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sullustangin · 2 years

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Day 24: Who is the Voidhound?

In the world of Corellian Whiskey and Sullustan Gin, I take the “Voidhound” -- the DS ending Smuggler title (which we never get in game, sigh) -- and develop it almost as a separate character from Eva Corolastor.

Secret Origins

Eva started playing around with the idea of a ‘secret identity’ early on, long before she became Voidhound. Eva always signed things as EC. She rarely gave her full name to anything, including pazaak tables. When she won Nok Drayen’s treasure, hiding the real Eva became a necessity; too many people wanted to either get her or get with her, often for selfish purposes. Even at 20, Eva understood that she needed to run interference between who she really was vs. how she needed to present herself to hold her place in the underworld. As a result, Republic planetary governors and higher-end crime bosses saw “her,” dressed in black and everything wrapped up and filed away, but the poor miner being rescued would see Eva and her companion of the day, being the 20-something idiots they all were (except Bowie and Guss, who were older, but still idiots of a certain vintage).

After the events of the Smuggler story, Eva is named by the media as “the Voidhound,” much to Risha’s disgust. Eva just takes it without a fight; actually naming her other self might give up too much.

When researching the Voidhound, Theron refers to the alter ego as “the Dark Lady,” both as a descriptor of the black blastweave suit and hat she wore and as a contrast to the lively person she was outside of the suit. To some extent, the Dark Lady and the Voidhound are the same persona, but I’d have to say that the Voidhound packed on a lot more baggage fast due to the events of Chapter 3; the Dark Lady existed prior to the Battle of Corellia but is perhaps best described as a casualty.

The Duality

Increasingly, as time goes on, the distance between Eva and the Voidhound begins to narrow. They weren’t alike to begin with; the persona was created so that Eva could be cold and brutal without endangering her crew via recognition but also herself. That’s not Eva doing those things; that’s the front. This is something that Eva and Risha work on for awhile before Corellia. That persona becomes the Voidhound, who does everything necessary, with no joy or regret about it. Everything is calculated and controlled, wrapped up in as many layers as the creature has to her costume.

Although Eva plays at being about six years older than she actually is, she is only 19 when the class story starts and 23 when it ends. Imagine a college student doing what the smuggler does in the vanilla story. When she goes out and dances with Corso and Risha, Eva acts her age (which is a year young than Risha, who is a year or two younger than Corso). There’s nothing girlish about the Voidhound. Eva needs that dark maturity to cope with what must be done and accept what she needs to do to stay at the top of the heap. When there’s such a long way to fall, the Voidhound knows what to do to stay alive.

Over time, however, the drop to the bottom gets ever longer, and the stakes of keeping and maintaining Voidfleet grow. Eva becomes less like herself and more like “that thing.” It gets harder for her to shake the Voidhound after she has to put on the act. It’s not just playing dress up to throw off the authorities. The Voidhound is almost as good as spice is at making Eva not feel pain, not feel regret -- just the cold ‘what is there.’

Inspiration: Who is the mask?

The Voidhound is an identity. It’s akin to how we have Batman and Bruce Wayne - in theory, same person playing a role.

I use the Batman analogy, because there is a sharp difference between Bruce Wayne and the Bat. There isn’t as dramatic a difference between Superman and Clark Kent; at heart, the civy identity is just as much of a good guy as the super identity. Clark is less coordinated and cool than Superman, but they have similar values, a taste for justice, and investigative intellect (Clark is a prize-winning journalist).

Bruce Wayne is a very different person from Batman. Bruce Wayne is a fop, a harmless socialite, a piece of tabloid fodder with an active philanthropic life and sad childhood. Depending on the interpretation of the Bruce character, he might be a coward, impulsive (which explains away his injuries “went skiing, lol”), and bit dim, intellectually. Batman is something else entirely: the great detective, the ultimate fighter, the cunning genius, the crusader for justice, the indomitable stalwart. There’s a lot less common ground between Batman and Bruce Wayne compared to Superman and Clark Kent. Eva Corolastor has a similarly large gap between herself and the Voidhound at the beginning of their association.

Inspiration: The Costume

This probably comes as a shock to no one, but I’m a huge nerd. I dabble in pulp fiction. No, not the Tarantino film (though it’s in my top ten) but the forerunner to comic books. One of my favorite characters is the Shadow.

And that’s the inspiration behind the look of the Voidhound (ok, and Darkwing Duck and Carmen Sandiego. Let’s be honest about my infatuation with huge hats.)

I’m never satisfied by my screenshots in game of the Voidhound costume. The earliest incarnation of the outfit was simply the Crystalline Targeter’s outfit, which is available in Chapter 3.

It’s decidedly... less well-rendered than a lot of the stuff that has come out in the last ten years! One element I like about this version, though, is the appearance of the shirt/vest combination underneath. Most longcoats either have a t-shirt, bandeau, or body armor underneath it.

The Voidhound’s coat is ever-elusive. This collar is far too thick, but it is the right height. In fan fic, the Voidhound’s collar is just thick enough to slot her hairpins in when she’s not using them.

In my mind’s eye, the Voidhound’s costume is more Val Kilmer’s Doc Holliday on a good day, with those lovely embroidered vests he wore, or like the Shadow’s suit, a well-cut three-piece suit made of black blastweave, with a button-down shirt. This conceals a beskar vest (akin to our bullet-proof vest; expensive, rare, and totally something Eva would spend a stupid amount of money on). Over top is the greatcoat, with a high collar.

On my latest smuggler playthrough, I used the Restored Columi Smuggler’s outfit.

Much better quality (and much closer Allard/Cranston’s costume)! However, As much as I like the cape, I want a coat on the character. Note how the holsters are exposed in this outfit . The large coat of the Voidhound is there to obscure: obscure any armor, obscure the weapons, and also obscure Eva’s actual size. The boots also look a little weird on this one -- they have extra knee armor sticking up.

One new set I’m messing around with is the Nightlife Operative’s set paired with the hat and a different set of boots.

Unsure if I’ll use this in game or not. The coat is still Not Quite Right (collar, lack of suit appearance, too close cut to obscure shape), but I love the hints of red around the edges of the coat as well as the general form.

The Death of the Voidhound

The Eternal Fleet incident comes at a critical point in the ever-thinning space between Eva and the Voidhound. Eva went as the Voidhound to meet Darth Marr. It’s fortunate that she did: Death awaited her. She accomplished what was necessary to save her crew and save her ship...but not herself.

Five years later, Theron wondered if the Voidhound had been killed that night; Eva was unable to manifest that cold calculating control after coming out of carbonite. Granted, she also has a lot of mental and physical health issues.

As Eva gains strength, so does the Voidhound. In particular, once Eva finds Port Nowhere again, she is pushed to take up that mantle: to control Port Nowhere as the Voidhound is to control the underworld of the galaxy. That’s exactly what the Alliance needs to make payroll. Her obligations to the fleet she had created come back to haunt her. At the end of KotET, it is clear that Eva also cannot abandon her post as Alliance Commander; unless she personally commands it, the Eternal Fleet would run wild and destroy the galaxy.

Eva is trapped by her responsibilities. She can’t just go back to smuggling. The Voidhound has become a regular part of the business of the Alliance. The critical point-break comes during the Traitor Arc: Eva can’t cope, and the Voidhound takes up residence. Eva is sort of a passenger the entire time Theron is thought to be a traitor to her and the Alliance.

At the end of the arc, Eva decides to spare Theron and take him back into the Alliance. That’s Eva’s decision, not the Voidhound’s.

It’s after she knows Theron will live that Eva returns, truly. There’s a horrible moment when Eva realizes that Valkorion is dead and gone, but she still is not in control of her life.

Then Eva and the crew of Virtue’s Thief leave Odessen for three months. This is the first break Eva has taken since the whole venture with Nok Drayen’s treasure had begun.

Who the hell is she now, anyway? Is she really ‘just a smuggler’? What names does she take up again? Voidhound? Commander? Captain?

Eva?

She needs to to process everything that’s happened over the last 15 years of her existence. Before she leaves Odessen, she burns all of the Voidhound costumes. Except one.

Is that the end of the Voidhound, then? Does that creature ever return? Has it outlived its purpose? Or does it lie, waiting?

"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!“

#swtor #swtor fan fiction #the voidhound #space barbies #the shadow #pulp fiction #batman #oc: eva corolastor

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marjaystuff · 4 years

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Elise Cooper interviews Megan Crane

Alaskan Force Series

Megan Crane

Berkley Pub.

The “Alaskan Force Series” by Megan Crane is riveting, suspenseful, and combined with romance. What makes this series a stand out is the relationship and banter between the characters, with the mixture of honorably discharged special ops heroes, their dangerous missions, and the rugged Alaskan wilderness. They insert themselves into difficult and dangerous situations by protecting the vulnerable and rescuing those who need it. Below is a synopsis of each of the books with the most recent first.

In Delta Force Defender, Isaac Gentry, an ex-Marine, who grew up in Alaska heads the Alaska Force team. He has a love hate relationship with the snarky owner of the only restaurant in town, Caradine Scott, who has a past life that has been kept secret. Her past demons seem to have come back to haunt her after her café was blown up. After realizing that she cannot battle the criminal elements on her own she asks Isaac and company to help get her life back.

In Sergeant’s Christmas Siege, Templeton Cross, ex-Delta Ranger, is assigned to help in the investigation by Alaskan State Trooper Kate Holiday. They butt heads as Cross is willing to bend the rules of law, something Holiday, ‘a by the rule’s person,’ is unwilling to do. Yet, as the pressure mounts, and Christmas draws closer, it’s a given that they must work together to make sure someone is not going to get hurt. As time passes, both realize that they have so much in common, including having to face up to their dysfunctional families.

In Sniper’s Pride, Griffin Cisneros, ex-Marine sniper, is assigned to rescue Atlanta socialite Mariah McKenna. She realizes her cheating vindictive husband would rather have a dead wife than a divorce. Afraid that he will succeed in killing her next time, Mariah goes to Grizzly Harbor to hire the Alaska Force special operatives to help her survive.

In Seal’s Honor, Blue Hendricks, ex-Navy SEAL, is asked by his former childhood neighbor, Everly Campbell, to help her. She witnessed her roommate’s murder, and she’s afraid she’s next. Somewhat reluctantly, Blue agrees to help her, and they head back to Chicago to find the culprits.

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the series?

Megan Crane: I was watching this reality show about Special Forces guys who ran this contest to see if someone could make it through the basic training they had to go through. It then came to me to write about a band of brothers’ story. BTW: It originally was not set in Alaska.

EC: In all the books Alaska seems to play a role?

MC: It is so majestic, the Last Frontier, and far away. I am so glad we changed the setting because I think it makes the series better. A friend was the source for me, since she used to live there. I also used the Internet for facts and to get a sense of being there. I put in this quote in book 1, “It looks like a postcard…The village was a jumble of color, bright against the habitually gray Alaskan skies. It all gleamed in the bit of midday sunshine that lit up the protected cove.”

EC: How would you compare and contrast each heroine?

MC: The first two heroines are women in peril who seek out Alaskan force to help them. Kate, the third heroine, was not at all impressed with them and thought of them as vigilantes. Caradine, the heroine of the last book, is a character that has been in all the novels. She tries to keep everyone at arm’s length. I think all the heroines are smart, tough, athletic, somewhat stubborn. Caradine is definitely more grumpy, edgy, and prickly. She and Kate are feisty, and willing to do their own thing. Neither are really warm and fuzzy.

EC: How would you compare and contrast each hero?

MC: None of them would like to be called heroes. They consider those who were lost in battle as the true heroes. They wish they could save the world and would risk their lives. I think each of them are strong, intelligent, and intense. Isaac is in control and is a natural leader, Captain- Americanie. In the first book there was this quote, which shows their thinking, “Never apologize for things you are not sorry for.” I think this is a running theme because the book 2 quote is similar, “Life isn’t about making the right choice. It’s about what you do after the bad ones blow up in your face.”

EC: Something you incorporate in all the books is that each woman learned to help themselves?

MC: I have had stuff in my past. I started taking Israeli Martial Arts, which I put in all my books. Some abused women feel they must be vigilant and are afraid what might happen to them or what did happen to them. Having actual skills is very calming. I now have a civilian instructor certification. Alaska Force helped to save the women, but with defense classes they learned to save themselves as well.

EC: Is there a similarity between all the relationships?

MC: In the first two books the heroines think of their protectors as superheroes. The women get under their skin with their banter and teasing. The guys try to put distance between them, but realize their true feelings.

EC: What about the last two books?

MC: It is the opposite of the first two. Templeton makes Kate feel that way, and Isaac makes Caradine feel that way. The women are the ones who leave, who want to be in control of the relationship, and realize that the guys touched their heart. Each thinks they are in control of their own emotions and environment, but are not. With book 4, Caradine and Isaac had a tug of war going on. They fell in love instantly, which she fought for a long time.

EC: There is a dog in the last book, Horatio?

MC: He is a border collie. Very smart. I do not have one, but would want one. He is Isaac’s companion that shows a soft-side of him, but also Caradine. At the end of the book he takes her side. Horatio is not based on my dog, who is a pit-bull and lab mix that is very silly and loving.

EC: In the last book all the characters have page time?

MC: I liked the two scenes, one where they “harass” Caradine and the other, the wedding between Blue and Emily. In this book, the former heroines hugged her and had her face that her armor was broken. The Caradine quote, “Please don’t tell me this is some horrible girlfriend thing.” Then there was this quote, “Approximately seventeen ice ages later, when Caradine had died inside so many times she’d come back, haunted herself, and died again while still being hugged against her will.”

EC: Next book?

MC: It is called Special Ops Seduction and will be out in January. The story is based around two Alaska Force members, Jonas Crow and Bethan Wilcox. Both have a past with each other. In this book they must pretend to be a couple. This might be the last one. Whereas the other books had the character leads traveling to a place in the Continental US, either Chicago, Atlanta, or Maine. But this one has them traveling from California to Portugal to Canada.

THANK YOU!!

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aion-rsa · 5 years

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Stephen King: 16 Best Scary Stories to Read

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Here are 16 of the very best horror stories from Stephen King!

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Stephen King is a master of the short story, able to dish out horror tales to make your skin crawl, astounding sci-fi, and even literary reflections aimed at more "sophisticated" readers. He's done it all, with no sign of stopping.

Although I've had the tough task of picking 16 of my favorite King horror tales for this list, you should absolutely pick up ALL of his collections and give them a read through. You'll always find something to give you the chills.

Make a note: this is a list of short stories, not novellas. And on top of that, stories that are genuinely scary. I didn't forget "The Mist" or "N." or "Secret Window, Secret Garden" or any of those other goodies. Those deserve their own article, don't they?

So below: a list of stories and what collections you can find them in. "N." would have been my inclusion from Just After Sunset, but again, that's really a novella. "The Cat from Hell" ain't bad, either. But really, none of the stories from that collection made the cut for me. You can yell at me in the comments.

Enjoy!

Night Shift (1978)

Graveyard Shift

Night Shift, King's first short story collection, is really the crux of this article, as it features several of his best scary tales to date. They have a B-movie sensibility right at home in the late '60s and early '70s, and were influenced by campy cult films and plenty of EC comics. Hell, many of the stories have even become cult films themselves.

"Graveyard Shift," the second story in the book, is a great example of what King can do with seemingly ordinary situations turned bad...really, really bad. In one of his most campy stories to date, a group of men are tasked with cleaning up the abandoned basement of a textile mill that's been infested by rats for years. As they descend into the depths of the mill, the horrors they find are...well, you'll just have to find out, won't you?

Read more: Stephen King's 10 Best Horror Novels

I Am the Doorway

If you're a Constant Reader, you're probably used to King's use of body horror. This is one of his early ones and features a bit of science fiction as well. An astronaut returns from a mission to Venus after coming into contact with a strange alien mutagen. Upon his return, he discovers that eyeballs are growing out of his hands! This one is just too much fun to miss...

The Mangler

You've probably heard of this one: a series of very weird (and unfortunate) events causes an industrial laundry press to become possessed by a demon. No, I don't know where the hell this guy comes up with all this stuff. King has a way of turning ordinary blue-collar life into grisly death. This one was turned into a movie directed by Tobe Hooper a few years back, and it stars Robert Englund. Yes, it's as bad as you think.

Trucks

You've probably heard of this one, too. Because King tried to direct a movie based on this story. Motor vehicles have inexplicably come to life and decide to murder all humans who disobey them. The doomed characters in this story suffer a very tragic end that's almost poetic. By the way, the movie King directed is called Maximum Overdrive, and it's the only time anyone was crazy enough to let this guy behind a camera.

Sometimes They Come Back

Okay, you're probably wondering why I totally skipped "Children of the Corn." The answer is simple: that story has become so twisted in its movie form that a) you already know how the story goes, b) what you've seen in those god awful movies has tainted any good perspective on said story. That said, yes, read it or whatever.

read more: It Chapter Two Easter Eggs and Reference Guide

BUT, you do get this treat instead: "Sometimes They Come Back" is one of my favorite King stories to date. A teacher is haunted by three psychotic greasers from his childhood. After those around him begin to die, he realizes that he has to fight pure evil with pure evil. Truly creepy.

You can buy Night Shift right here!

Skeleton Crew (1985)

Here There Be Tygers

King loves tormenting little kids in his stories, and believe it or not, "Here There Be Tygers" is one of the lighter examples. And it has nothing to do with the Ray Bradbury story of the same name. In King's story, a little boy really needs to go to the bathroom but is too frightened to do so when he encounters a tiger in the school lavatory. Because of course there's a tiger waiting in a bathroom. King has said that this was one of his earliest stories, written when he was in high school.

The Monkey

This a weird one. A diabolical cymbal-banging monkey toy torments several characters through the years. How does a toy cause such dread in its owner? Well, every time it bangs its little cymbals, someone or something dies. Simple enough.

Read more: 12 Best Stephen King Movies

The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands

In a sort of "campfire story" format that's quite fitting for King, a mysterious club in Manhattan gathers to tell tales of the strange and grotesque. A companion to a novella called "The Breathing Method" from Different Seasons, tonight's tale is about a man with a peculiar phobia: he's terrified of touching anyone and avoids all physical contact like it's the plague. The conclusion to this one is quite fun. Maybe not a traditional scary story, but the story circle format really lends it that Halloween feel. I'd love to see an anthology series based on this format - Are You Afraid of the Dark? for King fans.

Gramma

You might know this one. It was later adapted by Harlan Ellison for Twilight Zone '85 and was recently turned into a movie starring Chandler Riggs (Carl from The Walking Dead). A little boy is left alone with his gramma, a bed-ridden old woman who frightens him deeply. As you'd expect, he indeed has a lot to be frightened about. Interestingly enough, horror buffs will notice that this story is part of the Cthulhu Mythos, the shared fictional universe created by H.P. Lovecraft, one of King's idols.

You can buy Skeleton Crew right here!

Nightmares & Dreamscapes (1993)

Home Delivery

I like this one because it's a Stephen King zombie story. Part George A. Romero outbreak epic and part intimate story about reuniting with those you've lost, "Home Delivery" is a good read and even gives us a reason behind the apocalypse that's too fun to miss. King's other "zombie" tale, a book called Cell, is also worth a read.

Sorry, Right Number

No, I guess this one is technically a teleplay, which was produced as an episode of Tales from the Darkside, but it's short enough to read as a short story. Sue me. This is the first King story I ever read—in a school textbook, no less!!—and it remains one of my favorites. A woman receives a very strange call from a distressed woman, who can't quite deliver her message. The message and the outcome of this story are really heartbreaking.

You can buy Nightmares & Dreamscapes right here!

Everything's Eventual (2002)

Autopsy Room Four

Perhaps the most fun story King has ever written, this isn't the kind of King horror you're used to. Yet, it's still exceptionally terrifying. The situation is as real as they come (in a King story, anyway) and the outcome is actually pretty funny. A good story for those looking for lighter fare on Halloween.

The Man in the Black Suit

King's most literary horror story to date tells the tale of a boy's encounter with the Devil, who appears to him as a man dressed in a black suit that smells like burnt matches. The story isn't so much horror as it is a rumination on mortality. The monster in this story isn't out to get you. Instead, it wants to let you know it's there and it's waiting.

Read more: A Guide to Stephen King's Dark Tower Universe

The Road Virus Heads North

A killer painting is the subject of this story. Yes, this list has proved that if you put the adjective "killer" in front of pretty much any object, you get a Stephen King monster. Still, this one's plenty of fun, if you like a little camp with your horror.

1408

Rounding Everything's Eventual is "1408," another one of King's "writer in peril" stories that he loves writing so much. This one stars Mike Enslin, a guy who writes about haunted places he's visited. He arrives to the Hotel Dolphin in New York City after he hears about the infamous room 1408. Although he doesn't believe that any of the places he's written about are truly haunted, room 1408 does a lot to change his mind.

You can buy Everything's Eventual right here!

Bazaar of Bad Dreams (2015)

The Dune

King really is having fun with "The Dune," a more classical horror story with a twist ending that will give you chills. A man tells his lawyer a story about his secret obsession with a dune on an unnamed island off the Florida coast that can predict people's deaths. Every time he makes the trip to the island, the man sees a new person's name written in the sand, and within a month, that person is found dead. It's a haunting little story that might remind you of Poe, as the shocking truth behind the man's tale is revealed with a sinister smile.

You can buy Bazaar of Bad Dreams right here!

Alright, Constant Readers, what are your favorite Stephen King horror stories? What are you reading leading up to Halloween? Tell us in the comments!

John Saavedra is an associate editor at Den of Geek. Read more of his work here. Follow him on Twitter @johnsjr9.

A version of this article originally ran on Oct. 30, 2015.

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Feature John Saavedra

Sep 9, 2019

Stephen King

Horror

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#aion-rsa #Books

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veesworldofpureimagines · 7 years

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Savior (Hercules x Reader)

Request from the lovely Anon: ANYTHING HERC

Prompts: 31: “I’m fine.” “No you’re not, now come here so I can hug you.” 86: “You saved my life.”

Warnings: Bullying, Swearing, Bodily Harm, Mentions of Dark Thoughts, Mentions of Self-harm

Words: 8,119

A/N: (Just a disclaimer. I haven’t been bullied to the point where I’ve thought of giving up. But if anyone has, I only ask that you all loves take care of yourselves, and know that giving up isn’t the answer. There are people to help you and people who want to help you. You just need to have the voice to say that you want them to.)

(Name) let out a quiet whimper as she sat on the ground, listening to her tormentor berate and insult her.

Just part of the daily routine of her school day.

Ever since the middle of her sophomore year, some prick named Charles thought the best way to spend his time was to hunt down the teen and find any means to make her feel bad about herself.

Monday was “Ugly Day” since Charles tended to insult her looks more on Monday.

“You know what’s especially funny, (Name)?” Charles questioned as he kneeled down in front of the girl, his sickening grin sending shivers through her trembling body. “I believe what’s really funny, is the notion of someone actually caring about you.”

He’s right. No one would really care that much.

“After all, you are a nobody. You don’t have any friends, you haven’t since freshman year, and you still don’t. Here we are, almost done with our junior year, and you’re still a freaky loner!” Charles laughed as he stood.

His cruel laughter rang in (Name)’s ears, but was deafened by the ringing of the school bell. The boy shrugged before stuffing his hands back in his pockets and walking to his class, leaving (Name) sitting against the wall as students flooded into the hall.

Slowly, she stood to her feet and trudged to her next class. Home Economics. It was an easy class, required for those who wanted to graduate the school, but easy.

Walking through the door of the spacious classroom, she sat in her usual table at the back of the room. Usually it was two to a table, but since her class had an odd number of students, she was able to have the entire area to herself.

“Good morning, everyone!” Chirped the teacher as she walked into the room.

“Good morning, Mrs. Washington.” The class chorused in reply.

Mrs. Washington, probably the only teacher that took the time to notice (Name) set her files down on her desk and looked out at her room of students. “I want to let you all know that soon, I’m going to be giving you all a project.”

The class let out a mix of excited noises and unenthused groans.

“And it’s going to be a partner project!”

The unenthused groans got louder.

(Name) felt her blood run cold. Mrs. Washington never assigned projects that required partners before, let alone projects! There was always the possibility she could just work by herself, wasn’t there?

“And the way I’m splitting you all up, there will be one group of three while the rest of you are in groups of two.”

Shit.

“Now, about this project…” Mrs. Washington began as she pulled out the project rubric and passed it around the room. But her words fell on (Name)’s deaf ears as she tried to figure out how she would manage the project while working with someone she probably have never talked to before.

Home Economics was only a semester class, so (Name)’s only been in it since they got back from Christmas break. After two and half months, she hasn’t spoken to a single person in the class besides Mrs. Washington.

The rubric reached (Name), and she read it over carefully.

In this project, both partners will perform the following:

-Properly clean a kitchen area. (Sink, Stovetop, and Dirty Dishes)

-Cook a three course meal. (Appetizer, Main Course, and Dessert)

-Mend a piece of clothing. (Example: Sew a button back on, stitch close a tear, etc.)

(Name) sighed as she read over the requirements for the project before running a hand through her hair. “Damn…” She quietly cursed before turning her attention back to the front of the room.

“Now, let's get these partners assigned.” Mrs. Washington spoke as she pulled out paper, a paper that most likely held the grouped students.

(Name) tuned out what Mrs. Washington was saying. She dreaded the aspect of working with someone, and the idea of working with two people? Unthinkable.

“(Name), you’ll be working with Hercules.”

What?

The girl glanced up from her desk to meet the gaze of the modern-day demigod. The gorgeous, dark teen’s eyes met (Name)’s as he looked over his shoulder at her, flashing her a small smile before turning back to the front of the room to listen to Mrs. Washington call out the rest of the groups. (Name) quickly looked back down at her desk as she felt her cheeks and ears warm up.

Why did he have to be so cute? The girl thought as she stared down at her papers.

“Now then, since we’re all split up,” Mrs. Washington began. “Everyone get into your groups and start planning. Your projects are due at the end of next month.”

Oh God he’s coming over, he’s coming over, he’s coming-

“Hey, (Name).”

The girl looked up from the desk to see that Hercules was standing in front of her, holding his notebook in his arms and his backpack on his shoulders. His hair was covered by his signature gray beanie, he was dressed in a comfortable yet stylish fashion, and he wore a friendly smile.

“H-Hey, Hercules…” She answered back before looking at the empty seat beside her. “P-please, take a seat.”

“Thanks.” He responded as he moved around the desk to sit next to his new project partner. “So, you ready to get to work?”

She gave an uncertain nod. “Yeah…”

“Cool, cool…” He brought out his own rubric and pulled out a couple pieces of paper. “So, is there anything that you want to work on yourself?”

“Well… I like to cook, so I can take the lead on that, I guess.” (Name) explained, hardly glancing up from her own rubric.

“‘Kay.” Hercules scratched down the girl’s name and looked back at her. “What should we make?”

“Well… What’s your favorite kind of food?” She asked, daring to look up at her partner.

Hercules hummed in thought for a moment before looking back at (Name). “Well, I’m from a kind of traditional Irish family, and I have some family recipes that we can use. How does that sound?”

(Name) wasn’t very familiar with Irish food. “You don’t plan on cooking that sheep stomach stuff, do you?”

“That’s called Haggis, and it’s Scottish.” He retorted with a chuckle. “But no, we’re not cooking sheep stomach.”

“Good… Because you’d be handling that on your own.”

The teen laughed quietly before scribbling down a few ideas for food. “Now that we have that settled… Why don’t I take the lead on the sewing aspect of the project?”

(Name) looked up at him, surprised. “You know how to sew?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I was taught by my dad who learned from his dad, and so on… I’m actually from a pretty long line of tailors.”

“That’s… Really cool.” (Name) spoke, offering Hercules a small smile.

“Thanks… Do you know anything about the cleaning part?”

“Well… I’ve paid attention when we learned about what cleaners do best on what surfaces. I’ll have to look back over some old assignments, but I think we can handle that without too much trouble.” She explained as she glanced over to her binder. “I’m sure I can remember without too much trouble.”

“Awesome. Then it sounds like we have a plan.” Hercules concluded, giving (Name) a grin.

“Y-yeah…”

Hercules tipped his head at the girl who began to fidget in her seat. “How come you don’t talk much in class?”

“Oh… I’m just a quiet person, is all… I don’t talk much, and I’ve never really had a reason to, I guess.”

“Well, I think we should talk more.” Hercules told the girl. “I think you’re pretty cool.”

(Name) cheeks flushed at the compliment, and she glanced up at Hercules, seeing that he was giving her another one of his handsome grins.

“Th-thanks… Y-you’re pretty cool yourself. Not many guys can sew.” She mumbled in response.

“You think so? Thanks.” He laughed again before letting out a quiet sigh. “What are your plans for lunch?”

“Um… I’m probably going to eat in the library… That’s where I usually have lunch.”

Hercules frowned. “Well, how about you sit with me and my friends for a change? I’m sure they’d like to meet you.”

The friends that Hercules was speaking of were notorious around school. Everyone knew who they were, even (Name). Alexander Hamilton, the star student in Mr. Washington’s AP Government class. John Laurens, the temperamental but artistic athlete. Gilbert du… Everyone called him Lafayette, the flirtatious French exchange student who’s been with (Name)’s grade since sophomore year. With Hercules with them, the four were inseparable, loud, obnoxious, but the best of friends.

“I-I don’t know… I-I don’t want to intrude.” She stuttered out. The other three wouldn’t know who she was, she would probably be the only girl sitting with them, the reasons as to not sit with Hercules and his friends just kept adding up.

“Please?”

(Name) hesitated, and just as she opened her mouth, the bell rang. Quickly grabbing her stuff, she rushed out of the classroom. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire as she weaved passed other students who were trying to get to their next class.

Sure it was a sweet gesture, but it was just better if she stayed by herself. After spending time around her, Hercules would probably grow to hate her too, just like Lee did. She certainly didn’t need another bully coming after her.

Hercules sat down in his desk with Lafayette, Alexander and John sitting in front of them. He listened to his three friends chatter on before letting out a heavy sigh.

“What’s up, Herc?” He heard John ask, pausing his debate with Alexander.

Hercules shook his head. “Nothing much…”

“Come on, mon ami. What’s bothering you?” Lafayette asked as he nudged his companion. “You usually don’t sigh like that when you leave Home Ec.”

“It’s nothing, really. We just got assigned a project and we have partners.”

“Who’d you get stuck with?” Alexander inquired.

He hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. “(Name)... (Name) (Last Name).”

The three friends remained silent at they processed what their fourth friend told them.

John looked at his friend in question. “(Name)... As in the quiet girl in our grade?”

“The same (Name) who has never said a word in any class that she’s been in?” Alex quipped.

“The exact (Name) who you’ve mentioned on a number of occasions because you’ve been in classes with her since our freshman year?” Lafayette finalized.

Hercules gave a confirming nod, averting his gaze from those of his friends who began to grin.

“Mon ami…”

“Looks like someone got lucky.”

“When you gonna take her out on a date?”

Hercules’ cheeks burned before glaring at his friends. “Shut up!”

“Ahem!”

The four boys looked to the front of the room where Mr. Washington was looking at the boys over the rims of his glasses.

“If you four are quite done, can I get along with class?”

“Yes sir…”

(Name) meekly walked out of the cafeteria and into the breezeway of the school. Probably the one thing she liked about her school was the campus. It was spacious, there was a lot of open area, greenery, and just free space for someone to sit.

“Maybe today is an outside day…” She murmured to herself as she looked up at the clear sky. Giving the idea a nod, (Name) walked to a bench that sat under one of the oak trees planted in the school’s amphitheatre. The teen let out a sigh as she sat down, laying her tray in her lap.

The school served decent food, and today was pasta day.

(Name) had picked up her plastic bowl to begin her meal, a hand came from behind her and knocked the food out of her hand, the bowl with her food falling to the grass.

“Aw… Looks like someone’s out of a lunch.” Taunted Charles Lee as he walked out from behind the oak tree, leaning over the back of the bench and seeing (Name)’s look of distraught before laughing. “Shit, that’s priceless! How pathetic can you be?”

The girl didn’t respond, letting out a shaky sigh as Lee laughed at her misfortune. She kept her eyes down on the grass to avoid looking at her bully. Said bully noticed (Name)’s lack of response and leaned closer to her, grabbing her hair and yanking her head up so that me could meet his cruel dark eyes.

“Look at me when I talk to you.” He growled, his glare burning into her. “You might be ugly as hell, but you should still know how to respect those above you.”

She whimpered in response, letting out a gasp as he yanked her hair harder.

“Understand?”

“Y-Yes…”

“Yes, what?”

“... Yes sir…”

The bully let go of (Name)’s aching hair before standing up. “Now then. I’ll leave you to it here. Enjoy what’s left of your food.” With that, he left his victim at the bench.

(Name) let out a pathetic sigh as she looked at her wasted lunch. She kneeled down so she could pick up her ruined meal.

“Hey, you okay?”

The girl looked up to see that another girl was standing over her. She recognized said girl to be Elizabeth Schuyler, the middle of the three popular sisters. Last time (Name) checked, Alexander and Eliza were dating.

“U-um… Yeah, just ah, dropped my lunch.” (Name) answered as she picked up the ruined food.

“Uh-oh… Hey, you’re (Name), right? You were in my technology class last semester.” Eliza spoke as she watched (Name) stand.

(Name) nodded. “Yeah, I sat at the back of the room.”

“Mr. Jones seemed to like you though.”

“I guess…” The girl shrugged. She couldn’t help but feel awkward in situations like that. She never knew what to say to her classmates when they tried to talk to her. She always came of as strange or quiet to them, and it would lead to them never talking to her again.

Eliza waited a moment before speaking again. “Why don't you come sit with me and my friends? I always pack a bigger lunch than I need, and I don't mind sharing.”

(Name)’s cheeks flushed. “I-I couldn't, I don't want to intrude on your lunch…”

“You wouldn't be.” Eliza smiled at (Name), helping her clean up the remains of the ruined lunch and throwing them away. “Come on, I know one of my friends would love to have another person who can hold up an intellectual conversion.”

The girl felt like no matter how much she denied the offer, the Schuyler would continue to persist. Swallowing a sigh, she nodded and grabbed her backpack. “Lead the way, then…”

Eliza gladly led (Name) to the breezeway that laid in between the buildings for the gym and the auditorium. The girl never really went through this way except as a route to a class that she used to take in Freshman year. Since then it had been refurbished as a lunch area with plants and metal picnic tables.

Sitting at one of the closest picnic tables sat a rowdy group of friends, all of whom she recognized.

The two other Schuyler sisters sat on one of the four benches, the eldest and Senior Angelica, and the youngest and Sophomore, Peggy. On the bench to their left was Lafayette and John. To their left was Hercules and an empty seat. Lastly, to his left sat Alexander with an empty seat next to him. The group of friends were all enjoying their conversations, and having a good time.

“I’m back.” Eliza chirped as she walked closer to the table of her friends. “And I brought a guest.”

The sisters and the boys looked up from their current conversation to see the middle sister, as well as (Name). She didn’t notice it, but Hercules’ eyes brightened when he saw the newcomer.

Eliza motioned for (Name) to sit as she sat next to her boyfriend. “You guys know (Name), right?”

“Of course.” Hercules answered, patting the seat next to him. Cautiously, the shy student sat next to him.

“She’s probably the only other student who Washington brags about besides Alexander and Jefferson.” Mused Angelica with a chuckle.

(Name)’s cheeks flushed. She knew that Mrs. Washington kind of liked her, but she didn’t know that Mr. Washington was that fond of her. “I-I didn’t know that…”

Alexander quirked a brow. “Seriously? Whenever that hack Jefferson and I get into it in class, he’s always mumbling about how you’re so smart and you don’t even cause trouble in your class.”

“Kind of hard to cause trouble when you sit in the back of the room and stay quiet…” She admitted with a small shrug.

Hercules lightly nudged (Name)’s shoulder. “Doesn’t hide the fact that you’re pretty smart.”

Her cheeks flushed an even darker red, glancing up at Hercules as he gave her a kind smile.

“Geez, Herc. Don’t scare the girl off.” John joked, throwing a grape at his friend that hit him in the side of the head.

The taller and more muscular friend of the group sent a glare at John before entering a quiet conversation with the freckled teen.

“(Name), mon cheri. Why don’t you have half of my sandwich?” Spoke Lafayette from the other side of John.

The girl tried to answer, but it meekly came out in a stutter. “I-I couldn’t, i-it’s your lunch…”

“I insist. Seeing as you didn’t bring a lunch with you.” The French teen chuckled before handing the girl half of a sandwich that had been wrapped in a paper towel.

“Oh! Right! (Name), here.” Eliza chirped as she passed (Name) a bag of sliced apples.

“E-Eliza, I-I couldn’t-”

“Don’t worry.” Peggy waved off (Name)’s insisting. “She packed two bags of apples.

“For lack of a better word, Eliza can be the ‘mother hen’ of our little group here.” Angelica chuckled before being slapped on the shoulder by her younger sister, to which she laughed at.

Not knowing what to say, the girl silently took the food. She unwrapped the half of sandwich that Lafayette had handed her and took a timid bite into it. Her brows rose in surprise as the flavor of the sandwich danced across her tongue.

“Good, oui?” Lafayette asked with a chuckle.

(Name) nodded. “Oui.”

It was then that (Name) actually began to loosen up around the little group of friends that had taken her in. Hercules didn’t even notice (Name) had begun to have an actual conversation with Peggy until John stopped muttering to him and laughed at something that the youngest Schuyler sister had said. He glanced down at the girl next to him and listened as she carried on a little rant about a classmate of theirs.

“I mean, I get that his dad is a huge thing at Princeton, but he doesn’t have to act all high and mighty about getting an early acceptance when he applies.” (Name) grumbled.

“Of course, that also means that he thinks that he can land any girl he so chooses.” Angelica mused with a roll of her eyes.

Alexander scoffed. “And his rants about the constitution and about how the Federalist Papers didn’t need to be written! How arrogant can you get?”

“Exactly!” (Name) exclaimed before finishing the sandwich half that Lafayette had given her.

Hercules chuckled quietly at (Name)’s sudden burst of enthusiasm, but immediately quieted himself when he noticed that she had turned to him. He was caught off guard to meet her gaze so suddenly, but cleared his throat to try and compose himself.

“How was the sandwich, (Name)?” Lafayette asked the girl, catching her attention.

She smiled politely and nodded. “It was delicious, thank you so much for sharing it with me.”

“De rien, I’m glad you enjoyed it.” He answered with a smile.

“(Name), in case you ever want to score more food from French-Fry over here, you can sit with us whenever you want to.” John quipped, letting out a yelp when Lafayette flicked the side of his head for the nickname.

“You should, (Name)!” Eliza chirped with a grin. “It’ll be nice having another girl to talk with!”

“What? You’re getting tired of talking with me?” Alexander questioned with a quirked brow and a playful smirk.

Eliza rolled her eyes before pressing a kiss to the boy’s cheek. “No, but sometimes the testosterone over here can be a bit overwhelming.”

“I second that.” Angelica added, causing her youngest sister to laugh.

The girl glanced around at the other faces at the table, noticing that Lafayette and John were looking at her expectantly. She glanced up to see Hercules giving her a similar, but encouraging look. (Name) hesitated to give her answer, but she managed to utter her response before the bell rang to signal the end of lunch.

“S-sure.”

It was Friday.

Thank God for Friday.

Since Monday had passed, (Name) had gotten to sit with Hercules’ group of friends and actually get to know each of them a little better.

Despite being loud, Alexander was passionate about his work.

Despite having a temper, John was kind when it came to his friends.

Despite his constant flirtations, Lafayette was sincere in everything that has ever left his lips.

The girls were all welcoming to her, and they accepted (Name) as the honorary “D’Artagnan” to their “Three Musketeers.” Even though (Name) wasn’t much for conversation, the three sisters recognized that she had her limits and respected them. The boys did too.

Hercules was as kind and sweet as ever to (Name). He was welcoming above anything, and he was always the first to realize whenever (Name) was getting uncomfortable during a conversation. He would make sure as to check if the topic was bothering her and if the group should drop said topic.

Still, even though (Name) had found what seemed like a new sanctuary, she still had an issue that she had to deal with.

Lee was still relentless when it came to hurting her still. His verbal abuse was constant, and he wasn’t one to shy away from a punch here or there either.

Friday just so happened to be one of his more physical days.

Wham!

And he had found (Name) as she was walking away from her locker to head home for the day.

(Name) let out a choked sound as a punch landed on her stomach, causing her to drop to her knees and cough in order to try and get some air back into her lungs.

“So… I’ve noticed that you’ve been hanging around Washington’s favorites.” Lee mused as he looked down at (Name). The student let out a snort as he crossed his arms. “That hack of a teacher doesn’t know what he’s doing, and the fact that he’s gained a little following is bad enough.”

She panted lightly as air slowly returned to her, but Lee walked to her side and kicked her in the ribs, causing (Name) to land on her side with a quiet groan.

“It’s pathetic, (Name). You think that just because you’ve made friends with some guys, and a senior and her sisters, will change anything?” Lee questioned as he placed his foot on (Name)’s ribs. “You’re still going to end up alone with noone to care about you. You’re weak, no sane person is going to want to waste their time on a worthless sack of shit like you.” With every insult, Lee applied pressure to (Name)’s chest, causing her to gasp out of pain.

“Your ‘friends’ won’t want to help you once they spend more than a week with you. They’ll drop you flat before you even know it.” He added before bending over (Name) and looking her straight in the eyes. “Just you wait. You’ll be alone again before you know it, and I’ll still be here to remind you why you’re still alone.”

(Name) swallowed hard as Lee stood up, motioning for her to stand up as well. Shakily getting to her feet, the girl faced her tormentor but didn’t meet his gaze. She heard Lee click his tongue before his hand found it’s way around her throat.

“That is one of the reasons you piss me off, (Name). Your sense of self-confidence is lacking to the point that you are no better than a mouse.” He hissed as his grip on her neck tightened, causing the girl to whimper as she trembled.

“Maybe if you weren’t so weak, you’d actually be likable.” He spoke with a shrug, his frown remaining on his thin lips. Lee let out a sigh before shaking his head. “Now I feel like I’m just repeating myself. I need a break from you, I really do.” As Lee spoke to no one in particular, his grip on (Name)’s neck got tighter and tighter to the point (Name) felt as if she would pass out.

Hearing footsteps faintly echo in the halls, Lee grimaced before meeting (Name)’s gaze, letting his hand drop from her neck and grabbing the front of her shirt. “Have a good weekend with a bloody nose, freak.”

“Wh-”

Wham!

A burning pain shot through (Name)’s nose as Lee’s fist connected with it. She didn’t even see him rear his fist back for the punch. Lee pushed her against the wall before walking away and leaving the girl in pain as blood began to drip onto her shirt.

She couldn’t stay on the floor too long, it would attract the unnecessary attention of students or teachers, and she certainly didn’t need Lee getting in trouble and taking his anger out on her.

Getting to her feet, (Name) let out a pained breath as she cupped her bleeding nose. She stumbled into a nearby bathroom as to get some toilet paper so she wasn’t holding her nose the entire walk home.

(Name) hurriedly rushed to the bathroom when she got home. Due to her parents and their busy schedule, she was used to them not being home when she returned from school. Today was just a lucky coincidence where she wouldn’t have to sneak around them.

As she looked at the mirror, a groan left her throat.

Her nose was already bruising from the punch Lee had given her, and her neck was red from his grip. She could even see smaller bruises forming from where his fingers pushed down on her flesh. The blood coming from her nose had dried, but left an awful red trail down her chin and stained her shirt.

“Shit…” She whimpered as she gripped her hair, feeling tears prick at her eyes.

How long is this going to go on?

With trembling hands, (Name) reached for a wash cloth and wetted it to wipe away the blood.

How much longer are you going to let him beat you senseless? For all you know, the next time he beats you up, he could kill you!

She carefully wiped away the red stain from her face, then placed the cool cloth on her throbbing neck.

You know, it would be so much easier if you just gave up.

She stopped.

She hated the dark thoughts that liked to come up from time to time.

But… She wasn’t disagreeing this time.

You wouldn’t have to go through this pain anymore.

She put the cloth down on the counter.

Your parents wouldn’t have to worry about taking time off to take care of you when you “fall” so badly you need to be taken to the hospital.

She opened the cabinet under the sink and pulled out a box of her father’s replacement razor blades.

Hercules and his friends wouldn’t have to put up with you anymore.

She turned the sharp blade in her hand, letting her fingertips brush lightly against the cold metal.

You can be free from this suffering.

She sat down in the tub, pressing the blade against her wrist.

Just let it go. Let everything go.

Just as she was about to let the blade glide over her veins, (Name) was startled by her phone vibrating from her back pocket. The girl let out a sob as she threw the blade to the other side of the tub, hearing it clatter against the porcelain as she brought her knees up to her chest.

How could I almost do that?

I don’t want to die… I don’t want to kill myself.

She repeated the phrase over and over again in her head as tears ran down her face. She felt her phone vibrate again, but it took her a minute to reach back behind her and take it from her pocket.

Hey, it’s Herc. You still wanna have me come over this weekend so we can practice cooking?

(Name) had to read the message over a few times before she could even think of an answer. She couldn’t think of why he couldn’t come. Her parents would be out so the two would have the house to themselves. She would have to make sure that she covered up her nose and neck so Hercules wouldn’t be suspicious of anything.

Shakily, she responded a good five minutes after Hercules had messaged her.

Sure. Come around 10, I guess

The girl tried to stand from the tub, but her legs were shaking so violently she didn’t know if she had the strength to do so. Her phone vibrated again, and she glanced at the screen to see that Hercules had responded.

Awesome! Can’t wait!

She read the message and let out a quiet sigh. “He can’t wait…” She murmured before somehow getting out of the tub. (Name) then went to her room as to find her multiple concealers. She needed practice working on hiding her bruises.

“Damn, that’s so good!” Hercules exclaimed as he bit into the piece of soda bread that had just finished cooling. “That tastes just like how my Grandma used to make it.”

(Name) smiled up at her partner. “You really think so?”

He nodded. “Absolutely. You have a real knack for cooking, (Name).”

Her cheeks flushed slightly as her gaze returned to the pan that contained the other pieces of soda bread. It wasn’t too hard to make, to her surprise, but it was still surprising that she was able to recreate the recipe that Hercules had given her. She looked back up at her partner as he finished his piece. “So, what next?”

“Well, the corned beef is cooking, so let’s get started with the Apple Cake.” Hercules replied as he moved back to the kitchen table where he left the recipe book he brought over. He flipped through the pages before looking back at (Name). “Here it is.”

Walking over to join him, (Name) took a glance over the recipe. “Hm… Looks simple enough…” She murmured. She looked back to the bags of groceries that Hercules had brought when he arrived. “Can you get the apples that you brought?”

“Sure thing.” He responded as he turned away from (Name). “So… You said that your parents are working… What exactly do they do for a living?” He asked.

“Doctors… They’re both ER doctors.” She responded as she went to gather the spices that the recipe called for. “They’re hours are pretty crazy, so they aren’t home very often.”

Hercules frowned as he looked over at (Name) as he brought the apples to the counter. “Don’t you get lonely?”

She shook her head. “I understand it though, they’re providing by doing what they can, and I just need to do what I can while I’m at home… Which includes cooking and making good grades in school.”

The young man nodded slowly, watching as (Name) read the rest of the ingredients needed. “Well, you know how to do both, which is good.” He spoke with a small but encouraging smile.

Giving a nod, (Name) walked to a cabinet to get the flour. Upon opening the cabinet door, she let out a huff before turning to Hercules. “Did you have to put it on such a high shelf?” She questioned.

“Hey, you said to get it out of the way.” He said with a small smirk. “What better way to get it out of the way than to put it out of reach?”

She shook her head before turning back to the flour. She stood on her toes and the tips of her fingers just barely brushed the paper of the flour bag.

“Do you need me to get that for you?” Hercules asked, almost laughing.

“I got it.” She grumbled in response. She barely had a grip on the flour.

“You sure?”

“Yes I’m sure.”

Hercules chuckled quietly before turning to the other ingredients. Just as he began to core the apples, he heard a quiet squeal, along with the sound of something hitting the marble counter. Upon turning around, he had to bite his tongue to keep himself from laughing.

(Name) stood, her face scrunched up, and flour covering her head, face, and shoulders. She let out a sigh, that came out as a puff of white powder. “Not. A. Word.” She spoke quietly as she felt her way to the sink.

“Well, at least it could’ve been worse.” He spoke as he picked up the flour bag and setting it upright on the counter.

“How?” (Name) questioned as she brushed what was on the top of her head into the sink.

“The bag could’ve landed on the floor instead of the counter.”

“It still would’ve landed on me.” She muttered as she tried to get what she could off her shirt.

“Maybe.” He answered as he moved to get a dishtowel. He joined (Name) by the sink and turned on the water. Once having wet the towel, he turned to (Name). “Look at me for a sec, I’ll help get some of the flour off.”

Thankfully, the flour was covering her cheeks, because they were a warm shade of pink. “Y-You don’t have to do that, Hercules…”

“I know, but I don’t mind.” He replied as he gently took her chin in his hand and began to wipe her cheek with the cloth.

She didn’t know if she should meet his eyes or watch what he was doing, so (Name) just kept her gaze on anywhere but Hercules’ face. She noticed that he was gentle in wiping her face, that his hands were carefully cupping her chin.

“You know, you’ve really made a positive impact on my friends.” Hercules spoke suddenly.

“Huh?”

“The girls have another girl to make a friend out of, Alexander has another ‘intellectual’ to talk with, John has someone else to laugh at his God awful jokes, and Lafayette has another person to appreciate his cooking.” He explained with a small smile.

(Name) felt her cheeks flush again. “I-I don’t know about all that…”

“I do.” He spoke as he gently wiped her nose, causing (Name) to flinch. Her flinching caused Hercules to quirk a brow. “What was that?”

“N-nothing!” (Name) quickly answered as she stepped away from Hercules, but not in enough time to keep him from seeing the dark bruise on the bridge of her nose. “N-nothing at all!”

“(Name)-”

“Hercules, I-I think this was a bad idea-”

“(Name) let me see your face!”

The girl swiftly dodged the hand that was reaching out to her, but Hercules followed her as she walked into the living room. “Hercules, you really should go.”

“I’m not leaving until you tell me what happened to your nose!” He answered firmly, his voice growing louder.

She shook her head, trying to get to the bathroom down the hallway. “You don’t need to know!”

“Yes I do! When my friends are in trouble, and they don’t tell me, I worry about them!”

Hercules chased after the girl until she reached the bathroom and slammed the door in his face. She turned the lock and pressed her back against the wood as Hercules’s fist knocked against the hard surface. She quickly tried to brush off as much of the flour as she could so that she could at least get that off. When she looked into the bathroom mirror, she could see that a lot of her makeup had been rubbed off as well, revealing her bruised nose and her blackened eye.

“(Name)!”

She slid to the floor, bringing her knees to her chest and burying her face in her hands.

Why? Why did he have to find out like this?! How could I let him wipe the flour off when I knew he could’ve wiped off the makeup?! I’m such an idiot! Dammit!

“(Name), please!” His voice was beginning to sound desperate… He really was concerned. “Talk to me!”

“You won’t want to bother, Hercules…” (Name) muttered weakly. “I’m not worth the trouble.”

“Don’t say that!” He objected. “You’re absolutely worth the effort! You’re my friend, (Name). I care about what happens to you! You can trust me with this kind of thing, can’t you?”

Yes. “I don’t know…”

“You know that I want to help, right?”

Of course. “Do you really?”

“I do! I want to know what’s happening to you… I really care about you, and I don’t want to see you hurt!”

(Name) blinked, lifting her head from her hands.

“Please, talk to me… I really want to help.”

She bit her lip, letting out a quiet sigh. “Lee…”

“What?”

“Charles Lee… He’s been bullying me since Sophomore year.”

(Name) didn’t see Hercules tense from the new information. For the last year, the girl that he’s liked for the past two years has been bullied by a jerk that he and his friends all dispise… How could he not have noticed?

“Why haven’t you told anyone?” He asked gently.

“Because I didn’t want him getting in trouble and taking it out on me…”

“Do your parents know?”

She shook her head, but realized that he couldn’t see she had until after the fact. “No… They’re busy enough already, I don’t need them worrying about me when they have to worry about other people… People with serious injuries.”

“(Name), for all you know, the next time Lee does something to you, it will be a serious injury.” Hercules spoke with a frown.

“It hasn’t been so far. Just a lot of insults, and stuff that I can cover up.” She objected half-heartedly. “...And a lot of wasted lunches.”

“Huh?”

“That day Eliza asked me to sit with you guys, Lee trashed my lunch and she found me just as I was cleaning it up… She’s the whole reason I started hanging out with you guys in the first place… You’ve all made everything better, despite the fact that he still found time to beat me up.” (Name) said, leaning her head on the back of the door.

“(Name), this isn’t okay. This sort of thing isn’t good for you. It isn’t good for anyone.”

“No one else but me has to get hurt… I don’t see anything wrong with that.” (Name) murmured in reply, she wondered if Hercules even heard her.

“I do… You’re the one getting hurt.” He objected once more. “(Name), I know that the last thing anyone wants for you is to get hurt. My… Our friends care about you, they wouldn’t be happy to know that you’ve been keeping this a secret from them… And I know your parents wouldn’t like the idea of you getting hurt and keeping it from them, especially when it’s in their job description to make people feel better.”

(Name) didn’t answer, she knew he was right, and she didn’t think arguing would do her any sort of good.

“This isn’t good for you, and you know that.” He added.

“I’m fine.” (Name) answered through the door.

“No you’re not, now come here so I can hug you.”

She paused again, surprised by Hercules once more. “Why are you so intent on trying to help and make me feel better?”

“Because like I said, I care about you, and I hate seeing the people I care about get hurt.” Hercules replied. “Now… Please? Can you come out here?”

(Name) was reluctant, to say the least. She could already tell that he wanted to help, but what would he do? How could one other person on her side be of any help to her at this point?

Even with all this running through her head, she stood and unlocked the door. She turned the knob and slowly opened it to see Hercules standing there. His brows were furrowed with worry, but he still tried to give (Name) a comforting smile, despite the shocked look at the state of her injuries. “Now, c’ome here.” He said as he held his arms open. You need a hug.”

Timidly, (Name) stepped into his embrace, her hands carefully finding a spot on his back where they gripped onto the back of his shirt. Hercules squeezed her smaller form, his chin resting on her shoulder.

“Don’t worry,” He murmured to her. “We’ll sort this out, and we’re gonna make sure you’re safe at school. Okay?”

The girl nodded ever-so slightly, her grip on his shirt tightening. “Okay.”

It was a long process, a long and tearful process.

What came first was (Name) telling her parents when they were home at the same time for a change, which only occurred a couple days after the whole event with Hercules.

Hercules had asked her if she wanted him present while she told them, but she felt that would possibly start more problems than solve them.

She cried, her mom cried, and her dad felt guilty. They both did, after all, what parent wouldn’t feel guilty about not being there for their kid? (Name) even broke down about actually thinking about ending it all in the bathroom that one day. Her parents didn’t even know what to say for the first half of it, except that they were so sorry. (Name) couldn’t hold a grudge against them, especially since it was her fault from keeping it from them in the first place. She told them that, but they still insisted on apologizing.

Thankfully, Hercules was right next to his phone whenever (Name) called him after the whole thing with her parents had passed.

The next plan of attack was telling their friends.

For that, (Name) really wanted Hercules with her. She didn’t know if she could take six people bombarding her with worried and angry questions.

The two sat their friends down after school, a couple days after (Name) had settled things with her parents. Hercules opted that they take a secluded booth in a coffee shop that Alexander frequented, so thankfully it wasn’t too hard to get them all to comply. When (Name) actually explained to them what was wrong, she was surprised to see that not only did Alexander, John, and Lafayette loose their cool, but Angelica and Peggy also lost their tempers. It took (Name) and Hercules both to keep John from running out of the booth to hunt down Lee.

After a bit of explanation as to her position and her reasoning to keeping everything a secret, (Name) shed a few tears that led to her being comforted by Hercules, Eliza, and Lafayette. That was one of the things she didn’t want to burden people with, having to comfort her. She didn’t want them to go through the trouble of having to watch over her in case she broke down.

“You’re kidding, right?” Eliza asked with a small smile.

“(Name), that’s what friends are for!” Peggy added as she scooted closer to (Name), hugging the girl to her.

“You’re supposed to be able to tell us what’s wrong, vent, or something else. That’s what we’re here for.” John agreed, trying to give (Name) an encouraging smile through his simmering anger.

“I-I just d-didn’t want to b-bother any of you.” She sniffed as Hercules handed her a napkin to wipe her eyes.

Alexander huffed, reaching across Peggy and putting a hand on (Name)’s arm. “(Name), listen. Friends are supposed to be there for you to vent, bother, confide, or whatever else. If we haven’t made it clear to you in the past week, we’re your friends.”

Lafayette nodded. “Oui. We want to help, we just can’t unless you tell us what’s the matter.”

“When it’s something like this, you should know that we’re here for you. And even if it wasn’t some jerk, we would still be here for you… That’s what friends are for, right?” Angelica asked.

(Name) nodded as she tried to muffle the sobs that wanted to escape her throat. Hercules gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders and brought (Name) in for a hug. The girl hid half of her face against his chest, not catching the looks that Alexander, John, and Lafayette were giving Hercules.

It was the day after that that (Name) went to the principle about Charles Lee. Luckily for her, all of her friends were right outside the office, waiting for her to finish. It was a tiresome process going through it all with the principle and the counselor asking her questions that were almost word-for-word what her parents asked her only days prior. She answered them all the same, though. As Hercules convinced her, the only way to make this whole thing go away was to do something about it. And she finally was.

A mere week after (Name)’s episode in the bathroom at her house, Charles Lee was expelled. Hercules stood with (Name) as she watched Lee was pulled into the principal's office by Mr. Washington himself. She caught Lee’s glare and shuddered, but Hercules glared right back, his arm moving around (Name)’s shoulders.

“Come on. Let’s get out of here.” Hercules advised, gently pulling (Name) down the hall and out of the school building.

As the two walked into the common area, (Name) glanced up at him, seeing that he was keeping his gaze locked in front of them, and his arm still around her shoulders. She didn’t know what to say to him, despite the fact that he had helped her through all of it. He had been her shoulder to cry on, her number one person to talk to.

“Thank you, Hercules… For everything.” She murmured.

“Huh?” he asked as he looked down at her, meeting her gaze. “What do you mean?”

“For being there for me when I really needed someone… I wouldn’t have had the guts to tell anyone what was happening if it wasn’t for you.” (Name) explained. “It was because of you that all of this happened.”

Hercules smiled down at her, giving her shoulders a squeeze. “Like I said, I care about you, and I’ll do whatever I can for those I care about.”

“Yeah, I get that… But Hercules, You saved my life.”

“(Name), I really don’t think-”

“The day before you came over, I was almost at the point of killing myself. You texted me just as I was about to do it. You stopped me, and evidently, saved me.”

The two stopped walking, Hercules stared down at (Name) in shock. “What?”

She nodded slowly. “I told my parents, but I couldn’t tell you or the others…”

“(Name), how could you-”

“Because telling you that I almost killed myself would just make everything so much worse, and I-I just couldn’t tell you that… I just couldn’t… But you’ve been through my drama to the point where I had to tell you how much you’ve helped me.” She muttered, struggling to meet his gaze.

Hercules’ brows furrowed with worry. “(Name), thoughts like that-”

“I know… And my parents and I have already talked about a therapist, and I’m going to go to one. I need someone to talk to about this stuff, and it’s going to take a while for me to completely get over what I thought about doing… But it’s thanks to you that I was able to actually speak up.” (name) explained, giving Hercules a strained smile. “So… Again, thank you, for saving my life.”

He was shocked, he didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what to say, except: “You’re welcome…”

She nodded, turning her gaze to the ground.

“And… (Name)?”

She looked up and met his eyes. “Yes?”

“Could you… Would you… Can we-”

“You want to go out on a date?” She asked, tipping her head slightly.

He nodded his head feverishly. “Y-Yes… I-If you really want to, that is.”

(Name) smiled up at her savior and nodded. “I would love to.”

#hamilton #hamiltrash #Hercules Mulligan #hercules x reader #savior #hamilton imagine

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aion-rsa · 5 years

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Stephen King: 16 Best Scary Stories to Read

http://bit.ly/2VojTT3

Here are 16 of the very best horror stories from Stephen King!

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Feature John Saavedra

Stephen King

Apr 5, 2019

Horror

Enjoy!

Night Shift (1978)

Graveyard Shift

Further Reading: Stephen King's 10 Best Horror Novels

I Am the Doorway

The Mangler

Trucks

Sometimes They Come Back

You can buy Night Shift right here!

Skeleton Crew (1985)

Here There Be Tygers

The Monkey

Further Reading: 12 Best Stephen King Movies

The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands

Gramma

You can buy Skeleton Crew right here!

Nightmares & Dreamscapes (1993)

Home Delivery

Sorry, Right Number

You can buy Nightmares & Dreamscapes right here!

Everything's Eventual (2002)

Autopsy Room Four

The Man in the Black Suit

Further Reading: A Guide to Stephen King's Dark Tower Universe

The Road Virus Heads North

1408

You can buy Everything's Eventual right here!

Bazaar of Bad Dreams (2015)

The Dune

You can buy Bazaar of Bad Dreams right here!

Alright, Constant Readers, what are your favorite Stephen King horror stories? What are you reading leading up to Halloween? Tell us in the comments!

John Saavedra is an associate editor at Den of Geek. Read more of his work here. Follow him on Twitter @johnsjr9.

A version of this article originally ran on Oct. 30, 2015.

from Books http://bit.ly/2CWUYyM

#aion-rsa #Books

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