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8. Rhythm of the Needle
Last Updated:
2024-10-28 10:32:53
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Fluid 9. Bringing it Out of Me
Lilly followed Hawk to his gym after Quill finished the tattoo. She knew this place was his refuge, his second home, the one spot he could sink into when the rest of the world became too complicated. She slipped in after him. Hawk was already behind the front desk, hunched over paperwork. When she entered, he didn't look up. He knew she was there.She made herself at home, dropping onto the bench across from him and watching as he scribbled something down. Hawk glanced up briefly, annoyance clear on his face before he quickly masked it."Do you make yourself at home everywhere?" he muttered, keeping his eyes on the paperwork."Only where I feel welcome," she replied. She looked around the room, taking in the heavy-duty weight racks, hanging punching bags, and the slight hum of the gym equipment. This place was rugged, simple, and practical. Just like Hawk.He didn't respond, and she almost felt him resisting her presence like she was dangerous or something."You two are something el
Last Updated : 2024-10-28Fluid 10. Opening Night
On the evening of the lounge's opening, Hawk and Quill arrived separately, each drawn by Lilly's vague invitation to the "black tie event" via the gold embossed invitations that she delivered to them. She hadn't mentioned she'd invited them both or hinted at the exclusive, mysterious ambiance the night would hold. Nor had she shared that guests would arrive in a wide range of attire beyond the formal dress code. From elegant tuxedos to sensual, artistic costumes that veered toward the bizarre but somehow maintained a degree of elegance. He noticed that the people wearing the costumes had a range of multicolored invitations. Anyone dressed formally had the elegant gold embossed version.Hawk stood just outside the entrance, glaring at the newly hung sign above the lounge. She hadn't even shown it to him before putting it up. The damn thing was bold, massive, and unmistakably suggestive. Precisely what would rile his father up if he saw it.He took a deep breath. She couldn't know ab
Last Updated : 2024-10-29Fluid 11. A Line
Quill's eyes kept darting between the exit and Hawk. "Look, it's late. We've seen a lot already, and I think maybe we should...""We've been here fifteen minutes," Hawk interrupted. "And I had no idea you did this kind of art. Now I need to see it."Quill's jaw tensed as he shifted. "Trust me, you don't need to see it."Hawk frowned. "Why not? It's just your work, right?" He eyed Quill with growing suspicion. "Unless there's something you don't want me to see."Quill's shoulders sagged. "You're gonna hate it," he muttered. "Hell, you'll probably be pissed.""Pissed over a few sketches?" Hawk questioned as he stood up with Lilly. Before Quill could answer, Lilly grabbed them both by the hands. "You two need to see what I set up," she said with a mischievous look directed at Quill. "You're going to love it. Both of you."She led them deeper into the blacklight room, weaving through groups of guests until they reached a display near the back. Hawk nearly gasped as he took in the small d
Last Updated : 2024-10-31Fluid 12. Don't Stop
Hawk pulled his mask down quickly as he scanned the crowd. His heartbeat was pounding in his ears against its edges. If any of his father's pack were here, catching him in this place, with the art, atmosphere, and Quill, there'd be hell to pay. And he doubted his father's reaction would be the worst of it.But Quill must have noticed his anxiety. He grabbed Hawk by the arm and tugged him toward the owner's box alcove behind the stage. "No one's going to see us here," Quill said as he guided Hawk to sit back down in the booth beside him. "They won't smell us, not like that. We live right above this place, and our businesses are practically woven around hers. They would expect to smell us some."Hawk's shoulders slowly relaxed. "It's not just being seen. Someone from the pack had to get in here somehow, so they got their hands on an invite. You realize what that means, right?" Hawk whispered. "It means they either came into contact with Lilly or someone who works for her." He looked ba
Last Updated : 2024-10-31Fluid 13. Stay Here
Hawk growled under his breath. He didn't want to stop. He didn't want to pull away, couldn't even imagine letting this go. Why had they fought this for so long? As he moved his hand slowly, keeping Quill right at the edge, he felt a strange thrill, something almost like defiance. They'd always been told this was dangerous, but here, tonight, it didn't feel like a threat. It felt like freedom. And somehow, that made him want it even more.Quill growled in his ear, and Hawk almost lost control, his own restraint slipping. As he felt both of them moving toward climaxing, footsteps snapping them back to the present. Hawk froze, his heart racing, instinctively tightening his grip on Quill, ready to react to whoever was closing in on their hidden alcove."It's one of my pack," Hawk whispered, dread creeping into his mind. "They're going to find us here."Quill stilled, then leaned close enough to murmur, "Get dressed. Now."Hawk moved quickly, securing his pants. Quill adjusted himself wi
Last Updated : 2024-10-31Fluid 14. Us
Hawk sat on the edge of Quill's couch, jaw tight as he stared at the floor. Everything they hadn't allowed themselves to feel, let alone voice, was suddenly loaded with implications they never expected. This tension that had been building for years was now just waiting for a crack to break free. And knowing who was downstairs only sharpened it."They're here together. Acting like a couple?" Hawk sounded bitter even to his own ears. He glanced up at Quill, who was pacing the room."Yeah," Quill muttered. "Hard to believe, isn't it?" He stopped and shook his head. "The same people who'd beat us down if we so much as looked the wrong way at each other. And now…" He trailed off.The silence that followed only exacerbated the frustration Hawk felt. It wasn't just that their fathers were here together, breaking every rule they'd forced on their sons. It was the hypocrisy of it, the impossibility that their fathers could have the freedom they were denied. Neither of them knew how to face th
Last Updated : 2024-10-31Fluid 15. Still Hiding
Quill blinked awake slowly. He was lying on his back, and Hawk was sprawled beside him, still fast asleep with his body pressed against him. They hadn’t done this in years. Not since they were kids, not since Hawk’s father had found them curled up together in the treehouse one morning and had made sure neither of them forgot why boys didn’t “share beds” like that.Quill shifted and propped himself up to look at Hawk. His friend was splayed out, one arm over his eyes, his breathing steady. A soft snore escaped occasionally. His lips were barely parted, and his usual guarded expression was nowhere to be found. He looked peaceful. Comfortable. Seeing him like this, wearing Quill’s clothes no less, made him want to stay still and memorize the moment. To etch it in his mind much like he would later on canvas.Hawk stirred and mumbled softly before settling back down. Quill couldn’t help but smile. After watching him for a long time, he quietly slipped out of bed and went to the bathroom
Last Updated : 2024-11-01Fluid 16. Didn't Do This
Hawk and Quill followed Lilly through the main floor to her office. She stepped inside, motioning for them to enter. The desk was scattered with a spread of photos from the previous night. At first glance, they appeared harmless enough until Hawk realized what they were. "Wait," he muttered as he bit back a growl. "You were taking photos? What the hell, Lilly. We didn't agree to that."Lilly glanced at him. "Calm down. No photos of either of you were taken. I'm careful with these things. Some guests paid extra to be photographed for custom art pieces or to take the images home. Commissioned works, you know? You're not in any of them. Promise."Quill frowned, eyeing the photos before looking back at her. "Then why bring us here? If we weren't in any of them, what's the point? I don't want to see others... moments.""Well…" she began, glancing between them. "I sign NDAs with all my clients, so I can't show most of these images openly. But Quill, as an artist interested in commission w
Last Updated : 2024-11-02
Latest chapter
Fluid 52. Be Your Alpha
The room stayed dark. Sealed shut. Blacklights hummed low and steady above them, casting everything in bruised violet. No windows, no clocks. It could've been midnight. It could've been noon. Time didn't reach in here.Quill moved first. He tried to stretch his legs, but his muscles pulled tight. His joints ached from staying twisted up in the same position too long. His muscles protested. He blinked against the dark, vision still blurry, and forced in a deep breath. The soreness had changed. No longer jagged. Now it was just a steady throb, sunk deep into tendons and spine.Hawk shifted beside him. Bare skin dragged against his ribs. Warm. Solid. He didn't move far. Didn't pull away. Their legs stayed tangled. One arm rested across Quill's stomach.It should've felt peaceful.There was a sharp and sudden commotion near the door. Plastic or cardboard. Something scraping against metal.Quill flinched. Hawk shot upright.Lily stood in the doorway holding two paper bags and a cardboard t
Fluid 51. I Want More
The forest closed in. Every branch scraped open skin. Every root waited to catch an ankle. Quill kept one arm tight around Hawk's ribs, and Hawk leaned in harder with each step. Their legs didn't move so much as drag forward, shredded by gravel and stiff from the shift. Nothing in them worked right. Nothing had settled yet.They didn't speak. The path to the edge of Hawk's land tilted in and out of view, soft with fog, harsh with light, never still. Every breath hurt. Talking would've meant letting go.The sound came fast. Branches cracking. Leaves scattering. Footfalls too heavy, too reckless. Human.Quill tensed. Hawk lifted his head.Then Lily appeared, tearing down the slope with both arms out like she'd fight the trees if she had to. Dirt streaked her jeans. Her jacket flapped open. Hair tangled across her face, caught in the brush she didn't bother to avoid."I've been screaming your names for two hours!" Her voice cracked. "Two! I thought you were dead. I thought one of you ki
Fluid 50. His Alpha
Hawk's shift came slower, more deliberate, each crack of bone echoing through the trees. His body moved like it was being reassembled piece by piece. Blood still covered him, and each tremble beneath the skin said he was running on sheer will alone. When it finished, he stood tall, barely steady, his chest rising hard with every breath. Quill didn't say anything. He couldn't. His chest tightened under the weight of it all. The sight of Hawk standing upright, blood-soaked and trembling, sparked relief so sharp it nearly took him down. But beneath it was something else, something that cracked him open in a way he didn't know how to brace against. It wasn't fear. It wasn't awe. It was the raw, staggering realization that the boy he loved had become something else entirely. He stepped forward. One foot, then the other. His knees quivered beneath the effort. The ache in his bones warned him to stop, but he couldn't. He had to see. Had to feel that Hawk was real. Heat radiated from Hawk,
Fluid 49. Inevitable
The door cracked before it gave, wood splintering with a groan that echoed through the apartment. Quill's wolf shoved through, claws gouging the floor as the last remnants of restraint vanished. The hinges snapped free. Wood slammed the wall, leaving Lily pressed back against the tub with her arms raised defensively. He took one step inside. Then froze. She put her hands down and exploded. "You said three knocks and a growl. That wasn't three knocks and a growl, Quill! That was a damn explosion." His ears flicked. His muscles twitched like he couldn't decide whether to lunge or curl up. For a second, they just stared at each other, both breathing hard. Lily wasn't scared of him, and she wasn't exactly backing down, even in the face of something that should have scared the shit out of her. He dropped to the tile. It was the only thing he could think to do. The shift slammed through him in a wave of cracking bones and torn skin. He didn't fight it. He didn't need to. He collapsed f
Fluid 48. He Knew
Hawk moved in silence, blood dripping from his fur in thick, wet streaks that mapped a path of everything he'd survived to get here. Every step across the landing sent pain cutting up through his legs, but he welcomed it. He wore it like proof. His body had taken more than it ever had before, had broken in places that would scar permanently, and yet it carried him up one more level. The stairs groaned beneath his weight, old wood creaking under his sheer size.He was bigger than before, heavier from weeks of pushing his body past its limit, built for this exact moment whether he'd known it or not. His claws curled hard against the steps, carving shallow lines into the wood without meaning to.He reached the top. Paused. Stared down the hall.No guards. Not even a whisper of breath on the air. No shifting shadows. No footsteps. Nothing.Just the door at the end. Cracked open. A glow from a desk lamp bleeding out through the gap. No commands being shouted. No smug Delta watching the ha
Fluid 47. Claim
Quill sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, his fingers intertwined with Lily’s. He didn’t look at her. His focus locked on the metal rails that seemed to mock him. They were his own cage.Hawk had been gone for eighteen hours, and the agony bleeding through their bond had intensified. The pain wasn’t his own, but it was close enough to feel like it. He squeezed Lily’s hand once as he felt a new type taking over his body."I don’t think this is random," he muttered. "He left upset. You saw it. There’s only one place he goes when he’s like that. He never learns that lesson."Lily frowned. "What are you saying?"Quill stood abruptly, letting go of her hand even as he swayed. "It’s his dad. It has to be. He runs to his family's land when he’s pissed. It's an instinct he cannot deny, and his dad knows it. If I’m feeling this kind of pain through the bond, there’s no way it’s anything good." Every fiber of him screamed to run, to find Hawk and tear apart whatever threat stood in the way, but
Fluid 46. Endurance
Hawk’s shoulders slammed against the damp, cracked concrete wall as a fist collided with his ribs. The dull ache of hours past was nothing compared to the fresh, sharp agony spreading through him now. Blood trickled from his lip, the copper tang mingling with the mildew and sweat clinging to the air. They’d kept him upright for nearly five hours, the chains digging deeper into his wrists each time his knees buckled. The Deltas worked in typical precise, brutal shifts, ensuring the punishment never stopped for more than a moment.The whip cracked again with a sound that seemed to echo off the walls. The leather struck his already raw back, and the skin tore under the relentless assault. Pain seared across his shoulders and spine. Still, he didn’t cry out. The defiance in his silence seemed to irritate them more than any words could have.“Stubborn bastard,” one of them sneered, his boots crunching over the dirt-caked floor as he circled Hawk. A steel baton slammed into Hawk’s side. Hi
Fluid 45. Show Back Up
Quill quietly ended the call with Lilly as he realized his slip. Hawk stared at him in disbelief. "Herc was there? At Fluid? Watching us? Are you fucking kidding me?" Quill's head lowered. "I didn't know he'd be there. I swear I didn't see his name on the guest list."Hawk's growl reverberated around the sparse apartment as he stepped back, pacing a tight line across the room. "Wow. Fucking wow. You didn't think to tell me? Not once? All this time?""I didn't see him until that night, across the room." Quill wavered slightly, but he stood his ground. "You were riding such a high from the performance, and then..." He gestured vaguely toward his own injured body. "Things got complicated.""Complicated?" Hawk barked out, his footsteps halting abruptly. "You thought hiding this would somehow make that better?""I wasn't trying to hide it," Quill replied quickly, the words tumbling out as he realized that Hawk was insanely pissed about this. "It just never felt like the right time to bri
Fluid 44. Slip Back
Conversation filled the apartment, punctuated by the occasional burst of laughter from Lilly on the speakerphone. It offered no hint of the storm churning beneath Hawk's skin. He tried to focus on the weights he was lifting, but his attention was split. Across the room, Quill sat reclined on the couch, flipping through a sketchbook. Lilly's laugh came through the speakerphone he'd propped on the coffee table. He was describing a project idea with excitement as Lilly cleaned her office downstairs. Hawk adjusted his grip on the barbell. He pressed it upward, his muscles straining under the weight. He'd brought the equipment up from the gym days ago, unwilling to leave Quill alone for long. Each rep felt like a battle against his thoughts, which circled endlessly around the easy camaraderie he heard between Quill and Lilly."You've ruined your entire schedule now," Quill teased.Hawk set the barbell back onto its stand with a sharp clank. "I'll work it out. Sometimes you have to break
