Kai Let Out A Dry Chuckle, Leaning Against The Counter With Ink-stained Fingers Drumming Lazily Against

He watches her closely, a flicker of regret crossing his face as he notices the way she pulls at her sweater, her demeanour shifting. He uncrosses his arms slowly, stepping closer, his voice softer than before. "Minnie..." He pauses, letting the words settle before continuing. "I didn’t mean it like that." His expression softens, and there's a subtle vulnerability in his eyes now. "I just... I’m trying to be real with you, even if it comes off wrong. Not everyone gets what they deserve, but that doesn't mean I think you're foolish for wanting it." His voice quiets, almost regretful. "I just don’t necessarily expect it for myself, yknow?"

watching the others reaction as he crosses his arms she frowns at it. how standoff ish he was being toward her made her feel small and begin to pull at the sleeves of her sweater. "you should care.." she said her voice soft. when he suggested that he may not be looking for forever she nods her head a bit understandingly. "that.. that's true.. if that's the case no harm ya?" she paused for a moment when he mentioned how not everyone gets the kind of love she was talking about and her gaze drops feeling like it was a direct hit at her heart. "you're right.. foolish of me to think so.." she said softly biting on her bottom lip.

Kai watched her turn to leave, amusement flickering in his dark eyes. Oh, hell no. She wasn’t getting off that easy—not after that. Not after the way she kissed him like she meant it and then had the audacity to act like it never happened. Like she could just brush it off, walk away, and pretend she wasn’t still feeling it just as much as he was.

Before she could slip too far, his hand shot out, fingers wrapping around her wrist—not hard, just firm enough to stop her. To make her look at him.

"Nah," he muttered, voice lower now, rougher. "You don’t get to do that, princess."

His grip was steady but unthreatening as he pulled her back, just enough to spin her toward him again, just enough so that their bodies were close—too close. His free hand found her waist, pressing her back against him.

"You don’t get to kiss me like that," he murmured, his gaze locked onto hers, intense, unwavering. "And then act like it was nothing." He let the words settle, his thumb brushing absently against the inside of her wrist. Steady pulse. But faster than before.

A smirk played at the corner of his lips, but there was something else in his expression now—something less teasing, more real. He leaned in just a fraction, just enough for his breath to ghost over her lips, deliberately testing the waters. "You can say whatever you want," he said lowly, his voice smooth, taunting. "But we both know you’re not walking away because you want to. You’re walking away because you have to."

His grip loosened then, giving her the choice. Letting her decide if she wanted to stay. If she was going to run, or if she was going to stop pretending.

there was no expiration date or thought of when this might end, though the urgency of both of their actions was leading them down a very slippery slope in terms of restraint. there was only so much you could push at the actions of desire before there's a want and a need to escalate it further. of course pia was very aware that the longer they did this that she felt that fire the moment their lips pressed together. it was like all her irritation for him channeled into that one moment where she could just get tangled up in him and their bodies would do the only talking. the problem being that she knew the moment they stopped that he would ruin it, one way or another. pop her bubble in a matter of seconds just by opening his mouth.

they were both panting in their breaths in the silence as they pulled away from one another but not far enough that she could still feel his body pressed against hers and the tension it yeilded. the moment she saw that smirk of his begin to form she immediately regretted her decision. how could she be so stupid as to spur on his behaviour? she just wanted him to stop talking in all reality.

her orbs rolled in irritation, the pet name back in full force, didn't take him long did it? "i already am thanks." she portrayed a very sarcastic grin, aware of what she may have caused. "good thing that this is never ever happening again, huh?" she pointed out in a very definitive tone. who was she trying to convince really? because even she didn't believe herself. "if you'll excuse me i am going back inside to join the guys in their game. i'll let you finish your cigarette." she shifted so their bodies were finally apart and let out a sigh of irritation.

Brooke shook her head. "I can't. DJ will find out—I know he will, he always does." She replied, her voice filled with fear.

open | f/m/nb muse | trenton biggs, he/him, 35, mafia member connection | anything! could include coworker, gf/bf, ex gf/bf, best friend, fwb, stranger, rival gang member, etc (no taboo pls)

"just let me do this for you," he insisted in effort to help the other.

This has been on my mind for long but I’m gonna do this - please reblog this if you’re comfortable with pre-establishing relationships. I do not mean “met at the grocery store two weeks ago” or “have a common friend”, but rather stuff like “have been best friends since kindergrden”, “go for a beer every friday”, “friends with benefits”, “dated in highschool”, “hate each other’s guts because -insert reason-”  etc. Something meaningful (but not necessarily shippy) and I mean with muns/characters you have not interacted with, because I cannot believe I am the only one who prefers jumping right into the heart of the human interaction

Ruby felt her stomach flip when his message came through, her fingers curling around her phone as the words sank in. She hadn’t expected him to push quite this far. Chewing on her lip she questioned how to proceed.

text: talk about trying your luck... what will I get in return?

The brunette sat up, and crossed her legs on her lap as she began to take the plaits out of her hair. She still couldn't quite believe the way their conversation was going. They'd been been friends for a while now, he was easy to get on with and even easier on the eye but she'd never once thought he would have found her attractive yet tonight had proved otherwise. He knew her dating history and the type of guys she wasted her time with, she couldn't help but wonder what was going on in his mind -- was he into this or was it just a little bit of fun?

text: i mean technically you are the guy that I'm texting-- the other guy left me on read🙄

he knew there was every chance that when he text her that last message she could shoot him down, yet he decided to toss his hat in the ring so to speak. he wasn't tied down to anyone, though there were plenty of rumours about him getting back with his ex but he had no interest in persuing that further. they'd broken up for a reason. he felt like he'd wasted a year of his life to be with someone who made him look like a fool and yet was constantly trying to push her way back into the picture. he wouldn't say he felt nothing, it was quite hard actually first love and all but he wasn't going back there. instead he was dancing on this fine line with ruby, where she had the opportunity to shoot him down.. and yet she didn't, which he found interesting.

"fuckkkk." he groaned at her reply, only imagining what that could possibly look like.

text: lace as well.. god you're killing me.

text: sneak peek?

he leant up a fraction propping himself between the pillows and his bed post and got himself more comfortable as this conversation continued to unfold.

text: if i was that guy you were texting, i wouldn't be able to contain myself knowing that's what you had on underneath that easy accessible dress of yours.

Closed starter || @butlerbarrow He dreams of being back in that trench. He dreams of all the bodies of his comrades. He dreams of their hands grabbing at him. Dozens of them were gangly, gaunt, and pale, with an air of death. They pull at him, dragging him down into the mud until he can't breathe. His own hands reach for the surface, clawing at the phantom fingers grasping his body. Everything is cold, black, and silent except for the muffled, anguished screams. Robbie thrashed in the bed.

His eyes snapped open, a strangled cry escaping his lips. He sat bolt upright, gasping for breath, his chest heaving with the terror of the dream. For a moment, the darkness of the room seemed to mirror the abyss of the trench, the silence punctuated only by the echo of his own ragged breathing.

Robbie was back in the convalescent home, the sterile white walls a stark contrast to the dark, muddy grave that haunted his dreams. The bandages on his shoulder and back felt like a second skin, a constant reminder of the hell he'd escaped. His head throbbed a dull ache that echoed the head injury he'd suffered. He could still see the faces of his comrades, their screams swallowed by the deafening roar of the explosion. The smell of cordite and burning flesh clung to him, a phantom stench that wouldn't leave.

During a bank robbery you’re surprised when the criminals seem to recognize you and retreat in fear. Only later do you learn that your high school sweet-heart now runs a global crime syndicate and has you placed on a “No Harm” list. You decide to pay them a visit after all these years.

Kai saw red.

One second, he was watching Pia put on a damn show, her every move calculated to get under his skin. The next, some guy was pulling her in, pressing his lips against hers like he had any damn right.

Before he even processed it, Kai was moving. He wasn’t the type to make a scene—well, not really—but this? This was a fucking joke. His fist connected with the guy’s jaw in a clean, sharp punch, sending him stumbling back. The music didn’t even drown out the collective gasps around them, but Kai didn’t care. His knuckles ached, his pulse hammered in his ears, and his sharp gaze cut to Pia before she could react.

“Enough.” His voice was low, firm, leaving no room for argument.

Without hesitation, he grabbed her wrist, his grip possessive but not painful, and pulled her through the sea of bodies. He didn’t stop until the cool night air hit them, the bass from inside now a distant thrum behind the slam of the door.

He finally let go of her hand, dragging a rough hand through his dark hair as he took a deep breath, trying to rein himself in. His knuckles stung, but he didn’t care. He turned to face her, his stormy eyes locking onto hers with a mixture of frustration, heat, and something deeper he wasn’t ready to name.

“You wanna play games? Fine. But don’t expect me to just stand there while some asshole puts his hands on you like that.” His voice was rough, his usual teasing edge nowhere to be found.

He stepped closer, towering over her slightly, his jaw clenched. “Tell me you didn’t want me to do that,” he challenged, searching her expression, daring her to lie.

to say that pia had never experienced this kind of tension was an understatement. the level in which they were meticulously taking a step ahead before the other caught up to them. she didn't really want to dance, especially with this guy but at the same time was she going to let kai have the satisfaction of knowing that he was getting to her? oh, absolutely not.

she rolled her hips, shifting her body so she was now facing away from him as she shifted in a way she was sure was going to get a physical reaction from her dance partner any second now. she effortlessly moved so she was all the way down to the floor and then glided her way back up, extending her long legs to standing as she wrapped her arms around the male's neck.

she was aware what he was doing, and if she would let her guard down and the true emotions spill out it would show she was quite irritated in that moment. the fact that this girl in his grip was so gorgeous, and peppy, and obviously completely intoxicated by him. did she wish it was her? of course she did.

she knew this wasn't very healthy behaviour, acting in this way of one upping another. and yet she couldn't stop herself so she shifted her head to whisper into this guys ear and he began pressing kisses to her neck as he tucked her hair behind her ear.

for a moment she could pretend it was kai, and block out the rest of the world but her eyes bounced back to him with this glitter in her orbs like she was trying to prove something and bit her lip. this guy was obviously feeling ballsy and pulled her in for a kiss, admitedly his lips didn't taste like the ghost of a cigarette and liquor but she welcomed it for the purpose of this game.

Plot # 64: A Hand to Hold

plot idea:  i was just trying to have a one night stand with a stranger at the club/bar so i lied about my name and entire life when we met. but after we hooked up i kept thinking about you, so we ended up hooking up again another night and i kept lying. and it keeps happening and now i’m in too deep to tell you the truth so i’m just living this fake life whenever i see you but i really like you