#my heart was completely SHREDDED by the first part alone HOW DARE YOU fuck me up this bad like. gods I'm gonna fucking cry naruto deserves

[clynnra]

Strongest Together

After that disappointing last ten minutes of the series finale, I didn't think I would ever write for my beloved boys again. But, thanks to binging lots of episodes of the show on ion since it started airing there (happy to post this story on one of ion's Five-O Fridays) and reading many fix-it fics, I had to do this for Danny. I will be forever bitter that our last glimpse of him ever was hurt (physically and emotionally) and alone on Steve's beach. So this is my way of fixing that sad image. There's background (literally, just a few minor mentions) Steve/Catherine and Danny/others, but this is a McDanno story. I didn't want to vilify Steve, since he should take care of himself and find peace, so I hope that comes across. Finally, eternal thanks to my beta PhoebeMiller for making my story way better than it was with her fantastic feedback about story line, diction, and all the grammar. She's an awesome writer in her own right - go read her wonderful stories! And always thanks to SheppardMcKay for inspiring me to post fic.

Steve and Danny. Danny and Steve. Steve left Danny. Danny was alone.

Sighing, Danny knew he had his kids, his family and the team. But that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt so fucking much. Days like today, it still hurt to breathe.

Danny didn’t begrudge Steve finding his peace. Or his taking care of himself. Hell, he tried to instill self preservation in his Neanderthal time and again. But when Steve finally took his advice and put himself first, it had ripped Danny’s heart to shreds.

It still hurt so damn much because of the way Steve left. The timing sucked. Just out of the hospital, Danny could barely walk even with his cane. This proved Steve was hiding the depth of his own suffering. Normally, he'd never leave Danny when he was injured. Danny smiled and remembered Steve raiding his house for cookies after he'd been shot in quarantine. The fondness bubbling up just about killed him.

More memories of this year from hell came back, and Danny had to sit down. He'd moved himself into Steve's house after Doris died because he sensed Steve needed him. The loss was just too much after Joe's death. When Joanna had died, Steve was there for him, cooking him eggs most mornings, claiming routine was good. Danny knew Steve was talking about himself, too.

They'd fallen into something Danny dared call a relationship when he was awake late at night, insomnia raging. He and Steve lived together. They ate meals together most nights. They walked Eddie, locked up the house and said good night like a couple.

A couple of idiots, Danny grumbled now. Or was he the biggest idiot? He'd made this huge leap into what proved to be a lonely abyss.

What hurt the most was Steve pretty much rejecting the idea of the two of them growing old together on that beach. Danny didn't know for sure when his best friend would return from his Kung Fu adventures. He'd only counted on Steve coming home at some point. Now, when he replayed their last conversation, the dagger twisted in his chest even more.

The sad fact was - Danny loved Steve. Not just like a friend. He loved him like I want to spend the rest of my life with you even though you drive me crazy, you caveman. He never told Steve he was in love with him. Danny was scared and convinced such an admission would be suicide. Because he feared their friendship would be over, was so sure of it, in fact, that he kept all of his feelings locked away. He didn't want to fuck up the best friendship he'd ever had.

Not to mention, Steve was straight. He'd never given Danny any hint that he was interested. Unless you counted Steve's octopus arms and his total disregard for Danny's personal space. Which Danny did not dwell on. No way could he let himself go there. That's why he'd pushed Steve into dating. First Brooke and then the vet. Neither had really worked out, and Danny did not allow himself to question why. He would have kept on searching for the perfect mate for Steve, too, if he hadn't left. Even though Danny wanted it to be him.

No one knew Danny's secret. Although he mostly dated women, he had a few relationships with men while at Seton Hall. He kept his attraction to men close to the vest. He'd thought his college experiments were in the rearview mirror until the giant goof stole his crime scene.

To distract himself from the heartbreak over Steve’s dating, he’d focused on reconciling with Rachel in a vain attempt to stitch his family back together. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, it just didn’t work since he was in love with Steve. When they finally figured out they were better as friends, Rachel shocked him with advice to stop dithering and tell Steve. He was so taken aback by Rachel’s accurate insight into his heart, past all his bullshit, he’d gone to that bar and met Joanna. Like so many other things in his life, hooking up with her to forget Rachel and Steve had ended all kinds of bad. Spectacular didn't even cut it. Joanna's death wasn't his fault. This he knew. But he couldn't stop feeling guilty. She was with him in the car because of how he'd chosen to mend himself, and she'd died after everything he'd done to try to save her.

And of course, there was Catherine. He envied her for having Steve the way he wanted. She knew every inch of him. She knew so many more secrets.  Steve had opened his heart to her - and what had she done? She'd pulled a Doris. More than once. And the idiot took her back.

Weren't they a pair? Danny knew he was a hypocrite for being angry with Steve about getting back with an ex time and again. He didn't care. He couldn't help feeling upset that Steve was with Catherine (probably this very minute) and not him.

+++++++

Three months had passed since Steve left, and Danny’s PT was coming along well. He texted Steve a few times a week to check in, while Steve returned his texts within a couple hours. They’d spoken on the phone a few times, and Danny lost himself in the comforting cadence of Steve’s voice. Their calls ranged from about 20 minutes to almost an hour, and their talks were nice. But during one of their conversations, as he listened to Steve chatter on about what he did in whatever destination he was currently staying, Danny realized that Steve’s journey to find himself didn’t include him. Steve didn’t need him like Danny needed him. And that revelation punched the breath out of him. He tried to cover it, but Steve, with his keen SEAL senses, heard it.

“Danno, you okay?” Steve interrupted his story about what he saw in Scotland.

“Yeah, babe, I’m ok. Just still get tired sometimes. Had PT this morning and energy kinda zapped. You mind if we pick this up some other time? I’m gonna have a lie down.” Danny chewed his lips as he lied. It was a white lie, but still.

“Ok… you take care buddy. I love you.” Steve said with a note of concern.

“You too.” replied Danny. He couldn’t tell Steve he loved him on their calls because he didn’t want Steve to hear how in love with him he was. Texting “love you, too” was fine, but when he said it, he felt his heart in his throat.

Putting his phone down, Danny glanced around himself. He was still at Steve’s house sitting on his couch. Eddie was laying on the floor nearby. And Danny came to a decision. Steve was out finding himself, and Danny really needed to do the same. He had spent so much of the past ten years being part of Steve and Danny that outside of being a father to Grace and Charlie and being on the task force, he‘d kinda lost himself. He felt like his life wasn’t making sense after deciding to just be friends with Rachel and then the tragedy with Joanna. He knew that in order to move on with his life, he had to make a change. He would always be there for Steve, but it was time he was there for himself.

A few days later, Steve called again. This time he was in Ireland. He told Danny about the beautiful scenery there, and after he was done, he asked, “So, what are you up to now, Danno? PT almost done right?”

Danny took a deep breath and started. “Funny you should ask that. I, um, I’m gonna move back to my place, Steve.”

There was a moment of stunned silence.

“Why? Danny, is something wrong?” Steve replied, trying to keep a lock on his emotions.

“No, babe.” Danny grimaced and continued. “I just, uh, think it’s time to move back. You know, you’re out there trying to find yourself and your peace without me…”

Steve gasped, “Danny…”

Shaking his head, Danny kept going. “and that’s fine, Steve. I’m not trying to make you feel bad. You deserve to find the peace and happiness you need. I just need to find myself again a bit. After Joanna died, I felt sorta lost. And I was starting to make sense of my life again before Daiyu Mei swooped in…” He didn’t mention and when you left me. Danny shook that thought from his head.

“So, I need to do this. To remember who I was before I was part of Steve and Danny…” he finished with a fake chuckle.

“Danno, are you sure?” Steve asked, a note of sadness in his voice.

Danny nodded even though Steve couldn’t see him. “Yes.”

There was another moment of charged silence.

“Ok, Danno, I got it. You need this, so I got your back. Whatever you need. Hey, I gotta head out, but I’ll call again, alright?” Steve sounded like he was happy for Danny but wasn’t quite believing it.

Danny replied, “Sure. Bye, babe.”

Steve said clearly, “I love you, Danny.”

“You too.” Danny croaked out. When the call ended, he dropped his phone next to him and covered his face with his hands taking in a few deep breaths.

It was time to find who he was again without Steve.

+++++++

Danny finally completed his eight weeks of PT, and his doctor okayed his return to light work aka paperwork. He still had to check in each month since it was his second gunshot wound in his chest in two years. As part of his process to return to Five-O, the governor mandated Danny to complete visits with his therapist since he survived such a traumatic experience. At first, he was annoyed he had to go to therapy again; he’d rather eat pineapple on his pizza. But during the couple of months of sessions about his kidnapping and near death at the hands of Daiyu Mei, he found himself working through various issues including the death of his partner Grace, his guilt over Matty, his complicated relationship with Rachel, Grace’s kidnapping and almost fatal car accident, Charlie’s paternity and medical condition, as well as other work related stresses and traumas. The governor’s directive for Danny’s therapy was once a week for two months, but he continued past that, and for a few weeks, he was going twice a week. He just unloaded whatever was burdening his mind and heart. He felt stronger for it. He even told the therapist about his feelings for Steve, and she suggested that to find closure or peace about it, he should consider discussing his feelings with Steve. Danny knew she was right but wasn’t ready yet. However, talking things out gave him the perspective he needed.

With the end of PT and his ongoing therapy doing well, he told the kids first he was moving out of Steve’s house. They were shocked, Tani near tears while Junior took the news stoically. But once Danny told them why, they were very supportive and helped Danny move to his now renovated place over two weekends. Lou, Quinn, and Adam also chipped in their time to help with Danny’s move. Since Junior moved in with Tani, they figured out a schedule of who would check on Steve’s place and when including the upkeep of the grounds. Junior and Tani told Danny once he was cleared for regular work, he could share some of the maintenance duties. They'd take care of it for now. Tani joked that maybe they could get Kamekona to hire some of his family. Danny rolled his eyes and smacked her. None of them had enough money for that enterprise.

Eddie was another story. Poor guy was just adapting to his master being gone. Now they were relocating him. Danny decided Eddie would live with him, and Junior would take him as time allowed since he loved Eddie, too. It was a good arrangement, as the loyal dog loved each of them. And he enjoyed the extra attention he was getting.

Danny felt like things were starting to get back to the new normal without Steve while he was at work doing paperwork and running point for any cases from HQ if needed. He surprised himself that he got the hang of the HQ computer table after getting lots of help from the team. Quinn was especially patient, and he appreciated it.

While Danny settled back at work, he still kept in contact with Steve. His best friend would mostly text him to check in with how things were going and send some pictures of gorgeous landscapes and appetizing food. When they did talk on the phone here and there, Steve would catch Danny up on things with him. Danny winced when Steve spoke about Catherine, but tried to sound as supportive as possible. He had to keep reminding himself that if Steve was happy with her, he would just have to accept it. And during one of these phone calls, Danny promised himself that he needed to start dating again. He may be in love with Steve, but he also owed it to himself to move forward and not spend the rest of his life pining after his best friend who was happy with the love of his life.

In a bold move, he asked Adam to be his wingman, explaining he needed to shake things up. He wanted to reclaim who he was before Daiyu Mei and even before his last disastrous attempt to get back with Rachel. What he left unspoken was his need to reinvent himself without Steve.

Adam didn’t even raise an eyebrow and had replied, “You got it, brother. You were there for me when I was lost without Kono, so I’m here for you.���

Danny was so grateful. They went to nice bars, the types professionals patronize. Danny did score dates with some doctors, lawyers, and accountants. He surprised Adam by dating both men and women, but after that initial shock, Adam supported his choices, even offering to set Danny up with friends. He even went on a few double dates with Adam and Tamiko. The companionship was nice, and the sex even nicer, but Danny didn’t feel like any of these people would help him get over Steve. At least he felt like his life was more balanced and not just focused on Steve all the time.

When he first mentioned to Steve that he was dating again, there was a silence long enough that Danny thought the call dropped. He could easily FaceTime Steve but just could not find the courage to see his beloved face again. The phone calls offered distance, a buffer. And Danny needed it so he could continue to support Steve and survive his updates when they included Catherine.

Just when Danny was ready to ask his best friend if he could hear him, an exaggeratedly upbeat Steve jumped back in.

“Hey, buddy, I’m glad you’re getting out there again. You deserve to be happy, too.” His voice cracked on the last bit.

After that last odd tone from Steve, they continued like normal when Danny filled him in on the latest with Grace and Charlie. The rest of the call was pleasant with some of their usual teasing.

But on the next call when Danny mentioned how he and Keith went on a double date with Adam and Tamiko, Steve choked and started coughing on the phone.

“Hey, babe, you ok? Don’t choke on the butter in your coffee, alright?” Danny joked.

Steve got his breath back and said, “Sorry, went down the wrong tube. Wait, so you’re dating guys now, Danny?”

Danny didn’t care for Steve’s tone, but answered, “Well, I did date a few guys back in college, but just stopped once I met Rachel.” He didn’t mention and once I met you. “Is that gonna be a problem for you, Steven?”

Steve quickly responded, “Of course not, Danny. I’m just shocked you never told me this in the over ten years we’ve known each other. And for the record, it’d be hypocritical of me if it was.”

Now it was Danny’s turn to gasp. “Wait, when the hell were you dating guys, Steve? In all the years we’ve been together, you’ve only talked about women.”

Sighing, Steve said, “Well, I didn’t really date guys, Danny. When I was deployed, I helped my teammates out like they helped me. So to be more specific, I’ve had sex with guys, but not actually dated them. I enjoyed the sex and was even attracted to some of the guys, but DADT kept me from being open about being sexually attracted to men.”

Danny couldn’t help himself. “Did Cath know?”

Steve chuckled briefly. “Of course, man. I told her I slept with several men and was attracted to some. She was cool with it since she had some bi friends and family.”

Danny admired Steve’s honesty, and he wanted to be honest, too.

“Steve, dating these men and women - it’s nothing serious. Don’t get me wrong, the company and sex are great, but they don’t compare to you.”

It sounded like Steve sniffled on the other end of the line. His voice was slightly hoarse. “And just so you know, partner, no one will ever replace you. No one can. Hey, we gotta grab some food…”

Danny teased, “Try not to ruin your food with pineapple, you animal. Enjoy your meal.”

Snickering, Steve added, “Copy that.”

Steve’s voice became sincere again. “I’ll call you again soon, Danno. I love you.”

Automatically, Danny replied, “You, too.”

Steve’s breath hitched before saying, “I miss you, Danny. Talk to you soon. Bye.”

Danny exhaled, “I miss you, too. Bye, babe.”

Once Danny placed his phone down, he was like, good going Williams. You almost told him you’re in love with him while Cath was right there. Don’t be an idiot next time.

+++++++

It had been a week since that eye-opening phone call and about six months since Steve left, Danny had been back to regular responsibilities at work for about a month. His therapy sessions were twice a month now. He was still seeing people but didn’t feel the desperation to date like when he first started a few months ago. He felt confident in his own skin again, feeling better both professionally and personally. But he was still in love with Steve. Danny finally decided. Fuck it. I’ll always love the maniac, I just have to live with it.

And it came to a head during one of their phone calls almost two months later.

Danny couldn’t keep himself from asking, “You happy with Cath, Steve?”

There was a pause before Steve said, “I wouldn’t know. She left about two months ago on another CIA assignment. She offered to come back when her job was over, but I told her that I need stability and consistency and her work didn’t provide that. I said I was proud that she found her way and happy for her that she loved her job. I told her that I would always love her, but she deserved someone who was in love with her.”

Danny’s heart sped up with hope. “So, what are you saying, Steve?”

Steve pushed air through his nose. “I’m saying that I couldn’t commit to her because I’m in love with you.”

“Steve…?” Danny’s voice shook with emotion.

“Danny, every time I told you I love you when we ended our calls, I meant it as I’m in love with you. You never repeated it to me so I assumed you didn’t feel the same way. But once you told me you dated guys, I got hopeful again. And after that phone call, I stopped sleeping with Cath. And she knew something was up with the no sex but never called me on it. That’s just not what we do. Things are easy for us, and when they’re not, we still pretend that they are. But my heart couldn’t just be satisfied with what was easy and familiar anymore. I needed the challenge and passion. I need you.”

Danny confessed, “Babe, I’m in love with you, too. I just couldn’t tell you since I thought you had your happily ever after with Catherine. When I figured you guys were permanent, I dated to move on without you. But it’s no use, Steve. I want you. I want everything with you.”

Choked with emotion, Steve whispered, “Danny.. I’m coming home.”

“I’m so glad, babe. I love you.”

+++++++

Two days later, Danny was at baggage claim. He spotted Steve immediately, tall and gorgeous with a full beard and short but longer than military regulation hair. Steve saw him too, and his face lit up with a huge smile that crinkled his eyes. They moved quickly through the crowd to each other. As he got closer, Danny spotted the specks of white in Steve’s hair and thought it just made his big goof even more handsome. Finally, they were in front of each other. Dropping his duffel, Steve wrapped his arms around Danny hugging him tightly. He tucked his face into Danny’s hair and inhaled deeply.

“Danno, I missed you so much.”

Danny just squeaked out a “me too” while he hugged Steve. He was too busy inhaling the travel worn scent of Steve. He couldn’t get enough of the man he loved. He rubbed his face into Steve’s chest, reveling in the physical presence he had wanted so much all these months and at long last had.

They moved so their foreheads were resting against each other. Breathing the same air, not aware of the bustle of the people around them.

Danny broke their peaceful bubble by moving his face away so he could look into Steve’s eyes. “Did you find the peace you needed, babe?”

Huffing and licking his lips, Steve shook his head. His left hand held Danny’s face as his gaze never wavered. “Not yet, but I’m working on it. I know I’ll get there with therapy and what I need most.”

Danny tilted his head questioningly at Steve.

“You.”

Then Steve kissed Danny. Eyes fluttering closed, Danny returned the kiss. Like this thing they were doing happened every day.

Feeling a surge of joy, Danny broke the kiss with a smile. Smiling himself, Steve opened his eyes.

“I think I need you to repeat yourself, I didn’t quite hear you,” Danny said with a smirk as he pulled Steve down again. This time, the kiss was firmer. Danny nipped Steve's bottom lip and he opened his mouth. Always the control freak, Steve cupped Danny's face so he could move him where he wanted. He hummed contentedly as he tasted Danny. A couple times, their teeth clacked, but their tongues soothed the minor mishaps. The frantic exploration continued until they needed air.

Eyes opening and panting a bit as their lips parted, they grinned at each other goofily.

“I think we gave the airport enough of a show, babe.” Danny joked.

Steve chuckled. He sobered a bit and said, “Danny, I love you.”

Danny smiled brightly as his heart thudded happily. “I love you, too, Steve. Let’s go home.”

“And where is that exactly?” Steve asked mischievously.

“Wherever you and I are together.” Danny replied quickly.

Appeased, Steve grabbed his bag and slung it on his left shoulder. He pulled Danny under his right arm as they walked to the car.

Danny with Steve. Strong on their own. Strongest together.

FIN.

#H50 #McDanno #Hawaii Five-O #hawaii five 0 #i made this #spoilers #Fic

[wyn-n-tonic]

Golden, Like Daylight -- Part III

Word Count: 1,810 Warnings: Mentions of drug use. PTSD. Guns. Ben Affleck. As always, if I missed anything, please send me a message and I'll amend this warning ASAP. A/N: As you can tell, I'm a slut for dialogue.

MASTERLIST | PART: I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX

gif by: @santigogarcia.

“Francisco,” she’s swaying back and forth with a sleeping Luna in her arms and he can hear the pleading in her voice, “please don’t do this.”

He waited until the absolute last second to tell her but she knew as soon as she got his text—

Pope’s here. I’m gonna bring him by tomorrow to meet Luna, okay?

“Baby,” he catches her hip and pulls her into him, “it’s just a couple of days, consulting work. I’ll be back before you know it.”

“No,” she’s shaking her head, tears threatening to spill over, “you promised me. You looked me in the eye and you said, Leah, I’m done with this shit. Why are you going?”

He licks his lips and looks to Santi in the hallway, pretending to be lost in his phone. He knows he’s not.

“I’ll call you when we get to Colombia. I’ll call you every night and again when I’m on the plane home. Te prometo, ay?”

“Stop making promises,” she pulls away from him, hand on his chest to steady her shaking body, “we’ve established you don’t keep them.”

His hands find her shoulders and squeeze, “Baby, it’s almost twenty grand. We can pay off the car or,” he stammers, “your student loans. We can breathe.”

Frankie sees the words trying to formulate in front of him, the cogs of her mind turning behind her eyes. He’s bracing himself for what’s next but all she does is pull away, the only acknowledgement of the fact that she can’t stop him.

She turns on her heel and he watches her walk out the room, stopping as Santi picks up where Frankie left off.

“Stop being so harsh on him, he needs this. Your family needs this.”

Frankie takes in a breath as Leah’s free hand collides with Santi’s cheek and before he can even react, she’s rounding on him again.

“Don't you dare tell me what my family needs, Santiago Garcia. I love you because he loves you but you are nothing but trouble.”

She can feel Frankie coming up behind her, shifting the air again because he’s nothing but nerves but Santi’s too hot to notice.

“He'll be fine, Leah, you worry too goddamn much,” he wants to shout, that’s evident in his demeanor. "He’s a big boy, if he didn’t want to go, he’d tell me.”

“Baby,” Frankie’s hand wraps around her elbow, trying to gently coax her into his arms. He wants to lead her back to the bedroom. Hold her. Convince her.

“No,” she pulls away, eyes still hard on Pope, “the best case scenario is that he comes home alive, Santiago. But he’s not fine. And who’s here picking up the pieces? It’s not you.”

“Leah, I swear. It's just a consultation,” his jaw sets with the lie he fed the rest of them, like his body is finally rebelling to the bullshit but he continues on, “your husband will come home.”

Frankie’s still got one hand wrapped around her elbow, another on her back. Her anger is a hurricane, he can feel it churning deep inside as her voice comes out lower, “He better or—“

“Or what?” Santiago's face splits into a shit eating grin, “you'll try to kill me again? How is your sister by the way?”

“I won’t kill you, Santi, but I will put a bullet through the bad knee and I’ll make sure William gets me the good shit. The kind that shreds through tendon and bone like a blender.”

Nodding, Santi sucks the air through his teeth, “You can try but I honestly think you’re too chicken shi—“

“¡Basta!” Enough!

Frankie’s pulling on Leah again, the hand that was resting on the small of her back making its way to Luna now. Luna, who up until her father’s raised voice—the voice he never wanted her to know—was sleeping perfectly against her mother. Completely, blissfully unaware of the firefight happening around her.

“Pope,” his voice is shaking, “you need to go.”

“Fine,” he pulls his phone back up to his face. “I’ll pick you up for the airport tomorrow.”

“No,” he feels the hope emanating from Leah as he watches Santi’s face fall, “if I come, I’ll meet you there but this isn’t a conversation you’re involved in anymore.”

“Wha—what the fuck does that mean? I started the conversation.”

Leah pads back into the bedroom, heart aching, with Luna in her arms. Frankie watches as she closes the door and rounds on Santiago, slamming his back into the wall behind him with enough force to shake the house and when he speaks again, it’s measured and even. This is the calmest he has been in weeks.

It’s not a threat.

“If you ever speak to my wife like that again, she’s not the one you have to worry about putting a bullet into your body.”

It’s a promise. —————

Fish is most talented pilot I know—

He swings his assault rifle back, opting for the Glock 19 at his side, Santi’s words ringing through his ears.

—and he’s grounded on a bullshit coke rap.

His boots fall heavy through the mansion, he doesn’t give a shit about stealth. Threw every care in the world out the door the moment Tom started digging for more. What they had was more than enough but he could never just have enough. Had to push for more. Every fucking time.

Another lap. Another sweep. Another round.

But he never missed a hard out, Benny was right about that.

Bullshit coke rap. Every misstep Frankie made, every struggle he faced, was just a bullshit mark on a hardened warrior. That’s all they ever saw him as, Tom and Santi. All remorse drained from his soul in the name of God and country.

Frankie squeezes the trigger, eyes lighting up in the muzzle flash. If he was going to take their lives, he was going to see it drain from their faces.

If he was inflicting this horror on his mind again, making Leah puzzle his shit back together again, he was going to earn it.

The gun hangs heavy in his hand as he steps over the bound and gagged body, following the sound of the rain.

"Fish, where are you?” Tom’s voice scratches at the edge of his skull. His nickname is a stark reminder that there is a separation between man and monster and he can find it again.

He’s shaking as he reaches for the button on his collar, “I'm exiting back out to the courtyard.”

She was right, telling him to stop making promises. He said no live fire and he couldn’t even keep that to himself. —————

“Is he right?” She’s quiet as Frankie lifts their daughter from her aching arms, “Is this what you need?”

“Yeah,” it comes out quiet, leveling up to the bouncing he’s now taken over to keep the baby asleep, “I think it is.”

“Why?” It’s not accusatory, she genuinely wants to know.

“I—“ he stops to think, he doesn’t want his words to come out selfish but he knows that’s how they’ll land. “Baby, I know I brought all of this down on myself and I know that I’ve survived it once before but…”

He trails off, his large hand is splayed across Luna’s back to support her as he resettles her in his arms. A small sound of contentedness escapes her and he can’t believe he’s missed this for the last six weeks. Spent months on end higher than any fucking plane he flew just because he was afraid of failing her. He chokes on the lump building in his throat because he already has.

“But what, baby?”

“I fucked up,” he takes a deep breath to steady himself, “this has been the hardest year of my life, the last six weeks especially.”

Bad landing.

She takes a breath, a tiny spark in her eyes but he’s already in front of her, “Mi alma, let me finish. Please.”

She nods, agreeing to his appeal.

"Before, the only thing I had to lose was my license. Now, the license was just the tip of the pyramid. This shit could’ve cost me my life. In more ways than one. I know what they cut the drugs with now and my nightmares are no longer about what I did in the service, Leah. Will and Benny hold me down screaming in the middle of the night as I imagine I’ve left this shit out for you or Luna to find.”

He laughs at the love and concern in her eyes, not feeling he deserves it but he forges on anyway, “I snorted our finances into desolation. We can’t live on a teacher’s salary alone, baby, you know that. How far behind is the car payment?”

“Just a month now,” she whispers, “my sisters helped us catch up.”

“And you hate that! You’re too prideful to ask for help, too full of protection for me. This will set us back on the right track.”

She’s standing now, arms crossed to anchor her own sobs from escaping, “Frankie, we can survive until your drug test—“

“No,” he’s shaking his head, “it’s still another six weeks away.”

“You don’t have to do this, baby, I know you don’t want to.”

"I cannot let you struggle like this,” he’s shifting Luna again, her tiny fists balled into his shirt and he is devastated with his love for her, “I am supposed to provide for and protect this family. It was in my vows and I broke those.”

“For richer or poorer was also in the fucking vows, Francisco.”

He swallows hard, reaching out and pulling her into him. He can’t bear to see her face when he speaks again, his voice low with the confidence of a settled mind.

“I am going to Colombia." —————

He feels the stone falling from beneath him as he loses the mule to the mountainside, last in line of the five.

He should’ve done more. Held on tighter, walked faster. But as Santiago saw an animal and Tom saw money, he could only see himself falling over.

He lost count of the days he hadn’t called. Two? Three? Hadn’t heard her voice or the baby’s babbling as she responds to daddy. He saw himself at the bottom of that mountain. Never enunciating each syllable of Pa-pa for his little girl ever again, convincing himself that he would be her first word. Never pulling Leah into his arms, the scent of coconut and vanilla so profoundly intoxicating that all he could think about was sinking deep into her. All the comfort and clarity the world had to offer found in her arms and between her legs.

She insisted on the nicest sheets they could find and instead of falling into them, he only felt jagged rock at his back.

TAGLIST: @justanotherblonde23 | @greeneyedblondie44 | @icanbeyourjedi | @notcookiebelle | @princess76179​ | @bbuckysbeardd​ | @knivesareout​

#i believe in francisco morales supremacy #frankie morales #francisco 'catfish' morales #francisco morales #triple frontier #fanfic #fanfiction #oc #ofc #original character #original female character #santiago 'pope' garcia #santiago garcia #waiting patiently for santi lovers to murder me tbh #okay but frankie was actually baby #okayloveyoubye #pedro pascal

[astrandofgold]

The Loneliest Feeling

So I wrote this in April, shortly after I completed the game. I was distraught at the ending, to say the least. It’s grim, and vaguely SamHiggs. Will I ever write a follow up? We’ll see.

____________________________________

Black and white. That was reality. That’s all there was. On this Beach.

This hell was now the eternal resting place of Higgs.

Time was cyclical, reliving the same moment

over

and

over

and

over

and over and ove—

Higgs didn’t know if minutes or centuries that passed since he was in his presence.

Sam. Sam Sam Sam Sam. Sammy. SAM PLEASE

You

are only one

that could save me

His scent taunted Higgs, always just on the cusp of the rain that battered Higgs like shards of glass in a never ending torrent.

my

own

personal

fucking hell

keep walking

keep moving

don’t stop

do not stop

don’t you dare fucking stop

don’t stop walking, Higgs, atta boy

Higgs never stopped walking. He knew that if he stopped, he was a dead man. He couldn’t kill himself while on the Beach, but there was more than one way for a man to perish. The only times he stopped moving were the moments when his lungs burned with the pressure of a rising hopelessness.

I can’t—I can’t breathe— I-

Please, sa—

Gasp.

Gasp.

Gasp.

sam!

Higgs thought about the last moments he had with Sam. Higgs thought about Sam every time he curled up in the sand, sobs shaking his entire body, screams elicited that should have echoed throughout the emptiness, yet clung onto Higgs like a heavy mist. Suffocating. Higgs wrapped his arms tight around himself, like he used to when he was young (it helped when daddy spent the night screaming) the thought of Sam holding him, arms warm, breath warm, lips on his head, lips on his own, glorious warmth— breaking him more.

sam——

They had been within a whisper’s breadth away from each other. Lying on the Beach, hands practically holding each other. So close

Sam, I’m so sorry

Sam, I should have just told you everything

Sam

I’m sorry

Sam

Sam

I love you

...

Sam

Sam’s crystal blue eyes seared through Higgs. They read everything—Everything, Sam? Did you see everything? Did you see all of me? Did you read my journals?

Lips parted, the first time Higgs had seen Sam smile. Thunder cracked in his heart at the sight. The strands of hair, unlike the strands of tar that Higgs knew intimately like the back of his hands, caressed Sam’s face in the breeze of the Beach. Like a halo wrapping around an angel, broken and destroyed by a god that swore vengeance on him for asking too many questions. It was at that moment, lying on the Beach next to Sam, that he realized they were two of a kind—She’s fucking breaking you, Sammy, and I didn’t even know it-god, I’m so fucking sorry

These were the moments that Higgs clung on to, desperate to maintain any form of humanity left that the Beach tried so desperately to wrench from his soul.

Hands clinging to one another. Blood mixing, blood on hands, blood on faces, blood in eyes, blood everywhere. Bodies heaving with strained inhalation. The first (the last?) time Sam and Higgs had been so intimately entwined, their very essences mixing into one. Sam’s blood. Higgs’ blood. Their blood. Higgs had clung onto Sam, heaving, pain radiating until he knew nothing more, but the fire from Sam’s touch that burned with ecstasy remained. That same touch was what Higgs had held onto with a fierce desperation. Anything to help keep him linked to the other side.

Higgs never slept. He couldn’t. Time was meaningless and so was the sanctity of dreaming. His dreams, if he could experience them, would have been filled with shards of red and golden hair, sharp teeth that ripped flesh, that had torn Higgs’ flesh to shreds once—rip me, make me what you want me to be, I’ll do anything for you, worship you

Freezing blue irises that destroyed worlds. Blue that he once craved approval from. Eyes that Higgs saw himself reflected in. Eyes that Higgs found love in, albeit a twisted, one-sided love—I’ll do anything for you, thank you for loving me Amel—

NO

He wanted to claw his eyes out just at the thought of her, and how he could ever feel anything but putrid hatred for her.

Higgs never dared to look behind him. He tried once, twice, one more time. Each time, he saw that flash of red in the distance. Never wavering. Always lingering. It never moved. But he knew.

Fuck, no, please—NO

LEAVE ME ALONE

GOD NO

HAVEN’T YOU DESTROYED

ME ENOUGH??

The one being he never wanted to see again, always mocking him. The one person he never wanted to be apart from, a breath on the wind. Higgs fell to his knees, hands cradling his face. Black lines swirled, dropping to the sand below him. Black tears on black sand, fading into nothingness, the way Higgs felt he was fading into the Beach.

Please, Sammy, please save me

I’ll be waiting for you, Sam....on the Beach

#It has been a hot minute since I wrote anything so have some old content #I have more Leo x higgs in the works but man writing is hard #Hi guys i hate feeling good apparently #death stranding #death stranding fanfic #higgs monaghan #i cried so much after i finished the game #I got all of his journals and just sobbed #I went and killed myself outside of edge knot after the game to see if i could find Higgs in the Seam #Yes i am aware of how weird that sounds lol #My writing #golden bridges #samhiggs

[stellahaze135]

Xigbar’s Dangerous Game

Part 3 to my Kingdom Hearts/The Most Dangerous Game AU.

Warnings: NSFW ahead

“Like I said earlier babe, you aren’t gunna want for nothing.” He said capturing her chin in his fingers, and bringing their lips a scant centimeters apart. She let out a little sigh, and he closed the distance between them, passionately kissing Y/N to within an inch of her life. Roughly sucking on the bottom of her lip to make her gasp, and completely devouring her mouth her moaning through the kiss.

The elevator door opened, Xigbar scooped her up into his arms, and huskily said “What room doll?”

“315.” She replied as she started kissing his neck, earning a tighter grip on her form, and a growl from him.

When they reached her room, he gently sat her back on the ground, where she could fish out the room key, and finally open the door. Him bending down to suckle right below her ear wasn’t helping her already hazy brain to concentrate. But when the door opened Xigbar took her by the shoulders moving them forward. As soon as they where through the threshold, he nudges the door closed with his leg, spun them around, and pressed her up against the wall. All while kissing the breath from her.

She moaned as he pressed her further into the wall, her legs coming up to wrap around his hips, and earning a groan from him this time. “Oh baby.” He groaned into her ear as he grounded into her clothed core.

“Xigbar.” She sighed as he moved the straps of her dress down to reveal the black lace bra covering her sizable breasts. He moved them to the bed, taking off her dress as he laid Y/N down on the bed, and taking in how gorgeous she was in her black lace bra and panties now because in a second they were to be an afterthought.

“Like whatchya see?” She teased as she arched her back slightly.

Xigbar growled in response, as he began disrobing himself. Jacket, vest, and button up first. Her mouth practically watering as he took off the button up shirt to reveal a ridiculously shredded torso littered with scars. The tinkling sound of his belt becoming undone brought her back to watch every one of his movements, and when his pants dropped she bit her lip as his proud length sprung free.

She started to reach back to take off her bra, but he was down on her in a second. “Don’t you fuckin’ dare babe.” He said as he took her wrists and put them above her head. A tight squeeze to them was all she needed to know to keep them there. “I want that particular pleasure if you don’t mind.” He said as he licked along the edge of the bra cup like he had just spilled a bit of tea from a cup, earning a rather breathy moan from her. He brought his hands to knead, tease, and suckle her nipples through the fabric.

“Fuck Xig.” She whined her core already unbelievably wet.

He chuckled at her as brought his hands behind her back as he unclasped her bra, leaning forward, and suckling on her collar bone as he did so. He flung her bra over his shoulder, and devoured on of her tits while the other tit was kneaded, teased, and pinched by his hand. He smirked into her breast at her pants and keens. ‘Oh she’s gunna be SO much fun.’ He thought as he purred to her “So receptive. If this is makin’ ya pant I can’t wait to taste the main course, and see how you react THEN.”

He lowered himself down to her clothed core, spreading her legs to get the best view. Smirking he hooked her legs over his shoulders, dove down to her core, and sucked on her clothed clit make her squeal. “XIGBAR!” Making him release her and laugh as he bit and suckled the inside of her thigh.

“Imma make you a fuckin’ MESS tonight baby.” He said as he removed her panties, placed her thighs on his shoulders, and dove for home lapping at her folds with his full tongue. “Look at you, already fucking soaked. Hmmm, real sweet too.” He purred before beginning to tongue fuck her.

She had already come to the obvious conclusion that he possessed a silver tongue, but this was ridiculous. No one, not even the few girls she had fooled around with had pleasured her like Xigbar was doing now. His tongue somehow knowing how to caress just the right spots to send her mind reeling. That little coil in her lower belly began to tighten with each suck and flick of his tongue.

His tongue left her suddenly, much to her dismay, but was quickly replaced with two of his fingers scissoring her while he sucked hard on her clit making that coil burst in exquisite explosion of sensations. She screamed his name as she came hard he whole body trembling from the force of her orgasm.

He chuckled down at her as she came down from her post orgasmic high. “I told ya I was gunna make a mess of you babe” he purred as he climbed back on top of her, kissed her soundly, making her taste the remnants of her cum on his tongue, and he was right she was sweet.

He brought his hands to knead her ass for a moment before spreading her legs so he could position himself at her entrance.

“And I’m just getting started with you gorgeous.” He groaned as he started to slowly thrust into her. Relishing in the way her walls deliciously clenched down around him. “Fuck you feel like you were made for me.” He growled as he started to form a steady but harsh rhythm that had her seeing stars, and moaning his name like a prayer.

She had never in her life felt such pleasure like this. The few boys she’d been with weren’t very experienced, or too cocky in their abysmal attempts to get her to come on their dicks, but fuck not Xigbar. He has hitting every spot in her that made her mind go numb, and every nerve ending alight. Soon that coil was returning, and by the way it felt this one would be stronger than anything she had experienced this far in her miserable life.

“Xig!” She whined pathetically. “I’m so close.”

“Is that right precious?” He chuckled as he doubled his efforts, his hips snapping brutally into hers. “Hold it till I tell you.” He grunted.

“Xigbar please!” She squealed as he pounded into her, the pleasure and pained mixed into something truly beautiful that had her gasping for breath as her climax was fast approaching like a freight train.

He felt her walls begin to quiver uncontrollably, and that feeling alone nearly brought him to his own release.

“Come babygirl! Come now!” He nearly roared as he slammed into her.

She came with a scream, her vision blacking out, her body convulsing, and his name pouring from her lips like he was her only salvation.

The feeling of her walls clamping down on him like a vice grip was too much, and he spilled his load deep within her. Painting her walls in his thick seed as he slowly unsheathed himself. The sight of her walls still clenching around nothing made a shot of pride run through him.

He brought her into her arms, both of them coming down from an incredible high, and lost in each other’s lips. As soon as she stopped twitching, and her breathing became normal he lifted her up into his arms and carried her to the bathroom for a shared bath.

They cleaned, he fingered her lightly while she jacked him off, she came on his fingers while he came in her mouth, they got out, and both exhausted he carried her back to the bed. They snuggled up together, him the big spoon, she the little spoon, and soon enough she had drifted off to sleep.

If she had turned around in his arms, she’d see him watching her intently, his thoughts running wild on the events to come.

#kingdom hearts #the most dangerous game #Xigbar #Xigbar x Reader #KH Xigbar #Kingdom Hearts x Reader #Kingdom Hearts Imagine #Psychological Thriller #Serial Killers AU #my fic

[melon-wing]

Dread Part 3

[PIRATE AU MASTERLIST] Doc had been restless for days now. He was short tempered with everyone around him and except for Ren everybody was trying not to cross paths too often with him. Every day he hoped news would reach him. He had sent more money than usual to his spy in the navy to make sure he'd find out everything he could about Grian. They should have rescued him by now. They should have found Bdubs by now. Why hadn't they? According to his informant the navy was still searching near the northern sea. And according to Doc's network of informants Bdubs was nowhere near that area. Why the hell where those idiots still searching in the wrong part of the world? If they had just saved Grian by now, Doc wouldn’t be such a mess.

Doc had been so close to giving the order to follow Bdubs. He had seen the hope in Ren’s eyes every time he had stepped out of his quarters about to change course. He had held back every time. No one was worth the lives of his crew. They were his family after all. They had always been there for him. They had been by his side through all the bad and good times when everyone else had abandoned him. He just couldn’t bear the burden of getting one of them killed, even if it meant losing Grian.

Sure, maybe their latest adventures had been only in the southern part of the sea, but that was just... just... Oh fuck, who was he trying to fool? He knew why. He wanted to be close by in case he decided to change his mind and sail straight into Bdubs’ trap. He didn’t want to endanger his friends, but a little voice had kept telling him that he should risk it. Or at least part with his crew and run in alone, try to bargain for Grian’s release if he himself stayed back as Bdub’s prisoner. He had always managed to suppress those urges, though he knew that his resolve was crumbling bit by bit every day without news of the navy rescuing Grian.

The door to his cabin flew open and Doc composed himself a little, slowly turning around to face Ren, whose face was as white as a sheet, his fist balled around a piece of fabric.

"Are there any news?", Doc's voice was strained. He had been asking that question too often lately. And he dreaded and hoped for news at the same time these days.

"Etho... Etho and False met with one of Bdubs’ men today."

Doc nodded, his lips a thin line. He should have known his crew wouldn't hold as still as he had ordered them to. He should have stopped their dangerous plans, but he had let them go on, because deep down he hoped it would help. "What did they find out?"

Ren hesitated and then held up his hand and what Doc had thought was just some old cleaning rag unfolded.

Doc’s eyes widened, his heart seemed to stop and then begin to race like crazy. No. No! This couldn’t be… But Doc would know that shirt anywhere. He'd spend so much time watching Grian…

The fabric on the back of the shirt was hanging in shreds and completely stained with blood. Doc took a step back, leaning against his desk, when he felt his legs beginning to shake. He could feel his breathing starting to become faster and he grabbed onto the desk hard, trying to calm himself. He took a deep breath, but every time his eyes travelled back to the blood, it felt like someone stabbed his heart, making it hard for him to stay composed. He knew Bdubs’ methods. He knew what the state of that shirt meant for Grian.

"Doc...? We have to-"

"No. No we don't." Doc's voice was shaking and so much higher than his usual commanding tone as he replied and he took another breath to calm himself, trying to push all his emotions down. He finally averted his eyes from the bloody shirt, knowing that looking at it would stop him from thinking rational. "We really don't. I don't want to see your clothes full of blood next, Ren. I can’t... Tell the crew to set sail. We are heading north. As far away as possible from them."

He just couldn't. He couldn't let his emotions win. No matter how much he wanted to. He was a Captain. Their Captain. He alone carried the responsibility to ensure the crew’s safety.

Ren stayed silent for a while and Doc sighed, lowering his gaze a little, not ready to face the disappointment he was sure to find on his friend’s face.

Suddenly a knife whizzed past Doc’s head, grazing his hair and cutting a few strands before burying itself into the wall behind him.

Doc's gaze snapped up and he looked at Ren furiously, his furry mirrored back at him on Ren’s face. “Now you listen, you little piece of shit-”, Doc growled out, but he was soon interrupted by Ren’s raised voice.

“No, Doc. You will listen to me. I’m gonna be blunt and talk to you not as my Captain, but as my friend.”

"Don't you already do that all the time?", Doc huffed, still annoyed.

"Doc. We will sail south. I will give the crew the order with, or without your permission. You are welcome to kick me off the ship once we rescued Grian. I know you want to protect all of us, but we don't need to be coddled. We all want you to be happy!"

"I am happy."

"Yeah... yeah you are. But you are happier when you are with him. Stop trying to pretend your feelings don't exist!"

"I..." Doc shook his head. "It's not like that."

"Stop lying to yourself. I know it, you know it. We all know it here. You love Grian. You're in love with him."

Doc’s anger faded from one second to the next, his eyes widening at Ren’s statement, all of his thoughts coming to an abrupt halt.

“What?”

Ren’s face softened as well, the anger all gone from their conversation. “Doc… You can’t tell me you never realised. You are treating nobody like him. The way you flirt with him.”

“I flirt with a lot of people!”, Doc protested. Sure, he was rather fond of Grian and enjoyed their time together. Grian was a pretty attractive guy and he wouldn’t mind having some fun with him, but in love? That was going a bit far… wasn’t it?

“Not since you met him. Every other conversation we have is about Grian. Since he’s been captured you’re falling deeper and deeper into a hole and it pains us all to see it. Doc, you are like a brother to me. All I want is for you to be happy, even if it means we are risking our lives.”

Doc couldn’t stop thinking about what Ren said. The word ‘love’ was constantly repeating in his thoughts. His gaze travelled to the fabric in Ren’s hand again and a cold realisation washed over him at the same time as dread grabbed his heart. “I love him…”

Doc paused and then pushed of the desk, a determined expression on his face as he walked up to Ren and took the shirt out of his hand, giving him a pat on the shoulder.

Doc stepped past his First Mate and out of the cabin. Everyone on the deck stopped to look at him, waiting. Doc lowered his gaze, looking at the shirt. He took a deep breath, raising his head again, pressing the bloody shirt against his chest where his heart was beating in excitement.

“Set sail! We are heading south. Prepare yourselves for a battle!”

~

Grian was awoken with a sudden start, as a bucket of water was dumped over him. The water ran down his back and it cost him a lot not to scream, as the saltwater got into the wounds. He bit down hard, forcing himself to stay completely silent until the worst of the pain passed. Slowly he turned his head a little, looking into the smiling face of one of Bdubs’ crew members. It was someone else than before, so they must be watching him in shifts. He felt like he had seen this one's face before, but he really wasn't sure anymore. This torture had been going for hours now. The sun had long set, but every time he managed to fall asleep in this uncomfortable position, still tied to the mast, kneeling on the floor, someone inflicted pain on him to wake him once more. He felt like he was losing his mind.

"Wakey, wakey, little prince. No sleeping for you on the Captain's orders. He wants you broken beyond repair before you die."

Grian managed to glare at the pirate out of tired eyes, but kept his mouth shut. He knew that talking back only meant more pain. He had given up talking back after the second hour. It made him feel like he was failing. There was a hand on his back, fingers pressing painfully into his wounds and then nails were scratching down his back. He began shaking once more but kept quiet.

"Such a pity that we have to get rid of you. You are a good fighter. You could have been part of this crew. The Captain could have broken you and build you up again into a perfect little puppet. But since you won't be... You know I never got my revenge for you making an idiot out of me in front of the Captain."

Grian almost groaned in annoyance at his luck. That's why the pirate's face had seemed vaguely familiar. It was one of the men that had attacked him when he'd been with Keralis. Or rather one of the guy that Grian beat up without even breaking into sweat.

"It's your own fault, you got yourself into this situation, really. Getting involved with our Captain's former lover... Never a good idea.", the pirate taunted and looked even more amused when Grian's eyes widened. "Oh, little boy, don't tell me you didn't know? Our Captain and your lover boy go way, way back. I'm glad he decided on Keralis in the end. That weakling Doc wouldn't have been worthy of our Captain's attention."

"Doc... He and Bdubs...", Grian repeated, his voice raspy from the amount of screaming he had done. But he just couldn’t keep it in.

"Oh so now you can speak? Gotten curious?" The moment Grian opened his mouth again, those fingernails pressed deep into one of the worse wounds and Grian screamed loudly, his body shaking even harder. "Got you there, our little songbird. But try not to be too loud. The Captain and his Mate want to sleep. You wouldn't want to disturb them now, would you? Keralis is really moody when he doesn't get enough sleep. All he has done so far will seem like gentle touches compared to that."

Grian swallowed and shut his mouth once again, not daring to risk another sound passing his lips. The pirate grinned smugly, as if he was taking Grian's silence as a challenge. "It's a pity I'm not allowed to break you too bad. That honour goes to the Captain. But what do you say about playing a little game?" The sound of fabric rustling and then Grian flinched when cold metal touched his back. The blade of the knife gently traced over his back, not pressing down deep enough to break any more skin. Still Grian's breath hitched and he tried to press himself closer to the mast, to get away from it. "I will ask you a few questions. For every wrong answer I'll leave a mark. For every answer I don't like I leave an even bigger mark. Understood?"

Grian didn't react and the pressure on the blade increased, making his heart beat faster.

“Understood?!

"Yes...", he whispered against the mast, trying to steel himself for what was about to come.

“Do you have any navy secrets that could help us?”

“Most likely not more than the guys Bdubs is paying”, Grian shot back, his expression darkening at the thought of the traitor in their midst. If he could control the search efforts for Grian he must be pretty high up the ladder.

The pirate behind him only laughed in amusement. “Well that would be true. Isn’t that lucky for you? No secrets I can torture out of you.” The pirate didn’t really sound like he thought it was a good thing. He seemed to be rather disappointed. That was, until another question came to his mind.

"What's Doc's weakness? Despite you of course."

Grian pressed his lips together. His mind flashing back to his countless battles with Doc, to all of their interactions. To the way he went feral, when one of his crew members was in serious trouble, blinded by fury. The blind spot he had when Grian attacked from a certain angle.

"He has none. You weaklings won't stand a chance against him", Grian spat out and then pressed his lips together, knowing very well what was about to come.

"Wrong answer." The knife dug into his skin at his side, blood flowing as a straight cut was made downwards. Grian pressed his teeth together almost painfully hard, but he managed to stay silent.

"What a nice game you two are playing. I also have a question..."

Grian froze when he heard Bdub's voice and steps coming closer. They must have woken him up. Oh shit, he really was in trouble now. Because while all of the pirates here were cruel, they still held back. The pirate behind Grian stepped back, but it only took about a second for the blade to appear at his back again, this time lower, right above his waistband. Before he even asked a question, Bdubs already started carving, a straight line and some curves. He chuckled darkly and then stopped for a second.

"I’ve always wondered. Tell me, Grian. How come you are alive?"

Grian turned his head, trying to look at Bdubs in confusion.

"What...?"

"Wrong answer."

The blade moved once more, another straight line and a curved, like he was tracing some pattern. Grian whimpered in pain and he hated himself for once again showing this much weakness, but he refused to shed any tears, no matter how much his body wanted to betray him.

"I... I don't know what you are talking about. I really don’t!"

Bdubs huffed, sounding almost annoyed that Grian hadn’t gotten his vague question. His free hand caressed the cuts he just made in a mockery of gentleness, smearing the blood over Grian's back. "Let me refresh your memory then. Ten years ago. On Gedwyld Island." Grian's breath hitched and he could hear the smirk in Bdubs voice now. "Ah, so you do remember. How interesting. Your name is not a funny coincidence then. I had my suspicions, but I wasn’t sure until now. You really did grow up there."

"Why do you know about that? How...?"

"Oh Grian, isn't it obvious? I was there. I was part of the crew that raided your island. I was standing guard outside the orphanage where we were looking for the boy."

Grian's mind flashed back to the fire and the screams, to the pirates roaming the streets, to the two pirates guarding the main entrance of the orphanage. He couldn't remember anything about them. He hadn't even been able to see their faces, so focused on trying to hide. Could one of them have been Bdubs? How else was he supposed to know about all of this?

"Funny thing you know. We found a lot of kids there, searching for our target. And one of them told us his name was Grian. Pretty black haired boy. Real hero, making sure all his little friends escaped, promising to bring us who we were looking for if we let them go. My mate put a bullet through his heart. Tell me... How did you survive that one?"

Grian froze up completely. "What?" he asked, his voice breaking and unnaturally high.

"You heard me the first time, pet", Bdubs huffed as if he was speaking to a little child, carving one more curved line into Grian's lower back. Grian sucked in air and whimpered in pain. It wasn't as bad as the constant whipping. He could suppress his screams easier, but it still hurt like hell. "How did you survive?"

Grian swallowed. His mind racing with images of that day. The pirate and Taurtis standing in that room. Hadn't the pirate said something about Taurtis being the boy they were looking for? And Taurtis had agreed to that. Grian had always wondered what that had meant and why someone had been after Taurtis.

Did that mean...?

"Answer me now, pet, and you better not be lying." The knife was resting against his skin, the threat clear in Bdubs’ voice.

"They shot my friend, not me", Grian whispered, his voice shaking as it dawned on him that he had been the one meant to die that day and not Taurtis. "He... Oh god. He pretended to be me?"

Bdubs made a thoughtful noise behind him and thankfully didn't continue carving right away. "So we got the wrong one, huh? That guy really was an idiot believing some suicidal kid. If it had been me in there, I would have asked for prove. Still, what a foolish boy, dying for someone else. Was he your boyfriend or what?"

Grian froze, his heart racing, his breathing becoming quicker. The locket against his chest was feeling heavier than it had ever done before. Bdubs behind him was silent for a few seconds and then he burst out laughing.

"Oh you poor thing. Always loosing. No wonder you are not falling into Doc's arms already, playing the strong soldier. You are scared to lose him. Well too late, pet", Bdubs said, humming to himself and then the knife was back against his skin, just resting there.

"Now tell me, Grian. Who did you piss of so much that they sent a whole pirate crew after you?"

How was Grian supposed to know that? Up until a second ago he hadn't even known that the attack had been directed at him. He didn’t even know what he was supposed to think anymore. He stayed silent for a second too long and the blade dug into his skin again, carving a straight line and two curved ones and Grian gasped, at the realisation what Bdubs was doing behind him. That gasp turned into a whimper. It wasn’t just some random pattern he had been carving.

"No... Don't do that", he pleaded, earning himself another smug chuckle from the Pirate Captain.

"Finally noticed? Took you long enough, pet. We both now I can't stop now. We are almost done after all. But depending on your answer I might make the cut a little less deep."

Grian pressed his lips together, his whole body trembling. He wanted to cry so badly, but he couldn't show more weakness then he already had. Once he gave up, he'd break. And if he was to die, he at least wanted to die in dignity. Or as much dignity as he had left right now.

"I don't know why, I swear. I didn't even know that they were supposed to kill me. I'm... I'm just an orphan. I wasn't even in the navy back then. I know nothing about...", Grian trailed off, his voice growing quiet as he almost inaudibly whispered the last words, "... my parents."

"Oh?" Bdubs sounded even more interested now and Grian wished he had just kept quiet. Bdubs being interested in something would only be more pain. "What about your parents? Were they some big names in the navy?"

Grian shook his head, remaining silent and the knife broke through his skin once more, going deeper than before. While Bdubs had been quick with his cuts before he took his time now, slowly dragging the knife along in a curvy line. Bdubs other hand was also back at his back, fingernails digging into one of his open cuts. "Tell me what you know."

Grian wanted to resist, he really did, but he was tired and his back felt like it was on fire. And what good was resisting anyways? He was about to die in a few days. His information would be useless to Bdubs and not worth being in pain over it. The voice in his head telling him to hold on was getting smaller and smaller. Resistance wouldn't help him. There was no hope left.

"I don't know my mother... But my father was a pirate. The navy tried to keep me a secret for whatever reason”, he finally replied, his voice sounding empty, even to his own ears.

The knife finally left his back and a hand was back, tracing the lines on his back. He could hear the smirk in Bdubs’ voice. "See. That wasn't so hard. Now. Do you know by any chance who your father was?"

Grian shook his head, his whole body tensing, expecting another wave of pain to hit him for being unable to answer. The pain didn't come. Bdubs bent forward, his lips close to Grian's ear, making shushing noises, while gently caressing his back.

"Shhh. It's alright, pet. You did well. I'm proud of you."

And while he had held back during the torture and through all the pain, tears were now running down his face. He suddenly felt dirty and so weak. The hand on his back moved lower to the freshly made cuts, tracing them carefully.

"My name does look really pretty on you, my little pet."

#🍉 stories #pirate au #tw: blood #tw: knives #I am once again sorry #This isn't getting any better #But yay feelings! #Go get your man doc!

[seagreen-meets-grey]

The Last Slide: Ch. 4

here we go, @feeisamarshmallow, with the final part. come talk to me about it if you like! :)

Read on ao3

_______________

Chapters: 1 2 3 4

_______________

Jake’s head is spinning from all these revelations.

He’s still at the old apartment.

He’s tied to a chair that isn’t theirs.

The door opening earlier must have been Mr. Davies coming back to lock up the place.

If it was Amy, he doesn’t dare to think his captor got to her.

His captor.

The smell of fresh paint tickles the inside of his nose.

He hopes he won’t have to sneeze because that would hurt. A lot.

His ribs ache with every breath he takes, the pain in his stomach makes cold sweat break out over his neck and back.

He was alone in the apartment, speed-reliving his favorite memories one last time, when… The large bump on the back of his head clues him in on the rest.

“I know you know what happened,” Darius hisses through clenched teeth. “How did he do it? What’s his fucking plan?”

Jake has so many questions himself. For a moment, he was shocked to see Erickson, the pool attendant, loom over him dangerously. But then it began to make sense, in this weird way. His detective gut felt it – along with another bolt of pain. What he misses now is the rest of the puzzle. But it seems like Darius is searching for it as well.

“Dude,” Jake starts, which is probably a mistake, but he can’t stop himself and continues. “Let’s calm down and review some facts. I don’t know what you know. And in order to tell you what I know, I have to know what it is exactly that you want to know. You know?”

Darius looks as if he’s unsure if Jake’s making fun of him. The shadows cast on his face by the lamp make his features appear eerie, his skin pale, eyes hard and almost black.

“So,” Jake continues, “I guess you want to know something about the case. Right?”

“Did I not make myself clear?!” Darius’ eyes glisten angrily in the light.

Jake bites his lip. Obviously, the communication here isn’t flowing. He’s talking to a wall.

“How. Did. Kirkwell. Do. It.” The other man spits with every word.

“Ah, see, now we’re getting somewhere. You want to know how your boss did… Did what, exactly?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, cop!”

Jake is almost surprised not to be called the animal version of the term. Kudos to the criminal? “Okay, Kirkwell did something.” If this madman isn’t helping him, he’ll have to live-solve the case, then. “Kirkwell did something… And it has something to do with the Pearson murder.”

Darius narrows his eyes. “Yes, Kirkwell did it.”

Eyeing the knife in Darius’ hands, Jake raises an eyebrow. “You seem to know more than I do. Do you want to talk about it–”

“SON OF A BITCH!”

Jake winces when Darius swings his knife and rams it into the chair, only inches from his hand. His heart does a loop. “Careful, now…”

The other man isn’t listening. He starts pacing through the empty former bedroom, hands clenched into fists. He kicks at the wall and hisses a pained scream.

The windows are dark. Some kind of foil has been carefully draped from corner to corner. No light from under the door, either. Jake can hear the traffic outside. If he screams loud enough, maybe…

He startles when the knife is pulled out of the chair and he instinctively flinches his fingers away.

Darius cackles. “You afraid, huh?”

Something about that laugh deeply worries Jake. He’s dealing with an unstable person. He doesn’t know if he’s Pearson’s killer or about to become his own.

“You know who killed Lars Pearson,” he reviews, carefully watching the man’s reaction.

The cackling dies down. “Yes.”

“And you say it was your boss, Sam Kirkwell.”

“That’s what I just told you!” Darius roars, and suddenly he’s right in front of Jake, pointing at his face with the tip of his knife. Jake goes cross-eyed watching it shake in Darius’ hand. He gulps. “I told you this afternoon that it wasn’t me! But you didn’t listen!”

“I’m listening,” Jake gets out, still eyeing the knife nervously, “I’m listening right now. Please tell me everything.” If only he had a recording device on hand…

“Ohohooo, no.” The knife wanders to his cheek, then down his face, underneath his chin, settling on his throat. The flat side of the blade sits cool and sharp against his skin. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you, you filthy little pig.” (Ah, there it is.)

An endless minute passes before the knife retreats when Darius stands upright. Jake releases the breath he’d been holding.

“You don’t believe me. You want me to tell you how I killed the motherfucker that stole my wife from me. Oh no, I have to disappoint you here. Because I didn’t do it. He just wants you to think I did.”

“He?” Jake asks. “Kirkwell?”

“Are you deaf and stupid?!” Darius snarls. “He messed up, though. He thinks he’s so smart. But he messed up.” He lets out a sudden loud laugh. “He messed up!”

“How so?”

Darius spreads his arms and yells, “I wasn’t there!” His arms sink. “I wasn’t there…”

“Yes, we know,” Jake says in an attempt to convince him he’s on his side. “We checked with your brother and the parking lot’s security footage. You have an alibi.”

“Exactly!” Darius leans forward again, so close to Jake’s face that he could count the bags under Darius’ eyes if he had the concentration for it. “Exactly, exactly! Which is why he’ll think of another way to pin it on me! And in order to figure out what, I need to know how he killed him. And you,” he jabs his finger into Jake’s aching chest, “have the information I need.”

“Um… If I tell you, what will you do then?”

Again, Darius looks at him as if he’s particularly slow-brained. “Figure out how he’s gonna frame me.”

“Yeah, I clearly understood that. I meant what you plan on doing after that.”

The man opens his mouth, closes it, huffs. “And why would I tell you that?”

“Because I want to make sure you don’t do anything you’ll regret. Murder means more years in prison than kidnapping and physical assault–”

Jake completely forgot about the knife, or the fists. One lands a hard punch in his middle and he gasps for air, hunched forward.

A loud knock prevents the second punch from flying. Simultaneously, Jake and his captor look up, one moving quite a bit more slowly than the other. Before he can open his mouth, the knife is back at his throat, but this time it’s not the flat side of the blade. He doesn’t dare move one inch.

“Not. A. Word.”

Another knock, more insistent than the first. Then, a voice. Jake’s heart leaps when it reaches his ears. “Hello? Anyone still here?” A pause. “Jake?” Another pause. Jake wants to scream, wants to dip his chair so he’ll fall over, wants to make any noise possible. But he can’t. “Mr. Davies?”

Darius’ breath is on his face. It’s hot and moist and uncomfortable and he makes a face.

It takes a few more minutes of silence until the knife and bad breath disappear.

Jake’s heart falls. She’s gone. Amy’s gone and she has no idea he’s here.

“Now talk.” The knife lightly taps his knuckles, leaving tiny scratches on his skin. “I looked you up, Detective Jake Peralta. I know who just knocked on the door. I know about your career, your knack for solving difficult cases. I also know about Amy Santiago’s talents. There’s no way either of you hasn’t already solved this one.”

“Well, you haven’t told me about your plans yet, so I won’t–”

“I know about little Mac, too.”

Jake’s fingers dig into the arms of the chair. Any shred of sympathy he might have had for this person evaporates. His lips are pressed into a thin line, his jaw clenches, and every ounce of good nature inside him turns inside out, flashing spikes and canons and the readiness to kill.

“Ah, I see, now I have your attention.”

Jake wants to get out of this chair and wipe that disgusting sneer from Darius’ face. And more.

“You have one hour. If you don’t talk then, we’ll invite our little friend Mac over. He’ll convince you.”

Darius turns and opens the door, ready to leave, taking the only light source with him. It shakes Jake out of his stunned silence.

“Don’t you dare touch him!” He waggles the chair, the zip ties digging into his skin as he tries to rip himself free. “Come back here! I’ll tell you everything you want to know! Don’t bring my son into this, you fucking monster!” His voice breaks as he screams, but Darius ignores him, closing the door behind him, leaving Jake in total darkness once again.

He’s panting heavily, tears gathering in his eyes. He can’t think clearly, which is bad, very bad… Mac… Not Mac!

It takes the better part of the next hour for him to calm down, because every time his breathing returns to normal, he becomes aware of the darkness again, of his impossible situation, of the danger his family is in, regardless of whether Darius is bluffing or not.

He screams for help until his throat hurts. The neighbors usually like to complain so much, why is nobody coming over now?!

The fear is all-encompassing. He loses all sense of time.

Eventually, he manages to regain his ability to think by using his old trick – repressing the hell out of bad thoughts and feelings.

He knows Darius wants information from him so he probably won’t kill him before he gets them. But the man is unpredictable in his state of unstable anger. Jake’s afraid he really will go after Mac or Amy if Jake doesn’t play along. Regardless of whether or not he tells Darius what he wants to know, he’s going to die tonight. He’d rather not. He’d really, really rather not.

The tears running down his face have long dried when Darius comes back. Jake’s eyes hurt in the glaring light of his headlamp.

“Time’s up, Peralta.” Darius stands in front of him, flicking his pocketknife open. “Talk.”

The fire inside Jake hasn’t gone out yet. As long as he lives, it will keep flickering. He will not let it extinguish after everything he’s ever gone through in his life, the good and the bad.

“A dart arrow in the neck, poisoned,” he starts, talking slowly, quietly. Any way to stall this without babbling too much that he risks a knife to the windpipe.

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, I know, I know!” Darius gesticulates impatiently while talking louder and faster with every word, the expression in his eyes bordering on the edge of truly insane. “He was shot with it in that awful slide with the funnel, dead within seconds, I’ve heard this already! I WAS THERE AFTER IT HAPPENED!”

Jake flinches at the drops of saliva landing on his face. Taking a deep breath, then another one, he continues. “The question was, of course, who hit him. But to get closer to that information without any evidence on camera, we needed to know how he was killed.”

“But you already knew–”

“Where would you have done it?” Jake interrupts the incoming yelling.

“What?”

“If you were the killer – which I know you’re not! Just making that clear – where would you have hit Pearson with the dart?”

Darius blinks a few times. “Inside the funnel.”

“But cameras didn’t show anyone there and there was no blind spot. And no one tinkered with the footage.”

He’s met with confused silence, but it doesn’t last long. As if he’s watching in slow-motion, Jake sees the confusion melt into a blank stare, then the anger returns, deepens the lines on the scrunched-up face, creases the brows; muscles clench, eyes flash up dangerously.

Darius’ hand moves, Jake flinches, and the horrible sting of a fresh cut spreads on his left arm. In his ire, Darius managed to slice through the hoodie and the underlying shirt (though Jake has to admit, these particular pieces haven’t been very expensive), plus several layers of skin, judging by the stinging sensation burning through his nerves. Blood seeps into the material.

“This isn’t some kind of guessing game!” Darius leans on the arms of the chair again, right in his personal space. Jake hates it when he does that. “Tell me how he did it. Or Mac and Amy will pay.”

“The vents,” it shoots out of Jake immediately. “The killer was sitting in the vents above the slide. When Pearson came out, the killer hit him. We didn’t find the murder weapon yet. Tomorrow, we’re going to inspect the vents and interview everyone who has access to them.”

A slimy smile spreads on the face in front of him. “Was that so hard?” Then something seems to catch up to Darius and wipes the smile away. “Oh, that cunt-licking…” He spins away, tugging at the bit of hair he still has on his head, growling in frustration.

Jake brings oxygen back into his lungs. He misses fresh air, even though NYC air doesn’t particularly qualify to be called fresh. But he’d take anything over the stuffed air in this dark prison of his.

“He knows I’m friends with Wesley from maintenance,” Darius mumbles to himself while pacing through the room. He doesn’t seem to be aware that Jake can hear him, or that he’s talking out loud in the first place. “He can claim I have access to the vents. And he had me volunteer to stay late last night, he can say I went up there and…” His head turns quickly, eyes boring into Jake. “Now you tell me where that motherfucker’s hiding so we can finish this up.”

Jake gulps. “How would I know where your boss is right now?” The pain in his arm flares up at the look he receives. “And if I may ask – why would your boss frame you for murder in the first place?”

Darius lets out a heavy sigh. “Because he wants to bone my wife.”

“He does?”

“He’s been leering at her for years and now that we’re split up, all he needs to do is get rid of me and her new lover!” He spits on the ground. “That fucking prick.”

Literally, Jake thinks. He also has an idea of where Kirkwell might be right now, if what Darius says is true and his boss really is after his ex-wife. Why that hasn’t occurred to Darius yet, he doesn’t know. It probably has to do with the whole coming undone that is happening inside that man’s mind. And Jake doesn’t want to be the one pointing it out for him.

A loud crashing sound alerts both men and Jake immediately recognizes it as the sound of a door breaking down.

It is followed by steps on the floor and a voice carrying through the apartment.

“NYPD! Come out with your hands up!” Jake’s heart stops. It’s her.

Darius curses and fumbles something out of his pocket – a piece of cloth that he gags Jake with before he can call out to Amy.

While Darius waits tensely in his hiding place, the handle of his knife clutched in his fist, Jake tries to scream around the gag. He’s too quiet, he has to scream louder–

The handle turns and the door swings open, and there she is, clad in her bulletproof vest, gun at the ready. When she spots him, her eyes widen. “Jake! Oh god…” She takes a step into the room, but he shakes his head violently, his pupils flitting back and forth between her and the door.

She gets the message too late. Darius jumps out, grabs her from behind and holds the knife to her throat.

“Drop the gun.”

Stiff in his iron grip, a million options scurry through her mind, Jake knows – the gun falls to the floor. Darius eyes it, but he knows he can’t pick it up without letting go of his hostage. Jake eyes it too, but there’s no way he can get to it, least of all use it.

“Drop the weapon and step back,” orders a harsh voice. Darius flings himself and Amy around and faces Rosa, her gun pointed right at him.

“Oh no, I won’t.” Darius’ voice quivers. His back is turned to Jake but even from behind, the tightening of muscles in the man’s arm is visible. He’s pressing the knife against Amy’s throat. The choked noise she makes breaks Jake’s heart. “Lieutenant Santiago and I are going to leave this apartment. Then we will say our goodbyes. I still have somewhere to be.”

With slow but deliberate steps, he shuffles past Rosa, Amy in his clutches. Rosa can’t do anything but further order him to drop the knife, to let her go, to give up. Jake telepathically tries to remind her of Palm Springs, Florida. Of how Amy shot the hostage’s leg and the hostage taker had to let go. His shin prickles at the memory.

Jake watches through the open door as Darius and Amy near the front door that’s lying there on the floor, broken out of its hinges.

Amy stumbles as they step around it.

Darius violently pulls her upright.

Then he stops.

A gun pokes into his back from behind. Someone is standing in the doorway to the apartment.

“You heard Detective Diaz,” Captain Holt says. “I would advise you to do as she says.”

Darius is surrounded.

His eyes frantically search for an escape.

There is none.

The knife clatters to the floor.

He pushes Amy away from him, turns and tries to do the same with Holt, but he has no chance.

As soon as he’s caught, Amy runs over to Jake. She removes the gag and the ties and crouches before him as he sags into himself in relief and exhaustion and pain. Her fingers card through his messy hair.

“God, Jake… Are you okay?”

He nods. Everything hurts and he’s starting to shake, but he’s okay. He’s safe. She’s safe. And Mac. (And Kirkwell.)

While Holt’s taking Darius away and Rosa calls an ambulance, Jake tells Amy what happened.

“We should interrogate Kirkwell,” he finishes. “And maybe ask our neighbors if they’re missing a chair, because I don’t know whose chair I’m sitting on right now.

“It’s the one from the hallway corner. Jake, it’s been there for years!”

“Oh, that one! You’re right.” He’s walked past it so many times, it became part of the environment for him. Why it was even there, he doesn’t know, either. “Sorry, I’m a little bit woozy.”

She takes out a handkerchief and dabs at the cut on his arm, but stops when he winces and hisses.

“Ames, how did you know I’m here?”

Amy tells him about Kirkwell in the bathrobe, about finding his car at the water park and driving back to talk to the guy.

“While I was trying to get something useful out of him, Terry called and said that a Richard Erickson had just come to the precinct to tell us about his brother’s intentions. They worked together to get revenge on Kirkwell. While Darius was here with you, Richard left your car and personal things at the water park and waited for his brother to call him. They wanted to find Kirkwell and, well…”

“Finish things up,” Jake concludes and she nods. “What about Kirkwell?”

“Charles picked him up. He says Rebecca Erickson followed them and told them everything before anyone could start interrogating Kirkwell. Apparently, he’d proudly confessed everything to her in the throws of passion not long before I came back.”

Jake softly shakes his head with a smile. “Idiots, these murderers. They never learn.”

“I know, right?” She grins back and he is once again struck by the beauty of her, not just her smile, but her, her everything. And he gets to spend his life with her. It’s so crazy.

“By the way,” he pulls himself out of his own musings, “I think I found a title for the case.”

“You want to name the case?”

“It’s our last case together, Ames! Of course it’s gonna have a name.”

She rolls her eyes but he can see her lips twitch.

“This fact, plus the circumstances of the victim’s death, made me come up with the perfect title.”

She looks at him expectantly and he grins.

“The Last Ride.”

#b99fandomevents #b99 summer 2021 fic exchange #b99 #the last ride #b99 fic #peraltiago #jake x amy #sleuth sisters #jake peralta #amy santiago #rosa diaz #ray holt #maja writes

[prettycutebunny]

Wide awake - hisoka x reader collab part 1

Me and my amazing friend @absolute-flaming-trash decided to collab , hope you enjoy it 💙

TW: unhealthy relationship , hisoka being an asshole , hinted non con nothing graphic I can't write lemon to save my life, and manga spoilers !

I'm wide awake

I'm wide awake

When did it start ? How did the time merge so fast , you couldn't decipher it anymore ?

You've known him for so little time , yet it feels like forever. The moment your eyes met, even in your own memory you feel the time stop

His golden eyes looking at you curiously , eyeing you up and down as you approached him blushing.

You've seen him before. Hisoka Morow , the famous champion of Heaven Arena. A place you never thought you'd step a foot in until your friends dragged you there.

You've seen him fight his way to the top. You used to go because your friend made you , but how did it end up with you being his fan ?

His tickets were the hardest to come by , yet you couldn't stop yourself from spending paychecks on them. The disappointment of him not showing made you promise yourself to never go , yet again you go. He was simply too good to miss.

I'm wide awake

Yeah, I was in the dark

I was falling hard

With an open heart

I'm wide awake

How did I read the stars so wrong

His eyes were piercing you as he tapped his feet impatiently. You had to do it now. There's no knowing when you'll ever see him again.

"I'm a huge fan of you ! I've seen every one of your fights, and I don't know if you have someone ! But ..."

The words flew from your mouth so fast , you had to say them without thinking. If you think , you'll stop.

You swallowed nervously.

"Would you go out with me ?"

A chuckle took you by surprise. You felt your cheeks heat up, as your head lowered in shame.

He's laughing at you. Of course he is, what did you expect ? For him to hug you close and admit his love for you ? That he noticed you watching him in every match and fell for you ?

As your tears formed in your eyes , the laughing stopped and noises of heels clicking took it place.

Your chin was raised as you met his eyes again. His melted gold eyes shone with amusement accompanied with his signature smile.

"Amuse me , and I might♦️"

I'm wide awake

And now it's clear to me

That everything you see

Ain't always what it seems

I'm wide awake

Yeah, I was dreaming for so long

You stood in front of the mirror looking at yourself bitterly; how did he enchant you like that ? You were so far gone you ignored every warning sign even when it hit you in the face. Literally.

Your first "date" if you could call it that was unusual to say the least

You tried so hard to look as pretty as you can. You even bought new clothes and spent more time on a makeup tutorial than you care to admit.

He had texted you about his upcoming fight, naturally you already bought tickets to it before it's sold out. He wanted you watching from his room.

The tickets were pretty expensive but it also meant you could sell them and get a decent profit thanks to the limited number of them.

You walked nervously into Heaven's Arena, displaying your ID at the receptions who allowed you in. Hisoka already gave you a copy of his keys, which surprised you with how sudden it was. Then you laughed , what would you do ? Hurt him ? The idea alone was laughable

Reaching his room , you felt a sharp intense pain as your neck twisted painfully with a loud smack noise deafening your ears.

"You whore , you thieving whore ! He's mine. How dare you !"

Wish I knew then

What I know now

Wouldn't dive in

Wouldn't bow down

Gravity hurts

You made it so sweet

Till I woke up on

On the concrete

Closing the door while breathing heavily , you felt yourself shake with the amount of energy it took you to slam the door in her face and lock it.

Your cheek stung as you looked around at his place. It was quite fancy, which was expected from Heaven's Arena undefeated champion's rooms.

Your shaky hands turned on the tv as you headed to the kitchen looking for ice. Opening the freezer , you found tubs of ice cream and ice. You grabbed the ice while eyeing the neapolitan ice cream.

You were tempted, but you felt rude enough helping yourself to his ice. You didn't want your cheek to swell on your important date.

Hearing the excited announcement ,with the ice pack in hand you rushed to the TV. He was there in all his full glory with some powerful guy you never cared about.

The fight was similar to Hisoka's usual ones. He loved to spend time teasing and messing with his opponents. The death came in too quick after

he managed to land a hit on Hisoka's face, resulting in him being shredded with a stream of cards that came out of nowhere.

Closing the door , checking your face again , retouching your makeup , and changing your posture to your best abilities. You're going to look your best no matter what.

The loud noise of the door opening shocked you , being pinned out of nowhere on the sofa terrified you , seeing Hisoka's excited face aroused you as his hands started touching you all over while the other started ripping the clothes off of you.

Falling from cloud nine

Crashing from the high

I'm letting go tonight

I'm falling from cloud nine

Every single part of you ached. You've never been taken like that , so passionately and with great urgency. His deep alluring voice whispering in your ear; dragging you from the pain and pleasure. You were overwhelmed not only by his body , but also his words and whispers.

Feeling him shifting from atop of you as he walked naked to the phone. He looked at you with a satisfied smile as you tried to move after such a rough session.

Standing up wobbling , his voice faltered as you walked to the bathroom. looking at him , you noticed him glaring at your cheek, your hand went immediately to touch it earning a wince.

He slowly and predatorily approached and you could do nothing but stare.

"Who did this ♠️?"

"A woman slapped me when she saw me unlocking the door , she said I stolen you from her"

Your eyes lowered in embarrassment. That's not something to mention after you spent the night with someone.

Chuckles caught you off guard

"Ahh ! My little fruits tend to be a little too excited about me ♥️ you'll forgive them, won't you ♣️ ?"

I'm wide awake

Not losing any sleep

Picked up every piece

And landed on my feet

I'm wide awake

Need nothing to complete myself, no

It wasn't the last time it happened though. He was rarely around , and when he was he didn't want to do anything but have sex.

Whenever you did anything else , "little fruits" as he called them would attack you. Verbal and sometimes physical abuse towards you ruined the mood for you.

He didn't seem to care much , in fact he always looked amused. Today wasn't any different. He sent you a ticket to his new match with a keycard to his new suite in h]Heaven Arena's. You stopped buying tickets since he always sent you one.

It didn't take a genius to know , he either wanted you to patch him up or looking for a quick fuck. His matches always leave him hurt and aroused.

Why were you okay with this again ? Why can't you say no ? You knew it wasn't healthy but you can't help it. You're addicted to him now.

I'm wide awake

Yeah, I am born again

Out of the lion's den

I don't have to pretend

And it's too late

The story's over now, the end

Going to the match a lot earlier as usual, Heaven Arena's had a first come first serve rule on the seats. It became a habit for you to come hours earlier to book a decent seat.

His rival was someone he already defeated in the past so it should be okay. Not like he would lose or anything.

The noises of people slowly pouring distracted you from the nagging pain in your chest. Was this what you wanted ? A once every few weeks fuck or dinner if you're lucky ?

The match started as usual , Hisoka observing and letting his opponent take shots at him while he taunted them. The sudden severing of Hisoka's arm made you scream so loud , yet it was drowned by the screams of the entire stadium.

Hisoka was smirking and even offered him the other arm. What is he thinking ?

You felt yourself trumble as tears swelled in your eyes , how can he fight without arms? Will he bleed to death ? Why is he happy about it ?!

I wish I knew then

What I know now

Wouldn't dive in

Wouldn't bow down

Gravity hurts

You made it so sweet

Till I woke up on

On the concrete

You sat next to him in shock as you watched the

beautiful pink haired lady do her magic. She didn't seem to care you're watching. Her movements were fast and graceful before she finished and demanded her payment.

"Would you spend the night with me ♥️?"

You felt like you couldn't breath. Did you just hear that ? Her eyes drifted to you as she ignored him and left.

"Pity ♠️"

He looked at you with disappointment in his eyes before he smiled again. You stood back slowly heading to the door.

Where were you headed at this hour ? You can't stay with him ! He asked another woman right in front of you !

A firm hand gripped you as you felt your blood freeze.

"Where do you think you're going ♠️?"

Trying to break free from his grip , the painful lump in your throat making it impossible to breathe normally let alone talk. His hand only gripped you tighter as you started fighting to let go.

His face frowned at you trying your hardest to shake him off. Who did you think you were ? You knew you couldn't win against him , you saw all his fights ! The rational part in your brain didn't work.

All those women ? They weren't some crazy fans ? He's been cheating on you ? Does he even see you as more than a sex doll ?

A scream tore through your silent tears. He pinned you roughly over the table next to him. His face changed from the usual frown to something more sinister.

"Go on , fight me ♦️"

Thunder rumbling

Castles crumbling

I am trying to hold on

God knows that I tried

Seeing the bright side

But I'm not blind anymore

I'm wide awake

I'm wide awake

Every single muscle in your body hurt. Even the roots of your hair felt like hell. Your throat was dry and so were your eyes.

How did this happen ? Why did your innocent crush turn to this ? Weren't you enough for him ? Did your pain excite him that much ?

He left after the pink haired girl as soon as he was finished with you. Is that really the last time you'd see him ?

It's okay you'll gather your pieces and move on. At least that's what you tell yourself every time you go and bandage him. Every time he has his way with you.

When you heard about his fight with chrollo you refused to go; still traumatized from the last night at his Heaven Arena's place , you simply couldn't. You still watched him on the TV and went the next day after he cooled off. It'll be the same thing over and over.

Why can't you just say no ? Will you only escape him through death ?

Death , it made you laugh. Hisoka dying ? The idea of it seems so far fetched. He was so strong. Too strong.

Wait , did his hand just explode ? His legs too ? Hisoka ?

I'm wide awake

I'm wide awake

I'm wide awake

I'm wide awake

I'm wide awake

#he is so freaking cute #hxh #hisoka morow #hxh hisoka #manga spoilers #non con hinted #no lemon I can’t write << #bunny writes #Hisoka x reader

[blakescoven]

11 with Xavier 🥺 plz!

11. Telling them a dumb joke just to see their smile 

A/N: cant believe I actually wrote something after MONTHS. This is trash I’m sorry :( and things got out of hand because it’s about 2k words oops, but thank you for the ask darling, I had fun🖤 (Despite my proofreading there might be grammar mistakes because of my italian illiterate ass, so please be nice)

Warnings: they’re ghosts here, but honestly just dumb jokes, fluff and a heated moment but if you blink you’ll miss it haha

It’s one of those mornings. One of those mornings when the sunlight peaks through the window waking you up. But why even bother sleeping when you’re dead? Well, call it a habit, call it boredom, call it not wanting to let go that crumb of routine which, as much as possible, allows you to keep holding on to whatever is the shred of humanity left within you; like a fading flame that, for some reason, is still burning. Or at least this is the only way to not dissociate from reality and preserve your sanity.

Based on the amount of light, it must be almost 9 am.

Before even opening your eyes, you already know that he isn’t there. It’s when you turn to the other side of the bed that you get the confirmation; he’s not beside you, just crumpled sheets cold to the touch.

It's one of those mornings you perfectly know where he went. As much as he may not want to admit it, Xavier is pretty predictable.

Halloween has just slipped by, and all of you however-reluctant-residents of Camp Redwood spent 24 hours of complete freedom from that hellmouth, that place which does nothing but constantly remind you of that life that none of the souls stuck there had the chance to live. 24 hours to do ‘whatever the hell you want’. On this occasion, you guys are used to split up and part from each other; it has become a sort of established practice not talking about what you did on those hours, a somewhat “private full-day experience” that you all have this silent agreement to not share.

But then there was Montana being Montana, who enthusiastically bragged about how many frat guys and girls she hooked up with and then mercilessly killed at those wild college gatherings, despite your well-known disappointment on killing innocent people in cold blood. But actually, you’re almost a hundred percent certain that she and Trevor annually spent that day together, doing crazy things and partying all night long. For the first few years, after becoming aware that all the trapped souls are somehow unbound from the invisible restraints and free to step outside the borders of the ‘slaughter camp’, acclimatizing to the evolution and changing of times has been particularly challenging.

You were the one of the gang that for years had used those 24 hours to find a way to set you spirits free from redwood, once and for all. You talked to mediums and psychics, charlatans, coming close to obsession; it has been Xavier who persuaded you to let go, begging to just give up.

“Xav, there must be a way out of this, a loophole…something that could release our souls and let us move on, I-”

“Babe stop, we tried hard enough, but that's just the way it is…and then at least there’s a bright side,” he claimed with a faint smile, stroking your cheek with his thumb.

“And what on earth can that be?” you sighed.

“We've got all eternity to be together.”

He’s always been your rock. A hotshot and a dork too, but still. You wouldn’t want anybody else by your side for the rest of your non-life. 

So, from that moment, once a year, you and Xavier chose to make the most of your ‘day off’ going on dates, like normal couples do. For over three decades.

Then, as they say, the sun comes up and reality sets in.

And every time, without skipping a year, having to go back to the camp and dealing with that dreadful reality killed Xavier’s mood drastically. His aching heart led him to want to pass the day after in complete isolation, lost in his thoughts, grieving about what he has lost.

“I need to be alone for a while, Y/N” he used to mumble with a shrug, his usual confidence gone all at once, “This ‘let’s play humans’ thing was a mistake.” 

And every single year you let him walk away, respecting what has now become a sort of ritual, of cathartic moment. Year after year seeing all those people living their lives, achieving their dreams, having a purpose, or just solely breathing was too much for Xavier. Realizing that he won’t ever have anything of this. For this reason, you always gave him space. But not today. You’ve always felt powerless; all you want is finding a way to let your boyfriend know that, as he had said decades ago, ‘it’s time to move on and accept your new reality’. No more sorrow. If there’s something you know is how to cheer up your favorite aerobics instructor. 

On this November 1st of what should be 2020, Xavier is, as well as the last twenty years, sitting on the dock by the lake and staring off into space, surrounded by a disturbing silence.

“Boo” you seductively whispered in the shell of his ear, appearing out of nowhere kneeled behind him.

“Nice try,” he replies sarcastically, albeit his tone was rather emotionless, plain. “…but I can tell when you’re around.” He doesn’t even turn, totally unimpressed by your weak attempt of scaring him.

“Lame” you smirk, suddenly getting up, “Thought you could use some company, tough boy.”

You can’t see his face but you’re sure he is rolling his eyes now. He just sighs. Oh, and do you love his drama queen manners.

Without a real invitation to join him, you sit down again, this time right next to him, swinging your legs off the dock. You stare at the same direction he’s looking at, nervously tapping your fingers on the hard-wooden planks to the beat of an 80’s song.

“So,” you casually begin, though he seems pretty lost in his own thoughts, “Why don’t we skinny dip? I bet that could wash away that sad face.” you grin, biting your lip. 

You’ve never been this cheeky before, but what’s wrong in testing the waters?! Honestly, you’re not even sure he is actually paying attention to what you’re saying; you feel almost lucky he acknowledged your presence. You sure as hell won’t budge or back off this time, you won’t indulge his annual pity party. This time you are more than determined to make your boyfriend feel better, even unleashing your secret anti-sadness weapon.

Evidently caught off guard from this unusual boldness, Xavier lifts his head and turns to you with a surprised look on his face, but frowning at the same time.

Damn it, how can he be so attractive even when he furrows his brows like that?

Right now, the glare of sunlight on the water is perfectly reflecting off his sharp features, and, in this one moment, it’s like everything else falls away, and it’s just the two of you. Nothing else matters but him. Just a few seconds and you’re positive you’re going to forget the reason why you are there in the first place.

It’s the soft sound of his voice that brings you back to reality.

“I’m not sad.”

You shoot him a spare-me-that-bullshit-glance, that doesn’t go unnoticed, since he immediately emphasizes what he said in an attempt to make it sound more convincing, a few octaves higher.

“I’m not sad, Y/N!”

Very well Xav, time to bring out the big guns then.

With what you think is the most serious and straight expression your face can make in that moment, you tenderly place a hand on this cheek, which results in his brows furrowing even more, as if he’s silently questioning your sudden change of demeanor. He’s already preparing to get your lecture when instead you come up with:

“Do you know why ghosts are terrible liars?”

With a combo of a dramatic pause and a poker face, you bite the inside of your cheek noting his confused and puzzled look, “You can see right through them.”

Xavier’s blue eyes suddenly widen, shocked by your brainless joke that you’re certain he wasn’t expecting. You remain silent and he looks at you with his mouth slightly open, completely speechless.

“No way, no no no,” his eyebrows raised even further, “You didn’t say what you’ve just said.” and despite his apparent grimace, he lets out a loud laugh he really can’t hold back.

“Any chance to unhear this cringe-worthy joke?”

“Oh stop, it wasn’t that bad.”

“Are you kidding me?” he dramatically snorts. Theatrical might be the right word to describe the way your boyfriend always reacts when he’s at a loss of words.

“If you were searching for a non-physical way to kill me, you just found it.” he puts a hand on his forehead.

“Then why are you laughing, blondie?” you tease him.

“Because you’re the worst comedian ever, baby.”

Yeah? A bulb glows on your head.

“I disagree. Now tell me, what do you call a ghost-comedian?”

“Don’t you dare.” he warns

“DEAD-FUNNY” you scream back, then bursting into laughter.

It starts as a chuckle, but soon Xavier can’t help but mirror your reaction, cracking up himself.

It’s a laughter that fills his lungs, so hard that it takes his breath away, loud yet so warm and pleasant. The lack of oxygen doesn’t matter. All the distress of the past few days melts; as long as you two stay together, the tension is relieved.

“Jeez, you’re lucky you’re the love of my life,” he lightly shakes his head, “...otherwise I would run away from you as fast as I can.” he lies, lightly bumping your shoulder.

Fixing quite unconsciously his signature bleached hair, always perfectly styled, has been his tic for ages. The first time you noticed it was when he nervously tried to divert attention from his blushing, finally bent on making a move on you. You two were friends, but head over the heels for each other.

He smiles at himself; even the thought alone of spending the eternity in that purgatory without you is inconceivable.

“Why don’t you write a book with all these bad jokes?!” he mocks you.

“Only with you as a ghostwriter!” and proud of your quick-but-cheap pun, you put on a massive shit-eating grin on your face.

“Are you fucking with me, Y/N?” Xavier smiles at you lovingly, pinching your side that he knows is a ticklish-weak-spot. 

Your body twitches to escape his hold and push his hands away, but when you grab his wrists something shifts inside you. Are your eyes clouded with…is it lust? You’re not sure what it is, but you give him a little smirk, and, much to Xavier’s surprise, you straddle him placing your hands on his toned chest.

“Not yet, babe…unless it is what you want.”

“God Y/N, you suck at flirting” he claims but the groan that slips out means he can’t hide his arousal as much as he would.

“Teach me, then. Still got the moves?” you slightly shift, making sure to adjust your position with a slow grind against his half-boner. He hisses and lets out a little moan in response.

“Very well, but I think we should work on your flexibility first.”

What follows is a series of slow open-mouthed kisses on your jaw and love bites on his neck. You will never get tired of this, not even in a million years.

“Hey, Romeo and Ghouliet! Stop fucking your brains out and get over here…we have a sort of guest.” Chet screams from the lakeshore.

“We are not!” You both manage to say, reluctantly interrupting your heated kiss.

“I’m dead dears, not stupid.” the brunette winks.

Damn cockblocker.

“A guest?” Xavier questions, tilting his head and looking at you as if you know what Chet is talking about. You shrug and ask the athlete who this person is and what exactly they want.

“I think it’s about our…condition. Clairvoyance shit, I don’t know. Her name is Billie Dean Howard or something.” Chet explains, not sure either what all this is about.

Xavier is the first to get up, helping you do the same.

“Maybe she’s just a ghost-obsessed freak who wants to reopen the camp?!” you wonder out loud and tenderly link your hand with your boyfriend’s, ready to go.

“Yeah, maybe. But it wouldn’t be a bad idea, though.”

#xavier plympton #xavier plympton x reader #xavier plympton x fem reader #xavier plympton imagine #Xavier plympton x you #xavier plympton x y/n #ahs 1984 #ahs 1984 oneshot #ahs one shot #american horror story #american horror story one shot #american horror story imagine #ahs 1984 fic #ahs fic #xavier plympton one shot #xavier plympton fic #ahs 1984 imagine #american horror story 1984 #michael langdon #duncan shepherd #xavier plympton smut #my writing

[ssa25]

Awkward Misunderstandings - Sasuhina Month 2020 Day 2

Modern AU Sasuhina

Rating: T (for curse/swear words)

It was ridiculous!

What the hell was he doing anyway? In that dark movie theatre watching a God-awful paranormal movie, stuck with Kiba on one side and some stranger on the other?

This was not the plan he had agreed to. He was under the impression that he would be the one sitting beside Hinata, while she leaned into him frightfully to watch the whole movie. Instead Kiba fucking Inuzuka had parked his unwelcome ass right in the middle of the two of them, and he was even helping himself to the sweet (ugh!) popcorn, he had bought for his supposed movie date with Hyuuga Hinata! Heck, the last time he had peeked at her over Inuzuka’s head, she was totally hooked to the movie, without even an ounce of fear! 

He had to admit it grudgingly. He was failing miserably on his second supposed date with Hyuuga Hinata. Just like he had on their first one.

-

Hinata Hyuuga was one of the newly hired temps in their firm. Now, he would usually never date his co-workers, because already he was inappropriately propositioned so often in his workplace that he did not want to encourage such behaviour between his female colleagues. But he was quite taken with this new temp. And,it wasn’t against the rules, so he decided to woo her.

He had given himself a solid month to get close to her before he asked the dark haired beauty out. What he had not anticipated was the woman’s close friend, another temp, Kiba Inuzuka being a deadweight to his barely-taken-off dating life.

That pointy teeth burly man was stuck to her side for most part of the day, with their desks next to each other. Whenever he tried to talk to her, Kiba was right beside her like her guard-dog, like he did not care about giving them even a shred of privacy. Sasuke didn’t understand what his deal was.

But he was an Uchiha, a little challenge never discouraged him.

Few weeks later, he had asked Hinata out to dinner at a newly opened eatery, with Kiba leaning right there on her desk while he did so. Sasuke had made some small talk first of course, and then he asked her casually.

“Hey, so one of my friends has opened a tapas bar, a few blocks down from here. How about we go there sometime for some dinner?”

She looked completely confounded at his suggestion. Probably because they weren’t close enough to share mealtimes, yet. But Sasuke did not want to wait any longer. He knew her pretty and soft persona had unwittingly engaged the attention of some of the other males at their workplace. He had to act on his instinct.

A few seconds of awkward silence later, she had looked at Kiba, as if she was wanting some silent approval, and then agreed with a pleasant smile.

They agreed to meet up after work on Friday later that week, because her weekend was already committed. It wasn’t ideal, he would have preferred to pick her up from her place, make it a bit more special and not a casual post-work dinner. But he wasn’t giving up this chance.

So, friday evening, he waited at his reserved table and found Hinata enter the bar premises-

In arm with Kiba.

To say that he was shocked, would be an understatement. He had no clue why Kiba had decided to intrude on their date or why Hinata had even allowed it without asking him about it first. But he did not want to make an issue out of it on their first date. He wasn’t going to be stingy or outrightly rude - as much as he wanted to be - just for the sake of Hinata. Maybe, she was uncomfortable hanging out with him alone and brought her friend along for support. Sasuke could not fathom her intention, but he had to respect her feelings and give her space.

They had a decent meal, and he had tried to keep his eyes focused on Hinata through most of the dinner. His responses to Kiba were curt and dry. He got to know from Hinata (and Kiba), that those two were childhood friends. He did not know whether to be relieved or worried by that piece of information.

At the end of the evening, it was just a pleasant dinner, definitely not a date. Because of Kiba third wheeling them for whatever reason. 

So, he decided to give her more time to come around and feel comfortable in his solitary company. After all, good things come to those who wait.

He was pleasantly surprised, when two week later, she came up to him, sans Kiba, and asked him to join her for a movie she had extra tickets for. He had immediately agreed.

And like a broken tape recorder, he had yet again found both Hinata and Kiba -waiting for him this time - at the venue looking closer than ever.

-

“Am I missing something here?”

“Maybe she is into menages… She might be giving you a hint by showing up with that guy…”, Shikamaru Nara drawled as he leaned back in the chair in Sasuke’s office. He has admitted his dilemma to the only sane and reasonable guy he could trust. He could trust his best friend Naruto Uzumaki with his life, but not with his failed attempt at trying to woo a girl. That manchild knew nothing about keeping his mouth shut.

“No.”, Sasuke shook his head firmly at his friend’s suggestion. “No. Hinata is not that kind of girl.”

“You never know man. Some girls are into all that kinky shit.”

“Nara….She is the gentlest and most demure woman in this firm as far as I know, and that includes my fifty-six year old assistant and the geeky looking analyst who probably writes erotica as a pastime. Besides she did say that they were just friends, nothing more.”

Shikamaru smirked at him, “You look like you know a lot about women.”

“I can read a lot about most women just from looking at them. But nothing about this particular one. It’s frustrating to say the least.”

“Well, you could always find out more about her. Ask around, look her up on the internet.”

Sasuke looked mildly offended. “I refuse to come off as creepy.”

“You have passed her cubicle more times in the last few weeks than you have roamed through the office hallways in the last three years. I think you are already past that label.”, his observant friend commented nonchalantly.

-

Sasuke had decided to be direct. He will ask her out. If she agreed, he will tell her explicitly that it had to be just the two of them. And if she wasn’t up for it, then he would sulk away and avoid crossing paths with her for the rest of his life. Or less dramatically, for the duration of her contract with the firm.

Now, all he had to do was to come up with the most perfect romantic date, a woman like her could ever possibly want. But trust Hinata Hyuuga to toss all his plans in the bin, with a bat of her thick eyelashes over her striking grey eyes. 

She had come up to him with no-prizes-for-guessing-who right behind her, when he was getting his lunch at the cafeteria.

“Sasuke~san, how are you?”, she asked him with her trademark genuinely sweet and shy smile that drew his eyes to her glossy perfectly shaped lips. He sighed inwardly, feeling dejected that he was nowhere close to getting a feel of those anytime soon.

“I’m good Hinata, how are you?”, he purposely avoided even looking or even acknowledging the man lurking behind her.

“I’m well, thank you…. Ah, this might seem too forward of me…. But I was hoping to invite you over to my home this Saturday for dinner.”, she ended her words with a questioning lilt in her voice.

Sasuke was quite surprised by her invitation. This was the second time she had come up to him to ask him for his time. Surely it meant that she was interested in him. Right?

“Dinner? At your place?”, he asked her again just to be sure he had heard her right.

She nodded eagerly and explained, “I make a mean lasagna… I was hoping to cook for us… The last two times we were out… umm..  it was a little awkward… Probably because we were out in the public… I’m quite shy that way too… So I wondered if a more private setting might help the situation…”

The situation. She had called it a situation. She definitely knew that he liked her, and dare he hope that she liked him back too. She was going to cook for him after all. While his heart was all too eager to agree with her plans, his mind tried to bring his attention back to the problem at hand. The problem that was, at that very moment, smirking gleefully at him standing right beside Hinata.

Sasuke gave Kiba the hardest of glare before looking over at Hinata and clearing his throat. “When you mean us, you mean it would just be the two of us… Right?”

She was wide eyed and speechless for a few seconds, before she asked him softly with a tell-tale blush, “W-Would you prefer it to be that way?”

“Yes.”, he wasted no time in speaking his mind.

She nodded slowly and then gave another one of her blinding smile that had him smirk back at her too.

“Okay. Sure. Let’s do it that way then. I will text you my address later today.”

-

Saturday night was upon them very soon. He stood outside her door with a gorgeous bouquet of flowers and a bottle of expensive rosè. It might be a cliched option, but it was safe and effective. Personalised gifts could be reserved for subsequent dates.

Dressed in all black smart casual, he knocked on her apartment door. Within seconds, he heard soft rushed footfalls before Hinata opened the door to him. She looked stunning in a pair of simple black skinny trousers and a cream silk bardot top, with her hair in a sleek low ponytail.

“Sasuke~san, please come in.”, she welcomed him.

Before he could come forward to hug her or kiss her cheek in greeting, she had turned around to get inside. He did not even get to give her the flowers or the wine. He brushed it off as her being timid as usual and followed her inside.

“You are right on time. The lasagna is almost about to come out of the oven.”, she informed him as she moved into the open plan kitchen.

But Sasuke’s steps faltered when he saw the now familiar figure of Kiba sitting regally on her sofa, as if he had every right to be there. Sasuke was aghast, angry and so very disappointed all at the same time. Before he could lash out at Kiba, Hinata stepped out from behind the kitchen counter.

“Everything is ready.”, she pointed out to the candle lit dinner table with flowers, an unopened wine bottle and a steaming tray of lasagna. “I will be out of your hair in a second. I have made plans of my own. Hope the lasagna is to both of your liking.”

Sasuke stood paralysed at what he was hearing. Was this some sort of prank? A joke?

He wanted to curse out loud but he kept his temper under control. “What the hell do you mean? And what the fuck is Kiba doing here??!”, he pointed the bouquet at the man.

Okay, so maybe his control wasn’t the best. And now, it was Hinata’s turn to look shocked at his outburst.

“W-What do you mean Sasuke~san?!”, she tried to pacify him. “He is here for your date with him. He arrived a little earlier and helped me with setting the table up for both of you.”

Sasuke pressed the bridge of his nose in pure agony at the clusterfuck of their situation.

“Why…. would you… EVER… think… that I would want to date Kiba?”, he asked her as he prayed inwardly for more patience.

Hinata frowned and explained, “Because I assumed that you liked him… You were trying to get close to him through me and-”

“Hinata”, he interrupted her. “I’m not gay. I don’t like men. And I certainly don’t like Kiba. No offense.”, he directed the last words to Kiba.

“None taken.”, Kiba replied smiling shamelessly from the couch as if he was amused at some private joke.

“B-but then…”, Hinata’s voice trailed off while her mind replayed their previous conversations. It took her a moment to gather her wits, before she began again, “But why would you ask us out then?”

“Because- ”

“Because he was asking you out Hinata.”, Kiba spoke over Sasuke to enlighten Hinata. “You just misunderstood him.”

Hinata gasped at the new revelation. She looked to Sasuke, and when he did not refute the claim, she looked back at Kiba accusingly. “Y-you knew??!!”

Kiba stretched his arms above his head leisurely, before he got up from the sofa. He was now openly laughing at them. 

“Of course I knew Hinata… You were naively oblivious to his intentions… And I decided to play along with your gross misjudgement for a while… I have to say it was fun while it lasted… Thank you Mr. Uchiha for the dinners…”, he saluted to Sasuke before heading towards the door. “I will be out of your hair, now that it probably won’t be as amusing as it was before…”

Hinata was still digesting the crucial piece of information that she had completely misunderstood, as her friend deserted her with Sasuke. She looked at him and offered an apology.

“I’m sorry Sasuke~san… I had no clue-“

Sasuke lifted his hand to stop her from apologising. “No… Don’t… It’s as much my fault… Now that I think about it, none of our words were clear enough for the other person to understand. I should have said explicitly that I like you and that I wanted to take you out on a date.”

Hinata blushed and looked away from the gorgeous man standing in front of her. She liked him enough as a colleague. He was really smart and hardworking, and he treated her kindly every time they interacted. But she had never imagined that he harboured any feelings deeper than their professional relationship.

Seeing her not react adversely to his confession, he stepped closer to her. Unsurely he handed her the bouquet. “I got this for you. And some rosè.”

“Thank you.”, Hinata kept the bottle on the table and smelled the pretty flowers.

Sasuke sighed audibly. “I think I should head back?”, he asked gingerly hoping to get her to cancel her plans and stay with him. The lasagna smelled divine. She looked divine too. Even more so than usual.

“I’m such a fool…”, she shook her head repentantly. She might have agreed to his offer to take her out if she knew how he felt about her. “I should have never so easily believed office gossip…”

“Office gossip?!”, he asked. “You mean people at work think I’m gay??!!”

She nodded guilelessly.

“Hn.”, he grunted unsure if that was good or bad. Because now he realised that there had been fewer women blatantly hitting on him in the last few weeks. But, a few men, co-workers he did not really know, had tried to be friendly with him.

 “But don’t worry, it was probably just speculation on Uzumaki~san’s behalf…”

“Uzumaki? Naruto Uzumaki??”, he said sinisterly.

Hinata grew a little nervous at the shift in his demeanour. “Umm…. Yeah… I… Kinda overheard him telling Ino~san and Sakura~san about how you liked men…”

She watched his eyes narrow into slits and tried to reverse any damage. “O-Or may be I misheard it….That’s possible too…”

“Hn. I will have a proper talk with Naruto about keeping his ideas and speculation to himself.”

Sasuke realised Naruto was trying to help him by keeping Ino and Sakura from openly flirting with him, while slyly gaining the two beauties’ attention upon himself. But he could have come up with a different tactic. His best friend will deservedly hear some of his choicest words as soon as he gets back home.

“Umm…. Would you like to stay over for dinner?”, Hinata’s sweet voice got his attention back. 

“What about your night out plans?”

She shook her head with a shy smile. “I can cancel them. I was going to hang out with my cousin and his fiance anyway. Most likely third wheeling them.”

“You have to stop the third wheeling Hinata.”, he said with a mock serious face.

She giggled and nodded before inviting him over to the table. 

x

#SasuHina #sasuhinamonth2020 #shmonth2020

[killrqueen7]

Fate and Other Fairy Tales

A Worstthrust fanfic for the BRCU (Brandon Rogers Cinematic Universe)

Summary: A look at the events of Blame The Hero from the perspective of two villains in love

This work is also on AO3!

Bryce Tankthrust was never an affectionate woman and would never pretend to be. Growing up in a single-parent household, and with that parent being a highly successful lawyer with a no-bullshit, no fuck-up's, and absolutely no weakness policy, she could count on one hand the times she'd received a hug from her mother and still have fingers left over.

Bryce's mother was a cunt, to put it nicely. She was cold and manipulative toward every human being in her life, including and especially to her own daughters.

She was Bryce's fucking hero.

When Bryce was 7 years old, she met Bobby Best. He was a frail child with a wild temper and possibly the most dysfunctional father-son relationship she'd ever witnessed in all her seven years. The boy was mercilessly teased in PE and despite her desperate need for social validation, she stood up for Bobby against those other brats. In the way that children do, they became friends almost immediately and both, feeling a new sense of companionship and understanding no one else had ever given them, developed an innocent crush on one another; formed by mutual ostracization and strengthened by the hot summer sun.

To this day, 40 years later, Bobby Best was the only person in the world Bryce Tankthrust had ever loved.

Their friendship lasted only 24 hours, but in that time, Bryce had the world in her hands. Bobby made her laugh until she cried and that night, they talked, secretly on the phone, for hours. Bobby looked at her like she put the sun in the sky and she would be lying if she said that didn't make her feel like the most important person in the world.

As they lay in the dewy grass that day, grinning at each other under that hot sun and discussing the philosophy of fate and their every decision bringing them together for this very moment, Bryce made a secret promise; to herself and to Bobby: I'm never going to let it go.

But like all good things in Bryce's young life, the joy and innocence of childhood was short-lived. It all came crashing down around her, when in a moment of pure devotion to her new and very best friend, she'd presented her own beating heart; freshly pulled from her ribcage and held aloft like the precious gift that it was.

Bobby Best, in an admittedly appropriate reaction to seeing such gore and carnage, lost his lunch all over it; tainting both her heart and her entire worldview. A chorus of laughter hammered at her skull; the teacher joining in the act of pushing Bryce Tankthrust to the extreme bottom of the totem pole. You did not come back from something like that.

 Bryce's heart slipped from her slick, blood-soaked palm and landed on the hot asphalt below, breaking in two like some kind of dumbass metaphor. From where she knelt, it seemed as if glitter exploded from the damaged organ, scattered around it along with all of her joy and laughter. Every good and pure thing that made her who she was laid out on the ground at Bobby Best's feet and she was being ridiculed by the rest of their second grade P.E. class.

She only stared at it for a few seconds before standing in a rage and charging her teacher with the very knife she'd used to carve out her very soul. She plunged the blade into Mr. Best's gut several times before turning it on the rest of the class. Despite feeling woozy and weak, Bryce threatened the lot of them and fled, stomping on her stupid broken heart as she ran.

She never looked back, knowing that what she had with Bobby, as wonderful as it was, was over. She had to grow up now; love was for pawns and the easily manipulated. Now, she craved only power.

When she got home early, her mother didn't even question it or the red staining the front of her gym shirt. She simply received a glance and then her sister, that stupid, fussy little monster, began wailing again from upstairs.

"Bryce, will you see what your sister is crying about now? I need to make another phone call." Mrs. Brownstein picked up the landline and then turned her back on Bryce to signal the conversation was over. Helen was her responsibility until mom got off the phone.

Bryce quickly changed her shirt as little Helen cried, her little face wrinkling like an old lady's already. She never stopped when Bryce held her and Bryce was convinced that Helen just didn't like her. So much for girls sticking together.  Bryce was alone now.

Oddly enough, she was okay with that.

"Hearts are a waste of time, " she explained to her sister as she sat criss-cross on the floor with her, Helen sitting up and looking around for something to chew on, "I'll teach you to ignore it. They're just stupid. We're better off with these." Bryce tapped the baby's forehead lightly and then smiled when the little one tilted her head toward the touch.

 _

As Bobby sat in his cell, during the first few years of his sentence, all he felt was rage.

Rage at Bryce for killing his father and destroying any chance he would ever have of making him proud.

Rage at his father for treating him like a stranger in public and like garbage at home.

Rage at his mother for passing away and leaving him with someone who would never love him.

Rage at his classmates for ruthlessly teasing and abusing him.

And rage at himself for allowing all of that to happen.

Bobby swore, as soon as he got out, as soon as he was adopted by a family who actually wanted him, he would find Bryce Tankthrust – the catalyst for the single worst day of his life – and drive a stake through that empty cavity she called a chest.

Some say that there is a thin line between Hate and Love, and for Bobby, that line was nearly microscopic. There were days where he would close his eyes and imagine the sun on his face, the grass on his legs, and her hand in his.

There were nights where he would hear her laughter and see her grinning over at him from across the jungle gym.

All it took was one person to give him a chance. Maybe she did it out of pity or because she knew he would bend the knee and do anything she asked of him, but Bobby didn’t care then. It was the only shred of kindness anyone had ever shown him, regardless of ulterior motive.

“She was so profound.” He wrote out, tears welling in his eyes. “She was my everything.”

Bobby chewed at the eraser of his pencil and frowned at his own words. That was the Bryce he loved. The Bryce he wanted to remember. Except the memory of her rushing his father and driving a blade into his gut was glaring red and dangerous. Dare he admit that he was angry he hadn’t done it first?

No…despite everything, he missed his father. The man was a bastard, but Bobby was completely alone now. More alone than he’d been in his entire life, serving a sentence for a crime that he hadn’t even committed while the real killer roamed free; probably making other boys fall in love with her so she could fuck them over the same way…and never visit.

No, killing her gave him a purpose.

“One day, I will have my revenge on Bryce Tankthrust. She better sleep with one eye open because I’m getting out of here the second a family wants to adopt me.” 

_

As Bryce scowled at the pink and red hearts decorating the walls of her office, the Elmer heart inside her chest grew more and more bitter. Ever since her ex-lover had given her the one gift she couldn’t send back…and then mysteriously “disappeared” after declaring her a, quote, “unlovable, cold-hearted cunt” she’d hated this holiday more than any other.

Baby vomit didn’t easily come out of linen and silk.

His name was Robert and he was…well, he was a baby. And then a toddler. Part of Bryce hated herself for being unable to love the child like the mothers she saw in public. She thought that it might all come together when she held him in her arms for the first time. It was the moment all mothers seemed to speak of with peace and longing, but Bryce felt little more than pride.

She’d made that. A little human with fantastic genes who would never want for anything. But she didn’t feel the tug in her chest or the connection that she was told about. Robert was a stranger to her; and she knew he could feel it.

Her son was well-behaved, it was true, but outside of operating within the same large home, their scheduled interactions were limited. When she had attempted to hold him; to feed him or whatever one did with an infant, he just cried. He wouldn’t stop until Bryce handed him off and that hadn’t changed.

So if she couldn’t even buy his love – with expensive toys, clothing, and food – who else would dare?

This year, like every year before, she hadn’t even received one lousy card. Not even from her precious little Elmer army.

She took their hearts, though. In a way, it was similar to receiving a Valentine several times a month, even if she did use them up and throw them away.

It wouldn’t hurt, she supposed, to hire a boyfriend this year. There were plenty of men who would bend to her every whim; some on speed-dial even, and it would be a charity. Bryce was a woman of authority and fortune and it was good, every now and then, to give to the less fortunate. For a service, of course. She wasn’t in the habit of giving free money.

How much could love be worth? Half a million?

_

Bobby paced the floor of his cell, chewing at his nails as he went over his evil plans once again. He was going to get back at the world for treating him like garbage, tossing him away, and forgetting about him. One day, they would all know the name Bobby Worst and know that it was he that brought about the end of their cruel world. 

And Bryce would suffer with them. More if he could help it. He wanted to watch the life drain from her body and watch as that intelligent spark faded from her deep...chocolate eyes.

FUCK

Bobby slammed his palms against the iron bars and then tried flipping his bed. However, it was securely bolted down; something that had been done to it just a couple months after he was sentenced. He always seemed to forget that in the heat of the moment.

"Agggh it's not fair!" He cried out behind grit teeth and then sank down onto the floor.

And it wasn't. Why would he still be in love with the girl who had put him here and caused him so much pain? Why couldn't he just hate her like any normal person would?

"It's not fair," he muttered at himself, wrapping his arms around his knees and picking at a thread on his striped sleeve.

_

If Bryce still had a heart when she discovered that Bobby had escaped prison, it would have stopped for a moment.

It was front page news and she'd read it on a newspaper on her way into work. Bryce snatched the paper out of an old man's hands and quickly scanned the story with wild eyes.

"Shit!" The old man had gasped, "try me, bitch."

Instead, Bryce shoved the newspaper against his ugly yellow sweater-vest and stormed in to the elevator and then to her office, ignoring the whispers of her Elmer employees and the eyes of her little sister.

Bryce paced the floor and then stood at the window, looking down at the little ant-people below. Just when she was about to take a couple Xanax, the phone rang.

"Ms. Tankthrust? There's a man here insisting on adopting a baby. It's the persistent one."

Bryce nearly crushed the phone in her grip, but kept her voice even and authoritative. "Send him to the big room with the table-"

"The conference room?" The Elmer on the other end asked.

"Yes, whatever. Send him back. I'll deal with it." She slammed the phone down and then rubbed lightly at her chest. The surprise really had done some damage. She'd need a new one if she wanted to be convincing.

Bryce cracked her neck slightly and then went on a search for the fresh hearts, prepared to get this over with.

Then, she would decide what to do about Bobby Best.

_

When Bryce woke up, she was in a cell, lying atop a hard cot. Was this Hell? The last thing she remembered was looking down the barrel of a gun, held by a fucking baby. Baby Elmer; a name she'd decided to keep after stealing him from his true mother.

She didn't enjoy ripping a child from his mother's arms, but she'd been without a heart for nearly a month and it was a struggle to even get out of bed some mornings. She was weak, like a fourth stage cancer patient continuing to breathe out of spite.

In a way, that was exactly what she was living for.

By the time the first Elmer heart was ready, it had to be placed inside her chest cavity by Robert, who begged his nearly comatose mother to stay with him despite having been completely distant from him for most of his little life.

When the heart was shoved inside her chest, it was as if Bryce had done a bump of coke and drank 5 of her favorite double, half-sweet, non-fat caramel macchiato's.

However, she now felt as if she'd been run over by a truck...and then again as it backed over her lifeless corpse.

It felt so similar to the moment when Bobby lost his lunch all over her heart. That crushing, hollowed-out, desperate, clawing, pain.

"Hello!?" She called out, eyes desperately darting back and forth, taking in her surroundings, searching for weaknesses. "Hello, where am I?" She didn't want to sound vulnerable. Even now, she had to remain strong.

 "Hello Bryce," the voice came suddenly from the dark, where a man with platinum hair and a bored expression peered at her from the other side of the bars.

"Hi, would you kindly explain what's happening here?" Bryce gave him her most "pleasant" grin; one that barely hid her confusion and boiling rage.

"I resurrected you," he answered, and suddenly, Bryce knew exactly who this man was, standing there, staring at her with only malice in his eyes and a sparkling notebook under his chin. “With this.”

At one time, he'd been her greatest creation; not because she loved him at all, but because this clone had a heart that would be compatible with her body. He was the first in a long line of Elmer clones who had all...reluctantly donated their very beating hearts.

"I'll be damned, is that my first Elmer?" Her voice sounded almost fond. To say they had a history would be the understatement of the century. "Glad to see you could walk again, and you said that me kneecapping you would ruin your dance career. Oh, how you screamed in pain."

It was true; the removal of an Elmer's heart did not entirely remove the person inside. Some of her creations still held an interest for things like nature, theater, and - god forbid - art. But whatever kept them silent and complacent was fine with Bryce, just as long as they showed up to work on time and made her filthy fucking rich.

Her first Elmer displayed the most personality and had the strongest heart of any Elmer she'd ever made concurrently. She let him keep it, in a rare moment of motherly kindness or whatever, however as he discovered his love of interpretive dance, she could see that the boy was...stifled. He assured her that he was completely devoted to her; "like a son to his mother" (she never put much stock on that) but had tried to run away just a couple of weeks later. To Broadway, or what have you.

When Bryce broke his knees, she felt nothing but vindication. He'd tried to outwit and out-manipulate her.

As Elmer cried in pain, for just a moment, she thought she'd felt something; almost like a vibration or a...tear somewhere in her chest. It was the first shimmer of empathy she'd had since she was seven and it made her nauseous.

That night, Bryce ordered an army of Elmer clones be made and with each subsequent heart she stole, that tiny twinge of emotion faded. She'd "breed" it out of them if she had to.

Bryce watched as hate flashed in Elmer's eyes, a sure sign that things were not good for her.

She was fucked, and not in the fun way. 

_

After escaping prison, Bobby Worst did whatever the fuck he wanted to do. He fucked anything that walked...or crawled as well as various fruits and maybe some things that were not made to be fucked. Whatever, he'd put his dick in anything, because he was Bobby Worst; the absolute worst version of a human being he could ever conceive of. And he'd had a lot of time to think about that.

His diabolical plan was going to turn everyone into the worst versions of themselves. He would simply set off a nuclear bomb and whoever made it out alive would be just as fucked up and shitty as he'd felt for so many years.

And if everything went to plan, Bryce Tankthrust would be caught in the blast. If it didn't kill her, she would become soft, compassionate, and weak. The worst version of herself.

He could only hope she'd been lonely and miserable her entire life, but from the interviews he'd seen, she had more cash than several countries combined and she was never without a man who could dick her down. While he'd been stuck in a cell, pissed off and dreaming of revenge, Bryce had become the wealthiest and most powerful woman in the country, possibly the world.

She also mentioned that he was the skeleton in her closet and for a moment, it seemed like there was something behind her eyes. Regret? He'd replayed that moment again and again, pausing it on her face and searching for anything that said she thought about him.

 Of course, she could have been talking about any "skeleton" in any prison (who knew how many men she’d fucked over). Was he really so foolish to believe she even remembered him? That he was so important for her to regret that day for most of her life?

Bobby grit his teeth as he stared at those cold brown eyes, nearly crushing the remote in his hand. "Suck! Swallow! Set up the computer! I have a message for the world." 

_

Bryce hadn't seen the sunlight in so long. For days she was forced to kill herself and then was brought back only to do it again. She had died in every single way possible and she'd felt fear for the first time since she was a child.

She was strong until she no longer could be.

"No wait stop, Elmer, please, I can't take this anymore!" Her hand shook as she stretched it out to him, begging her tormentor for mercy though she knew she didn't deserve it and probably would not get it.

That audacity made her eldest Elmer pause, walking toward her with a glint in his eye so awful and so evil that she swore he'd adopted her own way of survival. He was enjoying this. 

The momentary distraction - his anger and vindication - was all she needed to snatch the all-powerful "Shit book" and pen, snapping both of Elmer's twig legs once again with the flick of a wrist. Once again, her entire body vibrated with power; power over her enemy, the smallest taste of freedom.

Until she discovered that even godly notebooks of infinite power had a limited number of pages. Oh the things she could have used that book for.

Elmer had had his fun with her and now, they were going to execute her. As she stared down the barrel of the gun in her face, she refused to allow them to see anything. Regret, fear, hopelessness, grief; it all swirled inside her, but her eyes were glassy and cold.

She always thought that it might come to this, though she always imagined the person on the other end of that barrel would be him.

It said a lot of Bryce that she would be happier to have been killed by his hand than to never see him again.

She tried to picture his face, but the only reference she had of him was the smiling face of a seven year old boy and the one very blurry mugshot.

"Last words?" The Elmer holding the gun asked.

Bryce tilted her head back and gave him her brightest, winning smile. "Get fucked, shitbag."

"How eloquent." Elmer said with a stony resolve.

Yet, at the last moment, the door to her lonely cell slid open with a hiss and the execution was called off by the very Elmer who had ordered her death. For now.

_

So there she remained, wrists chained to the walls, waiting for days on days for whenever the world needed her.

They say solitary confinement can break even the strongest of minds, and she had definitely had her weak moments in that cell, wishing even for the torture to continue if it meant having any sort of human interaction.

With her head hung low, she closed her eyes and wondered how baby Elmer was doing in the care of that closeted nitwit, Sam, and his disturbed vampire of a roommate...god, that had to be 17 years ago now. Did he remember anything?

Briefly, her mind wandered to Robert. Her only living relative; her continued bloodline. What would he do with her companies? Her amassed fortune? Was he happy?

In her weakest moment, her mind was stuck on a replay of that day with Bobby Best. The last, beautiful time she'd ever felt anything. The horrible last moments she'd had with him; leaving him heartbroken and confused. She wondered if he ever thought about her, all alone in his prison cell, and if he was still angry with her. She wondered if there might have ever been a chance for them. If he might have broken this door down and slaughtered the Elmer army to save her if circumstances were different.

 Bryce hissed as the stolen heart in her body gave a squeeze.

_

When Elmer rolled back into her cell, followed by a kid who couldn't be more than 29, explaining that the world had been blown to shit and he needed her help, she couldn't help but be amused. How dare he tell her what her purpose was? She knew exactly what she'd been put on this earth for and it wasn't to carry out some bastard's suicide mission. As soon as she was free, she was ripping his fucking heart out and eating it whole, right in front of him and any blonde bastard who tried to stop her. 

But then he dropped the biggest "fuck you" yet.

It was Bobby. Bobby Best. Her Bobby.

Apparently, he was Bobby Worst now - an evil bastard who had escaped prison and done all sorts of mildly horrible things until he finally managed to end the world. Oh, and he was on his way to kill her.

Bryce's snarky smile dropped from her face, and with a force enough to drop a bear, ripped the chains from the wall and stormed out into the bunker.

Unfortunately, the heart in her chest had been long since shriveled and useless and she dropped like a bag of bricks, crying out with the pain. It had taken too much. She wouldn't make it. Not even to Bobby's feet. And she still needed to get that stupid time machine.

"I'm too weak," she explained, clutching at her chest. "I'm gonna need a new heart."

Elmer didn't believe her. "You need to Get. Up."

"I ain't gonna make it 20 yards outside this stupid bunker without dying." She tried to explain. Why would they weaken their only hope?

"Yeah, but what's 'bunker' mean, though?" The kid standing behind Elmer's wheelchair asked...was this guy serious?

"Shut. Up." Bryce demanded, slapping the floor with her palm. "I need a new heart and I want yours."

Elmer just looked bored. "You can have one of the other Elmers'."

"I want yours, Professor X, and I wanna watch it come out of your body." It was only fair. Sure, she'd been cruel to him, but she'd never killed him. Not this Elmer specifically. And he had killed her. Many times.

There was a loud knock on the heavy bunker door, the other Elmer clones announcing the obvious arrival of a guest and working to unlatch and open the door as Bryce and their eldest argued over the possession of his heart.

Time was growing slim. He would have to make a quick decision and that's what she was counting on.

The sudden burst of gunfire made Bryce  jump and duck behind the chair. For a moment, everything was chaos. She didn't have time to stop and think about the voice she'd just heard. She knew it was him. Of course it was him. But she wasn't yet ready to face him. Didn't know if her weak heart could take it.

While Bobby descended upon Elmer in the chaos, Bryce and Blame - apparently that was the kid's name -  slipped out of the door and she earned a pop in the nose for her troubles.

Sure, hearing Bobby's voice demanding to know where she was after years of wondering if he even remembered her was fucking her up a little bit. That, paired with the failing organ in her chest made her a little testy. A bit feral. And it didn't take much for her to snap at Blame about the hazmat suit he was complaining about wearing. When he offered her the Elmer heart in his hand, she latched onto it like a hungry widow spider did its prey, shoving it inside her chest with a shudder.

It wouldn't last long out there, but it was better than nothing. 

_

Bryce was absolutely disgusted with the state of the world. The green assholes she’d met on the outside were even worse than she’d been rumored to be while she was the reigning CEO of multiple Fortune 500 companies. Even the low-income, tattooed heathen she was stuck with seemed like better company. If anyone wanted to know if she’d grown soft on the boy, they could eat a dick and choke on it.

But she did feel a bit bad when they stumbled across the bodies of his friends, giving him a moment alone with them to say his goodbye’s. They were all so young; probably just around her own son’s age. It was a shame, really.

As she roamed the Corn Hole Café, she could hear Blame speaking words of love to his friends and she wondered what it must feel like to lose someone like that, or to care if she did.

“Hey assholes!” Bryce’s head whipped around to the door so fast she rocked a bit in her heels. How the fuck did he find them?

“The lesbian..” She muttered to herself, suddenly regretting not killing her when she had the chance.

“Come out here with your hands up and we’ll fuck you with lube!” Bobby and his disgusting little henchmen laughed to themselves. What was it with villains and laughing like maniacs? 

Rolling her eyes, Bryce made her way back over to Blame, stepping over bodies as she went, but the idiot had decided to antagonize the assholes outside instead of staying quiet and going over a plan.

There was a series of several gunshots and Blame ducked out of Suck’s line of fire, crawling quickly toward the time machine they’d come for in the first place.

Bryce knew what she had to do.

40 years imagining and going over this very moment were thrown directly out of the window. Fuck what Elmer said, this was her purpose. Bobby was her beginning and her end.

“Don’t hurt the boy, Bobby. It’s me you’re after, remember?” She slowly made her way out of the café, putting herself between Bobby and Blame, her hands raised in surrender. She wasn’t even going to try to fight this. “It’s me you nuked this entire fucking planet trying to destroy and yet, here I am, standing like a boner.”

Bobby actually looked…hurt, which was what she was afraid of. Those damn sad fucking eyes - until they filled with rage.

“Nothing ever goes my way!” He cried, every bit as much the pissed off seven-year-old he used to be.

“I got access to a time machine,” She bargained, gesturing over her shoulder, “We can go back and fix all this. Not just the apocalypse but…everything, Bobby.” She wanted that more than she’d ever wanted anything. Standing here, seeing him again, she realized that he was the piece missing from her life; his absence in her life the reason she was so miserable. She hadn’t realized just how fucking much she missed Bobby until he was right in front of her. All she wanted to do was go to him; maybe…hug him. It was all very confusing and uncomfortable. 

Bobby was the one who got away and she had no one to blame but herself. But she had a chance to fix that. To keep him in her life and keep him out of prison. To have him forever.

“I’m sorry, Bryce.” He seemed to hesitate, bouncing on his feet like he did when he was anxious. Did he…have tears in his eyes? “But I waited forty goddamn years in prison for this fuckin’ moment, now I’m gonna skin you like a goddamn pig!”

Bryce was almost disappointed. Not surprised though; prison did awful things to the mind. Bobby was a child when he entered the system; and an innocent child at that. She was the reason he’d grown up that way and he’d had a long time to ruminate in his hate.

She sighed, the smile on her face waning with the ache she felt in her chest. A hollow, awful kind of pain. She knew exactly where this was going. They wouldn’t get a happy ending.

“Well shit, I figured as much.” She turned back toward the café where she’d heard the door creak open softly. “Get out of here now, Blame!”

“Yeah, but what about you, dawg?” How sweet. He was actually concerned about her safety. It would figure that she’d gain some attachment to humanity when she was prepared to leave it.

“This is my purpose,” she told him  and then scooped up the rifle at her feet, pointing it directly at the green man in front of her. He had a knife. He planned to murder her and make it personal.

_

Bobby took a step back, brows furrowed, holding the knife out in front of him warily. He was terrified to admit that his feelings toward Bryce had never really changed. He had missed her and now here she was. Was he prepared to lose her again?

Would she do it? Would she use the gun on him? If her interviews were anything to go by, Bryce Tankthrust was an absolute force of power. She was not to be underestimated or to be fucked with. At this point, Bobby wasn’t sure what to expect.

There were gunshots from the café behind her, where the boy she’d been protecting had disappeared, but Bryce didn’t even flinch. Her focus was narrowed, and it was all on him. The force of it was crushing.

Could he do it? Could he actually take a knife to her?

_

Bryce’s hands tightened and then loosed on the rifle at least three times. No matter what she did, she could not make her finger tighten on that trigger. A heat bubbled up inside her and everything came rushing out all at once. “DAMMIT!” She cried in anguish, dropping the gun from Bobby’s face. “I can’t do it!”

She stared at the ground, ashamed of the guilt; the weakness she felt for Bobby. Even now.

“I thought I was heartless, but there still seems to be people I can’t bring myself to kill.” It didn’t matter what Bobby did to the world or even to her; she wouldn’t take the first shot.

_

Bobby let out a small breath of relief when Bryce dropped the nose of the rifle.

She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t hurt him.

It almost made him reconsider what he was about to do. It almost made him drop the knife and run to take her hand. To live out the rest of their days as the worst living couple in existence. Almost.

“Well then allow me,”

_

The next thing Bryce felt was the plunge of metal in her abdomen, and then three more just like it. And then heat, more intense than she could ever fathom. There was so much blood and so much pain. She was dying; she'd died enough times to know it immediately.

“You stupiiiiiiid cunt!” Bobby gloated, kneeling over her to laugh in her face. Bryce coughed with the pain, blood leaking from her parted lips. "You call yourself evil. You couldn’t even kill me and I’m a fucking terrorist!”

“You’re right,” Bryce sighed, meeting Bobby’s eyes. She was resigned to her fate now, but that didn’t mean she had to do it alone, “I just need a little push.” Bryce ripped the hazmat suit from her face and took a deep inhale of the radioactive oxygen around them. Immediately, her skin flushed a deep green, altering and corrupting her very cells, turning her into someone who could actually kill the love of her life.

Bryce lifted the blade from her stomach, watching as it slid out of her flesh covered in her blood. Bobby held her wrist the entire time, eyes wide and full of fear. He knew, as well, where this was going.

As Bobby screamed about the deep injustice of it all, Bryce plunged the blade into his torso; once, twice…and then four more times, crying out as if it was killing her too. The pain she felt was much more than just physical. It ripped at her insides and squeezed at her throat. She didn’t want this. No matter what Bobby did to her, she never wanted to hurt him. But to save this disgusting planet, she needed to bring down the very worst of the assholes inhabiting it.

Bryce rolled onto her back beside her childhood friend who was staring up at the smog-hidden sky above them as they both gasped and choked on their last remaining breaths. Bryce watched his face, wishing that he might reach out and take her hand in these final few moments.

“You know what’s crazy?” Bobby forced out between gasps. “Every decision we’ve ever made has led to this moment.”

Bryce felt herself relax into the grass as she laughed warmly. He remembered.

Bryce felt her heart give out when she heard Bobby take his last breath. Her eyes lost their focus and she imagined what life might have been had they been able to start over.

Bobby had once been the most important person in Bryce’s life. More than the son she’d named after him. More than her own living, breathing sister.

In another world, perhaps, Bryce would have taken Bobby’s hand and they would have run away together. They might have fallen in love; genuinely and immensely. She might have become the most powerful woman in the world – president, even – supported at every step by her super-hot, super-villain boyfriend.

In another world, maybe they’d have started a little evil family of their own – she’d always liked the name Delmar (would they even make good parents??). Maybe they’d have a wedding on the roof of a skyscraper and start their honeymoon by blowing some shit up.

Maybe they’d be happy.

And she’d never need to steal a heart again, because she’d already have one freely given.

Author’s Notes:

 I realized after writing this that Helen and Bryce are not actually sisters in this universe but I can’t be bothered to change it. They are sisters in this fic, though it doesn’t really change the story. If you know Helen, growing up with Bryce Tankthrust as an older sister would explain a lot.

Bryce does have a son, mentioned only once and briefly. The biological father is unknown and he does not currently have a name. It doesn’t seem like he and Bryce are close. In my fic, I named him Robert (after Bobby T-T), BUT I have since decided that Delmar Lysol (from Brandon’s video, Family Friendly Halloween) could have only come from the loins and environment of these two fucked up assholes, so he’s their son...in another timeline.

This is NOT a healthy relationship (then again, is anyone healthy in the BRCU??) but Bryce and Bobby are villains for a reason. They’re assholes. To everyone. Everyone in this universe is an asshole (except for precious Sam, I do believe, though he has his moments)

#brandon rogers #worstthrust #my fic #bryce tankthrust #bobby worst #fanfiction #brcu #brandon rogers cinematic universe

[lumberingleviathan]

Werebear x Reader

Here’s a Patreon reward for @sixpiecechamber ! Name usage in a story, as well as input to its content. Thank you again so much 💕

If you like what you read consider tipping over at my Ko-Fi, or check out my Patreon, you could be starring in your very own story next time!

-x-

You’ve taken this trail hundreds of times, know the turns, the fallen trees. Sometimes you can even pretend the forested path knows you as well. That it looks forward to this ritual; a secret the two of you share. Most people would caution a runner alone at night, let alone through Crookbank forest. Except you grew up just off the edge of it, it’s been near as much a companion to you as all the stories you’ve read countless times. It’s pleasant this way, the sounds of the night birds over head, the way the darkness could hold anything.

Perhaps it instills in others fear, but there’s always been a quiet sort of wonderment in your heart. Some ingrained knowledge that this place for all its secrets, would never bring harm to you. Your steps crunch against broken twigs, fallen leaves as you round the bend. Sure enough the sound of the creek can be caught just in the distance.

Only a few miles until you’re home.

Where a warm soak awaits, and maybe a new book once you’ve settled into bed. Something makes the hair at the back of your neck stand up, when you turn there’s a man, gun in hand. “Shouldn’t be out so late-“ you haven’t seen him in town, but just the way he looks at you tenses every fiber of your being. Slowly you step back, keeping your gaze on him. Uncertain on what to do, as if there’s some kind of written manual by which to follow.

What you see, and the man doesn’t is the large forming shadow growing with each moment that passes. How you try to find fear in it, eyes glowing above the mans head, maw slowly stretching wide out of the darkness. Only looking at it you feel the same sort of connection you’ve had with this forest. That it isn’t here to hurt you, no matter how your heart, and nerves try to tell you otherwise. What happens next though is quick, beyond you fully catching it-

Just that a flash goes off, a growl that rings like a bell in your skull, and pain blooming in your leg. Then the darkness finds you, seeps in at the edges of your vision as you watch the hulking frame of the bear bear you. Wet black nose pressing at your cheek, cool against the fever. A voice warm, and sweet, whispering, “I’ve got you.”

What feels only seconds passing has you fluttering open your eyes as a man knees before you. Shirtless you can see scars adorning his shoulders, curving against his spine. The way his hands are rough, and calloused as they work gauze around your thigh. Get touch so tenderly, pad of his thumb securing the last bit into place by drawing it slow across skin, and fabric both. “You alright?” It’s the first thing he asks, lifting his head finally from his handi work. With a look around you find yourself in a small cabin, and he eyes you with a touch of worry at the edges. “Bullet just grazed you, nothing serious- should have gotten him sooner-“ there’s regret in his voice, and the touch of frustration as well.

You can’t help but reach towards him, how familiar he seems. Those eyes, the sandy blonde of his hair. How he lets you touch, watches you with such an intensity it’s hard to look anywhere else.

“I know you.” How the words startle you, that you would say them at all. That he doesn’t seem unnerved, instead looks shy- “not like this, but- I’ve seen you. You run through, I make sure you get home safe. That’s all.”

Memories flood back to you in small moments you’ve brushed off. Moments where you thought yourself lost, only to suddenly have a branch snap in the right direction. That you always feel watched but never hunted-

“I don’t even know your name.” You whispers, soft, and he backs up slightly on his knees. “Theodore.” He starts, raises a large hand to brush at the back of his neck. “You should leave.” Only it’s the last thing you want to do. All those stories of yours seem to pale to the realness of him, so shy, gentle, and sweet. All this time spent so far away, “You’ve never so much as show yourself why-“ and this time when you reach for him he pulls away. “You don’t understand, it isn’t safe I’m now, and you-“ he trails off, glances towards you as he moves to stand. There’s more scars revealed on his torso, and chest.

How it pulls at your heart, carefully you raise up from the chair, “Because of.. because of what I saw? What you are?” He only nods, face trying to stay blank. “I don’t care, you saved me. You protected me, I don’t want you to hide from me..” how your heart feels stuck in your throat, fingertips gently brushing across a rigid scar that bisects from pec, down to navel. He shudders, tilting his head back at the contact. “I want to see you.” A whisper as you step in closer, pressing kisses against his collar bone, ghosting your lips against each healed wound you find. Claiming them as your own, as if retroactively you can protect him now.

“You don’t-“ he tries to counter, but it’s clear he’s lost to the touch of you. The way your hands raise up to hold his shoulders, lower him down to his knees. “Show me.” The transformation is equal parts beautiful, fascinating, and spellbinding. The ripple of fur, the bulking of frame, how on his knees he’s still taller than you. His pants shredded on the floor, those eyes though, still sweet as anything. How he holds the shape of a man within the shifted weight of frame. That when you touch at the warmth of his fur he makes low rumbling noises. Ears twitching atop his head, maw opening to let his tongue pant.

You circle him once, apprising, learning, fingertips gliding across his shoulders, between them, only to make a complete circle to the front once more. You’re wearing an oversized shirt that you realize smells like him, him as he is now. The depth of the woods, and the honey cling of night. Your fingertips brush up your thighs, watching how his gaze follows. Drawing up the shirt just enough to expose your lower half. The way he starts forward, halts when your foot lifts to set against the top of his skull.

How it spreads you, the seam of you starting to grow damp, shining up the longer he looks at you like that. Large tongue lolling out of his mouth, “is this what you want, huh Teddy.” How fitting the nickname, the way he groans at it, one massive hand lowers to dig obsidian claws into the hardwood beneath him. Your left hand keeps the shirt lifted, while your right lowers to touch yourself. Index, and middle fingers pressing in, the way it makes you shudder, a moan out of your mouth that’s nothing compared to the way he’s whining.

“Don’t you think I’d feel so good? Isn’t that right look at you, already leaking.” How fun it is to tease him, how he takes it, seems to like it. That you aren’t lying either the way his cock is engorged, how he’s all but trying to grind down at the wood. “Ah, Ah, Teddy I’m thanking you.” Your foot prods at his skull, and he rolls down into his back, all but squirming by the time you climb onto him. Fur ticking at your thighs, his cock heavy, and swollen while you straddle just below. Lifting up slightly to split yourself against him.

The jerk of his hips up, while you lean forward to push your palm at his chest. “Stay.” Each time you draw against him he convulses slightly- but true to your command he stays. The head of him all but drooling by the time you lift upwards, lowering yourself onto him with a gasp. The way you sink yourself down, inch by inch- how he lets you take him just how you want. Your mouth searching at his muzzle, wet open mouthed kisses. How you’ve always known, haven’t you? Out there in the dark, why it always kept you coming back.

This one, the one.

His cock twitching violently inside of you, when you sink your teeth into the meet of his neck with a muffling moan. “Not yet, don’t you dare.” Your hissing against him, reaching between you both to squeeze at the base of him. Pulling away completely while a roar rips out of him, bully the bundle of nerves between your thighs until sinking back down once more.

“That’s it fuck, a little more, that’s it Teddy, go on, come for me, good-“ incoherent mumbling in your part when he breaks with such a force it shakes right through you. Leaves you dropping down onto his chest shaking, his fur, and your skin damp. These low soft keening noises in his throat when he raises his arms to wrap you further against him.

The suns started to rise, and it spills out golden against you both. That the woods now own something more than just your time, and you wonder what other secrets it might contain. How you shower affection against him, kiss, after kiss. Each one a thank you, and an apology. That you didn’t find him first, that he feared you from the start. He halts scenting st the air, lifting you to set you down against the wood.

You can see blood starting to soak through the gauze, and have the grace enough to look mildly apologetic, “my bad?” You offer even as his talons start to oh so delicately work the gauze free preparing to re dress the wound. That he halts only long enough to eye up the way he’s leaking out of you with a low rumble of want.

You can’t stop the smile spreading slow, and heated, “What’s the matter, you want more?”

#exophilia #werewolf #monster boyfriend #werewolf x reader #werebear

[ajoy3fanfics]

Missing PT XIII

‘You need to let him go’

That’s what Sango had told her; If she had been honest with any of her other friends, she was sure that would have been their advice too. What on Earth was she doing, hanging around an ex, the very one who shattered her heart and didn’t think twice? When he left her, he didn’t call, didn’t try to rectify his wrongs. He moved on, never looking back at the damage.

But then there he was, showing up at her doorstep, begging for a moment of her time. Just when she thought she could move on from him, he came bursting into her life, shining his attention on her and making her feel starved without it.

She shouldn’t feel that way! They were over! O-V-E-R. She had to keep reminding herself of that; He was sick, his love was sick, and all of it was just temporary.

It became a mantra; ‘he doesn’t love me, he doesn’t love me, he doesn’t love me’. Somehow, Kagome thought that if she kept repeating it, it would make it feel less real. Yet no matter how many times she mulled it over in her head, it was hard to turn away from the man she loved.

Loves?

Loved.

Her phoned vibrated and she thanked God for the distraction. Any more time spent thinking on the hanyou would lead her down a rabbit hole she didn’t dare to follow.

‘Up for a movie?’ Koga, of course. Kind and sweeter than she deserved.

She should reply quickly; it wasn’t good to leave him on read. She didn’t feel much like going out, or seeing even him for that matter. Before, she looked forward to their dates, to getting out of the house and spending time with him. Their last meeting left a heavyweight in the pit of her stomach that took days to shake. Not that he had done anything wrong- the complete opposite, really. He wanted more, wanted her and she didn’t exactly know how she felt. They were not exclusive, although she knew the wolf demon was not seeing anyone else; it put a pressure on her she wasn’t sure she was ready for. No, she and Koga were just casually dating, or at least that’s what they had agreed to; So why did it feel so much like cheating every time she thought of Inuyasha?

When she was with him, she felt like she was sneaking behind Koga’s back, and when she was with Inuyasha…

All her thoughts were on him. He was always present, her mind never cast off in a million directions. Her attention was always on him, on the way he looked, the sound of his laugh, how good he smelled or the way one corner of his mouth turned up more than the other when he smiled.

It wasn’t good to be like this, to let these feelings fester. How long was she going to let the hanyou control her? She should focus on Koga, focus on her future. She should ask Inuyasha if he ever went to his doctor's appointment.

Damn it!

She should choose Koga, chose a new path, someone who wouldn’t take her feelings for granted and run off when their relationship became rocky. Koga wasn’t like that; but then again, she didn’t think Inuyasha was either.

It was so out of character, so strange how it happened. It was as if his personality did a complete 180. Sure, his temper could be short at times, but he was never cruel. How could someone go from such a loving man to someone who turned their back so easily? By the end of their relationship, she felt like she didn’t recognize him anymore.

She was shocked to learn he was calling for her at the hospital; The desperation in his voice, the way he clung to her… she had never seen him afraid. If he lost his memory, he was working off his feelings from back then. He must have loved her, must have truly cared at some point. How could it all have gone so wrong?

It didn’t matter.

And yet it did, and it was driving her nuts!

She couldn’t just continue on like this, stuck in limbo, waiting for Inuyasha to fall out of love with her, waiting for some closure that would probably not happen.

Kagome knew what she needed to do.

She had made up her mind.

~.~

The phone buzzed, immediately catching his attention, making him put down his pencil and halt his work on the clients blue print; it seemed that no matter what he was doing, he was never too busy to respond to her texts. She did that a lot now- texting him. When they first started talking it was minimal communication; awkward and brief, only relaying the basic message that needed to be sent.  Now, she was opening up, talking about her day, her frustrations, the good parts and boring. It reminded Inuyasha of how they were, before; He dared enough to take it as a good sign.

Especially when she texted late at night. That itself was something that had him fantasizing in a million different ways. Was she lonely? Did she miss him? If she thought of him in the early hours, it must mean that she was alone and Koga wasn’t warming her bed, and that was fucking brilliant.

It drove him crazy to know that that damn wolf was still sniffing around her; He had found out that they weren’t official, but they were dating, and that alone was enough to make him rip Miroku’s couch to shreds, which, by the way, was getting fucking old. He needed to find a place and soon, but apartment hunting took so much damn time.

‘You’re going to the doctors today, right?’

Boring. He wished she would talk about anything else- what she had for lunch, the color of her panties, when he could see her next. Really, anything else; But no, his ex-fiancé was in full-on nag mode. He knew that when she was like this, there was little that could stop her.

‘Not today. Too busy. I’ll go on Friday.’ He responded, rolling his eyes as he tossed the phone on his desk. Miroku, his mom, hell, even Sesshomaru had been on him about going to get a check-up; he had meant to, but he just kept missing the appointments. How could he get to the doctors when there was so much work to do? It buzzed again, and even though he knew it would be grating, he was still thrilled to receive something, anything, from her.

‘You better to go, Inuyahsa. I mean it!’

She was concerned, that had to be a good sign, right? Kagome was worried enough about his well-being enough to argue with him about it. That had to be good, right?

‘Yeah, yeah. Thanks mom.’ He sent back, biting on the corner of his lip. He knew that it would get under her skin, but he said it anyway.

‘You better. Don’t make me get your mother involved.’

Ouch, a real fucking threat. She’d do it too, if history was any indication. Not that Kagome called his mom over petty arguments, no she wasn’t that type. His mom just fucking loved Kagome, a lot, and they always seemed to team up and back him into a corner when they were on the same page.

‘You should. She misses you.’ He sent it on impulse and regretted it immediately; he tried to keep it light, did his best to stay in the friend zone and not bring up their relationship. Yes, it was the giant elephant in the room, but he was a coward and he’d rather dance around the issue and be with her than to confront it head on. There would always be time for that some other day.

‘Yeah, I miss her too.’

He didn’t know what to say next, how to move the conversation along from there. Should he change the subject? What the hell could he talk about? His mind was racing as he panicked, his claws tapping on his wooden desk as he searched for an answer, Kagome supplying one before he could.

‘Are you busy tonight? Can we meet up?’

It felt like a mistake and an opportunity all at once.

‘Of course.’

What else could he say?

~.~

The ride back to her apartment seemed too short, at least in Inuyasha’s opinion. They had gone out for coffee, she walking and he driving to meet her. While they sat sipping it suddenly began to pour, the rain heavy on the concrete sidewalk, and Inuyasha was more than thrilled to give Kagome a lift home. It was nice to have her in the passenger seat again, to have her by his side.

He pulled up, parking in his old spot, the feeling more nostalgic than he would have thought. A simple gesture, but one that threw him back, took for granted back then. As he cut the engine, he turned to look at her, his breath-stopping, all thoughts lost.

The air felt heavy, hot. She was looking at him half-lidded and if he didn’t know better, he would have thought she wanted him. He had seen that look on her often enough, fuck it was ingrained in his mind, but she hadn’t looked at him that way, been so close to her like this in a long time, and fuck if it didn’t make him nervous. He felt like a bumbling idiot, too afraid and jittery to make a move. “L-let me grab my jacket.” He stuttered. “I-I can walk you to the door.” Kagome bit her lip and nodded and Inuyasha just about died.

Shutting his door behind him with a loud bang, he whipped around to Kagome’s door, holding his jacket high overhead to protect her from the rain. She stepped out, squeaked a bit from the weather and the two of them ran to the front steps of her apartment, the small awning making them huddle in together as they said their goodbyes.

“I should go.” He said, silver hair damp with rain, sticking against his forehead. Kagome smiled, reaching up to push away the stray locks, tucking one behind his ear, the hanyou doing his best to control his blush. Her hand rested on his cheek, cupping it tenderly as she searched his amber eyes, looking for hesitation, looking for recognition, for truth or love- she wasn’t sure anymore.

“Kagome,” he breathed out, covering her petite hand with his own. “I-“

She cut him off, unwilling to let him finish lest she lose her nerve. The kiss was slow and tentative at first, an underlying hunger they were too afraid to indulge in. When they broke away, quickly, much too quickly, Inuyasha knew he was panting and he didn’t care; Kagome’s hands had traveled down, grasping his muscular arms like they were her lifeline. Had her eyes looked this blue before? Had her lips been so full, so plump? Her scent so spicy and alluring? Everything about her in this moment set his senses in overdrive, leaving him feeling both drugged and charged for more.

“Don’t go.” She pleaded, her tone hinting that she was worried. As if he could turn away.

“Are you sure?” He asked, the words sounding foreign to his own ears. This had to be a dream. And to his utter surprise, she nodded, clutching him harder, her eyes never leaving his.

She didn’t have to ask him twice.  

~.~

A/N: Hey guys! I am super happy about getting to this point, and even more excited for the next chapter! Thanks for sticking with the story and reading! I hope everyone had a great holiday and has a happy new year!

#missing #inuyasha #kagome #inukag #inufanfic #fanfiction #ajoy3 #hope you like it