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stayextrafrosty · 3 years

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I'm Dying for a Taste of You: Chapter 7

Chapter Title: Love, Sex, Death

Chapter Summary: important discussions of feelings and about where Michael was. There's a new plan to take down Caber.

A/N: This is finally coming to a head! The end is near... There's a new playlist for this story featuring all the music I used to pick chapter titles and songs that fit the mood of the story.

Warnings: heavy blood drinking, mild self injury

Read on AO3 / Masterlist / Playlist

Michael froze in his movements, blinking at Alex as though he never expected for a moment that was something he would say. Alex rubbed his thumb over the stubble on his jaw. He refused to look away from his eyes. He didn’t care what Michael’s response was. As long as he never left him again.

Then Michael was closing the distance between them, pressing his lips to Alex’s. His heart soared as he melted against him. Michael’s fingers dug into the muscles in his back, holding him as close as possible. Alex nibbled on his bottom lip gently and felt him smile in return.

Every kiss was sweeter than the last until Michael pulled himself away with what seemed like some difficulty. He only succeeded in staying away for a few seconds before nuzzling his face into the crook of Alex’s neck.

“I’ll uncompel you I promise. Just let me have you all to myself for a bit.” Alex sighed and shook his head.

“No. I don’t want you to. I love you Michael,” he insisted again. A brief expression of pain crossed his features. Alex kissed him quickly. “I would love you even if you didn’t compel me.”

“Alex. You don’t have to—” He pushed him onto his back and sat on top of him, rocking his hips gently.

“I love you, Michael.” Alex leaned down, pressing gentle kisses to his face. He listened to him sigh softly as his hands found their way to his waist. Alex placed another kiss on his lips, mumbling, “I love you.” He trailed his hands down over his shoulders and arms. He took his hands from their spot, holding them down to the mattress. “I love you,” he said again as he began to kiss down his neck.

“Alex,” Michael breathed out, his cock twitching inside of him. He just hushed him as he moved from his neck to his chest, squeezing his hands and continuing the slow rolling of his hips. Alex repeated the words between every kiss, eventually working his way back up to Michael’s lips.

“I’m exactly where I want to be, understand? I’m all yours. Have been since we met.” A moment later, Michael was pushing him back and sitting up. Alex released his hands and wrapped his arms around his neck. Michael grabbed his waist and moved him faster, making him moan softly.

“I love you, Alex. I love you so much it scares me. I have never wanted anyone the way I want you. It’s not even a want, it’s a need.” Alex whimpered as their lips connected again. They continued their steady pace as Alex traced his tongue over Michael’s teeth, pressing just hard enough to draw blood.

“Fuck, Alex. You really want to be here all night don’t you?”

“You were the one who said to make up for lost time.” Michael just groaned in response and captured Alex’s lips again.

Michael did have him up the rest of the night. By the time the sun was peeking through the window, Alex still hadn’t gotten nearly enough sleep. Every time he started to doze off, he would feel Michael’s mouth on his neck or shoulder, leaving fresh hickies that he would need to cover up somehow.

Alex did end up falling asleep around six in the morning but still woke up again by eleven. He was wrapped in Michael’s arms, and the rest of their limbs were tangled together. He pulled his eyes open to watch Michael sleep, his curls messy as they fanned out on the pillow.

He traced his fingers over the lines of his face and jaw, remembering the wounds he had shown up with at the door. There was no mistaking them for anything but bites from another vampire. Michael groaned softly and hugged Alex tighter. Slowly his eyes cracked open and Alex just smiled at him.

Michael loved him. Wanted to be with him. This beautiful man was all his. Michael leaned in, nuzzling into his neck while his hands wandered over Alex’s bare skin. His eyes fluttered shut again as one of Michael’s hands moved to massage the thigh above his missing leg.

“How did this happen?” he mumbled. Alex didn’t know how to respond for a second. Had they really never talked about it?

“I was out on an assignment. Took a vampires ‘meal’ practically from his mouth. He retaliated by breaking my leg and trying to get at me instead.” Alex flinched at the memory. “His teeth ripped tendons and muscle and it just wasn’t repairable.”

Michael’s lips were soft against his skin as he rolled to cover Alex with his whole body. His kisses trailed lower and lower as Alex ran a gentle hand through his hair. He nipped at his hip quickly before moving on. He placed kisses down his thigh to his knee. Alex’s heart fluttered at the sweetness.

“I’m sorry. I wish I could fix it now.”

Alex tugged him back up his body, wrapping his legs around his hips. He pulled their foreheads together, holding Michael’s face tenderly.

“I love you,” he said. Michael’s mouth twitched up into a smile before he closed the distance between them. Alex sighed in bliss, tasting Michael’s tongue as it swept past his lips and over his own.

As much as he wanted to continue like this for the next eternity, there were some questions he couldn’t put off any longer. He let himself get carried away yesterday. Allowed himself to be completely consumed by everything that was Michael.

He pushed him back gently, propping himself up on his elbows. Michael seemed confused for a moment but then he just nodded and turned away from Alex and rolled off of him. He stared at the ceiling and the way his muscles tensed made Alex want to forget about it. But he couldn’t.

“Where were you?” Alex asked softly, reaching over to trace patterns on his chest. Michael took a deep breath.

“Not far. Chasing down Caber. Went all the way to Albuquerque before I was able to trace him down. Whatever your cop buddies shot him with, it did serious damage.” Alex’s nose twitched in annoyance. He was less than five hours away and he couldn’t just ask Alex for help?

“I hate that you went after him by yourself. You didn’t even tell Max and Isobel where you were,” he scolded gently, controlling his urge to yell.

“They knew. I told them not to tell you.”

The silence could have cut through steel. Alex had no response for him. He wanted to scream. Maybe cry. Curse him for days. Isobel and Max had known and they did nothing to help him. They saw him suffering and they did nothing.

“Please don’t blame them Alex. I begged them to keep you out of it.” Alex could barely contain the way his voice shook with anger.

“I don’t blame them… I was in pain Michael. Absolute agony. You left me with nothing. No information about how I was supposed to survive without you!” He ended up snapping toward the end. Alex shoved himself into a sitting position and ran a hand through his hair. The weight shifted next to him and the rough skin of Michael’s hand ran over his back.

“I know. I didn’t think—”

“Damn right you didn’t think! How could you ever think I would be better without you? You knew that I would suffer and you did it anyway.” He felt Michael’s lips press to his back and shoulders. “You were cruel.”

“I’m so sorry Alex.”

“Was it Caber that gave you those wounds?”

“No. A group of vampires controlled by an elder were after me.” Alex turned toward him, eyebrows drawn together.

“What do you mean?”

“At any one time there’s a handful of vampires that are the oldest. That group of four or five is granted special abilities. One being the ability to compel other vampires. All I know it that Alayna is the oldest. I haven’t met the others in my time alive.”

“So Alayna is sending hordes of vampires after you to what? Kill you?”

“I mean we don’t know if it’s Alayna for sure. The others could be anywhere. Maybe I insulted one without knowing it.” Alex gave a humorless laugh and shook his head. If the way Alayna acted was any indication, the elders were cruel and full of themselves. Wanting everyone to know exactly who they were. Vampire hierarchy didn’t tolerate disrespect. Alex knew that first hand.

“It’s nothing to worry about, ok? I took care of them. They seemed like they were new.” He ‘took care of them?’

“You killed all of them,” Alex mumbled out, almost in shock. New vampires that were turned for the sole purpose of hunting. Nausea settled in his stomach. Michael wrapped his arms around his shoulders, pulling him against his chest and leaving a trail of light kisses on his neck.

“It was me or them Alex. They weren’t going to stop.” Alex let himself relax back against him. His eyes fluttered closed as he enjoyed the sweet attentions Michael was giving him.

He had always been surrounded by death, such is the nature of hunting vampires for a living. Being with Michael had just brought it to the front of his mind.

Michael’s hands drifted lower, scratching over his chest and abdomen. His tongue licked at the skin on the back of his neck before kissing and biting into the spot with blunt teeth. Alex sighed as he sucked another mark into his skin.

He let this continue longer than it should have. Michael’s hands were teasing on his waist and inching toward his thighs. Alex could feel the way Michael’s thighs squeezed together around him and the hardness growing against his back. Alex’s fingers twitched. He wanted to run them through his hair and hold his mouth against his neck.

“Is this your attempt at distracting me?” Alex mumbled.

“Only if it’s working,” he replied, nipping at his skin. He tried not to laugh but a small chuckle escaped anyway.

“One more question. For now at least.” Michael’s arms immediately moved to wrap around his waist, stopping his teasing. Alex weighed his words carefully, though there really wasn’t a different way to ask his question.

“Why now? Why come back now?”

Michael was quiet for a long time. Alex only felt his heartbeat against his back.

“I needed you. More than I ever thought.” He paused, squeezing Alex against him. “I was going crazy when I left you behind. I made it a couple weeks without feeding from a real person.” Alex’s jealousy spiked. He had fed from someone else. He tried to pull away but Michael held him close, wrapping his arms around him tighter.

“Don’t misunderstand. The blood bags weren’t working as well as they used to. I was hungry all the time. I wasn’t at full strength and if I wanted to take down Caber, I needed to be. So I went to a blood ball to feed, thinking having you around made me spoiled.”

Alex stared at a spot on his bed, fighting off the jealousy that threatened to make him explode in anger. He understood Michael’s position. He knew that if he didn’t feed, he would be weak. Alex forced himself to stay quiet.

“It was then I realized that it wasn’t enough. It didn’t matter whether it was in a bag or fresh. It wasn’t you. My body depends on you. Drinking from a bag or from someone else kept me alive. You keep me strong.”

“Why didn’t you come back then?” Alex asked quietly.

“Because I couldn’t. I couldn’t come back to you without getting rid of the reason I left in the first place. I couldn’t fail you like that.” Alex just shook his head.

“I wouldn’t have thought that.”

“Maybe. But I needed to protect you. And if Caber were to overpower me while you’re nearby? I could drive myself into bloodlust just from imagining it.” Alex let his shoulders relax. “You’re my person Alex. And I can’t let anyone else have you. For any reason.”

“None of that really answers my question you know,” he pointed out. As much as his heart was pounding after his confessions, he needed more information. He felt Michael nod.

“I started getting attacked by the newborns after about two months of tracking Caber. It started as small groups that seemed more like vampires that were high on the new power, not realizing I was stronger than them.

“But they just kept coming. More frequently and in larger groups. I found Caber about two weeks ago. He was building his strength again, leaving a trail of bodies behind him. I tried to kill him but he ran. It might have been my only chance to fight him as an equal and I let him get away. I assumed he came back here to finish his ritual so I came back. I’ve been watching you from a distance for a few days. You seemed like you were happy and I couldn’t just crash back into your life.”

“And yet?”

“A group ambushed me. One tried to inherit you from me, which is why I had all those bites on my neck.” Alex spun toward him as much as he could. The question didn’t have time to leave his lips. “It’s a process where if a vampire drains another and then poisons their heart with their venom, they can take the vampires power and anyone they have claimed. It’s not easy, and not something a new vamp would know about. So he was told about the process by someone much older and compelled to attempt it.”

“Why are you assuming he was compelled?”

“Because the power difference should have been obvious to him. He wouldn’t have dared to even try if he was sane. The only reason he got his teeth in me at all is because I was outnumbered and weak.”

Michael unwound an arm from his waist. Lifting his hand to brush the hair off Alex’s forehead, his eyes searched his face, looking for any unasked questions. His fingers trailed down Alex’s face to his neck and to the mark. Alex tilted his head to the side as his eyes fluttered closed. He heard Michael suck in a sharp breath before his lips were pressed to his throat, kissing gently.

“Why did you fall off my roof when you had already knocked on the door?” Michael’s arms tightened around him.

“Because I had a moment of clarity where I was going to run. I saw the way you reacted to me. The way your mark hurt you when it sensed I was near. I don’t want to hurt you. But I had lost too much blood and I lost consciousness. The next thing I remember is you kneeling in front of me, pulling me closer. And I just couldn’t control myself anymore.”

Alex traced his fingers over the arms wrapped around him. Control. Everything about vampires was about control. And he wanted nothing more than to push him far enough so he lost it. If Alex wasn’t human… maybe he would stop holding himself back.

“I’m still the most dangerous person for you to be around. If I lose control again…” Michael mumbled against his skin. Alex stopped his voice by pulling him closer. A hand threading through his hair and holding his mouth against his throat.

“You won’t. And even if you did, it’s you. So I wouldn’t mind.” Michael groaned and suddenly Alex found himself on his back again. Michael hovered over him, lips just brushing against his. His wrists were pinned on the bed next to his head.

“You are just asking to be devoured Alex Manes.” Alex grinned at the threat.

“Promise?”

His back was killing him the next day. Alex knew he should have taken Michael up on a bath and massage but that also came with the risk of making it even worse. Michael had kept him in bed all day apart from the necessary food and shower breaks. Though the shower hadn’t been much of a break either. So instead he sat at his work desk, trying not to bend his back. He flinched as he turned to face his computer.

“Afterglow is one thing, but maybe you should tell whatever partner you have to take it easy on you,” Kyle commented, leaning against his desk. Alex glanced up from his screen to roll his eyes at him.

“And I thought you left for Roswell already.” Kyle had showed up in his driveway this morning as he was getting into his car. He had said there was something important that he needed to take care of before leaving. Not that he didn’t appreciate the company but hiding the fact that Michael was back was much more difficult when he was actually around.

“Chief has a lead on Caber.” His fingers froze over the keys.

“Why are you telling me?” his voice steady but suspicious.

“Because he wants you to be a part of the plan to take him down.” Alex should have been elated. He had wanted nothing except to get back out in the field for months now. If only as a distraction. Now it was different. Michael was back and Caber could be stronger than ever.

Caber (as far as Michael knew) wasn’t an elder but that didn’t change the fact that he had connections to them. Alex couldn’t shake the feeling that this was all connected to Alayna. But why would she want to hurt Michael? From what Alex could tell, she actually liked him. Then again maybe she didn’t like anyone.

“When’s the briefing?”

“Right now.” Alex shot up from his seat. Probably too fast as a sharp pain ran up his spine. Alex did his best not to flinch but Kyle chuckled at him. “Should we put you on medical leave now?”

“Fuck off,” he scolded as a smile settled on his face.

Michael hadn’t gone easy on him. But Alex had kind of egged him on more than was probably necessary. He remembered the way Michael’s hand gripped his hair, pressing his head into the mattress. The overstimulation had been too much after a while but Alex had just wanted him more.

“I think you’ve lost your touch Michael,” Alex taunted. Michael’s eyes glowed red. “I’m not begging yet.” Michael gave an evil laugh as he tightened the rope around Alex’s wrists. He yanked him down by his ankle so Alex was completely stretched out.

There was no warning when he wrapped his mouth around his cock. He had already cum at least four times since waking up and he wasn’t sure how many more he had in him. Alex moaned anyway, attempting to thrust himself deeper into his mouth. Michael held his hips still as he pulled on the ropes around his wrists.

“Lost my touch you say?” Michael teased back as he dragged the tip of his tongue over the underside of his cock up to the head before sucking him in again. His whole body shook and he bit his lip to keep his moans in.

Michael pulled his legs apart and pushed them up, exposing his hole that still dripped with cum and lube. He couldn’t hold back as Michael’s tongue started tracing the rim. Alex’s back arched as much as Michael would allow. He tasted blood from his lip as he groaned and pulled on the ropes. Michael’s fingers gripped his thighs as his tongue slipped inside his ass.

Alex tried to grind himself onto his face but being bent in half kind of inhibited that. Instead Michael tortured him, slipping his tongue in and out of his hole but never enough to be satisfying.

“You know to make it stop,” Michael taunted, nipping at the sensitive skin of his thighs. Alex took a shaky breath and smirked down at him.

“I won’t beg. You’ll eventually give me what I want anyway.”

It was then he was flipped onto his stomach, arms twisting as Michael yanked his waist up and spread his cheeks. Alex tried to push himself onto his elbows at the least, but Michael was gripping his hair, forcing his face into the mattress.

“I think you’re forgetting exactly who you’re dealing with.”

“Manes! Let’s go,” Kyle called, waving a hand in front of his face. Alex shook his head and felt the blush creeping onto his cheeks. Damn him for being his every waking thought.

Alex followed Kyle to the meeting room where a small group of officers sat around a glass table. Some drank coffee and others fiddled on phones. But they all looked up when he walked into the room.

Dan stood in front of a blank white board they used for mapping out theories and clues. His arms were crossed as he tapped his fingers against his skin. Alex ignored the stares as he stood in front of his boss.

“Welcome back to the field, Manes. I would have kept you on desk duty longer but we need information that Kyle believes only you have.” Alex didn’t know if his annoyance showed on his face but he felt his eyebrow twitch.

“I’ve told you before, Sir. I’m perfectly fine to go into the field. Have been for months.” He just nodded in response and picked up a file, handing it to Alex.

“What information do you have on Caber? Why is he obsessed with sacrifices? And why did he come after you?”

“Why would I know why he’s doing sacrifices? I know about as much as you do maybe less because you haven’t kept me in the loop. And the only reason he came after me was because I got in the way of a sacrifice.”

“There’s got to be something else. What about the Vampire that claimed you?” Alex raised an eyebrow.

“What does Michael have to do with this?”

“Is he back?” Alex hesitated to answer, worried that they were looking into him as a suspect again.

“No. I haven’t seen or heard from him in months.” Dan looked Alex up and down and then nodded.

“We had reports of a group of vampires roaming the streets only to find all of them dead in a ditch. We all know that vampires are very protective of their claimed and I thought maybe he was trying to protect you.” Alex still wasn’t seeing the logic. He should have no reason to connect Michael to the case.

“I’m not following sir.”

“Caber tried to use you as a sacrifice right? Your vampire got in the way of that. As revenge he must have sent a group to find you.”

“With all due respect sir, I thought we were going to fill Alex in on the plan to take Caber down,” Kyle interjected, sounding just as confused by this line of questions as Alex felt. Dan cleared his throat and nodded.

“Yes, my apologies. In short, Alex, we want you to be the bait. Whatever reason it may be, revenge or fascination or otherwise, Caber wants you. Sorry for the interrogation, I just don’t want to go in blind or risk your vampire swooping in to protect you and ruining the whole operation.”

Michael would not be okay with this plan. Being that it was practically the same one that they tried five months ago and that one didn’t pan out right either. The difference was that they would be prepared this time. With enough back up and anti-vampire weapons to make sure they put an end to him.

“What do you need from me?” Dan gave a small, proud grin and pointed to the folder in Alex’s hand.

“A detailed action plan is laid out in there. We plan to move tomorrow. We have reason to believe that he will be performing the final sacrifice.” Alex flipped through the pages, skimming them before looking back up at Dan.

“How do you know it’s the final one?”

“It happens to be in the center of all the other sacrifices. I could be wrong of course. But better to treat it like it’s our last chance than to drag this out any longer.” Alex stopped on the page with the list of known sacrifice locations. A detail jumping out at him that he hadn’t noticed before.

“And you’re positive that these last five were sacrifices set up by Caber?” Dan raised an eyebrow.

“Almost certain. They match the pattern. Why?”

Something Michael had mentioned. He said he chased Caber all the way to Albuquerque months ago and only recently had he come back. Caber wasn’t even in town when these were performed. Alex gripped the folder.

Caber wasn’t the only one making sacrifices.

“Do we think he had help? He was critically injured from our last encounter wasn’t he?” Alex asked, still trying to keep Michael a secret.

“He’s a vampire. He must have fed shortly after and healed himself quickly. If you have another lead I’m all ears.” Alex’s eyebrows drew together. He wanted to say that Alayna might be behind it, but he couldn’t imagine her getting her hands dirty for something like that. She turned a group of vampires just to hunt down Michael. She wouldn’t perform sacrifices herself.

“No. Just a thought.”

“Absolutely fucking not!” Alex had expected this reaction. Michael stood from the couch in a huff, running a hand through his hair. “How can you think even for a second that I would stay out of it?”

“Because I’m asking you to,” Alex said firmly. Michael scoffed and shook his head. “It’s different this time. We’ll have weapons and adequate backup.”

“It’s no different! You’re going to end up dead and I’ll hate myself for the rest of my life. I can’t let you go in alone.” Alex stood slowly, inching toward Michael as though he were a wild animal that would run away.

“I’m worried about you Michael. If they find out you’re back, you might become a suspect again.” Alex took his hand gently, threading their fingers together. “My boss already suspects that you’re the one who killed that roaming group of vampires. I told him I hadn’t heard from you.”

Michael cursed under his breath and pulled away from Alex, pacing through the living room. His heart ached watching him. He appreciated the concern but this needed to end. He wasn’t thrilled about being the bait either but Caber did seem to have it out for him. Even if it was just to get back at Michael.

“Come on baby,” Alex tried. “Trust me. I won’t underestimate him this time.”

Michael just shook his head and crossed the room to stand in front of Alex again. He took his face in his hands, running his thumb gently over his cheeks. He rested his head against Alex’s and took a deep breath.

“I can’t lose you, Alex,” he mumbled. Alex covered his hands with his own and closed the distance between them. Michael kissed him back sweetly, chasing his lips as he pulled away after a few moments.

“You won’t lose me. And I don’t want to lose you either. So please stay away from the operation.” Michael kissed him again without answering, encouraging his lips to part as he swept his tongue over them.

Alex allowed himself to be distracted, opening up for Michael and running his hands down his arms to his waist, pulling him closer. Michael took full advantage of his willingness to comply. He pushed Alex back until he hit the wall, hands shifting to grab at the short hair at the back of his head. Alex’s hands slipped under the t-shirt, gripping his waist. It was when Michael nibbled on his lip that an idea came to him.

“Turn me,” Alex breathed out as Michael ran his lips down to his throat.

Michael went ridged. He pulled himself away from Alex almost violently, as though he had been shocked. His eyes were wide as he watched Alex. Red creeped in at the edges.

“No, Alex.” Alex clenched his fists and stepped toward Michael.

“You’re so worried about my safety then why not just turn me and reduce the risk?”

“Alex, I told you not to say that to me.” His voice shook as he backed up. He turned his face away, hiding his eyes. Alex remembered his warning from when they first met. Now he was betting on the temptation working in his favor.

“Why? I love you Michael. You love me.”

“It’s because I love you. I can’t subject you to a life like this.” Michael’s back hit the opposite wall as Alex continued to walk toward him slowly. He just hoped Michael wouldn’t run from him again. But based on his inability to go anywhere except backwards, he figured he was too distracted by Alex’s offer.

“So first it was because you didn’t love me and now it’s because you do?” Michael covered his mouth but not before Alex saw his fangs poking out from his lips. He groaned as Alex continued to move closer.

“I have never not loved you Alex.” His heart pounded as he stopped an arm’s length away from him. “As soon as I saw you, I knew I was fucked. Then you let me taste you… Let me claim you. It was the first time I didn’t curse my existence; didn’t hate what I was. Because I knew I found my perfect match.”

“Built from the same star some would say,” Alex mumbled, having read it in a book a long time ago.

Michael finally met his eyes again. His glowed red as Alex closed the last of the distance between them, grabbing his wrist and moving it from in front of his face.

“I told you not to hide from me.” Alex lifted his wrist to his mouth, kissing the pulse point before nipping gently. “Turn me Michael. I want to be with you forever.”

Michael slid down the wall to his knees, his arm slipping from Alex’s grip. He took Alex’s hand instead, pressing kisses to the back of it and eventually turning it to kiss his palm and fingers. Michael looked up at Alex, tears threatening to fall.

“I don’t deserve you,” he mumbled. Alex fell to his knees in front of him, crushing their mouths together, determined to prove to Michael that this was real. That he wanted this. Wanted him.

They grabbed at each other, Michael literally tearing the shirt from his body. His nails dragged roughly over Alex’s skin, making him flinch and gasp. Michael tossed the scraps to the side as his tongue darted between his lips. Alex wrapped his arms around his waist, pulling him away from the wall and eventually laying him on the ground.

He straddled his thighs as his fingers fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. Michael’s hands moved to his waist, pulling their hips together and rocking him gently. Alex groaned against his lips before gasping in a breath. He finally pulled the last button free and shoved the shirt off Michael’s shoulders. He sat up briefly to shrug the clothing all the way off before Alex was pinning him to the floor again.

Alex only held Michael’s arms in place for a moment before dragging his hands down to his jeans, yanking the belt open then the button. Michael sighed and ran his hands up Alex’s back, fingers digging into the muscles.

Alex leaned down, pressing open-mouthed kisses to Michael’s collarbone as he slipped his fingers into the waistband of his underwear. Michael grabbed his head, holding him against his skin. Alex wrapped his hand around his half hard cock, stroking it slowly. A low groan fell from his lips as his hips rocked up into his fist.

Alex moved his free hand next to Michael’s head, holding himself up as he moved his kisses up his throat. His own jeans were far too tight at this point but he wanted to focus on Michael and convincing him that this was what was supposed to happen. Living an eternity together.

“Turn me,” he breathed over his pulse point.

“Alex…” Michael moaned as his hand squeezed his cock, bringing it to full attention. “This isn’t fair.”

Alex sank his teeth into his skin. Michael’s whole body arched against him. His nails scratched his scalp, calling out his name again. He sucked on the spot, making sure to leave a dark mark just like Michael had done to him the night before. He pulled away to rest their foreheads together, so they felt the breath of each other. Michael panted and tried to kiss him again but Alex pulled himself back.

“I can handle it Michael. We belong together. Turn me.”

“Damnit Alex.”

Suddenly Alex was the one on his back. Michael hovered above him, holding Alex’s hand on his cock that was mostly out of his underwear. With his free hand, he pushed the fabric down his legs, kicking it to the side when he finally got it to his ankles. Completely naked and Alex still had to keep himself from drooling at the sight.

“You never get tired of pushing me into bloodlust do you?” His eyes glowed as he allowed the movement of Alex’s hand again. He unzipped Alex’s jeans and pulled them down but only enough that his cock was free of the fabric.

The air made Alex gasp and the cool touch of Michael’s hand didn’t help. They stroked each other, Michael inching closer so they could rub against the other. Alex cursed under his breath as his eyes fluttered closed.

He only heard the sounds of their panting and small whines. Eventually Michael’s lips found his, swallowing the groan that slipped out when he started rubbing his thumb over the tip. He spread the pre-cum over the head and down the sides. Michael pushed Alex’s hand away, instead holding them together and jerking them both off. The wetness leaking from the tips eased the friction.

Alex reached around Michael’s waist, dragging his nails over his back. Michael’s eyes glowed as he leaned over him, his breath brushing over his lips. Alex pushed himself up on his elbows, pressing their mouths together. Their hips rocked together, steadily increasing the pace.

“I need more,” Alex mumbled out, clenching his hands into fists.

“More of what?” Michael taunted back, breathless.

“Of you. I need all of you.” He felt Michael’s grin against his lips. He pulled away, releasing his cock and grabbing the waistband of Alex’s jeans instead. He yanked them down to his knees and Alex scrambled to turn onto his stomach.

He pressed his face into the wood, ignoring the discomfort that came with it. He reached behind him, spreading himself open for Michael’s hungry stare. He reached out and teased a finger over Alex’s hole before running his hand over his ass and thighs.

“Fuck me Michael. Use me. And don’t hold back,” Alex pleaded. A low groan escaped Michael’s lips as he leaned forward, pressing his tongue against his ass. Alex pushed himself back against his face with a whine. Michael traced the rim, pushing the tip just past the entrance, letting his saliva coat the opening. Alex tried pushing himself back again but Michael was pulling away.

“I oughta get a gag for that pretty mouth. You have this tendency to rush me,” he said, trailing kisses up his spine. Alex’s cock jumped at the suggestion. “You want me to stop holding back? Is that why you want me to turn you?”

He pressed his leaking cock against his hole. Alex didn’t dare respond to the question. Just bit his lip and tried to push back onto him. Michael kept himself settled right at his entrance.

“You want me to turn you so I can ruin you? So I can fuck you for days and never have enough? So you can get high on my blood and venom?” He pushed the head in slightly. Alex could only moan in response.

A loud banging on the front door had both of them jumping. Alex’s eyes darted to the locked entrance and then to his torn shirt on the floor. He felt his face heat up as he tried to crawl away from where Michael was still pressed against him. The pain from the pressure on his knee became noticeable as sense re-entered his brain. Michael grabbed his hips before he could move too far, pressing the head of his cock just past the rim of his ass

“Ignore it,” he growled. And god Alex wanted to. Michael teased him with his cock, just barely pushing in before pulling back out. Alex’s legs shook and his cock was harder than ever. But just as he closed his eyes to let Michael take control again, the knock returned, more insistent.

“Michael, I have to answer it.” Another three knocks and a muffled voice.

“Alex, open up.” Kyle’s voice brought him back into the real world, pulling away from Michael no matter how much his body screamed for him to do the opposite.

Alex scrambled to his feet, pulling his pants up as he went. He looked back at where Michael sat on the floor, seeming unconcerned with the fact he was naked and more annoyed that they had been interrupted. He looked Alex up and down, tracing his tongue over his fangs. Alex twitched in his jeans and tore his eyes away from him. He didn’t trust his body to resist him when he looked like that.

“Go upstairs and hide. I’ll see what he wants.”

“You’re going to answer the door like that?” Alex heard the jealousy laced through his voice.

“You ripped my shirt. And it’s just Kyle. Now go upstairs.”

He heard the shuffling of his body and then his hardness was pressed against his lower back. Michael licked a teasing trail up his neck and nipped his ear. Alex barely let out a sigh before Kyle’s knocking became panicked.

“Come on Manes this isn’t funny! I will break down this door.”

“Don’t make me wait too long,” Michael whispered next to his ear. Then he vanished.

Alex chanced a look behind him and he was nowhere to be seen. His clothes and the scraps from Alex’s torn shirt were gone. Alex shook his head and rushed to the door, unlocking and pulling it open.

“Breaking the door is not necessary,” he said as his eyes met Kyle’s.

“Damn dude. You’re seriously going to give me a heart attack one of these days.” Alex stepped to the side to let him into the front room. He watched his eyes as they ran over everything, making sure nothing was out of place.

“What are you looking for exactly?” Alex asked when he started pacing the room. Kyle stopped and took one more glace around. His shoulders seemed to relax as he slipped his hands into his pockets.

“Nothing. Just worried about why it took you so long to answer the door.” Alex looked away to hide the blush.

“Well I was going to get in the shower when you started threatening to break down my door. I don’t exactly move very fast when I don’t have my prosthesis.” Kyle looked him up and down and a grin settled on his face.

“Right… can you tell whatever bed buddy is here that we have some things to discuss and to come back later? Not that I don’t appreciate the view Manes, but you never answer the front door with unbuttoned jeans and fresh scratch marks.”

Alex looked down at himself for the first time. Kyle was right. His jeans were unbuttoned and his arousal was still plainly obvious. Light pink lines were forming on his waist and hips where Michael had grabbed him. Alex sighed and ran a hand through his hair, which he now realized was probably messed up too.

“Look,” Kyle started, lowering his voice. “It’s not my business who you sleep with or how often. But if you’re using this as a way to replace Michael, I promise it’s not going to work. Find someone who cares about you.” Alex was touched by the concern. He smiled and nodded at Kyle.

“Who, like you? Change your mind about being straight, Valenti?” he teased. Kyle snorted.

“Dude, the way you look right now, I might have to bend just to put you out of your misery. You seriously look wrecked.” Alex only had time to roll his eyes before a low growl reached his ears and arms wrapped around his waist.

Michael yanked him back, away from Kyle who’s eyes were blown wide as he recognized him. Alex squirmed in Michael’s arms, trying to see exactly what Kyle was seeing.

“I suggest you stay there or you can kiss your chances of ever having children goodbye,” Michael threatened lowly. Alex watched the way Kyle clenched his fists to stop himself from trembling. Michael held him tighter, slowly pulling him backwards.

“Michael stop. What’s going on,” Alex tried asking. Kyle’s hand inched toward the gun at his hip. He struggled in Michael’s arms again finally succeeding in turning around.

His eyes glowed in a different way than before. His pupils slit and the red bright instead of muted. Anger rolled off him in waves. His fingers dug into Alex’s skin as he hyper focused on Kyle. His teeth we on full display, longer than Alex had ever seen them. Low growls slipped from his mouth.

Alex grabbed his face, forcing his attention to shift. He pressed their foreheads together, making soft hushing noises.

“Hey, everything is fine. I’m fine. He wouldn’t hurt me.” Michael’s eyes darted back and forth, trying to see around Alex. He held him steady, brushing his lips against his.

“He said wanted you…” Michael mumbled out. Alex sighed and pressed his mouth to Michael’s briefly.

“No baby. It was a joke. I’m yours, ok? I’m all yours,” he whispered comfortingly. Michael tried to pull away but he held him steady. “All yours. I’m yours and you are mine. I don’t want anyone else.”

Michael’s grip on his skin loosened slowly. He slowed his breathing to match Alex’s as his eyes dimmed back to their normal shade of brown. Michael closed the distance between them, kissing him firmly and teasing his tongue over his lips.

Alex didn’t know how long they had been standing there, but the sound of Kyle clearing his throat suggested longer than he should have allowed.

“Well this explains some things,” Kyle said, trying to sound nonchalant. Alex turned back toward him, holding onto Michael’s hand.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything,” he offered.

“Why? I get it. The chief wasn’t exactly subtle about considering Michael a person of interest again.” His eyes shifted from Alex to the man standing behind him. His eyebrows narrowed as he crossed his arms. “But I won’t pretend to not be pissed at the guy who quite literally ruined your life for five months.”

“Stay out of it Valenti,” Michael snapped.

“Screw you! You weren’t here! You didn’t have to see the way he was falling apart. Literally. He could hardly get out of bed most days. You didn’t have to see the physical pain you put him through. So no. I’m not going to stay out of it. And let me be clear that if you ever do something like that to him again, I’ll kill you myself.”

Alex felt Michael grip his hand but he didn’t respond. He squeezed his hand back briefly and rubbed his thumb over the skin. They would have to talk about this more later.

“Just keep this between us ok? I don’t want the chief knowing he’s here.”

“Because you’re worried he’ll be targeted as an accomplice,” he stated matter-of-factly. Alex nodded. “The chief thinks Caber has help. And when you brought it up in the meeting… it was obvious you had outside information from somewhere.” Alex cursed under his breath.

“Caber wasn’t even in the area when the sacrifices were performed. Someone was acting in his place.” Kyle nodded.

“But without any leads you can’t exactly bring it up.”

“Exactly.”

Kyle started to pace, running a hand over his jaw. Alex looked back at Michael, trying to gauge his reaction to all of this. His face was emotionless as he watched the other man. He glanced down at Alex. His face didn’t change but he squeezed his hand.

“Chief claims he doesn’t have any leads either but I think he might be considering Michael.”

“But why?” Alex demanded.

“I wish I knew. All those questions about him today… He’s definitely considering him for something.” Kyle stopped pacing and looked at Michael again. “Which is why you need to stay far away from the mission tomorrow.”

“You don’t get to just waltz in here and tell me how to protect my claimed,” Michael growled, stepping in front of Alex. Kyle rolled his eyes.

“I’m not. But you showing up tomorrow would ruin the whole plan. And I don’t need you being taken in by police and throwing Alex into another spiral.” Michael took a threatening step toward him, a low growl just barely audible.

“Oh knock it off, both of you,” Alex snapped, yanking Michael back. He sighed as he looked between them. “Look, Kyle it won’t be a problem. Michael won’t be there to mess it up.”

“When the hell did I agree—”

“Michael, we will talk about this later,” Alex cut him off. He glared at Michael, daring him to argue.

“Alex, I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were walking into. There’s a very real chance you could get seriously hurt.” Alex smiled at him and stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“This is my job Kyle. Just like it’s yours. I know the risks and if it’s to protect people then I wouldn’t choose anything different.”

“… Did you read the operation plan yet?” Kyle asked hesitantly. Alex glanced to where the manila folder sat on an end table. He had flipped through a few pages but hadn’t looked in depth.

He moved to grab the file but Michael was there faster, practically ripping the paper trying to open it. His eyes scanned the pages and Alex watched as they flashed red. He took a deep breath before shutting the file and shoving it into Alex’s chest. He stormed upstairs as Alex watched his back.

“You’re bait Manes. You knew that. What the Chief didn’t tell you, was that you would be alone. That he’s going to let Caber begin the sacrifice with you and while Caber is high on your blood, then we would move in and attack.”

“Why is he so certain that Caber will drink my blood at all?”

“He’s not. But if our theory is correct in assuming he wants revenge, he’ll most likely revel in it. Be too distracted with theatrics to pay attention to us.”

“Vampires are stronger after they feed. Caber could wipe out the whole team.”

“Which is why you’re going to drink a poison our lab created. Remember that girl you saved? Liz? She’s working with us now. Turns out she’s a biomedical engineer. The poison won’t harm you but any vampire that drinks your blood will, in theory, enter a state of paralysis.”

Alex glanced over the papers in his hand and swallowed. They crinkled in his hand as he gripped them tighter with every word he read. He looked back up at Kyle.

“So I ask again. Are you sure you want to do this?”

Alex stared at his own closed door. He knew why Michael was pissed. He wasn’t exactly thrilled about the situation himself. He always had the bad habit of jumping into things without thinking them through first. He laughed at himself. That was exactly what got him into this situation in the first place. But then again, if he wasn’t like that… he wouldn’t have Michael.

He grabbed the doorknob and pushed it open. He looked around the room and found Michael standing and staring out the window. The sun was setting but still shown directly into the window. Michael was gripping the window sill and his skin was red, as though he was burning.

Alex blinked before he realized what was happening. He jumped toward the vampire, pulling him away from the window and yanking the blinds shut.

“Michael! What the hell are you thinking?” Alex grabbed his shoulders, looking over his bare chest and arms as the red started to fade as his body healed itself.

“I needed something to control myself,” Michael mumbled. Alex’s eyebrows drew together as he shook his head.

“You don’t need to hurt yourself!”

“I did.” Alex ran his hands up to rest on his face, holding him gently. “I wish I could properly convey the anger I feel when you have complete disregard for your own life.”

“It’s to help people.”

“Why are they more deserving of life than you?” Michael snapped. Alex flinched back as Michael’s gaze pierced through him. He watched as tears pooled in his eyes and his jaw clenched to keep them from falling. “I can’t lose you. Not to something as stupid as trying to stop a piece of shit like Caber.”

The tears spilled over and Alex wiped them away as they fell. Michael’s hands found their way to his waist and pulled him closer. Alex pressed his forehead to his. They stood for a while, breathing each other in. Their lips occasionally bushed together but neither pushed for more.

“You won’t lose me. I promise.”

“You can’t promise that. Not with a plan that puts you at the mercy of a revenge hungry vampire.”

Alex wouldn’t deny being nervous. Things could so easily go wrong but what other choice did he have? He couldn’t back out when lives were at stake. And if Caber was gone, that would be one less threat to Michael.

“Michael. Please just trust me.”

“Alex—”

He kissed him then, stopping any further protesting. Mouths slipping over each other. Hands wandering over his bare skin. Alex pushed him back slowly, nipping at his lip and tangling his fingers in the untamed curls.

Michael’s fingers dug into his skin as he sighed. He pulled Alex on top of him as he stumbled back onto the bed. Alex sat on his lap, trapping his head between his arms as he held himself up. Michael’s hands ran up his back, grabbing at his skin and kneading his muscles.

Alex rocked his hips against his at a steady pace. Their lips separated as they both sighed from the friction, foreheads pressed together. Rain wrapped around Alex as he breathed Michael in. He wanted to smell more of him. Alex dragged his lips over his jaw, occasionally nipping at the skin. He pressed open mouthed kisses to his throat, tongue teasing at the pulse point. Michael’s head rolled to the side to give him better access.

He couldn’t help but moan at the way the simple action drove him crazy. And maybe he was finally understanding why Michael couldn’t resist him when he did it. His most vulnerable spot, all for Alex’s taking. He could kill him and yet all he wanted was to press his lips to the skin and mark him as his own.

So he bit into the skin gently, taking Michael’s hands from his back and pressed them into the mattress. Their fingers entwined as Alex refocused on his attentions on the mark he had left earlier. Michael pressed his body up against him, a small whine sneaking out from his lips.

“Hey,” Michael mumbled out. Alex removed himself slowly, sitting up so he could see his face. “Go get that knife on the dresser.” His voice shook with barely contained need. Red creeped in at the edges of his eyes, fangs poking out from his lips.

Alex looked over his shoulder at his knife that he had on the first day they met. It hadn’t moved since they used it in a situation similar to this. He pushed himself up from the bed and grabbed it. He sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at it.

Michael took it gently from his hands and pushed himself back until he was sitting up against the headboard. Alex turned toward him and watched as he undid the button on his pants and pushed them down before kicking them off the side of the bed. Alex looked down at his own pants and stood again. He pushed them down his legs along with his underwear. He stumbled slightly with his prosthesis but Michael didn’t seem concerned. He stood at the edge of the bed completely naked, looking down at the other man in his bed.

“Come here,” Michael demanded lowly.

Alex crawled onto the bed and toward Michael, staying on all fours until they were face to face. He pressed his mouth to Michael’s and lifted a hand to drag it down his chest to his groin that throbbed when his fingers wrapped around it.

Michael groaned against his lips but pushed his hand away gently. Alex held himself up instead, jumping slightly when Michael leaned forward into his kiss and his fingers brushed over the edge of his prosthesis. His other hand pushed Alex to the side, forcing him to sit next to him on the bed. Michael kissed him again as he started to release the pressure. He let his fingers brush against his skin at every opportunity.

He eventually tugged the metal and plastic limb off, pulling away from Alex’s lips only to set it on the floor next to the bed. Alex pushed himself up onto his knees again, swinging his leg over Michael’s, sitting on his thighs. He grabbed his face, pulling at the hair as he ran his fingers through it. Michael wrapped his arms around his waist as their lips came together again.

Their bodies fit together like puzzle pieces. Every arch of Alex’s body, Michael mirrored with his own, keeping their bodies connected at as many points as possible. Alex slipped his tongue between Michael’s lips, tracing the point of a fang before running it over his tongue. He moaned and gripped his hips hard enough to leave bruises.

Michael pulled him closer, forcing their cocks to rub together. Alex rocked his hips, loving the feeling of it. He didn’t get to enjoy it for long before Michael was releasing him and pushing him back slightly.

Alex stared into red eyes. He tugged his bottom lip between his teeth and he could have giggled in delight at the way Michaels eyes followed the movement.

The sound of metal clicking drew his attention. Michael held the knife in his hand, pressing his thumb against the sharp edge. A small dribble ran down the blade and he lifted the knife to Alex’s lips. The warm liquid dripped onto his bottom lip and he immediately licked it away. Alex ran his hand over the arm holding the knife before carefully pressing his tongue against the blade where Michael’s blood dripped.

The coppery taste sent an inferno burning under his skin. His mark throbbed and he flinched, pressing too hard against the blade, opening a small cut on his tongue. Michael pulled the blade away immediately, panic crossing his face for only a moment. Then he reached up with his free hand, holding Alex’s face delicately. He brought the knife to his own throat, running the tip over the skin and then opening a small wound. He flicked the knife closed and turned his head to the side again.

Michael watched Alex as he pulled his head in to his neck. Alex checked his eyes, looking for any hint that he didn’t want this.

“Are you sure?” he whispered.

“Yes. My life is yours.”

Alex leaned forward, kissing his jaw a couple times. He felt his own blood pooling on his tongue. He moved down and hovered over the still bleeding wound for a moment before pressing his tongue against it. Michael’s hand flew up to scratch at his back. Alex moaned as he let his lips completely cover the wound. He bit gently around the area and Michael’s nails bit into him.

Visions flashed through his mind…

Him and Michael. Bodies burning as they moved together.

Michael drinking from his wrist.

Alex, teeth prominent and sinking into Michael’s shoulder.

Both of them with glowing eyes.

Fighting.

Living…

Both as vampires.

One of Michael’s hands grabbed at his hair, holding his mouth to his throat. Alex’s hips grinding against Michael’s only moved faster as he stroked them both with his free hand. Michael moaned loudly as the blood slipped down Alex’s throat.

His mark was insisting on the roles being reversed in a different way. Michael’s blood ran through his system, overtaking everything. The fire in his veins demanded a change. Something to cool it. To complete the transition.

Alex pulled away, panting and capturing Michael’s mouth instead. They tasted each other, no clear distinction of who was who anymore.

Then Michael was pushing him back and standing from the bed. It was as though time slowed as he watched Michael. He hadn’t even finished taking a breath before Michael was back on the bed with a bottle of lube, pulling Alex on top of him again.

But he had seen every step he took. Every flex of his back and arms as he opened drawers. It was less than a second of time but his eyes were sharper now. He could pick out the individual flecks of gold hidden under the glowing red of Michael’s eyes.

Their lips came together again and Alex could only whimper at how sweet Michael tasted. He tasted like sex and the smell of rain only enhanced it. They could have been in a forest covered in damp moss and Alex wouldn’t have known.

Michael’s fingers slid over his hole, the coolness of the lube a shock to his overheated body. His fingers slipped in easily. Two stretching him comfortably as he groaned against Michael’s lips. He felt him smile as he moved inside him slowly but with purpose. He pressed against the sweet spots of his walls and Alex’s cock could only throb in response.

“You saw what I wanted right? How badly I want to keep you with me forever?”

“Forever is a long time,” Alex teased, breathy and desperate. He pushed himself back on Michael’s fingers.

“I’ll just keep finding more ways to want you.”

Michael pressed against his prostate and Alex yelled out as pre-cum leaked from the tip of his cock. He swallowed his moans as he kissed him again. Michael’s fingers scissoring him open as he rolled his hips in time with his strokes.

Alex’s whole body was shaking by the time Michael removed his fingers. Their kisses had turned sloppy and desperate. Biting and licking at the other’s lips. Michael grabbed Alex’s hips, adjusting him so he was positioned over his own member.

“Head back. Hands on my shoulders,” he ordered. He began to pull Alex down so the head of his cock pressed against his entrance. Alex moaned and tipped his head back, turning it to the side slightly to expose his mark. He gripped Michael’s shoulders to stop his hands from shaking.

Then Michael was at his throat, pressing kisses and sucking more bruises into his skin. He pulled Alex down more so he slipped past his rim. Alex moaned and tried to sink down faster but Michael held him steady.

“I love you,” tumbled from his mouth, like he couldn’t control his words anymore. He whispered it again and again, with every new kiss Michael pressed into his skin.

It was when Michael finally sank his fangs into his mark that he was pulled down fully onto him. He choked out a whine and moan as he dug his nails into Michael’s skin. His venom raced through his body. More visions danced across his eyes. Visions of him and Michael far into the future and exploring the world together.

Turn me… Please… turn me so I can spend forever with you.

Michael gripped his hips and lifted him slightly before pulling him back down. Alex gasped as his legs shook. Michael repeated the motion but faster, the head of his cock rubbing roughly against Alex’s prostate. Alex’s hips jerked and he grinded himself down.

Michael’s groan vibrated on his skin. He licked the wounds closed and met Alex’s lips as he turned his head to face him again. They panted against each other, Michael controlling the speed of his hips as he bounced on him.

“I love you.... I love you… turn me,” Alex gasped out. Michael whined and groaned, dragging his hands from his waist and up his back. He yanked Alex against him, his own hips jerking up as Alex was sinking down. Alex cursed and grabbed the headboard as his head fell to Michael’s shoulder.

“Not yet. Be patient.”

Alex groaned as his cock rubbed against Michael’s abs. He teetered on the edge but Michael kept him from moving too fast. He bit into his shoulder, earning another jerk of his hips right into his sweet spot.

“I’m so close. I need more, please,” he begged. Suddenly Michael’s hands vanished from his back and were pulling his face up to rest against his forehead.

“Take what you need. And don’t stop until I fill you up.” Alex let out a shaky sigh as he was given full control of the pace.

The headboard knocked against the wall as he lifted himself and sank back down until he was as deep as he could go. He shuddered as every curve of him hit all the right places. His hips rolled and learned the rhythm to push him closer to the edge.

Then Michael started matching his pace with thrusts of his own. Harder and harder as their moans and gasps grew louder. Alex moaned out his name as the creaks of the bed only spurred him on.

Michael whispered hot encouragement against his lips. Taunts and dirty words. Heat coiled down and Alex stumbled forward, kissing Michael roughly. He gripped the headboard tighter and grinded down against Michael, his rhythm breaking with every downstroke.

“I love you, Alex.”

Michael grabbed his hips, moving him faster than he could manage on his own. Alex groaned loudly as his orgasm rushed at him full speed. His legs shook as cum spurt out between them. Michael kept him moving as the last of his fluids ran down the length of him. His moans were broken as overstimulation kicked in.

His cock twitched as Michael’s own gasps and moans filled his ears. Michael shoved himself in to the base a final time as he started pulsing inside Alex. The warmth was enough to make Alex grind down even though he was spent.

Alex collapsed against him, breathing in his scent. Michael rocked him slowly as he came down from his orgasm. He could feel the liquid leaking around his rim but couldn’t bring himself to move from his place.

Eventually, Michael started tracing mindless patterns on his skin. But even that couldn’t distract from the pain in his knees for long. As though reading his mind, Michael wrapped an arm around Alex’s waist and slid them both into a lying down position.

Alex laid fully on top of Michael, using his chest as a pillow. He listened to his steady heartbeat and he could have fallen asleep to its rhythm.

“My blood is in your system. It won’t fade for a few days. So don’t you dare die. Understand me?” Alex adjusted so he was resting his chin on his hands. He smiled sweetly at Michael.

“I promise.” Michael ran a gentle hand through his hair, brushing it off his forehead.

“I want to be the one to turn you when the time is right. But I want you to think it over more.”

Alex was confident that he wouldn’t change his mind. He wanted this. Michael was the only one he would ever want. They were made for each other and nothing could convince him otherwise.

“Caber will smell me on you. Tell him I’ll come for you. That might distract him enough to give your team extra time.”

“I said I didn’t want you anywhere near this,” Alex started to argue.

“I have to be nearby Alex. I won’t interfere and Isobel and Max will be with me. I wouldn’t forgive myself if I let you do this and you died.” Alex watched his eyes and the way the never wavered away from him.

“Ok.” A surprised look crossed his face but then he nodded. “And I’m already sure of what I want. I don’t need to think about it anymore.” Michael gave a half laugh and pulled Alex in for a soft kiss. “I love you more than anything else in the world.” A blush dusted over Michael face as he smiled.

Everything was going to be fine.

#malex fanfiction #malex vampire au #roswell new mexico fic #michael guerin/alex manes #michael guerin #alex manes #malex #malex fic

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meantforinfinitesadness · 3 years

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Tumblr Fics Masterpost

Here’s the masterpost for all the fics I have posted here on tumblr! I have a lot more over on my ao3

Would have done it in alphabetical order, but my brain couldn’t handle that.

(It was a lot longer than I thought so all the links are under the cut!)

Also! I have a tag list! If you want to be tagged when I post new one-shots on here uh just let me know!

Obi-Wan In General

Lost Memories - Obi-Wan loses his memories

Noticed - Immortal Obi-Wan

I Am Just A New Invention - The origins of Obi-Wans nifty, durasteel arm

Strangers - Obi-Wan was never a Jedi, but he and Cody still manage to find each other.

Strangers Part 2 - A continuation of the above fic

Strangers Part 3 - Another continuation

Strangers Part 4 - I don’t even need to tell you what this is another part of.

Strangers Part 5 - the final part

Tired Padawan - A tired Obi-Wan is carried by his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn

Obi-Wan Kenobi Fanclub - an au from the mind of @obiwanobi

Interview Part One (1) - A behind the scenes look at the Jedi

Interview Part Two (2) - Another behind the scenes look

Interview Part Three (3) - A third look behind the scenes

Interview Part Four (4) - A final look behind the scenes

Interview Part Five (5) - lol, guess I lied about the last part being the final look

Interview Part Six (6) - The Jedi and Clones talk about the Force

Interview Part Eight (8) - Obi-Wan’s ability with animals is brought up

Blind Obi-Wan Part One (1) - Obi-Wan the blind healer

Blind Obi-Wan Part Two (2) - Obi-Wan the blind healer again

Sleeping Beauty Version One (1) - Obi-Wan’s been cursed, only true love’s kiss can wake him up. Good thing Cody knows he’s Obi-Wan’s true love. (codywan)

Five Winters Part 1 - A modern au in which we get a glimpse of five winters that Obi-Wan and Cody spend together. (codywan)

Five Winters Part 2

Five Winters Part 3

Five Winters Part 4

Five Winters Part 5

Secret Santa Gift - The war is over. Obi-Wan and Cody finally have time for themselves. (codywan)

One Bed - There’s only one bed. It’s not usually a problem. However, right now it is. (codywan)

“I will defend it.” - one-shot based off a Frankenstein sentence starter thing.

Silent Apprentice - Sith Obi-Wan au of sorts

The Echo - self-indulgent one-shot that involves an echoing Obi-Wan and confused Anakin

Five Inches Tall - Obi-Wan has somehow been shrunken down to about five inches

I’ll Always Find You - A blind Obi-Wan has been missing, and Anakin finds him.

Something at Work - Cody feels something strange in his soul.

Love and Rage - Obi-Wan is not emotionless.

“beware; for I am fearless” - Obi-Wan against Darkness

Comets and Stars - A Sith Obi-Wan tells Cody what he thinks of the Commander

See You When You Wake - Obi-Wan is sick and Cody is the bedrest warden

The Knighthood Problem - Obi-Wan feels unworthy of his titles when Maul returns. Mace sets him straight.

Detector - Obi-Wan and Mace are sent out on a mission, but Obi-Wan sense something not good on the planet below.

Darth Sollertis - Obi-Wan is a Sith that's been posing as a Jedi and training Anakin without him knowing it. Until now.

No Matter What - Anakin and the Council witness something none of them would ever thought possible.

“I have to try.” - Anakin is on a path of destruction, but Obi-Wan believes the boy he raised is still in there. (Major Character Death)

“I’m right here” - Cody wakes up from a nightmare and Obi-Wan is there to calm his fears.

“No more today, you’re at your limit.” - companion piece to Exhausted

Encounters - Cody wanders into a forest and meets a bird, a lizard, and a man

Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea - Obi-Wan is taken and tossed in the sea, (nearly?) drowns, and is rescued.

After - A snippet that occurs after Qui-Gon’s death in TPM

Codywan Week

Day One (1) - hurt/comfort

Day Three (3) - Role Reversal

Day Four (4) - Time Travel

Day Five (5) - Fluff

Day Six (6) - Fantasy

Obitineweek

Day One (1) - Seven Deadly Sins

Day Two (2) - Role Reversal

Day Three (3) - Soft/Angst

Day Five (5) - Behind Closed Doors

Day Seven (7) - Free Day

Whumptober 2020

Day Three (3) - Forced to Their Knees

Day Four (4) - Caged

Day Five (5) - Rescue

Day Six (6) - “Get it Out”

Day Seven (7) - Carrying

Day Eight (8) - Isolation

Bad Things Happen Bingo

Falling Through the Ice - Obi-Wan falls through ice (codywan)

Loss of Sight - A fight with Ventress leaves Obi-Wan blinded

Exhausted - Anakin watches Obi-Wan do all he can to heal those wounded in battle. (codywan)

Magical Curse - Obi-Wan believes he’s cursed.

Across the Ground - Obi-Wan drags himself across the ground in an attempt to get away from his captors (past torture, description of injuries, uhhhh stay safe)

Accident - Obi-Wan tries to wake his Padawan from a nightmare

Cauterize - Alone in a cave and injured, Obi-Wan must cauterize the wounds he’s received if he wants to make it through the day.

Stitches - Obi-Wan wakes to find his mouth has been stitched shut. (can be read as codywan)

No Anesthetic - The stitches in Obi-Wan’s mouth need to be removed.

Tampered Food - Obi-Wan’s food has been tampered with during a mission with his Padawan.

Attempted - Obi-Wan wakes to find himself in a terrible situation. Attempted non-con/rape (codywan, but the non-con is not between them.)

Ritual - A mission gone bad. Obi-Wan is used in a ritual.

Possessed - Sith Temples (and the artifacts inside them) cause problems.

If I Should Stumble - Obi-Wan and his Padawan never try to get into trouble. It just...happens.

Surprise - Obi-Wan has something up his sleeve that surprises Rex.

Tied to a Pole - Adventures with Obi-Wan and Bail never seemed to go the way they were supposed to.

Didn’t Realize - The battle is over, but Obi-Wan is injured and not aware of the injury.

Mind Control - Cody is being controlled by something else. (codywan)

AngstPril

Day 1: “You have to let me go.”

Day 2: Alone

Day 3: "I can't."

Day 4: Visiting a Grave

Day 6: "You don't belong here."

Day 7: Friendly Fire

Day 8: Screaming

Day 9: "I wish we had more time."

Day 10: "Don't look back."

Whumpay

Day 1: “I thought you were dead”

Day 2: Small Spaces

Day 3: Shock Collar

Day 4: Ice

Day 5: Collapse/Keeps Getting Up

Day 6: “Can you hear me?”

Day 8: Wake Up

Day 9: Gentle/Brutal

Day 10: Silence

Day 11: “Don’t leave me.”

Day 12: Not Noticing Injury

Day 13: Nightmares

Day 14: Forced to Their Feet

Day 15: Immortality Angst

Day 16: “Put your weapon down”

Day 17: Phobia

Day 18: “Take me instead”

Day 19: Not Believed

Day 20: Reflections

Day 21: Not Alone

Day 22: Mind Control

Day 23: Apologies

Day 24: Protected By An Enemy

Day 25: Goodbye

Day 26: “Don’t hurt them”

Day 27: An Accident

Day 28: Chains

Other Ships

Was It Worth It? - A post Zigoola ficlet focusing on Bail and Breha Organa

#masterpost #my stuff

129 notes · View notes

redmaneroster · 3 years

Text

Our Home Away From Home, Away From Home

[1] [2] [3] [4-5] [6] [7] [8-9] [x]

PART 10 – Domestication

Yang blinks awake. She wonders why her pillow is so dense until she realizes that she's patting down Jaune's chest. Her hand is dangerously close to his waistband.

She wants to move but can't. Below her, her hands run through the threads of someone's dark red hair. Ruby wriggles at the touch. She'd come back a week earlier. In time for the dance but she'll be gone again when it's over.

It's like her baby sister is slipping out of her hands. She wants to scream and shout. To demand that Ozpin give her back… but he wasn't the one who could make that decision for her. Her dad had made it clear, Ruby is the only one who gets to choose, and she chose Ozpin.

She dreads to think on what Ruby's actually chosen. What she'd picked over everything else. Her friends, her family, her team, maybe even her dreams of being a huntress.

Yang bites her lip. Ruby isn't a huntress-in-training anymore either. She's licensed and fully-fledged. Has jobs and is on record as the youngest to join an academy and the youngest to graduate.

Peeling back her bangs, Yang spots the scar running along her forehead. It's deep and an ugly pinkish-red. Jaune asked where she got it. She'd gotten too close to a behemoth and got clipped trying to dodge its tusk. She'd killed it, somehow. She wouldn't tell how, just that she did. If she really tried, Yang could probably extract the story from her; global secrecy or no. But she can't. Won't.

Suddenly respecting her privacy feels like a vice on her lungs.

Ruby grabs Yang's hand suddenly. She's still and her breathing is rapidly pouring out of her, but then Ruby tugs the arm into her chest and nuzzles into it.

It's like they're eight and ten again, when Yang would spend the day working herself to exhaustion to make sure Ruby had a fulfilling day, only to collapse in her arms. Then and only then did Yang permit her little ten-year-old self to breathe, rest easy, then finally sleep. She recollects it like a blur of sweat and aches she was entirely too young to have, but now that they've passed, Yang can hardly remember what any of those pains felt like.

How differently could things have gone if she'd had a father and mother to tend to them instead. Maybe not long enough to mind Ruby themselves, but at least long enough to rub her hair and tell her she did good at the end of the day.

Calloused hands run through her hair. She looks up to see Jaune spying her out of one eye.

"You're getting that scary, thoughtful look on you again." Not quite the loving encouragement she'd expected, but close enough. "I'd warn against developing some early wrinkles but I can't help but feel they'd look good on you too."

She laughs. "You can't be serious. Were you checking out my mom?"

"Pfft! Sure. Let's go with that." She rolls her eyes. He ruffles her hair. "But in all seriousness, you can't blame a guy for admiring that kind of craftsmanship." His thumb runs slowly down her cheek. "They chiseled you out good. You have all their best parts."

She blushes but pushes the feeling down. "God, Jaune, were you checking out my dad too?" she teases but her eyes widen at his brief pause. "Oh my god."

He waves it off. "It's nothing like that. Despite looking like he could bench-press a truck, your dad still manages to look the least threatening when he's got some alcohol in him. I had thought that the day I'd meet my girlfriend's dad, I'd be most worried about being hated. Instead, I ended up worrying I'd just disappoint him. Like making him sad was worse than getting him angry."

"Yeah, Dad's got a wounded puppy look on him. I think it's why Zwei listens to him all the time. Like he even makes the dog feel responsible for keeping him happy."

"He's a dangerous man."

"I hope the title is hereditary."

"Ha! What was that you said on our first date? You could total a car, or something? I think that qualifies as dangerous."

"Hm… Is that a turn on or does that make you afraid? Both, maybe?"

"I think I'd qualify as crazy if it was both. Do you qualify as crazy if you're still into me after that?"

"We could be crazy together." Her fingers run circles over his abs. "I could live with that…"

Ruby curls up and covers her ears. "Gross, gross, gross, gross, gross!"

Yang ruffles her hair. "Good morning to you, too,"

"Sleep well?" Jaune asks.

"Too well…" Ruby grumbles. "I don't think I could go back to pillows ever again. Maybe I'll sleep on Zwei or something… No, that doesn't feel right…"

Yang pulls her head up, inching enough along Jaune's chest to rest her head up against his chin. "I think it's the company. Missed your big sister that much, huh?"

Ruby's nose scrunches. "Yeah, I do." She crawls into them and snuggles in. She takes Jaune's hand and tugs on Yang's till they're hugging her now. "I'll miss you all so much when I'm gone…"

The way she words that digs a pit in Yang's chest. She squeezes her a little tighter. Her chest feels hollow for a little longer.

Ruby pulls out and Yang lets her go, but she jerks back a bit cause Jaune hasn't let go. "Sorry…" Jaune says. He looks like he wants to hold on.

"Don't be." The softness of her hands press warmly over his, and her smile shares its qualities. "I'd miss me too." She means it like a joke but it stops showing on her eyes and a frown worms its way into her cheeks. "I have to go get ready."

She glances over to the rest of the bed. Only Blake is there, her back turned to them. "Pyrrha's probably waiting for me downstairs. I'll see you two tonight, alright?" When she's pulling fresh clothes out of her travel bag, she calls out, "If Blake gets up, tell her we'll see her on the bullheads and grab a bite in Vale if she's late!"

JNPR's bathroom door shuts behind her. The door feels tiny from where they are, on the opposite side of a giant bed in the RWBY dorm room. Its distance echoes with the thrum of the muffled shower.

Jaune pulls Yang up and against him. "Sorry about this. I know you were looking forward to going with me."

"You shouldn't have to feel sorry for giving my sister a good time," she says. He can tell that she means it. "She's going to miss you too, and this might be her last chance to feel like a normal girl for a change. Besides, it's only sophomore year. We'll still have plenty of school dances to go to."

"I guess… Save me a dance?"

"I think I'll need a little more than one."

The distant pattering of the shower is notable when it stops in the quiet of the twin rooms. Jaune eyes Blake and realizes that her bow is on. "Didn't Blake stop wearing that?"

Yang shifts over his stomach and realizes how broad her outline is. "I don't think that's her."

They share a look before poking her in the head.

Ren groans and swats his hand away. He wiggles out and takes off the wig he's wearing, scratching his head.

They snort. "That's a good look for you," they say, realize they've said it at the same time, and high-five.

He groans again. "That's never not going to be weird."

"Not as weird as you in a wig," Jaune says.

Yang notices he's in Blake's pajama top too, sagging off his shoulder since it's so much smaller. "…Or in her nighties."

"It's called a jinbei." Ren shakes his head. "Before you ask, I lost a bet."

Jaune shrugs. "We figured. Not like we expected you to wear that for fun or anything."

He pulls on the delicate fabric. "Aside from the wig, it's very comfortable."

"Oh, I'll bet."

Ren rubs his eyes. "Jaune…"

He throws his hands up. "I'm kidding! … Not really. You want one in your size?"

"…Yes." He blushes which is weird cause Ren doesn't blush. But he does and it's adorable. They snap a picture. He can only summon the energy to scowl for a breath's length. "I should get going too."

"Why are you up so late anyhow?"

He blushes and he doesn't bother answering. They don't need one anyway.

-0-

The echoed bass of this year's dance bounces off the walls of the hallway just outside of reception.

Yang hasn't been on a dance floor in months and now the sounds feel alien. She used to attribute clubbing as a part of her, even as a freshman who could pass for eighteen. Breaking it down, it's clear that she only went out there to have fun. And she's been having a lot of fun elsewhere this year.

"I don't really wanna go in there," Oscar says beside her as they make their way to reception. They're both wearing green, to match hues with her eyes and to contrast his. "I'm starting to get dizzy on just the sounds of it."

"You get used to it," she says. "It's mostly just sensory overload. Just let it sink in and you'll hardly even register the music. It's meant to be white noise anyway so no one has to talk in silence."

"So it's, what, a social tool? Like a distraction?"

"Most of partying is. For all the awkward folks, it means they can hide behind something else while they get their wings. For the rest of us, the ones who've got it down, it lets us keep going. Longer than the night sometimes."

"I never thought of it that way."

She pats him on the shoulder. Even in flats, she's so much taller than him. "Try not internalize it too hard. It's easier when you're letting a conversation happen instead of trying to force any advice you hear into it."

"And if I end up in awkward silence with someone?"

"Then maybe you aren't talking to the right people. Take Ruby for instance." She points ahead of them, at Jaune and Ruby dressed in red together. They're talking and laughing. "You ever have a conversation just stop when you talk to her?"

"Yeah."

"Then she isn't the right people." She catches Ruby's glare but she goes back to Jaune pretty quickly.

"Uh… Oh! You're joking!" Oscar exclaims.

"Whoa! Hey! Don't take me seriously all the time. Half of me is comedy."

"It's often bad!" Jaune calls back.

"Shut up!" Yang giggles. "I have the worst boyfriend," she whispers loudly. Jaune pretends to be wounded by it.

"So…" Oscar rolls his hands. "I'm getting mixed signals here. Is it okay to have awkward silence?"

"Yeah! I mean… I guess had a bad example. It's okay if a conversation stops, but not when it drops."

He squints. "I feel like you're deliberately confusing me."

"I'm just not the most articulate person. Not like I learned to be social on a quotable handbook or anything. So when you talk to someone on something you're interested in, like, say, coffee –"

"-Or milk."

"Or milk. Yeah, let's got with that. Say you like skim milk – you monster –" he laughs cause he does, "then you know you've found someone you can talk to if they don't try to derail the conversation once they find out."

"Cause I brought up skim milk?"

"Cause they're still interested in talking even after you mention it. Someone you can talk to might agree and keep at it, or disagree but wants to hear your side of why you like it so much. Someone you can't talk to will try to change the topic after finding out what you like or not about something."

"I thought it was all about finding things in common."

"I think it's just as interesting if you don't. I hate Seven Rapids cause they're all noise and not even music to me, but that's precisely why Jaune loves them. Jaune and his sister used to be afraid of thunder, so when a storm hit their hometown, it was the only band they could listen to on the same pair of earphones without having to block out the other ear with something."

"That doesn't sound like he particularly likes it either."

"But it's a story I wouldn't have heard otherwise if I switched gears! Now we know each other a little better."

The bass thumps in their ears after they sign on in the registry and come through the doors. Blake is already dancing with Penny, Sun and Pyrrha are expectedly missing, and Nora is a having a subdued moment with Ren by the punch bowl.

"Ruby?" They're instantly stopped by Cardin Winchester of all things. His date, Velvet, trails behind him and crashes into Ruby first.

"You're back!" Velvet cheers. "For how long?"

"Not very," she says sheepishly.

"That big a deal, huh?" Cardin guesses. He continues before she can get uncomfortable. "We missed you at Leadership. Jaune cried."

Jaune rolls his eyes and lets it be… For an entire second. He punches Cardin in the arm and they laugh.

"I missed you guys too. Even the class. Ugh! Can you believe I miss waking up early for class?"

"I miss that feeling too," Velvet agrees. "When you're Juniors and Seniors, you lose half your classes and you're not even expected to attend most of your sessions. We're usually out on the field taking low threat missions. Even a noisy classroom is quieter than the woods."

Ruby rubs the back of her head. "I kind of know what that's like now, actually."

Jaune and Yang trade looks. Oscar tries not to look them in the eyes.

"We should get going," Cardin says, reading the room. "We'll catch up later." Velvet takes him by the arm and waves off.

Ruby, like Oscar, doesn't look them in the eyes either.

"It's okay!" Yang says soothingly, her a voice a titter with a laugh. "We won't pry. Just happy you're here."

"C'mon," Jaune says, taking Ruby's hand, "let's see how well Oscar taught you how to dance."

Ruby slaps a hand to her lips, trying feebly to hide her blush. "The punch bowl first, please. If it's spiked, I can pretend to be good at anything."

"Not a chance," Jaune teases. He kisses Yang on the cheek before leaving her with Oscar.

"He really is the worst," Oscar says, sarcasm bleeding off his cheek. "He's so sickeningly sweet. Wanna trade dates? I'd take him."

Yang slaps him on the back. "Ha! That's the spirit. I can see you're getting more comfortable."

Oscar shrugs. "I think you're just easy to talk to. We should go, too. I'm starving."

-0-

Ruby might have been right about the punch. Nora is loud and all over the place, but Oscar remembers a few stories about her and asks, "Is this how she normally is?"

Ren laughs, it's quiet and patient. He sounds older than he looks. "I don't think she qualifies for normal."

Nora crashes into a few people he doesn't recognize but they laugh and stand her up. They're all friends here. Or maybe Nora just has that effect on people.

"Here." Ren is standing in front of him with a plate of sushi, a black dip of some sort, and what looks like green clay. "Try one of these."

"You ever have these in Mistral?" Yang asks.

"Only the cities. Funny how my first time with it will be in Vale of all places."

Ren demonstrates with chopsticks, expertly grabbing the rolled sushi, dipping, then grabbing a dab of the clay before inserting it into his mouth. "Now you try."

Oscar takes a fork, stabs the sushi, dips it, end curves the fork's teeth into the clay-like thing, and shoves it in his mouth. He can only register Ren's panic when it's already too late.

"You took too much wasabi," he breathes.

Yang is already grabbing a cup from the punch bowl. Oscar's mouth explodes in heat. Then the rest of the night is a blur.

-0-

Ruby was right. Someone did spike the punch.

By now it's too late and they devolve into a flurry of laughter and dancing. No one seems to care that there's suddenly alcohol present, but a cursory glance reveals that the staff isn't even present. Coco does mention seeing Ozpin and Glynda alone in the plaza, and much of the staff was huddling in the dark trying to eavesdrop on them. Seems mischief is ageless.

Jaune and Yang don't dance. Ruby is too important for them to let the night be about them, so they dance with her instead. She's at least thankful that Jaune chose to lead her in a slow dance. She doesn't think she can keep up with him otherwise. Yang, on the other hand, is an expert on matching her pace. She's her big sister after all.

Oscar doesn't get to dance with her either but he's fine with that. What he isn't fine with is being completely hammered by one watered-down drink. Yang thinks its funny how similar he is to Jaune but the similarities end there. He gets swung around by Nora on the dance floor and the alcohol doesn't help.

Remembering this night mostly comes out as a thousand flashes. Their scrolls roll the whole night, and the photos flood the memory banks like they'll struggle to remember this night when it's over. Which doesn't happen because the alcohol doesn't make them drunk. Unlike Oscar, all the alcohol just serves as an excuse for everyone else to let loose.

Joan shows up in a dress and everyone has flashbacks of first year. Ruby jokes loudly about Jaune filling the dress out real well this time and most people momentarily forget that Jaune has a twin sister.

Somewhere down the line, they pour out of the dance and sing off-key in the garden, count stars in the courtyard, and then they're out on the roof where half their class has turned up for a grill off.

Jaune and Nora get so into it that they're scared out of themselves when Cardin shows up in an apron and a grill of his own. Yang remarks that Weiss would have loved the smell.

Oscar kisses Penny and Ruby doesn't know what to do with that. Yang lets her figure it out cause she's growing up and she can ask her whenever she's ready.

Nora's corsage gets caught in the wind somehow and Ruby jumps into action. She weaves through the crowd in a stream of red and rose petals. She's over the railing and she shows no fear as she leaps off the edge and curls over the shattered moon with the pink flower in her hands. Her smile is stunning, her confidence brimming off her cheeks.

Jaune and Yang hold hands at the sight. She's a burst of beauty that steals hearts.

There's a cheer when she effortlessly blurs back and falls into the crowd. She doesn't think what she does is anything special, but it is. She is. And everyone knows it.

And just when their spirits are highest, it rains.

Ruby doesn't leave the roof when it does. Her friends stay with her, Jaune and Yang especially. The look in her eyes tells them that she's barely holding something back.

They stand with her, letting the chipped pieces of them fall apart together so Ruby doesn't feel like she's alone. She tells them she's afraid. They tell her they are too. But fear doesn't get to take residence, it doesn't get to loiter and sink into the upholstery. They'll kick and scream until it's gone cause they never go down without a fight.

It sounds like they're all struggling blindly, but Yang tells her that defiance is only the first step. And that also makes it the most important.

In a moment of solidarity, Ruby screams at the top of her lungs as the rain hides her tears and her friends drown out her pain with defiant roars of their own.

And in the next she's on a bullhead, barely out of her dress, and she disappears in a sea of stars.

-0-

It's the weekend again, and Yang convinces Jaune to come to the apartment for the day. Walking back into it feels like a lifetime has passed him by. There's a layer of dust on everything and he resists the urge to wipe it all down. He can't spend the one day they're here this month cleaning. Maybe next month when he's got the lien to cover his half of the rent.

No, that's an excuse. He could just as easily ask for an advance on his allowance or pick up an extra mission to cover the gap. He wanted to push them both to stay in the dorm, but when Yang pushes passed him with a box full of last night's freshly developed photos, he can see the forced curl of her cheek that's just a little too wide.

Ruby's been again for a week. She might not come back. Yang needs a breather to reconcile with that.

She plops the box down on the coffee table as Jaune sorts out their dinner across the room in the kitchenette.

"Anything good?" he asks.

She waves a photo in the air. "You in a dress!"

"Ha, well… Wait, no, I didn't do that this year! That's Joan!"

"Pfft! Not when I post it and tag you. I expect continued confusion from the campus."

"Yang…"

"C'mon, it's funny!"

He tosses an orange in a basket and reminds himself to eat it later. It's not gonna stay ripe if they leave it behind. In his head, it suddenly sounds like a shitty metaphor. "You're allowed to be sad about Ruby leaving, y'know?"

She chuckles and whips back to him. "So are you."

He doesn't know how to answer that. He spent a lot of that night dreading her leaving but he hadn't expected her to up and go before midnight even hit. It's still jarring, unreal even. Like he could walk back onto campus and bump into her, cause that night was a blur and he might have just dreamt it ending the way it did.

A hip bumps into his, and he drops the pork chops back onto the counter. Yang doesn't look sorry but she hides her face in his chest and he lets her hold onto him.

"It feels like I'm still halfway down a landslide. With my parents and uncle are off to god-knows-where, and Weiss and Neptune fighting for the soul of her company, it felt inevitable that Ruby would just… follow after. And it's a little scary, y'know? I don't know when all of this stops. I don't know if I'm gonna keep losing people." She doesn't cry, but her chest feels tight. "It's like I'm either waiting to see who's next or if I'm gonna crash when I hit the bottom…"

She'd been putting up a strong front, but her bravado feels like it's slipping, and she already feels like it's going to break her. Finding JNPR had stemmed the tide. She even thought she might stop slipping altogether but then Ruby comes and just goes into the night…

Jaune's pulls out his scroll and she can hear him clicking. She only then realizes that his other hand is squeezing carefully on her waist.

"What are you doing?"

"Finding people."

"What? Who?"

He brings the scroll close to his face. There's a call and it goes through almost immediately. It's a voice she doesn't recognize but she can guess who it is. She's already familiar with the stories about her.

"Hey, runt!" comes a woman's voice. "Caught me at a good time. Coral's burning the eggs again and she could use a few pointers from her big brother." Yang can practically feel her wink.

"It's nice to see you too, Sable. You're the eldest in the house now, don't you know how to cook it?"

There's a snort on the other end of the line. "Please. Wouldn't know my way around the kitchen unless I crashed a car into it. And even then I'd only familiarize myself with the quickest exit."

Jaune groans. "You can't keep getting take-out and engorging everything your pit crew gets you. One of these days you're gonna regret never learning from mom. At least Coral's trying."

"Well, Coral doesn't have a job."

"Hey, I totally have a job!" a muffled voice shouts.

"And besides, the track keeps me busy."

Yang mumbles into Jaune's chest. "That sounds like an excuse to me…"

Jaune laughs.

"Jaune… who was that?"

"She's the reason why I called you in the first place." He's already propping his scroll up against a bundle of uneven loaf.

"Ooh! Do we finally get to meet this elusive girlfriend of yours?"

Yang sucks in a breath. It feels like she's stepped into a different space altogether and she's nervous now for very different reasons.

"Girls, this is Yang."

"Hi there." Yang hopes she doesn't sound awkward.

On the screen is a set of huddled blondes all crashing to get a view through the screen. In the middle is the cheeky one she guesses is Sable. Unlike her sisters, her hair is red fading into blonde tied in a braid over her shoulder. "Hey yourself. I'm Sable. I heard you're good with bikes. We should talk. Grease monkey to grease monkey."

Another blonde in a bob cut and glasses pushes into her cheek. "God… hi. You're so pretty. Are you sure you're a huntress? Jaune, please don't let this be a prank." She seems all over the place.

"That's Coral," Jaune supplies. "Don't mind her. She'll make proper sentences when she starts calming down."

A dark-skinned girl with dirty blonde hair is pushed into view. Yang remembers Jaune mentioning having an adopted sister with dirty blonde hair. The dark hues accent her and it's all the more stunning when some of the white strands she has makes it clear that all that hair natural. "Ahem, I'm Dahlia," she says with the tiniest smile. She looks fourteen but she doesn't sound it.

She tilts her head to the side revealing another fourteen-year-old hiding behind her. "And this is Liona."

"Uhm!" Liona nearly screams, "H-hi!"

"Is she alright?" Yang asks.

Sable waves it off. "Oh, it's nothing really. She's just -"

"See?!" Liona points at the screen, looking at the other girls. "It's another blonde! The curse is real!" And she's gone.

Dahlia sighs and gets up. "I'll go after her. It was nice meeting you, Yang."

"She's polite."

Sable shrugs. "Grew up in a strict house. We're still trying to shake it out of her but enough about that, why don't you tell us how you got all that hair to behave? Mine spazzes out if I don't tie it down and there's only so many ways to tie long hair before I have to cut it down."

Yang starts going on about products she uses and Jaune slowly starts slipping away. There's an excitement brimming off her cheeks, a confidence to bury any embarrassment she might have had. It's like she's not even here anymore. She's in Clove with his sisters.

He feels a tightness on his wrist. Yang gives him a dangerous look. "Oh, no way, buster. You're staying here so I don't collapse in on myself." She tugs him in and wraps an arm around his.

They're shocked when another voice comes in. "We'll aren't you two cute," says Helia, Jaune's mom as she peeks over Sable's shoulder.

The afternoon is a blur of conversation. Bikes and Cars are both similar and different enough that Yang and Sable get along quick with always something interesting to add.

Coral has a distinct fascination with Yang's hair and has non-stop questions. It's got loose strands and is the furthest thing from perfectly straight but Yang makes it work somehow and Coral has an intense need to know how. Jaune just calls it Xiao Long magic.

Liona and Dahlia, despite being respectively excitable and largely subdued, ask Jaune and Yang both about being huntsmen. Yang catches the way Dahlia's eyes go a little wide at the excitement and terror of their stories, and Jaune never fails to point out every time Liona chews her lip like she can't decide if being a huntress is for her. He lets her sort it out until she's ready to talk about it.

The only sister Yang hasn't met yet is Cori, the second eldest, and that's cause she's in Atlas. Jaune notes that she's keeping an eye on Weiss and Neptune for them. They stop the conversation when Sable tells her that they're really allowed to talk about it.

Helia – she still insists on Aunt Hess but Yang's still getting the hang of it – reminds them that they promised to have dinner with her and her husband.

And when it's all over and they wave their goodbyes, Yang's eyes are as bright as she remembers. "I wanna meet them," she says when they're on the couch.

"This summer then. I was planning on coming home. Sable might have to run a summer circuit for her sponsors but she'll still catch us. And Cori will be there for a week. We can even get Saph to come join us."

"Yes. That. Please?"

He pulls his scroll off the coffee table. "Alright, alright. Calm down. It's happening. Let me just drop Cori a line so we can figure out when it's best."

She hugs him. "Thank you," she whispers.

"For what? I only called up my sister."

"For this. Them. All of it. I really needed to get out of my own headspace."

"Back to Remnant?"

"Not quite. It still hurts. Just a little. I can't shake the feeling."

He gently pushes her away, grabs her waist, and thumbs her cheek. "Maybe a classic distraction will suffice."

She giggles. Her cheeks are warming up. "I missed this. Just you and me."

They press their lips together. She pulls him down with her against the armrest of the couch.

While he's holding her steady by the waist, her own hands can't seem to settle anywhere. One minute she's clutching the back of his head grabbing a fistful of hair, the next she's tugging on his shirt and stretching the fabric. Now she's on his neck, pulling him in.

He loves the way she tastes. Practically devours her lips until he coaxes her into his biting his.

He gasps and that hungry look in her eyes tells him that wants him to sing for her. His eyes are dangerous in response, pulling away only to bury his face in her neck. She shuts her eyes and expects him to bite, to mark her like they do every time, but he's suckling and her skin feels like it's getting more sensitive.

"Ah…!" She bites her lip. She wants him to keep going but she also wants him to do more. Her fingers curl into the back of his neck. Arching her back to the sensations bursting from his ministrations, she hisses before whispering, "bite me."

She can feel the way hot breath pouring out of his nostrils as she says that. You're a dangerous woman, he'd all but said. And with the look he gives her in the periphery, she can't help but feel him saying it with his eyes. He bites down and her back arcs again. Its soft and he's suckling at the same time. She wonders how that would feel on other parts of her body.

When she's curling into him, she gasps as her limbs act without her consent. Her arms wrap around his shoulders and her legs bend and clasp around his waist. She's already off the sofa and hanging off of him entirely.

"Yang…" he breathes. They pull back enough for her to see the manic look in his eyes. There's nothing coy about it. It's just hunger. Need. And after everything they've been through, she knows she wants it too.

He's looking down at her as he settles his breathing and lays her back on the couch. She doesn't let go, only now his weight is on her. As meek as she looks, he has to tell himself that she can take it, but the innuendo sparks dangerous images in his mind. It doesn't help that she's a hot, sweating mess.

She feels him pull a tent in his pants. It's nothing new. She'd even teased him about it now, but it's not out of place here.

Daring herself to look at it, she spies it in the space between their legs. It feels taboo to even bear witness, but in her half-hearted attempt to look away, she instead finds the tear in his shirt just at the collar. She doesn't know if she caused it, somewhere in all the tugging and moaning, it must have happened. In the afternoon sun, it's a clear sight line from his chest to his stomach. Sweat trails down there too and it drives her wild to follow it down.

His hand settles experimentally on her belly.

She looks up at him. His askance stare and bated breath do not need words. She nods.

It trails carefully downwards, delicate even at the shallow scratch of his nails. It feels like he's uncoiling tension bundled in her abs, and every line is a full, happy sigh sung from her lips.

He can't stop staring at his hand as it seems to go on forever over the valley of her stomach. A hand is on his cheek. He meets her eyes and she seems to dare him not to look away from her. Her other hand wraps around his wrist and guides it till snags at the hem of her shorts.

His breathing betrays him. It's practically telegraphing the tremors dancing in his chest. He doesn't want to scare her. The way she jumped back the first time they got this close still sends the wrong kind of shiver down his arm like he might burn her if he tried.

But she isn't afraid. Her eyes are half lidded, her breath staccatos but its even. Her hand tugs at his wrist again.

He undoes the button.

She gasps.

His finger traces the zipper.

She bites her lip.

A hint of panic settles in cause he needs to see what he's doing but he can't look away from her. She has no trouble staring at him herself. It's like she's in a trance and all she's interested in watching is him. So he swallows his fears and kisses her again. Her lips are welcoming but her tongue is a tidal wave that swallows him whole.

It emboldens him. Lets his fingers push passed the zipper and straight over the thin bit of cloth behind it. The fabric is like his own. Nothing special. Plain and normal, and makes him laugh against her lips and she laughs with him.

Her hand pulls his wrist over her crotch. His fingers graze the unshaven hairs down there. Then she lets go of his hand and trusts that he'll figure out the rest.

He does.

His hand is so much larger than her own. That's what she first thinks when his digits span over her southern hairs and inch its way down. He has to pull his chest away from hers to get an angle that doesn't twist his wrist, but she doesn't stop moaning into his mouth.

A heated line draws sidewards from his hands, like her legs are tugging closed along the path his hand into her mound. She welcomes it. There's no alarm bells in her head. She wants to bring him there and trap him

She's okay with this.

And when his fingers smooth over her entrance and finds exactly where to make first contact, her heart's already ramming into the walls of her chest. She wants it. A bite of his lip. Bodies press firmly together. She's already trapped him down there.

She wants it. She wants it. She wants it!

Yang pulls away. He's shocked out of her nethers. His fingers are still wet.

"Yang… I'm – I'm sorry, I –"

She closes into him and shoves his damp hand into his mouth. "How do I taste?" she asks, voice hot on his neck. Inside, she's screaming because it would have been sexier to taste it herself. Then again, she isn't sure she wants that.

"Like you," he breathes against the back of her neck.

She laughs. "What's a girl supposed to take away from that?"

"Because like everything else about you, it makes me want more."

The hammering in her chest has evened out. "I want this. You. All of it."

"Then what happened?"

"Nothing. I'm not scared. I don't even know why I was in the first place anymore."

"Is that what happened? Did it bother you? Not knowing why?"

She doesn't need to answer. Instead she pulls away, kisses his lips, and tells him, "The Aries."

"My car?"

"Yes. Could you go and get the installment cleared and… maybe grab us dinner? Please?" She doesn't want to have to say that she needs a bit more time to figure this out, but he's already kissed her and is at the door.

"Later?" he asks.

She nods, a giddiness worming its way into her cheeks. "Later. I'll be ready when you come home."

He loves that look on her. He'd kiss her again if he didn't have to go.

-0-

Blake gets a call from Yang. She has to pull away from Ren and Nora on the beanbag. She's barely dressed as it is (Nora's slovenly habits are starting to rub off on her) and she isn't sure she's ready to answer any questions Yang might have about what's going on between them.

"Yang?"

"Blake! Uh… did you just get out of bed?"

She glances at her roommates. Nora's waggling her brows and Ren has that tiny smile of his that is somehow far more embarrassing. "Something like that. What about you? Do I even need to ask about the fresh hickey?"

Yang is silent for a moment. "I almost had sex with Jaune."

Her eyes widen hysterically. "Almost? What happened?"

"I needed to sort some things out." Her eyes narrow. "Look, we're gonna meet again in an hour or two, but before then, I need to bounce the last few months with my best friend."

Blakes gives her a good-natured sigh. "Fine," she says with a smile she can't stop, "give me the whole story."

"It all started on the day I was born."

"Yang!"

"I'm… I'm only half joking."

-0-

It's sundown when he gets home. He half expects scented candles, ambient music, thick makeup, and lingerie. But there's none of that. She isn't even in the living room.

"Yang?" he calls out.

His scroll pings.

"Take a shower in the guest room and come meet me in your room, please?" It reads. He takes off his jacket and pulls off his shirt when his scroll pings again. "If you love me, you'll come in only towel. So please love me."

He sprints into the shower.

Minutes later he's mostly dry and standing in his own living room, staring at his bedroom door like it'll fall on him if he even dares to come in to see his probably barely dressed girlfriend.

He knocks.

A moment of silence, but it is quiet enough to hear her take a healthy breath before she gives him a nervous "I'm ready!"

He expects a mountain of nerves. Maybe even another try at the lingerie with a bit of snide confidence beneath a toothy grin. But when he opens the door, he finds a gentle smile sitting up in an igloo of blankets. There's no put-upon anything here. She's not trying to be enticing, or trying to get a rise out of him,

He can only call that look honest.

"Are you cold?" he asks.

The question shocks her into laughter. Cause he's fresh out of the shower and she's been cozy in these sheets for the better part of an hour now. "No, no, I'm plenty warm."

"Could be warmer," he says. He doesn't intend to flirt but it's already out of his mouth and she's matching the nervous, embarrassed smile on his cheeks.

"Maybe. Why don't you come here and find out?"

With the towel wrapped firmly around his waist, he locks the door behind him and crawls onto the bed. He doesn't get any closer though.

Now that he's up close, he can see the silhouette of her bare legs just between the sheets. One of her hands comes out to pull both sides of the sheet together while the other comes to reach for him.

He takes her hand, bare knees touching.

"Hey," he says. And it's goofy, and so like him that it blossoms something in her chest.

"Hey, yourself." She calms her own nerves again and he loves the way the shape of her straightens like she's conquered something again.

He's staring and he knows it but the moonlight is sinking in through the gaps in the blinds and he swears her hair can put gold to shame.

"I've figured out why I was so afraid before," she says.

"Of getting intimate?"

"Yeah…" Her hands are sweating. Her gaze is locked to their hands. "I've already shown you so much of me. I've carved out my deepest fears and fed them to you like I was trying to stuff you full. Cause I didn't like having them in me. Like mom, and us, and Vytal, and now my team… When I'm with you, I already feel exposed. And I'm okay with that. I'm okay with showing you all these sides of me but…"

She looks up at him, and their eyes meet. "I still have secrets." She says it like an apology. "But I'm not about to share my every thought but I find myself speaking my mind around you all the time anyway. I've been open but it's like I can't hide anything from you." She inches closer and her hand on the blankets tightens. "And this? Us? It's like I'm showing you all that's left. I'm no prude. I don't mind showing you a little skin."

He laughs. She doesn't wear much to bed. Not that he does either. "You never really seemed concerned about it, yeah."

"Yeah, but… doing this means I'm giving you something I can't take back or keep for myself. What I'll say or do when we do it will be new secrets and they'll be yours and… I was afraid of that."

Was, she said. He focuses on that.

His fingers run over her knuckles. She fixates on the way his hands are trying to hold her without getting any closer.

"What changed?" he asks.

"You… you showed me that you were just as scared." She remembers the way he was breathing only hours ago, staring down at her like he was scared of hurting her if he kept giving in to what she was offering. "It was like a hundred little things. Adrian, Terra, wanting to ruin your hair like an idiot for me…"

He scratches the back of his head. "I thought I was keeping a brave face on that one."

"Please. I love you but there's no way you were going to be comfortable looking an idiot again no matter how much you say it wasn't going to bother you." She sighs. "It's funny how that made me love you more."

Her smile falls away. "When I was younger, I was used to affection. It was like I had a mom and two dads. They'd dote on me and sing my praises like I could be nothing but spectacular. I couldn't go a day without being smothered by someone's love… Then… Then I lose Summer and dad shuts down. Qrow would try to be there for us and did everything he could while he was around but he always had to go to work. And I kept thinking if I was feeling like this, how did Ruby feel? How much did she feel that she was missing out on? So, I smother her with enough love to make up for everyone else, but every time I did, I was reminded of how much I missing for myself."

"And then we happened and it's not all the making out, or the cuddling, or the hickeys. I was afraid I'd have to give up this apartment cause I was overstaying my welcome, but then you smile at me and… Jaune, do you remember what you said to me that day?"

He's been flush this entire time. "I, uh, no, I don't."

"You told me it was already decided. Like I belonged here and that I never needed to work for it even if I tried my hardest to prove that I did. I didn't need to earn a place here. We were friends and you thought that was already enough."

He squeezes her hand. "It goes both ways, y'know?"

She squeezes back. "Tell me."

"I hated this apartment. When I first got it I thought I'd just bought myself a hole I could hide in while I drown myself." He eyes the walls, and even in the dark he knows where he'd had to plaster over cracks he'd punched into. "And it wasn't like I had anywhere else to go so I couldn't leave. I thought I'd maybe show up at the clubs and find someone else to warm my sheets, but even when I got propositioned, I couldn't dare to drag anyone else into what I'd put myself through."

"Then you showed up and I forgot what those nights even really felt like. It was just you, tearing every sordid, manic page out of my book and putting yourself there instead. It isn't just Terra you replaced it was… everything else. No more cold nights, broken sinks, or empty bottles. Even when things are quiet in the morning, it was nice to remember someone else was there that I had to wake up. It was nice knowing I had to cook for two. It was nice knowing that whenever I had to go out and do something tiring, or frustrating, or stupid… there was always someone waiting for me at home."

He lets go of her and makes for the vanity. A drawer is tugged open. Yang recognizes it as the one Jaune uses to hide the previous tenant's wedding ring box, but that isn't he pulls out of it. It's his flask. He sets there in full view of her. "I haven't needed it in months."

There's warmth against her skin. Even back then he said that she couldn't fill the gap of every torment but there it is. Definitive proof that she has. And it isn't just that she's done it, or even that she's done it for months, but also that she hasn't noticed. That the part of him with doubts has quietly slipped away.

And it's the same for her.

When he's back on the bed, she slinks her hands away into the blanket, clutching its two halves.

She's surprised at how easy it is to pull them apart and show him all of her. That doesn't mean it gets any easier with the way he stares at her. Yang has to resist covering up again.

His eyes trace the length of her arms down to her toned, steady legs. Back up to her abs and the swell of her breasts, to the soft coiling of her shoulder blades into her neck. This woman is built like a brick house and he loves every inch of her.

She'd already been staring at most of him before the towel on his waist slips away. The broad stroke of his arms, the wound tightness of his chest, his abs are pulled taut but his navel looks soft and boyish between the strong ridges. His legs are thin but muscled. She never knew she could appreciate the curve of a calf before but his legs help make him tall and it looks like she can dine on its width.

He crawls towards her and she welcomes his look of uncertainty as if it was her own. She falls back onto the sheets, prepared for him. One hand on her belly, the other pressed firmly over her beating chest. He doesn't move in to kiss her. He's stopped and staring somewhere on her breast. She almost cracks a joke about it but his hand comes up suddenly and runs along her skin.

"What happened here?" he asks.

There's the shadow of a scar beneath her left breast. She's surprised he can even see it in the low light. "Accident. I crashed my bike one night when driving home back to Beacon. It was… it wasn't a very good night. Assholes just drove on by and didn't bother checking in. Everyone sees an armed huntress and they think I can everything handle my own. Never mind that I was bleeding and calling out for help."

His eyes narrow. "People in this city suck."

"C'mon, they're not all bad. That boatman's pretty nice."

"Tackle."

"What?"

He snorts. "Yang, that's his name. Tackle. You're telling me we spent two weekends with him and you don't even know his name? You remember the old guy who sells dust? You meet him every month. His name's Shop and he's Tackle's brother."

She's laughing. Mostly from embarrassment. Mostly. "And how do you know this?"

"I talked to him?"

She shakes her head. "Y'know what, nevermind. I'm lying back here naked and you've got me thinking about old men and their equally old brothers."

"But hey, not so nervous anymore, right?"

He's right. It's so much easier to just talk to him. "Yeah. Much better tha-a-anks~! Jaune!"

His head's below her breast, kissing along her scar. He's doing it so softly that it tickles. "J-Jaune! Ha ha! What are you doing?"

"Kissing it better," he says matter-of-factly.

"Quit it! Ha ha! It tickles!"

He pulls his lips off her and leans over her, resting his forehead to hers. "No more bad memories. I'll rip out everything from before and give you something new everyday."

She nudges her nose to his. "Everyday?" she asks softly.

He shrugs but he means it. "I'm exaggerating but I'll try."

She runs a hand down his cheek. "Why do you always gotta do that?"

"Do what?"

"Just… be real with me? Some guys just stop at the sweeping romantic gesture."

"I think I'm incapable of being anything else with you at this point."

"Scary," she teases. "Jaune Arc, ever exposed. How will I ever contain myself?"

"Shut up."

She shakes her head meaningfully, something beautiful dancing behind her eyes. He tells himself it's love. "I can't. Words are all I have when I can't do anything with my hands."

He kisses her knuckle, its strength softening at his touch. "And why don't you?"

He's flush against her. Her knees curl around his waist. "Because I won't be able stop myself if you let me."

"Don't stop," he whispers. "Show me everything."

Her hand braces against the back of his neck.

He sucks on her lower lip. Then he does the same to the other.

She moans and it's raw and animalistic, but it's a symphony in his ear.

-0-

Yang plops onto the sofa next to him. "If this takes any longer, I'm going to tear my hair out."

Jaune takes a sip of his apple juice and eyes her passed the glass. She's been stressing out all afternoon. "I don't think you've failed enough tests to warrant a failing grade. Didn't you pass the exams?"

"I'm not worried about failing." A pause. She doesn't look at him when she admits, "I need to get a B."

His brow creases. "You only need to not fail to be a huntress."

"Yeah, but they don't let you be a teacher or a coach without at least B."

"You wanna be a teacher?"

She scratches her head. "No? Yes. Maybe. Look, I wanna have my options open."

He sits closer. She can feel his warmth on her hip. "Is this cause of what Qrow said yesterday?"

"Mom, actually. We were talking about how she wishes she was home and worrying about cracking an egg right instead of trying to crack open a conspiracy."

She doesn't need to tell him more. "Yang, our kids will still love you if you're not home all the time."

"But I'd like to be home all the time. I hate the idea of being gone for months and… ugh, look at me. Losing my mind on imaginary children."

"You're thinking ahead. It's what a leader does. I like to think it's what a Xiao Long does too."

Yang rubs her arm. "Yeah… leader." With both Weiss and Ruby officially off the campus roster, Yang had been voted as the new leader. It's strange having to trade teammates with JNPR every once in a while to get teams of three, but they're always all together now anyway. Still, the title hangs over her head and she's trying her best.

"You'll get used to it. Leadership isn't a hard class and you'll only officially start taking it next year."

"But sitting in it makes me think a lot. I didn't think a class with no grades could be so stressful… I mean, maintaining team psychology? I didn't think Ruby had to consider our wellbeing all the time, and now that I do, I feel like we all take our leaders for granted."

He puts a hand on her shoulder. "See, this is why we don't talk about Leadership outside of class. You gotta detox. What would you like?"

She tosses her scroll onto the coffee table. "These grades. I get this out of my system, and I can start worrying about everything else."

He claps his hands and gets up. "Okay, bubble bath, massage oil, scented candles, and cake it is."

She gives him a wiry smile. "Thank you…"

"What kind of cake?" he asks when he's sifting through the cupboards in the kitchen. "I can whip up the chiffon and icing real quick if that's what you're after."

She picks her scroll back up and thumbs through her messages. She goes through a backlog from Ruby. She met up with Weiss a few days back and the photo of them together (and Oscar getting along with Whitley in back) always manages to curl a smile into her. Among the images sent, she finds another with Weiss alone in her room. Neptune's not allowed to get close just yet but she's wearing the aquamarine necklace her got her for the proposal.

"I'm thinking Red Velvet," she calls out to him. "Maybe you can experiment again? I'd love to help you try."

"Nah, not this time. I couldn't get the red velvet to mix right even with Ren's help. I'll need to pick a lesson with mom when we get to Clove so I can get it down."

She gets an image from Blake. She's having afternoon tea with her parents. Ren and Nora are with her. Ren seems right at home with Kali, and Nora seems to have gotten Ghira to laugh. Somewhere in the background, Sun's teasing Ilia about someone on her scroll. She's turned a shade of pink, which does nothing to hide her blush. Looks like Sun managed to find her a girlfriend after all.

"We can do a different cake then," she tells Jaune.

"It's okay, I'll just order again." He already has his scroll up. "But we're getting three little boxes. I'm not letting you engorge the whole thing again."

She snorts. "You can't stop me from snacking."

He pinches the bridge of his nose. "Yang, one of these days I'm gonna have to buy a padlock for the fridge."

"Like a padlock would stop me."

His hand slaps the counter. "Okay, no bubble bath, and no massage then."

"Fine. Little cakes. But you know I can just order more, right? It's a joint account after all." It was her mother's idea to help them balance finances between them. It managed to get Helia Arc to talk to Raven. They get along. Yang doesn't know what do with that.

"Please don't do anything crazy with the account. It's the last installment for the car."

"Which I'm helping you pay for. I deserve a treat."

Jaune stops what he's doing and just stares at her. She's not normally this difficult. Or difficult at all, for that matter. "Yang, are you messing with me?"

She peeks back gives him a sheepish grin from behind the couch. "Yes? C'mon, you know I love you. You like eating them with me anyway. You need to get your head out of the rain too." Because their new tub is big enough for two, the massage is always the kind with a happy ending, and she's pretty sure the scented candles are just a silent joke between them at this point.

He comes around to sit next to her again. "I'm not the one worrying about her grades."

"And I'm not the one stressing about his car," she counters. "Don't think I haven't noticed."

Leaning back into the cushions, he loses any desire to argue. "I took good care of it…"

"I know you did, so it's not your fault. Just you wait. The mechanic will be back with a message for you any minute now to tell you it was a nothing issue and they can fix it in an afternoon."

She's on her inbox with Jaune now. They hardly send messages anymore since they're together all the time so instead they send each other the pictures they take so they always both have copies. They had a mission at the ruins of Glenn, a dinner date by the docks, drew on Ren's face while he slept, spent an afternoon hanging photos off strings on the ceiling, visited Cardin in the hospital (he's got a cool scar along his arm and neck now), took a hike in the woods, and there's a dozen more photos of them cozying up in the apartment. These have just been in the last month, too. With summer coming, they'll have enough photos to hide entire ceiling at the dorm.

Jaune leans over. "Why am I Hummingbird in your contacts? I thought I was Vomit Boy."

She snickers. "Well, you know how Blake's books have all those fancy words for sex? Like the word vagina is somehow too crass for 'erotica'."

He squints. "I already don't like where this is going."

"So we got to talking and she mentions how, in her latest book, the vagina substitute is flower, and what comes out is nectar."

Jaune buries his head in his hands. "Oh my god, Yang…"

"And with the amount of time you spend down there…"

"Yang!"

"Did you know that hummingbirds can consume up to eight times their weight in nectar? Those are rookie numbers. They should probably take notes from you."

He grabs her face and presses his forehead to hers, manic eyes meeting hers. "I love you, but if you have an off switch, you have to tell me."

She looks down and up at him again. She points to her lips. "They're right here, lover boy."

He pulls back and looks between her lips and the coy look in her eyes. "I… no." He huffs and crosses his arms. "Not doing it."

This throws her for a loop. "What? Why?"

He glances back at her. She wants it just as much. Now he's the one being coy. "Cause this is funny."

"Fine. Why don't I send Blake a few of these little facts. She's started writing and I'm sure she could use some our juicy details."

"Yang, no."

She's already typing down on her scroll. Jaune crashes into her and they fall back onto the arm rest. For a moment they struggle as Jaune tries to reach for her scroll until Yang decides to slip the device into the back of her sweater. If he goes for it, he'll reach have to reach in closer and their faces are already close enough as it is.

"And it's gone!" she cheers. "I mean, feel free to try for it again but there's enemy territory down here."

He thumbs over her cheeks. "Fine. You win." He says with a chortle. "I swear, Yang, you're impossible."

"And yet you have me anyway."

Their lips press together warmly, making them meld together into a host of mewls and hushed laughter.

Their scrolls ping. They go completely ignored.

-END-

And that’s it! I hope you liked it! There’s a sequel coming down the pipeline but for now I have a major Dragonslayer story to work on elsewhere on my ff.net and ao3 accounts. Maybe I’ll post a link here to it when it comes out.

That said, thank you to everyone who gave this story their love. I would not have made it this far without your support. Thank you. :’)

#jaune x yang #yang x jaune #yang xiao long #Jaune Arc #rwby dragonslayer

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bush-viper-cutie · 4 years

Text

Love Me Roughly: What Do I Pack?

Pairing: Snape x fem!reader

Word Count: 2,071

Rating: M for Mature

Plot: Hours ago Severus Snape escaped his death and has decided to leave everything behind. He is desperate for a new life, and that starts with a new place to live.

Warnings: none

A/N: This is part 1 of 7 for the week 1 schedule for Snape Appreciation Month! Thank you @snapeloveposts for organizing this! :D

DISCLAIMER: I have edited (drawn over the original) the artwork (taken from a 80′s bodice ripper novel) for the purpose of this short series and will post more information about the original work here.

Posted: 6/1/20

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“Damn It,” Severus looked away from the clock to the old and cracked mirror hanging on his bedroom wall. He traced the newly healed scar lines on his neck with his wand, trying to make them as invisible as possible. “This will have to do,” he looked at the clock again.

He tore off his frock coat – most of the buttons had been torn off by the Dark Lord’s ruddy snake, and the rest were jammed with his dried coagulated blood – and tossed it on his bed. He did the same with his waistcoat and white shirt.

I’ll have to buy new ones, he shook his head. Luckily his trousers were blood-free. He rummaged through his drawer and took out his old muggle sweater and threw it on, sniffing it once and sighing. Oh well. He knelt on the floor and reached in his closet for his old trunk, throwing it open and looking inside.

“Old school books, old clothes, old, old, old – ” he tipped it over on his bed and emptied it. He looked up at the clock again, “Damn it! What do I take? I don’t have time.”

He pulled out his drawers and started pouring in all his clothes inside the trunk. Next he dragged the trunk to the bathroom and dumped his toothbrush, toothpaste, and razor in. He grabbed the handle and apparated into the living room, grabbing all his favorite or useful books and shoved them in. He pushed his trunk into the kitchen and opened every cabinet.

“Bread, peanut butter, pickles,” he closed the fridge satisfied with the food he was taking. He took out a roll of paper towels and unrolled it, laying jars and shakers of potions ingredients and rolling them up in it. Cauldron! He stuffed the lumpy roll in his medium cauldron and shoved it all in his trunk as well.

He looked at the time again, Good enough.

He ran upstairs for his scarf, a hat, and a muggle coat, looking around his bedroom one last time before holding out his wand, “Incendio.” A jet of orange light burst from his wand tip and fell onto his bloody clothes. They caught on fire instantly. Smoke started filling the room and Severus watched it for a few seconds before nodding and walking out his bedroom door, closing it shut.

He took his time down the stairs and wound his scarf around his neck, shoving his knitted hat in his coat pocket. He took a deep breath and grabbed the trunk, apparating out of his house, leaving it for good for the second and last time.

He opened his eyes and looked around at Diagon Alley’s empty cobble streets. All the shops were closed due to the war that had broken out – mainly centered around Hogwarts – but that had scared every witch and wizard into hiding. Good, no one will see me.

He started up the street and headed to the tallest building, Gringotts. He raced up the stairs, pulling his scarf up to cover mouth, and bowed at the goblin by the door. It was beyond him how they managed to keep it open all day and night, but he thanked Merlin for it.

He rushed to the nearest goblin and gave them his key. He followed the goblin to the mine cart and stuffed himself and his trunk inside, bracing himself for the quick drop. His vault was one of the ones nearer the surface, since it was his mother who had made his account and the goblins organized the systems from poorest to richest families; the rich family vaults being deeper and therefore safer underground.

“Here we are, Mr. Snape,” the goblin jumped out of the cart and accompanied him to the small vault door.

Severus carried his trunk to the vault and sighed as it opened. Well at least its not much to carry. He opened his trunk and started dropping all the little pouches in the trunk. At the bottom of the pile of pouches was an identical set of wizard clothes he kept for emergencies.

He placed it neatly in his trunk and wished he could go back in time to kiss his twenty-four year old self on the forehead for having the most absurd idea to buy a second identical teaching uniform. He always thought the same thing about his style, Don’t fix what’s not broken.

He climbed back in the cart and closed his eyes as the cart shot backwards up the track. He exited the bank and ran back down the street tapped the bricks to enter the leaky cauldron. He pulled out his knitted hat and tucked as much of his hair in as possible, moving his scarf up to cover his nose as well, afraid Tom would recognize him.

He stepped inside the Leaky cauldron and nodded once to Tom, who was too busy listening to the radio to focus any amount of attention to the mysterious stranger dressed in all black who had just run in and out of his store onto the London streets.

Severus made out a few words said over the radio, something about a task force to help rebuild the school over the summer to help Hogwarts open at the usual start of term. He walked a few feet down the dark London streets and hailed a taxi.

He opened the door and flung himself inside, “Airport”, and stuffed his hat back in his coat, patting his hair down. It only took twenty minutes to drive to, which was not enough time to decide where it was he was flying exactly.

The cab stopped and he hopped out, paying the driver, and headed inside. He walked up to a counter where he assumed tickets were sold and looked at a board of departures, scanning the cities for anything good.

“Need help?”

Severus looked at the woman and nodded, “I want to go somewhere with as little people as possible and as far away as possible.”

The woman looked at him and blinked, “Alright… I have some cities… Mind if I ask you some extra questions to better help you?”

Severus nodded and folded his arms.

“The cities with the least amount of passengers going there are in some colder climates. Is the cold a problem?”

“No.” Suppose it makes sense more people flock to warmer climates.

“Great, and would you prefer the population size of the city to be as small as ten people? Or – ”

“Higher,” I don’t need any nosy neighbors or town crazies knowing me by name.

“What about a hundred-thousand?”

“Yeah, that’s a good number.”

“We have a departure from here to Fairbanks, Alaska, Unites States in four hours – ”

“Perfect, how much?”

Severus paid and took his ticket, following the signs and the woman’s instructions on where to go and what to do next. He placed his trunk where it said to put it and followed a guard’s instructions. After several minutes he was able to go sit down at a chair to wait.

The first hour went by fast, but the next was incredibly boring. He looked around and smelled fresh coffee. His stomach growled and he rolled his trunk over to buy a cup. He ordered the most sweet and sugary coffee with extra cream and whipped topping, thinking I need this. I deserve this, and made his way back.

He sipped on his drink as he went and sighed happily, looking around to make sure no one was watching, and decided to glance around at some books by a small bookstore before heading back. He walked in and was careful not to bump things off the shelves with his trunk.

He looked at shelf after shelf of categorized books, scoffing at titles and their illustrated covers, until he got to the romance section. The ‘bestselling’ shelf looked cheesy and gaudy, he glanced down at the bottom floor shelves and blushed. The bottom shelf had titles such as ‘Lord of Scoundrels’, ‘The Darker Side of Love’, ‘Wild Ecstasy’, ‘Fires of Surrender’, and ‘Love Me Roughly’.

I almost died hours ago, can’t I have just ONE thing? He picked up the last book and slowly walked over to the counter. There was a man drumming his fingers on the glass and looked down at the book in Severus’ hand.

“Good book.”

Severus sighed, relieved he wasn’t the only one in the tiny bookstore interested this bodice ripper novel. He gave the man some muggle money and made it to his seat, coffee still in hand. He tucked the book in his coat and focused on the sugary liquid entering his mouth.

He was now entering his third hour, finally growing restless and needing to spread his legs. He got up and walked over to a shop selling winter things. The muggle woman did say it would be cold, he looked at the hats and scarves.

“How cold though…”

“Beg your pardon?” The man next to him, also looking at scarves, looked over.

“Nothing,” he grumbled and stepped away into the boot section.

He imagined he would need some snow boots, but were there any in black? He looked at the three colors listed and took out a box. There were two styles of boots, and peering inside, he wasn’t all that disappointed at the only black one.

He read the size and new it was too small. He leaned around the corner and saw the man from earlier was talking to the worker and turned back. He dug his wand out from inside his coat and whispered a spell to make them grow two sizes.

He tried them on, saw that they fit perfectly – giving him an extra two inches in height – and purchased them. He carried them over to the restroom and opened his trunk, trying to find something to shrink to make them fit inside. The books will have to do.

He shrunk them down until they fit in the palm of his hand and placed the boots inside. He closed it and left, heading towards a bagel stand, where he purchased two cream cheese stuffed bagels and a single strawberry cream one. He sat down and finally opened up the book as he took a bite of the stuffed bagels.

‘Robin flung her dress onto her dresser, unlatched her bra, and let breas – ’

Severus stopped reading and closed the book, looking around as if everyone at the airport could somehow read his thoughts. He sighed and finished a bagel. I faced the Dark Lord and his giant venomous snake and I can’t even read a bloody word? He growled and started on his next bagel.

‘The cold air made her naked body shiver. She reached out for a blanket to shield her young naked body from the chilly wind as it swept in from the open balcony doors and touched her warm naked body.’

“Close the fucking window,” he muttered.

“Hmm?”

Severus turned and nearly jumped out of his seat in complete and utter shock. To his horror, a young woman was sitting next to him. She glanced down at the book in his hand and he quickly shoved it back inside his coat, turning a bright shade of red. He swept his hair down to cover his face, hoping it would act as a curtain to hide his shame behind.

I’ve been a spy for almost half my life and I didn’t notice her sitting next to me?? If it had been Nagini it’d have bit me. AGAIN! He cleared his throat and crossed his legs, figuring it would look even worse if he got up and changed seats – though he desperately wanted to get as far away from her as possible. Can people smell fear?

The next hour passed quickly, and soon it was time to board the plane. He stood up and got in line, looking around to see what everyone else was doing for clues as to what he should do. He saw them handing their tickets and he prepared to do the same.

The closer he got to the doors the more nervous he became. I’ve never been on a plane… I can fly. Apparate even, if I need to… Should I stay? No, I burned my house down already… There was no going back. He handed his ticket and took it again, following the young woman into the plane.

~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~

Chapter List

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katehuntington · 4 years

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Title: In Bad Waters - part two Word count: ±1550 words Episode summary: Still in possession of the Winchesters’ belongings, Zoë meets up with the hunters on her next case. When it turns out to be a little more complicated than anticipated, she accepts their help in order to make an important deadline. Part two summary: Zoë wakes up from another horrific flashback and tries to put the pieces together. Episode warnings: Dark! NSFW, 18+ only! Descriptions of domestic violence/child abuse. Drug use/addiction. Angst, gore, violence, character death. Description of blood, injury and medical procedures/resuscitation. Swearing, alcoholism. Supernatural creatures/entities, mentions of demon possession. Descriptions of torture and murder, drowning. Illegal/criminal practices. Mentions of nightmares and flashbacks. Author’s note: Beta’d by @winchest09, @kittenofdoomage & @girl-with-a-fandom-fettish. Thanks, girls!

Supernatural: The Sullivan Series Masterlist

S1E02 “In Bad Waters” Masterlist

Paragould, Arkansas November 25th, 2005 - Present day

Gasping for air Zoë bolts upright in her bed. Breathing heavily, she stares at the wall in front of her, her eyes wide. It takes a moment before it settles in what just happened. Chill, take a breath, it was just another vision.

She swallows thickly, fighting the panic that got triggered. Closing her eyes, she inhales and lets the air slip from her lips, counting the seconds as she does so, waiting until her heart slows down. Exhausted she falls back on her pillow, worn out by the terrible night’s sleep. Fuck, that was worse than a bad trip. She feels like she just got out of a car crash; beat, sore, and confused. The restless dream has covered her skin in a thin layer of sweat and yet she feels stone cold.

A gaze at the clock on the cabinet informs her of the time, it’s 7:15 in the morning. She huffs, and she had hoped to sleep in. The familiar migraine pushes itself to the foreground and she squints; wonderful, just what she needed.

With her eyes still half closed, she does her best to ignore the golden morning light coming from the tall windows. After throwing her legs over the side of the king size bed, she walks over to the luxurious bathroom; time to freshen up and at least come across as respectable again.

Every time she wakes up from one of these damn things, she’s unprepared for the blinding pains and black spots, even though she has experienced them plenty of times before. She's not really sure why she's still surprised by the effects, the aftermath has been very consistent so far.

Without looking at the faucet - her eyes narrowed to shut out the beams coming from the ceiling lamp - the huntress turns it on, the hot water steaming up the large mirror. She takes off her shirt and shorts and quickly finds comfort under the warm shower. As soon as the droplets hit her skin, a feeling of relief and relaxation washes over her.

Now that she’s getting back to her old self again, the tiredness sets in. How long did she sleep, an hour or two, maybe? After an exhausting eight hour drive - including a quick shower stop to get rid of the smell she was still carrying with her after her previous case - she finally arrived in Paragould. She checked into the first four star hotel she could find, got out of her clothes, and crashed on the bed.

As the warm water cleanses her, Zoë starts to take out the details of the images that she just saw during her sleep. It was the same dream she had the night before, the setting identical. She concentrates and brings back the memories she has been playing over and over in her head.

“- that’s good news for the locals down there, let’s see if Brian can give us some positive news about the weather.” “Well Julia, that I can. Looks like it’s going to be another sunny day in Greene County tomorrow. Clear blue skies, a mild, refreshing breeze from the southwest and a temperature of, brace yourself, 83° average, which is rather warm for this time of the year. Even when we look further up this week, it seems like this mild weather just keeps on going. Great circumstances for September and fall isn’t coming to Arkansas any time soon.”

She could hear it so clear in her dream, the six o'clock weather forecast of the local TV station, somewhere September this year. After some research she found Greene County, in the far north east of the State of Arkansas. Over 38.000 people live in this county, with Paragould as its metropolitan area with a population of almost 25.000. Besides the fact that it seemed obvious to take a look in the largest city first, for some reason when that name appeared on her computer screen, she just knew this was where she needed to go.

Zoë turns off the shower and steps on the warm rug outside the cabin, after which she grabs a clean towel from the drying frame. For a second she glances at the stitched bullet wound next to her bellybutton, an injury which she suffered almost two days ago; it’s healing fine. With a second towel folded around her head and the other tightened around her chest, she walks out into the main room. It is a lot better than the previous motel; the colors are fresh and the room spacious. The furniture dissipates class, an abstract painting on the wall that could have been a Picasso only adding to that.

Now that the bad headache finally starts to fade, she can face the sunrise outside. Even though the temperature isn’t as high as it would be during July or August, the forecast hints for a lovely autumn day, even this late in the year. It’s just now that Zoë sees the cemetery in the distance. She chuckles; she sure picked her spot.

As she scans her environment, her thoughts wander off to Sam. She’s not exactly sure why she can’t stop thinking about him, but she has a hunch. Her dreams, his dreams, their dreams. Zoë was quite surprised when Sam mentioned he has been having nightmares, it got even weirder when she learned that he dreams about bad things happening to people, and it became scary when she realized his dreams actually come true. Familiar? Just a little, but not entirely, though. Sam apparently sees things that are about to happen, while she herself sees what already has. Zoë can’t help but wonder how it’s possible that two complete strangers have these visions, not to mention the chances of those two people meeting. Think about it; what if they are not the only ones? A sigh escapes from her lips; there was a time that she could barely picture seeing the past or the future to be possible. What a weird world they live in.

She turns around and gazes at her messy bed for a moment. It seems to invite her back in and she would gladly like to crawl under those warm covers again and sleep some more. Then again, what’s the use if she’s going to wake up an hour later with the exact same images in her head, feeling just as horrible as she did a moment ago? She needs to charge her battery, though, able to count the number of hours she slept last week on two hands. No human being can keep this up, and if she wants to make good time on this case, she needs to be awake.

Contemplating, Zoë glances at the suitcase, custom made to fit the saddle bag of her Harley. After pulling the towel from her head and drying her hair with it, she tosses it on the bed and walks over. The huntress picks up the case and lays it on the bed, taking out her neatly folded clothes until she sees the lining. She folds back the seam, exposing a small zipper. Staring at the hidden pocket, she bites her lip. The doctor she was meant to be says she’s out of her fucking mind, but let’s face facts here: she’s running out of fuel. Just one line, she tells herself, taking out the little zip bag, containing a pinkish powder. Just to kick start this day and get this job over with.

It’s not cocaine, nor is it meth; she’s not that suicidal. But a dose of amphetamine sulphate, otherwise known as speed, will give her the rush she needs and help her focus, despite the sleep deprivation.

Having done this numerous times already, Zoë takes the small mirror from the back of her suitcase and lays it down on the side table. She crushed the crystals at home already, powder taking up less space. Carefully, she tips what she estimates to be half a gram onto the reflecting surface, closing the bag before taking a scalpel blade and a short straw from the same secret compartment, tearing it out of the plastic. Skillfully, she chops the small particles and sweeps them into a line of about three inches with the blade. Holding one side of her nose closed and placing the straw up her other nostril, she positions the tiny tube at the end of the line and chases it, inhaling the drug swiftly. Zoë kicks back her head and takes a deep breath, feeling the chemicals prick between her eyes as her sinus cavity absorbs the amphetamines. She sniffles and wipes her nose, getting to her feet to clean up.

It will take a moment for the drugs to kick in, but when it does, she knows she will feel unstoppable and sleep will be the last thing on her mind. Deep down she’s walking a dangerous path, but isn’t that all she does? She’s a hunter for fuck’s sake; life doesn’t get more dangerous than that. Honestly, she stopped caring a long time ago. Death is inevitable, and with her lifestyle it’s going to be sooner than later. She might as well live on the edge and have some sweet nose candy along the way.

Thank you for reading. I appreciate every single one of you, but if you do want to give me some extra love, you are free to reblog my work or buy me coffee (Link in bio at the top of the page)

Read chapter three here

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lizzybeth1986 · 5 years

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Quick Thoughts on TRFTP Book 1 Chapter 16

• Remember how I dubbed the book The Royal Fast-Track Pregnancy last chapter? Well, yeah. That’s my title for this book from now on.

• If you don’t want to see these posts on your dash, here are the tags to block: #trh quick thoughts, #trh qts, #trh qt reblogs, #long post.

• We’re now in the MC’s third trimester, celebrating her baby shower. Her in-laws show up, she gets gifts, she barely notices that her corgis have had puppies (but why am I surprised, this is the same MC who didn’t care enough about her corgi in Book 2 to notice he was with Liam to help with his proposal). And a couple of nosy royals come to visit.

• Over here in India, we do this ceremony around the 7th month, and it’s called different names in different places but with similar traditions and setups. Up North it’s called godhbharai (which literally means “filling the lap” - since the mother’s lap features prominently here as a symbol of maternal care, therefore the gifts are placed on a cloth over her lap - symbolizing her fulfillment once she reaches motherhood and the blessings she takes with her), and mostly fruits and sweets are placed on her lap as a blessing for prosperity and luck. You have games…but the mother isn’t exactly expected to participate in them - she’s the guest of honour, she sits and enjoys!

• She definitely isn’t there to submit to such a thorough interrogation of her political choices either!!

• The rest of the world treats a baby shower like a time for the mother-to-be to relax and be pampered within an inch of her life. Cordonia treats it as an opportunity for her to beat non-pregnant people at their version of egg-and-spoon and pass personality tests.

• Screenshots:

Hana: The Universal Studio 77 YouTube channel

Maxwell: The rash rec YouTube channel

Drake: @thefirstcourtesan and The BizzysChoices YouTube channel

• Title: Great Expectations

Alternative Title: The State of My Bladder Is of Far More Importance Than Any of This Nonsense.

• Believe me, during your final months of pregnancy your bladder will be virtually non-existant (which is why you’re recommended kegel exercises early on). In medical terms they call this “urinary incontinence”, which is due to those muscles facing way more pressure than usual). At one point I recall joking about how we should add “The Bathroom” at the top of my home address, coz I was almost taking up permanent residence there 😐 I wouldn’t be worrying about politics and intrigue at a time like this, I’d be worrying about my kegels!

• Kiki doesn’t get a lot of opportunities to flex her diplomatic muscles in this story, but when she does, gosh does she deliver. Following her advice this time is what allows us to buy time for ourselves.

• Unfortunately that’s all the space PB will allow Kiara, we’re now back to our regular schedule of treating her like she doesn’t matter.

• Either Maxwell or Hana (in Maxwell’s playthrough) will lead us to the boutique to pick out an outfit.

• On a level of having more gold (therefore bling) than peach, that diamond option already wins. At least in the silhouette I can pretend the peach parts of this dress don’t exist. (I still wound up using the free peach outfit for my failplay of this chapter though)

• Me before meeting Hana: pls don’t make her wear that awful lbd again pls pls pls i beg

Me seeing Hana wear the silver one: …okay that’s not too bad. I’m just going to keep headcanoning this one as a gown though.

• Liam wears his official black tie outfit, Hana wears her silver dress, Maxwell wears his black suit and Drake his deep blue one.

• In everyone else’s playthrough besides Hana’s, she is the one in charge of this “planning committee”. Penelope is in charge of…throwing confetti, which annoys Olivia to end.

• Marguerite from THM steps forward with her good wishes, and asks us about the sex of the child - at which point the narrative lets us know that it’s tradition in Cordonia to not know until the delivery. Which makes sense, since we’ll probably be allowed to customize this in a different book? And in some countries (like mine, where it’s illegal to find out before delivery) there are really, really good reasons to not give anyone - especially the family - that information.

• We meet the rest of the royals: Eirik is as self-centered as he always was (either that or Khaan really desperately needs to make sure no one knows he’s that VR game developer from San Francisco who ran away from Eros), Lerato and Lesidi are cupcakes as always, and the Three Big Royals are shady as always.

• The good thing about the scene where Isabella tries to touch your belly is that it is established as out of line straightaway. You win or lose no points however you react, and while you’re expected to be diplomatic and impress them - the narrative is clear on how wrong Isabella is on doing this. And even if you don’t show a reaction, your LI most certainly will.

• PB is trying to convince me that Amalas has a better sense of boundaries, as if she didn’t stalk me in Texas and squeeze out every possible detail about my past life like an orange in a juicer. She only seems better because the Auvernese have all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

• Most of the LIs have lost a parent, but have a sibling (except for Hana, who is an only child with both parents living. Liam has lost both his parents, but has a stepmother in Regina so she fulfills that role here) - which means that in every case besides Hana’s, we see one parent and one sibling who has become a parent (optional, in Leo’s case).

- Liam: Regina and Leo (YOU EXIST! I WAS ALMOST CERTAIN PB FORGOT YOU WERE THERE). The two lightheartedly tease each other, which is phenomenal progress considering they were at each other’s throats in RoE! Leo comes to wish the MC in all playthroughs.

- Hana: Lorelai and Xinghai. Hana has sent them an invitation but wasn’t sure they’d make it, and depending on whether she is married or not their response varies. In the friendly playthrough, they respond positively but the focus is still very much on seeing the MC. In the romantic playthrough, however, Hana is allowed to show her nervousness and slight fear (how generous, PB!), reaches out to the MC for support, and the parents are tentative in their approach, with Xinghai even assuring Hana that they will cut short their stay if she wants them to. To which she confirms that she does indeed want them here. The two come to wish the MC in all playthroughs, as Leo does.

- Maxwell: Bartie Sr and Bertrand. Bartie Sr tops even King Eirik for self-centeredness (“make way for House Beaumont!”) and is…just plain weird in the way he greets the MC and his younger son (even Maxwell notices this, commenting that ol’ Bartie is “laying it on a little thick”). Bertrand is the more normal, sorted one, which is a sentence I thought I’d never say in this series. The team was pretty smart in how they scattered BertVannah between two LIs - Drake gets a visit from his sister, Maxwell gets a visit from his brother. Neither Bartie Sr nor Bertrand make an appearance in any other playthroughs which is just as well coz I saw PLENTY Bertrand for 7 whole chapters.

- Drake: Bianca and Savannah. Bianca asks the MC if Drake has been “pulling his weight around the house” while the MC has been “worrying about that baby” - nice to know she expects the same of her son as she did for her son-in-law (or perhaps a little less than what she expects of her son-in-law, considering Bertrand had to get back an entire saddle from the person she sold it to just so he could win her favour, after she allowed her sister to treat him like crap for his entire stay at her home). Savannah mercifully doesn’t get a lot of dialogue and merely compliments our glow. Savannah only appears in this playthrough, while her husband Bertrand only appears in Maxwell’s. Which is a good thing. I’ve had enough of that couple to last me a lifetime (sorry Bertrand). You see both Bianca and Savannah only in this playthrough, and I’m EXTREMELY relieved we don’t see Leona.

• It must be clear to anyone who has read all the playthroughs by now - only Leo, Lorelai and Xinghai make appearances across playthroughs, which could either be because they haven’t been shown at all in the books until now, or possibly because they may feature in Lythikos.

• Okay it’s egg and spoon time but with apples. This is Cordonia. It wouldn’t be anything but apples.

•

When you’re a new mom the last thing on your mind is grace and poise ok. Put really really simply and not in too much detail…your brain will feel more scrambled than scrambled eggs esp in the initial weeks, coz half the time you’re trying to make sense of your kid’s sleep schedule and the other half is your body just….feeling WEIRD (hormonal shifts, postpartum bleeding, and generally the overall effects of childbirth - whether it is vaginally or via C-section, both of which come with their own set of challenges). Your own sleep schedule is going to be all over the place and even after the kid starts sleeping all through the night, sometimes your brain has already been wired to wake you up at 2 AM or something. Your back is gonna hurt like a bitch. Your hair will become a hornet’s nest within the first two weeks coz what even is combing (okay, okay, that was probably just me 😅😅). And this is just when things go normally, okay.

You don’t need grace and poise to take care of a kid at this stage - you need stamina and a strong support system. Cordonia (I mean YOU, TRH team) you really need to talk to more pregnant people 🤦🏽‍♀

(on a more serious note…this is why I feel there needs to be more dialogue on parenthood. What it’s truly like and how it really feels, without the kind of fear that holds especially new parents back from admitting to their feelings about it. New parenthood with all its mess and stresses, its frustrations and confusions. No matter how prepared you are, no matter how much reading up you’ve done, there will always be something about that experience that will knock you sideways. I’ve learned that the less shame there is around admitting that parenthood can be messy, can be trial-and-error rather than perfectly executed every single time, can be imperfect, the better it is for everyone. And maybe this is a lesson that parents in some places have had the space to learn already - and that’s amazing - but there are a whole bunch of places where that’s not the case. And there is so much pressure to make it sound better, to convince people this is an easy happy journey even when it isn’t, or to believe that your well-being isn’t as important as that of your child, that many new parents don’t speak up…believing they’re the only ones who feel this way).

But I digress. I do know that “grace and poise” is expected of pregnant royals and even pregnant celebs. I do know that often they’re expected to step out looking picture perfect after having to battle lack of sleep and insane hormonal changes. They’re expected to have “fit bodies” just months after they’ve delivered. This happens in the real world. And the more we talk about it? The more we can help parents, esp new parents who might struggle more to articulate this experience.

• So…where was I? Oh right, grace and poise. In a race involving a spoon and an apple. A spoon and an apple. Excuse me while I facepalm🤦🏽‍♀

• My bladder would never survive this race in a real-life pregnancy situation, I just know it.

• Self-centered or not, at least Khaan-in-disguise points out the obvious: that everyone else has a physical edge over us. But Leo assures him that speed doesn’t help you in this game (does that make me the tortoise among a bunch of hares if I win? 🐰 🐰 🐢 🐰 🐰)

• Scarlett-Emerson-in-disguise is an angel coz she’s the only person apologizing for bumping into my bump.

• Now…if you bought the diamond scene where we drank wine with Isabella, you’d get intel about Bradfraud that could throw him off in the race:

Now…I really like this bit, okay. I like how thrown off he is that we know his secret. But I’m not entirely sure how wise of a decision it is to let him know so soon that we know, or whether it will bite us in the ass eventually. Could we have maybe waited for a better opportunity? Idk.

Anyway, so that definitely works. But IMO in a petty, inconsequential way that means little in the long run (or could be dangerous too idk). This is intel we could have saved for a better time.

• This is why it makes more sense for the MC to be told what Olivia (and possibly Liam) is investigating. Or at least for her to actually keep asking until one of them caves in and tells her. If she’d known about an Operation Swan maybe she wouldn’t openly goad him so easily (or maybe she would. It’s the MC after all).

• There’s a funny sequence in this where everyone falls on each other like ninepins. And another one where Olivia gets impatient and just throws her apple over to the finishing line, asking Kiara if she won and Kiki is like “non. You’re extremely disqualified.” Oh Kiki. Never change 😂

• ….exactly how large are these spoons. It’s an apple. That would cross over from spoon territory to ladle!

• Once the race is over, we’re back to our tables for lunch. The MC’s bump almost knocking a plate over sparks a conversation among the mothers in the table about their baby bumps, and then about labour. Lorelai in particular speaks about her delivery being “more…grueling than what I expected” but quickly assuring the now-nervous MC that once the child is placed in your arms it will all be worth it. That description could cover a whole range of experiences…from mildly stressful to extremely terrifying. I always hope it’s the former.

(I have another question though: so if Lorelai was so ecstatic over Hana’s birth, where and how during/after this euphoric period did Hana’s parents suddenly begin to feel “devastated” over not having a son then? Coz I distinctly recall Hana speaking about that in Book 1. Or is this another retcon?)

In any case…it’s nice to hear that at least for Hana’s sake.

• If you’re married to one of the guys, then it’s Hana who put together the tiny hors d'ouvres (“personally tested all the options for deliciousness and visual appeal!”). If you’re married to Hana, Madeleine is in charge of this part of the baby shower (“spent a week focus group taste-testing the sides for both aesthetic and delectability”). In any case, it’s all tiny food that’s too cute to eat.

•

…isn’t this the guy who constantly complained about tiny portions? Why wasn’t he just taking extra helpings then? (though he also still complains about food from another country looking like “abstract art”. First Hana’s meal in China, now this. No one cares for your uninformed, unwanted opinion on their cultural dishes, Drake. Good thing Maxwell shut that nonsense down immediately)

• Isabella and Bradshaw’s communications with us have always used strength, might, power as a central factor in their dealings with us. Amalas’ approach is no less insistent, but in a different direction. Culture, cuisine, these are the things that seem to stand out to me atm. If the Auvernese mindset reminds me somewhat of Lythikos and Olivia, the Monterisso one looks like it could bring to mind Castelserraillian, Kiara and her family, and Liam + Hana who are more inclined to explore art and culture.

• Everyone’s kid likes grapes, apparently.

• The dish Amalas presented for the guessing game is what they call a “Sweet Potato Surprise”, but you gotta admit the ‘mango’ option is the most entertaining 😆 (with the carrot option, she claims that she mentioned a root vegetable, which would be close enough)

• A pair of cute corgi puppies make their way to our table, and depending on whether you bought both adult corgis or not, the puppies are either theirs, or strays. Like…why are you paywalling the CHILDREN of two dogs if we actually bought the dogs. I could actually justify this level of greed if it were backed up by an equal amount of effort in the book overall, but it isn’t.

• Anyway, they only feature together, so you have to decide on two names that will fit in one space. It kind of reminds me of how they’ve drawn Merlin and Morgana - in one sprite. I’m guessing at some point there will be an option to allow Penelope to clothe them as well.

• Like most of the fandom has already said by now, Bastien and Mara can’t even be trusted with a pair of pups.

• If you don’t buy the pups, Penelope offers to have one of her friends “in the canine couture world” to adopt them.

• Here’s the parenting advice from all the in-laws!

Liam: Regina speaks of the importance of regulating sweet intake closer to bedtime which is true because a child on a sugar rush will transform into the Energizer Bunny and go on forever. Like, this is very much how a child on a sugar rush reacts to the notion of sleep:

Hana: This one seems to highlight Hana’s competitive nature, perfectionism and ambition, and I guess there could be a lesson there in that you need to give yourself time to grow into things you want to do, and that means allowing yourself the space to topple over or struggle once in a while, the space to make mistakes. But I doubt it because weren’t these the same people who deemed her a failure for things that were beyond her control??

Maxwell: Maxwell is sorta kinda called out in this one, both for being “peaceful looking” and for wrecking havoc with those House documents lol. I’m guessing Bartie Sr is here in our baby shower mostly to look suspicious. What exactly was in those House Documents, ol’ Bart?

Drake: Bianca gives us some age-old advice about sleeping while the baby sleeps, which is something my mother and aunt (who looked after me post-childbirth) swore by. They would insist I spent whatever time kiddo was sleeping to be when I got my shut-eye too, because if you don’t take that and pull an all-nighter feeding the child, it’s going to be near-impossible to function. But you really, really need to have lots of support around you during such times because that kind of schedule leaves you little to no time to do much else besides occasional eating, small routines and light exercise (thankfully the MC has staff and a strong support system who can help her). In this case Bianca quips that Savannah was the easy one, and Drake the really fussy one. Drake isn’t quite convinced (who are you kidding Drake you’re still fussy).

• You get two extra pieces of parenting advice from the rulers, pretty characteristic (at least in Auvernal’s case since we’re more familiar with their culture) of where they come from. Amalas’ is “know your baby’s moods, and you can spot a tantrum before it happens”. The Auvernese “pearls of wisdom” say “to show weakness is to admit defeat” - Jesus, these guys have lost already, then.

• Olivia now has plans for a dart playing game - where she plans to use her daggers instead. You can either refuse to join, or enthusiastically participate. The LI warns you to be careful in the second option.

• If you join in: Isabella and Amalas hit near-center, both claiming different things in the face of their defeat (Isabella claims Olivia’s dagger to be a “terribly balanced weapon”) and Amalas tries to throw Olivia off by claiming her “aim was off”. Both of them are clearly thrown off by the unfamiliar weapon. At this point Olivia counts on the MC to “show them what Cordonians are made of”. If you succeed, you get a glimpse of your LI going all John Mulaney on the foreign royals (“that’s my wife!”)

• If you don’t join in: the LI and the MC’s friends form a protective circle around her, and Olivia chooses to stick to the usual darts. Isabella and Amalas are both in their element, with tools they’re familiar with using on a dart board. Isabella’s is still just near the target, Olivia’s is even closer, and Amalas’ is the closest - almost knocking off Olivia’s dart.

• Either way, we’ve effectively pissed off Isabella who angrily asks for “best of two?” 🤭

• Time for presents!

• Uh oh. The rattle comes from Auvernal. And it’s the same rattle as the one on the book cover. Soooooo…what does that hint at? Will our hand be forced, somehow? And will we eventually have to make a secret pact with Monterisso to get out of it, since the narrative is really really trying to push Amalas as the better option? (maybe not, but it’s fun to theorize).

• I don’t trust Amalas but they clearly gave her the nicer gift (at least, a nicer explanation for her gift). It’s a blossom “from the oldest apple tree in Monterisso, a tree that Cordonia helped my people plant long ago”. She hints at a closeness that the countries shared way back and offers the gift as a way of asking if that could happen again. The story kind of reminds me of the Regatta one Liam told us in Book 1, where Cordonia helped its neighbours at sea with supplies, during a time when they were ravaged by storms.

• Eirik gives you a bust of his own head, Lerato and Lesidi give you glass bottles and Marguerite gives us money, which puzzles the LIs. (though culturally I’ve been accustomed to cash being given as gifts or even in blessing, esp by elders, and I know at least one or two other cultures where cash can be the norm for gifts too). Kiara confiscated Olivia’s gift which she argues would help with self-defence 🤭 which happens to be one of my favourite moments in this chapter, and reminds me of this post an artist made of the MC’s baby shower long back. Idk why everyone sleeps on Kiara’s sheer entertainment value coz that girl possesses it in droves.

•

From our in-laws, we get a gift for the nursery - a cot mobile to place above the baby’s crib. These things are incredibly useful in the initial few months of a baby’s life when their visual development, eye-hand coordination and control over head and neck muscles are just about beginning. (and it’s cute and fun. What’s not to like). Unfortunately…unlike the nursery itself and the crib, you don’t get a free option for the cot mobile. You get a royal and rustic option + plus a neutral one with stars that I liked, but you have to pay even for that lovely neutral one. I’m guessing that the first two things from our nursery were “essentials” and whatever else we get now will be considered additional perks, thus paywalling even the options that don’t fit into your “royal or rustic” theme.

Each of the in-laws refer to a local/Cordonian craftswoman who made cot mobiles for the LIs. Leo gleefully tells us that Liam’s had “sparkles for days”, Bianca teasingly acts secretive about Drake’s. Hana never even knew she had a mobile coz she hasn’t seen a lot of baby photos of herself (I’m not sure what it’s meant to be an indication of yet, but I’m taking note of it). The one that really puzzles me is Maxwell’s. The writers don’t bother telling us what Maxwell’s is and instead make the bizarre choice to tell us what Bertrand’s cot mobile was instead. Why…the hell…would a Maxwell stan be interested in THAT. The writers don’t even specify if it was a hand-me-down (why was a family that rich and titled giving their younger one hand-me-downs) - nope, somehow it was a better choice to let us know that Bertrand’s was “silver grapefruit spoons”.

They should have done this for Drake also then, no? Talk about Savannah’s mobile instead of his? But noooo, Drake is too important, right. So let’s have his mother act all coy about his but make sure the sequence still centered around him.

At this point the writers should just nip this entire series in the bud if they’re not going even to bother writing equally good romances for all the LIs. One decently-done romance route doesn’t a good romance book make.

• In the middle of all this, the LI calls the MC into the hedge maze, presenting her with their own gift - a deep blue baby blanket with gold embroidery. How very Cordonia of them xD

• It’s a cute free LI moment where they show you how much they appreciate you, even in the midst of all this chaos and pandering of nosy royals.

• Once we’re back, it’s time to see if we passed our little diplomacy exam with these guys. Depending on the points you have with them, they will either back down convinced that even a normal alliance would work with Cordonia, or they will pressurize you further.

• Interestingly enough in the failplay, Amalas’ responses seem to imply that she would have more open to the idea of simply an alliance with the rulers sans marriage, but you can’t tell yet whether this is the writers trying to indicate to us that she is the choice, or whether she just isn’t being as ham-fisted as the Auvernese are. They lack subtlety, she’s more persuasive, but is she still someone you can trust? Since we’ve only seen her like twice before this sequence, I can’t quite tell yet.

• Kdjhshshsjssj @ Liam confiscating Maxwell’s armory access pass.

• The sales of “that book about us that has Maxwell’s face on it” are fantastic, and the publishers want Maxwell to do a book tour, the first signing of which is in Lythikos.

• We’re in Lythikos…for a book tour. Not even because Olivia found some information there or whatever (though I’m sure that will come up at some point next chapter), we’re there for a book tour that could have been done ANYWHERE.

• Places we could be having this book signing:

- Ramsford: Yknow, the author’s birthplace which we haven’t bothered visiting since our first Beaumont Bash in Book 1.

- Castelserraillian: Yknow, like the seat of art and culture and literature in Cordonia?? If there is one place in all of Cordonia I could easily picture as a literary hub it would be this one.

- No Valtoria coz we’ve seen plenty of it.

- Applewood: Yknow, that place that has many farmers, lots of commoners, who doubtless would have read this story of a commoner woman who climbed the ranks into royalty and glory. Applewood even has a public library that Queen Eleanor and her son regularly supported and visited. I’m sure many of the commoners in Applewood would have found that story even a little inspiring.

- Hana’s mysterious Cordonian homeplace: Just because the team is whack and we deserved better. They could have really made an effort to show her other home somewhere, yknow, considering they did such an awful job of Shanghai the last time.

• At this point we’ve seen Lythikos more than we have seen any other estate in this story. Sure, we can all spout out all sorts of excuses for why - plot, intrigue, Olivia’s character development (work on your own female LI first, PB!), but it all comes back to the same point: that the team is more willing to rob Hana of her rightful space and place it on Olivia’s lap. Setting this in Lythikos is re about the fact that, now that Drake has had more than his fair share of space, it’s Olivia’s turn to fulfill the role of secondary character but be treated like a main (all while Hana is thrown in as their token female LI + default POC LI, but treated with far less respect from her writers than even a secondary character).

• Overall, this is meant to be a light chapter - which most Chapter 16s (except for Book 2) are. Chapter 16 tends to be sandwiched between intense sequences, and is often seen as the point where the group and the LIs and MC can have fun but relax from court intrigue as well. It was the Beaumont Bash in Book 1, Vegas in Book 3, now a baby shower in TRH Book 1.

• Hana meeting her parents again (especially on her own playthrough), was nice, I guess. A little extra time is spent during the cot mobile scene having her parents acknowledge how they’d failed her, and the narrative shows us glimpses of her nervousness and discomfort while having the parents state that if she would rather they leave, they will respect that. It’s a tiny bit more progress compared to all the times Lorelai was continually repeating her mistakes and thinking they could be fixed each time with a paltry apology. But it’s still not enough.

• For one, we have just 4 chapters left in a book where half the time we were pandering to Drake’s family for chapters on end. We’re 16 chapters too late in addressing this. I have zero faith that things will improve.

For another, Hana getting this type of validation from her parents isn’t something that should be restricted to the playthrough where she is married alone. In both cases she invited them along, so in both cases they should be showing an equal level of caring and tentetiveness.

For a third, the whole angle with her parents seems to have such a disconnect. It’s almost like the writers were trying to prove something but didn’t do enough work to make it all sound coherent. Like you have this somewhat-healing relationship, but even then you have these moments that just don’t seem to make sense within Hana’s narrative, like Lorelai giving you that generic answer about your feelings suddenly becoming positive the moment they place the baby in your arms (which, btw, doesn’t always happen), or Xinghai talking about Hana’s ambition but there’s hardly any indication of how they controlled the directions her ambition would take. Overall they all sound like nice sequences by themselves but very disconnected to Hana’s actual story.

Why Hana hasn’t seen many baby pictures is something I want to see more of. I’m hoping that the fact that we see Lorelai, Xinghai and Leo in all the playthroughs, means they may accompany us on the book tour and perhaps we will get Hana-centric flashbacks and Liam-centric ones too.

• With next week, we’ll have only three chapters left, the intrigue is still in its nascent stages, the pacing is grossly uneven, and most of the LIs still don’t have a clear-cut arc. Some may claim that, well, it’s a series so maybe everyone else will get their “arc” in the next book. Except that if that were the case, Drake’s playthrough shouldn’t have been having the kind of focus on family that it’s been having this entire book. Others may claim that, well, it’s okay coz the story is about the baby and the romance - but they didn’t exactly do any justice to either of those. So what was this whole book about then? Besides Walker worship?

• The holiday special for TRR…is this going to be in Lythikos? Again??? Isn’t it bad enough that I will be going into TRM foolishly hoping to see Castelserraillian to get fair rep but know I’ll be confronted with with the reality of duchies like Lythikos getting a lion’s share of the story??

• That’s it for this chapter, guys. Until Saturday!

#long post #trh quick thoughts #trh qts #the royal heir #king liam #hana lee #maxwell beaumont #trr kiara #olivia nevrakis #drake walker

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