#I DRAW FOR MY GIRLIES AND THAS IT

[mintcrows]

so happy the emperor va doesnt seem to use twitter a lot and seems to have a specific taste of fanarts so he will never interact/see my stuff

[oceantornadoo]

measure up (simon riley x f!reader)

body image talk, period references, ten thousand girly problems at once. very fluffy, no smut. kinda ooc simon? hes a lil talkative in this but it’s ok. enjoy!

“dove, d’ya have my-“ simon stopped mid sentence, body freezing. there you were in your bedroom, measuring your waist in front of the mirror. you looked up, dropping the measuring tape like it was on fire. “hey.”

simon closed the door to your shared door quietly, then walked towards with the grace of a trained killer. his face was hard to read, even without the mask. “i know what we talked about but i was just curious because my shirt looked weird in the mirror and i didn’t meant it upset you ijustwantedto-“ he grasped your hands with his own, stopping them from flying around your body in an attempt to draw his attention away from you. you, who were now on the verge of tears for no good reason, words rushing together at the end of your sentence. “look at me.” he tilted your chin up, dark eyes locking with your own.

“y’know you’re about to start your period?”

“ugh i know don’t remind me-“ he grabbed your chin, harsh but not unkind.

“confirm or deny, dove. tha’s it.”

“yes.” you confirmed (a bit breathlessly, the command in his voice sparking a heat in you).

“and y’know you get bloated before your period.”

“yes.”

“so it doesn’t make sense to stress about nature.”

silence. a lot of it.

“i guess.”

he clucked his tongue at that. “yes, dove. and you know i love you no matter what you look like. you know i like having somethin’ to grab on, whether it’s big or small. y’know you could be any size in the world and i would care because it’s you. and i know that we’ve been t’gether awhile and bodies change and i don’t care. am i right?”

you nodded slowly, the cloud of insecurity in your mind slowly fading. “i know, si. i just can’t help that tween voice inside of me sometimes, telling me i look too big.” he drew you towards him into a gigantic hug, tucking your head under his chin. “i know, baby. jus’ think reminders help sometimes.” you nodded against his hard torso, breathing slower now. against his body, it was easy to remind yourself no matter how big or small you were, he could manhandle you all the same, decades of military training and exercise making up his body no matter how much home cooking he ate. a superficial comfort, but it worked all the same.

—

this was gonna turn into smut but i kind of lost steam oops. wrote this instead of working! i ❤️ corporate america

[thirteens-earring]

Jane Schoenbrun, from Episode 174 of the Gender Reveal podcast (episode) (episode transcript)

[ Tuck: Yeah. And somehow that brings me to Limp Bizkit. Because I think it’s so funny that you created this incredible soundtrack with like every iconic girlie, and then in the movie itself you know Sloppy Jane’s in the movie, King Woman’s in the movie, Lindsey from Snail Mail is acting in the movie, and then…Fred Durst is there. [Jane laughs.] Can you talk about why you wanted to work with him specifically, and what that experience was like of bringing him into the movie?

Jane: Yeah. So the first thing to say is that when I was 12, I loved Limp Bizkit, because it was 1999, and I was vaguely pissed off at a thing that I couldn’t quite put my finger on, right? And I think that nu metal thing was very appealing to me, in that — Limp Bizkit less, but a band like Korn or Slipknot — Slipknot is donning masks, and actively appropriating just the sort of iconography of the horror movie and grotesquerie to describe their internal feelings. And Korn is talking about how they’re a “Freak on a Leash.” And it’s this pre-Columbine, right before Columbine moment where I don’t think culturally we had like zeroed in on that necessarily (or at least I hadn’t at 12 years old) as a symptom of this growing nascent white male anger. It felt more like they were carrying the torch of the weirdo; I think that was sort of the appeal of a lot of that nu metal music when it first came out, was like I’m a “Freak on a Leash.” I think Limp Bizkit was a little different, because they certainly cast themselves as the underdog, but they didn’t necessarily cast themselves as “a freak,” you know? It was more of a pissed off, like Kid Rock style — I’m young, I’m white, I’m angry, have sex with me. [Tuck and Jane laugh] But I didn’t understand all of that, and I was 12 in the suburbs, and that was what a lot of money was being spent to convince me to buy, and I bought it, and I loved it, and I had that Family Values ’99 tour tape cassette, and I listened to it. And when I got bar mitzvahed, my bar mitzvah gift was a CD case — remember those little things you would keep in your car to keep CDs in?

Tuck: Yeah, definitely.

Jane: We got custom “Jane’s Bar Mitzvah” CD booklets [Tuck laughs], and it had Limp Bizkit drawings on the cover. So if you have one of those, that’s a collectors item now. [Tuck and Jane laugh]

Tuck: That rules.

Jane: After I wrote TV Glow, and just spending a lot of time unpacking my childhood and my adolescence in the suburbs and just feelings of alienation, I had written this character — hardly a character, more like this spectre of the anger of a dad who looks at you in the way that I have experienced, where it’s like…are you looking at me as your child, or are you looking at me as a person who has robbed you of your child? And this is very much a trans horror. I got notes early on like “let’s flesh out this dad, where does that come from?” And I was like “no actually, I don’t really care about that.” This is a movie about that gaze and that disapproval, and the way something as innocuous as saying, like, “isn’t that TV show you love and are finding refuge in for girls?” can steal decades of your life from you, because of the shame and fear that it ingrains in you. And so the question then became: who is glaring at us? And it wasn’t just like “oh Fred, get on a casting call and do your best glare.” It was that it means something to see Fred Durst glare at you. Fred is a fascinating and wonderful and generous person. I took Dave McCary (my executive producer) to see Limp Bizkit with me at Madison Square Garden as we were prepping, and as I was basically like “please let me cast Fred Durst as Owen’s dad.” And we walk onto the floor of Madison Square Garden, and it’s like…white militia is the audience, I’d say. [Tuck laughs]

Tuck: Totally.

Jane: It’s a lot of, like, ex-Marine energy in the house, and a lot of the energy that was being cultivated at that show was, let’s say, riling up the audience in the way that you would at a wrestling match. There was such anger and aggression being let out — just people who were riled up getting their rocks off, or whatever. But it was also so homoerotic, and not even subtly homoerotic. Like people…the guy in front of me just kept screaming at Fred Durst on stage “I want to suck your dick!” [Tuck laughs] Yeah, I mean…good admission; [Tuck and Jane laugh] follow that impulse wherever it leads you…

Tuck: Totally.

Jane: …and get whatever you need to get out of your system — there’s a way. At one point early in the show, Dave turns to me and goes “do you ever feel, like, unsafe in public?” [Tuck and Jane laugh] And I was like…oh — this is how you teach cis people what it means to be trans, you take them to the Limp Bizkit show, and you have them stand next to the trans person. And I’m like “yes Dave, actually…and a lot more recently since my transition.” [Tuck and Jane laugh]

Tuck: OK — and what about this was like…I gotta get this man in my movie?

Jane: So then what happens…Dave is like, “you can stay if you want, but I’m actually gonna go before they play ‘Break Stuff.’” And we ran out of Madison Square Garden, and on the street Dave is like “do you still want to cast Fred Durst?” And I was like “yeah, more than ever!”

Tuck: Incredible.

Jane: And then I got on the phone with him a couple days later, and we were talking about French films within three or four minutes. He’s a gentle soul behind the scenes, with a great understanding of film and art. He’s a showman, and it happens to be that the audience that will come to his things at this point tend to be the kind of people who wanna scream that they want to suck his dick, in an arena that feels like it’s about to turn into a riot. I’m interested in the film being this intertextual thing of: what does it mean to see Fred Durst in this particular movie about this particular thing, and how does that spectre bloom both in our collective memories but still in the present tense? Which isn’t to say that it’s about Fred himself; it’s more about this white male rage that I found something in when I was 12 years old, but that has also been brewing and metastasizing since then in ways that I am very disturbed by. ]

[denis-local]

god i havent asked questions in a WHILE but its mainly cuz ive been somewhat busy dealing with my horrible grades and having to fix them up. But now that they're foxed, i can finally have the time to ask questions, and they're for the new comic!!

1. who the hell was the guy Glevil choked?

2. Also confused on who's the big teeth lousy gal. Kinda lost track of my NPCS.

3. Will we get ref's/designs for the names/characters that Glevil mentioned, like for example; Arther?

4. Is there an exact reason on why Glevil is in so much denial?

5. What are the names of the two other mannequins?

6. Christ, is it me or did Boots' boots, well, now they're heels, get taller!?

7. I gotta say though, Boots looks so girlie pop. (/pos)

8. "You all made the choice to leave home!" and a few panels later, "You should be at home!" and I can't really tell if it's just an error, because my brain goes 'Wait a sec is it talking about like, they moved from their old home, Boots' is somewhere else?? Or huh??' so I kinda just want some confirmation on that!! (/lh)

9. What happened to Boots' hands-- (/genq)

10. To add onto #9, Jesus, what happened to Boots' face in some of the panels?? (again, /genq)

11. Can't tell what they're trying to do in the last frame, pull Glevil away? To be honest to me it kinda looks like Glevil's torso is bein' ripped off a bit, since it looks tilted.

thas all i have for now!!

Ah yeah Q&A tiem

1. Just a random player, Glevil just has a kill count y'know

2. It was Bive, she's just being herself y'know

3. Those are just example names and references to the other names that were in a naming competition for the green hat mannequin (Larch) we had in the Discord server. So if they were to get any ref sheets it'd be by the people who put in those names. If they want of course.

4. Not sure what this one means, but I'm assuming you mean by Boots being infected? Glevil isn't exactly in denial, at the time they had never seen such a virus especially one thay physically and mentally changed someone.

5. The green hat mannequin with the necklace is Larch (OC) and the purple hat one is Jim (NPC)

6. Boots has always been taller even in Regretevator, they tower over everyone. So naturally they still do haha.

7. They absolutely serve I know haha

8. I like to think in Regretevator, the mannequins all originate from one place (probably the backroom of the lobby) and that a lot of mannequins left that 'home' to go anywhere they want to like Mark and the gang who now do wood work! Naturally I'm gonna add all my HCs to my AU haha

9. After being infected they turned into stubs. Glevil and the others were very terrified of this at first.

10. Added some dramatic shadowing dw haha

11. Yeah it was difficult to draw that one I must admit, but they were trying to pull Glevil away or Boots off of them.

[mamamittens]

Requested Calling (Pt. 3)

Pt. 1, Pt. 2

Warnings: Uh, vague and mild references to masturbation as stress relief. And possibly other gross bodily functions. It's not super relevant and does not directly feature, don't worry, I just didn't want anyone to be blindsided or confused about why there would be concern with a preteen sharing cell space with a grown man. (They are technically prisoners on the Moby Dick after all, and Whitebeard is a bit old fashioned to boot). Light anxiety/panic attack due to trauma.

Word Count: 1,960

She supposed that this was to be expected. Whitebeard’s crew were quite nice, but they were still prisoners. Though she did notice that the lamps were actually adjusted to full brightness rather than leaving the cells darkened and cold. One of the commanders, a tall blond man with a lazy gait and large tattoo across his bare chest, led the way. A few others dividing up supplies for them to use during their stay. Blankets, some books, and spare clothing to change into whenever they gave up on their ruined unforms.

Uncertainly, she looked around, still holding onto the trailing sleeve of her captain, when the commander grabbed her shoulder. She looked up at him questioningly. He kneeled down closer to her height as her captain grimaced but didn’t say anything.

“Sorry, kiddo. There’s not a lot of privacy here. Oyaji, my brothers, and I don’t think it’s appropriate for a girl to stay in the same wing with a bunch of grown men. I don’t know what accommodations you had before, but I’m pretty sure you didn’t sleep in the same room as your crewmates.” Her captain cleared his throat, drawing attention to himself.

“She shared a room with Doctor Crusoe for the first month while she recovered but after that, you’d be right, Phoenix. With the exception of bad storms overnight.” Captain Hektor said. “But where will she stay? Seems awful convenient given your captain’s intentions to separate her from the rest of us.” He accused lightly.

The commander grinned, almost amused.

“Opposite side of course. She’s not going far.”

She looked at them both quietly, her chest aching.

She hadn’t been alone since she was pulled from the sea. The idea of having to do so in a cell… her hands shook.

This… this must be what fear feels like.

Something small and frail fluttering in her chest. Vibrating in her veins and stinging her eyes. Light danced around her lashes as she looked up at Captain Hektor. He blanched, quickly kneeling down and waving his hands about uncertainly.

“Ack! Nonono! It’s alright! N-None of that, sweetheart!” Captain Hektor cried out.

“The nerve! Scarin’ the wee lass! C’mere girly-pop, it’s a’right.” Doctor Crusoe swept her up in a soft hug, the scent of tobacco and antiseptic strong as she buried her face into his uniform. A firm hand rubbing over her shoulders. “The big, mean ole pirate didn’t mean it like tha’. Yer not stayin’ ‘n there all alone f’rever! J’st to sleep, isn’t tha’ right? Phoenix?”

She clutched his uniform, her breath sticking in her throat as she tried to dry her eyes. She felt silly.

It wasn’t like she’d been threatened.

She was just being told she’d be staying in a cell! All… all alone. Away from the men she’d grown close to over the past few months on a ship filled with people she didn’t know. Who towered over her and didn’t have any pressing reason to be nice. Ample reason to not be nice, in fact! Given her current, technical occupation as a marine.

“Of course! We’re hardly concerned about any of you sabotaging the ship after all. You’ll be restricted on where you can go, of course. And any… poor behavior will lead to confinement. But we’re not keeping you down here all day forever!” She felt a soft tap on her shoulder and after rubbing her sore eyes she turned in Doctor Crusoe’s arms. The commander looked at her softly, a kind, understanding smile gracing his features. He tapped her nose before brushing his knuckle over her damp cheek. “It’s going to be alright, kid. There’s nothing to be afraid of. I promise.”

He seemed sincere.

She looked around at her fellow crewmates. They seemed about as happy as she was, but not worried. A few spoke up.

“Yeah! They’re not the worst as far as pirates go!”

“You dumbass, that’s not reassuring!”

“S-Sorry! W-What I mean to say is that maybe if you holler, we can still hear you!”

Shinji received a hard slap to the back of his head for the comment.

“Not! Helping!”

The commander sighed, rubbing his face as he muttered so softly she almost didn’t hear him.

“…well at least they’ll fit in once they ditch the uniforms.” He rolled his eyes and gave her another gentle smile. “Both sections will have night guards to make sure there aren’t any shenanigans from you or my own crew. So really, you won’t be alone at all kiddo.”

…it wouldn’t be her own crew but…

Anything was better than being alone.

She reached out and took the commander’s hand, allowing herself to be lifted out of Doctor Crusoe’s arms without any protest. He picked her up easily, settling her on his hip with a chuckle as she held onto his neck for reassurance.

“We do need to check you over again though before you get settled in. Ace told me that you had a pretty nasty concussion. Our doctors are some of the best in the New World to help look after Oyaji—No offence Doctor Crusoe.” He said, sparing the doctor a glance. He waved it off with a roll of his eyes.

“No offense taken here, laddie. A second opinion is always welcome.” He winked at her before the commander started walked back out of the section. Leaving her crewmates behind.

--*--

Marco carried the kid with a gentle grip, aware of how slight she felt in his arms. Not alarmingly so, thankfully, but enough that he was glad for the excuse to have her looked over. Pediatrics wasn’t his strong suit, but there were several in his division that dabbled often enough on the various islands they stopped at. Her eyes were still a little red, her nose tinged with color after the small upset. It was surprising how expressive her eyes were given the relative lack of emotional range she’d shown thus far. He felt bad about it, really, but not enough to change his mind about her accommodation.

A grown adult marine might have been kept where she was regardless of gender—maybe, Oyaji was old fashioned after all—but a preteen girl? Absolutely not. And not because they suspected anything malicious from the marines. Grown men just tend to be… weird under stress. And the last thing he wanted was to have to facilitate a conversation about sexuality if she saw something she wasn’t meant to. It wasn’t like the cells had separated bathrooms after all.

Marco’s had the misfortune of sharing bathroom space with grown men his own age that he wouldn’t wish on anyone.

“I’m Marco by the way.” Marco said as they approached the medical ward. She jerked in his arms, head swiveling towards him from her curious gawking at the walls of the Moby Dick. Gold eye wide and strangely catching the light in her pupil. Her hand around his shoulder rubbing the collar of his jacket thoughtfully.

“Hi, Marco.” She whispered softly, looking at the nurse organizing spare bedding that had been freshly laundered.

“Get Doctor Isa, she’s the most experienced with kids.” Marco ordered, cutting off the chance for the nurse to coo over the little marine. He couldn’t exactly blame her reaction. Most of his brothers were hardly cute after all.

And the kid in her too-big marine uniform looked like she was playing dress up. Hat settled crookedly over her curiously purple-blue hair.

Doctor Isa was quick to shuffle out of her office with a smile, doctors coat thrown over the pink uniform most nurses chose to wear due to a off-color joke Oyaji made a decade ago.

He sure did eat his words when he had to take his medication without complaint though…

“Why hello! I’ve heard so much about you already, dearie~! Why don’t you have a seat and I’ll run through my checklist!” She greeted, pink curls bouncing animatedly around her ears as she grinned. Marco obliged and set her down on an exam table in a separated room. He knew damn well others would get nosy, so he shut the door preemptively. Several doctors and nurses scowling at him like he wasn’t their commander.

Sitting on a bed made for grown men did little to alleviate how small the kid looked.

Isa poked and jokingly prodded the kid with her stethoscope while she talked. Distracting the kid into giving honest answers without thought. Isa seemed displeased at the exceedingly low volume the kid was capable of giving with her voice, gently poking rubbing the kid’s throat and inspecting her tonsils. She frowned as she tipped the kid’s head this was and that.

“Hmm… I’d need to some other equipment to check it out, but it seems like there’s something unusual with your vocal cords, sweetie. It could explain why excessive volume hurts. And you still have most of your milk teeth… all in good condition so you must have had a healthy lifestyle before but… how old did you say you were, sweetie?” Isa pulled out the tongue compressor.

“Maybe thirteen?” Isa frowned, looking down and pulling off a shoe, revealing newspaper stuffed inside them. Right. The marine captain did say she was too small for a proper uniform. Isa lifted up the kid’s skinny leg, brushing her thumb over the shin.

“Well, you’re certainly tall for your age but… you can’t be older than eleven. I’d need to do an x-ray or some bloodwork to check, but I suspect you’re likely closer to ten, sweetie.” Isa apologized softly. “But the good news is that you’ve recovered from your concussion. I don’t recommend any head thrashing for the time being, though. There’s enough lack of sense on this ship as it is.” Isa joked, giving Marco a look.

Marco decided to ignore the objectively true comment. His brother’s (which one? Does it matter? No. No it does not) constant bullshit spoke for itself.

There was a knock on the door. Marco glared at it before getting up, finding Ace on the other side grinning sheepishly.

“S-Sorry, Marco! But hey, I remembered to knock this time!” Ace laughed, leaning to look past Marco and wave at the kid. “I heard you made her cry, so I thought she’d like a friendlier visitor!” Marco narrowed his eyes and arched his brow.

“What? Like you, you menace?” Marco huffed. Ace paused, nose wrinkling in offense.

“What?! Hey!” Ace shook himself suddenly. “No! I mean Stefan! At least until we find a soft toy—girls like those, right? To sleep with?” Ace whispered as he moved to let Stefan trot into the room.

The kid’s eyes lit up as she glanced at Isa for permission. Amused, she nodded, allowing the kid to hop down and give the spoiled mutt the pets he’d clearly been lacking before. She sat on the floor and allowed the dog to clamber onto her lap, nearly knocking her over as he wagged his tail furiously, giggling as she rubbed his ears. Stefan rained slobbery kisses with restrained yips as a tradeoff, knocking off the tacky marine hat. A stray hair leapt up and curled off the kid’s head, bouncing with every laugh.

Marco wondered if Oyaji would lose his sleeping partner for the foreseeable future. Stefan was hardly unfriendly as far as dogs go, but he clearly already adored the kid. Ah well… Oyaji would just have to suck it up. Though it was cute how obviously the kid had found her favorite Whitebeard pirate. Ace looked inordinately pleased with himself and Marco couldn’t bring himself to complain.

The whole scene was stupid cute, after all. And as amusing as his family was, cute was a rare descriptor. As hard as Ace tried when begging for extra food.

[vampthropologist]

HI SORRY I SAW THE TAG LATE could u perhaps draw my girlie usami nanami :]c i cant get onto my toyhouse on school wifi but i have a tag for her on my blog!!

Tha Silleee !

Listened to fucking 4.5 hour Twilight deep dive video essay while drawing this. So uh. Have at that if you want.

[kokidee]

for my illustration class i have to make a band poster nd my autistic ass begged my teacher if i could make one of my OCS!!! AND SHE SAID YES (ofc she did shes so nice^-^)

i absolutely hate drawing damien for school LMAO but i thought it would be soo cool if i did like... a glamrock inspired thing if i do!!! ^-^ or to really atone to tha "band" concept i could do my 4 girlies from my first post :3 orrrr idol artemis AGHH IDKK >_<

[thatabitcryptic]

Have the first chapter of the ficlet for the timestuck au :))

It’s about 1300 words

For context: Ford and Mabel have just convinced Fiddleford to help fix the time tape to get Mabel home. (This is set after fidds quit the project, Ford stumbled across Mabel on his way back from the diner- so everyone’s a bit of a mess but dad instincts kick in here yknow??)

———

Although the couch was much warmer in comparison to the frigidness of the basement, Mabel couldn’t help the cold pit that formed in her stomach. Things were starting to go in the right direction for getting back to her time but.. were they?

Ford and Mcgucket had been practically avoiding each other like the plague. Anytime either of them needed something from the other it was always Mabel who had to speak for them. Sure it made sense they were upset with each other but how could they possibly get her home if they didn’t even look at one another? Grunkle Ford refused to stop working in the basement so he could keep watch over the portal and Mcgucket’s terms of never having to enter it again.. how was she going to get them in the same room? They hated each other.

But then when she brought up the time tape why had Ford immediately jumped to needing Mcgucket’s help?? Ford was a smart guy, and not that she didn’t like the extra company but if her Grunkle had been so angry at his old friend why ask him?

And in the future when they had watched Mcgucket’s memories he didn’t sound mad at Ford, just that he had wanted to forget. He didn’t seem like the kind of guy to hold grudges either. Well, future him at least.

The strange air between them wasn’t the only thing that was throwing her off though. The whole house was wrong. It didn’t have any semblance of a home; more of a very disorganised library.

The mystery shack had never been the tidiest place but even when she and Dipper had first arrived Grunkle Stan had the place in organised chaos. Everything had a place and each place made sense at least. Here it was sporadic with no order like Ford had stopped during the middle of something and started a new task leaving previous items cluttered amidst coffee cups and stacks of books.

It was wrong in so many ways and there were so many things she missed from home. Even the little things. The murmuring of tourists in the gift shop, the mouldy spots on the roof, the spur of a tool from wherever Soos was fixing something in the shack, the weird gross smell of Grunkle Stan, Dippers late night reading, Pacifica's sweet perfume, Waddles’ hooves clicking along the floor-

Tears welled in her eyes as she stared down at her blanket. What if she never saw them again? What if Grunkle Ford and Mcgucket were never able to get her back home? Would she have to grow up here? What if she never saw waddles again? His swishy little face, his curly tail that bounced when the toddled behind her-

And Dipper? Would the next time she saw him be when they were born?? Thirty years from now?

Mabel’s head spun; all this time travel made her nauseous. Her chest ached and her hands were hot from wringing them on the scratchy fabric. She couldn’t think straight. It was just the swirling thoughts of her fate in solitude. All she could hear was her rhythmic heartbeat pumping another reason to miss her time into the front of her mind.

Her sweater was too tight, her headband too sharp, her cheeks were itchy from the waves of drying and flowing tears-

“-lright there sweet pea?”

A soft southern drawl from her side snapped her back. Mcgucket.

She didn’t hesitate to launch herself towards the familiar tone and bury her face in his green jacket. It smelt like a strange mix of tobacco, grease and molasses but that was closer to home than the stale dusty air of her surroundings.

“Shh shh shhh shh, it’s okay sugar plum.” He ran a hand through her hair and softly untangled any knots. “Ya’ wanna tell me what’s the matter?”

Mabel’s mouth immediately burst open with bubbling incomprehensible sobs.

“I wanma go h-homemm, Dippmffft, grunkmplmh stamm,” she took a breath and looked up at him with blurred eyes, “m-my pett pig waddles and h-his face.” And then she pressed herself back into his side. Each breath she took shook her body but it was stifled by Fiddleford hugging her closer.

“Hmmmm, a pet pig huh?” He paused and tapped his fingers on her back in contemplation.

“Did future me ever tell ya’ tha’ I grew up on a hog farm?”

Mabel stopped for a moment to look up at him with a trembling lip. “N-no, I-I don’t think s-so?”

Mcgucket drew back with a faux sound of horror. “Well, I never! I can’t ‘lieve this feller’! Ya’ hav’ a pig and ‘e didn’t even offer some advice!”

Mabel smiled and rubbed her nose on her sleeve.

“Naw’ darlin’ here.” Fiddleford reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief for her.

“T-thank you.”

“It’s tha’ least I could do after withholdin’ my advice in the future, or is it before..” He chuckled and shifted to rest his chin on top of Mabel’s head. “I’ll have to remember to tell ya ‘bout it”

Mabel stiffened and wiped her eyes again but didn’t comment.

Maybe it was best not to ask her...

“Now waddles?” he hummed. “I gotta say Mabel that’s a mighty fine name for’ a pig I reckon. The little fellers do tend ta’ waddle about.”

“Y-yeah.” Her voice quivered in reply and she absentmindedly latched onto the sides of his jacket and pulled them in over herself. “He- I miss him.”

Fiddleford could feel Mabel beginning to shake again and he wracked his brain for something else to talk about. He may not have known her for very long but it was heart breaking for such a bubbly kid to be so disquieted.

“How does he fancy the banjo?”

“The banjo?” She turned and lifted her head to look up at him with big eyes and Mcgucket’s heart melted. Mabel may as well have been Stanford’s kid in his eyes, each little mannerism was instantly recognisable as one as Ford’s.

“Uh huh, piglets on the farm used’ ta’ love it! ‘Td help ‘em drift off ta’ sleep in a big stack.”

He grinned at Mabel’s gasp and the way her eyes lit up when she spun around to look at him.

“In a piggy pile?” she started to bounce with enthusiasm.

“In one ‘o the biggest piles ‘o piglets a‘round!” He poked her nose eliciting a giggle.

“Old ma- I mean Mcgucket can you pretty please teach me to play? I-I’ll uhh umm I’ll draw one of my famous catacatures for you!!”

Mabel’s energy was contagious but Fiddleford couldn’t help his knee from bouncing slightly as he sheepishly looked past her to the door.

“Oh uh not that’ I don’t want one of yer drawins’ girlie but I’m not uhh too sure that’s such a good idea, Stanford’s mighty busy at work an’...”

He looked down to see Mabel’s eyes were full of stars as she was practically buzzing with excitement that he hadn’t seen since he met her. Fidds couldn’t help but feel delight at the sight. Just like Stanford.

“Hehaha ‘lright but if we hear Ford comin’ up we ‘ave to hide my banjo ‘else I’ll never see it ‘tagain.”

“Ahh thank you thank you thank you!!” Mabel wrapped him in a tight hug and it was as though all her upset had been transferred into her keenness for a banjo lesson.

Fiddleford stood, and helped Mabel out of her cocoon of blankets before fixing his glasses.

“Ahaha okay okay hush now aha we’ve gotta’ be a bit more quiet kidlet.”

His smile faltered as he saw his hand rising to grip his hair, Mabel must have noticed too because she quickly held onto it and subtlety swung it back and forth as they went to collect the instrument.

[fantasycorrupted-a]

I posted 4 182 times in 2021

1100 posts created (26%)

3082 posts reblogged (74%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 2.8 posts.

I added 3 203 tags in 2021

#stfu ani ( ooc. ) - 691 posts

#( conversations. ) - 643 posts

#speak to me ( meme. ) - 413 posts

#pick a piece;; - 367 posts

#( asks. ) - 221 posts

#( answered. ) - 221 posts

#rigmor; - 195 posts

#fiadh; - 189 posts

#a witch's taste ( rig likes. ) - 135 posts

#promo. - 128 posts

Longest Tag: 104 characters

#// i thought of meeting clyde with my vampire character but maybe we could do it later if you'd like? :3

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

a starter for @singulos​!

“Hej.” Even before she has seen the other, Hella can guess that either her singing to herself has drawn him closer, or him being on a hunt as well. It’s late, and the night is falling, turning darker and darker over their heads. And she’s bored. Her day took to an entirely different course than she thought it would.

Not that she’s entirely disappointed, but... her knife didn’t have to go missing.

“I’m tryina find somethin’ tha’ looks like this.” She brushes some red hair away from her face and takes a photograph out from the leather bag, swung over her back. It’s slightly crumpled from carrying around in just such a manner, shoved in back pockets. But it’s clear: the big-nosed creature on it is a troll.

“Ya seen it around? It stole somethin’ o’ mine.” Good thing she has a spare machete on her.

40 notes • Posted 2021-04-03 20:50:12 GMT

#4

@kiingslaycr gets a starter!

It's time.

Rigmor just knew it. No. She needed company. These memories weren't going to be something she could deal with, not alone, not this evening. Neither the thoughts about all that had already happened, nor the thoughts about all that could potentially happen. And especially not Kuro, stuck in her head ever since their last encounter, an everpresent beacon of hope.

Kuro.

Just thinking about her name made her remember it all. Everything. The soothe of his voice, the gentleness, the softness, the calm, the safe. The love. Oh...

How she cherished him. How she needed him.

She'd never admit it.

He had already seen her cry. He wouldn't care. He wouldn't judge her. And this time he felt like he could be the better cure. The actual, real, true cure to take her thoughts out.

"Hey." Though she didn't intend it, her voice was low, like a growl, the girly chuckles gone, a purr drawing him in.

"Are you... are you free?"

40 notes • Posted 2021-10-15 21:52:17 GMT

#3

@the-expatriate from here.

Whatever had happened, there was absolutely no way it was going to be anything good. Not when he couldn't remember where he had been before he woke up, and not when he couldn't remember what he had done before he woke up.

All he knew was that someone was right next to him, and that he and this someone were handcuffed to each other.

His senses came back to him far too slowly.

"Nnnghhh..." It took him a solid minute to come back to his senses. But once fully awake, he didn't need explaining to find out what was up. "Are you alright? Do you..." his voice lowered, "do you remember anything before we came here? I've got an idea where we may be. But neither of us will like it," he said grimly.

41 notes • Posted 2021-09-27 20:11:02 GMT

#2

@the-expatriate from here.

"All I wanted was to see what you'd say to that. I don't mean it. I swear." Awkward. How does he get himself into such situations so often? Without doubt, it's what he says that gets him either in trouble or in an adventure - which of these was about to happen, he was going to find out soon.

"Can I keep the memory of what you look, then? You see... This might sound weird, but I don't mean it. Just..." His eyes sweep the bar, checking if anyone's listening. "Have you ever seen someone really good-looking, so much so that they make you want to write a poem about them, or paint them? That's what I thought about you. I really mean no disrespect."

He talks smoothly - too smoothly, even. But if he means any mischief, it's only because he's a vampire, and being stuck inside a dusty old mansion the entire time is just not fun.

57 notes • Posted 2021-02-27 01:37:00 GMT

#1

@the-expatriate from here.

When the bell over her door rang, Rigmor was deep in thought. It took her almost a minute to leave her spot in front of the canvas and the sheets of paper strewn all over the tripod and the table where she made more paintings. When there weren’t people looking at all the crafts or wanting to buy gifts for their families, she’d just go back to more painting, trying to become better.

“Hello!” she greeted and stood up. Enough daydreaming. There was finally someone to talk with. It had been a while since someone had come to visit the shop in person; not that people didn’t, but at this time of the day there simply weren’t as many, so she was pleasantly surprised to get to see someone.

“Feel free to take a look around,” she smiled. “And if you need somethign specific, I’ll be happy to help.” It was a nice day, even though she had slept a bit badly, and she was feeling good, so she thought she could reach out. Some people had no idea exactly what they needed, except that they needed a gift. But she tried to be there for everyone.

80 notes • Posted 2021-04-01 17:51:11 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[rolanberry-rebel]

Prompt #8: Adroit

She utterly despised Ul’dah.

The sun burned too bright. Sand found its way into every crevice and corner. A thousand lalafel merchants nipped at her heels, yapping and barking for her coin. Her nose curled at the scent of steam and sweat choking the air.

She’d be quite happy to never spend another second in the city for the rest of her life.

Yet family business pressed her to seek the services of swords for sale, and fewer places could one find such unscrupulous sorts than the sand-swirling back alleys of the tarnished desert jewel.

Matthias considered himself above fraternization with the seedier side of Eorzea; instead, he’d spend the week negotiating seed contracts for the next harvest. Little brother Riverton was a lily-picker, and Spaulding a degenerate. No, only she could handle the heart of the family business. She’d skillfully maneuvered her way through more negotiations than any of her pampered brothers. Matthias may fancy himself a businessman, but only Allure had truly inherited what made a real businessman - her father‘s killer instinct.

Allure did her best to smile politely at the merchants she passed, hoping not to rouse attention. She already looked rather out-of-place; no need to draw more eyes. Passing a dingy side-alley, she heard a gruff tone, daring to disgrace the dulcet syllables of her name with a filthy waggle of its tongue.

“Ye look close enough ta the lass I’m searchin’ fer,” the shadow called. Allure shivered in quiet disgust, slipping away from the main road into the darkness.

“I’m not certain I take your meaning, fair sir,” Allure played silly, giving her words a sheen of plausible deniability.

“Yeh you do,” the looming shadow barked, an armor-clad roegadyn clambering out just far enough for the sun to cast faint color across a scar-tattered face. “A perty thing like you’s not the type ta blend in, Miss Smith,” he spat with emphasis, knowing it to be a fake name. Allure’s eyes shifted along the streets, an icy glare cast along cobblestones.

“I have a simple job for you, one that should easily be within your purview,” Allure whispered, watching the roadway for any interlopers. The heiress hurriedly fetched a coinpurse from within her gown, fingering the soft leather clasp.

“Now, now, now, what’s tha big hurry, lass? Mayhaps I’ve more’n interest in gettin’ to know me prospective employer,” the figure growled, and she felt the towering mercenary’s form suddenly encroaching closer. Her gaze preoccupied with the streets, she offered the pouch of gil to leering eyes drawing closer.

“Are you willing to work for me or not?” Allure snarled, keeping her eyes fixated on the road, the shadow - anywhere but the mercenary.

“Now who’s th’ one havin’ trouble takin’ a meaning, Miss Smith?” he growled, looming. When he drew close enough she could feel the whiskey-burn on his breath, the sound of mithril drawn against leather whispered through the alley and the sun gleamed from the edge of a dagger drawn suddenly from the heiress’s scabbard. Allure pressed the point of the blade against the roegadyn’s side, placed as perfectly as an assassin’s blade would be, in the soft chainmail between plates.

“I’m far more able than the dress might suggest. I’ve bled the life from scumbags far more deadly than you,” Allure seethed, eyes locking on the roegadyn’s gleaming, toothy grin. Quick hands and quick wits seemed to run in the family blood.

“Easy now, dolly,” the roegadyn rumbled in a growly laugh. “I just like ta know who I’m gettin’ inta business with, ‘specialways considerin’ the letter ye sent me didn’t make much sense. Y’don’t hire an ice-cold killer like me ta follow some pretty little girlie around,” the sellsword retorted, taking a respectful step back.

“I’ve no need of criminals divining the nature of my needs, and if you wish to throw away the easiest pile of gil you’d earn in your life, we have nothing more to speak about,” Allure shrewdly sneered. As her hands worked to hide the coinpurse back away in her gown, the killer’s heavy hand fell on Allure’s wrist.

“Yer a hell of a negotiator, fer a woman,” the roegadyn admitted with a chuckle. “Follow tha girlie. Whatever ya say.”

“Follow. Do not speak. Do not interact. Follow. Watch,” Allure clarified, her voice full of stony confidence. “Follow.”

“Follow, follow,” the mercenary repeated in intoxicated amusement. “Follow tha perdy girlie with the raspberry highlights.”

“Yes,” Allure nodded. “Follow.”

[xbreezymeadowsx]

A Telford Tea Party

A/N: Pure, unadulterated FLUFF. Inspired by my favorite thirsty Flanagan obsessed girls and what’s said in our chat.

Chibs x Reader

This has not been proofread and therefore may contain spelling or grammatical errors. Oops.

TW: Nothing should be triggering unless you hate daddies having tea parties with their little girls.

PREPARE YOUR OVARIES!

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(this gif just seemed appropriate somehow. Not mine, credit to the maker.)

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Dada... Chibs grumbled burying his face in his pillow. "Dada." He cracked one eye open and squint, scanning the bits of room he could see when a little face was suddenly taking up his whole view. "Daddy." The four year old girl said firmly, letting him know he wouldn't be going back to sleep. He smiled sleepily and moved an arm from under his pillow to tuck some of her silky brunette hair from her face. "Mornin', Tilly." He graveled. Her hazel eyes lit up and she giggled. "Goo monin'!" She smiled brightly. Chibs groaned as he rolled to his back again and stretched as his daughter knelt on the bed, the empty half of the bed. "Where's yer Ma?" He asked with a yawn, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Da movie place." She told him. "Aun'ie Lyla as'ed her fo' sum'tin. Baby Mal wen', too." "Oh, okay." He thanked her for explaining it further. "Daddy, can we have a tea party?" She begged, giving him puppy dog eyes. "Do we hafta?" Chibs grumped. "Pweeeeeeease?" The little girl plead and clasped her hands in front of herself. He sighed, it didn't take much for the little one to get her way with him. "Fine." He huffed, scoffing at his lack of will power. "Lemme take a shower quick, okay?" "O'tay!" "Go ge' yer sissy an' set up in the playroom." He told her, tickling her side and making her squeal and jump off the bed. "BRINNNNAAAAAAA!!!" She hollered as she raced out the bedroom door. After showering and quickly dressing in black jeans and black SAMCRO t-shirt, Chibs went into the kitchen to grab a jug of sweet tea and tin of shortbread. However, as he turned the corner, he was greeted with the sight of his six year old standing on the counter next to the fridge, the four year old standing on the chair they'd pushed over there, and their six year old brindled shepherd mix Jameson prancing excitedly in place watching his little humans going after something near the treats he couldn't reach and hoping they'd knock the container down. The pajama clad girls- the pair looked nearly identical save for the elder being a head taller- froze in place and stared wide-eyed at him. "Sabrina Rose. Matilda Mae." Chibs said sternly, setting his fists on his hips. "Uh-oh." They gasped in unison. Chibs scooped them up and set them on the hardwood floor. "Couldn' wait ten minutes, eh?" He asked in amusement. He shook his head, chuckling and ruffled their long hair. He reached on top of the refrigerator and took the blue tin the girls had been after, handing it to his oldest. "I'll get the tea." Y/N opened the truck door and reached in to get the three month old out of his carseat as he babbled and waved his orange rattleball around. The neck of his green dinosaur onesie was covered in slobber and drool. "Yes, yes, yes. We're so happy, aren't we? Yes, we are." Y/N cooed as she picked the baby up and held under his butt as he leaned into her shoulder. "Auntie Lyla and the girls spoiled you, didn't they? I saw them sneaking you whipped cream. All that damn sugar's got you wound up." She slung the Harley Davidson diaper bag over her shoulder and grabbed the bag of groceries she'd picked up on the way home before heading to the front door. Once inside, she set the bags on the kitchen table and shift her son to her other arm. "Now, where's Daddy and the girls, huh?" She asked the baby. He looked at his mother curiously before letting out a shrill scream of joy. Y/N cringed. "Malcolm Robert Telford, you're gonna make my ears bleed." In the playroom, Chibs shift uncomfortably in his tiny, tiny pink chair. He would've liked to have sit on the floor, but his girls insisted he had to sit at the table like a proper gentleman. He watched Tilly- a sky blue fairy costume on over her pajamas including wings with an Anna from Frozen glittery tiara- pick up the little plastic pink teapot in the middle of the round white table and pour nothing into a mismatched tiny purple teacup in front of one of their guests. "Mo' tea, Mr. Bear?" She asked the large teal teddy bear. She turned to her other side and poured some into a large blue teacup for her sister's yellow lab, Jax. "May I have more tea, Daddy?" Brina asked in a horrible attempt at some kind of European accent. While her younger sibling was clearly a typical girly-girl, Sabrina wasn't. She, too, wore a costume dress but her's was black velvet with gold trim. She looked like a regal witch or vampire... if it weren't for the mini felt top hat and the headband that made it look like she had an arrow through her head. "Of course, sweethear'." He replied warmly and picked up the larger stainless steel teapot. Clinking came from inside from ice cubes sloshing around as he poured iced tea into her cup which was actually a black enamel camping mug. "Can I have a'nudder cookie?" Tilly asked sweetly, not bothering to fake an accent. "Haven' ya already 'ad three?" Chibs asked, raising an eyebrow and already knowing the answer. "Nooooo." His younger daughter trailed off not looking her father in the eye. Sabrina cackled at her sister's bad acting. Chibs pretend to wipe his face to hide his smirk. "How abou' we split one?" He compromised and picked up a shortbread from the Santa platter the girls had piled them on. Tilly nodded eagerly and held out her little plastic Disney Inside Out Joy dessert plate. Chibs broke the cookie in two pieces as even as he could and set one half on her plate and the other on his red Elmo face plate. "Daddy! Your hat!" Sabrina exclaimed realizing Chibs had taken it off at some point without them noticing. He reached up and felt his head. "Oh no! It's gone!" He cried, faking shock. "Someone stole it!" He shout, so clearly upset at this revelation. Tilly started frantically looking behind the plushies and lifting plates up as if the rainbow striped pinwheel hat would be hiding under them. Brina searched in the nearest toy chest, suspicious. The last two times the hat went missing, that's where it was. She slammed the lid shut hopelessly when her search came up empty. "Sissy, look'it!" Matilda ordered pointing a little index finger across the room. Chibs internally cringed and prayed the hat was destroyed by now. "Jamie, no!" Sabrina rushed the dog and began tugging the hat from him. He growled lightly and tugged back, wagging his tail and thinking she wanted to play. Unfortunately for the mutt, he'd done enough damage already that one more solid yank and the fabric seperated with an audible rrrrrrrip. The little girl flopped on her behind with a thump. "Bad dog!" She reprimanded him. Jameson spit out his half of the rainbow and whimpered, approaching the little girl and snuffling around her head. He licked her cheeks and she scrunched her shoulders, shrieking with laughter at his tickly whiskers and unable to stay mad at the innocent beast. "Wha's Daddy supposed to wear now? He needs a hat!" The young toddler declared before scurrying to the dress-up closet. Chibs whistled and called the dog off his daughter, her face having been slurped on enough. "Go lay down, ya mongrel." He chide goodnaturedly. He helped his daughter wipe her face off with a napkin. "I found a hat, Daddy!" Matilda proclaimed, emerging from the closet and holding something up triumphantly. Chibs face feel momentarily at the sight before changing his expression to something neutral. "Maybe no' tha' one, princess." He denied gently. The green plastic bowler hat was missing a chunk of hat and the white ribbon with four leaf clovers that usually wrapped around it was dangling over the edge of the rim like a graduation cap tassel. The little girl frowned and studied the hat. "I guess not." She agreed sadly and chucked it in the small trash bin between the girls' drawing tables. Seeing her sister on the verge of crying, Sabrina hurried over and ushered her back into the closet to help her find a more suitable hat. Y/N stood in the doorway watching her husband interact with their girls. Malcolm was quietly sucking on his thumb, head laying on her shoulder. It melt her heart every time she saw them all. Filip was always so good with his children and the girls had him wrapped around their little pinkies most of the time. He was stern when he needed to be, but honestly the girls were rarely brats. She swooned when she saw Matilda run to her father and hold up a plastic gold crown with colored jewel beads adorning it. Chibs gushed at how perfect the item was and scooped the girl up, standing her on his knees so she could place it on his head. Thrilled, Tilly set the crown atop his head and declared him king of the tea party. She hopped back to the carpeted floor as Sabrina joined her and the pair curtsied before their king. "Greetings, my liege." Chibs snapped his eyes up and found his wife and baby boy watching them from the doorway. A loving smile gracing Y/N's face. "Miladies," He addressed his daughters. "Look! Tis my Queen returned from her travels!" The girls curtsied to her. Y/N curtsied back with a soft giggle. "I do apologize for missing tea time. I needed to acquire more covers and a rash tincture for Prince Malcolm's royal fanny." Her daughters roared with laughter, falling to the floor in a pile of wiggly court jesters. The baby picked his head up and watched his big sisters before giggling sleepily. Chibs groaned as he stood. He pressed his hands to his lower back, leaning backwards to stretch his aching bones. He carefully skirt around the flopping sillies on the floor and held his hands out with wide eyes and big smile. "There's ma'boy!" He cheered. His smile threatened to split his face in two when he saw the baby boy excited to see him. Malcolm screeched and giggled, trying to fling himself from his mother's arms towards his father. "Hiya! Were ya good fer yer Mama?" He questioned in a voice he reserved for babies. "Didya go see Auntie Lyla? Was she filmin'?" He heard Y/N scoff as she fixed the little one's cotton shorts. "Ha! No. Say we didn't see any of that naughty stuff, Daddy." Y/N told her son to say knowing he'd just babble or blow a spit bubble instead. She looked to her husband as he kissed the light haired, blue-grey eyed bundle of joy all over his head and cheeks. "They were on lunch... brunch, I guess? when we got there. Everyone in robes, dirty bits hidden from innocent eyes." "Tha's a shame." Chibs joked earning a backhand on his free shoulder. He snickered and winked at Y/N before leaning in for a kiss. "Missed ya." He muttered against her lips. "Mm, you missed sleeping till noon." Y/N teased. "Tha', too." He agreed with a cheeky grin. "Daddy, can we go to the park?" Matilda asked, the girls' laughing fit having subsided finally. Chibs turned to his wife. Before Y/N could answer Malcolm started grunting, his face going red before the unpleasant sounds of a much needed diaper change filled their ears. "EEWWW!" The girls exclaimed, faces scrunched up in disgust. "We can go later, okay?" Y/N told them. "It's lunchtime now, then naptime." The girls started whining. "Hey, no whining." "No nap, no park." Chibs said, backing up his wife. The girls scowled, knowing it was too late to try to persuade him otherwise now that he showed he was with Mom. "Keep makin' tha' face an' it'll stick like tha'." He threatened, a sideways glance to Y/N who gave him a mischevious half-grin. "I'll ge' the lad changed an' down fer his nap." He told her, kissing her cheek. Y/N sighed softly, leaning into his lips. "Okay. We'll clean up in here and get lunch going." She decided, stepping aside to let the boys out of the room. "Come along, ya wee bug. We'll get a fresh nappie, read tha' book abou' a wee mouse an' a biscuit, play some o' tha' Celtic lullaby music ya love, an' have a bit o' dreamin'. Sound good?" Chibs spoke softly to his son as he moved down the hallway to the baby's room. Y/N turned to her daughters, taking out her phone and snapping a picture of the dressed up pair before smiling at them. "Shall we have chicken fingers for lunch?" She quiered. The girls nod enthusiastically. "Anything else?" "Neeps an' tatties!" Chibs called down the hallway. Y/N rolled her eyes, but the girls were already getting more excited. The girls loved her homemade mashed potatoes and turnips. "Alright, then. I think we have some mash leftover from dinner." She sighed. "Start cleaning and I'll get the chicken in the oven." She told the girls. "Okay, Mama!" They agreed as she turned and made her way to the kitchen. Once the food was warming up, she was jotting something down on the grocery list on the counter when the sounds in her house distracted her. Sabrina and Matilda were giggling with each other, toys and make believe sets were clattering here and there as the siblings no doubt were throwing everything haphazardly into random toy chests, the rumbles of Chibs' Scottish brogue float down the hallway as he read a bedtime story to their baby, and the sounds of yipping and collar tags jingling were heard from the living room as Jameson dreamed of chasing squirrels. Y/N breathed deeply and sighed, content. This was her favorite thing in the world. The sounds of home.

[neerasrealm]

just imagine this: slender and jack are going out and bc all the responsible pastas are out they hire a babysitter (y/n) to look after slendra. she’s rlly shy at first but eventually she and y/n become best friends (and they steal slender’s gramophone to play some music while they make cookies and maybe wreck the kitchen in the process depending on y/n and slendra’s combined skills)

I ABSOLUTELY ADORE THIS REQUEST AND I HAD A BLAST WRITING IT sorry it took so long school murdered me plus I was jumping from draft to draft and just. A lot happened ok. I didn’t get all the prompts in because I couldn’t work em in but I feel like I did good. I loved writing y/n just subtly noticing that this house Is Not Human and it- it was a fun dynamic to do gshdjdshj Also new hc this is the origin story for y/n in the poly slenjack fics

You're starting to have regrets about taking this babysitting job. Maybe it was that you'd seen too many slasher movies, or maybe you were just paranoid. Or maybe it was the fact that you were dragging your bike through the woods in order to get to the address you'd been given. The sane part of your brain is saying that this is dangerous and you should turn back, but the broke millennial part of your brain is saying that the $500 paycheck is too good to pass up. I mean- $500? For babysitting for one night? That's insane! It’s gotta be a joke right? Maybe it is. Maybe you are going to be murdered horribly tonight in the middle of the woods. 

You’re broken out of your thoughts by the sight of- a house. Presumably the house you’re supposed to be babysitting in. It’s gigantic- more of a mansion than a house. The outside looks refined and welcoming. There’s even flowers planted around the place. Cute pink pansies and blossoming bushes of roses. You look around hesitantly, then wheel your bike along up to the front door. You very carefully lean it against the wall and look around some more. How come you never heard about this place? I mean- a giant house in the woods? Why has that never come up? You’d think someone would talk about it, right?

As you’re looking around this odd place you realise something. It’s sprawling with cats. At first you only noticed a couple, and assumed they were pets, but now your counting has hit the double digits. Why do cats hang around here? Are they all pets? Is the owner of this mysterious house a cat person? Or do they just- kidnap cats? What if you’re babysitting a cat…

Okay no that’s dumb. You turn around again and knock on the front door. It’s silent for a moment, and out of awkwardness you look down at your feet. You’re standing on a fancy doormat that reads ‘welcome’ in elegant cursive. The door opens and your head shoots up to attention. 

Standing in the doorway is a tall man. Far taller than you. His skin is deathly pale, almost white, and his hair is neat and blonde. He’s wearing a suit, and as he looks down at you you realise his eyes are the brightest blue you’ve ever seen. 

‘’M-mister Schlankwald?’’ you ask, stepping back and away from this strange man. He nods and smiles.

‘’That’s me.’’ he holds out a hand to you. ‘’You must be y/n, yes? The babysitter?’’ he smiles gently, and you realise he actually- looks kind of nervous. That’s a tad reassuring. You take his hand and shake it. You nod.

‘’Yeah, that’s me.’’ you say. He steps aside and you cross the threshold. As you take your coat off you look around. Past the small entryway is a large living room. There're three whole couches, and a few more armchairs scattered around. There’s a large TV surrounded by cabinets full of DVDs and videogames- it looks like a very luxurious place. And also there’s more cats just- hanging around in various places, but you’re not really paying attention to them. Your attention is grabbed by the person standing in the living room. He’s- insanely tall, with long black hair, striped socks and sleeves, feathers on his shoulders for some reason and- bandages. Just wrapped around his torso. He’s also wearing a grey crop top, and what you assume to be white face paint. His nose is striped too, and cone shaped. Everything he’s wearing is either black or white. You stare at him in surprise and just- disbelief. He raises a hand in greeting.

‘’Ey.’’ his voice is deep and rough. ‘’Ye’re th’ si’er?’’

You blink for a moment, not sure what he- even just said. ‘’Y-yes?’’ you say, hoping that’s the right answer. Apparently it was, because he smiles at you.

‘’Ah!’’ he steps towards you and leans down, holding out his hand. ‘’Me name’s Jack. pleased ta mee’ ya!’’

You shake his hand and nod. ‘’I’m y/n.’’ you murmur. Jack stands back up and you look over your shoulder at Mr Schlankwald. He gestures to the other male.

‘’This is Jack, my husband,’’ he explains. ‘’Do excuse the makeup. He’s a performer, you see.’’ 

‘’Ah.’’ you relax a bit. A performer...that makes sense. I guess. You look around a bit. ‘’So uh- where’s the kid?’’ In all this strangeness you almost forgot why you hiked into the deep dark woods. 

‘’Righ’ ‘ere.’’ You turn to look at Jack again and watch him step aside to reveal a small girl who’d apparently been hiding behind him before. Her eyes widen as she comes into view and she stares at you. Her skin is a dark, almost reddish-brown colour. Her face is peppered with freckles and her hair hangs around her shoulders. It’s bright blonde, like Mr Schlankwald’s, but a bit more yellow. She quickly skitters back to Jack’s leg and hides behind him again. You frown. Jack looks at you. ‘’She’s a bi’ shy.’’ he murmurs. He crouches down to the girl. ‘’Ey, luv, i’s okay. Th’ si’er isn’ gonna ‘urt ya.’’

‘’Wh-wha’ if I scare ‘em or say somefink?’’ she mumbles. She has the slightest hint of her father’s accent, but more- refined almost. And a lot easier to understand.  

‘’Ye’re no’ gonna, ye’re a smart girlie, ain’t ya?’’

Mr Schlankwald taps your shoulder and you look over at him. ‘’We- haven’t gotten a sitter before, so she’s a little nervous about the whole thing.’’

You nod. ‘’That’s alright, I’ve had shy kids before.’’ you smile at him. He seemingly brightens up. 

‘’Righ’,’’ Jack’s voice interrupts you two. You look at him as he stands up. The girl shyly steps out from behind him and Jack lightly pats her head, ruffling her hair. ‘’We’d be’er ge’ goin’, luv.’’

‘’Of course.’’ Mr Schlankwald says. He shakes your hand once more and then looks at the girl. He holds out his arms and she quickly runs over, hugging him tight. ‘’Be good now, won’t you my dear?’’

‘’I will.’’ she mumbles. Her parents step away, with Jack heading for the door. Mr Schlankwald looks at you again.

‘’Her bedtime is at nine thirty, snacks are in the kitchen,’’ he nods towards a door behind you. ‘’Feel free to help yourself.’’

‘’Got it!’’ you chirp back as they leave. Once the door has closed it’s just you and the girl. She turns slowly and looks at you. You smile at her and lean down to her. ‘’Hiya.’’ you greet. ‘’I’m y/n. What’s your name?’’

She gulps and steps towards you. The tiny child looks you dead in the eyes and holds out her hand to you. ‘’I’m Slendra. Slendra Jackson.’’ she says with all the authority of a business CEO. you almost, ALMOST, crack up laughing but force yourself to take her seriously. You shake her hand.

‘’Well nice to meet you.’’ she retracts her hand. ‘’How old are you, Slendra?’’

‘’Fo-’’ she stops. ‘’Eigh'. I’m eigh'.’’ she folds her hands behind her back, just like her father did. You smile at her. She takes after her father, you suppose. It’s cute. 

‘’So what do you like? Got any hobbies?’’

‘’Uhh…’’ she toys with the sleeve of her striped shirt. ‘’I like...music...and bakin'...I like readin' too and uh-’’ she shrugs. ‘’That’s abou' it, I guess.’’

You nod. ‘’I see.’’ you smile at her. ‘’So what do you wanna do? We got…’’ you glance down at your watch. ‘’Three and a half hours to kill.’’ She shifts on her feet and shrugs again. You tilt your head at her. ‘’We could watch TV...maybe draw something? Are you hungry?’’

She seems to perk up a little bit. ‘’I have drawin’ stuff in my room,’’ she says. ‘’We could do tha'.’’ there’s a glint of excitement in her eyes. ‘’I-if you want to.’’

‘’Of course I do,’’ you stand up and smile at her. ‘’Lead the way.’’

Slendra smiles a little in excitement and turns, heading quickly up the stairs. You follow after her, looking around curiously. This place is massive. Upstairs is a hallway with doors running all along the right. Each one is decorated differently. One is striped, with ‘laughing jack’ written on it, another is pink with a castle-shaped sign on it that reads ‘Sally’ and under it ‘& Dina’ is written in what looks like sharpie. The one right across from the stairs that Slendra climbs up has a metal sign on it, decorated with a skull and crossbones, that reads ‘Kate’s room, keep out!’

You follow Slendra up the staircase and arrive on the third floor. Slendra leads you to her room. Her door is also decorated, with flowers and butterflies and bowties. Her walls are purple, and the room kind of reminds you of...and office. She has a large desk covered in boxes and papers. Shelves are piled high with toys and trinkets, and she has a massive bookcase stuffed to the brim with- well, books. Fairy lights hang over her bed, which is large and round and covered in pillows and plushies. Glow in the dark stickers decorate her ceiling and walls.

Slendra grabs a large plastic tub from under her desk and drops some paper sheets onto it. She picks up the tub and smiles at you. You frown. ‘’Isn’t that heavy?’’

‘’Huh?’’ she looks at the box. ‘’I guess- I’m kind’ve strong though.’’

You smile a bit. ‘’I bet you are.’’ you step towards the door and open it. ‘’C’mon. If you need help with that I’ll take it.’’

Slendra shakes her head and walks past you. ‘’I got it.’’ she says, holding her head up proudly to show off how big and independent she is. You smirk a bit and follow after her. You walk past the hallway of odd doors and through the living room into the kitchen. Slendra places her box on the dining table and smiles over her shoulder at you. You glance around the kitchen. it’s- well, a normal kitchen. The fridge is covered in children’s drawings and magnets, but oddly no photos. Thinking about it now, you haven’t seen a single photo up on the walls. Odd.

‘’So you like drawing, huh?’’ you say to Slendra. She pulls out a chair, which has a big ginger cat sleeping on it. She pets it and nods.

‘’My brother Helen is an ar'ist. He lets me join 'im sometimes, and he teaches me a lo'.’’ she smiles over at you.

‘’Your brother’s name is Helen?’’

‘’Yeah.’’ she tilts her head. ‘’It’s a unisex name innit?’’

You- don’t really have the heart to say no, so you just nod. ‘’How many siblings do you have?’’ you ask, watching the ginger cat roll over. Slendra scratches its stomach. 

‘’Ten.’’ she replies without batting an eye. You freeze for a second. You blink. Huh- so- Mr Schlankwald, the strange gay man who lives in a mansion in the woods, apparently has eleven children. You slowly tilt your head.

‘’How many people live here…?’’

‘’Fourteen, though my uncle Ivan sometimes comes to visi', so maybe fifte- oh!’’ she’s interrupted by the ginger cat suddenly jumping down off the chair and wandering off somewhere. She climbs up onto the now empty chair and looks over the table at you. "Dad left snacks for us," she points over at the counter by the fridge. "Do you wanna grab some?" 

"Oh uh- sure." You walk over to the counter Slendra pointed to. There's some plates and a bowl covered in tin foil, probably to keep the cats from eating whatever's been left for you. You grab one of the plates and peel away the tin foil. You're greeted by a plate that's sectioned into thirds. Each third contains...snacks? Of some sort. One section is miscellaneous coloured potato chips, one is full of little black squares that look like...seaweed? Maybe? And the third section looks like- thin slices of various vegetables. Dried out to a crisp. You slowly glance over at Slendra.

"What're uh- what're these?"

"Oh! Dad's healthy snacks. They're real good." She smiles. "Try one!"

You hesitate, then reach to grab one of the potato chips. They're all different colours. Orange, red, yellow- even a couple purple ones. You grab a yellow one and very carefully bite into it. Your eyes widen as you chew. It's...good. really good. A nice balance of cheese, onion- are those chives? Yeah! Chives. Fancy. You pick up a second, orange one and toss it into your mouth. It's a bit sweeter, but still just as good. 

Pulling aside the foil on the bowl you're greeted by popcorn, nuts, and various shaped potato chips that also appear to be homemade. You grab one and toss it into your mouth, and get hit with soy sauce and spices. Surprising, but still really good. It reminds you of asian takeout. You take the foil off the last plate and- "Oh! Cookies!"

"Yep! Dad made 'em especially for you." Slendra says as she opens the box she brought down and pulls out a few things. "He always tries to make sure we have food for guests. Every time we ge’ a visitor he tries to feed 'em."

"Huh…" you grab the plates very carefully and carry them over to the table, setting them down between you and Slendra, who's already begun her drawing. "What is your dad like anyway? How'd he afford a giant place like this?" You ask as you wander back over to grab the bowl you left.

"Oh uh- well-" she suddenly seems nervous. "He said tha’…" she pauses for a moment, like she's thinking. "He invested in stocks b'fore the economy wen’ bad." She finishes, speaking like she's reciting a line. You smile a bit.

"I see." You put down the bowl of various snacks and grab another potato chip. Slendra reaches over and grabs one of the black squares of seaweed, biting into it and crunching on it happily. "Weird that I never heard about this place, huh? Giant mansion in the woods…’’ Slendra stares at you, eyes wide. ‘’...That’s full of cats for some reason…’’

She nods and smiles sheepishly. ‘’Heheh, yeah…’’ she puts down her pencil and grabs a thin, dried out tomato slice, crunching on it quietly. ‘’Dad feeds 'em. He loves cats.’’

‘’Huh.’’ you grab a cookie from the plate and bite into it. It’s soft and crumbles in your mouth. Like shortbread, but with deliciously sweet chocolate chips. Without thinking you reach for a second one before you’ve even finished your first. ‘’So what’re you drawing?’’ you tilt your head at her. 

‘’Fairies.’’ 

‘’Oh yeah?’’ you lean over to get a look. You were expecting to see friendly, childish drawings of little people with wings, but instead...you’re greeted by creatures with odd proportions, eyes in odd places, sharp teeth and mean expressions. ‘’...oh.’’ you regain your composure quickly. Kids sometimes draw scary things, it’s normal- probably. ‘’You’re really good at drawing.’’

‘’Ehh…’’ she shrugs. ‘’I guess. I’m still learnin'. Helen says I’m gettin’ better though!’’ 

You smile a bit. ‘’Keep practicing. By the time you’re ten I bet you’ll be amazing.’’

Slendra laughs a bit. ‘’I only really draw when Helen asks me if I want to.’’ she murmurs. ‘’I mostly like to sing.’’ 

‘’Oh yeah?’’

"Uh-huh. Dad taugh’ me to play piano, and pops taugh’ me the accordion." She grabs a handful of popcorn, chips and nuts from the bowl and calmly grabs a single nut, putting it in her mouth and crunching on it softly. "I'm learnin' ukulele right now."

"Wow," you tilt your head at her. "Guess your parents can afford a lot of tutors for you, huh?"

"Nah, we're all homeschooled."

"Oh." You blink in surprise. "Does your dad do all of that?"

"Uh-huh. He's real smart." Slendra puts down her pencil and neatly puts her page aside. She delicately grabs a couple more snacks. She has awfully good table manners. A thing that comes from her father, you guess. ‘’He makes learnin’ fun too. My brothers say school is real borin’.’’

‘’Huh…’’ 

You spend a couple hours sitting there with her, watching her draw odd creatures and talk about her even more odd family. The cookies have been eaten, and most of the other snacks are gone completely. Including the seaweed squares, which weren't actually all that bad when you tried them. And now you're lounging back in your chair, petting a chubby chausie cat that's apparently named Brian. 

"So...he covered up...the hole in the wall...by making more holes."

"Yep."

"...No offense but this Jeff guy sounds pretty dumb." You say. Slendra laughs a bit as she puts away her coloured pencils, dropping them back into the large box of supplies she brought down. 

"Jeffery is a good boy, he means well." She murmurs. She grabs the last of the dried out tomato slices and crunches it down. "Wha’ now?"

You shrug. "I dunno. Whatever you want." you smile at her. She frowns in thought, then suddenly perks up. 

"Oh! I could practice my music," she looks suddenly excited. "Dad has a lo’ of records in ‘is office. Could we listen to those? And I can play along with my ukulele."

You shrug and smile at her. ‘’Sure, I don’t see why not,’’ you tilt your head. ‘’Where’s his office?’’

‘’Downstairs.’’ Slendra hops off her chair and grabs the box. ‘’I’ll grab my things! You go wait.’’ she adds before quickly leaving the room. You laugh a bit and grab the last couple potato chips, then the half-empty bowl, just in case. After nudging Brian off your lap you walk down to the basement and look around. There’s a few rooms, but the thing that catches your attention the most though is the lounge area that’s full of comfy looking chairs and cabinets stuffed with videogames. And also the cats, there’s even more down here, but you’re kind of used to them by now.

You glance around at the doors down here. There’s three doors on the left, and none of them are really decorated. There’s a couple other doors, and one of them has a large padlock on it for some reason. The one next to it, surprisingly, is decorated. Fish and deep sea creatures are painted onto it. You’re pulled out of your thoughts by footsteps on the stairs. You look towards them and see Slendra running down them with a ukulele in hand. She grins at you as she walks up to you. You notice she has a small concertina accordion hanging off her waist from a shoulder strap. ‘’Dad has the door locked,’’ she says as she walks past you towards the last door on the left. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out...a cat claw…? You frown. ‘’I can ge’ it open though.’’ 

You watch her attempt to pick the lock with the claw. ‘’uh...I don’t think that’s gonna-’’

‘’Click!’’ the door opens as if to spite you. Slendra grins over at you. 

‘’Told you!’’ she chirps. She walks into the office and you follow her in, bemused. Inside the office is...odd. Grey walls and carpet, lots of bookshelves, a cat tree in the corner, and comfy looking wicker chairs in front of the desk. On the walls are photos of Slendra and other kids who you assume to be her siblings. There’s an...odd painting hanging on the wall across from the door. It contains two faceless white beings, a similar being with black eyes and no mouth and a strange creature with similar black eyes and a wide smile. You frown at it. Abstract art, you suppose. The creatures remind you of Slendra’s drawings. 

‘’Here we go!’’ Slendra catches your attention again. She’s knelt on the ground, looking through a drawer stuffed with records. You glance over at a table in the corner of the room. To your surprise, it isn’t a record player, it’s a gramophone. An old looking one at that. Must be an antique. It honestly wouldn’t surprise you if Mr Schlankwald was a collector or something like that. Slendra gets up and very carefully places a record on the player and drops the needle. It’s silent for a couple moments and then a delicate piano starts playing. Slendra strums her ukulele and begins to sing.

‘’I know...you belo-o-ong to so-omebody ne-ew…’’ her voice is almost...mesmerising. You relax despite yourself as she sings along. ‘’But tonight, you belo-ong to me.’’ Maybe you’re imagining it, but you swear you can hear multiple voices coming from her. Or maybe it’s just the vocals from the record. You’re not really paying attention. Instead you sit down in one of the wicker chairs and watch her. ‘’Although…’’ she smiles a bit. ‘’You’re a apa-a-art, of my he-e-a-art,’’ her eyes catch yours. They seem to glint a moment and something- odd, passes over you. You suddenly feel extremely relaxed, all tenseness leaving your body. You lean back in your chair. ‘’And tonight, you belo-ong, to me.’’ 

-------

You don’t remember much else from the evening after that. Just that Slendra continued singing along to the greatest hits from the fifties and sixties. Things start to become a bit less fuzzy around nine thirty. Her bedtime. You read her a bedtime story, told her goodnight with a wide smile, and took a seat on the couch downstairs. Which is where you are now, watching a movie in the dim lighting. You feel...good. Really happy for some unknown reason. Not that you’re complaining.

The front door opens and you glance over as Mr Schlankwald steps inside. He closes the umbrella he's holding while Jack shakes himself off, kind of like a dog. Mr Schlankwald looks over at you and smiles. 

"Ah, hello." He steps towards you, with Jack following after. He strides past the blonde and collapses himself in one of the armchairs. Somehow his makeup is still flawless despite the rain outside. "How were things?" He asks, tilting his head. He seems nervous, slightly. Jack opens one eye and looks over at you.

"Good," you sit up. "No trouble at all. She behaved excellently, we just sorta...chilled." you smile a bit. "She's the most well behaved kid I've ever looked after honestly. She didn't even complain when it came to her bedtime."

"Oh!" Mr Schlankwald smiles a bit. "I'm glad to hear that- we were worried, eheh." He reaches into his pocket, pulling out his wallet. He frowns. "Hm...Jack have you got three hu-"

"Righ' 'ere luv." Jack reaches into his striped sleeve and pulls out a small wad of notes. Mr Schlankwald smiles and takes them, folding them up neatly before holding them out to you. 

"Five hundred, as agreed." He says as you quickly count the money. You knew you'd be getting that amount but still, actually holding the money now you can hardly believe it. You stand up quickly.

"Thank you." You barely manage to get the words out. "I had a great time babysitting her- I uh- I've babysat some real demons before so uh- heheh-" you're just rambling now because of the sheer elation of actually being given five hundred fucking dollars. Mr Schlankwald smiles, as polite as ever.

"Well, if we ever need another sitter we'll call you." He says, walking over to the door. He grabs your coat from the coat rack and holds it out. Quickly, you walk over to him and take it. He opens the door while you put it on. "Do get home safe," he murmurs. "Does your bike have a light? Do you need an umbrella?" He frowns at you, apparently worried. 

"No, no. I'll be fine." You give him an anxious smile while you pull your hood up and step outside. You grab your bike, flicking on the light on the front of it. Mr Schlankwald smiles at you, pleased to see that you won't be in the dark going home. You walk off towards the forest path you followed earlier and wave over at him. 

"Get home safe!" He calls as he waves back.

"I will!" You turn away from him and smile wide.

That's the best babysitting gig you've ever had. 

You really, really hope they call you back for another night...

[dhawkesnest]

DUPLICITY

Warning: Violence, Adult Language. Also features betrayal and manipulative behaviors. Mentions of slavery/enslavement.

Years earlier...

“Rune! You have to come quick! Dacien has been taken! They have him on a boat bound for La Noscea! We have to leave and we have to go now!”

Abelaux's words haunted her the entire trip to this strange landscape. As they made their way through what the map called 'Lower La Noscea'. They had not made ground until several hours after Dacien's captors, and by then it was daylight, but they were closing the distance as rapidly as they could. Her lover had indicated he could see the stolen cart in the distance. “They've stopped. I wonder if there has been trouble. We must hurry!” Rune was exhausted and sore from the chocobo ride and being tossed about in the boat, but this was her family. The Viera encouraged the chocobo still faster as they made for their destination. Upon reaching it, they each brought their birds to a stop, but at first Rune was the only to dismount. She looked frantically around. The cart had appeared to have lost a wheel, and the axle was damaged, but there appeared to be no sign of the kidnappers or Dacien. Her search became more frantic, and she trembled out of a mixture of anger and concern, tears threatening to roll down her face. She had promised her adopted father she would bring him home safely. Where were they? How would they find them now? “Don't worry, my love. We'll find him for you.” Abelaux reached up and stroked her cheek in a gesture that he had done so many times before, but there was a different look in his eyes, and something sinister in the way he had said 'we'. A feeling settled over Rune in that moment that caused her to pull back from him cautiously. It was only then that she noticed they were surrounded. Rune recognized the men as the ones who had heckled her in the Shroud some time before while she was helping to cut wood for an elderly woman who lived nearby. They had jeered and called her names and whistled at her. Back then, she had merely done the best she could to ignore them. Now she wished she had warned her family. For a moment, words caught in her throat as she merely looked at the face of the man she had come to trust with her life and her heart, watching his expression transform into a sneer of satisfaction as he stepped back behind the encircling men. “Abel... what have you done?” She muttered quietly. “Just looking out for number one, my love. As always. They promised to pay me immensely well when I said that I could lure you here alone. Don't worry, these men will take good care of you, and we'll see to it that your brothers join you very soon.” There was laughter as the others grew closer. Five of them in all, not including Abelaux. Two were towering mountains of men, covered in muscle. Roegadyns. They would be the most trouble getting clear of. The others were two Hyur, one a Highlander and one a Midlander. The last was a paler skinned Miqo'te that Rune recognized to be a Seeker. Her purple eyed gaze took in their triumphant looks and stock of what weapons they might have on hand. She saw no weapons handy, but that didn't necessarily mean she was in the clear. The Midlander and the Miqo'te both held ropes at the ready, waiting to tie her up.

“She doesn't look so tough.” One of the Roegadyn smirked and jeered. The other men agreed and chuckled as if it was some private joke, moving closer still. The other Roe launched himself forward to grapple her, but was too slow due to his sheer bulk and size. The Viera ducked under his reaching arms, dropped to her knees in a move that caused her bones to complain at the impact, and crawled between his legs. The other reached out and grabbed her left ankle, jerking violently and attempting to drag her back across the grass towards him. Rune reached out and grasped at rocks and dirt and attempted to fight against the action but to no avail. Rolling as best she could with him still holding her other ankle, she kicked her free leg wildly as the Miqo'te tried to move in close to use the rope in his hands. Balling her hands into fists, she swung just as wildly with her legs while continuing to kick. The Highlander moved in and socked the struggling woman right in the face in an attempt to dissuade her from fighting any more. Rune's vision was filled with stars momentarily, but she forced herself to recover, anger and a desire to survive rising to the surface. No more playing games. The Viera could hear them shouting and trying to coordinate as she brought her free foot up into the groin of the Roe who had her leg. Swearing, he released her to cup his balls, and she saw her chance. Rolling away to stand, the woman did the best she could to dodge the two larger men while looking for some means to defend herself. Catching sight of a rake with a wooden handle attached to the stolen cart, Rune grabbed for it. The Miqo'te attempted to grasp her around the midsection and got a nose full of her elbow for his trouble. Jerking the rake free, she stepped away from the men again, brandishing her makeshift weapon. There was laughter amongst them again as they swarmed. “What you gonna do with tha, girly?” One of them asked her in what she assumed to be a thick Limsan accent. “Garden us to death?” Setting the rake tines down, the woman rapidly lifted a leg and brought it down, jerking up on the handle of the rake violently until the metal tines were snapped off where they attached to the wood. Now just holding the pole, she brandished it again, as the Lancers in the Shroud did their pole arm Drawing in a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Rune focused as she had been taught. Though it was a crude weapon, she let it feel like an extension of who she was, as her adopted father had shown her. When the first of the five propelled themselves towards her, she was ready. The end of the handle connected with the face of the Midlander, bloodying his nose and leaving him sprawling in the dirt. This seemed to shock the men, who hadn't been properly prepared. They looked at one another momentarily before the next two leaped into the fray. The Highlander and the Miqo'te took turns swinging at her, aiming for whatever they could, attempting to wrench the item from her grasp. Rune took the pole to the kneecaps of the Miqo'te, sending him on his ass. The Highlander let out an angry yell and lunged forward in anger, The woman brought the pole arm swiftly in an upward ark between the man's legs, then as he crumpled brought it down across the back of his neck. Two of the five lay writhing, and one lay still on the ground. Only the Roe were left. One appeared to be having second thoughts and shifted a step back, but the other continued to move toward her, muttering obscenities at her. “You little cunt...” A gunshot rang out. The Roe who had been stepping back fell to forward to the ground, blood pouring from a new open wound in the center of his back. The gunshot drew attention from the last attacker and the Viera both. Abelaux stood there with the smoking rifle in his hand, now pointing it directly at Rune. “Y-you shot him!” The other Roe yelled accusingly. Abelaux gave a shrug, his expression detailing his lack of care. “That's what he gets for letting the adopted daughter of a Wood Wailer get her hands on a weapon. Do you want to be next or do you want to tie her up?” The man turned his dark eyes to Rune. “You're going to be a good little girl now, aren't you, my love?” With him holding the gun on her, she had little choice but to drop the pole. Rune let it slip from her hand and thud to the ground at her feet. However, she made no intentional move towards them both, instead glancing carefully at her surroundings before taking a slow and deliberate step backward. The fight had taken them dangerously close to the cliff face. Only a few steps. One step. Two. Another gunshot rang out, and she felt pain tear through the meaty part of her thigh. She was forced to clench her teeth against the agony to prevent the scream that threatened to rise in her throat. The Viera refused to give him the pleasure of hearing her scream, cry, or beg. Instead, she gave him her eyes in a glare, the violet in them more vibrant in the bright morning sun. Seething anger and betrayal was easy to read in that look. And a promise. “You filthy snake.” “Come back from the edge like a good girl. You know I don't want to kill you, Rune, but I will if I have to. Let the man tie you up and you'll be on your way and no one else has to get hurt.” “You're a lying sack of chocobo shit.” Rune muttered. She was so close. One more step, and she would be free. Dead, perhaps. But at least she wouldn't be heading to some unknown place in the back of a slaver's cart. “Since you're planning to kill me anyway, it doesn't really matter, does it?” Just as Abelaux's face contorted in anger and he raised the gun again, Rune did the only thing she could do. She leapt from the cliff and plummeted towards the choppy water's below. Air entered her lungs so violently it made her gasp and cough. A groan escaped her as someone carefully turned her onto her side so that she would not inhale the water that was attempting to escape. Her left arm was pinned beneath her body when she was moved, and it ached. She tried to move it, but found that the limb would not do what she wanted it to do. Broken? Dislocated? Who knows... at least I'm alive. For now. The wound in her leg burned too, the introduction of salt water making it angrier than it already had been. She could still feel the warmth of blood as it slid down her leg. “Are you bleedin mad?! Jumpin from the cliff like tha!?” Rune opened her eyes carefully to look up at an Elezen face she didn't recognize, framed by copious amounts of wet jet black hair. Eyes the color of the sea stared at her from beneath scowling brows, and man's lips were pulled into a thin line. He wasn't one of the attackers, but she also knew she didn't know who he was either. Despite the pain she was in, and the likelihood he had pulled her from the water, Rune jerked away from him and tried to push him away violently, gritting her teeth at the pain that the action caused her as payment for her behavior. Since physically she couldn't fight him, she opened her mouth to retort at the man, but it was then that he let out a low whistle. The sound distracted her, and she followed his gaze to her gunshot wound. “I thought ah heard gunfire. We need to get yeh a medic.” You're...not taking me... anywhere.” She managed between clenched teeth, shifting to try and get up, which didn't do her any favors. “I have no idea who you are.” “Vallerin? What did you find?” Came the sound of another voice, a white haired Miqo'te female Rune had never seen before approached them, looking at the man expectantly. The tan-skinned Elezen who had been hovering over Rune turned to look at the woman. It didn't take much to glean that he looked at her as his superior. “We've got ourselves a gunshot, Y'shtola. We better get the Yellow Jackets. I thought her just some thrill seeker, but ah can't see anyone shootin themselves in the leg and jumpin a cliff. Ah think things are more complicated then they first appeared.” Rune watched as the woman tapped her jaw with her knuckles as she eyed the Viera. The one called Vallerin pulled a piece of cloth from his back pocket, and wet though it was began to apply pressure to the wound. Rune's pain and the weakness of the blood loss began to make her head swim. The Viera fell back from her sitting position, her vision spinning and the feeling of consciousness began to slip away. “Hang in there, lass. We got ye.”

[mtngirlforever]

My Little Man ch. 3

I hope you are enjoying and will leave me your thoughts. Please let me know if you want to be added/removed from my tag list. Please leave me your thoughts; my muse thrives on feedback. 

Tagging:  @jodiereedus22  @cole-winchester   @hyphymanatee @blogsporadicartist    @infinitewcr   @daddys-little-princess67 @irreplaceable-spacexual @risingphoenix761 @momc95 *these will be two separate scenes showing Emma and Daryl after their chance meeting, but they will have happened simultaneously leading up to the ending event*

Ryker wasn’t a bad baby. He fussed some when he was hungry and needed a diaper change. He slept for almost three hours at a time, and you found adjusting to little sleep to not be as hard as you thought. He hated the car seat, but thankfully you didn’t have to use it much. Ryker thankfully still didn’t look anything like his dad, and you found you loved your little boy more than you’d ever imagined. He completed you in ways you didn’t even know was possible.

You had found out real quick with an E.R. visit that Ry was allergic to soy, and you had to be careful what you ate. You were breastfeeding because you were really short on money and could barely afford diapers. You desperately needed to go back to work, but you didn’t have anyone to keep Ryker, and you couldn’t afford any daycares around. So when your boss called six weeks later in the middle of September and asked when you were returning, you couldn’t tell him. Which led to him telling you he wasn’t able to hold your position any longer, and he was going to hire someone.

Your landlord was on your ass the next week because you were now currently two months behind on rent. You tried begging him to give you a few more weeks to figure something out with Ryker and work, and he’d eventually relented. You had another month to come up with rent or you were going to be out on the street. You felt so defeated you weren’t sure what to do. Over the next week you tried to figure out how to make it all work, but you were drawing a blank.

It was on your return trip a few days later from getting a small pack of diapers that one of your neighbors stopped you. “You’re Emma right?” the older lady asked.

You nodded and readjusted Ryker in your arms.

“Some sheriff was ‘round here earlier asking questions ‘bout you. I didn’ tell ‘im anythin’ jus’ though’ you shoul’ know.”

You just nodded again feeling your body reacting in fear. “Thanks. For… not saying anything,” you said having gone completely pale.

“You a’right there girly?”

“Yea… Yes.. Yes I’m ok. Just...Just need to get this little one home,” you said with a grimace and a nod. The older lady just nodded, and you raced upstairs to your apartment. You locked the door and collapsed against it breathing heavy. Shane had found you and was looking around for you. You couldn’t let him find you or find out about Ryker.

You laid Ryker down as you tried to control your breathing. You couldn’t afford a panic attack at the moment. You knew the landlord was on the verge of kicking you out; you were now three months behind on rent with no money in sight. You’d spent what little bit of cash you’d saved on diapers recently, so you decided it might just be best to leave before Shane found you. You quickly threw all of your clothes and Ryker’s into duffle bags. Next you packed up diapers, wipes and other baby supplies. You had no idea where you were going to go, but you knew you couldn’t stay around here.

Over the next couple of days you gathered some food supplies, a tent, sleeping bags, blankets and pillows from your apartment. You packed your run down car and headed out of the city with no plan in mind but escaping.

Daryl had returned to normal life after his little encounter with the brown haired beauty with the baby. He thought of her occasionally, but for the most part, he was just surviving. He worked at a mechanic shop in town, and when he wasn’t at work, he was working on stuff around his house, his truck or his bike. His house wasn’t much; two beds and two baths on the outskirts of town with a couple of acres of land in the woods. He’d saved up to get it and he was happy with it. It was at least better than the shack he’d grown up in. Merle had stuck around for a week after Emma left, eating all of his food and draining his alcohol supply.

Word around town was that Merle was laying low because his clients were arrested not too long ago and he wasn’t sure if they’d flip on him or not. Daryl wouldn’t be surprised if that was the truth, but it still grated on him some that Merle was just once again using him. He found he liked himself better when his brother wasn’t around, but he had a hard time turning his back on him. Merle had done that to him countless times and he hated that feeling, so even though his brother more than deserved it, Daryl just couldn’t do it. By the end of the week, they’d had one of their explosive fights and Merle had taken off after leaving Daryl with a black eye and split lip.

Daryl wasn’t sure why he still put up with his brother’s shit other than the fact it was the only blood he had left. His ma had died when he was young leaving him with his bastard of a father and brother. Merle had tried to take most of the beatings when Daryl was younger, but once Daryl was in middle school, Merle joined up and left Daryl with the old man. Then Merle was arrested for punching out his superior and started his stints in jail. When he wasn’t in jail, he was so high he was useless to Daryl. The scars on his back still reminded him of what a bastard he’d grown up with and he tried to hide them as much as possible.

Daryl wasn’t worried about when Merle would show back up because he always did. It was just a matter of being prepared when he did. People around town talked about his black eye and split lip for the first few days like they always did, but eventually they went back to other people’s gossip. No one understood why Daryl still put with him. When Merle wasn’t around Daryl was mostly pleasant and would willingly help someone out, especially when it came to mechanical things. He was still gruff and people found it hard to be sociable with him, but at least he was helpful. Merle brought out a different side of him, and most people were glad to see Merle leave town again.

It was now the beginning of October and he’d not heard from Emma or his brother and he was strangely ok with it. He wasn’t sure what it was about Emma that she kept floating through his thoughts, but he was intrigued with her and her story; which was rare. Daryl didn’t do feelings or relationships so he wasn’t sure what was going on with his brain, but he couldn't help but find himself wondering how she and her little boy were doing. He also kinda wanted to know her story. Why was she so afraid and why was she in long sleeves in the middle of the sweltering summer heat and how’d she end up with a baby on her own? He knew if she was anything like him, it’d be a long, long time, on the verge of never before she’d ever answer his questions explaining her story.

The first Saturday in October he was off work and decided to go hunting. He’d been picking up as many shifts as possible knowing before long he’d hear from his brother and he needed to have extra money just in case. He was also finding himself thinking more and more about if Emma was safe, and he was needing to clear her from his mind. He hadn’t seen her in almost three months and he was really frustrated with himself that he kept thinking about her. He figured hunting would be his best bet. He grabbed his bow and headed out early. It was around noon when he saw the little tent near the creek as he was hunting. He felt the anger building in him as he thought about how someone would just invade his property like that. He stomped towards the tent with his crossbow raised and ready. “Come out!” he growled when he was standing in front of it.

You heard the gruff voice and tried to stop the fear from coursing through your body. You flashed back to the first time you’d heard it, and knew it was likely to be a repat. You strapped Ryker to you in a carrier and slowly unzipped the tent. You carefully tumbled out with your hands up and eyes wide not sure what he would be thinking.

“Emma?” he asked lowering the crossbow. It’d been near three months since he’d seen you and the baby. You knew you looked different than the last time you’d seen him, and Ryker was now bigger so you weren’t surprised by his confusion. You were just afraid enough that you couldn’t find your voice. You gave a nod wrapping your arms around the carrier. You knew you were taking a chance of running into him when you picked this place to set up your tent, and you’d be lying if you said you hadn’t wanted to see him again. Something about him made you curious and feel safe even though you were very much on guard.

“Wha’re ya doin’ out her’ Emma?” he asked confusion written all over his face as he watched you.

“I uhh…. I uh… just wanted to be close to the creek for freshwater ya know? I didn’t… I didn’t mean to be on your property again,” you stumbled out as you rubbed your hands up and down the carrier to have something to do with your hands to keep them from shaking.  

“I ain’ worried ‘bout tha’,” he grunted as a breeze rustled the leaves around them. “Why ya in tha’ tent to begin with?

“Oh,” you mumbled looking anywhere but at him. Daryl kept quiet waiting you out. “I uh… well…. I… I didn’t have anyone to keep Ry so I uh…. I couldn’t go back to work…. So… I… well… I lost my shitty apartment… and… and I had to get out of the city. I didn’t… I didn’t know where to go so I…. I got a tent and came here. It’s quiet and peaceful and no one… no one can find me,” you finished.

Daryl kicked some leaves towards you to get you to look at him. “Ya can’t stay out her’ Emma.” He saw your crestfallen face before he finished. “I’s gonna be too cold for you and a baby. You need shelter.”

“I… I don’t have anywhere,” you said quietly tears forming in your eyes against your will. Shane had seriously ruined your life, and now because of it you were being a terrible mother not protecting or providing properly for your baby.

“Start packin’. I’ll be back in thirty,” he said. You looked at him confused with your big tearfilled eyes and he just nodded. “Be packed,” he said before heading back into the woods. He wasn’t sure what he was thinking moving you and a baby into his house; he didn’t know you or your story, but he just knew he couldn’t leave y’all out there with winter coming.