car, all Ran wanted was to hear something from his wife, even if it was her swearing at him, anything.

"Was your week good, dear?" Ran says, looking at her.

"Yes, Ran, I'm tired." Y/n says cheekily.

"Well, thanks for coming with me even though you're tired."

"No problem, I missed some of them too." Y/n smiles and Ran grips the steering wheel.

Did she mean Kakucho?

At that moment Ran feels like he could beat someone up, and even that wouldn't be enough to get all the sadness and anger out of him.

Y/n feels his cell phone turn over and smiles when he sees a message from Kakucho.

"I know I've already told you this, but you looked so beautiful, have a good night princess."

"I got to see you, so obviously I'll have a good night."

Back at the club, Kakucho smiles like a teenager in love when he reads Y/n's message.

"Are you in love?" Kokonoi says, smiling and pulling Kakucho out of his enchanted little world.

"Maybe I am, is there a problem?"

"Maybe if she's already married."

Kakucho looks surprised at Kokonoi, who is still smiling.

"I just want to make her happy." He says softly and Kokonoi laughs out loud.

"I know that, she's a great girl and if Haitani was foolish not to realize that, then fuck him."

Kakucho remains silent and Kokonoi continues talking.

"What if he hits her?" Kakucho feels his heart race at the thought of that possibility.

"If he touches a single strand of her hair, I'll kill him without fear."

#kakucho x reader #ran haitani x reader #sanzu haruchiyo #mikey x reader #draken x reader

[ramblingoak]

The Cardinal's Bride, Chapter 11: Confessions

~~ Please visit The Outlaw Brides Masterpost to catch up and read more stories from this world ~~

Thank you to @tasty-ribz for the wanted poster, @ghuleh-recs for the collage and @gothdaddyissues for the dividers!  For some more amazing fanart check out: @missygoesmeow (1 / 2), @snail-shell2335  here, @vahvco here, @ghulehgwen here, @rabidghoul here, @nocterish here, @enjoy-my-swearing​ ( 1 / 2 ), @blacktie-whitenoise (1 /2), @z-xmyers (1/2/3/4), @foxybouquet ( 1 / 2 ), @delulluart here, _simpera_ on instagram and valkyrieinpink on twitter.  Also thank you to @kissingghouls for all her help and emotional support.

Cardinal Copia x Female Reader ~ You finally arrive at The Ministry but Saltarian's men are closing in and threatening the lives of everyone that lives there...

Warnings: violence, angst, slight smut, NSFW 18+ only MDNI, 11k words

“So that’s his big plan?  Kill the girl and blame the rest of us?”

Secondo didn’t bother answering his brother, he kept his eyes aimed out the window towards the street below.  The sun was just starting to peek over the mountains in the distance and soon the city would wake up.  Businesses would open, children would be dragged to the schoolhouse by their parents, drunkards would be groaning into the light and thinking about their next drink.  He tipped back the rest of his own drink, the whiskey the only thing keeping his nerves calm.

“The end of the Church of Emeritus.”

“Well that’s a little fucking dramatic.”  Secondo turned to look at his brother, not at all surprised by his carefree demeanor.  Terzo didn’t care much about anything these days unless it was alcohol or someone to warm his bed.  Still, the bastard should have some sort of reaction instead of leaning back in his chair like everything was fine.  “Maybe that’s the problem, Saltarian and Copia are too similar.”

“He actually said the same about him and I.”

“Really?”  The sound of the chair legs hitting the floor echoed around the otherwise quiet room.  “You and Salty?”

“He said in a different world we could have been business partners.”  He walked back to his desk and set his empty glass down with a thunk.  “Not that it matters.”

“SÌ, it’ll be hard doing business with a dead man.”

“I’m not dead yet, fratellino.”

“Oh please, you think we stand a chance against Saltarian?  Ten years has given him ample time to build up whatever army of mercenaries he has.”  Terzo shook his head while he looked around in his coat pockets for a cigarette.  “We haven’t exactly focused on recruitment in that time.”

“No, we have not.”  

Secondo shoved a hand through his hair, groaning as he sat down at his desk.  Papers littered the top of it, things he hadn’t had time to get to in the last few days.  Things that might not even matter soon anyway. 

“What are you thinking fratello?”

“I’m thinking we don’t have a choice.”  He glanced up to meet Terzo’s eyes, the both of them glowing briefly from the flame of a match as he lit a cigarette.  “I can’t risk everything for one girl.”

“Copia won’t be happy.  From what Cirrus said he and Salty’s fiancé have gotten…close.”

“Copia will be lucky if I don’t skin him alive when he shows up.  He’s dug his own grave here.”  Secondo gritted his teeth as he thought over what Cirrus had told them when she’d gotten back.  While she hadn’t seen the two of them together, or the girl at all, the other Ghouls mentioned that something had been happening between the two.  Secondo hoped that if Copia was fucking the girl it was out of boredom and nothing else.  Anything beyond that and Secondo would have an even more difficult time with what he had to do.  “If we can get her to Saltarian relatively unharmed he’ll drop the matter.”

“He said that?”  Secondo nodded in reply, his eyes down at his desk.  While Terzo had no room to judge his decisions he still didn’t want to see the look in his eyes when he shared the rest of what Saltarian had told him.  “So what, we just dump her outside of town for one of his men to grab her?”

“We’ll need to distract Copia I’m sure, but yes.  He wants us to send her out on her own for them to get her.”

“Lucifer’s balls.”  Secondo’s expression shifted just enough for Terzo to freeze, the front of his chair once more dropping loudly onto the wood floor.  “Good luck with that.”

“What would you have me do, fratellino?  Let Saltarian and his men destroy everything again?  How many more need to die before you accept the inevitable?”

“And what’s that?  The inevitable?”

“That we don’t belong here, as we were.  That Copia’s fantasy of rebuilding our church is just that, a fantasy.  Nothing more.”  Secondo shot Terzo a glare when the younger man started laughing.  “What?”

“Out of all of us I expected you to lose your faith last.  I never expected you to consider turning in our own blood.”

“Then what would you do?  Better yet, what would The Morningstar do, huh?”

“He wouldn’t give up without a fight.”

“That’s funny, I thought he gave up a long time ago.”  Secondo immediately regretted his words, watching as the spark that had ignited in Terzo’s eyes at the mere mention of his past went out.  “Terzo…”

“You’re right, I did give up.  But Copia didn’t, he kept fighting.  He kept believing.”

“Believing in what?!  A cause that we dedicated our lives to?  A Dark Lord that was supposed to reward us for our devotion, to protect us while we celebrated what he stood for?”  He took a deep breath, lowering his voice before he continued on.  “Where was Lucifer when our lives burned to ash?”

“I don’t know, but maybe Copia does.”  Terzo stamped his cigarette out on the arm of the chair, smirking when he caught Secondo narrowing his eyes at the action.  “I’d like to hear your plan now.”

“Considering what Cirrus said I don’t think we’ll be able to convince Copia to willingly give her up.  Someone will need to convince her to do what’s best.”

“Which is what?”

“Leave Copia behind and move on with her life.  She belongs with Saltarian, not a bunch of outlaws.”

“Okie dokie, so you corner her, scare her off and then expect Copia to just let her go without a fight?”

“I’m going to try to talk some sense into him first.  You’re welcome to help with that, by the way.”

Terzo let out a sharp bark of laughter, shaking his head as he looked for another cigarette.

“You need Primo’s help, not mine.”

Secondo nodded but didn’t say anything.  Primo was the smartest of all of them, getting away from here and living on his own.  Although if Saltarian did go through with it and take them out he doubted Primo would be able to escape.  He would just be the last Emeritus standing for however brief amount of time he lasted.

“Copia will either see reason or he won’t.  I refuse to lose everything again.  Especially over some meaningless girl Copia gives two shits about beyond getting the ransom for her.”

“And what if he doesn’t see reason?”

“Then he’ll be the first to die.”

“Wake up Principessa.”

“Hm?”  You attempted to bury your face back under the warm blanket but Copia just pulled it away again.  “Hey.”

“Come on, I want to show you something.”

“It’s cold.”  He grinned, throwing his duster at you as he got up.  “Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise.  Hurry up now, before everyone else gets up.”

With a groan you escaped the warmth of the blanket, quickly shoving your arms into his duster.  Aether was sitting by the fire when you finished getting your boots on, smiling at you when you walked by.  Copia was finishing saddling Brizio when you made your way to his side.  The horse shoved past him to get to you and you laughed when Copia swore as he stumbled back a few steps.

“He likes me better I think.”

“First my Ghouls and now my horse.  What’s next?”

You wanted to say ‘hopefully his brothers’ but decided to keep that to yourself.  The imminent meeting with them was weighing heavily on you.  Sleep had been evasive the night before as you worried over what would happen when you reached The Ministry.  You once more found yourself wishing you could travel around like this with Copia and the Ghouls forever.  Dancing by the fire every night in Copia’s arms…

It was a memory you wouldn’t soon forget.

“Should I get my horse ready?”

“No, you’ll ride with me.”  He winked as he held out his hand for you, grinning when you didn’t even argue.  “Up you go.”

Once you were both settled onto Brizio he directed the horse away from camp.  The sun was just barely peeking over the mountains in the distance, casting warm light over the land and warming the temperatures up.  You still found yourself burrowing into his duster and leaning back against Copia’s chest.  He held onto the reins in one hand and kept his other arm tight around your middle, securing you as close as possible.  You placed your hand over his where it rested on your side and smiled when he interlaced your fingers.

Another moment to keep with you as long as you could.

Copia didn’t stop until you were far away from camp, hidden in a clump of trees as the sun continued to warm everything around you.  After helping you down he let Brizio wander where he wanted to.  You both watched as the horse began to much on the sparse grass, unbothered by how heavy the air had become between the two humans with him.

“Copia?”  You reached out to touch his elbow, flinching when Copia jumped at the contact.  “What’s wrong?”

“Niente.  It’s nothing.”  He shoved a hand into his pants pocket and you could hear the clinking of stones and metal as he pulled out his grucifix.  Copia let it dangle from his fingers for a moment, watching the stones sparkle in the morning light before stepping right up into your space.  “I wanted to give you this away from prying eyes.”

Your mouth fell open slightly as you watched his face.  His mismatched eyes were bright as they met yours before looking back down to the heirloom from his mother.

“I can’t…I can’t take this.”  You winced when his face fell a bit so your hands quickly covered his.  “This was your mother’s, you should keep it.”

“I want you to have it.  As a token, as a symbol of what you mean to me.”  He dropped his head and kissed the back of your hand before straightening up again.  “I want you to know.”

You held your breath as he stared at you, your hands shaking a little bit over his.

“Know what?”

He took a deep breath and pulled his hands away, shaking out the chain a bit to untangle it.  You stayed still when he lifted it up and placed it on you, being careful not to snag your hair in the metal.  When it was settled he took a moment to straighten it and then held the silver piece on the end in the palm of his hand.  You looked down at the symbol of his church, covering it with your hand to hold it between you after a moment.

“That I care about you, Principessa.  Far more than I should.”

You couldn’t help but press closer at his confession, trapping your hands between you.  His head lowered again and you let yours drop as well so your foreheads pressed together.  Both of you stayed quiet for a moment, letting Copia’s words hang between you.  It wasn’t until his free arm snuck around your waist to pull you closer that you felt brave enough to speak.

“I care about you too, Copia.”  He made a small noise in the back of his throat as he pulled his hand away from the grucifix to cup your cheek.  “I lo–”

His mouth silenced your next words, his lips hot and needy against your own.  You wrapped both of your arms around his neck, knocking his hat off so you could bury your fingers in his hair.  The kiss deepened quickly and you opened your mouth for him when his tongue demanded entry.  He groaned when you nipped at his tongue and began to walk you backwards until your back met the nearest tree.

Copia’s kisses were dizzying like always, enough to make you forget what you had almost confessed to him.  It had been bubbling up in you for days now and with everything that still laid ahead you wanted him to know.  You needed him to know how you felt.  With a gasp you pulled away, tugging on his hair a bit when he tried to lean back in.

“W-wait, I need to tell you something.”

He brought his other hand up so he could hold your face between them, his thumbs brushing across your cheeks as he looked into your eyes. 

“Not yet.  Soon, yeah?”  He kissed your forehead when you tried to speak again.  “Will you wait for me?”

You pulled away so you could catch his eyes again and your argument about wanting to tell him now froze in your throat.  Did he feel the same way?  Is this why he wanted to wait to hear you say it?   

Did he want to say it too?

“Okie dokie.”  Copia let out a burst of laughter at your use of his phrase.  He started pressing sloppy kisses all over your face until you squealed and tried to push him away.  “Stop, stop!”

He relented but tugged you close again, his arms wrapped tightly around you as his breath fanned against your ear.  

“Soon.  I promise.”  

You nodded against him, clinging to him tighter than you could remember doing so before.  After a moment you pulled away, brushing some of his hair back when you did.  Truthfully you thought you’d wait as long as it took to hear him say those words.  It wouldn’t change how you felt about him.

“Should we head back?”

“I think they’ll survive without us for a little bit longer.”  

He tilted your head up and leaned in to kiss you, deepening it quickly when you wrapped your arms around him once more.  

“How long are we going to be waiting around for them?”

“I have no idea.”  Aether continued to pack up his cooking supplies, stepping over Dewdrop’s outstretched legs while shooting him an annoyed look.  “Got somewhere to be?”

“I’d like to get back to The Ministry at some point in my life.”

“I thought you liked being on the road, you get antsy as hell when we’ve been at the casino for more than a week.”

Dew shrugged and looked around camp rather than answering right away.  Aether wasn’t wrong, he did get antsy if they were at The Ministry for too long.  He didn’t really know the best way to describe the feeling.  It was part boredom and part just not liking being cooped up.  There was always plenty to do there (Secondo was always more than happy to boss any of them around) but Dew much preferred being on the road.  

It was a helluva lot more exciting than dealing with drunks that was for sure.

“Usually we don’t have as large of a target on our back.”  Dew glanced at Aether when his friend froze while shoving things into his saddlebags.  “I’ll feel better when this whole thing is over and we have that ransom money.”

“You don’t actually think that’s still going to happen do you?”  Dew rolled his eyes when Sunshine came over and sat down beside him.  “I mean, there’s no way Copia is just gonna give her up to Saltarian now.”

“Why the fuck not?  And don’t say anything about love.”

“It’s because he loves her.”  Swiss plopped down on Dew’s other side, grinning when the smaller man groaned.  “He’s got it bad.”

“You sure it’s not an act?  They didn’t seem happy when we left the farm.”

“Well they sure as fuck are happy now.”

Dew didn’t bother answering Swiss because he knew it was pointless.  Whatever had happened before they left the farm had obviously been solved.  Just watching them dance last night had been all he needed to see.  It had made his chest ache a bit as he watched them while he had played the guitar and his friends sung every stupid love song they could think of.  He was happy for Copia, and for his princess, if they actually did love each other.  It would fuck up a lot of other shit in their lives but that’s why Dew made sure he always had plenty of ammo nearby.

“Alright so they’re in love, super.  That’s fantastic.  What the fuck are we gonna do about Saltarian?”  Dew looked around at everyone, snorting when none of his friends met his eyes.  “Also you all know that Secondo is gonna be pissed, right?”

“He’s already pissed from what Cirrus said.”  Sunshine pulled out a knife and started picking at her nails.  “We should go back to the farm.”

“And do what?”  Dew shoved her shoulder when she looked at him like he was an idiot.  “You honestly think any of us would be happy settling down and farming for the rest of our lives?  What about rebuilding the church?”

“What about it?”  Aether had wandered back over then and was staring down at the three of them.  “If we don’t have the ransom money we don’t have a way to rebuild the church, do we?”

“I vote to go back to the farm, I liked it there.”  Swiss grunted when Dew kicked at his leg.  “Fuck, what?”

“You’re telling me that you’d all be happy to live out your days farming in the middle of fucking nowhere?”  Dew looked at each of his fellow Ghouls in turn before throwing his hands up in exasperation.  “I’d rather not sleep in a barn for the rest of my life.”

“Some of us could probably sleep in the house, there’s plenty of room.”  Sunshine turned and grinned at Dew before continuing,  “Except for you though, Ethel hates you.”

“Fuck you.  She just needs to get to know me.”

“Nah we’d have to build another house or something for all of us.”  Swiss got up and stretched before holding his hand out for Sunshine to help her up.  “I think Copia and Princess would want the house to themselves.  Fill it up with a bunch of mini-Copias.”

Dew made a face before taking the hand Swiss now had outstretched for him,  “Fuck, you don’t think they’d start having kids do you?”

Swiss yanked on Dew’s hand, jerking him roughly to his feet and laughing when he swore.  With a quick move he hooked a leg behind one of Dew’s and then shoved him at the shoulders.  Dew landed on his ass with a groan before launching himself at Swiss’s legs, bringing the man down roughly onto the ground.  Aether quickly moved out of the way and stood next to Sunshine, the both of them watching the two Ghouls wrestle around and curse at each other.

“They don’t need kids, they have us.”

Sunshine flashed a grin at Aether but her smile quickly faded when something behind him caught her attention.  Aether turned to look and saw two riders coming over the hill down the road.

“Copia and Princess?”  Aether shook his head and continued to watch the riders approach, his body tensing even more when Sunshine spoke again.  “Mountain and Rain?”

Four more riders soon appeared behind the first two and Aether could see the metal of their guns glinting in the morning sun.  He shouted at Dew and Swiss before turning to meet Sunshine’s determined face.

“Fun’s over.”

It was easy to lose track of time with Copia kissing you.

He had eventually laid his duster out on the ground and pulled you down on top of it with him.  His hands were everywhere, tugging at your clothes and maneuvering you until you were in his lap.  Copia’s fingers were quick on the buttons of your shirt and as soon as he could he had a hand inside of it and under your chemise, his thumb rubbing against your nipple.  He swallowed your little gasps and whimpers, his tongue teasing against your own while his fingers teased your breast.

The more time you spent together like this the more bold you started to feel.  You were learning how he liked to be touched, how to get groans and whimpers out of him.  It made you feel powerful that you could make him feel good just like he made you feel good.  Before you could think too much about it you dropped a hand onto his crotch and began to rub his hardening cock through his pants.  Copia broke away with a desperate sounding noise, pressing his forehead against yours and panting into your mouth.

“Fuck, Principessa you–”  

The both of you suddenly froze when a barrage of distant booms invaded your little space.  Brizio made a noise and sped over towards you both, the horse experienced enough to know what those sounds meant.  He knew trouble was close and he was ready to get you both out of there.  Selfishly you wished that was what would happen, that you and Copia would jump onto Brizio and ride away from whatever trouble was nearby.  You met Copia’s gaze when he turned away from the path you had taken into the little clearing of trees.

“Is that…?”

More gunshots echoed from the way you came and Copia grabbed your waist to help you get off of him.  You quickly began to do up your shirt as he grabbed his coat and threw it on.  He was on Brizio in a second, his hand reaching down to help you get up behind him.

“Hold on tight.”

You did just that, snaking your arms and clasping your hands together around his waist as Brizio shot off down the path.  Your heart was racing as fear started to take a hold of you.  What would you be riding back to?  How many of Saltarian’s men were out there?  Were any of the Ghouls hurt?

Copia covered your hands with one of his own and squeezed them, doing his best to reassure you that everything would be alright.  As you got closer to where you had camped the night before the gunshots lessened until finally you had crested the hill and the camp was in sight.  You were tentatively looking over Copia’s shoulder, worried at what you might see.  Copia himself was tense but not as tense as you had expected so that alone helped ease your worry a bit. 

If he wasn’t going in guns blazing you would trust that everything was alright.

As you got closer there were a few bodies on the ground and you had to turn your head away.  It wasn’t something you were used to seeing just yet but at least they weren’t wearing any clothes you recognized.  Copia pulled back on Brizio’s reins as you reached the others.  Mountain strode over to help you down and despite a streak of blood down the side of his face he seemed unharmed.

“Well, well, well.  Look who decided to show up.”

“Shut up Dewdrop.”  You rushed over to the smoldering campfire to see Aether leaning over Dew, his hands red with blood.  “Stay still, damn it.”

“Is he ok?”  

You dropped to your knees on the other side of Dew, wincing when you saw the blood spreading on his right thigh.

“He’s fine, just got grazed.” 

“Fine?!  Speak for yourself, this fucking hurts.”

“Don’t act like you haven’t been shot before.”  Aether grabbed the torn part of Dewdrop’s pants and tugged at the fabric, ripping it open so he could see the wound better.  He shoved at one of Dew’s hands when the Ghoul tried to push Aether away.  “Knock it off.”

You looked up when a shadow fell over the three of you, Sunshine offering you a reassuring smile before she knelt down next to you.

“How’s the patient?”

“I’m bleeding out.”  Dew hissed when Aether prodded at the wound.  “Unholy fuck, what are you doing to me?!”

“Will you two hold him down please?”

Sunshine moved around so she was at Dew’s back and slid her arms around his chest to keep his arms immobile.  When Aether nodded towards Dew’s other leg you placed your hands down on it to try and keep it still.  He was still twitching and hissing as Aether checked the wound over but he quieted down when Copia came over to hold his ankles.

“Anyone else get hurt?”

“Mountain and Rain came back with some scrapes but otherwise Dew got the worst of it.”  Copia nodded and muttered something in Italian under his breath when Dew tried to wriggle away.  “Hold still, I need to stitch you up.”

“I’d rather you didn’t.”

“Maybe you should move out of the way faster next time to avoid getting shot.”

Sunshine’s voice had a teasing lilt to it but you could tell by the tightness of her features that she was putting on a bit of an act.

“Maybe you should go fuck yourself.  I only got this because I pushed you out of the way!” 

You bit back a smile as they continued to banter, your eyes watching Aether stitch up the wound on Dew’s leg.  Aether caught your eyes and gave you a reassuring smile.

“Stick around Princess and you’ll be helping me patch everyone up in no time.”  

“I think I will.”  Copia and Aether looked your way so you grinned back at them.  “Stick around.  And helping.”

Copia reached over and tucked some of your hair back behind your ear, a dopey smile on his face.

“Ugh, fucking kill me.”  You snorted when you looked away from Copia, blushing a bit when you noticed the three Ghouls watching you.  Dewdrop was making a disgusted face and he dropped his head back against Sunshine’s chest.  “Seriously I’d rather bleed out than watch the lovebirds any more.”

“Sorry buddy, you’re not gonna die on us today.”  Aether tied off the final stitch and sat back to admire his work.  “Let’s get it wrapped up and then get you on your feet.”

Copia took one of your hands and helped pull you to your feet as he rose.  He didn’t let go, instead tugging you closer so you were pressed into his side.

“We need to get packed up and get out of here.”  

He kissed your forehead before turning to look out towards where Mountain, Rain and Swiss were working on getting the bodies of Saltarian’s men gathered.  

“Do you think there are more of them?”

His hand squeezing yours was all the answer you needed.  Of course there were more.  You took a deep breath to try and calm yourself down while your mind raced with the thought of how many others might be sent to get you.  

“Hey, look at me.”  Copia gripped your chin gently and forced your head up.  You were a bit embarrassed at the tears that had been forming in your eyes but he just smiled at you and kissed your nose.  “What did I promise you?

“That you’d keep me safe.”

“SÌ.  I keep my promises, Principessa.”

With a few more kisses he helped ease your worries and you let yourself lean against him.  Letting him take your weight a bit as you soaked in the feeling of being safe in his arms.  Whatever the road to the casino brought you knew he would be there and you knew he would do everything he could to keep you safe.  

Everything would be ok as long as he was with you.

The arrival at The Ministry was rushed.

You barely had time to take in the town around it before the large building was looming in front of you.  Oil lamps were lit up and down the street as well as inside the businesses that lined it as the sun began to set.  Copia had directed you to wear the hat Ethel had given you and Sunshine had thrown her coat over you.  You weren’t sure what the point was because you doubted anyone in this town wouldn’t recognize Copia and his Ghouls but you let them do whatever they felt was necessary.

Behind the casino were the stables and another building, this one much smaller.  You dismounted with everyone else and looked around trying to take everything in.  A few men wandered out of the stable and exchanged words with Copia before they started to get the horses inside.  Everyone started taking their bags and other belongings off the horses before they began to wander towards the smaller building.

“That’s where we stay.”  You jumped a bit at Sunshine’s voice, glancing at her when she stopped right next to you.  “The Ghoul dorms.  That’s home.”

“It’s…nice?”

She snorted, shaking her head as she threw an arm over your shoulder.  Dewdrop and Swiss wandered by on your other side, the larger Ghoul helping his friend limp along.

“It ain’t much but it’s a roof and I don’t have to share a room.”  She threw you a wink before pulling you along a little faster.  “Unless I want to.”

“Will I be staying here too?”

“Oh shit yeah, we gotta keep you close.  Hey boss!”  You turned to see Copia jogging your way, his bags slung over his shoulders and his rifle in his hands.  “Where should I put her?”

“My room.”  It was Copia’s turn to wink at you and your face heated up immediately.  “I need to drop my stuff off and then go find Secondo.”

It was busier inside than you had expected.  People that you assumed were Ghouls as well greeting everyone as they went inside.  Swiss was nearly tackled by a smaller woman and she squealed when he lifted her up to swing her around.

“That’s Aurora.”  Sunshine pointed at the woman and then started pointing at various others that were around, rattling off names you had no hope of remembering just yet.  “You’ll meet Cumulus and Cirrus later, they’re probably performing right now.”

“Do you perform?”

“Only if Secondo asks nicely.”  Your nerves came back at the sound of his name.  You were getting more and more scared thinking about meeting him, wondering how he would react to you.  “Hey, don’t worry about him.  He’s more bark than bite.”

“What about Terzo?  Will I meet him too?”

“Not if I can help it.”  Copia’s voice was dark at the mention of his brother but you could see Sunshine trying to hide a grin.  “Come on, Principessa.  Follow me.”

Sunshine gave your shoulder a squeeze before wandering off and dumping her bags on a nearby table.  You tried to look around as much as you could while Copia directed you up some stairs and down a hallway.  He stopped at a door at the end, shoving a key into the lock before pushing it open and leading you inside.

His room was a lot nicer than you had expected, although it was messy.  The unmade bed in the corner was bigger than the one you shared at Ethel’s.  Thinking about sharing a bed again had you blushing once more so you quickly looked around at the rest of the space.  There were two doors open that led onto a small balcony and when you walked closer you could see another street full of people milling around as the night darkened.

Other than that there was a dresser and a few small tables.  All of which were covered with weaponry of some sort.  Guns, knives and bullets spread over every surface.  As you wandered closer to the large dresser he had you saw a few little trinkets and while you were tempted to poke around you didn’t want to pry into his things too much.  This was definitely his space and you were a stranger here.

“Principessa?”  You startled at his voice, spinning to find him right behind you with a grin on his face.  “What do you think?”

“It’s nice.”  He slid an arm around your waist and brought you closer, his eyes focusing on your lips.  “Nicer than I expected.”

“Hmm, should I be offended?”

“No, no.  It’s just not as bare as I thought it would be.”

“Ah, well perhaps it could use a woman’s touch, eh?”  You rolled your eyes when he pressed you back against his dresser.  It reminded you of that moment at Ethel’s when you had kissed for the first time.  “There’s something else that could use a woman’s touch too.”

“Oh?  And what would that b–”

“Fratellino!”

It was Copia’s turn to startle and he quickly shoved you behind him as he turned towards the door.  There was a man leaning against the frame, a smirk that was even more infuriating than the ones Copia used to give you on his face.  If the smirk didn’t give him away as one of Copia’s brothers the eyes definitely did.  Otherwise he couldn’t look more different, his hair was dark, nearly black.  His clothes were a lot nicer too.  His ensemble was mostly black besides a dark purple waistcoat.  Your eyes were also drawn to the shiny star pinned on his chest.

“Terzo.  Get the fuck out.”

“Ah, Copia.  You don’t mean that.”  He wandered into the room, still smirking as his eyes didn’t leave you and Copia.  “Won’t you at least introduce me to your bella amica?”

“No.  Fuck off.”

“Well I suppose there’s no point in introductions.  We all know who she is.”  Terzo threw you a wink before wandering over to Copia’s bed and sitting on the edge.  You couldn’t help but stare at him, your eyes looking over his bare face wondering if he ever wore makeup like Copia did.  “See anything you like, bella?”

“Not really.”  

Copia snorted, squeezing your waist briefly before letting you go to walk closer to his brother.

“I can already see you two are a good match.”

“What do you want, Terzo?”  Copia had his hands on his hips as he stared down at his brother.  “We just got here.”

“SÌ, I know.  It wasn’t hard to miss your arrival.”  Terzo’s face lost its teasing edge for a moment while he considered his brother.  “Secondo wants to see you.”

“He can fuck off too.”

“No fratellino, you need to talk to him.  There have been some…developments since we sent Cirrus your way.”  

You started nervously fiddling with your shirt as the two spoke, feeling as if you were listening in to a conversation you weren’t supposed to hear.

“I think we ran into some of those developments on the way here.  A band of Saltarian’s men attacked us.”  Copia turned to walk back over to you but Terzo shot his hand out and grabbed his wrist to stop him.  “Che cosa?”

“You’re lucky you only ran into one group of them, there are a lot more and they’re all looking for her.”

You could see Copia bite his lip as he thought over Terzo’s words.  The worry lines on his face deepened as well and it took a lot of your self control not to wander over and try to smooth them out with your fingers.  Copia looked up and caught your gaze.  It bothered you that he didn’t even try to give you a reassuring look.

“Fine.  Let’s go.”

“How about I stay here and get to know your lady, hmm?”  Terzo grunted when Copia grabbed his vest and yanked him off the bed.  “Okay!  Lucifer’s balls, you need to lighten up, fratellino.”

Copia shoved him towards the door, watching as he wandered out with one final wink being sent your way.  You watched as Copia stared at the door, the only thing moving was his chest as he breathed.

“Copia?”

“Stay here.”  His voice was rough, similar to how he talked to you when you first met.  You winced at the memory but he quickly spun towards you and held his hands up.  “Per favore.”

“Am I safe here?”

“SÌ!  SÌ, you are safe here I promise you.”  He quickly moved back in front of you and cradled your head in his hands.  “I don’t want you on your own just yet.  Until I know what’s going on.”

You nodded, closing your eyes when he pressed a few kisses into your forehead.  When he pulled away you looked at him, trying to offer him a reassuring smile but knowing it wasn’t really working.  He kissed it away, his lips soft against yours.  It was easy to get lost in him, to focus on this moment right now and not what might happen in the future.  You were embarrassed at how your fingers clutched at his shirt when he backed away.

“I’m sorry.  I just…”

“I know, Principessa.”  He took your hands and rubbed his thumbs along the back of them before bringing them up so he could kiss along the pads of your fingers.  “I’m worried too.  Just stay here.  Lock the door behind me, yeah?”

“Okie dokie.”

He smiled, moving in for a fierce kiss on your mouth before quickly pulling away and heading out the door.  You followed him slowly, watching as he headed down the hall and down the stairs.  With a deep breath you finally closed it, turning the lock firmly and then leaning your head against the wood.

At this point you weren’t sure who you should pray to but you decided to say one to whoever might be listening that everything would be ok.

The lure of having a bed to sleep in was too much to resist.

It felt weird to poke around his room when he wasn’t there so at first you just looked out his balcony doors.  The city was still alive with people even at how late the hour had become.  You found yourself imagining what each person’s life was like as they passed along the street below.  It was so different from where you were from, so different from what you were used to.  You couldn’t help but imagine yourself living here, thinking about what you might do every day.

Thinking about sharing a life with Copia.

You turned to stare at the door to his room, wondering what was taking him so long.  It had been hours at this point and your anxiety was high imagining what Copia and Secondo might be talking about.  There was no doubt in your mind that they were talking about you but what did that involve?  What had really happened while Saltarian had come here?  You shook your head like that action alone would make your worries leave.

There was so much happening, so much to deal with, that it was overwhelming for you.  It had to be even worse for Copia.  You wished you knew what was going through his head, what he felt like his options were.  Saltarian wouldn’t give him the ransom money without also having you in his possession.  You clenched your hands into fists at that thought.  At how men like your father and Saltarian treated you.  Like a thing someone could own, like a trinket to be put on display.  You didn’t belong to anyone.

But you did belong with Copia, that you knew.  That was something you could feel in your heart.  You felt it every time he looked at you.  Even when it was that smug smile of his, even when he was teasing you.  You felt it when he touched you, when he kissed you.  Your only hope was that Copia felt the same.

With a heavy sigh you turned towards his bed, deciding that it would be best to try to get some sleep rather than let your worries take over.  You slipped your shoes and pants off before crawling in under the covers.  They were a lot softer than you had expected, much more comfortable than the horse blankets you had become used to.  Your eyes quickly grew heavy, your mind finally quieting from all your fretting.  You fell asleep to the thought of sharing this bed with Copia for many days to come.

The room was bathed in morning light when you woke up again.

There was a slight chill so you found yourself pressing harder against the warm body next to you.  Copia had finally come back a few hours after you had climbed into bed.  He had stayed quiet, just wrapped his arms around you and held you close.  His grip had remained tight throughout the early morning hours, like he was afraid you’d get up and leave if he let go.  Your hold on him was equally strong, using him as a shield against your worries.

“You awake, Principessa?”

Instead of answering you turned in his arms and buried your face against him.  The dark hair that covered his chest tickled your nose but you stayed still, daring to press a kiss right over the strange tattoo he had.  His chest rumbled beneath your lips and in a quick move he rolled so that you were laying under him, his body effectively pinning you onto the bed.

You expected him to tease you but instead of talking his lips immediately were on yours, his tongue pressing against them and demanding entrance.  With a soft groan you opened your mouth and flicked your tongue against his.  Copia angled his head and deepened the kiss even more, like he was starving and you were the only thing keeping him alive.

The memory of what he had said after his apology creeped into your mind, of how he had promised to make you his when he had you in a bed again.  It made you feel bold, he made you feel bold, so you shoved your fingers into his hair and wrapped a leg around his waist.  He ground down against you and a much louder groan left you when you felt how hard he was.  It pressed insistently against you, right where you needed him the most.  When Copia suddenly pulled away you cried out, trying to use your leg to keep him close.

“Copia, please.  You sa–”

“I know, I know.”  Copia dropped his head into the crook of your neck and you could hear him mumble something in Italian before he pulled up to look into your eyes.  “You are a temptress.”

“Is it working?”  You weren’t sure when you had become so bold but it was probably somewhere between the farmhouse and the casino.  Copia cursed under his breath when you lifted your head up to kiss him along his jaw.  “You have me in a bed, in your bed.”

“Do I?  I hadn’t noticed.”  With a grunt he pressed against you once more, pushing you down into the bedding.  “Was there something you needed, Principessa?”

“You.”

His eyes darkened and with a quick move he had you flipped so you were sprawled on top of him.  One of his hands was in your hair, his mouth already on yours again.  His other hand slid down your back until it stopped on your ass, gripping the flesh tightly and holding you still.  You moaned when he spread his legs open and you felt his hardness between your legs again.  It was straining against his pants and you wiggled against it, gasping into his mouth when you felt it twitch.  He tugged on your hair, pulling you away from his mouth and then turning you so you were both on your sides facing each other.

“I knew I should have slept on the floor.”  He chuckled when you tried to pinch his side, easily grabbing your hand and bringing it to his mouth so he could kiss your palm.  “Mi dispiace, Principessa.  You’ll have to wait a bit longer for me.”

“What?”  You pulled away when he tried to kiss you.  “Why?”

“I need to leave.  And soon.”

Your heart sank and you put your hands on his chest to put some distance between you both.

“Leave?  Leave where?”  

“Those men we ran into yesterday, that wasn’t the only group of them lurking around.”  When you didn’t budge he sighed and rolled over onto his back.  “Secondo said there were more of them north of town.”

“Then why are you leaving?  Shouldn’t you stay here?”

“You know why.”  Copia’s eyes were soft when he turned to look at you.  He reached over slowly to cup your cheek.  “I have to keep you safe.”

“I feel safest when I’m with you, Copia.”  

“You will be safe here, I promise.”  He started stroking his thumb back and forth along your cheek.  “Sunshine and Aether will be here.”

Your eyes widened briefly, surprised he wouldn’t want to take them along but also a little grateful that you’d have people you knew nearby.  You bit your lip and scooted closer to him, resting your chin on his shoulder.

“How long will you be gone?”

“Hopefully not long, two days at the most I think.”  His hand on your cheek slid back into your hair and he rubbed his fingers along your scalp.  “Stick with Sunshine, she’ll keep you safe.”

“And what about you?  Who will keep you safe?”  

Copia laughed, the sound doing wonders to calm your nerves.  He moved his hand and his fingers started tracing the chain of his grucifix that you still wore. 

“Brizio.”  You couldn’t help but laugh yourself, shaking your head against his shoulder.  After a moment you moved so you could kiss his skin.  Pressing your lips onto every freckle you could.  “You’re making it very hard for me to leave, Principessa.”

“Good.”

Copia turned again and easily wrapped you up in his arms, holding you close against his chest once more.  Tears started to form in your eyes but you squeezed them shut as hard as you could, not wanting him to see how upset you were.  You trusted him to stay safe, you trusted whoever he took with him to keep him safe too.  

“Stay in here or stay with Sunshine.  Avoid Secondo, eh?”

“I don’t even know what he looks like.”

“Trust me, you’ll know him when you see him.”  

You huffed against his skin, your nerves spiking while you wondered why you needed to stay away from him at all. 

“What about Terzo?”

“Don’t you worry about him.”  Copia touched your chin and tilted your head up so he could give you a brief kiss before leaning back and grinning.  “I’m taking that stronzo with me.”

Sunshine refused to let you mope in Copia’s room.

A few hours after he left she showed up at your door, a wide grin on her face.  The Ghoulette didn’t give you any other option besides going with her so you reluctantly left the safety of Copia’s room and tagged along.  The first place you stopped at was a room further down the hall and you could already hear Dewdrop’s grumbling before Sunshine even opened the door.  Aether was in there as well, quietly checking on the stitches he had put in the day before.

After a few minutes of Sunshine needling Dew Aether practically shoved the both of you out.  Sunshine took you around the halls above the common area, pointing out who stayed where.  You had no hope of remembering where everyone’s rooms were, except Copia’s at least.  But it was fun to see where everyone lived regardless.  

You had hoped to meet Aurora and Cirrus but they had gone with Copia and the others.  Sunshine mentioned that Secondo hadn’t been very happy when he found out but honestly it didn’t seem like Secondo was happy about a lot of things.  You had so many questions about him, and Terzo, on the tip of your tongue but you decided to keep them to yourself for now.  Copia would probably be the better person to ask anyway.

The day progressed slowly, which did little to ease your worries.  Sunshine did her best to keep you occupied and you even went back to see Aether for a bit.  He helped you redo some of Dew’s stitches when the Ghoul had decided to ignore the fact that he was supposed to stay still.  Aether seemed pleased with your work and even Dew was relatively quiet while you finished tying them off.  It made you feel good being able to contribute in some way.

It made you feel like you had a place here.

As the day wore on you could tell Sunshine was getting a little bored of babysitting.  She also seemed on edge so you imagined that she was also worried, just like you were.  It couldn’t be easy to be left behind when your friends were riding into danger.  Although friends almost didn’t seem like the best word anymore.  It was clear that Copia and his Ghouls had formed a family.  You only hoped that someday they would consider you a part of it as well.

When night fell you decided it would be best to head back to Copia’s room.  The common area where the Ghouls stayed was getting a little rowdy and Sunshine was fielding a lot of questions regarding your presence.  You had no reason to think any of them had ill intentions but it still made you nervous not having Copia at your side to help keep some of them at bay.  Sunshine pulled you into a hug when you started to head for the stairs and you found yourself leaning into your embrace.  

Perhaps you were already considered family.

The hall towards Copia’s room was quiet but you still found yourself taking careful steps along the wood.  When you got inside you turned and gently closed the door, leaning your forehead against it for a moment and taking a few deep breaths.  You weren’t looking forward to a night alone but hopefully Copia would be back in the morning. 

“So you’re Copia’s Principessa.”

At the sound of the deep voice behind you your blood seemed to freeze.  Slowly you turned, knowing that behind you was the one person you were most nervous to meet.  He stood in the middle of the room, a much taller figure than you had expected.  Again you were struck by the differences between him and his brothers but there was no mistaking what the different colored eyes symbolized.

There was no doubt that this was Secondo Emeritus.

“I-yes.  Yes.”  You winced when your voice cracked, knowing that he was probably the type of guy that quickly cataloged every little reaction people had around him.  “Is Copia ok?”

“I would imagine so considering there’s nothing out there for him to find.”

“What?”  You pressed your back against the door.  It felt like you needed as much distance as possible from this man but you had no idea why.  “I thought there were more of Saltarian’s men?”

“I have no doubt that there are, but they aren’t in the direction I sent him.”  His voice was calm, almost bored as he spoke.  “But it was an easy way to separate him from you.  I knew he wouldn’t sit idly by if he was worried for your safety.”

“Why did you need to separate us?”

“Because I need to talk with you one on one without mio fratellino interfering.”  Secondo took a few steps towards you making you wish you had more room to back up.  “Because I need you gone before he gets back.”

“Gone?”

He snorted, shaking his head in annoyance at your question.  You were sure that to him you were just some stupid city girl, much like how Copia originally thought of you.

“You don’t even know what you’ve done, do you?”

A flash of anger flared inside of you and you took a step towards him, feeling a moment of bravery.

“What I’ve done?  Copia is the one that kidnapped me!”

“I’m aware of that but it seems circumstances have changed, don’t you agree?”  He shoved his hands in his pockets as he stared you down.  “From what I’ve been told you two have gotten…close.”

“That’s none of your business.”

With a snarl Secondo moved towards you and you once more felt the door against your back.

“No, Principessa, it is my business.  Copia’s idiotic plan has put my livelihood at risk.  It has put my family at risk.  And for what?  An easy fuck with some stupid girl.”

“It’s not just…we haven’t…”  You stopped, unable and unwilling to finish what you were going to say.  “He cares about me.”

“Does he?  Or does he just care about what you can get him?”  Secondo laughed when you didn’t answer right away.  “I’ve known him a lot longer than you have.  I know what motivates him, I know why he does what he does.”

Your mind was racing, trying to cling to every moment you and Copia had shared.  What Secondo was implying wasn’t true, it couldn’t be true.  You refused to give in to those thoughts. 

“I don’t think you know him at all.”

“Think whatever you like, it doesn’t matter.  Whatever you think is going on between you two is over.  You need to leave.”

“No!  I’m not leaving him.”

“Let me ask you this, do you care about him?”

“I…”  You took a deep breath and straightened your shoulders, refusing to look scared in front of him.  “I love him.”

“Then you have to leave.”  Secondo held up a hand when you opened your mouth, stopping you from arguing with him.  “Saltarian was here, as I’m sure you heard.  He’s decided to use your kidnapping as a way to destroy us once and for all.”

“How?”

“You’re more than a business pawn to him now.  You’re a way for him to be rid of the Church of Emeritus forever.  He’s going to keep sending men after Copia, after you, and he doesn’t care if you get caught in the crossfire.”

“Why not?”

“Because he’ll blame it on Copia, on our church that barely exists anymore.  He’ll use it as an excuse to burn everything we’ve rebuilt.”  Secondo seemed to deflate a bit, his shoulders sagging under some invisible weight.  “He’ll kill us all.”

“And if I go?”

“He agreed that if I could get you to him he would leave us be.”  He let out a humorless laugh and looked around Copia’s room.  “Unless provoked.”

“Copia will come after me.”

“Then you’ll have to convince him not to.”  He pointed over to a small table against the wall and you saw a pen sticking out of an ink well.  It was obvious he’d brought it with him.  “Write him a letter, tell him you’d rather be with Saltarian.”

“He won’t believe me!”

“I’m not going to let you destroy what has taken me a decade to build.  I don’t care what you write, whatever it takes to make him think you don’t want him anymore.”

You sagged against the door, gripping the handle to keep yourself from falling onto the floor.  Tears were streaming down your face but you didn’t bother wiping them off.  Your hand came up to your chest and you clutched at the grucifix from where it was hiding under your shirt.

“Please, I don’t want to go.”

“What did you actually think would happen here?  Did you think you’d find a job dealing cards or serving drinks?”  Secondo took a few steps closer, towering over you.  “Can you sing?  Can you dance?”

“No, bu–”

“You don’t belong here, girl.  With Copia or with us.  Stop fooling yourself if you think he feels the same way about you.”  He held a hand out then and you stared at the worn black leather glove that covered it.  “If you love him you need to leave.”

“When?”

“Now.  They will be back in the morning I’m sure.”  

You nodded, pressing your hands against the floor to push yourself back up, refusing to accept his help.  

“Where should I go?”

“South, the road you came in on.”  You felt his eyes on you as you wandered over to the table, your hands trembling as you picked up the pen and held it above the paper he had left there.  “There will be men waiting to take you to Saltarian.”

“And Copia?”

Secondo already had his hand on the door handle but he turned towards you when you spoke.  

“What about him?”

“Will he…will he be ok?”  

Would he be safe?  Would Saltarian leave him alone, would he leave all of you alone? 

Would he miss you?

Secondo spent a few moments watching you, his face set in stone.  

“He’ll get over it.”

The ‘over you’ was obvious so you just nodded, turning away from him to stare down at the blank sheet of paper.  More tears were falling and you didn’t want Secondo to see them.  You gripped the grucifix again, tracing the stones with your thumb through the fabric of your shirt.  When the door closed behind you it was as if all the strength left your body and you fell to your knees to weep for the life you almost had.

Copia wanted to go home.

Although he wasn’t sure if he had ever felt like The Ministry was home.  It was just someplace to keep what few things he owned.  To gather with the Ghouls and to plan whatever scheme against Saltarian he came up with next.  The main reason he wanted to get off the fucking road and go back there was you.  He was pissed that he had left you but Secondo hadn’t given him much of a choice.  

The conversation with his brothers hadn’t gone well.  Like Copia expected, Secondo was pissed over the kidnapping.  But he had never felt the fire Copia did to get revenge on Saltarian.  He had never understood why Copia had dedicated the last ten years to taking him down.  It was so close to being over with though, Copia was so close to feeling peace for the first time in so long.  His soul ached for it.

Just like it ached for you.

He glanced around the campfire, irritated that Terzo had insisted on stopping for the night.  There hadn’t been a damn sign of any of Saltarian’s men.  Rain had rode ahead countless times but each time he had come back with nothing.  Not a single sign that any men had been around those parts recently.  That fact was eating at Copia, a feeling he couldn’t shake and it kept getting worse as the hours wore on.

“Sunshine’ll take care of her boss.  She’ll be fine.”

Copia nodded towards Swiss, appreciating the Ghoul trying to reassure him.  It wasn’t too long ago that a moment like this would have made him feel weak.  That his feelings towards you would have made him feel weak.  All of that had been changing though, especially since leaving Ethel’s.  You had carved a place for yourself inside of his chest.  He closed his eyes for a moment, letting himself picture you in his bed in nothing but a baggy shirt and his grucifix laying over your heart.

Fuck this.

He stood up and grabbed his blanket off the ground, throwing it over his shoulder as he picked up what little else he had around him.

“Boss?”

“I’m leaving.”  

Copia stepped over Swiss’s legs to make his way over to Brizio but he stopped at the sound of Terzo’s voice.

“You seem impatient fratellino, is there somewhere else you’d rather be right now?”  Terzo grinned when Copia shot him a look.  “Or maybe it’s someone you’d rather be with?  I can’t say I blame you.”

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“Salty’s fiancé.  I can see why you stayed away for so long.”

“We stayed away because you told us to.”

“Oh that was Secondo, I didn’t really give a fuck.”  Terzo laughed at Copia’s irritated face.  “Che cosa?  A little excitement never hurt anyone.”

“The only excitement you seem to enjoy anymore takes place in a bed.”

“Or a couch, a chair, a table…I’m not picky.”  Copia just rolled his eyes and started moving towards his horse again, only stopping when Terzo stood up and went after him.  “This girl, your ‘Principessa’, she’s very beautiful.”

“Is she?” 

Copia stayed absolutely still as he waited for Terzo to continue.  The chatter from the Ghouls around them had stopped, everyone seeming to be waiting to see where Terzo was going with this.

“Don’t play coy, she’s exactly the type of girl you always go for.”

“I’m not ‘going’ for her.  She’s here for a specific purpose, that’s all.”

“Really?  I could have sworn there was something else going on between you both.”  Copia stayed quiet, unwilling to play whatever game Terzo wanted to start.  His brother grinned when Copia didn’t immediately take the bait.  “In that case you won’t mind if she and I become better acquainted, will you?”

Copia heard one of the Ghouls mutter ‘oh fuck’ but it was quiet enough he couldn’t pinpoint who.  He turned so he was facing Terzo head on, he had an infuriating smile on his face and it just seemed to grow as he watched Copia’s reaction.

“Mi scusi?”

“I just figured there will be a few days before we can set up a rendezvous with Saltarian’s men so what’s the harm if she and I have some fun?”  Terzo laughed when Copia grabbed the front of his shirt.  “What’s the problem?”

“You don’t get to touch her.”

“And what if I do?  What if I touch her just how she wants and she makes some pretty noises for me?”  Terzo ignored every warning sign he had ever learned about his younger brother and kept going.  “What if she chooses m—cazzo!”

Copia’s fist was swift and powerful when it landed on Terzo’s chin.  The crack echoed around the small camp followed by the sounds of more blows landing.  He was like a man possessed as he shoved Terzo onto his back and slammed his fist into his face again and again.  Swiss and Mountain rushed over, grabbing at Copia’s arms but he shoved them away, snarling something dark when Terzo laughed.  Swiss finally shoved his entire body into Copia’s side and managed to knock him over.

“Belial, Copia stop!” 

“Get off me!”  Copia was wild as he tried to get his friend off of him.  “I’ll fucking kill him!”

“Awfully testy over a bargaining chip, fratellino!”  

Terzo’s taunting words just had Copia fighting harder and Cirrus came over to try to help keep him on the ground.

“Satan’s dick Terzo, just shut the fuck up.”

The man just flashed Cirrus a bloodstained grin before wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

“I just wanted to see if I was right or not.”

Copia stopped fighting for a moment, lifting his head off the ground to look at his brother.

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“I told Secondo you had fallen for this girl.  I could tell.”

“Why does it matter?”  

Swiss and Cirrus let Copia sit up, staying close in case he went after his brother again.  

“Well it changes things, doesn’t it?  If you like her.”

Copia was silent because Terzo was right, it did change things.  He hadn’t wanted to think about how his plan would have to change after his feelings for you did.  Mostly he just wanted to get to the casino, to get you someplace safe, before he worried about anything else.  

Before he told you how he really felt.

There was something about the look on Terzo’s face that worried him.  A look that always seemed to precede bad news ever since they were kids.

“What did you do?”

“Well again, this was mostly Sec–”

“Terzo what the fuck did you do?!”

His hand was shaking as he held your note.

The grucifix was in his other hand, the stones glittering in the morning light.  He had been reading your words over and over, trying to absorb them.  Trying to get them to make some sort of sense but his brain refused to work.  It was like his entire body had shut down.  Thanks to Terzo he knew that you had written it under Secondo’s direction but it still hurt.  It hurt to see you write that you didn’t want to be with him, that you felt your life would be better with Saltarian.

Even if you didn’t mean it, he was determined now to prove you wrong.

“Let her go, Copia.”

He crumpled the note in his hand as he turned to glare at Secondo.  Copia could feel the bite from the chain of his grucifix even through his glove.  

“Fuck you.”

Secondo narrowed his eyes while he took a few steps towards him.  When he saw Copia’s hand drift towards his gun belt he stopped and threw his hands up in exasperation.

“Really?  Over some stupid girl?”  He shook his head as he looked his brother over, his eyes finally falling on the grucifix.  “Don’t tell me you gave that to her.”

“What I do is none of your fucking concern, fratello.”  Copia started towards the door, shoving the grucifix in his pocket and dropping the note.  Secondo grabbed his arm as he attempted to pass him and Copia shoved him back with a snarl.  “Touch me again and you’ll regret it.”

“You and Terzo are both fools.  Giving something like that to any pretty face willing to share your bed.”  

Behind Secondo Copia could see Sunshine and Swiss waiting in the hallway, the both of them ready to follow Copia wherever he went.  

“Where did she go?”

“Where she belongs!”

Copia shook his head and moved past his brother again, nodding at Sunshine and Swiss as he went by.  He could hear their footsteps close behind him and when he got to the bottom of the steps he was happy to see the rest of his Ghouls ready to go as well.

“Rain and Mountain already headed out to find her trail.”  Sunshine’s voice was tight with worry behind him and he turned to meet her eyes.  “Copia I’m sor–”

“It’s fine, it’s not your fault.”  She nodded but didn’t look very convinced.  He turned to see Aether arguing with Dewdrop, probably trying to convince the man he shouldn’t be riding with his wound.  Right now Copia didn’t care, who knew where you were at this point?  He needed all the help he could get.  “You two get the horses ready.”

They quickly headed out the door and Copia was left in the common room with Sunshine and Swiss.  He stiffened when the stairs started creaking behind him as Secondo followed them down.

“If you go after her you doom us all.”

“We’re already doomed.  If you think Saltarian wouldn’t eventually come after us you’re a fool.”

“What makes this girl worth it?  Why are you willing to risk your life, to risk all of our lives for her?”

Copia turned to stare at his brother, feeling the eyes of the other Ghouls on him.  He was sure now.  Sure about how he felt for you.  Sure that you were his and that he was yours.  

Sure that he would kill anyone that hurt you.

“Because I love her.”

Go to Chapter 12: Diavolessa

If you'd like to be added/removed from the tag list (or if I accidentally left your name off) of this fic or any of my others please leave a comment or send me a dm! Thank you 💙

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#my fics #my writing #cardinal copia x female reader #copia x female reader #the band ghost fanfiction #ghost band fanfiction #copia fanfiction #the band ghost fanfic #ghost band fanfic #copia x reader #the cardinal's bride #cowboy copia

[thebucketpail]

Of course the one time I actually fill a prompt I forget to save it and end up losing it to the tumblr void.

Alas, if I find it I'll link it but until then, have this.

Tw: light gore, mentions of vivisection

____________

This wasn't the team's first lab break in and it definitely wouldn't be their last. That is to say, they've seen alot of shit. Alot of mad scientists and what resulted from their insanity, their cruelty. But they had never expected to find something like this on what was supposed to be a low stakes mission.

Robin had been the first to find the dingy little cell, not far from the main lab, and stood stunned in abject horror as the others came in behind him.

"Oh god," he heard Arrowette whisper, followed by a litany of strangled gasps and the sound of Superboy's knuckles cracking.

It was terrible, but Robin couldn't manage to tear his eyes away from the curled up teen tied to the wall.

The boy was unconscious, his stark white hair, matted with grime and some green substance, covered the top of his face, a muzzle covered the bottom. What was left visible was littered with cuts and angry purple bruises. Whatever clothes he had been wearing were tattered and torn, displaying yet more injuries.

What was probably the worst, as far as Robin could tell, was the dirty gauze haphazardly taped to his neck. The dressings were soaked through with more of that green liquid, which Robin relised with a hobble sink to his gut was probably the kid's blood.

Robin swallowed the bile threatening to rise to his throat and turned back toward his team. He took a deep breath.

"Okay, new plan," he said, doing his best to keep his leader voice, "Superboy, you get those chains off him. Team, this is no longer an Intel mission, this is search and rescue. Impulse, Secret, Arrowette, fan out. Check the rest of the building for any other prisoners. If you find anyone then report immediately. WG, you call back to Red. I'll see what I can pull out of their database. Remember to keep your heads."

A round of nods was all he got in return before everyone set out on their tasks.

Robin had just wormed his way to into the system when Superboy walked in, the unconscious kid in his arms, and a seriously pissed expression on his face.

"I never thought Cadmus could go this far," he growled, brows furrowing.

Robin grunted on acknowledgement, then made a light sound of surprise as the archaic system finally loaded.

"Well then it's a good thing we aren't at Cadmus then," he mumbled disbelieving as he dove further and further into the newly available files. Quickly, he pulled an empty USB from his utility belt and set to work downloading what looked important, facility locations, blueprints, documents, research, etc.

"Where are we then?" Superboy asked, setting the kid down to peer over Robin's shoulder.

"Some place called the GIW, ghost investigation ward," Robin murmered, "according to these files, they're some kind of government org, designed to hunt and study ghosts. Our guy over there," he jutted his chin toward the kid, "is apparently really powerful. They have alot of files on him and something called the ghost zone."

Suddenly they were interrupted by a serious of loud crashes followed by shouting and Impulse zipping into the room.

"Heyguyswegottago," he sped out before taking in a huge lung full of air and continuing at a slightly slower pace. Slightly. "Reinforcements just arrived and they don't look like they're happy to see us. We couldn't find anyone else other then some asshole scientists. Cissie kicked their butts."

Robin nodded and pulled the USB from the port. "Tell the other to meet back at the super cycle, it's time to go." Impulse nodded and sped back off.

--------

It wasn't their best escape, but it certainly wasn't their worst. Those GIW agents were persistant bastards but it wasn't anything the supercycle couldn't handle.

They were en route back the cave when Superboy called out, "Hey Rob, you might wanna see this." He and WG had been tasked with administering first aid (to the best of their abilities) to their rescue, so that wasn't exactly something Ribin was thrilled to hear.

He let Supercycle switch to auto pilot before climbing to the back seat to see what had his team so freaked out. And yeah. That would do it.

If he thought the neck wound was bad, that was nothing. What was left of the kids torn shirt was removed to reveal a massive Y-shaped incision across his chest. The scars were red and inflamed, mottled with angry bruises and so, so many tiny holes, giving the impression that the wound had been stitched uo and reopened on numerous occasions. The implications of the wound was clear.

Robin set his jaw as he met Superboy's eyes. The confusion was prominent. he didnt know what to do.

"Just do you're best to clean it for now," he said, "we'll have Red look at him when we get back to base."

As Robin settled back into the driver's seat, he mentally added the GIW to his list of enemies. Anyone who had the power to do that, government or not, was going down

#dpxdc #dp x young justice #dpxdc Danny phantom #dpxdc superboy #dpxdc robin #dpxdc impulse #dpxdc wonder girl #dpxdc secret #dpxdc arrowette #vivisection fic #dp x dc crossover #i may add another installment if i have the motivation #but we'll see #bucket writes things

[mytokyodebunker]

Asking The Ghouls To Do Your Hair

Frostheim

Jin Kamurai

Jin… Doesn't know. Probably hands it off to Tohma- I'm just joking…UNLESS-. He's actually pretty caring of others so he might learn one or two different braids but that's it. He seems like he's probably good at putting your hair in a clip or a bun but nothing else.

Tohma Ishibashi

Tohma…..He would be good at it probably. If not, then surprise!!! He is now. He's used to taking care of Jin anyways, adding hairstyles or braiding to that list wouldn't be that bad.

Kaito Fuji

Kaito would absolutely love to do it but he would probably be bad at it. He's SCREAMING at the fact that he's touching your hair with your permission, extremely happy the entire time. Might be confused during the process but he's not complaining at all.

Lucas 'Luca' Errant

He doesn’t know but won't give up until he knows every hairstyle humanly possible. Every time he asks you with earnest eyes to let him practice again, and every hairstyle is more elaborate than the last. The process is always long and painful on your scalp, but the end result never disappoints!

Vagastrom

Alan Mido

Our young grandpa himbo. We all know he wouldn't know how and he would rather not accidentally hurt you in any way, even if you flinch at the slightest tug, he'll stop immediately.

Leo Kurosagi

Leo knows different hair styles, but doesn't know how to execute it. He knows what's trending and what looks good on a person. Little bastard wouldn't give the advice until you mess up though.

Shohei 'Sho' Haizono

He wouldn't know until he get comfortable with your hair and he'll pick up on it after awhile. The type to learn quickly. Alternatively, he does Leo's hair when Leo makes him do it, and he always does a good job. Very gentle.

He also strikes me as Leo's unwilling makeup artist and lighting/photoshoot assistant so you know that he has some sort of experience.

Jabberwock

Haru Sagara

He's the best person to ask if you want someone to brush your hair nicely (and quickly), since he's the one who grooms all the animals at Jabberwock. Can't do much else to your hair - maybe add a bow? Would still somehow injure himself in the process though.

Towa Otonashi

Surprisingly good at hair. Would probably also put flowers in it too while he's doing it. Sunny sunny day the entire time....may or may not eat the flowers while it's in your hair. He knows One (1) style and proceeds to make everyone he can get his hands on look like a fairy princess. There's no choice.

Ren Shiranami

Doesn't know. Doesn't WANT to know. Frankly, he is offended you asked him. He hasn't touched a comb in ages, his hair is short enough and it'll get messed up again anyway.

If anything, you would be combing his hair. But be warned, he will loudly complain whenever you get the comb caught on a tangle.

Sinostra

Taiga Hoshibami

Taiga….Nope. He will pull and tug on your hair. Forget anything about braiding or any hair styles, he'll fuck up your hair worse than you ever could. Taiga would rip your hair out or else cut the tangles out with scissors if you ever asked.

Romeo Lucci

He had strong opinions about your hair (and the rest of your look) from the start, so if you let him he'll give you a full makeover.

he'll know what your face shape needs and wash & style your hair nicely, then complain that your skin is crap and give you a facial and apply your makeup, then put you in a better outfit so that your shitty clothes don't ruin his hard work. Then make you work the casino floor because his services don't come for free and no he won't pay you. Do you have any idea how much the perfume you're wearing costs?

Ritsu Shinjo

Doesn't know. Could learn. Will he though? Probably not, it's nothing he needs to be a lawyer. If you insist, then he proceeds to over-gel your hair while you die inside. Later, he'll genuinely ask why you haven't asked him a second time.

Hotarubi

Subaru Kagami

Subaru would say he doesn’t know anything about hair but if you insist then maybe he'll just brush it out for you, but secretly he probably knows all of the theatre hairstyles for kabuki. He prefers leaving your hair loose though.

Haku Kusanagi

He can, and is ridiculously smooth at it too. No head pain, can tell if you've got a sensitive scalp, knows all of the staple styles - ponytail, bun, braid. It's strangely therapeutic to get your hair done by him, like spending time with a big sibling.

Zenji Kotodama

Zenji would make some rendition of maiko and geisha hairstyles but with his own spin on it, but it will take hours and your scalp will be screaming at you and he won't shut up all through the process. He would spout off poetry while at it. Might sing too. If you don't like his voice, too bad he's doing it every time he does your hair if he gets the chance.

Mortkranken

Yuri Isami

He insists that he, a genius doctor, is adept at everything that requires dexterity, but he refuses to spend his incredibly precious time braiding your hair. Suggest he's not actually that good, and he'll change tune. He'll sit you down and plait your hair with perfect surgical precision (ha), then demand endless praise and fawning.

Jiro Kirisaki

Doesn’t know. Probably hasn't used a comb before. He could learn, but that's so much effort. Thinks it'd be easier for both of you if you just cut it all off.

Obscuary

Rui Mizuki

Rui won't touch your hair, because he's worried about his curse, but he'd notice right away when you change your hair. He'll happily compliment it, and might suggest hairstyles he'd love to see you wear in the future.

#tokyo debunker #tokyo debunker headcanons #TDB #TDB headcanons #Kaito fuji #rui mizuki #jiro kirisaki #yuri isami #jin kamurai #tohma ishibashi #lucas errant #romeo lucci #leo kurosagi #shohei haizono #alan mido #haru sagara #towa otonashi #ren shiranami #taiga hoshibami #ritsu shinjo #Subaru kagami #haku kusanagi #zenji kotodama

[starchaserdreams]

Jegulus Instagram AU part 2

Part 1

-

Regulus stared at James across the courtyard of the Potter mansion, willing him to look over. James, though, was too busy wrapped up in a conversation with Sirius and Pomona Sprout to even register Regulus' presence.

They were at the Potters' annual Christmas party. Regulus had turned the invitation down every other year Sirius had mentioned it - Regulus had never really been close to James, so it hadn't made sense to go - but he'd accepted this year.

No, he'd asked about it.

Perhaps Sirius hadn't even intended to invite him this year, after Regulus had turned him down so many times before. Regulus and James certainly still weren't close. But Regulus had brought it up, asked the date, and cleared his calendar.

In the last four weeks, James had posted eleven thirst traps on Instagram. Only one of them had gotten likes and comments from his followers. The other ten had been suspiciously invisible to everyone else.

Regulus had the suspicion that this was on purpose.

He hadn't had an actual conversation with James in over a year. He hadn't had a one on one conversation with him in- maybe never. But he was going to start now.

So he'd invited himself, and here he was.

But James hadn't even had the courtesy to be on time to his own family's party, which had left Regulus standing around waiting for him for fifteen minutes. He didn't have any friends here (it wasn't hard to imagine why Crouch or Rosier wouldn't have gotten an invitation) so he'd mostly kept to himself.

A number of older pureblood wizards had stopped to talk to Regulus because they knew his parents (who also definitely had not gotten an invitation). He did his best not to be rude, but he didn't like small talk and he was distracted, so his speech was clipped at best.

Eventually, after laughing at something Professor Sprout had said, James finally turned away from her and his eyes found Regulus immediately.

He winked.

That bastard.

"Excuse me," Regulus said to whoever was talking to him. He had already forgotten and didn't care enough to check.

James' eyes were still on Regulus as Regulus walked towards him.

Without looking away, James said something to Sirius. Sirius' eyes found Regulus too, and he frowned.

Professor Sprout must have been pulled away into some other conversation, because she was gone by the time Regulus paid attention to her again. He'd had tunnel vision all the way across the courtyard until he'd reached his destination. All he could see was James.

"Potter," Regulus said flatly when he arrived.

James was grinning like a maniac, looking altogether too pleased with himself.

"Regulus, you made it," Sirius said in an even tone. He didn't sound happy. If anything, he seemed wary, but that could have been because of Regulus' expression.

"So glad you're here!" James said cheerfully, "Can I get you a drink?"

"No," Regulus said firmly, "Explain yourself."

James and Sirius blinked back at him wordlessly, but their expressions could not have been more different. Sirius looked confused, and James looked thrilled.

"Can't imagine what you mean," James said cheerfully, "but let me get you that-"

"No," Regulus repeated. "Explain."

This time, it was James whom Sirius stared at in confusion.

"What did you do?" He asked. James blinked at him innocently. Sirius' eyes widened in surprise and his jaw dropped open. "No!" He said wildly, "No, no, no!" James just laughed. "It was him?? You made me take- You told me they were for Lily!" Sirius' face was scarlet from both rage and embarrassment. "That is my baby brother!"

Regulus looked from one to the other.

"You did not make him take those pictures," Regulus said, echoing Sirius' rage, "you're despicable."

Sirius and Regulus looked at James with matching expressions, but James just shrugged, looking unbothered.

"I needed the help, and you're my best friend through thick and thin, right?" He asked Sirius.

"Yeah!" Sirius said, gearing up for an argument, "but not-"

"What about what I've done for you?" James asked, "Moony's like a brother to me, and I've done much more-"

"Enough, that's not the same thing!" Sirius said, but his words had less heat in them, and Regulus could tell James was getting to him.

"Yes, but that's his boyfriend," Regulus argued, "who wanted those pictures! You shouldn't have made him take them because I didn't want them!"

James just shook his head.

"Yes you did," James said. His voice was smooth like velvet. "Know how I know that?" Regulus didn't respond, just kept his face fierce. "Because you wouldn't be here if you didn't like it. You would have just blocked me and moved on. That's your style." Regulus' eyes widened. He hated that James was completely right. "I know you, Regulus. I knew that it would either get your attention or it wouldn't. And I got your attention. Plus, you were undressing me with your eyes from the second I walked in." And he had the audacity to wink.

Regulus' eyes widened. For a long moment, both Black brothers just stared at him in silence.

"That's- I wasn't-" Regulus started before giving up. "How would you even know that if you weren't looking at me?"

James raised an eyebrow.

"I always see you, Regulus." His voice was smooth again, deliberately flirty. "And if you've never noticed it before, I'm sure you're going to now."

Sirius put a hand on his own hip.

"Prongs," he said icily, "a word?"

"No!" Regulus objected before he could stop himself.

"Relax, little brother," Sirius said, "you'll get what you want, I just need a minute with him."

"That's not- I don't want-" Regulus started, but he had no idea how to finish that sentence. He didn't know what he wanted. His brain had gone offline while James had been speaking and hadn't totally rebooted yet.

James clapped him on the shoulder.

"Be right back."

And then they walked off, leaving Regulus staring after them.

"Black, how good to-" a woman's voice said to his left.

"No," Regulus said without looking at her, just walking away instead. He could hear her gasp of indignation, but he didn't care.

-

It took six and a half minutes before Sirius and James finished their conversation and found Regulus again. Not that Regulus was counting.

"Okay here's how this is going to go," Sirius said firmly. "Neither of you is going to hurt them other one, okay, because I don't want to have to pick up the pieces." He looked back and forth between them. "Got it?"

"Of course," James said immediately, looking like he'd win a prize.

Regulus couldn't make sense of it. He hadn't even been a part of the conversation.

"Don't I get a say in this?" He asked angrily, "Seems like a shovel talk shouldn't be necessary if we aren't actually dating-" he coughed to cover how awkward he felt to have used a word that was just an assumption, "or anything else."

Sirius looked at him wearily.

"Reg, I know you better than James does." He glanced at James briefly. "And I know that everything he said was right. You looked ready to drag him into a spare room and lock the door behind you."

Regulus' eyes widened to hear his brother say that so unashamedly.

"It's my parents' house," James began with a laugh, "I have an actual bedroom, there's no need for-"

"Do you want me on your side or not?" Sirius asked dryly.

James mimed zipping his lips like a child.

"I was angry," Regulus argued, "it wasn't bedroom-" he cut off at Sirius' expression, "or broom closet eyes. It was none of that. I was angry."

"How many of those pictures do you have saved to your phone?" Sirius asked. Regulus could feel a blush spread across his face and he closed his eyes, mortified. "Because I know how hot those photos are. I took the bloody pictures." He was silent for a moment and Regulus opened his eyes to watch him. "If you have less than three of them saved, I'll believe you."

Regulus closed his eyes again.

"It's more than that," he said so quietly it was a whisper.

"How many of them?" James asked curiosity.

Regulus shook his head. His eyes found James' and he shrugged helplessly.

"It's all of them, obviously," he said. His voice came out sounding bitter, but that was his embarrassment talking.

"Right then," Sirius said, "I'm off. Have fun, Reg."

"Not me?" James asked with a laugh.

"You don't need to be told," Sirius said. But his voice softened when he turned back to Regulus. "Just- relax a little bit, okay? James is a good guy."

"How are you so okay with this?" Regulus blurted out, "Shouldn't you still be shocked and angry?"

"He wasn't all that caught off guard by it," James interrupted, smiling sheepishly. "I had a thing for you for a while my last year of school and he know about it."

"You-" Regulus stammered, "you did?"

"Yup," James said confidently, "Big time. Wasn't ready to tell you then. But I am now."

"Those pictures certainly said it," Regulus muttered.

"Want some more?" James asked, "I've got some outtakes, or we could always take new ones."

"That's my cue!" Sirius said, turning on his heel and leaving.

"Take new-" Regulus repeated, stuck on that and ignoring his brother entirely, "take new pictures, of-"

"Oh yeah," James said with a wink, "let's find somewhere more private and we can experiment a bit with what you want to see."

"Okay," Regulus said, wide eyed.

He didn't say a word as James led him up the stairs, but his brain was moving a mile a minute with ideas.

James in the shower with the water spraying down on him. James on a broomstick in tight shorts and nothing else. James holding his wand between his teeth while he-

Regulus thoughts were cut off once he was inside the room and James pushed him gently back against the closed door.

"Can I-" he asked. Regulus nodded feverishly. The rest of it could wait.

This part was going to be so fun too.

#marauders #marauders era #dead gay wizards #jegulus #starchaser #sunseeker #regulus black #james potter #instagram au #sirius black #james potter x regulus black

[bby-blu-swirll]

" i know that you got daddy issues, and i do too " - todoroki x reader

it's not a song fic i just have a really messed up relationship with my dad lol - i don't have a lot of direction for this, it's just a little lazy & venty,, we'll see where it goes ♡

it was one of those nights where 1-a was all tired from the long school week, but not enough to fall asleep. they happened every once in a while, and always resulted in the majority of the class hanging out together in the common area doing whatever together until they all crashed for the evening.

the open downstairs was filled with the sound of idle conversation and super smash bros, but most of everyone's attention on the ladder. it started with just the bakusquad, but once katsuki ran undefeated, almost everyone else in the class took it upon themselves to try and overthrow the king. so far, nobody was successful. ururaka came close, but to no avail. she took the defeat like a champ, though.

while most everyone huddled around the tv, yelling things like "KICK HIS ASS" and "SHUT UP YOU BASTARD I'M TRYING TO FOCUS" (yeah), there were a few who had strayed from the pack. tokoyami and shoji were over by the dining tables playing a game of chess, and kouda was reading a book on a couch off to the side, using his classmates as white noise.

and then there was you.

you were settled on top of the kitchen island, legs crossed, with one earbud in. it wasn't that you didn't want to be around your friends, you had grown slightly overstimulated and needed a moment to recollect your thoughts.

you rolled a lollipop of your favorite flavor around in your mouth, absentmindedly scrolling through pinterest. your mind was on anything but aesthetically pleasing pictures, brows furrowed as your thoughts wandered back to your family. you sighed and squeezed your phone for a moment before turning it off and setting it down next to you. you just needed to distract yourself. something more.

in that moment, one of your classmates strolled into the kitchen. you looked up at todoroki, who was holding an empty mug.

"hey," he smiled at you softly as he made his way over to the stove. "what are you still doing in here?"

"ah, iida hasn't noticed me sitting on the countertop yet." you chuckled at your own joke, feeling the smallest butterflies when he grinned back at you. "what about you?"

"just getting a refill." he said, picking up the kettle of tea momo had put on earlier (omg.) and filling his mug. "and checking on you."

"oh-" you looked up at him in surprise, cocking your head to the side slightly. "really? for why?"

"you didn't look like you were doing too well earlier." he said bluntly, leaning against the counter facing you and taking a sip of his drink.

"ah... yeah," you looked away and laughed awkwardly, playing with your rings.

"are you?"

"am i what?"

when you turned to look back at him, his expression had changed. less neutral, more... worried. compassionate.

"are you not doing well?"

you opened your mouth to say something. "i'm fine, thank you though!" was was you had always answered with. you were tired, or you were just zoning out, anything but not okay. yet the way he looked at you made you hesitate. saying you were doing just fine was so second nature, but it was almost hard to lie to him.

before you could actually answer, your phone started to buzz softly. you both turned your attention to it, reading the name in the caller id line.

"dad"

you bit your lip and furrowed your brow. it continued to vibrate in your hand a few more times, before you declined the call. you quickly set your phone down and looked straight ahead. you have no idea why, but your eyes began to water. you took a shaky deep breath, and made an attempt to spell out your thoughts, something you learned earlier in life to help keep from crying.

"y/n..." todoroki set down his mug and took a step towards you, carefully.

"hmm?" your voice was tight as you avoided eye contact, trying to keep from blinking, afraid it would push a tear out.

you took on last deep breath and spelled out one last phrase, before you felt your eyes finally dry. you sighed and put your lollipop back in your mouth, facing him with a smile like nothing had happened.

"i see."

you cocked your head to the side in confusion, watching as he pulled himself up onto the counter and sitting across from you. you pulled your knees to your chest and rested your chin atop them. he noted your look of curiosity and held out a hand to you. you hesitated for a moment before carefully placing your fingers to his palm. he shifted until he was sitting close, holding your hand in his, tracing over your bones and knuckles softly, fiddling with your rings.

"i understand, i mean. i think." his voice was low and soft. anyone standing further than a few feet away would have a hard time hearing him. "whatever your reason for ignoring that call, whyever you did it... i've got dozens of calls from my old man i never bothered to pick up."

when you looked up at him, you saw his eyes glues to your fingers tangled with his. he touched your hands so delicately, as if you were made of glass. he was so full of care. his touch, the way he looked at you, all of it. it was all so full of the most tender affection.

"you don't need to talk about it, if you don't want to. God knows it took me forever to open up to midoriya," he smiled a bit. "i just wanted you to know the offer is out there, if you need it."

you bit down on your lollipop to try and hide how big that'd made you smile. the second you opened your mouth to say something, you heard iida begin to raise his voice, something about curfew and going to bed.

both you and todoroki turned to see him coming into the kitchen, stiffening when he notices you.

"both of you should get off the counter right now! this is living space, for goodness sake! and still school property."

you chuckled and waved a hand at him, already climbing off. "alright, class rep, don't get your panties in a twist. we're going." you tossed your sucker in the bin as todoroki stepped onto the floor, too.

"good. now get some good rest tonight, we've all had a long week and you've earned it. sleep well, both of you."

"you too, iida."

you and todoroki offered him tired smiles as you made your way past him to the elevator. when you got inside, you practically collapsed against the wall with an exasperated sigh. todoroki went ahead and pushed the button for his floor, but not yours. you didn't question it, maybe he'd forgotten. so instead, you pushed yourself off the wall and moved towards the panel. your outstretched hand halted to a stop when you felt arms wrap around your torso. before you could turn, you felt todoroki's nose nuzzle into your neck. he took a deep breath that made you shiver.

"come over, to my room. we can talk. or not. i can distract you, do whatever you want. i'm not tired yet."

feeling his breath on your skin practically made your heart leap into your throat. you stood, frozen for a moment, gasping softly when his grip on you tightened ever so slightly. you wondered if he could feel your heart beating, with how close he was to your main pulse points. his lips, so close...

you leaned back into him and put your hands over his, wrapped around your waist. "yeah... me neither."

you could practically feel him smile as another small exhale of his grazed your neck, making you shiver. "i'll play with your hair if you want, play with your fingers... just hold you."

as if his words hadn't already done it, you practically melted in his hands when his lips pressed against your neck for a long second. you hummed in response, blushing furiously.

"just relax pretty girl, i promise i'll be there for you however you need me."

idk man its wtv !

i'm officially out of ideas right now, requests are open to anybody, feel free to be as specific or detailed or even vague as you like and please please please don't be shy <33

i love you sm okay bye !!

#shoto todoroki #shouto todoroki #shoto x reader #shoto x y/n #shoto x you #todoroki x reader #bnha x reader #my hero fanfic #my hero academia #bnha #bnha fic #bnha fanfiction #escapism #daddy issues #hurt/comfort #light angst #sprinkle of angst for you #ily all

[zensations35]

Hello,

I hope this ask finds you well.

I'm a bit of a lurker on here, and, well, that Alastor fic had me weak in the knee. (I'm sure that was the intended effect, but I had to tell you)

As I haven't got a blog on here yet, I thought I'd pop into the askbox anonymously to show my appreciation with a gift of my own - a snippet from something I happen to be working on featuring everyone's favourite Radio Demon. If/When I get brave enough to do so, I shall make my presence known and let you know I wrote it.

Yours,

~ Writer Anon 

Radio Silence

“Gooood morning, Alastor!” came the chirping voice of Charlie Morningstar as she twirled into the Radio Demon’s quarters, her eyes bright and her mood, as usual, higher than everyone else in Hell put together.

Alastor was still asleep, which was weird - he was up by nine, every morning, without fail.

Charlie glanced at the clock on the wall, which had just ticked by 9:04.

On the one hand, Alastor would probably kill her for what she was about to do. But she supposed her greatest weakness was caring too much about her friends...

She approached Alastor's bed, its red satin sheets glimmering in the soft light.

Charlie realised she'd never actually seen Alastor look so... peaceful. His face was more relaxed than she'd ever known it, not bearing the strained grin it did while he was awake.

She also realised she'd never seen him quite this pale, save for a slight flush on his cheeks, and a reddish tinge to his small, pointed nose.

Charlie gave Alastor a gentle shake in an attempt to rouse him - she knew he wasn't dead, she could hear him breathing.

He didn't budge.

“Oh,” she muttered, “Um... Husk! We need a wake-up call for the Radio Demon!” she called; surely as the princess of Hell (and hotel manager to boot) she should do something boss-like, and this included delegating tasks to someone who she thought would be best at it.

She’d forgotten, though, that Husk was a cranky little bastard in the mornings, and he made it everyone’s problem.

“Al, you’d better be fuckin’ dead in there,” Husk snarled as he kicked the door in, “or I swear to God-”

“Alright, alright, I’m up,” Alastor stirred, slowly sitting up in bed. 

Charlie was surprised, for a few reasons.

Firstly, she’d expected Alastor to be one of those people that snaps bolt upright when they wake.

And was it just her imagination, or was his voice awfully quiet today?

“Okay, Husk, maybe next time be a little more gentle,” Charlie smiled, but Husk was only half-listening. His face was one of utter confusion at Alastor's appearance.

Charlie looked Alastor over - he looked like he hadn’t slept a wink for the past fortnight. His bleary eyes moved slowly around the room, as though trying to make sense of his surroundings.

He rubbed them, and yawned, but it turned into a jagged cough.

Oh, Charlie thought, that would explain a lot.

“You look like shit,” Husk said.

“Hey,” Charlie turned to him, the faintest hint of a frown crossing her face for mere moments, “What Husk means is, you look really tired, Al, and we’re just a little concerned for you, is all.”

“Oh, please, I’m perfectly fine,” Alastor waved a hand lazily, “I simply... lost track of time reading last night...” Charlie winced at the strain in Alastor’s usually-flawless voice, and the dulled consonants that signified congestion. The brief sniffle Alastor gave only confirmed this.

“You’re sick,” Husk told him.

“Now, now, that was uncalled for,” Alastor’s eyes narrowed, “I know I’m hardly the most stable, but-”

“No, dumbass, you caught something, and you’re sick. Ill. Under the weather. Whatever the fuck they used to say in the 1930s,” Husk clarified.

“Excuse me, I am an Overlord,” Alastor looked affronted, but still that smile never left his face, “I do not succumb to such - to- to such- hhh-!” his words trailed off and his expression slackened, his narrow chest jumping with erratic hitches. He wrenched himself to the side as his eyes closed.

“Hehh’EITshhoo! Hh'EDT-shoo!” Alastor sneezed, doubling over at the waist, “H-hold on... Heh-HEITSHhhoo! Oh, gracious, excuse me...” he sighed, and Charlie and Husk could’ve sworn they heard the feedback of a microphone. 

Probably something to do with his radio powers, they reasoned.

“To such maladies,” Alastor finished.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever, Mister Overlord, I’m out,” Husk made to walk away, “Playin’ nurse to a radio host ain’t in my job description - or our contract.” He slammed the door behind him. Alastor closed his eyes again, massaging the bridge of his nose.

“Ohh, my head...” he murmured, “Can you please tell that... pathetic excuse for a bartender not to do that again?”

“I’ll tell him,” Charlie said, “Now, you stay here, I’ll let the others know you won’t be up today.”

“Not happening,” Alastor managed through a few coughs that scraped at his throat, “I have my radio show, and I can’t let my listeners down.”

Charlie considered this for a moment.

No-one, not even Lucifer himself, could get Alastor to skip his beloved radio show.

“Rest up till then, that way you’ll have more energy for the show,” she eventually settled on, “I’ll get Niffty to make you tea. Your show’s at seven, right?”

Alastor nodded.

“I’ll check on you in a while, go back to sleep if you need to, okay?” Charlie asked on her way out.

“Okay,” Alastor replied quietly. He figured he should probably save his voice; in life, he’d had a tendency to lose the ability to speak entirely when stricken with a head cold, and he hoped this hadn’t lingered now. 

But as he felt a scratchy, sandpaper-y sensation in his throat, he realised this was wishful thinking.

He flopped back down onto his pillows with a world-weary sigh.

Downstairs, Angel Dust, Sir Pentious, Niffty and Vaggie were waiting. 

Pentious looked at his pocket watch - Jesus, the guy was nearly as dated as Alastor - which now read ten minutes past nine.

“Guys, I’m worried about Charlie,” Vaggie finally said.

“You’re always worried about Charlie,” Angel told her, “If I know her, she should be down any minute...”

The door burst open.

But it wasn’t Charlie on the other side of it; it was Husk.

“Radio Demon’s sick, we’re fucked,” Husk said bluntly before heading behind the bar, for two reasons: to try and forget the absolute horror that had been Alastor of all people looking quite that dishevelled, and also because, well, alcohol was in hand sanitiser, right? So it stood to reason that a stiff drink would help prevent any sickness from arising. Yeah. That was why.

For good measure, he put a squeeze of orange juce in there too - he remembered having read somewhere that oranges helped keep the immune system in good shape.

Niffty’s eye twitched. She bolted from her spot to grab her cleaning materials and disinfect the living shit out of the hotel.

“Weirdos,” Angel tutted, “Oh, come on, not you too!” He snapped as he saw Pentious creep towards the door.

“Well, exssscuse me,” Pentious hissed, a look of disdain on his face, “but I have a reputation to uphold, and it wouldn’t do to fall ill and render myself vulnerable. So, goodbye.”

Charlie walked in right as Pentious left, looking highly confused. This bewilderment was amplified by Niffty immediately running up to her and giving her a generous helping of anti-bacterial spray, before scurrying off again.

Charlie's gaze wandered to the bar, where Husk was drumming his hand against the counter, his eyebrows knitted together in worry.

“How the fuck did I get landed with this bunch a’ freaks?” Angel wondered aloud, “I mean, what’s the problem? He’s probably just got a cold or somethin’, not the Black Death.”

“Because if whatever he’s got is strong enough to put an Overlord outta commission, who knows what it’d do to the rest of us?” Husk phrased it perfectly, pouring out a glass of fresh orange juice and sliding it across the bar to Charlie. She drank it, and thanked him.

“Husk, I appreciate your concern - and your juice - but I’m sure Alastor’s gonna be fine. Angel’s right-”

“Not a sentence I ever thought I’d hear,” Vaggie muttered.

“- he’s just a little under the weather, he’ll be over it in a few days,” Charlie finished.

Soooooo yeah wait and seeeeee

A N O N

Okay, I hope it's okay for me to post this. I know you might have wanted to keep this private and I 100% will take it down if you want but I COULD NOT LIVE WITH MYSELF IF I DIDN'T SCREAM ABOUT IT SO

Anon. I literally NEED more of your writing. IT HAS SUSTAINED ME THIS NIGHT. I have to start by saying that. You don't have a BLOG?? MAKE ONE IMMEDIATLY PLS. I JUST. *grabby hands* Your portrayal of the characters made words fall out of my FUCKING FACE

Charlie's voice being higher than everyone else in Hell put together. -I FUCKING CACKLED

AND ALASTOR WHUMP?? IT'S LIKE YOU WERE LISTENING AND ANSWERED MY PRAYERS IS2G

“Radio Demon’s sick, we’re fucked,” oh MY GODS HE WOULD LITERALLY SAY THAT jesszzus I loved your Alastor/Husk interactions. 🤌

THE QUIP ABOUT PENTIOUS BEIGN AS DATED AS ALASTOR SENT ME AKJFDSHG

Seriously, I'm SO FUCKING HONORED you sent this to me and I fucking PRAY to our lord and savior vivziepop that you continue this story 🙏

Keep slaying anon <3 ILYSM

#ask #zen answers #other people's writing #this is incredible #i call upon my followers to support a budding writer #let's get this anon a fucking BLOG #TAKE MY POWER ANON

[athanasius-symposium-of-writings]

The Economic Difference Between The Miner and Mine Owner's Daughter

Chapter Three

Based of this ask (the dialogue from there is used here)

Rated Explicit | Warning: period typical sexism, noncon, non-Consensual somnophilia

Ao3

Taglist: @anastasiablossomlove @tfamidoingwithmylife

Chapter Two | Chapter Four

“Finish her off, Norton.”

When he first saw you, he wished you were dead. Just another rich kid with pockets lined with daddy's money. Your fucking suitor laughing as Norton was getting jumped for his lunch. Sickening, the misery of the poor is entertainment for people like you! Laughing as they fight for table scraps, as the poor are willing to do anything to just have a warm bed to sleep on, speaking on behalf of the poor yet none of them ever struggled!

Every day is a fight. Every night is a fight. The moment he was born, his fate was sealed in the black ink signature of your father's name. Norton had no chance, your father stole that from him!

What? Do you think a few shared meals would make him suddenly think differently of you? Ha, no, he meant what he said back then. If things worked his way, you would be on your knees sucking him off while your father grieved seeing his daughter sell herself for his survival.

The nerve you have to spit out that nonsense about change, hah, politicians say anything for some votes. Everyone knows the corporations won't let them actually change things. Too many hands have been greased to change the status quo. 

Nah, the only change he cares about is whether or not he will get out of this debt his father cursed him with by striking it big.

Damn, bastards! Damn all of them to hell and back!

It would be no surprise if they do not find any gold, they use him as a scapegoat. Quick to take the credit, quick to throw to the wolves. Your father will soon be like all the others.

Buried alive. At least in death, everyone is made equal.

Norton’s hands squeezing your throat, a grin on his face seeing you struggle to breathe.

Until your hand touches the scar, soft and gentle, he can see the tears running down the side of your face. Your voice cracks as you beg him to snap out of 

“Norton~,” The purr of the voice in his voice feeds into his anger, “She's right there. Just get rid of her!” Yelling at him.

It will be quick, a snap and all of it will be over.

Yet, he finds himself thinking about the bread you made for him. Yes, it was for him as a gift. Warm, moist, and fresh; all for him with a cup of warm tea.

Your father… You are not like him. Like others who laugh and look down at him, you honestly want to help. Stupid girl, truly, big dreams with no idea how reality works or how this world will chew someone and spit them out.

No good person lives long enough to see the change they fought for happen.

He flinches, you cup the side of his face, “Fight it.” Desperately trying to call out to him. “Please, Norton.”

“Come on, Norton.” Exaggerating the word ‘on’, dragging it out as if bored. “You have an arrogant little flower under you.”

When you approached him, you referred to him as ‘Mr. Campbell’ as if you respected him. It felt like a joke, an insult as you could—should—have been like everyone else. Constantly fighting, struggling, hyper-aware, plotting. He glares down at you, grabbing your hand and slamming it hard on the ground while making sure to have a painful grip on your wrist.

The pained sound you make is music to his ears, the wicked grin on his face growing with 

The rise and fall of your chest makes him very aware of your breasts covered by the blouse. Whenever he sees you around the worksite, you look… Normal. No showy dress, no lace fan (the one you did have you broke), hell, everyone saw you only wear pants. 

But here, right before the end, you are wearing a dress. The sort of dress one wears in the winter, a bright color that greatly contrasts with the current environment.

“Why don't you show this selfish delicate flower how to behave… Hm?” Dragging out the last few syllables as if moaning with excitement.

You have the nerve to smell good too, clean and sweet like a ripe freshly washed fruit.

The fight for air is a struggle he knows you cannot win. Watching your eyes roll back, the small fading gasps for air, and soon your struggling becomes weaker and weaker.

“Nortoooon,” The voice rings in his mind echoing in his own voice, “.... Come on now….” The voice draws him back seeing your life fade by his hand.

Slip you into unconsciousness. Body going slump on the ground, you look peaceful now.

Did he kill you?! Shit, shit, fuck! He shakes you then places his hand over your chest, a sigh of relief as he hears your heartbeat. The twisted thoughts in his mind raced between needing to escape and… And… Your perfume is sweet. Your clothes are so clean. You are like an angel sent from above into this dark hellhole.

The first button is the hardest, his hands are unsteady.

The second button is easier but still hard, the voice tells him to take; after all, your father took everything from him too.

The third button reveals part of your chemise, plain which he supposes he should have expected to not look like one the other miners talk about after a venture into a pleasure den.

The fourth button and the voice is getting angry, yelling at him again to hurry. Norton swears he can feel something moving his arms without him doing anything.

The other buttons are ripped open, his face buried in your neck as he sharply inhales, it is so different from his own skin. Soft, bathed, unmarked.

“Bite. Mark her.”

It speaks and he does it. Each touch of his chapped lips on your flawless skin is marked by his teeth. Some barely barely a mark while others are deep enough to leave dark bruising, those are above your breasts. Your clothes are cumbersome and it is more work to try to remove your clothes in a civilized way rather than ripping them open, but that is what he does.

The personality switch is not instant, it is through the actions he would have never done if not for this damn cave. He was the ripe fruit plucked and feasted upon, his mind slowly corrupted by the abyss he was forced to dig through.

“Fuckin’ hate you wearing these.” The voice is darker, laced with greed and lust, he tears open your bloomers as if it was made of paper. A mess of your clothes half torn and his buckle that decides to be a pain in the ass, not like he can stop himself.

The only moment he stops is when he growls at himself for not knowing what to do, of fucking course he knows the layout of what to do but the fine detail escape him. Worse, the guilt in the back of him is fighting himself right now. Fighting enough that he has to remove a glove, spit on his hand, and jerk himself off.

“Damn you,” Touching your legs, his black dust-covered glove marking your skin, he finds it rather hotter than the bitemarks all over your neck. When he kisses you, oh you taste like something sweet too, he has to stop to cough out his damn lungs. “When I am done with you, you won’t even know how ruined you are going to be.” Exasperated and angry.

When he is hard enough to thrust inside of you, he swears he saw stars. Bliss but you are so tight. Dry too but this is not about you. The scent of blood makes him laugh as you just lost your virginity in a damn coal mine--Blood for blood, justice.

Each thrust is hard because he hates leaving your heat. Your body reacts to him by getting wet, your moans in your current state are low,  his pace is awkward and selfish. This whole situation is selfish. Grabbing everything he can touch about you, kissing you when he needs a taste of you. When he feels himself about to cum, he makes sure it is all over the floor with your blood.

The whole activity was tiring.

The voice is in control, pleased but annoyed as he now has to figure out what to do next. Kill you with the others or… He raises an eyebrow at a bright idea.

#reader insert #fanfiction #ao3 fanfic #norton campbell x you #norton campbell x reader #norton campbell #idv reader insert #idv prospector #idv x reader #idv norton #idv x you #identity v x you #identity v x reader #identity v #nsft #tw noncon

[onehundredandeleventropicalfish]

Dream has a nasty habit of giving advice and not taking it himself:

He tells Orpheus to grieve for Euridice(I'm not sure if I spelled that right) and then get over the loss, but he never got over Orpheus' death;

He tells Hob that taking away someone's free will is dishonorable. Yet he imprisons Nada and unmakes Gault for defying him;

He warns the fox lady against revenge but he wastes his precious energy on trapping Alex's mind in a nightmare after he gets freed.

He's such a bastard and I love him

He loves and cares so deeply for everyone, yet he's petty and spiteful. He never stops loving yet he can be so cruel to those he cares about

I don't remember where but I read this somewhere about Dream: "he can love without forgiveness and forgive without love" and I think that sums up Dream pretty nicely. He's full of contradictions and that's what makes me love him as a character so much

you know, ironically, while it's absolutely true that dream can be hypocritical, you're definitely not wrong, those first two actually aren't, as far as he sees the world

because the thing that hurts dream the most is that he cannot see himself as a living being - he is endless, he has a purpose, that's the extent of his existence

and therefore he doesn't dream, doesn't have a story, shouldn't want things for himself

and this is why he causes his own tragedy, because he is a person and he does need the things that make up someone's life, but he refuses to believe so

so when he's talking to orpheus, the important part here is "you are mortal, it is the mortal way"

dream would benefit greatly from being allowed to mourn orpheus, but he can't, he has a job to do, and allowing himself to grieve would interfere with his purpose. so he has no choice, he has to bury it

"so live" only applies to orpheus, as far as dream's concerned, because he doesn't think the endless live

gault falls under the exact same logic. dream sees his creations as extensions of him and is always surprised when they go beyond that. and if he's not allowed a life of his own, if he has to spend eternity fulfilling his purpose as it was given to him, they do too. they're not mortal, they don't live, and thus they don't have free will

(i'm honestly super curious to see what happens in the show from here because gault didn't exist in the comics, and dream actually acknowledging she was right is a major step forward that comic dream never managed to make)

and nada had free will

she just didn't think she did

that's how hell (or any afterlife) works, in the sandman universe, there is no being that judges it. death doesn't decide where you go, and neither does anyone else. you go where you believe you should

which is what makes sure people get to the right afterlife for their particular religion, but also it means that everyone in hell believes they deserve to be there

dream may have put her there, but he didn't have the power to keep her there. when she says "only your forgiveness can free me", that doesn't mean dream has to formally pardon her, it means she can only leave when she stops feeling like she was in the wrong here. and a part of her hates him for this, but a part of her is also stuck feeling guilty, and that's what's keeping her in hell. it's still a shitty move on dream's part, don't get me wrong, but when he said that to hob he was not currently doing anything to prevent her free will. had she truly decided what dream did was unfair, she could have left

revenge, however, that's where you're absolutely right. dream knows, on so many levels, that revenge causes more problems than it solves, and yet this is the one indulgence into human feelings he actually allows himself

he tells the fox not to, he tells hob revenge is a bad idea, he's constantly explaining to people he cares about not to take revenge because it will get them hurt. he is the prince of stories, and he knows how revenge stories end

(destruction even says he was disappointed that dream is still viewing everyone as stories, he'd hoped one day dream would realise people are people)

dream, though. dream doesn't have a story, so who says his revenge has to end in tragedy? he pushes down all his emotions for the sake of the world but anger doesn't want to leave, anger is good at convincing you it deserves to stay, anger can be righteous

if everyone else is just a story, well, the end is that they get what's coming to them. they deserve to be punished for hurting the people dream cares about, and who better to ensure the end of the story than him?

(and he doesn't realise how much his own emotions are influencing those decisions. he thinks he's being rational. he's not. what you were saying about him being both loving and spiteful always makes me think of orpheus - he loved his son more than anything in the world, he was a genuinely good dad and he did everything in his power to keep orpheus from tragedy. but then when orpheus ignored him and got hurt anyway, dream couldn't help but be angry at orpheus for causing their entire family so much pain, and that's why he walked away)

all the endless have different ways in which they see themselves in comparison to mortal beings. the more emotionally healthy ones realise that there's very little difference between the two. and then you get desire who explicitly admitted (in internal narration) that their entire sanity is hinging on believing that they are in control of the universe, they physically can't believe dream when he says they serve humanity and not the other way around. and dream, who sees everything and everyone as a story, except himself

he's not a living being, he doesn't follow their rules. he's not playing the game, he's the referee

except that's not and never was true

and that is the root of all of dream's problems

#sandman comic spoilers #dream of the endless #the sandman #ask #meta #mine #orpheus #nada

[kueble]

Your Electric Touch Could Fill This Ghost Town Up With Life

My back hurt and I don't have a Soap to massage me, so I projected on Ghost.

Teen. Warnings: none. 2,200 words.

Ghost/Soap

---

Soap will never admit it, but he always has eyes out for Ghost. He catches sight of him as soon as he stalks into the mess hall, boots heavy as he stomps over to the food line. Soap keeps his focus on Gaz, but he’s no longer hanging on his every word, too distracted by watching Ghost make his way through the line and perks up in his seat just in time to wave him over. Only Ghost just shakes his head and leaves the room quickly. There is an odd stiffness to his movements, and Soap can tell something is wrong.

“No LT tonight I guess,” Soap mumbles, and Gaz just looks at him sympathetically.

“I know you’ve got your own thing going on with Ghost, but maybe let him have his space tonight. He’s in rare form today,” Gaz warns him, which only serves to pique his curiosity.

“How so?”

“He’s been a right bastard all day. Glared at everyone in the gym, even though he normally doesn’t workout until after dinner when he can have the space to himself. He snapped at me so much that I just fucked off and let him stew in his anger. Apparently he was so tough on the rookies that Price had to tell him to calm down, which I’ve never seen before. He’s in a mood for sure,” Gaz explains with a grimace.

“I think I might have an idea of what’s bothering him,” Soap offers, but Gaz just shakes his head at him.

“Don’t poke the bear, dude,” he warns.

“Maybe,” Soap mumbles before going back to his dinner. He can tell Gaz knows he won’t leave Ghost alone, and they finish their meals in silence. Still, he can’t leave Ghost in this state if there’s anything he can do to help. Hopefully his friend will let him.

—

Ghost opens the door as soon as he knocks, almost as if he’d been waiting for him. Or he heard him fidgeting in the hallway while trying to decide if this was actually a good idea. His arms are crossed over his ridiculously large chest, and Soap swallows thickly before holding up two bottles of lotion.

“I have unscented or a peppermint that might help your muscles more. So let me in and I’ll see if I can help?” he asks, not bothering to beat around the bush. Either Ghost will let him in or tell him to fuck off, so better just jump right into it.

“Huh?” Ghost asks, head tilted as he stares at him like he’s insane, which he might be. He waves the two bottles of lotion at him and does his best to act like he has a fucking clue what he’s doing.

“Rumor has it that you’ve been more of an asshole than normal today, and any idiot can see it’s because you’re in pain. That last mission really fucked up your back and shoulders, didn’t it?” he asks, surprised when Ghost hums in agreement and ushers him inside.

“No one else mentioned it,” he points out quietly.

“Yeah, because you’re terrifying,” Soap says with a snort. “Lucky for you, that’s just my type. So are you going to let me help you out? I’ve got a little PT training from my old footie days.”

“Thought your type was anything that moves,” Ghost jokes, but then he adds a soft, “what’s your plan here?”

“I don’t have to get too invasive, but even a short massage should be able to help loosen up your muscles. Hate to see you in pain when I know I can help,” he says. Ghost nods sharply, so he continues, “alright then. Shirt off and face-down on the bed. Keep the mask on, but I may push the fabric up a bit to reach your neck. We’ll see how tense you are.”

“I can handle that,” Ghost agrees, and Soap grins at the unspoken trust. He’s never seen anyone outside of medical touch Ghost’s bare skin, and he understands what a big deal it is. He waits for Ghost to lay down on the bed and then kneels next to him. It’s a tight fit, but he doesn’t want to push his luck too much tonight.

“Unscented or mint?”

“Unscented,” Ghost tells him, and he tosses the other bottle aside before pumping some of the lotion into his palm. He rubs his hands together to spread it around before laying them on Ghost’s shoulders. He tenses up and takes a noticeable breath before settling back down.

“Tell me if I use too much pressure or I need to stop, yeah?” he asks, and Ghost grunts in agreement.

As soon as he lays his hands on Ghost’s skin, he jumps and Soap finds himself cooing in an effort to calm him down. He grins to himself at how ridiculous it is to treat his LT like a frightened animal, but his voice is apparently soothing enough to settle him down. Ghost sinks further into the bed and doesn’t jump again when Soap starts running his hands up and down his back, just warming up the area. Clearly he’s still anxious about this.

“Not gonna work if you can’t relax. I got you,” Soap murmurs as he rubs circles over his shoulder blades.

“Usually I at least get dinner before I’m shirtless,” Ghost mumbles, but there’s a hint of uncertainty clinging to his words. Soap can see him clearly now, not just stolen glances in the gym or while patching him up out in the field. His pale skin is littered with scars, some fresh and pink and others an ancient silver. Thankfully there aren’t a ton of newer ones, and Soap chooses to take it as proof their teamwork is better than what Ghost has had in the past. He beams with pride, even though Ghost is still face-down on the bed.

“Your next bourbon is on me for giving me the pleasure of seeing ya like this,” he says with a chuckle, and the mood in the room feels a hell of a lot lighter. They fall into an easy silence as Soap starts to massage him properly.

Ghost’s muscles are unbelievably tight beneath his hands, and Soap maps out a strategy, deciding to work on his shoulders first and then make his way down to his lower back. He steadfastly ignores the siren’s call of those perfect dimples at the base of his spine and does his best to keep things professional.

Because above all, Ghost is his friend and he’s clearly in pain. No matter what feelings he may hold for him, Soap wants to provide a little relief. He’s not some horny teenager who can’t keep himself in check at the first touch of skin on skin. He focuses on his task, digging his fingers into the tense muscles and adding enough pressure to work out the knots.

At some point he straddles Ghost without thinking about it, just moving into a better position to lean into him. It’s routine, his hands moving from one area to the next as he works. Soap stops every few moments to grab more lotion, not wanting to hurt Ghost more than necessary. He knows he’s found a knot every time Ghost grunts lowly and leans away from his touch. It must hurt, but there’s no way to relieve the pain without digging into it. He slowly makes his way down Ghost’s back, hopefully leaving comfort in his wake.

By the time he gets to Ghost’s lower back, Soap is practically in a trance. Sure, he barely manages to contain his bouncy personality and energy on a normal day, but he can fall into sharp focus when he needs to. Whether it be behind the scope of a sniper rifle or massaging the man he’s head over heels for, he flirts with insanity when he works through a problem.

Ghost is practically purring when Soap digs his thumbs into the knots at the base of his spine, pressing just hard enough to feel them loosen beneath his hands. His fingers and wrists are starting to ache, but Ghost lets out a happy sigh, and he can’t help being proud of the job he’s done. There’s no doubt Ghost will be in a much better mood tomorrow, and no one on base will know they have Soap to thank for it.

Ghost looks so relaxed, like he’s about to melt into the mattress, and the moment is so soft and warm that Soap leans down without thinking. He presses a gentle kiss right between Ghost’s shoulder blades. It’s just a soft, barely there brush of lips, but they both freeze as soon as it happens. Soap jumps up, already climbing off of Ghost’s body and flailing as he tries to get out of the bed.

But then there’s strong arms wrapped around his waist and he’s pulled back onto the bed. He closes his eyes, fully expecting to be punched for his mistake, but instead Ghost shifts closer to him, sliding Soap into his lap. When he opens his eyes, Ghost is staring at him so intensely that he nearly looks away. It’s like he can see into his soul, and Soap shivers under the heavy gaze.

“I didn’t mean to,” Soap mumbles. “It just happened.”

“Do you want it to happen again?” Ghost asks softly, and Soap can hear an unusual shyness in his tone. That makes him decide that fuck it, this may be his chance, and he’s talking before he realizes it.

“Maybe on your lips this time, Ghost, if you’ll let me,” he whispers, his heart hammering in his chest so hard he worries Ghost might feel it. Months of circling around each other, waiting and hoping that Ghost feels the same, and it’s all come down to this.

“Simon,” he tells Soap. “Call me Simon when we’re like this, Johnny.”

“Simon,” Johnny says, putting all the secret love he’s been harboring for months into the word.

And then Simon reaches down and yanks the balaclava off, his face exposed for the first time since Las Almas. Johnny sighs happily, taking in the beautiful sight in front of him. Simon’s blonde curls are a mess, flatten from being trapped under the mask all day. His smile is breathtaking, though, framed by scars and freckles, and Johnny could look at him forever. His fingers itch to draw him, but the urge to touch is even greater.

“You’re right bonnie,” he murmurs before reaching up and cradling Simon’s face in his hands. He brushes a thumb across a patch of freckles, grinning when Simon leans into his hand. “Gonna kiss you now,” he warns, and Simon just nods at him, his brown eyes impossibly wide as Johnny leans in and captures his mouth in a chaste kiss.

At first they’re both tentative, keeping things light and sweet, but then Simon licks at the seam of his lips and Johnny lets out a broken whine before opening up for him. It’s better than he imagined it would be, Simon's tongue sliding into his mouth and tracing his teeth. He chases it with his own, sighing as they fall into a desperate kiss.

Simon’s fingers dig into his hips, and he moans into the kiss, his hips grinding down on their own accord. Sparks fly up his spine, and he lets out a broken moan. Simon swallows it down as their mouths slide together so sweetly. He nips at Simon’s bottom lip, tugging gently before soothing it with his tongue.

Then Simon pulls back, panting slightly as he rests their foreheads together. Johnny whines at the loss, but Simon just tips his head down and presses his mouth to his temple in a lingering kiss. It’s such a stark contrast to the last few minutes that Johnny is confused at first. Simon kissed him like he wanted to devour him, and then…nothing?”

It must show on his face, because Simon frowns before leaning in and nuzzling him, rubbing their cheeks together. His nose - crooked from being broken so often - traces Johnny’s jawline and he melts into it. Simon kisses him on the corner of the mouth before leaning back a little and offering a nervous smile.

“Let’s not rush this. I just…I wanna take my time. Do things right by you,” Simon murmurs, his cheeks turning a delightful shade of pink. Johnny can’t help brushing his thumb across those sharp cheekbones, grinning wide as he blushes harder.

“Gonna romance me, love?” he asks softly.

“Maybe.”

“Sounds perfect,” Johnny murmurs, unable to help himself from darting in and kissing him quickly. “Does this plan include sleepovers? Because I promise to behave if you’ll let me stay.”

“Somehow I doubt that, but I find myself unable to let you go,” Simon says with a smirk.

They make quick work of getting ready for bed, and soon they’re tucked under the covers and grinning at each other. Johnny can hardly contain his happiness, still shocked that he’s here, laying in Simon’s bed in a borrowed pair of sweats. He has no clue how he’s going to sleep, because the adrenaline seems like it’s pulsing in his veins, but then Simon pulls him closer, guiding his head towards his chest, and Johnny falls asleep to the sound of his heartbeat beneath his cheek.

#call of duty #simon ghost riley #john soap mactavish #GhostSoap #SoapGhost #Ghoap #even though I hate that name #ghost x soap #my fic