#(and hopefully ill be able to keep up the one race a day grind and if so ill prob post in the evening instead!)

[skitskatdacat63]

2005 United States Grand Prix - aka Tiago Montiero having the best day of his life and everybody else having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #342

“in this farewell, there’s no blood, there’s no alibi  /  ‘cuz i’ve drawn regret from the truth of a thousand lies”

What’s your all-time favourite cartoon? Does anime count? In which case I'd say Fullmetal Alchemist, or the original Pokemon. If we're not including anime, then uhhhh Avatar: The Last Airbender, even though I have much more to go in the series. Have you ever taken dance lessons? What kind? Yeah, I've done a few for many years: jazz, clogging, modern, and hip hop. When did you last run and why? I literally couldn't tell you. I don't even know if I can run with the current state of my legs. My knees would probably crumple. Does your house/flat/whatever the hell you live in need cleaning? Not necessarily cleaning, but sorting. I still have boxes outside and inside my room of my stuff I need to put up somewhere... but whenever I prepare to do it, I just get so overwhelmed and shy away from it. Then there's the spare room, that's a total mess loaded with boxes and the like. Mom and I have just avoided it like the plague. Was your last relationship with a man or a woman? Woman. What do you think your next achievement will be? HOPEFULLY getting a job... Do you like mushrooms? NOOOOOOO. What dream do you remember most vividly? I'm not talking about it. Favorite kind of bread? Pumpernickel. Rabbits or hamsters? Rabbits. I've never met a nice hamster, and I just think rabbits are cuter. A movie you’ve never seen that it seems like every one else has? Harry Potter films. Favorite dog breed? I'm biased towards beagles. When was the last time you climbed a tree? Never, actually. Where I live, there aren't really many weighty trees with low branches. Just pine trees. Most common lie you tell? That I'm "fine" when I'm not. Ever seen your parents make out? Jc no, I'll take a hard pass there. Do you put your hair up a lot or down? It's too short to put up. Most of the time do you straighten or curl your hair? Neither. What piercing do you hate? I'm not a fan of cheek dermals at all, but you do you 100%. Were you raised in a religious house? Yes; I was raised Roman Catholic. Do your parents get mad when you're on the computer for hours? Mom used to for many years until I became an adult and she just realized it was in vain. I haven't lived with Dad since I was a teenager, but when my parents were together, he usually didn't say anything. Have you ever been asked for a nude picture? No, thankfully. I'd stop talking to the person immediately. What would you do if your parent hit you? I honestly feel like I'd slap them back and get the fuck out. Or just freeze in shock and cry. What's your most common mood? Stressed but distracted. Do you like poems? Yeah, usually. Ever kissed someone half-naked? Uh yeah. Have you ever been in a parade? No. Do you still play Pokémon? I play Pokemon GO, and I've actually been tempted to get out my DS and play one of the games I have (I can't remember which). I do find Pokemon games to be VERY grind-ey, though, so I can't play them for too long without getting bored. What is your favorite Pokémon? Ninetales. I also really love Espeon, though, and Charmander will always have my heart. Is there an animal you like that most people don't? Bats! :') Is there an animal that you think is overrated in terms of how it's liked? No animal is overrated. Have you ever "quit" a site and came back to it more than once? Uhhhh I don't think so. Do you have an "odd" fascination with anything? Most would probably consider "vulture culture" to be pretty weird, being drawn to dead animals and all... What's the hardest thing you've been through, & what did you learn from it? The breakup with Jason. I learned that some people make promises they aren't afraid to break, that someone can promise "forever" and not mean it, that the most unexpected can just snap their fingers and forget about you... I learned a lot. And most things, not positive. What are three "unrealistic" things you want most? 1.) To be able to financially support myself by just freelance nature photography; 2.) sooo many different kinds of pets; and 3.) to be totally rid of my mental illnesses. Do you take any daily vitamins? No, but I would if I was the one who bought groceries and stuff. I do however take Vitamin D once a week for my legs. Who are three of your favorite fictional characters of all time? JUST THREE??????? FUCK MAN idk. Uhhh well there's of course Darkiplier and Wilford Warfstache, then uhhh probably Pyramid Head. If you had to give the world a pre-existing mythological/fictional being, what would it be? Idk, I'd really need to be more educated on their lore before I made that decision. Do you have any desire to learn (a) foreign language(s)? Which? I both do and don't want to resume learning German. I got very good at it and could have basic conversations, but lack of application has slaughtered my vocabulary. Now it's like, it'd be nice to try again, but for what purpose? I don't think I'll ever actually apply it to my life, so it just seems like it'd be a load of wasted effort. But then on the other hand, I also feel that doing something you simply want to do isn't a waste of time. Idk. What is one of your firmest beliefs? Equality for all. No race, religion, whatthefuckever makes you more or less valuable than someone else. Do you have anything that keeps you from doing something you'd truly enjoy? Oh yes. Depression and anxiety, mostly. Do you work to fix your faults? Or at least, admit to them? I definitely try, and I'll certainly admit to them. How do you hope the world will change, if at all? I just want more compassion, less violence, more understanding... What is/are your view(s) on god, religion, spirituality, or relations to? In short, I believe that something sentient created the universe, and it/they/he/she/what-have-you just... let life play out from there, I think. I like to believe there's a plane of consciousness like an afterlife that exists, but if not, I don't really care. I hope the evil get what was coming to them, and the good get back what they gave, but maybe we're all better off without life after death. We'll all find out one day. Are you arachnophobic or scared of spiders in the least? Some, yes; others, not so much. This is very situational. Do you play WoW? What do you think of it either way? Haha, you're asking an avid player. I enjoy it, but not as much as I used to. At one point I was a Heroic raider, sometimes dabbling in Mythic, but now I'm just mostly a casual mount collector that likes chatting with my guildies and just doing dailies 'n shit. I owe a lot to the game, honestly; it helped me stay occupied throughout the breakup, and still today gives me something to do. What kind of computer do you have? Windows 7/Vista/XP/Other? I have an Acer Nitro with Windows 10. Are you taking any interesting classes in school/do you not attend? I'm no longer in school. If you don't attend, are you taking any "lessons" for anything? No, but I would like to join a photography course somewhere. A book/piece that has had an exceptional impact on your life? Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo just made me hate war more than I innately did. What genres of music are your favorite? Just metal as an umbrella term. Some heavy stuff, some less, some in the middle, some leaning towards other genres... but I just like metal. Do you think that fate plays a part in people's lives? No. Wouldn't "fate" just make it all... worthless? Like we're just storybook characters with a predetermined ending? What are your opinions on the media? One word: manipulative. What's a piece of technology you'd like to own? I REALLY want a PS4, especially lately. There's just a lot of games I REALLY want to play. Are you afraid of technology developing to where we're too reliant on it? We're already *too* reliant on it, which I do believe is a bad thing. I know, absolutely hysterical for me to be talking. What's your favorite odd ice cream flavor? I don't think I've ever had a truly odd ice cream flavor. There's this local place though that makes a kind that tastes JUST like s'mores, and I can fucking murder a cup of that. What's your opinion on stereotypes/labels? They're limiting and devalue uniqueness, imo. I know very, very few people who totally fit a certain stereotype, so why even bother. Like I don't care if you use them as adjectives to some extent, just don't put too much weight on them. Just be you. Do you believe that history repeats itself? It's not necessarily doomed to, but it happens sometimes, obviously. Would you rather learn from your mistakes or just undo them? Depends on the mistake. What was the most interesting class you had in school? Probably Mythology in high school. Do you write? If so, what? Yeah, meerkat role-play. And every now and again, poetry. Do you have a favorite culture? No; I'm not educated on nearly enough to pick one. Do you believe in global warming? Have you researched it? Lol no shit I do. I don't exactly think it takes much research to see with your own two eyes that it's factual. Do you prefer piercings or tattoos? Tattoos, if I had to pick. What comedy movie is your favorite? White Chicks. Have you ever meditated? Yes. Doesn't work for me. What comes to mind when you think of a great moment in your life? Realizing it was my choice to liberate myself and my happiness from my ex. He didn't and never should've carried it, because that's my right. What do you like about springtime? Aaaaall the flowers. <3 How have you handled having to stay in? It's not really different from my average day, so... How would your friends describe you? Quiet and overthinks literally everything. Have you ever hallucinated? When I was coming off a certain med in middle school, I saw black moving shadows. What (or who) is the best thing that ever happened to you? The partial hospitalization program I attended for two months following my suicide attempt. It's where I met my psychiatrist, who set my medication straight. Medicine besides though, I learned so many coping techniques and just how to deconstruct my trauma. As well as possible, anyway. What is the worst decision you ever made? Handing over the ability to make happiness for myself to another person. What is your favorite arcade game? Don't have one. Do you feel neglected? No. What school subject(s) are/were your best? English, Arts, Science. Are you allergic to pollen? Yep. What style of wedding dress do you like best? Probably ballgown. Are you over your first love? I probably never will be in complete totality. Do you always answer your phone? No. I only ever do if I recognize the number. Who was the last person you know to have a birthday? Today is actually my sister's birthday. What song is currently stuck in your head? I have Halocene's cover of "What I've Done" on a loop right now. It has me absolutely covered in goosebumps. Do you ever use coloring books? Not really anymore. Do you personally know anyone who is an author? Not to my knowledge, no. What’s your favorite kind of salsa/dip to go with tortilla chips? Just your normal, mildly hot salsa. Do you wash your car by hand or drive through a car wash? Mom's car hasn't been washed in... well, years, given its bumper. Mom worries that in a car wash, it'll be broken off (it is literally held on with a lot of zip ties and duct tape), and we ourselves don't want to wash it, so... Do you have any uncommon kitchen appliances, such as espresso machines, waffle irons, etc? I know we have one or two, but idk what they're called. What did your parents major/minor in in college, if they went? Dad never went to college. Mom changed her major a few times, but her latest was social work, I believe. Has either of their careers influenced what career you chose or want to pursue? Not at all. What kind of natural disaster is most common where you live? Hurricanes. Why is your least favorite season your least favorite? Because it's hot as fuck and humid. Have you ever had an animal get into your attic? No. When was the last time you started a “new chapter” of your life? I don't know. Hopefully I'll start one soon when I leave PHP and pursue a job... What room in your home do you spend the least amount of time in? I'm always in my room. Do you do anything to reduce the amount of electricity you use? I feel awful admitting I do quite the opposite... Being in the dark during the day affects my depression, so I'll have my lamp (or both) on even if it's just sort of shaded inside. Are you usually open to trying a new food that you aren’t familiar with? Eh, it depends on the food. I'm not very adventurous with foods though. Do you listen to Panic! At The Disco? I do. Have you ever had a kinky dream about a celebrity? ... It wasn't "kinky," but it was a dream lmao. Has anyone ever told you that they loved you, and you couldn’t say it back? That's how I ended the whole Joel childishness. Which friend do you confide in most? My mom. Do you wear a cross? No. What is your favorite doughnut? That's so hard. :( Krispy Kreme's normal glazed though probably takes the cake. I also love chocolate frosted and just totally plain, though. Do you have a hot tub? If so, where is it located? No. Did you read the Twilight series, or jump on the bandwagon after the movie? Neither. Do you or your parents rake your yard? Dad did growing up. Now nobody does or needs to. Who did you last go to the movies with? Dad, I think? What color was the last vehicle you were in? White. Do you have any family members in the military right now? No. Is there a ceiling fan in the room you’re in? Yeah. Have you ever heard voices? No. If you’re not straight, who was the first person you came out to? Sara. Do you remember the first time your first crush ever said hi to you? No. Do you ever go places with wet hair? Yeah, idc. Who is your favorite little girl? My nieces. What do you want the most in life? To feel like I made a difference, even a tiny one. If you could have anyone’s singing voice, whose would you choose? OBVIOUSLY Amy Lee's. What’s the most expensive thing you’ve bought that turned out to be a waste of money? *shrug* What’s something you’ve bought that turned out to be way more useful than you anticipated? Hm. Have you ever been on a ship? No. Would you ever date a disabled person? (Be honest) Yes. Would you rather adopt or have your own child? IF I wanted kids, which I absolutely do not, I'd rather have my own. I know I'd feel a deeper connection. What would you class as cheating on someone? As soon as you do/say something you don't want your s/o to know about, you're cheating. As far as earrings go, would you rather wear hoops or studs? Studs. Do you recycle? Yes. If someone dislikes you, what is most likely to be the reason? People have thought I don't try hard enough before. Do you put a line through your "7"s? Yes. ^ What about your "Z"s? Yes. What are you most known for? My art "skill," at least irl. How do you feel about shameless self-promoting? Depends on when, where, and how. As someone who's trying to be a freelance photographer, I get that it's sadly necessary, but there are some places it's just uncalled for.

[cultureaddictconfessions]

Unexpected Love - Cubicles CYO Ending #3

(As requested by readers, I’m posting all the endings for Cubicles! I hope you enjoy them, and I am excited to bring you more choose your own ending fics in the future. Shoot me a message if you want to be tagged. Stay tuned! xoxo, Bri)

Your favorite thing about parties had always been music. There was always a new song to discover, and you got to watch people being silly and free while they were dancing. It was refreshing to be able to let loose after such a vexing day at work. You ate candy and drank a little more than usual, trying to keep in mind that you still owed Lily a visit in the morning. You chatted up some of your coworkers. The girls were funny, talking shit on the trouble the guys caused or when their bosses were being assholes. It was nice to diversify your company because you expected to spend some of the night chatting with your male friends, or wishing Lily was there, or fending off drunk creeps (of which there were a few in your office, not that they were completely unmanageable.) You were presently toward the middle of the dance floor, focused on Alice Fortescue, who kept debating whether or not she was going to spend the weekend lounging in the countryside, or whether she would finally ask out Frank Longbottom. It wasn’t long before she realized that your attention was slipping, and she followed your gaze toward the DJ booth. She turned back to you, giving you a rather sly smile. You blushed. “I didn’t know you had a thing for Remus Lupin, Y/N… he’s very sweet, isn’t he? All the other girls talk about how he’s the most agreeable one of his friends, did you know? You should ask him to dance with you.” If you were being honest with yourself, you hadn’t actually thought of Remus as anything more than a gentleman and a friend until this very moment. He was always polite to you, and you gathered that he had a soft spot for you because he was always attentive whenever he was around you and always asked if you needed help with anything. But isn’t that what friends did for each other? Lily did the same thing without asking and never expected anything in return. Still, you’d been friends long before you got the job. This was different; this was a guy who always stuck around his friends, or was usually too focused on his work to make time for anyone unless it was necessary. It wasn’t that he didn’t like people, but that he took his job very seriously, much like everything else in his life. It was admirable, but difficult to crack and understand. “Whoah whoah, Alice, slow down. How do you know I was looking at him? And anyway, we’re just friends. I barely know him, honestly. He’s so reserved and professional; even if I wanted to make a move on him, he would probably deem it inappropriate for co-workers to interact romantically…” Alice seemed unconcerned with Remus’ perceived shy nature and promptly grabbed you by the arm, leading you in his direction. You tried to wriggle out of the tiny woman’s grasp, but she was alarmingly strong compared to her size. Frank was chatting with Remus, as you noticed when you finally got close enough. You grimaced, giving Alice a desperate look, but she would have no pity since her mind was made up. She went right up to the two of them and just stood there. “You know you haven’t asked me to dance yet, Frank Longbottom. This party is halfway over and you’ve spent the whole time chatting with boys.” Alice looked up at him, chin raised and a judgmental look on her face. A blush raced up his face, and he chuckled nervously, while Remus watched this exchange with quiet amusement. Frank apologized to Remus and held his arm out to Alice, who took it gleefully while giving you a piercing stare. Remus followed her gaze and found you, looking like a deer in the headlights. A warm smile appeared on his face as he waved. You took the gesture and ran with it, mostly because you didn’t want Alice to do anymore orchestrating because she’d be much more aggressive and far less cool. He nodded his head respectfully when you arrived in front of him. He was a head taller than you, a willowy frame. “You look nice, Y/N. You changed your outfit.” You nodded shyly.   “I had to help James set up after lunch, so I figured I should bring something a little nicer to wear for the evening. Sorry about Alice… I was just talking to her and she decided she was done waiting for Frank to pay attention to her and made a move herself…” You looked down at your shoes, chuckling at the little white lie you were giving him. He reached out and gave your shoulder a gentle squeeze to stop you, a smile spreading warmth in your direction. You blushed, avoiding his eyes. “Well, should we stand here quietly, or do you want to dance?” You finally managed to proposition him. He blinked at you for a moment, trying to process what you’d just said before he slipped his hand into yours and placed the other one gently at your waist. You were a little thrown by the juxtaposition of formality and intimacy. Everyone around you was grinding on each other, but ever the gentleman, that wasn’t Remus’ style. “This isn’t quite the music for this kind of dancing, but I think I do this much better than I do… that.” Remus chuckled softly so that only you could hear him. He was indeed quite a good dance partner, leading you effortlessly through a series of steps. You hadn’t had to ballroom dance like this since you were a child at your family Christmas parties.  “Still with me, or are you already getting tired?” Remus ribbed when you spaced out reminiscing. You blushed, shaking your head vigorously and stepping a little closer to him, your hand down to his forearm. He gulped. “You tensed up. Relax, I won’t bite… unless you ask nicely.” You winked up at him, which elicited a nervous laugh. He loosened his firm grip on your hand, although the one on your waist was still strong, almost possessive. He was glancing around then, particularly at a few of the guys who took notice of you dancing with Remus. You gave a little cough, bringing his gaze back to you. He bit his lip, uncertain of how he got to this moment. “Remus. Don’t worry about them. I’m here dancing with you. Sorry my attention drifted, but you have me 100% now. Trust me.” You pressed up to his chest now, trying to reassure him. You felt his heart quicken at the closeness, his arm slipping further around your waist in response. “You know they’re all drooling over you. They always do. But you never seem to respond to it. I mean, you don’t blow anyone off; you’re the most friendly person I’ve ever worked with, but… Why don’t you like any of them? D’you… not your type?” He whispered the last part, not wanting to offend you. You laughed with your whole body then, which shook both of your bodies. Was Remus jealous of the other guys? You wished he could take a hint, but it seemed you would have to spell things out for him.

“I do like guys, Remus, but I don’t like guys like them. The ones who oogle me and don’t actually try to get to know me. Not like… not like you do every day. You always try to catch up with me and see how I’m doing, but it’s never creepy or ill-intentioned. You’re always a real gentleman. Look, you haven’t even tried to feel me up while dancing!” You said this very sincerely, looking deep into his eyes. You couldn’t help laughing at your last statement, and he could only blush down at you in adoration.

“Only if you want me to,” he joked, sucking his lip in as he laughed. You licked your lips, entranced by this other side of Remus that you were tapping into. He was a little more confident, a little more teasing, and more open. You liked both, but it was nice to see him relaxing with you. “Can I… can I be honest with you?” He murmured, looking serious again. You nodded, curious and hopeful of what he wanted to divulge.

“Remus, why don’t you just ask me out on a date, hmm? I’ve been waiting for you to make a move this whole time, but I guess I’m just impatient.” You lifted your chin up, giving him a smoky stare. He blushed, looking down at you incredulously, before breaking into a smile brighter than the string lights shining above your heads. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to your cheek, sending a wave of heat through your body.

 “I was hoping I’d get to spend time with you tonight, considering how brief our conversations at the water cooler or the copy machine tend to be. I… don’t usually run into situations like this, but I guess you’re different than other people. You make me feel a little more comfortable in my skin, which is such a confusing experience for me. But a good one…”

“If you’ll have me. And if you’ll forgive me, I don’t kiss on the first date. I’ll have to thank Alice for the support, of course.” He winked, letting his hand slip down just below your waist. You gave him a suggestive glance and then a surprised laugh.

“I should’ve known you’d be smart enough to get a woman as your wingman, Rem. Well hopefully you take me somewhere that’s a little less full of our drunk co-workers… for this second date. And I’ll have my kiss yet.” You leaned up on your tiptoes and pressed one to his chin. He just smiled and gave you a spin as the music swelled into the night.

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Tag List

@supremequeenofthenerds​, @wizardwritings​, @couragetocontinue​, @fudgefight​, @lionnottheanimal​, @crtreg​, @shehassomuchsoul​, @formersovietunion​, @serenefreakgeek, @bibimagines​

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(In an effort to keep the “secret” element of the stories, I will only be linking to each ending in the main post, so check there if you want to read more endings!)

[mileycyprus-hill]

What the Water Gave Me

Chapter 3/?

Notes: So, it took me longer than it should’ve to finish this chapter. That’s what working 6 days a week this summer will do to me. And returning to college to get my second degree. *sarcastic whoo*

We’re still sort of in the introductory stages of this fic. However, I’ve got ideas for further chapters already planned out. So hopefully I’ll get those out faster ‘cause I’m excited to show you the romance between Arthur and our mermaid reader! This chapter starts from Arthur’s POV then switches to reader’s and then flip-flops back and forth. So I hope reading it doesn’t seem confusing or clunky.

Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 here. 

»»————-　★　————-««

Arthur has no idea how long he’d been passed out on the beach. Or how long it had been since the shipwreck. Time was lost to him. Had it been hours? Days?

He looks around and notices he’s alone. The strange woman who washed along shore with him is now gone. 

As he wearily raises himself up on his feet, Arthur tries to tell himself that she was just a mirage...a figment of his imagination due to severe dehydration. 

But she looked so real. 

He remembers the blue-ish, green mass laid in front of him, inches from his face. 

The scales. 

The fin. 

It all felt so real. 

But Arthur trudges on. To where? Who knows. All Arthur does know is that if he wants to survive, he can’t wait around the beach.

“Lay there much longer and you soon might be.” the woman’s voice replays in his mind.

Arthur shakes his head. Real or not, she was right. Whoever she was. If Arthur stayed, he’d be dead. 

He has to find fresh water. It’s the only thing on his mind right now. 

Each step is agony on his bare feet as they burn on the hot sand and rock. 

The thought of cool, fresh water causes Arthur’s throat to ache. Each dry swallow is worse than the last, like he’s continuing to dry his throat of every last bit of moisture with each small gulp.

He looks across the horizon at the sea. 

It taunts him. The salty white caps of the waves softly crash upon the beach. Here he is, surrounded by sea water, with nothing to drink. 

As Arthur walks on, he sees out of the corner of his eye a small plume of smoke. He turns to his left and can’t believe the sight before him.

His mind must be playing tricks on him again. 

He calls out.

“Dut...Dutch,” Arthur shouts weakly. 

He nearly collapses, but he has to stay awake to make sure his mind isn’t playing tricks on him again. He was worried he had lost Dutch and the gang forever.

“Arthur!” Dutch calls out to him from beneath the shade of the palm trees. “You’re...you’re alive! Somebody get him a goddamn drink!”

Arthur is handed a canteen and greedily guzzles down the water.

........................

A few hours pass as Arthur regains his strength by the group. He is able to think a little more clearly now he’s had water and is resting in the shade. 

While he’s still nervous, he feels a wave a relief to see Dutch’s familiar face. Like a small child who had been separated from their parent, only to be found in their embrace again. Hearing Dutch’s voice gave Arthur a sense of security.

No matter the situation, Dutch always had conviction in his speech, a confidence that things could turn for the better...even if they didn’t. 

In fact, they didn’t.

.................................

(Y/N) had been silently watching from the waters ever since she left Arthur on that beach.

She was going to leave him there after he passed out, but something kept her close. Some unexplainable guilt. Even though she couldn’t trust humans, she couldn’t leave this one to die.

Who was she to judge? She may have been hurt by humans all her life but, what if this man is a good one? Could she bear to let an innocent castaway die?

So she found herself swimming back to shore, back to where they had washed up together.

But he was gone.

“Dammit,” she whispered as she slapped the water in frustration.

She was tempted to call out for him, but she didn’t want to risk getting unwanted attention. She knows what lurks on this small island, and who runs it: that greedy dictator Colonel Fussar. 

She’s already risking her life by staying close. 

She begins to swim parallel to the beach, keeping her distance and herself submerged, only poking out a few times to check for Arthur.

The further she swam on, the more concerned she had become. She worried that Arthur had been captured by Fussar’s men. She wasn’t even sure if he’d be walking along the beach if he hadn’t. 

The more she thought about this, the more it became apparent just how futile this search is.

Perhaps he went inland into the jungle. 

“(Y/N), you idiot,” she cursed herself, “you shouldn’t have left him there. Now what are you gonna do?” 

As she sighed in defeat, she heard voices. 

Male voices, numerous ones. 

She ducked underwater and swam to a natural stone arch in the distance. She poked her head out behind the rock and looked to see two groups of men: one group in shackles, the others in blue with guns drawn. 

From behind the stone arch, she studied the men chained together. She assumed they were escaped laborers. Colonel Fussar is known for taking prisoners on the island and enslaving them to work on the plantations. In fact, it was a laborer who freed her from Fussar’s clutches. A merchant who was enslaved after making an emergency stop on the island when his crew members were deathly ill. He found her confined in a small pool, starving and sick. The man risked his life to save her. He could have left her when he came across her on the run. But he couldn’t bear the thought of a poor creature living in a cramped tank, only to be gawked at in a traveling freak show. He had heard talk of a mermaid across the plantation, and when he saw she was real, it was his chance to save her. 

A bellowing voice shook her from her thoughts, “Excuse me sir! Who are our new friends here?”

It was from the chain gang; a tall, dark-haired man. Even from a distance, she could see his face was red from sun burn. 

 A guard replies with a malevolent speech, “Criminales.”

Additional men are shackled together to the pack and begin to walk. As (Y/N) scans the group, her eyes land on the man at the end and her heart stops.

She immediately recognized Arthur, walking barefoot and barely keeping up with the group. 

He was alive.

For now.

He must have felt her gaze as he looked over to the arch to where she was lurking and saw her. Their eyes locked. 

(Y/N) froze, her heart now racing.

Arthur stops in his tracks, pulled slightly from his waist by the chain connecting him to Dutch. Unfortunately, one of the guards notices and beats him twice across the shoulder and his legs.

Arthur cries out in pain and nearly falls over from the impact, but limps on like a beaten dog. 

“You alright Arthur?” Dutch quietly asks behind him.

“...’m fine,” Arthur replies, sucking in a breath.

Arthur squints his eyes over to (Y/N) at the arch. She hasn’t moved from her spot. Her face grimaced at the scene. 

They’re about to turn into the jungle when the blast of gunshots halt them. 

It all happens so quickly. 

A guard falls dead next to Arthur. (Y/N) helplessly watches from her hiding spot as Arthur scrambles to grab a gun off the man.

(Y/N) goes against her better judgement and swims closer to the beach to get a better look, stopping behind another rock. 

She watches the carnage ensue as Arthur kills the rest of the guards. They’re hopelessly distracted by the gunfire from the trees and don’t notice Arthur shooting them from behind. He expertly shoots each guard through the head. Their legs buckle underneath their weight and their limp bodies fall hard on the sand, one by one.

As quickly as it started, the fight stops and the group of men unchain themselves. Suddenly, voices are heard in the distance. (Y/N) looks to her right and sees another cluster of soldiers arrive. Looking back over to Arthur and his gang members, she watches him and the other men flee into the jungle, leaving discarded cartridges in their wake.

She grinds her nails against the rock as a short prisoner falls to the ground in pain, shot through his leg. 

“Javier!” a man calls out.

“Get outta here! Go on, get outta here!” Javier shouts.

Arthur and Dutch stand together in the tree line, contemplating for a millisecond whether to grab him or leave him. 

Arthur looks out to the waters in search of (Y/N). He can’t see her anywhere. 

Dutch pushes him on into the trees. Sprinting into the dense forest, Arthur hears a distant, womanly voice holler from behind them. 

“Hey! Hey over here!” 

Arthur halts, skidding his bare feet into the dirt, and turns to look towards the beach, but he’s quickly grabbed by Dutch and is pushed on further.

......

(Y/N) doesn’t think for a second to regret her decision. Though, she soon might.

She watches Arthur and the men run further into the forest. Her focus goes back to Javier on the ground. The group of soldiers are quickly approaching and shooting wildly.

She has to act fast.

With a swish of her massive tail, she swims nearer to the beach, to the soldiers.

“Hey!” she calls out “Hey, over here!”

*CLAP!* She slaps her tail on the surface of the water.

She hopes to bring the soldiers’ attention to her and away from Javier as she swims in the direction where they came from. There were at least a dozen of them. A number of them stop in their tracks and turn to look at the commotion her way.

“Please…help me!” she cries, stopping at a small rock and holding on.

She counted six men who stopped. Four of them run towards her, while the other two continue to Javier.

“Shit,” she exclaims under her breath. She was really hoping the whole group would be distracted.

Staying by the rock on shore, she attempts to submerge her lower half underwater, away from view.

“Señora!” a soldier shouts, “Swim to us! Señora!” They jog closer, rifles in hand.

“Uhh…I can’t! Please help! I don’t know if I can hold on much longer!”

Her mind races to come up with a plan. She feigns exhaustion and pretends to lose her grip on the rock.

A wave crashes upon her and she slips a hand off the rock. Her strong tail is wrapped to it below the surface.

“Heeeelllllp!” she screams.

The four men have now reached the edge of the beach, just a couple hundred yards away from her.

C’mon….c’mon.

“Hold on, Señora. We’ll getcha!” Two men begin to enter the water, one of them abandoning their rifle at the beach. They wade their way through before reaching out to her; just close enough for her to stretch out and brush her fingertips with the man on her left. They’re only waist deep in the ocean.

“Closer! I don’t think I can reach.” she whines in her best pathetic tone. “My legs…they’re – they’re broken.” She pretends to lose her strength on the rock as another wave crashes. The look of frustration is clear on both soldiers’ faces as they step closer to her. Both of them start to lose their balance as they continue deeper into the waves. 

Both men are now on either side of her. Reaching to the one of shorter stature, she grabs onto his hand. The soldier appears to be young, with a pencil-thin mustache and a missing front tooth. Even in the water, he looked minuscule, dwarfed by the man next to him. His hands feel thin and soft. The man to her right however, is the exact opposite: rough, scarred, and heavy. This one would prove to be difficult.

She wraps her arms around the young man’s shoulders.

“Oh! Oh thank you! Thank you!” (Y/N) cries behind fake tears and doesn’t hesitate.

She grabs his shirt collar tightly, and drops underwater, pulling him under with her. The young man is stronger than she thought, as he struggles violently against her grip. (Y/N) quickly wraps both arms under his armpits and interlocks her fingers at the back of his head. His arms are rendered useless against her grip, but he continues to kick and thrash wildly.  The older man shouts from above the surface. By now, he can see her true form through the clear water.

She feels him grab at her tail and attempt to pull her towards shore. Wriggling herself free, she maintains her tight grip on the young soldier. Flapping her tail, she swims further away, dragging the man with her. The further he thrashes, the weaker he falls beneath her grip. As they continue to wrestle on the sea floor, they’re soon enveloped in an opaque cloud of white sand.

She feels the tension of his body soften, but maintains her grip. Not until she’s choked every bit of life from him. Soon, his body becomes completely limp in her arms, his eyes wide and mouth agape. The look of permanent shock and fear is locked on his face as the cloudy sand clears.

(Y/N) let his body go and he sinks to the ocean floor. She pokes the top of her head above the surface to find the second soldier. If she struggled that much with the younger man, this one would require more tenacity. The large soldier quickly spots her and grabs at her, managing to latch onto her arm. (Y/N) yelps in fear as he drags her towards him. The remaining two men on shore are wading through the shallow waters as fast as they can towards the commotion. She can barely think as the man’s calloused hands grip tighter around her forearm, his other hand holding his rifle above the water.

She acts instinctively and thrashes her hands, using her weight against him. She instantly knocks the rifle from his hand and it crashes into the water.

“You bitch!” The man shouts, balling his now empty hand into a fist and striking the side of her head.

A flash of white blinds her eyes from the impact of his massive fist. She’s left disoriented for a moment and cannot fight against him. Suddenly, two thundering shots ring out from the beach. The pair of them look to the source of the gunfire.

It’s the man named Javier, now bleeding out on the beach. The trauma of his leg wound exhausts him, but he manages to kill the two guards holding him down on the sand. Their bodies now lay beside him, one of them missing a revolver from their holster.

(Y/N) realizes now this leaves the remaining four men to her. She hears one of them shout.

“Get her back to the beach! We’ll deal with this one!”

The two guards wade back to the shore, leaving her with just the one. His hands are gripped tightly around each arm, bruising them. He closes the space between them and sneers with tobacco-stained teeth, his dark beard stinks of rum and rotten meat.

(Y/N) struggles against his grip, it grows tighter and tighter like a vice the more she wiggles. He drags her closer and closer to shore. A large wave swells from behind them and crashes into their bodies, the large man soon loses his footing and nearly falls into the water. (Y/N) takes her chance and wriggles an arm free, reaching behind her head. From her hair she pulls out a brooch, carved from bone with two long, sharp prongs. Another wave rolls upon them. Using the momentum of the wave, she stabs the man deep in his abdomen with all her might. He howls in pain as (Y/N) pulls it back out, producing a rush of blood to spill out into the water. She rips another arm free and slaps his face with her tail.

Now free, she swiftly propels through the water, heading for the deep. Swimming back to the hidden safety of the stone arch, she tries to regain her breath. Her heart hammers in her chest, the sound of blood thumping in her ears and her body trembles.

Now what? She wonders.

[nyxwordsmith]

Logince where Roman breaks his arm and Logan is a nurse who just got a paper saying his first appointment fell out of a tree? Must be a little kid? Fluff. Or ill fite.

Okay, this is sickeningly sweet, considering the prompt, but I will DIE for Logince. FLUFF AND NOTHING BUT (free background Moxiety because why not?)

Warnings: Hospitals, Broken Bones, Blood Mention, Surgery Mention, Drugged Character,

Word Count: 2656 (Because of length, and the warnings, it’s under the cut.)

Taglist: @red-the-ruler (if you’d like to be added, feel free to hmu in my ask box)

 When Logan Smith walked into work thatmorning, he had expected another fourteen-hour shift involving more blood andscreaming than any normal human should ever have to deal with. Didn’t help thathe seemed perfect for the Emergency Room. He was almost perpetually calm, even afterthat one tram crash…

 Logan pushed the unpleasant memories away ashe stepped through the sliding doors, suddenly awash with the scent ofantiseptic and the chaotic sounds of the emergency room. But to Logan, it wasorder. Heart monitors, doctors barking orders, nurses hurriedly rushing hereand there. He could see beyond the chaos, to the order that was a hospital.

 It never took him long to change, donning apair of scrubs and carefully pinning some of his hair back with a clip his friendPatton insisted he use. Logan did his best not to think about it too hard. Hewas going to buy a different one. He just hadn’t had the time. Obviously.

 Pausing at the nurse’s station, he gave thereceptionist a small smirk. Virgil glanced up at him from behind his lashes,eyes already shining with a conspiracy and a tiny smirk curled onto his lips.

 “Salutations, Virgil.”

 The scrawnier man was already shuffling throughfolders on his desk, “Mornin’.” That tiny smirk just wouldn’t leave. Logan actuallyswore he saw it twitch, “How’s Patton?”

 For a moment, Logan literally forgot about theChristmas party. The memory flashed through his mind and he barely hid his grinbehind his hand as Virgil blushed bright red.

 “Fine, I believe.” Logan snickered, glancingdown a hallway and sweeping out of the way as a gurney and four nurses racedpast.

 He took the moment to sober before turning backto Virgil, who had found the folder and was holding it out expectantly atLogan. That look in his eye was brighter now, his lip twitching evilly, “Fellout of a tree.” Virgil managed to keep his voice even, “Potential broken arm.”

 Logan would never admit that he did actuallyhesitate when he reached for the folder. There was just something in Virgil’s eyes that made Logan uneasy. The only time herecalled this expression, it ended poorly for everyone.

 Desperate to hide his unease, Logan flickedthe folder open, pretending to scan the information inside, “When are you goingto text Patton back?”

 Virgil’s back shot straight, his eyes wide andmouth pressed into a thin line as his cheeks started to burn brighter. Revengesure was sweet.

 He slumped again, eyes narrowed, “I’m gonna…soon…”He pouted slightly, taking a folder from another nurse and typing a few thingsinto his computer quickly.

 Logan couldn’t help but snicker at Virgil, whoonly raised his eyes to the taller nurse, “Mm-hm.” He mused, still pretendingto read the information and flicking through it idly, “If you don’t hurry, he’sgoing to start spamming you.” Virgil shrank a little, “You left quite the positiveimpression.”

 Okay, so maybe Logan didn’t want to grindVirgil into the dust entirely. He was one of the few people Logan could standin the entire hospital.

 He actually perked up, eyes bright now withhope before he very quickly hid it, “Oh, yeah?”

 “Mm-hm. Apparently you have lips like silk?”Virgil spluttered, hand flying over his mouth and eyes wide as his blush spreadover his entire face, “I have left my patient waiting long enough. See yousoon, Virgil.” Logan spun on his heel, gliding through the halls as he absentlylooked over the patient’s chart, deftly dodging rushing nurses and doctors.

 He’d been able to read and walk since he was akid, and it was something he usually prided himself on. But Logan had developed a bad habit of forgettingto look over the patient’s actual identity.

 And today he was gonna regret that.

 “Hmm, potential fracture…” he mused aloud, “Fellout of a tree? Must be a kid.” He glanced up for only a second to locate theroom number, “No painkillers? Strange.”

 He paused in front of the door, adjusting hisglasses as his pale blue eyes fell on the room number just above him. Quicklysnapping the folder closed, he reached for the handle and pushed the door open.

 “Finally!”

 That was nota child’s voice.

 Logan had seen some strange things in his manyyears as a nurse. And yet he was nearly flooredthat a man like that had fallen outof a tree and broken his arm.

 Laid out on a gurney, one arm dramaticallyflung over his forehead and the other carefully braced over his chest, was oneof the most fit looking men Logan had ever seen. And for once, Logan cursed howgay he was.

 It didn’t help when his patient let the handon his face fall away.

 Bright, piercing green eyes met Logan’s,glittering with a mixture of amusement and embarrassment. Logan had to clearhis throat and tear his eyes down to the manila folder in his hands. There itwas, clear as day:

 Patient:Roman Prince

 Age:28

 Gender: Male

 The rest kind of fell away, “Roman Prince?”Logan cursed the slight waver in his voice as he forced his suddenly heavy feetto move to the side of the room.

 “That is I.” With his free hand, he gesturedto his chest and flinched slightly when he brushed his arm. He gave Logan aslightly watery smile that was meant to be confident.

 The nurse’s eyes flicked from the slightlypained expression on Roman’s face to his arm and back, “Do you need somepainkillers?” he tried to put the manila folder down on muscle memory.

 And he missed, stumbling a little beforecorrecting himself. Stop staring, and doyour job. Your patient is clearly in pa-

 “Not really.” Roman answered with a nonchalantshrug of his other shoulder, “Broke a leg last year. Kind of adjusted.”

 At that admission, Logan’s eyebrows rose, “Youbreak bones often, Mr. Prince?”

 Roman scoffed, still moving too much for hisarm. He only winced slightly, “Roman, please.”He gave Logan a half-smile that nearly melted the nurse into his shoes, “And,um, maybe?” he chuckled.

 Logan couldn’t help but sigh, “And why wereyou in a tree, M- Roman?”

 A brighter smile spread on his patient’s facewhen Logan used his first name, “Well,” he tore his eyes away to look at thedoor, “I must admit,” he ran his hand through his hair, “I may end up in treesmore often than the average man.”

 Logan snickered, barely catching it with hishand and trying to hide it by clearing his throat. Roman glanced sidelong at Logan,his green eyes sweeping the nurse up and down as Logan tried to composehimself. He managed to look away before the nurse got himself together, “Haveyou received an x-ray yet?”

 Roman sank back into the pillows, “Nope. You’rethe first person I’ve seen since I was taken out of the ambulance.” He sighedwith an eye roll, “I really didn’t needan ambulance.”

 Logan’s eyes widened, eyebrows rising as hemoved to the manila folder, “Are you implying that you would have driven to the hospital?”

 A coy smile spread over Roman’s face, greeneyes sliding to meet Logan’s sidelong. Logan’s gay brain betrayed him again,his cheeks flushing, “Maybe.” His voice was just low enough, just teasingenough for Logan’s breath to catch in his throat.

 Once more, Logan had to hide it with a hardcough, “For one, I am grateful that someone called an ambulance for you.” One of Roman’s dark eyebrowsarched, “At least we aren’t treating you for vehicular accident trauma.”

 The nurse immediately regretted the words. He hadlearned over the years that words like that were-

 A hearty, strong laugh interrupted Logan’s thoughtsas he remembered to write in a request for an x-ray in the folder. It didn’tactually do much to hide his blush, but hopefully it would hide the fact hewasn’t breathing right.

 Virgil’sgoing to notice how shaking my handwriting is….crap.

 “Ah, but that would give me more time withyou.”

 If Logan had been a computer, the error soundwould have resounded. As it was, as a human, he froze. He could hear his bloodpounding in his ears, face flushing red, but he was too busy attempting toprocess what had just been said.

 After what felt like an eternity, Logan straightenedand nervously adjusted his glasses, “R-roman, I need to req-request an x-rayfor your arm.” He took a deep breath to steady his breathing, but his patientwas giving him a look that made it nigh impossible, “I will be right back totreat your scrapes.”

 Roman held Logan’s gaze, eye’s half-lidded,that sly smirk still spread over his face. There was something like triumphglittering in his eyes, and he slowly licked his lips before he answered, “Dohurry back.” He teased, “It gets awful lonely in here.”

 Logan hugged the folder, squeaked his responseand practically sprinted out of the room. When Virgil caught of him back at thestation, he started cackling.

 Okay, maybe Virgil won this round.

 Considerably more composed, Logan returned tohis patient’s room. Roman had his head tilted back, eyes closed, looking surprisinglyrelaxed for someone with a broken arm over his chest. With no painkillers.

 Logan swallowed nervously as he moved aroundto a small first-aid station, sifting through the various drawers for wipes,dressings and scissors. He couldn’t get the images of Roman’s smirk and now hisrelaxed expression out of his mind.

 “You’ve returned.” Roman’s voice was deep fromfatigue but still teasing and warm, “Have you come to treat my wounds?”

 Logan nodded, trying desperately to return histypically professional demeanour, “You will be going for an x-ray before I’mfinished, but you’ll be returned so I can continue.”

 When Logan turned, a pair of scissors in onehand and dressing in the other, Roman was smirking up at him again, “Hmm, youmake it sound like a date.”

 Logan barely managed to keep himself fromgetting flustered again, sweeping to Roman’s side and focussing on the cuts. Hewas not thinking about how darkly tanned his skin was. Or the multiple littlescars that dotted this side of his face. Or the way Roman was trying to smothera grin.

 “I would recommend some painkillers before thex-ray.” Logan once more attempted to pull his professional mask back on, “Theywill be moving your arm about quite a bit.”

 His patient was quiet for longer than Loganhad expected, and he realised Roman had paled slightly, looking grimly to thedoor.

 “Roman?”

 “Hm? Oh, my apologies. I, uh,” he cleared histhroat, “I’ll take you up on that actually.”

 Logan gave him a practiced smile, movingaround the bed to collect what he’d need to administer it to Roman. As he waspreparing the painkiller, an almost evil thought occurred to Logan, and he wasglad he had his back to his patient.

 The grin that broke out onto his face wasalmost sinister.

 But when he turned to Roman, he was the epitomeof professional calm. Roman eyed him carefully, looking a little lesscomfortable as Logan sat himself on a stool by his side, “Nervous?”

 Roman chuckled nervously, “Mm-hm.”

 “Don’t be.” He felt the corner of his mouthtwitch as he offered Roman a small green whistle, “I’m sure a healthy, strongman like you can handle a little analgesic.”

 Roman’s eyes blew wide, he spluttered and itwas Logan’s turn to take in Roman’s flustered expression. Seeing him stunnedinto blushing silence was more satisfying than he’d expected.

 Logan grinned, turning his head to hide itquickly, and started patching up a graze on his thigh. Obviously moreaccustomed to flirting, than being flirted with, Roman was silent as he drew inmore from the whistle.

 Turned out, Roman needed a little surgery toreset his arm. And he’d broken a few ribs. So, Roman was going to spend more time in the hospital than originallythought. All the same, Virgil made sure Logan was assigned to his room.

 On his rounds, Logan dropped into Roman’s roomand was surprised to find him awake, if not a little groggy from the anaesthetic.“Roman?” he called softly as he entered the room, giving Roman a small smile ashe slowly turned his head.

 Another man stepped out of the nearbybathroom, his eyes bloodshot and expression full of worry. Logan thought hisheart dropped into his stomach.

 “See!” Roman cried suddenly, his free armpointing excitedly at Logan, “I told you, Thomas!” he slurred, “I have a prettynurse!”

 Logan’s back went straight, Thomas’ eyes blewwide, and Roman giggled to himself. Before Logan had a chance to apologise orexplain the effects of the drugs Roman was under, Thomas threw his head backand started roaring with laughter.

 “Yes, Roman, you do.”

 Roman wriggled happily, making a tiny squeakingnoise of pleasure, grinning to himself.

 “I’m sorry,” Thomas once more beat Logan tothe punch, “This moron is my brother.” He hitched a thumb as Roman let his headfall back onto the pillow, “He hasn’t upset you, has he?”

 Relief flooded Logan, “Not at all.” The knowinglook Thomas gave Logan made him smile a little wider, “Has he complained ofpain-“

 “Thomas…” Roman whined, head lolling slightly,“I wanna talk to my pretty nurse.” He pouted at him and Thomas snickered, “Give‘im back.”

 Logan sighed, giving Thomas an apologetic lookand receiving one in return, with a smirk and shake of his head. Logan steppedover to Roman’s bedside, “I hope you know that flirting with nurses can get youin trouble?”

 Roman’s grin grew, “But you flirted back.” He whispered loudly, grinning brighteras Logan’s blush crept up his neck.

 Logan cleared his throat, trying to ignore thatThomas was still in the room, “Shh.Secrets, Roman.” Roman giggled, nodding, “How are you feeling now, though? Nopain?”

 It took Roman a few moments to formulate ananswer, “Not really.” He shrugged with his good shoulder, “But…I am sad.”

 Logan tilted his head slightly, eyebrowsfurrowing, “And why is that?” the nurse decided to humour him as he checked theIV bags by Roman’s side.

 “Because I wanna ask you on a date.” Thomasspluttered as Logan froze, “But my mouth won’t listen to my brain.”

 “Alright, big guy,” Thomas swept to Logan’srescue and giving the nurse an apologetic smirk, “You should get some sleep,huh?”

 “But-“ Roman whined and Thomas shook his head.

 Logan finished up as Roman huffed and pouted,but started dozing off all the same. Thomas followed Logan out of the room.

 “I’m so sorry.” He shoved his hands into thepockets of his jeans, “He’s such a moron.”

 Logan smiled, “He is also drugged to highheaven. I can’t hold it against him.”

 Thomas eyes twinkled with an unspoken joke,something Logan recognised from Patton, “I hope he wasn’t too much before.”

 Again, Logan shook his head, “Some patientsare known to flirt under stress.” Logan shrugged, “Makes them more comfortable.”

 Thomas snickered, “I can assure you, that is not Roman.” He quickly glanced aroundthe hall, “Last time he wailed out Agonyfrom the musical.”

 “Oh.” Logan’s traitorous heart started toflutter, “Thomas, would you be kind enough to do me a favour?”

 When Roman woke up later, groggy and confused,he was saddened to hear that he’d had to go into surgery. And that his ‘prettynurse’ had been put onto a different room.

 In an attempt to cheer up his brother, Thomas pointedout something on Roman’s cast.

 There, in pristine dark blue print, was thename Logan and a phone number. Thomashad never heard his brother squeal so loudly.