#like ok yeah she dug her own grave here. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

danganronpasurvivoraskblog · 1 year

Text

Detective’s Requiem...

So that’s the full story, huh?

Yeah...

I made the decision to save his life after he tried to cover for me...Then he sacrificed his life to save mine...

I still can’t quite believe what I’m hearing...

Do you not believe me?

No. I believe you. I doubt you would have reacted so strongly if you didn’t have some degree of care...

Sora-san verified your testimony as well. I doubt the both of you would lie about something like this.

Don’t say that as if we’re in court, dude.

By the way...Who’s responsible for this?

*Kaede, her friends, as well as Kuripa, Sora and Yoruko, stand at the foot of the Tower. Monodam’s remains have been buried under the shade, and a small makeshift gravestone has been erected upon them, with a neat drawing of Monodam sketched upon it.

Oh, that was Gonta.

...!

Gonta wasn’t sure what to do, but he want to cheer Kaede up...so he gather Monokub’s remains and decided to give him a proper burial.

Gonta not quite sure what he should do...But Gonta get the feeling Kaede really care for bear and...would have wanted this for him. So Gonta dug grave and...Kurafto-san made headstone.

Just doing my part. Gokuhara just asked me because he said he said I was good at drawing.

Then again, Gonta not sure if bear would appreciate being buried in ground forever, but-!

Gonta...it’s fine...I’m really glad you cared enough.

Of course. Gonta care about Kaede, and any friend of Kaede is friend of Gonta’s!

He’s right. I don’t think I can bring myself to hate this guy after all he apparently did for you.

All things considered, he WAS the most tolerable of those walking trashbags...

Kaede...Can I ask something?

...Yeah?

I know the circumstances aren’t what we wanted...but doesn’t this count as him being free?

That was all he wanted...And even though he’s not with us anymore...At least he’s not stuck in that lab anymore...and he did get to see the sky before he...y’know.

...I think you’re the only one who can answer that, Sora.

Huh?

Would you say that even artificial intelligence can make it to the afterlife?

Oh uh...I’m not trying to be rude here, Keebo. Mii-Yu.

No offense taken.

None at all.

I...I don’t know...

Why even ask this Sora?

...

I guess I’m just trying to figure out if all of this was worth it...

I just feel so...pathetic...! I was nothing but RUDE to him the whole time we were working together, and he kept on jumping in the way to protect us!

He had dreams and aspirations of his own that he was fighting for, but he kept trying to throw them away if it meant protecting ours!

...!

I know this is so so SO stupid to say, but...

I’M the one...who should have been destroyed...I’m the one who deserved it...!

Sora...! Don’t...!

I know it’s dumb! But Monodam was a good soul and I...I just wasn’t!

I don’t even know why I’m crying! I don’t need to think about it this way!

...Am I really this weak...!?

No Sora. It’s because you’re too strong for your own good.

Huh?

That’s a weakness that you and Kaede share. Though I know you wouldn’t ever admit it, you’re incredibly empathetic, and it’s what draws people to you.

Emphathetic? Empathy, huh?

I dunno, I don’t feel empathetic just...pathetic...

Sora, you really don’t need to shoot yourself down like you’re the bad guy in all of this.

We wouldn’t have been able to rescue Kisaragi if you hadn’t removed your shackles. You didn’t want to do it, but you did it anyway for us.

Monodam’s not the only one who made sacrifices. You were willing to give yourself up for the others too!

Wait...You really did that?

H-Hey! I told you not to tell her!

Oops! Guess I forgot~

Ugh! You did that on purpose!

Sora...

...!?

I’m proud of you.

...

Thank you...

Though, I have to wonder something...

What’s that?

Ok, this question might sound sensitive, but know that it comes from a place of ignorance and misunderstanding than anything.

Iruma...You’re an inventor, right?

Yeah?

And...so is Kisaragi.

So...why don’t the two of you just work together...and REBUILD the Monokub?

Do you really think she’s gonna be able to rebuild him from the fractured tiny pieces that Otonokoji turned him into?

But surely it wouldn’t be impossible to build him from scratch, right? I mean...Sora died in the Neo World, but Rei rebuilt her from scratch.

Well Miu? What say you?

Think we could bring him back to life?

Who do you think you’re talking to? Of course I can rebuild him...

You CAN!?

Why didn’t you say so sooner!?

I didn’t wanna go and do anything without Kaede’s permission...and...there IS a catch.

Future Foundation has Monokuma anatomical diagrams on hand, and it would be super easy to get my hands on one of them here at the Tower...So yeah, if I wanted to, I could rebuild Monodam’s body easily. But that’s not the problem.

Then what IS the problem?

There are some components I would need to take from Monodam in order to properly resurrect him. For example, his core memory drive.

I would have been able to right his personality, and restore his memories if I had that. But that’s not possible now...

Otonokoji probably smashed it to bits, didn’t she?

Yep...So much that I couldn’t even recognize it. It was literally in a million pieces. And it’s a small thing too, so there’s no way I could recreate it or put it back together.

So...Let me get this straight...

You COULD rebuild Monodam...But if you did, it would be pointless because...he wouldn’t really be Monodam anymore?

At best, he’d be a mindless drone, with no memory of what happened in the lab, or his experiences with Kaede and Sora. He wouldn’t remember a thing, and wouldn’t be the friend they knew him for.

At worst...I could just end up creating another enemy to deal with.

...

Sorry to put that picture in your head...

No, it’s fine. Thanks for letting me know.

Well? You still wanna give it a shot? There’s always hope, right?

No...I think I’m ok with things the way they are. Thank you for offering at least, Miu.

*She looks back towards the grave.

I’m gonna be honest here...I never really agreed with the idea that the Future Foundation could just...bring back the dead if they felt like it...

Really?

Sometimes it’s necessary for our causes. Like Ms Chiebukuro’s resurrection as a means of a deal between the two Foundations...And with Saionji and Hanamura’s resurrections too.

But if we really could just abuse the power of bringing back those we love...It’s not only unfair, but it’s WRONG.

Who gives us the right to be the only one’s with that privilege? It’s too much power for man to have, and I have never once thought of myself as above the rest of humanity.

And yeah, I don’t want to watch my friends die, and I don’t like grieving my losses, but if we just use this power and refuse to move on from our grievances, we DON’T LEARN.

Akamatsu...

And you know what? Monodam always had the idea that humans were unruly, unprogressive, and that they would never change...

I want to prove him wrong...

...

What an interesting way of looking at things, Kaede Akamatsu.

Mrs Kyoko!

*Kyoko, Byakuya and Makoto suddenly join the group.

Don’t mind us...We’re just here to deliver a few messages and...talk a little.

The Kisaragi Foundation have decided to take over Kanade Otonokoji’s transfer. They’ll be escorting her via chopper back to their headquarters.

Setsuka has specifically asked that you accompany them, Kaede. You’re free to bring your friends along too, provided you manage how many come along.

Why do they want her?

Haha! In Chiebukuro’s own words...

“Kanade is scared shitless of KaKa, so I can’t wait to see how she’ll react when we let her tag along!”

Hah! It’s funny hearing that come from YOUR mouth.

It’s impressive that someone as ruthless as Kanade Otonokoji can experience such traumatic fear...

And rooted from Kaede of all people.

Yeah...I’m not proud of it...

You should be~

Oh, and also...

Now that the incident has been resolved, we’ve been meaning to talk to you, Shuichi.

...?

Rantaro has already spoken to us in advance. He told me that you had taken time to think about your actions and reflect upon them.

And with Kaede now free from the lab, your main source of concern and conflict is gone...So would you like to return to Branch 2?

Just like that...?

You will need to go through a short process, and you owe your team an apology. But they’re willing to give you a second chance.

...Byakuya...You’re currently leading Branch 2 in my place, right? Like you were before.

That is correct.

Would it be selfish to ask that you continue to do so for a little while longer?

...!

So...you’re not returning to your position?

Not yet. I hope the offer stays open for a while longer, but for now, I would rather leave the Branch to people more responsible.

Are you sure about this Shuichi?

I’m not saying I’m against the idea...but why?

If I may be so bold...You two were wrong about me...I’m NOT good enough to be a Branch Chief...

Shuichi...

...

But I intend to try hard until I AM good enough. Until I really am confident in my abilities as a leader and as a detective.

You heard Kaede just now...about how we need to take it upon ourselves to learn and grow...And I really thought that ever since the Killing Game ended, I had grown a lot...But now I know that I still have just as much baggage as I did when all of this started...

I’m sorry for the way I acted back at the lab, and I intend to try hard to make up for it...But I also will never stop caring about the people I’m close to, and I will do ANYTHING to make sure they’re alright...

I don’t like admitting that...But I’ve spent too long running from both the truth and my responsibilities.

So even if it makes you doubt me, I won’t let a single lie fall from my lips. I won’t lie to you, or even myself.

Good boy. So, what do you intend to do?

To summarize...Get back on my own two feet, by myself this time.

...Care to elaborate?

I’ve never once been ashamed to rely on my friends. And I’m always there if my friends need to rely on me...But now that the dust has settled, I’ve really come to realize something. Especially with my relationship with Kaede.

...What’s wrong Shuichi?

Yeah, what are you saying?

...I...

I love all of you guys...And I don’t ever want us to be apart again...

But...I think I need to go at it alone for a little bit...That might be what’s best for me.

Alone?

Oooh...is this the breakup process!?

No, no, it’s not that! Not that at all!

I’ll still hang out with you guys! And...I’d like to stay with you Kaede. If you’ll have me...

I’m talking in terms of our work...and our fight.

*Shuichi turns his back and looks up at the Tower.

When Kaede died in the Killing Game, I swore to myself that I would stand on my own hope, and not try and use other people as an emotional crutch, just to get by.

But I didn’t...I just latched onto the next person who approached me and relied too much on them...

You mean Kaito, right?

Shuichi, I-

Don’t...I know you were trying to help...and you did! I will always be grateful for the things you’ve done for both me AND Maki.

But that’s the thing...For the both of you, I needed YOU more than YOU needed ME.

Kaede proved in the last few days that she no longer needs me to fend for herself, and for others. And you Kaito, have done the same many times in the past, being a true leader and figurehead for me.

From my end though? Our relationship is WAY too codependent.

I love both of you, from the bottom of my heart...But if I’m going to become the person that I really want to be?

I...need space...From both of you...No, not just the two of you. I need space from ALL of you...

And let me make this clear...NONE of you have done ANYTHING wrong. This is a me issue exclusively. There’s a lot I need to figure out, particularly about my future, and how I really feel about the people around me.

Hm...Is that right?

I’ll say again...You’re all SO important to me, and I’m glad I still have you all around. And this isn’t going to stop us from being friends, or hanging out, or anything like that.

But you’ve all done so much for me...TOO much for me, in fact...And I know you’re all probably worried about me and what I’ve decided to do, but...

...I’ll be ok. I promise.

...*sigh* Alright...But I love you Shuichi, and I won’t hold it against you if you change your mind.

We understand Shuichi...This is exactly why you’re one of the only men that I trust. Because you always know what’s best.

Good on you for coming to that conclusion I guess...But you really don’t have to be afraid of relying on us if things get rough.

You have my support bro...Uh...from a distance, that is.

Gonta not really understand, but Gonta happy for Shuichi. And Gonta glad that he and Shuichi can still be friends.

Whatever you wish, I will comply.

Heh...Good luck with all that.

Same.

Good for you Shuichi. If that’s really your decision, then I will approve of it.

This is just another trait of human nature that I must learn from.

Hmph...I think I’ve said enough on the topic.

Heh...I knew you’d come around eventually.

Rantaro!

*Rantaro joins the group.

Otonokoji’s transfer is the one thing remaining on the bucket list. We’d best get to that soon.

Why do you say that?

*Rantaro looks over at his fellow emerald-hair.

Kuripa...I think it’s about time, right?

Time for what?

*Kuripa turns and addresses the whole group.

Rantaro and I...have been keeping a lot of info close to the chest. For a long time now actually. I’m sure a lot of you probably came to that conclusion.

I had a feeling...but you seemed insistent, so I never pried.

Thank you for that. But you don’t need to worry anymore. I promise, and I MEAN I promise...That I will tell you EVERYTHING I know.

Everything that WE know...

...Alright...We’ll hold you to that.

*Unbeknownst to the group, someone eavesdrops on their conversation from behind the corner.

...

So that’s your decision, huh Shuichi?...Wow...

9 notes · View notes

quicksiluers · 3 years

Note

Sorry about the inherent angst with this one but 41 with Grant/Sherman, Thank you!

ok so FINALLY....we get to this one, the living person/ghost au and boy...the angst with this one was fun It's kind of AU in a sense, cause I mean ghosts, but it takes place a few years after Grant has passed away!

So yeah, have fun. I think this is the longest one? who knows, I can't keep track

Gray clouds blanketed the sky, light rain falling on him as he walked along the sidewalk. The streets were empty, the poor weather keeping most residents within their warm homes. Sherman pulled his coat closer to his body, hands stuffed deep into the pockets. He had forgotten his gloves. Minnie would be upset. She had chided him the other day for forgetting them and he had reassured her that it wouldn’t happen again.

What she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.

A small brick structure appeared over the low ridge ahead. He felt his chest tighten, mouth set into a hard frown.

Grant deserved better than that.

Each step felt like it was weighed down, his feet dragging. During his previous visits, he was occupied by others wishing to pay their respects. At first, it wouldn’t bother him. Listening to them recount stories of the general brought some relief, a soothing feeling that comforted him for a time. That soothing slowly crumbled into annoyance. He wanted to be alone with him, to suffer alone. Remembering their times during the war, the small smiles, laughs, touches…

Sherman shook his head, cursing under his breath. It was selfish. He had no right to tell others to leave when they were grieving.

If anything, he was the coward who couldn’t visit Grant while he was alone. He had tried, talked himself up multiple times, and conveniently found another thing to do. Each time he would make the plans with himself, dread clawed at him. His chest would tighten up, heart pounding in his ears.

It was only when Sherman was standing at the foot of Sheridan’s grave, looking into the freshly dug ground, that he realized that he was scared to visit Grant. He would have to admit that he was gone. Out of his reach forever. Something in him cracked as he stood there, tears rolling down his aging face.

As Sherman approached, a soldier on guard turned to him, giving a small salute. At least they still had guards around this place. “Sir,” the young man nodded, Sherman returning the gesture.

“You can stand down Captain,” he ordered, trying to keep his voice gentle, “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

The young man’s hand came down slowly, posture relaxing slightly, “No disturbance General. You’re more than welcome here.”

Annoyance prickled within him. Of course, he could be here. Had this child even known Grant? If anything, he should be the one telling the kid to run off.

You didn’t need to be so harsh Sherman.

He let out a low breath, allowing the annoyance to ebb away. He could still picture the brunette’s disapproving look, though a small smile tugged on his lips. There had been too many times when he’d overreact and Grant would pull him back. It was one of the many things he…

“Would you mind Captain, if I had a moment alone?” Sherman asked, his eyes trained on the red structure. There was some wear to the bricks. He’d have to bring that up with someone, to make sure everything was put together properly.

“Of course sir.”

When the young man was out of his sight, he took a step closer to the temporary tomb. A chill ran through him. It seemed like yesterday when they sat together in Grant’s home within the heart of the city. A blanket was wrapped around Grant’s shoulders, a blue cap atop his head. He was the man Sherman knew, had stood side by side for years, and yet he wasn’t. The bags underneath his eyes were deep, the coughing fits wracking his body. That firm, strong voice that he followed through so much had grown softer. When Sherman brought up a story from the war, a familiar warmth shone in Grant’s eyes that thrilled him. He would have done anything to bring life back to his...to his dear friend.

His hand rested against the brick, fingers lightly scratching the rough surface. They were so much more than that. No one could know. He had tried to forget, chalking it up to their younger years. Yet there were still times when he yearned for those arms to be wrapped around him. Stealing quick kisses while on campaign, Grant’s hand briefly taking his own after a meeting. Shared glances, stories around the campfire, those strong lips overpowering his own.

Sherman’s face flushed, resting his forehead lightly against the wall, “I don’t know why I thought coming up here was a good idea,” he whispered, a shaky laugh passing his lips, “I...I miss you. And I…,” he swallowed the words, unable to say them outloud.

The wind began to pick, a chill in the air sending a shiver through him. He fought back the grief that threatened to take him over, stepping back from the tomb. Sliding his hand into his inner coat pocket, he carefully cradled a small collection of flowers. There was nothing special about them in particular, ones he had found along the way.

It was something he had seen Grant do while they were campaigning through Mississippi. When he had asked the young general about it, he talked about how he had grown interested in them while he was away in Mexico.

‘It was silly,’ he shrugged, spinning one briefly in his palm, ‘But I thought Julia would love them.’

‘Did she?’

A playful gleam shone in his eye, ‘We’re married aren’t we?’

“A ridiculous story, Grant,” Sherman muttered, crouching down to lay the small bunch of flowers. He tucked them between the grates of the entrance, eyes locked on the sarcophagus sitting within the walls. How much longer was it going to sit in there like that? He deserved more than this. Everyone knew it. And yet nothing was done.

His hands balled into fists, nails digging into his palms. Standing up, he took a few steps back, anger building up within him. This was what the people gave to the man who saved the Union? Who kept the country together? It was pathetic, a disgrace. The committee members who were supposed to be working on his resting place did nothing. A group of good for nothing’s. If he ever got his hands on them...

His heart was pounding in his ears, breath coming out in short, harsh gasps. Calm. He had to be calm.

Taking a deep breath, Sherman exhaled slowly. He closed his eyes, paying special attention to the rhythm of his heart. As it slowed, he felt exhaustion creeping upon him. He wasn’t young anymore. The swift shifts to anger that had seemed like second nature to him during the war drained him now.

“Well Grant,” he paused, eyes roving over the small tomb. He licked his lips, chapped from the cool weather, “I’ll...see you again. Maybe the weather will be warmer.”

Only silence was his answer. How very Grant.

Sherman turned and walked away, making his way back to the city. He brought his hands up to his mouth, blowing warm air into them. It would be a long walk, but it would allow him to clear his head.

At the entrance of the tomb, the small bunch of flowers swayed lightly against the ground. One was pulled away from the others, rising up and through the bars. A faint outline of a hand gently cradled it between their fingers.

“Sherman…”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He spent the rest of the day busying himself with business around the home. Minnie and the other girls would be out for the night, promising to see him the next day. That had been fine with him, the storm of emotions within him making him more restless than usual. Each time he sat down to write a letter, he ended up scratching out the response halfway through, throwing one sheet after another in the bin beside him. Nothing brought him comfort.

It had been a mistake going up to the tomb. Sherman slumped down into his seat within his study, running a hand through his hair. It was thinner than he wanted it to be. Ellen had teased him about it years ago. He still had the letter when she told him not to give it out to anyone who asked for it.

She was another person who left him too soon.

The wind whistled outside, a faint light from the street lamps along the sidewalk creeping along the floor. Sherman pulled his robe tightly around him, a shiver wracking his body. That was odd. It was rare for him to feel a chill like that when he was in his pajamas. He had made sure the fabric was thick for the cold winter nights. He glanced back at the window, a few specks fluttering by. Snow. He frowned at the prospect. Winters in the city could be miserable.

Grumbling, he rose from his chair, hugging himself to keep warm. He made his way across the room toward the fireplace, sighing in relief at the small bit of warmth. Gently he grabbed another log, throwing it on top of the pile, embers bursting from the remnants. A wave of heat rolled over him.

“Sherman…”

His head spun around, eyes darting around the room. Nothing seemed out of place. Was there anyone else in the house?

Shaking his head, he turned back to the fire and stocked it a few times. That should keep the room warm for the time being.

“Got yourself hearing things,” he chuckled, standing up and stretching his back. It had most likely been the wind.

“Sherman…?”

Everything within him froze. No. He refused to believe it. That voice...it couldn’t be possible. Every hair on his body felt like it was standing on end.

It was coming from behind him.

He didn’t move, unsure of what to do. If he turned around, what would he find? His mind was playing tricks on him. That’s what it had to be. It couldn’t possibly be…

Slowly, ears ringing, he turned his head. At first, he saw nothing. Just the wall and windows behind his desk, the tree branches swaying from the window beyond them. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. His eyes trailed around the room before they froze on the back corner. It was darker than the rest of the room and he squinted to make out what was there. A faint shimmer.

No. It couldn’t be. Maybe he was mad.

From the shadows, the shimmer took shape. The blue over his coat was faint, practically see-through. His chestnut brown hair was as full as it had been during the war when Sherman would run his hands through it in private moments. Strong, blue eyes staring back at him.

“Grant…?”

His mouth felt dry, unsure of what he was seeing before him. It was as if the man hadn’t aged a day since the end of the war. But he knew that wasn’t the case. Sherman had seen his sunken cheeks, the pale sickly skin burned into his memory. This couldn’t be…

Whatever it was stared back at him, tilting its head slightly. A small smile tugged on its lips, “You’ve gotten old.”

Whatever doubt he had evaporated. That voice. No one else had that voice.

Without thinking, he quickly crossed the room. He stopped a few paces away from the figure, suddenly unsure. It looked so real as if he was actually there. And yet…that unfamiliar chill settled over him.

“How…are you really…?” He stopped, staring down at the form. Everything about him looked realistic. Yet he knew it couldn’t be, there was no possible way. The uncertainty left him speechless, shaking his head, “I…”

“I am…well,” the form, Grant, raised his hand up, turning it over a few times, “Mostly. I’m here in a way.”

“But why do you look…”

His faded blue eyes looked up at him, an eyebrow slightly raised, “How do I look to you?”

Sherman raised his own hand but stopped himself. What would happen if he touched him? He feared that if he tried, the form would fade away. That couldn’t happen, not so soon. If this was all the time he was going to have with him…

“Like you did at City Point,” mumbled Sherman, pulling his hand to his chest. His heart felt like it was going to burst through it, though he wasn’t sure if it was from nerves or joy, “How can that be though…”

“Well…it could be what you want to see,” reasoned Grant, watching him. He nodded to himself, seemingly happy with the explanation, “Yes, I assume that would make the most sense.”

“What do you mean by that?” Sherman asked, eyebrows pinched together.

“I’m just assuming that it has something to do with your own emotions. Maybe, I appear like this because it’s how I looked in your…I guess what would be your happiest memory,” Grant scratched his hand against his jaw, hand-pressed into his hip. A thoughtful expression formed on his face and Sherman couldn’t help but smile. He had seen it so many times during meetings.

It really was him

Whatever nerves were holding him back melted away and he stepped forward, reaching his hand out. If he could just for a moment maybe feel him…

His hand passed through what would have been Grant’s cheek, a burst of chills snaking up his arm. Sherman gasped, his mind going blank as he tripped over himself at the sensation. He fell forward through the form, landing on his knees. His hands were planted into the carpet, body wracked with the same chills.

“Sherman! Sherman, I…”

Gritting his teeth, he tried to push back the cold creeping into his skin. Why had he fooled himself like that? Did he really think he would be so lucky, so fortunate, to be able to do more than talk with him again?

Grant was kneeled in front of him, his hands hovering over the older man. Sherman’s gaze met his, blue eyes mixed with concern and sadness. It was cruel. He was right there in front of him and yet…

“I’m sorry, Sherman I...,” Grant ducked his head, strands of his hair falling in front of his faint face. He pulled his hands back away from Sherman, somehow curling into the “fabric” of his pants, “I’ve made it worse.”

“No, I should have known better,” objected Sherman, shaking his head. The cold sensation faded away, a tingling and prickling feeling left behind. A throbbing of pain came from his knees. He’d feel that tomorrow. The thought made him laugh under his breath, Grant’s worried gaze fixed on him, “This whole thing…I’m just so happy to see you. There’s nothing you could do to make it worse.”

The brunette watched him, searching his face. Slowly he nodded, “If you say so,” he conceded, the few strands of hair distracting Sherman. Unconsciously, he reached out to brush them away before Grant pulled back, concern rushing to his face, “No, Sherman, it’ll…”

“I don’t mind it,” Sherman argued, “even if I can’t do it. Just let me...,”

A worried expression watched him, Sherman’s hand hovering inches from the outline of Grant’s head. With a sigh, Grant moved closer to him, the faint outline of his hand reaching up to Sherman’s hand, “Fine, but if it’s too much…,”

A light feeling pressed to his skin, leaving behind the same tingling sensation. The cold crept at the edges, but it didn’t seem to have the same effect when Grant was touching him. His hand came over the top of his, somehow guiding Sherman’s hand closer. The feeling was dizzying, almost like he was actually there. As his fingers combed through Grant’s “hair”, he was brought back to the two of them in the hotel in Cincinnati.

They had laid together in a tangled mess, Sherman’s hand carding through the brunette’s disheveled hair, Grant leaving lazy kisses along his neck. At the time, they hadn’t known it would be the last time they would see each other for a year. At that moment, it was just them. He felt Grant’s calloused hand reach up, pulling him closer and kissing him softly, Sherman melting into him.

“Sherman…”

The older man was brought out from his reprieve, unsure when he had closed his eyes. Opening them, Grant stared back at him with a sad smile. Sherman’s hand was clasped between his own, seemingly placed on Grant’s lap. He wasn’t sure how that worked, but he didn’t care.

“It’s not fair,” Sherman grumbled, shaking his head.

“What’s not fair?” Grant asked, tilting his head. He seemed fainter than he had before. Sherman knew they only had so much time.

“That you’re not here. You should be the one…”

“Don’t say that,” his interruption surprised Sherman, the familiar flash of determination in the other man’s eyes, “It was my time. I wouldn’t have wanted anyone to take my place. That sort of suffering…I would wish it upon no one.”

“So you would have yourself bear it all?” Sherman growled, “You were the best of us. Yo-you should have…”

“It was my burden to bear Sherman,” insisted Grant, frowning at the older man, “We don’t get to decide when w-“

“But it’s not fair!” he yelled, pulling his hand back harshly. The cold sensation snapped back with him, a shiver going up to his spine, “Y-you, and then Phil…and then Ellen, you all just…”

Something wet rolled down his cheek, but Sherman paid it no mind. His emotions whirled like a storm within him. Everyone was taken too soon from him. And each time he had to be strong, the grizzled, determined general to push on through. Locking away all that pain. But at some point it became unbearable and this…having Grant so close to him and yet not being able to hold him. To feel his lips on his own, to care for him…

Was he being punished for what happened during the war?

Grant’s broken expression stared back at him, unsure of what he could do. Sherman pushed his face into his hands, wiping away the frustrated tears. His breaths came out in quick succession. It was becoming hard to breathe.

“Sherman, Sherman you need to…”

An odd sensation pulled at his arm, “Dammit! Sherman please,” those blue eyes were fixed on him, swimming with concern. Sherman felt himself gasp, trying to remember the breathing exercise his doctor had instructed him to do when he was short of breath. Nothing came to him.

Suddenly, a burst of cold felt like it slammed him in the chest. Crying out, Sherman fell back into the carpet, coughing harshly into his hand.

What the hell had that been?

Grant’s faint figure took over his vision, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know what else to do, are you alright?”

“What,” Sherman coughed, trying to rid himself of the cold, “What did you do? Christ...”

“I didn’t think shoving my hand in your chest would work so well…”

The sheepish expression on the man’s face rid him of any annoyance. He chuckled at first before it slowly developed into a full laugh. It was painful how Grant that was. His mind was brought back to the war, where he would sit back and watch the brunette direct hundreds of men with ease. The plan was always there, but he would be willing to shift things around until the end result was what he wanted, even if he was unsure of the methods.

It was hard not to fall in love with him.

Slowly, the laughter cracked, tears rolling down his cheeks. The grief he had kept at bay finally broke through and flooded over him.

Drowning. That’s what it felt like. He didn’t know what to do, was lost within the waves crashing down on him. It was all too much. But he deserved it. This is what the families of the men he had led to their deaths must have felt. Why had he been allowed to live on when better people passed away?

The familiar cold sensation pooled around his cheek. Cracking open his eyes, trying to wipe away the tears, Grant looked down at him. His mouth was moving, but Sherman couldn’t hear it. His ears were ringing.

“…man, I should have stayed away. If I had known…”

Panic came over him. “No,” his voice cracked, “No, don’t say that.”

Grant’s concerned expression didn’t change, “But Sherma-“

“No,” he sat up quickly, the world tilting slightly due to the dizziness. He blinked a few times, trying to focus his gaze. Grant sat back on his “knees”, pulling his hand away with him. Sherman tried to reach out for it, fingers passing through too easily, “Don’t say that please.”

They sat together on the ground in silence, the whistling wind echoing throughout the room. Grant’s face was turned away, the wall of books behind him more visible than they had been before. Time was slipping away from them. There was so much Sherman wanted to do, so much to say. These couldn’t be their last moments together. Those memories were already painful enough.

“I missed you so much,” he licked his lips, voice rough from the coughing. Grant’s head tilted toward him, blue eyes watching him warily, “I couldn’t...after they put you in tha-that tomb...I couldn’t bring myself to…”

“But you did visit,” Grant countered softly, moving closer to him. If he had physically been there, their knees would have been pressed up to each other, “I know that much. I could always sense you in a way.”

“Never alone though,” argued Sherman, sitting back on his knees. His eyes flickered over the brunette’s face, the youth he remembered so vividly. Between the presidency and cancer, he had aged so much in those last years. Lines of worry that had only just begun during the war cracked all over his face. Those were gone now, replaced with a sadness that Sherman was unfamiliar with, “I couldn’t bring myself to come alone until...until Phil and then...Ellen, with them both gone…

“I was scared,” the admittance tumbled out, Sherman looking away from Grant’s gaze, “The idea of you not being here...it was unbearable, I couldn’t bring myself to deal with it,” he scoffed, shaking his head, “How pathetic does that sound?”

“I don’t think it’s pathetic,” the voice was close, just above a whisper. He felt that chill on his cheek, shivering, “I think I understand more than you think.”

He turned, realizing how close they were. His breath came out in puffs like it did when he walked with his girls along the streets in the city on a cold day. Grant’s gaze was soft, a sad smile pulling at his lips. A phantom feeling brushed along his cheek, Sherman almost leaning into it. Was it really Grant or was his mind playing tricks on him?

“I love you,” Sherman whispered, desperate to touch him. Just for a moment. Was that too much to ask for?

“You mean ‘loved’,” Grant chided quietly with a smile.

“No,” he shook his head, staring into his faded blue eyes, “I love you. I’ll always love you.”

Grant looked over him silently, his mouth turning into a small frown. Sherman stared back at him, daring him to challenge him.

Nodding, the small frown melted away into a soft smile, “And I love you, Cump.”

They seemed to move at the same time, Sherman leaning forward, aching to feel his firm lips again. A wave of cold overpowered his mouth, seeping through him, and he let his eyes close. If only for a moment, he could feel Grant on him, guiding him.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Papa? Papa, you must wake up…” The voice cracked through the darkness, his eyes slowly blinking open. He closed them quickly again, not adjusting enough to the sunlight seeping through the windows. A warm pressure shook his shoulder lightly, “Papa, please you know the doctor said sleeping at your desk was not good for you…”

Sherman groaned. What did doctors know anyway?

Slowly he opened his eyes, sitting up and stretching slightly. Every part of him felt sore, “When did you get back Minnie?” He fought back a yawn, leaning back into his chair. When had he fallen asleep last night?

His daughter looked down at him with a mixture of annoyance and concern, “I just arrived back when you didn’t join us for breakfast. Did you forget our plans?”

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. How could he have slept through that? It was something they always did when most of them were together in the city, “I must have been more tired than I thought.”

“Did you leave a window open somewhere?”

“No,” he replied in confusion, raising an eyebrow, “why?”

“You’re so cold. Maybe with the fire going out and you not having a blanket…,” her eyes lingered on the burnt-out embers within the fireplace, eyebrows furrowed, “Please don’t do that again Papa, you know how cold it can get.”

An odd sensation came over him, but Sherman couldn’t place it. His fingers lightly brushed his lips, their small chill sending a shiver through him.

“Oh,” her voice alerted him, his eyes trained on the small flower between her fingers. Minnie’s other hand was pressed lightly to a stack of papers sitting at the corner of his desk, “This is a cute flower Papa. Where did you find it?”

“I…,” he stammered, his mind reeling. What was all that last night…? “When I was walking through Central Park yesterday.”

Minnie placed it gently on the desk, picking up one of the papers under her hand. Her eyes flickered over it, a small smile crossing her face, “Are these all the letters that General Grant wrote you?”

His eyes were trained on the stack, the edges of some of them worn from time. When had he pulled those out?

“They are...,” his voice trailed off, gently grabbing one from the pile. His thumb lightly brushed over the paper, his eyes dancing across the page.

“He seemed to care about you a lot, Papa.”

“He did,” Sherman muttered, cradling the paper carefully. It was one he cherished, pulling it out occasionally while they had been apart for that long last year of the war. His eyes lingered over the ending. He bit his bottom lip lightly, fighting back a small smile;

How far your advice and suggestions have been of assistance you know. How far your execution of whatever has been given you to do entitles you to the reward I am receiving you cannot know as well as me. I feel all the gratitude this letter would express, giving it the most flattering construction.

Those faded blue eyes from the previous night appeared in his mind. Heat crawled onto his face, accepting that it hadn’t been a dream.

And I love you, Cump.

“And I cared for him as well. Very much so.”

#replies #writing prompt ask #FINALLLYYYYY #it's been completed #did i go overboard #perhaps #also it's ghost au stuff so there are no rules #just sad boys being sad

13 notes · View notes

snelbz · 4 years

Text

Reckoning and Retribution {2}

An A Court of Thorns and Roses, House of Earth and Blood, & Throne of Glass Crossover, Western AU fanfiction.

Based on a prompt sent in for the 4k follower contest {winner}, from Anonymous: “Ok hear me out: WILD WEST AU CROSSOVER”

@snelbz / @tacmc

The town was much smaller than he had suspected. When he got Rowan’s letter, Lorcan had at least expected to come to a bustling town, but when he arrived, it was surprisingly quaint. As he rode into town, there were only a few out to greet him, and they all had a skeptical look. One thing was clear: this town was not friendly toward outsiders.

Lorcan probably wasn’t too helpful, either. He didn’t have the most welcoming demeanor. Every look, every gesture, scared people away.

He couldn’t help it, though.

It’s what came natural.

He tied up his horse next to the familiar mare outside the sheriff’s office. Patting his blue roan on the neck, he started up the stairs and let himself in.

The front of the office was empty, just a sitting area and some pictures hanging on the wall.

He could hear music playing from somewhere and debated on whether he should go up the stairs or towards the back. The music seemed to be coming from the back of the building.

That meant Rowan was most likely upstairs, as far from the jovial tune as he could be.

Every step creaked as Lorcan stepped on them, eventually landing himself in the nearly empty second floor landing.

True enough, Rowan was in the back office, his boots propped up on the desktop, his hat pulled down over his face.

“This town is so boring all you do is sleep all day?” Lorcan asked, in way of greeting.

Rowan chuckled from beneath his hat. “It’s about damn time you showed up.” He slowly slid the hat to the top of his head and gave Lorcan an amused look. “Welcome.”

Lorcan’s jaw locked. “Don’t welcome me yet.”

“Too late.” Rowan stood and made his way over to his oldest friend. “Thanks for coming, I’m… in a bit over my head here.”

Lorcan leveled him a look. “You expect me to help you figure out how to be sheriff? Did you forget who you’re talking to?”

A quiet chuckle. “Of course not, but I know at some point, I’m going to have to get my hands dirty. It’d be better if they weren’t… my hands.”

Lorcan nodded, thinking about the offer. It’s the same one he’d made him in the letter he’d received a week ago. “And I’d be promised immunity?”

“As much as I can offer,” Rowan admitted. “This would be an under the table sort of arrangement.”

Lorcan was about to say something when he heard the front door open and hurried feet ran up the steps. A young man appeared in the doorway. “Sheriff Whitethorn, there’s a-.”

He froze when he beheld Lorcan standing in front of the sheriff and he swallowed hard.

Rowan asked, “What’s the problem, Luca?”

His eyes darted between the two men. “Ma- may we talk in private, sir?”

“Of course,” he said and followed the man downstairs.

Lorcan sighed and sat down in one of the wooden chairs in front of Rowan’s desk, leaning back and waiting. Only a few minutes later, he heard his friends steps returning and when he glanced back, he saw an amused smile on his face.

Leaning against his desk, he sighed and said, “I brought you here to be one of the good guys, not the bad guys. You can’t scare the shit out of the townsfolk.”

He was smirking, and he said, “But I’m good at being the bad guy. Besides, all I did was ride into town. I can’t help it if the people of this town are pussies.”

“Lor,” Rowan warned, and he held up two hands in surrender. Rowan sighed and said, “What do you say? Are you willing to help me out?”

Lorcan made a show of debating the question, even though they both knew what his answer would be. “Will I be paid well?”

“Of course,” Rowan said, plopping back into the chair behind his desk.

“How are the women in this town?” Lorcan followed.

Rowan gave him an exasperated look. “Seriously? When did you get picky about women?”

Lorcan grinned. “You’re paying for my whiskey, right?”

“If I did that, I’d be broke within the week,” Rowan countered.

Lorcan snorted. “Fine. I’ll stay. For now.””

“For now?” Rowan asked.

Lorcan smirked and repeated, “For now.”

Rowan sighed and leaned across the desk extending his hand. Lorcan took it in his own and shook it as Rowan said, “Lorcan Salvaterre, welcome to Rose Creek.”

___________________

Azriel wasn’t exactly sure how Elain Archeron convinced the ground to produce such beautiful flowers. Everyone else who tried ended up with dead, dry weeds within a few weeks, but not Elain. No, every grave he dug was decorated with whatever floral beauty was growing in her garden that season.

As he stepped out of the little hut they had the audacity to call his “office”, he found her sprinkling water over the buds she’d placed on the grave he’d dug only the day before.

He meandered over to her, admiring her natural beauty as he did so.

“Good morning,” he said, quietly.

Elain looked up at him, over her shoulder with a soft, wistful smile. “Why do I feel like you’ve been digging more graves the last few months?”

Azriel met her eyes. “Well...it hasn’t been your imagination, unfortunately.”

With a sigh, Elain stood up and brushed off her skirts, admiring her display atop the dirt. “I chose lilies. I’ve always loved lilies.”

“They’re beautiful,” Azriel agreed, his voice low. “Can I ask you something?”

She looked at him, surprised. “Of course.”

“Why do you bother?” He asked, nodding toward her flower display. “Most of the people buried here are criminals and vigilantes.”

She turned around, looking back to the flowers she’d placed so reverently on each of the graves. “Because every single one of these men had at least one person who cared for them in our messed up world, yes?” She turned back to look at him, but decided her question didn’t need an answer. She smiled. “Everyone, even the lowliest of criminals, deserves a little bit of beauty and peace in death, don’t you think?”

He nodded. He saw more death than most people saw in their entire lives, had seen things that would make some of the corpses that surrounded him roll over in their graves. But he agreed.

“I also do it so you’ll have something beautiful to see everyday, too.”

He lifted the brim of his hat, looking up at her, and he found her smiling. He asked, “For me?”

“Yes, for you,” she confirmed, quietly, her fingers fidgeting with the sides of her skirts. “I won’t pretend to know what you face, doing this job. If I can make it even the slightest bit more pleasant for you, that is what I’ll continue to do.”

He watched her with a small smile, his eyes narrowed. He had known Elain for a while now, had come to value her friendship. She alone made every day better for him, but he wouldn’t let her know that.

“Thank you,” he whispered, at last.

“You’re welcome,” she smiled, and looked back towards the town. “I should go. Feyre has to work tonight and I promised I’d cook her favorite lunch to prepare.”

“You’ll be alone tonight?” He asked, and though it sounded like a proposition of sorts, she knew it wasn’t, just genuine concern for her wellbeing.

She nodded. “I will. Nesta is expected at seven and Feyre will be there around four.”

Azriel opened and closed his mouth three times before he let it fall shut. He sighed and said, “Don’t leave your cabin, please.”

“I won’t,” she said, smiling at him as she tied the loose hat back onto her head. “I’m a smart girl, Mr. Draeven.”

“Azriel,” he corrected her, but he knew the posterity was for his sake, not hers. She loved to mess with him in that regard. And the smile on his face proved he did as well.

With a nod, she said, “Have a good day, Azriel.”

As he watched her walk back into town, her skirts kicking dust up with every step she took, he cursed himself for not asking her to have dinner with him.

____

Aedion hated working in the mines. He had to do what he had to do, though, and he knew no other trades. His father owned the damn mines, as his grandfather had before him. It made for long, exhausting days, but at least he got paid. None of that easier because you’re family bullshit. Even Aedion’s father worked in the mines with them.

His pay wasn’t much, but it was enough to get a drink and eat a hot meal at the end of the day.

“Dreaming of that lady of yours?”

Aedion looked over his shoulder and wiped sweat and dust from his brow as he took in a grinning Ruhn.

“Back to work,” Aedion snapped, although he was smiling. “And she’s not my lady.”

She wasn’t a lady, at all, but that didn’t stop Aedion from having eyes for Lysandra Ennar, and her alone.

Ruhn’s pickaxe hit the mineral rich dirt in the wall and he grunted with the force of it. “She's a lady.” Another grunt and rain of rocks and dust as the tip of his ax dug in deeper. “You’re obsessed with her.” Grunt. “She’s obsessed with you.” Grunt. “Sounds to me like she’s your lady.”

Aedion smiled again, but it was sad now. “You know as well as I do that she can never be mine.”

The quiet sigh that left him was telling enough. “Yeah.”

Ruhn loved someone trapped in Maeve’s servitude as well, but a wholly different kind of love. Aedion counted his blessings and thanked the gods that he didn’t have to endure what Ruhn did each night. That he didn’t have to watch Aelin whore herself out to atone for someone else’s sins, like he did with Bryce.

In the distance, an explosion sounded and the walls shook. Aedion was throwing his hands over his head, shaking and cursing and going pale as his axe hit the ground.

His ears were ringing, and he couldn’t hear a thing, couldn’t think straight, could only feel the heavy thumping of his heart and his heavy, uneven breaths.

Dirty, calloused hands gripped onto his shoulders and shook him, and next thing he knew, Ruhn was in his face.

The explosion hadn’t been anywhere near them.

Nothing had fallen, nothing had collapsed anywhere close. The men around them were still working, still swinging their pickaxes.

“Hey. Hey!” Aedion could finally hear Ruhn’s voice, trying to bring him back from the memories that had forced their way inside his mind.

Aedion blinked, trying to bring himself back, to orient himself back in the present.

“Hey,” Ruhn said, gripping his shoulders a hair tighter. “You’re not in that shit anymore. You’re here. You’re back with us.”

A shuddering breath left Aedion and then a gasp as his lungs remembered how to function. He was staring at Ruhn, letting the familiarity of his friend’s face ground him.

“You’re home, Aedion,” he said, barely able to be heard over the clang of metal around them. “You’re home.”

Home.

He looked around them, at the dank, dark mine, the tunnels and shafts shooting off in every direction, as far as the eye could see.

Home.

What a fucking joke.

————————

Elide entered the Sheriff’s office to near silence. If it wasn’t for the heavy footsteps upstairs, she would have thought the building was empty.

Picking up her skirts in one hand so that she wouldn’t trip, and holding the handle of the basket in the other, Elide walked to the second floor, where she peeked into Aelin’s office.

And found a man who was definitely not Aelin.

The man met her gaze beneath the brim of his hat, his dark eyes settling on her with a coolness that had the hairs on the back of her neck standing up.

“Pardon me, sir,” she began, quietly, keeping her chin held high even though her voice was hesitant. “I apologize for the intrusion. I was looking for Deputy Galathynius. I brought her a gift to congratulate her on her new position.” She held up her basket, but after seeing that the man behind the desk was not at all intrigued, she let it fall back down to her side.

“Where’s my welcome basket?” He drawled, letting his eyes scan over her. She seemed harmless enough, but Lorcan trusted nobody. Even waif thin ladies carrying baskets of baked goods.

“I’m afraid I don’t know you, mister, but knowing you would not make you anymore entitled to a gift from me.” She held her chin up as she spoke to him, something not many people dared to do.

“And who are you,” he asked, removing his hat and placing it on the desk.

The desk that did not belong to him.

“A friend of Deputy Galathynius. So if you wouldn’t mind telling me where I could find her, sir, I’ll be on my way.”

A dark brow rose. “She and Rowan are out at the Nazari ranch. Had a calf that turned up mutilated.”

He expected her already pale skin to bleach at the talk of gore, but she did no such thing. Instead, her lips parted slightly. “One of Cassian’s calves?”

The familiarity with which she said the rancher’s name displeased Lorcan. “Guess so.” He would have liked to hear her say his name the same. “I’m Lorcan Salvaterre. Newest deputy in your quaint, little town of Rose Creek.”

Elide blinked. She gazed at his black hat on the desk, his dark clothes, even his eyes and hair were as dark as night. “You’re a deputy? Of justice?”

He snorted. “Something like that.”

Elide hummed, because she didn’t have another reaction to the thought of the man in front of her doing anything for the greater good of a community.

“You haven’t told me your name, miss.”

Miss on his lips sounded more like a tease than anything else.

“Elide Lochan,” she replied, chin still raised. “I’m the teacher down at the schoolhouse.”

“Teacher?” he asked, one brow raised. He glanced down at her basket, “And baker?”

“In my spare time,” Elide said, with a nod. “I find that people like it when you gift them with baked goods.”

“Then I’ll continue to wait for my welcome basket,” he said.

“I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you, Mister Salvaterre,” she said, placing the basket on the table in the corner. “You could be waiting for a while.”

She wiped her hands on her skirts and was down the stairs and out the door before Lorcan could even think of what to say.

____________________

Cassian Nazari stood alongside the sheriff and his deputy as they gazed down at the calf.

What was left of it, at least.

“You suppose it was a coyote?” Cassian asked, crossing his broad arms over his chest.

Rowan bent down, stooping to get a better look. Aelin was getting as good a look as she needed from where she stood, thank you very much.

“Might have been a bobcat,” he mused, looking at the uniform gashes along its body.

“It was a knife,” Aelin said, causing both mean to look at her.

Rowan stood and looked down at her. “What animal do you know of that can use a knife?”

Aelin scoffed and put a hand on her hip. Her trouser-covered hips. No ruffles, skirts, or dresses while she was on the clock. Her self-imposed new rule. “Not an animal, you ass. A human did this.”

Cassian stared at her. “This is a lot of damage for a person to inflict. This is brutal.”

“Of course it is. Because it’s supposed to be. It’s supposed to scare the shit out of you, Cash.”

Rowan blinked. “I’m not following.”

Cash’s eyes narrowed. “Are you insinuating the Black Brothers did this?”

“I have no definitive proof who did it,” she said, stepping closer to the mutilated animal. She bent down and pointed to the bullet hole in its head. “But I don’t know of any animals that can use guns either, Sheriff Whitethorn.”

Rowan stiffened, then looked over his shoulder at Aelin Galathynius. They had hardly worked alongside one another at this point, but every little thing she did annoyed the ever loving shit out of him.

“Would you like to say something, Sheriff?” Aelin inquired, noting his annoyance.

“Good observation,” he muttered, looking back down at the calf. He had read about the Black Brothers since his arrival, since he was given his new position. It was true that they were up to no good, but they had managed to dodge the law up until this point.

“I think we should bring them in for questioning,” Aelin said.

Rowan rose to his full height and gave Aelin a questionable look. “Based on what evidence?”

“Based on the evidence that this looks like something they would do, and we have to start somewhere.” Aelin turned her attention to Cassian. “Was anything else out of place this morning?”

He removed his hat and ran a hand through his hair. “Not that I can think of. I mostly just noticed this one was missing.” He gestured to the calf. “I looked for her, but I didn’t see a single animal that could do this. None of my other animals are missing either.”

“Hmmm.” Aelin crossed her arms over her chest. She knew Rowan was right, they couldn’t bring someone in for questioning based just on the fact that they were sleazy.

“We’ll keep in touch, Cash, yeah?” Rowan said, shaking the man’s hand. “Let us know if you see or hear anything. We’ll look into some things.”

Cassian nodded his head. “Thank you, Sheriff, Deputy.”

Aelin nodded, and the two of them walked back to the horses while Cassian prepared to dispose of the animal.

“You can’t possibly think the Blacks have nothing to do with this,” Aelin said, turning her gaze on him.

“I have no reason to think Erawan and Hybern Black would do this,” Rowan said, a hand in his pocket as they reached their horses. “Aside from the fact that they’re greedy and would do anything for a quick buck, what would they gain from killing one calf on a cattle ranch?”

Aelin hesitated. She wasn’t sure. It was peculiar, and it sure did not make sense to her, at all.

“We should do some questioning, though,” Rowan said. “Maybe with Hunt, if he saw anything in the middle of the night.”

Hunt stayed at the saloon for most of the night, into the late hours of the morning. He would know who was up and about throughout the night, or at least may know of someone who was.

“Not a bad idea,” Aelin admitted, pulling herself up onto her saddle.

“Mr. Athalar will be our first stop, then,” Rowan decided, helping himself up onto his mare.

They rode back into town, and Aelin had to admit that it was much easier to ride a horse when you didn’t have to ride side-saddle in inches and inches of skirts. She could definitely see herself getting used to the trousers she now wore.

Rowan’s reaction the first morning she’d walked through the door of their building, her hair braided back off her face, the bright cosmetics of the night before nearly forgotten, was one she would remember forever. He’d been drinking his coffee, standing by the stairwell, and Aelin was proud to see it spray along the side wall as she’d stepped inside wearing the high waisted trousers.

Now, after learning how easily she could ride in trousers, she was hard pressed to say she may never go back to dresses and skirts again.

Rowan’s shock definitely had a hand in her decision to buy multiple pairs, too. It was apparently difficult to surprise Rowan Whitethorn, and she had done it only twenty-four hours after they met.

It was a proud moment to add to her long list of accomplishments.

___________________________

With a huff, Feyre dropped the bus tub full of dishes in the kitchen where Luca was busy scrubbing away. “Hunt says we need more glasses.”

He lifted a hand in acknowledgment and Feyre was rushing back out into the lively front room, the sound of card games and merriment in the air. The piano was at the heart of it all and there were girls dancing on the tables.

Not the type of girl like Nesta; no, these girls were here of their own free will. The only thing making them get up and dance was the ale they’d been sinking since before she arrived for her shift. They weren’t trapped into a contract by the Devil’s Wife herself. Speaking of, Feyre couldn’t locate her sister in the sea of faces, meaning she must still be upstairs with a client. She’d have a shot of whiskey ready to slip to her the moment she returned back down the stairs. Being rip roaring drunk by midnight was one of the reasons Nesta was able to endure the physical torture night after night. Feyre would do anything in her power to help, in any way that she could.

Looking around the crowded room, she did catch the eyes of the handsome, young mayor. Rhysand was a fair man, and though he came into the saloon almost every night, he rarely drank. The former mayor had gotten drunk every night, so whether this was a political or personal choice, it caught Feyre’s attention. Not to mention the way he always seemed to be watching her.

Working in the saloon, even as a lowly barmaid, often came with its own struggles. Especially when said saloon was attached to a brothel. Hunt put a stop to it when he could, but sometimes Feyre had to do so herself.

Feyre had just noticed the bar top was full, and Hunt was well and truly swamped. She stepped around a table, headed for the bar, when a firm grip wrapped around her wrist and she was tugged backwards. She found herself face to face with a man about her age, who’s dark eyes promised nothing but pain. “And how much are you for the hour?”

“I’m not for sale.”

It usually worked. Most respected what she said, backed off and let her go on her way.

The piece of shit holding onto her had no intention of letting go.

Feyre jerked her hand back, but the stranger’s grip was firm. She would surely have a ring-shaped bruise around her wrist when he finally got his shit together and backed off.

“I said, I’m not for sale,” Feyre hissed, her chin raised high. “Hand off.”

“I like a little spitfire,” he replied, his drawl strong, the scent of liquor on his breath even stronger. His grip tightened to the point that Feyre cringed, her skin stinging from his hold. “I bet you’ve got even more of an attitude in bed-.”

Feyre’s spit landed in the middle of the stranger’s face before she could even think better of it. Surely, she would pay for the hasty decision in tips, but she wouldn’t let a man take her to bed after she’s said no.

She wouldn’t.

The stranger’s eyes turned hard as he yanked Feyre forward, but that was as far as he got. Someone new was grabbing the stranger’s collar, his fist cracking the drunk stranger’s jaw.

The saloon fell quiet, even the jaunty tune of the piano slowed and stopped as everyone turned to where the man had fallen to the floor in the middle of the room. The men around the table looked up at the man attached to the fist that knocked their friend out as he said, “The lady said no.”

It was a moot point, the man was out cold, and his friends were scrambling to lift him from the floor and hurrying out the door. Apparently, the look on her savior’s face was enough to deter not only a second round of brawling, but also the propositions as well.

Feyre turned to thank the man.

She didn’t know Ruhn Danaan well, not as well as she’d come to know and love his sister since she came to work as a barmaid, but she knew his face well. He came into the saloon every night, and every night, he ordered a whiskey, sat in the corner and nursed it until closing time. He never came to get drunk. He came to keep as close an eye as he could on his sister.

Feyre knew how he felt, knew the feeling. She had to watch Nesta do the same thing Bryce did every night, and it never got easier. If anything, it became harder, more difficult, watching it day after day.

“I can take care of myself, Mr. Danaan,” she said, but her voice was light, her smile soft.

Ruhn chuckled, quietly. “I know, but you shouldn’t have to.”

“Perhaps not,” she agreed, as the piano’s happy tune continued and the saloon went back to normal. “Thank you. He got what he deserved.”

“He deserved worse, but Hunt says no weapons within his walls.” Ruhn looked over his shoulder at the owner, then back to Feyre. “Last time I pulled out my gun in here, I was banned for a week.”

“Well, Mr. Dannan, we can’t have that,” Feyre said, a glint in her eye.

“No, Miss Archeron, we can’t,” Ruhn agreed.

Feyre tried to think of something snarky to say back, working in the bar had certainly made hee more comfortable having a more colorful vocabulary, but before she could, Ruhn’s name was called from across the bar.

His eyes flicked over to where his friends had just walked in. They settled back on her and he said, “Until next time, Miss Feyre,” and was gone, joining his companions.

Those sapphire eyes unsettled her, but also had her stomach tied in knots. Once she remembered how to walk, she hurried back over to the bar, helping Hunt fulfill drink orders and laughing and chatting with her friends who came in.

All the while, she felt sapphire eyes on her, tracking her every move. And violet eyes as well.

#reckoning and retribution #snelbz rar #snacmc #snelbz tacmc collab #snelbz 4k crossover

157 notes · View notes

mamawolfblood · 3 years

Text

Total drama Surprise

14 Brunch of Disgustingness

Chris: Last time on Total Drama Island… A note from a secret admirer got Gwen and Bridgette up in each other’s business. DJ accidentally knocked his boy Trent off the airplane, sending him deep into the Earth’s crust. Leshawna showed everybody how to hang on for dear life on the moose ride. Harold showed himself to be an ace flag-catcher, until he caught sight of Heather’s… unmentionables, causing him to crash his way right off the island, but not without a little canoodling time with the fair Leshawna. And now, let’s see what’s in store for our campers on this week’s episode of Total. Drama. Island!

Iris found it odd that Chef did want her help today for breakfast. Walking and sat on the dock looking at the moon. It was calm a peaceful just the gentle sound of water. "You couldn't sleep either?" Duncan said making the teen jump. He chuckled sitting behind me. His arms wrapped me into a warm embrace. His chin ontop of her head. No words needed to be spoken they just watch the sun rise.

It was something she didn't want to end but nothing lasts forever. The campers made their way to the mess hall. Before Iris could enter Duncan grabbed her arm. "Duncan what is it?" She asked looking up at him. But the carage he gathered soon turned to cold feet making him let go. "Nothing let's see what your dad has up his sleeve today." Damb so close but no big deal. The girl thought stepping inside sitting with her team.

Iris pov

My dad Was acting weird whenever someone tried to ask about food. Chef would snicker and laugh along with him. " OK seriously enough, what is wrong with the two of you?" I asked making them look at me. Its no secret I get cranky when I don't get food.

Chris: Congratulations to the remaining ten campers for reaching the halfway mark in the competition! You’ll all be on the jury for the final episode.

Geoff: We got the power! Yeah!

Chris: The two teams will become one next week. But first, all the girls will be moved to the Gopher cabin and all the guys will stay in the Bass cabin. This week’s challenge is as old as history itself. A battle of the sexes [Lindsay blows a raspberry at the guys] After everyone is settled in, I’ll announce the challenge. And then, you’ll have an uh… bite to eat.[He and Chef snicker] Ready for a little good news? This week, no one will be kicked off. [everyone cheers] It’s all for reward and it’s a good one. Okay, time to relocate. Let’s move! [He and Chef snicker]

Heather started kissing up to Bridgette. It was sickening to watch so I got up and left.

(Confessional: Bridgette)

Bridgette: I was a bit worried about being the only new girl on the team. Then I figured it can’t be that bad. I don’t buy that hype about how well guys get along and how catty girls can be.

(Confessional Off)

I was sitting outside when Bridgette walked over. "Hi Bridgette have fun in the lions den." I said before laughing.

Leshawna: Nobody’s leaving until I find out who ate my pudding pockets!

Heather: I ate them. So what?

Leshawna: Whoa! Pump the brakes a minute! You’re “so what”ing me? That’s my food. No one touches my food!

Heather: Whatever, deal with it. It serves you right for leaving your junk everywhere, especially that. That is bugging me.

Leshawna: Yeah, it’d bug me too if I didn’t have anything in the front or in the back to shake.

Heather: Yeah? Well, you’ve got so much junk in your trunk, your jeans should come with a trash compactor!

Leshawna: Ooh! You want a piece of this?

Bridgette: Uh-oh.

Heather: Bridgette! It’s so good to see you! Come in, come in! Welcome to our cabin. We’re like a big family in here.

Gwen: Big and dysfunctional.

Heather: Anything you need, just yell.

Bridgette: Thanks for the awesome welcome, Heather.

Lindsay: Welcome to the club! It’ll be so much fun! As long as you do everything Heather says. Ow!

Heather [after she laughs] : Yeah, we love joking around here at girls cabin. I made sure your bunk was next to mine–

Lindsay: Hey! That’s my bed. Ow!

Heather: So we can talk and share and really get to know each other.

Bridgette: Okay, yeah! Hey, thanks everybody, I can’t wait to get to know all of–

Heather: Okay! Plenty of time to chat later! Let’s unpack.

Lindsay: This is great! I bet we’re getting along way better than the guys.

I honestly hope things are going well. This den of vipers is about to explode. If on cue I heard this.

Bridgette: Let’s build bridges, not walls!

Heather: Take your pick.

dramatic music plays as Bridgette picks Gwen and Leshwana's side

Heather: You just dug your own grave.

Bridgette: Let’s try to get along, okay? Otherwise, the guys are going to cream us, don’t you get it? Tough room.

[Chef and Chris snicker]

Heather: Stop doing that!

Chris: Let’s just tell them… Today’s challenge is… The Brunch of Disgustingness! You’ll be getting a nine-course meal. Each member of each team must finish each dish. You will not know if the next dish is grosser than the last, not as gross, or just as gross. Just that it’ll likely be… gross.

Chef: Tell them what they’ll get if they win, Chris!

Chris: The winning team spends two days at a local five-star resort where they’ll be pampered, eat gourmet nosh, and be given antibiotics against anything they may have caught while participating in this challenge! The losing team will go hungry tonight and spend the next two days here. On Total Drama Island. With Chef.

The first round was bull testicles and the point went to the girls. Oh those boys could handle a little meatball.

Chris: The score now stands at one for the girls and zero for the guys! And now, the next course in… The Brunch of Disgustingness! You guys like pizza?

Owen: I could eat pizza any time with anything on it!

Chris: Anything? How about live grasshopper pizza with tangy jellyfish sauce and live anchovies?

Owen: I could eat pizza any time with anything on it!

Chris: How about live grasshopper pizza with tangy jellyfish sauce and live anchovies?

Ok even I thought it was gross please do let me get sick.

Leshawna couldn't eat it giving the guys a point making us tied. The girls freaked on her but honestly not a big deal. "Guys its not a big deal. We will win the next round so stop complaining.

(Confessional: Chef)

Chef: I was excited about the next dish. I made it from scratch.

(Confessional Off)

Chris: All right, who’s ready for the third course? Spaghetti! Well, actually, Earthworms covered in snail slime sauce and hairballs.

I barfed when it was placed infront of me.

(Confessional )

Iris- WHO THE FUCK THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA?! THIS SHIT IS FUCKING DISGUSTING!

*static *

(End of Confessionals)

The guys got another point and now I am getting aggravated.

Chris: All right everybody. Time for course number four. No nine-course meal would be complete without soup. Today’s special is French Bunyon soup with hangnail crackers.

(Confessional: Geoff)

Geoff: I think they just use stuff from Chef’s bathroom floor.

(Confessional Off)

Bridgette gasps

DJ strains to eat

Trent gags

Lindsay: I didn’t even taste it.

Chris: The girls win again![Gwen, Heather, Leshawna, and Lindsay cheer] The score’s now tied up at two.

(Confessional: Bridgette)

Bridgette: I think the girls really made a breakthrough as a team.

(Confessional Off)

The rounds continue and the barfing too. But we made it to the final round.

"Oh god I think I'm going to be sick." I said trying to hold it down but I dont think I can.

hris: Wow, it’s still tied up. We’re down to the last course in the challenge. It’s delicious dolphin wieners. Hot dogs made of dolphin.

Bridgette [after she gasps] : But dolphins are our friends!

Heather: What are you waiting for? It’s already dead. If you don’t eat it, we don’t win.

Bridgette: Ooh, I can’t! I’m a surfer! I swim with dolphins!

Heather: Eat it!

Bridgette: No! I’m not doing it. You can’t pressure me.

The hell we can't grabbing a hot dog off the plate, and then proceeded to shove it down her throat.

"I'M NOT LOSING THIS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GROW A PAIR! THE DAMB THING IS DEAD SO SUCK IT UP AND STUFF YOU FUCKING FACE!" They all looked at me Bridgette had tears in her eyes. She coughed it all up.

DJ: I’m with you sister. I’m not eating no dolphin.

(Confessional : Chef)

Chef: I slave over a hot stove cooking dolphin. No appreciation!

(Confessional Off)

Chris: Okay, enough. We’ll solve this by having an eat-off. The one who can drink the most shot glasses of fresh, delicious blended cockroach will be the winner. This unlikely satisfying blend of eight different cockroaches is vitamin rich for your balanced lifestyle. On your mark, get set, go!

Owen and Leshwana drink the cockroaches.

Leshawna groans two times

Chris: Owen wins!

DJ, Duncan, Geoff, and Trent cheer

Leshawna groans

Heather: Leshawna, you are completely useless!

Leshawna: Oh, uh-oh, something’s coming up. [puking]

DJ pukes

Trent:pukes

Chef: Grr… [retches]

Chris retches

Duncan and Geoff Puke

The “elimination” music plays.

Chris: The guys are the big winners today. And the girls go their separate ways. Two definitive cliques have been cemented. [Heather grunts and the door rattles] For now. What shocking surprises are in store for our campers next week as they head for the big merge? Tune in on Total. Drama. Island!

#romance #original characters #oc #jealousy #fanfiction #td heather #td gwen #td chef #td trent #tdi chris #total drama #total drama leshawna #total drama island

7 notes · View notes

lycunthrope · 3 years

Note

001 infinity train!

001 | Send me a fandom and I will tell you my:

Favorite character: this one’s actually such a tough one to answer. each character is really lovable for different reasons and also two of my favorites are LITERALLY not released yet (what the fuck is up with that). i guess if i really had to narrow it down.... jesse? or grace.

Least Favorite character: remember perry? i wish i didn’t.

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon): i don’t really have many ships here either. besides one that doesn’t exist yet. i do think jesslake is cute but i like them a lot better as friends.

Character I find most attractive: min-gi my beloved <3 i’d say ryan but idk he’s more of a ‘i wanna look like that’ vibe to me.

Character I would marry: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Character I would be best friends with: i probably would’ve hung out with lake when i was her age tbh? i’d prolly be friends w/ ryan too

A random thought: jesse returning in particular is REALLY funny to me because like. how would YOU feel if your son vanished for a month, returned to ONLY talk to his little brother, vanished again, then returned with some punk kid made of metal and told you that she’s his best friend and needs a place to stay.

An unpopular opinion: simon’s story gets boring if you try to come to some conclusion over whether or not he “deserved” to die or “deserved” to be redeemed. there is no “deserve”. his story’s a sad one, his death is sad, but he dug his own grave.

My canon OTP: rymin (optimistic)

Non-canon OTP: rymin (pessimistic)

Most badass character: lake fucking shreds a cop to death on a train wheel. amelia took over the entire train and re-engineered almost everything based on her knowledge of tech coming from the 80′s. both of them are cooler than i’ll ever be </3

Pairing I am not a fan of: grimon (like. ok. listen. i actually am invested in the fact that there was romance there! but i don’t think it was ever meant to succeed even if simon lived. so i don’t ship it in the traditional sense)

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): ngl. jesse? like ok. he’s REALLY well written don’t get me wrong but i also wish we got to know more about how his issue formed in the first place. yeah book 2 is lake’s season but.... idk. wish we got more for him.

Favourite friendship: TRAVEL FRIENDS! THEY’RE FRIENDS TIL THE VERY EEEEEND <3

#infinity train spoilers

9 notes · View notes

adramaticbeauty · 3 years

Text

Dragons and Fireflies

Waitttt! If you havent read the previous chapters I wouldnt advise reading this. Here's the link for the rest of the chapters if you need to go back. https://my.w.tt/gYNayRx9rcb

Since the ones on my tumblr...are forever lost now😔 Anyway those who read it please enjoy!

Chapter 7: Buried Memories

"Juvia is so sorry, Anna~sama. She never thought things would turn out so...complicated."

All Anna could do was carress her temples in order to calm herself down. After all she was getting older, and she couldn't let such things stress her out anymore. Unless she wanted an early grave dug of course.

" It's quite alright Juvia. It isnt as big of a deal as it seems."

Juvia couldnt help but breathe a sigh of relief at her reassuring comment. She would never forgive herself if she ever endangered the bands success with her selfishness.

"Oh thank goodness-"

"If you clean up the mess you made."

Juvia's heart stopped as she held her breath. As she took in her words silently, a million questions popped into her head. That she was too afraid to hear the answer to. What on earth did she mean by that? And the bigger question was how could she possibly even fix this mess? Anna's eyes softened as she met Juvia's worried ones.

"We need to figure out how the public would take this whole misunderstanding first and then address the situation publicly. Thats the smartest thing to do at this moment. Until then I will discuss the predicament with the Dragonflies manager."

As Juvia listened for the click of her door, she could finally breathe a sigh of relief. She had known when she had seen the photo in the paper, things would get bad. But she never thought this bad. And now the world was convinced Gray Fullbuster from the popular band 'Dragonflies' was her secret lover.

It was even worse they were competitors, both fighting for the top spot of best band. Why did she do it? Get involved with Gray Fullbuster? Her reasons were something personal to her, close to her heart that was from the past that she so desired to forget. It wasnt his looks or anything, although she couldnt deny his attractiveness.

She knew the rumors were true, after all she had seen for her own eyes the damage he could do to a woman. And she wouldnt be one of those who was affected by his charms. She refused to. She was the one who was going to teach him how women were to be treated, and not as playthings.

She was going to do it...for her. But she messed things up because of her anger, and now look at what happened. Her head was pounding with past emotions steadily creeping back from their place pushed deep down in her heart. It made her clench her fists in irritation and helplessness. Maybe she hadnt changed from all those years ago. The nightmares also flooded back to her, making her freeze in her own body. She shook in frustration with herself.

Did she even change at all? No, she wasnt that naive girl from years ago anymore, and she would never be again. Too much had happened for that. She never thought this would go so far, and affect her friends though. Her bandmates meant the world to her, and she would never hurt them purposely. After all, they saved her from her wretched life, after she had fallen so deep into despair. Gajeel...

She felt tears well up in her eyes before she couldnt help but scowl at her emotions getting the best of her once again. She chuckled dryly. She never was one for hiding her emotions, and her faces always told the world how she felt. She despised that with her entire being.

Although with Gray, it was easy to hide them, and she doubted he cared about them anyway. Thats why he was so easy to manipulate at the time. Its not like Juvia wasnt worried about her image at all. In fact it was probably tainted just by even being seen with that womanizer.

Her image in the band was supposed to be the innocent but sexy one, and men went crazy over it. Her merchandise being the most bought out in stores. She remembered when Lucy made a fuss about it, chastising Anna of giving her the wrong image for the band

And Juvia couldn't help but muffle her laughs with her hand in the background.

Her heart warmed at the memory and it made her clutch at her heart thinking of losing that small happiness. They were just taking off and already making merchandise, because Anna was sure that they would become a success fast. Juvia couldnt help but wonder that maybe Anna had made the wrong choice letting her into Fireflies.

"Juvia? Juvia! I have been calling your name for 5 minutes now!" She jumped at the sudden noise and swung her head up. She thought she had locked the door.

"Ahh Levy-san. What do you need?" Juvia asked exasperated.

She tried to wipe her stray tears quickly, turning her face in embarrassment. She hadn't even noticed she had cried. Levy did nothing but stare at her for a minute, before walking over and plopping down on the couch right beside her.

" You know, the girls are really not upset or anything. If thats what...you're crying about?"

Juvia looked into her cocoa irises and Levy met hers. They were full of worry.

"Honestly Juvia is fine. She just...regrets causing you guys so much trouble." Juvia tried to put on a smile but it came out as an obvious grimace.

"You really didnt. After all anyone who doesnt know that females have sexual needs too, know now."

"Huh???"

"Sexual needs? I read it in a reproduction book too. Apparently women have the most urge for it during pregnancy. Wait could this be-"

"Oh nooo Levy-san, this incident has nothing to do with...that."

"Oh. So not at all? You didnt...do anything?"

"Heavens no. Im not that kind of girl." Juvia gave her a reassuring smile, while Levy wiped her brow in relief.

"Cana lost 50 bucks today." She smiled staring a little too hard at her lap.

" What do you mean Levy-san?" She was beginning to feel suspicious.

"Well umm..."

"Levy..."

" Alright, alright! The girls made a bet about if you slept with Gray or not. Of course I bet that you didnt, but Cana got into my head and made me think things...something about girls needing devouring too. So I read up on it and..."

Juvia stared in disbelief as Levy squirmed under her gaze. A giggled echoed throughout the room, making Levy jump in surprise.

" Of course she did! Cana-san is always talking about things like that."

When Levy saw the laughter wasnt of anger or irritation, she laughed along too.

" Yeah, and Lucy chastised her for even thinking of you being so careless. She said' Juvia would only do dirty things like that when she's married.' "Levy took a breath before she continued.

" And then Cana said 'Listen hunny, if you have a good sex life, all the worries go away. Thats why I have no gray hair yet and ole Lucy does.' "Levy couldnt help but chuckle at her own impersonation of Cana.

Juvia laughed at her words. She wished she would have been there to hear the rest but she had been stuck in her room, hiding for at least two days. Levy placed a small pale hand on hers.

" Dont hide from us, ok Juvia? We miss you." She then gave her a tight squeeze, wrapping her arms around Juvia's whole body.

Juvia sat there, stiff as a board but she hugged her back silently. She allowed some tears to slip down now. After all this was a special moment. She had forgotten her friends were such kind souls, and they would be accepting of just about everyone. That didnt mean Juvia could just accept herself whole-heartedly though.

She would always be dirty in her own eyes. As she waved goodbye to Levy and she heard the click of her door, she laid back and stared at the white of her ceiling. What did Anna mean 'clean up her mess'? And what would that entail?

#gruvia #gray fullbuster #fairytail #levy mcgarden #juvia loxar #fanfics

13 notes · View notes

almost-jack · 3 years

Text

It’s official. I’m a filthy, Jack-simping fuck monster. Chapter 15 is out and it is a smut bucket.

I just posted the smuttiest chapter that I’ve ever written for public consumption. It doesn’t even really require context (other than basic Borderlands 2 knowledge) to read because it is pure FILTH. I’m pretty proud.

Please enjoy and either leave me a comment here or on AO3 (guest comments and kudos welcome) or wash your eyeballs, depending on how you feel about it.

This chapter on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27921886/chapters/69799560

Or read below:

Chapter 15 : More Than He Bargained For

Summary: Axton willingly puts himself in Jack’s way and gets fucked. Hard. Oof.

Notes:

Forgive me lord, for I have sinned, but so help me god, I'll fucking do it again. And again. And again...

Thinkin' about changing the fic's title to "The Lion's Den". What do you guys think?

*Warning: Uhhhh....Axton might take a bit of a beating with some mild non-con mixed in there. He likes some it, though. *shrug*

The tower was just a short walk from the bar and the pair was entering the massive living room of the VIP suite within minutes. Rei retrieved a bottle of Jack’s fancy champagne and poured three glasses, setting one down on an end table to wait for Jack, then she sat down on an ornate couch with gold upholstery and patted the seat next to her. Axton joined her, staring around at the lavish, ostentatious suite.

“Wow, this place is uh…”

“Excessive? Yeah, I know. Jack’s aesthetic is something along the lines of, “You can’t afford this,” and, “Is there enough black leather in here?”” she said, laughing.

“Well, you can never have enough black leather, darlin’,” said Axton, reaching out and stroking her cheek.

He leaned in and caught her lips with his own, kissing her firmly, yet gently. Without breaking the kiss, he threw a knee up onto the couch and began crawling forward, crowding her back against the armrest until he was straddling her. Rei ran her hands up his chest, feeling something cold and metallic hanging from his neck. She pulled away to look at the rectangular tags in her hand. Dog tags, and for some reason, a wedding ring. Rei knew better than to ask why.

“A soldier, eh? Your battalion isn’t going to be happy about you fraternizing with Handsome Jack and friends, you know.”

“Don’t have a battalion anymore, I was discharged a while back. I’m a mercenary now, honey. A vault hunter, in fact.”

“You’re a…what?” she said, taken aback.

“He’s a vault hunter. Well, he was a vault hunter. For me,” growled a voice from across the room.

Jack was leaning in the doorway of the suite, arms crossed, brows furrowed in a thunderous scowl. He strode over behind the couch, gripping the edge of the headrest with white knuckles, looming over the pair. Then he sighed, screwing his eyes shut and rubbing his temple.

“Kitten…why? Why do you do this shit to me? It’s like you’re trying to get us both killed.”

“Jack…I don’t understand…”

“I hired this joker as a vault hunter and then tried to kill him. Did you forget that part, Axie? The part where I wanted you dead?”

“Nope, I remember. Crazy bus explosion. Lotta fun,” said Axton, sitting up. Rei slid out from under him and began backing away from the couch, feeling the weight of the grave error she had made.

“So why the hell are you here? Do you need to get fucked by Handsome Jack so badly that you’re willing to risk your life for it? I can’t blame you, but…pretty stupid move, kiddo,” snarled Jack.

“What if that’s exactly why I’m here? Is that so hard to believe?” asked Axton, pouting up at him playfully.

Jack grabbed the burly man by the hair and bent his head back at a painful angle. Axton grimaced but remained still. Jack leaned down so his face was mere inches away, staring at the man in his grasp with fire in his eyes. Rei had seen that expression before, and, although she knew this was about to take an unfortunate turn for Axton, she couldn’t help but feel excited for what was to come. When Jack was at his worst, he always fucked her the best.

Rei sauntered over to the armrest next to Jack and sat, looking quizzically down at Axton.

“I don’t think we believe him, do we, J?” she drawled lazily.

“No, I don’t believe we do. So why don’t you tell us why you’re really here, cupcake?” hissed Jack through clenched teeth.

“Fine, fine, I might have been paid to keep an eye on you two. Uh, do you mind?” he grunted, trying to jerk his head out of Jack’s grip. Jack released him, drawing his pistol and pointing it at Axton’s head instead.

“Well that’s not much better…” mumbled the soldier.

“Who are you working for? I want answers, now,” snarled Jack.

“No can do, big guy. I gave you as much of an answer as you’re gonna get. The rest is classified.”

“Maybe you should fuck it out of him, J.” said Rei, examining her shimmery, black nails disinterestedly.

“Kitten, you always have the best ideas!” crowed Jack, his scowl morphing into a wolfish grin. He tossed her his gun. “Watch him for a minute.” He turned and left the room.

“That was pretty dirty trick, soldier boy,” she said in a low, ominous voice, cocking the gun and aiming between Axton’s eyes.

“I wasn’t trying to trick anyone, just saw an opportunity for some fun on the job and I took it,” he said, shrugging out of his jacket and throwing it over the back of the couch.

“Jack is almost certainly going to kill you once he’s done. Why would you risk that?”

“Ah, darlin’, you underestimate me. I wasn’t a commando for all those years because I’m bad surviving dangerous situations. Jack doesn’t scare me. Also… I wanted to spend a little time with Jack’s girl. See what makes you tick. See if you’re a threat. See…what you have on under that dress,” he said with an impish grin, eyes twinkling up at her.

“Well, you might just get some of what you wanted…and a whole lot you didn’t,” she said, smiling sweetly back.

“Ok kiddos, time for some fun!” announced Jack gleefully, returning to the couch and slipping his gun back into its holster. He held a jumble of straps and chains. Jack separated the tangled items in his hands and flipped a black leather gag over to Rei. “You get his mouth, I’ll get his wrists,” he said, giving Axton a hard shove to the back, forcing him face down on the couch.

Jack yanked Axton’s arms behind him, clinking a pair of thick metal handcuffs around his wrists so quickly that the soldier barely had time to react. Rei snickered at them as she undid the buckle on the gag.

“Yeah, I don’t know about the gag, darli-nghhh!” protested Axton as she stuffed the leather strap in his mouth and fastened it around his head.

“You wanted to see what I have on under my dress, right? Be a good boy and I’ll show you.”

“Oh he said that, did he? Cheeky little bastard,” chuckled Jack, unbuckling his belt. “Kitten, why don’t you come over here and get this party started, hmm? You’re in for a real treat, Axie. Getting to watch my kitten blow me is a real privilege.”

Jack pulled Axton upright by the back of his shirt and plopped down next to him, throwing an arm over his shoulders. He hooked a finger under the chain of the soldier’s dog tags and toyed with it gently, giving him a devilish grin. Rei knelt between Jack’s legs a shoved his pants down, mouthing at the exposed skin of his upper thighs.

“Hmm, I think I have another good idea,” she said softly, pulling a small baggie of purple powder out of her bra.

“Oh you just keep that Eridium concentrate stashed on you at all times, eh, kitten?”

“This stuff is close to my heart. Literally,” she giggled.

She poured a trail of powder down Jack’s thigh and snorted it in one fluid motion. She then tapped a line onto the back of her hand, holding it out to Jack, who sniffed it up appreciatively. He threw back his head and sighed happily, then turned to Axton, positively beaming, and clapped him on the back.

“Holy hell, kiddo. Looks like I’m gonna be fucking you all night long,” he purred in Axton’s ear, pulling himself out of his pants and giving his near instant erection a few assisting strokes.

Rei licked the tip of his cock and Jack’s hand dropped to his side, letting her take over. She sank down on his member, almost to the hilt, making him groan loudly at the hot silkiness of her mouth and her tongue ring gliding over his shaft. She lazily dragged her tongue back up to his cockhead and sucked gently, stroking his slit with the tip of her tongue. Then she picked up her pace and began bobbing her head while pumping his length with a firm grip, getting faster and sloppier with every passing minute. Jack let out another low moan and dug his fingers into Axton’s shoulder with the hand that was still dangling carelessly over it.

“Oh, fuck, kitten. Take it easy, our friend is still waiting for a turn on my dick.”

“I think it’s only fair that I get first dibs, I found him after all. And since I won, shouldn’t I be calling the shots?” she said, sitting back on her heels and wiping her mouth.

Jack raised his eyebrows at her. “Oh yeah, doll? Hey, if that’s what you want…” He shrugged. “That ok with you, buddy?” he said, hooking his arm around Axton’s neck and pulling his head into his chest.

“Mmmph,” came his unintelligible reply. The look on his face was something akin to curiosity with a hint of apprehension, probably at the prospect of being subjected to whatever insane things these two cartoonish villains could think up.

Jack laughed derisively. “Like it even matters what you want at this point, kiddo.”

“Bedroom. Let’s go,” said Rei, snapping her fingers at the two of them.

“You heard that hot little piece of ass, up you get,” said Jack, dragging Axton to his feet and pushing him down the hall.

They followed Rei into the bedroom, Jack hauling Axton onto the bed with him while she waited at the foot, arms crossed. Jack threw an arm over Axton’s shoulders once again, watching her intently. Once she had their full attention, Rei slowly, almost teasingly, unzipped her dress. She let it slide off her body and pool at her feet, revealing black, lacey lingerie with yellow stitching. She bent to remove her silver pumps, but Jack cleared his throat insistently. She stopped and put her hands on her hips, cocking them to one side.

“What?” she said sharply.

“Do me a favor kitten…uhh, boss-kitten…. Leave ‘em on? Please? For daddy?” he pleaded, sticking out his lower lip.

Rei rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress a crooked smile. “Fine,” she said climbing up onto the bed and crawling towards them, catlike. She knelt between Axton’s legs and reached behind his head to unfasten the gag.

“The hell are you doing that for? I don’t wanna hear this guy complain all night,” whined Jack.

“He’ll be too busy putting that mouth to work to complain, don’t you worry. Isn’t that right, soldier boy?” she purred, grabbing Axton’s chin and stroking his lower lip with her thumb.

“Mmhmm, whatever you want, darlin’, as long as I get to touch you,” he murmured, his eyes raking over her body hungrily.

Rei smacked his cheek lightly, but firmly. “You don’t get to make demands. The cuffs stay on. Trade places with me.”

Axton awkwardly shifted onto his knees and shuffled out of Rei’s way as she took his spot next to Jack.

“Sit right there, lover boy,” she snapped her fingers at him and pointed between her legs.

He quickly obeyed, keeping his head low to avoid letting the pair see his pleased grin. Rei hooked a leg over his shoulder, pressing into his back with the sharp stiletto of her shoe.

“Down.”

He bent slowly and began kissing a trail up her thigh, nipping at her thong when he reached her pubic bone. He looked up at her and raised an eyebrow questioningly. She gave him a nod and he pulled the garment down with his teeth, tenuously inching it down her legs.

“Lemme help you with that, kiddo,” said Jack lazily, shrugging out of his jacket. He fished around in his pants pocket and produced a switchblade, flipped it open, and hooked it under the waistband of Rei’s panties. Before she could protest, Jack had severed both sides with a flick of his wrist.

“Jack! I liked those!” she hissed in irritation.

“So I’ll buy you another pair,” he murmured, pocketing the knife and kissing his way up her neck before enveloping her mouth. Their lips moved against each other languidly, tongues intertwining, hands tangled in each other’s hair.

Suddenly Rei broke away, moaning wantonly with her eyes screwed shut as she felt Axton’s mouth descend upon the heat between her legs. He lapped at her folds eagerly, dragging his tongue up to swirl around her clit, then back down to dip into her now dripping entrance, kissing and sucking every part of her along the way. After short while, Rei felt the weight of the bed abruptly shift, then heard the creak of a drawer opening. The weight shifted back and Axton cried out, jerking his head up. Rei whined at the loss of contact and sat up on her elbows to see what was the matter.

“Hey, man, are you serious?! You can’t put that on me!” complained Axton, trying to shake off Jack’s grip around his neck.

In the hand that wasn’t clenched around the back of Axton’s neck, Jack held a black leather collar (a plainer version of the one he had given Rei) connected to a chain-link leash. Rei laughed. Jack definitely had an aesthetic, and that was black leather absolutely everywhere. She sat up and folded her legs under her, reaching down to grab Axton’s face and still him.

“Cooperate, or the gag goes back on,” said Rei silkily.

She clenched his jaw in her palm while simultaneously stroking his cheek with her thumb, as though making both a threat and a titillating promise. He huffed in annoyance but slumped down, dropping his head into her lap and allowing Jack to collar him.

“Good boy,” she praised, stroking his hair.

“Thanks, kitten. So can I have a go at him now, or what? Don’t leave me hanging, here,” said Jack impatiently, gesturing towards his ever present, Eridium enhanced erection, still bobbing out of his open fly.

“Aww, you feeling neglected, J? Sure, have at him,” she cooed, crawling over to where Jack knelt behind Axton and sitting up on her knees to nuzzle and nip at his neck.

Jack wound the leash around his hand, curling it into a fist, and when it was short enough, gave it an experimental yank. Axton jerked backward and sputtered, almost losing his balance and toppling back into Jack’s lap. Jack smirked maliciously, the fire still glinting in his eyes.

“Ok, pumpkin. Let’s see what you’re made of,” he said, his voice low and dangerous.

“I, uh… I mean, it’s not my first time at the rodeo, but uh... Don’t go too hard on me, ok?” said Axton, nervously eyeing Jack’s impressively sized cock.

“We’ll see.”

“That means there’s no fuckin’ chance” Rei whispered in Axton’s ear, undoing his belt and pulling down his fly.

She giggled and smacked his ass, urging him up onto his knees while she pulled his pants and boxer briefs down, before unbuttoning his shirt and sliding it down to his elbows. Jack was busily pulling off Axton’s shoes and kicking off his own, then yanking off his vest and shirt without undoing all the buttons. He reached over to the already open drawer beside the bed and pulled out a bottle of lube, slicking up his throbbing erection, and hungrily descending on Axton, forcing his chest down into the bed with a thud. He pressed a hand to his back and held him there while he adjusted Axton’s hips and slid his pants the rest of the way off. Jack began to teasingly press his achingly hard cock between Axton’s cheeks.

“Aw, hey, come on Jack, at least give him a few fingers first,” said Rei sympathetically, although a wicked grin remained fixed across her face.

“Kitten, I don’t think I can wait much longer. I can’t tell if I want to kill something or fuck something, but if one of those two things doesn’t happen soon, I’m definitely going with kill,” Jack said in a strained tone.

“Oh, fuck, come on man…” mumbled Axton into the sheets. He raised his head to glance over his shoulder at Jack, a pleading look in his eyes. “If I survive this night, don’t you want me to at least tell people you’re a good lay? You know they’re gonna ask what Handsome Jack is like in bed …”

Jack shot him one of his signature “if looks could kill” faces and made an exasperated growl deep in his throat in response.

It was clearly taking every ounce of willpower he had to restrain himself from plunging balls deep into the command splayed out before him, but he begrudgingly lubed up a few fingers and got to work. Axton groaned as Jack pumped one large finger into his tight hole, and after a few pumps, another, far too soon for comfort. Jack worked him open quickly, drawing mostly grunts of pain from Axton as he carelessly fucked his fingers into the cuffed man.

“Think you can fucking take me now, cupcake? Or am I still too big for you?” hissed Jack, still pumping his fingers in and out.

“Shut up and do it already, douchebag,” retorted Axton. Jack abruptly yanked his fingers out, making him shudder in pain.

“You reaaally need to remember your manners, or I’m not going to be able to help you, Ax,” Rei said, her voice soft and sickly sweet. She was hovering next to Jack, her arm draped over one of his broad shoulders, her head resting on top of it.

“Oh, sweetheart, nothing can help him now,” growled Jack, lining his cock up with Axton’s quivering hole.

“Maybe he just needs a good dicking. Go on, J, fuck the shit out of him,” urged Rei, her tone absolutely poisonous.

Jack sank into Axton far too quickly, making the commando yelp and writhe underneath him as Jack pressed the weight of his powerful chest into his back. He fell still as Jack gave him a moment to adjust, his breath coming in heavy pants.

“Thaaaaat’s it, deep breaths. Relax, pumpkin, this is nothing. Things haven’t even begun to get bad for you, yet,” crooned Jack as he started to move his hips.

Jack groaned in relief as he slowly thrust his throbbing cock into Axton, the friction easing his frustration. Axton, on the other hand, was struggling not to whimper as the older man began pounding into him, his rhythm going from gentle and controlled to full on jack-hammering in less than a minute.

“So tell me, Axie, did you really think I’d fuck you nicely? That I’d suddenly change my mind about wanting most of you annoying fuckin’ vault hunters dead? You willingly entered the lions’ den, expecting not to get torn to pieces. What the fuck is wrong with you, kiddo?” Jack laughed and punctuated his sentence with a particularly hard thrust, eliciting a satisfying yelp from the man beneath him.

“Guess I’m just a glutton for punishment,” grunted Axton, a hint of amusement in his voice. It seemed as though he was beginning to enjoy himself, and Jack, while pleased that the commando was getting off on being manhandled and tormented by him, wasn’t about to let him enjoy it without consequence.

“Hey, kitten, why don’t you show our friend that little stunt you pulled on Pandora? The one that nearly broke my face?” said Jack, roughly yanking the leash towards himself, forcing Axton to sit up and lean back into his chest. Jack hooked a few fingers under the collar and slowed his thrusts to keep him anchored in place.

Rei, who had been running her nails down Jack’s back and murmuring words of encouragement in his ear, giggled. She reached into Jack’s thigh holster, still bunched around his thighs with his pants, slid out his gun, and turned it on Axton.

“Woah, woah, hold up, at least make it a fair fight if you’re going to try and kill me,” he rasped against the pressure of Jack’s pull on the collar.

“Don’t worry, hun, safety’s on. Doesn’t make it much safer for you, though,” she said with an amused grin, drawing back her arm. She swung the gun down on him, even harder than she had on Jack, decking him across the face, and causing the commando to cry out in pain and surprise. Both Rei and Jack cackled as Axton spat blood onto the bed.

“That all you got, babe?” he said dazedly, giving her a bloodstained grin.

Jack gave the collar a sharp tug.

“We can go harder if you want, kiddo. Just keep running that mouth of yours, see what happens,” he growled. He shoved Axton back down on the mattress and returned to his punishing pace, pumping in and out of him. Axton let out a low moan, his cuffed hands balling into fists behind his back.

Rei watched Jack begin to pant, the muscles in his back tensing. She moved to his side and leaned over Axton to pull Jack into a heated kiss, burying her hands in his hair and digging her nails roughly into his scalp, drawing a soft moan out of the man. All he needed was a little more pain to push him over the edge. She let her lips glide from his mouth, to his jaw, and then down his chest. Rei dragged her tongue over the firm muscles, stopping to lave over his nipple. Suddenly she bit down hard on the tender bud, sending shudders through his body.

“Ah, fuck, kitten, you’re gonna make me cum…” he groaned desperately. “You hear that, Axie? I’m gonna fill your tight little hole and make a huge mess for ya. Let’s see how well you march after being fucked senseless and filled with cum, soldier boy,” he hissed in Axton’s ear.

“Hey, hey, not in-“

Axton tried to protest, but it was too late. Jack was already hunched over his back, one hand buried in Rei’s hair as she continued sinking her teeth into his pectoral, the other between Axton’s shoulders, crushing him into the mattress with all his weight. Jack threw back his head, eyes screwed shut, and gave a final, brutal thrust, sinking his cock all the way to the hilt and letting go. He groaned loudly as he spilled into the man beneath him, his cock twitching and spurting for what felt like ages, pain and pleasure rippling through his body. Finally, he sank forward to lean on his hands, torso still hunched over Axton’s back, head hung low in exhaustion.

“God…damn…that was good. Really fucking good,” he panted, slowly pulling himself out of the commando. A thick stream of cum trickled out of Axton’s abused hole and dribbled down his thighs.

“Fuck you. What the hell,” grumbled Axton, displeased at the wet, tacky feeling of Jack’s cum dripping between his legs.

“HAH! Nope, pretty sure you’re the one who just got fucked here, princess,” said Jack, descending into peels of laughter. “I’ll tell you what, since you got me off so good, I’m gonna let you fuck kitten and get her off that good, too. If she wants. You want that, kitten?”

“About damn time,” she purred, stroking the hair on his chest.

“Well if I’m going to be doing any actual fucking, these cuffs gotta go…”

“Hmm…I do kind of want to see what you’re capable of… Should we trust him, J?”

“Hell, why not. Kid’s earned it. But just to be safe…” Jack pulled his pants back up to his hips, tucking himself away, but leaving the fly open. He removed his gun from its holster and clicked off the safety. “No funny business, ok, kiddo? One wrong move and I’ll blow brains out. And- trust me- it won’t even ruin the mood.”

Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out a key, then went about unlocking the cuffs. Rei slid up the bed to rest her back against the headboard, waiting in eager anticipation.

“Can I go get cleaned up, at least?” asked Axton, sitting up and rubbing his wrists.

“Here,” said Rei, leaning forward and pulling his shirt, still bunched around his elbows, the rest of the way off. She tossed it at him with a derisive laugh.

Axton grumbled but took the shirt and wiped down his legs and ass. He then turned to Rei and slid close enough to nudge her legs apart with his knee, a hand planted on either side of her hips. A devious smile began to play across his lips. He glanced over his shoulder at Jack, checking to see where the gun and leash were in proximity to himself. Jack had given him some slack on the leash to move around, but still had the gun pointed threateningly at his head. The older man moved to kneel beside Axton, also dropping down to lean on his hands, and pressing the gun into his back.

“That good dicking I just gave ya made you a little hard, huh, Axie? You fuckin’ love the abuse, don’t you?” he said, dipping his head to mutter huskily in his ear. Jack licked a hot stripe up Axton’s neck, sending shivers of pleasure down his spine.

Rei reached for Axton’s semi stiff cock and began giving it slow, languid strokes, pleased when he let out a low moan as he hardened beneath her fingers. He leaned in and kissed her, more aggressively and sloppier than he had earlier, and pulled her down underneath him so their hips were flush. He began to grind his now erect length against her pubic bone, enjoying the way her breasts pressed against his chest. He ran a hand down her leg, then suddenly threw it over his shoulder, ignoring the sting as her stiletto dug into his skin. The commando reached between them and began to rub her clit in small circles, making her arch her back as she squirmed underneath him in pleasure.

“Fuck me, soldier boy,” moaned Rei, rolling her hips up to meet his.

“Go on kid, give it to her,” growled Jack, watching the pair lustfully.

Axton positioned himself at Rei’s entrance and sank into her slowly while sucking kisses onto her ankle. He drew himself out almost entirely, just his cockhead teasing her lips, then slowly slid back into her warm, wet heat and repeated the motion.

“Come on soldier, I know you want it rougher than that. We just beat the crap out of you, aren’t you gonna give it right back to us? “ Jack hissed in his ear, as if he was the devil on Axton’s shoulder.

Axton ignored him, opting instead to lean down and suck Rei’s nipple. She moaned and dragged her fingers through his short cropped hair.

“Let’s go kid, if you don’t fuck her proper then I will,” snarled Jack, hooking a finger under his collar and giving it a sharp, warning tug. He was already hard again, waiting, wanting, and aching.

Axton wheezed and glared over at him, but slightly picked up his pace. Rei responded with a pleased little mewl, bringing her hips up to meet his in synchronized rhythm. Axton groaned hotly into her ear, surprised at how close to finishing he already was. He loved danger, and apparently his cock loved it, too.

Suddenly Jack was wrenching him back, sending him toppling to the side.

“Sorry, kid. You had your chance and I’m fuckin’ tired of waiting,” Jack said, shoving his pants off the rest of the way.

Jack pounced upon Rei with a feverish hunger, pulling her legs around his waist and roughly thrusting into her, making her gasp.

“Hang on tight, kitten,” he murmured in her ear, before dropping to his elbows and begging to slam his cock into her at a brutal pace. She gripped his back, her nails digging in deep enough to cause tiny pinpricks of blood to form on the surface of his skin.

Rei was moaning desperately at full volume, unable to control the sounds that Jack was wrenching out of her as he pounded away. Jack himself wasn’t much better, groaning huskily in her ear between heavy breaths, lost in a haze of chemically enhanced arousal.

Rei alternated between moans and whines and whispering filthy things in his ear, egging him on. She dragged her teeth down his neck, biting down hard when she reached the juncture of his neck and shoulder. Jack shuddered in pain and pleasure, feeling a familiar heat pooling in his groin.

“Jack, oh fuck, I’m so close,” she whispered breathily in his ear, eliciting a low, sinful groan from the man.

“Scream my name, baby. You know how I like it. Scream my name while you cum for me, kitten,” he growled.

And in moments, Rei was writhing underneath him, her hips bucking up into his, howling his name in a breathy, high pitched whine. Jack sucked in his breath as her pussy clenched around him, milking his cock, dragging him to the edge. He gave a few more uneven, hitching thrusts and came, slamming his cock into her and spilling inside her with a roar. He continued to press himself as deeply as he could, giving little thrusts, while he rode out the throbbing, twitching spurts of his orgasm, nuzzling her neck and groaning in ecstasy.

After several minutes, Jack raised himself up on his hands, shoulders hunched and panting hard.

“Well,” he said, sounding winded, “that’s how ya do it, kiddo.”

He looked over at Axton, who was leaning against the headboard next to them, one arm behind his head and the other being used to leisurely stroke his very hard cock.

“So, uh… You gonna get out of the way or what?” asked Axton gruffly, his eyes dark with lust.

Jack raised his eyebrows skeptically at him, then sat up and gently maneuvered Rei’s legs to the side. He turned to face Axton.

“Come ‘ere, kid,” Jack ordered, curling a finger at the other man.

Axton shuffled forward obediently, thoughts only focused on getting the relief he so desperately needed.

“Yeah, I’m done sharing,” Jack breathed huskily, “but I’ll tell ya what…” He licked his palm and reached down between them to grab Axton’s cock. The commando grunted and bucked his hips at the contact.

“Ooh, are you gonna help him out, J?” giggled Rei, coming up behind Axton and draping herself over his shoulders.

“I sure am, kitten. I’m just a real nice guy, what can I say?” said Jack cheerfully, beginning to stroke Axton’s leaking cock. He reached up and curled the other hand around Axton’s jaw, holding it firmly.

“Look at me,” he ordered.

Axton kept his eyes shut, not wanting to ruin the sensations coursing through his groin by being eye to eye with the man who once tried to kill him.

“I said look at me,” Jack hissed dangerously.

Axton grudgingly opened his eyes and was met with the manic, fiery glare of one blue eye, one green. Jack’s stare chilled him to the core.

“Don’t forget who’s jerking you off right now, kid. When you’re beating it to this later in whatever shitty, filthy part of the galaxy you came from, just remember that it was Handsome Jack making you cum all over your stupid, pathetic self. Remember that I can kill you just as easily as I can get you off because you’re weak, Axton. You could try to stop me, if you wanted to. But you don’t want to. You’re like putty in my hands. Now cum for me, soldier boy,” said Jack in an unnervingly calm and measured tone, as if he wasn’t jerking off a man he’d just tortured for hours.

Axton screwed his eyes shut again, trying to ignore Jack’s order, willing himself not to give in… But it was all too much. The fast, rough friction of Jack’s hand, Rei’s tongue gliding up his neck and over his jaw, her nails scraping across his chest, and Jack’s words, combined with his dominating presence, his face mere inches from Axton’s own, were all too much. Before he could stop himself, Axton was shooting rope after rope of warm, sticky finish all over his own stomach. He jerked and moaned in Jack’s hand, finally slumping forward, his head hanging low, breath coming in pants. Jack wiped his hand on Axton’s shoulder, grinning maliciously, then went to retrieve his pants and slip them on.

“So now that we’re all squared away here, let’s get down to business. What do we do with you, hmm, Axie? Does he live, or does he die? That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it?” mused Jack, pulling his gun from its holster and spinning it around his finger.

“Maybe he’s ready to tell us who sent him. That might improve his odds, don’t you think?” said Rei sweetly.

“How about it, kid? You ready to talk, or would you rather take your chances?”

“I’m a gambling man. Love that adrenaline rush. So, in other words… you’re not getting shit out of me, old man,” laughed Axton, tauntingly.

Jack stopped spinning his gun, face suddenly contorted with rage.

“Oooh. Ok. Uh-oh. You just-” Rei began.

Jack drew back his fist and slugged Axton squarely in the gut with all his might, knocking the wind of him. The commando bent double, clutching his stomach and gasping for breath.

“-made things worse for yourself.” she said with a sigh.

“Good…arm..." wheezed Axton.

"Yeah. The age thing is kind of a sore spot for Jack."

"Not as sore as he's about to be," muttered Jack under his breath, quietly fuming.

“Ok, ok. Missteps aside, what are we going to do with him?”

“Well, first of all…”

Jack snatched the abandoned handcuffs from the foot of the bed, and, taking advantage of the soldier’s momentary vulnerability after getting punched by what felt like a wrecking ball, wrenched Axton’s arms behind him and slapped the cuffs back on without much of a struggle.

“And now obviously I’m going to beat the ever-loving shit out of him until he gives me useful information, or he dies. We can do this the easy way, or we can do this the blah-blah-blah, too late, tough shit, you already chose, pal,” sneered Jack.

A sudden chiming came from Axton’s discarded pants on the floor. Jack cocked an eyebrow and slid off the bed to retrieve them, pulling the commando’s Echo from his pocket.

“Well I’ll be damned…” he breathed.

“Don’t answer tha-“ Axton began.

“Lilith! To what do I owe the pleasure? Have a nice nap?” said Jack cheerfully, picking up the call.

“Oh what the hell, why do you have Axton’s Echo, you prick?” said Lilith’s scowling hologram.

“I don’t know; why don’t you ask him? Axie, baby, say hello.” Jack turned the Echo’s camera towards him, still naked, collared, and cuffed on the bed.

“AXTON! NOT. AGAIN,” yelled Lilith in frustration. She pressed her finger tips between her eyes, squeezing them shut momentarily.

He hung his head sheepishly, avoiding the hologram’s fierce glare.

“Sorry, Lil.”

“You had one job. ONE. Kill them. Not fuck them. KILL THEM. You couldn’t even stop them from drugging me and Roland! Is it too much to ask that you keep it in your pants for just one night? JESUS!”

“I mean, come on Lil, we both knew this would probably wind up just being a scouting mission, unless an opportunity presented itself. And it did!”

“And you still fucked it up,” she hissed.

“Woah, woah, woah, can we go back to the part about this little shit stain trying to kill us? You hired sweet cheeks here to be your assassin?” asked Jack incredulously.

“Yeah, what of it, Jack?” grumbled Lilith.

He was silent a moment, staring at the hologram in surprise. Suddenly he burst out laughing, cackling so hard that he bent double and clutched his sides.

“Nice work, cupcake! You really know how to pick ‘em,” he said, wiping a tear of mirth away from his eye. Then his voice dropped about two octaves, the laughter abruptly disappearing from his face. “I think we’ll keep him,” he said, his voice quiet and deadly.

“What? No! You can’t-“

“Eye for an eye, sweetheart. You try to fuck us, we try to fuck you… And then we all just end up fucking poor Axton. Well, mostly just me, actually.”

“No, Jack, wait, we’re willing to negotiate.”

“You got a vault key, princess?”

“No…”

“Well then you’ve got nothing I want. And I suggest you don’t come anywhere near the VIP floor unless you want to tango with fifty Badass Loader Bots, ten turrets, and my main man, Wilhelm. He’s around here somewhere. Who knows, maybe he’s even on his way down to you already! Cia!”

“Wait! What about-“

Jack hung up the call.

“So much for that truce, huh? What a cunt,” he said, turning to Rei.

She had pulled a pack of cigarettes from the bedside table and had one dangling from her mouth, and was now sitting with her back against the headboard, arms crossed, glowering. She pulled a lighter from the pack and lit her cigarette, inhaling deeply, then exhaled a slow, steady stream of swirling smoke.

“That bitch. I made sure you didn’t kill her, or even harm her, just so she could send an assassin after us? Un-fucking-believable.”

“That’s what people do, kiddo. They’ll smile to your face while stabbing you in the back. Although… this guy wasn’t much of an assassin, now, was he?” he said, ruffling Axton’s hair.

“You two gonna kill me, or what?” grunted Axton.

“Honestly? Haven’t decided yet. Make yourself useful, and who knows, maybe there’s a job for you at the Rhysie Pole. You definitely won’t be a free man ever again, though, that’s for sure. Now, as much as I want to stay and play, we should probably put some distance between us and the fire-bitch. Get dressed, kitten.”

“Back to Helios?” she asked, flicking her cigarette.

“Yep. Looks like we’ve got some work to do,” he said, cracking the leash over Axton’s back like a whip and cackling as the commando howled in pain.

9 notes · View notes

ejzah · 4 years

Text

A/N: This chapter deals with the second part of Little Angels. I tried to trim it down to scenes where it could be from Deeks’ POV.

***

The Agent and the Lawyer, Part 13

“What did Callen say?” Kensi asked, glancing at Deeks briefly before she returned her eyes to the road.

“Andre Maragos has requested a lawyer,” he said dryly. “Do you think he’d accept me?” Kensi snorted at that, glancing at him again. Her eyes were appraising.

“Well, you certainly can look the part of a lawyer a guy like Maragos would hire.”

“Again, not sure if that’s a compliment,” he said with a frown. Instead of making another joke at his expense, she said,

“I really am glad you’re here today. You’re making this whole thing a lot less terrible.”

“Anytime.” He glanced behind them where the transport van was following. “So what do we do if Lucas doesn’t actually know or show us where the bodies are?”

Kensi’s eyes narrowed on the road, her expression deadly. Suddenly, Deeks was very glad that he wasn’t on the receiving end of her rage.

“Then you might have to stop me from shooting him.”

***

“I think this is one of the most horrific things I’ve ever seen,” Deeks muttered to no one in particular. And he’d been party to some pretty awful stuff.

Lucas Maragos had lead them directly to the edge of a small hill, radiating smugness the entire time. It wasn’t clear if he was enjoying bossing them around, or having the opportunity to finally show off his work.

Either way, Deeks was reconsidering his position on guns. He sighed as several forensic experts dug up the spots Maragos had pointed out.

“Mr. Deeks, Agent!” A woman dressed in protective gear said, motioning for them to come over. “We found something.” If her expression was anything to go by, it wasn’t pleasant. Then again, that’s what they were hoping for.

Kensi, who’d been talking with Maragos, hurried over. They both glanced in the small grave, where the skeleton of cat lay.

“Well, now we know he wasn’t lying about the cat part.” Deeks said, holding back a shudder.

“You should call Sam,” Kensi told him, a deep frown growing between her eyebrows. “I’m going to see if I can’t get anything else out of Maragos.”

“Sam, you need to get out here,” he said when the agent picked up.

“So far they’ve found the remains of five cats,” Kensi said once Callen and Sam had arrived. “Lucas isn’t being particularly helpful at the moment. He keeps repeating that his brother is responsible.”

Sam and Callen shared a dark look, something unspoken flowing between them. There was clearly something going on with Sam, but now was definitely not the time to ask about.

“Any other sites?” Sam demanded.

“You should ask my brother, these are his,” Lucas responded, apparently trying to appear genuine.

“You seem to be enjoying the attention. Give me the keys.” He directed the last part to Kensi, grabbing the keys to Lucas’ cuffs from her.

“Is that a good idea?” Deeks asked as Sam unlocked the handcuffs. Lucas’ legs were still bound, but Deeks didn’t trust the man not to make a run for it. Or try something more violent.

Kensi caught his eye, shaking her head as Sam dragged Maragos several feet away, ignoring the man’s protests. Sam seemed to just barely be holding himself back from inflicting physical damage. Callen watched it all with obvious concern, but didn’t attempt to intervene.

“Does Sam have a personal history with this guy or something?”

“No,” Callen answered shortly. Sam returned a few minutes with Lucas, who actually seemed a little frightened and was in a much more sharing mood

Deeks could only imagine what Sam had used to gain his cooperation and that worried him.

How strong could the team’s case be if they resorted to threats and potential violence?

***

“What do we now?” Deeks asked, as they drove to the mission.

They’d found the remains of the third girl who was originally buried, but not Amanda. Both Lucas and Andre had proven uncooperative, blaming the other for the murders.

Then Andre had made an ill-planned attempt to leave the country with his family. It was certainly suspicious behavior, but they’d taken a swab from Andre and it didn’t match any of the DNA on the remains.

They also had a signed statement from Andre’s mistress and a home video the two had made. Deeks could have happily lived without ever seeing Andre Maragos naked. To say that Sam had not been pleased when they interrupted his interrogation with Andre to tell him would be an understatement.

“We look at the evidence again. We look for what we missed before,” she said and then sighed deeply. “And we pray that we come up with something before Amanda runs out of time.”

As they watched the video of Amanda for the countless time, it was not lost on Deeks that they were grasping at straws.

“Hey, take a look at this,” Sam said suddenly, pointing to a bare finger that was just visible at the edge of the video. There was a note of something close to excitement in his voice. “When he picked up the camera, he took off his glove.”

“Different MO,” Callen said. “Makes sense, glove would have been shredded after all the digging.” Sam wasn’t about to be talked down from whatever idea he had. Kensi walked over as Deeks stood up, to get a better look at the screen.

“Hear me out on this, G. What does this guy do with his gloves afterwards?”

“Well, first thing you would, uh, burn ‘em, shred ‘em. It’s full of DNA.”

“What if he’s going fast, got careless?” Sam continued, sounding like he was telling a story. “Left a glove behind, like in a box or in the dirt in the hole.”

“The case is closed,” Deeks said immediately. “I mean, we catch him the second we find that glove.”

“But there is no glove,” Kensi said, echoing Deeks’ own thoughts.

“We don’t know that,” Sam said and Deeks heard warning bells going off in his head. “Maybe neither does the killer. He’s going fast, he’s scared, he tosses everything only to realize, he left a glove behind.”

“Right, but he didn’t,” Deeks said, not liking where this was going at all. What Sam was suggesting was sketchy at best.

“We could make him believe that he did,” Callen said, nodding in agreement with Sam.

“What if it doesn’t stand up in court though?” Deeks asked, thinking of how he’d tear apart “evidence” like that.

“We’ll do whatever it takes to make it stick,” Kensi said as Sam instructed Eric to modify the video. He turned them out for a minute, distracted by his concerns.

“You’ll need to sell it to Lucas Maragos, Deeks,” Sam said, drawing him out of his thoughts. “Make him believe that the glove is real. We’ll do the same with his brother.”

“Me?” Deeks repeated, startled by the suggestion, especially coming from Sam.

“You’ve already got a connection with him. It’ll be easier than if Callen or I do it. Kensi will back you up if you need it.”

***

“I do not like this,” Deeks muttered, his voice barely audible as they waited in the interview room again.

“You’ll be fine,” Kensi said. “And it’s for Amanda.” She flashed a warning look his way as the sound of guards drew closer and he pressed his lips together, holding back any further comments.

He pulled in a slow, shallow breath, trying to calm himself. This was no different that cross examining a difficult witness. He just had to play to his audience, frame the story they needed to hear, and pretend he believed every word he said.

Deeks snapped his eyes back open the second the guards were at the door, adopting a relaxed posture as they led Lucas in. Kensi said nothing as he opened the laptop on the table, started the DVD with Amanda’s video, and sat next to Lucas Maragos.

“See that little sucker right there? It’s a glove that got left in the dirt,” he told the man. Lucas’ eyes were laser focused to the screen, a change from his earlier careless attitude. “And it is filled with DNA.”

He didn’t glance at Kensi, putting all of his attention on Lucas. Deeks hoped he wasn’t playing it up too much. Maragos cleared his throat after a moment, now looking anywhere but at the laptop.

“I don’t know why you’re showing me this,” he said. Kensi leaned forward then.

“Because when we get a DNA match, we’ll be able to find your partner. And believe me, we’ll get him to turn on you,” she said, her matter of fact tone chilling.

“You can take him back,” Deeks called to the guards. “But let us know if he has decides to talk. Who knows, he might be able to escape a death sentence.”

It was only after they were outside again that he allowed himself to let out a shaking breath.

“You ok?” Kensi asked, eyeing him with concern.

“Yeah.” He was surprised to find it was true.

“Eric’s calling,” she said, putting her phone to her ear and had a rushed and confusing conversation. She shoved the phone in her pocket and started jogging towards the SUV. “Eric says we need to get to Angeles Forest now. Callen and Sam are following someone in one of Andre’s vehicles.”

***

“I can’t believe it was Andre’s kids,” Deeks said, shaking his head as Kensi returned from putting the younger boy in the back of an LAPD cruiser. He knew they were hardly the first to commit a heinous crime, but it was still shocking.

“I guess they learned a lot from their Uncle,” Kensi said darkly.

“What will happen to them?” Deeks had defended juvenile clients before, though never one charged with attempted murder. And in his own experience, the courts could be pretty brutal when it came to kids.

“Well, I’d guess their dad is going to higher them the best lawyers he can find,” Kensi started. “And then it depends on how they’re charged. I could see the FBI wanting to try them as adults, but I doubt it’ll go through.”

“I don’t know if I’m relieved or disappointed,” he said and Kensi rolled her eyes.

“C’mon, we’ve got lots of reports to file.

“Not me, I’m just a legal consultant.” Kensi made a rude noise at this.

“Nice try. You never get out of paperwork. And if you don’t do it, Hetty will hunt you down. And no one wants Hetty hunting them down.

***

“You know, you did really well today. I was surprised, but you did good,” Kensi told him as they walked out of the mission, taking their time.

It had been eye opening to watch Deeks question Lucas. She had expected him to hold back and certainly hadn’t considered that he would taunt Lucas. The images he’d produced had been horrifying, and affective during their first interview.

“I think you’ll find I’m full of surprises, sugar bear,” he said, grinning that annoying smirk of his. Kensi held up a hand, turning to face him so he was forced to stop in the middle of the hall.

“Woah, sugar bear? I don’t think so.”

“What, I think it’s very appropriate. You’re very sweet and-“

“And you are absolutely forbidden from calling me that anywhere another person might hear it,” she finished for Deeks, shaking her head. Of course, now she’d left herself wide open to being called “sugar bear” in private.

“What about “Princess”?” he asked, undaunted by her implied wrath. She started walking again before he could see her slight smile. Their shoulders brushed as they walked, an unnecessary physical reminder of Deeks’ presence. Technically, it violated the rules of their bet, but Deeks didn’t mention it.

“Definitely not.” Before he could suggest something even more ridiculous she said, “Be serious for a second. Ok? I know that defusing tension is a big thing for you, but I really need to know how you’re doing.”

He sighed and this time he was the one to stop. He tossed his head back for a second and it was amazing how suddenly his face transformed. She saw the weariness and a surprising amount of anger that he’d hidden for the majority of the case.

“I’m...good,” he decided after a pause. “Which I know is weird to say. I didn’t realize how much I needed to see someone like Lucas Maragos get what he deserves.”

“So we didn’t scare you off with our serial killers?” She was actually curious; he’d been obviously horrified, but not nearly as much as she’d expected. He’d dealt with the possibility of seeing girls buried alive better than many seasoned Agents would.

“I mean, the kids following in their uncle’s footsteps is pretty awful, but again, I’m glad they’re not out there hurting more people. I don’t see nearly enough of that as a lawyer. And it’s even worse if you’re a public defender or district attorney.”

“And here I thought you’d be running out of here after a couple days,” she said.

They were in the parking garage now, which was mostly deserted and had stopped walking again. Kensi found she was reluctant to go to her own vehicle.

“You’re not going to get rid of me that easily Kensi Marie Blye,” he said, then made a face that she recognized meant he was holding something back.

“What?”

“Nothing...just um,” He rubbed his chin before continuing, “How often do you threaten people or make up evidence to get results?” She nodded, knowing he was thinking of the way Sam had treated Maragos and the planted glove.

“Sometimes you do what you have to,” she said simply. “The important thing is that we found Amanda in the end.” He still looked serious, so she cleared her throat and added, “And now, I think you owe me some Mexican. I’m calling in my first special delivery. I expect it on my doorstep in an hour.” She did a smug little dance to accompany her victory.

Deeks rolled his eyes, chuckling under his breath.

“Yes, technically you did win,” he agreed. “Although I would point out that if this wasn’t such a tense case, you would have been all over me.”

“Those sound like the words of a loser,” Kensi teased, ignoring the thought of being “all over him”. Deeks scrunched his face at her.

“You are a very annoying winner.” Kensi grinned at him. His hair was more disheveled than normal after tramping around in the heat all day and his light blue shirt was now untucked. He looked anything but a high price lawyer. He also looked completely delectable.

“But as I am a man of my word-“ Kensi grasped the sides of his face, cutting him off mid-word as she kissed him roughly, pushing her tongue past his lips and letting out a sigh when his hands settled on her waist.

“Oops, I guess I lost,” Kensi gasped out several moments later. She stepped back from him, her skin feeling flushed and a deep need running though her body. His answering grin was breathtaking as he pulled her back to his chest.

#ncis la fanfiction #marty deeks #kensi blye #sam hanna #g callen #the agent and the lawyer #part 13 #au #little angels #ejzah fanfiction

17 notes · View notes

hyperion-moonbabe-art3mis · 4 years

Text

Virago: 02. Goggles

Summary: Y/N was sent to the ground after spending five years in the Skybox for stealing medical supplies and murder. How will she deal with her new environment and learn to survive on earth? Will she crack under the pressure of becoming a leader of the 100 or will she embrace it.

Post Date: 04.14.20

Word count: 3.8k

Pairing: Bellamy Blake x Reader

Based off: 01x02 “Earth skills”

Masterlist

You wake up to some rustling noises from Bellamy’s little fort, signifying that he was fondling with some girl. You get up not being able to deal with the noise anymore. You walk out to find people hanging out and enjoying their newfound freedom on earth. The only person you found that wasn’t was Wells, who was holding a shovel and heading towards the outskirts of the camp.

You grab another shovel and walk up to him, “Want some help?” You ask, walking up beside him, but he ignores your question. You turn to face him, “Look, I’m sorry for what I said last night, I’m just not a fan of anyone on the Ark and I’m sorry for what happened last night… You know that I would’ve stopped it if I could.” You say.

“Then why didn’t you? You were clearly watching the whole thing. And don’t you understand that we need them to come down?” He asks, walking around you.

“What was I supposed to do against four guys? Beat them all up?” You ask following him and get no response. “I will try to keep Bellamy and his posse under control, he trusts me enough to consider my opinion. Or at least I think. I’m sorry for letting that happen. We don’t need anyone to come down, we have people here to help us survive, we can handle ourselves.”

He sighs, “ Fine, I accept your apology. Let’s just not talk about the whole wristband thing, I’ll just trust that you know what you’re doing, I guess. A little help would be nice in all honesty,” He says and gives a small smile.

We make it to the outskirts of the camp, where the bodies of the two kids who died in the Dropship were. We each dug a grave, stripped the kids of their clothes, and buried them. It wasn’t the most pleasurable experience, but it had to be done. As we walked back into the camp, Atom, Bellamy’s little henchman, asked us where we got the clothes.

“We buried the kids who died in the landing,” You respond.

“Smart, I’ll take it from here. There’s always a market for…” Atom says as he tries to take the clothes from Wells’ hands.

“We share based on need, just like back home,” Wells’ protests back and pulls away.

“You still don’t get it, do you, Chancellor? This is home now. Your father’s rules no longer apply.” Bellamy says walking out of the drop ship shirtless with a gun in his pants, the girl he was with earlier not too far behind him, they kiss before she walks away. You just roll your eyes at the sight. He walks up and takes a shirt from your arms and Well’s tries to take it back but fails as Atom holds him back.

“You want it? Take it.” Bellamy says staring right at Wells.

“Guys, this pissing contest is stupid. Let’s just drop this, please.” You say looking between both of them before Wells just throws the clothes towards the group of kids behind us. You just drop the clothes beside yourself, the kids run up next to you clamoring at them.

“Is this what you want? Chaos?” Wells asks, clearly directing it at Bellamy.

“What’s wrong with a little chaos?” Bellamy returns and you roll your eyes at him.

We hear a girl scream in the distance and start to make our way over to the source. As we file down the hill, we see Murphy holding a girl towards a fire, “ Bellamy. Check it out. We want the Ark to think that the ground is killing us, right? Figure, it’ll look better if we suffer a little bit first.” Murphy says.

“Let her go!” Wells exclaims as he runs and pushes Murphy back, making him let the girl go. “You can stop this,” He says turning to Bellamy.

“Stop this? I’m just getting started” Bellamy responds. You see Murphy get up looking like he’s about to murder Wells. Before he got to Wells, you run between him and Bellamy and punch Murphy right in the face.

“You’re gonna have to try harder than that” Murphy says and starts running towards you and landing punches to your stomach. You were able to get in a few in before you noticed that he got low enough for you to pull yourself up and around his shoulders. Once you were on his shoulders, you pulled him towards the ground, slamming his body into the earth. You position yourself so you were able to give him more punches to the face before he finally seemed to give up.

You get up off the ground and catch your breath, “Don’t you see you can’t control this?” Wells says gesturing to you and Murphy. The next thing you know, you feel the blade of Murphy’s knife once again on your skin, “You’re dead,” He says menacingly next to your ear.

“You sure about that? Because I think a girl just kicked your ass.” You snicker.

“That’s it” Murphy says and you feel his blade draw my blood as he slowly drags it down your cheek.

“Wait. Fair fight.” Bellamy says and holds a knife up to you. You take it and Murphy reluctantly lets you go.

You turn to face Murphy and wait for him to make his move. He lunges at you but you avoid it and try to make a move on him, but he avoids your blade too. He lunges at you again, but you weren’t fast enough and felt the blade skim across your stomach. You take a short moment to get ahold of yourself, taking in the sting from the cut. You could feel the blood spreading on your shirt, but you didn’t stand down. Murphy once again lunges at you, but instead of getting you. You duck under his arm and pull him into the same position he had you in earlier, with your blade to his neck. Before you could inflict any pain we were interrupted by a voice across the way.

“Y/N! Let him go!” Clake yells making her way over to us with Finn following closely behind. You shove Murphy away from you. He aggressively lunges at you again, but Bellamy steps between us to stop him from getting too close. “Enough, Murphy,” He says strenuously.

“Octavia. Are you alright? Where's the food?” Bellamy says running towards Monty and Octavia, helping her over a branch.

“We didn’t make it to Mount Weather,” Finn responds.

“Well then, what the hell happened?” You asked, still breathing heavily.

“We were attacked,” Clarke responds.

“Attacked? By what?” Wells Questions.

“Not by what. Who. It turns out when the last man from the ground died on the Ark, he wasn’t the last grounder.” Finn states.

“It’s true. Everything we thought we knew about the ground is wrong. There are people here, survivors. The good news is, that means we can survive. Radiation won’t kill us.” Clarke explains.

“Yeah, the bad news is the grounder’s will.” Finn finishes.

“Wheres the kid with the goggles? ummmm…. Jasper” You say a bit slower than usual.

“Jasper was hit. They took him. Where is your wristband?” Clarke says taking Wells’ wrist in her hand.

“Ask him,” He says sternly while he looks straight at Bellamy.

“How many?” Clarke asks.

“24 and counting” Murphy responds even though the question wasn’t towards him.

Clarke then goes on a little speech explaining why we were sent to the ground and Bellamy just responds back with his own little speech in rebuttal to Clarke’s. Many of the kids in the crowds agreed with Bellamy. It makes sense since the people on the Ark basically abandoned us. The kids started cheering around us as Clarke and Monty started to walk away. You started to walk away as well until you felt a wave of weakness in my body and fell to the ground. The last thing you saw was Bellamy, Clarke and Octavia huddled over me saying your name as the cheers fell silent, and then all you saw was pitch black.

You woke up lying next to Octavia as Bellamy cleaned her leg up with some water, they were talking about what attacked her, “You could’ve been killed,” He says, finishing with her leg.

“Says the person who gave me a knife to fight Murphy,” You say sitting up and glaring at Bellamy.

“She would’ve been dead if Jasper didn’t jump in to pull her out,” Clarke says walking towards us with Wells.

“Thank god you’re ok. You guys leaving? I’m coming too,” Octavia says hugging you and taking notice of the bags on Wells and Clarke.

“Ditto” You say, wanting to leave the camp.

“No. no. no way. Not again” Bellamy says to Octavia.

“He’s right. You guys would just slow us down.” Clarke says coldly looking between Octavia and me.

“I’m fine. I need to get out of this camp, I promise I won’t slow you down,” You say sternly crossing your arms and glaring at Murphy.

“Fine, but you better keep up,” Clarke says, obviously annoyed. “I’m here for you. I hear you have a gun.” Clarke says looking back at Bellamy as he pulls up his shirt to display it. “Good. Follow me,” she says walking away.

“And why would I do that?” Bellamy questions.

“Because you want them to follow you, and right now, they’re only thinking one of us is scared,” Clarke says raising an eyebrow, clearly hinting at being scared to leave the camp and walks off.

“Murphy. Come with me.” You roll your eyes at the fact that Bellamy needs him. “Atom? My sister doesn’t leave the camp. Is that clear?” Bellamy says.

You grab your jacket as Bellamy explains to Atom about his circumstances for Octavia. “Let’s go,” Bellamy says looking at you before we head towards wherever Clarke and Wells went to.

“Since when are we in rescuing business, huh?” Murphy asks as we follow Clarke and Wells.

“The Ark thinks the prince is dead. Once they think the princess is too. They’ll never come down. I’m getting that wristband, even if I have to cut off her hand to do it” Bellamy says menacingly.

“We don’t need to do that, leave it to me. I can get her wristband.” You say from behind them.

“Why do we need her Bellamy? It’s not like she’s got any real power” Murphy says in disbelief.

“She has some pull. Can I tell him or do you, “ Bellamy says.

“You really think that rumor of the reason I was thrown in the box really helps your little cause? ” You ask.

“I’m sure people are hesitant to get to know you because of it. So I’m sure people knowing, will get them to see you as someone who can lead them” Bellamy says.

“I’m curious now, please enlighten me” Murphy responds.

“If you really want to know. I --I killed three guards when I was like...12 years old. That’s why I was in there for so long. The rumor is true” You respond hesitantly since you don’t really like telling the full details.

“Alone?” Murphy says stopping in his tracks.

“Yep. They had already floated my dad for stealing meds. And they were going to arrest me for the same. I was pissed at the people on the Ark, so I lashed out leading me to kill three guards. I know I was a kid but I’m surprised they didn’t just float me then.” You say choking on some words while you walked past both Bellamy and Murphy.

“I can see why that might have some pull,” You hear Murphy say quietly behind me to Bellamy.

“Yeh” You hear Bellamy say with some sadness in his voice. I’m sure it’s because he understands what it feels like to lose parents, considering his own mom was floated for having his sister.

“Quick, question. Why do you think that I’ll help you gain any sort of control? Do you think people will listen to me out of fear?” You turn around facing both Murphy and Bellamy.

“It's the only…” Bellamy starts.

“It’s not. I’m not gonna use people’s fear of me from a ‘rumor’ just to get them behind your cause. I know that someone needs to take charge of this group, but I’ll let them decide if they will let me. I know they’re already behind you. So what is my part in this?” You ask not letting them continue to walk. Bellamy doesn’t give you a response, so you just walk away, trying to catch up to Clarke and Wells.

“Hey, hold up. What’s the rush? You don’t survive a spear through the heart.” Bellamy says catching up to you guys with his gun in hand.

“Put the gun away, Bellamy,” Wells says getting close to Bellamy, but Murphy pushes him away, “Well, why don’t you do something about it, huh?”

“Jasper screamed when they moved him. If the spear struck his heart, he’d have died instantly. It doesn’t mean we have time to waste,” Clarke confirms Jasper is alive.

“As soon as you take this wristband off. We can go,” Bellamy grabs Clarke’s right wrist.

“Bellamy, stop,” You say.

“The only way the Ark is gonna think I’m dead is if I’m dead. Got it?” Clarke pulls her wrist away and gets closer to Bellamy trying to intimidate him, you guess.

“Brave Princess,” Is all Bellamy says in response and you just shake your head annoyed. As much as you want the Ark to think we’re not surviving, you’d rather not force people to take their wristbands off.

“Hey, why don’t you find your own nickname?” Finn says walking up behind us. “You call this a rescue party? Got to split up, cover more ground. Clarke, Y/N, come with me.” He says before walking off with Clarke. You just glare at Bellamy before following them.

“So Y/N, not to intrude or anything, but I’ve been wondering. Is that rumor about you killing three guards true or all fake?” Finn asks you as you guys walk through the woods.

“Does it matter?” You respond.

“Well, I’d just like to know. I mean everyone knows that you were in lockup since you were 12, but it’s hard to believe that someone at that age was able to do that. So just being curious.” He responds.

“If you’d really like to know. Yes, I was pissed at the Council. They betrayed my parents who were close to them. Your mom Clarke, betrayed my parents. I just broke.” You explain.

“I can’t speak for my mom, but I understand. My mom did the same thing to my father, she disagreed with my father about going public about the fact that the Ark was dying,” She explains.

We continue through the forest on the path that they went on before, “I’ve been thinking about Mount Weather. How come they didn’t attack until Jasper crossed the river? It’s not like we were being quiet and they didn’t know we were there.” Finn questions.

“They waited for us to cross. The rivers a boundary.” Clarke realizes why.

“Which means Mount Weather is off-limits, huh. How are we gonna get supplies?” You ask. Finn runs off a few feet ahead of you guys, you and Clarke just look at each other before following.

You find Finn staring at a waterfall, “Well, at least we don’t have to worry about water,” Clarke points out. You all walk into the pool of water, you stand off to the side as Finn bathes himself in it and Clarke collects some to drink. Finn then splashes both you and Clarke, who doesn’t seem happy about it.

“Come on, Finn. We don’t have time for this,” Clarke says annoyed.

“Clarke, we can take a small break. We’ve been walking for hours.” You respond, walking further into the water.

“I’ll take a break when we find Jasper, come on,” She says sternly. Finn starts to walk closer to her, splashing and pulls her into the deeper water. She gets even more pissed as Finn and you laugh.

She calms down as she realizes how nice the water feels, “Okay. Maybe just a minute.” Finn and Clarke talk for a little while you swim around a bit. Clarke starts to make her way over to the other side of the pool of water, Finn and you follow her.

Once you guys make your way over, you notice the massive blood spots of the rocks. You look around a bit more and notice something near the tree at the bottom of the rocks. You bend down and pull out Jasper’s goggles. “Jasper. He was here,” Clarke says looking at the goggles in your hands.

“We should get the others,” Clarke says. Finn bends down and rubs his finger over some blood, which covers his fingers, “We’re close.”

We get Clarke’s backpack and make our way back to Bellamy, Wells, and Murphy. Once we meet up we continue to follow Jasper’s blood trail, “Hey, how do we know this is the right way?” Murphy asks from beside Bellamy.

“We don’t. Spacewalker thinks he’s a tracker.” Bellamy responds.

“It’s called ‘cutting sign’ Fourth-year Earth Skills. He’s good.” Wells explains.

“You want to keep it down or should I paint a target on your backs?” Finn threatens. He walks up to a plant and notices that it has broken and leans down to the ground and finds more blood on the rocks.

“See? You’re invisible.” Bellamy leans over to Wells. You just look at him confused but decide not to start anything. You then hear a moan of pain off in the distance, “What the hell was that?” Murphy questions.

“Now would be a good time to take out that gun,” You say looking over at Bellamy. You guys make your way over to where the moans are coming from. You find Jasper hung up on a tree, bloody. Clarke rushes over towards Jasper until something breaks below her and she falls into a pit, but Bellamy grabs her arm.

Bellamy lets her hang there as you guys all scream to tell him to pull her up. You know that Bellamy is contemplating just letting her fall to her death. You and everyone else then rushed over to help Bellamy pull Clarke up. You wrap your hand around his, which is holding Clarke’s, and pull. You just look over at him and shake your head in disapproval.

“We need to get him down,” Clarke breaths heavily.

“I’ll climb up there and cut the vines,” Finn says walking off.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m with you,” Wells says following before Finn tells him to stay with Clarke, tells him to watch Bellamy, and tells Murphy to help him.

“There’s a poultice on his wound.” Clarke points out the green stuff on Jasper’s chest.

“Medicine? Why help him when he’s just gonna be strung up like that?” You question.

“Maybe what they’re trying to catch likes its dinner to be breathing.” Bellamy states.

“Maybe what they’re trying to catch is us.” Finn points out.

“Why would they want to catch us? I mean we probably wouldn’t be of any use to them.” You say. Finn and Murphy climb the tree and begin to cut the vines. You guys hear some growling and see a jaguar running towards Clarke, “Bellamy, gun!” She says.

You see Bellamy trying to find the gun but there’s nothing in his pants, you hear gunshots fired and notice that its Wells firing. He lands one shot on the jaguar, but it doesn’t stop it. You hear its growl as it makes its way through the plants. You and Bellamy turn around each other trying to find it. It becomes silent until it jumps at you. Wells shoots it as it leaps towards you and it falls to the ground. You stumble back into Bellamy’s arms.

Wells drops the gun, “Now she sees you,” Bellamy says, helping you out of his arms.

After you take a moment to process what had just happened you notice a scratch from the jaguar on your upper arm, “Hey are you okay?” Bellamy takes your arm into his hand to look at the scratch.

“I’m fine” You pull it away and go to help get Jasper down from the tree.

Bellamy and Murphy wrap the jaguar in a tarp and carry it as Finn and Wells take Jasper. You guys start to make your way back to the camp, “Hey, you should get that cleaned when we get back, I can help you” Clarke says walking next to you.

“Let’s take care of Jasper first. He needs it more than me,” You say looking back at Finn and Wells carrying him.

It takes until night fall to get back to the camp. Once you make it, you follow Clarke into the Dropship. You hear whoops and cheers as Bellamy takes the credit for bringing the food back when you know Wells is the one that killed the jaguar. Finn and Clarke take care of Jasper as you tend to your own wound. Once you’re done, you walk out of the Dropship and see that the kids are taking their wristbands off for food.

You walk up to Bellamy and he hands you a stick with the meat on it, “Good game plan, worth it,” You say taking a bite of the meat.

You notice Finn walk over and grab two sticks of meat, “Whoa, Woah. Wait, wait, wait. What you think you play by different rules?” Murphy questions him.

“I thought there were no rules,” Finn responds with a blank face and walks away. A kid that hasn’t taken his wristband off then walks up to grab a piece of meat. Bellamy punches the kid in the face, sending him to the ground and walks away.

After a while, you find yourself sitting alone against a tree, wanting to get away from the craziness in camp. “You know, you shouldn’t be out here alone,” Bellamy says sitting down next to you.

“Yeh, says who,” You chuckle. “I just needed to get away. You know, I thought that after being in solitary for so long, I would want to be around people. But all I want now is alone time, you can’t really get that here,”

“Well, I’ll leave you to it, then. Don’t want to disturb your alone time. Be safe,” He says and starts to get up.

“No, your company is nice. Stay for a bit, enjoy the peace,” You say grabbing his sleeve, he sits back down next to you.

“How’s your arm? And your stomach?” He asks breaking the silence.

“They’re fine. My stomach hurts more than my arm. But I’ll live,” You respond. “If we really want to stop the Ark from coming down, we’ve gotta come up with a better plan.” You point out.

“Yeh, well enlighten me,”

“I’m not sure yet, but we’ll figure it out. We can’t survive if we’re all at each other’s throats,” You say resting your head on Bellamy’s shoulder.

A/N: So I know it's a couple days late than the day I wanted to get it out, but here's part 2 of Virago. Let me know if you’d like to be added to the taglist. I hope you enjoyed it, lmk what you think of the series so far! Thanks for reading.

Taglist: @im-a-writer-right

P.S. Anyone reading “Caught In Between” the next part will be up this Sunday

#the 100 #the 100 imagine #the 100 series #the 100 rewrite #the 100 x reader #bellamy blake x reader #wells jaha #clarke griffin #jasper jordan #bellamy blake #octavia blake #john murphy #100virago

89 notes · View notes

babygirlkiki1016 · 4 years

Text

Tough Love

After what happened to Sammy's girlfriend we decided to pay our respects to her. I could hear the birds chirping as Sam, who is wearing a suit and tie, holds a bouquet of various flowers excluding roses. Me and Dean watched from afar as he walks through an otherwise deserted cemetery. From what I could see Sam sighs and stops next to a gravestone. It reads "Jessica Lee Moore, Beloved Daughter, January 24th 1984 - November 2nd 2005."

"How did she die?" I ask Dean, after a few minutes of silence.

"....She died in a fire."

"I know that...but what caused it?"

"A demon...the same one that killed our mother."

".....I'm sorry....." Dean glances over at me and puts an arm around my shoulder.

"You have nothing to be sorry about....besides, we'll get the son of a bitch." I give him a small smile, then focus back on Sam. I spot a small picture of Jessica grinning that's set into the stone above her name, then a black-and-white picture of her leaning against the stone between a white teddy bear and a wooden box with a crucifix leaning on the picture. Sam looks between the gravestone and the flowers. "I, uh..." I heard Sam laugh. "You always said roses were, were lame, so I brought you, uh..." Sam looks at the picture set into the gravestone, then looks away, choking back tears. He steps closer to the gravestone. "Jess...oh God..." Sam kneels to set down the flowers. "I should have protected you. I should have told you the truth."

I look over at Dean who is just staring at him. Pain was shown across his features, I could tell Dean did not wanna watch this. After Sam put flowers on his girlfriends grave, we went back on the road again. I was sitting in the back while the boys were in the front. Sam was asleep, at least until he jerked awake and sighs as he hears "Hot-Blooded" is playing. Sam rubs his eyes and Dean looks over, concerned.

"You okay?" I questioned, Sam glances back and then away.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Nightmare?" Dean chimes in, Sam clears his throat, signaling he doesn't wanna talk about it.

"You wanna drive for a while?" Sam laughs.

"Dean, your whole life you never once asked me that." I grin and lean forward.

"Hold on, so you've never driven the impala?"

"No, but it's ok. I'll be able to drive it one day." Dean glances over at Sam.

"Yea, still gonna kill you for that little stunt Sammy, letting her drive baby into a house. But uh....I just thought you might want to....Never mind."

"Look, guys, you're worried about me." Sam replies "I get it, and thank you, but I'm perfectly okay."

"Mm-hm." Dean agrees knowing Sams not okay, Sam grabs a map.

"All right, where are we?"

"We are just outside of Grand Junction I believe." I say. Sam folds down the map, which is of Colorado and has a large red X labeled 35-111.

"You know what? Maybe we shouldn't have left Stanford so soon." Sam admits.

"Sam, we dug around there for a week. We came up with nothing. If you wanna find the thing that killed Jessica-"

"We gotta find Dad first." Sam interrupted Dean.

"Not to be nosy but...you still didn't tell me how she died?" I ask.

"Y/n now's not the time." Dean says while looking at me through the mirror.

"....Jess, my girlfriend died stuck to the ceiling with a stab wound in her stomach while being burned.....She was killed by the demon that killed my mother."

"How can a monster be capable of something like that?"

"I don't know, but our mother's death was the whole reason dad started training us."

"Yea..which your dad kinda helped ours with the whole 'how to kill monsters' thing." Dean smiled. "If it wasn't for Y/D/N, Dad would've probably been dead by now." Sam nods in agreement.

"So..with your dad disappearing and this thing showing up again after so many years, it's no coincidence. That's for sure." I pointed out.

"Dad will have answers. He'll know what to do."

"It's weird, these coordinates he left us. This Blackwater Ridge." Sam replies.

"What about it?" Dean asked.

"There's nothing there. It's just woods." Sam puts down the map. "Why is he sending us to the middle of nowhere?"

"Sam it's not the place, it's the monster. Just like in Jericho there could be a monster we have to fight, right Dean?" However Dean stays silent and just keeps driving. For the next few hours no one says anything. I decided since it was quiet that I could get some shut eye and after a few minutes I fell asleep with my cheek planted against the window.

When I wake up, the Impala comes to a stop and is parked next to a sign that says "RANGER STATION Lost Creek Trail, Lost Creek National Forest". I follow the boys out of the car, still tired. Sam smiles at me "How did you sleep?" He asks.

"Fine, I guess."

"I think you slept more than the both of us combined." Dean jokes.

"Well see if someone would let me drive-."

"Nope never again!" Sam laughs at our little feud and we keep walking.

"So Blackwater Ridge is pretty remote." Sam says as he looks at a 3D map of the national forest, paying particular attention to the ridge labeled "BLACKWATER RIDGE" as Dean looks at the decorations. "It's cut off by these canyons here, rough terrain, dense forest, abandoned silver and gold mines all over the place."

"Dude, check out the size of this freaking bear." Dean fantasizes, me and Sam look over. Dean is looking at a framed photo of a man standing behind a much larger bear. Me and Sam go to stand next to Dean.

"Eh I've seen bigger bears." I say.

"There's no way." Dean says.

"My dad used to take me hunting, it was part of my training." I laugh. "I took down my first grizzly when I was nine."

"Well there's a dozen or more grizzlies in the area. It's no nature hike, that's for sure, at least we have an expert with us." Sam says, I just roll my eyes. A forest ranger, walks up to us when he speaks, the three of us whip around.

"Y'all aren't planning on going out near Blackwater Ridge by any chance?" The ranger wonders.

"Oh, no, sir, we're environmental study majors from UC Boulder, just working on a paper." Sam laughs a little. Dean grins and raises a fist.

"Recycle, man." Sam's eyes flick to Dean, who doesn't move.

"You're friends with that Haley girl, right?" The ranger asks, Dean considers.

"Yes. Yes, we are, Ranger-" Dean checks the ranger's nametag. "-Wilkinson."

"Well I will tell you exactly what we told her. Her brother filled out a backcountry permit saying he wouldn't be back from Blackwater until the twenty-fourth, so it's not exactly a missing persons now, is it?" Dean shakes his head. "You tell that girl to quit worrying, I'm sure her brother's just fine.".

"We will. Well that Haley girl's quite a pistol, huh?"

"That is putting it mildly."

"Actually you know what would help is if I could show her a copy of that backcountry permit. You know, so she could see her brother's return date." Dean suggests and Wilkinson eyes Dean as Dean raises his eyebrows. After we get the permit we leave the ranger station. Dean is holding a piece of paper and laughing.

"What, are you cruising for a hookup or something?" Sam jokes.

"What do you mean?"

"The coordinates point to Blackwater Ridge, so what are we waiting for? Let's just go find Dad. I mean, why even talk to this girl?" The boys stop on opposite sides of the Impala.

"Maybe we should know what we're walking into before we actually walk into it?" I suggest.

"Pretty smart." Dean agrees.

"Since when are you all shoot first ask questions later, anyway?" Sam wonders.

"Since now." I laugh as me and Sam get in the car

"Really?" I hear Dean say and he gets in as well.

"Could you guys drop me off at the metro store? I need a new phone." I ask.

"No need." Dean smirks at me, and goes through the glove box. Then he leans back and hands me a small flip phone. "There, so you can call us if you get in trouble."

"Thanks..." I take it from him but sigh in sadness, I miss my dad, I thought.

"What is it?" Sam worries.

"I just miss my dad...I mean I left him a letter telling him I was ok but..."

"Hey, cheer up, you'll get to see him soon. Besides everyday we get closer to dad, you'll see him before you know it." Dean smiles and begins to drive away.

Deans Pov-

After we got to the motel, I asked Y/n if she wanted her own room, she just shrugged and said she didn't care. So I originally planned on getting her own room but in all honesty...I don't want her to die like Jessica. So we got a two bed room, she'd have to sleep with one of us. I put my duffel bag on my bed and sigh, Sam does the same. Y/n was outside calling her dad, letting him know she was ok but she had a time limit so he wouldn't track us.

"We'll isn't this place homey." I comment.

"Yeah...so what do you think of Y/n?" Sam asks.

"I've gotta be honest..She's not suited for this."

"C'mon she isn't that bad."

"Are you kidding? Sure she's smart, and pretty, and helpful..." I smiled to myself, lately I've been having weird feelings around her. "She's...badass."

"Dean, kinda getting off topic."

"Right uh, sorry. Anyways, she's never done this before, I don't think she's ready for this."

"Her dad trained her for this, just like our dad trained us. She maybe haven't done this before but she's been a lot of help. When we were facing Constance, if it wasn't for her I would have probably died."

"She's reckless, she drove baby through the side of a house."

"It was the only way to stop her! I probably would've done the same thing."

"What about the dent that suddenly appeared while we were at the bridge?"

"That was Constance-"

"No, if it was Constance then Y/n would have gotten hit. That....That was something entirely different, and besides that she didn't even talk to us for an entire three hours."

"She was scared-"

"We don't have time to be scared!"

"Dean that was her first hunt, look she did pretty well in the end."

"Yeah well...."

"Well what?"

"We have to take her home...."

"Dean come on."

"No!" I stand up and point a finger at him. "You were the one who was angry at me for bringing her into this. Now that I want to take her out your upset?"

"...I-I...Why don't we let her stay a while longer?"

"Why?"

"Dean she was gonna learn about this sooner or later, might as well be now. And if she wasn't here we would still be stuck in Jericho. How bout this, if she gets hurt or acts immature we'll take her home but for now she stays." I stayed silent, thinking about my next move. Should I really let her stay? What if she gets hurt or even worse...dies. My thoughts were interrupted when I heard the door open and close, quickly I put a smile on my face and turned to Y/n. Although she wasn't smiling, she was....heartbroken.

"Y-Y/n?" I called out, and with those sad E/C eyes, she looks at me.

"....I'm no longer welcome home."

Y/n's Pov-

*10 minutes earlier*

This was it, the moment I would call my dad after almost a week. Slowly I pressed in the numbers and the phone began to ring as I put it up to my ear.

"Hello?" A gruff voice said, it was dad, my dad. He seemed sad, and instantly I was filled with regret.

"Hey dad...."

"Y/n!? Where are you?!"

"I'm safe dad....it's ok."

"No it's not ok, me and your mother have been worried sick! If I find you with Dean-"

"Dad please I'm just help-"

"No don't give me that bullshit, you are just being rebellious because I was strict on you."

"No I'm doing this because you wouldn't help Dean find John!"

"I only said no because I don't trust Winchesters! And neither should you! They only care about themselves, not anyone else. Everyone they know dies around them!"

"I haven't died-"

"Which is a miracle, but it's only a matter of time. You better come home this instance or I'm sending out a missing person's add. And when they find you with a twenty-six year old man-"

"Your bluffing, even if you did that they would escape."

"Your not safe Y/n-"

"I never was! No one is every safe in this world! Besides you were training me for hunting my entire life so what's the big deal?!"

"Your only seventeen that's the big deal!"

"Well I'm not going home unless they make me."

"They? Who-Please don't tell me John is there!"

"No it's not John, it's Sam."

"Sam? You mean Sam from Stanford? That's even worse! Y/n you have to get out of there! Something...Something is wrong with that boy!"

"There is nothing wrong with him or Dean, I'm staying here whether you like it or not."

"Then you better stay gone cause I'm tired of a disobedient brat like you! If you don't come home right now I-I'll disown you!" Those words, we're like knives, they went straight into my heart. Tears ran down my cheeks as I realized....I would never be able to go home...

".....Wow.." I say after a minute, "...you say you don't trust the Winchester's, more specifically John....but your just like him." And with that I hung up, what else was there to say? If dad wasn't gonna support me helping someone in need then...there's no point of going home. I have to finish what I started, silently I entered the motel room. I could feel the boy's staring at me.

"Y-Y/n?.." Dean called out, slowly I meet his gaze and say "....I'm no longer welcome home."

"What do you mean no longer welcome home?" Sam questioned, for the last ten minutes I had been crying my heart out in Dean's chest. I told him how the conversation played out, and by the end both of them were furious.

"I knew Y/D/N had a little anger issues, but to go that far?....That's just low." Dean said.

"Don't worry Y/n...you'll always have a home with us." Sam soothed, making me smile.

"Thanks guys....for the record, if I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change my decision."

"Well I'm glad." Dean smiled and kissed me on the forehead, making me instantly blush. "Cause I wouldn't want you to change it either." No one said anything after that, we just continued with our mission. Later after we got settled in our motel, we drive to the girls house. We stand at the door and it opens to reveal Haley Collins.

"You must be Haley Collins. I'm Dean, this is Sam and Y/n, we're, ah, we're rangers with the Park Service. Ranger Wilkinson sent us over. He wanted us to ask a few questions about your brother Tommy." Haley hesitates.

"Lemme see some ID." She says. Sam pulls out his fake ID with the name 'Samuel Cole' and held it up against the screen. Haley looks at it, then at me and Dean, then opens the door.

"Come on in."

"Thanks." The door swings open as Haley catches sight of the Impala.

"That yours?" She asks.

"Yeah." Dean says proudly, Sam looks back at the Impala.

"Nice car." Haley leads us into the kitchen, where a boy is sitting at the table on a laptop. Dean turns his head to mouth something to Sam, who rolls his eyes. We show her the permit but she just scoffs and leaves the kitchen.

"So if Tommy's not due back for a while, how do you know something's wrong?" Sam asks. Haley comes back into the room with a bowl she places on the table. "He checks in every day by cell. He emails, photos, stupid little videos-we haven't heard anything in over three days now." She answers.

"Well, maybe he can't get cell reception."

"He's got a satellite phone, too."

"Could it be he's just having fun and forgot to check in? Maybe it dropped in the lake or something." I say.

"He wouldn't do that." The boy at the table says, I eye him, but he looks away. Haley comes back putting more food on the table and says. "Our parents are gone. It's just my two brothers and me. We all keep pretty close tabs on each other."

"Can I see the pictures he sent you?" Sam asks.

"Yeah." On the laptop, she pulls up pictures.

"That's Tommy." She clicks twice and another picture comes up, then the still frame opening the latest video.

"Hey Haley, day six, we're still out near Blackwater Ridge. We're fine, keeping safe, so don't worry, okay? Talk to you tomorrow." I spot something on the video however, it was like a shadow.

"Well, we'll find your brother. We're heading out to Blackwater Ridge first thing." Dean smiles.

"Then maybe I'll see you there. Look, I can't sit around here anymore. So I hired a guy. I'm heading out in the morning, and I'm gonna find Tommy myself." Hayley confessed.

"I think I know how you feel."

"Hey, do you mind forwarding these to me?" Sammy asks.

"Sure." We smile and leave, departing from them.

After the meeting with Haley, we decided to go to the bar, after I got a fake ID. Now I was Y/n Dixon, a twenty-five year old female. The three of us were sitting down at a table.

"So, Blackwater Ridge doesn't get a lot of traffic. Local campers, mostly. But still, this past April, two hikers went missing out there. They were never found." I mention as I was using Sam's laptop, he told me I'd probably get better luck if I'd try to find information. Sam was opening John's journal, searching it for clues.

"Any before that?" Dean asks.

"Yeah, in 1982, eight different people all vanished in the same year. Authorities said it was a grizzly attack. And again in 1959 and again before that in 1936. So every twenty-three years, this thing comes out. Okay so since Haley sent Sam the video, watch this." I put the laptop where both of the boys can see go through three frames of the video one at a time. A dark shadow, like the one I saw earlier crosses the screen.

"Do it again." Dean says. I repeat the frames.

"That's three frames, a fraction of a second. Whatever that thing is, it can move."

Dean hits Sam.

"Told you something weird was going on."

"Yeah you were right." Sam smiles.

"The only thing that I know that can move that fast is a werewolf." I state.

"That's what I thought to." Sam says. "However I got one more thing." Sam hands over a newspaper article. "In 'fifty-nine one camper survived this supposed grizzly attack. Just a kid. Barely crawled out of the woods alive." I nod and the hand it to Dean who looks at newspaper.

"Is there a name? Uh...Oh here, Mr. Shaw." Dean reads.

"So then we go talk to him now, right?' I ask.

"That should be the plan." Sammy says.

"Ok what's up with your hair?" Dean asks.

"What?.."

"It was just H/C now it's yellow, is it like some kind of special hair dye?" I grab a lock of my hair, and he was right, it was bright yellow.

"No I haven't dyed my hair since I was fifteen."

"Ok something is definitely going on with you. First dad mentions you, then you somehow put a dent in my car without touching it and now your hair is yellow." The moment he said that my hair changed to purple.

"See there it goes again!"

"I...I don't know." My heart starts beating faster by the second, what's happening to me me?

"Dean I think you scaring her. Maybe we should call Y/D/N.." Sam suggests but Dean shakes his head.

"No screw that guy, look we'll figure it out. For now try to...keep it one color."

"You think I have control over this?"

"Maybe it's connected to your emotions?" Sam says grabbing his laptop and starts typing.

"W-What are you doing?"

"Keeping notes. Maybe if we keep track of what's happening to you then we can figure out what's going on. So purple is fear, then that would mean yellow is joy and when your hair is H/C it means you are experiencing no emotions."

"Well, other than this magical weird...stuff. What now?"

"To the store, we need to get you a business suit, then to Mr. Shaw." Dean says.

"A business suit? What for?" I wonder, but Dean only smirks.

Finding the perfect suit was hard, it wasn't until I walked out of the dressing room for the 5th time. This time both of the boys smiled, and Dean looked away blushing a bit. It was like a coat that went halfway down my thigh, however you could see my cleavage a little bit.

"How bout this one?" I ask.

"Y-Yea yea, that's good. Nice and formal." Dean stutters.

"Good, now I guess we buy this and then we can be on our way."

After we bought the suit, we went to go see Mr. Shaw. He talks to the three of us while leading us inside his house. He has a cigarette in his mouth, I coughed a little from the smoke.

"Look, ranger, I don't know why you're asking me about this. It's public record. I was a kid. My parents got mauled by a-" Sam interrupts.

"Grizzly? That's what attacked them?" Shaw takes a puff of his cigarette, takes it out, and nods.

"The other people that went missing that year, those bear attacks too?" The room went quiet. "What about all the people that went missing this year? Same thing? If we knew what we were dealing with, we might be able to stop it." Dean says.

"I seriously doubt that. Anyways, I don't see what difference it would make." Mr. Shaw sits down with a sad look on his face. "You wouldn't believe me. Nobody ever did...."

"Try me."

"I said no and that's final." He huffed, I knew he wasn't gonna tell us. I hesitantly sit down across from him.

"Mr. Shaw, what did you see?...I know you think we won't believe you but your our last resort. If you help us, I promise you we will get revenge for your parents." He looks at me like I was lyin, but sighs in defeat.

"Nothing. It moved too fast to see. It hid too well. I heard it, though. A roar. Like...no man or animal I ever heard."

"It came at night?" Shaw nods. "Got inside your tent?"

"It got inside our cabin. I was sleeping in front of the fireplace when it came in. It didn't smash a window or break the door. It unlocked it. Do you know of a bear that could do something like that? I didn't even wake up till I heard my parents screaming."

"It killed them?"

"Dragged them off into the night." He shakes his head. "Why it left me alive...been asking myself that ever since." Shaw's hands go to his collar. "Did leave me this, though." He opens his collar to reveal three long scars. Claw marks. Sam and Dean look at them. "There's something evil in those woods. It was some sort of a demon."

The three of us walk the length of a corridor with rooms on either side. "Spirits and demons don't have to unlock doors. If they want inside, they just go through the walls." Dean says.

"So it's probably something else, something corporeal." I state.

"Corporeal? Excuse me, professor."

"So what do you think?" Sam chimes in.

"The claws, the speed that it moves...could be a skinwalker, maybe a black dog"

"No it looked more human...what about a Wendigo? I don't know. I can do some research when we get to where ever were goin next." I offered.

"Where were goin next is our motel." Dean says. We drove back to motel, and I get out of the car as Dean opens the trunk of the Impala, then the weapons box, and props it open with a shotgun. He puts some guns in a duffel bag as Sam leans in.

"We cannot let that Haley girl go out there."

"Oh yeah? What are we gonna tell her? That she can't go into the woods because of a big scary monster?"

"Yeah." Dean looks at Sam.

"I may not know much about monsters Sam but that is probably the most stupidest idea." I intervene. "Besides her brother's missing, Sam. She's not gonna just sit this out."

"Then we go with her, we protect her, and we keep our eyes peeled for our fuzzy predator friend." Dean says picking up the duffel.

"Finding Dad's not enough?" Sam slams the weapons box shut, then the trunk. "Now we gotta babysit too?" Dean stares at Sam in annoyance.

"What?"

"Nothing." He throws the duffel bag at Sam and walks off. I follow in pursuit, when I walk through the door Dean looks at me and Sam who is behind me.

"So Y/n, you have to sleep with one of us tonight since there's only two beds."

"She can sleep with me." Sam offered.

"Well I mean it's up to her."

"I don't care, you two do rock, paper, scissors shoe whoever wins gets the bed to themselves."

"Alright seems fair enough." Dean says and holds out his hand in the formation. Sam rolls his eyes and throws the duffel bag onto one of the bed then gets into formation.

"Ok one, two, three!" I count down and both of them go, Dean chose rock while Sam chose paper. Dean smiles but quickly hides it and enters the bathroom.

"Is it just me or is he happy that he lost?" I ask making Sam shake his head.

"That's a first, though if he tries anything let me know. I'll let you sleep with me."

"Eh if he tries anything I'll break his hand." Sam chuckles.

"That's our girl."

Later that night all three of us was in bed. I couldn't sleep though, I still kept hearing my dad's words over and over. "I'll disown you", how could he say something like that to me? Tears began to form, I cover my mouth trying to keep quiet but Dean heard me.

"Y/n?" He quietly calls out. "You ok?"

"Y-Yeah...."

"Is this about your dad?...." Slowly I nod and Dean pulls me closer.

"It's gonna be ok, ok? He didn't mean it, he probably just said that so you'd come home....if you ever wanna...don't hesitate."

"But you said once I'm in this-"

"And I was wrong, your just a kid, you don't deserve this life...." I could hear the sadness in his voice, I look up at him. Those big green eyes stare down at me, making me smile.

"Neither do you...."

"...It'll be ok, I promise." He gently puts a hand on my cheek and caresses it with his thumb. I felt that urge, I wanted to kiss him, it was the perfect moment. It was like a moment in a movie where everyone is waiting for that kiss, waiting for the love to blossom. I slowly lean in, while staring into those beautiful forest green eyes. He doesn't move, which makes me nervous and my hair turns purple.

"Why are you scared?" He asked. "Was it something I said?"

"No I just....No it wasn't you....well I guess I'll let you sleep. Goodnight Dean." Quickly I move so I'm facing away from him, my cheeks are burning. Did I really just try to kiss Dean?

The New Hunter Masterlist

@samsgirl93 @nani-gram @eliwinchester99

#dean supernatural #dean winchester #dean winchester imagines #sam winchester #sam winchester imagines #dean winchester smut #dean x reader #dean x y/n #sam x you #sam fanfiction #sammy #sam winchester smut #sam and dean #supernatural

18 notes · View notes

vidkid20ssimblrlair · 4 years

Text

Episode 26: The Garden

I hadn't set foot in the backyard since Grace's funeral. I didn't have the heart to. Seeing her grave among the flowers was too much to bear. I could still see her alive and well kneeling over those very flowers she loved so tenderly. Her smile as bright as the sun. Her voice, soothing and encouraging. Omar seemed to be the only brave soul to venture out there regularly to place flowers on her grave. I guess it kept him going. For me, it was easier just to look away and focus on other pressing manners. Gemma for example.

Her sob story had had a profound effect on her standings in the house. Some had soaked it all up like a bunch of saps, but others like me were still on high alert. Madison had also entrusted me to spy on her, so I did just that. For three weeks. Strangely enough, nothing happened. It was both disheartening and frustrating. There was no way she was telling the truth about anything, but somehow she was able to keep up the act of being sickeningly sweet and innocent. It was annoying, but I kept my cool. What really set me off was what I saw in the backyard one fine morning. I went to the window in the hallway to look out and saw someone tending to the flowers. A certain redhead. Gemma!

I immediately made a beeline for the backyard with my katana. DJ lazily sat in a lawn chair keeping watch nearby, but before he could even take notice of me I was right behind Gemma. I aimed my sword at her as she kneeled down over Grace's flower bed. She froze and turned around grinning seemingly unfazed.

"Hi. Mind if you put the sharp pointy weapon down?"

I said nothing. I simply glared at her and DJ sat up in his chair now alert. He gasped. "Whoa! Whoa! Put that down!"

"No! What is she doing here?" I spat.

"Jones said it was ok and Omar, gave me his blessing. So can you please put that thing away?" she continued. "How about you sit down and we have a chat?"

She patted the ground next to her. "Come on. Let's talk. Lassie to Lassie."

"Like the dog?"

"No. Just sit down."

I sat down next to her reluctantly and placed my sword on the ground beside me. DJ relaxed in his lawn chair again. I glared at her as she smiled back. She looked different. She wore clothes suited for the yard now and her hair in a ponytail, but her hair was shinier. Shiner and curlier. Like a glowing red crown.

She caught me looking at it and squealed with excitement. "Oh, you notice my hair? I really got the grit and grime out of it. Then Omar helped me trim it. Didn't you know? He used to be a barber. His dad owned a barbershop. Said he worked there sometimes. He's a wizard with scissors."

"That's...nice," I said unable to hide my displeasure with her.

She sighed. "Omar told me about what happened here. With his wife and all. I know what you must think, but I'm not here to replace her and I'm not up to anything. I just like gardening is all. It takes my mind off things and gives me something to do. Its...calming."

"Calming. Grace used to say that when she was out here. It calmed her."

"You must have been close."

"We were. She was sort of like a mother figure or a grandmother." I said sadly as I glanced over at her grave. "She was like that with everyone though. She always had the right thing to say."

"She sounds like my granny. I still miss that spitfire of a woman. Deep down she was a big softy though. Hugs, cookies, the typical grandma stuff. I really do miss her sometimes. She like to call me Ginny. I was her Ginny."

"Ginny?"

Yeah. I know she's gone, but I like to think she's still out there alive. Alive riding a Harley Davidson and raising hell," she said garnering a small chuckle from me. She smiled. "How about you?"

"What you mean?"

"Do you have family out there somewhere?"

"It's really none of...well yeah. My dad. I know he's alive though. I can feel it."

"How about your mom?"

I flinched. "She died long before this."

"I'm... sorry," she whispered. "Any brothers or sisters?"

"No. I'm an only child."

"Ah. Well, you're lucky. I had three assholes for brothers. I miss those assholes. Maybe there with granny and her Harley."

"Maybe."

"Hey ladies! Sorry to interrupt, but I'm going inside for a second," DJ yelled over to us rising up from his chair again. He stood up. "Audrey, can you keep you an eye on things?"

"Yeah. Go ahead!"

He smiled and nodded. Then he headed up the stairs and disappeared inside. I looked back at Gemma who seemed to focus on planting again. She dug a small hole and placed what look like seeds in it.

"So how about that DJ?"

"What?"

"DJ. I see the way he looks at you," she winked. "Seems like you would make a fine pair."

I scoffed. "If this is your way of bonding with me you're doing a shitty job."

"No. I'm just saying. It might do you some good to pursue that you know."

"I don't have time for that!"

"There's always time for love."

"Don't make me barf!"

"Oh, stop being such a grumpy grump," she laughed. She reached down making another hole. "I sure wish I had a healthy manly distraction right about now. Someone to make you forget this fucked up world."

As she said this, I saw something out the corner of my eye moving in the bushes. The leaves shook as it brushed by them. Then an eerie silence followed.

"Ah. That's the ticket. Can you hand me my basket over there?" she asked. "Gonna plant one more thing and finish up."

I looked over to my right and saw a small wicker basket. As I reached for it, I heard the unmistakable sounds of a zombie. The horrid gasping sound it made. It echoed through the air and then I heard Gemma scream.

I immediately jumped into action. The zombie grabbed Gemma's wrist and it pulled her towards its gaping mouth. I jumped up and grabbed my katana off the ground.

Then without thinking I stabbed the creature in the head. Right through the top of its skull. It let her go and went limp. Gemma fell backward. She backed away looking terrified. I pulled the sword out its cranium much like pulling the Excalibur out of its stone. Then I came over to Gemma. She stared up at me blankly.

"Are you ok?" I asked genuinely concerned. I bent down next to her. "Did he bite you?"

“No. I don’t think so,” she said. She squinted at me suspiciously. “Why? Why did you save me?”

“Huh?”

She shook her head and mumbled, “I mean Ace would have never saved me, but you did.”

“Ace? What did you say?”

“Oh, did I say Grace? I meant John,” she gasped. She laughed nervously. “I guess Grace is on the brain. That poor woman.”

“No. You said Ace.”

“No. No, I’m pretty sure I said Grace,” she spluttered. “That poor woman. She died following that stupid cat. The rotter nearly tore her to pieces. Her and that cat. White fur everywhere. I guess that rotter coming out of nowhere just put her on my mind you know? Poor woman.”

I eyed her suspiciously. “You sound like you were there.”

“What? No. How could I? I was still out there on the road silly,” she said regaining her train of thought. “Omar told me about it obviously. Now help me up already.”

I glared at her. Her hand extended to me, but I couldn’t bring myself to grab it. She had slipped up as Wade predicted, but I had no idea it would be in this way. Did she have something to do with Grace’s death? Was she there that night? She had described the scene in such detail as if she had seen it herself. Was she and the Vultures involved? And Ace. Ace was said to be their leader. Was he John?

I grabbed the hilt of my sword feeling anger bubbling up inside me. Part of me wanting to strike her and end her loathsome existence. Luckily for her, DJ came out with two cans of soda. He froze as soon as he saw us and placed the cans on the table. He ran over to us looking alarmed.

"What happened? Y'all alright?" he asked.

Gemma smiled and nodded. She pointed at the zombie. "Audrey saved me.”

“Shit! For real?! I swear I clear them out and they keep coming back,” DJ gasped. He smiled at me. “Good looking out.”

“Yep. She’s a real hero,” she said grinning. She leaped up and grabbed me into a hug. I stood there in disgust.

She squeezed me and continued her gratitude sounding oddly menacing. “Thank you, Audrey. Thank you.”

Previous Episode

Hope I ironed out the typos. Things are about to ramp up. :P

#sims 3 Dead on Arrival #ts3 dead on arrival #sims 3 doa #ts3 doa #sims 3 #ts3 #sims 3 simblr #ts3 simblr #simblr #sims 3 story #ts3 story #dead on arrival season 2 #doa season 2 #tw: gore #tw: blood #tw: death

18 notes · View notes

bluedemon1995 · 3 years

Text

Most recent update!

Chapter 14

Pidge POV

Shiro takes a deep breath in and says, “When I first saw you, you looked familiar like I saw you before. But, hey, I see a lot of people in my line of work so I didn’t really think anything of it. Not going to lie, with the people you were hanging around with I just figured I’d seen you on some database of criminals. Plus the first time I saw you I was more concerned about Keith’s reaction to you than your per se. So I was pretty slow on the uptake. But between things Keith told me and what I put together on my own, well, seeing you in person in regular light…I think you need to meet our own personal tech genius, or the man in the chair.”

He opens the door and an actual guy in a wheelchair rolls in. I look into eyes that are startling like mine. I can’t think any more, rational thought is beyond me at this point, and I think I’m just staring. This…guy. He. Me. Shit. I think I must make some kind of sound, maybe even words, but I don’t even know what. It’s like I’m in a tunnel. All I can see is this guy and blackness surrounding me. I think I’m losing it but that when that I feel Keith holding tight and grabbing my hand. He pulls me close and whisper, “Katie, babe, stay with me.”

I instinctively hold on. What the hell?! He looks, a lot, like me. Scarily so.

It’s only as I register Keith’s hand that I notice the guys eyes are filled with tears as well. He’s staring at me and the room is deathly quiet. Finally, he whispers, “My God, Pidgey is that really you?”

I don’t answer. I can’t. That name, that voice, make me choke up. He looks like a younger cooler version of what I think is my… dad? Or a older, male, version of … myself. That makes. No sense. Because I’m alone, an orphan. They said I had no relatives. I blink but he’s still there. I must squeeze Keith’s hand even tighter-that he must take that as an indication that I want him to answer for me.

“Yes?” Keith queries for me.

God he’s a man of few words. I let out a huff of breath I didn’t even realize I was holding. Eyes closing I focus on his hand on mine. He’s not going to give any more information that he has to. He really does have my back. I can feel his muscles tense, ready to react to anything. And I know he’d protect me. Without a second thought. I also can see his mom at the ready too. Silent and deadly.

Unfortunately, Keith’s friends are NOT like him.

Lance yelps. “Aye Dios mio!!!! Why do you look like her??? Doesn’t he look like her?! You look like Keith’s girlfriend!! Were you adopted too? What the hell Shiro? EXPLAIN!!!”

Hunk moans, “Lance! Shut up! Um, Shiro, I hope you know what you are doing. Cuz, um Pidge here is an orphan. And um, who is this? What is going on??! I’m starting to get worried. And I’m feeling the need to make a cake. I’m feeling very stressed.”

The man in the chair gasps, “Shit, Shiro. I’m going to kill that mother fucking asshole. You can arrest me when I’m done. I don’t care!” He moves his chair forward, closer to me. OMG. What should I do. I freeze and lean away.

Shiro closes his eyes, “Well before you commit any crimes, ANY of you, how about you explain what you think you know. I think we all need to compare stories first. Okay, everyone, this is MATT, or the Rebel, the police force’s secret weapon. He can hack into anything and is a genius at engineering just about anything folks in the field could need. I met him when we were in high school. He helped me graduate and we both joined up with the police force after a stint in the Garrison. We stayed close and well, um, Matt? Can you continue?”

“Oh, um, yeah, sure. So I was in a really bad accident when I was a kid. So bad that I was told my entire family died…I was the only, sole, survivor. After I got out of the hospital, I went to a home for boys, and eventually they registered me at the local high school. I was a natural at science and computers, and it was there I met Shiro. The Garrison is basically a military type of organization that is let’s say off the books. But I made some great connections and got some needed experience. And eventually when we wanted out it wasn’t a problem. I, I never thought anyone lied to me. Because why? Why hide my family? Why say I was an orphan? I don’t understand how you are here but God dammit, you have got to be my baby sister-Pidge-Katie Holt!”

He rolled his chair even closer, looking deep into her eyes and she could see the unmistakable truth. But it was heart breaking. All she could think of was years, YEARS she missed out. On his life and visa versa. But to what end? She bit her lip and tried to control the tears that were threatening her. Family? Brother? Is it true?

Hesitatingly he reached out for her arm and she just sobbed. “Mattie, really?!?”

He reached out and pulled her into his arms, practically picking her up and onto his lap. And as he held her she felt a little part of her soul regain its hope, love, and trust. This couldn’t be bad, she just got her big brother back! Mattie?>! No this was good, she found her other half, her love and it just hit her, it had to be fate. It was meant to be.

And inadvertently, it was all due to Keith…

Keith’s POV

Keith’s mind is racing. Fuck if this is her brother, then there was a whole conspiracy to have people believe Katie was dead AND for her to think she was the sole survivor! And why?! To what end? That means that asshole being her friend, or whatever he made himself as-savior, boyfriend, fiancé, was not a coincidence nor an accident. They used her. From..the… fucking… beginning. Who does that? To a fucking kid?!

Who kills someone’s parents, their brother… and then replaces them with themselves. A child. They manipulated her and hurt her. That… no… good… dirty… bastard. He feels his hands clench and he wants to find Lotor and his father and teach them a lesson. Slowly. It’s then that his head is smacked and he looks up into his mother’s eyes.

With one head shake, she reorients him back to the present. Shit there will be time for that later. Right now he needs to support Katie. This isn’t about him. It’s about Katie and what she must be feeling. Crap he can’t even imagine.

Refocused on his girl, he waits for her to indicate she needs him or what she needs of him. He doesn’t want to pull her from her brother but at the same time wants to be ready just in case she needs him. And after a few minutes she leans back from Matt and frantically turns, breathing fast and uneven. He makes sure to move into her line of vision. Trying to reassure her, he initiates contact by grabbing her shoulder but she launches herself at him. He quickly adjusts her weight in his arms and pulls her closer. Keeping her close. His girl. His. Everything.

“You’re okay, you’re okay. I got you.” He holds her close and even with all his friends and her brother around, he kisses her. Softly, trying to get her to focus just on him. Once he feels her muscles relax, he adjusts her even closer.

Finally, she slumps against him and he finally looks up straight over to Matt. “Can you fill in some of the details. Because I know Shiro and you didn’t just guess. You both did some intensive research in a very quick turnaround of time. Dude, I know you.”

Shiro nods, “Yeah, we did. Or well Matt did. He was in the hospital when the funerals happened and he just took what they said as truth. His family was gone. But not just in death, Katie was just gone but strangely no body.”

Matt interjects, “After a while, I felt a need to know everything about everything. And the information wasn’t easily accessible which was not a big problem for me. But, oddly, nothing really made sense. So I dug. And I dug. This has been a project since, well, high school.”

Katie finally interjects, “ I didn’t go to the funerals either but I have visited your.. grave. Graves. Shit, have I ever really been where they were buried? Oh my, what the hell? What about-!”

“No! Sorry mom and dad, they are gone. But dad was working on a case, a big one. I remember him being even more absentminded and more distracted. But we were just kids and well back then I didn’t realize.”

Keith figures this was expected but not welcomed. He murmurs, “Hey it’s okay, you got brother, just focus on that! Plus you got me and mine. Your ours now, no question.”

It was then Lance, in all his exuberance, interjects, “Yes, you are ours, nuestra familia!”

Keith looks down at Katie, “You compressed? You are mine. So, what do you need?”

She stares, at him, then looks to Matt, “I…dunno. This is a lot to take in. Keith?”

He holds her, “I know, but we have TWO geniuses here, we can figure something out. Right?”

With a watery smile, she nods. “Ok, yeah, let’s come up with a plan.”

Keith smiles, “A kick ass plan.”

Matt watery grins, “A grand, kick ass, Holt plan. Honestly nothing stands a chance.”

#katie holt #keith kogane #kidge #alternate realities

4 notes · View notes

idumpyourgrass · 4 years

Text

Always Waiting- Chapter 9.5

Always Waiting- Steve Harrington x Henderson!Reader

(I do not own gif!)

Always Waiting Masterlist

Summary: Y/n and Dustin talk about what happened between her and Steve. The end of the year comes and Y/n and Steve ~kind of~ get on better terms after Dustin talks some sense into them. Y/n and Robin get a job at Scoops Ahoy for the summer.

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Henderson!Reader

A/n: This chapter is really just like a filler one just to catch you guys up on everything. I’m so excited for the upcoming chapters! I hope you all like this chapter. The next chapter will be out shortly! As always lmk if you want to be added to the taglist!

Warnings: Language, hints of depression? typos

Word Count: 2.5k

“What the hell happened to you and Steve?” Dustin comes bursting into your room, giving you no time to pull yourself together. You turn your head that was stuffed into your pillow to look at Dustin. His eyes go wide when he sees your puffy red eyes. You wipe your nose with the back of your hand and sit up. “How was the dance?” Your voice cracks.

Dustin comes and sits down next to you. “It was great until we got in the car with Steve. You should have seen him. His eyes were all bloodshot and he is just really bad at forcing a smile, I could see right through him!” Dustin wildly gestures with his hands. You plop your head black down on your pillow, groaning.

“Dustin, I did something really stupid, and- and I know I shouldn’t have but I just can’t keep going around in circles with him! I can’t just be his second choice!” Tears once again, start to pool in your eyes, threaten to fall.

Dustin furrows his eyebrows, “Second choice? What are you talking about?” You start picking at your nail polish, hesitating to tell him what this was all about. You know Dustin and Steve have formed a special bond and you didn't want to ruin that by dragging Dustin into your and Steve's problems, but then again, maybe Dustin could help.

“I…I like Steve, a whole lot-“

“Yeah, I know, I read your diary,” You snap your head towards Dustin, “You read my- you know what? That’s not important right now. You know Steve and I used to be best friends and then he became the stupid “King” or whatever and just tossed me aside,” You adverted eye contact with Dustin, looking at the ground.

“And then he and Nancy broke up and all of the sudden, he wanted to be friends again and take me on dates, but the second Nancy came running back to him, he dropped me, leaving me in the dust, back to pretending like I’m not even a person, and then he started acting all buddy, buddy again with me, and here I was thinking maybe he changed and maybe he actually did want to be my friend, but then as it turns out he and Nancy broke up again,” you start pacing around your room, getting less sad and getting more angry.

"He just needs me to boost his confidence. He doesn't actually want to be friends with me, he just needs me there to make him feel better about himself! And you know what I told him? I told him we should stay out of each other's lives! Why would I say that?! To the boy I am in love w-“ Whoops. You clap a hand over your mouth.

“You’re in love with Steve?!” Dustin looks at you wide-eyed, his jaw nearly dropping to the floor.

“Huh? No,” Dustin crosses his arms raising an eyebrow at you, “No, I did not say that! You misheard me.”

“I have great hearing, I heard what you said,” Dustin says.

“FUCK!” You pick up a pillow and throw it against the wall.

What the hell is wrong with you? You're in love with this boy and you just told him that you should stay out of each other's lives? Damn it Y/n. You reach over to your nightstand, grabbing the phone.

“Are you going to call Steve?!” Dustin runs over and plops down next to you. You start dialing the number.

“What? No don’t be stupid, I’m calling Robin, get out.” You shove him towards the door. He sighs, closing your door shut.

The phone rings and rings, no answer. “Hi Robin, it’s Y/n. Listen I need you to call me back as soon as you can. This is urgent. I did something I shouldn’t have and now I don’t know how to fix it, in fact, I don’t even think I can fix it! So please call me back!” You slam the phone down, huffing and laying back down on your bed.

As soon as you lay your head on the pillow, your phone rings. You shoot up and grab the phone.

“Robin!”

“Y/n what the hell happened?” Robin asks. You explain the whole situation to her, scared of what she might say.

"Well, I'm not an expert on this or anything but I think maybe if you just wait a couple of days, let the whole situation cool down, then you can try to call him or go to his house or something and try to talk to him. But, yikes Y/n, you really dug your own grave here," you slap your palm on your forehead, groaning.

~Three days after the snowball~

After school on Tuesday, you walk through the parking lot trying to find your car. You see Steve sitting in his car. You make eye contact, he quickly looks away, pretending he didn't see you. Ok, it's now or never, you think as you make your way to his car. When he sees you coming towards him he rolls his eyes and locks the car doors.

You pull on the door handle. “Let me in Harrington, I just want to talk,” he rolls down his window a crack so he can say something to you.

“What more could you want to say to me Y/n?”

“I just, I don’t know what I was thinking and-“

“Save it, Henderson, you said we should stay out of each other’s lives right?” Steve rolls up his window and pulls out of the parking lot. You try to blink away the tears but that doesn’t stop them from falling.

* * *

Months had passed. You and Steve avoided each other like the black plague as the second half of the school year came around. At first, you guys would pass each other in the hallways but then both of you started taking different routes so you didn't have to pass each other. Having no classes together, Steve had just disappeared from your life completely.

It was rare that you came out of your room besides going to school. When you would get home from school, you would just go to your room and lay still in your bed, not having any motivation or energy to do anything else. You would come out of your room to eat with Dustin and your mom but that was mainly the only time they would see you.

Sometimes Dustin would bring the party over and they would all come into your room and you all would chat for a while. They would try to get you to come out and play games with them, but you would always politely decline.

Robin would come over after school a couple of times a week just to make sure you were doing ok. You opted out of doing any theatre-related things, giving you more time to mope around. Robin would keep you updated on all the latest gossip and tell you how much everyone in the drama department misses you.

You, Eleven, and Max would all have a sleepover once a month, which you very much appreciated. It was the one night out of the whole month Steve would completely leave your mind as you giggled with the girls, doing facemasks, painting each others’ nails, and watching movies.

Dustin and Steve still hung out, having movie nights every Friday, though it was always at Steve's house. Dustin told you he could stop hanging out with Steve if it bothered you. Of course, you told him you didn't want that. You occasionally asked Dustin how Steve was doing, most of the time he said Steve was doing just about as well as you were doing.

Dustin would oftentimes scold Steve anytime they hung out. Dustin told Steve all about how you would just stay in your room, never coming out. Steve couldn't help but feel awful, but this whole staying out of each other’s lives was your idea, he was just following through with it. Although you guys never saw each other and were now strangers, he never stopped thinking about you. Your name was always on his mind. He just wishes that day in the parking lot, he would have talked to you and not drove away like an asshole.

~May 3rd, 1985~

Tonight was Friday, meaning Dustin would be at Steve’s watching a movie and your mom would be off somewhere with her friends. When no one was home, you ventured out a little. Tonight, you decided you would watch Footloose. You go into the kitchen, pop some popcorn, get yourself a Pepsi, and make your way back into the living room. You sprawl yourself across the couch and start playing the movie. You pick up your glass of Pepsi about to take a sip of it when you hear the door start to unlock. The door opens and Dustin walks in, he looks up and jumps, startled to see you. “You’re out of your room.” Dustin has a shocked look on his face, but you can’t see it because you are too busy looking at who’s standing behind him. Your heart starts beating faster as you scan the face of none other than Steve Harrington. He looks just about as surprised to see you as you are to see him. You feel your stomach in your throat when you two make eye contact. The glass of Pepsi falls out of your hand and onto the couch.

Dustin quickly rushes into the kitchen to get towels while you just sit there, stunned. Dustin comes running back, patting the towels on the couch. "I'm going back to my room," You shoot up off the couch.

“Dustin, why don’t we just go back to my house?” Steve makes his way towards the door.

“No! Y/n you aren’t going to go back in your room just to cry into your pillow and Steve, we are not going back to your house just because you two can’t even be in the same room as each other! We are all going to sit down together and have a movie night.” Dustin paces around the room throwing his arms wildly about. “You two don’t have to sit next to each other but goddamn it I’m sick of this! I get it if you two don’t want to be friends anymore, ok? I get it, but you don’t have to avoid each other like this.” Dustin looks from you to Steve, “So let’s all act like adults here and watch a god damn movie.”

You open your mouth to protest but Dustin holds up to hand to stop you. “Sit.” You groan and throw yourself on the couch. Steve slowly makes his way to the couch and sits on the opposite side of you, Dustin sitting between you two.

You try your hardest to watch the movie, but you can’t focus. There is so much tension in the air, You haven’t seen Steve in over 5 months and now you’re sitting watching a movie with him? About halfway through the movie, you decide you can't take it anymore. You stand up and go to your bedroom, closing the door.

“I can’t stand to see her like this, Dustin!” Steve tells Dustin.

"Well, believe it or not, she looks a whole lot better than she did a couple of months ago," Dustin reaches for the remote and turns the tv off.

Steve gets up off the couch and makes his way towards your room.

There’s a soft knock at your door. “Go away Dustin I don’t want to talk right now!” You yell, pulling the covers up over your head. “Uh, actually it’s not Dustin. It’s Steve.” Oh fuck. You hesitantly get out of bed and make your way over to the door, debating even opening the door. At the first sight of Steve, you let out a sob, clasping a hand over your mouth.

“Y/n…” Steve pulls you in, close to him as you sob uncontrollably. You didn’t know how you were going to react when you saw Steve for the first time but this sure wasn’t it. Steve holds you until you start to calm down. “Let’s talk, yeah?” Steve says, leading you to sit down on your bed.

You sit in silence for a while, neither one of you sure how to start the conversation. Steve sighs then begins, "I think, we have both said things we didn't mean and I'm sorry I was such an asshole, but I don't think we can ever go back to just being friends," you start picking at your nail polish as Steve continues. "I do think, however, if we start over, we can stay as acquaintances." Ok Acquaintances, that's better than nothing. You look up at Steve and nod. He gives you a small smile, pats your leg and then leaves your room. That’s it? That’s all he wanted? To tell you guys can stop avoiding each other and become “acquaintances?”

* * *

You finally felt your feelings towards Steve slowly start chipping away. It only took 6 months, but hey! It was progress. In the last couple of weeks of school, you started taking your normal route again and so did Steve. When you passed each other you gave each other a small smile or a little head nod. Sometimes you would throw him some finger guns which afterward you always immediately regretted doing.

You started coming out of your room more. Your mom was always so happy when she asked what you were doing for the night or the weekend and you said you were going to go over to Robin's or out to dinner with the party.

School ended and summer was here! You and Robin decided to get summer jobs together. The Starcourt mall just opened so there were plenty of jobs available. You both decided working at a cute ice cream shop would be fun. You both got hired at Scoops Ahoy and you were super excited until you saw the uniforms. Yikes.

It was the first day of summer and also the first day of your new job. Robin was already at the shop when you got there. “Hey Robin,” you say as you enter through the back. Robin’s eyes go wide and she starts pushing you back out the door.

"Robin, what the hell, let me in!" You push her back, forcing your way in. Oh, that's why she didn't want you to come in. Through the front window, you see Steve Harrington scooping ice cream.

“Jesus Christ,” you throw your bag down on the table.

“I didn’t know he was working here I swear!” Robin tells you. Steve checks out two costumers in line and turns around, to find out who Robin’s talking to. He nearly drops his ice cream scoop when he sees you. You let out a laugh when you see him in his uniform.

“Oh, Y/n, I didn’t know you were working here too,” He reaches up and rips off his sailor hat, his cheeks bright red.

“Well, here I am,” you gesture to yourself.

“Uhhh, if you both want to come up to the front, I can show you how everything works,” Steve says to you and Robin, scratching his neck.

Well, this is going to be one hell of a summer.

Taglist: @gertenbert @l0ve-0f-my-life @loulouloueh @nighttwingg @hauntedduckdefendor @labrujaprincess @welcomethefears @metuel18 @polynesianmayo @readinthegarden12 @alafolieee @yoheyyosup @loco-latte @daddystevee @hannarudick

#steve harrington #steve harrington fanfic #steve harrington x reader #stranger things #stranger things x reader #dustin henderson #nancy wheeler #jonathan byers #will byers #Joyce Byers #mike wheeler #eleven #lucas sinclair #Max Mayfield #billy hargrove #robin buckley #scoops ahoy #jim hopper #starcourt mall

104 notes · View notes