ErenReverie

Chapter 36 Rachel had caught Ean when he started to fall, and when his dizziness passed her hands were braced against his arms. She started to say something in response to his ill-advised outburst – but whatever it was, she didn't get the chance to get it out because right about then Ean realized he'd caught himself less gracefully against her. One of his hands was had grabbed her hip for support when he slumped into her; the other had only managed to snag her skirt, which a good grip and the application of inertia had succeeded in tugging down an immodest half inch on that side. Ean didn't so much release Rachel as he pushed her awa

Chapter 31 Ean groaned and blinked blearily. “What just happened,” he asked no one in particular while his vision cleared. The stranger was kneeling over him, and now that Ean wasn't too surprised to take in details she was revealed to be a young woman – maybe in her mid-twenties. But more than that: she was gorgeous. Her hair was tied back, but wisps escaped around her face. It was either a pale brown or a rich gold depending on how the light caught it – and while Ean looked up at her the ceiling lights blazed like a halo around her. She had full, soft lips and clear, crystal blue eyes that looked down at him throu

Chapter 26 Ean gaped, momentarily speechless from outrage. But only momentarily. “You've tormented me for years,” he growled. “You invade my home, extort money out of me, beat me up for sport, steal my stuff – and now you're threatening my life.” He glared at The Gang in impotent fury. “I wouldn't give you a drink if it would kill you.” For a moment, The Gang stared back at him in shocked silence. “You are a crappy host,” Little finally said. “With crappier survival instincts,” Big added – and Ean laughed nervously. “You know, you're right,” E said. &ld

Chapter 21 Ean walked home after work like he did every evening, but today he was far more disgruntled than normal – perhaps because today he'd had The Audience as witness to the downward spiral that was his life – a witnesses that couldn't be impressed with what had been seen so far. E frowned, but was saved from making an immediate response by the clearly audible snk of a switchblade being deployed behind him. “You must think I'm an idiot,” Ean slowly said to The Audience, “to be walking home, alone, in the dark, in a neighborhood as bad as the one I live in.” “Nah,” Little said from behin

Chapter 16 An hour or so later, Ean approached a squat brick building. “This is where I work,” he explained as he walked up to the door. “It's a software development firm I interned at in college. I made myself so indispensable that they hired me on the spot afterward.” He swiped a badge over a sensor at the door, which beeped and let him in. He started toward his “office” but paused as he noticed the quotes. “Hey!” he protested. “That's just mean, Narrator. It's not that b-” Ean cut off what he was saying as one of his coworkers rounded the corner. “Woah,” said Fred