#I've just been listening to hey riddle riddle and I'm almost caught up so I need a new one

[adiraargent]

He doesn't deserve you - Mattheo Riddle

Synopsis: Mattheo is your best friend and doesn't like your boyfriend Warnings: swearing, suggested toxic relationship

Requests are open :)

The Hogwarts corridors buzzed with students rushing to and fro, their chatter and laughter filling the air. Amidst the bustling crowd, you tried your best to navigate your way through the bustling crowd, feeling a weight on your shoulders that wasn't just from your bag full of textbooks.

"Hey, Y/N!" A voice called out, and Mattheo Riddle appeared at her side, a small smile on his face, one that he pretty much reserved for only her. The two of them had been best friends for years now, trusting each other more than anyone else

"Hey, Theo," you replied, trying to match his enthusiasm, though your smile faltered slightly. Thoughts of your boyfriend had been weighing on your mind for the last hour after one of the Slytherin girls had muttered a few words under her breath at the beginning of potions class.

You hadn't heard what she had said word for word, but you did manage to make out the part where she had said 'why is he even with her, he could do so much better?'

"What's wrong?" Mattheo asked, his voice holding a joking tone "Someone take a shit in your coffee this morning?" but his grin faltered a little as he caught the sad glimpse in her eyes, "hey? What's wrong?"

You hesitated, glancing around to ensure no one was listening before you spoke in a hushed tone, almost like you were embarrassed or ashamed. "It's just… I don't know if I belong where I am."

Mattheo's gaze softened, and he leaned in slightly, an intent yet confused look in his eyes. "What do you mean?" His earthy eyes flickered over her face, switching between her pretty eyes, her slightly chapped lips which he could tell she had been gnawing at (something she did when she was anxious) and her cute freckles.

"It's just… my boyfriend, you know," you began, your voice filled with uncertainty. "He's in the year above us and he's so smart and popular, and… sometimes I feel like I'm not good enough for him. Like he's too good for me, ya know what I mean?."

You forced yourself to look up at your best friend, curious as to what his reaction would be. You felt your cheeks flush red in embarrassment as you noticed the unreadable look on his face. Maybe I'm just over thinking? You opened your mouth to say something, hoping to put it behind you and escape an awkward situation but Mattheo cut you off.

"Too good for you? Don't be ridiculous. They don't deserve you." Mattheo's expression shifted, his eyes reflecting a mixture of empathy and disbelief.

You chuckled weakly, feeling lucky to have someone like Mattheo as your friend, but you know he was only saying it because he felt like he had to. "You're biased, Mattheo. You're my best friend."

"I'm not biased," he insisted, a hint of urgency in his voice. "I know you, love. You're kind, smart, and one of the most genuine people I've ever met. Anyone would be lucky to have you."

You met his gaze, feeling a mix of gratitude and doubt. "I wish I could believe that."

"You should," Mattheo replied firmly. "You're worth more than you give yourself credit for."

As they walked, you couldn't shake off the doubts that lingered in your mind, wondering if you truly belonged with someone like your boyfriend. He was a year older, had beautiful green eyes and nice brown hair too, plus he was one of the smartest Slytherins in his year.

Mattheo, on the other hand, couldn't fathom why she would ever doubt her worth. He hated that she didn't see what he saw.

Days passed, and you found yourself spending more time with Mattheo, seeking solace and comfort in his conversations. He was always there to lift your spirits and now that exams were coming up, the two of you could help each other out with study.

One afternoon, the two of you sat by the lake, the sunlight dancing on the water's surface as you sighed, feeling the weight of your insecurities pressing down on you. You played with the hair tie on your wrist, your head slightly sore from the ponytail that you had your hair in the whole day, happy that you could let your hair down now.

"y/n/n," Mattheo began, his tone gentle but firm, "you need to stop doubting yourself."

"I'm fine Theo," you sighed, letting out a soft sigh as you gazed out at the lake in front of you, your eyes lighting up slightly as you watched some fish jump out then back in, playing around.

"You're not," Mattheo insisted, he bumped your shoulder softly, making you look over at him, his eyes locking with yours. "Your boyfriend is a dick and you're sitting here wondering if you're good enough for him? He stands you up all the time, laughs at you and doesn't stick up for you when his friends say shit about you."

"Theo..."

"I know you wont listen to me cause you're stubborn as shit, but believe me when I tell you, you're better off without him," Mattheo sighs

The conversation lingered in the air, but before they could delve deeper, footsteps interrupted their moment. Your boyfriend approached you both, a smirk on his face as he greeted you.

"Hey, babe," he said casually, barely acknowledging Mattheo's presence.

"Hey," you replied softly, feeling a twinge of discomfort.

"Ready to go?" he asked, already turning to leave.

You glanced at Mattheo, who met your gaze with a subtle look of concern. You winced slightly as you subconsciously bit the inside of your cheek, going to stand up

Mattheo looked up at him, a blank look on his face, "Actually, mate we were kinda in the middle of talking about the potions assignment we're working on together."

Your boyfriend scoffed, "cant you talk about that shit later man? My mates and I were gonna go down and grab some food and shit from the kitchens and the elves always give us more when y/n is there since they like her."

"Well as I said, we're kind of busy," Mattheo snapped, his voice dangerously low.

Your boyfriend rolled his eyes and looked at you, "get up, lets go," he grumbled waiting for you to stand up, but you didn't move.

Her boyfriend raised an eyebrow, a hint of annoyance crossing his features. "Fine. Suit yourself."

As he walked away, you felt a mix of relief and uncertainty wash over you. She turned to Mattheo, a silent question in her eyes.

"You deserve better than that," Mattheo said quietly, his voice tinged with frustration. "You deserve someone who sees your worth and values you for who you are. Plus he's just a dick overall"

You swallowed hard, feeling a knot form in your stomach. "Do you really think so?"

"I know so," Mattheo replied firmly, his gaze unwavering. "You're one of the best people I know, and you deserve someone who sees that."

You nodded, feeling a surge of conflicting emotions as you watched your boyfriend disappear into the castle. Mattheo's words echoed in your mind, a voice of reason amid your doubts.

*

Days turned into weeks, and you found yourself reassessing your relationship. Mattheo had been consistent with his whole 'I hate your stupid ass boyfriend' thing, which didn't really help any of your doubts.

However it had seemed to have opened your eyes a bit. You began to notice how close your boyfriend would get to other girls, picked up on his snarky remarks that he would mutter under his breath when you would say stuff, the way he'd just sit there and even sometimes laugh when his friends would say something about you.

One evening, as you sat in the library, your boyfriend approached you, his expression plain and care free.

"Hey, Y/N," he began, a note of hesitation in his voice. "I've been thinking… I'm not sure this is working out."

You felt your hear skip a few beats, a mix of emotions flooding through you. She looked up to meet his gaze, surprised yet oddly relieved

"Okay," you replied softly, your voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside you. In all honesty, you saw it coming.

"Okay?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowing as he looked down at you, "that's it?"

"What? Did you expect her to beg you to stay?" a voice spoke up. You felt your eyes widen at the familiar tone

"Theo?" You asked in shock, turning in your seat to see Mattheo standing behind you, glaring at the boy who was standing in front of you

Your boyfriend ex-boyfriend scoffed, rolling his eyes, "fuck off Riddle," he sneered, taking a step forwards. Mattheo took a step closer to him, not cowering in the slightest as he dug his hands into his pockets, a cold look on his face

"You said your point, you can leave now," Mattheo said plainly. Your ex rolled his eyes, huffing a 'whatever' before turning around and leaving.

You sat there, feeling a sense of freedom mingled with uncertainty.

"Are you okay?" Mattheo asked gently, placing a comforting hand on your shoulder.

"I think so," you admitted, your voice trembling slightly. "It's just… unexpected."

Mattheo's hand squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "Sometimes unexpected things are for the best."

They sat in silence, the weight of the moment hanging between them. You found yourself feeling a mix of emotions—relief, sadness, and a tinge of regret. You glanced at Mattheo, feeling grateful for his unwavering support.

"Thank you," you said softly, meeting his gaze. "For everything."

"Always," Mattheo replied with a small smile, his eyes filled with understanding and support. He had been there for a long time, stuck by her side through everything.

And all he could do was hope that one day, she would love him just as much as he loved her.

#mattheo riddle #mattheo riddle x you #mattheo riddle x reader #mattheoxreader #slytherin x yn #slytherin imagines #harrypotter #harry potter imagines #mattheo riddle fluff #mattheo riddle imagine #mattheo riddle x hufflepuff #mattheo riddle x Ravenclaw #mattheo riddle x slytherin #mattheo riddle x gryffindor #fluff #fluff imagine #drabble #adiraargent

[m3lonpire]

Unmasking The Truth Part 4: Penny And Dime

Summary: After a "lovely" conversation with Castle, things quickly go south. Content: Some cursing, mentions of guns

It was almost time. You checked your watch, eight twenty-three. You adjusted your shirt collar, audibly swallowing as you thought about what could happen. Eventually, you started to walk nervously around the room, wincing at the sight of the broken windows and hole-riddled walls. Luckily, you had some duct tape lying around, so you were able to patch up the walls until you could get them fixed properly. You checked your watch again. Eight twenty-five.

The world was going slow as clouds in the sky. It paused as you paced around the room, checking your watch every few seconds.

God, eight-thirty didn't seem so far away driving to Harlem and back.

You wished you had just gone to see your friend Luke instead of going to meet Frank Castle… The Punisher. You were so nervous that you started mentally drafting up a list of things you'd rather be doing than this. Sure, all the entries were a tad dramatic for what was really happening at face value, but the fear that resided within the idea left you breathless. Snapping back to reality, you checked your watch again.

It was go time.

You got into your car, driving to the diner. Looking around, taking in the sights. It was a good way to sort of ground yourself after what happened not even three hours ago. You looked at all the neon signs and the dark alleyways that you were sure Matt was scrounging around in. You chuckled to yourself as you thought of what Foggy would do if he knew you were meeting Castle. Knowing how hesitant he was to even take the case? He would practically murder you if he knew.

Eventually, without realizing it, you got to the diner. Parking your car, you got out and leaned against the hood. You sighed, inspecting the diner windows. Everyone else in there was chilling and talking, sipping their drinks and whatnot. However, there was one person who caught your eye. A man in a ball cap sat in the middle aisle seat. The more you looked at him, you saw he had a few bruises on his face. More like a lot of bruises with a few cuts, but, oh well.

You sighed as you headed into the diner, unintentionally passing by the man. "Hey.", he said as he grabbed your wrist. You looked down with a quiet gasp, getting to see a little more of his face. Sighing, you said, "You're Frank?". He nodded as he motioned you to sit down. "Why am I here?", you asked with yet another sigh. "Cause you drove here. As for me? I came because Karen's concerned for you.", Frank said, adjusting his hat down onto his face slightly.

You scoffed as a waitress came up with a coffee pitcher. "Coffee?". "Yes, please.", Frank said, raising his cup. This stopped you from scoffing and genuinely surprised you. Usually, people who were given a life sentence for murder and torture don't usually thank diner waitresses.

"I can take care of myself, you know.", you said, adding some sugar to your coffee. "I don't need someone with your history defending me.". Frank dryly chuckled, expression not changing. "Maybe. But it looked like to me that you were three seconds away from looking like goddamn Swiss cheese.". You rolled your eyes. "Well, I survived, didn't I?".

"Yeah, because of me.", Frank said, taking a swig of his coffee. "I'm sure the bullet-riddled corpse alternative would have been a real hit at your next office reunion.". Your jaw was left on the floor at this. So he's polite to random waitresses, but not to people he saves? You chuckled to yourself realizing you were here questioning the ethics and morals of a tried-and-convicted, now escaped and presumed dead killer.

"Now, listen here.", Frank lowered his voice. Whether to drive his point home or not, you didn't know. "I've only seen people be targeted like that when they're either involved with the mafia or know something they shouldn't know, and usually those things go together.". You swallowed your fear before responding. "Yeah, well, I don't know what to tell you.". Frank shook his head. "You're into something deep. You, and Karen. You need to lay low.". You chuckled dryly, taking another drink of your coffee before responding "If you really know Karen, you know she's not going to do that.". Frank sighed, eyes darting from outside the diner back to you.

He watched as a few people left the diner.

"She's a survivor. If she's not going to, let her do what she needs to do. Just make sure she stays safe out there.", he said with a gruff tone, taking another swig of his coffee.

"Hey, you two lovebirds.", the waitress said. "We're closing.". Frank nodded, pulling out his wallet and dropping a few dollars on the table. "Thank you, ma'am.", he said with a smile. Getting up and adjusting his ball cap, he patted your shoulder and pointed outside. Understanding his message, you headed outside with him. You walked to your car, only for Frank to call out, "Hey!". You turned around with a raised eyebrow, crossing your arms to warm up due to the cold air surrounding you.

"Your place ain't completely shot up, is it?". You shook your head, walking back closer to him as it started to rain. "No, I- I can stay there. I could use some new drywall, but I can call a friend.".

Frank nodded, but just as he was about to walk away and leave you to do the same, you heard a bang. Suddenly, something bounced off a car nearby, nearly hitting you, making you squeak and duck. Frank tensed up, pulling out a gun from under his shirt, yelling to you one word.

"Drive!".

You nodded, a few tears falling from your eyes. Practically jumping into your car, you kicked it into fifth gear, speeding off. You sobbed as you sped away from the diner, hearing more gunshots from your car. Driving around never felt more safe then right now, especially considering what the hell was happening previously. But, even with the warzone going on in your thoughts, you realized you were speeding, and you slammed the breaks as you did. You needed to get yourself together.

Foggy. You needed Foggy.

Speeding off to his apartment, you thought about what the hell you would even say to him. He didn't know you knew Frank Castle, let alone you talked to him. Jesus, you thought to yourself. If your brain was racing with everything he might say, how could you think about what you could say? "Hey, Foggy, I had a coffee date with Frank Castle and almost got shot, can I crash at your place?".

Oh god, he was going to kill you.

Author notes: So sorry it took so long for this one to come out! I wanted to wait to actually experience Frank as a character to properly write him. Thank you to my mother for helping me write Frank properly! Because she's a huge Punisher fan. Thanks to @harleycao for motivating me to keep writing this! <3

#frank castle x reader #punisher x reader #unmasking the truth

[ryverbind]

Faceless Fixation (Sal Fisher): Viper of Fear [16]

I'm crouched behind the one piece of protection I was able to find in this abyss of unspoken horrors. This battle ground of malice and revenge. 

My heart pounds against my ribcage, a war drum thrumming within my own body. My chest is splattered with the lost hopes and dreams of my enemies. My veins are filled with the icy bite of fear-- fear that strikes with the accuracy of a viper. 

This is a wasteland. What once was is nothing anymore. The ground beneath me held up opportunity mere minutes ago, all for it to be stripped away in a moments notice. And it's all my fault.

The surface beyond my safe space is riddled with the neon blood of my foe. Synthetic shotgun shells cover the floor, acting as hell's very own field of bones. The desert scene that earlier reflected a symbol of goals I never thought I'd achieve now mimics Vlad the Impaler's wet dream. 

I take a shaky breath, adrenaline pumping through every millimeter of my being as I listen to the war waging behind me. I don't spare even a simple glance over the box I'm hiding behind. This box is the stone that Arthur's sword once resided in-- this bitch will never break as long as I believe in it.

My fingers flex around the weapon in my arms, my muscles tense and my mind alert. If I'm not on edge at all times right now, I'll get caught. And getting caught means death. All hell has broken loose amidst the cloud of contentment that blinded me just minutes ago. I should have know that karma and revenge go hand-in-hand. They're best friends. They are a repeated process and know each other good and well. 

I acted on revenge, and karma was quick to collect my debt. 

"You've been hit by..." my heart stops upon hearing that deep, sultry, amused voice. He's having the time of his life, relishing in the screams of his victims. "You've been struck by..." I hear the barrel of his gun snap, releasing a plague of venom upon the person at his mercy. And the sufferer bellows in agony, spreading their unfortunate and horrific fate to me. I sympathize, my heart skipping a beat. I'm trapped in the clutches of hesitance, of terror. I squeeze my eyes shut. "A smooooth Larry Johnson!"

I swallow thickly, a guilty grin quirking my lips. Everyone's fair game to Larry right now. We aren't his friends at the moment, we're pawns in his chaotic chess game.

I set my gun on my knee, wiping my clammy palm against my chest. My hand comes up sticky though, so I look down at it, grimacing at my neon orange skin. I chew on my bottom lip, contemplating the memory of how I became covered in paint.

The issue with my win against Sal earlier is that I expected him to silently fume over his loss. I wasn't prepared for him to throw paintballs into his mag and pelt me with three almost immediately. I was too confident. Overzealous. And... I guess I had it coming.

I can't wipe the image of that moment out of my head, when I finally looked up at Sal to see him stalking over to me with a fire in his pretty blue eyes. As soon as our gazes clashed, he launched into fighting position with his gun up, aimed at me, and at the ready. His finger slammed on the trigger with no regret, effectively slathering me in the ugliest colors I've ever seen. What's worse is that he came at me short-range, so my gut and chest are throbbing in pain. Probably have some bruising, but hey, that's game. This is war.

What I want to know is how the hell Sal and Larry know how to work a paint ball gun. I underestimated my enemies.

First rule of gaming and life: never, under any circumstances, underestimate the enemy. And for fucks sake, double tap! Don't be like me, apparently.

Larry very thankfully moves away from me, probably laying his mayhem upon Ash somewhere else in this tumultuous room.

No one has found me yet, and it's already been about a full five minutes since the metaphorical shit hit the fan. I guess physical shit too, seeing as we've completely wrecked this photoshoot set. I kind of feel bad for The Faces; no one's ever going to give them this opportunity again.

I hear Todd yelp somewhere in the distance and my body stiffens up automatically. I can't afford to feel false security in such a dangerous situation. This box of props isn't my savior, nor will it ever be. I have to be prepared no matter what.

I feel a brush against my leg, so I whip my head to the side half expecting a threat and half expecting me to just have been stupid and hit the wall. Preparation can work or it can backfire, but it's better than walking through the unknown.

But seeing Sal crouched beside me makes me want to bolt into the crossfire that Larry's creating.

And Sal hasn't noticed me yet either. He's simply hiding from Larry too, trying to escape the fiend his step-brother has become. His gun is propped on his knee, his finger hovering over the trigger in fear of being found. His sapphire colored hair is stringy from sweat, sticking to his neck and prosthetic. Dots of neon green and orange are littered along the long strands, his fringe much the same. He pants heavily, probably from bolting across the room as quickly as he could. His chest rises and falls quickly, the action attracting my gaze. And then his eyes that map out the battle ground behind the box we're both hidden behind-- his cerulean gaze that swallows me whole no matter when or how I get to see them. And those beautiful, veiny, bruised hands of his that handle the weapon in his arms like he has the strength and confidence of all the mightiest men in this world.

He glances down at his gun, using his hand to swipe a patch of neon green off of his black gun. But when he looks down, he also spots my boot.

I gulp, the viper of fear sinking its venomous fangs into my skin. It was only a matter of time-- I should have snuck away while he was still distracted. But as I said, karma and revenge work hand-in-hand. 

Sal's head snaps up, shocked gaze meeting my own. As soon as he realizes who he's looking at, the emotion in his eyes flips completely, turning into a horrendous glare. And there's nothing I can really do but wait for him to probably shoot me again. It's better than risking an onslaught from Larry-- I'm actually scared of him. Kinda relieved that Ash and Todd have to face him instead of me. 

"Bitch," Sal bites out quietly, trying to make sure that Larry doesn't find him. "Fuck you."

My lips quirk into some kind of sneer and grin. If this is all he'll do then maybe it's time to repeat the karma-revenge process. I'm about ready to get back at him for bruising my ribs earlier. "Yea," I whisper back harshly, "I bet you want to." 

Sal's piercing eyes narrow and a wave of impending doom and ferocity carves away at my insides. I can feel the sting of murderous intent like flames licking at my skin. Maybe I need to reevaluate my life choices.

He doesn't say a word-- doesn't drone about how much he hates me or how I'm nothing compared to him. He just lifts one hand from his gun and slams it into my throat, his fingers gripping my skin tightly and robbing me of fresh air.

I choke on the sudden pressure on my airways, leaning forward to try and relieve myself even if just a bit, but Sal doesn't let up. He only yanks me closer to him. It's almost embarrassing that he knows what turns me into putty in his hands-- we've only been doing this for two days. But it seems that anger and aggression is his go-to when it comes to me, whether he truly feels it or he's just trying to wrap me around his finger.

I swallow, taking quick and raspy breaths as I look into his eyes that are mere centimeters away from mine. His bright blue irises hold so much intrigue, so much contempt. Every shade of blue, every fleck of golden stardust in his gaze resents me. I'm borderline obsessed with the way he hates me at this point. It's such a strong emotion, to be loathed so deeply by anyone at all. It isn't love, but I don't need love. 

Maybe this is why I didn't move when I realized he was next to me. Because I craved to fall victim to the indignation that constantly radiates between us. He just hates me so good.

I wrap my hand around his wrist, tears starting to form in my eyes as I do my best to hold his gaze. I won't bend to him-- that would be too easy. Nothing about this is easy, and it shouldn't be. He and I both know it.

"You don't want to fuck me," he says condescendingly, raspy voice full of veiled fascination. He hides most of it with his anger, but I know he enjoys the way I react. It's painfully obvious. "You couldn't handle me."

I snort as best as I can with my airways blocked off, a little smile pulling at my lips. Is he really trying to scare me? He should know by now that trying to freak me out only makes me want to show him how wrong he is. "Wanna bet?" I challenge with a scratchy, barely audible voice.

His eyes glance over my face, soaking up the position he has me in appreciatively. "I'll rip you apart," he warns, pretty gaze snapping up to meet mine again.

"Wasn't that always the plan?"

Sal takes a slow, deep breath before cocking his head to the side in an admonishing way. Then he drops his hand and a rush of air abuses my lungs. I choke on the oxygen invading my body and scoot away from him as quickly as possible. He looks away from me, peeking over the top of the box. "If it wasn't the plan before, then it is now. Someone needs to set you straight." 

Oh, that's nice. So when are we fucking? "I don't want to be set straight," I scoff, taking the opportunity to glance around the side of the box too. Larry's been pulled aside by the photographers. And holy fuck, it looks like a neon tornado tore up this entire room. We're in so much trouble. "I want to be reminded of why I want this to begin with."

"No," Sal bites out. "You just need to fucking go to therapy. Bratty bitch-- I'll scare you out of this stupid BDSM fantasy you have."

I turn my head to him, eyes wide. Did he really just blindly read me and guess correctly? "How fucking dare you?" I seethe quietly. "Who are you to tell me I need to go to therapy? What does that say about you, huh? Hypocritical cunt."

Sal looks down at me in return, gaze as wrathful and irritated as usual when it comes to me. "Only delusional people like you think they want to be tied up and fucked into stupidity. But since you won't stop lying to yourself like a dumbass, I'll just have to be a good Samaritan and show you, I fucking guess." 

"Ah, yea," I hum, feigning disappointment while excitement rushes through me. "Such a shame that you have to go out of your way to fuck me hard enough that I lose the last few braincells I have left." Sal rolls his eyes, letting out an exasperated breath. "You're such a hypocrite. You're judging me for being a freak when you're one too," I continue.

"Because it fits me. I've been a freak from the start, why not make it into something I can actually utilize?" He counters, voice still laced with agitation that only continues to grow.

"So no one else can have the same desires that you do? Are you really gatekeeping your sexuality right now?" I hiss at him, adjusting my stance to face him-- anything to be more intimidating than I already am. He's such an asshole involving absolutely everything. Who does he think he is? The bouncer of BDSM? Be fucking for real.

"Only you would take a warning as gatekeeping." Sal runs his paint-covered hand over his prosthetic, realizing too late that his face is slathered in neon. This only fuels his obvious vexation. He grumbles quietly to himself before saying. "You're such a simpleminded moron. Think with your head instead of your pussy. I mean, really think." 

Rage suffocates me like I'm swimming in a sea of way-too-fluffy bunnies. I might be attracted to him in a way that's so down horrendous it makes me question myself sometimes, but that does absolutely nothing to distract me from how awful his personality actually is. I've never wanted to punch someone the way I want to punch him. Every single second I spend with him-- sucking him off or arguing with him-- fills me with some of the most potent emotions I've ever had the displeasure of experiencing in my entire life.

"Sal," I say calmly, turning away from him to watch as Larry turns around and starts calling out all of us. His gun has been revoked. "I say this honestly, and for your own good," I tell the man beside me. I could pistol-whip his ass right now. I'm so pissed. "I think I'll be the one to rip you apart."

That makes him laugh humorlessly, but I don't dare look down to see it happen. If I see him right now, my boot is going to be somewhere on him and it's going to hurt. "I'd like to see you try," he rasps out.

I scrunch my face up, trying to control the anger that radiates off of me in toxic waves. I'm innocent in all of this. Someone needs to set him straight. Not me.

"Try to wipe my handprint off your neck," Sal mumbles, standing up and walking around the box. "If anyone gets any ideas, I'm blaming you."

Asshole. I sneer at his back as he walks over to Larry. I bend down, swiping at my neck and only being able to smear the paint since it's starting to dry. But whatever-- if someone thinks it's a handprint, I'll just pass it off as my own.

"Yea, man," Larry says as I finally start to make my way over to him and Sal. "They aren't pressing charges because they got good pics out of the whole mess, but they are kicking us out. So..." Larry says in a serious tone, one that I don't hear all too often. He almost seems a little timid. "Ash got to talk with them while they stripped me of my fun stick. Thank God she's the bargainer because I would've landed us in jail." Emo buff daddy snorts, trying to smoosh down a little smirk.

So we're given a good reprimanding. I hate this part of getting into trouble because I always feel bad. Mainly since I'm usually the one who was the bad influence and started everything. Some things just never change and Ash can attest to that. 

So many times in my life, I've done things that have landed me in situations where I definitely could have gotten a juvenile record. I've just been lucky all this time-- I need to stay lucky because I don't qualify for juvie anymore. 

There was one time my band buddies and I had the bright idea to carve out the batter head of a school-owned bass drum and trick this asshole kid into crawling into it. Duck-taped him to it in record time and also got caught immediately. We were going to roll him outside of the building. This paint-ball situation reminds me of that time. It's literally almost the same situation-- defacing property, basically. 

I need to stop doing this to myself.

The Faces and I do the walk of shame out of The Venetian, catching a taxi over to Excalibur since they apparently have these giant sword-shaped daiquiris and we all need a drink after what just went down. The one downside is that we're all in tactical gear and covered in neon paint. But, whatever. It's Vegas.

We all stand in line at the daiquiri stand, waiting for our turn to order. It's pretty cool in here, set up like a castle with life size chess pieces lining the front walkway. Not to mention, male strippers are taking pictures with old ladies beside us and, holy hell, no matter the time or day that is just a glorious sight to behold.

Ash and I stand beside each other, giggling over the horny old ladies beside us when a group of people walk around the corner. They're all dressed in old, medieval clothing. All men. Kings, in fact. I think back to what Ash told me earlier about there being jousting tournaments in this casino. I didn't think they dressed up though-- they all look so cool. 

But then there's a straggler-- a man dressed as some kind of dark, medieval knight. His hair is long and curly and he has face make-up on. Black around his eyes. He's hot as fuck and Ash and I both quiet down while he walks by, strutting like he owns the place. He's tall as hell too. Larry's height.

The group of actors crawl into line behind us. I lick my lips, trying to get a glimpse of the dark knight, but Sal's stupid head is in my way.

Ash leans over, whispering not-so-quietly to me. "Did you see that hunk of walking fucking sex? Damn," she says, voice starstruck and eyes filled with hearts. "Men don't affect me all that often but imagine if I could sneak him into bed."

I suck in a breath, standing on my tiptoes to look between Todd and Sal's heads. All I can see is the right side of the knight's face, but that alone is satisfying to me. "I'd sleep on the couch so long as at least one of us got to get with that. He's beautiful," I admit, sending Ash a sideways glance. She giggles, nodding her head in agreement.

"Who's got you two twitterpated?" Larry asks, winking at me when I look over. Good use of new vocabulary, Lar.

I nod to the men behind Larry. "If you look behind us, there's an actor dressed as an emo knight, so to speak. He's pretty hot," I tell him.

I could slap men. They live off of one singular, shared braincell. I'll even include Todd in this statement because all three guys turn so hard that anyone else would think they'd all snapped their necks. Keep in mind, all of these actors are just a couple feet behind us so the staring is painfully obvious. 

Ash and I fold in on ourselves, turning to face the daiquiri stand and grumbling to each other about how stupid they all are. Oh, this is terrible. So bad, in fact, that I'm blushing profusely. Yuck.

Sal's the first to speak, shamelessly saying, "Fuck. He's hot as shit."

"I'm not into guys," Larry says, "But he is pretty."

Todd hums in agreement, deciding to stay quiet since he has a boyfriend, of course.

"Just pretty?" Sal hisses, clearly offended by Larry's response to the knight. "Ash is right. That's walking sex." 

Apparently I have to compete with men now too for a fuck. I can't tell if that's a tad disappointing or fascinating.

"Then go get his number or something if you're so shocked by my taste in sex partners," Larry hums. "You're the eternal rizz master. You get any woman and man you set your eyes on. Might as well bag the dark knight."

"Stop it with the Batman references, Larry," Todd says, giggling shortly after.

Larry groans. "Come on! Stop hating on the game, Todd. That was a perfect opportunity."

I hope this line moves quicker. The longer they talk right in front of the topic of discussion, the more horrified I feel. Ash isn't any better either. She's chewing on her bottom lip, face red as a beet as she finally gets an opportunity to run up to the counter and order us all a daiquiri.

The five of us start walking past the group of actors with giant daiquiri swords hanging around our necks. It's almost comical having to do the walk of shame again, but I'm more terrified of the fact that this poor man probably knows that we were all fawning over him.

We're almost out of dodge but someone calls out to The Faces. We all simultaneously turn, quaking like leaves on dead tress because that definitely came from the group of actors.

And there's Mr. Emo Knight, walking toward us in all his glory with an excited little grin on his handsome face. 

I'm going to vomit.

He walks up to Sal and Larry and shakes their hands, sharing quick introductions. Then the knight looks past them and at Ash, Todd, and me. My heart skips a beat in childlike elation when his gaze lingers on me.

"Oh, hey," he says in a surprised tone. "VioletViolence! I've seen pictures of you online for the past couple days. You're even prettier in person."

My entire body tenses up with excitement and I struggle to hold back the huge smile that wants to rip my face apart. This is phenomenal. Good job, y/n. I don't know what I did to deserve the compliment, but I'm glad I did it.

"Oh, thanks!" I tell him. In a stroke of confidence, I say, "You're pretty, too." 

I want to rip up the floorboards and make a shrine for this guy when a light blush paints his cheeks. To think that I've done absolutely nothing but stand for a picture and he's already blushing over a compliment from me. That's incredibly encouraging.

"Thank you," he says bashfully, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "Could I get a picture with all of you? If you don't mind, of course."

"We don't mind at all," Sal jumps in to say, already moving closer. "You look cool as hell, man."

I narrow my eyes at Sally Face. How do I read this play? Is he jealous or is he trying to steal this guy from me? I can't tell. 

"Thanks," the knight says, scooting in beside Sal so we can all take a picture with him. One of the other actors does the honors, snapping a few quick photos. 

We separate after a moment and Sal breaks the silence by saying, "We should grab a drink so you can tell me about those tournaments. I was thinking about trying out some new things and maybe horses are the way to go."

It's almost fool proof. So good that I choke on the sip of strawberry daiquiri that's halfway down my throat. Larry wasn't kidding. Obviously I'm unfortunate proof of it, but Sal really can pull anyone he wants.

"Ah, I wish I could," the knight says a bit awkwardly. "We have another tournament coming up in about fifteen minutes though."

Oh, that's a burn. I wince over the rejection simply because it's so obvious that the knight is lying. If they had another tournament, they wouldn't be buying heaps of alcohol. 

I chew on the inside of my cheek as Ash's eyes go wide. Larry turns around to face Ash, Todd and I while trying to hold back a laugh, his face perfectly mimicking the red shade of his daiquiri. Todd wiggles his nose, sniffing quietly. That's funny to see-- he's trying to hold back his reaction too.

Sal's lucky he wears a prosthetic because it can hide anything he's feeling. That is, as long as he's able to keep his emotions out of his eyes.

"Yea, that's no problem!" Sal responds, shaking off the rejection like a pro. "You guys have a good night."

Larry's already snickering as we continue our walk out of Excalibur, and as soon as we cross the threshold of the front door, he and Todd burst into uncontrollable laughter. 

"That was bad, bro," Larry cackles, ruffling Sal's hair. The bluenette shoves his step-brother away from him in response, sending him a pair of aggravated eyes.

"It was worth a try," Sal grumbles. "Hop off my dick. It's not the first time I've been shot down and it won't be the last. No pun intended."

I don't quite understand what the no-pun part is about, but the entire group gasps through giggles that they desperately try to squash down into the depths of their soul. 

"The worst part about him rejecting you was that he would've absolutely gone out with Vi. He was so into her," Todd says after a moment, trying to deflect Sal's most recent comment.

"He only called her pretty. Doesn't mean he wants to dick her down or anything," Sal says in response. Poor guy, he's so jealous that I pulled the hot knight.

We're all walking side-by-side along the entrance to Excalibur, making our way down to the strip instead of catching another taxi. It's evening, fun city lights are on as the sky darkens, and we need to pick up dinner. Not to mention, we have loads of alcohol so why not make our trip back to Caesar's palace eventful?

I tip my head forward to get a glimpse of Sal-- more importantly, to meet his gaze so he can see my smug expression. I want nothing more than to bask in his rejection. 

I see the side of his prosthetic instead-- the bottom half of it is lifted slightly as he sips from his transparent pink straw. It's likely stained from the strawberry daiquiri he has in his hands. His pale, scarred jaw and chin are visible to me, but dark from the shadow of night and his prosthetic. No matter how little I see, I still feel a fluttering in my chest because this is the most I've ever seen of his face. It gives me some kind of theoretical rush-- sets me into a daydream.

His lips are probably tinted red from his drink. His tongue must taste like an inebriating mix of vodka and artificial strawberries. And the shape of his lips, if his teeth are straight or crooked, what kind of nose he has, the curve of his eyebrows. What it would be like to taste him, to feel him in ways that I haven't yet. I could go on forever.

But I shouldn't go on because wanting more from a man who's only willing to give me the bare minimum is setting me up for disaster. He told me himself that I shouldn't expect anything from him. One thing he's failed to do is lie to me, so I'll take his word for it and consider Sal-centered expectations to be detrimental. 

This entire time, I haven't wondered about what he looks like beneath his prosthetic-- not even once. It's like a delayed reaction; now I'm overcome with this horrifying yearning to rip the hunk of plaster off of his face and get a glimpse of the real thing. I was fine literally two hours ago, so what's changed? It's not because he's been kind to me because he hasn't shown any emotion that could resemble kindness at all. 

Maybe it's the fact that I'm leaving Las Vegas tomorrow and my brain is just subconsciously reminding me of my dwindling time here. 

"So anyway, since Sal's butt-hurt," Larry says, interrupting the silence that had overtaken the group. And it was never truly quiet, just felt like it. Cars were still zooming beneath the walkways under our feet, people were still bustling about, music still swelled in the air around us-- but we were all caught up in our own heads. "Let's play a game. Vi is the victim since we virtually still know nothing about her."

I swallow, leaning back so that Sal is out of my view before he can turn to look at me with those evil eyes of his. I don't need to be pining after him anyway-- this is just a nice agreement he and I have. That's all this will ever amount to and that's perfectly fine. No strings, no attachments. Just casual sex, hopefully. If we ever fucking get there.

I turn my attention to Larry. "There isn't much to know," I murmur. I have to be worried about this, not Sal. Larry's trying to quiz me because he thinks this is our first time meeting. I have to be careful. "What kind of game do you want to play?"

Larry slurps his daiquiri loudly, gaining the attention of a few people around us. "Got any weird kinks? Guilty pleasures? Fun scars? Creepy interests?"

My eyebrows raise of their own accord. I'm not sure if these questions are an opportunity for him to relate and feel better about his own odd interests, but I'm a little shocked. Where do I start and what do I keep to myself?

"Um, no weird kinks that I know of--" I start to say, but Ash holds a hand up to my face and slaps her palm against my mouth. 

"Liar," she proudly yells. "You are such a degradee."

Heat envelops my entire body. Why did she have to say anything? Keep it in the fucking bag or something-- anything.

"Come on, Ash," Todd huffs. Oh, thank you, sweet angel. If anyone has my back, of course it would be Todd. "We already know Vi's into degradation."

My gaze snaps to Todd and my mouth falls open. So much for trust.

The situation is hilarious, honestly, but also mildly concerning. Am I so submissive that I wordlessly scream it to everyone? Since when have I become this people-pleasing monster? 

I choke on an embarrassed laugh, staring at my feet as we walk. My cheeks are flaming and I really just want Thanos to snap his fucking fingers right now.

"Fuck all of you," I sniffle, eyeing my giggly friends. I can't be mad-- this is all in good fun. Still can't wait to get back to the hotel and disappear until I have to leave tomorrow though... "And Larry, the best I've got for you is that I got my finger stuck in the lock of my classroom door in fifth grade," I proclaim bashfully leaning over and holding up my hand.

Larry's eyes light up, much like a cat's pupils dilate when they're focused. He grabs my hand and exams it. "Which finger?" he asks, all focused and adorable as he takes a quick sip from his daiquiri.

"This one," I chirp, lifting my middle finger with no shame. 

Larry's smile drops immediately. Then his eyes slowly lift to meet mine, absolute numbness in their chocolatey depths. The nonchalance in his pretty gaze makes a little shiver trickle down my spine. It's both scary and entrancing-- he's just... he's hot...

Larry pinches his lips together then yanks me toward him. My eyes mimic saucers when I trip over my own feet before stumbling into the behemoth of a man. My weight slamming into him pushes him into Sal who snaps at both of us, but I couldn't care less about him when I'm trying not to peel cement with my fucking teeth. 

Larry stabilizes us, holding himself up with Sal-- who's still grumbling-- and grabbing onto my waist to keep me upright. 

I take a breath, gripping onto Larry's thick biceps for dear life. And you know what? I hold onto the moment (his biceps) for a good couple seconds and appreciate it because at least I have an excuse to touch the build that this man has going on. 

So after a second of squeezing this poor mans arms and pretending that I'm recovering instead of literally copping a feel, I furrow my brows and look up at emo buff daddy. He's grinning down at me nervously. 

"I swear I just wanted to intimidate you a bit," he snickers, finally releasing me from his hold.

I say a silent, solemn farewell to Larry's arms then huff. "By throwing us into oncoming traffic?" I snort. "That's not intimidation. That's a literal trip to the pearly gates, my brother in Christ."

Larry looks off to the side, upside down smile on his faces as he hides his hands in his pockets. He knows he's guilty.

"But... do you actually have a cool scar then?" Larry asks after a moment, finally falling into step with the rest of us who walk the strip. 

I purse my lips. "Not really. I have scars, just not cool ones," I admit. If I've ever gotten a cut or gash, it's always healed pretty quickly. Most of my childhood scars faded years ago and the ones that stayed have no interesting meaning. "Do you?" I ask, leaning forward to send him a smile. I'm able to see Sal again, but he looks aggravated now. Daiquiri dangling from his fingers as he looks out at the city.

I lick my lips before looking back up at Larry. Ignore the brooding little bitch, y/n.

"Um," Larry trails off, sucking on the straw of his daiquiri in an almost suggestive way. Even Todd looks over to raise an eyebrow. "Me and Sal have matching scars."

My eyebrows raise. That's interesting. "What, was it like a brothers pact?" I giggle. 

Sal looks over now, his eyes meeting mine. He looks angry though, much angrier than he did just seconds ago. Something tells me this is a story that he never wanted out for prying ears. That makes it all the more intriguing. 

"No, it was actually pretty stupid," Larry swipes at his nose and looks off to the side. "Sal hates this story so much because it landed both of us in the hospital."

Hm, hospital tales with The Faces. Sal's reaction was fishy up until Larry mentioned that it was just a stupid little thing in general. I'm a little desperate at this point-- I need to know more. "Tell me about it," I chirp, looking out at the city lights around us. We're walking up to The Venetian now. I have some strange feeling that we're all going to try to sneak past this building pretty quickly after what happened earlier-- especially since we're still in paint-covered tactical gear.

"Hold on," Ash jumps into the conversation, pointing at an Irish Pub a little further down the street. "We're grabbing dinner there. Take out. All the same order. No if's, and's, or but's. I'm ready to get home." She leans over and snatches Todd's wrist. "And fruit roll-up is coming with me."

I watch Larry turn his attention to Ash. "Just as long as you get me some kind of alcohol," he says, grinning all the while. He's going to get so slammed.

Larry is an odd specimen. Of course, we all know that, but he has this kind of aura about him that's so different from the rest of The Faces. He's such a welcoming person-- you look at him and want to trust him with everything. But it's also incredibly obvious that he's devious and chaotic to the core. He'll keep everyone's secrets safe, but he'd probably commit homicide too, I think.

Larry turns to me as Ash rushes ahead of us. There's this gleam in his eyes that screams excitement and focus. 

"So I'm gonna spare you the confusing details because Nockfell is just... in a state of sin constantly. You'd be so lost if I told you why exactly this happened," the man waves me off, smacking his lips and looking off to the side. I look up at him with raised eyebrows, patiently waiting. If I'm being honest though, I want to know the confusing details. What was going on in Nockfell?

"Larry, can you not?" Sal bites out. "You tell this story constantly. Just give it a rest. Not everyone wants to talk about scars."

"Sir," Larry scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest. He looks down at Sal beside him, giving the blue-haired gremlin a 'try-me-bitch' look. "You can go and be insecure somewhere else because I fucking love telling this story. And Vi wants to hear about it, obviously." He turns to me and grins, showing off his sweet, little gap-toothed smile. "Look at that precious face. It's so eager." Larry grips onto my masked cheeks and drags me toward him. 

My heart jumps into my throat when Mr. Metal-Head himself winks at me before dipping his head down to kiss the nose of mask. I can't feel his lips, but just the fact that he's so close to me and showing me this type of care through physical touch makes my cheeks heat up. Makes my fingers go numb. Makes my thoughts race out of my body, skittering along the pavement in excitement-- all with love hearts littered about them. If romantic love were a thing between him and I, things would be much different right now. But this feels more like... I'm a princess and he's my devoted, caring knight. Instead of kissing my hand, he brought his feelings to the very tip of my nose.

This is twitterpated.

Sal and Larry start bickering as soon as the little peck is done and over with. While they do their step-brother thing, I mull over Larry's small token of affection. That kiss meant so much even though our skin never touched. Did Sal feel the same way even though our lips were still separated by his prosthetic? Did he feel like he was cared for, loved? Was he high off the prospect of someone actually wanting to kiss him, innocently or lovingly, just like I am right now? 

I almost feel bad. To have all of that mental opportunity ripped away from him the moment it was revealed that I was VioletViolence. Sal must have felt terrible. Maybe... maybe he's actually justified in hating me.

"So anyway," Larry grips my shoulder, making me flinch in surprise. I turn my gaze up to him, meeting Sal's frustrated, glaring blue eyes for just a moment in the process. I'm going to think about how bad I must have made him feel all the time now. 

"Sal and I were running, right." Larry leans forward, swiping his hand horizontally before us. I follow his pretty hand that's littered with patchwork tattoos. "Midnight, pitch black outside." Larry tilts his head, pinches his lips to exemplify these points. I simply nod. "Nockfell has this giant forest that's super thick, 'kay, thicker than your juicy thighs, in fact." His eyes snap to me and I have to turn away while my mind runs rampant again. I can't stand Larry, but in the best way.

"Before you get to the forest though," he continues. "There's this old fence that's lined with barbed wire. My guess is to protect old farms from predators and whatever. But Sal and I were young and thought we could simultaneously clear this six foot fence like fuckin' track stars." Oh. I kind of get where this is going-- they were idiots, basically. This story also lines up perfectly well with what Sal told me earlier. I'm incredibly relieved to hear that his scar story was true. This also means that I have no unnecessary stress regarding him and his well-being. Not that I should worry about that to begin with.

"So next thing you know, Sal and I are hooked by our calfs and ankles on the top of this fence. Ripped us up. We couldn't get free, so we were just kinda hanging upside down on this fence for like thirty minutes until Henry came to pick us up." Larry breaks off into scattered giggles while trying to finish the story, meanwhile my stomach threatens to leap out of my body. I feel sick.

"Larry, shut up," Sal mumbles again. "You don't have to give so much detail." 

He's so fucking guilty and it shows.

"Come on, bro," Larry chortles, giving Sal a light shove. "It was so stupid, I still laugh about it every time. Look," the man turns back to me and stops walking. He bends down and grabs the edge of his black cargo pants. He yanks them up over his knee and shows off this gnarly, jagged scar on the back of his calf. It's a couple inches long for sure-- must have been deep. "Sal's is on his ankle. We were actually pretty worried he might have sliced his tendon. I remember screaming and yelling at him about how he would never walk again," Larry snickers, pushing his pant leg back down.

I gulp, forcing a smile onto my face. I don't have it in me to laugh at the story. Not when I know that Sal lied to my face about the scars on his thigh earlier. 

I'm battling myself. Sal and I aren't close-- he doesn't have to tell me at all if he wants. His mental health and his scars are his business, not mine. It's my fault for feeling so torn up about it. I feel like it's my job to save everyone, but I forget that not everyone wants saving. That, and I just can't save everyone in general. 

I don't have a God complex, I just have this unbeatable savior complex that I'm still at war with to this day. I need to get over myself-- not everyone is going to trust me with their secrets. Not everyone needs me. Not everyone will like me. Literally, this tracks with Sal and I's timeline. And besides, if he's ever having mental struggles, I'm sure he trusts Larry, Todd, and Ash enough to seek them if he needs help. I don't have to worry.

I catch Ash rushing toward us with her arms full and Todd trailing behind her with a bag full of God knows what.

"That's a silly story," I finally speak up, smiling up at Larry who gives me this devious little grin. I really just need to ignore the conversation I had with Sal earlier. It was never my business in the first place. "I don't have any cool scars, but I did have something similar happen." I shrug, patting the side of my hip. "Got a fish hook stuck in my side. Pulled it out on my own because I was afraid to get in trouble."

I'll actually never forget the day I yoinked my dads fishing pole with the intention of developing my rad fishing skills all to accidentally yoink myself in the end. I'm just lucky the hook was unused prior to getting stabbed into me. The story is mainly to help me forget about Larry's right now though. 

"Perfect timing," Larry whispers excitedly. He crosses over to stand in front of me and my brows furrow in confusion. "I can finally get on my knees for you."

"Nope," I spit out immediately, taking a step away. I'm too insecure and timid for that-- his sweet nose kiss was more than enough. This man needs to have mercy on my hopelessly romantic and decrepit soul.

Larry rolls his eyes. "Fine. But I do want to see. Plus, it's an excuse to finally see your tattoo."

I purse my lips. That's risky. I'll have to lift up the edge of my bra strap for that and I'm a little nervous about being so open.

Ash pops up beside me though. "I just bought, like, thirty jello shots. You fuckers better start throwing some back while I throw this ass back and get laid by a pretty bitch." These words come out in one breath and Ash never breaks her nonchalant facade as she holds a bag out to me.

"Can I be the pretty bitch?" I ask with a smile, sidetracked as I look into the bag to find a plethora of multi-colored plastic containers full of alcoholic jello.

"I thought that was the plan from the start, beautiful," Ash purrs, stealing my attention. I glance up at her, noting the playful little gleam in her bright green eyes and the smirk playing on her full, glossy lips. 

I swallow thickly, frowning at how easily I end up falling into these traps that my friends set out. They're too attractive. 

"Give me one of those," I murmur, fishing out a handful of shots from the bag to distract myself, and hopefully everyone else, from how shy I've suddenly gotten over a little bit of Ash's shameless and effective flirting.

"Yea, share-- but fuck off, Ash," Larry sneers. "Vi's mine. Stay away." He grabs both of my shoulders and walks me a step closer to his chest. I cannot be fucking doing this right now. I feel like I'm snorting coke just from being stuck between two of the hottest people I know-- and I've never even done drugs.

I open the top of an orange flavored jello shot then very quickly down the contents. Sal's hiding behind Larry right now, but I'm still able to see half of him. And he watches me go through all five stages of grief as soon as the flavor settles on my tongue.

I swallow quickly then choke on the leftovers, making the most disgusted face possible. It burns, and it tastes awful. So not worth it. That was a good reminder as to why I shouldn't consume alcohol in the first place. 

"Ash," I splutter, traumatized and betrayed. "These are terrible. I'm sorry but... it's bad. Try one," I say, popping the lid off another and shoving it toward her. This one's green.

Ash doesn't say a word, just wraps her pretty fingers around the container and takes the shot like a pro. She doesn't even flinch. All she does is contemplate it for a moment then shrug at me "Tastes like alcohol." 

I roll my eyes. At least she doesn't care all that much-- the shots won't go to waste. 

I turn to Larry, intent on finally pulling up my shirt for him as we start preparing to walk again. But when he finally enters my field of vision, his arms having left my shoulders a few moments ago, I notice five empty containers stacked in his palm. If pregaming was a person, it would be Larry.

I blink at the man, then look up to see him quite literally tonguing a very clearly empty container. I don't know what more he's looking to get out of it, but at least he has some good work ethic.

Larry catches my eyes and pauses, tongue buried in the plastic like he's looking for water after going days without it. It's pretty comical.

He quickly pulls the plastic away from his face and swipes his hand along his mouth. I press my lips together to hold back giggles.

"Here," I say, lifting the edge of my shirt and bringing it up to right under my armpit before I can think harder about it. The one shot I had isn't even enough to give me a buzz, but assuming it'll have some kind of affect on me later gives me false confidence. I'll walk this fear off like a pro.

I lean over to look at my side, noting the small and uneven crescent shaped scar right under my ribs. Then I grab the very edge of my bra strap and move it, revealing the top half of my tattoo so everyone can get a good look at everything if they so wish.

Larry bends over, hands on his knees as he inspects my bare side. "Nice to know we officially aren't being catfished," he murmurs, eyes glancing over every inch of my skin. He's way too close.

I gape down at him. "Did you really think I was someone else all this time?" I ask, swallowing down that statement when I realize how much of a hypocrite I am. Because I am someone else.

Now that I'm leaving tomorrow, I just suddenly feel so guilty for tricking and deceiving everyone.

I run my tongue along the surface of my teeth, looking at anything but Larry as he lightly rubs his fingertips over the words engraved into my skin. His touch tickles, but I try not to pay any mind to it-- especially when Sal's eyes are glued to my waist from a couple feet away too. He watches me shamelessly, all while I fall apart on the inside. 

"You're bruised here, Vi," Larry murmurs to himself, pressing on another part of my skin that makes me wince. It's sore, for sure. I try to see if Sal has some kind of reaction because we all know it's his fault.

His bright eyes look emotionless from over here. The splashes of neon orange and green on his black tactical gear brings out the cerulean color of his hair and the midnight blue of his irises. He's so pretty in such a unique way. Watching him look at me feels like I'm gazing at something forbidden, like I'm not supposed to catch him with his focus directed at me. It feels secretive.

But all of him feels like this one, giant secret that I'm not supposed to figure out. His prosthetic, his scars, his life story. I don't know any of it and I shouldn't. My brain is hardwired to understand things that confuse me, and Sal really confuses me. He also really pisses me off, but there has to be some kind of reason as to why he's so angry with me to begin with.

I have so much I want to figure out and so little time, so little trust. So little self-confidence. Things are fine right now-- Sally Face is silent, Todd is too. Larry is running his fingers over my skin and Ash is resting her chin on my shoulder, watching Larry. I should be enjoying my time. So why am I regretting my decisions and worrying about someone who couldn't care less about me?

_______

A/N::::::: HIIIIIII sorry it's been so long babies... college :(

i have soooo so much planned for this story right now. i've been writing a lot, i just have to write in short spurts because i also have so much school work to get done. i miss getting to write for hours soooo freaking much!! 

fair warning, next chapter is smutty again >:) i'm excited. I'M ALWAYS EXCITED TO WRITE FOR YOU GUYS AHHHH

anyway, i love and miss everyone so much, so deeply!! have a wonderful morning/afternoon/evening/night <3333

p.s. emo casino knight is actually a real person but we're not gonna talk about that hehe....

#sal fisher #sally face #larry johnson #ash campbell #todd morrison #travis phelps #enemies to lovers #sally face fandom #sally face fanfiction #fanfic

[crowleystolemyshoes]

does anyone have any actual play podcast recommendations? bonus points for found family and a more comedic/casual atmosphere

#I've listened to rqg neoscum and skyjacks #and tried critical role and taz but couldn't get into either #I really don't care the system #I've just been listening to hey riddle riddle and I'm almost caught up so I need a new one #and I really miss actual play podcasts #not sure how to tag this honestly? I don't want to clog the tags of other podcasts #so please just let me know if you have one!

[lovee-infected]

♦♥ Paint them red ♠♣

[Yandere!Riddle Rosehearts x reader] [pr 1] [pr 2]

♦♥♠♣

(y/n) was only 9 when she first found her hidden place through the forest . An area covered by tallest of trees and darkest of shadows .

Quiet

(y/n) found herself gazing upon the large table covered with a dirty white table cloth .Two cracked teapots on two sides of it , several small teacups in front of seven wooden chairs set all around .

" W-wow"

As the cold wind started to Howl , she slowly walked closer to be the uninvited guest to this party , admiring the pace and forest's small surprise for her.

She bowed down as a proper apology to the imaginary guests .

" Sorry for being late !"

Taking a seat , she found a hat with multiple bruises and different colorful fabrics on it , having it's sunlight colors turned black and gray as the result of being left out there for days ; dare to say years .

"Mad hatter..!"

She turned around to catch each and every easter egg , waiting there for her to discover them .

A broken chest clock . (Y/n) carefully picked it up , realizing it's cold and wet body while smelling its ringed copper .

"My my , March heir is late again? "

(y/n) giggled as she tries to sound as legit as possible

"Well he'd better be early , or Queen of hearts would be off with his he-"

(y/n) Froze as she heared bushes shaking . She didn't realize how she dropped the chest clock until she sound of broken glass shook her .

'Who was there?'

"Wh...who is there...?"

no anwser came

(y/n) said , trying her best to hide her fear from exploding and voice from shaking . Hearing the bushes shaking wasn't supposed to be any big deal , but things are different when you're all alone into the woods .

" Hello...?"

"C...come out !"

She dared to step forward trying to get a better sight of whatever was going on behind the bushes . Seeing the! shaking again she let out a silent scream .

Once again , silence poured the atmosphere .

(y/n) slowly lowered herself , picking up a rock

"Last chance ; come out ! Or you'll regret it !!"

This was taking too long...

"Okay ! Take it !!"

She angrily threw it to the bushes , just to make making something or better to say , someone, smirk playfully :

" You're really terrible at targeting , aren't you ?"

Hearing the voice , (y/n) first froze . Then want mad again :

" AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE AT MAKING SMALL TALK !" , she shouted angrily , face as red as a tomato now .

"JUST A COWARD WOULD DARE TO STALK ON A YOUNG LADY LIKE THIS !!"

"Me ? stalking ? " , the childish voice continued to tease her : "Then what would you say about entering one's private place uninvitedly . You're lucky it's not with the Queen of hearts ; she would've been off with your head by the time you realized..," the boy giggled sarcastically .

(Y/n) got even redder but now , there was a bit of shame as well . This place ? One's private area ? No way .

She couldn't imagine once in a hundred times that such a mess might actually be owned by someone . At least it could've been kept...cleaner .

" If I were you , I would've considered at least wiping off the dust once in a month ! Also , if you really "own" this messed up tea party , then stop sneaking LIKE A RAT and show yourself !" , it might've been too much to call someone mad at you for stepping into their property 'rat' , but that was no big deal since they were just children .

For the third time , silence granted the atmosphere

"If you don't , then I'll come there myse-"

She was cut off as the red haired kid came out of the shadows , giving her an uninterested look .

" First , I wasn't sneaking ; I was ' watching ' . You've been doing the same for your first 10 minutes here. Also , this isn't a simple tea party , this is a non- birthday party . Tea parties don't have many deserts served and won't usually have more than 6 guests . That's the difference "

(y/n) went speechless , she meant to kick the bastard who's been scaring her and instead , she was given a presentation about differences between tea parties and non-birthday paries . 'Whoever this guy is , he surely has a thing for non-birthday parties' , she thought . Taking her time to analyse the boy more carefully , she realized that he was actually... cute . Short messy red hair with a weird hair cut that shaped a heart upon his head , shiny silver eyes that kinda matched the dirty color of that dirty tablecloth , tidy clothes that proved that he did come from a high class family indeed ...

'Such an ironic attitude is a total contrast to this cute appearance'

"What's your name ? "

"Ah...what?",she was suddenly pulled out of her day dreaming and for a second , didn't get what she was asked.

"Your name , I said," Riddle replied .

"I'm..."

She felt awkward taking for too long to anwser such a childish question so decided to take advantage of it

"Don't you know the appropriate way to ask for a lady's name ? " , she tried to sound as mature as possible

"If it's a "lady" who has stepped into my property , I think this way's appropriate enough, "

He got (y/n) in that point so there was no need to be offended

"It's....(y/n)," she mumbled slowly , giving him a look as an expect of his name .

He smiled at your name and stepped closer to you: " I'm Riddle , pleasure to meet you ,(y/n) "

He patiently brought you his hand to shake it .

" Pleasure to meet you to , Riddle "

The ironic atmosphere now seemed to be gone , even the forest didn't feel as dark and cold as a few seconds ago .

" Well well , (y/n) . I'm not gonna be off with your head but I'm not gonna let you pass like nothing has happened either ," he said holding a smirk .

His was still teasing her , but she were getting used to his cringy attitude . 'Perhaps he isn't that bad after all , ' she thought .

"And now ? What are "you" going to do to me ? Trial me in a court or push me into a rabbit hole ?" you asked with a playful tone , not minding to tease him back a little bit .

Riddle's smile disappeared , making him break eye contact with you . This wasn't the anwser he was expecting .

He took a quick look around before having his eye caught on something .

A small grin appeared upon his lips : " Neither , I've got a better idea,"

"Huh?" she asked , raising an eyebrow

'God , this boy is taking a joke seriously ,maybe I should've explained better...'

"Paint them red , all of them ," he said pointing to rose bushes surrounding them .

"Paint what....?" , she asked , still unsure if it was another joke .

"This area's surrounded by white roses . Queen of hearts would've been really disappointed if she were here , wouldn't she? She probably would've wanted them all...red "

(y/n) Couldn't really get if he was kidding or not but she found not the smallest of sense of humor into his solid tune .

She sighed , asking : " Okay , how should I be coloring them , then ? "

"Use those," Riddle ordered , pointing to back of you .

You returned to see a paint can with a paint brush on it . It took her a few minutes to stop watching since it seemed pretty odd to her. 'They weren't there before...' she thought.

"If I lose my temper , you lose head girl . So be fast." Riddle warned her ; not that (y/n) was taking him seriously though...not yet

(y/n) bowed down to pick the brush and paint can . She trembled a bit when her hand firstly touched thr can's unexpectedly cold fuselage. She pulled it up , trying to open it

" why doesn't it open ?" she mumbled while struggling with the can , trying to open it . 'Just how hard has this thing been sealed ?!' she held it between her thigh dragging it's door with all her power left in her fist .

" Ouch-! "

She managed to catch the can before having all the color spilled , that was close . She sat once again at the dirty , wet ground ; staring at the half empty , opened can . She then realised red color on her finger .

"You had your finger cut by just opening a can? " , Riddle questioned .

'How long has he been standing there ?' she thought , realizing how close he was to her now .

You rose your head to find Riddle staring at you , arms crossed and eyes a little bit widened .

"Here , take my hand," he said offering you his hand . She held his hand , expecting him to pull it and helo her stand up , but he did nothing but to hold her hand , making have to raise using her only one hand . She relied her hand on the earth , feeling the wet soil and small rocks within her fingers. With one push , she stood up , slightly pulling her hand from Riddle's , but he didn't let go . He wasn't looking into her face , yet he was staring at her finger , which was covered in dirt and small sight of blood .

"Can you , let go of my hand?" (y/n) asked uncomfortably , she didn't really enjoy the way he was starting at her finger.

Riddle silently rose his head and locked eyes with her : " Are you gonna waste that ?"

"Waste what...?"

" Your blood ,"

(y/n) stood blank at the anwser , more from how calm and serious it was said . She uncomfortably tried to free her hand from his fist : " What do you mean by wasting my-"

She didn't get to continue as Riddle pulled her hand with him , almost making her fall . He brings himself closer to the rose bushes , pulling (y/n) with him .

"Hey ! what are you-," she protested ; not that Riddle was actually listening.

Riddle pulls her closer to the white bushes , letting go of her hand and holding her finger instead .

"Right there..." he lowly whispered , holding her finger with one hand while putting the other on her waist , slightly making (y/n) bow down , her face too close to touch the thorns.

He gently brings her finger closer to a rose , softly putting it on a petal as if your finger was kissing it . He slowly moves her finger to spread the color , turning the lifeless white to a deep , glossy red . (Y/n) could feel his warm breathes upon her neck , along with the sound of his heart beating at her back :

All so calm and gentle , followed by an organized rhythm coming one after one , never in a hurry....

He continued to paint the roses with your blood ; until your finger gets too dry to be used . He carefully pulls her finger back , makimg sure that it won't be touched by any thorns , then pulling back all her body from the roses .

Riddle suddenly let go of her hand a body , making (y/n) lose balance for a second .

"Fine then , get to your work . They aren't gonna be colored on their own," he mumbled , clearing his throat . (y/n) sighed again . The gentle and calm painter holding her tightly before was now gone . The strict ruler of forest was back . But why did he have to turn away ?As he was turning his head from her , was that , blush she saw upon his pale cheeks ?

"Get to work . We haven't got all day " he ordered .

Well at least , this Riddle made more sense than the one which...which was there a few minutes ago or whatever-

Quickly , (y/n) picked up the brush and can , not wanting Riddle to be mad at her again.

If she were trying to be honest , she must have admitted that it wasn't too bad being ordered around by the redhead . He seemed to have his own childish trends along with his cold, strict personality . Also , she did agree that she found him cute .

It was not only because of his naturally rare hair color together with his chubby cheeks and silver eyes , but she was also attracted to his ,well, dramatical side . She could still feel his slender fingers on her waist ; so soft and gentle , yet strong . (Y/n) wasn't sure why , but she felt attached to those very few seconds . As a child , she might've considered those "moments" as part of her romantic fantasies , until the day she finds her own prince charming holding her close and gentle ; showing her a true happy ending and making her finally believe in fairy tales ; to have a happy ending .

Ah but how wrong she was...

Both about those seductive minutes and fairy tales

♦♦♦♦

"Enough"

(y/n) was unexpectedly stopped . 'What's the matter? There are still half of the bushes left ,' she thoughtv. What was wrong ? Wasn't he satisfied with the color or hadn't she colored them properly ? Could that be her wasting too much color on each rose ? She didn't know-

Hundreds of thoughts scaped her mind in a matter of seconds as she tried to find out what might've dissatisfied Riddle : " Um , anything wrong ?"

"Hm , should it be ?" he replied . A small grin started to appear on his lips as he got closer to rose bushes , checking their each and every detail from petals to leaves. "Well I can't deny it , I'm impressed ," he said , cutting a flower from its bush : " The color's solid and well spreaded , neither too tender nor too thick , it's just like a glacier of ice covering the petals , " He steps toward you , not taking his eyes off the flower for even a second . He brushes his finger upon the petals , careful not to ruin or harm them : " Eventhough it's colored , I can still feel it's softness under my fingers . Most of the flowers turn rough and scaly with color on them..."

He continues to explore each and every detail left on the flower , making (y/n) more and more attached . She could even say that this made her admire Riddle as he was , such a patient and accuracy wasn't something you'd get to see everyday , he did surely have an eye for detail . Each and every reply from him seemed like a million to her , making her want more of it . Before she could've realized , Riddle was now really close to her . With now their breathes meeting , it was just a few inches away . (y/n) moved her eyes from the ground to the rose and then , from the rose to Riddle's eyes . Suddenly she feels butterflies in his stomach , making her gulp and hold her breathe .

"Nice job done , (y/n)"

(y/n) could feel blood rushing to her cheeks again time but it was greater this time , making her face sweat a bit .

Riddle didn't move an eyebrow , he simply kept watching ; again . (y/n) Found his gaze a bit uncomfortable , deciding to bring on a subject to wreck this unsettling silence : " Shall I paint these last ones as well?" she said , pointing to the roses behind your back with your paintbrush ; still wet in red .

"Indeed , " Riddle nodded .

"But not today"

Once again , he turns to بوته ها , slowly moving his hand above the roses as he walked , giving his movement a soft , yet organized , rhythm .

"It's starting to get dark already , it would be such a pitty if you lost your way through the woods , wouldn't it ?"

His words made (y/n) recognize how fast time had passed : She'd got there a while after the sunrise and now it was... What time was it ? 6 ? 7 ? She couldn't tell .

She looked up to the grayish sky ; now all covered in dark clouds . She couldn't quite keep her eyes open as wind started to blew , getting soil and dust into her eyes and making all trees and bushes shake heavily . She could hear crows cawing as they all flew away , filling the sky with portraits of wandering shadows .

Riddle came to you , not being the least affected by the unsettling atmosphere :

"30 days "

You thought that you must have misheard him through that thunder of sounds , but there was no mistake . He was speaking loud and clear

"You'll be returning herr in 30 days , one month . I'd be waiting here . Don't be late , miss (y/n) ,"

(y/n) didn't know how to reply , so wasn't she going to paint the rest till then ? Was he trying to tease her even more by making this game last for another month or... she was being invited to an actual tea party ?

(y/n) didn't get to anwser as a flash of lightning brightened the sky , making her let out a silent scream . She just quickly shook her head as an okay and started to run out of the place. At the moment , (y/n) didn't get why she agreed to such a nonsense. But soon it came clear that it wasn't a request ;

it was an order.

And all she could do was showing her obedience toward the redhead , even if it didn't make any sense.

As she was panting heavily trying to find her way within endless trees and wild winds , her minb was running toward the silver eyed boy . His words , his gaze , his eyes , he surely was much of a riddle after all... a complicated one of course .

But...

There was something about him that busied her mind :

~"You'll be returning to me in 30 days , one month . I'd be waiting here for you to come . Don't be late for the non-birthday party , miss (y/n)"~

His voice echoed through her head , making her smile . She couldn't deny being hyped for the next time they met and getting to know this new friend of her better . There were hundreds of questions popping in her mind already , giving her a sense of curiosity and excitement .

♥♥♥♥

Days flew away and before she could've imagined , (y/n) was standing again within the treeless area , but not quite the same as the last time :

(y/n) Could feel the smell of steamed tea combined with softness of sweet vanilla , then having it even better with a mild scent of fresh flowers through the air .

Table looked... different now . Broken teapots were replaced with classic , florid ones and previously dirty , gray tablecloth was white and tiddy . Empty plates and dishes were filled with colorful shortcakes , sandwiches , marshmallows and other eye-catching desserts .

She couldn't help but to hold tip of her dress bowing down in respect of her host's hospitality , who has been watching her for minutes now .

" 2 minutes late , any excuses ?" , Riddle said coming out of the shadows, holding a clock in his hand .

"Almost lost my way though the woods , that's why ," (y/n) said . Trying to seem as polite as possible ; in contrast to her last time .

Riddle sighed , definitely not even a bit satisfied with the anwser . But he wasn't really fascinated either since it was (y/n) they were talking about .

"Anyways , let's not delay the party anymore . May I ? " , he said , genty holding his hand to her with a soft smile . ' He can really be much of a gentleman sometimes ' , she thought . Riddle patiently leads her to the other side of table , pulling the chair for hair to sit . " What a gentleman ," (y/n) smirked , taking her seat . Riddle sat at the other side of table , locking eyes with her . " And now , let the non-birthday party begin ! Happy non-birthday to you (y/n) ! " Riddle says cheerfully , rising his tea cup . (y/n) giggled softly , taking her own tea cup , this was going to be long day...

" Happy non-birthday to you too , Riddle !"

♪♪♪♪

"Enough for today "

'Again..?', (y/n) thought . She stood up to see the amount of roses done with coloring : a quarter of them were still left... she'd just painted half of what was left from the other time . "Um...I can finish them toda-"

"No," Riddle cut her off : "It's already pretty late . I don't want you getting lost ."

"It's not that la-" she recognized how late it really was by looking at the sky . How did it pass so fast ? Perhaps it was because of how much they talked while having a... non-birthday party. She couldn't feel time passing at all .

" So...when should I be back for...the rest of them ?"

Riddle smiled at your question , more because of seeing you willing for a next time .

"30 days , one month . Don't be late..."

(y/n) smiled slowly taking her way to the woods . Just before getting to far from Riddle to see , she turned back gently bowing down : " Thanks for the tea , Riddle "

Riddle just shook a head as a you're welcome , but that was enough for (y/n) . She'd never expected him to be this hospitable with her , and that was already more than enough for her .

On her way back , something was stock in her mind again : Was she really going to finish the roses next time or would it end up with one eighth of them left ? Or was the redhead afraid of not seeing her again if this little game of him didn't continue ? Come to think of it , they all seemed cute to young , naive (y/n) , cheerful about her new friend.

But there were other consequences as well she didn't notice at the time

The new roses growing after their monthly duration was just one of them...

♦♥♠♣

Tagging : @yandere-romanticaa @roaringyouth @tsuisute @yandere-wishes @yandere-of-your-dreams @ghostiebabey @twst-soul @kanaverni @twistedlymad ♥

#twst #twisted wonderland #twst x reader #twst x you #twisted wonderland imagines #yandere x reader #yandere x you #twisted Wonderland x reader #twisted wonderland x you #Riddle Rosehearts #Yandere Riddle Rosehearts #Heartslabyul #Heartslabyul x reader #twst imagines #Riddle Rosehearts x reader #riddle Rosehearts x you

[goodbysunball]

Ten weeks away, six beats off

Been a whirlwind year so far but I'm back in the saddle. I'm busting at the seams with drivel on records and the best way to unleash it is in these grouped posts. Small plates, quick bites - bon apétit.

Bobby Would, World Wide World (Low Company)

Can Low Company just come back as a label and a record store already? These releases trickling out after its demise are cruel reminders of how essential those self-effacing tastemakers were. The Anti-Clock LP is a doozy, and this second Bobby Would record sounds like a classic right off the bat. Mr. Would sticks to the same stuff that made Baby so damn good: dusty loops, barely discernible vocals with a catchy melody, bright spindly guitar lines for days. Songs like "Natural Killer" and "Walk Away" are the immediate favorites, upbeat on the exterior but bleary-eyed upon close inspection. Repeated listens have revealed that the hungover haze of "Maybe You Should" and the last call sway of "Raft," which might be my favorite, are where he really shines, tempos slowed to a crawl to make room for the rich warmth of his reverb'd mumble and his sparkling guitar. Yeah, I'm crushin' on Bobby Would, but so's everyone I've forced this record upon. Sharp but unassuming, and endlessly listenable, World Wide World is the balm until better days arrive. Top notch, highest recommendation, all the fixin's.

The Begotten, Temidden Laaghangende Wolken (Aguirre)

I'm a new dad and that means I'm searching for music that I can listen to with my daughter without disturbing her, and music that isn't Raffi. Typically that means a lot of drone, and a lot more quiet, introspective music, like the reissue of Lol Coxhill & Morgan Fisher's Slow Music that Aguirre did. Because the reissue job on that record is so good, I decided to roll the dice on a contemporary offering from Aguirre that also sounded like it fit my needs. My initial reaction to hearing the Begotten's music online was that this trio was approaching zones tread upon by Fabulous Diamonds circa Commercial Music, but subsequent listens have decidedly not taken me that far out. While it's clear the band is made up of exceptionally talented musicians, the music tends to be pretty safe and stays close to the shore. The B-side's a bit better: "Eiland Zonder Oceaan" and "60 Manen" are as close as this record gets to the "dub with tears" descriptor from the label, and the gossamer drone of closer "Klauwzeer" is cool, but nothing really sticks once it's over. Seems like these guys could probably freak out the crowd at a traditional jazz club, but Temidden Laaghangende Wolken keeps the listener at arms' length, simmering but ultimately tepid once you're beneath the surface.

Cube, Drug of Choice (Alter)

Fave record of the year so far! I caught Cube (aka Adam Keith) burning down the Pilot Light what seems like an eternity ago, touring on his last LP, Decoy Street. Nothing on that LP approached the fiery performance I saw, but he's definitely harnessed that energy on Drug of Choice. The record flows seamlessly, corroded breakcore flooding into all corners, causing machines to gasp and whirr and burst, and Keith's intermittent vocalizations are as sinister and biting as they are introspective and philosophical. "Natural Selector" has all of the above, but for my money it's the closing duo - the frenzy of "Moderator" and the terrifying strobelight beatdown of "Cusp" - that really show the piledriving exterior/groaning interior dichotomy that makes the record so magnetic. The label said it best: Drug of Choice "deliver[s] something that feels as much focused on artful constructions of private experiences as it does the cathartic qualities of noise." Alter's quietly releasing some of the best contemporary records, but Cube's Drug of Choice has all the right stuff to justifiably blow up their profile. Wildly intense and devious record; grip a copy and lose your mind with me. While you're at it, check out Adam Keith's amazing Baited Area zine - some of the most engaging arts 'n culture writing/interviews this side of Demystification.

The Gagmen, s/t (iDEAL)

Aaron Dilloway, Nate Young, Joachim Nordwall and apparently Andrew W.K. teamed up as the Gagmen for a performance a few years ago, captured here and put to wax by Nordwall himself for his iDEAL label. I was expecting a pretty blistering assault given the clientele, but what you get is the opposite: slow loops, spare instrumentation, Young's sleepy vocals, all stark and creepy and forcing you to lean into it. The end of the second track gets a little intense, with some wailing loop and white noise combining to tickle your ear hairs, but aside from those couple of minutes, the bulk of The Gagmen is like a black breezy night forcing things to move that usually don't. Puts a knot in your stomach, it does. Hey, it's not for everyone, but if you loved the Komare LP from last year like me, you're gonna find a lot to enjoy here.

Monokultur, Ormens Väg (ever/never)

Glad to see Monokultur continuing their relationship with ever/never, not least of all because those overseas shipping costs hurt. Ormens Väg is the Swedish duo's second LP, and right from the jump they're seemingly headed in a more accessible pop direction. It's a good look for them: opener "Decennium" features big warm keyboards and probably the most exposed vocals from the band yet, kinda coming across like the Knife covering Berlin. It's followed by my favorite track, "För sent," which has a bass line that melts and soothes your ears, topped by JJ Ulius' forlorn (I'm assuming) spoke-sung vocals. The band nods at an earlier incantation of themselves on the buzzed descent of "Kanske blir det sämre", but for the most part the rest of Ormens Väg continues in this gorgeous, warm and spare mode. Take the beautiful instrumental "Vårdagjämning," which almost sounds like it was lifted from the xx's cutting floor until the tape loops emerge like swirling smoke to cloud the proceedings. By the track's end the band somehow ends up on Robert Turman's turf but everything feels cohesive, all of it delicately presented. Shit, even the snippet of "Silent Night" emerging at the end of the title track doesn't take the record off course. Pretty much perfect little record, and yet another early favorite from this year.

Nina Harker, s/t (Animal Biscuit/La République des Granges/Le Syndicat des Scorpions)

This record came out in the middle of 2020, but I missed it then and it's a current obsession now. Shoutout to @dustedandsocial, Yellow Green Red, Fuckin' Record Reviews and everyone else who pointed me in its direction, late as I may be. I don't have a whole lot of info on Nina Harker but it appears that it's the work of one Valentin Noiret, some mad multilingual genius working between the lines connecting Dome, La Grande Triple Alliance and Enhet För Fri Musik. "L'affreuse" is pretty illustrative of how Nina Harker condenses genres into bite-size packets: the woozy, seasick synth topped by Xasthur-like vocals, which are then joined by what sounds like despairing Japanese, the shuffling song slowly building up to this terribly simple guitar part that just levels you when it hits. Not everything is so busy: "Müssen Wir Noch Aufblühen⁇" is a fantastic slice of minimal synth, and the two late night strummers "το κορίτσι γαβγίζει" and "Muto" are disarming in their stripped-down simplicity. The hum that overwhelms "Muto" razes the field to make way for the robotic waltz and maniacal ravings on "Du Schaffst es Nicht," one of many catchy, totally bizarre moments on the record. Nina Harker is riddled with anxiety, moving from frenzied to haunting without batting an eye, but it's also an absolutely singular approach to the dread and restlessness lurking in the corners. Perhaps more prescient than they would've guessed when they made this record. Stunning, hits the spot every time, track down a copy posthaste.

#Bobby Would #The Begotten #Cube #The Gagmen #Monokultur #Nina Harker #Low Company #Alter #ever/never records

[wreckofawriter]

I Wish

Pairing: James Potter x Reader x Sirius Black

Word Count: 2,421

Warnings: Slight swearing, angsty

Request: hey 💌 my request seems kinda sad (but i'm into it). sooo i was listening to i wish by one direction and i had an idea!! could u pls write a james x reader based on that song? like reader is dating sirius and james is in love with reader? and sirius knows? heheh thank u, i love your work ✨💗🙏🏽

A/n: I'm not a big One Direction fan but this was fun to write. Enjoy!

He takes your hand, I die a little

I watch your eyes and I'm in riddles

Why can't you look at me like that?

James swallowed harshly watching you as neared them. He knew it wasn't supposed to be like this but here he was. The boy looked down at his hands ashamed.

“Hey guys!” you greeted with a smile that made his knees go weak and his breath leave his lungs. 

“Hey babe.” Sirius responded looking up at you from his position next to James on the couch. “Whats up?” 

“Nothing much.” You answered plopping in between the two boys making James jump a bit. “You okay James?” You asked turning towards him.

The boy coughed sputtering for breath, “Y-yeah.” he stuttered nervously pushing his glasses back up his nose. 

“You sure?” you placed your arm on his shoulder in concern and he went completely stiff.

“He's just upset his Lily flower is ignoring him again.” Sirius laughed rolling his eyes playfully. 

Sirius couldn't have been more wrong but James just put on a fake smile and nodded along.  

He slumped with relief when you removed your hand from his shoulder and turned back to Sirius. 

Playing with Sirius' hair you said, “She can't keep the charade up for ever I mean you James fuckng Potter for Merlin's sake.” 

The truth was James felt nothing the ‘James fucking Potter’ you mentioned. That James had died three months ago when he fell in love with you. He knew falling in love was supposed to be this wonderful thing, with fluffy bunnies, rainbows and cotton candy and he was sure that's what it was when he thought he was in love with Lily.  Unfortunately he had done no such thing and when you walked into the common room Sirius’ arm around your waist he had truly fallen. And falling was definitely the right word. 

It was as if someone had pushed him off his broom and he had plummeted to the ground below. Now he just lay there hurt and wounded attempting to pick himself back up as his heart crumbled to pieces.

Oh and of course every time he made the smallest bit of progress, his best friend would come over carrying you in his arms and kick him in the gut as you giggled and stared at Sirius like he with the king of England. 

And now here you were doing it again. Sirius was talking about the prank he had just constructed and you had your head laid on his shoulder hand interlaced with his. Your beautiful y/e/c eyes locked on his stormy grey ones. All the while James was wishing you were looking at him. 

When you walk by, I try to say it

But then I freeze, and never do it

My tongue gets tied, the words get trapped 

I hear the beat of my heart getting louder, whenever I'm near you

James nearly went into cardiac arrest when you walked into the slug club meeting. You were incredible. 

A lacy white dress hung snug to your chest before spreading out at your waist into a and hanging down your legs. Your hair was done up in a tight ponytail with silver sparkles sprinkeled in across your head.

James was sure if he watched you any longer he would forget about everything else in this world and sprint at you smashing his lips onto yours. So he turned his head to look at his best friend whose arm was linked to yours, the long haired boy had his eyes locked on you in a way that broke his heart, he looked at you the same way; with love. You just never looked back. 

You waved to a few of your friends before turning back to Sirius saying something to him before disappearing into the small crowd. 

Sirius made his way over to James giddy and smiley. 

“Guess what.” He smiled his eyes still in a haze from your angelic form. 

“What?"James drawled trying (and failing) to sound interested. 

“I told her I loved her.” 

James spat out the pumpkin juice he had taken a sip of, gaining everyone in a three foot radius attention, “You did what!?”  

“Yeah I know!” the other boy bounced excitedly on his heels mistaking his friends misery for astonishment and happiness of his own actions. “She said it back too, I can't believe it! She's actually in love with me!” Sirius was practically bursting with joy as he broke his best friends heart into a million pieces. 

“She's actually in love with you.” James whispered voice tearful and heart-broken as if he was realizing it for the first time. 

“You okay man?” Remus asked coming up behind the pale boy. 

“I think I feel a bit sick, i'm going to head back.” James  muttered blinking back tears as he set his glass down and headed for the door. 

“Oh okay.” Sirius said smile faltering for just a meer second.  

Just as James neared the exit he had his hand grabbed and twirled around to be faced with the elegant y/e/c eyes he dreamt about. 

“James, where are you going?” you asked a grin plastered on your soft pink lips. 

He felt his tongue swell as his eyes took in your beautiful figure, your were nothing short of a piece of magnificent art. “I-I don't feel very well.” He managed to punch past the lump growing in his throat as he looked a what could never be his. 

“Oh I'm sorry.” You said voice soft and laced with concern, “I'll talk to you later then, hope you feel better.” with that you turned to walk back to the party.

“Wait y/n!” James bit down on his tongue after he spoke wishing he hadn’t let those two words escape.

“Whats up James?” you asked turning back to face the breaking boy.

James felt the words he had been wanting to say building in his throat wanting desperately to escape. He swallowed again forcing those thoughts to stay just that; thoughts. 

He managed a lopsided grimace  before squeezing his eyes shut quickly and gasping out a sarrowfilled and broken, “Nothing.” before turning and walking quickly from the party before you could respond. 

But I see you

With him slow dancing

Tearing me apart 'cause you don't see

Whenever you kiss him, I'm breaking,

Oh how I wish that was me

    Over the next few weeks James learns slowly and, as always, painfully how to act normal around you. He would still feel himself breaking inside as Sirius pulled you into a kiss, but he kept it just there. Inside.  

    Now he stared at you pulling Sirius close to you and burying your head in his chest as you both swayed to the soft sound of the music he simply sighed downing his glass of fire whiskey in a quick gulp, hoping it would dull the pain. 

    It helped a bit but he dared not drink much more for fear of the false confidence he knew he would gain with a few more glasses, confidence that would take his friendship and rip it in two. 

He looks at you, the way that I would

Does all the things, I know that I could

If only time could just turn back

' Cause I got three little words that I've always been dying to tell you

    James looked down at the crowd below him and caught sight of you, feeling his heart soar before it dropped straight back into the ground. Sirius stood next to you holding a sign that read, "Kick some slithery ass!” in bright golden and red. This would have made him chuckle if the owner of the sign hadn't been staring at the girl of his dreams before leaning over and kissing her on the corner of her lips.

James could almost hear Sirius mutters a soft, “I just couldn't help it.” in your ear.

He couldn't blame him. He could barely help it himself. 

He wished you were the one holding the sign, and that after this game he would be

able to go to hogsmeade with you and kiss the corner of your lips his hand locked with yours.

He wished he was the one who got to whisper, “I just couldn't help it” in your ear.

But he wasn't, so instead he flew through away from the heart wrenching couple and looked for something he could have. The quaffle. 

But I see you

With him slow dancing

Tearing me apart 'cause you don't see

Whenever you kiss him, I'm breaking,

Oh how I wish that was me

    Fire Whiskey was James Potter's new best friend. It wouldn't steal the love of his life away from him. 

             James had been doing okay but all rationalty had gone out the window when you had attacked him in a hug after he won the game. You had smelt of roses and pomegranates. The scent drove him crazy. He had wanted to freeze time and hold you forever, running his hands through your y/h/c hair.

    When you pulled away not having you was so much more painful than before and he couldn't take the pain. So he numbed it. 

He had taken four shots the second he had joined the party in the Gryffindor common room. The broken heart was now holding a bottle and bringing it to his lips as you drunkenly pulled an equally drunk Sirius into a sloppy make out session. 

    Godric, what James wouldn't have given for it to be him whose tongue was exploring your mouth. 

    Twice that night he almost fucked up his entire life and both times he had managed to stay sane enough to walk away from you and sit his ass back into a chair. After a third bailed attempt to say three little words to you he finally he stumbled upstairs and passed out on the floor. 

With my hands on your waist, while we

dance in the moonlight

I wish it was me, that you'll call later on

cause you wanna say good night

Just like every other night, he dreamt of you. 

This time you were dancing in a garden, the moonlight making you appear even more angelic than normal. You hair seemed to glow as you reached for his hand, bare feet twirling around on dewy grass. You soft lips were spread in their glorious lopsided smile. You had loved him. You had held him and ran your hands through his hair. You had kissed him softly lips tasting of strawberry and fire whiskey. You had wanted him, needed him, chosen him. 

Then he woke to the sound of you leaving the room, hair in a messy bun, wearing Sirius t-shirt and boxers as you snuck from the room, bare foot, on hardwood floors. Because you had wanted him, needed him, chosen...him.

Cause I see you

With him slow dancing

Tearing me apart 'cause you don't see

    Sirius was not blind. He saw the way his best friend looked at you. He saw the jealousy the anger, he saw all of it. He had hoped James was simply jealous of what he and y/n had wishing it for Lily and himself, but he was wrong and he had always known that.

    “James.” He spoke when the two of them were in the library. They had been abandoned by Remus and Peter but were still in desperate need to study. 

    “Yeah?” James asked looking up sleepily from his half-finished transfiguration essay. 

    Siruis sighed deciding beating around the bush would only cause more pain, “I know your in love with y/n. ” 

    All of the previous tiredness that had found a home in James’ hazel orbs was now far from sight. The boy went pale, then red then pale again before he opened his mouth to speak, “I don’t kn-”

    “Don't lie to me James. I know you better than I do myself, i'm not blind, I see the way you stare at her, the way you talk to her, just the way you act around her, its obvious.” Sirius deadpanned, he wasn't messing around. 

    James looked down ashamed of himself. He could feel his tears pushing through their defenses as the by he considered a brother spoke.

    “James, I don't know how you fell for her, but I need you to move on." Sirius stared at the boy needing him to hear him, "I love her, she loves me and I know that this has been killing you, but I won't change how I feel about her because of you. I can’t. You guys and her are all I have, but I refuse to choose between the two. So you are going to have to swallow your feelings, bury them deep and keep your shit together. Not just for me but for her too.” 

    James looked up at Sirius’ stern face eyes glossy. “I will.” 

    Sirius squeezed his eyes shut in a silent prayer to keep his own tears down, he hated this conversation almost as much as James. “Thank you.” 

    James nodded and looked back down at his essay knowing he wasn't going to write anything meaningful for a long time. 

But I see you

With him slow dancing

Tearing me apart 'cause you don't see

Whenever you kiss him, I'm breaking,

Oh how I wish

Oh how I wish

Oh how I wish, that was me

    It became easier. The breaking became a dull throbbing pain, not great but better than the previous sharp stabbing he had felt before.

            He didn't watch you anymore. He trained his eyes to look for red hair not y/h/c. He focused on everything he hated about you (a microscopic list)  and everything he loved about Lily. He smiled more, dreamt less.

           He tried not to wish for you but he still felt that deep desire not wanting to leave. He knew that with time he could do it. He avoided you, he needed space as well. He pushed you away best he could and focused, focused on anything but you. 

           James he knew that finally he was beginning to pick himself off of the grass and find the pieces of his heart to put back together. But he knew that you had one of those pieces and he was sure he would never quite get it back. Because a part of him would always be yours. 

Oh how I wish, that was me

Masterlist

#harry potter imagines #harry potter #hogwarts #harry potter au #draco malfoy #imagine #jk rowling #sirius black imagine #sirius black x reader #draco imagine #draco malfoy x reader #draco malfoy x you #harry potter imagine #sirius black imagines #fred and george #fred weasley x reader #fred weasley #fred weasley deserved better #fred weasley imagines #james potter x reader #james potter imagine #james potter imagines #sirius black x you #sirius black x oc #james potter x oc #james potter x you #james potter #remus x reader #remus lupin imagine

[ghost-nabbers-imagines]

🛏 sleepy Sal x reader, and kissing his scars 💋

I excitedly walked around my apartment double checking everything one last time. Pizza, video games, movies, snacks, soda, and music. Perfect. I wanted tonight to be perfect. My best friends Sal and Larry were coming over tonight for a sleepover and I couldn't wait.

My parents had gone away for the night so I told him and Larry to come eat pizza with me. Being as our building was known to have some issues (like the paranormal Kind) Larry suggested someone stay over with me. He was always like an older protective brother to me. Larry also knew about my feelings for Sal and was trying to onvince me to do something about it. Larry also thought Sal was having some trouble sleeping so I thought I'd see what was up.

A sudden knocking at the door caught my attention. I practically skipped over almost tripping over my own feet. When I opened the door Larry and Sal were both stood. Larry had one of his goofy smiles on and it looked like Sal was blushing a small bit from the color of his ears.

"Hey ya (y/n)!" Larry cheered as the two entered my apartment. "Hey Larry Hey Sal!" I exclaimed hugging them both. "You can set your stuff down I'll go get the plates and drinks!" I instructed running into the kitchen. Larry entered the kitchen a few moments later. "Hes definitely not sleeping well lately dude hes been practically falling asleep all day." Larry informed me. I looked up at him concerned. "Hopefully I can get him to sleep tonight." I said worried about my crush. "Just so you know it's just gonna be the two of you tonight." Larry informed me. I whipped around to face him again. "W-What? You're not staying?" I stuttered nervously. "Nah I'm not into third wheeling." He chuckled with a wink.

       "I really think you should go for it tonight. Just take it easy on Sal. He's a great guy but he's very new to having a girl like him." Larry pointed out Seriously. I nodded understanding walking out and setting the stuff on the table with the pizza. Both boys made their way over grabbing plates. We sat on the couch eating pizza and listening to Sanity's Fall for a couple hours. I had completely forgotten about the nerves in my stomach till Larry informed us that his mom wanted him home and he left.

        "So... Just us I guess." I laughed nervously scratching the back of my neck. "Yeah guess so." He chuckled staring at the floor. "I'm gonna go get my pajamas on." I said awkwardly excusing myself. As soon as I was in my room I pressed my back against the door running a hand through my hair.

This has to be the night I can't hold it in anymore. Besides Larry said if I didn't say something tonight he'd make us play truth or dare or something. I took a deep breath before pulling on my pajamas which consisted of an over sized Sanity's Fall shirt and short shorts.

I made my way back out into the living room to see Sal had changed into his pajama pants already and not wearing a shirt. The two of us were watching a movie and Iciuld practically see his head bobbing to the side every time he began to doze off. "You ok Sal?" I asked concerned. "Hm oh yeah I just need another refill and I'll be fine." He smiled reaching for his soda. I grabbed his wrist stopping him. "I think maybe you should get some sleep come on." I said pulling him up with me. I shut off the tv making my way into my room.

I hopped up onto my bed patting the space next to me. "O-Oh I uh. I um don't think that's appropriate but I can sleep on the floor next to your bed if you'd like." He offered nervously. I had to admit him being so adamant about it stung. "O-oh ok blankets are in that closet there." I said pointing to my closet. He nodded making his way over to open it. "Sal if you're that uncomfortable around me I can sleep on the couch and you can sleep here but I really think you should get some sleep in a real bed. You're eyes are starting to look more like a raccoon than Larry's." I blurted out making him freeze in his tracks immediately turning to face me. "N-no that's not it it's just.. it's not you it's... uh." he stuttered out shaking his head. "What Sal?" I asked confused by his behavior.

He sighed wrapping his arms around himself. "It's my face. I don't want you seeing my face. And I have really bad nightmares I'd probably keep you up anyhow with how bad they've been lately." Sal explained. It was then I remembered how scarred he said his face was. I crawled forwards wrapping my arms around his small body.

"Sal I'm so sorry I didn't even realize. You're more than welcome to sleep wherever you want. However if you chose in bed with me I promise to not judge or make you uncomfortable." I whispered placing a kiss on the cheek of his prosthetic. He turned towards me hugging me tightly. After a few minutes of the embrace I pulled away and crawled back up to my pillow. I pulled the light switch and got comfortable under the covers.

"You deserve a good nights sleep. If you'd like you can come up here and be the little spoon and I'll take the nightmares away. Otherwise like I said there's blankets in the closet use as many as you need. I know you get cold." I told him silently hoping he'd take my offer. After a few minutes he moved next to me facing away. I pulled the covers up and over his small form. "Want me to take out your pigtails?" I asked in a whisper. He nodded his head mumbling a shaky please.

I gently pulled the hair ties from his electric blue hair setting them on my night stand. "If you wanna take off your mask you can, I promise not to look. Tonight I just want you to sleep." I smiled playing with his hair. "I don't wanna scare you away." He said with his voice riddled with pain. "Sal that's not gonna happen. Truth is I really like you and-" before I could finish my sentence he sat straight up facing me. "You like me like you have feelings for me?" He asked shocked.

I giggled shaking my head before flipping the light back on. "Sal I've had a crush on you for a while now. And trust me whatever's under there isn't scaring me away. At least lift it up a little." I reassured him moving my hands up to cup his head. He let out a breath before moving his hands up to undo the bottom buckle. He lifted the mask neither to reveal his lips and chin.

There was bad scars and indents showing. A big chunk was missing above his upper lip. The scar tissue seemed to create a resting look of sorrow on his face. I used the pad of my thumb to caress the small portion of his cheek that was visible. "C-can I kiss you?" He asked making my heart leap out of its chest.

I nodded quickly and he wasted no time in pressing his soft slightly chapped lips against mine. The second our lips connected it was like fireworks were going off in my chest. We pulled away for air leaving us both smiling. "What do you say can I take it off?" I asked in a quiet tone. He nodded biting his bottom lip. I carefully reached around to unbuckle his mask. I pulled it from his face setting it near the hair ties.

 I couldn't help the tears that formed in my eyes. Despite his broken skin he was absolutely beautiful. I let my finger tips wonder his skin. His icy blue eye watched me fearfully. He was so scared I was gonna reject him. "Sal you're so beautiful." I said smiling widely. "W-what?" He asked clearly taken back. "You're so perfect." I whispered. I leaned in and carefully and gently pressed a kiss to each and every scar that littered his face.

       Something seemed to cloud over Sal's eyes as he pulled me into his lap connecting our lips again. His hands rested on my hips still slightly shaking while my hands made their way to to his hair.  Our mouths collided passionately for a good while til Sal pulled away and buried his face in my shoulder holding me tight 

      "Thank you (y/n)." He mumbled with a small sniffle. "Your welcome Sally Face. Now let's get some sleep Yeah?" I asked laying down holding my arms out. He smiled cuddling into my chest wrapping his arms around me. And we drifted off just like that.

       I woke up to see Sal still cuddling with me his breathing still and steady. It honestly felt so right to just be laying in his arms. I ran my hands gently through his hair. He let out a few mumbles as he snuggled into me more. I couldn't help but giggle at the adorable sight.

       I felt him move again and I could tell he was waking up. "Morning handsome." I beamed moving his hair away from his face. He sat up a bit leaning on his elbow to face me. "Morning Beautiful/handsome." He yawned a small grin on his face. I stared at him in adoration reaching out to caress his face. He leaned into my touch closing his eyes. I kinda had him pegged as someone who was touch deprived and I guess I was right.

        "You're really not scared or grossed out?" He asked opening his eyes. I shook my head smiling before placing a quick kiss on his cheek. He smiled widely before his facial expression changed and he crooked his head to the side. "You know I actually didn't have any nightmares last night." He pointed out still smiling. "Sal that's great I'm happy you got a good nights sleep." I cheered happily. He reached down to his bag and pulling out a phone. "Come here." He said sitting up and motioning to the space in front of him. I slid over in front of him and he wrapped his arms around me handing me his phone. "Can you take a picture of us for me? I wanna send it to Larry." He asked a small blush on his cheeks.

        I took the phone and gently kissing his cheek again. He buried his face in my neck so I angled the phone and snapped a picture of the two of us. "Perfect!" He exclaimed grabbing the phone and sending both Larry and I a copy. "Now he'll shut up about me asking you out finally." He chuckled pulling us both down so I was laying on his chest. He turned to me like he had a sudden realization.

       "(Y/n) um. Did you uh want to be my girlfriend?" He asked nervously. "Yes Sal of course." I smiled kissing his chin. Sal's phone dinged with a notification so he picked it up letting out a small chuckle. "Larry says we make a cute couple." He grinned showing me the message. I smiled happily kissing him again.

~Lex💛