Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

You were thankful to find the gas station. Not because you were low on gas, although you could top up, but because you wanted to stretch your legs. As you pulled up, the gas attendant as there in a moment, unhooking the nozzle.
“Morning, Miss.” He greeted with a nod.
“Good morning. Could you fill it up?” You ask as you climb out of the drivers seat, rolling your head to stretch the kink in your neck.
Reaching up, you rubbed the back of your neck, trying to help your discomfort. You didn’t notice the attendant freeze up upon seeing the black ink on your wrist.
“Quite a name there.” He nods to your arm.
“Yes, very unique. You’d think it would make it easy to find him, but no.” You looked down at the name that was scrawled across your wrist in black ink.
Everyone had a name, but some people never meet who it belonged to. Like so many others, you searched for the owner of the name, which read Mars, but had little success. They were meant to be your soul mate, the person you’re meant to spend the rest of your life with.
“What about you? You got a name?” The attendant asked.
“[y/n].” You gave your name with a smile, your thoughts running back to the black ink.
You were too wrapped in your thoughts that you didn’t notice the man with curly black hair sneaking up behind you until you were dragged, kicking and screaming into the house.
You looked to the attendant in shock and horror as he put the hose back. He stood for a moment, rubbing his face with his hands before following.
“Put her in the back room.” He gestured through the house and you kicked and screamed, but whoever was dragging you was far too strong.
You were pushed into the room, stumbling and falling to the ground with a cry of pain. The shadow who had grabbed you was beside you, crouched over you as if making sure you were okay. But you didn’t move, keeping your gaze strictly on the ground but prepared to pounce if he touched you again.
“Leave her be. Frightening the girl like that?” The attendant snapped at the man, who backed away from you. “Now get going! I’ll help yah but no point you staying round here for HIM to come looking for yah.”
The man was gone from your sight, but you didn’t dare move straight away, instead looking to the door.
He stood beside the attendant, but the darkness of the hallway masked his features.
“Don’t tell ‘er.” He grumbled before taking off.
The attendant watched him go, so you scrambled up onto your feet, running for the door but it was blocked by the attendant. And he had a gun.
You stared at the weapon with wide eyes backing into the room till your back hit the wall.
“take a seat.” He gestured to the sofa that sat in the corner of the room, facing an old style TV. You edged to the sofa, sitting rigidly as the man sighs, collapsing into a small single seater that was on the other side of the room, the gun on his lap.
“Look, I aint normally involved in this. I know you got a lot of questions, and I cant answer them all. But what I can tell you is if you leave his house, you’ll be killed.” The attendant paused, allowing the words to sink in. “You stay here, I’ll keep yah safe. I promise. But you cant leave. Alright?”
You paused before nodding which satisfied him.
“I got a spare room you can use upstairs. It’s got its own bathroom attached and all. Come on.”
He stood up, the gun still in his hand as he walked to the door. You didn’t move immediately so he looked back at you. “Come on.”
You jumped from your seat, following him in silence. He let out another sigh.
“I aint gonna make this hard on you. No offense, but I don’t want you to be here anymore than you do. Wish there was another way.” He spoke more to himself as he climbed the stairs and showed you to a room.
True to form, there was a bathroom attached, with a small double bed in the main room, a desk and some old books. The room itself didn’t look like it had been touched in years.
“You gotta promise you wont run. If he find out you’re here, there will be hell to pay.” The man tries to get an answer from you as you step into the room to look around.
“Him?” You ask, your voice shaking.
“Yeah. Bloody devil. He wont think twice about killing yah, trust me. You’re safe in these walls. Now, you got any family who’ll come looking for yah?” He asked, and seemed to immediately regret the question as tears welled in your eyes.
“No.” You shake your head as tears run down your cheeks.
“Right, good. No, not good. Didn’t mean that.” He huffed, rubbing the back of his neck.
Just as he was about to leave, he paused.
“Sorry, love. I really am.” He came up, placing a hand on your back. “You need anything, ask me, alright? The names Fred.”
You nodded, and he left without another word.
The situation finally broke you as you collapsed on the bed, crying.

----
You heard your window crack open and someone climb through. You had been at the house for 3 weeks now, and you didn’t leave the room.
As if to show you why you should stay, the first night you heard screaming coming from outside somewhere. When you scrambled to the window, you saw someone running in the distance. They were being chased and were caught. You couldn’t see exactly what happened, but they stopped screaming, and whoever was chasing them had to drag them back, limp. So you stayed in the room.
You sat up in your bed, turning on your light to find the familiar stranger was back. He never hurt you, never even came near you. He just sat in the corner, trying to talk to you but you gave him the bare minimum. The older man who kept you wasn’t the one who ordered your imprisonment. It was this one.
He never told you his name. Never told you what happened when he disappeared or who was around or what was going on. He just tried to get you to talk. At first, you didn’t scream because you didn’t see what good it would do. Fred, the attendant, obviously knew him. But you had kept a pen handy in case you needed to defend yourself.
“Found this.” He suddenly said, seeming more perky tonight as he stood in the middle of your bedroom and holding something out.
Hesitantly, you stepped closer, looking into his outstretched hand to see a necklace.
“Found it?” You glared at him, knowing fine well that he hadn’t found it. A man and woman had passed through here 2 days ago.
You saw the smile faulter, then drop away as he turns away, throwing it on the desk before going to sit in the corner as always.
You walked up to the necklace, taking it in your hand. You saw him perk up, smiling slightly, until you took the necklace and dropped it out the open window.
“Why’d yah do that?” he scrambles across the room, so quickly you thought he’d drive out the window but you went back to the bed to sit on the floor by it.
“I don’t want anything from you.” You snap.
He glares at you, pointedly before going back to his spot as the two of you glare at each other until its nearly sunrise, and he disappears again.
But the problem started to come when you realized that you actually looked forward to his visits. He seemed so genuinely interested in you and your life, and between his and Freds company, you preferred his. But you didn’t even know your name. You wondered if that was what he meant when telling Fred not to say anything. Or about what happened deeper in the hills.
You had asked his name a few times, to which he shrugged it off, saying it doesn’t matter.
You knew there were others, his brothers and sisters as well as a father and mother. Fred had said that the sister was harmless, and so were the brothers if they were controlled right. But the mother and father were the worse. They were the ones who would kill you on sight.
Ruby had been the only one to find out about you. She had been trying to bargain with Fred to get her out of here when she stumbled upon you in the kitchen (the only other place in the house you could go).
From then on, she came to see you, much to her brothers annoyance.
Tonight, you had heard them arguing outside your window.
“if Pa notices we’re both sneaking out, he’ll come.” The man hissed, grabbing the girls arm and pushing her back to the direction the normally come from.
“Fine, fine.” She hissed, stumbling back towards the hills then pausing and running back. “Can you give her this.”
From the light of the moon, you saw a small handmade bracelet from thread. You felt a little bad for her, and she just wanted some company. But the man felt uneasy with her around you. Maybe he thought she’d slip up and tell you something he didn’t want you to know.
Before you could step back to let him climb up the side of the house, there was a new voice.
“Mars!” An angry voice screamed out, breaking the two siblings apart with a jump. You ducked completely out of range of the window. That voice didn’t sound like the type you wanted to get on the wrong side of. There was only one person it could belong to.
mars?
You kneeled up, glancing out the window as you saw a man with a horrific scar running down his face storming up to the house. You were grateful that you had kept the bedroom light off so you were hidden.
“Why you both sneaking around? Huh?” The man demanded and you could see the switch in the two siblings. They wouldn’t look him in the eyes, shrinking into himself.
“We were just-“ Mars was about to try lie, when the back door flew open and light poured out of it.
“I asked them here. Needed help, and why shouldn’t I ask that of my own flesh and blood, Jupiter?” Fred called out into the yard, but didn’t leave his house.
the man, Jupiter, snarled a little.
“Fine, keep the boy. But shes coming back. Mama wants a word.” Jupiter sneered at Ruby who huffed. Jupiter grabbed her wrist and started to pull her back to the hills. She didn’t struggle, instead following like a child in trouble.
You don’t know what happened next as you slid down the wall, the information sinking in.
Footsteps approached your door, which opened and Mars stepped in. He didn’t turn on the light straight away, instead walking to the window and closing the curtains.
When the lights on, you push yourself up off the wall.
“Whats your name?” You breath, your eyes filling with tears as you pray it isn’t true. Anything but that.
He didn’t answer, his sharp teeth stayed wired shut as if he couldn’t. But you had heard it clear as day.
Storming up to him, you grab his right arm and pull it out. You ripped the sleeve of the top to reveal your name in black ink on his wrist. He stood there, limp and almost numb as you dropped his arm.
Shaking your head, you back away from him, breaking down into tears.
“That’s why you kept me here. Because im you…” You couldn’t finish the sentence, it hurt too much. The realization that you had been spared death because your name as etched onto Mars’ wrist made you sick to your stomach. It explained everything.
He would come to see you to try get you use to him first because he knew you would reject him.
You all to your knees on the floor, sobbing into your palms as the full weight of the situation suffocated you.
Mars stood there for a moment, apparently unsure with what to do before cautiously approaching you and kneeling by your side.
“I could be a good mate.” He whispered to you. “I’ll keep you real safe. Make sure you don’t get hurt, and bring you things to eat.”
You heard the desperation in his voice as he tried to list off reasons for you to be with him. In truth, you could see yourself with him. But not here. Not with that man so close.
“I want to go home.” You look up at him with eyes filled with tears.
Mars opened his mouth to speak, and you could see the anger filling his eyes. He stood, shaking slightly as your words broke him.
“But I want you to come with me.” You stood up, cautiously approaching him from behind as he froze. “Bring your sister, and brothers if they’d want to come.”
Mars lingers for a moment, hesitantly glancing over his shoulder at you as if in disbelief.
When he sees no deception in your eyes, he turns fully to you.
The way he was with that man showed you way more than anything he had ever said. He wasn’t happy here, he was living in fear. He kept you, hid you in a desperate attempt not to lose his soul mate.
You don’t know what drove you to step closer to him. He looked so confused and lost at your offer.
You reached forward and touched his chest, running your fingers up his shoulder to the back of his neck and into his curls. He shivered at the contact, his eyes falling shut.
You took the moment to go up on your tiptoes and press a soft kiss to his lips. You lingered there for a moment, giving him a chance to kiss you back.
Once he gets over the initial shock, you feel arms wrap around your waist and you’re pulled closer as Mars kisses you. While inexperienced and a little clumsy, you felt your heart race at the kiss.
“Run away with me.” You whisper to him as you pull back.
Mars opened his eyes, his gaze finding your own. He stared at you for a solid few moments, and you couldn’t figure out what he was thinking.
“I wont survive on the outside.” He suddenly mumbled, his body slouching as his hands dropped from your waist as he backed away from you. Your hands fell to your side, the devastation obvious in your face.
he turns away from you, seemingly unable to keep your gaze as he struggled to find words.
“You’ll take Ruby?” Mars suddenly asks, glancing over his shoulder at you. “When you go, take her?”
Any vocal ability you had was lost as you realized what he was saying. He wouldn’t come with you, but he wasn’t stopping you any more. And he was willing to send Ruby with you.
You could only nod. Your offer still stood to take her with you. You knew she desperately wanted out, and if you had the chance, you would help her as much as you could.
“I’ll get her up here tomorrow morning, just after sunrise. Be ready to leave.” He speaks with an air of authority that you had never heard before from him as he heads to the window, disappearing into the night.
-------------time skip ----------------
You stood by the side of the house in the shadows as the sun rose in the distance. You debated if you should have waited in your room, but you hadn’t slept much and you were going stir crazy.
“Mars? Why did we sneak out? Papa will be angry.” Rubys hushed voice filled the calm air as you glanced around the corner and saw her trailing behind Mars, a bag thrown over her shoulder.
“Shut up. You’re gonna get us caught.” He huffed at her, glancing behind them. The mention of ‘Papa’ made a shiver run through your veins. You hated the man, and you dreaded to think what would happen when you were gone.
you were sure Fred knew. He had left out a few items in a bag, some drinks and snack-ish things. They were now in your bag.
you noticed his fist was closed around something which he was holding tightly.
Rubys eyes fell on you, instantly smiling in greeting as they walked up to you.
“Here.” He held out a key in his hand and you took it, unsure what it unlocked. “Its to that car.”
He pointed behind you to the family carrier on the court of the gas station.
You tapped the ‘unlock’ button and the hazards flashed a couple of times before stopping.
“Now get going. Papa will wake up soon. Aint any point hanging around.” Mars gave Rubys shoulder a little shove, making her stumble a little. She was in a daze, the realization spreading across her face as she beamed at the car. Her one wish was coming true.
Ruby grabbed the bag off your shoulder, wanting to help as much as possible.
She ran to the car, throwing her own bag and yours in the back and clambering into the front passenger seat as she admired the inside.
You turned your attention back to mars.
“You still wont come?” You asked, hoping against hope he might change his mind.
“No. I belong here. Will always be here.” He looked over his shoulder to the hills, that look stunning in the growing morning lightly. He seemed to jump and remember something, digging into his pocket. “Here.”
You held out your hand and two small bracelets fell into it. One was the threat bracelet Ruby had given to Mars to give to you. The second was the bracelet he had tried to give you a while ago.
“You kept it?” You asked, looking at the metal one.
Mars shrugged, seemingly not wanting to answer as he looked away.
“Mars?” You spoke his name, drawing his attention back to you. “I… im going to miss you.”
Perhaps it was the warped ideology you had been fed all your life that the name on your wrist was so important, or some Stockholm syndrome, but you didn’t wan to leave without him.
You see a smile tug at his lips, but his eyes were filled with a deep desperateness that was unignorable as he looks at you.
“Don’t. I aint worth it.” He smirked, the joke playing way too close for comfort. “Now, get.”
he nods to the car, taking a step back and you were at a loss.
Turning, you walk to the car, twiddling the key and bracelets in your palm, tears welling in your eyes. Something inside you broke as you twisted back around and ran to Mars.
Throwing your arms around his neck, you kissed him. This wasn’t soft or sweet, it was needy and desperate as a growl left Mars’ throat. He grabbed your waist, his fingers digging into your side in a painful way as he keep you as close as he could while kissing you back.
After a moment, you pull back, panting and with rosy cheek.
“Go.” Mars growls, panting a little from the kiss.
He pushed you and you stumbled back, nodding as you turned and ran for the car.
Climbing into the drivers side, you took a deep breath before starting the car and flooring it. The bracelets were put in the centre console the second you got in.
Looking out the rear view mirror, you saw Mars watching after the car before disappearing in the hills.
Ruby asked some questions, but you didn’t answer them. You honestly didn’t know the answer, or what lay ahead for you both in the future.
After about 50 miles, you reached a small town. Pulling into a small layby near a café which wasn’t open yet, you put your head on the steering wheel and started to sob.
Ruby cuddled into you, her arms wrapping around your shaking shoulders as you finally allowed yourself to feel the impact of your farewell.
after a few minutes, you felt a weight on your wrist. Looking up, you saw Ruby tying her own bracelet around your wrist before putting the other one on.
You hiccupped slightly as you leaned back in the seat, looking at the two items.
“Maybe, once we’re settled, we could… go back for him?” Ruby suggested with a shrug.
“You think he’ll come?” You ask, extremely doubtful.
“I think he’ll last a day without you, then wish he’d came.” She looked at you.
“I asked him to come with us. Twice.” You confess, not wanting her to think you had just left him there.
“Mars is stubborn. I think he didn’t think you’d want to be his soul mate. But if you went back, it would prove it to him, and he’d come.” She shrugged, looking out the window. “But we could probably overpower him if hes stubborn.”
You laughed, wholeheartedly. You could almost see Mars struggling as the two of you threw him in the boot.
Ruby joined in with your laughter, seeming a lot happier that you weren’t crying.
“Okay, it’s a deal. Once we’re settled somewhere close by, we’ll come back.” You nod. Ruby twists in her seat, sticking out her pinkie finger and offering it to you.
Linking your own with hers, she seemed satisfied with the promise as the two of you glanced back down the road you had came from.
“I’ll return.” You nod, a silent promise to Mars.

Chapter Text

Ruby knew you were thinking about it again. About him. You had gone quiet for a few days and she heard you crying at night. In the mornings, you seemed distant and away with the fairies.
She settled at the table across from you, flattening the skirt she wore out as she did so.
Drawing your attention away from the window, you looked at the young woman. She had truly grown since you first met her. Ruby thrived in the real world, now working a cash-in-hand job at the local shop. She was still a little skittish around strangers who weren’t on the other side of a counter, but she was getting better at hiding it.
You couldn’t help but smile at her.
To think it had been 2 years since you first found this little house. By pure coincidence, you had been talking with Ruby at a diner, just after you left. The old woman there had seen the dirt on Rubys skin and the way you were both dressed (slightly ripped clothes and messy hair).
“Now, cant have two girls wondering around on their own. Don’t worry, loves. I’ll help yah.” Marge had said, telling you both to stay till closing. She bought you to this house, telling you that it was her sisters but due to an unfortunate accident, the house now lay bare. She couldn’t bring herself to sell the land, and offered it in return for labour.
You took a job in the front of the diner with ease, but Marge could see Ruby had troubles at would make it difficult. So she started the young girl out in the kitchen, washing dishes with her husband, Old Jack. The place was run by family, with Marge having both her cousin and her aunt Flo working there. Old Jack had rolled his eyes when he set them on the two of you.
“Im already out numbered back here.” He’d snapped, nodding to the front where the three woman stood chatting. But the smirk that followed showed no malice.
So that was where you stayed. Ruby was asked by Flo if she would want to help in her husbands shop as a shelf stocker which was quieter and not as hectic as a kitchen, and Ruby nodded so hard her head might have fallen off.
You took care of money. It was something Ruby had never had to worry about, in the sense of budgeting and bills. You sat down with her, explaining what needed to be paid and how it would portion out but she just started at you blankly. So you gave her an allowance for her own personal things while you pooled the rest of the money for bills.
The first thing you did when you got your first paycheque was take her to the local clothes store and treat her. She came home with a new hat, a few tops and jeans as well as some nice skirts and three pairs of shoes. She had been bouncing off the walls with excitement. The house was large. With three floors, it had a small room and three double rooms on the second floor and the third was a large master bedroom. Ruby got first choice, but she still chose the double room. You took the master bedroom on the top floor.
And so here you were, two years later with a lovely house, a full fridge, a closet of clothes and a warm bed.
Yet you felt empty still. Your eyes drifted back to that tattoo.
“I think-“ Ruby hesitated, as if trying to find the right words. “-It would be a good time to try.”
Instantly, you knew what she was talking about because you had been thinking the same thing.
“Me too. But I think the first time I should go back alone.” You sip your drink and glance to the clock. It was only 8am. You were both off today, but Ruby liked getting up and watching the sun rise. So you and her had spent the morning pottering about and now just sat down for some caffeine while Ruby had a bowl of cereal.
Ruby looked up from her cereal. You could see the concern in her eyes as her spoon was forgotten half way to her mouth.
“He might not want to come. I really hope he does, but if it feels like he wouldn’t be happy, I cant force him. But if it feels like it is something he wants, and still wont come then we can both look at going back.” You put your cup down and reach across the table to take her free hand. “And I don’t want to put you back in danger.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but you knew she had that fear still. So she nodded, squeezing your hand.
“When will you go?” She asked.
“Today.” The moment she heard what you said, she chocked a little, making you chuckle. “Why wait? Im off today and tomorrow.”
She spent the next hour or so flitting about. She gave you weapons just in case, as well as packing you some food and bottles of water.
Poor Ruby couldn’t seem to sit still as you got ready. She put your things out to the car and double checking everything until you were pulling on your jacket. She didn’t question you, and you knew she had went back into herself, afraid to speak up or question you.
You hugged her and bid her goodbye. Ruby stayed in your rear view mirror until she was out of sight.

The drive was long. You found yourself unable to concentrate fully on the road, seeming to go into auto pilot as you drove.
When you realized you were on the dreaded straight was when you passed the gas station. The very one where you had spent some time.
Pulling up, you saw the place was locked up. the door was shut and boarded up.
Maybe Fred had gotten away, or maybe he had fallen to Jupiter’s rage.
You didn’t know, and in truth, you didn’t want to find out.
Looking down the road, you wondered about driving on a little, but you knew there was a valley in the hills just behind the gas station. It was were Mars and Ruby would come out of when they visited you.
Drumming your fingers on the wheel, you wondered what you should do next.
You couldn’t go running into the hills, since there was a better chance that one of the other family members would find you before Mars would. You didn’t know whether to wait it out and see if someone came out, or whether to try leave a note or something.
You really hadn’t thought beyond getting to the gas station. it seemed like such a far away and daunting task that actually being here was like stepping into a memory.
Pulling the car into the shade of the gas station so you could just see the entrance to the hills, you were about to plan your next step when you saw movement coming from the shop.
From the rear door of the shop, Mars stepped out.
He took a drink from a bottle of water and closing the door over behind him. Then he started to walk back to the entrance.
The wonder of how he didn’t seem to hear of see the car was lost as you felt your world stop.
He was exactly as you remembered him, and you were pretty sure you must have been looking back at him with rose tinted glasses.
Getting out the car, you raced to catch up with him, finding your mouth dry as you silently approached him.
“Mars?” you spoke his name, knowing better than to run up behind him and wrap your arms around him.
The second you spoke, Mars froze. The bottle he had been drinking from dropped to the ground as he turned to look at you
He stared at you, his eyes seeming to glaze over as if day dreaming.
You opened your mouth to say something but ended up closing it again.
What could you say to him?
You had focused so much on seeing him again that you had little plan on how to persuade him to come back with you.
Maybe you should have bought Ruby, and then if you two could have thrown him in the back of the car and drove away before he could escape.
The humorous idea shot some life back into you as you smiled a little. Then a little more as you realized you were back with him for a moment.
“Mars.” You whispered his name, and saw a visible shiver run down his spin as he hunched over himself slightly and dropped his gaze.
“Why did yah come back?” He asked, his voice broken and horse. Very horse.
Frowning, your eyes darted to his neck. It wasn’t easy to see considering the top he wore, the curls from his hair and the dark shadow that was cast of that area.
But as you focused, you saw a bruise. Not even a small one. It wrapped around the front of his neck, the purple and black marking his skin. Stepping forward, you closed the distance between you too. You didn’t notice Mars freeze up, staring at you with wide eyes as he seemed to stop breathing.
Raising a finger, you gently touched the bruised flesh.
“Does it hurt?” You ask, looking up at him. It was only then that you realized how close you had gotten. His face hovered only 4 or 5 inches from your own. So close.
“Not now.” He breathed, his eyes falling to your lips.
trailing your fingers around to the back of his neck, you allowed your hand to slid into his curls, earning another shiver.
You smiled at the reaction.
“Ive missed you.” You tell him, smiling despite the fear.
His fingers hover over your side, about to touch you when something in him seemed to snap.
“You shouldn’t have come back. Go.” He commanded before twisting out of your touch and walking away quickly.
You stumbled forward, confused beyond belief before running to catch up with him.
“Mars, Please.” You call after him, following him but struggling to keep up with his pace. “Come home with me?”
The words slowed Mars down until he stopped.
You walked up behind him, slipping your arms around his torso as you pressed your forehead against his back.
“I want to share my life with you. We’re soulmates. Right?” You shake your head as you feel your heart hammer.
You started to doubt yourself.
He kept refusing you. You tried to shake off the idea that your soul mate might just not want you because it seemed impossible, yet here you were, doubting if he was yours.
He hadn’t given you a real reason not to come with you. Ruby had been practically bursting to get away from this life, and you found out later that Jupiter was an abusive piece of shit. So you would have thought he would have wanted away from this life. So perhaps he didn’t really want to come with you.
But Mars had wanted to kept you hidden so you could stay.
Confusion raked through your body as you tried to figure out what to do next. But you couldn’t until you asked a very important question.
“Mars?” You closed your eyes as they filled with tears. “Do you want to come with me?”
You put slight emphasis on the word ‘you’, hoping he hadn’t picked up on your shaking voice.
Mars paused for a moment, and you felt your world stand still for a moment as you waited for his answer.
“Yeah.” Mars breathed, barely audible.
Your arms drop from around him as you step in front so you could look up at him. He looked so conflicted, unable to look you in the eyes as he frowned in through.
“Why cant you?” You asked, placing a hand on his chest in hope that it might sooth him.
“My brothers. I cant leave ‘em.” He whispered to you, glancing to an opening in the hills.
“Bring them. Theres enough room and I know Ruby missed them.” You encourage him, nodding as he looks back to you.
His mind worked quickly as he drew together a plan that you didn’t know.
“Go back to the car. Don’t get out. Keep the door locked. And if I aint back just after sundown, you leave.” His spoke with such control and authority, you felt a small tremble of lust shoot through you as you nodded.
He was about to walk away, but you grabbed his hand. As he looked back to you in confusion, you darted forward. Going up on your tip toes, you kissed him.
The immediate rush of adrenaline and pleasure was almost overwhelming as you let out a small mewl.
Mars was so shocked by the kiss that he didn’t respond until he heard you mewl in pleasure, and he was immediately lost in your lips.
his arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you flush against his chest before running up and down your back. As he deepened the kiss, it appeared he had found more courage as his hand moved down past your back to grope your ass and a growl left his throat. Your hands ran up his front to then drape your arms over his shoulders. Your fingers played with his curls, but in truth you couldn’t concentrate fully on anything other than his lips.
In an unexpected move, he suddenly lifted you up. You squealed a little but Mars refused to break the kiss as your legs instinctively wrapped around his torso.
He pins you to the rock face, pressing his body against yours as his hands explored your sides.
A groan escaped his throat as he explored your mouth. You give him full access, allowing him to dominate the kiss. Your fingers gripped his hair as you silently begged him for more.
The small tug of his hair only earned more lust filled moans from Mars who began to grind against you.
The cloud of lust which had settled over your mind was quickly cleared when you heard a voice.
“MARS! Where are yah?!”
The voice gave you a fright, but it sounded distant, as if playing on a television or maybe over a phone.
Mars took a moment, only appearing to pull back when he noticed you had frozen. Keeping you pressed against the wall with one arm still supporting you, he pulled a walkie-talkie out of his back pocket.
“Just comin’ back.” He mumbled over the radio. It was apparently enough to silence the voice as nothing else was said.
You both knew that the make-out session was over, and you were suddenly back in the real world. The one where you would probably be running for your life in a few hours.
The one where Mars was about to do something which could get him killed.
He lowered you to the floor, but didn’t back away. Instead, he hugged you. His head was on top of your own, as if kissing your hair but he didn’t. he just kept you close, as if trying to memorize your scent.
“Go to the car, wait for you and your brothers, take you away, be happy.” You listed off the actions as you looked up, causing him to pull away. He smirked, but you could see in his eyes that it wasn’t going to be that easy.
------------------- time skip ---------------

The day had taken ages, and you felt constantly on edge as you waited for darkness.
You had to sit in the darkness, the car turned off and no lights on inside either. The car and you had to blend into the night.
The silence was almost driving you insane. You couldn’t turn on the radio, so you were left in the dark and silence.
You were drumming your fingers on the wheel, not keeping to any tune or song as your leg bounced with anxiety.
The lack of communication was the worse. If only you knew they were on their way, or that they were safe at least.
Glancing ahead, you felt your heart stop and your mouth go dry.
You sat up straight, seeing three figures running to the car. You held your breath, squinting your eyes in the darkness. When you saw the bouncing of Mars’ curls, you turned on the engine, still keeping the lights off for now.
They were running from something, or someone, and you were pretty sure they would need a quick getaway.
Unlocking the door, they were flung open as the boys jumped into the car.
“Go.” Mars demanded as he slammed the passenger door behind him with the other two got in the back.
You nodded, turning on the headlights and you screamed.
In front of the car was a man. Jupiter.
He was angry, screaming insults as he raised an axe, about to bring it down on the hood of the car.
You shoved the car in reverse and floor it backwards, causing Jupiter to swing forward and hit nothing. The momentum from the swing caused him to stumble forward.
You slammed on the breaks, put the car in first gear and put your foot to the floor. Yanking the steering wheel to the side, you narrowly missed the deranged man as you drove away.
“You okay?” You asked, glancing to Mars then back to the road.
“Yeah, just keep drivin’” Mars leaned back in his seat, panting. It probably didn’t help that you had given them all a heart attack when you first saw Jupiter and screamed.
Glancing in the rear view mirror, you saw the two brothers. While you had never met them, you had seen the tall one with the bald head before and knew him as Pluto.
As for Mercury, you had heard him on radios, but never seen him before. He was smaller than his brothers, perhaps even shorter than Ruby. He was hunched over himself, both his legs pulled up to his chest and his feet perched on the seat.
“You two okay?” You call back, turning your head a little to see them in your peripheral vision.
Two nods calmed your worry as you turned back to the road.
The drive was tense, and really awkward. You understood why. Neither Mercury or Pluto knew who you were. Perhaps they knew you had taken Ruby away, but you didn’t know if they considered that a good thing or not.
You decided not to push them, allowing them some time with their thoughts for now.
Mars kept quiet the whole away, to the point you thought he might have fallen asleep. You reached across and placed your hand on his thigh, making him jump slightly until he saw no threat and relaxed again.
Nothing was said until you pulled up outside the house.
Instantly, you felt guilty. Ruby must have been worried out her mind.
You had barely climbed out the car when the door flung open and the young woman came hurtling out the house.
“[y/n]!” She tried out, her arms flying around your neck as her body collided with your own so hard you stumbled back a little.
“Im sorry for scaring you.” You held her tight, feeling how she was shaking.
“Ruby?” Mercury’s voice called out her name she pulled back. The others had gotten silently out the car.
“Merc…” She trailed off, blinking as if suspecting it was a trick of the light. Until her face broke in to a massive smile as she called out his name, running to him. With the same enthusiastic hug, she threw herself at her brother, who spun her around.
You smiled as she embraced all her brothers the same way and earned different responses. Pluto patted her head with a smile while Mars ended up standing rather awkwardly.
You laughed, whole heartedly for the first time in a while.
There was so much to say, to explain, to question. But now wasn’t the time.
Inviting them into the warm glow of the house felt like they were being invited into a dream. Mercury and Pluto were eager to follow their sister, while Mars paused outside.
“Mars? You coming in?” You call out to him, holding the door open.
His eyes fell on you as he blinked slowly before stepping inside, leaving his past at the door as he started his future with you and his family.