Writing, Haunting and more Writing

It was funny how the world worked.

In a time where John is facing the potential end of the world, dealing with an incompetent team, and getting closer and closer to his life being in danger:

He finally gets asked out on a date.

John almost blacked out during the whole interaction.

His attention was on you from the moment you entered the grocery store. It was hard to ignore someone so beautiful. He had noticed your cart getting closer to his. He had noticed that you kept glancing over at him.

But what he hadn't noticed was the fact that you were looking at him with admiration and not disgust.

When you stopped him to ask him if you wanted to go on a date, he felt like he was being ambushed. He didn't even remember what he had said in response to being asked out; his brain had stopped working in that moment.

All he knew was that a few hours later, you two were getting coffee together.

He remembered everything from that point on, not wanting to miss a moment of his time with you. You had only caught up 2 more times, but he couldn't help his mind drifting to you and your gorgeous features.

That’s how he knew for sure that it was you on Goff’s doorstep.

“Holy shit”

“What, what is it? Are we in danger?” Chris’s voice instantly came through the radio, as Murn and Adebayo turned to John expectantly. “Dyed bread I swear to go if we’re gonna die-”

“You’re not going to die,” Murn spoke clearly into the radio, before turning to John. “Right?”

John shook his head, washing off the shock. “No, no, you guys are safe. I just… I know that girl," He pointed to your figure on the monitor, standing firmly in front of the entrance.

“The one standing guard?” Chris asked through the radio, and John hummed as confirmation.

“How?” Adebayo asked, squinting her eyes at your image to make sure she didn't know you as well.

“I…I’ve been on a few dates with her” John looked to Adebayo and Murn, a look of genuine fear on his face. He didn't know what this all meant.

“Holy shit,” Chris’s voice crackled through the radio.

“I mean…I knew you were sad, man, but this is a whole new level.”

“Shut up, Chris!” Adebayo spoke into the microphone while John looked offended by the comment. “What the hell does that mean?”

“It meansyou're desperate enough to claim an assassin as your girlfriend."

“I never said girlfriend…I haven't asked yet,” John muttered the last part, causing Chris to burst out into heavier laughter.

“Seriously, Chris, shut up.” Adebayo colded again, and John turned to her. “You believe me, right?”

She looked at him with wide eyes, feeling put on the spot by the question. “Ummmm”

“Jesus Christ, how sad do you all think I am?” John pointed an accusing finger at those still in the van, upset with the lack of any respect he was getting from his team.

“Murn can you get them back to work?” Harcourt’s voice crackled through Chris’s laughter, finally deciding to intervene.

“Yes thank you. The radio should be used for work, nothing else,” Murn spoke sternly.

“No more talking about Eocnonoms’ fake girlfriend.”

Murn's statement only caused more laughter form chris, as John threw his hands up in the air. 

---

You awkwardly glanced down at 'Rip' Jagger, or as he insisted you called him: Judomaster.

You were honestly surprised you had even been picked for this job. Goff was an intense client. You usually just worked as security for private events or celebrities on vacation - still high-end clients but pretty boring in comparison.

Having a man in a full-blown hero suit next to you felt oddly nostalgic. You were reminded of your younger days, when you were in high demand for reckless and dangerous jobs. In your line of work, turning 30 was basically retiring. Getting offered to work for several months protecting the family of the famously intense Goff was an offer you couldn't refuse.

But even this 'intense' job with Goff was mainly just standing at the front door with a man who seemed to hate you.

"Don’t you dare attempt humming.”

Judomaster's voice cut through the silent air, his gaze sharply on you. You hadn't even pursed your lips to make the noise, but he had correctly predicted your next move.

“You're good,” You complimented, and he just lifted another falming cheeto to his mouth. Despite his snacking, he seemed to be taking the job a lot more seriously than you were, as your eyes wandered around in a bored fashion.

“So…you got any kids?” You asked, again breaking the silence. Judomaster gave you a deadpanned look: not quite offended, but definitely not pleased with the question. “How old do you think I am?”

Feeling the weight of his question, you nervously looked around to avoid eye contact. “Somewhere in the range of 18 to…63”

He thought for a moment before shrugging. “It’s better than being called a middle schooler.”

Ther was a moment of silence between the two of you. “So do you have any-”

“Even if I were interested in making small talk with you, that would be the last thing I’d want to discuss.”

You paused. “Cause your kids suck?”

“Because I don't have any, and that’s a stupid question.”

You threw your hands up in annoyance. “Well, sorry for trying to make conversation. Are you not bored out of your mind?”

Judomaster shook his head. “No, because I’m good at my job. I don't get bored cause i'm always on high alert. You should give it a try."

You groaned, rolling your eyes at the statement. “Dude, we’ve been here every night for months. No one has even come to the door to visit, more or less kill him. I really think this guy just has a massive ego cause no one is coming to ki-”

The sound of a bullet interrupted your discussion as the glass shattered beside you.

“Fuck” You breathed out, as you instantly took out a weapon, your eyes scanning for the source of the bullet. Judomaster seemed to have already spotted the shooter, his body already running into the woods.

There was the sound of two more gunshots.

You looked around, trying to peice together what to do. There was enough silence that you assumed a fourth shot wasn't coming, and you quickly moved to see what the damage had been.

Goff still stood alive, but his wife and kids lay dead beside him. Somehow, what shocked you more was the fact the family members had weird tongues sticking out, some even still in a bowel in weird liquid.

“What are you doing just standing there? Go get them,” Goff yelled, gesturing at you to follow where Judomaster went. You quickly nodded, being snapped out of whatever shock you were in.

Sprinting away into the woods, you felt more like you were running away from Goff than to protect him. There was something seriously off with that man… if he even was one.

“What the fuck was that” You muttered as you followed the path clearly made by Judomaster. You didn't even get a moment to breathe when you caught up: instantly met with the flying body of a man.

Moving just in time, the man in a red uniform stumbled in front of you: as you looked up to see Judomaster as the clear culprit, the man's injury. The uniformed man's attention seemed to be only on Judomaster.

“That’s the best you can do, shortstack? I could beat you with my eyes closed an-”

You didn't let the man make anmore of a fool of himself as you hit the sweet spot on his shoulder with the end of your gun, instantly sending him down.

“You totally stole my kill,” Judomaster compalined, running off to get the other guy before you had a chance to 'steal another one'. You sighed, turning to look at the man you now knew as Peacemaker.

He seemed to be coming in and out of consciousness, which was not good enough for your liking. Unlike Judomaster's words, you didn't want him dead, but you certainly did not want him seeing more than he needed to.

“Sorry bout this” You spoke, as you raised your gun again, about to use the handle for another blow.

“Econonmos has horrible taste in women.”

You didn't process the comment until after you brought the weapon down, knocking the man clear out. Instantly, your heart dropped, wishing he would wake back up so you could interrogate him on the statement.

Almost unconsciously, you looked around as if John was going to be there.

That wouldn't make any sense, John had told you he was a techniaction. He didn't seem like the type of guy to be involved with Peacemaker.

Still, it felt too odd to be a lucky guess. 

---

Your eyes slowly blinked open as you came into consciousness.

You were vaguely aware of the fact that you were in a moving vehicle, but you were more distracted by the ringing pain in your head.

“Wait guys she’s waking up.”

“Should we shoot her?”

“No”

“How is she waking up so fast?”

You grumbled slightly, the light still too blaring for you to piece together an image. “My grandpa was meta-human, so I’ve got a quarter regeneration in me,” You responded almost on autopilot.

“See guys, i told you she was the real deal” A familiar voice spoke, before the blurry face of the speaker came infront of you. “Quickly, tell them about how we've been on several dates.”

You tilted your head as the face came into clearer view. “John?”

He sighed, though turned back to the group. “She knows who I am, which, with the state she's in, is the best we’ll get.”

“Dude," Adebayo glared at him as he sat back down. “She just woke up from being hit by a car, be nice.”

“Well, it’s not like she cares” he grumbled, crossing his arms. “She only cares about getting information for her precious aliens."

You managed to prop yourself up, met by another face hovering over you.

“Yeah, what a bitch. We should shoot her,” Adrian spoke too excitedly, already moving his weapon to face you. You barely had time to wince before a string of protests from the others in the van came booming in.

It was not unnoticed that John yelled the loudest.

“Ok sorry” Adrian held out his hand in defense, putting his weapon away.

“Where am I?” You finally croaked out, your throat begging for some water. You didn't seem frightened by the situation or the gun that had just been pointed in your face; you just observed the situation.

Your brain still felt foggy, but your memories began to return.

You remember Judomaster dragging Peacemaker and Vigilante back to Goff, and you remember waiting outside as the two 'dealt with them'. You know, at some point, Judomaster returned, informing you that you had to follow him.

Then the last thing you remembered was getting in Judomaster's car, a bright light, and a smashing noise.

Now you were in the back of a van with a bunch of strangers, and a man you had hoped to start a relationship with.

“It doesn't matter where you are; what matters is what you know.” A blonde woman snapped, glaring down at you.

“Nothing. I know nothing.” You responded with a whine. This was meant to be a simple, boring security job.

You were met by a scoff, bringing your attention to where John was sulking. "You know how to break a man’s spirit,” He mumbled, getting a glare from Murn.

“Not the time,” Adebayo muttered, though she still patted him on the back.

“What do you know about ther butterflies” Harcourt pushed and you gave her a confused look. “Butter- I have no idea what you are talking about.” You insisted. “I was hired to be a security guard with…” You trailed off, suddenly remembering the other member of your team. “Shit is Rip, alright?”

“Who the fuck is that?” Adrian asked, while Harcourt groaned - feeling this interrogation was already going off the rails. Hoping to please you enough to get your attention, Harcourt nodded her head to where the unconscious Rip Jagger lay.

“Shit,” You swore under your breath. If they had managed to get Judomaster unconscious, then little old you was royally fucked.

“Oh yeah, I bet you care so much about him, way more than you care about me.” You heard John mumble again, receiving groans from his team members.

“John,” You scolded, and his eyes whipped over to you. “I didn't date you to get intell dumbass. I dated you cause you were hot."

“She needs glasses,” Adrian muttered under his breath, and Chris snorted at the comment.

John just looked at you, astonished. “Really?” He quickly shook his head, trying to keep a stern face. "I have no reason to believe you."

“Oh my fucking god,” You yelled, tempted to slam your head on the floor and join Rip in unconsciousness. You were getting nowhere with this group. "Look, I don't know what intel you want, but I think we have bigger problems. That dickhead I was hired to protect had a bunch of…alien things as his family. We need to call someone…like the Justice League."

Instead of answering your desprate pleas, the gorup all stared at you blankly.

“I don't think she's playing dumb,” Murn spoke, causing you to smile. "Thank you"

"I think she's just actually dumb."

Your excitement deflated as the others in the group let out frustrated sighs. Harcourt looked almost desperate for answers. "So you really know nothing about the butterflies and their plans? Not even what their feeding plan was?"

You stared back at her blankly. "Ok, either I have a concession, or you guys are some cult."

Harcouret stomped her foot, finally agreeing with Murn. You couldn't provide any useful information to them.

John seemed to perk up slightly at this new information, his eyes flickering over at you. "So does that mean that… you know… our dates were-"

"She already called you hot, bro. I wouldn't push your luck," Chris interrupted, bringing the van back into silence.

"So now do I get to kill her?"

"Adrian, no"

---

By the time you got to their base, you had calmed down a bit.

You still had no idea what was going on, but oddly, the group had been friendly enough to you…once they realised, you were painfully oblivious to everything going on.

“And this is a picture of my dog dressed as Madonna.”

“Aww, that’s so cute.” Adebayo smiled at your compliment as she continued to scroll through her many pictures of her dogs. "You are too kind."

You smiled back. “Now, do you think you could untie me?” There was a limit to the 'friendliness' of the group, as you remained detained the entire journey.

Adebayo made a hissing noise between her teeth as she gave you a guilty look. “Sorry, girl, I’m not allowed to. You being a hostage and all that.”

You deflated a bit, though ultimately weren't surprised by the answer. “Could you at least show me  a picture of your dog as Elvis?”

Adebayo lit up again, about to scroll to find a new picture.

Instead, you were met with a hit on the back. “Come on, we've got to get the prisoner away,” Chris spoke with disdain in his voice.

“Chris, come on. She’s chill,” Adebayo complained, but Chris shook his head. “Nu-uh, anyone who says John is hot is untrustworthy."

"You sure you're not just upset cause I knocked you out?" You asked in a teasing tone, and Chris went quiet for a moment. "I'm man enough to admit that does play a little part."

Rolling your eyes, you sent Adebayo a grateful look for trying before allowing Chris to lead you to the office building. Despite his insistence to get you in, Chris had no plan for where to keep you - eventually just dumping you at a desk and telling you to stay still.

Being held hostage was a lot more boring than you thought it would be. At least you had training from all the standing at Goff's door.

You were snapped out of your zoned-out daze when a glass of water was placed on the table in front of you. Looking up, you saw John, who wasn't quite looking you in the eyes. You could tell from his demeanour that he was feeling guilty.

“Have you come to unite me?” you asked hopefully, but he shook his head. “I did come to apologise for hitting you with a car.” You made a pshh noise, trying your best not seem pathetic despite your situation.

“Ah, don't worry about it, I’ve dated assassins before. Getting hit by a car is a mild way someone's gone through a break-up with me."

John looked down sadly. “So that means you don't want to go on any more dates?”

You paused at the question. For a man who currently held all the power, he already looked so defeated. Like he had predetermined your answer hours ago.

“I didn't say that.”

John's eyes flicked to you in an instant, wide and clearly surprised. He couldn't deny the fact that his heart picked up with excitement at the mere thought of it working out between you. Even if you were currently a captive for his business, you were still the closest he had gotten to…well, anything romantic.

He wasn't ready to give that up.

“So you do want to go on another date?”

You sighed, your eyes darting around the room as you tried to find the words to say. “Look, John: I’ve just been hit by a car, found out aliens are real, and am now tied up as a criminal. I’m not really thinking about dating right now.”

John quickly nodded as he stretched himself out. “Yeah, yeah, of course,” He nodded rapidly, already getting up to go to the door. “That was stupid to even ask…I'll let you be"

Moving faster than he ever had, John rushed to get out of the situation.

“John,” You called after him, and he turned around, an unsure look on his face as he anticipated your next comment.

“I’d love to go on another date with you.” 

“Come on, boy, get a smile on that face.”

Su-bong poked at Nam-gyu’s cheeks as they sat in the club.

Despite it being Nam-gyu’s idea to come to the club, he had spent most of the night sulking around: half ignoring Su-boing but getting upset every time the man tried to leave.

Su-bong was used to Nam-gyu having a weird way of expressing himself (which was usually just shutting down), but this was starting to get next-level. All of Su-bong's usual tricks to get him in a good mood remained ignored.

“Don’t touch me.” Nam-gyu swiped his hand away as Su-bong just laughed. He had clearly smoked more than Nam-gyu, though that wasn't an odd occurrence.

Tonight, though, it seemed to have Nam-gyu in a rage.

“I’m going to the toilet,” Nam-gyu huffed, standing up and leaving Su-bong alone. Su-bong complained, though he made no real effort to stop him from going. He had been hoping for a bit of time for himself.

“Hey, you’re Thanos, right?”

Seems he wasn't so lucky.

Su-bong looked up to see a pair of girls smiling down at him. “I love your music,” The other one said with a giggle, and Su-bong smiled.

“I love to meet fans,” He gestured for the two girls to sit with him, which they quickly did: moving in as close as they could.

“I heard you’ve got a new album coming out.” One of them smiled, and Su-bong nodded. “Yeah, yeah, it’s going to be great, super romantic. Bobby has been-”

Su-bong quickly went quiet, stopping himself from mentioning Bobby's name. He had forgotten that she was his little secret from the rest of the world.

Luckily, the intoxicated girls didn't seem to even notice the slip. “Oh, romantic? Please, you have to give us a demo?”

Su-bong, who at the sound of Bobby’s name seemed a bit distracted, slowly shook his head, “No, no, I’m not allowed to.”

Usually, he had no issue with breaking the rules of his contract. He often found himself telling girls a few lines from a song, especially when it would get him laid.

But unfortunately, he was hit with a sudden wave of thoughts of a certain redheaded English woman.

All he could think about the club was the fact that Bobby wouldn't like it there because it was too loud.

All he could think about his music was that Bobby helped write it.

All he could think about the girls next to him was that they weren't Bobby.

“Ugh, I have.. I have-” Su-bong started to think up an excuse, as the two girls looked at him expectantly, as he tried to find the words. Clearly, they were hoping for some form of flirtation. “I need to stop my friend from leaving.”

Su-bong stood up quickly, both using that as an excuse to get away from the ladies, but genuinely catching sight of Nam-gyu leaving the club.

Leaving the pouting girls, Su-bong cut through the crowd, swerving through people to get to his friend.

“Yo, NAM-GYU," he yelled out as he reached the street just in time to see Nam-gyu storming through the streets. “Wait up, man,” Su-bong put a hand on Nam-gyu’s shoulder, but got quickly brushed off.  

“Why are you acting so weird tonight?” Su-bong finally asked, clearly frustrated with whatever mood Nam-gyu was in. "What's wrong with you?"

“What’s wrong with me?” Nam-gyu questioned, turning around in a rage. “What’s wrong with you?” He spat back, and Su-bong tilted his head. “Well, a lot of things, but-”

“This isn't a joke, Su-bong,” Nam-gyu yelled, “This isn't a fucking joke like everything else in your life.”

“I take things seriously,” Su-bong fought back, his voice filled with more seriousness than it had been before. Nam-gyu was coming in strong with his insults.

Nam-gyu just scoffed. “No, you fucking don't. Look at our lives,” he gestured to the dirty street around them, and their cheap knock-off ‘designer wear’. “I wake up every day, and the first thing I think about is if I can afford to live. I know for a fact you are in the same place as me, yet I’m the only one who takes any of this seriously.”

“I take my career seriously, it’s my art, it's my life,” Su-bong combatted.

“Yeah, well, art isn't enough to get us out of the dirt. We need something that sells” Nam-gyu spat. It was clear that though his words were meant to upset Su-bong, they hurt Nam-gyu just as much. It was the unfortunate truth that had been weighing on his shoulders.

Back in the day, Nam-gyu used to make fun of sellouts and men who sold their souls for a bit of money. Now Nam-gyu would jump at the chance to sell his soul if it meant living without fear of eviction.

Nam-gyu huffed as he planted himself onto the pavement, his anger melting into his constant feeling of defeat. No cars were driving by in this district, which was blocked off so clubs were in easier access, but it didn’t stop the odd looks from passersby.

Su-bong had never been one to care for odd looks as he sat happily next to his friend. Nam-gyu let out a long sigh, his tired eyes now looking at Su-bong without anger, but with fear. “You’re going to replace me, aren't you?”

Su-bong looked shocked by the mere suggestion. “Seriously, man. How many times do I have to tell you that we’re in this together?"

“You only say that cause up until this point, that was an empty promise,” Nam-gyu spoke. “I mean, admit it, dude, neither of us actually thought we’d ever get to this point.”

Su-bong frowned. Yeah, he knew it was an unrealistic goal, but he had always had full confidence that he would make something of himself. That he would have an actual music career.

He had always thought Nam-gyu had thought the same.

“I mean, we only just got the deal, and you already have another writer working on songs with you. Who's to say in a month you won't completely ditch me?” Nam-gyu's voice was quiet, as he avoided looking directly at Su-bong.

Su-bong nudged his friend, trying to get him to look him in the eyes. "Nam-gyu, I understand why you might be wary, but you're my boy. You should know that I would never do anything like that to you,” Nam-gyu still didn't look up, causing Su-bong to groan and drag his hands over his face. “Seriously, what can I do to make you believe me?”

“I want it in writing,” Nam-gyu stated firmly, though his gaze remained on the ground. “I want my connection to Thanos to be legally binding ok?”

“Of course, man.”

Nam-gyu's face instantly perked up, as he looked to Su-bong in utter surprise.

“If I had know you wanted it in writing, I would have done that ages ago. We’ll talk to Gyeong-su about it on Monday.” Su-bong spoke as if it were the easiest decision in the world, like it was a casual solution.

Nam-gyu looked at Su-bong and, for the first time that night, a smile formed on his face. “Are you serious?”

“Yes, of course.” Su-bong patted him on the back. “I told you, we’re in this together. You don't need to worry about being left behind.”

Nam-gyu nodded slowly, like he was still trying to convince himself it was real. “Thanks, man.”

Su-bong smiled even wider, an expression that would make any outsider doubt the fight between the pair ever even happened.

“Now, can we enjoy this night properly?” Su-bong asked, popping open his cross and holding it out for Nam-gyu. He was going to let Nam-gyu hit first, something he never usually did.

Nam-gyu grinned, nodding as he popped on of the pills into his mouth. 

---

What was meant to be a fun night out had turned into a 24-hour bender for Su-bong and Nam-gyu.

Su-bong couldn't remember half of the things they had done: just snippets of dumb decisions he had poorly made. At some point, he and Nam-gyu had acquired a group of equally intoxicated men, all which seemed really interested in the fact that Su-bong was a ‘future star’.

Still, no matter how many people they met or got drinks from, Su-bong’s mind kept coming back to Bobby.

“Why the fuck are we at a library?”

Looking up, Su-bong realized his feet must have been thinking about Bobby too, as he had led the group of men to the library.

“They’re open really late,” Su-bong answered in a daze, both from the intoxication, but also from his surprise that he had managed to make it there.

Nam-gue let out a loud laugh. "Why the fuck would you know that? I didn't think you could read."

"O-of course I do," Su-bong spoke lightly, his dazed attention more on the library than the argument at hand.

“Yeah, well, this one's closed.” One of the random guys in the group spoke as he tugged on the door.

“And even if it wasn’t, why would we want to go to a library?” Another man added on, as Nam-gyu snorted and wrapped an arm around Su-bong. “You must be really out of it, my friend.”

Before Su-bong could get a word out about the "importance of libraries" and "their influence on education", the door of the library opened.

The drunk man leaning on the door quickly stepped back in surprise, as a new face joined the group of 'partiers'.

Bobby stepped outside, jumping suddenly at the fact that she was greeted by a group of clearly drunk men. In that moment. Both her and Su-bong's hearts dropped.

Bobby's eyes quickly darted around, clearly looking for the best way out of this situation. The darting stopped as her gaze landed on Su-bong.

Maybe he was imagining things, but Su-bong swore he saw her demeanor calm in his presence. Even the possibility of that made his heart sore.

“Oh…hello,” Bobby spoke in the kindest voice she could muster, bowing to each of the men. She didn't want to say much more, still unsure what kind of situation she was in.

Seems the men of the group had no issues speaking for her.

“Look at what we’ve got here.” One of the guys licked his lips, and Su-bong quickly whipped his head around to send him a dirty look. He expected the other guys to join in scolding the man, but the others just laughed - even Nam-gyu.

“What brings you out here tonight?” The guy, whose name Su-bong couldn't even remember, sauntered up next to Bobby. Glancing only once at the man, Bobby looked over to Su-bong for…for something.

All he did was watch with wide eyes as his body swayed.

Taking a deep breath, Bobby looked back at the disgusting man. “I just got off work,” Bobby spoke quietly, as she tightened the grip on her bag.

The man smiled. “Well, that’s perfect. Why don't you come out with us? We can all have a good time.”

“She won’t want to,” Su-bong blurted out, causing some of the guys to chuckle.

Bobby blushed as she leaned back as much as she could to get away from the stench of alcohol and cigarettes.

“Come on, don't just make assumptions,” One of the other guys called out, shoving Su-bong lightly. “Even if she looks frumpy, she might surprise us.”

All the attention returned to Bobby, who swallowed, trying to keep her mouth from going dry. “I- I… no, thank you.”

This was all wrong.

Su-bong had never seen Bobby this nervous before. Every time he saw her, she had confidence and a bit of a bite.

But now, Bobby was practically trembling.

This isn't what he wanted at all.

He wanted to be in the library, just the two of them, as they made jokes about the Beatles and came up with ideas for the next song.

“Of course, girls like her are either sluts or absolute prudes.” The man who had just been trying to charm Bobby huffed, stepping away from her.

Bobby stood still as she stared at the group, clearly afraid.

“Oh my god, you women are so dramatic.” One of the men rolled his eyes as he noticed her frozen state. “We’re leaving you alone. Get over yourself.”

“Yeah, no one wants you, fatty,” Another man yelled out.

Bobby’s gaze turned to Su-bong, as if she was giving him one last chance. One last chance to fix everything he was breaking.

He just stared back at her.

He didn't join in, but he sure as hell didn't defend her.

The whole situation just wasn't what he expected. It wasn't what he wanted. He just couldn't bring his mouth to open as his head spun and his world fell apart.

Shaking her head, Bobby turned around, walking as fast as she could into the night. Luckily, none of the men made a move to follow her, though they did snicker as they watched her figure disappear.

Nam-gyu shook his head as he wrapped an arm around Su-bong. “You know, maybe this was a good idea,” he shuddered as he watched Bobby’s retreating form.

“I really wanted some entertainment.” 

---

Su-bong took a deep breath as he walked into the library, a bouquet of flowers neatly in his hand.

As soon as he had woken up after his night out (or more accurately, several nights out), he was full of immense guilt.

He hated that he had gotten to a point where he couldn't defend Bobby. After taking a shower and throwing up multiple times, he went and bought a bouquet of apology flowers.

He basically spent the rest of the day waiting by his door until the clock struck 8 pm. The time  Bobby’s shift usually started.

Su-bong was determined to make it up to her.

“Bobby?” He called out to the seemingly empty library as soon as he entered. The lack of life wasn't an unusual sight for the nighttime shift. Still, he didn't receive his usual response from the girl.

“Bobby?” He called out again, his voice echoing off the walls.

He smiled when he heard a shushing noise, shaking his head. Bobby was obviously joking with him, which was a good sign.

“You know you had me there, I really thought you-” Su-bong froze when he turned into the aisle, being met with not the face of Bobby, but a man.

He wore a basic button-up shirt, certainly looking nicer than most people that time of night. What caught his eye the most was the name tag. This man was an employee of the library.

“This is a library, sir, I’m going to have to ask you to lower your voice,” The man scolded, his eyes clearly casting judgment on Su-bong.

“But there’s no one else here, so-” Su-bong shook his head, realizing he was focusing on the wrong thing. “Where’s Bobby?”

“Who?” The man asked, and Su-bong tilted his head. “She works here. Red-haired, English, beautiful eyes.”

The man narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Su-bong. “Do you mean Nam-ra?”

Of course, the other employees knew her by her fake name.

“Yeah, her. Where is she?” Su-bong asked, trying to look over the man's shoulder as if she were hiding behind him.

“I don't know.” The man shrugged, “She’s not working tonight.”

Su-bong narrowed his eyes. She usually worked every night. “Well, when does she work next?”

The man looked su-boing up and down. He was clearly hungover, wore messy clothes, and was trying to give a bouquet of flowers to a female employee who worked alone at night.

“Yeah, there’s no way in hell I’m giving you her schedule.”

Su-bong frantically threw the flowers to the floor, his hands running through his hair.

He had no other way of getting in contact with Bobby.

He didn't have her number or her address. He didn't even know her full name.

Taking a deep breath, Su-bong calmed himself down.

Bobby would have a shift eventually. He would just be there when that day came, ready to redeem himself. 

“We are just so happy you have decided to stay with us. Really, really happy.”

Sam glanced back at you for the millionth time as she led you and your father through the Woodstone mansion.

“Yes, honey, I think our guests understand how happy and not desperate we are,” Jay spoke through a gritted smile, nudging Sam slightly. He was equally excited to be hosting guests; the B and B had hit a very slow patch, but Sam wasn’t doing well at being subtle.

“Don't worry, we love the enthusiasm.” Your father laughed, his eyes roaming around the building. "It's not often you find young people who are passionate about their work," He sent a small glare in your direction as you adjusted the backpack on your back. Your face remained emotionless, and you silently nodded your head.

Sam sent the two of you a smile, turning back around to lead you - and a crowd of ghosts - to your rooms.

"This guy seems to have some energy," Pete spoke, as he leaned in to inspect your dad. "It's a… little intimidating, but I like it."

While some of the other ghosts agreed with Pete, others were more occupied with the other member of your pair.

"Sam, she’s hot. Like so hot. You have to tell her that she’s so hot,” Trevor pleaded, walking as close to you as he could without touching you. He had been nonstop since the moment your car pulled up into the driveway, sprouting strings of compliments as if you could hear them. The man had always been "fascinated" by the living women that would come into the manor, but after your arrival, he was just acting pathetic.

“Trevor, what did we say about creeping on girls?” Alberta scolded, though she couldn't help herself from eying your father up and down, much to Pete's dismay.

“It’s not creeping on her if I feel a genuine connection,” Trevor argued, waving off the other ghosts in an attempt to get closer to you.

"Yes, because she's really connected with a dead man she can't see or hear." Isaac rolled his eyes, causing Trevor to send him a glare. Before Trevor could rebut the argument, Sam stopped in front of a door.

"So this is where you'll be rooming," She gestured to the spare bedroom, and you nodded your head. "I'll leave you alone, so no one will disturb you," Sam sent a glare to the ghosts, specifically Trevor. "I'll show your father to the room just down the hall."

"Thanks," You spoke quietly as your father sent you a look. "Make sure you don't rest for too long. We have work to do."

You sighed, only nodding at his instructions before entering your 'private' room.

Not far behind you was Trevor, instantly phasing through the door as he rubbed his hands together. “Finally, some privacy,” Trevor smirked, watching as you placed down your bag.

“Not quite,” The voice of Pete spoke up, as he too phased through the door, causing Trevor to glare. “Seriously, man, get lost. I call dibs on this one”

Pete chuckled drily, adjusting his glasses. “Well, you can't just call dibs on a lady, but I’m not here for that. Sam asked me to keep an eye on you.

“Really, I need a babysitter?” Trevor threw up his hands in frustration. “Why does no one trust me?”

“I mean, you do have a bit of a reputation, buddy…and you did do exactly what Sam told us not to,” Pete pointed out, and Trevor rolled his eyes. “Is it that unbelievable that I have a genuine connection and admiration for a total smokeshow babe?”

“If you two are done chattering I have some business to get down to.”

Both ghosts froze, slowly turning around to face you.

You, in fact, weren't on the phone or talking out loud to yourself. You were staring right at them, eyebrow raised as you waited for a response.

“You can see us?” Pete asked slowly, and you sighed. “I can also hear you, so please be quiet as I-”

“Sam! Sam!” Pete yelled, running out of the room instantly in pursuit of their fellow human companion.

You tilted your head, not expecting that to be his reaction. “Why would he call for Sam it’s not like she can-”

Your words got stopped as Trevor's face suddenly appeared extremely close to yours. “Hey, gorgeous,” he said, giving you a cheesy smile as he not so subtly posed for you. He didn't care why or how you could see him; he just knew he wasn't going to miss his shot.

You furrowed your brows, taking a step away. You looked him up and down, finally taking in his whole figure. Your eyes stopped at the bottom half of him, seeing that the ghost was wearing no pants.

Trevor smirked even wider as he watched your gaze. "You like what you see?" He made a move to follow you again, but this time you held out an arm. “If you step closer, I will phase through you. I know it hurts,”

Trevor raised an eyebrow, taking his turn to inspect you. “Firm," He determined. "Which is just how I like my ladies. What’s your name?”

You shook your head. “You dodn;t need to know that, I just need to tell you taht-”

“i already looked at your file, I know everything I need,” Trevor interrupted you, pacing in front of you. “My name's Trevor. But you can call me the man of your dreams.

You let out a groan. “So you must be from the 90s, since no one'sused a line like that in years.” It wasn't often you interacted with a 'flirtatious' ghost, but they were always your least favourite to have to deal with. So far, Trevor was the most insistent one.

“You already know so much about me.” Treovir turned to you with an almost smoulder. “Want to learn some more?”

You rolled your eyes, seriously considering just ignoring this ghost and going to find some less annoying ones. Luckily for you, you didn't have to go hunting as your bedroom door swung open.

You raised an eyebrow as Sam stood there, a group of ghosts huddled around her.

“Can I help you?” You asked in a tone that made Sam question if you could really see ghosts or if Pete had just chosen to pull a cruel prank. “I- I umm-”

“Is it true? Can you see use?” Alberta interrupted Sam, looking at you desperately.

You sighed, pulling Sam into the room, checking the hallway for anyone eavesdropping, then closing the door.

“Yes, I can see you.”

You were met with a flurry of cheers and questions from the ghosts around you.

"Oh my lord, finally someone else who can appreciate my talent."

"Do you have phone? Thor want to watch an animal video."

"I'm just so happy you're here. I hope we're not causing too much trouble."

"Back off, everyone, she's mine."

You groaned, pinching the bridge of your nose as you tried to ignore the flurry of voices now surrounding you. You knew mansions were usually loaded, but you didn't expect so many desperate ghosts all at once.

“This is amazing. I’ve never met someone with the same powers” Sam spoke excitedly, finally giving you an opportunity to get a word in.

“Yeah, well, I wouldn't get too excited.” You spoke, turning your gaze to the now confused ghosts.

“My dad has brought the two of us to kill all of you.” 

---

“So you are Ghostbuster?”

You paused at the question, wondering how a Viking knew about The Ghostbusters.

You stood in front of the crowd of ghosts, and Sam, who you finally got to calm down enough to listen to you.

“My father prefers to call us ghost hunters… but yeah, pretty much we're Ghost Busters.”

“Ahh, so this is like a forbidden love. Classic” Trevor spoke up, still looking at you with dreamy eyes. Ignoring Trevor, you took out your notebook. “My father is an absolute phony; he has never once actually hunted a ghost despite his claims.”

Sam raised her hand, and you sighed. "You don't have to do that."

"Right," She spoke awkwardly, still a bit intimidated by your sterner personality. "Don't you tell him that he's not doing it right… I mean, with your powers and everything."

"I haven't told him about the powers," You revealed, causing Isaac to let out a lone gasp. "I just let him believe he's doing anything to 'protect the world from spirits'"

"Well, why would you do that?" Hetty asked, looking offended on behalf of your father. "It would benefit your father's buisness: and the worst thing a child can do is keep profit from their parents"

There were a handful of murmurs from the other ghosts, most of them agreeing with Hetty's statement.

You shrugged, wanting to get back on topic. “Well, I got my powers after he threw me down a flight of stairs when I was 12 because some dude onRedditt said a near-death experience would allow you to see ghosts.”

Isaac let out another gasp as the other ghosts looked horrified.

“I mean, the guy on Reddit was right, but I wasn’t going to let him know that.”

You spoke quickly and casually, only revealing the information to satisfy the spirits enough to get them to listen to you. You felt uncomfortable by their looks of sympathy, as you quickly shook your head. “Look, I'm fine. I’m not here to talk about me, I'm here to help you. Throwing me down the stairs was about the only thing about ghosts my dad got right, but he has some tools that you'll probably want to avoid."

You handed your notebook to Sam, to which all the ghosts leaned over - reading the clear list you had written about the few tools your dad had that worked.

“Ghost bullets?” Isaac questioned, looking up at you with a raised eyebrow.

“They won’t actually kill you, but they’re made of a material ghosts can't pass through. The bullets can get stuck in your…figure.” You weren't sure what to call it since the ghosts didn't have traditional bodies. Trevor just sent you a wink, hearing about his ‘figure’, though you tried to ignore him.

“Yeah we have a secret vault downstairs made of that stuff,” Sam breathed out, and you gave her an impressed look. “Cool,” You simply spoke, though to Sam it was like she had just won the lottery. It was the first time you had given her any positive attention, and she was already ready to brag to Jay about it.

You stood there silently for a moment, watching as the ghosts stared right back. You cleared your throat. “So you can all leave now.”

“OH,” Sam blurted as she quickly stood up, caught off guard by your bluntness. "Right, ok. Can do."

“But Thor has more questions,” the Viking complained, and the other ghosts nodded along, expressing their own frustration with being kicked out.

“Well, Thor can ask them later,” you imitated his voice as you gestured to the door. “I need to start pretending to set up ‘secret ghost traps’ before my dad starts having a go at me for not taking the work seriously.”

"Wow, you really are a reverse Ghostbuster," Pete spoke in awe. "You're a ghost saver or a ghost protector."

"A ghost guardian,” Isaac spoke poetically, as the other ghosts added on their own praises and name suggestions.

They were met with a glare from you, as you pointed to the door once more.

“Out”

All the ghosts, and Sam quickly moved out of the room, not liking the receiving end of your glare.

All but one.

“Yeah, you heard her, get out.” Trevor turned back to you his arms wide opened. “Now where were we?”

"You were about to leave." You spoke bluntly, but Trevor just shook his head. "See that just doesn;t sound like me," he lay himself down onto your bed. "I'm the type of guy who likes to stick by gorgeous women."

You groaned, turning away from Trevor as you got out your tools. You knew you weren't going to be able to get this ghost off your back, so you were just going to have to do a damn good job at ignoring him.

---

The next morning, you sat across from your father, picking at the delicious breakfast Jay had made. Your mind was elsewhere, still tired from the day of 'ghost hunting' you had endured. Your father didn't seem to have the same issue as he shoveled his breakfast down his throat.

“What’s up with you?” The man asked, his mouth still filled with food that muffled his words.

You always hated it when people said the two of you were similar to your father. Despite getting your bluntness from him, you wanted to be nothing like your father. He was cruel and hateful. You only put up with him to make sure he didn't actually disturb anyone's afterlife.

So you swallowed your pride and shrugged. “Just turned. This place is bigger than I expected.”

“That just means we’re more likely to find some ghosts,” Your dad spoke proudly. “I can feel it. There are definitely some here, and if I set up our traps right, I should have already caught a few."

“Maybe,” You spoke, biting your tongue to stop yourself from pointing out that you had been the one to set up all the useless traps.

You knew for a fact there were still ghosts in the house.

Mainly because one had been flirting with you all throughout breakfast.

“Your eyes just glimmer in the morning light, did you know that? I wonder if they always do that or if it’s just from being around me?” Trveor spoke from right next to you, as he lay himself across the kitchen table: his legs kicking in the air.

Your grip on your utensils tightened, though you made sure not to even glance at Trevor. Your dad was an idiot, but you didn't want to risk any chance that he might discover your power.

“You know you're good at this, much better than Sam is,” Trevor continued, as he watched you keep your focus on your father. "You already have a perfect face for the screen; you should really look into acting."

Trevor wasn't sure why he was so obsessed with you.

Well, he did understand that you were a hot woman and he was a ghost that hadn't gotten any action in years, but there was more to it.

When he was alive, he always imagined his wife would be a strong woman, someone who could quip back at his jokes and take the lead. You were certainly amazing at doing that, but you also showed high levels of kindness. He noticed how you always went out of your way to avoid phasing through a ghost, or how you always let them speak to you without interruption…even if your response was just to tell them to shut up.

It had nothing to do with how lonely Trevor was: dead or alive, he knew you were the perfect person for him.

“Look what I brought,” your father spoke up, finally getting Trevor to stop his string of compliments as you both turned your attention to the dagger your dad had brought out.

The blade was made of a clear purple material, making it look like some mythical weapon from a fantasy novel. You knew the object must have cost your dad a fortune to buy.

“I found it on ebay, and it’s meant to rip ghosts right in half,” Your dad excitedly sliced the weapon around, luckily in the opposite direction to where Trevor lay.

Unfortunately, Trevor had a large ego.

He feigned an excited look, sitting up and scooching closer to your father. For the first time all morning, Trevor got a reaction from you: your eyes widened as you watched him lean in even closer towards the weapon.

“Ohhh, what do you think? This thing going to rip me right in half?” Trevor inched closer to it, reaching out as if he was about to grab the blade.

“No!” You yelled out urgently, catching both men's attention. Almost in sync, they both raise an eyebrow at you, causing you to sink back into your seat.

"You should put that away," You spoke in a clamer tone, gesturing to the weapon. "We wouldn't want the hosts to see and get the wrong idea."

“Alright, fine.” Your dad rolled his eyes, though he followed your instructions.

In contrast to your dad’s simple reaction, Trevor looked ecstatic. “Oh my god, you care about me." He pointed at you excitedly. "You were so worried for my safety. Like extremely worried.”

You instantly stood up, frustrated by your lack of a calm, quiet breakfast. “I’m going to go get ready for the day” You spoke curtly to your dad, storming out of the room.

As expected, Trevor followed close behind.

“You can act all you want, babe: I know you care about me.” Trevor looked smug as you closed the door to your room, finally addressing him.

“You need to stop doing that, ok? I can't have you distracting me while I’m with him. It's dangerous.”

“Aww, that's so sweet of you. You don't want your favourite ghost to get hurt,” Trevor spoke in a sickly sweet voice, basking in the fact that you were concerned for him.

“I don't want to see any ghost get hurt.” You defended yourself, but your voice came off less harshly than you wanted to. Your words were soaked in sincerity. You sat yourself on your bed, turning yourself away from Trevor in hopes he didn't notice.

"That dagger doesn't do anything." Trveor chuckled cockily. "Your dad is full of shit, and you know that. Besides, we were playing around with it last night: it's just the usual discomfort from phasing through things. No slicing in half."

You were silent for a moment, crossing your arms over your chest. "Well… I didn't know that" You grumbled, trying not to sound too whiny.

Trevor paused, finally noticing how you were sulking on the bed.

“Holy shit, you were actually scared for me," though his voice was a lot sweeter. “You actually care about keeping us safe.”

You avoided eye contact with the ghost, though you turned your body back around to him. “My dad just isn't a good guy… like at all. I don’t want to see him ruin your afterlife. You guys have it bad enough.”

Trevor thought over your words, the smirks on his face being replaced by a more genuine look. “Well, how about your life?” You finally looked up at Trevor, who inched closer.

This tme you made no threat to him, allowing him to sit on your bed. You gestured with your head for him to continue.

“I mean, if he’s a bad guy, then why do you spend your life following him around. He doesn't need you to keep him in check.”

“So he doesn't hurt you- the ghosts.” You fixed your words, not wanting Trevor to get a big head.

“Look, yeah, it suck beig a ghost, but we’re not useless. We can protect ourselves,” Trevor pointed out, “Your dad is barely a threat even to the most oblivious ghost. You should get to do what you want - not just worry about everyone else.”

You took a deep breath, thinking over Trevor's words.

You paused, looking at Trevor’s genuine expression. “I guess after following sonmeone else your whole life, it’s hard to know what you truly want to do." You spoke out loud. "I do know I don't want to spend anymore time with that man."

"Exactly," Trevor cried in triumph, filled with energy again as you finally agreed with him. "I think you deserve some peace and quiet: away from idiots bossing you around."

You nodded at his words before giving a teasing smile. "Does that mean you're going to leave me alone?"

Trveor made a cocky 'pshhh' noise with his lips. "Please, you don't really want that…do you?" He spoke the last part a lot softer, giving you a genuine opportunity to reject his advances once and for all. As much as he enjoyed his flirting, he knew when to lsiten to someone's boundary.

You thought for a moment, giving enough time to make Trevor ansty. Then you just shrugged.

"What does that mean?" Trevor asked, following you as you stood up. "I'm not hearing you say no."

You just shrugged again, this time a cheeky smirk growing on your face.

"You're doing this on purpose," Trevor whined, though he held a smile on his face too. "Just admit that you're totally in love with me."

The ghost was just met with another shrug.

---

You watched your dad as he packed up his car, leaning up against the entrance of the Woodstone Mansion.

Like usual, the two of you would go your separate ways, he would ignore you for a week, then the next thing you know, he'd be dragging you to the next ghost hunt.

Even just thinking about it made you exhausted.

You did get some satisfaction from watching a crowd of heckling ghosts yelling at him as he entered his car. These were the very ghosts he claimed he captured.

“So are you following him?” You looked over to Sam, who now stood next to you. You took a deep breath before giving a weak shrug. “Guess I have to. I don't really have anything else to work for."

Sam was quiet for a moment, her eyes glancing between you and your dad. “Or you could stay here.”

You turned to Sam, your eyebrow raised as you silently encouraged her to continue talking. "I just think you could go for a less…demanding job. You could still take care of the ghosts here, and Jay and I are more than happy to hire you as a receptionist."

You chuckled lightly, shaking your head. "So I'm guessing you spoke to Trevor about me."

Sam gave you a guilty look, hoping you weren't too upset at her meddling. You sighed, causing her to quickly speak in order to justify her actions. “Look, I think it’s great what you do to protect ghosts, but come on. Your dad’s an idiot. He doesn't need you to stop him from avoiding all ghosts.”

You shrugged, nodding your head. “Yeah, he really does suck at the whole hunting thing.”

“Exactly,” Sam laughed along. “So, how about instead of following that douche, you stay here. I could use someone else who can deal with ghosts.”

You turned to Sam. “So you want me to go from being a ghost hunter that travels the county to a receptionist at an Airbnb?” Sam lowered her head, feeling shame at the mere suggestion.

“That actually sounds really nice.”

Sam looked up to see you giving her the first real smile for the whole trip. As little as you showed, you actually quite liked Sam's company. And the ghosts weren't THAT annoying.

“Yes! Yes! Finally! I knew the world would reward me with a super hot babe one day. She's totally obsessed with me.”

Maybe you spoke too soon. Still, you couldn't help but chuckle at Trevor's celebrations, who had clearly been eavesdropping on the two of you.

You had no idea what you had gotten yourself into, but you were convinced it would be more interesting than the life your father made for you. 

Growing up in Hawkins lab, there was a lot in life you did understand.

You knew a whole lot about science and the ways the human mind could be bent. You understood how to use your telapathy powers and the amount of strength needed. You understood the inner workings of machinery that many people didn't even know existed.

But ever since you got out of the lab and met the various groups in Hawkins, you found there was a lot more about life that you didn't know.

When you were helping your sister, Eleven, and her little friends in a basement, things had been…easier. Stressful, but not too different from life at Hawkins lab.

But now Eleven was gone, and you were left alone in a world where you didn't know how some of the most basic things worked: no matter how much others tried to teach you.

You didn't know the appropriate amount of eye contact to make. You didn't know how money worked. You didn't understand why adults kept asking you why you weren't in high school.

And most of all, you didn't know why the Henderson boy was always yelling.

“What took you so long?” The boy yelled at you as he jumped out of an unfamiliar car. You tilted your head. From your perspective, you had been the one waiting for him for 30 minutes.

“I called you on the Walkie Talkie like 5 times."

”I heard.” You spoke simply, gesturing to the fact that you had, in fact, come to help the boy with his problem.

Despite your clear logic, Dustin threw up his arms in frustration. “Then why didn't you respond? I've been running around looking for people cause I thought you missed the message.”

You paused for a moment, quickly relaying in your mind everything Dustin had taught you about using a walkie-talkie. Your face dropped ever so slightly as you released your mistake, “I forgot about that part.”

Dustin rolled his eyes, sighing as he dropped his backpack in front of you. Ultimately, he was thankful you had arrived. When you had been the only one of Hawkins' lab experiment to remain in town, Dustin had made sure he always had a point of contact with you.

Part of it was just so he could ask you questions about your powers (questions you often answered willingly but shortly), but more importantly, so he had someone who could protect him. Dustin was smart enough to know you were more of a use than most people in town - even those with a nail-covered baseball bat.

“Whose she?”

You looked up to see a tall boy with a distinctive hairstyle that you did not recognise walking towards you, two bats in hand. Your hands tensed instantly as you prepared to protect yourself and the younger boy from any danger.

“She’s here to help, Steve,” Dustin spoke sassily, clearly annoyed that the Harrington teen was there at all. If you had just responded to his message, he would have never had to invite the douche.

In hearing the name and seeing that Dustin recognized the teen, you lowered your hands. You remember Nancy talking about her boyfriend, or 'ex-boyfriend', Steve "The Hair" Harrington. Though you still didn't fully understand the purpose of a boyfriend, or why Steve's hair mattered, you did understand the most important thing.

Steve had helped Jonathan and Nancy survive a demogorgon attack, which meant to some extent he was on your side.

Steve turned to you, looking you up and down with a clearly judgmental face. “She’s going to help us?” From Steve’s seemingly judgmental tone, it was clear he had not been informed about your existence. Feeling a glare from Dustin and a lightly furrowed look from you, Steve quickly shook his head. “I mean no offence, just… does she even know about the..dogs"

He lowered his voice as he spoke to Dustin, who just groaned. "Yes, Steve, she knows about the demogrogan. She probably knows much more about it than you."

Steve nodded, his gaze going back to you. You just stared at him blankly, causing him to let out an awkward chuckle. "I really mean no offence by it. I've just fought one of these things before, and they handle a lot of force."

"I know," You spoke, before turning your attention back to Dustin. You wanted to actually do what you came here to help with. "So where is it?"

Happy to finally be back on track, Dustin led you to his backyard. Pointing almost wearily, he gestured to the doors leading to his basement. "I managed to get it in there."

You tilted your head as you looked at the weak wooden doors. "That's not a very secure facility,” You pointed out.

“Well, it’s all I had,” Dustin defended himself angrily. "I didn't have time to develop a lab with a containment room."

"You could have at least put a lock on it," Steve scoffed as you continued to assess the situation. Deciding it was safe, you began to step forward.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." You were quickly stopped by an arm, as Steve stepped out in front of you. "May I remind you I'm the only one here with a weapon. I'll go first."

Dustin looked at you excitedly, waiting for you to finally show off your powers and blow Steve's smug mind. Instead, you just nodded. "Ok. Call us if you need back up."

Steve nodded, moving slowly towards the doors. Dustin's eyes darted between the two of you. "But-"

"Don't worry, kid, I got it," Steve yelled out from over his shoulder.

Dustin turned his attention to you, a panicked look on his face. "Why aren't you doing anything? You're the one who has any actual strength against that thing," He hissed at you, and you turned to Dustin. "You heard him. He's got it."

Dustin made a strangled noise, his brain trying to catch up with the fact that you were allowing Steve to go down there with no reinforcements just because the ass said so.

"Besides, there's nothing down there."

Dustin now looked confused. "What do you mean? I pushed it in there myself."

"I know how they work. There's no way one of those beasts would just stay in that basement."

"But the doors are still intact, how else would it-"

"Hey guys…you should come down here."

Steve's voice called from the basement, bringing your attention away from Dustin. You were quick to move, following the boy's instructions as you descended the stairs.

At the bottom of the stairs was no demogorgon, just Steve Harrington standing next to a large tunnel.

"I told you so."

---

You had added to the list of things you didn't understand: Steve Harrington.

Despite the insistence that he didn't want to be a part of this crap, Steve had the habit of putting himself in the hero role.

He was the first to go into the basement, he was the one driving the car, and he insisted on leading the group through the railroad track.

Part of you wondered that even if he did know about your powers, he would still try to take the lead.

You kept your distance from the two boys, throwing chunks of meat as you trailed behind them. The two had taken this quiet time to have a ‘guy talk’ - something they made clear that you weren’t a part of.

That didn't stop you from listening in on their conversation.

“Sure, okay, some girls, yeah, they want you to be aggressive.”

You kept your eyes looking out at the forest around you as Steve rambled on with his advice. You didn't want to appear too abnormal for wanting to understand more about teenage culture.

“You know, strong, hot and heavy, like a…I don't know, like a lion.”

Dustin hummed, taking in the advice.

“But others, you gotta be slow, you gotta be stealthy, like a… like a ninja.”

“What type is Nancy?” Dustin asked, and Steve paused. He and Nancy weren’t quite together anymore; they hadn't been for a while, but he didn't know if he wanted to explain that to the very kid he was trying to sell his advice to.

“Nancy's different. She's different than the other girls.”

Dustin hummed before curiously turning around to you. “How about her?” Dustin gestured at you, to which you blankly stared back. You hadn't expected to be brought into the discussion; you liked just being an observer.

Steve turned around, embarrassed by the fact that he had completely forgotten you were there. “Well, s-she…I don't know enough about her to make a call.” He had gone for the easy way out, though the answer didn't seem to satisfy Dustin.

Taking a moment to think, Steve stopped walking, looking at you more closely. “I actually don't think I’ve seen you around. Do you go to school at-”

“I don't count." You quickly spoke to Dustin, not wanting to answer Steve's inevitable questions of who you were and where you came from. The less he knew about you, the more you didn't mind his company.

Steve tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

You shrugged. "I don't fit in the criteria. I'm not really a…girl." Wanting to avoid the boy's gaze, you used Steve's stillness to overtake the two.

“Hold on, what’s with the negative self-talk?” Steve spoke up as he sped up to catch up with you. “You look plenty like a girl to me.”

“Looks are deceiving." You spoke vaguely, only glancing back at Steve. "I’m not an actual girl. Not like Nancy”

“She’s kind of right,” Dustin muttered to Steve. "She's different from everyone."

Though Dustin's statement was true, it didn't stop the pain in your chest. You hadn't met many people since escaping the lab, but you knew you were different from all of them. You didn't have the same experiences that made them people. You were nothing but a lab rat.

Still, Steve was oblivious to any of that.

“Hey, both of you,” Steve scolded, hitting Dustin lightly in the shoulder. “Just because… just because you're not like Nancy doesn't mean you're not a lady." He gestured to your trousers and buttoned-up shirt that the Byers family had donated to you. "Is this about the way you dress, because that means nothing. We live in a progressive age.”

Dustin rolled his eyes, expecting Steve to be the last guy talking about seeing women progressively. Despite the lack of any enthusiasm from you or Dustin, Steve continued his 'empowering' rant.

“I mean, what truly makes you different from other girls?” Steve pointed out, opening his mouth to make another statement. "Why are you-"

There was a sudden bang as a bush by the tracks exploded, causing both boys to jump.

While steve looked terrified, Dustin began laughing. “I love it when she does that.”

Confused by the boy's statement, Steve turned to you, looking for an answer.

You just stared right back, wiping the blood from under your nose.

“That’s what makes me different” 

---

You glanced over at Steve, who nervously flicked his lighter open and closed.

It was now dark outside as the now grown group took cover in a bus. As your middle school companions kept watch on the roof, you and Steve were left alone on the cushioned seats.

You two sat away from each other, Steve's chatty mood seeming to disappear as soon as the Henderson boy went upstairs. You watched him as his eyes continued to flicker from the lighter to you.

Another thing you had learnt about Steve was that he wasn't good at being subtle.

“It’s ok to be scared of me.” You spoke up, finally getting Steve's gaze to stick to you. “I promise I won't hurt you, but I understand why you might be wary."

“I’m not… I don't think you’re gonna hurt me.” Steve stumbled out, caught of gaurd by the sudden statement. Yes, he was still trying to wrap his head around your existence, but he never once considered you a threat.

“Why do you keep glancing at me then?” You asked, turing fully to the boy, the light from the flame being one of the only things allowing you to see his features.

Steve sighed, straightening himself up as he prepared for the topic he had been thinking about. “You know what you said before was bullshit.”

“What part?” You asked curiously.

“All of it,” He answered confidently, as if he was an expert on women (which, with how Dustin spoke about him, you suspected he might be). “I don't care if you can blow up a bush or not. You're still a girl. Or a woman. Or whatever you want to be called”

“I'm barely a person,” You muttered, crossing your arms over your legs. Steve went to rebut the comment, but you spoke before he could. “Look, Steve, you don't know me. You don't know my past.”

“So?” He instantly responded, and you shook your head, surprised by his insistence.

“So… you don't know what I have done. What I can do. All the things that make you human and understanding and normal: I didn't go through.” You lowered your head. “I’m nothing more than an experiment that got out.”

Steve was silent for a moment as you lowered your head closer to your curled-up legs. You assumed the silence meant you had won the argument.

Instead, you felt the cushion next to you dip as Steve moved to the seat next to you.

"Let me see your hand.”

You looked up at him with a confused look. You were met with the most serious face you had seen the boy give all day. “Seriously, show me your hand.”

You slowly lifted up your hand, and Steve pretended to inspect it against his own. “Just as I thought," He held up both your hands side by side. "The exact same”

You rolled your eyes, gently pulling your hand out of his grasp. “That means nothing.”

“That means everything,” Steve contradicted, looking at you with a hope in his eyes you didn't think you had ever felt. “Look, I know you have been through things that I will probably never understand, and I know that’s a lonely feeling. But that doesn't change the fact that you are human. All the qualities that we have, you are more than capable of having.” He paused before smiling. "And the way that you've been helping all of us, I think you already have some."

You looked up at Steve, and the genuine expression on his face, and all you could do was nod in agreement. No matter how much you wanted to, you couldn't deny the truth in his words. He was too confident to be lying.

Steve nodded back, understanding from his reactions with you that that was probably the biggest reaction he would get from you. He wasn't sure why he was so determined to make you feel better, but he was sure that seeing you accept his words filled him with pride.

You both sat in silence for a moment before you decided to break it. “What’s it like…being a normal teenager?”

Steve took a deep breath, shrugging his shoulders as he tried to think of the right words. “It’s usually fun. You get away with a lot more than adults do, cause this is the time that everyone lets you be dumb and free. You find enjoyment in dumb things like hanging out in the parking lot or ruining your liver with alcohol. But then it starts to come to an end, and everything gets….confusing, you know?"

You gave Steve a look, reminding him that you, in fact, didn't know. Instead of feeling embarrassed for his mistake, Steve just gave you a small smile. “How about I show you.”

You looked around, half expecting to find some surprise in the room that would allow Steve to show you the life of a teenager. The boy chcikled, bringing your attention back to him. "Not right now, but assuming we make it out of this mess, I can give you the classic teenager experience. It's too hard to just explain it.”

You took a moment to think over his words before turning to him. “Really?”

Steve nodded. “Of course. I don;t think you need it, but I can tell you want a taste of the good all-hawkins life."

You smiled lightly at him, the first one you had given him all day. “I would really like that.” 

---

You once again found yourself behind Dustin and Steve, though this time in the back of Steve’s car.

The middle school entrance was decorated with streamers, and the sound of music could be heard muffled from the outside. The whole sight was nothing you had ever seen before, as you leaned slightly into the front to get a clearer view.

Dsutin played with his hair in the mirror, which looked strikingly similar to Steve's "iconic" look. Dustin's attempt to adjust his hair was short-lived as Steve swatted his hand away.

“Hey.” Steve scolded the boy, who gave him a dirty look. “Come on. You look great, okay?”

Stev's gesture for you to join in, to which you nodded and gave a thumbs up, “You're Great.”

Despite your lack of words, Dustin nodded, feeling motivated by the fact that you talked at all. You had warmed up to both boys a lot more, learning and growing from what they showed you. Still, Dustin would tease you for giving all your attention to Steve - though you didn't understand why.

Dustin turned back to Steve, ready for a pep talk.

“Okay? Now you're gonna go in there…”

“Yeah.”

“Look like a million bucks.”

“Yeah.”

“And you're gonna slay 'em dead.”

“Like a lion,” Dustin emphasized his point by making a purring nose.

“Don't do that, okay?” Steve corrected, though you spoke up. “I think it’s cool.”

“Don't listen to her,” Steve teased, pushing you back into the backseat before turning back to Ductin. “Good luck.”

The two of you watched as the boy walked towards the school, his walk filled with a confidence you usually didn't see on the boy: at least not in the school setting.

“I really hope it goes well,” Steve spoke, looking more anxious than Dusin did himself. Your eyes seemed stuck on the building. Steve turned around in his seat, watching you as you stared curiously.

“What’d ya thinkin',” Steve asked, used to this action by now. As promised, Steve had been showing you around Hawkins, giving you the experiences you never had. This often involved allowing you to just stare at sights he saw as mundane. It was kind of beautiful to him: how you saw everything with fresh eyes.

“I’ve just never been to a dance,” You stated simply, watching as the groups of middle schoolers excitedly entered the gym.

Steve sighed. “I mean, I didn't wear my suit, but we could go inside. Share a dance.”

You genuinely thought over Steve's suggestion, but ultimately shook your head. “We should leave Dustin alone to… do his thing.” You spoke, jumping up to the passenger seat of the car.

Steve let out a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank god. Cause I do not want to be dancing with a bunch of middle schoolers.”

"Then why did you offer?" You asked, tilting your head at the boy.

Steve shrugged. "Because you're the one who asked."

He spoke so casually, but the statement filled you with so much joy. You gave him your small smile, which he swore got bugger every day, as you buckled yourself in.

"So if we're not dancing, what's the plan for the night?" You asked, turning to your guide of all things Hawkins.

“I was thinking I could take you down to the diner on 5th street. They have the best ice cream sundae; it'll blow your mind. Way better than any you've had before.”

You shrugged at the statement. “I’ve never had one before.”

Steve gave you an astonished look. “Well, I take it back. I don't think I’m taking you there. I know I’m taking you there.”

You watched happily as Steve backed out of the parking lot, already ranting to you about his attempts to apply for a new job.

You still didn't understand everything about Steve Harrington, but you were grateful for him.

Because of him, for the first time in your life, you felt like a normal person.

Time was of the essence.

Adrian needed to act quickly if justice was to be served.

He desperately scrambled into his car, already slipping his shirt off as he searched for his uniform in the back.

Yes, changing in his car was a risky move, but it was the only spot he could find, and he was desperate.

If he didn't act fast, the teenagers tagging the public bathroom might get away.

After getting into his suit top and awkwardly slipping on his pants, the man searched for his mask. Finding the object, he turned back to the front of the car, about to put the mask on.

Instead, he froze as he made direct eye contact with you.

Innocent, sweet you. Just wanting to get yourself a coffee before returning to your apartment to watch whatever slop Netflix has just released.

You hadn't expected to find yourself locked eyes with a man you were 90% sure was responsible for the spree of murders happening around town.

The two of you shared eye contact for a few seconds, neither of you is making any move. For a moment, Adrian considered the fact that he might actually be invisible.

Then your body acted: running as fast as you could in any direction that wasn't towards that man's car.

“Shit, fuck, shit,” Adrian swore as he quickly put on his mask. He messily stumbled out of his car, his eyes darting around for your figure. Thankfully for him, your lack of training meant you were still rounding a corner when he spotted you.

“Hey come back!” He yelled out, having surprising grace as he chased after you. Turning the corner, he was met with a dead-end alleyway. It was almost empty, holding only one dumpster: which you were clearly hiding behind.

“Jeez, that was short,” Adrian muttered to himself before raising his voice. “You know, in most chases, the criminal goes down the alleyway at the end of the sequence. Not straight away.”

“I’m not a criminal,” You responded loudly, instantly regretting it as you realized you were giving away your hiding spot (not that it hadn’t been obvious).

You looked up from your crouched position to see the Vigilante already standing above you.

“Look, I really hate to do this, but you saw my identity, and in a way, that’s a crime.”

“I did nothing wrong. You were getting changed in broad daylight.” You pointed out, and Adrian shrugged as he unclapsed his weapon from his belt. “Well, creeping on people is bad either way, so I kinda have to kill you." The man spoke as if the whole situation were just an awkward interaction that was out of his hands.

As he began to bring his weapon down on you, you yelled out the first thing you could think of.

“My dad’s chief of police”

The hit never came. You slowly opened your eyes, peeking out from your curled-up position to see that the man's actions had halted.

"Why are you telling me that?" He asked in a suspicious tone, as if you were suddenly the attacker. It was clear he knew that statement was a threat, but hadn't quite pieced together why.

You breathed heavily, still trying to process the fact that the man had actually stopped to listen to you. "Because… because it wouldn't be smart to kill me." You finally spoke. "The whole Police force would make sure you got caught."

“How will they know it was me who killed you?” The man challenged, and you winced at every movement he made. “Because you’re the only psycho in the area killing people for no reason.”

There was a moment of silence, and a groan, as you felt the figure in front of you step away. “You know that’s really fucked up,” Adrian scolded you, as he stepped away from you. “To use the power of your father's role to get out of punishment. It's just absolutely corrupt. That’s the exact reason why I have to work to fix our law system.”

You stood up slowly, looking oddly at the man who had just tried to kill you. “Sorry, I used my dad’s position to save my life.” You spoke only partially sarcastically.

“It’s fine, you're just doing what your pig dad raised you to do.” You nodded slowly, assuming it was best to just go with whatever logic that man threw at you.

You watched as the man paced back and forth, twirling his weapon as he clearly thought through the whole situation. You could hear him muttering ideas, spanning from letting you go to killing the entire police force.

"I won't tell anyone," You spoke up, hoping it would help your case. "I have no issue forgetting your face forever."

The man turned to face you, holding his hands to his chest. "That's really sweet, I appreciate that."

“So can I go?” You asked slowly, inching towards the opening leading you to the safe sidewalk.

“No, not yet,” You paused as Adrian moved closer to you. "Though I really appreciate the offer, I don't know if I can trust you. Even if you look really nice and kind," His eye scanned up and down you. "Looks can be deceiving."

You watched as a lot of your fear for this man oddly vanished as he mumbled to himself. Yes, he was clearly fine with killing, but you grew up in a sketchy neighbourhood: you knew a lot of people willing to kill. He had an odd sense of justice to him, like he truly just wanted to do the right thing.

“I’m going to follow you.” You raise an eyebrow at his sudden outburst, your gaze no longer on him with less fear and more confusion.

“Like, back to my apartment?”

“Maybe,” He spoke secretively, gesturing vaguely, “But I meant more in a general sense. I’m going to keep an eye on you, so if you even think about revealing my identity, then I’m killing you.”

"Well, as I said, I have no plan to do that," You clarified, giving the man a slightly strained smile.

"Good"

"Good"

The two of you stare at each other for a moment. "So am I good to go now?" You asked, and the man nodded. "Yeah, you're good to go."

You began backing out of the alleyway, not wanting to turn your back on the man until you were out in public.

"And remember: I'll be watching," Adrian yelled as he watched you, feeling accomplished from his day.

“I’m such a good hero,” He muttered to himself, before perking up and looking around. Maybe he could still find those teenagers and teach them a lesson.

---

Out of everything he had observed, Adrian was most surprised by the mundanity of your life.

It wasn't like he expected you to be as awesome as he was, fighting crime and hanging out with Peacemaker, but he thought the daughter of the police chief would do a bit more with her life. He mainly observed you visit bakeries, watch TV, and go to work.

Adrian often found himself wanting to spice up his day-to-day life. As if he were not just a watcher, but a guardian who needed to intervene to add some spice.

Adrian got into the habit of sneaking treats into your bag or leaving notes with suggestions of a show you should watch or a game to play. You never had big reactions, but you also never seemed uncomfortable with the actions. Adrian made sure you never saw him, but he assumed you knew who the notes were from.

Adrian couldn't help but feel an odd attachment to your life.

That attachment is what kept him 'surveilling' you even on the coldest night. Even with the thickness of his suit, Adrian felt himself shivering in the wind that howled around him.

He had already checked up on you (as usual, you were not making any calls to reveal his secret identity), and he could easily call it night. Still, something kept him staring in that cold weather.

“Hey, do you want to come in?”

In his attempts to warm up, Adrian has remained distrcted for long enough to miss you approaching the window he was perched outside of.

For the second time in his life, Adrian froze at your eye contact. This time, your faces were a lot closer, as you held the window open for him. Feeling awkward at the man's silent staring, you continue to talk, “I wasn't sure if I was allowed to acknowledge you when you follow me. You just looked really cold tonight.”

Adrian couldn't help but feel his face heat up at the reveal, taking his turn to feel awkward. He thought he had been following you undetected. Now his mind was full of rambling thoughts, all questioning if you had seen him every time he followed you.

"It would be nice if you could answer now, I'm letting in all the cold air."

Quickly, Adrian shook that feeling away, reminding himself he was just doing his job. It didn't matter if you found him creepy because he was making sure you didn't betray him.

“That would…that would be nice,” He quickly spoke, letting himself into the window. Despite seeing this apartment plenty of times, it felt odd to actually be inside. It felt nice and cozy, giving him shelter from the weather. It was decorated with various trinkets that made Adrian understand why you liked spending so much time here.

“I’m making soup if you want some,” You offered as you moved back to the kitchen, though Adrian just shook his head. “No can do. Gotta keep the mask on, Conceal my identity.”

You gave the man a moment to think over his words, though Adrian made no indication he understood the absurdity of his words. “Isn't the whole point of you following me because I saw your secret identity?” You finally pointed out.

“Oh yeah,” Adrian spoke, almost instantly peeling off his mask. You observed the face underneath it, smiling widely at you with shimmering eyes.

He felt so different from the masked man who had been following you around.

“It's hard to remember you're actually a person under there.” You spoke almost to yourself, though Adrian perked up at the comment.

“Well, I’m not like a 'person; person” Adrian corrected you as if it were an obvious mistake. “I’m a super cool hero that just looks like a person. If anything, the mask is more like my real form.”

You hummed, placing a bowl of soup in front of your ‘stalker’. You didn't really believe his assessment, but you found with the Vigilate it was easiest to just go along with his logic.

Adrian took a small sip, humming in satisfaction before going in for more. “Holy shit, this is amazing,” He spoke, at this point shoveling the hot soup into his mouth.

“Thanks,” You smiled somewhat bashfully, going to pour yourself a bowl. It had been a while since you had company: so much you were willing to look past the man's odd intentions.

Adrian went back to inspecting your apartment, taking in all the details he couldn't see from outside. “You know you have a really nice place. It's way better than my stupid mom’s house.”

“Do you live with her?” You asked, trying to make light conversation as you sat down to eat your own dinner. Adrian opened his mouth to answer, before quickly closing it and shaking his head. “You almost got me”

You tilted your head, confused why the man was suddenly chuckling.

“You think you can find out even more about me so you can report me to your dad. Well, it's not gonna happen." Adrian pointed a finger at you. "Next thing you’ll be wanting to know my real name and where I work and when the best time to send the cops after me is."

The man spoke with smugness as if he had unfoiled your secret plan and not just rejected your small talk.

“So how long do you need to watch over me for?” You asked, still not fully understanding the man’s plan. Adrian didn't fully understand his own plans, as he thought over your words.

“Probably a long time. I mean, you could betray me at any moment” He turned to face you. “So, a really long time.” Adrian didn't know how long he was going to keep an eye on you for; he just knew the thought of stopping made him feel sick.

You nodded along with him. “Well, if you ever want to come in again instead of watching outside, you're always welcome.” 

---

A lot had changed from that fateful night months ago.

You still saw Adrian a lot, though he didn't follow you around your daily tasks as much. Instead, almost every night, Adrian came to your house directly.

You had fallen into the routine of leaving your window unlocked, so he could just let himself in. You had even started cooking dinner for two, assuming that Adrian would always come over at some point. You were oddly happy to host him.

You knew not to call it 'hosting' or 'hanging out': every time you even suggested it was anything more than him being on a mission, he would go into a crazed rant. It would usually end in you having to pledge your loyalty to him and his secret identity, which you still didn't know anymore than what he looked like.

Still, you enjoyed your quality time together. So did Adrian. He wasn't willing to admit it, but he craved being in your presence. His stays at your house became longer and longer as he spent more time trying to justify his closeness.

One particular day, he scrambled through your window, quickly changing into the spare clothes you often kept for him in your room.

“Oh my god, you would not believe what happened today,” he called out once he was changed, moving through your apartment. “There was this crazy guy who was trying to fight me, and he totally thought-”

Adrian paused as he entered the kitchen, seeing you sitting across from an older man.

“Oh, I didn't know you had company,” The older man said, looking from Adrian back to you.

“I didn't either.” You spoke slowly, sending a look to Adrian, who sheepishly smiled at the pair. He had been so used to seeing you alone all the time that he never even considered checking if you had a guest. “I was…taking a nap..in the other room,” Adrian quickly lied.

The man gave Adrian an eyebrow before turning to you, seeming to send a silent question about the relationship between the two of you.

“Yeah, I gave him my key so he could rest here sometime after his shifts. I guess I forgot to check if he was here.” Adrian was proud of how quickly you were able to lie, feeling as if his training had played some part in that.

“So who exactly is this gentleman?” The man wiggle his eyebrows at you, and you roll your own eyes. “He’s my friend-” You trailed off slightly, not knowing the name to introduce the Vigilante by.

“Adrian,” Adrian spoke up, revealing his name for the first time. You had not proof that it wasn't a fake name, but something in your heart knew he was being honest.

“Adrian,” You repeated before gesturing to the man. “This is my father.”

Adrian’s blood suddenly ran cold. Had you finally decided to turn him in? Were you giving secret intel? Were you going to force him into some suicide squad situation where he had to work with the enemy?

“Well, I’ll get out of the two of your hairs,” your dad spoke, pushing himself up from his chair as he looked between you and the stressed-out Adrian.

“You don't have to go,” You spoke, sending a confused look to Adrian. You knew he would be scared of your dad, but you thought as a Vigilante, he would react better in a stressful situation.

“Nono, I need to get back to work,” Your dad insisted, snapping Adrian’s attention back to him. “Those pastries aren't going to cook themselves.”

It was your turn for your blood to run cold.

“Pastries?” Adrian questioned, and your dad nodded with an excited smile. “Yes, son, I work at a bakery” He turned to you. “Let him try some of the doughnuts I brought.”

You nodded, suddenly understanding how hard it was to pretend like everything was fine. You could feel how strange your smile was. “Will do, Dad.”

Showing your father to the door, you considered following him. Making a run for it before Adrian could freak out on you for letting him. But alas, knew it was no use. Adrian had amazing tracking skills.

Going back to your kitchen, Adrian had already helped himself to one of the doughnuts. “So your dad isn't the chief of police,” Adrian spoke instantly, and you sighed.

“I was in a life or death situation, it was the first thing I could think of.” You spoke, looking at him guiltily, “So what does this mean?”

“It means life is a lot easier,” Adrian spoke happily, and you gave him an almost frightened look. You knew he had the ability to kill, but you really thought the two of you had gotten past that point. “I mean, I really didn't want to date the daughter of a cop, but now that’s not an issue.”

“Date?” You asked, utterly confused by his words. You were still trying to get over the fact that he wasn't trying to kill you.

“Oh, nonono don't worry,” Adrian laughed. “I’m not some wierdo, I know we’re not dating.” You nodded your head as he continued to rant, “I still need to lay the groundwork, become closer, ask you out, woo you with a date: then we would be dating.”

Adrina let out a chuckle, and you couldn't help but join in. “So your not going to kill me?” You asked, and Adrian shook his head. “No, of course not.”

You let out a breath of relief. Not only for your life, but for the fact that you were getting a real companion in Adrian.

“But I might need to keep hanging out with you," Adrian spoke up quickly. "Like a lot…for safety.”

You giggled, smiling genuinely at the man.

“That sounds perfect”. 

@rmstitanics 

@enchanthings

@strangergraphics

“You’re really weird, you know that, right?”

Stiles looked down at you as you practically shook with excitement. Stiles knew you could get a lot of energy; hell, he was known for having energy, but no one should be that energetic on a Monday morning.

“No, I’m not.” You fought back, though you couldn't stop the smile that was spread widely on your face.

“You know most people don't get this excited when they find out their brother turned an innocent, unwilling kid into a werewolf,” Stiles spoke bluntly. You turned to him with an offended look.“Hey! Scott said that Liam was alright with it now. I'm not weird for seeing an opportunity in this”

Stiles rolled his eyes at you and the fact that you were already referring to Liam as if the two of you were friends.

Being Scott’s younger sister, you were often left out of the majority of the conflict that occurred in Beacon Hills. Scott made sure to keep you in the loop, so you knew where to stay safe and who to avoid, but he never really let you join in the ‘’group activities’ until after things had settled down.

You were usually fine with that, finding the idea of running around and being chased by evil beasts not too appealing. Maybe it meant you were being babied, but this was one of those situations you didn't really mind.

That was until you learnt about Scott bringing in a beta from your year level.

You didn’t have many friends. You had latched onto your brother's friends, but that was about it. You could blame it on the fact that you were involved with werewolves and were too busy, but both Scott and Stiles knew you had struggled to make friends before Scott's transformation.

As much as you loved your little group, you had been itching to be friends with someone your age. And Scott was finally allowing you to meet with Liam.

“Just calm down, alright? You’ll scare the little brat away,” Stiles tried to get you to calm down your energy. Despite his harsh use of words, he was really just looking out for you. Stiles had come to see you as a little sister and wanted you to make friends just as much as you did. He didn't want you to scare Liam off before he could get to know how great you really were.

“I’m not going to- HI!” You cut yourself off, waving your hands as you saw Scott sitting with Liam on the bleachers. Lacrosse practice was starting soon, and Scott had allowed you to come and watch.

Stiles groaned as Scott returned your wave happily, and Liam awkwardly waved at you. When Scott had described his sweet sister, he hadn't expected to see you so energetic.

You were buzzing, and you would have ran over to them if it hadn't been for Stiles subtly holding the back of your collar. He prayed to whatever was up there for you not to ruin your only chance at a new friend.

Feeling Stiles' tension, you took a deep breath, trying to calm yourself down.

“Hi” you spoke a lot calmer as you reached the two boys, but your focus was clearly on Liam. He gave you a bit of an awkward smile, clearly still warming up to you. “Hi, I’m-”

“Liam Dunabr, the new beta of the pack, I know” You blurted and Stiles nudged you, trying to stop you from letting anything else slip. Surprisingly Liam let out a small chuckle. “Looks like you’ve done your research.”

You nodded happily, choosing not to tell him anything more about the actual research you did to prepare yourself for the meeting.

“You’re in my math class, aren’t you?”

You lit up at Liam's recognition. Of course, you knew you were in the same class, but you hadn't expected him to know. “Yeah I am…I’m so failing that class.”

“Oh me too” Liam agreed, nodding his head. “He has such biased grading, it's not fair”

“How can you have biased grading in math?” Stiles questioned, and you both shushed him. "Shut up, Stiles" "It totally happens."

You both turned to each other, happy to see you already had each other's backs.

“Well maybe we could study together sometime, try and give each other a hand” You offered, heart racing as you waited for an answer. Liam gave you a carefree smile “That sounds great”

Your instinctive reaction was jump up in excitement, though Stiles quickly pulled you down to prevent you from fully celebrating. Your face was clearly shining brightly. “Amazing”

Liam chuckled, seeing your reaction. Suddenly, he caught Mason from across the field. The boy gestured for Liam to come over to him. “Uh, sorry. Give me a sec, Mason is calling me over.” Liam apologised to the group before looking directly at you. "It was really nice to meet you.”

You could have died happy there, as the boys words were spoken so genuinely, you had no choice but to believe him. “You too.” You spoke quietly, scared that if you spoke any louder, it would be a scream.

Liam gave you one last smile before running off.

You turned excitedly to your brother. “Did I just make a friend my age?” You almost genuinely asked, feeling as if you had just blacked out.

“Yes. Yes, you did,” He smiled, and you excitedly hugged him. From over your shoulder, Stiles sent Scott a confused look, half expecting you to be upset with the interaction. Scott just shrugged back.

Though both boys found the interaction with you and Liam to be odd, the fact that you were happy was enough.

Across the bleachers, Liam stood speaking with Liam. “Thanks for the help, dude. Sorry for pulling you away from the 'pack,'” Mason thanked Liam for his advice on some vague thing.

“It’s all good man, I was just meeting Scott’s sister.”

“Oh, how did it go?” Mason asked, being equally curious about you. He recognised you from around the halls, but most of all, he had heard about you from the pack, who all seemed to want to keep you a secret but also not shut up about you.

Liam glanced back at you, who was still celebrating the fact that you had a new platonic relationship.

He turned around, smirking at Mason.

“Oh, she’s totally into me.” 

---

Liam had always been pretty conventional… at least on the outside.

From his looks to his athletic interests and even his way of speech, most people would see him as the jock stereotype. Still he never really felt that way on the inside.

Even before getting the bite, or even his I.E.D. diagnosis, he just never really had that confidence so many people believed he did.

That was until he met you.

Suddenly, he felt like a million bucks, confident that he had a cute girl swooning over him. Unfortunately for everyone around him, it had gone straight to his head.

The Dunbar boy was already smirking as he searched for you in the library. The two of you had gone ahead with your 'study buddy' plan, and he was excited to hang out with you one-on-one.

You on the other hand were a lot more nervous. Not because of some secret crush, your brain hadn't even begun to see romance as any kind of option.

You were still stuck on trying to maintain a friendship. The adrenaline of the first meeting had already worn off, and now you feared that your over enthusiasm had scared Liam off in the same way it scared off so many people before him.

“Just be normal ok. No need to stress. You're making a new friend, not diffusing a bomb,” You muttered to yourself, trying to calm your racing heart.

Finally finding you, Liam plopped down next to you. “Hey,” He spoke, oh so subtly flicking his hair up as he did, in a move her perceived as cool.

You jumped slightly at his sudden appearance, praying to yourself he hadn't heard your statement. “Hi,” you smiled widely, hoping you came off as normal. “You ready to study?”

Liam nodded, taking out his books as you got to work. As you discussed the equations and tried to make sense of the random symbols, Liam seemed focused on other things. He kept leaning in ever so slightly to you, trying to see if your face would get a bit redder, or any kind of reaction.

You honestly took no notice, assuming that Liam was just struggling to think of an answer.

“So what do you think?” You turned to Liam, wanting to get his reaction to the question. He smiled, seeing your faces were now very close together. “I think…that you are an amazing teacher,” He spoke, and you laughed.

Liam felt his chest soar with pride as you laughed at the idea of being a good educator. You turned back to him, expecting him to give you his actual answer.

You were surprised to find Liam just staring right back at you, a subtle smirk on his lips.

“I..I need to go to the bathroom,” You spoke, suddenly standing up. “How about you have a look over the questions, and we can go over them when I get back.”

You had assumed that maybe Liam hadn't been paying attention, and you were subtly giving him the opportunity to catch up and not embarrass him.

As you walked away, Liam shook his head proudly as he smirked. “You still got it, Dunbar.” 

---

“So you’re pretty close with y/n now, right?”

Liam couldn't help but smirk at Stiles’ question. Stiles and Scott were leaning up on the lockers by Liam as the boy packed his school bag. The plan was to go back to the McCall house to sort out some werewolf stuff.

“Yeah, we are,” Liam spoke before turning to Scott. “But you don't have to worry or get protective.”

Scott tilted his head, confused by the sudden statement. “What?”

“I mean, I know she’s got a crush and everything, I won’t be rude about it,” Liam spoke quietly, as if to save you from embarrassment.

Stiles and Scott shared a look, but Liam didn't notice as he began going into a bit of a rant.

“And if she did make a move, I would make sure to be very respectful in our relationship and treat her well, and she would never cry because of something I did and-”

He stopped when he was met with Stiles and Scott laughing. Liam raised an eyebrow, expecting more of protective older brother behavior from the two of them, not laughter.

“You-you think she likes you?” Stiles asked, literally bending over in laughter. Liam's face heated up as he instantly felt embarrassed.

“Yes?” He answered, losing a lot of the confidence he had. His confidence dropped even lower as the older boys burst into another fit of laughter.

Liam felt himself turning defensive quickly, as his face heated more with embarrassment. “Look, maybe you two don't notice, but I'm around her a lot more. S-she gets flustered around me, and is totally trying to impress me.”

“Yeah cause she isn't used to having friends,” Scott pointed out, wiping away a tear from his eye. “She’s just excited.”

Stiles nodded along, doing a much worse job at composing himself. “She was just telling me about how she hoped the two of you would stay buddies forever.”

Liam’s face dropped. “But…but you guys, we’re getting suspicious of our closeness. You had to have thought something was going on between us.”

“No, we weren’t,” Stiles spoke bluntly, and Scott nodded along, almost looking sorry for Liam. “We were just going to ask how she was doing in class. Mom is worried we might need to get her a tutor.”

Liam stood there, his eyes darting around as he clearly was trying to process this information.

“Look, man, I'm sorry-” “I’m not.” Stiles snorted as he interrupted Scott, who whacked him on the side. “I’m sure that…maybe one day she’ll like you like that. But right now her focus is just on making friends.”

Scott always thought that if a boy ever liked you, he would get protective, but staring at Liam's cold face, he just felt guilt. He understood the pain of unrequited love.

Liam remained silent as he continued to try to process the information. He just couldn't wrap his head around the fact that not only didn't have a crush on him, but it was a well-known fact to the people around you.

As iff summoned, you suddenly appeared, going straight to Liams side. “Hey guys.” You smiled at all of them, your backpack securely on your back.

Scott gave you an awkward wave, while Stiles looked over the moon as he waved at you. Liam remained frozen.

“We ready to go?” You asked, though you turned most of your attention to Liam. He finally looked at you, giving you a slow nodd and you grinned.

As you walked to Roscoe, Liam's gaze remained on you as he followed a few steps behind. Your face was shining with a smile as you told him all about your day and the plans you wanted to make with him.

He had been so confident that there was a secret crush apart of the friendship.

And in a way he was right.

He just hadn't expected to be the one pining for his best friend. 

Glasses clinked as quiet chatter rustled through the restaurant, all to the backing of slow jazz music.

It was the epitome of high-class dining: couples scattered throughout the venue, dressed in elegant outfits, as waiters silently nodded at their extravagant requests. It seemed like everything and everyone fit in perfectly.

“So then - you’re gonna love this part - his bloody arms go flying and hit the other guy right in the face.”

You and Adrian burst out laughing, completely oblivious to the continuous glare you had been getting from almost everyone around you.

“I can't breathe,” You snorted out, as you tried to gasp for air, laughing.

“Neither could that security guard after I stabbed him.”

Both of you burst into laughter again, Adrian aggressively banging the table as he did so.

“Sir,” You both looked up to see a waiter looking at the two of you, with clear disdain in his eyes. “Could you refrain from hitting the furniture?”

“Of course,” Adrian spoke, trying to make his voice more serious, though his glances at you made him giggle.

You weren't too sure how long you and Adrian had actually been dating. The moment you met, the two of you hit it off, instantly understanding each other on a level that the others clearly didn't. You spent all your spare time together, and you were the only person Adrian would blow off Chris for.

At some point in time between the two of you meeting, and Adrian deciding he was just going to move into your apartment, the two of you just started referring to each other as “boyfriend” and “girlfriend”.

Not the most conventional way of starting a relationship, but nothing about the two of you was conventional.

“I love the food here,” Adrian spoke happily, and you raised an eyebrow. “You’ve refused to try anything but the garlic bread.” You gestured to his plate of a full loaf of garlic bread, as you held a feast of various side dishes.

“Yeah, but they really got the recipe down. Maybe I should work here instead.”

You thought for a moment, before shaking your head, “No, they're no fun here: they couldn't handle your energy. You wouldn’t like it.”

Adrian sighed dreamily as he placed his head in his hands and looked up at you. “You know me so well.”

You rolled your eyes and shoverd his face away lightly, though you couldn't help but feel your face heat up. Adrian had a talent for making you feel flustered from the stupidest things.

“So how about-”

“There you fuckers are.”

All heads of the restaurant moved to the entrance of the restaurant where the voice came from. Before you could even see who had entered, you knew the two of you were the "fuckers" in question.

Chris stood in his peacemaker outfit, pointing at the two of you, while Economos stood behind him nervously apologizing to the angry customers around them.

“Hey, guys,” You smiled at them, slurping some pasta into your mouth. You were ready for the very likely situation of being dragged out of the place without finishing your meal.

“What brings you here?” Your second statement was muffled by the pasta as the two men stormed to your table.

“You're meant to be at work,” John pointed out, clearly just as frustrated as Chris.

“We’re on break,” Adrian spoke like it was the most obvious thing in the world, causing Chris to glare at him. “You went on break like 2 hours ago.”

“So?”

“so? SO!?” Chris yelled, before stopping himself and forcing himself to take a deep breath. John awkwardly rubbed his back in an attempt to relieve his frustration. “When you go on break, you spend like 20 minutes eating in your car. You don't go on a date to a 5-star restaurant.”

You held your plate up subtly to John, who rolled his eyes…before picking at the plate for some snacks.

“You’re just jealous,” Adrian scoffed, crossing his arms as he looked at Chris smugly. “I have a hot girlfriend who takes me out for fancy dinners, and you don't.”

Chris seemed to pause at Adrian’s words, though neither of you noticed as the waiter approached the table. “Ma’m, my manager would like to talk to you.” He spoke in a clearly upset tone, but you just happily nodded.

“Sure,” You signaled for the boys to stay there, as you followed the waiter.

Instantly, Chris took your seat as he leaned in towards Adrian. All anger had washed from his face as he looked at Adrian with curiosity and concern.

“Wait, she’s paying for the meal?” Chris hissed, causing Adrian to roll his eyes. “Wow. So because she’s a woman, she can't pay for the meal. What is this, the 1950s?”

“It’s not about gender," Chris spoke, annoyed at the accusation, before lowering his voice even more. "It’s just… isn't this place like super expensive?”

“Yeah,” Adrian spoke obliviously, waiting for Chris to continue. “So should you be paying?”

Adrian tilted his head. “This still feels like it’s about gender.”

“It's about the piles of cash in your basement, dumbass,” John spoke up, now completely finishing your meal for you.

“I told you guys, that’s blood money,” Adrian spoke in a hushed voice. “It’s bad enough we used it for Checkmate. I don’t touch that shit.”

Chris shook his head. “So how do you pay for shit?”

Adrian shrugged. “Usually y/n pays for stuff.”

Both of the other men froze, staring at Adrian in disbelief.

“So let me get this straight,” John spoke slowly, putting down the plate. “Your girlfriend is aware of the fact that you have millions of dollars just in your basement, that you were willing to use to make her workplace, but you still make her pay for everything?”

Adrian thought over the words, as if he were fact-checking everything Chris had said. “Yeah, exactly,” He smiled at the two men, who groned in sync.

“You're sp fucked, man.” John shook his head as he took your seat from across the table. Even though he didn't fully understand why John thought that, Adrian got defensive quickly. “What do you know, you’ve never had a girlfriend.”

“Hey,” Chris scolded instantly, shaking his head at Adrian. “Too far”

Adrian paused for a moment before bashfully lowering his head. He looked up guiltily at John. “Sorry, Economos.”

The man shrugged, not really offended by the statement to begin with. "It's fine:

“But the girflrienless virgin is right-” “Hey” “-she’s 100% gonna break up with you.” Chris finished, his words sending fear straight into Adrian's chest.

“What!” Adrina exclaimed in distress. “Did she say that?”

“No,” Chris spoke, calming Adrian down for only a moment. “But you pretty much did,” Adrian tilted his head, confused by the statement. "I would never say that. Did I accidentally say that in my sleep because I don't think that should count"

Chris sighed, dragging his hands down his face. “Look, in a totally non-sexist gender role way, girls like to get treated. It’s a scientific fact.”

“So, I should start paying for meals?” Adrian asked slowly, and John scoffed. “At this point, you should be buying her a house to make up for it.”

Adrian looked to Chris for confirmation, and he just nodded.

“No, no, you guys just don't get it. We’re perfectly fine the way we are now.”

Despite Adrian’s own words, he couldn’t help an anxious feeling bubble inside him as he thought about their words. 

---

You had only received one text from Adrian all weekend.

You didn't mind too much; as much as you missed him, you respected his space, but it was odd for the boy. Usually, he was sending you a text every few hours just to make sure you were still alive.

By the time Monday rolled around, you were beginning to question if he was even going to work that week. You were preparing in your mind what you were going to say to him if he was in the office, when a knock on the door interrupted your thoughts.

Opening it, you werenot met with the usual hug and kiss from your boyfriend, but a box being shoved in your face.

“Take this”

There was an odd tone to Adrian’s voice, as he showed very little enthusiasm for giving you the gift. It seemed like he was trying to give a fake smile, but his lack of acting skills meant he looked even more uncomfortable.

You laughed somewhat awkwardly, hoping to relieve some of the weird tension. “What is it?” You asked, causing Adrian to let out a dramatic sigh, as if the answer pained him to say.

“It’s a really pretty, fancy dress that I think you should have.” He reached into his bag and pulled out a smaller box. “And here’s some jewelry.” You would think he was giving you an eviction notice from how he shoved the objects into your hands.

Opening the box up, you let out an involuntary gasp as you stared down at a diamond necklace and earrings.

“Holy shit,” You looked up at Adrian, half expecting him to drop the ‘act’ and reveal his prank, but instead he looked just as enthusiastic as before.

Your moment of joy was instantly replaced with a feeling of suspicion. This kind of gift-giving only ever came with ulterior motives. You narrowed your eyes. “What’s this about? You never give shit like this.”

This seemed to make Adrian perk up a bit, quick to defend himself. “Yes, I do,” He spoke with a puffed-out chest, “I’m a very giving boyfriend.” He paused before looking to you. “You should put it on.”

“And wear it to work?”

"Yes, exactly"

You looked at Adrian with a dropped jaw. "Adrian, I can't wear a ball gown to work."

He sighed. "Then just wear the jewelry."

You paused your mind racing as you tried to understand what kind of breakdown Adrian was having. Taking a deep breath, you softened your features. "How about I just put in the earrings?"

Adrian groaned, kicking his foot. "Fineeee, I guess."

Despite his insistence, you wore them, Adrian fliched oh so subtly as you put each earring in. Like you, wearing them hurt him to watch.

Wearing the earring certainly hurt you, as the weight of the earring meant your ears were already throbbing as you entered the Checkmate building.

Placing your bag down, you stopped for a second as you stared at your desk. "Adrian!" You called out suspiciously, as your boyfriend quickly came to your side.

"Yes, my love," he said, looking at you excitedly, clearly missing your company. You, however, were more focused on the fact that all the decorations on your desk were now gold-plated. "Did you do this?"

Adrian glanced at the table, his energy instantly deflating as he looked at his work. "Yeah, I did it over the weekend," He spoke quickly, his eyes darting around like he was trying to get someone else's attention. "Just a material way to show you that I love you."

You narrowed your eyes at his loudness, caught up in too many emotions to word how you felt.

“Holy shit, girl.”

You didn't get to say anything, as Adrian's face quickly turned smug. You turned to see Adebayo and Economos both looking at your earrings in awe. Your shoulders shrank as your face grew hot with embarrassment, while Adrian just wrapped an arm around you.

“You’re asking to get mugged,” Economics laughed, and Adrian stood up straighter. “I bought them for her.” He blurted out, instantly causing John to give him a surprisingly impressed look. "You should see her desk."

While Adebayo let out another gasp at your desk, John seemed to just raise an eyebrow at Adrian. You squinted at the two men, watching as some silent communication was going on between them.

“Hey adrian” Your boyfriend looked at you, nodding excitedly. “Since your being so generous today, could you run to Dunkin and just get us… a fuck ton of doughnuts”

Adrian paused, a clear look of conflict on his face. He really wanted to do what you asked, but he also didn't want to spend blood money. A glance at Economos' smug face seemed to seal his fate.

“Of course, love,” he kissed you on the cheek, heading to the door. He paused before leaving, turning to face you. “So when you say a fuck ton…what’s the least amount of doughnuts that would still fit in that category?”

“Jesus Christ, man.” Economics shook his head, chuckling to himself, enraging your boyfriend.

“No. It’s ok, I don’t even care how many donuts. I’m a big spender,” Adrian threw up his arms and stormed out, causing Economos to laugh harder. He laughing quickly stopped when you leaned into him, glaring at the man.

“What did you do?”

Economics gulped, his eyes darting around. “I don’t..I don't know what you-”

“Cut the shit, Adrian has been acting all weird with money and gifts today” You emphasised your point by taking out the diamond earrings and placing them on the table with an audible thud. “What did you say that messed with our relationship?”

“More like fixed your relationship.” The cocky voice of Chris Smith came booming in as he walked beside Bordeaux.

“Of course you have something to do with it” You groaned, while Adebayo looked between all of you. “Am I missing something?” She spoke in confusion.

“Yeah, so am I. These guys have clearly done something to make Adrian feel like he has to spend an ungodly amount on me."

“Come on. Were you seriously happy with paying for all the meals?” Chris scoffed. "We just pointed out to Adrian that he should be paying for dinner…. and a lot of things."

"Wait, he wasn't paying for your meals?" Bordeaux asked, raising an eyebrow at you. "That's not very chivalrous of him."

Your eyes widened as you turned to John and Chris with a glare. "So this is a gender thing?"

Chris groaned as John hit the table in frustration. "Why does everyone think of gender first? Why does no one think of the stacks of cash sitting in his basement?"

"He doesn't like to use it. It's blood money," You defended your boyfriend, causing Chris and John to groan.

"My ex-wife and I used to always split fifty-fifty," Adeboya added, a reminiscent smile on her face.

"I think that only applies later in the relationship," Bordeaux spoke up, much to your dismay. "If I'm going out with a stranger, they should be paying for my meal, or it's a waste of money."

"Adrian is my boyfriend, so-"

"Well, that's bullshit." John ignored you, turning to Bordeaux, "You're wasting the other person's money. Whoever organises the date should be the one to pay."

"No, fifty-fifty is the best way to go."

"Look, call me a sexist, but I still think men should pay for their ladies."

"Shut up, Chris. When was the last time you went on a date?"

“It doesn't matter,” You yelled, cutting through the chatter of the group. “It doesn;t matter what you guys think is or isn't right. I don't care about that shit. Hell, I liked being able to provide financially for Adrian because he does so much for me” You pointing at the group. “So you better all just back off form my relationship, alright? Stop meddling”

You stormed away before any of them could respond, already thinking of how you were going to try and fix this with adrian.

There was silence in the group before Chris spoke up. “So if she’s not coming back for these earrings do you think I could take them?” 

---

Adrian didn't return with the doughnuts. Not immediately.

You had been waiting around for him, but you assumed he had gone off to find another extravagant thing to show off to you.

As soon as you stepped out of the building, you could already hear the murmurs of your coworkers. You were almost scared to lift your gaze, knowing that it was going to be something to do with your boyfriend.

As you predicted, the first thing you said was Adrian, looking miserable as he sat on a horse and carriage. You and your coworkers surrounded him, but they seemed more focused on taking pictures than on noticing Adrian's mood.

“Jesus christ” You muttered as you approached the vehicle as fast as you could.

Adrian tried to perk up as you approached, but in contrast to the whimsical view, he could barely keep a smile on his face. You could hear the ohhs and ahhs of your coworkers, though they all quickly shut up as you sent them a glare.

“You guys, out,” You ordered, gesturing for them to leave.

"But I wanted-”

“OUT!” You yelled before Fleury could finish his sentence. Harcourt snorted, lacking the context of the situation but loving your anger. "You heard her, everyone out."

As Harcourt pushed the group away, you turned your attention back to Adrian, who bowed at you. He sighed, before monotonously speaking what clearly was a script he had written. “My lady. I have planned a mystical evening where-”

“Adrian, step out of the carriage.” You demanded, catching Adrian off guard. This wasn't the swooning he was expecting. "Why?" He spoke almost timidly.

"Just get out of the carriage."

"I don't want to," Adrian spoke, acting as if you were going to attack him if he stepped down.

"Adrian-" You stopped yourself from shouting anymore, taking a deep breath to calm yourself. "Look, Adrian, I know you're only doing this because John and Chris were giving you shit in the restaurant."

"No, they didn't," Adrian shook his head. "I'm doing this because I love you, and what you're meant to do-"

"I don't give a fuck what you're meant to do." You interrupted him, throwing your hands up. "Adrian, when have we ever done things the way we're meant to? Do you think most people spend 3 days together as their first date? Do you think most people find going on missions romantic?"

Adrian's shoulders dropped. "So I've been messing up our whole relationship."

"No, that's what makes our relationship the best." You spoke, taking his hand in yours. "Anyone old loser can get me gifts or pay for my meals, no one could understand and comfort me the way you do. That's what's important."

Adrian slowly stepped down from the carriage, keeping his hold on you the whole time. "But… don't you want more gifts from me?"

You shrugged. "I mean, gifts are nice, but you don't need to spend your blood money on them. A gift doesn't need to cost anything to be meaningful."

Keeping one of his hands still gripped in yours, Adrian slowly reached into his pocket. “Well…I did find this rock that looked the same shade as your eyes.”

He handed it to you, acting as if you were going to bite his hand. You paused, looking down at the stone before letting out a genuine sigh.

“Adrian,” You spoke softly. “This is the best gift ever.”

There was a still moment as Adrian looked at you with soft eyes. His whole body seemed to relax…then his celebrating started.

"I knew it, I knew they were full of shit. Of course, you're happy with our relationship because you're the best girlfriend." Adrian picked you up, spinning you around as he continued to celebrate.

You giggled, both from the dizziness and from the fact that your boyfriend was finally acting like himself again.

“So should I tell this bozo to leave?” Adrian asked with a lot more energy, gesturing towards the horse attached to the carriage.

"I don't know, the horse is pretty cute." You spoke, finally acknowledging the 'gift' he had brought.

“I’m still hired for another hour” The carriage driver informed, reminding the pair of you that he did indeed exist as a human being and not a prop.

You looked to Adrian, shrugging your shoulders. “I mean, why waste money already spent?”

The two of you excitedly clambered into the carriage, Adrian peppering kisses on your face throughout. The driver sighed, shaking his head. "So, where can I take the two of you?"

“Can we take this thing through a drive-thru?”

“I’m so in love with you”

Life in the galde was odd.

It certainly wasn't good; it was hard to call being stuck in the middle of a dangerous maze good in any sense, but a nice community had been built in the glade. The shared experience of being stuck had built a strong sense of friendship between the gladers.

You had thrown a bit of a curveball when you first arrived. The group of boys wasn't sure if they should celebrate the first girl of the glade or awkwardly stand around avoiding eye contact with you. You ended up getting an odd mix of both for the first week you were there.

As time went by, your place in the glade began to solidify. You were let into the community and finally felt like everyone was accepting of you.

“You’re doing it wrong.”

Well, not everybody.

You turned around to see Gally glaring down at you. You're eyes widened as you awkwardly looked between him and the garden bed. You wanted to apologize for your mistake, but looking at your work, you couldn't work out what part you had messed up.

“I am?” You finally asked, instantly cursing yourself for the reaction. Gally was an intimidating guy who you suspected didn't take well to back talk. It wasn't just the fact that he looked like he could beat the shit out of you without breaking a sweat, but because you were yet to smile in the 4 weeks you had been there.

In fact, you had yet to see him produce any emotion except mild annoyance, annoyance, and extreme annoyance. You had been hoping that, in helping the builders with some work, you might get into his good books.

“If you do it like that, it’s all going to fall apart.”

"Really, cause it looks pretty sturdy to me." You needed to learn how to shut up. You didn't even have much pride in your work; you had spent half the day trying to avoid doing this task. There was just a part of you that wanted to prove yourself as useful to Gally, though right now all you were doing was proving yourself to be annoying.

He took a step forward, and you instinctively flinched. Gally rolled his eyes, instead placing his foot lightly on the garden bed you had been building. In a matter of seconds, the whole thing fell apart.

Gally turned to you smuggly, before holding out his hand expecting the hammer ot be returned to him. Looking up at him, you held onto it a little tighter. “Well, wouldn't it be better if you just taught me how to do it correctly?”

You thought it had been a nice suggestion. It meant you would know how to do more building, and it could be a bonding experience for the two of you. The harsh stare Gally gave you killed any hope of that happening.

You sighed, holding out the hammer reluctantly, which he instantly took. You felt useless as Gally turned around, getting straight into fixing your…pile of wood.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“No, you’re not needed here.”

Gally didn't even turn around to tell you that. You slumped back to the centre of the glade, where Minho and Newt had been watching the interaction.

“He hates me,” You exclaimed as you reached them, and Newt patted you on the back. “He doesn't hate you.”

“He does”

“No, he acts like that to everyone, especially the greenies,”

You groaned, stomping your feet lightly. Maybe it was childish, but you really felt Gally was the last person you needed to connect with to become a true glader. “Well, I want to make him stop.”

Minho snorted. “Well, if you work out the secret, let me know. I’ve been in here with this shank for years, and he still treats me like klunk.”

Newt nudged Minho, as your frown somehow got deeper. Clearly, his response wasn't helping.

“Don’t listen to him” Newt insisted. “He’ll come around eventually.”

You wanted to believe Newt’s words, you really did. But watching Gally as he grumpily redid your work, that future seemed impossible.

---

Newt had been hoping for a calm, nice morning.

That was almost impossible in the glade, but he was at least hoping for a peaceful breakfast before all the chaos of the day began. Luck was not on Newt's side.

He had barely gotten to sit down with his breakfast when he heard the sound of shouting from the builders' area. It wasn't uncommon to hear shouting from that area. Gally liked to be harsh on his workers. But this shouting was different: it was louder and had a tone of real fear within it.

Newt and the other gladers had rushed over to follow the noise, though Newt had been slower due to his limp. By the time he got to the source, a large crowd of half-awake gladers had already formed.

“Which one of you did this?” Gally yelled, glaring at the group of boys. Some laughed, others looked horrified.

“Gally,” Your quiet voice spoke up, trying to get the boy's attention, but the boy didn't hear. He was in too much of a rage. “Seriously, which one of you slintheads?”

Gally looked like he might actually murder someone. Newt had assumed it was some sort of builder breakdown, but he froze when he noticed the blood on your pants.

“What’s going on?”

The crowd despised as Alby came storming through. If the group weren't going to take Gally seriously, they would at least follow Alby's order. He looked to Newt for some context to the situation, but the blonde gave him no reaction, still looking at your pants. Alby followed his gaze, landing on your pants too.

Noticing the stares from both the leaders, you quickly shook your head, trying to hide the stain. “I’m fine,” You quickly spoke, and Gally glared at you. “You’re obviously not fine. Just tell me who did it.”

"No one did anything, I’m not like…stabbed.” You insisted, though Gally looked frustrated still. You had been so insistent that you were alright, which only raised his suspicions about the other boys in the glade. Had one of them threatened you to stay quiet?

“What…we…get her to the med bay?” Alby quickly spoke, his voice filled with a lot more concern than rage. If the leader didn't have the same suspicions as Gally, the builder looked relieved that someone finally agreed with him.

“I’m fine, honest, I just need to be cleaned up.” The group looked at you like you were crazy.

“Does this happen often?” Newt asked, half as a joke, half as a serious question. You paused, the silence causing a sea of comments and concern from the group.

"Who the hell is threatening you all the time?"

"If it's not one of us, does that mean she's dying?"

"How much blood loss is too much? I mean, she doesn't seem weak."

You waved your hands around, trying desperately to stop the chaos and confusion of the men around you. You honestly felt perfectly fine; you just wanted all the attention to go away.

"Slim it and let her speak," Newt finally shouted, getting the crowd to slowly but surely bring their attention back to your words. You and Alby both sent him a grateful nod, which he returned awkwardly. He was equally as freaked out at the others, but knew that chaos would do nothing to help.

You took a deep breath, turning back to the group. “Well…I’ve lost my memory, obviously. But I just… I know this has happened before.” You reminded them, your eyes scrunching as if you were trying to unlock the memory. “It doesn't feel scary or weird to me. It feels normal. Like it's meant to happen”

Unfortunately, your words did nothing to help the group's concern, as murmurs began to rise again. Your statement seemed like fantastic rambling over true facts. Gally quickly moved to you, inspecting your face. “She’s clearly lost a lot of blood, and she’s gone delusional. We have to get her to the med bay,” He ordered, though Albly stopped him.

"If she says she’s alright, shouldn't we believe her?” Alby had seen you stressed before, and you clearly weren't in any form of it. You truly just seemed calm with the situation.

Gally looked almost offended by the suggestion. “Not if it’s going to get her killed.”

“I'm not dying,” you insisted, and Gally looked back at you. “Well, are you in pain?” You paused, thinking over the words. “I mean..kind of”

That turned the group's murmurs into a flurry of gasps and loud comments. The most surprising action was the fact that Gally instantly clamped onto your hand. “We’re taking you to the med bay.”

“No, I’m fine, you don't-”

Gally didn't even let you finish, as he picked you up, slinging you over his shoulder. Despite your protests, he carried you over to the med bay. Maybe it was an overaction, and you truly were telling the truth, but Gally wasn't going to risk that.

He was going to make sure you were alright. 

---

You lay in your bed, tossing around as you attempted to find just the right spot. Your curtains were drawn, and all you wanted was to fall back asleep, but it was all too uncomfortable.

You sighed when you heard a knock at your door, knowing any form of drifting off you had managed had all disappeared.

“Come in,” You called, pulling yourself up and resting on your elbows. The door crept open, revealing the group of keepers. Seeing you in bed, they slowly walked in, all giving you awkward smiles. Except for Gally, who still kept his hardened face.

You didn't miss the way his eyes gazed over you, like he was checking for any injuries.

“Hey, how are you going?” Newt asked softly, and you groaned in response. Alby sighed, trying his best to look more sympathetic than uncomfortable. “Look, I know you’re probably embarrassed-”

“Embarrassed?” Gally scoffed. “She has nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“Well-” Winston started, and Gally glared at him, instantly shutting the boy up.

“Look, I’m just being sensitive to the situation,” Alby half-whispered, though you could clearly hear his comment to Gally.

“Sensitive about what?” Gally pushed, and Alby looked to the ground. None of them really wanted to say it out loud.

“Sensitve that she’s bleeding out of her vagina.” Minho didn't seem to have an issue, as he blurted out the statement before turning to you, “That’s true, right? They’re not just messing with me,” He had been the only one not there during the incident and was still struggling to wrap his head around the whole situation.

After being taken to the med-jacks, Clint and Jeff assessed the situation. From the information they had gotten in past supply drops, they in fact determined you were just on your 'period', a perfectly natural occurrence for women. You had been happy to hear, and after receiving some advice from the pair, you were sent back to your room to get some rest.

You took the news a lot better than the rest of the glade.

Alby knew that the others would question what would happen, and Clint seemed concerned by the lack of understanding of basic human biology everyone had, so a meeting was held to explain the situation. It had been an eye-opening and awkward meeting, especially for the runner who had been out in the maze while everything took place.

But at least now everyone had an understanding of what was happening to you each month.

“Minho, we explicitly agreed we wouldn't say that,” Newt yelled, leading to bickering among the group.

“Slim it!” You yelled, catching their attention. It seems your tiredness had completely changed your quiet attitude from before, and Gally couldn't help but give a small, proud smirk. “Gally’s right, I’m not embarrassed. I do feel like an absolute klunk, though, so please either tell me something useful or leave.”

Gally's smirk turned into a full-fledged grin on his face, clearly happy to be told he’s right. Newy cleared his throat, nudging Alby to continue. “Right, so we made you some food and we got some medical supplies for you and….” he trailed off a bit, seeming a bit flustered by everything.

“Did Clint give you the same talk they did to me?” You ask curiously, and Alby nods. You were surprised by the still awkward reactions from the group. “Well then, you know what’s going on. It’s not a big deal.”

Despite your words, the boys still looked at you like you were a ghost. It was like they assumed you were lying, or just putting on a brave face. They were at a loss for words.

“Alright, you shanks, you heard her, she’s alright. Stop being so dramatic,” Gally ordered. Winston raised an eyebrow, ready to challenge the builder's comments. “You were the one flaying around, acting like she was dying earlier.”

Gally glared, and Winston, who instantly shuddered at the attention. What he said was absolutely right, but Gally wasn't willing to admit that.

“Alright, everyone out!!” Gally ordered, rounding up the group and pushing them out. You couldn't help but giggle a bit, watching the shocked expressions of the other leaders.

“But I was explaining-”

“You were bumbling,” Gally interrupted ALby, rolling his eyes at their leader. “I'll explain everything to her. It'll be a lot quicker without you and your ranting and beating around the bush."

There were protests from the others, and even Minho questioning if you were gonna die, but Gally ignored all of them. As much as you loved the others, you had to admit you were happy to have them gone.

Gally turned to face you, suddenly realizing he was in a room alone. You smiled, and he cleared his throat, moving the basket to your bed. Despite his own wave of sudden awkwardness, he was much better at composing himself than the others.

“Most of the stuff is pretty self-explanatory. Clint left any pamphlets for the medical stuff, Frypan made the sweets, and Newt gave you some rocks for a game or something.” You smiled, knowing that Newt was always trying to come up with new ways to kill time since his injury.

“Thanks,” You spoke softly, and Gally nodded, his eyes not fully meeting yours as he continued. “We’ve agreed that if this is happening every month, you can take the time off then.”

You looked at him, surprised. “Wow, what did Newt have to bribe you with to make that happen?” You joked, but Gally shrugged. “I..I actually suggested that” You looked at him, surprised, your face morphing from a joking smile to a genuine one.

It was like seeing Gally in a new light. “He glanced up, a sudden blush on his face as he noticed your stare. This is exactly why he hated making eye contact with you; it was hard enough having you around. “You know, can;t have you dragging us down,” He quickly commented, hoping the joke would get you to frustratingly kick him out.

Instead, you just snorted, this being the first time Gally had made a joke you actually found funny. Your laugh caused Gally to smile, his mind suddenly shifting. Maybe staying with you wouldn't be so bad.

He wasn't a man of emotion. As soon as he felt a flutter in his chest when you first arrived, he vowed to avoid that feeling ever again. Which meant avoiding you. But sitting on this bed, having a quiet moment with you, he was starting to reconsider his choice.

The feeling was actually quite pleasant.

"Thank you, Gally, I really appreciate this.”

The boy nodded, deciding to finally keep proper eye contact with you. “It’s alright. Sorry for freaking out earlier.”

You shruigged. “I was actually going to thank you for that, too."

Gally's eyes widened in surprise. With all the klunk he had gotten from the other guys for it, he assumed you would be freaked out by his reaction.. “It’s nice to see that you care,” You admitted.

If only you released how much he cared.

Gally broke eye contact, the now decided pleasant feeling becoming too overwhelming. “I-I’ll leave you to rest,” He quickly spoke, noticing how your eyes had been fluttering closed a few times throughout the conversation.

You smiled, leaning forward and giving him a kiss on the cheek, before lying back down. Maybe it was just from your tiredness, or maybe it was from seeing this side of Gally, but you had become a lot bolder with your attempts to become 'closer' to the boy.

Part of Gally wanted to stay, lie down with you, but his embarrassment caused him to get up rigidly, giving you one last nod.

You giggled as you watched, snuggling into bed happily. It was nice to know Gally didn't hate you.

On the other side of the door, Gally held his back to the wall.

He was releasing how much he didn't hate you.

In fact, he now had to face the fact that he liked you a lot more than he was willing to admit.

“Hey guys, I’m concerned about Adrian.”

“What’s new?”

It was a phrase that was frequently heard at Checkmate. Whether it was from Adrian's horrifically incorrect animal facts or his wildcard actions on missions, very few people ever felt fully at ease around the vigilante.

John let out a frustrated sigh as he watched Chris not even glance at him, instead just continue to throw a stress ball up into the air. "I'm a serious man," John's grip on Adrian's computer tightened.

Since the 11th Street kids had grown into Checkmate, it meant John was now not the only one working with tech. Much to his dismay, he now acted like a glorified IT guy for those members used to being on the field.

"I'm serious too. I've been clear from day one that Adrian's a bit of a weird guy; you knew what you were getting into in hiring him." Chris shrugged, adding a spin to his ball-throwing routine.

Harcourt rolled her eyes as she watched John grow more frustrated by the lack of care from Chris. Before John could open his mouth to rebut, Emilia spoke up. "Just spit it out, Economos."

Quickly, John nodded, turning around Adrian's computer to show the group what he had seen. "This just feels like new levels of concerning."

Harcourt, Chris, and Adeboya all deflated instantly as they saw what the scandalous evidence was.

On the screen was a pretty standard candid picture, showing a woman in an apron walking out of a bakery.

"That's it?" They all jumped at the appearance of Judomaster, who had snuck into the conversation, his usual bag of Cheetos in hand.

"I told you to stop doing that," Chris hissed, only to meet with a smug smirk from Judomaster, before he turned back to John. "But yeah, he's right: that's it?"

John again looked frustrated by the lack of reaction from the group. “Well, do any of you recognise her?”

The others shook their heads, quickly turning to Chris. Chris squinted his eyes, like he was truly inspecting the picture. "You know she does…. never mind, no." John deflated at Chris's sudden switch-up. "Never seen her in my life."

Adeboya gasped excitedly, grabbing onto an annoyed Harcourt's arm. “Do you think it’s a secret girlfriend?” Harcourt scoffed, rolling her eyes as she separated her arm from Adeboya's grip. “No way, Adrian couldn't keep a secret like that. She’s probably his caretaker.”

“Well, whoever she is, she’s all over his computer.”

John's statement drew the group's curious attention back to him. "What do you mean all over?" Harcourt asked, and John quickly grabbed the mouse of the computer, exiting out of the image to reveal a background of a picture of you sleeping.

"Ok, that's a little weird, but-" Adeboya's words were cut off as John opened a new folder that was filled with hundreds of pictures of you. Some seemed to be up close, but others seemed to be far away. No matter what, they were all just of you: Adrian was never in sight.

"Oh, he's an absolute freak," Judomaster stated in a monotone voice, reaching for another cheeto.

“Holy shit” Adeboya breathed out, nowhere near as calm as Judomaster, as Chris scrambled to get a better look at the screen. "Fuck, these all look like they were taken out of a fucking bush."

“Exactly,” John nodded, his voice a weird mix of smugness and fear. On one hand, he was happy to prove to the others he wasn't overreacting, on the other, he didn't want to be friends with a bigger creep than he already thought.

“Do you think he’s stalking her?” Adeboya whispered as if they were at risk of getting caught, and Chris scoffed. “Come on, Adrian’s out friend. He’s a little weird but…” He slowly trailed off as he thought over his own words. “Shit. We should check in on this lady.”

“Ok, ok, ok. Let’s not jump to conclusions,” Adeboya spoke, though her face clearly looked like she had jumped to every conclusion, and didn't like a single one. "Maybe he has a passion for photography"

“He also has all of her social media accounts saved in his bookmarks.”

John's reveal made Adeboya let out a strangled cry, as she used Chris as a support to catch her breath. "I owe Bordeaux 20 bucks." Judomaster shook his head, his first display of any emotion in this situation, while Harcourt narrowed her eyes and John.

“Do you usually snoop through our computers when we ask you to fix them?”

The statement seemed to pause the tension, as all their gazes turned to John. The man shrank down into his chair, his eyes looking anywhere but at his coworkers. “I- well…we have more important things to worry about. Like Adrian being a stalker”

“A stalker?”

All their heads whipped around to see Adrin standing there, laughing. Abedoya let out a small gasp in fear, while Harcourt subtly clenched her fist, ready for any confrontation.

“John, you're so funny,” Adrian chuckled as he reached casually for his computer. Out of instinct, Abedoya held out her hand, stopping Adrian from making any more movement.

“Why do you have so many pictures of her?” She interrogated, nodding her head to the files on the screen.

“Yeah, dude, you’re not in any of them. It's a bit suspicious.” Chris added, lowering his voice a bit as if he was giving guy advice.

“Well, yeah, of course I'm not." Adrian spoke like they were comedically stupid for not understanding "Why would I want to look at pictures of myself?” Adrian shook his head as he grabbed the laptop, while the other sent each other concerned looks.

"Wait,” Harcourt spoke up, stopping Adrian before he could settle down at his desk. She narrowed her eyes at him, using the rough voice she kept for interrogation. “Who is she?”

Adrian looked at her as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“It’s y/n” 

---

Your name came up a few more times in passing from Adrian. Each time, the other Checkmate employees tried to get some insight into who you were.

And more importantly, if you knew who Adrian was.

Despite an attempt from every member, Adrian seemed insistent on not giving any information on you. It didn't even seem intentional; he just always focused on raving about how great you are, instead of saying who you are.

It wasn't until after a particularly bad mission that they were finally given the insight they were desperate for.

"Jesus Fuck. I'm gonna kill John," Harcourt groaned, punching the brick wall beside her. She instantly regretted the action, hissing in pain before letting out a frustrated shout.

"He said it was unguarded," Chris complained as he tried to catch his breath, only to receive a glare from Harcourt. “Well, obviously he’s full of shit,” She hissed.

"I genuinely almost died," Chris spoke more to himself, his eyes filled with a fear he usually tried to hide.

"Do either of you have a Band-Aid?" Despite being in an equally battered state, Adrian rested himself pretty casually against the wall as he inspected his bleeding arm.

"Fuck that, we need a medic," Chris insisted, looking between his two injured coworkers and his own cuts and bruises.

They had been told that since Luthor's arrest, many of the LexCorp offices had been taken over by new corporations - ones that were yet to change out the computer systems.

It was meant to be an easy in and out mission. Break into the new "Gigi Cosmetics" corporation, find the remnants of LexCorp for any evidence that could be used against Rick's plan, and leave the beauty influencers to go back to selling their overpriced goop.

What John had failed to discover was that Gigi Cosmetics was just a front for remaining LexCorp employees to keep working without suspicion, including the overly trained bodyguards.

Once Chris healed up, he was going to use the moves those guards used to kick Economos' ass.

“Y/n’s apartment is near here.”

Harcourt stifled a groan as Chris absentmindedly waved Adrian's words off. That’s nice, buddy. Now, do any of you have your phone because-”

"Why would we need that? Y/n's apartment is right there."

"We know!" Chris and Harcourt shouted at the same time, causing Adrian's eyebrows to furrow. "You know she can help us. She has a lot of medical supplies. I use them all the time, and she restocks constantly. She really cares about safety." Adrian spoke with such a sweet tone that Harcourt suspected he would be kicking his legs if they weren't so bruised.

Harcourt and Chris shared a look, clearly neither of them wanting to follow Adrian. "Come on, I know she sounds intimidating, but I swear she'll be happy to help," Adrian enthusiastically gestured for them to follow.

Out of options, the two reluctantly trailed behind the man, as he rambled about how excited he was to see you again. Harcourt nudged Chris, nodding her head towards Adrian: she wanted Chris to get more information on your connection to Adrian.

Rolling his eyes, Chris turned to Adrian, clearing his throat. “Are you sure we should go to her place?” Chris asked cautiously, only to receive a confused look from Adrian. "Why not?” Adrian gasped lightly. "Oh no, don't worry, it won't be rude to show up. Y/n doesn't mind people being over without a heads up. Hell, half the time she acts like I'm not even there."

Adrian's words did nothing to comfort the two.

Chris looked to Harcourt for help, to which he was met with her rolling her eyes. She was too tired to beat around the bush. "Look, Adrian, are you stalking this girl?" Adrian let out a dramatic gasp. "Because I don't want to break into this poor girl's apartment."

"I'm not stalking her," Adrian whined, stomping his foot like a child. He instantly regretted the action, as he hissed in pain, rubbing his now throbbing leg. "I can't believe you would accuse me of that."

"Yeah, Emilia, that's a low blow even for you." Chris joined in, shaking his head at Harcourt. He was met swiftly with a flick straight to one of his open wounds. "Come on! That just stopped hurting."

Harcourt rolled her eyes, turning her attention back to Adrina, who had stopped in front of a fire escape. "You act like a stalker when talking about this girl. I'm too tired to have to deal with the police and a screaming civilian."

"I am not acting like a stalker," Adrian insisted, his face full of betrayal. "Now climb up the fire escape, it's the only way we'll be able to get into her apartment."

Harcourt and Chris stared at Adrian with a blank face, as he expectedly gestured. "Come on, hurry up. Before we get caught"

Chris held the bridge of his nose as he sighed. "You make it really hard to defend you sometimes."

"What?" Adrian asked, tired of all these odd reactions. "This is how I always get into her apartment."

Harcourt threw up her hands, turning around as she walked away as fast as she could in her current state. "Come on, we'll find a pay phone and get Ads to pick us up."

Chris turned to follow as Adrian shook his head rapidly. "No, no, guys, I swear. It's fine."

"Come on, dude, let's just go."

"But-"

"Let's go!"

"Hey!"

Instantly, all three of them looked up, all having varying reactions as a somewhat familiar face looked down at them. You squinted your eyes, leaning a little bit further out your window as you tried to make sense of the scene below you. Suddenly, your face broke out into a smile.

"Adrian, is that you?” 

---

Adrian held a smug look the entire time you patched them up.

Even when it was his turn, every wince or sharp pain was still met with a smug look directed towards Harcourt and Chris. You made no comment on it, instead just working on cleaning up Adrian as if you had done it a million times.

The whole situation frustrated Harcourt to no end. It didn't help that you were so welcoming of them, greeting the group as if they were visiting friends and not beaten-up strangers.

“Thank you for letting us stay,” Harcourt spoke awkwardly as you placed a mug of tea in front of each of them. You smiled, waving your hand in front of yourself. “Don't worry about it. Any friend of Adrian is a friend of mine.”

It wasn't just your kind aura that contrasted the situation they were in; it was your whole apartment. It was full of fluffy furniture, decorated walls, and bright colours around every corner. There wasn't a single shelf that didn't hold some trinket or obscure-looking bottle of liquid, as if every object held its own story that needed to be displayed.

“I love this palace,” Chris spoke up from next to Harcourt, a lot more relaxed. He had fully lounged himself onto the couch, draping a fluffy blanket over himself as we spread out across the couch.

“You should totally rub your face on the carpet, it’s so good,” Adrian spoke up, as you settled yourself on the arm of the chair he was sitting on. Harcourt sent Chris an unimpressed look as the man genuinely glanced at the carpet with a curious look. Meanwhile, Adrian quickly swapped positions with you, insisting against your protests that you get the actual cushion.

Clapping her hands together, Harcourt sent you an uncomfortable smile. “We should really head out.”

The two men clearly did not share Harcourt's urgency to leave, as they both instantly began whining.

“What? No, that's not fair,” Adrian complained dramatically. “I wanted to come here after work anyway. Why can't we just stay?”

“Cause we have to report back to the others,” Harcourt hissed, clearly trying to intimidate the two, but Chris scoffed. “Nothing ever happens at those. John just makes stupid slideshows and Fleurly makes stupid tits jokes.”

“Hey,” Adrian spoke up, pointing a finger at Chris. “There's no such thing as stupid tits. They're all beautiful."

You giggled at the comment as Harvourt rolled her eyes, standing up. “Really, thank you for having us, but we need to-” She trailed off as something caught her eye. “Is that… is that a model 765 foot massager?”

Looking at the machine in the corner, you smiled. “Yeah, it is, Adrian got it for me.” Adrian puffed out his chest, looking even more smug towards his two coworkers. Harcourt didn't even glance at him, her eyes locked into the machine.

Noticing her gaze, you tried to make conversation. "Do you have one as well?"

Harcourt shook her head, her gaze still not moving from the object, though she attempted to keep her tone casual. "No, no. But I've heard good things about it." Finally, she turned to you. Would you… Would you say they're worth the money?

“Why are you looking at foot massagers?” Chris scoffed, and Harcourt glared at him. “'Cause I need ways to relax when working with dumbasses like you.”

“You can give it a try if you want.”

And that’s how you got all three mission members relaxing on your couch like they owned it.

You weren't sure how long that had been there, and neither were they, but none of them seemed bothered by it. They were too relaxed, and you were always happy to host people.

Harcourt glanced over to where you and Adrian sat, practically leaning on each other as you hovered over your phone. You were quietly asking him questions about crows, and Adrian was enthusiastically answering back. You would correct him every once in a while, and he would happily accept the fact. Even Harcourt could see how Adrian's eyes lit up in your presence.

"This is nice,” Harcourt spoke, almost subconsciously.

“Yeah it is” Chris smiled back, for once not making fun of her for vulnerability. He followed her gaze, his sight now set on you and Adrian who obliviously contiue to giggle. “So how do you think Adrian made a friend like her?”

Harcourt shrugged, “They must have been friends since birth, or something. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

Chris shook his head, “No, I grew up with Adrian. If that were true, I would know her”

“Maybe he kept her hidden away,” Harcourt shrugged, and Chris tilted his head. "Like kept her away in a basement?"

Harcourt nodded, and Chris pretended to think over her words before nodding along. “I mean, it would explain why she finds him normal; her standard was set wrong. Still doesn't explain why she isn't crazy," Harcourt snorted, a sound that Chris loved like a chior.

"But seriously, I'm happy for the guy. He needs some friends that get him more" Chris spoke seriously, something that made Harcourt's heart flutter a bit. Maybe Chris wasn't such an asshole.

Suddenly, an alarm went off, breaking the viel of relaxation you all had been covered in.

“Oh, I forgot I even put those in the oven,” You spoke, quickly getting up, rushing over to your kitchen.

“Making cupcakes?” Adrian asked with a smirk and you nodded. Adrian looked over at the two with an excited look, “She's a specialist at making cupcakes.”

Chriss let out a victorious shout. “Sweet, can I have one?” He asked excitedly, and you frowned, “Sorry, Chris, not these ones.”

Chris departed, but Adrian lit up, “You should make cupcakes for us. It could help us out big time.” Harcourt glared at Adrian. “She’s already done enough for us.” He pouted, “Yeah, but with the criminals and everything, we could use cupcakes.”

You clapped your hands, your face lighting up as Adrian nodded along excitedly, “Oh yes, of course. You need cupcakes,” Adrian smiled while Chris silently cheered. “I’ll make you a batch as soon as these ones are cool.”

"I can help," Adrian volunteered, before turning to the others and lowering his voice. "I like eating the sprinkles."

Usually this kind of behaviour would be off-putting to the others, but strangely they both smiled. Maybe it was from seeing their friend excitedly bolt over to you, or maybe just because you had relaxed them into a state of calm they were never in.

"We should probably get out of your hair," Harcourt spoke, pulling up Chris and moving him to the door before he could protest. You and Adrian waved goodbye before going back to your baking.

"I wanted to help too," Chris complained, as Harcourt pushed him towards the stairs. "Shut up and get moving."

When they exited the building, Chris looked back up at the lit window, where he could see the silhouettes of you and Adrian. “She was pretty nice. I get why Adrian is so obsessed with her."

Harcourt sighed, “I’ll kill you if you tell anyone, but I agree.”

---

When you entered the checkmate office, you surprisingly didn't first meet with Adrian.

“Did you make the cupcakes for us?” Chris looked at you excitedly, skidding to a halt in front of you. Giggling, you nodded your head, though Chris seemed to deflate as he noticed the cupcakes weren't in your hands. "Where are they?"

Adbeoya quickly hit him on the shoulder, lowering her voice. “That’s not how you greet someone” She scolded, subtly sending you a warm smile. "Hi, I'm Adeboya, and I apologize that no one ever taught him manners." You smiled back at her. "Hi, I'm y/n. Lovely to meet you."

“She said she was going to bring us cupcakes to eat,” Chris defended, clearly upset by the accusation. While Ads glared at him, you looked almost horrified by Chris’s suggestion. “Oh god no, I would never bring them to you guys.”

The two looked at you confused. “Why not?” Cheris asked, as Adrian approached the three of you already laughing.

“Chris, you idiot. She doesn't want to kill you,” He cackled as he patted the confused Chris's back. You were the only one to laugh along, giggling at a joke no one else seemed to know was even made.

At this point, Harocuet and John had joined the conversation to see what was happening. “How does that have anything to do with cupcakes?” John asked, severely confused. Even so, it was better than being alone with Harcourt, who glared at him every time he breathed. She wasn't over the crappy mission.

Your smile dropped a bit as your laughing dies down. Your eyes darted across the faces of the confused workers before you let out a small gasp. “Oh, I thought Adrian would have told you. Silly me,"

Reaching into your bag, you pulled out a small card. “I’m kind of a professional with poison.” You spoke in such a cheerful tone that it took a while for the others to fully process your words.

“Poison?” Adbeyoa asked, astonished, as the group looked over the card in your hand.

All it said was "Kill them with kindness" and your phone number (or the number to your secret burner phone). "That's a sketchy business card," Chris noted with wide eyes, as Adeboya's eyes darted back at you. “Like poison poison? Like killing people with poison?”

“The very same,” You giggle, smiling as attention was brought to your card. "You would not believe how many people are in need of my services. I'm not allowed to drop names, but I've worked with some pretty big celebrities."

Placing your card back in your bag, you turned to see the group still looking at you with shocked faces. "I think you impressed them," Adrian whispered to you excitedly, and you tilted your head. “I’m surprised you two didn't notice all the viles i had around my apartment. The place was such a mess, but they were all still labeled.”

John and Abedoya turned to Chris and Harcourt with unimpressed looks. Harcourt glared back as Chris raised an eyebrow. "What?"

“Aren't you two meant to be our best field agents?” John asked sarcastically. He was instantly met by a middle finger from Harcourt.

“There was a lot going on that night, which, may I remind you, was because you fucked up.” John rolled his eyes at Chris's desperate defense. “Plus, look at her. Were you really expecting us to be on the lookout for poison?”

Adrian wrapped an arm around your neck as he smiled. “Yeah, her sweetness helps her get away with so much. That's why I suggested the phrase 'kill them with kindness.' If talking about anything else, it would have been sweet to see him so proud.

“Yeah, Gigi Cosmetics had no suspicions about taking my cupcakes. I even stayed back to make sure they ate some”

They all looked up at you with wide eyes, and you quickly shook your head. “Oh, don't worry. It’s a slow one, it’ll take several days ot kick in, and I didn't leave any evidence of my presence.” You smile proudly at the group. Somehow, the smile they all thought was so sweet was becoming more and more unsettling the longer you talked.

“So you gave them literal cupcakes,” John asked for clarification.

“Ones that had poison inside,” You clarified just in case, giving them a smile. There was a beat of silence as the group tried to wrap their head around this new intel about the woman they had been worrying about for months.

“Jesus,” Harcourt breathed out. “That’s kind of badass,” Abedoya nodded, clearly less enthusiastic but opening up to the idea. “It’s a pretty efficient way to kill. And who wouldn't want to die from eating something yummy?”

“Hey, I'm down for any assassination that means I don't have to get my hands dirty.” John shrugged.

You felt Adrian's grip around you tighten excitedly, as you tried to conceal your own inner celebration. You never got to tell many people about your ‘hobby’, so it was nice to have people not only hear about it but praise it.

“Yeah, my girlfriend's a super genius,” Adrian spoke proudly, giving you a kiss on the cheek. You returned the gesture before turning back to the group.

They all stared back at you, horrified.

“You’re dating him?” Adeboya asked, looking between the two of you at a rapid speed. You slowly nodded, confused by the sudden shift in tone.

“What’s wrong with you?” John blurted out, and Adrian furrowed his eyebrows. “Hey, I know you're my friends, but that doesn't give you the right to criticise my girlfriend-”

“He meant her,” Harcourt corrected, turning her gaze to you. “Seriously, if you need help, let us know. I’m waiting for an excuse to send him away.”

You shook your head politely, “No, thank you. I’m very happy in my relationship.”

That seemed to send another wave of disgust through the group. “Really?” John questioned, and Chris leaned forward. “Have you seen the folders of pictures of you?” He asked, and you nodded excitedly. “It’s so cute, right? I have my own for him.”

"They were made for each other," Harcourt muttered under her breath, as Adeboya sent you a sad look - as if you were an injured animal. Chris shook his head, looking at Adrian. "Why didn't you tell me she was your girlfriend?"

Adrian scoffed. "I assumed you knew," Chris raised an eyebrow, as Adrian chuckled. "I mean, I talked about her all the time in very specific details. Why would I do something like that? That's only for weirdos," Adrian continued to laugh, oblivious to the opinion the whole team had held for months.

Feeling awkward under the gaze of the group, you took Adrian's hand into yours, silently signalling that it was time to go. Quickly, all of Adrian's attention was on getting the two of you out of there. “Alright, we have lunch reservations: If you get what I mean,” Adian winked at the group, who stared back vlnakly.

“No, no, we don’t,” John spoke, though unsure if he wanted to know. Adrian just let out an intense laugh. “See, I told you he was funny.”

You nodded, waving goodbye to the group as you slowly dragged your excited boyfriend towards the exit, waving to the whole office. “It was nice to meet you. I’ll bring you some cupcakes the next time I see you,” You smirked. “Not the poison kind”

This time, both you and Adrian laughed as he shook his head. “You're so funny, babe. Way funnier than John…and hotter." His face dropped into a much more serious one as he gazed at you intensely. "Want to fuck in the car?”

You gave him a polite nod as he excitedly pulled you towards the car park, much to the others' horror.

The sound of your hurried steps was the last sound in the office before it was left in silence as the Checkmate employees tried to process everything that had just occurred.

Eventually, Chris cleared his throat. “At least they seem happy together.”

No one really understood how you got into the business.

You were an amazing fighter, a great shot, and had killed many for the sake of humanity. You were overqualified for Project Butterfly and were praised by heroes and assassins alike.

No, what was surprising about you was your cuddly attitude.

The first time you met Harcourt, she almost punched you as she thought you were coming in for an attack. Once she released it was a hug, she awkwardly stood there, sending help signals to John as he chuckled.

John’s chuckles stopped when you wrapped him in a hug next, which he subtly leaned out of. Murn had kind of just stood there, which had confused everyone but you. Seems his violent history hadn't deterred you from greeting him with the same kindness you did for everyone.

Once Adebayo joined Project Butterfly, you finally had someone who enthusiastically returned your hugs. When you got the famous Peacemaker, he seemed to enjoy the hugs too, though his hands would drift to areas that would force you to end them prematurely.

You were known as the ray of sunshine in the group, able to murder in a second, then compliment and cuddle with the next. Most of the group speculated that it was all a front, a way to make you seem less suspicious, but as time went on, they realized it was just you.

You were the embodiment of physical touch as a love language.

The day you met Adrian Chase, you were filled with the same excitement you always were when you met a new person.

“So this is the famous Vigilante.” You smiled as you saw him and Chris walk through the office.

“Seriously, man? You told everyone about my identity?” Adrian complained, stomping his foot down as he looked at Chris with disappointment.

“You revealed your identity yourself,” Adebayo pointed out as she moved through behind him to get to her desk.

"Well, she wouldn't have known yet. You're really stealing my thunder," Adrian was about to complain more, when he suddenly caught sight of you rushing towards him, arms outstretched.

Immediately assuming it was an attack, Adrian rushed into action. Unlike Harcourt, who had only thought of an attack the first time, Adrian grabbed your wrist, using his might to throw you to the ground.

You felt the breath get knocked out of you as your back hit the ground with immense force.

“Whoa”

“What the fuck, man?”

“Holy shit, are you ok?”

You heard an array of voices form above you as you slowly blinked, trying to process what had just happened.

“Dude, why would you do that?” Chris yelled, nudging Adrian, who looked offended by the question. “She was trying to attack me,” He spoke in defense of his action, looking around for someone to back him up.

“She was trying to hug you,” Harcourt corrected angrily. “It’s annoying, but you don't attack her for it.”

You groaned from the floor, both from the pain of the attack and the pain of Harcourt's comment. Chris looked at Adrian, expecting him to help you up, but he made no move to. Rolling his eyes, Chris quickly offered you a hand, brushing you off slightly as you got up.

“Sorry about him, he has no social awareness at all.” Chrsi glared at Adrian, who confusedly looked behind himself, expecting to see someone else who was being accused of a lack of social awareness.

“No, it’s alright.” You spoke in a bit of an airy voice, stretching out your back. “That’s on me, I came on too strong.” You looked to Adrian, who had turned back around, looking at you curiously.

“So what do you prefer? Handshake? High five? Kiss on the cheek?” You smiled at him in a way that made Adrian feel weird. He wasn't used to that welcoming look, especially from someone he had just attacked. You were speaking with genuine excitement, and he felt odd being on the receiving end. “Come on, I need a way to greet the guy you managed to get such a good hit on me.”

You had assumed that Adrian had gone quiet in embarrassment and was trying to lighten the room to make sure he knew you weren't upset.

In reality, Adrian wasn't embarrassed at all by the attack; in fact, he was proud to show off his abilities. It was your question that had stumped him.

Every option you suggested involved skin-to-skin contact. He had already put up with a lot of that today, and though he was a strong warrior who could push through anything… he just didn't want to go through anymore. But he also didn't want judgment, especially when Peacemaker was right there and-

Adrian's thoughts stopped as he noticed you waving your fingers around him, as if you were a wizard reciting a spell.

“Ok, does she have a concussion? Cause we should get her some help,” Adebayo spoke as she and the others watched in confusion. Adrian looked almost in awe at the action, his eyes following every movement your hands made.

“No, it’s just a greeting. It helps exchange energy.” Adrian nodded along with your words as your fingers moved around. You weren't touching him, but he swore he could feel the energy you were talking about.

“So she does have a concussion,” Chris concluded, and you dropped your hands, sending him a frustrated look. “No, I don't. It’s a way to send energy. A lot of people do it.”

“No, they don’t,” Harcourt yelled out, and you sighed frustratedly. You thought it was a great compromise. For you, physical touch was your way of bonding with people. Maybe you were secretly meta-human, or maybe you were just crazy, but you felt the more contact you made, the more you could understand the person's essence.

You had been used to compromises: like giving murn handshakes, or harcourt quick highfives, but this was your first time with someone you suspected didn't like any physical touch. This was your way of still trying to get a read on them. 

“It’s like jellyfish,” Adrian blurted out, bringing the attention back to him. “They can communicate telepathically. That’s how they know that they want to fuck each other”

“No, they don't, man,” John spoke up, not even needing to look up to comment to know that it was fake.

“Yes, they do,” Adrian insisted, but John shook his head. “Nope, you're an idiot.”

“Well, how would you know, you’re not a jellyfish. You yelled at John, not liking it when people insulted other people… despite the fact that you had murdered people. You slowly turned back to Adrian, in a lowering voice. "But um yeah, he's right. They don't do that."

Unfortunately, John heard the comment, sending a smug look to Adrian. You watched as Adrian stared at you blankly, and for a moment, you thought you had ruined any progress you had made with the vigilante.

Suddney Adrian burst out laughing. “That's so true, he’s not a jellyfish.” He held his stomach as he laughed intensely, and you smiled, happy to know he didn't hate you.

“Alright, enough chit chat. We have work to do,” Murn spoke, gaining the attention of everyone, though Adrian did not stop his chuckles.

As the others sent Adrian weird looks for laughing, you just grinned widely, happy to know you had made a new connection.

---

A lot had changed since that day you first met Adrian:

You had saved the world, grown closer as a group, and exposed Amadna Wallace for the hurt she had caused.

You had also lost murn after finding out he was an alien, dispaned project butterfly, and all struggled to find work.

It was a weird time, but one thing had for sure changed for the better.

“Come on, hurry up,” Adrian called behind his shoulder, as the two of you climbed the fire escape of Harcourt's building. It was clear he was desperate to get to the top, but he didn't want to leave you alone in case something happened.

It was sweet, but it didn't change the fact that he was impatient.

“I still don't get why we have to climb up this way,” You spoke, huffing as you dragged yourself up the building.

“Because we need to have the coolest entrance.”

You and Adrian had bonded pretty quickly, and the bond only got stronger as time went on. You seemed ot understand each other in ways others didn’t. The two of you practically became roommates with how much time you spent with each other.

Adrian had even admitted to you that you were his best friend, but you had promised to keep it a secret in order not to upset Chris. You kept it a secret that Chris probably didn't give a shit about his best friend's ranking.

You still craved physical affection, and getting a read on Adrian, but the two of you had come up with alternatives. Air greetings, only hugging in full suit uniform, rubbing shagged carpeting instead; you two had a solid system going.

Still, there were moments where Adrian would scratch that physical affection you so craved, and he so despised. Such as Adrian offering you his hand as he pulled you up over the ledge of the building, getting you to the roof. You hid your smile as Adrian was more focused on excitedly showing off the beer he had brought.

Harcourt and John gave confused looks, though they quickly washed away when they realised it was you too. Suddenly, the action didn't seem as weird.

Before either of them could question your entrance, you were rushing over to John, wrapping your arms around him as you pulled him into a big hug, welcoming him back. 

"It's crazy but I actually missed your hugs," John admitted as he returned your hug. You pouted, squeezing him tighter. "I missed you."

"You guys should stop now," Adrian suddenly blurted out, causing you all to look at him. His eyes were locked on John's arms around you, and his arms remained tense until the moment John let go of you.

Quickly, his happy persona returned as he placed his drinks down. "Let's get this party started."

You smiled, moving over to grab yourself a beer. You assumed Adrian's reaction had just been from a second-hand discomfort from your and John's affection.

From the look Economos and Harcourt shared, there was clearly a much different reason.

---

The night had been going great. Or at least to you it had, though you were too drunk to notice if it was good for everyone else.

You were more focused on the music and dancing your heart out. You danced to the music excitedly, your moves sloppy but somehow still in beat with the music.

“You’re like a bee.” You tried to see Adrian, who was smiling at you somewhat doopily, which you assumed was because of the alcohol.

“Cause they dance to communicate?” You asked, not stopping your movement, and Adrian nodded excitedly. It filled him with so much joy that instead of being offended by the comment, you accepted it and knew the meaning behind it.

“You’re my best friend,” He yelled, as if the music was louder than it was. The others were too caught up in their own dancing to be bothered by the noise, but you giggled as you danced. "Yeah, I know.”

Adrian nodded, moving closer as he observed your expression. “Like my best friend,” He repeated, like it was a really important piece of information.

“Yeah, I know.” You leaned in closer to Adrian to speak, as if it were sharing a secret.

Unfortunately for you, the alcohol had put off your centre of balance, and you stumbled forward. Adrian was quick to catch you by the arms, and you giggled at your almost mess up. The giggle turned into a full-blown laugh.

You ended it by resting your head on Adrian’s chest. “I am….so drunk”

“Yeah, you are. Do you need help?” Adrian asked, his face shifting to concern for a quick second. You lifted your head a bit so you could look up at him. “But you’re drunk too.”

Adrian’s glazed eyes stared back at you for a second before he giggled. “Oh yeah”

You put your head back onto his chest, sighing in content. “Let’s just dance.” Staying in the awkward position, you swayed your body, much less energetic than it had been before.

You didn't even have the brain power to be surprised when Adrian placed your hands around his neck, as he moved his to rest on your hips.

If you were sober, maybe the two of you would have noticed the fact that your arms were brushing against his neck, or the shirt you wore was short enough so that his hand rested directly on your skin.

But right now, all you cared about was dancing with each other. 

---

Adrian woke up as he felt Adebayo's robe flow against his face. The action was light, but with how much he had to drink the night before, it felt like a wave crashing over him.

His eyes squinted from both the harsh wake-up and his lack of glasses. Spotting where his glasses had been set, he moved to reach for them, but was stopped by a sudden weight.

Looking down, Adrian says you rested on his exposed chest, fast asleep. His memories came back of the evening before: having the group drown his body in beer, stealing Harcourt's robe, putting John to sleep and cleaning his pants, and settling down with you on the couch.

He smiled, snuggling in more to the cushions as he watched your breathing. For a moment, it was like this was your life. That he was not just waking up from a party hungover, but instead waking up to his life with you.

“Stop being a creep.”

His dream was shattered as Harcourt glared at him. Her voice made it sound like she was ordering him on a mission.

“I’m not being a creep,” He hissed back, trying to keep his voice down so as not to wake you.

“You're staring at her like a creep.”

“I don’t know.” Adebayo paused as she downed a glass of water. “It’s kind of cute.”

"Yeah, exactly, you're the creep for watching us," Adrian whispered smugly, and Harcourt rolled her eyes. “I thought you hated… skin to skin contact”

“Ew," Adrian made a disgusted face. "I do. I don't get how anyone would like that. It makes no sense.”

As he spoke, you stirred awake, lifting yourself up a bit to try to work out where you are. Without taking his eyes off Harcourt and “Ew", Adrian pushed your head back down, forcing you to continue cuddling with him.

“And don’t act like I’m a freak for that, cause it's perfectly normal. Chris told me a lot of things are normal.”

Again, you tried to sit up, only for Adrian to pull you back down, stroking his hand through your hair as if he was trying to magically get you back to sleep. Adebayo and Harcourt shared a look, something that seemed to fill Adrian with more passion.

“See, look at that. You two are judgmental. You would probably judge me for my crow facts, or mantaray facts, or that I like spiders and- Stop moving! You're hurting my ribs,” Adrian interrupted himself as he looked down at you, acting as if he wasn't the one trying to keep you in place.

“I think I’m gonna be sick,” You grumbled, and Adrian instantly let go of you. You ran out of the room, instantly going to the bathroom to…do what you had to.

Adrian stood up, throwing up his hands at Adebayo and Harcourt. “Look what you did,” He spoke as if your excessive drinking had been their fault.

Adrian rushed behind you to offer you comfort and hold your hair…also to explain to John why he was being woken up by the sounds of your vomit.

Harcourt and Ads shared a look with each other. They knew nothing they could say would ever get you together; you worked on your own frequency.

All they knew was that you were made for each other, and the fact was sweet and sickening.