#Cause the fucking brakes broke assholes

[princelancey]

This last race hurts so much cause Lance didn't fuck it up himself (a poorly judged move on Kevin aside - nothing bad came of it) the q2 exit was because of damage, comparing his lap telemetry to Nando's they were on par with less than a tenth in it until the debris damaged his floor.

Then during the race he was on for a good start, had made up a couple places only to get whacked from behind by Hulk and had to nurse a brake issue for the rest of the race. Not that anyone picked up on it cause he was doing such a stellar job until the rain came and well you need your brakes to work in the rain, and it certainly didn't help that Monaco is so hilly, his car became a pinball down into the hairpin.

Basically it's just annoying that people will look at the result and think 'lmao dumb pay driver' when that was not the case at all :/

#lance stroll #Nothing to see here folks just me lamenting over the bad luck Lance had at the weekend #Doesn't help that the team buried any mention of the damage he had near the bottom of a page of text that 90% of people won't read anyways #“contact at the hairpin resulted in a dnf” #Cool whyd he have the contact huh? #Cause the fucking brakes broke assholes #Kind of important information no? #Ugh #I'm just tired of seeing lance suffer through no fault of his own while nando gets podium after podium #When will the luck come his way #He's already had 2 dnfs cause shit failed on his car #2 stellar races #But they get ignored #And Miami was like they forgot he was out there #Wtf was that strategy Lance even called it out during the race and at the end and that is very unlike him on the radio #Anyways I'm in shit place at the moment & I really would like to have some peace with f1 but no #The universe said absolutely get fucked you will be miserable

[angelicsoka]

IDIOT, l. hughes

word count | 788 words

pairings | luke hughes x fem!best friend!reader, platonic!jack hughes x reader, mentions of unnamed ex boyfriend x reader

summary | in which luke’s best friend is left broken hearted and with a family dinner she has no date to, so he decides to step up and help.

warnings | not proofread. no use of “y/n”. reader was cheated on. lowercase intended. this is a work of fiction, i am by no means saying this is how they act in real life.

a/n | heres one of two of the valentines blurbs i'm gonna post today because i had a sudden urge of inspiration to write (but not for the fics i've already started lmao)

she stormed up the stairs of luke and jack’s apartment complex, tears of frustration welling in her eyes. she felt like an idiot, she should’ve known there was something off with him. that he was spending a little too much time with her. she knocked hurriedly on their door, waiting anxiously for them to answer. after what felt like a century, luke opened the door.

“hey–” he was cut off by her pushing through into the apartment, the tears already starting to fall. “what's wrong?”

“he fucking cheated! that asshole was fucking cheating on me and i didn’t even realize! i feel so fucking stupid.” she cried, wiping angrily at her tears. luke saw red, already grabbing for his keys. “don’t, luke, it isn't worth it. plus, i already broke his nose.” jack, who had paused his game to listen in, whistled.

“damn, girl. remind me not to get on your bad side.” jack commented, dropping the smile when luke glared at him. “sorry.”

“now, i have this stupid family dinner and my parents are expecting me to bring a date! how am i supposed to tell them he cheated on me and on fucking valentines day of all days?” she ranted, the tears still flowing.

“hey, it's all gonna be okay. you just need to breathe.” she took a seat at their island, messily wiping her tears. she took a couple of deep breathes, her anxiety still heightened.

“fuck, i really don’t wanna go tonight.” she groaned, accepting the tissue luke offered her. “and if i cancel, they're gonna ask a shit ton of questions and i can’t deal with that right now.”

“i could go with you.” luke spoke, causing both her and jack to whip their heads towards him. “what?”

“you would do that?” she question, her eyes brightening. “because you don’t have to! i can cancel.”

“no, i want to. i promise.” her face held a beaming smile as she threw her arms around him.

“thank you, lukey! okay, be ready by 7, i'll pick you up! and wear a suit ‘cause we’re going to mario’s.” she seemed genuinely happy as she ran out of the apartment.

“somebody’s in love!” jack sang, laughing when luke smacked his shoulder.

the car was silent, beside the radio that was playing. her fingers tapped against the steering wheel, avoiding looking to her best friend. “what did you tell your parents?” luke asked, looking to her.

“just that i was bringing a guy i wanted them to meet. i left it kind of vague.” luke nodded, looking back out the window. “thanks again, lu. i really appreciate it.”

“of course, anytime.” she smiled, the car falling quiet once more. “you know he’s idiot for cheating on you, right? i mean who would want to cheat on a girl like you.” her cheeks flushed red, a small smile etched on her face. he mumbled something she couldn’t quite pick up, her eyebrows furrowing.

“what was that, lu?”

“i wouldn’t do that.” she almost slammed on the brakes, stunned by his statement. she looked to him, his eyes already trained on her.

“what are you saying?” she asked, the car coming to a stop at a red light. luke rubbed his eyes, clearly nervous. “luke.” she continued to keep her eyes trained on the road, turning into the parking lot of the restaurant. 

“look, you’re my best friend, and i know you are still upset. and i understand if you don’t feel the same. but i–” he stopped, breathing in slowly. “i think i’m in love with you. and seeing you upset over some idiot who can’t see that he just lost the best girl he could’ve ever had, pissed me off. and honestly, i’m glad, because you deserve better.” she felt her heart beating out of her chest, the feelings she had spent years pushing down now resurfacing.

“lu…”

“listen, i understand if you don’t feel the same but–” he was cut off when she placed her hand on his cheek, pulling him in for a kiss. it took a moment, but he slowly eased into it, his hand resting on her neck. “i take it, you feel the same?”

“you’re an idiot.” she giggled, placing a short, gentle kiss on his lips. “of course, i feel the same. but we take this slow, okay?”

“deal.” he leaned in to kiss her once more only to be stopped by her placing a finger on his lips.

“we’re gonna be late.” he pouted, earning a laughing, ‘ok, one more, and then we go in. no more, no less.” he pecked her lips before getting out and opening her door for her. “such the gentleman.”

“gotta make up for lost time.”

#angelicsoka #luke hughes #luke hughes imagine #jack hughes #jack hughes x reader #luke hughes x reader #nhl imagine #nhl fic #luke hughes x best friend!reader #hockey #hockey fic #hockey imagine

[lokisprettygirl]

hi sorry, thought this be a better place to rant about TB because evidently the length of said rant doesnt accommodate the number of character available in the comments. anyway, sorry if this is rather lengthy and if this is ever a bother

nooo wtf. first of all, lokis back story in cairo, wtf sameera or whatever her name was. he was beaten to a pulp, darling im so sorry. Things like that make me want to be there and be the one to comfort and nurse him back to full health and it just brakes my heart that he was beaten up in the first place. That bitch didnt deserve him at all, im so sorry darling that you had to fall for that wretched girl only to be left broken and beaten, im so so sorry darling.

second of all, i understand why he's trying to sever the intimate and sacred contact they shared because, one he doesnt want to get hurt again, two he feels guilty that that bloody bastard steve laid a hand on her and hurt and left a mark on her and he wasnt there to help and save her, three he knows he has to give her up when she get married to steve and he cant be there to save her from the torture she going to endure from him and four he's afraid of the capability and power steve and her father have of hurting or killing him like with what happened with whats her name and the fact that she might do the same thing she did

third of all, I understand y/n as well. shes trusted him and he broke whatever that was they had and it hurt her. it made her think and believe in the things those horrible people said to her. Its also making her think that she like poison, that if she gets involved with someone else they'll leave her or they'll get hurt or taken away from her or they'll use her for their own evil scheme. (honestly this might be a terrible metaphor)

Honestly the internal conflict i have with myself will cause my untimely death, Im always like this, I understand or at least try to see both sides and this is great example of it

and lastly four, erik stevens sounded rather familiar to me and i looked it up and it turns out its actually killmonger (sorry i always call him that and might have forgotten his actual name)

Now wtf (it appears i have said this way to much i apologize) now their separated and they thought they still had that time even though they arent "friends" anymore, it still hurts them that their separated ( i dont think this paragraph makes sense sorry) Now lokis appointed to who im assuming is bitchannah or something (honestly i really dont care for the name of the characters that annoy me)

And steve you conniving asshole, thats it hes a bloody fucking bastards asshole. Honestly, everyone but y/n and loki is a narcissistic, self centered asshole that dont give a bloody fuck about anyone but themselves. (then i remembered her mother and that lady from the shelter, their good)

wow im sorry for the length and if this ever bothers you, im simply ranting of how i perceive these characters and this is a testament to your brilliant writing. You are a brilliant brilliant writer and dont let anyone think else, (even me if i ever do or did, which i hope not, if i ever did it wasnt my intention). The complexity in the stories that you muster up to conjure in your head is already brilliant but to share it to the world and to us or me personally is a privilege so thank you

again im sorry for the length of this and wish you a good day darling and hope you get better soon. sending all the love 😊❤️💜💙💚💛😊

Never apologise for a long comment or ran or feedback as I like to call it. Trust me your comments are everything that keeps me going and makes me want to update faster. 😘😘💚

Yeah Sameera really fucked him up badly, he is broken too, just in a different way and they both need to love each other to fix each other. It's just a perfect fit, he's the safe harbor she wants and she's the validation he needs. But their attraction for each other isn't limited to what they need from each other , they both want to protect each other selflessly and that says alot

And yes the new bodyguard is in

I just wanted to finally bring a side character I really like but never have written before

Whether he'd be a friend or foe? We will see 👀👀

You're making me cry with the last paragraph, lately I have been feeling even worse about my writing for some reason but this made me feel so validated. I try to give my characters a solid foundation and I'm just super happy that you feel so invested in them. Thank you for this ask my dear 😍💚

I'm sending all the love too 💓💓

#asks #stupidthoughtsinwrting #the bodyguard

[julemmaes]

Payback

Rowaelin Month, Day Five

A/N: Yall I'm dying. I didn't even wanna write today and I kinda forced myself to and I'm not proud of myself for this but I just wanted you to have something so yep. Tomorrow's will be a lot angstier and sadder than this one, so soak up the very light fluff I'm giving you till you can

Signing off, goodnight yall

Word count: 3,614

Aelin hated the underground car park reserved for the residents of her building. It was dark, so narrow that you had to do at least a hundred swerves to avoid taking any corner and scratching off half your car, and it was impossible to find a spot when everyone came home in the evening after hours and hours in the office and parked as they saw fit while still thinking about the thousands of pieces of paperwork that would be waiting for them at their desks only nine hours later, sometimes taking up more than two spots at once.

The only reason she still tried to park down there was that there was a flock of pigeons in the trees just outside their block of flats, on the main road, which had made a nasty habit of shitting on anything - or anyone, on some unpleasant occasion - that stopped for more than five minutes under the thick branches. A perfect hiding place for birds, that no one had thought to warn her about when she had moved in only a few months earlier.

She had deemed herself lucky the night before, when she had returned before anyone else and found the lot completely empty. She'd been so happy that she'd driven around a bit down there just for the hell of it. She'd pulled up next to the exit, thinking it would be easier to get out the next morning.

She hadn't anticipated the three assholes who had parked so as to block her path in every conceivable way.

She grunted, banging her fist against the steering wheel when she realised she still wasn't clear, and put the car into reverse for the twelfth time, before changing gear and driving three inches forward. And so on, and on, and on, until she managed to steer the face of the car towards the exit and let out a satisfied howl.

She started up the slope towards the road, taking her eyes off the driveway and distracting herself for a moment to choose which radio to listen to, when the car hit something and the dull sound of the bang echoed throughout her body, propelling her forward.

Aelin squealed, hitting the brakes hard enough to cause a high-pitched squeal, and soon the smell of burnt plastic filled her nostrils.

The car shut off and she pulled the handbrake vehemently, getting out of the car and trying to figure out which wall she had hit, already cursing every deity that had ever existed. She didn't have enough money to afford a repair, and she knew perfectly well that the dent would be there for months before she let any of her friends help her.

She wrinkled her brow, noticing how no side of the car was touching walls or columns.

"What the..."

And then she heard it, a grunt of pain.

She opened her eyes wide, running around the car and finding a man on the ground.

To the view of a head full of stark white hair, the fear she’d just ran over one of the oldies that lived on her floor stuck her. But then the person got up on their elbows and she let go of a sigh of relief.

But still, she had just runapartment someone over. She hurried his way.

"Oh, fuck." said Aelin, approaching the stranger. The man pulled himself up to sit, bringing a hand to his face, on his cheek, where a cut was bleeding profusely on his shirt.

"Holy shit." muttered the guy, looking up at her, "That hurt."

Aelin was frozen in time, her hands to her gaping mouth, looking for the right words.

When he tried to stand, swaying a little, she pushed through the fog in her mind and truly looked at him, searching other injuries, but not failing to notice his sheer handsomeness.

The man looked like he’d been made in heaven.

She shook her head, mentally reprimanding herself – now was not the time – and started talking.

“I’m so so so sorry. I didn’t see you there and- oh god, you’re bleeding. You need me to rush you to the hospital? Fuck, you think you broke something?” the words just kept flowing and flowing. “Where were you even going? Why didn’t you just got out of the main entrance? This fucking parking lot. I swear we have to call the landlord and have him put some lights down here. Your shirt,” she grimaced, eyeing the blood standing out on the white fabric. Aelin looked him in the eye, “I have a very similar one upstairs? You want me to go fetch it for you, I could-”

“Jesus Christ!” he yelled, putting his hands in between them, forcing her to step back, “Shut the fuck up!”

Aelin’s mouth closed shut and her eyebrows raised so high she felt her skin pull on her temples. She crossed her arms over her chest. Her eyes popping out.

This man. Sure, she’d just ran him over, but no one had ever talked to her like that.

“I’m fine.” he grumbled, “And I live in this building, I’ll go take my own shirt, thank you.” He took a deep breath, brushing off his trousers and bending to gather his stuff that had scattered around during his fall. When he lifted his head again, he gave her a tight smile and his piercing green eyes stared at her with an intensity that had Aelin’s toes curling in her shoes.

“Have a nice day.”

He then proceeded to walk away, leaving Aelin alone in the darkish driveway.

She looked around, hoping to see someone who could confirm that it had just been a figment of her imagination, but there was no one.

Getting back in her car, Aelin started the engine and drove up to the street, chewing on her lips, “What the fuck just happened?”

***

Aelin had thought all day about the mysterious man. She hadn’t been able to focus during her meetings and hadn’t even finished one of her projects. Something that she sure as fuck knew her boss would make her notice and work her ass off to make up for once word got to him.

Her day had started off so bad she knew it couldn’t get any worse, but she’d been wrong.

Her assistant had spilled coffee over her only finished drawing and herself. One of her coworkers had decided today was the perfect day to quit her job and pile her projects on Aelin’s desk. Then she’d gone out for lunch with some of her friends and it had started raining so heavily she’d been forced to stay in the office, only eye-eating the mouth-watering dishes her friends had posted on their instagram stories. They’d made it to the diner just before the sky cracked open.

And, the cherry on top, someone had keyed her car.

She’d been on the verge of tears when she’d spotted the red stains of her neighbor’s blood on the parking lot floor when she got back home, but she didn’t let any fall.

She had a date.

And she wouldn’t let all these little things get to her and ruin what could possibly be the best night of her life.

One of her life-long best friends had set her up on a blind date with one of her boyfriend’s best friends. She’d promised the man was the perfect match, someone Elide thought would keep her on her toes and match her overflowing personality.

Aelin had been hesitant at first when Elide hadn’t wanted to give her a name, or show her a picture, claiming she’d go all FBI style on him and ruin their first meeting, but she’d also promised Aelin she’d met the guy a few times and he’d been nothing but a gentleman.

And she had heard so much of him she felt like she’d known him her whole life.

Some of the things Elide had told her, she’d liked better if she’d found directly from him, but Aelin was a picky woman and she wasn’t risking another date with a creeper.

She pulled up in the restaurant’s parking lot where Elide had reserved the four of them a table and turned off her car, clutching the wheel. She took a deep breath. And another.

She was still a little worked up and all the pent-up emotions of the day were threatening to spill over the surface any minute, but she could make it past dinner and then have her little monthly breakdown in the peace and quiet of her apartment.

She fixed her lipstick, tightened up her ponytail and let two strands of hair cascade on the side of her face. She blew herself a kiss in the mirror, “You can do it.” she whispered as a short pet talk.

She got off the car, pulled out her phone to check if Elide was already inside and she was so focused on the screen she failed to notice someone backing up right in front of her until it was too late.

The car only bumped into her hip, but it was enough to make her lose her balance.

Aelin merely had time to register what was happening that she found herself lying in a puddle of rain and mud. She closed her eyes at the dull pain on the back of her head, but she knew for a fact the hit hadn’t been that bad.

She lifted her arms up, looking down at the wet spots on her dress, darkening by the second. Her seventy euros purse soaking up the water all around her.

The tension behind her eyes just increased when she heard the driver’s door open and someone step out of the car. She couldn’t have stopped the sobs even if she wanted to.

“Miss? Oh god, I’m so sorry. Are you alright?”

Strong arms circled her waist and pulled her up in a standing position. She brought her hands to her face, her body now racked by her crying as she tried to get a handle of herself.

“Miss?” the voice called again, now nearer. “Are you hurt? I didn’t-” the man talking stopped suddenly and Aelin looked up, not seeing anything through the tears. “You.”

And then it hit her.

That voice.

She knew that voice.

She ran her hand over her face, rubbing her eyes and staring right back at the man she had ran over that same morning.

Her mouth fell open.

He was looking at her with an amused expression and Aelin couldn’t find the words once again.

What was it with this man and his ability to take her ability to talk by just showing up?

He had a transparent band-aid on his cheek, his cut far less severe than she had thought, and his eyes were glistening with mirth. He was wearing a simple black pair of jeans and a dark green t-shirt, but he was even more handsome than in his work clothes.

Aelin was taking rushed, trembling breaths, and she was about to kill this man with her bare hands. Shred his skin off his bones and have him beg-

“I guess we’re even now, uh?”

His attempt of a joke flew over her head and she charged at him, a scream lodged in her throat.

His eyes widened and he took a step back when she flung her arm at him, trying to hit him. His hands closed around her wrists, blocking her from causing him more harm that she’d already done.

“You asshole!” she was screaming at the top of her lungs. “You ruined my dress!”

Aelin lifted a leg, more than convinced to kneel his balls, but he managed to block her blow again, infuriating her even more.

“I was about to meet the love of my life and ruined my fucking dress!”

He tried to push her away from him, still squeezing her wrists, and his brow furrowed.

“He’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of. He’s a pediatrician! He loves children! And he has a cute fucking dog my friend said I would love and cuddle the shit out of! Her name is Fleetfoot and she’s a golden retriever and Elide knows I fucking love goldens. And he’s from Orynth, just. Like. Me!” she got louder and louder with every word she spit out. “And he’s tall, and handsome and he’s the perfect match! And I deserved this one night!”

The man was now looking at her with a dumbfounded expression, his hold slightly loosening.

“I’m so done with this dating thing and I’d finally found him and you!” she shoved a finger in his chest, making him retreat a few steps. “You wanted your payback so bad you ran me over with your car!

“And now he’s gonna take one look at me and think I’m a fucking psycho! I bet my hair are the most disgusting thing he’s ever seen and my make up. Oh fuck, I must look like a panda.” Aelin started crying harder, laying her hands flat on the man’s torso, pushing her head to his chest. “I look like a fucking panda.”

She tried to speak again but her mind just couldn’t form any coherent thought, until she felt the man’s arms closing around her shoulders. He stepped closer, running his hand up and down her back, whispering something she couldn’t really hear over her crying.

Aelin didn’t know how much time she spent in the stranger’s embrace, but when the gravity of the scene she’d just made in front of him downed on her, she felt her body flare up in embarrassment.

That was her life now?

Having mental breakdowns in a dark parking lot after someone she’d ran over with her car had returned the gesture and then making them console her?

She detached herself from the man and for a second she thought she’d felt him hesitate before he took a step back. And another, leaving her standing her in her soaking wet dress and her puffy, surely-red eyes. He bent down, picking up her purse and handing it to her.

She lowered her gaze, not even daring looking at his shoes and closed her eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

The man made a sound of surprise, “Why would you be sorry?”

Aelin wished she could die on the spot. Evaporate out of existence.

“For hitting you. Or at least trying. And crying all over you.” she said and then grimaced. She ran a hand over her face. “I just had a very hard day and I wasn’t even sure I wanted to come, but this guy seriously seems like he could be the missing piece to whatever the fuck my puzzle-life is. I didn’t want to take a raincheck and have him thinking I’m not serious about this.”

A beat of silence, “I’m sure he would have understood.”

She shook her head, keeping on talking as if he hadn’t even been there, “And now I can’t go in like this.” she passed her hands on her dress, the tears building up again in her eyes. “Plus, Elide didn’t tell me what he looks like, cause she thinks he’s a real snack and wanted to see my face when I saw him for the first time.” she was bordering on pouting, “That means he’s gotta be smoking hot or I’ll be so pissed at her.”

The man snorted loudly, “A snack.” he hummed, “Maybe I should meet your friend and thank her.”

Aelin’s head snapped up, “Oh no, she’s taken.” she shook her head vehemently, “Like so freaking taken. I swear she and her boyfriend have been together for a whole of three months and they already act like a married couple.”

He nodded, a lopsided smile on his face, “I know the kind.”

She’d been so absorbed by her talking that she hadn’t noticed she’d stopped crying.

She breathed through her nose and clasped her hands together, before reaching one out towards him, “I think introductions are needed. I’m Aelin.” she offered a tentative smile.

His hand engulfed hers, shaking it with impressive gentleness. His smile grew even larger if possible and Aelin was starting to think she was about to het murdered.

But then he said his name and the world ceased existing around them.

Their hands still moving up and down between them.

She tilted her head forward, “I’m sorry, could you repeat that?”

He licked his lower lip, “I’m Rowan.”

Aelin closed her eyes, holding her breath.

She squeezed his hand before releasing it. She took a step back, wishing for the ground beneath her feet to crack open and just eat her whole.

“I’m gonna go kill myself now, if you’ll excuse me.”

His laugh reached her ears with painful speed.

Rowan.

She couldn’t believe it.

Well, she could. The man laughing his heart out at her expense was probably the most handsome person she’d ever seen in her entire life.

At least Elide hadn’t lied about that.

“A tad dramatic, if you ask me,” he said as his laugh died down. He pointed at the restaurant behind him, “You want me to go fetch the married couple so we can go back at the appartment and you can change? I’m not against you walking in there with this outfit at all,” he gave a pointed look, matched by a shit-eating grin that seemed to be etched in his lips, “I’m not gonna think you’re a psycho, not for this at least, and I’m ready to fight everyone who looks at you the wrong way. But you look like you could use the comfort of a warm house.”

Aelin looked up at him with a questioning look, trying to understand if this man she’d just tried to maul was seriously offering her options, letting her choose after everything that had gone down so far between the two of them. As if still giving her a chance.

Rowan arched a brow, looking around and glancing back at her, “Aelin?”

Oh, fuck.

She had been oh so not ready o hear her name from his lips.

She nodded and he smiled, leaning down a bit.

She could smell his cologne from here.

“Yes to what? Me calling Lorcan and Elide or getting inside even if you dripping wet?”

Holy fucking shit, this man shouldn’t have been allowed to say the words dripping wet.

She stilled herself.

What the hell was she thinking? She brought her hands to her face, “Please call them and let’s head home. I’m so fucking tired.” a yawn broke her sentence, as to prove her words, “And I’m freezing in this skimpy dress.”

Rowan rushed to her side, “Oh, god, sorry for not offering sooner, here,” he opened the trunk of his car and pulled out a huge blue sweater. Without even waiting for an answer he snatched her purse from her hands and shoved her head in his sweater.

Aelin felt better right away and gave him a big smile.

Rowan answered with one of his own and of course he had to be this perfect and more.

“I’m sorry for ruining your dress, I’ll make sure they wash it carefully when I take it to the laundry. If you’d let me.”

She nodded faintly, exhaling the panty-dropping smell of his sweater.

“And I’m hoping to see you wear it again once we finally get to go on a proper date.” he smirked, “I bet you looked amazing before I went and ran you over.”

Aelin chuckled, shaking her head, “You truly are a gentleman. Elide wasn’t exaggerating.”

Rowan’s demeanor changed completely and Aelin feared she’d said something wrong, but he averted his gaze as if he was embarassed.

“I’m sorry for this morning,” he said. Aelin almost tripped on her feet. He was sorry? “I shouldn’t have talked to you like that but I was just coming back from the hospital and Elide was right saying I work with kids, but I’m not a pediatrician, I’m a pediatric surgeon.”

His gaze grew dark as he looked over her shoulder, avoiding meeting her eyes at all costs.

“Yesterday night we lost a eight years old and I wasn’t really there when you hit me with your car. I didn’t mean to yell at you like I did, it was just-”

Rowan couldn’t finish his sentence that Aelin lunged for him, hugging him as tight as he’d held her a few minutes before, hoping she could relieve some of the pain that was surely clutching his heart. She felt him sag in her arms and hold her in turn.

She was glad she could offer some kind of support.

“It must be hard.” she whispered against his chest.

Rowan nodded, hitting her head with his chin, “It is, but it’s part of the job. The only way you can live with something like that in your baggage is knowing you did everything you could to save them.”

Aelin could feel the emotion lacing his every word and tightened her arms for a moment before freeing him of her embrace. He silently thanked her and told her he’d be right back with their friends.

The second he was gone she realized she couldn’t wait for when he’d be back and they could keep talking.

She’d never felt this way before. Not this fast at least.

Sure, she had loved all her exes, but this. This was different.

There was something there, a connection.

And while he walked back to her, Lorcan and Elide in tow, a bright smile on his handsome face, she couldn’t help but think she was ready to find out all about it.

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#rowaelinmonth #rowaelin #rowan whitethorn #aelin galathynius #rowaelin month day five #tog #throne of glass #rowaelin fic

[sourwolf-sterek32]

Welcome to the End

Summary: Y/N Winchester was a hunter like her brothers, following in their fathers footsteps. Saving people, hunting things, the family business.

During a case in Georgia, you meet the Dixon brothers and after saving Daryl’s life against a Chupacabra, the two of you become close. But, when the zombie apocalypse starts, life as you know it changes forever.

Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Winchester!Reader

Word Count: 3k

Warnings: Language, descriptions of blood and injury 

Chapter 13-

"Where the hell is he going?" Glenn questioned, drawing your attention away from the direction Daryl had driven off as you looked to your left to find Glenn, Michonne and Maggie running towards the gate.

What is going on?

"We gotta stop him." Michonne shouted. 

You were already opening the back door to the Impala, throwing the fuel cans and bags of supplies from the bunker out the car, making room for them. 

"Get in. I'm driving." You instructed, climbing into the drivers seat. Glenn taking the passenger seat and Michonne in the back.

Turning the key in the ignition, you bought the Impala to life and turned her around about to drive out the gate before Abraham suddenly stepped in front of the car and you slammed on the brakes.

"Make room for my freckled ass." He shouted, walking towards the back door before Rosita marched past him.

"Cover my watch. You stay. I know where Daryl's going."

You didn't argue with that. If she knew where that idiot was going, that was good enough for you. 

Rosita climbed into the back seat with Michonne as Abraham reluctantly stepped out the way before you put your foot down and took off down the road.

Nobody said anything for a few minutes except for when Rosita told you to turn down certain roads until Glenn broke the silence.

"You didn't find your brothers?" He asked softly from beside you.

You glanced over at him, but by the look in his eyes it was clear he already knew the answer to that and you just shook your head.

"Y/N, I'm so sorry-" 

"It doesn't matter. I always knew they were dead... guess this just confirmed it. Now where is Daryl going?" You asked, glancing in the revision mirror at Rosita trying to change the topic.

"He's going to the train tracks where Denise was killed."

Whoa, what? Denise was killed? 

"What? Okay, what the hell happened in the two days I was gone?" You questioned in complete shock.

Nobody said anything for a moment, clearly unsure how to explain it before Rosita told you everything.

She told you about how her, Daryl and Denise went on a supply run and that they were ambushed by a group of Saviours because apparently you didn't kill them all. She told you that it was the same man that Daryl had tried to save a few months ago in the woods who had stolen his motorbike and crossbow, the same crossbow that Dwight still had and killed Denise with. Rosita told you everything.

No wonder Daryl was so pissed before, but that didn't give him the right to treat you the way he had after you just found out that your brothers were gone.

It didn't take long before you reached the train tracks and you pulled the Impala over, hiding it behind a bunch of trees before the group of you took off on foot following Rosita who said Dwight had run off in this direction.

You were walking for nearly 20 minutes before you heard faint rustling in the distance and you motioned for everyone to stop as you listened.

Yep, those were definitely footsteps.

"I can hear him. He's close." You stated causing them to send you questioning looks. "I have super hearing. I can hear his footsteps, c'mon." You explained as you continued walking in the direction of the noise.

You only managed to walk a few more metres when suddenly the sound of a crossbow bolt being fired filled the air, the others couldn't hear it, but you could and not a second later a bolt shot straight past yours and Rosita's head, slamming into the tree beside you.

You quickly looked in the direction of where the bolt came from to find Daryl marching through the tall grass towards the group of you, with his crossbow in his hands.

"Watch the hell out, asshole." Rosita exclaimed as she yanked the bolt out the tree trunk angrily.

"I did. Ya shouldn't have come." Daryl growled.

He spared one quick glance at you before snatching the bolt out Rosita's hand and started to walk off. 

"You shouldn't have left." Michonne responded which seemed to catch Daryl's attention as he turned back towards the group of you. 

"When I split off from Sasha 'n Abraham, he was out there in the woods, in that burned-out forest with 'em girls, put a gun to my head, tied me up! I ever tried to help him." 

"So, you think it's your fault?" Glenn quickly questioned causing Daryl to take a step towards Glenn him.

"Yeah, I know it is." He growled, glaring at Glenn. "M'gonna go do what I should've done before."

You had never seen Daryl this angry, this pissed before and it was clear that he blamed himself for Denise's death and he was on a mission to go and kill this Dwight guy.

"What, for her? She's gone, man. You're doing this for you." Glenn responded, but Daryl just shook his head as he started to walk off.

"Man, I don't give a shit." 

"Daryl!" You shouted, jogging after him as you grabbed his arm, but he yanked it out your grip and you let him, not wanting to use your super strength on him.

Daryl quickly spun around, taking a step towards you with that same look in his eye and if you didn't know him, you would have thought he was going to punch you, but you knew he wouldn't.

You didn't back down as you stood up straight and stared right back at him, just waiting to see what he was going to do.

"You want to hit me? You want to yell at me? Go right ahead. But, I'm not letting you go on some reckless mission to kill Dwight. You'll get yourself killed. Now, let's go back to Alexandria and figure it all out." You instructed, your tone deadly calm as you rested your hands on your hips and stared at your boyfriend who just shook his head.

"Ain't goin' back 'til he's dead." He muttered about to turn away from you again, but you grabbed his shoulder to stop him.

"It wasn't your fault. Her death was not your fault and-" 

"It was! 'N if ya were here, ya could've stopped it. But, ya left!" He shouted and your eyes widened in shock.

He was really trying to blame you for this?

"I left to go find my brothers. Don't you dare try and put this on me." You snapped, taking a step towards him, anger suddenly soaring through your veins before Glenn quickly got between the two of you.

"Guys. Guys. Enough. This was nobody's fault except for the Saviours who are still alive and out here somewhere so we need to get back. We will figure this out from home. Our home." Glenn stated to say as he glanced over at you before turning his attention to Daryl. "We need you, and everyone back there needs us right now. It's gonna go wrong out here. Just come back home."

Daryl didn't say anything for a moment as he glanced between you and Glenn before he shook his head.

"Man, I can't." He muttered before walking past the two of you and heading back towards the woods.

"Daryl!" You yelled angrily. 

"I can't!" He shouted, not turning back as he continued to march off.

You knew there was nothing you could say to make him stop as you stared at the angel wings on his vest while he walked off.

"I can't either." Rosita suddenly said, speaking up for the first time in a while as she walked past you and Glenn, following Daryl.

"Y/N?" Glenn asked hesitantly.

You watched the two of them disappear through the woods, but you just shook your head, knowing what Glenn was asking.

"I'm so fucking done with today. Let's go." You muttered.

You were over it.

If Daryl wanted to be a jackass, you weren't going to fucking stop him.

You were done.

So, you just turned around without a word and started heading back in the direction of the Impala, but you didn't miss the way Glenn and Michonne sighed with relief, glad that you weren't going with Daryl and Rosita.

The three of you walked for a few minutes in silence, your mind spinning between not finding your brothers and how rude Daryl was being. 

You were so caught up in your own thoughts you didn't hear the new set of foot steps until it was too late and the last thing you remembered was something hard slamming into the back of your head before everything turned black.

-

When you started to gain consciousness, you had no idea what was going on. 

It was clear that you were in a vehicle of some sort, you could feel it moving, but for the life of you, you couldn't figure out why or how you got in car. What the hell happened?

"Y/N? Hey, are you awake?" You thought you heard Glenn ask.

"Angel." Daryl's gruff voice whispered which caught your attention.

Daryl was back?

You slowly opened your eyes, but everything was dark except for small beams of light coming through the back door of what you assumed was the back door to some moving van. Seriously, what the hell?

"W-what's happening?" You questioned, sitting yourself up as you looked around, but you could barely see anything before Rosita suddenly pulled out a lighter and lit it up, illuminating the back of the van.

"The Saviours took us and knocked you out. It was Dwight. He shot, Daryl." Michonne explained causing your head to quickly snap around in Daryl's direction to find him sitting opposite you beside Glenn who had wrapped a white blanket over his shoulders.

"How bad is it? Where did he shoot you?" You frantically questioned, all the anger you had towards him earlier completely vanishing as you quickly crawled over to him and knelt down in from him.

"M'fine. It ain't bad." Daryl muttered, but even in the dim light you could see all the fresh blood smeared up against the side of his neck and covering his shoulder.

"It ain't that bad? There's blood everywhere, Daryl!" You exclaimed in a hushed whisper.

You should have went with him. You shouldn't have let him walk off into those woods. You should have gone with him, but you let your emotions take over and you let him walk off and now he was hurt. Fuck, this was all your fault.

"It's okay, angel. M'sorry 'bout before... I shouldn't have-" Daryl started to apologise, his voice hoarse and you could tell he was in a lot of pain, but didn't want to admit it. 

"Nope, shut up. This is not okay. None of this is okay." 

Lifting your hand, you rested your palm against his shoulder, taking a deep breath before you started to use your powers to heal the wound.

"Whoa. What are ya doin'?" Daryl quickly questioned, moving his shoulder away with a wince.

"Healing you." You answered, resting your hand back over the wound, but Daryl grabbed your hand with his good arm and pulled it away.

"No, ya can't heal me. Your powers-" 

"I don't care." You argued, not letting Daryl win this fight as you rested your palm back over his shoulder.

You closed your eyes as you started to heal the wound, bright purple light coming from your palm and shooting into his shoulder.

You thought you heard one of the others gasp in shock, no doubt watching everything you were doing, but you couldn't hear anything above the ringing that was forming in your ears or the pounding in your head.

If you thought teleporting to save Maggie and Carol was bad, it was nothing compared to this.

The pain in your head made it feel like someone was repeatedly hitting it with a sledgehammer and you were sure that it would split open any second, but you kept going. Moving your hand over the wound slowly as you healed it.

You could feel blood tripping from your nose and down your chin as you opened your eyes. A second later, the wound was fully healed and you fell backwards until your back hit the side of the van.

You weren't sure if you had passed out again or not, but the next thing you knew, you were half leaning against Glenn while Daryl sat in front of you. His hand on your knee as he stared at you with panicked eyes. Okay, yep, you must have passed out.

"D-Did it work?" You whispered, your voice sounding about as weak as you felt right now.

"Thank God." Daryl sighed, his hand cupping the side of your face as he stared at you with teary eyes.

Wait, why was upset?

"What... what did I miss?" You asked, staring at your boyfriend who looked a second away from bursting into tears.

"You passed out for like an hour. Couldn't get you to wake up." Rosita answered and your eyes widened in shock.

A whole hour? Okay, that was new, no wonder Daryl looked worried. Hell, all three of them looked worried.

"But, did it work? Is the gunshot wound healed?" You asked, not really caring about yourself right now causing Daryl to chuckle softly as he nodded before he leant forward and pressed a gentle kiss to your lips.

"Don't scare me like that again, angel." He mumbled, resting his forehead against yours and you nodded weakly.

"So, what's the plan? This van will stop eventually, what are we going to do?" Michonne asked. 

"We fight them." Rosita answered as you tried to sit yourself up, but you were too weak.

Daryl must have realised what you were trying to do because a moment later he grabbed your shoulders again and helped you sit up straight against the wall of the van, sending you a worried look, but you just shook your head trying to dismiss his worry.

"They took our weapons. Our guns, we can't fight them." Glenn answered causing you to frown as you moved your hand down to your gun holster to find that was in fact empty.

Shit.

You quickly moved your hand to your boot sighed with relief when you felt your angle blade still there. Dumbasses should have searched you properly. 

"We have Y/N though. Can you use your mojo on these guys?" Rosita asked, looking over at you and you shrugged your shoulders.

You could barely sit up by yourself, you used all your energy and the little power you had left on healing Daryl. Maybe in 24 hours... you might be able to do something, but you doubted you could even flash your eyes purple right now. You powers were completely drained, you were completely drained.

"Nah, she ain't usin' her powers again. Look at her." Daryl quickly answered, shaking his head.

A moment later the vehicle suddenly came to a stop and you all froze.

"Well, that's not good." You mumbled to yourself, rubbing your face with your hands as you glanced over at the others who all were staring at the back door to the van just waiting for it to open, but it never did.

You could hear muffled voices and whistles coming from outside, but none of you could make out what the voices were saying.

You weren't sure how long the five of you were sitting in the back of the van for, waiting in anticipation before the back door suddenly clicked and opened.

You were momentarily blinded by the bright light as you squinted before realising the brightness was from car headlights and not the sun. It was now dark outside and it was clear the sun had long ago set for the night.

"Come on. You got people to meet." Dwight's voice announced and you glared at the man as him and a few others began to grab your arms and drag you out the back.

You kept your eyes on Daryl as Dwight pulled him out the van, completely ignoring the Saviour who was pulling you as you watched Dwight push Daryl to the ground.

Suddenly, the man holding you shoved you to the dirt hard and you landed on your knees between Daryl and Glenn, nearly collapsing completely if Daryl hadn't grabbed your shoulders to stop you.

"Maggie?" Glenns voice questioned and your eyes quickly shot up as you looked around and your heart sunk as saw the rest of your friends.

Rick, Carl, Maggie, Abraham, Sasha, Eugene and Aaron all sitting on their knees down the line and your eyes locked with Rick's.

"Rick?" You questioned in utter shock, trying to figure out how they were all here as you took in how petrified they all looked before the Saviour behind you kicked your back and you fell forward.

You tried to bring your hands up to yourself from faceplanting, but your body was too weak and you hit the ground with a wince.

Slowly pushed yourself back onto your knees, not wanting to piss these people off even more. If you had your full powers you could kill all of them in a split second, but you haven't had your full powers since this whole thing started so there was no point in hoping they'd magically come back now.  

"No talking." The Saviour behind you snapped.

You glanced over your shoulder as you glared at the man with the thick moustache who just smiled at you as you sat yourself back onto your knees.

Daryl eyed you cautiously, but to your relief he didn't do or say anything in retaliation. Right now was not the time for stupid ideas.

"Alright! We got a full boat. Let's meet the man." The same man declared as he walked over to the RV parked in front of you.

You only just realised that it was the RV from Alexandria and your blood ran old. Were they at Alexandria too? Were the others in danger?

Nobody said anything as you watched the man with the moustache knock on the door to the RV and a second later the door opened.

A second later, a man who you suspected was the leader of this group stepped out. He was standing in the shadows of the RV so you couldn't see him clearly, but you figured he must be their leader, Negan.

Turning your attention away from the man, you looked back towards the group, your eyes flashing over everyone trying to figure out a way out of this.

"Pissing our pants yet?" Negan suddenly questioned and your entire body froze at the familiar voice. "Boy, do I have a feeling we're getting close." 

Your head snapped back towards the voice as Negan walked out from the shadow of the RV and your eyes widen in absolute shock.

 -

MASTERLIST

Next Chapter

-Gifs used are not mine. Credit to rightful owners.

A/N-

As promised, here’s the next chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it because things are about to get interesting!

Until next time, stay safe everyone and have a great day xx

#Daryl Dixon #daryl dixon fanfic #daryl dixon x reader #daryl dixon fanfiction #twd #The Walking Dead #the walking dead fanfic #the walking dead fanfiction #dean winchester #Sam Winchester #castiel #Destiel #supernatural #spn

[scuttle-buttle]

WC: 1394

Rated: T

Tags: descriptions of injury, small mention of blood, Niki being a dummkopf, german, angst, hurt/comfort, some humor

A/N: our favorite Austrian asshole made interesting choices regarding his health. We knew this 🤔

🚜

Niki pulled into the pit quicker than he intended when the grand prix ended. The brakes squeaked in protest. He didn’t even care that he’d come in 4th place. His chest felt like it was on fire, like he would combust at any second. He needed to get out of the car.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Swallow. In. Out. Don’t puke.

Biting his lip to stifle the pain, he was sure he would bite the damn thing off. Arturo and Luca are already waiting to help him out of the car. Carefully they help him maneuver himself out of the car as smoothly as they can. Niki nods in thanks. The two share a look over his head, knowing something is wrong. “Get Dungl on the phone.” Luca leaves to do as instructed.

“What’s wrong?” Arturo asks.

“Ribs,” is all Niki can manage to get out around the tightness in his chest. Arturo nods, knowing about his situation. Niki leans onto a wall, keeping his back as straight as he possibly can. His breathing is shallow.

Looking up under his lashes he can see you walking over to greet him. He panics for a moment, knowing you always wrap him in your arms after a race, even though he complains that he must smell awful. He does the first thing he can think of - he grabs your hands in his own, holding them out to the side a bit as you lean in. This way you are still able to kiss him without surely doing more damage to his ribs.

You must notice the odd gesture, the stiffness in his lips as he returns the favor; your brows furrow for a second before smoothing out again. “You did great out there today.”

Niki’s answer is curt and forced. “Thank you.”

His response sounds annoyed almost, like he’s holding back anger at something. Nothing particularly dramatic happened during the race itself that you remember. You figure he must be upset about not placing in the top three. You had no fears that it had anything to do with you. Holding out a hand to him, you intend to walk him back to the trailer to change out of his coveralls.

He hesitates, his body clenches tight as you begin to pull him. A grunt breaks from his parted lips, his eyes scrunched shut.

Stopping, you search his face and ask “what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, liebe.” He looks over your face and sees your questioning glance. “Muscles are just tight after being in the car,” he fibs, a strained smile on his face.

You seem to buy it enough. This time, Niki is as prepared as possible when you pull on his arm again. Each step he takes sends a stabbing through his chest and through his spine. He does his best to mask the pain from his features as you walk to the trailer.

Once the door is closed you turn to unzip his uniform. He allows you this much, knowing that he literally can’t bend over to push the garment down his hips and legs. Carefully, he steps out of the material with your help. Fucking hell, it hurts. He focuses on schooling his breaths so that you don't notice when it inevitably hitches.

The toe of his shoe catches on the pant leg, causing Niki to lose his balance. Nearly falling into the side of the trailer to catch himself he can’t stop the agonizing yelp that he makes. “Scheisse!” The little air that was in his lungs leaves him, his head spinning with pain and lack of oxygen. Black spots swim through his vision.

At his exclamation you stand, your hands flying out to steady him against his chest. At the contact of your fingers against his sweater he flinches, giving another pathetic yelp. You yank them off him; “Niki what the hell is going on?”

He doesn’t answer. Instead, his face scrunched in a deep scowl. He can taste the iron from where he has bitten through his lip. Without realizing it, he’d brought one arm up around his waist to clutch at the injury.

You notice his arm cradling his chest. “Sit.” It’s a command that Niki doesn’t have the ability to fight. He lowers himself onto the bed in the corner. Reaching down, you carefully pull his arm away from him, slowly lifting the sweater up. A black and white binding of some sort supports his torso. Fingers barely ghosting down the thick straps, you ask “what is this?” You are full on panicking at this point.

“I’m fine, liebe, I just need to sit for a minute,” he grunts out.

“That’s bullshit, Niki, and you know it. You look like you’re about to pass out.”

Looking at your face he can tell that you’re barely restraining your fear and concern for him. He can also tell that you're right - he does feel like he's moments from losing consciousness. Niki licks his lips. “I… broke a few ribs.”

“You WHAT? When!?” your shout echoes around the trailer's walls.

He can’t suppose he’s upset by your reaction. There is no doubt you would have found out sooner or later anyway. Niki just hoped it would have been less dramatic circumstances. “Few days ago. I- uh-” he groans, the talking straining his chest uncomfortably, "fell off my tractor. I’m fine.” The Austrian lilt to his accent is heavy and rough.

Your hands fly up as if to say ‘you’ve got to be kidding me’, a scoff joining the gesture. “First of all - why the hell are you racing when you’re hurt, and second - since when do you drive a bloody tractor?”

He doesn’t have the chance to answer you; a knock on the door breaks your attention to the visitor. Thank god for Niki, it’s his trainer Dungl. He doesn’t look pleased himself as he enters, giving Niki a judgemental look for good measure. Dungl gets right to work sorting Niki out.

A few hours later you drive Niki home. He has been quiet since the trainer, as Niki had referred to him, arrived and sorted him out. The race had caused two of the broken ribs to shift out of place and press up against his lungs. Had he been in an accident, god forbid, he could have punctured a lung and killed himself with his stupidity. The radio does nothing to quell the tense air surrounding you both.

“You can’t do that.” You swallow.

Niki clears his throat gently. The drugs he’d taken have taken effect finally, giving him respite from the agony in his chest. “I know.”

“You’re so smart Niki. Christ, you’re the smartest guy I know when it comes to this shit. But then you pull an absolute bollocks move like that.” You take a breath to calm yourself. He shifts next to you. ‘I’m not- I’ve already accepted how dangerous the drive is… but I can’t Niki. I can’t watch you pull some bullshit move like this again. You scared me half to death. I'm going to be your wife, Niki; I need you to keep yourself alive.” Emotion hangs on every word you speak.

Niki knows it was stupid. Ich bin ein dummkopf, he thinks regretfully. He just got so caught up in racing and winning and not wanting to be seen as weak. Reaching a hand over, he circles his fingers around your own. He rubs his thumb across your palm. “I know. I’m sorry, liebling, really. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

You are silent for a moment before you nod, your eyes remaining on the road ahead of you.

“I love you, Catherine. More than I could ever say.” He brings your hand to his lips and places a delicate kiss to your knuckles. The solid warmth of your ring gives him comfort that you'll stick by him even when he pulls hairbrained stunts like this. Not that he's planning any more of them, that is.

Finally, you break your eyes from the road to look at him. “I love you too, you right idiot.” The grin on your face confirms that you have forgiven him.

A few moments of now comfortable silence passes, your hand still in his as you drive. Suddenly your voice pierces the quiet, “and another thing - how on earth did you get run over by a tractor?”

@toobruhlforschool came in clutch with finding this in the Niki autobiography for me:

Tag list: @ay0nha @apparrio @livvyshmiv @fictionlandslanddreams @vinylrosess @typical-bistander @ntlmundy @mymagicsuitcase @anteroom-of-death @somethingthatsaysbubbles @lieutenantn @multiversemarielle @trashbin2 @whatawildone @metalbreakfast @laura-naruto-fan1998 @greeneyedblondie44 @godidontevenknowwhat @marchingicenotes7

#beyond the checkered flag #swte scuttle buttle #scuttle-buttle #daniel bruhl #daniel brühl #daniel bruhl niki lauda #rush 2013 #niki lauda rush 2013 #niki lauda x reader #niki lauda fanfiction #sleeping with the enemy #niki lauda

[ghostly-cabbage]

Frigid (Chapter 6)

Genre: Horror, Angst, Enemies to Friends to Lovers  

Chapter Rating: T (Language)

Word Count: 6,435

AO3  FFN

<<Previous | Next>>

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

And here Danny thought he was done with getting punishment for the day. He hit the gym floor: hard. 

It made his vision go black for a second. Fucking ow. If he got another concussion he was going to be pissed. At this point he was giving the football players a run for their money.  

His awareness came back to him in spots at first, dancing across his vision, then all at once. Lucky for him—it was just in time to see Skulker firing another volley of ecto-missiles at him. 

Shit.

He curled up and summoned a dome shield. The projectiles exploded on contact one after the other. It deafened the sound for the most part, but he still felt like a fish whose glass bowl was being tapped on. The explosions ceased, green tinted smoke obscuring his sight.

Danny didn’t wait for the dust to settle. He dropped his shield and launched himself straight up at the place he’d last seen Skulker, fist coming into contact with the bottom of Skulker’s chin. The ghost grunted, sailing upward and punching a second hole through the roof of the gym. 

Danny cringed as glass, broken light fixtures, and wood fell down. At least it was the weekend. There’d probably be enough time to patch it up. What was a little more property damage on his record, right? 

Ugh.

“For once you had great timing,” Danny said to the empty room. His legs melded together into his tail and he listened carefully to his surroundings. “If I didn’t know any better, Skulker, I’d almost think you’re stalking me.” There was a beat, before the sound of a net launching from a gun broke the silence. Danny twisted on instinct, narrowly dodging the net. It whooshed past and stuck to the wall behind him.

Skulker returned to visibility. He floated across from Danny, scowling. 

He growled. “Silence, whelp. It’s easier to lure you out when you’re not busy being a prisoner in this human infested place.” 

Well, that was half of it at least.

“Aw, so you do care about my schedule. I’m touched.” Danny pressed the palm of his hand over his core. His tail flicked and he crossed his arms. “But you know that shit you just pulled isn’t going to fly.” 

“Please, Ghost Child,” Skulker sneered. “I was merely toying with those puny humans. I wasn’t going to harm them.” 

“Ever heard of psychological trauma?” Danny dead-panned. He didn’t wait for an answer and fired an ecto-blast straight at Skulker’s chest. It connected with a hollow crack and Skulker let out a shout. He dropped ten feet before catching himself. Danny rushed forward, aiming a kick to the side of his face. 

Skulker held up his arm, blocking the blow with the back of his forearm. The force of the kick resounded against the metal with a clang. 

Danny pulled back out of close range, noting the sizable dent in Skulker’s arm. 

Skulker roared and held up his arm to fire a wrist-ray. Danny strafed to the side, expecting the hot fizzle of an ecto-ray. But nothing happened. 

They both paused, Skulker's eyes narrowing. He inspected his dented arm. 

“Now look what you’ve done, brat.” 

Danny lifted his arms in an exaggerated shrug. 

Skulker held his arm out, attempting to fire the ray again. Nothing. The ghost made a frustrated sound. 

“Here, maybe this’ll help.” Danny’s breath went icy as he shot a jagged spike of ice at Skulker's arm. He watched with giddy satisfaction as the ice punctured and tore a hole through the metal. 

Skulkers arm exploded. 

Danny squinted against the flash of green, going intangible to avoid the metal shrapnel. He blinked the inverted spot from his vision. Skulker’s arm was completely gone, leaving nothing but a jagged hole with wires that stuck out, arcing thin forks of electricity. Danny bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. He floated on his stomach, steepling his hands underneath his chin.

“Sucks, man. You never wanna overload a jammed ecto-weapon.” He clicked his tongue three times in a row, shaking his head. “You’d think such a great hunter would know that.” 

“Of course I knew that!” he snapped. “You’ll pay for this, Ghost Child.”  

“Oh no, I’m so terrified,” he said, grin plastered across his face. Man, two days of R&R really did a ghost some good.  

“Insolent whelp,” Skulker said. A mechanical arm extended from his back, unleashing a football-length green rocket that headed straight for Danny. It looked like a homing missile. 

Danny shot upwards out through the bigger of the two holes. He put on the brakes, and skirted to the side just as the missile zipped up past him. He let energy build in his palm. 

The thing about homing missiles was most of them weren’t great with tight turns. The rocket spluttered as it twisted to come straight back down. It made it an easy target. 

He fired an ecto-blast. It exploded on contact in a brilliant sphere of green. Danny phased back down through the roof. The explosion shook the lights, making them flicker more, but it’d been far enough up it didn’t cause any other damage. 

Danny twisted in mid-air and flew at Skulker. His eyes widened and he turned his defenseless side away from Danny, back-peddling. 

He fired an ecto-ray at Skulkers undamaged shoulder. He didn’t pack as much power into it as he could have. He banked, cutting an elliptical circle while holding the ray on target.

“You know, as much as I appreciate the practice, we’ve gotta stop having these here at school.” He didn’t let up on the beam until he’d flanked Skulker. He zipped in while the ghost was still recovering. 

He went with the same roundhouse that Skulker had blocked before. His foot slammed into the side of Skulker’s head, sending the hunter spinning sideways. Danny charged a blast in his palm. He lifted up his left hand and squinted his right eye closed, using his thumb to line up his shot. Who said he was only a show off when people were watching? 

At the moment Skulker stopped tumbling and righted himself, Danny unleashed his blast. It hissed through the air and Skulker had no hope of dodging it. It slammed into the shoulder joint of Skulker's good arm which, already weakened by Danny’s ray, popped off like the limb of a cheap action figure. 

Skulker let out a wordless scream of frustration. 

A smug grin worked its way onto Danny’s face. He was getting too damn good at this, if you asked him. 

Danny closed the gap between them. He grabbed the holes where Skulker's shoulders should have been and somersaulted forward, flipping the ghost over his head. Danny threw him down, directly into a basketball hoop. 

Skulker, of course, being much larger than a basketball, didn’t make it through. Instead, his head wedged into the hoop, his legs churning helplessly in the air. 

Danny spluttered. “Oh my God.” He burst into laughter, wrapping his arms around his stomach. 

“Oh my God, I wish I had my phone. That worked even better than I thought it would, holy shit.” He dropped a few feet in the air involuntarily.

“Laugh while you can, Ghost Child,” Skulker grunted. He could easily phase out, but he seemed to know when he was defeated.  

Danny leaned back, rotating upside down in the air as he laughed. “Of all times that Sam and Tuck aren't here.” He wiped a tear from under his eye. “Hey— Hey, Skulker.” He flew up to Skulker. 

He glared at Danny through the net. 

“This is what we kids today call getting fucking dunked on.” Danny snorted and descended into more laughter. 

“You’re enjoying this far too much, whelp.” 

Danny held his sides until the hilarity of the visual started to die down. His breathing evened out and the tickle in his chest faded.

“Hey, the amount of times you’ve trapped me in something awful, I think I deserve this.” He sighed, content, his shoulders sagging as a last chuckle left him. “This is exactly what I needed after detention today.” Danny reached for the thermos on his belt. 

“Anyway—” he uncapped the thermos “—same time next week, then?” He pressed the button and the thermos kicked on. He pointed the beam at Skulker, watching as it dragged his warping form into its confines. 

The thermos dimmed and Danny twirled it in his palm, blowing the wisps of smoke from its end. He really needed to empty it when he got home today. 

“What is that? How’d it do that?” 

“Holy F—” Danny jumped. The thermos slipped from his grasp and he fumbled it a few times before he caught it and pulled it back against his chest. He turned towards the voice, shocked to see a familiar face. 

Wesley-fucking-Weston.

He was peeking in through a gap of a gym door.

What the fuck? 

“Uh... How long have you been standing there?”

And how the hell had Danny let a human sneak up on him? Let alone some gangly asshole who didn’t seem to have an ounce of self-preservation in his whole body? 

Wesley hesitated, scanning the gymnasium again. He stepped the rest of the way into the gym. 

“Uhm, for a bit?” 

“Right… and where’s your friends?” Danny slowly floated backwards. 

Why was this dude determined to be up in his business? As afraid as Wesley looked the first day of school, Danny thought he wouldn’t willingly get within a mile of another ghost. Guess he was wrong.

“I ditched them and snuck back into the building,” he said, like it was obvious. “People here at school say you’re a ‘good’ ghost,” he added. Danny’s eyes drifted around the room as he contemplated turning invisible and flying through the roof. 

Was he going somewhere with this or…? 

“Are you?” 

His eyes snapped back down to Wesley. 

He cleared his throat.“Uh. I try to be?” Danny was no stranger to students at Casper approaching him after a fight to try and talk or even flirt with him. He shuddered at the amount of times Paulina or even Dash had asked him to hangout or go get something to eat. 

But this wasn't like those times. Danny hated to admit he was genuinely intrigued, and even impressed by Wesley’s audacity. 

“If you’re unsure enough to be asking, why would you come alone?” He hadn’t meant it to be threatening, but Wesley took half a step back towards the door. He licked his lips. 

“Because I have questions about ghosts.” 

 Danny’s face twisted. He hooked the thermos back on his waist and ran a gloved hand through his hair. “Why ask me? Listen— there’s plenty of people in Amity that know about ghosts. You don’t need to ask a real one.” 

Wesley lifted a hand and rubbed at his temple. “Yeah, but all they ever talk about is you. Either how great you are or how you’re secretly a menace to society.” 

Huh, he must have talked to Valerie. 

“Then what question is important enough you decided to approach a ‘dangerous’ ghost… by yourself?” 

“I just—I want to know why ghosts here are so different, and who better to ask than an actual ghost? I guess I figured with how much people drool over you that you were the least likely to kill me. I mean you could’ve on the first day if you’d wanted to… There’s obviously some truth to what people say about you.”  

Danny blinked. Okay, that made some sense. But then… 

“Why do you want to know that specifically?” 

Wesley turned his head. “It’s personal.” 

...Alright, sure. 

He let out a long suffering sigh.

“Listen, I hate to disappoint, Person-I’ve-Never-Met-Before, but I haven’t really been outside of Amity Park much…” He knew the answer, of course he did, but he didn’t exactly go around as Phantom spouting off his ghost knowledge. There were things about ecto-biology he knew that only a Fenton would know... and some things only a half-ghost would know.

Wesley looked stricken. It was a weird look on him.

“But you’re still a ghost, can’t you just—” he flexed his hands in front of him like he was trying to grasp something— “make an informed guess?” 

Ugh, God.

Danny dragged a hand down over his face. 

Fine. 

“If I tell you what I think, will you actually get the hell outta dodge the next time there’s a fight?” When people tried to stick around, they were more likely to get caught in the cross-fire. While Danny wasn’t exactly fond of the dude, that didn’t mean he wanted Wesley hurt. The thought of him or anyone getting hurt because of him made him twitch; he ignored the spike of nervous energy that thrashed in his core. 

Wesley looked up at him, blinking green eyes. 

“Wait, that’s it?” 

“I’m dead, dude. What else could I want?” He’d love for Wesley to leave him, Fenton him, alone entirely. But he’d take what he could get.

Wesley faltered. “I dunno.” He muttered something else under his breath, something a normal human would have missed: “doesn’t make sense why you’d want that either though.” 

Danny shook his head and floated down a bit. “If I had to guess, it’d be because of the portal.” 

“Portal?” 

“Yeah, the Fenton Ghost Portal?” That at least was common knowledge around Amity now.

Wesley squinted his eyes. 

“You haven't heard of it?” Danny asked, exasperated.

“I don’t know! I’m new here!”

“Clearly.” 

Wesley made a face like he was about to say something stupid. “Okay, sure, there’s a portal. What’s it have to do with ghosts?”

Holy hell. 

Why was he doing this again?

“It’s’a portal directly into the Ghost Zone, dude,” he said incredulously. “Ya’know, The Infinite Realms? Land of the Dead?”

Wesley paled. 

“Wait that’s… How’s that possible?” 

“How should I know? Do I look like a scientist to you?” 

“I mean… Kinda?” He gestured vaguely to Danny’s person. 

He looked down. Oh yeah, hazmat suit. Right. 

Danny wiggled in place. “Not the point, alright? Are you going to keep interrupting me?”

Wesley made a face. “You’re the one asking me questions!” 

Danny waved a hand, flustered. “Okay, okay, shut up.” God, Wesley was so annoying. “Portals open up naturally all over the world, ‘kay? Well, here in Amity there’s a stable portal that stays open, meaning a constant influx of Ectoplasm. Ectoplasm is an energy source.” 

“Which means...?” 

“I’m getting there.” He twitched his tail. A motion which seemed to confuse Wesley, if his expression was anything to go by.  

“Ghosts are made of ectoplasm, and use it for energy blah, blah.” Danny twirled a hand. “What I’m saying is that here, ghosts have almost constant access to the Ghost Zone and Ectoplasm. It means unlimited energy. Ghosts without access to ecto-energy have to try and build up energy from other ambient sources like electronics, peoples emotions, weather, you name it. It takes forever to build up enough to materialize or interact with humans or solid objects. So ghosts in other places are probably less solid, making sightings and interactions fewer and far between.” Danny blew out a breath. “That answer your question?”  

Wesley was silent for a second, face wrinkled in thought.

“I guess… That makes sense—but—” 

“Cool, glad to help. Well, this has been—something. But I’ve gotta—” Danny started, only to get interrupted when someone burst through the gym door. Wesley jumped, letting out a less than manly yelp. 

It was a basketball player with tan skin and broad shoulders. One of the Seniors if Danny remembered right.

“Jesus Christ, dude, there you are! Do you have a death wish or—” the dude stopped short as his eyes landed on Danny. “Holy shit,” he breathed. “P—Phantom!” He had that deer-in-the-headlights look that people gave him. 

“Hi.” He held up a hand in greeting. “Anyway, I got the ghost, so…” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “I’m just gonna...” 

He went invisible and headed in the direction of the nearest supply closet. He still had to get his stuff before he went home. 

“Imma big fan!” the basketball player called after him into the empty air. He smiled and shook his head as he phased through the wall of the gym. 

- 

Danny was half-way down the hall from the entrance, human once again with his bag heavy on his shoulder, when the doors flung open and two familiar silhouettes filled the entryway. 

Oh no. 

“Everyone outta the way! That ghost won’t know what hit it once we—” His dad’s booming voice stopped when he saw him. 

“Danny?” his mom called. She pushed past his dad and lowered her ecto-weapon. “Sweetie, what are you doing? Are you okay?” She hurried up to him. The surface of her goggles made it impossible for him to see anything but his own reflection. Her voice was tight and gentle as she grabbed him by the chin, turning his face this-way-and-that to suss out any injury. 

Danny silently thanked whatever higher-power might be listening that he didn’t have any bruises on his face. His back was probably another story. He hadn’t stayed in ghost-form long enough to heal it. His backpack hurt everywhere it was in contact with him. 

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” he said, leaning away and trying to wave her off. Her hand dropped and she gripped him by his shoulder. 

“One of your teachers called and said there was a ghost and the alarm wasn’t working.”

“Oh, that’s crazy. Why didn’t it go off?” 

Dad came up to stand next to his mom, Fenton Bazooka hefted on his shoulder. 

“Don’t know Dann-o, but we intend to find out!” 

“Uhm, I heard stuff coming from the gym a bit ago actually.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

“Sufferin’ spooks! Come on, Mads, before we miss it!” His dad said and took off down the hall. 

His mom took a few steps to leave before she turned to him. “We’re going to be having a talk about your detention today, so no going to Sam or Tucker’s, alright?” 

He sighed and shoved his left hand in his hoodie pocket. Of course Mrs. Merriweather had called his parents. 

“Fine,” he huffed. 

“Love you, hun!” And then she was off. 

Detention during the first week. His parents must be so proud. He ran his fingers through his hair, digging his fingertips in and messaging his scalp, mussing his hair.

He’d said he’d try harder this year, and he’d meant it. Even though it didn’t feel like it there had been a steady downtick of ghost attacks. Had been since after Pariah Dark and that whole mess. Hell, even the thing with Skulker was more like a game nowadays than it was serious. 

But that didn’t mean all ghosts felt the same way. Especially the ones that popped up now and again to “test their skills on the one who’d bested Pariah Dark in combat”. Those were the worst.   

Danny pulled his phone from his pocket and opened the group chat. 

Dead “Allegedly”: Hey Tuck did u disable the school ghost alarm? 

He wasn’t even at the bottom of the Casper steps when a reply chimed in. 

Hacker (Derogatory): Nah, man. I wish tho 

Emo’s Not Dead: Why? 

Dead “Allegedly”: Just wondering, Skulker showed up and the alarm didn’t work or smth

Hacker (Derogatory): huh, maybe he disabled them? 

Dead “Allegedly”: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

…

My parents know I got detention so I can’t hangout tonight. Didn’t say anything about games tho, Doomed later? 

Emo’s Not Dead: Hell yeah, hope you guys are ready to get owned lmao 

Hacker (Derogatory): Bro, do you even have to ask? I’ve been working on a new loadout and not to brag but it’s pretty sick 

Danny rolled his eyes and put his phone back in his pocket. The Ghost Assault Vehicle was parked up over the curb and onto the grass in front of the school. Dad must’ve drove. He didn’t really want to walk, he needed to make sure he had enough time to sneak into the lab and flush the thermos. 

He walked up to the back of the GAV and pulled the handle. The door unlatched and swung open. Another thing that proved Dad drove. He never remembered to lock the GAV or the Speeder. 

Danny hopped in and tugged the door closed behind him. He reached for his core and the icy transformation washed over him. It eased the ache in his back and he breathed out a sigh of relief. He turned invisible and slipped up through the roof. He turned towards home and started flying. 

The sun hadn’t set yet, and wouldn't for another hour or so, but the shadows were still long. He could feel the sun’s dull warmth through the material of his jumpsuit. The nights were already getting longer and colder. The wind whisked past him with the type of fall chill that cut straight through sweaters and coats. The streets and cars blurred underneath him and a thought bubbled up from the back of his mind. 

He couldn’t remember what it was like to feel cold. 

Not in the human way, the “coming in from outside and sinking into soft blankets with a cup of hot cocoa” kind of way. The negative temperatures of the Far Frozen, of space, hadn’t fazed him since his cryo-core settled.

Like a stone settling in his stomach, he wondered what else he’d start to forget about being fully alive as the years went by. He tried to push the thought into the back of his mind.

The amalgamous shape of the Ops Center glinted in the evening light ahead of him. Danny flew around the side of the building and phased through the wall directly into his bedroom. He tossed his bag towards his desk.

He turned human again a few feet above his bed. He let gravity take hold of him, falling onto the mattress. He bounced a bit before sinking into its surface. His back felt better already. He sighed, wondering if he could get away with a nap before dinner. 

Maybe. Provided a ghost didn’t show up. 

He peeled himself up off the bed and crouched by his bag. He snatched the thermos and headed downstairs. 

The portal hummed, the only noise in the otherwise silent lab. His soft-soled sneakers patted quietly over the metal panel floor. Danny uncapped the thermos and flushed its occupants back into the Ghost Zone. He puffed some hair out of his eyes and closed the now empty thermos. 

Right. Nap. Suffer through the “you need to try harder young man” talk. Then Doomed. It was their second “weekend” this week. He wanted to try and have some fun. After the shitty start to the week he deserved it.  He’d worry about his homework later.  

***

Saturday night brought dark roiling storm clouds that blotted out the stars. The wind howled, stripping orange and red leaves off their branches. The air tasted of rain and stray drops peppered the grey pavement beneath him.

Danny flipped up the hood of his hoodie as he skirted the edge of Amity’s Central Park. Just because he was immune to the cold didn’t mean he liked being rained on. He could stay intangible if he wanted but he was way too lazy for that. 

He flew a languid loop in the air as he changed directions to head towards the mall. It’d been a quiet patrol, nothing out of the ordinary. 

Which, on a night like this, made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. There was a lightning storm building up high in the clouds—which meant more ambient energy. He could feel it the same way he could feel heavy concentrations of ecto-energy. The buzz on his skin, soupy and dense. It tore him in two directions, amped on the energy and nauseous at the feeling of electricity. 

Why couldn’t it have been a snow storm? 

He tucked his gloved hands into the pocket of his hoodie and meandered over the parking lot, careful to fly below the power lines and telephone poles. 

A shiver prickled down his spine and he hiccupped over a cloud of mist. Yep, right on time. He heard distant screams coming from the mall.

He perked up, shooting towards it, the roof of the mall a grey streak. As he got closer he could tell what part of the mall he was headed towards. 

Best Buy. Great. 

Danny heard glass shatter and a stream of floating electronics burst out through the sides and ceiling windows of the mall, a maniacal cackling laugh from above him. 

“Technus,” Danny acknowledged, eyes narrowing. The levitating electronics whisked past him and circled Technus. 

“Oh, yes! It is indeed I, Technus!” he cried. His voice grated on Danny’s ears and he pushed his hood back down with a hand. 

“What’s up? Mad I wiped the floor with your boyfriend on Friday?” Danny grinned, floating up to be eye level with Technus. 

The ghost choked, swallowing his laugh.

“What— I— No! How dare you, Child,” he snapped. The wind whipped past them. “I’m here for my own gain! How dare you insinuate that Skulker and I are anything more than—” 

“Huh, I never mentioned Skulker specifically,” Danny said dumbly, tapping a finger against his chin. 

“Why you—” Technus lifted a hand and a clump of electronics flew at Danny. He dodged with a laugh. 

“Everyone knows, it’s okay,” Danny called. He forced energy into his hand, flinging a few blasts at Technus. 

The other ghost ducked under one, blocking the other with a wall of technology. He glared at Danny and pulled the machines towards himself. Like pieces to a puzzle, the tech slotted onto his skin, creating a makeshift canon. 

“You know, Child, the capabilities of modern technology grow faster and more powerful by the year.” The cannon whirred, the inside going from black to a glowing green. “Can you guess who that benefits most?” Technus said over the wind. It fired and Danny scrambled to bring up a shield in time. 

 “You’re fast as ever, child, but we’ll see how well you can stand up to a few more!” He fired, this time the ecto-blast hit harder. Hairline cracks appeared in Danny’s shield. 

Uh-oh. 

With a whine the cannon shot again. Danny dove straight for the ground just as it shattered his shield. Technus laughed. 

Okay, so he needed to avoid getting hit by that, holy shit. Danny glared up at Technus. His mind churred, trying to come up with a way to get an opening to use the thermos. If he could just—

A flash of pink streaked through the sky. It struck Technus in the center of his back and he dropped with a scream onto the roof of the mall. The technology, no longer being controlled, started to rain down. 

A red flash and the sound of a jet sled drew Danny’s attention. 

Valerie.

She twisted mid-air, the nose of her board pivoting as she drifted to a stop. 

“Hey, Red!” he called out to her. She turned her head towards him, the eye panel of her mask reflecting his cold glow. 

“Phantom,” she said. It didn’t hold as much of its usual contempt. She must be in a good mood. She also wasn’t shooting at him. He smiled and decided he’d try his luck. 

“How about a truce?” He flew towards her. 

“Why would I do that when you haven’t told me anything about that new ghost?” 

Danny’s shoulders sagged. “I told you already that I don’t know anythinnnnnggg.”

“And I already said I don’t believe you.” 

Danny let his legs fade into his tail and he flew an anxious figure-eight. 

“Come on, Red! It’s Technus!” He stuck his arms out to gesture down to the ghost. “We hate Technus!”

“Hey! I resent that, Ghost Child!” Technus yelled from where he was picking himself up and dusting himself off. 

Danny gestured more insistently. 

Valerie crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot on her sled. “Oh yeah, he brings back such great memories.” 

Oh. Wait. He shouldn’t have— 

“Like that time you almost killed me!” She snapped. 

“Red, I’ve told you before that I knew—”

“‘—knew it wasn’t me’ blah blah blah.” She opened and closed her hand in a talking motion. “So you say, Ghost.” 

“We can hash it out again later! But can we take care of Technus now please? Because he’s sort of escaping.” 

Valerie looked down to see that Technus was, in fact, fleeing, electronics clumping into a massive platform beneath him as he flew away. She sighed. 

“Fine, Ghost Boy. Truce.” 

“Yes!” Danny peeled off in a blur, Valerie right behind him. Val was a great ally when he could convince her to team up. He hoped she secretly thought the same of him. 

Valerie was stubborn and could clearly hold a grudge like no other. But over the years, it felt more like she chased him out of obligation. Like she couldn’t admit she might be wrong about him. So she just did what they’d always done. 

Danny didn’t blame her. There was real anger and frustration behind her words when she talked to him, but he’d be stupid not to notice she missed her shots on purpose these days. 

Technus turned and fired his arm cannon at them as they caught up. Danny skirted to the left, rolling into a loose corkscrew, flying underneath Technus’s floating pile of technology and popping up on the ghost’s right. He unleashed a ghost-ray at Technus with so much force it carried him off the makeshift platform. 

The ghost caught himself in flight with a triumphant cackle. It died in his throat as he looked up.

Valerie was right on top of him. A pink blast of ecto-energy hissed through the raging air and into Technus’ arm cannon. The tech burst into pieces, falling in a black heap to the ground. 

“You think that would slow me down, you stupid girl?!” Technus sneered, flying backwards. He sent a ghostly clump of appliances careening into her path. She pulled up at the last second. 

“You children just don’t know when to stop meddling in other people's business, do you?” 

“Nope,” Danny called as he flew by, firing a barrage of ecto-blasts. Technus brought up a shield that deflected them. “Maybe don’t steal shit and trash the mall every two months and I’ll think about it.” 

Valerie came in from the other side, rapid firing with her hand held blaster. Danny flanked him, an ice-ray at the ready. A few shots found their target before Technus moved his shield. He screeched over the wind. 

Technus held out a hand and a crackling ball of electricity built up. It snapped and flickered yellowish green. The sky above them heaved.

Technus held out his hand towards Danny and they locked eyes. 

Danny came to a dead stop in the air. His core stuttered in his chest. Fear, raw and paralyzing, crashed through him like a freight train. For a second he thought he might black out, fall like a stone from the air. They stared at each other. 

He wouldn’t.

Technus knew better. 

He couldn’t.  

With a stunned blink, Technus moved his hand and released the electrical charge far from Danny. It went wide and collided with the mall sign. The sign exploded like it’d been struck by lightning. Plastic and glass flew through the air, and with a terrible creak the pole swayed before falling into the parking lot like a felled tree. It narrowly missed a car.

Danny let out a shaky breath, trying to still the tremble in his hands. It was raining harder now, pinpricks of cold slicking down his hair.

“Phantom, what’re you doing just floating there? Move!” Valerie said, slowing down just enough to talk before speeding off again. 

Right. He needed to snap out of it.

He shook his head and started flying. Technus was still trying to get away with all his stolen tech. 

Danny let out a slow breath, trying to hold it steady. He reached for the cold and tried to get a lead on Technus. His hand glowed blue as he shot an ice-ray into the clump of electronics. He let out a yelp and wobbled in the air. 

Danny tilted and flew closer to Val.

“Red, keep him distracted, I’ll try and get him in the thermos,” he said, unhooking it from his belt. 

“Don’t tell me what to do, ghost,” she growled. “...but fine. You better get him though. I have my own shit to do.” 

“Would it kill you to use my name once in a while?”

She pointed her blaster at him. 

“Okay! Okay! I get it, sheesh.” He held up a hand and dropped back, letting Valerie move ahead. She went after Technus with no mercy, throwing ghost grenades and raining ecto-blasts down on him. 

 Technus reassembled his cannon, trying to hold his own. He fired at Valerie but she was nimble, avoiding each one. 

“Would you hold still!” Technus snapped, bracing himself against the kick of his ecto-gun. 

Danny grinned and went invisible. Having someone to draw the fire was always useful. He circled Technus, sneaking up behind him, uncapping the thermos as he got close. 

“Hey, tell Skulker I said hi.” Technus whirled around just in time to see the barrel of the thermos illuminate. His eyes stretched wide and an angry noise was all that escaped him as the thermos pulled him in. 

All the technology that Technus had been controlling broke apart and pelted towards the ground. 

Shit. 

He reached out with his powers, catching as much as he could. He winced at the mental strain. He didn’t use his telekinesis for this magnitude of stuff very often. He needed to practice it more, it was still relatively new after all.

 Most, if not all of the technology, was busted, but that didn’t mean he wanted to let it destroy more stuff. He guessed that a refrigerator landing on a car wouldn’t buff out easily. 

He maneuvered the electronics towards the curb in front of the Best Buy, setting it all down as gently as he could. He breathed a sigh of relief and wiped rain from his face with a sleeve. 

“Nice, thanks for the help, Red.” He shot her a smile. 

She holstered her weapon. “You better put that ghost back where it belongs.” 

“I always do,” Danny said. “See ya next time?”

Valerie hummed. “We’ll see.” Danny expected her to jet off, but she lingered. “You mean what you said about that new ghost?” 

Danny folded his legs underneath him and sat in mid-air. 

“Cross my heart hope to die,” he said with a grin.

She groaned. 

“But, yeah. I don’t know what her deal is. She didn’t seem very interested in throwing hands with me, that’s for sure.” 

Valerie held her chin. “Weird... The last few new ghosts have destroyed half the town trying to get to you.” The last bit of her sentence took on a suspicious tone. 

He held up his hands. “Hey, I don’t know either. It’s not like I like getting pounded flat every few months, Red.” 

“Why do they want to fight you specifically?” 

“I don’t know,” he lied with a shrug. He looked up at the clouds, blinking through the rain. “Could be the whole ‘Protector of Amity Park Thing’.”

Val scoffed. “Oh, please.” Danny could imagine that she was rolling her eyes. “So... what? They want to get you out of here to claim Amity for themselves?” 

“Who knows. Probably.”

“Is this where I’m supposed to say how glad I am that we have you instead of one of them?” Her voice was testy, a tone Danny knew well. 

“Your words not mine.” He gave her a lopsided smile, forcing down the discomfort worming through his gut. He should leave before she got too worked up. He had one too many scars from when she’d decided a truce was over.  

“Well, it’s been nice. But we should get out of this rain. We’ll catch our death out here. Hah!” He pointed finger guns at Valerie. 

“Phantom… I’m gonna give you a ten second head start—” 

Danny turned tail and flew, a genuine laugh working it’s way up from his chest.

#danny phantom #danny phantom fanfiction #Phan Phic #danny fenton #Wesley Weston #Skulker #Technus #valerie grey #red huntress #Frigid #My writing #unidentified flying ship #Danny x Wesley #Danny x Wes #Slow burn #enemies to friends to lovers

[ibelieveinturtles]

Title: Approach With Care, Chapter 2

Collaborator(s): ibelieveinturtles 

Square (letter, number, and prompt): U1, What doesn’t kill me makes me mad

Pairing/Main Ship: Darcy Lewis/Bucky Barnes 

Rating: T (for language)

Major tags: bad first meeting, violence towards innocent cars, sensory overload, accidental feelings, pining, bedsharing, enemies to lovers 

Warnings/Triggers: description of a panic attack

Summary: Bucky's out for a quiet walk when he gets hit by a car. The car does not win. Darcy isn't impressed.

Word Count: 537

The car gets louder and he realises too late that not only is it on his road but it's speeding and won't see him in time to slow down, let alone stop. He's already turning when it appears around the corner. The driver hits the brakes and the car skids on the gravel surface, sliding right towards him.

He didn't intend to stop the car with his metal hand - it was just instinct.

The front of the car collapses under his hand and steam billows up and envelopes him as the engine sputters to a halt.

Damn.

As the steam clears, he lifts his eyes from the crumpled fender and meets the astonished gazes of the driver and her passenger.

Their eyes drop to the ruined hood. Bucky straightens up, flexing his hand as he walks up to the window and signals her to open it.

"What the hell, dude?" she says. "You broke my car!"

"Firstly," he says, "this is private property. Secondly, you could kill someone driving like that. Thirdly, this is private property but if you leave now no one'll press any charges."

The woman bristles and glares at him.

"Firstly," she snaps, "we work at the observatory. Secondly, what the hell were you doing walking in the middle of the road? And thirdly, you broke my fucking car, asshole! We couldn't leave if we wanted too!"

"You could've killed me," Bucky says, really wanting to push that point home. He hasn't survived this much just to be taken out by some crazy woman treating the compound roads like a rally course. "And no one works at the observatory, it's been deserted for months."

"Yeah, 'cause we've been in New Mexico for the winter but we're back now, so stay off our damn road!"

"Seems to me like you've got no proof that it's your road."

"How dare you question our right to be here! Don't you know we are? Who she is?" This last question is punctuated by a finger stabbing jerkily in her friend's direction. 

"Don't you know who I am?" he countered.

"Yeah, you're the asshole who broke my car!"

"Excuse me, but who exactly are you?"

Bucky's eyes stray to the other woman. She's watching him carefully but with no sign of her friend's malice.

"Barnes," he says. "Who are you?"

"I'm-"

"None of your damn business is who we are," the driver interrupts, opening the door so violently that he has to fall back a step to avoid being hit. Again.

"You expect me to just believe you work at the observatory without knowing who you are?" Bucky demands. "That's it, I'm calling the Director."

"You do that, asshole. Maria will set you bang to rights." Glaring at him some more, she stomps past him to the front of the car and attempts to open the hood. Bucky fishes his phone out of his pocket.

"Hey, asshole!" his new Nemesis yells. "Get her to send a tow truck while you're at it."

That's it, Bucky decides. He doesn't have to put up with this. Dropping his phone back into his pocket he turns towards the compound. 

"Sorry, no service out here. I'll have to walk."

He doesn't look back. 

#buckybarnesbingo2020 #bucky barnes #darcy lewis

[universe-in-the-void-in-the-cube]

I think I figured out my core problem in life.

Drama! 

And before you get up on me for it, just take a breather and listen to me while I’ll explain myself.

For as long as I can remember all I have known is negativity, stress and drama in my life. Basic timeline of my life.

Age 2 to 3 - As my first memories I lived in cockroach infested apartment complex, inhaled lead based paint fumes and I broken my wrist from climbing up a slide backwards. 

Age 3 to 4 -  Moved into a shitty 70s build trailer house in tornado prone Oklahoma experience in tornadoes for the first time and getting lost in the mall. 

Age of 4 to 5 - Moved from Oklahoma to Washington. Lived with grandparents before my dad got a job and found us a home.

Age 5 to 8 - Moved to a new apartment complex, get bulled and beat up by the kids at school, get lost walking home from a friends house, get on the wrong public bus on the first day of kindergarten. Having to become a big sister to a new baby girl and experiencing my first major volcanic eruption. Yes I lived in Tacoma when the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens happened. 

Age 8 to 9 - Get beat up and bullied at school so badly that CPS was called and I was taken away from my parents and placed in a foster home with abusive foster parents the refused to let me drink ANY liquids and made me sleep on the floor with cockroaches, mice and rats for a week. Before being move to my grandparents for the summer then to a new foster home with a foster mother that had dementia before being returned to my parents January 1st of the following year. And transforming schools as well and forced to go to therapy that seemed a bit off.

Age 9 to 11 - Move back in with parents, mother blames me for being taken away by CPS, tells me that I am to old to play with toys of any kind and force to go to therapy that somehow didn’t feel quite right. Mom goes through her first religious zealot stage. And I broke my left leg, underneath the kneecap on Valentine’s day of all days, and the doctors office didn’t think I broke it and had me on a damn splint for a week till my parents took me to the major children’s hospital where they did tons more x-rays than my normal doctors office did and found out I did brake my leg. And when they took off the cast the first time they realized they set my leg wrong and had to rebreak it and reset it so I have knee problems till this day.

Age 11 to 12 - Forced to move again because new apartment complex owners kicked every one out, and had to live with my dad’s brother, his brother’s wife and 4 cousins in a one bedroom house with the basement converted to 4 bedrooms that had a bad problem of getting flooded when there was to much rain. Get transferred to a new school that was so backwards that my education and grades nosed dived and badly, and moving to two homes in less than a year. As well as starting my period for the first time.

Age 12 to 14 - Go to middle school for the first time, get bullied again and sexually harassed and totally confused about things and mom goes through religious zealot stage 2 and start getting emotionally and mentally abused by my mother. My grades drop even more. Wasn’t allowed to have a boyfriend.

Age 14 to 18 - Go high school, grades improved, mother becomes more controlling to the point I wasn’t allowed to go to school games, participate in sports or any other extra curricular activities, or any school dances. (I missed out on both my Jr. Prom and Sr. Ball), finally allowed to have a boyfriend who cheated on me with 4 other girls, 3 of which were my friends all at the same time. Mom ended up having throat cancer and a month after she had surgery my parents had to stay in an apartment in Seattle for chemo, my sister had to stay with my grandparents in another town and I lived at home alone as a latch key kid. Then my dad has a heart attack and I was the first one to be called and I had to call the entire family and I was by myself with no one to comfort me.

Age 18 to 19 - Graduate high school, my grandpa dies, get caught shop lifting, go to jail for a month, forced to go to Job Corps, met my husband, get kicked out of Job Corp and move back home, mom kicks me out to move is my future husband’s alcoholic step dad for a week, almost get raped by the prick, come home a week later get married. New husband’s mother visits me and my mom kicks me out of the house again and forces me to live with my mother-in-law who was a nasty alcoholic at the time while husband was still at Job Corp.

Age 19 to 25 - Live with mother-in-law, get in to fights, go to jail for domestic violence, get extremely sick with the stomach flu and almost die with an 105 temp and extremely dehydrated, and end up hurting my back by falling down the stairs hitting the area between my tail bone and lower back twice causing me to have back problems till this day. Go to collage as my husband goes to jail for writing bad checks and end up going through the first hints of emotional brake down.

Age 25 to 27 - Move into my first apartment with my husband alone. Have a slum lord as a landlord, first major blizzard and ice storm, get on SSI, doing good till one day I was cutting up meat and suddenly had the urge to cut myself. AKA my first psychological brake. Go to mental health after that. 

Age 27 to 32 - Move to my second apartment, having unintentional roommates put on me and my husband, then 911 happens, then get a series of earthquakes in the city I live in, get the room makes moved out, get a new one for a while that meets the cunt that ruined my life, get the dick head on again off again roommate and having to constantly deal with his shit, my dad dies, then my grandmother dies, get an inheritance, the cunt my second roommate knows gets jealous and accused my husband of being a pedo and arranges the situation by bribing the cops that interviewed my husband (since the detective on my husband’s case was friend with the cunt’s mother) and the judges with her mother’s money, husband goes to prison for 5 and a half years.

Age 32 to 40 - Living without my husband, on again off again roommate gets so drunk that he threatens to kill me so get a restraining order on him. Get coned by an asshole which causes me to loose money, computer and laptop brake, car gets stolen, have to sell the car or get it towed when I get the car back, have the asshole roommate move back in. Having to deal with his bullshit with his family and girlfriend to the point they are all living with me and my property gets stolen.

Age 40 to 45 - Husband gets out of jail, he is forced to not live with me or I will end up losing my housing. He ends up getting a job and everything is good. I get thyroid problem, sex drive plummets and he ends up cheating on me and getting the girl he was fucking pregnant, deal with my asshole roommate with is asshole girlfriend who are both addicted to meth and badly and do drugs in my home, more stuff get stolen. Find out that I am infertile and can never have kids when my husband told me what he did, get new management in the apartment complex that I live at for almost 20 years, they give me hell and force me to find a home in less than 30 days and do tons of illegal stuff to me and other tenants in the complex to the point one had their cancer (which was under remission) come back and kill the poor man causing him to die of cancer. 

Age 45 to 47 - Find a new apartment thanks to the old realtor company, still have the asshole roommate move in with me, losing about half of all my clothes and being in debt for a few months thanks to husband and the new realtors of the old apartment. Go to the hospital under suicide watch because of all the stress. then Covid 19 happens, drives my roommate to controlling situation and abusing me mentally and emotionally till I am nothing but an empty shell of a human being. Finally had enough, get a new restraining order on him, deal with a bed bug problem and feel like I am not going to make it then heater goes out then the lights and I have a nasty mental brake down and end up getting psychological help.

Age 47 to current - Get the bed bug problem fixed, get he heater fixed, roommate no longer lives with me, I am going to therapy and improving every day. All my bills are paid in full, I have food in my kitchen and enjoying life finally. The first time in my life I have never experienced stress and that negative aura of doom and gloom around me. But... it scares me since I am waiting for the other boot to drop since my life has NEVER been this peaceful and good EVER!!!

So because of this revelation. I believe that negativity, drama and stress is normal for me because that is all I have known in my life. To have a peaceful and content life is so abnormal and strange to me that it feels wrong and bad and I should feel guilty. Hell I do feel a strange sense of guilt to. But I shouldn’t feel that way. I should feel happy. So I need to be reprogramed so I can convinced that my current situation is what life should be and can be for me. Not doom and glove negative aura cloud surrounding me like a thick fog.

[be-ready-when-i-say-go]

Jinxed- Part 2

Calum’s so used to fucking up that when a second chance comes his way he’s not sure what to do with it. Demon!Calum. 

CW: Mentions of death. 

Enjoy my masterlist

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No one has my permission to repost this fic, including translations. All rights reserved. Copyright © be-ready-when-i-say-go.

__________________________

Her house is a mess. Dishes have piled up, her laundry is overflowing the basket. She hasn’t returned anyone’s phone call. Her mother has left twenty or so voicemails. Her text notifications are near the hundreds. None of those matter. His notes aren’t slipped under the door. She’s checked every night for one. Like her brain hasn’t computed that he’s actually gone. But he is. There is nothing but that handful of dust. 

When she calls all those old numbers, she gets an automated voice. It tells her that the number she is trying to reach is out of service or has been disconnected. She always sobs on the last word. She is disconnected. Disconnected from a friend. Disconnected from her loved ones because no amount of the phone buzzing and shaking on the table gets her to pick it up. A lifeline has been unplugged. 

Ruby clutches the small jar to her chest most days, or keeps it near. It feels appropriate for all the times Calum would shoot whiskey or hennessey straight out of one of them. Or the time he left a single carnation in one of her mason jars. It was pink, even though she hated pink. The next time he brought white. She carries the little bit of him left in the mason jars he used to always poke fun about. 

She can’t even cry anymore tears. She just sits, curled up in his jacket. She’s starting to lose his scent though. She can smell now is herself mostly. Ruby can’t mess up Calum’s jacket. The least she can do is preserve that. So she peels herself out of, draping it carefully over the edge of her bed and goes to shower. 

She texted her boss the next morning after it happened, after the shock still weighed her down. Ruby explained she’d need to take a couple personal days. Ruby really thought that was all it would take. Like a couple days just to get herself out of the funk. It’s hard to deal with death, but she thinks that she can bolster through. However, everytime she walks into her living room, she stares at the spot he last kneeled and her whole chest shatters. Her lungs can’t expand large enough for hair. She wheezes while tears stream down her face. 

If she could use the sprinkling of his ashes and her tears to sprout him again, she would’ve done so by now. She stands, in that spot, clutching his shirt, praying there’s anything she could do to bring him back. She is by no means, a witch. She tries nevertheless. She prays that anything brings him back. At first she wanted to never know Calum. It would be much easier to never hold onto these memories of falling asleep on him when she just couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore. 

The reality though is that she’s happy to have known him. She’s happy to have those random trips for ice cream, even though she knows it’ll make her intestines shiver. If she didn’t have those experiences, what would’ve been the last year and half of her life? Who would she be without the imprint of Calum on her soul? 

____

Her hair is no doubt a mess when she walks into work. She managed to do laundry and put on decent clothes. Her dishes are still not done. She’s yet to take the trash out with all the delivered fast food. But at least she’s taken care of one thing. She was just much too tired to keep her shoulders lifted to properly comb out. Most of the knots are out with her pick and wide tooth comb. 

“Hey stranger,” Tiff says. Her smile is soft, maybe even a little sad. 

“Hey, sorry about being gone for so long.” She can feel the sting behind her eyes now. Fuck, she really thought she had cried enough. How does she even begin to function like her life is normal again? 

“No, no, it’s okay.” Tiff collects Ruby into her arms, combs and all still in her hands. “Shh, it’s okay.”

“He’s gone. I just--I can’t believe it,” Ruby hiccups. 

_____

The weeks pass, blurring into months. Ruby lingers less often on the spot in her living room. She still wears his shirt around the house just for comfort sake. His leather jacket hangs in her closet, now a staple piece even though it’s boxy on her. It’s comfortable. It’s lived in. Even though his cologne is long gone and nothing but the scent of the cleaners is seeped into the garment, she can still feel the lingering of Calum in it. 

She knows he slipped his arms into the same holes. He layered it with a sweatshirt and beanie. There is something of him, his living visage still seeped into the threads that makes her feel better when she wears if, even if she doesn’t need the comfort constantly. 

Ruby keeps up with her dishes now too. Her laundry basket is emptied at least once a week. It hurts less to laugh. She can go about her day easier now. She doesn’t think she’ll ever reach her old normal. But she likes her new normal, the new routine of noticing the small things that Calum used to do that don’t cause her chest to rupture. But she gives a sad smile whenever the thoughts cross her mind. 

Like now, sitting in Kourtney’s car, Ruby is slightly reminded of the times that she and Calum would ride across town, just to try the latest sweet treat. 

“I don’t know how you’ve been single for this long now,” Kourtney laughs from the driver seat. The red light stares down at them and they stare up at it for the moment being. The comment isn’t mostly out of the blue. But their previous conversation about how dating is hard had died down a little. 

Ruby look to her friend through her peripheral. The high ponytail weave still slick and perfectly pinned in place. “I haven’t been single for that long.”

“It’s going on two years now! Ever since your birthday when that creepy guy cornered you at the bar. You broke things off with Darrell, what three just weeks before that?” Kourt risks a glance over. Rubs picks at her nails, the set of extended nails a deep burgundy color. They don’t mention that birthday too much. 

It was brought up once before after Calum’s passing and Ruby broke down into tears. Kourtney and the rest of the girls thought that Ruby and him had been dating and then broken up. But the way she cried and told them that a good friend had passed away, they figured they might be wrong about it. Everyone does their best to dart around the topic. 

Ruby makes sure never to give a name. Part of it feels like a disservice. That she’s silencing him even in death. But the other part knows it’s better this way. That she can’t say his name. Not to anyone. Would she be causing trouble for herself if she does? Would Lucifer come back for her? She’d rather not having the devil himself show up at her door again. Once is more than enough in a lifetime. 

Ruby blinks. It has been two years. Time surely hasn’t slowed. But it doesn’t feel like it’s sped up either. “Well I won’t be taking anymore recommendations from you,” she tsks, sucking her tongue around teeth. 

“You can’t hold Tre over my head forever. I thought she was cool.”

“She’s like the rest of them n--,” She had more to say but Kourtney cuts her off with a wave of her hand, as if she’s heard the guilt trip from Ruby enough already.

“So are we going out for your birthday or not?”

Ruby doesn’t know what she wants to do for her twenty sixth birthday. It feels mundane. It’s not 21 or even her 30’s. Just 26, a tick mark in the calender of her life. Just another day on the wheel. “We could go back,” Ruby offers with a shrug of her shoulders. 

Kourt presses down as the light turns green. “Back to Greenlight? It’s an hour out of town.”

“The music was lit.”

“The drinks were expensive.”

“You’ll have a birthday girl.”

“Why do you want to go back?” Kourtney asks but not without having to tap her brakes to allow for an asshole weaving through the lanes. She flips them the bird. 

Ruby watches, focus blurring on the passing asphalt. She can’t avoid things forever. She can’t hide from what’s happened. Calum’s dead. Though she’s wondered if demon’s can every truly die. Part of her wished she had asked sooner. She wished she had considered what happens when she dies, if she’ll ever cross paths with him again. Should she make some sort of deal with the devil? Calum would probably have her head for something like that. 

“Earth to Ruby!” Kourtney shouts, snapping her fingers near Ruby’s ear. 

“I’m not dead,” Ruby huffs. 

“Why should we hikes our asses all the way to Greenlight? Need to pour one out for them?”

Ruby has to laugh. Calum would not stand for the waste of alcohol in his honor. But it feels appropriate to remember him like that, even if it is wasted whiskey on concrete. “Yeah, something like that.”

“Someone’s gonna have to DD. Because I am not splitting that Uber again. I couldn’t even afford enough drinks for a solid buzz.”

“It won’t be long. But I guess if it’s an hour drive. We better make it worth our while. There’s a waffle joint close by too. Make pretty good breakfast.”

Kourtney parks in front of the mall, lips pursed. “And how would you know that ma’am?”

Keeping her gaze straight ahead, Ruby shrugs. Her lips curve though. The smile slowly etching itself onto her face. “Heard it through the grapevine.”

“Yeah right. Who you fuck that far across town?”

“No one,” Ruby defends. Her offended tone doesn’t last long before her laughter cuts through. It’s shocking that she’s never brought up the night she spent with Calum. But Ruby nows her friends. The would take any amount of scandalous details and run it for miles. 

Kourtney’s nonbelief is clear on her face, especially with the eyeroll. “Yeah and I was born last night.”

The women climb out of the car, laughing. As Ruby slings the purse onto her shoulder, Kourtney leans against the hood of the car. “Was it them? The one that passed away?”

Ruby matches her position. She can trust Kourtney, one of the few that always been more receptive to Ruby’s quiet moments. She’s always been the one that makes sure to keep the things that need to be quiet quiet. So Ruby nods her head. “Just once.”

“You just out here hoeing around and making friends out of them? Only you Ruby. Only you can sleep with someone and be friends wit’ ‘em.”

Ruby closes the car door, walking around the bumper. There’s a small breeze as they walk to the entrance. “It wasn’t supposed to go down like that. We slept together and I thought it was over. But he came into the salon.”

“So it was a guy, huh?”

“Yeah, he came into the salon to see a stylist. We talked for a minute.” Ruby pauses. She can’t admit that Calum turned out to be a giant asshole and a demonic one at that. “He was a bit of an asshole about it. But it was chill. Then on the date with Tre, he happened to be hanging out there too. She was still yelling about getting some ass. We argued and resolved it. Though, things didn’t actually get fix. She just stormed off. He was there. We hung out getting ice cream.”

Kourtney nods. “So you didn’t sleep with him again after that?”

Ruby shakes her head. “No.”

“Was it that bad?”

“Quite the opposite.”

“So why not?” Kourt screeches. 

The mall isn’t too crowded for the moment. Both of them wanted to get out and about early.  It’s only the older people that walk laps with their wristbands and two pound weights. All of them look at Ruby and Kourtney for sudden loud interruption. They are used to the stares from others because their glossy lips, and occasional pop of their gum. They know the hair and the color of their skin makes them an easy target for judgemental stares. 

It’s sometimes exhausting how true the phrase is that there is nothing new under the sun. There is nothing new about the prejudices they face. There is nothing new to the way they are watched, followed around. There is nothing new about losing loved ones. Nothing new about the stories of their lives. There is just new names on the characters they play. 

“Because we became friends,” Ruby answers. 

“You can fuck your friends.” Kourtney throws the 22 inches over her shoulder. Her nails aren’t long. But are a sharp stiletto point and have rhinestones tacked onto them. 

“You shouldn’t though,” Ruby states. 

Kourtney loves Ruby but sometimes wishes she gave more about her life. How to go from fucking a stranger to becoming their friend is a story that others would kill to tell. But Ruby holds it close to her chest. She won’t give the details.  Even if Kourtney tried to push it out of her, it would only be condensed. She’d only ever get the sparks notes version of the truth. “Fine, fine. We’re here for birthday outfits anyway.”

“Why do you need an outfit for my birthday?”

“Because I can’t go to Greenlight raggedy.”

“Your closet is twice the size of mine. You calling me raggedy?”

“Never in a million years, Rubs. Never.”

Ruby purses her lips but says nothing. Their feet carry them down past the anchor stores to a small run boutique. The displays are still neon and fishnets, with a sprinkle of cheetah print bodycon skirts. The shirts are cropped in the stomach but still thick long sleeved. The fashion choices don’t always make sense. As if only the flesh of arms get cold but not a stomach. 

“Are jeans and clear heels look too simple for my birthday?” Ruby asks, the jeans at the first display for her. She owns enough denim to last her the rest of her life if she gains no more weight. 

The question is mostly to herself, a little bit for Kourtney’s response. Kourtney’s already two racks over, thumbing through the previous season’s sequin tops. “No, it’s a very you look. Spice the top up with some glitter maybe. Or some neon?”

Ruby bypasses the denim, finding a blue sequin dress and holds it up. “Kourt, look what I found.”

A small gasp feels the air. “I need it. And I need it now.”

“Your size too.” Ruby dangles the rack from the tops of her fingers, thumbing over the dresses. Birthdays require maximum fun. A dress will have her stressed that her ass is not showing. Though depending on the amount of shots she’s had the stress of not mooning anyone could easily be overcome by the giggling urge to moon someone. She’ll stick to pants though and let the worry reside for another day when she dares a skirt. 

Kourtney takes the dress from the waiting hand and pulls out a red cheetah print top. “Try this?”

“Looks like a dress I have.”

Kourtney watches Ruby glance over the racks. The hangers making a piercing screeching as they scratch with rusted metal over the glossy metal rods that they hang on. Is smart to support her want to go back to Greenlight? Nothing special is really there about the place. It’s popular and crowded, but that’s only because it’s the latest club on the scene and more artists want to play in the club because of it’s blossoming elitist status. But a good time could be had anywhere.

“Are you positive about Greenlight?” Kourtney asks. 

Ruby nods. “As positive as I am black.”

“So hella positive then,” Kourtney laughs. 

It takes one store for them to find the base pieces, a dress for Kourtney and the top for Ruby. It takes three others for the shoes. In the second store, Kourtney finds her heels, black and strappy to neutralize the red glittery bling. And in the last one, Ruby finds a pair of clear heels--on sale. An important caveat for her considering she may not wear the shoes much after her birthday. 

When Ruby gets home, she drops the bag to her couch. She might be crazy to go back to Greenlight. Yes, they are memories there, but who’s to say that she couldn’t build more there. Why should the only ones she has of the place be tainted by a heaviness that could be replaced? 

____

It’s mutually decided that Ruby can’t be the designated driver for her own birthday. She only offered as a way to keep herself on a leash drinking wise. But her group of friends quickly shot that down.  She slips on the gold hoops as Tiff corrals the already tispy group. She can perfectly enjoy a birthday while being sober, or as close to sober as she could realistically be with a shot or two in her. 

Ruby hears the glasses clinking in her living room. The rest of the group has been sipping on fruity wine. It’s cheap, but good. Tiff hands over her tube of buttergloss. “Peachy nudes always pop more with a little bit of gloss. Always.”

Ruby takes it, just taking in the tube of glass, a fair pink. “Noted.”

___

The Greenlight is packed as always. Bodies look like a giant sea, swaying to and fro. Ruby looks over to the corner. Calum’s not there. She didn’t expect him to be there. But she had a fleeting hope. A sliver of it sits in her chest and drops when there’s just a couple talking, leaned in close to each other. Calum would be sitting there, beanie on his head. The look would not be complete without his leather jacket. She suddenly wishes she had it draped over her shoulders.

A whiskey would be in Calum’s hand of course. Maybe he’d wink at her. Maybe he’d just watch her dance with her friends. He’d offer of course to pay for a drink or two, but he’d really only be on the sidelines to let her enjoy the night. At the end of the night, when her world is still swimming with the buzz of her shots, Calum would probably tuck her into bed with water on the nightstand. “No dying on me tonight,” he’d whisper. 

For a fraction of a second, Ruby wishes she had made Calum promise that too. So that she could be angry for his death for him leaving her. But it really wasn’t of his own volition. That was a choice made for him by someone else’s hand.  

“We’ve got a birthday girl!” Tiff shouts, grabbing Ruby’s arm. 

Ruby’s imagined version of Calum disappears as she’s dragged to the bar. It takes her a moment to start reaching for her clutch to grab her ID. The bartender smiles. “And what will she have?” There’s a quick glance at the ID. Ruby thinks it most definitely isn’t long enough to see her age at all. 

“Whiskey. Straight.” The order falls from her lips without her thinking.

Tiff blinks. “Well that’s different than your usual.”

The only thing Ruby does is shrug. She can offer no explanation. It just feels like the right thing to do. The bartender nods and turns. The rest of the girls order shots or fruity drinks strong enough to knock a grown man over. 

The night doesn’t feel too special. Ruby manages to snag a few free drinks for her friends. The music thumps in her bones and the bass shakes her core. The bodies are still moving in mass, a sway. She finds herself looking to that corner again. The couple’s since left and it’s empty. She wonders if that spot feels like wearing Calum’s jacket. 

Telling Kourtney that she’s headed to the bathroom, Ruby sneaks away from the group. She climbs into the high chair, into Calum’s chair. It feels different up here. To watch everyone living their life. To know that someone’s going to home with someone else, to know that they are all in the middle of something—a breakup, trying to break a two year single streak. Whatever the case may be, every single person on that floor has a life headed in some direction. And she gets to watch the intersections. She gets to see how all the webs cross and unravel. 

“I’m very grateful you are a creature of habit. Or finding you would’ve been hell.” 

Ruby’s heart thunders, the veins in her neck thumping clearly behind the skin. She knows that voice anywhere. Even if she’s only heard it the one time in her apartment. She could identify it in a crowd of thousands. “Don’t you have other lives to ruin?”

Lucifer grins. “Don’t shoot the messenger.”

“That is absolutely rich coming from you. So why the fuck are you here?”

“I’m on a delivery. And I don’t think you’d be too receptive of my other Hunters.”

“To what? Deliver a harsh reminder that you killed one of my best friends? Thanks. Especially on my birthday. Perfect timing. You asshole. You’re such a goddamn asshole.” Ruby slips down from the hair, reaching back up to grab her drink. 

“Just listen for two second,” he hisses. When her hand comes up, he drops the long velvet box into it. “It’s from your friend. He never got around to giving it to you. So I figured I’d be nice. For once.”

“From Calum?”

“Yeah, from him.”

“What is it?”

“Look I’m just delivering the damn thing. I don’t ask questions about what it is. Do you realize that does spoil the whole thing about gift giving?”

“How long has he had it?”

“Again, that is not something I can answer.” 

If it weren’t for the fact that he was delivering something from Calum, she’d smack him. Maybe. It’s not like he’d feel it. Calum didn’t feel the left swing she gave him. Granted, it would be more for the affect, for the spectacle. 

“Apparently it’ll mean something to you. He’s been whining. Enjoy the rest of your day. Drink the spirits for me too.” With that, Lucifer slithers through the crowd. She notes it’s less of a walk and more of a glide. Calum had a swagger to his walk. Never rushed but never slow either. Ruby cracks open the box. 

A gold anklet stares back up at her. A small charm is attached. A mason jar etched into the gold plate with a C and R carved inside as well. Her eyes water. He’s had to have it for a while, holding onto it for some reason, for some sort of occasion. He mentioned getting her a gift. Only to her once. In passing, during Christmas. He said he wanted to give her something to remember him by that wouldn’t be subjected to the erosions all memories face. 

He wasn’t sure what to get though. Wasn’t sure how to give it to her. Sure he’d give her small things--surprising her with candy, or giving her t-shirts that he thought she’d enjoy mostly because of the crazy sayings printed on them. But he wanted to give her something tangible, that would fade to the wear of a machine. 

Ruby looks up back into the crowd. Lucifer’s is long gone. She continues to stare out over the packed dance floor. Will he show back up? And what he meant by Calum was whining? Calum was dead. The dead can’t complain, can’t speak, can’t blink. There is nothing but silence from them, right?

“Ruby! That’s one hell of a piss,” Kourtney laughs. Her eyes are glassy, Ruby notes. Maybe she won’t notice the tears forming in the corner of Ruby’s eyes. 

“Helping another girl,” Ruby lies, tucking the box away. “Zipper got caught.”

“C’mon. We got more shots. We need you.”

Ruby extends the hand not holding the chain. They filter through the crowd, over to the counter. She takes the glass of clear liquor, knocking the glasses together. As the liquid slides down her throat, it burns. What burns more is the thought that Calum might be alive somewhere out there in the depths of Hell.

Ruby crawls back into bed. The gold anklet dances against her skin. The last shot still pounds against her head. But the question would not leave her alone. Could Calum still be alive? She saw the dust. But Calum made her promise that she couldn’t watch. Right now, she wishes she had. She would know for sure, with her own eyes if death had truly ruined her. 

Her computer, even dimmed, still is harsh against her eyes. But she squints and opens a new window of Google, incognito. Like it’s illegal to search questions about demons. If it didn’t hurt to laugh, she’d chuckle at herself. 

Can you kill a demon? 

Ruby waits, blinks her eyes once and Google returns with answers, all in blue. She groans and clicks on the link. There had to be a color for the font that was easier on the eyes in the hangover state filled with curiosity.  

Demon traps, salt circles, holy water, heavenly fire, blades. 

This isn’t actually helping, she huffs. So clicks away from that link and back to the search results. Please work, she begs clicking another link. She skims over the black text. You can’t actually kill a demon. It surely look like Calum had died to her. It felt like he had died. Because if he was still kicking around he’d find a way to find her, to talk to her. 

Unless he couldn’t communicate with her like before. Ruby doesn’t know the first thing about how to communicate with any other spiritual beings. But there’s nary a question that Google can’t at least attempt to answer. 

How do you communicate with the dead? 

Ruby pauses. Should she type in how to summon a demon?

She is trying to summon one, technically. She’ll start there with the dead. To her that is what Calum is. He is dead. A dead friend. No matter the status of his spirit, he is dead to her. There’s seance, alters, crystals. Her brain begins to spin. So she closes the screen and lays back into her purple fuzzy pillows. They can offer some solace from the pounding of too much alcohol and too little water and the sting of tears. Calum can’t still be out there. She can’t handle that. 

___

The leather jacket is overkill. She knows. But staring up at the bookcase of books, she finds warmth in knowing that she is carrying a small part of Calum with her. Titles jump up out at her. Most of them centering around Wicca. She’s intrigued and pulls one down. She thumbs through the pages and holds it into the crook of her elbow. 

The Handbook of Witchcraft slips onto the top of her stack. People pass her by and no one seems to blink an eye. It’s her little secret, her little endeavor. To everyone else though, she is just down an aisle in the bookstore. She is just carrying a stack of books. She is just a patron amongst the fairly quiet calm river of the bookstore. She’s not making a ripple or bothering a soul. She is a nobody taking up space meant to be occupied. 

She settles into the cafe attached inside the store. Her stack is about four high. She might as well get started now. The whirring of machines blurs into the background of her mind. 

“Just starting out I see?” 

Ruby glances up. Another black girl with pink box braids tips her plastic cup at her stack. “Looking for answers,” Ruby says. 

Reaching into her pocket, the young girl finds a pen and takes a napkin from the small stack Ruby grabbed for her muffin. The girl scribbles down the at symbol followed by what looks like a username. “This is my Instagram. Message me if you need help.”

“Thanks.” Ruby smiles. “Like the hair.”

“Gotta get them redone. New in town. Still looking for a stylist.”

Ruby reaches into her purse. She grabs a business card for her and the salon. “I do eyebrows mainly. But the salon I work in is black owned.”

“You’re a lifesaver.”

“It can be hard out there.”

Ruby knows she’s been at the store too long when the afternoon sun fades into a pastel orange. Packing up the stack, she proceeds to the registers. The cashier looks unphased, pushing their reward card and membership. Ruby’s thankful. Her secret is safer for even a little bit longer, safe even from the cashier, who probably cares nothing about her life to start with. 

___

Ruby laughs at herself walking into IKEA, even though her entire house is completely furnished. Nothing is broken either. She’s still here though. She gets lost every time she walks through the doors. Taking a survey of the shop, she takes a deep breath. Just a small end table. That’s all she needs. She’ll start there. 

It takes an entire half an hour and help from two different employees but she secures the end table she needs. It’s on sale, or there’s some sort of special. The small wooden two tiered table is only 10 bucks, not including the taxes. It’s even small enough for her carry herself to her car. Though several employees offer one the flatbeds to help her walk even easier. Ruby know she could’ve easily gotten one for free, maybe with more characters, more knicks in it.

All the articles she read mentioned that the table wasn’t the important part. There would be more money to spend elsewhere. Is it wrong to want to give Calum the best if he’s still out there? The only thing Ruby can do is just give it a shot. As she slides the large cardboard box into her truck, she pauses. It’s just a shot. 

It would be funny to have an ivory cloth to cover it, Ruby thinks. Though black is more fitting. She settles later on, while in Target, for a Halloween themed one, black with silver trimming. It’s clearly been lingering since the holidays. She’s shocked they haven’t been tossed out yet by the store. It hasn’t been that long since the holiday, though. So maybe it isn’t old enough to be thrown out just yet. 

Calum might be pissed. She can almost hear his voice in her head, deeming worthy of at least something solid back. But Ruby figures he has a small silver streak in himself. Even if he refuses to believe it himself.He’d probably refute it. Tell her she’s the only silver streak in his damnation.

Ruby would then tell him he’s much too harsh on himself. She misses those moments, the bickering even though it’s not real. Twisting the last screw into place, Ruby looks at the gold anklet again. 

He’s been whining. 

Is she insane? Has she finally gone off the deep end to be sitting in her bedroom, screwing together an end table to create an altar? Calum might not even be on the other side. He could all the day dead. He could be really good. 

But why the present tense? Was it false hope, some sort of unresolved sadness or fear  that kept her clinging to any gram of hope? 

 Honestly, it didn’t matter. If she was insane, Ruby would find out soon enough, right? If she was insane to try and communicate with a damned soul, then it wouldn’t work. She’d just have a spare end table and a cool table cloth to help her decorate for the holidays. It wouldn’t be a waste if it all went to shit on her. 

___

“You have to set it up for what you need. You can add traditional elements. But they’re really customizable.” 

“I need it for like,” Ruby starts then stops, readjusting her grip on the thread.

“No, no. I need not know,” Jasmine reprimands. Her eyes are still closed. Her fingers still holding the skin taut. 

Ruby cleans up the underbrow before moving to the top of the bone. “Aren’t their guides for this kind of stuff? Could I go to someone else to do this?”

“I mean you could yes,” Jasmine says. Ruby brushes away the plucked hairs and moves to the right brow. “You’re looking for something maybe more along the lines of a psychic.”

“I don’t know. Everytime I think I can do it, I chicken out.”

“Just sit for a few minutes. Even if the altar isn’t complete just sit in front of it for a few minutes. Smudge it before and after. Besides, you’re not going to get it right on your first try. It’s not about getting it right the first time either. You have to feel it, know what you’re looking for, know when you’ve found it.”

Ruby hums, focused now on the string pulling the right hairs from the roots. When done and the brows outlined, Ruby hands Jasmine the mirror. “What do you think?”

“Holy fuck,” Jasmine gapes. “My brows have never looked this good.”

“I do my best.”

“You fucking slayed it is what you did.” Jasmine turns her head side to side, to make sure it’s not just a trick of the light and angle. The truth is no, her brows look this good for every angle thanks to the talent of Ruby. Jasmine adds a ten dollar tip to the fee. “I’ll be back for sure.”

“Glad you’re happy with them.”

Jasmine grabs a couple of business cards from the display on the front desk. “For friends,” she notes before shouting loudly over her shoulder. “Bye ladies. See y’all later.”

The entire shop responds with a shout too. Ruby leans into the glass front desk. The sidewalks are pretty dead. A couple boys hanging out because of the barber shop next door. There’s a convenience store at the corner of the block, where most people grab snacks for before coming into their hair appointments. Ruby would go there to grab snacks before movie snacks. She managed to sneak out of the salon well before closing sometimes and because of that, she could load up before calling Calum. Never texted. 

The rest of the day is pretty slow. It’s only Tuesday though. The closer to the weekend they get, the busier it becomes. Ruby walks into her apartment. It’s quiet and she thinks about turning on her TV. There’s never anything on, so she lets the silence lingers and gets water instead. The table is still bear in the corner of her bedroom. Just the cloth. Ruby finds the shoebox in the top of her closet. She pulls the only photo she has of Calum. Just him reclining on her couch in a green t-shirt and sweats. 

He’s not even looking at her, too busy browsing her computer. He was trying to prove her wrong about the meaning of carnations. This then took him down the rabbit hole of flora meaning, which he spent twenty minutes reading aloud to her. Ruby has since put it in a gold frame. It fits him. So she sets the frame onto the table, just right in the center. 

Ruby sits in front of it. Just admiring the photo. Her clock ticks in her ear. The water sits on the floor, still in the cup. Ruby lights one of the incenses. Rhodney gave her a good deal on them. He helped her get into this apartment. And she just sits. Eyes closing briefly. This is nice, peaceful. Just her, sinking into the floor, thinking about Calum. She lets the lavender scent settle into her lungs. 

Ruby sits cross legged, mind suspended between the reality that she is in her bedroom and the shallow pool of not having to think about anything. She can just bathe in the memories, his love of chocolate pretzels, the way he always smelled a little like nicotine but mostly like wooden musk of cologne.

Maybe Calum couldn’t communicate with her. Ruby knows in her heart of hearts that Calum would fight heaven and high water to keep in contact with her if he could. This had to be on her to figure out. Ruby couldn’t rely on Calum’s supernatural abilities anymore. This was a fight she’d have to take up on her own. 

There’s a small rumble. She can hear the clink of her glass. She thinks it’s the glass clinking against the floor. But she doesn’t dare open her eyes.  Then her phone rings from the living room. 

“Shit,” she whispers, standing up. She was positive she had turned it on silent. But she can never be sure anymore. It’s only a spam call. She was searching for a new health insurance plan and now the companies don’t leave her alone. 

When Ruby returns to her bedroom, her glass of water is still.

___

“You really need at least 4 people to communicate with spirits. Don’t want to be doing that kind of shit alone,” Jasmine hums. She sucks through her straw, the bottom of it clearly in nothing but air. 

“I don’t really have 3 other people that would be down for that,” Ruby counters. The coffee shop is loud. It’s a shock for how late in the day it is. But for those that need the caffeine, it matters not the time of day for them. 

“Well, now you only need 2 more people,” Jasmine grins, finishing off the last of her scone. 

“You’re going to help me?” Her disbelief is clear in her question. Why would Jasmine potentially be subjecting herself to the unknown for Ruby? It’s probably less unknown for Jasmine than it is unknown for Ruby. 

“Of course.”

“You do know what I’m asking you to do right?”

Jasmine laughs. “Yes, I’m aware.”

Her latest hairstyle are crochet locs. The fake hair has the ends dyed royal blue. Ruby notes that she always has to have a pop of color with her hair. She likes it. The way Jasmine’s always so free to express herself. Ruby does that too, with her hair too, but more so through her nails. She’s not sure what color to get this time. Though every time she goes into the nail salon, her eyes drift to the olive green. The same color of the shirt in the picture. 

“You’ve got time to get your nails done today?” Ruby asks. 

Jasmine looks over the black polish she put on about a week ago. It’s chipped a little. It was a rush job on her part.  “I hadn’t planned too, but sure.”

“My treat,” Ruby adds on. 

“Sold.” 

Knocking on Kourtney’s door, Ruby wonders if she’s already gone for the day. She tried to text before driving over it. Kourt hadn’t responded though by the time they got there. Kourtney keeps her car in the garage, so there’s no way to know. The door cracks open just as Ruby’s phone buzzes in her pocket. “Well this is a surprise,” Kourtney laughs. 

“Kourt this is Jasmine. Jasmine, Kourtney.” The two ladies wave at each other. “Think you can squeeze us in.”

“For you, Rubs, always. No matter how last minute it is.”

Ruby knows that tone, it’s joking but serious. “I promise this won’t be a common occurrence.”

“Oh I know it won’t.”

As the drill buffs over Ruby’s growth, Kourtney clicks her tongue. Her nose and mouth are hidden behind the dusk mask. The raised eyebrow is clear. She’s not buying this pitch, not in the slightest. The fine powder flies under the harsh light of the lamp bent over Ruby’s nails. “You want me to do what now?”

Ruby knows what she’s asking is probably insane. “Just be there. That’s all.”

“We are too black to be fucking with spirits.”

Ruby looks over to Jasmine, who just shrugs. Her gel manicure is freshly cured, though she sits under the nail dryers for her toes. “I mean, I totally get where she’s coming from. But at the same time, if you look at other religions, they do the same thing all the time.”

“Like what?” Kourtney tuts, pulling the drill away from her work. Ruby’s hand is still firm in her grasps. 

“Do you know about orishas?” Jasmine asks. 

“Do I know about what?” 

“They’re deities, gods,” Ruby explains. “I mean, it’s not totally the same. In that belief system people who practice are mounted.”

“Mounted?”

“The deity descends and uses the practitioners physical form, or body, during rituals.” Ruby wants to avoid the term possess. That would only serve to fuel Kourtney’s resistance. 

“Just say possess them. You can say it,” Kourtney huffs. 

“It’s not like the deity stays forever.”

“So, for argument sake, people are mounted by these spirits. And you want to equate that to openly knocking on the supernatural’s door and just ask them to chill out with us until whomever you’re trying to contact shows up. Is that what you’re asking me to do?”

“Well, it’s less about just chilling with spirits than it is trying to directly contact one. But yeah, let’s go with that version,” Ruby returns. 

“You’re fucking insane.” Kourtney’s tone isn’t harsh. It’s not even condescending. She just sounds tired, and maybe even a little flabbergasted. She can see Ruby’s desperate. Kourtney thinks she might be too if a friend just suddenly upped and died. It’s different than when Kourtney’s grandmother died. She had reasons. There was an explanation and a clear peace at the end.. Her grandmother was older, had been teetering on the edge really for a while. She wasn’t deathly ill, just getting up in age. She was starting to forget things easily. She couldn’t do the same things as before. In all honesty, her grandmother’s peaceful slip from temporary slumber to a permanent sleep is the best outcome. 

Kourtney changes the bit on her drill, taking down the length of the old set. “If I become haunted, I’m making friends with the ghostman and getting them to haunt your ass instead. I don’t have the time be fucking haunted, alright? Ain’t no ghost finna pay my bills.”

Ruby looks over to Jasmine. She hadn’t expected that to happen. She thought she’d ask. She’d get told no. Ruby halfway thought Kourtney would shut her down when she started talking about the deities. But to have Kourtney agree--that comes from left field. “Are you high right now?”

“No but I just might hint a blunt after dealing with you.”

The room echoes with laughter. “I’ll even roll it for you,” Ruby offers, her chest still hiccuping with tufts of laughter. 

“Nah, it’ll be haunted or some shit. I’ll roll my own blunts. Thank you.”

___

Jasmine’s friend, who only goes by Ash, settles down last in the circle. He’s a psychic, according to his Instagram. Ruby’s talked to him once face to face. His voice is too deep, too alluring. But he doesn’t carry himself like he takes life too seriously. It made him more inviting. The long hair, it’s always braided back. Ruby can appreciate his humor. His stare can be intense, dark brown keen eyes. They don’t ever miss anything. 

As his hands wrap around Ruby’s, his gaze is stern. His tone is softer. He has no qualms with people getting the answers that they need. But he doesn’t want them to do it for all the wrong reasons.“Are you sure about this?”

Ruby’s not really completely sure. She was never really supposed to talk about Calum. She was supposed to keep all this shit quiet. But if it weren’t for her run at Greenlight, she could be at peace. She doesn’t need constant communication. She just needs to verify. Calum really might be out there. “It’s the only shot I’ve got.”

Ash nods. He can understand that. With the board settled down, Ruby begins. Kourtney keeps flicking her gaze about the small circle. She prays to God she doesn’t wind up haunted because of this shit and she prays Ruby’s not diving into the deep end either. Even though Kourtney is not well versed in how hauntings work, she knows that no matter where Ruby goes these spirits can and probably will follow. 

“I am asking if my friend Calum is still out there,” Ruby starts. Her hands are shaking a little. She can hear the quiver in her own voice. 

It’s silent. Ruby watches, blinking erratically. Does she even want to contact Calum? Should be doing this at all? It could be best to live and let die. Kourtney shifts on the floor. They’re all situated in Ruby’s bedroom, around the small little table that holds a picture. Kourtney thinks this must be the friend, this Calum. 

The lights are off. The room’s already decent temperature wise. But Ruby doesn’t miss the small distinct breeze across her face. It’s easy to think that when presented with this scenario she would be brave. But right now, she can feel her gut leaping. “Oh shit. Did anyone else feel that breeze?”

Jasmine, to the left of Ruby, speaks up. “Can the spirit in this room confirm that you are Ruby’s friend? Gently move a piece on the altar.”

Ruby watches the gold anklet. Even in the flickers of the candle light, it glitters more than the picture frame. She placed the charm upside down. Whether it was on purpose, Ruby can’t say for sure. But a part of her did hope that if she were to have any success that the anklet would be the first thing Calum would reach for. He’d know the significance.  

Nothing happens. Ruby probes whatever might be reaching out to them to move something. The minutes pass and there is nothing still. The charm does not flip over. Another breeze does not come by. There is nothing. Just the rising and falling of four chest in Ruby’s bedroom. Any potential spirits that crossed over are thanked. The circle is closed. The candles are blown out. “Did you feel anything besides the breeze?” Jasmine asks. 

Ruby shakes her head. Sometimes she wishes she hadn’t decided to keep her hair short. The longer the hair, and even the longer the weave, she could’ve hidden her disappointment, the wobble of her chin. “Sometimes, you’re not always successful on your first try,” Ash counters. His voice is soft, much like the touch of his hand on Ruby’s shoulder. 

“Thanks,” Ruby answers. Her voice is thick as it leaves her throat. 

It’s rude, she knows. Ruby shuts herself into the bathroom. The door swings close and clicks with a harsh thud. She only needs a moment. Just a second. Just so the first hot tear can run down her cheek. She was a fool. How could she really believe that this would work? Hope made everyone blind. Everyone could probably see that it would never work. And yet, they had hoped for her that it would work. Yet they had sat in her bedroom like children at a sleepover, playing with spirits. 

 Ruby couldn’t be that mad at them. They were only trying to help her. But did no one think to stop her, to save her from this embarrassment? She sniffles hard, wiping at her cheeks. She’s never really had a flush on her face. But right now, behind the copper tones of brown skin, she can feel the heated flush taking over. Why would he do such a thing to her? She was a fucking fool to believe the gift was actually from Calum. He’s dead. His ashes are still in that godforsaken mini mason jar. There is no bringing him back. 

There’s nothing left of him. His soul was already damned to Lucifer. There was no way he would let anything remain. Ruby would’ve done better to just talk to open air than to try and communicate with Calum. She was just a fucking fool. 

With another harsh sniffle, Ruby opens the door. If her eyes are red, they’ll just have to be red. “Thanks for subjecting yourselves to this. I owe you guys.” She doesn’t hide the quiver that takes over her chest. 

“Rubs,” Kourtney sighs, hugging her friend. Ruby shakes like a dog caught in a thunderstorm in Kourtney’s arms. “Do you want me to stay with you?”

“N-no,” Ruby croaks. “I’ll call if I need you though.”

Kourtney thinks for a moment. She could refuse Ruby’s wishes and have to deal with a crying and pissed Ruby or she could just wait for the phone call. Ruby will probably still be crying if she calls, but at least there won’t be any anger. “I’ll be near my phone.”

As the door creaks close, Ruby locks it, bottom and top locks before sliding down the steel door. Here she is again. On her fucking knees crying over Calum again. She wants to laugh. She really does. It catches between her sobs in ragged coughs. “Fucking of course,” she pants. “Of course.”

She pushes her hands and crawls to the edge of the coffee table. Right where she was when Calum died. “I thought it was only lovers that were supposed to hurt like this.” Her speech is interrupted by sobs. But she continues on. “I thought only lovers were supposed to rip your fucking heart out.”

“They say talking to yourself is a sign of insanity.”

Even though her vision is nothing but a watery field of tears, she knows that pale skin. “Don’t you have some other poor soul to torture? Don’t you have anybody else to fuck over? Haven’t you ruined my fucking life enough?” she shouts. Her hand finds a coaster and lobs it before she can even think, still half hung onto the edge of the coffee table. It requires too much energy to support herself on her elbows. She just hangs her weight into the sturdy piece of furniture. 

“He heard you calling. So I had to answer,” Lucifer returns. 

“You’re such a fucking liar.” Ruby wishes she could smite him. Do anything to him to make him feel the ache in her chest. Would it take a bolt of lightning? Did he hold anything precious to his heart?

“I’m many things.”

“Leave me the fuck alone, God.”

Lucifer fakes a hiss, throwing up a cross with his fingers. “We don’t say His name around me.”

Ruby drags the sleeve of her shirt under her nose. Her tears, though they roll down her face, have stopped stinging her behind her eyes. “That’s a corny ass joke.”

Lucifer shrugs, pushing his hands into his pockets. “Figured I’d give it a shot. See if you’d stop cursing me out.”

“You’re still an asshole. So no, it didn’t work.” Ruby finally pushes up from the coffee table and falls into the legs of the couch. She stares out into the open dining room, at the table pushed up against the wall, right under the window sill. Calum would sit most nights that he stayed over in front of it. He said watching the night relaxed him. But she wonders now if she was watching for Lucifer. If Calum knew all along that he was playing with a fire that would burn him. 

It would hurt more if he just disappeared, Ruby thinks. If Lucifer somehow got him in the middle of the night while she was sleeping and Calum just wasn’t there. If he never showed up with another note under her door. That would hurt more. Not knowing would kill her more than knowing Ruby figures. She probably wouldn’t have noticed it at first. But as the days blended into weeks and the weeks turned into months without any contact from Calum--that would kill her. Slowly and then all at once she’d lose her head. 

“Mind if I sit?” Lucifer asks. 

“And if I say I do. What are you going to do? Kill me?”

“I’d never kill for such a frivolous thing.”

Ruby whips  her head to look at him. “You killed Calum? And for what? Being my friend?”

“I don’t have to explain that to you.”

“No, you do! You do have to explain that to me.”

“I don’t,” Lucifer defends. 

“Oh, but you do, Lucifer.” She’s never uttered his name before. It made him too real if she did. Made Calum’s death too real. But right now, after what just happened, or didn’t happen, he owes her that much. She can say his name. It is not lead on her tongue anymore. 

“Ah, she does remembers my name.”

“I could never forget it.”

“Ruby, I don’t owe you any explanation. I didn’t owe it to Calum to make the trip before or this one. But I’m doing it.”

“What the fuck did he do?” Ruby pushes up from the floor. Her face is tight. She knows her eyes are red. There’s probably snot on the sleeve of her shirt. It doesn’t matter though. She’s going to get these answers. “Tell me. What is so wrong about finding a friend?” She searches his gaze, seeing if he’d crack. 

The only thing Lucifer does is take a step forward to her. There’s still a good foot between them. “If you’re boss gave you a rule, and you broke it, couldn’t you be fired for it?” 

Ruby takes a small step forward. “Depends on how big the rule was.”

“I’ve ruled with an iron fist. And I will always continue to do so.” Lucifer meets her step, but only after his statement crosses his lips. 

No one moves again. There’s only another step between them. “Don’t tell me you have a soft spot? You can’t have a soft spot for the person you killed.”

“Calum isn’t a person.”

“He was to me.” Ruby closes the gap. Finger poking at his chest. “He was as real to me as Kourtney, or Tiff. Or anyone else in this world. He was a person to me and that’s all that matters.”

“We are monsters. Me included,” Lucifer states. “He is nothing more than a hound now. Just like all the rest.”

“And who did that to him? Who did that?” Ruby hates to get loud. But the emotion leaps from her. Her fists are furling at her side. 

Lucifer must admit she’s bolder than he took her for and far less fearful than he thought would happen for something that just tried to summon a demon into their bedroom. Though, anyone trying to do that must not hold much fear to begin with. “I know what I’ve done.”

“And is this supposed to make me feel better? Is this you trying to rectify the situation?”

“No. I can’t fix anything now. What’s done is done.”

Ruby cracks, she can feel her core crumbling. The tears come back. She presses the heel of her hands into the sockets of her eye. “Just tell me what you did. Is he really dead?” She pleads. The tough guy act is exhausting. All she wants to do is cry again, curl into her sheets and let the ache fall over her throat in screeches. 

Lucifer, for just a second, lets himself peer down at her. She stands right under his chest. He can see what Calum meant about how endearing it feels. “The Calum you knew no longer exists. You can’t summon him. His physical form is dust.”

“The whip?”

“Turned over to another owner.”

“They’re temporary to you. They’re nothing,” she gaps. It really ought not be a shock. It is the devil she’s dealing with. She’s not dealing with someone human. But it still shocks her. 

“We’re all nothing. Calum got a second shot at his life. And he fucked it up. Like he always does.”

Ruby shoves Lucifer. Her palms hitting hard into his chest. Lucifer stumbles back half a step but plants his feet to catch himself. “He didn’t. He didn’t do anything wrong!” She can see the pointed tail rising behind him. She sees the flash of fire in Lucifer’s eyes. “Do it. Fucking do it, I dare you.” Now she’s really gone insane. To goad the devil like this. But she doesn’t care. 

It’s a steel resolve that stills Lucifer. It stills even Ruby. “You don’t mean that,” Lucifer taunts. “You couldn’t possibly mean it.” 

“You don’t know what I mean and what I don’t.”

Lucifer grins, lowering the tail. “I do know that what’s left of your precious Calum whines for you. He curses himself for messing things up with you. It’s ironic really. To be subjected to an eternal curse and then curse yourself on top of that.”

Ruby just stares. She’s tired of the circle games. She’s tired of begging. If he’s going to explain himself, then he will. And if he won’t explain himself, he can go right back to the place he came from. So Ruby remains silent. Lucifer blinks at her.

 He says nothing either, waiting for her rebuttal. She’s a smart girl; she’ll have something, Lucifer figures. 

A few more moments go by. “Nothing to say?” Lucifer asks. 

Ruby remains quiet. 

“Did Calum ever tell you he was a Hunter for me? Really the head of them. That’s why I gave him the whip.” Lucifer stops for a moment. She look unphased for the moment. He sees the way she’s biting on the inside of her lip though. “I can’t bring him back,” Lucifer admits. “He still exist. Just not like you knew him as. You can’t bring him back.”

Ruby wants to look away. But she doesn’t. She takes a breathe. “You took everything from him. I hope you know that. I hope you know the destruction you’ve caused, Lucifer. Whatever good he had going on in his life, whether it was damned to you for eternity or not, all that good is gone.”

“It’s like the Big Guy said. All I’m good for it stealing, killing, and destroying. We’ve all got our parts to play. I brought you the anklet because I thought it would get him off my back. He’s relentless when it comes to you. He wanted me to give him updates. Him! Like he runs the fucking place.”

“So, tell me, do you give him updates? Why else would you be here?”

“No, actually, I heard you knocking on my front door with that summoning circle. But I didn’t think the others would take kindly to me showing up.”

Ruby has to laugh. She really does and it escapes her in dry tufts. “Tried to summon a friend and I got a piece of shit instead.”

“Yeah, I’m not the greatest, alright. I know. Just because I took Calum’s status away, just because I stripped him of his physical form doesn’t mean he can’t annoy the shit out of me in Hell.”

“And you can’t undo it? Can’t give him back his human form?”

Lucifer shakes his head. “If The Big Guy himself had to flood the earth to start over, there’s no way He’s giving me more powers than Him. He can’t snap his fingers to undo anything and I can’t snap mine.”

“What rule did Calum break? What the hell did he do deserve that?”

“I told you. Rules have to be followed. That’s that.”

“I can’t ever talk to him again. I can’t ask Calum so I’m asking you. I’m giving you the second shot you don’t fucking deserve.”

This isn’t a second shot, Lucifer thinks. He never gets those. Not that he’s ever deserved them in any capacity ever. But Ruby’s pleading stare is maybe just enough to crack his chest open. “I told him not to get too close. I told him that if he got too close to you it would be his head. You might’ve called me a liar. But others would disagree.”

Ruby sucks in a breath, turning away. Her hands cover her face. But that’s not enough darkness so she closes her eyes behind the fabric. “In my house. In front of me!”

“There’s a reason why he told you not to watch.”

She can picture it all now. There was no sound. But she can see, clear as day, a fistful of Calum’s curl in Lucifer’s fist as Calum’s body slumped away before disappearing. She wonders if his eyes blinked close, if Calum had just enough life in him to finish that action. Or they were probably already closed before the last blow was delivered. Was he thinking of her? Was she Calum’s last thought? 

Lucifer’s voice interrupts her buzzing mind. “The anklet’s actually from him. I found it in his apartment while I was cleaning it out. I had some others keep it safe. I wouldn’t have given it to you, in all honesty. I was going to have it pawned. Needed the cash for some other earthly endeavours. But I could never bring myself to fucking do it. So I gave the boy what he wanted. I gave it to you. His last good deed, he called it.”

“Do me a favor?”

“I’m not a middle man for the two of you. I agreed to give you the anklet and I only agreed to check up on you like once.”

“Just one thing,” Ruby sighs, turning to face Lucifer. 

“Just one.”

“Don’t come back to me. Don’t check up on me. Don’t give him updates.”

“This is going to sound ironic coming from me. But he’s going to raise hell over that.”

“Tell him I told you not too. I want to remember him like he was drinking whiskey way to early in the day and always dawned in the leather jacket. I want to remember him like a friend.”

Lucifer sighs. Calum’s not going to like that. But he nods and says nothing as he exits her apartment. Through the front door this time. For a brief moment, Ruby finally realizes that she never opened the door for Lucifer in the first place. Could he have been the breeze she felt? 

She was just torturing herself. Ruby never considered herself to be a masochist. Pain was never really her thing. But all she was doing was hurting herself. This was just a wound they kept picking the scab off of. It would always bleed if it’s never left alone. It can never clot and create new skin. Even if it leaves a scar, the thicker skin is more protection that busted blood vessels. 

Ruby drags herself to her bedroom. Calum’s picture staring at her as she enters. She walks over, placing the photo face down. She’s gotta let him rest. Let herself rest really. What is she doing besides running herself into the ground. That’s all it is. She picks up the anklet, testing the weight in her hand again. It’s cold against her skin and has never been heavy until now. She sets onto the dresser next to her bed. In the morning she can think about whether or not to bear its weight again. 

____

Lucifer can already imagine the roar that’s going to echo off the walls of his head. But he’s really only the message man, yet again. “Good news and bad news,” Lucifer starts. 

“Bad news first.” His voice is harsher, more of a snarl in this state. Body much too large and too hunched for the man he once portrayed. The fire does like it does everyone, making the skin blister and turn a pinkish red. It’s a shock that anyone can hold out at the eternal flick of the flames like he does. 

“You’re going to regret that. She wants to give you a good memory. Take it.”

“What?”

“Let her go. Let her remember you the way she knew you.”

While Calum would hate to admit Lucifer to right. It might be naive to think that Ruby wouldn’t try everything in her power to see him again. He’s not the man he used to be. He’s not in any position to be seen for what’s beneath it all, beneath the lies. “What’s the good news then?”

“You have a friend in her, even still. You’re lucky.”

He surely doesn’t feel lucky. Trapped here as his body is constantly burned and healed all within the same minute. He surely doesn’t feel lucky knowing that he won’t ever be able to answer a call from Ruby again. But if she’s willing to hold onto his memory, even with all the messed up shit he’s done, than he found something to be lucky about. 

Though it’s never rest that finds his soul, Calum remembers the way she laughs and something like peace stills the moment. It’s a quiet calm that only simmers for a moment before the pain kicks in again. He takes the second of calmness whenever they come because they always bring her with them.

#calum hood #calum hood fanfiction #calum hood fic #calum hood fanfic #calum hood series #demon!cal #demon!calum #calum hood 5sos #5sos #h writes #5 seconds of summer #5sos fanfic #5sos fic #5sos imagine #5 seconds of summer imagine #5 seconds of summer fanfi #5 seconds of summer fanfic #5 seconds of summer fic #luke hemmings #ashton irwin #michael clifford

[a19yearoldtryinherbest]

Trust. [Bill Hader]

    Masterlist

Prompt: It’s the IT premiere and someone drinks a bit much, letting some of their feelings and fears out.

Warning: Swearing, angst and fluff. Also a very emotional and a long-ish monologue.

A/N: This took longer, I was stuck with another story plus I had one of those weeks but last night this story came to mind and did it. 

PS: Is it just me or Bill looks really hot angry? (Like in the GIF or in Barry) 

Word count: 1919

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Bill smiled as he tried to pose, his hands doing nothing but falling flat next to his torso being followed by his shoulders slouching down. He had forgotten all the pointers Gwen had gave him, but she didn't care, it wasn't like it was her idea to improve his posing game, she actually adored the way he just stood in front of the cameras and wasn't sure of doing what to do but smile.

She took her place in the carpet next to him, smiling as he placed his hand on the small of her back, touching her skin thanks to the backless dress. He then seemed to be a lot more calmed and collected, it was easier with her, not only posing on the carpet, everything. She'd always calmed him down and made him feel safe but he had never really told her that.

Gwen looked lovingly at him while he posed, observing his hair, his eyes, the little wrinkles from smiling, and finally, the sweet smile on his face; a smile immediately formed on her lips, unable to contain it, feeling her heart skip several beats as her chest being filled with happiness and love. She closed her eyes for a second and then turned to the cameras, posing.

After the showing of the movie, and some of the games the premier had, they decided to go to the after party, Gwen getting mentally ready to talk some more to the cast, crew and some other people of the business. She had already hitted it off with Andy, Jessica and Jay so she knew to look for them if she felt too lonely. Luckily, Bill knew her and kept an eye out in case her "shyness" became too much to handle, but in some point Bill had to go say hi to some people, leaving her alone, she said she was fine, which was true at that very moment, but then she turned to the bar, trying to relax a little.

Four glasses later she was tipsy so she decided to stop, and then she forgot and asked for a fifth drink. She was talking funny, luckily she wasn't talking much, but at least she didn't feel the constant pressure she always felt and, because of that, when some dude came to ask her to dance she said yes.

He danced closely and she was uncomfortable but the effect of the alcohol made it a bit difficult to express the discomfort, so she kind of stood there as the dude slightly groped her, making her feel much more uncomfortable by the second, sobering her up a bit. As she looked around for a familiar face or an excuse to get out, the guy had decided it was a good idea to put his hands on her hips and slid them slowly downwards.

Gwen froze, if she would've been sober she would've slapped the guy but she wasn't, so she was stuck in a trance of fear, shame and dizziness.

She left the dreadful trance as two big and familiar hands grabbed her waist getting her closer to Bill — I'm gonna need you to go man. — the rage in his voice was palpable but he kept a monotone voice with made him even more intimidating.

Bill was definitely capable of beating that guy in any fight, he was taller, more muscular and he really, really wanted to; but the guy, also being under the influence, didn't seemed to notice that, so he made a scene. He screamed a lot of "hey, dude" as he said how Bill had cut off his lucky nigh, insulting him up and down, and making a few observation on how hot Gwen was and that she was too much for him until he was escorted out. Bill barely made it without punching him, keeping his hands in fist, hoping for the man to step closer so he could sucker punch him, the only thing keeping him against it being Gwen; she kept her hand open on his chest, holding him back but also keeping herself steady. As they took the man away Bill changed his mindset, no longer angry but worried and concerned about Gwen.

— Are you ok? — he said, letting his hand rest on her cheek, sliding his thumb against her skin. She nodded, melting into his touch.

— I wanna go home. — she said, closing her eyes before grabbing his hand on her cheek and moving slightly to kiss his palm.

— Alright. — and that went home. He felt sick when they got to their place, really thinking what had happened and what could've happened, his hands forming fist again. On the other hand she looked at him as he was her savior, thing she always did but now wasn't hiding.

They both sat in bed and Gwen started doing massages on his shoulder to help him relax, leaving softly chaste kisses on his neck but all his mind could think of was on beating that guy up, keeping her safe.

So he didn't relax, frustrating Gwen. Bill could help her without her even asking him to, he just knew, he knew to be aggressive but not to start a fight, he knew how to make her feel safe and she couldn't even help him relax.

— I'm gonna to take a shower. — he said, Gwen stopping the massages on his neck.

— Want me to join you? — she said, about to stand up from the bed but he stopped her, turning around an leaving a hand on her shoulder.

— No, I- — she was shocked, unable to understand why he would say that — I'm ok.— he needed to cool down and he knew he didn't want her to see him as enraged as he was, he needed a little time to calm down.

Gwen laid in bed as he showered, doing nothing but thinking, the alcohol slowly fading away. She loved him so much, and he loved her too but she couldn't help but feel she loved more than he did, and that made her feel vulnerable. Sadly, the effects of the alcohol made her spiral down in a hole of rough and harsh thoughts, not only about herself but their relationship.

Minutes later Bill came out of the room, only a towel covering him. She looked to the ceiling, despite her previous offer, she wasn't in the mood — Ar- are you mad at me? — she let out, pain and some sort of fear had tainted her voice.

He laid next to her, worrisome, turning her head towards him — No, why would I? — he wondered analyzing her features as her frown scrunched and her mouth turned it's corners down.

— Because of that guy.

— That guy was an asshole. — he moved some of her hair behind her ear — He took advantage of you. Why would I be mad?

— I don't know. B-because I was drunk and said yes to dancing? I don't-

— You can be drunk at any party you want and dance with whoever you want. I know you'll let me take you home at the end of the night. — he smiled.

— I love you, Bill. — he smiled a bit, she always became more open about her feeling under the influence of alcohol or the lack of sleep, right now she was on both.

— I love you, too.

— No, no. I love you, way too much. More that you love me, a-and I'm not saying in a "you don't love me" way, I'm saying it as in "you'll stop loving me a bit more each day" because everyone does. I'm a mess and people grow tired. But it hurts more with you because I just- love you. — Bill looked at her, trying to understand where she was coming from and why she was saying that. She felt her heart ache and her stomach shrink, that was the most vulnerable she had ever been and she felt naked, unprotected but she kept going anyway, trying to leave her fears behind — I just do that, I love you and love you, and keep loving you. I- I don't care about anything else and that scares me. I just keep loving you. No matter what you do I'll keep loving you and that's not good. 'Cause you could hurt me whenever you want, in whatever way you want, and I would forgive you and keep loving you and that would only destroy me, but I would still fucking love you. — tears were falling from her eyes, damping the pillow her head was laying on. Bill was frozen, completely caught off guard by the whole situation — I can't do that. I- I don't want to risk that. I can't just- I can't be like my mom. — she cried out, dread in her voice as she softly shook her head, tears falling faster than before, soaking her face — She just adored my dad, no matter what he did, she loved him. She loved him more than she loved me or my brothers. No matter what. And he knew that, he- he took advantage of that and just did whatever the fuck he wanted and j-just fucked her up. And even after he left her, after he took every ounce of love she had, she kept loving him. And I- I know you're not like my dad, I know that, but I can't help but feel like I'm waiting for you to hurt me. Like I'm waiting for you to stop giving a fuck about me and start hurting me just for the sake of it. — her voice broke as she did, whimpers leaving her mouth as she covered her face with her hands — You're the best person I’ve ever met and I can’t tr- I can’t- — she tried to continue but her voice gave in one more time, leaving her speechless with nothing but a whimper on her throat — I'm sorry.

And he just held her. Letting her cry on his chest, his heart aching with every tear she spilled, with every hurted "I'm sorry" she cried out. He felt her brake under his grasp, feeling helpless and useless, unable to help her. And he couldn't do anything but to cry, his heart breaking for her. As he looked for some way to comfort her, to let her know she wouldn't be hurted.

— I don't want to ever hurt you, Gwen. — he finally said, almost whispering into her ear, slowly caressing her shoulder — I'm never gonna do that to you. I love you. And it sometimes scares me how much I love you, too, but I know you're not going to hurt me. You should know I am never going to hurt you, ok? — he took a shaky breath, holding her closer — I need you to trust me on that. I will never hurt you. — he vowed, pouring every inch of his heart and soul into those words.

— You promise? — she had stopped crying the minute he started to speak, still letting out a sob or two.

He smiled with relief and love, nodding softly — I swear. — he rocked softly back and forward, kissing her head a few times — Do you trust me?

— I do. I trust you, Bill.

She held him closer, letting her head rest against his chest and hearing his heartbeats as he laid kisses on the top of her hair; finally trusting him, finally trusting somebody.

#bill hader #bill hader imagines #bill hader x OFC #Bill Hader Imagine #bill hader x reader #barry hbo #barry berkman #it chapter 2 #IT #I just love bill #way too much

[avo-gsy]

THIS IS SO SCARY!!!

I doubt I predict my own fortune could be obviously so stupid from others trying to take advantage of my own life. Better Back the FUCK UP!!!

I thought I was bad of myself treating others horrible. Because I am not making them feel negative. I wanted to work alone, but I'm in a team. I have lack of communication with others. I hope others will understand me then I will understand them. Everytime I see my teammates, I can tell they wouldn't understand much more possibilities and consequences if they tried to communicate from other groups. I taught them how things works for all the areas I know of. We were having fun yet to be sharp and hardworking in front of our high superiors. My teammates got it down, but those days were my Volunteer Extra Time Work. Anyway, I made a lot of dough!

Goat got Me!!!! Thank the Lord. It's only a Reversed. I broke off my relationship with my 2 idiot brothers from my father's side. Including my Father.

It was 4 months ago, I was chilling watching anime at my little fat idiot brother's house with my mom. I was suppose to ask father for helpping my car. He went to someone's kid's highschool graduation party. I waited for him until that Demander Poser 2nd Oldest Brother dropped off father at my little fatass brother' s house because father was too drunk. The moment he saw me I knew it was going to be ugly at the end. At first, the Demanding Poser Brother talked to me a nice greeting like "Sup, it's been a while. How you been?" At the middle, He began pressuring me that "if I hate those people who's living in my house I should buy house" and I said "I have no plans because I am comfortable with my life and not bothering them as they don't bother me. I can cope with that situation. It's my life." At last, We end up having a big arguement where he demands my life to be so perfect and be the only one to take care of my mother. He forced me to grow a family because our family name and country are dying. I felt hurt. Me to have a family with stranger I never felt in love and tell lies future kids about my family's past. BULLSHIT! I HAD ENOUGH OF HIS BULLSHITS! My mom came in and asked me if we can go home, but He fucking held me back by my shoulders. I plan to attack him with pepper spray and kick him in the face, but I thought about his girlfriend's family. So, that's why I held myself back. I thought about those so many consequences. I do not want pay my price. I knew him too well. He's always corrupted since he wants more freedom and much more lies inside of him and above to whatever hell he making much more trouble like suicide and stealing food from Winco and telling his friend's mom that our mom died so, he can live with them. I hated him ever since our parents' divorce. Anyway , I had to wait for him to finish. I had to Act like A Brainwashed mind control freak for him.

My father was there with him with our long converstation. Can't believe him, he told me "You stay quiet until he's finish talking." I gave them "I don't give a fuck look". I actually don't give a 2 fucks whateva the hell these assholes were talking about. I am a grown ass adult woman. None of my father's side doesn't understand me. I understood them, but they treat me like shit, a nobody. I'm always a quiet and good-manner in the family from both sides. They didn't see me that way. They finally threw me off from their life.

I first threw them off after my parents' divorce. I was insanely calm psychopath kid. Thank god, I became well mannered human being by my aunt.

After the next day, my mom told me my father called me a useless horrible daughter. I am like wtf??!!! I actually thought back hard from all those years. How am I useless and...horrible???? Then she showed me that Asshole brother of mine posted girls pushed the guy, but fell ass on the floor and get karma video on FaceBook. That was ridiculous. I told her not to show me and never mention about those idiots.

I stopped visiting them after 4 months until my car needs a brake service. The only person I can trust is my little brother. I asked him over text message if he can help me change my brakes without dad and that idiot. He told me he no expert, but only knows basic stuffs. I was wtf does he mean he only knows Basic Stuffs?!?!!

Do you guys know basic stuffs on cars?!?!?!

I DON'T FUCKING KNOW WTH IS "BASIC STUFF" IS!!!

Then he told me only father knows how to fix my car.

I'm just disbelief. I said WITHOUT FATHER!

I told him I can fix my car alone at his place because my place is crowded with cars and people. I need a space.

That fatass just told me to calm down and only dad knows how to fix my car.

Hello??? Did you not read my text??? I know how to change my car part from my car!!! I called him a Bitch. Cause he sounds like one. I treated him respect when I visited him, but now I knew he would be against me.

I want a straight answer. Not a prolong shit in your own shit out of your ass.

I want a Yes and a No. Not a talking bitch explaining the shit that I already knew.

Then he said, "No, you can't. I didn't do anything. You're making hard on everybody."

I'm just wtf you just said to me. You didn't do anything? You fucking said something so stupid out of your mind. Me??? Making hard for everybody??? I asked him How and When??? Then he told me he's done with me. Wow, this bitch turned his tail away from me. I'm glad he threw me out. He did a very horrid in my mom's side of the family. He attacked my little cousin in the bathroom. I didn't know about that till we move another house. I had this future and past psychic sights that my brother attacked her from the past and he gotten kicked out from the house. I thought it was a false vision sight. Until I felt his aura very sinful that makes me remove him with a knife in my hand behind his back. I told I know what you did. He panicked and called mom that I will kill him in the kitchen. I told mom he was in the way of me making a sandwhich which I was eating my sandwhich. My mom believed me than him. That very day, My little cousin kept her mouth shut ever till she called him a Devil. My aunt slapped her so hard because she treated us like her own kids. She cried and couldn't believe what that bastard did to her daughter. My aunt didn't want to call cops on him so, we had to kick him out of the house.

If I were to ask him what he said to me.

He'll end himself.

At the end, he asked me if I died those were your last words?

Bitch, please. If you were dead, those were my last word. I'm his oldest sister. What an idiot he is.

If I would be bumping him some other day.

Calling him out. Oops, still not dead. Live without me, strange boy.

And my father who's a player to all those random ladies he wants to sleep with. He didn't remove his car policy from his old company. I'm still paying for it. He need his ass to remove his shit. He's the primary of that policy. Fuck, why my car in the first place?!!! And I thought I'm worthless.

Ah, the future.~

I can barely see myself having so much wealth and being active in my job where I have my fun. As for my family, good riddance from that bastard threw off from their side. I'm glad I'm at my mom's side of the family. Some are bad as my father, yet worser for me to see a same repeat. And also repeating their kid's life as my life. Oh god, I pray for them for themselves buy another affordable house. I will still keep on coping and having my goal negativity into postivity! YAY!~

#the arcana game #the arcana #daily tarot #tarotlife #tarotdaily #tarotreading #taroteverydamnday #Suicide is no joke #depression is not a joke #Family issues #family problems #my life #abusive story #family can be dangerous #karma is real #Karma can bite my ass

[ot5ismyhome]

Bloodbound Chapter 25- Too soon, too late

The clan members and the clan-less prepared for the battle. Both the teams were fully equipped with weapons. Hope started her bike and set out to the harbour. The clan-less followed her in Scott’s van. Natasha got behind the wheel and Steve sat in passenger seat. The Maximoffs looking scared and shaken were sitting in the back seat along with Tony. They held each other’s hand and consoled each other. They drove off to Jiaying’s residence. Natasha looped through New York instead of taking the shortest route.

Steve peered out into the dark night and confirmed the doubt he had. He saw shadows lurking in the corners as they were being trailed. Natasha tried to shake them off their tail but she wasn’t fortunate. As a vampire jumped on top of their car, the Maximoffs let out a scream. Natasha served the car trying to ditch him but he held on. Natasha hit the brake suddenly and sent the man flying forward. She stepped on the brake and revved the car to full speed. She let the brake and dashed forward. She ran over the vampire and flew past without slowing down. Natasha drove to the outskirts of the city.

“Do you all have properties outside the city?” asked Pietro. “Is it some kind of vampire thing?”

“Most of us who don’t want to attract attention have. Some divas like having large buildings in the centre of the city with their name written on it” chuckled Natasha earning a sideways glance from Steve. Tony shrugged

They were almost near Jiaying’s house but their path was blocked by a large truck. On the top of the truck, Stane and Toomes were standing. Natasha hit the brakes. Rumlow gave a sly smile as he loosened the latch and joined the others on the top. Natasha, Steve and Pietro heard slight growling sound from inside. The back door of the truck flew open followed by the ferals flowing out in mass heard.

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck” shouted Wanda. “Turn around” she added.

Natasha turned her car and drove it down the muddy path which cut off from the main road. The uneven road was making them slower and the ferals were gaining on them.

“Drive faster. Drive faster”

“Shut up. Shut up. SHUT UP.”

“Where the hell are you going? The city is certainly not this side” Wanda asked.

“We can’t lead the ferals back to the city. It will be a disaster.”

“Then where are we going?”

“To my safe house.”

The bushes become so thick for the car to pass through. Natasha hit the brake and got out. She shouted for them to follow her as she ran along the trail. The twins ran behind her followed by Tony and Steve. They reached her house before the ferals caught up with them. They ran inside and closed the door.

“The house can’t hold them off for long. We need to fight them.” Natasha said as she took out guns from her backpack and passed it on to Tony and the twins. She and Steve equipped themselves with a gun and stakes. Steve called Howard and asked for back up. Natasha grabbed a small remote control from the table draw. She pressed the button without further delay. An electrical buzz filled the room; even though it was low it would be audible even to human ears.

“What is that noise?” asked Pietro peeking out of the curtained window. The sound was emitted from the electric fence circled the house. The hordes of ferals trying to get past were burnt by the electricity. The burning smell of rotten skin flooded Pietro’s nose as he tried block it with his sleeve of his shirt.

The fence did slow down the ferals but they found a way to reach the house. The remaining ferals climbed on the burnt corpses of others and ran towards the house. They started banging on the walls, trying to break through.

“Ready” Natasha asked looking at Steve. He gave a nod. The five stood in the circle as the ferals were tearing the house from every side.

One feral tore down the kitchen window and the rest followed it. They piled into the house through that gap. The twins shot at the ferals. Pietro training came in handy as he delivered each bullet precisely to its head. Wanda struggled but was able to keep up. Steve and Natasha slashed through the ferals and took down as many as they can. One feral escaped their notice and ran towards Wanda who was facing the other side. Natasha noticed it and caught the feral by its neck and slammed it into the coffee table. She took the broken glass and cut off its head.

Natasha and Steve moved with speed and agility. The ferals were no match for them. Soon the ferals numbered reduced and the tables turned. Steve ripped the head of the last standing feral. He looked up at Natasha and smiled.

“It’s been long since we fought together” he smiled as he wiped the sweat form his eyebrows. She gave a small laugh.

The five heard the sound of the truck and walked out. Rumlow was driving the truck directly into the house. The four jumped to the side and were able to barely escape being crushed by the giant vehicle.

“Can we kill these bastards and get this over with?” Natasha said through gritted teeth.

“We sent a nice gift for you Steve” Rumlow laughed. “Did you receive it?”

Steve growled and said nothing. The three men jumped out of the truck and made their way towards them.

“You both. Stay back” Steve barked. “Tony, guard the kids” he added looking at the billionaire.

Wanda and Pietro backed away. They held hands and looked at each other. “We will get through this” Pietro whispered.

Steve and Natasha squared off against the three men. Toomes took two knifes from his belt and threw at Natasha. She dodged the first one but she wasn’t so lucky with the second. It grazed her stomach drawing some blood from her. Natasha took out her dagger and ran towards Toomes. She came close to him but didn’t strike. She leaped over him and landed behind his back. Before he could turn around to face her, she drove both knifes into his shoulder blades. He screamed in pain.  

Stane and Rumlow attacked Steve at the same time. Stane kicked Steve in the stomach. He doubled over in when Rumlow grabbed him by his collar and punched his face. Steve blocked him and returned a punch. Steve caught Rumlow’s neck and crushed his windpipe. He threw him to the ground. Stane came from Steve’s side and delivered a kick to his torso. Steve blocked the kick and caught his leg. He twisted it making Stane lose balance and fall down. He stomped on his knee and broke it.

He heard Pietro shout his name. He turned to the kid standing close to him. At first Steve didn’t know what had happened but then he noticed the stake protruding from his back.

“Old man, you didn’t see that coming” Pietro said

Steve caught the kid by his shoulder. But before Steve could react, Rumlow drove the stake even further. As the wood ripped through Pietro’s heart he turned to dust in Steve’s hands.

Bucky along with the clan-less rushed into the clearing to witness the death of the young man in the hands of Steve. Howard and Coulson weren’t much behind. The forest trembled with the gut-wrenching scream of the dead man’s sister. Her concealed power, out of her control emanated from her body. Every vampire’s mind in the clearing linked as one. The hive mind prevented them from acting as they stood planted to their spots. Wanda’s whole life flashed in front of her eyes.

“Pietro, don’t cry” cooed the small girl looking at her elder twin.

“He called me an idiot” replied the six-year-old boy through his sobs.

Wanda hugged her brother trying to console him.

*****

“You can’t lock him in the storage closet”

“I can and I already did” smiled the girl proudly.

“That was ten years ago” Pietro tried to argue.

“Yeah and I got my revenge. He is afraid of closed spaces and spiders. I needed time to get to know that asshole” she stated a matter of fact.

Pietro shook his head in defeat, not able to argue with his twin.

*****

“Come on, Wanda you got to help. The prom is near” Pietro pleaded staring at her with puppy eyes.

“Since you ask nicely, I might”

“Tomorrow, in English class you’re sitting near Danny. When the class ends, I will casually come over to talk with you. Then I will ask them out”

*****

Slightly older Pietro was sitting in his bed, staring at the wall when Wanda entered.

“Hey, sis”

“Hey, I heard you’re going to accept the offer letter” she stated without beating around the bush.

“Yeah, I don’t think it well suited for me”

“Bullshit” she snapped. “You just don’t want to go ‘cause I didn’t get through”

“No shit Sherlock. That was the plan, wasn’t it? Both of us going to America together.”

“I am not going to allow you to throw away your opportunity like this”

“I have made up my mind. I am not going alone”

“Okay, what if I get an offer from another place and leave your sorry ass here”

“You wouldn’t” he said confidently.

“Keep wishing” she smiled as he played punched her on the arm.

*****

The twins squealed in delight holding Wanda’s acceptance letter into the University. Their parents looked at their celebrating children with pride. Their dad pulled the whole family into a group hug.

*****

“We can’t live here, Pietro” stated Wanda looking around their childhood home.

“Yeah, reminds me too much of them” he said, voice slightly breaking.

Wanda stood in the living room, looking at the photos hanging on the walls. Pietro slightly placed his hands on her shoulder making her turn towards him. He engulfed her in a hug as they both broke down crying.

*****

Pietro made his way to the kitchen where his sister was fixing herself a mid-night snack.

“I got a good no no great news. Guess what?”

“You are hired?” she said excitedly.

“Hell yeah” he shouted.

*****

Wanda walked into their shared apartment to see Pietro chatting with another man in the dining table.

“Hey” he called out seeing his sister. “Wand, meet Thompson” he said introducing her to his new acquaintance.

*****

Wanda wrote a note ‘Don’t skip breakfast. Love, Wanda’ as she left the cooked food inside the hot pack and left a note on the table on her way to work.

*****

The twins stood in the safe house of Natasha holding each other’s hands as they heard the feral being burnt by the electric fence.

“The fence won’t hold for long” noted Tony looking out of the window.

The twins exchanged a grim look preparing for the looming threat. Pietro kissed the top of her head as he whispered, “We will get through this.” She nodded silently.

In present time, Wanda’s legs gave away as she crumbled to her knees. She pulled her hair in such force that they could come off. The heart that was beating since her own had stopped. It felt like a piece of her own heart had died. There was a large ache in her. She wanted to destroy everything. But she couldn’t move. He knees seemed planted to the ground. For the first time in her life she felt alone. She wanted to end herself. She had a yearning to join her brother. It felt unusual to breath. She felt guilty of surviving. It was overwhelming.

Everyone except Coulson stood dazed not understanding what happened there. They had seen every aspect of the twin’s life. No one moved unable to comprehend the situation. Rumlow and his men were the first to snap out of it. They tried to escape the place before the others recovered. But they weren’t so lucky as Coulson shot down Toomes and Stane. The bullet sound zapped everyone out of their trance.

Steve shouted like a mad man as he advanced towards Rumlow who was retreating. He threw punch after punch beating Rumlow’s face to a pulp. Bucky saw Steve going mad and beating up Rumlow. He had never seen Steve this angry before. Lincoln secured Toomes and Stane with Howard’s cuffs. while Howard ran towards Wanda to check on her.

Bucky shouted at Steve to stop beating Rumlow but his words fell on deaf ears.

“STEVE” Bucky shouted again. Steve stopped beating Rumlow and turned to look at Bucky. “He is almost dead Steve. Stop it” Bucky with a lower tone but his voice was firm.

Steve looked at the disformed face of Rumlow and back at him. He repeated, “Stop it.”

Steve slowly raised and got away from Rumlow while Bucky tied him. He saw Wanda kneeling in the distance and Howard was consoling her. He walked to her and slowly kneeled down in-front of her. Wanda looked up to see it was Steve. She hugged him and cried into his chest. He held her close as his blood-stained hand caressed her head. He rested his head on her shoulder and the tears streamed down from his own eyes.

#wanda maximoff #pietro maximoff #Steve Rogers #Bucky Barnes #natasha ramanoff #tony stark #Howard Stark #Phil Coulson #sam wilson #lincoln campbell #hope van dyne #peter parker #melinda may #Nick Fury #marvel #agents of shield #MCU #Philinda #fitzsimmons #scott lang #vampires #BloodBound #pixelberry choices #Chris Evans #Sebastian Stan #Elizabeth Olsen #rdj #wandavision #Winter Soldier #falcon

[mightyhemsworthy]

NIGHT DRIVE (Jake Gyllenhaal x Reader)

Summary: You and Jake have known each other for a very long time. One night, you go out with him and his friends, however after your shitty days at work you decided to get drunk. Jake takes you home but on the way strange things happen. Word count: 2101 Inspired by: Stranger Things (by Kygo and One Republic) & Night Drive (by Henry). Author’s note: I saw Nightcrawler recently and driving!Jake did things to me, so here we go. I tried to mix so many elements, keeping it fun and desperate (my fav combo). I hope I could manage that! I wanted this to be a smut, but I think it was sweeter and better this way. Don’t worry, I think I’ll write several Jake Gyllenhaal smuts in the future, so stay tuned! Please keep in mind that English is not my native language so I’m sorry for any kind of mistakes. I would be glad if I could read your suggestions or comments about my story! ♡ Warnings: being drunk, angst, swearing, fluff, implied smut. * “Y/N,” Jake lightly grabbed your elbow turning your body towards him. “What, Jakey?” you teased him, extending every single syllable which made him more furious than he already was. “What the hell are you doing?” he pulled you closer to him, looking straight into your eyes when he could see that your pupils were so diluted that the iris was barely visible. “Jesus Christ, Y/N, you’re wasted,” he stated simply, looking around to search for his friends. You could not understand why he was so angry at you. You were just dancing, having fun. “I’m not.” you suddenly cheered up when one of your favorite songs hit the pub. You excitedly grabbed Jake’s biceps, he was still holding you, looking at you with some expression which you could not read. “Let’s dance, Jakey!” you said with the same tone before he pulled you from the crowd. “Y/N, stop.” he started to tug you towards the bar. “This is not you,” he added before he changed the conversation with his friends. While he was not watching you, you wanted to go back to the dancefloor. Yes, the alcohol definitely burned down your barriers, making you free and liberating you as nothing did in a very long time. You were intoxicated by the music, the lights, the liquids and especially by Jake’s perfume which was stuck in your nose throughout the whole evening. These made you insane, demanding things from you which you could barely hold back. Jake Gyllenhaal made you lost your goddamn mind and he didn’t even know. You tried to slip back to the crowd, but he noticed in time and grabbed you again. “I’m taking her home,” he said to them but you interrupted him. “You’re not taking me anywhere,” you said while trying to escape from his grab. “Y/N, look at yourself,” he started. “Dancing like that, making your body move like that…” you furrowed your brows. You were not that drunk to not understand the hidden meaning behind this sentence. He was jealous.  “Daddy, chill.” you said, while you could see that redness started to creep up towards his face. You could hear cheering and laughing from his friends, but you did not care. “What the hell are you even talking about?” Jake was so angry at this point that you have never seen him like that. “You’re a fucking mess. What happened to your manners?” he shouted at you, even though his voice was lost in the loud music. Now, this started to make you mad as well. “Don’t pretend that you even care for me, Gyllenhaal.” you spit out the words in front of his friend which became an audience at this point. They were looking at you, curious to see what will happen. You could swear that you heard something from them but you were so focused at Jake that the words didn’t reach your brain. “So, you get jealous because I dance with a stranger, who didn’t even touch me by the way,” you said going closer and closer to him, pointing at your fingers at him. “But I’m supposed to be cool with the fact that you’re fucking models and other celebrities. Oh, right. I forgot. You’re a privileged asshole!” you shouted at his face at this point. You could hear some damn, oh shit and fuck at the background but you still didn’t care. You knew that this was an exaggeration. You knew that you were under the influence of the alcohol but you just couldn’t stop yourself. You and Jake have been very good friends for a long time but you always wanted more. You loved him, you would do anything for him, and he did not even notice. Not once. Now, he doesn’t have the right to do this to you. You knew that your words made their points when Jake looked at you with a shocked expression. He was hurt. You could see that his beautiful blue eyes were filled with pain. You went too far. He didn’t know how to react, so he just looked away towards the exit. “I’m taking you home, whether you like it or not,” he said again, dangerously calm. He lightly but firmly grabbed your wrist and started to drag you across the bar, towards the parking lot. When you stepped out, the chilly weather hit you hard, making your whole-body shiver and waking up your senses which was suppressed in the bar. Suddenly, your head felt much clearer. Your thoughts were racing in your head, repeating your previous conversation over and over again. It was still dark outside, however, the city lights illuminated you nonetheless. When you started to get close to Jake’s car, he let you go of your wrist. His whole body was tensed up, he squeezed his keys between his fingers so hard that his knuckles went white. You let out a sharp breath you didn’t know you where holding. You hurt him so much. And even humiliated him in front of his friends. “Jake…” you whispered as you reached his red Mustang. It was a beautiful car, which he got from the set of Nightcrawler. He didn’t look at you, he just opened the door, letting himself and you in. “Jake, I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to hurt you.” he did not answer, he just started the engine, grabbing at the wheel and turning the radio on. Now, you did not have any chance to speak. Great. You truly messed this up. However, you knew Jake. You knew when he was upset, he would rather think about it first then speak. When he was ready, he would let you know. You admired this characteristic of him but when he did it with you it was different. You were the opposite, you were passionate, saying things immediately, even when you regretted it later. You just needed to get out of your system otherwise you would go nuts. That is why Jake was good for you, he was always rationale and help you see things the way they are. Now that he used this strategic towards you it wasn’t fun anymore. “Jake.” you tried again, talking louder than the music which was blasting from the speakers. “Y/N, please,” he whispered so softly a few seconds later that it broke your heart. You were on the verge of crying. You didn’t want to lose him because of some stupid mistake. You tried to look at the palm trees, counting them to calm yourself down and to think about something else. The windows were half down, the cool breeze was hitting you constantly, clearing your mind more and more. A few minutes passed by like this and if the two of you weren’t fighting before this would be your dream. Jake driving, the music resonating with your body while your hair was tangled with the wind as the cool summer air laid on your skin. You wished you could spend eternity just like this but you knew that sooner or later you had to admit your feelings to Jake. Even if it hurt, you still wouldn’t want to risk your relationship with him because you were jealous of other girls he’s been with. “Jake,” you started again and you could feel his body trembled as he tried not to say anything. He was waiting for you. “I’m truly sorry if I hurt you. I know I shouldn’t be jealous and I know that I was stupid because what you’re doing with someone else is not my business. But…” your voice started to break, tears gathering in your eyes as you tried to suppress all of your emotions back. You were less and less under the influence of the alcohol and those things which weren’t important for you before, now were. “It hurts to see you with someone else because I wish…” you continued. This was the time. Now or never. “I wish that one of those women were me.” At that exact moment, Jake turned off from the highway and stepped on the brake causing the car to stop immediately. He was looking at you with some surprise that you never saw on him. His eyes were shining under the street lights, casting a shadow on half of his face. It was like the whole world stopped, you could still hear the music and the other cars, but you were lost in your heartbeat which you could hear in your ears. The two of you breathing echoed in the car, you tried to look at him but his gaze was unbearable. It was like fire, it burnt your skin and you did not know it was a bad or good thing. “That is how you feel?” he finally spoke, you shoot your eyes up to him but you didn’t know what he was expecting from you. “I…” you started but you didn’t know how to continue, so you just fixated your eyes on the glove box. A few seconds passed by, you could hear Jake breathing out the air harder this time than before. One of his hand was still on the steering wheel, while he reached the other out to brush a few hair strands out of your face. When he brushed his fingertips to you, you started to shiver at his touch. You were so sensitive, you didn’t know where these feelings are coming from. “Y/N…” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “Look at me, please.” he was so soft that you lost it. You looked into his eyes, which was full of love and desire. “I feel the same about you.” he continued. “I know I shouldn’t be jealous because we’re not together, but I can’t…” he was searching for the right words. “I can’t and I don’t want to see you with someone else. I want you. I want to be with you and it’s a damn shame that it took me so many years to realize that.” at this point it was impossible to suppress your tears back, so you just let them out. A few drops made its way down on your face, Jake’s thumb wiped away them immediately. This moment was so intimate that you couldn’t believe that all of this is happening. All of those years, all of those emotions… Everything is out. You just wished that the two of you would speak about this sooner. “Can I kiss you?” he whispered, coming closer to you. “Gosh, yes.” you finally spoke, your voice changing from crying to laughing. And he did. He crossed the distance between the two of you, cupping your face with both of his hands while he softly brushed his lips against yours. It was so sweet and gentle that you immediately forgot that you’re in a car. You reacted to his touch, it was like coming home after a very long time. You raced through his hair, while he deepened the kiss, tasting more and more you. The alcohol and something sweet mixed together, when he slipped his tongue deep into you, causing you to moan at the shocking sensation. It was so good, the two of you were a perfect fit for each other. However, the scene didn’t last as long as you heard the sound of the horn. Several times. The two of you pulled away, as a car was passing beside you. “Get a fucking room, assholes! This is not a parking lot.” said a grumpy older male driver. Jake and you suddenly started to laugh. It was so unbelievable and indiscernible what you felt. The moment lasted on, as Jake ignited the engine again. You were still laughing, all of your willpower started to return to your body which was leaving you a few days, weeks and hell even months ago. You truly felt that you’re happy and you wished this to never end. “Can I take you home?” Jake asked sweetly as he looked at you. He was so much different, you could see that the start of this relationship made him happier and more liberating as well. “Yes please, Jakeyyy.” you extended the syllables, still laughing. He rolled his eyes. “Oh, yes… what did you just say to me at the club in front of my friends?” he asked, thinking back. “Daddy, chill?” it was you this time who started to blush. You palmed your face to hide your embarrassment and now he was the one who was laughing. It was a pleasant melody for your ears. “Don’t worry baby girl,” he purred. “We will use this word in another context as well.”  

#jake gyllenhaal #jake gyllenhaal x reader #jake gyllenhaal x you #jake gyllenhaal x y/n #jake gyllenhaal imagine #jake gyllenhaal oneshot #jake gyllenhaal fanfiction #my writing #my writings #mightyhemsworthy #nicole speaks #pls let me know what you think

[mrsbhandari]

Don’t Fear the Reaper

A/N: Hello!! I hope you all are staying safe and hydrated and well fed. I know that I haven’t updated AaF in like....a hot minute because I’ve been writing a lot of Haikyuu stuff recently, so I hope this kind of makes it better. I might write a more nsfw part two for this later, but rn this is just a lil one-shot of my fave couple chilling at a sideshow. Also, if you couldn't tell, I listened to Don’t Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult while writing this because of the Death refs in this, so I hope that makes a lil bit of sense and that you like it!!

Word Count: 1,538

Warnings: language, nonconsensual groping (but nothing explicit), slight reference to nsfw thoughts, making out

Summary: Colt brings Roze with him on a race. 

Tag list: 

@omgjasminesimone, @edgiestwinter, @bucketofsoup, @donutsgirl36, @desireepow-1986, @lovehugsandcandy, @troublemakerinspace, @client-327

------------------------

The two men were sizing each other up, nose to nose, chest to chest, while Roze looked on helplessly. She knew that if she tried to get in between them, things wouldn’t end up well but at the same time, Colt was going to cause his own destruction if he continued being this reckless at every sideshow they went to. It started with a less-than-innocent foreign hand on her ass that escalated into Colt throwing a guy--Alex? Alan?--into the hood of a nearby car, fully prepared for a fight. Roze yelled to her boyfriend that it really wasn’t the biggest deal and they could just leave, but Colt tasted blood and wanted more.

“How about you race me, then?” Alex/Alan snarled, spit catching on his opponent’s lip. “Whoever wins gets the bitch.” Roze watched as Colt’s hands curled into fists at his side, ready to knock this guy out with one swing. He never did take well to any other man even looking at you; having one call you something anything other than your name brought his blood to a boil. 

“I--Fine.” Colt’s eyes glanced to yours, a nervous look on his face as he considered the stakes. You knew it was all for show. Walking over to Colt messing with his bike, Roze set a hand on his shoulder, feeling the warmth from his body radiating through the leather. 

“You sure about this?” She never really doubted him, but this track would be tricky with a motorcycle. She always worried about what happened when he was out on the road at one of these races because there was just too much that could go wrong.

“I gotta defend your honor, right? I need to be your knight riding in on my white steed.” He sent her a confident, playful smile that melted her heart, telling her everything would be alright in the end. She almost believed it.

“More like Death on his pale horse.”

“Oh, you’re right. That sounds way cooler.” 

“It’s not meant to--Fuck it, whatever.” She rolled her eyes, immense sadness filling them as he threw his leg over his bike, easily straddling it and sitting comfortably. She always loved how he looked on his bike; she thought he looked like he could be on the cover of a magazine, but she knew that this wasn’t a photoshoot. This was a possible deathwish. He saw how she was looking at her and gently grabbed her chin in his hand. He was wearing fingerless riding gloves and the leather was comforting against her skin. Roze always asked what purpose they served, to which Colt would always respond: “I look badass, Roze."

“How about you come with?” he offered, tenderly stroking her skin with his thumb. 

“You’re not worried about the race?”

“Nope, although even Death needs his good luck charms, and I think having a hot girl clinging to me while I beat this punk’s ass is as good as I can get.” Roze snorted at the shit-eating smile that slithered its way onto his face. She leaned down to press a heated kiss to his lips, effectively wiping the smirk off his face. “Mm, luck is already working.”

“Hey, sexy! Do I get the same treatment?” Alex/Alan bellowed from where he was seated in his car. In a moment of unplanned routine, both Colt and Roze made matching gestures of ill will toward him, causing the racer to laugh loudly and return the favor. “You’re right, I’ll have plenty of time for that tonight when I take your bitch to bed. Oh, I’m gonna make some sweet, sweet--”

He was quickly shut up by the sight of Roze grabbing Colt’s face and pressing it to hers with open-mouthed kisses, hands closing around anything she could to pull him closer. She threw her leg around the motorcycle in front of Colt, facing him so they could continue kissing in the closest possible position. After several seconds like that, she moved her lips down to his jaw and neck, sucking large hickeys wherever she could as she went. Colt glared at his opponent from across the asphalt, keeping uncomfortable eye contact with him as Roze took his hands and moved them down to her ass, revealed largely by her short shorts that he told her to wear so he could show her off. Colt watched Alex/Alan’s face grow redder and redder as he listened to Roze’s exaggerated moans that increased in volume with the tighter he squeezed; the tomato face of his opponent only made him happier that his girlfriend had taken his fashion advice. Finally, she climbed off the motorcycle and took her seat on it again behind her boyfriend, proudly glancing at her artwork stretching across his skin. 

Pulling on a helmet, she turned towards the other man. “You ready?” He said nothing, electing to roll up his window. She bit back a laugh and settled behind Colt, prepared for the immense amount of speed they were going to reach to win. A girl walked between the vehicles and pulled up a flag, signaling the start of engines. The bike rumbled beneath Roze and she didn’t think she would ever tire of the warmth radiating from the man in front of her and the light vibration of the machine she was straddling. To her, they both meant freedom.

The race began and she wrapped herself tighter around Colt, who let out a whooping laugh as he sped along the track, easily passing ahead of Alex/Alan. This was one of the only straightaways, though, so the difficulty would soon come from the frequent turns that could easily overturn the bike. Roze decided not to think too hard about what would happen if Colt were to lose control; he was a good driver, and she had no reason to be scared from the number of times he raced this exact track. 

The feeling of the bike tilting below her with Colt’s hip movements was both terrifying and exhilarating; the road was so close, yet her boyfriend was in complete control. Their challenger hadn’t caught up yet, but judging by the sound of screeching tires, he was trying his hardest to. It was all for naught though since Colt’s easy maneuvering of the road only sent him shooting ahead without giving Alex/Alan a chance to even get close to the bike. It wasn’t going to be a close race, that was for sure. 

A tunnel was coming up, lit up by large lights attached to the cement inside. Going through it and watching the bright lamps flash by in her vision was like entering another world. Colt had given his only helmet to her (he insisted he didn’t need one, but she was still getting him a personalized one that read PASSENGER across the back as an inside joke), so she watched the lights cast interesting shadows on his face, highlighting his cheekbones and determined pout that always seemed to show up when he was driving. She could tell that he was calculating in his head, trying to figure out what he would need to do next to stay in the lead. The hard expression on her face only made her fall more in love with him as heat pooled between her thighs, pressed up against his jeans and jacket. 

The finish was in sight, and their opponent was not. Colt crossed it and easily braked, stopping his bike a few hundred feet away and parking it before helping Roze off and taking her helmet off for her. He had barely put the helmet and his gloves on one of the handlebars when she grabbed his forearm and pulled him towards her, smashing her lips into his to try and pour every emotion she was feeling into the kiss. He eagerly returned it, not giving a damn about the spectators who wanted to congratulate him on winning. Right now, the only thing on his mind and his hands was Roze Wheeler, girlfriend extraordinaire and his driver forever. 

She finally broke apart from him and let go of him long enough to let other people talk to him, but he quickly made it clear that all he wanted to do was go home with Roze. His opponent showed up minutes after he won, heaving as he exited his car and slammed the door. 

“You’re a fucking hack!” he yelled, jabbing a finger in Colt’s face and landing more spit on his cheeks. Colt didn’t flinch, electing instead to raise a fist and connect it to his jaw with a sickening crack! that silenced everyone else at the sideshow. His challenger fell to the ground, out cold, and Colt shook his hand out, bruises quickly blooming along the knuckles. He turned to Roze.

“Wanna get out of here?”

“Sure.”

At that moment, Alex/Alan decided to open his eyes to see Colt and Roze climbing on the white motorcycle. “Where are you two assholes going?!”

Colt looked at him laying on the ground, face deadpan and devoid of anything besides indifference. “I’m going to spend the night with my ‘bitch.’ You know how it is.” His face split into a grin. “Oh, but you don’t.” Roze’s laugh carried behind her as they sped off.

#colt kaneko #colt x mc #colt rod #colt choices #colt kaneko x mc #playchoices #choices rod #rod #ride or die #a bad boy romance #fanfic #fanfiction

[queen-rogah]

Friendly Gesture (Gwilym Lee x Reader)

Summary: Gwilym takes you to his parent's summer cabin and everything just got carried away.

Warnings: sexual references, SMUT and mini fluff :)

Word Count: 5k+ words

gifs not mine! All credits to those who made it!

MASTERLIST

"Gwil! I swear I don't wanna go! Like ever!."

You stomp around your room as you argue with your bestfriend for almost years that you can't count. Both of your mother's have been the best buddies in their highschool days and guess what, they got pregnant at the same year too, specifically when they are both at 23 or so. And then the friendship began because of those little play dates that your mother would set up with Gwilym. Then years have passed, never really believing why you're still friends with him because he's a total jackass, a prankster, a total asshole. But god knows you still love him like that.

"It's just for three nights Y/N! We'll stay at my parent's cabin by the lake where we both used kayak for the first time when we're like...I don't know-- 10 year's old?. I'm just gonna visit my grandmother's place just close to the cabin and I'll be giving the gift that mom is giving. Is that clear?." He said while laying on the edge of your bed.

You huffed in annoyance, his ass won't let you go with this mini trip because you let him in your house and you know he will never ever leave the place when you can't agree on something he says, "Fuck you Gwil. I'm gonna fucking pack my clothes for this fucking trip." You grumble and faced your closet, taking some of your clothes and put it in a backpack.

"I fucking love you Y/N, thank you!." He said as he suddenly hugged you, squeezing you as you groaned. But you broke a smile, since you have missed him hugging you like this again.

"Why aren't you asking Natalie for this trip? You could have asked her to stay with you." You said while packing. You got no response back, so you turn your back around to see him texting someone on his phone, smirking and biting down his lip like he's watching some porn or something.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!." You shouted and he whip his head at you, looking so dumbfounded.

"What? What did you say?." He asked. You just have to open your mouth to say your question again but he looks back on his phone again. You rolled your eyes and continue packing until you are done with all of your needs for this three day stay in your asshole of a friend's family cabin.

You stood up from the carpeted floor and sat beside him, peeping on his phone to surprisingly see a picture of a girl holding out her boobs in front of the mirror, wearing nothing but a thin laced panties. And yeah, it's Natalie, his girlfriend, "So that's why you're looking all so aroused or some other shit."

Seeing nude pictures of girls in his phone was totally normal for the both of you, "I actually heard your question earlier about Natalie." He smirked and you looked at him in menace, feeling so irritated right now.

"I tried asking her for this trip, even luring her in saying that I can fuck her in those three days in our cabin but she can't." You grimaced at that but he kept going, "She said that her sister will come home from work."

"So it's gonna be me." You said in your monotone voice. Getting used in being the second choice, which is your biggest pet peeve. You don't want to be the second best, especially when they think of you as a damn replacement. But you're just doing this for your friend here and you lowkey wanna meet his grandmother again since she liked you more than her own grandchild.

"Yeah. It's you and me again." He said and pushed you here, letting your whole body forced down on your bed. You grunted and pushed him too, making him lie down your bed as you are still laughing, straddling his lap as you tickled his sides, watching him squirm underneath you and letting out uncontrollable laughs and screams. When something is suddenly poking the inside of your thighs, since you're just wearing a thin cotton pajama shorts, you screamed as you quickly got off his lap, your butt meeting the ground with a loud thud.

"Fucking hell I just felt you close to my vagina!." You shouted and that made him laugh like crazy. You're definitely blushing in front of him, aside from being embarassed, the wrong thing is that you're growing wet in your panties. You lowkey dry humped him there!

"And what's wrong with that? Natalie caused this with her picture. Fucking hell." He said and stood up from your bed as he helped you get up from the floor. You try your best in hiding being so remorseful on what happened and what you've felt about it.

"I'll be picking you up by 8 tomorrow morning. See you peach." He said, calling you in the old nickname he used to call you. When he left your room, you lie down your bed as you touched your panties inside your shorts, still feeling wet as you cursed in discomposure.

"Stupid fucking hormones."

...

You are now walking towards Gwilym's car with your bag hanging in one strap on your shoulder. You hop in and shot him a small smile before saying goodbye to your mother by the front door of your house as he drive away from the street and to the cabin for you to stay for three whole days. Why that long?.

"Why three days?." You asked and he chuckles, glancing at you as he still focuses on driving.

"Maybe I'm gonna say that it's just gonna be two days and one night since we'll be staying there by night later. Tomorrow, we'll be visiting grandma and the next day, we'll be doing whatever we want in the cabin. Swim at the lake, ride the kayaks and start up a bonfire. You know, like a small bonding of you and me as best buds for years." He said and you smiled in delight on his plan. You kinda like his plan for the stay there.

Then suddenly you heard his phone ringing from his pocket as he groaned, "Fuck, that's Natalie. Can you get my phone in my pocket and answer it for me?."

"What? No! She hates my guts, still assuming that we're both messing around behind her back even though it's not. So, no, I won't talk to her." You said but Gwilym didn't care on what you just said.

"Please Y/N..." He pleaded.

You sighed in defeat and took his phone from his pocket, answering the call, "Hey Natalie." You annoyingly responded. Glancing over to Gwil who's smiling at you as wriggled his brows before looking at the road again.

"Oh Y/N! Surprising to hear from you again! Where's Gwilly?." She asked. You cringed a bit at that nickname.

"He's driving, so I'm holding his phone right now." You said, tapping your fingers on your thighs, wanting to end this conversation with Natalie.

"Turn to speaker phone." She said and you did. Letting him to talk.

"Hi baby. How are you?." He asked and hear her giggle in the other line.

"I'm fine Gwilly, just here to say take care for the trip to your grandma's. Tell her I say hi." She said.

"I will baby." He replied. Your hand started to ache on holding it up for him, so you rested your elbow just beside the hand brake of the car.

"And I touched myself thinking about you earlier." She seductively said and that made you roll your eyes again. Here we go again.

"That's hot baby, I wish I was there to help you out." He smirks. Never caring that you're here, holding his phone as they start sex calling in front of you.

"Am I just gonna remind you two that I'm here hearing those fucking words out of your mouths?." You spoke in your silence and that made Gwil smirk beside you as he stopped talking.

"Oops sorry Y/N, just reminding you too that I already have my fingers on my pussy right now. I--" You ended the call and put the phone down on the dashboard of the car. Feeling so uncomfortable right now.

"Why are you acting so bitter when we're talking about sex? You're not like that before, you used to laugh at me and joke about it." Gwilym said and you huffed out some air from your lungs.

"And why do you care?." You bitterly responded to him and he widen his eyes at you.

"Are you on your period or something?." He asked, feeling so amused in what's happening now.

"What? Fuck no! I'm not in my period right now, what are you saying?." You said, stuttering in your words too. Now he's making you nervous, you don't know why.

"What I'm saying that you're acting bitter and angry when it comes to sex. You're not on your period, maybe you're pregnant." He guesses and your eyes widened.

"I'm not fucking pregnant you dumbass! I haven't got laid since--" You trailed off and stayed silent. Now Gwilym is gonna tease the life out of you.

"Don't you say that you had your last orgasm when you still had sex with your ex-boyfriend before. Like...three years ago?." He asked, with a growing smirk on his face.

"It's two years Gwil! Not three, but that's too long. But I just had a steamy make-out session with a random guy I've met at a pub before, I don't remember him anymore. Honestly, I didn't got in any relationships after Kenny. I haven't found a guy in my life." You said and he clicked his tongue.

"That fucking sucks." He remarks and that just made you frown and look away from him.

After an hour of driving, Gwil finally stopped his car in front of the cabin. Still looking the same from the outside but different on the inside since you see the interior on the glass windows of it. When you both left the car and entered the cabin, you let out a gasp to see the inside looked beautiful. It finally have this modern design and new furnitures. It's like the cabin you see in movies or tv shows.     

"Wow. It became so beautiful." You said, dropping your bag on the couch. You want to live here forever if it's possible.

"It is. Mom made a great job." Gwilym says beside you and lead you to the kitchen, offering you as glass of water from that one hour drive. He sat on the stool and drank more water than you.

"And your father did a great decision in building a cabin like this. And now it looks like a damn cabin that celebrities own is just the bestest thing. I wanna stay here for much longer than three days but too bad I hate being with you." You said as you shot him a smirk, making him act like a knife got stabbed in his heart.

"You'll never hate me if I'll take you here by every month." He smirks too and you chuckled.

"Is that a threat or a treat for me?." You teased and he lean in to you, too close like he's inches away in kissing you. The red color around your cheeks began to fade in again.

"Maybe both Y/N Y/L/N. Maybe both."

...

"Gwil!."

When you both entered his grandmother's house, she stood up from her rocking chair as Gwilym made his way towards her, giving her a sweet kiss on her cheek. You just stood behind Gwil, with a smile on your face as you see his grandma again for three whole years. You can't tell how glad you still see her so energetic and well, since she's now 86 or so.

"Hey there." Gwilym replied to her as he gave her a hug once more before beckoning you to come close. You shyly took steps closer to them and felt his hand snaked around your waist, presenting you to his grandmother again.

"Who's this Gwil?." She asked, putting on her eyeglasses to see you clearly.

"It's Y/N, nana." You chuckled and see her facial expression changed a bit when you mentioned your own name.

"Y/N! I haven't seen you since you and Gwil graduated in your college years! How are you my dear?." She asked, holding your hand as she motioned you to sit down on the couch.

"I'm fine nana, I have missed you too. You remember saying to me that you like me better than Gwil?." You said and that made Gwilym hum beside you, remembering those times.

"I remember that! And until now I still like you more than Gwilly here. I just can't believe I didn't recognized you when you walked in here. You looked ravishing, more beguiling than before." She chuckles. Tapping your thigh as you began to blush on her remark. No one called you beautiful like that, only lovely old ladies will see that beauty and it's just adorable.

"And how's your life after college dear? Any men besides that bloke you are crying to me before because he broke your heart." She said, reaching out for your hand as you sigh.

"I work at a local recording studio back home, I was kinda the assistant of the producers there and I got my own flat, my mother's staying there as I stay with Gwil here and...I don't have a boyfriend." You said as you laugh at yourself. You have felt that your life is okay, you have your job and bought your own place. But you can't stay alone for the rest of your life.

Your conversation with Gwil's nana goes on until the evening came. You and Gwilym helped her cooked dinner, and now you're eating dinner, sharing stories and laugh about the past. After that, Gwilym helped you in washing the dishes.

"I'm actually enjoying this trip so far, since I've met nana again for almost three years." You said to Gwil, handing him the plate as he dried it off and put it on the cabinet.

"I do too. I'm glad I pushed you to this trip because if I got alone here, it would be fucking boring." He chuckles and you rolled your eyes.

"Well, you have pushed me to do it even though I don't want to in the first place." You replied, still not looking at him as you continue washing the dishes.

"I would like to return the favor that you came with me here."

And now you're facing him, with a distinct smile on your face, "And what would you do Mr. Lee?." You taunt at him, scoffing afterwards when he's thinking of something that would return the favor.

Then something came in his mind, he knew this would be the worst thing ever to you. "What if I'll give you the orgasm you need as a friendly gesture?." He casually said and that made you suddenly swallow your own saliva and widen your eyes at him.

"Give me--what? Fucking say that again?." You stutter, not sure if you really heard that from him.

"Orgasm, since you haven't been laid for two whole years, I'll give you that as a friendly gesture." He said that again and you have felt your head spinning. You closed your eyes and took a deep breath.

"You wanted me...to have sex with you...as a friend?." You asked him and he smiles at you, nodding at your words. You dried up your hands and put them on your hips, still staring at Gwil if he's joking or not.

"Please tell me you're pranking the hell out of me again." You said. You wait for him to laugh his ass off at you for believing on his lies.

But he said, "I'm not kidding Y/N. Do you want me to give you the best orgasm or not?." He said that in conviction. You can't believe this is happening.

"You have a freaking girlfriend for Christ's sake! What's going on your mind Gwil?." You raised your voice at him and that gave him a start that you are agreeing with him.

"So you're agreeing on it? It's just between us, I'm doing that for you as a friend!." He said and you shake your head.

You wanted to, but doing it with Gwilym, it would be the most awkward moment of your whole damn life. "Fine but--"

"--I'm gonna give you the best orgasm Y/N, take note of that. That Kenny asshole would fuck himself." He said and you want to hide a laugh, but you failed miserably.

"I can't believe you made me laugh in dissing my ex-boyfriend, I mean...he's good in bed but he's just the worst thing ever when we broke up." You chuckled and he lits up a smile.

"Come here." He said and gave you a warm hug.

"That deal will be just between us. Nothing will happen after that thing, but fucking tell to Natalie. She'll chop your dick off and would kill me." You said and he looked down on you, since you're just little in his height, and gave you that cheeky smile.

"Sure do."

...

You woke up with the sun blaring inside the cabin. Today's the last day here in the summer cabin and he said that we'll do anything today. Do some outdoor activities and cook some barbeque. You haven't plan for today, so you just stayed here on this comfy bed for a few minutes. You finally stood up from the bed, fixed the sheets and decided to take a shower. You took your towel, made your way downstairs and to the bathroom. You open the door then suddenly screamed when you see Gwil showering inside, seeing him completely naked even though it's steamy around here.

You quickly turn around but you clumsily bumped on the titled wall as you turned around and slipped, your butt landing on the dampened floor, creating a loud thud.

"Oh god, my head." You groaned and touched your forehead. You really bumped that wall pretty hard, you feel like a lunatic that haven't seen a goddamn penis before.

"Fucking hell Y/N, are you alright? I should've locked the door..." He said but he's letting out a small laugh as you slap his bicep.

"Well you should lock the motherfucking door if you're showering dumbass! I didn't know you're in here! I fucking saw your--"

"--you saw my...?." He smirks. You just noticed him just wearing that towel around his waist and now he's teasing you again. Definitely blushing in front of him.

You scoffed and stood up from the floor, "Fuck off Gwil." You replied as you leave the bathroom, deciding that you should shower later.

"I can't believe you saw me naked." He said while chuckling. You rolled your eyes at him as you watch him got upstairs to change up. You got inside the kitchen, preparing some breakfast and cooking it. When you have finished cooking it, you set up the plates and see him enter the kitchen, looking at the breakfast you've made today. It just seems like nothing happened earlier.

"You're definitely a wife material Y/N. No lies." Gwil said as he eat his food. You smiled on his remark, eating down on your food too.

"Guess I am."

"What about our deal now missy? You thought I haven't remember it." He said, bringing up that forbidden topic you don't want to talk about. You agreed to him and he will forever remember that you've said yes.

When you're both done eating breakfast and just stayed silent right here, he coughed to get your attention. You've been overthinking on something that is silencing you, which is pretty odd.

"Y/N, I really want to return the favor and give you that orgasm. As I have mentioned, it's just in a friendly way." He said and you looked back at him.

"I can't believe I'm doing this but..." You said, standing up from the stool as you approached him, propping yourself between his legs. "Let's get this over with." You said.

Then you cupped his face, leaning in to kiss him. When the kiss lasted for seconds, you pull away from him, but he pull you in again as he kisses you, adding his tongue in. You open your mouth to let him tongue meet with yours. The heated making out really made your breathing erratic and your heart rate gets faster.

You both pull away again and now he also stood up from his seat and hold your hand, leading you up his room. You're getting nervous but excited because you're finally getting laid but it's just weird that your own bestfriend is gonna do the job. You watch him lie down on his bed, still fully clothed but you can see him through his jeans that he's hard. Something in you sparked when you see him hard.

"Why are you still standing there?." He asked, propping his elbows up to support his body in looking up at you from the edge of his bed.

"Oh! I was supposed to go there? You didn't fucking tell me." You startled and took your sandals off, then just sat on the edge.

"And why are you sitting at the edge?." He rolled his eyes and you tried to hide your enthusiasm in seeing him a bit pissed. So, you finally calm him down as you straddle his lap again and connect your lips once again.

"I can't stop kissing those lips. I never knew my best friend have nice lips." He smirks at you and pushed him on the bed. Disconnecting your lips again, looking down on his lips as well.

"You have nice ones too." You smirked at him then kissed him again. You have felt the power of you above him, his hands touching you everywhere then sets it on you butt, giving it a soft squeeze as you pull away from his lips and plant more kisses on his jaw and neck.

He then took your waists and switched your positions. He's now ontop of you, watching him take off his shirt. You also sat up and take off your top, you trail down your shorts but, "Hey hey, I should be the one that would take that off." He said and lay down between your legs.

You lay on the pillows as you wait for something to happen and also thinking that you fucking have your best friend between your legs, ready to give your pleasure and now you're here, letting the awkwardness and even insecurities eat you up. You can't imagine Gwilym to do this, but here you are.

When he pull down your shorts, lifting your hips up to help him to his work and now you're blushing hard. You're half naked in front of him.

"Are you fucking blushing Y/N?." His voice let you prop your elbows on the bed to look him over, even blushing hard to you just noticed him left on his underwear too. So you're both even.

"I can't help it! You're fucking...between my legs! It's just so unimaginable Gwil! You're my friend and it's--oh god--it's killing me." You stammered, but he just let out a chuckle then kisses the skin just above where you're sensitive right now. Fuck.

"It's just sex in a friendly way. Come on, I'll take your knickers off now." He said as you feel his fingers pulling down on the thin cloth covering your private area. But you suddenly gripped his biceps, causing him to stop on his tracks, looking at you as you are now sitting up on the bed.

"What? What's wrong?." He quickly asked, sitting up also as he cups your face. He have this worried look on his face, showing that he really cares about you and serious about this. Your tensed shoulders relaxed and your harsh breathings earlier slowed down.

"Just...be gentle. It's been two damn years." You stifled a laugh as he smirks at you, giving you a kiss on your forehead as he pushed your back on the bed. You lifted your hips again, letting him take off panties then his large hands spreads your legs apart, hearing him hum between your legs.

You watch him stuffed his middle and ring finger in his mouth, wetting them with his saliva before he inserted it in you. Causing you to let out a soft moan, feeling his fingers thrusting in and out of you was pleasurable. Since you're just touching yourself sometimes, your fingers are too small, but Gwil's fingers are immensely long and thicker than yours. That's why it's a damn euphoric sensation.

"You're goddamn tight, oh fuck--"

"--two goddamn years Lee, am I gonna fucking repeat it again?." You moaned out your words as he continues his rhythm. When you have felt the right spot as he perfectly hits it, your back arches as you let out a loud moan. "Ah fuck! That's it Gwil, fuuuuuck."

"Is that the spot? Hm?."

"Do it again."

He thrusts his fingers, curling it inside of you as he hits the spot again.

"Fuck! Fuck...that's feels good. Oh god." You whimper. He let you be worked up and ready for him as he still continue to finger-fuck you in a moderate pace. He repeats his actions, until you're feeling that you're close, making you grip on the sheets underneath you.

"Gwil--fuck...I'm close Gwilym!." You moaned again, your eyes rolling back in pleasure. You finally came around his fingers, beads of sweats rolling down the valley of your breasts as you see him licking his fingers that are inside you earlier.

"You taste good. Proud of you, finally got you an orgasm." He proudly smirked at you as you rolled your eyes.

"So...is it over? Since you gave me that orgasm?." You asked.

"No, it's not fucking done yet." He said then connects his lips to yours again, also tasting yourself on his lips, thinking that it's the hottest thing ever. You have felt his hands trail from your back as he unclasp your bra, pulling it off of you.

He changed the positions seconds later, he's now laying on the bed while you're straddling his lap. He have took off his boxers, feeling him hard inside your thighs. Your lips are still connected, hands going everywhere and moans being heard around the room. You both never got enough kissing each other, it's been your favorite from now on.

"Can I ride you?." You suddenly asked him as he stopped kissing you, growing more hard in what you've said. He didn't said a single word back to you, he just lean over to the nightstand beside the bed as he protrude a foil packet, yep, protection.

He rips it off with his teeth as you lean to the side to let the condom roll down his cock. You gave him a quick peck on his lips as you gripped on his cock, positioning him on your entrance. You took a large breath before sinking down on him, letting out a loud moan.

"Oh! Oh god...fuck..." You moaned, completely stilling with him inside of you. You are clenching around him as he felt it all, his eyes closing as he let out a soft moan also. You're still adjusting in his size until his hands came in contact on your butt, spanking it.

"Hey! No spanking!." You groaned and he chuckles, opening his eyes again.

"Move for me now. If you're still clenching like that, I think I can't last." He said. You bite down your lip as you raise your hips up, then sank down again. You did this in a slow pace at first, but when you have used on his size, you speed up.

"Fuck, that's right Y/N. Oh god." He groans, letting him grip on you hips then he meets your thrusts too, making you whimper when he thrusts in deep and hard.

Moments later, your legs are giving in riding him, so he pulled you close, your chests touching as he rolled over, switching positions again. Now he's on top, missionary style. Your legs around his hips as he continues to thrusts in you.

"Fucking...hell Gwil, you're gonna fucking kill me." You said in your gritted teeth. You're feeling the second orgasm again as you clawed his back, even gripping on his skin, but not too harshly, when you're edging. The sound of your skins slapping together makes it more sensual, and felt that euphoria again.

"Come on, cum for me again Y/N..." He said, adding pressure as he rubs your clit, your head throwing back against the pillows. You know you're getting there and when you're toes curl up, you know your orgasm takes over.

Gwil thrusts sloppily as he also emptied on the condom, completely tired and he's now laying on top of you. Both chests breathing heavily, when he looks up at you, he have this smile on his face. He looks tired, but still that good looking.

He takes the condom off, tying it as he throw it on the bin just beside the nightstand. He's still laying on top of you, sweats glistening and now the breathing slowed down.

"Hi." He said.

"Hi Gwil." You blushed.

"You're actually a good fuck huh." He teased again as you slapped his bicep, laughing under him.

"Shut the fuck up Gwil." You laughed.

#gwilym lee #gwilym x reader #gwilym lee imagine