#LISTEN HE TALL AND FEY SHORT AS ALL HELL

[mythexists]

TOL AND SMOL ARAB MEN

[loominggaia]

Fanfiction: New York (part 7)

Anonymous submitted part 7 of their fanfic “New York”! I’m posting it under the cut. You can find the other parts under the fanfic tag.

Zeffer left that evening, taking to the city streets under the cover of night. Even at nighttime the city still seemed so lively and bright. It hurt his eyes, He deciding it be better to check the alleyways and darker corners of city, hoping he’d have better luck. Aside from afew homeless and passed out drunk people he found nobody of interest in the ally’s. That’s was about to change rather soon as the night went onward.

Outside the back of a dumpster by what looked like the back of a store he found three young humans just smoking and hanging out. All three wearing dark attire, black hair and makeup with piercings. Being the first sober people he saw, Zeffer decided to ask if they have seen anything. He walked up to them silently, startling them alittle by his approach. They greeted him, he ask if they’ve seen anyone matching Evans description. They say no but the group stares oddly at Zeffer.

Zeffer wondered why they where staring at him? Their stares where not that of fear or disgust but more curiosity with a large does of excitement. “He are you like, a vampire or something”? The short pudgy women of the group asked. “What”! Zeffer thought to himself, could they really see threw his illusion! Granted he wasn’t that great at illusions but still he Atleast thought he put it. Damn how he really wished he had the ability lie right now!

Zeffer tried but failed to dodge the question, as the tall, lanky guy with shaggy hair and way too thick eyeliner chimed in. “Yeah man, it’s cool if your a vampire dude, we’ve been dying to met one for real ! “. Okay what kind of freaks show has Zeffer walked in on? Why would anyone be happy to see a vampire, an evil blood guzzling corpse that feeds on the living? He get his answer whether he wanted to or not.

The shorter guy in the group, having long black hair with more metal in his face then in a zareen refinery piped in. “Hey man, could you turn us into vampires too!” Wait…. WHAT!!! Did Zeffer hear that right or was he just going crazy? Did this human seriously just ask to become an undead abomination!? His brain near shut down in pure shock. “Why the fuck you want this curse!” He blurted out in angry confusion, this was gonna be a bad night.

Each member of the group excitedly listed off the reasons for wanting to be a vampire, immortality, super strength, shapeshifting, etc… for as ridiculously stupid as wanting to be a vampire already was, some of their answers didn’t even make any sense? Last Zeffer checked vampires can’t turn into bats or mist, or survive decapitation. Zeffer just went off on them, going into a massive rant that vampirism was nothing but a curse of the worst kind and how all vampires are evil monsters.

His ranting against vampirism only seemed to encourage them. Them all being super happy to meet a real deal vampire and where enamored by his raving against his own kind. In an effort to shoot them down he let them know humans can’t become vampires, only fey can. They seemed confused, asking what fairies have anything to do with vampires? He didn’t know himself, just saying it was some magic stuff like how only commoners can become werewolves. Wrong answer.

They became even more ecstatic finding out werewolves where real too. Asking Zeffer if he knows any werewolves, how the eternal war between vampires and werewolves is going, and the shorter guy asking since he can’t be a vampire can he become werewolf instead? These humans really have lost their minds Zeffer thought. He finally got their names, the tall guy, Dillion introducing them, the fat girl being his gf Morgan and the short guy being their friend Alex.

Some how it got even crazier when the three rolled down their sleeves, offering their arms to him. Dillon spoke up saying that if he can’t turn them into vampires then at the very least they could offer themselves as his servants, forming a coven and performing dark rituals at his side. Zeffers brain had completely broke at this request, this outdoing their asking to become vampires in levels of sheer stupidity. He didn’t even know how to respond other then a resounding no.

Zeffer just stared in pure confusion, his eyes twitching. Okay he was done with these three. Zeffer just told them no, I’m not your dark master and I’m not gonna drink from you. They where genuinely upset by this, asking why not and where asking if he even was a real vampire? He sarcastically apologized for not being whatever image they had of vampires in their heads and just told them he’s not interested in creating some blood cult, besides humans can’t do magic.

“Can Too” Morgan told him indignantly, pouting. The three told Zeffer they really knew about magic and they could be so useful as his dark disciples and, and. Zeffer didn’t care to listen, he just walked away not wanting to be a part of this madness anymore, he had better things to do then argue with a bunch of idiots. What kind of strange, fucked up world has Evan gotten himself into where people actually WANT to be vampires and werewolves!? Zeffer just shivered and continued his search.

Zeffer had no luck finding his lover or any trace of him. Every allyway he searched had nothing of interest, again. In the backstreet he currently going down he found something interesting, a back ally vendor he could guess. An obese, dark skinned man wearing a jersey and sun glasses at night sat in a plastic chair overlooking a large vehicle. It’s back doors where open and showing what he had. This guy could be useful Zeffer thought to himself and decided to approach.

The man didn’t see him coming, jumping and shouting at him upon suddenly seeing him. “God damn man! Don’t sneak up on a brother like that with your crack head, skin diseased ass! Made me near shit my pants”! Judging by his reaction this guy could see through Zeffers disguise too and had a more ‘normal’ reaction thankfully. The man just glared at Zeffer, told him he don’t sell rocks and was asking what the hell he wanted. Zeffer just decided to ask his name and what he does sell.

The man introduced himself as fat tony with an f-a-t and is the sole owner and distributor of the little store in front of him. Handling all your night time needs, illegal or not. He also told Zeffer he don’t allow window shopping, so he can either buy something or leave. Zeffer asked if he sold phones and knew how to get ids? “Burner phones and fake id’s, that I most certainly can do” fat tony told him. Zeffer asked for phones and id’s for his full crew, minus one id for Elska.

He would have to pay upfront and in cash for this of course. He heard from the crew that gold coins don’t work here but did hear from Issac and Jeimos that they got a store owner to accept it after telling them it was solid gold. Taking a long shot Zeffer handed fat tony his coin purse as payment, he just looked in the bag and saw all the gold and silver coins and angrily asked “what the fuck is this”?.

Tony just threw the coins back at Zeffer and told him he’s not taking no Halloween props. Zeffer told him their real gold and silver but that didn’t sway him. Tony just asked if he looked like some kind of medieval merchant and told him he can either pay up or leave, it didn’t matter as long as it got Zeffer away from him faster.

Zeffer just left, realizing he wasn’t gonna get anywhere. The sun was rising so he was gonna have to go back to base, he also hadn’t drank that night and the blood thirst was basing at him. He always hated this but he was gonna needs to find a drink on the way back to bases. That’s when he noticed that a hooded figure was following him.

The hooded figure was walking behind him, a small distance but gaining. His hands where in his pockets and face covered, eyes staring directly at Zeffer. He knew this guy was gonna be trouble Zeffer looked at him he’d suddenly stop and just look around, but would continue his pursuit once Zeffer stopped looking.

The more Zeffer walked the faster the guy got, he was almost directly behind him now. He could hear the mans breathing and could see he was pulling something out of his pocket. The man grabbed Zeffer from behind, putting a gun to his head and told him he’s gonna hand over all his money or he’s gonna splatter his brain across the pavement.

Zeffer just laughed at him, that’s when the wanna be robber noticed Zeffers ghostly pale skins and glowing red eyes. He froze in a moment of hesitation, all the time Zeffer needed to break free and knock the gun out of his hand. His vampiric instincts took over as he bite the robber, deciding he will be his drink for tonight.

The man kicked and screamed trying to escape Zeffers grasp. His efforts where futile as Zeffer drank from him, his body falling lifeless to the ground after he was done with his feast. He always hated this, no matter who the victim was.

Curiously he checked his not so innocent victims pockets and didn’t find much but some cash. Deciding he wouldn’t be needing it anymore he pocketed the cash and went back to base for tonight.

*

I already stan Fat Tony. I love that Zeffer has this little cult of goth kids looking up to him, that’s hilarious! I’m imagining them trying to break into the hospital and save Evan for him or something, but who knows what will happen at this point. Things are getting really interesting! TO BE CONTINUED...?

[elias-veturius-laia-of-serra]

*Contains Sky SPOILERS*

All my favorite Musa Of Adisa quotes and scenes 🥺  ❤️

“I am Musa of Adisa,” the man says. “Son of Ziad and Azmath of Adisa. Grandson of Mehr and Saira of Adisa. I am also the only friend you have in this city” - A Reaper At The Gates

“Who’s the Beekeeper, and how can I find him?”

“Ah, Laia Of Serra.” His white teeth shine like those of a smug horse. He offers me his arm, and under the brightening sky, I finally get a closer look at his tattoos - dozens of them, big and small, all clustered around a hive.

Bees.

“It’s me, of course,” Musa says. “Don’t tell me you hadn’t guessed.” - A Reaper At The Gates

“You listen. How fast can you get information on the jinn?”

Musa strokes his chin. “Let’s see. It took me a week to learn that you’d broken Elias out of Blackcliff’s dungeons. Six days to learn that you’d set off a riot in Nur. Five to learn what Elias Veturius whispered to in your ear the night he abandoned you in the Tribal desert for Kauf Prison. Two to learn that the Warden-” - A Reaper At The Gates

“Musa and I go back again and again, carrying out those who cannot walk themselves, pulling to safety as many Scholars as we can.” - A Reaper At The Gates

“As I told the story, my attention was on the king. I did not notice the ghuls emerging from the shadows and congregating around the princess. I did not notice them latching themselves on to her like leeches. Musa looks as if he is watching the slow torture of someone he loves—which, I finally realize, he is.” - A Reaper At The Gates

“Nikla and I eloped ten years ago,” he says. “We were only a little older than you, but much more foolish. She had an older brother who was supposed to be king. But he died, she was named crown princess, and we grew apart.” I wince at the perfunctory nature of his recitation, a decade of history in four sentences. “I didn’t mention it before because there was no point. We’ve been separated for years. She took my lands, my titles, my fortune—” 

“Your heart.” Musa’s harsh laugh echoes off the hard stone of the buildings on either side of us. “That too,” he says.” - A Reaper At The Gates

“Another arrow shoots out of the darkness, but it too misses its mark, dropping in midair—courtesy of Musa’s wights. 

“Nikla!” Musa snarls. “Show yourself!” - A Reaper At The Gates

“When I rush her,” Musa whispers, barely audible, “run.” I’m just processing what he says when he’s past me and heading straight for Nikla. Immediately, silver-armored bodyguards step out of the shadows and attack Musa so swiftly that he is now nothing but a blur.” - A Reaper At The Gates

“Musa’s voice rings in my head. We need you as a voice for the Scholars. We need you as our scim and shield.” - A Reaper At The Gates

“You pull that hood any lower,” Musa of Adisa whispers from beside me, “and people will think you’re a jinn.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Stop waving around your blade, aapan.” Musa uses the Mariner honorific that means “little sister” and speaks with the same exasperation I sometimes hear from Darin. The Beekeeper, as Musa is known, is twenty-eight—older than Darin and I. Perhaps that is why he delights in bossing us around.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Musa eases my hand off the hilt. “You break Elias Veturius out of Blackcliff, burn down Kauf Prison, deliver the Martial Emperor in the middle of a war, face down the Nightbringer more times than I can count,” he says, “and you jump at a loud noise? I thought you were fearless, aapan.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“This . . . thing. This Rehmat. It was living inside you?” 

“Like a parasite?” Musa says. “Or a demon?”

 “Don’t be so horrified,” I say. “Whatever it is, it’s inside you too. All of you. Or so the Jaduna said.” 

Musa looks down, clearly wondering if some fey beastie will burst unexpectedly from his chest. 

“So if one of us had lost our temper and yowled at the Nightbringer—”

 “I did not yowl—” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Laia! Watch it!” a Scholar man with dark skin and long, black hair calls out. He holds off three legionnaires with a scim, a short dagger, and—I squint—a cloud of hundreds of wights who befuddle his foes. They defend him with a vicious protectiveness that wights aren’t known for.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Tend to your wounds,” I say. “Then leave. Go back to the beach. To your boats. To a quick death, it matters not. But you will not enter the Waiting Place.” 

“He’s your brother.” Musa speaks up, nodding to Harper. The Mask gapes at Musa, who doesn’t seem to notice.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“The Soul Catcher gives her a brief, unreadable look. “Yes. One human might slip through the forest undetected by them. But a half dozen? They will know you are here soon enough.” 

“Can’t you just—” Musa puts his hands around his throat and mimes choking—referring no doubt to how the Soul Catcher can steal away breath.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“You’re late.” His armor is splashed with blood, but he doesn’t appear to have any wounds. Musa materializes behind him, limping. “Good in a fight.” Quin nods to the Scholar approvingly.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Not hard to look at, is he?” I jump at the voice next to me, my scim half-drawn. It is Musa, one hand gently nudging my blade back to its scabbard. He has a dozen bruises and as many cuts, most half-healed.

“So jumpy, Shrike. One would think you’d only just escaped a band of Karkauns by the skin of your teeth.” He chuckles darkly at his little joke, but his smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “Forgive me,” he says. “Laughing hurts less than facing what happened. I am sorry about Faris. I liked him.”

“Thank you,” I say. “And your joke was terrible, so naturally, Faris would have loved it.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“He pats his face, preening. “Everyone says I’m even more dashing with scars.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Now, Shrike.” Musa follows me reluctantly. “While I do like my women tall and bossy, and while I know this face is difficult to resist, sadly, my heart belongs to another—” “Oh, shut up.” I stop when we’re far from the courtyard. “You’re not that pretty.” He bats his eyelashes at me, and I wish he were just a bit uglier” - Sky Beyond The Storm

“In fact, I’ll offer you a little tidbit right now. Captain Avitas Harper is on his way here. He’s in the northwest corridor, passing that very ugly statue of a yak, and moving rather quickly.” 

“How—” I know how he does it. Still, the specificity is uncanny.

“Ten seconds,” Musa murmurs. “Eight—six—” I stride swiftly away, wincing at the pain lancing up my leg. But I’m not fast enough. 

“Blood Shrike,” Harper calls in a voice that I cannot ignore. I curse Musa as he walks off, laughing quietly.” - Sky Beyond The Storm

“Within the crowd of Karkauns, a squad of my men fight their way toward me, Musa among them. I try to join them, but the Karkauns surround us. Musa disappears, his scims flying, and I remind myself to ask him who the hells trained him before I am inundated by the enemy again.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Just the blather the Karkauns were spewing. Ik tachk mort fid iniqant fi. Haven’t been able to get a translation of it, but—”

“‘Death wakes the great sea,’” Musa translates, nodding a greeting to a group of Scholars as they pass. “Or—no, wait. ‘Death feeds the great sea.’”

I stop in the middle of the hall, ignoring the irritated grunt of a Mask who nearly runs into me. “Why didn’t you tell me you spoke Karkaun?”

 “You didn’t ask.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“My grandfather taught me to fight. He was a palace guard. Saved old King Irmand’s life when he was a boy. Got a beekeeping estate for his trouble. My father became a healer, but I spent more time with the bees. I think they both thought training would toughen me up.”

“Did it?”

“I’m still alive, aren’t I?” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Go on, insult me,” Musa says. “But you and I are more alike than you know, and that’s not a compliment. You’re in a position of great power, Shrike. It’s a lonely place to be. Most leaders spend their lives using others. Being used. Love isn’t just a luxury for you. It’s a rarity. It’s a gift. Don’t throw it away.”

“I’m not throwing it away.” I stop walking and pull the Scholar around to face me. “I’m afraid, Musa.” I don’t mean to blurt the words out—especially to a man whose arrogance has vexed me from the moment I met him. But to my relief, he does not mock me.

“How many in Antium lost those beloved to them when the Karkauns attacked?” he asks. “How many like Dex, who hide who they love because the Empire would kill them for it?” Musa runs a hand through his black hair, and it sticks up like a bird’s nest. “How many like Laia, betrayed and then left to claw her way through her pain? How many like me, Shrike, pining for someone who no longer exists?” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“But that’s not what we’re talking about,” Musa says. “You are lucky enough to love someone who loves you back. He is alive and breathing and in the same vicinity as you. By the skies, do something about it. For however long you have. For whatever time you get. Because if you don’t, I swear that you’ll regret it. You’ll regret it for all your years.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Do you know where Musa of Adisa was in the fight to take Antium, Pontilius?” I say now. “At my side, bleeding for an Empire he’d never set foot in until a few months ago. Fighting for the Scholars. Tell me, General, where were you during the fighting?” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“As I walk through the freezing palace, I search for a flash of color amid the drear. Musa can always be counted on to wear at least one loud item of clothing—and I need his information now.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Someone who will know how to deal with Musa’s pain. But the Scholar does not release my hand.

“I shouldn’t mourn her.” He wipes his face, and I almost don’t hear him.

“She jailed my father. Took my lands. My title. The Scholars suffered under her rule.” - Sky Beyond The Storm

“We got married a decade ago. I was eighteen. She was nineteen. Her brother was crown prince, but he died of an illness and the palace healer—my father—couldn’t save him. She—” He shakes his head. “Grief took her. The ghuls found ripe prey with her, and they nibbled at her mind for years. And when I spoke of them to her, she called me insane. King Irmand was so grief-stricken after his son’s death that he did not see what was happening to his daughter.”

“My father died in prison. My mother soon after. And yet—” He looks between Harper and me. “I still loved her. I shouldn’t have, but I did.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“I have to go to Marinn,” Musa says. “Find Keris. Kill her. Nikla’s heir is a first cousin. Skies know if he’s still alive, but he’s young. He’ll need help.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“You want me to stay,” he says. “But the Mariners were my people first. They need me. And you owe me a favor, Shrike.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“All the way to Avitas’s quarters, where we can speak without interruption, I think of Musa’s cries. The way he sounded as if his soul had been dug out of his body.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Ah, young love,” Musa says, and I glance at him, wondering if I will see bitterness in his regard. But his smile takes years off his face, which has been drawn and desolate of late.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Love can be more powerful in a battle than planning or strategy. Love keeps us fighting. Love drives us to survive.”

“Skies, stop meddling—”

“I meddle because I hope, aapan.” The humor bleeds from his voice, and I’m certain he’s remembering his beloved, doomed Nikla. “Life is too short not to hope.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Soldiers on both sides of the escarpment stumble to their feet, still shaken from the maelstrom. Musa has an arm under the Blood Shrike’s shoulders, and together they stagger away from the front line, anguish emanating from both.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“The Blood Shrike, Musa, and I are discussing how the troops should handle any rogue ghosts. When Laia appears, Musa kicks the Shrike in the ankle.

“What the hells, Musa—oh—” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Duty gives me a straight back when Musa, his own eyes red at the loss of Darin, finds me and takes me to a line of bodies to be buried in the jinn grove.” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“Musa is here too, gesturing with the flatbread while flirting with Afya Ara-Nur. The Tribeswoman is still pale from her injury, wincing even as she laughs. Mamie looks amused while Spiro Teluman watches with a dark glare. The smith shouldn’t worry. Musa’s heart is as shattered as mine” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“Gird your loins, Shrike.” Musa gives me a sidelong glance. “You’re about to get quite the promotion.” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“I heard her tell Zacharias a story last night. He was rapt.”

“Where is he?”

“With Tas, eating moon cakes.” I nod to a cart near Mamie’s wagon, where the young Scholar boy, who appears to have grown a foot since I last saw him, grins as my nephew stuffs a cake into his mouth. Musa, keeping them company, hands over another.” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“Musa has been invaluable in court, charming Illustrian Paters as easily as he has Scholars. When we broke up the estates of Keris’s top allies, it was Musa who suggested we award them to Scholars and Plebeians who fought in the Battle of Antium. And when grief threatens to consume me, it is Musa who appears with a meal and insists we eat it out in the sunshine. Musa who drags me to the palace kitchens to bake bread with him, and Musa who suggests a visit to Zacharias, even if it means canceling two weeks of court. I thought at first that the Scholar had wights watching me to make sure I did not fall too deeply into despair. But the wights, he told me, are no longer his spies.” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“How am I supposed to take the Pater of Gens Visselia seriously when I know he spends most of his time composing odes to his hounds?” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“Yes,” I say to his uncertainty. “I want you to stay, Musa.” He lets out a breath.

“Thank the skies,” he says. “I don’t actually like bees very much. Little bastards always sting me. And anyway, you need me around.” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“I’m not lonely!” A lie, though Musa is too much a gentleman to call me on it.

“But you are alone, Empress.” A shadow passes across his face, and I know he thinks of his wife, Nikla, dead six months now. “As all those in power are alone. You don’t have to be.” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“It should have been him dancing with you,” Musa says, and at the raw emotion in his voice, my eyes heat.” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“Alas.” The Scholar spins me in a circle, then pulls me back. “We’re the ones who survived, Empress. Unlucky, perhaps, but that’s our lot. And since we’re here, we might as well live.” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“Though I was reluctant moments ago, now I find that I want to give in to that exuberant beat. So does Musa. So we laugh and dance again. We eat a dozen moon cakes and chase away the loneliness, two broken people who, for this night, anyway, make a whole.” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

[timeforelfnonsense]

Unconventional

Astarion x Dafni || G || Previous Story Chronologically (not necessary but might fill in some gaps) || Ao3 || Sunshine & Starlight: My on going bg3 series  

The low fire crackled and popped as it consumed more of its kindling into ash. Dafni idly ran her finger along the chipped rim of the ceramic mug clasped firmly in her hand. She prodded the slice of venison on her plate with her two-pronged fork, translucent red juices trickling out from the small puncture. A frown tugged at her mouth, as her mother’s voice rang in her ears.

Don’t play with your food dear, it’s impolite.

Dafni sighed, popping a portion of the meat into her mouth. She found the rich, earthy taste of deer flesh pleasant enough. There was a gameyness to wild-caught meat she’d missed in the city. It lent itself well to the simplicity of rosemary and salt Gale had prepared it in.

“This is very good Gale,” she said between bites, “Deer can be a difficult meat.”

The wizard grinned bowing his head ever so slightly in thanks, “That’s kind of you, Dafni. I’ve always enjoyed cooking! Though, I have to admit my skills are more suited for a kitchen than a campfire.”

Dafni rather liked Gale. He was the sort of man who might have visited her mother’s tower seeking knowledge. If she closed her eyes she could picture him on the steps of Laurel chatting with Leto and Theia as the younger of Thesmia’s daughter hid away in an alcove tittering and blushing like little roses over his handsome face and magical skill. Polymnia in particular would have been taken with Gale. The lovely alseid had a soft spot for human men. Especially those with a quick wit and keen mind. Perhaps she’d introduce them when this was all over?

As the thought crossed her mind, it occurred to Dafni that Gale might not be on the market. She hadn’t thought to ask him- or any of her new friends for that matter if they had anyone who might be consumed with lovelorn worry by their disappearances.

Normally the romantic entanglements of those around here were among her favorite topics of discussion. She had always enjoyed listening to the trials and joys of her patients’ courtships in the city. When she’d lived among her own people, the wood elves too for that matter- love and sex had been discussed free and open. She’d found that city folk were, all too often, needlessly sheepish when it came to such topics.

“So, do you have loves waiting for you once this is all over?” Astarion asked in an airy, casual voice. A mirthful glimmer in his red eyes as he tossed his untouched serving of venison to Scratch. Dafni wondered if perhaps her own thoughts had bled into his head via their tadpoles or if Astarion was simply as curious as she was.

“You know what -” Gale responded, his brows stitching, “that is not the easiest of questions for me to answer.”

Drat!

So much for setting him up with Poly.

“You mean just waiting, like a love-sick puppy?” Shadowheart let out a judgmental huff, her pale gray-green eyes rolling as she spoke, “Short-term amusements are much less hassle. Do you have someone waiting for you in Baldur’s Gate, Astarion? A sweetheart perhaps?”

Dafni’s hands went clammy the moment Shadowheart’s words fell from her lips. Dafni had the unfortunate habit of finding herself enraptured with all sorts of eye-catching creatures, and mysterious, cheeky Astarion’s almost kiss had cast firmly him in the role of the leading lord in her girlish daydreams.

Bracing herself for what felt like an inevitable bruise- not only to her ego but her tender heart, she risked a quick peek at him through the little plume of steam forming above her cup. His long legs were casually outstretched, his elbow propped on the fallen tree behind him as if he were draped across a fine chaise lounge rather than earth and vegetation. He ran his hand through that perfect coif of soft, ivory curls. The cool, silvery light of the moon almost shimmered across his fair complexion. He had truly been blessed with the aloof, dreamy, beauty of Sehanine Moonbow. An incandescent majesty demanding admiration and awe.

“Not one in particular.” Astarion said with a coy shrug of his shoulders, “The city is a veritable feast of sweethearts.”

Dafni hadn’t realized she had been holding her breath until the lungs full of relief came whooshing out of her. While she was, in part, pleased to know there was no one of romantic significance in his life for her to contend with, his response had still left her a bit disheartened.

If he took such little issue with rake-ish behavior, why pull away from her kiss?

Dafni worried the fraying edge of her sleeve as she nibbled her lower lip. She felt a familiar tenderness in her chest. The same ache she’d felt as she watched each of her sisters be asked for dances of turns about the garden by the lords and ladies of the Summer Court during countless Seelie Soirées. Despite her outgoing nature and sunny disposition, those around her had always seemed determined to exile her to wallflowerdome.

“You must be eager to get back then. Slimmer pickings out in this wilderness.”

I think the pickings are just fine, thank you very much!

Dafni’s nose crinkled, a sour, resentful glare taking form across her face. She  knew  Shadowheart’s comment wasn’t intended as a dig but it felt like one nonetheless.

She’d always felt babyish compared to her beautiful older sisters. They were the kind of poised and lovely women folk expected the elves and nymphs of Faerie to be. Tall, slender ladies with a wild fey beauty that was nearly impossible to resist. In contrast, Dafni was petite in stature and plump in shape. She’d stopped aging physically sometime in her early 20s leaving her heart-shaped face with a trimming of eternal baby fat.

While she’d come into her own by no small measure whilst living among the wandering wood elves of Lylarth Forest. She could tease and tempt with the best of them and she’d had her share of dalliances in the last half-century. Even so, the ghost of the girl, sat pouting in the corner while her lovelier, more worldly sisters made merry lingered.

“How about you, dear?” Astarion asked tilting his gaze towards Dafni’s sulky figure, “Is there anyone waiting for you back in the city?”  

“Not really, I’d only been in the city for a few months,” Dafni explained. She kept her eyes fixed far away in hopes he wouldn’t see the fluster looming in them. “I don’t know many people in Baldur’s Gate aside from those who frequent my clinic and it wouldn’t be appropriate to pursue any of them. I think the people in my neighborhood found me a bit too… Unconventional for their tastes at any rate.” She tried her best not to sound bitter but there was still a bite to her words. While she’d been practically invisible to her fancies in the feywilds, in Baldur’s Gate she stuck out like a sore thumb. Most of the inhabitants of the lower city had never met a wood elf let alone an eladrin. They simply didn’t know what to make of her otherworldly countenance. Moreover, her own ineptitude when it came to understanding customs and niceties outside of the wilds had solidified her reputation as an eccentric outsider.

“To the hells with being conventional, darling.” Astarion scoffed, “Conventional is just a word tedious, uninteresting people use to justify their own mediocrity.”

His voice had an indignant edge to it. As if he was offended that the rabble of Eastway hadn’t been falling at her feet every time she crossed over her threshold. Dafni tried to fight the rush of heat that crept across the bridge of her nose and full cheeks. It felt good to be seen by someone so dazzling. And Gods, It was endearing to see him so ruffled on her behalf. If only he’d been at all those dreadful parties.

Perhaps he might have asked her for a dance...

Stop that! He’s only being polite, Dafni!  She scolded herself,  Don’t do this! He just admitted to being a heartbreaker, you silly, starry-eyed, ninny!

She tried to banish the cacophonous thumping in her chest. To herd the whimsical yearning into submission. It was no use. With every passing moment, she felt her attraction to him solidify into a full-on fancy. With luck, the feelings would fade in time, as they had with countless conquests before him. Their time together was far from over, so she’d just have to pray disinterest would take hold before she did something  too  embarrassing in an attempt to win him over.

“I’m inclined to echo that sentiment.” Gale’s voice felt like mercy. He had spared her from having to stammer out a reply of her own, “I think you’d be hard-pressed to label any of our number as conventional and I’d wager our chances of surviving these parasites are better for it.”

Gale was right, as usual. Dafni cast a glance across the faces of her new friends. Gale’s intelligence, Criella’s ingenuity, Wyll’s courage, Shaowheart’s wit, Lae’zel’s metal, Astarion’s charm. Each of them outlandish and remarkable in their own way. Their quirks and eccentricities made them the people they were. Despite the squabbling, despite the clashing personalities, she was glad to have them.

[hoodoo12]

Ménage (1/13ish)

Based on a rp I’ve done with the insanely talented @monsterlovinghours , here’s 13 chapters + 2 supplemental stories featuring my Beetlejuice, her OC, and a surprise guest star . . .

 SFW and NSFW chapters, Beetlejuice/f!OC, smut, trespassers, violence, comfort and care

Enjoy!

@beetlewise-and-pennyjuice  @dilfyjuice @thewolfisapartofmysoul

~

The air felt charged, heavy with static and anticipation as she set the final pieces of her altar in place. Herbs to attract, to sanctify the space and make the veil between the living world and the next paper-thin, easily breached. Incense, to purify. Sigils to charge her magic, like amplifiers drawn in white chalk to channel and to cast. Lastly, she set three tapered candles in separate jars, evenly spaced, and lit them from right to left. First, the black candle, for grounding and focus. Then, the green, for good fortune in her endeavor. And finally, the white, for goodness and purity. There was no way the ritual could fail. Right?

Molly took a deep breath, in for three, and out for five. The incantation she had spent the entire day memorizing ran through her head, line by line; she knew it by heart, but even so, her heart wavered. There was no guarantee it would work the way she wanted to, or even work at all; magic was tricky that way, she had found. Spells of this magnitude were just a little beyond her pay grade; she had stuck mostly to kitchen magic, green magic, safe magic. Things to help her garden grow, to bring a sense of peace into her empty home.

 Empty.

She cleared her throat. Steeled her resolve. She had faith in her ability, and if there was anything her home needed, it was a good spirit to help fill it. Another deep breath, and the spell began to spill from her lips, palms placed flat upon the altar. The words filled the quiet space, gathering momentum, until the final syllable dropped like a guillotine, and the candles blew out, plunging the room into the darkness.

 Did it work?

As always, there was the bittersweet taste in his mouth and a pressure in his gut that made him want to curl up and stretch at the same time. He grimaced at first, but the sweet grew stronger than the bitter with each recitation of his name, and by third syllable of the third repeat, he felt like he could take on the world.

With an ecstatic laugh, Beetlejuice stepped out of the nowhere and into here, wherever here was. His amber eyes landed on the breather who'd been so kind as to call him.

"Baby, you have made my day!" he crowed, and swept towards her, arms open wide for a hug.

She screamed. She couldn't help it. The laugh was answer enough that her spell had worked, jarring and maybe just a little bit unhinged. Not the gentle chill or whisper that she had been expecting. And then, to see something so very solid and un-spiritlike come charging out of the darkness, arms open as its eyes and teeth glittered in equal measure? She scrambled backward, heart hammering in her chest. That was not the result she had been hoping to yield.

Pressed to the wall, she paused a moment, willing herself to settle down; there was no reason to believe she was in any immediate danger. After all, it had called her baby, seemed practically giddy to be here in her living room, and had approached her with gratitude. Very intimidating gratitude.

"Wh . . . who are you?"

Her heart still galloping in her chest, she fumbled for the light switch, flooding the room with light and getting a better look at her new houseguest. At first glances, yes, he seemed terrifying. But, as she looked closer, the less imposing he seemed. Tall, wearing a dingy, threadbare suit in garish black and white carnival stripes, chipped nails a dull black, his hair a mossy green.

"Are you . . . you're not a spirit, are you?"

"What is that, sage?" Beetlejuice asked the woman who was half cowering against the wall. "Smells good, baby, but not as good as you, I bet."

He winked and swooped in, giving her a hug that squeezed her arms to her sides. She was cute. To be polite, he should answer her questions.

"Am I a spirit?" he replied. "Like the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come? Nah. More like the Ghost with the Most. The spirit of here and now and let's have some fun, ya know? But first things first--you called me up. Who do I need to kill?"

Before she could reply that yes, that was sage, sage and lavender and palo santo and a host of other herbs, he had swept her up into a bone-crushing hug that nearly pushed the air out of her lungs. Her spine creaked in protest, groaning as the smell of him surrounded her, wet earth and moss and a hint of something sulphuric. Unusual, but not altogether unpleasant. And there was that pet name again; he certainly was a flirtatious . . . whatever he was.

Her eyes widened when she heard the word kill leave his mouth, and she frantically shook her head.

"No! No, no, no one, no one needs killing!"

Despite her arms being pinned, she did her best to grasp at him, managing to grab his hips and try to push him back just enough to allow her to take a full breath.

"Let's . . . whoa, okay, slow down a second. So you are a ghost? You seem pretty solid to me." The Ghost of Here and Now, he had called himself, and she didn't want to think about the kind of fun he was alluding to.

"And you don't have to call me baby. My name is Molly."

Her hands on his hips were a trigger to press into her more tightly. He couldn't help it; it just felt right.

He barely listened to her list of whatever ingredients she was talking about, but his ears perked up at the word "kill", only to realize that once again, that was off the table.  As to her other question, the one she seemed stuck on, he replied,

"Ghost, spirit, demon . . . Does that really matter? You called. I, uh, came. And I like calling you baby. If that doesn't vibe with you, there's always ‘baby girl.’ How's that for a compromise?"

He grinned at her, and tried not to show too many pointed teeth.

Now not only were his arms pinning her, his body was as well, crushing her against the wall. Okay. Wrong place to grab. Molly instead wriggled her arms up to press against his chest, hoping to push him back a hair so she could breathe.

"'Baby' is fine," she muttered in defeat; 'baby girl' was a realm she was not comfortable stepping into only knowing him for a minute and a half at most. "And no, I . . . I suppose it doesn't matter."

She sighed in defeat; the spell had done its job, and it wasn't her guest's fault she didn't specify exactly what kind of spirit she wanted.

"Can, um, can you let up a bit? I'm getting lightheaded."

Her gaze lifted to his face, noticing now that there were patches of green on his jaw and by his nose. Moss? Mold? Rot? Each possibility seemed more disturbing than the last. Yet, past the unidentifiable substances, he wasn't half-bad on the eyes. Eyes the color of honey, framed by dark lashes. Grinning lips that held a distinct purplish hue, and rather sharp teeth. Huh. Surprisingly enough, she wasn't afraid of his inhuman appearance, no small amount of fascination creeping into her gaze. Well, he may not be the spirit she had wanted, but she could be happy with what she got.

"Is there something I can call you?"

Her wiggling felt nice, until he remembered breathers needed to breathe, and he relaxed his grip. He only took half a step away, though, she was too warm to just let go!

"What to call me?" Beetlejuice mused, licking his teeth. "Honey or lover are good. Sweetheart. Love of my life! Don't laugh, but I'm a little partial to lambkins, even if it's from like the fifteenth century. "

He'd seen the slow interest growing in her eyes disappear like candy floss in water, and reined it in.

"You can call me BJ. Or Beej," he quickly amended. "So what made someone sweet as you call up someone like me?

Much needed oxygen filled her lungs as he took a half-step back, his arms still pressed around her. That was fine, as long as she could breathe. As it was, her hands were still on his chest, despite the sought-after distance. It was just . . . nice. Despite the lack of warmth or discernible heartbeat, it was nice to touch and be touched. When was the last time she had actually experienced deliberate touch?

Molly couldn't help it; at the offered pet names, she let out a short laugh.

"Sorry, wow, but lambkins?" She hadn't meant to laugh; it had slipped out before she could catch it, and for the first time since his arrival, she was able to slip into a small smile. "Beej is good. Or, y'know, I used to call people 'honey' all the time anyway. That's fine with me.

"Well," she started, nodding to what remained of her altar; she had accidentally kicked it as she had scrambled backward, knocking the candles and half the herbs to the floor, "I was attempting to summon a spirit that would be good for my home, a . . . calming presence. I don't think I did it right."

She sighed. "Still learning the big stuff. But you're here anyway, and honestly? It's just . . . it's nice to hear someone else's voice."

It may have been a trick of the light, but what could have been hope glinted in her eyes as she looked up at him. "So, I mean, even though you're not what I meant to summon, you're welcome to stay, if you'd like."

Beetlejuice smiled as she laughed, even at his expense. It had been a while since he'd spent time with a warm living person, and the fact that she hadn't actively pushed him away was nice. Nice enough that she was going to feel the effect she was having on the ol' Sandworm in his pants, if he couldn't will it away.

"You have a pretty voice," he told her, before shaking his head. "A calming spirit? Like a brownie, uh, house spirit or some kind of fey? What the hell for? Those things aren't calming, they're like goddamn raccoons on speed, getting into all your stuff. And if you invite them in, then piss them off?! They'll make your life a living hell, baby."

He stared off into the middle distance for a second, then gave himself a shake.

"So. Yeah. You're lucky you got me instead! You did a good job wrapping your tongue around those syllables . . . I bet it'd be good wrapped around other things too."

He cocked an eyebrow at her.

Despite the alarming oddness of her current situation, the compliment caused a petal-pink blush to spread across her cheeks, eyes dropping as he admonished her against inviting spirits into her home. At least, the troublesome sort, of which she was not fully convinced he was not.

The pink quickly flushed to red at his very thinly veiled innuendo, choking on air at the insinuation and the suggestive arch of his brow.

"U-Uh . . . " She had nothing. Not a single response. Her brain short circuited at the thought. "Well, th-that . . . is not outside the realm of possibility, but . . . Jesus, I haven't even talked to another person face to face in almost two years. Let me get to know you a little better before I wrap my tongue around anything, huh?"

Her hands gave his chest a gentle pat, then dropped, indicating that she wanted to move from her spot against the wall. "Do you wanna go sit down? Personally I could use a drink. Do you drink? Can you drink?"

His eyes flicked from her lips to the color on her cheeks and back to her lips again, amused at her cute flustered stuttering.  The rest of it though; he pursed his own lips for a moment and cocked his head.

"You haven't spoken to anyone in almost two years? Did you take some vow of silence? Did talking to me break that vow, and--" he dropped his voice in a conspiratorial whisper, "--now you're going to hell? Let me tell you, it's totally worth it, minus the smell. All the demon dick or snatch you might want. Everybody swings both ways, sexually."

In case she wasn't one hundred percent sure what he meant, he released her and made two hand gestures, one to each side to give a visual demonstration. He glanced back up at her with a smirk before it came to him he may have overstepped a little, and he reeled it back in.

"But you know what? You've probably got your reasons," he said, waving the whole thing off.  "What've you got to drink? Absinthe? Gin? Corked wine? I'm not too picky."

With that, he finally backed away, spinning on his heel to investigate the room she'd called him too. He knelt and picked up a candle that had fallen to the ground, the green one, and twirled it between his fingers. He pinched some of the scattered plant material he found too, and sniffed it; to his disappointment it was not weed. Standing again, he righted all the candles and set the green one in its place.

"How'd you find my name, anyway?" he asked casually, lighting the green candle from the tip of his finger, and then extinguishing the flame  again. "Usually people pronounce it differently and, uh, get this shorter version. Of me."

He lit the candle again, then smashed the flame between his thumb and fingers peevishly, imagining it was the other guy's face. Suddenly, though, he whipped around to her.

"Where are my manners? What's your name, baby?" he asked, as if he'd been horribly rude.

The gesture made her flush deepen a shade, a strange knot forming low in her belly, and she shook her head.

"No . . . no, no vow of silence. It's . . . well, it's a long story, and I'd prefer to have liquor in me if I'm gonna unpack all of that." She took a deep breath, willing the burning in her cheeks to fade before starting for the kitchen. "I have strawberry whiskey. Pink as French whore but it kicks like a rifle. Or I have regular whiskey, but that's not as fun."

She quickly poured drinks, the familiar sound of ice crackling as she poured whiskey over it into two glasses helping her calm back down. Okay. She had a ghost in her living room. A very solid, very bold, and admittedly very handsome ghost. This was fine. This was good. This was basically what she wanted, and the fact that she could touch her guest? A perk.

She came back out with glasses in hand to find him at the altar, settling the candles back in place, lighting one only to snuff it out again. Apparently he can produce fire from his fingertips. Neat.

"Well . . . I had to do some digging, but . . ." She sighed and handed him his drink. "This is embarrassing. I searched for a spell that would attract a good spirit . . . to a lonely soul." She grimaced and jerked her thumb toward herself. "Three guesses who that is.

"And my name is Molly. Nice to official meet you, honey." With a smirk, even daring a wink at the suggested nickname, she sank onto the couch and indicated that he should do the same.

Beetlejuice accepted the glass and sniffed the pink liquid in it suspiciously.

"It's a nice color," he told her. "Matches that pretty blush of yours.”

It smelled like alcohol, with a faint top note of sweet, so he shrugged and threw it back.  The familiar burn of booze gave him faux warmth on its way down. Then the ice hit his teeth and it dawned on him people put ice in drinks that were to be sipped. Breathers and their weird social rules.

"Molly. Nice to meet you too, baby," he said, holding up his now empty glass in a toast. He sank onto the couch, like this was a proper social visit. "Lonely? A hot babe like you? I have a hard time believing that. But--"

He paused and dropped his gaze to the glass in his hand.

"--it's something I'm familiar with. That spell might've worked just fine, baby. Connected two lonely people. Brought 'em together."

That was a little more personal than he tended to get. He'd toss it off as an effect of the booze, if she asked, but one glass of whiskey wasn't enough to affect him. It was just her and the fact she called him.

He lifted his eyes to hers again, although he didn't pick up his head, gazing at her from slightly under his brows, slightly from the side.

"So, Molly, what were you hoping would come out of inviting a spirit into your place?"

Hot babe? She scoffed derisively, sipping her drink as he settled into the couch beside her. "Dunno what's hot about a social recluse with emotional baggage, but whatever you say, hon."

Her brow raised as he admitted that her spell might have worked better than she thought, that he was just as starved for company as she was. Did ghosts get lonely? Where were all the other dead people? Molly couldn't help a small smile, her heart feeling tugged toward him. When he cast his gaze at her, looking aside as if afraid to face her directly, she scooted closer, cross-legged on the couch facing him.

"Mostly I was hoping to feel less alone. I cut off contact with people for my own reasons, but that doesn’t keep me from getting lonely. I figured if not the living, try the dead." Gently, her touch feather light, she reached out and put a hand on his arm. "Honestly? I wasn't expecting to have a guest I could touch. So I'm glad I got you."

It was foreign to him why someone would purposefully choose to not be with people. That was a driving force in his existence; a need that was only marginally met, and usually only a fraction of the time he wanted it.

He lifted his head more properly and looked her over more fully. No matter how she scoffed her own personal opinion of herself, she was pretty.

Her shifting closer on the cushions and even going so far as to put one of her hands on him sent a thin electric jolt through him. He could even imagine the warmth of her palm seeping through his jacket sleeve.

"A guest you could touch, huh? Some beings can become corporeal, baby, but not all of them are willing to let humans touch them. You're lucky you didn't call something celestial," he said with a grin. "Luckily, I'm not one of them."

Her grin seemed to mirror his, though hers was decidedly less sharp.

"Honey, I'm still small time, I don’t think I have the juice to call something celestial."

Her hand rubbed his arm, noting the interesting texture of his suit, ragged and coarse. Already, the house felt less cavernous, less empty, less haunted with him here, and how was that for irony? It may take some adjusting, but she was looking forward to him staying here.

If he even intended to stay.

Her hand faltered a bit at the thought. No one stayed. That was the point. As if wrapped in iron bands, her chest suddenly felt tight, and she looked down as if noticing his empty glass for the first time.

"Let me top you off," she said quietly, taking the glass, the ice inside barely melted, since there was no body heat to warm the glass. "You wanna try regular whiskey this time or are we sticking with the pink stuff?"

The petting was nice. Even if it was to just feel the texture of his suit, he could imagine it was for him.

"Don't think you couldn't catch the attention of something celestial, baby," he told her sincerely, before dropping his voice as if maybe one of them was listening in. "Like demons, they're whores. Always looking for attention. But with their aversion to being touched by a human, they're more Dommy than anything else."

He threw her a wink, but his smile faded at her sudden change in demeanor. She'd become smaller, somehow, as she took his glass. Still, he couldn't help but try again.

"You can definitely top me, Molly," he replied as he gave up the glass, deliberately leaving any reference to drink out.

His bold joke made her somber expression break into laughter suddenly, a quick chuff as she hid pinked cheeks behind her hand. Molly pretended to scold him, though her eyes smiled, a grin twitching on her mouth.

 "Behave."

In the kitchen, she poured him a measure of the regular whiskey, which unfortunately was cheap. The plastic jug it came in sloshd half-empty as she filled his glass. His various suggestive comments and innuendos hadn’t gone unnoticed, or, frankly, unappreciated. The thought, ghost or not, made heat shiver down her spine, a feeling she was very unfamiliar with. But still, Molly remained doubtful that he could actually mean it. Sure, it was all fun and games until he figured out her story, understood the weight of the burden he'd be taking on with her.

Why was she even worrying about this? He was dead. What higher standard could he possibly have? Molly rolled her eyes and took a swig straight from the jug, grimacing at the bitterness. She'd spend all night in the kitchen fretting at this rate.

Refreshed drinks in hand, she settled back on the couch, in the same position as he before, her folded knees brushing his thigh. Her unoccupied hand reached for his, the chill of his flesh less of a shock now, with the warmth of the liquor in her blood.

 tbc

[shijiujun]

[ENG] History3: Trapped Novel - Epilogue Two: “And After, Jack & Zhao Zi”

~2,500 words 

*Warnings for this chapter: SMUT AHEAD. Okay I think I’ve said a lot regarding the ridiculous-ness of this chapter, but honestly, I wouldn’t recommend reading this chapter AT ALL. Zhao Zi and Shao Fei are a little OOC in this one I feel, and there are so many logical loopholes. It starts off well and we get some Jack backstory which is quite nice, but then it all goes downhill from there. There’s the who tops who bottoms discourse, and there’s kind of.. questionable consent? Not exactly dub-con but ZZ is drunk as hell. And the sex scene is NOT written well, but I mean to be fair not every writer can write smut, including me. Translation is even worse I’m so sorry. You’ll know what I mean if you read it but I hope you don’t read this, in case anyone needed the warnings. Comments? 

===

Translation Masterpost can be found here

Disclaimer: Translations are entirely mine and Wei’s - these are not official translations and some phrases have been changed for better English interpretation so you’ll definitely see better/different translations elsewhere. Also keeping in mind when we translated this we aren’t exactly thinking about the style of writing and this translation is as close to the novel as we can make it XD So yes, some parts may be a little awkward to read. And yes some teeny weeny details and words may not turn up in the translation because the Chi to Eng mind acrobatics didn’t work out. If you see asterisks, scroll all the way to the bottom for notes!

Full chapter under the cut

Epilogue Two: “And After, Jack & Zhao Zi”

Jack is lying on the couch, waiting for his lover who hasn’t returned home even though it’s so late after 10pm. However, Jack is also accustomed to waiting up for Zhao Zi.

In the army, the strict regimen of training gave him unimaginable skills. Put nicely, it was to protect the country and its citizens, but put in perspective, he was simply a killing machine trained for a long time under the army. Under his commander’s order he had to kill, the only difference is that when you do it in the name of your country, it’s not considered illegal, but in the end, he was still a machine that simply listened to orders. To live or to die, to be valued or cast aside, this was all dependent on your superiors, and you also had to watch out for what they thought of you.

“How boring,” the man lying on the couch remarked, thinking about his past.

Since he was going to kill anyway, why not let him choose his target? And that was how he left the army and chose the high-risk career path of a mercenary, to be hired by a buyer at high prices, and time after time in each battle, he escaped the grim reaper’s axe.

Jack closes his eyes, breathing in the air in the house.

In the past, the air that he breathed was filled with either smoke and sulphur or the coppery tang of blood leaving a body. Now, around him all he smells is the aroma of food.

Unconsciously, Jack slips into sleep and a dream, but is forced to revisit his past. In his dreams he hears the sound of a bullet being fired from a gun, hears the loud explosions echo, hears the signs of people, one after another, falling and never getting up, hears the sound of blood gushing from a gunshot wound. Just as he thought that he could escape and finally be free.

I really want a place that I can return to, he sighs.

===

Although the sound of the key entering the keyhole and the main door opening is very soft, Jack, an ex-mercenary who is used to being on high alert always, still startles.

Jack’s eyes snap open suddenly, and he looks at his surroundings in a mixture of fear and wariness, until he’s sure that he’s lying on the couch in the living room. Only then does he straighten, his entire back drenched in cold sweat.

“Hehe, you’re not asleep yet?”

The smell of alcohol is strong on Zhao Zi, and holding onto his noisily clinking set of keys, he laughs and looks at his lover, who often waits on the couch for him to come back.

“You had to put in overtime again?”

Zhao Zi’s nose scrunches up as he shakes his head, “No, I went out for drinks with Ah Fei and Jun Wei.”

“Did you have a good time?”

“Hnn, I did.”

Zhao Zi removes his shoes and moves over to sit right next to Jack, then leans his entire body against the man’s shoulder. He adjusts himself until he’s most comfortable. 

“Liang Dian, hehe, Fang Liang Dian is so huge.”

Only at this time, acting all cute would Zhao Zi call him by his birth name. Zhao Zi happily reaches out to caress Jack's abdominal muscles.

“Hey! You really have some fetish for this huh?” Jack does not know whether to laugh or cry as he says this, and even though he doesn’t mind being sexually harassed in various forms by the shorty, it feels a little different tonight for some reason.

Why is Zhao Zi’s hand starting to move towards that somewhere?*

Zhao Zi swallows and looks at the area that is beginning to have some reaction with his touch, “It’s hard, huge… and a little hot.”**

“Shorty, are you intending to call in sick to work tomorrow?”

Since Zhao Zi has lit a flame in his body, then he must be mentally prepared to douse the flames out, all night long.

“I want to eat you up!”

Zhao Zi suddenly throws himself towards Jack and Jack, who is unable to react in time, ends up lying on his back on the soft couch.

“Huh?”

Jack looks at his lover, whose face is filled with determination, and allows Zhao Zi to pull up his loose shirt, lie on his chest and begin to lick and suck at his nipples.

The pants coming from Jack makes the person who took the initiative to attack him very satisfied, and so Zhao Zi continues to slide down Jack’s body, kissing Jack’s abdomen, and then he pulls down Jack’s shorts to reveal an already hard member.

“Hey, you can’t really want to top me, right?”

“Hmph!” Zhao Zi immediately glares at Jack, who is sitting up to get a better look at him.

Zhao Zi seems very unhappy that Jack seems to be doubting him. “I’m a guy too, if you can top me, then of course I can top you. What about it? You’re looking down on me, is that it?”***

It’s all Ah Fei’s fault! Earlier when they were drinking, he suddenly grabbed him and asked if Zhao Zi was still a virgin, and in the end in a fit of anger he retorted, “Who the hell’s a virgin, I’ve already done it with Jack!”

Shao Fei only went ‘oh’, and continued, “You may have grown behind, but in the front it’s as if you’re still single.”****

The drunk person holding and teasing the hard member in his hands suddenly starts crying, scaring Jack to the point of falling on his back again on the couch.

“Shorty, what’s up with you?”

Zhao Zi points at his similarly hard member and very loudly says, “Ah Fei says that even if I’ve done it with you, it’s only in the back that I’m not a virgin, but in the front it’s as if I’m still single and a virgin!”

“Pftt…. Hahahahaha!”

Hearing this, Jack can no longer control himself and starts to laugh, hugging his abdomen. Geez, what do these guys usually talk about? What a mess! Jack sighs, thinking about his ex-boss, who’s faced with such an unpredictable lover.

Tang Yi, you’ve got a tough life ahead of you.

Hold on a second! It seems that Jack himself didn’t get any luckier in his choice of partner, if he had to identify someone who was ever more ridiculous than Officer Meng, wouldn’t it exactly be the Zhao Zi kneeling right in front of him right now, the Zhao Zi who wants to ‘top’ him?

Suddenly struck with reality, Jack looks at his shorty with a frown. An opportunity for a prank flashes through his head then.

“Shorty, you really want to ‘pop your cherry’ for your ‘front’ as well?”*****

“Hmph, of course!” Zhao Zi burps, side eyeing Jack.

Jack raises an eyebrow and reaches for Zhao Zi’s chin, and with a strange smile he says, “Okay, I’ll let you ‘hug’ me!”

“Really? I can really eat you up?”

Zhao Zi swallows with excitement, and all that surfaces in his head is the image of this handsome and tall man being on the receiving end.

“Really, but…” Jack squints at Zhao Zi, and pretends to be very embarrassed as he continues, “Once you’ve eaten me, you have to be responsible to me for life.”

“Of course!”

The young officer proudly puffs out his flat chest, and although he does not have any hard and firm pecs, he’s definitely a man of his word, and he will be responsible towards his food…

Eh, that’s not right…

It’s being responsible to his own ‘man’ for the rest of their lives, he definitely will.

In the room

“Jack… hold on… Jack…. Jack...”

Inside the room, illuminated by only a single light, moans and harsh panting echo.

“What’s wrong?”

Jack knows exactly what’s wrong but still asks, holding onto his lover’s waist, and continuing what he was doing earlier.

Zhao Zi, as he pants, asks suspiciously, “Seems like… hah… hah… seems like something is a little… a little wrong.”

“Which part is wrong? Didn’t you want to top me?”

“Yeah.. earlier, earlier… we agreed… That I would… hah… that I would top you…”

“Shorty, aren’t you on top of me right now?”

“Hnn… nnn… yeah… yeah… ah…”

“Then that’s correct, I’ll continue to let you ‘top’ me then!”

What a cunning smile, as Jack says things that make his face flame.

“Okay… okay…. I, I’ll continue… continue to top you… if it hurts… ha-ah… you have to tell me…”

Zhao Zi imitates the way Jack is always so considerate of his feelings when they’re having sex, and repeats these reminders to Jack. Right now, if someone took out a magical mirror and put it in front of Jack, they would surely be able to see the fox tail behind him swinging from side to side.

“Okay!”

Jack, whose scheming plan succeeded, continues to embrace the shorty he loves so much, eating the drunk police officer so clean he doesn’t even leave any bones behind.

“Ah-”

Jack inserts his hard member upwards into Zhao Zi’s opening, and because of the way that Zhao Zi is sitting across Jack’s laps, the depth at which he penetrates Zhao Zi is even greater than usual. Every thrust accurately hits Zhao Zi’s prostate, and with each thrust, Zhao Zi finds it increasingly difficult to stop himself from making any sounds. Passionate moans sound in the room that belongs solely to them both.

“Ah- Jack… It feels so good… so good… Jack…”

“Me too,” Jack says through gritted teeth, enjoying the sensation of his cock being squeezed in a vice with satisfaction, “It feels very good for me too.”

“Then I’ll… Then I’ll continue… to top you…”******

Zhao Zi repeats the movement that Jack taught him previously. Every time he moves up he squeezes his muscles and tightens up, while relaxing every time he sits back down on Jack’s member.

“Oh god- Shorty you… you… ah...ah…”

Even though it was him who taught Zhao Zi all these tricks in bed, Jack forgot just how much Zhao Zi affects him. Usually, Jack already gets so excited when Zhao Zi responds to him without doing anything special, not to mention a Zhao Zi actually putting everything he knows to good use right now - Zhao Zi is completely messing up his rhythm.

“Ah-hah, Jack… Does this… feel… good?”

“Damn it!” the man who’s quickly losing control curses.

This is no longer an issue of whether it feels good, but a matter of him reaping what he sowed as he’s getting just what he asked for.

Oh god! It’s so tight there!

Cumming prematurely is the greatest blow to a man’s pride, well, that’s alright, it looks like his pride is quickly, almost…

“Ah- hah-”

Jack thrusts upwards into Zhao Zi with all the strength he has, then releases into his lover’s body.

Zhao Zi looks at the man lying and panting on the bed, and a satisfied smile tugs at his lips.

“Hehe, you actually came earlier than me,”

Wow, so the one who’s in charge of ‘topping’ the other does last longer! Every time they had sex before this it was always Zhao Zi who came first, and who expected that he could see Jack’s expression like this, post-orgasm?

Zhao Zi looks at his lover’s face, and makes a weird sound.

“What’re you looking at?” Jack glares at the man who’s sitting on him, pissed off.

“Jack…. What should I do?”

“What is it?”

“I think I…” Zhao Zi says honestly, “I’ve fallen more in love with you.”

Every time he sees an expression on Jack that he’s never seen before, he finds himself falling in love with Jack again. Is this normal? Or is it abnormal?

After receiving a confession so suddenly, Jack smiles and asks, “The next time you drink again, I’ll let you ‘top’ me, okay?”

“Okay!” Zhao Zi nods furiously.

“Just now you ate me, so now, it’s my turn to eat you.”

“Huh? What-”

Zhao Zi is abruptly flung and pressed into the bed with a pull across the back of his waist. His hole, which has turned red and swollen with all the friction, is still filled with Jack’s cock as the man refuses to withdraw.

“Wait a second!”

Didn’t they agree to let him be on top for the whole night? Why is he once again pressed to the bed by Jack?

“Didn’t you say that we have to be fair? I let you ‘top’ me once earlier, and now it’s my turn to ‘top’ you once too, this is what we call fair, right?”

“Nnn…”

In his dizzy state Zhao Zi has the niggling feeling that something isn’t quite right, but he can’t think of how to respond to Jack’s statement either, so all he can do is nod in agreement and acquiesce.

“You’re not wrong, so okay! Since you let me ‘top’ and made me feel so good earlier, I’ll let you ‘top’ me once too, but I’ve got to work tomorrow, so we can only do this once, and no additional rounds.”

“Okay,” Jack grins delighted.

Zhao Zi secretly sticks out his tongue at Jack in his mind. Lucky for him, Zhao Zi smartly voiced out his conditions first, otherwise Jack’s stamina is really equivalent to that of a monster’s and if Zhao Zi let him do as he likes, he won’t get to see the sun tomorrow, instead sleeping until it’s time to eat dinner the next day.

And so with Jack’s member, which has hardened again, they continue onto their second round. Of course, Jack keeps his promise to do Zhao Zi only one more time, and then holds onto an exhausted shorty, slipping into sleep with happiness.

===

The next morning, Zhao Zi wakes up under his alarm’s incessant ringing. He brushes his teeth and washes his face, then rubs at his bleary eyes out of habit as he walks down the stairs. 

“Good morning!” Jack, who’s busy preparing breakfast in the kitchen, turns around to look at the shorty who’s just woken up and greets.

“Good… good morning…”

Zhao Zi smiles happily and sits at the table by the window, waiting for Jack’s breakfast made with love, a few minutes later, his handsome lover brings over freshly made sandwiches and juice, sitting opposite him.

“Does it taste good?”

“It’s delicious, ah!” Zhao Zi exclaims suddenly, recalling what happened last night. 

The tip of his ears turn red, and Zhao Zi grabs onto Jack’s hand. He says, serious, “Don’t worry, I’ll be responsible for you for life.”

“...”

Jack is unable to react immediately, so he just stares at Zhao Zi, dumbfounded. Then he laughs.

“Hey! I’m being serious here, what are you laughing for?”

Jack shakes his head and resists the urge to laugh even more. He deliberately bites at his lower lip and replies, “Then please be responsible for me, for life, okay?”

“Nnn! No problem, I promise!”

Zhao Zi pats at his chest, which has remained flat no matter how he tried to exercise it, and makes a promise to the one he loves.

===

Notes:

*This is exactly how it’s written, word for word translation, I KID U NOT

**I have facepalmed

***Once again WHEN CAN WE STOP WITH THIS DISCOURSE OF TOPPING = AFFIRMATION OF MASCULINITY/IDENTITY 

****Honestly, I cannot imagine Shao Fei saying this 

*****I would like to cry, and not happily

******Wow guys I only realized that Zhao Zi was duped today, like TODAY, six months after I got the novel. I’m a bit mind blown. To be fair I didn’t dare read through the whole thing in my first few reads, but omg, Zhao Zi you are so easily duped. This is such a questionable scene?! But also towards the end my brain just kind of switched off and I’m translating so mechanically like I’m praying my brain doesn’t process any of the words. I’m sorry, I REALLY TRIED. Once again, I hope you didn’t read this, and if you made it all the way down here... if you liked it, cools, if you didn’t, you can cry with me in the comments. 

[ellayuki]

12.12.’17

our new start, come hell or high water

tsubasa reservoir chronicle, fai pov

in nihon, after tomoyo leaves them, fai and kurogane take a moment to take each other in, talk about fai’s new kimono and get comfortable in the knowledge that whatever comes their way, they’ll face it together. 

~

after princess tomoyo leaves them to talk, fai sits down on the edge of kurogane’s bedding, and takes a good look at him. he has not seen the man since they arrived in nihon and the healers took him.

at first, it was because he needed time to himself, to process all that had happened in the past couple of days, from the first curse activating, through returning to celes and facing his king, through remembering and understanding what truly happened in his childhood and his past being revealed to his companions, and up until kurogane sacrificed his own arm for him.

after that, after he’d managed to pull himself at least somewhat together, he just… couldn’t.

for all the battles, all the danger they’ve been through in their long journey, kurogane was always standing tall and strong, always the solid pillar of strength for them to lean on, so to see him bloody and pale and unmoving on the ground, looking smaller somehow from the pain… it tore at something inside fai.

because this, kurogane almost dying like this, this was fai’s fault, and fai couldn’t be in that room with him until he knew that kurogane has opened his eyes and would be alright.

so now he looks, takes him in, and wishes he’d had both eyes to see him better.

he’s not so pale anymore, and his brow isn’t twisted in a horribly pained frown, though there is a slight pout on his lips as he rubs his head where fai hit him. fai feels something in his chest crack and flow and spread, and it fills him with a kind of warmth he’s never felt before.

he’s so lost in his thoughts, his eye roaming over every inch of kurogane’s face that he doesn’t notice the hand that comes up to his face until there’s a short, sharp tug on a lock of his hair.

‘will you tell me what’s going on through that head of yours?’ asks kurogane, and fai lets out a long breath.

another time, even a mere few days ago, he’d have smiled and evaded, but now… now he looks into kuogane’s red, red eyes, and simply says, ‘i’m just glad you’re alright, kuro-sama.’ it’s probably the most honest he’s ever been with the man.

for a while, they sit in silence, just basking in each other’s presence. it’s calming, and fai wishes for nothing more than to spend the rest of his life like this.

when the silence is broken, minutes or eons later, kurogane is the one breaking it.

he plays with one of fai’s long sleeves, the blue silk a sharp contrast to his darker skin, and when he speaks, he sounds both amused and exasperated.

‘tomoyo dressed you in this, didn’t she?’

fai tilts his head in puzzlement. ‘…she did…?’ he answers, unsure, curious. ‘our clothes were too torn and bloodied, and too thick for this world, of course she gave us something suitable.’

kurogane snorts, shaking his head, and picks up fai’s other sleeve. ‘well, it suits you, i guess,’ he says finally, though he still sounds like there’s something about the kimono fai is wearing, the sleeves especially, given the way he keeps playing with them, that amuses him greatly.

fai frowns. it’s rare that kurogane knows something fai doesn’t, and it kind of grates, just a tiny bit.

‘come now, kuro-sama, if there is something about the kimono i should know, then you should tell me. i don’t want people laughing at me because i wore it wrong or something.’ he pouts, just a little bit, mostly for effect.

‘you’re not wearing it wrong,’ says kurogane, shaking his head again.

‘then?’

‘tomoyo thinks she’s being clever. long sleeves like these aren’t usually worn by men.’

fai raises his eyebrow at that. he had not expected that. ‘so… i guess it’s princess tomoyo’s way of saying, what? take a hint?’ and yes, he can see why kurogane sounded exasperated, why he sounded amused. he has to admit, it is a bit funny.

‘she’s being a nosy idiot, is what.’

‘is that any way of talking about your liege?’

‘it is when it’s true.’

laughter bubbles up fai’s throat and he doesn’t even try to smother it. he feels… free, for the first time in his long, long life.

‘well,’ he says, leaning his head against kurogane’s good shoulder and taking his hand in both of his. ‘she’s probably wiser than either of us, for all that she’s younger. maybe we should listen to what she’s trying to tell us.’

kurogane doesn’t huff like fai thought he would.

instead he tightens his grip on fai’s hand that he’s holding, and leans his own head against the top of fai’s.

‘maybe,’ he says, soft, and the warmth in fai’s chest flares up into a roaring blaze.

they still have the rest of the journey ahead of them, and there’s still the difficult task of putting an end to fei wang reed, but in this moment, fai thinks that there’s nothing they cannot face if they do it together.

[eyerevived]

@arrowbythebooks  ||  companion piece to ♠

Jack hadn’t felt good leaving Alec behind this time around. Even the Force around him seemed to share the same sentiment as the saboteur quickly made his way to his destination. But leaving Alec behind was necessary because this particular part of the Fei Hu sector of the Mid-Rim was notorious for having the bad sort of people who didn’t like most senators and wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to bag one. He had simply wanted to spare Alec the trouble, keep him safe back on Coruscant.

So why couldn’t he shake away this bad feeling?

After finishing what he came to do, the information he’d come to get (steal) was safe in one of his many pockets, the feeling was worse on the walk back to his ship. Just what was going on? The Force around him was buzzing and with all the bad feelings he’d been having, it was enough to put Jack on edge. It was frustrating that he couldn’t tell _what_ the Force was trying to tell him--

          “--took a Lightwood.” Jack’s head snapped in the direction that he’d heard that name, brown eyes immediately honing in on the pair standing just outside of what looked like a pub. It was the Rodian who’d spoken while the Duros. “Ittu, I lost my chance to bag big money with him.”

Taking brisk steps towards the two mercenaries, Jack tried to seem as harmless as possible. But judging from the way the two tensed and their hands inched towards their blaster, it might not have worked.

          “Now, now, I’m not lookin’ for trouble,” The brunet told them somewhat calmly, waving his hands in front of them as he carefully used the Force on them. “I just wanna know about this Lightwood you mentioned. Why would one of the Lightwood Senators be here of all places?”

The Rodian was the one that spoke up while the Duros simply eyed Jack with his large eyes. The warrior simply wanted the information and to get away from the purple Rodian’s shit smell.

          “It wasn’t a Senator,” The word was said venomously as the Rodian managed to sneer. “It was one of their brats. The tall one. What was his name again?” The mercenary looked to his 'buddy’.

          “Alexander.” Came the answer and as soon as it was said both mercenaries found themselves pinned high to the wall with the Force.

They shouted in surprised before they began to struggle, Jack held both of his hands aloft but he began to slowly clench his right into a fist, making the Rodian gasp for breath.

          “Jedi kung!” The Rodian gasped out, hands clawing at his neck in the natural instinct to remove whatever was trying to choke him. Not that it would help him again Jack, who was unimpressed with the insult and squeezed a little harder before loosening it.

          “Not a Jedi,” Jack corrected coldly, a matching smile stretching his lips. “Now, you’re going to tell me who took the Lightwood and where, sleemo, and I wouldn’t try lying if I were you.”

                                                                     ~ ♠ ~

Fucking space pirates took Alec. The thought kept running through his mind hours after he’d left Beris behind, setting the ship to cruise while he tried to think of just where the pirates could’ve gone with Alec. Nothing was coming to mind. He ran a hand through his short hair, feeling fear for his friend and guilt for the predicament the other was now in. Maybe if he hadn’t argued with Alec about this before he left then the other wouldn’t have felt the need to follow him.

He was going to kick Alec’s ass when he got him back, he swore it.

Looking at the map of Mid Rim for the 100th times, the hope of finding Alec was becoming smaller and smaller. It hadn’t even been a full 24 hours yet. Already he’d put himself in the mind set of a space pirate to get an idea of just what they’d want with the son of two well known senators. It had been an awful few minutes when Jack had done that.

Logically, the pirates would want to ransom Alec to get money out of the parents, but thinking about Alec’s relationship with said parents made that scenario shaky. The next would be, if they didn’t get the money then... then they’d keep him and do awful things to Alec that would range from torture to some fucked up form of slavery on their ship. The last one was selling him to the highest bidder. The Hutts.

CRACK!

Jack blinked, jerking back away from the table to see the large cracks he’d left in the glass table, his fist pressing down hard on it still. By the Force, he needed to find him. He needed Alec to be safe, here back on the ship with him and not held hostage somewhere. Fuck, fuck, FUCK--

The cracks spread over the table some more, this time it was due to the pressure of the Force from Jack’s anger and fear. Then the wild emotions seemed to freeze as brown eyes looked down at his clenched hand. Well, no, not his hand but at his wrist. His wrist were the obnoxiously bright with color threads and lettered beads that spelled out ‘ACROSS THE GALAXY' on it. Alec wore the other one with ‘EPIC FRIENDSHIP’ on it.

How the hell could he have forgotten about the fucking tracker he’d put in both their bracelets?

                                                                    ~ ♠ ~

It’d been almost 48 hours since Alec was taken but at least now Jack knew where to look. The gold blinking dot on his map was still moving so it meant that he still had the bracelet on and, unfortunately, he was still on the space pirates’ ship. The pirates were on the edge of the Aida sector, getting a little too close to Hutt Space for Jack’s liking. But he just needed to refuel on the next planet with a station and then he could chase them down at full speed.

The console chirped with an incoming video transmission a frown setting on his lips as he looked at it. It couldn’t be The Eye contacting him. He’d told Dylan what had happened so there wouldn’t be a new assignment of any kind until he got Alec back. Maybe they have information on the pirates? Jack hummed thoughtfully before pressing to accept the transmission.

One Isabelle Lightwood appeared on the console’s screen and the brunet’s brows rose in surprise.

          “Uh, Izzy, listen, now’s not a good time to talk--”

          “My parents were in contact with the people who took Alec,” Izzy swiftly cut him off, her lips turned down and brows furrowed with anger. “The bastards wanted money in return for giving Alec back to us and--” He could see the way her face seemed to go white, but from anger. “They told those bastards that Alec wasn’t their son, that they weren’t going to send them the money. That Alec was basically theirs to do what they want! They actually said that to them! Alec was right there too and they didn’t CARE!”

Isabelle breathed heavily after shouting, bringing a shaky hand up to run through her long dark hair. Jack was just silent. He was silent but inside he was seething. Those pieces of shit just threw away their own flesh and blood with zero regards to his safety while he’s held prisoner by pirates who would do anything to hurt him just for their entertainment.

The metal around the cockpit creaked ominously but Isabelle didn’t seem to hear it as she finished collecting herself.

          “You have to find him, Jack,” She said fiercely, her brown eyes burned with anger.

          “I will, Izzy. I promise. I’m on their trail right now and I’ll contact you when I have him back, okay?” The man told her, if his tone sounded cold she didn’t say anything about it, Isabelle just seemed happy to be told that he’d be getting her big brother back.

She moved forward on the screen, he could tell that she was about to cut off the transmission but she stopped to give him one last look. A vindictive one.

          “Make them pay for this.” And the screen went black.

Oh, did Jack already plan on doing just that.

                                                                   ~ ♠ ~

It’d taken another day and a handful of hours but he’d caught up to the bastards. In Jack’s opinion that was still too much time that Alec was left in the hands of the pirate scum. For the past four days Alec’s been in their clutches and Jack’s been trying to reach him, feeling himself get colder and colder from the anger and hatred he felt towards the ones hurting his friend.

The pirate’s vessel was currently orbiting a planet, most likely waiting for some, it didn’t matter, Jack had already snuck inside it, crouched down behind some crates in the cargo hold and as soon as he finished downloading the schematics to this ship, he’d go find Alec. A soft bleep sounded as the map finished downloading on his device before he tuned it with his tracking program. He saw exactly where Alec was being held on the ship a moment later.

Perfect.

He stood up and used the Force to throw several of the crates at some of the crewmen there. There shouts of pain and surprise before the ones who weren’t hit got their wits about them and began to fire at him. In less than a second Jack had his lightsaber in hand and ignited, blocking and deflecting the shots back with Form V.

          “A karking Jedi?!” One of the pirates shouted in outrage as another deflected blast hit the pirate next to him.

Jack didn’t speak, didn’t bother to correct the other as his near translucent blade moved and deflected more shots. A couple more pirates were taken down before he got the one who’d shouted. The ‘saber swiftly sliced through the pirates blaster before Jack sunk his blade into the scum’s chest and he listened to the pirate gasp one last time before he pulled the blade out.

The body hadn’t even hit the ground yet and Jack had turned away from it, running towards the three pirates that he’d hit with the crates before he ended them with a few sweeps of his lightsaber.

Retracting the blade, Jack turned and ran through the open door as he pulled out his small tracking device, gazing down at the screen briefly, he nodded to himself as he set a path before pocketing it in his jacket.

The sound of blaster shots had definitely attracted the rest of the crew’s attention, the next one who came at him around the upcoming corner didn’t even have time to aim before they were cleaved in half. He took cover as the shots came at him, carefully peering around it to see how many there were before he pulled back.

          “There’s a fucking Jedi on board! Inform the captain!” The brunet heard the panicked yell.

He waited for there to be a pause in the shots fired, taking a deep breath as he readied himself. When the moment came he ducked low with his blade out before quickly going around the corner. The darkness in the Force hummed with glee at the screams of each pirate that fell victim to Jack’s blade.

He cut down more and more pirates that came at him and the ones that tried to run... Well, they ended up not getting very far. Reaching the corridor where Alec was located in, Jack’s pace quickened as he looked down at the small screen before stopping outside of the one where it showed Alec was held.

Breathing a soft sigh, he sliced the keypad on the side and the door slid open. He saw Alec, he was still breathing but he was also being held up by his hair with a blaster jammed under his jaw by one who looked to be the captain.

          “One more step, Jedi, and your friend here gets it.” The captain threatened, sneering at Jack with his yellowed teeth showing.

The threat to Alec’s person was enough to have his feet feel like they weighed a ton. Brown-gold eyes looked over his partner’s body and he felt his anger rise more than he thought possible. The other’s chest was devoid of a shirt, most likely ruined by these pirates, and it showed the bruises, cuts and dried blood that marred his torso. Even Alec’s pants were tattered in places, most likely hiding other injuries under the fabric, looking back to Alec’s face he could see that one eye was swollen and there was a bruise on his other cheek.

          “Yanno, I didn’t think he was tellin’ the truth when he said he had a partner. But here you are and a Jedi at that,” The pirate said, his voice practically oozed slime as he looked at Jack with beady dark eyes. “You’ll fetch quite a price along with the brat.”

Jack’s eyes narrowed as his lips pressed down into a thin line.

          “Ah-ah! Don’t be gettin’ any ideas,” The captain warned, tightening his grip on Alec’s hair and jamming the point of the blaster harder against his jaw. The unconscious man made a sound of pained discomfort in the scum’s hold. “Now, drop your lightsaber. Now.”

Instead of dropping the lightsaber, Jack reached out with the Force and yanked on the enemy’s blaster, a shot was fired up on the ceiling before the pirate was forced to let it go. It was enough. While the blaster skittered across the floor, Jack reached out with the Force again with his free hand outstretched, finger curled slightly.

The captain’s eyes bulged as he grabbed at his own throat but didn’t feel anything to pull at to stop from choking him. He struggled and gasped helplessly, shooting a panicked look in Jack’s direction as the young man approached him with slow strides.

          “Now, don’t get any ideas, scum,” Jack said, throwing the other’s words back at his face casually as the captain kept choking for air. Swinging his ‘saber, the captain screamed in agony as his legs were cut off from the knee down, the severed limbs falling uselessly at Jack’s feet.

          “How’s it feel? To be utterly helpless?” The brunet asked with a cock of his head to the side, arching a brow. “To have no one come save you?”

The pirate didn’t respond, simply breathed erratically. His lips were turning blue. Jack pushed him back, the pirate hit the wall of the small room, gasping a lungful of air as the choke hold was released but he couldn’t move the rest of his body much. A downward arch had another scream sounding from the captain as his right arm fell, the pirate’s expression twisted in agony and fear, drool dribbling down his chin as he looked to Jack.

          “Doesn’t feel good, does it?” Another scream, the left arm fell. A cry for Jack to stop as the stumps of the captain’s legs became shorter when he cut more of them off. “You deserve this.”

Raising his lightsaber above his head, held with both hands, he swung down with all his might and a shout of anger. The cut up remains of the captain fell to the floor and the room stunk of burned flesh and hair as he glared down at the scum’s cleaved face before he turned to Alec.

Alec.

Blade retracted and placed back into his jacket, Jack hurried over to his hurt and unconscious partner, crouching beside him. He took stock of all the injuries, feeling his anger boil under his skin with each hurt he saw. The crude brand seared into Alec’s soft skin nearly had him going back to the captain’s remains to further damage them but he didn’t.

His focus now was to get Alec back on his ship. Back home.

                                                                   ~ ♠ ~

After dropping Alec off in medical room with the med-droid looking after him, Jack had gone back on the ship. Just to see if there were any other prisoners. Thankfully there wasn’t anyone else unlucky enough to end up with that bunch. The remaining pirates, on the other, were gone along with the ship once Jack sent it on a course to crash into the nearest sun.

Now. Now Jack was just doing one more thing before he went to check on Alec.

          “I got him back. He’s alive,” Jack said the moment Isabelle’s face appeared on the console’s screen in his room. Seeing the relief wash over her face was good, the woman pressed a hand to her chest as she took a deep breath and her eyes looked a little watery.

          “Thank you, Jack,” Isabelle told him, her voice filled with gratitude as she smiled at him.

The call only lasted a few more minutes, Isabelle ended up asking about the state of her brother to which Jack would only say ‘battered’ and nothing more. He didn’t want to worry her further. At her query about the status on the pirates, she only received a dark look followed by a ‘no longer an issue’ from him. Once the call ended with the promise of her dropping by when they were back on Coruscant, the brunet got up and headed down to see Alec.

He found himself standing just outside the door a few minutes later, but he didn’t go in. Looking down at his gloved hands, Jack closed his eyes against the echoes of the pirates’ scream as he killed them mercilessly one after another. It would definitely haunt him but it was worth it. He’d gotten Alec back alive.

It was worth it.

Tapping the side pad on the door, it slid open and he stepped inside. A bright smile breaking out across his face when he spotted that Alec was awake and he went to sit next to the bed.

          “Hey there, princess! How’re you feeling?” The slightly disgruntled look he got from those hazel eyes made him laugh. It was definitely worth it.

[zerogravityrelease-blog]

Our current active headspace is 15 members! I [Bear] am incorporeal so I get to see what’s going on all over the place whenever I want with the exception of being invasive of someone’s privacy, you know.

Lilith, Luka, and Ember live in the bungalow near the shore of Skyy/Finn’s beach, where it is always summer. Visual above can give you an idea of what it looks like. The sky is clear blue with a few white puffy clouds rolling by, the air is hot but the breeze is lovely. You can hear gulls crying now and then and hear the soft crash of the water against the rocky part of the shore.

Ember is doing running leaps into the water for cannonballs off one of the small docks and playing, splashing, and swimming with Finn who is in nyms typical lemon shark merfolk form, they are both laughing, although Finn is nonverbal at all times. Luka is on the end of another one of the docks sunbathing in a white lounge chair with nyr face partially covered by a bright rainbow umbrella. Ne is wearing really cute brown sunglasses with little jewels on the temples and nyr two-piece swimsuit is cherry red and suits nyr perfectly. Lilith is sitting on the dock itself next to nyr with aer feet in the water eating an ice pop. Ae is wearing a white sun hat and has an open washed-out blue denim button up over a navy blue bikini top and jean shorts over the swimsuit bottoms. Aer white sandals are sitting underneath Luka’s chair. I can’t hear what they’re saying but Luka must have said something funny because Lilith is doubled over in laughter. Things are peaceful and everyone seems happy. Carol, Hannah, and Rook live in a really funky building thats too tall to be a reasonable single floored house but its not really separate apartments either. Its basically an apartment on the bottom with a double-loft on top, but its one collective place. It’s a bit hard to explain but here’s some visuals to help: exterior:

general interior aesthetics, colorful as fuck basically, both for the house in general and each of their bedrooms:

Rook has the lower half of the building and Hannah has the top left loft and Carol has the top right. I’d have to draw it for it to make any sense visually but essentially the upper floor is two halves of a circle pushed back from each other a bit with a hallway in between and a set of stairs that leads downstairs in the middle of the hallway like this: |)=‘’=(| the difference is that aside from the hallway and subsequent doors that lead out to it, the circle halves dont have walls, the open space is just covered by colorful curtains on both Hannah and Carol’s sides, so, essentially, they could open their doors and say hello to each other in the hallway, or they could just lean to one side and open their curtains and wave to each other with no barrier in between. There is also no floor between their rooms aside from the hallway so the only way to get to each others rooms is to either take the hallway or do a running leap LOL Hannah and Carol are both in Hannah’s loft right now laying on their stomachs kicking their feet gently doing crafts together. Carol has So Many Stickers in front of her and Hannah has a box of those funky-shape scissors that cut neat patterns with them next to her. Their heads are close and they’re pointing to a huge scrapbook in front of them, I can’t hear what they’re saying but they keep giggling so I think they’re having a good time. Some cute music is coming from Hannah’s phone, it sounds something like Anamanaguchi. Cherry comes to visit them sometimes and do fun stuff because sie and Carol are like sisters. Rook is in the lower level doing what looks like pilates in the middle of the kitchen while the stove and countertops are full of things both cooking and about to be cooked. It looks like pri’s making dinner and dessert at the same time, it smells amazing. Dinner smells sweet and spicy & all I know about dessert is that there is an alarming amount of fruit on the counter and a hunk of dough the size of an adult skull on a baking tray. Rook is also playing music from his phone, but he has headphones in, it’s also absurdly loud given that I can hear it from here. It sounds like really upbeat guitar-heavy rock, but I don’t recognize it. If you were looking to see a man do air guitar meanwhile one leg on the ground and the other pointing clean up to the ceiling, you came to the right place. He’s smiling and its obvious he’s having a good time. Teagan, KG, Nik, and Libra live in this sweet, huge, ritzy-ass house thats like black & white contemporary minimalist and would be expensive as all motherfuck in real life so god bless headspace lmfao. KG and Teagan have the ground floor and Nik and Libra have the lofts, which are completely separated as the second floor of houses usually are, unlike Carol & co.’s house. Living room aesthetic (like if you have that huge palette instead of the coffee table by the L couch in the first img, thats definitely there):

Kitchen aesthetic:

Okay let’s start anywhere, first up is KG, feyr room aesthetic is like this:

It’s always that clean too because that’s how fey is. Teagan’s room is like this:

It’s messy in the sense that it always definitely looks like it’s lived in but it’s just messy, not dirty. There is So Much Stuff on the walls and the tea lights are definitely a thing. Right now Teagan and KG are on the huge palette in the living room laying on their backs facing opposite directions, KG is reading a book and Teagan is reading a magazine. I can’t read the title of either but I know KG is legitimately interested in the book and Teagan is reading the magazine to live-comment kyr anger at magazine culture and beauty standards. Teagan goes off now and then and KG just laughs quietly like “why do you read that stuff if you know it’s going to make you angry” “we have to be critical of the media!” KG scooches up to bonk feyr head against Teagan’s like “whatever you say, dear”

Next up is Nik in the left loft, xyr room aesthetic is like this, minus the regular windows of image one and plus the giant windows in img 2:

It’s small and full of soft things and looks very warm all the time. Xe also has a lot of things on the walls. Xe sits on the alcove by the window and looks at the sky a lot at night. Xe is currently sitting there listening to music with large headphones & writing in a notebook. Possibly writing song lyrics? Xe seems to be okay aside from engaging in a bit of self-isolation for time to clear xyr head. Finally is Libra’s room on the right loft, the aesthetic:

All of the decor in Libra’s room is white with the exception of a few things here and there, that entire right wall is glass just like in the image, even though its on the second floor. Cae is currently taking a nap with caer 97 pillows. It seems like its starting to rain. Altair and RG live in a really large, airy house that’s more or less like a cottage. They have small bedrooms but most of the time they’re in the shared spaces with the windows open letting in light and fresh air. They both like to cook and there’s always fresh flowers around the house. There’s a small garden outside as well as a moderately sized lake. It’s very woodsy and smells like cedar and apples. Spring is definitely here. Aesthetic:

Right now RG is in the kitchen chopping vegetables and Altair is working in the garden. They’re both nonverbal a lot so they communicate a lot in nods and small smiles. They enjoy the general quiet, minus the array of birds chirping as its the beginning of spring, and each other’s generally silent company. Last but not least, Viria and Lamia live in Viria’s skinny, spooky house with two floors, Lamia having the top floor and Viria taking the bottom. It’s very old world in concept but is functionally modern, it’s just creepy as hell at night, which is how they like it. Most of the decor is gold, maroon, white, and brown. Entryway and kitchen aesthetic:

The livingroom double functions somewhat as a library to Lamia’s extreme delight, like this:

Viria’s room is absurdly gorgeous and looks something like this:

Presently they are both having coffee in the living-library, both quietly reading with soft music playing over what seems to be a kind of surround-sound setup. Everyone seems to be doing okay and leading happy, uneventful lives. It’s been really nice and fun to check in with everyone and really focus on what everything looks like. That was lovely, we’ll have to do it again soon. Thanks for reading!

[austinwritesthings-blog]

Chapter 4 Excerpt

When Lea came to, she made sure not to open her eyes right away. This wasn't the first time that Lea had woken up in chains, both for work and for pleasure, and the first rule was to always keep your eyes closed. She knew there was a treasure trove of information that one could discover when your captors didn't know you were awake yet. Fighting through the throbbing of her head, Lea started to run through her mental checklist of senses.

First was touch, the most obvious sensation was the cold iron around her wrists. Her arms were cuffed behind her around what felt to be a wooden post of some sort. There was a set of ropes around her legs as well that stopped her from moving them around and a rope around her chest kept her upright. The ropes were tight, even the slightest movements caused an uncomfortable friction. She also felt a light breeze brush past her face as well as a gentle rocking that was making her a bit sick to her stomach.

Next she began to listen. She could hear people which meant that she wasn't hidden away somewhere but those sounds were secondary to the sound of the waves. Lea could hear the water crashing all around her. There were the sounds of sea birds as well. A common enough sound for Lea, they often rested in Black Moon Bay as a respite from their travels, but she had never recalled hearing them quite so clearly.

All she could taste was the coppery blood in her mouth and a sharpness that was not quite foreign, but one not easily placed. It reminded her of the salted pork that she used to steal from sailors when she was younger. 

Lea wasn’t ready to open her eyes just yet so all that was left was smell, and there were two things that stuck out to her. The scent that she could pick out was familiar but stronger than it had ever been before. It was something that she was used to when she sat by the harbor, a sort of brininess. That alone was not what was interesting, what caught Lea’s attention was the distinct lack of smell that she was accustomed to. Black Moon Bay had a consistent aroma of piss, shit, and booze, and it was so prevailing that there was nowhere you could go to escape it.

But now she couldn't smell any of the things that she most commonly associated with her home, she didn't even have to scrunch up her nose if a breeze rolled past her. The air smelled almost clean in comparison. This is what fresh air smelled like apparently. Lea knew that she was on a boat, Mikael’s boat most likely, which meant that she had done it, she had finally escaped. The mere thought of it made Lea almost shed a tear.

Almost.

As happy as she was to be out of the city, her current conditions were not much better. She was surprised that she wasn't in another cell like her last visit to the boat but she supposed that Mikael wanted to keep a closer eye on her this time.

“You can open your eyes now. I know you’re awake.”

She had not realized that Mikael was standing right in front of her and the shock made her jump, which caused Mikael and a few people nearby to laugh. Lea opened her eyes and looked at Mikael with a carefully crafted look of boredom. But before she could provide a witty comeback, Mikael carried on.

“Still feeling a bit sleepy are you? Let me help you wake up.” Mikael then stepped to the side, revealing one of his thugs standing behind him with a bucket. Lea was already opening her mouth when the water was thrown in her face, causing her to swallow a fair amount of what she learned was salt water. After a short coughing fit which prompted more laughs from those around her, Lea glared at Mikael.

“Getting real tired of water getting thrown in my face Mikael.”

“Then maybe you should try keeping your mouth shut for once? Although, from what I’ve hear, I guess you were never very good at that were you?” Mikael said with a wink, only to be met with an unimpressed stare from Lea.

“Is that really the best you can come up with? I always knew I was the funny one but this is just embarrassing.” Lea said while looking around her, finally able to get a better grasp on her situation.

It was obviously daytime but tough to tell the exact time. The sky was full of light grey clouds that blocked any direct sunlight. She was tied to the main mast of the ship, facing towards the back of the boat so she couldn't see where they were headed. She could see a handful of sailors on deck, just shy of a dozen or so. Some of them looked busy, pulling at ropes or mopping the deck, while others seemed to be content just standing around watching work be done, chatting amongst themselves. It was easy to tell who were the career sailors on board and who were just members of Mikael’s crew along for the ride. Looking around though she could see that the ship wasn't sailing in open ocean like she had originally thought. There was open coast on one side of the boat and various rock formations on the other. Lea knew that this sort of view was probably common enough to the people on the ship that were practiced sailors, but for her, each rock was like a new work of art and Lea couldn't help but be entranced by them. Mikael was not thrilled about being ignored however and grabbed Lea by the chin and forced her to look at him.

“I said, I would keep that mouth of yours shut if I were you. I wouldn't want to have to start taking off bits and pieces.” Mikael said while pulling out a knife and twisting it in front of Lea’s face. “Though while I'm thinking about it, which would you want to keep more, fingers or toes?” Mikael asked with a contemplative look on his face. “Everyone says fingers, for obvious reasons, but no one really respects how much you need your toes to keep your balance.”

“You can play this however your want Mikael, but you and I both know you won't hurt a hair on my head. Elias said to bring me back so...” Lea was cut off by Mikael’s knife flicking across her cheek, leaving a bloody cut behind. The cut felt shallow, but that did not stop it from hurting like hell. Lea hissed in pain and glared up at Mikael only to be shocked by what she saw. He had murder in his eyes, and Lea realized that her penchant for pushing people’s buttons probably wouldn't serve her well in this situation. 

“Elias only cares if you make it back alive, not how many...” Mikael was interrupted from his threats when a rough looking man with tattoos covering his arm came up to him. He was tall, standing at around six and a half feet with a bald head and a short, patchy beard. Lea noticed that his ears were stuffed with wax. 

“We’re getting close Mikael. Unless we’re tying you to the mast next to her, you need to get some wax.” Mikael nodded, Lea seemingly forgotten, and the two of them made their way to the ship’s helm. She saw that Baaz and Biralo were waiting for them and Mikael was handed two balls of wax that he quickly stuffed in his ears.

Lea started to look around and saw that all of the men on the ship were either doing the same or already had balls of wax shoved inside. Strangely enough, it was only the men who were doing it. All of the women on the ship seemed to be moving about as if nothing were different. Glancing back up at Mikael, Lea noticed that Biralo did not have any wax in his ears, though the cat eyed man seemed unconcerned.

Once all of the men had wax in their ears, the ship seemed to have a new, tense air about it. Everyone carried on their work but Lea could tell that people were on edge. The men kept their eyes down and backs to the rocks while the women did the opposite. They seemed to be watching for something, some of them even forgoing the work they had been doing to stand by the edge of the boat to look out, which was starting to become difficult as a fog started to flow over the ship.

The ship was eerily silent, which meant that Lea was able to hear a soft noise echoing on the edges of her senses but getting louder. Focusing, Lea realized that it sounded like music, or more accurately, singing. The voices were strange however, they didn't seem to be speaking any language that Lea could recognize and they almost didn't sound human, though she didn't know of any animal that could make a noise like that. Lea needed answers, and thankfully there was a woman nearby that she called out to.

“Hey, hey! What the hell is going on?” Lea whisper shouted at the woman who was busy pulling some ropes that connected to the mast Lea was tied to. The woman rolled her eyes and ignored her, but Lea wasn't ready to give up that easily. “Come on, where is that music coming from, why do all the men have wax in their ears?”

The woman huffed, but replied anyways.

“We’re entering siren territory, there are plenty of nests in the Shattered Crags.” The woman responded, as if that were supposed to answer all of Lea’s questions.

“I'm sorry, we’re entering what’s territory? Who’s nesting here?” Lea responded.

“Sirens.” The sailor responded with a confused look on her face, like she couldn't believe that Lea had no idea what she was referring to. After a few moments with no reaction from Lea, the woman gave a short chuckle. “That’s right, you're from that backwater hovel in the bay aren't you? I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you don't know shit.”

Lea huffed, Black Moon Bay may have been a hell hole but she felt that hovel was a bit harsh all things considered. 

“Sirens are Fey creatures. Half human half fish looking things that like to lounge out on rocks and sing all day.” The woman carried on, tying off the rope she was working on.

“They sound nice.” Lea said.

“Oh they are, up until they eat ya.” The woman replied.

“They eat people? Of course they do. Why wouldn't they?” Lea deadpanned.

“Don't you worry your pretty little head girlie.” The woman said while giving Lea a patronizing head pat that Lea attempted to shake off. “They only go after men. They start their singing and make men go crazy for ‘em. To the rest of us, they look like regular ol’ monsters but men see these beautiful maidens, sitting on rocks just waiting for a big strong sailor to sweep them off their fins. Idiots, the second they hit the water, sirens are on them like sharks. You do know what a shark is don't ya?”

“I know what a shark is.” Lea said with a glare. “If these sirens are so dangerous, why are we not avoiding them like a plague?”

“This is a tried and true smugglers route. Quickest way to get where we’re going and imperial ships never go anywhere near a siren nest. We got wax so as long as the men keep it in their ears, they can't hear anything and we’re fine.” These answers more or less appeased Lea, but there was one thing that was still bothering her.

“What about that guy standing next to Mikael? The one with the cat eyes?” Lea asked. The woman shot a quick glance to where Biralo was standing before looking away. Biralo had his arms crossed in front of his chest, standing perfectly still. Then, as if he had heard the two of them talk about him, turned his head to look at them, causing Lea to shiver. The smuggler woman looked scared for a moment before her mouth twisted into a scowl.

“His kind don't need to worry about that. They aren't affected by the sirens song like normal people. Now shut your mouth, I have to get back to work before the captain notices that I've been standing around gabbing like a scullery maid.”

Lea didn't say anything as the woman walked away, her mind was moving a mile a minute. This could be the perfect chance to escape. She had planned on waiting it out till they reached their destination and making a break for it then, getting lost in whatever crowd she could find, but this presented a unique opportunity. If she could cause a big enough distraction, she could most likely jump overboard and make it to shore before anyone could stop her. There was no place nearby for the boat to dock as far as she could tell and it had the added benefit of being miles away from Elias. 

All of the women on the ship seemed preoccupied keeping an eye on both the men and the sirens, whose song was getting louder and louder, almost deafening by that point. The song was a haunting melody, it pulled on the edges of Lea’s mind, asking her to abandon everything, to jump overboard and find love and passion. The song pulled at her, but it didn't compel her, Lea could only imagine what would happen if a man could hear it.

It would probably be a pretty big issue in fact, one that would require the attention of everyone on board. Before she could put her plan into motion however, she had to make it out of these handcuffs first. She pulled at them, testing the binds and drew a few conclusions. The handcuffs themselves were wrought iron, they weren't going anywhere. The ropes that tied her body and her legs were looped around the chain of the handcuffs. This meant that Lea had much less room to wiggle around, but if the handcuffs were to mysteriously not be binding her wrists anymore, the rest of the ropes would fall off with relative ease.

Lea couldn't resist shaking her head, for all of his bravado and threats, Mikael was still underestimating her. Maybe it was a trick that he never needed, but Lea knew that if you dislocated your thumb, it was easy enough to slip your hand out of a pair of cuffs. It hurt like hell but it got the job done. Lea grabbed her right thumb with her left hand, gritted her teeth, and pulled. The thumb gave way with a sickening pop, but the only people near her were men so the sound went unheard. Lea slipped out of the cuff and popped her thumb back into place but kept her hands behind her back. There was a dull throbbing ache coming from her hand but Lea swallowed it down, she didn’t have time to lose focus now, and she began to wait for the right moment. 

After waiting what felt like an eternity, a thug from Mikael’s group walked near enough for Lea to strike. She had been slowly loosening the ropes around her, and when the man got close enough, they fell to the floor. Grabbing the loop of the handcuff, Lea drove it into the thug’s nose which gave a satisfying crunch. Blood poured from his face as he fell, and Lea followed him down, grabbing the wax from his ears and jumping backward. The man’s face changed immediately, going from shocked anger and pain to a look of pure bliss. He started to mumble incoherently and turned to run to the side of the boat. He got a head start since only few people could hear him but he quickly gained the attention of everyone on deck. The man was tackled, though he needed quite a few people to keep him down.

“Zachariah no!”

“Grab him, don't let him go overboard!”

“Watch his legs, he’s kicking!”

“You idiots! The girl is getting away, stop her! Get back here Lea!”

Lea was already running to the opposite side of the ship when she heard Mikael start yelling after her. While most of the crew was busy stopping one of their own from going overboard, Baaz and Biralo could hear him loud and clear and were moving to stop her. Lea was lucky that neither of them had their weapons at the ready, but Baaz was already pulling her crossbow up and aiming as Lea made her dive. The loud thunk of the bolt was unmistakable as it drove into the wood next to her, as was the shout of pain as it grazed Lea’s thigh as she went down. She had just enough presence of mind to take a shallow breath before she hit the water at a less than graceful angle and let herself drop below the surface.

Lea realized that jumping into water filled with man eating monsters with an open wound probably wasn't her smartest plan but she didn't have many other options at the moment. The saltwater stung her cuts but she forced herself to open her eyes and found herself face to face with what she could only assume to be a siren. From the description she received earlier, Lea assumed that the siren would look mostly like a normal girl, just with gills or something similar, but the creature in front of her barely looked human.

The siren had no nose and no hair. It’s eyes looked like a fish’s, round, almost protruding, and unblinking. The truly unsettling thing was the creature’s mouth. It had no lips to hide the rows of shark like teeth that had one obvious job, ripping and tearing human flesh. The lower half was pretty much what she had expected, a fishes lower half, scales and all.

The siren looked at Lea with a confused expression, like it wasn't expecting her to look like what she did either. Blood had started to fill the water around her, and the siren leaned in and breathed some in. It tilted it’s head as if it were thinking about the taste, then grimaced. She wasn't on the menu apparently, which was good for her. There was a splash from the other side of the ship and Lea figured that the thug must have wrestled himself clear of everyone and made it overboard. There was a rush of bubbles as the siren dove after the new meal, joining the two others that were already descending on the poor man. The illusion seemed to break as the man tried to let out a scream, only for it to be cut off by the water rushing into the throat that a siren was in the middle of ripping out.

Lea started to feel sorry for him but felt a burn in her lungs from holding her breath and turned away from the carnage in front of her. She scrambled onto the shore and found herself staring into a forest. She threw herself behind a tree and not a second later another crossbow bolt hit where she was just laying. Without a moment to lose, Lea started to run deeper into the forest, slower than she would have liked, her leg throbbing because of the wound from the crossbow. She could hear Mikael screaming from the ship, and she knew that they would be sending people after her soon enough. She wasn't out of the woods yet, she needed to put as much distance as possible between them while she could. Lea let herself laugh a little bit.

“Heh, ‘out of the woods yet.’ Good one.”