#always with the big hats and parasols

[remuschocolatestash]

Rich people are vampires, they always have been.

Thank you for your time.

[heartsforseo]

Strawhats with a Lolita member

Summary: The straw hats just boarded into a new island. But, not like any others. This island was all white and black. Until they met you. The reader also has Daki's demon art technique. This was the request REQUEST are open (IM BEGGING) word count: 1.6k

The straw hats first met you on a gloomy island. Due to the lack of vibrant colors, everyone's in formal and dark clothing. Everyone except you. Your background was a blur. You grew up on the other side of the island and only come to the town when you need something.

Today was always the same. You wore your tall heels and grabbed your ribbon bag. You looked at your mirror one last time to check your makeup and fix your black and pink hair.

You leave your pastel house and start walking to the town. Your frilly dress bounces on every step you make, along with all the little decorations and the big ribbon on your back. Your creamy stockings hug your smooth and perfect thighs. Your parasol, walking beside you, waiting to be opened and used.

The walk to the town was short. All kinds of animals surrounded you. Hostile or not. You were an eye candy on the gloomy island, the only one with colors and a devil fruit.

You looked at the harbor. A ship has arrived. The Jolly Roger is a skull with two crossed bones underneath and a straw hat on top. You looked back at the market, trying to find people standing out.

You opened your parasol and took out your creamy fan, holding it below your eyes. There, you saw a young man with a straw hat, the captain, you presume. Next to him was a girl with tangerine hair and a man with curly eyebrows. Your island doesn't often get visitors. The last time someone came, they never went back to the sea.

There is a saying if you offend the island and do something wrong. At night, sashes will wrap around your body and slowly absorb you.

"Hey! I've been trying to call you for the last 5 minutes." The voice whined. You snapped out of your thoughts--making a little sound, and you looked at the man. He looks like a plank separated by its group.

"What's your name, and why are you the only one glowing?" the tall, lanky man asked.

"Y/n…" you quietly muttered. The fan was a great asset today. Covering your pink blush and trembling mouth.

"Hm…do you know anything about t-" "Luffy! Stop running a- A LADY~"

"Oh, uhm…" You were starting to get uncomfortable. Today was just supposed to be like yesterday and the day before. While the two were busy fighting among themselves, you had run off and went to one of the instrument stores.

There, you saw a tall man's back. He had an afro and, by the neck--an orange scarf. He also had a gold top hat and a cane on his side. The tall man turned around and, to your horror, a skeleton. Before it could open its mouth, your devil fruit accidentally activated, and your sashes were wrapped around the skeleton, ending it with a ribbon.

You gasped and mumbled a quick sorry, then left the store. Today has been unpleasant. You left the town while holding your mirror, making your hair and makeup look good. When you were away from the townsfolk, you used your fruit and made your ribbons carry you.

Various thoughts entered your mind. But the forest was calming you down. You looked around you-- and a woman with sunglasses and a bag stepped out of the shadow.

"That was an interesting ability, miss." The lady said.

You looked at the mysterious woman. Her clothes and accessories fit her. "Oh, uh, thank you!" You answered cheerfully.

"I saw a house on the other side of the island. It was hard to ignore it, especially the color the owner chose. With all the evidence I gathered, you were the legend the people were discussing. Ribbons and sash?"

You tilted your head to the side and asked, "How do you know?"

The woman chuckled and answered, "I saw what you did to my friend Brook. I asked the locals about the ribbons. They said that pirates only left their clothing behind, no bones or skin," she continued, "I must say what you're doing here is heroic. But don't you get ever tired from the lack of color?"

I left my ribbon vehicle and finally spoke, "This place wasn't white and black. It used to be full of color and life. One day, I was exploring the forest all by myself. I never made any friends. They said my style was too childish. My friends were animals, and I was hanging out with them. One of the red pandas gave me a strawberry. Instead of its usual dots, it got replaced with tiny carved ribbons. I ate it since my friend gave it to me. It tasted weird, and I passed out. When I woke up, the island had no color except for me. I want to help my people first."

The woman said, "Have you never thought you were the problem?"

I gasped. Me? What did I ever do?

"I'm not saying that you are. But what if? Me and my crew are going to depart tomorrow. I could show you around the ship. All your belongings are in the Thousand Sunny."

"I- can I at least check the ship first?"

Now, here you are in front of the Thousands Sunny. You entered the big ship, holding your fan just below your eyes. There was no one, and the only light source was on the second floor towards the back of the ship.

"Oh, by the way, my name is Nico Robin. You can call me Robin."

After the tour, you find out the men sleep on the first floor while the girls sleep on the second floor. Speaking of sleep, the crew arranged your corner neatly. You had your vanity and a lot of picture frames. Your bed also had a lot of frilly and curtains, and the wardrobe filled with Lolita and Victorian dresses.

"Let's go to the last room. The dining room." Robin said.

There, you two entered the room. All of the straw hat members except Robin were eating happily.

"I'll introduce you to all of them. The man with the straw hat is our captain, Luffy. The girl with the orange hair is our navigator, Nami. The guy with the long nose is our sniper, Ussop. The guy wearing a suit is the ship's cook, Sanji. The reindeer is the ship's doctor, Chopper. The tall man is a cyborg and is the crew's shipwright, Franky. The skeleton, the guy you packaged neatly, is the musician, and his name is Brook. Lastly, the Fishman is the helmsman, and his name is Jinbei. Let's eat with them."

You walked behind Robin, your fan still in front of your face.

"Oh, it's you!" Nami yelled. "LADY~" Sanji shouted.

You winced from the roaring noise and instinctively opened your umbrella to avoid them. Robin noticed you shifting and held your hand, then closed your umbrella. Sanji served you food, and you sat on the counter.

That night was lovely and fun. The crew, even though it looked chaotic at first, was pleasant. Everybody's different personalities make you fit in like the last puzzle piece. The ship made you feel needed. It made you feel wanted.

You left the dining area and stared outside. In front, you could see the vast ocean. But if you look back, you can see your colorful island. Colorful island?

Was I the problem all along?

"So, do you accept my offer now?" You look beside you to see Robin also staring at the island. You closed your umbrella and shifted your body, staring at her.

"I do."

The next day, you woke up in your bed. Last night was a bit of a blur. Luffy was cheering that someone new joined, and all the crew were doing whatever. You went to the girl's room and immediately passed out.

You stood up and looked at the mirror, observing the heart-shaped beauty mark below your right eye. You took out some new clothes, a white dress stopping at your thighs. You also took a pair of socks that reached your knees and arm warmers, stopping at your shoulders.

You look at the room Nami and Robin, sleeping peacefully.

After showering, you went to the girl's room and put your hair into pigtails, using two large ribbons as hair ties.

You finally left the room and went down to the first floor. There, mostly all of the straw hats were chilling.

"Are we leaving now?" You asked

"Yeah, the log post finally worked, and we're now going to the next island," Franky replied

You stared back at your island, slowly drifting away.

"I hope the animals will be--"

"I saw some marines just east from here," Zoro yelled from the top nest.

The next thing you knew, cannonballs were being launched at you.

Half of the crewmembers were still asleep. The only ones awake were Sanji, Zoro, and Jinbei.

"Don't worry. There are only two ships. I can handle it." You said.

The three looked at each other and nodded. Then, all went back to work.

You used your ribbons and stretched them to make them larger and larger. You wrapped the two ships like a present and ended it with a large bow.

You turn your gaze toward the direction of your island, feeling a sense of loss as it disappears from your view. However, the presence of your friends by your side gives you a glimmer of hope and comfort. It's hard to adjust, but having friends nearby makes it peaceful.

A/n: OMGG I FINISHED IT IN A DAY!! I STARTED ON 11 AM AND FINISHED AT 3 PM I AM SO SO HAPPY!! I LOVE THIS REQUEST SO MUCH SINCE I WANTED TO DRESS LIKE LOLITA BUT NEVER GOT THE CONFIDENCE. ANYWAYS TY ANON!! I LIKE BEING A WORKAHOLIC

[chibinasuu]

Sweet Treats | Chopper & Reader

Part of the Thousand Sunny Slice-of-Life Series

Other parts: { Sanji | Nami | Usopp | Chopper (here) | Zoro }

Summary: You trick the Straw Hats' hard-working doctor into taking a break by bringing him a sweet treat you know he can't resist Word count: 929  Tags: one-shot, pure fluff, domestic bliss onboard the sunny, slight sanji x reader if you squint, platonic straw hat pirates x reader, no use of y/n, GN but written with F!Reader in mind

The Thousand Sunny cruised on the open waters of the Grand Line. The warm sun and gentle breeze provided a peaceful atmosphere on the crew’s fourth day at sea following a brief supply run at a small harbor town. 

A picnic table was set up on the Sunny’s deck, complete with a parasol to block the sunlight — a perfect spot for your routine afternoon tea with Brook and Robin. A disembodied arm sprouted from the table and refilled your cup, and you thanked Robin before taking a slow sip to savor the rich flavor and fragrance of the black tea. 

Afternoon tea on the Sunny was never complete without some finger sandwiches, and of course, the assortment of sweets that the Straw Hats’ cook specially whips up for the occasion. 

Sanji went the extra mile today and brought out a whole cake, smothered with his signature whipped cream and decorated with plump strawberries. 

“Oh wow, Sanji, that looks gorgeous! You’ve certainly outdone yourself this time.” You gushed as he sliced into the cake, revealing more of the red fruit hidden between the layers.

“Looks good, right?” Sanji grinned, always confident with his own cooking, although you spotted a slight tinge of pink dusting his cheeks at your praise. He added, “I wanted to use up the rest of the strawberries we got at that last island while they’re still fresh.”

He served a slice on a plate and presented it before you, then did the same for Robin. Another slice soon followed for Brook, albeit offered with a lot less flourish. 

You look around the ship at your beloved crew. Franky was seated not far from where you were, tinkering with something inside the open panel of his own arm. Zoro napped against the railing beside Usopp and Luffy, who were trying to catch some fish for dinner. Nami was reading the newspaper as she sunbathed near the helm, silently keeping Jinbe company. 

Notably, a certain little reindeer was nowhere to be seen. 

You glanced towards the direction of the infirmary, positive that’s where Chopper would be. You remembered how excited he was after obtaining some medicinal herbs at the market a few days ago, and he had been spending so much time in his office since then, busy replenishing the crew's stock of medicines, ointments, antibiotics, and other sorts of concoctions you're not sure you understand what for.

You looked up at the blonde cook, “Hey Sanji, do you think I could have another slice of the cake?”

“Why, of course, dear!” He answered with a hand on his heart, “I’d give you ten more, if that’s what you had wanted.”

You shook your head at his habitual flirty antics and thanked him, accepting the extra slice and fork before making your way to the ship’s infirmary. 

A peek through the circular window on the door showed the Straw Hat Pirates’ resident doctor hard at work, his small hooves diligently moving a pestle in a circular motion to grind up a bunch of herbs into a paste. 

Chopper looked up at the sound of your knock, face lighting up as he motioned for you to come in. 

“Hey, Chopper,” you called out, “what are you making?”

“Zoro seems to be training extra hard lately, so I’m making this salve for him — to ease muscle soreness.” He explained as he continued on with his work. 

His hooves slowly came to a stop, however, when he finally noticed what you were holding. The reindeer’s big, round eyes sparkled at the sight of the layered cake, and you chuckled at his apparent weakness for sweet treats. 

“Care to share? Sanji made it for afternoon tea.”

Chopper, of course, nodded excitedly. You sat on the edge of the empty patient bed and handed him one of the plates. You both immediately dug in, and audibly sighed at the explosion of sweetness in your mouths. 

“Sanji’s cake is the best!” Chopper exclaimed with his mouth full, “I could eat this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!”

You laughed, “Now, that’s not exactly a healthy diet, is it Doc?”

“Oh, I guess you’re right.” He looked slightly dejected, before grinning cheekily as he realized that you were just teasing him. 

You two continued to talk about your days, all the while taking bite after bite of the scrumptious treat. Before long, the cakes were gone without a single crumb left on both of your plates. 

Chopper rubbed his tummy in satisfaction whilst slowly spinning on his favorite swivel chair, “Thanks for sharing the cake with me!”

“Anytime!” You replied with a smile. 

You moved to stack the empty plates and used utensils on one hand, glancing at the clock hanging on the infirmary wall, “Well, I took up enough of your time. Better let you get back to work.”

You pat his head gently, "Don't be late to dinner, okay?"

Chopper nodded, “I'll be done soon. I just need to finish Zoro's salve and then quickly mix some more lotion for Nami. She just ran out of it the other day!”

“Oooh, the one that smells like tangerines?”

At Chopper’s nod, you leaned in and playfully whispered, “Could you maybe set some lotion aside for me too?”

“Of course! I can even make a lavender-scented one for you!”

You can't help but smile at his thoughtfulness in remembering your preference for calming scents, “Thanks, Doc! You’re the best!”

Chopper blushed, swaying back and forth with a silly expression on his face, “Aw, shut up! You saying that is not gonna make me happy or anything~”

a/n: oda revealed in an sbs (vol. 104) that chopper makes skin care for nami and i thought that was the most wholesome thing ever

Other parts: { Sanji | Nami | Usopp | Chopper (here) | Zoro }

[eflen-n-reegee]

More Caregivers Gomez and Morticia Addams Headcanons (The Addams Family)

@kissforvoid suggested I write some more headcanons for these two, and I’m nothing if not a people pleaser. XD

Every opportunity they get, they love to hold big parties for the entire Addams clan. You better believe they had an “adoption” party when they became you official caregivers - complete with a mamushka all for you!

Morticia knitted baby clothes for all of her children, so of course she wants to knit some clothes for you. She makes them however you like; hoods with bat ears, spider-lace skirts, or simple footie pajamas.

Gomez is the singer of the two, and often serenades you with segments of tragic operas.

Morticia has a very fair complexion, so she knows how painful the sun can be. She is EXTREMELY strict about the use of sunscreen, hats or parasols, and protective clothing.

Halloween is the biggest holiday of their year, and they go all out for it. The house is decorated basement to attic, all the traditional Addams family treats are laid out, and they both spend weeks helping you perfect your costume until it’s exactly what you want it to be.

Gomez loves to hold mock trials over very silly things; missing pencils, cookies broken into pieces, slander by stuffed animals, etc. He is always the prosecutor while you get to be defense. He ALWAYS loses, and then gives you a treat as a reward for your brilliant debate skills.

Morticia knows a lot about witchcraft, and will teach you a few simple spells. The easiest one is to make it a lovely cloudy day.

Gomez often shows you home movies of himself and Fester as children. He loves to tell you stories of all the mischief they got up to when they were young.

Speaking of Fester: when Gomez and Morticia go out for the evening, Fester is your main babysitter. He’s even more energetic than Gomez and never fails to tire you out with his wild games.

(No matter how late they’re out, Gomez and Morticia always peek in and give you a good night kiss when they get home.)

[tangledbea]

My Tangled/Bridgerton AU ideas that no one asked for

Rapunzel and Madame Gothel

The daughter of an extremely successful merchant (yes, she's getting a downgrade, can't just have princesses running around everywhere), Rapunzel's mother died in childbirth, and her father died of a broken heart shortly thereafter. Fortunately, the woman who was hired to be her nanny and governess was there to step in immediately, caring for the girl like she was her own.

Rapunzel is raised by Madame Gothel, who she calls Mamá, and is hidden from society for the majority of her life and carefully cultivated to be the Diamond of society upon her debut, which will raise her own status on the ton when they all see how flawless her “daughter” is. Rapunzel is beautiful, demure, regal, elegant, talented… everything a man could want as a prize. Now, if only Gothel could wed her off to royalty and secure her own status forever…

Before her debut, Rapunzel was rarely seen in public, though she could often be glimpsed in her window on the top floor of her house. When she was allowed out in public, she was made to wear wide-brimmed hats, keep her head down, and carry a parasol. Gothel wanted to prove she had a daughter while cultivating mystery about her, so that her debut would be a big reveal to the ton and the world. Because of this, Rapunzel was raised alone, without friends, though she spent a lot of her time in the window watching the people below. When they weren’t in London, they were at their country estate, Der Sonne Manor, with sprawling grounds and little staff, who were under severe threat to never speak of the girl when they happened to catch sight of her.

Though Rapunzel is barely interested in most of the men whose eye she catches, she knows her job is to catch a husband. Against Gothel’s desires, she wishes to find someone interested in her, and not just her beauty and status. She hates suppressing her entire personality and hiding her quirkier interests, but she does what she’s told, lest she risk her mother’s wrath.

Unbeknownst to Rapunzel, Gothel murdered her father when she was an infant after securing that she would have access to Rapunzel's inheritance in order to raise her properly. She took advantage of his broken heart, manipulating him to sign legal documentation before killing him. Though the exact cause of his death is not confirmed, there are those who speculate that Gothel had something to do with it.

Eugene Fitzherbert and King Edmund of Umbra

There was treachery afoot in Umbra when Eugene (Prince Horace) was but a baby. King Edmund sent his only child away for his own protection, but the trusted maid he sent him with was killed en route to a safe location. Suspecting she was being tracked down, she left the baby on a stoop. The people who lived there were unable to care for him, and so took him to the local orphanage, where he grew up under the name Eugene Fitzherbert, and never knowing his lineage.

Growing up poor, Eugene longed for a life of wealth and adventure, envious of the nobles who dallied in the richer parts of town. Knowing that there was little to no future for an orphan, he took to stealing and conning to give himself even a fraction of the life he wanted.

He became jaded over time, convinced that the world was hard and cruel, and that he'd never know anything else. And yet, when he was 25, he was abruptly rediscovered by his birth father, who announced his lineage and brought him back home to be the Crown Prince.

Eugene (who refuses to go by Horace) is at something of a loss. This is the life he has always wanted, and yet he has no idea how to actually live it.

Lance Strongbow

Lance grew up in the orphanage with Eugene, and they were best friends, learning to steal and con together. However, their paths diverged in their late teens, and while Lance didn't know what became of his friend, he set his own sights on being such a convincing conman that even the nobles wouldn't know the difference.

He slowly and gradually worked his way up in subtle ways, until he hatched his major plan. The Baron of Vardaros is a man who has not made a public appearance for decades. The last Lance heard, he'd made his way to America and was never coming back. And so, Lance took his name and title, and has begun passing himself off as the current Baron of Vardaros.

He is a rake, spending his time at the club with other men and enjoying the marriage season because he gets much attention from fawning young ladies who are hoping to catch a rich, titled husband. In truth, he gets a huge thrill out of knowing that he is a fraud, and that no one around him is any the wiser.

Little does he know, the true Baron of Vardaros is soon to catch wind of his identity theft, and will want his revenge.

[cyborg-franky]

May i request hcs with Thatch,Izou,Ace,Marco, and wb? With their s/o and them at the beach? I hope its fine with you! Also remember to drink water dear🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻 (G/N)

Water? -hisses and hides-

This was a fun little one to work on! Thank you <3 I did 4 chars as these started to get abit crazy big ha.

Marco, Ace, Thatch, Izou x GN Reader SFW Modern AU

Marco

Be prepared for Marco to spend most of his time sunbathing, he likes to lay around on the beach and get a tan.

That doesn’t mean he can’t be talked into going into the sea with you or playing some beach games.

But he is a massive fan of being laid on a blanket in the warm sun or pleasant shade while eating and drinking pineapple-related drinks and snacks.

He’ll make sure you have suncream all over you, he’s laid back but he still looks after you.

Always has a watchful eye on you no matter what, even when he’s reading a book or looking at his phone he knows where you are.

When the sunsets is when Marco comes alive, happy to walk with you hand in hand along the beach when the sun is setting. 

Walking along the shore, feet being tickled by cooling early evening waves.

Maybe he even helps you look for nice shells in the dying light of day.

Oh, and drinks at a beachside bar are a must.

Ace

Ace is a whirlwind, he wants to do everything.

He wants to surf, either with you or alone.

If you don’t know how to surf he’s pretty good at teaching you, he’s patient and gentle.

He might topple you off once for a silly prank.

He’ll swim with you in the sea, he’ll build sandcastles, and play beach games.

Gets a little competitive at volleyball.

He enjoys seeing you with your legs out in shorts and you see him stare at you, nodding to himself approvingly.

Will always go grab ice cream and snacks even if you packed some.

When the sun starts to set and it’s a little too dark to carry on doing the really fun things at the beach he’ll walk you along the pier, you guys will hit the arcade and spend hours on the games.

He might even let you win a few.

Oh, and he’ll 100% spend too much money trying to win you a plushie on one of those claw crane machines.

Thatch

Thatch is happy to do what you want to do if you wanna lay on the beach and tan, so will he, want to go swim? Yeah, he’ll come along.

Though he does love to do a seaside BBQ so expect that. It might just be you and him or a group of you. He’ll show off and make sure you are well-fed.

He loves to look at all the rockpools with you, holding your hand so you don’t slip and fall while walking along the rocks and jumping from edge to edge.

He knows a fair bit about sea life and he’ll point things out, you will be amazed at his knowledge as he dips in a net and pulls out a crab to show you before putting it back.

He’s soft and gentle with all the creatures.

When nighttime rolls around he’ll take you to a nice restaurant along the beach where you can enjoy the sunset together and the stars above.

Izou

Izou is more of a poolside person but if you nag him enough he’ll come to the beach.

He comes with so many comforts, a big parasol, a floppy hat, pillows, and cushions so he can make himself a nice comfy fort against a tree as he watches you do all the things you want.

Don’t splash him, even a little or he will bury you in and and leave you there while he goes for happy hour at a bar somewhere.

He does however like sitting in the shade, a little music gently playing and you are both sat there reading a book together. 

He might be persuaded to play volleyball if you came as a group but it has to be a team effort to get Izou to agree.

He is fiercely competitive and he lowkey scares you all.

At night he likes to have a fancy dinner by the sea, maybe you guys can go for a walk after.

[docholligay]

Do you ever wish things like parasols and fancy floral hats would ever come back?

I mean, I catch hell for this every time I say it, but more than any one fashion, I wish people would TRY. I wish people dressed with INTENTION. I fucking hate the lolita look, but I am so fucking appreciative whenever I see it in public because someone is making an effort! I am Tan France yelling at all of you! Make an effort! Put on some clothes that you have thought about a lot, compose something, look like you care. I know I'm going to get hatemail and be accused of cavorting with the devil or whatever. That's fine, I'm used to the extreme difficulty of being the only right person in the world.

But for me, I don't need anything to be in fashion. I do not dress in the current fashions. I like that 40s-50s silhouette and style, so that's what I wear. I wear big ol crinolines all the time and get asked frequently if I'm dressed up for something and the answer is always just, 'i dressed up to consider the tomatoes at my grocery store.' I don't mind people looking at me oddly, or smiling, or whatever. I'm weird and cheerful, these things are bound to happen however I dress. I wear hats with flowers on! I have never carried a parasol, but if I wanted to, I would, no problem!

I suppose I do wish things would come back in that I would love to have an easier time SOURCING. I spend a lot of time looking for stuff I want. Which I guess is actually fine as, at this point in my life I have a very complete wardrobe. I only need to find one or two things, sometimes. And probably not even that, but I do like to have new pieces sometimes like everyone else: I just have a strict one in, one out policy at this point. So i guess I don't even need the sourcing, but it would be nice to have decent reproductions, so I don't worry about ruining something. It's so hard to find anything of QUALITY, and I don't even mind spending money. I save up and pay out for my clothes, all the time. It's still difficult.

[sun-dappledfields]

Heyyy hiiii hellloooo :3

Any activity ideas for a vampire?

This is my first time doing one of these, so apologies if it’s bad. Also, uh. Sorry it’s so long … got a little carried away ^-^’

VAMPIREKIN HELPKIT !

Remember, these are just ideas meant to inspire you. Only you can dictate your identity as a vampire— if you don’t feel connected to anything here, then that’s fine! No one else can tell you how to identify as a vampire: only you can.

You are valid. You are amazing. You are beautiful. Fangs or no fangs. Sunlight or no sunlight. Cloak or no cloak. Reflection or no reflection. You are a vampire through and through, and no one can change that. Here are some other affirmations for you so you can practice love and acceptance for your vampy self!

Affirmations:

I am a vampire through and through!

I am still a vampire even if my skin is not pale, my fangs are not sharp, or I don’t crave blood.

My experiences as a vampire are valid.

My fangs are beautiful, big or small! They are gleaming and sharp and perfect.

My aura exudes vampiric excellence.

I am the count(ess) of acceptance and progress.

I am perfect even if I don’t connect with bats.

It is okay if I’m afraid of blood— not all vampires feed!

This vessel radiates vampiric beauty.

I am always on point! (Haha, puns.)

Even if I can’t stay up late or avoid the sun, I am still an amazing vampire.

No matter what, I am totally rad!

Now, here are some fun activities you could do to connect with your vampire side more! :D

Activities:

Create a playlist with vampiric vibes and your favorite songs to listen to.

Make a Pinterest board in honor of your beautiful vampire self! Put images of pretty castles, spooky animals, general vibes, or whatever you think fits!

Write a journal and keep track of all your monstrous experiences and escapades.

Drinking cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, fruit punch, grape juice, or other darker/red drinks. (Don’t drink real blood unless you know it’s safe, bats!)

Hang upside down! Some vampire have a bat form and hanging upside down might make you feel more connected to your bat side.

Stay up late (But not too late: even vampires need their beauty sleep!)

Avoid the sun— maybe wear big hats, sunglasses, or get a parasol. (Still get some sunlight every once in a while, though. It may be uncomfortable, but even vamps need all of the good minerals the sun provides; just wear lots of sunscreen!)

Avoid garlic (unless you *really* like it… then you might just have an immunity to it!)

Try to bite into juicy fruits or foods with your fangs or your front teeth and then drink the juice out.

Light candles and turn off your room lights— create a spooooky atmosphere in your vampiric den!

Read vampire stories or watch vampire movies to look at and learn the experiences of other vampires.

Paint with watery red or black paints— create an image that reminds you of your dream castle, how you view yourself, or something else!

Go outside and admire the beauty of the moon.

Create or purchase bat-themed items!

Turn your bed into your very own coffin! Whether this be by decorating it with bat plushies, putting a veil over it, shaping your blankets to make a comfy coffin shape, or something else— it’s up to you!

Pick flowers and dry them so you can appreciate their deathly beauty.

Buy affirming/gothic items like ornate candle holders, red bath bombs, red LED lights, etc …

Brush your fangs well!

Use spooky themed chewelry in case you have biting urges.

Visit graveyards (respectfully!) or explore victorian houses online.

Admire your deathly reflection— in this vessel you can see yourself in mirrors, so you should definitely make the best of it!

Make a habit to ask to enter other people’s houses! Being polite is certainly important, wink wink.

And finally some vampiric snacks! Vampires need fuel, too!

Snacks & Treats:

Red drinks or fruit juices that remind you of blood!

Ripe fruits! The feeling of fangs sinking into the fruit is akin to that of prey!

Tender or juicy meats give the feeling of a bloody meal without being bloody.

Foods with actual blood in them, like blood sausage or blood pudding.

Cookies! (Even if they aren’t spooky… cookies are great for any creature!)

Jam-filled things— imagine biting through your prey and getting to the blood in the center!

Some vampkin playlists, to help set a spooky mood.

(None of these are mine— kudos to all the beings who made these! :D)

And last, but not least: A moodboard and a color pallet, just for funsies!

I hope this served you well! If there’s anything you’d like to change, any recommendations, or any feedback in general, let me know! Opinions are always appreciated. ^.^ !

My requests are open ! ! :D

[phoenixfire-thewizardgoddess]

i think an underutilised trope in urban fantasy (where ghosts and ghouls and the like live with us in society)

like, think about the services you might need for that

let's focus on vampires alone...

you have StayInTouch dot com, where you can get soil from your home country sent directly to you via mail, for when you need to clean out the coffin of the old stuff

window tinting so you can see out without getting crisped

vacuum sealed bags to keep the soil in in the coffin, so it doesn't ruin your coffin-shaped mattress. and those come in memory foam, springs, foam... but not water. having it swirling away under you isnt technically running, but it does cause unease and ifficulty sleeping

parasols / umbrellas or big kooky hats, some with shade cloths attached

GoreDash! for those 3am cravings, you can get blood right to your door (from a reliable bloodbank that is for exactly this)

Mirrors with soecialised coatings (not silver) so that the person or monster can make sure they're looking smart on their way to slay!

Bat-napped Netting For arresting supernatural officers/hunters who are trying to catch a fleeing vamp that has transformed into a dozen bats. Specialised vacuums to collect mistforms... etc

Can't-Believe-It's-Not-Garlic! Like tofu bacon, it has a relatively similar taste, so that the undead don't miss out. Because what's the point of immortality without garlic bread?

Not-So-Crossfit Exercise classes for the fitness enthusiast, who may have issues with anything crucifix-related, and thus they can now get Cruci-fit without worrying about catching fire.

Til Divorce Do Us Part Marriage specialist lawyers for the already deceased. I have always liked the idea proposed in the Vampires Assistant, that in the immortal community you could have a set term for the marriage (100yrs or so) and then choose to continue or part ways. When you live forever, you might grow apart, and together again, or apart forever... the wording on the pre-nup would be very legal and expensive. But perhaps some lawyers out there would love that sort of thing.

[tunabesimpin]

Hello, my Tuna! Congrats on the milestone! :3c I was so excited about this event when I saw it! Yuuta will def be going to the beach party. After all the crazy shit at NRC he is ready for a break. Since Vil has been helping him with his potions he invites his tutor as his plus one. He doesn't know how Vil will respond but Vil was happy to accept a day of relaxing in the shade and reading over both their scripts for Film Studies! He was a bit taken off guard as he was sure Yuuta would ask Leona. (Since they both know how he can be.) But Yuuta was aware Leona will already be there for the volleyball games so it is no big deal to invite someone else, right? RIGHT? WRONG. The two of them had barely been there an hour and Leona is already "fallen asleep on an intertube", forcing Yuuta to "save" him. Damn. It was just when Vil was about to apply sunscreen on Yuuta's back too! *sigh* After the drama, I imagine Yuuta and Vil (Who is properly dressed for the sun with a huge hat and sunglasses) spend the rest of the day watching the games and cheering on their friends. Yuuta offers some snacks to the players but the Savanclaw members def hogged them all quickly. Yuuta would even help some of the players after the games by treating/massaging their sore muscles. But as always Leona would probably take up most of their time. Eventually, Yuuta MIGHT even let him share a hammock with them later to shut him up. (Oh and fav color is green btw!) I hope this was enough info! Link to Yuuta's outfit HERE. They only have a lifeguard suit so you can imagine how that would go for them all day. ;-;

---

Leona was jealous. Would he say it outloud? Never, but he most definitely was. Seeing Yuuta arrive with Vil was one thing, but not having been personally invited by Yuuta was another. In order recieve retribution for this crime, Leona had made it his duty to be as bothersome as he could.

Throughout the volleyball game, Leona played dumb. He'd somehow manage to shoot the ball out of court that just so happened to knock into Yuutas parasol. Yuuta gave an annoyed look as they fixed the parasol back into place and took a seat back down. Yuuta quickly got comfortable and attempted to get back to relaxing only for another ball to fly over. Yuuta could see what Leona was trying to do, but wasn't giving in and ignored the ball. Nothing seemed to drive Yuuta out from the umbrella at this point. He had one last trick up his sleeve, if they won't come to him, he'll just have to go to them.

He lazed over towards Yuuta, not saying a word as he blocked out the sun. Yuuta was the first to break the silence "... What is it?" Yuuta began to sit up, but the lion instead pushed them back down as he plopped his body down ontop of them. Leona grumbled as he got comfortable across Yuutas thighs "Needed a pillow."

Before Yuuta could try to push him off Leona was out. Guess all that extra pettiness was more tiring then he expected, but at last he got some attention. Even if it was a childish war, Yuuta couldn't help but pet over Leona's hair. Yuuta couldn't help but think his dumb antics were just a tiny bit cute.

---

HELLOOO~ OMG THE ART YOU MADE WAS SO CUTE AND LEONAS FIT- All i could think of was the jacket from camp vargas XD He would wear a speedo too- Thank you for the congratz too! Aaaa i hope you can enjoy this! (Vil meanwhile is just like 😑 get a room- hHHSDEHB)

[tsukuyomiland]

My last drawing of the year was actually the new Lady Lioness page, but this is the last actual illustration I've completed, so I'm leaving it as my last work for this year. A redraw of a scene from The Duel of the Reapers!

This has been a very special year. In general it has passed very calmly, until the last two months, when the Spanish edition of Flower from another garden was published in physical format and I was invited to Manga Barcelona to sign copies. It was a great experience, I met a lot of new people and I felt very loved by the readers and the publishing house. I got an amazing display at a big store in Barcelona during Christmas. The reviews are generally very good and it has made me very happy, and the national authors have welcomed me with great affection. I'm very grateful!

Apart from my satisfaction in terms of my professional progress, I'm very happy with my personal life: my son is now four years old and he is a very cute, sweet, affectionate and intelligent boy. He has shown to have an incredible capacity for mathematics (he has taught himself to add and subtract, and what kind of four-year-old understands and handles a concept like negative numbers?) and for music. He is a little stubborn, but very sociable. I love my boy. I'm so proud of him! And I adore him. Like my husband, seeing the two of them together is hilarious, they definitely have the same personality!

Another goal I set for myself this year was to improve my physical appearance and enter the world of historical reenactment. I have accomplished both! I have lost weight, my hair has improved and I have gotten closer than ever to the style of clothing I have always wanted. And as for recreation, it has been a success! I have no less than 3 dresses, 2 petticoats, 2 shirts, 2 corsets, 2 hats, 5 pairs of shoes, a parasol, and soon I will have a fourth dress, for which I only have to find a suitable fabric. It's been so much fun… and it's addictive! You just finish one, you immediately think about the next one… And you don't stop wanting to learn more and more!

As for unfulfilled goals, another year I have been unable to finish the second chapter of Lady Lioness. But, once again, like many times in my life, it seems that things happen for a reason, and the fact that the beginning of Lady Lioness has stretched so long over time has had a meaning. The only thing I know is that this year 2024 I'm going to work a lot on this comic.

I'm very grateful to all the people who have accompanied me throughout this year. My usual friends, my friends from university, my friends from the socials, my Gremio Gerudo, the sweet @zeldadiarist, my excuse from God @jangelorum, my always patient and pious Wolfess, nice and kind @theroachsankles, @sagara-megumi with whom I have taken my Sunday coffee in her beautiful rose tea set while we talked and gushed over Victorian dresses… Thank you!

And thanks to all of you, for being there. When I see those more than 13,000 notes in that drawing of angry Zelda, I'm happy to know that you haven't forgotten about me :') I hope to be a little more productive this year, even if it's difficult. Making comics is very hard!

Happy New Year!

[skiplo-wave]

My dad and his parents are so racist. It's 100% taught. It's something that my dad tried to teach us, but thankfully my mom brought us up like good human beings. What I find funny about these people who hate black people, they usually have some kind of black ancestry. My dad always said his grandma was Italian. She didn't look Italian to me. People always say I look half-black, hispanic or sometimes they asked if I am from Hawaii. Back in 2016 when Moana came out, people started calling me Moana because they think I look like her lol.

I started watching those family history shows like on TLC. I noticed things that my great grandma did like she always wore big sun hats and she carried around a parasol in the summer. You know why, right? I had a hunch. I decided to do a DNA test and I came back 26% African from locations of Nigeria, Senegal and Mali. The rest is my mama. I had no ounce of Italian. Before I showed my dad my results, I went on and looked at the different census for my great grandma and her family. They had her down as black. I showed my dad and she swore up and down it wasn't right. He said maybe your mom cheated on me. He said he was joking, but it didn't sound like a joke. Well, my uncle - my dad's brother - did that same DNA test and it showed up he is 42% African. In his DNA result there is only 1% Italian lol. Which means it so far back that it's impossible that my great grandma was full blooded. My dad went on a full on rage over it.

throw them in the dumpster >:/

[liviavanrouge]

Diasomnia's Fashion Icon

Livia: *Walks out of Diasomnia's mirror, wearing a lilac purple sleeveless dress, pearls draped around her waist and neck along with pearl bracelets around her wrists, her hair in low pigtails held together with pearl bands*

???: LIV?!

Livia: *Looks over and smiles*

Yolan and Epel: *Stares at her shocked*

Livia: We gonna go?

Epel: S-sure!

Yolan: Let's...go...

---

Lilia: Have fun!

Livia: *Waves to Lilia, wearing a dark blue dress with fake flowers on half of the chest part, pearl patterns on the other half trailing all around her dress, bow earrings in her ear and a sapphire collar like necklace around her neck*

Cater: They really dress you up huh?

Floyd: Catfish looks so shiny and cute!

Ortho: *Beams, floating beside Livia* Yeah!

Livia: *Laughs* Malleus dresses me, he picks out all my clothes and hair styles!

Cater: *Stares in shock then chuckles* You are the definition of special privileges...

---

Livia: *Leaves her dorm room, wearing a yellow dress with colored in sunflower patterns around the end of it, yellow rose petals scattered just above it with a white bow around her waist decorated with bees, her hair in a half up half down bun style with a sunflower hair clip that had a bee in her hair* I'm going out!

Malleus: Take Sebek with you, Beastie!

Livia: *Beams, grabbing Sebek's hand and pulling him after her* Got it!

Sebek: *Smiles slightly, his cheeks pink* You look pretty, Lady Livia

Livia: Thank you Sebek, you're handsome as always!

Sebek: *Smiles giddily, walking after her* Thank you..

---

Livia: *Pets Kai, wearing a white dress with red patterns coming from the chest part, forming roses and hibiscus flowers, her hair up in a ponytail with a red and white bow*

Leona: Why'd you bring that thing with...

Kai(Red Panda): *Chitters, looking around*

Livia: He's my familiar!

Leona: Hah..cute student, cute familiar...no wonder

Livia: *Smiles, letting Kai run off

---

Livia: *Stares, wearing a sunny yellow dress, daisy flowers covering the chest part with the petals scattered around the skirt part, thorn patters reaching from her waist and downwards, pearls decorating each pattern, a yellow ribbon tied into a bow around her neck, her hair up in low buns*

Kalim: GO JAMIL!!

Livia: *Smiles, cheering Golden on*

Golden: *Grins, dunking on an RSA student*

Livia: GO BIG BROTHER!!

Silver, Sebek and Kuro: *Glares daggers at the boys staring at Livia, gripping their batons* What?

---

Livia: *Walks through school, wearing a dark purple dress with silver trimmed lily flowers at the top chest part of her dress, silver trim patterns decorating the rest of her outfit forming flowers and swirls, her hair down with half of her bangs behind held back by a purple ribbon, half revealing her saintess mark, a parasol with the same design in her hands*

Ruggie: Liv~! Hey gal!

Livia: Hi Ruggie!

Ruggie: Wanna walk with me? I need someone to chat with while I run these errands!

Livia: Of course!

Ruggie: *Chuckles and walks beside her*

Livia: *Beams, talking with Ruggie*

---

Livia: *Enters Octavinelle, wearing a blue dress that was sailor theme, her hair hair in curls, a little sailor hat on her head along with silk made fingerless gloves*

Azul: Liv?!

Livia: Hi Zuzu!

Jade: Oya? Livia, you look lovely

Floyd: Told ya, Catfish is like Diasomnia's little clothes model!

Azul: Well, thanks for visiting Liv, ready to talk?

Livia: Yes!

---

Livia: *Leaves the Diasomnia mirror, wearing a off shoulder white dress with feathers along the waist and around the shoulder part, golden trims around the ends and near the middle, a golden necklace with a half diamond half sapphire around her neck, a white bow with golden trimming around the ends and the ribbons, around her waist, a turtle dove hair clip in her hair which was in a side bun, a few golden trims in her hair*

Ace: ...show off...

Deuce: Livia! You look very pretty!

Jack: Let me guess...Malleus?

Livia: *Nods, giggling* He refuses to let me go anywhere without looking my best!

Epel: Understandable...

Yolan: Yeah..

Huey: *Smiles at Livia, giving her a thumbs up*

[rotworld]

2: Atonement

an alien is seemingly exiled to your remote outpost, abandoned without explanation. taking him in seemed to be the right thing to do at the time.

->explicit. contains noncon, terato, hunting, animal death, gore, feral behavior, predator/prey, mentions of hard vore

.

.

.

You know something weird’s happening because Albatross Outpost is crowded.

Nothing is ever crowded here. There are salvage company ships with a higher population than your entire backwater planet. Albatross Outpost is a glorified post office, a communications tower with the vague components of a town attached as an afterthought. Mail Day is an official holiday, an annual event when the nearest extranet satellite reaches the sweet spot of its orbit and the local servers catch up to the rest of human civilization, letting you send messages offworld for a few hours. It’s not Market Day, it’s not a festival, it’s not even particularly pleasant weather with the wringing heat of a merciless, glaring sun. 

And yet, everywhere you look, you see people. The dusty, uneven lane affectionately known as Main Street is bustling with a sea of parasols and wide-brimmed hats, chatter and laughter and an air of excitement. There’s a line at the general store, people streaming out the doors and winding all the way around the building. Katri’s Repair is a green tent and a heap of scrap metal outside of a gutted hangar, but today, that hangar is packed and someone’s blasting party music with a bassline that rattles the foundations. REPAIRS 50% OFF TODAY ONLY proclaims a spraypaint scrawl on the concrete.

Could be a supply crate just came in, you figure. It’s always excited to get new seeds from Earth or the colonies. Could be a welcoming or going away party. You plan on asking once you’ve run your errands, but then you see a ship parked on the runway behind the comm tower. It’s a weird little thing, oblong and tapered at one end like a tulip bud. Not a design you recognize. The crowd gets denser the closer you get, but you see a clearing up ahead, a respectful perimeter. 

And there, right in the middle, you see them for the first time.

They’re big. Thin and willowy, almost fragile-looking, but definitely tall. Jude, one of the comm techs, is a little over six feet and standing right next to them, and he has to crane his neck to meet their eyes. Beneath sleek, form-fitting flight suits, their bodies are shades of moss and emerald green, four arms and four eyes each. You hear a low, almost tactile buzz like a subwoofer rumbling. Jude looks terrified and speaks with exaggerated gestures. The exo he’s talking to tilts their head and starts pointing at the crowd.

You push your way to the front. Jude looks like he might faint in relief when he spots you, calling your name in a warbling, panicked tone. “Everything okay?” you ask.

“You didn’t check your email, did you?” he says, accusing. 

“I never check my email, Jude. What’s going on?” 

The same subwoofer noise vibrates against your ears again. It’s coming from the exos. You see them speaking quietly to one another, mandibles clicking as their mouths part along segmented joints. Jude introduces you, gradually placing you between him and the exos. “They’re an exolinguist,” he tells them, his words carefully enunciated. “They can speak better. Understand you.”

“Was an exolinguist,” you correct, eyeing him. “Jude, I don’t speak—”

The exo he’s talking to immediately crowds you, coming forward in two long strides to loom over you. They speak in quick, rumbling chitters that you don’t understand. It takes some back and forth, trying every pidgin you’ve ever learned, but eventually, you find something you both speak. “Taiek,” they introduce themselves, a hand on their chest, two more gesturing to their companions. 

You return the favor. “Human,” you say. 

The other two come forward, one shoving the other towards you. “Human. Yours.” And without another word, they abandon one of their own, walking back to the ship without so much as a glance back. Jude sputters in disbelief as the exo ship’s engine rumbles to life and lifts into the sky.

You try not to make anthropocentric assumptions, but the last taiek looks at you, mandibles flaring, sharp teeth bared with an awful, reptilian hiss, and you think it’s safe to say they’re not happy.

*

The taiek’s name is Uora. He doesn’t tell you this, nor does he tell you that he is a “he,” or that his exile is a form of “disciplinary action.” He just shoves a datacard at you and stares at the ground while you run it through your readtool’s translator. “You need somewhere to stay,” you say. Uora says nothing. You can’t help but notice that his file never said what he’s being punished for. Jude says he’ll try to get in touch with somebody about the proper protocol for a situation like this, but you both know it’s useless. Mail Day was a week ago. You’ve got another year before anyone offworld will hear about this. 

“You’ll have to stay with me for now,” you tell him. Still no response. “Do you understand me? I speak hyuek pidgin, too.” Nothing. He sways lightly on his feet, like he’s half-asleep. “I’m parked over there,” you say, gesturing down Main Street. When you start moving, Uora follows. He walks with his head down, his body language closed and hostile. 

It’s a long way home. You watch Albatross Outpost turn into a speck in the rearview mirror, swallowed by dust. You get the feeling he doesn’t want to talk, but an hour passes in silence and you just can’t take it anymore. “This planet is called HGC-2129,” you say. “But a lot of us call it the Grandest Canyon. It’s a joke. There’s a place on Earth, the human homeworld, with a similar name. It kinds of looks like it.” 

You sneak glances out of the corner of your eye. Uora has his arms wrapped around himself tightly, lower arms clinging to the higher ones. He watches the rocky, desert scenery pass by in a sandy blur. Two of his eyes are large and flecked with blue, the smaller pair set beneath and solid black like marbles. “I don’t know much about taieks,” you admit. “Never heard of you or even seen any pictures. But if you need anything, just let me know. I’ll figure something out. Hopefully you can eat what we grow here, or I can synthesize something, at least.” 

“...hot.” 

You think you imagined the word at first. Uora’s lower eyes glance at you almost shyly and quickly dart away. “Hot?” you ask. “Are you overheated? Want me to turn up the air?” He makes a quick buzzing sound. You have no idea if that was a yes or a no, but you angle the vents towards him and he doesn’t complain. That’s all you get out of him the whole way back, but it’s a start, at least. 

The sun is setting by the time you get home. The Grandest Canyon’s two enormous moons, silver and dusty pink, settle near the horizon. Uora files in behind you silently, looming uncomfortably close as you give him a tour of the house. You don’t have a lot of space, but there is a room full of old research documents that could become a decent guestroom. Uora says nothing as you explain this or show him the space. He doesn’t react when you offer him the couch. 

“Where do you sleep?” he asks. His voice is strange, his words light and airy over low, scratchy rumbling, a constant growl in the background of his words. “We are communal. I sleep where you sleep.” You’re not sure how you feel about that. But when you show him your bedroom, he glances around, picks a corner seemingly at random, and sits on the hardwood floor. “We will speak in the morning,” he says, and that’s it. He shuts his eyes, his breathing slows so much you think he’s dead, and he’s out like a light.

You drape some blankets over him in the middle of the night. Uora’s lower arms knead the soft fabric.

*

“Do you need help?” Uora asks over breakfast.

He likes salt, you learn, and slimy things. Taieks apparently have food synthesizers, so it doesn’t take him long to work yours, but you have no idea what the abomination on his plate is. It’s spotted yellow and pink, moist and veiny, and it jiggles when he sits at the table to eat with you.

“Help with what?” you ask. 

“You are a farmer. I saw your crops, and the animal box. You left the door open.” 

“That’s on purpose,” you tell him. “I don’t really keep animals. There’s a herd of markwas, these reptiles native to the planet, that hang around here. They moult in the shade, so if I give them some cover, I can collect it later. It’s tough, useful stuff, good for lots of things.” 

“Do you need help?” Uora repeats. 

You shrug. “It wouldn’t hurt. I don’t think I have much for you to do, though. I’ve lived alone for a while so I’ve kept things simple.” 

Uora considers this. His main eyes study you, the smaller ones glancing around the kitchen. He seems to be looking for something. “Why?” he asks. 

“Why what?” 

“Why do you live alone? You are breeding age. Appealing.” 

You almost choke on your food. “Thanks?” you say.

“Why?” he presses.

“That’s just how it turned out.”

He seems to sense your unease. “I will help,” he declares. He slurps up whatever godawful thing he made and leaves his slimy plate on the table. “There are water animals?” 

“Water animals? Like fish?” 

“Fish,” he says, mandibles clacking. “There are some?” 

That’s how you end up hiking to the nearest lake together, sitting on the muddy shore. You don’t feel the need to supervise him, but you feel bad leaving him alone. He’s already been abandoned once. He doesn’t ask for a rod or bait or anything, just a container to bring the fish back. You only realize what he’s doing once he’s already got his flight suit down to his waist. You’re not completely caught off guard. Some exos are casual about nudity, especially once they’re out of a ship and on a familiar, terrestrial environment. You fully intend to politely avert your eyes, but then you hear something peeling. Like an unraveling fruit rind, the flesh of his back splits apart. 

He has wings, and they’re gorgeous. Translucent membranes catch the light like prisms, glowing under the morning sun. You’re surprised by their size, how they unfold from compacted bumps on his back to broad, shimmering sails. He stretches, rolls his shoulders, and his wings flutter with such speed they send little waves across the lake’s surface. When he takes flight, it’s breathtaking. His lithe form soares across the water with avian grace. 

And then he strikes. 

The movement is so fast it’s nothing but a blur to your eyes. He doesn’t stop or slow, one hand plunging into the lake, sending a fountain of water sparkling across his wings. It takes less than a minute from takeoff to landing, clawed, prehensile feet landing in the mud right in front of you.

“That was amazing!” you tell him. 

He doesn’t seem to think so. “I was aiming for two.” 

“I’d have a hard time catching even one.” 

Uora sets the fish in the container, his lower set of hands absently fidgeting and cleaning the first. “Game,” he says, then buzzes, eyes narrowing. Not quite the word he wanted, you think. “Hobby? For fun, not for work. I like to catch things.” 

“That’s a useful skill,” you say. 

You can’t quite identify the expression on his face when he looks at you. His mandibles flare and then fold back into place. You see a long, black tongue lick across his sharp teeth. You’re staring, you realize, and quickly look away. “Very useful,” he agrees, almost purring. It’s easy to blame the scorching heat for how warm your face feels. 

*

The new routine is effortless.

Uora wakes first. Sensitive to sunlight, he’s up and moving when the sky starts to lighten from black to deep blue. He unwraps himself from the blanket cocoon that’s gradually amassed in his corner and tiptoes to the kitchen. He’s learned which floorboards creak and moves soundlessly through the house. By the time you’ve dragged out of bed, he’s set the table and made both of you breakfast. He prefers fish over synthesized food, but he still adds an ungodly amount of salt. You talk about nothing in particular. You ask him, just once, what he did to get sent here, and his mandibles lock stiffly against his jaw. 

“I should not be here,” he says quietly, just the faintest, vibrating hum beneath his words. “It is not right.” He doesn’t speak to you for the rest of the morning. 

By noon, you’ve been out to tend to the crops and he’s checked the markwa shedding box. Sometimes, a few of the critters are still in there, rubbing against the rocks and hissing at the sudden violation of privacy. He’s been bitten a few times, but their fangs can’t get through his carapace far enough to inject any venom. On Market Days, he catches fish in the morning to sell. People stare when you get to Albatross Outpost but less as the weeks go by and the novelty wears off. Katri mods your outfitter so he has something other than a flight suit to wear. He makes a draping garment, a sash that folds over one shoulder, around his torso, and hangs in front of his pelvis. Interesting, you think, because there’s nothing there, as far as you can tell. At least, nothing external.

At daybreak or sunset, he glitters. There are patches of chitin on his hips and shoulders that shimmer at just the right angle. With the curtains open, the setting sun spills through the kitchen windows during dinner and Uora is effortlessly beautiful haloed in light. There are so many little things he does that you notice with fondness. The way he hums, those little subvocal noises that tell you what he’s saying without words. Warbling when he’s thinking about something, pitched and choppy for surprise, that low, purring growl for delight. It hits you suddenly one evening that you like him. You’re far from the first person to harbor an interspecies crush, but you try to ignore it. There’s still this uncertainty nagging at the back of your mind. 

You dig through your cluttered spare room sometimes, searching the fragments of your old life for research papers and old exo files. You want to understand him better. For a while, you don’t find anything. No records of contact, no cultural exchange programs, not even a homeworld listed. What you have is probably outdated. You’ve been out of the field for a while, and offworld information is a luxury out on the Grandest Canyon. 

There is, however, a report you manage to find one night. Sitting in the middle of the floor, surrounded by boxes overflowing with old datacards, textbooks, and scribble-filled notebooks, you stumble upon it completely by accident. It’s wedged between unrelated field reports, a stack of curiosities you must’ve gotten from a colleague years ago. The word “taiek” is never mentioned, but the description is a perfect match. Tall, bipedal, vaguely insectoid, capable of space travel and maybe even terraforming. The research team kept a diary detailing the usual expedition minutiae, sample collection, interviews, the occasional photo. The exos are friendly but not particularly talkative. 

And then, a couple weeks into the research team’s stay, something goes horribly wrong.

You think, at first, that it’s an error. The files must be corrupted. The digitized diary entry is empty. Switching to the image scan of the original page shows you a creased and partially-shredded page of notebook paper. There are stains and splatters, bloody fingerprints all across the bottom of the page.

Written in a hurried, messy scrawl are the words, “THEY ARE EATING US.”

The pictures are harrowing. What was once a neat, orderly base camp has been utterly razed to the ground. Nothing is left. Makeshift labs and living quarters have been torn apart like paper, gouging marks left in the steel like some horrible thing teething. Wounds are deep and mangling, large chunks that snap clean through bone and leave gaping, red holes behind. There are places where the ground is saturated with blood. A series of photos shows a trail of carnage, bits of bloodied clothing, equipment and human bodies like gruesome breadcrumbs leading out of the camp and into a looming forest. The dead are nothing but pieces, discarded limbs and skull fragments with scraping marks etched into the bone.

“Hungry?” Uora asks. 

You drop your data reader and it clatters to the floor, your heart pounding. Uora takes up the entire doorway, blocking your only exit. He stands there with a fresh fish, still dripping lakewater. You look at the gasping thing clutched in one of his hands—long-fintered, clawed hands, and as it writhes and squirms, right before your eyes, one of his lower hands squeezes so hard you hear something snap and it goes limp.

“No,” you say weakly. “No, I’m—I’ll be down later. Don’t wait up.” You have to stand up. You feel too vulnerable sitting there, engulfed in his shadow. Uora’s small eyes glance at the datareader on the floor, but his larger eyes never leave your face. He says nothing. Every memory you have since his arrival races through your mind. Has he ever done anything threatening? Ever tried to hurt you? He can hunt—likes to hunt, told you as much himself—but that doesn’t have to mean anything. Uora is your friend, isn’t he? You can’t just make assumptions like that. 

The room is stiflingly, suffocatingly hot and sweat dripping down your back. Uora’s rumbling takes on a pattern you don’t hear often, something disgruntled. Finally, he steps out of the doorway. With one last look over his shoulder, he steps out of view. You don’t hear him go down the stairs, but you wouldn’t. He’s sneaky. He knows just where to step to avoid making noise.

With shaky breaths, you sink back to the floor. 

*

The comm techs send out heat advisories and a drought warning to all Grandest Canyon residents via email. You never see it, but you know all the same. The red line on your kitchen thermometer keeps climbing as the days go by.

*

Uora starts eating synthesized food again.

He sits across from you with that thick, pink jelly quivering on his plate. Feeding is quick and efficient with all of his jagged mouthparts. His mandibles pin the wet, squirmy mass in place as his monstrous teeth grind it into paste. His tongue darts out, licking bits of gristle from the pointed end of one mandible. He catches you staring. He doesn’t say a word. 

“Tired of fish?” you ask. It’s supposed to be a joke, but it comes out nervous. 

“Variety is good,” he says. 

You push your food around on your plate, uneasy. Uora watches your movements with unnerving focus. “I’ve been meaning to ask you—”

“I will check the animal box.” He leaves in such a clumsy rush that he bangs his knee on the table. You find yourself peering through the curtains after him. Uora’s slim back and tense, muscular shoulders glint in the early morning light. He seems paler than usual, more seafoam than emerald. You find him walking up to the markwa box, his four eyes fixed on the writhing mass of creatures gathered in the shade. He seizes one by its long, ropy throat. It hisses and rears back to bite his fingers, fangs scraping uselessly across the back of his hand. Your heart leaps into your throat and you busy yourself with the dishes. The water running doesn’t quite mask the awful, shrill sounds of a creature screaming, squealing, the crunch of flesh, tissue and bone violently compacted—and then deafening silence.

*

Bones. 

Nothing but bones.

There were reed-like plants, swaying water grasses and croaking marsh creatures all over this lake, sleek silhouettes darting between lakeweed stalks, and now there is nothing but bones. Piscine with gaping sockets, half-moon ribs, skeletal fins and flippers, carpeting the lakeshore. You stand there with your heart pounding in your chest and sweat pooling between your shoulders in the awful, suffocating heat, and you’re afraid to go home.

*

We need to talk.

You practice the words in your head as the sun sets. The cadence, the confidence, the way you will carry yourself. We need to talk, you’ll say, and you won’t back down. You wipe the sweat from your brow and shoulder through the front door, eager for a shower.

You run right into Uora. He catches you, a steadying hand on your shoulder, a lower hand grasping your hip. You mutter a “thank you,” and pull away, or try to. He doesn’t let go. “Uora,” you say, a tremor in your voice. He says nothing, but he rumbles to show he heard you. It’s lower than usual, more powerful. The vibration travels through his hands and fizzles on your skin. “Can you let me go, please?” 

You’re reminded of the day you met. It’s like he was sleepwalking. Hearing, but not quite listening. Trapped in his head. You thought he was distressed, understandably upset about his situation, but was that all it was? There’s something different about his eyes. He’s turned from seafoam green to almost gray, his carapace dull and sick-looking. You hear his wings unfolding and the hand on your shoulder squeezes just a little too hard. 

“Hot,” he says through gritted teeth. His rumbling is unbearably loud when he speaks, hurting your ears. “Bad. Can’t think. Hungry…” His mandibles spread open in a grasping, prey-seizing motion and you jerk violently in his grasp. One pointed tip scrapes your cheek just as you manage to free yourself, stumbling back towards the door. Uora’s eyes are wide. His mandibles click shut but they’re trembling, scraping against his face. “Go,” he mutters. 

You take a low step back. Another. You put the dining table between you, feeling blindly behind your back for your keys but you can’t find them. You twist, take your eyes off of him for just a moment, and he makes a sound you’ve never heard before, a wild, howling roar. His wings splay open, flinging aside your dining table like it weighs nothing. “Go!” he shouts. You don’t look back. 

You can’t outrun him. You know that. Can you hide? Can he track you? By smell? Infrared? You don’t know. There were so many things you should’ve asked him. Dirt and gravel crunch beneath your boots as you sprint across the wilderness. Flatlands as far as the eye can see. You run for the lake and the bones of everything that came before you. There are prickly woodlands if you follow the river, dense shrubs and wildlife. Will that distract him? Will it deter him at all? That deafeningly loud buzz fills your head and rattles your chest. A winged shadow swoops overhead. 

You’re going to die. Out here, in the dark, in this godawful heat, in the middle of fucking nowhere, and no one will know for months. You run until your lungs are full of fire and your legs are aching, threatening to give out beneath you. Sweat drips into your eyes and all you can see is a smear of silver in the dark, the moon reflected on the lake’s surface. You don’t think. You don’t plan. Your ankle twists in the mud and you go down screaming as liquid cold bursts and swallows you whole. And then there’s new fear, water filling your aching lungs, pain as you grope for something to hold onto, something to right yourself, not knowing which way is up. 

The buzzing is a dull hum, a song far above you. Something strikes you, scratches you raw and bloody. You hold onto that clawed hand and you don’t let go. Uora strains and struggles but you’re no fish and he goes crashing into the lake. 

You see spots. White light. The moon is a watery, melting circle. The world whirls around you at breakneck speed and your hands scrape the bottom of the lake, all of those little bones slicing up your palms as you are dragged back to the surface. You cough and sputter, gulping down cool, night air. Uora is heavy on top of you and he’s so loud. You hear him taking fast, ragged breaths, the wet slap of his waterlogged wings against his back. 

“Sorry,” he says. His hands are all over you, rough and painful. You don’t know what he’s doing, why he’s hurting you, sinking his claws into your shoulders and thighs, and then the air hits your bare skin as he tears the damp, ragged remains of your clothes apart. You gasp his name. Uora rests his forehead against yours. He makes a miserable sound that vibrates in his chest, an animalistic wail. “I should not be here,” he murmurs. “It is not right.”

Something hot and long and pulsating throbs between your legs. You never get the chance to see it. Uora rolls you onto your stomach and overpowers you easily, dragging your frantic, wriggling body back under him. “Wait—Uora, stop!” 

“Sorry,” he whispers. “Sorry. Sorry.” His upper arms wrap around your stomach, pinning you to his body. His lower hands grab your hips, lifting them, his claws sinking into your skin when you try to squirm free. “Sorry,” he says, and what must be his cock prods against you, threatening to penetrate. “I will not eat you. I promise. I will not, I…” He groans and his hips buck against you, his tendril slithering around as though tasting you. “I will bite. I will be…cruel. I will not eat you. I will try not to.”

That’s all the warning you get before he tenses pounds his entire cock into you in one hard, surging motion, punching all the air out of your lungs. You can’t even scream. The wheezing, miserable noises you make are just whispers. You can’t hear anything over the hum that starts up within him, that rumble returning even louder than before. It makes his whole body vibrate, you discover, your nails raking helplessly through the mud. Uora’s mandibles scrape down your back as he slumps over, blanketing your back. His thrusts are mercifully slow at first but they’re deep, his cock never fully leaving your body. He’s torn something, you’re sure of it. If you had the strength to maneuver yourself, you’d see blood trickling down your thighs and streaking his length. 

“Will not eat you,” Uora murmurs, even as his mandibles stab into your shoulder to hold you still and the needlepoints of his teeth turn your skin to tenderized, gummy mush. “Promised. I promised. I will not. I will try…” You feel him quaking with exertion as he lifts his face, one hand stabbing into the ground beside your body to anchor him. “You have been so kind to me,” he says softly, one of his hands sliding between your legs. You want to tell him no, to push it away. You don’t want him to make you enjoy this. But he’s so careful, so incredibly gentle with you, mindful of his claws as he works you with his fingers. This is the tenderness of someone who loves you. You can’t understand how he does it while he fucks you bloody.

Just as you begin to adjust, your breathing even, the pain excruciating but predictable—his pace changes. Uora’s legs bracket yours as he properly mounts you and he starts pounding into you with even more speed and force. You feel his length sliding against your sore inner walls, a long, shaky withdraw before he spears you on his cock again. Every movement is pure violence and domination, not chasing pleasure but some other, even more mindless need.

His lower hands are restlessly exploring, squeezing you, stabbing almost instinctively anywhere soft and tender. He grasps you when you start to slump, keeping you right where he wants you. The hand between your legs loses rhythm, forgets what to do. It finds your throat and squeezes, and you fear for one agonizing moment that he’s going to kill you. Snap your neck with nothing but the flick of his wrist, so fast you won’t see it coming. But he never does. His hips keep pumping into you, his cock drilling into your weary body, the slap of his hard, chitinous hips a thicker, more solid slap than flesh against flesh. 

“I will not eat you,” Uora mutters, a chant, a mantra under his breath. “We will…we will speak in the morning.” 

You would laugh if you had the strength, the air, the space for anything in your body but Uora’s thick appendage. It seems absurd to talk about the future, to even consider it. You don’t think you’ll even make it through the night. But Uora stops thrusting just long enough to reach down, to find your hands with his trembling, upper hands and clasp his fingers over yours. The gesture is frightening. His hands are so much larger, his claws sharp and pricking even from the sides. But you feel how he shivers and you hear the breathless apologies between his desperate promises, his insistence that there will be something after this. 

As his pace quickens again, you close your eyes and try to believe him.

[ellenya]

One day, one rhyme- Day 3350

Harriet always sought the shade

Wherever she might go.

Her spot of choice was the forest

Where the big oak trees grow.

Hats were nice, but never enough,

Parasols were not dense;

Gazebos we’re impractical,

A roof didn’t make sense;

So she planted some acorn seeds

In a pot from the shed-

She turned the pot into a hat

And wears it on her head!

[c-rose2081]

Of Sirens Deep — [Chapter 2]

—

—

The afternoon sun was blazing hot.

Aunt Frenrise and I sat in the front row of many wooden seats, the congregation facing to the East. We were surrounded by other members of Macatanian society, as well as the families of naval officers accompanying their varying ranks. There was no person in attendance who wasn’t sweating. Gem and silk draped women had their fans and parasols, while men kept cool under the shade of their hats. Atop the Eastern wall, practically silhouetted in the afternoon, a line of navalman blocked the view of the trade harbor with their uniform clad bodies.

Cousin Elias stood front and center, his normally scraggly appearance now combed and well tended. He even had his long pale hair done nicely, knotted into a small ponytail and tied with a silken ribbon. Despite looking his rank for once, I fought back a snort at the cocky, prideful expression which rested on his face. He hadn’t changed at all, military be damned.

Elias, unlike any other new recruit, was skipping over the basic Naval training to become a commanding Officer. With Papa’s rank on Macatania alongside Aunt Frenrise’s economic influence, Elias was much better suited to simply looking good in the uniform, rather than being of any use. Thankfully, Macatania hadn’t seen battle in years, merely defending against the occasional pirate. Hopefully it stayed that way.

Catalina, Elias’s fiancé, was easy to spot directly to his right. Her corngold hair was tucked into a swan feathered hat, while a maid held a parasol to protect her from the heat. She was dabbing meekly at her eyes, occasionally sending lovesick gazes towards her husband-to-be. Focusing on my fan rather than the ceremony, I listened with closed eyes as Macatania’s Naval Commander began to speak.

“Do you, Elias Marcus Pennrose, promise in any and all circumstances to defend, protect and honor the Isle of Macatania? To give whatever is necessary, be it your own life, to serve our homeland?”

“Yes, sir.”

I turned as Aunt Frenrise made a strangled noise beside me, tears pouring down her face as she struggled not to ruin her handkerchief. Despite the dramatic display, one which caused more than a few curious glances, I continued to fan myself with one hand and scratched mindlessly at my arm using the other. On my back, Amaris’s sunbam oil had dried up, leaving the rash to fester. It was no help that the heat today was terribly dry.

The East Harbor was practically a stone fortress on the steepest cliff Macatania had to offer. The structure blocked any pleasant sea breeze which could bring relief, while natural foliage had been removed in favor of tall, defendable walls. I fanned a bit faster, praying the ceremony would be over soon.

“…then I honor you with this saber, Officer Elias Pennrose of Macatania. May it serve you well.”

I glanced up as Elias accepted a silver sword with a golden tassel on the end. Aunt Frenrise was the first to stand, clapping in vigor for her only son. The crowd followed suit, breaking the ceremonial atmosphere into something more casual. With the noise as a cue, I slapped my fan shut and stood as well, pausing when Aunt Frenrise caught my skirt with her fingers.

“Aria? Where are you going?”

“I just need some air.” I replied. “I’ll only be a moment.”

My aunt frowned, her eyes looking this way and that. But she eventually relented and I excused myself politely from the crowd. No doubt this ceremony would be a chance for high society to mingle with each other. Something I wanted to avoid, if possible. Papa may have been a Lord in Macatania, but he was never stuffy or elegant. He didn’t find spending time with high society interesting or worth his time, either.

The man wore buckles and bracelets better than Aunt Frenrise ever did. I could still smell his big leather coat after it rained and feel the scarf he used to cover his hair. Papa always jingled with beads and metal adornments, causing a ruckus wherever he went. There were many instances he would return home smeared in oil from the docks, or soaking wet from falling into the harbor. He never cared about all the fancy stuff which came with lordship. He’d been a sailor, a good one at that, and I wished nothing more than to sink into one of his salty hugs and disappear.

Wandering to the edge of the East Wall, I found myself away from the party, hidden in a small piece of shade. From this position I had a perfect view of the harbor from an old canon station, the gun either removed or fallen into the sea years ago. I was able to relish in the ocean breeze while observing the cresting whitewater swathing around the rocks below. The fall was long and treacherous—it was hard to imagine pirates once having scaled it in attempts to pillage this quarter of the island. So distracted by the view, I jumped as someone cleared their throat behind me.

“Apologies, Lady Pennrose. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Officer Ambrose.” I sighed, placing a hand on my chest to slow my heart. “I didn’t hear you coming.”

Officer Ambrose was at least five years my senior, straight and tall like any Naval Officer should be. I suppose there was a handsomeness to him, but his face was still childlike somehow, soft and unscarred by any hardship. His brown eyes were dull, while his smile was much too white. Seeing as Macatania’s Navy had very little to do besides arresting smugglers and blasting cannonballs into the ocean for no reason, it didn’t surprise me that he was always so well dressed.

“Hm. It’s dazzling, isn’t it?” He mused, taking a few steps to meet me by the wall and looking out over the harbor. “My father brought me here when I was just a boy.”

“Oh?” I removed my fan again, using it to gently air out my face which was still warm from the afternoon.

“Yes. He stood me up on this wall and said ‘Son, the sea is a cruel mistress meant to be conquered by man. One day, you’ll be the one to conquer it.’ His words struck me—it has been my dream to become a navy officer ever since.”

I hid my cringe at the word ‘conquered’ and ‘mistress’ in the same sentence. Like Aunt Frenrise, Officer Nathan Ambrose was a traditional man of society. He had expectations of a wife, expectations I knew would make me miserable. And though some girls like Catalina swooned for a man who could care for them, I was not in the majority, despite Aunt Frenrise’s wishes of me.

“How fascinating.” I said blandly, staring out at the waves to avoid meeting Ambrose’s keen gaze again. “It’s an awfully big ocean. I’m sure there is a world of things yet to be discovered. Perhaps there’s something out there man is not meant to see.”

“Doubtful. We are the most powerful force in the world. There is little we cannot claim. Though, I’ve learned that I have a duty to Macatania as much as I do the sea. Don’t you agree, Aria?”

“I suppose,” I frowned, fluttering my fan a bit faster. Being on a first name basis made me nervous—and not in a good way. “Papa always said to follow your own compass. It’s hard to do that when I’ve never even left the island.”

“My condolences about your Father.” Ambrose tilted his head, folding his arms behind his back. “Lord Pennrose was a good man.”

“Thank you.”

“Have you given any thought to your future?” He wondered aloud then, shooting me a curious glance over his shoulder. I shrugged in return, itching my arm only to wince faintly at its burn.

“It’s been brought up. Though I haven’t made any decisions.”

“And….Lady Frenrise has informed you that I’ll be making an offer soon?”

“Yes.”

“This is all a bit formal,” Ambrose complained, shuffling on his boots as he reached up to remove his hat. This revealed a head of brunette hair, shimmering with sweat from being in the sun all afternoon. “Your Aunt will be in charge of the dowry, as is traditional. But to you I offer my unending loyalty. I would take care of you, Aria. Without a father in your life, you need a man’s protection. Someone to keep you safe. I can offer that, if you’d do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

I blinked and stopped fanning as Ambrose knelt on one knee and removed a ring box from his uniform pocket. Inside was nestled a ring of the deepest red sapphire, set on a brassy band. Suddenly my Aunt’s insistence that I speak with Ambrose made a suspicious amount of sense.

“Oh Ambrose….”

Not sure what to say or do next, I rose to stand only to gasp as pain exploded behind my eyes. So focused on Ambrose’s sudden proposal, I didn’t hear the noise which had been tugging at the back of my mind. Now, it was like a thousand different voices all singing a different song. The roar was so great that my knees collapsed as my fan was whisked over the wall, vanishing from sight.

“Aria? Aria what’s wrong?” I felt two firm arms grasp my shoulders as I placed my hands over my ears, clenching my jaw hard. Boxed in by my arms, I finally noticed the red rash which had blossomed up the inside of my wrist—the same I had been picking at all afternoon. The same as on my back. Was it spreading?

“Sir!” Another guard called someplace behind me. “We have movement in the water!”

I cracked an eye open just as Ambrose left me, his figure leaning over the wall.

“Don’t just stare, you idiot.” He snarled. “Shoot it!”

There was a scramble and a few gunshots, but my brain was too fuzzy to make much sense of it. Then, as quickly as the noise began, it stopped. The dull roar was replaced with a calm, lilting sort of melody. I couldn’t help my sigh of relief, shakily removing my hands from my ears.

‘Aria.’

The new female voice was distant and faint, echoing as though in a deep cave. I felt blind as I stood, turning to the horizon where the ocean waited. ‘We finally found you.’ She whispered tenderly, ‘Come to us. Come.’

I stepped nearer the edge, only faintly aware of the guards huddled in the nearby tower, staring down into the water.

‘Aria. Come to the sea. Come with us. Jump. Jump, child.’

I placed a shoe on the lowest part of the canon settlement, leaning dangerously over the side. Down below, it almost looked like someone was laid out across the rocks. I almost couldn’t see them; the skin was murky and camouflaged with the shore. But something long and transparent made the water bubble in a strange way near the edge of the bank, it’s trunk faintly glistening like sea glass.

‘Jump! Jump, Aria!’

“Aria, don’t!”

I was only falling for a second before a strong hand grabbed the hem of my bodice. I was thrown back to the ground, away from the wall as the voice faded. This left behind a horrible pulsing sensation, keeping time with my heart as I struggled to find a breath.

“Aria, darling?” I could recognize Aunt Frenrise at once, her hands coming to rest on my cheeks. “What happened?”

“Siren song.” Ambrose sounded out of breath, growling through his teeth. “I want that monster dead! Don’t let it escape….”

The man vanished as I struggled to peel my eyes open, my Aunt’s hands gently running down my face.

“You’re alright Aria,” she whispered, running a hand through my hair. “Ambrose will kill the creature that did this to you. Rest now, we’ll get you home where it’s safe.”

— — —

The sunset didn’t bring any relief from the heat.

My room was muggy from the blistering day, so much so that Amaris had to toss the window and balcony doors open to try and catch a breeze. I laid on top of my covers, staring at the ceiling and counting cracks in the plaster. Oceans & Islands sat beside me on the bedside table, open to the page I left it on this morning.

“Just hold still, milady. This may burn a touch.”

The rash had spread during the day. Where I thought it was only on my back and wrist, patches of searing red skin had cropped up across my whole body. No place was untouched, as the condition now trailed down my neck, ribs, arms, legs and even between my fingers and toes. My cheeks had gone rosy with small blisters, while the skin around my ears had gone dry. Amaris was doing what she could with the sunbam oil, but even that didn’t seem to help. I couldn’t stop myself from twitching away as she gently applied the balm, clenching my teeth hard. “I’m sorry.”

“This is torture, Amaris.”

“It spread much faster than I thought it would.”

“Do you know what it is?” I wondered honestly, exhaling a long, tired breath as Amaris took a break.

“No, milady. Some kind of illness, I suppose. I’m sure you’ll be fine again in a few days.”

I frowned, glancing at my maid and friend of almost seventeen years. She had been my caregiver ever since I was born, helping both Papa and Aunt Frenrise raise me. I knew her almost as well as I knew myself. And currently, Amaris was avoiding eye contact, focusing on applying sunbam oil to whatever she could find. She was lying to me.

“Do you know much about sirens?” I asked her finally, returning my focus to the ceiling. “I don’t…what happened today. I don’t understand.”

“I only know what I’ve heard in stories, milady. And what Lady Frenrise told me of this afternoon, of course.”

“What have you heard?”

“You know the tales as well as I. Sirens are creatures of the deep sea that lure sailors to their deaths with beautiful music.”

“That’s it?”

“As far as I know. Though, I suppose there’s not much reason a siren song couldn’t affect a female keen to sail.” Amaris lifted her brows knowingly. “Your Aunt is a terrible gossip, you know. Now hold still, please.”

Amaris was lying again, I could see it in how she focused her attention on her work and tried to deflect the conversation. But, not having the energy to badger her, I instead removed fathers pendant from my nightdress and flipped it between my fingers, watching the blue glass flicker in evening candlelight.

“I wonder if Papa ever encountered a siren.”

“The sea is a dark and mysterious place,” Amaris sighed. “I’m sure there are plenty of things Lord Pennrose saw that no one else would believe.”

“Maybe. I can’t help but think there were things he never told me.” I was saddened by that thought, tucking the amulet back where it belonged as Amaris draped a cool washcloth over my forehead.

“Don’t somber yourself, milady. Your Pa loved you very much. He would’ve come back to you if nature hadn’t intervened.”

“Ambrose said the sea is meant to be conquered by man. Do you suppose that’s true?”

“They can certainly try, but the sea is known as a cruel mistress for a reason.” Amaris’s dark eyes crinkled with humor. “She’s not a fan of men dirtying her waters. Your father knew that—he didn’t ever try to wrangle the sea.”

I couldn’t help but smile, accepting the answer with a small head tilt. Unfortunately, the quiet didn’t last long as a noise caused both of us to startle. I didn’t recognize it at first, mistaking such a rumble for thunder. Sitting up curiously, I couldn’t see much out the open balcony window.

“Was that thunder?”

“I don’t know, milady.” Amaris admitted, rising to her feet and going to the balcony. She was only there for a second before her arms rapidly slammed the doors shut, locking them in haste.

“Amaris?”

“We have to go.” She said breathlessly, moving to the open window and shutting it as well. “Get up, child. Quickly.”

“What’s going on?”

“Pirates.”

“Pirates?” I blinked owlishly, furrowing my brows as my friend practically ran around the room, looking for something though I had no idea what. “But Macatania is a fortress. No pirates are foolish enough to plunder here.”

“This is different,” Amaris gasped, turning to me again. “Get up, tie your hair back. We don’t have much time.”

“But why are we leaving?” I wondered, being sure to grab Oceans & Islands from the bedside table. “The Navy will handle it.”

“Aria listen to me,” Amaris took my shoulders, holding them tight as she gave me a small shake. “Since the beginning of time, wherever there are sirens, there are pirates that follow. Not scraggly, unorganized pirates looking for quick loot, but massive armadas with the power to destroy everything in their path. It’s not safe here.”

“But Aunt Frenrise….”

“She knows what to do; she’ll be fine. Aria, please. You must trust me.”

Staring into Amaris’s eyes—someone who had only ever cared for me—I nodded as she cradled my cheek. “Good girl. Now get your coat on.”

Swallowing thickly and my previous pain forgotten, I quickly shrugged into my leather coat and kicked on a pair of boots which sat near the door. I made sure to put Oceans & Islands in the deepest pocket, as to not lose it. Amaris was better prepared, a satchel of packed clothing shoved into my arms. I stared at it for a moment, gaping as the woman opened a trap door leading straight down.

“Did…did you expect something like this to happen?” I wondered, passing the satchel back to her as she began to descend a ladder.

“I don’t have time to explain now, Aria….”

BANG!

The walls rattled as something slammed into the downstairs doors.

BANG! BANG!

“Someone’s trying to break in.”

“Then we needn’t waste any more time.”

“But my aunt….”

“Already gone by now,” Amaris gasped, extending her hand. “Come on.”

Frowning, I followed my friend down into the darkness, closing the door behind me just as the sound of splintering wood and footsteps reached my ears. I couldn’t necessarily see where we were going, but Amaris did, keeping a tight grip on my hand as we weaved through a tunnel. She didn’t say a word, not even as we reached a door at the end and were spat out into the alley not far from the house. “Not a word.” She hissed in my ear. “Stay close, don’t slow down and don’t stop for anything. Ok?”

“O-ok.”

Amaris tugged my arm, beginning a run through Macatania’s streets. The air was filled with screaming and cannon fire—the same sound I’d heard earlier. Fires caused low clouds to glow orange and red, while an ashy haze descended the further we got from home. I wanted to ask where the military was, but kept my jaw shut. A few times, Amaris forcefully pulled me to one side as dark silhouettes ran by us, only their wild dark hair and gleaming swords visible in pale firelight.

To say I was afraid was an understatement. Papa told me stories about his encounters with Pirates—their ruthlessness and wolfish nature. If what Amaris said was true, these pirates were especially dangerous. But why and for what , I didn’t quite understand. Could the presence of one siren really bring hellfire down on an entire island? What could siren’s offer to pirates anyway?

Shaking out of my thoughts as we ducked and weaved in and out of dark alleyways and under eaves, my chest felt like it would explode from exertion by the time we reached a grassy knoll overlooking the southeast part of the island. Though not as steep and treacherous as the eastern part, the ocean swelled dangerously at the bottom. I hadn’t thought about how to escape when we lived on an island.

“Why didn’t we go to the harbor?” I gasped as Amaris looked out to the horizon. The moon was fully obscured by ash-haze now, while much of Macatania was ablaze. “What are we doing?”

“Do you still trust me?” She asked, passing the satchel back into my arms. I hesitantly nodded, only to squeak as something loud cracked through the air. Amaris shrieked in pain, grasping at her arm as I took a wide step back. Undefined figures were running up the hill towards us, their outlines illuminated by the blazing buildings and smoky sky. One of them had a pistol aimed right at us.

I didn’t have time to think before I felt a firm hand on my back. With a single hard shove I was suddenly falling. The wind whipped past my hair as I stared up at the cliff, Amaris’s dark shadow looking down. She had pushed me over the edge, only to vanish as hands grabbed her from behind.

“Amaris!”

The name was stolen from my throat as my back hit the cold water. Salt flooded my lungs, the satchel still slung across my chest weighing me down as I sank. Each wave pulled my body further out to sea as I clawed wildly with my hands, unable to tell which way was up or down. With each second, the orange glow of the sky faded further and further away.

Then, it all stopped.

I heard my father’s voice in my mind. ‘If you ever find yourself drowning, stop fighting. You’re more likely to survive by letting the ocean take you, rather than trying to control it.’

So I stopped. I stopped fighting, thrashing and clawing. Instead, I let the waves surge and pull as they pleased, rocking my body as it continued to sink. It was peaceful, away from the fear and confusion. Opening my lips, a column of bubbles ascended towards the distant surface. The last of my precious air. I didn’t know why Amaris had pushed me over the edge of a cliff, nor why she asked me to trust her. But there was one thing I was certain of.

I was probably going to die here.

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Thank you for all those who read the first chapter :) I’ll be sure to link these together at some point when Tumblr doesn’t be stupid about links in posts. Until then, cheers 🏴‍☠️🧜🏽‍♀️

If you want to be tagged whenever a new chapter drops let me know! :3