Moxiang/ Moshang snippet based on the song Dead girl walking
Xiang Fei is drunk off his rocker after being dragged to a party (against his will). Manages to nearly get kidnapped (this is the fifth time this night), he is saved by a very confused Mobei Jun. Mobei takes the drunk squirrel of a man home to rest.
Without warning XF drunkenly straddles Mobei's lap. And confessed his horniest honest thoughts about him. XF kisses, bounces, grinds, and moans sweetly as he devulges his most vulgar fantasies. He doesn't last long as he falls asleep mid fantasy.
Mobei being absolutely floored is left horny and frustrated as he watches XF babble himself to sleep. He saved his drunk nerdy crush from suitors too arrogant to live. 5 very important things happened:
1. Fought off/ Glared fiercely at his competitors.
2. Was straddled by a very drunk and horny Xiang Fei.
3. Found out his crush likes him back.
4. Took his crush to his apartment to rest.
5. He's already planning the color scheme of their honeymoon.
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Day 11 of Writing Challenge (This one: https://medium.com/@EelKat/30-days-writing-flash-fiction-challenge-mint-green-edition-0188b54891a7) Prompt was 'A Pool Table, a Wager, and an Angry Bartender'
“No, no, no- shit. Stay with me!” Hero cried, trying their best to put pressure on the wound. The blood covered their hands within seconds as they struggled to cover even half of the wound’s entirety.
“H-hero…” Boss gasped. “R-run…”
“Fuck off. I’m not leaving you like this,” Hero replied.
“You should listen to him,” said a voice from behind Hero. A voice from a man Hero had elected to ignore when they entered the bar and saw Boss bleeding out. “Amusing as this is, that’s no guarantee I’ll spare your life.”
Hero glared at the man.
“Oh, don’t be like that,” he chided. “The man lost the wager fair and square. I’m simply collecting my dues.”
“Wager?”
The man indicated to the pool table beside them. Hero searched their memory, but from what they could remember the game was left unfinished.
“You didn’t play to win?” Hero asked with a furrowed brow.
“We played until one of us failed to score. If he won, I would grant his wish. If I won… well, I suppose that’s obvious now.”
Hero felt a pit of anger seethe in their stomach. They turned back to Boss ready to ask him what the hell he was thinking; only to find him on the verge of passing out. His skin bloodless and yet the blood would not stop coming.
“Fuck!”
“Is he nearly dead?” The man pouted. “A shame. I could have made it last longer if I hadn’t gotten so over-excited.”
“You did this?” Hero asking, looking between the rather handsome but otherwise ordinary-looking man, and the deep claw-like wounds across Boss’ chest.
“Looks can be deceiving, my dear.”
There was a flicker of an aura. Black eyes like the void. Horns adorning his head like a crown. Claws that dripped red and specked in viscera. But above all else in that instance, Hero saw the unearthly black and red flames of hell licking painlessly against the man’s skin.
“You’re a devil,” Hero stated.
“Oh?” The devil smiled. “I’m surprised you noticed. I didn’t think you had the sight. You don’t give off any magical essence.”
And Hero didn’t. Anymore that is. Plenty of creatures traded in wishes, not just devils. Still, their birthright had its perks. And an occasional blink of the sight was generally enough to know what they were dealing with. And if the devil hadn’t killed them yet…
“Save him,” Hero demanded.
The devil laughed.
“I’m not sure how you concluded you were in a place to make demands. Of course, if you have something to trade…?”
“Don’t you dare…” Boss growled, clutching Hero’s arm harshly.
Hero ignored him.
“What do you want?” Hero asked.
“Hero-!” Boss started.
“What do you have?” The devil asked eagerly.
“My life for his.” The decision was easy. Hero owed Boss far more than that. He took them in, taught them everything he knew. And didn’t abandon them when they became useless. Boss had protected Hero more times than they can count on both hands. They were more than willing to repay that debt.
The devil on the other hand, shook his head.
“Saving a life is worth more than taking one,” he tutted. “What do I stand to gain? In the end I have the same number of corpses. You’re not accounting for the cost of the magic to heal this man.”
“You could have me alive?” Hero tried.
“Tempting, I’ll admit. You are rather pretty,” the devil said, looking Hero up and down. “But come now, my dear, you can do better than that. I’m willing to make a deal here, but you really need to try and sell yourself.”
Hero blinked and suddenly the devil was crouched down in front of them. His hand lifted Hero’s chin up as he gave them a closer look.
“And I suggest you hurry up,” he continued. “Healing is one thing, but bringing someone back to life is far more troublesome. Not something that can be done limitlessly. Best think of something quick before the price goes up.”
Hero felt Boss’ arm let go as he reached his limit, his head lolling back against the wall.
“A-a wager then,” Hero stuttered, trying to get out of the devil’s grip but being unable to back away without letting go of Boss. “Reset the table to where Boss needed to make the shot. If I can get the ball in the hole, you have to save him.”
“And if you can’t? I would take your life too?” The devil sighed. “My dear, I could simply kill you now. I had to make the wager with Boss because he’s too troublesome to kill conventionally. You on the other hand would barely take a second.”
As if to demonstrate, the nail of his little finger gently slid across Hero’s neck, slicing into their skin like a razor.
“I’m worth more alive,” Hero argued.
“A little human without an ounce of magic in their veins? I highly doubt that.”
“Magic isn’t everything,” Hero hesitated to continue. But feeling the blood on their hands growing colder brought back their resolve. “And I for one make for a valuable hostage.”
“A hostage?” The devil laughed hysterically. “For whom? Your dying friend here?”
“Archfey.”
That stopped the devil’s laughter. His hand gripped against the Hero’s jaw tighter, searching for any hint of a lie.
“You’re not magicless,” the devil realised. “You’re drained.”
Boss would be screaming at Hero if he knew what they’d revealed. It was one of the few reasons Hero was grateful the man had passed out. Still, revealing this was a risk. And there was likely to be trouble even if Hero won the wager.
“Like I said,” Hero started, “I’m worth more alive. Kill Archfey, and you can take my magic in their place. Or hand me over and reap whatever rewards you could possibly desire. I’m sure an archfey can offer you far more than any human can.”
The devil was practically buzzing with excitement.
“And what’s stopping me from taking you now?”
“You can’t,” Hero said confidently. “You can’t drag someone into the hells unwillingly. There are prerequisites and I meet none of them.”
The devil tutted.
“I was hoping I could have haggled for a bit more,” he said.
“Unfortunately, I have nothing left to give.”
“Hmm… a kiss would be nice.”
Hero bit their cheek as they tried to push back the blush.
“D-don’t joke.”
“I’m not,” the devil smiled, rather amused by how flustered Hero became when they were oh so confident just a second ago. “You are rather pretty, after all.”
“I think I’ve already given enough for my end of the wager,” Hero argued.
“More than enough,” the devil sighed. “But it was worth a try.” He rose to his feet, offering Hero a hand. “Shall we get on with it then?”
Hero stared at the hand, then back to Boss still bleeding out in theirs. The devil saw this and held out his hand more insistently.
“My dear, it’s fine. Whether he dies in the next few seconds or not is of no consequence. As you’ve said, you’ve been more than generous on your side of the bargain.”
“You’ll save him no matter what?” Hero asked, wanting to hear a clear confirmation.
“I’ll save him no matter what,” he concurred. “Provided of course you win this wager.”
“As soon as I’ve won,” they insisted.
The devil agreed.
Hero took the offered hand. The devil thankfully released them once they were on their feet
“You’re happy with the terms I set before?” Hero asked.
“Yes, yes, yes,” the devil waved, growing impatient. “Anything else?”
“I think that’s everything.”
The devil clicked his fingers and a parchment appeared in Hero’s hands. The terms of the wager were there before them; the contract already signed on the devil’s end. Hero read through it quickly and carefully, making sure it matched up with what they had already discussed. There was a small print of course, which defined what the devil expected to receive if he won. Full co-operation is what it essentially boiled down to. But after reading the contract, Hero doubted it would ever come to that.
“Do you have a pen?” They asked, wiping their blood-soaked hands onto their trousers.
“I’d be happy to give one for a kiss,” the devil grinned.
Hero, less amused, went to go grab one of the pens they kept behind the bar.
“Spoilsport,” the devil pouted.
Once the contract was signed and poofed away magically, Hero went to inspect the board.
Boss was good at pool. Like, would-have-one-tournaments-if-he-had-the-time-to-compete sort of good. Working at a bar like this that was a front for the Guild meant a lot less serving drinks and a lot more waiting around for meetings or handing out bounties. It meant a lot of time to practice. And a lot of time for Boss to teach Hero all his tricks. The shot on the board was practically impossible. Unless you were good. And apparently not even Boss was that good.
“You play often then?” The devil asked as he leant against the table casually. A shit-eating grin on his face as he watched Hero realise just how difficult this wager was going to be. “You must be very good if you chose it as your game of choice.”
“Oh, no,” Hero answered sheepishly. “I absolutely suck at this game.”
The devil chuckled at the attempted hustle.
“That ball there, is it?” Hero asked.
The devil nodded.
Hero moved around the table towards the cue. Reaching towards it, then over it towards the ball. He picked it up and put it in the hole.
The devil stared. His smile dropped.
“Boss has been trying to teach me for years, but I could never get the hang of it,” Hero shrugged before looking up to see the devil still stunned against the table. “Ball in the hole, right?”
There was a second where the devil stood up, muttered a spell towards Boss, and then Hero felt their back hit against the wall, wrists pinned to either side of their head.
“You must think you’re so fucking clever,” the devil seethed, flashes of his true form stood before Hero as he crushed their wrists to the point Hero could hear a worrying creak. “Did you think I’d let you get away with that little trick?”
“Figured no matter what, I’m still worth more to you alive than dead,” Hero said, wincing against the pain.
“Plenty I can do to you without killing you, my dear.” Though his eyes were enraged, his smile only grew more and more manic. “I may not be able to take you against your will, but I can break every bone in your body until you beg me to.”
Hero struggled against the grip, legs kicking against the man as he squeezed tighter and tighter until-
The smash of glass.
Heels clicking rapidly against the floorboards.
The devil let go of Hero.
Turned.
And gasped as Boss embedded a broken bottle into his stomach.
Hero had thought the devil looked angry. But that was nothing compared to the way Boss looked now.
Could you write about a villian breaking into a hero’s apartment late at night after a pretty rough battle because they think hero will be sleeping but hero is still awake and very exhausted, or being kidnapped by supervillian, or something like that? Idk, I trust your creative vision. Thank you so much if you take this request in advance
Hi Anon! I love this ask! I hope I did it justice, here you go!
Villain climbed up the fire escape steps, bag of bandages and pain relievers in hand. They didn’t intend to wake Hero if they were sleeping, which they probably were after today, but they did want to be there when they did wake up. That fight had been particularly brutal, and while they didn’t always see eye to eye on things, Villain did care about the annoyingly cute pain in their side.
They reached the window, and almost cut their hand on glass when they tried to open the pane that wasn’t there. Villain stared through the frame at the shards littering the floor. They climbed into the room, their boots cracking against the shattered mess even as they tried to avoid it.
Aside from the entry point, the place didn’t look disturbed. That only filled Villain with more dread. They passed through the hallway and made a left to Hero’s room. The door was wide open. Villain stifled the gasp that climbed up their throat.
Supervillain straddled Hero in their own bed, syringe in hand. It had already been plunged into Hero’s skin, and the master criminal was now pressing down on the depressor. They pulled it out and tossed it aside. Hero was struggling as much as they could, but Villain could tell it was a losing battle. Their cries were muffled; Supervillain had a gloved hand clamped over their mouth.
Within seconds, Villain’s hands clawed into Supervillain’s back. They yanked them off of Hero and threw them into a bookcase. Hero sucked in a gulp of air; Villain was at their side in an instant.
“Easy, easy,” Villain said, “are you hu-”
A hand landed on their shoulder and hurled them onto the floor. Villain yelped from the impact.
“Sorry, Villain,” Supervillain panted, “this one is mine now.”
Hero tried to push themselves up, but whatever they had just been drugged with kept them limp and sluggish.
“Stay away from them!”
Villain scrambled to their feet and tackled the larger criminal to the ground. Supervillain rolled, pinning Villain beneath them.
“You don’t want to get in my way,” Supervillain hissed, “I have no issues taking you and your little hero.”
Villain’s eyes flickered red. They shot a knife of red energy up Supervillain’s torso, eliciting a scream of anguish from them. Villain pushed them off and ran back to Hero. Their eyes were barely open.
“I’m not gonna let them take you, you hear me?” Villain said, “we’re getting out of here.”
Villain swept Hero up into a bridal carry. They glanced at the window.
Sorry, Hero.
They shot a blast of energy at the glass panes and jumped through the open frame, shielding Hero from any falling shards. They crashed into the bushes below.
Villain barely had time to brush the twigs and leaves from Hero’s face before they bolted down the street. They weren’t exactly sure where they were headed, but they did know they needed to put as much distance between them and Supervillain as possible.
Villain didn’t stop until they reached an old safe house. It belonged to one of their vigilante friends. Surely, they wouldn’t mind if Villain used it now.
Villain let a tendril of red energy slide into the lock, and a few moments later, the door creaked open.
Villain stepped inside, kicking the door shut behind them. A dim light flickered overhead. The place looked pretty much abandoned. Good.
They set Hero down across the couch and flopped next to them. They breathed a sigh of relief.
“You okay?” Villain asked.
Hero’s eyes were shut, their breathing deep and even.
“Ah, right. Sorry.”
This was about the time that Villain’s head would swarm with questions, but their queries were overshadowed by the exhaustion they felt from sprinting across the entire city. Villain’s eyes fluttered shut, and soon they were as deeply asleep as Hero.
Hi! I’m looking for a fic that I used to love but I can’t seem to find. In it Tony and Peter get run into by a car while driving and Peter gets yanked out of the car by some bad guys. He’s barely conscious but as he’s being lifted out of the seat he notices that Tony is pinned by the dash board and is trying to open the glovebox. Peter rips open the glove box, understanding that Tony wants something in there. But then starts getting carried away. But then Tony is able to grab a gun from inside of the glovebox to shoot the guy taking Peter away.
I remember really loving some of the fics by this author but can’t remember any of the titles for them. I sorta remember some of the others if you need more information but this one was my favorite.
here you go. Enjoy!
The Most Important Thing In the World by S0lstice
"Peter’s door creaked and began to bend under the force of the crowbar and for the first time since regaining consciousness, fear began to press into him. Something very bad was happening and it was happening fast - too fast for his sluggish mind to keep up.
He went with his instincts instead, the first one always being, Help Mr. Stark."
---------Or----------
Tony and Peter are involved in a car accident and quickly find out that it was no accident at all.
I'll soon be very busy but I'm very glad I managed to finish this part before then. :3 Let's throw in some danger, shall we? To give the family a good little wake up call. :D I was a bit lazy reading through this cause it got a bit long, but I wanted to write a bit more fluff too. -shrug- This is supposed to be a fluffy drabble series so I get to write however much fluff I wanna inbetween nice plot things.
Sonic universe setting: Movie universe
Background: Black arms invasion happened and Eclipse was included as a vanguard. Black arms were defeated but Eclipse was spared. He changed his form to look like a hedgehog and stays with Shadow as a hedgehog rather than a Darkling.
Time period: About 200 years after canon. (Around ten months after Shadow and Eclipse took Silver under their wing)
Part 1, Part 8, Part 10
Staying in Eclipse's house was very different from walking around with Shadow.
Shadow had liked to move from place to place, helping everyone they came across. Interacting with the people there, hearing their stories and being hired for small tasks to get money. They stayed out in the wild and foraged their own food for the most part, both interacting and staying away from society as a whole.
With Eclipse, he'd made his own place where he made the rules. Where those who lived here had to listen to him or get tossed out. They mostly stayed in Eclipse's house where Silver got to eat, sleep, learn a bunch of things, not just reading, and practice his powers. Eclipse brought Silver out into town too and he got to watch Eclipse and his people collect rent from the people having shops here. Then they had some sweets together with Shadow after! Even if they just stayed in one place, Silver didn't feel like he lacked anything with how many things he got to do and how many people he got to interact with.
Silver got to sleep in a suuuper soft bed together with Eclipse, warm with soft blankets and cuddled up against soft, warm fur cause Eclipse never pushed him away when he nuzzled into Eclipse's chest. Silver suspected that Eclipse liked it too, even if he grumbled about Silver being cuddly. He hugged Silver back, after all! Shadow slept nearby too in his own room with his own bed, right next to Eclipse's bedroom. And neither of the older hedgehogs needed to look out for danger so they could all rest at the same time! Silver usually woke up after them with Eclipse or Shadow waiting for him to wake up though, but that was okay.
It was so strange how many rooms Eclipse had. One "office room" where he taught Silver a bunch of things, one "training room" where they focused on practicing energy and one "bedroom" where he slept. And all these rooms were Eclipse's and not just "his" cause he owned the house. But ECLIPSE his. It made Silver wonder what he would do if he got a room... He couldn't even start to imagine what he could do with a room. He wasn't entirely sure what a person room was used for in the first place. So even if he did get one, Silver wouldn't know where to start. It was better to just share until he knew what a room was used for.
Silver liked staying in Eclipse's place. He got meals cooked for him, a cosy bed to sleep in, loads of time spent learning new interesting things, time and space to practice his powers without worry and spent time with both Eclipse and Shadow! All of them were really good things.
It was nice to stay in the same place for a while and not move around so much.
"Hey, kid. Check this out." Cat two, Solei, said with a grin as she started to throw her knives around in the air. Four of them, all twirling as they went up and down, then quickly caught by Solei to be thrown up again. Knife juggling!
Silver watched it like he watched other street performers before, putting the movements to memory and admiring it. He gave Solei a round of applauds. "That's amazing! I wanna learn that too!"
"It takes a lot of practice, kid. Years of it." Solei caught all of her knives, then threw them all towards the wall, straight at the target board. All 4 of them hit around the centre marking! It earned her another round of applause from Silver.
When Silver first came here, he spent his daily meals mostly together with either Eclipse or Shadow and sometimes in this main room with these people. But these last few days, they've left him alone with the other people here during meal time. A lot more people had arrived too and Brutus said they were preparing for something large so everyone in Eclipse's 'crew' were getting together. There usually weren't this many people here at once so it was really loud most of the time.
Silver liked talking with these people, they were all interesting in their own way even if they were bad people. He still missed Shadow and Eclipse when they weren't here. But they always came back! Silver wouldn't say he liked any of Eclipse's people how he liked Shadow and Eclipse, but Silver also thought there wasn't anyone in the whole universe who he'd like as much as he liked them!
Silver felt someone get close. Too close. Eclipse's words echoed in his head when he felt his fur start to stand up.
"If any one of them gets too close, like this, you snarl."
Silver turned to where that person was, showing off his teeth, poofed up his quills and snarled. He held his plate close because that was always the first thing they went for-. Brutus leaned back and away with both hands up and a small smile.
"Good reaction, Silver."
Silver continued to have a protective hold over his food, but his quills slowly relaxed when the large wolf backed off. His tail then started to wag slightly. "So... I've passed?"
"This time. Keep up the good work." Brutus nodded, then his large form sat down next to Solei. The cat briefly leaned up against Brutus, then took out another knife to twirl around her fingers. Silver started to pout, still protecting his food.
"But if I passed you'd stop taking my food..."
"I never said that. We stop when boss tell us to stop." Brutus said with a shrug and a wide grin. "Since you're boss's kid, it gotta be second nature."
"Eclipse said that too..." Silver huffed and took a few bites of his food. They were stick shaped and had a crispy bread shell. Super yummy, like all food was here. "But you don't gotta go for my food..."
"No one would risk their stomach touching ya, so food it is." Brutus said with a hearty chuckle, one that Solei joined in.
Silver didn't understand that, that everyone took Eclipse's threat seriously. Eclipse hadn't actually done anything. Sure, no one other than Eclipse and sometimes Shadow had touched him, but no one had done anything bad either.
It made Silver confused on how they were bad guys, because Silver hadn't seen them hurt anyone. But maybe there were other ways to be "bad" than hurting people.
A loud "bang!" made Silver jump and have his quills and fur poof up. He turned wide eyed towards the door and saw a small flat nosed person with horns sticking out of its mouth step inside, breathing heavily and looking around the room wide eyed.
"The Stargazers! Their ships are heading to us!"
Brutus, and everyone else, quickly stood up from their chairs while Silver remained seated. "What!? What are those bastards after this time!?"
"I-I don't know! I just saw them!" The small pig person pointed towards the outside. "I saw them from the east lookout!"
All the people in the room started to shout at each other, moving around and getting ready for something while Silver was left alone at the table. Stargazers? Who were they?
"Hey, Silver." Silver looked over to see one of the shorter people in Eclipse's crew next to him. Not someone he spoke to, but someone he's seen coming in and out lately. The mouse person's tail flicked slightly as they gestured towards a side door. "Let's get you back to Boss."
Silver looked towards Brutus and Solei, but they were already walking towards the door. He was supposed to stay with Solei this time, but if it was an emergency, it couldn't be helped. So Silver nodded to the mouse person and got off his seat, then followed them towards the side door. Silver didn't remember going through that path before, but it must be a secret passage.
The chaos of people talking and moving faded when the mouse person closed the door behind them. Then, the mouse person grabbed Silvers hand and told him to hurry along before trouble came.
Silver looked wide eyed at the mouse person's hand grabbing him, because wasn't there a rule to not touch him? Even Brutus who Silver was with the most never touched him, because Eclipse said so. So why was the mouse person touching him now? Silver wasn't slow, he could walk on his own, so why was the mouse person in such a hurry?
As the path they were on moved downwards, Silver started to get nervous, because they hadn't seen anyone in a while. Asking the mouse person just made them tell Silver to stay quiet or the bad "Stargazers" would find them. And they'd made a lot of turns that Silver didn't recognise but the mouse person knew where they were going. When the mouse person turned down a path that had less lights, something Shadow had told him came to mind.
"If a person is leading you down a path to isolate you. Never trust their intentions."
Silver stopped, twisted his hand and tugged it away from their grip, looking at the mouse person with narrowed eyes. "Where are we going?"
The mouse person was tense as they smiled at Silver. "To where boss is, I told you. Now come on-."
The mouse person tried to grab him again, but Silver backed away from the grab, his quills standing on end as he snarled at them. "No! Where are we going?"
The mouse person snarled at him in return. "Stubborn brat... Come here!" They were a lot faster this time when they grabbed hold of Silver's arm. Silver couldn't pull away from the grip and the mouse person dragged him further down the darker corridor. "Hey! Start it up!"
Silver tried to shout for Eclipse and Shadow when he couldn't pull away, but the mouse person changed his grip to cover Silver's mouth too. He tried to bite the hand but they wouldn't let go, his spines didn't cut. He was starting to breathe faster, struggling and flailing but the mouse person continued to carry him down the corridor. But Silver didn't want to go...!
He didn't want to, he needed to-. He had to do something! The rings around his ankles hindered how much energy could flow through him and out. But if he could still use it-...! Silver focused on his centre, the core of his powers. It was sluggish, like it was thick syrup, but Silver tried harder to make it move. Commanded it to flow along his limbs and out...!
A pulse of cyan energy burst out from around Silver. It threw the mouse person away from him and made Silver fall to the ground. He quickly scrambled up to his feet and started to run back the way they came, ignoring the shouts behind him how "the brat was getting away!"
"Shadow!! Eclipse!!" Silver shouted for them again, still running up with the other people following close behind. More than just the mouse person, there were even more people here...!?
A soft "blip" sound was so clear to Silver's ears despite the shouting of multiple people behind him. The following noises of pain and screams of terror made Silver slow down. And when he turned around, his breath hitched.
Silver didn't think that something could glow black. But Eclipse was there and his whole form was glowing, pulsing with sparks of black chaos energy. Something that made the whole area around him feel heavy but also glow bright.
The mouse person was pinned, immobile against the ground by Eclipse's foot and its arm twisted the wrong way. There was another person buried into the wall with splatters of blood on either side of them. And Eclipse was also holding onto another one's neck and held them up in the air with their limbs flailing even if they were larger than Eclipse.
Silver's breaths started to slow, his heart still beat fast... Eclipse was here... Silver took a few steps closer to Eclipse.
"You tried to take my little thing... You sickening COWARDS." Eclipse sounded angry, a deep growl laced with his words, more angry than Silver has ever heard him be. Silver flinched when Eclipse threw the person he was holding into the wall right next to the other person. It let out a scream of pain together with a loud "snap" sound, then they lay still against the ground. There was a stain of red on the wall...
"W-Wait, please, I-I'll-... I'll tell you e-everything I know...!" The mouse person squeaked, trembling under Eclipse's foot. Eclipse's eyes glowed a bright yellow as he looked down at the mouse person, the black energy around him only made it look even more menacing.
"Shut up, FILTH." Eclipse kicked the mouse person in the head, making them fall limp. Then his eyes shifted towards Silver.
Instinctively, all the fur on Silver's body stood on end. But he also didn't feel like he had to run... Because it was Eclipse. And the way the glow in Eclipse's eyes dimmed and the sparks around his body grew less, it made Eclipse soften a lot.
"Stay here, Little thing. It'll just be a second."
Eclipse then disappeared, leaving the mouse person and the other two lying limp where they were. The hallway lit up orange when a large explosion rang out way further down. Silver felt a wave of heat come from there and it made his eyes squint. There were shouts of "wait!" or "help!" but they were all drowned out.
Eclipse appeared in front of Silver again soon after, wiping his hands with a rag as he crouched down. Silver could faintly smell iron on Eclipse, but he wasn't wounded.
"Are you hurt?" Eclipse's voice was soft as he held out a hand towards Silver. Soft and warm. Spots and streaks of red were on his body but Eclipse didn't have any wounds.
Silver immediately relaxed. He sniffed and tears started to gather in his eyes. He let out a sob as he ran forward, throwing his arms around Eclipse's neck and he was quickly picked up and held against a warm chest. He clung tightly to Eclipse, letting out sobs and crying in relief that Eclipse was here and he was safe and okay. Whatever sounds that came from the orange glowing corridor didn't matter, because Eclipse was here and he saved Silver from something he didn't understand and he was so happy Eclipse came to save him.
Another 'blip' sound and Silver could hear Shadow now too. Shadow, Shadow was here too, they'd both come here and they'd saved Silver again and he was so glad they were both here.
"Your plan was reckless and I should've never agreed to it."
"It was the best way to weed out all at once."
"Or only some of them. What if they hadn't all fallen for the bait and some had been left?! Or they'd hatched a plan to only go for Silver and not the weapon!?"
"Of course they'd want a weapon to kill me! It had to be the reason they snuck in! And they didn't get the little thing, I found it in time! I didn't think they had enough to go for both at once!"
"What if you hadn't found Silver in time!? You lost sight of him!"
"Then I'd search the ends of the fucking GALAXY if I had to!" Silver flinched when the two of them started to shout at each other louder and he let out a soft whimper while curling closer against Eclipse.
Eclipse let out a softer hiss and he held Silver even closer. He was warm and safe and protected and Silver nuzzled further into that warmth with a soft sniff.
"It's MINE. I chose it. Even if these things had taken it away, I would've found them. I didn't think seeing the little thing would make them act out. I just don't usually have... THIS..."
There was a brief moment of silence before Shadow let out a soft sigh. "Fine... As long as you are more aware of it in the future. I should've known better. I put him in danger too..." Another warm hand gently settled on Silver's back. He pulled away from Eclipse's neck to look at Shadow with a soft sniff.
The older hedgehog's eyes were so soft. There were spots of red colour on his cheeks, but his touch was gentle. "Are you alright, Silver?"
He let out a soft sound and nodded. Then wiped at his eyes. "Mmn... I'm ok... T-Tried to get away... I got scared..."
"You did great, Silver." Shadow's touch was gentle as he helped Silver wipe away his tears. "You were very brave. But you're safe now. We've dealt with all the bad guys."
"Expanding your energy like that helped me find you." Eclipse said as he lightly tapped Silver's ear. "Remember how that felt. We'll practice it more later."
Silver let out another soft sound of agreement. Then, he nuzzled back against Eclipse because now he just felt tired. "Did you kill them...?"
"Yes. We did." Shadow was the one who answered. It made Silver close his eyes and press his ears back against his head.
Silver wasn't sure if that was reassuring or not.... He'd... seen them. Knew of them... And they were now dead...
"Bring that thing with you later. It and that other one you got were the centre pieces of their plan."
"Don't drain information out of them with Silver around."
"Sure. Tomorrow then. I don't intend on letting go of it yet."
Silver started to notice something, after Eclipse teleported with Silver and they ended up in a familiar smelling room. That Eclipse held Silver a lot closer than usual. And that he was still gently stroking through Silvers quills to help him calm down. Had Eclipse been as scared as Silver hand been...? That made him feel a little better. And reassured that Eclipse and Shadow cared a lot about him and wanted to keep him.
But it also made Silver worried... He was supposed to get strong. He was supposed to train and get better to help people. But Silver couldn't get away from one person without Eclipse's help...
"I wanna get stronger..." Silver mumbled against Eclipse's neck. The older hedgehog let out a soft hum to acknowledge it.
"You will. You're just mortal and slow in your progress. We can stretch your limits more."
Silver gently kneaded Eclipse's fur. Silver always got tired after their power lessons... And Shadow had told Eclipse off from working Silver further many times. Both before and now... But if... "Will it make me stronger faster...?"
"It would." Eclipse let out a soft huff, still stroking his fingers through Silver's quills. "Shadow wouldn't be happy. So you gotta back me up on that, little thing. Are your emotions stable now?"
"Mmn. I'll talk with Shadow." Silver leaned back with a sniff and wiped at his face. His fur felt sticky from all the tears... "And I'm ok. Thank you, Eclipse..."
"Nothing to thank me for." Eclipse's hand gently ruffled Silver's quills. He then stepped out of the room and walked down a very familiar corridor. Towards a familiar door that led to the main bottom room of Eclipse's house and where all the people gathered.
Eclipse threw the door open with a loud bang and Silver saw a few people there bundled together. Most of them wearing things similar to bad guys, guns and thick vests.
"Hey Wolf!" Eclipse called out to Brutus. The large wolf looked up and tensed up when he saw Eclipse and Silver. He grew super poofy with his fur as Eclipse walked forward and the other people there quickly stepped aside so Eclipse could reach Brutus.
"Boss, I-. I didn't mean to lose Silver, I swear. I had to round up for the Stargazers-."
"You did good today." Eclipse cut him off as he stopped in front of Brutus.
Brutus stopped talking, blinking as his fur slowly settled. Eclipse let out a soft scoff and he started to grin.
"You dealt with the Stargazers so I could take care of some weeds. They acted out to try and get my little thing, but I killed them all."
"Oh..." Brutus started to relax and he scratched the back of his neck. "I'm... still sorry that we lost your kid, Boss. We don't want anything bad to happen to him."
"I know. It's why I choose those I choose." Eclipse let out a scoff. "You and your creatures will get a raise. I treat loyalty fairly." Eclipse then looked down towards Silver. "Do you want to punish them for losing you, little thing?"
Silver quickly shook his head at the question. Which made Eclipse poke his chest and told him to speak up.
"No. He didn't do anything wrong. Solei didn't either! The mouse person tricked me saying they'd take me to you!"
Eclipse frowned and tilted his head slightly to the side. Something that made Silver smile. "It's Cat two!"
That made Eclipse nod with a sound of acknowledgment, then looked back to Brutus. "You did what you should and my little thing doesn't blame you. You're free to relax. But-." Eclipse started to grin widely. "Tiger got sloppy. Tell it I expect it to train more."
"Roger that, Boss. Thank you, Boss." Wolf nodded with a small grin of his own. "Will we get to know what happened?"
"You ask how many want to know and give me a number. I'll decide then." Eclipse waved Brutus off as he walked towards the exit. "I'll be out. Help Shadow clean up the bodies and wreckage in hangar 0-2. Then help Tiger at the safe."
Anything said after that, Eclipse ignored as he closed the door behind him. He then walked out on the street with Silver, still holding him close. Silver felt a little more relaxed now being out in a more open space.
"Hey. You want sweets?"
That was an easy question to answer as Silver perked up. "Yes! Apple sweet pie!"
"Again?" Eclipse huffed with a grin. "You choose that every time. At least try other things."
"But I can try what you have, right?"
"You sure are greedy sometimes. Good! Don't be too much of a worry heart like Shadow." Eclipse tried to lift Silver to sit on his shoulder, but Silver held onto Eclipse's fur so he wouldn't be picked up.
He still wanted to cuddle... and feel warm and safe.... it felt like that mouse hard grip on him was still there...
"Hm. You should try cookies. And I suppose you should get something like a reward...? That's usually what mortals want when they go through something they find stressful thanks to me. What do you want?"
"Cuddles..." Silver nuzzled into Eclipse's neck and breathed in his scent. It was comforting... it took Silver two days to make Eclipse smell right again. "And sweets."
"You're getting that without it being a reward, little thing."
"Then I don't need anything else. I got everything I want."
"Fine. Just don't complain about it later, it's annoying."
Silver lightly kneaded against Eclipse's fur. And even as Eclipse got them their sweets and sat down, Silver was put in Eclipse's lap rather than next to him. Silver didn't complain, he appreciated it. He didn't want to let go of Eclipse either.
At least Brutus was still a good bad guy... Silver will remember who Eclipse trusts from now on. He wouldn't listen to what anyone else in Eclipse's crew told him to do. He always felt the safest with his dads who weren't his dads.
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I meant to get this up as part of Perfectworldshipping Week, but writer’s block has been a nasty thing. Starting off as a one shot where Sycamore, during his time under Rowan, this was initially going to be about Sycamore having an unnamed stalker and Lysandre saving him.
Now, it’s going to be a three part fic keeping the setting and stalker idea, but with Team Rocket. Giovani is said to be looking for new recruits and has an interest in his research.
CW: Death of a Pokemon (Gible)
This is my protégé, Augustine Sycamore. Brilliant and kind, but at times absentminded. I know this might be a lot to ask, but can you keep an eye on him? I suspect he’s being stalked.
When Lysandre agreed to some volunteer work in Sinnoh, protecting Professor Rowan’s pupil wasn’t what he had in mind. He would have preferred to shadow Rowan, shadow an archeologist studying the ruins, or help restore the Old Chateau. However, it wasn’t all bad.
Augustine was a pleasant enough fellow. Based on what Lysandre has learned thus far, he was studious, soft spoken, and kind. He was also a pretty good looking fellow. So much so that two assistants had tried flirting with him earlier in day. Sycamore didn’t seem to mind most of the time, if he even registered it.
Because of this, Lysandre could understand Rowan’s concern. Sycamore didn’t need the distraction and the last thing either of them wanted was unwanted advances. Though, thus far, he hadn’t suspected a stalker.
“I think Gible’s starting to like me.”
The dragon in question’s jaws were securely clamped on Augustine’s hand. Her eyes sharply watching Lysandre as the hand lightly waved around.
“Really? Because, to me, it looks like she’s craving Sycamore fingers.”
Sycamore chuckled. “These are love bites.” He gently pried his hand out of Gible’s mouth. “A week or two ago, she would have drawn blood.” He showed the now freed hand. The indents were still a bit noticeable, but there wasn’t a puncture wound in sight. “I think she does it because she finds it comforting. That or she’s playing. Plus, Gible is classified as the Land Shark Pokémon, so biting kind of comes with the territory.”
“I see…”
Lifting the Gible, Sycamore held her out. “Would you like to hold her?”
The dragon blinked, chirping, as her arms waved around. Her smile, wide and endearing, welcomed the offer, yet, she also seemed content. Looking at Lysandre, she seemed puzzled. Something between curious and suspicion. However, as Lysandre lifted his hand to contemplate the offer, Gible’s frame shrank. Sensing the discomfort, Sycamore brought Gible in for a hug.
“It’s okay. Lysandre’s a friend.” The Gible gave a huff. “Would you like to explore?”
The Gible nodded, patiently waiting as Sycamore set her on the floor. She trotted away, looking for a new friend to play with.
“Sorry about that. I thought she was ready to interact with people since she’s been doing so well with me.” Sycamore shrugged. “Though she may be worried about this whole ‘stalker thing’ and doesn’t know if she can trust you yet.”
“It’s fine. I don’t blame her.”
Lysandre watched the Gible racing around the room with a Riolu. While the latter certainly had the advantage, he kept his pace close to Gible’s, as though not wanting to lose his friend.
“Speaking of…” Crossing one leg over the other, Lysandre’s frame tilted as he faced Sycamore, “what can you tell me about this whole stalker situation.”
Sycamore chuckled. “It’s nothing, really. Professor Rowan’s worried about this group from Kanto that’s been sneaking their way in here. Supposedly, they’re plucking people off the streets for something.” Sycamore shrugged. “His concerns weren’t helped when I said I felt like someone was following me home the night I submitted my request for Amity Park to expand the list of allowed Pokemon and my Mega Evolution dissertation.”
“And you weren’t concerned about it?”
Sycamore scoffed. “Not really. I managed to lose them. And even if they were after me, they’re more than likely a suspicious admirer. Not associated with Team Rocket.”
Standing up, Sycamore walked towards Gible’s chart. As he jotted his notes down, Lysandre followed him, arms crossed.
“That’s not any better.”
“Perhaps.” Sycamore set the file back. “But it’s easier to accept that I’m being followed by someone who’s interested in me over Team Rocket. I’m still a resident. If Team Rocket’s going to abduct anyone here, Professor Rowan would be the more prolific target. Me? I’ve had my fair share of stalkers who took their infatuation too far. Tried and arrested more often than not.” Tilting his head, Sycamore faked a smile. “It may not be any better, but it is manageable. So long as they don’t act irrationally, I think I’ll be fine.”
~
The lab went into lockdown an hour ago. Though the chaos outside was minimal, Rowan was concerned about the handful of Team Rocket grunts outside. They seemed to be looking for something. And based on the debris on the streets, they weren’t opposed to vandalism.
Lysandre watched from a window on the lab’s south side. This Team Rocket scheme felt unorganized. Chaotic and potentially motivated, but very unorganized. The reason why they were doing this was a mystery. From what Lysandre could deduce, there wasn’t anything here that would interest them. Rowan didn’t feel like he’d be of any value at this point. Nor did Sandgem Town have anything of value historically or monetarily. So this display was unnecessary.
“Lysandre!”
Rowan approached the man as he turned around. Sharp eyes and a grimace held back a shudder as Rowan crossed his arms.
”Augustine’s missing.”
Blue eyes flickered. “What?”
“One of the aides last saw him chasing after that Gible he’s been watching after. They last saw the Gible making a run for a door that was left ajar and suspect followed after it.” Rowan’s attention glanced towards the window as a store window shattered. “If they’re out there, they’re going to be in danger.”
He looked back at Lysandre, who was now carefully studying what he could of Sandgem Town. They could have gone anywhere. The beach. An alleyway. Out of the town even. Finding them before these grunts did would be crucial.
“Please… find them.”
~
Protecting the Gible was all Sycamore could think of doing. Poor thing wandered outside, curious and rebellious, not knowing the immediate danger out there. She nearly getting struck by stray shards of window glass. Saved by Sycamore at the last minute.
The shards dug into Sycamore’s coat, stabbing him in a few spots. It didn’t stop Sycamore from protecting the Gible as he held the little dragon against his chest. It did, however, lead to an unfortunate encounter with three Team Rocket grunts as he made his way back to the lab.
They managed to corner him in a vacant side street, trapping him between them and a bench. He tightly held the Gible, fearing they would try to take her. Attempting to get around them only led to him getting pushed around and shoved on the ground.
“Get up.” One of the grunts ordered, dragging him to his feet and glancing over him with disgust. “Are you sure this is the guy the boss wants? He’s just Rowan’s paid intern.”
“Yes.” Another grunt confirmed. “The boss seems to think he has something of value. Maybe as a bargaining chip for Rowan.”
“Look, I just want to go home.” Sycamore retorted. “As you said, I’m just a paid intern. Compared to the professor, I’m not particularly special.”
Sycamore let out a yelp as a hand wrapped around his neck. His grip on Gible flinched slightly, concerning the dragon.
“Listen here, dumba-”
“That’s enough!”
The grunt trio looked behind them, as the one grunt kept his grip on Sycamore’s neck. A man with green hair and a black hat made his presence known. Green eyes sternly set on Sycamore and the offending grunt. Swatting at the grunt, the man shooed him away.
“It’s not nice to call our friend here dumb.” He turned his attention to Sycamore, greeting him with a smug grin. “Do pardon my subordinate. His people skills need work.” He brushed his hand along the side of Sycamore’s face, landing beneath Sycamore’s chin. “At least he didn’t damage that pretty little face of yours.
If he was waiting for a response, Sycamore wasn’t planning to give him one. Instead, he rolled his eyes, looking for a way out. A hand flopped on his shoulder in response.
“Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Proton, an admin of Team Rocket.”
Flaunting his rank didn’t amuse Sycamore. Nor did it compel him into compliance. So Proton turned his attention to the Gible. She growled and hissed, not letting her size or situation faze her.
“That’s a cute Gible.”
Sycamore pulled back. “You can’t have her.”
“While she would make a nice, little accessory, she’s not who we’re here for.” Proton’s hand swatted at dark bangs before settling on the side of Sycamore’s face. “Our boss seems fascinated by Rowan’s star pupil. Your research being quite useful.”
Pulling away from Proton’s hand, Sycamore shuffled past him. Trying to play it cautiously was no longer going to work. So if he had to run to the nesrest station or occupied business, so be it. A hand grabbed his arm, yanking him back and almost causing Sycamore to drop Gible.
“I don’t think you understand. Our boss is very interested in your research and requests, neigh, demands your presence. So be a good little boy and-”
Proton yelped, his arm releasing Sycamore as Gible’s jaws clamped on his wrist. Violently swinging his arm around, he managed to dislodge Gible from Sycamore’s grip before tossing the dragon to the ground. Looking at his hand, Proton realized that Gible drew blood.
“Gible!”
Arms wrapped around Sycamore, holding him back, as Gible slowly got back up. Proton motioned to the grunts with a glance and a head tilt.
“Kill her. Maybe then our friend here will cooperate.”
“No!”
The grunts approached the Gible as Sycamore violently struggled to break free. He managed to break free for a moment before he was shoved to the ground, Proton grabbing a wad of hair and forcing him to watch the ensuing attack.
Gible, all the while, panicked, unable to escape. The sounds of kicks, stomps and cries pierced through the night air.
“Stop it!” Sycamore screamed.
Accepting the pain, Sycamore pulled against Proton in an attempt to dislodge himself from the grip. His face was shoved against the ground followed by the sensation of his wrists being bound. Sycamore continued to struggle, only for Proton to contort his arm, threatening to break it. All the while, Gible’s cries began to go silent.
“It’s over.” Proton stood up, dragging Sycamore to his feet. “Stubbornness has consequences.”
Flailing Sycamore around, he whistled, prompting the grunts to step aside. Blood, scraps, and bruises covered Gible. Closed eyes and a contorted, agape mouth sickened Sycamore. His throat closing up, tears welling.
“Was it really worth that poor Gible’s life?”
The momentary silence was tense. The proceeding scream, guttural. The orange glow of a Flamethrower exploded.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
‘April showers bring May flowers.’ That’s how the saying went. Seasonal storms were supposed to be a good thing, but that didn’t mean that they couldn’t also be scary. Intimidating thunderheads were on the horizon, bubbling up higher and higher as they towered into the heavens.
Winter’s biting cold had finally backed off and slid into more pleasant temperatures, making Tristan eager to let the fresh air in as he tackled some spring cleaning. His bedroom window had been open all afternoon to enjoy the lovely warm breeze, but as sunset approached, he couldn’t ignore the clouds in the distance. They grew thicker each passing minute, though for the moment they were a radiant orangey-pink in the fading light- a brilliant pop of color before the night swallowed the world in its dark blanket.
He stood idly staring out over the apartment’s parking lot. It was eerily quiet, a literal calm before the storm. Curiously his vision drifted over to some of the trees lining the property as he noticed the distinct lack of birds chirping. They had been singing their little avian hearts out all day, but in the evening glow they had grown starkly silent. That wasn’t a good sign- it meant that the oncoming front was probably going to get nasty. Sure enough, the radio station that he had playing in the background rolled over to the local weather forecast.
“Looks like it’s gonna be a wet one out there tonight. Storms are moving into the area, and we’re under a severe thunderstorm watch until about 11:30 this evening. Be careful if you’ve got somewhere to be and stay tuned to our station for the most up-to-date weather information!” The DJ rattled off the advisory quickly, clearly trying to keep things snappy so they could get to the all-important commercial break as quickly as possible.
Rummmmmmmbbbbb….
As if on cue, the first deep low rumble of thunder made itself known. With a sigh Tristan reached up and slid the windowpane shut.
Something caught his eye as he sealed the weather lock: A glint of light reflected off a cellphone screen. Down below a white utility van sat parked in front of their unit, the single maintenance worker inside lounging in the driver’s seat and swiping through something on his device. He was there late; Contracted workers like him should have gone home hours ago. Every now and then his eyes would dart up expectantly as if he was waiting for someone to appear to join him in his lonely vehicle. Hopefully his coworker was wrapping up whatever they were working on.
… What were they working on? That van had been around a lot recently, though Tristan hadn’t been informed of anything that needed to be done either in his and Darius’ apartment or with any of their neighbors. It must have been a renovation project for some other building in the complex given the dust mask and protective gear the guy constantly wore.
… But if the job was so big, why couldn’t Tristan recall ever seeing people coming to and from the vehicle, carrying supplies, or anything?
That guy was always just sitting there…
The man must have felt Tristan’s gaze upon him, because with a confused frown his vision flicked up to see the boy watching through the window. Flustered and embarrassed to have been caught staring, Tristan quickly reached for the pull cord and dropped the blinds down, hiding himself from view. Well, at least if things went south with the weather or the power got knocked out that guy would be around to fix things quickly… unless whoever he was waiting for got there first.
Another rumble growled through the walls.
“Ugh, was that thunder?!” Darius piped up from the living room. Tristan made his way out to chat.
“Yeah. Storm’s coming.”
Darius peeked back at him from the couch, his attention temporarily pulled from the same tv show he watched every week at this time. “How long do I have? Can I finish this episode?”
“What, before it gets here? Probably. Why?”
“Gotta take the trash out. I don’t want to get rained on, but it can’t wait until the morning.” Darius’ nose scrunched up in disgust, and Tristan knew exactly why. Even from where he was standing, a faint whiff of the horrible stench of rotting meat was in the air. Tristan had only cooked the meal for them the night before, but the container that the fish came in had been sitting in the bin stinking up the place, even with the lid on.
“Yeah, please get that out of here!” Tristan agreed.
Tomorrow was trash day anyway. Darius had developed a bit of a routine for Tuesday nights over the last few months- come home from class, eat dinner, watch an episode or two of tv to unwind, take out the trash, then get to work on his projects and homework. A creature of habit. It was nice to see him finally trying to work some structure into his life, though. Tristan had encouraged it when he saw how “just winging things” was working (or more not working) out for him. With a plan for his nights, Darius was more productive now, and that was fantastic, especially with finals looming on the horizon.
The show ended on a cliffhanger, causing Darius to throw up his hands and groan over the thought of waiting another whole week to find out the conclusion. The motion turned into a stretch, but he continued to sit on the couch, his face looking far from amused.
“I don’t wanna…” he pouted.
“Dair, if I have to keep smelling that fish every time I want to throw something away…”
“I know, I know…” Darius rose and flipped his dark bangs out of his face as he approached the kitchen.
RRRRRRRMMMMBBBBBB…
“Fuck!” Darius pulled his shirt collar up over his nose as he swung open the lid of the trash can. It was a twinge dramatic, but he’d do what he needed to do to avoid as much of the odor as possible. “Is it raining yet?”
“Uh…” Tristan scampered back over to his bedroom window and peeked through the blinds. It was dark outside now, so the best way for him to check was to see if he could spot any drops shining through the streetlights. They seemed to be in the clear.
“No, you’re good…” he trailed off when something moved in his peripheral vision: a blob? No, a human clad in a dark jumpsuit. The maintenance worker. Hold on, he was still there?!
The man was standing outside of his vehicle now, leaning nonchalantly against the driver’s side door. He adjusted his baseball cap and bowed his head to hide his face when a woman and her dog walked by. Once the pair was gone, he carefully swept his gaze over the sidewalk. Not another soul in the entire complex was around. Maybe he liked it that way.
An uneasiness settled over Tristan.
RRRRRRRMMMMBBBBBB…
That guy never seemed very social. In fact, he kind of gave Tristan the creeps. He kept to himself, but in a way that made it seem like he was trying to blend into the shadows. Breaks were spent alone in his van silently observing anything that moved, especially Tristan and Darius if they happened to pass by. He often regarded them with a heavy and calculating stare that made Tristan uncomfortable. Darius drew the most attention from him, though that wasn’t much of a surprise given his striking goth appearance. Loads of people gawked at him, but the gaze of the maintenance man felt… different.
Something seemed really off about the guy tonight though, more so than normal. Impatiently he tapped the toe of his boot against the ground, broadcasting an inner nervousness to the world. Was he worried that his boss would reprimand him for sticking around so late at the job site? Who did he work for, anyway?
Tristan squinted, straining to see what company name was on the side of the van, but it was completely unmarked.
His gut didn’t like that.
RRMMMMMMBBBBBBBBBBBBBB…
The man’s concentration locked onto the breezeway to their unit. The only thing that broke his focus was checking the time on his phone.
… Wait, their unit? There was nothing happening in their unit. No equipment to be loaded up. No coworker to wait on.
A sinking feeling gripped Tristan as he watched the man’s eyes trace up the stairs, creep beyond the landing, then fall on their front door.
Was he waiting… for them?
A sudden lightning flash caused Tristan to jump back and yelp. The thunderclap that followed rattled his bones.
“FUCK!” Darius shouted from the other room. “Okay, I’m making a run for it!”
Tristan’s heart beat faster, but not from fear of the weather.
“Wait!” he called, barging out to the entryway. Darius had the cinched kitchen and living room garbage bags in one hand, the other one reaching up for the front doorknob.
“What?” Darius asked.
“Don’t go!” Tristan said. Something was weird... But that was crazy… right?
“What?”
“Don’t go.” Tristan repeated.
“There’s no time, Tris. The storm—”
“Please! I just have a feeling—”
Darius pulled open the front door anyway, then stepped out into the hall. “I’ll just be a second. It’ll be fine.” he insisted.
Tristan ripped a hoodie down from their coat rack, threw it on, hastily slipped into his sandals, then rushed after him. Frantically he peered over the second floor railing out into the parking lot, the strange sense of dread squeezing him tighter and tighter… until he saw that the van was no longer parked in front of their building. Momentarily his tension subsided.
“Just come with me if you’re so scared, sweater thief.” Darius snarked, and Tristan scoffed indignantly, only just then realizing that he had accidentally grabbed one of Darius’ outer layers, not his.
“I’m not scared!” Tristan barked, though three steps from their doorway, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He felt eyes on them. Where? Where?! His head snapped up and he locked onto the same unmarked van in the distance now idling in front of the dumpster and blocking it from view.
Something was more than weird. Something was wrong.
Unconsciously, Tristan’s arm shot out and blocked Darius’ path.
“What the fuck?” Darius questioned. “What’s up with you?”
“Uh…” Tristan wavered, trying to think of any way to distract his best friend. Would Darius even listen if he tried to explain himself? He’d probably blame his paranoia on the storm.
“You forgot the bathroom trash.” Tristan said. That wasn’t a lie. Darius hadn’t gotten it, though it really wasn’t that big of a deal.
“Really? For fuck’s sake…” Darius grumbled.
“Just grab it really quick. I’ll hold onto these for you.” Without waiting for a response, Tristan snatched the bags from Darius’ hand and forced a small reassuring smile despite the anxiety twisting in his stomach.
With a roll of his eyes, Darius swiveled back toward their apartment as another rumble of thunder echoed through the breezeway.
“If we get caught in the rain because you made me turn around…” he complained, but headed back inside regardless.
“Grab an umbrella, then!” Tristan called after him, but he knew they wouldn’t need it. The second Darius was back inside, Tristan pulled the hood up over his head for protection, hefted both bags, and made a mad dash into the parking lot. If he hurried, he could make it to the far end of the complex and back before Darius returned.
Lightning streaked across the sky, hiding behind the clouds but still illuminating the whole neighborhood. Thunder rang out, swallowing the sound of Tristan’s flip-flops pounding against the pavement. That nagging feeling wouldn’t leave him alone- the one telling him that it wasn’t safe out here. He needed to be the one to brave the oncoming storm, not Darius.
Another blinding flare lit up the night, this time closer.
VRRMMMMMMBBBBBBBBBBBBBB!
The white van sat stationary in its unconventional parking spot as the trees on the curb began to sway in the wind. The front was coming in fast. Tristan ran past, his chest tight. It was nothing. It was nothing. He was being paranoid.
In the blink of an eye, Tristan was at the bin. A bolt of lightning exploded nearby right as he threw open the lid.
Ka-BOOM!
From behind him, a gloved hand shot out of the darkness, narrowly missing his wrist. Tristan gasped in horror and jerked away, dropping the trash bags in the process. He wheeled around and found the masked maintenance worker standing right behind him, way too close for comfort.
Upon seeing his face under the hood, the man lurched back, brows arched in surprise beneath his hat. He swiftly stuffed what looked to be a handkerchief in his pocket.
“Sorry, young man!” he exclaimed, his voice heavy with a country drawl. “Didn’t mean t’frighten you! These lids are so heavy, I thought you’d want help since your arms were full and the storm’s comin’.”
Tristan took a fearful step backwards, trapped between the man and the cold metal trash container. Where the fuck had he come from? He hadn’t seen him get out of the van.
“It’s okay!” Tristan said quickly, not wanting to linger in the encounter. “Guess I just got there first.” He collected the bags from the ground and chucked them into the receptacle.
Not a good night to be out.” the worker observed. “It’s dangerous.” He still seemed agitated. Guess Tristan wasn’t the only one on edge.
Tristan nodded lightly and moved to make his escape, though he hesitated when he noticed that the van’s back door was ajar. Warm light spilled from within and shone on an open toolbox with various supplies loosely scattered on the floor in front of it: duct tape, zip ties, rope… His eyes widened.
"We just finished unloadin’ our mess and are headin’ home.” The worker explained, clearly trying to quash Tristan’s curiosity. “Lots of fixes ‘round the property today. You know how it is.” He slid the door shut.
Tristan cut his gaze to the side. “Uh huh…”
There was no ‘we’. That van was completely empty. The man was alone.
Every instinct he had told him to run.
“Have a good night.” Tristan said, dipping his head in a polite nod. He stole a glance at the man’s uniform as he did so, searching for a nametag, logo, or any other identifying information, but there was nothing.
“Be careful.” The worker advised darkly, sensing Tristan’s scrutiny. Lightning flashed ominously in his eyes. The sentiment sounded like a warning, not a well-wish for the evening.
Tristan bristled as the wind picked up. The storm was right on them now. In a panic, he turned on his heel and sprinted away from the dumpster, fully breaking into a run for his life the second he was on the other side of the van.
Another flash of lightning tore across the heavens as raindrops careened to the ground around him. Tristan flew across the lot, his heart crashing in his chest. Right as he reached his building, the sky fully opened up, barely catching him in the downpour.
He vaulted under the breezeway just in time for Darius to reach the bottom floor, the bathroom trash bag in one hand and an umbrella in the other. The goth’s features twisted into a sour expression at the sight of the deluge, and he flinched when stray water droplets blew in and hit his cheeks.
Tristan doubled over, panting.
“No.” he breathed, not looking up at his roommate.
Darius lifted his boot to move back up the staircase. “No.” he agreed.
Tristan followed him back to the second story and nearly collapsed against the door once they were back inside their apartment.
“Yeah, so that’s going out tomorrow.” Darius tossed the bag next to the catch-all table. “Thanks for getting the other stuff out at least.” He peered back at Tristan, who was struggling to catch his breath. “Uh, you okay?”
As coolly as he could, Tristan wiped away the water dripping down his forehead. Whether it was sweat or rain, he couldn’t tell.
“Yeah.” he lied. “Just a close call.”
Darius breathed out a small hum.
“Could’ve beaten it if you had just let me go.”
Tristan shook his head and tried to hide the fact that his hands were trembling.
“Not a good night to be out.” he uttered, deadbolting the front door. “It’s dangerous.”
Vrrrrmmm…
Through the walls of their home, the thunder sounded more distant and far less threatening. Darius took his leave, making his way to the kitchen to brew his nightly pot of tea. He seemed content to carry on with his evening as normal, blissfully unaware of just how perilous the conditions outside were.
Wearily, Tristan slunk off to his bedroom to chance one last look out of the window. It appeared that the van was gone, but it was hard to tell for sure; rain streaked down the pane in sheets, making it nearly impossible to see what lay beyond. Lightly he raised a fist and rested it against the wall, leaning into it and slipping his eyes shut as he took in the sound of the tapping drops.
What was that? His nerves over the bad weather must have addled his brain and caused him to overthink things. How stupid to spiral over a random stranger and a simple chore. It was nothing. That had been nothing.
That was just some awkward introverted employee stuck doing his job late, and Tristan had villainized him for no reason. Hell, the guy had even tried to help him. It wasn't his fault that the storm made things scarier than they really were.
It was nothing. It was nothing. He had made a big deal out of nothing.
… Right?
He took a deep breath in, then let it out. The smell of Darius’ hoodie filled his nostrils and helped him calm down.
Well… Whatever that was, it was over now.
The electric kettle beeped, summoning him back out to the breakfast nook. Darius brought over a mug of steaming chamomile tea for him, and Tristan stirred in a spoonful of honey, pensively watching it dissolve into the liquid.
“You sure you’re okay?” Darius asked, plopping down into the seat at his worktable.
“I’m fine. Weather just freaked me out.”
Darius softened. “You’re safe.” he reminded him.
Tristan nodded halfheartedly then took a sip of his drink. The liquid spread through his insides like a warm, reassuring hug.
Darius was right. The storm couldn’t get them in here.
